The She Built It Podcast with Melanie & Dr. Michele: Recent Episodes
Dr. Michele Cooley-Strickland and Melanie Barr
We know you are busy and at the same time want to make significant progress - we hear you! During your drive, workout, or morning coffee, invite us into your car, gym, home, or office for about 20 minutes a week to share career success stories - the challenges and wins - from us and our incredible guests. We share growth and progress tips to help you leap higher, further, and faster. When we see a successful woman, especially one with personal fulfillment and joy, we want to know how she did it. We take you behind the scenes of growth and progress to fuel your next leap - big or small.
“I want parents to feel empowered. I want them to feel appreciated and know that they're not alone. I learned that from my dad at a very young age. So helping people and being of service, it's quite natural and it feels good to me,” says Pamela K. Daves, Esq. She is a special education lawyer who focuses on improving the lives of children with disabilities. Over the years, Pamela has successfully represented several hundred families. Her record on cases heard before an Administrative Law Judge is undefeated.
Pamela has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley and graduated cum laude from the Howard University School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctorate Degree. She’s been practicing law for more than 25 years. In 2004, Pamela joined ADAMS ESQ, a special education law firm that represents children with learning challenges. Pamela was the Managing Attorney for the LA office, then 15 years ago started her own law practice and continued representing parents of children with exceptional needs in an effort to provide high quality legal representation to underserved communities. Before leaping into special education law, Pamela was a Litigation Associate with two distinguished law firms: Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler LLP in New York City, and Arnold & Porter, Kaye, Scholer in Los Angeles. Then she took a much needed break. Pamela shares her journey to an extremely fulfilling career, beginning in childhood and the motivations that guided her choices. Join us for this inspirational and personal episode.
“I ended up specializing in insurance law because I met a mentor who was doing insurance work, took an interest in my career, and helped me not just learn insurance, but share a passion about insurance law. I started to really enjoy it. And the more I got into it, the more I realized that it's a niche that a lot of people don't know about.”
Angela Elbert is Partner & Chair of the Insurance Policyholder Practice Group at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP. She counsels corporate policyholders on complex risk management and insurance issues and develops custom strategies to maximize recovery when claims arise. She has helped clients recover hundreds of millions of dollars of insurance through negotiation, mediation and, when necessary, litigation. Angela has considerable experience managing commercial litigation before state and federal courts and arbitration panels.
“As I've gotten older, I've gotten better at figuring out what I know and what I don't know. I hired a business coach. That was a stroke of genius -- if I do say so myself -- because I don't know how to run a business,” says Allison Kawa, PsyD. Dr. Kawa is a licensed clinical psychologist -- turned mompreneur -- who founded her first private practice in 2010. She opened the Los Angeles Center for Integrated Assessment in 2018, and -- in response to the changing field, will be launching a new practice...soon!
Dr. Kawa shares a lot about being a working single mother, how she took career chances, and how she learned to become a very successful business owner... especially coming from a discipline where how to launch and operate a business was not taught in school. In the second half of our interview, listen to Dr. Kawa to learn the “can do’s” for professionals who want to run a business too.
“I've been running a business for ten years and ...they don't teach you how to run a business in psychology school,” says Allison Kawa, PsyD, yet she’s successfully founded and owned more than one. In this episode, Dr. Kawa shares how she’s become a businesswoman and psychologist.
Dr. Allison Kawa is a licensed clinical psychologist who is the Founder, Owner, and Clinical Director of the Los Angeles Center for Integrated Assessment. The LA-CIA is a boutique psychology practice that comprehensively conducts developmental, neurobiological, educational, and psychological evaluations of children, teens, and emerging adults. Their approach sets them apart from traditional neuropsychological and psychoeducational assessment practices, providing an individual road map to help their clients have fulfilling academic and vocational success.
Dr. Kawa founded her first private practice in 2010, opened the LA-CIA in 2018, and -- in response to the changing field, will be launching a new practice...soon! Dr. Kawa shares a lot about being a working single mother, how she took career chances, and how she learned to become a very successful business owner... especially coming from a discipline where how to launch and operate a business was not taught in school. Listen to Dr. Kawa’s episode to learn the “can do’s” for you too.
Jes Wolfe is the CEO of Rebel Girls, a girl-driven edutainment company on a mission to inspire and instill confidence in 50 million girls over the next 5 years. Rebel Girls has sold 5.5 million books, translated into 49 languages in 85 countries, and has 8+ million downloads of its award-winning podcast. Under her leadership, the Company is expanding its offerings to television, live theater, merchandise and digital.
Jes is an entrepreneur, an operator, an investor and an advisor. Prior to joining the Rebel Girls team, she was the Chief Operating Officer at Hoodline, a hyper-local media tech company, which grew to 30 employees before selling to NextDoor. Before her segue into the startup world, she worked for over a decade in a variety of strategy and finance roles at Morgan Stanley, the Boston Consulting Group, the International Finance Corporation, and private equity portfolio companies. She has done project work in 25+ countries and 5 continents, and has worked with a range of companies from startups to Fortune 500. Her experience spans M&A, Corporate Development, Business Development, Strategy, Sales Leadership, and Technology Development. While she has focused on the intersection of Media and Technology for the past 5 years, previously, she worked in the Healthcare, Financial Institution, and Industrial Goods industries.
Listen and be inspired to make change and support our next generation.
We’re saying goodbye to 2020 -- the year that will go down in infamy. It pushed the “pause” button on Life as we knew it, but also prompted us to discover new ways to adapt and become resilient. This brief episode helps you take the best of what was 2020 and use it to leap into a fulfilling, successful 2021. Melanie and Dr. Michele have new tips and guidance for you and are joined by former amazing guests -- Cabbane Howard, Erin Germain, Dr. Jacqueline Schaffer, Amy Lloyd, Dr. Deborah Beidel, Thomasenia Duncan, Dr. Shahrzad Fattahi, and Renata Simril -- who will inspire you to begin your best year yet.
We’re grateful for you and for all of our listeners around the world. To show our gratitude, we’ve put together a special tips episode from our incredible guests - Kristen Agee, Lisa Walker Brown, Robyn Young, Dawn Strickland, Mauri Konell, Angela Daves Haley, Dr. Annie Chiu, and Leslie Spencer. We hope you and your loved ones are healthy, and safe, and that this episode lifts your spirits and inspires you. Happy Holidays.
“I'm just going to relax into what the flow is right now of our world and our country and find other things that I love,” says Valerie Shumaker. She is the founder and CEO of Lux Custom Suit and Suit-D, two companies that design and custom-make power suits for women and men. Almost every woman wants to “suit up” and feel powerful, sexy and have a feminine edge.
Originally coming from the entertainment industry as a make-up artist before entering the clothing world, Valerie has an incredible eye for fashion, especially when it comes to flattering a woman's body and providing a sense of power.
Valerie first opened a women's boutique in Orange County, California. Several years later, she opened a formal wear shop where she learned men and women’s tailoring and the wedding industry. Valerie then ran a men's custom suit showroom. Last year -- after an abrupt change of circumstance -- Valerie changed adversity to advantage by creating her own women's suit line called Lux Custom Suit, and a men's line called Suit-D.
Truly understanding the needs and preferences of busy women, Valerie offers a mobile service where she and her staff come to clients homes and offices where they comfortably design every aspect of the personalized power suit, even down to the buttons and individual linings. And now thanks to Zoom, Valerie can offer fabulous custom-made suits globally via virtual consultation. Listen to how and why Valerie Shumaker made the leap to her own companies. It’ll inspire you to apply what you know to start doing what you love.
“Strategy without marketing is a white board of ideas that will never leave the room. Marketing without strategy is sound and fury signifying nothing and content without strategy is a jumble of pointless words languishing on your website.”
Meet Shanna Belott, Chief Content Officer at PreDiction a Nashville based content marketing firm for thought leaders. For more than a decade, Shanna has been ghostwriting SEO-savvy content for CEOs and other business leaders across multiple industries. She’s created more than a hundred widely-viewed guest posts for Forbes and HuffPost, ghostwritten articles for dozens of high-traffic digital and print publications, and generated reams of blogs, videos, eBooks, and other content for corporate websites and social channels.
Shanna says “True, and effective, content marketing is an ongoing and consistent conversation with your target audience where you are connecting and understanding what your audience needs and wants to hear, and how you can provide valuable information that's going to help them.” Listen and be inspired.
