BEYOND BARRIERS

Kaego Ogbechie Rust & Shea Tate-Di Donna describe themselves as entrepreneurial and experimental. They discovered that breaking into the venture capital world was a challenge, so they wanted to help other people (especially women) by giving them practical steps to do what they were able to do. Their book, “The Venture Fund Blueprint” was written with this in mind. Kaego & Shea noticed that people expected only capital when they sought funding from them, and they wanted to provide more. In this podcast, they talk about the pay-it-forward culture of the venture capital world. Their roots are in helping businesses grow and launch, and they share with us how to ask other people for help. First of all, you want to give more than you get, and secondly, you want to make it easy for others to help you (think craft the email for them.) We also learn from these successful women how to not take rejection personally. When asking for something like funding, you’ll hear an incredible amount of no’s to get to that yes, and that takes perseverance. In this podcast, you’ll also hear about strategies for building trust and how to prioritize your personal life. Diversity in the fund management field is a priority to Kaego & Shea, and they also share what they’re doing to promote this important topic. Even if you aren’t familiar with the venture capital world, you’ll learn a wealth of information about managing your own business in this podcast. Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com, where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Kaego & Shea. Highlights: [02:40] How Shea & Kaego got into the venture capital world [05:40] Challenges they overcame to find space in the funding industry [06:46] Leveraging community to overcome barriers [14:50] Making the easy ask [16:31] Overcoming fears [20:20] Moving past limiting beliefs [24:58] How to deal with no’s and setbacks [28:11] Getting to the yes [32:07] Keeping boundaries [37:28] Diversity in fund management [42:45] Lightning round questions Quotes: “One of The things we love about the VC industry is the pay it forward culture.” – Shea Tate-Di Donna “You only build a community by giving much more than you receive.” – Kaego Ogbechie Rust “If you want to learn how to take rejection and get a no and move on, fundraising is the perfect way to do that.” – Shea Tate-Di Donna “Trust is a key element of brand building.” – Kaego Ogbechie Rust “How can we give back to our community? Sometimes it’s just sharing what you know.” – Kaego Ogbechie Rust “I’m trying to divorce myself from the word should.” – Shea Tate-Di Donna Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you? - “The Lord of the Flies” by William Golding (Kaego) - “The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership” by Diana Chapman and Jim Dethmer (Shea) What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying? - “There are two types of people in this world, the energy givers and energy takers.” (Kaego) - “Be the change you want to see in the world.” (Shea) What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself? - Entrepreneurial & Experimental (Kaego & Shea as a team) - Tenacious (Shea) - Paced (Kaego) What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage? - “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan (Shea) - “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston (Kaego) About Kaego Ogbechie Rust: Kaego Ogbechie Rust is a career business advisor, entrepreneur, and author — with more than a decade of financial services experience in the public and private markets at Goldman Sachs and her consulting practice, KHOR Consulting, Kaego has worked with hundreds of companies in alternative investing, venture capital, private equity, small business, and startups. About Shea Tate-Di Donna: Shea Tate-Di Donna is a career venture capitalist, entrepreneur, product creator, and author. With more than a decade of early-stage high tech venture experience, she has advised hundreds of emerging fund managers. Shea was part of the founding team at True Ventures, creator of Founder Services, and originator of Venture Productization. Links: Website: https://www.venturefundblueprint.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Venture-Fund-Blueprint-Capital- Actualize/dp/1544535953/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=16750 88374&sr=8-1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaegorust/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheatatedidonna/ A new Best Selling book, The Venture Fund Blueprint, helps emerging managers in venture capital learn to launch, grow, and scale funds. The book’s pages are filled with tangible examples, real peer advice, and step-by-step guides from building pitch decks and fundraising to running operations and legal. Co-authors Shea Tate-Di Donna and Kaego Ogbechie Rust are long-time collaborators who have brought together their learnings from Shea’s time on the founding team of True Ventures and with Melinda Gates' Pivotal Ventures, plus Kaego’s decade at Goldman Sachs in alternative investments and with KHOR Consulting. This book aims to empower a diversity of intellect across emerging venture capital managers, to establish a precedent for operational excellence, and to facilitate peer-led knowledge exchange amongst GPs. We see a future where GPs and LPs are even more aligned around shared values, desired impact, and meaningful returns — where the ladder of capital, from investors to fund managers to startups, is constantly driving towards mutually beneficial outcomes. Learn More: www.venturefundblueprint.com Get The Book: https://amzn.to/3YkMF7E

