Women with Cool Jobs: Recent Episodes

Julie Berman

Women with Cool Jobs features rock-star women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It empowers you to learn about different career options, imagine yourself in a new role, and fosters a sense of the opportunities that exist today. Plus, learn actionable steps you can take to begin on a similar path or one that's all your own.

6 Years Recording. Every Other Wednesday. Countless Women with Cool Jobs. No sponsors. Just inspiration!

Saying that this podcast has changed my life is an understatement. These women are trailblazing, innovating, and leading across industries, trades, and businesses. They have shared their stories with such passion, chutzpah, and the gift of a raw and unfiltered look at the behind-the-scenes and in-the-weeds details that we don't get to see by scrolling highlight reels on Instagram or seeing updates on LinkedIn.

It has given me so much perspective and a whole lot more curiosity in reconsidering what's possible, evaluating the risks worth taking, questioning how I think, and more.

For the moment, I am pushing the pause button and taking a break from podcasting to create some time for family and a bit of space for summer. So keep close, as there is no way I am stopping for good...because I love it too dang much.

And, if you want more access to me, my resources and coaching on getting clarity and confidence when podcast guesting, I want to invite you to visit womenwithcooljobs.com and send a message or DM me @womencooljobs on Insta.

If you'd love to watch the video version of the interviews, be sure to subscribe to the podcast's YouTube channel HERE.

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

This interview features Rachel Miller and Letty Bejarano, two women excelling in trades like welding, sheet metal work, and crane operation.

They share their journeys, challenges, and advice for women interested in entering these fields, highlighting the importance of union apprenticeships, implementing boundaries, and overcoming workplace barriers.

Letty is a a sheet metal worker, welder, and silversmith. She's an HVAC installer and welder who works out in the field on places like hospitals, casinos, and data centers.

Rachel is a crane operator apprentice and a welder. Her current apprenticeship role as of recording is as an oiler, where she works with crane operators. She assists the crane operator by checking fluids each morning and does maintenance.

**NOTE: This was a live podcast recording, so I appreciate your extra patience with the background noises, particularly during the beginning when there are some loud kiddos. Thank you, and I promise it is worth the listen!

Contact Info:

Letty Bejarano - Guest

Letty Bejarano (Instagram)

Rachel Miller - Guest
Rachel Miller (Instagram)

Weldher Workshop (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Diane Strand, a former Hollywood producer and life-long arts participant and advocate, shares how mastering the art of storytelling through a producer's lens became the foundation for her career and her way to contribute to her broader community.

From navigating Hollywood’s glitz and glamour on shows like General Hospital and Friends, to building a seven-figure media company, actors studio, and nonprofit, Diane has been able to turn her creative passion into a profitable business, and beyond.

You’ll discover how her production experiences, including working with legends like Barbra Streisand or reality TV shows like "Survivor," and her real-world experiences shape her mission to empower others through arts and media.

We discuss:

The core elements of production
Why storytelling is the most critical part of any project, whether a short social media clip or a full-length film
The impact of arts in her life and on the community
Why intentional involvement with your local community can benefit you as an entrepreneur

Her businesses are JDS Productions and the JDS Actors Studio . She also co-founded the non-profit organization JDS Creative Academy, which works with mainstream, foster, and at-risk youth as well as special needs adults to provide career-pathway opportunities in visual, performing, and digital arts.

She has won many awards, including 10 Telly Awards, 7 Communicator Awards, and 2 Anthem Awards as well as Standout Business (San Diego and Riverside Counties) and the 2021 Non-Profit of the Year by the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Contact Info:

Diane Strand - Guest
Diane Strand (LinkedIn)

Diane Strand (Website)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Edith Ponciano is a hospitality interior designer who transforms hospitality spaces, such as boutique hotels, upscale restaurants, stadiums, and innovative sports arenas.

After working at one of the world's largest design companies for about a decade, Edith started her boutique design agency, EP Atelier. Together with a small and mighty team of professionals, they transform design aspirations and create spaces that tell stories, evoke emotions, and bring people together.

EP Atelier is currently the Interior Design consultant for the new Nissan Stadium for the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tennessee.

During her time at Gensler as Design Director impacting and transforming sports venues’ interiors, Edith led the design for notable sports venues, including:

Banc of California Stadium, Chase Center Arena, Los Angeles Football Club Training Facility, Las Vegas Aces Training Facility, Q2 Stadium, and Snapdragon Stadium.

Edith’s design work has been featured in a number of publications, including
Interior Design, Boutique Design Magazine, Sports Business Journal, and more.

Contact Info:

Edith Ponciano - Guest
EP Atelier (LinkedIn)

EP Atelier (Website)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

What do flip-flops and a box of scarves have to do with being an unforgettable storyteller?

In this episode, I share how everyday details unlock the real secret to powerful storytelling: Relatability.

You'll learn:

The difference between vulnerability and relatability
How everyday moments, emotions, and small details can turn a simple story into a powerful, relatable one you can use on podcasts, panels, at work, and in your community

You don’t have to share your deepest wounds to connect with listeners.

You’ll learn how to use specific moments from your own life to make your stories more engaging and memorable... whether you’re guesting on podcasts, speaking on panels, sharing your voice at work, or engaging within your community.

Now, you can watch guest podcast episodes on YouTube HERE!!

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

Send Julie a text!!

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Are you the gatekeeper?

When I first started my degree in journalism and PR, we often talked about the gatekeepers in traditional media… the publisher, the producer, the journalist, the editor.

Other people were in charge of deciding if your voice would be heard on television, in print media, or on the radio. The gatekeepers controlled the access.

Podcasting allows you to share your story in the most real, deep, authentic way...simply as you. You don't have to wait until someone gives you permission or grants you access.

Take this episode as your permission slip to open the gates! Stop being your own gatekeeper.

Share your story. More women need to be sharing so we can dream into the possibilities and examples we hear. It matters more than you know.

Now, you can watch guest podcast episodes on YouTube HERE!!

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Whether you're sharing as a guest on a podcast, in your career, or with friends, mastering storytelling can change everything.

In this episode, I share how my middle son's Little League jersey reminded me of one of the most important tips for storytelling and how you can incorporate it into your own storytelling.

This simple detail can turn your everyday experiences into powerful narratives that inspire and connect.

We need more women sharing their stories as podcast guests and beyond, because we dream into another woman's reality.

We need to hear and see examples of what is possible from a woman who is relatable, inspirational, and real to imagine more for ourselves. For women eager to share your story, this very practical and tactical tip will help you get started.

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Heather Moyse is a 2x Olympic gold medalist (who competed in 4 Olympics games), a three-sport national athlete, a World Rugby Hall of Famer, a motivational speaker, an author, and a coach.

Heather started training just five months before her first Olympics at the age of 27 in 2-person bobsleigh, with her last Olympic competition at the age of 39.

In this episode, she shares specific techniques and mindset work that she uses to achieve her goals and that we all can use to help us live up to our potential.

Heather won gold at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, and again at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. Before she was an Olympic champion, she was a mainstay on Canada’s Senior Women’s Rugby Team.

Heather led Canada to silver in the 2013 Rugby Sevens World Cup, and was the top try scorer in the 2006 and 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cups. In 2016, Heather became only the second Canadian, and first Canadian female, to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Heather represented Canada in a third international sport in 2012, when she placed Top Five in two events at the Pan-Am Track Cycling Championships in Argentina.

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Brittany Christenson proves that you don't have work at a nonprofit to positively impact your community and beyond.

Brittany is the CEO of AidKit, a Public Benefits Corporation, that helps government agencies and nonprofits administer aid programs throughout the United States. She considers her role as chief executive as holding the compass...helping her team row in the same direction to reach their organizational goals, and ultimately transforming aid delivery into an empowering act of community care.

Her unique ability to combine storytelling skills with her deep love for math and data allow her to lead and demonstrate both necessity and efficacy in a powerful way.

As CEO, she sets the company’s strategic direction, drives technology innovation, and cultivates partnerships. Her and her coworkers help people by streamlining what could be a really difficult, time-intensive process to get assistance for everything from putting food on the table or buying a special birthday cake to getting disaster relief funds.

Since its founding in 2021, AidKit has helped over 200 agencies and nonprofits process over 500,000 applications and distribute more than $350 million in disaster relief, public

Prior to working here, she worked at a regional nonprofit focused on food security and community development and played a key role in launching one of the first pilots for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) online payments. She also managed a 90-acre organic vegetable farm, overseeing logistics and operations while deepening her commitment to food justice. Her undergraduate degree is in applied mathematics, and she has a graduate degree in epigenetics.

Contact Info:

Brittany Christenson - Guest
Brittany Christenson (LinkedIn)

AidKit's website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AidKit and Brittany Christensen
09:59 Brittany's Journey: From Math to AidKit
14:49 The Impact of Farming on Community Development
18:31 Bridging Food Justice and Technology
22:28 The Power of Communication in Leadership
27:09 Curiosity as a Driver for Learning
29:20 A Day in the Life of a CEO
29:46 Navigating the Role of a CEO in a Mission-Driven Organization
32:52 Growth and Scaling: The Journey of AidKit
34:55 The Impact of AidKit: Real-Life Examples of Assistance
42:02 Decision-Making as a CEO: Prioritizing Impact and Leverage
47:08 Advice for Aspiring Women Leaders in Purpose-Driven Work
51:53 Demystifying Jargon: Making Tech Speak Understandable
53:44 Outro spoken_softer_8-19-2020.mp3

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

When I started the podcast in early 2020, my goal with doing an audio format was two-fold:

So women could share their own stories in their own voice.
To avoid, at ALL costs, being on camera.

Haha. Almost six years later, and I have found myself completely re-evaluating!

I chat about the irony of now experimenting with publishing this podcast as AUDIO and as VIDEO on YouTube when that was the absolute opposite of what I wanted at the beginning.

Being HEARD was scary enough. The thought of being SEEN, too, was absolutely, positively NOT an option.

Never say never, because the combination of iterating and my curiosity are leading to something new... And I'm doing it all in "Done, Not Perfect" style!

Find this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/s5YpldHexW4

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

To look at Shirley Yang Crutchfield's gilded, 24k gold-leaf art portraits of women means you notice the details, the nuance, the shine, and the artistry. What you may not know is that up until a few years ago, she was in the tech world, not the art world.

After convincing master water gilders to teach her the ways of their art only 2 years ago, she has already been recognized for exceptional craftsmanship and resonance, including joining Art Basel Miami in 2025.

Shirley's work draws on art history, fashion, contemporary heroines, and her own entrepreneurial journey. Shirley uses a 14th-century Italian water gilding technique, doratura a guazzo. Her art celebrates the strength and resilience behind success, inviting viewers to appreciate the stories that lie beneath the surface.

Before becoming a professional artist, Shirley had a long career in tech where she worked in tech at Fox, Sony, Amazon, NBC. Later, she went on to found her own company.

Contact Info:

Shirley Yang Crutchfield - Guest
Shirley Yang Crutchfield (Instagram)

Shirley's website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

In this last episode of 2025, I wanted to share a tangible way that you can start 2026 intentionally. Consider it a new tool in your tool belt!

I share about using vision boards as an easy, actionable tool and provide some simple prompts to get you (plus, kids you know and love) thinking about what you want or don't want in 2026 and beyond.

Empower YOURSELF to step into the woman you want to become in this next year, and beyond.

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Singing Facilitator, Fiona Maria, uses singing circles to help people reconnect with their voice... even when they're convinced they can't sing.

Fiona leads singing circles that help people release previous voice shame, calm their nervous system, and experience the joy and belonging that come from singing with others.

She teaches the songs by ear, so no musical background is needed. There's no sheet music. She never mentions soprano, alto, intervals, chords. For many, it's an unexpected tool that helps them feel more empowered when using their voice, both for singing and in other ways.

This episode explores:

Why singing is one of the oldest tools for healing and connection
The myth of tone-deafness and how most people can sing more accurately than they think
How singing activates 10 areas of the brain
The power of harmonizing with people you’ve just met and why it brings diverse people together

Fiona has been singing & performing professionally for over 20 years. She was part of a vocal/instrumental Latin duo, Caramba, for many years before she started holding singing Circles and workshops in workplace and community contexts.

Contact Info:

Fiona Maria - Guest
Fiona Maria (LinkedIn)

Sing High, Sing Low (Instagram)

Sing High, Sing Low (website)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

What if curiosity isn’t just a personality trait? In fact, it could be the compass that points us toward who we’re meant to become.

In this special 5-year, podversary episode of "Women With Cool Jobs," my amazing friend and award-winning musician and filmmaker, Jillian Speece, joins me for a deeply personal conversation about how this podcast came to life...and how curiosity has acted as an unexpected guide along the way.

Inside this celebratory episode, Julie and Jillian explore:

How curiosity undeniably ties every woman featured on the show together — from smokejumper and cheesemonger to 3-D printing scientist, lipstick artist, general contractor, and butter maker
The argument for “doing it scared,” and why some of the most important leaps in life feel the most terrifying
Visibility, vulnerability, and courage to let go of being liked and allowing yourself to be seen
Why curiosity makes us better humans and why we don't have to all agree to navigate differences with grace, compassion, and genuine interest

What began as a spark of curiosity and a leap into the unknown turned into 5 years of celebrating remarkable women doing the work that lights them up.

Thank you to all the incredible, inspiring women who have been guests during these past 5 years. I am so, so grateful!

Contact Info:

Jillian Speece
thebergamot.com
@jillianspeece (Instagram)
@thebergamot (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. I don't know if you know this, but I work with female small-business owners and entrepreneurs who are in a season of evolution and need help with their words, visuals, and story telling for their new direction! If that's you, send me a message at www.pivotzz.com or DM me on Instagram @shepivotzz

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

If you’re questioning your next career move, feeling stuck in your job search, or wondering what else is possible for you… this episode is for you.

I’m sharing a widely overlooked (yet totally awesome!) career strategy that has changed the trajectory of my own life: Informational Interviews.

You’ll learn:

✨ Why informational interviews open doors traditional networking may not
✨ How a simple 15–20 minute conversation can help you quickly determine if a career is actually right for you
✨ The questions to ask so you get honest, real-world insight beyond what job descriptions or Google can tell you
✨ Why curiosity becomes your internal compass when you’re exploring new possibilities
✨ How to reach out without feeling awkward or like you’re asking for a job (because you're not)
✨ Why these conversations naturally build meaningful, deeper connections

I also share how informational interviews completely changed my career trajectory and how they can help you discover what career opportunities best align with the future you want to create.

If you’re exploring, pivoting, or dreaming about what might be your next cool job, this episode will give you a roadmap with tactics and practical steps to move forward.

Send Julie a text!!

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. I don't know if you know this, but I work with female small-business owners and entrepreneurs who are in a season of evolution and need help with their words, visuals, and story telling for their new direction! If that's you, send me a message at www.pivotzz.com or DM me on Instagram @shepivotzz

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

I went to a great women’s event and was fine talking to everyone EXCEPT for one woman, who was intimidating to me because she did such cool things. She was empowering women by helping share their stories.

When I got home, I reflected on why I felt so awkward and why the conversation didn’t flow as easily as with the other cool ladies I chatted with previously (whom I also admired.)

I came up with The Power of “Too” Thinking to help me and you flip feelings of being intimidated or feeling like an imposter when you’re in spaces and places with super cool, impressive people you admire!

Rephrasing the sentence into a positive, affirming statement PLUS adding “too” allows you to create a bridge for your brain to see how it’s possible for you as well.

I’m cool, too.

I can figure it out, too.

I can be that, too.

I can do that, too.

Once we realize that what we see and admire in others is often a reflection of the characteristics and traits we have ourselves, we can use this tool to create more possibilities in our own life and be kinder to ourselves.

[Note. Please excuse the low-quality audio in this episode. It was not my intention. I was editing it while still sick, pushed an incorrect button, and voila...it is not my normal goal and I realized upon upload. I do love this content and concept and have chosen to keep it for that reason until I can re-record. Thank you for your understanding!! ~~ Julie]

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

www.pivotzz.com

@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Chelsea Ross is the founder of Goddess Retreats, an award-winning
wellness sanctuary in Bali that is a safe and supportive community for women seeking self-discovery and connection.

She launched the world's first luxury, women-only surf and yoga retreat in 2003, long before it became mainstream. At that time, men and boys were often the only ones participating in the sport of surfing. She proved that women of all ages, shapes, sizes, and abilities can surf -- and that you don't need to fit the media’s image of a ‘surfer girl’ to be part of the ocean’s magic.

Over the years, she expanded her offerings to include wellness, healing, and cultural experiences, too. The sanctuary blends personal growth with cultural immersion, pairing private villa stays with unlimited indulgent spa treatments, daily yoga, and holistic healing. There are also now two locations: the rice paddies of Ubud and the peaceful coastline of Seminyak.

Chelsea has lived all over the world -- in southeast Asia, Australia, and Canada. She also has had very diverse work experience, including in hospitality, sales and marketing, as a life coach, salon owner, and more.

Contact Info:
Chelsea Ross - Guest
Goddes Retreats (Instagram)

Goddess Retreats website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. I don't know if you know this, but I work with female small-business owners and entrepreneurs who are in a season of evolution and need help with their words, visuals, and story telling for their new direction! If that's you, send me a message at www.pivotzz.com or DM me on Instagram @shepivotzz

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Civilian Operational Psychologist, Dr. Amanda Alexander, is part of the U.S. Air Force 57th Rescue Squadron based in Italy where her job is to help these high-performing service members mentally prepare for missions.

The pararescue team's mission priorities are to conduct day and night personnel recovery operations in combat environments. The military personnel also support civil search and rescue and humanitarian efforts.

Dr. Alexander does everything from yoga classes and counseling, to team workshops helping the squadron build comradery, resilience to stress, emotional intelligence, as well as resolving trauma, stress mitigation, and suicide prevention.

Specifically, the 57th Rescue Squadron hosts both pararescue men, combat rescue officers, communications airmen, air crew, flight equipment personnel, supply personnel and other supporting individuals for the pararescue mission.

At the beginning of her educational journey and career, Dr. Alexander got really into understanding human potential and how to support and facilitate people in their journey to be able to stretch their own potential. Her education includes:

An undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee
A PhD from the University of Tennessee in counseling psychology, with a specialization in sport and performance psychology

Contact Info:
Dr. Amanda Alexander - Guest

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. I don't know if you know this, but I work with female small-business owners and entrepreneurs who are in a season of evolution and need help with their words, visuals, and story telling for their new direction! If that's you, send me a message at www.pivotzz.com or DM me on Instagram @shepivotzz

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Dr. Cory Russo is the Chief Medical Examiner Investigator of the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner (OME). This means she supervises all of the OME investigations for the entire state of Utah, which is an almost 85,000-mile area.

She combines investigative medical, and legal skills to improve public health and also (Perhaps surprisingly!) to help the living.

Dr. Russo manages a team of approximately 120 investigators who gather information for the medical examiner to use when determining the cause and manner of death. Her team is the first to get to the scene.

