Episodes

So excited to introduce this week's Pretty Powerful Podcast guest, Darlene Greene, a trailblazer with over 26 years of executive leadership and senior management experience spanning multiple industries. Her impressive career includes roles such as Vice President of Strategic Technology Partnerships at McAfee (Intel), Dean of Culver Girls Academy, Director of Client Services for HyeTech Networks and Security, and Senior Director at LifeWave, focusing on foundational cell activation technology.

In this Pretty Powerful Podcast episode, Kyra Valdez-Shipp and I discuss a very timely topic... healthcare and insurance. We dissect the good, the bad and the utterly confusing. Kyra Valdez-Shipp spent her early career working in healthcare before taking the leap into entrepreneurialism as the founder of Peak Performance Solutions Group, where she helps executives with strategy development, business optimization and coaching.

Breaking into the retail world is no easy feat, but former athlete Gillian McIver knows how to rise to a challenge. As the founder of Reign Wellness, Gillian is revolutionizing the menstrual product industry with sustainable, high-quality solutions that serve a meaningful purpose.

With the prevalence of all of these great filters, photo editing and even AI generated images that make us look like supermodels, there truly is no substitute for great skincare. Let's be honest, some of us barely resemble our social media profile photos :-)In this episode, Dawn Pfingston and I discuss how to look and feel our best. Dawn Pfingsten is a social media influencer who helps women over 40 and over 50 look and feel their best as simply and affordably as possible. Dawn recommends affordable makeup and skincare for mature skin that works.

Katrina Purcell is used to getting out of her comfort zone... From competing in an Iron Man to deciding to launch a business after a successful career in operations, she is not afraid of a challenge. In this podcast we dive into everything from work-life balance to streamlining operations, and we discuss advice for those thinking about taking the leap into entrepreneurship.

As an author, founder, coach, visionary and leadership development expert, Belinda Clemmensen supports organizations to develop more equitable, inclusive and just cultures so that they can thrive today and be proactive about being ready for the future.

Few things matter more to me than supporting women-owned businesses, especially given the barriers they face. Despite receiving less than 3% of VC funding, research consistently shows that women-led companies deliver a higher ROI and embody conscientious, responsible leadership. Carrie Colbert, founder of Curate Capital, is transforming this landscape by investing in women-led ventures. Since launching Curate Capital in 2021, she raised $15 million—surpassing her original goal by 50%—with a majority of her investors being women. Carrie’s insights have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, and PaperCity Magazine, and she's a sought-after speaker. This is a compelling conversation you won’t want to miss.

Like me, Chelsea Chatts was drawn to the south, and quickly fell in love with the beauty, charm and culture (and the weather's not bad either!). Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Chelsea earned her degree in English Literature from UC Berkeley and in 2022 decided to make the life-changing decision to take a chance on herself. With her family in tow, she packed their bags for Chattanooga, Tennessee and founded her own company, Chelsea Chatts. Now, Chelsea stays busy creating the lifesty...

Being a military spouse comes with a unique set of challenges... and opportunities if you are willing to be creative. Dylan Jahraus went from being a super career-driven woman working with some of the top names in fashion, to looking for a job and doing side hustles to make ends meet when her military husband was moved to another city. She ended up posting one of the craft items she made for their wedding on Etsy... and not only did it sell, she started getting multiple requests to purchase simi...

Imagine sitting outside an abortion clinic as a confused and terrified teenage girl, and the transformative experience to watch that child walk across the stage during graduation at the same age when you contemplated their very existence. As the world celebrates the cherished bond between mothers and daughters, author Doris Jackson Shazier promotes her inspiring new book, ""Raising Justice: Lessons learned from Motherhood”. Through heartfelt storytelling, biblical wisdom, and practical advice, t...

Imagine thinking you were on your destined path, and dutifully following in the footsteps of your family, and then suddenly realizing that nothing felt right... it almost felt totally wrong. This was the experience of Susannah Stokes. After graduating from the prestigious Naval Academy and then serving in two combat tours in Afghanistan as a Marine Corps Officer, Susannah experienced a spiritual awakening that changed her life forever. Since then, she’s dedicated her life as an Energy Priestess ...

If there is one topic I can relate to it is BURNOUT! For example, yesterday with only two hours of sleep (trying to prep for new client), I drove 2 hours each way and worked 14 hours onsite. Clearly that kind of insanity is not sustainable, but when do we finally say ENOUGH! My podcast guest, Teresa Vozza, wasn't given that choice as she was wheeled out of a meeting on a stretcher in front of her CEO and co-workers. She HAD to slow down. Teresa is an award-winning leadership expert, a keynote sp...

Tabatha Thorell spends her life devoted to teaching and inspiring others....as a mother of 5, devoted wife, real estate investor, co-author, speaker and mentor, she finds fulfillment in helping others to achieve their dreams. With a career spanning 16 years, she began as a fitness coach, earning a reputation for motivation and persistence. Alongside her high school sweetheart, Tabatha has built a successful real estate investment company over nearly two decades. Learn from her journey and what s...

When I say tenacity, grit and trailblazer, who do you think of? For me it is Lindsey Chrisman! Lindsey Crismon is a 2014 West Point graduate, the first female in US Army history to pilot the AH-6 Little Bird in Special Operations, a student at Harvard Business School and is the co-founder and CEO of MyHome, an AI-driven marketplace that coordinates and predicts home maintenance tasks for homeowners. Before her senior year at the United States Military Academy at West Point she was named Brigade ...

I am excited to share an episode about one of my favorite topics... branding!!! And my guest, Anika Jackson, is absolutely brilliant in sharing her advice and insight to help you build not only your professional brand, but your personal one as well. Anika Jackson is a senior communications and marketing professional with over 25 years of experience working with diverse brands and clients to build local and global interest and create meaningful, synergistic relationships between brands and consum...

Our careers are an enormous part of our lives.... and the right career doesn't just provide a paycheck and benefits. In many cases, it can give us a sense of purpose, financial stability, an extensive network of colleagues, and personal fulfillment. So ensuring you are on the right path and getting the job that aligns with your goals is essential. My podcast guest, Michelle Merritt, who draws on her 20-year corporate career as a Fortune 500 recruiter, corporate culture executive, and Chamber of ...

I have learned over the years that the best entrepreneurs are the ones who seek to solve a problem, and have the passion and tenacity to see it through. Georgia Lininger combined her passion for writing with her passion for sustainability to solve a major had she had in her industry. Georgia is the founder and editor-in-chief of Salus Publishing LLC, a book publishing house focused on publishing high quality books by diverse authors and illustrators in a variety of genres as sustainably as possi...

As we quickly approach the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, who better to interview than gymnastics guru, Nicole Langevin. Nicole was able to parlay her lifelong passion for gymnastics into a dynamic and renowned business. Nicole Langevin has pioneered the gymnastics industry by developing businesses that employ former Olympians, World Team Members to help train the next generation. She is also a podcast host, highly rated gymnastics judge, Olympic Choreographer, and international clinician and sp...

I absolutely LOVE talking with brilliant women who are on the leading edge of technology, not just because I learn so much from them, but because these women are truly shattering glass ceilings in male-dominated industries, and their tenacity is truly inspiring. Brittany Greenfield, the Founder & CEO of Wabbi, has been recognized as a Top Woman in Cyber by both Cybersecurity Excellence awards (peer-voted) and Cyber Defense Magazine’s annual Global Infosec Awards, as well as being recognized as o...

Core values are an important part of a company's identity, but have you identified your personal core values? As an individual, it is important to understand your true authentic self, and to ensure your values are in alignment with your choices. My podcast guest, Andrea Johnson, empowers executives and founders to lead with authenticity, conviction and confidence so they can make a positive impact on their lives, organizations and communities. As an adoptive parent, who grew up internationally, ...

Keeping up with rapidly changing technology innovation is tough, so is juggling multiple responsibilities as a COO, not to mention balancing all of that as a mom... but Mariam Chtchyan has a great project management background to help her stay organized and focused. With over six years of experience in project and delivery management, Mariam Chtchyan is currently the Chief Operations Officer at HackTech LLC. She has successfully managed and delivered multiple projects for clients across various ...

In the second part of the Pretty Powerful Podcast with my dear friend Tashia Stafford, co-founder of Icon Studios Atl and CEO of CharmedVisions.com, Tashia and I discuss her experience in the music industry, and we address the taboo topic of inappropriate behavior that has been in the news lately with a few key players being called out. We also talk about what it means to let go of things, habits and thoughts that no longer serve you. Tashia 2.0 is front and center ready to be a positive influence on everyone she meets (spoiler alert... she already is).

When you have the opportunity to interview a dear friend who you admire immensely, and then find out this person has gone though incredible challenges that you knew little about because of how well they carried it, it makes you want to deep dive into the discussion. That was my conversation with Tashia Stafford, co-founder of Icon Studios Atl and CEO of CharmedVisions.com... she is one of the strongest, most resilient and self-aware women I have ever known. This podcast is longer than our normal...

So you set your career goal and are excited for the journey... until you're not. It happens. We think we know exactly what we want, and then when we get it, it becomes very apparent that it isn't satisfying for one reason or another. That is what happened for Jen Joe... not once but twice! Jen is courageous enough to take a leap and follow her passion, and has done so in everything from pursuing a career in education to living abroad. However, education was not going to provide her with the life...