Heart Month Special: Conversations with Stroke Survivor Natalie Poli
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
Release Date: 02/25/2025
Entrepreneurship, Reinvention & Real Confidence with Natalie Bevacqua
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
Every entrepreneur has a moment where they look in the mirror and quietly wonder if they are fooling everyone around them. I have had that moment more times than I can count, and in this episode of The Ripple Effect Podcast, I sit down with someone who once admitted she felt the exact same way at the height of her confidence on stage. Her name is Natalie Bevacqua, and our conversation dives deep into the parts of the entrepreneurial journey most people never talk about. If you have ever struggled with imposter syndrome, felt the urge for a midlife reinvention, or wondered whether you could...
info_outline
Can AI Really Help You Land Your Dream Job? | The Ripple Effect Podcast
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
AI career coaching is here... and it’s transforming how job seekers, entrepreneurs, and professionals grow, connect, and thrive. I’m beyond excited to share this powerful conversation with my amazing guest, Chloe Spillane, founder of Chloe Careers and the visionary behind Chloe AI, an incredible AI career coach that’s reshaping how job seekers, professionals, and entrepreneurs navigate their careers. In this episode of The Ripple Effect Podcast, we discuss how AI in career development is changing the game for anyone looking to land that next big opportunity. Chloe and I talk about her...
info_outline
Drew Norton: Redefining What Sales Really Means | The Ripple Effect Podcast
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
If you think sales is about slick pitches and perfect scripts, think again. I’ve met a lot of sales professionals in my career, but few bring the heart, humility, and wisdom that Drew Norton does. In this episode of The Ripple Effect Podcast, Drew joins me to talk about what it really means to lead with authenticity and sell with purpose. He’s passionate about helping people realize that sales isn’t just a job. It’s a mindset. , known as The Everyday Sales Leader, is a dynamic self-development coach, sales consultant, and co-host of . With a background spanning sales, hiring,...
info_outline
Authenticity Beats Algorithms: Justin Foster’s F the Formula (Part Two) | The Ripple Effect Podcast
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
Are you an entrepreneur selling yourself as the brand, or someone with a bold idea or purpose to share with the world? Then, you’re in the right place. Welcome to The Ripple Effect Podcast, where today’s guest, Justin Foster, brings over 20 years of brand coaching wisdom that flips traditional marketing on its head. Justin is redefining what it means to build a brand by moving away from formulas, numbers, and data overload, and toward something simpler, but far more powerful: authenticity. His message, F the Formula, is a breath of fresh air for anyone tired of chasing algorithms or trying...
info_outline
F The Formula with Justin Foster (Part One) | The Ripple Effect Podcast
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
What happens when a cowboy poet, brand provocateur, and unapologetic truth-teller decides to burn the old playbook and start over in Mexico City? Meet Justin Foster, the co-founder of Massive Change, an advisory firm helping non-profit leaders and entrepreneurs build just, equitable brands. Raised on a cattle ranch in Oregon, Justin brings a no-BS, straight-off-the-range approach to leadership and business. For more than two decades, he’s delivered heretical brand coaching that cuts through the noise, distilling complex ideas into clear, high-impact messages that move people. A master of...
info_outline
Building Healthy Workplaces Through Law and Leadership | The Ripple Effect Podcast
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
Welcome back to The Ripple Effect Podcast. Today, we are joined by my good friend and special guest Karen Ansen, an extraordinary entrepreneur and employment lawyer from Australia. Karen is the founder of , where she assists businesses and individuals in navigating Fair Work, workplace bullying claims, adverse action cases, and wage underpayment issues in Australia. She also leads , a coaching and retreat platform that combines mindfulness, breathwork, meditation, and leadership training to help people reduce stress, build resilience, and lead with authenticity. Karen and I discuss her...
info_outline
Civil Discourse vs. Outrage Culture | The Ripple Effect Podcast
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
My heart feels so heavy right now. Everywhere I turn, whether it’s Facebook, X, or even LinkedIn, I see a wave of social media toxicity and division that leaves me feeling drained and heartbroken. It seems like we’ve forgotten how to have conversations. Instead, we’re caught in an endless cycle of outrage, cancel culture, and online attacks that end up damaging not just our relationships but also our personal and professional reputations. We will talk about that in today’s episode of The Ripple Effect Podcast. The truth is, the world feels more divided than ever in 2025, and the weight...
