Tales From The Lane

Hosted by Kate Kayaian

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121

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Welcome to Tales from The Lane—the podcast for high performers who are ready to build a life that's not just impressive on paper, but deeply fulfilling. I'm your host, Kate Kayaian—former professional cellist turned writer, coach, and strategist for people who've already achieved a lot… and are now asking, What's next? Each week, we dive into the mindset, habits, and strategies of high-achieving creatives, entrepreneurs, athletes, and leaders who are committed to playing at the top of their game without burning out, selling out, or slowing down their growth. You'll hear solo episodes packed with insights and tools, candid conversations with industry trailblazers, and the kind of honest talk most successful people don't get to have anywhere else. If you're here to pursue excellence on your terms—to lead, to grow, and to thrive—this is your show. Subscribe to Tales from The Lane and join a global community of high performers building meaningful, sustainable success.

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June 15, 2026Episode 12059 min

Episode 120: You Don't Have to Do it All Alone! Hiring Fractional Support for Your Next Big Event, with Ginger Taylor

What does it actually take to create an event that people remember for years? Whether you're dreaming of hosting a conference, retreat, concert series, fundraiser, festival, or community gathering, there's a lot more happening behind the scenes than most people realize. Successful events require vision, strategy, leadership, budgeting, marketing, logistics, and perhaps most importantly, a deep understanding of the people you're bringing together. In this episode, I sit down with Ginger Taylor, founder of Ginger Taylor Collective and a Fractional Head of Events with more than 15 years of experience across hospitality, conferences, and live experiences. Ginger shares how she found her way into the events industry, what separates professional event strategy from simply "throwing a party," and why events can be one of the most powerful tools for building community, growing a business, and creating lasting impact. We also discuss: • The biggest mistakes first-time event hosts make • Why attendee experience begins long before people arrive • The power of intentional networking and community-building • How to know when it's time to bring in outside support • The role of sponsorships, partnerships, and long-term strategy • What makes an event feel magical from the attendee perspective • Why gatherings can become powerful engines for leadership, influence, and legacy If you've ever dreamed of creating an event of your own, or if you're currently wearing all the hats in your business and wondering how to make a bigger impact without burning yourself out, this conversation is for you. Connect with Ginger: LinkedIn: Ginger Taylor Collective Email: ginger@gingertaylorcollective.com Resources Mentioned: The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker Ready to create something bigger? Many of the listeners of this podcast have ideas for retreats, conferences, workshops, festivals, concert series, and community-building events that could become meaningful parts of their legacy. If that's you, I encourage you to pick up a copy of my book, Beyond Potential: A Guide for Creatives Who Want to Re-Assess, Re-Define, and Re-Ignite Their Careers, where I walk through the frameworks I use to help people move from idea to action. And if you'd like personalized support mapping out your vision, you can book a 90-Minute Strategy Session with me. Together, we'll clarify your goals, identify your biggest opportunities and obstacles, and build a practical roadmap for bringing your ideas to life. Learn more at katekayaian.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Tales from The Lane.

June 8, 2026Episode 11916 min

Episode 119: The Summer Success Blueprint, Part 3: Who?

Two episodes ago, we talked about choosing your One Big Thing, Two Small Habit Tweaks, and giving yourself Three Months to make meaningful progress. Last week, we talked about how to stay focused when motivation fades. And this week, we're talking about something that matters even more than the goal itself: The Who. Because despite what the self-help industry often tells us, meaningful growth rarely happens in isolation. Behind every major accomplishment, career change, creative project, business launch, fitness goal, and personal reinvention, you'll usually find a network of people helping make it possible. In this episode, I introduce a concept from my book Beyond Potential called The Five P's: • Proof • Peers • Professors • Prodders • Pillars We'll explore how each of these roles can help you make progress on your summer goals, why support matters more than most people realize, and how to intentionally build the kind of community that helps you follow through. If you've chosen your One Big Thing for the summer and want to give yourself the best possible chance of succeeding, this episode is for you. In This Episode: Why successful people rarely achieve their goals alone The research behind mentorship, accountability, and community How to identify the right people for your current season of growth Why "doing it yourself" is often the slowest path forward How to build your own Summer Success Team Resources Mentioned: 📘 Beyond Potential: A Guide for Creatives Who Want to Re-Assess, Re-Define, and Re-Ignite Their Careers 📥 DM me the word RETREAT on Instagram for my free Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide: @kkayaian 🎯 Interested in a 90-Minute, 1:1 Strategy Session? DM me the word STRATEGY on Instagram (@kkayaian) and let's build a plan together.

