Send us a text

In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams sits down with Jennica Norris, ADHD entrepreneur, systems strategist, and CEO of Strategic Sound Consulting, for a powerful conversation about what it really means to pause when your brain works differently.

Jennica shares how navigating neurodivergence reshaped not only her career path but also the way she approaches energy, focus, and leadership. Instead of forcing herself into rigid productivity systems that never fit, she built a structure that supports how her mind actually works and now teaches others to do the same.

This episode dives into the truth many high performers quietly face:

Your success is not determined by how many minutes you manage, but by how well you understand and support your mind.

🎙 In this conversation, you’ll learn:
• Why traditional productivity systems fail neurodivergent leaders
• How to spot when your energy, not your schedule, is telling you to pause
• The difference between bandwidth and capacity
• How small, intentional pauses prevent burnout and expand your effectiveness
• Practical ways to build systems that support your brain, not drain it.

Whether you’re neurodivergent, managing a neurodiverse team, or simply tired of productivity advice that doesn’t work in real life, this conversation will help you approach your work with more clarity, compassion, and sustainable energy.

Send us a text

In this episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams sits down with Sophie Devonshire, CEO of The Marketing Society and bestselling author of Superfast: Lead at Speed, to talk about why strategic pauses are the fastest way to better decisions, clearer direction, and more sustainable momentum.

Sophie shares her “squiggly career” from P&G and Coca-Cola to founding and selling an e-commerce company, moving overseas, and writing Superfast.

You’ll hear how she builds micro-pauses into projects (pre-mortem, midpoint check, fast feedback), uses the “soak period” when navigating a transition, and why community and coffee chats are non-negotiable when you land somewhere new.

You’ll learn:

• How to slow down to speed up (and avoid headless-chicken mode)
• A simple cadence for year / mid-year / monthly reflection that actually sticks
• The “100 coffees” playbook to build a real network (friends, not just contacts)
• How to frame a break as a “strategic pause” so ambitious teams buy in

Send us a text

What happens when your career no longer aligns with your values?

In this episode, Ellen Williams speaks with Stephanie Vaughan, about pressing pause to realign your life, family, and purpose.

From walking away from corporate success to finding fulfillment through intention and emotional awareness, Stephanie shares how listening to your emotions can lead you to the right next step, both in business and at home.

They discuss:

• The moment Stephanie realized her career no longer aligned with her values
• How she turned a leap of faith into a 20-year coaching legacy
• What it really means to balance family, purpose, and ambition
• Why “listening to your emotions” is one of the most powerful leadership tools

If you’ve ever felt torn between career and family, or struggled to slow down long enough to hear what your next chapter might be, this episode will speak directly to you.

To learn more about Ellen, please visit: https://thesalientstrategist.com/

Send us a text

In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Barbara Lange, Principal and CEO of Kibo 121, about the courage and strategy behind leaving a secure executive role to start a purpose-driven consultancy. Barbara shares how leading an organization through the pandemic sparked her decision to step away after more than a decade, embrace uncertainty, and launch a business dedicated to sustainability in the media technology sector. She offers insight into managing risk, overcoming the fear of losing stability, and using networking and continuous learning to stand out in an emerging space. This conversation is a must-listen for leaders and entrepreneurs ready to pivot their careers and align their work with their values.

To learn more about Barbara, please visit https://www.kibo121.io/

To learn more about Ellen, please visit https://thesalientstrategist.com/

Send us a text

In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, speaks with Laura Lampa, owner and CEO of LML StoryLab Consulting. Laura shares her incredible journey from a career in science to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Laura reveals how a layoff became her pivotal "press pause" moment, forcing her to trust herself, embrace uncertainty, and launch her own business.

This conversation is for anyone who has considered leaving a secure career to build something on their own terms.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How a layoff can be a catalyst for a life-changing career pivot.
• The courage it takes to leave the safety of a secure job for entrepreneurship.
• Why stress feels different when it's tied to passion and purpose.
• The importance of listening to your inner voices of doubt, as they often point to your true passions.
• The pleasure of working for clients who believe in you and your vision.

