Powerful Ladies® Podcast

Episode 200: Karen Losi, Advocate for Families & Children

Democracies and great societies work because citizens participate.  As John F Kennedy said, Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. Today’s guest, Karen Losi, understands the assignment. She’s pivoted from a successful career in retail to looking to where she can best be of service to her community, first as a foster parent and soon with her masters degree in social work. In this episode we discuss her choice to pivot, the realities of kids and families in need, and why we need more people to share their gifts to elevate and create the caring, connected communities we crave. 

Episode 199: Christie Garcia founder of Mindful Choice

Today’s guest, Christie Garcia, and I share one of my biggest pet peeves about corporate America. We do not train or teach people how to go from being an independent contributor to being a manager or leader. Instead most companies think they’re doing you the employee a favor by giving you a promotion that includes leading people and assume you’ll figure it out. Being a great producer and being a great leader are completely different skill sets.  Christie has taken this frustration and created her company the Mindful Choice Leadership Academy where she is helping managers and leaders of all kinds to step into the mindset, approach and perspective that allow them to be not just great, but transformational leaders. 

Episode 198: Beverly Asante Puschmann Running for Joy & Teaching You How, Too

Running can be fun and rewarding but we are often stopped from putting on our running shoes because we’re nervous and scared about even that first mile. Luckily, today’s guest, Beverly Asante Puschmann, is here to help us.  In addition to a successful career at IBM, she’s a running coach and the author of Ace The Half: Run Your Best Half Marathon, Get in Shape and Finally Tick "Finish the Race Off" Your Bucket List.  If you’ve never ran, are currently out of running shape, have run a few races or run regularly, you’re sure to get new pro tips about running, habit building, and remembering what we’re all capable of. 

Episode 197: Step Into Your Purpose & Tell Your Story with Lindsay Bednar

If you guys have been listening for a while, you know that I love books! I also believe anything is possible and available to us if we go get it and in the power of storytelling. Today’s guest, Lindsay Bednar, shares those values. She is the founder of Rodney K Press, an independent publishing house. She’s a writer, an author coach, a wife, mom, sister, & daughter. She is also diligently in pursuit of her best self and how accessing that best self allows her to be more available, more successful, and more of service to help make other people’s dreams come true. 

Episode 196: From Growing Up In Iran to International Human Rights Lawyer, Actor & Modern Activist with Sara Seyed

Today’s guest Sara Seyed is an activist, actor, and prior human rights lawyer. The past few months she has been dedicating herself fulltime to sharing, discussing and talking about the revolution currently happening in Iran. In this episode, we cover the latest news on Iran, how her love for acting and activism have been woven through her life, and why it’s so important for those of us with the ability to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. 

Episode 195: Choosing Joy & Curiosity to Create a Beautiful Life with Karen Duffy

Today’s guest, Karen Duffy, has had a diverse and impactful assortment of careers. She broke onto the world stage as the MTV VJ “Duff” in the early 1990’s, was on People’s 50 Most Beautiful People list in 1993, she is an actor, a model, a producer, an Oprah and NY Times best selling author, a speaker, a writer, and has also had a full assortment of social service roles including being a hospice chaplain in the Buddhist tradition.

In 1996 she was diagnosed with sarcoidosis - a currently incurable chronic pain illness and while it may have slowed her down in moments, it has not stopped her from working, creating or making a huge impact.

In this episode we dive into the wisdom of stoicism, the power of gratitude, how to be joyful through the pain, and why serving others is the answer to everything. We also discuss her latest projects, the Bill Murray documentary “New Worlds”, the upcoming movie “Greatest Beer Run Ever” starring Zac Efron, and her soon to be released newest book.

Episode 194: Harlem’s Favorite Lady - Storytelling Tour Guide Keeping the History of Harlem Alive & Vibrant with Lady Altovise

I love field trips. I love history, learning and hearing all the stories. Today’s guest, Lady Altovise is the founder of Lady Altovise NYC tours and she brings all of her experience in theater, dance, writing, producing, and music to each of her tours. From soul food to gospel tours to the most interesting parts of Harlem history, her tours, like herself, are unique, high energy and unforgettable. I’m excited for you to hear about her story, her joy and why sharing the good and the bad parts of our history is one of the most important things we can do as humans.

Episode 193: Every Role is a Job, So How Do We Do All Our Jobs Well? with Jackie Waller

Powerful Ladies are a lot of things - professionals, daughters, sisters, moms, wives, podcasters, business owners, athletes, chefs, head of finances, logistics, etc, etc and we’re usually all those things IN ONE DAY. In today’s episode, I sit down with Jackie Waller co-host of the Beauty, Bags & Bravo Podcast to break down all the roles we have, how we need our circle of support, why honoring each other on a daily basis matters and why Bravo tv might just be our best therapy. 

Episode 192: Creating a Viral TikTok Product Business with Abby Michaelsen

One great idea can change your life and going viral on TikTok can change your business. Today’s guest and one of my rockstar clients, Abby Michaelsen of Statement Home, has experienced both phenomena and used them to her advantage. In this episode, we talk about the process of starting a product based business, how to scale a business as a one woman show, and the marketing secrets that can help your business. That and so much more! 

Episode 191: How to Be Fierce & Take Action No Matter How You Feel with Tara Wilson

When you hear the word fierce, what comes to mind? Powerful? Aggressive? Inspiring? For today’s guest, Tara Wilson, fierce is her word and she’s built her second business Fierce Labs on the foundation that by being fierce you are creating your life your way. You and I know that fierce is a big word, so in this episode we break down what that means, where we’re stopped, and all the different ways you can access what you need for your greatness.  

 

Episode 190: Break Free from Good Girl Training & Step Into Your Power with Marie Garvey

There are so many women out there who are burned out, have forgotten their dreams, and don’t even remember what brings them joy. I might even be describing you. That’s where today’s guest, (and one of my new best friends) Marie Garvey, has stepped in to change things. As a successful executive coach and communications specialist, she knew how to step into her own power. Her life was working and yet she too knew she was not in alignment or living with intention the way she could be. Taking her own experience, she started her Crazy Busy Women in Balance program to help women break free and step into their dream lives.  In this episode, we talk about how she created the program, why we both hate the silent quitting movement, and her journey to becoming a single mom. Enjoy! 

Episode 189: A Powerful Conversation About America: The Empowerment & Rise of Women in Iran

This episode is a live & unedited recording of A Powerful Conversation Series: The Rise & Empowerment of Women in Iran.  This recording took place on Saturday October 8th, 2022 in response to and support of the protests happening in Iran being led by brave young women asking for freedom for Women, Life and Liberty. 

Our amazing panelists include:  

• Dr. Marjan Koosha Johnson a physician and entrepreneur
• Dr. Marjon Vatanchi, board certified dermatologist 
• Parisa Frost, Marriage, Family & Clicinic Art Therapist & cultural researcher
• Pegah Ghamary, real estate advisor
• Dani Stevens, model, mother & motivator
• Sara Seyed, Human Rights Lawyer, Actor & Activist 

Enjoy this episode and please share it so that the efforts of the women and girls in Iran is being heard by as many people as possible. 

Episode 188: Chasing Freedom & Flow to Live with Jasmine Carey

Throughout time, humans have been in search of the secret to life. What is our purpose?  Where should we be focusing our energy?  What truly matters? What if our only goal was to be of service to others and have as much fun as possible?  That’s what today’s guest Jasmine Carey has been exploring as a lifelong writer, dancer and freedom seeker, and at a deeper level through her new memoir & young adult novel series. From growing up in Vermont to dancing to hanging out in New York with Prince, we cover a lot in this episode.