Her job includes:

Going to the scene of the death to examine the scene, gather evidence, and take pictures.
Talking with the deceased’s friends and family to learn more about the deceased and what they experienced before their death.
Gathering records such as medical or law enforcement records

She has immense experience in this field, both in education and on the job.

She has a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the fields of forensic science, psychology, medical health sciences, and business administration. Her doctorate is in medical health sciences from Eastern Virginia Medical School. She worked in hospital emergency departments and newborn intensive care units (NICUs); conducted research about HIV drug targets, child homicides, and suicide; and was a medical examiner investigator in multiple states.

Send Julie a text!!

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. I don't know if you know this, but I work with female small-business owners and entrepreneurs who are in a season of evolution and need help with their words, visuals, and story telling for their new direction! If that's you, send me a message at www.pivotzz.com or DM me on Instagram @shepivotzz

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Our decisions and pivotzz (spelling intended! wink) create our life. And as women, we are always evolving! We do it so innately that we don't always notice or give ourselves credit.

I share about my new business "Pivotzz" where I help 6- and 7-figure female entrepreneurs or small-business owners who know it's time for something new with words, visuals, and storytelling.

Curious about Pivotzz?

Here's more info:

www.pivotzz.com

@shepivotzz

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

London Times best-selling author and poet, Jess Urlichs, captures the essence of motherhood in the most poignant, soul-filling ways that speak to the every-day experiences that are so hard to iterate in words.

Learn how she goes from realizing this is a childhood passion and talent to later sharing her heart with the world as she enters into motherhood and captures all of the beautiful nuances of the joys, challenges, dualities, and more.

Her books have collectively sold over 300,000 copies worldwide. She lives in New Zealand with her husband, three children and fur babies. Her newest book "May You Always Know" is coming out soon, plus her next poetry book will be out in March 2026!

Contact Info:
Jess Urlichs - Guest
Jess Urlichs (Instagram)

Jess Urlichs website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

If you're in a season of change and find yourself wanting to try new things, the idea of possible rejection and failure can stop you before you start.

As I'm in a season of evolution myself, I've been thinking a lot about what it takes to start something new. I've also been reading Worthy by IT Cosmetics founder and entrepreneur, Jamie Kern Lima.

One of my absolute favorite learnings she shares from her experience building a business that started in her living room to then selling it for $1.2 billion to L'Oréal is that rejection is a reminder that you're one of the brave ones.

If you're feeling called to start something new or you're in the midst of doing so now, know that I'm cheering you on!

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Beauty brand founder, Priyanka Ganjoo, created Kulfi Beauty with a mission to celebrate South-Asian culture and allowing room for embracing diversity, community, and joy.

In just a few years, Priyanka went from being on the corporate side of the beauty industry to launching the first South Asian-owned makeup brand in all Sephora stores across North America. She is driven by a mission to celebrate individuality, and the result is that Kulfi has cultivated a thriving, engaged community while also tying in to her original purpose of filling a major gap in the beauty market. Her company is successfully bridging South Asian beauty with mainstream appeal, which is easily demonstrated by looking at their social media, models, branding, and more.

Priyanka worked on the corporate side of the beauty industry for 5 years and saw first-hand how South Asians were underrepresented. After constantly searching for products that matched her skin tone and feeling like an outsider in the industry, she wanted to create more inclusive products.

She launched Kulfi in 2021. Shortly afterwards, Kulfi’s cult-favorite kajal eyeliners, concealers, and eyeshadows won awards from Allure and Byrdie.

Contact Info:
Priyanka Ganjoo - Guest
Priyanka Ganjoo (Instagram)

Kulfi Beauty website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

4 decades down, 100+ women with cool jobs, and (hopefully) MANY more decades to come...

It's my 41st birthday, and I was thinking about the rules we make for ourselves.

Are there subconscious or unspoken rules you've made for yourself? Do you KNOW what they are? Have you realized you're doing them? How long have you been doing them for? How did you come up with them? Do you remember? Do they serve you NOW -- in this moment, at this stage of life?

When I was younger, even if I would start getting extremely bored or hate a book, I would still finish it -- that was my RULE. In stone. I made it for myself.

I was COMMITTED!! Now, this makes me laugh. Why? What was the big deal in stopping?

If you have interesting, silly, or random subconscious or unspoken rules you've made for yourself -- past or present -- I hope you'll share them with me @womencooljobs on Instagram or www.womenwithcooljobs.com!

Also, as a birthday gift to me: Please submit a podcast review if you're listening on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!! It means so much, and I am SO thankful.

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Taylor Crisci is one of those women who immediately impresses you -- not only because she's smart, down-to-earth, and kind, but ALSO because she is (literally) going places and doing cool things!

Amongst her adventures as a merchant mariner, she's driven through the Panama Canal, fought off pirates, and circumnavigated the world. She currently works for a research ship out of Asia, the USNS Bowditch, where she is second mate (also known as the navigator.) In other words, she is the one actually DRIVING the ship -- whether that means turning the wheel every 30 seconds or every few hours. The USNS Bowditch is civilian ship collects intelligence for the Navy to make the most accurate charts and other Navy products.

For context, the merchant marines is a civilian service. 80% of goods are transported via ship, and the Navy has two offices dedicated to ocean intelligence and research.

Taylor attended Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point and also commissioned (became an officer) in the U.S. Navy Reserves. She's currently a Lieutenant.

During her time in one of the longest running trades in the world, she's worked on cargo vessels like: container ships, car carriers, oil tankers, cruise ships, and research vessels. This work has taken her all over the world... from the Gulf Coast of the United States, to Alaska, the North Pole, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Contact Info:

Taylor Crisci - Guest
@Servicesisters_ (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Executive Speech Coach and Trainer Ruth Milligan has a special way with words, because she has been in the business of storytelling in many different forms over the years. She considers stories as fundamental: “A story... is a bridge between something I know and care about and [something] you will hopefully know and care about." It's that critical puzzle piece for what connects the audience with the speaker.

From her current role as business owner and coach, to being the founder and curator of one of the longest-running TEDx programs (TEDxColumbus), she's also been a speechwriter, a national press secretary, and was an embedded consultant to billion-dollar contract pitches for Fortune 10 companies.

Ruth helps professionals and organizations from science, research, medicine, and data and analytics to find their voice, tell their story, and have their message be heard.

She shares some wonderful tips and things to practice so you can improve your storytelling and communication . Plus you can learn more in her book called " The Motivated Speaker: Six Principles to Unlock Your Communication Potential."

Contact Info:
Ruth Milligan - Guest
Ruth Milligan (LinkedIn)

Ruth Milligan (Articulate website)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

I just finished a Vision Board workshop with 4th and 5th graders, and the experience totally had me reconsidering a belief about myself that I thought was fixed and done. Turns out, pondering the possibilities with these awesome kids led me to reconsider my own possibilities and what was "right" for me now.

I hope this episode will remind you that you're not the same person you were 5 or 10 years ago, and that's perfectly fine. You can change your mind, reimagine your future, and adjust based on today and who you are NOW!

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

While being "obsessed" with something may often have a negative connotation, it can make all the difference when it comes to starting something new!

Being obsessed can mean:

Being deeply in love with or curious about something
Being so interested in a topic that you're not going to let it go
Pursuing something with extreme passion and intentionality

You can use it to fuel persistence, overcome challenges, and lead to meaningful personal and professional pursuits.

She also shares some brilliant advice from Atomic Habits author James Clear for how to stay consistent after you start something new.

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Rachel Doyle is a social entrepreneur and the CEO of Glamour Gals, a nonprofit organization that combines both the older and younger generations' mutual love of manicures and makeovers as a powerful tool to bridge the gap between generations and reduce loneliness.

Glamour Gals inspires and organizes teen volunteers to provide ongoing companionship and complimentary manicures and makeovers to residents in senior homes in 31 states and 150 communities with more than 10,000 volunteers across North America.

In 2000, Rachel founded the organization as a junior in high school in honor of her grandmother who had recently passed away. She was unable to regularly visit her grandmother who lived in a senior home across the country, and she realized there were women in the senior homes in her local community who also were not receiving regular visits from their families.

Contact Info:
Rachel Doyle - Guest
Rachel Doyle (LinkedIn)

Glamour Gals website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Katie Hooper is the CEO and cofounder of a creative brand studio, and she and her ALL-WOMEN executive team are doing something revolutionary!

While leadership roles in the advertising and marketing industry have historically been male-dominated, Katie led an all-women-powered buyout of her company, Notorious111 (formerly HZDG), and is currently transitioning the agency to a new era of leadership.

She and her colleagues are redefining what it means to create bold storytelling and innovative branding with clients in a way that champions inclusivity and fresh perspectives.

In this fascinating conversation, we chat about:

What it's like to be a visionary while also running the day-to-day -- meaning she is figuring things out as she goes AND also running the business side to keep things moving
Her responsibilities related to steering the studio's creative vision, business strategy, and client relationships
Her experience working with major brands like Ralph Lauren, Volkwagen, and the Washington Nationals
How she got into this field and more

Contact Info:
Katie Hooper - Guest
Katie Hooper (LinkedIn)

Notorious111

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Nikki Wollak is an Insights and Innovation Manager (a food scientist) at a flavor and beverage development company. Her job is all about making things taste amazing. From running taste tests to translating TikTok food trends into real product ideas, Nikki’s work lives at the intersection of science, creativity, and what consumers will be thirsty for in the future.

Nikki shares how flavors are developed—from a spark of inspiration to a fully launched product on store shelves. She helps the scientists at her company make great tasting flavors and products by running taste tests, conducting other research studies, and helping to identify trends. She literally gets paid to eat and drink things! Plus, she observes and ask questions of others who are doing the eating and drinking.

Whether it’s recreating the vibe of a childhood snack or exploring a bold new flavor combo, Nikki’s job is to help brands create products that are relevant, saleable, and desirable.

Nikki dives into the fascinating world of sensory science, market trends, ingredient innovation, and how consumer feedback drives the flavors we love.

We chat about:

How considering viral Instagram drink hacks and TikTok cooking videos can show emerging trends that leads to innovation and future products
How her team uses sensory science to measure taste, texture, aroma, and mouthfeel
How she combines data with market research and consumer feedback

Contact Info:
Nikki Wollak - Guest
Nicole (Nikki) Wollak (LinkedIn)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Dr. Deirdre Amaro, the Chief Medical Examiner of the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner (OME), believes in the strong ties between solving the mysteries of how people die and how this critical work helps to protect the living.

She has a unique role in that she actively does the post-mortem exam, looks at things under a microscope, and analyzes toxicology results while also stepping into her executive role and managing recruiting, hiring, training, and day-to-day operations. She is an amazing example of doing this AND being that -- her job requires completely different skill sets, and she is doing them all. She is living into the "Yes, And" philosophy!

Dr. Deirdre oversees the centralized, state-wide medical examiner system for the entire state of Utah. Her and her team investigate all sudden, unexpected, violent, suspicious, or unattended deaths that happen in the state.This means they determine:

Cause of death (the injury, illness, or disease that made the person die) and
Manner of death (the general category of death, including natural, accident, homicide, suicide, or undetermined)

Dr. Deirdre Amaro is a quadruple-certified physician in:

anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, forensic pathology, and neuropathology

Before this role, she worked as a forensic pathologist since 2016 in multiple states and a variety of medical examiner systems.

This is a fascinating interview with an incredibly dedicated, smart woman who helps advocate for both the dead and the living through her work.

Contact Info:
Dr. Deirdre Amaro - Guest
Dr. Deirdre Amaro (LinkedIn)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Dr. Alea Harrison is the Chief Medical Officer of Banfield Pet Hospital where she supports the practice’s 3,600 veterinarians across 1000 hospitals throughout the United States to deliver high-quality, preventive care to millions of pets every year.

Dr. Harrison has been with Banfield for more than 17 years. She started as a veterinarian in the practice’s hospitals in 2006 and has had progressive leadership roles.

Her personal experience treating pets and listening to pet owners helps her identify the best tools and strategies to make best-in-practice treatment decisions informed by the latest medical research, Banfield’s own data, and values of inclusion and wellbeing.

She's also a strong advocate for getting more women and minorities into STEM careers and leadership positions.

Contact Info:
Dr. Alea Harrison - Guest
Alea Harrison (LinkedIn)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

"Is it hard to do a podcast?" is one of the most common questions I get asked after people learn that I have a podcast.

It's not hard to start. The HARD part is being consistent. It's doing it and then continuing to create it once the initial sparkles and warm fuzzies wear off, and you're supposed to contact a guest, or record an intro, or talk with an editor, and you just plain don't want to!! Like stomp-your-feet, put-your-foot-down, not in the mood to do it.

Staying CONSISTENT is honestly what changes the game and this applies to practically everything you want to do. How do you get started, and more importantly, what steps will you take to remain consistent?

I share about how this leads to

"Yes, And" thinking
Building your confidence, and
My journey of starting "Women with Cool Jobs" 5 years ago in February 2020!

If you’ve ever thought about starting something new—whether it’s a podcast, a business, or a passion project—this episode is for you.

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Susie Moore shares why good enough IS in her book, "Let It Be Easy" (one of my absolute favorite books)! Having a bias towards action AND being okay starting out imperfectly with something new are a powerful combination.

**Welcome to "Shorties" -- quick episodes that help you discover more possibilities for how you approach life, in addition to learning the possibilities for cool jobs!

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Kristyn Plancarte is a marine biologist and animal behavior expert with more than a decade of experience. She has worked with marine mammals like sea otters, sea lions, walruses, false killer wales, African penguins, and beluga whales. She ensures their health and welfare; trains them to perform specific actions like doing eye drops, giving a blood sample, or spraying the audience with water; and educates in person and on social media.

Kristyn shares all about how she helps the animals, funny stories and experiences she's had with the animals, the process for training them, how you can get into the field, and why she is so passionate about her marine mammal friends.We also chat about her unexpected foray into the social media world and how she uses multiple platforms (TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram) to educate, engage, and inspire people to care about the animals in our ocean. She became a content creator during the pandemic so she could share what she and her colleagues do and see at the aquarium, because so many facilities and resources were closed. Along with her community, she has raised almost $50,000 for conservation!

Note. This is a Replay episode originally published 11-2-22

Contact Info:
Kristyn Plancarte - Guest
www.kpassionate.com
@KP_assionate (Instagram)
KPassionate (YouTube)
@k_passionate (TikTok)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Scott Dome's quote about noticing may sound obvious.

Yet, if you can really understand the details and nuances of when you come to life and when you truly feel like YOU, you've found some magical keys. You can help yourself unlock many new doors that can positively affect how you move through the world and add in what brings you the most fulfillment and joy.

**Welcome to "Shorties" -- quick episodes that help you discover more possibilities for how you approach life, in addition to learning the possibilities for cool jobs!

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Vanessa Gordon went from English as a Second Language (ESL) and fitness teacher to the CEO and Publisher of a digital publication and runs an event production and consulting business based on her love of the Hamptons of Long Island. As a Hampton's native, she has deep ties and relationships that allow her to share the magic of where she's from and why she loves it through her digital content and events.

Originally created in 2016, East End Taste is a digital publication that focuses on sustainable and international culinary travel for coastal destinations. Two years later, she created the Hamptons Interactive Brunch, an annual summer event series. She also helps consult and produce many other events.

We talk about:

What it's like to be in the publishing and media industry
How real relationships are essential components for success
Why listening to your intuition and instincts are critical
The behind-the-scenes details of planning upscale events

Vanessa Gordon - Guest
Vanessa's Instagram
Vanessa's website
East End Taste Magazine

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Do we need to be 100% ready or believe in ourselves 100% to get started?

Jen Gottlieb argues, "No!" I share one of my favorite concepts from Jen's book Be Seen. This is a powerful concept (especially for over-researchers, over-planners, or perfectionists) that just may change your life and help you go all in now.

**Welcome to "Shorties" -- quick episodes that help you discover more possibilities for how you approach life, in addition to learning the possibilities for cool jobs!

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Sometimes, we are lucky enough to meet the people we admire who have mentored us from afar, and Susie Moore is one of those people for me. Susie Moore is a world-renowned life coach, author, and host of the top-rated Apple podcast, Let It Be Easy.

She brings joy, fun and perspective to different areas of life in a way that no one else can. She's a sought-after expert for media outlets and has been featured on the Today show, Good Morning America, Dr. Oz, Business Insider, Forbes, Oprah, The Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, and Marie Claire.

In addition, she's the resident life coach for Greatist and the author of Let It Be Easy and Stop Checking Your Likes.

If you want to check out Susie's Self-Coaching Society (that I truly love being in), you can use my affiliate link:https://go.susie-moore.com/t?orid=241989&opid=91

** Note: I occasionally promote things for a commission. I promise that I only promote things that I really like and believe in!

Susie Moore - Guest
Susie's Instagram
Susie's website

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Come 2025, many of us have now existed for a QUARTER century in the 2000s. WOAH!

When I realized this, combined with the fact that I would be a parent for a decade, and that I have been doing this podcast for a half decade come 2025, it blew my mind.

I share some year-end reflections & realizations, plus a beautiful quote about being fully present now and WHY it is so important for us all.

Happy Holidays!

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Now in her third career, Doni Belau founded the women-only tour company called Girls’ Guide to the World in 2009.

What started off as a love for France and showing others how magical it was led into providing what is now a very curated, intentional world-wide travel experience for solo women to experience the world together in small groups.

There is a huge range of options that includes sixty tours in 40 countries where the focus is anything but just checking off the top 10 tourist places. It ranges from seeing how life is for women in other countries, to attending women's sporting events, to going on safari in a lesser-known region of Africa.

Doni has more than 15 years of experience in the travel industry. Before that, she had a long career in television production, stayed at home when her kids were young, and then worked in the not-for-profit arena and politics. (She started a not-for-profit in South Africa helping kids with HIV in the Cape Town township of Khayelitsha. Wow!)

When not leading trips, she divides her time between France, New Orleans, and a sailboat named Relish – a testament to her adventurous spirit.Doni Belau - Guest
Girls' Guide to the World IG account
Girls' Guide to the World website

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Sisters Jen and Julie Orchard of Royal Guernsey Creamery are a buttermaker and a dairy farmer, respectively, who produce small-batch, artisan butter using cream from their own herd of Guernsey cows.

The self-named "Butterettes" are 7th generation diary farmers that make four types of artisan, European-style butter. Jen & Julie started Royal Guernsey Creamery in 2020, and by 2023, they got the blue ribbon and grand champion title at the Wisconsin State Fair for the best butter in the Dairy State.

Making butter is a 20-hour process that takes over two days to accomplish. Together they make 400 pounds at a time. They do everything from churning the butter... to creating the round, tube-shaped units... to packaging over 800 units in special foil.

Both Jen and Julie stepped away from their family roots as dairy farmers to pursue other careers. Jennifer left a 15-year career in biotechnology to return to the family farm. Julie has more than 20 years of marketing experience working with clients in the field of animal health. They both came back to their family farm where they decided to start their business together.

** Random cow facts:

Cows are wonderful creatures that love affection, have individual personalities, and enjoy interactions with their caretakers.
Brown-and-white Guernsey cows today represent just 1% of the U.S. cattle population. (Versus the Holstein cows, which are black and white.) If you’re going to raise them, you use their milk for something other than pooling it with other milk to maintain its quality.

