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Beyond the Bestseller is a podcast for professional women, authors, and entrepreneurs who are ready to amplify their influence and impact. Join host Kelly Schuknecht as she dives into conversations with inspiring women who’ve written books to further their careers, build their brands, and share powerful messages. Each episode dives into real conversations, offering insights on writing, marketing, and using a book to open doors and spark new opportunities. Tune in for inspiring stories, expert advice, and the motivation to pursue your own big dreams. Go beyond the bestseller and discover what’s possible.
Episodes
Dec 8, 2025
Dec 8, 2025
24 min
- Why Terri was "divinely guided" to write her book and why her main purpose is helping people understand the importance of putting happiness first.
- The difference between a "divine thought" (which is unquestionable) and your own thoughts, and how to tell them apart.
- Terri's journey with a structured, brainwave-inducing meditation system that helped her peel away layers of old emotions and trauma.
- How stress and negative emotions can block your connection to your soul or divine guidance.
- Practical ways to begin tuning down the volume on your mind, like watching your thoughts or getting into the silence.
- Why finding your connection looks different for everyone whether it's meditation, running in nature, or just asking yourself guiding questions.
- The profound, cathartic release that finally allowed Terri to write her book after years of blocking dark emotions.
- The incredible, literal experience of seeing her own soul in physical, energetic form.
- A powerful story of a young man who transformed his life by shifting his perspective on a painful, uncontrollable situation.
- Terri Murphy's Book: Journey to My Soul: Following Divine Navigation https://amzn.to/44hX8pj
- Terri Murphy's Website: www.thinkhappybehappy.com
- Terri Murphy's Other Book: https://www.amazon.com/10-Minutes-Happier-You-Positive/dp/1733338594
- Elizabeth Andrews' Episode: Kelly mentions Elizabeth Andrews' episode on journaling and her book on saying no.
- Hal Elrod's Book: The Miracle Morning.
Dec 1, 2025
Dec 1, 2025
31 min
In this conversation, Carla Ondrasik discusses the transition from merely trying to actually doing, emphasizing the importance of taking action to achieve personal goals. She shares her own experience of overcoming mental barriers and highlights the significance of motivation in the process of personal growth.
Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode:
- Carla's Book: Stop Trying, The Life-Transforming Power of Trying Less and Doing More https://amzn.to/4p1tnRP
- Carla's Website: Get the Try Baby Test and more resources at https://stop-trying.com.
- Connect with Carla on Instagram: https://instagram.com/carlaondrasik.
- Book Recommendation: The Book You Were Born to Write by Kelly Notaras.
- Connect with Kelly Schuknecht: Find her on LinkedIn, Instagram, and at https://kellyschuknecht.com
Nov 24, 2025
Nov 24, 2025
29 min
- The dramatic story of Dr. Mirko Beljanski and how his research challenged the medical establishment.
- Why Sylvie, a lawyer, gave up her career to ensure this critical knowledge did not disappear.
- How the Beljanski Foundation secured validation of her father’s plant extracts from institutions like Columbia University and Kansas University Medical Center.
- The unique properties of these extracts: working selectively against cancer cells, demonstrating no toxicity, and showing effectiveness in synergy with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
- Insights into how cancer can be linked to long-term exposure to toxic environments, emotional stress, and a tired immune system.
- Practical advice and protocols for an integrative approach that are shared directly in Sylvie’s book, Winning the War on Cancer.
- Guest’s Book: Winning the War on Cancer
- Beljanski Foundation (Research Archive): beljanski.org
- Maison Beljanski (Products & Coaching): MaisonBeljanski.com
- Sylvie's Podcast: The Beljanski Cancer Talk Show (on Spotify)
Nov 17, 2025
Nov 17, 2025
36 min
What if the things holding you back perfectionism, over-responsibility, and the pressure to achieve aren't character flaws, but rather trauma responses that have become culture?
As business owners and thought leaders, we often focus on the "ascending path" of growth: creating new patterns and positive self-affirmations. But what happens when that work feels hollow? My guest today, Erica Bonham, author of "Always Enough, Never Done", explains why we need to embrace the descending path of deep work the messy, necessary process of healing trauma and decolonizing the way we think about success and self-improvement.
Erica, a therapist, breaks down the concepts of Big T, Little t, and even ancestral trauma, explaining how seemingly innocuous "drips" of unresolved experiences can shape our personality and culture. We also dive into the vital importance of finding a therapist who is attuned to you and why therapy should be an evolution toward equity and community. This is a must-listen if you're writing a book or building a business and realize you need to clear out the root cause of what's keeping you stuck.
Inside this episode, you’ll discover:
- Why trauma doesn't give a shit what we know and why deep processing is required for true transformation
- The three categories of trauma and how perfectionism, urgency, and individualism are often trauma responses that have become cultural norms.
- Erica's mission to decolonize therapy by emphasizing nuance, emotional safety, and recognizing the client as the expert of their own life.
- Why avoidance and resentment around people-pleasing will ultimately cause harm if you don't look at the root of the issue.
Resources Mentioned:
- Purchase Erica’s book, Always Enough, Never Done: https://a.co/d/0icARnT
- Erica’s Website (for signed copies, workbook, and course packages): avoscounseling.com
- Free Resource: 11 Polyvagal Resources and 6 Guided Meditations: 11 Embodied Practices To Get Out of Overwhelm and Back to Badass
- Benjamin Hardy’s book: Personality Isn’t Permanent
If this episode resonated with you or someone you know, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with those who might need to hear Erica Bonham's story.
For more resources to help you write and market your book, visit kellyschuknecht.com.
Nov 10, 2025
Nov 10, 2025
35 min
Ever feel like your presentations or meetings aren’t landing the way you want? Dr. Christie McMullen shares how to make every interaction memorable using her four-part “Learning Can Stick” framework: Safe, Logical, Fun, and Memorable.
In this episode, we break down how business owners, coaches, and authors can turn any learning moment — from sales calls to team meetings — into engaging experiences that actually stick. Christie also explains neurosignatures (Slinky, Paperclip, Magnifying Glass, Teddy Bear) and how understanding them helps you communicate better and get stronger results from your team. We also dig into “flooding vs. dripping” information and why it matters for marketing your book or message.
What you’ll learn:
• How to make presentations and conversations truly memorable
• The SLFM framework for delivering engaging learning experiences
• Why your personality is your biggest communication superpower
• What neurosignatures reveal about how people learn and respond
• Flooding vs. dripping information in your marketing
Resources Mentioned:
- Dr. Christie McMullen's Book ➞ Learning Can Stick https://amzn.to/483EELk
- Dr. Christie’s Second Book ➞ Make Work Fun so People Don't Quit https://amzn.to/47JFxHC
- Dr. Christie’s Company ➞ Intentionality Group - http://intentionalitygroup.com
- Dr. Christie’s Podcast ➞ Productive Joy https://www.youtube.com/ @productive_joy
- Connect with Dr. Christie on LinkedIn ➞ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-christie-mcmullen/
- Join the Author Power Circle ➞ https://kellyschuknecht.com/author-power-circle/
If this episode resonated with you or someone you know, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with those who might need to hear Dr. Christie McMullen's story.
For more resources to help you write and market your book, visit kellyschuknecht.com.
Nov 3, 2025
Nov 3, 2025
22 min
Does your online presence reflect who you really are? Executive and author Victoria Pelletier shares how to build a personal brand that attracts high-level opportunities — from executive roles to eight-figure deals.
In this episode, we unpack the difference between personal branding and thought leadership, the biggest mistakes leaders make on LinkedIn, and how to build a brand rooted in authenticity rather than company posts or corporate polish. Victoria also breaks down the four core elements of a powerful brand and why writing a book is one of the strongest credibility builders for any thought leader.
What you’ll learn:
• How personal branding differs from thought leadership
• The top mistake executives make on LinkedIn
• How to curate a brand with strategic intentionality
• How to get past imposter syndrome when showing up online
• Why a book elevates authority and opens new doors
Resources & Links Mentioned:
• Victoria Pelletier’s book, Influence Unleashed ➞ https://www.amazon.ca/Influence-Unleashed-Forging-Personal-Branding-ebook/dp/B0CRSC48HK
• Victoria’s book, The Power of Whole Human Leadership ➞ https://www.amazon.ca/Power-Whole-Human-Leadership-Managing/dp/B0D9C53NJJ
•Victoria Pelletier's website ➞ https://victoriapelletier.com](https://victoriapelletier.com/
If this episode resonated with you or someone you know, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with those who might need to hear Victoria Pelletier's story. For more resources to help you write and market your book, visit kellyschuknecht.com.
Oct 27, 2025
Oct 27, 2025
27 min
Do you ever feel like you second-guess everything from the small choices to the big ones?
Therapist-turned-author Emily Romero says you’re not alone. In her newest book, You Can Trust Yourself, Emily walks us through the beautiful, lifelong process of reconnecting with your intuition, your body, and ultimately, your truth.
In this episode, Emily joins me to unpack what self-trust really means, why so many women lose it, and how we can begin to build it back one honest promise at a time. We talk about the moment she realized every client’s story traced back to the same root issue, the framework she created to guide women home to themselves, and how entrepreneurship and solo travel became unexpected teachers of trust in her own life.
We dive into:
- The story behind You Can Trust Yourself how Emily’s 13 years as a trauma therapist revealed one universal truth about the women she worked with.
- Why we stop trusting ourselves from childhood experiences to gradual erosion over time.
- Emily’s “Compass Framework” for self-trust a lifelong model built around four core directions:
- North: Radical Honesty telling yourself the truth, even when it’s hard.
- East: Keeping Promises following through on your word (and learning when it’s okay to change it).
- South: Regulation calming your nervous system so you can actually hear your intuition.
- West: Knowing Yourself because you can’t trust a stranger, especially when that stranger is you.
- How to start small practical ways to build trust, from setting aligned goals to taking yourself on solo “dates.”
- Entrepreneurship and solo travel as pathways to self-trust how going out on your own (in business or in life) can reveal your most authentic self.
Oct 20, 2025
Oct 20, 2025
23 min
What if the same tools CEOs use to run thriving companies could also help you design a more intentional, joy-filled life?
That’s exactly what today’s guest, Lisa Druxman founder of Fit4Mom and author of Level Up Your Life believes. After more than two decades leading a national fitness company for moms, Lisa realized that the key to avoiding burnout isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing the right things, the ones that truly align with your values.
In this conversation, Lisa and I dig into what it really looks like to:
- Use her Wheel of Life exercise to assess where you are and where you want to be.
- Identify your MITs (Most Important Things) and let those guide your time, energy, and focus.
- Apply the “minimum effective dose” of self-care to stay grounded, even in busy seasons.
- Embrace micro-moments of joy each day so you’re not always waiting for “someday” to feel fulfilled.
- Shift from hustle mode into a sustainable rhythm that honors your health, family, and long-term dreams.
Lisa also shares candidly about her own journey, how she built a business while raising kids, what it looked like when her life and calendar didn’t reflect her values, and how she course-corrected to design a life that feels both purposeful and joyful.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in the grind, drowning in your inbox, or like you’re living on autopilot, Lisa’s wisdom will inspire you to make small, powerful shifts that move you closer to the life you really want.
