In this raw and expansive episode of Sovereign Heart, Rachele sits down with serial entrepreneur, tech founder, Laura Fortey to explore what it really takes to thrive as a woman in business without burning out. They dive into sovereignty, the feast-or-famine cycle of entrepreneurship, being the “only woman in the room,” and the power of play, presence, and purpose beyond performance. Laura shares her lived journey through hustle culture, rebuilding after loss, and how she's now rewriting the rules of leadership—one bold, intuitive step at a time.

Core Themes For This Episode:

• Redefining sovereignty and reclaiming self after burnout
• Navigating feast-or-famine cycles as a female founder
• The fear of success and how upper limits sabotage growth
• The power of being “the dumbest in the room” for expansion
• Feminine leadership in male-dominated industries (tech, real estate, startup culture)
• Relational networking vs. performative pitching
• Human Design as a compass for alignment
• Oxytocin, flow state, and why play is a business strategy
• Courage, community, and choosing joy over pressure
• How to lead without losing yourself

Key Takeaways:

• Sovereignty is a homecoming: Laura defines sovereignty as the act of reconnecting with what’s truly hers, her joy, her voice, her essence, after years of burnout and external performance.
• You know enough: Women often over-qualify and under-claim. Laura calls BS and says you don’t need more certifications, you need more courage to start.
• Success can be scarier than failure, because having it all can activate old fears of loss, trauma, or responsibility. Awareness is the first step to moving through it.
• Connection > Credentials: People remember stories and how you made them feel, not your job title.
• Entrepreneurship isn’t about never falling; it’s about how you rise each time and who’s rising with you.
• Women need to stop networking like men: It's not about your pitch but your presence.
• Flow state is fuel: What lights you up isn’t optional. It’s your lifeforce.

Quotes:

• “Sovereignty is coming back to who I am without all the noise.” – Laura
• “I’m actually comfortable in discomfort. I know how to rebuild. But now, I want to build from overflow.”- Laura
• “Courage and humility will get you further than a perfect business plan.”- Laura
• “Networking is easy when you stop performing and start relating.” – Rachele
• “People remember how you made them feel—if nothing else, hype them up.”-Laura
• “You wouldn’t have the doubt if you weren’t meant to do the thing.” -Rachele
• “I don’t have a fear of failure. I have a fear of what happens when everything actually works.”-Rachele

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About Laura:

With a robust background in entrepreneurship and real estate investing, Laura's dynamic style has allowed her to pioneer varying opportunities, including tech, marketing, mentorship and consulting.

Laura's journey as a tech-savvy entrepreneur equips her with a unique blend of skills in operations, content creation, and strategic communication. At REITIUM, she's leveraged these competencies to demystify real estate investments and cultivate a community of informed investors. Through her efforts, they're fostering a more equitable financial future and championing the rise of diverse entrepreneurs in the fintech space.

Connect with Laura Fortey:

https://www.instagram.com/lauramariefortey

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauramariefortey

Connect with Rachele:

http://www.instagram.com/womensalignmentcoach

http://www.rachelekehler.com

Keywords:

Women in business, burnout recovery, female founders, entrepreneurship podcast, sovereign leadership, women in tech, feminine leadership, relational networking, Human Design in business, Human Design Readings, emotional resilience, flow state, success mindset for women, female startup founders, overcoming self-doubt, cyclical living in business, intuitive business, upper limit problem, authentic leadership, Women Leaders, Women's leadership