Business on Top with Kaeli Lindholm
Business on Top is the podcast for visionary women founders leading without a playbook—rewriting outdated business rules and building powerful, life-first companies in a world that has not yet caught up to how women lead today. Each episode explores the real work of leadership: identity expansion, decision-making under pressure, structural growth, and the messy realities behind building companies that create both profit and freedom.
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Episode 11: Growth Doesn’t Break Businesses. Weak Infrastructure Does.
07/13/2026
Episode 11: Growth Doesn’t Break Businesses. Weak Infrastructure Does.
If you’ve ever felt like your business is growing, but you’re carrying more stress, more responsibility, and less freedom than ever before, this episode is for you. Today, I’m sharing Day 1 of our five-day SPARK Leadership Intensive, where I dive into one of the biggest shifts every growing practice owner has to make: realizing that sustainable growth isn’t about working harder, it’s about leading differently. In this session, I’ll walk you through why so many successful businesses hit a plateau, how leadership, not demand, becomes the biggest growth constraint, and what it really takes to build a business that can thrive without depending on you for every decision. We’ll talk about: Why growth eventually becomes an infrastructure challenge, not a marketing challenge. The leadership capacity gap that’s keeping so many practices stuck. The three foundations of sustainable growth: clarity, prioritization, and focus. What it means to build a Life First Business™ that creates health, wealth, impact, freedom. Whether you’re a practice owner or a practice manager, my hope is that this conversation helps you step back, refocus on your vision, and begin building a business that supports your life, instead of consuming it. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Learn more and register for our → Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram:
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Episode 10: If You Want to Be a Great Leader, Be a Great Follower
07/06/2026
Episode 10: If You Want to Be a Great Leader, Be a Great Follower
Most leadership conversations focus on what founders need from their teams. But in this episode of Business on Top, I want to flip the script and talk directly to employees, emerging leaders, and team members who want to grow their careers, increase their impact, and become indispensable within their organizations. One of the most valuable lessons I learned climbing the corporate ladder was this: if you want to be a great leader someday, you first need to learn how to be a great follower. In this episode, I share what I’ve learned from both sides of the table, as an employee who worked her way into executive leadership and as a founder responsible for leading a growing team. We’ll talk about how to create more value for your company, why the most promotable employees focus on growth before compensation, and how developing skills and solving problems ultimately creates greater earning power than simply asking for more. I also pull back the curtain on the realities founders face every day, the decisions, pressures, responsibilities, and unseen challenges that most team members never fully see. My goal is to help you better understand the perspective of your leader while identifying practical ways you can make a bigger impact within your role. If you’ve ever wondered how to position yourself for greater opportunities, become a stronger leader, or earn more by contributing more, this conversation is for you. And if you’re a founder who’s realizing that your team needs stronger communication, clearer accountability, and greater leadership capacity to support your next level of growth, I’d love to invite you to join me for our free Strategic Planning Masterclass on July 22 at 4 PM PST. During this live 90-minute training, I’ll walk you through the same three-pillar framework we use with our private clients to evaluate business performance, assess team capacity, and identify the leadership shifts required to finish the year strong. You’ll leave with greater clarity, stronger priorities, and a practical plan for creating momentum through year-end. Because extraordinary businesses aren’t built by leaders doing everything themselves. They’re built by teams that know how to grow, think, lead, and solve problems together. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Learn more and register for our Strategic Planning Masterclass → Learn more and register for → Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram:
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Episode 9: You Are the Guarantee
06/29/2026
Episode 9: You Are the Guarantee
If there’s one thing entrepreneurship has taught me, it’s that there are no guarantees. Not in hiring. Not in growth. Not in leadership. Not in life. In this episode of Business on Top, I’m sharing one of the most important mindset shifts every founder must make if they want to reach their next level: stop searching for guarantees and start becoming one. Over the years, I’ve worked alongside hundreds of entrepreneurs navigating employee turnover, cash flow challenges, competitive threats, leadership loneliness, and unexpected setbacks. What I’ve learned is that the founders who build extraordinary businesses aren’t the ones with perfect circumstances. They’re the ones who learn to trust themselves in uncertain circumstances. I share a powerful story from our client, Jessica Christy, who experienced one of every founder’s worst nightmares when a team member she had spent years developing left to become a competitor. While devastating in the moment, that experience ultimately became the catalyst for her next level of growth and leadership. Throughout this conversation, I explore why your circumstances become your curriculum, how adversity develops the leadership capacity required for sustainable success, and why growth often has less to do with your skills and more to do with your ability to regulate yourself through uncertainty. The reality is that entrepreneurship is one long exercise in moving forward without guarantees. Nobody can promise your next hire will work out, your expansion will succeed, or your plans will unfold exactly as expected. But the most successful leaders I know stopped waiting for certainty. They learned to trust themselves enough to move anyway. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect timing, more confidence, or some sign that success is guaranteed before taking your next step, this episode is for you. Because the guarantee you’re searching for isn’t found in the opportunity. It’s found in who you are becoming. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Learn more and register for → Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram:
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Episode 8: Your Addiction to Being Needed Is Slowing You Down
