Boss Ladies

Skyler Bouchard is the Founder of @diningwithskyler and is a home cook and on-air host. In this episode, Skyler shares her career journey that led to creating @diningwithsklyer and it's evolution as a brand. She talks about how to break into a new space, even if you don't have the traditional experience "required" for that field. She shares her strategies for dealing with trolls & staying positive as well as how to cheer on people in the same field rather than viewing them as competition. Also, check out our Cocktail Chat bonus episode where Skyler teaches us how to make a Lavender Gin Martini!

Join home cook and on-air host as well as founder of @diningwithskyler, Skyler Bouchard, as she teaches us how to make a Lavender Gin Martini! Sip this cocktail while you listen to our interview.

Heidi Hupe is the President & Chief Growth Officer of Nox Health, a one-stop, holistic solution helping to identify, address and resolve sleep issues across the globe. In this episode, we talk about career pivots and why they can be so beneficial, despite the fear that comes with them. Heidi shares advice on how to get on your first board, including creating a board bio, putting yourself out there and asking to be on the board. Heidi highlights the importance of DE&I and the value it can bring to the company. She shares how these efforts improve hiring, especially with regards to equitable pay. Lastly, Heidi shares her views on the appropriate age to start looking for board work.

LisaMarie Casey is an Entrepreneur & Angel Advisor, with over 35 years of execution expertise in strategic and management development in the information technology, entrepreneurial/startup and mid-size communities. In this episode, LisaMarie shares stories about the micro-aggressions she witnessed & dealt with as a woman working in a male dominated space and explains why advocating for oneself can be a great mechanism for combating them. She shares why negative experiences can often present the best moments of mentorship and why your tribes are important support groups to leverage. She talks about her career superpowers and advice she has for Boss Ladies looking to elevate their careers. Lastly, she reminds us why it's important to surround yourself with people who can help you to strengthen the skills you have and teach you more of the skills you're missing.

Dr. Wendy Suzuki is a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology in the Center for Neural Science at New York University and a celebrated international authority on neuroplasticity. She was recently named one of the top ten women changing the way we see the world by Good Housekeeping and regularly serves as a sought-after expert for publications including The Wall Street Journal, Shape, and Health. Her TED talk has more than 31 million views on Facebook and was the 2nd most viewed TED talk of 2018. She is the author of Good Anxiety and Healthy Brain, Happy Life.

In this episode, Wendy shares the short term and long term benefits of exercise on your brain. She provides us with the perfect exercise prescription in order to maximize these benefits. Wendy explains what good anxiety is and shares strategies for using good anxiety to our benefit, especially at work. She talks about how to be a great mentor for the next generation of Boss Ladies as well as tips for working in a male dominated space. 

Lia Bartha is the founder of the exercise program B The Method, which is a mix of highly unique pilates-based, low-impact movements, with inspiration from dance and swimming, to strengthen, restore and protect the body. In this episode, Lia shares her career journey from the corporate world to creating B The Method, which boasts a community built on authenticity. We talk about how to find ways to motivate yourself to workout, what it’s like collaborating with your spouse, as well as her personal growth from starting the company.

Natalie McDonald is the Founder of Create NYC, a $27+ million annual revenue, global healthcare agency that serves the highly-regulated pharmaceutical industry. In this episode, Natalie shares why shared values are so important when creating a great team and company culture. She discusses the importance of having a team first mentality as well as strategies for keeping work fun in the remote environment. She talks about what makes a good manager and how to manager your manager. Lastly, she shares strategies for giving and receiving feedback. 

Dawn Halkuff is the CEO of Ideal Protein, a company who’s mission is to empower people to achieve transformational, lasting weight loss and live healthier lives. In this episode, we talk about why positivity in the workplace is a strength. We discuss whether or not you should be using exclamation points in your emails. Dawn also shares of the importance of sponsorship and mentorship, including personal examples from her career. She tells us about an amazing group chat she has with likeminded women and how they have continued to support each other. Lastly, she shares a fun fact about the Guinness Beer Tap Handle that you won't want to miss.

