Just in time for National Women’s Small Business Month:

Seems like it’d be easy enough… two women forming a 50/50 partnership to go into business with each other, believing that the two of them together are a far more effective force than either of them alone. Turns out it’s easier said than done… but it CAN be done.

In this episode, Sara Thomas and Holly Sydnor shift from secure, well-paying jobs to take a chance on doing business on their own terms, as a woman-owned business divided equally between the two of them. If you’ve ever thought of going into business for yourself, and perhaps with a partner, listen in to Sara and Holly’s story before you go any further.

She also discusses the science of play — and how important it is for adults to incorporate it as a way to keep learning and stay engaged.

We also discuss how to rewrite the stories in our brains to reflect how we want our lives to go.

A quick-hit of the most interesting and insightful lessons learned from my full-length interview with Pete Gumbrecht. If you haven’t heard it yet, go back and listen to that one first! You’ll be glad you did.

Tough time deciding what to do next? Been on the fence for a while? Making big life decisions isn’t always easy, and living in the in-between can be stressful.

In this episode, Chuck and Rilla discuss the power of deciding on a course of action, and how your decision mindset and immediate next actions can powerfully determine how your new path will manifest.

In this final episode of the Cool Change Method™ series, Chuck Allen dives deep into Step 6: The Integration. This isn't about completion—it's about living fully into the transformations you've made and continually evolving your identity in everyday life.

Chuck shares a powerful story about his encounter with Bernie Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot, and reflects on the power of continually leaning forward, staying curious, and keeping your dreams bigger than your memories.

Key Takeaways:

• Integration means continually evolving—embracing the journey, not just the destination.
• Practical ways to notice and honor your personal growth.
• Techniques to consciously apply your insights and new identity in daily scenarios.
• How integration can be joyful, playful, and deeply satisfying.
• The role of community in supporting your integration journey.

Action Step: Take a moment this week to consciously visualize and rehearse showing up as your new self in a specific scenario. Notice and celebrate your growth.

Quote to Remember:

“When your memories outweigh your dreams, the end is near.” (source: Andy Stanley)

Resources:

• Website: coolchangelifedesign.com
• Follow on Instagram @chuckallen
• and TikTok: @coolchangechuck

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who's navigating their own transition. Together, we grow better.

Keep practicing. Keep becoming. Keep living intentionally.

What career is best for you? How should you be spending your time and energy? Popular speaker and trainer Ed Davis discusses why it can take so long for us to pay attention to the clues that have been there all along. His journey to discovering his highest and best career began with clues from his younger days, but it took two kids and a stock market crash to finally get him to close the gap between knowing and doing.

This marks the one-year anniversary of the podcast! Join me for 15 minutes as I share a few key learnings and insights from the past year, and let you know what’s in store in the coming year of Cool Change.

In this episode, I break down the meaning of “Cool,” and the meaning of “Change” as I’ve grown to understand from my guests over the past 12 months.

Julie Carrick Dalton’s first novel, “Waiting for the Night Song,” will be released next month to much anticipation. BuzzFeed calls it one of the most anticipated books of 2021, while a Medium article says it is one of the twelve most anticipated books of the new year.

In this episode, Julie shares the story of how a simple walk in the woods changed the course of her life dramatically. Once a successful journalist, she made a cool change when she decided to purchase a farm, pursue sustainable agriculture, and begin writing a novel.

Listen for how early life experiences, including a visit with the Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the unraveling of Apartheid, shaped her ability to pivot from one path to another, and to notice when it was time to make a change.