Dr. Beidel is the Director of UCF RESTORES, a clinical research center dedicated to trauma and PTSD. Besides being a dedicated mentor and professor, Dr. Beidel has received over $31 million in federal research funding. Her work currently focuses on developing effective treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for veterans, active duty personnel, first responders and survivors of mass shootings, using technology to enhance treatments. Dr. Beidel is the principal investigator of a study funded by the Joint Warfighters Advanced Development Group to treat PTSD in active duty military personnel – including intensive outpatient programs that treat PTSD in 2-3 weeks. She also has funding from the Department of Defense to develop a new virtual reality tool that helps clinicians more easily design VR scenarios to treat veterans, active duty personnel, first responders, and survivors of mass shootings with PTSD. Listen to this second half of our interview with Dr. Beidel. It will expand your sense of health, reality and direction.
“This is my heart. This is my passion. This is no longer just my job.” Deborah Beidel, Ph.D., ABPP is Trustee Chair and Pegasus Professor of Psychology and Medical Education and Director of UCF RESTORES at the University of Central Florida. A Pittsburgh native, she earned her Ph.D. and post-doctoral training from the University of Pittsburgh and the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. Dr. Beidel holds Diplomates in Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology. She’s authored over 300 scientific publications including journal articles, book chapters and books on the treatment of anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is internationally renowned. Part 1 of our interview will inspire you to see the best parts of yourself and how to help others.
“Be aware of who you are and what you're capable of and drown out the rest of the noise. Do what you say you're going to do, and be courageous.”
Lyeng Ia-Boseman is a Senior Vice President at Bolton & Company and has over 15 years of insurance industry experience. Her efforts are focused on working with Middle Market businesses and specializing in two core practices: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and law firms. She’s worked directly with global placement of insurance programs for international law firms such as O’Melveny & Myers, Sheppard Mullin, and Paul Hastings, as well as boutique firms. She has successfully negotiated multi-layered international E&O programs with carriers in London, Bermuda, Switzerland and the United States.
Lyeng’s driving force is her appreciation for the work that her clients do and her commitment to being a key component in their success. Listen and be inspired to live with purpose.
“Always take time to assist others -- humanity and compassion make you whole. Follow your passion...do what makes your heart beat faster,” says Angela Daves-Haley. A Celebrity Photographer, Producer and Chief Creative Officer, Angela is the CEO of her own company, adhphotography, and is the Executive Vice President of Uncle Frank, Inc. ‘Ang’ is gifted in personal and professional portraiture, works corporate, entertainment, sports, non-profit events, unit photography, and media and video production. Her extensive portfolio includes names recognized the world over including: Nike, Microsoft, Starz, Showtime, The Michael Jordan Flight School, Peter Guber, Chris Tucker, Kevin Hart, Denzel Washington, and Carol Burnett.
A business graduate from U.C. Berkeley, Angela's marketing skills combined with her experience in the entertainment, marketing & promotions, and special events industries allowed her to successfully portray the brands of celebrities, athletes, and products in her images -- while conveying the magic, story and experience surrounding their regional, national and international campaigns. As an ‘ambassador of joy,’ Angela combines her own radiant spirit with those with whom she works. Her passion “lights” every photo experience, capturing their natural beauty and producing timeless treasures for all of her clients. On today’s episode, listen how Angela’s passion led to her becoming highly sought after.
“I'm so grateful to the people that I had in my orbit who I trusted enough to share that I was thinking of going out on my own and starting my own business. I was encouraged by them. I bounced the idea off of a couple of people who I valued their opinion and my mentors. We ran some numbers and they helped me see that my worst case scenario was probably something that I could actually live with. And so I did it, I made the leap to start Kaleidoscope Management Group. I’m proud of how the business has grown over the last 5 years.”
Meet Cabanne Howard, CEO of Kaleidoscope Management Group. She’s the creative force leading Kaleidoscope management. Cabanne’s a strategic and critical thinker with the ability to leverage relationships and expertise to create effective, customized communications solutions. Collectively, the KMG team is an all woman marketing and communications firm that brings decades of strategic communications experience across public relations, web and graphic design, consumer insights, branding and advertising. Cabanne earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Listen and be inspired to infuse creativity into your life and business.
“I am motivated by tomorrow. I've always believed that the best is yet to come. I've never believed that every day has to be a happy day for me. What I want to have is more like a deep and abiding sense of satisfaction and -- dare I say -- joy.” Thomasenia (“Tommie”) Duncan is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she was a member of the Penn Law Review. She completed her third year of law studies as a visiting scholar at Yale Law School.
Tommie started her legal career on a conventional track in private practice as a very successful litigator at the prestigious firm, Covington & Burling, LLP. Tommie then focused her career on leading government and nonprofit legal offices, including as General Counsel of the Federal Election Commission, General Counsel of America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, and General Counsel of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Tommie also has been a professor of law at the District of Columbia School of Law (where she founded the HIV/AIDS Legal Clinic) and at Georgetown University Law Center.
Tommie discovered a new path of leadership as a lawyer. She is the Panel Executive for the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. The MDL Panel consists of seven federal judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. In her position, Tommie is the “chief executive officer” and “chief legal officer.” She leads the MDL Panel’s legal, operational, and administrative staff. Tommie says, “I progress... in two situations: One is when I've learned something. And one is when I've taught something. Both of those things take me down the road of discovery. When I feel like I have learned something about myself, about the world, about my profession, or when I have taught something, I feel like I'm progressing.” Discover more by listening to today’s episode.
“I found my passion in cosmetic dermatology because I found it so incredibly empowering when you change the way someone feels about how they look, how much more confident they can be in every other aspect of their life. I'm in a position in my career where it's not just about building my own business. I'm really trying to push the cosmetic dermatology field forward with new techniques, new products, and new equipment.”
Dr. Chiu is a Board-Certified Cosmetic Dermatologist and the Founder of The Derm Institute. She loves being able to make a difference in how her patients feel about their skin and appearance. She obtained her Bachelors of Science, with honors, from UC Berkeley, and her Medical Degree from Stanford University. She completed her Dermatology residency at Emory University and is currently on the Dermatology staff of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Listen and be inspired to make change and move your field forward.
“When it comes down to knowing when it was time to move on, there was another voice that said, ‘I think we can explore something else now. Or try something else ... that may be completely unrelated with the track that you're on.’ There's something driving you back to that topic over and over. It's what you want to read about, or it's what you want to immerse yourself in. So, go! Go in that direction.” Two years ago, Dawn Strickland, MBA, listened to herself and made a major career change from 15 years of sales -- largely in the entertainment industry -- to real estate. Dawn didn’t just leap, she leapt and then started sprinting. Dawn was awarded “Rookie of the Year” in her first year -- and in this second year, she’s been named a Top 15% Producer in Greater Atlanta real estate. Today’s episode continues the great conversation we started. There’s so much to learn, laugh, and love when it comes to talking with Dawn.
Dawn Strickland knows how to develop trust and achieve dreams. She’s a super-star realtor in Atlanta, Georgia. “I tell clients, ‘If you change your mind, you change your mind.’ I'm big on buying a house that we can re-sell if you do change your mind. A lot of choices are choices for the moment in your life. You need to be fearless in that -- and move forward with it. If things change, then we'll all adjust.” Dawn made a major career leap into real estate just two years ago --- and has quickly risen to great success in the Greater Atlanta housing market.
Before getting her license in real estate, Dawn was the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Southern Region at Paramount Pictures. She’d joined Paramount after managing sales operations at Turner Broadcasting System. Dawn majored in Finance at the University of Tennessee then earned an MBA in Finance from Clark Atlanta University. Dawn is a devoted mother to Alanna, TJ, and Taj. She knows the timeless pleasure of making families’ dreams come true with the right house. It’s why you can find her @HouseToHomeWithDawn.
“My dream is to be my own boss because of who I am as a person. I want to make change for the better. All the time. The most important thing I learned is that you need to trust who you are and be who you are.” The Founder of Concierge Pediatrics, Dr. Aviva Alyeshmerni received her B.S. and M.S. with honors in Biological Sciences from Stanford University. Dr. Vivi taught AP Biology and coached cross country running at Crossroads High School in Santa Monica. She attended the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel, carried out orthopedic research at the Orthopedic Surgical Hospital, LA, and followed her time there with a Pediatric Residency at the University of California, Irvine. She is a wife, mother, and an incredible athlete. Listen and be inspired to make change and trust in who you are.
“Resiliency is a muscle. And if you don't have opportunities to experience and exercise that, you don't know how to reframe the fear. Fear in itself can be debilitating, but fear faced can be motivating.” Shahrzad Fattahi, DDS, knows about facing fear. She was born in Iran, but had to leave abruptly in 1981 because of the revolution. Dr. Fattahi shares her powerful journey and life-altering experience fleeing Iran as a child. “Rumi, the famous Persian poet 700 years ago said, ‘The wound is where the Light enters you.’ That sums up my life.”
