Talkin' Brands and Big Plans with Anne & Syd

We couldn't be more excited to welcome Olympic Gold-Medalist and captain of the U.S. Women's National Team, Kendall Coyne-Schofield. Kendall's brand “Evolving” speaks to her journey as an emerging leader in women's ice hockey. Kendall talks about her path through Chicago youth hockey to college hockey to international competition. We then discuss Kendall's impact on the game and how past leaders of USA Hockey  prepared her to become the face of the present. We're so excited for this episode and can't wait for you to listen!

We're thrilled to bring Sheena Lawrick on the podcast this week. A two-time Olympian for the Canadian softball team, Sheena is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to discussing health and performance. Her brand, a complexion of two well known phrases, (1% and extraordinary) gives insight into her lifestyle mentality.

On episode 35, Alicia Scarpa brings a new insight to Harvard Women's Hockey through the operations perspective. Alicia is a new addition to the Harvard staff, so she talks about how her “Growth” mindset propelled her to become Director of Hockey Operations in her second season with the team. Tune in to hear more about how growth happens outside of one's comfort zone, what Alicia has missed the most about the season, and what's in store for Alicia in her NEW position.

We're back and we welcome former teammate, Bradley Fusco, on the podcast this week! As our listeners will see, Bradley is an extremely motivated, consistent, and down-to-earth individual. Her brand, “Cup of Coffee” is a testament to her steadiness, positivity, and sociability. Tune in to hear more about growing up in a family of Harvard Hockey legends, embracing your ever-changing role on a team, and navigating a relationship with a professional athlete.

We make TBBP a family affair this episode by inviting Anne's uncle, Chris Phelan. Chris is a professor of economics at the University of Minnesota. Chris’s brand “Don’t be a Wimp” is a reflection of his own methodology in conducting his daily life. We talk a bit about Chris’s path into academia and how generally one goes about pursuing a profession in a specified research field. We then move on to the highlights from one of the courses Chris taught this past year about COVID economics and trends he foresees (or doesn’t foresee) sticking around past the pandemic. Lastly we talk about Chris’s experience running the Boston Marathon during the Boston bombing. 

We’re thrilled to have 4-time Olympian, Jennifer Botterill, join us for episode 32 of the podcast. A Harvard Hockey phenomenon, we spend time discussing Jennifer’s collegiate career as well as what she’s accomplished since graduating (namely her involvement in the PWHPA and sports broadcasting). As our listeners will discover, Jennifer’s brand, “Pursuit of Excellence”, is very apt given her distinguished career and constant ability to excel in various facets of life.

In this episode we welcome close friends, Lara Schenk and Kara Xie. Lara and Kara are Anne’s college roommates so you’re in for a fun episode! Lara’s brand “Unstoppable” is very fitting for those who know her - we dive a bit into Lara’s soccer career in her home country of Germany and her professional soccer aspirations. Kara’s brand “double trouble” is a nod to her twin sister. We get into the intricacies of being a twin and how each sister’s identity blossoms both together and apart.

Join us for our 30th episode as we expand on various topics we have previously touched on in previous episodes. Listen as your favorite podcast hosts banter once again!

We’re excited to introduce young entrepreneur and Founder/CEO of Locker Lifestyle, Kat Samardzija. Kat’s brand, “Adventure with Confidence”, is her motto through life which has guided her to self-start her own business (while still in college!). We talk about the origin of Locker Lifestyle, the grind of starting a clothing business from scratch, and how she’s adapted along the way. Find Locker Lifestyle here: https://lockerlifestyle.com/ or on Amazon!

For this episode of TBBP we tap another current teammate of ours, Maryna Macdonald. Maryna, or “Mac”, discusses the depths of her Native heritage - heralding from the Ditidaht tribe. Her brand “Hishuk’ish tsawalk” meaning “everything is one” is a direct nod to her roots. We discuss the strength of family bonds after leaving home, the dark parts of adjusting to freshman year of college, and finding yourself in places and people you wouldn’t expect.

We’re pleased to welcome Reed Farley, a Senior on Harvard Men's Basketball, to the podcast. Well-spoken and articulate, Reed discusses why his brand, “Duglegur”, has been an important motto for him in recent years. Although the Icelandic term doesn’t have a direct English translation, the word “duglegur” means diligent and persevering (especially in the face of extreme adversity). Listen to hear more about: remaining positive for yourself and your team, overcoming the fear of re-injury, and stepping onto the court for the first time in over two years.

