Podcast Blog

Hear how to overcome the difficulties that block change

In our podcast today, Linda Coughlin and I get deep into a conversation about the challenges of working with organizations that need to change. You are going to love this interview. Lin is an expert on how to help companies rethink their processes and develop new ways to bring together new teams, engage different generations and successfully build new cultures, often from the merger of different organizations. As you'll hear, she and I are on the same page. Enjoy.

Hear how to find your voice, even in the midst of change

What a powerful conversation I had with Leslie Rasmussen, award-winning author of the novel After Happily Ever After. It is a book that tells a story about a woman, perhaps you or me, who realizes that it is time for her to rethink the woman she used to be and wants to become. Sounds both familiar and intriguing, right? It is. While Leslie will tell you in our podcast all about her own journey, she also will shed light on how this novel emerged and why she has used it to give a voice to many women today facing the pain of change. Whether it is pandemic fatigue or watching the house empty as the kids head off to college, I know this is a conversation you will enjoy and a book you will want to read.

Hear how even bad times can open the door to success

Melody Watts has an amazing story to share with you, but it was hardly a straight line. Rather, nine years ago she had a tsunami of tragedies confront her, pushing her in entirely new personal and professional directions. She was diagnosed with Lyme disease, was newly divorced, and lost her mother in a tragic car accident. Then something strange happened. While looking for a solution to her son’s chronic cough, she discovered doTERRA essential oils. The oils helped her son and equally important, opened her up to a new business. She joined doTERRA in 2013 and two years later was in the top 1% in sales. Talk about lemons into lemonade. Listen in and learn!

Hear what can take your idea from good to great!

Listen in today to a woman who had a client searching for an unmet need and who then helped him open up a new market, literally Blue Ocean Strategy® in action. Jennifer Brazer, my podcast guest, has a new book out that you really should read because it's a “how-to” guide for building a great business, Blue Ocean-style. (It actually happened to be her own business.) She explains how she went from a cubicle to a multi-million dollar bookkeeping service on the cloud, serving accounting firms across the country. And it all started when a client asked her how to manage the bookkeeping for his companies at an affordable price. 

Hear how to grow your big idea into a big success 

Please meet Gina Paoloni. Gina found me through her search for speakers for her upcoming virtual summit, “The Untethered Entrepreneur.” She herself is an exciting entrepreneur who is building her business to help others grow theirs. Entrepreneurs, as you know, have an amazing way of seeing what is possible and then making it happen. Is that you? Do you have a clever idea to solve a problem in a new way? As Gina describes herself, she is often the lifeguard at the side of the pool watching her clients thrashing around trying to find a way out of a conundrum — and splashing each other at the same time. Over time, she has found an approach to help them, and you, reframe the problem and see solutions that might have been there all along. Do listen in!

Hear how to make time for strategic thinking and strategic growth 

Richard Medcalf describes himself as "what you get if you were to put a McKinsey consultant, a slightly unorthodox pastor and an entrepreneur into a blender." Richard is an executive coach and leadership consultant to CEOs and their leadership teams. What we hope you'll take away from our discussion is how to build your own career and amplify your story. Sometimes you need a mentor or a coach, and sometimes you are the coach. Both are hard. (I know; I currently have six mentees and it is hard.) For solutions, Richard has a number of big ideas to help you sharpen your listening skills and do things now, not just someday. Listen in, not a minute to waste!

Hear how to embrace change so you can soar!

As I have been working with women thought leaders and innovators, I've been struck by the number of them who are moving mountains during this pandemic and setting up new ways of life and work as we try to emerge from it. Kim Snyder and I met at Peter Winick’s Tuesday Thought Leader gatherings and enjoyed our off-line conversations. They were deep and she was full of fresh perspectives on what people are doing and how they are going to have to change as this new world we are in is changing, faster and faster. I know you will enjoy Kim as much as I do!

Hear how we can all have a positive impact on the world 

We often find that as we move through our lives, we come upon people who instantly become our friends, although we have little understanding of why or how this happened. Denise Meagles, Indrani de Silva and Angelia Allen are just these kinds of friends. Denise and Indrani were introduced to me by Todd Cherches, whom I met through a thought leadership group. At a virtual meeting with Todd, he suggested they read my new book, Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business. They were so excited about the book that they put together gift boxes of Wax Buffalo candles and other goodies and sent them to a dozen women entrepreneurs, encouraging them to keep growing their businesses and seeking a great purpose. Then Angelia Allen joined them and they became a threesome, with all types of interesting ideas and careers. I feel lucky to have met them and even luckier to call them friends. I think you will too. Enjoy.

Hear how to develop better leaders and better followers

Kris Baird and I have known each other for a long time. We have both been involved in the healthcare world for many years, and Kris has developed a new program which I am very interested in, particularly for my hospital systems clients who are realizing the need to develop their middle managers, their nurse managers, and their leaders. Plus, Kris and I direct several leadership academies for our clients. I am particularly excited to share this podcast with you because Kris has a brilliant way of developing managers and leaders, as well as those who work for them. She has so much to teach us; please listen in and then share with your teams! 

Hear what you can do to end hate and foster inclusivity 

Deborah Levine is an amazing woman. How excited I was to share her story with our listeners. Many people today are talking about the need to build a more accepting, diverse and inclusive society, not just in their business but all around them in their communities. How do you do that? And how can you make the value of diversity become a cultural norm that is embraced? Listen to Deborah tell you about her own journey, and how that has caused her to focus on these themes in her personal and professional life. Here is your chance to learn from a true star in the growing  movement to transform our society and our culture so we can build better lives together.

Hear how gender equity is really, finally, happening 

What an exciting podcast with Johanna Zeilstra. She has had a remarkable career as a business strategist and leader in start-ups and global corporations. Our talk was about her current passion: helping move the needle on gender equity in organizations through her platform, Gender Fair. Take a look at its website to understand the full scope of the movement which she is pushing forward. Gender Fair, of which Johanna is CEO, uses data analytics to determine an organization’s progress toward gender equality and diversity. Johanna and I are both active on the Women Business Collaborative, whose mission is to make gender equity a permanent reality in business and in society. Do enjoy this podcast. 

Hear how to get diverse employees to value their differences

It was a great pleasure to interview Laura Kriska for our podcast, On the Brink. Laura is an internationally recognizedexpert in cross-cultural relations. She and I have a lot in common. As a corporate anthropologist, I too often work with organizations where the old culture and the new are in conflict, where Boomers and Millennials speak different dialects of English and have distinctly different habits, beliefs and ways of doing things. Add in the business environment around them, and today's companies have too little knowledge about how to “see, feel and think” in new ways and most importantly, how to use those differences to build better companies. Laura's wisdom is so needed right now — I know you will learn so much from her!

Hear how to turn a jerk boss into someone you want to follow!

Have you ever had an amazing boss or manager who was a leader in many ways yet always seemed to be a “jerk”? If so, you might want to read “Managing Brilliant Jerks: How Organizations and Coaches Can Transform Difficult Leaders into Powerful Visionaries” by Dr. Katrina Burrus, today's podcast guest. A wonderful speaker, author and executive coach, Katrina and I were kindred spirits as we discussed the challenges we have all experienced when having to work for an individual who is terrific in so many ways but fails terribly when leading others. The big question is always, “Can you take that jerk and turn him/her into a star?” Yes! Learn how.

Hear how to turn your big idea into a profitable business!

Veronica Sagastume was a wonderful woman to interview. She represents all that we love about women who can take an idea and turn it into a great innovation and a successful business. In our podcast, Veronica helps you think about yourself, what you are doing, and how you can convert your big idea into a bold new venture. What is also of great interest to us is how someone can see opportunities and turn them into realities. This is never easy. Sometimes, however, you need a good role model, and Veronica will tell you about hers. She knew quite quickly that she liked the rough and tumble world of business and could play with everyone, from bosses to investors to clients and suppliers. Listen to how she did it and how you can too. Enjoy.

Hear how to use social media to create a winning personal brand!

Cass McCrory and I had one of those long, luscious conversations about what matters to each of us, and both of us, which is helping women become the best that they can be. Cass's podcast, Real Women in Business, is focused on connecting women with the inspiring stories of other women who, like them, are building great lives in business. Yet what she has found is that many of these women are unhappy. In research we did for our new program, Rethink Your Journey With Andi Simon, we found the same: 66% of the women surveyed were dissatisfied with their lives but not sure how to change them. From Cass's perspective, the process is not that complicated. Listen in to hear her thoughts about how you can positively change the direction of your life!

Hear how to cast off your baggage and live your dreams!

This was an interesting interview with Mia Hewett. Every interview is interesting. But some of them take us in places that are unexpected. Mia’s was particularly unexpected. She has a new book out called "Meant For More: Stop Secretly Struggling and Become a Force to Be Reckoned With." It’s an incredible story of a woman’s journey of discovery and awakening. Mia is very concerned about helping people, women in particular, create their own reality...really looking in the mirror and seeing who they are. Not listening to old stories or destructive myths. Reminds me of my book, "Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business." Don't wait, take a listen!

Hear how one woman made her mark in an industry of men.

Babette Ballinger holds a special place in our hearts, and in my new book, "Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business." As a fashion designer and owner of her own apparel sales firm, Babette had to constantly re-invent herself, learn how to run a business, and deal with the challenges of sustaining successful partnerships with men. Working with almost every major retailer in the country as well as many smaller ones, she quickly developed the ability to compromise and navigate complicated and diverse rules and regulations. When I think of trailblazing women who opened the door for so many others, I think of Babette. Listen in!

 Hear how an innovative approach paid off, big time!

By becoming President of Delaware Valley University, Dr. Maria Gallo broke a very hard, very high glass ceiling, which is why I wanted to repost my podcast with her. In 2020, only 38% of college presidents were women, despite the fact that women represent over half the students in higher educational institutions. And, Dr. Gallo is not only leading DelVal, she's leading it successfully into the future. For this and many other reasons, I share her story in my new book, "Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business," which you can buy here. Seeing that the demographics of students are changing, fast, Maria and her team engaged us to help them find their Blue Ocean Strategy, then they made it happen, brilliantly. A great story. Listen in! 

Hear how women leaders are finally coming into their own

There are times when very special people come into our lives. If you believe in serendipity, as I do, you realize that they are here for a purpose. We often are not sure what that purpose is, but there is something almost magical in meeting them, working with them, and just having them enter your orbit. Edie did a lovely review of my new book, Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business, and from there our friendship grew. Now, Women Business Collaborative is working with Rethink and Catalyzing the Future to host a global virtual summit on May 13, 2021 called Catalyzing the Future: Rethinking Women’s Leadership in Business. You can register here.

Hear how where you invest your money really matters

Not only do all of the women in my new book,"Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business," inspire me, but I'm finding that Women's History Month is the perfect time to celebrate them and really call attention to what they're accomplished. That's why I'm re-posting my podcast interviews with them throughout this month of March. One of these special women, Janine Firpo, is on a personal mission to empower others, particularly women, to understand how to manage their money, invest in what they care about, and make substantial returns on their purpose-driven investment decisions. All of us really need to hear this interview. Enjoy.