What if the answer to burnout isn’t doing less, but designing work differently?

In this episode, Kim and Jada sit down with Rachel Cooke, founder of Lead Above Noise, host of the Modern Mentor podcast, and a leading voice on creating healthier, more sustainable ways of working.

After leaving a successful corporate HR career, Rachel set out to challenge the belief that exhaustion is simply the cost of success. What she discovered is that many organizations focus on changing structures, roles, and reporting lines while overlooking the day-to-day realities of how work actually gets done.

Together, they explore:

• Why work has become more complicated than it needs to be
• How small shifts can create meaningful relief for overwhelmed teams
• The connection between wellbeing, engagement, and performance
• Why leaders don't have to have all the answers during uncertainty

Rachel shares powerful stories from hospitals, boardrooms, and organizations navigating burnout, reminding us that transformation rarely starts with sweeping changes. More often, it begins with listening, experimenting, and making work just a little bit better for the people doing it.

She also offers a refreshing perspective on career growth, leadership, and the future: there is no perfect plan. You take a step, and then you make it right.

If you're leading through uncertainty, questioning old ways of working, or searching for practical ways to create a healthier culture, this conversation is for you.

Because better workplaces aren't built through bigger policies or more processes. They are built through intentional choices, shared responsibility, and the courage to redesign work in ways that help people thrive.

Want to hear more from our guest? Be sure to check out her personal podcast, Modern Mentor, where she shares practical insights and strategies to help you lead, work, and grow with confidence. Listen here: https://pod.link/modernmentor

If today’s conversation resonated, connect with us and be part of the community of leaders who refuse to lead alone.

JadaWillis.com | KimAndrewsCoaching.com

Jada@jwillisconsulting.com | Kim@kimandrewscoaching.com

In this episode, Jada and Kim sit down with Shannon Ivey for a powerful, funny, and deeply grounded conversation about voice, identity, self-advocacy, and what it means to take up space without apologizing for it. Shannon shares the journey that led her from theater professor to storyteller, coach, author, TEDx speaker, and founder of the Speak Like You Mean It method, including the moments that forced her to claim her work, protect her voice, and stop waiting for permission.

The conversation moves between leadership, public speaking, women’s confidence, storytelling, body awareness, and the quiet ways people are taught to shrink themselves. Shannon also opens up about her book Welcome to the Shit Show, her experience with colorectal cancer, and why self-advocacy matters in both medical and professional spaces. Along the way, she offers practical wisdom for anyone who wants to speak with more confidence, reconnect with their body, and lead from a place that feels honest instead of performative.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt their voice catch in the room, wondered whether they were “too much,” or needed a reminder that finding your feet is sometimes the first step to remembering who you are.

Check out Shannon Ivey at shannon-ivey.com/

If today’s conversation resonated, connect with us and be part of the community of leaders who refuse to lead alone.

JadaWillis.com | KimAndrewsCoaching.com

Jada@jwillisconsulting.com | Kim@kimandrewscoaching.com

In Part 2 of this conversation, Kim and Jada pick up the “cliffhanger” from the previous episode and reveal the leadership tool hiding in plain sight: one-on-one check-ins. But this is not a conversation about adding more meetings to your calendar. It is about making better use of the time you already have.

They unpack why recurring check-ins should not become another manager-driven update meeting, and how leaders can shift more ownership to direct reports while still providing structure, support, and alignment. From clarifying the purpose of the meeting to separating read-only updates from real discussion topics, Kim and Jada offer practical ways to make one-on-ones more focused, more useful, and less overwhelming.

This episode is especially helpful for leaders who already meet regularly with their team members but feel like those conversations are too rushed, too scattered, or too dependent on the manager to drive.

The key takeaway: do less, go deeper, and use check-ins for connection, problem-solving, priority alignment, and meaningful support.

If today’s conversation resonated, connect with us and be part of the community of leaders who refuse to lead alone.

JadaWillis.com | KimAndrewsCoaching.com

Jada@jwillisconsulting.com | Kim@kimandrewscoaching.com

In this episode of Lead Through It, Jada and Kim pull back the curtain on the kinds of conversations showing up in real coaching sessions right now. From overwhelmed leaders and overextended managers to team members who need clearer expectations, they unpack why so many leadership challenges start with the same root issue: the leader carrying too much.

Together, they talk about burnout, boundaries, self-leadership, and the power of small experiments that help leaders create space before everything falls apart. This episode is honest, practical, and deeply relatable for anyone who has felt stretched too thin while still trying to show up well for their team.

Part one sets the stage for a deeper conversation about the simple but powerful leadership tool they both found themselves recommending to clients. Before getting there, Jada and Kim remind listeners that progress does not have to be perfect. Sometimes the first step is one small shift, one intentional boundary, or one tiny win that helps you feel like change is possible again.

If today’s conversation resonated, connect with us and be part of the community of leaders who refuse to lead alone.

JadaWillis.com | KimAndrewsCoaching.com

Jada@jwillisconsulting.com | Kim@kimandrewscoaching.com

When everything feels like too much, it can be hard to know where to even begin. In this solo episode, Kim gets real about the overwhelm so many leaders, parents, and professionals are carrying right now.

She shares what she is personally trying to get back on top of the mental load, from going back to pen and paper to experimenting with new boundaries around work and rest. Kim also talks about what she is seeing with clients who are struggling to slow down, stop working late, and lead in a way that is actually sustainable.

This episode is a reminder that you do not have to solve everything at once. Pick one thing. Try one new habit. Notice what happens. Because being overwhelmed does not mean you are failing. It usually means you have been carrying too much for too long.

If today’s conversation resonated, connect with us and be part of the community of leaders who refuse to lead alone.

JadaWillis.com | KimAndrewsCoaching.com

Jada@jwillisconsulting.com | Kim@kimandrewscoaching.com

In this episode, Jada and Kim sit down with Jace Woodrum, a South Carolina native, longtime advocate, and the first transgender executive director in the 100-year history of the nationwide American Civil Liberties Union. Jace has spent his career fighting for LGBTQ rights, healthcare access, and civil liberties, and now leads the ACLU of South Carolina at a time when many South Carolinians feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure if progress is possible.

Together, they talk about what it means to lead when the wins are hard to see, how to keep people motivated after setbacks, and why building connection and community matters so much in difficult seasons. Jace also opens up about leading as a transgender man in a politically charged environment, carrying the weight of advocacy work, and helping people hold onto hope even when change feels slow.

This episode is a powerful reminder that leadership is not always about immediate victories. Sometimes it is about helping people keep going, keep believing, and keep showing up.

If today’s conversation resonated, connect with us and be part of the community of leaders who refuse to lead alone.

JadaWillis.com | KimAndrewsCoaching.com

Jada@jwillisconsulting.com | Kim@kimandrewscoaching.com

What do you do when your team feels off, culture feels heavy, and “fixing it” feels overwhelming?

In this episode, we’re coming off a powerful conversation about what great culture looks like and bringing it back down to reality. Because most leaders aren’t starting from scratch… they’re stepping into something messy, unclear, or already strained.

So where do you begin?

We break it down into simple, actionable steps. Not a full culture overhaul. Not a 12-month plan. Just the next right move.

We talk about:

• Why trying to fix everything at once will backfire
• How to identify one change that actually moves the needle
• The power of honest, low-pressure conversations with your team
• How to get a real read on your culture without overcomplicating it
• What 1% better actually looks like in practice

If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start, this episode will help you take that first step and build momentum from there.

Because getting your team back on track doesn’t start with a big move. It starts with a small one done well.

If today’s conversation resonated, connect with us and be part of the community of leaders who refuse to lead alone.

JadaWillis.com | KimAndrewsCoaching.com

Jada@jwillisconsulting.com | Kim@kimandrewscoaching.com