Send us Fan Mail

Writing a book can feel like a solo mission until you realize the draft is only the beginning. We sit down with Kim Eley of KWE Publishing to talk about what ethical, supportive publishing partnership actually looks like when the story is personal and the author is carrying real life alongside the work.

We get honest about the “sharky” parts of publishing, why marketing often becomes the hardest phase, and how authors can shift from living in their own head to speaking directly to the ideal reader. Kim breaks down why that mindset change is so tough and so necessary, especially for memoir writers who are sharing raw truth. Chris connects it to his world of grief and financial planning, where clarity and trust matter because people are overwhelmed and decision fatigue is real.

We also dig into practical due diligence: asking for references, reading professionalism signals, and choosing partners who show integrity, have your back, and stay invested over time. Then the conversation goes deeper into legacy. Chris shares why this memoir matters for his sons, what it feels like to revisit painful chapters after therapy, and how small moments of presence and parenting become part of the bigger purpose.

If you want to connect with Kim, we share where to find her online, including KWEpub.com and her https://kwepub.substack.com/. Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of grief, money, and real life, and if this one helps, share it with someone who needs it and leave a review so more people can find the show.

And by the way....my AudioBook is live! Go here Life After Grief Audiobook by Chris Dale

Support the show

Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief!

Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail

Peace is not always quiet, and healing is not always private. We sit down with John Balauat, creator of the faith-driven podcast Chasing the Kingdom, to talk about what happens when your early life teaches you to survive, but your faith calls you to rebuild. John shares how an abusive upbringing shaped his view of people, why he once “hated people,” and how Scripture reframed that instinct into something stronger than avoidance: the kind of peace you can carry into the messy parts of real life.

We also get practical about purpose, work, and visibility. John explains why he refuses to chase likes, downloads, or aggressive marketing, and how that choice protects authenticity for creators, entrepreneurs, and leaders. We connect that to boundaries around social media, privacy, and the hidden cost of turning family life into content. If you’re navigating grief, supporting someone in grief, or advising clients through life transitions, you’ll hear why trust, consistency, and a safe space matter as much as any technical plan.

From there, we talk legacy and fatherhood: how to raise kids with grit without handing them your trauma, how unconditional love creates confidence, and why “capacity” can quietly limit everything from your business growth to your emotional health. If you feel stuck, drained, or boxed in by people and patterns that keep repeating, this conversation offers a clear next step: let go of what blocks your capacity so you can build again with hope.

John is also the owner The Help Agency. His company is a private-label web team behind the scenes, helping top agencies deliver high-end websites—without them lifting a finger on production.

His clients are creative and marketing agencies who are burned out trying to manage the development side.

John Balauat is a son, husband, father, and entrepreneur. He hosts a podcast called Chasing the Kingdom which is focused on telling God stories through the art of conversation. Find it here.

Subscribe for more Real Talk with Life After Grief, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. What line or story hit you the hardest?

Support the show

Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief!

Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail

A life-limiting diagnosis doesn’t just change a calendar. It scrambles the way people think, decide, and even talk to the ones they love, especially when money and legal choices suddenly feel urgent. We’re joined by Rose Zealand, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER­­™, Certified Financial Transitionist®, and death doula who’s building a rare kind of support for people facing “dying too soon” and the families around them.

We talk through Rose’s origin story, including why she launched her RIA in a way that honors her dad, and how her work connects the practical with the personal. Rose explains her three-part framework: money, meaning, and mortality. That includes cash flow changes after a diagnosis, using disability insurance and other benefits, tightening up estate planning, and getting incapacity planning aligned with real intentions. Just as important, it includes education on the dying process, space to tell one’s story, and support for anticipatory grief that starts the moment life splits into “before” and “after.”

We also get into what this looks like for financial advisors on the front line. When a long-time client becomes inconsistent, avoidant, or overwhelmed, most advisors were never trained for the behavioral and emotional side of finance at end of life. Rose shares how she partners with advisors in an advice-only, time-bound engagement that reduces pressure, creates clarity, and helps clients feel grounded enough to make informed decisions. We close with a candid reflection on legacy, preparedness, and what it means to truly practice what we preach.

If you want more on Rose’s work, visit deathandmoney.com.

📖 Join my Launch Team for my upcoming book, Life After Grief: Holding the Numbers with Shaking Hands--When Money, Trauma, Grief and Racism Collide.

As a launch team member, you’ll:
• Get early access and behind-the-scenes insights
• Help spread a message that brings comfort and courage
• Be part of a community that speaks honestly about grief
• Play a meaningful role in helping this book reach the people who need it most

If this conversation helped you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review. What’s the one planning step you’ve been avoiding?

Support the show

Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief!

Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.