We recently had the chance to connect with Laura Weiner Kiser and have shared our conversation below.
Laura, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I have a motto in general when it comes to the ups and downs of life. If laughing at the way life plays out, be that through uncomfortable moments or personal setbacks, makes things better and easier to learn from…well, then laughter it is. So I’m REGULARLY laughing at myself. But something I’m really proud of is 1 how I’ve been able to hold space for some family members who are going through a hard time (even though they can’t do the same for me). Sometimes it’s easy to slip into “why should I do that if they can’t,” but they deserve love and if I have the skills, it aligns with the person I want to be. The second thing I’m proud of is how diligent and methodical I’ve been about building my new community, The “Challengers” Circle. I’ve been excited and eager to launch it since February and waiting isn’t normally my vibe, but it felt too important and I wanted to make sure it would truly help people. I’m not super tech savy but through patience and exploration I was able to find something that felt really aligned for the platform and I’m proud I didn’t let my impatience or lack of tech skills deter me from the mission that was true to my heart.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Laura Weiner-Kiser, HI 👋🏻, a Stress & Mindset Coach and founder of Change By Challenge. In plain English: I help high-achievers become the authority of their mind so stress stops running the show. Most people don’t have a “bad life”—they have a noisy brain, reactive habits, and foggy boundaries. My method blends brain science, nervous-system regulation, and compassionate, no-fluff coaching to translate emotions into usable data (think: a “hot-cold” internal compass), then turn that data into simple daily actions. We follow a clear plan—Assess → Decode → Recode—so clients build calm focus, courageous decisions, and integrity that holds under pressure.
What makes us different? We don’t chase motivation; we engineer predictability. Tools like “What’s Gone Well,” the “Question Master” framework, and values-based action plans create results that stick in real life, not just on good days. Right now I’m building a playful, grounded membership community for daily habit engagement and training additional coaches to scale this work with the same standards. If you’re ready to stop white-knuckling your way through growth and actually enjoy it, come say hi, let’s get you back in the driver’s seat.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
Simplest way of explaining it is owning my truth. My last name growing up was (and still is ) Weiner, pronounced Wine-er….but the spelling makes it look like ween-er. I remember being about 7 or 8 years old and getting checked in for my soccer game. you’d have to knock on your shin guards and show them your cleats….it was a moment I would dread. Why? Because the ref would almost always mispronounce my name as Laura Ween-er and all the girls would laugh at me. But this one game when he did it, I stepped forward and said excuse me sir, that’s Miss Ween-er to you (with a little sass), and all the other girls on my team oooed.
It was in that moment I realized I didn’t have to feel othered with misunderstandings or miscommunications. If I owned my truth, added a little humor I actually created a moment we could all share in. And growing up with a name like that, let’s just say it’s a tool I’ve used a lot lol
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me who I really am and who I’m not. Who we claim to be in the successful and easy moments of life is one thing, but who we show up as when shit hits the fan, that’s the real truth. Through different moments of suffering I saw who I really was and who I wanted to be. I saw how each time I would reemerge from suffering I’d find new skills, new capabilities, new areas where I was confident. It helped me realize my suffering is largely why I’m successful, it’s like it life proofed me for the inevitable hardships. This has honestly been freeing. Rather than resisting turmoil, I now lean in, curiously considering, I wonder what I’ll build through this adversity. It kind of becomes a fun twisted game.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes and no. For the most part I try to show up authentically and respectfully, but I’ve also learned, through the wisdom of Brene Brown, that not everyone is privy to your vulnerability. I feel secure openly sharing my stories from the stage and showing my imperfections because I don’t think negatively of them. When it comes to 1 on 1 interactions I’m almost always authentic. The moments I hide is if I’m below my capacity or if I’m sensing this isn’t one of “my people.” But I used to mask up a lot more growing up and saw just how much pain that created when the people I dedicated so much time and energy towards didn’t show up for me. So now, I don’t care if people like me or not, I care that I like myself, that I honor my morals and I believe the right people will vibe with me and have my back.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
That people are always communicating and interpreting life and interactions in a way that will confirm their personal identity. It’s not a conscious thing people do, it’s a facet of how the mind works to confirm predictability and thus safety. So often I hear people circling around what to say, thinking themselves into knots because they are constantly misunderstood. I understand that conundrum and by no means is it easy…BUT when you understand it’s not necessarily what you’re doing, it’s also about how THEY receive it and that people are always understanding to confirm their beliefs, it lightens the pressure and provides an opportunity. Rather than focusing so much on how to say something perfectly it becomes more of a collaborative effort to create understanding, even if it’s not your preferred way of communicating it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.changebychallenge.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/change.by.challenge?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=NnNvc25hMTJkdjMy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/change-by-challenge/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Change.By.Challenge#
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@changebychallenge
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/05uuM1JCw1Ex1MFLhhOWdk?si=ac367e80dccf4526
Image Credits
Katalin Fodor