Jen & Julie Orchard - Guests
Royal Guernsey Creamery IG account
Royal Guernsey Creamery website

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Shannon Walker is an esteemed canine expert, renowned dog trainer, and the CEO and founder of Northwest Battle Buddies -- a non-profit organization dedicated to providing service dogs to combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

These precisely-trained dogs (and their precisely-trained humans!) provide veterans a way forward, when they may not have seen one. The service dogs allow vets to live in a way that civilians often take for granted -- whether it's taking your 5 year old daughter to the park or grabbing some milk in the grocery store. These parts of life that seem so basic to others might often seem paralyzing an incredibly difficult for vets with PTSD.

Shannon shares why it is critical for a veterans to have service dogs, which she considers service equipment. Veterans with PTSD have a shockingly high suicide rate after returning home to civilian life.

After gifting more than 250 dogs to veterans (that would cost $25,000 per dog), they have not lost a single vet to suicide. These highly trained animals are very carefully matched with their owners based on their needs, including: if the vet has a family, if they are working, if they have any disabilities, and more.

Shannon has been in this field for nearly three decades and established Mans Best Friend – Dog Training in 1997, where she continues to make a positive impact in the lives of both dogs and their owners. She originally trained using the Schutzhund methodology, a European canine sport that evaluates a dog's tracking, obedience, and protection abilities.

Shannon Walker - Guest
Shannon's LinkedIn
Northwest Battle Buddies IG account
Northwest Battle Buddies website

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Actress Mimi Gianopulos shares about what it's like to be at the inflection point of getting her career-defining role on the Disney sitcom “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.” It's clear how much she loves her job, which she says is professional make-believe!

Mimi knew as a young girl that she wanted to be an actress, and she was always chatty at school and loved making other students laugh. She attended Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama and graduated with a degree in Musical Theater.

After 3 years of consistent work as an actress, the volume decreased and she got a few roles here and there -- nothing substantial, but enough to keep her going towards her dreams.

Mimi’s previous television roles include playing Sue Mengers in the miniseries “The Offer,” Kaitlyn in the comedy series “Rutherford Falls,” and a recurring role as Morgan on “American Princess.” Gianopulos is best known for her recurring role as Angela in the Freeform series “Baby Daddy,” and was also cast in the lead role for the pilot of “Continuing Fred” for Freeform.

Mimi's character is the mom, Giada Russo, in “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” which is the continuation of the beloved hit Disney Channel series “Wizards of Waverly Place." Selena Gomez and David Henrie were both actors in the original series and are now executive producers of this new show out in late October 2024.

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

While you may know "Yes, And..." as an improv game, it also can be a life philosophy.

We can be this AND that.
We can do this AND that.
We can have this AND that.

We are multi-faceted, multi-talented, complex women.

We don't have to choose between being, doing or having. We can choose YES, AND...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Totally obsessed with how many women with cool jobs exist in the world? Want to meet some in real life?

Join Julie and three epic guest speakers on Saturday, November 16th, 2024 in Tempe, AZ for "Women with Cool Jobs" LIVE!! Get tickets on Eventbrite.com

Send Julie a text!!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

Failure is not the end. Perfectionistic efforts don't always create perfect outcomes.

In this solo episode, Julie shares a story about The Box, which is a reminder that we already have what's needed to get started -- we often just don't give ourselves the credit and we're scared of failing or not doing it perfectly.

An incredible teacher shared "The Box" example with her while she was in a class for her master's degree program. Julie was trying (with immense focus!) to get more details about her open-ended assignment. This is the lesson Julie now often remembers and uses when she is starting something (often new and that perhaps feels overwhelming, scary, or unknown) and wants to move past the fear of failure and the need to be perfect so she can get into action.

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

Meredith Wing creates whimsical, gorgeous, fashion-forward mixed media artwork using food and flowers. Whether it's a coconut wedding dress, a broccoli crop top with matching earrings, rainbow-colored pasta capris, or a dusty-rose-petal skirt, these illustrations are of women who are not only living their best lives, but they're doing it with immense style.

Meredith has an incredible gift for allowing us to see the mundane, or the healthy snack or a gorgeous bouquet, in a whole new way that we couldn't have imagined before.

She has acted as Artist-in-Residence at Soho House for Coachella 2015, done Herbal Essences TV commercials and ads, created limited-edition packaging for Burt's Bee's, graced the walls of Tokyo public plazas, assembled bespoke portraits for Tory Burch, adorned the interior of Cosabella’s NYC store, and landed features in international publications.

While she has always loved art from a young age, she initially pursued careers in fashion design and architecture before creating her company, Moomooi, and realizing she could make a career out of making her unique style of original art.

Meredith Wing - Guest
Moomooi IG account
Moomooi website

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

Carrie Campbell is an elite human performance coach and a pro fitness competitor on a mission to empower women. Her big, giant goal is becoming the "female Tony Robbins"!

With more than 20 years as a mental health professional, she coaches high-level executives and athletes using her system that integrates psychology, neuroscience, and spirituality.

She has huge aspirations to help empower as many women as she can reach through her.dentity, a program that focuses on transforming women's self-identity.

She shares about how critical is to understand that we have an unconscious mind that's programmed throughout our lifetime and helps us survive. That programming creates narratives, and those narratives conduct our life. She teaches how we can create new narratives to sustain the life we WANT to live.

Carrie also competes in pro fitness competitions and won the FMG Miss Fitness 35+ USA. She explains that she's an artist -- she fell in love with the ability to shape, sculpt and change her body.

Carrie Campbell - Guest
Carrie's IG account

Julie Berman - Host
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

Jamie Mittelman created the media production and content company, Flame Bearers, to ensure there's a go-to storytelling platform for elite women in sports (which includes Olympians and Paralympians!) What started as a podcast during the pandemic has become a mission to show girls and women that if you can see it, you can be it.

85% of sports media goes to men. Doesn't that blow your mind?!

That means only 15% of sports media coverage goes to women, and often, there's a quality issue. The vast majority of that coverage really doesn't paint them in the ways that they want to be portrayed.

The Solution: Flame Bearers! Jamie's mission is to provide role models for young girls in various sports and to ensure that female athletes are proud of their media representation.

We saw the women during the Paris Summer 2024 Olympics completely rocking it! It is hard to NOT want to see more of these women and know more about who they are! You can here more women's stories from the female Olympians and Paralympians themselves who will be or who have competed during the summer 2024 events on the Flame Bearers podcast

And...the Paralympics are about to start on August 28th, which means we get to watch more incredible female athletes compete for gold medals. Woohoo!

(Haven't heard too much about or ever seen the Paralympics? Jamie shares how the Paralympics is essentially the equivalent to the Olympics for athletes with physical disabilities.)

Jamie Mittelman - Guest
Flame Bearers LinkedIn account
Flame Bearers IG account
Flame Bearers website

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

This is Part 2 of the 100th episode of the “Women with Cool Jobs" podcast!! We had such a good time chatting, we needed 2 episodes for this conversation. = )

And this special FLIPPED episode, Julie Berman (your podcast host) is the one getting interviewed about HER cool job as a podcast host and producer.

The amazing Olivia Fierro is the guest interviewer asking Julie the questions. Olivia is a former morning news anchor in the Phoenix Metro area, the founder/host of Olivia's Book Club and podcast, and brings decades of television news expertise (including an EMMY and Murrow Award).

In this episode, you'll learn:

About Julie -- who she is, her family, experiences and education
Why she started the podcast
How she chose the podcast name
And why she loves what she does!

Help Julie celebrate this milestone by sharing it with 1 friend!

Olivia Fierro - Guest Interviewer
Olivia's LinkedIn account
Olivia's IG account

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

This is the 100th episode of the “Women with Cool Jobs" podcast!! And this time, Julie Berman (your podcast host) is the one getting interviewed about HER cool job as a podcast host and producer.

The amazing Olivia Fierro is the guest interviewer, as this is a flipped episode where Julie answers the questions instead of asks them. Olivia is a former morning news anchor in the Phoenix Metro area, the founder/host of Olivia's Book Club and podcast, and brings decades of television news expertise (including an EMMY and Murrow Award).

In this episode, you'll learn:

About Julie -- who she is, her family, experiences and education
Why she started the podcast
How she chose the podcast name
And why she loves what she does!

Help Julie celebrate this milestone by sharing it with 1 friend!

Olivia Fierro - Guest Interviewer
Olivia's LinkedIn account
Olivia's IG account

Julie Berman - Podcast Host & Producer
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

July 2024 means two things: Julie turns 40 aaaaand it's the 99th episode of The “Women with Cool Jobs” podcast!!!!!

I share about why FAILING is actually part of SUCCEEDING and how I'm going into a whole new decade (my 40s-- aaaaah!!) trying to embrace "the fun in failure," which is an epic reframe on failure from past podcast guest and charity auctioneer, Lydia Fenet.

Here are my reflections and why we should all be celebrating what we've tried that didn't work out more often, because at least we ACTUALLY DID THE THING! We were brave, courageous and got past the overwhelm, the analyzing, the planning, the research, the fear, and we took action.

I'm cheering you on!

Also, don't forget to check out the 100th episode in late July 2024, where I change up the format and you can learn more about me, my life, my podcasting journey, and my cool job!!!

Julie Berman - Host
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

Lisa Bragg literally wrote THE book on how to talk about your success and why it's critical for you to share your successes and achievements with the world... and she shares all her wisdom with us in this interview!

She focuses on why women in particular must ignore a lot of societal and cultural norms that have often kept us quiet -- whether as the diamond in the rough or that putting our head down and doing good work will eventually get us noticed.

Instead, she presents fact-based evidence and actionable tips for:

-- How we can share our gifts, accomplishments and ways we serve the world in a way that feels good and natural versus "icky."

-- Why bragging is a catalyst of positive change and how you can use it to create new future opportunities. (Plus, help elevate others along the way.)

Lisa is a speaker, trainer, advisor and author of Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion.She was a former TV journalist, including a videographer, anchor, and show host. She then was the founder and CEO of MediaFace and pioneered what we now know as content for the digital world. While she was the CEO, the company twice received the Growth 500 Award for the fastest-growing
businesses in Canada.Lisa Bragg - Guest
Lisa Bragg's LinkedIn account
Lisa's IG account
Lisa's website

Julie Berman - Host
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

Cassie Petrie works with the world's biggest musical artists (as well as rising stars) to help them with their social media marketing and to help them manage their career.

Cassie is the CEO & Co-Founder of Crowd Surf, a leading social media marketing and music management company. She happily calls herself a social media dinosaur.

At the age of 12, she was at the forefront of creating social content in the music and entertainment industry by running the Backstreet Asylum, a weekly newsletter that reached Backstreet Boys fans worldwide.

Flashforward a few decades, and her passion for the artists and the industry is what helped her create a thriving business and work with incredible artists (and their teams) to:

Market concert tours for Nickelback, Backstreet Boys, P!NK
Market Las Vegas residencies for Miranda Lambert, Shania Twain, Usher

We talk about so many fascinating topics, including:

What it means to do social media marketing and artist management
Her tips for how to approach social media and not get overwhelmed by the trends
What it takes to thrive as a professional in the social marketing industry
Some awesome examples of who she has worked with and how she helps

Cassie Petrey - Guest
Cassie Petrey's LinkedIn account
Cassie's IG account
Crowd Surf website

Julie Berman - Host
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

Jam Gamble is THE Chief Mic Slayer who helps you learn how to trust your voice in all parts of life -- whether that's at work, at home, on a stage, or with yourself.

She is a gifted educator who is a renowned motivational speaker, media personality, and a dedicated public-speaking coach. Her approach to speaking is simple, approachable -- and most importantly -- achievable for anyone who wants to rediscover their voice and use it confidently.

We talk about:

the importance of trust,
her VERY strong views on storytelling (talk about a reframe here!!),
how to practice using your voice in your every-day life
how you can create the most powerful moments and be excited to use your voice
and more

Jam Gamble - Guest
Jam Gamble's LinkedIn account
Jam's IG account
Jam's website

Julie Berman - Host
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Send Julie a text!!

In this episode, Julie shares one of her favorite personal mantras: "You Already Have a No, But You Could Have a YES!"

Before she even knew about the word "mantra," Julie used this phrase as a way to approach new things and to find courage to step out of her comfort zone.

You'll learn about what this phrase means and how you can use this in your daily life when going for your goals, dreams, and passions -- whether that's at work, in your personal life, with building friendships or community -- it applies to everything!

It's an amazing tool to have in your toolbox that can lead you to possibilities that you may not have considered, dared to dream up, or believed would happen. It tips the scales, and it allows you to be more optimistic and more gentle with your approach when you're doing something new and being brave.

She also explains a key sign of knowing when to go for it -- the full-body yes!! Learn about what it is so you can recognize it for yourself and how it can help you explore new options and possibilities.

Contact Info:
Julie Berman - Host
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

More than 12 years after Mary Jo Hoffman originally committed to a daily art project where she found something in nature that would inspire her and then photograph it, she is still going strong and hasn't missed a single day. She shared these images on her blog Still -- one image, daily, of gathered natural objects found near her.

A former aeronautical engineer, Mary Jo Hoffman, wanted to add some creativity to her life while being home with her two children. Every walk with her kids or my dog would turn into a STILL blog treasure hunt.

Mary Jo's one-a-day project turned into a new career in the creative arts. She went from sharing her images on her blog, to collaboration with designers, plus organizations and companies like: Martha Stewart, Midwest Living, the Scottish National Opera, Target Corporation, West Elm, and Better Homes & Gardens.

This daily practice has allowed her so many unexpected blessings and in a different understanding of nature and the world we live in. She shares her idea of radical incrementalism and explains how we all can tap into our creativity by doing a little bit everyday. She also discusses her creative process and how she approaches the business side of making her art and sharing it with the world. You can find her book STILL: The Art of Noticing to learn more about her story, her creative process, and her gorgeous artwork.

Contact Info:
Mary Jo Hoffman - Guest
Mary Jo's LinkedIn account
Mary Jo's IG account
STILL blog

Julie Berman - Host
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Peruvian chemical biologist, conservationist, and National Geographic Explorer, Dr. Rosa Vasquez Espinoza, combines science and storytelling to share the fascinating conservation work she is doing in the Amazon Rainforest.

Dr. Rosa founded the nonprofit Amazon Research Internacional and is currently studying stingless bees -- leading the first chemical characterization of Amazonian stingless bees and medicinal honey in Peru. Her work takes her from working with native experts deep in the Amazon forests, to collaborating with some the best minds in science, to sharing on social media what a scientist looks like -- with cute earrings, a love for native infused fashion, and a love of dance.

She has journeyed from discovering novel antibiotics and green chemistry solutions during her Ph.D. to positively influencing conservation law and leading innovative expeditions. Today, Dr. Rosa travels to the most extreme environments on the planet -- from the Amazon Rainforest; to Yellowstone’s acidic, boiling waters; toAlaska’s frozen lakes -- searching for new biodiversity and interconnecting science with indigenous knowledge to create positive changes in the world.

You can help! Her current project (starting June 2024) helps Peruvian women and girls develop their own stingless-beekeeping businesses that empower these women and their families, as well as help sustain the Amazon Rainforest.

Contact Info:
Dr. Rosa Vasquez Espinoza - Guest
Dr. Rosa's LinkedIn account
Dr. Rosa's IG account
Dr. Rosa's website

Julie Berman - Host
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
www.womenwithcooljobs.com

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Karen Jordan is the Chief Supply Chain Officer for PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA), which includes all 50 states and Canada. She is responsible for the entire manufacturing process, from procuring the raw ingredients for the products to getting the products to consumers wherever you purchase them -- whether on the shelves, in the stores, and in restaurants .

Under her leadership, PepsiCo’s North American Beverage business generated $27 billion in revenue in 2023. In this role, she currently leads teams with 60,000 associates in 400 locations that produce a portfolio of beverages, including:

Pepsi, Gatorade, bubly, MTN DEW, Starbucks ready- to-drink coffee, LIFEWTR, Lipton, Rockstar Energy Drink and more.

She oversees supply chain functions, including:

Manufacturing plant operations, transportation, fleet operations, planning, integration, commercialization, quality control, engineering, environmental and safety stewardship, and more.

Karen says,
"My job is to make sure we deliver
the right the right case
at the right place
at the right time
for the right cost
and that it's done the right way."

Contact Info:
Karen Jordan - Guest
Karen's LinkedIn account
She Is PepsiCo

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Want to know where all the "Women with Cool Jobs" gather?

I am introducing Bonus "Events" episodes that share about incredible events where "Women with Cool Jobs" are gathering, learning, supporting each other, and creating the changes we wish to see in the world.

These events are created with intention, creativity, high vibes and women's empowerment in mind!

In this Events episode, you'll hear about Julie's experience at the Hype Women Fairway Soirée by #HypeWomen Founder Erin Gallagher and Jessica Clifton. Erin is an absolute rockstar when it comes to supporting and empowering women through her words and actions. She brings her Hype Women Fairway events to cities across the United States.

On Tuesday, March 12th, 2024, Julie attended The Hype Women Fairway Soirée at SXSW in Austin, TX, with more than 100 powerhouse women. It included a lot of opportunities to mix and mingle with the incredible women there, an awesome keynote from Erin, and a great panel of guest speakers, including:

Bonnie Wan, Best-selling author of “The Life Brief,” Partner + Head of Brand Strategy at Goodby Silverstein & Partners
Stephanie Nadi Olson, Founder and Chair of We Are Rosie
Falguni L., award-winning producer and Exec at VICE Media

This was a private, invite-only event for women committed to honoring their highest value; shaking off societal standards; and hyping women. Erin says...

Individually, we make a breeze.
Collectively, we create a hericane.

Verdict: If you have the opportunity to attend a Hype Women Fairway event, get yourself in the room! Julie met a diverse group of dynamic women with cool jobs from many different industries who ranged from entrepreneurs to corporate executives.

Event & Contact InfoErin Gallagher LinkedIn
Ella For All (The Fairway Dinners)

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Dr. Maya Warren is an Ice Cream Scientist who travels the world developing and creating ice cream and other frozen aerated desserts. She helps a wide variety of clients, from neighborhood shops where you go in and order a scoop or two, to the giant brands who stock the shelves at your local supermarket.

She says, “Roses are red, violets are blue, who needs flowers when ice cream will do?”

Dr. Maya earned her BA in Chemistry and obtained my PhD in Food Science. As a senior in college, she realized she could make ice cream part of her every day life.

Ice Cream Scientist™ Dr. Maya Warren earned her PhD in Food Science, specializing in the microstructure, sensorial, and behavioral properties of frozen aerated desserts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Contact Info:
Dr. Maya Warren - Guest
Dr. Maya's LinkedIn account
Dr. Maya's IG account
Dr. Maya's website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Stephanie Skryzowski is a Fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for nonprofits and an entrepreneur. She created a company of fully remote CFOs (and other professionals) who help nonprofits around the world manage their money to make a more powerful impact on the people and communities they serve.

Stephanie specializes in helping nonprofits, where interpreting financial information correctly can mean the difference between an organization thriving or not. She helps them better understand their numbers and use that information to make smart decisions that will help grow their impact and their income. They get a fraction of a CFO (for a fraction of the cost!)...which is often all they need as they are still small and growing.

She started working for nonprofits and leading international finance teams around the world, including Afghanistan, Haiti, Nepal, Nicaragua, Malawi, Mali, and Senegal. She traveled around the world making sure the nonprofit's financial management systems and teams were strong.

She wants other women to know about the fractional leadership model, because it is applicable across so many industries. It can give women the opportunity to build their own business and control their time and money! She now has a team of 16 full-time employees serving hundreds of nonprofits around the globe at 100 Degrees Consulting.

Contact Info:
Stephanie Skryzowski - Guest
Stephanie's LinkedIn account
Stephanie's IG account
100 Degrees Consulting

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Soon Hagerty is the epitome of showing how your transferable skills can help you have a cool job in completely different industries: She's the Sr. VP of Brand Strategy, a restauranteur, and a nonprofit founder.

As the Sr. Vice President (VP) of Brand Strategy at a specialty vehicle insurance company (that focuses on classic cars), Soon Hagerty has created a car culture, a community, and meaningful connections between owners/enthusiasts that propelled the company forward as a leader in their niche.

She helped transform Hagerty from a local specialty insurance company to a global, publicly-traded lifestyle brand for car lovers that joined the New York Stock Exchange in 2021 with a value of more than $3 billion.

She is the founder and co-owner of The Good Bowl, a mission-based Vietnamese restaurant in Traverse City, Michigan, that donates $1 per bowl to charity.

She's also the cofounder of the newly-launched Boundless Futures Foundation, a foundation dedicated to providing financial and leadership resources to aspiring female entrepreneurs who are building businesses that either address today’s biggest social issues or have an impact element embedded in their business model. The Foundation also supports mission-aligned nonprofits throughout the US. The foundation just awarded its inaugural grants in January 2024 that totaled $120,000.

Contact Info:
Soon Hagerty - Guest
Soon's LinkedIn account
Boundless Futures Foundation

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Gretchen (Holt) Witt paired cookies with cancer and created one of the most powerful, clever combinations to raise awareness and much-needed funding for pediatric cancer.

Gretchen unexpectedly formed what would become Cookies for Kids' Cancer in 2007, after her 2-year-old son Liam was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Due to her background in PR and communications , she understood how challenging it was to talk about cancer, let alone pediatric cancer. She also knew that it would take a lot more awareness, advocacy, and funding to help children diagnosed with cancer to live longer, healthier lives.

By allowing people to connect cookies with learning about kids cancer, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is now a well-respected nonprofit that has had more than 16,000 grassroots fundraising events in all 50 states and 26 countries and has granted more than $21 million to the leading pediatric cancer research centers across the country.

Until recently, Gretchen worked full time in PR & communications and part time to help drive the nonprofit forward.

Contact Info:
Gretchen (Holt) Witt - Guest
Gretchen's LinkedIn account
Cookies for Kids' Cancer website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Lydia Fenet is one of the most successful charity auctioneers in the world. She has a two-decade career as a charity auctioneer and has raised over one BILLION dollars for more than 800 organizations and broken-down countless barriers for women in the auction industry.

While honing her skills as a charity auctioneer at night, during the day, she worked at Christie's as the Global Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships. She basically had two full-time jobs.

She now runs the Lydia Fenet Agency, which is a boutique auctioneering agency representing best in class charity auctioneers and training the next generation of talent.

She takes over 70 auctions a year and has graced the stage for the largest grossing charity events in the world including Robin Hood, The Naples Winter Wine Festival, Tipping Point, The Elton John Aids Foundation, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and over a thousand more. She also has stood alongside celebrities including Bruce Springsteen, Hugh Jackman, Elton John, Matt Damon and Jerry Seinfeld.

Lydia is the author of two best-selling books, The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is Youand Claim Your Confidence and is the host of the "Claim Your Confidence" podcast.

Contact Info:
Lydia Fenet - Guest
Lydia's LinkedIn account
Lydia's website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Heather Moyse is a 2x Olympic gold medalist (who competed in 4 Olympics games), a three-sport national athlete, a World Rugby Hall of Famer, a motivational speaker, an author, and a coach.

Heather started training just five months before her first Olympics at the age of 27 in 2-person bobsleigh, with her last Olympic competition at the age of 39.

In this episode, she shares specific techniques and mindset work that she uses to achieve her goals and that we all can use to help us live up to our potential.

Heather won gold at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, and again at the 2014 Games in Sochi. Before she was an Olympic champion, Heather was a mainstay on Canada’s Senior Women’s Rugby Team. Heather led Canada to silver in the 2013 Rugby Sevens World Cup, and was the top try scorer in the 2006 and 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cups. In 2016, Heather became only the second Canadian, and first Canadian female, to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Heather represented Canada in a third international sport in 2012, when she placed Top Five in two events at the Pan-Am Track Cycling Championships in Argentina.

Contact Info:
Heather Moyse - Guest
Heather's Instagram account
Heather's website
Weekly video series ( It's a little combo of pep talk + motivation + perspective shift.)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

When Julie Berman started podcasting in February 2020, she had no idea what a podcast was or how to even open the podcast app on her phone. Almost 4 years later, Julie has interviewed more than 60 incredible, diverse women with cool jobs in industries that range from tech, to the arts, trades, and much more. In this episode, she shares the five unexpected lessons she learned from podcasting and how learning these can benefit you in your everyday life -- whether you podcast or not:

I’m human, and so are you.
Roll with it, we can figure it out (And quickly is best).
Becoming an expert means making mistakes.
Curiosity + action creates the foundation for change. Add in some strategy, and you are going places!
We are all magic.

Also, if you're here in the Phoenix, AZ area (or know someone who is) come join me and an epic guest at the 2nd "Women with Cool Jobs" Podcast LIVE Event on January 27th, 2024, from 10:30 am -12 noon. The special guest is Lina Bearat, a transportation engineer!

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Jewelry Designer Lia Valencia Key is the designer and owner behind Valencia Key Jewelry and a sought-after speaker. She is also a walking ray of sunshine, bringing her energy and love to all she meets!

She creates inspirational jewelry filled with meaning and intention. It serves a beautiful, visual reminder to use light, joy, love, gratitude and peace as guiding stars. These principles allow you to unlock your strength and bravery.

Lia is an entrepreneur with immense faith, intelligence, grit and determination. She has many diverse degrees and certifications, including a master’s degree in education and a cosmetology license.

She was born and lived in the most impoverished neighborhood of Philadelphia to a single mother of three. After her mother broke her leg in several places, she could no longer pay for the tiny apartment they were living in. They immediately went to a homeless shelter, where she and her family lived for several years. She was the first person in her family and her neighborhood to get an advanced degree.

In this episode, we talk about:

The jewelry creation process
A lesson she learned of being a leader versus a follower at a young age
Your ability to start planting seeds that grow and the power of your words
“Belief” is an action word
Turning up the “You”

As one of the last episodes of 2023, I hope this one really speaks to your heart.

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Zibby Owens has so many cool jobs that all started from her love of connecting people to books. She's an author, podcaster, publisher, indie bookstore owner, CEO, and mother of four.

She was a stay at home mom for 11 years before starting the podcast “Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books” in 2018. Since then, she's gone on to create a book-filled empire, including becoming a(n):

Publisher at Zibby Books - 12 books a year in fiction and memoir
Author of the novel Blank, that comes out March 1, 2024, and several other books, including a memoir and a children’s book
Owner of Zibby’s Book Shop in Santa Monica, CA
CEO of Zibby Media

Contact Info:
Zibby Owens - Guest
Zibby's Instagram account
Zibby's website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Emmy® Award winner Cynthia Summers is a costume designer who brings characters to life on TV and film through artfully and skillfully creating their costumes and accessories. With more than 60 credits (a.k.a projects) to Cynthia's name that range from fantasy to modern day and fashion-driven, her cool job allows her to take a concept or dream and make it a reality on the screen.

While helping create the characters and building the worlds they live in, she collaborates and works with many different people on each project, including the actors, producers, set design team, and many more.

Her most recent work is on the scary new series “Goosebumps” that’s inspired by R.L. Stine’s bestselling books and is now available on Disney+ and Hulu. When working on projects that are based on existing books, games, or other creative works (such as the “Goosebumps” series), she goes back to the source and does a lot of research to stay true to the core of the work and what connects it with the audience . When it's something that hasn’t existed before, she follows her intuition, experience, leans into research, and also is highly collaborative with other key stakeholders.

We talk about:

The realities of balancing budget, time constraints, weather and filming conditions, and differing visions/expectations
The exciting details of her cool job,
How she approaches costume design for diverse characters

Some of her incredible awards and achievements include:

Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Costume Design category for her work on the first season of “The Baby-Sitters Club.”
5 CAFTCAD Awards for the second and third seasons of the Emmy Award-nominated “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” starring Neil Patrick Harris,
Won and nominated for 2019 and 2020 Costume Designers Guild Awards,
2 Primetime Emmy Awards (2018 and 2019) in the Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes category.
Nominated for a 2021 Costume Designers Guild Award for Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Television for season one of “Snowpiercer,” starring Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs

Contact Info:
Cynthia Summers - Guest
Cynthia's Instagram account
Cynthia's website
Goosebumps trailer

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

Ati Williams and Jessica Banks are multi-talented and multi-passionate women in the trades and STEM...and also 2 of 4 cohosts of "Hack My Home" on Netflix.. They show us why it's important to NOT be defined by the "lower third," which in TV terms means the lower part of the screen where they include your title or job description. We can be multi-faceted and multi-talented women, which is exactly what they are.

Ati Williams is a licensed general contractor and renowned design-builder, owner of Honeycomb – a renovation and design business, real estate developer, TV personality, speaker, and philanthropist.

Jessica Banks is an inventor, roboticist, systems engineer, designer, entrepreneur, owner of kinetic furniture company RockPaperRobot (RPR), and TV personality.

In this episode, we talk about:

their winding career paths (dream jobs were astronaut & nonprofit hero)
the importance of creating more opportunities for women by transparently sharing your experiences, salary, and more
why approaching new situations with curiosity can lead to opportunities
why being a woman in male-dominated field gives you an advantage

With over two decades in real estate and construction, Ati has revitalized numerous spaces, tackling everything from subtle makeovers to extensive rehabs. As one of the few black women in the construction realm, she's passionate about inspiring the next generation of female builders and entrepreneurs. Ati was born and raised in Kenya and later ventured to Canada, attending York University in Toronto, followed by pursuing her MBA at McGill University. She now resides in the United States.

Jess also consults as a strategic and technical advisor to agencies, corporations, and designers and as a space optimizer to individual clients. Jess is a vocal proponent of female representation in STEM. She speaks publicly on topics ranging from science to entrepreneurship to manufacturing and has degrees in both Engineering (MIT) and Physics (UofM).

Contact Info:
Ati Williams - Guest

Ati Williams LinkedIn Profile
Ati Williams website

Jessica Banks - Guest

Jessica Banks LinkedIn Profile
RockPaperRobot website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

The representation of women has remained stagnant in the National Security field at about 20% across the board.

Lauren Buitta, a national security expert, is on a mission to get more women into this field. She is the founder and CEO of Girl Security – the only organization dedicated to advancing girls, women, and gender minorities in national security through supportive pathways.

There's a lot more to protecting America's interests at home than just considering intelligence and the military. There's the federal government, think tanks, and even the private sector that all play a part and make up over 160 million people in the national security industry.

Her goal is to bring more diversity into the national security workforce. This will also help shift ideological constructs to include a broader and more inclusive understanding of the factors that affect our safety and well-being in this country.

Lauren began her career in national security in Chicago, IL, in 2003 as a policy analyst with the National Strategy Forum, a nonpartisan national security think tank. In 2009 while attending law school, Lauren launched her consulting firm, Stele Consulting, which provided support to clients on local policy issues, including exclusionary land use policies and racial segregation in Chicago.

When she considered what was needed in 2016 (and what was the beginning of Girl Security), Lauren recognized both the continued underrepresentation of women in national security and the need for a more intersectional approach to security.

Resources

Girl Security

Contact Info:
Lauren Bean Buitta - Guest
Lauren Bean Buitta's LinkedIn Profile
contact@girlsecurity.org (Email)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman's LinkedIn Profile

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

It's the 3rd Podversary episode, and Julie is so excited to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of "Women with Cool Jobs"!! To celebrate this milestone, Julie asked the award-winning filmmaker and musician, Jillian Speece, to cohost this episode with her. ( She also helped Julie co-host her 50th episode.)

To celebrate this occasion, you can also join Julie for the first in-person, live event on Saturday, October 7th, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 noon in Scottsdale, Arizona. The amazing Dr. Nika Gueci, who is the Executive Director of ASU’s Center for Mindfulness, Compassion & Resilience, is our special guest. You can find the details here:

https://womenwithcooljobs.eventbrite.com

Jillian Speece is a woman with heart and vision, and Julie is so glad to call her a friend. Jillian is one part of a duo with partner Nathaniel Paul Hoff in a band called "The Bergamot." Together, they created an incredible film called “State of the Unity” -- an 8 year journey that meant traveling to all 50 states and inviting thousands of people to write their messages of unity on the Unity car. (Julie met them while they were in Phoenix in 2016, and she got to sign the car.)

State of the Unity was selected and screened at 36 prestigious film festivals worldwide and garnered 20 awards, including the Grand Jury and Best Documentary Feature awards at the Las Cruces International Film Festival in New Mexico (2023).

In this episode, we talk about:

what it takes to go from an idea, a whisper, or an inner knowing to starting a journey where you don't know exactly where the path will take you or how it will look at the end
what is needed to get through those in between moments when following your dreams
what it's like to be an independent creator and some of the lifestyle implications and sacrifices it takes
the unexpected joys and miracles along the way
how to approach a moment where you will be reaching new heights and have new experiences; your rocket ship is about to launch

You can support Jillian by purchasing “State of the Unity” starting October 6th on Apple TV, Amazon prime, and many other video-on-demand services.

Contact Info:
Jillian Speece
"State of the Unity" on Apple TV
thebergamot.com
@jillianspeece (Instagram)
@thebergamot (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

What does it take to build a franchise with nearly 2,000 class locations, 1,850 instructors, and over 250 franchise owners across the United States?

Lisa Druxman built a fitness empire that meets moms where they’re at, literally in their neighborhoods and physically to create health and wellness! She is the Founder and CEO of FIT4MOM, which is the largest fitness program for moms in the United States. Plus, she's a noted speaker, author, and podcaster.

She initially created Stroller Strides in response to wanting to use her time during maternity leave in a way that would allow her to be with her brand new baby while also being active and healthy. She ended up sharing what she was doing with her community in a short TV segment, and the rest is history.

We talk about:

What is it like to build the business while having young children?
What are some of the details and nuances of building a franchise?
What's the difference between being a franchisee and an entrepreneur building your own business?
What are some specific techniques she uses to manage her time and mindset?
How do you decide what ideas to pursue?
How to lessen the learning curve for yourself and others

I absolutely LOVE being the host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs", where I interview women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. It has been such a blessing to share stories of incredible, inspiring women since I started in 2020.

If you have benefitted from this work, or simply appreciate that I do it, please consider buying me a $5 coffee. ☕️

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/julieberman

Thank you so much for supporting me -- whether by sharing an episode with a friend, attending a LIVE WWCJ event in Phoenix, connecting with me on Instagram @womencooljobs or LinkedIn, sending me a note on my website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com), or by buying me a coffee! It all means so much. <3

How do people make decisions? Is it based on facts, logic, emotions, or other factors?

Jen Clinehens, a behavioral marketer, helps organizations large and small better understandthe psychology and science behind customer decisions and opinions.

Jen has worked with brands like AT&T, McDonald's, Adidas, and Starbucks and is the Founder and Managing Director of Choice Hacking, a customer experience (CX) agency.

Whether it's understanding why a customer is buying one brand's product over their own or why the customer is putting less product in their cart than before, Jen helps individuals and organizations dive deep into the brains of their customers. She uses a combination of behavioral science, AI, & psychology to increase customer growth and engagement.

We talk about her career path starting at age 16 as a classical violist to how watching "Mad Men" allowed her to consider a career that involved creativity and business. She also shares how running her own business since 2020 takes her back to entrepreneurial roots where she wears many hats.

You can find her podcast "Choice Hacking", newsletter, blogs and more by going to her website.

Contact Info:
Jen Clinehens - Guest
jen@choicehacking.com (email)
ChoiceHacking.com

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Wishing you had your own cool job??

Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

Get Sparked!
Understand yourself better and learn what feels exciting and fulfilling for you.

Not sure where to start?

Julie can help you figure out what lights you up and fulfills you, so you can do a cool job, too!

Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie Berman is a Sparkologist in addition to being the Podcast Host & Producer of "Women with Cool Jobs".

It's back to school for kids and parents! It's a time of renewal, change, and getting back into a groove.

If you're a mom whose child has gone back to school and you're wondering about your next steps and if it's time to find full-time work, it's essential to know about “returnships”. Returnships are an on-ramp for caregivers to get back into the workforce and find a full-time job.

In this replay, Tami Forman, the former Executive Director of Path Forward shares her mission to bring talent back into the workforce and to identify future talent through returnships.

Returnships are like the cousin of internships. For internships, you're a young adult who is in or who has just graduated from college. For returnships, you're an adult who already worked for at least 5 years, took time off to care for a child or an adult, and you're now wanting to return to the workforce.

As of the time of original recording, Path Forward had worked with more than 80 employers, including Amazon, Netflix, Walmart, Apple, Verizon, and more.

We discuss topics such as:

What's a returnship?
Who's a good fit for a returnship?
How does the process work?
How do you get one?

Tami also discuss her career path and what it's like to be a visionary and a nonprofit executive who wears many hats.

Resources

50 Ways to Get a Job , a book by Dev Aujla
Path Forward

Contact Info:
Tami Forman - Guest
Tami Forman's LinkedIn Profile

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Wishing you had your own cool job??

Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

Get Sparked!
Understand yourself better and learn what feels exciting and fulfilling for you.

Not sure where to start?

Julie can help you figure out what lights you up and fulfills you, so you can do a cool job, too!

Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie Berman is a Sparkologist in addition to being the Podcast Host & Producer of "Women with Cool Jobs".

If there’s someone you want to connect with, whether for podcasting, networking, or to make a new friend, there are some easy steps you can follow to initiate the connection.

In this episode, I share my process and tips that I've learned over the past 3+ years for how I've been able to connect with some of the coolest people. From the beginning, I have had a really great success rate for people responding to me.

You'll get insight on how to write an email or direct message (DM) that shows:

You are authentically interested in who they are and what they’re bringing into the world.
You’ve made it easy to connect by providing some different options with a scheduling link or where they can share their availability.
You’ve been specific about why you are reaching out.
You're very respectful and understand that we all live very busy lives.
You always try to give people the benefit of the doubt! (This helps you be optimistic for the future response of "Yes!")

Wishing you had your own cool job??

Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

Get Sparked!
Understand yourself better and learn what feels exciting and fulfilling for you.

Not sure where to start?

Julie can help you figure out what lights you up and fulfills you, so you can do a cool job, too!

Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie Berman is a Sparkologist in addition to being the Podcast Host & Producer of "Women with Cool Jobs".

Dr. Nika Gueci is the inaugural Executive Director of ASU’s Center for Mindfulness, Compassion & Resilience where the mission is “to change the world into a more compassionate and inclusive place by creating a mindful, welcoming culture of caring and belonging."

Learn about how Nika found a job that lights her up, where she can be authentically herself, and that enables her to be a leader who is nurturing, supportive, and collaborative.

Hear how her career path includes several very diverse and different degrees, a restart and redirect, plus a super supportive friend who saw her potential. (We all need those cheerleaders in our lives!)

Nika explains what it means to be mindful and that mindfulness is a skillset; it is not related to religion and is a research-based practice.

Mindfulness offers a set of tools that you can use to enhance your everyday well-being.
It benefits your life as an individual, as a leader, as part of a community, and more.

She shares some awesome, actionable tips for adding more mindfulness to your every-day life and ways to change your habits or coping skills through being present in the moment.

In addition to being the Executive Director, she is also a Senior Fellow at ASU's Learning Enterprise that offers personal development opportunities for lifelong learners.

Resources

Arizona State University’s Center for Mindfulness, Compassion and Resilience (“Center”)
Inside Higher Ed
The Chronicle of Higher Education

Contact Info:
Nika Gueci - Guest
Nika@asu.edu (email)
Nika Gueci (LinkedIn)
Nika Gueci's website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Wishing you had your own cool job??

Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

Get Sparked!
Understand yourself better and learn what feels exciting and fulfilling for you.

Not sure where to start?

Julie can help you figure out what lights you up and fulfills you, so you can do a cool job, too!

Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie Berman is a Sparkologist in addition to being the Podcast Host & Producer of "Women with Cool Jobs".

What if you could leverage the WISDOM OF YOUR FUTURE SELF to guide your present choices? What would your older self say to your "young" self?

It's my birthday, and I'm reflecting! I'm going to be 39 this year, and it dawned on me that this is the last year of my 30s... a decade in which I've been growing a family, a podcast, a business.

It's the end of an era. What's the next phase going to be like?

What if you could USE YOUR OWN WISDOM from your future wise, experienced older self (cuz let’s not say “old”!) to help you make decisions about:

What do you want in your future?
What risks do you want to take?
Who do you want to connect with and surround yourself with?

I share a story about my awesome grandma, her “young” friends, and my birthday thoughts. I talk about how I’m thinking about this next phase of life as I head towards my 40s! I talk about the power we have now -- in the present moment (when we’re actually LIVING LIFE) -- to make intentional choices that will lead to a life filled with more joy, fulfillment, and purpose.

Wishing you had your own cool job??

Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

Get Sparked!
Understand yourself better and learn what feels exciting and fulfilling for you.

Not sure where to start?

Julie can help you figure out what lights you up and fulfills you, so you can do a cool job, too!

Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie Berman is a Sparkologist in addition to being the Podcast Host & Producer of "Women with Cool Jobs".

Are you considering a new career, but you're not sure how to figure out what to look for or what's next? Julie shares how to get more clarity on what you love and what you want for your career and life.

Better navigate career changes by understanding what lights you up and fulfills you, and on the flip side, what drains and stifles you. Not sure how? Start by taking the free Sparketype assessment at sparketype.com

Did you know Julie is a Certified Sparketype Advisor (aka SPARKologist!!)?

In this episode Julie shares how discovering Sparketypes not only lead to so many ah-ha moments and clarity in her own life, it lead to wanting to create a business to help people understand what lights you up and how to add more of it to work and life.

She also shares an awareness exercise and some questions to ask yourself to gain clarity.

We all deserve to have our own cool job!

Resources

www.sparketype.com

Wishing you had your own cool job??

Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

Get Sparked!
Understand yourself better and learn what feels exciting and fulfilling for you.

Not sure where to start?

Julie can help you figure out what lights you up and fulfills you, so you can do a cool job, too!

Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie Berman is a Sparkologist in addition to being the Podcast Host & Producer of "Women with Cool Jobs".

Lindsay Cordova, a site manager at UPS Integrad, is responsible for the overall operation of the McKinney, TX, facility that trains both new and experienced truck drivers who deliver and pick up UPS packages. The overarching goal of the training is to keep drivers and communities safe.

From overseeing the overall operations and logistics at the facility, to cultivating strong relationships with peers and colleagues, to rapping about safety, get a glimpse of what it's like to have a leadership role in a male-dominated industry.

Lindsay has been with the company for 20 years and has held a variety of positions, including: driver, supervisor, and trainer.

The McKinney, TX, site is one of 11 Integrad sites across the United States where they incorporate cutting-edge tools (like simulators and virtual reality) and techniques (to accommodate different learning styles) to train individuals.

We also explore Lindsay's passion for training, how she earned her undergrad degree in counseling, and how she balances her work and family life as a mom of three.

Wishing you had your own cool job??

Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

Get Sparked!
Understand yourself better and learn what feels exciting and fulfilling for you.

Not sure where to start?

Julie can help you figure out what lights you up and fulfills you, so you can do a cool job, too!

Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie Berman is a Sparkologist in addition to being the Podcast Host & Producer of "Women with Cool Jobs".

Karen Graci is a story editor working on an animated TV show at Disney Television Animation. As the story editor, she's the head of the writing department where she oversees the writers’ room, plus she works with the showrunners. In addition to editing, Karen also is actively writing.

People often think of "grammar, punctuation, and spelling" when it comes to being an editor, but Karen gets to use her editing skills in such a creative, fun environment.

Karen is currently working on an animated comedy-adventure series called "Hailey's On It!" that is out in June 2023 and that she got hired to begin in early 2021. This show is about Hailey, a risk-averse but resourceful teenager, who must finish her long list of challenging (and sometimes impractical) tasks to save the world.

She works with incredibly talented and skilled people, such as the showrunners, other writers, animators, and voice actors. One awesome part of her job is that she gets to sit in on the live reads and recordings, meaning that she's there when Auli'i Cravalho (who was Moana!!) voices the main character, Hailey, and Manny Jacinto (who was incredible in The Good Place) voices Scott, the main male character and Hailey's best friend.

Karen took an untraditional path to her cool job, including majoring in international relations and touring with Chicago's famed Second City National Touring Company as a professional improviser.

Contact Info:
Karen Graci - Guest
@thatgirlKarenGraci (Instagram)
Hailey's On It - Official Trailer (YouTube)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Wishing you had your own cool job??

Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

Get Sparked!
Understand yourself better and learn what feels exciting and fulfilling for you.

Not sure where to start?

Julie can help you figure out what lights you up and fulfills you, so you can do a cool job, too!

Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie Berman is a Sparkologist in addition to being the Podcast Host & Producer of "Women with Cool Jobs".

Aastha Gaur is the Director of User Experience at Google. She leads the experience design team that transforms customer engagement with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Her team has 120 people who design what solutions should look like and how they should act; Google's largest business is advertisers.

Aastha says that you don’t need a tech degree to be a successful female leader in tech. She says, "So many women, especially those who might not have a STEM background think they can’t work with technical men and engineers. And that’s simply not true! We can do it. They need us.”

Aastha has a bachelor's degree in industrial design and a master's degree in fine arts (graphic design). She is from India and did her undergrad there and did her grad degree in the United States. She believes in having a “healthy disregard for the impossible” and shares how that mindset can lead to more possibilities.

She talks about what it's like to be a woman of color, from a different country, with a fine arts degree working in the tech industry and loving it! She brings diverse perspectives and strengths to her leadership role, where she works with designers, researchers, conversation designers, UX engineers, and more.

Contact Info:
Aastha Gaur - Guest
@asthahearts (Instagram)
Aastha Gaur (LinkedIn)
Aastha Gaur's website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

Get some insight into what feels exciting and fulfilling for you now by learning your Sparketype and see if the results resonate for you! If you're not sure what's next or how to apply it specifically to your life, Julie can help!

Want to work with Julie? Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie Berman is a Sparkologist in addition to being the Podcast Host & Producer of "Women with Cool Jobs".

Anna Petchell is a woman with not just one, but many cool jobs, including as a Sport Outside Broadcast Camera Operator & Super Yatch Crew Career Coach. The steps she has taken were often seldom paved by women in fields traditionally done by men.

As a Freelance Sport Outside Broadcast Camera Operator, she films the big outside sports events, such as football, rugby, tennis, Formula One, lacrosse, hockey, and cricket. She especially loves women's football (a.k.a soccer here in the U.S.)

She also was an officer on a superyacht, where girls often are not captains, engineers or officers. Now she helps yacht crew discover their inner compass so they can leave the industry and be successful and confident in finding a new career afterwards.

Anna shares what she does in both the broadcast and yatching fields. She enlightens us with some coaching insights such as “If you know who you are, then you can navigate through life.” And she provides us with some incredible networking and connection tips for how to find opportunities and connect with people in an authentic, purposeful way.

This podcast is sponsored by:

Get SPARKED!!
Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

If you want to add more of what sparks you and fulfills you into your life or work, Get SPARKED with Julie!!

Get started by learning your Sparketype (it’s free) get insight into what sparks you! Got your Sparketype results, but you're not sure what's next or how to apply it to your life? Did you know Julie is a Sparkologist in addition to being a Podcast Host & Producer? Work with Julie!! Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can take action right away to add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie is a Certified Sparketype Advisor and the host/producer of the ...

Emily Soloby is on a mission to advocate for and support women — physically with her safety boot company, Juno Jones, and in general — by normalizing the idea of women in nontraditional fields. From a high schooler known for her boots to now creating her own footwear company, Emily's varied career path has always included helping women.

She’s the co-owner of AAA School of Trucking, a trade school, and also the host of the Hazard Girls Podcast and Face Book community that helps move the conversation forward on women’s issues in hazardous and male-populated industries. While growing a small truck and heavy equipment safety training firm into a national business with her husband, she noticed that there was no women's safety boots, especially ones that she'd actually want to wear. In 2020, the Kickstarter campaign for Juno Jones was fully funded in only 29 hours, and she began her mission to pair safety with style.

Emily has a BA in Women's Studies and worked as a domestic violence victim advocate while in school. During law school she served as Legal Intern at the National Organization for Women in DC, which solidified her passion for advocacy work. Following law school, Emily worked as a trial attorney with Legal Aid, helping women and children in family law and domestic violence cases. She went on to receive her master’s degree in Broadcasting and is now using those skills as a podcaster and storyteller. In all of her current and past roles and jobs, the consistent part has always been advocating for women.

Contact Info:
Emily Soloby - Guest
@emilysoloby (Instagram)
Emily Soloby (LinkedIn)
Juno Jones website

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

This podcast is sponsored by:

Get SPARKED!!
Not sure what you want to be when you grow up?
In a time of transition or reinvention?
Are you so busy that you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile?

If you want to add more of what sparks you and fulfills you into your life or work, Get SPARKED with Julie!!

Get started by learning your Sparketype (it’s free) get insight into what sparks you! Got your Sparketype results, but you're not sure what's next or how to apply it to your life? Did you know Julie is a Sparkologist in addition to being a Podcast Host & Producer? Work with Julie!! Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can take action right away to add more of what sparks you to life and work.

Julie is a Certified Sparketype Advisor and the host/producer of the ...

Alisha Fernandez Miranda is an expert and leader in corporate philanthropy and social impact (a former CEO and current chair of a consultancy) who helps large companies and organizations spend their money well and in a way that aligns with their mission and goals. On the flip side, she helps nonprofits successfully raise more money so they can further their mission and make a greater impact in the world. Alisha’s also the author of My What If Year, an epic adventure during the pandemic of 4 different internship experiences while managing life as a mom, wife, and chief executive!

In 2019, Alisha had checked her life boxes of a Harvard degree, a successful career, a beautiful family, and a nice home. Yet as she approached her 40th birthday, she was questioning whether things felt right. Was she happy? The result was Alicia temporarily stepping away from her job as CEO and doing 4 internships that took her to Broadway, a retro fitness brand, the London art scene, and a Scottish luxury hotel.

In this episode, we talk about:

What it was like growing her business, career, and family and having the courage to take a break and make space for something new? What's it like to go from being CEO to being a beginner again?
What is "corporate philanthropy" and "social impact"? What does a consultant do in this field? Why is it a dream job for many people?
How can you take your own “What If?” moments? How can you explor some ways to bring joy into your life?

Alisha helped found I.G. Advisors, an award-winning consultancy that works with organizations and individuals and specializes in philanthropy, corporate impact, and fundraising advice. I.G.'s clients include many incredible organizations, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Oxfam, Adobe, DLA Piper, The Old Vic, UN Women, Primark and many others.

Alisha is a Cuban-American, born and raised in Miami, who has spent her adult life in New York and London. She is currently based in Scotland with her twins and husband.

Resources:

iRelaunch

This podcast is sponsored by:

Get SPARKED!!
Does one of these feel like you?

You're not sure what you want to be when you grow up.
You're in a time of transition or reinvention.
You’re so busy and you’ve put yourself on the backburner for awhile.

If so, are you looking to add more of what sparks you and fulfills you into your life or at work? If yes, it's time to Get SPARKED!!

The more you align what you do with your deeper impulses, you’re more likely to feel that your work: energizes and excites you, drops you into flow, and lets you fully express your potential and show up as your best self.

Get started by learning your Sparketype (it’s free) to find out what sparks you! Got your Sparketype results, but you're not sure what's next or how to apply it to your life? Did you know Julie is a Sparkologist in addition to being a Podcast Host & Producer? Work with Julie!! Schedule HERE to do a free, quick debrief to see how you can take action right away to add more of what sparks you to life and work.

...

Karen Santucci is a veteran court reporter who is now the Director of the Court Reporting Program at Plaza College in Forest Hills, New York. Court reporters play an essential and required role in judicial proceedings, plus they do captioning work when requested in relation to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.) It’s a cool way to get into the courtroom without being a lawyer or judge, or it allows you to learn about all sorts of things while doing captioning!

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Court reporters have a critical role in legal proceedings, which require an exact record of what occurred. These workers are responsible for producing a complete, accurate, and secure transcript of depositions, trials, and other legal proceedings." In regards to captioning work, this is closed captioning on televisions, and also with college students, business meetings, or anyone that requests to have a court reporter to take down the meeting, lesson, or event on the steno machine.

Karen Santucci began her court reporting career right after high school. After graduating Stenotype Institute in Manhattan , she started working at the Queens County Grand Jury where she eventually became the Assistant Supervisor of the Grand Jury Reporters. After many years, she left to raise her 3 children. In 2001, she returned to the field as a court reporting instructor and realized her true calling was teaching and encouraging people to enter this great profession. Now, she's helping the next generation of court reporters through her role as an educator.

We discuss how diverse and flexible this career path is (so it's awesome for moms looking for jobs with flexible schedules) and how they need more people now. Demand is high, and people just don't know about this job and how many opportunities there are in the courts, classrooms, or even at the Grammy's!

Resources

National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)
Plaza College -- School of Court Reporting

Contact Info:
Karen Santucci - Guest
ksantucci@plazacollege.edu

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Ayse Birsel is one of the world’s leading industrial designers. She's designed everything from kitchen gadgets, to toilets, office furniture, concept cars, and so much more. (You’ve probably held or sat on something she has designed for Miller Knoll, Target, TOTO, Toyota, or IKEA, among many others.) She's earned awesome nicknames: Queen of Toilets, Queen Bee (for offices), and Design Evangelista. Plus, she's an author and her most recent book is called Design the Long Life You Love: A Step-by-Step Guide to Love, Purpose, Well-Being, and Friendship. Her most recent book teaches us use industrial design principles -- optimism, empathy, collaboration, open-mindedness, and holistic thinking -- so we can purposefully design a long, wonderful life based on the insights she learned after 1 year of research and collaboration with older adults on the pioneering frontiers of long life.

We talk about:

What is an industrial designer?
Why she loves design
Her design-thinking process called Deconstruction: Reconstruction (DE:RE)
The role of play and optimism, plus bringing new solutions to old problems
How to design a long life you love
How to learn about and explore a career in industrial design

Among Ayse's many accomplishments and accolades, she is one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People In Business and Interior Design Magazine recognized her as the Best Of Year Product Designer of 2020. Her work can be found in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

Contact Info:
Ayse Birsel - Guest
aysebirsel.com
@designthelifeyoulove (Instagram)
Ayse Birsel (LinkedIn)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Pilar Flynn is a co-executive producer/showrunner at the Walt Disney Company where she's producing the animated TV series “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” which is based on Marvel's hit comic books.

Pilar is involved in both the business side and the creative side of producing, which is rare. She's a Latina and mom of 2 girls that grew up in Chile and Ecuador. She dreamt of working in the entertainment industry and wanted to be a storyteller. Now, Mickey Mouse is her boss!

She began her animation career at DreamWorks where she co-produced the award-winning short, "First Flight," and worked on the production of films such as "The Road to El Dorado," "Sinbad," "Spirit," "Madagascar" and "Flushed Away." Pilar then went on to serve as associate producer of the animated feature film "Astroboy." She also co-produced the groundbreaking R-rated animated feature "Sausage Party" starring Seth Rogen.

Pilar is a true leader that values her team and their contributions. She leads with kindness, creativity, and vulnerability. As a result, people trust her and also feel empowered to be creative, solve problems, and take risks. She's also a huge champion of creating more opportunities for diversity and inclusion on show teams and in storylines.

Her most recent project is “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” which is all about a super-smart, Black teenage superhero who roller skates and saves the day with her 10-ton dinosaur that loves hot dogs. It's out in February 2023. The characters and cast are diverse. The creative style and music are fun, colorful, and unique. Moon Girl says, “One girl can make a difference.” Pilar is one woman making a difference, too!

Resources:

Women in Animation
LatinX in Animation (LXIA)
Black 'N Animated
Asians in Animation (aka AnimAsians)
The Animation Guild

Contact Info:
Pilar Flynn - Guest
@pilar.flynn (Instagram)
Pilar Flynn (LinkedIn)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Do you feel like you did all the "right" things? You checked all the boxes. Maybe you got that degree. You have the experience. You got married. Or you had 2.5 kids. But despite all these "right" moves, does something still feel like it's missing, not aligned, or just plain wrong?

Julie shares her story of how she thought she was going the "right" direction, a big lesson learned, and 3 questions to ask yourself so you can figure out the best next "right" turn for you in 2023.

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Understanding your ability vs. your capacity can empower you to live a sparked life. You're living now with your current abilities that are based off everything you've done and the person you've been up to this point. Your capacity is what you are capable of doing and who you are capable of being in the future. Your capacity is infinite, which means you have the power to explore who you’re meant to be, what you’re meant to be doing, and how you're going to serve the world in your own special way.

