Moodally Matters

On today's episode we talk to digital powerhouse Kate McKee. Kate is an incredibly successful entrepreneur in the digital space and is also neuro-divergent. She shares her experience in the workplace and talks about the simple changes that can be made to improve everyone's well-being and set-up neurodivergent individuals to thrive. 

• Some things we talk about are: 
• Katie’s background.
• The simple things we can be doing on a daily basis to feel better to work better.
• The things that are good for a neurodivergent person are also good for everybody else.
• Stimulus differences in autism & ADHD. 
• If you don’t want to be promoted, you don’t have to.
• How do you make allowances if you don’t know that the situation exists?
• Katie shares a funny story about working in an open office.
• What’s changing in the world of social media.

ABOUT KATHARINE:

After a 15 year career building out digital commerce capability for  companies in pillars such as CPG, Luxury, Beauty and Apparel, Katharine  McKee founded Morphology Consulting, a digital commerce consultancy that  creates long term profitable growth for their clients by helping them  understand and adhere to algorithmic systems online.   A Forbes Next 1000 honoree and 15 year veteran in digital commerce,  Katharine is a leader in ecommerce and an expert on systems, who focuses  on building clean processes and organizations. To date, Katharine has  overhauled the digital go-to-market for more than 50 brands, including  Fortune 500's such as Coty, Luxottica and IPG Media Brands and has  sustainably increased client’s revenue up to 600% YoY.

ABOUT MOODALLY:

Conversations and skills like this is what Moodally teaches to employees in organizations around the world. To learn more about how we can help upskill your employees for better EI, improved mood & morale in the workplace, and increase job satisfaction & performance, check us at out:

www.moodally.com

Visit Moodally’s website: https://www.moodally.com

Download the Moodally app: https://app.moodally.com

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness/

Subscribe to Moodally’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/moodally

Welcome back to Moodally Matters!

In this brief kickoff episode I share this season's theme...SKILLS!

I do a quick look at stress, the role Hans Selye played in stress research and the critical role that Albert Bandura played in shaping the way we understand stress today.

I explain the relationship between stress & skills as well as the connection between improved organizational performance and stress reduction. 

I talk about why skills are the game changers.

To learn more about how Moodally uses skills to improve your workplace:

www.moodally.com

Episode description:

In this final episode of the first season, we have the incredible honor and opportunity to speak with Peter Hunsinger. Peter is an award winning publisher and has been at the helm of incredible magazines like Gourmet, Architectural Digest & GQ. Peter sits down with us to talk about some reflections on how to lead a team to success and how to keep the mood high in the workplace, especially when people don’t want to. He discusses how an employee's well-being is divided into two: Personal and Environmental well-being and shares his insights on how to overcome a toxic teammat.

Highlights: 

·    Peter’s Personal Experience

·    Well-being at Work: Environmental and Personal Well-being

·    The Influence of Mood on Environmental and Personal Well-being

·    Overcoming a Toxic Personality in the Team

·    Best Practices to Keep People Feel Good and Motivated

·    Traits and Aspects of a Great Leader

·    What Employees are Missing 

Links:

Peter’s latest entrepreneurial venture is launching in Q4, 2022!

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Visit Moodally’s website: https://www.moodally.com

Download the Moodally app: https://app.moodally.com

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness/?hl=en

Subscribe to Moodally’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/moodally

Three lessons learned from this episode:

1)   You have your own achievements in life. You shouldn’t look at other people. Focus on yourself, your performance, and what you can improve on. It will help you better to achieve success in life. 

“Don't compare yourself to the freaks. Because there's always somebody going to get a promotion faster or start a company than you.” 

2)   Leadership comes in any form and in ways you sometimes fail to notice. Being a leader doesn’t begin with being a CEO or some high position in a company. It’s all about communication, respect, and what you can contribute to employ the company’s mission and vision. 

“One of the most important things you can learn as an employee is that leadership comes in many ways. Informal authority is what you do when you're a team member. How you build respect, how you handle yourself, and how people begin to see you as a leader before you have the line authority.” 

3)   Your mood can affect your performance for the entire day. You can even influence others, depending on your mood. 

“When you're in a mood where you want to enjoy something, it makes a world of difference.”

Episode description:

 What should you look for in a company to ensure career happiness in the long term? Chiara Bernardi, who has two decades of experience in the luxury and fashion industry under her belt, joins Erika in this episode of Moodally Matters to chat about just that. Reflecting on her own journey, Chiara shares the lessons she learned through the years about managing stress in the workplace, both for herself and for those she has led. She also reveals the most common red flags of a toxic work environment, as well as how to build a culture of trust, cooperation, and high-energy among your team—starting with yourself as their leader!

Highlights:

·   Why company culture and the types of people you work with and work for are more important to career happiness than the “prestige” of the company or industry itself.

·   Why uncertainty kills both productivity and proactivity within any team.

·   Chiara shares how being given the safe space to fail allowed her to stay inventive as a leader.

·   Not everyone is motivated by the same things. Learn how you as a leader can unearth these individual motivations to increase employee drive.

·   Wellness interventions that we may see more of in the future.

·   The value of having an onsite psychiatrist or performance coach.

·   Chiara’s three pieces of advice to someone entering the workforce today.

·   Common red flags of a toxic work environment.

Links:

Visit Moodally’s website: https://www.moodally.com

Download the Moodally app: https://app.moodally.com

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness/?hl=en

Subscribe to Moodally’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/moodally

Notes to Follow

Episode description: 

In any business, you not only focus on increasing your revenue but investing in your team and attracting more talent. Alexandra Nuth, CEO of a Fintech company Control, joins Erika in this episode of Moodally matters to chat just about that. Alex tells us about her career journey from management consulting to senior positions in banking to starting her own Fintech company. In this extra-special behind-the-scenes look at the financial industry at large, Alex and Erika talk about the primary stressors in the financial industry, leadership challenges, and why you must invest in your team. Alex shares her best advice to any organization putting itself in a position to be attractive to talent.

Highlights:

• Alex tells us about her professional journey from consultancy and the financial industry to entrepreneurship.
• The primary stressors across the financial industry and how progression was challenged compared to their male counterparts in the industry.
• Why institutions should focus on developing their employees, getting that unique talent, and the benefits to the business or employee morale.
• Why leaders should leverage coaching to become better leaders 
• Alex explains why younger people may be more resistant to coaching 
• Why Alex believes financial institutions should invest in coaching to develop their employees rather than solely depending on the bosses to do so.
• Alex expounds on the importance of leadership training and why every leader must identify the motivation profile for each employee.
• Three pieces of advice to any organization putting itself out there to attract talent.

About the guest: 

Alexandra Nuth is the CEO of a Control HQ that helps freelancers get off the roller coaster with flexible financial solutions to keep their cashflow steady when their income isn't. She started her consulting career in Accenture, traveled across the world, and jumped into the banking industry, where she climbed to reach the highest levels at one of Canada's most famous banks. Shortly before Covid she began her entrepreneur path with Control HQ.

Links: 

Control: www.controlhq.com

Visit Moodally’s website: https://www.moodally.com

Download the Moodally app: https://app.moodally.com

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness/?hl=en

Subscribe to Moodally’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/moodally

Episode description

Your mood affects how your day unfolds. How do you manage your creatives' moods and bring out the best in them? CEO of Bean Labs, a popular story-driven creative agency and production company, Chis Valentino, joins Erika in this episode of Moodally Matters to chat just about that. Chris shares his professional journey from NYU Tisch, his internship in production at A&E, and moving between several production jobs to starting his own production company. In this extra-special behind-the-scenes look at a fast-growing production companies, Chris and Erika talk about the daily life stressors in the creative industry, navigating them, managing your teams’ mood, and how it impacts their performance. Plus, Chris shares his best advice for anyone interested in the best strategies to deal with their mood and maintain their well-being. 

Highlights: 

Chris tells us about his professional journey from NYU Tisch School of Arts to Hollywood.

