What if the ancient wisdom of martial arts could help you navigate modern chaos, protect your peace and reclaim your power? In Secrets of the Sensei, Jennifer Cassetta, a high performance coach and speaker, shares nine powerful secrets for emotional self-defense, resilience, stronger boundaries and sustainable high performance.
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What can a third-degree black belt teach us about leadership? At the CASBO Women in Leadership event, Jennifer Cassetta brought her *Art of Badassery* framework to California women leaders through an interactive **Black Belt Leadership** keynote focused on resilience, confidence, boundaries, energy management, and sustainable high performance.
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Discover the four reservoirs that fuel resilience and sustainable high performance. Take Jennifer Cassetta’s Resilience Reservoir Assessment and learn how to prevent burnout, protect your energy and perform under pressure.
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What if knowing more about your health could help you take action before a crisis? As I approach 50, I decided to find out what was happening inside my body with a Function Health MRI through Ezra. The results were mostly reassuring—but they also uncovered an unexpected thyroid finding that reminded me why proactive health screening isn’t about having all the answers. Sometimes, it’s simply about getting the information you need to know what to ask next.
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How can HR leaders and high-performing professionals build resilience without burning out? At SHRM26 in Orlando, Jenn Cassetta, high-performance coach and speaker, shared a martial arts-inspired approach to sustainable high performance. From setting boundaries and managing energy to building resilience and using breath to stay grounded under pressure, Jenn’s strategies offer practical tools for HR professionals and leaders looking to prevent burnout and perform at their best.
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Jenn Cassetta’s TEDx talk explores how leverage, leadership, and resilience can help you overcome bullies, conflict, and adversity without force. Learn practical strategies for standing strong, protecting your peace, and responding with confidence
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Do you want to feel confident with money and stop carrying fear, scarcity, or someone else’s money story?
In this episode, I’m joined by Kelly Gushue, former Wall Street insider and founder of Personal Finance Warrior, to break down what it really takes for women to build wealth and step into financial independence. From her mom losing access to money after leaving a marriage to graduating with $120K in debt, Kelly shares the experiences that shaped her mission.
We talk about why investing feels so overwhelming, the biggest mistakes women make (like sitting on too much cash), and why the “Women’s Wealth Shift” makes this conversation more important than ever.
Plus, you’ll walk away with simple, actionable steps—like the three accounts every woman should have and how to start investing with confidence.
This is your permission to invest, build wealth, and take up space financially.
Welcome to our latest blog post inspired by a dynamic episode of “The Art of Badassery” podcast. Hosted by Jenn Cassetta, the episode features an enlightening conversation with Kelly Gushue, a Wall Street Insider and founder of Personal Finance Warrior. Together, they delve into empowering strategies for women to take control of their finances and build lasting wealth.
Jenn Cassetta kicks off the episode by sharing her intention: for more women to have control over their wealth, believing that this will lead to a better, more generous world. Kelly Gushue echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the need to energize women about money and to provide helpful resources to encourage proactive financial management.
Kelly Gushue recounts her personal journey that led her to finance. From witnessing her mother’s struggle with financial independence to finding herself in substantial debt after grad school, Kelly shares how these experiences motivated her to embrace investing and financial independence.
Both Jenn and Kelly reflect on how early money stories shape financial perspectives. Kelly narrates a vivid childhood memory that instilled in her a scarcity mindset but later propelled her to work hard for financial freedom. Jenn shares a breakthrough moment in recognizing that her fear of money was inherited from her mother, leading her to shift her money mindset to one of abundance.
Kelly highlights five reasons why investing is different for women: the upcoming women’s wealth shift, the gender pay gap, longer life expectancy, time off for family, and the potential to be the first to manage retirement savings in their family. These factors create a unique context for women’s finances.
The podcast discusses frequent financial blunders women make, such as keeping too much cash uninvested and not having a financial plan. Kelly emphasizes the importance of starting with a financial plan and taking incremental steps towards investment.
Kelly encourages listeners to reflect on their earliest money memories to understand their own financial behaviors. Recognizing whether you operate from a place of scarcity or abundance can be a crucial step towards financial empowerment.
