BEYOND BARRIERS

Have you ever caught yourself daydreaming about the day you quit your job and follow your lifelong passion, and then snap back to reality, let out a big sigh and then tuck that dream away and get back to work? In this episode, you'll hear from our guest, Claudia Rojas how she finally took a courageous leap from daydreaming to doing what she loves and how she leveraged the power of community to get there. Claudia Rojas, a Latina from Columbia, is the Founder and CEO of Books Made Easy. She shares her personal journey of shedding other people's expectations and following her own path. In 2018, Claudia decided to take a leap and follow her heart by creating a solution to the leadership and professional gap she's so often witnessed in corporate America. She decided to put her love for books to work by developing concise, structured based training sessions to help others become the best leaders they can be. Claudia has over 20 years of experience specializing in leadership and diversity in multicultural markets. She attributes her success to resilience, drive, obsession with professional development, and ability to develop relationships and her community.   Highlights: [02:31] Claudia’s journey [04:48] Take action, take opportunities [06:52] Mission of Books Made Easy [08:31] The decision to become an entrepreneur [10:08] Preparing to follow your dreams [14:07] How to plan and execute [16:41] Gaining clarity on your strengths [22:03] Overcoming failures and setbacks [26:12] Asking for feedback [29:00] Seeking out mentors and sponsors [31:50] Gaining access to influential leaders [35:38] How to accelerate your success [39:22] Overcoming limiting beliefs   Quotes: “Growth is in the difficult situations we encounter. Your choice is to either get stuck in the fact that something is difficult or look at it as a growth opportunity.” – Claudia Rojas “You can spend a lifetime preparing for something, or preparing for a position or preparing for your next step. But the preparation alone, without action, will not move you forward.” – Claudia Rojas “Break your big goal down into easier, smaller tasks that are more manageable. Completion of these tasks will give you satisfaction AND move you closer to your goal.” – Claudia Rojas “Let people know that you are seeking their feedback as an opportunity to grow and they will be more open to giving it.” – Claudia Rojas “When you have mentors that have a completely different background than you, you will get a different perspective, which may be a blind spot for you .” – Claudia Rojas “Always look for opportunities for growth, whether it’s learning a new skill or honing a current skill. That is how you're going to continue to grow and evolve.” – Claudia Rojas   About Claudia Rojas: Claudia is a Latina born in Medellin, Colombia. She has over 20 years of experience, specializing in Leadership and diversity in multicultural markets. She attributes her success to her resilience, drive, obsession with professional development, and her ability to develop relationships in her community. In 2018 Claudia decided to take a leap and follow her heart by creating a solution to the Leadership and professional gap she so often witnessed in Corporate America. She decided to put her love for books to work to help others become the best leaders and individuals they can be, by developing concise structured book-based training sessions. Claudia is extremely passionate about empowering others to maximize their potential and giving back to the community. Education, diversity, children and animals are the causes that inspire most of her philanthropic work.   Links: Website: https://booksmadeeasynow.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rojasclaudia/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/booksmadeeasynow Instagram: www.instagram.com/booksmadeeasynow  

Everyone faces unique pressures, obstacles, and challenges—but it’s how you show up and overcome them that defines your life. Whether you’re a full-time career professional, a business owner, a mom, or simply a woman who wants to enjoy life at a deeper level—it all starts with granting yourself permission. Our guest today is Patty Aubery, #1 NY Times Best-selling Author, Co-Founder & President of The Canfield Training Group who built the publishing industry’s first billion-dollar brand, Chicken Soup for the Soul®. Patty is an internationally recognized leader in personal development and peak performance. As the business strategist behind the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, she has worked side by side with Jack Canfield helping millions of individuals maximize their potential. For more than 30 years, Patty has been training and coaching entrepreneurs, educators, corporate leaders, and people from across 108 countries, how to create the life and results they desire. Patty’s most recent book, Permission Granted, which has already soared to the top of multiple best seller lists, presents empowering stories of how life changes when you give yourself permission to show up. In this episode, Patty shares her perspective on how women need to and deserve to show up, stand up, and speak up.   Highlights: [03:40] Patty’s journey [07:10] Advice for getting unstuck and moving forward [08:53] Overcoming setbacks [09:21] Stop focusing on what you don’t want [13:32] What Patty wishes she had known sooner [16:43] Give yourself permission to ask for what you want [20:55] The emergence of “Permission Granted” [23:49] Overcoming limiting beliefs [27:31] Standing up and standing out in a partnership [33:49] The importance of authenticity [36:30] Having the right mindset for feedback [38:40] Going from dreaming to doing [45:59] Gaining proximity to influential leaders [49:46] Writing “Permission Granted” [52:50] Patty’s vision [57:45] Final words of wisdom   Quotes: “Not making a decision is probably the biggest wrong decision you could ever make. The only failure is by not taking some sort of action.” – Patty Aubery “Women need to give themselves permission to live their passion, their purpose, their vision, and be in alignment with their truth.” – Patty Aubery “When we don't honor our passion, our truth, that's when the universe makes it hard.” – Patty Aubery “Don’t talk yourself out of the equation before the game starts. Go in with clarity and confidence that you truly belong there.” – Patty Aubery “If you aren’t scaring yourself enough then you aren’t growing.” – Patty Aubery “By sharing your vision and your goals, you are creating accountability.” – Patty Aubery “When you have clarity, you have confidence.” - Patty Aubery “Give yourself permission to be high maintenance. And then your view of what high maintenance looks like might just be equality.” - Patty Aubery “Learning transformation, self-help, and personal growth is not a one-time exercise. Practice it daily.” – Patty Aubery “When you identify someone you want to connect with, ask yourself ‘how can I be part of their agenda and be of service to them’.” – Patty Aubery “The universe rewards the people that take risks.” – Patty Aubery    About Patty Aubery: As President of The Canfield Training Group, Patty Aubery has not only overseen the growth of the publishing industry’s first billion-dollar brand, Chicken Soup for the Soul®, but she’s also created a multimillion dollar training company around the success principles of author Jack Canfield. Patty has expanded these live training and coaching programs to 108 countries and prepared thousands of emerging success trainers for professional careers in the transformational field. She is a #1 NY Times bestseller. She is the CVO for Goalfriends, and she is now dedicated to bringing her experience to women entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and corporate employees through live events, retreats, women’s summits and speaking engagements that teach audiences and small groups the Success Principles and strategic career planning. All of Patty’s offerings are geared toward women who are ready to invest in their future and take their life and business to a new level. Links: Website: https://www.pattyaubery.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patty-aubery-a19869b/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PattyAuberyFan/?ref=br_rs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pattyaubery/  

Let discuss a scenario we’ve all experienced–that moment when your inner voice is telling you (sometimes maybe screaming at you) that you need to have a difficult conversation with someone. A conversation that would improve life at work for ourselves and for everyone else around. But fear drowns out that inner voice—and we put the conversation off. Meanwhile, the other individual continues to engage in interpersonal conflicts and exhibit toxic behavior, or remains completely clueless about what’s on your mind.  In this episode, we’ll share with you the strategies and insights you need to know to be able to speak up and diffuse any difficult conversation.   Highlights: [01:26] Why diffusing difficult conversations matter [05:19] What does the research show on these conversations [08:22] Having difficult conversations is a skill [10:03] 5-step framework to having difficult conversations   Quotes: “Reframe having difficult conversations as a skill. Do you have the skill or do you not have the skill and if you don't have the skill, then like any skill, it can be learned.” – Nikki Barua “Step 1 of the framework is to not avoid having difficult conversations. You will never develop the skill if you do not practice it.” – Nikki Barua “Be clear on the outcome. If you're not clear about what you want, you're not going to be able to manage your physiology and your language and you're going to lose control.” – Nikki Barua “Listen to learn. Listen from a place of curiosity and humility, where you want to learn, as opposed to listening to respond.” – Nikki Barua “Brainstorm from a place of inquiry and creativity to figure out a solution together, creating collaboration and safety so you can engage in a more meaningful conversation.” – Nikki Barua   About Nikki Barua: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Website: https://www.nikkibarua.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenikkibarua/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibarua/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenikkibarua/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkiBarua   About Monica Marquez: Monica Marquez is an ex-Googler, diversity expert and senior corporate leader. Website: https://themonicamarquez.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMonicaMarquez/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonicamarquez/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themonicamarquez/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/themmarquez  

Have you ever heard the saying, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”? It’s such a powerful statement in that it provides both candid advice and inspiration in one sentence. On the one hand, it reminds you to never underestimate hard work even if your super talented and on the other hand, that even with ordinary talent, you can achieve extraordinary results with focus and hard work. But the bottom line, there is no substitute for hard work. In this episode, you’ll meet Gizelle George-Joseph, managing director and global chief operating officer of the Global Investment Research Division at Goldman Sachs, who attributes her successes and achievements to living by this mantra.   Highlights: [02:25] Gizelle’s journey [06:01] Gizelle’s daily success habits [08:53] Overcoming setbacks [12:45] Building lasting work relationships [14:59] Gaining access to influential leaders [16:48] Overcoming limiting beliefs [18:46] Raising your hand for new opportunities [23:15] Seeking out feedback [26:58] Balancing professional and personal priorities [29:50] How to continue to accelerate your success   Quotes: “What are the skills that you need to raise your game on a day to day, week to week basis. Get all of those into your toolbox because that's what ultimately moves your career.” – Gizelle George-Joseph “It is important to have a good network of people around you, who can support you, because in moments when you feel like your cup is empty, they will be there to lean on.” – Gizelle George-Joseph “Think of building relationships in terms of what are you bringing to the table that will benefit the other person and the community.” – Gizelle George-Joseph “Always be prepared to talk about the things that you are working on and how it is moving the organization forward.” – Gizelle George-Joseph “Surround yourself with people who are going to tell you the truth about your weaknesses and strengths. And not tell you what to do, but instead feed into your decision making process.” – Gizelle George-Joseph “You can't be every woman every day.” – Gizelle George-Joseph “The only way to continue to be relevant is to be constantly changing and evolving and not going back to the comfort zone.” - Gizelle George-Joseph   About Gizelle George-Joseph: Gizelle is global chief operating officer of the Global Investment Research (GIR) Division. In this role, she works closely with divisional leadership on the management of GIR, as well as the development and execution of key strategic initiatives. Prior to assuming her current role, Gizelle was chief administrative officer for Global Macro Research and GIR infrastructure. Previously, she was the global talent advisor for the Human Capital Management (HCM) Division. Earlier in her career, Gizelle led Learning and Engagement for GIR and was a talent advisor on the GIR HCM team. She joined Goldman Sachs on the Americas Equity Research Management team in 2005 and was named managing director in 2017. Gizelle is a founder of the Salisbury Development Organization, a nonprofit focused on hurricane relief and economic development efforts on the island of Dominica. She also serves on the Human Resources and Talen Committee for the DreamYard Project.  Gizelle earned a BS in Business Management from South Carolina State University and an MS in Clinical Psychology from Georgia Southern University.   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gizelle-george-joseph-9a127319/  

Thank you for listening to this podcast. We are truly grateful for your comments, feedback and advocacy. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to subscribe and rate the show. We love 5 stars! In this episode, we'll discuss why applying for jobs without a clear strategy and effective tactics is a total waste of time. Don’t click the APPLY button on job postings simply to get rejected and demoralized. Instead, learn how to ignite your career with a dream job that is aligned with your strengths and passions. If you’re someone who is actively looking for a new role, then you’ll get actionable advice on how to stand out in a job market that’s already saturated with millions of people looking for opportunities.  Our guest, Kris Holmes is an executive recruiter with more than twenty-five years of experience. Kris provides you with the same insight that has helped thousands of her clients find fulfilling careers. You’ll learn how to develop career goals that align with your strengths, proven strategies for optimizing your resume, to practical advice on networking, finding the right company culture, prepping for interviews, and negotiating offers. You’ll even learn how to resign gracefully and how to set yourself up for success in your new role.   Highlights: [01:00] Kris’s story [04:26] Doing what you love every day [05:57] What compelled Kris to write “Ignite Your Career!” [08:29] Core principals of “Ignite Your Career!” [12:15] Three phases of a career [19:39] Hallmarks of success [21:24] Advice for those nervous about the job market [26:02] Tips on preparing your profile [32:23] Increasing your chance with recruiters [34:41] Preparing for the interview [37:00] How to negotiate compensation [41:31] Resigning gracefully [43:26] Guidance on transition to new roles and companies [46:13] Services offered by the O’Connell Group   Quotes: “Figuring out your strengths and where you might leverage those is critical to set yourself up for future success.” – Kris Holmes “When you find the right career that leverages your strengths, it’s fun, it's easy, and it's rewarding.” – Kris Holmes “There are three phases of a career, there's the learn phase, there's the do phase and there's the leverage phase.” – Kris Holmes “At the start of your career, it's much more important to go to a top tier company where you can learn best practices. And that allows you down the road to align your passions with your experience.” – Kris Holmes “The real superstars are the people who focus on both building the business and the team.”– Kris Holmes “With interview prep, you've got to understand yourself and be able to articulate your strengths and your kills so that they're believable and memorable.” - Kris Holmes “Tell a story where your strengths have allowed you to achieve a goal. This paints a vivid picture to the interviewer and elicits a chemical reaction that helps them remember it and believe it.” – Kris Holmes “In the first 30-60 days at a new company, it is critically important to your success to build relationships and build your knowledge base.” - Kris Holmes   About Kris Holmes: Kris Holmes is an executive recruiter and partner at O’Connell Group, a leading executive search firm in consumer marketing and market research. With more than twenty-five years of experience, she is also a member of the Pinnacle Society, the premier consortium of industry-leading recruiters in North America.  Kris has counseled tens of thousands of candidates in setting goals and leveraging their strengths. Before shifting to recruiting, Kris worked for a decade in consumer marketing with major corporations like Johnson & Johnson, Kraft Foods, and Ralston Purina. She’s a graduate of Tufts University and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. Kris and her husband are the proud parents of three wonderful children and two happy yellow labs.   Links: Website: https://www.igniteyourcareerbook.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-holmes-966548/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kris.holmes.9216  

Does this sound familiar? It’s 6am and the alarm goes off. You hit the snooze button and try to catch a few more minutes of sleep. Then the alarm goes off again and you hit snooze one more time. On the third try, you finally get out of bed, grab your phone and check your email. You see several messages from your colleagues about something urgent that needs your attention. You’d hoped to workout this morning but instead you’re responding to emails and putting out fires at work. You feel the anxiety bubbling up already and you haven’t even brushed your teeth yet! In today's episode, we'll share with you the morning routine of successful people and how you can stop the frenzy and start the day with magic. Highlights: [01:34] Why your morning routine matters [03:46] How to design the right environment and routine [06:16] The 5-step routine [19:22] Making time for your routine   Quotes: “The most successful people have a very defined and intentional start to their day.” – Nikki Barua “It's important for you to set boundaries and design the right environment and create the right routines for yourself.” – Nikki Barua “Meditation is simply a way for you to become mindful and focus on the present moment.” – Nikki Barua “Simply having the attitude of gratitude puts you in the right mindset to take on your day.” – Nikki Barua “Inspiration builds that momentum to keep going every day towards your vision and goals.” – Nikki Barua “Write down your commitment for the day to clarify what is the most important thing for you to accomplish that day to move you towards achieving your goals.” – Nikki Barua “The 5-step process of Meditation, Activation, Gratitude, Inspiration, Commitment spells MAGIC.” – Nikki Barua   About Nikki Barua: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Website: https://www.nikkibarua.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenikkibarua/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibarua/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenikkibarua/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkiBarua   About Monica Marquez: Monica Marquez is an ex-Googler, diversity expert and senior corporate leader. Website: https://themonicamarquez.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMonicaMarquez/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonicamarquez/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themonicamarquez/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/themmarquez  

Have you struggled with advancing your career and don’t know what steps to take? Do you feel stuck and don’t know who to turn to for help? In this episode, you’ll meet 4 extraordinary women who share their stories of transformation and how their peer community helped them go beyond barriers. Each of them overcame fears and limiting beliefs, gained confidence and conviction in their purpose, and are on a mission to create impact in the world.   Highlights: [01:06] About Bella Mokua [01:21] About Dominique Piñon [01:38] About Jenean Glover [01:54] About Jessica Medrano [02:07] Impact of the pandemic [05:44] Bella: Commitment to your true north [07:56] Dominique: Putting yourself first guilt-free [10:44] Jenean: Learning to adapt and pivot [15:44] Jessica: Always believing in yourself [20:50] Jessica: Don’t wait for perfection [23:19] Dominique: Create your own narrative [27:11] Bella: Feel the fear and do it anyway [30:35] Jenean: Mentorship, sponsorship and championship [34:43] What’s holding back women in the workplace [45:10] Habits and hacks to accelerate success   Quotes: “Own your experiences and believe that you are good enough to be successful.” – Bella Mokua “The power of community is out there, you just have to look for it. And sometimes you have to be proactive in building it.” – Monica Marquez “The Beyond Barriers program normalized failing and normalized success and normalized the concept that if we're failing it’s because we're pushing our boundaries.” – Dominique Piñon “The Beyond Barriers program taught me the art of the pivot. To embrace the pivot, not fear change and make the appropriate move at the appropriate time.” – Jenean Glover “The Beyond Barriers program helped me identify my strengths and lead with them. Now I can focus on the work at hand, motivate others and help create change.” – Jessica Medrano “Conditions are never going to be perfect in every area, but you still need to move forward and work with the conditions that you do have.” – Jessica Medrano “What I wish I had known sooner was feeling the fear and doing it anyway.” – Bella Mokua “Don’t talk yourself out of opportunities. Let them tell you no.” – Bella Mokua “You don't have to be good at everything to be enough. You're enough as you are. Remind yourself of that daily.” – Bella Mokua “Create your own narrative and actualize yourself. No one's going to actualize things for you.” - Dominique Piñon “It is equally as powerful when we have allies that share our stories in addition to crafting our own narrative.” - Jenean Glover “Nothing can grow if you don't nourish your own soil.” - Bella Mokua “After making your list of what you need to be better, make sure you look around and be grateful for what you have now.” – Jessica Medrano   About Podcast Guests: Bella Mokua Jenean Glover Jessica Medrano Dominique Piñon   About Nikki Barua: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Website: https://www.nikkibarua.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenikkibarua/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibarua/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenikkibarua/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkiBarua   About Monica Marquez: Monica Marquez is an ex-Googler, diversity expert and senior corporate leader. Website: https://themonicamarquez.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMonicaMarquez/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonicamarquez/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themonicamarquez/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/themmarquez  