Dr. Fattahi is the youngest person to ever graduate from dental school at the University of Southern California. Dr. Fattahi is a functional and general dentist who is the founder and managing director of Del Dental Group in Los Angeles.
Her very successful private practice is dedicated to staying on the cutting edge of dental science, equipment, and holistic health. Her group has a whole body approach because “the mouth is the main gateway to our bodies.” Del Dental Group provides general, cosmetic, pediatric, implant industry, periodontal therapy, and dental anesthesia. Their mission is: “For anyone who walks through our doors to feel whole, a space of caring, that they're cared for like family, and that their well-being matters -- both staff and patients.” Dr. Fattahi says this goes back to the idea of “fear in dentistry: It has to be a safe environment. That only can happen organically...as a mission.”
If you want to show up to your next Zoom styled and feeling your best, Gina Lamana has you covered. A clothing buyer and wardrobe stylist for more than two decades, Gina’s career in fashion began at FIT and FIDM, where she earned a degree in fashion merchandising. She worked as a stylist for TV before turning her attention to personalized wardrobe styling for women on the go. In addition to her style boxes for purchase online she also meets with clients one on one at her studio. Nestled in the garden of a private home in Los Angeles, Spool Boutique provides visitors a unique, personalized shopping experience. It’s by appointment-only, and is stocked with a curated collection that includes a mix of local and New York-based designers and hard-to-find European labels. Listen and be inspired to take your next idea from a vision to concept creation.
Experienced. Passionate. Relentless. Those are characteristics we’d all welcome in an attorney. But Alison Saros, J.D., M.Ed., is not “just” an attorney, She’s had an amazing journey toward a very unique -- and much needed -- legal, school counseling, and educational law practice in the firm she founded, Saros Law APC. “I try to help kids understand that they're not alone in this. And that parents who come in — they're so embarrassed because their kid doesn't learn the same way or their kid got in trouble — doesn't mean they failed, doesn't mean their kid failed. It means they're kids and that they're trying to learn how to negotiate life.” In last week’s episode, we heard about Alison’s approach to education, counseling, mental health, and law… as well as the career shifts that are the foundation of her practice. There was so much to learn from her courageous journey, we are sharing the second half of our discussion. It’s full of captivating stories and lessons that will have you asking, “What’s next and best for me?” You’ll also build the courage to start your journey.
“When someone walks in my office most of the time, the fact that they walked into my office means something traumatic has happened to them… whether they've been arrested or they got in trouble or they're just really struggling in school, it means something traumatic has happened.” Alison Saros, J.D., M.Ed., has a unique ability to help her clients — who include children, teens, young adults, and parents — from multiple perspectives. She is a licensed and credentialed school counselor, former Los Angeles County deputy district attorney, law professor, and practicing attorney in her own firm -- Saros Law APC. Alison specializes in criminal, juvenile, and educational law and advocacy, civil rights litigation, and counseling support consulting. Her services are sought after world-wide. Listen to this engaging, energetic episode to not only learn about law, education, mental health, and advocacy, but also to be inspired to make a courageous mid-career leap — even when you’re happy where you are.
“When you work for yourself, you have to be prepared because you're never going to work as hard for anybody else as you do for yourself. You are your own boss and it's the toughest boss you're ever going to have.” Meet Kelli Szluka - owner and Creative Director of Kelli & Company. Kelli began her career by making a leap from New York to Los Angeles to design for major television networks - AMC Networks, History Channel, FX, Lifetime, and CNN to name a few. She’s also designed Emmy and Golden Globe Campaigns. After making her mark in Los Angeles Kelli moved back to New York and launched Kelli & Company. She is unique in her experience working for TV networks in both Los Angeles and New York as well as her expertise designing for a variety of companies and products. In her boutique agency work today she harnesses the value and impact of image use and composition both in print and digital media and isn’t shy about discussing with a client what won’t work - what will work - and why. Listen to her story and be inspired to take chances too.
“When I got to college, I learned that I wasn't prepared. At all. At all. You can get good grades and decent test scores and get in. But are you prepared to compete?” Darlene Fountaine became committed to helping children and families prepare for a lifetime of success. As the long-time admission director for a prominent independent school, Darlene was the “go-to” person from whom parents, colleagues, and even students sought advice. Recognizing the need for personal change -- while building on her passion and experience -- Darlene became the recent Founder of “Your Go-To Coaches.” It has allowed her to expand her talents to serve a larger population because — as the tagline reminds us — “children do not come with a manual.” Darlene is a parent, certified Life Coach, school board trustee, and holds an MBA from the University of Southern California. Listen to this episode and be reminded that you too have invaluable resources that can help you do something new and good.
“When COVID-19, broke out and we went to safer-at-home protocols, we said, ‘How do we continue to live our purpose, our mission, our values and do our work?’” Renata Simril got creative. It’s something she’s accustomed to doing as President and CEO of the LA84 Foundation, a legacy organization established by residual funds from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics that has invested over $230M in youth sport programs and elevated the role that sports play in positive youth development. Renata is concurrently the President and CEO of the Play Equity Fund, a nonprofit organization that ensures all kids — regardless of income — have equal access to sports and structured play. Before LA 84, Renata was the Senior VP & Chief of Staff to the Publisher of the Los Angeles Times. She also was the Senior VP of External Affairs with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and had spent a decade in real estate development. Ensuring equity, accessing opportunities, and plain hard work have been constants in Renata’s life. She started out by serving as a military police officer in the U.S. Army as a means to pay for college. Renata’s been a trailblazer ever since. She says, “When you get a seat at the table -- as a woman in particular -- we have to use that opportunity to its fullest. So if you're in a business meeting and you have an opportunity, speak up if you're prepared. Lean in. Leap forward for that moment because when we do that, extraordinary things happen.”
“I encourage you to take stock of your life. Leave the doors of your life open to really experience it. I get excited to talk about this because I'm an example. I took the leap as a filmmaker at the age of 59. I'm so glad I did. The good, the hard, the failures, the successes, I wouldn't change a thing.” Brenda Hayes is the director and producer of the documentary BackBurner Dreams, an award winning film that has been accepted to eight film festivals and airs on PBS. The film follows the journeys of three women of color, as Brenda challenges them - over nine months’ time - to revisit and try to revive their long held dreams that have been waylaid by life. Out of her passion to create films and inspire women to experience their dreams, Brenda created a workshop in collaboration with her films “Reigniting Dreams - Reimagining Community.” Listen and be inspired to realize yours.
“I measure happiness on a daily basis. If I'm not happy, then something's wrong. I ask myself, ‘Am I helping people? Am I still feeling valued? Appreciated? And am I properly compensated?’” These are questions Leslie Spencer asks personally and as the Senior Managing Consultant in the National Accounts Group at PFM Asset Management, LLC. Leslie has been a licensed securities professional for 30 years who started as a stock broker and now has billion dollar public sector clients. She admits that she wasn’t always a winner, but learned how to build confidence, skill, and a winning attitude that propelled her success. Listen to today’s episode to remind yourself that you too are a winner.
“One of the things that has helped me most is letting go of the fear of what other people think. I'm not beholden to what my imagination says someone might think about me and I trust that when I'm being my authentic self, all of the people, places, and things that I need will appear.” Through her company - Girls Empowerment Experience, Mauri Konell teaches classes and hosts experiences that help kids find their confidence through yoga, journaling, meditation, and exercise. She gives them a space to think through their experiences and helps them start to realize who they are. We learned in Part 1 of this episode that Mauri is on a mission to change the world by encouraging kids to “be their own hero.” Growing up, Mauri had a difficult time fitting in and feeling like she belonged. She struggled with self image, depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder that caused her to be hospitalized at the age of 13. She remembers thinking “when I make it out of here, I’m going to help other kids who feel this way.” She followed through with her decision. While studying Psychology at Occidental College, Mauri took a part time job teaching karate to kids and eventually ended up running the karate school. She loved the experience, which set her on a path to healing herself and teaching others to realize that “their superpower is believing in themselves.” Today’s episode will inspire you to turn adversity into power.
“We're always getting stronger at whatever we are practicing. If we're practicing trusting ourselves or we’re practicing listening to ourselves, then we're building that trust. And that is the power.” Mauri Konell, Creator & Founder of Girls Empowerment Experience, grew up in a family of lawyers and doctors. She followed their prescriptions for “success,” but found that their traditional path to “security” wasn’t bringing her security at all. After years of resisting her true calling, she discovered that her happiness would only be found by her own definition of it. Mauri is a competitive athlete, coach, and karate teacher who’s impacted the lives of thousands of children. She’s also a fitness model who has shared her story on national television on ‘Million Dollar Mile’. Her mission is to empower young girls and kids to be “their own hero.” Listen to today’s episode to remember how to become yours.
