Epic Exchanges

This week, we talk about who is our inspiration as Kelly shares her first memory of being inspired by someone else, Canadian Olympian, Silken Laumann. Kelly Snider’s journey began at the age of three when she was rescued from a house fire that took the lives of both of her parents. Diving into her own story and finding deeper understanding and healing, Kelly recognized the power in the fact that everyone has a story that can positively impact others. She strives to collect and preserve these stories through creating events, writing books, interviewing guests on her podcast and facilitating life-changing story workshops.  Kelly is the best-selling author of the books “Your Story Your Strength” and “The Gift In Your Story”. Exchange Quotes: “The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous; be strong, be extremely kind, and above all, be humble.” – Serena Williams “As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other peopl

This week our guest is Danielle Reedy Danielle Reedy (she/her) is an Olympian, Speaker, Coach, Author, and Podcast Host. From Canada to Australia, she pursued her impossible dream of joining the Australian National Synchronised Swimming Team and competing in the Olympics, achieving that goal at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. After five years on the team, including three World Championships, Danielle made history as part of Australia's First Mixed Duet in 2019 before retiring. Now, she passionately guides individuals worldwide through her podcast, programs, retreats and coaching, helping them liberate their body, mind, and soul to live a life they love.  Exchange Quotes: “Choose the great adventure of being brave and afraid. At the exact same time.” – Brené Brown “Life is meant to be experienced. Put yourself out there. Do things you’ve never done. Live a life where at the end you will have no regrets.” – Anonymous Exchange Links: Danielle’s website: www.daniellekettlewell.com Follow Danielle on TikTok a

This week our guest is Deece Casillas Deece Casillas is an internationally touring Latino comedian who has performed across America, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, and the Bahamas. He has been featured on LMAO TV, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Tubi, Roku Comedy Channel, has recorded two albums: The Northwest Comedy Mixtape Vol. 1 + 2, was voted Northwest's Best Comic five consecutive years in a row (2019-2023), and recently released his special: "Not Your Cup of Tea".  Exchange Quotes: “Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – Christopher Robin in Winnie-the-Pooh “Always bet on yourself, no matter what the odds are. It means more to be in the race than to watch the victory laps from the stands.” – Pete Wentz Exchange Links: Deece’s website: www.deececasillas.com Follow Deece on Instagram @deece.comedy Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

This week our guest is Melissa Armstrong Melissa Armstrong has faced a lifetime of trauma and abuse, struggling with mental health issues from a young age. At 18, she experienced the devastating accident and subsequent death of her brother, adding to her existing struggles with anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Despite her hardships, Melissa has shown incredible resilience and strength in overcoming her challenges and now owns her own business as a Trauma-informed Functional Health Coach, helping other women overcome trauma to heal their mind, body, and spirit! Exchange Quotes: “Trauma is not what happens to you, trauma is what happens inside of you as a result of what happens to you.” – Gabor Mate “The past does not have to be your prison. You have a voice in your destiny. You have a say in your life. You have a choice in the path you take.” – Max Lucado Exchange Links: Melissa’s website: http://www.holistichealthbymelissa.com/ Follow Melissa on Instagram @holistichealthbymelissa Follow @epicexchanges on

This week our guest is Nikki O’Dea Nikki O'Dea is a health coach and RN. She loves helping women build healthy habits that are enjoyable and fit their busy life. She's the creator and lead coach of the Keep It Off Academy, a 13-week fat loss program for women to lose weight without restrictive diets. Exchange Quotes: “I failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan “Your body holds deep wisdom. Trust in it. Learn from it. Nourish it. Watch your life transform and be healthy.” – Belle Bleue Exchange Links: Nikki’s Free 4 day Simplified Fat Loss Kickstart Program: www.keepitoffcoaching.com/kickstart Join Nikki’s Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/simplifiedfatloss Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

This week's guest is Danielle La Rose. Danielle La Rose is a Body Confidence Coach & Wellness Strategist, Pretty POWERful Girl Mentor, and Motivational Fitness Instructor. Leaning on her education with a Master’s Degree in Sociology with a focus in women’s health, and combining it with her own wellness journey, Danielle strives to inspire & motivate women around the world to question beauty standards and get OUT of their body thoughts and INTO living their best, most confident lives!  Exchange Quotes: “Loving your body isn’t thinking your body looks good, it’s knowing your body is good regardless of how it looks.” – Lindsay Kite “I am ready to release the stories in my head and forgive myself for believing everything my inner critic has ever said.” - Unknown Exchange Links: www.daniellenicolelarose.com www.75healthy.com Follow Danielle on Facebook @CoachDanielleNicole and on TikTok @daniellenicolelarose Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com  

