In this inspiring interview, I talk with Bridgette Simmonds, the exceptionally talented life and leadership coach and founder of Limitless by Bridgette. We dive into her personal journey from corporate America to coach, speaker, and facilitator extraordinaire; the remarkable people who have influenced her life and work; and the greatest risks she has taken along the way. In the process, she shares her beliefs about the secrets to life and living fully and sage advice for overcoming our fears and living our purpose, passion, and dreams.

If you’re looking for a great way to kick start your day, simply click on the play button above. You’re worth every minute!

The Backstory

The first time I met the vivacious Bridgette Simmonds was in 2019, when she was facilitating a three-day coach training session in Dallas, offered by the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching.

What you need to know first and foremost about Bridgette is she’s a force of nature—incredibly bright, vibrant, and compelling as a speaker and deeply caring, insightful, and inquisitive as a coach. A few months after the aforementioned training session, I had the chance to be coached by Bridgette, and the experience was riveting and powerful. Imagine an intensely bright light shining into the depths of your soul, and you’ll understand what coaching is like with Bridgette Simmonds. Mind blowing. Then, in 2021, I joined her coaching community called The Coaching CoLab—another amazing gift.

By now, you know that courage has been the order of the day since the inception of this podcast, and inviting Bridgette Simmonds was no small feat. However, instead of agreeing to join me as a guest on Season One (my ask), she did something unexpected that motivated me even more. She said yes to an interview during Season Two. That meant following through on Season One and proving to both of us that I was committed. Game on!

The Interview

You’re in for a treat with this delightfully open, candid, and thought-provoking interview with Bridgette. We talk about a wide range of interesting subjects, including her journey from the corporate world to her work as a sought-after coach, speaker, and facilitator; her evolution as a savvy businesswoman and entrepreneur; and what’s next in her life and work.

One of my favorite parts of the interview is when we talk about her heroes and mentors, and she shares her thoughts about her own superpower and kryptonite. Her rich description of the lunch she would love to have with one of these heroes—and how she would approach the conversation—will surprise and delight you. Another favorite part is when she shares “what she knows for sure.”

Fun Facts

• “I’m an aspiring minimalist, but I keep buying things.”
• “Anything with chocolate or peanut butter, you can sign me up.”
• “I trust my gut implicitly and it has never steered me wrong.”
• “I’m obsessed with documentaries.”
• “I’ve started more new, fresh journals than I have finished.”

Cool Links

https://limitlessbybridgette.com/

https://m.facebook.com/LimitlessbyBridgette/

https://www.instagram.com/limitlessbybridgette/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgettesimmonds/

Quotes by Bridgette Simmonds

“One of the most beautiful ways to experience ourselves and other people is to meet the moment and see what transpires in that moment and then hold onto what does.”

“I know that I know nothing for sure—that the moment I feel something for sure, I cease learning.”

“Knowing and treasuring [life] as a gift, as the gift that it is, is the secret to life.”

“Living fully and tapping into who you are and what you deserve to be and do from that being—that is freedom and living freely.”

In this powerful, engaging interview, I talk with Karen Hoffman, the visionary and chief possibilities officer of Gateway to Dreams – and founding publisher of Be the Change magazine. We dive into her remarkable story, real-life heroes who’ve helped her along the way, and the wildest, craziest risk she’s ever taken that paid off – and what she learned about herself in the process. Along the way, we talk about the greatest challenges she’s faced and how she’s overcome them, and the ways she celebrates successes and honors mistakes.

If you’re looking for insights and inspiration from one of the best dream makers in the biz, come join us. Simply click on the play button above, and off we’ll go.

The Backstory

While living in Saint Louis for the past eight years, I had heard Karen Hoffman’s name mentioned more times than I can count. (A conservative estimate would be close to a zillion.) I also had heard a lot about her much-loved nonprofit, Gateway to Dreams, and the extraordinary ways she has contributed to building community in the Saint Louis area.

This year, when I was considering the amazing people and stories I would love to showcase in Season 2, Karen Hoffman’s name kept playing over and over in my head. How in the world would I be able to gather the courage to reach out to her? THAT was the million-dollar question.

That’s also when the power of connection kicked in. Two of my dearest friends happened to be friends of Karen. Like any great friends, they told me more about her, encouraged and cajoled me, and logically pointed out that I had everything to gain if (a) I sucked it up, and (b) she said yes. Guess what? SHE SAID YES!!! I immediately picked myself up from the floor, started doing the happy dance, then remembered she was still on the phone. Who knew she would say yes to the earliest available recording date, and we would get to launch Season 2 together? Simply. Brilliant!

The Interview

Amazing how time flies when you’re talking with a remarkable human being, and Karen Hoffman truly fits the bill. Her incredible energy, wisdom, and passion for championing our dreams – and her dedication to the cause — stand out throughout the interview. During our short time together, we talked about a wide array of subjects, including the surprising story behind Gateway to Dreams, her three proudest accomplishments to date, and success secrets she has learned along the way.

Two of my favorite parts are when Karen talks about the dreams she would like to accomplish in the next five years (spoiler alert:  they’re BIG), and the person with whom she would most love to have lunch and why. You’ll smile out loud when you hear the topics she would love to discuss.

Fun Facts

• Superpower: “Master connector”
• Kryptonite: “Detail stuff”
• Learns as she grows — and learns as she goes
• Loves being a “dog mom”
• Believes naysayers provide a valuable service
• Co-authored a book called The Art of Barter

Cool Links

Gateway to Dreams

“Be the Change” Magazine

Karen’s LinkedIn Page

Karen’s Facebook Page

Quotes by Karen Hoffman

“I believe when we have a dream and share it, it gains power and energy.”

“I don’t care if your dream is a little dream. Little or big — other people embracing it for you and wanting to see you succeed, I just love that feeling of watching people do that for each other.”

“Mistakes end up with a learning experience or something better.”

“If we can change our community, we can change our world.”

“I just feel like there’s all this energy that we can create when we come together to dream.”