06/22/2026
Episode 8: Your Addiction to Being Needed Is Slowing You Down
One of the biggest leadership lessons I’ve learned is that business growth doesn’t require me to become more essential, it requires me to become less essential. For years, being the person everyone relied on felt like a badge of honor. I answered every question, solved every problem, and made sure nothing fell through the cracks. That mindset helped me build my business, but eventually it became the very thing slowing it down. In this episode of Business on Top, I’m sharing why I believe one of the most common blind spots for high-achieving founders is the addiction to being needed. While it feels good to be the person everyone depends on, true leadership requires us to let go of control, trust our teams, and create businesses that can thrive without us at the center of everything. I’ll walk you through the three stages of leadership growth, the Hero, the Bottleneck, and the Builder, and explain why the transition from founder to CEO requires a complete shift in how we define our value. You’ll also hear part two of a powerful live panel discussion from the ALT Experience featuring Shannon Morrow, Jill Canes, and Jill Goodman. Together, we discuss the realities of team development, navigating turnover, having difficult conversations, building trust, and learning how to step out of the role of being everyone’s answer. If you’ve ever felt like your business can’t function without you, this episode is for you. Because the goal of leadership isn’t to become more important. It’s to build something that succeeds even when you’re not in the room. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Learn more and register for → Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram:
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Episode 7: Don't Just Learn, Activate
06/15/2026
Episode 7: Don't Just Learn, Activate
Most founders are not lacking information. They’re lacking activation. In this episode, you’ll hear Part 1 of our Provider to CEO Panel from ALT, featuring POP Leadership Academy members Jill Canes, Shannon Morrow, and Dr. Jill Goodman. Despite leading different businesses in different markets and stages of growth, they share a common thread: a commitment to investing in their leadership development and becoming the CEOs their businesses required them to be. We explore one of the biggest growth barriers business owners face: confusing knowledge with transformation. From conferences and podcasts to books, trainings, and endless saved content, many leaders spend years learning without ever fully implementing what they already know. We’ll talk about the difference between consuming information and activating it. Because real business growth doesn’t happen when you learn something new. it happens when you operationalize it, embody it, and consistently execute it. Together, we discuss what it really takes to transition from provider to CEO, the mindset shifts that accelerate growth, and how leadership activation creates lasting operational change. If you’ve been asking yourself, “What else do I need to learn?” This episode may challenge you to ask a more powerful question: “What do I need to fully activate?” Tune in for Leadership Lesson #7: Don’t Just Learn, Activate. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Learn more and register for → Subscribe to → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram:
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Episode 6: Bombing Season
06/08/2026
Episode 6: Bombing Season
In this episode of Business on Top, I’m talking about something I believe every founder eventually encounters whether they realize it or not: bombing season. This conversation is all about the seasons of business growth and why some of the most powerful leadership decisions are not about adding more… but about refining, simplifying, eliminating, and protecting what actually creates momentum. I share a recent conversation with one of my longtime clients, a multi seven-figure founder, who found herself in a season of strategic subtraction. Closing locations, ending partnerships, restructuring roles, eliminating distractions, and letting go of things that were no longer aligned with the future vision of the company. And while many founders associate growth with constant expansion, what we unpack in this episode is that sustainable scale often requires discernment, focus, and the willingness to stop carrying things the business has quietly outgrown. We talk about the Pareto Principle, entrepreneurial overwhelm, operational complexity, emotional attachment inside leadership, and why so many founders stay trapped protecting what is familiar instead of strengthening what is exceptional. This episode is really about learning how to identify your true twenty percent, the people, offers, systems, and strategies creating the majority of your momentum, and having the courage to stop overinvesting in the eighty percent that’s draining your energy, focus, and profitability. If your business has been feeling heavier than it should, if you’ve been sensing misalignment, operational chaos, or the need for refinement, this episode will likely hit home in a very deep way. Because sometimes the next level of growth doesn’t come from expansion. Sometimes it comes from having a really good bombing season. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Subscribe to → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Learn more and register for → Follow Kaeli on Instagram:
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Episode 5: Never Outsource Your Financial Intelligence
06/01/2026
Episode 5: Never Outsource Your Financial Intelligence
In this episode, I’m diving into a conversation that I believe more female founders need to be having: financial intelligence, financial leadership, and why you should never outsource your awareness around money. As more women become primary breadwinners, scale businesses, and generate significant wealth, I think it’s incredibly important that we learn not just how to make money, but how to understand it, steward it, protect it, grow it, and direct it intentionally. In this episode, I share some of my own financial mistakes as a founder, the mindset shifts that changed my relationship with money, and the lessons I learned about relying too heavily on experts without staying connected to the financial realities of my own business. We talk about the difference between earning money and building wealth, the roles of bookkeepers, accountants, CFOs, and wealth advisors, and why financial confidence often starts with simply being willing to ask questions, even when you feel like you “should” already know the answers. I also share why operational leadership and financial leadership are deeply connected, and how founders unknowingly create expensive business models when everything depends on them operationally. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by money conversations, disconnected from your numbers, or ready to become a more empowered CEO and steward of your business, this episode is for you. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Subscribe to → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Download our → Follow Kaeli on Instagram:
