Women Worldwide with Deirdre Breakenridge (general)

With so many changes happening at a rapid pace in the world, it is incumbent upon us all to be sure that what we share and focus on is not only true but also from a credible source. Which is why I wanted to share with you a few tips for being positive that your communications are as effective as possible.

First, sometimes we just have to hit pause. Whether that is for a few minutes, a few hours, or a few days, we need to pause before saying things that can hurt a situation. In that pause, take the time to listen and understand what is going on around you. Then respond once the charged emotions are gone. 

Second, is what you’re sharing true? So much information hits the interwebs every day that it’s impossible for platforms to confirm the truth of what is shared. Which means it’s your responsibility to verify the information you share. 

You can verify the information you share by simply checking the sources that are cited in the article and confirming that any names mentioned are reputable. 

Are you in the echo chamber? Are you surrounded by other people saying the exact same things as everyone else? If so, it may be time to seek out new communities to see if they too are sharing the same rhetoric. If your timeline starts to look like one regurgitation after another, then you’re likely in the echo chamber. 

Last but not least, you have to be able to spot the bot. This is pretty specific to Twitter, but false information gets shared over and over and over again because people don’t realize that a bot has been planted. 

Listen in as I share more about how you can make your communications helpful, meaningful, and credible. If there is one thing we don’t need right now, it’s the propagation of fake news! Learn how you can spot it and stop it!

Show Notes:

  • [01:07] Welcome back to the show and thank you for showing up and sharing. 
  • [02:39] How you can use “the pause” to better your listening skills. 
  • [04:51] Know what you’re sharing. Is it the truth? 
  • [06:52] What is the echo chamber and how does it affect your communication?
  • [08:28] You have to be able to spot the bot with Twitter. 
  • [11:16] Hit the pause, watch out for fake news, stay out of the echo chamber, and be able to spot the bot. 

Links and Resources:

SmartNews

Episode Sponsor: Routledge

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*We apologize for any issues with sound quality. Due to the ever-changing state of the world because of Covid-19, many of our guests are taking interviews and recording shows outside of their homes which interferes with the recording.*

Experiencing abuse at the hands of those who are meant to love and protect you is one of the worst betrayals one can face. After spending her formative years as a victim of childhood domestic abuse, Lisa Braver Moss came out on the other side wondering why there weren’t poignant works discussing the prevalence and harm that it causes. 

She never imagined herself as an author, but if the resources weren’t available, she felt she needed to rectify that. Lisa is now an award winning author with a brand new book called Shrug. It is largely autobiographical but still showcases the common links between all those who suffer from abuse. 

Given the current state of the world, the number of domestic abuse cases is on the rise, so it’s important to see the signs and know how to respond. Now more than ever the cycle of abuse has to be recognized and understood.

Additionally, survivors of abuse need to know that they are not alone. Which is why Lisa’s book is a light in the darkness of this issue. Listen in to hear all about Lisa, her background, why she wrote this book, and why she believes communication and community are the keys to healing.

Show Notes:

  • [02:23] Learn more about domestic violence in the home and the stats behind it. 
  • [04:11] Welcome Lisa Braver Moss to discuss the issue of domestic violence.
  • [04:39] Why did Lisa decide to become an author? 
  • [07:31] What are the main takeaways that Lisa wanted her readers to come away with?
  • [10:56] How has the global pandemic affected the issue of domestic violence? 
  • [13:50] Listen as Lisa shares how victims of abuse can express their fears and communicate about their experiences.
  • [15:53] Was the book more autobiographical or more fiction? 
  • [18:36] Lisa shares some of the parallels in the book with real life and real situations.
  • [20:23] Hear some of Lisa’s AHA moments about delving into the world of authorship. 
  • [21:59] What keeps Lisa motivated to continue writing? 
  • [23:46] Lisa shares her advice for overcoming obstacles and negative life experiences.
  • [25:33] Connect with Lisa. 