By 2030, women will control a majority of investible assets, a phenomenon Kelly dubs the “Women’s Wealth Shift.” This era of financial power promises to reshape investment landscapes, particularly in areas like women’s healthcare and entrepreneurship, where women can fund and support each other’s ventures more robustly.
Kelly shares a simple three-step money system: a cash account, an emergency savings account, and an investment account. This layered approach aims to ensure women have immediate, emergency, and long-term financial security. She stresses the importance of high-yield savings accounts and investment accounts for financial flexibility and empowerment.
This episode of “The Art of Badassery” with Jenn Cassetta and Kelly Gushue is a powerful reminder of the importance of financial self-defense and empowerment for women. As we step into an era of unprecedented financial opportunity, it is crucial for women to embrace education, develop a robust financial plan, and shift towards a more abundant mindset.
Important Links
Kelly Gushue is a former investment industry insider turned Financial Coach. As the founder of Personal Finance Warrior (www.PersonalFinanceWarrior.com), she helps women take control of their finances, invest with confidence, and build lasting wealth. Drawing on her experience as a Portfolio Strategist and Financial Advisor, Kelly knows how overwhelming investing can feel—and she’s passionate about making it approachable, practical, and empowering. Whether it’s financial markets, real estate, digital assets, or alternative investments, Kelly guides women step-by-step to achieve financial freedom on their terms.
Learn more about Kelly Gushue at https://personalfinancewarrior.com/
Have you ever left a doctor’s appointment feeling dismissed, unheard, or questioning your own body?
In this episode of The Art of Badassery, I sit down with Nikki Sapiro Vinckier—OB-GYN physician assistant, reproductive health advocate, and author of the upcoming book We Deserve More to unpack medical gaslighting, power dynamics in healthcare, and how to confidently advocate for yourself.
Nikki shares how her personal experiences from gaps in postpartum care to surviving childhood sexual abuse have shaped her work and the online community she’s built. Together, we explore the complex history of U.S. gynecology, disparities in care for Black women, and real-life examples of gaslighting, including delayed endometriosis diagnoses.
We also dive into navigating perimenopause and menopause, and discuss practical ways to protect yourself in medical settings like requesting a chaperone or declining an exam if something doesn’t feel right.
Welcome to our latest blog post inspired by an enlightening episode from the Art of Bad Assery podcast. Hosted by Jenn Cassetta, this episode features Nikki Sapiro Vinckier, an OB/GYN physician assistant, reproductive health advocate, and author of the upcoming book “We Deserve More.” Together, they uncover the layers of medical gaslighting, exploring its impact on women’s healthcare, and share empowering strategies for self-advocacy.
Medical Setting Challenges
Jenn Cassetta and her guest, Nikki Sapiro Vinckier, dive into the complex world of medical gaslighting and its effects on women’s experiences in healthcare. They discuss how patients often feel unheard and dismissed, especially when their concerns about health are trivialized by professionals. This lack of acknowledgment can lead women to doubt their own experiences and impede their pursuit of necessary care.
A History Uncovered
Sapiro Vinckier reveals the troubling origins of gynecology in the United States, shedding light on the systemic biases that persist today. Through her research and personal experiences, she highlights the importance of recognizing past injustices and using that awareness to improve current healthcare practices, particularly for marginalized groups.
The Fight for Better Care
In her book “We Deserve More,” Nikki Sapiro Vinckier emphasizes the need for systemic change in reproductive healthcare. During the podcast, she discusses how women can empower themselves within a flawed medical system. From learning to recognize medical gaslighting to understanding power dynamics, the conversation underscores the importance of being informed and prepared to advocate for yourself and others.
Empowering Community Support
Nikki shares how her personal journey through the healthcare system opened her eyes to widespread issues. After experiencing inadequate care herself, she turned frustration into action by building a community that supports women’s health advocacy. By speaking out online and sharing stories, Sapiro Vinckier and Cassetta highlight the power of collective voice and action.
Takeaways from This Episode
Conclusion
The Art of Bad Assery podcast delivers a powerful message about self-advocacy and system reform in women’s healthcare. Nikki Sapiro Vinckier’s insights provide a roadmap for navigating these challenges, encouraging listeners to engage actively in their own healthcare journey. For more empowering discussions, subscribe to the podcast and tune in to hear from incredible women making a difference.
Important Links
Nikki Sapiro Vinckier is an OB/GYN Physician Assistant with more than a decade of clinical experience and the founder of Take Back Trust, a digital platform designed to help people navigate reproductive healthcare with confidence, clarity, and without shame. Through Take Back Trust, she provides education, visit-planning tools, real-world scripts, and “Know Your Rights” guides that center patients—not systems. Her work supports individuals across a wide range of experiences, including choosing birth control, navigating miscarriage or loss, accessing abortion care, seeking queer-affirming medicine, and advocating for themselves in medical settings.
In addition to her clinical and platform work, Nikki is a content creator, media strategist, and public speaker focused on reproductive freedom, health equity, and dismantling stigma in medicine. She collaborates with campaigns, coalitions, and advocacy organizations nationwide to develop messaging that resonates deeply and inspires action. In 2024, she joined the Harris for President digital team in Michigan. Her work has been featured in outlets including HuffPost, Newsweek, the Detroit Free Press, Gander Newsroom, and Courier News, among others.
Learn more about Nikki at https://www.nikkivinck.com/
What is dying really like—and could understanding it help us live more fully?
In this episode of The Art of Badassery, I’m joined by Julie McFadden—better known as Hospice Nurse Julie. A former ICU nurse turned hospice educator, Julie has helped millions rethink what the end of life actually looks like. Her honest and compassionate approach to talking about death has made her a trusted voice online and led to her New York Times bestselling book, Nothing to Fear.
Julie shares how her TikTok unexpectedly exploded, leading to major media coverage and a book deal. More importantly, she explains what she’s learned from thousands of patients about the natural dying process—and why it’s often far more peaceful than people imagine.
Embracing Life’s End: A Deep Dive into Death, Hospice, and Living Fully
In a world where we often shy away from discussing death and dying, it is crucial to have conversations that shed light on this inevitable journey. Recently, on The Art of Badassery podcast, Jennifer Cassetta had an enlightening conversation with Julie McFadden, a seasoned nurse known for her work in hospice and her efforts to normalize discussions about death. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the key insights and stories shared during the episode, offering a fresh perspective on life’s final chapter.
Setting the Intention
Before delving into the conversation with Julie McFadden, host Jenn Cassetta shares her approach to each podcast episode—setting an intention. The purpose of The Art of Badassery is to uplift, inspire, and provide hope in a challenging world. As listeners, we can reflect on this intention and consider how these stories and insights might elevate our energy and inspire those around us.
Julie McFadden: A Journey through Nursing and Social Media
Julie McFadden brings years of experience as both an ICU and hospice nurse. She shares her journey from feeling burned out in the ICU to finding passion and fulfillment in hospice care, eventually using social media to educate others about death and dying. With over 4 million followers and a New York Times bestselling book, “Nothing to Fear,” Julie has become a powerful voice in demystifying the end-of-life experience.
Lessons from Hospice Care
One of the most profound insights Julie shares is how the body prepares itself for death, highlighting the biological mechanisms that ease the process. She explains that contrary to popular belief, the body naturally knows how to die, often without the acute pain we associate with the end of life. This understanding can bring comfort to those facing death and their loved ones.
The Healing Power of Connection
Julie emphasizes the importance of connection, sharing personal stories of patients, like Randy, who found peace in their final days through the meaningful relationships they formed. As she recounts one of her favorite patient experiences, Julie highlights how, even at the end of life, letting go of fear allows individuals to embrace the journey with openness and acceptance.
Takeaways from the Episode
Conclusion
The episode with Julie McFadden on The Art of Badassery podcast provides a compassionate and informative look at death through the lens of a hospice nurse. By sharing candid stories and practical advice, Jenn and Julie remind us of the importance of living intentionally and embracing every moment, even those leading up to our final days.
Important Links
Julie McFadden, BSN, RN has been a nurse for 17 years. Julie is an experienced ICU, and now Hospice/Palliative Nurse. Julie has been featured in Time magazine, Newsweek, GMA, USA today, and several other articles worldwide. Julie has been passionate about normalizing death through education to the masses using social media and now her new, NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING book, Nothing To Fear! She has over 4M followers across her platforms, and you can find at Hospice Nurse Julie.
Learn more about Julie at https://www.hospicenursejulie.com/
Have you ever wondered why women’s stories keep disappearing from history—and what that means for our lives today?
In this episode of The Art of Badassery podcast, I talk with two-time New York Times bestselling author and sociologist Anna Malaika Tubbs about her book Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden From Us and how patriarchy was intentionally designed into the United States’ founding structures to keep power with white elite men through rights like land ownership and voting.
Anna shares how her global, nomadic upbringing shaped her belief that change is possible, and she opens up about personal hardships, including losing her mother at 29 and facing sexism, racism, and ageism in the spotlight as her husband rose in politics. We discuss how American history is a constant tug-of-war between those defending the original social order and those fighting for a real democracy, why Black women have been central to recognizing the system as constructed, why some women still defend patriarchy through proximity to power, and what it looks like to stay spiritually grounded while taking action.
Welcome to another inspiring episode of The Art of Badassery podcast, where our host, Jenn Cassetta, Chief Badassery Officer, engages in a meaningful discussion with Anna Malaika Tubbs, a two-time New York Times bestselling author and multidisciplinary expert on race, gender, and equity. Through their insightful conversation, they delve into Anna’s unique upbringing, her compelling books, and her fight against the constructs of patriarchy.
Anna’s Multifaceted Background
Anna began her life in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but her parents’ desire for a nomadic lifestyle took her to places around the globe, from Dubai to Estonia. This exposure to diverse cultures developed Anna’s passion for social justice and laid the groundwork for her future endeavors. With impressive academic accomplishments, including a PhD in sociology and a master’s in gender studies from Cambridge, Anna brings a wide lens to the subjects she’s passionate about.
The Power of Positivity
Anna shares how her optimism shapes her worldview. Despite facing challenges like losing her mother and being consistently underestimated, Anna reframes struggles as transformative experiences. Her strong belief in the power of positivity fuels her dedication to contribute to societal progress through her work.
Three Takeaways from This Episode:
Understanding Historical Constructs:
The Role of Women in Progress:
Envisioning a True Democracy:
The Journey with Anna’s Books
Anna’s first book, “The Three Mothers: How The Mothers of MLK Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation,” sheds light on the incredible, yet often overlooked, contributions of these mothers. Her second book, “Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us,” delves deeper into how patriarchy has influenced the nation’s history and present, challenging us to rethink and strive for inclusivity in all spheres of life.
Conclusion
Jenn and Anna wrap up their conversation with an exploration of how present-day movements contribute to dismantling long-standing patriarchal systems, offering hope for a future where everyone’s humanity is acknowledged and celebrated. Anna Malaika Tubbs’s insights and efforts encourage us all to be active participants in forging a better world.
Stay Connected
To continue conversations like this or engage with Anna’s work, consider purchasing her books or connecting with her on social media platforms. Her commitment to social justice and equity sets a powerful example for all striving to rewrite our collective history.
Thank You for Being Part of the Change
Thank you for tuning in with an open heart and mind. Together, we can elevate the frequency and vibration of the planet by contributing to progress and encouraging inclusivity. Until next time, stay inspired!
Important Links
Anna Malaika Tubbs is a 2x New York Times bestselling author and multidisciplinary expert on current and historical understandings of race, gender, and equity. With a Ph.D. in Sociology and a Master’s in Multidisciplinary Gender Studies from the University of Cambridge in addition to a Bachelor’s in Medical Anthropology from Stanford University, Anna translates her academic knowledge into stories that are clear and engaging. Her articles have been published by TIME Magazine, New York Magazine, Newsweek, The Guardian, and others. Her first book, The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of MLK Jr, Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation came out in 2021; her second book, Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden From Us came out in May of 2025. Anna’s storytelling also takes form in her talks, including her TED Talk that has been viewed 2 million times, as well as the scripted and unscripted screen projects she has in development. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three kids.
Learn more about Anna Malaika Tubbs at https://annamalaikatubbs.com/.