A lifelong learner, Meredith Lorenz Heimburger, Partner and Head of Impact at Global Endowment Management, loves new challenges. She’s not stuck in old ways of thinking and is open to new ideas. She sees education as the great equalizer. As a leader in integrating mission and values into portfolios, she knows how to fail and keep going. In fact, it’s in her blood. Meredith feels being humble, flexible, and open to feedback are keys to her success. She believes that when we are open to change, we gain the most reward. She learned this herself when she became a leader unexpectedly when she originally thought she’d be a stay-at-home mom. Having been asked to be the contrarian in her professional life, she’s comfortable with being different. Listen while Meredith shares her wisdom with us about how to ask for two things rather than one when we seek help and how to successfully separate our work and personal lives. Visit gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Meredith. Highlights: [02:18] Meredith’s professional background [04:34] Taking a leap [07:53] Working with mentors [11:04] Having resilience [15:06] How to be a leader [20:46] Overcoming limiting beliefs [24:27] The importance of an objective voice [25:39] Daily habits of success [27:57] Building strategic relationships [30:12] Creating change [36:38] Lightning round questions Quotes: “I wasn’t born with the skill set to fail and give up, I was born to fail and keep going.” – Meredith Lorenz Heimburger “Diverse teams make better decisions.” – Meredith Lorenz Heimburger “You have to separate your personal resiliency from your professional life.” – Meredith Lorenz Heimburger Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you? - “Wide Sargasso Sea” by Jean Rhys What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying? - The “Good Bones” poem by Maggie Smith What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself? - Honest What is one change you've implanted that made your life better? - Organization What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage? - Something 90s rap About Meredith Lorenz Heimburger: Meredith Lorenz Heimburger is a Partner and Head of Impact at Global Endowment Management. As Head of Impact, Meredith partners with GEM’s clients to align their investment programs with their values and mission. Meredith and her team aim to meet these clients where they are to help them fulfill both their impact and investment objectives. Prior to joining GEM in 2012, Meredith spent seven years with Teach For America. She served first as a classroom teacher and then as a member of the staff, leading the expansion of the organization’s presence in new and developing regions across the U.S. Meredith is a trustee and chair of the finance committee for the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, which promotes sustainable solutions to human and environmental problems. She is also a member of the Davidson College Board of Visitors and a trustee of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library Foundation. She is an active member of several organizations that focus on leveraging assets for positive impact, including The ImPact and The Philanthropy Workshop (TPW). Meredith received her B.A. in English with a concentration in Gender Studies from Davidson College. Links: Website: https://www.globalendowment.com/ LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-lorenz-heimburger-765a3553/

Having a growth mindset means viewing failures and setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than seeing them as a reflection of your intelligence or your self-worth. Our guest, Krista Satterthwaite, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise’s Mainstream Compute, shares that when you embrace a growth mindset, you shouldnt see failure as a defeat, but rather as a chance to learn and improve future actions and decisions toward success. However, Krista also highlights that having a growth mindset does not guarantee that you will always win”. There will be times when despite your best efforts, things may not go as planned, and you may not achieve your desired outcome. Join me in this conversation with Krista as we discuss how she prepares for difficult conversations, getting what you deserve and staying intentional and focused on your goals. Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Krista. Highlights: [02:11] Krista’s journey [06:08] Inflection point for change [09:26] Overcoming fears associated with risk-taking [10:59] Growth Mindset [11:39] Getting what you deserve [14:41] Preparing for difficult conversations [18:34] Cultivating strong relationships [21:59] Gaining clarity on what you want to be known for [26:33] Staying intentional and focused [29:56] Lightning Round Questions Quotes: “In the corporate world, if you don’t understand the rules, you can’t win the game.” – Krista Satterthwaite “Reframe your fears of risk-taking with a ‘give it a shot’ mindset and see what happens.” – Krista Satterthwaite “When you have a growth mindset, you can’t lose, you just learn.” – Krista Satterthwaite Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you? - “Rise” by Patty Azzarello What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying? - “I never lose, I either win or I learn.” - Nelson Mandela What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself? - Positive What is one change youve implemented that made your life better? - Definitely reading. What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage? - “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys About Krista Satterthwaite: Krista is a technology business leader with 25 years of experience across operations, product and services strategy, quality, marketing and Go-to-Market. She is the Senior Vice President and General Manager leading Hewlett-Packard Enterprise’s Mainstream Compute business ($9+ billion PL). In 2019, she was featured in Savoy Magazine as one of the ‘Most Influential Women in Corporate America’. Fostering a positive culture of inclusion is one of Krista’s passions. She currently serves on the HPE CEO’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. Krista is the executive sponsor for HPE’s Black Employee Network. In 2021, she was awarded the HPE Black Employee Network’s ‘Legacy Award’ for her contributions. Krista received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Illinois in Chicago, and a Master of Business Administration from University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.   Links: LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-satterthwaite-76932835/

Singleton Beato is a thoughtful leader, an insightful person and a wonderful conversationalist. She has deep experience and bright ideas and we have been thinking about this conversation since we recorded it. As Global EVP, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at McCann Worldgroup, a global network of creative and media agencies, Singleton is responsible for designing and leading strategic initiatives that increase organizational capacity, innovation, and growth. With over 25 years of executive experience, Singleton’s career has been defined by leading large-scale people and organizational change initiatives. She is a visionary DEI leader who focuses as much on ensuring the work product her company produces as she does the culture of the company itself. Representing some of the world’s biggest brands, Singleton helps client leaders and creative teams produce work that is inclusive, representative, respectful and impactful. Singleton was named one of 2019 Most Influential Women in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine, one of Ad Week’s 2020 Women Trailblazers, and one of New York's Most Outstanding Corporate Citizens.   Highlights:  [02:49] Singleton’s back story [07:29] A personal story of risk taking [14:29] How to be respectful, resonant, and relevant [20:47] How her work reflects Singleton’s values [24:48] Singleton didn’t always know she’d be a leader [25:31] Finding purpose and clarity about your career [30:43] Overcoming fears and limiting beliefs [35:27] Singleton’s daily habits of success [40:54] Setting and achieving goals [49:11] Building your network and asking for help [53:29] Lightning Round Questions Quotes: “There are scenarios and circumstances that we need to become well-versed in before we are able to move in those spaces with great authority in the way we want to.” – Singleton Beato “The best way for people to learn is through stories.” – Singleton Beato “When it comes to achieving goals, the number one thing is to use your technology.” – Singleton Beato   Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you?  “Night” by Elie Wiesel What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?  “Achieving your goals is a game of options.” What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?  Enthusiastic What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?  Checking in with myself daily.  What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?  “Cuff It” by Beyonce  About Singleton Beato: Singleton Beato is the Global EVP, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at McCann Worldgroup, where she is responsible for designing and leading strategic initiatives that increase organizational capacity, innovation and growth.  With over 25 years of experience as an accomplished executive, Singleton is recognized for her success driving large scale people and organizational change initiatives across a wide range of industries, having held talent leadership roles at J. Walter Thompson, Crunch Fitness International, and Bloomberg L.P.    Previously, Singleton was EVP, Diversity Strategy and Talent Development at the 4A’s where she provided leadership and advice to senior advertising and media agency executives working to create and activate a strategic approach to D&I.  Singleton was the visionary and architect of high-profile initiatives including The Face Of Talent symposium and the Ad industry’s only Talent Leadership Conference, Talent@2030.  She also led the transformation of the renowned Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP) and the 4A’s Foundation.  And, after assuming P&L responsibility for Talent Development and Diversity related revenue streams, Singleton consistently delivered on revenue and margin growth targets for the organization. Singleton received a MS from Fairleigh Dickinson University and serves on several non-profit boards including the Brand Erwin Center for Brand Communications, AdWeek’s D&I Council, the AAF’s Mosaic Council, NYWICI, Own The Room and Figure Skating in Harlem as well as the Advisory Board of the Brand + Integrated Communications program. She has received numerous awards and accolades from the AAF, the 4A’s, the ADCOLOR Coalition, the National Diversity Council, the World Diversity Leadership Summit.  Additionally, Singleton was named one of 2019’s Most Influential Women In Corporate America by Savoy Magazine, one of AdWeek’s 2020 Women Trailblazers and one of New York’s Most Outstanding Corporate Citizens.  Links: LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/singleton-beato-835bb14/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/singleton_beato 

As a child gymnast, and later a dancer, Alyssa Rapp, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Healthwell Acquisition Corp., learned early on about discipline. It’s carried her through her life and into her career. As the author of the book, “Leadership and Life Hacks: Insights from a Mom, Wife, Entrepreneur & Executive”, Alyssa shares her insights about getting the best out of your day. Alyssa is a believer that we are all responsible for setting the tone for our days. She makes her needs a priority and puts the oxygen mask on herself first so that she can serve her family, friends, and coworkers better. She also values her quiet time and gets through tough situations by managing expectations. For Alyssa, scheduling is everything. If she is going to work out, she puts it on her calendar. If her kids have an event she needs to attend, it has a set place in her schedule. As a young gymnast, she also learned to overcome her fears, and now she really loves a challenge. She gives life all she can with no regrets. Alyssa also shares with us her principle of mission, vision, and values. She feels that it’s vital for everyone in an organization to share common goals and transparency. When she gives her all, she finds that it inspires others to do the same. Join us to learn a lot of life hacks to help you be more focused, fearless, and organized. Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Alyssa. Highlights:  [02:45] Alyssa’s background and why she wrote a book [07:33] Achieving balance through prioritizing [13:09] Managing stakeholder expectations [18:36] Making yourself a priority [21:54] Overcoming Mom guilt [27:02] The cost benefit analysis of your choices [31:52] How to take risks [39:31] Activating the power of community [44:41] Lightning round questions Quotes: “It’s no one’s job to set the tone for my day but me.” – Alyssa Rapp “At this point in my life, the quiet is to me the fulcrum of life and cherished time.” – Alyssa Rapp “Commit to the end before you start, then do.” – Alyssa Rapp   Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you?  “Personal History” by Katharine Graham What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?  “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.” Also, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it’s the courage to continue that counts.” (Winston Churchill) What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?  Persevering What is one change you've implanted that made your life better?  Patience What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?  “Pride (In the Name of Love)” by U2   About Alyssa Rapp: Alyssa Rapp serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Healthwell Acquisition Corp. I. Ms. Rapp served as Chief Executive Officer of Surgical Solutions, a B2b healthcare services business providing non-clinical surgical services to hospitals, from 2018-2021. As CEO, Ms. Rapp led a successful turnaround of the enterprise, driving 21% sales growth with 90% customer retention. Ms. Rapp has also served as an independent director of Elevate Women’s Health, a portfolio company of Shore Capital Partners, since October 2020. From 2015-2018, Ms. Rapp served as the founder & CEO of Bottlenotes, Inc., a leading interactive media company. Starting in 2015, Ms. Rapp served as the Managing Partner of A JR Ventures, a strategic advisory firm for family offices and private equity firms on market development, digital and e-commerce strategies for select portfolio companies. Ms. Rapp has served as a lecturer-in-management at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business since 2014 and Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago’s Booth Business School since 2019. Ms. Rapp earned a B.A. in Political Science and the History of Art from Yale University in 2000 and an M.B.A. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business in 2005. She is the author of Amazon Bestseller, Leadership and Life Hacks: Insights from a Mom, Wife, Entrepreneur & Executive (ForbesBooks, October 2019). Links: Website: https://alyssarapp.com/  LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-rapp-3b2aa7/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlyssaRapp  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssajrapp/ 

Sarah Chen-Spellings had the rare opportunity to know what it was like to be a success from a young age. By 9, she was already a TV host in Malaysia, and by 25, she was wise beyond her years and already part of teams writing multi-million investment checks. After her father died, she was called to manage the family business and quickly learned the art of grit, resilience, and the power of business from this experience.  However, before her father died, he encouraged her to work in the corporate world. Through that experience, she learned to turn her convictions into her work and believes that having a strong community and positive mentors are important for success. She believes it is necessary to help other women and people of color move up the ladder and create opportunities for them to be a part of upper management that was once not possible.  Even with all of her successes, Sarah can still feel like she’s failing sometimes. She honestly shares why and how she focuses on what’s possible to overcome these feelings. She also shares how she evaluates risks, manages her time, and puts family first. Referring to herself as an activated accidental feminist, “Go big or go home” is a motto for Sarah, and we learn how true that’s been for her life in this podcast. Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Sarah. Highlights:  [02:52] Sarah’s background [11:59] Finding courage when you feel like you’re failing [16:58] The importance of community  [20:57] How to build authentic relationships [24:55] Evaluating opportunities and rising to meet them [28:48] Executing lofty goals and time hacks [32:02] The toll of task switching [34:12] Setting boundaries around time [38:15] Joining passions with work [45:02] Lightning round questions Quotes: “My style is to go big or go home always, and if I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it well.” – Sarah Chen-Spellings “Change, growth, and progress will cost a lot and I do it for my WHY. And that's what drives me is the fact that I know I just have something big here to be done.” – Sarah Chen-Spellings “Choosing your partner is the most important career decision you can make.” – Sarah Chen-Spellings   Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you?  “The Psychology of Money” by Morgan Housel What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?  “The most common way most people give up power is to believe they have none.” What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?  Audacious What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?  Not waiting for the perfect time.  What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?  “Haghame” by Golazin   About Sarah Chen-Spellings: Based in Washington DC, investor & entrepreneur Sarah Chen-Spellings is Co-Founder of Beyond The Billion (launched as The Billion Dollar Fund for Women), the world's first and largest global consortium of over 100 venture funds and limited partner investors that have pledged to invest and are actively deploying beyond $1B towards women-founded companies. In under two years, the consortium has deployed $638M and counting into close to 800 female-founded companies, of which 11 have been recognized as unicorns. Previously, she was on the pioneer team of a corporate venture capital unit within a $13B publicly traded Asian conglomerate, investing in later-stage biotechnology companies. Since then, she has been at the forefront of multi-million cross border investments, structuring and executing commercialization plans with her portfolio companies. Determined to see more women at the helm, she sits on multiple boards, including 131 & Counting, a bipartisan effort encouraging more women to run for office in the US; and Lean In Malaysia, which she co-founded, a platform accelerating women into leadership in Malaysia. Named Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and Forbes Under 30 VC, Chen-Spellings is a recognized speaker, strategist and commentator on venture capital, startups and women in leadership, having been featured on Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg, Der Spiegel, United Nations et al, and is a celebrated host on the show and podcast #BillionDollarMoves backed by the Hubspot Podcast Network. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Laws, LL.B (Hons.) from King’s College London. Links: Websites: https://beyondthebillion.com/  https://sarah-chen.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahChenGlobal/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahchenglobal/  https://www.instagram.com/beyondthebillion/ Twitter: sarahchenglobal, @beyondbillion  

Michele Ruiz has seemingly done it all. But in reality, while she’s been very successful in multiple fields, she’s really an expert at bringing the right people together to fulfill the vision at hand.  Michele’s background is in broadcasting and has had a very successful career as a news anchor. She wanted to make an impact through broadcasting by affecting change and worked toward helping other Latinas in the industry. However, she’s an entrepreneur at heart and found herself co-founding a science-based technology company focused on enabling organizations to effectively assess and manage unconscious bias in the work environment. She’s an expert at seeing gaps and coming up with solutions.  During our conversation, Michele vulnerably shares about how the loss of her infant son 20 years ago changed her perspective on everything. From that experience, as an optimist, she learned to take calculated risks because after experiencing that loss–”What’s the worst that can happen?” She believes in the importance of focusing on gratitude as a key to her survival. Her joyfulness comes through in the time she spends with us in this podcast. Join us as she shares her insights about how you don’t have to have all the answers to move forward toward success. Visit gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Michele. Highlights:  [02:53] Michele’s background [05:33] How Michele gained clarity about her pursuits [11:43] The loss that defined Michele’s life [14:29] The “Holy Hour” practice [18:17] Building strategic relationships [24:09] Curbing your anxiety about networking [26:00] Michele’s daily rituals of success and having gratitude [30:53] Tying your passions into work [35:52] Lightning round questions   Quotes: “You don’t always have to have the answers, but recognize if you could just identify the right people and build from there, that’s a great thing.” – Michele Ruiz “I realized from the long term I could have a bigger impact having companies.” – Michele Ruiz “Passion is what keeps you going on the toughest days.” – Michele Ruiz Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you?  “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg and John David Mann What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?  “When you were born, the people around you were laughing and you were crying. Live your life so that when you die, you’re the one who is laughing and the people around you are crying.” What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?  Tenacious What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?  More sleep. Eight hours of sleep. What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage? "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor About Michele Ruiz: Michele is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and sought-after speaker at conferences around the world. Michele’s wide range of ventures include co-founding BiasSync, a science-based technology company designed to enable organizations to effectively assess and manage unconscious bias in the work environment. She is a trusted advisor to senior executives at Fortune 20 multinational corporations and some of today’s highest profile thought leaders and elected officials. Michele’s passions range from mitigating unconscious bias using scientifically validated methodologies to exploring leading-edge technologies. She is widely recognized and sought out as a subject matter expert in empowerment, entrepreneurship, sophisticated communication strategies, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). In addition to her work with BiasSync, Michele leads Ruiz Strategies, a certified minority-owned (MBE) and woman-owned (WBE) business, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with operations in Washington, D.C., and Houston, Texas. The firm specializes in change management and DE&I consulting for large corporations and government agencies. Michele’s deep entrepreneurial experience has been instrumental in her quest to educate, inspire, and empower business owners. Her online mentoring program, Possibility Architect©, is designed for female entrepreneurs determined to scale their businesses over $1 million in annual revenue with corporate and government clients, drawing upon her own experience and success. Michele founded her first company, SaberHacer.com, a bilingual expert-based “how-to” educational broadband site for U.S. Latinos online. She launched the successful video-on-demand site to provide quality information for U.S. Latinos when she determined a void of culturally relevant content for Hispanics. Her mission has always been simple: to do what she can to help people and change lives. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Michele Ruiz enjoyed a long career as an award-winning broadcast journalist and received 16 Emmy nominations during her news broadcasting career, 5 Emmys, 4 Golden Mikes, and LA Press Club Awards. A prominent keynote speaker on a wide range of topics, Michele inspires and motivates her audiences with singular, compelling storytelling skills —all drawn directly from her own life experiences. Some of the topics Michele speaks about include business communication, unconscious bias, entrepreneurship, leadership, and empowerment. Michele has been a member of the Association of Transformational Leaders since 2016, and has spoken at major conferences around the world in the United States, Sweden, Singapore, India, and Turkey, to name a few. She is widely quoted and featured as a sought-after thought leader in major media outlets, including Forbes, CNN, The New York Times, and many others. Michele regularly shares insights with more than 100k followers through her many communication outlets, including blogs, videos, and more. Michele’s first book, Content Marketing for Lawyers, was published in 2016. The best-seller helps attorneys use powerful content marketing and social media strategies that Michele has developed for her Fortune 20 corporations to attract more clients and become a legal thought leader. “It may well be the most valuable business development book you will ever read,” is just one of the many reviews of the book. Links: Website: https://micheleruiz.com/  LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheleruiz1/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/micheleruiz01  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MicheleRuiz. PublicFigure  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micheleruiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicheleRuiz/videos   