Links and Resources:

Episode Sponsor: Routledge

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*We apologize for any issues with sound quality. Due to the ever-changing state of the world because of Covid-19, many of our guests are taking interviews and recording shows outside of their homes which interferes with the recording.*

Divorce isn’t a happy subject no matter when it comes up, but in times like these, it’s even worse. What is already a contentious affair becomes ten-fold worse when the courts are backed up and tensions are high. 

No one knows this better than family law attorney Morghan Richardson. She’s worked her way through several different careers and has settled on the personal aspect that is family law. She has fought complex divorce cases and knows the range of emotions and experiences that come out of these situations. 

Listen as we discuss women in law, her own personal experience as a divorcee, and why this is one of the worst times for family cases. For so many marriages, having a break from “together time” is essential, and that’s simply not possible right now.

Morghan shares her views on the courts as they stand right now, why marriages are under so much stress in this time, and what we can do to maintain our sanity. This was a truly enlightening conversation with a woman millennial in the field of law. You won’t want to miss it.

Show Notes:

  • [02:41] Welcome Morghan Richardson to Women Worldwide and why did she become a divorce attorney? 
  • [04:56] What do the courts look like right now? 
  • [06:20] Has the increased stress affected the number of divorce cases she’s picked up?
  • [08:45] Does Morghan face challenges being a woman in law? 
  • [09:30] What are women in Morghan’s generation looking for overall? 
  • [11:28] Does Morghan have mentors in law? 
  • [13:16] Why should you keep ethics top of mind? 
  • [14:27] Any huge “ah-has” in Morghan’s career? 
  • [16:45] How has Morghan shifted her focus and faced challenges throughout her career? 
  • [19:15] What motivates Morghan to keep going each and every day? 
  • [20:39] Hear Morghan’s parting advice for the Women Worldwide community. 
  • [21:41] Connect with Morghan.

Links and Resources:

Episode Sponsor: Routledge

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*We apologize for any issues with sound quality. Due to the ever-changing state of the world because of Covid-19, many of our guests are taking interviews and recording shows outside of their homes which interferes with the recording.*

How do you find happiness after escaping abuse and becoming the sole provider for your child? For Marja Zapusek it took accessing her consciousness and understanding that her reality was shaped by her choices.

Despite having a successful corporate career and what appeared to be a happy and stable, normal life, Marja was not happy. After getting out of her relationship, she tried many different modalities, but it wasn’t until she found Access Consciousness that she began to find her happiness. 

She is now an Access Consciousness Certified Facilitator and a corporate mediator. She’s healthy, happy, and building a thriving business that supports her and her daughter. 

Listen in as she shares how she reached this place and why taking ownership of your actions is the first step to accessing your full consciousness. Marja gave such amazing advice during this interview as well as ways to be more in tune with your body and heart. Remember, you are responsible for your happiness, so make sure that you are consciously intentional. 

Show Notes:

  • [01:43] What does it mean to be fully conscious? 
  • [03:05] How does one become an access consciousness facilitator? 
  • [05:16] Was the realization understanding that she was the one creating everything in her life? 
  • [06:54] Learn how you can step back and evaluate if you find yourself in a cycle of unhappiness.
  • [10:07] Your point of view creates your reality. 
  • [13:31] How do you push beyond familiar boundaries? 
  • [16:10] What kinds of challenges does Marja face and how does she address them? 
  • [19:39] Learn more about the changes people see as they complete the Access Consciousness modalities. 
  • [21:27] What motivates Marja to keep going each and every day. 
  • [22:39] One final piece of advice to take steps toward active consciousness. 
  • [23:39] Connect with Marja. 

Links and Resources:

Maria’s Website

Maria on Facebook
Maria on YouTube

Access Consciousness

Episode Sponsor: Routledge

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*We apologize for any issues with sound quality. Due to the ever-changing state of the world because of Covid-19, many of our guests are taking interviews and recording shows outside of their homes which interferes with the recording.*

Having trouble with your virtual meetings? Whether it be due to the lighting, your designated workspace, your love of pajama bottoms, or lack of a mic, there are a few things that you can do to be sure your meetings are as focused as possible.

