Women Taking The Lead With Jodi Flynn

Sandy Weiner, founder of Last First Date, is devoted to helping women achieve healthy, off the charts love in the second half of life. An internationally known TEDx speaker, dating coach, speaker, and workshop leader, Sandy specializes in helping women communicate effectively, set clear boundaries in relationships, and value themselves. She believes that a woman of value attracts her best partner. Sandy has contributed hundreds of articles to several prestigious publications, including the Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and The Good Men Project, and she is the dating expert at Better After 50. She is also the host of Last First Date Radio, an acclaimed show about attracting and sustaining healthy relationships in midlife. Playing Small Moment Sandy had the opportunity to do a TED Talk after discussing her love for TED Talks with a friend, but she was petrified of public speaking. She hired a speech coach and was able to deliver the speech with phenomenal affect. Sandy had to make the choice to play it sma

Amber Lambke is the president of the Somerset Grist Mill, LLC and its Maine Grains label, which is carried by specialty food stores and used by fine restaurants and bakeries throughout Northeastern US. She is also the executive director of the Maine Grain Alliance. Amber has worked with local business leaders and community members to successfully bring the cultivation and processing of heritage grains back to Skowhegan, Maine, which is a driving force behind Maine’s sustainable foods movement. Her efforts through the Maine Grain Alliance have generated a broader understanding and appreciation of the nutritional and economic value of heritage grains and oats, as well as their exceptional flavor. The alliance’s Kneading Conference, co-founded by Amber, now draws thousands of attendees from across North America each year and has spawned similar conferences across the country. Playing Small Moment Amber began to volunteer with an organization called, Main Street, from 2005-2007. Her mindset was focused on recruit

Kristie Kennedy is a motivational speaker, a personal development coach and an established author. Kristie has a rich treasury of insight and knowledge for women who are challenged in three areas: self-worth, self-starting and self-growth. She is a visionary leader, who serves as women’s beauty, business, brilliance and body image speaker with a passion for empowering individuals to live magnificently in the face of adversity.  Playing Small Moment Kristie is an artist at heart and didn’t know she could use those skills to be expressive and was often held back by her own fear. In college, she was afraid to contribute to class discussions for fear of being wrong and realized that her professor was enabling her fear and holding her back. The Wake Up Call This year has been a year of transformation for Kristie, which is pivotal for her role as an entrepreneurial leader. After being terminated unexpectedly from her spa career, she realized that she was worth so much more than what she was working for. Style of Le

John Lee Dumas is the founder & host of Entrepreneur on Fire, a top ranked business Podcast where he interviews today's most inspiring Entrepreneurs 7 days a week. An army veteran and dabbler of professions, he felt unfulfilled in his career until he hit upon his mission – to inspire and motivate would-be and newbie entrepreneurs, to keep going and to find success through all the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial roller coaster. A Women Who Has Influenced Your Life  When John first had the idea of the Entrepreneur on Fire podcast, it was just an idea. He had no clue how to start, nor did he have any background experience. John found someone in a place where he wanted to be, Jamie Tardy. He asked her for mentorship but also made sure to ask how he could add value. What He Sees That Hold Women Back  John sees a lot of women hold themselves back from within. In the military, he saw many females shy away from command, but he could not understand why, and knows he would have obeyed their orders. If you know

Nellie Akalp is a serial entrepreneur, small business expert, speaker and author. She is the founder and CEO of CorpNet.com - an online legal document filing service - where she helps entrepreneurs start, grow and maintain a business. Nellie shares her expert tips with readers at Forbes, Entrepreneur and Mashable and is a regular guest expert on the Fox Small Business Center. Nellie has presented a workshop at Small Biz Expo and sat down with members of Girls in Tech, General Assembly, and more, to inspire and motivate others to make their business dreams a reality. Playing Small Moment Nellie started her first business straight out of law school and right at the start of the Internet. The business took right off, as there was not a lot of competition. In 2005, the company was sold for a large sum of cash. Nellie took time off to focus more on being a mom. After her non-compete clause ran out, she realized she was too young, bored and passionate to take early retirement. So, Nellie jumped back into the game a

Sara Millman is an independent filmmaker and writer whose work has been screened and distributed on five continents. She envisioned backHer to enable fellow artists, activists, and entrepreneurs to grow budgets, while at the same time to support women who are rising from poverty and oppression. Sara has devoted much of her life to actively caring for people and animals. Social and economic justice has been a factor in her life from the start and Sara is especially passionate about creating and growing the backHer Rise Together Fund. Click to tweet: .@filmworks7 is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead www.womentakingthelead.com/087 Playing Small Moment Sara’s film was the closing night film at a London film festival. As she was sitting in the limo that was provided, she suddenly felt super anxious about the upcoming events. Throughout her whole life, Sara wanted to be seen, but now that all eyes were going to be on her, she began second-guessing her decisions. Being at these fancy parties

Christie Mims is the Founder and CEO of The Revolutionary Club, the number one destination for smart women who are unwilling to settle for anything less than career happiness.   Compassionate, caring, and a little kick-ass, Christie is here to make sure that you love what you do (note: life is too short not to love what you do). A certified professional coach and recovering consultant with a background in working for Fortune 500 companies, Christie has been there, done that, and worn those uncomfortable shoes. She has dispensed career advice for Forbes, LearnVest, Brazen Careerist, Yahoo! and many more; and she can be seen speaking at the University of VA, The Daily Muse, Women for Hire, The US Army, and at a variety of other organizations. Why is career transition so important? Christie says we treat our jobs as Disney treats love. That is not really the case, though. Your career is something that is going to span 50+ years. When you enjoy your work, you tend to live a healthier and longer life. The more we

Anna Lenhart is the founder of the Next Generation of Service, an online alternative career center that encourages recent graduates to start their career with a Year of Service. Anna graduated from Carnegie Mellon University.  Using her Fulbright Grant, she studied sustainable waste management practices in Namibian townships.  She has since staked a role in the San Diego community as a Salesforce and technology consultant, working primarily with non-profits and start-up companies. Anna is also an ambassador for the Franklin Project.  She loves surfing, rock climbing, and camping; and has visited 23/53 of the United States National Parks. Playing Small Moment Anna tried working with universities for funding. After the realization that it was too difficult working with universities for funding, they had to revert to traditional ways. Anna felt uncomfortable asking for donations and often came across as timid. Once she spoke to other non-profit founders, she had to change the way she approached donors and kicked

The women of my family, young and old are sharing their thoughts on leadership, love, relationships, growing up and motherhood. We are joined by Lucia and Sophia Flynn, Kerri and Vanessa Sulminski and Erin, Danya and Eiryanna Gachuma to celebrate the past year and ring in the New Year with a fun, touching and humorous episode. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Questions for the moms: Describe your daughter to me. You are raising a son and a daughter. Are there any considerations you have for your daughter that you don’t have for your son? What are the challenges you’ve faced as the mother of a daughter? What are your thoughts on raising your daughter to be a leader? What do you wish for your daughter? What wisdom would you pass on to other moms who are pregnant with a girl? Questions for the Daughters: How would you describe yourself? Describe your mom to me. What do you like about being a girl? What does it mean to you to be a leader? What are you looking forward to when you grow up? If you could change

Gayle Brown is the co-owner of Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, Vermont. She has 15 years of experience running the family business with her husband Paul. The mill is a popular tourist destination that welcomes more than 350,000 visitors a year. She has a bachelor's degree in Geology from the University of Vermont, where she was also the captain of the 1979 ski team. Playing Small Moment When Gayle’s children were young, their bookkeeper got angry after she had simply asked for a statement. Gayle realized that the bookkeeper was manipulating her and her husband against each other. She did not want this to hurt her marriage and ended up pushing back her instinct that something felt ‘off’. Gayle remembers realizing how much manipulation took place across the years, because she was scared of losing the bookkeeper as an employee, which would have led to controversy in the business. The Wake Up Call Gayle had taken a class with successful local business leaders and she might not have had any fancy letters afte

Laura Roeder is the founder of Edgar, a new social media automation tool designed to prevent updates from going to waste. Laura began her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 22, when she quit a design job and decided to launch her first business. Since then, she founded B-School with Marie Forleo, has run successful courses of her own such as Creating Fame and Social Media Marketer; and she was named a Top 100 Entrepreneur under 30, in America. Edgar was created out of a need Laura had in her own business to more effectively manage social media – and so in 2014, Laura pivoted her business to dive into the SaaS world. Since launching in mid-2014, Edgar has hit over $150,000 in monthly recurring revenue, all the while bootstrapping the entire way. More than 3,000 customers are now using Edgar to help manage their social media. Playing Small Moment Laura always felt self-conscious, because she looked too young. She would go to various chamber of commerce events where she did not typically meet anyone close to

Dr. Carri Drzyzga (Driz’ ga) is world-renowned as ‘The Functional Medicine Doc’– the go-to expert on finding the root causes of health problems so you can feel normal again. She is a chiropractor and naturopathic doctor, and host of the popular podcast, The Functional Medicine Radio Show with Dr. Carri. Playing Small Moment Once Dr. Carri had rebuilt her private practice, she knew she had to write a book to get her name out there. That is when the stress set in and fear over the thought of the possibilities became paralyzing. She got on a Mastermind call and laid out all of her feelings. Dr. Carri’s group assured her it was completely normal, and told her to write one paragraph at a time. Afterward, nothing could hold her back! The Wake Up Call It was December, and Dr. Carri realized she was holding herself back and letting her excuses drag her down. She had a 3am realization that she was all-talk and no action, and felt she had to make changes right away. Style of Leadership Dr. Carri’s leadership style is s

Emi Kirschner has helped successful, joy driven executives and entrepreneurs take the leap into the healthy lifestyle they desire. As a board certified Holistic Health Coach (CHHC), she unlocks the “Why” that keeps them stuck in stress filled lives and unhealthy eating habits. Emi’s compassionate, innovative, and fun approach to coaching will harness your inner energy and transform your life. Playing Small Moment Right out of college, Emi took a job without any thought or negotiation. Soon after, she turned down a second job offer because she thought simply having a job was the goal. Looking back, she realizes she should have negotiated with her first employer, and at least considered the path that the other job could have brought. The Wake Up Call Emi had her wake up call when she decided to get a divorce, and came to terms with doing things that benefit her.  During marriage counseling, they reached a point where change was not happening and a decision had to be made.  It was the right call for her and her

Makeda Ricketts founded PinkThink, an education technology company, in 2013. PinkThink is an interest-oriented and peer-supported web and mobile platform that makes (S)cience, (T)echnology, (E)ngineering, and (M)ath education powerful, relevant, and engaging for girls. PinkThink has won numerous awards, and Makeda was recently named Maker of the Year by the International Alley Awards. On a personal note, Makeda has a passion for education and has taught in Ethiopia and Harlem, New York. Makeda graduated from Wellesley College, with a degree in Political Science and Economics. She is currently an MBA candidate at Chicago Booth, with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. Playing Small Moment Makeda grew up around people with big voices, so she struggled to find her own voice and her own space while growing up. When Makeda got her first job, she was so excited to be picked for the position that she settled for the salary they offered her, even though her father had taught her not to do that. The Wake Up Call Make

Hey everyone and welcome to this 6th bonus episode!!  How have you been? I’m going to start off with some exciting news for Women Taking the lead, I’m going to thank my reviewers, highlight a member of our community and then I’m going to dive into the topic for this week – It Starts with You. Okay, so some background – I belong to a community of podcasters called Podcast Paradise. There are currently has about 2300 members. I found out this week that Women Taking the Lead was nominated for a Podcaster Paradise award for “Best Interview-Based Podcast. I was blown away and incredibly honored and I wanted to be sure to thank you for listening and making this podcast so popular. You inspire and motivate me to improve as an interviewer to provide the best content for you. So Yay us! At this time I feel it the right time to start bringing on sponsors for the podcast. I want to be more creative with the podcast and try out some new things but that’s going to take more support and more support is going to take fundin

