Le Vital Corps Salon

If that wasn’t enough, Jana is a writer, too. She will be releasing her first book, Wild Beauty, in July. (I’ve seen it, and it’s gorgeous.)In this episode, we talk about art curation versus creation as well as Jana claiming her artistic confidence through Captain Blankenship. Plus, we discuss how Jana navigated the intersection of career, family and honoring the different parts of herself, including the tiny chemist. At a young age, Jana started making potions. She eventually developed a sensitivity to synthetic fragrance, which as an adult led her to dive headfirst into natural perfumery and research plant-based ingredients. She’s smart, artistic, and resilient - all of which we discuss during our conversation.Selected link love + resources from the episodeConnect with Jana on social media: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram    Mandy Aftel (perfumer)Reuben Museum in NYCDIA: BeaconMatthieu Ricard on Good Life Project podcastBig Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (book)Joyful by Ingrid Lee (book)B Co

As a single mom, Whitney bravely took on the risk of being an entrepreneur and has never looked back. Whitney is a successful entertainment industry executive-turned-cannabis storage designer who's spearheading her quickly growing startup.Inspired by a lack of stylish, safe cannabis storage systems and a total disdain for storing plant medicine in a shoe box, Whitney decided to produce a product for cannabis users. Using her brand, she is positively redefining the image of cannabis users, too. She hopes to change the image from the “basement stoner” to one the 6-figure professionals who are finding comfort and pleasure in their stash.In this episode, you will hear about the cannabis industry, including society’s demonization of it and how women in leadership in the cannabis space is actually dropping. We’ll also talk about the easy to say, but tough to do concept for all entrepreneurs: Permission to take care of yourself. Yes, it is beyond OK to prioritize self-care. Because, let’s face it, your business will

I’ve been so fortunate to have some really, really kickass guests! Kelly Lyndgaard, who you met in episodes 30, 56, and 57, nudged this one along. Kelly’s become a mentor, sponsor, and a dear friend to me. So, it was an honor to turn the host reigns over to her, while I moved on over to the hot seat.In this episode, you will hear us cover a lot of ground. I think Kelly compiled 2 years of questions! We will talk about neuro-fatigue, coaching, what my superpower would be if I could have one, making major changes in life, issues with feeling disconnected, and some ways to deal with decision fatigue.This was a deeply personal conversation. I offer you a window into what’s been going on over the past couple years - a lot I haven’t spoken about publicly. My hope is that you find some lessons or comfort from my experiences to apply in your own life.I think some folks try to put me on a pedestal as host. You will plainly hear how perfectly imperfect I am. After recording this episode, I felt pretty vulnerable. It fe

After many years of illness and being sick (since she was a child), Mary was diagnosed at 43 with Celiac Disease. And yes, she was thrilled with finally receiving a diagnosis. In this episode, she opened up about her experience with healing as well as her 27-year career as a practicing psychotherapist before her homemade crackers took on a life of their own.Mary talked about the process of starting Mary’s Gone crackers, including her many failed attempts at getting the cracker dough just right. Then, she shares what it was like to satisfy the public’s overwhelming demand for her product and the sometimes harsh realities of building, running and, later, exiting a business. For the uninitiated among us or the non-entrepreneurs, it's not all glitter and rainbows all of the time.Mary offers a unique perspective when sharing her stories and insights as both a healer and a food company entrepreneur. Selected link love + resources from the episodeConnect with Mary Waldner on social media: Website | Facebook | Instag

The Lava Mae goal: to deliver hygiene and to reconnect people experiencing houselessness with their dignity.Doniece began Lava Mae after learning there were 16 shower stalls and about as many toilets for San Francisco's 7,500 houseless men, women, and children. Think about that math. It just does not work out. In this episode, she talks about how her idea became reality in such wonderful detail. In the five years since launching Lava Mae, 14,000 Californians have been served. Lava Mae is expanding by sharing an open source toolkit to respond to the more than 2,000 requests for help from communities as far away as Zimbabwe and as close as New York. In that same period of time, she has won countless awards and been recognized by CNN, Toyota and other organizations. Doniece, however, is most proud of the honor bestowed upon her by her 12-year-old daughter who calls her a homeless superhero. You know what? Her daughter is so right.In this episode, we discussed what Radical Hospitality™ is and transforming how com

With over 25 years of experience as a medical malpractice attorney, Heather has been consistently named one of the top 50 female lawyers in Pennsylvania. Additionally, she advocates, she mediates, she anchors content, and she stars as a legal talking head.I’m stoked about her book, The Elegant Warrior: How to Win Life’s Trials Without Losing Yourself. Heather gathers up all of her lessons from the courtroom and shows readers how they can use their complaints, discoveries, questions, and objections to find their own voices and win arguments without losing themselves in the process. For those of you who have been listening to this podcast for a long time, you know that communication, asking questions, applying empathy, and being curious are all super important to me. I found a kindred spirit and teacher in Heather Hansen.In this episode, you will hear how Heather has re-potted her career over the years. We also talk about the importance of being an advocate for others and for themselves. We look deeply at the p

As PelotonU’s Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Sarah and the organization are committed to ensuring working adults can earn a college degree on time without a mountain of debt. We explore the challenges, or straight-up barriers, that exist for these adults who want to continue or go back to school. As Sarah says, “Picture going back to school right now with nothing else changing in your life.”Yes, you will learn about PelotonU and its innovative, competency-based learning initiative. You’re also going to learn about Sarah, the perfectly imperfect human being. Sarah opened up about how she grew to hate the work she was great at and how that contributed to a mental breakdown.Healing has been a part of her path, and Sarah’s incredibly candid about what it took to overcome her obstacles. She also opened up about her suicidal ideations and celebrating her "5-year burnout-iversary.” We talk about workaholism as a coping mechanism, hitting pause on the “shame tapes” we play on repeat, and Sarah’s tenacity in

Diane was also the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby in 1970, where she rode a horse called Fathom. These days, Diane runs her own business doing equine sales, which almost seems like a horse and rider matchmaking service. If that wasn't all enough, she worked with author Mark Schrager on the upcoming book about her life called Diane Crump: A Horse Racing Pioneer’s Life In the Saddle.In this episode, Diane and I talk about all things equine and horse racing. Yes. All. The. Things. This includes women’s right to ride and gender (in)equality in horse racing. Plus, we talk about the importance of quiet determination and focused fascination. Diane also shares poignant insights about the freedom to follow (but not force) what’s in your heart and navigate all of the negativity. Seriously, Diane walks her talk for focusing and letting negativity roll right off of her.  Selected link love + resources from the episodeConnect with Diane Crump  on social media: Website | Facebook  Diane Crump: A Horse Racing Pio

I first met Sharon when she gave a talk at Woodstock BYO. That’s when I learned about her passion for the zero/less waste movements. There was so much more I wanted to ask this thought-provoking, social entrepreneur.Not only is Sharon passionate about reducing waste, she is also passionate about entrepreneurship. She recently condensed all of her business knowledge into a book called The Magic of Tiny Business. I ripped through the book in one afternoon and loved it. I'm not the only person who loved the book. Seth Godin had some awesome things to say about it, too. (Yes, that Seth Godin.)When Sharon's not running her company, she is speaking to rid the world of single use plastic bags and promote sustainable, tiny business. She’s also active in The Social Venture Network, B Corporation, The Women's Presidents Organization, and the Governing Board of Westchester Collaborative Theater. Whew. She is one busy lady who holds it all together with poise and grace.In this episode, Sharon talks about the power of mak

Saundra got her start working her way up through amateur night at the Apollo Theater (yes, that one). She's been a touring member with artists like Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Victor Wooten, Mavis Staples, and Low Cut Connie. She's recorded with artists such as Amy Winehouse, Moby, Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Lady Wray. Saundra has also written her own music, has had a solo career, and makes up one half of the group, Saun and Starr (who are signed to Daptone Records).Saundra has a lot of professional cred. Yet, she’s here today to talk about Saundra - the woman and working mom. While I know Saundra believes music has a real healing power to it, I happen to think her story does, too. In this episode, you’ll hear Saundra share stories of being a young girl growing up in the Bronx and singing into her “microphone” (a hairbrush). She also opens up about being a working teenage mom and experiencing some working mom guilt. Plus, she talks about her time at the Apollo Theater and lessons learned about r