Julie learned this incredible concept from life coach and brilliant entrepreneur, Brooke Castillo, while attending her live event in Phoenix, AZ. She felt so connected to this message and how empowering it is, because the women who have been guests on this podcast have demonstrated that they have this beautiful infinite capacity--just like you, just like her, just like every single human being on this planet-- for what is possible for us in the future.

You can take small, tiny steps and those small, tiny steps add up to something big. They put you on a completely new path that maybe you never even could dream up for yourself, because you are a person who has infinite capacity.

Julie challenges you to act. Write down what is one small, tiny step that you can take to fulfill something that leads you to your future capacity. What can you do? What is that new action? Are you up for her challenge to discover what you are capable of?

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

This episode includes Julie's best tips and tricks for how to start or join a conversation--whether you need them for holiday gatherings or networking events. The tips Julie shares are actionable and can be used right away in a variety of settings and under many circumstances.

It can be intimidating to walk into a room in a new setting, especially if you know no one or where you don't really know more than maybe 1 or 2 people. How do you connect with someone, especially when you've got all these feelings of anxiety or worry? What do you talk about? We all have preconceived thoughts about who we're speaking to and what they've accomplished. Sometimes, those things are true. Sometimes, those things are not true.

Listen in for Julie's #1 super special tip. She also shares ideas for what to talk about, how to join a group of people you don't know, and how to best ensure that the people you talk with leave the conversation feeling like it was awesome and so worth their time!

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Kristyn Plancarte is a marine biologist and animal behavior expert with more than a decade of experience. She has worked with marine mammals like sea otters, sea lions, walruses, false killer wales, African penguins, and beluga whales. She ensures their health and welfare; trains them to perform specific actions like doing eye drops, giving a blood sample, or spraying the audience with water; and educates in person and on social media.

Kristyn shares all about how she helps the animals, funny stories and experiences she's had with the animals, the process for training them, how you can get into the field, and why she is so passionate about her marine mammal friends. We also chat about her unexpected foray into the social media world and how she uses multiple platforms (TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram) to educate, engage, and inspire people to care about the animals in our ocean. She became a content creator during the pandemic so she could share what she and her colleagues do and see at the aquarium, because so many facilities and resources were closed. Along with her community, she has raised almost $50,000 for conservation!

Contact Info:
Kristyn Plancarte - Guest
www.kpassionate.com
@KP_assionate (Instagram)
KPassionate (YouTube)
@k_passionate (TikTok)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Rebecca Ryan is a noted top 50 professional futurist, economist, best-selling author and entrepreneur. She helps organizations consider multiple plausible futures, not just one!She tracks trends and figures out what the future is likely going to be and how we could be ready for the future.

Many organizations create future-facing plans that are actually based on the past. Strategic foresight helps focus on what's coming. Looking a generation ahead, she outlines strategies in urban planning, economic development, and workforce development to ensure communities are well equipped for future trends and challenges.

She is the founder of NEXT Generation Consulting through which she partners with private and public sector leaders across the country, such as Chambers of Commerce, economic development agencies, and a handful of do-gooder companies. Together with each organization, they anticipate and imagine brighter futures by going through specific steps and drilling down to what is actionable today to create those desired futures.

In this episode, we talk about:

her process with clients
tips for how we can be futurists in our own lives
the history of futurists — they were in White House and Congress until 1981
how to pursue a career as a futurist
free resources for how you can learn about being a futurist and applying futurist principles

Rebecca is a graduate of Drake University with a certificate in Strategic Foresight from University of Houston. She is on the Executive Committee of the global Association of Professional Futurists.

Contact Info:
Rebecca Ryan - Guest
https://rebeccaryan.com/
Rebecca Ryan, APF (LinkedIn)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

If someone would've shared that there was an opportunity to be part of a podcast interviewing women who had unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers -- I wouldn't have applied. I literally didn't even know what a podcast was, nor did I know how to listen to one.

Fast forward, and I not only started that podcast, I've been doing it and releasing an episode every other Wednesday, for 2 years nonstop. Why? Because it's fun, sparks me, and I get to have conversations with the smartest, feistiest, most epic women ever! Thank goodness I listened to that whisper. What have you missed out on because you gave yourself a "no" instead of letting yourself just see what happens and giving yourself a "yes"?

We often feel like we have to have 100% of the skills and experience to succeed at something. We discount ourselves-- our formal and informal education, our experiences and skills, the challenges we've overcome, our ability to learn, and our internal drive and motivation when we find something we love and that sparks us.

This episode is all about giving ourselves more credit and following what sparks you, knowing that you can do it if you adopt a learner's mindset. Please help me celebrate my 2-year podversary by leaving a 5-star rating and writing a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Consider it a gift to the host, Julie!

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
Julie Berman (LinkedIn)

Michele Galloway is the Automotive Fleet Manager at UPS (United Parcel Service) for the entire state of Utah. She runs the department that maintains and fixes all the UPS vehicles for the state. She’s breaking ground for women in the automotive field, as she is the only female UPS Automotive Manager in the Western half of the United States. (Note: It's not because UPS doesn’t hire women, but because most women don’t see themselves in this type of work.)

The Utah hub is considered the cross-roads to the West, and under her management, her team ensures that the best vehicles are transporting packages to other states. Here are a few things we discuss:

She runs a 24-hours-a-day operation. (Automotive is always there and needed.)

She manages 54 employees and over 1200 vehicles every day.
She does maintenance and repairs.
She forecasts staffing and inventory needs.
She ensures employees have proper training and oversight.

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Heather Maio-Smith is a visionary who had this beautiful goal of letting the children and adults of tomorrow be able to interact with and learn from those who came before them. She is the Chief Visionary Officer, Co-Founder, and President of StoryFile, which uses incredible video technology combined with artificial intelligence to support a 2- way conversation. Instead of traditional one-way video, where you are just the listener, Heather helped bring technology to life that allows for video to respond and talk back! It mimics having a real conversation, because you can have an interactive conversation about an individual’s experience.

Heather thought of this idea, which turned into StoryFile, in 2010 when Siri didn't exist and right when Skype arrived on the scene. Technology had to catch up with her vision.

About the Company: StoryFile is revolutionizing the way we connect with each other by introducing conversational video with audio visual technology. Through the click of a button, StoryFile magically turns video into a conversation. This next generation of technology uses artificial intelligence to support video conversations on any device. It's the biggest audio-visual evolution since video was first created.

Contact Info:
Heather Maio-Smith - Guest
Heather's LinkedIn Profile
@storyfile (Instagram)
www.storyfile.com

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Kids love to try new personas and experiment with how it makes them feel. First, she’ll try on a lab coat and pretend to be a vet helping sick animals. Five minutes later, she’ll change into a tutu and dance and wiggle around the room. There’s a permission here in this process to try on how different scenarios, skills, and characteristics make us feel. We can ask:

Do we enjoy it and does it make us feel alive?
Do we get bored with it really quickly?
Can we imagine ourselves going through the actions of that particular person and that role?

Dress up and experimenting without a fear of "Am I going to look silly?" Or "Am I going to fail and fall on my face?" is natural to kids. We forget to do it as adults. Yet, this type of experimentation is just as important and applicable now as it was when we were little.

So, now that you’ve learned how to interview women you admire with cool jobs and figured out what sparks you, the next step is to experiment and try new things. There are several ways you can do this:

Matching game:

You figured out specifically what lights you up, makes you feel energized, and makes time fly by. You have the hard data about you to make really great, informed decisions that you can use to shape your present and your future. Now, take a look at some women who you admire and their cool jobs. Whether you found her because you listened to a Women with Cool Jobs podcast, you talked to her yourself (go you!), or you have heard about her as an industry leader, you can write down some of the main parts of her job and see if those align or have commonalities with what sparks you! You’re going to look at the specifics and consider:

who she works with and in what environment,
what are her responsibilities,
what tools and resources and tech does she use,
does she have a lot of authority to make decisions?
does she work in the office or at home?
does she travel?

All of these factors matter, not just what’s in the job description. Thinking beyond the job description will help you find a job that sparks you!

Events:

Going to in-person and virtual events, conferences, and workshops are amazing ways to explore new paths and meet new people. You could learn about details, characteristics, nuances, and other insights that you can’t learn from a textbook or job description. These events also lead to deeper connections with possible future colleagues, inspirational women, besties, and mentors.

Here's a quick tutorial (& tips) for how to get clear on what sparks you and lights you up!

Not sure what kind of cool job you want, but you know what you're doing now isn't cutting it? Like it totally doesn’t feel aligned? Or you're bored and need more of something, you just don't know what that something is or how to figure it out?

Maybe you're asking yourself tough questions like…

What do I want to do with my life?
What is it that’s actually gonna make me excited about my life?

You want to feel like your work and life…

is meaningful
that it gives you a sense of purpose
energizes and excites you
allows you to drop into flow
and let’s you fully express your potential and show up as your best self

FIRST --> Trust your inner compass !

Next, you can start by looking at 3 areas of your life and diving into the details:

Present:
- Discovery: 7 Days of Awareness activity. What do you do now on the daily that energizes you and also drains you. What are you spending your time on?
Past:
- How's Your Cup? What fills up your cup and makes you feel alive and inspired, and alternatively, what are the things that take effort and drain your cup?
  - Consider:
    - Work, relationships, leisure & life, education
Future:
- History Reduces Mystery: Look to the past to help create the future.

Explore how you can interview women with cool jobs, too! Here's a quick tutorial (& tips) for how to interview women in your own life who have cool jobs.

Get curious
- Ponder what sparks you -- what makes time fly by, what makes you feel like you're living your purpose, what would you do for free if you could? Consider taking the free Sparketype test (www.sparketype.com) to learn more about what Sparks you!
Go down a rabbit hole
- Do research and follow your heart on what sounds interesting. Then, keep going.
Compliment and Connect
- Once you find someone, it's time to connect. You're reaching out because you admire her and her super cool job!
Show You Care by Prepping
- Organize your thoughts and write specific topics or specific questions based on what you want to learn. Come prepared!
Relax and Chat
- Grab a drink, something to take notes with, and be yourself.
Follow up with a Thank You!
- Let her know you were invested in the conversation and appreciate her generosity in spending time with you.

In this 50th episode of "Women with Cool Jobs" podcast, host Julie Berman and special guest cohost Jillian Speece chat about how you can turn your dreams into reality. We discuss how to find and tap into your vision and dreams, what to do when you figure out what they are, and how to get started taking action. Learn from these creators at different stages of the creative journey.

Jillian Speece is an award-winning American musician, filmmaker and entrepreneur. She is half of The Bergamot, an indie-folk-rock band with her husband Nathaniel Hoff. They've been been featured in People, USA Today, and Parade Magazine. She's been a professional musician for 12 years, and this year they finished their first documentary “State of the Unity”. They traveled in one vehicle to all 50 states and had people across the country sign the car in an act of unity. It is a film about spreading love and finding common ground through the power of art. "State of the Unity" took 6 1/2 years to make and was Jillian's first directorial debut. The film has gone on to win several prestigious awards and accolades, from Sedona to Paris. Currently, Jillian and her husband are on a cross-country tour and will release a new album "Far Out" in Fall 2022.

Julie Berman is the host of the "Women with Cool Jobs" podcast. She has been podcasting for 2 years and is also a Certified Sparketype Advisor helping you find the sparks that light you up at work and in life. She is an experienced teacher and facilitator with experience in adult education and higher education.

Contact Info:
Jillian Speece
thebergamot.com
@jillianspeece (Instagram)
@thebergamot (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Dr. Jennie Bever is a lactation consultant, also known as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), that supports mothers who currently are or plan to nurse their babies. She works with moms and their sweet little munchkins to help them on their breastfeeding journey, which is something very primal and important, but also something that is not necessarily intuitive or easy!

Jennie’s first child was born while she was still in graduate school, and the challenges she experienced during her 4th trimester inspired her to become an IBCLC and start a clinical lactation practice, the Arizona Breastfeeding Center. In addition to her private practice, Jennie co-founded 4th Trimester Arizona, a nonprofit with a mission to change the culture of parenting so no one has to do it alone and the vision that all families are embraced by their communities in their transition to parenthood.

Jennie's job involves inquiry and investigation, interacting with awesome moms and adorable babies, providing suggestions and resources, and more. This career choice is great for people who are interested in clinical or healthcare-related fields, as well as people who love children, but don't necessarily want to work in childcare or education.

Resources

Arizona Breastfeeding Center
4th Trimester Arizona

Contact Info:
Jennie Bever
http://www.azbreastfeedingcenter.com/
Jennie's LinkedIn Profile

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Any woman who willingly jumps out of planes for the purpose of saving people, their homes, and livelihoods is a rockstar and an incredible example of what is possible. This episode totally deserved a rebroadcast!

Smokejumper, Madison Whittemore, jumps out of airplanes and walks towards danger to put out wildland fires across the United States. As a smokejumper, she is among an elite crew of highly skilled wildland firefighters. Along with her colleagues, she jumps out of an airplane in 100 lbs. of gear, parachutes down to the ground, and then heads towards the fire.

Madison is the epitome of a strong, driven, kick-ass woman who picked a highly competitive career choice. She was laser-focused and did everything possible to prepare herself physically, mentally, and nutritionally.

Smokejumping is a Western trade that started in the 1940s and has not changed much since then. There are around 400 smokejumpers employed in the United States.

Episode Resources:

Smokejumpers StoryMaps
U.S. Forest Service Smokejumpers

Contact Info:
Madison Whittemore
@madwhits (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Alexis Fraser, known as "Lipstick Lex," is an unconventional artist that uses lipstick and kisses to create gorgeous, vibrant, and unique art. She has taken a traditional creative medium and completely reinvented it. She does everything from celebrity portraits, to phrases, to blingy jean jackets and giant kisses. You'll find the kiss print throughout her artwork because it promotes love, self-love, beauty, personal empowerment, joy, and affection.

Lex started as an unconventional artist in 2012 and is now expanding beyond the canvas to apply her creativity to decor and apparel. She discusses what it is like to differentiate herself in a very saturated creative field and the realities of being an entrepreneur and a creative. She also shares very specific steps for how to get started in a creative arts career.

She has created thousands of works and has been featured on Nick Cannon, USA Today, Access Online, and other television and media outlets.

Contact Info:
Alexis Fraser
lipsticklex.com
@lipsticklexofficial (Instagram)
Alexis Fraser YouTube Channel

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Judaline is giant plumber powerhouse in a petite package. She is an incredible role model for all women in trades and in general, and this was a fantastic reason to rebroadcast this episode.

Judaline Cassidy is a New York City plumber, tradeswoman, activist, podcast host, motivational speaker, and the founder of the nonprofit Tools and Tiaras, Inc. She has been featured on the Drew Barrymore Show, as a CNN Champion for Change, on Mike Holmes "Holmes at Home", and more.

Judaline has worked on everything from new construction in 80- and 90-story buildings to now working as a City of New York employee in Public Housing benefitting people every day. She loves being a plumber and is a passionate advocate for breaking gender stereotypes in the trades. She says, "Jobs don't have genders." She founded Tools and Tiaras to teach girls ages 6-17 how to gain skills in the trades, such as electrical, carpentry, plumbing or even auto mechanics. She is a petite (at 4'11" and 7/8), yet mighty force breaking gender stereotypes in construction and is ushering in a new generation of women in Mechanical, Industrial, Technical, Trades ( MITT ).

Contact Info:
Judaline Cassidy
www.judaline.com
www.toolsandtiaras.org
@judaline6 (Instagram)

Julie - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Holly Hatam is a #1 New York Times Bestselling children's book illustrator that makes magic and helps an author's words come to life through mixed media illustrations. Holly creates whimsical, colorful worlds filled with diverse characters so that every single kid can see themselves represented in a book.

She is the #1 New York Times Bestselling illustrator of Dear Girl and Dear Boy. Her picture books have been translated into over 10 languages and sold over 1 million copies worldwide. While she is now able to choose what books she would love to do, her path here was not clear or easy. She didn't even know being an illustrator was an option she could pursue as a young woman and trained and worked as a graphic designer for many years.

We discuss many aspects of illustrating, including:

character design,
working with a publishing team,
timelines,
prep and approaches to illustrating,
tech and tools,
how her childhood influences her work
and how she includes glitter in every book!

Resources

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Contact Info:
Holly Hatam
hollyhatam.com
@hollyhatamillustrations (Instagram)
Holly's LinkedIn Profile

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Julie chose to rebroadcast this episode, because every woman should know about "returnships"!!! Whether you're a current mama, want to be one, or know one, returnships help moms (and caregivers) get back to work after taking time off.

As a nonprofit executive, Tami wears many hats and no day is like the next. Her goal is to bring talent back into the workforce and to identify future talent through "returnships." Her organization, Path Forward, has worked with more than 80 employers, including Amazon, Netflix, Walmart, Apple, Verizon, and more.

Returnships are like the cousin of internships. For internships, you're a young adult who is in or who has just graduated from college. For returnships, you're an adult who already worked for at least 5 years, took time off to care for a child or an adult, and you're now wanting to return to the workforce. Often, returnees are in their 40s, have an undergraduate degree (or more), and have 10 years of career experience. Returnees are highly educated, skilled, and talented individuals who can make incredible contributions.

Resources

50 Ways to Get a Job , a book by Dev Aujla

Contact Info:
Tami Forman
https://www.pathforward.org/
tami@pathforward.org

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Podcast host Julie Berman chats about birthing her new business and her new baby in 2022, plus why it's important to stop worrying about “IF” you can accomplish your goals and dreams and, instead, focus on “HOW” you can accomplish them.

Julie talks about becoming a Certified Sparketype Advisor and starting her new business where she'll be helping people 1:1 and doing team-building workshops and events. It turns out that helping you find what lights you up and how to incorporate more of that into future (paid and unpaid) opportunities is amazingly what lights her up, too! So, whether you’re not sure what you want to be or do when you grow up, or you’re looking to find something that energizes you and where you are living up to your full potential, she knows she can help.

Julie also shares that in addition to birthing a business in 2022, she is birthing a baby boy! She discusses her thoughts on becoming an entrepreneur and having a newborn basically all at once, plus how she is approaching this new phase of life. One important mindset shift that she has adopted is the change in perspective from “IF” to “HOW,” which allows you to come from a place of empowerment and confidence, versus a place of insecurity and doubt. If you believe 110% that you can achieve it, you know you can figure out the journey and the details involved in “HOW” you will achieve it.

This incredible perspective is one of the 4 attributes of high achievers, which she learned in Dr. Ruth Gotian’s book “The Success Factor”. (She was a previous guest in a bonus episode--it’s so worth checking out if you haven’t already.)

Resources:

Find out your Sparketype FREE here: https://sparketype.com/assessment/ !
Find Julie in the Certified Sparketype Advisor Directory here: https://sparketype.com/csa-directory/

Want help finding what lights you or your team up? DM Julie on Instagram @womencooljobs or contact her on her website (www.womenwithcooljobs.com)

Contact Info:
Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

After years of research and interviewing more than 100 high achieving individuals, Dr. Ruth Gotian realized that all high achievers share the same four attributes: intrinsic motivation, perseverance, a strong foundation, and constantly learning through informal means. The key to their success is that they do all four of these things at the same time. In her book The Success Factor, Dr. Ruth Gotian shares incredible insights and examples of the 4 attributes and how they show up for people like:

Dr. Tony Fauci NIH/NIAID Institute Director
Dr Mike Brown, Nobel prize winner
Dr Peggy Whitson, Former NASA Chief Astronaut
Maxine Clark, founder and former CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, and
Steve Kerr, eight time NBA Champion and head coach of the Golden State Warriors

Then, she teaches us how we can learn to be a high achievers, too. Being a high achiever is not some intrinsic skill you're either born with or you're not. You can learn how to be a high achiever!

Dr. Gotian's current job title is the Chief Learning Officer and Assistant Professor of Education in Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. She has a lot of experience in academia and is an expert in mentoring and leadership. She is also a regular contributor to Forbes and Psychology Today.

Her incredible experience and expertise in mentorship also led to insight on how you should be looking for a team of mentors, not just one perfect mentor. She shared important factors to consider when looking for mentors, how to be an awesome mentee, and how to approach someone you would love to have as a mentor.

Resources:

https://hbr.org/2020/08/how-do-you-find-a-decent-mentor-when-youre-stuck-at-home

Contact Info:Dr. Ruth Gotian - Guest
https://www.ruthgotian.com/
Dr. Ruth Gotian's LinkedIn Profile
@ruthgotian (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Burcu Karaca is a park designer who helps design water parks around the world. She develops a park’s theme and programming, creates master plans, designs park facilities and slide paths, implements safety standards, and analyzes the landscape and architectural elements. She creates the guest’s journey and experience at the water park, from the moment you drive into the parking lot through to the end when you leave happy, tan, and tired!

Burcu's two degrees (Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and Bachelor of Architecture ) and incredible experience have led her from her hometown of Istanbul, Turkey to France and now to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. She works with people around the world, including her colleagues at WhiteWater, which is based in Canada. Some of the projects she's worked on include Vinpearl Land Nha Trang in Vietnam, Beach Park in Brazil, and Waterworld in the UK.

One of Burcu's favorite parts of her job is getting to go to the places she's helped design and seeing adults and kids participate and enjoy all the park has to offer.

Resources:

Water Parks MENA (Middle East North Africa)
International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA)
Themed Entertainment Association
World Waterpark Assocation
World Waterpark Magazine
InPark Magazine

Contact Info:Burcu Karaca - Guest
Burcu's LinkedIn Profile

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Emily Crookston is a ghostwriter that helps busy experts write everything from books, to articles, blog posts, and LinkedIn content. She helps business thought leaders and experts transform complex ideas into easily digestible content so they can share their voices with the world.

The synergy between Emily (ghostwriter) and the originator (the author) is unique to them and the particular book they are writing together. After going through a 16-week process, the author comes away with a finished book. In addition to helping write books, her collaborative work has appeared in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Ellevate, Psychology Today, Rolling Stone, Inman, SmartBrief, and ThriveGlobal.

Before being a ghostwriter and ghostblogger, Emily was a philosophy professor at an American university. She decided it was time to leave academia and remembered liking marketing as a kid. A friend with a boutique marketing agency was looking for help, and she started helping her by ghostblogging! Six years later, she now has her own business as an entrepreneur and credits her PhD in philosophy as giving her the skills needed to ask important questions.

Contact Info:Emily Crookston - Guest
https://www.thepocketphd.com/ (website)
Emily's LinkedIn Profile

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Christine Michel Carter is a Director of Content Marketing and the #1 Global Voice for Working Moms. She is a candid, authentic, and powerful advocate for who and what women are and can accomplish in the workplace and at home.

Her experiences and education have led to:

Work in consumer marketing, particularly marketing goods and services to mothers
Publishing articles as a ForbesWomen Senior Contributor, and writing for TIME, Entrepreneur, Parents, and more
Working on the maternal initiatives of Vice President Kamala Harris
Receiving a Congressional Citation from the U.S. Senate for going “above and beyond in ensuring that Black Moms and Moms of Color have access to important health information for their children and families.”
Being a keynote speaker, author, angel investor, marketing strategist, and most importantly …
Being a single mom of 2 children.

We discuss Michelle’s job as a director of content marketing and community engagement and how this new step towards the C-Suite has shifted how she views her role. We talk about what it’s like to represent women and be an advocate for moms. We also discuss how is she is her whole, authentic self at work and at home— her work knows that she loves her kids, and her kids know that she loves her work.

Resources:

Mom Congress

Contact Info:Christine Michel Carter - Guest
https://christinemichelcarter.com/ (website)
Christine's LinkedIn Profile
@cmichelcarter (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Amanda Kurt is the Vice President and Project Manager at Kurk Inc., a concrete and excavation contracting business in Wisconsin. She manages teams of people, schedules materials and inspections, does permitting and drafting, and also works to integrate new tech into their business practices.

Amanda is part owner of the small business, which was originally started by her father. As a child, she went with her dad while he checked out job sites on the weekends. In high school, she started working at the company with what was then cutting-edge CAD technology.
Nowadays, she's using 3D grading and modeling technology!

While she never intended on working in this industry, she now loves helping build physical things, as well as building opportunities for her employees to grow within the company and being part of building the community she lives in. As a woman in a highly male-dominated field, and a mama of 2 young children, she is a strong believer that there is a place for all women in the concrete industry. There are possibilities for women to enter at any age in many environments, whether it involves the more physical aspects or what's required before anyone gets to the site.

Resources:

Associated Builders and Contractors
National Association of Women in Construction
Women in Residential Construction

Contact Info:Amanda Kurt - Guest
Kurk Inc. Website
@wiscontractor (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Jing Jin is a Design Leader (UX Design) who creates solutions for users at an online tech startup and education platform. As the design manager at Outschool, she helps imagine the design and functionality that creates the entire user's experience, from start to finish.

Jing began as the only one on the team and has seen the company through 10x growth. She now leads a design team of 6, which includes: product designers (UX designers), visual designers (UI designers), experience designers, and tech writers (UX writers.) Together, they ask, “What do users need?” and imagine the design and function of that solution. They collaborates with engineers to build it and make it work. Next, Jing and her team analyze the solution to see if the user’s experience actually matched the intended outcome. Then, they take those results and refine the user experience. It's an ongoing, iterative process.

Product designers have a huge variety of backgrounds and education -- from customer service to rocket scientist!

Jing's education is in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and she has been an engineer, designer, and product manager. She has had a wide depth and breadth of career opportunities. She started at Apple, helped 12 companies build successful products, created a multi-platform system that is used by 4,000+ schools, and now is helping over 1 million learners in 183 countries worldwide.

Resources:

AIGA (the professional association for design)
alistapart.com
IDEO

Boot Camps:

General Assembly
Design Lab

Contact Info:Jing Jin - Guest
LinkedIn

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Julie Berman, host and producer of "Women with Cool Jobs" reflects on her 1st full year of podcasting in 2021 and what she's learned: Doing things messy allows you to get things done!

When you start something new and expect high levels of perfection or performance, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Doing it messy leaves room for creativity, joy, and iterating. If you start something new expecting from the outset to do it imperfectly or be imperfect, and you get it done—that’s a huge win. It’s a win because you DID it. You did something new that you had a desire to do. And as a bonus, the more you do something, you get better, and it gets easier and faster.

Being human means it’s ok to be imperfect and to do things imperfectly. Giving yourself grace and space to learn and grow will help you pursue something new in the future— whether that’s changes at your current job, a new job, a new hobby, or anything else.

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Heidi Cronkright is one of a few women in the entire world who is a Data Scientist working in predictive analytics. Her work helps predict the future by combining historical data with:

statistical modeling,
data mining techniques,
and machine learning.

Overall, this process allows her to help companies use big data to identify risks and opportunities.

She specializes in econometrics and predictive statistics. There are only a small handful of companies in the world that do this, and it’s a highly male-dominated environment. Only about 10% are female. Heidi believes women bring a completely different and NEEDED perspective to this work, because women think differently and that's a great thing.

Interesting fact: Did you know that there are roughly 22,000 data points available on every household in America? This data is what allows Heidi to build models for clients to predict risks and opportunities.

If more women learned how to work at this level, consider what environments and applications this could lead to not only in the business sector, but also in government, nonprofits, and more.

Resources:

Lean In
Women in Data Science (WiDS)

Contact Info:
Heidi Cronkright
Contact Julie to get her information

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Deborah O'Connell is a retired air traffic controller who has over 18 years of experience working for both the military and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ensuring the safety of passengers, crew, pilots and everyone involved in the airspace system. As a result of working in different environments, Deborah is highly skilled in working with various types of planes and pilots in many situations.

Air traffic controllers are an elite group of highly trained professionals who help keep everyone safe in the air and on the ground in and around airspaces. Their job requires rigorous training and is an extremely competitive field to get into and is a demanding job to stay in. Deborah has incredible expertise with quick decision-making, the ability to focus, spatial and math skills, and problem solving. This job requires accuracy, planning, and leaves no room for error, because lives are at stake.

Resources

Listen to Live Air Traffic Control
FAA Description of Air Traffic Control Specialist
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (Air Traffic Controllers)

Contact Info:
Deborah O'Connell

Contact podcast host to connect with Deborah

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

With more than 10 years of corporate experience in the toy industry at companies like Toys R Us, Madame Alexander, and Party City, Azhelle Wade is now helping newbies get into the toy industry. During the pandemic, Azhelle left her VP role at a toy company and became an entrepreneur helping toy inventors and entrepreneurs through both her podcast “Making it In the Toy Industry”, consulting, and her online course “Toy Creators Academy.”

Azhelle explains how her degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology helped her get started in the industry. It was, however, her continuous desire to learn as much as possible about all the facets of the industry that led to her now being a thought leader in the field.

Azhelle explains the three different paths you can take to be part of the toy industry and what each involves: corporate career, entrepreneurship, and inventor. She also shares how you can join this industry at every stage, whether you are just starting your career or whether you have had a lot of work experience.

Resources

The Toy Coach
Fashion Institute of Technology
Otis College of Art and Design

Contact Info:
Azhelle Wade
Meet the Toy Coach
@thetoycoach (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

April Warnecke is a Broadcast Meteorologist and greenscreen magician for Channel 3TV’s “Good Morning! Arizona”. She won an Emmy during her 16-year span at GMA educating Arizonans on the state’s weather, including the crazy summer monsoon seasons with giant dust storms and flash floods and winters with snow.

April is such a seasoned professional that she makes it look and sound easy. However, she is not only responsible for what we see on television, but she is responsible for so much of what we do not see on TV. She combines being a broadcast journalism and media expert with being a scientist that analyzes and translates weather patterns and up-to-the minute news. She has to both be able to quickly ad-lib and pivot for some parts of her job, while also bringing a highly analytical skill set when it comes to the science behind the weather.

In addition to being a professional in these areas, she balances being a mother and incorporating family life into a schedule that includes early, early mornings.

Resources

National Weather Service
Climate Clubs at universities and colleges
Niche jobs for meteorology: PGA, MLB, event planning organizations

Contact Info:
April Warnecke
Channel 3TV AZ Family Website -- April's profile
@aprilwarnecke (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Brandei Estes, the Head of the Photographs Department for Sotheby's in London, has seen and sold some of the most famous and well-respected photographs in the world. As Director, she is responsible for authenticating artwork, curating shows, meeting sales goals, and more.

While paintings and sculptures have been sought after for centuries, photographs have only become a recognized art form that's desired and sold relatively recently (late 1970s, and early 1980s.) Brandei and her team analyze fine photographic art works based on: value, condition, provenance, current trends, recent sales and history, contextualizing the work, and also what emotional connection or reaction a buyer may have with the work.

Resources

Sotheby's Photographs
Art Net
The Photographers' Gallery (London)
Young patrons' groups

Contact Info:
Brandei Estes
Brandei's LinkedIn profile
@brandei_estes (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

"Women with Cool Jobs" has officially existed for 1 year, and host Julie Berman is thrilled to celebrate this milestone with you. Julie reflects back on the last year, what it means to have interviewed so many incredible women, and what she has learned.

She even includes a bit of history about Rosie the Riveter to show where we've come from and to give some insight about where we can be heading into 2021 and beyond. How can you reshape the images in your own mind of what's possible for women through listening to women doing these incredible, cool jobs right now?

Be sure to check out some exciting new ways to get involved with the mission of "Women with Cool Jobs" (aka WWCJ):

Join the WWCJ community. DM Julie @womencooljobs or go to her website and message her letting her know you want to join the new community. It's starting small to make it something extra special and geared towards just what you want.
Sign up for the WWCJ newsletter to get updates and extra insight in how the podcast is created and the awesome guests.
Buy WWCJ merchandise on the website.
Pay attention to Instagram this week to participate in the giveaways!

Resources

Norman Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter
1. https://normanrockwellsculpturereflections.com/sculpture/rosie-the-riveter/
2. https://www.nrm.org/rosie-the-riveter/
3. https://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/norman-rockwell-rosie-the-riveter/
4. https://www.nps.gov/rori/learn/photosmultimedia/park-films.htm
Women Don't Apply For Jobs Unless 100% qualified
- https://www.google.com/amp/s/hbr.org/amp/2014/08/why-women-dont-apply-for-jobs-unless-theyre-100-qualified

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Julie Friedman went from building sensory kits across the couches, hallways, and living areas in her home to having her own factory in China producing kit pieces and leasing an 18,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Houston, TX, to keep up with demand. Mompreneur and creative force, Julie Friedman, is the mom of 4 behind creating this sensory play empire filled with adorable, colorful sensory kits and activities for kids.

What started out as a way to help her daughter improve her language development and relieve anxiety has turned into a thriving business that engages kids through play using multiple senses. She's 4 years in, and has seen incredible, year after year growth. Examples of themes include: pizza parlor kit, unicorn kit, construction kit, firefighter kit, ballerina kit, zoo kit, and baking kit.

Contact Info:
Julie Friedman
@youngwildandfriedman (Instagram)
Young, Wild & Friedman

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

The Creative Dementia Collective provides person-centered dementia care in a whole new, creative way. The Collective is made up of 3 Millennial ladies with a variety of background and expertise when it comes to helping individuals who have dementia, care givers, and their community. Their services include: Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Dementia Education, Self Care for caregivers, Community Events, and Legacy Work.

Erin Staadecker, Jael Weinberg, and Kaylee Allen are helping people see and care for the person, not just react to the disease, with a variety of innovative options and solutions. They come from a passionate stance of serving

Resources

Creative Dementia Collective website
Teepa Snow's Positive Approach to Care (Dementia Industry Expert)
Dementia Friends USA
Certification Board for Music Therapists
American Art Therapy Association
Televeda

Contact Info:
Creative Dementia Collective
@creativedementiacollective (Instagram)
creativedementiacollective.com

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Tasia Valenza is an Emmy nominated on-screen actor and an Emmy-winning voiceover actor who is one of the TOP female voiceover artists in the United States. Earlier in her career, she was on All My Children, had appearances on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Cheers, and The A-Team. After more than 10 years as an on-screen actress, she then shifted to voiceover acting and never looked back.

You may have heard Tasia's voice in commercials, narrations, promotions, and animation—especially as iconic female characters in video games and animated TV shows. Examples include voicing the seductress Poison Ivy in the Batman Arkham Knight series and Jedi ShaakTi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. She's also worked for companies like: Coke, Cheerios, Best Buy, Chase Bank, KFC, and Hallmark. Plus, if you're a long-time soap opera fan, you may have heard her as the female voice of SoapNet.

Tasia now coaches both voiceover actors and non-actors who are interested in learning how to "Give Great Voice" by using the remarkable power of tone plus intention to move, touch, and impact.

Resources

TasiaValenza.com
Tasia's TEDx Talk on Give Great Voice
VO Buzz Weekly Tasia Valenza Interview, Pt. 1
VO Buzz Weekly Tasia Valenza Interview, Pt. 2
Jessica's Affirmations
Clubhouse App

Contact Info:
Tasia Valenza
@tasiavalenza (Instagram)
Tasia Valenza on LinkedIn

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

How can informational interviews help you find a cool job? An informational interview is an informal chat (like a chat over coffee) that you can have with someone who has a really cool job. This is one of the best, (basically) FREE methods to find out the nitty-gritty details of a job that interests you from a woman who is doing it right now. Find out if you'll love it or if it's actually not for you at all!

In this bonus episode, you'll learn:

What are informational interviews?
What questions do you ask?
Who do you contact?
How do you conduct informational interviews?
How long should it be?
Should it be in person, virtual, or does it even matter?
How should I follow up if I do love her job?

It works for literally every career. Plus, the woman you interview will be excited that you're excited about her cool job!

Contact Info:
Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Shera Walker is a master electrician and a handywoman who is breaking down stereotypes and creating a life that balances work, family, and fun. She has done both commercial and residential work as an electrician and now has her own handywoman business called “Mizz-Fix-It” based in Gainesville, FL.

Shera apprenticed in high school under a master electrician after winning a statewide wiring competition, and went on to get her master electrician license in Georgia in 2001. She learned the trade while working with industry veterans, many times on incredibly old houses that could be over 100 years old with original wiring.

Later, Shera moved to the Dominican Republic for 6 years to do missionary work and was also asked to participate in some construction projects. While there, she learned many different construction skills and was able to put them to use when she came back to the United States. In 2020, Shera started her handywoman business “Mizz-Fix-It” and also started to renovate tiny homes.

Contact Info:
Shera Walker
@mizz.fix.it

Shera's YouTube Channel: SheezElectric

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Amy Elliott is an Additive Manufacturing Scientist (aka 3D Printing Scientist) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory where she researches 3D printing as an energy-efficient manufacturing method.These aren't your hobbyist 3D printers. These are hundreds of thousands, if not million, dollar machines that create metals, ceramics, and very large plastics.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is THE epicenter of 3D-printing research in the United States. It is the largest U.S. Department of Energy science and energy laboratory in the country.

Amy is both a scientist and an engineer conducting research in the areas of inkjet-based metal and ceramic 3D printing, and she holds several patents.

Resources

If/Then Initiative
Amy's YouTube video
Definition of Additive Manufacturing
Example of Binder Jetting: Amy Works with This Machine

Contact Info:
Amy Elliott
@amytheengineer

Oak Ridge National Laboratory -- Amy's Bio
If/Then Collection: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Ambassador -- Amy's Bio
IMDB -- Amy's Bio

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

As the Chief Community Officer at Commsor, Alex Angel is a community-management expert for online environments. She manages a community of community managers. Accordingly, she helps define best practices and guidelines for her entire industry along with industry colleagues (who are part of her community.)

Alex previously worked at Reddit and Nike, and did community management consulting.

Community managers ensure community health for private, online communities established by a business or a brand. Responsibilities include: transformation, amplification, engagement, and retention.

The community management field is growing and there is a lot of opportunity. Many community managers got into the industry by chance or because they were already managing other communities unpaid and learned it could be a career.

It may be a good fit if you're a generalist that is good with transition, has strong written and verbal communication skills, enjoys planning and strategizing, is tech-savvy, and you have strong personal boundaries and analytical skills.

Resources

Community Club
The Community Roundtable

Contact Info:
Alex Angel
Alex on LinkedIn

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Myria Perez is a Fossil Preparator (aka paleontologist) at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, Texas. She reconstructs the Earth’s history by carefully unearthing each new fossil and then puts these prehistoric dinosaur puzzle pieces back together.

Myria fell in love with dinosaurs as a little girl and started volunteering at 12 years old. She has worked with and been mentored by some of the most well-renowned pioneers of paleontology, including Robert T. Bakker and Dr. Kay Behrensmeyer. Notably, she cleaned fossils and created content for an exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

There is a lot of variation with her job. She uses all sorts of tools as a fossil preparator, including: a hand saw, toothbrush, and an air scribe. She has even used a porcupine quill! She works in a lab environment, which takes some intense focus. She teaches and collaborates with volunteers at the museum. Plus, she gets to go out on digs to look for fossils in the field.

Resources

IfThenExhibit.org - Myria's bio
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
The Association for Materials and Methods in Paleontology
Dallas Paleontological Society

Contact Info:
Myria Perez
@paleontologica
Myria's YouTube channel

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Excavator, Dozer, Loader, Grader, Rock truck. What's it like to be a heavy equipment operator sitting in the cab of a giant machine where the tires are as big as you?

Sam Inskip is a Heavy Equipment Operator in rural Yukon, Canada (which is super far north, next to Alaska.) She has operated more than 10 types of equipment in many different environments: in civil work, gold mining, large earth-moving remediation, and care and maintenance for roads, snow removal, small buildings and more.

Sam spent a year at university studying business and psychology before finding her love for equipment. She didn’t grow up around equipment and didn’t realize it was an option. She was hooked the first time she sat in a cab at 19.

Resources

@WomenOperatorsWorldwide on Instagram
ITA Heavy Equipment Operator (Program)

Contact Info:
Sam Inskip
@simplyysams

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

As luck (or fate) would have it, Julie Berman created her own cool job by starting the "Women with Cool Jobs" podcast in Oct. 2020. After a thought kept coming back to her about how cool it would be to learn more about inspirational women with cool jobs, she decided to create a podcast. She had never listened to a podcast and didn't even know where the podcast app icon was on her iPhone.

Fast forward more than a year later, and Julie’s whole way of thinking had shifted because of what she had learned and experienced. Her thought process became more expansive after spending so much time thinking about the possibilities and learning from incredible, diverse guests.

Julie, the host and producer, interviews women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. You’ll hear from incredible women in a wide variety of fields, and hopefully some that you've never heard of before. Her goal is to inspire and empower women to do things and be things they never considered or knew were possible by highlighting the incredible careers women have right now.

Here are a few takeaways:

The truths you tell yourself are not always true.
Naming the emotions related to a specific fear can actually help you better understand why you are scared.
A laser-beam focus on your goal (aligning every area of your life like exercise, mental health, supportive relationships, career experience/education, and support system) will best enable you to reach your goal quicker and with more success.
Having a possibilities-oriented mindset will allow you to start with one career goal in mind and then pivot if you discover a new option that lights you up.

Contact Info:
Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Tami Forman is the Executive Director of Path Forward, a nonprofit organization that creates mid-career returnships to help caregivers return to full-time work. "Returnships" provide an on-ramp for individuals (often women) who are ready to return to full-time work after taking a break to care for loved ones. Whether it’s been 5 years or 15 years, getting back into the workforce after being a caregiver is challenging.

As a nonprofit executive, Tami wears many hats and no day is like the next. Her goal is to bring talent back into the workforce and to identify future talent. Path Forward has worked with more than 80 employers, including Amazon, Netflix, Walmart, Apple, Verizon, and more.

Returnships are like the cousin of internships. For internships, you're a young adult who is in or who has just graduated from college. For returnships, you're an adult who already worked for at least 5 years, took time off to care for a child or an adult, and you're now wanting to return to the workforce. Often, returnees are in their 40s, have an undergraduate degree (or more), and have 10 years of career experience. Returnees are highly educated, skilled, and talented individuals who can make incredible contributions.

Resources

50 Ways to Get a Job , a book by Dev Aujla

Contact Info:
Tami Forman
https://www.pathforward.org/
tami@pathforward.org

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Erin Hernandez-Reisner's start in the photography world was unexpected-- she thought she'd be an actress. Instead, her ex-husband's dad handed her a camera to support him going to law school. From the beginning, her natural skill combined with her deep understanding of the beauty and imperfections of life are what make her an incredibly talented and sought-after artist.

Erin creates museum-quality art by capturing meaningful moments in someone’s life--whether it's weddings, senior portraits, or even exploring physical and emotion trauma. Erin is the co-owner of Photos Edge with her husband since 2007. She has been published over 200 times in publications such as Professional Photographer Magazine, Rangefinder, and The Knot. Her images have been on the covers of over 30 magazines and books.

She also discusses what it is like to be Autistic, the adaptations she has made (like discovering the glory of shopping at luxury stores!), and how she uses her sensory skills to create the photographic outcome she wants.

Trigger warning: Erin bravely shares childhood trauma during the interview and how that affected her. Please be aware in case this may trigger something for you.

Resources

Professional Photographers of America
Clubhouse - Find the photography groups

Contact Info:
Erin Hernandez-Reisner
https://photosedge.com/
@erinhernandezreisner (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Latin American mompreneur Marjorie Spitalnik created award-winning plush dolls after realizing that her daughter's textbooks didn't feature enough female role models for kids to look up to, and she wanted to change that. As a result, Little Rebels includes a line of interactive, plush dolls that educate kids about iconic women such as Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, Malala Yousafzai, and Mary Jackson.These dolls connect to an app and provide educational videos, trivia, coloring activities, and ebooks.

Marjorie has always loved to play, yet she never imagined she would be an entrepreneur in the toy industry. She went from running a marketing and PR company to creating two different plush toy companies. Despite no previous experience in the industry, she has earned some major accolades for Little Rebels, including:

Finalist for the Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards 2021 (competing against Baby Yoda)
Winner 2020 Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (TAGIES) awards (the Emmy's of the toy industry)

Resources

Women in Toys
Good Toy Coach
Mojo Nation
The Toy Fair

Contact Info:
Marjorie Spitalnik
https://wearelittlerebels.com/
@mjspitalnik (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Carly Leisk is a cheesemonger, a merchant who specializes in cheese. As Carly points out, most delicious foods have one thing in common: cheese! Pizza, mac n' cheese, grilled cheese, fondue, nachos... Its ability to be transformed from a comfort food, to a simple meal, to a decadent experience is magical.

Carly shares that while she went to NYC to become an actress, she ended up realizing that she really loved everything about cheese and wanted to have her own place one day. She now owns a cute shop with her husband in Brighton, Michigan, called Culture Beer and Cheese. They pair craft beers with fine cheese, and they offer: crepes, charcuterie plates, jams, gelato, and more. It's like a slice of heaven on Earth. (Get that cheesy joke?! "Slice" of heaven...Insert cheesy smile here.)

Episode Resources:

American Cheese Society
American Cheese Society Professional Certifications
The Cheese School of San Francisco

Contact Info:
Carly Leisk
www.culturebeerandcheese.com
@culturebeerandcheese (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Smokejumper, Madison Whittemore, jumps out of airplanes and walks towards danger to put out wildland fires across the United States. As a smokejumper, she is among an elite crew of highly skilled wildland firefighters. Along with her colleagues, she jumps out of an airplane in 100 lbs. of gear, parachutes down to the ground, and then heads towards the fire.

Madison is the epitome of a strong, driven, kick-ass woman who picked a highly competitive career choice. She was laser-focused and did everything possible to prepare herself physically, mentally, and nutritionally.

Smokejumping is a Western trade that started in the 1940s and has not changed much since then. There are around 400 smokejumpers employed in the United States.

Episode Resources:

Smokejumpers StoryMaps
U.S. Forest Service Smokejumpers

Contact Info:
Madison Whittemore
@madwhits (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Cassandra Bankson is a skinfluencer, medical aesthetician, and entrepreneur with more than 10 years of experience as a skincare expert. She runs a YouTube channel where her content, skincare advice, and acne story inspire over 10 million viewers every month. She also has a social media following of more than 2 million people online.

Cassandra is a pro at explaining incredibly complex concepts, terms and processes in an easily digestible and understandable manner. She is also an incredibly smart entrepreneur and charismatic business woman with a multi-pronged business model.

She considers herself a positive influencer and encourages people to embrace beauty from the inside out. She posts educational and entertaining YouTube videos online, such as:

Reacting to celebrity routines,
‘Before and after’ Instagram posts (that show how pictures are filtered and Photoshopped),
Q&A’s with other dermatologists and experts, and
Skincare ingredient deep dives to help people choose the best products for their skin.

Contact Info:
Cassandra Bankson
https://www.youtube.com/cassandrabankson
@cassandrabankson (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Nan Ponting had an exceptional career in the field of clinical laboratory medicine and is now retired. She started as a Medical Technologist working in a hospital clinical laboratory and ended her career as the Associate Vice President of Program Management (reporting to the Chief Scientific Officer) of one of the two largest clinical laboratories in the United States.

Over her 40-year career, she held the titles of:

Medical Technologist
Biochemical Genetics Department Manager for a genetics specialty lab
Genetics Laboratory Site Manager
VP Laboratory Operations
Associate Vice President of Program Management

Her career path was the result of 4 things: education, work ethic, ambition, and support from her family.

Lori Erickson is the Vice President of Casting at CBS Studios where she oversees the casting process for shows across several broadcast and streaming platforms. She currently oversees SWAT, MacGyver, NCIS, NCIS: LA, The Equalizer and Unicorn on CBS, Diary of a Future President on Disney+, and The Moodys on FOX. Plus, she is also working on some pilots.

Her responsibilities include:

scouting for talent,
hiring casting directors (each show has its own),
guiding the process of securing top tier talent on time and on budget,
and ensuring that the many stakeholders in the projects have their needs met.

She also created and launched a program called the CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge, a nonprofit-focused short film competition that empowers early-career storytellers to step into creative leadership positions.

Contact Info:

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Rosie Chhun, an LA-based calligrapher and owner of Wander Crafter, has collaborated with luxury brands (such as Jay-Z, Netflix, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom’s) in addition to small organizations and individuals. After truly defining her niche in 2020 ( engraving luxury perfume bottles and high-end lipsticks), she plans to make this her full-time career in 2021.

Rosie first turned to calligraphy and engraving to get through pharmacy school (even making beautiful notecards with calligraphy to practice drug names.) She started Wander Crafter with her sister to pay off six-figure debt after graduating and becoming a pharmacist in a retail environment. Rosie has more than 10 years experience in pharmacy-related roles and has loved it, but the more experience she gained creating memories through calligraphy and engraving, the more she realized that this is her true passion. While being a pharmacist and calligrapher may sound like polar opposites on the career spectrum, Rosie's past skills and experiences are what contribute to her becoming a skilled and talented calligrapher.

Contact Info:
Rosie Chhun
https://wandercrafter.com/
@wandercrafter (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Compilation Inspiration--Amazing past guests share tips, insights, and experiences on how to:

Grow your confidence,
Own your awesomeness,
Embrace imperfection, and
Accept that not having ALL the answers is ok.

My 2021 challenges for you:
You are NOT an imposter!!! Imposters are purposely deceitful. That is not you. Challenge 1: Please stop using the term "imposter syndrome" to describe yourself. That is the opposite of you. We often forget that when we start something new, whatever the age or stage of life, that we need to give ourselves grace and space to learn and grow. You cannot master something at the beginning. Instead, consider there are likely areas of your life where you can grow your confidence over time, with practice and determination. Challenge 2: Take a small action each day to grow your confidence-- it is a SKILL you can learn.

The quotes you heard in this episode are from the following 4 episodes:

Growing Your Confidence Through Daily Action with Carol Sankar, Founder of The Confidence Factor for Women
NYC Plumber and "Tools & Tiaras" Nonprofit Founder Breaking Stereotypes and Empowering Tradeswomen with Judaline Cassidy
Nonprofit Pioneer in Farm to Early Childcare and Education with Tiana Kamen, Farm to Keiki: Cooking, Gardening and Nutrition with Children
Craft Chocolate Educator Guiding Tasting and Pairing Experiences with Jessica Henderson of Chocolate Monkey

Contact Info:
Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Gelie Akhenblit started growing communities before it was cool and is an expert at teaching small business owners and solopreneurs how to build authentic relationships that lead to trust and, ultimately, to business growth. She founded Networking Phoenix, the largest networking community in Phoenix, AZ, which has over 40,000 members.

While she started out by growing a community through in-person events in her 20s, she has created a technology company while serving her community. Gelie came to the United States at 8 years old and was a political refugee from the former Soviet Union. Her grit and tenacity are a testament to her past experiences learning to survive and thrive in a new country and to her current accomplishments as a trailblazer who refuses to be mediocre.

Contact Info:
Gelie Akhenblit
https://www.networkingphoenix.com/
https://www.gelie.com/
@gelie25 (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Jessica Henderson, the owner of Chocolate Monkey, is a craft chocolate educator with a passion for helping people understand the difference between the chocolate you buy at the local grocery store versus fine, carefully-made craft chocolate. In addition to the very enjoyable part of tasting craft chocolates, Jessica enjoys sharing information on the entire process of how chocolate bars are created, including: from plants, to harvest, to production, and more. As part of her business, she pairs chocolates with wine and has also done pairings with beer and even kombucha!

Current research supports that while chocolate has existed for 5500 years as drinking chocolate, chocolate bars were created in the 1800s, and the craft chocolate industry is only about 20 years old. Jessica's vast knowledge of the craft chocolate world will most certainly shift how you think about chocolate and may even change what you decide to purchase and taste!

Contact Info:
Jessica Henderson
https://drjessicahenderson.com/chocolatemonkey
https://www.facebook.com/Chocolate-Monkey-171005672991802
@chocolatemonkeync (Instagram)

Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Judaline Cassidy is a New York City plumber, tradeswoman, activist, podcast host, motivational speaker, and the founder of the nonprofit Tools and Tiaras, Inc. She has been featured on the Drew Barrymore Show, as a CNN Champion for Change, on Mike Holmes "Holmes at Home", and more.

Judaline has worked on everything from new construction in 80- and 90-story buildings to now working as a City of New York employee in Public Housing benefitting people every day. She loves being a plumber and is a passionate advocate for breaking gender stereotypes in the trades. She says, "Jobs don't have genders." She founded Tools and Tiaras to teach girls ages 6-17 how to gain skills in the trades, such as electrical, carpentry, plumbing or even auto mechanics. She is a petite (at 4'11" and 7/8), yet mighty force breaking gender stereotypes in construction and is ushering in a new generation of women in Mechanical, Industrial, Technical, Trades ( MITT ).

Contact Info:
Judaline Cassidy
www.judaline.com
www.toolsandtiaras.org
@judaline6 (Instagram)

Julie - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Lina Bearat designs freeways, analyzes crash data to implement safety improvements, coordinates traffic signals to get you from A to B faster--in sum, she's a transportation rock star. Lina is a transportation engineer and project manager for a large engineering consulting firm where she loves to mentor other women to help them reach career goals.

She started at the firm right after undergrad and has progressively been promoted. She is involved in all aspects of project management: from marketing to winning the project, executing contracts with clients, managing budget financials, managing project schedules, managing production of work on the projects, communicating with clients, and all while still working on design and technical details.

Contact Info:
Lina Bearat
@linabearat (Instagram)

Julie - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Carol Sankar is the founder of The Confidence Factor for Women. Carol shares actionable techniques every woman can use to increase her confidence and become more successful. She went from being the shyest girl in the room to being able to speak in front of audiences of 20,000 people as the keynote. She has been featured on the TODAY Show, Steve Harvey, TEDx, and has been featured in Forbes, Essence, Inc. Magazine, and more.

Carol Sankar is passionate about helping women attain higher leadership roles. She shares how she learned to use her voice, even in fear. Living through that process lead her to be the confident women she is today, and she shares all her advice so that you can become more confident at work and in your everyday life.

Contact Information
Carol Sankar:
www.carolsankar.com
www.theconfidencefactorforwomen.com
@CarolSankar (Instagram)

Julie - Host:
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Tiana Kamen created the nonprofit Farm to Keiki, which offers preschool curriculum along with a gorgeous book to teach young children in Hawaii the joys of nature, growing food, and eating healthy. She was an early pioneer in Hawaii and was recognized by Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative for her leadership in the Farm to Early Childcare and Education movement.

Her passion for ensuring healthy kids by creating healthy food preferences early on has resulted in turning a side project into a full-time career. In 2019 alone, she trained over 500 preschool teachers around the state of Hawaii. Through her hard work, children all over the state experience the delight of watching small seeds turn to big plants, which are incorporated into nutritional, sensory, historical, and cooking lessons.

Contact Info:
Tiana Kamen
www.farmtokeiki.org
tiana@farmtokeiki.org
@farmtokeiki (Instagram)

Julie - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Marita Cheng is a robot-building entreprenuer and a passionate advocate for women in technology. We discover how each step of her journey has led to her current company, Aubot, which creates telepresence robots. Marita is an Australian woman who started dreaming big as a tech entrepreneur at the age of 18 and wanted to build robots. She was inducted as the youngest Member of the Order of Australia and was listed by Forbes as one of the World's Top 50 Women in Tech in 2018, just to name a few of her accomplishments and accolades.

Marita is the founder and CEO of several tech companies and also started Robogals at the age of 19. Robogals, which teaches robotics and engineering through robotics workshops, has impacted over 100,000 girls in 11 countries.

Marita shares her story and experience, which has taken her from a small town in Northern Australia, to Melbourne, then to the United Kingdom, and now to the United States.

Contact Info:
Marita Cheng
www.Maritacheng.com
hello@maritacheng.com
@marita_cheng (Instagram)

Host-Julie
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

Welcome to "Women with Cool Jobs"! I'm your host, Julie, and together we're going to explore what we don't know we don't know. We're going to learn from rock-star women with unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. We'll discuss where she is today, how she got here, and actionable steps you can take if you want to go on a similar path or one that's all your own.

Before we get to the interviews, though, I want to share about me and the reason behind why I created this podcast: Let's not box ourselves in based on what we know or old beliefs. Let's learn from the collective voices of amazing women and see what is possible!
Whether you're just entering the job market, or you're a seasoned pro, I hope this podcast enlightens, educates, and inspires you to dream big and to remember to give yourself grace and space to learn and grow...no matter your age or where you are in life.

Host-Julie
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

I'm Julie, and welcome to "Women with Cool Jobs." Each episode will feature women with unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. We'll talk about how she got here, what life is like now, and actionable steps that you can take to go on a similar path or one that's all your own. This podcast is about empowering you to dream big and to be inspired. You'll hear from incredible women in a wide variety of fields, and hopefully some that you've never heard of before: women who built robots and roadways, firefighters, C-suite professionals surrounded by men, social-media mavens, entrepreneurs, and more.

Host-Julie
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)