Meet Luba Patlakh speech language pathologist, founder of Kidology Inc., mom of three, and one of those women you meet and immediately think, we were supposed to connect. Luba’s journey is anything but traditional. She started in broadcast journalism at Good Morning America, made a bold pivot to follow her heart, and built a thriving pediatric therapy practice from the ground up — with no business plan, no investors, and no roadmap. Just a dream, a whole lot of grit, and an unwavering commitment to helping children and families find their voice.

In this episode, Lucy and Luba dive into:
•How Luba went from producing segments at Good Morning America to founding a pediatric practice that landed on the Inc. 5000 list.. as the only speech pathologist on it
•Building Kidology Inc. from a one-woman show working out of her car and Starbucks to a 94-person team across two brick and mortar locations
•What ABA therapy is, why it matters, and how Kidology serves children from birth to 21 across speech, OT, PT, and behavior services
•The real talk on mom guilt, asking for help, and juggling it all without pretending balance is actually a thing
•Why tracking your numbers and setting KPIs changed everything for her business growth
•The advice she’d give any woman looking to scale her company
•And what Beyond the Handshake means to someone whose entire business is built on connection and advocacy

Luba is a connector, a bridge builder, and someone who leads with her whole heart. This one is warm, honest, and full of golden nuggets for any woman in business.

Connect with Luba:
•Instagram: @KidologyQueen | @KidologyInc
•Website: kidology.com
•Family advocacy & IEP support: lubapatlakh.com

Women Connect exists for exactly the kind of women Luba is talking about — ambitious, heart-centered, and ready to grow. Find an event near you at wearewomenconnect.com.

What if the biggest barrier between where you are and where you want to be… is the story you're telling yourself?

In this episode of Beyond the Handshake, Lucy Miller sits down with executive coach Shea Smith of Novus Global to talk about the powerful concept of invisible potential and why even high-performing women often underestimate what they’re capable of achieving.

Shea shares how shifting from a “high-performance” mindset to meta-performance can unlock new levels of growth, confidence, and fulfillment in business and life. Together, Lucy and Shea dive into topics like imposter syndrome, building confidence through integrity, and how crafting a compelling vision can energize your work and your leadership.

Lucy also shares her personal experience working with Shea and the transformation it sparked while preparing for the Women Connect LIVE conference.

This conversation is both practical and powerful offering mindset shifts and tools that any woman can begin using right away.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why your potential is mostly invisible
• The difference between setting goals and crafting a vision
• How imposter syndrome shows up for high-achieving women
• A simple way to build confidence through integrity
• Why curiosity might be the most powerful mindset shift you can make
• How expanding your vision can impact your business, team, and life

Shea will also be leading a powerful workshop at the upcoming Women Connect Cultivate Retreat, helping attendees craft a vision that ignites energy and creates meaningful momentum.

If you’ve ever felt like there’s more possible for you, this conversation will help you start seeing it.

Want to stay connected with Shea?
Here are a few ways to explore her work and continue the conversation:

• Free Chapter of Beyond High Performance
  A look at performance beyond pressure and hustle.
  https://lp.novus.global/sheasmith
• Free Quiz
  Identify what truly motivates you and how to leverage it in daily life.
  https://lp.novus.global/sheasmith-5i
• Book a call with Shea
  Connect with Shea to discuss challenges, create a thrilling vision and more!
  https://meetings.hubspot.com/shea-smith

A layoff, a nickname, and a decision to bet on courage—that’s how Misty Bolt became “Medicare Misty” and built a 50-agent, 45-state agency that puts advocacy first. We go deep on what it really takes to move from a safe paycheck to a mission-driven business with residual income, and why the most overlooked skill in growth is relentless follow-up that turns a handshake into a win-win partnership.

Misty breaks down her client process for guiding seniors and families through the Medicare maze, from mapping meds and doctors to comparing benefits like dental, gym access, food cards, and prescription support. She explains how partnering with HR teams prevents retirees from being “thrown to the wolves,” and shares practical steps for training new agents: structured product learning, field days, seminar playbooks, and grassroots brand-building that still works in a noisy market.

We also explore how she diversifies beyond insurance to reduce risk and expand impact—purchasing a commercial space to blend event venue, office rentals, and a future Airbnb; launching a thrift shop seeded with real inventory; and channeling profits into causes like senior housing support and AED placements in low-income communities. Her branding moves—private bus wraps, city buses, a sponsored cooking show, even a local race car—show how creative partnerships can lift others while amplifying your message.

At the heart of it all is a story of faith, resilience, and ownership: if you feel capped, build your own ceiling. You’ll hear candid lessons on pricing your value, funding marketing sustainably, pre-selling new ventures, and keeping promises after the introduction. Ready to turn connections into momentum and momentum into impact? Press play, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help more builders find us.

To connect with Misty Bolt, visit her website at https://www.medicaremisty.com/

Entrepreneur, author, and mentor Kimmy Powell joins Beyond the Handshake to share how a 13-year-old coder became a multi-location owner of Woodhouse Spa. Kimmy walks us through her bold mid-life pivot at 45 from Ohio to the South Carolina coast and the gritty early years of franchising that taught her the power of hiring already-exceptional people, running companies on data (not just accounting), and adopting EOS to scale with consistency across luxury, high-touch experiences.

