Lonely at the Top

Lauren Goche has cracked the code on something most leaders never admit they need: community. A principal real estate broker, micro-influencer, and self-described love bully, Lauren built her career by staying connected — and then discovered that even she had a chaos habit she didn't see coming. In this episode, she talks with Rachel about the expensive sabbatical lesson that revealed she didn't know how to be calm, what it looks like to lead a team with radical care as the operating principle, and the strange isolating side effects of becoming someone people recognize in restaurants, on front porches, and at lunch while accidentally stealing your phone.Episode Highlights•⁠ ⁠She nearly took a job she dreaded — and a chance conference encounter changed everything•⁠ ⁠Why Lauren deliberately chose never to own her own brokerage ("it's more headache and more lonely")•⁠ ⁠The Mexico property: how a sabbatical got too quiet and she manufactured chaos to escape the calm•⁠ ⁠Scarcity to abundance: growing up with housing instability and what it meant to be able to lose big without losing everything•⁠ ⁠The love bully philosophy — why care for each other comes before care for clients, and why she'll bring you a sandwich whether you consent or not•⁠ ⁠The parasocial side of Instagram fame: being recognized at her own front porch, and having a fan sprint away with her phone•⁠ ⁠Lost friendships, nervous system repair, and learning to say no as a complete sentence•⁠ ⁠Why community isn't soft — it's the infrastructure of a sustainable businessConnect with LaurenLauren's Instagram ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Mark Vossler spent 30 years as a cardiologist before most people retire from their first career. He was medical director of cardiac services for a decade, managed physicians, navigated hospital politics, and learned the hard way that medicine is really just people work with better equipment.Then he retired. And got busier.Now he leads Physicians for Social Responsibility, a national organization built on a striking premise: 80% of health outcomes have nothing to do with medical care. They're determined by your zip code, your income, your race, your environment. So if you actually care about keeping people alive, you have to go upstream to legislators, policy, and power.This episode is about what it takes to lead when you can't fire anyone, when the stakes are existential, and when caring too much can paralyze the very people you need to move.It's about knowing when to say no, how to protect what's yours, and why likability — real likability, not performed likability — might be the most underrated leadership asset there is.Episode HighlightsWhy 80% of health outcomes are determined by factors medicine can't fixManaging physician egos vs. managing volunteers — and which is harderThe fine line between being worried enough to act and so worried you shut downWhy facts don't persuade people — and what actually doesWhat Fred Rogers' congressional testimony teaches every leader about influenceThe 8pm Saturday call that signals your job is falling apartConnect with MarkMark's LinkedinEmail: [email protected]★ Support this podcast ★ ★ Support this podcast ★

He built influence in rooms that were never designed with him in mind.Growing up in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, Alfred Fraijo, Jr. grew up food insecure in one of LA's most underserved neighborhoods. Now he's reshaping the cities that once failed communities like his. He built a career at the top of a major international law firm, then walked away to bet everything on himself.This episode of Lonely at the Top is about what it feels like to carry leadership while holding identities that haven’t always been welcomed in positions of power.It’s about navigating ambition while staying connected to community.It's about leading projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars while addressing deeper issues of belonging, responsibility, and representation.Episode HighlightsGrowing up as the first person in his household to finish high school, and understanding power from an early ageRising to leadership inside elite legal spaces as a queer, Latino executiveFounding a multidisciplinary development firm rooted in social impactBuilding cities that reflect the communities they serveStaying grounded while operating at the edge of financial risk every dayRedefining what responsible leadership looks likeEnding every colleague call with "I love you" and making a case for why more leaders should tooConnect with AlfredWebsite: Somos GroupEmail: [email protected] ★ Support this podcast ★

Dan Graham spent 30 years at Sony, rising from organizing office supplies to managing 150 people, all without the pedigree or resume you’d expect.But his defining leadership moment wasn’t the promotion.It was the day he was called into HR and told he might lose his job, not because the numbers were bad, but because he’d forgotten the people behind them.This episode is about what happens when success quietly turns into pressure, pressure turns into reactivity, and a leader has to face the impact of his own behavior.It’s about fear. Accountability. And the courage to change in public.Episode Highlights• A late-night cafeteria conversation that changed the trajectory of his career• Promoted over colleagues with more education and experience• Managing 150 people without formal training• Turning off the lights in a tense executive meeting to reset the room• Forgetting his mission under mounting performance pressure• Being reported to HR by his own supervisors• Confronting the impact of his anger on the people he cared about most• The first honest conversation about fear in his entire life• Public accountability — and rebuilding trust with his teamConnect with DanWebsite: https://www.dpgphotos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dpgphotos0105/ ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of Lonely at the Top, Rachel sits down with Dr. Kazique J. Prince, psychologist, executive consultant, and creator of the Djembe Card Deck, for a deeply human conversation about dignity, authenticity, and the quiet loneliness that comes with leadership.Drawing from decades of experience advising mayors, CEOs, and change-makers, Dr. Prince challenges the myth that authority requires emotional distance. He explores how leaders can remain grounded in their humanity while holding power — and why true leadership is less about being “right” and more about ensuring that everyone walks away with their dignity intact.Together, they unpack how authenticity develops over time, why cultural awareness starts with self-examination, and how leaders can create environments of trust and belonging without sacrificing clarity or authority. Episode Highlights:Leadership doesn’t exempt you from being humanPower doesn’t mean you stop needing mutual recognitionThe real danger of leadership is not stress; it’s disconnectionCulture, hierarchy, and roles are real, and they don’t erase our shared nervous systemsThe goal isn’t agreement or “rightness," it’s relational intactnessLeadership should not require anyone to disappear — including the leader.Connect with Dr. Kazique Prince:jelaniconsultingllc.com djembedeck.com ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of Lonely at the Top, Rachel sits down with Emma Whittard, a former senior executive in global children’s publishing turned transformational coach for women leaders in midlife.Emma shares what it was really like to rise through the ranks at companies like Disney, DreamWorks, and Warner Brothers, including the invisible loneliness of being the only person in the room who knew how to build something entirely new. From running international publishing businesses to launching a startup-within-a-studio at DreamWorks, Emma reflects on the emotional cost of responsibility, especially when success quickly turned into loss and layoffs.Together, Rachel and Emma explore the isolating reality of leadership decisions that affect livelihoods, the lack of mentorship for innovators inside large organizations, and how women in particular are conditioned to carry enormous pressure quietly. Emma also speaks candidly about midlife transitions—shedding inherited stories of worth, productivity, and self-sacrifice—and why the best leaders are those who stay curious, ask great questions, and allow themselves to remain human.Episode Highlights“I was the only person in the entire company who had ever done this before.”Emma describes the profound loneliness of building a new business inside DreamWorks with no roadmap and no peers.Creating a global business plan while sitting on her bed with a toddler nearbyA striking image of how leadership, motherhood, and pressure collided in real time.The moment everything changed from expansion to contractionBeing asked to dismantle the very team she had just built—and how close that brought her to burnout.“That’s the closest I’ve ever come to a breakdown.”Emma’s most vulnerable admission about the emotional toll of leadership without support.The spa certificate that saved her nervous systemA small but profound example of how self-care—not strategy—was what she actually needed.“Leaders who ask great questions are the best leaders.”Emma reframes leadership as humility, curiosity, and connection rather than certainty.What she would do differently nowNaming mentorship and embodied support as non-negotiables for anyone at the top.Connect with Emma:EmmaWhittard.com ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of Lonely at the Top, Rachel sits down with Sorby Grant, President and CEO of Climb Hire, an equity-focused workforce development nonprofit supporting underemployed adults in accessing real economic mobility.Sorby reflects on the emotional cost of being the decision-maker, the pressure of stewarding a mission rooted in justice and opportunity, and the quiet exhaustion that can make it hard to recognize success while you’re living it.A central thread of the conversation is social capital — how access to relationships, trust, and informal networks determines who gets opportunities and who stays stuck. Sorby unpacks why talent alone is rarely enough, how the “hidden job market” really works, and why teaching people how to build professional relationships is a critical equity intervention.She also opens up about her own leadership evolution: stepping into the CEO role after working closely inside the organization, navigating the shadow of a founder with a very different leadership style, and learning to claim her own authority without losing the heart of the mission.Connect with Sorby:https://climbhire.co/[email protected] ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Michelle Markwart Deveaux—author, singer, facilitator, coach, and founder of multiple mission-driven businesses— shares her journey from theology and the arts into business ownership, and the often unseen emotional labor of building something meaningful in systems that weren’t designed to sustain creatives. She speaks candidly about self-doubt at high levels of leadership, the difference between being nice and being clear, and why direct communication, while necessary, can deepen isolation at the top.Together, Rachel and Michelle unpack how leaders learn to keep moving forward even while privately questioning their worth, impact, or belonging. Michelle reflects on her desire to be impactful rather than “important,” and why self-examination is not indulgent but essential for ethical, sustainable leadership.Episode HighlightsA candid exploration of how self-doubt often increases—not decreases—at higher levels of leadership, especially for women and femme founders.Michelle unpacks the difference between being nice and being kind, and why leaders eventually have to choose clarity over likability.A nuanced conversation about how direct communication creates effectiveness while simultaneously increasing isolation at the top.Insight into how many creatives and consultants unintentionally undervalue their work due to inherited narratives about money, art, and service.A powerful reframing of leadership success: impact over importance, and why visibility without integrity leads to burnout.Discussion of how leaders often miss or minimize opportunities because they’ve learned to downplay their own significance, particularly in female-socialized leaders.An honest look at how leadership requires holding consent, agency, and boundaries in environments that reward over-giving.Connect with Michellehttps://thespeakeasycooperative.com/https://www.instagram.com/thespeakeasycooperative/https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-markwart-deveaux/[email protected] ★ Support this podcast ★

In this deeply transformational episode, international teacher and healer Zach Rehder explores what happens on the other side of loneliness.Zach shares how, despite years of seeking, studying, and gathering spiritual knowledge, he still suffered loneliness until an unexpected flood of despair in a Chipotle parking lot forced him into surrender. What he found on the other side wasn’t destruction, but liberation.Zach reframes stress and anxiety as friends, signals that we’ve left presence. He explains how resistance to our feelings — not the emotion itself — is what creates suffering, and how embracing the fullness of human experience allows leaders to access deeper clarity, compassion, and inner spaciousness.✨ Episode Highlights• Stress and anxiety as alliesZach explains why these sensations are not failures, but friends guiding us back to presence.• The awakening in the Chipotle parking lotA sudden wave of despair becomes the doorway to one of Zach’s most profound transformations from resisting emotions to finding their inherent beauty.• The real cause of sufferingIt’s never the sadness, loneliness, or anxiety that is the villain, it’s our resistance, judgment, and fear of the sensations themselves.• Rachel shares her own awakening visionDuring one of Zach’s breathwork workshops, Rachel saw herself joined by other light-bearers — a moment that dissolved the illusion of isolation in her path.• The limits of knowledgeZach describes spending decades devouring spiritual information, only to realize that understanding doesn’t create transformation, presence does.• Why leaders overwork, overperform, and overrun their bodiesRachel reflects on how high achievers use productivity as a socially acceptable form of emotional avoidance until the body can no longer sustain it.• The invitation to stop fighting yourselfZach’s core message: all the emotions we fear are simply energy and when we stop resisting them, they become pathways to clarity and freedom.Connect with Zachhttps://www.zachrehder.com/ ★ Support this podcast ★

In this raw and deeply human conversation, therapist, consultant, and founder Sarah Buino pulls back the curtain on what it really cost her to build — and ultimately let go of — a thriving group therapy practice. Sarah shares how rapid growth, unhealed trauma, and a crushing sense of responsibility left her completely burnt out, pushed her into residential treatment, and forced her to confront her relationship with work at the deepest level.This episode explores the emotional toll of being “the boss,” the hidden loneliness of being the person everyone depends on, and the courage required to tell the truth when your success is slowly destroying your wellbeing. Sarah’s story is a powerful reminder that leadership doesn’t require martyrdom, and that sometimes the bravest move is to walk away.Trigger Warning: discussion of suicidal ideationEpisode HighlightsThe breaking point: Sarah describes the moment she realized she was “literally failing at everything” after tripling her staff and workload — and how burnout overtook her completely.The emotional cost of leadership: Why being “the boss” created expectations, pressure, and isolation she never could have prepared for.Trauma rising to the surface: How unresolved childhood trauma collided with the demands of running a business, ultimately pushing her into residential treatment.Radical honesty: The moment she looked her future executive director in the eye during the interview and said, “I don’t want to do this anymore.”Letting go without shame: Why selling her practice wasn’t a failure but an act of profound self-trust.A different way to lead: How Sarah now works with therapists on aligning their inner healing with the way they run their businesses — so no one else has to crash the way she did.A message to leaders: If your success is costing you your health, your joy, or your sanity… it’s okay to choose yourself.Connect with Sarah https://www.headheartbiztherapy.com/https://www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast ★ Support this podcast ★

Dee Meacham, Senior Vice President of People Solutions, has built her career at the intersection of technology and humanity. From being one of only four women in her engineering class to leading global transformation initiatives, Dee has learned to thrive in the gray—where systems meet people and innovation meets tradition. In this conversation with host Rachel Alexandria, Dee shares how she built a career that bridges human insight and technical precision, what it means to lead through paradox, and how she’s cultivated connection and resilience in spaces where few peers truly understand the path she walks.💡 Episode HighlightsBridging people and systems: Dee reflects on her unique career spanning engineering, technology, and HR—and how she’s built fluency in both logic and empathy.From Disney to the boardroom: How a spontaneous job application reshaped her career and taught her to say yes to surprising opportunities.Leading through paradox: The delicate balance between data and intuition, detail and big picture, and why leaders must hold both truths at once.The human factor in innovation: Why successful transformation depends less on tools and more on the people who adopt them.Connection by design: How Dee proactively builds networks and mentors to counteract the isolation of high-level leadership.Resilience in constant change: Lessons from decades of working in environments defined by disruption—and how to keep growing without burning out.Connect with DeeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deemeacham/Dee Recommendshttps://gogiftedones.org/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Gwen Bortner has spent her career thriving where others hesitate—inside systems, startups, and boardrooms that weren’t designed for her. As the founder and CEO of Everyday Effectiveness, Gwen has led teams across 47 industries, from tech to telecom to fiber arts, and knows firsthand what it means to stand out at the table.In this episode, host Rachel Alexandria and Gwen talk about being “the only one in the room,” what happens when competence becomes isolation, and how neurodivergence and curiosity can both challenge and empower leadership. It’s a candid conversation about the quiet cost of success—and how to stay connected, grounded, and effective when you’re the outlier everyone relies on.💡 Episode HighlightsFrom coder to CEO: How Gwen built a career across 47 industries and what that breadth taught her about systems, leadership, and adaptation.Curiosity as fuel: Why problem-solvers often rise fastest, and how that same drive can lead to burnout and loneliness.Neurodivergence and entrepreneurship: How ADHD traits show up in founders, and why “different wiring” can be both a superpower and a stressor.The lone woman in the room: Gwen shares the isolation of being the only female executive in a rapidly growing tech company, and the invisible politics that come with it.Turning difference into design: How Gwen helps leaders harness what makes them unique to build organizations that actually work for humans.Redefining effectiveness: The shift from proving yourself to creating impact with ease and intentionality.Connect with GwenWebsite: https://everydayeffectiveness.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwen-bortner/ ★ Support this podcast ★

When you’re at the top, no one can hand you a map. The path forward is yours to navigate, and sometimes, the only compass you have is your own intuition. In this solo episode, host and Soul Medic Rachel Alexandria explores how leaders can learn to trust their inner knowing when logic and strategy fall short. Drawing from her own journey and lessons from past guests, she shares how intuition speaks through the body, why so many of us were taught to ignore it, and how reconnecting with this internal guidance becomes essential for making brave, heart-centered decisions. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this candid conversation, real estate developer Ginger Hitzke joins Lonely at the Top to talk about what it really costs to lead with heart. A first-generation business owner who went from housing insecurity to building over 2,000 affordable apartments, Ginger shares how she carries the emotional and ethical burden of her work — deciding rent increases, managing cash flow, and being both landlord and renter advocate.She opens up about the loneliness of being “the one who decides,” her lifelong fear of slipping back into poverty, and why compassion often costs money. Ginger also talks about embracing Soft Girl Summer as a new boundary practice, the power of “unearned self-confidence,” and why every leader should be brave enough to say, “I don’t know.”This episode is an honest portrait of a woman who leads from both grit and grace, proving that strength and softness can coexist at the top.✨ Episode HighlightsIsolation is part of the deal: Ginger describes how even after 18 years leading her own company, the sense of isolation “never ends” within an organization.The cost of conscience: The woman behind 2,000 affordable units shares how deciding rent increases for hundreds of residents each year tests both her heart and her balance sheet.Better me than someone who doesn’t care: Ginger explains why she continues to shoulder difficult decisions because she knows she’ll do it with integrity.Scrappy by necessity: Growing up with housing insecurity, she built her business from survival instinct, and yet still carries the fear of “ending up in the gutter.”The reality of leadership: From cash flow panic to employee dynamics, Ginger names the unspoken truth: leadership is hard, and pretending otherwise helps no one.Soft Girl Summer: After decades of overextension, she’s learning to do less, set tighter boundaries, and become “less accessible” as an act of growth.Unearned confidence: Ginger reflects on the self-assurance she’s always carried and how owning it has become one of her greatest assets.Ginger recommends: Support LGTBQ Latino elected officials in California via Honor PAC. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Erin Reeves, co-founder and principal at Next Level Org, brings over 25 years of executive strategy and HR leadership to an open, grounded conversation about what it really feels like to sit at the decision-maker’s table. Erin shares how each step up the leadership ladder expands not only your view but also your sense of isolation — and how asking better questions can become a quiet act of courage. She talks about navigating self-doubt, building self-awareness, and finding outside perspectives when your inner critic grows loud. Drawing on her experience guiding organizations through mergers, restructures, and personal reinvention, Erin offers a deeply human look at how leaders can steady themselves, reconnect with purpose, and lead with both clarity and compassion — even when they feel most alone.Episode HighlightsThe shifting view: Each promotion brings a new perspective — and bigger gaps between those who’ve “been there” and those who haven’t.The power of questions: How asking thoughtful questions creates space, builds credibility, and reshapes executive conversations.Managing the inner critic: Erin shares her own internal stories of self-doubt and how leaders can reframe the question, “Is this true?”.Outside-in thinking: Why every executive needs people who can see what they can’t — mentors, coaches, or truth-tellers outside the organization.Steadying the self: How self-awareness, discipline, and vulnerability allow leaders to lead their teams with integrity, even under pressure.Redefining success: Erin’s insight that leadership isn’t about always being right — it’s about asking what needs to happen next, even when the map isn’t clear.Connect with Erin: Website - https://www.nextlevelorg.net/Email - [email protected] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinreeves-nextlevel/ ★ Support this podcast ★

In this solo episode, Rachel reflects on a listener’s response to Executive Fashion as Armor, Ritual, and Identity with Susana Perczek — specifically the power of hearing a woman speak positively about herself without apology. Rachel explores the generational messages many of us received about “not being too big for your britches” and how those lessons often left us afraid to celebrate our own talents. She shares personal stories about holding back from stepping into leadership as a young student, and how learning to name and honor her strengths became an essential part of her healing. This episode invites listeners to consider where they fall on the spectrum between self-effacing and self-affirming, and to imagine what it would feel like to confidently raise their hand and say, “I want to be known for this.” ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Megan Gluth, owner and CEO of Catalynt Solutions, shares her remarkable journey from attorney to industry leader in chemical distribution — and how she doubled the size of her company in just a few years while navigating the chaos of a global pandemic. Raised on food stamps in rural Iowa, Meg brings both grit and vision to her role, blending sharp business acumen with a deep commitment to what she calls human-centered capitalism. She opens up about the weight of carrying responsibility for employees, the anxiety of leading in times of uncertainty, and how sobriety, intuition, and discipline help her stay grounded as she flies through “dark roads without a map.” This candid conversation reveals what it really takes to lead with both courage and humanity at the top.Episode HighlightsOrigins & grit: Megan reflects on growing up on food stamps in rural Iowa and how that shaped her resourcefulness as a leader.Pandemic pressure: Just weeks after buying her company, the global shutdown hit, and she had to rally her team through terrifying uncertainty.Flying blind: She describes leading now as like “driving a car on a dark road you’ve never driven before” — terrifying but unavoidable.Human-centered capitalism: Why profitability is a tool for generosity, from paying 100% of employee health benefits to quietly covering strangers’ grocery bills.Sobriety & self-discipline: How practices like yoga, meditation, and careful self-care help her manage the emotional toll of leadership.The weight of leadership: Why CEOs must project steadiness even when they’re terrified, because, as she says, “I’m the driver, and everyone else in the car has to feel safe.”Connect with MegWebsite: https://www.megangluth.com/ ★ Support this podcast ★

In this solo episode, Rachel Alexandria shares the origin story of Lonely at the Top. She reflects on her two decades of work with high performers, the blend of therapeutic, coaching, and spiritual practices she brings to leaders, and the repeated moments that sparked the podcast’s creation. Rachel describes why she felt called to make space for honest conversations about the invisible burdens of leadership, the unique isolation that comes with power, and the need for a sanctuary where leaders can feel understood and less alone. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this conversation with Louis Fordham, Vice President of Human Resources at Engineered Floors, we explore what leadership looks like from the perspective of someone who has spent 35 years guiding executives from inside. Louis shares what it’s like to witness CEOs carry the immense weight of responsibility, why he never aspired to the top job himself, and how isolation is often built into leadership structures by nature. He also opens up about the unique challenges of being an introverted leader, the importance of self-awareness in building strong teams, and the cultural barriers that keep many executives from seeking outside support. With honesty and clarity, Louis brings wisdom from decades in HR to show how leaders can balance responsibility, presence, and humanity without losing themselves.Episode HighlightsResponsibility at the top: Why Louis believes the CEO and head of HR hold unique responsibility for every employee in an organization.Structural isolation: How the design of executive roles creates inevitable loneliness, regardless of personality.Introversion in leadership: Louis reflects on being an introvert at the leadership table and why self-awareness matters more than extroversion.The “regal” factor: His insight that sometimes employees need their CEO to project steadiness and authority, even when it feels unnatural.Boundaries in HR: A personal story of why he had to stop having a close work friendship to preserve trust and objectivity.Connect with Louis on LinkedIn ★ Support this podcast ★