Episode 187: How the Power of Our Network & Our Momentum Can Define Our Business with Vicki Kotris

If you knew that you loved talking to people & you loved being social, chances are someone at one point in time told you that you’d be great at sales. That’s exactly what today’s guest Vicki Kotris was told. She built a great career in the sales space, but she also knew she didn’t want to be stuck in someone else’s plan, someone else’s dream. So four years ago, she and her husband decided to test one of her many million dollar ideas and it worked!  In this episode, learn how Vicki has built not one, but three businesses while still working full time, how she’s motivated to live intentionally and how her energy is not just changing Cleveland, but the world.

Episode 186: How To Do It Your Way, Increase Visibility & Make It Easier For The Next Generation with Tracy Christian

There are times when you see a woman and you know instantly, she’s a Powerful Lady. The clues are in her confidence, her body language, and often what she’s wearing. For many plus size women, finding the clothes to show up looking as powerful as they’ve felt has been a challenge. That’s what inspired Tracy Christian, a mega successful talent agent, to create her own fashion house, Sante Grace. In this episode, we discuss how everyone deserves to look great, the power of being your own advocate, how anything you want in life is just a game waiting for you to play, and the life you want is waiting for you to come and get it.

Episode 185: How a Passion for Baking & Community Is Leading to Success with Elise Thomas

When you know what you’re supposed to be doing in this world and you commit to making it happen, nothing will stop you.  Elise Thomas, the founder of Cookie Co, is a great example of doing whatever it takes. Her first brick and mortar location was set to open in early 2020, then of course a global pandemic hit. She had to pivot to launching her business from her home kitchen, baking after homeschooling her kids sometimes until 4am to fulfill orders. Her story is one filled with resilience, family, community, service, and a commitment to bringing people joy every day. 

Episode 184: A Deep Dive into the Power Plant Hemp & Environmental Economics with Annie Rouse

I’m such a huge fan of women who are just out there doing their thing to make the world a better place and secretly (because they never brag about themselves at all) are total undercover badasses. Annie Rouse is one of those women. She’s transforming the Hemp industry in America, educating and correcting people about all the various products hemp produces and its benefits. She’s an entrepreneur, supporting and advising other companies, and is doing all of that with degrees in economics, an MBA, and a Fulbright Scholarship. I’m excited for you to meet this badass. 

Episode 183: The Truth of Burnout, Self Love & Making Ourselves a Priority with Massoma Alam Chohan

As more and more Americans are identifying as having high levels of stress and anxiety, we need to be advocates for ourselves individually and for our teams and employees professionally, to have the tools needed to reduce stress & anxiety, and find more balance in our lives. Massoma Alam Chohan is the author of the Amazon #1 seller, Take Your Lunch Break: Helpful Tips for Relieving Work-Related Stress, as well as a TedX Speaker, Industrial & Organizational Psychologist, wife and mother. In this episode, we dive into how to take care of yourself, how to take care of your team, and how even two minutes a day can change your life and the impact you're making in the world.

Episode 182: Dr. Swathi Varanasi, Integrative Health Pharmacist & Co-Founder of Element Apothec

As a western society, we have more and more visibility to how whole body health and whole choice health is critical to our individual and community health. Today’s guest, Dr. Swathi Varanasi, is an Integrative Health Pharmacist committed to leveling up how we take care of ourselves and how we think about health care solutions. Additionally she’s an entrepreneur, speaker, author, and a woman who is constantly asking, can we do this better and why not me? In her roles as Chief Scientific Officer at Element Apothec, Medical Communications at Everly Health, and Director of Science at Los Angeles NORML. 

Episode 181: A Practice in Believing In Yourself & Leaping into The Unknown with Sydney Olson

I love the idea of being an ass kicking super hero or international spy.  So when I saw Sydney Olson’s instagram account, I was immediately intrigued. There are all these videos of her doing ridiculously cool flips and jumps and even jumping between buildings.  She’s a Red Bull Championship athlete, a parkour athlete, a stunt woman and so many more amazing cool things. I can’t wait for you to meet her.