What does it look like when your life's path takes an unexpected turn? When your dreams of practice ownership transform into something entirely different - yet equally fulfilling? Dr. Amanda Alcamo joins us to share her powerful journey from sleeping in her car during the early days of helping build someone else's practice to becoming a thriving associate doctor who treats the business as her own.

In this raw, heartfelt conversation, Amanda opens up about overcoming severe health challenges that sparked her chiropractic journey, navigating identity struggles when her original plans shifted, and finding her true purpose beyond the title on the door. Nine years into her associateship at Restoration Chiropractic, she reveals how heart work transformed her relationship with success, leadership, and self-worth.

🔥 In This Episode:

• How a devastating spinal surgery and subsequent complications led Amanda to discover her chiropractic calling
• The vulnerable reality of sleeping in her car while helping build a practice from scratch
• Why letting go of "needing" to own a practice created space for deeper fulfillment
• The importance of early, honest conversations between associates and practice owners
• How inner work changes everything - from team leadership to patient care

Whether you're contemplating associateship, currently working as an associate, or a practice owner wanting to better understand your team, Amanda's story reminds us that sometimes our greatest purpose isn't found in the title or position we imagined for ourselves - but in showing up fully wherever we are.

Connect with Dr. Amanda: Instagram: @one_restoring_lives @restorationchiropractic

Connect with us: Instagram: @drsaranelsongray @dr.marisa.nicole10 @theheartworkpodcastt Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

What happens in those critical first 90 days when you bring a new doctor into your practice? In Part 2 of our associate series, Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa unpack the intentional onboarding process that transforms a new hire into a confident practitioner who truly embodies your practice's vision and values.

From day one celebrations to strategic shadowing periods, this episode reveals the exact framework that successful practice owners use to ensure both their patients and new associates feel supported, connected, and empowered. Whether you're hiring your first associate or looking to improve your current onboarding process, this conversation shows why rushing clinical responsibilities rarely creates the deep connection and confidence you're looking for.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The critical 30-60-90 day framework that builds confidence without overwhelming
• Why having associates shadow for 30 days creates stronger patient relationships and clinical skills
• How to incorporate celebration, team bonding, and regular check-ins from day one
• The importance of cross-training doctors on front desk operations and practice flow
• Practical systems for tracking patient interactions and case knowledge before hands-on adjusting

True onboarding isn't just about clinical training—it's about creating an experience where your new doctor feels valued, capable, and deeply connected to your mission. This episode offers the step-by-step blueprint to transform your hiring process into a relationship-building journey that benefits everyone: you, your new doctor, and every patient who walks through your door.

Stay tuned for Part 3 next week where we'll interview a current associate to get their perspective on what makes a successful associate experience!

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaragray @dr.marisa.nicole10 @theheartworkpodcast
• Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

What makes the difference between an associate who stays for years and one who leaves after months? Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa unpack the truth about building a thriving doc team that goes beyond transaction to transformation. Drawing from Dr. Sara's 8+ years of experience managing multiple associates and Dr. Marisa's current journey hiring her first part-time doc, this conversation reveals how the traditional "workhorse" model is failing both practices and practitioners.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The difference between hiring for clinical excellence vs. growth-focused associates
• How to create benefit packages that attract and retain incredible talent
• Why the "work-horse" mentality is destroying associate relationships
• How leading from abundance creates a culture associates want to stay in
• Real talk about contracts, PTO, maternity leave, and competitive compensation

When you prioritize finding people who align with your values, create benefits that honor their whole lives, and lead from a place of abundance rather than fear—you build a practice where everyone can grow together. The results go beyond just business metrics to creating a team that stays, thrives, and serves your community with heart.

Join us next week as we dive into the essential onboarding process that sets your associates up for success from day one.

Connect with us: Instagram @drsaragray@dr.marisa.nicole10@theheartworkpodcast Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

In this powerful episode, Dr. Marisa welcomes her father, Bud Bauman, to share his journey from entry-level programmer to corporate executive managing 500+ employees and overseeing $250 million projects.

Bud's career spanning Cigna, Dow Jones, News Corp, and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield provides a masterclass in authentic leadership and value-driven decision making. You'll hear how establishing clear personal values guided his most pivotal career decisions—even when they seemed counterintuitive to others.

✨ In This Episode:

• How to identify and leverage your unique strengths in any environment
• The career-defining moment of turning down a promotion to honor his commitments
• The five personal values that haven't changed since 1995
• Why "Be Here Now" became Bud's leadership philosophy after a touching moment with his daughter
• How to build teams that thrive by recognizing individual strengths

Key Takeaways:

On Personal Values: "Family is the most important thing to me. And so when I start thinking about what grounds me, the first thing I say is, what's the impact to my family?"

On Leadership: "The greatest mistake new leaders make is believing they have all the answers."

On Decision-Making: "Your fears have a front-row seat to your transformation. The most rewarding things I ever experienced were accomplishments where I took a total risk."

On True Presence: "Whatever aspect you're dealing with, you have to be there now. Heart, mind, soul, body."

This episode offers invaluable wisdom for entrepreneurs and corporate leaders alike on maintaining integrity while pursuing ambitious goals.

Connect with us: Instagram @drsaragray@dr.marisa.nicole10@theheartworkpodcast Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

That feeling when everything's going right... and you're secretly waiting for it all to fall apart? Dr. Sara opens up about her recent "life is beautiful" season and the surprising question her coach posed: "How long can you actually let yourself stay here?"

