In this rich, heart-centered conversation, Dr. Gertrude Lyons speaks with family law attorney and equity partner Katy Mickelson about following a nonlinear career path, parenting through IVF, and how real life—not law school—became her greatest teacher. Katy shares what it means to bring creativity into a traditionally rigid field, why she values mentorship, and how raising teens has taught her as much as any courtroom.

They discuss balancing ambition with presence, how fertility struggles shaped her perspective on motherhood, and why authenticity is her superpower in both law and life. This episode is an honest, energizing reminder that there is no one way to lead—or to mother.

• (01:55) Mentoring future women in law and creating soul-aligned workplaces
• (05:40) Public relations, late pivots, and starting law school at 29
• (10:50) Combining creativity and law: why it doesn’t have to be boring
• (15:10) Gender dynamics in the legal field and carving a new path
• (19:20) Listening as a lost art in law, and why it matters most
• (24:45) IVF journeys, difficult diagnoses, and the shock of unexpected fertility challenges
• (30:50) Motherhood after 35 and the feisty embryo that made it against the odds
• (36:00) Parenting teens and what it means to watch your children become themselves
• (40:30) Guilt, growth, and the myth of perfect parenting
• (44:50) Real-life experience as an undervalued but essential skill

This episode is for anyone navigating career shifts, parenting complexity, or the unpredictable paths we take to become who we are.

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Learn more about Katy Mickelson:

• Visit her Website
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• Connect with her on LinkedIn

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
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• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Gertrude Lyons sits down with entrepreneur, leadership coach, and podcast host Emily Bronaugh. Together, they unpack what it means to lead with intention, hire with care, and mother a business without losing yourself in the process.

Emily shares her journey from burnout to business ownership, and how she learned to build systems, delegate with trust, and create space for both feminine values and effective leadership. They explore the cultural narratives around control, responsibility, and what it truly means to ask for help.

Whether you run a household, a business, or both, this episode will help you challenge your assumptions and redefine what it means to lead.

• (01:55) Emily’s backstory: early motherhood, military life, and career pivots
• (06:30) Why hiring feels so daunting, and how to overcome the fear
• (09:50) The balance of masculine structure and feminine leadership
• (12:45) Burnout, decision fatigue, and the power of boundaries
• (16:00) Systems that support creativity without suffocating it
• (21:35) Rewriting the "boss" narrative and healing leadership wounds
• (26:20) How emotional charge shows up in hiring and delegation
• (30:40) The mother energy in business: boundaries vs. over-identification
• (34:15) Encouraging autonomy and rethinking the team as family
• (39:50) Letting go of control and hiring with trust
• (44:10) What it means to grow a business that grows without you

This episode is a permission slip to build and lead in a way that aligns with your values—with space, support, and sustainability at the core.

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Learn more about Emily Bronaugh:

• Visit her Website
• Follow her on Instagram
• Connect with her on LinkedIn
• Take the Leadership Journey Quiz

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this powerful and unapologetic conversation, I sit down with Sonali Fiske—TEDx speaker, creative coach, former radio host, and fierce advocate for cultural equity and representation. We explore the intersection of creative expression, sacred rage, and self-mothering, and the courage it takes to tell the truth in a world built to silence it.

Sonali shares her journey of moving from invisibility to global visibility, and why anger became the alchemical force that transformed her life and leadership. We also reflect on the behind-the-scenes process of crafting a TEDx talk that disrupts the status quo—and the backlash that often comes with saying something that matters.

If you’ve ever felt like your story wasn’t welcome, this episode is a bold invitation to claim your space, your voice, and your sacred yes.

• (01:55) The origin of Sonali’s mission to amplify BIPOC women’s voices
• (07:04) How sacred listening and self-mothering become acts of revolution
• (13:30) Feelings buried alive: intergenerational grief and what Sonali did with her rage
• (18:20) Why we need safe spaces for women to express full-spectrum emotions
• (23:45) Her first TEDx talk, audience discomfort, and the power of not diluting your message
• (30:10) How that talk led to her global radio show and 9.5M+ listeners
• (35:40) The challenges of sustaining visibility, and knowing when to pause
• (39:25) Producing the most diverse TEDx events in the U.S.
• (44:50) The radical act of turning anger into creativity, service, and collective healing

This episode is for anyone ready to stop shrinking, start telling the truth, and create from the places we’ve been told to hide.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Learn more about Sonali Fiske:

• Visit her Website
• Follow her on Instagram
• Connect with her on LinkedIn

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”