On this episode of Rise, Heal, and Grow with Leah M. Hill, Leah sits down with Karina Bensko, CEO and Founder of CultureKrew, for a deeply human conversation about growth, grief, and building businesses that don’t lose their soul as they scale. Karina shares insights from her work as a People Systems Architect, guiding leaders through the “messy middle” of rapid growth with intentional culture, fractional leadership, and people-first systems that actually stick. Together, Leah and Karina explore why growth happens in stages, how grief can be a powerful catalyst for evolution, and what it truly means to honor the whole human at work—especially as a founder, parent, and leader redefining success on her own terms.

In this powerful and deeply honest episode of Rise, Heal, and Grow, Leah sits down with author and nurse Dianne C. Braley for a conversation about turning pain into purpose and silence into voice. Raised in a home shaped by addiction and dysfunction, Dianne shares how writing became both her refuge and her reckoning—first as a way to escape, and later as a means to heal. Drawing from her work as a nurse, her lived experience with trauma, and the real-life stories that inspired her novels, Dianne speaks candidly about truth-telling, breaking cycles, and the courage it takes to face what most people avoid. This episode invites listeners into a raw, compassionate space where honesty becomes power, healing is beautifully messy, and rising begins the moment we stop hiding our story.

In this engaging episode of Rise, Heal, and Grow, Leah sits down with Boston-based writer, performer, and world traveler Randy Ross, whose sharp wit and fearless storytelling have captivated audiences across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Randy shares how a disastrous four-month solo trip through developing countries became the inspiration for his acclaimed novel God Bless Cambodia and two hit one-man shows, including The Chronic Single’s Handbook and Tales of a Reluctant World Traveler. He opens up about crafting his newest book, The Squid and the Spaceman, a dysfunctional love story exploring how far we can—or should—go to change for someone we love, and previews his upcoming live performance blending scenes from the novel with insights from his research on loneliness. With reflections on growing up in Westchester, life in Boston since the ’80s, a decade on the Fringe Festival circuit, and the belief that “persistence pays off,” Randy reminds us that it’s never too late to take risks. His trademark humor—featuring favorites from Beverly Sills and Steven Wright—makes this conversation both heartfelt and hilariously unforgettable.