Jules (they/them), founder of Hair for Humans, and their father, Brian (he/him), a pastor, reflect on Jules’ experience growing up as a transgender person, before and after transitioning. Brian recalls early moments, like strong resistance to wearing dresses, and a persistent feeling that something about Jules wasn’t fully visible. Jules also shares the in-between years – marked by anxiety, disconnection, and charting unknown territory – before finding a way to reconnect with their body and feel at home in themselves, a shift that ultimately changed everything. Brian reflects on how his work in the ministry mirrors Jules’ work behind the chair as a hairstylist, both centered on listening deeply and creating safe spaces for people to discover how to show up in the world authentically. Together, they explore how support – through the coming out journey and beyond – wasn’t about having all the answers, but about showing up with trust, curiosity, and a willingness to grow alongside each other.

Jules Heron is the founder of Hair for Humans, providing hair services to people who struggle to feel seen or heard in the hair industry. They are passionate about creating transformational short haircuts and teaching their craft to others via group and individual classes.

Brian Heron is a minister, author, pilgrimager, and proud father of a trans human. In his semi-retirement, he blogs and is working on a book that explores the intersection of religion and culture – both lessons and thoughts on what’s ahead. He joyfully plays guitar and writes music.

Shanti Joy Gold is a professional coach, 30-year corporate warrior, and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She understands the unique challenges faced by those who feel like outsiders, and guides underrepresented people to confidently thrive in their careers by being fully themselves.

👉 Try Shanti’s Thriving Assessment here to get clarity on where you’re excelling, and where you can increase fulfillment, joy, and impact.

Other stories shared by Jules, Brian, and Shanti:

• Reflecting on a Home Depot moment that heightened Jules’ awareness of being newly perceived as a white male — and the “obligation to be one of the good guys” that came with it.
• Choosing values over moment-to-moment feelings to make business decisions with greater clarity and alignment.
• Recognizing that strong reactions often reflect internal fears, and choosing self-awareness and conversation as a path to deeper understanding.
• Highlighting the power and skill of listening without judgment, creating space for people to feel seen and discover who they are.

Thanks for listening — and don’t forget to follow, rate, and review! Check out all episodes at storieswehaventshared.com.

CONNECT WITH JULES HERON
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Sue Wicks (she/her) is a New York Liberty WNBA All-Star from the league’s inaugural season and a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She is also a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ visibility in sports who became the first active WNBA player to come out publicly in 2002 and was recently inducted into the LGBTQ+ Hall of Fame. In this conversation, she reflects on building a career in women’s basketball before professional opportunities truly existed, playing for years overseas before the formation of the WNBA created a path to return home and compete in the United States. Sue also shares what it meant to come out publicly — an opportunity she welcomed — at a time when visibility carried real personal and professional risk. Along the way, she reflects on growing up feeling like an outsider and how that perspective shaped her views on leadership, gender, and representation in sports. Today, she sees that outsider lens as a strength — one that allows people to see, build, and sustain things others might miss.

Sue Wicks is the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Rutgers women’s basketball history, a former New York Liberty WNBA All-Star who played in the league’s inaugural season, and a Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Today, she farms oysters and kelp on Long Island as the founder of Violet Cove Oyster Company, a sustainable aquaculture venture.

Shanti Joy Gold is a professional coach, 30-year corporate warrior, and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She understands the unique challenges faced by those who feel like outsiders and, as an executive coach, guides underrepresented people to confidently thrive in their careers by being fully themselves.

👉 Try Shanti’s free Thriving Assessment here to get clarity on where you’re excelling — and where you can increase fulfillment, joy, and impact.

Other stories shared by Sue and Shanti at the campfire:

• Remembering the newspaper clipping about Rutgers winning a women’s championship that convinced her she would play there — even before she’d seen women’s basketball at that level.
• Admitting that even after decades of success in professional basketball, she still sometimes shrinks herself in certain environments after a lifetime of self-regulation.
• Reflecting on how her focus later in her career shifted from individual performance to leadership and ambassadorship in women’s sports.
• Observing that women often develop a unique skillset because they’re constantly asked to unpack and explain their thinking in ways men often aren’t.
• Explaining why oyster farming became a new chapter after her professional basketball career — and why working on the water feels freeing, with no gender roles.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all episodes for stories and insights on navigating your career as an outsider — and on the impact of allyship. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review!

Learn more about the podcast at storieswehaventshared.com

CONNECT WITH SUE WICKS
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In this episode, Shanti Joy Gold (she/her) sits down with her freshman-year roommate, Caren Lissner (she/her) — a news editor, reporter, essayist, and published novelist. Caren recently began sharing how housing insecurity and financial instability shaped her upbringing, including periods of living out of her car during college summers without anyone knowing. Caren shares what it was like to grow up navigating poverty alongside a parent’s mental illness, and how hiding those realities became a necessary way to cope. The conversation explores themes of outsiderhood, resilience, creativity, and the pressure to hustle quietly in an effort to break the cycle of instability. Caren reflects on how she never let go of her dreams, leaning into creativity as a way to heal herself and support others — and how determination and persistence shaped a path that finally felt like her own.

Caren Lissner is a news editor and reporter who currently writes for local news websites. Her humorous and serious essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. Her first novel, Carrie Pilby — an independent coming-of-age comedy-drama — was adapted into a feature film. She is currently working on a memoir, How We Became Homeless, which chronicles downward mobility from the 1980s to today.

Shanti Joy Gold is a professional coach, 30-year corporate warrior, and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She understands the unique challenges faced by those who feel like outsiders and, as an executive coach, guides underrepresented people to confidently thrive in their careers by being fully themselves.

👉 Try Shanti’s free Thriving Assessment here to get clarity on where you’re excelling — and where you can increase fulfillment, joy, and impact.

Other stories shared by Caren and Shanti at the campfire:

• Reflecting on the gradual unraveling of stability — from living modestly in a suburb to her mom’s mental illness quietly taking its toll over time.
• Sharing how publishing her Pennsylvania Gazette essay created space for others with similar financial insecurity to reach out and feel seen.
• Describing how Caren worked her way out of poverty one job at a time, squirreling away money and continuing to take small steps toward supporting herself and her family.
• Offering her belief that everyone’s story matters, and that telling it can help someone else feel less alone.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all episodes for stories and insights on navigating your career as an outsider — and on the impact of allyship. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review!

Learn more about the podcast at storieswehaventshared.com

CONNECT WITH CAREN
Read Caren’s Work
Penn Gazette Essay "Close Your Eyes"
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Watch Carrie Pilby - The Movie
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Work with Shanti!