Living Your Legacy - Rudy Mawer

Latest Episodes:

How a Divorce Led to Her True Self Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

Therapist, author, and founder of Legacy Heights, Kristina Calvey, shares the deeply personal journey that transformed her life, her work, and her understanding of legacy. Growing up in Washington Heights, navigating childhood trauma, emotional neglect, and later a life-altering divorce, she spent decades living in survival mode before discovering what it truly means to tell the truth, trust herself, and rebuild from the ground up. Through her work in relationship therapy, personal transformation, and healing life transitions, Kristina reveals how adversity became the foundation of her purpose. As she prepares to launch two books and expand her impact, she explores the courage required to leave behind expired versions of ourselves and step into a more authentic life.

Key Takeaways

Childhood experiences often shape the relationship patterns we carry into adulthood.
Divorce can become a catalyst for profound personal growth and transformation.
Healing begins when we stop performing and start telling the truth.
Repairing relationships requires emotional regulation and intentional communication.
Legacy is built through courage, self-awareness, and the lives we impact along the way.

Notable Quotes

"Tell the truth."
"The truth is so interesting and ugly and beautiful and tragic."
"At the hands of women have I always been restored."
"Finally existing is enough."
"Unsubscribe to everyone's narrative of you."

From Postpartum Depression to a Global Movement Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

When Jodi Hillebrand faced postpartum depression after the birth of her first child, she discovered a painful truth: mothers receive extensive support for birth, but very little for recovery. Determined to create a different experience for herself and others, she began exploring holistic postpartum recovery and eventually pioneered the placenta encapsulation movement in the United States. In this episode, Jodi shares the turning points that led her from struggling new mother to founder of Postpartum Expert and Placenta Benefits. She discusses postpartum support, maternal wellness, birth advocacy, and the challenges of bringing a misunderstood practice into the mainstream. Through court battles, public criticism, and decades of education, she built a movement focused on empowering mothers and transforming postpartum care.

Key Takeaways

• Postpartum recovery deserves as much planning and support as childbirth itself.

• Personal struggles can become powerful missions that impact thousands of lives.

• Challenging societal norms often requires courage, persistence, and education.

• Practical support is one of the most important factors in postpartum wellness.

• Creating lasting change starts by helping one person at a time.

Notable Quotes

• "Postpartum support matters. We just don't do a good job."

• "The postpartum period is actually the first 12 months after a baby is born."

• "We don't even separate puppies from their mothers for eight weeks."

• "The joy is there immediately. It just gets clouded by the stress."

• "If taking a few verbal and emotional hits means the message reaches someone who needs it, then it's worth it."

From Foster Care Statistics to Entrepreneurial Success May 29, 2026

Show notes

Alexia Ramos/Reichel grows up being told she will become another statistic.

Raised in the foster care system, surrounded by abuse, neglect, homelessness, trafficking, and constant adversity, the odds are stacked against her from the beginning. Yet instead of accepting the future others predict for her, she makes a different decision.

In this emotional episode of Living Your Legacy, Alexia shares how education, resilience, entrepreneurship, and an unbreakable belief in herself help her transform pain into purpose. From earning licenses in real estate and cosmetology to building Diamond Redd Artistry LLC, she reveals how every setback became fuel for growth.

Along the way, she discusses breaking generational curses, overcoming self-doubt, investing in personal development, building a business as a single mother, and creating opportunities for other aspiring entrepreneurs. This is a powerful conversation about survival, self-worth, entrepreneurship, and the mindset required to rewrite your future when the world has already written you off.

Key Takeaways

Your past does not determine your future.
Education is one of the most powerful tools for changing your life.
Entrepreneurship can become a pathway to freedom and healing.
Breaking generational curses starts with personal responsibility.
Every setback can become fuel for future success.

Notable Quotes

"We're not following statistics. We're breaking those."
"I want to break generational curses."
"Believe in yourself. Say positive affirmations to yourself daily."
"Every day there's a chance to learn."
"Never give up and always invest in yourself."

How An Immigrant Turned Uncertainty Into Opportunity May 29, 2026

Show notes

When Katya Borisova leaves Bulgaria for the United States, she carries little more than ambition, determination, and the belief that there has to be more waiting on the other side of uncertainty.

Without speaking the language and struggling to find her place in a completely unfamiliar culture, she faces the loneliness, self-doubt, and fear that many immigrants know all too well. But instead of allowing those obstacles to define her future, she begins following opportunities wherever they appear.

In this episode of Living Your Legacy, Katya shares how trusting her intuition led her from corporate leadership into entrepreneurship, real estate investing, appraisal services, and even founding a Bulgarian school to preserve culture for future generations. She reveals the lessons she learned about resilience, identity, community, and why some of life's biggest breakthroughs happen when you say yes before you're fully ready.

This is a conversation about courage, reinvention, and the power of taking the next step when you cannot yet see the entire path.

Key Takeaways

• Trust opportunities that appear before the full picture becomes clear.

• Self-belief is often built through action, not confidence.

• Preserving culture can become a powerful form of leadership.

• Entrepreneurship begins by solving problems that matter personally.

• Legacy is built through the people you inspire along the way.

Notable Quotes

• "If something shows up and feels like a stepping stone, you step on it and keep moving."

• "I learned to trust my intuition."

• "If she can do it, I can do it too."

• "You're not good enough. You better tone it down."

• "If I can inspire one person, that's enough."

How a Marketing Entrepreneur Saved a Family Business May 29, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the business you never planned to join becomes the one you're called to protect?

In this episode of Living Your Legacy, Cheri Martinen, owner of Bancorp Insurance, shares the journey from running a successful marketing company to stepping into a family business that spans multiple generations. She opens up about entrepreneurship, leadership, company culture, and the responsibility that comes with carrying forward a legacy built by her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Along the way, she challenges common misconceptions about insurance, explains why financial education matters, and reveals how putting people first has shaped both her business and her mission. From sales and customer service to community impact and long-term business growth, this conversation delivers practical lessons for entrepreneurs looking to build something that lasts.

Key Takeaways

Why understanding insurance as a financial product changes everything.
How a strong company culture leads to better customer experiences.
The role sales skills play in entrepreneurial success.
What motivated Cheri to take over her family's insurance agency.
Why education and trust are critical in building long-term client relationships.

Notable Quotes

"Insurance is a financial product."
"People aren't educated on the insurance product, so you don't know what you're buying."
"My staff is extremely important to me in taking care of them so that they can take care of our customers."
"Ideally, they never use my product."
"If it's a brand new business, man, you got to sell stuff."

From Cardiac Surgery to Reinventing Herself May 29, 2026

Show notes

After spending more than a decade in the high-pressure world of cardiac surgery, Lauren Velkoff appears to have built the life she was supposed to want. She follows the rules, checks every box, and rises through one of the most demanding careers in healthcare. Yet beneath the success, something feels missing.

In this powerful conversation, Lauren reflects on resilience, reinvention, leadership, and the courage required to step beyond expectations. From navigating life inside operating rooms to launching Lanna Beauty Bar, coaching others through transformation, and creating a new vision for her future, she shares the mindset shifts that changed everything.

Along the way, Lauren explores what it means to trust yourself, embrace uncertainty, and keep moving forward when the path ahead is unclear. For entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, and anyone facing a major life transition, this episode offers a raw look at growth, self-discovery, and the resilience required to build a legacy that is truly your own.

Key Takeaways

Resilience is a skill that can be developed through intentional action.
Growth happens when you choose progress over safety and comfort.
Major career success does not always equal personal fulfillment.
Self-discovery often begins when you stop living by other people's expectations.
Leadership starts with treating people with respect, empathy, and integrity.

Notable Quotes

"I am my own driving force when it comes to that. I built the resilience."
"I continue to challenge it in many ways just to see how close I get to falling on my face and getting back up."
"Once you get so far out there, there is no going back to shore."
"I'm not deep enough, but I can't see the shoreline."
"Treat others as you want to be treated."

From Pro Soccer Player to Fashion Founder May 29, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a professional athlete walks away from the dream she spent years chasing and starts over in an industry where she has no experience, no roadmap, and no guarantees?

In this episode of Living Your Legacy, Kristin Silvestri shares the defining moments that shaped her journey from professional soccer player to fashion entrepreneur, clothing designer, and owner of The Collective Park City. She opens up about taking bold leaps into the unknown, moving to Los Angeles without a plan, building a fashion brand from scratch, showing at New York Fashion Week, and navigating the uncertainty of launching a retail business during COVID-19.

Through stories of resilience, creativity, leadership, and community building, Kristin reveals why success often comes from saying yes before you feel ready. This conversation explores entrepreneurship, fashion design, women's leadership, personal growth, and the mindset required to create a business and life that truly reflect who you are.

Key Takeaways

Fear is often a signal that growth is on the other side.
You do not need all the answers before taking action.
Building a business requires resilience, adaptability, and creativity.
Fashion can be a powerful tool for confidence and self-expression.
Great leaders create environments where their teams can thrive.

Notable Quotes

"Feeling that fear and just going after it."
"Just saying yes without having all the answers."
"Fashion is the armor to survive the realities of everyday life."
"You have to leap towards those big bad audacious things."
"The dream and drive must be there."

From Landfills to Roads: The Garbage Revolution May 27, 2026

Show notes

Benjamin Horvat, founder of Lewis Structures LLC, is building a groundbreaking solution that could redefine waste management, construction, and environmental sustainability. Instead of seeing landfills as permanent dumping grounds, he sees them as the future source of construction materials. In this episode of Living Your Legacy, Benjamin reveals how his patented MSWaggtechnology transforms municipal solid waste, cosmetic waste, and plastic waste into lightweight construction aggregate stronger than traditional gravel. As he launches his first production facility in Wisconsin, he shares the challenges of scaling a waste-to-materials business, overcoming regulatory resistance, reducing microplastics contamination, and creating a circular economy solution with massive environmental impact.

Key Takeaways

How municipal solid waste can be transformed into construction-grade aggregate
Why microplastics contamination may become one of the biggest environmental crises
The process behind turning garbage into lightweight gravel for roads and concrete
How innovation and patents helped secure long-term market control through 2039
Why landfills could eventually become valuable construction resources

Notable Quotes

“The landfills of the future can be a source of construction.”
“We are a wonderful solution for reducing microplastics contamination in society.”
“You’ve created the seventh aggregate of the USA.”
“Anytime when you are making aggregate out of microplastics, you're removing it from the environment.”
“The landfill material dumped all across the world can be put under roads as a construction aggregate.”

From Army Intelligence to Fighting for Children May 27, 2026

Show notes

After growing up in poverty in rural South Dakota and surviving a childhood shaped by domestic violence, Darshann M. Wienick refuses to let children become collateral damage in the family court system. In this emotional episode of LIVING YOUR LEGACY, the former U.S. Army intelligence linguist, family law attorney, therapist, and founder of Child-Centered Advocacy reveals how witnessing her husband’s devastating child custody battle changed the course of her life forever. Darshann opens up about trauma-informed family law, high-conflict custody disputes, coercive control, and why California’s family court system is failing children. She shares the mindset that helped her overcome anxiety, adversity, and burnout while building a mission-driven legal practice designed to protect families and create lasting reform.

Key Takeaways

Growing up in poverty and chaos can fuel resilience and purpose
Trauma-informed family law can radically change child custody outcomes
High-conflict custody battles often prioritize control instead of children
Radical self-compassion and forgiveness create long-term strength
Building a nonprofit became Darshann’s solution to helping families who cannot afford legal support

Notable Quotes

“Someone’s got to do something.”
“I focus the rest of my life on fighting for kids in family court.”
“I have learned how to fail.”
“Be fearless. Fall flat on your face. Get back up. Keep fighting.”
“Children are more important than patents.”

From Trauma to Building a Healing Boutique May 27, 2026

Show notes

Growing up surrounded by generational trauma, mental health struggles, substance abuse, and instability, Cassandra Wilson refuses to let her past define her. In this episode of LIVING YOUR LEGACY, the founder of Inkeri Boutique shares how entrepreneurship became her path to healing, empowerment, and renewal. From running her fashion boutique out of a garage to opening a brick-and-mortar space in Pittsburgh, Cassandra reveals how she transformed pain into purpose while building a brand rooted in confidence and community. She opens up about resilience, breaking toxic cycles, overcoming adversity, and why she believes fashion can become a healing experience. This is a raw conversation about mindset, identity, mental health, entrepreneurship, and creating a legacy that inspires others to rebuild their lives.

Key Takeaways

• How Cassandra turned childhood trauma and substance abuse into entrepreneurial fuel

• Why Inkeri Boutique was built to be more than a fashion brand

• The mindset shift that helped her break generational cycles

• How opening a brick-and-mortar store changed her purpose and confidence

• Why healing, empowerment, and community are central to her business philosophy

Notable Quotes

• “You are not bound by your past. You are forging your own future.”

• “This business is saving my life.”

• “The cycle ends with me.”

• “I want it to be healing. I want it to be grounding.”

• “Our past does not define us. It equips us.”