Women Who SWAAY Podcast - Weekly Conversations With Women Challenging The Status Quo

In this part II interview with Heather Monahan, we chat about building confidence, preparing for her first TedTalk, pivoting careers, and (my personal favorite) her go-to trick to get people's attention and being remembered when pitching someone.   

In this episode I sit down interview with interior designer, author and founder and CEO of Inspire Me! Home Decor, Farah Merhi. Her journey has definitely been an unconventional one. As a self taught designer, she went from pursuing a career path in law to realizing she was doing something far from what made her happy. After taking a step back from school to figure out her passion and purpose, she found herself growing a brand on Instagram by putting out content about her house remodeling journey... And now with over 5.5M followers on instagram, a book, and a furniture line, Farah was happy to share all her tips, advice, struggle and successes... Take a listen. 

For years, without even realizing it, Randi Levin was personally on a path toward self-discovery, yet she was stuck in an “either or mode.” She was hanging onto limiting beliefs that had her thinking that she needed to choose one aspect of her life over the other; and for a long time that is exactly what she did. She asked herself a lot of questions; she played out hundreds of scenarios in her head as to what the rest of her life would look like. Then she realized that she could control that outcome. She actually could decide in the current moment how to direct and redirect her life. She did not have to wait for her legacy to find her because essentially she had the power to grab hold of it herself and to make it her own! The concept of leveraging her own legacy was born and became a compass and a mindset in her own life in transforming and recalibrating her success. Today, she coaches emerging entrepreneurs and women in transition to understand and utilize their power of choice, to redefine their legacy, and to celebrate and maximize their growth and success. Success breeds success! For more info, tips and resources, check out her site www.randilevincoaching.com

Since launching on Valentine's Day in 2012, with Kellee at the helm, Loverly has grown into the leading trend-setting brand (reaching 1.5M monthly readers) connecting modern couples, their bridal party and wedding guests to gorgeous inspiration, products, celebrity insider scoops, fashion & beauty hacks and expert advice. As the face of the brand, and author of its first wedding planning title, “Loverly Wedding Planner: The Modern Couple’s Guide to Simplified Wedding Planning,” Kellee has cemented herself as a trend tastemaker and dynamic personality in the 20-something wedding world, paralleling what Oprah and Martha have done in their respective industries. She has been profiled (personally and professionally) in a variety of top tier outlets and positioned as the on-air millennial wedding maven in a myriad of national and local lifestyle programs.

A 'Women who SWAAY' SPECIAL from the headquarters of the Miss Universe Organization HQ in New York. Tv Host, Journalist and Best-selling author, Eboni K Williams takes over the mic to interview Miss USA 2019, Cheslie Kryst. The two powerful women talk about the changing face of race in America, misunderstandings about pageants, and what gives them their drive. 

And we're back with a new episode of Women Who SWAAY Podcast. Exciting news we have relaunched the new SWAAY and I can't wait for you ladies to check it out. In today's episode I chat with Angela Allison; CEO, and co-founder of Wine Society. She and her husband created WineSociety to revolutionize the way consumers purchase and enjoy wine. They wanted great quality wine that they could enjoy every night, because life is too short for anything else. She shares the inside scoop on how & why she started WineSociety.

Heather Monahan is on a mission to empower YOU to create YOUR confidence and live life to its fullest by showing you how to own YOUR unique strengths to achieve success.From getting a first job, to getting THE job, to being able to move beyond ANY job. Her 'Monahan Method' shines light on the steps you need to take to elevate yourself in business and in life. Take a listen!

With twenty years of balancing a busy career in the fashion industry and motherhood , Ariane Gold, felt herself being pulled in many directions. She realized her lifestyle demanded a versatile bag that was light and functional. Goldno.8 was created with the intention of giving the on-th-go women a customizable functionality that keeps up with fashion. Today Iman sits with Ariane to discuss her career in the fashion industry, how she jump-started her brand, and her ups and downs in the workforce.     

In this episode Iman is joined by Joy Altimare, the Chief Engagement and Brand Officer for EHE, a preventative health care provider that has worked with employers to deliver employee access to healthy lifestyle management. Altimare shares with us her marketing acquirements, her passion for living a healthy lifestyle , her leadership skills , and the learning lessons and advice she has for women.     

In this episode Iman is joined by Kathryn Finney , founder and CEO of DigitalUndivided , who is paving the way to an innovated ecosystem by empowering and encouraging women of color to own their own economic security through entrepreneurship.  Finney talks about her early career choices,  what brought her to create the first incubator for Black and Latina women, her advice on how women can approach the world of fundraising, and her goals on expanding the social enterprise of DigitalUndivided. 

Serial entrepreneur and business coach Niko Everett has worked with thousands of women on how to grow their businesses and build up their confidence even if they are already successful. And it isn't just about the funding – it's about the mindset. Take a listen for nuggets of positivity and inspiration. 

The media landscape is changing with print magazines closing consistently and digital teams shifting, and all of this of course affects media relations. In this episode, Iman is joined by Melissa Conner and Jenny Meyer of JBC to chat about branding strategies, entrepreneurship, their fresh approach to working with emerging and established brands and the ever changing media landscape.   

The first Indian-American Miss America Nina Davuluri joins Iman in conversation about her newly launched skin care brand, Aavrani, being confident in your own skin, and doing what is true to yourself – even when the people close to you aren't sometimes supportive. 

It's a timely topic and an important conversation. Sexual harassment faces many women in the workforce and in life, and who better to speak on the subject than the woman who has given others the gift of courage to come forward. Journalist, author, and advocate Gretchen Carlson paved the way for #metoo with her historic 2016 sexual harassment complaint against the chairman of Fox News. Named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” and author of New York Times bestsellers “Be Fierce” and “Getting Real,” Carlson is one of America’s most successful news anchors and a globally recognized advocate for women’s empowerment.

Fashion designer, restaurant owner, tech entrepreneur and all-around boss Sara Al-Madani talks about her venturing into every field she wanted to, even when others said she had no business in those industries. Sara talks about the importance of finding the right patners . . . and the dangers of finding the wrong ones. "You should not let pain make you a version of the thing that hurt you." 

Iman and Logan present another Bosstalk episode to answer your questions about women in work and entrepreneurship! Today's topic: the dreaded phrase "work-life balance" and how the myth that it creates can be toxic to your health and wellbeing. Plus the rhetoric around giving a Keynote speech and some fun facts about our hosts. 

I have always wanted to sit down for a casual chat with fashion icon and successful entrepreneur Rebecca Minkoff. I finally had the chance to do so and honored to be able to share our conversation with all of you! In this episode, Rebecca talks about her personal journey, starting with how she was raised to always do things for herself, and how she brings that mentality to help other women through her Fireside Chats, her podcast Superwomen, and her Female Founder Collective.  Take a listen and hope you enjoy as much as I enjoyed my conversation with her!

Iman joins Leona Erziak of Lena Erziak shoes in her showroom for a special interview. Leona explains how naivete can be a good thing, what it's like being a mom who travels, and how she went from the world of finance into the world of fashion – with absolutely no experience – and how you can do it too! 

Entrepreneurs en Vogue is BACK, rebranded as Women Who Swaay. In the launch of Season 3, Iman is back with new partner Logan Cohen for the first in their series #BossTalk, where they address frequently asked questions in entrepreneurship. Upcoming questions include first round funding, pitching, and life/work balance. Today's topic: Finding a business partner. 

Today on Entreprenrurs en Vogue, we are closing out an era. As a final guest, Iman speaks with her longtime friend and fellow female entrepreneur Logan Cohen. Why would students need motivation beyond the grades? That’s a question Logan asked herself until she met her founder, and it opened her eyes to a new world - and a need that was not fulfilled. They created Kudzoo, an app that rewards students who get good grades. Logan talks about all the behind-the-scenes work you need for a reward-based app, tricks for getting funding, and above everything else - believing in yourself. Thanks to everyone who listened to and supported this podcast over the past 2-and-a-half years. Keep an ear our for further ventures, and keep on being a rock star!

Being gluen-free is a trend for those trying to lose weight or eat healthy - but is also a necessity for those with celiac diesease or digestive sensitivities. Enter accidental entrepreneur Amanda Orso, who made a low-glycemic, high-protein healthy bread that actually tastes good. Armed with determination, passion, and an unwillingness to say no, Amanda doesn’t let anything stand in her way in bringing her bread to the masses. Yum!

Tressa left her teaching job in 2003 to finally kick-start her entrepreneurial dream, but met a road block when she was put on bedrest for her pregnancy. Not to be hindered, Tressa used the time to write her first book, and after garnering over 40k in profits within the first two months she went on to establish the Life Changing Books publishing house. Fast forward to 2017: Tressa has 7 businesses! Her newest venture,a film production house called MegaMind Media, is a flurry of productivity. Opening up to Iman about her secrets for success, Tressa wants you  to study your craft above all else. 

From Fox to CNBC, Kate Rogers really has a track record to envy! Kate is a bombshell reporter that covers entrepreneurship and small business, where she speaks to vouyers and companies all over the country. In E En Vogue’s first interview with a journalist, Kate brings her expertise on time management, business insights, and passion for reporting. Iman and Kate talk trends, the future of media, and how to tell an entrepreneur’s story. Join Kate this Wednesday in LA for Ink Iconic conference.

SoGal Ventures is the first female-led millennial venture capital firm. Founded by Elizabeth Galbut and Pocket Sun, SoGal aims to invest in diverse, inclusive, and female-led businesses. This disruptive VC firm is making an impact for female led companies (including SWAAY!), and the company values human-centered design and globally oriented business. Listen in to this episode to hear Elizabeth discuss what makes SoGal especially revolutionary and why now more than ever entrepreneurs have more control and power over who invests in their company. In SoGal's own words: Live, Work and Stay Healthy!

Julixa Newman started her career as a hotel housecleaner, and ended up the founder of her own company. While pregnant with "multiples," Julixa saw that nothing on the market was designed for parents with twins or triplets (or more!). Inspired to make these parents' lives easier, Julixa started her own line of humorous t-shirts with only 150 dollars, eventually inventing the TwinTrexx baby carrier and launching her company, Stuff 4 Multiples. Now, it​'​s the web’s one-stop shop for anything that families with multiples need, producing and selling over 1,800 products. Absolutely inspiring, Julixa is a testament that your destiny isn’t written in stone, and no matter what you can always get back up!

Secret Service members have to be fast, smart, and strong – and are usually stereotypically men. But not today’s guest, Evy Poumpouras , one of the few women agents, and who served under three different administrations. Evy joins Iman to talk about her journey from police woman to pushing herself to the limit under the President’s Secret Service, and that’s it’s about being present and in the right mindset. From her exciting days traveling around the world with the US government to a life-changing day on 9/11 to her current work in journalism, Evy doesn’t let anything stop her from accomplishing her goals, and gives us tips on how you can change your attitude and your ego to be a better person.

With so many meal subscriptions out there, how do you stay competitive? By switching it up and then proving that it works by finding your demographic. Rachel Drori created Daily Harvest forzen smoothies, changing people’s ideas about nutrition and frozen food, and starting her business while also starting a family. Rachel joins Iman to share her creative insights, finance strategies, and secrets to keeping a healthy mind and body.

What if your idea is ahead of its time? Iman is joined this week by our 100th guest, Vivian Rosenthal, founder of Snaps – not to be confused with SnapChat, this is a social media messaging for brands. After trying out an augemented reality company before it was thought as viable, Vivian found a different approach to using technology. She approached brands with an innovative way to stay in touch with their customers and send the right message to the right people at the right time. Vivian shares her story, her hardfalls and good luck, and reminds listeners to believe in yourself and your ideas. And check out Vivian’s extended interview in person, on our FaceBook Live!

Jennie Baik is the CEO of Orchard Mile, a luxury digital mall that aims to revamp the e-commerce experience by giving customers full access to their favorite designer’s collections, along with a profile that remembers your size and tastes to​make online shopping a pleasure and a breeze.​ Jennie walks us through the unbelievable story of how Orchard Mile came to be, including the fact that it was launched when the cofounders didn't even know each other! Listen in to learn more about why Jennie thinks that now is the best time to invent something, and how entrepreneurship today is truly “en vogue”, and check out Facebook for the LIVE video recording of this podcast!

In this rebroadcast of a classic episode, Iman sits down with Tiffany Pham, a "power-house." With accomplishments like being named in Forbes' 30 Under 30 in Media, Tiffany Pham is connecting women to trending content including stories, products, and jobs that are personalized to their interests on her website MOGUL. She has co-authored the book, From Business Strategy to Information Technology Roadmap: A Practical Guide for Executives and Board Members and produced documentaries such as Gotham Award-winning feature film GIRLFRIEND. Tiffany talks to us about her personal story as well as reveals her main driving force behind all her hard work and her successes. 

Molly Hayward was searching for her next step when she travelled to Kenya and saw the devestating consequences of limited access to feminine hygiene products. Girls all over the world miss out on their educations and resort to unhealthy alternatives for tampons and pads. Period products in the US are no better: they have a host of chemicals in them that are linked to health problems. From these revelations, Cora was born: an all-organic tampon company that delivers right to your door, while giving sanitary products to girls in the developing world. Molly talks about building a socially conscious company that not only designs for the best user experience for her customers in the US, but also supports social enterprise in the developing world.

Cary Williams is a Olympic boxer and coach, as well as an entrepreneur in a franchise of boxing clubs. Tired of people saying that she was “too pretty” to be a fighter, she started the Never Too Pretty brand aimed to empower women in all of their pursuits, whether writing or body-building. In this episode, she talks about the importance of staying present and never taking the path of least resistance. As she continuously challenges female stereotypes, Cary refuses to compromise on her passions and says that you shouldn't either.

In this episode we have a different kind of guest: a change-maker in sexual assault prevention education for college campuses. Holly Rider has built her career around creating and implementing effective programs to prevent campus violence around the country. During her time as an undergraduate, she heard so many stories about people’s experiences of assault and violence, and felt frustrated and helpless in the face of an issue that is not yet at the cultural forefront. Fast forward twenty years, and Holly tells us how far we’ve come - and also how much further we need to go.

  This week, we rebroadcast bring back a favorite episode to motivate ourselves and our listeners. Michelle Dutro is a Certified Biofeedback Specialist/Instructor and Supervisor.  Certified as a Life Coach in Strategic Intervention, a Wellness Consultant, Hypnotherapist, Yoga and Meditation Instructor, and passionate advocate for the humane treatment of all beings, especially those without a voice. She has built up a whole business around helping others find their passion and Inner North Star: her website is a place where you can find inspiration and motivation as you work to find the courage, guidance and willpower required to pursue your passions. The pursuit of passion requires one to look deep within. You must reconnect with your inner guide; the voice that will imbue you with the strength required to succeed!  

Shinjini Das embodies the global-millennial, the entrepreneurial spirit and is the definition of the “Go-Getter Girl”. An expert on personal branding and an influential advocate for female empowerment and education, Shinjini became a full time CEO at just 24 years old when she started up the Das Media Group. In this episode, Shinjini explains that the start-up entrepreneur should being doing something that no one else is, and tells us to always, always be on trend with content. A true entrepreneur, Shinjini is driven mainly by her inclination to increase influence in the areas that she is passionate about.

Dr. Anna Akbari is a sociologist, entrepreneur, innovation consultant, and author of the new book, Start-Up Your Life: Hustle and Hack Your Way to Happiness. Inspired by the Silicon Valley start-up culture, Anna lights up the show to encourage you to think and operate like an entrepreneur – even if you aren't one. Anna's goal is to disrupt the way we think about our lives: to accept failure, develop an appetite for risk, and to value experimentation and pliability over rigid planning and expectations. 

Cheryl Gentry is more than a professional event planner - she is a miracle worker. She routinely plans international events with hundreds of guests. From travel plans to hotel logistics, Cheryl has made a name for herself by perfecting even the most minor details. Today we will be discussing all the ins and outs of what it takes to run an event planning business and, most importantly, the tremendous amount of detail oriented effort it takes to produce a PERFECT event. 

Jessica Zweig is a juggernaut of an entrepreneur. These days, the founder of the Chicago-based digital lifestyle magazine, CheekyChicago.com, is working with thought leaders to craft their personal brands with SimplyBe Agency. Jessica joins EEV to give her take on personal branding and why reaching people authentically over reaching for popularity is the key to becoming successful. Iman and Jessica talk business, the unfair treatment of female figures in the media, and discuss how the biggest - and hardest -  thing about personal branding is that people don’t really care about you.

On this episode, I am joined by Jessica Naziri, a digital lifestyle host, tech blogger, and founder of TechSesh.co. With a background in journalism, Jessica has since forged a prominent career as a tech influencer. She discusses the ins and outs of tech blogging and shares what she has learned about creating compelling content that remains loyal to her brand and her followers. In this age, establishing yourself as an online influencer is more achievable than ever, and Jessica has some solid advice on how to do it. Hint: you can’t be in it half-way.

JJ Virgin is a celebrity nutritionist, wellness coach, and NY Times best selling author whose decades of experience have produced a wealth of tips for keeping your mind, body, and professional life in harmony. In this episode, Iman and JJ discuss the ins and outs of hiring the right people for your company and how to best grow your team. JJ also dishes out advice on how to start prioritizing your health while balancing your business duties, including some surprising shortcuts! JJ shares with us how to build resilience slowly over time and why purpose must be your biggest driver.

Hilary Hendershott was working as a certified assistant financial planner when she hit a financial wall. Her credit was maxed out, her mortgage was increasing every month, and she felt like she had hit rock bottom. Instead of playing the victim, Hilary turned her life around and transformed herself into an expert in the psychology behind human spending behavior. Now, she applies her expertise in finance management to help women manage their assets and build wealth. Listen in to Hilary explain that transforming your financial world is possible, how to not be afraid of money, and what it means to pay yourself first.

It is a rare achievement to start even one business in your lifetime, but to be a successful serial entrepreneur before 30 is even more so. Lauren Maillian started her own internationally recognized and award-winning wine brand at 19, by 25 she founded a boutique marketing firm for strategic marketing and branding of luxury goods, and by 26 she began advising and investing in early stage companies. Now a mother of two, highly sought out speaker, and author of her new book. The Path Redefined: Getting To the Top On Your Own Terms, Lauren Mailman is still on top of her game and she is here to tell us how she did it and how you can live life on your own terms.