The Dreaming & Doing Podcast

Weekly inspiration from successful entrepreneurs &
health and wellness experts

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About the Podcast

Our dreams inspire, excite, and light us up, and Melissa Wesner, is here to help you tap into that excitement and turn it into reality. 

This podcast is for the big dreamers, action takers, and pursuers of a life well-lived! It’s for the people who want to dream big dreams and pursue them without sacrificing their well-being. While we might not be able to share our dreams with everyone (more on that later), this podcast is intended to be a place where you can seek inspiration and tap into your own big ideas!  It’s the place for people who want to dream AND do

As a licensed counselor, entrepreneur, and avid dreamer, Melissa Wesner understands the process of turning dreams into reality. She also understands how easy it is to put your own well-being on the back-burner.

She’s now convinced that the messages we’ve received about hard work and effort don’t always serve us. Instead, you’ll hear her talking about the connection between our self-care and well-being and our success and business strategy

You can expect weekly episodes and guest interviews with inspiring entrepreneurs who know more than a thing or two about pursuing big dreams.  You’ll also hear from health and wellness experts who will introduce us to the many ways that we can pursue wellness to benefit our personal and professional lives. 

If you’re a big dreamer who wants to take inspired action in your personal, professional, or business life, you’re in the right spot

Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner

S02 Ep07: Make Important Changes in Your Life by Understanding the Stages of Change with Christine Higgins

Have you ever felt defeated while trying to achieve your goals? Perhaps you've even determined that making a particular change just isn't in the books for you. Perhaps you've tried to get into an exercise routine, stop biting your nails, or reduce your alcohol intake, and you just haven't had any luck. Today, we've got good news for you! 

In this week's episode, Christine Higgins will be introducing you to the stages of behavior change. Understanding them can take out some of the shame that people feel when they fail to successfully make a change. It can also help us understand some of the steps we can take to increase the likelihood of success when we're trying to make a change.  

As we approach the end of the year, we hope you'll find this helpful if you're feeling eager to achieve the goals you've set for this year. If you're thinking ahead to the new year, this episode will be great for you too! 

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner

S02 Ep05: When You've Got Big Dreams in a Small Town with Laura Mickler

Have you ever found yourself in a place where your dreams are too big for others to handle? In this week's podcast episode, you'll meet Laura Mickler, a mindset coach and yoga studio owner, who talks about what it's been like to have big dreams in a small town. You'll also get to hear about unexpected changes in her career journey, taking her from a corporate financial career to opening her own yoga studio. 

In this episode, you'll get to hear Laura talk about:

  • embracing the mindset of "Why not?" 

  • what it means to manifest your dreams

  • the importance of visualizing and embodying your desired outcomes

  • balancing passion and work 

  • finding joy and setting boundaries

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner

S02 Ep04: Livin’ The Good Life with Joseph Heggins, LPC

In this episode, I speak with Joseph Heggins, LPC, a therapist in Houston, Texas, about what it means to live a good life.

We discuss how the concept of a good life changes over time and varies for different individuals, emphasizing the importance of health, family, and the ability to curate one's own life. We also explore the role of mental health in pursuing a good life.

Joseph shares his decision to continue working in a nine-to-five job instead of solely focusing on his private practice, highlighting the value of routine, predictability, and the ability to educate and support individuals in the mental health system.

Join us as we discuss what the "good life" means for us, and how you can visualize what the "good life" may mean for YOU!

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner

S02 Ep02: High Expectations vs. Perfectionism: Recognizing the Ambitious Identity Paradox with Dr. Anne Welsh

Have you ever found that perfectionism prevents you from getting started, or that you’re constantly striving and chasing after the next thing? 

Perhaps you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, or burned out, not sure which “thing” is the thing you should be pursuing. Or maybe you care too much about what other people think. 

If any of that sounds familiar, you won’t want to miss this episode where I’ll be talking with Dr. Anne Welsh who is a distinguished psychologist & executive coach with a profound affinity for supporting women in leadership, and aiding working parents across diverse career landscapes. 