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Episode 4: Part 2: The Hidden Variable in Your Growth: Your Life Partner
05/25/2026
Episode 4: Part 2: The Hidden Variable in Your Growth: Your Life Partner
In this episode of Business on Top, I’m sharing Leadership Lesson #4: Your Partner Cannot Support a Vision They Don’t Understand, a conversation about communication, advocacy, and what it really looks like to build alignment inside a relationship while pursuing ambitious goals. This episode is also Part 2 of the ALT husbands panel we shared last week, where we continue the conversation with an honest look into what support, trust, and partnership actually look like behind the scenes of building big businesses and ambitious lives together. I open up about the early days of building KLC, including the emotional weight of investing our personal savings into a brand-new business, navigating uncertainty inside my marriage, and the conversation that shifted my husband from skepticism to support. From leaving a lucrative corporate career to investing in mentorship before the results existed, this episode explores what it looks like to ask someone to believe in a vision they cannot fully see yet. This conversation feels especially important for women stepping into new levels of leadership, income, and influence inside their households, often without a roadmap for how partnership evolves alongside ambition. In the second half of the episode, we continue the ALT husbands panel and go deeper into: What support actually looks like during seasons of growth How couples navigate financial and emotional uncertainty together Building trust while one person is actively scaling a vision Why communication creates alignment far more effectively than justification If you are building something meaningful, pursuing a bigger vision, or navigating growth inside your relationships, this episode is a reminder that people trust your vision more deeply when they can feel that you trust it first. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Subscribe to → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Learn more about our at The Gwen in Chicago → Follow Kaeli on Instagram:
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Episode 3: Part 1: The Hidden Variable in Your Growth: Your Life Partner
05/18/2026
Episode 3: Part 1: The Hidden Variable in Your Growth: Your Life Partner
In this episode of Business on Top, I’m diving into something that impacts nearly every woman building at a high level, but rarely gets talked about openly: the evolution of partnership as your business grows. You’ll hear a powerful panel conversation we hosted at ALT, where we intentionally brought husbands into the dialogue, not as outsiders to the business journey, but as a meaningful part of the ecosystem that supports it. This conversation is part one of a two-part discussion exploring what happens inside relationships as women step more fully into leadership, create wealth, expand their influence, and take on greater responsibility. Because as your business evolves, your relationship is often being asked to evolve too, and many of us are navigating territory that doesn’t come with a clear roadmap. Together, we unpack the tension, opportunity, and complexity that can emerge when one person is growing rapidly while the relationship itself is trying to catch up to that growth. We talk about the communication gaps that happen when support is expected but never fully defined, and how misalignment often comes less from lack of love or desire, and more from lack of clarity and understanding. Because your business does not exist in a vacuum. And the quality of your partnership will either expand your capacity or quietly limit it. This episode is honest, nuanced, and deeply relevant for any woman trying to build not just a successful company, but a life that can truly sustain it. Leadership Lesson #3: When the Business Grows, Your Relationship Has to Evolve. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Subscribe to → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Learn more about our at The Gwen in Chicago → Follow Kaeli on Instagram:
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Episode 2: Leadership is Messy
05/11/2026
Episode 2: Leadership is Messy
In this episode of Business on Top, I’m dismantling the polished, picture-perfect version of leadership, and replacing it with something far more honest. Leadership is messy. And the sooner you accept that, the more powerfully you can lead. In this conversation, I walk through the gap between what I thought leadership would feel like and the reality of building something in real time. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re doing it “right,” felt the weight of responsibility while still figuring things out behind the scenes, or wondered why leadership feels harder than it looks, this episode will meet you there. I share personal stories and hard-earned lessons from building my own company, the truth about early hiring mistakes, the pressure to get it right, and the humbling realization that alignment matters more than credentials. You’ll hear what it really takes to build a team in the messy middle, why hiring for your current stage is critical, and how chasing the “perfect” structure can actually hold you back. I also pull back the curtain on the real-life leadership challenges women are navigating today, moments you can’t prepare for, situations that test your character, and decisions that don’t come with a playbook. Because the truth is: the version of leadership many of us were taught was never designed for the reality we’re living in. The leader you’re becoming isn’t the one who has it all together, she’s the one willing to move forward without certainty, build without a blueprint, and lead while still evolving. If you’ve been judging yourself for the messiness of your journey, I want this episode to help you see it differently: It’s not a flaw. It’s proof that you’re leading. Resources → Subscribe to → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Learn more about our : June 12–13 at The Gwen, Chicago → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 1: A New Chapter Begins
05/04/2026
Episode 1: A New Chapter Begins
