Host Amanda Divito Parle sits down with longtime friend, real estate attorney, and Senior Vice President of Internal Real Estate Counsel at Essential Properties Realty Trust, Kristin Walker, for a thoughtful conversation about career evolution, leadership, motherhood, risk-taking, and the realities of building a demanding professional life while raising a family.

Kristin shares the path that took her from Missouri to Colorado, from finance student to commercial real estate attorney, and ultimately from private practice into an in-house leadership role guiding legal strategy for a publicly traded real estate investment trust. Along the way, she reflects on launching a boutique law firm at 31, navigating partnership changes, and making career pivots that required both confidence and faith in her own ability to adapt.

The conversation also dives into mentorship, the power of learning through mistakes, and why letting young professionals struggle through difficult moments is often the most valuable training they can receive. As the episode closes, Amanda and Kristin reflect on the changing future of work—from AI’s role in legal and real estate industries to the importance of teaching the next generation critical thinking, resilience, and independence in an increasingly automated world.

Grounded, insightful, and refreshingly honest, this episode offers a candid look at the long arc of building both a career and a family—and the courage it takes to keep moving forward when the path isn’t always clear. ⚖️🏡

Topics Discussed 🔑

• From Missouri to Commercial Real Estate Law Kristin’s journey from finance student to practicing attorney and eventually senior leadership in a real estate investment trust.

• Starting a Law Firm at 31 Taking the leap into entrepreneurship and building a boutique commercial real estate firm.

• Transitioning from Private Practice to In-House Counsel Why Kristin chose to shift from law firm life into a strategic business role.

• Balancing Career and Family Navigating the demanding early years of motherhood while building a legal career.

• Working in a Male-Dominated Industry Learning to negotiate authority and develop confidence in high-stakes environments.

• Learning Through Mistakes Why some of the most important career lessons come from the hardest moments.

• Mentorship and Developing Young Professionals How leaders can help the next generation grow by giving them real responsibility.

• The Role of Risk in Career Growth From launching a firm to changing career paths, why confidence grows through risk-taking.

• AI and the Future of Legal Work Where artificial intelligence may help—and where human judgment will remain essential.

• Raising Independent Thinkers in an AI World Why teaching kids critical thinking and resilience may matter more than ever.

Practical Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Leaders 🛠️

• Career paths rarely unfold exactly as planned—adaptability is a strength. • Early risks build the confidence needed for bigger decisions later. • Mistakes often become the most valuable teachers. • Leadership means giving others room to learn—even if they stumble. • The right partner at home can make ambitious careers possible. • Technology should support expertise, not replace critical thinking. • Success in both family and career requires constant recalibration. • Sometimes the most powerful strategy is simply to keep going.

At the Kitchen Table: Nicole O'Neill

Host Amanda Divito Parle sits down with longtime builder partner Nicole O’Neill of Sheffield Homes and Jessica Gottschalk of Sterling Ranch for a dynamic, behind-the-scenes conversation about one of the most unique real estate opportunities in the Denver Metro area—rare acreage homesites within a master-planned community.

Together, they unpack the story behind a newly released collection of just four custom home lots in Sterling Ranch—an evolving Colorado community built on intentional design, sustainability, and a vision of connection. Amanda shares how the opportunity came together through years of relationship-building, while Jessica offers insight into the history of Sterling Ranch, from Civil War-era land ownership to a modern, water-conscious development designed for “free-range kids” and community-first living.

The conversation explores what makes these homesites so rare: the ability to enjoy the amenities, walkability, and social fabric of a master-planned neighborhood while also having acreage, privacy, and complete design freedom. Nicole breaks down the custom homebuilding process, demystifying what can often feel overwhelming, and explains how Sheffield Homes partners with buyers to bring highly personalized visions to life.

From multi-generational living and lifestyle-driven design to the psychology of community and the future of suburban development, this episode blends real estate strategy with a deeper conversation about how—and where—people truly want to live. Insightful, practical, and full of vision, it’s a conversation about building more than homes—it’s about building a life. 🏡🌄

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Topics Discussed 🔑 • The Sterling Ranch Opportunity How four rare acreage homesites inside a master-planned community came to market. • The Vision Behind Sterling Ranch From historic land ownership to a forward-thinking, water-conscious Colorado community. • “Free-Range Kids” & Community Design How intentional planning creates safer, more connected neighborhoods for families. • Acreage Living Meets Neighborhood Lifestyle The rare blend of privacy, space, and access to amenities like pools, trails, and schools. • Who These Homes Are For From empty nesters and multi-generational families to tech executives and professional athletes. • Custom Homebuilding Without the Overwhelm How Sheffield Homes simplifies the design-build process from concept to completion. • Design Freedom & Lifestyle-Driven Living From guest houses and detached garages to podcast studios and wellness spaces. • The Power of Master-Planned Communities Why early residents often form deeper connections and long-term relationships. • Lifestyle, Events & Built-In Community How Sterling Ranch creates over 500 events annually to foster connection and belonging. • Retail, Infrastructure & Long-Term Vision From healthcare and dining to schools and libraries—building a true Colorado town.

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Practical Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Leaders 🛠️ • The best opportunities are often relationship-driven and years in the making. • Scarcity creates value—especially when paired with strong vision and execution. • People don’t just buy homes—they buy lifestyle, connection, and identity. • Simplifying complex processes creates confidence for buyers and clients. • Community design plays a critical role in long-term satisfaction and retention. • Flexibility and personalization are becoming essential in modern homebuilding. • The future of real estate is not just density or space—but the balance of both. • Building something meaningful requires collaboration across multiple disciplines.

Host Amanda Divito Parle sits down with entrepreneur and speech-language pathologist Amanda King, founder of Therapies of the Rockies, for an insightful conversation about building a purpose-driven business, taking risks, and helping families navigate developmental challenges with compassion and expertise.

Amanda shares the unconventional path that led her from New Jersey to Colorado—packing everything she owned into a Mitsubishi Eclipse and moving west in search of something new. After working in schools, skilled nursing facilities, and home health, she realized that traditional systems often prioritized paperwork, insurance rules, and logistics over meaningful therapy. Determined to do things differently, Amanda opened her own practice in 2008, building Therapies of the Rockies into a thriving speech and occupational therapy clinic serving both children and adults across the Denver metro area.

Grounded in both business experience and clinical insight, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what it means to build a business that improves lives—while balancing family, leadership, and the ongoing pursuit of growth. 🧠🗣️

Topics Discussed 🔑

• Building Therapies of the Rockies How Amanda founded her speech therapy practice and grew it into a multi-location clinic serving children and adults.

• Finding a Better Way to Practice Therapy Why Amanda left traditional systems in schools and healthcare facilities to build a patient-centered model.

• Speech Therapy for Children and Adults Understanding articulation disorders, receptive language challenges, and therapy for stroke or brain injury recovery.

• Occupational Therapy & Sensory Integration How therapy helps children develop motor skills, manage sensory challenges, and succeed in school environments.

• Entrepreneurship in Healthcare Navigating insurance requirements, staffing needs, and the realities of running a medical practice.

• Early Intervention for Children How parents can recognize developmental delays and when it’s time to seek professional help.

• COVID, Social Development & Learning Gaps The long-term behavioral and social effects seen in children following pandemic disruptions.

• Technology, Attention Span & Learning How increased screen time is impacting focus, handwriting, and critical thinking skills in children.

• Delegation & Leadership Lessons Why learning to trust others and build the right team was one of Amanda’s biggest entrepreneurial challenges.

• Balancing Business & Motherhood How owning a business allowed Amanda to design a schedule that supports both family life and professional fulfillment.

Practical Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Leaders 🛠️

• Entrepreneurship often begins by solving a problem you experienced personally. • Early risks and sacrifices are often invisible to others but foundational to long-term success. • Delegation is one of the hardest—but most important—skills leaders must learn. • Building a mission-driven team creates meaning beyond financial success. • Early intervention can dramatically change outcomes for children and families. • Technology should support learning—not replace critical thinking. • Balance often comes not from working less, but from having autonomy over your time. • Success can mean building a life that allows both professional growth and presence at home.

Host Amanda Divito Parle sits down with lender, leader, and entrepreneur Darik Tolnay of Cross Country Mortgage for a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation about voice, resilience, technology, loyalty, and what it really takes to build something meaningful in today’s shifting economy.

Darik opens up about being diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia—a neurological voice disorder that forced him to confront both the physical and metaphorical reality of “losing his voice” in an industry built on communication. From navigating Botox treatments to reclaiming his confidence, Darik shares how the experience reshaped his understanding of identity, leadership, and purpose.

Together, Amanda and Darik explore the tension between AI-driven efficiency and human connection, transactional versus relational business models, and the cultural drift away from loyalty. They unpack the growing divide between speed and service, the future of entrepreneurship in a post-college world, and why grit, struggle, and earned success still matter. The conversation moves fluidly from mortgage strategy to parenting philosophy, from buying baby boomer businesses to the immigrant edge that fuels ambition.

Candid, reflective, and grounded in real-world experience, this episode is a powerful reminder that while technology may evolve, trust, loyalty, and human connection remain the true currency of long-term success. 💬🏡

• Losing (and Reclaiming) His Voice Darik’s diagnosis of spasmodic dysphonia and what it taught him about identity and resilience.

• Relational vs. Transactional Business Why chasing speed and volume can erode loyalty—and what still builds trust.

• AI in Real Estate & Lending Opportunity, efficiency, and the risk of losing authentic human connection.

• The Checkout Line Analogy Speed vs. service—and how industries are shifting toward transactional models.

• Client Loyalty in a Competitive Market Why loyalty feels fragile—and how both sides must take responsibility.

• Entrepreneurship Isn’t Instagram The emotional toll, sacrifice, and grit required to build something lasting.

• The Immigrant Edge & Generational Drive How struggle, scarcity, and values shape ambition.

• Raising Resilient Kids in a Comfortable World Why struggle and earned success still matter.

• Buying Baby Boomer Businesses The overlooked opportunity in aging, cash-flowing service businesses.

• Reinventing Yourself in Cyclical Industries Why returning to fundamentals is often the path forward.

Practical Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Leaders 🛠️ • Technology should enhance relationships—not replace them. • Loyalty must be earned repeatedly—but it must also be honored. • Entrepreneurship is far harder than it looks—and often lonelier. • Struggle builds grit; comfort rarely does. • Speed isn’t always better—service still wins. • Reinvention is required in cyclical industries. • You can scale a business without losing the human touch—if you choose to. • Success isn’t just about income—it’s about impact.

Host Amanda Divito Parle sits down with longtime friend, real estate veteran, and industry thought leader Sean Moudry of Keller Williams Advantage Realty for a wide-ranging, deeply honest conversation about longevity, leadership, brokerage models, and what it really means to build a meaningful career in real estate over decades—not just cycles.

With more than 30 years in the business, Sean reflects on his journey from getting licensed at 21, selling 72 homes his first year, and becoming a REMAX Hall of Fame producer, to building teams, launching brokerages, navigating the recession, and ultimately returning to sales with a clearer sense of purpose. Together, Amanda and Sean unpack the realities behind brokerage ownership, recruiting, profit-share and rev-share models, technology costs, and the myth of the “perfect” real estate company. They explore why most brokerages fail, why most agents don’t last, and how ego, curiosity, and risk tolerance shape the paths entrepreneurs choose.

The conversation also turns personal—touching on burnout, loneliness in the business, the power of mentorship, and the responsibility that comes with influence. From analogies about trains, hunters, and hawks to reflections on legacy, contribution, and paying wisdom forward, this episode is a thoughtful examination of where the real estate industry has been—and where it’s headed. Insightful, candid, and deeply human, it’s a masterclass in staying relevant, grounded, and generous over the long haul. 🚆🦅

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Topics Discussed 🔑

• Starting Young & Scaling Fast Sean’s early years in real estate, cutting his teeth on tough deals, and massive early production.

• From Sales to Teaching & Leadership Why Sean felt called to move beyond day-to-day brokerage into training, coaching, and influence.

• Building Teams vs. Building Brokerages What works, what doesn’t, and the costly lessons learned along the way.

• Why Most Brokerages Fail Recruiting challenges, technology costs, profitability myths, and structural realities.

• Franchise Models, Rev Share & Profit Share A candid breakdown of Keller Williams, EXP, Real, Compass, and Redfin models.

• Technology as Both Opportunity & Burden Why backend systems are essential—and wildly expensive.

• Ego, Burnout & Knowing When to Pivot How pride, exhaustion, and capacity limits shape big career decisions.

• Sales as a Return, Not a Regression Why coming back to sales can be grounding, rewarding, and sustainable.

• Loneliness in a People-Driven Business Why real estate can be isolating—and how teams and culture combat that.

• Mentorship, Legacy & Paying It Forward The lasting impact of mentors and the responsibility to contribute knowledge.

• Writing, Teaching & Knowledge Transfer Why clarity comes from writing—and how ideas become legacy.

• The Long Game Why there is no perfect company, no perfect model—only the right fit at the right time.

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Practical Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Leaders 🛠️

• There is no perfect business model—only one you understand and can sustain.

• Brokerage ownership is harder and less profitable than it appears.

• Technology can scale you—or sink you.

• Recruiting is about vision, not headcount.

• Sales skills never expire—and returning to them isn’t failure.

• Mentorship compounds across generations.

• Writing clarifies thinking and preserves wisdom.

• Legacy is built through people, not production numbers.

Host Amanda Divito Parle sits down with entrepreneur and changemaker Leah Martin, co-founder of A Brighter Community (ABC), for a powerful conversation about purpose-driven entrepreneurship, risk, empathy, and what it truly means to build a business rooted in dignity and love.

After spending more than two decades in a highly technical career in satellite imagery and geographic information systems, Leah shares how an unexpected connection to the Down syndrome community changed the trajectory of her life. Together with her business partner, Robin Sattel, Leah helped build A Brighter Community—a day program for adults with developmental disabilities designed to provide meaningful days, meaningful work, and a deep sense of belonging. At ABC, participants are not clients—they are friends—and that distinction shapes everything.

