

Shameless Leadership
Sara Dean
Welcome to Shameless Leadership! This show is for women, transgender people, non-binary folks, and allies who are committed to advancing their leadership and the leadership of those around them. In this space, we believe everyone deserves to feel seen, heard, valued, and supported. Our mission is to help you foster these feelings within your own circles of influence to build trust, psychological safety, and a culture of belonging.In each episode, we dive into essential topics impacting women in leadership - everything from shutting down your inner critic and imposter syndrome to overcoming perfectionism to using your voice in new ways to advocate for yourself, your ideas, and other folks carrying marginalized identities. You'll hear practical tips, effective strategies, and inspiring stories that will not only enhance your leadership skills but also broaden your perspective to become a more confident, thoughtful, and empathetic leader.Our stories come from people carrying identities who are often underrepresented, underestimated, and excluded. By sharing their experiences, we aim to provide you with invaluable lessons that will transform your leadership journey. We are thrilled to have you join this community of Shameless Leaders who are actively creating a world where everyone, regardless of gender, can intentionally lead through a more curious, compassionate, and inclusive lens.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 13, 2019 • 55min
388: Farnoosh Torabi: The Intersection of Motherhood and Money
Farnoosh Torabi a Shameless Mom of 2 littles, a celebrated financial expert, host of the award-winning podcast So Money, and bestselling author of multiple books, including her latest: When She Makes More. She appears frequently on the NBC Today Show and is the resident financial contributor for O, The Oprah Magazine. She is also part of the founding team of Stacks House, the first-ever pop-up museum dedicated to financial literacy and empowerment. Farnoosh studied finance at Penn State and holds a Master's from The Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.Listen in to hear Farnoosh share:
Her relationship with money having grown up in an immigrant family that had to build financial security
How to talk to your kids about money in the context of your family’s values
The importance of teaching your kids delayed gratification with money
When to have your kids open bank accounts
Why she is owning being the purposeful breadwinner in her marriage - after previously claiming it was accidental
The global impact when women make more money
How she made more money after having kids
Links mentioned:Join my FREE virtual workshop on November 16th:5 Mindset Resets You Need To Shine Like A Mother >>> Shine
My interview with Farnoosh on the So Money podcast: Farnoosh
Book: When She Makes More
Connect with Farnoosh: farnoosh
Listen to Farnoosh’s podcast: So Money
Farnoosh on Instagram: Farnoosh Torabi
Thank you to our sponsors:
Canvas People: To get your FREE 11x14 canvas, text SHAMELESS to 64000. Just pay shipping and handling. This offer won’t last. Text SHAMELESS to 64000. That’s SHAMELESS to 64000.
Yumi: Head to Yumi and enter promo code shameless for $60 Off your first month of yumi!
Equal Parts: Get into the rhythm of the kitchen, with friendly and inviting cookware, coaching, and guidance from Equal Parts. All with free shipping and free returns. Visit Equal Parts and get 15% off any purchase with code shameless.
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Nov 11, 2019 • 38min
387: 4 Things You Need To Be A BIG DEAL
You are a BIG DEAL.No, really.You are a BIG DEAL.And the sooner you embrace this, the sooner you can amplify your identity and impact in this world.The world needs more of you.Seriously.We need you to SHOW UP and SHINE.We need you to be LOUD and PROUD.We need you to believe in yourself the way we believe in you.If every mom knew she was the BIG DEAL that she already is, women would have exponentially more power in the world.Being a BIG DEAL is not about leading with your ego or grandstanding all around town. It’s about owning your strengths and gifts and talents so you can leverage them in the most powerful ways. It’s about living in your confidence so you can cultivate joy and power while having a positive impact in your household, your communities, your organizations.It’s about living out loud so you can lead with purpose, passion, compassion, and conviction. There are 4 essential keys you need to embrace in order to own being a BIG DEAL:
Belief
Hope
Desire
Self Trust
Listen in to this episode of The Shameless Mom Academy for a deep dive on all four of these keys so you can be more of a BIG DEAL #everydamnday!Links mentioned:Join my FREE virtual workshop on November 16th:5 Mindset Resets You Need To Shine Like A Mother >>> SLAM WorkshopThank you to our sponsors:
Care: To save 30% off a Care.com Premium membership— visit Care when you subscribe.