In this episode, you’ll hear Dr. Welsh talk about: 

  • Common concerns that working people bring up in her coaching and therapy practices

  • The Ambitious Identity Paradox and how it impacts our careers and homes

  • Balancing high expectations with battling perfectionism

Let’s get started!

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Entrepreneurship Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship Melissa Wesner

S02 Ep01: Stop Overcomplicating the Pursuit of Your Dreams (And a Welcome Back!)

Have you ever told yourself that achieving your dreams would involve some grand feat? Perhaps you’ve made your dream out to be a gigantic mountain that requires conquering. If so, that doesn’t necessarily make us want to move forward with it, does it? 

If you’re the person who tends to tell yourself just how hard and complicated achieving your dreams is, then this episode is for you. 

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

  • Personal reflections on how Melissa has fallen into this same trap

  • The importance of catching yourself, so you can move forward with your dreams

You’ll also get a sneak peek of what’s to come in our next batch of episodes! Stay tuned! 

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep30: When You're (Impatiently) Waiting for Your Dreams to Come True!

Are you the person who wants to see results as soon as you put forth action? Have you found yourself becoming increasingly frustrated or impatient the closer that you get to achieving your big goals? If that’s you, this is the episode for you!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • Sage reminders about waiting as a real part of the process

  • Things I’m doing while I (impatiently) wait and continue to show up consistently

  • Summer updates & resources that you can utilize!

This is episode 30! Thank so much for joining us this year as we launched the Dreaming & Doing podcast! We look forward to catching up with you soon!

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S01 Ep29: Achieving Your Goals with Healthy Boundaries with Michaela Langley, LGPC

You might be wondering about the connection between setting boundaries and pursuing your dreams, but setting boundaries (with yourself or others) just might be one of the actions you need to take in order to successfully pursue your goals.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

  • The connection between boundaries and pursuing your dreams

  • Boundaries you might need to set with yourself or others

  • A way to re-think boundaries if you’re afraid that setting boundaries means “being mean.”

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep24: Crushing Big Goals with Small, Consistent Steps with Stephanie Skryzowski

When you’ve got big dreams, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the actions you need to take to get where you want to be. In this week’s episode, however, you’ll get to hear Stephanie Skryzowski, a visionary Chief Financial Officer, talk about the power of small, consistent actions to achieve your big goals.

In this episode, you’ll hear Stephanie talk about:

  • How habits and small steps can help you make significant strides towards your bigger goals

  • Books to get you thinking about your own habits

  • Habits Stephanie is implementing in her own personal and professional work

  • Small, consistent steps you can take to be on top of your financial numbers

If you’re ready to think about bite-sized steps you can take on a regular basis to crush those big dreams, this episode is for you!

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Entrepreneurship, Relationships Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Relationships Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep21: Why Networking is Out & Authentic Relationship Building is In with Jeff Borschowa

Networking is about relationship building, and despite our best efforts, relationship building is not always what happens after attending networking events. In this episode, you’ll get to listen in on my conversation with Jeff Borschowa whose entire business has been built around building authentic professional relationships. He’s also big on Tech and has some big ideas on AI and ways that it can be used….you guessed it….authentically!

In this episode, you’ll hear us talk about:

  • Reasons traditional networking doesn’t always work (despite our best efforts)

  • Building authentic professional relationships

  • Meetings Jeff is willing to get up at 2 AM for

  • Ways that relationship building for business has been done on the golf course (for years!)

  • Jeff’s thoughts on use of AI and authentic voice

If you’re looking for a new approach to professional relationship building, tune in to this episode.

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep20: When You’re Tired of Being a Public Success & a Private Mess with Dr. Paris Love

On the outside, it looks like you’ve got it together! The people in your professional world see that you’re poised, controlled, and successful! Behind closed doors, however, things are a little more messy! Sound familiar? If so, know that Dr. Paris Love, today’s guest, is here to the rescue! She is known as the Drill Sergeant of Productivity, and today she’ll be talking with us about the trends she sees with professional women, the 3 kinds of clutter that show up in our lives, and ways that we can clean it up!