This week our guest is Christy Holt Christy Holt is a self-proclaimed Happiness Hussy, adventure guide, podcast host of Create Your Happy and international best-selling author of Unstuck For Women, Run For Your Life and others. Christy is on a mission to spread happiness around the planet, one beautiful soul at a time. Christy uses her signature CREATE method to adventure alongside of her heart-led clients to support and love them as they discover and unlearn. Christy’s mentorship helps her clients to create a life they love full of loving and healthy relationships that make them truly happy! Exchange Quotes: “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde “How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.” – Rupi Kaur Exchange Links: www.coachchristyholt.com Follow Christy on FB and IG @coachchristyholt and listen to her podcast, Create Your Happy Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

This week our guest is Shelley Blechar Chef Shelley has had a successful personal chef business for over 15 years, and when she’s not cooking for her clients, she helps passionate cooks start their own personal chef business so they can get paid to do what they love, cook, without spending tens of thousands of dollars on culinary school or sacrificing their family life to someone else’s culinary dream. Exchange Quotes: "The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude." - Julia Child “When faced with a decision, choose the path that feeds your soul.” – Dorothy Mendoza Row Exchange Links: https://chefshelley.co Follow Chef Shelley on YouTube @ChefShelleyB Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

This week our guest is Wendy Cole Knowing from childhood she was a girl, Wendy yielded to familial and societal expectations to fit in. At age 67, Wendy changed her life with her transition. Beginning in January 2015 she focused internally: accepting who she really was, confronting fears, doubts, and anxieties that held her back for decades. She took the leap of faith to find freedom and joy in being herself. By July 2015, six months later, Wendy was living as a woman. She had her long-awaited surgery at NYU Medical in 2017. Wendy knows by focusing inwardly to find freedom and joy will benefit the rest of your life.   Exchange Quotes: “The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don’t let them put you in that position.” – Leo Buscaglia “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde Exchange Links: Wendy’s websites: https://MeetWendyCole.com and https://wendycolegtm.net Find Wendy on FB ( https://www.facebook.com/wendycoleg

This week our guest is Laticia Brice Laticia is a black woman in tech who is not afraid to take risks or break from tradition, whether it’s leaving a successful career behind to go after her dreams, taking over a European River Tour, or diving into the Mediterranean. She created the Digital Growth HUB membership to give overwhelmed entrepreneurs a clear road map that keeps them focused and on task so they can make real progress and create a successful business. Exchange Quotes: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right” - Henry Ford “Everything is Figureoutable”  – Marie Forleo Exchange Links: https:// www.laticiabrice.com/achieve-your-business-goals/ https://www.instagram.com/laticiabriceconsulting/ Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

This week our guest is Carmen Leal Carmen Leal is a storyteller and the author of multiple books, articles, devotionals, and human-interest stories. Carmen relocated from Hawaii to Oshkosh, yes, there is a story behind the move, and has become an awesome dog mom.  Carmen and her husband have become reluctant gardeners and know a crazy amount about Wisconsin weeds. She is the mother of two sons, two incredible grandsons, and Coconut, the best imperfectly perfect rescue dog in the world.   Exchange Quotes: “I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.” – Doris Day “Be the person your dog thinks you are.” — C.J. Frick Exchange Links: Carmen on Facebook: www.facebook.com/rescuemoredogs   Website: www.carmenleal.com Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

Today we feature another children’s book author and welcome Vie Portland to Epic Exchanges Vie Portland is a confidence coach, an author, a motivational speaker, and a social entrepreneur. Her aim in life is to leave the world a kinder, happier, more confident, place than when she joined, and her children's books are part of that.  Exchange Quotes: “Somewhere, inside all of us, is the power to change the world.” – Roald Dahl “It’s who we are and what we do that matters; the rest is just fancy packaging.” – Vie Portland Exchange Links: www.vieness.co.uk @VieNessCIC on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn Epic Exchanges on Facebook @epicexchanges on Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

This week our guest is Emily Kady Emily Kady is a Spiritual Medium and Intuitive Channeler who understands the pressures of overachievement all too well. Despite her many accomplishments, including owning two 7-figure businesses by the age of 37, she found herself suffocating under the weight of others' expectations, as she was just striving to fit in. This led to a devastating burnout, leaving her drained and disillusioned, searching for purpose and fulfillment in life.   In 2015, a near-death experience shook her to the core, awakening her to the preciousness of life, and igniting a fierce desire to uncover her life purpose and live it authentically, free from the confines of others' expectations. Exchange Quotes: “Surrendering to who you really are and why you are here may very well change the world.” – Maria Flynn “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” – Brené Brown  Exchange Links: Emily on FB and IG: https://www.facebook.c

This week our guest is Jason Clawson Jason Clawson is a therapist with over 16 years' experience, specializing in trauma, grief, addiction, and mental health. In 2018, his wife's battle with stage 4 Colon Cancer turned his world upside down. After her passing, Jason grappled with depression and isolation but found healing through love, support and giving back. Now, as the Co- founder of Hope Kit, he spreads hope worldwide to others who are facing some of the most challenging times in life. Exchange Quotes: “There is no shame in asking for help. It is one of the most courageous things you’ll ever do and will lead to greater connection with those around you.” – Laura Lane “Healing is the art of reclaiming joy from sorrow.” – Jason Clawson Exchange Links: https://hopekit.com/ Find The Hope Kit on Facebook and Instagram Connect with Jason on LinkedIn Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

This week our guest is Bill Lee-Emery In August 2022, Bill was diagnosed with throat cancer. Having previously enjoyed a healthy life this was a shock to the system. But Bill had an advantage over many of the other cancer patients he saw in the waiting rooms waiting for treatment. He had 40 years of working with mindset principles and emotional resilience. His journey was not going to be typical. Exchange Quotes: “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.” -  Buddha  “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” - William Shakespeare in Hamlet Exchange Links: Find Bill Lee-Emery on LinkedIn – website coming soon Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

This week our guest is Julie Letizia After battling what western medicine called ‘an incurable disease’, Julie started looking for healthier alternatives to the way she and her fellow university students were fueling their bodies to handle the heavy workloads and demands of post-secondary education. This led to the idea and creation of Benny, a good-for-you energy drink company based in Vancouver, BC Canada. Formerly a student athlete, she’s now on a mission to offer nourishing options to help fuel your current and future self. Exchange Quotes: “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” – T.S. Eliot “These things will be hard to do, but you can do hard things.” – Glennon Doyle Melton Exchange Links: https://drinkbenny.com/ Find drinkbenny on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

This week our guest is Karen Laos Karen is a Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator who leverages 25 years in the boardroom and speaking on some of the world’s most coveted stages to help her clients transform missed opportunities into wins. She is fiercely committed to her mission of eradicating self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them practical strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals to generate consistent results with her proven formula, The Confidence Cocktail. Exchange Quotes: Every wall is a door.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.” – Paul J. Meyer Exchange Links: https://karenlaos.com Find Karen on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter Follow @epicexchanges on Facebook and Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

Today we feature another children’s book author and welcome Angela Smith to Epic Exchanges Angela Smith is a New Zealand author who writes books on self-esteem and resiliency for 3 – 8-year-olds. These books are used in classrooms around the world and help children learn about healthy boundaries, resiliency, and how to stop bullying. Alongside her children’s books, Angela writes wellness books for the teen-adult audience, introducing the reader to self-love and greater self-belief.  Exchange Quotes: “Sometimes the only closure we need is to understand that we deserve better.” – Angela Smith “The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else.” – E. E. Cummings Exchange Links: www.truepotential.co.nz Angela on Instagram Epic Exchanges on Facebook @epicexchanges on Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com    

This week our guest is Vera from Flexibility with Vera Vera is a Toronto-based personal trainer and flexibility coach who is working to create a space in the fitness industry beyond weight loss, diet culture, and fatphobia. Their platform, Flexibility with Vera, aims to help people worldwide discover body-neutral movement.  Exchange Quotes: "Take your time and your talent and figure out what you have to contribute to this world, and get over what the hell your butt looks like in those jeans" — America Ferrara “Since I don’t look like every other girl, it takes a while to be okay with that. To be different. But different is good.” – Serena Williams Exchange Links: www.flexibilitywithvera.com @flexwithvera on Instagram and TikTok Flexibility With Vera on Facebook and YouTube Epic Exchanges on Facebook @epicexchanges on Instagram www.kellysniderauthor.com

Today we welcome Kristin Ormiston back to Epic Exchanges Kristin resides in Smithers, BC where she is a musician, best-selling author, and so much more! She has lived, taught, and played music all over the world, from Australia to Japan to Pender Island, British Columbia and more. The inspiration for Kristin’s music comes from the people she surrounds herself with and reflects the 70s radio classics that she grew up listening to. Kristin’s most recent release is “The Way Down Songbook” a book designed for children that incorporates images, words and music in an interactive way. Exchange Quotes: “Music is one way for young people to connect with themselves, but, it’s also a bridge for connecting with others. Through music, we can introduce children to the richness and diversity of the human family and to the myriad rhythms of life.” – Daniel A Carp “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” - Plato Exchange Links: Mrs. Kristin on Apple Mu