Welcome to the very first episode of Business on Top, a podcast created for women who are building, leading, and navigating the complexities of growth in a world that hasn’t fully caught up to their reality. In this opening conversation, I share the deeper truth behind what so many of us as women are experiencing, but haven’t always had the language to articulate. As we step into greater financial leadership, build companies, and expand our influence, the traditional ideas of “work-life balance” and “doing it all” start to fall short. What I’ve found instead is a much more nuanced tension: how to build something meaningful without losing connection to what matters most. I introduce the Life First Business Model, a framework I use to measure success beyond revenue, through health, wealth, impact, and freedom. I also bring you into real stories from my own journey and from the women I’ve worked with, moments that highlight what leadership actually looks like behind the scenes. This episode is the foundation for the conversations we’re going to have here. Conversations that challenge outdated models, normalize the complexity of modern leadership, and create space for us to build businesses that truly support our lives. If you’ve ever felt like you’re navigating something that hasn’t been clearly defined yet… you’re not alone. And you’re exactly where you’re meant to be. Resources → Subscribe to → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Learn more about our : June 12–13 at The Gwen, Chicago → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 315: The End of an Era: The Final Fierce Factor Episode
04/20/2026
Episode 315: The End of an Era: The Final Fierce Factor Episode
Episode 315 marks the end of an era, and the beginning of something entirely new. After five and a half years of recording weekly episodes, this final chapter of the Fierce Factor Podcast is both a reflection and a turning point. What started in 2020 as a space to give women permission, to want more, to build bigger, to pursue both impact and financial success, has grown into something far more meaningful. This podcast has been a place for honest conversations, for finding your voice, and for navigating the very real, often unspoken experience of building a business and a life at the same time. But the conversation has evolved. The women in this community are no longer asking, “Can I do this?” They are building. Expanding. Leading. And now asking a different question: “How do I become the absolute best at what I’m creating?” With that evolution comes a new layer of complexity, one that is more nuanced, more demanding, and often more isolating than expected. In this episode, I share my deeply personal reflection on what it means to lead in this current era, where many women are building businesses at a level they’ve never seen modeled before. Without a clear blueprint, they are learning how to lead while actively holding the weight of that responsibility. This conversation explores the reality of modern leadership: the pressure, the identity shifts, the ambition, and the quiet questions so many founders carry but rarely say out loud. It’s about what it looks like to continue growing something meaningful without slowly losing yourself in the process, and how to build in a way that is both expansive and sustainable. While this chapter is coming to a close, the work is not. A new era is emerging, one that holds deeper, more honest conversations about leadership, capacity, and what it truly takes to build at this level. If you’ve been part of the Fierce Factor journey, this is a moment to reflect on how far you’ve come, and a powerful invitation into what’s next. Resources → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 314: Learning to Lead Before You Feel Ready with Melanie Crowley
04/13/2026
Episode 314: Learning to Lead Before You Feel Ready with Melanie Crowley
In this episode, I’m bringing you a replay from our recent SPARK sprint, where we focused on strengthening operational leadership inside growing aesthetic and wellness practices. During this conversation, I sat down with Melanie Crowley, Practice Manager at Renova Aesthetics, to talk through her journey from elementary education into managing a multi-million dollar business, without a traditional background in this industry. What unfolds is an honest and highly relatable look at what it means to step into leadership before you feel fully ready, and build confidence through action. Together, we unpack the evolving relationship between an owner and a practice manager, and what it really takes to create alignment as a business grows. From navigating team dynamics and implementing change, to learning how to hold accountability without losing trust, Melanie shares what it’s looked like to develop her leadership in real time. Inside this replay, we also get into some of the realities that many practice managers and owners face but don’t often say out loud… What happens when your team doesn’t understand your role How to lead people who were there before you How to balance being supportive while still upholding standards And how consistent communication becomes the foundation for trust, performance, and culture If you’re a practice manager learning how to lead, or an owner looking to strengthen your operational leadership and partnership, I think you’ll find this conversation both validating and clarifying. Because what this conversation reinforces is simple… Leadership isn’t something you wait to feel ready for. It’s something you build, one conversation, one decision, and one level-up at a time. Resources → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 313: Turning Big Ideas into Executable Strategy with Whitney Stanford
04/06/2026
Episode 313: Turning Big Ideas into Executable Strategy with Whitney Stanford
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Whitney Stanford, Practice Manager of Meg Fox Aesthetics, for a conversation I’ve been really looking forward to sharing. This episode is a replay from Day 3 of our SPARK event, where we focused on strengthening operational leadership inside growing practices. We talk about what leadership actually looks like when you’re in that seat between vision and execution, responsible for taking big ideas and turning them into something your team can consistently carry out across a growing, multi-location practice. Whitney shares her experience navigating that role, from building trust with her team while still holding a high standard for performance, to creating clarity around expectations so accountability feels collaborative rather than confrontational. We also get into how leadership has evolved for her as the business has grown, and what it’s taken to develop the confidence and structure needed to support that growth. Throughout the conversation, we unpack the idea that as a business scales, complexity increases, and sustainable growth requires more than effort. It requires systems, alignment, and operational excellence. We also talk about the frameworks and tools Whitney has implemented to bring more consistency to her leadership and create clear, trackable execution across her team. If you’re a Practice Manager, or an owner working closely with one, this episode will give you a real look at what it takes to scale without everything falling back on one person. Resources → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Snag your ticket for the . There are just a handful of tickets remaining! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 312: How to Stop Scaling Chaos
03/30/2026
Episode 312: How to Stop Scaling Chaos
This week’s episode of The Fierce Factor Podcast is a special one. We’re bringing you a replay from Day 1 of SPARK, our leadership intensive designed for aesthetic practice owners and practice managers, and the official introduction of the KLC Practice Manager Academy. Built over two years of real-world application, this program was created to address one of the most critical gaps in the aesthetics industry: operational leadership. Because what gets a practice to its first level of success is rarely what sustains it as it grows. In this episode, we unpack the leadership challenges that emerge as businesses scale, owners carrying too much operational weight, practice managers being asked to lead without clear structure or authority, and teams relying on a few key people instead of a defined leadership system. The practices that truly thrive are not just clinically excellent, they are operationally strong. They are built on a true partnership between owner and practice manager, with clearly defined roles and leadership development at the core. If you’re ready to move from reactive problem-solving to confident, structured leadership, and build a business that can grow sustainably, this conversation will resonate deeply. Resources → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the is right for you! → Snag your ticket for the . There are just a handful of tickets remaining! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 311: Bonus: How to Become the Kind of Leader You'd Want to Follow
03/23/2026
Episode 311: Bonus: How to Become the Kind of Leader You'd Want to Follow
In this bonus replay episode, I shared something really personal, and honestly, deeply relevant to anyone navigating growth as a business owner. While traveling during my son’s lacrosse season last summer, I found myself experiencing that familiar entrepreneurial anxiety…the kind that shows up when you’re away from your business and wondering if things are still running smoothly without you. That season pushed me to take a closer look at how I was leading, how I was protecting my energy, and what I was actually saying yes to in my day-to-day. It became about more than just time management. It was about energetic alignment and intentional leadership. Inside this episode, I explored: Why psychological safety is the key to high-performing teams The truth behind “no one can do it like me” How to identify the 10–20% of your work that truly energizes you Why defining your own leadership philosophy changes everything If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your business or disconnected from your vision, my hope was that this episode felt like a breath of fresh air and a nudge to lead in a way that truly supports the life you’re building. Resources → Register for : A 5-day strategic reset for aesthetic and wellness practice owners and practice managers navigating growth, change, and what’s next. → Snag your ticket for the . There are just a handful of tickets remaining! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 310: Bonus: The Critical Role of a Practice Leader & When to Hire One
03/16/2026
Episode 310: Bonus: The Critical Role of a Practice Leader & When to Hire One
In this replay episode, we’re revisiting one of the most important leadership decisions every growing practice owner faces: should you promote someone from within, or bring in outside leadership talent? As founders, many of us build our businesses around the skills we know best—whether that’s clinical excellence or coaching expertise. But the transition from hands-on provider to visionary CEO requires a completely different leadership skill set. In this conversation, we unpack common mistakes that can slow growth, like overpaying for experienced hires before your business is ready, or promoting a team member into leadership without the training and support they need to succeed. Instead, you’ll learn how to identify, develop, and support a Practice Leader—a role designed to bridge the gap between the front desk and operations management while strengthening the leadership structure of your practice. We also cover the core leadership capabilities that make someone effective in this role, including communication, influence, accountability, and team leadership, along with how to set clear career pathways, identify skill gaps, and recognize early red flags when evaluating potential leaders. If you’re building or restructuring your leadership team, this replay is packed with insights to help you make smarter promotion decisions, avoid costly leadership missteps, and create the structure needed to support long-term growth. Resources → Register for : A 5-day strategic reset for aesthetic and wellness practice owners and practice managers navigating growth, change, and what’s next. → Snag your ticket for the . There are just a handful of tickets remaining! → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 309: The White Glove Client Experience: Raising the Standard in Aesthetics (ALT Panel)
03/09/2026
Episode 309: The White Glove Client Experience: Raising the Standard in Aesthetics (ALT Panel)
We’re taking you back into the room at our 2025 ALT Experience for a special replay from the stage. In this conversation, I sit down with founders and CEOs Meg Fox, Sara Trammell, and Allie Edwards to talk about what it really means to create a white glove patient experience inside a growing practice. Not the kind that feels forced or fancy for the sake of appearance, but the kind rooted in intention, standards, and leadership. We unpack how each of them defines white glove service in a way that fits their brand, and how they ensure it’s felt consistently, from the first click online to checkout. We talk about greeting protocols, respecting time, managing late arrivals, rebooking systems, retail integration, and how small environmental details, from scent to lighting to language, reinforce trust. You’ll hear how consistency across locations protects brand equity, why digital presence must match the in-person experience, and how to measure excellence through rebooking rates, reviews, call monitoring, and team accountability. This episode is honest and tactical. It’s about setting standards, documenting expectations, training your team to deliver excellence without constant supervision, and balancing generosity with strong boundaries. If elevating your patient journey is part of your growth strategy this year, this panel will push you to think beyond personality and into process. And if you want to be in rooms where these conversations happen live, we have just a handful of tickets left for . Secure your seat at klcconsultants.com/alt and join us in raising the standard. Resources → Snag your ticket for the → Register for : A 5-day strategic reset for aesthetic and wellness practice owners and practice managers navigating growth, change, and what’s next. → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move. Let’s step into the conversation.