First, make sure you’ve set up a proper workspace. If you don’t like the background available, choose one in Zoom. Make sure you have a headset and a mic, and if possible be sure the camera is above you with the lighting in front and to the side. You’ll be seen and heard with fewer distractions. 

Even if you don’t have a stellar background, you can choose one in Zoom. If you have a dedicated office, make sure that your personality shines through while still remaining professional. 

Focus. The most respectful thing you can do for yourself and your co-workers is to focus during your meetings. Give them the time and respect they deserve so that your meetings are productive and you don’t have to ask additional questions. 

Lastly, be human. Things happen. We are all dealing with unprecedented times, so if something goes wrong, laugh it off and move on. Just remember that businesses are still running and use your meeting time wisely.

Show Notes:

  • [01:40] What’s your remote workplace look like? 
  • [02:30] How you can make your virtual meetings look more professional. 
  • [03:56] Let’s talk about lighting. 
  • [05:20] Don’t forget to focus on the meeting at hand so you’re present.
  • [06:10] Your body language still matters. 
  • [08:15] Be a human in your meetings. 

Links and Resources:

Episode Sponsor: Routledge

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*We apologize for any issues with sound quality. Due to the ever-changing state of the world because of Covid-19, many of our guests are taking interviews and recording shows outside of their homes which interferes with the recording.*

When Helen Owens was just 11 years old she started losing her hair. She was sure she was dying but later found out that she has an autoimmune disease called alopecia. When she was scared and being bullied, the “granny” of her neighborhood pulled her aside and changed her life forever. 

Granny made wigs and showed a young Helen how to do the same. In that time, at that young age, she knew what she was meant to do with her life. By the time she was 17, Helen was married with two kids and had dropped out of college, but she was not ready to give up her dream. 

She worked as a maid to put herself through cosmetology school and as soon as she got her license started working out of her home. Word spread like wildfire about the amazing work she was doing with wigs and her business started booming. 

As she got to know her clients better and better she realized that many of the women she worked with were very sick. She was helping women find comfort and solace during some of the most difficult times in their lives and it was then she realized she’d found her bigger purpose. 

Helen’s entire career has been built through triumphing over adversity and always serving from a place of love and acceptance. Listen in as she tells her story and invites us all to find and give more kindness to those around us. 

Show Notes:

  • [01:51] Helen Owens is no stranger to tough times and those times have fueled her journey.
  • [03:02] How did Helen find her greatest purpose through very rough circumstances?
  • [05:35] Learning how to make wigs changed Helen’s life. 
  • [08:31] By the age of 17 she was married with two kids and had dropped out of high school, but pursued cosmetology.
  • [11:01] When she realized she wasn’t just helping with hair loss she knew that she found her bigger purpose.
  • [13:18] How Finding Our She-Compass was born.
  • [16:27] Can you work hard, help others, and still focus on your personal goals? 
  • [17:33] How can your She-Compass help you as you go through life obstacles? 
  • [20:01] We need to spread love, kindness, and joy like wildfire in times like these.
  • [23:26] What kinds of challenges does Helen face today and how does she approach them?
  • [26:24] Helen shares the one bit of advice she’d like everyone to leave with.
  • [28:18] Connect with Helen.

Links and Resources:

Helen’s Website
She Compass Website

Helen on Instagram
Helen on Facebook
Helen on Twitter

The She-Compass Show
Finding Our She-Compass by Helen Owens

Email: helenshairsecrets@gmail.com

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*We apologize for any issues with sound quality. Due to the ever-changing state of the world because of Covid-19, many of our guests are taking interviews and recording shows outside of their homes which interferes with the recording.*

In these times of social distancing and remote work, your communication is more important than ever. This has been a theme throughout our interviews lately because it is so true. But what about when we’re through this time, how will the communication standards that are set now, impact the future.

