The Real Deal Conversations
The Real Deal Conversations
The Real Deal Conversations with Megan Deal shares real stories and meaningful conversations to encourage, inspire, and equip you for life's challenges—whether it’s mental health, relationships, work, or leadership. Through personal experiences and insightful discussions, Megan and her guests work to foster empathy, build connections, and remind you that you're not alone. New episodes drop every…Social links:
Jayne Young: Doing the Hard Thing Anyway
Jayne Young may be the face you see on billboards, but her story didn’t start there. Before the success, there was selling a car just to buy diapers. There were overdraft fees, pregnancy loss, hard marriage seasons, and prayers whispered in grocery store aisles. In this conversation, Jayne shares …
50:58
Heather Zoromski: Doing the Work No One Sees
Leadership isn’t glamorous, and Heather Zoromski doesn’t pretend it is. In this honest, grounded conversation with Megan, Heather shares what it really looks like to lead when your name gets criticized, your heart gets tired, and the work still needs done. Everything from school board leadership t…
1:04:32
Whitney Guison & Grace Gooley: Leading Teams, Serving Customers, Setting Limits
Customer service gets complicated fast when emotions run high, expectations aren’t clear, and boundaries start to blur. Megan Deal sits down with Whitney Guison and Grace Gooley for an honest, often funny conversation about what good service actually looks like, without burning out your team or ben…
57:44
Laura Johnson: Choosing Prayer in Uncertain Seasons
Prayer doesn’t always feel powerful. Sometimes it feels quiet, awkward, or like you’re talking into the air. In this conversation, Megan Deal sits down with Laura Johnson to talk honestly about what it looks like to keep praying in the middle of waiting, uncertainty, and unanswered questions. Laura…
1:02:14
Melanie Blair: Finding Her Way Through Child Loss and into Helping Others Heal
Melanie Blair, the Assistant Executive Director of Lost & Found Grief Center, opens up about the loss of her 9-month-old son, Charlie, and the long, complicated journey of learning how to breathe again after your world falls apart. She shares with Megan the guilt she carried, the way grief reshaped…
1:02:35
Dr. Sue Head, Part 2: The Power of Vulnerability in Leadership
Dr. Sue Head is back for part two, and this conversation goes even deeper. Megan and Sue talk honestly about the tension women feel between confidence and insecurity, leadership and family, capacity and calling. Sue shares more of her personal stories, the moments that shaped how she leads today, a…
57:55
Whitney Guison & Grace Gooley: The Working Mom Conversation
Being a mom is hard. Being a working mom? That’s a whole different level of juggling. In this episode of The Real Deal Conversations, host Megan Deal sits down with Whitney Guison and new guest Grace Gooley to talk about the real, unfiltered side of balancing careers, kids, and everything in betwee…
1:08:10
Dr. Sue Head, Part 1: Why Being Real Beats Being Perfect
Dr. Sue Head, VP for Cultural Activities & Institutional Advancement and Dean of Character Education at College of the Ozarks, joins The Real Deal Conversations with host Megan Deal for a candid talk on what it really means to lead as a woman. In this first part of their conversation, Sue and Me…
49:30
Dr. Kristen Killen & Matt Day: The Truth About Hospice
Talking about hospice isn’t easy, but it’s something we all need to understand. In this powerful episode of The Real Deal Conversations, host Megan Deal sits down with Matt Day, Assistant Director of the Hospice Foundation for Outreach, and Dr. Kristen Killen, family physician and board member for …
43:07
Whitney Guison: Handling Disrespect, Hard Calls, and Healthy Boundaries
Leadership isn’t always about titles, sometimes it’s about navigating the messy middle between friendship, authority, and respect. In this episode of The Real Deal Conversations, host Megan Deal and returning guest Whitney Guison tackle what it really looks like to lead well when things get uncomfo…
1:11:33