Beyond the Bestseller

What if the hardest years of your life weren’t wasted, but instead the foundation for your strength, resilience, and purpose?

In today’s episode of Beyond the Bestseller, I sat down with Christine Sadry, author of 13 Years Lost: An Unbelievable Story of Fleeing Communist Poland and Traveling the World Serving the United Nations. Her story is nothing short of remarkable—one that begins with unimaginable loss and abandonment, but unf...

What if your imperfections were actually your superpower? In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, Ally Dalsimer shares the story behind her book It’s Okay Not to Be Fabulous Every Day that started as a gift for her children and evolved into a message for the world.

Ally opens up about the loss, healing, and self-discovery that shaped her journey and how writing the book helped her embrace a new chapter as an author and speaker. I...

What if staying in a job or relationship is costing you more than leaving ever would? In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, I sit down with Kristen Chimack, author of The Cost of Staying: Find Your Courage, Choose Yourself, and Discover What Awaits in Life and Career. Kristen shares her powerful story of leaving a 30-year corporate career to pursue a life that aligned with her values and happiness.

We talk about the whispers of...

What if manifesting your dream life wasn’t about wishful thinking, but about applying real, practical tools every day? In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, I sit down with Victoria Gallagher, hypnotherapist and author of Practical Law of Attraction, to talk about how we can all become intentional creators of our lives—with structure, clarity, and belief.

Victoria shares how she moved from spontaneous manifesting to building a ...

What if the problem isn’t that you don’t know what to do—it’s that you’ve been trying to do it all, all at once? In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, Kelly talks with Esther Avant, author of To Your Health, about the mindset shifts, habit-building tools, and compassionate approach that help busy women finally make health a priority.

With nearly 20 years of experience coaching women through weight loss, nutrition, and wellness,...

Have you ever felt the sting of a friendship that faded or blew up entirely and wondered what really happened? In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, Kelly sits down with Susan Shapiro Barash, author of Estranged, to talk about the complexities of female friendship. With more than 200 interviews and decades of research, Susan explores why women hold friendships so dear, why some fall apart, and how to know when it’s time to mend...

Can you really build a thriving business as an artist, without going viral on Instagram or dancing on TikTok? Miriam Schulman says yes, and in this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, she shares exactly how. As the author of Artpreneur and host of The Inspiration Place podcast, Miriam helps artists step into their role as business owners with mindset shifts, pricing strategies, and marketing tools that actually work. Whether you’re ...

What happens when the person you love begins to slip away and you still have something to say? In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, Kelly interviews Dawn Wirtz, author of Memories Matter, about her deeply personal journey as a long-distance caregiver for her mother with Alzheimer’s. Dawn shares how the emotional weight of caregiving led her to write a book not just to process her experience, but to support others walking a sim...

What if the elephant in the room is actually a mirror of what’s going on inside of you? In this episode, Kelly talks with author, speaker, and coach Joyce Kyles about her book What Color Is Your Elephant and the deeper conversations it inspires. Joyce shares how elephants both external and internal, can hold us back when we don’t name them, and how self-awareness, empathy, and communication are the keys to transformation. We dive ...

What if your second act could be the most fulfilling chapter of your life? In this episode, Kelly sits down with Shannon Russell, author of Start Your Second Act, to talk about leaving behind a successful career in television to embrace entrepreneurship, coaching, and authorship. Shannon shares how midlife reinvention is not only possible, but powerful—and how women can find purpose by leveraging the skills and experience they alre...

What if the hardest chapter of your life could become the foundation of your next chapter? In this inspiring episode, Kelly talks with Shelby Jo Long, author of I See Your Genius, about how a traumatic accident in high school shaped her journey and ultimately led her to help others discover their unique brilliance. Shelby shares how she transitioned from college professor to multi-business entrepreneur, using her personal story as ...

What if the labels you carry are holding you back from the life you actually want? In this episode, Kelly sits down with Betsy Pepine, author of Breaking Boxes, to explore the invisible walls we build around ourselves. Betsy shares how societal roles, family expectations, and our own limiting beliefs create metaphorical boxes and what it takes to break free and live with authenticity and purpose.

We dive into: • How family, caree...

Ever wondered if you could ditch the 9–5 and build a business on your own terms? In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, I sit down with Liz Steblay, author of Succeeding as a Solopreneur: Six Keys to Taking the Leap, Winning Clients, and Building Wealth, to talk about what it really takes to run a thriving business without a traditional team—or a boss.

After being laid off in 2004, Liz launched her first consulting business and ...

What if the problem isn’t your willpower, but the culture that profits from making you feel broken? In this empowering episode, Kelly talks with registered dietitian and therapist Julie Duffy Dillon, author of Find Your Food Voice, about why diets fail and how to heal your relationship with food. Julie shares the science behind diet culture’s long-term harm, why restrictive eating backfires, and how we can reclaim body trust and pe...

What if everything you believed about success, body image, and being “the perfect woman” was actually holding you back? In this powerful episode, Kelly Schuknecht sits down with Tara Whitney, author of Truly Seen, to unpack the deeply ingrained cultural expectations women face—and how to break free. From boardrooms to bake sales, Tara shares how the pursuit of thinness and perfectionism impacts our careers, parenting, and personal ...

What if you could step into authorship, expand your visibility, and join a global movement one chapter at a time? Cathy Derksen is doing just that. As the curator of Grit and Tenacity and 17 other anthologies, she’s helping women around the world share their stories of growth, reinvention, and leadership.

In this episode, Cathy shares how she transitioned from a traditional career to creating her own publishing model that elevates ...

Dealing with tax debt can feel overwhelming, stressful, and even impossible—but what if there’s always a solution? In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, I sit down with Morgan Q. Anderson, author of Tax Debt Rule #1: There’s Always a Solution, to break down the common myths around tax debt and explain why there is always a way forward.

Morgan shares her 25+ years of experience helping people navigate tax issues, from unexpected...

What if your marriage could be saved—or your heartache avoided—just by asking the right questions before walking down the aisle? In this eye-opening conversation, Charisse Walker, author of Flipping the Iceberg, shares how her own marriage and divorce inspired a powerful guide to healing, self-reflection, and deeper connection.

Charisse’s book helps readers identify the unresolved issues that might be hiding beneath the surface in ...

What does it take to break free from a toxic relationship and rebuild your life? In this episode of Beyond the Bestseller, I sit down with Mia J. Hanks author of Bride Made, to talk about her 29-year marriage to a covert narcissist, the emotional toll it took, and how she finally found the strength to leave.

Mia shares her personal journey of recognizing the patterns of narcissistic abuse, navigating gaslighting, and reclaiming her...