The Great Life Experiment Podcast

In this heartwarming episode, Monique reconnects with her college roommate and lifelong friend, Kelsey Murray, a former ad agency director with a deep background in marketing and digital strategy. After more than a decade climbing the corporate ladder, she made the bold decision to step away in pursuit of motherhood and a more intentional way of living.

Her career journey has included becoming a stay-at-home mom, launching a photog...

In this insightful episode, Monique expands on one of the key themes from Episode 15, Foundation Not Fumes, diving deeper into the nuanced and often misunderstood topic of overwhelm. More importantly, the critical difference between legitimate temporary overwhelm and lifestyle overwhelm. 

Drawing inspiration from Mel Robbins and her own lived experience as a parent and a business leader, Monique provides listeners clear, actionable...

In this episode, Monique Schafer sits down with Michele Ashby, a trailblazing executive, board director, and founder of ACE LLC. With over three decades of experience in finance and capital markets, and eight board seats under her belt, Michelle is on a mission to train 1,000 women to step into corporate boardrooms with confidence, clarity, and impact. 

Together, Monique and Michelle dive into the real path to board leadership — fr...

In this first fireside chat, Monique Schafer brings together three dynamic women - Crystal Harvey, Danielle Deanna, and herself - to explore the critical theme of building strong foundations in life. Though their paths and experiences differ, they share a common thread: the importance of intentionality, self-awareness, and purposeful growth across personal, professional, and family domains.

As mothers, entrepreneurs, and individual...

What happens when two driven, high-achieving people fall in love and try to do life — careers, kids, dreams — together? You get high-powered love, with all the magic and the mess that comes with it. 

In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant and deeply grounded Heather Clark, a licensed therapist and expert trained in trauma reprocessing and EDMR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). She works specifically with high...

Picture this: It’s late. The day’s been a lot, and we’re in post-bedtime haze when big thoughts come out. The ones when something from work is still swirling in your head, and you just need to say it out loud to someone who gets it.

That’s exactly where this episode begins. 

In this episode, you’ll hear a real-time conversation between me and my husband, Ben, as we talk through a super common leadership challenge — what to do when ...

There are moments in life when you’re doing all the “right” things — you’re showing up, you followed the plan, you played by the rules — and somehow, it’s still not working. It’s frustrating. It’s heartbreaking. And it can leave you questioning everything. 

In this episode, I’m opening up about those exact moments — the ones that test your patience, your plans, and your belief in what’s possible. We’ll also explore what it really t...

Let’s be real: AI is here, and it’s flipping the script on how we work, lead, and connect. But here’s the thing they don’t tell you — the most valuable thing in the age of AI is still YOU. Your humanness, your intuition, your vibe, and your ability to make meaning out of a mess. 

In this episode, I’m spilling the tea on the top 5 human skills that research says will actually matter as AI continues to evolve. These are not just fluf...

You know that moment when something feels “off” — you can’t quite name it, but you know you’re not where you’re meant to be? Maybe you’re over-functioning. Maybe you’re burned out. Or maybe life just feels muddy, and you’re ready to gain clarity, lit up, and be aligned again. 

Today, I’m joined by my mentor and one of the original voices in the coaching space, Cathy Hawk. Cathy is the founding director of Clarity International™ and...

Ever walked into a room, a new team, a class, or a board meeting and thought, “Should I say something? Or just listen and blend in? Yeah, me too.

In this episode of Ask Monique, I’m sharing the conversations I’ve had with real friends and clients who were navigating those few uncertain steps in new spaces. Whether you’re stepping into a new job, joining a leadership team, or just trying to figure out your role in a new community, t...

What if the thing that breaks you is also the thing that builds you? 

In this episode, I sit down with my jiu-jitsu training bestie, Chelsea Ottaviano, to talk about career pivots, job loss, and what really happens when your career path doesn’t go as planned. 

If you’ve ever felt blindsided by your career, sat in your Banana Republic slacks questioning your purpose, or wondered how to actually show up human in a world inching towar...

Hello everyone! Today, I’m so excited to bring you the very first episode of the “Ask Monique” series here on The Great Life Experiment Podcast — this is where I take your real questions—the messy, nuanced, “what do I even say or do right now?” kind of moments—and give you practical tools, honest language, and a little pep talk so you can show up with confidence in your work and life.

And we’re kicking this off with a big one: How ...

Let’s talk about something we all go through — change. Whether it’s a career shift, a relationship ending, a big move, or just stepping into a new season of life, change is inevitable. But here’s the thing: change is not just about the ending or the new beginning — it’s also about the “in-between”, where things feel uncertain, uncomfortable, and sometimes downright chaotic. 

In this episode, I break down what really happens when th...

Life’s a series of plot twists, right? One moment, you’ve got everything figured out, and then you’re wondering what’s next, who’s coming along for the ride, and how to even begin recalibrating. If you’ve ever felt the weight of big life transitions, shifting friendships, or just a need for a reset, this episode is for you!

In this episode, I sit down with my bestie, Sarah Norman, who is also the founder of 4610 Wealth Management, ...

If we were sitting across from each other right now, you might ask, “How did you get into tech?” And I probably would have laughed because the truth is — I never planned for any of this.

I didn’t dream of working in a billion-dollar company. I didn’t go to school for product management. I didn’t even know this career existed when I was younger. I’ve taken some wild pivots in my career — from dreaming of running an international non...

Let’s get real — how are you feeling right now? Are you running on caffeine and sheer willpower trying to keep up with work, relationships, family, and maybe—just maybe—your own sanity? Does life feel like a chaotic circus act where you’re juggling responsibilities, dodging curveballs, and hoping something does not crash—trust me, you are not alone. 

I call it the Season of Fullness — those moments when life is brimming with respon...

Getting groups of people to work together, especially on big, complex, high-stakes projects, is one of the hardest things in business. And guess what? AI isn’t going to solve this for us. We still have to figure out how to align different personalities, priorities, and working styles to make progress. 

In this episode, we’re diving exactly into that: why group projects get stuck, how to break through the gridlock, and what actually...

You know that moment when you’re starting something new, heart pounding, wondering, “Can I actually do this?” Yeah, we’ve been there — on the mat, in life, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

In this episode, I am joined by my Jiu-Jitsu bestie, Chelsea Ottaviano, to talk about what it’s really like to start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a woman. Just so we’re clear — we are not experts; we’re just two blue belts figuring it out as we go. But what w...

Welcome to The Great Life Experiment Podcast! I’m your host, Monique Schafer, and together, we’ll grapple with the messy and beautiful, and ever-changing world of business and life. 

There is no one right way to do life. That’s why we’re here — to test, try, and experiment. Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, building your own things, or just trying to make sense of all the change happening around you, this is the space w...