Podcasts about Finish line

Triathletes come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. And today's episode is dedicated to our Clydesdale and Athena athletes. You can be bigger in your frame, you can be bigger in your muscle mass, or you can be bigger because you are carrying a bit of extra weight. Whatever it is that puts you in the Clydesdale or Athena classification of triathletes, we want to equip you with the knowledge and tips to have a successful triathlon journey. Nutritionist Dr. Krista Austin and Coach Tony Washington provide everything from gearing up, training considerations, and appropriate fueling. At TriDot, we trust 2Toms to keep us moving! 2Toms provides revolutionary products to prevent issues from chafing, blisters, odors and sweat. To make the switch to 2Toms, head to Medi-Dyne.com and use the code “TRIDOT” to save 20 percent on your entire order. TriDot and Dimond Bikes are a dynamite race day 1 – 2 punch. Dimond provides you with the Ferrari of bikes, and TriDot Training develops your engine. We are excited to partner with Dimond on some really cool offers. If you are new to TriDot, we're offering 6 months of the Mark Allen Edition of TriDot with the purchase of a Dimond. If you are already a TriDot athlete, we are offering either an upgrade credit or TriDot store credit with your new bike. Head to DimondBikes.com for all the info, and to dream up your very own bike.

The Encouragement Engineering podcast offers listeners the ability to combat the negativity that inundates our daily lives with a positive perspective and positive actions. Our guest today is Scott Carley. Our guest today is a pioneering and irreverent communicator, known for his exceptional combination of dynamism, entrepreneurial spirit, and artistic flair. With his boundless energy and innovative mindset, he has earned the moniker “The Change Energizer.” Scott Energizes Success Driven Leaders to take their Big, Scary, Audacious Goals across the Finish Line by taking 212º Action and embracing their obstacles! His proactive approach to problem-solving enables him to fearlessly overcome obstacles and conquer failures, empowering organizations to achieve their objectives and foster innovation. Scott's expertise as a keynote speaker has reached over 350 cities and his work has solidified his position as a catalyst for positive transformation in individuals and organizations alike. His unique blend of energy, expertise, and insight makes him an indispensable asset in unlocking the full potential of individuals and teams, fostering a culture of growth and success. Listen as we discuss: • Energy • Innovation & Power • Taking Action • Positivity • Belief Website: https://scottcarley.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scott.carley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scarley/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacarley/ #encouragement #podcasting #beliefs #positivemindset #action #accomplishments #energy #change #keynotespeaker #scottcarley Be sure to follow The Encouragement Engineering podcast at https://encouragementengineer.com or https://bobbrummspeaks.com

Have you had to—or are you contemplating—giving up running because of injury and/or chronic pain? The Final Finish Line, a special four-part series, will be cathartic and helpful as you figure out your next steps. In episode #3, Dimity about easing the mental side of stopping running with Kim Dawson, PhD, a professor of sports/exercise psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. Among other things, the two chat about: Why Kim is an advocate of healthy transitions—and why they're harder than we think; How to cultivate a holistic self-identity, so you're not too reliant on one aspect (like running); Why the rate of change isn't never as quick as you'd like it to be; and How Kim is expanding her athletic world far outside of running. Please give us your thoughts on our podcast here. Join our Blood Sugar Badass Challenge, September 26-29, here. Find Dimity's series for Women's Running and other not-running-anymore resources here. When you shop our sponsors, you help AMR. We appreciate your—and their—support!   Take steps to better running: Use code AMR15 for 15% discount at Currex.us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Use code TALKIN for $20 off your first SeatGeek order. https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TALKIN Go to https://shop.jomboymedia.com/products/blitzball-blitz-road-to-billys to buy your tickets for Blitzball Blitz at Billy's! Post your job for free at https://linkedin.com/TALKIN Get $10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to https://nutrafol.com/men and enter promo code TALKBASE Visit http://get.bluemoonbeer.com/BASEBALL to see delivery options. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler or visit w w w dot 1 800 gambler dot net. In New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem gambling call 888-789-7777 or visit c c p g dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). Licensee partner Golden Nugget Lake Charles (LA). 21 plus age varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. See See D K N G dot co slash baseball for eligibility, terms and responsible gaming resources. Bonus bets expire seven days after issuance. Eligibility and deposit restrictions apply. ++++ Timestamps: 0:00 Two Weeks Away From Playoff Baseball 2:10 Tiebreakers are Nuts 7:50 American League Recap 12:30 AL Standings 15:10 Orioles SPLIT with Tampa 29:00 Twins Youth Movement is REAL 34:00 Toronto SWEEPS Boston 36:35 Rangers SWEPT by Cleveland?? 40:05 National League Recap & Thank You to Nutrafol 45:30 NL Standings 50:55 Snakes SWEEP the Cubs 57:45 Giants Lost, Marlins Beat Braves at the Right Time 1:00:45 Mark Canha's Homer 1:03:20 Reds & Phillies Take Care of Business 1:03:45 Interleague Recap 1:06:50 Dodgers SWEEP Mariners 1:10:50 Tatis is LEGIT 1:12:20 Jason Heyward is Gonna be a Sought-After Free Agent 1:17:00 Gabriel Moreno 1:28:30 Broski Award: Yuli & Lourdes Gurriel 1:36:10 Brewers are in GOOD Shape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here in Episode 100 I'm going to share with you why you'll never reach the finish line. Support the show

Athlete stories have the power to touch, move, and inspire you. And there is great value in hearing others' experiences and learning from their journeys. On today's episode, Host Andrew Harley interviews three TriDot athletes who raced at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice, France. Jeff Raines, Kurt Madden, and Chris Kennel share how they qualified, trained, tapered, and traveled for the this historical and epic event. In the "one race, three journeys" series you'll get insight into race-specific preparation, mindset, racing strategy, and more! To learn more about racing Challenge Roth with TriDot visit https://race-quest.com/tridot-challenge-roth and enter the password TRIDOT. A big thanks to UCAN for being a long-time partner of the podcast! We are huge believers in using UCAN to fuel our training and racing. To experience UCAN's LIVSTEADY products for yourself, head to their website UCAN.co! Use the code “TriDot” to save 20 percent on your entire order.

As United Methodists, we are proudly people of an “open table,” meaning that all people are welcome to the sacrament of communion. At AUMC, we have extended the table to specifically include our LGBTQ siblings as an “open and affirming” congregation, but is that the finish line? (Hint: not exactly.) This week, Pastor Scott is joined by Pastor Britt Melrose in a conversational sermon about opening ourselves to the beauty of God expressed through the lives of LGBTQ persons.

Feeling like you're falling behind, right on track, or crushing your goals like a pro? No matter where you stand, it's not time to relax just yet. The final part of the race often determines the outcome, and we have just what you need to finish 2023 with a bang. Tune in to the newest episode of The Truest Fan Podcast! Join hosts Rob Brown and Phil Calandra as they reveal proven strategies to help you make this year your best yet. Feeling like you're slipping behind? No worries. We have hacks to help you boost your performance and get you back in the race. On track with your goals? Fantastic. Discover how to maintain your momentum and maybe even speed up to reach the finish line ahead of schedule. Already smashing your goals? Amazing. We'll show you how to level up and add some extra sparkle to an already great year. And that's not all. We share the Truest Fan Action Plan—a roadmap to help you achieve big wins in the home stretch. Implement these tweaks now, and you won't just cross the finish line; you'll soar past it! Regardless of your current pace, let's make the final stretch of 2023 a victory lap. Join us and make this year your best one yet!

This is a sneak peek into the Exclusive Morning Message episode that was dropped today on the subscription channel for the Queen of Pep Talks!  If you desire to join the subscription to gain full access to this episode and over 60 others, click the link to join below! XOGet Bonus Episodes.

Have you had to—or are you contemplating—giving up running because of injury and/or chronic pain? The Final Finish Line, a special four-part series, will be cathartic and helpful as you figure out your next steps. In episode #2, Dimity talks to runner Gretchen Gibson, who had a knee and hip replacement within six months of each other, and Dr. Dan Myer, her orthopedic surgeon, who also remodeled his running career after serious injury. The trio cover: How Gretchen's torn meniscus was actually a short-term problem on top of a long-term problem; Why Dan always asks a patient, “What is the goal here?”; The reason Dan (gently) suggested Gretchen find another athletic passion; How Gretchen, who has crossed 15 half marathon and 2 marathon finish lines, is coping without running; Where Gretchen is currently finding some sweaty and satisfying success. In the monthly Nourished on the Run segment, Ellie Kempton, MS, RDN, and Dimity cover the basics of blood sugar: what it is, why it matters (to everyone, not just diabetics), and a few easy ways to keep yours more stable. We also invite you to join our free Blood Sugar Badass Challenge, September 26-29: register here. Find Dimity's series for Women's Running and other not-running-anymore resources here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer from militarymoneymanual.com and Jamie discuss defining/re-defining the "finish line", the benefits of dreaming about what you want your future to look like after reaching Financial Independence and retirement, and setting short and long term goals to get you to that dream life. If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon at or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Finish line discs are new to the disc golf market and today we test out 3 of their molds and answer the question, are these discs good? The Chain Clankers tried out the Era, Torque, and Supra in the field throwing them on different angles and into different winds to get a better idea of how they fly. Support the Chain Clankers on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/chainclankers Thank you to our Patreon supporters! ACE: Ben Wood Eagle: - Brady Bieker - Bryan Pitman - Dafyduck WOT - Jon Reker - Skewed Reality Birdie:- Peter Hudak You support this show by supporting our sponsors: Save 10% at Upper Park Disc Golf when you use code Clankers10: https://www.upperparkdiscgolf.com/discount/Clankers10 Use promocode CHAINCLANKERS to save 10% on Discdot: https://discdotusa.com/ Get free shipping at OTB discs by using code Clankers: https://otbdiscs.com/ Connect with us! Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chainclankersdiscgolf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chainclankers/Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/987959378313397 Subscribe to the show! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chain-clankers/id1526131586 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2K3jv0MBful5v6x59CB2oG Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8yYmUwZDA2NC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-gWK-zf5fwidWRYSuLHsDQ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chain-clankers/message

The cartoon, The Jetsons, had it right all along—a lot of us now have a mini computer on our wrist. Smart watches are becoming more popular and more sophisticated all the time! On this episode, join TriDot Coaches Jeff Raines and Will Usher as they discuss how to get the most out of your multisport watch. They'll cover the pros and cons of some popular brands of watches and then delve into some of the most utilized features, such as GPS tracking and heartrate monitoring. Jeff and Will also discuss how understanding the capabilities of your watch can enhance your triathlon training. Know when to do your TriDot session by heart rate, power, or pace, learn what displays are best to view and track primary metrics during your training, and hear how additional measurements and health data is viewable on your athlete dashboard. Whether you are looking to get a new watch or just better understand how yours works, this is the podcast for you! To learn more about racing Challenge Roth with TriDot visit https://race-quest.com/tridot-challenge-roth and enter the password TRIDOT. We are thrilled to have sailfish as the swim partner of TriDot Training. Head to sailfish.com to scout out your next wetsuit, swimskin, goggles and more! Use code sfc-tridot20 at checkout, for 20 percent off your new wetsuit.

Welcome to From Complex to Queens, Home Run Applesauce's podcast focusing on the Mets' minor league system. It was a relativley quiet week in the world of the Mets minor league system. Steve, Lukas, and Ken review how the Mets affiliates did in a little more detail, focusing on the conclusions of the Singe-A and High-A seasons. As always, you can listen or subscribe to all of our Home Run Applesauce podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on Spotify, or listen wherever you get podcasts. Visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and to help directly support the podcasters whose work you've enjoyed for years. Got any questions? Comments? Concerns? You can email the show at fromcomplextoqueens at gmail dot com, and follow us on Twitter: Steve is (@stevesypa), Lukas is (@lvlahos343), Ken is (@kenlavin91), and Thomas is (@sadmetsszn). Until next week, #lovethemets #lovethemets! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Phillies still own the top wild-card spot but the Cubs are applying pressure. The Phils' bullpen has shown some recent signs of fatigue and one of their most consistent hitters has gone cold. Can they finish the job and hold onto home-field advantage in the first round?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hi #AmWriters! Jess here to talk about what I've been up to this summer and hoping some of it proves helpful for you. That's why we started this podcast years ago - to flatten the learning curve for other writers. Here I am, almost a decade out from the publication of The Gift of Failure and I have this new book, The Addiction Inoculation, on a topic that can be scary to some people (substance use disorder! eeeek!) as you know, I'm always looking for ways to get books in the hands of new readers, get information into the heads of people who need to know it, and keep my speaking career afloat. This summer, I did a massive marketing re-invention because the speaking engagements that have been going particularly well are not about one book or the other, but both. I've been using The Gift of Failure as a Trojan Horse to get the Addiction Inoculation substance use prevention content out to audience members who need to hear it but who might be reluctant to attend a talk advertised solely as ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION. Behind the scenes moment, I just texted Sarina and KJ in our group chat: Anyway, back to marketing. I came up with some new ideas and while researching those, stumbled upon a conference aimed squarely at the people doing substance use prevention work on the ground. I decided to go to the conference to meet them and get my book into their hands, and I tell you all about how it went. I wanted to share what I learned and some strategies that were helpful to me as well as a reminder that the success of our books does not hinge on pub day. Sure, a great pub day is helpful and can get you on one of those coveted lists, but there's a lot to love about the slow burn book, the perennial seller, the evergreen content.#AmReading:The Woodkin by Alexander JamesNever Enough by Jennifer Breheny WallaceErasing the Finish Line by Ana HomayounMiddle School Superpowers by Phyllis FagellGrowing Up in Public by Devorah HeitnerRaising Empowered Athletes by Kirsten JonesCalm the Chaos by Dayna AbrahamHi! KJ here, invading Jess's shownotes to say BUY MY BOOK. Playing the Witch Card, out 9/12/23 in US and UK. You'll like it. I promise. So will your mother, daughter, sister, partner and next door neighbor. Bookshop.org Amazon Barnes&Noble Still North Books and BarLooking for Workshops Against Empire? There's been a change of plans--that will be offered in November now.  Visit susandefreitas.com to learn more. Enrollment is now open for Author Accelerator's new and improved fiction book coach certification program! Turn your love of reading into a career you love with a self-paced program you can access from anywhere. With more than 100 hours of training, videos, case studies, and worksheets, Author Accelerator's program teaches you the key editorial skills, client-management strategies, and tools needed to help writers reach their goals and to help you start a thriving book coaching business.I've been through this, and I can tell you that this is more than just an online course. You'll take the skills you learn and apply them with real-life clients through three practicums designed to help you practice helping authors go from confusion to clarity with their novel idea. Yes, you work with real writers, yes it's terribly nerve-wracking—but the author I worked with during one of my practicums just got a book deal with that project! This is real, kids. Learn more and enroll now at bookcoaches.com/podcast. More interested in nonfiction? The nonfiction certification program launches next month! Visit bookcoaches.com/podcast and sign up for their newsletter to stay in-the-know.Discover Sarina Bowen and her book marketing fun (and other neat goodies) on TikTok! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Patricia sits down with renowned author and literary agent, Robert Wolgemuth, to discuss his latest book, "Finish Line."Patricia, having experienced the tragic loss of her brother-in-law and being deeply moved by Robert's book, dives into a conversation about the importance of preparation for the end of life.They explore the inspiration behind Robert's book, the practical steps one can take to ensure their desires are honored after their passing, and the misconception that discussing death is taboo, even within the Christian community.Join us as Patricia and Robert share powerful insights and wisdom on how to navigate the journey toward the finish line with faith and preparedness.Watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/K5tW3iwqcIwTo read Patricia's column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Preparing for Death#FinishLineBook #PreparingfortheEnd #GodSizedStories #LifePreparation #DeathandPreparation #PlanningAhead #LegacyPlanning #TakingCareofLovedOnes #ChristianCommunity #TabooTopics #PreparingfortheFutureSupport the showClick on the link above to support us and help keep this show going!Click on the links to connect with Patricia on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