“People have such a connection to food. Everything in our life revolves around food: Our health, our social life. There’s so much connected to it and the feelings that you can evoke by taste...putting something on your palate and seeing a smile on somebody's face or making somebody feel comforted by a meal. There's just so much to that." Chef Roslyn Spence should know the power of food, as we learned in Part I of our interview. Part II continues our engaging discussion where Chef Roslyn shares more captivating stories and wisdom that’s been hard earned. She’s been a professional chef since she was 16 years old, earned a Grande Diplome from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, is a Culinary Arts and Baking Instructor at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, has her own catering company, and co-stars in the USC documentary short, “God Bless the Cook,” with her mother, Edith Bell — famed professional cook to international celebrities who’s now 96 years old ‘and still cookin’! “My mother's always said, “You’re just never too old to be better at whatever it is that you're doing. Make it better every day.”
“Something that I learned from my mother -- she's ninety six years old -- she jams me up when she sees me making something and says, "No. That's just not good enough. You've got to do better. You're never too old to learn how to do it better." Chef Roslyn Spence has been a Culinary Arts and Baking Instructor at the Los Angeles Trade Technical College for nearly 25 years. She knows you’re never too young or too old to become better. Chef Roslyn earned a Grande Diplome in Cuisine and Pastry from the famed Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Paris. Most recently, Roslyn was the co-main subject -- along with her mother Edith -- in the documentary, 'God Bless the Cook', a film about women in the food industry and the power of food in defining relationships, culture, and personality. Listen to this episode to learn more about the power of food, passion, elusive perfection, and pride in a job well done. You’ll benefit from the reminder Roslyn shares with her students, “You're better than that. And you're going to have to step it up."
“Be okay with letting your definition of ‘success’ go, and allow yourself to rewrite it entirely. Surround yourself with people who get where you're going, and support your vision of success.” Kate Carney is the Founder of K8 Carney consulting. An experienced lawyer, strategic advisor, and senior executive, Kate works to promote greater inclusion of women in senior leadership, investment roles, and to empower female-founders. She brings a unique mix of business-savvy legal, finance and communications experience to the opportunities and challenges that entrepreneurs face. Listen and learn how Kate inspires her clients to trust their decisions and lead with confidence.
“COVID has presented its own challenges, like I can't really separate work and home as much as I did; we are always on . . .’Zoom Exhaustion.’ That time in-between that allowed some space for mental clarity and just decompressing [is gone]. Now we are -- from 7:30 in the morning until sometimes 8:00 at night -- going from one thing to the next... it's replaced the Los Angeles commute,” says Alexandra (Alex) Brown. She understands the pervasive challenges of needing to balance constant communication and connection as a leader with personal health and well-being in her role at the No. 1 U.S. public institution and most applied to college in the world.
As the Senior Director for UCLA Student Alumni Programs & Family Engagement, Alex leads the division at the University of California - Los Angeles that develops relationships and lifelong engagement with UCLA and its Alumni Association. She and her team enhance and support the campus life experiences of UCLA students, parents and families. Because of the tremendous impact of COVID-19 on college campuses worldwide, like many, her work load and work-life balance have changed monumentally. Listen to this episode to learn from an exceptional college administrator how to maintain connection while the ground underneath you keeps shifting.
“I didn't know that this was going to work out. I just had faith. It’s about enjoying the journey, because the resilience, the purpose, the passion, it all comes down to if you can wake up every day excited about what you're doing. Yes, you may have bad days or bad weeks or even bad months, but if you can still muster up energy to have that attitude and that mindset, that I'm going to make this the best day it can be and find that inner fire, that's going to fuel you.” Meet Robyn Young - Founder and CEO of Robyn Young & Co., Brand Specialist, and Speaker. She works with entrepreneurs and startups to cut through the noise, create an emotional connection, and gain loyalty with their customers. Robyn’s built over 50 brands and grew her agency into a multiple six figure business. Throughout her career her clients include top commercial brands like Nike and Target and branded content curation for UCLA and Everyday Health. Listen and be inspired to follow your “why” and discover your purpose.
“I started to make choices and they would work out. Some of them -- if you looked at them on paper -- you're like, 'Are you really going to do that? It doesn't seem like the most reasonable choice.' But they would work out. And if they didn't, I’d make a new choice. I started to get the confidence that no matter which direction I went, it was going to be okay because I could adjust.” Adjusting with life is a necessary part of enjoying it. But Jackie MacDougall takes it a step further: She helps women THRIVE. Her specialty? Women in their 40’s and up.
Jackie is a podcaster, award-winning blogger and on-air personality whom you’ve seen on Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN and more. She’s taken her vast experience in television and digital marketing to host the very successful “Forty Thrive” podcast. Every week Jackie uses her bold and fun voice to connect women to experts, resources, and strategies to help them rock life over 40. Besides also having a vibrant Forty Thrive Facebook community, Jackie recently launched “Find Your Voice Academy” for female entrepreneurs, experts and influencers looking to create their own unique online presence, communities, and podcasts.
In today’s episode, Jackie brings her success as an on-air personality, coach, consultant, entrepreneur, wife and mother to create a lively and entertaining -- yet pragmatic and uplifting -- way of helping you enhance your voice so you can share it with the world... and thrive while doing it.
“I told myself there has to be something bigger and better for me in store. Otherwise I wouldn't have these dreams. I wouldn't have the goals to grow, and flourish, and do better. I want to be that example for others to dream big and know that their dreams are achievable too - no matter where they come from.” Brittany Diego is Founder and CEO of Fashion Mentor. She’s a celebrity stylist and fashion consultant. Brittney moved to Los Angeles as a child from Belize, where she remembers not having running water. She knew, even through her challenges, that there was more in store for her life. Brittney believes that “clothing has the power to transform instantly.” She uses her fashion experience to help clients feel empowered and beautiful, and her community to navigate the fashion industry with confidence and the knowledge needed to succeed. Her clients include Karen Civil, Trevor Jackson, Revolve, MTV, and Fox Studios. Listen and be inspired to make your entrepreneurial leap.
“I think that we're not non-essential…. Everyone is starting to see that: We are at home. We're maybe more essential than we were before because we have the ability to help your home environment be more comfortable and reimagine what your vision is for it. And we can do that virtually,” says Lisa Walker Brown. Lisa is co-owner and Chief Operating Officer at Everick Brown Design, a full-service residential and commercial interior design firm offering chic interior design solutions that are “Modern Classic with a Global Perspective.” She is also co-founder of Objects & Accents, a home décor company that curates unique accessories and makes decorating easy. The coronavirus has drastically impacted her businesses, and she’s creatively and successfully pivoted to adjust. Lisa developed antibodies from early exposure to COVID-19 and shares how her direct experience has influenced how she and her firms help clients from around the world make enjoying their homes both functional and rewarding. Listen to this episode to be inspired to make your business and your home “essential.”
“Just start, try doing something. I wouldn't have started a company if the ‘perfectionist me’ sat down to write a 30 page business plan with every ‘i’ dotted and ‘t’ crossed. I just did it. I made mistakes along the way and I figured it out. If I didn't just start somewhere, it wouldn't have happened. Take the leap and see where you land.” Kristen Agee is a classically trained violinist who has played multiple instruments since the age of seven. She attended the Los Angeles Recording School and learned how to play bass from Darryl Jones of the Rolling Stones. Kristen played in numerous bands before transitioning to writing full-time. Her writing led her to launch 411 Music Group, a creative music house specializing in music solutions for visual media. Her clients include Game of Thrones, Undercover Boss, and Shark Week to name a few. Listen to this empowering episode and be inspired to leap.
How do you listen to yourself, use your experience, apply the right approach, live with purpose, AND make progress? First, we have to recognize that we’re asking a lot of ourselves. Pre-pandemic, we had habits and routines that helped us to be successful. But times changed and we had to adjust. For many, the initial shock has worn off and new routines have been set. But ask yourself: “Am I just coping or am I thriving?” To thrive again, we’ll have to take our next LEAP. One way to get there is to reflect on what's worked well in the past. This episode has your favorite "Melanie & Dr. Michele" discussions. Listen so you'll be ready to pivot to your next leap.
“Maybe everyone can live beyond what they're capable of.” In uncertain times it’s important we believe and know that we can do this. Today we’re hearing from you - our listeners - about how you stay motivated, and how you can help us to stay motivated, too. We’ve asked you to call in and give us messages of hope and encouragement to listen to on our best days and especially on our most challenging. Start your day with these powerful messages and let the motivation carry you through to tomorrow and beyond.
We continue to adjust and redefine ‘progress’ in the tsunami of COVID-19 — with all of its effects on our careers, lives, and communities. Melanie and Dr. Michele have taken a step back to help you move forward: We’re reflecting on the wisdom and guidance of some of our past podcast guests. We’ve chosen tips that motivate and inspire... giving us the courage and confidence to know that -- while we’re in an unprecedented period of change -- this is also the time to free ourselves from what wasn’t serving us, so we can seek more of what fulfills us. We’ve brought back some of our amazing guests -- like Kayla Francis (Episode 25); Kim Withee (Episode 35); Dr. Beth Ricanati (Episode 36); Lisa Houlé (Episode 38); Carrie Henley (Episode 45); Kelly Van Gogh (Episode 47); and DeAnna Gravillis (Episode 57). In these 14 minutes, you might just hear exactly what you need to help you pivot in the perfect direction...for you. Who knows? This might be the right time for you to rediscover the “you” of today and tomorrow -- which may be different than the you of yesterday. Listen to this episode and find out.
If you enjoyed the tips from our great guests, be sure to check out their full episodes in the links below!
- Kayla Francis
- Kim Withee
- Dr. Beth Ricanati
- Lisa Houlé
- Carrie Henley
- Kelly Van Gogh
- DeAnna Gravillis
We are juggling rapidly shifting careers, we are parents, and - what seems like overnight - we became full-time teachers to our children. There was an “initial shock” for all of us as we thought through how we would navigate our new normal. Today we talk about how our lives have shifted at home, we share tips that have helped us work while also teaching our children, and we discuss what has helped us to make progress during the daily shifts of COVID-19.
In some way, everyone’s careers, personal lives, and communities have been affected by the worldwide uncertainty around health. It’s impacted finances, education, relationships, other aspects of working life and personal well-being. “I’ve talked to a lot of women in the community who have businesses who have had to temporarily close with every intention of reopening or finding a way to come back. But it’s been a really difficult time.” We’ve all had to find our “sea legs.” To help you do that, we’ve dedicated this episode to reconnecting with yourself -- so you can have peace... despite the ‘tsunami’ that is COVID-19.
“I tell my kids this all the time: 'If you don't ask, the answer is always no.'” As one of few top women executives in aerospace and aviation, Marcie Simpson has learned exceptional business skills and practices -- and she’s committed to sharing them with others. "Fake it 'til you make it and hold your head up high. If you don't believe in yourself, pretend that you do... because other people will believe it too.”
Marcie is the president and COO of Nycote Laboratories, a global advanced surface-coating manufacturer for mission-critical systems to the aerospace, automotive, and railway industries. She’s also the first woman President of Aerochemicals, a dynamic alliance of international industrial chemical specialists for the industry.
Did Marcie always plan to be in aerospace? Nope. She has a fine arts degree and started her career as a graphic designer. Listen to Marcie’s journey. In hearing her dedication to being an exceptional leader and spokesperson, you’ll understand what it’s like to take a chance in a field that may be different than what you were trained in. “There are so many jobs in aerospace and... it doesn't matter if you are creative or you're a scientist or whatever your passion is. It's a great community to be a part of.” Aerospace may not be on your radar, but enjoying what you do should be. Marcie encourages you to have the confidence to figure out what that is.
Erin Germain believes that stories can change the world.” Erin is Owner, Creative Director, and Executive Producer at “For Example Media.” She spent the first ten years of her career working on The Oprah Winfrey show, travel shows, and documentaries. Her vast experience gave her the confidence to launch For Example Media, a company that creates digital, branded, and educational content with clients ranging from Neutrogena, Nordstrom, and Lego to name just a few. Erin's worked on multi-million dollar campaigns with large budgets, and with small budgets with big ambition. While earning her Master’s degree in Specialized Journalism at USC, Erin interviewed her uncle who said something she thought was fascinating, ‘It is surprisingly easy to start a business. You just do it.’” So she did. Listen to Erin’s journey and be inspired to tell your story.
“If I've learned anything, it's that life is simply too short to spend so much of it doing something that depletes you or causes you to question your why every morning.” After 8 years as a Business/Intellectual Property attorney, Erin Fagerlind made a mompreneur career pivot to become a Co-Founder of Happy Baby - a studio that promotes happy and healthy lifestyles for moms and babies through movement, mindfulness and music. Launching and growing Happy Baby gave Erin the ability to build a business and give back to her community while making her family a part of it. Happy Baby has become a community where moms and families connect and share stories about what they have overcome on the road to and within parenthood so they know they are not alone. Her hope is that families “come, stay awhile and leave feeling full of love and support.”
Every rose has its thorns... even when you’re thrust into fame. As the 4-year old stepsister to The Beatles’ Sir Paul McCartney in the 1960’s, Ruth’s life changed instantaneously. She was a target for years of school bullying. Through it, Ruth McCartney became resourceful and resilient, learning invaluable lessons that she shares in this episode. Listen and be inspired by Ruth’s dynamic and varied career path, including starting work as a child organizing Paul’s fan mail, becoming a British musician and then a Russian pop music star with over 4 million concert ticket sales, and now being an internet, digital, and new media entrepreneur serving as: the Co-Founder of a fan management software company; and CEO of both a creative digital agency — McCartney Multimedia — and a film, video, and commercial production documentary studio — McCartney Studios. Ruth co-founded the companies with her musician husband, Martin Nethercutt, and mother, Dr. Angie McCartney — who was our fabulous Episode 63 #SBIPodcast guest. Ruth is a visionary entrepreneur who never stops. She says, “I've never thought of myself as the female gender or a woman or disadvantaged. But just ...getting it done. I don't see hurdles or obstacles. And that's probably because of the upbringing I had.”
“Everyone needs that one person to believe in them in order to conquer the world.” After giving birth to her daughter at a very young age, and knowing that she did not want her daughter to repeat the pattern, Amy Lloyd was determined to build and create a good life for the both of them. She became very driven, overcame adversity, and did exactly that. Amy spent most of her career working on behalf of the largest publishing/media companies in the world as an advertising executive. After reaching career success and raising her daughter, Amy wanted to give back and dive into her purpose. Through her passion to support girls, Amy created “Face it Today,” a company that empowers girls through self-care and entrepreneurship and gives them the confidence to know that they can do anything they want to in life, no matter what they are facing.
For Dr. Lucie Brining, “life is learning.” Dr. Brining received her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley, where she played on the nationally recognized women’s soccer team. She completed her Residency in Internal Medicine at USC and then joined UCLA Health in Manhattan Beach. Throughout Lucie's life and career she welcomes opportunities to learn and have new experiences. She lived abroad in Italy and Spain, studied Latin, Italian, and Spanish, and purposely decided to take a few years before attending medical school to learn about different areas of medicine and pursue an area of focus that she would enjoy. She takes the time to try new things and methodically figures out what she really wants to do. She encourages us to embrace new opportunities and to remember “you don't know what your potential is until you actually try to do it.”
Founder of Mrs. McCartney‘s Teas and Mrs. McCartney‘s Wines, and co-host of the show “Teaflix Tuesday’s,” at age 90 Angie McCartney just published her second book. Now she’s writing her third. Mrs. McCartney has had so many career and life leaps that they are too numerous to count. But she shows no signs of slowing down. Angie says, “The harder life is, the more busy I get.“ And Mrs. McCartney knows about life‘s hardships. She was born the year of the stock market crash in 1929; was a child in Liverpool during World War II when England was being bombed, ending her formal education; became widowed with a two-year-old child; and later remarried a widower — Sir Paul McCartney‘s father — making her Paul’s stepmother at the height of Beatle-mania. This British expatriate teaches us much about seeing every waking day as a gift and the importance of smiling “while you still have teeth.“ Take a listen. You’ll laugh, learn, and realize that you have so much more living to do. Mrs. McCartney says, “You don’t know what tomorrow holds, so don’t waste the day.”
Don’t just jump: Leap. Better yet...soar! Learn how to make meaningful change from Deborah Flint, the outgoing CEO of Los Angeles World Airports and incoming president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. At L.A.X., Deborah’s been in charge of it’s $14 billion infrastructure and 50 thousand workers. She shares her leadership philosophy...one that’s been so successful, the Harvard Business School used her approach as its case study. Deborah says, “I love what I do, because at the end of the day, it really is about people.”
In this episode of “The She Built It Podcast with Melanie & Dr. Michele,” Deborah inspires, teaches, and motivates us to continue to think about what are our “next best versions” of ourselves. Deborah encourages us to, “Get comfortable being uncomfortable....We're still learning, growing and evolving. Let's revel in that and cherish it.” As a true Wonder Woman, listening to Deborah gives us the confidence we need to recognize that — for us too — the sky’s the limit.
What price are you willing to pay to achieve success beyond your dreams? DeAnna Gravillis, Co-Founder and CEO of Gravillis, Inc. asks that question in this episode of ‘The She Built It Podcast with Melanie & Dr. Michele.’ The answer might surprise you.
A self-described life-long entrepreneur, DeAnna started in the music industry, gained award-winning success, then leapt to the entertainment industry where she was unknown. Adding to the challenge: She didn’t fit — nor was embraced by — the powers in the industry. With a “hungry” one-year old child as her motivation, DeAnna knew she had to sacrifice in the short-term — including hiding the fact that SHE was the CEO — to live her passion in the long-term.
Twenty years later, HBO, Netflix, Hulu, Warner Brothers, Disney, and others are their clients. Gravillis, Inc. is also the creative genius behind movie posters for Star Wars, Honey Boy, Harriet, and Oscar-winning films like Free Solo and Bohemian Rhapsody. As if that weren’t enough, DeAnna recently founded a second company, Evoke, Inc. because she saw an unmet critical need in the industry. Listen to this authentic, powerful episode; laugh, learn, and be inspired to pay the price to live your own best successes.
Shel Pink, Founder of SpaRitual, Chief Creative Officer at Orly International, and author of the book “Slow Beauty,” is a pioneer in the organic beauty industry. Shel’s mother taught her from a very young age the art of self care, the importance of organic products, and to read food labels. For Shel, it became a lifestyle. When she entered the beauty industry she began studying what goes into the products we wear every day. Inspired by clean beauty, Shel launched SpaRitual in 2004, and was the first in the market to launch a vegan nail care line, and shortly after, a line for body care. Shel says, “We have these callings inside of us. Listen to them and answer them, answer the calls and they're going to take you to the most incredible places and you will see your life expand and transform.” Join us and listen to Shel’s enlightening entrepreneurial journey.
Co-Founder of PlyoJam, Stacey Beaman, first joined PlyoJam on the dance floor as a student. She was looking for a fun form of exercise that wasn’t torturous and delivered results. PlyoJam was just that. With a B.A. in Communication and M.A. in Education from the University of Southern California, Social Media became a natural fit for Stacey as she took to promoting the PlyoJam brand through digital platforms and throughout the world. Her road to launching and growing the business wasn’t always easy - she made the tough decision to leave a steady job as a teacher and moved back in with her parents to follow her career dream. A few short years later she moved out without debt and with a growing brand and business she is proud of. She reminds us of a few very important things - “regardless of your age or size, don’t stop doing what you love. Listen to your inner voice - we are only here for a short time - so do your best to change all of your moments of worry into moments of fun.” Join us for this entrepreneurial enlightening and fun episode.
Fenwick and West corporate attorney, Liz Federowicz, specializes in tech companies and venture capital — especially working with female founders and entrepreneurs. Listen and learn from an industry expert who took her own leap from the entertainment industry to law school to the ever-evolving venture capital and tech worlds. Liz encourages questions, emphasizes the importance of human connection, and teaches what you want to know from pre-seed to IPO. What makes a great founder who gets entrepreneurial funding? “Founders who have the drive to carry them through — to not just make a lot of money and become famous while doing it — but to really change the world and provide something to people that are just like them.”
Want to create inter-generational wealth? Stasia Washington teaches us the difference between needs and wants, how to budget, and how to grow your portfolio over the long term. Don’t have one? No worries! Regardless of the size of your bank account(s) this episode is for you. Stasia is a senior vice-president and managing director at First Foundation Advisors. They provide integrated investment management, wealth planning, consulting, trust and banking services. People are living into their 80s and 90s, but many still plan to retire at 65. Stasia says to them: “What are you going to do for the next 30 years? Why is 60 a magic number, 65 or even 70? It shouldn't be...because if you have the mental capacity to be able to continue to thrive and make a difference, why not?”
Make the new decade your proudest and best yet. To help you, Melanie and Dr. Michele made a special podcast episode with inspirational, effective — yet attainable! — tips. Listen as we bring back some of our incredibly wonderful guests -- like Denita Willoughby (Episode 34); Jovana Lara (Episode 52); Connie Drodge (Episode 7); Melissa Chataigne (Episode 11); Mercedes Solomon Morton (Episode 16); and Naomi Seddon (Episode 13) — to share favorite strategies to help you leap higher and further in your Life and your career. In these 11 minutes, you might just hear exactly what you need to kick off your proudest year (decade?) yet. Take a listen.
If you enjoyed the tips from our amazing guests, be sure to check out their full interview episodes in the links below!
Setbacks and Corporate Comebacks - featuring Denita Willoughby
Finding Career Fulfillment - with Jovana Lara
How to Make a Leap When Your Career Passions Change - with Connie Droge
How to Show Up in Your Power - with Melissa Chataigne
Go Global - with Naomi Seddon
Balancing Career, Passion, and Purpose - with Mercedes Salomon Morton
As the year ends we are all thinking about what’s next for us and what we want to accomplish in 2020. One of our favorite episodes of this year is the episode - “Is it time to make a career leap?” Listen as we talk about how to think through what it is that you actually want. What are the next steps for you as you prepare to make your leap and how to make it a reality. In this season of giving we also talk about volunteering, the importance of giving back, and how to improve the lives of our community and the world around us. We hope this episode inspires you as you leap into the year ahead.
“It's incredible what happens when we show up for ourselves and in our own power.” After a decade of working in advertising and marketing, Jenna Reiss decided to go on a soul searching journey to study breathwork and meditation. Listen to how being dropped off on a mountaintop for a meditation retreat led Jenna to create her business “Jenna Reiss”, and why helping her clients experience growth and transformation is what brings her joy.
It’s important for us to reflect on where we are today — being careful not to just follow the career model that we strove to achieve for so long — but to adapt to an ever changing society and personal demands. Because we work hard for so many years, it’s important to adjust our careers in a way that enhances our own quality of life. Listen to how Dr. Taz Varkey, a board-certified OB/GYN and fertility specialist, changed her medical practice so it became -- despite the challenges -- a more rewarding, fulfilling, and exciting luxury… one that educates and empowers girls and women.
Are you ready for a leap but don’t know how to meld all of your skills and interests? Consider forging a “slash” career. Listen to how Sarah English Wallace, JD, a competitive ballroom dancer, turned attorney, turned family and divorce mediator founded the business, “Modern Mediation.” Besides learning about her unique journey, Sarah teaches us lessons on self-assertion and verbal- and non-verbal communication to use in our personal and professional lives. Sarah gives us confidence that there is a way to merge all of the unique parts of ourselves into a coherent, fulfilling life and career.
“It's our birthright to have perfect health, total well-being, and to be in a state of bliss. Bliss is not erratic joy. Bliss is a deep inner contentedness where you're not looking for your fulfillment outside of yourself. It's not about your job or your career, your products, your kids or your husband or your wife. It's not about that. They are byproducts of your joy, and of your bliss.” Meet our remarkable guest Kelly Van Gogh. Kelly graduated from Columbia University with an advanced degree in Chemistry and Consciousness where she studied the effects of meditation on the brain and nervous system. After living an incredibly busy life in New York, with lots of travel and managing a successful global business, Kelly had what she calls her “curbside moment” when she realized that something in her life had to change. Shortly after her moment of realization Kelly decided to sell most of her belongings and spend the next five years in India studying with the foremost masters in Yoga and Meditation. She took the time she needed to find her inner peace and joy. Kelly currently lives in Los Angeles and is the Founder and CEO of No. 8 Organics®, a platform for Intentional Beauty and Total Wellbeing.
We’re excited to be celebrating ONE YEAR of “The She Built It Podcast with Melanie and Dr. Michele!” We interviewed some of our listeners and guests at our One Year Celebration event in Beverly Hills. Join us as we hear why they take time out of their busy lives to join us each week; some share their favorite episodes and tips they’ve implemented and learned. One of our producers, Lucy Copp, joins us in this episode - we turned the tables and she interviews guests while we mix, mingle, and thank our fabulous supporters and guests at our one year celebration event. Thanks so much for your support and for helping us celebrate -- it’s way more fun to celebrate with friends.
“I love connecting with women and spreading that fire inside for living life joyfully. The most difficult thing is to see someone who feels stuck, trapped, or afraid to make change no matter what part of life that change is in.” Meet Candice Witek, board certified health and wellness coach, two time breast cancer survivor, mother of three, and thrill seeking entrepreneur. When Candice was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at age 33, her world was crashing down around her. Desperately wanting to regain her health and wellness, she dove head first into the science of human nutrition, psychology of the mind, and body connection. Building on her passion for improving emotional health and wellness in the lives of others, she is the CEO and founder of Flourish RX, a women's wellness and beauty product company that creates organic plant based thoughtful products to rejuvenate the mind, body and soul, and strives to help women flourish from the inside out at any age or stage.
“I enjoyed it, but I would still come home at the end of the day feeling a little unfulfilled. I wasn't comfortable in my skin doing that job....I wanted more for my day-to-day life experience — and just overall bigger dreams,” describes Jovana Lara of her first career before taking a huge leap to become a broadcast journalist. Jovana shares how she pursued her childhood dream to become a reporter and weekend evening anchor for Los Angeles’ ABC7 Eyewitness News. She’s even earned five Emmy awards for her news reporting and as co-host of ABC7’s show, “Vista L.A.” Jovana recognizes that although the path she took was unconventional, it was the perfect one for her. It allowed her to take smaller steps, gain confidence and skills, and get comfortable taking risks that landed her in the second largest television news market in the U.S. No matter where you are now, learn from Jovana how to make a courageous, worthwhile leap in your own life to find enduring career fulfillment.
Rachel Katz, designer and founder of Rachel Katz Jewelry, decided to trust her intuition and make a tremendously successful career leap to create a line beloved by A-list celebrities, fashion editors, and women across the globe. Her beautiful and timeless jewelry combines vintage detailing with modern geometric forms and is appealing to women who desire classic pieces with a modern, architectural edge. Originally inspired by a necklace passed down to her by her mother, Rachel started her line after successful careers in advertising, commercial real estate, and entertainment. She shares with us how her “not so linear career path, and experience in various industries is an asset that helps her run her business today.” Join us as we talk to Rachel about various career paths, successfully overcoming entrepreneurial obstacles, and how she takes the downtime she needs to run her growing business effectively.
“We all want to take the fear out of death and be able to be comfortable with our mortality...because when we do that, we live more fulfilling lives,” says author, producer, director, and mother, Lori LoCicero. Having lost her husband and business partner to pancreatic cancer, Lori learned to get through her grief by listening to her intuition. Every time she -- at times, begrudgingly -- followed it, light balanced out the dark. Listen how Lori turned a devastating experience into a career leap: She became an entrepreneur and co-creator of The Death Deck. It’s a card game that inspires humor, thought, and conversation around the inevitable experiences we all share: Life and Death.
“We all want to take the fear out of death and be able to be comfortable with our mortality...because when we do that, we live more fulfilling lives,” says author, producer, director, and mother, Lori LoCicero. Having lost her husband and business partner to pancreatic cancer, Lori learned to get through her grief by listening to her intuition. Every time she -- at times, begrudgingly -- followed it, light balanced out the dark. Listen how Lori turned a devastating experience into a career leap: She became an entrepreneur and co-creator of The Death Deck. It’s a card game that inspires humor, thought, and conversation around the inevitable experiences we all share: Life and Death.
At times we crave and deserve more, but we aren’t quite sure what’s holding us back from taking the necessary first steps. In this episode, learn how to acknowledge your circumstances, recognize barriers, and push past them. Use the “ready, set, go” - track metaphor to position yourself to make leaps that propel you forward to progress. Sometimes that means just giving yourself a break and realizing you might be in the right place —for right now—that later serves as the perfect foundation for something else bigger and better. Listen to life lessons from Melanie and Dr. Michele about their experiences feeling stuck and held back - and how they overcame those moments to reach success on their own terms. We hope you join us so you too can feel empowered to “Go!”
“Enjoy the journey. Don’t be so focused on what’s ahead that you can’t enjoy the day and what it’s bringing to you,” says USA Today bestselling author Gwendolyn Womack. And she should know. Having started as a environmental science major in Alaska, Gwen took several career leaps -- across several continents -- before discovering her true passion: Being a novelist. The characters in Gwen’s three captivating novels are “very much on a journey of self-discovery to embrace whatever inner-ability that that story is telling.” Gwen helps us discover that we each possess an often undiscovered talent or underutilized gift. Once identified, we need to be persistent and persevere -- through naysayers and hurdles -- to achieve what fulfills us. Listen as Gwen shares why and how.
With a family motto of “Power in Progress” and personal motto of “Work hard, Play hard,” Executive Vice President of FAMBrands - Sales, Marketing and E-commerce - Wholesale Division, Carrie Henley, has experienced tremendous career, life, and community success. Carrie climbed the corporate ladder from personal assistant to EVP responsible for global corporate growth, with FAMBrands’ revenue over her tenure increasing to almost $600M in annual retail sales. Over what she describes as three distinct career leaps, Carrie shares some of the keys to the E-suite, including: the benefits of literally envisioning your future (and periodically changing it up!), goal setting, learning work-life lessons from Millennials, establishing clear communication and expectations, listening to yourself even when others question your decisions, exercise, prayer and meditation. Oh, and plenty of hard work. Beyond Carrie’s continuing corporate success, her devotion as a wife, mother, daughter, and friend help keep her a humble -- yet formidable -- powerhouse.
“You wouldn't let a stranger into your home to watch your child undress. So why should you let your child have a cell phone where they have unlimited access?” asks our guest, criminal defense trial lawyer and former Los Angeles County prosecutor, Lisa Houlé. Lisa handles all types of serious criminal cases, including: theft, rape, other sex crimes, and murder. Besides being a skilled and powerful litigator, Lisa uses her expertise in sex crimes to educate parents and youth on ‘teen sexting.’ As the mother of two who’s seen the damage that social media “errors” can make in young people’s lives, Lisa teaches how teens can use their phones more wisely. She shares her message that ‘empowerment comes through education’ with teens, professional sports teams, and media appearances. Lisa also shares how she made the entrepreneurial and career leap from a secure position as a prosecutor for 15 years into establishing her own private law practice. Learn how Lisa balances exposure to the “darkness” of violent crime, being a wife, mother, and preventing the destruction of lives.
Our early life leaps, failures, and wins help shape us into who we are today. Get to know “Melanie & Dr. Michele” as we talk about how our early life experiences, role models, and mentors empowered our most challenging life leaps. Feel empowered by your own experiences and recognize how overcoming your early life challenges continue to help you make leaps every day. Melanie encourages you to ask yourself the question: “if I don’t do this now - will I always regret it?” and Michele inspires us to "have gratitude in all things and at all times, especially during the challenging ones." Join us for this up close and intimate conversation.
We know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but our guest, Dr. Beth Ricanati, takes that adage a step -- or leap! -- further. She says, “When we take care of ourselves, then we are better caregivers,” especially knowing “that 75% of chronic disease is lifestyle driven.” Dr. Beth is an enterprising mother, physician, community volunteer, and award-winning author of, “Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs.” With a busy medical practice and three small children, she realized that something needed to change. Listen to how Dr. Beth followed her own advice as a specialist in women’s health and wellness. Through the art of slowing down to make Challah each week, she learned what she needed for herself, her family, and her true purpose. Dr. Beth’s story resonates with those experiencing professional burnout and personal stress, and is an example of how to pivot -- with or without support -- to a lifestyle that is healthy, meaningful, and fulfilling.
“If you can hold the mirror up to yourself and be as honest as possible when you're thinking about career and other leaps in life, you'll end up making the right choice,” says Kim Withee. And she should know. Kim’s amassed much wisdom, skill, and humor over her lengthy career at Team One, TBWA/Chiat/Day, and now as Senior Vice-President, Group Account Director at Deutsch advertising agency. Having clients like McDonald's, Lexus, Infinity and Volkswagen, Kim’s become a widely-respected industry expert in growing and promoting brands, human behavior, and purchasing decisions. Listen, learn, and laugh. You’ll get better at knowing your audience, growing your brand, gaining more clients, future proofing yourself, and perfecting your “side hustle.”
“You have to be able to put yourself out there and just try,” says Audra Steller. She has spent her career in male dominated industries, including media sales at Fox Latin America, Telemundo and launching the Hispanic radio division for the L.A. Dodger Stadium. After a “Mommy Hiatus,” Audra now serves as Founder and CEO of Steller Painting & Contracting and knows what it takes to become an industry pioneer. Audra says, “Realize what you have accomplished to this point and -- even though you might be scared and stressed -- decide to do it. Believe in yourself, use your support system, and fake it till you make it.” Listen to Audra Steller to be inspired.
How do you stay innovative? “You have to keep looking for the magic,” says Cynthia Desser - Founder / CEO / Creative Director of the globally-inspired, sustainable, chic jewelry and accessory line “Cynthia Desser Accessories.” From the haute couture runways in Paris to upscale retailers around the globe, her designs are found in top fashion magazines, runways, and celebrity styling. Learn how she felt a “push” to enter the world of fashion and jewelry design, then became a self-taught entrepreneur. Cynthia’s creative, inspirational journey includes adventures, international moves, and -- as we like to say -- leaps. Learn what’s possible in your own life and career when you find “your” magic.
If you've worked long enough, you've probably made a regrettable career mistake or two. It happens to the best of us. In fact, President James Madison said, “Let the worst be known, that the best may be made of it.” Today we're talking about how to avoid making business mistakes...or at least how to make the most out of our missteps. Learn how our experiences have taught the biggest lessons and learn the best approaches to fix them.
“Trust the process. Nothing happens overnight but if you focus on numbers, have tenacity, and a good work ethic, you’ll get there,” says the incredible business and tech entrepreneur, Dr. Jacqueline Shaffer. She’s author of the international best seller - “Irresistible You,” founder of natural skincare product line, Schique, and is launching her newest tech endeavor - Natural Glam. Join us for a conversation you don’t want to miss with this innovative business powerhouse.
Public education is critical for every single person on this planet,” says Allison Holdorff Polhill, Senior Advisor to Los Angeles Unified School Board Vice-President Nick Melvoin. With a nearly $8B annual budget, Los Angeles Unified School District is the second largest in the nation. Get to know how Allison went from feminist first-generation college student, to environmental rights litigator, to public school volunteer, to running local school boards, to her position today. There have been unanticipated career pivots and life choices as wife, mother, attorney, public servant, and friend. Learn how she -- and perhaps you too -- can have it all... albeit in an order or timing that’s different than originally planned.
Teddy Roosevelt said, "Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing." In making career leaps, we have to build new levels of confidence...acknowledging the fear and moving forward anyway. In this episode, Melanie and Dr. Michele discuss strategies for building career confidence, overcoming challenges, and experiencing successes. Having big goals can make you question your ability to achieve them, but confidence is the fuel that powers your pursuit. Join us.
“I am a seeker -- I’ll go to the ends of the earth to find the answers,” says our incredibly informative guest, Elissa Goodman. Elissa survived cancer at age 32, but lost her husband to cancer when he was 45. Suddenly becoming the sole provider raising their two daughters, Elissa made it her mission to live a life of less stress, healthy eating, and to discover answers for living a longer, more vibrant life. She became a Holistic Nutritionist, Cleanse Expert, and bestselling author of “Cancer Hacks.” Elissa found answers that helped her heal and now is dedicated to help others live healthier, longer, and more vibrant lives. Become more informed about your own health while learning about Elissa’s inspiring life and career leap.
Our conversations with Denita Willoughby went a little long, but it was so good that we decided to publish it as a bonus episode! Please enjoy as we discuss more of her journey, and how she turned her comeback into her defining moment.
“Don’t let your setback be your defining moment; let your comeback be your defining moment,” advises Denita Willoughby, a VP who runs a $3B operation at Sempra California utilities. Denita models openness, strategic help-seeking and achievement in her success as a corporate executive, wife, mother, runner, and non-profit leader. Connect with and learn from dynamic, engaging Denita as our guest on “The She Built It Podcast with Melanie & Dr. Michele.” Denita shares stories on negotiation, goal achievement, inspiration and balance in a world where human connections are how she measures happiness.
Our conversations with Devon Crimin went a little long, but it was so good that we decided to publish it as a bonus episode! Please enjoy as we discuss what made her decide to leave her long time employer and embrace new challenges.
"There's something about believing in yourself. Believing that you can actually do something different and that when you decide to - you know that you will be okay.” Meet our dynamic guest Devon Crimin. After a successful 20 year career in sales, as a buyer, and manager at Nordstrom, Devon made a leap to become Regional Director of Sales - West for Nars Cosmetics. Join us as we chat with Devon about successfully managing teams, staying motivated when working remotely, and how to make the tough choices in considering a leap that might significantly change your life.
Our conversations with Kayla Francis went a little long, but it was so good that we decided to publish it as a bonus episode! Please enjoy as we discuss what keeps her inspired, the importance of community, and how she measures progress.
Are there things you’re interested in but they aren’t fulfilling you? Our “She Built It Podcast with Melanie & Dr. Michele” guest, Kayla Francis, says you have to go with what excites you. It has to relate to your driving purpose. It has to stir something deep within your soul. If it doesn’t, you’ll keep having a nagging feeling that there’s something else out there for you. Discontentment will set in. Instead, give yourself permission to make a change. Learn how to pursue that change on this week’s episode. Kayla inspires and surprises you with what you can do… today.
Our conversations with Dr. Peggy Mitchell Clarke went a little long, but it was so good that we decided to publish it as a bonus episode! Please enjoy the rest of our conversation with a true inspiration.
Our conversations with Dr. Peggy Mitchell Clarke went a little long, but it was so good that we decided to publish it as a bonus episode! Please enjoy the rest of our conversation with a true inspiration.
Are you living and working in your “sweet spot?” It’s the intersection of doing what you love, what you’re good at, and what the world needs. Do you have enough “margin” in your life? Are you moving at the right pace? If your answer is ‘no’ or ‘I don’t know,’ listen to our conversation with Dr. Peggy Mitchell Clarke on how to take a leap toward a better quality of life. Author of “Do Something Different for a Change” and “Doggie Tales,” Dr. Peg is a psychologist, radio show host, and retired professor and college administrator who’s learned to leap toward a richer life without a visible net, and believes you can, too. Listen to this episode of “The She Built It Podcast with Melanie & Dr. Michele” to learn how.
What if we decided to shine and not let anyone dim our light? Meet our enlightening guest - Amber Susa Jewett. Amber began her career as a successful child actor with a natural gift as an entertainer and performer. She learned to use movement to relieve stress and manage challenging situations. As she transitioned out of acting as an adult, Amber used her love of fitness to open a successful fitness studio. Due to “divine timing” and physical hardship, Amber began to practice meditation. It completely healed her mind and body, motivating her to share with others the power of mind over matter. Amber now operates a new studio: Allomi - “Sanctuary for Holistic Health and Healing” where she helps others live a healthy life. Listen and learn tips to shine your own bright inner light.
What if we decided to choose love? Join us and our guest, Julie Spira, as we talk about love, online dating, entrepreneurship, setting trends, and living a career that is financially rewarding and personally fulfilling. Revolutionary in her field, Julie made her leap before anyone knew what an online dating coach was. She’s become an award-winning dating expert, internationally known best-selling author, and helped hundreds find love online. She’s been featured in over 1500 media interviews on almost every network and recently given tips to Maria Shriver on The Today Show. Learn etiquette for the web and why and how you should “trust your intuition… because it’s a powerful gift.”
There are people who truly support and promote our careers. They believe in our ideas, trust our decisions, ability to lead, manage teams, and encourage our leaps. They understand what makes us the most productive in the workplace. Today’s episode is about enlightened men: Who they are, why they are successful in their careers, and in supporting others in theirs. We appreciate and discuss the enlightened men who have our backs. Join the conversation.
Do you know the difference between a copyright and a trademark? Either way, your career and your life are affected by them. Learn more about what you should know and — more importantly — hear career leap advice from someone who works with attorneys in the entertainment industry to create, protect, and grow their brands. Meet our guest - Tara Crimin of CompuMark. She’s worked since she was 10 years old, supported herself through college, and now advises Fortune 100 companies. Tara has great insight and guidance for Generations X, Y, and Z.
What if you decided to find the “life balance” that is right for you? It is your life and your rules - you have the power to change and you have more power than you think. The meaning of balance is different for everyone and finding the courage to make changes is not always easy. In this episode we chat about recognizing the signs when life seems off balance and we discuss ways to make adjustments so you feel good, you continue to make progress, and live a life with joy.
When there’s an officer-involved shooting, who represents law enforcement? Someone like Angela Powell. Our guest is a law partner at Manning and Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez & Trester where she represents and counsels governmental and public entities -- including individual police officers and deputy sheriffs -- in civil rights actions. Ms. Powell brings a unique perspective as a former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney. She is dedicated to fairness, mentoring younger attorneys, and to her community, her parents, and -- proudly -- her son. Humbly presented, learn how Angela's passions, values, and experiences propelled her very successful career and life leap.
What makes a good...or a not so good boss? How can you become a better workplace leader? Whether you’re the boss, a manager, or are working for one, this episode discusses how to make a positive and productive workplace environment. No leader is perfect but there are ways to grow from every type of boss. Listen and learn to create a more rewarding and enjoyable workplace… because we all make the rules or follow them -- choosing how hard or well we work. Go beyond the “why, what, and how.”
A successful career leap is also a life leap...one that authentically balances our true self and purpose with our actions. Being our “best” professionally is just one part. Our guest, attorney Mercedes Salomon Morton, JD, MBA, specializes in working with entrepreneurs. She shares practical, insightful advice for living goal-oriented, well-rounded and fulfilling lives. Mercedes even helps us prepare for the unexpected.