EP 49. Are you taking collagen, layering on hyaluronic acid, and investing in skincare—but still wondering what actually supports long-term skin health? In this episode, I am joined by Lily Shapiro, PharmD, founder of ATIKA, a science-backed nutritional skin supplement, to talk about skin longevity, beauty supplements, and what it really means to support your skin from the inside out. Dr. Shapiro brings a unique perspective as a pharmacist, former Wall Street professional, and founder of a supplement brand built around the science of skin aging. We get into the truth about collagen supplements, the skin barrier, how oxidative stress impacts aging, and what consumers should look for before trusting any supplement label.

In this episode:

• The four-pillar framework for understanding what's actually driving your skin to age
• What most people get wrong about collagen supplements
• Why calling hyaluronic acid "hydrating" is technically incorrect and what it actually does for your skin
• The one antioxidant Dr. Shapiro says she'd take if she could only choose one supplement for the rest of her life
• How sun exposure, pollution, stress, alcohol, and sleep deprivation impact skin
• Why supplement dose, form, and third-party testing matter
• Red flags to look for when shopping for beauty and wellness supplements

Resources:

• Learn more about ATIKA: atikawellness.com
• Follow @atika.wellness on Instagram
• Read Lily's blog articles on astaxanthin, glutathione, and ceramides vs. hyaluronic acid at atikawellness.com
• Third-party supplement testing: ConsumerLab.com

Guest Bio

Lily Shapiro, PharmD, is the founder of ATIKA, a supplement brand focused on skin longevity and inside-out beauty. She holds a doctorate in pharmacy and spent years working on Wall Street before creating ATIKA. After entering her 40s and noticing changes in her own skin, Dr. Shapiro began researching the biological drivers of skin aging and developed a comprehensive approach centered on a 4-part framework: collagen integrity, antioxidant balance, lipid barrier support, and mitochondrial function. Today, she is helping consumers think beyond quick fixes and hero ingredients by bringing a more research-driven, systems-based approach to skin health.

Support the show

JOIN THE WELL DONE EMAIL LIST

Liked this episode? Share with a friend or leave a comment or review!

Follow the show: @thewelldonepod

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Email:

kat@thewelldonepod.com

EP 48. What does it actually look like to build a multi-six-figure business, survive visa challenges as an immigrant founder, shut down a venture-backed startup — and come out the other side more aligned than ever? In this episode of Well Done, I am joined by Arjita Sethi, founder of New Founder School and Ayurvedic AI wellness platform Shaanti, to explore what happens when you stop chasing the hustle and start listening to your body. Arjita shares how she was doing wellness "right" but still burnt out; this led her to exploring a 5,000-year-old system that completely rewired how she approaches wellness, business, and motherhood.

In this episode:

• The surprising reason your wellness routine might actually be causing more stress, not less
• The 3 types of people who struggle most in entrepreneurship
• What Ayurveda reveals about your unique body type and how it changes everything from your workout to your peak productivity window
• The concept of "Life Synced Success" and how it helped Arjita double her revenue by doing less
• The one thing most ambitious women get wrong about work-life balance
• What your body is trying to tell you when it stops giving you clear signals
• Why reading fiction, not business books, could give you an edge
• How Shaanti, Arjita's AI wellness platform, uses Ayurveda to help people make more personalized wellness decisions

Resources:

• New Founder School: www.newfounderschool.com
• Shaanti (take the free Ayurvedic body type assessment): www.findshaanti.com
• Follow Arjita on Instagram: @arjitasethi
• Follow Shaanti on Instagram: @findshaanti
• Books mentioned:
  • Unscaled by Hemant Taneja
  • The Overstory by Richard Powers

Guest Bio

Arjita Sethi is a certified Ayurvedic health teacher, entrepreneur, and the founder of Shaanti, an AI-powered Ayurvedic wellness platform built for people who are tired of generic advice that was never designed for their body. After rebuilding her own health through Ayurvedic principles, she created Shaanti to make that same personalized guidance accessible to anyone, powered by AI. Arjita is also a Professor of Entrepreneurship at San Francisco State University and an advisory board member at the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center and Harvard Business Review. She lives by the principles she teaches and built Shaanti alone, as proof that ancient wisdom and modern technology belong together.

Support the show

JOIN THE WELL DONE EMAIL LIST

Liked this episode? Share with a friend or leave a comment or review!

Follow the show: @thewelldonepod

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Email:

kat@thewelldonepod.com

EP 47. You have the career, the title, and the life — but inside, you're falling apart. In this episode, I sit down with bestselling author, keynote speaker, and master certified coach Ginny Priem, who knows this story intimately because she lived it. After 20+ years in corporate leadership while surviving narcissistic abuse, Ginny rebuilt her life and turned her hardest season into her life's work. We get into the patterns that keep so many high-achieving women stuck — burnout, people-pleasing, self-abandonment, and toxic relationships — and she walks us through her signature 4-part UNSUBSCRIBE™ framework for reclaiming your time, energy, boundaries, and sense of self. If you've ever felt like you're doing everything "right" while running on empty, this one is for you.

In this episode:

• The hidden signs of burnout and chronic stress in high-achieving women
• Why people pleasing, perfectionism, and over-explaining can lead to self-abandonment
• How to recognize when your body is signaling that something is off
• A powerful mindset shift around boundaries, burnout, and changing your mind
• Ginny’s 4-part UNSUBSCRIBE™ framework and how it helps women let go with intention
• What narcissistic abuse can look like and why empathetic, successful women can be vulnerable to it
• How to rebuild self-trust and strengthen your intuition

Resources:

• Ginny Priem website
• Ginny's Book: Unsubscribe
• Follow Ginny Priem on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

Guest Bio

Ginny Priem is a keynote speaker, TEDx presenter, and bestselling author focused on leadership, emotional intelligence, and sustainable success. With over 20 years in corporate leadership, she helps high-achievers move forward with clarity and intention through her signature UNSUBSCRIBE™ framework. Her podcast, UNSUBSCRIBE with Ginny Priem, has garnered more than 3 million YouTube views. She is the author of the #1 bestselling guided journal, I'm My Favorite, and the memoir You're My Favorite (A True Story), with her new book UNSUBSCRIBE: Why Letting Go Is the Secret to Getting Ahead set to expand her work. Learn more at ginnypriem.com

Support the show

JOIN THE WELL DONE EMAIL LIST

Liked this episode? Share with a friend or leave a comment or review!

Follow the show: @thewelldonepod

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Email:

kat@thewelldonepod.com

EP 46. Most of us have a cabinet full of half-used supplements, collagen powders, and gummy vitamins we mean to take consistently, but probably don't. In this episode, I chat with Aastha Shrimal, founder of AIM (All in a Minute), to talk about why the supplement industry may be overdue for innovation. With a background in pharmacy and branding, Aastha breaks down the problem with traditional pills and gummies, and shares how her product, MeltinStrips — dissolvable oral strips — could make wellness routines simpler, more effective, and easier to stick to. We also talk about building a startup as a new mom, simplifying wellness habits, and what founders often get wrong when trying to solve a real consumer problem.

In this Episode:

• Why supplement bioavailability matters more than what the label says and the difference between what you put in your body and what your body actually absorbs
• The hidden issue with pills, capsules, and gummy vitamins
• How MeltinStrips work differently from traditional supplements
• Why simplifying your supplement routine can improve consistency
• What founders can learn about customer research, product testing, and asking better questions
• How motherhood changed Aastha’s approach to business, prioritization, and product innovation

Resources:

• Check out AIM & MeltinStrips: www.aim-nutrition.com
• Follow AIM on instagram: @nutrition.aim
• Book mentioned: The Mom Test
• Help Aastha with a kids product: Take this Survey

Guest Bio:

As a pharmacist, Aastha Shrimal knew a secret the supplement industry was ignoring: there is a far more efficient and effective way to absorb nutrients than swallowing bulky pills or sticky gummies. She founded A.I.M. Nutrition to bring that clinical insight to life, engineering MeltinStrips to deliver clean, fast-acting vitamins that simply dissolve on the tongue. Today, she’s revolutionizing everyday wellness, all while navigating the beautiful chaos of startup life and embracing the joys of being a new mom.

