Becoming Unshakable - podcast cover

Becoming Unshakable

Heather R. Younger, J.D.heatheryounger.com
Becoming Unshakeable is the podcast for leaders, creators, and changemakers who know that true leadership starts from within. Hosted by bestselling author and keynote speaker Heather R. Younger, JD, each episode explores what it takes to lead with resilience, compassion, and purpose—without pretending to be perfect. Through candid conversations with executives, frontline leaders, coaches, and everyday heroes, Heather uncovers the real stories behind growth, setbacks, and transformation. From navigating change to creating emotionally safe cultures, Becoming Unshakeable reveals how self-leadership and caring leadership can shape people—and workplaces—that cannot be shaken. Whether you're leading a team, a company, or simply leading yourself, this podcast will help you stay grounded, lead boldly, and thrive in every chapter of your journey.
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Episodes

183: Leaders with Heart can Transform Industries

In this episode, Heather interviews Dr. Karaneh Jahan, who received her baccalaureate degree in Public Health with a minor in Spanish from Portland State University. She later attended Oregon Health and Science University where she obtained her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. Dr. Kararen Janah worked at seven different dental practices in the span of two years in the search for a non-toxic work environment. After two years of working in negative work environments, she finally decided to open u...

Aug 24, 202126 minEp. 183

182: Leaders with Heart Take Action

In this episode, Heather interviews Asif Sadiq MBE, Head of Equity and Inclusion at WarnerMedia International. Before working at WarnerMedia, Asif has worked at numerous industry-leading companies such as Adidas, Reebok, and The Telegraph. He is also an author, LinkedIn Influencer, Board Member, and TEDx Speaker. His home country is Kenya, but he studied at university in London and currently lives there. He credits his first experience with leadership to his university years when he realized tha...

Aug 17, 202138 minEp. 182

181: Leaders with Heart Reflect on Their Journey

As Heather approaches her 50th birthday and looks back on her life, she shares her reflections with her listeners. She reflects on her decisions, especially after COVID, and how they have led her to where she is today. In her own words, she now feels more in line with her journey than ever before. She regards the Caring Leadership Ecosystem (the book, the community, and the academy) as one of her greatest accomplishments because they are creating the impact she has always envisioned. Are you par...

Aug 10, 202110 minEp. 181

180: Leaders with Heart Understand That Safety is Critical to Listening

In this episode, Heather speaks directly to her listeners about the importance of creating safe spaces. Although its importance is often overlooked, a safe space means that the leaders have taken the time to listen, to connect, and to communicate effectively in order to understand what their people's needs are. Take a listen. Key Takeaways: Safe spaces are necessary for a healthy and productive work environment. Safe spaces require listening and fostering a relationship. Leaders must understand ...

Aug 03, 20219 minEp. 80

179: Leaders with Heart Impact Lives

In this episode, Heather interviews Sonya D. Crockett, Senior Human Resources Business Partner and People Conflict Resolution Specialist at Raising Canes. She opens up about how her mother is her driving force, who instilled in her from a young age that the answer to most problems in life is to care. Her mother's mantra in life was "if you do what's right, right will follow you" and that's something Sonya lives by. Take a listen.

Jul 27, 202125 minEp. 179

178: Leaders with Heart Must Find a Balance

In this episode, Heather interviews Mikki Gates who is a Strategic & Inclusive People & Culture Leader for over 6 casino properties and a TEDxManitouSprings Curator. While her two occupations keep her pretty busy, they are a good balance since she gets the best of both worlds. She prides herself on being a servant leader, as well as a results-driven one. Mikki believes it's important to be both - contrary to what many people believe. Take a listen to hear how she’s able to manage being a...

Jul 20, 202125 minEp. 178

177: Leaders with Heart Must Fight Compassion Fatigue

In this episode, Heather speaks directly to her listeners about the struggles that come with being a compassionate and caring leader. This applies in and out of the home for Heather - in this episode, she opens up about parenting, how compassion fatigue has affected her in the past, and more. Take a listen.

