An Interview With Melissa Llarena

What does it mean to be a decision-maker? What can the team at The Wall Street Journal do in order to bring more young people into its fold? On today’s episode, Wall Street Journal executive, Suzi Watford, talks about how we can create a safe space for our next generation of CEOs and decision-makers. Suzi has an amazing ability to engage not just brand new members, but also her own team in pursuit of a single goal – bringing in clarity of thought as they work towards achieving their biggest ambition for this year. With over twenty years of experience in the media industry, Suzi joined Dow Jones from News UK where she oversaw The Times and The Sunday Times. She started her career as a graduate trainee for The Times after applying for a job that was advertised in the back of the newspaper.  Currently, Suzi is the EVP of Consumer DJ and The Wall Street Journal’s Chief Marketing & Membership Officer, overseeing global sales & marketing, all digital revenue and the overall membership strategy as well as th

Our guest, Michelle E. Dickinson, is a Wellbeing Strategist and passionate mental health advocate. She is also a TEDx speaker and a published author of a memoir entitled Breaking Into My Life: Growing Up with a Bipolar Parent and My Battle to Reclaim Myself.  Michelle goes first and sees herself as the bridge that helps people get comfortable with their mental health so that they reach out and get the support they need before they hit a crisis. She makes it okay to not be okay and thrives on making a real difference in the lives of others – especially around their wellbeing.  After years of playing the role of child caregiver, Michelle embarked on her own healing journey of self-discovery. She went on to spend years working to eradicate the mental health stigma within her own workplace by elevating empathy and compassion, causing more open conversations, and leading real change in how mental illness is understood. She also knows first-hand what it feels like to struggle with a mental illness after experiencin

Have you ever seen Will Smith’s movie Hitch? In the movie, Will plays the character of a dating coach where he helps men woo the women of their dreams.  Haven't you noticed how going on a great date with a hot woman can affect your psyche the very next day at work? If you're someone who hasn't been on a date in a while and would love to be on a date or you continuously bug people around you about why they haven't been on a date, then this episode is just for you.  Today’s guest is the real-life Hitch, Connell Barret, and author of “Dating Sucks, But You Don't: The Modern Guy's Guide to Total Confidence, Romantic Connection, and Finding the Perfect Partner.”  Connell is a dating coach and the founder of Dating Transformation who helps men connect with women by unlocking their best most authentic selves. He takes men who lack confidence and who don't know how to flirt, and he helps them find out who they are in the process of getting great relationships.  About 15 years ago, Connell found himself in a pattern o

Have you ever wondered whether you could ever be creative? Creativity is not limited to a beautiful work of art, a tear-jerking song, or a heart-wrenching sonnet. It’s also not just limited to people in academia or folks in the creative design world. Well, as humans, we all have that creative power. Everyone can be creative. It’s just a matter of understanding it and applying our ideas.  And if you don't consider yourself to be creative, then be sure to listen to the entire discussion and you’ll be surprised how much creative potential you actually have within you – it’s just waiting for you to tap into it. What better way to talk about creativity than by bringing in these two beautiful, creative minds Paulina Larocca and Dr. Jen Gippel who are both making creativity their life's work. Both ladies decided to launch an amazing publication that anyone can find on medium.com entitled Creative Enlightenment.  On today’s episode, both of them are going to share their story, wisdom, and insights into creativity, em

Several former corporate executives have recently found themselves self-employed. For some, it’s been a dream long-time coming. Yet for others, it’s been anything but a dream. The ups, downs, and pace are different than working for someone else and that is why I wanted to interview a lifetime entrepreneur who has started 14 businesses, Kevin Miller.  Listen in for his battleground-tested perspective on the price of striving all the time as well as his perspective having been raised in a home where he saw his dad build several businesses. After tuning into this episode, you will realize that in reality, you don’t have to do it alone and that everyone else has felt like you do at some point of their entrepreneurial journey as well.  The best part about this chat is that Kevin’s perspective sheds light on the benefits of sharing your journey with others – especially your kids. Here’s more about Kevin Miller. He has devoted himself to unearthing the root issues of positive, personal change, and motivating people

Collectively, moms have confronted a lot of uncertain moments historically. Some of us have gone to give birth with a plan and had to make adjustments. Others thought they were going to adopt a particular child and then the legal system changed her plans. Yet, 2021 felt a little different. It was the year that according to one Reuters article about 2 million moms were pushed out of the workforce.  The article that I am referencing is this one entitled: Pushed out by pandemic, women struggle to regain footing in U.S. job market, by Jonnelle Marte and Aleksandra Michalska. In this article, you can witness how two moms who were featured are thinking through their career options, childcare constraints, and whether they will return to the workplace anytime soon. Despite this episode being a dedication to those 2 million moms who were impacted by the pandemic, this episode is an important one to bookmark whether you are a mom or not. Here’s why: You too will feel the impact from such a void in the workplace. You h

What if there were more similarities across sectors than differences? What if the best bosses --- the “talent magnets” across sectors shared qualities that you could learn and apply today? It was a pleasure to speak with one of the world’s most prolific and generous (both) thinkers in the field of management, my former Tuck professor Sydney Finkelstein. The last time we spoke was in NYC at a tiny coffee shop during which time he was sharing his research findings pertaining to his concept of “superbosses.” So what’s a superboss? Are you one? Have you ever been led by one? We talk about all of this as well as why Professor Sydney Finkelstein decided to launch his own podcast the Sydcast.   About Sydney Finkelstein   Sydney Finkelstein is the Steven Roth Professor of Management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He holds a Masters degree from the London School of Economics and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. Professor Finkelstein has published 25 books and 90 articles, including the bestselle

Have you ever written something that you wished you could self-publish? What about your child, niece or nephew? We are all born creative as per Picasso. However, staying creative is the tough part. This week’s guest once worked with me at Ogilvy & Mather in NYC. Amy provides an amazing perspective on creativity. She worked on both the agency and client sides as she explored her own creativity. Listen to how Amy has followed her curiosities when it came to her creativity, decisions on where to live in the world, and how to lead her entrepreneurial journey.   About Amy   Amy Wong is a proud Canadian, the mother of two rambunctious young daughters, and someone who has turned their love of marketing and entrepreneurship into a 20-year career. This passion has taken her from Toronto to New York to Beijing to Hong Kong. After graduating from the Ivey School of Business in Canada, Amy moved to the Big Apple to break into the advertising industry, an area of study that fascinated her at school. Luckily, a small A

Where does our food come from? How mindful are we about the food we purchase and consume? What is conscious gastronomy and how is it one step closer to the achievement of an equitable food system across the world, which subsequently falls under every other form of power dynamics? Eleni Michael is on a mission to answer these questions and educate the public for a better food future. Listen to the end because we go on to discuss how Eleni got into the food industry (hint: by creatively following her curiosities) in the first place given that neither of her parents were in the field.   Eleni was raised by internally displaced refugee parents, who lost their homes from the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 1974; their country has always been under occupation or control of some other state, and that is deeply reflected in their food system.   At the age of 18, she left Cyprus to study abroad where she completed her first degree in International Hospitality and Tourism from the University of Surrey and the Polytechnic

Ever wonder what it’s like to live the roller coaster life of a rock star? Me too! We see it in the movies all the time. The talent and rise to fame, the chaos, the drugs, the fall. Well today you get a firsthand account from someone who has lived it! Former frontman for The Jangletones, Victor Hanning shares his powerful story of overcoming addiction, his eight-year hiatus and exile of healing, living a creative life and so much more.   The Jangletones were founded in 2008 in Malmö, Sweden. They made their mark on the music scene playing feverishly energetic tunes with both garage rock and post punk influences. In 2009, they recorded a 6-track EP and a video for their "Dance Angst, Dance..."   Victor Hanning gets personal in this intimate discussion. After such a long time away from the public eye, Victor’s story of redemption will be a breath of fresh air for anyone who needs to know there is a way out of their dark place. Sometimes it requires embracing radical change.   Share this episode with three rock

