Join us for a three-part Friendship Series, a rebroadcast of a selection of our most popular episodes centered around the topic of friendship. In the first installment, we travel back to the 9th episode of TOOST. In this early episode, from February 2020, Danielle shares her best advice about how to make new friends and the practical strategies she used to find and make connections when she moved to a new city. TALK BIG QUESTIONS Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life....
Jul 02, 2025•42 min•Ep. 192
Is there someone in your life that you would say exudes qualities like authenticity, boldness, and curiosity? If so, today’s guest would likely tell you that person is exhibiting the ABCs of Charisma. In this episode, leadership expert Milam Miller demystifies charisma, revealing it's a skill anyone can develop; shares practical strategies for genuine connection; and valuable techniques for meaningful interactions and more impactful communication. Drawing from sports and leadership experience, M...
Jun 18, 2025•39 min•Ep. 192
Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads, personally or professionally, wanting to make a long held dream or goal a reality? Today’s guest, Danielle Sprouls shares her transformative journey from commercial real estate to coaching and how it’s possible for anyone to make the powerful decision to “pivot,” face their fears, and grow both personally and professionally. In this insightful discussion, she touches on points in her book, “WTF: Women That Flourish: Transform Life’s ‘What the F#$k’ M...
Jun 04, 2025•38 min•Ep. 191
In the latest installment of Coaches Corner, guest coach JL Heather, who holds over two decades of experience as an organizational transformation coach sits down with Danielle for a discussion on the topic of innovation and creativity. Guest’s Website: About Centered: Leadership & Transformation Experts Work with Danielle : If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.danie...
May 28, 2025•29 min•Ep. 190
Today's guest is a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) expert. If you are stateside, NLP may not be a term you’re very familiar with, but after today’s episode you may just find an appreciation for this fascinating area of study and how language and mindset can transform personal and professional experiences. Rebecca Bonnington sits down for a really enlightening conversation in which she demonstrates, using Kristy as her subject, practical NLP techniques, including how to change emotional states...
May 21, 2025•42 min•Ep. 189
In popular culture, there was a time where views of workplace relationships, between employees and managers, were seen through the lens of the likes of Emily and her over the top demanding boss, Miranda Priestly, in the 2006 movie, the Devil Wears Prada. Fast forward to 2025, workplace culture has evolved and terms like, managing up, the focus of today’s conversation, have become normalized and encouraged. Today’s guest is Melody Wilding, therapist, professor, executive coach and author of, Mana...
May 07, 2025•42 min•Ep. 188
Have you ever dealt with a negative voice inside your head that is constantly discouraging you, second guessing you, or telling you that you aren’t good enough? Even if you don’t self-identify as a perfectionist, this episode explores those tendencies we all have to chase perfection in our everyday life. Our guest, Tara Cousineau, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist; meditation teacher; life learner on resilience, self-compassion and healing; author of “The Perfectionist’s Dilemma: Learn the Art o...
Apr 23, 2025•38 min•Ep. 187
When you use too many fillers it makes your message unclear and causes people to think you don’t have confidence in what you are saying. In this episode we are FINALLY talking filler words; why you use them, how to identify your unique fillers, and what to do about it. Get the free worksheet that goes along with this episode: The Um Worksheet 🌱 Tap here to work with Kristy: kristyolinger.com Follow on Instagram for more communication tips: @ko.communication...
Apr 16, 2025•10 min•Ep. 186
Many professionals have likely encountered mentorship at one time or another, but may be less familiar with a different type of networking known as sponsorship and its many unique benefits. Today’s guest shares her deep insight into the key differences between mentorship and sponsorship, how sponsorship can open doors to stronger inclusivity in the workplace, and how you can take on this important role of sponsorship in your own workplace. Our guest, Rosalind Chow, Ph.D. is a professor of Organi...
Apr 09, 2025•44 min•Ep. 185
As we officially welcome spring, many rites of passage including graduation season are almost upon us. If you are a member of the Class of 2025 or know someone who is graduating or has recently graduated, this episode includes an insightful discussion on real life skills that aren’t always taught in the classroom, but can prove extremely beneficial. Our guest, Raffi Grinberg is an educator, business leader, and author of the new book (released March 25th!), “How to Be a Grown Up: The 14 Essentia...
Apr 02, 2025•43 min•Ep. 184
Have you ever winced at the thought that someone else might label you as weird, selfish, or wreckless? Today’s guest Jenny Wood, a former Google Executive, career coach, and author of the new book (released today!), “Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It,” wants you to be courageous and run towards these labels rather than away from them. We discuss details of her new book including the 9 traits, three mentioned above, which can act as a deterrent to going after what we want as well as...
Mar 25, 2025•37 min•Ep. 183
In the latest installment of Coaches Corner, guest coach Suzanne Campi, a life transition coach and community builder, sits down with Danielle for a discussion on the topic of Retirement. Guest’s Website: Suzanne Campi Coaching Work with Danielle : If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session....
Mar 19, 2025•28 min•Ep. 182
If you are a woman or have a woman you love or care for in your life, then this episode is for you. Whether that person has or will someday experience the three stages of menopause while navigating personal and professional life, today’s guest assures that they are not alone. Dr. Susan Miele, who holds a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems and is a transformational leader and workplace well-being advocate dedicated to redefining the narrative around menopause, shares her personal story as we...
Mar 12, 2025•50 min•Ep. 181
The next time you’re shopping the aisles of your local pharmacy or supermarket you might just notice the price difference between products marketed towards women vs. men, if so, you are seeing the “pink tax” in action. Today’s guest, Janine Rogan, a keynote and TEDx speaker, author, entrepreneur, and founder of The Wealth Building Academy Inc. is on a mission to close the wage gap. In our conversation with Janine, we discuss the “Pink Tax” as well as the overall wage gap in society today; some w...
Mar 05, 2025•30 min•Ep. 180
In 2025, the landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work is rapidly evolving and facing well documented challenges, but these challenges also offer new opportunities and growth. Today’s guest, Elena Joy Thurston, an HR consultant, discusses the evolution and challenges facing DEI; shares her personal journey of deconstructing internalized biases and how that informs her approach; and she closes out this insightful conversation by highlighting the important work that needs to be done...
Feb 26, 2025•46 min•Ep. 179
A chance invitation to present at a Women in Leadership Conference on the topic of “Career’ Pivots” led today’s guest to found a network dedicated to empowering tomorrow’s leaders to take control of their own professional growth and success. Gemma Toner, a media and telecommunications leader and the founder and CEO of Tone Network speaks to us on the topic of Rethinking Professional Development and how employees and employers can benefit from a focus on professional development. Guest’s Website:...
Feb 12, 2025•36 min•Ep. 178
In the latest installment of Coaches Corner, guest coach Shabnam Golmohammadi, a Silicon Valley career and leadership coach, workshop facilitator, and speaker, sits down with Danielle for a discussion on the topic of how women view the workplace. Guest’s Website: Shabnam Golmohammadi Website Work with Danielle : If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com a...
Feb 05, 2025•24 min•Ep. 177
As human beings most of us tend to be adverse to risk – as a matter of self preservation. However, today’s guest argues that having the audacity or trying something new, to take bold risks, when it comes to goals, can be more than worth the risk. Anne Marie Anderson, three-time Emmy Award winning broadcaster, keynote speaker and author of the new book, Cultivating Audacity: Dismantle Doubt and Let Yourself Win, sits down with us for a conversation, which includes the four common barriers that ke...
Jan 29, 2025•41 min•Ep. 176
The majority of speaking that you do at work is not in scripted presentations, it’s in conversation-style speaking during meetings. Even when you are giving a presentation, it’s not an uninterrupted monologue, it's a conversation. This means you need to be good at extemporaneous speaking. That's where frameworks can help. A framework is an outline of process for what to say that you can apply in multiple situation. In this episode, Kristy covers her top 3 frameworks to make work conversations ea...
Jan 23, 2025•8 min•Ep. 175
It’s officially mid-January, resolution making is behind us and so is National Quitters Day (January 10th), the day most resolutions are abandoned. Today’s guest poses an important question, “what are you doing differently in 2025 to make it a better year?” In this episode, Jake Thompson, an entrepreneur, author, performance coach and motivational speaker, discusses with us the topic of Competing With Yourself and shares with us why it’s important to make goals or resolutions – at any point in t...