Samantha (Sam) Shattuck is the Director of Marketing for North American Bancard. She oversees the communication and messaging efforts for several different businesses throughout North America, and she’s here to discuss how communication leads to brand resilience.

Listen as she shares her journey into the FinTech world and how her own personal brand has evolved as she’s grown more confident in a male dominated industry. How have those lessons impacted her ability to build strong messaging platforms for Bancard’s clients? 

Her words are so strong and so impactful because as many of us are coming to realize, this time would be wasted if we went back to “normal” in the end. This is a time to listen to our bodies, practice self-care, and start thinking about how we can do better in the future.

We touch on everything from creating sustainable schedules to understanding why self-care routines are necessary now and always. Sam also shares how she is beating the stress and anxiety of these times. Listen in for some amazing words of advice and encouragement.

Show Notes:

  • [02:47] Welcome Sam Shattuck to chat about brand messaging in tough times. 
  • [03:45] What pushed Sam to join the FinTech world? 
  • [05:14] Learn the best way to pivot in this time through communication and messaging. 
  • [07:48] Brands that deserve our business are the brands that… Sam fills in the blank.
  • [09:48] How can women stand out in the FinTech realm during normal times and hard times? 
  • [13:43] Can social media help you avoid brand damage? 
  • [15:17] Has Sam had a learning moment that has helped define her career? 
  • [18:17] What sorts of challenges has Sam faced in recent times? 
  • [19:50] Does Sam have tried and found true ways to combat stress? 
  • [22:41] Sam gives her advice for what happens when things go “back to normal.”
  • [23:56] Connect with Sam. 

Links and Resources:

Sam on LinkedIn
Sam on Instagram

Episode Sponsor: Routledge

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*We apologize for any issues with sound quality. Due to the ever-changing state of the world because of Covid-19, many of our guests are taking interviews and recording shows outside of their homes which interferes with the recording.*

Global impact requires taking huge action. There is no one better suited to sharing her whirlwind journey into entrepreneurship than Tess Kossow, author of I’m Very Ferris. After struggling with infertility and choosing to try In Vitro, Tess realized that the story of where babies come from is being re-written. 

She wanted to provide families who have struggled with infertility, who then had their miracle child, with a resource to explain their journey. When her son gets older and asks where babies come from, she wants to be able to tell him his story.

Tess was in a steady career and just had her son when she had a now or never moment and took the plunge. She quit her corporate job and went all in on becoming an author. She did the research, built the website, learned the ins and outs of marketing a book, all while writing. 

The result? A children’s book, told from a child’s perspective, explaining how a baby born from in vitro fertilization came to be. She has touched the lives of families all over the world and is hoping to re-write some of the negative thoughts and emotions that surround infertility.

Listen in as she shares why she went all in from the get-go, where her courage came from, and the lessons she’s learned along the way. 

Show Notes:

  • [02:51] Welcome Tess Kossow to chat about making big changes in life and business.
  • [05:22] How did Tess start on her entrepreneurial journey?
  • [06:35] Learn the ways Tess tackled all the different aspects of building a business. 
  • [08:09] Has the pandemic created new challenges for Tess and her business? 
  • [10:43] Which social platforms are the most helpful for authors and entrepreneurs? 
  • [12:52] What makes a great relationship? 
  • [15:54] Have there been learning moments along the journey? 
  • [19:15] Where does Tess’s strength and courage come from? 
  • [22:39] Listen as Tess shares her advice on making a big change. 
  • [26:48] Connect with Tess.

Links and Resources:

Tess’s Website

Tess on Instagram
Tess on LinkedIn

Tess on Facebook

I’m Very Ferris by Tess Kossow
I’m Very Ferris via YouTube

Episode Sponsor: Routledge

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*We apologize for any issues with sound quality. Due to the ever-changing state of the world because of Covid-19, many of our guests are taking interviews and recording shows outside of their homes which interferes with the recording.*

Communication is the common thread that connects to each other and the world surrounding us. When global events impact your communication network, it’s important that the leaders in your organization work to communicate effectively and empathetically with the workforce.

