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Owning Your Story and Making Your Impact- Fried The Burnout Podcast

Darlene Hawley

Darlene Hawley was featured on Fried the Burnout Podcast with Caitlin Donovan

I was featured on Fried The Burn Out Podcast with Caitlin Donovan


BIO: Darlene Hawley is a mother, wife, connector, storyteller and dream builder. She is also a Brand & Business Clarity Coach and the founder of DarleneHawley.com. 

She helps ambitious, heart-centered online entrepreneurs who are struggling with building a successful personal brand and business. They’re afraid to share their unique life story but know they need to stand out if they want to build an authentic and profitable online business. She helps them build a solid brand foundation so they can share their message with the world, attract dream clients and have the impact, freedom, and flexibility they desire.

Before starting her own business, she worked her way up in big box retail management, as a mortgage loan officer, and a financial coach. Darlene was trained by the largest business coaching franchise in the world and has been committed to helping entrepreneurs launch and grow their business since 2007. 

She now spends her time supporting women to reach their goals and live out their dream life, all while raising her family and creating memories each and every day."
 

DARLENE’S STORY: 

My burn out story is that I was a teen single mom and had my oldest son just months after graduating high school. I found myself working in retail management doing work I loved helping my employees move up within the company as an Operations Manager but I was working 60+ hours a week, working lots of evenings and weekends and though I had vacation hours I was never able to use them as their was something always going on at work that required me to be there. I had a ton of mom guilt as I was missing so much with my son and was frustrated that I wasn't there with my son for all of the important stuff. My health was struggling, and I was exhausted and knew I needed to make a change that I was burnt out and couldn't continue on that path much longer. 

I lost my mom unexpectedly and it was during that time that I knew I had to make a change and couldn't continue on the way I was.

 

CAIT’S NOTES:

Darlene talks about time mapping out her week ahead of time so that she still has a structure and can stay focused without burnout out. As an entrepreneur, we often leave our calendars too lax and then tasks spill into one another and we lose focus. We say yes to clients outside of our normal hours because we can - but then we find ourselves missing out on the same parts of life that we missed out on when we were employees.

Creating structure for yourself as an entrepreneur is so important and learning to stick to the structure and routine that you create is no small feat. It requires discipline, focus, and an ability to say no when you need to.

The other thing that kept coming back around to storytelling, owning your story is a massive part of using your life and your history to make a difference. Darlene reminds us of the lesson she learned when she lost her mother; we don’t know how much time we have and when we feel stuck, we should reach out for help so we can show up in the world the way we want to, the way that aligns for us.

Darlene gives some amazing advice on how to capture, review, and own your story within this episode, so you might want to have a notebook ready!

 

Listen on the player above or find it on your favorite player HERE.

 

XOXO
Cait

✨Ready to Own Your Story and Attract Your Dream Clients?✨

If you’re ready to stop second-guessing your message and start using storytelling as a powerful tool to connect, inspire, and sell—then I’d love to invite you to my It’s Time to Own Your Story: Mini-Course.

In this self-paced course, you’ll learn how to:
✔️ Identify the key moments in your story that captivate your audience.
✔️ Share your story in a way that builds trust and positions you as the go-to expert.
✔️ Use storytelling across your website, social media, and sales conversations to attract and convert more clients.


Plus, you’ll get a step-by-step workbook and personal feedback on your brand story—so you can start sharing with confidence.

Get Instant Access for just $47

10 Effective Communication Tips
Darlene Hawley, Personal Branding & Business Coach for service based entrepreneurs

Hey There!

I'm Darlene



As a mother, wife, connector, and dream builder, I’m Darlene Hawley, the founder of DarleneHawley.com and an Executive Leadership & Businesss Coach dedicated to empowering leaders like you.


My passion lies in helping ambitious professionals cultivate their unique leadership style while crafting an authentic and impactful personal brand. Through my coaching, we’ll work together to build a solid foundation that not only inspires your team but also drives results and growth within your organization.


Since 2007, I have been committed to guiding leaders and entrepreneurs in launching and scaling their businesses with confidence and clarity.


Today, I focus on supporting women in reaching their leadership goals and living their dream lives—all while balancing the joys of raising my family and creating meaningful memories each day.


Together, we’ll transform your challenges into opportunities, allowing you to lead with authenticity and inspire those around you.

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