What Happens When You Choose GROWTH Over Stability?
Release Date: 12/04/2025
If You Can't Find What You're Looking For, Create It
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What happens when you can't find what you're looking for? Lea Woodford creates it. From broadcasting school where they told her at 19 her career had an expiration date, to founding her own media empire and a private jet company, Lea Woodford has built everything on one principle: frustration is fuel. In this conversation, Lea breaks down her journey from local media to luxury branding, revealing how she took control of her content strategy and saw a 780% increase in LinkedIn engagement. We dive into why most brands are "swimming in the sea of sameness," what "brand perception"...
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Just because you can do it all doesn't mean you should. If you're a high-achieving entrepreneur who's exhausted from doing everything yourself, this conversation is your wake-up call. Strategic advisor Amanda Dake breaks down why capable leaders get trapped in misalignment, doing tasks that drain their energy and stall their growth. We dive into: • The "just because you can" trap- and why it's killing your fulfillment • How to run a time audit that reveals what's actually eating your day • Using human design, DISC, and StrengthsFinder to identify your blind spots • Why isolation...
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The Amanda Dake Podcast
Andrew Chesnutt didn't plan to build a seven-figure business. He planned to keep his job. When that was taken from him, he had to figure out what he was actually good at — and what he found changed everything. In this episode Andrew talks about the pivot from corporate trainer to entrepreneur, why most webinars fail and what to do instead, the power of story over features, and the small inner circle that has made every hard moment survivable. In this episode: • Why he calls bad corporate training "academic assault" • How stories light up the brain in a way features never will • Why...
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The Amanda Dake Podcast
What do you do when your practice burns down and you can't see patients for months? If you're Dr. Clifton Brady, you accidentally invent telehealth — and discover your real calling. Clifton went from home builder to chiropractor to brain health coach, and the detours are what made him. Today he helps people struggling with anxiety, depression, and what he calls "stinkin' thinkin'" using nutritional protocols that get the brain what it actually needs to function. No medication. No traditional therapy. Just biology. In this episode we talk about: ⭐️ Why complimenting someone who's...
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From Adjusting Spines to Rewiring Brains | Dr. Clifton Brady
The Amanda Dake Podcast
What do you do when your practice burns down and you can't see patients for months? If you're Dr. Clifton Brady, you accidentally invent telehealth — and discover your real calling. Clifton went from home builder to chiropractor to brain health coach, and the detours are what made him. Today he helps people struggling with anxiety, depression, and what he calls "stinkin' thinkin'" using nutritional protocols that get the brain what it actually needs to function. No medication. No traditional therapy. Just biology. In this episode we talk about: ⭐️ Why complimenting someone who's...
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The Amanda Dake Podcast
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The Amanda Dake Podcast
What does it actually take to become an AI coach — with zero AI background? Rob Cressy walked away from corporate America 16 years ago to chase a sports broadcasting dream. Three career pivots later, a pandemic wiped out his entire industry overnight. Then in December 2022, a single text message introduced him to ChatGPT — and everything changed. In this episode, Rob breaks down his Human AI Sandwich framework, a simple approach to using AI for business without losing your voice, your judgment, or your edge. If you're an entrepreneur or leader trying to figure out how to use AI...
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Living at a 6: Why James Friel Walked Away from a Dream Corporate Career
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What does it look like when someone successful finally admits they're living at a 6? James Friel had the career — the titles, the bonuses, the offer to run global marketing from London. And he said no. James Friel is the founder of J Street Financial and a serial entrepreneur who has built everything from digital consultancies to ghost kitchens to financial advisory firms. But before all of that, he was a high-performing corporate executive who looked like he had it all — and felt the quiet pull to do something more. In this conversation, James unpacks the entrepreneurial mindset...
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The Amanda Dake Podcast
Forbes Riley generated $2.5 billion in sales — and she'll tell you it had nothing to do with "selling." In this conversation, Forbes Riley, known as The Queen of Pitch, breaks down the communication skill that most professionals never learn — and why it changes everything from the boardroom to the dinner table. Forbes shares the childhood struggle that became her superpower, the accidental audition that launched a billion-dollar career, and why pitching isn't what you think it is. Key Moments: 00:00 — Introducing Forbes Riley, The Queen of Pitch 00:16 — How $2.5 Billion Started "By...
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Trapped by Success: Escaping the Golden Handcuffs
The Amanda Dake Podcast
After 25 years in a high-paying pharmaceutical sales career, Kathleen Chabus had everything that looks like success on paper: income, status, stability. But inside, it felt like being on the wrong bus and never getting off. Safety became a cage. In this conversation, Kathleen shares how “golden handcuffs” kept her in a role that didn’t fit, why the “condition trap” (“once X happens, then I’ll finally…”) almost cost her the life she actually wanted, and what shifted as she approached 50 and realized: You cannot course correct without starting the course. We talk about: ➡️...
info_outlineJay Larson followed a traditional path for most of his life. College, career, family, stability. He could have stayed a few more years and retired comfortably. Instead, he made a different choice.
In this episode, Jay and Amanda talk about what it really looks like to choose growth later in life, without blowing up everything you’ve built. This is an honest conversation about work, identity, time, family, and what changes when you decide you’re not finished yet.
They discuss:
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Why retirement didn’t feel like the finish line
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Leaving a traditional path by choice, not crisis
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Creating space for meaningful work and passion projects
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How his relationship with time, work, and family shifted
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What he would tell someone standing at the same crossroads
This episode is for anyone who’s built a good life and is quietly wondering if there’s more, without wanting to start over.
Key Moments
00:00 Jay’s background and traditional career
04:12 The moment he knew he wanted something different
09:30 Why retirement didn’t feel like the end
14:45 What growth looks like at this stage of life
20:10 How his relationship with time and work changed
26:40 What he would tell someone standing at the same crossroads
Connect with Jay:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaylarson1228
Connect with Amanda:
Website: https://amandadake.com/vip
Instagram: https://instagram.com/amandadake
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/amanda-dake
Get my book 6 Moves to Your Next 6 Figures https://book.amandadake.com