Trudi Lebrón is Ambitious & Exhausted

In this episode of Trudi Lebrón is Ambitious and Exhausted, Trudi sits down with Tarzan Kay—a consent-based email marketing expert who is navigating a profound season of personal and professional realignment. Together, they explore the transition from the high-energy "Girl Boss" era of sparkle pants and stages to a life rooted in presence, song, and community. After years of building a million-dollar business that demanded her constant mental energy, Tarzan faced a series of "Covid casualties," including a divorce and the loss of her brother. These events forced a reckoning with conventional ambition and led her to dismantle her large team in favor of a more sustainable, collaborative model. When Trudi saw Tarzan sharing this "public reckoning" with her newsletter subscribers, she knew this conversation about realigning work with core values was essential. You'll Discover Song as a Revolutionary Tool: Tarzan shares how leading song circles has created a collective nervous system calming that surpasses anything she experienced in traditional business settings. The Cost of High Ambition: Reflecting on her "peak ambition" years, Tarzan discusses the mental fog that left a two-year gap in her memories of her children's early lives. Navigating the "Darkness" of Transition: The importance of "sitting in the dark" during periods of change rather than rushing to fix or produce, moving away from the colonial capitalist drive for constant output. Redefining Success Through Presence: How simple joys—like sitting on the floor by the fireplace with her children—have replaced the desire for luxury supports like nannies and house cleaners. Key Themes Creative evolution often requires a period of total stillness and non-production. Internalized capitalism often disguises itself as a resistance to rest. Accountability with a collaborative team can help maintain boundaries around your time and energy. Impact can be measured by the depth of trust in personal relationships as much as professional reach. Consent-based marketing focuses on honoring values and building genuine relationships over high-pressure tactics. Featured Book Artists in Times of War by Howard Zinn. Where to Find Tarzan Newsletter: Emails, but Better: https://tarzankay.com/newsletter Event: The GirlBoss Apology Tour replay will be available for free from April 24th-27th. Click here to get on the waitlist: https://myrootabl.com/r/m8u6HB96?rootabl=trudil Trudi's Reflection "There's something happening with the people I'm drawn to right now—they're all stepping away from something and finding their way back in new forms. Tarzan's story reminds me that the systems we build aren't just about efficiency. They're about creating the space to be human when life demands it." About the Host: This podcast is hosted by Trudi Lebrón — writer, entrepreneur, and CEO. A former teen mom turned award-winning author and equity-centered business strategist, Trudi has spent more than two decades designing transformational experiences that reshape how we live, lead, and build community. As the author of The Antiracist Business Book and founder of Transformation by Design, she works at the intersection of psychology, culture, and leadership to help individuals and organizations align their impact with their values. Trudi is also the co-founder of bougieferal.com, a lifestyle and learning brand reclaiming luxury, liberation, and wild creative power for women of color. To learn more about Trudi, get on her email list at trudilebron.com. Join the Conversation: Has this episode sparked something in you? Trudi invites you to: Leave a review and share how this conversation resonated with you Share this podcast with a leader, coach, or creator who is Ambitious and Exhausted. Let's Connect: 🌐 trudilebron.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trudilebron/ Working Hypothesis: https://trudilebron.com/ Credits: Intro and outro music: "Come Give Me Love" by King Sis (Epidemic Sound) A Crackers In Soup production.

