How Katie Grimes Turned Bullying, Body Shame, and Trauma Into Bold Leadership

2025-12-04

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What if the very things you’re most ashamed of are actually your superpowers? In this powerful conversation, business coach and podcast host Katie Grimes opens up about growing up in a home impacted by alcoholism, being relentlessly bullied, hating her body, and surviving sexual assault, and how she turned all of it into fuel for the life and business she has now. Katie now helps entrepreneurs (especially those with ADHD) build businesses that feel safe, spacious, and wildly successful, without burning themselves out or abandoning their n...

What if the very things you’re most ashamed of are actually your superpowers?

In this powerful conversation, business coach and podcast host Katie Grimes opens up about growing up in a home impacted by alcoholism, being relentlessly bullied, hating her body, and surviving sexual assault, and how she turned all of it into fuel for the life and business she has now.

Katie now helps entrepreneurs (especially those with ADHD) build businesses that feel safe, spacious, and wildly successful, without burning themselves out or abandoning their needs. Together, we explore how the patterns we learn as teens, people pleasing, perfectionism, hyper-independence, and hiding our feelings, quietly shape our leadership as adults… and how we can change the story.

If you’re a teen, parent, educator, or leader who’s ever felt “too much,” “not enough,” or like your past disqualifies you from leadership, this episode will hit home in the best way.

In this episode, we talk about:

How bullying, body image struggles, and growing up around addiction shaped Katie’s self-worth
The moment she realized perfectionism is not a flex, it’s a survival response
What no one tells teens about nervous systems, freeze/people-pleasing, and why we pretend everything is “fine”
How Katie rebuilt her life after sexual assault, grief, and being let go from corporate
The shift from “I’m a burden” to “I’m allowed to ask for help”
Finding safe and trusted adults, and what that actually looks and feels like
Why the things that come easiest to you are your greatest leadership gifts
How Katie went from all of this… to building a $550k+ coaching business and helping 100,000+ people

Connect with Katie Grimes

Instagram & TikTok: @kg.katiegrimes
Podcast – Anything for Love: https://www.katiegrimes.com/podcast
Website & Coaching: https://www.katiegrimes.com/

If something in this episode resonated and you’d like a free coaching session with Katie, email support@katiegrimes.com and mention this episode of Leaders of Today: Teens to Titans.

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