What if the biggest leadership lessons of your year are already sitting in the stories you’ve lived and the conversations you’ve had?

For our final episode of 2025, we’re rewinding and revisiting some of the most impactful moments from this year’s twenty episodes of Lead Into It. You’ll hear insights on confidence, failure, self-awareness, communicating with intention, leading through challenge, and taking better care of yourself as both a leader and a human.

Featuring voices from leaders, creators, military professionals, entrepreneurs, and change-makers, this highlight reel is packed with perspective and encouragement you can carry into the new year. Want to explore more from a specific conversation? Check out the links below to jump directly to the full episodes.

End-of-Year Homework:
What is one leadership lesson from 2025 that you want to take with you into 2026?

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Episode Guide:

00:00 Owning the Room with Lydia Fenet
05:22 Leading from the Inside Out: Mindset Coaching with Margaret "MJ" Jennings
10:26 The Power of Debriefing with Robert "Cujo" Teschner
14:37 Ownership, Leadership and Attitude with Mike Minihan
16:39 Fueling Leadership Through Empowerment with Maj Gen Dan Tulley
21:19 From Colonel to Cacao: A Leadership Journey with Maria Carl
22:33 Diving Deep: Empowering Volunteers and Protecting Sea Turtles with Tabitha Siegfried
25:29 Science Meets Leadership: Navigating the Unknown with Diane Fraser
27:03 Cultivating Curiosity as a Leader with Thomas Greek
28:07 The Power of Storytelling with Karen Eber
30:57 Redefining Leadership with Brooke Brzozowske
32:41 Leadership Meets Flexibility with Whitney Munro
33:35 The Failure Files: The Email with Sara

Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, subscribe to my Sunday newsletter, or reach out at sara@leadintoitco.

Excited to be with you!

In this special Veterans Day episode, we explore the connection between courage and leadership beyond the battlefield. From stories of service to lessons in resilience and integrity, this conversation is a reminder that true leadership starts with the courage to serve others first.

Whether you’re a veteran, a leader, or someone striving to lead with more purpose, this episode will leave you reflecting on what it really means to lead with courage, heart and honor.

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Want to learn more about the leaders and stories mentioned in this episode? See below:

Gen. Colin Powell

• Colin L. Powell’s Thirteen Rules of Leadership – U.S. Department of State
• Colin Powell’s Legacy Defined by Two Very Different Wars in Iraq – NPR

Adm. William H. McRaven

• What I Learned from Being Fired – Business Insider
• Achievement.org Profile: Admiral William H. McRaven

Col. Florence A. Blanchfield

• Colonel Florence A. Blanchfield – Army Nurse Corps Association
• Col. Florence Blanchfield Remembered as Army Nurse Corps Marks 122 Years – U.S. Army
• Dictionary of Virginia Biography – Florence Aby Blanchfield

Veterans Day

• History of Veterans Day – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, subscribe to my Sunday newsletter, or reach out at sara@leadintoitco.

Excited to be with you!

When leadership meets flexibility, real impact happens.

In this episode, Sara sits down with Whitney Munro, Founder and CEO of FLEX Partners, a mission-driven consulting firm that’s reimagining how nonprofits get the strategic support they need. Whitney shares her journey from corporate PR to building FLEX Partners. A business with a model rooted in flexibility, purpose, and impact.

Tune in for a powerful conversation on leadership, adaptability, and creating meaningful change in the nonprofit world.

Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, subscribe to my Sunday newsletter, or reach out at sara@leadintoitco.

Excited to be with you!

I’ve hit 60 episodes of the Lead Into It podcast! 🎉
For this milestone episode, I’m doing something new: my very first Q&A. You sent in your leadership questions, and I’m diving into them all.

In this episode, we’re talking about:

• Leading during tough times (like government shutdowns)
• Knowing when to say no to a promotion
• Building trust and training new team members
• Navigating leadership challenges with experienced teams
• Showing emotions authentically as a leader

I’m answering your questions while sharing personal stories, lessons I’ve learned along the way, and practical takeaways you can use right now. Whether you’re leading through a challenge or growing into your next season, this episode is for you.

Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, subscribe to my Sunday newsletter, or reach out at sara@leadintoitco.

Excited to be with you!

In this episode, Sara sits down with Karen Eber, award-winning author of The Perfect Story, keynote and TED speaker, and international consultant, to explore the transformative power of storytelling in leadership and communication.

Karen shares how stories can build trust, inspire teams, and make messages truly memorable — all backed by the fascinating neuroscience behind why stories work.

Whether you’re leading a team, giving a presentation, or just want to communicate more effectively, this episode is full of actionable insights you can start using right away.

Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, subscribe to my Sunday newsletter, or reach out at sara@leadintoitco.

Excited to be with you!

It started with a simple email. And ended with a very humbling lesson learned.

In the first episode of The Failure Files, I’m opening up about a mistake I made early in my career — what it taught me about empathy, accountability, and the power of a single question.

This is the story of The Email — the one that changed how I lead.

Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, subscribe to my Sunday newsletter, or reach out at sara@leadintoitco.

Excited to be with you!

In this episode of Lead Into It, Sara sits down with Tabitha Siegfried, the Sea Turtle Stranding Coordinator at the Gulfarium CARE Center. From growing up in landlocked Missouri to becoming a passionate advocate for marine life on the Gulf Coast, Tabby’s journey is a story of purpose, resilience, and leadership.

Together, we explore:

• How Tabby leads and inspires a team of dedicated volunteers
• The challenges and rewards of sea turtle rehabilitation
• Why sea turtles are essential to healthy ocean ecosystems.
• The leadership lessons we can take from conservation work

Whether you’re a leader looking to grow your skills, a science enthusiast, or simply want to learn more about sea turtles, this episode offers an inspiring look at all of that in action.

Learn more about the CARE Center or check out the Center's Amazon Wishlist

Check out Tabby's Instagram here.

Episode Chapters:
02:29 Tabitha's Journey into Marine Biology
04:53 The Importance of Sea Turtles in Ecosystems
07:39 Challenges in Sea Turtle Conservation
10:37 The Role of Volunteers in Sea Turtle Care
13:25 Understanding Sea Turtle Threats
16:05 Fishing Practices and Their Impact on Sea Turtles
27:03 The Growth of the Care Center: Volunteers and Operations
32:41 Success Stories: The Journey of Sea Turtles
37:54 Leadership and Delegation in Turtle Rehabilitation
51:08 Understanding Leadership Dynamics
53:48 Motivation in Difficult Times
01:02:19 Getting Involved with the Care Center

Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, subscribe to my Sunday newsletter, or reach out at sara@leadintoitco.

Excited to be with you!

This week on Lead Into It, I’m excited to share my conversation with Diane Fraser, the amazing director of the Emerald Coast Science Center right here in Fort Walton Beach. Diane’s journey is such a cool one—she started out as a forensic scientist and eventually stepped into leading a community science center, turning it into a vibrant hub of learning and discovery.

In our conversation, she opens up about what it took to navigate financial challenges, survive a pandemic, and keep creating innovative STEM programs that inspire curiosity in kids (and adults, too).

Diane’s story is all about the power of curiosity, resilience, and community. She shows us how one person’s vision can challenge stereotypes in science, spark joy in learning, and leave a lasting impact.

Whether you’re a science enthusiast, an aspiring leader, or just love a good story about perseverance and passion, you’re going to get so much out of this episode.

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Chapters:

00:00 Journey into Science: Early Inspirations

05:17 The Role of Inquiry in Science

09:13 Balancing Family and Career: A Mother's Journey

14:14 Transforming the Science Center: A New Chapter

19:20 Leadership and Community Engagement

24:03 Navigating Challenges: The Impact of the Pandemic

29:05 Navigating Challenges During the Pandemic

31:36 Transforming Spaces and Community Engagement

33:25 Building Resilience and Community Relationships

36:27 Listening to Community Needs

37:29 Empowering Women in STEM

41:48 Inspiring Future Generations in Science

44:10 The Importance of Hands-On Learning

47:43 Leadership Challenges and Organizational Culture

Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, subscribe to my Sunday newsletter, or reach out at sara@leadintoitco.

Excited to be with you!