Sunni VonMutius built her career in corporate tech, often “faith-it-till-you-make-it” in male-dominated spaces, before stepping into leadership coaching. In this conversation, she opens up about the hidden costs of always being the strong one, and the toll it takes when resilience slips into survival mode. Sunni also shares how learning to trust her intuition became vital for navigating uncharted seasons of leadership with honesty and humanity.Episode HighlightsSunni reflects on “faith-it-till-you-make-it” moments from her corporate technology career, stepping into roles without a clear roadmap but learning to trust herself along the way.She describes her intuitive knowing—how she often sensed the right direction before she had the data or strategy to prove it.Sunni shares the cost of always being the strong one: “Other things suffered… we cannot honor everything equally. Other things will suffer.”She opens up about the emotional toll of leadership, noting how resilience can quietly morph into depletion and isolation.Sunni challenges the myth of endless endurance, naming the relief she found in allowing herself to stop projects or step away when her whole body said no.Connect with Sunni:Website - WildflowerStrategy.comSocial connections - Social.WildflowerStrategy.com ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of Lonely at the Top, Alina Doran opens her private ledger to reveal the hidden costs of a career built on constant achievement. From the outside, her leadership journey looked flawless, but inside, she was running on fumes. Alina shares candidly about the toll of being the reliable, high-performing leader who never lets her guard down, and how that survival strategy eventually left her disconnected from herself.Through vulnerability and reflection, Alina walks us through her breaking point, the healing practices she’s embraced, and the deeper freedom she’s found by learning to say “no” and honor her own limits. This is a conversation for every leader who has ever felt the pressure to keep it all together while quietly falling apart.✨ Highlight MomentsAlina shares the moment she realized her high-achieving drive was unsustainable, despite looking successful on the outside.She describes the invisible labor of being “the strong one” in both her career and personal life.A powerful admission about using achievement as a shield against vulnerability and how it ultimately cost her connection with herself.Her turning point: choosing to prioritize rest, therapy, and boundaries instead of endlessly pushing through.Alina reflects on the permission she wishes more leaders had to admit they’re not okay — and how that honesty has transformed her approach to leadership.Connect with Alina:HighlineLeadership.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinadoran/ ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of Lonely at the Top, Rachel sits down with John Valencia, President and CEO of the Good for Others Foundation. John has raised nearly $1 billion for education and community initiatives, but behind his impressive resume is a leader who understands both the thrill and the isolation of being a visionary.From childhood entrepreneurship to leading multimillion-dollar nonprofits, John has always carried the weight of responsibility. He shares candidly about the loneliness of being “the idea guy,” how charisma and storytelling help bridge gaps when others can’t see the vision, and why trust and authentic relationships are at the center of his leadership.This conversation shines a light on the private ledger of a leader who has spent decades innovating, creating, and caring deeply for his teams — while finding out how to stay authentically true to himself.✨ Episode Highlights:John shares how leadership has been part of his DNA since childhood — from selling lollipops at age eight to running multiple nonprofits and education institutions.His natural drive for accomplishment is balanced by a love for meaningful, soul-feeding work that often keeps him going beyond the typical nine-to-five.John describes himself as a “maverick” and visionary — someone who thrives on bold, creative ideas but relies on strong achievers on his team to bring them to completion.He opens up about the isolation of being a leader with unconventional ideas, and how charisma and storytelling have been both coping tools and leadership strengths.We explore how he hires people he trusts — often friends — and what that means for balancing deep care with organizational needs.John reflects on the importance of having even one person at work who truly “gets you” as an antidote to the loneliness of leadership.Connect with John's work at GoodForOthers.org“All my jobs have been relationship-based, and the success has come from those authentic connections. You spend so much time with people you work with — you should love them.” - John Valencia ★ Support this podcast ★

Trailer for Lonely at the Top ★ Support this podcast ★

What happens when you’re married to a powerful, high-stakes leader—and your own emotional labor is quietly consuming you?In this episode, Temi Ayodeji, stress-reduction artist, author, and wellness coach, joins Rachel to share the truth about being the partner behind the leader. From homeschooling a son with special needs while being offered a director role… to quietly donating a kidney to save her husband’s life… to discovering a scientifically grounded form of healing through fractal-infused art—Temi’s journey is one of grit, grace, and a relentless commitment to peace.Together, they explore the emotional weight of supporting high-level leadership while carrying invisible burdens, and the power of creating calm—without needing to retreat from life.🔑 Highlights:[03:45] The moment Temi turned down a leadership promotion to care for her son[11:10] Donating a kidney to her husband—and the emotional toll of keeping it private[21:30] The double silence: what happens when both partners operate in isolation[31:50] “Peace of mind is not a luxury. It’s a leadership requirement.”[39:00] How fractal-based artwork rewired her family’s nervous system[48:25] The private ledger: peace lost, faith gained, sleep reclaimed[56:10] The truth most leaders won’t say out loud—but deeply need to[01:01:40] Art as a healing tool for high-stress homes and leadership environments🧭 Connect with Temi:Learn more about Temi’s healing artwork: TemiFineArts.comJoin her newsletter and stories on Substack: temiayodeji.substack.com ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of Lonely At the Top, host Rachel Alexandria sits down with Susana Perczek, a corporate stylist and former advertising executive, whose mission is to armor women leaders with both strength and style. Susana shares how she rose through the ranks in a demanding industry, only to face the emotional and relational costs of leadership, especially after starting a family.Through heartfelt stories and rich metaphors (including Dungeons & Dragons references!), this conversation unpacks how clothing can be more than just fabric—it can be a shield, a strategy, a ritual, and a revelation of identity. Together, Rachel and Susana explore what it means to bring your full, feminine self to powerful spaces, and how style can be a gateway to alignment with purpose, confidence, and joy.This episode is a must-listen for any woman in leadership who’s tired of blending in and ready to stand out—unapologetically.✨ Interview HighlightsSusana shares how the birth of her daughter forced a reckoning—she chose to walk away from a powerful executive role to prioritize presence over productivity.She opens up about the emotional and relational cost of leadership, especially in a high-demand advertising culture where “5 PM was basically lunch.”We talk about feminine presence in masculine-dominated rooms—and how clothing can be used to express, protect, and empower.Susana describes how accessories can become modern-day amulets, helping women feel grounded and radiant during high-stakes moments.She reflects on dreaming bigger as an asset she didn’t fully realize she had—and how now she’s building a business, envisioning a book, and even eyeing a TED Talk.🔗 Connect with SusanaWebsite: https://www.susanaperczekstyling.com/ Style as Strategy on Substack - https://susanaperczek.substack.com/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Angela Quach, founder of Destiny Lab, gets real about what it took to leave corporate comfort and launch a multi-million dollar, purpose-driven marketing agency. In this candid conversation, Angela shares the invisible costs of leadership — from imposter syndrome to identity shifts — and the resilience it takes to build something bigger than ego. She and Rachel explore what it means to lead with both purpose and pressure, and why creating a relationship-first life has made all the difference.If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to own your vision, this episode will leave you seen and stirred.🌟 Highlight MomentsAngela shares how growing up with working-class immigrant parents shaped her hunger for success.She describes her leap from corporate to building a multi-million dollar marketing agency during the pandemic.Angela opens up about how lonely and vulnerable it was to hold a vision that no one else could see yet.She reflects on the ego sacrifice required to lead and how delegation changed her identity as a leader.Angela discusses shifting from profit-driven work to purpose-driven leadership that centers DEI and authenticity.She reveals her private struggles with imposter syndrome and how she learned to become her own biggest cheerleader.Angela and Rachel discuss the hard truth that leadership means taking full responsibility — and how isolating that can be.The episode closes with Angela’s message to her younger self: “You don’t need someone’s permission to be great.”🔗 Connect with AngelaWebsite: www.thedestinylab.coLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieyquach/ ★ Support this podcast ★