June 1, 2026Episode 11822 min

Episode 118:The Summer Success Blueprint, Part 2: Making Your Goals Stick

Last week, I introduced my 1-2-3 Summer Framework: One Big Thing. Two Small Habit Tweaks. Three Months to see what happens. This week, we're tackling the question that determines whether any of it actually happens: How do you follow through? Because most people don't struggle with setting goals. They struggle with June 14th. The day the excitement wears off. The day life gets busy. The day the plan collides with reality. In this episode, I share practical strategies for building momentum, creating consistency, and staying engaged with your goals long after the initial burst of inspiration has faded. We'll talk about: Why most people build plans for their best days instead of their real lives The difference between motivation and systems The concept of activation energy and how to make starting easier Why "Never Miss Twice" might be the most useful rule you'll ever adopt How to track evidence instead of obsessing over outcomes Why recovery is a critical part of growth The surprising source of genuine confidence If you've ever started a project with enthusiasm only to abandon it a few weeks later, this episode is for you. Ready to create a plan that actually works? My 90-minute Strategy Sessions are designed to help you identify your goals, create a realistic structure, and build momentum that lasts. DM me the word STRATEGY on Instagram and I'll send you the details, or click here to book an appointment: 📍 Follow me on Instagram: @kkayaian 📘 Get the book: Beyond Potential: A Guide for Creatives Who Want to Re-Assess, Re-Define, and Re-Ignite Their Careers 🎧 Listen, subscribe, and share with someone who is ready to make this summer count.

May 26, 2026Episode 11720 min

Episode 117: How to Design a Summer That Expands Your Life

Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer, and while many of us still think of summer as a season of possibility, adulthood has a way of turning it into little more than a blur of logistics, obligations, and unanswered emails. In this episode, I share a simple framework for creating a summer that feels expansive, intentional, and deeply satisfying. Rather than chasing another massive reinvention project, I invite you to focus on: ✔️ One Big Thing that would make your life feel larger, richer, or more meaningful ✔️ Two Small Habit Tweaks that support that goal ✔️ Three Months to see what happens You'll hear why most adults stop giving themselves defining seasons, how small habits create lasting change, and why experimentation is often more powerful than certainty. If you've been feeling stuck, restless, or ready for something more, this episode will help you design a summer that moves you closer to the life you actually want. In this episode: Why summer still has the power to change us How to choose a meaningful "One Big Thing" The role of small habit changes in long-term growth Why high-achievers often get stuck before they start How experimentation creates clarity The difference between expansion and productivity Why intentional seasons matter Resources Mentioned 90-Day Strategy Sessions Create a clear, personalized 90-day plan for your goals, business, career, or life. Book a Strategy Session Connect with Kate on Instagram Get the Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide DM me the word RETREAT on Instagram and I'll send it to you personally. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might be ready to design a more intentional summer.

May 18, 2026Episode 11617 min

Episode 116: Emotional Time vs. Physical Time

Why does one difficult email feel like it will consume your entire day… only to take six minutes once you finally send it? In this episode of Tales from The Lane, we explore the difference between physical time and emotional time, and why so many high performers feel overwhelmed by tasks that objectively do not take very long. Drawing from psychology, neuroscience, and her own life, Kate explains how emotional intensity distorts our perception of time, why avoidance makes tasks feel bigger and heavier, and how stress convinces us that we "don't have time" for things that may only take a few minutes. This episode is especially for people who: procrastinate important but non-urgent tasks Feel mentally consumed by things they haven't started Struggle with overwhelm despite being capable and organized Constantly feel like there's "not enough time" Avoid emotionally loaded tasks until the last minute Kate shares practical tools for recalibrating your sense of time, including: Separating emotional time from physical time Shrinking the entry point to difficult tasks Using time-boxing effectively Reducing emotional intensity before starting Building evidence that your brain's estimates are often wildly inaccurate You'll also hear why timing ordinary tasks can completely change the way you think about overwhelm. If you've ever spent all day dreading something that only took ten minutes to complete, this episode will hit home. And if you're ready for deeper clarity, strategy, and momentum in your own life and work, Kate's 90-minute 1:1 Strategy Sessions are now open. Click here to book your time with Kate or DM the word STRATEGY on Instagram at @kkayaian for details. 👉 Download the Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide A simple, powerful tool to help you step back, reset, and plan your next quarter with intention. 👉 Grab a copy of my book, Beyond Potential A guide for high achievers who are ready to reassess, redefine, and reignite their careers. 👉 Explore my coaching packages For ongoing support, accountability, and strategic guidance as you build a life and career that actually fits who you have become. And if you are not already following along, come join me on Instagram (@KKayaian) for more behind-the-scenes insights, tools, and conversations about career growth and intentional living.

