In this episode, JJ Flizanes welcomes Erin Hines, a Human Design business coach (and repeat guest from West Coast Women Rising), to kick off a new series-style conversation on Human Design—what it is, why it’s gaining traction, and how it can help you better understand your energy, decision-making, and natural way of operating in life and work.
What You’ll Learn
Mentioned in the Episode
Connect with Erin Hines
Erin’s website: DarnGoodBusinessCoach.com
Find Erin on: LinkedIn
Listen to: Rebel to Rise: Where Business Meets Human Design
JJ welcomes back Sheila Donohue for a conversation that blends entrepreneurship, lifestyle, and the art of curated Italian wines and foods. Sheila shares how her company, Verovino, sources small-batch, farm-made wines, olive oils, and specialty foods—many not readily available in the U.S.—and delivers them to both consumers and businesses across America.
Meet Sheila in Bologna: Sheila shares her life in Bologna, Italy, where she’s lived since 2001, and how Italy shaped her expertise and relationships with producers.
What Verovino does: Verovino curates and imports authentic, sustainably made, small-batch products—primarily from Italy, plus select producers from other countries and California—selling B2B and direct-to-consumer.
From fintech to food & wine: Sheila explains her background in financial technology (fintech), her sommelier training in Italy, and how her personal immersion in artisan food culture inspired the company.
Starting from a “clean slate”: In 2017, after major life changes, Sheila began building Verovino—funded through savings—and took early action by importing product and going door-to-door to find customers.
How the business grows: Sheila emphasizes the importance of continuity (repeat business), building scale, and covering operating expenses. She explains how an omni-channel strategy helps stabilize the business:
Distributors nationwide
Wine stores & restaurants (especially in California)
Direct-to-consumer shipping across the U.S.
Corporate gifting & events
Marketing & education that compounds: Verovino invests in education and storytelling through digital marketing—especially their blog and YouTube channel—to build long-term brand trust and demand.
Product philosophy: As a sommelier-led team, Sheila curates for variety and distinction: reds, whites, rosés, orange wines, sparkling (dry and sweet), plus standout olive oils—including single-varietal olive oils with specific pairing profiles.
Events as a growth engine: Sheila shares how tastings, fundraisers, private events, and collaborations introduce people to the products—because tasting creates appreciation and connection.
Specialty foods: The conversation highlights a Piedmont hazelnut producer offering toasted hazelnuts, caramelized hazelnuts, hazelnut creams, pasta, and pestos—plus JJ’s enthusiasm for pistachio cream and clean ingredients.
Wine club & gifting: Sheila describes Verovino’s monthly or quarterly wine club, curated shipments with insider notes and stories, and a growing trend of gifting memberships (including personalized letters).
Gift sets: Verovino offers curated gift sets—popular in December—and a standout option that pairs wine + olive oil, plus expanded options for non-wine drinkers.
A second brand line for broader appeal: To avoid being pigeonholed and to meet different market needs, Sheila shares how Verovino expanded into a separate line for more “recognizable” wines, including Prosecco and kegs—ideal for events and high-volume restaurant service.
Advice for new producers: Sheila emphasizes the need to stand out in a crowded market—especially as the wine industry faces headwinds—and to clearly differentiate your product and message.
JJ connects her own journey as a winemaker (High Vibrational Wines) and discusses why she values small-batch, purpose-driven production over mass distribution.
A fun community collaboration emerges: JJ invites Sheila to co-create a March event in Ojai with “Women Behind the Business: Real Conversations,” potentially adding a wine tasting experience—and they discover their birthdays are both in March.
Website: Verovino.com
YouTube: Vero Vino
Instagram & Facebook: VeroVinoGusto
Closing: JJ encourages listeners to explore Verovino for personal discovery, gifting, and creating meaningful food-and-wine experiences that bring “a taste of Italy” home.
What happens when someone listens to every single episode of your podcast for over a decade?
In this special conversation, JJ celebrates a major milestone by sitting down with longtime listener Vicki, who discovered the show years ago while walking through life’s biggest transitions — caring for an aging parent, navigating a demanding career, and eventually stepping into retirement.
What unfolds is a heartfelt, real-life story about how small daily shifts, emotional healing, and consistent self-care can quietly transform your life.
Together, they explore what it really means to:
Find purpose after retirement
Create more joy without “doing more”
Set boundaries as a helper or caregiver
Stay healthy and strong as we age
Use accountability and community to break old patterns
Choose growth, even in life’s next chapter
You’ll also hear JJ reflect on the journey from the early days of Fit to Love to now — how podcasting became a living, evolving conversation, and why connection with listeners matters more than download numbers.
This episode is a reminder that healing doesn’t have to be dramatic. Sometimes it’s one new habit, one brave boundary, or one small mindset shift at a time.
If you’ve ever wondered:
What’s my purpose now?
How do I take care of myself without guilt?
Is it too late to change?
This conversation will feel like sitting down with a wise friend who’s walking the path right alongside you.
✨ The next 14-Day Manifestation Challenge starts soon — join at jjflizanes.com/14day
JJ welcomes back Michelle Reittinger, author and host of The Upside of Bipolar, for a bold, hope-filled conversation that challenges common cultural narratives around bipolar disorder. Together, they unpack “myths” that can keep people stuck in fear and identity-based labels—and invite listeners into curiosity, root-cause investigation, and a more empowering view of symptoms, healing, and personal responsibility.
In This Episode, We Cover
· Michelle’s story: diagnosed in 1998, years of intensive psychiatric treatment, polypharmacy, and a breaking point that became a turning point
· Why a diagnosis can feel like an “answer,” but often doesn’t explain why symptoms started
· The difference between a “cluster of symptoms” and an identified disease mechanism
· Why curiosity (vs. shame) changes everything—especially with intense symptoms like rage, anxiety, and dissociation
· The “detective” approach: identifying triggers, patterns, and underlying contributors
· The role of foundational health (nutrients, sleep, nervous system regulation) in emotional resilience and symptom reduction
· Why suppressed emotions can show up as anxiety, depression, physical pain, or crisis states
· How identity, victimhood, and relationship dynamics can unconsciously reinforce staying stuck
· A grounded reminder: do not abruptly stop medications—tapering/changes should be done slowly and safely with qualified support
Notable Takeaways
· Labels can reduce curiosity—and curiosity is often the doorway to change.
· “Symptoms” are information; the goal is to explore what they’re pointing to.
· The most empowering question isn’t “What’s wrong with me?” but “What happened—and what is my system asking for now?”
· Healing can have a social cost: if your “sick role” has been rewarded with attention, protection, or lowered expectations, getting better can feel threatening (even subconsciously).
Resources Mentioned
· Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker
· The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
· Healing Back Pain by Dr. John Sarno
Connect with Michelle
· Website: theupsideofbipolar.com
· Free resource: Mood Cycle Survival Guide (available on her site)
· Podcast + book links are also on her website.