Support the show

JOIN THE WELL DONE EMAIL LIST

Liked this episode? Share with a friend or leave a comment or review!

Follow the show: @thewelldonepod

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Email:

kat@thewelldonepod.com

EP 45. How do you learn to trust yourself after walking away from a six-figure career to rebuild your life from the inside out? In this episode, I'm joined by Theo Yang, Reiki practitioner, photographer, musician, and host of The Pain Into Power Podcast, for a deeply honest conversation about burnout, grief, and spiritual healing. Theo shares how she walked away from a successful career in digital ad sales after it left her anxious and disconnected from who she really was, and how modalities like Reiki, meditation, shadow work, and self-reflection helped her begin rebuilding a more aligned life. We explore grief after losing a parent, ancestral and immigrant family trauma, people-pleasing, self-sabotage, and the daily practices that can help you feel more grounded, protected, and aligned with the life you actually want.

In this episode:

• What Reiki is and why so many people turn to energy healing for emotional, physical, and spiritual support
• How meditation, affirmations, and subliminals can help rewire self-sabotaging thought patterns
• A daily ritual you can use to protect your energy
• The role grief can play in self-discovery, healing, and life transitions
• How childhood experiences, immigrant family trauma, and ancestral patterns can shape self-trust and relationships
• A practice for letting go of people, habits, and stories that no longer fit the version of you you’re becoming
• How to build self-trust through small wins

Resources:

• Learn more about Theo and her work: www.loveisthehighestfrequency.com
• Listen to Theo's podcast: Pain Into Power Podcast

Guest Bio:

Theo Yang is a healing artist, Reiki practitioner, photographer, musician, and creative guide who helps people feel seen, empowered, and more deeply connected to themselves. After leaving a high-pressure career in digital ad sales, Theo began a profound healing journey that led her into energy work, spiritual practices, and creative expression as tools for transformation. Through Reiki, photography, video, music, and her podcast, The Pain Into Power Podcast, she supports others in turning pain, grief, and self-sabotage into healing, self-trust, and personal power.

Support the show

JOIN THE WELL DONE EMAIL LIST

Liked this episode? Share with a friend or leave a comment or review!

Follow the show: @thewelldonepod

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Email:

kat@thewelldonepod.com

EP 44. Can stress really make your skin worse? In this episode, I break down the science behind the mind-skin axis and explain how stress, anxiety, and chronic inflammation can directly disrupt your skin barrier, trigger flare-ups, worsen acne, and even accelerate skin aging. Drawing from both published research and my own personal experience navigating severe skin struggles, I explore the emerging field of psychodermatology and how our nervous system, immune system, and skin are constantly communicating. This episode is a must-listen for anyone dealing with eczema, acne, rosacea, reactive skin, or chronic inflammation—and for anyone who wants to understand how emotional wellbeing impacts skin health from the inside out.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What the mind-skin axis is and the connection between the brain and skin
• How stress hormones can weaken the skin barrier and slow skin repair
• Why chronic stress may contribute to acne, eczema, rosacea, irritation, and premature aging
• What psychodermatology reveals about the relationship between emotional health and skin health
• How inflammation, histamines, and oil production are affected when your body stays in stress mode
• Why the way you think about your skin may influence your healing process and the hidden cycle that can keep you stuck in a loop
• Practical ways to start calming your nervous system to better support your skin

Resources:

• FREE Calm Skin & Flare-up Guide
• 2023 Molecular Psychiatry paper on the skin-brain connection
• 2015 European study on dermatology patients and psychological comorbidities
• Article on The Skin-Brain Axis by Forefront Dermatology
• Psychological Stress & Immune Response
• Serotonin in Skin Cells
• Study using the Trier Social Stress Test and skin barrier recovery

Support the show

JOIN THE WELL DONE EMAIL LIST

Liked this episode? Share with a friend or leave a comment or review!

