Coach Mikki and Friends

You can feel it the moment Vanessa Raymond starts talking, she has lived more than one life. She begins as a musical theater performer from South Africa, travels the world, then hits the quiet question that comes after you reach a lifelong dream: now what? From that crossroads, she moves into fitness, wellness, and ultimately entrepreneurship, learning the hard parts most of us avoid: sales, marketing, and how to consistently grow a client base.

We get real about what it takes for a small business to actually scale. Vanessa shares why mentorship matters, how “launch and adjust” beats waiting for the perfect time, and what happens when you finally stop trying to do everything alone. She also pulls back the curtain on Achieve Systems, the global entrepreneur community she now co-runs with her husband, Robert Raymond, and the practical resources that help business owners at every level, from brand-new founders to leaders pushing past seven and eight figures.

You will hear specific growth tools like business plan templates, lead generation that feeds the top of your funnel, and systems for building revenue streams that boost visibility and credibility. We also dig into why in-person conferences still create the strongest trust in a digital and AI-driven era, plus the confidence work behind the strategy, finding your zone of genius, and standing in your power.

If you are building a business, dreaming about starting one, or craving a smarter way to grow, press play and take notes. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs momentum, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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 Thank you to our sponsor Complete Coverage Football - http://www.completecoveragefootball.com

Baloney cake sounds like a joke until you hear what the “icing” is. Mel joins me for a laugh-filled trip through the world of vintage recipes, retro desserts, and those classic mid-century food trends that leaned hard on gelatin molds, convenience ingredients, and pure confidence. We get into the unforgettable lineup: baloney cake layered like a real cake, hot dogs suspended in lemon-lime Jell-O, and a tuna mousse that dares you to look at mayonnaise the same way again. 


Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves weird food history, and leave a review if you want more conversations like this. Then tell us in the comments: what food do you miss from growing up, or what’s the grossest recipe you’ve actually eaten?

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 Thank you to our sponsor Complete Coverage Football - http://www.completecoveragefootball.com

 Thank you, Donna Grande with  GrandeConnections, for having me as your guest!! 

A seven-year-old falls in love with Giants football. Years later, she’s calling plays, building culture, and proving that coaching is a craft earned in the film room, on the practice field, and through a thousand quiet acts of leadership. Coach Mikki St. Germain joins us to share how she moved from team mom to Varsity Special Teams Coordinator and D-Line Coach.

We dig into the hard parts: being second-guessed, a sideline confrontation that crossed the line, and the moment she chose accountability over ego to protect her team’s standards. She breaks down why “winning and learning” beats “winning and losing,” how players absorb their coach’s mindset under pressure, and why belief, consistent, practiced, and visible, changes on and off the field. 

If you’re ready to trade doubt for reps, bias for standards, and noise for purpose, hit play, subscribe, and leave a review with the bold move you’ll take this week.

Connect with Donna 

Connect with Coach Mikki 

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 Thank you to our sponsor Complete Coverage Football - http://www.completecoveragefootball.com

Connect with Mel 

Connect with Coach Mikki

What if “unlucky” is just a story we inherited, and we’re free to rewrite it? We kick things off with Friday the 13th and follow the thread through Norse myths, the Last Supper, and the Knights Templar to see how fear gathers power over time. Then we flip the script with Galentine’s Day, turning a date with a bad reputation into a bright spot for friendship, humor, and everyday love that doesn’t wait for a calendar prompt.

From there, we lose it in laughter talking about  the rituals we learned as kids, honking through tunnels, lifting our feet over railroad tracks, counting cows until a cemetery reset, still echo in how we chase luck and ward off jitters. We share the nostalgia of vintage toys and board games (yes, Operation’s terrifying buzz and Monopoly debt at age 10), plus the handmade Barbie outfits that prove fashion really does come back around—hello again, shoulder pads. These memories aren’t just cute; they’re a map of how culture changes and how we choose what to keep.

We also open up about what we’re building now. Mel’s crafting seasonal word search books, sketching cozy mysteries, and launching a stock photo portfolio. Mickey’s fresh off a keynote on why comfort zones kill success and is racing to finish a new book before a small East Coast signing tour. Creativity becomes our counterspell to superstition: show up, make something, share it. That’s how we make our own luck.

If you’ve ever wondered why 13 feels spooky, whether numerology helps or hinders, or how a sitcom joke turned into a global celebration of women’s friendship, you’ll feel right at home here. Come for the folklore and stay for the heart, the laughs, and the reminder that joy lands best when it’s shared. If this conversation made you smile, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review, what superstition are you still carrying?

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 Thank you to our sponsor Complete Coverage Football - http://www.completecoveragefootball.com

What if joy isn’t a reward for getting life “right,” but your natural baseline? Coach Mikki sits down with Sensei Nancy, author, life sensei, and founder of The Dojo, to explore what happens when we stop trying to fix ourselves and start remembering who we really are. This isn’t a pep talk; it’s a grounded look at the mindset, language, and community that make lasting change feel possible.


The conversation turns deeply personal as Sensei Nancy reflects on her divorce and the identity free fall that comes when roles fall away. If you answer “Who are you?” with titles and tasks, this part will land. We talk about becoming someone who can look in the mirror with unflinching love, about declining invitations into unworthiness, and about picking rooms that expand you rather than compress you. Expect practical takeaways and an invitation to try a weekly cadence of reflection, language upgrades, and community support that keeps momentum alive.

If you’re ready to honor your gifts, raise your frequency, and find a circle where your joy is welcome, you’ll feel at home here. Explore Nancy’s books, YouTube topics, and how to join the Dojo. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s awakening, and leave a review telling us one word you’re retiring from your vocabulary. Your light belongs here.

Support the show

 Thank you to our sponsor Complete Coverage Football - http://www.completecoveragefootball.com