Unapologetic Rabble-Rousers: An Exploration of Leadership

104: Unlearning Politeness as Survival

Nice isn’t kind.
Nice keeps you quiet.
Nice keeps you invisible.

In this episode, Carla Lewis and DocShellie call out politeness for what it often is: emotional crowd control. From “nice as emotional Febreze” to why conflict isn’t the problem (silence is) they break down how being agreeable can cost you your voice, your truth, and yourself. If you’ve ever apologized before speaking, softened your truth to keep the peace, or stayed quiet to feel safe… this one’s for you!

103: You're Not Crazy; You're Conditioned

Ever been told you’re too sensitive, too much, or reading into things—and started to believe it? This episode names the real culprit: conditioning disguised as feedback.

Carla and DocShellie break down how gaslighting works as a slow drip, how power structures teach us who gets to speak, and why so many capable people second-guess themselves even when they know they’re right. If you’ve ever gone quiet just to make the noise stop, this conversation will hit home and help you start trusting yourself again.

102: The Truth You Swallow Eventually Bites Back

In classic Rabble-Rouser fashion, this episode dismantles the myth that silence keeps the peace. Spoiler alert: it keeps you small. DocShellie and Carla kick open the door on the feelings we bury to stay likable, safe, or “easy.” Because what you refuse to name doesn’t vanish — it festers, leaks, and eventually demands to be heard. Your voice wasn’t built for storage. It was built to tell the truth.

101: 3 Secrets to a Juicylicious Life with Dr. Barnsley Brown

If your life feels more drained and depleted than juicy and delicious, this episode is your gentle-but-honest wake-up call.

Dr. Barnsley Brown joins DocShellie to share three secrets that will change how you think about your life, your work, and your impact:

• Why “everybody else matters more than me” is the most dangerous myth women are still living by

• How a simple Bliss List can reconnect you to joy (and it usually costs zero dollars)

• Why you don’t need a perfect niche — you need integration, a starting point, and permission to evolve

You’ll hear acronyms like AFGO (another f*cking growth opportunity) and PLMF (pivot like a motherf*cker), stories about salsa dancing and tarot on cruise ships, and real talk about women in their 50s, 60s, and 70s finally launching the businesses they always wanted.

If you’ve been wondering, “Is it too late for me?” or, “Why do I feel so behind when I’ve given so much?” — hit play. This one might light something up in you.

100: Recorded on a Cruise: Unapologetically

🎉 Episode 100. Recorded. On. A. Cruise.Carla and DocShellie accidentally found themselves surrounded by billion-dollar founders, 15-year podcasting veterans, and a whole tribe of fellow rabble-rousers… all because they said “Sure, why not?”

This episode is a celebration, a confessional, and a permission slip — to pivot, to grow, and to take the wild opportunities life drops in your lap. If you’ve ever needed proof that your next breakthrough might be one bold yes away… this is it!

99: The Cost of Self-Silencing

Are you protecting your peace… or sabotaging your self-respect? 😳

Shellie and Carla go straight at the sneaky ways we mute ourselves — over-editing emails, apologizing before we speak, nodding along when our whole body is saying “nope.” They talk nervous-system safety, labels like “difficult,” why “nice” got weaponized, and how to start talking like the smartest person in the room (because you are) without losing your job. This one will have you watching for bobblehead moments all week.

98: Say The Things

Carla and DocShellie explore the quiet truths we swallow—why we don’t say them, what it costs our bodies, relationships, and leadership, and how to speak with courage without blowing up our lives. From “strong/happy one” masks to meetings where energy is manufactured, they offer nervous-system-friendly ways to practice honesty: micro-moments of bravery, rehearsing out loud, and choosing clarity over the stories we invent about what others think.

97: Stop Being “Digestible”

You didn’t lose your voice—you just stopped using it.
This episode takes a torch to the self-silencing habit: the apologies, emojis, and disclaimers we use to keep everyone comfy while we disappear. Learn how to trade “digestible” for authentic—one sentence sooner, one notch louder, one brave choice at a time.