Additionally, she's a Sr. Science Consultant for Gender Intelligence Group. She’s spent her entire professional career working and teaching in one of the busiest emergency departments in the Northeast. When she’s not working in Emergency Medicine, she’s digging into all the ways in which biological sex and gender influence our brains and our bodies. She is a woman who deep dives into cutting edge research across different spectrums of science and culture to understand the different responses that men and women have to things like illness, trauma, toxins, and even therapies.We're going to talk about strategically navigating your career, balancing what excites you with what your organization truly needs, and walking that tightrope between boredom and overwhelm. Additionally, we dig into the topic of sex and gender - a bit of a Sex & Gender Bootcamp. We also geek out over data and eliminating the “anxiety fuzz.” Note: Some topics we discuss may be little more controversial than others. Please know that any o

Carla has spent the past decade working in New York’s non-profit sector. Since earning her Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University, she has collaborated with a diverse array of start-up organizations to create solid institutional foundations to support their structural growth. Her work has proven instrumental in the advancement and evolution of multiple organizations, such as OneVoice, Columbia University’s Genocide Prevention Program, Qualitas of Life Foundation, and Awake Youth Project, to name a few. Her generous spirit continues as the founder of Be Time Practice, where she is offering a vehicle (both figuratively and literally) towards peace and well-being for as many humans as possible.Today, Carla is going to share how she transformed a “cute” idea for a bus into a business. Plus, she talks about persistence - how she kept going knowing her idea could potentially fail. She talks openly about how she continued to try everything in her power to make her dream into a reality. Of course,

Join me in welcoming the women in this here virtual roundtable: Minda Harts, Erin Barra, Rachel Citron, Dara Kass, Kelly Lyndgaard, Kara Rota, and Patti Wilson. (You can find their cred, links, and news in the Resources section below). I want to acknowledge Minda Harts for inspiring and opening this episode with me. All of these amazing women span different industries and are at different stages of their careers. They’ve mentored, been mentored, and/or sponsored along the way. So, that, friends, is what we’re covering – mentorship and sponsorship.Perhaps you want to launch a business, grow in your current role, find a new job, or begin a new passion project. Whatever it is you’re considering, it’s your relationships with others that can help you achieve any of these things.Another surprise! There are not one, but two, episodes this week as part of this special, year-end Mentor Sponsor Mashup. It’s broken up into two parts because everyone had so much to share. When producer Craig and I sat down with the raw c

Join me in welcoming the women in this here virtual roundtable: Minda Harts, Erin Barra, Rachel Citron, Dara Kass, Kelly Lyndgaard, Kara Rota, and Patti Wilson. (You can find their cred, links, and news in the Resources section below). I want to acknowledge Minda Harts for inspiring and opening this episode with me. All of these amazing women span different industries and are at different stages of their careers. They’ve mentored, been mentored, and/or sponsored along the way. So, that, friends, is what we’re covering – mentorship and sponsorship.Perhaps you want to launch a business, grow in your current role, find a new job, or begin a new passion project. Whatever it is you’re considering, it’s your relationships with others that can help you achieve any of these things.Another surprise! There are not one, but two, episodes this week as part of this special, year-end Mentor Sponsor Mashup. It’s broken up into two parts because everyone had so much to share. When producer Craig and I sat down with the raw c

It’s hard to imagine not having to navigate burnout at Maé’s level of competition. Here is a quick rundown of just some of Maé’s accomplishments: She is 2011 Ondrej Nepela Memorial Champion, the 2016 International Cup of Nice Champion, the 2015 Winter Universiade Silver Medalist, and a four-time French National Champion. During the 2018, Sochi Olympics she skated to Beyonce's "Run the World (Girls).” Yes, yes, and more yes!  You may be thinking, “Come on Kara, here we go again with the buzzword, ‘burnout.’” Yet, burnout is real. In this episode, you’ll hear firsthand how an Olympic figure skater handles burnout (and how I do too). We talk about the REAL burnout. The kind of burnout that leaves you debilitated, feeling depressed, and anxious - something that we have to climb out of and push ourselves forward to thrive or, sometimes, do what we’ve got to do to survive.Maé shares some of things that worked for her and what she thought about her experience with burnout all so we can learn from her perspective. We

Here is a fun behind-the-scenes fact: I record this podcast in a shitty, faux wood-paneled, 1957 sewing room. So, I was admittedly a little intimidated by Veronica. Her company specializes in wellness architecture - the art and science behind designing built environments that enhance human health and well-being. Veronica has practiced architecture, speaks, and leads think tanks all over the world. She is doing amazing work. We’ll, of course, learn more about what wellness architecture is and how Veronica is helping clients improve their lifestyle through wellness builds. She also brings awareness to how our surroundings have an impact on us. Did you know that even the sound and smell of a building can affect our physiology and psychology? It’s a fabulously interesting concept and and eye-opening conversation. We also have a deep discussion about running too fast and how to purposefully slow down. Veronica shares some of her own self-care practices. Finally, we talk A LOT about habits - shifting habits, changi

Kate is also a caring wife, a nurturing mom of three adorable boys, and is a speaking/writing/inspirational force for good in our global community.Buckle up, folks! We cover a lot of ground, or in this case, shall we say airspace? We talk about owning your personal space and exhibiting grace under duress, navigating ultimatums in a “man’s workplace”, and the importance of making and taking quiet time. Plus, we explore the depth of a mother’s love, talk about acceptance, and Kate shares poignantly how she is consciously leaving her footprints in the sands of time. So. Much. Awesome. All packed into one episode. There are times I meet people in this world when I can literally feel the sphere of energy around them. Kate is one of these people. She's tirelessly inspiring, working to connect her Air Traffic Controlling sisters, young girls, and pretty much any woman who crosses her path. We are like-minded sisters, who also deeply believes that we have so much more in common and how interconnected we all truly are

Jessica Grounds has been busting her rump in Washington D.C. since the age of 22. She has founded and led multiple organizations across both the public and private sectors to advance women in leadership. Today, we're going to learn all about the strategic gender-inclusive, bipartisan work she's doing with Mine The Gap, an organization on a mission to create gender-inclusive environment for companies, organizations, and businesses. You’ll also hear Jessica pull wisdom from her own experiences as the founder and former Executive Director of Running Start. She helps us more fully understand the barriers facing women in the workplace today and beyond.Additionally, we touch on the topics of sexism, gender diversity in the workplace, and balancing work and life as a new mother. Plus, Jessica offers practical and realistic steps we can all take within our own organizations to encourage leadership among women - starting right now.  Selected link love + resources from the episodeConnect with Jessica on social media an

Megan deeply believes that business can be a force for good and that good design fosters a more resilient future. In this episode, you’ll hear all about the work Megan is doing at New York Heartwoods and learn more about her philosophy on doing good work and being resourceful. We chat about making beautiful things by hand with love, gender issues at work, and honoring the feminine while doing business. We consider how we value ourselves in relation to others. We tackle a lot in what felt like such a short time! A special note, this episode is rather unique because it was recorded live in what Megan and I referred to in this episode as “the makeout booth” at Radio Kingston. (We were practically sitting in each other’s lap!) Because it was recorded live, anything can happen; and it did. At one point, we were joined by a very agitated commercial washing machine in the adjacent laundromat.Washer machine aside, we had an immersive and special conversation about feminine energy, being of service, and other stuff th

Zuzu is an Austin-based new contemporary artist with an insatiable appetite for street art, yoga, and self-exploration. Some of her commercial work has intersected with companies like Neiman Marcus, Bud Light, Nordstrom, Red Bull, South by Southwest, The X Games, the Wanderlust Festival and more.  Zuzu continually seeks ways to positively  impact others through nearly everything she does, which comes through loud and clear in this episode and in vibrant color the rest of the time. There is so much to learn through this conversation with Zuzu. We touched on how she keeps her head in the game, leveling up as a paid, working artist, navigating her definition of self-worth, and finding her place on the planet. Like all of Zuzu’s work, I hope this episode leaves you full with insight and inspiration. Because, as we talk about in this episode: “You are f*#&ing awesome.”* We all need to be lifting each other up.Selected link love + resources from the episode:Connect with Zuzu on social media and on the web: Webs