The Alli Worthington Show

Latest Episodes:

The Money Mindset That Builds Wealth Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Join Me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod

You’ve stood at the kitchen counter with your phone in your hand, looking at the price of the one thing that would actually move your business forward, and talked yourself into waiting until next year. I’ve stood there too.

After all these years of coaching women who went on to build real wealth, the thing that surprised me was never the size of their accounts. It was how much they all thought the same way, like someone handed them a tiny list of money rules and forgot to give everyone else a copy.

In Part 1 of this two-part series on money mindset and building wealth, I walk you through all seven of those rules, and most of them don’t cost a thing.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why building wealth starts with identity, not income, and how "builders" think differently before the evidence ever agrees with them
The difference between money defense (saving, budgeting) and money offense (negotiating, investing, owning the asset), and why you were only taught half the game
The better questions to ask when you're weighing a cost, so you're doing the math on a longer clock than fear knows how to read
Why the women who build wealth think in decades, plant "pecan trees," and don't quit in the anxious short term
How to buy freedom before comfort, and why the right afternoon back is worth more than the fancier version of what you already own
Why the women you sit with become the women you become, and how to find rooms that stretch you toward your calling
The one question to carry into your next "affordability moment" this week

Timestamps:

(00:00) — The woman whose "irresponsible" decision turns out to be genius

(00:25) — The kitchen counter and the "maybe next year" moment

(01:21) — What women who build real wealth all have in common

(01:48) — The seven secret rules of money

(02:08) — Rule 1: Wealth starts with identity, not income

(03:34) — Rule 2: Learn offense, not just defense

(05:08) — Rule 3: Ask better questions

(06:16) — Rule 4: Think in decades

(07:33) — Rule 5: Buy freedom before comfort

(09:14) — Rule 6: Invest in rooms that stretch you

(11:35) — Rule 7: Build a life, not just a bank account

(12:28) — This week's practice: your "affordability moment"

(13:52) — Book recommendation: The Psychology of Money

(15:42) — Where your steadiness actually comes from

Links to great things we discussed:

Alli’s Book Recommendation - The Psychology of Money
Function Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testing
Wise Woman Method on Substack
Take the Secret Superpower Quiz
Join the Uplift Community
Follow Alli on Instagram
Don’t forget to watch Alli Worthington on YouTube!

I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars. It means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!

xo,

Alli

How Your Mind Controls Your Body. Dr. Ellen Langer's Mindfulness Research Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

Join Me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod

You are doing everything right for your health, and you still don’t feel like yourself. Dr. Ellen Langer, the Harvard psychologist known as the mother of mindfulness, has spent fifty years showing that the mind and body are not two separate systems. They are one. And when you understand that, it changes everything about how much influence you actually have over your own well‑being.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why "mind-body connection" is actually the wrong way to think about mindfulness and health, and what to believe instead
How your expectations about your body (coffee keeping you up, catching a cold, feeling fatigued) can directly create the physical symptoms you're bracing for
Why women especially get stuck waiting for certainty before starting a business, and how to make peace with uncertainty instead
The simple daily practice of "noticing new things" that Dr. Langer's research links to longer life and more happiness

Timestamps:

(00:00) – Why Dr. Langer is called the mother of mindfulness

(00:58) – What has surprised her most about her own work after 50 years

(02:06) – The history of mind-body unity research, and why "mind-body connection" undersells it

(05:06) – The two pancreas stories from her book, "The Mindful Body"

(07:15) – The coffee experiment that shows how belief creates physical reality

(09:36) – The "how much is one plus one" question and what it teaches about mindlessness

(13:06) – Making peace with uncertainty as a business owner

(16:03) – A nursing home story on why running risks is the essence of being alive

(18:56) – Reframing failure: the glue that became the Post-it Note

(22:50) – The Counterclockwise Study on reversing signs of aging

(23:47) – The chambermaid study on mindset and exercise

(25:04) – The wound-healing study on perceived time

(27:24) – The "borderline effect" in medical diagnosis

(29:06) – Why fatigue is largely a psychological construct

Links to great things we discussed:

Alli on YouTube

xo,

Alli

Why Compound Growth Feels Like Standing Still Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

Join Me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod.com

You’re in the bathroom brushing your teeth, already three meetings ahead in your mind, when that familiar thought slips in: I should be further along by now. If that feeling has been circling you lately, this episode is for you. I break down why real growth is so easy to miss, why your brain is wired to overlook it, and what you can do this week to see the progress you’re actually making.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why meaningful growth in your faith, your marriage, and your calling almost always happens on delayed returns you can't measure in real time
The biological reason your brain logs scrolling as "productive" but misses your own quiet progress (the dopamine trap)
What "the gradient problem" is and why it makes you blind to your own growth
Why your capacity, not your results, is the real scoreboard for compound growth
A simple, one-night writing exercise to finally see how far you've come

Timestamps:

(00:26) — The 3 a.m. brain: why "I should be further along" keeps showing up

(01:00) — The real thesis: your scoreboard is broken

(01:08) — The bamboo story: years underground, then 90 feet in weeks

(03:08) — Why it's biological: dopamine, cheap hits, and why scrolling feels "productive"

(04:00) — Meet Becky (the amygdala) and why she wants receipts

(05:07) — The gradient problem: why slow change goes undetected

(05:49) — The reframe: it's your capacity that's compounding, not your results

(06:49) — A client story: same revenue, completely different woman

(07:45) — Where faith comes in: trusting God with what you can't measure yet

(08:24) — This week's homework: the "I can't believe you" letter

(11:00) — Alli's recommendation: get your lab work done

Links to great things we discussed:

Alli’s TV Recommendation - Hacks
Function Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testing
Wise Woman Method on Substack
Take the Secret Superpower Quiz
Join the Uplift Community
Follow Alli on Instagram
Don’t forget to watch Alli Worthington on YouTube!

I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars because your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!

xo,

Alli

What Your Brain Needs After 40: Hormones, Supplements & Longevity with Dr. Kay Linker Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Join Me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod

What does a neuroscientist actually think women in their forties and fifties should be doing for their brains? Dr. Kay Linker has real answers, and they are probably not what you expect.

I sat down with Dr. Linker, a neuroscientist, researcher, and founder of the female longevity supplement brand Aeonian, for one of the most practical and science‑rich conversations we have ever had on this show. We talk about brain health in midlife, the hormones that protect your neurons, the supplements that are worth your time, and the wellness trends that genuinely frustrate Dr. Linker.

No fluff. Just real science explained like your brilliant friend who also happens to have a PhD.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain (and why Sudoku isn't cutting it)
What the blood-brain barrier actually is, why it matters, and how omega-3s protect it
The truth about HRT, estrogen, and why timing is everything for brain health in perimenopause and menopause
How dopamine and estrogen work together to shape your mood, motivation, and even your habits throughout your cycle
What creatine does for afternoon energy and cognitive function, and why women actually need more of it than men
The science behind spermidine, autophagy, and why this supplement deserves a better name
What Dr. Linker really thinks about GLP-1s as a longevity drug (her answer may surprise you)
The wellness myth about cycle-syncing productivity that Dr. Linker says is actually harming women
What's inside Dr. Linker's female longevity supplement stack and why she created it

Timestamps:

(03:07) — The dinner party brain fact that makes people put down their forks

(04:04) — Common brain myths smart people still believe (including the 10% myth)

(04:38) — Brain health for women in midlife: creatine, HRT, and what changes at menopause

(06:55) — Alli and Dr. Linker on testosterone: energy, emotional sensitivity, and what surprised them both

(08:33) — The blood-brain barrier explained simply, and why it declines as we age

(10:03) — How omega-3s protect the brain (including from air pollution)

(11:10) — What it means that 90% of brain blood vessels are thinner than a strand of hair

(12:22) — The most damaging things women in midlife are doing to their brains without knowing it

(13:07) — Why leg day is better for your brain than arm day (myokines explained)

(13:45) — The sedentary trap: why working out in the morning doesn't undo sitting all day

(14:51) — Dopamine, estrogen, and why you start new habits in your follicular phase

(16:18) — Why you temporarily cannot stand your husband in your luteal phase (science-backed)

(18:25) — Wellness advice Dr. Linker is tired of seeing spread online

(18:50) — The cycle-syncing productivity trend and the subtle misogyny hiding inside it

(21:09) — Creatine at 10 grams: dreams, afternoon focus, and why women need more

(22:05) — Spermidine vs. urolithin A: autophagy, mitophagy, and longevity explained

(24:41) — Peptides for longevity: the good, the promising, and the ones to know about

