You're Not at a Dead End — You're at a Comma: A West Point Grad, Army Veteran & Doula Founder on Reinvention, Birth Advocacy & Building a Life On Your Own Terms

What if the version of you that feels finished is actually just paused? West Point graduate, Army veteran, mother of two, and founder of Flower n' Fox Doula and Penn n' Thread, Jannelle Allong- Diakabana, joins Empower HER Radio with Dr. Corey Winn to prove that reinvention isn't a detour — it's the plan. From combat leadership in Afghanistan to the loneliest six weeks of her life as a new mom, Jannelle's story is a masterclass in turning hard-won discipline into purpose-driven entrepreneurship. In this raw and riveting conversation, Dr. Corey Winn sits down with Jannelle Allong-Diakabana — West Point graduate, Army officer, tech professional, and now founder of two thriving businesses — to unpack what it really means to reinvent yourself at every chapter of life. Jannelle takes listeners through her unlikely path: a competitive swimmer turned cadet, a platoon leader in Afghanistan, a new mom blindsided by the isolation of postpartum life, and ultimately, a woman who built a doula practice and a communications consultancy from the conviction that no one should go through transformation alone. This episode goes deep into what it actually means to be a doula — the difference between a doula and a midwife, how birth advocacy protects mothers from medical coercion, and why having someone in the room who's there for you, not just the baby, can change the entire trajectory of a birth experience. Jannelle and Dr. Winn talk candidly about postpartum loneliness, the gap between what new mothers are told to expect and what they actually need, and how insurance coverage for doula support — through Medicaid, TRICARE, and fertility benefit companies — is finally starting to catch up to demand. It's a conversation for any woman who has ever felt like she was supposed to have it figured out and didn't. Whether you're a high-achieving leader navigating your own next pivot, a mother craving more support than you were given, or an entrepreneur building something from scratch after a major life transition, this episode is a reminder: every ending is just a comma. The discipline, the sacrifice, the hard seasons — they were never detours. They were preparation. If this conversation moved you, don't keep it to yourself — share it with the woman in your life who's standing at her own comma, wondering what comes next. Subscribe to Empower HER Radio with Dr. Corey Winn so you never miss a conversation built to challenge, equip, and elevate you. Follow Janelle's work at flowerandfoxdoula.com or on Instagram and TikTok, and tell us on social which part of her story hit closest to home. Your next level is closer than you think — let's build it together.   🎙 Connect with Dr. Corey Winn  📞 Book a Free Call: www.coreywinn.com/freecall 📲 Instagram: @coreywinndpt 💼 LinkedIn: @coreywinn 🌐 Website: www.coreywinn.com ♿️ Nonprofit: www.thecarledwardfoundation.org   Connect with Jannelle: @flower.n.fox.doula, @pen_n_thread