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S01 Ep19: Having Access to Honest Spaces When People Only See the Tip of the Iceberg with Cody Robinson

We’ve all heard people talk about social media as a place where people share their “highlight reels,” and the same can be true of business. As an entrepreneur, people get to see your new projects, but they don’t always get to see what’s going on behind the scenes. After a real-world conversation with Cody Robinson, Founder of HOMEFIT, about appreciation for spaces where we can be honest and transparent, I knew I needed to invite him on the podcast to talk about this very topic.

In today’s episode you’ll hear us talk about:

  • The need for spaces where we can be honest and transparent

  • The realities of what others see vs. the behind-the-scene realities in entrepreneurship

  • Cody’s work in home fitness, reasons getting into a fitness routine can be so challenging, and why accountability matters

If you’ve ever fallen into the trap of glamourising someone else’s success without seeing what’s going on behind the scenes, this might be the episode for you!

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S01 Ep14: Traveling Light: Leaving Guilt Behind

Have you ever stopped yourself from pursuing an exciting opportunity because you thought that doing so would be selfish? Or, have you ever stopped yourself from pursuing your dream because you felt guilty for pursuing something that was for yourself, and doing so would take away time, energy, or resources from the other people in your life? If so, this episode is for you!

In this episode, you’ll hear Melissa talk about:

  • Ways that guilt that can show up as we pursue our goals

  • Ways that guilt can impact women in particular

  • Ways that we can distinguish between true, valid forms of guilt vs. unnecessary guilt

I’ll be keeping it real with you and sharing from my own personal experiences and my own experiences working with others! We’ve got important decisions to make about how we live this life, so I hope you’ll find this episode valuable! Let’s travel light and leave unnecessary guilt behind!

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep13: Learn to Signal, So You Can Survive and Thrive!

When we think about pursuing our dreams, the conversation can often be very personal and focus on the things that we need to do as individuals to make our dreams a reality. In this episode, however, we’ll be talking about how we can leverage community and let other people support us when we need it the most.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The importance of signaling

  • How you can signal in your personal, professional, or entrepreneurial life to get the support you need

  • To take risks for the sake of surviving and thriving

I love the concept of signaling, and I hope you’ll find it helpful too!

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep12: Stop Talking About It & Do It: The 5 Traps That Prevent Us From Moving Forward With Our Dreams

Have you ever found yourself talking about something you’d really like to do, only to find that you never actually take action on it? Whether we’re talking about wanting to achieve a new goal, pursue a big dream, or discontinue an unhealthy habit, we can probably all think about things that we want to do but haven’t taken action on!

In this week’s episode, you’ll hear 5 common traps that we can fall into that prevent us from moving forward with our dreams. Of course, you’ll also get to hear some real and relatable stories of how I’ve been there too! And, I’m excited to share about one of my big dreams, and how I’m living into it RIGHT NOW!! In this episode, I’ll be inviting you to join me too!

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Finances Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Finances Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep11: Profitable Passion: How Unpacking Money Baggage Can Lead to Entrepreneurial Success with Julie Herres

Money can be a taboo topic, and yet it’s something that’s necessary for us to look at in our personal and entrepreneurial lives. Today’s guest, Julie Herres, is the Founder of GreenOak Accounting, author of Profit First for Therapists, and host of the Therapy for your Money podcast. In the process of looking at entrepreneur’s money and helping them make financial decisions, Julie gets to witness entrepreneurs’ “money stuff” that comes up along the way.

In this episode, you’ll get to hear Julie talk about:

  • How money baggage can get in the way of your dreams

  • How tackling money baggage can support your dreams

  • Ways entrepreneurs can ground their dreams in a financial reality

  • Money and expansion

  • Investment & guilt!

And, don’t worry! Julie talks about her own lived experiences around entrepreneurship and money too!

