Mavens Do It Better

In this episode, Heather interviews Nikki Rausch, author, speaker, sales coach, and CEO of Sales Maven. Tune in to hear their conversation on:  "I came across this word Maven." - Why Nikki chose to name her company Sales Maven. "Am I going to be standing here talking to the same people in 10 years?" - What inspired Nikki to leave her sales career and start her own sales coaching business. "I'm going to write a book while I'm job hunting." - How Nikki got started writing her first book during a career transition. "Sales is something you do with people." - Nikki's tips on how to approach sales with confidence in your expertise, the importance of connecting with people, and how to make the entire process less awkward.For full shownotes and access to Nikki's free eBook Closing the Sale visit mavensdoitbetter.com

In this episode, Heather interviews KC Mancebo, artist manager and CEO of Clamorhouse & Clamorhouse Kids.  Tune in to hear their conversation on:  “I fell into music and entertainment through a completely different world.” How a devastating loss spurred KC to reevaluate her career in fashion and led her into the music world launching the Spice Girls. “I look at brand as more of a quality and really explaining what your quality is.” From Brittney Spears to K-Pop festivals, helping people identify with the music they love and creating memories is the driving force behind KCs work branding artists and producing events. “I got really focused on it when I started working with the Whole Planet Foundation. “After years working in the music management industry, KC began working with the Whole Planet Foundation and helped food brands and the music world come together for philanthropic purposes. "We ended up talking to Food Network and figured out how to shoot the show during COVID." KCs work managing the Potash Twins and shooting The Takeout Twins during COVID and how things are starting to transition back to live. "We're hoping to open it up to fundraisers." After losing her home to the fires, KC and her husband are rebuilding it as a tribute to her late father-in-law, architect Irving Tobocman, and their plans to use it as an event venue as well as a home. "I am the proud mother of pretty incredible people." KC's 16-year-old daughter Zoe launched the charity Queens in Need to support drag queens during COVID.

In this episode, Heather interviews Debbie Ireland, speaker, CEO of ShareThePoint, and author of Work Life Balance My Arse: How to remove the guilt of putting your life first. Tune in to hear their conversation on: "We had 17 events planned for last year and we got 1 done." - Debbie's work with ShareThePoint and the Digital Workplace Events in the Asia/Pacific region and how they've adapted during COVID. "This stuff's pretty cool, I can figure that out." - How a weekend at the beach reading Access for Dummies sparked Debbie's passion for tech and started her on a career in it. "There's this other side of me that's not just tech." – How speaking at events and an early interest in self-development led Debbie to write Work-Life Balance My Arse! "Balance implies that you have to be in the middle." - One of the topics Debbie takes on in her book - magic doesn't happen in the middle – identifying what matters most in the moment and changing the balance to achieve that goal without swinging too far and losing all control. "Looking at the results I was getting and knowing the results were based on the meaning I was giving something." - How learning the why of her actions and choices has helped Debbie spark change in her life and career and seats her in who she is now.

In this episode, Heather interviews Nancy McSharry Jensen, CEO, and Co-Founder of The Swing Shift, the destination for women in career transition.   Tune in to hear their conversation on: "I was kicking around this idea of working with women who took breaks or wanted to do something different." – How Nancy and Sarah Duenwald met and formed the Swing Shift. "COVID hit and we needed a hard, fast shift to digital." – Shifting how their services were offered when in-person events and coaching were not feasible with a focus on building community and guidance without 3-hour zoom calls. "In January women lost 156,000 jobs and guys picked up 16,000 jobs. So, it's a net loss all at a working woman's expense." - The overwhelming impact of COVID on women in the workplace and what needs to change to fix it. "When it's time to go back it may have been years since they have looked for a job and they don't really know how the game is played." - How Nancy's Back to Business book and e-course guide people through the entire process of returning to work and finding a job at their own pace. "Don't let them funnel off – keep them in." - The Swing Shift's latest offering, Career Break Initiative, focused on helping companies recruit and retain employees and build loyalty with the company by developing support programs and benefits to allow career breaks for employees. Visit mavensdoitbetter.com for full show notes and more.

In this episode, Heather interviews Andy Ginn, Senior Consultant and Solution Architect at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Pointnext Services and Director of Pocket Angel. Tune in to hear their conversation on: "I went into menswear to start off with." - How a brief stint in retail led Andy to take a government-funded programming course and begin his career in tech."The user is the most important aspect of any transformation program." - Andy's work with HPE and their many initiatives that focus on the human side of tech internally and with their customers."She asked me to join that organization in my spare time." - How Andy became involved with Pocket Angel, a not-for-profit digital platform helping those experiencing homelessness, rough sleepers, and the socially disadvantaged."We pivoted the app quite quickly." - How the lockdowns spurred Pocket Angel to shift how they delivered the donations their users contributed."If you really analyze your life you can probably find five to six sliding door moments." - A mentor early in his tech career taught Andy to focus on the people using the tech which has been a theme throughout his career.For more visit mavensdoitbetter.com

In this episode, Heather interviews Stacy Deere, Microsoft MVP and Owner and Senior SharePoint Architect of Focal Point Solutions, LLC.  Tune-in to hear their conversation on: "It's not just SharePoint anymore." Stacy's work with her company Focal Point Solutions, an end-to-end SharePoint and Microsoft 365 firm, and how it has grown and evolved to keep up with Microsoft's fast development cadence. "What's that extra little thing we can do and have fun with it?" As an organizer for SharePoint Saturday Cincinnati, Stacy is heavily involved in the community. Hear about upcoming plans for the event, post-COVID and why they plan it for Halloween weekend. "How do we use the technology we own to do that?" Owning a company that has been remote for the past nine years Stacy shares how she helped clients make the transition to remote work with tech and leadership advice. "I tested out of my first computer class my second week in." Growing up in a rural area, Stacy's access to computers was limited, but an introductory class in college inspired her to pursue a degree and a career in tech. "Always plan for unexpected growth." Stacy's advice to entrepreneurs: build for the future and not just the time to be prepared for the worst case and the best case. "If I didn't play sports I don't think I would be the same person I am today." Surrounded by brothers, sports became a central part of Stacy's childhood and the lessons she learned through them are what seats her in who she is today. Visit mavensdoitbetter.com for more.

In this episode, Heather interviews Emily Mancini, Architect at Sympraxis Consulting, Microsoft MVP, and PnP Team Member.Tune in to hear their conversation on: "I call them Emily's Cliff Notes."How Emily uses her blog and micro topics to help businesses and people with Microsoft 365 user experience."Give them the set so they can spike it there."From speaking engagements to her work with the PnP community, why Emily believes continuously learning and sharing those lessons is important to the community and invaluable to the individual."Sharing is Caring."Emily's work with the PnP team to remove barriers and encourage first-time speakers and GitHub contributors."I grew up typing in MS-DOS commands before I could write, but it never seemed like a thing I was going to do."How a screen share mishap led Emily into a career focused on tech.For full show notes visit mavensdoitbetter.com

In this episode Heather interviews Rachana Gupta and Sahana Gupta, sisters, college students and founders of Silk Sense, a sustainable, slow fashion line. Tune-in to hear their conversation on: "We decided to keep that sustainability theme in our minds."Inspired by running a used Sari drove in Texas, Rachana and Sahana developed Silk Sense, a men's apparel line focused on creating luxury items that are sourced and produced sustainably and also supports artisans to keep traditional crafts alive."She brings in all of the art side, the fashion design side, and I bring in all of the tech side."How Sahana, a fashion business major at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Rachana, a computer science major at UT Dallas, use their different skills to build Silk Sense."There's so much we can do to help this world."Born in the US but raised in India, Rachana and Sahana learned early on the importance of community and service to others."We both unanimously agree that it's our mom."How their mother's unrelenting support and guidance has helped seat Sahana and Rachana in who they are now. Visit mavensdoitbetter.com for full show notes and more.

In this episode Heather interviews Kirsty McGrath, 3 time Microsoft MVP and Managing Director of OnPoint Solutions, an Australian training and adoption practice focused on Microsoft 365. Tune-in to hear their conversation on: Originally it started as a PowerPoint company. - How OnPoint Solutions got its start as a PPT building service to a training and adoption practice for all of Microsoft 365 and the new problems clients are facing with their new remote workforces.The journey that you often have in your career is never really straight in that you do jump several different careers to land on what you are passionate about. - Kirsty's career path from traveling salesperson to various temp positions that led her to tech and founding her own company.Living a life of no excuses. - How Kirsty learned that keeping a positive mindset helped her bring her family up and build her business even when times were tough.Understanding your journey and your path and knowing what to brush off and what to standup for. - From fighting burnout and reassessing priorities to facing the challenges of being a woman in tech - Kirsty shares lessons learned.For me it’s the strong women in my world that I want to be better for or that I want to help show the way. - What seats Kirsty in who she is now.

In this episode Heather interviews Ron Carucci co-founder and managing partner at Navalent, author and speaker.  Tune-in to hear their conversation on: "We're about helping them construct the path to get there." - Ron's work with Navalent, a boutique consulting firm helping the C-level navigate transformational change. "The pandemic was a great awakening for leaders about what it really takes to unleash the best in people and sustain that, versus trying to wring the most out of people before they die ." - The importance of human focused leadership in surviving crisis situations and massive change. "Honesty is not a personality trait, it’s a muscle." - A dive into Ron's upcoming book To Be Honest, Lead with the Power of Truth, Justice & Purpose - shares inspiring stories of leaders who model what honesty really means alongside actionable steps to build honesty and trust into your culture. "Everything but death is revocable." - How a few words from his mentor act as Ron's northstar and taught him to lean in and take the risk.

In this episode Heather interviews Hailley Field, founder and head chef of HomeCooked and Cheese Executive Officer for Whisps.  Tune-in to hear their conversation on: That comes from my mom. Hailley's introduction to food and cooking from her "perfect home cook" mother and how that inspired her. It definitely started by accident. How HomeCooked came to life. The whole landscape completely changed. Days away from shooting the pilot for HomeCooked the series before the first shutdown hit, Hailley had to reset and shift to adapt her plans to the new normal. I'm seeing that this is a creative opportunity in disguise. How Hailley became the Cheese Executive Officer for Wisps. That’s what I genuinely thought would be my career path. How Hailley shifted from working as a confidence coach for men to becoming a food personality. That was a defining, validating moment to combine your authenticity with your marketability. Getting her first MC job as the Quiz Princess seats Hailley in who she is now. For full show notes and more visit the episode page.