We also dig into Kimmy’s philosophy of intentional time and energy: her “12-10-8-6-4” workweek cadence, graceful ways to say no, and why authenticity is the highest lever for results and relationships. If you’re contemplating a major career shift, opening a second location in another state, or simply craving more freedom and focus, this conversation delivers practical systems, mindset shifts, and memorable lines like “Data tells, stories sell.” Tune in for a masterclass in pivoting with purpose—and designing success around what (and who) matters most.

Woodhouse locations (today)

• Mount Pleasant, SC
• Downtown Charleston, SC
• Historic Charleston, SC at Wentworth Mansion
• Savannah, GA
• Franklin, TN
• Expansion in process for another major southern city

Follow her Woodhouse Spa on Instagram-

@woodhousechs

@woodhousesavnnah

@woodhousefranklin

Connect with Kimmy

• Website: kimmypowell.com
• Social: @kimmykpowell (all platforms)

Connect with Lucy / Beyond the Handshake

• Follow: @connectedwithlucy • @womenconnectofficial
• Leave a rating & share this episode with a friend who’s considering a bold pivot.

In this powerful conversation, Lucy sits down with global visionary Tracy Litt to unpack what it really takes for high-achieving women to evolve without burning out. Tracy shares her transformation from single mom on food stamps to CEO of a seven-figure personal growth company and introduces The Choice Method®, a four-step, nervous-system-led framework for sustainable change.

You’ll learn why “change happens at the speed of safety,” how to move from “I can’t” to “I won’t” (and finally get honest about what’s underneath), and why community is the medicine.

Tracy also reframes fear as a faithful companion, not an enemy, and walks Lucy (and listeners) through a simple humming breath to regulate in under a minute. If you’re juggling family, business, and leadership...and you’re ready to let your highest self lead—this one’s a must-listen.

Connect to Tracy and plug into working with her:

https://www.theschoolofbecoming.com/

THE KEY - Complimentary private podcast- https://www.theschoolofbecoming.com/the-key

The Choice Method® - New offer for women leaders to easily get into the work - https://www.theschoolofbecoming.com/the-choice-method

Instagram- @thetracylitt

We hope the takeaways from this episode are massive in taking next steps to overcome FEAR and become YOUR highest self.

This episode of Beyond the Handshake, host Lucy Miller sits down with John Sharpe, CEO of Marvel HR, to unpack what it really takes to build—and evolve—an intentional company culture.

What we explore:

• Culture as the foundation: Hear how John defines a strong company culture and why it's central to growth and retention. Learn how Marvel HR helps companies foster inclusive environments where people thrive.
  
  
• Grit + persistence: John shares insights on the resilience and leadership qualities required to nurture purpose‑driven organizations—even when growth strains systems and processes
  
  
• People‑first strategy: Discover how Marvel HR and its affiliate Staff Source support clients through tailored HR solutions—from compliance, payroll, benefits administration, to strategic recruitment and retention—empowering leaders to focus on culture and performance
  
  
• People problems as catalysts: We dive into why “people problems” can trigger essential change—and how strategic HR partnerships help businesses scale healthily, not just rapidly.

Tune in to gain tactics and inspiration for staying human-centered while scaling your business effectively.

Connect with Marvel HR:
• Visit their website: marvelhr.com
• Find them on LinkedIn: just search Marvel HR for updates on culture, HR best practices, and strategic growth insights.

Twin sisters. One vision. Multi-million-dollar growth.

In this powerful episode of Beyond The Handshake, Lucy sits down with Mary Smiley Ford and Carla Pierson, twin sisters and co-founders of Smiley Aesthetics, one of the fastest-growing medical aesthetics companies in the region.

What started as a mobile injector business has rapidly scaled into a multi-million-dollar med spa brand with over $3M in revenue—and they’re just getting started.

We dive into:

• How they built a business from scratch while juggling family and careers
• The challenges (and superpowers!) of being sisters and business partners
• Smart decisions that fueled their rapid growth
• Advice they’d give any woman stepping into entrepreneurship today

Whether you’re in beauty, business, or just love a good founder story—this episode is full of heart, hustle, and hard-earned wisdom.

To learn more about Smiley Aesthetics, check out their website at https://smileyaesthetics.com/ to find a medspa near you! You can also follow them on IG with the following accounts:

@smileyaesthetics_

@injectorsmiley

@csmiley_business

@the_businessofaesthetics

🎧 Listen now and get inspired by how two women built something beautiful—together.

In this episode of Beyond The Handshake, we sit down with Liza Graves, Founder and CEO of StyleBlueprint — the South’s premier digital lifestyle publication dedicated to uplifting women, spotlighting small businesses, and celebrating Southern culture.

What started in 2009 as a passion project has grown into a digital platform that now reaches over 3 million readers annually. Liza shares her journey from café owner at age 25 to leading one of the South’s most influential women-owned media brands. From her roots in entrepreneurship to her role today as a mentor and leader, Liza gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how she built StyleBlueprint and what it truly takes to create meaningful content that connects with community.

Hot Topics:
- Building a brand rooted in values and vision
- Supporting small businesses through digital storytelling
- Creating hyperlocal content that resonates on a national scale
- Running a woman-owned business in digital media
- Work/Life Balance with dedicated time off

Whether you're a business owner, creative, or a lover of all things Southern, this episode is packed with insights on branding, entrepreneurship, and the power of staying authentic.

Listen now to get inspired by Liza’s story and learn how StyleBlueprint continues to amplify voices and businesses across the South.

Explore more at StyleBlueprint.com