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Episode 308: Structure Without Micromanagement: The Leadership Shift Inside Growing Practices (ALT 2025 Replay)
03/02/2026
Episode 308: Structure Without Micromanagement: The Leadership Shift Inside Growing Practices (ALT 2025 Replay)
This week on The Fierce Factor Podcast, we’re bringing you another powerful replay from the ALT Experience 2025 stage, and this one is all about what leadership really looks like inside a scaling practice. I sit down with three high-level operators and practice leaders, Amanda Siem, Melanie Crowley, and Liz Grad Murphy, for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about managing teams, building trust, and navigating the often complicated dynamic between founders and managers. We unpack what it actually takes to turn vision into action, how to coach instead of constantly fixing, and why clear expectations eliminate chaos. You’ll hear real talk about psychological safety, proactive communication, systems that create autonomy, and the tension between control and trust as your business grows. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the middle, struggled to loosen your grip, or wondered how to build a team that can truly run with you, not just report to you, this conversation will hit home. If you want to experience conversations like this live, there are only a handful of ALT Experience tickets remaining. Special bonus: , you’ll receive a 2-hour coaching intensive to prepare a customized growth plan prior to the event so you don’t just attend, you arrive with strategy. Resources → Snag your ticket for the → Download our NEW free resource, to clarify who owns what, define decision authority, and understand what your practice still depends on the Owner for → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 307: Retain to Grow: Designing Development Runways for High-Growth Employees (ALT 2025 Replay)
02/23/2026
Episode 307: Retain to Grow: Designing Development Runways for High-Growth Employees (ALT 2025 Replay)
In this week’s episode, we’re bringing you a powerful panel replay straight from our ALT 2025 stage: Retain to Grow: Designing Development Runways for High-Growth Employees. On this panel, Kaeli is joined by Shelby Miller, DNP, Heidi Hermel, NP, and Rachel King, FNP-C. Each of these founders leads a thriving practice with strong team culture. And notably, each operates under a different compensation structure. Three different models. Three successful, growing organizations. This panel conversation dives deep into what it really takes to attract, develop, and retain top talent in today’s competitive landscape. We unpack compensation models that actually drive performance, when profit-sharing makes sense, how to structure growth pathways, and the balance between rewarding excellence while protecting the business. You’ll hear transparent conversations around commission structures, onboarding, mentorship tiers, leadership development, and how to prevent your best people from being lured away by flashy offers that don’t hold up under scrutiny. More importantly, we explore how to create emotional loyalty, cast long-term vision, and build a culture where high performers see their future with you. If you’ve ever wondered how to grow without losing your best people, this episode is for you. And if this conversation resonates, ALT 2026 is where you need to be. by February 28 and receive a complimentary 1:1 Mini Intensive — a private 2-hour strategy session designed to tackle your biggest business challenge. Exclusive to the first 10 registrations $1,297 value Personalized action plan you can implement immediately We’ll see you in the room! Resources → Snag your ticket for the → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 306: Develop Your Voice of Impact: Part 3 with Krista Donargo, SGA
02/16/2026
Episode 306: Develop Your Voice of Impact: Part 3 with Krista Donargo, SGA
This episode is Part 3 of our special Develop Your Voice of Impact series, and it’s all about what happens when the stakes are high and the spotlight is on. In this conversation, Krista Donargo, SGA, dives into the difference between recorded content and live communication, and why so many brilliant leaders lose their power when they step on stage, lead a training, or answer questions in real time. From keynotes and panels to team trainings and high-pressure conversations, this episode breaks down what it really takes to speak with confidence, presence, and authority when things don’t go exactly as planned. She covers why over-rehearsing can backfire, how to stop hiding behind notes, and what to do when tech fails, nerves spike, or the room’s energy feels off. You’ll learn how to use pattern interrupts to keep people engaged, how to handle tough or impromptu questions without rambling, and why silence is often more powerful than filling space with words. If you want to command a room, sound grounded under pressure, and communicate in a way that feels both confident and human, this episode is for you. If you’re ready to expand your voice to match the level of leadership you’re stepping into, our are now open. These personalized 1:1 coaching sessions are designed to help high-performing founders communicate with authority, lead with presence, and use their voice as a strategic asset, on stage, online, and inside their business. Details and booking information are available in the show notes. Resources → Learn more about our → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 305: Develop Your Voice of Impact: Part 2 with Krista Donargo, SGA
02/09/2026
Episode 305: Develop Your Voice of Impact: Part 2 with Krista Donargo, SGA