Jul 13, 20215 minEp. 177

176: Leaders with Heart Know Leadership is a Choice

In this episode, Heather speaks directly with her listeners about the importance of reframing our mindsets around leadership. Being a leader can sometimes be seen as a hassle due to the hard work involved. It's a hard thing to do. But when we reframe the way we think about leadership, it can be both exciting and rewarding. Here are some tips.

Jul 06, 20214 minEp. 176

175: Leaders with Heart are Receptive to Change

In this episode, Heather interviews Stace Williams, a global leadership consultant and Caring Leadership Community Coach. Stace’s passion lies in helping leaders grow by enabling them to see and actualize their potential. Her experience spans five continents, 17 countries, and a wide range of industries, including aerospace, biopharma, defense, energy, finance, healthcare, insurance, technology, and telecommunications.

Jun 29, 202119 minEp. 175

174: Leaders with Heart Practice Self-Care

Heather interviews Cordelia Gaffar - Emotions Opener Coach, Creator of Replenish Me ™, Speaker, Author of Detached Love, Co-Host of the Unlearning Labels Podcast, and a Caring Leadership Community Coach. Cordelia also is the mother of 6 children and left Corporate America after her third child to focus on raising her children. Her story began 18 years ago, and her expertise is just the right blend of corporate, family, and community. She is a firm believer in self-care, and in this episode, you’...

Jun 22, 202124 minEp. 174

173: Leaders with Heart Ask for Help

In this episode, Heather interviews Garry Turner - friend, Caring Leadership Coach, and International Product Manager for IMCD Group. Garry shows up in his most authentic self in this episode. As you can tell from the first 5 minutes of listening, Garry is someone who believes being vulnerable is the key to connection and community. Take a listen to these rich 20 minutes of work, personal, and life advice from two strangers from across the globe who have developed a genuine friendship. Key Takea...

Jun 15, 202123 minEp. 173

172: Leaders with Heart are Self-Aware

In this episode, Heather interviews Nick Boulas, Director of Leadership Development at BBL Hospitality. Nick has been in the hospitality industry for over 40 years and is now the Director of Leadership Development with BBL Hospitality for over 22 hotels and 15 restaurants. Nick Boulas is originally from Horseheads, NY, where he grew up in the Greek diner business. He then went on to study Hospitality Management at Niagara University. Nick has been on a mission for the last 20 years to improve wo...

Jun 08, 202135 minEp. 172

171: Leaders with Heart Know Their Purpose

In this episode, Heather interviews Brooke Erol, Consultant, Author, Trainer, Chief Purpose Officer. Brooke is originally from Istanbul, Turkey, but has lived in San Diego for the past few years. She is the author of Create a Life You Love: Reflections on Living Life to the Fullest and From Hierarchy to High Performance: Unleashing the Hidden Superpowers of Ordinary People to Realize Extraordinary Results. Heather chose Brooke Erol to be one of the Caring Leadership coaches because, as you will ...

Jun 01, 202126 minEp. 171

170: Leaders with Heart Know Being Vulnerable is Human (Brian Kelly)

In this episode, Heather interviews Brian Kelly, People, Leadership, Strategy & Team Development Consultant, Mindset Coach, Speaker, Facilitator, Author, Unleashing Your Human Greatness, Strengthening the ❤️ of Business™. Heather has always been impressed by Brian’s natural Caring Leadership traits, which is why he is now a Caring Leadership Community coach! In this episode, Brian opens up about his journey and the difficulties he faced along the way. Key Takeaways: Being vulnerable is part ...

May 25, 202125 minEp. 170

169: Leaders with Heart Pay Attention to the Lessons

In this episode, Heather interviews Kizzy Parks, Ph.D., CEO of KPC, GovCon Winners, AmPar, AdultFluent, and Host of the AdultFluent℠ podcast. Her newest company GovCon Winners works to help small businesses win profitable government contracts. She is charismatic, honest, and compassionate in this episode, where she shared the times in her career when she wasn’t the best leader. She states that at times she was leading from a space of scarcity and less than - which was not productive for her or h...

May 18, 202126 minEp. 169

168: Leaders with Heart Look Out for Their People

In this episode, Heather interviews Christiano Gherardini, President/Owner at Turnkey Technologies, Inc., a Gold Microsoft Dynamics Partner. Christiano started the company about 27 years ago - and now serves local, regional, and national customers. They sell and implement accounting software and CRM software across the US, that help businesses replace their legacy business systems and automate their financials and operations. His company, Turnkey Technologies, Inc. makes businesses more efficien...

May 11, 202119 minEp. 168

167: Leaders with Heart Understand that Caring is About Action

In this episode, Heather speaks directly with her listeners about the inspiration behind her book and some updates regarding the Caring Leadership Ecosystem of the book, assessment, and community. Key Takeaways: Leaders must make their employees feel seen and heard, The Caring Leadership ecosystem is a support system for individuals who want to be better, Leading with Heart creates a ripple effect. One Manager at a Time: Although I’ve had my fair share of managers who didn’t show up as Caring Le...

May 04, 202110 minEp. 167

165: Leaders with Heart Show Grace - Eddy Badrina

In this episode, Heather interviews Eddy Badrina, CEO of Eden Green and Co-founder of Buzzshift. This 20-minute podcast is filled with insightful information about his innovative company Eden Green and what it takes to be a leader. Eddy attributes most of his leadership values to his parents, who immigrated from the Philippines with little to their name and made a life for themselves in Houston, TX. From a young age, Eddy was shown what he refers to as “sacrificial leadership” by his parents who...

Apr 20, 202127 minEp. 165

164: Leaders with Heart Embrace Your Crazy - Janine Williams

In this episode, Heather interviews Janine Williams, the CEO, and Founder of Impulsify, a software company that equips businesses with simple, affordable technology solutions. She refers to herself as a “reluctant CEO” who believed in a product and decided she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Janine believes in “The Adversity Advantage” and her story is quite unique. Her obstacles to overcome adversity began as a young girl and she is proud of what she has built today. She credits her outcome to ...

Apr 13, 202131 minEp. 164

163: Leaders with Heart Lead with Compassion

In this episode, Heather interviews Taneshia Nash Laird, the president & CEO of Newark Symphony Hall, the vintage 1925 performing arts center in Newark, NJ. The way that Taneshia came to be on Heather’s podcast reveals a uniqueness that accompanies this episode until its end. The first word Taneshia uses to describe her leadership style is compassionate. This deep found sense of compassion that Taneshia claims to strive for, is revealed through each story and experience which she shares. Tan...

Apr 06, 202123 minEp. 163

162: Leaders With Heart Need to Have a Loyal and Dependable Team

In this episode, Heather speaks with Matt Manners, CEO & Founder of Inspiring Workplaces. Matt shares his well-founded perspective that the traits of a caring leader are those of a caring human being. Matt’s mission, and that of his company, is to make people’s lives better inside and outside of the workplace. Matt’s whole leadership philosophy is about recognizing others and shining the spotlight on the most deserving of employees throughout organizations worldwide. Leaders with heart know,...

Mar 30, 202120 minEp. 162

161: Leaders with Heart Surrender

In this episode, Heather speaks with Mechelle Roberthon, Vice President/Director of Talent Development at Home Bank. Heather and Mechelle both share the opinion that this episode is like being in “Leadership Church”. It is 35 minutes filled with rich wisdom and inspirational stories, which I guarantee will fill you up and leave you motivated for the rest of your day, or even your week. Lessons learned and discussed in this interview extend beyond the realm of leadership into the reality of being...

