Bold Steps With Sarah

In this episode of Bold Steps with Sarah, Sarah Martinez sits down with Melissa Couradet, financial planner, educator, and proud member of the Francophone Women Network in BC, for an honest and grounded conversation about the one topic most entrepreneurs avoid the longest — money.Melissa didn't grow up planning a career in finance. She stumbled into it after losing a job, hitting a financial wake-up call, and discovering how little most people — including herself — actually know about managing money. What followed was a mission to make financial literacy feel human, simple, and accessible to anyone.Together, Sarah and Melissa dig into the money stories we picked up as kids and never questioned, why so many capable women still feel anxious or avoidant around their finances, and what it actually looks like to start building real wealth — not just the appearance of it. They talk about money mindset, the difference between looking wealthy and building wealth, what financial planning really means (and why you don't need a seven-figure income to start), and the one simple first step you can take today if you've been avoiding your bank account.If you've ever undercharged for your work, outsourced your finances to someone else, or told yourself you'll deal with it later — this conversation is for you.Show Notes:The money stories most of us were handed as kids — and never questionedWhy your pricing problem might actually be a self-worth problemThe employee mindset vs. the entrepreneur mindset when it comes to moneyWhy so many women avoid looking at their finances — and what's underneath thatThe power of automating your savings to remove emotion from the equationLooking wealthy vs. building wealth — and why the difference mattersWhat financial planning actually is, and why you don't need to be rich to startThe concept of "action money" and how to put it to work intentionallyThe biggest financial blind spots in early-stage businessWhy reinvesting in yourself is one of the highest-return moves you can makeThe very first step to take if you've been avoiding your financesThis episode is a reminder that your bank balance is not your identity. Awareness is where everything starts — and it costs nothing to begin.The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Please consult a licensed professional for advice tailored to your situation.Where to find Melissa:→ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/melissa_couradet→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-couradet/Follow Sarah:→ Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boldstepswithsarah/→ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.holistic.business.coach/→ Website: https://www.sarahmartinezcoaching.com🎧 Follow @boldstepswithsarah for more conversations on growth, business, and becoming the version of you you're meant to be.Learn more about your host: Sarah MartinezApply to be a guest on Bold Steps with SarahSong by: St. Finnikin

In this episode of Bold Steps with Sarah, holistic business coach and mentor Sarah Martinez gets into one of the most quietly exhausting things so many of us carry around without even naming it. Self-doubt. Not the loud, dramatic kind. The slow, creeping kind that builds up over years of being told to be smaller, quieter, more agreeable. The kind that makes you redesign your offer three times in one year and still feel like something is off.This episode is about what actually happens when you stop trusting yourself, why it is not your fault that you did, and the very practical, very unsexy work of building that trust back. One small promise at a time.Sarah shares the moment she was sitting at her desk looking at yet another version of her website and felt absolutely nothing. No spark, no excitement. Just a hollow feeling. And how that moment became the turning point that brought her back to her own voice. From there, she goes into the science behind intuition, what Brené Brown's marble jar has to do with your business decisions, and why the certainty you are waiting for is never going to show up before you take action. It only comes because of it.If you have ever over-researched a decision you already knew the answer to, or kept changing your offer because nothing felt quite right, or said yes to a client that felt wrong because you were scared nothing better was coming, this one is for you.IN THIS EPISODE00:00 — Why losing self-trust is not a personal failure and how it happens to everyone03:00 — Sarah's story: redesigning her whole business three times and what it cost her08:00 — What self-doubt actually does to your brain, your decisions, and your business14:00 — Why it is not your fault: the conditioning that taught you to look outward for approval20:00 — The 3 Bold Steps to rebuild self-trust starting today28:00 — How lost self-trust shows up in business, parenting, and relationships32:00 — The Einstein quote that says everything about how we were taught to ignore our intuitionFollow Sarah:→ Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boldstepswithsarah/→ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.holistic.business.coach/→ Website: https://www.sarahmartinezcoaching.com🎧 Follow @boldstepswithsarah for more conversations on growth, business, and becoming the version of you you are meant to be.Learn more about your host: Sarah Martinez at www.sarahmartinezcoaching.comApply to be a guest on Bold Steps with Sarah: https://forms.gle/ntVn6jjmepjUGAga8Song by: St. Finnikin

In this episode of the Bold Steps with Sarah podcast, holistic business coach and mentor Sarah Martinez explores how we live in a world that's getting more curated by the day. Everything looks polished. Everyone seems fine. And yet so many of us are walking around saying things we don't mean, holding back things we do, and wondering why we feel so disconnected — from other people and from ourselves.This episode is about that. About what it actually costs you to stay quiet — in your personal life, in your business, at work, and in a culture that's quietly making it easier than ever to perform instead of just be real.Sarah shares a moment that stopped her in a Paris restaurant with her six-year-old daughter — and why it said everything about how early we learn to hide ourselves. From there, the conversation goes into the specific ways women silence themselves in business, what's really behind the quiet quitting trend at work, and why this isn't just a women's issue. Men are doing this too — just with a different set of rules and a different set of things they're not allowed to show.This one will probably make you think of a conversation you've been avoiding.IN THIS EPISODE00:00 — What authenticity actually means and why Sarah chose it as her word for 202600:30 — The chocolate mousse story: how people-pleasing starts before we even notice it07:00 — The real cost of not speaking your truth15:00 — Where women lie in business every day: pricing, content, positioning23:00 — The workplace: why 7 in 10 people stay quiet and what it's doing to them30:00 — It's not just a women's problem: how men suppress differently38:00 — What actually shifts when you start showing up for realFollow Sarah:→ Podcast Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/boldstepswithsarah/⁠→ Personal Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.holistic.business.coach/⁠→Website: ⁠https://www.sarahmartinezcoaching.com⁠🎧 Follow @⁠⁠boldstepswithsarah⁠⁠ for more conversations on growth, business, and becoming the version of you you’re meant to be.Learn more about your host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Martinez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠guest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bold Steps with SarahSong by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠St. Finnikin

In this episode of Bold Steps with Sarah, Sarah Martinez sits down with Jennifer Newberg, founder of It’s Lifey, speaker, and national community builder, for a powerful conversation about grief, identity, and rebuilding a life after loss.After losing her husband suddenly while traveling abroad, Jen found herself navigating unimaginable decisions while raising children, managing logistics, and confronting a completely new reality. What followed was not just personal healing, but the creation of a national movement that now supports thousands of widows across North America.Together, Sarah and Jen explore what it means to rebuild your life when everything you knew collapses. They talk about grief in the modern world, leadership during personal crisis, reinvention after 40, and how purpose can emerge even when you’re still in the middle of heartbreak.If you’re navigating divorce, burnout, loss, or a season of unexpected transition, this conversation offers honesty, perspective, and grounded hope.Show Notes:What it actually feels like when life changes overnightThe invisible emotional and logistical weight widows carryIdentity shifts after losing a partnerThe pressure to “move on” versus the reality of griefHow Jen turned personal tragedy into a national support movementLeadership during a deeply personal crisisReinventing your life and purpose after 40The power of community in the healing processWhat modern grief looks like and why we need new conversations around itThis episode is a reminder that rebuilding is rarely linear. Sometimes the most meaningful work emerges from the most painful chapters.Where to find Jennifer:→ Website: https://www.itslifey.com→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itslifey/Follow Sarah:→ Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boldstepswithsarah/→ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.holistic.business.coach/→ Website: https://www.sarahmartinezcoaching.com🎧 Follow @⁠⁠boldstepswithsarah⁠⁠ for more conversations on growth, business, and becoming the version of you you’re meant to be.Learn more about your host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Martinez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠guest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bold Steps with SarahSong by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠St. Finnikin

In this episode of the Bold Steps with Sarah podcast, holistic business coach and mentor Sarah Martinez explores how your nervous system quietly runs more of your life than you think. Drawing from neuroscience research, Polyvagal Theory, and practical somatic tools, Sarah breaks down why stress responses shape your reactions, your habits, and even your growth.As a certified coach and yoga teacher who blends strategy with nervous system awareness, Sarah explains how chronic stress affects decision-making, why burnout isn’t a personality flaw, and how learning to regulate builds real resilience. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, reactive, or stuck, this episode will help you understand what’s happening in your body and how to work with it instead of against it.In this episode, Sarah covers:Show Notes:- How your nervous system constantly scans for safety and threat- Why reactions to criticism, visibility, and uncertainty are biological responses- The difference between fight or flight, shutdown, and true regulation- How chronic stress impacts the brain and emotional control- Why shame increases activation instead of calming itThe role of flexibility and recovery in resilience- Breathwork practices like cyclic sighing and slow-paced breathing- How humming and sound can support nervous system settling- Simple somatic tools including orientation, grounding, and gentle movement- How regulation builds long-term capacity, including in businessIf you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, reactive, stuck, or burned out and blamed yourself for it, this episode will change how you see your patterns. Regulation isn’t about being calm all the time. It’s about building the ability to return to steady.Follow Sarah:→ Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boldstepswithsarah/→ Personal Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/the.holistic.business.coach/→Website: https://www.sarahmartinezcoaching.com🎧 Follow @⁠boldstepswithsarah⁠ for more conversations on growth, business, and becoming the version of you you’re meant to be.Learn more about your host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Martinez⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a ⁠⁠⁠⁠guest⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bold Steps with SarahSong by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠St. Finnikin

