[00:00:02] Jaclyn Strominger:
Hello, everybody, and welcome to another amazing episode of the Unstoppable Success Podcast. I'm your host, Jaclyn Strominger, and as you know on this podcast, we hear from amazing individuals. They get to share their tips, their tricks, their insights on having unstoppable success. And today, I am so excited to introduce you to our next guest, Caroline Biesalski. And let me tell you a little bit about her. She is the founder and the host of The Inspired Choice. It is a podcast ranked among the top 2.5% globally and features visionary entrepreneurs, authors, and conscious leaders from around the world. With a background spanning economics, psychology, and conscious business ethics, Caroline brings together entrepreneurship, leadership, personal transformation. And through nearly 1,000 interviews, she has created a powerful platform where strategy meets intuition and success aligns with integrity. She is also the founder of The Inspired Choice Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting conscious entrepreneurship and ethical decision making for the next generation of business builders. And at the heart of her work is one guiding belief that success is a progressive realization of a worthy ideal guided by The Inspired Choice. So please help me in welcoming Dr. Caroline Biesalski and also a friend of mine. So welcome to the show.
[00:01:42] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Oh, thank you so much, Jaclyn, for having me. This has been a long time I waited for this opportunity to meet you again.
[00:01:52] Jaclyn Strominger:
I know. So a little back story like listening, so just to give you the history a little bit, just so you know. I was on Caroline's podcast and then she just so happened to be taking a stint living in Portugal and I sent a note out to people saying, who's in Portugal because I'm going to Portugal. And she said, I am. But I'm like, wait a minute. I thought you were in Germany. And so we actually got to meet in person, which was truly amazing. And we had such a great time. And so that is also one of the big reasons why I tell everybody it's building a relationship capital. So we've built a relationship. We've we get to know each other. She is just truly remarkable. So there's a little backstory there for everybody. So.
[00:02:43] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes, I enjoyed it.
[00:02:46] Jaclyn Strominger:
Yeah, we had a great time. So so Caroline The Inspired Choice. I mean, you know, talk a little about the inspiration for it.
[00:02:57] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes, the inspiration for it. So thanks for your lovely introduction, first of all. And inspiration, OK, after years in business with my economical background in accounting, 25 years or so, then I thought there must be something else. And I was searching for inspiration. And I started traveling also the U.S., for example, or I went to cruises and then at one night in San Diego, it was 3 a.m. I woke up just all of a sudden and there was one word waiting for me. It was podcast. This was my, let's say, childhood dream, even though there were no podcasts at that time. They appeared in 2007, as we know, with the invention of the iPhone. But I always dreamt to have my own radio show and interviewing people playing music that was at the age of 50. So podcast, what was holding me back since 2023? It was my my fear of speaking. I was not speaking, not in German, not in English. I was too shy. And then this word appeared podcast. The next day, I set it all up. I followed my intuition and I started this podcast. And two weeks later, I had recorded my first 50 episodes.
[00:04:23] Jaclyn Strominger:
Wait, two weeks, two weeks later, you did you did 50 episodes in two weeks. I'm like, oh, my God, that's a lot of episodes. Oh, my God.
[00:04:32] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Interviews, yes.
[00:04:33] Jaclyn Strominger:
Why are you traveling the US? Oh, my God. Well, that's actually, you know, it's inspiring because one of the best things I love about podcasting as well is that we get to meet amazing people. We get to hear their stories. We get to share their tips. So so I'm curious. So first of all, listeners, number one, look what you did in two weeks time like you and and this is a running theme that you have to basically have a day where you almost like put the line in the sand and say, I'm going to do it. So what helped you? You got this word, you got this, you know, for lack of an order of vision that you wake up at three o'clock in the morning. But what was the thing that helped you get over the fear of speaking?
