Sometimes, we have to do hard things that will lead to a more fulfilled, stable life — like making a major shift in our careers. Jessica Youngblood Kirkpatrick joined the Fearless podcast to share the consequential decision to leave the career she’d always known. This is the second of three episodes in a series focused on “Doing the Hard Things.”

Some hard things we choose to do, but one of the hardest things comes from a situation everyone will experience but no one wants. Death doula Kerri Hays joined the Fearless podcast this month to talk about planning for and navigating death with intention and care. This is the first of three episodes in a series focused on “Doing the Hard Things.”

There are many paths for pursuing the education that fulfills us and helps us procure the career we want. Women often face different life and financial circumstances than men as they make decisions about their education, especially if they are doing it in a nontraditional way. Kayla Kovarna, marketing director at Baker Group, and Cathy Edwards, CEO of Edward Creative, joined the Fearless podcast to discuss how they navigated these decisions to achieve their educational goals.

Women were born to be leaders. Deidre DeJear, president and CEO of Oakridge Neighborhood, and Anya Jensen, founder and CEO of Anya’s Reviews, Anya’s Shop and the Barefoot Shoe Expo, joined host LaDrina Wilson to discuss their approach to leadership and how they empower others and themselves to reach their highest potential.

Alex Kretzinger, the executive director of the Des Moines YMCA Camp, joined the Fearless podcast to talk about all things masculinity and allyship. We explored issues today’s boys are facing, how masculinity norms are affecting both men and women, and what we can do to grow allyship.

Julie Martin launched enerj Balls in Bettendorf after making healthy and convenient snacks for her family that she thought others might like. We talked with her about being a mom and a business owner, and how those two areas of her life coexist.

When women negotiate they’re often labeled, perhaps called too direct or too soft. How can women gain confidence in negotiating, and what can be done to overcome stereotypes that create barriers for women during negotiation? In this episode of the Fearless podcast, co-hosts LaDrina Wilson and Macey Shofroth talk about negotiation with Cristy Tackett-Hunt, general counsel of Perfusion Solution Inc., and Beth Livingston, the Sheets associate professor of industrial relations at the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business.

Three-quarters of parents with children under 6 work outside of the home in Iowa, making child care a significant need for Iowa parents. But affordability and lack of access causes significant barriers for many families. In this episode of the Fearless podcast, co-hosts Emily Wood and LaDrina Wilson talk with Iowa Women’s Foundation interim CEO Claudia Schabel and former executive director of Postville Childcare Services Kristy Turner about systemic solutions to the child care crisis. Then, host Macey Shofroth talks with Natalie Mahoney and Anna Squier about their real-life experiences navigating their families’ child care decisions.

All too often, we reflect on history with a look in the rearview mirror. On this episode of Fearless, we take a look at the history being made right in front of us. We spoke with Ella Schmit, a senior at the University of Iowa and a member of the women’s wrestling team, and her experience advocating for the growth of women’s wrestling in Iowa.

There are numerous factors that affect women’s confidence, both in and out of our control. These factors shape the internal dialogue we are having as we move through the world, changing how we show up in our lives. In this episode, Melissa Vine, president of Capital Vine, and Kasey Froeschle, senior training consultant with Sedgwick and an avid runner, share with Fearless how they overcome self-doubt to live their fullest lives.