Tracey Mendelsohn, Co-Principle of Human Impact Solutions and President and CEO of Black Public Relations Society-New York, joins me to chat about the importance of communication in trying times.

No matter if you’re facing a global pandemic or some other economic issue, remember that you and your company will be remembered for what you do and not for what you say you’ll do. Tracey shares some wonderful pieces of advice regarding communicating with extreme empathy in trying times. 

We briefly touch on the issues of diversity and inclusion as well. Now more than ever companies need to remember that culture is what is important. While the happenings around the world are terrible. The loss of life and the utter devastation that many are feeling is incomprehensible.

The moment that we have been given to pause and tend to oneself and one’s family is a miraculous byproduct. Many people have come to Tracey and expressed their realization that they’ve not been happy with their job or the stressors.

She stresses that everyone take this time to reconnect with the things they’re passionate about and to invest time in building those skills. 

What are you learning? How are you growing? Have you been spending more time with your kids and your family? What will this mean in the future?

Take this time to ponder upon these questions. Hopefully we won’t have this kind of time again!

Show Notes:

  • [01:45] Communication is the thread that moves through all areas of our lives.
  • [02:46] Welcome Tracey Mendelsohn to the show to chat about effective communication.
  • [03:34] Why brand management and marketing communications? 
  • [06:08] What is the best way to communicate with our coworkers, peers, and staff?
  • [11:03] Tracey clarifies which study she referenced that Richard Edelman did recently.
  • [12:28] How can you maintain your networking in these troubling times? 
  • [15:29] Learn how you can approach a challenge while still providing support.
  • [19:37] While not everyone is made to be an entrepreneur, you can find a positive work environment. 
  • [21:37] Diversity is not a numbers game it’s a culture investment.
  • [23:15] How can you use this moment to benefit your future? 
  • [26:13] Connect with Tracey.

Links and Resources:

Human Impact Solutions
Black Public Relations Society of New York
BPRSNY on Instagram
BPRSNY on Twitter

Episode Sponsor: Routledge

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*We apologize for any issues with sound quality. Due to the ever-changing state of the world because of Covid-19, many of our guests are taking interviews and recording shows outside of their homes which interferes with recording.*

As these crazy times continue, the likelihood that we will know or be acquainted with survivors of Covid 19 gets much higher. Tamar Weinberg, the professional hustler, contracted it, survived it, and is here to chat about what it takes to move past uncertain times. 

Tamar has been involved in social media and online marketing since the very beginning. She has navigated all the twists and turns and even wrote a book on it. However her whole life and perspective changed after having her kids.

She fought through postpartum depression and all the damage that it causes and found a new path for her life and business. 

Her story is truly remarkable. To have gone through so much adversity while still paving her own path and finding success is certainly a tale of shifting and riding through change. Listen in as she shares her Covid-19 story and how it was just one more twist in the topsy turvy road she’s been walking. 

Show Notes:

  • [01:46] More relevant than ever, learn to navigate uncertain times without losing ground.
  • [03:04] Tamar shares how she is doing right now and why she was quarantined early.
  • [05:58] Listen as Tamar retells her experience after testing positive for Coronavirus.
  • [08:39] What kinds of symptoms did she experience? 
  • [10:56] The difference between tightness in your chest and shortness of breath.
  • [12:28] How Tamar knew she had Covid-19 before testing positive.
  • [15:06] Why she chose to keep self-quarantining and how she’s worked to keep her family safe.
  • [16:56] Tamar shares her tips for upping your learning online. 
  • [19:51] Why Reddit is a great resource when you find the right sub-Reddits.
  • [22:53] Learn more about Tamar’s current pursuits.
  • [24:25] Tamar defines the professional hustler title she has given herself as well as the skills you need to be one.
  • [27:44] How having children changed her outlook on life.  
  • [30:12] Where did her passion for personal fragrance come from? 
  • [31:42] Tamar shares her advice for being flexible and moving through change.
  • [34:55] Connect with Tamar.

Links and Resources:

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