The Balance Theory

She built a brand from nothing at 22 with no financial backing and an industry full of doubt... and fully backed her self anyway. This kind of confidence is inspirational, so turn the volume up for this one!

In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Sammy Robinson, founder of One Mile and content creator of over a decade, to unpack what it actually takes to build something on your own when the people around you are unsure. This is not a masterclass on starting a fashion brand. It is the honest story of what confidence, risk and burnout look like behind a business that looks like it has it all together.

If you have ever caught yourself thinking:

"Am I crazy for wanting to do this differently"

"Everyone around me is being realistic but it feels wrong to me"

"I don't want to let the people who rely on me down"

Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Sammy cover:

• Why Sammy backed herself at 22 with no financial backing and no one telling her it was a good idea

• The real reason she chose to build a brand instead of buying property in her early twenties

• What it actually felt like to be underestimated as a young founder

• Why she believes staying a little delusional is necessary when you are building something from nothing

• The moment she realised she had completely burnt herself out running the brand and the social side at once

• The health scare that forced her to put herself first for the first time in her career

• The daily boundaries and non negotiables she now protects no matter what

• Why she has almost stopped capturing content and what that says about where she is at in her life

• How she thinks about authenticity, AI and standing out in a saturated creator economy

• What success actually means to her now that she has built the financial freedom she once worked for

Wherever you are in your own journey right now, Sammy's story is proof that you do not need everyone's permission to start and you do not have to lose yourself to build something real.

Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios

@pivotalconversations

Book a session: https://www.pivotalconversations.ai

SPONSORS

🤖 Try Granola for FREE - Go to https://www.granola.ai/BALANCE and try it on your next call.

🧴 Go to https://www.Timeline.com/BALANCE20 to shop the full-size Timeline Mitopure Resurfacing Exfoliator and save up to 20%

CONNECT

Instagram - Sammy Robinson

One Mile - Link to One Mile with Code “ERIKA15” for 15%

YouTube

TIME STAMP

(00:00) Introduction(03:35) High school Sammy and her early sense of self(09:47) What it felt like when her early YouTube videos went viral(12:58) Did she ever have to play a character online(14:14) Starting One Mile at 22(10:59) How she landed on the vision for the brand(18:40) Betting her savings on One Mile instead of buying property(20:06) Being underestimated as a 22 year old founder(22:21 ) The reality of the first 12 months running a business(24:10 ) What made her decide to open a bricks and mortar store(26:00) What opening stores unlocked in her as a leader(27:44) Learning to trust her team and let go of control(32:09) Is she naturally more Type A or Type B(33:35) How she actually makes decisions, intuition versus logic(36:50) Her advice for anyone wanting to start a personal brand(39:14) Evolving faster than the business and the cost of carrying it all(42:00) Turning 30 and taking the year to travel(43:20) What success actually means to her now(46:49) The health scare that forced her to slow down(49:22) The boundaries and daily rules she lives by now(51:13) Her one non-negotiable for a good day(57:15) Reflecting on her 20s in one word(59:08) How content creation has changed for her after a decade(1:01:34) How AI is changing the creator economy(1:03:16) How to be authentic online without overthinking it(1:08:20) Was there ever a day she wanted to quit(1:09:05) Her ten-year vision for One Mile(1:11:14) Who inspires her

WHO AM I?

My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process.

Welcome to my Channel!

LET’S BE FRIENDS

⭐ Substack

📸 Instagram

📱 TikTok

🌍 My Website 🧡

This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a conversation about confidence like you've never heard before.

In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Alexis Fernandez, a leading performance coach, speaker, and author whose work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, mindset, and high performance. She also is the host of the Do You F*cking Mind podcast. Today they unpack what real self assurance actually looks like once you take away the job title, other people's expectations and how you look.

This is not a pep talk about ignoring everyone and doing whatever you want. It is an honest conversation about where the line sits between healthy care and living through someone else's eyes, and what it takes to move it.

If you have ever caught yourself thinking:

"I know they will be disappointed if I do this."
"Why do I feel like I have to prove I am a good person?"
"I care more about what they think of me than what I think of me."
"Who am I if I take away my job and what I have achieved?"
"I want to feel like myself again."

Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Alexis cover:

- The red flags that your sense of self is not as grounded as you think
- How to know who you are without your job, your achievements or your relationships
- Why becoming more confident often means letting the people you love down and how to do it kindly
- The difference between healthy love and love that only shows up when you meet expectations
- How to build confidence that does not depend on how you look or what people say
- Whether you can accept yourself and still want to change how you look
- How to hold onto the version of you that you became when life changes around you
- Why rock bottom is often where the biggest changes start
- What social media and scrolling are doing to your focus and memory, and how to reverse it
- How to stay ambitious when your capacity changes, including motherhood and burnout
- What actually happens to the brain in pregnancy and postpartum

You do not need anyone's permission to become who you already are.

Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios
@pivotalconversations
Book a session


SPONSORS

Thank you to the sponsors who made today's episode possible:

🏠 TUMBLE - Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping tumbleliving.com/BALANCE #Tumble #ad

🍳 CARAWAY - I've loved using Caraway for 2+ years! Visit Carawayhome.com/BALANCE or use code 'BALANCE' at checkout to take an additional 10% off your next purchase.

CONNECT
📸 Instagram
🎙️ Do You F*cking Mind podcast

TIME STAMPS
(00:00) Introduction(02:41) Why Alexis studied neuroscience(06:06) How the DYFM podcast format came to be(07:59) Tough love vs tearing yourself down(11:00) Why people at rock bottom make the biggest changes(17:57) Alexis's worst year and the one way ticket to Paris(21:48) Holding onto who you became when you move home(25:10) The red flags your sense of self is not grounded(28:56) Knowing who you are without your job title(32:46) Why becoming yourself means letting people down(38:53) Can you accept yourself and still change how you look?(46:42) How Alexis feels about ageing(51:45) Motherhood, fertility and finding out about twins(59:28) Has motherhood changed her ambition?(1:01:41) When your capacity changes but your ambition does not(1:08:38) What happens to the brain in pregnancy and postpartum(1:12:21) What social media is doing to your focus(1:17:45) Is the doomscrolling brain reversible?(1:21:11) Kids, screens and self regulation(1:26:43) Would Alexis ever use an AI version of herself?(1:30:44) Can content creators ever be fully present?
WHO AM I?
My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel!
📸 My personal IG

LET’S BE FRIENDS
⭐ Substack
📸 Instagram
📱Tiktok
🌍 My website

🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You are allowed to let go of the rules and routines that no longer fit your healthiest self, and this episode might just be the permission slip and re-evaluation you've been waiting for.

In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Dominique Elissa, founder of Selfdom, for a conversation that moves through pregnancy, body image, grief and gratitude, and keeps landing on the same question: what does it actually mean to be well when your body, your routine and your world are all changing at once? This is not another conversation about doing more, optimising harder or adding one more rule to your routine. It is an honest look at why flexibility, not discipline, is what actually makes you well.

If you have ever caught yourself thinking:
"I am doing all the right things and it still is not enough"
"My body is changing and none of this feels like mine anymore"
"I want to trust what my body is telling me instead of following another rule"
"I know gratitude is supposed to help, but some days it feels impossible to even try"

Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Dominique cover:

- Why being told she wasn't "good enough" for a modelling job changed the way Dominique saw her own body
- The moment Dominique realised her wellness rules were about control, not about actually feeling good
- How pregnancy is reshaping her relationship with discipline, structure and flexibility
- Why rigidity can cap your life experience more than it protects you
- Grieving a parent while building a family of your own
- What Dominique wants her children to know about their Nonna
- Why gratitude only works when it is practised consistently, not just in the hardest moments
- A simple explanation of cycle syncing and why most women are never taught it
- How to stop wellness tracking from becoming another source of pressure
- Whether a content creator can ever really be present, and where Dominique draws the line

Wherever you are in your own version of change, whether that is your body, your habits or your grief, this conversation is proof the flexible path can be the healthiest one too.

SPONSORS:

🤖 Try Granola for FREE - Go to https://www.granola.ai/BALANCE and try it on your next call.

🧑‍⚕️ Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/BALANCE #rulapod

Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios
@pivotalconversations https://www.instagram.com/pivotalconversations
Book a session: https://www.pivotalconversations.ai

CONNECT
📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- https://www.instagram.com/dominiquelissa/
🌎 Website - https://www.selfdom.au - For 20% off use the code “BALANCETHEORY”

TIMESTAMP
(00:00) Introduction
(07:14) What did you think your future would look like?
(18:09) They cancelled my job because my belly wasn’t “big enough”
(20:31) Having anchors that make you, you
(21:31) Wellness habits that are more about control than a benefit
(25:04) How do you manage your self-talk?
(26:59) How has pregnancy changed the way you grieve your mum?
(30:19) What would you want your kids to know about their Nonna?
(31:16) Everyone should ask their mums this
(36:43) Does gratitude actually work in your hardest moments?
(42:49) Cycle syncing: What you need to know
(51:36) The role of intuition when you’re pregnant
(56:15) Can a content creator ever fully be present?
(58:47) Will you post your child on social media?
(1:00:22) What does wellness mean to you today?

WHO AM I?

My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with me on IG!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

RESOURCES

▶︎⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 25 Day Self Development Marathon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

▶︎ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21 Day Self Growth Challenge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

▶︎ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Goal Setting System E-Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LET’S BE FRIENDS

📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📱⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🧡 This description may contain affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some realisations don’t just make you think... they permanently change the way you see your life.

In this episode, I’m sharing 13 powerful realisations, mindset shifts and life lessons that you can’t unhear once you’ve heard them. The kind of ideas that instantly make you question the way you’ve been approaching your goals, relationships, confidence, habits, happiness and the person you’re becoming.

These aren’t complicated self-development theories or another list of things you need to “fix” about yourself.

They’re simple perspective shifts that have genuinely changed the way I think, make decisions, handle difficult seasons and move through life and I know at LEAST one of them will shift something in you too.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, putting pressure on yourself to have everything figured out, or simply want a fresh perspective on your life, this episode is for you.

Because sometimes, changing your life doesn’t require changing everything. Sometimes you just need to SEE something differently.

And welcome back to our solo episodes, I missed these SO much! Let me know if you want to keep seeing more :)

SPONSORS:

Thank you SO MUCH to today's sponsors, you can check them out here:

💪 SUPERPOWER: Take control of your health with Superpower. Head over to Superpower.com and use code 'BALANCE' for $20 off your $199 Superpower membership.

👑 PRIMAL QUEEN: Our listeners get a FREE MONTH of Primal Queen plus FOUR FREE GIFTS at PrimalQueen.com/BALANCE.

#ad #sponsors

EPISODE LINKS:

🎥 Episode with Najwa Zebian
🎥 Episode with Shereen Mitwali

📱 Joe Hudson IG

TIME STAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(00:42) Realisation 1

(02:20) Realisation 2

(04:43) Realisation 3

(06:16) Realisation 4

(08:34) Realisation 5

(11:15) Realisation 6

(12:14) Realisation 7

(13:46) Realisation 8

(17:13) Realisation 9

(18:16) Realisation 10

(18:27) Realisation 11

(19:08) Realisation 12

(20:18) Realisation 13

WHO AM I?
My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel!
📸 My personal IG - https://www.instagram.com/erikadpelle/

RESOURCES
▶︎ My FREE Work Life Balance Workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REAGPFJ_n7E&t=40s
▶︎ 25 Day Self Development Marathon: https://bit.ly/4cpHmcV
▶︎ 21 Day Self Growth Challenge: https://bit.ly/46CoiqR
▶︎ Goal Setting System E-Book: https://bit.ly/4fEFlfP

LET’S BE FRIENDS
⭐ Substack - https://thebalancetheorypodcast.substack.com/
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thebalancetheorypodcast/
📱Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thebalancetheorypodcast
🌍 My website - https://thebalancetheorypodcast.com/

🧡 This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She did everything herself. She carried everyone. She showed up perfectly while quietly paying a cost she never even knew she was paying.

In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Dr Neeta Bhushan, 4x author, host of the top mental health podcast The Brave Table and founder of Chaitionics, for one of the most honest conversations about what it actually costs to be the woman who does it all. This is not a conversation about burnout or boundaries. It is about the moment you realise you have been performing your whole life for everyone else and what it looks like to finally stop.

If you have ever caught yourself thinking:

"It is just easier to do it myself"

"I am done carrying everyone but I do not know how to stop"

"I show up for everyone but nobody shows up for me"

"I did not even realise how much this was costing me"

"I have been the strong one for so long I do not know who I am without it"

Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Dr Neeta cover:

What it costs to be the woman who does everything herself and why nobody talks about it

How performing for everyone else quietly disconnects you from yourself

Why not every yes is worth saying and how to know the difference

What it actually means to be both grounded and ambitious at the same time

How to hold space for big goals without urgency or force

Why your most successful trait might be the thing blocking your creativity

What motherhood reveals about the stories you have been telling yourself

The Fly Forward Framework and how to use it to move forward without burning out

Why being a beginner again is one of the most powerful things you can do

What you would say to the person you lost if you had one more conversation

The cost of doing everything yourself is real. This episode is what nobody told you about it.

SPONSORS:

🍳 ⁠⁠CARAWAY⁠⁠: I've loved using Caraway for 2+ years! Visit Carawayhome.com/BALANCE or use code 'BALANCE' at checkout to take an additional 10% off your next purchase

💧⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AQUATRU⁠⁠⁠⁠ -⁠ Use the code 'ERIKA' at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.aquatru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a 20% off

CONNECT

📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎤⁠Ted Talk ⁠

📚 Books

🌿 Chai Tonics

TIMESTAMP

(00:00) Introduction
(09:20) Mentors, the American Dream and Masking Emotions
(15:11) I'm done carrying everyone!
(21:08) Can you be grounded and ambitious?
(27:26) The Balance Theory
(30:43) Don't say yes to every opportunity
(35:27) This is blocking your creativity
(41:48) Motherhood will humble you
(43:41) Fly Forward Framework
(50:27) I teach this and I still struggle with this
(53:57) What do you want your daughter to learn about success from you?
(57:10) What would you ask your late mum?

WHO AM I?

My name is Erika and I am an Australian living in Dubai. I have my own business as a strategic legal consultant and run this podcast to explore my passion + curiosity for all things health, wellness, self growth & mindset. A big focus of mine is how to sustainably navigate a busy schedule and live my best life in the process. Welcome to my Channel! 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with me on IG!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

RESOURCES

▶︎⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 25 Day Self Development Marathon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

▶︎ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21 Day Self Growth Challenge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

▶︎ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Goal Setting System E-Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LET’S BE FRIENDS

📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📱⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🧡 This description may contain affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices