Pockets of Knowledge

Sometimes the doors we think are closed are just leading us toward a bigger arena of possibilities we haven't seen yet. In this thoughtful conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Carlee Wolfe—strategist and coach with 20+ years leading talent and transformation at brands like Under Armour, Hyatt Hotels, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee—who helps people navigate career challenges with clarity instead of urgency.Carlee shares her journey of falling into work she loves while acknowledging the doors that closed along the way. She reframes networking as "connecting to learn"—expanding your limited options by getting curious about what others are doing. For introverts, she offers gentler entry points: start with a neighbor doing something interesting, or find groups that match where you are.She gets practical about AI—not as something to fear, but to get curious about and build skills in, because we're all using it whether we've opted in or not. She explains why staying "at least on pace" matters for long-term career growth and encourages using AI itself to start learning.Carlee shares insights from coaching Paralympic athletes, including the powerful advocacy question: "Is it accessible?" She explains how the same principles apply to careers—making the box bigger so more people can play, rather than fighting to fit into small spaces. She introduces the Three C's (Curiosity, Clarity, Confidence) as both a planning tool and diagnostic when you're stuck.Whether you're facing career uncertainty, feeling overwhelmed by change, or looking for permission to explore what's possible, this conversation offers compassion and practical tools for moving forward.Bio:Carlee Wolfe is a strategist, connector, and coach helping people and organizations thrive through change. With 20+ years of leading talent, culture, and transformation across global brands like Under Armour, Hyatt Hotels, Apollo Education Group, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, she specializes in turning strategy into behavior that sticks.Beyond corporate work, she coaches athletes (including Paralympic hopefuls) and serves on nonprofit boards shaping workforce development and recreation. She believes transformation and career growth don’t have to be complicated - she bring stories, strategies, and tools that help people move forward with purpose. Her work is practical, reflective, and focused on forward motion – helping people move with clarity rather than urgency.She holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) and is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC).Connect with Carlee:Website: https://aceandarrowconsulting.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carleeawolfe/Books mentioned:Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport - https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9781455586660https://amzn.to/3NLfwBTPodcasts mentioned: 10% Happier with Dan Harris - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-happier-with-dan-harris/id1087147821 Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/id1345682353———Enjoy this Podcast? If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your friends so that they can be educated, informed, inspired and empowered!Questions? Contact me through my website, www.PocketsofKnowledge.com, or find me on Instagram @desireedstanley. Thanks for listening!———This podcast is intended to educate, inspire, and empower you on your personal journey. Please note that individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

In this transformative conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Lynn M. Bunch, intuitive educator and founder of the Center for Intuitive Education, who has spent nearly 30 years demystifying intuition and teaching people how to trust their inner wisdom without apology.Lynn shares how she built her life's work around making intuition tangible and accessible—not woo-woo or untouchable, but a normalized tool for navigating life's challenges. She introduces the ID Blueprint™, a framework she developed over decades that functions like "the PhD of your own consciousness"—a roadmap covering six core life areas (relationship, wisdom, support, time, health, and finance) that helps you identify your bottom lines, understand your emotional patterns, and stay aligned with who you truly are.Throughout the episode, Lynn gets real about emotional regulation and why most people make their emotions wrong instead of using them as information. She shares why the things you don't confront will become confrontations later. She also tackles the hard truth most people aren't ready to hear: you're responsible for how you navigate everything that happens to you—even the worst things.Lynn opens up about her own journey through cancer, childhood trauma, and life's wounds, explaining the crucial difference between speaking from a wound versus speaking from a scar. And she challenges the victim mindset with fierce compassion, reminding us that our spirit is always bigger than our human circumstances.Whether you're feeling stuck, ignoring your gut instincts, struggling with emotional patterns you can't name, or ready to stop giving your power away to people and circumstances, this conversation offers both permission and a practical path forward. Bio:Lynn M. Bunch is an intuitive educator, spiritual guide, and transformation expert with over 25 years of experience helping individuals connect with their inner wisdom to create lasting change. Through her unique ID Blueprint™ curriculum and one-on-one coaching, Lynn empowers her clients to break free from emotional blocks, align their energy, and manifest their desires with clarity and confidence.   Lynn’s bold, direct approach has helped thousands worldwide overcome emotional obstacles and create real-world results. Whether through private sessions, group events, or her ID Blueprint™ certification program, Lynn offers practical tools and intuitive guidance to help individuals transform their lives, heal emotional wounds, and unlock their full potential.   Known for her no-nonsense teaching style, Lynn is passionate about helping others embrace their intuition as a powerful tool for personal empowerment. She believes everyone has the ability to live a life of purpose and alignment, and she is dedicated to helping her clients achieve that through clear action steps and intuitive insights.   With a mission to help people take responsibility for manifesting their desires, Lynn’s approach blends emotional healing with intuitive practices to create a harmonious, empowered life.  Connect with Lynn:WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInYouTubeResouces:Intuitive Insights Event———Enjoy this Podcast? If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your friends so that they can be educated, informed, inspired and empowered!Questions? Contact me through my website, www.PocketsofKnowledge.com, or find me on Instagram @desireedstanley. Thanks for listening!———This podcast is intended to educate, inspire, and empower you on your personal journey. Please note that individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.This is not intended to treat any medical condition. I am not a medical doctor and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any medical conditions, please seek help from a qualified health professional.