Chris shares the daily stressors that come up in the creative industry and the approaches to navigate them 

How the mood of your team, collaborators, or people’s impacts how your day unfolds and every level of what you do

How your mood negatively impacts your performance and the importance of navigating to a new space where everyone is happy

Chris expounds on managing to redirect his mood and pulling himself back to center

What well-being at work entails and how Chris achieves that with his team and employees

Why Chris believes in keeping creatives in a good mood and building a good relationship with them.

Chris’ best advice for dealing with your mood and well being in the office

About the guest:

Chris Valentino is the President of Bean Labs, a creative video storytelling company providing full-service production, post-production, and marketing services for brands and businesses. After graduating from NYU Tisch School of Arts and Film, he secured a job in the production department at A & E, moved between different production companies, and co-founded a production company with friends dealing with promotions and advertising. Chris later started his own company Bean Labs, in 2008. He collaborates with businesses to execute ideas, and his experience, creativity, and dedication have led to developing concepts beyond the brief. His integrated approach to storytelling over the years is a testament to his passion and commitment.

Links:

 Visit Beanlabs: https://beanlabs.com/

Visit Valentino’s website: https://mrvalentino.tv/

Visit Moodally’s website: https://www.moodally.com

Download the Moodally app: https://app.moodally.com

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness/?hl=en

Subscribe to Moodally’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/moodally

Episode description: 

Have you ever wondered what it’s like running a highly creative business that also has a massive product distribution side? CEO of the mega-popular hairstyle powerhouse Bleach London, Sam Campbell, joins Erika in this episode of Moodally Matters to chat about just that. Sam tells us how she went from a law degree to managing a chain of hair salons and product lines alongside her best friend. In this extra-special behind-the-scenes look at one of the fastest-growing hair care companies, Sam and Erika talk about the challenges of managing a team of creatives and a corporation, including through a pandemic! Plus, Sam shares her best advice for anyone interested in joining this fast-paced industry. 

Highlights:

Sam tells us how she went from law school to being CEO of an international haircare company alongside her best friend. 

Why Sam believes a one-size-fits-all management style isn’t successful in a creative industry, and what approach she uses instead.  

Why employee burn-out is so common in an industry like hairstyling, and how Sam is working to combat it. 

Sam and Erika consider why some days a tiny problem can swamp you, and on others, you could conquer the world. 

How Sam managed team moods and made her employees feel secure in the height of the pandemic by creating well-being through stability and job design. 

Why Sam believes flexibility will be a non-negotiable for most top-tier employees even after COVID is long gone. 

Sam’s best advice for finding happiness within your work. 

About the guest: 

Sam Campbell is the CEO and Co-Founder of Bleach London, a hugely popular salon chain and haircare product line. After graduating with a law degree and exploring the field of media planning and marketing, Sam established her own business, serving as an agent for fashion and beauty professionals. In this role, she met her best friend, hairstylist Alex Brownsell, and joined her in co-founding Bleach, the world’s first salon focused primarily on hair color services. In response to the popularity of their services, Sam and Alex created a line of at-home products to give customers access to high-quality color without a visit to the salon. Bleach has now expanded to four locations, with more on the way, and Sam has secured licensing deals with Boots and Walmart. 

Links: 

Visit Bleach London: https://bleachlondon.com/us/

Visit Moodally’s website: https://www.moodally.com

Get Moodally content for your organization: moodally.com/white-label-content

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness/?hl=en

Subscribe to Moodally’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/moodally

Moodally Matters: The importance of transparency, open communication, and humanity in employee well-being with Christian Navarro

Episode description: 

The very best managers know that transparency and open communication can be incredibly effective leadership motivational techniques. That’s something Christian Navarro, Head of Brand Marketing and Growth at Creatively, has practiced throughout his impressive career in marketing management. In this episode of Moodally Matters, Erika chats with Navarro about his career highs and lows, including learning to keep morale high virtually. They also dive into why taking a break, be it a five-minute walk or a five-day vacation, is so valuable to productivity and mental well-being. 

About the Guest: 

Christian Navarro is the Head of Brand Marketing and Growth at Creatively, a job platform that matches creatives with brands for seamless partnerships. With over two decades of experience in the marketing field, Navarro has worked with brands from Levi’s to Spotify to develop and grow their brands’ presence across the globe. With an educational background in psychology, Navarro strives to bring open communication and transparency to his workplace and believes in investing in employee well-being. When he’s not creating marketing magic, Navarro enjoys trying new food and reveling in all things music and culture. 

Show notes: 

In this episode of Moodally Matters, Erika talks with Creatively Head of Brand Marketing and Growth Christian Navarro. Highlights include: 

Christian’s journey through the marketing world to his current position at the startup Creatively.

The challenges of managing a team remotely after you’ve experienced working in high-energy environments. 

Why being in tune with your mood and knowing to take a break or change tactics can benefit productivity.

How challenges and wins in our personal life can feed into our success in our careers. 

Using transparency in business to manage mood and expectations

How being a manager during the uncertainty of the COVID pandemic led Christian to realize the value of transparent communication.

Why Christian finds balance and boundaries to be integral to his wellness in the workplace. 

Why you should look for a company that values employee wellness and mood when you are interviewing. 

Wellness interventions to provide to employees that are not meditation and yoga. 

Christian’s advice for young people entering the workforce on being their best at work. 

Links: 

Visit Moodally’s website: https://www.moodally.com

Download the Moodally app: https://app.moodally.com

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness/?hl=en

Subscribe to Moodally’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/moodally

Creatively: https://creatively.life

In this episode of Moodally Matters, Erika chats with the founder of Mag-Net Media, Rula Al Amad. With over 25 years of experience working in the high-stakes magazine and publishing industry, Rula is no stranger to workplace stress. Rula describes how transitioning from employee to entrepreneur during a pandemic presented her with a new set of unique stressors, like the absence of a workplace community. Together, Erika and Rula examine how mood management can be applied in both office settings and solo endeavors.

About the Guest:
Rula Al Amad is a fashion and luxury brand expert with over 25 years of industry experience. She’s worked with brands and publications across the globe, from Conde Nast to The Atlantic. In 2020, Rula founded Mag-Net Media after recognizing that the most interesting, authentic, and emerging media voices were being drowned out. Her company aims to bridge luxury and niche brands with a unique portfolio of media vehicles to deliver their message to new territories and untapped communities. 

Show Notes:
In this episode of Moodally Matters, founder of Mag-Nat Media Rula Al Amad shares her stress management struggles with host Erika. 

Highlights include: 

-A look at Rula’s background working with brands like Conde Nast.

-How Rula’s approach to stress management shifted when she left the corporate world to start her own company. 

-The unique mood management issues that arise with working solo during a pandemic.

-How to manufacture motivation when you don’t have a team of people surrounding you. 

-Erika’s tips on finding a community in a virtual world.

-How mood management techniques like cooking and exercise can bring peace to our work lives. 

-How our brains and bodies are wired to deal with stress, and how to work with them instead of against them to manage our moods. 

-Rula’s top three tips for staying healthy and sane in the high-stress world of brand management and publishing. 

-How to apply workspace mood management to your personal life and have healthier relationships with those closest to you. 

Links: 

Mag-Net Media: https://www.mag-netmedia.com

Moodally Website: https://www.moodally.com

Follow Moodally on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moodally

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness

Follow Moodally on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/moodally

Episode description:
Mood management is essential to avoiding toxic productivity and burnout. No one knows that better than our guest this week on Moodally Matters. Erika chats with jack-of-all-trades Rob Simmelkjaer, whose long career as a television executive, lawyer, and journalist have overlapped in both challenging and amazing ways. From deploying his “back-up plan” (!!!) of going to Harvard Law, to hanging out with NBA greats like Magic Johnson during his time at ESPN, to building his own company based on his passions, Rob Simmelkjaer has experienced it all. With insights, advice, and wisdom obtained through decades of a unique career, Rob has something to offer everyone interested in having a better work-life. 