[00:05:16] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
I think I was ready and prepared. And you mentioned this fabulous quote in the beginning. Success is the realization, progressive realization of the idea that comes from Earl Nightingale. So I studied personal development before two years, I think two years long. And I met those beautiful people from all around the world. And these were my first 50 interview guests. So the people were ready. Everyone said, yes, the technical thing was not that complicated. I had my laptop and mobile phone, earphones, and I pressed record. There it was.
[00:05:57] Jaclyn Strominger:
I mean, and look what it's coming to now, right? So so when you think back, you know, it's right. It's being ready, right? It's being ready. So was there something that you that really said, OK, now I'm ready? Was there a feeling that you had? I mean, we had, you know, again, something that you you had this vision and it came in the word came to you. But sometimes people get those things and they still don't do anything. But you acted.
[00:06:34] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Oh, I was excited and inspired. And I think it's the little steps that led me to that moment in 2020. I remember I participated in a group training against social phobia. Yes, and it was online. And I was so scared because I had to describe a postcard without the other seeing it and and then I went into personal development with Bob Proctor. I became a consultant, so I trained my English and also I spoke up in online meetings, so I was really ready to to run my own show at that moment and be confident. I think it's also about self image.
[00:07:24] Jaclyn Strominger:
Yeah. Yeah, so self image. So did you start to change the way you saw yourself?
[00:07:31] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes, at that moment, it clicked and I saw myself as a podcast host. And when the moment I accepted it, I wasn't.
[00:07:42] Jaclyn Strominger:
Well, OK, so so that's I think that's actually a really key point. You know, you hear people that say things all the time. Don't wait to step into a role. Become the role. Like do it. You know, if you want, you know, if you want X. Act as if you already have X, right? Like be the role you want.
[00:08:07] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Key point. Yes. As you mentioned, absolutely. So we can we can have or do become whatever we or the mind can achieve. We know this from Napoleon Hill. And first of all, we have to know, what do I really, really want? And if I don't know that, then I write down what I don't want. And then I take the opposite and I step into that role. So it is composed in little steps, of course, like objectives. You can act on it a little step, for example, choosing the meeting software you you are going to use. Like you are using Zoom now. I used something different at that time. And then little steps or recording yourself, replaying it little steps. Find the title. Of course, it starts with the title. What's your podcast about? You need the topics or the kind of guests you want to invite.
[00:09:11] Jaclyn Strominger:
Right. It's it's so true. And being able to come in, but that choice and knowing and I love what you said just now and listeners, I want you to take this because it's really important. What Caroline just said, if you don't know really what you want, write down what you don't want. That is just a great bit or great tip and insight to be able to take and use. Because sometimes knowing what we want is harder to realize, but it's easier to know what we don't want and also what we don't need. Right. So if you can write those things down, as Caroline said, do the opposite and then craft the want and need from the don't want. You could have a magic moment.
[00:10:09] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes, absolutely. And I remember when we did our podcast interview, the first one, you talked about writing the importance of writing, writing it down and and reading it afterwards and internalizing it, of course. And you choose you always choose the words.
[00:10:28] Jaclyn Strominger:
Right. Right. You choose words. And and I say, you know, I always say write things down and have your have your sentence, you have a mission sentence, not a not a not an elevator but a mission sentence or have something that you can work with. I mean, I have something that's on my board and I'm going to read it. It says, I work with professionals and entrepreneurs using my superpower of connecting to grow and expand their businesses, get connected to their mission and vision so that they can have unstoppable success. I mean, that's what we want here. We want to connect people with entrepreneurs and business owners so we can share their insights so that others can have unstoppable success. And, you know, in borrowing from your words, be inspired by others. You know, maybe, maybe, you know, I might my biggest goal for everybody hearing this podcast is they hear one tip, one insight, one something that's going to hopefully make them, you know, make it maybe it makes them take that first leap or the second.
[00:11:28] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Right. Yes, I totally agree with that. And I also would like to add that I consider those podcast interviews as mastermind sessions. We all know the power of the mastermind when we come together. And there was always a magical moment in the middle of one episode where I had an aha moment and I had to rewatch this episode again. And I'm forever grateful for my guests. Of course, they helped me to maybe heal a wound or so. The fear of speaking. And in the it was so it started 12th of December 2023, 50 episodes in 2023 and in 2024. I recorded 500 episodes. I could not stop anymore.
