Women Worldwide With Deirdre Breakenridge

Have you ever woken up on a Monday and wondered why you’re doing what you’re doing? You dread the day and know there’s something better out there for you? Listen as Anne Benveniste shares how you can transform your career from something that looks good on paper to something that you truly love.  Anne is a former marketing professional turned career coach. After spending years in the field of marketing and realizing she didn’t love it the way she thought she did, Anne started making changes. It wasn’t perfect. In fact, she took a bunch of detours on her road to coaching.  But man is she happy she did. She now helps professionals figure out what their true passion is and how they can make their careers reflect that passion. We’ve all had moments when we felt we needed a change, but so many times we resisted it.  We are chatting all about the reasons people are looking for a career change, what keeps them stuck, and why you’ll never look back when you finally work in the realm of your passion and genius. Anne ha

It’s a new year and for many of us, we’re looking to make this year the most profitable and successful ever. But how do we do that? What do we do differently to create different results from years prior? Joining me to chat all about prosperity and success is Samantha Varner. Samantha focuses on helping other women find success and consistent profit in their businesses. She founded She Collective in 2018 to serve female entrepreneurs as a profit coach and money-making business creator.  It wasn’t until she had to move three times, to three different countries, in quick succession that she realized the value of having and building her own business. Rather than having to obtain accreditation every single time she moved, her business would move and grow with her.  Listen as she shares why she’s so passionate about helping women find and own their financial independence. It all starts with becoming financially aware and the first step to awareness is knowledge. Learn how to track your finances in a way that isn’t

Have you ever had a perfect moment on stage or during a meeting where you just felt “on”? Everything you said came out perfectly, you felt comfortable and calm, and you were connecting with your audience? You were in your communications flow.  Listen as I share three techniques to help you get into your flow more quickly.  Everything starts with breath. Not just any breathing. The deep, rhythmic breaths that you take from your diaphragm. This type of breathing will help you calm any nerves and get your body ready to perform.  Next, you’ll want to visualize your perfect presentation. Imagine yourself in front of your audience, presenting your information. Imagine it going perfectly. Imagine yourself truly rocking your presentation. If you can visualize it, then your brain will believe it to be true which helps that perfect moment come to fruition.  Lastly, you want your words to connect with your body language. This means you need to channel your energy into your arms and hands so that you can better paint a p

“Your comfort is where your dreams go to die.” - Nicole Roberts Jones If you read or hear that statement and start feeling some emotions come up, then this is truly the episode for you. Nicole Roberts Jones is a coach, speaker, and author who has found her purpose in drawing out what’s best in others.  She knew from a young age that she wanted to be in the entertainment business, but what she found when she got there was that she wasn’t quite fulfilling her purpose. She loved her job. She loved her work. She loved the people she was working with. But she wasn’t lit up.  Fast forward several years and she was working with young ladies through a non-profit, helping them figure out their brilliance. She. Lit. Up. She knew then and there, she’d found her purpose.  Now she works with entrepreneurs to create multiple streams of income from what they already know in order to build an empire from their expertise. She is sharing her tips and advice right here and let me tell you, her words are fire.  Listen in to he

We all have strengths and weaknesses and those traits play a huge part in our leadership style. So, how do we figure out what our leadership style is? Ken Jacobs joins me to share his thoughts on the differences between coaching and consulting and why understanding yourself is the key to knowing your personal leadership style.  Ken has been in the communications field for many years. He started off working in agencies and PR firms and realized he wasn’t fulfilling his purpose. After sitting down with a lovely Venn Diagram, he knew the path he wanted to take.  He’s now a communications and leadership consultant and executive coach helping everyone from c-suite executives to small business owners master their personal brand of leadership. For Ken it all starts with a good assessment.  It’s hard to understand yourself if you have no insights into how your brain operates.  Listen as he shares amazing insights into the mind of a leader and why the differences between coaching and consulting are extremely important

Have you ever been on stage or in an interview and flubbed what you meant to say? It just didn’t come out right or you mixed up your words and, in your mind, the moment was ruined? I just had this happen to me and I’m sharing my tips and advice on coming back from a mistake while speaking.  I was recently doing an interview talking about our children’s books and I heard myself say the wrong thing. Rather than letting the slip take me out of the interview, I just stopped. I took a moment to get my thoughts together and then restarted.  Beating yourself up doesn’t help you say what you want to convey to the audience. More often than not, that same audience is championing you. They are there because they want to hear what you have to say, but they also know that you’re human. Mistakes are natural.  Once your engagement is over, take a moment to reflect. Don’t focus on the slip up only. Think about what went right, what went wrong, and how you can improve the flow of your speech so that you don’t falter in the sa

Wondering what the worst piece of business advice you could ever receive is? Per Sabrina Horn, it’s “fake it ‘til you make it.” Listen as she shares why that phrase is so damaging and what you should be doing instead to make it instead of fake it.  Sabrina has spent decades teaching c-suite executives leadership strategies and skills. She’s come by her own leadership skills through trial and error as she built her fledgling technology company. It was in the process of building her business that she realized how terrible faking it really is.  Essentially if you’re faking it, you’re lying. You are not being truthful about what you can deliver and what your product can do. Not only is that dishonest, it’s also damaging. Both to you and your company as well as the clients you serve.  Listen in to hear more about Sabrina’s journey, her new book, and her advice for making it instead of faking it.  This is a powerful message finding its way into the world at the perfect time. There’s so much upheaval and uncertainty

Naomi Shah started her career working at an investment firm. She spent her days weighing the risks and benefits of investing in various startups and making sure that those investments panned out. Listen as she shares how she went from investing in others to becoming the investment.  While she always had the idea that she would create her own company, it was her partners at Union Square Ventures who really pushed her to start her new venture. Meet Cute is a rom-com and lifestyle brand redefining the genre one story at a time.  There have certainly been challenges along the way and she’s sharing all about them. She also digs into the skills needed for one to successfully found and fund their new venture. It hasn’t been easy, but she has found such fulfillment.  Think you want to create your own startup? Then you won’t want to miss out on Naomi’s story and her advice for making great decisions from the beginning. Have you listened to Meet Cute? If not, check it out here! Show Notes: [01:20] Are you the investor

No matter if the conversation is about the pandemic, equality in the workplace, politics, religion, these days tough discussions are happening every day. How do you handle them? Listen in to hear my 5 ways to handle tough discussions and create an open and inviting space for conversation.  First things first, check your ego at the door. Don’t enter conversations showcasing your personal opinions. If you walk into a conversation already convinced that you’re right, you won’t be inviting conversation.  Next you want to observe how others are sharing information. Read their verbal and non-verbal cues and alter your body language and tone to help them feel more willing to share. Then validate what they’re saying.  Let them know you hear what they’re saying and that you understand where they are coming from. They don’t need to hear your opinions, they just need to know that they’re heard.  Last, just keep listening. Keep your ears open and create a safe space for others to share. How are you handling these discuss

Is this my stress? We make the choice to take and deal with different stressors every day, but are we taking on other people’s stress? Many times the answer is, yes! Listen as Kass Thomas joins me to chat about the choices we make and the changes they beget.  Kass Thomas is a human courier of communication helping others to lean into their experience and raise their voice. She’s also the author of two books and a speaker. Her goal is to help others communicate effectively so they can put away the negativity and find the positivity.  Who are you today?  What choices are you going to make today that may create massive change in your life? It’s okay if you don’t know these answers but be open to possibilities and you’ll be amazed at how your life changes.  Want to hear more amazing advice? Listen in to hear all that Kass has to share! Show Notes: [01:27] Choices and changes go together. Learn more.  [02:44] How did she get to the point where she wanted to help people make good changes?  [03:47] Why do so many f

Each generation that enters the workforce does so from a completely new set of life experiences and expectations. How can leaders attract these new generations and more importantly retain them? Hannah Williams has been studying exactly that and joins me to chat about working with Gen Z. Hannah was introduced to the entrepreneurial bug very early on. As the oldest of 7 in a family of entrepreneurs, she was encouraged to step out in fear and take chances. Her very first entrepreneurial experience was at the age of 12 when her father asked her to close a real estate deal.  Talk about being thrown into the frying pan! She graduated college at the age of 18 and spent the next 5 years in corporate America hearing leader after leader ask the same question, what is wrong with Millennials? Why can’t we recruit them and why can’t we keep them?  The research shows that the generation in question was less in relation to millennials and more with Gen Z. Listen as she shares her insights and what recent data shows about th

It’s easy to be calm when you’re on vacation, but what can you do to set your level to calm when you’re in stressful situations? Listen in to hear three easy ways to do exercises that will take you from anxious to calm in minutes.  First, grab a pad, pen, and timer. Give yourself 60 seconds before your next meeting, interview, presentation, whatever you’re facing, and write down all the words that are floating through your head. Once the 60 seconds are up, tear out the page from your journal and rip it up.  You’ve just released the thoughts that are crowding your mind and making space for the next exercise.  Practice intentional breathing. I like to use the box method which looks like this:  Breathe in for 4 seconds… Hold your breath for 4 seconds… Breathe out for 4 seconds… Hold your breath for 4 seconds… Do this intentional breathwork for a few rounds or until you can feel your body relaxing. This is a great way to reset your body and mind and help bring your anxiety or fear back down.  Once you’ve got the

If you’ve listened to the show for long, you know that I am an avid reader. I am constantly reading multiple books and learning so much about the world and business. Which is why I like to stop and share what I’m reading with you when I’m able.  During this election there was so much talk of “Lincoln’s Party” that I decided I needed to learn more about President Lincoln. I grabbed With Malice Toward None by Stephen B. Oates and was fascinated by our former president’s life and trials and how he managed to lead our country in a time of huge change.  I also love to learn about ways to create a more powerful mind. I grabbed Maximize Your Potential Through the Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr. Joseph Murphy because I’d previously read, The Power of the Subconscious Mind by Dr. Joseph Murphy and I love the way he approaches becoming more mentally aware.  Listen in to hear all of my recommendations. I have read so many books this year so far, but this list is by far my favorite. I try really hard to read di

After spending 10 years as a stay-at-home mom, Corina Burton felt as if she’d lost a part of herself. She rejoined the workforce and created two businesses but they just didn’t seem to fit. She didn’t quit. She kept going. Now she is the founder and owner of multiple successful businesses and she’s sharing how she did it.  At one time she worked for the jewelry company Swarovski. What she learned there was invaluable. She was already great at building relationships, but she quickly learned that strong relationships result in more sales.  As a mother to three young girls, she didn’t have the time after hours to schmooze her clients. Instead, she became a top sales rep by creating strong relationships with even stronger boundaries.  Now that she has multiple businesses under her belt, in the construction industry no less, she knows that her ability to forge relationships is her superpower.  Listen as she shares her story and why even today she’s continuing to make connections and foster relationships. Failure i

With all the changes in the role women play in society over the last several decades, new archetypes need to be explored. The traditional archetypes are extremely outdated which is why Stephanie Raffelock has written her latest book, Creatrix Rising. She joins me on Women Worldwide to share her story and inspire women all over the world. In light of the Women’s March, #MeToo, and the general shift in the power and purpose women have and play in the world, new ways of looking at the world are emerging. Women no longer, if they ever, identify with the roles of the maiden, mother and crone to describe their life and purpose. More than any other generation, women today are encouraged to share their stories. But how should they go about it? Blast them on social media? Share in small social groups? Create movements?  This is what Stephanie is helping women to do. Share their stories in a way that is authentic and helps others to do the same.  Show Notes: [02:36] Welcome Stephanie Raffelock to share about her jour

Did you know that women have more testosterone in their body than estrogen? That’s right! We do. But there are no FDA approved drugs for women’s testosterone replacement and most of our estrogen replacements are ineffective. What does that mean for women going through menopause?  Dr. Angela DeRosa has been studying women’s health for over 25 years, but it wasn’t until she went through menopause at age 35 that she realized how lacking our knowledge is about women’s hormones.  She joins me today to share her experiences and what women everywhere need to know about their own health and hormones. You know your body better than anyone. If you’re having adverse symptoms or simply know something is wrong, keep questioning until you get an answer. This was a fantastic discussion with an amazing woman who is pushing for more research in women’s health. Every woman, no matter their age, needs to take a minute and listen in to learn more about what you can do to advocate for your own health.  Show Notes: [02:47] How di

Laughter is unbelievably important in your life and career. It relieves stress, provides a feeling of wellbeing and positivity, and has been proven to help human beings live longer. For all of these reasons, Elaine Williams and Kathy Keegan came together to create the Still Human podcast and to share the message of laughter with others.  Elaine is an award-winning comedian and speaker who has appeared on SNL, America’s Got Talent and so many more shows and series. She has been actively helping others to laugh more throughout her career but when she met up with Kathy she knew that there was more.  Kathy is a coach and speaker who has dedicated her life and career to helping others find their joy. Not only does she help her clients develop confidence in their ability to speak and present, she helps them find joy in the process.  When Kathy and Elaine met up they knew they could do more together. They both have experienced very similar life paths and decided to take their experiences to the next level to create

What would you do if you or your spouse was suddenly completely incapacitated by a rare but highly devastating disease? If your answer is, “I don’t know,” then you are completely normal. Unfortunately for Molly Weisgram, she found out the hard way.  Just a few short years ago, Molly had recently had her fourth child and she and her husband were settling into a new routine. One day he started experiencing tingling and numbness in his extremities and within days he was completely paralyzed. They found out that he had Guillain-Barre Syndrome and that they were going to be on a lifelong path toward health and recovery. Through learning what she and her kids could handle and keeping up the positivity needed to help speed recovery, Molly knew she was going to have to write it all down. She has since authored, The Other Side of Us, her memoir documenting the struggles and wins of their experience. Listen as she shares her journey and her advice for anyone facing the same or similar situation. Plus she details why a

If you’ve been working at your business for a while and are thinking about scaling through bringing in investors, keep listening. Brett Hickey is an investing guru and helps small business owners find the right investment partners. He’s sharing his knowledge and how he got started in this industry.  Brett has been structuring, analyzing, and managing funds for over a decade. Before founding Star Mountain Capital he worked with a variety of financial institutions growing his knowledge and building his experience in managing different kinds of funds, businesses, and investments.  He specifically loves working within the lower middle market and helping businesses scale through investment. He’s sharing all about this particular market and why it is so attractive to him overall.  Listen as he shares more about his journey and why he has found and nurtured so much passion for the investing world. He didn’t always know that this was the direction his career would take but he’s certainly found his lane within the ind

Emily Rapp Black is back on the show to share all about her journey to self-love and acceptance through writing her most recent book, Frida Kahlo and My Left Leg. She is an author and creative writing professor who is helping others by sharing her own experience and expertise.  Her most recent book was imagined after she spent time at the Frida Kahlo museum. Their shared experience with life-long pain and disability spoke to her and she felt the need to share more about her own story.  She joins me today to chat about her newest book and why she was driven to reveal even more about her life. The path to self-love and acceptance is not straight. It’s truly a journey that we are living out each and every day.  It’s perfectly normal to find yourself backsliding into self-doubt, but you should have ways to get back on track. Her latest book digs deep into the journey and ways to keep yourself moving forward in your journey.  Listen in to hear more about Emily’s story, what she’s up to next, and why if you feel a