info_outline
Construction Careers Reimagined | The Ripple Effect Podcast featuring Bo Jones
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
Serve first. Win later. You will learn that and more in this episode of The Ripple Effect Podcast. Our special guest for today is entrepreneur and general contractor Bo Jones. Bo is a builder by trade, but even more so, he’s a builder of futures. As the CEO of CareerPathway.com, Bo is leading a movement that’s reimagining how we connect talent with opportunity. On a mission to radically simplify college and career exploration, he’s helping students, job seekers, employers, and educators navigate a clearer, smarter path to success. His inspiration? Real pain points like watching his...
info_outline
Life Updates and Finding Peace in Creativity | The Ripple Effect Podcast
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
Welcome back to The Ripple Effect Podcast! I’m so glad you’re here for this solo episode. Think of it like we’re sitting down over coffee, swapping stories about life, relationships, creativity, and yes, even some of the messy stuff we all go through. This episode will be a Q&A session, where I will answer some questions posed to me by Ripplers. Lately, I’ve been diving into some fantastic books. I’m making my way through Ryan Holiday’s books, and I’ve been taking notes like crazy from Play Bigger. It’s such a powerful read on category design, becoming a market leader, and...
info_outline
Healing Through Dry Needling, Self Care & Authentic Living | The Ripple Effect Podcast
The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper
What does it take to heal beyond the pills, the quick fixes, and the 15-minute doctor visits? For today’s episode of The Ripple Effect Podcast, we have , also known as “Austin’s Holistic Physical Therapist,” who has spent the last 18 years transforming lives through her approach to healing. With a passion for alternative pain management, she champions conscious exercise and an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, emphasizing personalized, one-on-one care that addresses the root causes of pain. In 2016, Cristi enhanced her expertise by becoming certified in dry needling, inspired by its...
info_outlineLet’s end Heart Month with an empowering story from a stroke survivor, former beauty queen, principal of School District U-46, fantabulous mom and wife, and a lightning bolt of energy and positivity — Natalie Poli.
Natalie is living her dream — basking in the spotlight and cheers of the crowd, confidently sharing her grace and talent as a Chicago Bulls dancer. She cared for her health and stayed physically active, yet something unexpected changed her life.
She was only 29 when she suffered from a stroke. Luckily, Natalie got immediate medical help when a police officer recognized the symptoms of stroke when he got into Natalie’s home.
Natalie’s road to recovery from her heart surgery has been challenging. It all happened while she was pursuing a Master’s Degree and caring for her nine-week-old and two-year-old children.
This experience awakened something inside Natalie. She made it her life’s purpose to educate, support, and inspire stroke survivors, their families, healthcare professionals, and organizations. She became the voice that tells you to listen to your body. She became the voice that created urgency for taking actionable steps to save lives.
Being crowned Mrs. Illinois and Mrs. Midwest International also gave Natalie a platform for heart health and stroke advocacy. Natalie further expanded her reach when she started a podcast called Stroke of Insight, where she interviewed individuals, families of survivors, and organizations to share their experiences and knowledge about the common enemy — stroke.
You will undeniably learn and realize a lot from this episode. So tune in to The Ripple Effect Podcast and prepare to get struck by Natalie’s contagious confidence, charm, and resilience. This video will leave you thinking, “If she can, I can.”
____________________________________________
If you suffered from stroke and other heart-related issues, know you’re not alone in the journey to recovery.
As mentioned by Natalie Poli in this video, you can reach out to these organizations for support:
American Heart Association: https://www.heart.org/en/
Mended Hearts International: https://mendedhearts.org
Little Hearts: https://www.littlehearts.org
If you’re a medical professional who is passionate about heart health awareness, be a part of the PICS Society or The Pediatric & Congenital Interventional Cardiovascular Society:
Listen to Natalie’s Podcast called Stroke of Insight: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ztgq0MpG0L1CllmNnSljm?si=6eb5a70861b64786
#TheRippleEffectPodcast #SteveHarper #NataliePoli #HeartHealth #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeSurvivorJourney #HealthandWellness #HeartMonth