Mar 23, 202139 minEp. 161

160: Leaders with Heart Lead from Behind

In this episode, Heather speaks with Jane Fischberg, previously the CEO of Rubicon Programs. Jane explains how she learned many important leadership lessons. Each trait in her leadership style echoes the humility that she serves with as a leader. She provides beautiful personal examples of setting up her team for success. Her wisdom is apparent as seen in the advice she offers others on their caring leadership journeys. Takeaways: Be a servant leader and lead from behind. Leadership is more impo...

Mar 16, 202129 minEp. 160

159: Leaders with Heart Put Their Hearts into Their Work and Find Joy

In this episode, Heather interviews Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight, The Customer Success Company. Nick shares about his values and the values of his company. Values such as putting people first, beginner’s mind, childlike joy, and more. These qualities shine in Nick’s character throughout the episode, as his passion for leadership and doing good becomes more and more apparent. Takeaways: No matter what stage of life you are in, you are always a beginner. First rule of business is putting humans fi...

Mar 09, 202127 minEp. 159

158: Leaders with Heart are Committed to Doing Better

In this episode, Heather interviews Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, President and CEO of Rose Community Foundation. Heather realized she had to have Lindy on her Leadership with Heart Podcast after reading an article about Lindy in a magazine. That’s how strong her caring leadership abilities are. Lindy shares compelling stories and insights into the world of caring leadership. She describes what her drive to lead was born out of and shares a story where she learned a hard leadership lesson. Takeaways: L...

Mar 02, 202121 minEp. 158

157: Leaders with Heart Lead with Curiosity

In this episode, Heather speaks with Donald Comer, Staff VP of Fedex Corporation, and an incredible leader of color who was recommended by Stephen M.R. Covey. Donald’s leadership wisdom conveys that he is a humble leader who leads with reverent power. Their conversation conveys that anyone in any place in an organization has the opportunity to lead. Donald and Heather discuss strategies for maintaining culture in a remote environment, which are very useful in today’s climate. Takeaways: Lead wit...

Feb 23, 202122 minEp. 157

156: Leaders with Heart Care All Year Round

In this episode, Heather speaks with LaToya Lyn, Vice President of Talent Strategy at Oscar Health. Heather and LaToya begin with a discussion of Black History month and what it means to both of them. Their conversation ranges from activism, to identities, to listening and learning. One of the richest episodes to date. Takeaways: Black History month is in February because of 2 prominent birthdays in February—Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Drive D&I conversations all year round. Safe...

Feb 16, 202133 minEp. 156

155: Leaders with Heart Exhibit Ownership

In this episode, Heather interviews Dave Sims, CEO of Floify, the industry’s leading mortgage automation platform. Dave is an example of a humble leader, one who recognizes that his leadership journey has no end. We discuss his development within his company and the crucial leadership lessons he learned along the way that he incorporates into his everyday. Takeaways: Leaders take ownership for the whole company. If there are problems on the front lines, take ownership and seek a resolution. Your...

Feb 09, 202130 minEp. 155

154: Leaders with Heart Know When to Step Back Description:

In this episode, Heather interviews Dr. Nikki Johnson, the first ever Chief of Mental Health Services for the Denver Sheriff’s Department. Nikki shares countless caring leadership traits and best practices, and how she came to pick them up along her own leadership journey. Takeaways: Strive to be empathetic, genuine and non-judgmental. Stay true to yourself, even in a unique and seemingly opposite environment. Know when to take a step back to better care for yourself. Be your own best cheerleade...

Feb 02, 202125 minEp. 154

153: Leaders with Heart Go First

In this episode, Heather speaks with Stephen M.R. Covey, cofounder of CoveyLink and the FranklinCovey Speed of Trust Practice and New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Speed of Trust. Stephen shares how trust is that foundation of his leadership journey. He also shares the origins of his drive to lead and some sage tips from his father, Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Heather, like Stephen, believes that you trust lies at the founda...

Jan 26, 202138 minEp. 153
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