In this episode of Trudi Lebrón is Ambitious and Exhausted, Trudi sits down with Adrienne Dorison—co-founder of Run Like Clockwork and now founder of Level 11 Leaders—who's emerging from her own period of quiet transformation. Together, they explore what happens when the systems you build actually work, when life forces you to step back, and how ambition and exhaustion dance together in the lives of high-achieving women. After years of building a business designed to run without her, Adrienne found herself needing exactly that: space to navigate a divorce, raise young children, and reconnect with the parts of her work that still lit her up. What emerged was a new company, a new podcast, and a clearer understanding of what she actually wants to create. When Trudi noticed Adrienne re-emerging online with fresh energy and new clarity, she knew this was a conversation worth having. You'll Discover Systems Create Space for the Unexpected: Adreanne's investment in building a business that could run without her gave her the breathing room to weather personal upheaval—a divorce, young children, and a creative reckoning—without everything falling apart. Ambition and Exhaustion May Be Inextricably Linked: Both Trudi and Adrienne grapple with the reality that the drive to do more never quite turns off. The question isn't how to eliminate it, but how to create enough white space to hold it without burning out. Restraint Is a Leadership Skill: Letting your team make mistakes, shutting your mouth when you want to speak, and stepping back so others can step up isn't weakness—it's what allows a business (and a leader) to grow beyond one person's capacity. Key Themes Creative suffocation can signal it's time for evolution, not abandonment. The "shoulds" can be released; the "wants" are harder to quiet. White space on your calendar isn't laziness—it's where better ideas live. Parking lot your ideas: tend to them like a garden, not a to-do list. Your self-care cocktail is yours to discover. There's no universal formula. Featured Voice Adrienne Dorison, operations strategist, leadership coach, and founder of Level 11 Leaders. Her work centers on creating workplaces that don't suck—helping accidental leaders become intentional ones through better systems and stronger people skills. Where to Find Adrienne Podcast: Sort of Bossy (available on Apple, Spotify, and sortofbossy.com) Website: Level11Leaders.com Trudi's Reflection "There's something happening with the people I'm drawn to right now—they're all stepping away from something and finding their way back in new forms. Adrianne's story reminds me that the systems we build aren't just about efficiency. They're about creating the space to be human when life demands it." About the Host: This podcast is hosted by Trudi Lebrón — writer, entrepreneur, and CEO. A former teen mom turned award-winning author and equity-centered business strategist, Trudi has spent more than two decades designing transformational experiences that reshape how we live, lead, and build community. As the author of The Antiracist Business Book and founder of Transformation by Design, she works at the intersection of psychology, culture, and leadership to help individuals and organizations align their impact with their values. Trudi is also the co-founder of bougieferal.com, a lifestyle and learning brand reclaiming luxury, liberation, and wild creative power for women of color. To learn more about Trudi, get on her email list at trudilebron.com. Join the Conversation: Has this episode sparked something in you? Trudi invites you to: Leave a review and share how this conversation resonated with you Share this podcast with a leader, coach, or creator who is Ambitious and Exhausted. Let's Connect: 🌐 trudilebron.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trudilebron/ Working Hypothesis: https://trudilebron.com/ Credits: Intro and outro music: "Come Give Me Love" by King Sis (Epidemic Sound) A Crackers In Soup production.

In this first episode of Trudi Lebrón is Ambitious and Exhausted, Trudi sits down with her longtime collaborator and friend, Jacqueline Paumier—a creative strategist and culinary curator who's in the thick of her own radical life pivot. Together, they dive deep into exhaustion, authenticity, ambition, and what it really takes to burn down what no longer fits so you can start again from a place of truth. After years of showing up, performing, and producing nonstop, Trudi hit a wall in 2022—a full stop that forced her to release projects, team members, and even her PhD program. What came out of that pause was a reimagined life and creative practice, including the vision for Bougie Feral and, eventually, this show. So when she stumbled across one of Jacque's photos online—radiant and electric—Trudi knew this conversation was the perfect way to begin. You'll Discover Authenticity Requires Letting Things Die: Both Trudi and Jacque show that living authentically isn't about adding more—it's about surrender. To build a life aligned with who you are now, you often have to end what no longer fits, even if it once worked or looked successful. Burnout Can Be an Invitation, Not a Failure: When both women hit their limits—professionally, emotionally, creatively—it