Are you passionate about storytelling? Are you eager to start facing your fears? 

Dessy Levinson, CEO & Founder at Crate, shares her passion for storytelling and how it can help get venture capital dollars. She shares the recipe for creating a good story, including where to start. She explains why finding narratives of individuals who had to step up and save the world, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, are a great reminder that we can also step up and find resources we didn't know we had within us. She tells us why it's important to face our fears and take a stand, even when things get scary. She highlights why it's important to understand that fear is here to serve us. 

Tune in as I share the story behind Boss Ladies.

Meymuna Hussein-Cattan is the Founder and Executive Director at The Tiyya Foundation, which creates communities of support and organizes access to economic opportunities and critical resources for immigrants, refugees, and displaced indigenous communities. She is also the Founder of Flavors from Afar, which is focused on serving bright ingredients prepared fresh by local chefs who happen to be former refugees & asylum seekers. In this episode, Meymuna shares her personal journey that led to founding The Tiyya Foundation as well as Flavors from Afar Catering. She shares how she's learned to solve problems and strategize. Meymuna talks about the role models & mentors she's found through her board of directors, but also how this organization is pioneering something new. She shares how she combats Imposter Syndrome. Also, Meymuna reminds us of the importance of taking breaks & vacation, as it can help you do the best problem solving and keep you from burning out. Lastly, she shares the importance of therapy! 

If you're looking to get involved with Tiyya, send an email to info@tiyya.org.

Meet my momma!

Margo Lang is the Vice President, People & Organization (HR) Strategy at Sony Pictures Entertainment. In this episode, Margo shares why failure is so important and how we can use it to redefine success. Margo talks about her role in HR, why she feels HR is one of the best career paths, how to get started in HR and what the last two years have been like during the pandemic. She also discusses mentorship, including how to find one and how to approach conversations as the mentee.

Quick reminder to support those around you, specifically the junior members on your team or those still figuring out what they want to do with their career.

Tingting Turski is the Product Lead for the Cash App at Square. Square builds common business tools in unconventional ways so more people can start, run, and grow their businesses. In this episode, she shares strategies for being a good manager, including adapting your management style and checking in on a more personal level. We spoke about what makes a good mentor, how to approach conversations with your mentor as a mentee, how to be a good ally, including previewing ideas with allies before the meeting and why healthy tension with stakeholders leads to better outcomes.

Jenifer Herrmann is the EVP, Marketing, New Business Development at Evergreen Trading, a media investment agency that works with businesses in every industry to provide financial resilience and sustainable solutions. Formerly, Jenifer was Senior Manager of Global Marketing Partnerships for the NBA. In this episode, Jenifer shares her wisdom on why it’s important to trust your voice, why vulnerability can make us stronger, strategies for keeping a healthy mind and her journey of coming out as LGBTQ+.

Are you a female founder looking for investors? Are you frustrated by the fact that most investor dollars go to male founders? Join me in welcoming Meghan Cross, Partner at Amplifyher Ventures, which is a new Venture Capital fund backing high-growth startups built by exceptional women. In this episode, she shares advice for women running a business, especially with regards to what early stage investors look at. She not only talks about the current issues with the lack of investment dollars going to diverse founders, but also the impact on a company's success when it's lead by a diverse team. She also shares what a day in the life of a partner at a VC fund is like.

