Lead Like a Woman

Michelle Aronson is the Owner and Principal of Physics at Work, a leadership and organizational development company supporting high-growth organizations to build more effective workforces. As a former HR executive, certified coach, and business school professor, Michelle merges evidence-based research, brain-based learning, and fun to improve the workplace. She is also the host of the True Stories at Work podcast, featuring human resource experts sharing valuable lessons and workplace stories. In this episode… Culture is the essence of any valuable business. A thriving company culture requires empathetic leaders to mentor and encourage team members. How can you become a purposeful leader and cultivate a synergetic company? HR executive and workplace coach Michelle Aronson says that leaders are the creators of culture. These professionals must construct values and make intentional decisions that align with those principles. In hopes of modifying her workplace’s values, Michelle approached multiple executives before assuming the leadership responsibility to modernize them. Executing an ethical purpose requires defying traditional rules to accommodate innovation. Join Andrea Heuston in today’s episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show as she invites Michelle Aronson, the Owner and Principal of Physics at work, to speak about fostering a robust company culture through impactful leadership. Michelle shares advice for women to find their purpose, how she altered her workplace’s values, and how leaders can serve a greater purpose.

Jeanette Nyden is a contract negotiations expert, lawyer, and professor. Since 2003, she has been helping buy and sell-side professionals master the contracting lifecycle, from drafting and negotiating to contract management. Her legal expertise spans over 25 years, during which she established herself as an authority in the contracts and bankruptcy niche. As an Adjunct Professor at Seattle University, Jeanette teaches negotiation courses to undergraduate and graduate students in the business school. She is also the co-author of The Contract Professional's Playbook, Getting to We, The Vested Outsourcing Manual, and Negotiation Rules. In this episode… Carving out your path to success can be a challenge if you constantly compare yourself to others. You have your own journey to make, so it is essential to give yourself permission to be you. Jeanette Nyden, an experienced lawyer and contract negotiations expert, advises people to embrace who they are. Be authentic, confident, and take the necessary steps to improve your skills. You don't have to change to be like someone else. As Jeanette explains, “You need to understand your why.” Find a purpose, and step in to fill a gap. In this episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show, Andrea Heuston is joined by Jeanette Nyden, a contract negotiation expert, to talk about negotiation tactics and Jeanette's work in empowering others. They also discuss how the pandemic impacted businesses, the value of being agile, and Jeanette's books and upcoming programs.

Keith Roberts is an entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, and the Founder of OAKJournal, which provides curated tools to set and achieve goals. With more than 20 years of experience as an inspiring leader, he delivers powerful stories and practical strategies to help people overcome obstacles and reach their dreams. Keith is the former Founder and Creative Director of Zenman, a web development agency taking a Buddhist approach to client relationships. In this episode… Women bring unique perspectives to any endeavor, making them exceptional leaders. Yet leadership groups like Entrepreneurs’ Organization lack women executives. How can you support women in their roles and embrace their opinions to fuel your company? Rather than intentionally acquiring women to fill executive positions, entrepreneur Keith Roberts hires the most qualified talent for specific roles. When hiring for senior management, Keith identified and nurtured a female employee’s strengths and promoted her within the organization. As a result, this woman supported Keith by helping him prioritize and delegate his time. Entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and Founder of OAKJournal, Keith Roberts, joins Andrea Heuston in this episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show to discuss fostering female leaders. Keith explains how he empowers women in their roles, his “why,” and the definition of “who luck.”

Cindy Spodek Dickey is the Principal Navigator and Founder of 47 Degrees North Marketing, an agency offering entrepreneurial consulting services and integrated marketing expertise. In addition to being certified as a woman-owned business by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE), 47North Marketing is recognized by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Cindy is proficient in executive-level marketing, communications, and creative ideation for businesses. Her experience spans more than 20 years, working with Disney, Microsoft, Roambee, Radarworks, Zumobi, and numerous others. In this episode… It sometimes seems the one element keeping your business from success is luck. While good fortune can feel entirely up to chance, there are ways to prepare for and secure opportunities. Hard work, when combined with transparency, networking, and a reliable team, can create openings where none existed before. Cindy Spodek Dickey navigates her long and fruitful career with this mindset — from her long stints with Fortune 500 companies to leading a team of expert marketers. She took those lessons and applied them to new ventures, creating a successful marketing agency in the process. Now Cindy opens up about some of her greatest insights. In this episode of Lead Like a Woman Show, Andrea Heuston speaks with Cindy Spodek Dickey, the Principal Navigator and Founder of 47 Degrees North Marketing, about creating opportunities and finding success. Cindy provides insights on her extensive experience in the marketing and media space and some of the best lessons she learned along the way. They also touch on starting a side gig, supporting other women, the beginnings of the agency, and learning from successful teams.

Michela Hundrup is the President of ProMotion Holdings Global, a leading national provider of communications consulting and content technology solutions. After graduating from college, Michela joined ProMotion Holdings as a Marketing Intern before becoming a manager. Over the past 13 years, Michela has managed an acquisition — including transitioning operations, streamlining workflows, and employee onboarding — and navigated the evolving business environment, creating organizational growth. In this episode… Traditional and antiquated leadership involves micromanaging employees to produce a desired result. But this style hampers business growth, so leaders must embrace new voices and ideas to develop innovative solutions. How can you meet employees where they are and provide them the freedom to develop and thrive? After starting as a marketing intern, Michela Hundrup advanced her role through supportive leadership, employing her skills to solve problems independently. This allowed her to cultivate a female-led executive team and nurture personal and professional development among next-generation leaders. With transparent communication, receptivity to fresh perspectives, and flexibility, you can establish a robust team of growth-minded individuals. Andrea Heuston sits down with the President of ProMotion Holdings Global, Michela Hundrup, on this episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show, to talk about facilitating adaptable leadership. Michela opens up about motherhood’s impact on leadership, how she created a female executive team, and how female leadership promotes flexibility.

Simone Morris is the CEO of Simone Morris Enterprises, LLC, a certified minority and women-owned business providing leadership solutions. She is also an inclusive leadership expert, executive career coach, author, and professional speaker. Simone consults with organizations on addressing cultural concerns, coaches leaders on managing diverse perspectives, and helps women regain their confidence to advance their careers. As an interactive keynote speaker, Simone leads discussions to support diversity and inclusion agendas and talent management strategies. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, including “Female Solo Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2020 and the “Women Business Enterprises Who Rock” award in 2019. In this episode… Women are often relegated to secondary roles and made to follow directions instead of providing them. But as the business world becomes increasingly sophisticated, women leaders and entrepreneurs are rising up and carving a position for themselves. How can you own and amplify your voice to facilitate widespread, systemic change? Leadership expert and inclusion advocate Simone Morris declares that your career is your responsibility. Instead of allowing others to govern your journey, you must disrupt traditional gender roles to live your purpose and make an impact. Yet making a bold assertion can be intimidating, so Simone says to give yourself grace and compassion while taking small steps to build authority by writing articles and appearing on podcasts. Listen to this episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show as Andrea Heuston chats with Simone Morris, CEO of Simone Morris Enterprises, LLC, about uplifting yourself and your career. Simone also mentions the importance of inclusion in schools, the Great Resignation and other prominent social justice trends, and her book’s message.

Marsha Ralls is the Founder and CEO of The Phoenix Wellness Retreat, which fosters personal inspiration, growth, and life transformation. She has been a servant leader and member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) for nearly 25 years where she founded MyEO Women (formerly Women of EO). Marsha has been recognized by multiple organizations for entrepreneurship and community service. She was named “National Woman of the Year” by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, and “Enterprising Woman of the Year” by Enterprising Women. In this episode… As a female entrepreneur, do you feel discouraged by the lack of available opportunities and support? Women in business and other nontraditional roles are often unrecognized for their accomplishments. Where can you gain empowerment to realize your potential? Wellness and leadership advocate Marsha Ralls believes that women possess diverse skills and perspectives vital to business, leadership boards, and communities. Accordingly, she has created a space to foster female entrepreneurship and leadership through authenticity, transformation, and communal support. There’s no shame in asking for help, so Marsha suggests seeking an experienced mentor to help you overcome doubts and gain respect. In this episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show, the Founder and CEO of The Phoenix Wellness Retreat, Marsha Ralls, joins Andrea Heuston to discuss how she encourages and advocates for women leaders. Marsha talks about her involvement in the arts and health and wellness spaces, the impetus for MyEO Women, and her business retreat programs.

Christy Pretzinger is the Owner and CEO of WriterGirl, a company that creates content and strategy for hospitals and healthcare organizations across the US. Christy went from freelancing to owning her own agency, uncovering a passion for creating an environment where people can thrive. As a lifelong learner, she believes personal growth leads to professional growth. In this episode… Historically, men have dominated the business landscape with a fixed leadership style that suppresses creativity and growth. But the contemporary workforce demands personal development opportunities and culturally rich organizations. How can you develop a personalized leadership style to create the business you desire? Business success is often measured on a balance sheet by its assets, liabilities, and equities. But Christy Pretzinger has established a proprietary cultural balance sheet that assesses human capital instead of numbers. She builds and leads a team based on the soft skills inherent in women leaders — empathy, relationship building, and communication — to foster personal growth. By managing your business with intentional values, you can have a greater impact on your bottom line. WriterGirl’s Owner and CEO, Christy Pretzinger, joins Andrea Heuston in today’s episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show to discuss leading with kindness. Christy also explains the connection between personal growth and company culture, how she cultivates a diverse writing team, and how to lead like you.

Franziska Gonder is a Somatic Leadership Coach and Founder of Leadership That Heals The World and Bravespace. She has experience advising startups, VC investors, and Fortune 500 companies on operations, culture, HR, and leadership. For 15 years, Franziska has combined entrepreneurial problem-solving, collaborative technology, and human-centered design to help individuals and teams discover and achieve their potential. Her work has been featured in Forbes, TheNextWeb, Philanthropy, and HuffPost. After losing her father in 2013, Franziska began leading with belonging, safety, and dignity — and now she helps others do the same. In this episode… Traditional Western cultures glamorize the hustling lifestyle, where entrepreneurs and leaders work continuously while disregarding their emotions. But childhood and other traumas shape leadership styles greatly. Today’s guest empowers entrepreneurs to create a healthy balance between work and life while cultivating impactful leadership. Franziska Gonder advocates for a sense of belonging, safety, and dignity. These feelings can become disrupted due to physical, emotional, or mental stressors, consequently putting the nervous system into overdrive and compromising your leadership. Through a combination of neuro-linguistic programming, self-inquiry, and somatic coaching, Franziska helps leaders reflect on their traumas and take accountability for their actions. When you give yourself grace, you can support others in their journeys. In this episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show, Andrea Heuston chats with Franziska Gonder, Somatic Leadership Coach and Founder of Leadership That Heals The World and Bravespace, about leading with compassion and accountability. Franziska also discusses why she transitioned into somatic leadership, how to utilize neuro-linguistic programming, and the negative influence of “up and to the right” mindsets.

Christian Schiller is the Managing Director of Cascadia Capital, an independent middle market investment bank serving both private and public growth companies. He is also an active participant and leader in the family business segment across the US, working proactively with family business leaders to facilitate various strategic initiatives. With over 26 years of investment banking experience, Christian has closed more than 150 transactions, including buy and sell-side M&A, equity, and debt financing in various industries. In this episode… Studies reveal that investments in women-owned businesses declined from 2.3% in 2021 to 1.6% in 2022. This is because many women either don’t understand how to access funding or aren’t made aware of available options. How can you raise capital and establish yourself as a woman entrepreneur? Christian Schiller believes in the power of mentorship and relationship-building. Women who want to fund their startups or sell their established businesses should consult with others who have accomplished those endeavors. The key to achieving any business goal is collaborating with your team and embracing diverse perspectives by remaining curious and humble. Join Andrea Heuston in today’s episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show as she interviews Cascadia Capital’s Managing Director, Christian Schiller, about obtaining funding for women-owned and led businesses. Christian also talks about family business as a driver for economic growth, investment trends in women-owned companies, and how to promote inclusive leadership.