About the guest:
Rob Simmelkjaer is the founder of Persona, a custom interview provider that preserves memories with professional video interviews and provides a platform for personal video answers from experts. Rob has over two decades of experience in television, working as an executive and on-air journalist for NBC, EPSN, ABC News, and more. Simmelkjaer is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where he was awarded the Alexander Nagle Award for his coverage of the 1992 presidential election and Harvard Law School. During his tenure at ESPN, Simmelkjaer spearheaded the launch of a programming agreement between the network and the NBA, served as Vice President of International Development and Corporate Projects, and reported for ESPN College Football. He’s served as anchor and correspondent for ABC News Now, anchored MSNBC’s coverage of two Summer Olympics, and been named Senior Vice President of NBC Sports Ventures. 

Show notes:
In this episode of Moodally Matters, Erika talks with long-time anchor and journalist and founder of Persona, Rob Simmelkjaer.
Highlights include: 

-A look at Rob’s history in his field, from the time he left law to his years at ESPN, to his creation of Persona. 

-Rob explains how his unique experience as an athlete, lawyer, and journalist provided an entrance to the field of broadcasting. 

-Why Rob seeks out challenges and a bit of discomfort to produce his best work. 

-The impacts of failing to fit into a particular ‘category’ and how that has made Rob’s professional life both more tenuous and more fulfilling. 

-The pros and cons of walking away from enormous infrastructure to become an entrepreneur.

-Rob’s thoughts on how managing your mood can contribute to better group dynamics and avoid counterproductive timewasters. 

-A discussion on when drive and motivation cross into toxic productivity and what to do to stay grounded. 

-Rob’s predictions on wellness interventions in the coming years. 

-Rob’s top three suggestions for people just entering the workforce. 

Links: 

Persona custom interviews website: https://personacustominterviews.com

Download the Persona app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/persona-talks/id1484042389

Persona Talks website: https://www.personatalks.com

Visit Moodally’s website: https://www.moodally.com

Download the Moodally app: https://app.moodally.com

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness/?hl=en

Subscribe to Moodally’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/moodally

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:

In this introductory episode of Moodally Matters, we get to know our host, Erika, founder of Moodally. By turning the tables and answering her own standard interview questions, Erika shares her personal history, experience with workplace burnout, and journey to combining a passion for the neuroscience behind mental health with her background in business to create a revolutionary approach to managing mood in organizations. Erika also teaches us how to recognize and regulate our moods by listening to our bodies and questioning our thoughts. If you’ve ever wondered what advice an expert in organizational psychology and mental health would offer to those entering the workforce, you’ll want to stick around until the end of this very special first episode. 

ABOUT THE HOST:

Erika Ferszt is the founder of Moodally, which offers innovative, science-backed mood management solutions to improve employee performance while reducing burnout. Erika is also an experienced keynote speaker, delivering powerful messages to groups all over the globe. Erika has nearly two decades of experience as a senior advertising executive and won over 70 awards for her work with Ray-Ban. After being hospitalized with stress-related vision loss in 2015, Erika returned to school to study the Neuroscience of Mental Health at Kings College London before completing her Masters in Science in Behavioral and Organizational Psychology at London Metropolitan University. She was recently selected as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Harvard Ventures and has made it her mission to help organizations improve well-being, resilience, and performance through mood management. 

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode of Moodally Matters, host Erika Ferszt shares her personal history and sets the stage for the insight and wisdom to come in this incredible podcast. Highlights include:

-Erika’s exciting and unusual childhood growing up in NYC that would ultimately spark an interest in psychology and human behavior. 

-A look at Erika’s professional history, from her stint as a legal administrator by day and a club promoter by night (under the same boss, no less!) to Italian ad agencies to managing media for a luxury brand. 

-How a mysterious medical issue changed the way Erika thought about her career burnout, stress, and taking care of herself. 

-Erika’s return to school to study the neuroscience of psychology and mental health and organization psychology.

-The creation of Moodally to address burnout and workplace moods and improve people’s lives. 

-What well-being at work means to Erika, and how she strives to achieve it by being in sync with her body, feelings, and mind. 

-Some of Erika’s favorite well-being interventions to improve your mood (and your life!)

-Three pieces of advice Erika would give to someone entering the workforce. 

Links:

Visit Moodally Website: https://www.moodally.com

Follow Moodally on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moodally

Follow Moodally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodally.wellness

Follow Moodally on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/moodally