Before Sara Blakely became the founder of Spanx, her life looked nothing like a success story. She failed the LSAT twice, was told she was “too short” at a Disney audition, and spent seven years selling fax machines door to door—hearing no over and over again. What changed everything wasn’t luck. It was how she treated rejection. Instead of seeing discomfort as failure, she treated it like training. In Part 2 of our Develop Your Voice Impact series, Krista Donargo, SGA unpacks how Blakely learned to fail forward, show up before things felt polished, and turn a scrappy idea into a billion-dollar brand without investors, a roadmap, or industry experience. From there, we zoom out to a skill every leader needs but few are ever taught: storytelling. Storytelling isn’t fluff—it’s a leadership tool. Stories activate emotion and logic, reduce resistance to change, and help people trust, understand, and follow your ideas. Whether you’re leading a team, speaking on stage, guiding clients, or showing up online, how you communicate matters just as much as what you’re saying. This is exactly the work we do inside our Voice of Impact Mini Intensives, to help leaders identify the stories they need to tell, shape them with intention, and deliver them with confidence, clarity, and authority. These high-touch intensives are designed to help your voice match the level of leadership you’re stepping into—without scripts, gimmicks, or overproduction. If you’ve ever struggled to get people to understand, trust, or act on your ideas, this episode will change how you think about communication—and what’s possible when you learn to use your voice with intention. Because growth doesn’t require perfection. It requires conviction, connection, and the willingness to be uncomfortable long before the results show up. Resources → Learn more about our → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 304: Develop Your Voice of Impact: Part 1 with Krista Donargo, SGA
02/02/2026
Episode 304: Develop Your Voice of Impact: Part 1 with Krista Donargo, SGA
In part one of our Develop Your Voice of Impact podcast takeover, KLC’s Strategic Growth Advisor, Krista Donargo kicks off a powerful three-part series designed to help high-performing founders become more confident, compelling, and magnetic communicators, online, in person, and on stage. This episode explores why so many accomplished leaders lose their authority the moment a camera turns on or they’re asked to speak publicly, and why it has nothing to do with skill. Krista unpacks the real culprit behind shaky confidence: self-conscious, performance-based communication. Through personal stories and client examples, she introduces a service-led approach that shifts the focus from “How do I sound?” to “How can I help?” You’ll learn how over-polishing erases presence, why trends and perfection dilute trust, and how intention, insight, and invitation create authentic authority. This foundational conversation sets the tone for the entire series and reframes communication as a leadership practice—not a content task. If you’re ready to stop performing and start leading with your voice, this episode is your starting point. Resources → Learn more about our → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 303: Safety vs Growth
01/26/2026
Episode 303: Safety vs Growth
In this episode, I’m unpacking one of the most dangerous myths women are taught about success: that “playing it safe” is the responsible choice. This conversation was sparked by a reflection on 2016, the year I started KLC and the year my brother passed away, and a question that stopped me in my tracks: Is my life truly better because I chose growth over safety? What I’ve learned over the past decade is this: safety is often conditional, and comfort can be far more limiting than risk. I take you back to my corporate career at Bayer Healthcare, a role that looked secure by every traditional measure. Great pay, benefits, prestige, and a clear path forward… until one unexpected call from HR shattered the illusion of stability. That moment changed how I understand security, responsibility, and agency, especially for women. We’ll talk about why big companies are often romanticized as “safe,” why small business ownership is framed as risky, and how that mindset shows up when women build their own companies. I’ll also share a powerful story about growth, discomfort, and why the very tension we try to avoid is often what prepares us for our next level. If you’re craving expansion but feel stuck optimizing for familiarity instead of fulfillment, this episode is your invitation to rethink what safety really means, and to consider whether the boldest move might actually be the most responsible one. Resources → Learn more & secure your spot for: → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move. As always, thank you for listening. I’ll see you right back here next week.
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Episode 302: Bonus: Why Your Injector Isn't Booked
01/19/2026
Episode 302: Bonus: Why Your Injector Isn't Booked
Episode 302 is a special bonus episode, and one every aesthetics and wellness founder needs if you’ve hired help but still feel like everything runs through you. You’ve hired a talented provider, invested in training, and yet you’re still carrying most of the revenue load. Patients wait for you. Your injector’s schedule stays open. And before frustration sets in, it’s important to understand the real factors keeping your provider from being fully booked. In this episode, I’m breaking down the 10 reasons your injector isn’t fully booked, from over-reliance on your personal brand and misaligned expectations, to gaps in clinical confidence and positioning. More importantly, you’ll walk away with actionable strategies to build a team that consistently drives demand and delivers high-value results without you driving every dollar. I’m also sharing details about this month’s on January 28, featuring three powerhouse multi-location CEOs who’ve cracked the code on building booked-out, trusted providers. If you’re ready to scale without burning out, this conversation will reshape how you lead, coach, and grow your team. Resources → Learn more & secure your spot for: → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 301: My 2026 Predictions
01/12/2026
Episode 301: My 2026 Predictions
This isn’t a conversation about resolutions, hustle, or chasing the next shiny tactic. It’s a grounded, strategic look at what’s actually going to separate thriving practices from struggling ones in the year ahead. In this episode, we zoom out to reflect on the shifts shaping our industry—maturing consumer behavior, increased economic discernment, rapid AI expansion, and the quiet erosion of average experiences—and what those forces demand from today’s leaders. You’ll hear the 10 defining predictions for 2026, including why retention will outperform revenue growth, how client experience becomes a competitive advantage, why personalization replaces price-driven luxury, and how human-centered leadership will quietly win in an increasingly automated world. This episode is for the founder who’s been building infrastructure while others chased shortcuts. For the leader who values depth over noise, intention over urgency, and trust over tactics. Resources → Learn more & secure your spot for: → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move. If you’re ready to lead with clarity, discipline, and humanity in 2026—this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.