More from Laura Lampa:

• Website: https://lmlstorylab.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauralampa/

More from Ellen Williams:

• Website: https://thesalientstrategist.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenwilliamsny/
• Contact: ellen@thesalientstrategist.com

Send us a text

How do you rise from security guard to managing director at Morgan Stanley?

Ed Clementi did just that and then made the bold choice to bet on himself by walking away from a C-Suite career to build his own company, Inspired Fire.

In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, dives into Ed’s story of resilience, self-belief, and the importance of finding alignment in your career.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How Ed rose from security guard to managing director.
• The crucial leadership lessons he learned from mentors who saw his potential and gave him room to grow.
• Why "betting on yourself" might be the most important career decision you ever make.
• How to recognize the signs that it’s time to "press pause" and realign your path.
• The simple yet powerful analogy of staying on the "wrong train" and how it applies to your career.

More from Ellen:

• Website: https://thesalientstrategist.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenwilliamsny/
• Contact: ellen@thesalientstrategist.com

More from Ed Clementi:

• Website: https://edclementi.com/
• Newsletter: https://edclementi.com/newsletter/

Send us a text

In this powerful episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Scott Ballard, CEO and owner of Confidence Coach LLC, about the life-altering experience of exiting a business and navigating the uncertain space that follows. After building a highly successful company from the ground up, Scott found himself with time, money, and no clear plan. What began as a pause after selling his company became a deeply reflective period of personal growth and spiritual searching. During this time, Scott immersed himself in volunteer work, traveling with young adults to underserved areas around the world, seeking clarity on what came next in his journey.

Scott recounts how a simple request from a peer in his former industry to offer leadership advice reignited his purpose. That single encounter led to the realization that his true gift lay in helping others identify and overcome limiting beliefs—something he understood intimately through a childhood marked by dyslexia and destructive labeling. A pivotal figure in his early life helped him reframe his identity, sparking a lifelong commitment to mindset transformation. These formative experiences shaped his passion for coaching CEOs and entrepreneurs who, despite their external success, often feel like impostors or disconnected from their true purpose.

The conversation closes with Scott urging leaders to consider the deeper purpose behind their pauses. He emphasizes that a pause isn’t just about rest, it’s a gateway to discovering how one’s future can align more fully with their core identity and long-term legacy. His story is a powerful reminder that mindset is not only foundational to success but essential to fulfillment, and that the most significant growth often comes from intentional stillness.

For more information about Scott, visit https://www.confidencecoach.org/

For more information about Ellen, visit https://thesalientstrategist.com/

Send us a text

In this episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams interviews Anatoly Spektor, founder of Soul to Soul Business and a seasoned entrepreneur, about the pivotal pauses that reshaped his life and work. Anatoly shares his early experiences as a software developer and consultant, reflecting on how he repeatedly ignored the signs of burnout and misalignment in corporate roles. These experiences led him to press pause, journal deeply, and analyze recurring patterns, ultimately shifting his focus toward creating businesses that align with his values. He candidly discusses the dangers of staying in comfortable but unfulfilling roles and how chasing "passive income" disconnected him from both his customers and his purpose.

Anatoly recounts how stepping back—sometimes for months—allowed him to reassess his strengths, recognize gaps in leadership and team dynamics, and build a business model that integrated his technical and strategic expertise. This journey culminated in the creation of Soul to Soul, a consultancy helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs scale impactful businesses. Rather than pursuing ventures purely for financial gain, he now works with clients whose missions he believes in, bringing clarity, process design, and deep personal investment to each engagement.

Throughout the conversation, Anatoly emphasizes the power of asking the right questions, the importance of listening to internal and external signals to know when to pause, and the transformative value of seeking help. He challenges the myth of effortless passive income and reframes success as building a business that brings peace and pride. Ellen echoes this sentiment, reflecting on her own journey toward finding peace through introspection and alignment. Together, they offer a compelling message: growth comes not just from doing, but from pausing with purpose.

To learn more about Anatoly, visit https://soultosoulshow.com/

To learn more about Ellen, visit https://thesalientstrategist.com/