Welcome to Compass Stories with Veronica Sterling — a podcast about navigating disruption with clarity, connection, and courage. Through honest conversations, storytelling, and reflections from the road, Veronica explores what it means to move forward with purpose during seasons of change. A former hospice CEO, keynote speaker, and creator of The Commitment Compass , Veronica brings listeners into meaningful conversations about resilience, grief, leadership, caregiving, healing, reinvention, and the courage to realign when life feels uncertain. Each week features authentic guest conversations alongside personal travel diary reflections recorded during a cross-country journey in a 42-year-old Airstream motorhome. From national parks to small towns and big cities, these episodes explore the experiences, questions, and moments that shape us most. If you’ve ever felt stuck in transition, burned out, disconnected, or unsure of your next step, Compass Stories offers thoughtful conversations and practical encouragement to help you rediscover meaning, strengthen connection, and move forward with courage. Topics include resilience, purpose, grief and healing, burnout, caregiving, first responder wellness, personal growth, leadership, mental wellness, and navigating life transitions.
Pitch Analysis
Required Pod Score for this show. PitchCentric checks your profile against host openness, topical fit, and audience signals before you generate a pitch.
Contact path
Verified email
Booking probability
31%
Guest openness
Selective
Verified email on file
80/100
Required Score
Sign up to generate a grounded pitch for Compass Stories.
Compass Stories is a education podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 28 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.
About the host
Unknown Host hosts Compass Stories, a education show with 28 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.
Episode #2
Agency for the Dying Person & Rediscovering Identity After Loss: Insight from Two Death Doulas
Aug 31, 202639 minS2
In this episode of Compass Stories, Veronica talks to Jen Blalock and Shelby Mundy, exploring their personal journeys into this unique profession. The conversation explores grief, identity, and discovering purpose after loss. By sharing a personal story and professional insight, the women reflect on multifaceted role of death doulas, emphasize the importance of emotional and spiritual support in the dying process, societal perceptions of death, and the significance of agency for the dying. Keywords Death Doula, End-of-Life Care, Shamanism, Spiritual Guidance, Personal Agency, Emotional Support, Legacy Projects, Empowerment, Grief, Compassionate Care grief, identity, purpose, death doula, community, festival, mental health, end-of-life planning, healing, spirituality Sound Bites 00:00 "We are not there to heal their bodies." 11:09 "We bring in the spirit and the emotions." 16:27 "It's a very new demographic." 17:25 "We honor and respect all points of view." 20:56 "Death was never on his radar." 27:01 "We can be genuinely who we are." 30:01 "He was living in his full power." 32:37 "He was no longer afraid to die." 35:20 "This was always a part of the plan." 52:38 "Embrace the passage." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Death Doulas 01:29 Personal Journeys to Becoming Death Doulas 06:04 Understanding the Role of a Death Doula 13:02 Agency and Empowerment in the Dying Process 22:07 Shamanism and Spiritual Guidance in Death Doula Work 30:43 Legacy Projects and Lasting Impact 31:14 Navigating Grief and Identity Loss 36:24 Finding Purpose After Loss 38:29 The Before I Die Festival: A Community Conversation 51:02 Embracing Death as a Teacher Resources Before I Die Festival: https://www.beforeidiecincinnati.com Jen and Shelby's Death Doula Work: https://www.deathdoulacincinnati.com International End of Life Doula Association: https://inelda.org/ Connect with Veronica: https://www.veronicasterling.com
Exploring Agency, Identity, Action & Connection: Revealing the goals for Season Two
Aug 24, 202615 minS2
In this episode, Veronica Sterling reflects on the key themes from Season One of Compass Stories, focusing on four pillars: agency, identity, action, and connection. She shares insights gained from her guests, personal blind spots she identified, and lingering questions. Veronica discusses her hopes for Season Two, including new hypotheses to explore. Takeaways Agency is often about recognizing what we can control and what we cannot. Identity plays a crucial role in how we perceive our life stories. Taking action can precede confidence, but what drives that action? Connection with others can enhance our resilience but can also have negative impacts. Exploring the nuances of agency is essential for understanding personal responsibility. The journey of self-discovery is ongoing and requires reflection. Perfectionism can hinder our ability to take action. Our sense of identity can be threatened by both positive and negative changes. Quality connections can either empower or constrain our agency. The exploration of these themes will continue in Season Two. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Season Two 01:58 Reflections on Season One 02:49 Exploring the Pillars: Agency 07:33 Exploring the Pillars: Identity 10:43 Exploring the Pillars: Action 12:32 Exploring the Pillars: Connection 15:21 Looking Ahead: Season Two Hypotheses Reesources Connect with Veronica: https://www.veronicasterling.com