In this empowering conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Kelly Schuknecht, founder of Two Mile High Marketing and host of Beyond the Bestseller podcast, who shares her journey from 17 years in publishing and marketing to building her own agency—and helping professional women do the same.Kelly opens up about the two and a half years she spent preparing for a job loss she could feel coming when her company was acquired. Instead of panicking when it finally happened, she went all in on her business dream. Throughout the episode, Kelly breaks down the difference between personal branding (how people perceive you) and thought leadership (what people come to you for expertise on)—and why you need both to stand out, especially in an AI-saturated world. She gets tactical about promoting a book without beating people over the head with "buy my book," leveraging podcast interviews for content repurposing, and building a 30-day content strategy around your expertise. She also shares why authors need to show their human side, not just their work.Kelly explains her unique approach to fractional marketing: starting with a two-hour workshop that results in a go-to-market funnel with actionable tactics, not just abstract strategy. She also discusses her Author Power Circle, writing retreats, and her upcoming book, “The Authority X Factor”.Whether you're an author struggling to promote your book, an entrepreneur who knows you should be "out there" but don't know how, or a professional woman ready to step out from behind someone else and build your own platform, this conversation offers both inspiration and a practical roadmap.Bio:I’ve spent over 17 years in marketing, helping entrepreneurs and professionals elevate their brands and grow their businesses. But my journey wasn’t a straight line—it was shaped by the challenges of navigating leadership, motherhood, and a deep desire to do meaningful work. Like many women, I wanted to build a career I was proud of without sacrificing my family or my values. That’s when I discovered the power of thought leadership: sharing your expertise and story in a way that inspires others and drives real growth. Today, I run Two Mile High Marketing, where I specialize in fractional marketing and thought leadership development. I also host the Beyond the Bestseller podcast, where I empower women to share their stories, build their platforms, and make an impact. I’m passionate about helping professionals—especially women—navigate the messy middle of leadership, entrepreneurship, and visibility. Whether we’re talking about marketing strategy, personal branding, or the nuances of remote work, I love sharing insights that help others take actionable steps toward their goals. Connect with Kelly:WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInYouTubeTikTokResouces:https://kellyschuknecht.com/resources#free-downloadsBooks mentioned:Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life by Shannon Russell - https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9798992075403https://amzn.to/477X0ciPodcasts mentioned:Beyond the Bestseller with Kelly Schuknect - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-bestseller/id1780870099Shannon Russell Ep #158 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pockets-of-knowledge/id1647662137?i=1000732973105———Enjoy this Podcast? If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your friends so that they can be educated, informed, inspired and empowered!Questions? Contact me through my website, www.PocketsofKnowledge.com, or find me on Instagram @desireedstanley. Thanks for listening!———This podcast is intended to educate, inspire, and empower you on your personal journey. Please note that individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

