🎙️12.30.25 New Episode Alert!

🎧 REFLECT & SELECT: Your Blueprint for Impact in 2026

As we close out the year, this final 2025 episode of Talk To Connect invites you into a powerful moment of reflection, intention, and personal growth. Instead of resolutions that fade, this episode helps you choose meaningful, actionable growth opportunities that will shape how you show up in 2026.

https://talktoconnect.podbean.com

📝I revisit the top 5 most impactful reflection questions and tools from this year’s episodes.

🔍REFLECT on one area below, before the year ends, that you want to IMPACT in 2026:

🔹ANY Type of Personal or Professional Relationship

🔹Parenting

🔹Workplace Leadership

🔹Self-Development

🎯SELECT a Tool to address that area as your 2026 ACTION ITEM:

🔹H.A.R.D. Framework

🔹C.A.V.E. Framework

🔹Ask for Insight

🔹Initiate Discussions

This episode also includes a deeply moving story about the ripple effect of kindness, inspired by a moment between my son and a stranger—reminding us that one person, in one moment, can IMPACT others in a profound way.

💥If you’re ready to grow, stretch, and make 2026 a year of intentional impact, this episode is your starting point.

#ReflectAndSelect #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #HARDFramework #CAVEFramework #EmotionalIntelligence #TransformativeEngagement #GrowthMindset #LiveWithImpact

📅 New episodes drop the 4th Tuesday every month.

👉 FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE if this episode resonates for you and share with others.

Visit my website for other offerings: https://LetsTalkToConnect.com

📩 Email me questions that may be featured on a future episode at: Michell@Letstalktoconnect.com

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🎙️12.16.25 New Episode Alert!

🎧 Superpower of Transformative Leadership starts in the C.A.V.E.

Leadership isn’t just about managing for compliance—it’s about creating Transformative Engagement. Tune in to discover how Curiosity, Accountability, Vulnerability, and Empathy can reshape your leadership and strengthen your team culture.

https://talktoconnect.podbean.com

In this episode, I introduce my C.A.V.E. Framework:

🔹 C – Curiosity: Ask questions that open dialogue, not shut it down. 🔹 A – Accountability: Own your percentage in every situation to build trust. 🔹 V – Vulnerability: Show your humanity and plant seeds of connection. 🔹 E – Empathy: Extend grace to others and yourself.

💡 Think of your own “CAVE Time” as the place where you reflect, recharge, and emerge with the superpower to connect authentically with your team.

👉 Listen now and let’s build leaders who lead with Heart, Courage, and Connection!

#TalkToConnect #TransformativeLeadership #CAVEFramework #AuthenticLeadership #LeadershipPodcast #TeamConnection #LeadWithHeart #SelfReflection #LeadershipSuperpower

📅 New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

👉 FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE if this episode resonates for you and share with others.

Visit my website for other offerings: https://LetsTalkToConnect.com

📩 Email me questions that may be featured on a future episode at: Michell@Letstalktoconnect.com

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🎙️12.2.25 New Episode Alert!

🎧 Leadership with Transformative Engagement vs. Managing Compliance

In this powerful episode, Michell dives into the difference between leadership that truly transforms engagement and leadership that merely manages compliance. Drawing from nearly 25 years of real‑world leadership experience, she shares how embodying—not just performing—key principles can shift team culture, build trust, and inspire people to show up as their best selves.

📝 Listeners will learn:

✨Why authentic leadership requires self‑reflection and emotional awareness

✨How to reframe accountability hierarchies without falling into control or domination

✨Practical tools for hard conversations using the HARD framework (Heart, Appreciation, Real, Direct)

✨Why leaders who admit “I don’t know” gain more credibility than those who pretend to have all the answers

Michell also shares personal stories, team feedback, and book recommendations—including works by Brené Brown and The Go‑Giver—to help leaders elevate their impact. Whether you’re leading now or preparing to step into leadership, this episode challenges you to move beyond compliance and embrace transformative engagement that creates spaciousness, growth, and thriving teams.

