Women Killing It!

Diane Flynn, Executive Vice President of Reboot Accelerator, co-founded Reboot to help women get current, confident, and connected to return to work.  Having rebooted her own career after taking time out of the paid workforce for motherhood, Diane encourages women to recognize the skill sets they have built doing unpaid work that are transferrable to the paid workforce.  Listen for her story and for fantastic advice for all women on being successful at work.

This week we are announcing our second challenge designed to take your career to the next level.  We think it's time to put all the amazing advice we've been hearing to work for us.  Give it a try and tell us how it goes! Email us or tell us on social media. We also preview a new podcast called Living Open by Eryn Johnson. We'll be back next week with another inspiring interview from a woman who is killing it in her career.

Jocelyn Greene is the founder and Executive Director of Child's Play NY, which teaches New York children acting, creativity and compassion.  She also is the creator of Child's Play in Action, a new video series that extends Jocelyn's expertise to all.  Jocelyn believes that "in order to create thriving children and successful humans, we just need to be playing more," and numerous recent studies agree.  Listen for Jocelyn's motivational story of building a successful business "cobblestone by cobblestone".

Ana Homayoun is a teen and millennial expert who recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of her company, Green Ivy Education Consulting.  She is the author of The Myth of the Perfect Girl, a guide to helping girls find authentic happiness and success in life. Ana was inspired to write the book when high-achieving girls could not tell her what made them happy or joyful.  Listen for Ana's wise teachings, which are needed not only by girls but also by women of all ages.

Julie Morgan started her makeup artist career years ago behind the makeup counter at a suburban shopping mall.  Today, she's known as Foxyfleet, a celebrity makeup artist and the personality behind foxyfleet.com.  She has been the personal artist for celebrities like Giada De Laurentiis and Ricki Lake, who appreciate not only her skills but also her ability to be the "zen master" amidst the chaos.  Julie shares her fascinating career path and lessons learned about going with her gut and staying true to herself.

Listen to the uplifting stories of Megan and Alison and their work with girls in Kenya through Zana Africa.  Megan founded Zana Africa when she learned that girls did not have access to sanitary pads and health education, and Zana Africa now fills that need for 30,000 girls a month.  Megan decided that her life's purpose was a big one - making life better for tens of millions of people - and her future plans for Zana Africa are limitless.  Alison handles communications and development for Zana Africa, and she details her career path that started with PR for a luxury goods company selling $100,000 watches and eventually led to fulfillment.  

Raised in a strict Caribbean household where art was not considered a career, Christine pushed her longstanding artistic passion to the sidelines. When she met designers making a living through art, Christine took a leap of faith and left her financial services career behind.  Her mother's bold move to Africa when Christine was a child gave Christine the courage to do it, and now Christine's designs are sold by major retailers like Crate & Barrel and West Elm. 

Lacking female role models in science as a kid, Liz Alter didn't see becoming a scientist as a realistic possibility.  But she decided to give her passion a try and has become a role model for other women in the field.  She is a biology professor at CUNY and the head of the Alter Lab.  Together with a female role model she found late in her career, she even discovered a new species of fish in the Congo River, naming it after the Obamas! 

In this episode, DJ Jolene shares her fascinating life story and career.  From a religious upbringing in which her school forbid dancing, to studying religion and philosophy at Oxford, to embracing her true passion -- making people dance -- Jolene's path will inspire you to do what you love.

In the ongoing quest for women to "have it all," Sheri Scott is one woman who figured it out.  Despite the architecture field being male-dominated and notoriously inflexible, Sheri sought out and found a part time job that allowed her to build a family and a successful career.  She bravely launched Scott Architecture at the start of the last recession, and she is preparing to grow it even further as she approaches the empty nest phase of life.  Listen to Sheri's inspiring story of creating her own reality, paying it forward, and choosing her priorities rather than having them chosen for her.

Anna and Annie are ambitious women who faced a rude awakening upon becoming mothers.  They both tried a reduced work schedule, but it didn't work at all.  Concluding that "exhaustion is not a status symbol," Annie and Anna set about to revolutionize the working world for women -- to create flexibility without compromising pay or ambition, to allow women to pursue their dream careers and caregiving simultaneously.  Listen to their story of founding Werk and get excited about the possibilities!

Failure is an option, says Alex Moroch, founder of the Los Angeles-based FEM Marketing. On this episode, Alex talks about her fearless career path and provides advice for others seeking more fulfilling careers.  Hear how Alex learned not to be afraid to ask questions and to ask for the help of others to maximize her impact. 

Dara Lamb started her company Dara Lamb Couture in 1985 after wearing the right outfit changed her life.  As a young woman in a male dominated industry, Dara struggled to find the right apparel to convey she deserved a seat at the table.  But when she found the perfect suit, her career took off.  She became passionate about dressing women for leadership and creating clothes that meet powerful women at their level.  Three decades later, her company continues its track record of success. 

When it comes to making lemonade out of life's lemons, Jennifer Wilkov is a master.  Her world came crashing down when she served time in one of the nation's most violent prisons, Rikers Island, for a white collar crime for which she was later exonerated.  Jennifer's experience inspired her to start Speak Up Women, an annual conference that helps women find their voice and create the kind of life they want to live. Listen for Jennifer's story of strength and resilience and learn the importance of putting yourself first.

This week we are announcing our first in a series of challenges designed to take your career to the next level.  We think it's time to put all the amazing advice we've been hearing to work for us.  Give it a try and tell us how it goes! Email us or tell us on social media.  We'll be back next week with another inspiring interview from a woman who is killing it in her career.

When it comes to getting back to work after a career break, Carol Fishman Cohen is a pioneer.  The mother of four, she returned to work in 2001 at Bain Capital.  Her return to work was so unique that Harvard did a case study about her.  Since then, Carol has published a book with her iRelaunch co-founder, given a Ted Talk viewed 1.3 million times, and helped tens of thousands of professionals seeking to return to work, both in the US and abroad.  She shares her own career path and tips for finding confidence often lost during time off from paid work.

Samantha Ettus, a work/life expert and best selling author, talks about her new book "The Pie Life."  She shares her view that women are happiest when they play in several different slices of life -- their career, their personal life, and even hobbies. She talks strategies for achieving the ever illusive work-life balance and discusses the unrealistic expectations that society places on mothers. For a hopeful view that it is indeed possible to "have it all," check out this episode!

Taking the leap is the hardest part, and that's just what Raquel Frechette did when she started her family photography business in Brooklyn.  With an MBA and a corporate job, Raquel re-evaluated her career track after becoming a mom.  Even though starting her business meant working up from the bottom again, she has created a life for herself that includes balance, success, and even time to learn the ukele!

Patti Clark has dedicated her more than 30-year career helping women - from teenage girls to empty nesters - undergo life transitions.  Her book, This Way Up, is a culmination of her life's work and helps women discover a life filled with enthusiasm, creativity, and joy.  Women spend so much energy caring for others, or working for others' approval, that we disconnect from our inner selves.  If you've ever felt lost or confused about your purpose, this episode is a must-listen!