Have you had to—or are you contemplating—giving up running because of injury and/or chronic pain? The Final Finish Line, a special four-part series, will be cathartic and helpful as you figure out your next steps. In episode #1, Dimity talks to Stacy Bruce, an Austin-based athlete who, “came out of the womb as an athlete,” and ran her first marathon in 1997. Her 27+ year running career in running has taken her across the finish line in Boston multiple times, up and down Pikes Peak 10 times, and along the way, has defined her social life and self-identity. Her (complicated) lower back has finally waved the white flag, and she is in the process, at age 51, of retiring from running. The two talk about: Stacy's shifting to trail runs to see if that would ease the impact on her body; How Stacy still stays super active at the track practice she coaches; Where Stacy wants to put her athletic energy next; And why Stacy is waffling about giving up her 2-mile runs. Find Dimity's series for Women's Running and other not-running-anymore resources here. Try our free two-week training program: Consistent, Not Perfect. When you shop our sponsors, you help AMR. We appreciate your—and their—support!   Feel supported as you move forward: Use code AMR15 for 15% discount at Currex.us Get a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post at Indeed.com/AMR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we're diving into how to have conversations on compensation with your recruits and in a way that minimizes ghosting and increases conversions. Recruiting has changed in big ways over the past 5 years. The digital world is dominating the recruiting landscape. If you want to be successful, it requires more knowledge than ever before. Richard shares his insights from conversations with recruiting leaders to help you become the best recruiter you can be. Other ways to connect with Richard Milligan www.4Crecruiting.com www.recruitingconversations.com

Athlete stories have the power to touch, move, and inspire you. And there is great value in hearing others' experiences and learning from their journeys. On today's episode, Host Andrew Harley interviews three TriDot athletes who raced at the USA Triathlon Nationals. Nolan McKenna, Ness Bowden and Emily Knopfle share how they qualified, trained, tapered, and traveled for the this bucket list event. In the "one race, three journeys" series you'll get insight into race-specific preparation, mindset, racing strategy, and more! At TriDot, we trust 2Toms to keep us moving! 2Toms provides revolutionary products to prevent issues from chafing, blisters, odors and sweat. To make the switch to 2Toms, head to Medi-Dyne.com and use the code “TRIDOT” to save 20 percent on your entire order. A big thanks to UCAN for being a long-time partner of the podcast! We are huge believers in using UCAN to fuel our training and racing. To experience UCAN's LIVSTEADY products for yourself, head to their website UCAN.co! Use the code “TriDot” to save 20 percent on your entire order.

Today, in our fourth Mindful Running episode, we explore the joy of setting meaningful running goals and the impact it can have on our journey.

Did you know troubleshooting is a skill? Because it is a skill, we can develop it. Also, it can be a lot like a game of Chutes and Ladders! You roll the dice and sometimes you get to the right place and climb a ladder, make progress, and sometimes you find yourself in an uh-oh moment, realize you've been wrong and slide down a Chute and have to go back to the beginning or to an earlier starting point.The four phases of Troubleshooting are:Start with what you know.Move forward one square at a time.If you slide, start over.Get to the Finish Line!Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Academic advisor and early career development expert Ana Homayoun's new book is "Erasing the Finish Line." In it, she looks to new strategies to help each student develop their own blueprint for success.

This week on Acta Non Verba Adam Godfrey shares his insights on leadership, emotional intelligence, delegation, and the importance of personal growth. Listen in as we explore his experience participating in ultramarathons and a desert race, highlighting the lessons he learned about resilience and perseverance. Finally, Adam shares how you can apply this knowledge when facing challenges in your own life.   Adam Godfrey is the Sales Director at FlyForm. You can learn more about his work by connecting with him on linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mradamg or his website: https://flyform.com/   Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a special edition of the TriDot Podcast! On today's episode, you'll learn some valuable tips about triathlon travel that will allow you to have the best experience when you travel to a race. And then, get ready for a BIG announcement, as we unveil a new initiative: “TriDot Trips, Powered by RaceQuest.” That's right! We've partnered with RaceQuest, a company that specializes in endurance sports race entry tours, training camps, and active travel. You'll hear from CEO and Founder Krista Baker, as well as CMO and Founder Kelli Eldridge, as they talk about the future of TriDot Trips! To learn more about racing Challenge Roth with TriDot visit https://race-quest.com/tridot-challenge-roth and enter the password TRIDOT. Download the RaceQuest FREE triathlon packing list https://race-quest.com/triathlon-packing-list A big thanks to UCAN for being a long-time partner of the podcast! We are huge believers in using UCAN to fuel our training and racing. To experience UCAN's LIVSTEADY products for yourself, head to their website UCAN.co! Use the code “TriDot” to save 20 percent on your entire order.

Motivated by the Finish Line

If you can't join us in person, check out the livestream at 9:00 AM on Sunday on Facebook or YouTube. Services are available on-demand on both platforms.

Knowing time is always running out, we must discern and fulfill our God-given stewardship to faithfully invest in the lives of others.

Senator Ben Cardin tells Nestor he will be sprinting to the finish line in Washington The post Senator Ben Cardin tells Nestor he will be sprinting to the finish line in Washington first appeared on Baltimore Positive WNST.

Guest Ana Homayoun is the author of the new book Erasing the Finish Line:  The New Blueprint for Student Success Beyond Grades and College Admission. In it she highlights the essential skills students need to move beyond a prescribed path and truly thrive in school and life. Reflecting on over two decades of working directly with students worldwide, leading academic advisor and early career development expert Ana Homayoun has written the book we desperately need. More about Ana: She is an academic advisor and early career development expert working at the intersection of executive functioning skills, technology, and personal energy management. She is the founder of Silicon-Valley based Green Ivy Educational Consulting and the executive director of Luminaria Learning Solutions, a non-profit initiative developing the Life Navigator School Advisory Program. She is the author of three previous books: That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week, The Myth of the Perfect Girl and Social Media Wellness. She lives in San Francisco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PART TWO: Kenny was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He holds a special place in history as the 32nd African American to become a Navy SEAL. Kenny received the Unsung Hero Award from Ford Motor Company from Kevin Frazier, host of the hit TV show Entertainment Tonight, in recognition of his unique & challenging story in becoming a Navy SEAL, along with his personal and community accomplishments. He was recently featured in the Amazon and Barnes and Noble most read book Can't Hurt Me by his good friend and Former Navy SEAL teammate David Goggin's for their amazing experiences in achievement in spite of formidable challenges before and during SEAL training as seen on CBS and Joe Rogan's podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, viewed by millions. He has been endorsed by Chief FBI Agent and Professor Greg Vecchi and S.W.A.T. Teams. Kenny Has had the fortune to receive honorable mention from Department of Homeland Security, and Federal Protective Service. He is also a featured personality on the popular Funker Tactical You Tube Channel. He mentored SEAL candidates in Indianapolis, IN, having been sought out by Naval Special Warfare Scouts to prepare them for the toughest military training in the world in order to become U.S. Navy SEALs. He also enjoyed the honor of receiving an appreciation award from the Navy recruiting district for going above and beyond, resulting in their region achieving the highest conversion rate of candidates becoming Navy SEAL graduates that year in the Nation. This experience was put on by his business, which was sponsored by the Navy.Mr. Bigbee has discovered and executed reliable, duplicatable tools to unanimously defy the odds, exceed expectations, and “Be Elite” personally and in team environments in a diverse variety of fields. He performed in the billion dollar Getty Museum as a professional dancer after receiving a full scholarship under the choreographer of the blockbuster hit movie Avatar, Lula Washington.He was awarded the honor recruit, USO award (for his service as a team player/leader) and accelerated advancement in the information system technology program in the Navy. You may recognize him as a nationwide Finish Line model from his younger days. He had the fortune to do 3 National videos ranked third in the nation for Fox. Since the age of 4 years old, he has become an expert martial artist and owns his own martial arts school and affiliations. He has travelled and taught martial arts at some of the most respected academies and teams all over the world. Such as: Nitrix and wave academies in Brazil, Brazilian Top Team and other schools in Phuket, Bangkok, Khao Lak Thailand, and in Split Croatia. Kenneth holds black belts and high achievement in several martial arts and combatives systems. It is no surprise that he is also a Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee. Kenny became a Master Tricom Instructor/Collaborator which trains elite teams such as the Secret Service, Korean Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces and many more worldwide. His company, Tactical A.C.T.S (Adaptive Combat Tactical Solutions) LLC, provides Fortune 500 clients preemptive, adaptive, and real-time problem-solving solutions of incident response, as well as executive protection. His team conducted Executive Protection for Nestle in Washington D.C. World renowned High Risk security/Executive Protection company Triple Canopy awarded Kenny with an elite training commendation.Most recently, Kenny was certified as a subject matter instructor and expert in the State of Wyoming with the law enforcement for TRICOM Custody, Control and Combatives. Kenny instructs elite performance mindset, strategy, and tactics seminars nationwide to S.W.A.T teams and to civilians focusing on individual, team skills, and finally culminating into practical and applicable interactive scenarios.' This amazing episode was edited and mixed by our amazing team member Jacob Brusseau! www.linkedin.com › in › jacob-brusseau

What if retirement wasn't the end but in fact just the beginning? What if it wasn't the time to slow down but the time to kick things into high gear? The uncommon path generally tries to find a way to love what you do so much that you don't ever want to retire. But for those of us where that part didn't quite work out, retirement can often be the catalyst to doing more than you ever thought possible and loving it, just like Rayma Dinnen. In this episode we're talking with Rayma, who went from spending decades as an ER nurse in Chicago to leading teams doing impactful work in Uganda and here in the States. Along the way, she had multiple encounters where God intervened in her path, including giving up a position of influence within the Reiki community as a noted practitioner and sharing Good News with the last person in the world she would have expected to. This is a story you don't want to miss!To reach Rayma, you can email here at: Rayma444@comcast.net.

On this episode we're talking about the next generation of triathletes! Triathlon is a growing youth and junior sport, and today you'll hear about coaching, racing, and involving your kids in youth triathlon. Joining the conversation today is TriDot Founder and CEO Jeff Booher (who coached a youth triathlon team for 11 years); current youth triathlon coach, TJ Tollakson; and triathlon parent, Ryan Knopfle. The three gentlemen, who have experience as parents and coaches, share the do's and don'ts for getting your kids into multisport. They share insight into getting your child geared up, what training as a youth triathlete looks like, and tips for parents as they navigate those first races. Whether you want to get involved in youth sports, are looking to introduce your child to the sport, or just want to hear some really cute young triathlon stories, this is a 'must listen!' Looking to improve your freestyle swim? At TriDot Pool School you'll be taught step-by-step how to turn your muscle memory into full-stroke swimming that's smooth and fast. Ready to jump in? There are Pool Schools currently available in the USA, and around the world. Head to TriDot.com/pool-school to learn more and sign up today. Need assistance getting your bike to a race site this year? TriBike Transport delivers bikes safely and conveniently to more than 100 triathlon and cycling events annually around the world. TriBike Transport is a service-driven team of professionals committed to safe, efficient and dependable transportation and logistics. Use code TRIDOT23 at https://www.tribiketransport.com/ for $25 off your reservation.

Gavin and Russell recap an exciting Leagues Cup finalNo Way OutWelcome to the No Way Out podcast where we examine the variety of domains and...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Umar Choudhry is joined by Arsenal fan & Capital FM presenter Roman Kemp as they discuss everything Arsenal following the start of the Premier League season, his fantastic work helping raise awareness for male depression, anxiety and suicide and his upcoming TV shows titled Boot Dreams & The Finish Line on the BBC.  ► Boot Dreams: Now or Never airs on BBC Three on Sunday 20th August at 9pm and is available as a six part boxset on BBC iPlayer from 6am. ► The Finish Line airs weekdays from 4:30pm on BBC One from 21st August. ► Roman Kemp: Are You Really OK? - Unflinching, life-affirming and filled with vital advice, this powerful read from much-loved radio presenter and DJ Roman Kemp tackles the stigma still surrounding mental health, as well as reflecting on experiences that have shaped his own life - amzn.eu/d/cbbUCYk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Lioness and England's top female goal scorer, Ellen White, on England reaching the Fifa Women's World Cup final. VJ day was on Tuesday, marking the anniversary of Japan's surrender, and the end of World War Two. Olga Henderson was 13 in 1945, starving in a camp in Singapore alongside other young internees. Now 91, Olga talks about her time in the camps recalled in her new – and first - book, In the Shadow of the Rising Sun. A survey of 10,000 university students found that only 14% of pupils who had been in the care system progressed to higher education by age 19, compared to 47% of all other pupils. Kim Emenike, who was in care as a child, and Katharine Sacks-Jones, Chief Executive of the charity Become, which supports young care leavers, discuss the challenges they face. Many baby boomers are experiencing the death of their parents much later than previous generations. The journalist Helen Bullough and clinical psychologist Dr Linda Blair discuss the impact of being parentless in older age. Imagine being the first woman to travel to the Moon. The Nasa astronaut Christina Koch has been chosen as one of the four crew members who will orbit the Moon in the spacecraft Orion, as part of Nasa's Artemis II mission in November next year. TV presenter Sarah Greene, most well-known for her work on Blue Peter and Going Live is back on our screens with a brand-new BBC 1 quiz show, The Finish Line. She reflects on her career and tells us all about her new role. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

Alaina Percival is the Co-Founder and CEO of Women Who Code, with a mission to empower diverse women to excel in technology careers. Alaina delves into the origin and mission of Women Who Code, highlighting its community building, free technical events, and collaboration with companies to promote diversity in hiring. Victoria adds her personal experience with the organization, emphasizing its positive impact on her career. They discuss the challenges faced while expanding Women Who Code, including the need for systems and processes to manage growth. Alaina recounts stories of discrimination faced by women in tech and stresses the need for continued support and encouragement. The conversation also touches on the financial benefits of diversity and the alignment of Valor Ventures with Women Who Code's values. This discussion offers a detailed look into the women in tech movement, the importance of community, and the drive to create a more equitable industry. It serves as a reflection on both the strides made in fostering diversity and the work still needed to create a truly inclusive technology field. __ Women Who Code (https://www.womenwhocode.com/) Join the Women Who Code Slack! (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctj9HJr-5yadDbKYygBYBfNUWmjgODlkp8lgLou26AedIkuQ/viewform) Women Who Code Podcast (https://www.womenwhocode.com/podcast) Follow Women Who Code on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/womenwhocode), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-who-code/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/womenwhocode/), GitHub (https://github.com/WomenWhoCode), Twitter (https://twitter.com/WomenWhoCode), or YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/WomenWhoCodeGlobal?themeRefresh=1) Follow Alaina Percival on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alainapercival/) or Twitter (https://twitter.com/alaina). Follow thoughtbot on Twitter (https://twitter.com/thoughtbot) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/). Become a Sponsor (https://thoughtbot.com/sponsorship) of Giant Robots! Transcript: WILL: This is the Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast, where we explore the design, development, and business of great products. I'm your host, Will Larry. VICTORIA: And I'm your other host, Victoria Guido. And with me today is Alaina Percival, Venture Partner at Valor Ventures and Co-Founder and CEO of Women Who Code, with a mission to empower diverse women to excel in technology careers. Alaina, thank you for joining us. ALAINA: Thank you so much for having me. I'm thrilled to be here. VICTORIA: I'm thrilled to have you as well. I reached out. As you know, I was previously a Director of Women Who Code D.C. and helped to organize our DevOps and cloud series when I lived there. And it really had a huge impact on my career. So, I'm just super psyched to talk to you today. What's going on in your world, Alaina? ALAINA: So, in addition to my full-time job of working with Women Who Code, I'm also a mom of two young children, and so they're currently three and five. And so, it's summer. We've got summer camp. Every week is a different program with different details and things that you have to read and stay up on. It's a lot of additional project management added on over the summer. I'm looking forward to getting back to the school year, where I can kind of focus on just one role. WILL: That's amazing. And I can totally relate because I have a four, a three, and a one-year-old. Yes, it's a different story when you have to, like you said, project manage around them. So, that's amazing that you're wearing so many hats, and you're doing that. Hats off to you. ALAINA: Same to you. [laughter] WILL: Victoria, what about you? What's going on in your world? VICTORIA: Well, it is summertime at the beach, so all the kids are out. [laughs] It's busy. But that means that you know, the weather is warming up. It's tempting to try to go surfing again, so we'll see if that ends up happening anytime soon. But no, I'm hanging out. I'm local. I'm kind of done traveling for a little bit, so not until I go out to Outer Banks to visit my baby niece and nephew in August. So that's where I'm at right now. I'm kind of hunkered in trying to survive without air conditioning here and get through the summer. [laughs] WILL: You don't have AC? VICTORIA: I do not. Yeah, there's a lot of houses around here just never were built with it. I have heat, but I have no air conditioning. ALAINA: Are you being hit with the heat wave that's happening? VICTORIA: Yes. But it's still very mild. We're spoiled here for sure on weather. WILL: [laughs] VICTORIA: It's like 77, and I'm like, ugh, it's so hot. [laughs] WILL: I'm in Florida, and it amazes me. So, I got up early, around 7:00 o'clock, to go out for a run, and it's, like, 87 degrees. And it feels like almost 100 at 7:00 a.m. And I'm like -- VICTORIA: Oof. WILL: How? [laughs] Like, the sun is barely out, and it's already reaching 100. So yeah. ALAINA: I feel you. I'm in Atlanta. Yesterday, I had an in-person meeting. Typically, we're entirely remote. So, I was wearing real pants [laughs], and it was a hard day. We're not quite as hot as Florida. We are in the low 90s. But yeah, this weather is for real. WILL: Yes. [laughter] VICTORIA: That is the...yeah, working in person again in a hot climate. [laughs] I forgot the challenges of that of, like, trying to navigate life while having to be fully clothed is difficult in that kind of weather. So, I'm glad. I hope you all find some ways to stay cool and to entertain your children [laughs] so that you have some sanity and can get through the summer. I've also been really interested in the European model of just taking five weeks off in the summer. Doesn't that sound nice? WILL: Yes. [laughs] ALAINA: Yeah. I started my career off in Germany. I worked for Puma. Their headquarters is right outside of Nuremberg in a town called Herzogenaurach. And people really do take the whole month off August. And, in fact, you would even separate out the salaries. So, you got something called urlaubsgeld, which was vacation money. So, you would get kind of a little bonus going into August, and then everybody would take off. So, I agree with you. We should be doing that. VICTORIA: Yeah, we should be doing that. And I'm so excited. Maybe we can segue into, like, your background and how you got started. How did you go from there to founding Women Who Code? ALAINA: Yeah, so after working at Puma, I somewhat came back to the United States. I did a dual degree program, an MBA where I was studying between Atlanta, so I could get back in the United States, spend some time with my family, and then also the Sorbonne in Paris. And I did an MBA and a degree in organizational management, Master's in organizational management. Then I went to work for really small ones, performance wear company. And that was more, like, a startup because you really had to think outside of the box. You know, you're a small $10 million a year company, and Nike and Mizuno, you know, these big companies are your competitors. So, I had the opportunity to move out to San Francisco. It was one of the cities that was always on my list of, hey, if you get a chance to do it, go for it. And I did. So, I moved out there, and I kind of hit a bit of a wall with my career, an unexpected wall because up until that point, I had just this really, you know, successful early career. I got out there, and they're, like, Puma. You know, you haven't worked for Microsoft, or Twitter, or Facebook, or Google. Who are you? So, I started learning to code just to transition my skill set to help me understand the culture and the language and just getting more involved in the tech community. And I was still struggling a little bit in figuring out my transition pathway and got more and more involved with Women Who Code and started, you know, spending my nights and weekends. And finally, I was at a small startup that had gotten acquired, so I had my official tech credibility. And I went to work for one of the top technical recruiting firms, executive recruiting firms in the Bay Area, as their head of developer outreach. And I largely chose that role because they were allowing me to run their philanthropic arm, and I focused that around supporting underrepresented communities, you know, get a leg up in the tech community. And then, while I was there, I was working with CTOs, vice presidents of engineering, directors of engineering on a day-to-day basis. And I started learning what they were doing in their career to help develop and cultivate the success that they were having, and I started bringing that knowledge and programming into Women Who Code. And that's where our mission around seeing diverse women excel in technology careers came about is, you know, that piece of retaining and seeing diverse women excelling was an area that wasn't really the focus at the time. And I feel like it sounds funny now because it's such a big piece of conversation. But that was the beginning. VICTORIA: Yeah, it's so interesting that your experience from being in a startup and then how you moved up into being really involved in the hiring and the process of how women...how anyone would actually, like, move up in their career led you to have that background to found Women Who Code. And for people who maybe don't know, [laughs] no, I certainly know what it is. Can you talk a little bit more about what it offers to women and what it offers to companies who are looking to hire diverse women? ALAINA: For individuals, we are the largest and most active community of diverse technologists. We have close to 350,000 members. We're serving members across 147 countries. And we're producing close to 2,000 free technical events every single year, so that's about an average of 5 per day. Once those events take place, if you happen to miss them if you happen to not be in a location where they're having them in person, we're putting a lot of that on our YouTube channel. So, you can go back when you have time, when you're available, still invest in yourself and learn some of these technical and career-related skills. You can also, you know, when you think about, say, the 2,000 talks that are being delivered at Women Who Code, the majority of them are being led by and delivered by diverse technologists. So, we're creating role models and helping people who are on their career path have a sense of belonging, see a pathway to success. People who are thinking about the career path see themselves represented as thought leaders, as leaders in the tech industry. And that sense of belonging, that sense of drive, is just so important to be able to continue on in your career. But we work with companies. So, Women Who Code is dedicated to accessibility. All of our programming is free or scholarship accessible. And so, what we do is we work with companies, and we do this for two reasons: for programmatic reasons. Because we know that if companies develop strong diversity, equity, and inclusion, and belonging practices, that we will reach our mission and vision so much faster than if we work with every individual in the world. But it also creates an opportunity for us to be able to support the community. So, we work with companies to sponsor Women Who Code to donate to support Women Who Code's programming. We have our first-ever walk coming up, so a walk, run, roll called Women Who Code to the Finish Line. And we're going to be having that in September of this year. And that's going to be an opportunity for the stakeholders. You know, often, people who aren't in our community but absolutely support us say, "How can we help?" And so, companies can form teams and go and walk, run, roll to change the face of the tech industry. Right now, we're also in a position where the tech industry has been doing a lot of layoffs, so there's a lot of instability. And so, when that happens, our programming thrives. So, people are coming to our events in high numbers. People are participating in our programming. People are visiting our job board. It's the time when companies are stepping back and pulling back on their funding and things like that. So, I just encourage every single company to...if you have a great technical job open, make sure you're sharing it with the Women Who Code community because we have incredible technologists. They deserve access to companies that are willing to support them and the best roles that are available in the industry today. WILL: Alaina, I just want to honestly and truly say this, what you're doing is amazing. Having a background in nonprofit, over 140 companies, over 300,000 in your membership, and it's an international nonprofit. It's truly amazing what you're doing and helping women find their role and help them become better. I'm truly just blown away by, you know, you started in September 2011, so you're coming up on 12 years this year. And just 12 years as a nonprofit and doing this, share with us how was it received at the very beginning? Because I feel like that was a different time that we're in right now. ALAINA: Yeah, it started off as a meetup, just a community group in San Francisco. And it was incredible. It felt like our little secret. And we were spending time together. We were learning. We were building connections. And just it was this incredible community. And then, the world started talking about, hey, we need to teach girls to code. We need to teach women to code. And we were this community of people in the industry. Our average age at Women Who Code is 30, so 50% of our members are currently in technical roles. So, we had this moment of, hey, we need to elevate the voice of those who are in the industry right now, alongside teaching girls to code and teaching women to code. Because if you miss out on that, it actually becomes a threat to the women in the industry who, every time you hear "Teach women to code," you're saying she doesn't already know how to do it. And we had so many people in our community who already did and already had to kind of prove themselves on a regular basis or constantly underestimated. In the early years, a Women Who Code leader who told me that she was managing a booth at a conference, and everyone was an engineer except for one recruiter, and the recruiter's name was Brian. Someone walked up to her and said, "Are you Brian?" Because it was easier to imagine that her name was Brian than that she was one of the engineers at the table. And so, kind of going through this, we said, hey, we need to elevate our voices. We need to elevate the needs of women in the industry. And it feels being in it day by day, that nothing's happening. But when you look back over 13-15 years, you see that parental leave policies have improved significantly, that we see numbers in leadership going up across the board, that it's part of the conversation that relatively standard and tech companies to have DEI roles within the organization, within the people team. And so, these are not enough. It's just the beginning. But it is a lot that's taken place over the past 10 to 15 years. VICTORIA: I agree. And I can relate as someone who was a project manager working in a technology space. Was it back in, like, 2013 or something? And you'd go to tech meetups, and most likely, I would be the only woman there. [laughs] But then, with Women Who Code, my friend invited me to go to a Ruby event, and it was, you know, all women. [laughs]. There was a woman who was even giving the instruction. And so, that was just a really cool feeling after having been out networking and feeling kind of isolated to really find a lot of people who are similar to you. And I remember part of the narrative at that time when we were talking about increasing inclusion and diversity in technology; there was a narrative that, well, there just aren't as many women in tech. And being a part of Women Who Code, I could be able to, like, answer back to say, "Well, there actually is a lot of women in tech." And it's the bigger problem that women would get started because they're interested in the industry and having good careers, but then they would fall out midway. So, there just wasn't enough progression in their careers. There wasn't enough support on the parental leave side, or there just wasn't enough community to keep people interested, like, when you're the only one. And many of our members they were the only women in their company, and then Women Who Code was where they found people they could really connect with. So, I just think it's interesting that it solves a particular problem where we would have women who are just interested in learning to code who would come to our events. And then, we had women who were actively coding in their jobs and teaching others in these leadership roles within the community to advance their own careers. And that's certainly what I did, and how I broke into executive leadership was, like, I'm a director at Women Who Code and I've got all this other leadership experience. And I'm bringing that network with me. It really increases your value to employers and demonstrates your leadership abilities. ALAINA: Yeah, I couldn't agree more. The program which we kind of fell into, it's our volunteers, is our program that I'm actually most proud of at Women Who Code. And it's probably because I get to know our volunteers because I know so many people's lives and careers are impacted by our programming. But that leadership development, that practice-based leadership that our volunteers are able to obtain, the doors that get open, and just like you said, it opened doors. And I remember it hit me when one of our volunteers told me she was interviewing with SpaceX. And one of the reasons they said they were excited to talk to her was because of her Women Who Code leadership experience. And I just thought to myself, we're doing something right. [laughs] VICTORIA: Yeah, absolutely. And I think maybe part of Will's question before, too, is, like, did it always feel like you were doing something right? Or did it all just come together naturally? Or what kind of bumps did you initially hit when you were getting things off the ground? ALAINA: Yeah. When we first got started and realized, hey, we need to make Women Who Code more accessible, we were doing everything in a very manual way. We needed to adapt to building systems and processes, and that's not the fun part of running a volunteer organization. And when you're moving so fast, it means slowing things down a little bit to be able to make sure that you can do things better, more consistently, more efficiently, but it's so critical. And so, I would say we kind of launched outside of the Bay Area in a couple of cities. And it just snowballed until we expanded into 20 to 40 more cities within probably a year outside of that. And we just really needed to catch up on creating systems and processes, which is not beautiful at all, but it's an important part of running a real business, a real company. WILL: That's amazing. First off, I just want to say I am so sorry that the world we live in looks down upon women or anybody. So, I'm just so sorry that, like, the story you said about Brian, asking the lady that. I feel like that's so disrespectful. I am so sorry if you ever got treated that way or anything like that. And so, I was going to ask this question, and then I kind of answered it. But the question was, do you think women are at a place to where kind of equal in tech? And I kind of answered my own question and said, "No." And so, I want to reframe it. What do you think it will take to continue to help the women get to that level of where it should be? ALAINA: It's going to take a lot of things. But the fastest and easiest way to create more equality for women and girls in the tech industry is by investing and supporting the incredible talent that is in the industry today. We need them to thrive. We need them to stay in their careers. We need them to become leaders with power and influence to create more equity in the industry so that when future generations are coming in, they're coming into an industry that is less broken for them, that is more welcoming, that shows and demonstrates more opportunity. This is one of the most exciting and innovative industries to be a part of. So many things are being shaped and built for the first time that are systems that are going to be the foundations for years or centuries to come. And so, it's more important now than ever for us to be thinking about bringing equity into that so we're not dealing with technical debt, where we're starting from a system that has more equality to it. VICTORIA: I really appreciate that perspective. And I'm curious how that relates to your work at Valor Ventures as well. ALAINA: Valor Ventures is very aligned with the values of Women Who Code, which is why I chose it. I am passionate about creating more equality and opportunity for diverse individuals to thrive and succeed in general but via the tech industry. And so, when I move into focusing on entrepreneurs and focusing on seeing diverse entrepreneurs succeed in building thriving organizations, I see an opportunity to have someone who will be thinking earlier about the policies and the practices that are going to build more equitable teams, products that are really for all of their users. VICTORIA: I think that's a great mindset. And it reminds me that when we talked about, like, the importance of diversity, and equity, and inclusion, that it's not purely a moral thing, even though morally we know we want to support and be inclusive, but that it's also good business strategy [laughs], just by the value of having different perspectives and different types of people, and then being able to have your products be accessible for a diverse group as well, right? ALAINA: Yeah, the data shows teams that are diverse are smarter. Companies that have women represented in leadership they have a stronger ROI. There's business reason behind it. There's certainly a social-moral reason that it just should take place. But, you know, if you need to come back to your shareholders or your investors, there's financial data around it. WILL: Yeah, I totally agree on all that, like, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. MID-ROLL AD: Now that you have funding, it's time to design, build, and ship the most impactful MVP that wows customers now and can scale in the future. thoughtbot Liftoff brings you the most reliable cross-functional team of product experts to mitigate risk and set you up for long-term success. As your trusted, experienced technical partner, we'll help launch your new product and guide you into a future-forward business that takes advantage of today's new technologies and agile best practices. Make the right decisions for tomorrow today. Get in touch at thoughtbot.com/liftoff. WILL: What have you seen hold back women in this space? And the reason I'm asking this question is because there are some biases out there, and, at times, we don't even realize it. For example, I know we have parental leave. And before I had kids, I didn't understand parental leave at all. But then, now that I have kids, I'm like, oh, it is not even close to being enough time during that time, you know, four or five hours of sleep at night, just all those things. So, in your experience, what have you seen? And hopefully, we can use this as a learning opportunity for anybody that just may be blind to it. What have you seen that kind of holds it back? ALAINA: That's holding back, like, implementing specific policies and practices or? WILL: Yes, holding back the policies, or maybe women not being as prevalent in tech roles any of those areas. ALAINA: So, sort of two different approaches with that is I'm optimistic. I think most companies, yes, they care about the bottom line, but they want to be doing the right thing if it's easy. Leaders like me we need to put pressure on companies making better decisions. But also, industry leaders and organizations out there need to be able to make it easier for companies to make the decisions that are going to create more equity inside of their organization. I know that's taking the responsibility off of them a little bit. But companies won't make commitments. They won't do the hard things if they don't know how to do it. And so, the easier that we can make it for them to make the right decision, the more likely they are to make the right decision. VICTORIA: I think that people want to do the right thing if it's easy is a really succinct way to explain a lot of, like, social and moral [laughs] issues right now, right? Most people generally want to do the right thing, but it can be complex. I'm curious about, speaking of complexity, for Women Who Code, going through, you know, being an organization that was built around in-person events, and then having COVID happen, so, like, what were some of the challenges of the last few years and changes that you experienced along the way? ALAINA: Yeah, when COVID hit, that was a big moment for the whole world. It was certainly really hard for organizations that rely on in-person activities. You know, our major conference supplied a third of our operating revenue. Our members were going to, you know, close to 2,000 in-person events. And so, we had to adapt just like everyone else. The organizations and the companies that adapted were the ones that thrived. So, we had to completely retrain all of our volunteers from doing in-person events to be able to create digital events for our community. We had to figure out how to produce major events, and conferences, and hackathons and do it in a remote way. And then, of course, there's the day-to-day that absolutely everyone had, and that was, you know, just your team went from meeting in person to everyone being remote. And some of the great things that came out about that is we were serving members in about 26 countries and about 80 cities, and now we serve members in 147 countries. It just made it accessible that if you don't happen to be in a location where an event is happening and you also don't happen to have childcare, be able to participate, that you are still able to participate in an online setting. And then, what we saw with being able to start moving more of, you know, those talks that were being delivered to our YouTube channel, it then became even more accessible. People spent about five years of life watching our YouTube trainings, and that's time people are investing in themselves. And when I say they did it, and I'm talking about in 2022. So, our YouTube channel, our trainings, they continue to grow, and then our online events continue to happen. But luckily, now we are able to start going back in person. And it's, again, just so amazing to be able to see the people you haven't seen in a long time, feel that feeling that is just a little bit different for an in-person event. WILL: That's amazing. So, from, say, 2019, 2020 to now, it went from 80 countries to over 140, just because of the pivot to go more, like, YouTube and tech. Is that kind of what you're saying about the growth of it? ALAINA: Yeah, so about 80 cities, so about 25 countries to serving members in 147 countries. WILL: That's amazing. ALAINA: Yeah, a tremendous amount of growth and creating accessibility around the globe. Previously, we were really only able to focus on tech hubs that had an ecosystem to support it. But, you know, just because you're from a rural area of your state or from a country in the Global South, you still deserve access to this incredible community and all of the free accessible programming that Women Who Code has to offer. When we have a conference, we have people from 88 countries participating. And when you sign into the networking session, you're going to hop on the phone with someone from Nigeria, someone from Bangladesh, someone from your same city, and it's just such an incredible experience to be able to have that global focus and reach. WILL: Wow, that is so amazing. So, let's talk about right now. What does your next milestone look like, you know, in the next six months or next year? What does that look like for you? ALAINA: As I mentioned before, one of the big challenges we've had this year is our programming is going so, so well, but our funding has pulled back a little bit. And so, we're working to diversify our revenue strategy a little bit and have a traditional nonprofit walk that we've never done before. And it's a remote walk, so anyone all over the world can participate just like you can with our digital events. But this has been something new for us. Because when we went through it during COVID, again, you know, you'd get on the call with all of your partners. You know, the world is going through something, and you kind of say, oh yeah, we're in it together. But you don't see the grace that you saw in 2020 and sort of the camaraderie, and we're in this together, and we're going to give you space and support you, you know, in every way that we can that, you know, is just really missing this time around. You know, we have members who absolutely need support in their careers right now. And so, it's navigating through something different. VICTORIA: Yeah. And I guess talking more about inclusivity, like, we have all this free content, and it is Women Who Code. But I remember when I was an organizer, I had a few people ask me, "Well if I'm a man, can I come to your event?" And I was like, "Yes, it's open to everyone," right? Like, it's promoting women, and it's about women growing in their careers. And certainly, if that's not also your intention with attending the event, you should keep that in mind and make sure you're leaving space for other people. But I also really appreciated that it's open for everyone and that it's open for everyone who is in the women umbrella, and being intentional about that, and that it's inclusive of everyone who relates to being a woman, right? ALAINA: Yeah. Women Who Code welcomes all genders. We, you know, really struggle with our name from a brand perspective because it isn't as inclusive as we'd like it to be. So, actually, after we say our name, we try not to repeat the word women anywhere else. From the beginning, been dedicated to having an open, accessible community. But we definitely require, you know, that you are following our code of conduct, that you're there for the intended purpose of the event. And we want to make sure that we're protecting our community. VICTORIA: Well, I really appreciate that. And I appreciate...it sounds like a value organization that I'm with. I always look for those things that that's what we're really promoting. There's been so many changes that have happened with Women Who Code and in your career. If you could go back in time and give yourself some advice when you were first getting started, what would you tell yourself? ALAINA: If I was going back and thinking about what I would tell myself in the beginning, I'd probably tell myself to focus on data sooner. Coming from the history of being a meetup group to transitioning to being a global nonprofit, we dragged our feet around focusing on data impact, and really, it's because we're constantly doing so much programming. We're always doing so many things, and anything you add on is an extra thing to do. And so, I would say focus on the data much sooner. VICTORIA: I can speak to there being a lot of events. I remember back in the heyday in D.C., it was, like, algorithms on Tuesdays and Ruby on Thursdays, and then next week, it would be DevOps. And there was just always something going on. And I thought that was so cool. And I really appreciate just really everyone who is involved in putting on those programs. I really want to emphasize, too, like, the value for companies working with Women Who Code. And what do they get out of the partnership, and how can they really engage with the community? ALAINA: Yeah. So, companies that work with us, it's a partnership. They are there to support the community, and that's what they have to do to really develop trust. And we're going to make sure that we're guiding them in that process. So, if we see an opportunity for them to engage in a more authentic way, we're going to point that out. But companies are often hiring from our community; that's one of the big reasons, not just through our job board because our members are unicorns. They're diverse technologists, and everyone wants to hire them. And so, you can just say, "Hey, come work for me." But really, they want you to explain who's on the team? What are the exciting projects, and what are the exciting technologies that your company is building? So that they can actually identify that your company is an organization that they would want to work for before just applying for a job. And that's what a lot of our partnership creates space for. So, maybe getting an opportunity to join our podcast and tell the story and get to know some of the diverse leadership team or diverse engineering team, learn about some of your, like, commitment to DEI and things like that. Because when a senior engineer receives multiple job outreaches, they're going to respond to the one that they've heard of, that they already know is a good company, that they know is supporting and investing in building equity into the tech ecosystem. That's going to go a long way in them deciding to reply. WILL: That's awesome. Earlier, you mentioned being inclusive of all the members. I think I know the answer, but I just want to double-check. If I want to volunteer, am I able to volunteer at Women Who Code? ALAINA: Yes, absolutely. If you visit our website...and we just updated our website, so I encourage everyone to go visit womenwhocode.com today. It's looking different than it has over the past five years. There's a sign-up to volunteer. You would be absolutely welcome, Will. WILL: Awesome. And, as a volunteer, what would that look like? What could I get involved in? What areas? ALAINA: You could decide to be a speaker. You could apply to be a network leader. You could become a lead in a particular technology area. We have six technical tracks. Our tracks are cloud, data science, Python, mobile. When [inaudible 32:53] hears about it, we will have emerging technologies track that was expanded from our blockchain community this year. And then, we also have a career track as well. So, you can become a lead focused on one of those particular areas in our digital communities. You can get engaged with the Women Who Code community in many different ways. We also have some really cool programs like mentor me and buddy system, so getting involved in those. Building long-form connections or long-time connections with individuals in the community really helps to create a sense of belonging and start to build trust and an opportunity to exchange knowledge. VICTORIA: I always really appreciated people who were, like, "Do you need a space to host your meetup?" Or "Do you want us to buy you pizza for your meetup?" [laughs] Those are very easy ways to engage. And it's true that the membership does see and pay attention to, like, who is regularly getting involved in committing to this, and it makes a difference in your brand and reputation. ALAINA: Absolutely. The companies that work with us absolutely hire from the Women Who Code community. I'll give two examples. So, one of the most exciting examples was we had an event at a company, and they sort of were connecting in an authentic way, not, like, an interview way, but they essentially were doing an early interview with people who were there. And so I remember that it took place on Tuesday, and they had a job offer on Friday at the company that they were at. So, they were just able to move so quickly and hire someone from our community. And then, ages ago, Snapchat was at our first-ever conference, and they had hired four or six people at that event. And it was just so cool to see that we're not a recruiting agency, so we really just rely on either individuals or companies to tell us when they have these amazing career outcomes. So, every time we hear about it, it's always exciting to me. VICTORIA: That's super cool. And I wonder, what is the thing you're most excited about coming up for Women Who Code this year? ALAINA: We have CONNECT Asia taking place later on this year, and so that's our major technical conference with a focus in the Asia market. It's going to be just really, really exciting. We haven't had one since pre-COVID. It's still going to be a remote event. We had CONNECT LATAM, so our first-ever conference focused on Latin America last year. And this year, it's focused on Asia. So, it's really exciting to get back and provide some support to our regional audiences and really showcase some of the incredible talent and leadership coming out of those regions. WILL: That's amazing. So, the question I have for you, and it's easy to assume this question, but I want to hear from you because I know you talked about, at the beginning, how it was when you started the nonprofit. But what is the wind in your sails? Like, what keeps you motivated and going? It sounds like it's an easy answer, but just from your heart, what motivates you? ALAINA: Oh, it is absolutely the stories that I hear, like I said, especially from our volunteers. So, the Mexico City volunteer who, in under a year, told me her salary increased 200%. The director from Toronto, you know, when she stepped up, was an individual contributor, and under one year, she made it to director level, and today she's a vice president. So, when I think of the career impacts that are taking place for our members, and every single time I hear about it, it drives me to wake up. It drives me to work harder. It drives me to deliver better program and just makes me completely connected to what we do as an organization. VICTORIA: What a great benefit. And for myself, personally, it absolutely has been a factor in the last, like, two jobs I've gotten. [laughs] They're like, "Oh, you are a director at Women Who Code? That's so interesting." So, I really appreciate everything that you've done and happy to be a part of that. And my personal network, I know many women who have been through that and benefited immensely from having that networking community. And really, even just being able to see yourself and know that you belong in the industry, I think, is really, really important. ALAINA: I'm sure I'm going to be telling your story the next time someone asks me. [laughter] VICTORIA: That's great. No, please do. And let's see; we're wrapping up at the end of our time here. Is there anything else that you would like to promote? ALAINA: Yeah, please visit womenwhocode.com. If you have technical jobs available, please post them to the Women Who Code job board. Again, it's just womenwhocode.com/jobs. Join our community. Check out our amazing, new, beautiful website, and follow us on social media @WomenWhoCode. VICTORIA: Love that. Thank you so much for joining us today. You can subscribe to the show and find notes along with a complete transcript for this episode at giantrobots.fm. If you have questions or comments, you can email us at hosts@giantrobots.fm. And you can find me on Twitter @victori_ousg. WILL: And you can find me @will23larry. This podcast is brought to you by thoughtbot and produced and edited by Mandy Moore. Thank you for listening. See you next time. ANNOUNCER: This podcast is brought to you by thoughtbot, your expert strategy, design, development, and product management partner. We bring digital products from idea to success and teach you how because we care. Learn more at thoughtbot.com. Special Guest: Alaina Percival.

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