The Manifista Podcast with Portia Mount: Recent Episodes
Portia Mount
The Manifista podcast explores the career paths of ambitious women and how they charted their own unique path to success. Each episode we have fresh and inspiring conversations with successful women about their careers the lessons they've learned along the way. We also have spirited discussions about issues such as managing your fertility, balancing career and home life, how to know when it's time to quit or start a new job, salary negotiation and why we should all care about childcare policy.
Discover what happens when the corporate world's rigid expectations crash into the quest for work-life harmony, as Celinda Farías Appleby, a renowned figure in Global Talent Attraction, joins us to unravel the 'lazy girl jobs' myth and more. Together, we discuss the realities that women, especially those seeking balance and those who are mothers, face when climbing the professional ladder. We share stories and strategies on setting boundaries, and Celinda lends her wisdom on how we can all advocate for our needs to foster a more empathetic workspace.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Portia Mount on LinkedIn
Tiffany Waddell Tate on LinkedIn
Celinda Farías Appleby on LinkedIn
Celinda Farías Appleby on Instagram
Celinda Farías Appleby on X
Embark on a riveting journey through the ever-evolving work landscape with Eryn Peters, a visionary at the forefront of the future of work. Our conversation peels back the layers of how the gig economy is fundamentally reshaping professional trajectories, highlighting the interplay of full-time roles and side hustles. Eryn's expertise shines as she discusses the 'skillification' of labor and why it's critical to keep your finger on the pulse of workforce trends to thrive in a project-based economy. This episode is a treasure trove for anyone seeking to understand the freelance phenomenon and how to leverage it for career growth.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Portia Mount on LinkedIn
Tiffany Waddell Tate on LinkedIn
Eryn Peters on LinkedIn
Eryn Peters Website
Weekly Workforce Newsletter
Ever felt like a square peg in a round-hole world of corporate structures? Julie Goff, the COO of HireBrain, joins us to unravel the tapestry of intrapreneurship, illustrating how it's not only possible but vital to kindle the flames of innovation from within. Our exchange traverses the landscape of workplace creativity, revealing how it thrives beyond artsy confines and how women, in particular, can harness it to fuel their career trajectories. We're peeling back the layers of standard corporate culture, advocating for environments that don't just tolerate but celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that lies in each of us.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Portia Mount on LinkedIn
Tiffany Waddell Tate on LinkedIn
Julie Goff on LinkedIn
Julie Goff on Twitter/X
HireBrain
Ever feel like you're wearing a mask of perfection, trying to outpace the haunting whispers of imposter syndrome while juggling ambition with the raw truth of who you are? L'Oreal Thompson Payton joins us to unravel these threads, sharing her journey from being a high-flying journalist to finding her authentic writing voice. Our conversation delves into the lived experiences of high-achieving women, as we navigate the pressures of ambition, the need for representation of Black women in media, and the challenging dance with imposter syndrome that accompanies a life in the public eye.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Portia Mount on LinkedIn
Tiffany Waddell Tate on LinkedIn
L'Oreal Thompson Payton on LinkedIn
L'Oreal Thompson Payton on Instagram
L'Oreal Thompson Payton's Website
Stop Waiting For Perfect
Kick Some Glass
“Create a workplace for women, and you will create a workplace for everyone” - Shelley Zalis
Our guest today is the dynamic Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient and an internationally renowned leader, movement maker and champion of equality. Shelley is a pioneer for online research, becoming the first female chief executive ranked in the research industry’s top 25. Today as CEO of the Female Quotient she works with Fortune 500 companies and impact organizations to advance equality in the workplace. Shelley also uses her platform to amplify other women and is a force for change to be reckoned with.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources MentionedShelley Zalis on LinkedIn
Shelley Zalis on Instagram
The Female Quotient
Gallup report on women and the workplace
Roar: Into the second half of your life by Michael Clinton
“I need you to step into your power and your confidence and lead because my daughter is watching you” - Julie Castro Abrams
In this episode we meet Julie Castro Abrams, founder and CEO of Silicon Valley based How Women Lead. A national organization that is out to mobilize powerful women through community building, venture founding, preparing women to join corporate boards, and advocacy on critical legislative issues such as abortion rights. As women we are on the precipice of losing essential rights we once believed were untouchable. In this conversation Julie shares what’s at stake for women. How Women Lead are activating women around the world, and why she wants every woman to embrace her power and use it for positive change.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources MentionedJulie Castro Abrams on Linkedin
How Women Lead website
Chingona Ventures website
“These issues are too important to just not do anything” - Cindy Changyit Levin
In this episode we welcome back author and activist Cynthia “Cindy” Changyit Levin, who talks about her new book From Changing Diapers to Changing The World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started. Mothers have been at the forefront of change from advocating against drunk driving, getting out the vote, reproductive rights, equal pay and gun safety. Cindy talks about her path to advocacy, and shares simple tips for getting more deeply involved in the issues we care about. The future is female, let’s get started.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources MentionedCindy Changyit Levin’s website
Cindy Changyit Levin on LinkedIn
Cindy Changyit Levin on Facebook
Link to Cindy’s podcast episode from 2020
Results
Sunrise Movement
From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started by Cindy Changyit Levin
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Dr. Robin DiAngelo
“It's really interesting to work in a space where people practice what they love” - Gaude Paez
Our guest today is Gaude Paez, Senior Vice President, and Head of Global Corporate Affairs at Riot Games. We talk about her early start in the competitive world of big agency public relations, and her steady rise in the ranks of the entertainment industry, to her current role in gaming where she's breaking barriers and creating opportunities for a new generation of women executives in gaming. The future is female, let’s get started.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources MentionedGaude Paez on Linkedin
Gaude Paez on Twitter
Riot Games
Roomba Robot Vacuums
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working” - Natalie Nixon
Our guest today is Creativity Strategist Natalie Nixon who is known as the creativity whisperer for the C-suite. Natalie is CEO of Figure 8 Thinking, and in addition to being a creativity strategist she is a global keynote speaker, and author of the award winning The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation and Intuition at Work. Natalie advises Fortune 500 leaders on transformation by applying wonder and rigor to amplify growth and business value. Natalie has won a slew of awards, and is also an accomplished dancer. You can learn more about Natalie, and check out her moves by following the links below.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned
The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work by Natalie Nixon
Figure Eight Thinking
Natalie Nixon on LinkedIn
Natalie Nixon on Instagram
The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul
A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger
The Wonder Rigor Lab
Your “invisible work” is key to your most productive self article by Natalie Nixon
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
Find Your Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky
“Find spaces that celebrate you and not tolerate you” - Minda Harts
In this bonus episode of The Manifista Podcast, host Portia Mount sits down with New York Times bestselling author, Minda Harts. They talk about her new book, Right Within: How to Heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace, the follow-up to her bestselling book and corporate survival guide, The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table. They take a personal look at how Minda has used the pandemic to refine her priorities, how she balances her busy life as an author, keynote speaker and university lecturer, and the advice she has for all women. The future is female, let’s get started.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned:Mindaharts.com
Minda Harts on IG
Minda Harts on Twitter
Minda Harts on LinkedIn
SECURETHESEAT Podcast with Minda Harts
Books:The Memo by Minda Harts
Right Within: How to Heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace by Minda Harts (pre-order)
More Than Magic: Black and Brown Girls Claiming Their Space by Minda Harts (pre-order)
Dare To Lead by Brene Brown
Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Tools:Trello
Slack
“This is a political movement to value care but it's also a personal movement to start treating our homes as our most important organizations" - Eve Rodsky
In the final episode of season two host Portia Mount sits down with Eve Rodsky, New York Times best selling author of the book Fair Play. They talk about her early years as a child growing up on the Lower East Side in New York, the crucial life lessons she learned from her mother and how Eve’s early career planted the seeds for her success today. You will hear how she’s on a mission to change society one partnership at a time by unburdening women from unpaid labor. The future is female, let’s get started!
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned
Eve Rodsky
Fair Play Life
Fair Play a book by Eve Rodsky
The Memo a book by Minda Harts
The Fix a book by Michelle King
Justina Blakeney
This episode is supported by Public.com, the first investing social network where members can own fractional shares of stocks and ETFs, follow popular creators, and share ideas within a community of investors. Download the app to get started today.
Offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. There may be other fees associated with trading. See Public.com/disclosures for details.
“The thing that's tough on moms is the mental labor” - Audrey Goodson Kingo
In this episode host Portia Mount sits down with Audrey Goodson Kingo, journalist and former editor in chief of workingmother.com. As a working mother herself, Audrey has been writing for years about the challenges for working mothers, whether it is childcare, family leave or other policies that impact our lives. Now, nearly a year and a half into the pandemic, we talk about what's ahead for working mothers as we emerge into our new normal. Trends and issues she's keeping an eye on and an exciting new project she is launching through workingmother.com. The future is female, let’s get started.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned
Workingmother.com
Workingmother.com research papers
Picniic family organizer
Cozi family organizer
Burbio's school opening tracker
Audrey Goodson Kingo on Twitter
Working Mother Ultimate Guide to Working from Home
Fair Play, a book by Eve Rodsky
This episode is supported by Public.com, the first investing social network where members can own fractional shares of stocks and ETFs, follow popular creators, and share ideas within a community of investors. Download the app to get started today.
Offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. There may be other fees associated with trading. See Public.com/disclosures for details.
“ I realized that I couldn't smell ” - Molly Birnbaum
In this episode host Portia Mounts sits down with Molly Birnbaum, editor in chief of America's Test Kitchen Kids. They explore Molly’s passion for food and cooking and the major life change that altered her goal of becoming a chef but ultimately opened her up to a whole new way of looking at food. They talk about bouncing back from failure and what she is learning building a new business centered around kids. Molly's story is a story of resilience, hope, tenacity and flexibility. One that will resonate with listeners given the time we are living in.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned
Molly Birnbaum
Season to Taste, a book by Molly Birnbaum
Cook’s Illustrated
The Science of Good Cooking
America’s Test Kitchen Kids
Test Kitchen Kids on Instagram
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs
Ember Mug
A Visit From the Goon Squad, a book by Jennifer Egan
The Great Alone, a book by Kristin Hannah
This episode is supported by Public.com, the first investing social network where members can own fractional shares of stocks and ETFs, follow popular creators, and share ideas within a community of investors. Download the app to get started today.
Offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. There may be other fees associated with trading. See Public.com/disclosures for details.
“Acting is not about putting things on, it’s about bringing things out” - Eda Roth
In this episode host Portia Mount talks to actress and consultant Eda Roth. Eda is a trained actress who works as a business coach and consultant, specializing in bringing theatre based skills to business communications. We go deep on a topic that is often talked about but rarely understood, executive presence. We discuss what it really means and how women can access the deepest parts of themselves to uncover their true voice. The future is female, let’s get started.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources MentionedEda Roth
“If you are really going to be the best version of yourself, you have to be present” - Jane Geraghty
In this week’s episode host Portia Mount sits down with Jane Geraghty, group global CEO of branding powerhouse Landor & Fitch. They talk about the beginnings of her extraordinary career in advertising, dig into her philosophy on leadership and the choices and tradeoffs she's made to lead one of the world’s most renowned branding firms. And they explore the habits and routines she has adopted to help her manage her energy and her busy life not only as a CEO but as a mother. The future is female. Let’s get started.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned
Landor & Fitch
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
“What does it take to be a good ally and accomplice?”
In this episode host Portia Mount talks to three dynamic founders; Jennifer Martineau, President of Leap and Inspire Global, Tiffany Waddell Tate, CEO of Career Maven and Amy C. Waninger, founder and CEO of Lead at Any Level. We are going deep on allyship among women, and specifically allyship among Black women, women of color and white women. In this no holds barred conversation we talk about the barriers that keep us from being better allies to one another and what being a good accomplice and ally looks like.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned
Instagram and websites:Leap and Inspire Global
Career Maven Consulting
Lead at Any Level
Rachel Cargle on Instagram
Layla Saad on Instagram
Karen Fleshman
Books and Articles:Article on white women's tears
The Memo by Minda Harts
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Kick Some Glass by Portia Mount and Jennifer Martineau
Little Allies by Julie Kratz
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
How to be an Antiracist by Ibrahim Kendi
White Feminism by Koa Beck
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
Network Beyond Bias by Amy C Waninger
Classes and workshops:David Campt - White Ally Toolkit
How to Ally for Black Women at Work by Career Maven Consulting
Courses at Lead at Any Level
“I'm not sure how I define success. But I know I've had it.” - Jackie Levin
In this week’s episode host Portia Mount talks to Jackie Levin, storyteller and TV producer. We will follow this midwest native’s extraordinary career in broadcast journalism, from early career intern to the dizzying heights of producer for The Today Show and The Megyn Kelly Show. We’ll talk about succeeding at work and at motherhood in high stress jobs, the importance of self care, taking risks and using continuous learning to evolve oneself.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned
Disrupt Yourself Podcast (link)
Cassandra Speaks by Elizabeth Lesser (link)
Brené Brown Podcast (link)
19th News (link)
Vital Voices (link)
How Women Lead (link)
“The excitement of what my next 20 years will be like is what fuels me everyday” - Denielle Finkelstein
In this episode host Portia Mount talks to Denielle Finkelstein, entrepreneur and co-founder of The Organic Project. A startup focused on providing women and girls with organic, eco-friendly period products. They dig into the most important lessons Denielle learned as a corporate executive working with some of the world's largest retail fashion brands, and what ultimately led her to leave corporate America to co-found a startup and become a champion for destigmatizing how we talk about periods.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned
https://toporganicproject.com/
The Organic Project on IG (link)
More on Period Poverty (Global Citizen, Period.org)
Strengthsfinder by Don Clifton (link)
Becoming by Michelle Obama (link)
Five Minute Journal (link)
Unicorn Headband similar to Denielle’s although we did not find the exact same one (link)
The Manifista Podcast explores the career paths of ambitious women and how they charted their own unique path to success. In season two we have fresh and inspiring conversations with successful women about their careers and the lessons they've learned along the way. We'll discuss the lasting impact of the pandemic on our personal and professional lives, explore allyship among women at work, how to discover your authentic voice, leaving corporate America to become an entrepreneur, handling burnout and so much more.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
“I want every woman to make a shit ton of money” - Cindy Gallop
Episode Summary:
In this episode host Portia Mount speaks to legendary advertising guru, business consultant and entrepreneur Cindy Gallop. This episode is quintessential Cindy - blunt, humorous and serious about diversity and women gaining power through financial freedom and entrepreneurship. You will hear her no-holds-barred take on why big companies aren’t more diverse, why every woman needs to start her own business and not be afraid to make money. You will also hear how and why Cindy is tackling one of the most male dominated industries of all, adult filmmaking. Cindy is out to completely disrupt a market that has been traditionally run by men for men with her sextech start-up Make Love Not Porn.
Be advised there’s some salty language and adult themed content in this episode.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Resources Mentioned
Cindy Gallop's website
Cindy Gallop on twitter
Make Love Not Porn TV
3 Percent Movement website
Author Minda Harts
“We are wired to want simple” - Jen Gresham
Jennifer Gresham is the executive director of Work for Humanity, an organization that is making bold moves to fundamentally rethink the nature of employment and solve one of the biggest challenges the US economy faces today, rebuilding the middle class. If this sounds like a big, audacious goal, well it is. And you will hear why Jen is the perfect person to tackle it. Jen is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and a scientist with a background in human performance. In this episode we trace her career from her early days as assistant chief scientist in the Air Force to her bold decision to leave the Air Force just a few years short of retirement. We also explore her journey from successful blogger and business coach helping thousands of professionals achieve their career aspirations. Jen shares her ups and downs along the way and what finally led her to found Work for Humanity. In this episode you will learn about why we need to embrace complexity, risk taking and why you should bet on yourself. The future is female, let’s get started!
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Embracing complexity and being comfortable not knowing
- We often don't solve a complex problem, we evolve with a complex problem.
- There's untapped human potential, which is something I'm really interested in.
- We need the intellectual and emotional capacity for complexity, because we are so wired to want simple.
- The importance of being comfortable not knowing and having to experiment and find your way.
Work for Humanity and envisioning a better future
- Income inequality is the highest it's ever been in 50 years.
- My vision for the future of work is that everyone has a job that enriches them financially, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually.
- We need to upskill the workers and employers in small businesses, so they can start to work together as a strategic team.
- Our system is inhumane by design. We all need to really understand that we are part of that system, and therefore we are part of the problem.
Resources Mentioned
Jennifer Gresham (link)
The report: Reimagining Inclusive Economies (link)
Work for Humanity (link)
Peter Diamandis (link)
Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas (link)
Humanocracy by Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini (link)
“China is an amazingly diverse place in terms of food” - Jen Lin-Liu
Jen Lin-Liu is a journalist, memoirist and founder of Beijing based culinary school Black Sesame Kitchen. In this episode she talks about life as a journalist abroad and how she discovered cooking while writing her travel memoirs Serve the People and On the Noodle Road. Just before this episode was recorded Jen also opened her second restaurant, Qianmen Kitchen, inspired by her travels across Asia, The Middle East and Europe.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Cooking and the Chinese Cuisine
- I was the typical Chinese-American kid, becoming a chef or a restauranteur was definitely not in my cards.
- You rarely do see female chefs in professional kitchens in China.
- China is an amazingly diverse place in terms of food.
Traveling and Expat-life
- It's been a great experience for our children to understand that the world is not just their immediate community.
- I traveled from Beijing to Rome, which is a trip I did overland 6000 miles.
- I could spend my whole lifetime studying Chinese food.
Resources Mentioned:
Jen Lin-Liu (link)
Black Sesame Kitchen (link)
Qianmen Kitchen (link)
Peter Hessler trilogy (link)
Serve the People by Jen Lin-Liu (link)
On The Noodle Road by Jen Lin-Liu (link)
Missionaries by Phil Klay (link)
The Sellout by Paul Beatty (link)
“A career maven is someone who really takes ownership of her career story and is charting her own path” - Tiffany Waddell Tate
In this episode Tiffany Waddell Tate, founder of Career Maven consulting, talks about her advice for job seekers and her ambitious goal to help one million women find careers they love. She also shares her advice for standing out on social media and how to stay connected in a virtual world, as well as her best working-from-home tips.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Career advice
- Success is not a place, it's not a destination. It’s really a well rounded vibe.
- A career maven is someone who really takes ownership of her career story and is charting her own path.
- We need to shake the patriarchal dust off and really create the workplace and the work community that we want to see.
Standing out on social media
- People absolutely need to be on LinkedIn, that’s where professional people are.
- Let your LinkedIn profile reflect who you are as a professional, I like to believe that we are a lot more than whatever our day job may be.
- Be socially generous, respond and amplify the work of others.
Working from home
- Just take a beat and make sure that your next step is your best step.
- Real agency is having the option to have both a career and a family rather than choose.
- I can still hit my deliverables and not hold up a desk chair for eight hours. No one needs to do that.
Resources Mentioned
Career Maven (link)
Brené Brown podcast (link)
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown (link)
“Really be fearless from the start” - Samantha Lomow
Samantha Lomow is the president of branded entertainment at Hasbro, the global play and entertainment company. She is currently responsible for leading popular brands such as The Transformers and My Little Pony, beloved by kids and parents alike. In this episode she talks about the importance of early risk taking and how she creates value for herself at work and at home. She also shares her view on the future of work in the light of the pandemic.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Topics discussed in this episode:
(How to) excel in your corporate career
- I've always been a listener, and that has definitely served me well.
- Take risks early, and really be fearless from the start.
- I got to be involved in everything from T-shirts to theme parks.
The Future of Work
- There's never been a more opportune time for women leaders to bring innovation and creativity to the table.
- We (as women) often don't recognize the strengths in ourselves.
- Think about taking on a bigger role for broader exposure, through a board seat.
The Future of Entertainment
- I think people will continue to platform surf, there's gonna be a lot less loyalty there.
- The trend of family viewing is going to continue and grow even stronger.
Resources Mentioned
Hasbro (link)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X (link)
How I Built This with Guy Raz (link)
Ted Radio Hour with Manoush Zomorodi (link)
Sway with Kara Swisher (link)
The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova (link)
The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger (link)
Circe and Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (link)
“Within two weeks of leaving the workforce, I made my salary for the year” - Blessing Adesiyan
Blessing Adesiyan is a mom of three and founder of the popular platform Mother Honestly and her new venture Villo. In this episode we explore what led her to leave her corporate career as a successful engineer to found not one but two startups focused on transforming the workplace for working mothers. We learn how she manages a busy life as an entrepreneur, raising three children and the advice she wants all working mothers to know.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Leaving a corporate career
- I did not want to give up my spot at the table
- I wasn't really aligning my ambition with my personal goals
- I felt like I had no choice
Making entrepreneurship your career
- I spend a lot of time putting that roadmap together
- Be strategic about how you're making the switch
- Within two weeks of leaving the workforce, I made my salary for the year
Integrating motherhood with your career ambitions
- America is very behind when it comes to parental leave
- We're gonna leave our careers to go touch groceries?
- There are so many systemic challenges women face in this country
Resources Mentioned
Mother Honestly (link)
Villo (link)
Eve Rodsky (link)
Mom Congress (link)
Moms in Office (link)
The woman who wrote the viral 1,000 word job posting (link)
Calm (link)
Headspace (link)Motherly Podcast (link)
The Daily Podcast (link)
How I Built This with Guy Raz (link)
Raising the Bar with Alli and Adrian (link)
Career Contessa Podcast (link)
The Manifista podcast explores the career paths of ambitious women and how they charted their own unique path to success. Each episode we have fresh and inspiring conversations with successful women about their careers the lessons they've learned along the way. We also have spirited discussions about issues such as managing your fertility, balancing career and home life, how to know when it's time to quit or start a new job, salary negotiation and why we should all care about childcare policy.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
“My success doesn’t have to exclude yours” - Naila Ruechel
Naila Ruechel is a celebrated model, stylist, video director and fashion photographer whose work has appeared in Harper's Bazaar and New York Magazine among others. In this episode she talks about what diversity and representation means in the creative industries and how she has navigated the world as a Black woman. She cares deeply about mentoring young people and creating opportunities for people of color and in this episode she also shares her top advice on how to make it as a freelancer in the fashion industry.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Diversity and representation
- We have a history of exclusive clubs
- People are taking steps to right that wrong
- Focus on areas in which you can actually have an impact
Mentoring and paying it forward
- I take mentorship really seriously
- My success doesn’t have to exclude yours
- Young people are mentors to me as well
Business of fashion
- Nobody gives you anything unless you ask for it
- Find the unique value that you bring to every role
- We have to as women push forward
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Naila’s website (link)
Naomi Campbell
Melanie Daniels
Shanika Jarvis
Saya Jordan
Dario Calmese
Tyler Mitchell
Edward Enninful
Samir Nasir
Mae Jemison
Issa Rae
Shonda Rhimes
Jordan Peele
Hidden Figures (link)
Mario Testino
Annie Leibovitz
Werner Herzog
The Glass Menagerie by Tenessee Williams (link)
“Moms in particular make great advocates” - Cindy Changyit Levin
Cynthia (Cindy) Changyit Levin is a mechanical engineer turned activist and global public health advocate. In this episode she explains how motherhood inspired her to leave her corporate career, and well paying job, and find her calling as an activist working on global public health issues. A little over a decade later she is now raising two young activists of her own as well as writing a book and how-to-guide for mothers who wish to go into advocacy.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Advocacy and activism
- "Advocacy can be pretty intimidating"
- "My favorite kind of advocacy has to do with relationship building"
- "The average citizen is asking “what can I do?”
- "I don’t think that disagreement is bad"
Motherhood and raising young activists
- "Motherhood was utterly life changing for me"
- "It has been empowering to add advocate to the titles"
- "Moms in particular make great advocates"
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Blogpost: Advocacy made easy; writing a letter to the editor (link)
- Cindy’s blog on advocacy (link)
- Bread for the World (link)
- Shot at Life (link)
- Results (link)
- Sunrise Movement (link)
- Ava DuVernay's documentary 13th (link)
- How to talk so your kids will listen, and listen so your kids will talk (link)
“Reproductive health is more than the biological clock” - Dr. Pam Oliver
Dr. Pam Oliver is an accomplished obgyn, public health advocate and corporate executive of Novant Health. She has dedicated her professional life to women’s health and in the process discovered her own talent as a leader and public health advocate, learning how to lead with confidence and setting clear boundaries between work and family life. Building on years of experience, Dr. Oliver uncovers the inconvenient truth about racial injustices in the maternal and infant healthcare systems and shares key health advice she wants all women to know.
Have a question or comment? Email us at themanifista@gmail.com.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Career and leadership
- “The best leaders are reluctant leaders”
- “I didn't set out to have a title”
- “I had to get really comfortable with failure”
- Balancing work and family life
- “I’m very intentional about turning off work”
- “My idea of success for my kids has changed”
- “How do you do it all?”
- Fertility and conceiving
- “It’s not as simple as an automatic “it’s going to happen”
- “When you’re getting closer to 35, I think you’re pushing on it”
- “Reproductive health is more than the biological clock”
- Public health
- “Maternal health goes back to social determinants of health”
- “The inconvenient truth about stressors”
- “It’s an important time for women of color to get into leadership”
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Admiral William H McRaven “make your bed” motivational speech (link)
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek (link)
- The Spread of Trust by Stephen Covey (link)
- Malcolm Gladwell (link)
- Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss (link)
- Jocko Podcast (link)