[00:12:19] Jaclyn Strominger:
Well, and so how so how many episodes have you done now to date?
[00:12:25] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Almost one thousand one hundred eleven. And this was my goal.
[00:12:29] Jaclyn Strominger:
Oh, my God. Well, that's amazing. So. Along the way, I mean, and I want to share this and I'm hoping that you will be OK sharing this because a lot of people might say, OK, you know, Caroline, this is amazing. But people do podcasts. How are you, for lack of an order, either monetizing it or how are you helping to share it with others as well so that they get the wisdom that you are pulling out of people?
[00:13:01] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes. So one year later, so one year in podcasting, I had another idea. It was turning the interviews into a book series called The Inspired Choice Chronicles. And there are four books now, four books in English and German language. And people or my podcast guests could choose to buy a chapter. So I created this chapter about the interview and yeah, they yeah, I charged for that. And and this was part of my monetization idea.
[00:13:41] Jaclyn Strominger:
That is fantastic. I absolutely love that. Now. What has been, you know, because one of those moments where you were like, you know, we all have them that you were like, do I keep going?
[00:14:00] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Oh, yes, I had this because it was like a podcast burnout. I was so I was obsessed. I could not stop, as you say, the unstoppable podcast. And I had up to one day I had 10 interviews and the average was seven interviews a day. It was three hours and a half because my interviews are 15 to 20 minutes. So three hours and a half. But I still enjoyed it. And you asked about the moment I I questioned myself, is it still the right path or so? I would say the moment I produce so many episodes, I could stop for half a year. And this was last year. So until end of June, I recorded for everyday publishing. So every day I have daily episodes and it was done. So I could lean back. And after that, when you stop recording you, it is little a little bit difficult to find back and into that routine. Right. So I questioned it a lot. Do I keep going and but as you see, and I am here today, I keep going maybe a little bit slower. Maybe one episode per week, but I have no pressure. You know, it's about enjoying the moment, sharing the stories all around the world and my own.
[00:15:28] Jaclyn Strominger:
Right. Right. And so the key thing here at Listeners is every whether you're doing a podcast or you're in a there always are going to be highs and lows. And there are always moments that you're going to question whether you should keep going. But what I'm gathering is that you're still you still want to share and share. And the passion is still there. And it's probably maybe even reading, you know, the mission and that keeps you going.
[00:16:00] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes, I could lay on the floor and see or see only dark moments or clouds. And then I question myself, what do you really, really want? We talked about that. And it's still the podcast is always like, this is my passion. I want to interview people because it makes me happy. And this is the most important thing. Find your passion and expand on that. And you will never be unhappy again, I would say.
[00:16:29] Jaclyn Strominger:
But that's actually really true. You know, and I think that this is I think that's another really key moment to use. Two things that I actually wanted to share. Number one is yes, finding your passion. Right. If you can, please do not have somebody talk you out of your passion. We all have had that, right? We've all had all had different parts of that. And I could go into areas of my life, too. The other part, though, is sometimes the passion doesn't come until you're 50. Right. So it's a journey. And I think that's really important. You know, every one of us is on a different path. Some people have that passion. It's almost like when they come out of the womb. Like, but doesn't happen to everybody. Other people might find that passion along the way in their youth. Other people, 50, 60, 70. Right. And so. Listeners, if you feel you haven't found your passion, you can still do things to find out what that is. And just remember, it's a journey.
[00:17:51] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes, it is a journey that reminded me of myself at the age of 11. So my greatest birthday gift was or my wish was to have a tape recorder. And that day I could not stop recording my whole life. You know, everything I did. So the passion was already there, but it was not expressed. And I think, yeah, you are you are right. I would say never stop seeking because it's worth it.
[00:18:22] Jaclyn Strominger:
Right. And listeners, that's so true. Never stop seeking. It is it is truly worth it. And the thing that puts a smile on your face, like, you know, if you know what lights you up. And it now I also say I'm going to sort of challenge this on to because some people have also said, oh, my God, but if I'm so passionate about it, I don't want to I don't want to get burnt out or I enjoy doing this so much. I don't want to make it my livelihood because I don't want to get burnt out. What would you say?
[00:18:53] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Oh, I would say this is only the fear when you when you fear something, then it must come into your life. But you can prepare yourself before. So you know exactly what to do when it arrives. Right. So with my mindset, I worked on my mindset before my mental attitude, let's say, and then I can also go through those times when when you don't want to show up in an interview. But you always have the choice. And this is the second part The Inspired Choice. You always have the choice. And if I don't feel it, then I will cancel the interview.
[00:19:34] Jaclyn Strominger:
Yeah, you know, and actually, I think that's I think that's it's really true is that and I thought I love what you just said about the fear part is, you know, do you always have heard this like do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life. Right. So the fear is, you know, it's it's it's a mindset thing that somebody planted a seed somewhere in the head that said, oh, my God, if you do that too much, you're going to actually end up hating. And you're not going to like it. Yes. And I will tell you that somebody told me that somebody told me that or and I shall say they also told me that the the thing that I was thinking about doing, I was above those people.
[00:20:25] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
No, we're never above anybody at all. We're all humans. Yes, everyone's on their own path and we have we don't have the right to judge other people's path because we don't know the outcome. It's not about the outcome, but we never know, you know, this this Chinese story with the Chinese farmer or so and the his son fell off the horse and all the people said all that said and the farmer said, we don't know. I don't know if it's said or good, bad or good. And then the war came and all the other sons were going to war, but not the farmer's son because he was injured with his leg. Right. And then they said, oh, you are lucky you still you still have your son because the other ones died. So we don't get to judge situations because we never know.
[00:21:26] Jaclyn Strominger:
Right. I love that story. I absolutely love that story because it's so true. It's also what you make of it. Right. Like if you never if you say, woe is me, it's woe or you say, yay, me, it's yay. You can you choose. It's all starts up here. Right. Yeah, it's your mind. I'm playing to my brain, people, if you're not watching this on video. Right. We can we can have thoughts in our minds, but we get to choose also what thoughts to think. No one forces you to think the thought you think.
[00:22:02] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Right. I heard this before. And then to let it in our hearts and get emotionally involved because this is the worst part when we get in that spiral or this down spiral. And it affects us and our actions as well. And we get stuck.
[00:22:20] Jaclyn Strominger:
Oh, my God, I just so glad that you said that because it is so true. You have a choice. You can think good things or you can think bad things. And if you think the bad things and you take them to heart, you feel it. But the same way you could choose. It's a choice. You know, you can choose good things. You know, you could choose to be upset about the weather or you could, you know, and I'll be the first one to say this. I for years, I used to have all these negative thoughts about. People like things are in my life and I'm like, no, like snap out that change that. Why would you think the bad things? Just think of the good things. And if you change that, guess what? You put a smile on your face, you know, and and the negative stuff breeds negativity and it changes your affect and it changes how you show up. So if you can work on flipping the switch to show up with a smile on your face and show up positive and have positive thoughts, maybe you actually, you know, think as soon as you have a negative thought that pops into your head. You could do something. You might want to smack your face. I don't know. Or, you know, write something down. Right. What would you tell people to do?
[00:23:32] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes, I would say always be kind to yourself because we talked about judgment or judge other people, but you come first. So you, you have to stop those negative beliefs about yourself. Doesn't matter what other people say. The only opinion about you that matters is the opinion you have about yourself.
[00:23:55] Jaclyn Strominger:
Okay. Did you hear that? The only opinion that matters is the opinion you have of yourself. Listeners, I'm going to put that on a quote. You need to take that. You know, the only opinion that matters is the opinion you have of yourself. I'm going to keep saying that because it is so true. Wake up in the morning with a smile on your face. If you don't have a smile on your face yet, put your head back down in the pillow and change it. Go, wake up again and put a smile on.
[00:24:25] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Oh, I love that exercise.
[00:24:27] Jaclyn Strominger:
Right. Like, I better go to sleep. What if I have a frown on my face? Nope. I gotta wake up and smile. Think of something happy. You know, you, um, a lot of people will say, you know, you know, in the morning, it's like the gratitude, like be think, be thankful of the people that you have in your life or, you know, mentally think of somebody, you know, that you wish great things for and just keep, you know, mentally pour into them. They'll never know, but you know, you know, and you carry it in your heart.
[00:25:01] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes, that's an exercise by Bob Proctor. He said, or Sandy Gallagher as well, send love to three people that bothers you. Yes. They, they will not know, but they will feel, and you feel better by doing this.
[00:25:16] Jaclyn Strominger:
Right. That is so true. There's send love to three people that bother you or somehow or another, you know, make you frustrated or maybe it's somebody that's not so, you know, has fallen out of your life, you can still send love and gratitude to them that you can wish good on them and that you hope something is great. And then I always, I like to add in like who are, who are people in your life that you really do wish all the best for, you know, that are your loved ones. You know, I have, I have two kids in college and so I get up in the morning and I just, I always think, you know, make it a great day for, you know, my daughter and my son, make it, make their wishes and dreams come true. You know, it's just something that put out there. You say it every morning and it puts a smile on my face. So just help me be a little bit better of an empty nester. I'm not going to lie.
[00:26:05] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes. And I talk also, you know, I talked about the books I published and they have different topics as well. So the first one is about creating your own podcast, for example, how I did it, but I wanted to get back to what you just said about your kids. The last one is about legacy, leaving a legacy here on earth while you are still here, and this is so important because what's more important than our kids, right? Our loved ones.
[00:26:35] Jaclyn Strominger:
You're right. That's so true. So what do you feel is your biggest legacy?
[00:26:39] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Oh, that's the, that's a big question. You mentioned The Inspired Choice Foundation. It is just the beginning. I'm working on that, but I want to interview so many people. Um, yeah, I have plans. What is my legacy? I'm not sure being here, being happy while I'm still here and leaving with a smile on my face.
[00:27:03] Jaclyn Strominger:
That's great. So tell us a little bit about the foundation. What is the foundation going to be doing? And what's your, what's, what is your hope and dream for it?
[00:27:11] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
It was an idea to name it after the podcast because it brought so many beautiful moments in my life, of course. And I want to give back. Yes. That's the word give back because I'm an entrepreneur. I'm a mentor coach. So I, the idea is to inspire startups, start up entrepreneurs. They can turn to the foundation and get free or discounted mentorships. So this is the plan.
[00:27:44] Jaclyn Strominger:
Oh, that is, that is really, really great. And will you take mentorships or have people come in from anywhere in the United, in the world? Does it matter?
[00:27:53] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
It's from, yeah, from anywhere in the world. And the, the, the foundation is located in California, California. Yes. In the U S and, and the idea was also to, um, to take the, you know, the, uh, not funds, the, when people pay to be a podcast guest, then to, um, to bring this into the foundation and work with that capital.
[00:28:23] Jaclyn Strominger:
That's actually, that's really fantastic. Okay. So now I have a question, but, but you're not in California. No, I'm not, but the plan when, when I was traveling the U S, so this was my favorite, um, state California, I traveled a lot. I did road trips and is also Disneyland. I love Disneyland and it's very inspiring. The story of Walt Disney. So I created it there. I had many friends living in California and yeah, this was a decision.
[00:28:52] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
And then I ended up in Portugal, you know, and when you, when you, um, look at the map, uh, the landscape, then it's exactly like, uh, California and also the same climate zone and the same, uh, latitude, or I don't know the word, the same as San Francisco.