We are lucky to be joined by Harvard runner Abbe Goldstein this week! Abbe’s brand is “Main Character”. She talks about the importance of taking ownership of your journey and manifesting your own destiny.  Throughout the episode we discuss the impact of physical ailments on mental health, the lessons learned from temporarily stepping away from sport, and the NCAA tournament cancellation in 2020.

We’re honored to welcome 14 year NHL veteran Dominic Moore to our podcast. Besides his accomplished NHL career, Dominic is a 2018 Harvard Hall of Fame inductee so we spent time comparing our Crimson careers. We dissect Dominic’s brand, “Sempre Avanti”, which translates to “Always Forward” - a fitting description for Dominic’s successful hockey career despite adversities. Hear us talk about Dominic’s NHL big break on a stacked NY Rangers team, his valiant return to hockey after an 18 month leave of absence, and his current ping-pong charity event Smashfest.

We’re so excited to bring Jacques Joubert on the podcast. His brand, “Be You”, is not only a tribute to his alma mater (Boston University) but a motto by which he lives his life. Listen to hear more about his year-long tryout for BU's hockey team, the legacy of Travis Roy, playing for Team USA in the 1995 World Championships, and the uniqueness of team sports.

We bring to you Sydney Daniels and Lee-J Mirasolo for episode 23 of TBBP! Follow along as Syd and Lee-J do a deep dive into their brands, “Emerge” and “Evolve inc.”, respectively. Get a glimpse of two essential members of Harvard’s coaching staff in our upbeat and fun conversation.

We are excited for our listeners to meet Katie Tresca this week! Katie details why her brand, “One Step at a Time”, has been so meaningful throughout the peaks and valleys of her life. She brings a playful yet serious energy to this episode as she opens up about her concussions, the Tresca Brothers’ business, and more.

TBBP gets personal this week by bringing Syd and Anne’s closest Chicago friends in Audrey McMahon and Delaney Weiss. Aud and D have known the hosts since elementary school, so you can bet they have embarrassing stories to share. We trade our fair share of jokes while covering topics like recovering from gruesome injuries, youth hockey stories, and evaluations of our personal growth.

It’s just us on Episode 20! We took time to answer the questions our listeners submitted this week. Thank you to everyone that submitted a question! We had so much fun doing the Q&A we’ll just have to do it again!

We are so excited to welcome Sasha Milsky to our podcast for Episode 19. Sasha channels her inner Lorax for her brand, "Speaker of the Trees". Sasha discusses the importance of traveling at a young age, how you can adjust your daily habits to be more environmentally conscious, and the benefits of finding stillness. Thanks Sasha for guiding us to think more deeply about how we can improve ourselves and the environment around us!

Harvard Women's Hockey head coach Katey Stone joins us for Episode 18. Coach Stone's brand "What's Next?" encapsulates her competitive nature that's guided her through 26 seasons behind Harvard's bench, a 2014 Olympic campaign, and even a recent venture into the baked goods business. We get down to the nitty gritty of Coach Stone's early coaching career, the 2014 Olympic heartbreak for Team USA, and how to maintain a well-rounded image outside of sports. We are super grateful to have Coach on TBBP. Thanks Coach!

We are excited to welcome Fr. Patrick Fiorillo to TBBP. Fr. Patrick’s brand, “Gregorian Jazz”, perfectly ties together his passion for music and his devotion to the religious life. Join us as we discuss his affinity for the drums, his role as the undergraduate chaplain at Harvard, and podcasting.

We welcome Ms. La’Kia Roberson on Episode 16 of the podcast. Kia’s personality shines through the episode as we dive into her brand, “Straight, No Chaser”. Her unique relationship with the Bloomer family is on full display throughout the conversation. During the episode, we discuss how La’Kia has evolved throughout her time working for the Bloomers, Anne’s growth as a person, Kia’s relationship with her mom, and the lessons learned from her many jobs.

Ms. Kim Bowman joins us on the podcast this week. Ms. Bowman’s brand, “Impacting Through Example”, speaks to her commitment to education and, more importantly, her commitment to her students. Listen as we discuss her role as a math teacher, the Chicago Public School system, and her love of football.

We are excited to welcome Derek Schaedig on episode 14. Derek is a great speaker-- very thoughtful and candid. Tune in to hear about his experience playing junior hockey in addition to his experience with mental health and hockey. Derek's brand, "This Too Shall Pass", perfectly describes his approach to life and his commitment to having an even-keeled mindset day in and day out.

