What does it really look like to raise a child with a significant disability in today’s world - emotionally, financially, spiritually, and practically?

In this episode of The Grown-Up Table, host Grant Swartzwelder sits down with attorney and mom Kayla Wood to talk about life with her 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, who has spina bifida. Kayla shares the raw, real journey from the shocking prenatal diagnosis to complex surgeries, school battles, insurance fights, and the daily work of raising a confident, joy-filled teenager who happens to use a wheelchair.

They cover how language and labels matter, why advocacy is a full-time job, what other parents don’t always see about special needs families, and why empathy (not pity) is the one thing our culture is still missing.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, medical professional, or just someone who wants to understand special needs families better, this conversation will challenge, encourage, and grow you.

Branding isn't just for companies—it's a reflection of life, character, and reputation on both corporate and personal levels. In this episode, Grant Swartzwelder sits down with Eric Bierbrier, a seasoned branding expert behind major Dallas-area brands like Container Store, Brinker (Chili's), and Neiman Marcus, to explore how brands are built, maintained, and sometimes destroyed, with powerful lessons that also apply to individuals managing their personal reputations.

Christie Linebarger draws from her personal experience with a sudden layoff and decades in talent acquisition to reveal how we can all transform challenges into growth through consistent effort and resilience. Her book, Stick Your Beak in the Ground, offers practical wisdom for navigating life's uncertainties, cultivating character, and pursuing excellence every day, no matter the obstacles.