Connect Inspire Create

Hosted by Carol Clegg

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Episodes

207

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Welcome to Connect Inspire Create — a podcast exploring meaningful conversations about life, work, creativity, and the ways we grow. I’m Carol Clegg, your host — an accountability coach and curious conversationalist — inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change. These conversations go beyond business strategies. We explore: living with intention and self-trust alternative ways of thinking and being creativity, purpose, and personal growth navigating transitions in work and life what it really takes to follow through on what matters If you’re someone who enjoys reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue — this space is for you. Connect Inspire Create is about slowing down the conversation just enough to notice what inspires us… and how those insights shape what we create in our lives. Let’s connect. Let’s explore. Let’s create — together.

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June 16, 2026Episode 20733 min

Your Podcast Grows Faster When You Know Your Why with Jordan Blair

Your podcast can be heartfelt and still be strategic. I’m joined by Jordan Blair, a podcast producer at Buzzsprout and co-host of BuzzCast, to unpack the real-world basics that separate podcasts that fade out from podcasts that grow. We start with something deceptively simple: your “why.” Jordan shares how clarity of purpose shapes everything from topic choices to guest selection to podcast marketing, and why listeners only return when they know exactly what they’ll get every time they press play.From there, we get practical about podcast audio quality and listener experience. Jordan explains why “good enough” audio is mostly about removing distractions, and how modern tools can help indie creators sound polished without a studio. Then we move into the part most creators underestimate: engagement. We talk parasocial relationships, how to turn listeners into superfans, and how features like Buzzsprout Fan Mail can make it easy for people to reach you with feedback, questions, and even voice messages you can use in future episodes.We also cover consistency without burnout, including giving yourself permission to take a break, how to communicate it clearly, and how Dynamic Content can place a timely announcement across your back catalog and remove it later. Finally, Jordan breaks down podcast monetization without the pressure, why listener support can beat ads, and how sponsorships can create stress if you’re not careful. If you’re starting a podcast, restarting after a slump, or trying to make your show sustainable, you’ll leave with concrete next steps.Link to Buzzsprout's official podcast about podcasting!Subscribe to Connect Inspire Create for more grounded creator conversations, share this with a podcaster friend, and if it helps you, leave a quick review so more indie creators can find it.Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

June 2, 2026Episode 20627 min

How To Reinvent Yourself With One Tiny Step A Day with Lorie Kleiner Eckert

Perfectionism has a sneaky way of turning a perfectly good life into a project you can never finish. I sit down with author, fiber artist, and motivational speaker Lorie Kleiner Eckhert to talk about reinvention, resilience, and the moment you decide that “good enough” is not failure, it’s freedom. Lorie’s newest book, Chai On Life (a playful nod to “chai,” the Hebrew word for life), becomes our jumping-off point for how to move through big transitions with more self-trust and less self-criticism.We get practical and personal: why many of us wait decades to give ourselves permission to do what makes us happy, what divorce and midlife singlehood taught Lorie about independence, and how a complicated “perfect” chicken soup recipe captures the problem with overthinking everything. Lorie also shares how quilts became her visual storytelling tool on stages from PTAs to Procter & Gamble, and why returning to simpler, more durable creativity helped her come back to herself.If you’re feeling stuck, Lorie offers a clear two-step reinvention plan: keep your healthy daily routine even when you’re hurting, then take one tiny step a day toward your new life and write it down in an accountability log. We also normalize therapy and counseling as ongoing emotional support, not a last resort, and we end with a favorite idea: being “flawsome” and giving yourself credit for the brave next step.Subscribe for more conversations on personal growth, mental fitness, creativity, and navigating life transitions, then share this with a friend who needs a little lift and leave a review so more people can find us. What’s one tiny step you’ll take today?Connect with Lorie HEREHer newest book, Chai on Life, is available at Amazon and anywhere quality books are sold. Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