#TransformativeLeadership #EngagementOverCompliance #AuthenticLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #LeadWithHeart #LeadershipGrowth #LeadershipMatters #SelfReflection #GrowthMindset

📅 New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

👉 FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE if this episode resonates for you and share with others.

Visit my website for other offerings: https://LetsTalkToConnect.com

📩 Email me questions that may be featured on a future episode at: Michell@Letstalktoconnect.com

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🎙️11.18.25 Episode 5 Alert!

🎧 Pt. 2 - A Teen’s Voice on Parenting, Trust & Fear – Unscripted

In this powerful follow-up episode, I sit down again with my teenage son, Will, for a raw and revealing Q&A that dives deep into the emotional landscape of today’s teens. This isn’t about surface-level check-ins like “How was school?” — it’s about the kind of questions that build trust, spark connection, and invite vulnerability.

We explore what it means to truly see our kids — not just manage them. From fears and frustrations to curiosity and courage, Will shares honest reflections that every parent needs to hear. Whether your child is 15 or 35, it’s never too late to ask better questions and create space for real conversations.

💥 Sample questions from this episode:

💡 What’s something teens think about a lot?

💡 What do you wish parents understood?

💡 When is it easiest — or hardest — to talk to parents?

💡 What helps you feel safe when you’re stressed?

📝 Parents, take notes. Use these questions as conversation starters — not all at once, but gently, over time. Ask them during a walk, a car ride, or while making dinner. Let silence do its work. And when your child answers, listen like it’s the most important story you’ve ever heard — because it is.

✨ Connection isn’t built in big speeches. It’s built in small moments. In the questions we ask, and the space we create for answers.

Let’s start asking better questions — and I’d love to hear what you learn.

#ParentingWithPurpose #EmotionalIntelligence #YouthVoice #TalkToConnect #PodcastLaunch #ParentTeenConnection #Leadership #Mentorship #LinkedInCommunity

📅 New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

👉 FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE if this episode resonates for you and share with others.

Visit my website for other offerings: https://LetsTalkToConnect.com

📩 Email me questions that may be featured on a future episode at: Michell@Letstalktoconnect.com

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🎙️11.4.25 Episode 4 Alert!

🎧 A Teen’s Voice on Parenting, Trust & Fear – Unscripted (Pt. 1)

If you’ve ever wondered what your child might say if they felt truly safe, this episode is for you. In this powerful and unscripted episode, I sit down with my 15-year-old son, Will, for a raw and honest conversation that pulls back the curtain on what teens really think and feel—but often don’t say. This is Part 1 of a two-part series designed for parents, future parents, and anyone seeking deeper connection with the young people in their lives.

💡 In this episode, you’ll gain:

💥 Insights into what teens wish they could tell their parents—but often don’t

💥 A real-life example of how to initiate vulnerable, meaningful conversations with your child, regardless of their age

💥 Practical takeaways for building trust, emotional safety, and long-term connection

We explore questions that I didn’t share with him in advance, inviting real-time, in the moment and heartfelt responses. From the fears teens carry about parental reactions, to what makes a strong parent-child relationship, to a personal story involving a $100 bill and self-worth—this episode is filled with moments that will challenge and inspire with humor!

I told Will to be honest, even if it’s uncomfortable for either of us. And he showed up with courage. I’m nervous, he’s nervous, but we’re doing this because connection matters—and modeling it matters even more.

#TalkToConnect #ParentingWithPurpose #RealConversations #ParentTeenConnection #EmotionalSafety #VulnerableParenting #HonestParenting #IntentionalMotherhood #TeenPerspective #UnscriptedParenting

📅 New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

👉 FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE if this episode resonates for you and share with others.

Visit my website for other offerings: https://LetsTalkToConnect.com

📩 Email me questions that may be featured on a future episode at: Michell@Letstalktoconnect.com

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🎙️10.21.25 Episode 3 Alert!

🎧 Unmasking the People Pleaser - A Journey to Authenticity

Why do people pleasers struggle with difficult conversations? In this heartfelt and revealing episode, host Michell Franklin pulls back the curtain on the emotional roots of people pleasing and its impact on authentic communication. Through personal stories—including the origin of her nickname “Hammer”—Michell explores how childhood experiences, insecurity, and imposter syndrome shape our tendency to hide our true selves.

Using her H.A.R.D. framework (Heart, Appreciation, Real, Direct), Michell guides listeners through the continuum of people pleasing and offers insight into how we can begin the journey back to authenticity. Whether you're a recovering people pleaser or simply seeking deeper connection in your relationships, this episode will challenge, inspire, and empower you to speak your truth.

💥 Learn how to move from fear to authenticity 💬 Discover why speaking your truth is the key to deeper connection 🛠️ Use Michell’s H.A.R.D. framework to start showing up as your real self

📅 New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

👉 FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE if this episode resonates for you and share with others.

#TalkToConnect #PeoplePleaserRecovery #AuthenticityJourney #PodcastDrop #GoHARD #MichellFranklin #RealTalk #NewEpisode #EmotionalIntelligence #PersonalDevelopment #HARDConversations

Visit my website: https://LetsTalkToConnect.com

📩 Email me questions that may be featured on a future episode at: Michell@Letstalktoconnect.com

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🎙️10.7.25 New Episode Alert!

Episode 2: Super Mom Syndrome - The H.A.R.D. Conversation We’re Afraid to Have

🗣️ In this deeply personal and powerfully relatable episode of Talk To Connect, host Michell Franklin opens up about the guilt, pressure, and emotional weight many mothers carry—especially those navigating single parenthood.

https://TalkToConnect.podbean.com/e/super-mom-syndrome/

💡 Through the lens of her H.A.R.D. framework (Heart, Appreciation, Real, Direct), Michell shares a raw conversation with herself about Super Mom Syndrome, the silent comparisons we make, and the moments that truly define connection with our children.

💓 From her son’s first heartbreak to the late-night texts that reveal trust, this episode is a reminder that presence matters more than perfection. Michell challenges not just moms, but dads, uncles, aunts, anyone who is responsible for a child, to give themselves grace, appreciate their invisible work, share real stories from their youth, and ask the hard questions that deepen bonds.

Whether you’re a parent, mentor, or simply someone seeking authentic connection with your children, this episode will move you, challenge you, and inspire you to GO H.A.R.D. and connect.

📅 New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

👉 FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE if this episode resonates for you.

#SuperMomSyndrome #ParentingPodcast #EmotionalIntelligence #PersonalDevelopment #HARDConversations #WorkingMoms #FamilyCommunication #PodcastForParents #RealTalk

Visit my website: https://LetsTalkToConnect.com

📩 Email me questions that may be featured on a future episode at: Michell@Letstalktoconnect.com

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🎙️ New Podcast Episode Alert!

Talk To Connect – Episode 1: Defining H.A.R.D. Conversations – The Foundation of Connection

Are you ready to transform the way you communicate—with your teens, your partner, your team, or your colleagues?

In this powerful first episode, host Michell Franklin lays the foundation for what it means to have a H.A.R.D. conversation—one that’s rooted in Heart, Appreciation, being Real, and Direct. Whether you're navigating conflict at home or leading a team at work, this episode offers a fresh lens on how to show up with authenticity and courage.

🔍 What you’ll learn:

• Why we avoid hard conversations—and what it costs us

• How to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally before speaking up

• The importance of grounding, self-awareness, and intentional energy

• Real-life stories that build trust and connection

• How to speak truth with compassion and clarity

💡 Plus: Michell shares her “Hammer Story,” a vulnerable leadership moment that changed everything—and introduces the concept of the Trust Bank, a game-changing tool for building deeper relationships.

🎧 Listen now and discover how going H.A.R.D. can help you connect more deeply and lead more powerfully.

Visit my website: Talk to Connect

📬 Got a question or story to share? Email Michell at Michell@letstalktoconnect.com

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👉 FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE if this episode resonated for you.

Please share with others and Remember, GO H.A.R.D. to connect!

#TalkToConnect #HardConversations #Leadership #Parenting #EmotionalIntelligence #PodcastLaunch #CommunicationMatters #GoHARD