Follow the show: @thewelldonepod

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Email:

kat@thewelldonepod.com

EP 43. What is the mind-body-environment connection and how does it impact our health, happiness and even relationships? I am joined by architect and author Talor Stewart to explore the powerful impact our homes can have on our wellbeing. Talor introduces the concept of Conscious Home Design, a philosophy that goes far beyond aesthetics to focus on how our living spaces influence our health, productivity, relationships, and overall fulfillment.

Drawing from over 20 years of experience, Talor explains why most homes are designed for basic function—but not for helping people truly thrive. From improving indoor air quality and harnessing natural light to designing spaces that strengthen relationships, he shares practical ways to transform your environment, even if you’re renting or working with the space you already have.

In This Episode:

• The philosophy behind Conscious Home Design—what it is and why it's important
• The surprising way your home environment affects your health, mood, and productivity
• The three types of relationships your home should support: giving, receiving, and reciprocal
• How small environmental factors impact wellbeing and productivity
• The “Sunny Window Effect” and how natural light can help build better habits
• Why open-concept homes aren’t always ideal for productivity or focus
• Simple, practical ways to improve your home and spaces, even if you rent or can’t renovate

Resources:

• Conscious Home Design Website
• Conscious Home Design Book
• Follow Talor on Instagram: @conscioushomedesign

Guest Bio:

Talor Stewart is a licensed architect with over 25 years experience. His book Conscious Home Design has hit the #1 best seller list in 7 countries so far. Specializing in single and multi-family homes and intentional communities, he works with clients all over the United States and select places internationally. He also offers a certification program for other designers and architects to learn the CHD method to help their clients apply the life changing principles wherever they are.

Support the show

JOIN THE WELL DONE EMAIL LIST

Liked this episode? Share with a friend or leave a comment or review!

Follow the show: @thewelldonepod

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Email:

kat@thewelldonepod.com

EP 42. In this episode of Well Done, I chat with Jacqueline Taylor, co-founder of Le Prunier, the cult-favorite skincare brand known for its plum-based formulations and minimalist ingredient philosophy. Jacqueline shares how her family’s 100-year farming legacy led to the discovery that discarded plum pits could be transformed into a powerful skincare ingredient. We also dive into the science behind the skin microbiome, why simple formulations can be more effective for sensitive or eczema-prone skin, and how sustainability—from organic farming to worm-powered water filtration—shapes every step of Le Prunier’s production. Jacqueline also opens up about trusting intuition as a founder, navigating the saturated beauty market, and building a brand rooted in science, sustainability, and family tradition.

In this episode:

• The fascinating origin story behind turning dried plum farm waste into a luxury skincare line
• How the skin microbiome plays a crucial role in inflammation, acne, and skin health
• Why less-ingredient skincare formulas can be better for sensitive skin
• How vertical integration—from orchard to bottle—improves ingredient quality and sustainability
• The science behind Le Prunier's hero product and why it’s naturally hydrating, anti-aging, and non-comedogenic
• The philosophy behind proactive skincare that supports the skin barrier and microbiome
• Why trusting your intuition matters when building a business in a crowded beauty industry
• The sustainability practices behind Le Prunier’s farm including solar power and worm-filtration systems

Resources

• Le Prunier website
• Follow Le Prunier on Instagram: @leprunier

Guest Bio

Jacqueline Taylor is the co-founder of Le Prunier, the plum-powered luxury skincare brand she launched with her sisters, Allison and Elaine. Raised on her family’s fourth-generation, 106-year-old Northern California farm, Jacqueline helped transform their USDA-organic, regenerative agriculture heritage into the foundation of a sustainable beauty brand, using their own plum kernels as the hero ingredient. With a background in science and culinary arts, she blends heritage, innovation, and sustainability to create high-performance skincare.

Support the show

JOIN THE WELL DONE EMAIL LIST

Liked this episode? Share with a friend or leave a comment or review!

Follow the show: @thewelldonepod

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Email:

kat@thewelldonepod.com