May 26, 2026Episode 20522 min

Reframe Midlife With Strength And Self-Trust with Heike Yates

Midlife gets labeled as “the beginning of the end,” but that story falls apart the moment you meet women who are building businesses at 80, traveling solo, starting podcasts, or simply reclaiming their strength after a hard season. I sit down with Heike Yates, midlife fitness expert, Pilates teacher, and author of Pursue Your Spark, to talk about why midlife is better understood as an upward turning point and how women can rebuild energy and confidence without extremes, shame, or the exhausting pressure to “start over.”We dig into the mindset shift that changes everything: the idea that you must “let go of the old you” to become “the new you.” Heike pushes back, and I love her take because it honors every chapter you’ve lived. We talk about identity, roles, and what it means to integrate your experiences instead of discarding them. Her onion metaphor lands hard: peeling back layers can bring tears and grief, but it also reveals what’s true underneath and what you want next.Heike shares the real story behind her book, including a caregiver client who finally returns from a break saying, “I feel like myself again,” not as a throwback to youth, but as a return to her power right now. From there, we walk through Heike’s SPARK framework (Scan, Plan, Take Action, Overcome Roadblocks, Keep Momentum) and why it works for midlife health goals, menopause seasons, career changes, and any moment where you feel stuck. We close with practical guidance on exercise consistency when you’re already exhausted: clear your plate, protect your energy, and let movement support healing instead of becoming another demand.If you know a woman who needs a gentler path to midlife fitness and real momentum we invite you to share this conversation.Connect with Heike - websiteRead Pursue Your Spark hereLet me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

May 19, 2026Episode 20428 min

How To Thrive After 65 Without Shrinking Your Life with Ande Lyons

What if aging isn’t a slow closing of doors, but an expansion into a wider life? That’s the heart of this conversation with entrepreneur and longtime podcast host Ande Lyons, creator of Don’t Be Caged By Your Age and an outspoken advocate for thriving after 65.We talk about how identity shifts as we get older, how internalized ageism quietly narrows our choices, and why “aging out loud” can be a form of leadership. This is positive aging without denial: we name the hard realities, then choose agency, purpose, and visibility anyway.If you’re searching for healthy aging, reinvention after retirement, and motivation to start something new later in life, the throughline is simple: staying fully alive is a decision you can practice.If this conversation helps you rethink what’s possible in your next season, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it and feel less alone.Where to find AndeWebsite: https://www.dontbecagedbyyourage.com/https://www.instagram.com/newenglandpodcastersgroup/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/andelyons/Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

May 12, 2026Episode 2035 min

A Gentler Way Forward When Life Feels Heavy with Carol Clegg

We slow down for a short Mindset Matters pause and reflect on why feeling stuck doesn’t mean we need to start over. I share how staying in the process, taking breaks without quitting, and meeting grief with honesty helps us keep moving forward with more ease. • bringing back short “bits and bites” style segments between longer guest interviews • exploring why “new plan” thinking can create extra pressure • practicing a gentler kind of discipline that leaves room for imperfect days • staying consistent through seasons of stepping back and returning • shifting the show’s focus to match life now, including widowhood and long-term grief • carrying one question into the week to build awareness before change Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

May 5, 2026Episode 20238 min

From Coping to Curing: Rethinking How We Heal with Yildiz Sethi

If you’ve ever done “all the right things” for your mental health and still felt stuck, this conversation will challenge what you’ve been told to expect. I’m joined by Brisbane-based psychotherapist, educator, and author Yildiz Sethi, who makes a clear case for moving beyond coping strategies and symptom management toward deeper healing that actually changes the pattern underneath.We talk about why the dominant medical model can quietly lock people into labels and long timelines, even as neuroscience, neuroplasticity, and epigenetics keep proving the brain and nervous system can change. Yildiz explains why so much therapy stays on the surface of the conscious mind, and what happens when you finally work with the subconscious instead. We dig into two powerful sources of repeating struggles: generational patterns carried through family systems and epigenetic inheritance, and personal experiences that get repressed as protection and later show up as triggers, anxiety, anger, or persistent self-doubt.Jildiz shares how approaches like family constellations and her trauma-informed processing work aim to find the root cause quickly and resolve it safely, not just reframe it. She also adds an important safeguard: some severe mental health conditions still require diagnosis, medication, and specialist care, and this work is not a blanket answer for every case. Connect with YildizWebsite: https://yildizsethi.com/LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/yildiz-sethi/If this brought you relief or sparked a new way of thinking about psychotherapy and healing, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find Connect, Inspire, Create.Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

April 21, 2026Episode 20125 min

Your Body Knows First: Leading with Awareness with Jennifer Zach

What if the clarity you’ve been searching for isn’t in another strategy… but already within you?In this episode of Connect Inspire Create, I’m joined by Jennifer Zach, executive coach and author of Somatic Awareness: Leading with Body Intelligence. Together, we explore a different kind of leadership — one that begins in the body, not just the mind.Jennifer shares her 3N Model™ — Notice, Name, Navigate — a simple, practical framework to help you recognize stress before it takes over, make more grounded decisions, and communicate with greater presence.In this conversation, we explore:• Why so many of us override our body’s signals — and what it’s costing us • How to recognize stress in real time (before it spills into your work or relationships) • A simple way to pause, reset, and respond with intention • What it really means to lead with clarity and confidenceIf you’ve been feeling stretched, reactive, or just a little disconnected from yourself… this conversation offers a gentle way back.Find out more about Jennifer ZachVisit www.somaticallyaware.com and consider reading Somatic Awareness: Leading with Body IntelligenceLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferzach/Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