wasn't the end of their ambition but the beginning of a truer version of it. Exhaustion can signal it's time for reinvention, not retreat. Returning to What You Love is a Revolutionary Act: Jacque's return to food and Trudi's creative reawakening show the power of circling back to what always lit you up. Revisiting old passions with new wisdom isn't regression—it's reclamation. Key Themes Self-abandonment is exhausting. We can't fake our way into peace. Transformation can be brutal—but it's holy work. The middle of the story matters just as much as the next chapter. Community makes courage possible. Find your people—the ones also daring to become. Featured Voice Jacqueline Paumier, creative curator, writer, and founder of Bridges Supper Club, Jacquita's Kitchen, and The Stained Page. Her work centers nostalgia, artistry, and connection through food experiences that bridge identity, place, and memory. Where to Find Jacqueline Website: Jacquelinepaumier.com Substack: The Stained Page Upcoming: Jacquita's Kitchen Pop-Ups (April 2026) | Bridges Supper Club (May 2026) Trudi's Reflection "This podcast is born from that space between burnout and rebirth—the space where ambition meets exhaustion and something new asks to be created. If you're in that place too, you're not alone. We're figuring it out together, right here, in the middle of our stories." About the Host: This podcast is hosted by Trudi Lebrón — writer, entrepreneur, and CEO. A former teen mom turned award-winning author and equity-centered business strategist, Trudi has spent more than two decades designing transformational experiences that reshape how we live, lead, and build community. As the author of The Antiracist Business Book and founder of Transformation by Design, she works at the intersection of psychology, culture, and leadership to help individuals and organizations align their impact with their values. Trudi is also the co-founder of bougieferal.com, a lifestyle and learning brand reclaiming luxury, liberation, and wild creative power for women of color. To learn more about Trudi, get on her email list at trudilebron.com. Join the Conversation: Has this episode sparked something in you? Trudi invites you to: Leave a review and share how this conversation resonated with you Share this podcast with a leader, coach, or creator who is Ambitious and Exhausted. Let's Connect: 🌐 trudilebron.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trudilebron/ Working Hypothesis: https://trudilebron.com/ Credits: Intro and outro music: "Come Give Me Love" by King Sis (Epidemic Sound) A Crackers In Soup production.

You've done all the things. Built the career, got the degrees, worked the hours, took care of everybody. And you're still tired. Still searching. Still wondering if there's something more than this endless cycle of hustle and burnout. I get it… I've lived it. Teen mom, high school dropout, built a multi-seven-figure consulting practice that burned me all the way out. Now I'm in perimenopause, watching capable, brilliant people all around me try to outrun exhaustion with discipline and make excuses for unsustainable pace in the name of purpose. This podcast is for the ones holding contradiction: ambitious and exhausted. Dreaming big and craving rest. Still creative, still curious, still wanting art and travel and pleasure that doesn't need to justify itself as productivity. We're talking about ambition that wants to create, not just achieve. Exhaustion that isn't failure—it's information. Ease as strategy. Becoming harder to reach as a way to have better relationships. Joy in the face of pain. Some episodes are reflective, some are conversations focused on skills you can apply, and some are just me and my friends thinking out loud about leadership, life, creativity, work, bodies, systems, and what it actually means to be fully human. If you've been hustling on behalf of your purpose, and you're feeling the toll it's taken on you, this show is for you. About the Host: This podcast is hosted by Trudi Lebrón — writer, entrepreneur, and CEO. A former teen mom turned award-winning author and equity-centered business strategist, Trudi has spent more than two decades designing transformational experiences that reshape how we live, lead, and build community. As the author of The Antiracist Business Book and founder of Transformation by Design, she works at the intersection of psychology, culture, and leadership to help individuals and organizations align their impact with their values. Trudi is also the co-founder of bougieferal.com, a lifestyle and learning brand reclaiming luxury, liberation, and wild creative power for women of color. To learn more about Trudi, get on her email list at trudilebron.com. Join the Conversation: Has this episode sparked something in you? Trudi invites you to: Leave a review and share how this conversation resonated with you Share this podcast with a leader, coach, or creator who is Ambitious and Exhausted. Let's Connect: 🌐 trudilebron.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trudilebron/ Working Hypothesis: https://trudilebron.com/ Credits: Intro and outro music: "Come Give Me Love" by King Sis (Epidemic Sound) A Crackers In Soup production.