When it comes to your finances, are you someone who is diligent, saves wisely, and knows where every penny you’ve earned goes? Or are you more carefree and you plan to get serious about saving for that “rainy day” when you are in a better place and earning more money? Well, what happens if that “rainy day” arrives unexpectedly and you’re caught without a savings umbrella? In this episode, Stephanie Groschup, co-founder and managing partner of women-owned firm, GM Wealth Group debunks common myths and mistakes we make when it comes to our personal finances. She also shares the success habits and mindset necessary for building wealth, not just living on your income.   Highlights: [02:39] About Stephanie [04:06] Moving to Wall Street [05:16] From Wall Street Executive to Entrepreneur [08:54] Learning to run a business [12:51] Investment patterns across genders [14:55] Guiding principles of wealth creation [17:59] Advice for those just starting out [19:51] Financial reactions to the pandemic [24:03] Benefits of a financial advisor [27:58] Women and the money mindset [29:39] Income versus assets [31:18] Stephanie’s proudest accomplishment [32:04] Most important lesson learned [33:10] Success habits for wealth creation   Quotes: “Consider yourself important and pay yourself first before you pay anything else.” – Stephanie Groschup Everyone needs to have an emergency fund. Try to have at least six months of salary and savings at all times.” – Stephanie Groschup “Block out the noise and distractions coming at you and focus on your goals.” – Stephanie Groschup “Sit down by yourself every morning and think about what you need to accomplish today. And make sure you focus on your budget.” – Stephanie Groschup “Always contribute to your retirement plan, even if it is only 1%”. - Stephanie Groschup   About Stephanie Groschup Stephanie is co-founder and managing partner of women-owned firm, GM Wealth Group, and is responsible for guiding the firm’s investment strategy, research and strategic development. With nearly two decades of experience in the financial industry, she is dedicated to helping her clients achieve their financial goals. Stephanie has overcome career barriers by being the only female in her class to graduate from the Merrill Lynch training program. Having worked in male dominated fields, she knows first-hand how challenging it can be for women to thrive professionally and financially. That’s why Stephanie is passionate about helping women achieve financial freedom. She believes that listening to the client is of utmost importance so she can apply customized strategies to meet specific needs with a thoughtful, yet proven approach.  Specializing in investment strategy, portfolio construction, risk management, and corporate and private retirement plans, Stephanie leverages her extensive experience and professional qualifications to implement highly customized portfolios for her clients. She thrives in helping her clients build wealth and fulfill their dreams. Stephanie, a native Texan, received her B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. Stephanie holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities licenses, as well as life, health and long-term care insurance licenses. She is also a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) ® . Stephanie’s interests include architecture, wine and travel. An avid tennis player, Stephanie employs strategies to give her clients the advantages of putting the ball in their court.   Links: Website: https://www.gmwealthllc.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-groschup/  

Much has been researched and written about the lack of women in the tech sector, whether it’s representation at major tech companies, as start-up founders, or as investors. What can be done to make the tech world a more inclusive space for women? In this episode, we feature Kate Brodock, CEO at Women 2.0 and Founding Partner of W Fund. Kate has played an active leadership role in the women in tech ecosystem for over a decade. She led a global organization focused on women in technology and entrepreneurship as its President for several years. She is passionate about applying her experience to advising and mentoring startups whether as an EIR at LaunchNY, or a mentor for Techstars. As CEO of Women 2.0, Kate is focused on bringing diversity and inclusion in the tech and startup spaces.  Women 2.0 provides resources for founders and professionals to grow their companies and careers, as well as provide products for workplaces and the startup ecosystem to create inclusive environments that support the advancement of women and other underrepresented groups. And now with the launch of the W Fund, Kate is on a mission to fuel the startup ecosystem and deploy funds to women and diverse-led tech startups. Kate highlights some of the challenges women face, the perceptions that need to be changed and the work that’s being done to help to promote women in tech. Kate shares her perspective on the gender gap and how to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive world.   