Talkspace: To match with your perfect therapist for a fraction of the price of traditional therapy, go to Talk Space, Make sure to use the code SHAMELESS to get $100 off your first month and show your support for the show.
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Nov 6, 2019 • 55min
386: Alexia Vernon: How To Step Into Your Moxie
Alexia Vernon is the author of Step into Your Moxie: Amplify Your Voice, Visibility, and Influence in the World. Branded a “Moxie Maven” by President Obama’s White House Office of Public Engagement for her unique and effective approach to female empowerment, Alexia’s equal parts practical, poetic and playful delivery style makes her a sought-after speaking and leadership coach, consultant and trainer. Alexia has presented transformational keynotes and corporate trainings for Fortune 500 companies and professional associations, spoken at the United Nations and delivered a TEDx talk. She has gotten her gab on with media including CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, and Forbes.com. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with her partner in business and life, Stephen, and their precocious, wide-eyed, preschool-aged daughter.Listen in to hear Alexia share:
How to step into your moxie - and what that means & why it’s crucial
Why speaking triggers women's shame and self-doubt and how to work through this
Why speaking to large crowds can be easier than intimate conversations with just a few people
Why her first 8 weeks of motherhood were the worst weeks of her life
How she managed and treated her postpartum depression, anxiety, and OCD
How to teach your kids to speak with moxie and why it’s so critical - and her own experience of speaking with moxie when she was molested by a family member
Links mentioned:
Join my FREE virtual workshop on November 16th: 5 Mindset Resets You Need To Shine Like A Mother
Connect with Alexia: Alexia Vernon
Book: Step Into Your Moxie
Free Guide: Alexia Vernon
Social media: @alexiavernon
Thank you to our sponsors:
Stamps: Right now, my listeners get a special offer that includes a 4-week trial PLUS free postage AND a digital scale without any long-term commitment. Just go to Stamps, click on the Microphone at the TOP of the homepage and type in SHAMELESS.
EverlyWell: For 15% off an EverlyWell at-home lab test, visit EverlyWell and enter code SHAMELESS.
Native: For 20% off your first purchase, visit Native and use promo code shameless at checkout.
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Nov 4, 2019 • 43min
385: Top Tips for Managing The Winter Blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder
Do you struggle with seasonal depression, the winter blues or full-fledged Seasonal Affective Disorder? I recently asked members of our private Facebook group their biggest current struggle and I was overwhelmed with responses about the winter blues and seasonal depression. I am not a doctor and I don’t want to minimize the importance of seeing a doctor and exploring medication if you’re struggling with depression. In addition to medical support, there are so many ways to support your mental health as we enter these darker months. And much of this support starts now - from a proactive place. In this episode, I talk you through a variety of simple lifestyle upgrades (yes, upgrades!) that can have a profound impact on your mental health and quality of life during these winter months. You will learn how to:
ID depression stressors and triggers
Tune into your body and needs
Shift your perspective on self-care
Incorporate more joy
Stay more connected during these months that can often feel very isolating
Please share this episode with others who may be struggling as we enter these winter months. Your support could deeply impact another mama’s life.Links Mentioned: Join my FREE virtual workshop: 5 Mindset Resets You Need To Shine Like A Mother >>> shamelessmom.com/shineThank you to our sponsors:
Blue Apron: Check out this week’s menu and get sixty dollars off when you visit Blue Apron.
care of: For 25% off your first order of personalized care/of vitamins, visit Take Care Of and enter the code SHAMELESS at checkout.
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Oct 30, 2019 • 52min
384: Tavona Givens: The Gifts Of Grief After Becoming A Widow
Tavona Givens is a Shameless Mom to two sons, a coach, writer, speaker, and a widow. She has always been in the business of healing, as a massage therapist and reiki master for over 13 years. She has developed an exceptional way of building trust and connection with every person she works with. With the sudden passing of her husband in 2014, it has been her mission to create space for widowed mamas like herself to use their pain as a catalyst for growth. She is the proud mother of two sons James and Jordan. She lives for family, travel, waterfronts, podcasts, chocolate, laughter, and random acts of kindness. She holds a Bachelors in Liberal Arts, Master’s in Public Administration, and is VP of Education for ToastMasters. She is currently preparing to launch her own podcast.Tavona life was flipped upside down literally overnight with the very sudden passing of her husband, James. I heard Tavona’s story a couple years ago when she first joined my community and I knew I wanted to have her on as a guest someday. I am so honored to have her here to share what grief has looked like for her.Listen in to hear Tavona share:
The intimate details of losing her husband very quickly and completely unexpectedly
The trajectory of her grief and what it looks like 5 years after losing her husband
How her boundaries and badassery have strengthened as she’s worked through grief
The theory and impact of “widow brain”
Her belief that trauma is not our destiny - it’s our greatest catalyst for growth
How joy and hope and pain and grief all coexist
How she’s rebuilt her life on her terms - including writing her ideal life narrative
Links Mentioned:
Tavona Givens
Facebook
Instagram: Tavona Givens
Tavona Givens
Thank you to our sponsors:
Talkspace: To match with your perfect therapist for a fraction of the price of traditional therapy, go to Talkspace, Make sure to use the code SHAMELESS to get $65 off your first month and show your support for the show.
Honey: Get Honey for FREE at Join Honey.
Fabfitfun: To get $10 off your first subscription box go to Fabfitfun and use the code SHAMELESS at checkout.
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Oct 28, 2019 • 32min
383: The Four C's You Need To Lead
You are a leader. There is no way around it. #sorrynotsorryYou lead in your household. You lead in your community. You lead in your profession. You lead in your relationships.You are a leader.So, how are you stepping into that role? How do you lead with integrity? How do you lead with compassion? How do you lead with just the right amount of power and purpose to inspire others to follow?There are 4 key characteristics to every great leader, whether they are leading a family of 4 or a multimillion-dollar organization: courage, confidence, compassion, and curiosity. All 4 complement each other in a very synergistic way. And when you have all 4 dialed in you can lead in the most dynamic ways - where you’re working in your greatest strengths, inspiring others to take positive action, and having the most profound impact.Listen in to learn how to more fully step into your role as a leader in order to get more of what you want and have the most impact along the way.Thank you to our sponsors:
Openfit: Join the Openfit 30-day challenge and get a special extended 30-day free trial membership to Openfit when you text SHAMELESS to 303030.
Homer: Visit Learn With Homer to start a free 30-day trial.
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Oct 23, 2019 • 50min
382: Jessica Sinarski: Science, Trauma, and Brave Brains
Jessica Sinarski is a Shameless Mom of 3, a clinical supervisor, consultant, writer, and educator. She is the author of RILEY THE BRAVE (available in English and Spanish) and the founder of BraveBrains, an organization committed to helping adults living and working with children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or significant losses.Jessica is a thought leader in connecting neuroscience with practice in adult-child relationships and has shared her expertise as a contributor to Fostering Families magazine, Adoptalk, blogs, and podcasts. She has trained thousands of parents and professionals across the country and maintains a private practice in Delaware, incorporating neurofeedback and attachment-based therapeutic models.Jessica shares some GOLD here as it pertains to our brains, our childrens’ brains, and how we can reverse stress to the brain. I learned so much in this conversation. I think you will too!Listen in to hear Jessica share:
The major benefits of understanding brain function - to give you power and massive insight to improve the way you live and parent
What is the most important thing for moms to know about the brain - for yourselves and your kids
The impact of stress on a baby/child’s brain - and why it’s reversible
The power of turning toward our trauma instead of hiding it and/or hiding from it
Links mentioned:
Connect with Jessica: Brave Brains
Take the ACE Assessment
Book: Parenting the Whole-Brain Child
Twitter @jessicasinarski
IG/FB: @rileythebrave
Thank you to our sponsors:
Literati: For a limited time, go to Literati and use promo code SHAMELESS for $20 off your first box. Plus, kids three and up get a special blacklight pen.
Everlywell: For 15% off an EverlyWell at-home lab test, visit EverlyWell and enter code SHAMELESS.
Stitch Fix Kids: Get started today at Stitch Fix to try Stitch Fix and get an extra 25% off when you keep everything in your box! And as a bonus, Stitch Fix will waive their $20 styling fee when you use this show’s special URL!