May 11, 2026Episode 11545 min

Episode 15: How to Take the "Ick" Out of Self-Promotion with Steph Crowder

In this episode of Tales from The Lane, Kate is joined by sales and strategy coach Steph Crowder for a conversation about entrepreneurship, selling, courage, and building a business that actually supports the life you want to live. Steph is the host of the Courage and Clarity podcast, a former Director of Sales Training at Groupon, and the founder of Sold Out Group Programs, where she helps entrepreneurs start, sell out, and scale group programs with more courage, clarity, and confidence. In this conversation, Kate and Steph talk about Steph's path from corporate sales to online business, the intentional choices that helped her design a career around her life, and why so many creative, service-driven people feel uncomfortable with selling. They also explore what it means to step away from something that looks successful from the outside, why scaling a business can bring up unexpected fear, and how Steph rebuilt her work in a way that supports her life, her family, and her ambition. Together, they discuss: Why sales feels uncomfortable for so many creatives and entrepreneurs How to reframe selling as service rather than self-promotion What "consultative selling" really means Why life design matters when building a business Steph's experience leaving Groupon and later stepping away from her own business The "scaling scaries" and what it takes to grow sustainably How to identify money-making activities in your business Why boundaries with your phone and attention matter more than we think What it means to thrive while still wanting to grow If you have something valuable to offer but struggle to share it, or if you are trying to build work that supports your life instead of consuming it, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective on sales, courage, and sustainable success. You can find Steph on Instagram at @heystephcrowder. Grab Steph's free guide, The 15-Minute Planner Method, at stephcrowder.com/plan. Learn more about Steph's mastermind, Sold Out Group Programs, at stephcrowder.com/apply. And if you want support putting this into action: 👉 Q2 Strategy Sessions are now open These are 90-minute, one-on-one sessions where we take everything on your plate and turn it into a focused, realistic plan for the next 90 days. You will leave with clarity, direction, and a personalized roadmap you can actually follow. 👉 Download the Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide A simple, powerful tool to help you step back, reset, and plan your next quarter with intention. 👉 Grab a copy of my book, Beyond Potential A guide for high achievers who are ready to reassess, redefine, and reignite their careers. 👉 Explore my coaching packages For ongoing support, accountability, and strategic guidance as you build a life and career that actually fits who you have become. And if you are not already following along, come join me on Instagram (@KKayaian) for more behind-the-scenes insights, tools, and conversations about career growth and intentional living.

May 4, 2026Episode 11420 min

Episode 114: If You're Already Enough, Why Grow?

There's a conversation happening everywhere right now: "You're already enough." "You don't need to improve." "You don't need to be better." And while all of that is true… it's also incomplete. Because most high-achieving, thoughtful people don't actually want to stay exactly where they are. They want to grow, expand, and explore what they're capable of. So what does that mean? If you're already enough, why grow? And if you want to grow, does that mean you think you're not enough? In this episode of Tales from The Lane, Kate explores the tension between self-acceptance and ambition, and how to understand what's actually driving your desire for more. She unpacks: The difference between growth as self-expression vs self-fixing Why ambition can shift from a behavior into an identity The psychological pull of mastery and self-determination The "hedonic treadmill" and why achievement rarely feels the way we expect The role of grief in growth and life transitions How to tell the difference between aligned ambition, rest, and avoidance Kate also shares four powerful questions to help you evaluate what's driving you right now. Because the goal isn't to eliminate ambition. And it's not to constantly chase it. It's to understand where it's coming from—and respond accordingly. And if you want support putting this into action: 👉 Q2 Strategy Sessions are now open These are 90-minute, one-on-one sessions where we take everything on your plate and turn it into a focused, realistic plan for the next 90 days. You will leave with clarity, direction, and a personalized roadmap you can actually follow. 👉 Download the Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide A simple, powerful tool to help you step back, reset, and plan your next quarter with intention. 👉 Grab a copy of my book, Beyond Potential A guide for high achievers who are ready to reassess, redefine, and reignite their careers. 👉 Explore my coaching packages For ongoing support, accountability, and strategic guidance as you build a life and career that actually fits who you have become. And if you are not already following along, come join me on Instagram (@KKayaian) for more behind-the-scenes insights, tools, and conversations about career growth and intentional living.

April 27, 2026Episode 11348 min

Episode 113: How to Connect With Your Audience in the Moments That Matter: With Speech Coach, Mike Pacchione

Ready to think about your next season? Kate's 90-Day Strategy Sessions are now open. These one-off 1:1 sessions help you get clear on what matters most, organize the work in front of you, and build a realistic plan for the next 90 days. You can Book your session here or DM the word "Strategy" to @KKayaian on Instagram for details. Most people think public speaking is about being impressive. But the best speakers make the audience feel like they are being brought into something. In this week's episode of Tales from The Lane, I'm joined by speech coach Mike Pacchione for a conversation about speaking, storytelling, presence, and why your audience is probably rooting for you more than you think. We talk about: how to tell better stories why details make a story land what speakers often get wrong how to calm yourself down in the moment and how to connect with an audience instead of performing at them Mike also has a free resource for listeners: How to Win the Audience Over in 13 Seconds. Find it at bestspeech.co/cello. 👉 Download the Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide A simple, powerful tool to help you step back, reset, and plan your next quarter with intention. 👉 Grab a copy of my book, Beyond Potential A guide for high achievers who are ready to reassess, redefine, and reignite their careers. 👉 Explore my coaching packages For ongoing support, accountability, and strategic guidance as you build a life and career that actually fits who you have become. And if you are not already following along, come join me on Instagram (@KKayaian) for more behind-the-scenes insights, tools, and conversations about career growth and intentional living.