(26:01) — GLP-1 microdosing: what the research says beyond weight loss

Links to great things we discussed:

Kay on Instagram
Aonian
Kay’s Product Recommendations: One Skin & Azelaic Acid
Function Health
Uplift App
Wise Woman Era
Alli on YouTube

I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars. It means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!

xo,

Alli

Your Brain at 40+ Is Your Competitive Advantage Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

Join Me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod

You’ve been told your best years end around forty, that younger automatically means smarter, faster, and better. The truth says otherwise, and so does my life. In this episode, I break down the real science behind midlife confidence and why your brain, your nervous system, and your pattern recognition are actually working for you.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

The difference between fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence, and why the second one is your real competitive advantage after 40
How confidence is built from evidence, not feelings, and why women over 40 are sitting on more of it than they realize
Why your nervous system gets calmer and more capable with age, not less
A simple practice for identifying the wisdom you've already earned so you can start trusting it

Timestamps:

(00:00) – The Whole Foods parking lot moment and the 27-year-old founder on Instagram

(00:54) – The story we've been told about aging and why it's wrong

(02:07) – Fluid intelligence vs. crystallized intelligence explained

(03:39) – Confidence comes from evidence, not feelings

(06:05) – Your nervous system's "Becky" (the amygdala) and why it calms down with age

(07:27) – Perspective as a gift of experience and faith

(07:58) – The business hero: what Walt Disney's story teaches about midlife ambition

(08:28) – Why Alli takes clients to Disney for Catalyst Mastermind trips

(11:00) – Your timeline: 20s as information gathering, 30s as testing, 40s+ as the payoff

(11:47) – This week's homework: naming your own evidence of wisdom

Links to great things we discussed:

Alli’s TV Recommendation - Hacks
Function Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testing
Wise Woman Method on Substack
Take the Secret Superpower Quiz
Join the Uplift Community
Follow Alli on Instagram
Don’t forget to watch Alli Worthington on YouTube!

xo,
Alli

Alli in the Hot Seat Part 2: I Coached Women for 20 Years. Here's What Actually Works. Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

Join Me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod

If you missed Part 1, go back and listen first. This episode starts exactly where that conversation ended.

Ashley Collins, my chief of staff and resident PhD I love to brag about, is back asking the questions you’ve been waiting for. What you’re going to hear today is rare: me talking about my actual calendar, my real coaching philosophy, my relationship with ambition, and my honest, hopeful take on a season of life the internet keeps trying to convince women is awful.

Spoiler: midlife is not awful. Burnout isn’t caused by working too much. AI still doesn’t have the Holy Spirit.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why burnout is really an input/output problem (and what the right inputs actually look like for high-capacity women)
The difference between needing a new strategy vs. needing to get out of your own way, and how a good coach can tell which one you actually need
Why I wasn't worried about AI replacing my coaching practice (and what I thinks AI genuinely can and can't do)
The "crystallized intelligence" that midlife women have access to that younger women don't
Why our lives quietly shrink in midlife, and the one thing I would tell every woman to fight against
What I think about ambition as a Christian woman (and why ambition and obedience aren't in conflict)
The simplest nervous-system reset that costs nothing and works every time

Timestamps:

(01:01) — What gets better in midlife and the "crystallized intelligence" you earn with age

(04:25) — The #1 mistake midlife women make: letting their world get smaller

(05:03) — Why novelty is not optional in midlife and how to actively expand your territory

(05:41) — Ambition and faith: why ambitious women are not a problem and what we've gotten wrong about ambition for too long

(09:22) — I break down her weekly calendar: coaching days vs. creative days and why she protects each differently

(10:33) — Why I do all her client coaching via phone (not video) and what it reveals about focused attention

(11:56) — Coaching day energy: where it comes from, what it feels like, and why this gift "ends with me"

(14:04) — Strategy vs. self-work: how to tell which one you actually need (and why we always want the strategy)

(16:49) — My honest take on AI: what it's good for, where it fails, and why it lacks taste, wisdom, and the Holy Spirit

(21:35) — How to start using AI if you're nervous about it (her actual on-ramp recommendation)

(22:31) — The Claude project she uses for her husband's health (and why this might be AI's best use case)

(24:02) — "Information is free. Transformation isn't." How this insight shapes everything I build with Catalyst

(25:51) — Why we don't take action: what's really underneath the fear (it's not what you think)

(28:13) — Burnout reframed: it's not about working too hard

(30:52) — How to start asking yourself what you actually need right now

(31:00) — The simplest input most women are skipping (it's free, it's outside, and it calms your nervous system)

Links to great things we discussed:

Alli on YouTube

xo,

Alli

YOUTUBE

Episode 426 Show Notes

Alli in the Hot Seat Part 2: I Coached Women for 20 Years. Here's What Actually Works.

Join Alli on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod.substack.com/

If you missed Part 1, go back and listen first. This episode starts exactly where that conversation ended.

Spoiler: midlife is not awful. Burnout isn’t caused by working too much. AI still doesn’t have the Holy Spirit.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why burnout is really an input/output problem (and what the right inputs actually look like for high-capacity women)
The difference between needing a new strategy vs. needing to get out of your own way, and how a good coach can tell which one you actually need
Why Alli isn't worried about AI replacing her coaching practice (and what she thinks AI genuinely can and can't do)
The "crystallized intelligence" that midlife women have access to that younger women don't
Why our lives quietly shrink in midlife, and the one thing Alli would tell every woman to fight against
How Alli thinks about ambition as a Christian woman (and why ambition and obedience aren't in conflict)
The simplest nervous-system reset that costs nothing and works every time

✨Timestamps:

(01:01) — What gets better in midlife and the "crystallized intelligence" you earn with age

(04:25) — The #1 mistake midlife women make: letting their world get smaller

(05:03) — Why novelty is not optional in midlife and how to actively expand your territory

(05:41) — Ambition and faith: why ambitious women are not a problem and what we've gotten wrong about ambition for too long

(09:22) — Alli breaks down her weekly calendar: coaching days vs. creative days and why she protects each differently

(10:33) — Why Alli does all her client coaching via phone (not video) and what it reveals about focused attention

(11:56) — Coaching day energy: where it comes from, what it feels like, and why this gift "ends with her"

(14:04) — Strategy vs. self-work: how to tell which one you actually need (and why we always want the strategy)

(16:49) — Alli's honest take on AI: what it's good for, where it fails, and why it lacks taste, wisdom, and the Holy Spirit

(21:35) — How to start using AI if you're nervous about it (her actual on-ramp recommendation)

(22:31) — The Claude project she uses for her husband's health (and why this might be AI's best use case)

(24:02) — "Information is free. Transformation isn't." How this insight shapes everything Alli builds with Catalyst

(25:51) — Why we don't take action: what's really underneath the fear (it's not what you think)

(28:13) — Burnout reframed: it's not about working too hard

(30:52) — How to start asking yourself what you actually need right now

(31:00) — The simplest input most women are skipping (it's free, it's outside, and it calms your nervous system)

Listen NOW :

🎙️ Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-alli-worthington-show/id1375727741

🎙️ Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/4hjG6zRwqHlAZDNLtdgFMK?si=fb18bfa2f806498d&nd=1&dlsi=17a485cc09e84627

Links to great things we discussed:

Catalyst Mastermind https://www.learnwithalli.com/catalyst

Function Health https://my.functionhealth.com/signup?code=AWORTHINGTON10&_saasquatch=AWORTHINGTON10&d=FHREF25

Uplift App http://upliftcommunity.co

Wise Woman Era https://wisewomanmethod.substack.com/

I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars because your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!

xo,

Alli

The Difference Between a Pivot and a Panic Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

Join Me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod.com

It’s 9:47 at night. There’s dark chocolate on the couch. You’ve got seven tabs open, including one about remote jobs in Maine and another about careers where no one can Slack you. You’ve decided you’re going to become a florist, open a coffee shop in Vermont, or move somewhere so small it doesn’t even have a zip code.

Sound familiar?

Here’s what’s actually going on: this isn’t clarity. It’s overload. And overload can feel almost exactly like revelation when you’re trapped inside it.

In this episode of Smart Girl Summer, I’m talking about something I see all the time in the women I coach. The confusion between a panic and a pivot. Because the same overwhelmed nervous system that makes you want to quit your job and start a flower farm can dress itself up as discernment. And getting those two things mixed up has real consequences.

God does not move at the speed of your cortisol spike. He never has. But your survival brain does, and it will hand you a plane ticket to Burlington long before it ever asks whether that’s actually wise.

This episode will help you slow that down and tell the panic from the pivot.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why the fantasy of escaping to Vermont (or Tampa, or a tiny bookshop) is actually information about what your real life is missing
The key difference between panic and a pivot, and the specific physical and emotional signals that tell them apart
Why "relief and wisdom sound identical for about 48 hours" and what happens after that
The three-night rule: the one tool I give coaching clients before any major life decision
How to translate an escape fantasy into a small, concrete craving your actual life can meet this week
Why the healthiest pivots are almost always microscopic and how tiny changes prevent dramatic collapse

Timestamps:

(01:57) — When ordinary life starts feeling wrong, not just hard

(02:56) — What's happening in your nervous system when you want to escape

(03:38) — The spiritual piece: God doesn't move at the speed of a cortisol spike

(04:00) — How to recognize panic: the physical and emotional signals

(04:49) — What a pivot actually feels like (and why it survives a calm Saturday)

(05:33) — The women I coach: functioning beautifully while running on fumes

(07:06) — The fear underneath it all: "I'm afraid overload is making my decisions for me"

(07:51) — Why discernment gets harder when your nervous system never feels safe

(08:41) — Why the healthiest pivots are microscopic, not dramatic

(09:18) — The three-night rule explained

(10:22) — What to do when the escape fantasy comes back (and it will)

(11:07) — The key question: "What is the smallest version of giving myself this?"

Links to great things we discussed:

Alli’s Tool Recommendation - Claude AI
Function Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testing
Wise Woman Method on Substack
Take the Secret Superpower Quiz
Join the Uplift Community
Follow Alli on Instagram
Don’t forget to watch Alli Worthington on YouTube!

xo,

Alli

Alli in the Hot Seat: The Stuff I Only Say Behind the Scenes Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

Join me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod.com

Something different is happening this week on Smart Girl Summer. I’m in the chair.

Ashley Collins, my chief of staff and a whole PhD holder (yes, I tease her about it constantly), has been quietly collecting the things I say when the mic is off: the coaching wisdom that never makes it to air, the personal stories I usually only share with clients, and the honest parts of building something for 20 years without a map. This episode is Ashley finally making me say those things out loud.

This is part 1 of 2. We talk about 20 years of coaching women, what obedience actually costs, the one thing that keeps women from ever taking the leap, and how the Catalyst Mastermind came to be.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why do the same mindset obstacles that hold back first-time entrepreneurs also show up in surgeons and Fortune 100 leaders, and what Alli's job actually is in the room
The biggest misconception people have about successful women, and why the "golden path" idea is keeping you stuck
What happened when God told Alli to shut down her conference in 2012, and what she would have missed if she'd said no
The beach walk story she's never told before, and why there's a jar of sand dollars sitting in her office
The hidden thing that holds back the women who never quite take the step (it's not fear of failure)
How the Catalyst Mastermind started from a Disney trip and became something Alli calls magical
Why Catalyst isn't just for entrepreneurs and who it's actually for

Timestamps:

(01:22) — What Alli does all day (and why the answer depends entirely on who's asking)

(02:16) — 20 years of coaching: what she knows now that she didn't know then

(03:24) — The core issues every woman shares, from first-time author to hospital CEO

(04:43) — The biggest misconception about successful people

(06:21) — The decision that changed everything: shutting down the conference in 2012

(06:48) — Becoming the breadwinner and what came next (Propel Women, new vision)

(10:01) — The beach walk, the sand dollars, and the fear nobody knew about

(11:24) — What her therapist said that shifted everything about trusting God with money

(15:25) — The hidden problem women are afraid to say out loud

(17:13) — The one thing holding back women who never take the step

(17:51) — Where Catalyst came from: the retreat origin story

(22:26) — What the Catalyst circles look like, and why women refuse to let them break up

(24:00) — What Ashley saw at the April retreat (and why women's shoulders look different when they leave)

(25:56) — Who Catalyst is actually for (hint: not just entrepreneurs)

Links to great things we discussed:

Alli on YouTube

xo,

Alli

The Self-Edit: Why You Downplay What You Do Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

Join me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod.com

You’re at your kid’s school event, paper plate in hand, fluorescent lights buzzing loudly overhead. Someone asks what you do. You managed a whole department that morning. You built something real. And somehow the words that come out of your mouth are, “Oh, I just have this little side project I’m figuring out.”

That’s the self‑edit. You’ve done it before. You know it well. You just can’t seem to stop.

In this episode, I’m naming a pattern most women never get language for. It’s the reflex we have to shrink our work, soften our accomplishments, and add qualifiers until the thing we built sounds like something we barely touch on weekends. It isn’t a confidence problem. It’s wiring. And it can be changed only if you start noticing it and stop doing it.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

What the self-edit is and why your brain does it automatically, even when you know better
The specific way women raised in faith communities learn to confuse smallness with holiness (and what biblical humility actually looks like)
Why the story you tell about yourself out loud becomes the story your brain files as true
How to say what you do in one clear sentence and let it land without the qualifier that comes out of nowhere to soften it
The real cost of self-editing over time: how it quietly reshapes your identity until the small version feels like the accurate one

Timestamps:

(01:40) — What the self-edit is and why smart women do it constantly

(03:00) — Why your brain learned to flag visibility as a social threat

(04:54) — What biblical humility actually is (Deborah led a nation)

(05:27) — The woman three steps behind you is watching how you carry your calling

(06:32) — Why your nervous system starts believing the edited version if you're not careful

(08:32) — What actually changed for Rachel (hint: not her resume or her revenue)

(09:03) — How identity works: you become what you practice

(10:03) — The one practical thing to do the next time someone asks what you do

(12:29) — Closing: You can stop self-editing now. This is your moment.

Links to great things we discussed:

Alli’s Product Recommendation - Shuttle Art Dry Erase Markers
Function Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testing
Wise Woman Method on Substack
Take the Secret Superpower Quiz
Join the Uplift Community
Follow Alli on Instagram
Don’t forget to watch Alli Worthington on YouTube!

xo,

Alli

What Still Works Online in 2026: Laura Tremaine on Podcasting, Substack & Social Media Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

Join me on Substack – https://wisewomanmethod.com

If you’ve been building something online long enough to remember when a book deal and a blog following felt like the same thing, listen in for a long exhale. Writer, podcaster, and longtime reader‑advocate Laura Tremaine joins Alli for a conversation that blends honest business reflection with a genuine pep talk about what still matters.

Laura has been at this for years. She co-hosted the wildly popular Sorta Awesome podcast, launched Smartest Person in the Room and 10 Things to Tell You, and wrote two books shaped directly by her podcast community. She’s someone who has lived through all waves of online content, from early blogging to the podcast boom to the celebrity-podcast takeover, and she has real insight on it all.

This is a Smart Girl Summer conversation. Listen as two women who have been in the arena for more than fifteen years talk about what they’ve learned, what surprised them, and what they’re betting on next.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why Laura closed 10 Things to Tell You after years of success, and what it felt like to make that call
How Spotify's audiobook addition quietly reshaped podcast listenership (especially for readers)
What Substack is doing for long-form writing that blogging used to do, and why publishers are now paying attention to it
The case for posting every day on Instagram, even when it feels like shouting into the void
Why stories vs. the grid is actually a question about who you're creating for
What both Alli and Laura see coming next, including a cultural reckoning with online life that may already be underway

Timestamps:

(03:36) - How Laura describes what she does in 2026: reader, writer, podcaster (04:51) - Is there a new book coming? Laura shares where she is in the process (06:45) - Substack as the new blogging, and why long-form writing is back

(08:29) - Alli's Substack origin story: strategic skeptic to convert

(09:40) - Do Substack audiences actually buy books? The data question nobody can answer yet

(10:44) - Laura's full podcasting journey: Sorta Awesome to 10 Things to Tell You (13:47) - The book deal she couldn't get as a blogger, and how podcasting finally opened the door

(16:01) - How the podcast ad economy changed after the pandemic

(17:20) - Celebrity podcasts, audiobooks, and the great listenership shift

(18:35) - Why Laura closed 10 Things to Tell You (and what she's doing instead) (19:35) - On not launching the next thing before you're ready

(20:59) - Slow Read: Laura's new co-hosted podcast with Sarah Stewart Holland of Pantsuit Politics

(23:00) - Secret Stuff: the placeholder name that stuck, and why it works

(25:07) - Social media in 2026: how Laura really feels about it

(30:59) - Stories vs. the grid, and who each one is actually for

(33:13) - Feeling "old" in the content world, and what to do about it

(39:08) - Experiences over content, and why in-person community is more important than ever

Links to great things we discussed: