Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts

Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts is a show about the real moments that shape us.Every week Tony Taylor sits with people who have lived through something hard and came out changed. Caregivers, creators, entrepreneurs, survivors. People in the messy middle who kept going even when it hurt.These conversations are raw, honest, and unscripted. We talk about the moments that broke you open, the choices that changed everything, and the strength you didn’t know you had.If you’re carrying a lot and trying to stay true to yourself while you build

Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts is a society podcast hosted by Tony Taylor, with 163 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Tony Taylor hosts Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts, a society show with 163 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts

  Washington State Senate Candidate Tamara Stramel

  Oct 2, 202655 min

  Tamara Stramel is running for Washington State Senate in Washington’s 31st Legislative District. She is certified to appear in the 2026 general election. WA Secretary of State In this episode of On The Record, Tamara talks about the experiences that shaped her, why she decided to step from working behind the scenes in politics into becoming a candidate herself, and what she’s hearing from voters across the district. We talk about affordability, transportation and infrastructure, public education, healthcare, Washington’s tax system, gun policy, political participation, and what she believes accessibility and accountability should look like from an elected official. On The Record: isn’t here to tell you who to vote for. Listen to the conversation. Compare the answers. Decide for yourself. Because informed voters build stronger communities.

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  Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts

  Healing From Narcissistic Abuse: Trauma, Chronic Pain & Reclaiming Yourself

  Sep 26, 202651 min

  What happens after you recognize narcissistic abuse? How do you actually begin healing? In this episode of Leaders Lead, Tony Taylor sits down with narcissistic abuse recovery coach Adriana Bucci, founder of Let’s Get Your Shift Together , for an honest conversation about narcissistic abuse, trauma, chronic pain, survival mode, boundaries, people-pleasing, and reclaiming yourself. Adriana shares her own experience growing up with a narcissistic mother and spending years struggling with chronic pain, anxiety, people-pleasing, and few boundaries before beginning the healing journey that changed her life. Together, Tony and Adriana explore the emotional patterns that can keep people stuck, including guilt, shame, fear, gaslighting, love bombing, devaluation, fight-or-flight, freeze and fawn responses, and the difficulty of setting boundaries after years of conditioning. But this conversation isn't just about identifying narcissistic behavior. It's about what comes next. How do you stop living in survival mode? How do you set boundaries without being consumed by guilt? How do you reconnect with yourself? And what does healing look like when you've spent years taking care of everyone else's emotions while ignoring your own? Adriana also shares her personal experience with chronic pain and the mind-body approaches she says played an important role in her recovery. If you've experienced narcissistic abuse, emotional manipulation, people-pleasing, chronic stress, difficult family relationships, or simply feel like you've lost pieces of yourself along the way, this conversation is about finding your way back. Subscribe to Leaders Lead for more conversations about leadership, healing, mental health, resilience, relationships, and the experiences that shape us. Disclaimer: This episode includes personal experiences and discussion of trauma, mental health, chronic pain, and mind-body approaches. It is provided for educational and informational purposes and is not medical or mental health treatment. Chronic pain can have many causes, and listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals regarding their individual circumstances.

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  Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts

  Congressional Candidate Alex Scheel: From Combat Veteran to Anti-War Activist

  Sep 25, 202651 min

  Alex Scheel is a combat veteran, organizer, Democratic Socialist, and candidate for Congress in Washington’s 10th Congressional District. Alex was a late addition to this episode, and I’m glad we had the opportunity to talk. In this conversation, Alex shares how his experiences serving in Army intelligence and deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan changed the way he understood war. He talks about one experience in particular, sitting across from a young Iraqi man and hearing how the war had affected his family and his life. Alex says those experiences eventually helped lead him from soldier to anti-war activist. We also talk about his work with the Democratic Socialists of America, organizing around housing and workers’ rights, and what democratic socialism actually means to him. Alex doesn't shy away from some of the bigger issues either. We get into Medicare for All, housing affordability, U.S. military spending, Israel and Gaza, and why ending U.S. involvement in overseas wars is such a major part of his campaign. The conversation also gets personal. We talk about mental health, loss, and why politics ultimately affects real people and real families. Alex shares the loss of his sister to an overdose and his best friend to suicide, and why those experiences matter to him. I’m looking forward to learning more about Alex’s journey, especially how he went from serving in the military to becoming an organizer and activist. This conversation is not an endorsement of Alex Scheel or his campaign. On The Record™ gives candidates an opportunity to share their stories, positions, and perspectives in their own words. Listen to Leaders Lead Podcast on all major podcast platforms. #OnTheRecord #AlexScheel #WA10 #WashingtonPolitics #Congress #Veterans #AntiWar #DemocraticSocialism #LeadersLeadPodcast

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  Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts

  Candidate for WA State Representative, 31st Legislative District | Stephen Szczurko-Walton

  Sep 24, 20261h 19m

  Candidate for WA State Representative, 31st Legislative District, Stephen Szczurko-Walton joins On The Record™ for a long-form conversation about his background, military service, leadership, and the issues shaping his campaign. The conversation covers healthcare, affordability, Washington’s tax structure, artificial intelligence, corporate money in politics, rural transportation, climate policy, and public trust in government. Szczurko-Walton also discusses his nine and a half years in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear reactor operator and what he says he is hearing from voters across the district. On The Record™ gives voters the opportunity to hear directly from the people asking for their vote, beyond the campaign ads, headlines, and soundbites. Watch the full conversation and make up your own mind.

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  Leaders Lead Even When It Hurts

  Candidate for Congress, WA-03: Troy Rasband:

  Sep 21, 20261h 8m

  Troy Rasband joined me for On The Record to talk about why he decided to run for Congress in Washington's 3rd Congressional District and the issues driving his campaign. We talked about his story, what shaped his political views, the challenges facing working families, healthcare, immigration, government accountability, the transgender community, and what he believes needs to change in Washington, D.C. This is a long-form conversation designed to give voters an opportunity to hear directly from the candidate, beyond campaign ads, social media posts, and sound bites. On The Record doesn't tell you who to vote for. The goal is simple: ask the questions, give candidates room to answer, and let voters decide for themselves. Learn more about Troy Rasband: Troy Rasband for Congress #TroyRasband #WA03 #OnTheRecord #WashingtonPolitics #Election2026 #Congress #CandidateInterview #SouthwestWashington

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