Gwen Bortner has spent her career thriving where others hesitate—inside systems, startups, and boardrooms that weren’t designed for her. As the founder and CEO of Everyday Effectiveness, Gwen has led teams across 47 industries, from tech to telecom to fiber arts, and knows firsthand what it means to stand out at the table.

In this episode, host Rachel Alexandria and Gwen talk about being “the only one in the room,” what happens when competence becomes isolation, and how neurodivergence and curiosity can both challenge and empower leadership. It’s a candid conversation about the quiet cost of success—and how to stay connected, grounded, and effective when you’re the outlier everyone relies on.

💡 Episode Highlights

• From coder to CEO: How Gwen built a career across 47 industries and what that breadth taught her about systems, leadership, and adaptation.
• Curiosity as fuel: Why problem-solvers often rise fastest, and how that same drive can lead to burnout and loneliness.
• Neurodivergence and entrepreneurship: How ADHD traits show up in founders, and why “different wiring” can be both a superpower and a stressor.
• The lone woman in the room: Gwen shares the isolation of being the only female executive in a rapidly growing tech company, and the invisible politics that come with it.
• Turning difference into design: How Gwen helps leaders harness what makes them unique to build organizations that actually work for humans.
• Redefining effectiveness: The shift from proving yourself to creating impact with ease and intentionality.

When you’re at the top, no one can hand you a map. The path forward is yours to navigate, and sometimes, the only compass you have is your own intuition. In this solo episode, host and Soul Medic Rachel Alexandria explores how leaders can learn to trust their inner knowing when logic and strategy fall short. Drawing from her own journey and lessons from past guests, she shares how intuition speaks through the body, why so many of us were taught to ignore it, and how reconnecting with this internal guidance becomes essential for making brave, heart-centered decisions.

In this candid conversation, real estate developer Ginger Hitzke joins Lonely at the Top to talk about what it really costs to lead with heart. A first-generation business owner who went from housing insecurity to building over 2,000 affordable apartments, Ginger shares how she carries the emotional and ethical burden of her work — deciding rent increases, managing cash flow, and being both landlord and renter advocate.

She opens up about the loneliness of being “the one who decides,” her lifelong fear of slipping back into poverty, and why compassion often costs money. Ginger also talks about embracing Soft Girl Summer as a new boundary practice, the power of “unearned self-confidence,” and why every leader should be brave enough to say, “I don’t know.”

This episode is an honest portrait of a woman who leads from both grit and grace, proving that strength and softness can coexist at the top.

✨ Episode Highlights

• Isolation is part of the deal: Ginger describes how even after 18 years leading her own company, the sense of isolation “never ends” within an organization.
• The cost of conscience: The woman behind 2,000 affordable units shares how deciding rent increases for hundreds of residents each year tests both her heart and her balance sheet.
• Better me than someone who doesn’t care: Ginger explains why she continues to shoulder difficult decisions because she knows she’ll do it with integrity.
• Scrappy by necessity: Growing up with housing insecurity, she built her business from survival instinct, and yet still carries the fear of “ending up in the gutter.”
• The reality of leadership: From cash flow panic to employee dynamics, Ginger names the unspoken truth: leadership is hard, and pretending otherwise helps no one.
• Soft Girl Summer: After decades of overextension, she’s learning to do less, set tighter boundaries, and become “less accessible” as an act of growth.
• Unearned confidence: Ginger reflects on the self-assurance she’s always carried and how owning it has become one of her greatest assets.

Ginger recommends:
Support LGTBQ Latino elected officials in California via Honor PAC.  

In this episode, Erin Reeves, co-founder and principal at Next Level Org, brings over 25 years of executive strategy and HR leadership to an open, grounded conversation about what it really feels like to sit at the decision-maker’s table. Erin shares how each step up the leadership ladder expands not only your view but also your sense of isolation — and how asking better questions can become a quiet act of courage. She talks about navigating self-doubt, building self-awareness, and finding outside perspectives when your inner critic grows loud. Drawing on her experience guiding organizations through mergers, restructures, and personal reinvention, Erin offers a deeply human look at how leaders can steady themselves, reconnect with purpose, and lead with both clarity and compassion — even when they feel most alone.