[00:29:14] Jaclyn Strominger:
It is actually quite, I'm just going to say listeners, if you have not traveled to Portugal, travel to Portugal, it is beautiful. And I still want to go back as there's places that I have not been to in Portugal, but it's, it is truly a remarkable place. But so I love this foundation. So how, just kind of curious, how are you getting it started being so far away in California? So do you have a team of people in California?
[00:29:43] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
I founded it with two friends of mine in located in the US, but they are also not in California. One is in Colorado Springs and the other one in New Jersey, but it doesn't matter. So I had to do the paperwork and I did it. And we have this 501(c)(3) recognition on how it is called and it's only the beginning. So I'm planning a little bit. And then, yeah, but the idea was to use the money from the podcast to give back mentorships for startup entrepreneurs.
[00:30:19] Jaclyn Strominger:
I absolutely, absolutely love it. So have you brought anybody in yet for an entrepreneur or a mentor yet? Or is that not yet? So, okay. Oh, so what's, do you have a start date or is there, you know, if somebody wants to find more information about it, can they, is there a website?
[00:30:41] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Um, I think, no, there's no website yet. I had inspiredchoice.org. I reserved it, but I think there's nothing going on yet. I was waiting for the paperwork to be done and get it started slowly. So if someone wants to reach out, have an idea or want to collaborate, I'm interested.
[00:31:02] Jaclyn Strominger:
That's really great. Okay. So if you have something or so would you take somebody who may be a budding entrepreneur, maybe they started, but they need help.
[00:31:11] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yes.
[00:31:12] Jaclyn Strominger:
Okay. All right. So that's really cool. So listeners, if you are a budding entrepreneur, reach out to Caroline. Cause she is definitely going to be there to help you along the way. And it, again, and that's actually one of the biggest things. It is a journey, right? So remember it takes steps. It truly takes steps. Okay. So I could talk to you about being inspired and all the great things that you're doing, but how can our listeners really connect with you and learn about all the things that you're doing and get more about your podcast?
[00:31:47] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Yeah, sure. So the podcast is everywhere. Apple podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Audible, Amazon, wherever you have podcasts, Goodpods, and of course I have a website inspiredchoice.today is the website for the podcast where you can apply to become a guest. But the best place to find me personally is on LinkedIn.
[00:32:10] Jaclyn Strominger:
Okay.
[00:32:10] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
We met through LinkedIn as well. When you, uh, when you asked, or was it Facebook where you asked if someone is in, um, Lisbon, I think it was LinkedIn.
[00:32:20] Jaclyn Strominger:
I think it was LinkedIn. I think it was LinkedIn because I'm more on LinkedIn than I am on Facebook. Uh, and I remember thinking, what, why are you, I remember just being, wait, I was so confused. I'm like, wait, but you're in Germany. Uh, but I was so glad that you were there.
[00:32:37] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Not anymore.
[00:32:38] Jaclyn Strominger:
Right. Right. So listeners, please do me a favor, connect with Caroline. I will put all the links in the show notes that you'll have all of that to go and connect with her. So do that. And then please do me the favor and share this episode with your friends, your colleagues and business associates. And then also I would love for each and every one of you to become a paid podcast subscriber by being a paid podcast subscriber to the unstoppable success. Not only do you get an amazing badge, but you get selected private information in an email that only our paid members get it is extra wisdom tips and insight. Not just from our guests, but for me personally, things that you will extra show notes and things like that, that you would not get, um, that you only get as being a paid subscriber. So click the paid subscription button. Um, and again, um, we truly appreciate each and every one of you for listening and supporting the show. Caroline, I could talk to you forever. I'm so grateful for you being a guest on this show. Thank you so much. This is the unstoppable success podcast and your host Jaclyn Strominger. And our goal is to help you leap to your greatest success.
[00:33:48] Dr. Caroline Biesalski:
Thank you so much.
[00:33:50] Jaclyn Strominger:
You're welcome.