Jan 15, 2025•44 min•Ep. 174
In the latest installment of Coaches Corner, guest coach Molly Kittle, a Coach, consultant, and performing artist with a background in experimental theater, business strategy and behavioral psychology, sits down with Danielle for a discussion on the topic of Conscious Creative Leadership. Guest’s Website and Linkedin: https://www.connectwithstory.com/workwithmolly https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollykittle/ Guest Mentions: Martha Beck Regina Thomashauer Work with Danielle : If you are ready to star...
Jan 08, 2025•23 min•Ep. 173
In this very special 5-year anniversary show, Danielle and Kristy welocome past podcast guests to the stage to pair off for four mini opposite of small talk conversations: What makes a conversation the opposite of small talk? (Kristy & Danielle) Why is it so difficult to make friends as an adult? (Julie & Linda) What does it mean to be your "authentic self"? (Nicole & Kristy) How can you connect when you disagree with someone? (Alain & Danielle) This episode was recorded live on ...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 172
The anticipation of turning the page of the calendar to a new year can also open our minds up to what our future, in this case 2025, can hold. Today’s guest, a professional futurist, encourages us to imagine our futures and not just for ourselves, but also for our communities. Ilana Lipsett, is a participatory futures design strategist, who has professionally worked with cities, real estate developers, international aid organizations, and creative communities around the globe in community engage...
Dec 18, 2024•40 min•Ep. 171
In the latest installment of Coaches Corner, guest coach Todd Karges, a Certified Executive and Leadership Development Coach and host of the LinkedIn Live Broadcast "Coaching Conversation,” sits down with Danielle for a discussion on the topic of soft skills – what they are, why they’re important, and how best to utilize them. Guest’s Website: Home | Todd Karges - Coach Work with Danielle : If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coach...
Dec 11, 2024•24 min•Ep. 170
At this time of year when we are celebrating the holidays with much socializing and networking, this week’s guests would likely suggest that, amongst the merriment, we should also be prioritizing self promotion and peer promotion. Alison Fragale, PhD, scholar, author, research psychologist, and award winning professor sits down to discuss how you can demonstrate warmth and competence to become a likeable badass and get the success you deserve. Alison shares her own journey from management consul...
Dec 04, 2024•48 min•Ep. 169
This is the very true story of the most thankful boss I ever worked for and how it made all the difference to one member of our team. Thank you for listening. Work with Kristy: If you're ready to improve workplace communication skills for you or your team, Book a call with Kristy .
Nov 27, 2024•4 min•Ep. 168
Do you ever feel like you're a spectator in your own life – watching things happen rather than getting in the driver’s seat and making them happen? If so, today’s guest is encouraging you to become the latter. Cathy Heller, renowned teacher, podcaster, and author discusses with us how her belief in how each of us has the power to manifest our best life, magical examples she’s experienced first hand, and excerpts from her latest book, “Abundant Ever After: Tools for Creating a Life of Prosperity ...
Nov 20, 2024•53 min•Ep. 167
In the second installment of, The Opposite of Small Talk’s Coaches Corner, a new monthly mini segment, which explores topics through a coach’s lens, centers around the topic of group coaching. This week’s guest coach, Kerry Dobson, a respected group coaching expert sits down with Danielle for the discussion. Guest’s Website: JJ Dak Inc. Work with Danielle : If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit D...
Nov 13, 2024•15 min•Ep. 166
Contrary to the opening of the 1968 song by Harry Nilson, one is NOT the loneliest number, especially for those who are thriving in single life, like today’s guest, Bella DePaulo, PhD, social scientist, psychologist, researcher, and author of “Single at Heart.” She suggests that for her and many others, single is arguably the most authentic and fulfilling way to live. We speak to Dr. DePaulo about her own experiences, thoughts and take-aways from her book, as well as the affirming encouragement ...
Nov 06, 2024•50 min•Ep. 165
In this #askmeanything episode, Kristy answers YOUR questions received in Instagram DMs and from participants of her team training program Communication Accelerator . Today's episode covers: How to motivate others How to handle a co-worker who is too assertive when you are not assertive Improving accountability Speaking to deliver an idea fully, without overwhelming the other person with too much information For more workplace communication tips, follow Kristy on Instagram @ko.communication...
Nov 02, 2024•8 min•Ep. 164
