The Voice of Women Podcast Episodes: Women's Interesting and Inspiring Real Life Stories
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.
.
.
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.
.
.
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.
.
.
Episode 208 - Jenna Ghisolfo
Jenna Ghisolfo rebuilt her life from the ground up—and turned survival into purpose. A domestic violence survivor who once relied on Section 8 housing, she is now the CEO of Housing Consultants of America, a national speaker, and United States of America Mrs. Arizona 2026. Through her journey, Jenna transforms lived experience into leadership, helping housing communities stay compliant, fill units faster, and move people off the streets. She uses her platform to advocate for safe housing, strong communities, and second chances—showing that even the darkest chapters can become the foundation for extraordinary impact.
.
.
Episode 207 - Tanya Eklund: Protecting Yourself in a Digital World
Monday Mini with Tanya dives into a topic every professional in the public eye needs to hear: personal safety, online harassment, and protecting yourself in an increasingly digital world.
In this episode, Tanya shares real-life experiences with scams, cyber harassment, fake client inquiries, AI-generated abuse, and the hidden risks that come with being a visible business owner—especially in real estate. From suspicious Google Meet requests to fraudulent luxury buyer leads, she breaks down the red flags every realtor, entrepreneur, and public-facing professional should know.
This conversation is more than a cautionary tale—it’s a guide to staying vigilant, trusting your instincts, and setting boundaries that protect both your business and your personal well-being.
If you work in real estate, sales, entrepreneurship, or any industry where your information is public, this episode offers practical advice on client verification, online safety, scam prevention, and handling harassment with strength and wisdom.
Your safety is not optional—it’s part of your success.
Listen now to Monday Mini with Tanya and learn how to protect yourself in business and beyond.
.
.
Episode 206 - Heather Hendrie
Heather Hendrie is an award-winning storyteller and clinical counsellor who believes truth is most powerful when it’s told with both courage and laughter. Blending raw honesty, sharp humor, and deep compassion, she transforms lived experience into connection — the kind that makes people feel instantly seen and deeply understood.
As the visionary behind the Awfully Hilarious anthology series — including the Amazon #1 bestseller Awfully Hilarious Period Pieces — Heather has helped thousands of women reclaim their voices through stories that are bold, messy, and beautifully real. A two-time Canadian Book Club Award winner, her work invites vulnerability without shame and laughter without apology.
In recognition of Premenstrual Disorders Awareness Month, Heather’s work around PMDD is especially impactful. Her memoir, Where the Eff Is My Red Tent?, offers a deeply personal and validating look into the realities of living with PMDD — bringing language, relief, and visibility to an often misunderstood experience. You can explore it here: https://www.amazon.ca/Where-Eff-My-Red-Tent/dp/1773861859/
Whether on the page or in practice, Heather creates brave spaces where women are reminded they are not alone — and that the stories they were taught to hide may be the very ones that set them free.
.
.
Episode 205 - Tanya Eklund: Alcohol, Aging & What Happens When You Stop Drinking
In today’s solo episode, I share an honest reflection on alcohol, aging, and what really shifts in the body and mind when drinking is no longer part of your lifestyle.
This isn’t a judgement on drinking, but a deeper look at awareness, habits, and how our choices shape our energy, clarity, sleep, and overall wellbeing over time. I also share personal stories and observations from people close to me who have made the decision to stop drinking and the changes they’ve experienced in their health, focus, and daily life.
We explore what alcohol can do as we age, the difference between social drinking and habitual drinking, and what it might look like to take a break or reassess your relationship with it. I also talk about simple, realistic ways to experiment with reducing alcohol if you’re curious, without pressure or extremes.
At its core, this episode is about tuning into your body and asking what actually supports the life you want now. Sometimes the smallest shifts create the biggest change.
.
.
Episode 204 - Manmeet Rattu
Manmeet Rattu helps high performers and purpose-driven women break free from trauma, self-doubt, and survival patterns living in their nervous system. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, somatics, Polyvagal Theory, and yogic wisdom, she guides women from burnout to clarity, emotional freedom, and embodied leadership. A survivor of cultural expectations and an abusive arranged marriage, Manmeet rebuilt her life by reconnecting with her body, reclaiming her voice, and rewriting the stories she was told she had to live. Today, she teaches, writes, and leads workshops that empower women to trust themselves, honour their truth, and rise into the lives they were always meant to live.
.
.
Episode 203 - Tanya Eklund: The Things I’ve Left Behind in My 20s and 30s
In this Monday Mini, Tanya shares a lighthearted but honest reflection on the things she’s officially left behind in her 20s and 30s — and the habits she’s embraced in her 40s. From tube tops and mini skirts (and the nickname “Tube Top Tanya”) to chasing fashion trends, tanning beds, saying yes to everything, and travelling uncomfortably just to get somewhere — Tanya talks about how priorities naturally shift with age. She also shares lessons around skincare, learning to say no, protecting your time, advocating for your health, and becoming less defensive in conversations. This short solo episode is about growth, perspective, and the quiet confidence that often comes with getting older. A relatable reflection on how life evolves — and why that’s actually a beautiful thing.
.
.
Episode 202 - Dr. Katherine Kovachik
Dr. Katherine Kovachik is a clinical psychologist and founder of Ursa Psychology in Winnipeg, specializing in women’s mental health, trauma, and resilience. After leaving an abusive relationship at 18, she turned her lived experience into research and practice, exploring how women rebuild their lives on their own terms. Katherine challenges the idea that recovery is linear or solitary, creating spaces where women can reclaim their stories and agency. In this episode, she shares her journey of survival, growth, and the true meaning of strength.
.
.
Be A Part Of The VOW Movement
The VOW is a community of diverse voices with stories to tell. To be part of a community of inspiration and impact, join us as a guest or as a sponsor and lend your voice to a growing movement of empowerment with The VOW.
To be a guest click here. To be a sponsor click here.