The Grit Files

Nicole Hackett is a breaking the stigma associated with mom brain. With the release of her new book, she is teaching women that their mom brain is their superpower. With the release of her new book, she is an Amazon Best Seller and was recently placed number 4 on People's Top Ten Must-Read Spring Books. Nicole is a Harford County Native and on top of being a mom and an author, she is a biochemical patent agent for a local law firm. Listen in to this episode to hear more about her experiences that helped her write her latest novel, Mom Brain.

Lisa Foxwell, founder of StavePoint HR, and a firm believer that sustainable business success starts with people practices that are intentional, strategic, and aligned to your goal. After 15+ years in HR and recruiting, she launched Stave Point to help small and mid-sized companies grow through their people, not around them. Whether it's navigating a tough employee conversation or building out your leadership bench, she’s here to help you lead with clarity, compassion, and compliance. But beyond the org charts and policy frameworks, here’s a bit more about Lisa: Wife, mom, and bonus mom in a beautifully blended family of four incredible kids Avid light tackle fisher woman—nothing clears my head like time on the water Fitness enthusiast and early riser Fueled by coffee in the morning and whiskey by the fire in the evening 

Liv Chapman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Inner Glow Circle (IGC), an online training company designed to accelerate women coaches and entrepreneurs — and one of the fastest-growing businesses in the coaching space. Liv joined IGC in 2015, after a chance meeting with founder Katie DePaola a few years prior.As a Washington, DC public school teacher overwhelmed with her students’ needs, her own student loans and the constraints of public education, Liv went searching for a deeper life purpose. She realized she had run her life on what other people said she “should” do, but had completely ignored what she wanted to do.Today, Liv manages and guides our entire IGC Team and vision— of course, with healthy profit margins and plenty of room for fun. She teaches women how to shift their “shoulds” into true desire and use their life challenges as a platform to make money and do work they love. She trains thousands of women across the world on how to find their purpose, live it and actually get paid.

Dr. Queale, a board-certified MD, is a strong advocate for integrating lifestyle medicine into primary care practices and has developed an integrated approach to the delivery of primary care services in healthcare systems. He is the author of Dying to Save You, where he stresses the importance of lifestyle intervention medicine, confronts the issues of our current health care system and offers an innovative new perspective on the primary care model.Dr. Queale obtained his Doctorate of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Internal Medicine and his fellowship in General Internal Medicine also at Johns Hopkins. During his fellowship, he obtained his Master of Health Science degree in Clinical Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. His research included clinical and economic outcomes after orthopedic surgery and the prevention of sports injuries. He has been in private practice for over 20 years. We are talking all things from addiction, to sick vs. healthcare, human space flight, and so much more!

Stephen Speck is the Founder&CEO of MantiSpeck, LLC, a personal andprofessionalenhancement firm.His company provides a wide array of services,spanning from keynote speaking to leadership development, educational coaching tofitness & wellness training. Prior toMantiSpeck, Stephen was an educator forroughly a quarter century, occupying the rolesof a classroom teacher, interscholastic athleticcoach, school-based administrator, and athleticdirector. He also spent nearly four yearsoverseeing relationship management for a full-service certified public accountants (CPA)business consulting firm. Additionally, Stephenspent over half a decade competing as aprofessional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. At this point in his life, he findsserving others with the knowledge that he has acquired and experienced that hehasamassedto be most gratifying. Stephen is a proud husband to his wife anddevoted father to their two sons.