Episode Highlights
The shifting view: Each promotion brings a new perspective — and bigger gaps between those who’ve “been there” and those who haven’t.

The power of questions: How asking thoughtful questions creates space, builds credibility, and reshapes executive conversations.

Managing the inner critic: Erin shares her own internal stories of self-doubt and how leaders can reframe the question, “Is this true?”.

Outside-in thinking: Why every executive needs people who can see what they can’t — mentors, coaches, or truth-tellers outside the organization.

Steadying the self: How self-awareness, discipline, and vulnerability allow leaders to lead their teams with integrity, even under pressure.

Redefining success: Erin’s insight that leadership isn’t about always being right — it’s about asking what needs to happen next, even when the map isn’t clear.

In this solo episode, Rachel reflects on a listener’s response to Executive Fashion as Armor, Ritual, and Identity with Susana Perczek — specifically the power of hearing a woman speak positively about herself without apology. Rachel explores the generational messages many of us received about “not being too big for your britches” and how those lessons often left us afraid to celebrate our own talents. She shares personal stories about holding back from stepping into leadership as a young student, and how learning to name and honor her strengths became an essential part of her healing. This episode invites listeners to consider where they fall on the spectrum between self-effacing and self-affirming, and to imagine what it would feel like to confidently raise their hand and say, “I want to be known for this.”

In this episode, Megan Gluth, owner and CEO of Catalynt Solutions, shares her remarkable journey from attorney to industry leader in chemical distribution — and how she doubled the size of her company in just a few years while navigating the chaos of a global pandemic. Raised on food stamps in rural Iowa, Meg brings both grit and vision to her role, blending sharp business acumen with a deep commitment to what she calls human-centered capitalism. She opens up about the weight of carrying responsibility for employees, the anxiety of leading in times of uncertainty, and how sobriety, intuition, and discipline help her stay grounded as she flies through “dark roads without a map.” This candid conversation reveals what it really takes to lead with both courage and humanity at the top.

Episode Highlights

• Origins & grit: Megan reflects on growing up on food stamps in rural Iowa and how that shaped her resourcefulness as a leader.
• Pandemic pressure: Just weeks after buying her company, the global shutdown hit, and she had to rally her team through terrifying uncertainty.
• Flying blind: She describes leading now as like “driving a car on a dark road you’ve never driven before” — terrifying but unavoidable.
• Human-centered capitalism: Why profitability is a tool for generosity, from paying 100% of employee health benefits to quietly covering strangers’ grocery bills.
• Sobriety & self-discipline: How practices like yoga, meditation, and careful self-care help her manage the emotional toll of leadership.
• The weight of leadership: Why CEOs must project steadiness even when they’re terrified, because, as she says, “I’m the driver, and everyone else in the car has to feel safe.”

Connect with Meg

• Website: https://www.megangluth.com/

In this solo episode, Rachel Alexandria shares the origin story of Lonely at the Top. She reflects on her two decades of work with high performers, the blend of therapeutic, coaching, and spiritual practices she brings to leaders, and the repeated moments that sparked the podcast’s creation. Rachel describes why she felt called to make space for honest conversations about the invisible burdens of leadership, the unique isolation that comes with power, and the need for a sanctuary where leaders can feel understood and less alone.

Episode Summary

In this conversation with Louis Fordham, Vice President of Human Resources at Engineered Floors, we explore what leadership looks like from the perspective of someone who has spent 35 years guiding executives from inside. Louis shares what it’s like to witness CEOs carry the immense weight of responsibility, why he never aspired to the top job himself, and how isolation is often built into leadership structures by nature. He also opens up about the unique challenges of being an introverted leader, the importance of self-awareness in building strong teams, and the cultural barriers that keep many executives from seeking outside support. With honesty and clarity, Louis brings wisdom from decades in HR to show how leaders can balance responsibility, presence, and humanity without losing themselves.

Episode Highlights

• Responsibility at the top: Why Louis believes the CEO and head of HR hold unique responsibility for every employee in an organization.
• Structural isolation: How the design of executive roles creates inevitable loneliness, regardless of personality.
• Introversion in leadership: Louis reflects on being an introvert at the leadership table and why self-awareness matters more than extroversion.
• The “regal” factor: His insight that sometimes employees need their CEO to project steadiness and authority, even when it feels unnatural.
• Boundaries in HR: A personal story of why he had to stop having a close work friendship to preserve trust and objectivity.

Connect with Louis on LinkedIn

Sunni VonMutius built her career in corporate tech, often “faith-it-till-you-make-it” in male-dominated spaces, before stepping into leadership coaching. In this conversation, she opens up about the hidden costs of always being the strong one, and the toll it takes when resilience slips into survival mode. Sunni also shares how learning to trust her intuition became vital for navigating uncharted seasons of leadership with honesty and humanity.

Episode Highlights

• Sunni reflects on “faith-it-till-you-make-it” moments from her corporate technology career, stepping into roles without a clear roadmap but learning to trust herself along the way.
• She describes her intuitive knowing—how she often sensed the right direction before she had the data or strategy to prove it.
• Sunni shares the cost of always being the strong one: “Other things suffered… we cannot honor everything equally. Other things will suffer.”
• She opens up about the emotional toll of leadership, noting how resilience can quietly morph into depletion and isolation.
• Sunni challenges the myth of endless endurance, naming the relief she found in allowing herself to stop projects or step away when her whole body said no.

Connect with Sunni:

Website - WildflowerStrategy.com
Social connections -   Social.WildflowerStrategy.com 

In this episode of Lonely at the Top, Alina Doran opens her private ledger to reveal the hidden costs of a career built on constant achievement. From the outside, her leadership journey looked flawless, but inside, she was running on fumes. Alina shares candidly about the toll of being the reliable, high-performing leader who never lets her guard down, and how that survival strategy eventually left her disconnected from herself.

Through vulnerability and reflection, Alina walks us through her breaking point, the healing practices she’s embraced, and the deeper freedom she’s found by learning to say “no” and honor her own limits. This is a conversation for every leader who has ever felt the pressure to keep it all together while quietly falling apart.

✨ Highlight Moments

• Alina shares the moment she realized her high-achieving drive was unsustainable, despite looking successful on the outside.
• She describes the invisible labor of being “the strong one” in both her career and personal life.
• A powerful admission about using achievement as a shield against vulnerability and how it ultimately cost her connection with herself.
• Her turning point: choosing to prioritize rest, therapy, and boundaries instead of endlessly pushing through.
• Alina reflects on the permission she wishes more leaders had to admit they’re not okay — and how that honesty has transformed her approach to leadership.

Connect with Alina:

• HighlineLeadership.com 
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinadoran/

In this episode of Lonely at the Top, Rachel sits down with John Valencia, President and CEO of the Good for Others Foundation. John has raised nearly $1 billion for education and community initiatives, but behind his impressive resume is a leader who understands both the thrill and the isolation of being a visionary.

From childhood entrepreneurship to leading multimillion-dollar nonprofits, John has always carried the weight of responsibility. He shares candidly about the loneliness of being “the idea guy,” how charisma and storytelling help bridge gaps when others can’t see the vision, and why trust and authentic relationships are at the center of his leadership.

This conversation shines a light on the private ledger of a leader who has spent decades innovating, creating, and caring deeply for his teams — while finding out how to stay authentically true to himself.

✨ Episode Highlights:

• John shares how leadership has been part of his DNA since childhood — from selling lollipops at age eight to running multiple nonprofits and education institutions.
• His natural drive for accomplishment is balanced by a love for meaningful, soul-feeding work that often keeps him going beyond the typical nine-to-five.
• John describes himself as a “maverick” and visionary — someone who thrives on bold, creative ideas but relies on strong achievers on his team to bring them to completion.
• He opens up about the isolation of being a leader with unconventional ideas, and how charisma and storytelling have been both coping tools and leadership strengths.
• We explore how he hires people he trusts — often friends — and what that means for balancing deep care with organizational needs.
• John reflects on the importance of having even one person at work who truly “gets you” as an antidote to the loneliness of leadership.

Connect with John's work at  GoodForOthers.org

“All my jobs have been relationship-based, and the success has come from those authentic connections. You spend so much time with people you work with — you should love them.” - John Valencia

Trailer for Lonely at the Top

What happens when you’re married to a powerful, high-stakes leader—and your own emotional labor is quietly consuming you?

In this episode, Temi Ayodeji, stress-reduction artist, author, and wellness coach, joins Rachel to share the truth about being the partner behind the leader. From homeschooling a son with special needs while being offered a director role… to quietly donating a kidney to save her husband’s life… to discovering a scientifically grounded form of healing through fractal-infused art—Temi’s journey is one of grit, grace, and a relentless commitment to peace.

Together, they explore the emotional weight of supporting high-level leadership while carrying invisible burdens, and the power of creating calm—without needing to retreat from life.

🔑 Highlights:

• [03:45] The moment Temi turned down a leadership promotion to care for her son
• [11:10] Donating a kidney to her husband—and the emotional toll of keeping it private
• [21:30] The double silence: what happens when both partners operate in isolation
• [31:50] “Peace of mind is not a luxury. It’s a leadership requirement.”
• [39:00] How fractal-based artwork rewired her family’s nervous system
• [48:25] The private ledger: peace lost, faith gained, sleep reclaimed
• [56:10] The truth most leaders won’t say out loud—but deeply need to
• [01:01:40] Art as a healing tool for high-stress homes and leadership environments

🧭 Connect with Temi:

• Learn more about Temi’s healing artwork: TemiFineArts.com
• Join her newsletter and stories on Substack: temiayodeji.substack.com

In this episode of Lonely At the Top, host Rachel Alexandria sits down with Susana Perczek, a corporate stylist and former advertising executive, whose mission is to armor women leaders with both strength and style. Susana shares how she rose through the ranks in a demanding industry, only to face the emotional and relational costs of leadership, especially after starting a family.

Through heartfelt stories and rich metaphors (including Dungeons & Dragons references!), this conversation unpacks how clothing can be more than just fabric—it can be a shield, a strategy, a ritual, and a revelation of identity. Together, Rachel and Susana explore what it means to bring your full, feminine self to powerful spaces, and how style can be a gateway to alignment with purpose, confidence, and joy.

This episode is a must-listen for any woman in leadership who’s tired of blending in and ready to stand out—unapologetically.

✨ Interview Highlights

• Susana shares how the birth of her daughter forced a reckoning—she chose to walk away from a powerful executive role to prioritize presence over productivity.
• She opens up about the emotional and relational cost of leadership, especially in a high-demand advertising culture where “5 PM was basically lunch.”
• We talk about feminine presence in masculine-dominated rooms—and how clothing can be used to express, protect, and empower.
• Susana describes how accessories can become modern-day amulets, helping women feel grounded and radiant during high-stakes moments.
• She reflects on dreaming bigger as an asset she didn’t fully realize she had—and how now she’s building a business, envisioning a book, and even eyeing a TED Talk.

🔗 Connect with Susana

• Website: https://www.susanaperczekstyling.com/ 
• Style as Strategy on Substack - https://susanaperczek.substack.com/

Angela Quach, founder of Destiny Lab, gets real about what it took to leave corporate comfort and launch a multi-million dollar, purpose-driven marketing agency. In this candid conversation, Angela shares the invisible costs of leadership — from imposter syndrome to identity shifts — and the resilience it takes to build something bigger than ego. She and Rachel explore what it means to lead with both purpose and pressure, and why creating a relationship-first life has made all the difference.

If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to own your vision, this episode will leave you seen and stirred.

🌟 Highlight Moments

• Angela shares how growing up with working-class immigrant parents shaped her hunger for success.
• She describes her leap from corporate to building a multi-million dollar marketing agency during the pandemic.
• Angela opens up about how lonely and vulnerable it was to hold a vision that no one else could see yet.
• She reflects on the ego sacrifice required to lead and how delegation changed her identity as a leader.
• Angela discusses shifting from profit-driven work to purpose-driven leadership that centers DEI and authenticity.
• She reveals her private struggles with imposter syndrome and how she learned to become her own biggest cheerleader.
• Angela and Rachel discuss the hard truth that leadership means taking full responsibility — and how isolating that can be.
• The episode closes with Angela’s message to her younger self: “You don’t need someone’s permission to be great.”

🔗 Connect with Angela

• Website: www.thedestinylab.co
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieyquach/