Superwomen with Rebecca Minkoff

Back in January, Michelle Cordeiro Grant, CEO and founder of Lively (those cute bras you see on Instagram!), was consumed by ways to expand the brand’s brick and mortar presence. What seemed like a paramount concern quickly changed as the news of coronavirus set in. With shoppers now spending more time online looking for purchases, Michelle decided to embrace the challenge, rather than shy away from it. Taking inspiration from such well-known companies as Apple, Exxon and Disney, all of which started during “periods of correction,” Michelle shares her belief that this is actually a fertile time for business if it can work to meet the needs of consumers. As she says, “This is the time to try a lot [of different things] and break shit,” knowing that each experiment takes you one step closer to success. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Big Ideas How to get more eyes on your company. [03:36] How new business practices learned during COVID can translate to future success. [07:14] Ways to keep your team motivated in uncertain times. [09:46] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take for a company to do well? Not financially, but in terms of its impact on employees, the community, and the environment? Susan McPherson of McPherson Strategies makes it her mission to help companies create social impact and increase corporate responsibility, with the adage that “business is a force for good, and sustainability is good for business.” After working in corporate America for most of her life, at the age of 48 Susan took the opportunity to start her own business. While it may have been scary at first, she soon realized the business she wanted to create utilized the very skills she had cultivated in working for others, but this time she could call it her own. Now in the process of getting her first book published, Susan is excited to share what she knows about forging meaningful connections by being of service to others. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Big Ideas What is corporate responsibility and why does it matter? [01:02] Challenges faced by women in corporate settings. [10:41] Learning to recognize the way choices of both consumers and manufacturers have a ripple effect on the environment. [16:04] Guest Website McPherson Strategies Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer Minda Harts does not want you to give up or shy away. The writer, speaker and career revolutionary has made it her mission to support women of color in their professional goals. Now, as the call for change rings stronger than ever, Minda asks that we use our intentionality to take this opportunity from a moment to a movement, holding ourselves and others accountable in such a way that contributes to long term change for the better. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Big Ideas The inspiration and need for books like The Memo. [03:02] Ways for white people to generate awareness and understanding of the many nuances of racism, and therefore how to work against it. [06:28] Inclusion as a way of humanizing one another. [09:04] Guest Website Minda Harts Instagram Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of our COVID-specific series we are thrilled to have guest Emilie Aries, author, speaker and CEO/founder of Bossed Up. After experiencing extreme stress from a young age working on political campaigns in D.C., Emilie decided it was time to be her own boss, creating a new career that would fuel her fire rather than burn her out. Emilie now uses research, tactical and practical training to guide other women through their own career transitions. At the moment there may be a lot of people facing this very challenge, not as a choice but as a matter of necessity. Emilie uses her expertise to share tips on job search, the concept of a “bridge job,” and ways to finesse a résumé for better results. She also dives into the importance of psychological safety as modeled in leadership, and why now it’s more important than ever to embrace our shared vulnerability with open arms. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Big Ideas The concept of a “bridge job” and the “CAR method” that can be used to improve results when changing jobs or switching between industries. [05:22] Symptoms of burnout and ways to keep yourself supported in times of stress. [10:52] Why it’s important for leaders to create a sense of psychological safety in this period of time. [17:10] Guest Website Bossed Up EmilieAries.com Bossed Up Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maybe you’re a small business owner. Maybe you’d barely gotten your feet wet when COVID hit. Under these conditions, everyone is trying to regroup and reorganize, but small business owners are in a unique situation: they’re trying to figure out how to keep revenue flowing and adapt to the digital-first world we are living in, without the funding that a large corporation has. To tackle these topics we have Mary Ann Reilly, Head of North America Marketing at Visa. Mary Ann holds extensive experience in finance, marketing and global branding. Some of her favorite projects, however, are programs that support small businesses and champion women’s advancement. Last year, Visa partnered with the Female Founder Collective to launch She’s Next, Empowered by Visa, a global initiative that helps women in their efforts to run, fund and grow their small businesses. And, more recently, Visa announced a significant commitment to digitally enable  50 million small and micro businesses around  the globe in the wake of the economic crisis. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Big Ideas Leveraging the tools at your disposal to transition your business online. [03:24] How to plan a successful reopening that prioritizes health and safety. [05:20] Links Female Founder Collective  She’s Next, Empowered by Visa Visa Small Business Hub Authorize.Net is waiving its gateway monthly fee for new merchants until August 1, 2020, which provides access to several digital payment and fraud management tools Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Samantha DiGennaro felt things begin to falter in her corporate job, she made a bold move. Rather than meekly waiting to see how things would transpire, she headed directly into HR and crafted an elegant exit strategy. Samantha is a “take the bull by the horns” kind of gal. Rather than go to work for someone else, she took her newfound freedom as an opportunity to start her own PR and marketing firm, DiGennaro Communications. Founded on tenets of teamwork and equality, Samantha has made it her mission to embolden and uplift women in the workplace, encouraging us to find our voice and use it loudly! Special thanks to our sponsor Book of The Month.   Book of the Month is a curated book subscription that offers five new and early-release books to choose from each month. It’s a great way to branch out into new genres or styles. They also support up-and-coming authors, especially debut writers, and highlight new and diverse backgrounds. Use code BOTMXRM to get your first book for just $9.99 We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Big Ideas The importance of making yourself known within the company, and speaking your truth. [06:13] Working to create more gender equality within Fortune 500 companies. [15:25] The changing face of PR. [16:47] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we see people flock to the streets in support of ending violence against black communities, it’s beneficial to the cause to reflect upon other forms of racial inequity that exist in the U.S. in less overt ways. One such example is the disparity in maternal mortality rates between white mothers and women of color. Nationwide, black mothers are 4-5 times more likely to die in childbirth, with those statistics rising to 8-12 times in places like New York City. COVID-19 has only made the situation worse. Latham Thomas, doula, author and founder of Mama Glow, has made it her mission to approach the entire reproductive continuum, including abortion, loss, birth, breastfeeding and even menopause, with information and support. Through Mama Glow, she works to create education and access to resources in order to support women at every stage in an ongoing commitment to advocacy through birth equity. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Links Irth App 13th Amendment Film Mama Glow Mama Glow on Instagram Latham Thomas on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is it about sales? Why do so many people, especially women, cringe at the thought of trying to sell their services, even when we know we offer something of great value? This question is especially relevant under current circumstances. Laura Wright draws upon her 23 years of expertise to share how it’s possible to create a sales mindset that celebrates trust, leadership and connection. Learn how aligning with your inner strengths and values fosters longstanding relationships with clients, paving the way for a successful business built upon a foundation of integrity. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Big Ideas How to angle sales during COVID-19 in a way that is supportive. [03:18] Considering how to make your business of service in order to support critical needs. [07:25] Restructuring your method of sales to align with inner values. [12:08] Links No Woman Down Free E-Book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may not think of painting your walls as a “therapeutic process,” but Natalie Ebel sure does. In fact, it’s her go to in times of stress. The only child of a painter by profession, Natalie grew up helping her dad paint, transposing those skills to an art degree in college. It was only natural, then, that the technical and artistic skills she learned growing up would one day blossom into her own paint company, Backdrop. Bootstrapping it with her husband and a mutual friend, the three launched the company the same year Natalie had her first child. Learning to navigate motherhood and entrepreneurship in tandem has made Natalie nothing if not scrappy, and that sort of drive and creativity has made Backdrop a definitive hit among design enthusiasts. Known for its functionality as well as its curated color palette, Backdrop was designed to make painting a pleasure. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Big Ideas Digging into the process of bootstrapping with your life partner as your business partner. [03:43] The sacrifices that go into starting a business. [12:05] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Folks getting ready to graduate, enter the workforce, or those early on in their careers, this episode is for you! Chances are no matter where you start in a company, you have your sights set on moving up. Here’s why it’s important to see the potential in your position and do the hard work that makes your value shine through. Rebecca gets down to business with Elisabeth Leonard, who started as a receptionist at Rebecca Minkoff and then worked her way through various positions in the company, eventually landing a job at the Female Founder Collective where she now performs her job remotely from Chile. Elisabeth emphasizes the importance of working all angles of an entry level position in order to prime yourself for moving up in the company, including cultivating a mindset of determination, commitment and a knack for clever pitching. She also shares the best ways to organize and motivate yourself when working from home, no matter what your job entails. WAYS TO MAXIMIZE PRODUCTIVITY WORKING FROM HOME PLAN YOUR WEEK Creating a to-do-list is essential. Design a schedule that enhances your productivity and keeps you on track; it will make you stay focused. Keep your body clock in check by sticking to a normal workday schedule throughout the week. TAKE BREAKS Breaks are an important part of everyone’s daily routine. It’s important to incorporate breaks regardless of where you’re working; everyone needs a time to reset and walk away from the computer screen. You’ll feel refreshed, relaxed and have a clearer head afterwards. GET DRESSED Take the time to wake up early and get dressed every day. Dress as if you were working in an office; it really does put you in a different mindset for your day. MAKE USE OF TECHNOLOGY One of the main things that enable us to work from home are the apps and tools that are designed to help remove distance as a “barrier”. Finding the right tools for you and your team to remain connected is very important for remaining productive at home. Some of our favorite programs/apps are: SLACK AIRTABLE 1PASSWORD HELLOSIGN Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices