003: Kindness Is Not a Soft Strategy. How Simona Costantini Builds Businesses That Actually Care

What if you’re not burnt out… you’ve simply outgrown the life you built?In this episode of The Impact List, Laurie Fainer sits down with Simona Costantini, Founder and CEO of VOLT Productions, to talk about what it actually looks like to build a business rooted in values - not as a mission statement, but as a daily operating decision.Simona's values are kindness, care, and connection. She doesn't just say that. She turns away clients who don't reflect them. She doesn't care when her team works as long as the work gets done. She leads a podcast production agency supporting more than 20 shows a week from a place of genuine investment in the people around her.This conversation gets into the leadership she wished she'd had, what she unlearned from corporate, and the question she comes back to constantly: are you adding more good into the world, or more noise? The answer shapes everything.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why burnout is often misidentified misalignmentThe identity shift required to move from employee to entrepreneurWhy overgiving is one of the biggest risks in leadershipThe role of self-awareness in building a sustainable businessSetting boundaries without losing kindness or connectionHow corporate environments shape behavior and what to unlearnWhy emotional regulation is a critical leadership skillCreating a culture where people feel seen, heard, and valuedWe talk about:00:00 Intro02:00 The reminder that life can change at any moment04:00 Entrepreneurship, leadership, and holding both life and business09:00 Becoming the leader you needed10:30 Building a business rooted in kindness, care, and connection14:00 Language, leadership, and removing hierarchy18:00 Unlearning overgiving and redefining “enough”23:00 Emotional regulation and perspective26:30 Creating cultures where people feel seen and heard33:00 Choosing yourself and building a life on your termsConnect with SimonaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/simona__costantiniVOLT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/volt.productionsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simona-costantini-25653a30/Website: https://www.voltproductions.co  Connect with meInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dynamicalchemyadvisors LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamic-alchemy-advisors/Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriefainer/ Website: https://amplified-authenticity.com/ Music created and produced by Riley Fouchier, DarkSky Productions