The Voice of Women Podcast Episodes: Women's Interesting and Inspiring Real Life Stories
Episode 219 - Tanya Eklund: Discipline the Disappointment
If you're in sales, real estate, or building a business, this episode is for you. Success isn't just about the wins you share—it's about the rejection you overcome, the sacrifices no one sees, and the resilience you build when things don't go as planned. In this Mini Monday, you'll hear a candid conversation about navigating rejection, earning every client, balancing entrepreneurship with family, and learning how to discipline disappointment instead of letting it define you. If you've ever questioned yourself after losing a client, missing an opportunity, or wondering if all the hard work is worth it, press play. This episode is your reminder to keep going—because the next opportunity is often closer than you think.
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Episode 218 - Tanya Eklund: Mid-Year Reflections on Letting Go, Leadership & Gratitude
It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the year. In this Mini Monday episode, Tanya shares three mid-year reflections shaped by real life changes, from downsizing and decluttering to intentionally running a small but powerful real estate team. She explores the freedom that comes from letting go of what no longer serves you, why bigger isn’t always better in business or life, and how travel—recently a trip to Iceland—can deeply shift perspective and spark gratitude. A grounded, honest reset for anyone looking to simplify, refocus, and move forward with intention.
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Episode 217 - Dr. Julie Hong
A widow, physician, and mother of two, Dr. Julie Hong turned personal loss into a powerful mission to help others heal deeply and live fully. As a family physician, educator, and expert in functional medicine, brain optimization, chronic pain, and men’s health, she bridges science and soul in modern healthcare. Her work focuses on uncovering root causes, restoring balance, and helping people reclaim their most vibrant, energized lives.
Outside of medicine, she finds grounding in tennis, travel, and embracing life’s beautifully imperfect, ever-changing nature.
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Episode 216 - Tanya Eklund: More Than a Husband, Choosing the Right Father
Choosing a life partner is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make—but have you ever considered how that choice impacts your future children?
In this heartfelt episode, Tanya shares her journey through dating, relationships, and ultimately finding her husband, Chad. From navigating the challenges of modern dating to discovering that the qualities that matter most aren't always on your "perfect partner" checklist, Tanya reflects on the lessons she learned along the way.
Together, we explore what makes a great partner, why character matters more than chemistry alone, and the importance of choosing someone who will not only love you well but also become a strong, supportive parent. Whether you're dating, engaged, married, divorced, or co-parenting, this episode offers meaningful insight into relationships, family, marriage, parenting, and building a life with the right person.
A powerful conversation about love, partnership, fatherhood, marriage, dating, co-parenting, and creating a strong foundation for your family.
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Episode 215 - Tanya Eklund: What I Had to Unlearn to Grow
There are so many things I had to unlearn to become who I am today.
One of the biggest was believing that life is always fair and that people will always act with kindness and integrity. I grew up seeing the world through a lens of innocence, but adulthood showed me that fairness is subjective and everyone operates from their own perspective.
I also had to unlearn that everyone will like you, that putting yourself first is selfish, and that everything you were raised with has to define your future.
These shifts didn’t come easily, but they created something better: clarity, boundaries, and self-trust.
If this resonated with you, leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or share in the comments what you’ve had to unlearn in your own life.
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Episode 214 - Jessi Hartnett
After 15 years trapped in the cycle of smoking addiction, Jessi discovered a powerful truth: smoking was never the real problem. Beneath the habit were unhealed wounds, unmet emotional needs, and a disconnect from her authentic self.
In this inspiring conversation, Jessi shares her personal journey of overcoming addiction through self-awareness, emotional healing, and inner transformation. Rather than focusing on willpower alone, she reveals how addressing the root cause of addiction can create lasting freedom and profound personal growth.
Today, Jessi is the author of Honour Your Heart, host of the You Can Quit Smoking Podcast, and a transformational coach helping people break free from smoking, self-sabotage, and limiting patterns. Her approach empowers others to reconnect with themselves, heal from within, and create meaningful, lasting change.
If you're struggling with smoking addiction, seeking emotional healing, or looking to transform your life from the inside out, this episode offers hope, practical wisdom, and a powerful reminder that true healing begins at the root.
Topics discussed: smoking cessation, addiction recovery, emotional healing, self-awareness, personal growth, mindset transformation, holistic wellness, trauma healing, self-discovery, and living authentically.
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Episode 213 - Tresa Halbrooks
Tresa Halbrooks spent over a decade breaking barriers in one of America's most male-dominated industries — the NFL — before stepping into her next chapter as a CEO, advocate, and survivor. In this episode, Tresa opens up about navigating domestic violence, rebuilding her identity, and turning personal trauma into a multimillion-dollar mission. As the founder of LEGACY Consulting, PR & Events, she has helped raise over $20 million for her community while working alongside luxury brands and high-profile clients. If you've ever questioned your worth or wondered how to rewrite your own story, this conversation is for you.
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Episode 212 - Leah Yard
Leah Yard’s path into fashion was anything but traditional. Raised on a remote lighthouse island and leaving high school early, she spent years in entry-level jobs, feeling like she didn’t belong. It was through jewelry and personal style that she discovered a powerful shift—not just in how others perceived her, but in how she saw herself. Without formal training or industry connections, Leah built her Vancouver-based brand from the ground up, embracing slow fashion and creating timeless pieces using recycled materials. Today, she uses her journey to challenge the idea of a “right” path, advocating for confidence, individuality, and showing up—even when you feel like the least likely person in the room.
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Episode 211 - Tanya Eklund: Loyalty vs Value in Real Estate
In this episode of Tanya’s Mini Monday, Calgary real estate professional Tanya shares an honest reflection on one of the hardest truths in real estate: loyalty doesn’t always guarantee repeat business, and past relationships don’t always lead to future decisions. With over 25 years in the industry, she opens up about the emotional side of losing clients she expected to work with again, and the reality that every client decision is based on present value, timing, and fit—not just history. This conversation is a reminder that every listing and every buyer must be treated as a fresh opportunity to re-earn trust through service, strategy, and results. In real estate and beyond, past relationships may open doors, but present value is what keeps them open.
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Episode 210 - Laverne McKinnon
Laverne McKinnon is a coach and mentor who helps women navigate the moments when work becomes deeply personal—when careers shift, identities crack open, and life no longer looks the way it once did. After being fired early in her career, Laverne experienced firsthand the quiet grief that follows professional loss and reinvention. That experience, along with her own journey through infertility, adoption, single motherhood, and major life disruptions, shaped her understanding of what women often carry in silence. Today, she helps women process loss without shame, rebuild self-trust, and move forward with clarity and courage—without being defined by what they’ve been through. Her work is rooted in a simple truth: what we survive is not who we are, but it can shape who we become.
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