Dr. Christine Maguire earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Providence College, and her Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, MO. She is also a Certified Chiropractic Wellness Practitioner (C.C.W.P.). Dr. Maguire is the author of HOPE 30 Tips to Overcome Cancer Naturally, and a contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Chiropractic Soul, where she highlights a patient’s story.  A long-time speaker at the Cancer Community Center and with twenty years of practice, she is in her dream job at Scarborough Family Chiropractic where she enjoys adjusting people of all ages, especially children; allowing them to experience the many health benefits of chiropractic care. Playing Small Moment After waking up with debilitating back pain as a teen, doctors told Christine that she would probably never play sports again. Losing her friends and team aspect was difficult for her. She actually believed she would never play again and felt sorry for herself. The Wakeup Ca

Alexandra Black-Paulick is a business junkie at heart. Formerly working for nonprofits, she transitioned to marketing. Still feeling the pull of the nonprofit mentality, she stumbled into the world of social entrepreneurs. Inspired by individuals creating meaningful change in the world, she started the Positive Impact Podcast. This was the perfect blend of her nonprofit background, love for business and marketing outlets.  This new show elevates the work of movers, shakers and change makers creating a positive impact on the world, inspiring individuals like you and me to make our positive mark.   Playing Small Moment Alexandra and her husband relocated and were unfamiliar with their surroundings and didn’t know anyone in their area. She got a job at a nonprofit, the pay was terrible and leaving it was the hardest thing she has ever done because of her loyalty. The Wake Up Call Alexandra's husband was listening to Zig Ziglar books in the car, and he sat her down and asked how she was going to impact lives.  Sh

Lee Caraher started Double Forte in 2002 as a new kind of communications firm designed to provide the best service in the business. Previously EVP at Weber Shandwick, president and founder of Red Whistle, and VP of SEGA, Caraher has managed multiple offices and hundreds of people of all ages, and was named in the 40 under 40 by industry publication PRWEEK. She serves on the boards of KQED Public Media and Grace Cathedral, and is a member of Entrepreneurs Only. Caraher holds a BA in medieval history from Carleton College, which she finds useful every day. She lives with her husband and two sons on the San Francisco Peninsula.    Playing Small Moment When Lee worked and lived in LA, she didn’t know anyone. She worked in a place that was demeaning. Though she won many awards through them, the people she worked for diminished a lot of her work. Lee saw a lot of opportunities but everything was being second guessed. The Wake Up Call Her most recent wake up call was when Lee as sick a few years ago and kept working

Robyn Barnes lives in North Yarmouth, Maine, with her husband and two children, Nicholas who is 23 and Alexandra who is 18 and a freshman in college. Since returning to Maine in 1989, Robyn has managed and operated her own businesses, which allowed her to raise her children and work at the same time. Her latest adventure with co-owner Barb Brown is Carpe Diem, a wine room located in Yarmouth, Maine.   Playing Small Moment Robyn got a job at a law firm and expected to go in and take charge, but she realized that was not the case. The value of her contributions was not getting her anywhere. Robyn ended up staying at the law firm much longer than she should have. She feels like she lost a piece of herself from doing that job. The Wake Up Call When Robyn had her first son, she had a wakeup call.  She had always taken the traditional 9-5 jobs as long as they gave her a paycheck.  When her son was born, she decided she wanted it all, and she knew that she could have it all.  When she got pregnant, she wanted to wor

Dave Crenshaw is a master at helping business-owners triumph over chaos. He has appeared in Time magazine, FastCompany, USA Today, and the BBC News. His first book titled The Myth of Multitasking: How ‘Doing It All’ Gets Nothing Done, has been published in six languages and is a best seller in the time-management category. His latest book,  The Focused Business: How Entrepreneurs Can Triumph Over Chaos, is also a best seller in the small business category. As an author, speaker, and business coach, Dave has transformed thousands of businesses worldwide.   A Women Who Has Influenced Your Life  Dave shares how two women of the same name have influenced his life. His wife, Katherine, is an incredible leader. Dave admires her for her ability to get things done, with the gift of making people feel warm and welcomed in the process. She has a way of making everyone feel comfortable being themselves, and that has had the biggest impact on Dave’s life. The second Catherine is the founder of Defy Ventures, which aims t