In this raw conversation, Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa dive into why we sometimes sabotage our happiest moments and how to break the cycle of only feeling "productive" when we're healing through hardship.

🔥 In This Episode:

• Why we subconsciously create problems when everything's flowing perfectly
• The trauma response of "waiting for the other shoe to drop" even in healthy relationships
• How stopping personal development work at the first breakthrough sets us up for failure
• Building your "emotional savings account" to handle life's inevitable challenges

"Life is life-ing" whether things are messy or magnificent - and your journey deserves both the healing AND the celebrating. This episode challenges the narrative that growth only happens through struggle, inviting you to embrace the beautiful, brilliant flow that's available on the other side of your inner work.

As Dr. Sara puts it: "I would so much rather ride life here and have it beautiful and brilliant and mysterious and adventurous and joyful all the freaking time."

Connect with us: Instagram: @drsaragray@dr.marisa.nicole10@theheartworkpodcast Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

Ever wished you could grab coffee with successful leaders who'd skip the sugar-coating and tell you the whole truth? This unfiltered Q&A delivers exactly that. Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa dive straight into your most vulnerable questions with zero pretense and all heart.

🔥 What You'll Experience:

• Leading through your worst days: The raw truth about showing up authentically without emotionally hijacking your team (hint: there's no perfect balance—just beautifully imperfect humanity)
• The loneliness paradox: Why the fear of being alone might actually be your greatest invitation to discover who you truly are
• The entrepreneur's eternal truth: Why managing humans will always be your biggest challenge (and greatest reward)
• People-pleasing rehab: The transformative exercise that reveals exactly where you're pouring out without getting filled back up
• The ultimate freedom: How building a business that bleeds your essence creates a "big, red, bloody, sparkly mess" that's perfectly yours

This episode strips away the polished veneer of leadership to reveal what's real—the cycles of giving too much, the fear of not being enough, and the revolutionary power of choosing yourself without guilt. Sara and Marisa share the exact tools they've used to break free from caretaking cycles and build businesses that honor their entire selves.

Drop your questions for our next Q&A in our DMs! The messier, the better.

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaragray @dr.marisa.nicole10 @theheartworkpodcast
• Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

What does it really take to rebuild after losing everything? Justin Freishtat, fund manager and entrepreneur, joins us to share his raw, unfiltered journey through one of the most traumatic periods of his life—when he lost $12.7 million, faced his brother's cancer diagnosis, and mourned his beloved dog all within months.

Justin pulls back the curtain on what it truly means to lead through crisis. Rather than sending investors a K1 for their losses and walking away, he made personal calls to 47 investors (including his own father) and fought through lawsuits that ultimately led to a $114 million judgment in their favor. His story isn't just about financial recovery—it's about maintaining your integrity when everything around you is crumbling.

In This Episode:

• The moment Justin realized $12.7 million was gone and how he broke the news to investors
• Why Justin's biggest fear wasn't the money, but letting down the people who trusted him
• How he rebuilt his identity when everything that defined him seemed to be "dying" simultaneously
• The surprising shift in his approach to goal-setting after experiencing catastrophic loss
• Why feeling "unworthy" might actually be a common trait among high-achievers

Justin reminds us that "the first is always the worst" when it comes to failure—each subsequent challenge becomes easier not because it hurts less, but because you've built the resilience to endure it. His perspective on success cuts through the noise: "Life's not nearly as serious as we think on a day-to-day basis... in 100 years, none of us are going to be here. Handle what's calling your name. Don't be scared to do uncomfortable things."

This episode is for you if you've ever faced a setback that felt impossible to overcome, if you're wrestling with imposter syndrome in rooms where you feel unworthy, or if you simply need permission to prioritize rest in your relentless pursuit of success. Break free from living in the future and start finding power in the present.

Connect with Justin on Instagram: @justinfreishtat

Stock ticker for his company on NYSE: HITC

Connect with us: Instagram: @drsaranelsongray @dr.marisa.nicole10 @theheartworkpodcast Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

#HeartworkPodcast #ResilienceJourney #EntrepreneurialGrowth #BusinessFailure #ComebackStory

When is it time to say goodbye to a team member? How do you honor both your business needs and the human in front of you? In this refreshingly honest conversation, Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa dive into the delicate dance of transitioning team members out of your business—a topic that's rarely discussed but critically important for sustainable growth.

With the vulnerability that only comes from lived experience (and collectively hiring over 40 people between them!), these two heart-centered leaders get real about navigating team transitions with integrity.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The subtle early warning signs that someone may no longer be aligned with your mission
• How to distinguish between a temporary challenge and a fundamental misalignment
• The trap of "mothering" team members instead of leading them
• Why extending grace without boundaries can damage your entire culture
• Practical steps to create clear accountability when you're giving someone a final chance to align

"If I hire someone and they leave a better human being than when they first started, I've done my job," shares Dr. Sara in this episode that proves true leadership means having both the courage to maintain standards and the wisdom to recognize when it's time for someone's journey to continue elsewhere.

Whether you're currently navigating a difficult team transition or simply want to strengthen your leadership muscles before you need them, this episode peels back the layers on what it truly means to lead with heart. It offers both the practical framework and the permission you need to lead with integrity—even when that means making the difficult decision to part ways. Because sometimes the most loving thing you can do is recognize when it's time to let go.

Connect with us: Instagram: @drsaranelsongray@dr.marisa.nicole10@theheartworkpodcast Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

#HeartworkPodcast #BusinessGrowth #AuthenticLeadership