The Power of Failure: How to Grow Through Life's Storms
Aug 10, 202658 minS1
In this episode, John Kelly shares insights on failure, resilience, and the importance of having tough conversations with others. Discover how embracing failure as a learning tool can transform your life and relationships. Guest Bio: National keynote presenter and law enforcement life coach, Retired Sgt. John Kelly faced several attempts on his life from suspects over his 30 year career in law enforcement. None of these attempts came as close to killing him, as he did to killing himself. "Surviving Self-Inflicted Wounds, A Deputy's Life of Redemption" chronicles his life journey. An alcoholic, addict, and adulterer, confronting PTS, and suicidal ideation, John tears open his life, to provide a roadmap to personal accountability and growth. His “Sometimes Heroes Need Help” Program takes a tactical approach to personal development and team building. John's vulnerability in discussing his failures gives the audience permission to forgive themselves and more importantly the courage and strength to keep getting up, striving to be better today than yesterday. Key Topics The importance of embracing failure as a learning opportunity The role of tough conversations in relationships and growth The myth of bouncing back and the real meaning of resilience The impact of seasons in life and how to navigate them The importance of community and support in overcoming storms The dangers of victim mentality and empowering self-responsibility Sound Bites "Seasons change, and so do we." "Love enough to have tough conversations." "Your story is a never-ending book." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and guest background 03:27 Failure as a moral obligation to share lessons 06:47 The OODA loop: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act 11:42 Training for a triathlon as a metaphor for failure 16:44 The importance of early intervention and tough conversations 25:08 Protecting your peace and setting boundaries 33:38 Seasons of life and personal growth 41:43 The power of community and support systems 49:54 Overcoming victim mentality and taking responsibility 58:33 The simplicity of reaching out and having honest conversations 1:06:43 The significance of presence and human connection 1:07:51 Lessons learned from travel and life experiences 1:16:55 Redefining resilience and moving forward with uncertainty 1:39:59 The ongoing journey of self-improvement and growth [ 1 , 2 ] Resources Connect with John www.lawenforcementlifecoach.com John on LinkedIn John Kelly | LinkedIn John's Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/law-enforcement-life-coach-sometimes-heroes-need-help/id1618348574 Connect with Veronica https://www.veronicasterling.com
Travel Diary: White Rim Road & How Our Values Guide Us When Life's Trail is Unclear
Aug 6, 20268 min
In this final travel diary from the road, Veronica shares the adventure of traversing in the back country of Canyonlands National Park. She shares the 3D Value Check for choosing our core values and aligning our actions to it. Key topics Using adventure as a metaphor for life's journey The importance of defining and displaying core values Making decisions aligned with personal values The concept of a 3D values check Trusting your direction without seeing the entire road Takeaways Your core values should guide all aspects of your life, not just work or family. Visible actions aligned with values indicate you're on the right path. Decisions should be based on alignment with values, even if uncomfortable. Trust the direction of your values, even when the road is unclear. Sound Bites "Where's the road? I can't see the road." "Use your values as your compass." "Decide what to do based on alignment." Chapters 00:00 Exploring the White Rim Road 07:52 Navigating Life's Uncertainties with Core Values Resources: Connect with Veronica https://www.veronicasterling.com
Feel the Fear & Do It Anyway, But First IMAGINE It: Life Lessons from a Trauma Therapist
Aug 3, 202640 minS1
In this insightful conversation, Mary Vicario shares her personal journey from education to trauma-informed care, emphasizing the importance of creating safe spaces and understanding behavior as communication. Discover practical strategies for fostering resilience and healing in both children and adults. Guest Bio Mary Vicario, LPCC-S is the Founder of Finding Hope Consulting and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor, Certified Trauma Specialist who holds a Certificate in Traumatic Studies from Bessel van der Kolk’s Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute. Through her affiliation with the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute at Wellesley College and ongoing training at Harvard Medical School, Mary translates Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) and neuroscience into in-home and community-based trauma programming to build resilience and improve stability for individuals of all ages and ability levels. Sound bites "Limits connected with safety give us felt safety." "Shame makes people feel like they are the mistake." "Resilience is adaptation, not bouncing back." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and guest introduction 01:02 Mary Vicario's background and journey 03:20 Story of Sue and Steve: Building trust and safety 1033:18:52 The importance of saying no before saying yes 17305:32:24 Applying trauma-informed principles in adult life 20333:19:08 Using limits and safety to foster healing 24111:05:50 Creating safe spaces and the significance of safety signs 26916:39:13 The brain's negativity bias and resilience 33416:39:13 Practicing fear and imagining success 36888:52:33 The power of positive prediction and visualization 43388:52:36 Trauma-responsive care and understanding behavior 52916:39:34 The layers of emotion: anger, sadness, fear 60999:59:46 The impact of shame and guilt on behavior 70138:53:12 The message of resilience and healing 83944:26:40 Resources and closing remarks Keywords trauma-informed care, resilience, safe spaces, behavior as communication, healing, education, mental health, neuroscience, connection, safety Resources – Reading List From This Episode Bruce Perry: What Happened to You: Conversations of Trauma, Resilience, and Healing Lou Cozolino: The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment and the Developing Social Brain Brene Brown: The Gifts of Imperfection Daniel Siegel: Personality and Wholeness in Therapy: Integrating 9 Patterns of Developmental Pathways in Clinical Practice Resources – Mentioned in This Episode Chief Tom Synan on Compass Stories: Watch Full Convo Hear Matthew Gellen on Compass Stories: Watch Full Convo Hear Connect With Mary: Home | Finding Hope Consulting, LLC Connect with Veronica https://www.veronicasterling.com
Every question we get asked before someone starts their trial.
If you have a concern about deliverability, AI quality, data privacy, or whether this will actually work for your specific situation, it's probably answered below.
What is the difference between Founder Solo and Founder Pro?
Founder Solo gives you 50 AI pitches per month using the credit model (Standard pitches cost 1 credit, Enriched pitches cost 2). Founder Pro raises that to 200 credits per month and adds full Booking Probability access, unlimited Magic Match, Apollo enrichment credits, and data export capabilities. Both plans use the same credit system, so you can stretch your monthly budget further by using Standard-mode drafting.
How do agency tiers work?
Agency tiers have no base fee. You pay per managed client and per talent profile. Agency Standard is $199 per client per month; Agency Pro is $399 per client per month. Both add $39 per talent profile per month. Your own team's user seats are always free.
What is a talent profile?
A talent profile represents one person (founder, executive, or spokesperson) you are booking onto podcasts. It includes their bio, topics, headshots, and outreach history. Team plans include 5 profiles; agency plans are pay-as-you-go.
Can I switch plans later?
Yes, at any time. Upgrades take effect immediately; downgrades apply at the end of the current billing period. Contact support if you need help migrating between plan families.
Do you offer a free trial?
Every paid plan includes a 15-day free trial. Your card is saved at signup but you will not be charged until day 16. Cancel any time from your dashboard.
What happens if I cancel?
You keep access until the end of your current billing period. No charges after that. Your data is retained for 30 days in case you reactivate.
Is the 20% annual discount automatic?
Yes. Select Annual on the pricing toggle and the discounted price is applied automatically at checkout. The annual price shown is the full year cost.
What if I have more than 50 profiles or 20 clients?
That is our Enterprise tier. Contact our sales team and we will build a custom plan with volume pricing, a dedicated account manager, and SLA guarantees.