April 13, 2026Episode 11213 min

Episode 112: Become a Planning Ninja: How to Prioritize Your Week When Everything is Important

What do you do when your to-do list is full of important things, but none of them are urgent? That is one of the most disorienting places to be. There is no immediate deadline forcing your hand, no outside pressure telling you what to do first, and no obvious starting point. So even smart, capable, motivated people can end up stalled, spinning, or avoiding the work altogether. In this episode of Tales from The Lane, Kate shares three practical ways to move through important, non-urgent work without wasting energy overthinking every next step. She explores: Why non-urgent work can feel harder to start than urgent work How to group tasks into larger buckets so decision-making becomes easier The "deli counter" method for moving through a list when deciding is slowing you down The powerful question that helps you identify the task that will make everything else easier, faster, or unnecessary How to break big, intimidating projects into smaller steps that feel approachable Why balancing past, present, and future work is essential for long-term momentum If you have ever looked at your list and thought, "I know this all matters, but where do I even begin?" this episode will give you a practical way forward. Because progress is rarely about doing everything at once. It is about knowing where to start, and following through. And if you want support putting this into action: 👉 Q2 Strategy Sessions are now open These are 90-minute, one-on-one sessions where we take everything on your plate and turn it into a focused, realistic plan for the next 90 days. You will leave with clarity, direction, and a personalized roadmap you can actually follow. 👉 Download the Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide A simple, powerful tool to help you step back, reset, and plan your next quarter with intention. 👉 Grab a copy of my book, Beyond Potential A guide for high achievers who are ready to reassess, redefine, and reignite their careers. 👉 Explore my coaching packages For ongoing support, accountability, and strategic guidance as you build a life and career that actually fits who you have become. And if you are not already following along, come join me on Instagram (@KKayaian) for more behind-the-scenes insights, tools, and conversations about career growth and intentional living.

April 6, 2026Episode 11055 min

Episode 111: The Real Secret to a Morning Routine That Sticks, with Amy Landino

What if the problem isn't that you need a better morning routine… but that you've been trying to follow someone else's? In Episode 111 of Tales from The Lane, I'm joined by Amy Landino — high-performance coach, bestselling author, creator of AmyTV, and one of the most trusted voices on intentional productivity — for a conversation about morning routines, self-leadership, and what it really means to build a life that fits the season you're in. Amy shares the story of her path from working in a law firm to building a business online, growing a massive YouTube platform, and helping ambitious women create more focused, intentional lives. We talk about the difference between discipline and self-trust, why most people get morning routines wrong, and how to stop borrowing habits that were never designed for your real life in the first place. We also explore: why a morning routine is really about deciding how you want to live how your evening routine shapes everything that happens the next day the danger of copying someone else's "success habits" without understanding the why behind them how to adapt your routines as your career, business, family, and priorities evolve what it means to prepare yourself for success instead of performing productivity the mindset shift from proving you're capable to getting the support you need One of my favorite parts of this conversation is Amy's reminder that routines are not about perfection. They're about creating systems that make success more likely and help you meet your life with more steadiness, clarity, and intention. If you've been feeling like the life or work rhythm that used to fit no longer does, this episode will give you a smarter, more compassionate way to rethink your days. And if this conversation leaves you wanting more support as you plan your next season, this is exactly the kind of work I do in my Q2 Strategy Sessions and 1:1 coaching. If you're ready to get clear on what matters most, redesign your time, and move forward with more purpose, come connect with me. Links & Resources Amy Landino: amylandino.com Amy's book: Good Morning, Good Life Follow Amy on Instagram: @schmittastic Get my book: Beyond Potential Connect with me: katekayaian.com Follow me on Instagram: @kkayaian Connect with me on LinkedIn: Kate Kayaian If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who's in a season of rethinking how they live and work. More about Amy Landino: Amy Landino is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and award-winning creator best known for her global bestseller Good Morning, Good Life — now fully expanded and updated for 2026. A four-time author and high-performance coach, she has spent nearly two decades helping ambitious women command their time, energy, and influence in a world that never stops demanding both. Her digital platform has garnered 50 million views and half a million subscribers and has been featured by CNBC's MakeIt, The Tamron Hall Show, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, American Express Business Class, Fortune, and The Washington Post.

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