Badass Leaders Podcast: Leadership, Career Growth, and Company Culture

This episode dives into the real, often unspoken emotional terrain of caregiving, leadership burnout, and reclaiming joy at work through the power of play. Angela sits down with Corean Canty, a former media and advertising COO turned executive coach, TEDx speaker coach, and co-founder of Shift to Play. Together, they unpack how anticipatory grief affects caregivers, why so many leaders lose their sense of self, and how play can rebuild creativity, resilience, and connection at work.
You'll hear Corean's personal journey through corporate burnout, caring for her mother with dementia, rediscovering her voice, and helping leaders stop performing the "should self" and step back into authenticity. The conversation also tackles questions many people quietly Google but rarely discuss openly:
The discussion also tackles questions such as:
  • What is anticipatory grief and how do you cope with it as a caregiver?
  • How do you know you're burning out before your body forces you to stop?
  • What does play actually do to your brain and why does it matter at work?
  • How can you become a better storyteller even if you don't think you're creative?
  • What's the difference between managing and leading in today's workplace?
  • How do you resolve conflict when everyone's stuck in their assumptions?
  • How do you find your true voice if you've spent years being who you "should" be? 
This episode is part inspiration, part strategy, part wake-up call. Expect honesty, vulnerability, and real-world tools you can use immediately.

Learn More About Corean:
Mentioned in this Episode:

Produced by: The AGN Group
Host: Angela Gill Nelms
Producer: Katie Hart
Tagline: Be Brave. Be Badass.
Websites: www.theagngroup.com and www.AngelaGillNelms.com

About The AGN Group:
At The AGN Group, we believe every individual, team, and company can unlock their inner badass, one brave step at a time. www.TheAGNGroup.com.

Social Media Channels:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badassleaderspodcast/
Twitter: https://x.com/BALeadersPod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@baleaderspod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/badass-leaders-podcast2

Want to be a Podcast Guest?
If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, email brave@angelagillnelms.com.

Key Takeaways:
  • Anticipatory grief is real and often hits caregivers long before a loved one passes.
  • Burnout doesn't start in the workplace — it shows up in the body first. If you're overriding your own needs, your body will eventually force the pause.
  • Play is not childish — it's neuroscience. It improves creativity, problem-solving, communication, and bonding within teams.
  • Authenticity beats performance. Most people operate from their "should voice," not their real one.
  • Storytelling is a leadership tool, not a trend. Humans understand meaning through stories more than data.
  • Conflict stays stuck when everyone is clinging to assumptions. Curiosity is the exit ramp.
  • Leaders aren't defined by title. Leadership happens anywhere someone is willing to speak vision, ask bold questions, and take the first step.
  • You can't lead well if you're not living well. Life design and leadership design are inseparable.

Themes:
  • Caregiving and anticipatory grief
  • Leadership burnout and well-being
  • Play as a professional development tool
  • Creativity and innovation in the age of AI
  • Storytelling as communication strategy
  • Authenticity, identity, and voice
  • Conflict resolution and curiosity
  • Personal reinvention and life design

Creators and Guests

Host
Angela Gill Nelms
Angela Gill Nelms is a founder, board leader, podcaster, and award-winning entrepreneur with a career spanning SaaS, medical devices, biotech, and clinical research. She builds high-impact teams and organizations rooted in culture, resilience, and strategic execution—helping innovators move ideas from lab to market and leaders grow with intention. She hosts three podcasts that reflect her mission to elevate leadership and accelerate biomedical innovation: Badass Leaders Podcast, Holy Shift! Biomedical Breakthroughs Shaping Tomorrow, and Recovery Advocate Network: Coffee & Conversation. Across each show, Angela creates space for honest conversations that drive impact, reduce stigma, and shape the future of leadership and health. A Georgia Tech Academy of Distinguished Alumni honoree and INC 500 award recipient, Angela serves on multiple boards across innovation and mental health ecosystems. Outside of work, she’s beekeeping, blacksmithing, turning wood, or training—6× IRONMAN and lifelong advocate for humans being human.
Producer
Katie Hart
Katie Hart is the Senior Client Relations Manager and Executive Podcast Producer at The AGN Group, where she leads podcast production, brand strategy, and client experience from concept to launch. Equal parts creative and operational powerhouse, she guides clients through branding, recording, and distribution while ensuring every detail runs seamlessly. Known as a customer experience magician, Katie is passionate about making every client and guest feel seen, supported, and celebrated—delivering a five-star experience that amplifies bold stories and builds meaningful impact.

What is Badass Leaders Podcast: Leadership, Career Growth, and Company Culture?

Welcome to The Badass Leaders Podcast: Leadership Without the Corporate BS.

This is where real leadership meets real life. Hosted by Angela Gill Nelms, founder, speaker, and executive coach, this show dives deep into the mindset, emotional intelligence, and bold decision-making today’s leaders need.

Each episode delivers raw, actionable strategies on leadership development, team culture, conflict resolution, personal branding, resilience, and navigating high-stakes moments. You’ll hear unfiltered conversations with founders, executives, innovators, and badass humans redefining modern leadership.

🎙️ Perfect for:
• Women in leadership
• Entrepreneurs
• Executive coaching & personal growth
• Leadership skills, communication, & EI
• High-performance teams & conflict mastery

👉 Subscribe to join the movement: @BeBraveBeBadass

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