Throughout the conversation, Amanda and Leah explore the intersection of business and compassion, from hiring and retaining mission-aligned employees in a high-turnover industry to navigating Medicaid funding, real estate ownership, and the realities of risk as a business owner. They discuss the importance of supported employment, community integration, and long-term planning for adults with disabilities—especially as parents age. With clarity, humility, and heart, Leah offers a rare look at entrepreneurship that prioritizes people over scale, values over margins, and impact over ego. 🌱💙

Topics Discussed 🔑

• From Satellite Imagery to Social Impact How Leah transitioned from a 23-year career in mapping and remote sensing into mission-driven entrepreneurship.

• What Is A Brighter Community (ABC)? A day program for adults with developmental disabilities focused on dignity, love, safety, and meaningful lives.

• The Power of Complementary Partnerships How Leah and Robin balance operational leadership with programmatic expertise.

• Supported Employment & Community Integration Why meaningful work matters—and how businesses benefit from inclusive hiring.

• Entrepreneurial Risk & Leap-of-Faith Decisions From investing retirement funds to buying a building and carrying long-term debt.

• Funding, Medicaid Waivers & Business Reality How ABC operates as a for-profit service agency within a highly regulated system.

• Hiring, Retention & Culture in a Care Industry Why mission, relationships, and shared values—not money—keep people engaged.

• Serving Families, Not Just Individuals Navigating the complex dynamics of parents, caregivers, and long-term planning.

• Whole-Person, Whole-Life Care Why ABC believes in continuity—from day programming to residential support.

• Adjacent Ventures & Staying Focused Lessons from an escape room business, publishing projects, and mission-aligned creativity.

• Resilience, Risk Tolerance & the Entrepreneur’s Fire What business ownership teaches you when there’s no off-switch.

Practical Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Leaders 🛠️

• Purpose-driven businesses can be financially sound and deeply human. • The right partner multiplies impact by complementing your strengths. • Risk tolerance is a prerequisite—not a side effect—of entrepreneurship. • Culture and values retain people when money can’t. • Language matters—how you name people shapes how you serve them. • Focus doesn’t mean stagnation; it means intentional growth. • Businesses can—and should—leave communities better than they found them.

Host Amanda Divito Parle sits down with longtime friend, Compass Real Estate advisor, and master prospector Kelly Moye for a candid, grounded conversation about discipline, longevity, relationships, and what it truly takes to build a sustainable career in real estate.

Raised by a single mother in the real estate business, Kelly learned early that success comes from consistency, connection, and showing up—every single day. From answering business phone calls at age seven to prospecting daily for decades, Kelly shares how her deep commitment to relationships, self-sufficiency, and work ethic shaped a career that has spanned market cycles, brokerages, and personal reinvention.

Together, Amanda and Kelly explore why real estate is less a job and more a lifestyle—and why there is no tenure in the business. They unpack the discipline behind daily prospecting, the myth that social media replaces real relationships, and the emotional responsibility agents carry while guiding clients through life’s biggest transitions. The conversation also touches on investing early, preventing burnout, mentoring agents, and finding variety and fulfillment without abandoning the career that provides stability and meaning. Thoughtful, honest, and refreshingly practical, this episode is a masterclass in playing the long game—with heart. 🏡✨

Topics Discussed 🔑

• Growing Up in Real Estate How watching her single mother build a business shaped Kelly’s work ethic, confidence, and client-first mindset.

• Self-Sufficiency as a Driving Force Why Kelly believes in always being able to take care of herself—and how that belief fuels her consistency.

• The Discipline of Daily Prospecting How structured relationship management and two hours a day of outreach create an all-referral business.

• Why Relationships Outperform Social Media How real connection, not online visibility, sustains long-term success.

• Real Estate as a Lifestyle, Not a Job Why the business doesn’t fit into a 9–5 box—and likely never will.

• No Tenure, No Entitlement Why every agent starts at zero each year, regardless of experience or reputation.

• Investing Early and Hedging the Future Lessons learned from market investing, rental properties, and knowing what you’re good at.

• Choosing the People You Work With Why boundaries, discernment, and gratitude matter more than price point.

• Mentoring Agents Without Carrying Them Kelly’s approach to leadership, accountability, and letting people earn their place.

• Avoiding Burnout Through Variety How Kelly finds growth and challenge outside real estate—without destabilizing her core business.

Practical Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Leaders 🛠️

• Consistency beats talent over the long term. • Relationships compound—if you tend them intentionally. • Discipline is often fueled by fear, but sustained by enjoyment. • Real estate success requires emotional availability, not just hustle. • There is no “arrival” point—everyone starts at zero again. • Invest early in what you understand. • Build a business that supports your life, not one you need to escape from.