We are very lucky to be joined by Harvard's own: Prashanth Kumar or "PK". PK's brand, Positivity & Community, couldn't be more fitting for him. We discuss his commitment to Harvard's Varsity Men's Tennis team as Team Manager and being possibly the most well-known person within Harvard's athletic community. We talk next steps in med school and importance of community within the medical field. We love PK's commitment to making everyone around him feel special and wish him all the best!

On Episode 12 we're joined by Dr. Kimberly "Kimbo" O'Brien – current Research Scientist and Clinical Social Worker at Boston Children's. Naturally, we dive into Kimbo's mental skills work with athletes. Then, we learn about her experience working as an Emergency Psychiatric Clinician with at-risk children. And of course we talk about Kimbo's experience winning the National Championship in 1999 with Harvard. Through the conversation her brand, "Lover and a Fighter", comes through loud and clear.

In our first two-person episode, we are pleased to introduce, Katie Carroll and Bridget Falkenhayn. Follow along as Bridget and Katie dive into their brands, “Big Bridge” and “Early Bird”, respectively. Throughout the episode we discuss quarantine projects, life at BC, and taking a gap year.

We bring to you something a little different on episode 10. Tune in to hear Anne and Syd review TBBP so far, discuss the behind the scenes of podcasting, and talk about their own brands. We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

On episode 9, we bring to you Nam Kim. Tune in to hear Nam speak about her Korean heritage, her studies at Harvard, and her role as VP of Spirituality within Harvard’s CSA. It was a pleasure conversing with Nam and discussing her brand, “Nam the Mom(o)”.

We're pleased to introduce to you, Kaitlin Tse. On this episode, Kaitlin outlines what her mission statement, "To Out Play, Out Party, Out Draw", means to her. Throughout the episode, she discusses her experience playing professional hockey in China, her studies at Harvard, and her box lacrosse playing days.

On episode 7, we bring to you Dr. Aaron Jennings. Aaron commits himself to building lasting and meaningful relationships as well as being an Equity Warrior. Listen as he discusses the role mentorship plays in his life, the importance of equal access to education, and his experiences with international educational systems. Aaron was a pleasure to have on and we are eager to see what he does next!

On this episode, we bring to you Briana Mastel. Breezy is a well-spoken and knowledgeable individual. She brings her wisdom and experiences to TBBP and shares her brand, "Strength in Vulnerability". Throughout the episode, Breezy touches on her experience playing hockey internationally, at Harvard, and professionally in addition to her public speaking engagements.

This episode of TBBP welcomes guest Claire Albert. A Harvard classmate of Syd's, Claire brings her thoughtful, astute, and soft spoken self to Episode 5. Claire discusses her brand, Smooth River Rock, demonstrating how her beliefs have been shaped over time throughout the ebb and flow of life. Tune in to hear about Claire's PAFing experience in addition to the behind the scenes of the sport of crew.

Anne and Syd had a blast in Episode 4 with guest, Addie Martin. Addie is a talented musician, brilliant student, down-to-earth Louisiana girl, and among other things: Anne's roommate. Hear Addie go into great detail about her Cajun roots, journey to Harvard, and poster-making talents. She even brings Anne and Syd to tears with her story of her failed Gumbo experiment. Most importantly, she speaks about her brand, Cup Noodles, and how she believes this simple snack is a great metaphor for her personality.

2019 Harvard grad and two-time captain of the women's ice hockey team, Kate Hallett joins Anne and Syd on this episode of TBBP. Kate discusses her experience playing Harvard Hockey delving into her leadership role and detailing some memorable moments throughout her career. She also speaks about her time living and teaching in Spain as well as what her brand, A Lean-To-Shelter, entails.

In Episode 2, Anne and Syd bring on one of their good friends and fellow Harvard student, Matt Thomas. Matt is a rising senior at Harvard, captain of the baseball team, president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee at Harvard, one of the leaders of the freshmen mentor program, and simply a nice guy. In this episode hear more about Matt's one-of-a-kind brand. Plus, hear about his experience walking on to the baseball team, growing up in a family of over-achievers, and his approach to different leadership styles.

On the first episode of Talkin' Brands & Big Plans, we learn more about the hosts – current Harvard student-athletes, Anne and Syd. This first episode lays the groundwork for the premise of the podcast. Anne and Syd discuss their motivation for starting this podcast and its purpose: to explore the personal narrative of each guest. Takin' Brands and Big Plans looks to center its discussion around guests' personal identities, or what we like to call their "brands". In this episode Anne and Syd reveal their own personal brands. Hear more about Anne's family fitness challenge, Syd's love for egg salad, and their experience playing boys youth hockey in Chicago.