#10 The Breaking Point That Built a Movement

In this episode of Within, Nicky shares the deeply personal journey that led to the creation of The Potential Within. After the birth of her second daughter, what began as subtle health symptoms quickly escalated into a two-year medical journey filled with chronic pain, misdiagnoses, invasive testing, anxiety, and isolation. From being told she was “fine” to preparing for a possible cancer diagnosis, to emergency back surgery, to finally being diagnosed, this episode unpacks what it feels like when your body is screaming but no one is listening. But this isn’t just a health story. It’s the origin story of The Potential Within. Through functional medicine, epigenetic testing, whole food changes, and radical self-advocacy, Nicky began peeling back the layers of what was really happening in her body. What she discovered wasn’t just about healing herself.

It was about something bigger:

• The lack of safe spaces to talk about health struggles

• The gap between reactive and proactive care

• The intersection of stress, leadership, and chronic illness

• The need for community around wellbeing

The Potential Within was created to: Educate. Provide resources. Build community. Because no one should feel alone navigating their health journey. And because wellbeing isn’t separate from how we lead, work, and live. About the show: Within is a podcast hosted by Nicky Wallace and Ali Payne, of The People Co. It explores what happens when organizations stop chasing surface-level solutions and start doing the real work from within. Each episode unpacks stories of leadership, burnout, growth, culture, and the messiness of being human at work. Whether you’re in HR, leading a team, or just rethinking how work fits into your life, Within offers a candid and refreshing look at how people-first business gets built.

Potential Within website: thepeopleco-com/potentialwithin

Connect with hosts & guests:

Nicky - Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/nwallace515/ Nicky - Instagram: @Freedomtoleadwell

Ali - Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alipayne/

Heidi- Linkedin- www.linkedin.com/in/heidibuttolph/

For more information on The People Co., check out our Webiste: thepeople-co.com