As a dentist, Dr. Jessica Metcalfe had to intentionally manage and minimize her perfectionism. Through this work, she started on a journey of understanding her inner voice. Today, she talks about what she’s learned along the way from dentist to coach.  According to Dr. Metcalfe, there is power in our inner voices. She tells us about two theories behind how our inner self speaks to us and how the imposter syndrome plays a part in the way we view ourselves. In this podcast, Dr. Metcalfe teaches us to reframe our inner voice and stop using the word “just” to downplay our accomplishments.  Helping high achieving women find and listen to their inner voices is Dr. Metcalfe’s passion. Through this experience, she’s able to share with us how to reframe our doubts and failures and set up a community of support around us. Sit back and listen to all the gems Dr. Metcalfe shares with us in this episode.  Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com/ where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Dr. Metcalfe.   Highlights:  [02:17] How Dr. Metcalfe started focusing on depression[07:03] Listening to your inner voice[11:23] Questioning her move from dentist to coach[14:48] Managing your inner voice[18:17] Starting to navigate you inner work[21:44] Dealing with your inner voice during doubts or failures[27:51] Building a new community of support[32:21] Working through perfectionism[37:13] Lightning round questions   Quotes: “I had to change how I viewed myself first before I was able to step in and be able to help others.” – Dr. Jessica Metcalfe “When someone is starting to navigate their inner voice and they start to notice it, building that self awareness is your first step.” – Dr. Jessica Metcalfe “Your brain requires tangible information to start to remind you that you are in fact capable.” – Dr. Jessica Metcalfe   Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you?  “The Giver” by Lois Lowry What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?  “Be the person that when your feet touch the floor in the morning, the devil says, ‘Shit, they’re up.’” (Dwayne Johnson) What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?  Fierce What is one change you've implanted that made your life better?  Prioritizing sleep What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?  “King” by Florence and the Machine   About Dr. Jessica Metcalfe: Dr. Jessica Metcalfe is an author, international speaker, self-intelligence coach and former dental oncologist. She has recently finished her first book called, Speak Kindly, You're Listening. Her mission: to unlock and empower the inner voices of high-achieving women by navigating through imposter syndrome, perfectionism, burnout and that dark mental chatter. Dr. Jessica’s experience working with cancer patients, being an education director, certified life coach, and her own mental health journey has allowed her to show hundreds of women that they can conquer their negative inner voice personally and professionally. She has given keynote speeches and presentations to University of Toronto, Boston University, Key Media, Women in Wealth Management, and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre among other international organizations and companies. Links: Website: www.drjessicametcalfe.com LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jessica-metcalfe-873b671b5/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.metcalfe.56829/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjessicametcalfe/  

Jennifer Brown’s path in life unexpectedly changed early on. She thought she would find her fulfillment as an opera singer, but fate had other plans. After experiencing issues with her singing voice, she now helps everyone around her find their own unique voices in work and life. This podcast is jam-packed with insights about thriving in today’s workplace. As an expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Jennifer shares with us how she finds motivation and creates communities of inclusion. She thinks it’s important that you let your voice be heard and find out what you’re a leader in. Jennifer gives us great tips on developing your own personal brand and standing up in your power. She talks to us about how she connects talent with companies and gives back to her community through education. She doesn’t really believe in gurus because she feels there is wisdom in all of us. Join us as we learn so much more from Jennifer. Visit gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Jennifer. Highlights: [02:53] How the performing arts paved Jennifer’s path [09:14] Becoming an expert in the DEI space [15:03] Motivating self and others [19:29] Working with a diverse team [23:05] Developing your own brand and owning your power [35:00] Creating a community of inclusion [43:12] Letting all voices be heard [46:54] Lightning round questions Quotes: “As adults, we have to be able to connect concepts to our learned experience.” – Jennifer Brown “Be willing to be shaped by the moment.” – Jennifer Brown “A lot of us write our own books to figure out our own story.” – Jennifer Brown Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you? - “Flawless Consulting” by Peter Block What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying? - Say yes, and go figure out how. What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself? - Light and illuminating What is one change you've implanted that made your life better? - Digging deep to build my team. What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage? - “Golden” by Jill Scott About Jennifer Brown: Jennifer Brown (she/her) is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, author, and diversity and inclusion expert who is deeply passionate about building more inclusive workplaces where more of us can feel welcomed, valued, respected, and heard. As the Founder and CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting (JBC), a certified woman- and LGBT-owned firm, Jennifer and her team design and execute inclusion strategies that have been implemented by some of the biggest companies and nonprofits in the world.  She is also the bestselling author of two books, Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace and The Will to Change (2017) and How To Be An Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive (2019), a shortlist winner of the O.W.L. Award, and winner of the 2019 Nautilus Book Awards' Business & Leadership category. She also recently co-authored a groundbreaking book on diversity, equity and inclusion in society with thought leader and fellow bestselling author, Rohit Bhargava. The book, Beyond Diversity: 12 Non-Obvious Ways To Build A More Inclusive World, is a 2022 Axiom Award Gold Medal Winner in the Women/BIPOC Category, a Wall Street Journal bestseller, a 2022 Nautilus Silver Award Winner in the Multicultural and Indigenous Category, a 2022 Hermes Creative Awards Platinum Winner, a 2022 Foreword Indies Awards Finalist in the Multicultural Category, and one of Inc Magazine’s 22 Books to Read (or Reread) in 2022. Jennifer’s podcast, The Will to Change, is downloaded by nearly 15,000 listeners per month, and she is a sought-after keynote speaker and expert for leading research institutions and business schools. She lives in New York City with her partner of over 20 years, Michelle. You can learn more at www.jenniferbrownspeaks.com. Links: Website: https://jenniferbrownspeaks.com LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferbrownconsulting Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenniferbrown Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbrownspeaks/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferbrownspeaks

Meet Catherine Wragg, Chief People Officer at TriNet who shares how self-awareness and smart risk taking helped her achieve career success.  Coming from a traditional environment, Catherine had to grow into the risk-taker she is today. Throughout her career, she took on challenges, betting on herself and her ability to learn. Whether it was switching to new industries or taking on risky projects, Catherine stepped into the unknown with curiosity and optimism. That’s what helped her rise to the C-suite after starting her career in the payroll department. Catherine leads with a deep desire to make a bigger impact. She expertly navigated the challenges posed by the pandemic and created an environment where Trinet employees would thrive, adapting the culture and workplace to accommodate the new normal. Catherine lives her life with hope and belief in a better tomorrow. Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Catherine.   Highlights:  [02:21] Catherine’s formation story [07:04] Working for The Armani Group [11:49] What led to Catherine’s success [15:50] Making important decisions for her career [20:03] Being a leader in HR during COVID [26:21] A new world of work after COVID [29:41] Balancing work and home life [33:18] Lightning round questions Quotes: “You have to take time for yourself and then digest all that you're seeing, feeling and hearing to be able to provide perspective or create an environment that allows folks to be their best selves.” – Catherine Wragg “It's really about trying to get as organized as you can about what's to come.” – Catherine Wragg “COVID was a unique impact to the organization that's actually transformed the way we work entirely.” – Catherine Wragg   Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you?  “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times” by Douglas Carlton Abrams and Jane Goodall and “The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?  “Lasting change is a series of compromises, and compromise is all right as long as your values don’t change.” by Jane Goodall What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?  Empathetic leader What is one change you've implanted that made your life better?  Realizing I can’t do it all on my own, and it’s okay to ask for help. What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?  “Competent” by Demi Lavato   About Catherine Wragg: Catherine Wragg joined TriNet in 2017 and currently serves as the Chief People Officer at TriNet, overseeing learning and development, People (HR) operations and compliance, talent acquisition, compensation and analytics, and internal People (HR) support to the business. Previously, Catherine served as the senior vice president of Business Development at Giorgio Armani Corporation, where she collaborated with the CEO on various business strategies, including the management of the e-commerce channel for North America. Earlier at Giorgio Armani, she was the senior vice president of Human Resources at A|X Armani Exchange. Catherine led the integration of A|X into Giorgio Armani following its acquisition by Giorgio Armani Group. Prior to that, she was the senior vice president of Human Resources and Administration at Tower Group International, Ltd., where she was responsible for establishing and growing an internal HR function to support a rapid growth property and casualty insurance company. Catherine partnered with her colleagues on two successful initial public offerings and integrated various acquisitions. She supported 18 offices throughout the U.S. and Bermuda. Catherine studied English at Northern Arizona University. She is a former board member of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation. Links: LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-wragg-84a2012/