Val DiFebo is the CEO of Deutsch New York, a fully integrated advertising, design, and digital agency. In this episode, Val shares her career journey working her way to the top at Deutsch, a brand she has always had great faith in, and leading with positivity. She explains why her goal is to foster an environment where people are excited to collaborate with one another. Val also walks us through the importance of trusting your employees, especially during the pandemic. However, she also explains why it’s critical to give your employees the flexibility and the power to fail. Val is anything but shy when it comes to advocating for equality in the workplace. In 2019, she was featured in Adweek’s “Women Trailblazer” series and named one of uAspire’s “First Ones” of 2020, which celebrates leaders who are the first in their family to graduate college. Passionate about supporting early career playwrights, creative storytellers and educating young students about the performing arts she holds Board positions for The Playwrights Realm and On Broadway’s Performing Arts Training Program. She is Chairman of the Hearts of Gold Foundation, which assists at-risk mothers, and holds Board positions with the ANA Educational Foundation (AEF) and at her alma mater, Williams College.

Jennifer DaSilva is the President of Berlin Cameron, a full service, boutique creative agency. In this episode, Jennifer walks us through her experience leading efforts outside of work to help women excel in their careers. Jennifer tells us about her role as a Master Connecter and shares strategic ways we can work on connecting people. She talks to us about the challenges women in the workplace have faced during the pandemic and how we can help get them back on track. Jennifer recently championed a division of Berlin Cameron called LLShe, empowering female founders through creativity and connection. In 2020, she was named Working Mother of the Year by She Run's It and was given the Campaign US Choice Award for Fearless Pioneer for her “noteworthy, badass work across the industry.” She is the founder of a networking group called connect4women.com. Jennifer also advises female run start-ups, is on the board of Girl Up and most importantly is a wife and mother of two boys.

Roxy Young is the Chief Marketing Officer at Reddit, Inc. Roxy is leading the charge to make Reddit a daily destination for a more diverse group of people, all over the world. In this week’s episode, we talk about her career journey, including leading the team behind the incredible Reddit Super Bowl ad addressing the stock market controversy with GameStop & AMC entertainment. We discuss her passion for building communities and what that’s been like at Reddit. She shares strategies for leading with humility and kindness, while still being seen as a fearless leader. Lastly, she tells us what her experience has been like as Reddit’s first Hispanic woman in the C-Suite.

Rhiannon Menn is the Founder of Lasagna Love. In 2020, prompted by the COVID-related struggles of families in her community and her own feeling of helplessness, she founded Lasagna Love. A platform that connects neighbors for home-cooked meal delivery, Lasagna Love has transformed into a national movement of kindness, impacting thousands of volunteers and recipient families each week. In this week’s episode, Rhiannon discusses Imposter Syndrome and the importance of being proud of yourself. She also shares stories around mentorship, the power of community, and raising strong willed children.

Risa Heller is the CEO of Risa Heller Communications, a full-service communications and public affairs consultancy based in New York City. Risa has served at the highest levels of government: as Communications Director to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. She served as his chief media strategist and senior spokesperson, and moved on to serve in a similar role for New York State Governor David A. Paterson. In this episode, Risa walks us through her career journey and shares how she unexpectedly found her way into PR. Risa explains why working for the government is one of the best ways to learn a ton of skills, especially early on in your career, and how great it is to see the ways in which the government can be beneficial and help people’s lives. Risa shares the story behind starting the NY forever campaign, a campaign dedicated to rebuilding New York after the pandemic. Risa also gives advice on running your own company and the importance of trusting your instincts throughout the process.

Marilyn Kapaun is a Partner at Bovis, Kyle, Burch & Medlin, LLC, and a Professor of Criminal Law and Ethics of Law at Georgia State University. Marilyn walks us through the thoughtful steps she takes in legal negotiations and mediations and shares strategies on how to stay level headed even when the surrounding emotions are heightened. Marilyn is the proud mother of a Boss Lady and gives advice on how to raise the future generation of Boss Ladies.

Jennifer Randle is the EVP of Finance and Operations at The Chernin Group, a multi-stage investment firm dedicated to building consumer businesses with a major portfolio including Twitter, Zola, Hello Sunshine, Pandora, Headspace & more. In this week's episode, Jennifer emphasizes the importance of trusting and empowering your team by delegating, a skill she strengthened while raising four boys. Jennifer discusses why it's important, as a manager, to let people on your team fail. She shares her strategies for balancing work and life before the pandemic and in the shift to working from home. She also shares the positive impact working from home has had on her time with her family.

Recently awarded Forbes 30 Under 30 in Enterprise Technology, Nikita Gupta is the Co-Founder & CTO at Symba, an all-female founded tech startup. Symba is the leading remote internship platform helping businesses adapt to the future of work—adopting remote operations, investing in the next generation of talent, and committing to diversity and inclusion. On today's episode, Nikita shares the challenges of fundraising as a woman of color and a woman in technology, the power of following your gut and listening to your mentors, as well as advice she has for the future generation of Boss Ladies. She also reminds us that age does not directly correlate to knowledge. Nikita was recently featured in Crunchbase as one of 9 South Asian Female Entrepreneurs Changing the Game.

Mitzi Reaugh is an executive, entrepreneur, and public company board member and has negotiated over $7B+ in deal transactions. In this week's episode, Mitzi walks us through every stage of a business deal negotiation and shares strategies for each step of the process. Mitzi also shares her advice for personal negotiations, including how to appropriately ask your manager for a raise or a promotion. Mitzi is the co-founder and advisory board member to the non-profit FEME (Female Executives in Media & Entertainment). She reminds us of the key benefits of networking, especially in organizations like FEME, and the power of women supporting women.

Pearl Collings, the CEO of Contently, takes us through the full lifecycle of a job and shares strategies for advocating for yourself each step of the way. Whether it's finding a job, starting a job, getting a promotion, or taking on a management role, Pearl leaves you with executable steps to be successful for each part of the journey.

BOSS LADIES TRAILER

Tammy Na and Amber Luan are the co-founders of Lazy Sundaes, a new cafe offering bubble tea and bingsoo, which is Korean shaved ice. In this episode, we chat about launching a business during the pandemic, what they value as partners, and the challenges they face as female entrepreneurs. 

A message from your host.

Abra Potkin & Nicole Winnaman are the co-founders of NOW//with, a brand new shoppable celebrity entertainment platform, backed by proprietary technology. In this episode, they share their career journeys that led to the successful partnership and founding of NOW//with, the importance of ensuring there is a diverse group of people at the table and how they are inspiring the future generation of Boss Ladies.

Allison Page, the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of SEVENROOMS, a data-driven operations, marketing and guest engagement platform, tells us about her journey starting SEVENROOMS, being innovative in the restaurant industry during the pandemic and overcoming imposter syndrome.

Alexa Matthews, the founder of @EatingNYC, a food-focused brand that covers restaurants, travel, fitness & luxury lifestyle tells us how she got started, her strategies for growth, and how she’s adapted to the new normal.

Jennifer Brown is a leading diversity and inclusion expert, dynamic keynote speaker, best-selling author, award-winning entrepreneur and host of The Will To Change podcast. In this episode, Jennifer shares strategies for corporate leaders to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace, where their employees can feel comfortable bringing their full selves to work. She reminds us that performance is often gendered and racialized, making it more difficult to get promoted into leadership roles, but she provides suggestions on how to combat that including working with your allies. She discusses how to give members of diverse groups a sense of belonging in the workplace, by making them feel seen and heard, which leads to employee retention and an increased pipeline of applicants. * Please note, this episode was recorded before the COVID-19 Pandemic hit the United States. *

“It’s so important to be compassionate and understanding with yourself”

Angie Tebbe is the founder and CEO of Rae Wellness, a nutritional supplement company dedicated to helping women feel their best from the inside out and to supporting women so that they always have the strength and confidence to achieve their goals, big and small. Growing up, Angie’s parents fostered a deep appreciation for wellbeing, which ultimately informed Angie’s retirement from corporate America and led her to pursue integrated mind/body solutions for women. In this episode, Angie discusses the profound impact of stress on the mind and the body, how to navigate quarantine with self-care and compassion, and the importance of putting yourself at the top of your to-do list.

