2021. It’s A Wrap.

This is my last podcast of 2021.   It is hard to believe that another year is behind us, 2022 is really upon us.  So today I want to celebrate this last year.    How do you celebrate in today’s world?   Today’s world is consuming and overwhelming and really more negative than positive.   So, how do you celebrate?  First, you make the choice to celebrate and second it take times and daily effort.  What you will find in celebrating, you will see that “today’s world” is not all negative.   Be consumed in the positive.   Take time to think and ponder on it.   It takes effort.  Be overwhelmed or grateful for the good. Celebrating this past year, end it with a bang.   Enjoy the Christmas season.  Don’t fill it up with “stuff” but enjoy, sometimes it is just the simple stuff.   Just don’t miss out.   Live it up, eat, drink and be merry as well as reflect, renew, and restore your soul.  Ring out New Years by being with the people you love, throw a party.   Sit back and look over the past year and be grateful for the good, the bad and the ugly. A recap of 2021. Business was good, relationships are strong, family is going well, health is awesome.  We have learned to navigate through the continual pandemic.  Covid is not over but we are fighting it and seeing better numbers. Schools are back in session.  Businesses continue at home or in the office.  Recreation and fun was done at capacity over the summer.  Government is still working – LOL  We survived an election and saw people really engaged – my own district had so many people running and town hall meetings were full.  Love seeing the debate and passion.   A challenge for you. Celebrate 2021 by choosing to be consumed and overwhelmed in the good and end it with New Year’s on your terms. Bring back what you are missing and make sure it is part of 2022. Thanks for listening and being part of my podcast and my life.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Angel Investors

I have an amazing guest who is a top female investor. She offers a way to get started in angel investing, and diversify your portfolio. This is a smart way you can also help women. Startups and entrepreneurs struggle. Because they lack capital a lot of the times. They may have a lack of sense of how to run a business. But they have this passionate idea that they really want to get out there. And so capital is a huge issue. An angel investor is someone who provides funding for small startups or entrepreneurs. The funding can be any amount, really, and sometimes the angels will get an ownership stake in the company for their investment, while other times there will be an agreement drawn up for getting your money back — plus profits — once the company gets off the ground. You may sometimes hear angel investors referred to as “private investors,” “seed investors,” or “angel funders,” but one thing is clear — no matter what you call them, angels can make a huge difference in the life of an entrepreneur, and they can also make some serious money in the process. With me on this episode is Brianna McDonald. She is the President of the Northwest Region of the Keiretsu Forum angel investment community, the largest and most active venture investor globally, comprising over 50 chapters with over 3,000 active members investing over $450 million annually into over 600 companies. She’s an active leader and angel investor with Keiretsu Forum and has been a part of the organization since it launched in Seattle in 2005 and supporting its growth to become the largest and most active group globally. She’s proven over time to be adept at screening companies for angel investment, coaching companies on presentation and investor relations, sales strategy execution, relationship management, and leading due diligence teams. Listen in as Brianna McDonald gives us all a crash course in what angel investing really is, and breaks down how angel investing differs from crowdfunding and venture capital. Brianna talks about how angel investors can find successful rates of return, and why now is a great time for women to consider becoming angel investors. Brianna also walks us through how she got started investing, how to find angel investing groups around the country and the importance of doing your research. She offers up 7 tips.

  1. Is this something you want to do?
  2. Find female support
  3. Sit in on meetings (a great question to ask – rather than “how are things going?”, ask “what challenges are they going through?”)
  4. Pick the brains of the experts
  5. Find something that is interesting to you
  6. Stay active with the investment
  7. Reach your financial goals

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Keeping Emotion Out Of Difficult Conversations

When I think of emotions, I think of passion and drivers. It’s that ‘why’ of something. So, in this episode, I want to talk about when we keep emotions out of something, especially a difficult conversation. Why do we want to do that? With me is Jen Grant. She is the CEO at Appify. She has spent the last 15 years building companies from the ground-up and taking multiple companies to over a billion dollar valuation. Recently, Jen was recognized as one of the Top 100 Princeton Technology leaders in 2021 as well as a Woman of Influence in Silicon Valley from the SVBJ.

When someone says something, you disagree with, ask them to “tell me more” and look for the gold — the thing they say that you CAN agree with. More often than not, you realize that you do actually agree with some of what they are saying and finding that point of connection is all you need to collaborate and move forward together.

Why is this more of a topic for women?  Jen goes deep into that. Bottom line. In a difficult situation, keep asking questions to get to the crux of the matter at hand.  Keep being curious, and this will help you stop judging. Jen highly recommends this for you to read – Leaders Eat Last By Simon Sinek. This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

What Does It Take To Be An Inspiring Woman Leader?

For me, an inspiring woman is simply a woman who can fill somebody with the desire or urge to do something worthwhile. It’s someone who lives their life every day, based on the core of what she believes. And it influences me to be open, and maybe even change. So, it’s someone who creates a better world. They have to live their lives on their terms. There’s something very motivating about that. We’re all inspired differently, so take some time to think about it. How can you inspire? I need to have others around me, who are better, and have different insights, so I can be better. I challenge you to dig deep and realize that you have a role to play in that. You need to figure it out, and then do it. Become that inspiring woman leader.  I assure you that someone needs to see it and be influenced by you. And by the way, you might already be influencing other women and you don’t even know it. With me on this episode is Lori Kaiser. She is a chief executive, corporate leader, visionary, and business strategist with a proven track record in assessing risk and creating solutions for Fortune 500 Company C-Level Executives and Boards. As CEO of Kaiser Consulting, Lori provides clients’ value-based services that allow organizations to navigate transitions and successfully execute critical projects. Women need to take more risk and be braver in career decisions. Lori gives us insight on that. Her passion about this subject shines throughout the episode. Her advice to women on how to become an inspired leader. Ask yourself what is YOUR version of success.  Be bold, take risks.  Be a lifelong learner.  And last, but not least, connect with interesting people. Mentioned in the podcast was Shonda Rhymes and her book Year of Yes. How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith. And the podcast How I Built This.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Powerful Partnerships And Networks For Women Leaders

The underlying issue of this topic is that partnering means that you are not alone while trying to build your career, your business. My greatest times, professionally and personally, have been when I started these powerful partnerships and networks for women. It continues to play a major role in my life as a leader. I wish I knew this when I was 20 something, even in my 30s. But I didn’t really get it until I was in my late 40s. No matter what age you are, or at any point you are in your professional career, it’s really key to have powerful partnerships and networks. And by the way, it’s not just a professional thing. This continues to be so huge for me personally. 

Be open to making sure you’re establishing these types of relationships.

Less is better with relationships, because they’ve got to be correct for you. They need to be strategic, lining up with your why. I’m not talking about connecting with big names people. I’m talking about people who have similar goals and ethics as you. And they get out there, and they influence. Never underestimate the power of those partnerships. It takes work and commitment. You’ll need to be consistent and persistent to build these relationships. But the dividends are huge in your personal and professional development and impact.

With me on the episode is Mary McCarthy, Co-founder and President of the Women’s Small Business Accelerator. The Women’s Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) is a non-profit accelerator founded by successful women business owners for women business owners. They provide education, peer support, mentoring, and accountability to help women on their entrepreneurial journey – to start and grow their own businesses.

I am also joined by Michelle Casper, President of NAWBO Columbus. Established in 1996, NAWBO Columbus has a longstanding history in the greater Columbus area. They are currently the largest chapter in the nation and pride ourselves in elevating women business owners through connections, advocacy, and mentorship.

And last, but not least, I am honored to have Rachel Winder from the Ohio Women’s Coalition on this episode. The Ohio Women’s Coalition is a diverse, non-partisan alliance of women in business, women leaders, women business owners, and men that support the mission across Ohio who are coming together to improve the economic position for all women in our state. The OWC was created to amplify the voice of women in Ohio and to help draw attention to the unique challenges that women encounter, especially underserved women of color and women who live in underserved areas of the state, to gain access to economic opportunities in order to achieve financial stability and prosperity.

These three women are willing to give, with a blind eye to how it helps them.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Developing Resilience

I speak with Farideh R. Bagne, Ph.D.,JD. She’s one of the most brilliant, successful and hardworking people that I’ve ever met. She has an amazing story, with some great insight on resilience. And she’s built this really cool bridge at Magnolia by the Lakes, the gold standard of senior living, a luxury Independent and Assisted Senior Village on the shores of Cass Lake, overlooking Sylvan Lakes in Oakland County Michigan. I think you’re going to want to hear about the story about this for sure.

As Dr. Bagne states…

You know that thing when you look challenge in the eye and you don’t blink and you even have a smile on your face. That’s what we’re going to talk about. So don’t miss out. My advice to you again is, number one, belief in yourself and do not have a defeatist attitude. Always remember that race, national origin, gender had nothing to do with business, science, medicine or whatever endeavor you are planning to do. It is not what others think of you. It is what you think of yourself. And with that attitude, believe that you should have that axiom of your life that truly everything happens for the best. And at the moment that disaster happens. You don’t know what the best is, but believe that somehow it will be and will become one of the best events of your life unless you follow these three acts and you’ll really become successful throughout your life.

 

Coming up on July 30th is the 7th annual Brady Ware Women’s Leadership Conference.  Each year, 100% of the proceeds go to support women initiatives through non profit organizations within Ohio. This year our supporting non profits are the Better Business Bureau and the Women’s Small Business Accelerator.

Many months ago when we began planning for this year’s conference, we felt it best to err on the side of safety, so this year’s conference will be held virtually. While this may not be the most ideal situation, it does allow for us to offer participants speakers that are nationally recognized as well as locally recognized women leaders.
 
We’re excited to be able to present keynote speaker, Peggy Klaus, author of ‘Brag! How to toot your own horn without blowing it’. We’ll start the morning with a lively discussion with a panel of women business owners and leaders.
And to add to the excitement of the day, you’ll be able to network, visit exhibitor tables and win wonderful prizes throughout the day!
 
I would like to personally invite you to join us on July 30th. Just go to Columbus Women’s Leadership dot com and complete a simple form. We’ll do all the rest!
 
Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge! Register now!  ColumbusWomen’s Leadership dot com
Hope to see you there!

 

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

How To Lead In Uncertain Times

I speak with Janet Meeks. Janet is the author of Gracious Leadership, Lead Like You’ve Never Led Before. You will love getting the perspective from her because she has lived it, she’s experienced it, and her amazing journey as a leader.

She’s going to talk from her book, which is such a simple read. Yet there are some very important basics in there. What should we expect from our leaders? There’s an expectation we should have.

As Janet mentions…

I also believe that leaders need to be secure enough to understand they don’t have all the answers and that leaders who try to hoard getting the results accomplished are really holding back the organization they need to trust their employees who are subject matter experts and free them, let them lie in the war, if you will, and be all they were created today so they can play at the top of their game. And then that leaves time and room for the person with the big title to be able to take on those difficult tasks that perhaps someone and other levels of the organization cannot.

Coming up on July 30th is the 7th annual Brady Ware Women’s Leadership Conference.  Each year, 100% of the proceeds go to support women initiatives through non profit organizations within Ohio. This year our supporting non profits are the Better Business Bureau and the Women’s Small Business Accelerator

Many months ago when we began planning for this year’s conference, we felt it best to err on the side of safety, so this year’s conference will be held virtually. While this may not be the most ideal situation, it does allow for us to offer participants speakers that are nationally recognized as well as locally recognized women leaders.
 
We’re excited to be able to present keynote speaker, Peggy Klaus, author of ‘Brag! How to toot your own horn without blowing it’. We’ll start the morning with a lively discussion with a panel of women business owners and leaders.
And to add to the excitement of the day, you’ll be able to network, visit exhibitor tables and win wonderful prizes throughout the day!
 
I would like to personally invite you to join us on July 30th.  Early bird registration ends on June 15th, so I encourage you to sign up now!  Just go to Columbus Women’s Leadership dot com and complete a simple form. We’ll do all the rest!
 
Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge! Register now!  ColumbusWomen’s Leadership dot com
Hope to see you there!

 

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

The Art Of Improv And Business

“Improv, in one sense, is being present in this moment with curiosity instead of judgment and being empowered to know that I have the ability to build something different if I don’t like how it is right now.”

My guest, Andrea Flack-Wetherald, loves improv. She discovered it during a particularly acute season of personal and professional transition.

She also loves mindfulness practice. Combining the fun of improv with the quiet power of mindfulness is the work she does with her clients. Her company, &Beyond, helps elevate company teams to a new level of effective production.

Mindful improv, it sounds scary to a lot of people. In this episode, you’re going to learn the difference between habits and circumstances. And you’re really going to learn that this not just changing you, but changing culture. And about the stories that we develop in our minds about people, or the company we work for, or the culture we live in.

And by the way, you’ve been improvising all your life. So this isn’t something new to learn, it’s just recognizing it’s a part of you.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Get Known, Get Connected, Get Ahead

Michelle Tillis Lederman is a people expert who inspires organizations and individuals to build real relationships and get real results.

We live in a network economy – – it’s all about who you know, who knows you, and what they know about you. But in this remote working, socially distant period in time, connecting has taken on new challenges.

She would be the first to say she is “a recovering CPA,” and now is the CEO & Founder of Executive Essentials. And she has written several books.

We focus on one in particular, The Connector’s Advantage. Connectors think and act a certain way that makes things happen faster, easier, and often with a better result. In the book, and in this is episode, we cover the 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact. 

We go in depth on #3, The Abundant Mindset.

She talks about some great key points about why its important to keep this mindset, including,

  • stop comparing yourself to others
  • envy and jealousy are normal, and don’t let it take over
  • feel grateful, practice gratitude

 

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Being Authentic In Business

Being authentic is a great secret weapon. A strategy.

My guest is Erin Hatzikostas, b Authentic inc Founder.

She walked away from being a CEO her own company.  Urged on by a conversation, a comment, made to her by a fellow airplane passenger (you have to listen to the episode to find out what it was!).

But what we can tell you is that it inspired her to continue her professional journey, and discover that authenticity is unique. What can we do to change “the fake” to move the authentic needle in corporate America?

To keep moving, you need to be 50% uncomfortable.

The good news is that authenticity is contagious.  We must model it when we see it, and continue to pass it along to those that follow. In her new book, You Do You(ish), she expands a very cool acronym, H.U.M.A.N.S.

And a big thanks to her for mentioning one of my past episodes, Defining Success – Does It Have To Be The C-Suite?

Erin Hatzikostas is the friend, mom, coach, guru and boss you always wanted, all rolled into one. Erin became a corporate CEO at the age of 42 — yet she smashes open the executive mold.  She is most regarded for her Midwestern-inspired, unpretentious, witty, and authentic style of leadership. She is a career coach, speaker (TEDx 2020!), podcast co-host, author, MBA, runner, wife, mom of two, and someone who is not afraid to dance in public.  ​

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.