Carolyn has been a personal trainer for over a decade. Starting out in a large gym, to now owning her own fitness space and training clients on her own. She has her undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing disorders and her Masters in Deaf Studies. She is a certified ASL interpreter, teaching and interpreting with the deaf for over 10 years. She pivoted to personal training by completing the NASM personal training certification. From there she received the following certification:NASM corrective exercise certificatePerformance Enhancement Specialist certificationTRX advanced certificationVIPR Functional Level 1Stick MobilityAnimal Flow Level 1Precision Nutrition Level 1

Andrew Hartnett, the Founder and CEO of Formula4Success, has a rich background in corporate America, having spent over 10 years in consulting, program management, and digital transformation for leading companies like Google, Waymo, Disney, NBC Universal, and The Home Depot. His approach blends traditional business frameworks with executive coaching and research in psychology and neuroscience, helping clients achieve better results through honest introspection and a focus on knowledge, growth, and reinvention. Hartnett's expertise and dedication have been recognized by his clients, who have experienced significant portfolio growth and new product development.   formula4success.com  

Join us as we sit with Chris Sherry, Vice President of Enterprise Sales. She discusses what coya's mission is and how you can benefit from becoming a member today! Visit us at https://coya.life/. For general info or to discuss groups, email Chris at [email protected] Files listeners receive $1,000 off our March cohorts - see below for dates and more info.******Women’s Vitality Cohort — Starts March 23Seats are filling now. Retail $4,000.Recommended for women in perimenopause/menopause.In addition to everything in the Executive Cohort, Women's Vitality includes a hormone test, interpretation and coaching led by Liz Bouma NP, expert in hormone health and perimenopause/menopause transition. We ship hormone tests about a month in advance to allow time for results and interpretation. Onboarding form: HEREPay all at once: HERE (use code AGRANDOFF for $1,000 off)Pay monthly: HERE (use code AGRANDOFF to waive the first month’s payment)

EmKay is a former Division I coach for the University of Nevada cross country teams and is also a USTFCCCA certified strength coach. While at Nevada, she coached the American women’s junior record holder in the marathon and helped develop the newly founded men’s team. EmKay runs for CRAFT, trains in Reno, Nevada and competes both domestically and internationally. Originally from Arkansas, EmKay began running in junior high school. She was recruited to the University of Nevada where she ran for five years and earned Division I All-American Honors in the 3,000m steeplechase. She currently holds the University of Nevada school records for the indoor 3,000m and 5,000m and outdoor 3,000m steeplechase and 5,000m. Post-collegiately, EmKay has shifted her focus to the longer events both on the roads and on the trails. EmKay qualified for the 2020 Olympic Trials Marathon in her debut marathon and was 4th in her ultramarathon debut at the Way Too Cool 50K in 2019. Since then, she has finished 2nd at the Broken Arrow Skyrace, 1st in the Way Too Cool 50k and 9th at Marathon du Mont Blanc. 

Teresa is a cancer survivor, current lung transplant candidate, and most importantly, a mother, a wife, and a daughter. She has never identified as an athlete but her grit and endurance is that of one. Listen to her story about defeat, resilience, and motherhood as she fought for her life and continues to do so with her new diagnosis.

Rachel is a UESCA Certified Ultra Running Coach and NASM Certified Personal Trainer with over seven years of experience across the collegiate, high school, and private sectors. Holding a Master’s in Public Health, she specializes in "whole-person" development—blending data-driven performance with psychological strength. From leading championship teams to serving on the board of the Women’s Running Coaches Collective, Rachel is dedicated to elevating the standard of coaching for everyday athletes. Whether you are chasing a first 50K or an elite 100-mile finish, her approach ensures your training is sustainable, informed, and transformative. 

Meet Brandon!Brandon is the owner of Iron Force Fitness, a strength and endurance-based gym built on discipline, consistency, and long-term growth. Alongside his work in fitness, Brandon has established himself as a renowned fitness and nature photographer, collaborating with top brands including GOWOD, NoBull, HYROX, TYR, Fanatics, and National Geographic. His work captures the intersection of movement, resilience, and the raw beauty of the natural world. Sixteen years sober, Brandon credits his sobriety as the foundation for everything he’s built — shaping his discipline, creativity, and ability to stay present through uncertainty and growth. He is a husband, a proud father to a son, and currently preparing to welcome another baby. When he isn’t behind the camera or coaching clients, Brandon is training for his own HYROX competitions, continuing to live out the endurance mindset he teaches and documents every day. 

This is your introduction to The Grit Files! Get to know host Laura Reynolds and find out what is to come on the podcast.