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Episode 300: The Best of 2025 (Milestone Episode!)
01/05/2026
Episode 300: The Best of 2025 (Milestone Episode!)
Episode 300 is a milestone, and I wanted to mark it the way we actually grow: by looking back at what worked, what landed, and what leaders kept coming back to when things got loud. This is a recap episode of our most revisited conversations, the ones that sparked the most “I needed this” replies, the ones that turned into team meetings, boundary resets, revenue decisions, and CEO-level pivots. In this episode, I’m recapping: The leadership moves that keep you steady when the outside world feels unstable The culture standards that make great teams possible (and keep turnover from eating you alive) The strategic decisions that protect your margins, your energy, and your long-term valuation The life-first lens that makes success feel like success (not like a prettier version of burnout) Want the full list in one clean place so you can binge in order, share with your team, or save it for your next CEO reset? Download the Top 10 Fierce Factor Episodes List with direct links to every episode mentioned in today’s recap. Resources → Download your copy of our → Learn more & secure your spot for → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 299: Scaling with Confidence: Why CTS Live is the One Big Domino for Your Practice with Krista Donargo, SGA
12/29/2025
Episode 299: Scaling with Confidence: Why CTS Live is the One Big Domino for Your Practice with Krista Donargo, SGA
I know what it feels like to be stuck in the "messy middle" of practice growth, that stage where you’ve achieved success, but you’ve also become the absolute bottleneck of your own business. I’ve spent years coaching female founders through this exact inflection point, and in this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why I created Confidence to Scale LIVE. During this conversation, KLC Strategic Growth Advisor, Krista Donargo, and I break down exactly what you can expect during our upcoming live kickoff in Manhattan Beach on January 9th and 10th. I share my core philosophy that scaling isn't actually about adding more complexities to your plate; it’s about subtracting and building a better framework that allows you to confidently let go of the weeds. We walk through the six milestones of our 90-day blueprint, including how to unearth your million-dollar confidence and create a proprietary method that makes your practice competitionless. This isn't just about a two-day event, it’s about the 90 days of personalized coaching and accountability that follow to ensure these systems actually stick in your practice. If you are tired of trying to scale on sheer willpower and you're ready to find that "one big domino" that will knock over all the rest, this episode is for you. I’m personally inviting you to join our January 2026 cohort of , and finally start digging up the dirt to lay a real foundation instead of just hanging more chandeliers. Resources → Learn more & secure your spot for → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move. Listen in to hear how we help you reclaim your time and energy, and if you’re ready to take that next empowered step with me, I’d love for you to to see if CTS Live is the right fit for your next level of growth.
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Episode 298: Signs You're on the Verge of a Breakthrough
12/22/2025
Episode 298: Signs You're on the Verge of a Breakthrough
As we approach the end of the year, reflection has a way of stirring up emotions we don’t always talk about, pride, grief, uncertainty, and a quiet sense that something new is forming beneath the surface. In this deeply personal episode, I’m sharing what I’ve been sitting with during a season I don’t love… the season of waiting. The season where the calendar looks full of routine white boxes instead of big launches. The season where you’ve planted the seeds, done the work, and yet the results haven’t fully arrived. The season that asks you to slow down, trust yourself, and expand your capacity instead of forcing outcomes. We’ll talk about why this “in-between” space is actually the most critical phase of growth, in business and in life, and why so many high-achieving women sabotage their next level by digging up seeds too early. I’ll share the signs that a breakthrough is closer than you think, what emotional resilience really looks like at higher levels of leadership, and why learning to sit in discomfort is a competitive advantage most founders never develop. If you feel restless, unsettled, or like your old strategies no longer fit — this episode is for you. You’re not behind. You’re not stuck. You’re being prepared. And your next level is closer than it feels. Resources → Learn more & secure your spot for → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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Episode 297: The Turning Point: Stepping Out of Burnout and Into Confident Leadership with Jolee Hughes, NP-BC
12/15/2025
Episode 297: The Turning Point: Stepping Out of Burnout and Into Confident Leadership with Jolee Hughes, NP-BC
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Jolee Hughes, NP-BC for a raw and honest conversation about what it actually takes to build a business that grows without consuming your entire life. If you’ve ever found yourself doing everything, carrying the weight of every decision, or secretly wondering how much longer you can keep pushing at this pace… this conversation will feel like a deep exhale. Jolee shares her journey from being the bottleneck in her business, burned out, overwhelmed, and afraid to let go, to becoming a confident, supported leader with a team she trusts. We talk about the uncomfortable but necessary identity shift from provider to CEO, learning to delegate with clarity, and how structure became the thing that finally gave her freedom. You’ll hear the mindset that allowed her to stop white-knuckling her way through growth, the systems that helped her team step up, and the breakthroughs that rebuilt her energy and her confidence. Whether you’re in a season of expansion, exhaustion, or somewhere in between, Jolee’s story will remind you that scaling doesn’t require more hustle, it requires more leadership. And you don’t have to do it alone. Resources → Learn more & secure your spot for → → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: Additional Ways to Connect: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
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