Living Your Legacy

After 16 years of drug addiction, Craig Hettlinger enters recovery in 2018 with everything he owns packed into a red tennis bag. Today, the founder of Huntington Addiction Wellness Center challenges conventional thinking about addiction recovery, entrepreneurship, and second chances. In this episode of Living Your Legacy, Craig reveals the mindset that drives his transformation, why he believes people in recovery can become exceptional employees, and how affordable housing and meaningful work fit into his unconventional business model. From a $4,000 real estate investment to building a network of businesses in West Virginia, his journey raises a powerful question: What happens when someone turns their darkest experiences into an opportunity to transform other people's lives?
Key Takeaways
Why personal transformation requires more than sobriety, focusing on accountability, discipline, and lasting behavioral change.
How a recovery program can combine addiction treatment, employment opportunities, and affordable housing to help people rebuild their lives.
Why people in successful recovery can become exceptionally dedicated employees when given the right opportunities and support.
How strategic real estate investing, property renovations, and below-market rental pricing can create both financial sustainability and community impact.
Why consistency, persistence, and helping others succeed can become the foundation of a meaningful entrepreneurial legacy.

Notable Quotes
"They haven't conformed, they've transformed."
"The more that I do for other people, the better my life gets."
"We had to give them purpose, right?"
"I'm not doing West Virginia any favors. I'm not doing Appalachia any favors."
"I hope there's 10 guys or girls that come through my program that are so much more successful than me."

After 27 years in nursing, psychiatric nurse practitioner Dr. Trish Schneider begins questioning a troubling pattern: women struggling with fatigue, anxiety, and unexplained symptoms are repeatedly told their lab results are normal. Inspired by her mother's experience and the stories of countless women, she recognizes a gap in traditional healthcare. That realization leads her to create Decode, a program helping midlife women understand their symptoms and advocate for their health. On Living Your Legacy, she explores the challenges of building a purpose-driven business, the importance of connecting physical and mental health, and why understanding patterns matters more than chasing individual symptoms. But what happens when years of medical experience reveal that the conventional approach may be missing something essential?
Key Takeaways
How 27 years in nursing inspire Dr. Schneider to challenge traditional symptom-focused healthcare.
Why her mother's unexplained health struggles become a turning point in identifying an overlooked need.
How she builds Decode to help midlife women understand symptoms, interpret lab results, and advocate for themselves.
Why sleep, nutrition, environmental factors, and symptom patterns matter when evaluating overall health.
How education, workshops, and personalized coaching help turn a recurring healthcare frustration into a purpose-driven business.

Notable Quotes
"You really have to be your own advocate. You have to learn how to trust your body."
"Symptoms are a way of your body communicating."
"I realized that there was a gap."
"We can't look at and chase just one symptom because our bodies don't work that way."
"Just listen to their story."

What happens when a life-threatening diagnosis forces a successful entrepreneur to rethink everything? Dr. Bobby Garofalis and Alexandra Soldo, co-founders of Halex Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, reveal the challenges behind building one of Virginia's largest privately owned pediatric dental groups. From opening their first practice in 2007 to managing more than 25 doctors and 200 employees, their journey tests their resilience, marriage, and leadership. Bobby confronts an unexpected health crisis that changes his relationship with dentistry, while Alexandra navigates the challenges of sharing control of a growing business. Together, they explore business growth, entrepreneurial partnerships, and the difficult decisions that shape a lasting legacy. But what happens when success demands an entirely new identity?
Key Takeaways
How Bobby and Alexandra grow from a single dental practice into a multi-location organization employing more than 25 doctors and 200 employees.
Why Bobby's unexpected open-heart surgery becomes a defining turning point in his personal and professional journey.
How transitioning from practicing dentist to executive leader requires an entirely different mindset and skill set.
Why clearly defined responsibilities, mutual trust, and flexibility are essential when building a business with a spouse.
How the couple approaches new opportunities in wellness, longevity, AI, real estate, and product development while preserving their commitment to patient care.

Notable Quotes
"You have to be a little bit crazy and think that you're the best at what you do." — Alexandra Soldo
"It was a pivotal moment. Grew professionally, grew personally." — Dr. Bobby Garofalis
"We were always prepared and always sitting on the edge." — Alexandra Soldo
"I always start with intent." — Alexandra Soldo
"We want to make ourselves uncomfortable a little bit again." — Dr. Bobby Garofalis

After more than four decades navigating financial crises, market crashes, and industry disruption, financial advisor Nancy Dawood sees a new challenge emerging: artificial intelligence. As founder of Opus Advice First, she explains why financial planning increasingly depends on emotional intelligence, human behavior, and relationships rather than numbers alone. From building a multigenerational wealth advisory business to preparing her children to carry its legacy forward, Nancy explores the decisions that redefine her approach to success. She also reveals her ambition to empower women in business through financial literacy and her family foundation. But as technology transforms financial advice, one question remains: can AI ever replace the judgment of someone who truly knows you?
Key Takeaways
Why managing human behavior matters more than managing investments.
How surviving decades of financial crises builds resilience and perspective.
Why AI cannot fully replace emotional intelligence and trusted financial relationships.
How multigenerational financial planning helps create a lasting family business legacy.
Why financial literacy, confidence, and mentorship are essential to empowering women entrepreneurs.

Notable Quotes
"AI is not going to have a relationship. They're just going to give you answers."
"The financial part is actually the easy part."
"The most important thing is to manage human behavior."
"There will always be a change and a great deal of uncertainty."
"If we focus on not what's going on but how we react to it, I think that's what makes the difference."

Why do so many business leaders treat human resources as an afterthought until something goes wrong? Nicole Miller, founder of Miller Workforce Solutions and Real Naughty Enterprises, challenges the way entrepreneurs approach leadership, employee relationships, and workplace culture. On Living Your Legacy, she explores how trust becomes the foundation of effective HR consulting, why social media can create unexpected workplace risks, and what business owners overlook when building their teams. She also reveals a surprising entrepreneurial side, turning her lifelong passion for fishing into an apparel brand. From leadership development to pursuing unconventional business ideas, Nicole offers a candid look at the determination, boundaries, and decisions behind building a legacy on her own terms.
Key Takeaways
Why treating HR as an afterthought can create problems for business owners.
How building trust between employees and leadership strengthens workplace relationships.
Why professional boundaries and social media policies matter in today's workplace.
How Nicole transforms her lifelong passion for fishing into a lifestyle apparel brand.
Why determination, independence, and pursuing personal ambitions shape her entrepreneurial journey.

Notable Quotes
"I have always made it my mission when I'm in an organization to gain the trust of my team members and my leadership team."
"Social media and the workplace do not go together."
"Choose your words very carefully because it's easy for someone to misconstrue what you say."
"I think that HR is sometimes used as an afterthought."
"I am a self-made woman of power."