THE IDEALISTS.

Hi friends. We aired our first episode May 5, 2020 and in the last three years we have grown an amazing community of formidable women and men. We're so grateful to everyone who has tuned in over the last few years and we love having grown this podcast together. In our last and final episode of THE IDEALISTS., we stay true to what we do best: telling the truth and striving boldly. Today, you get to hear from no-nonsense money coach Christy Rutherford. Regularly featured in Forbes, Christy shares how to recover from burnout and how she has secured over $10 million in salary raises for her clients in just a few short years. Ready to learn from Christy? Let's get into the episode.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode: Sedge Beswick, the CEO of SEEN Connects, an influencer marketing agency that generates a turnover of £20M and has offices in New York City and London, serving clients throughout Europe, including renowned brands such as eBay, Nike, and Panasonic.She has conducted workshops for notable businesses such as Lloyds Bank, Google, and No.10 Downing St, appeared on Sky News and BBC Breakfast, and written for publications such as The FT and The Drum.What we learned: Sedge gives us the 101 building blocks on how to build a personal brand.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode:  THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Kirin Sinha, award-winning CEO of Illumix which powers the most stunning Augmented Reality experiences for entertainment venues, theme parks like Disney Land, marketing campaigns, and digital experiences. Often featured in Forbes and Variety, Kirin has raised over $30M to build her AR company that services some of the world's most iconic experiences. What we learned: One of our favorite kinds of conversations is visioning out ideas for an ideal life. Most of us don't often get to do it because life is busy, but today Kirin indulges us and vulnerably envisions what an ideal family life looks like while balancing a high powered career. Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode (part two): THE IDEALISTS. releases part two of our conversation with Angela Saini, award-winning science journalist and author. Her latest book “The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule” was published in spring 2023, and is a finalist for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing. As the founder and chair of the 'Challenging Pseudoscience' group at the Royal Institution, Angela researches and campaigns around issues of misinformation and disinformation. What we learned: Angela delves deeper into the construction of gender and why there is social tension and resistance to true equality.  Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Angela Saini, award-winning science journalist and author. Her latest book “The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule” was published in spring 2023, and is a finalist for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing. As the founder and chair of the 'Challenging Pseudoscience' group at the Royal Institution, Angela researches and campaigns around issues of misinformation and disinformation. The BBC regularly refers to Angela's work and she sits on a number of boards, including the Royal Society's Science Policy Expert Advisory Committee.What we learned: Angela challenges the idea of a monolithic patriarchy where men in general oppress women in general. Instead, she recounts a complex history of patriarchies— neither chronological nor linear— where men and women have tussled for power in a myriad of ways.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, New York Times Bestselling author and Harvard trained neuroanatomist. Jill's TED talk on the brain has received over 29 million views, and in 2008 Time Magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.What we learned: Jill shows us how to get acquainted with the four characters in our brain so we can observe how they show up in our daily lives. By observing, and then balancing the whole brain, we gain a radical new road map to deep inner peace.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Julie Wainwright, founder and former CEO of The RealReal, an online marketplace for authenticated luxury consignment. The RealReal has raised over $350M and Julie is one of 33 women to ever take a company public. In this episode, Julie shares lessons learned from the public failure she endured before founding The RealReal. What we learned: Julie shares the billion dollar mindset shift she experienced after realizing the growth potential of The RealReal. She also shares why she believes women don't vision big enough to achieve audacious goals.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Gail Becker, founder of CAULIPOWER, the first cauliflower crust pizza to make it into big box retailers. In five short years, CAULIPOWER experienced hyper-growth reaching more than $100M in revenue.What we learned: While bootstrapping her company as a total food novice, Gail spent the first year testing cauliflower crusts until she found the right formula. Using her kids as taste testers, this 12 month testing period was well worth it— her first buyer was Whole Foods.*the audio for this episode is not the greatest, but the storytelling and wisdom certainly is… happy listening!Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Aisha Pandor, co-founder and CEO of SweepSouth, Africa's first online platform for booking, managing and paying for home cleaning services (think Uber for home cleaners). Aisha is one of Africa's top female tech startup CEOs to have raised over $20M, as well as, a former scientist who completed her PhD in Human Genetics at the University of Cape Town. A story we love about Aisha is while writing her PhD thesis, she also completed a Postgraduate Business Administration course… coming first in class in that course and becoming the first student to graduate from the University with two separate qualifications from two different faculties, on the same day. As you can imagine, Aisha is a force to be reckoned with. What we learned: While bootstrapping her company, Aisha and her husband sold off every asset they owned (home, furniture, car, etc.) and moved back into her parent's home. They ended up staying for three years. In this episode, Aisha details the sacrifices she made to build SweepSouth, while balancing her internal monologue that she has no right to feel challenged because her ancestors who fought apartheid sacrificed worse. Now, she is on a path of unlocking her inner self while helping her team lean into their own self-awareness. Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Yael Shemer, co-founder and Chief Customer Officer of TULU, an on-demand platform that operates in residential buildings and student housing, providing residents with access to household items they can rent by the hour. Tulu has raised over $30 million dollars and operates in 22 cities serving 50K people worldwide.In 2023 she was selected as a Forbes 30 under 30, and today she is inspired more than ever to help advance technologies on mitigating climate change, circular economy, and promoting responsible consumerism.What we learned: When first starting her company, Yael adopted different masks to be taken seriously in the tech world. In this episode, she shares the practices and mindsets she adopted to become authentically whole and to prioritize the relationships and self-care practices that mean the most to her. Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Monali Pandya, President of Di'Amore Fine Jewelers, a family-owned fine jewelry retailer founded by her father in 1993. Over the last 7 years as president, Monali has increased the brand's revenue by 400% and sales referral business by 25%. What we learned: Monali  shares how she manages the intricacies involved in running a family-owned business.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journal

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Lisa Miller, market researcher and author of “The Business of Joy” and Barry McGowan, President & CEO of Fogo de Chão (yes, sometimes we have men on the show

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Dr. Brook Bello, tech entrepreneur, clinical counselor, actress, and the co-founder of Eval. Founded with “Call of Duty” co-founder Chance Glasgow, Eval is the first of its kind machine learning-enabled tool designed to support trauma victims, law enforcement and victim advocates. Brook was recently named a Google Next Gen Policy Leader and has spoken alongside presidents like Jimmy Carter, Prime Ministers and fellow change-makers like Ashton Kutcher at universities, conferences and federal agencies. A survivor of human trafficking herself, Dr. Bello draws from personal experiences and her training as a clinical counselor to help trauma survivors discover their authentic identities through mentoring and education. What we learned: Dr. Bello shares the internal tools required to alchemize trauma into visionary insight and purpose. Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. speaks with Anu Adasolum, co-founder and CEO of Sabi Am, Africa's leading provider of digital commerce infrastructure for the distribution of goods and services. Nigeria based Sabi has done over a billion dollars in sales and has raised over $30M making Anu one of the most successful entrepreneurs to come out of Nigeria.  What we learned: Building her company in a cultural, geographic, and economic context often misunderstood by investors and international partners, Anu has learned how to stay clear headed and attuned to her own sense of direction. She provides a helpful way of understanding how to design for problems in business and in life instead of being overwhelmed by circumstance.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this episode: THE IDEALISTS. host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, speakS with Dr. Vivienne Ming, theoretical neuroscientist, artificial intelligence expert, and one of BBC's 100 women. Frequently featured for her research and inventions in The Financial Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Quartz and the New York Times, Vivienne is the co-founder of Socos Labs-- her fifth company-- an independent institute exploring the future of human potential. In this episode, Vivienne discusses her exciting work around working memory, brain hacking, and increasing human potential alongside the phenomenal life path that set her on this journey.What we learned: Vivienne begins the conversation by explaining working memory-- the small amount of information that can be held in mind and used in the execution of cognitive tasks-- and how everyday people can improve their working memory. She also shares her research on how to increase human potential to improve the flourishing of our lives. Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

This week, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa resists her conversation with world-renowned Biological Anthropologist, Dr. Helen Fisher. As the Chief Science Advisor for Match.com and as one of the foremost researchers in the area of the neuroscience of love, sex, and relationships, Helen has conducted extensive research and written six books on the evolution and future of human sex, love, marriage, and gender differences in the brain. As a Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute, she studies extensively how personality style shapes who you are and who you love.In this rich, revelatory episode, Helen and Melissa dive deep into Helen's vast, peer-reviewed learnings around the science of romantic love, attachment, and the evolution of courtship.Highlights:- Helen leads off the episode by painting a picture of the history of gender roles and relationship paradigms as the human race shifted from a hunter-gatherer society to an agrarian one, and then evolved again with the industrial age to where we are now.- Next, she discusses her broad sweeping research survey across a sample of millions. While the neurology of love is largely the same across culture, race, and sexual preference, courtship continues to evolve in new and compelling ways—from shifts in power dynamics of arranged marriages to those of video chat dates during the pandemic.- Building on that, she discusses the different relational dynamics at play with the different brain systems and chemicals involved, when it comes to romance, sexual attraction, and deep attachment. She also touches on the different personality types who tend to do better together.- Lastly, she shares her audacious wish for her work in personality science to break new ground in the business space. She believes understanding mother nature's recipe for the brain can help in how we reach different people, build better teams, lead, innovate, and ultimately win.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this episode of THE IDEALISTS.: Melissa speaks with Dr. Sian Proctor, who launched into Earth's orbit as pilot of the Crew Dragon with SpaceX. As a geoscientist, artist, poet, and astronaut, not only did she grace the cover of Times Magazine, but she also appeared in “The Colony” on The Discovery Channel, “Genius by Stephen Hawking” on PBS,  “Strange Evidence” on the Science Channel, and “Countdown” on Netflix. During the conversation, Sian takes us into space with her and it is quite a marvel.What we learned: Sian begins the conversation by explaining the history of space travel and then describes her emotional and physical preparation to launch into orbit— including a phone conversation with former First Lady Michelle Obama. Sian then details the monumental beauty of Earthlight by reciting a poem she wrote while in the space craft.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks with Allie Egan, the founder of skincare brand Veracity. Rooted in scientific research, one of Veracity's core beliefs is as your life changes, so does your health, and it's driven by your hormones. And so Allie is pioneering hormone based wellness through their skin and health hormone test, their skincare products, and their line of supplements. Before founding Veracity, Allie began her career investing in consumer and beauty brands at L Catterton. She then went on to becoming CEO of the fashion brand Cynthia Rowley and led the product, ecommerce, and digital marketing teams at Estee Lauder's top brands, including La Mer, Clinique, and Origins.Highlights:- Allie begins the conversation describing the health issues that led her to starting her beauty brand, Veracity.- She then describes the career path that took her from investment banking to working with Glossier during its early days to becoming the CEO of fashion brand Cynthia Rowley.- Allie goes on to share her experience with CEO loneliness and the framework she uses to build trust in her team. - Lastly, Allie discusses her audacious vision for the world— for women to be empowered to make the best consumption decisions for themselves through knowledge and self-awareness.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks with Jessica Zweig is an international award-winning entrepreneur, expert in personal branding, and best-selling author. As the Chief Executive Officer of SimplyBe., Jessica facilitates sold-out workshops and masterminds around the world, and speaks on the power of authentic personal branding to corporations including Google, Blackstone, Morningstar, Salesforce, Motorola, Nike, Verizon, Mars, Pinterest, Bank of America, and more.Highlights:- Jessica starts the conversation by describing the financials woes she endured during the seven years she spent building her first company.- She then describes how after her husband's income suddenly and dramatically reduced a month after their wedding, she was forced to confront her belief that he'd financially save her.- After realizing she would have to save herself, Jessica took steps to build her next company— a personal branding agency that today nets eight figures.- Lastly, Jessica discusses her audacious vision for the world— to activate and remind people of their strength and power.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks with Sarah Wells, a 400m Olympian hurdler who made her debut at the London Olympics in 2012 despite an injury that had her sidelined for nine months just a year before. Most recently you may have seen Sarah pushing her limits on the latest season of The Amazing Race Canada. As an Olympic semi-finalist and Pan Am Games silver medallist, obstacles don't scare Sarah Wells. Sarah's reputation was forged through overcoming challenges and achieving the unimaginable.Highlights:- Sarah starts the conversation by describing how her siblings laid the foundation for her to cultivate her appetite of risk-taking.- Sarah recounts her preparation for the 2012 London Olympic games.- She then describes the bodily injuries she endured to get to the Olympics, and the 3 point framework she developed to keep going.- Lastly, Sarah discusses her audacious vision for the world— to inspire a million people by the end of her speaking career.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Martha Beck, a PhD Harvard-trained sociologist, entrepreneur, and Oprah's life coach. Her most recent book, The Way of Integrity, was an instant New York Times Best Seller and in it, using the hero's journey within Dante's Inferno, Martha challenges us to envision a life of complete joy... unencumbered by self-limiting beliefs and cultural programming.In this episode, Martha delves deep into how we all can achieve integrity, which she defines as absolute and total alignment of one's mind, body, and soul.Highlights:- Martha starts the conversation by recounting while working on her PhD at Harvard, she became pregnant with her son who she learned would be born with down syndrome. Despite being told by her advisors and professors that an abortion would protect her career, Martha absconded from their advice.- She began to question what makes a life worth living and came to her own answer— that the search and capacity for joy through the liberation of the human mind is the reason for living.- Martha then shares why she believes the full realization of one's gifts leads to enlightenment.- Lastly, Martha discusses her audacious vision for the world— to end suffering for all through the transformation of consciousness.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

Welcome back to break*through!break*through is THE IDEALISTS. newest venture where we matchmake visionary women with world-class Executive Coaches.Today, you get a peek into this process by listening in on Alisa's session.In 2015, in the middle of living her best life, 45-year-old, New York-based branding executive and former Armani & Calvin Klein model, Alisa woke up in the hospital after having shattered her face and jaw during an epileptic seizure in the grocery store on the upper west side of Manhattan. Unable to speak, fired from her job, and now permanently disfigured, Alisa found herself trapped in a narrative loop of grief and anxiety she could have never anticipated—one that's still deeply impacting how she comports herself in interviews and meetings.Alisa is working with a career coach who helps professional women navigate and remove barriers in their careers so that they can show up as themselves and move forward and upward.This week, we dive deep into the issue of the “stuck” narrative—something we all grapple with at some point or another in our lives, but for our guest today and her coach—the traumatic narrative has been on repeat for so long—she's called on the much-needed services of an Executive Coach to help her finally disrupt and transform it.This break*through session is sponsored by Ideas Collide.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Madeline Fraser, 3x serial entrepreneur who in 2021 Business Insider named one of the Top Women Entrepreneurs Under 30 to Watch. Today, Madeline is the founder and CEO of Gemist, a digital platform that allows consumers to customize and try on their jewelry before purchasing it. Gemist has been called the Warby Parker of the jewelry industry and has raised $4M with De Beers Group Ventures as one of its main funders. De Beers Groups portfolio of brands include De Beers Jewellers and Forevermark. In this authentically heartfelt episode, Madeline shares her contemplations on becoming a mother while running a startup.Highlights:- Madeline starts the conversation by recounting her mother's 17 year fight with cancer and how seeing her mother fundraise for cancer research encouraged her to be audacious.- Madeline then shares the first time she stepped into audacity by taking a job in India at the age of 18 and later in life, her experiences in therapy and doing the inner work.- Madeline candidly shares her internal conflict with becoming a mother and with modern day ideas about motherhood.  - Lastly, Madeline discusses her audacious vision for the world— that women can step into their power through entrepreneurship.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Jessica Buchanan, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six.The book details how Jessica was kidnapped at gunpoint on October 25, 2011, while she was on a normal field assignment in Somalia as a humanitarian aid worker, and held for 93 days by a group of land pirates who demanded $45M ransom. On former President Barack Obama's orders, Jessica was freed by the same elite Navy SEAL Team that tracked down and killed Osama Bin Laden.Jessica's story is deeply touching, and her reflections on resilience are awe-inspiring.Highlights:- Jessica starts the conversation by describing why resilience is a choice. She delves into the alternatives of coping with adversity— either meeting oneself “in the proverbial desert” or cycling through self-destructive patterns.- Jessica then shares what brought her to Somalia and her work with armed violence reduction.- Jessica recounts the story of her kidnapping and the deep, powerful insights she gleaned during her time in captivity.- Lastly, Jessica discusses her audacious vision for the world— that we all recognize the opportunities life provides so we can better connect with ourselves and each other.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Erica Keswin, a workplace strategist who has worked for the past twenty years with some of the most iconic brands in the world as a consultant, speaker, author, and professional dot-connector. Her second book, Rituals Roadmap: The Human Way to Transform Everyday Routines Into Workplace Magic made the Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly and USA Today best seller lists and her work and insights can be seen in Harvard Business Review, NY Post, Forbes, Huffington Post, O Magazine, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Mogul, Conscious Company, Quartz, and Fast Company.Highlights:Erica leads the conversation by describing how her parent's divorce during her childhood led her to pursue a career of connecting people to each other.Erica then shares her thesis: that when we connect with one another and bring our human to work, we see an increase in wellness, health, and performance.Erica and Melissa discuss innovative ways progressive companies are supporting employees in “bringing their human to work.”Lastly, Erica discusses her audacious vision for the world— that as technologically advanced as our world will continue to become, that her work helps people remember the value of relationships.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Andrea Bowers who The New York Times calls one of America's foremost political artists. For more than 30 years, Andrea has built an international reputation as a chronicler of contemporary history, documenting activism as it unfolds and collecting research on the front lines of protest. Her practice contends with issues such as immigration rights, workers' rights, climate justice, and women's rights, illustrating the shared pursuit of justice that connects them.Highlights:Andrea leads the conversation by describing her childhood growing up in a depressed, small town in Ohio and how the environment cultivated a contrarian politic in her.Andrea and Melissa discuss how women across political lines can "speak" to each other— from capitalist feminists to radical feminist activists.Next, Andrea tracks her work archiving activists around the world and how she conceptualizes the source material of these activists.Andrea then describes how she reckons with radical patience vis a vis progress in her art— that sometimes those fighting for justice will not see the fruits of their labor in their lifetime.Lastly, Andrea discusses her own subjectivity and how that impacts whether she puts herself in the art she creates.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

Hi friends! Melissa Kiguwa popping in to tell you about something I've been cooking up. Over the last few months, I've been writing a beautifully stunning self-reflection journal just for our listeners. It's the first physical product coming out of break*through, our sister venture focused on community, connection, and coaching.If you're a fan of THE IDEALISTS. or break*through, you know I speak to poets, artists, nine-figure entrepreneurs, activists, scientists, farmers, venture capitalists, even mystics about what it means to live in their peak vision. From those conversations, I've mined the depths of their insight and with the*journal you can too.the*journal is a self-coaching tool filled with over 300 thoughtful prompts and beautiful illustrations all designed to summon connection with the most powerful person in your life… you.Jane one of our amazing listeners and a former guest says, “Received the*journal recently and it is so wonderfully inspiring, motivating, encouraging and kind. It is written and drawn in a way that creates a deep relaxation coupled with a zest for challenge which is an unusual and welcome feeling that I want more of!”Thanks Jane. And thank you to everyone who has ordered already. I promise next week I'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming interviewing beautifully audacious women, but in the meantime, head on over to theidealistsjournal.co and get yourself a copy of the*journal today. The prompts facilitate deep introspection and can be answered in 5 minutes or less. Trust me, it's one of the best gift you can give yourself this year.Alright, see you next week!Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyOrder a copy of the*journalWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode, podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks with social innovation leader and co-author of the book Money and Love Abby Davisson. Most recently, Abby spent nine years as president of the Gap Foundation and co-founded the organization's employee resource group for working parents, which has been featured as a best practice for how employers can support dual-career couples. In her book, Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life's Biggest Decisions, co-authored with labor economist Dr. Myra Strober, the two offer a cutting-edge guide for navigating life's most consequential and daunting decisions using research-based insights road-tested in a popular Stanford University course. Highlights:Abby leads off the conversation with how decisions about money and love are inextricably bound and that when we compartmentalize the two, we miss out on a critical opportunity to leverage the entirety of the information, along with our own  response to it, to make more meaningful, holistic life decisions. Next, she outlines a flexible, but sturdy, framework when grappling with some of life's bigger decisions. Next, Abby relates how being married can feel like being the CEO of a very unglamorous non-profit especially when the function of caregiving is so undervalued by our society. Having love and money conversations are uncomfortable. No one is eager to talk with their new romantic partner about their massive student loan debt. It's completely easy to put off these conversations, so she offers a helpful hack for how to get out of the day-to-day routine and make time to have meaningful engagement around the topics. Lastly, Abby shares her (and her co-author's) audacious vision for the world... for people to finally realize that money and love are profoundly intertwined, but that it's not enough to solve these issues on an individual level, and that for society to really change, we need to address them on a communal and cultural level so that in the future we all have fewer negative trade-offs that ultimately hinder our lifelong happiness.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, speaks with the prolific visual artist, author, and breakout star of Miami Art Basel, Reyna Noriega. Born and raised, in Miami, Reyna paints an intentionally ebullient experience of Black and brown women. Her work has graced covers of The New Yorker, and Science Magazine, and has been featured at Brookfield Place overlooking Freedom Tower in New York City's financial district. Through her major partnerships with Apple, Old Navy, Madewell, Apt2b, and Wayfair, thousands of collectors showcase her art in their homes around the world. Having seen the power of introspection, self-reflection, and healing, Reyna's artistic vision teaches us about the myriad journeys women of color take as we struggle to rise and become our most empowered authentic selves.Highlights:- Reyna leads off the conversation by seeing a need not only for greater representation of women of color, but also a shift in the predominant narrative from one solely of trauma to one inclusive of joy, positivity, and uplifting stories.- Next, she relates her passion for the accessibility afforded by digital art, but also the challenges of its legitimacy as a form. Additionally, in balancing her desire for commercial collaboration with her desire for respect as a fine artist, she is also continually grappling with her legitimacy as an artist while also being able to monetize her work to live. It's the life of a working artist.- Building on this, she talks about the predatory nature of the art market—how one is only successful after death. Being a working, living artist, trying to make room for other artists to do the same, is very much part of her mission right now. With four shows at Miami Art Basel this year, and then curating her very first show featuring emerging Black and brown artists—she is finally realizing this mission in concrete terms.- Lastly, Reyna shares her audacious vision for the world that even amidst the current climate of negativity on the internet, and the highly divisive nature of society, we might still hold space for more love, compassion, and grace for one another.Resources:1. Reyna Noriega Studios: https://www.reynanoriega.com/2. In Bloom: A Poetic Documentary Of The Journey to Higher Self: https://a.co/d/eghN3l43. Reyna Noriega & Madewell: https://www.madewell.com/inspo-community-hometown-heroes-collective.html4. Reyna Noriega & Goody at Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/browse/1085666_3316357_56388395. Reyna Noriega: behind the Project: https://youtu.be/ELcdko5be-oJoin the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS. podcast, host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa speaks with the remarkable Dr. Jess Wade. The 33-year-old London-based physicist has become something of a phenomenon. Both an irresistible force and an immovable object, she was recently invited to Buckingham Palace to receive the prestigious British Empire Medal for her contributions to science. Ironically, she was being honored for her work honoring a whole host of other female scientists lost to history.  Since 2017, the Imperial College Fellow has written nearly 1,800 Wikipedia pages for long-ignored women,  minority scientists, and engineers. Just 19% of English Wikipedia biographies are of women. So, having one's work on the "go-to" site for an estimated 2 billion people per month seeking information about individuals, ideas, and topics large and small, translates to more opportunities and access to grants. Ultimately, what gives Jess the most joy is seeing a scientist, whose profile she created, go on to earn a fellowship or an award. It's truly her passion project as she professes, she's: "never not had someone to write about." There's always someone whose work or story has gone uncredited.Note: the podcast Melissa mentions on the show is “Underestimated” featuring the founder of IFundWomen, Karen Cahn.Highlights:Jess leads off the conversation with a story about a head teacher in the UK who'd claimed only 16% of her A-level physics students were female, but that this was okay because girls didn't like the “hard maths”—the suggestion being that girls are simply not as “able” in the subject. And then, what does it mean when society does such a terrible job—historically across generations—refusing to recognize women scientists in any sort of meaningful way?Next, she relates her passion for her own research as a scientist working on new nanoparticles that can impact climate change and how her side hustle of elevating women and other historically excluded groups has mushroomed into this movement of awareness with people reaching out with ideas, partnerships, conferences, and suggestions. At nearly 1800 pages, the profiles have evolved beyond a white UK scientific community to include the global south and more internationally diverse sources including, The Lancet, TED Fellows, and Next Einstein Africa.Building on this, the process of researching the profiles has revealed not only how many women are out there, but also how extremely closed and privileged the world of science is. In countering this, she relates several healing tales of women scientists from Dr. Gladys West whose work ultimately became the basis for the Global Positioning System (GPS) to Dr. Sumita Mitra whose work with nanoparticles for 3M Oral Care completely revolutionized dentistry.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS. podcast, host, and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, speaks with Kara Goldin. Kara is the founder and CEO of Hint, a $220 million beverage producer of fruit-infused waters and lifestyle goods, offering a healthy alternative to sodas and artificially sweetened drinks. Melissa sits down with the former AOL executive and current “accidental entrepreneur” to glean her insights on what it takes to start a category-changing business from scratch, as well as to learn how other dynamic female executives and would-be entrepreneurs can tap Kara's pragmatic leadership wisdom. In this enlightening conversation, Kara and Melissa explore how process, persistence, and the ability to have patience with one's inner knowing, can help you ultimately make the right decisions.Highlights:Kara leads off the conversation with the need for training, process, and stability and what it means when an entrepreneur hasn't experienced that grounding before building a company. “Process” may sound unsexy but there are so many ways it can prove empowering as you scale. As Kara reminds us, it's not enough just to be a room full of visionaries.Next, she relates how a company's culture is often set from the top and infuses the whole experience not only within the business's internal culture but also as the organization attempts to build partnerships. People can tell when there's an alignment of mission and culture.Building on that, she discusses how getting involved in the PFAS conversation became an unexpected turn into politics and raising awareness around water safety with Congresswoman Jackie Spiers and Vice President Kamala Harris.Lastly, she shares her parting wish, gained from her time at the Fortune Women's conference and the Young President's Organization (https://www.ypo.org). She hopes for younger leaders and would-be entrepreneurs to have greater access to stories, like those in her book, and to c-suite networks—so they can be emboldened to solve their own problems in building their businesses.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

This week we are elated to bring you a complimentary session from our new series break*through. Marina Bykova is a prolific banking executive who has guided multiple international banks through crisis, retrenchment and growth. She's held positions as CFO of Citi Bank in Russia, and Director of Private Banking at Credit Suisse in Vienna. Marina currently spends her time in Paris where she is building a web3 startup to help migrants around the world. As Marina builds her startup, she feels as though she is unable to achieve in the same way she always has. The skills she relied upon to achieve in the banking world, don't seem to help her as she builds her startup.Paula, Marina's coach, is a former banking executive who runs Rites of Passages for women, a modality that leverages knowledge indigenous and traditional communities have known for thousands of years... that rituals and ceremonies are necessary to acknowledge, support, and celebrate pivotal life transitions.Based in Byron's Bay, Australia, Paula has an incredibly beautiful framework for powerful women. She takes Carl Jung's original framework of the "heroine's journey"— that a woman's life-phases moves from maiden to mother to crone— and expands it so there is a phase between mother and crone-- that of the Empress.This week, break*through dives deep into stepping into your Empress Season.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's last (re)wind episode, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, revisits her conversation with celebrity stylist, entertainment journalist, filmmaker, and author of Supreme Models: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Fashion, Marcellas Reynolds. Marcellas is joined by Veronica Webb, supermodel, actress, writer, and the first African American to land a major global cosmetics deal. Veronica appeared on covers of Vogue, Essence, and Elle magazine as well as on the runway for Victoria's Secret and Chanel. In this episode, Marcellas and Veronica explore self-love as a means of survival, the rarity of excellence, and how to use fashion as armor.Highlights:Marcellus leads off with the highly contrarian view that being a model has lost its exclusivity. It's lost that which makes it special and glamorous if anyone with an Instagram account can call themselves a model. Alternatively, Veronica offers up her contrarian notion that women need to be conceited—conceited about their intellect, their beauty, and their style because the world has a way of beating down a woman's confidence and she needs that belief, that genuine conceit, as her armor.Next, they discuss how we're conditioned so often as children to apologize, or to downplay our accomplishments, abilities, skills, and our very beauty. For both Marcellas and Veronica, it was about having strong women in their lives growing up, building up their inner narratives, encouraging them to dress up for the parts they ultimately want to play in life—and how fashion became a vital tool for that.Building on that, they discuss how to surround yourself with those who build you up, and who can help see your vision through. How can you also self-build? How can you show up in the world as you would want to be treated? How can you see yourself in Marcellas' words, as a “unicorn in a field of cows?” Self-love had been a mode of survival for Marcellas, but now being able to write about these powerful black women, giving accolades to those who so deserved them has become more gratifying than anything for him.Lastly, they share their audacious visions for the world. For Marcellas to keep telling bestselling stories about people who are marginalized so that it's easier for the next gay black boy to walk into a publisher and breakthrough. For Veronica, it's for people to realize that black women have always been here and have always been powerful—and ever and on the rise.Join THE IDEALISTS.' conversation:At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's very special (re)wind episode, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, revisits her conversation with Ty Stiklorius, CEO of Friends at Work,  a 21st-century management and social impact firm, which handles some of the world's most respected and beloved artists, including John Legend, Lindsey Stirling, Charlie Puth, and the list goes on. Ty also served as Executive Producer on the Oscar-winning film La La Land and won an Emmy for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert on NBC. Billboard named Ty one of the most powerful women in music, and after this conversation, you'll understand why.Ty's Business: https://friendsatwork.com/about/Episode Highlights:- Ty leads off with a story about a manager who wanted to buy her company but opted not to because she values maximizing not just shareholder value, but workers and the planet. It was a moment that crystallized things for her—that because of her roots in Quakerism, because of her perspective, having an MBA from Wharton, and working in consulting—she could do something different.- Next, she discusses the ethos behind her company Friends at Work, and how they function as the CEO for their clients, handling everything from digital strategy to tour planning, to brand strategy, to advertising, to social impact strategy.- Building on that, she discusses what it means to trust your gut, and sense of knowing in the face of veteran managers who might play upon your fears or insecurities when making critical decisions.- Lastly, as part of her inadvertent audacious vision for the world, Ty reads from a first draft of her Real-Life Manifesto, a collaborative document meant to embrace ideals of care, difference, and equity, so everyone comes away with their needs met—in a more hopeful win-win-win scenario. Join THE IDEALISTS.' conversation:At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theidealistspodcast_On Twitter: @theidealistspodHelp us to grow! Leave a review of the show on Apple or SpotifyWe're sponsored by the London School of Economics @lsegenerate

In this week's very special (re)wind episode, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, speaks with Wanja Muguongo, world-renowned Queer social justice activist, Yale World Fellow, and founder of UHAI, Africa's first indigenous fund created for and by LGBTI communities in East Africa. Under Wanja, the fund raised and distributed over $12 million to LGBTI and sex worker human rights movements in East Africa. In this rich, revelatory conversation, Wanja and Melissa dive deep into what it means to raise funding to tackle deep structural and systemic discrimination on your own terms.Highlights:Wanja leads off the episode by discussing the field of participatory grant making in which funds are directed at the community level, by the community so that the impact is felt more authentically.Next, she discusses broad paradigm shifts in international human rights conversations and what it means to come to the table as Africans with the agency and knowledge of what will work there and what won't. She also flips the script by fundraising from sources that have colonized Africa and left it in debt.Building on that, she discusses how participatory grant making puts the power back in the grantee's hands. She cites the example of NGOs tending to fund the LGBTI community through the vectors of HIV, or the temporary rescue of LGBTI people in abusive situations (only for them to return to them) when it might make more sense to fund longer-term legal protection, legislation, and security strategies.Turning the conversation to women founders, Wanja relates the intentionality of her approach to fundraising and partnerships. While her focus is very friendship-driven, she understands the isolation women founders experience—especially if they are persons of color who also identify as LGBTI. Lastly, she talks about her decision to ultimately take a step back from UHAI at the ten-year mark, leaving the institution with a comprehensive body of work, a secretariat of people, and a set of self-sustaining systems to keep operating.

Welcome to THE IDEALISTS. rewind, where we revisit some of our favorite past episodes. This week's rewind is Fariel Salahuddin, the founder and CEO of UpTrade, a bartering service which enables rural communities in Pakistan to exchange livestock for solar-powered water pumps and solar home systems. More than 40% of the people in Pakistan live off the grid and without lights in their homes, or  electricity to pump water. Women can spend up to four hours a day fetching water from distant wells. This episode was chosen by THE IDEALISTS. Head of Marketing, Alisa Jones, because Fariel shares her vision for an inclusive economy that values more than just fiat currency. The BBC calls her : "A business a solution for the desert" and Fariel is both a 2021 TED fellow and a 2019 finalist with Cartier's Women's Initiative.In the episode:- Fariel begins the conversation describing how UpTrade works and the ways she gets off-grid, rural communities to opt into bartering their goats for solar water pumps and solar home systems.- She then shares what inspired her to start UpTrade and how her model is based on community and self agency versus traditional charity-focused interventions.- Fariel then describes her vision for tech-enabled marketplaces that are not bound by fiat currency.- Fariel ends the episode sharing her vision for rural, unbanked communities to be able to participate in the mainstream economy using the resources they have.

Welcome to THE IDEALISTS. (re)wind, where we revisit some of our favorite past episodes. This week's rewind is Elise Loehnen, the former chief content officer of goop, the lifestyle and e-commerce company established by Gwyneth Paltrow in 2008. You may have also seen and heard Elise co-host The goop Podcast and The goop Lab on Netflix. This episode was chosen by THE IDEALISTS. host Melissa Kiguwa because Elise brings so much ideology and depth to the topic of divine femininity.In the episode:- Elise begins the conversation by sharing one of the thesis in her upcoming book: how easy it is to claim women should rise in the world, but how difficult it is to tactically and tangibly support women. She breaks down how often historical tropes solidify ideas about women's cattiness towards each other and around the ways women compete for the attention and protection of men.- She discusses the trauma of witch-hunting over centuries and the millions of women killed during the hunts. One of the mechanisms of witch-hunting was getting friends to turn on friends and daughters to turn on mothers, which Elise describes as having left women with a collective sense of scarcity and fear carried over from generation to generation.- Melissa asks if intergenerational trauma includes the fear of being disconnected from one's deep sense of power, how can women trust each other if we do not even trust ourselves?- Elise answers by explaining the role of the crone, the third archetypal stage of a woman's life. The crone is an initiator and healer, as well as, the representation of life and death. She explains without the crone, young women are now going at it alone and suffering loss and disconnect.- Elise describes what has replaced the crone and what the ramifications are for our political, economic, and social structures. She then describes how the gender binary keeps men and women at odds with each other versus understanding the masculine and feminine in all of us.- She then outlines how various spiritual modalities help as a guide in healing the disconnection and getting back to our humanity.

Welcome back to break*through! In this week's episode, we are elated to bring you yet another session from our new series under THE IDEALISTS. roster. For those of you who are new here, break*through offers a raw, handcrafted kind of show in which you will experience transformations and insights from a whole world of visionary women all seeking to change, clarify, and embolden their personal narratives through the work of coaching. This week, we dive deep into the issue of the “stuck” narrative—something we all grapple with at some point or another in our lives, but for our guest today and her coach—the traumatic narrative has been on repeat for so long—she's called on the much-needed services of a master executive coach to help her finally disrupt and transform it. In 2015, in the middle of living her best life, 45-year-old, New York-based branding executive and former Armani & Calvin Klein model, Alisa Jones woke up in the hospital after having shattered her face, jaw, and severely damaged her right eye during an epileptic seizure in the grocery store on the upper west side of Manhattan. Unable to speak, fired from her job, and now permanently disfigured, Alisa found herself trapped in a narrative loop of grief and anxiety she could have never anticipated—one that's still deeply impacting how she comports herself in interviews and meetings.You can listen to the full episode of break*through on our website: theidealistspodcast.co

This week, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa speaks with world-renowned Biological Anthropologist, Dr. Helen Fisher. As the Chief Science Advisor for Match.com and as one of the foremost researchers in the area of the neuroscience of love, sex, and relationships, Helen has conducted extensive research and written six books on the evolution and future of human sex, love, marriage, and gender differences in the brain. As a Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute, she studies extensively how personality style shapes who you are and who you love.In this rich, revelatory episode, Helen and Melissa dive deep into Helen's vast, peer-reviewed learnings around the science of romantic love, attachment, and the evolution of courtship.Highlights:- Helen leads off the episode by painting a picture of the history of gender roles and relationship paradigms as the human race shifted from a hunter-gatherer society to an agrarian one, and then evolved again with the industrial age to where we are now.- Next, she discusses her broad sweeping research survey across a sample of millions. While the neurology of love is largely the same across culture, race, and sexual preference, courtship continues to evolve in new and compelling ways—from shifts in power dynamics of arranged marriages to those of video chat dates during the pandemic.- Building on that, she discusses the different relational dynamics at play with the different brain systems and chemicals involved, when it comes to romance, sexual attraction, and deep attachment. She also touches on the different personality types who tend to do better together.- Lastly, she shares her audacious wish for her work in personality science to break new ground in the business space. She believes understanding mother nature's recipe for the brain can help in how we reach different people, build better teams, lead, innovate, and ultimately win.

In this unique crossover episode of break*through and THE IDEALISTS, we lean into raw and intimate when our host, Melissa Kiguwa, puts herself in the hot seat. On today's episode, you will go behind the scenes to hear Melissa's breakthrough… but, not in the way you think. As Executive Producer, it is Melissa's responsibility to ensure our coaches and guests have all they need before they meet. Producing the show means curating a space of intense vulnerability, which has a lot of ethical considerations. In the case of this week's episode, something broke down during the process. After the episode, Melissa sat down and debriefed with our guest, opening up a whole new level of insight, exploration, and accountability. This conversation ultimately turned out to be the show.For the purposes of maintaining confidentiality, names and some identifiable characteristics have been removed. To provide a bit of context, our guest is a new Managing Director of a venture capital fund and is seeking coaching as she establishes herself as a leader in her industry.Episode Highlights: - We begin our debrief by digging into the guest's immediate emotional reaction to the session as she deals with her immense disappointment and overwhelming feeling of “this always happens to me.” That people don't show up and deliver for her—even when they've agreed beforehand.- Next, we move on to how there is no breakthrough without safety, and we talk through what specific measures can be taken to address power dynamics so that the guest feels comfortable being fully vulnerable.- Building on this, we deep dive into the guest's yearning to feel seen by her peers and to experience authentic accountability, connection, and grace when things go awry—as she's often felt repeatedly let down by other women in her community and the VC community at large—given its competitive tenor.- Lastly, we discuss the ancestral imperative she feels around her work—and how she needs a coach who gets that she is doing something that's never been done by the women in her lineage and that it's work that is urgent, necessary, and a priority. This is not just another VC job—this is her calling and her mission. 

Welcome back to break*through! break*through is a raw, handcrafted kind of show in which you will experience transformations and insights from a whole  world of visionary women all seeking to change, clarify, and embolden their personal narratives through the work of coaching. In today's break*through  session, you'll get to hear Ganna's breakthrough. Ganna is the CEO and founder of a deep-tech AI startup called Sayso. Their mission is to help English speakers around the world understand each other with ease, work productively, and grow human connection through reduced bias. Sayso is a real-time accent-modulating software, built by a team of phenomenally curious scientists and engineers pushing boundaries in audio science, AI, and online collaboration. They are in the middle of yet another financing round. On top of all this, Ganna is the mother of a very busy toddler, and she has also recently brought her 77-year-old father over from Ukraine due to the war and is helping him to adjust to life here in the US. Needless to say, their lives are exhausting. Janis Machala is a veteran coach, corporate executive, and one of the top go-to resources for women founders looking to accelerate their growth. She brings strategic insight, collaborative leadership, and people-connectedness—not to mention a large network of trusted resources for executive connections, funding, partnerships, job candidates, and specialty services from her many years working with organizations such as Microsoft Corporation and Sun Microsystems.In this episode, Janis and Ganna work through some of Ganna's hyper-achiever, perfect-daughter, perfect-mother, perfect-mate tendencies to create and hold more space for her own self-care and for her relationship with her partner—something that can often fall to last place in the chaos of their daily lives.

This week, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa speaks with world-renowned poet Nikki Giovanni—one of the foremost authors of the Black Arts Movement. Giovanni's notable collections of poetry are Black Judgment (1968) and Those Who Ride the Night Winds (1983), which were influenced by her participation in the Black Arts and Black Power movements of the 1960s. She has published numerous books of poetry—from her first volume, Black Feeling Black Talk (1968), to New York Times bestseller Bicycles: Love Poems (2009). She has written several works of nonfiction and children's literature and made multiple recordings, including the Emmy-award nominated The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection (2004). Her most recent publications include Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose (2020); Chasing Utopia: A Hybrid (2013); and, as editor, The 100 Best African American Poems (2010). With more than two dozen volumes of poetry, essays, and anthologies, she has also published 11 illustrated children's books, including Rosa, an award-winning biography of Rosa Parks.  Among her numerous awards, are the 2022 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, the inaugural Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award, the American Book Award, the Langston Hughes Award, the Virginia Governor's Award for the Arts, and the Emily Couric Leadership Award. She is a seven-time recipient of the NAACP Image Award. Her autobiography, Gemini, was a finalist for the 1973 National Book Award. Her album, The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection, also netted her a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album. In this frank, yet revelatory episode, Nikki is unabashedly herself. When she says she wants to produce a history series where “librarians sit around and drink champagne... other people may say it should be coffee, but it's my show and they'll drink champagne… not bitchin' and moanin', just talking,” it's clear she knows what she wants. Listening to her speak in an Afro tradition of loosely aligned parables feels not unlike listening to jazz—the music of surprise—with tangential, non-linear explorations that loop back to something greater.About the episode:- Nikki leads off the episode by explaining that poetry was probably something you learned in the womb from your mother—that it was and is something created by women and passed down in the oral folk culture and traditions of something as simple as cooking and recipes. - Next, she admits that while she wants African Americans to be seen and recognized for playing major roles in literature, poetry, architecture, and athletics, she feels hope in witnessing the staunch progress of younger generations—as evidenced by the Serenas, the Venuses, and the Beyonces. - Building on that, she recounts moments from a lifetime of illustrious friendships with the likes of Nina Simone, Muhammad Ali, Lena Horne, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and Javon Jackson from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers—with whom she is currently recording an album of spirituals. - Lastly, in summarizing a legacy of self-sovereignty, self-governance, and deep self-understanding, she hopes her poetry still stands 100 years from now—that people will still be reading her and grokking her across time and space and feel her personal imprint that “life is a good idea.”

Welcome back to break*through! In yet another exclusive complimentary episode, we're beyond excited to bring you another session from our new series under THE IDEALISTS. roster.In today's session, you'll get to hear Marilyn's breakthrough. Marilyn is a seasoned character actress and writer for stage and screen known for her rich, grounded portrayals of Latin women. A graduate of NYU's prestigious acting program, Marilyn is transitioning from a number of successful supporting roles working alongside iconic performers Morgan Freeman, Jane Lynch, and Parker Posey to a larger role on the Tyler Perry show All the Queen's Men. It's a huge shift in how she presents herself in meetings, on set, and even in her own self-talk—one that's leaving her feeling anxious and intimidated as she now tries to navigate stepping into more complex leading roles.Marilyn is working with one of our phenomenally energetic coaches Alicia Dara. Alicia is a nationally recognized speech and presentation coach who has helped thousands of people including CEOs, Global VPs, Executive Directors, and Presidential candidates find their Power Voice, and put it to work. Her clients include Microsoft, Amazon, Kimpton Hotels, Planned Parenthood, The National Women's Political Caucus, Facebook, Merrill Lynch, and Twitter. Her most popular course helps women strengthen their voices and clarify their personal messaging—exactly what Marilyn needs right now on her journey to becoming a leading actress.In this episode:- Alicia leads off by working with Marilyn on her “Personal Power Pitch”—a living document for that defines her superpower and provides a north star for how Marilyn wants to be perceived when walking into a room.- Next, Alicia dives deeper into the four pillars of public speaking: pacing, volume, enunciation, and clarity, and together she and Marilyn rehearse and refine Marilyn's personal power pitch and set a practice schedule.- Alicia then relates a piece of critical wisdom about how Marilyn can redirect unwanted attention or flirtation when it comes to people's reception of her appearance and how to kindly refocus the conversation back on the project without creating undue conflict.- Lastly, Alicia advises Marilyn on how to discern and read the room and modulate how much of her story she shares. There are some projects where her heritage and journey will be valuable and other times where she's going to feel the need to protect that story and redirect the conversation. She has full permission to set her boundaries as she sees fit.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support

This week, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa speaks with globally-recognized Queer women's wealth coach and high-net-worth money muse, Merel Kriegsman—known for empowering clients to grow their business bottom lines by over $25 million last year. A one-of-kind, neurodivergent mother of three, former opera singer, and regenerative farmer, Merel has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, ABC News, CBS News, and Good Housekeeping. In this freeform and thought-provoking episode, Merel shares her thoughts on how the constraints engendered by the huge trend of “ethical marketing” can lead to a kind of “purity” culture that can prove so detrimental to a founder's creativity. At its core, fear of “cancel culture” can hijack necessary bold decision-making and conversations women need access to in order to thrive. She also reflects on her journey to coaching through brand and web copywriting and what it means to be the first woman in your lineage to break through and make an authentic transition to sustained wealth. In this episode: - Merel leads off the episode by describing the controversy surrounding a recent article she'd written about ethical marketing being disguised as purity culture, and how important it is to not be hamstrung by all the so-called rules—or if you are going to play by them, do so, consciously—with intent. - Next, Merel dives deeper into issues of “cancel culture” and asks what happens when women are “canceled” for pursuing money or ambition or power? How does that detract from overall social justice work so necessary for women's equity? - She then relates a piece of key wisdom: we tend to undervalue what comes to us most easily to us. Yet what comes to us most easily is usually our most valuable work and most often, we do not charge for that work. We don't even consider creating packages around those specific skill sets. We so often feel discomfort at taking money for something that feels too easy or fun. It takes a recasting of the spell. - Lastly, Merel shares her audacious wish to make more magic in the world and help women everywhere become the wealthiest in their lineage, to fund the kind of change they want to see—online, locally, or globally. For Merel, this has meant contributing to her own local indigenous community as it continues to cope with poverty, hunger, and addiction. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support

In this debut episode of break*through, host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa brings an entirely new show to life under THE IDEALISTS. roster. If you're a fan of THE IDEALISTS in general, you know our guests are always talking about doing the work. Do the work, do the work, you've got to do the work. But what is the work and why is it so important? Well, now you get to see it in action as you listen in on visionary women journeying through an intimately personal session with their coach. break*through is a more intimate kind of show. You will hear transformations and insights from a whole group of visionary women seeking to change, clarify, and embolden their personal narratives through the work of coaching. On today's episode, you'll get to experience Luz's breakthrough. Luz is a new CEO transitioning from being a successful traveling midwife to running a luxury yoga resort in Guatemala. It's a big adjustment—one leaving her with a tremendous lack of joy as she steps into the role of boss. She now has 30+ employees to manage, as well as a resort that in large part fuels the business ecosystem in that part of the region. Luz is being coached by one of our phenomenal partners and coaches, Scharrell Jackson, who comes with over 35 years of experience as COO to some of the top accounting firms in the nation. A highly sought-after keynote speaker, known as the go-to “Corporate Fixer” for the Fortune 500, Scharrell's style is authentic, intimate, and above all powerful--exactly what Luz needs on her journey to becoming a CEO. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support

In this episode of THE IDEALISTS. podcast, host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Anisha Singh, entrepreneur, former CEO of Mydala.com, and Founding Partner of She Capital, India's leading early-stage venture fund devoted to nurturing and growing the next generation of female-focused businesses. Anisha's own journey as an entrepreneur has been full of breaking stereotypes, glass ceilings, and shifting traditional perceptions. Now as she dons a new role of investor, she is on a mission to cultivate female unicorns and role models that resonate with younger women aspirants. A role model herself, Anisha was ranked amongst the Top 7 Global Women CEOs by Crunchbase in 2018. Prior to Mydala.com, she founded and ran a digital content company called Kinis Software Solutions. Anisha began her career working with the Clinton Administration on an initiative that's still close to her heart—Springboard helped women entrepreneurs raise funds to start new businesses and lives. Inspired by these women, Anisha knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur back in India. Now recognized as one of The Top 100 Global Diversity Leaders in 2019 and ranked among the 50 Most Influential 2018 in Asia, Anisha is also the President of the jury of the Cartier Women's Initiative for South Asia. In this remarkable episode, Anisha shares what it means to bristle at being labeled a “female” founder, and how that notion shifted with the birth of her daughters when she realized there simply weren't enough women's voices in the mix, and that real representation needed to start with her—even if it was only one voice. She reflects on what it means to take a big leap, how to persist to get to the breakthrough, and how the startup journey is never quite what you think it's going to be. She also discusses her journey from founder to investor and potentially back again. More than anything, Anisha's audacious wish to create an international community of role models that women everywhere can access will leave you asking who your role models are and how can you be a better one? . . . . . - Anisha starts off the episode by talking about how she has always believed in taking the leap—that jumping in the proverbial deep end and having to figure it all out has always served her best because, in the end, there's never any sure path. She also reflects on how women are so often trained to overthinking things, which can leave you on the sidelines and missing the key moments of your life. - She shares her journey of growing up in Delhi, being raised by a conservative father who was a struggling entrepreneur, then going to graduate school in the US, and on to work in the Clinton Administration to help women entrepreneurs raise funds to ultimately return to India to become an entrepreneur—as founder and CEO of Mydala.com. - Anisha then recounts how her discomfort (or annoyance) being thought of as a “female” founder shifted with the advent of her daughters. She also recounts the hardships of raising funding only to lose it in the 11th hour, and also relates her humbling self-reinvention in bringing She Capital to life. - At the end of the episode, Anisha shares her audacious wish for creating a world of brilliant founders and generations of role models who finally make real equality possible for women. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support

In this episode of THE IDEALISTS. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Tai Beauchamp, co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of Brown Girl Jane, a disruptive, plant-based wellness and beauty collection named by Refinery 29 as Beauty Innovator of the Year and winner of Best in Beauty Awards by Instyle, Allure, and Popsugar. Formerly a top editor for Harper's Bazaar, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Seventeen magazines, Tai uses her vast platform to empower, educate, and entertain women of all ages. In this episode, Tai shares what it means to grow up with the gifts of strength and self-reliance as well as what it means to unlearn old habits to forge the kind of partnerships that make a company Brown Girl Jane possible. Most of all, her audacious goal to impact ten million women will leave you inspired and enlightened. . . . . In the episode: - Tai starts off the episode by describing why self-reliance is so historically ingrained in women's ideals and belief systems and why she believes it's so important women realize they don't have to go it alone—not in business and not in their personal lives. - She shares her journey of being raised by a single mother and grandmother, going to an all-girls high school, and then on to Spelman College to become the youngest magazine editor at Seventeen—all under the messaging of: “You're going to achieve this all on your own. And keep going!” - Tai then recounts the story of how she reconnected with her Spelman sisters to co-found their groundbreaking beauty innovator startup Brown Girl Jane and how that partnership led to some of the crucial unlearning that's set her on her path now. - At the end of the episode, Tai shares her audacious vision for impacting the lives of 10 million women and how much the ripple effect matters even with our smallest actions. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support

In this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Rebecca Clyde, the co-founder and CEO of Botco.ai, a conversational marketing startup that enables businesses to engage customers with AI-enabled chatbots. She has raised over $4 million in venture capital for Botco.ai, but even before running her current startup, she has more than 20 years in digital marketing and the technology industry. In this episode, Rebecca shares some of the really hard things she went through when raising capital for her business. Her advice on how to build resilience is a game-changer and will leave you galvanized and inspired. . . . . . In the episode: - Rebecca begins the episode by describing why the mental shortcuts most investors use to assess talent does not help with finding exceptional founders. - She then shares her own journey of coming to the United States from Central America, and the real grit and resilience she developed from dealing with adversity. - Rebecca shares her fundraising story and how she pitched over 300 investors to fill her seed round. - At the end of the episode, Rebecca shares her audacious vision for the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support

In this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Kaisa Keranen, a personal trainer, fitness entrepreneur, and social media influencer with over 1 million followers on Instagram and Facebook. Kaisa has been featured in Vogue, Shape, SELF, Harpers Bazaar, Oxygen and ESPNW to name a few. She was featured on the Greatist as one of the most influential people in health and fitness and most notably was asked by Michelle Obama to be one of the go to trainers for her “Let's Move” digital campaign. In this episode, Kaisa shares why health is a feeling not a look and how she is redefining fitness. Can you do us a favor? Please take our quick 3 minute survey so we can keep creating the content you love. Go to www.theidealistspodcast.co and click on the bar at the top of the page to take the survey. . . . . . In the episode: - Kaisa begins the episode by describing why it is not sustainable to practice fitness with the sole intention to lose weight. - She then shares her own journey of overcoming hardship and depression through movement. - Kaisa outlines how she built her 1M following on Instagram and how she leverages her content to build her business. - At the end of the episode, Kaisa shares her audacious vision for the world. Can you do us a favor? Please take our quick 3 minute survey so we can keep creating the content you love. Go to www.theidealistspodcast.co and click on the bar at the top of the page to take the survey. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support

In this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Michaela Boehm, a gifted speaker and counselor whose unique body of work centers around the intersection of intimacy and embodiment. Michaela travels and teaches internationally as an expert in intimacy, relationship and sexuality, and in her private practice, she coaches high-performing individuals and couples, including Oscar-winning actors, producers, writers, multiple Grammy-winning musicians, CEO's, and multi-billion dollar fund managers. You can also see her on Netflix's Unwell, as well as, Sex, Love, and Goop, and Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk. In this episode, Michaela tackles how high achievers can love and connect more intentionally. . . . . . In the episode: - Michaela begins the episode by describing why high-achievers feel they must sacrifice the relational in order to become successful. - She then explains how she teaches using the body to reconnect with others and self. - Michaela outlines how people self-sabotage and how to create a new baseline for wellness regardless of one's patterns. - At the end of the episode, Michaela shares her audacious vision for the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support

In this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Jenny Atout Ahlzen, one of the Managing Founders of Amam Ventures, an impact investment fund based in Jordan that provides risk capital to Small and Medium Sized enterprises that are committed to diversity and inclusion. In this episode, Jenny shares how her and her business partners are moving the needle on women's economic participation in the Arab world. . . . . . In the episode: - Jenny begins the episode by describing why funding “Zebra” businesses makes the most sense in Jordan. - She then describes the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in Jordan. - Jenny shares the ways her and her business partners have designed their impact fund specifically for Jordanian women. - At the end of the episode, Joy shares her audacious vision for the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support