Highlights: [02:50] Kate’s journey [07:58] Kate’s vision for Women 2.0 [11:52] Challenges that women face in the workplace [13:11] Why is mobilization important for women [15:18] The importance of the W Fund [18:29] Facing your fears and overcoming limiting beliefs [25:15] Nurturing and building your community [33:48] The fundraising process [42:46] Kate’s success habit   Quotes: “Mobilization is important because it is the difference between going so low against all of these hurdles and actually having a peer network.” – Kate Brodock “List out your negative thoughts about yourself and then talk yourself out of each one of them.” – Kate Brodock “Think of asking for advice and help as a learning opportunity and a growth opportunity.” – Kate Brodock “Before asking for help, frame the specific problem or question and then identify those whose support you need.” – Kate Brodock “Put structures in place to fight the apply, apply, apply instinct. The best results will come when strategic planning happens first.”- Kate Brodock About Kate Brodock Kate is CEO of Women 2.0 and Founding Partner of W Fund . She’s lived in the tech startup world for over 15 years, and has played an active leadership role in the women in tech ecosystem for over a decade, having led a global organization focused on women in technology and entrepreneurship as its President for several years. She’s also an EIR at LaunchNY , and a long-time mentor for Techstars. She enjoys putting her 15-year experience in the tech industry to work advising and mentoring startups. She was recently CMO of untapt , an AI-driven tech talent marketplace based in NYC and has held the role of Adjunct Professor in PR and Marketing at Syracuse University. Kate has spoken at and been featured in numerous places, including SXSWi, Collision Conference, Fast Company’s Innovation Uncensored, IBT, MSNBC, TechCrunch and Al Jazeera America and writes for Forbes. She has a BA from the University of Rochester, an MBA from Goizueta Business School at Emory University and an MA in International Relations from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. When she’s not doing all *that*, she’s a very non-professional (but adventurous!) athlete, an equally as non-professional musician, can be found outdoors in any weather — skiing, biking, hiking, sailing — loves a good meal with bubbly, craft beer and good friends, hilariousness and life. She tries hard to read when she can, non-fiction only. Her husband is a startup-web-developer-turned-beer-guy and they now live on a hops farm in Upstate, NY. She can be found on Twitter at @ just_kate.   Links: Website: http://women2.com W2.0 Team: https://women2.com/team LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/katebrodock Twitter: https://twitter.com/Just_Kate  

Thank you for listening in. We are truly grateful for your comments, feedback and advocacy. Thanks to you we are a highly rated show and our global community is growing rapidly. If you haven’t subscribed yet, tell us what we can do to earn your support. If you have already, please rate us (we love 5 stars). And, if you’ve already done both, tell a friend about this show. In this episode, we’ll discuss a topic many of us are feeling – burnout. We’ll share how you can detect burnout and what you can do to regain your balance, and feel healthy and hopeful again.   Highlights: [01:17] What is burnout [06:36] Stress vs burnout [07:41] Job-related burnout [08:36] Work-life balance during a pandemic [11:06] The susceptibility of burnout for perfectionists [14:30] Pay attention to the signs of burnout [15:20] The impact of the pandemic on mental health [16:41] Steps to take to avoid burnout   Quotes: “Burnout is when you feel empty, mentally exhausted, like you've just got absolutely nothing left to give, that's when you've lost your motivation.” – Nikki Barua “Perfectionist often times feel the need to be in control of everything. This leaves them highly susceptible to burnout.” – Monica Marquez “When sabotage seems like your best escape route. That's an urgent cry and a sign that you need self-care.” – Nikki Barua “Incorporate play into your daily schedule. Being in a playful state has the ability to heal chronic stress and burnout.” – Nikki Barua “When you feel grateful for family, health or safety, you're going to shift your focus from what you don't have to what you're blessed to have.” – Nikki Barua   About Nikki Barua: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Website: https://www.nikkibarua.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenikkibarua/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibarua/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenikkibarua/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkiBarua   About Monica Marquez: Monica Marquez is an ex-Googler, diversity expert and senior corporate leader. Website: https://themonicamarquez.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMonicaMarquez/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonicamarquez/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themonicamarquez/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/themmarquez