Catch Her Spark

What happens when the dream you planned for yourself changes completely?
In this inspiring conversation, Jen Maldonado sits down with entrepreneur, investor, nonprofit founder, and community leader Tolu Akindunni to discuss the unexpected twists that shaped her journey from aspiring doctor to global entrepreneur. Tolu shares how embracing change, collecting experiences, and staying connected to a clear vision helped her build businesses across continents while creating meaningful impact in the communities she serves.
Throughout the episode, Tolu offers powerful insights for women navigating entrepreneurship, leadership, family, and personal growth. She opens up about the challenges of moving to the United States during COVID, rebuilding her identity after marriage and motherhood, and learning that success is about more than titles and achievements.
One of the most powerful moments of the conversation comes when Tolu shares her belief that sacrifice should never be permanent. Women often spend years pouring into everyone else, but Tolu explains why sacrifice needs a timeline and why there must be a season for reaping the rewards of your hard work.
The discussion also explores leadership, legacy, investing, wealth-building, community support, and how women can create opportunities by collaborating rather than competing.
 
Be a Guest Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...
 

What happens when someone spends their life shaping stories behind the scenes—and discovers that storytelling is still one of the most human things we do in an AI world?
In this episode, Jen sits down with editor and post-production leader Gigi Welch to explore the art of storytelling through film, commercials, and documentaries. Gigi shares her journey from advertising agencies to becoming an editor, the moment she realized editing was her true passion, and why giving herself permission to pursue it changed everything.
They talk about the emotional side of editing, why the smallest gestures can transform a story, and how editors help audiences feel moments more deeply. Gigi also reflects on her career highlights, including award-winning work, editing internationally in London, and her recent documentary Revolution’s Daughter.
The conversation also dives into the future of creativity and AI. While AI is changing workflows, Gigi believes human stories still matter most because emotion, experience, and soul cannot be automated.
 
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Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...

What happens when the version of yourself that helped you succeed is the same version keeping you from the life you truly want?
In this episode of Catch Her Spark, Jen Maldonado sits down with holistic psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Ssemanda for a powerful conversation about identity, self-awareness, growth, and the beliefs we carry through life. Dr. Elizabeth shares how her work goes beyond treating symptoms and focuses on understanding the root causes behind anxiety, depression, stress, and emotional patterns.
Together they explore the identities women adopt to survive, the pressure of balancing family, career, and personal growth, and why self-care is not selfish—it is family care. Dr. Elizabeth also shares her evolving definition of success and why time freedom matters more than traditional achievements.
 
Be a Guest Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...

In this powerful episode of the Catch her Spark Podcast with Jen Maldonado, holistic therapist Cyndi Collen shares a deeply honest conversation about emotional healing, hidden trauma, and the signals our bodies send when something inside us needs attention.
Cyndi explains how many people carry unresolved emotional wounds without even realizing it. From anxiety and burnout to physical tension and emotional shutdown, she shares how the body often stores experiences until we feel safe enough to process them. Rather than seeing people as “broken,” Cyndi approaches healing with compassion, mindfulness, and understanding.
During the conversation, she opens up about surviving the events of September 11th, the health challenges that followed, and how that experience changed the direction of her life and work. She also discusses why community, emotional safety, and holistic wellness practices are essential parts of true healing.
This episode is especially meaningful for high-performing women, leaders, and entrepreneurs who may look successful on the outside while silently carrying stress, pressure, or emotional exhaustion.
 
 
Be a Guest Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...

What happens when you leave behind a successful career, move to a new state during COVID, and decide to start over from scratch? In this episode of the Catch her Spark Podcast, Jen Maldonado sits down with Adriana Salazar Boyer to talk about reinvention, courage, and building a business rooted in people, trust, and purpose.
Adriana shares how she transitioned from corporate life and business ownership into co-owning a painting company in Texas with her husband. What started as helping Spanish-speaking painting crews communicate with homeowners became a completely new chapter in her life and career.
Throughout the conversation, Adriana explains how colors impact emotions, mental health, and even relationships inside the home. She also shares how listening deeply to clients and creating a personalized experience has helped her stand out in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
 
Be a Guest Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...

In this episode, Jen sits down with Melanie Letot Allison, founder of Girl Flock Party, a thriving women’s community built on creativity, connection, and collaboration. What started as a small dinner gathering has grown into a powerful network where women support each other, build relationships, and create meaningful opportunities together.
Melanie shares how she turned her own need for support as an artist into a space where women feel seen, welcomed, and empowered. From hosting intimate gatherings to leading large-scale events and scholarship initiatives, she reveals what it truly takes to build a community that people don’t just join—but feel part of.
This conversation dives deep into the power of connection over competition, why traditional networking often falls flat, and how creating the right environment can unlock growth in ways you never expected.
 
✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
Why connection is the foundation for real opportunities
What most people get wrong about networking
How to create spaces where people feel they truly belong
The role of leadership in shaping community culture
Why putting in the work matters more than being in the “right room”
How side hustles and creativity can evolve into full-time success
The importance of honesty, communication, and self-awareness among women
 
Be a Guest
Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...

What if your space looks beautiful… but still doesn’t feel right?
In this episode, Jen Maldonado sits down with interior designer Maya Moghadam to unpack the difference between design that simply looks good and design that truly works for your life. With over 20 years of experience across residential, commercial, and international projects, Maya shares how real design goes far beyond aesthetics.
This conversation explores how intentional design can shape how you feel, function, and live every single day. Maya explains why understanding a client’s lifestyle is the foundation of every successful space—and why skipping that step often leads to costly mistakes.
You’ll also hear the truth behind common misconceptions about interior design, including why it’s not just a luxury service and how working with a trained designer can actually save money in the long run. From mismatched spaces to “copy-paste” homes, Maya breaks down what goes wrong and how to fix it.
Jen and Maya also dive into the psychology of design, decision-making with clients, and how great designers balance creativity with education. Plus, Maya shares insights from working across cultures, what luxury really means today, and how she’s built a referral-only business rooted in client experience.
 
Be a Guest
Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...

Some of the most dangerous health conditions are the ones you don’t feel—until it’s too late. In this episode, Dr. Shawna Nesbitt shares why high blood pressure is often called a “silent” condition and how it can quietly impact your long-term health, decision-making, and quality of life.
Dr. Nesbitt, a physician, researcher, and leader in hypertension, breaks down why this condition is more than just a number—it’s a full-body issue that affects your blood vessels, brain, heart, and future.
This conversation goes beyond medicine. It’s about how we live, how we manage stress, and how we define impact and legacy.
What You’ll Learn:
Why high blood pressure often goes unnoticed—and why that’s dangerous
How hypertension affects your brain, heart, and long-term quality of life
The connection between stress, overstimulation, and your health
Why diet should focus on function, not appearance
The truth about “quick fix” health trends and why they fail
How to think about your health 20 years from now—not just today
The role of mentorship, leadership, and legacy in a meaningful life
Why you don’t have to “do it all”—just not all at once
Be a Guest
Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...

In this inspiring conversation, Jen Maldonado sits down with Katey Blaire, founder of She’s Thrifty Like That, a luxury resale business helping people turn overlooked closet items into valuable assets.
Katey shares her journey from working a stable corporate job in Portland to making a bold move to Dallas in just three months—with no job lined up and no safety net. What followed was a mix of uncertainty, resilience, and determination that led her to build a business rooted in sustainability, fashion, and value.
She opens up about how her passion for thrifting turned into a full-time business, how trends constantly shift in the resale world, and why success looks very different to her now than it did in corporate life.
This episode also dives into deeper conversations around financial independence, the emotional connection women have with money, and why betting on yourself—even when it’s scary—can be the most rewarding decision you make.
 
 
🔑 Key Takeaways
Why taking a risk on yourself can change everything
How to turn passion into a profitable business
The truth about trends in the fashion resale market
Why resilience is essential in entrepreneurship
How Katey redefined success after leaving corporate life
The importance of sustainable fashion and mindful shopping
Be a Guest
Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...

Burnout isn’t just in your head—and trying to “think positive” might not fix it.
In this powerful conversation, Delia McCabe shares a completely different way to understand stress and burnout. Instead of focusing only on mindset, she explains what’s really happening inside your brain and body when you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and stuck.
Delia takes us into the science of neuroplasticity and reveals how chronic stress changes the way your brain works. From late-night overthinking to falling back into old habits, there’s a biological reason behind it—and it’s not a lack of discipline.
You’ll learn why stress drains your brain of the nutrients it needs to function, how this impacts your creativity, sleep, and energy, and why real change starts with replenishing your body first.
This episode will shift how you think about burnout—and give you a new, practical way to start feeling like yourself again.
✨ In This Episode, We Cover:
What neuroplasticity really is and how your brain changes daily
The “dark side” of stress and how it rewires your thinking
Why women may experience stress and burnout differently
How chronic stress impacts creativity, sleep, and decision-making
The hidden link between nutrition and mental health
Why mindset alone isn’t enough to create lasting change
The 3-step approach: Replenish, Reframe, Recalibrate
 
Be a Guest
Are you a successful business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at https://catchherspark.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you...