Get ready for a deep conversation with the potential to change how you see yourself, those around you, and what you expect from life. Suzy’s perspective is that of a wise human who has done the work that many of us would rather avoid just to get on with achieving various success markers. We dug deep into Suzy’s life’s work and what it takes to truly transform our lives and be open to new perspectives of what we can do with it.   About Suzy Batiz   Transformation is the common thread that runs throughout founder and creator Suzy Batiz’s life and her companies. Whether transforming the bathroom into a pleasant-smelling experience with Poo~Pourri, the household cleaning industry from toxicity to aromatherapeutic magic with supernatural or people’s lives with her growing portfolio of ALIVE OS™ courses, Suzy is a revolutionary explorer of infinite potential in the playground of life. She loves to inspire others and bring them along for the ride, with energy being her native tongue.   Suzy experienced some of life’

Meet Esther Goedvolk, she is in demand and hot as ever DJ at 56. She lives in Amsterdam yet her musical taste transcends generations and geographies. Her artist name is DJ Je Moeder. (Your Mama). She was a DJ in the 80s. She worked in television as a producer and in the world of festivals and events. Her music selection is old and new school Hip Hop, RnB, Afro beat, and Motown. In 2013 she was in a wheelchair with a corset because of a bone tumor in a vertebrae. She had a 22-hour operation and got a titanium cage. So, technically she is kind of - a bionic woman. It took her about four years to be up and running again. It was quite a struggle.   Two moments she would like to emphasize include in 2015, when she found the Spine & Joint Centre in Rotterdam. During a breathing practice there, she felt her tail bone again after 2.5 years of not being able to feel anything there. In one split second, Esther realized that she could start a new life! The second moment that she wants to express gratitude for what 

Leaders today in big and small organizations around the world are navigating multiple unknowns. What might have felt weird before this pandemic is now the norm. Did you ever think that you would be relying on Zoom to present a high-stakes innovative idea and then an hour later hop on a parent-teacher’s conference online? Me neither and not whilst in my sweatpants. You will certainly want to jot down insights and key questions to ask yourself from this week’s guest Beth Comstock. She is a marketing and innovation legend who has witnessed weird and been part of GE teams that have leveraged many “weird” market insights into a normal (and often better) way of doing business.   Here’s more about Beth’s illustrious corporate career. Beth Comstock’s mission is to understand what’s next, navigate change and help others do the same. By cultivating a habit of seeking out new ideas, people and places, she built a career path from storyteller to chief marketer to Vice Chair. She currently works as an advisor, director an

The perfect episode for a budding business owner or corporate leader responsible for rapid innovation and an easy to adapt strategy in light of recent seismic market changes. This is the story of a woman who takes mentorship seriously and knows how to adapt to change in a fast-paced world at the intersection of tech and fashion. Meet Adina Jacobs. She co-founded STM Goods back in 1998 with her business partner Ethan. They were early pioneers in developing protective backpacks and laptop accessories at a time when not everyone had personal tech. Getting their business off the ground took a lot of persistence and finding their audience.   Over the past 22 years, STM has expanded globally, undergone a major rebrand and launched a virtual AR app – which has given Adina lots of insights and business learnings she can share. Most recently, with many businesses moving to a remote setup, the demand for protective accessories for digital devices grew almost overnight, seeing a surge for the products STM had long been

Ever wondered why you think about yourself or others in certain ways? Would you like to learn how to change any of those thoughts? In this conversation, you will understand yourself better than your OB/GYN! This one is perfect for anyone who identifies as a woman or has been socialized as a woman because Kara is about helping women how to control the thing we can our own brains! Kara Loewentheil is a Master Certified Coach with a B.A. from Yale and J.D. from Harvard Law. In the last four years after pivoting from a legal career, she has grown her life coaching business from 0 to 7 figures. She's the host of the iTunes top-rated self-help podcast Unf*ck Your Brain which has been downloaded 10M times, and she has been featured in outlets like Marie Claire, Mind Body Green, MSN.com, and The Huffington Post. Kara lives in New York City. Learn more at unfckyourbrain.com. Share this episode with your three favorite feminists who are done with being told how they should think or be and would much rather define their

Clubhouse is on everyone’s newsfeed. Are you there? Do you have a spare invite? As a career coach to marketers I spend most of my time on LinkedIn yet Clubhouse has me hooked. So what is Clubhouse? The new social media tool on the block. I met this week’s guest on Clubhouse and then we got to know one another on LinkedIn. Get ready because during this week’s episode, you will hear a refreshing conversation on making real human connections in ANY setting, Joshua B. Lee shares precisely how the same rules apply to building authentic HUMAN relationships on any social media platform. Yes, including Clubhouse. You may also be surprised to hear how expressing appreciation especially for underappreciated actions could be game-changing also on any social media platform. However, Joshua too believes in the potency of LinkedIn. LinkedIn being my “main man” when it comes to social media tools (other than my husband and three sons of course). So who is Joshua B. Lee and why is this conversation essential especially if yo

In this incredible interview, you will hear from David Meltzer. David is the Co-founder of Sports 1 Marketing and formerly served as CEO of the renowned Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment agency, which was the inspiration for the movie Jerry Maguire. Listen for the key to David’s success in life to better understand that it is by wishing well on others that you will receive. To truly understand the magnitude of David’s “what” not “why” go ahead and read his mission.     His life’s mission is to empower OVER 1 BILLION people to be happy! This simple yet powerful mission has led him on an incredible journey to provide one thing…VALUE. In all his content and communication that’s exactly what you’ll receive.  This episode is packed with simple insights that can shift your paradigm into finally feeling as if you can make a dent in this world. David sees our unlimited potential to touch many lives as a simple mathematical equation making David’s teachings incredibly within reach for you too.   As greater co

Do you know what your true purpose is? This is a multidimensional and thoughtful discussion that can help even the busiest city slicker understand exactly how to pause and bear witness to their true purpose. This is a much-needed and timely metaphorical “time out” that will help you start or continue on your personal journey towards becoming more present, self-compassionate, and in tune with the “real” you, not the “masked” you. Included in this conversation between two humans who were raised in different hemispheres, you will find a globally applicable step-by-step exercise to gain a deeper understanding of your essence. You are invited to bookmark this exercise highlighted towards the end of our talk and share it with other “seekers.”   So whether you are in NY or Sydney or anywhere in between you are welcome to take notes from Marshall Dunn. He is a Spiritual Healer & Conscious Mentor, Meditation Teacher, Author & Podcaster who lived in NY yet is currently back home in Sydney, Australia. His life p

Are you a yo-yo dieter? Too often we think that the answer to all of our prayers is to lose weight. If we lose weight we’ll have more energy, feel more loved, and look better. So of course when we think of resolutions we aim to lose weight every single year yet just about this time of the year we tend to revert to our old food habits. Why? Meet Caroline. She once worked in the inside of a corporate supermarket lab! Caroline knows what goes into our foods and she also knows the limiting beliefs that make their way into our minds. She discusses what may be keeping you from releasing your weight, bringing your full self to work, and feeling healthy once-and-for-all. We talk about how everything is related and what you can do specifically to break-free from your local diet culture whether you live in the U.S., U.K., or Australia.   Caroline Power is an ‘anti-diet culture’ dietitian and hypnotherapist, specialising in emotional, compulsive or binge eating as well as any eating disorders, body image and ditching di

What if you could reframe anything including 2020 as a year that had its positives? Meet Timothy Phelps. During this very vulnerable conversation, he shares how he overcame early childhood traumas and how by changing his mindset he overcame being homeless. This conversation covers a lot including how he was able to forgive those who hurt him, the way he was able to balance his reality with his massive ambitions when he was homeless, and how he sees 2020. Here is a bit more about Timothy whom I met by way of Jessie Itzler’s Build Your Life Resume community. We were both seeking to rekindle our sense of adventure and his courage stuck out during a training with Jens Pulver a retired MMA champion who also experienced trauma.   Timothy endured child abuse and neglect, quickly developing self-doubts, fears, and depression at a young age. School was his safe haven, although it was not truly safe, as he endured bullying. Phelps hated life, and after being told multiple times he was a mistake, should’ve never been bo