In this episode Heather interviews Richard Campbell, tech consultant and host of the RunAs Radio and .NET Rocks! podcasts. Tune-in to hear their conversation on: "It was an accelerant."How the pandemic shifted our focus to how the tools serve us to build healthier workplaces and patterns and brought wellness to the forefront."We're never getting to the bottom of our to-do list."The evolution of business process automation and how the low code/no code revolution has opened doors to traditional and non-traditional developers."I'm literally a lifer."With an early start at the age of eight programming cash registers for his dad and his first job in computer repair at the age of 12, Richard's career in tech was supported by his parents and inspired by curiosity."I was able to translate bad documentation into better things."How Richard's career transitioned over the years and led to consulting and podcast hosting.Our tools are simply amplifiers of our behavior. - Heather and Richard get into the human side of work and share experiences of how teams succeed and fail."I'm not going to put energy into things I do not want more of."How the birth of his second child was the catalyst that pushed Richard to take charge of his career path and drive it in the direction he wanted.

In our first episode of 2021 Heather interviews Karin Reed, CEO and Chief Confidence Creator of Speaker Dynamics, a corporate communications training firm. Tune-in to hear their conversation on: "I work in an area with two things people hate." - As Chief Confidence Creator Karin works to help people build confidence in public speaking and being on camera."I loved being able to hear everybody's different stories and that's where I found my joy." - Karin's career in media starting out at a local CBS affiliate and then up to an NBC owned and operated station in Providence, Rhode Island where she earned an Emmy for her documentary special needs adoptions."I think I can help people to do this better." - A growing family led Karin to move out of the broadcast world and into the executive coaching world."I went form training the executive team to the entire enterprise." - How COVID has affected her work and the projects the company has developed to keep up with the new demand."You kind of need a guidebook when you're in this new modality." - With the sudden switch to remote work, Speaker Dynamics saw a huge demand shift from coaching executives to coaching the entire company. This inspired Karin to team up with Dr. Joseph Allen to write Suddenly Virtual: Making Remote Meetings Work, a data-based guide to virtual meeting best practices."People need to be more intentional about the kind of work that is being done in these meetings." - Why "This could've been an email" needs to be thought about before scheduling virtual meetings to prevent "Zoom Fatigue". She also shares a couple of quick tips to ensure you show up as your best at your next virtual meeting or presentation.

Tune in to the Mavens Do It Better podcast 2nd Anniversary Special. In this episode host Heather Newman is joined by podcast producer Annelise Sexton. Heather and Annelise wrap the year with lessons learned, how Mavens Do It Better has evolved, plans for next year, and favorite moments from 2020's guests.Thank you to all of our guests, listeners, and supporters - you stories, ears, and cheers keep this podcast going.With this episode we are closing out 2020 and hope you'll listen in next year when we return.

In this episode Heather interviews Dr. Tammy Nelson, Certified Sex and Relationship Therapist and Licensed Counselor, speaker, podcast host, and author. Tune-in to hear their conversation on: "We're sort of living in this moment of uncertainty." - The effects of the pandemic on couples and individuals and how they are coping with lockdown and a contact-free society. "How come there's no graduate program for sex?" - Dr. Tammy's career journey from art therapist to relationship and sex therapist. "Set up a sex date." - The importance of creating time and space for sex and erotic anticipation in your relationship. "We change and grow as people and we develop in a relationship." - Why Dr. Tammy recommends couples create and continuously update a Monogamy Agreement so their implied assumptions don't get the better of their relationships. Visit the show page for full show notes and more!

In this episode Heather interviews Jerry Palm, sports writer and bracketologist for CBS Sports.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:“I've never been a big fan of that word.” - Dubbed a Bracketologist, Jerry explains the basics of what he does and how he blends the data with behavioral science to make his predictions for NCAA Tournament selection and brackets as well as College Football Playoffs.“I kinda put the geek in sports geek. But, when I'm on television I can't really geek it up too much because people's eyes will glaze over.” - Jerry's work at CBS Sports on and off the screen.“I never thought anybody would care about this.” - With the goal of developing his programmer skills, how Jerry got started with sport predictions and took it from a hobby to a career.“It's hard to social distance on a football field.” - Predicting during COVID and how it has impacted college athletics and the communities built around them.“We got bought by one bank too many.” - How getting downsized in 2002 from his banking job pushed Jerry to pursue his passion.Visit mavensdoitbetter.com for full show notes and more.

In this episode Heather interviews Carolyn Wang, Head of Communications at Verily Life Sciences.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:My world got turned upside down in March - How a mention in a presidential press conference shifted Carolyn's work into high-gear supporting their COVID-19 initiatives like Project Baseline providing testing sites and Healthy at Work helping businesses and schools return to work safely.Empowering our scientists with some communication skills would be very valuable right now. - How a BS in Biology led to and supports Carolyn's work in communications and the importance of both.Collecting, organizing, and activating healthcare information. - Verily's work to build tools that collect better data, organize it so knowledge can be extracted from it, and develop interventions and tools to support care and research with a focus on preventative and value based care.Going in with a flexible mindset and the desire to learn as much as possible. - Carolyn's advice to young people looking to go into communications and finding one's career path.Striving for something that's bigger than us, and this bigger beauty, and something we can achieve in our own power. - Reading The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand in high school left its mark on Carolyn and permeated her life.Visit mavensdoitbetter.com for full show notes and more.

In this episode Heather interviews James Underdown, Executive Director of the Center for Inquiry-Los Angeles, paranormal investigator, podcast host, and writer.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"Skepticism is not the same as cynicism, which is not the same as denialism." - James' work with the Center for Inquiry and what the goals of the CFI are."Oh, man, it's convoluted." - How stand-up comedy, filmmaking and playwriting eventually led James to a career at the CFI."We get the least amount of time and have to exercise the most patience of anyone on the show" - From calling out psychics to debunking flat-earthers, James often appears as a guest on TV programs as a skeptic, often leaving him feeling like the wet blanket."It's basically the same set of things that you value for humanity." - James breaks down what atheists, humanists and secular humanists are."The scientific world's PR people have not been the best over the years." - How skeptics get a bad rap and why they are so important, especially in these times."And I proceeded to lie me a$$ off to him." - How being held back in Sunday school and his first confession sparked the skepticism that drives him now.Visit mavensdotibetter.com for full show notes and more.

In this episode Heather interviews Zoe Smiles, jewelry, self-care, and clothing designer and founder of Happy Goods.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"Handmade products for Happy People" - The inspiration behind Zoe's playful jewelry and accessory line Happy Goods."I think I have an additional passion besides Harry Potter." - How Zoe started designing at the age of 15 and decided to pursue that as a career."There should be an evolution in your life journey." - Zoe's family believe you will have three careers in your life. How doing something you are passionate about, does good in the world, and being able to make a living at it will build and grow throughout your life leading to multiple career paths."I couldn't see smiles anymore." - Bringing joy and color to her mask designs and how the pandemic forced her to shift her business model."Any sale for me is really not about the dollar, it's really about the person." - Use code "welikeyou" for 10% off your order. If you are a healthcare worker or first responder message Happy Goods for a personal discount code good for an entire year."Life doesn't give up on us." - Zoe's belief that you'll always get opportunities to do what you are passionate about and how she tries to listen the first time."What you can do is you can love people." - The amazing advice from Zoe's mom given to her at a young age and how that sparked her to bring happiness into people's life and is at the foundation of her business and her life.

In this episode Heather interviews Joel Frauenheim, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"The only kilt I ever owned." - Joel's history with Heather and the original Microsoft SharePoint team and his career journey in IT."I look at her and she has a smirk on her face." - The importance of mentoring and allyship in Joel's career and life."I reserve the right to be smarter tomorrow." - Joel's journey understanding his privilege and learning from others to continue to grow and how allowing yourself to be vulnerable, while scary, is an integral part of the process.Connect with JoelLinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/joelfTwitter - JoelTFJoel FrauenheimJoel Frauenheim is a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft. He started his career at IBM, and then joined USA TODAY to help kick off USA TODAY Online. After initially joining Microsoft as a developer in the Internet Products and Tools group, Joel joined Visio and then back to Microsoft when Visio was acquired. Joel was involved with building up the SharePoint Products and Technologies partner ecosystem.

In this episode Heather interviews Passion Architect, author, coach, and leader, Stephanie Walton.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"Every moment is a choice." - How experiencing homelessness as a child taught Stephanie that building her dreams required her to choose that every day. This practice inspired her book and coaching practice, Succeeding with Passion, which helps people, no matter their circumstances, find their passion and build their life around that."It's hard for us to sit in that duality, the 'yes, and..'" - Stephanie's take on hero worship and cancel culture and how finding the human connection will help us address and heal social inequalities."How do you give people the space to grow?" - How the murder of George Floyd ripped off the mask and shield she wears as a Black woman and live openly and authentically and inspired her to begin working on the Grace and Space project to help foster communication and understanding across the racial divide."A year ago in October, my life changed completely." - Hearing Deborah Eden Tull speak at a women's retreat and reading her book, Relational Mindfulness, sparked Stephanie to operate in the world that is happening in this moment.

In this episode Heather interviews Tony Fitzpatrick, Chicago-based artist, podcast host, writer, and quarantine puzzle maker.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"I started a puzzle company since I no longer had an income." - The pandemic has hit artists hard and Tony is no exception. How he started a puzzle company recreating his art to help people pass the time."The best assets we have are each other." - How the art community has been impacted by SIP orders, including Tony's gallery The Dime, and how the community has come together to support one another."My work struck a certain nerve." - Tony looks back at his career and how it has evolved and continues to do so with a little inspiration from collaborating with his kids."Why don't you do this art thing for a hobby?" - How advice from his dad inspired Tony to go all in as an artist.Visit www.mavensdoitbetter.com for full show notes and more.

In this episode Heather interviews Laura Ann Masura, founder of Laura Ann's Jams.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"I obsessively had to can everything." - How Laura's midwest upbringing and California's perpetual fresh fruits inspired Laura to begin making jams."I basically opened up for an article." - After receiving the Best of LA award for her jams, Laura turned her jam making passion into an online store and wholesale business."I wouldn't sell anything I wouldn't eat myself." - From ingredient sourcing to family memories, what inspires Laura's jam creations."I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for that." - A serious motorcycle accident spurred Laura's community to put on a benefit concert which sparked her to live and act with gratitude.Visit mavensdotibetter.com for full show notes and more.

In this episode Heather interviews Dave Banks, award winning documentary film-maker, writer, and photojournalist.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"I knew the struggles." - Growing up with a single working mother inspired Dave to get involved with the Women's Movement and how he uses his connections to amplify the message."Life in the City of Angels" - Dave's passion for sharing stories with his work and the books he is working on."Nobody really knew what dyslexia was." - How Dave's struggle with dyslexia as a young man and an understanding teacher led him to photography and documentary filmmaking."There's this world over here that they're not talking about or discussing." - Dave's observations as a freelance photo journalist at Standing Rock and the Middle East on how the mainstream news media is failing to deliver real news."I kinda fell into it." - How Dave's work on the Wide World of Sports at ABC led him to work as a freelancer in the Middle East and his experience with PTSD.Visit mavensdoitbetter.com for full show notes, transcripts, and more.

In this episode Heather interviews Chevonna Gaylor, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Mental Health Expert.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"The world is rocking. We have to be intentional to make sure we don't fall." - Chevonna shares her experience as a therapist and an ER psychiatric liaison during a global pandemic and a global awakening."People with the most hurt were led to me." - Chevonna's passion to be of service and the importance of self-care."Not everybody is meant to be in every season of your life." - A discussion about understanding Love Language and Love Cups and how they can be used to better your interpersonal relationships."I was absolutely determined to change that." - Chevonna's experience as a Black woman working in a field built on the theories of white males and how she uses her experience of the world to educate and open pathways for understanding and change."What you feed will grow." - How hope and the belief that restoration is possible helps spark Chevonna and seats her in who she is now.For full show notes, transcripts, and more visit mavensdoitbetter.com.

In this episode Heather interviews Kristin Juel, founder of Juel Concepts, an incubator and music marketing/management firm for emerging artists.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"Revealing something unique and unexpected." - Kristin's journey from the advertising world to starting up Juel Concepts, an incubator and music marketing/management firm."You can call it hustle, I call it proactive." - Kristin's approach to doing business and moving the needle for her clients."We all need to be a litmus test for what feels right." - Taking an authenticity focused approach to building brands for musicians."Understanding music and tech and where the brand fits." - How the pandemic has effected the music industry and using this time to deconstruct and reconstruct and building the Uncut Juels community."Why didn't someone give this to me earlier?" - How the book The Great Work of Your Life sparked Kristin to pursue her passion. Full show notes, transcripts, and more available at mavensdoitbetter.com.

In this episode Heather interviews Chandra Purnell Bond award-winning facilitator, counselor, leader, business owner, and music maven.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"I want you to be the first." - Chandra's family legacy of firsts and how that inspired her in her many careers."I didn't want to take money from people who didn't have it." - The many twists and turns of Chandra's career journey (addiction counselor, stockbroker, non-profit organizer, Certified Learning and Performance Professional, music and entertainment consultant)."How do we move forward as a country?" - Chandra shares her and her family's experiences with racism, privilege, law enforcement, and her thoughts on how education, empathy, and unity will move us forward."When I feel the world I have to shut down." - How Chandra (aka MC Chela) uses poetry and spoken word performance to relax, reset, process, and grow. For show notes, transcripts, and more visit www.mavensdoitbetter.com

In this episode Heather interviews Leslee Savvy, a Personal Chef in San Francisco and creator of the Savor-it bar.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"Sorry Starbucks" - What inspired Leslee to develop the Savor-it bar - a savory protein bar to boost you up."How food makes us feel." - Focusing on what food does for your body when shopping and cooking for herself and her clients."Right work done well." - How Leslee incorporates Karma Yoga into her work and life."Smiles beneath the mask." - How COVID-19 has changed how we source our food and offers us opportunities to connect with one another.

In this episode Heather interviews Therese Jardine, founder and principal of Strategic Event Procurement where she helps take the Pain out of Procurement for event organizers and agencies so they can focus on delivering a great event.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"It's painful now, but good will come of it." - How COVID-19 has effected the in-person event industry and the opportunities for positive change she is seeing."It's just a cool place to deploy my skills." - Therese's career journey from finance to event procurement and why she is passionate about her work.Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center - Making time to volunteer with littlebit.org and why non-profits need whatever financial assistance we can give them right now."Grit, tenacity, and optimism." - How growing up poor seats Therese in who she is and what she does now.

In this episode Heather interviews tech maven and product leader Ryan Duguid.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"I think I was Enterprise Content Management." - Ryan's early days at Microsoft working on SharePoint and how he got from New Zealand to Redmond."The things I build have to be meaningful." - Ryan's passion for product and his thoughts on developing and promoting it."Empower people to do what they do, better." - Ryan's "Why" and what sparked his passion for it.Find full show notes and more at www.mavensdoitbetter.com

In this episode Heather interviews Emely Varosky, illustrator, graphic designer, and writer.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"The first day I drew that cat…" - Developing her illustration style with a little inspiration from her cats."My left hand is a supporting character." - Emely shares how she works as an artist and the tools of the trade to create and promote her work."Draw every day." - How a sketch book gift from her husband reignited her passion for drawing and helped her put in the hours. Visit mavensdoitbetter.com for full show notes and transcripts.

In this episode Heather interviews Joel Oleson, Director at Perficient, Microsoft MVP and RD, writer, speaker, and epic world traveler.Producer's note: This episode was recorded pre-quarantine.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"Jeff Teper's Server under the desk." - How Joel got his start at Microsoft and got the moniker SharePoint Joel."We're finding tater tots somewhere!" - The early days of the Microsoft tech community and how it has grown."Make that leap." - Joel's love of travel and how he is using his travel blog Traveling Epic as a platform to inspire others.Joel365, the myth, the legend- How Joel became Joel365 and turned a blog into his personal brand."Community makes the world so much smaller." - Joel shares some of his experiences where work and travel came together and how community made that connection possible.Full show notes and transcripts available at www.mavensdoitbetter.com

In this episode Heather interviews Rodney Campbell and Keith Richardson, founders of More in Common, a podcast and a community focused on creating connections by becoming anchored in compassionate conversations.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"On the heels of Colin Kaepernick" How the More in Common podcast got started and found it’s mission."Being intentional with what you put out there" Thoughts and tips on developing personal brand and marketing."Community of entrepreneurs" Building community and swapping strengths."It’s our friendship" The spark that keeps it all together.Show notes and more available on www.mavensdoitbetter.com

In this episode Heather interviews Claudia Villanella Murdoch, Brooklyn based real estate attorney and creator of the Social Distancing Fashion Show Facebook group.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:Let Your Freak Flag Fly - How Claudia took a game played with her friends via text message to Facebook to build community, connection, and have a little fun during the lockdown.Slow Down and Reset - Taking the time afforded to her during quarantine to flex her creative muscles and dip into her extensive vintage clothing collection.Always Hire a Professional - Claudia shares her experience as an attorney as well as a small business owner and what sparks her to do what she does.Full show notes and transcript available at www.mavensdoitbetter.com.

In this episode Heather interviews Nikkia Carter, Worldwide Modern Workplace Tech Strategy Lead at Microsoft, author, speaker, and tech policy advocate.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:Don't just join, be a part of it: How the Microsoft Partner community can help you build your business, collaborate, and synergize with other companies.Lend your voice: Nikkia's work with Voices for Innovation, a Microsoft-supported political advocacy task force focused on developing citizen advocates and championing public policies that foster innovation, support business growth, and enable technology to address societal challenges.Lessons learned: The importance of sharing the hard lessons she learned as a female entrepreneur to help others on their journey.Why can't you do that?: How access to STEM at an early age sparked her passion for computer science and support from her husband helped her pursue it and get where she is today.

In this episode Heather interviews Andrew Horn social entrepreneur, speaker, and writer.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:The Most Meaningful Gift - How a birthday gift from his girlfriend inspired Andrew to launch Tribute.co, a web application allowing users to create collaborative video montages.Authentic Emotion - From family/friend tributes, to employee recognition, to customer testimonials - how tribute videos transform how we connect.The Power of Service - The driving force behind Andrew's work, career journey, and life.

In this episode Heather interviews Annie Parker, Global Head Startup Audience Engagement at Microsoft.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:What am I going back too?: Quitting her job via text from the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and how that led to her working in the corporate accelerator space.Vulnerability is not a weakness: A key phrase from a business coach that helped inspire her career and work towards positive change in the tech industry.Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not: Annie's work with Microsoft for Start-ups and supporting founders who are working towards opening doors.That's a great piece of tech looking for a problem to solve: Why Annie thinks a successful startup needs to solve a problem rather than just make cool tech and tech's role in preserving and supporting indigenous cultures and our planet.

In this episode, Heather interviews Nina Rolle, voice actor, storyteller, and creative mogul.Tune in to hear their conversation on:Butter for the Bread: Why Nina decided to pursue a career as a voice actor.VO From Home: How technology has changed the work lives of voice actors.Creativity Mogul: Nina's currents creative projects: writing her memoir - Evolution of a Voice, and her plans to start a podcast to take listeners on a sonic journey.Take a Moment: Advice on meditation from a practicing Buddhist and mediation coach.

In this episode Heather interviews Andrew Connell, founder of Voitanos, on-demand video training for Microsoft 365 developers, Microsoft MVP, and co-host of the Microsoft Cloud Show.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:An Introvert's Guide to Teaching: How Andrew's passion for educating developers and natural introvert tendencies led him to found Voitanos.Mastermind: How he stays accountable and focused on his goals.Marketing Yourself: Andrew's tips for entrepreneurs on building your brand and marketing your ideas. Plus his favorite tools for getting the message out.The Dogs Can Hear It: Why Andrew (and his kids) will never use Tiktok.Connect with Andrew: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/andrewconnellGitHub: https://github.com/AndrewConnellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewconnellBlog: http://www.andrewconnell.comVoitanos LLC, Founder, Chief Course ArtisanWebsite: https://www.voitanos.ioTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/voitanosFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/voitanosPodcast: Microsoft Cloud Show, Founder & Co-hostWebsite: http://www.microsoftcloudshow.comTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/mscloudshowFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MicrosoftCloudShowTiktok Privacy Article: https://rufposten.de/blog/2019/12/05/privacy-analysis-of-tiktoks-app-and-website/

In this episode Heather interviews healthcare maven Jamey Edwards, CEO of Cloudbreak Health, a unified telemedicine company.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:#HumanizeHealthcare: Jamey's work with Cloudbreak to create disparity solutions with the goal of ensuring health equity for underserved patients.Entrepreneurial ADD: What led Jamey to the healthcare industry and his thoughts on navigating the challenges of healthcare entrepreneurship.Why not me?: Jamey's advice for entrepreneurs to focus on the 1 or 2 reasons something will work versus the 100's of why it won't work.#Pinksocks: Why he wears them and the important connections they help create.

In this episode Heather interviews tech maven Michelle Gilbert, Technical Specialist at Microsoft from the Twin Cities, MN.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:You should learn these things: How a laptop from her brother took Michelle from fine art major to a developer.Fear of change: Michelle's take on the problems companies are facing when it comes to the digital workplace.It's not about you, it's about you giving back to them: How Michelle found her voice as a speaker at the Twin Cities User Group and why she remains active in the Twin Cities Microsoft community.

In this episode Heather interviews Shelly Peiken, Grammy-nominated multi-platinum songwriter, author, and recording artist.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:"What A Girl Wants" - Shelly's first big hit she wrote for Christina Aguilera and how everything has to align for that success to happen.Confessions of a Serial Songwriter – Shelly's book, which garnered her a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album and what inspired it.2.0 etc... - What drove Shelly to decide to record her 1st album featuring new approaches to her well known hits as well as 5 never recorded songs.Music's digital transformation – From the economics to how music is produced and promoted, a discussion on how tech has changed the industry.As long as I've got one – What sparks Shelly to keep creating and how self-doubt is part of the process.Connect with Shelly:Website - https://www.shellypeiken.com/

In this episode Heather interviews Marianne Emma Jeff, CEO of The Women’s Business Momentum Center and author of Brand Me! and The Get it Done Diva's Guide to Business.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:If you can't say it, you can't call it that - How her books The Get it Done Diva's Guide to Business and Brand Me! came about.The Elements of Momentum - The five stages Marianne uses with The Women's Business Momentum Center.Permission to Change - How missing a hot yoga class was a wake-up call for her and led her to give herself permission to change her mind.Paul the Plaster Who Likes to Get Plastered - What inspired Marianne to make the move from England to LA at 19 years old and the how she started her first business and became a coach.Living Consciously - How her struggle with alcohol addiction sparked her to discover what she really wanted in life.As a gift to our listeners Marianne will send you a free copy of one of her books, Brand Me! Mastering the Art of Business Story Telling or The Get it Done Divas Guide to Business with the purchase of an annual Ignite Your Life and Business Membership from The Women's Business Momentum Center anytime before May 31, 2020. To receive this gift enter Creative Mavens in the How did you hear about us box.To connect with Marianne:Website www.womensbusinessmomentum.comLinkedIn linkedin.com/in/marianneemmajeffTwitter @getitdonedivaFacebook @MyWBMCMarianne Emma JeffMarianne Emma Jeff shows professional women how to stop binging, burning out and bi-passing success. Instead she invites them to increase their productivity, performance and profitability by micro managing their happiness instead of their action.Originally from Nottingham, England, Marianne spent 30 years pushing herself towards success and instead feeling burnt out and overwhelmed eventually pushing herself into sickness and depression. After decades of using alcohol as a tool to forge forward her body finally said enough and Marianne was forced to hear the wisdom of her soul. Leaving behind her alcoholic unconsciousness Marianne stepped forward with Momentum as she slowed down, tuned into feeling good and Ignited her life and her business into the success she had sought for so long.If you are ready to ditch burnout and tune into fun it’s time for you to experience the magic of MOMENTUM, The Get it Done Diva (aka Marianne Emma Jeff), will show you how to IGNITE your Life and Your Business with tools, inspiration and strategies to become a rock star in your life. Marianne is the CEO of The Women's Business Momentum Center, a two time #1 Best Selling Author and award winning speaker on productivity, performance and business story-telling.Mavens Do It Better original theme music composed by Jesse Case with voice over by Julia Francis.

In this episode Heather interviews Raya Dukhan, a working artist and UX designer in Brooklyn, New York.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:From St. Petersburg to Brooklyn: Raya's career as an artist and designer has led her all over the world.Community is Everywhere: The importance of community for artists and how she has found it through the many arts organizations she has been a part of like Burning Man and Park Slope Windsor Terrace Artists.Wabi-Sabi: What inspires Raya's paintings.Working Artist: How Raya balances her design career and her time in the studio.To connect with Raya:Website - https://panimau.com/Instagram - @_rayart_LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raya-dukhan-398b32/Behance - https://www.behance.net/rayadukhanPark Slope Windsor Terrace Artists - https://www.artspswt.com/TranscriptRaya DukhanRaya is an artist and designer originally from St. Petersburg, Russia.As an artist, in her painting, she is currently exploring self-journey by peeling away and adding layers with different mediums and textures to unmask the core of the truth. Her brilliant colors and textures go beyond the flat surface and allow you to experience another dimension. Her inspiration comes from nature, travel, the people she meets, and the adventures that she encounters along the way.As a designer, she began designing web pages in the mid 90’s in Seattle, WA; working at dot coms and learning emerging web design technologies. She has played several different roles in front-end design since, currently doing UX design for IBM.Raya lives, works and exhibits in New York.Mavens Do It Better original theme music composed by Jesse Casewith voice over by Julia Francis.

Episode 63 of the Mavens Do It Better Podcast features Nancy McSharry Jensen, CEO and Co-Founder of The Swing Shift, the destination for women in career transition.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:The Swing Shift – Nancy's company focused on helping women move their career in a new direction or return after an absence.The SharePoint Wars – How Heather and Nancy worked together on the original SharePoint team and why kilts were involved.That One Chance – The impact of small moments in Nancy's career that helped inspire and propel.Return to Work – With technology fueling massive changes in how we work, how does someone prepare for the new landscape after an absence? Nancy's recommendations and how her attitude to new tech helps keep her open and ready for change.

TRIGGER WARNING This episode, or pages it links to, contains information about sexual assault and/or violence which may be triggering to survivors.Episode 62 of the Mavens Do It Better Podcast features Rachel Ann Mullins, actress, producer, director, and podcast host.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:No Filter – Rachel's podcast No Filter Friday from Public House Media, covering the #metoo movement from inside Hollywood."I need to go to this" – What sparked a Midwestern girl to pursue a career in modeling and acting.Lies Are Pretty – And the truth stings. How Rachel uses her platform to get down to the nitty-gritty of uncomfortable topics like sexual assault to make positive change in our world.RachelTwitter - @RachelAMullinsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/rachelannmullins/Instagram - @rachelannmullinsNo Filter Friday PodcastWebsite - https://www.publichousemedia.org/no-filter-fridayFacebook Live - Public House MediaShame on You Documentaryhttps://www.facebook.com/ShameOnYouDoc/Rachel Ann MullinsRachel lives in Los Angeles where she wears many hats as an actress, producer and director. Her most recent project is a 27 episode web series. Rachel also appeared in a 6 page pictorial in the January 2020 issue of FHM magazine. She is also the host of the long running podcast No Filter Friday on Public House Media where she covers all things #metoo from inside Hollywood.

Episode 61 of the Mavens Do It Better Podcast features Antje Lamartine, Collaboration Consultant focused on Microsoft 365 user adoption and change management, speaker, and organizer for SPS Munich.Antje and Heather caught up at the Modern Workplace Conference Paris.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:User Adoption – How the topic has grown and why it is so important to understand the human aspect of it.From Hospitality to Technology – Antje's career journey and how one person saying "Yes" helped her pivot from business administration to IT.Only You See the Mistakes– How knitting helps her not only unwind, but has taught her to accept and learn from her mistakes rather than obsess over not being perfect.To connect with Antje:Twitter - @AntjeLamartineLinkedInXingTranscript

Episode 60 of the Mavens Do It Better Podcast features Elaine van Bergen, Senior Program Manager, Commercial Software Engineering, Microsoft. Heather caught up with Elaine at the European SharePoint, Office 365, and Azure Conference in Prague.Tune-in to hear their conversation on:Cutting Edge Healthcare IT - Elaine's work with Microsoft in the healthcare realm developing machine learning and AI tools to help healthcare professionals focus on the patients rather than the paperwork.Self-proclaimed "Natural Born Geek"- How Elaine got into tech at a young age and why she is a Superstar of STEM and a SheEO activator.What Sparks Her – Her work helping to build Nintex and how the experience inspires her to this day.Build a Better Bot – Why making bots seem human may be missing the point completely.To connect with Elaine:LinkedInTwitterTranscript

Episode 59 of the Mavens Do It Better Podcast features Greg Frick, Senior Solution Engineer at Zones, Inc. After an inspiring conversation with Greg outside the Orange County Convention Center during Microsoft Ignite 2019, Heather asked Greg to join her on the podcast. Beautiful audio recorded at the #MSIgnite Community Hub podcasting booths – thank you to the amazing audio techs Julius and Jim for hooking us up!Tune-in to hear their conversation on:The "IT of No" - the negative effects on business and employee growth when organizations are resistant to technological change.Improv theories in business - turning teams into ensembles to ensure projects keep momentum with "Yes, and" attitudes and creating environments where listening, experimenting, and learning are encouraged.From anthropology to technology to Zen temple building – Greg's origin story and career journey spans the gamut.The power of vulnerability – how sharing our stories and hearing the stories of others builds community, stops us from comparing our internal to other people's external, and builds engagement.To connect with Greg:LinkedInTwitterTranscript

Episode 58 of the Mavens Do It Better Podcast is our 1st Anniversary special celebration episode featuring our host Heather Newman and our producer Annelise Sexton. We are celebrating our first anniversary with a discussion about producing a weekly podcast, what tools we use, and our first time attending the WerkIt Festival, a women and non-binary conference this past month in Downtown Los Angeles. Thank you to all of our guests, followers, subscribers, and fans for a wonderful year! Happy Halloween!Note from the Producer:In this episode it may at times sound like we are unwrapping candy, we wish we were. We experienced some recording issues that were not caught at the time and while I’ve cut the worst of it, there is some I could not get rid of.Annelise and Heather caught up virtually from Alameda, CA and Marina del Rey, CA.Listen in as they talk about:Best moments and lessons learned from the WerkIt Festival.A year into running a podcast, what we’ve learned and are still learning, how it came about, and where we see the show going.The tools (hardware and software) we use for recording, editing, and promoting the show, and some tips for those who want to start one of their own.To follow Heather: LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramTo follow Mavens Do It Better: Website | Facebook | Twitter | InstagramTo follow our marketing consultancy, Creative Maven:LinkedIn | Website | Facebook | Twitter | InstagramTranscriptTools we use:Audio recorder – Zoom H4n Pro https://zoom-na.com/products/field-video-recording/field-recording/h4n-proPodcast hosting and website - https://www.squarespace.comSound editing - Audacity https://www.audacityteam.orgAudiograms - Headliner https://www.headliner.appEpisode graphics - Canva www.canva.comAnalytics - Chartable https://chartable.com Blubrry www.blubrry.comTranscripts - Temi https://www.temi.com

Episode 57 of the Mavens Do It Better Podcast features Nicole Butler, Founder and Executive Director of Speech Within Reach, providing pediatric speech therapy in client’s homes. Nicole is also an ASHA Board Certified Speech-Language Pathologist, actress, host and improv performer at The Groundlings and Second City.Nicole and Heather caught up virtually from Santa Monica, CA and Marina del Rey, CA.Listen in as they talk about:· Nicole’s background in speech therapy and how a friendship in middle school sparked her interest in helping children find their voice.· The impact of going into a child’s home versus a more clinical setting with Speech Within Reach on the day to day lives of the children and their families.· How assistive technology like the cochlear implant and text to speech apps play a part in her therapy and the lives of her clients.· Nicole’s love of theater and improv and how being the goofy one as a kid led her to an acting career.· Summiting Mount Kilimanjaro and getting hit with HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema) which led to a rush down the mountain to save her life.TranscriptTo connect with Nicole and Speech Within Reach: LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Speech Within Reach Los Angeles Website | Facebook | Twitter