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Oct 21, 2019 • 30min
381: My Secret Formula For Growth
It is no secret that the people you spend the most time with will rub off on you. This begs the question - are you spending time with the right people? Are you investing in relationships with people who inspire you, push you, hold you accountable, cheer for you?Are you investing in relationships with people who have similar core values, who want to do good for the greater good, who want to elevate others as they climb, who want to elevate those who have less privilege?Are you investing in relationships with people who are doing big things, scary things, great things - the things you want to do?The relationships you invest in will determine your path, your growth, and your joy. And in many cases, they will clear the path for you, expediting your growth, bringing you joy you never thought possible.Listen in to hear why you must get yourself in the room with like-minded mamas and my secret growth formula that makes the relationships you build in these rooms invaluable to your growth.Links mentioned:
Join our free Facebook group: Facebook
Get your limited-time Early Bird ticket to Shameless Mom Con 2020
Thank you to our sponsors:
Rothy’s: To get free shipping on any order of Rothy’s shoes, as well as free returns, go to Rothy's and use the code SHAMELESS at checkout.
Third Love: To find the perfect fitting bra and get 15% off your first purchase got to Third Love
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Oct 16, 2019 • 57min
380: Dana V. Adams: Live Your Gift
Dana V. Adams is a Shameless Mom of 4 boys, the founder of the Life Mapping Institute, author of Live Your Gift and the Live Your Gift Companion Guide, and considered one of the country’s top thought leaders on the life mapping process. For decades, first as a student and now as a teacher and mentor, Dana has inspired, empowered, and led thousands to embrace their life’s gifts to live happy, abundant and authentic lives. She leads the highly acclaimed Life Mapping Workshop to corporations and individuals.Dana’s life was deeply impacted by life mapping a few years ago, so she took it upon herself to reach out to the creator of the concept, Bill Cohen, to ask him if they collaborate - major Shameless move! He said yes and Dana has had the opportunity to build a truly transformational program at the Life Mapping Institute as a result of this collaboration.Listen in to hear Dana share:
The process of breaking through the fear around setting goals
How she got out of paralyzing fear in order to create space to go after her dreams of writing and speaking
How losing her mom by suicide shifted her ability to resist perfectionism and start taking risks to become an author
The power of putting things in the context they need to be in order to overcome her family stories around incest and suicide
What her intuition feels like and how she has learned to listen to it more often
How life mapping can get you in deeper touch with your intuition
The importance of having a deep and clear understanding around the WHY attached to each of your goals
Links Mentioned:
Connect with Dana and find events: Life Mapping Institute
Dana on Facebook Life Mapping Institute
Dana on LinkedIn
Dana on Instagram Life Mapping Institute
Book: Live Your Gift
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Best Fiends: Download FREE on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Native: For 20% off your first purchase, visit Native and use promo code shameless at checkout.
Grove Collaborative: For a limited time, when my listeners go to Grove you will get a FREE FIVE PIECE Fall Gift Set from Mrs. Meyer’s and Grove, free shipping AND a free 60-day VIP trial! Check out Grove and our special offer at Grove.
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Oct 14, 2019 • 40min
379: 4 Time Management Mindset Shifts for Moms
Do you suck at time management? I get it. I’ve been there. Like, this week.I have to laugh at the timing of this episode. I recorded it a few weeks ago, but at the time of writing this show description, my time couldn’t feel more tight. It has been one of those weeks where I’m constantly having to follow my own advice. In a week when all the things are exploding and imploding, I’m having to be exceptionally clear around why I’m spending time on every single task - to make sure that I’m not prioritizing the wrong thing at the wrong time. This is HARD. This means that I’m dropping a few balls - on purpose. And that’s ok.Time management is not about getting all the things done on time. It’s about getting the right things done at the right time. It’s about identifying what the “right things” even are.Listen in to this episode to learn how to:
Work with your vision instead of against it when it comes to prioritization
Gain clarity around action steps versus tasks (so important!)
ID how you engage in procrastination and perfectionism (and how to stop)
Eliminate/automate/delegate
Links mentioned:Enrollment is open for Momentum Mamas! Join our life-changing membership community here: Momentum
Thank you to our sponsors:
BruMate: Right now, Brumate is giving my/our listeners a special discount of 15% off your first order when you go to www.brumate.com and use our code SHAMELESS15, that's BruMate.
Honey: Get Honey for FREE at Honey.
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