In this episode, I sit down with Urmi Hossain to talk about identity, leadership, and the courage to own your voice.Urmi shares her journey of navigating male-dominated spaces, embracing who she truly is, and building presence without losing herself. We explore the real challenges women face in corporate environments and what it takes to grow, speak up, and lead authentically.This conversation is about taking bold steps, reclaiming your story, and choosing yourself — even when it feels uncomfortable. If you’ve ever felt like you had to fit in to succeed, this episode is for you.TakeawaysSelf-belief and self-trust are the foundation of finding your voicePresence is built through vulnerability, storytelling, and discomfortMany women struggle with imposter syndrome and neglecting themselvesYou don’t need to have all the answers to growChoosing yourself can transform your life — and inspire othersDiscover Urmi’s work, books, and insights on leadership and identity:⁠⁠⁠Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠🎧 Follow Bold Steps with Sarah for more conversations on growth, business, and becoming the version of you you’re meant to be.Learn more about your host: ⁠⁠⁠Sarah Martinez⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a ⁠⁠⁠guest⁠⁠⁠ on Bold Steps with SarahSong by: ⁠⁠⁠St. Finnikin

Have you ever felt torn between slowing down and needing to move faster to make your business work?In this episode, I share an honest perspective on slowpreneurship — beyond the Instagram quotes and “rest culture.” We talk about what slowpreneurship really means when you’re building a business from scratch, with real goals, real pressure, and real bills.I share my own journey, why slowpreneurship is not a starting point but something you grow into, and how your nervous system plays a bigger role in your business than you might think.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why slowpreneurship is not about doing less, but doing things more intentionally.The difference between being slow and being stuck.Why structure and visibility still matter, especially in the early stages.How to build a business that grows without burning out.If you’re in your foundation phase right now, this episode is for you. Slowpreneurship is not a myth — but it’s not instant either. It’s a long-term way of building a business that actually fits your life.✨ If you’re wondering where to start without burning out, I created something exactly for this phase. 👉 Explore it here: The H.E.R. Bootcamp On-Demand — a step-by-step roadmap to help you build your offer, your message, and your first clients, at your own pace.🎧 Follow Bold Steps with Sarah for more conversations on growth, business, and becoming the version of you you’re meant to be.Learn more about your host: ⁠⁠Sarah Martinez⁠⁠Apply to be a ⁠⁠guest⁠⁠ on Bold Steps with SarahSong by: ⁠⁠St. Finnikin

What if the life you want isn’t as far away as it feels?In the very first episode of Bold Steps with Sarah, I’m sharing how I’ve used manifestation — in a grounded, practical way — to create my life: from living on the West Coast, to building a business that supports my family, to working in global coaching spaces.This isn’t about wishful thinking or “just staying positive.”It’s about how your mind, your nervous system, and your decisions work together to shape your reality.In this episode, you’ll learn:What manifestation really is (and what it isn’t)How your brain’s focus shapes what you attractWhy visualization actually changes your nervous systemHow to create non-negotiables that raise your standardsHow to write desire statements and affirmations that stickWhy gratitude for what hasn’t happened yet is so powerfulAnd how to avoid manic manifesting and stay grounded in trustI also share personal stories of what I’ve manifested — from where I live to the opportunities I’ve created — and the mindset shift that changed everything:“Everything is happening around me and I am being taken care of.”If you’re ready to start shaping your 2026 with clarity, confidence, and intention, this episode is your first bold step.🎧 Follow Bold Steps with Sarah for more conversations on growth, business, and becoming the version of you you’re meant to be.Learn more about your host: ⁠Sarah Martinez⁠Apply to be a ⁠guest⁠ on Bold Steps with SarahSong by: ⁠St. Finnikin

Bold Steps with Sarah is a podcast to help you navigate the ups and downs of business and personal growth. Join Sarah for heartfelt conversations, practical insights, and inspiring stories that bridge ambition with mindfulness. From building a business to practicing self-awareness, from healing old patterns to stepping into confidence, this is your go-to space for taking bold steps toward the life and business you truly want.Learn more about your host: Sarah MartinezApply to be a guest on Bold Steps with SarahSong by: St. Finnikin