In this brain-science-backed conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Dorota Kosiorek, AI startup leader, brain-based coach, and former management consultant who combines neuroscience and sport psychology to help high performers stop burning out and start winning sustainably.Dorota shares her journey from high-pressure consulting to discovering that working on her own terms unlocked both productivity and joy—but also revealed our brains aren't built for constant information bombardment and always-on culture.After a decade climbing the corporate ladder, she realized the higher she went, the less aligned she felt. When a startup opportunity appeared, she made the leap—discovering that working on her own terms unlocked both productivity and joy. But it also revealed something crucial: our brains aren't built for constant information bombardment and always-on culture.She introduces the "Strategic Off-Season"—borrowing from elite athletes who build recovery into performance cycles—and gets practical with environment design, recovery routines, and visualization techniques for high-stakes situations.Whether you're running on fumes or want to perform at your best without sacrificing well-being, this conversation offers a science-backed roadmap for sustainable success.Bio:Dorota Kosiorek—AI Startup Leader, Brain-Based Coach, and former management consultant (PwC, BCG). My work sits at the intersection of Neuroscience, Sport Psychology, and Hospitality. She combines business strategy with athlete psychology to help you stop grinding and start winning. While most coaches focus purely on "grinding harder," I focus on Environment Design. I help leaders curate a high-performance lifestyle that includes a "Strategic Off-Season"—the intentional recovery required to sustain elite decision-making over the long term. I am currently living a dual reality: By day, I lead international teams at a tech scale-up. By night, I am building a portfolio career and "scouting" the world to launch a future hospitality brand.  Connect with Dorota:Website: https://dorotakosiorek.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dorota.kosiorek.56/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindbydorota/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorotakosiorekSubstack: https://thestrategicoffseason.substack.com/Books mentioned:The Power of Systems: How to Create a Life that Works by Steve Chandler Trevor Timbeck - https://amzn.to/3Pva1YgStolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--and How to Think Deeply Againby Johann Hari - https://amzn.to/4bgQbXZBooks by  Joe Dispenza Podcasts mentioned:Huberman Lab - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110

What if the distance you feel from others actually starts with the distance you feel from yourself? In this reflective conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Kristan Swan, M.Ed., a former business coach turned life and spiritual guide who helps people come home to themselves.Kristan shares her non-linear journey from business coach to spiritual guide, and how the pandemic's depletion led her to ask: what's one small way I could bring people together? Her answer: help people close the gap within themselves first. When we slow down enough to get curious about ourselves, we create space for authentic connection with others.She explores the three buckets of stories we carry—the ones we tell ourselves, the ones we've inherited, and the ones we're willing to share—and challenges the idea that our pasts define us. Every day presents choices to write a new chapter. Kristan tackles why changing your mind isn't a character flaw (it's what thoughtful people do), the practice of non-judgmental observation, and why slowing down is an act of kindness.She also introduces "mapping hope"—the idea that if we're skilled at imagining worst-case scenarios, we owe ourselves equal time exploring best-case possibilities. And she shares her journaling tools like "Spaghetti on the Wall" for daily awareness and "Heart Mapping" for when words fail.Whether you're feeling stuck, exhausted from proving yourself, or disconnected from who you are beneath the noise, this conversation offers permission to slow down, get curious, and remember: your story is still being written.Bio:Kristan Swan, M.Ed. is a business coach turned life and spiritual guide devoted to helping people come home to themselves. After years spent guiding entrepreneurs and leaders to build successful businesses, she now uses that same strategic insight to help people build lives that feel deeply aligned with who they are. Kristan’s work invites you to explore your deepest truths, question the beliefs you’ve inherited, and reconnect with the inner wisdom you may have been taught to ignore. She believes that curiosity is one of the most powerful tools we have — a way to approach our lives with openness, creativity, and compassion.Her work is rooted in the belief that our pasts do not define us — they inform us. And when we learn to honor where we’ve been, we create space to shape where we’re going. Kristan’s mission is simple yet profound: to help you see that your story is still being written — and to give you the courage, clarity, and creativity to write it on purpose.Connect with Kristan:Email: [email protected]: https://kristanswan.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristan.swan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristanbrowne/Books mentioned:The Book of Awakening-Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have by Mark Nepo - https://bookshop.org/a/116550/9781590035009A Year with Hafiz: Daily Contemplations by  Daniel Ladinsky - https://amzn.to/479aAwZPodcasts mentioned:The Treatment with Elvis Mitchell - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-treatment/id73330616