“Stay informed, but please, don’t forget about your own personal wellbeing.” 

Christina Ryan is the CEO and Chief Nursing Officer of the Deaconess Women’s Hospital in Newburgh, Indiana. Today, she and her team are on the frontline fighting COVID-19 and working hard to protect their patients. In this episode, Christina shares the importance of going forward as planned with a hospital birth rather than shifting to a home birth in response to the pandemic. She also shares her advice and strategies for childbirth at hospitals during this difficult time, with or with out a partner in the room. Rated one of the best places to work by Modern Healthcare, Christina shares her tips for creating a positive culture for both the employees and the patients at the Deaconess Women’s Hospital. On behalf of Boss Ladies, thank you to Christina and all healthcare workers as well as everyone working on the frontline to keep us safe. For more information on the Deaconess Women's Hospital, go to www.deaconess.com/The-Womens-Hospital or @deaconesswomenshospital

“I followed my passions wherever they took me.”

Recently named on The 2020 Billboard Power List, Colleen Theis is Chief Operating Officer at The Orchard, a technology-driven leader in music distribution and artist and label services. To get to where she is today, Colleen took a non-traditional route to the music industry through a uniquely global lens. In this episode, she delineates tangible ways people can be better allies in the workplace as well as strategies for combating imposter syndrome. Colleen also discusses the importance of a worldwide view in educating yourself about what can be - rather than thinking about what can’t be or what has been. Lastly, she reminds us of the power of remembering we’re all just people.

Tami Reiss has her dream job; She is the SVP of Product at ProdUXLabs focusing on the Insight Partners portfolio as their CPO in Residence. In 2016, Tami launched Just Not Sorry, a Gmail plug-in used by half a million people around the globe to write more confident emails. In this episode, she walks us through her sinuous professional journey; from physiology to Google Chrome extensions to product strategy, Tami delineates how a career path is a system with many interconnected causes and effects that lead you to where you want to be.

Cat Kreidich is the SVP of Commercial at Sony Music Entertainment. In this episode, Cat walks us through her journey from a musician to a leader in the music business. Cat’s career has blossomed in an ever-changing industry as she has worked on bridging the gap from physical to digital. Cat shares her advice on how to advocate for yourself in the workplace whether it be looking for a raise, a promotion, or pursuing a new opportunity to continue your personal growth.

Abby Stein is an American transgender author, activist, blogger, model, rabbi, and speaker; she is the first openly transgender woman raised in a Hasidic community. In this episode, Abby discusses her extraordinary journey of self-discovery and self-fulfillment within the context of her fundamentalist roots: by taking a 180 degree turn and deconstructing the circle, she was able to take its parts to build a new circle - and move on authentically. Abby highlights the need for society to evolve from just tolerating to actively celebrating identity, the power of community, both the one you’re forced into by circumstance and the one you choose, and finding ways to describe everything in life as beautiful. Order her book here: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Eve-Journey-Ultra-Orthodox-Transgender-ebook/dp/B07PCPLG7T/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=becoming+eve&qid=1567740861&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Adette C. Contreras is Co-founder & CEO at Tinsel Experiential Design, Founder & CEO at In Wild Pursuit. She is a Manila-born, Chicago-raised, and Brooklyn-based graphic designer and entrepreneur. Her mission as an immigrant woman in the creative field is to propel the changing face of business, challenge the conventional views of entrepreneurship, and avail a bit of magic she’s discovered along the way. In this episode, Adette discusses how she has channeled her creative side into a professional career path, the importance of role models in showing what’s possible, and the value of a global perspective in all aspects of life.

Kelsea Bauman, star of the indie film VANILLA, is a director, producer, writer, and actor with a social justice bent. She is driven by a love of stories and their integral connectedness to all forms of art. In this episode, Kelsea discusses the challenges of coming out from behind the scenes and being in front of the camera in VANILLA, her perception of the #metoo movement within the entertainment industry, and how stereotypes naturally break when people tell their own stories.