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Travel Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Travel Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep10: When Your Dreams Are So Big They Scare You with Jake Sasseville

Ever have the impression that some people just pursue their big dreams with such ease? That’s one of the reasons I wanted to invite Jake Sasseville, a visionary and CEO at the Imiloa Institute on the show. At this very moment, Jake is taking the exciting new leap to expand the Imiloa Institute by opening up a 2nd campus which is no small feat! This episode is a reminder that dreams of all sizes can be both scary and exciting!

In this episode, you’ll hear us talk about:

  • A mindset Jake has adopted that helps him move forward in his life and business

  • How Jake handles hard days as a visionary and leader

  • Perception vs. reality–what it looks like when you peel back the curtain

I’ve seen Jake’s work live in action which is why I was so eager to talk with him on the show!

If you’re curious about the Imiloa Institute, you can join me there on a retreat for entrepreneurs and leaders this April 14-19, 2024!

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S01 Ep07: Turning Passion into Worldwide Travel Opportunities with International Retreat Host Patrick Casale

Some might say that Patrick Casale has created a dream job! Over the past few years, he’s become known for hosting off the beaten path retreats for therapist entrepreneurs that sell out within days! Patrick’s decision to host international retreats has allowed him to pursue his own passions while helping others’ travel dreams come true too! Even though Patrick’s retreats have been incredibly successful, he’s also completely up front about the challenges of doing this work as an AuDHD therapist and entrepreneur.

In this episode, you’ll get to hear:

  • What inspired Patrick to start hosting retreats.

  • How he came to embrace the motto “Doubt Yourself & Do It Anyway.”

  • How Patrick strives to lead with authenticity

  • The most transformational aspects of attending retreats.

If you’ve never attended a retreat before, we hope this episode will inspire you to give one a try.

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep06: When Burnout Unexpectedly Leads You to Pursue a New Dream with Gabrielle Juliano-Villani

Burnout has certainly been a hot topic over the past few years, and it’s a term that typically doesn’t have any positive associations with it. In this episode, however, you’ll hear Gabrielle Juliano-Villano, a licensed clinical social worker and entrepreneur share about her personal experiences with burnout while running her group therapy practice and how that experience led her to make impactful changes that led her to a whole new dream.

In this episode, you’ll hear Gabrielle talk about her personal experience with burnout as a group practice owner, how burnout led her to sell her group practice, how burnout led her to a new dream that allows for location independence and freedom to schedule her day according to her body’s own needs and preferences, and life after burnout and how she uses her experience with burnout to help other therapists and entrepreneurs too!

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep05: How to Strategize to Make Travel Dreams Come True with Jessica Tappana

Have you ever dreamed of traveling the world with your family? Jessica Tappana is doing just that! As a mom of 2 school-aged children and owner of 2 businesses, she faced all of the same barriers that anyone else in her shoes would face, but what makes Jessica’s experience unique is that she and her family decided to troubleshoot and find a solution to each of those barriers rather than letting them stop the pursuit of their dreams.

Jessica loves traveling so much that she has also found ways for her team to have amazing travel experiences while getting work done! If you are interested in traveling with your family or team, this episode is for you!!

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

  • The inspiration for the Tappana family’s 6 month world cruise.

  • Strategies Jessica and her family used to ensure that her partner and school-aged children could have this amazing experience on board a cruise ship for 6 months.

  • Ways Jessica approached 6 months of travel with her team (and her team’s response!)

  • Cruising with your team and navigating those logistics

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Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement, Education Melissa Wesner

S01 Ep04: How Mindset Matters When It Comes to Your Dreams with Keren Eldad

To pursue big dreams, we have to be aware of our mindset and how it plays a role in the outcomes we experience. In today’s episode, you’ll get to hear from elite Executive Coach, Keren Eldad, who is known for her mindset work with clients. In this lively episode, you’ll be inspired to take your dreaming one step further, so you can pursue your personal, professional, or business aspirations!

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