April 7, 2026Episode 20027 min

Comedy as Confidence: Finding Your Voice and Owning the Stage with Lynn Harris

What if getting funnier could change the way you show up in your life… not just on a stage, but in your work, your conversations, and your confidence?In this episode of Connect Inspire Create, I’m joined by Lynn Harris, founder of GOLD Comedy—a comedy school, creative community, and content studio where women and non-binary creators grow their voices and build meaningful careers.Lynn shares how a moment at 16 shaped her understanding of comedy, confidence, and the extra layers many women navigate when stepping into visibility. What began as an observation became a lifelong mission: helping others claim space, be heard, and use humor as a powerful tool for connection and change.We explore how comedy isn’t just about being funny—it’s about thinking differently, reading the room, communicating with clarity, and building confidence in ways that ripple far beyond the stage.If you’ve ever felt hesitant to speak up, share your ideas, or take creative risks, this conversation might open a door you didn’t even realize was there.In this conversation, we explore: • Why humor is one of the most powerful communication tools we have • How comedy skills translate into real-life confidence and leadership • The role of community in helping us find and trust our voice • What holds people back from being “funny” and how to move through it • Simple ways to start building your creative confidence todayThere’s something quietly powerful about laughter—it softens the edges, opens people up, and creates connection in an instant.And as Lynn reminds us… when people listen, things begin to change.Book your personal comedy consult! Come chat about where you are in your creative/comedy journey—and/or find out how comedy skills can support you in work and life! BOOK YOUR CALLhttp://www.goldcomedy.comhttps://www.instagram.com/goldcomedyhttps://youtube.com/goldcomedyhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/goldcomedy/Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

March 24, 2026Episode 19930 min

Decoding the Job Search: Recruiter Insights with Megan Applegate

The job search can sometimes feel like sending your résumé into a void.Applications go out… and silence comes back.In my latest episode of Connect Inspire Create, I sat down with recruiter insider Megan Applegate, who spent years reviewing thousands of résumés and sitting in hiring manager discussions.Her perspective was eye-opening.Many highly qualified professionals are filtered out long before a human ever reads their experience. Not because they lack skill, but because their résumé isn’t speaking the language recruiters and hiring systems expect.In this conversation we explore:• What recruiters actually look for in the first few seconds of a résumé• Why the job search often feels like a black box• The small mistakes that cause strong candidates to get filtered out• How to position your experience as a solution rather than a list of tasks• Why networking still opens many of the most meaningful opportunitiesWhether you’re considering a career shift, supporting someone in their job search, or simply curious about how the hiring process really works, Megan shares a behind-the-scenes look that brings clarity to the process.Connect with Megan on LinkedInInterested in the TAP approach? Click hereor find out more at https://www.careerblueprintsolutions.com/Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

February 24, 2026Episode 19830 min

Mapping Change With Courage; Life Design For Real Life with Ashley Jablow

Transitions can arrive by choice. And sometimes they arrive without asking our permission.In this episode of Connect Inspire Create, I chat with Ashley Jablow, founder of Wayfinders Collective and creator of Life Design School, to explore what it means to redesign your life during seasons of change.So what is Life Design, really?In our conversation, we explore: • How Life Design differs from traditional goal setting • How to begin when the ground feels unfamiliar • How clarity and courage coexist with grief • Why community matters in seasons of reinvention • What real-life courage actually looks likeI also share, gently, that I am newly navigating widowhood — a word I am still learning to say. Some transitions are chosen. Some are not. Both ask something of us.If you’re in a season where the old map no longer fits, this conversation may feel steadying.Ashley is generously offering her free Clarity Kit — a 30-minute on-demand workshop to help you diagnose where you’re getting stuck and get clear about the change you want to make.👉 www.lifedesignschool.co/kitIf you’re feeling stuck or at a crossroads, this is a beautiful place to begin.And as always, I’ll leave you with this:If you chose one gentle, meaningful step this week… what might you focus on?Thank you for slowing down with us.Connect with Ashley JablowWebsiteLinkedInInstagramLet me know what you’d like to hear more about on the showSupport the showI’m Carol Clegg, your host, an accountability coach and curious conversationalist inviting guests from a wide range of backgrounds to share insights on how they live, think, and navigate change.If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircleFor those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 90-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.You can learn more at carolclegg.comLet’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners