Reshma Sohoni is the co-founder of Seedcamp. As one of the most important women in Europe's startup and technology ecosystem, Reshma Sohoni works with founders of 300 portfolio companies and interacts with around 3000 startup founders every single year. Reshma founded Seedcamp in 2007, creating a diverse team of founders, makers, operators, executors, investors and tech-enthusiasts who actively promote early-stage tech. In the 11 years since founding, Seedcamp has amassed 300 portfolio companies and works with over 3000 companies a year, representing some of the best investments in early-stage tech companies across Europe and playing a pivotal role in getting the European tech ecosystem to the place it is today. Reshma is an energetic, engaging and eternally optimistic. Throughout this conversation, Isa, David and Reshma delve deep into these core characteristics and explore how they’ve helped Reshma leverage every opportunity afforded to her, and she now helps others to do the same. Our conversation includes tips on: - Reshma’s key life skills of optimism, people pleasing and pragmatism - and why they’re so important for leveraging opportunity: - What she looks for in successful founders: “grit, perseverance and hustle!” and patterns she sees in successful founders - How to network your time effectively within different people power dynamics Find out more about Reshma and Seedcamp: http://www.seedcamp.com This conversation was recorded with a live audience in Berlin. If you want to listen to more women making waves in the tech world then check out episode #28 with Ann Miura-Ko - often hailed as the “most powerful woman in startups”: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/28-how-venture-capitalist-ann-miura-ko-became-the-most-powerful-woman-in-startups/ And you should also check out our Medium site where we post articles featuring all the best insights from our podcast guests. To find us head to: https://medium.com/@rolemodels Thanks to Samsung NEXT for supporting this episode. Find out more about their mission to support entrepreneurs: http://samsungnext.com/berlin Thanks to our event sponsors Samsung NEXT, She’s Mercedes and location sponsor Spielfeld for supporting our live recording in Berlin: http://samsungnext.com/berlin https://newsletter.shesmercedes.de http://www.spielfeld.com/ And please follow Role Models! On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rolemodels/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolemodels Don't miss future events or podcast episodes! Sign up for our newsletter on https://rolemodels.co

Robin Chase is the co-founder of Zipcar and the author of Peers Inc. Robin is a serial entrepreneur within the mobility and transportation sectors with a special focus on sustainability. Her mantra is to “everyday, create the world you want to live in”, meaning she’s helping to create cities that are livable, environmentally sound, and full of joy for all who pass through them. Working closely at the intersectionality of transportation and climate change, Robin is a passionate advocate of our environmental impact. Since 2000, Zipcar has lowered CO2 emissions by 1.6 billion lbs per year and taken away the need for more than 415,000 privately owned cars. Her new initiative, The New Urban Mobility Alliance (NUMO) continues to further the aim of creating cities where the new normal is both sustainable and livable. In this far-reaching conversation Robin had a lot to say on how she manages her personal commitment to creating more sustainable futures whilst recognising the immensity of the task at hand and our chat with Robin is full of advice on: Ways to be impactful within a very complex global problem Why diversity and thinking of your “single and best use” are the most powerful tools Adapting and continuing to learn over time Why we’re all role models to each other and so need to hold ourselves accountable It’s a great episode for anyone interested in effecting a positive global change and if you’re interested in platform companies such as Zipcar, or how to go about building them, check out Robin’s new book, Peers Inc. If you enjoy our conversation with Robin you can: Follow Robin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmchase Learn more about Robin on her website: http://www.robinchase.org/ Check out her new book, Peers Inc: http://www.robinchase.org/#peers-inc Read more about Zipcar: https://www.zipcar.com/ Read about the New Urban Mobility Alliance (NUMO): https://www.numo.global/ And check out the Shared Mobility Principles for living: https://www.sharedmobilityprinciples.org/ If you want to listen to more women who are following their passions to create better futures then check out episode #40 of the podcast where we spoke to seed.com founder Ara Kratz about how she’s redesigning microbiome science: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/40-seed-com-founder-ara-kratz-on-finding-your-path-without-following-the-recipe/ And you should also check out our Medium site where we post articles featuring all the best insights from our podcast guests. To find us head to: https://medium.com/@rolemodels Thanks to Samsung NEXT for supporting this episode. Find out more about their mission to support entrepreneurs: http://samsungnext.com/berlin A big thanks also to our Patreon patrons who support this podcast: Megan Quinn, General Partner at Spark Capital who supports the organization: http://www.code2040.org/ Anna Caroline, a leadership coach based out of Berlin that you can find on truthcircles.com Emma Harris And please follow Role Models! On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rolemodels/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolemodels

Soraya is the founder of Trailmix Ventures, a venture investment firm focused on the future of living well. About Soraya: Soraya began her career as manager of Digital Partnerships and Social Media at The New York Times, where she positioned the global news leader on social networks such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, partnered with startups large and small, and established award winning campaigns. She went on to co-found the application Foodspotting, named by Apple and Wired Magazine as an “App of the Year” (acquired by OpenTable) and later Zady, a mission-driven brand described often as "The Whole Foods of fashion”. Today, Soraya is a General Partner and founder of Trailmix Ventures, an early-stage investment firm focused on the future of living well. TMV invests in services and products that elevate our physical, mental, and financial well-being, next-generation marketplaces, in design-driven technologies and brands born online. In this episode, we speak with Soraya about the future of wellbeing as she introduces some of the companies she works with such as The Wing or Parsley Health who are actively creating that future. We also talk about: - The highs and lows of being a founder, what she looks for in future investments and why we need to rethink the startup work culture to make more time for self care. - Soraya’s personal story (which she hasn’t told before) about how she learned to become a great listener and conversationalist. - And finally, how Soraya makes time to practice self care. Learn more about Soraya and Trailmix Ventures at: https://twitter.com/sorayadarabi http://www.trailmix.vc/ https://www.instagram.com/soraya If the future of our health and wellbeing is something you want to find out more about, check out episode #19 of the podcast where we spoke to Robin Berzin about redesigning healthcare: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/19-robin-berzin-how-would-you-redesign-medical-care/ And you should also check out our Medium site where we post articles featuring all the best insights from our guests. To find us head to: https://medium.com/@rolemodels Thanks to Samsung NEXT for supporting this episode. Find out more about their mission to support entrepreneurs: http://samsungnext.com/berlin A big thanks also to our Patreon patrons who support this podcast: - Megan Quinn, General Partner at Spark Capital who supports the organization: http://www.code2040.org/ - Anna Caroline, a leadership coach based out of Berlin that you can find on https://truthcircles.com - Emma Harris And please follow Role Models! On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rolemodels/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolemodels

Sophia Bush is an actress and activist. After debuting on-screen in the 2002 comedy Van Wilder, Sophia went on to have major roles in the television series One Tree Hill as well as films including John Tucker Must Die, The Hitcher and The Narrows. From 2014 to 2017, she starred in the NBC police series Chicago P.D. Alongside her acting roles, Sophia effectively leverages her Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and blog platforms to raise awareness of world events, causes and political campaigns – encouraging millions of people to participate in the ongoing activism opportunities all over the world. To this end, Sophia has been part of fundraisers such as Fuck Cancer, Run For the Gulf and I Am that Girl whilst also being a founding member of the female resistance movement TIME’s UP. In 2016, Sophia’s selfless activism was named in Oprah’s SuperSoul 100 list of visionaries and influential leaders. Our episode with Sophia is recorded during a self-confessed “huge stage of transition” at the end of what she describes as an incredibly toxic period in her career. Sophia shares the ins and outs of this recent journey of radical self-enquiry with us and generously unpacks her inner landscape in beautifully articulate ways. The challenges she’s recently undergone are themes many of us can identify with and Sophia gives meaning to, and tangible advice about, topics including: - Recognizing your triggers and learning how to look after yourself when they arise - Managing fear and terror in a toxic work relationship and learning to build a personal support system - Figuring out where your boundaries are and following them by listening to the “gut of your gut” Later on in this episode Sophia also talks to us about her galvanizing work as an political activist – advising us all to “own our wins” and play the long game for the greatest advocacy fulfillment. Keep up-to-date with Sophia’s fantastic work by following her: On Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophiaBush On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiabush On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiabush And check out her website: http://www.sophiabush.com If you’d like to hear more from women advocating for social change then make sure you check out previous episodes of The Role Models Podcast: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/language:english-only/category:feminism Thanks to Samsung NEXT for supporting this episode. Find out more about their mission to support entrepreneurs: http://samsungnext.com/berlin A big thanks also to our Patreon patrons who support this podcast: - Megan Quinn, General Partner at Spark Capital who supports http://www.code2040.org/ - Anna Caroline, a leadership coach based out of Berlin that you can find on https://truthcircles.com - Emma Harris And please follow Role Models! On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rolemodels/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolemodels

Anna Winger is the creator and screenwriter of hit television dramas 'Deutschland 83’ and ‘Deutschland 86’. For 15 years, Anna worked as a freelance photographer before switching to write her first novel, ‘This Must Be the Place’ as well as personal essays for The New York Times Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. She then went on to create and write the screenplay for the hugely successful Deutschland ‘83 and ‘86 trilogy series which broke international barriers with their widespread international popularity in Germany, the US, and all over the world. In this episode Anna shares her experience of creating a hit television drama from scratch with lots of advice for budding screenwriters including: - The different roles at play in the writer’s room and how it all works - Tips for becoming a great screenwriter (including staying committed to an idea and having the tenacity to respond well to edits). - The importance of surrounding yourself with people who know your voice and will help you push through when struggling. Alongside these tips, Anna is also a passionate advocate for following opportunities wherever they might take you and not sticking to a set career path. This episode is full of welcoming and practical advice for people following a creative career direction as well as anyone looking to diversify their professional endeavors. Check out the Deutschland ‘83 & ‘86 series on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.de/Deutschland-83-Staffel-1/dp/B018J45ERC And you can follow Anna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/annawinger If you’d like to hear more from the women such as Anna who are behind some of the world’s most well known television shows then make sure you check out previous episodes of the Role Models Podcast: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/language:english-only/category:tv-music-fashion-film/ Thanks to Samsung NEXT for supporting this episode. Find out more about their mission to support entrepreneurs: http://samsungnext.com/berlin A big thanks also to our Patreon patrons who support this podcast: - Megan Quinn, General Partner at Spark Capital who supports the organization: http://www.code2040.org/ - Anna Caroline, a leadership coach based out of Berlin that you can find on https://truthcircles.com - Emma Harris And please follow Role Models! On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rolemodels/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolemodels

Tamara Lunger is a high-altitude ski mountaineer. A big Thank You to The North Face for making it possible for us to record this episode with Tamara. Tamara was born in Bolzano, northern Italy, as the daughter of ski mountaineer, Hansjörg Lunger, she started ski mountaineering in 2002. Since 2009, Tamara has been a high-altitude climber meaning she makes her ascents without oxygen. On 23 May 2010, Lunger became the youngest ever female climber (aged 23 years, 11 months, and 17 days), to have reached the main summit of Lhotse. By the age of 30 she had climbed two of the world’s four highest mountains (K2 and Lhotse) this was despite injuries and afflictions that meant every step taken was in pain. In this incredible episode Tamara tells us what it’s like to traverse some of the world’s most punishing summits, all whilst under considerable physical pain and mental stress. Within this, Tamara generously describes: - Coming face-to-face with death and the life-changing experience that resulted - How she prepares mentally about the fact she may potentially not return from a trip - How she’s helped exhume dead bodies and body parts in order to take them back down a mountain - How she overcame her ego and turned around just 70m from the top of a mountain summit - How she separates the fear of doing something from its end experience (if she knows it will be beneficial) After some action-packed years of adventure, Tamara is currently in a period of reflection, meditation, and physical recovery which she also speaks about later on in the episode. Find out more about Tamara’s achievements: http://www.tamaralunger.com/en/index.php And follow her story on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamaralunger If sports, adventure and their positive affects on the mind are all themes you want to explore then you’ll find more Role Models episodes on the topics here: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/language:english-only/category:sports-athletes/ Thanks to Samsung NEXT for supporting this episode. Find out more about their mission to support entrepreneurs: http://samsungnext.com/berlin A big thanks also to our Patreon patrons who support this podcast: - Megan Quinn, General Partner at Spark Capital who supports the organization: http://www.code2040.org/ - Anna Caroline, a leadership coach based out of Berlin that you can find on truthcircles.com - Emma Harris And please follow Role Models! On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rolemodels/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolemodels

Ara Kratz is the founder of seed.com Newly launched in June 2018, seed.com is a science-based company that supports health, wellness and wellbeing through the application of microbiome science in people’s everyday lives. Seed.com has succeeded not just in translating science into a beautiful product, but in translating science, period. seed.com is currently setting the gold standard in a future where microbes play an increasingly important role in our daily lives. Talking to Ara so soon after seed.com’s launch provided the perfect springboard into conversations about the dynamism of the post-launch period. This includes: - What to expect straight after launching - How the months that follow are about rediscovering the why you created the product in the first place. Elsewhere, Ara also shares her valuable experience in: - Storytelling - the mechanics of what makes a good/bad story and storyteller - Tips on how to meet people where they are when launching a complex product - How to balance the detail as well as the bigger picture when in startup mode Find out more about Seed’s products and mission at: http://www.seed.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seed/ If founding your own company is something you want to explore, you’ll find more Role Models episodes on the topic here: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/language:english-only/category:business/ Thanks to Samsung NEXT for supporting this episode. Find out more about their mission to support entrepreneurs: http://samsungnext.com/berlin Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org - Emma Harris Follow Role Models! On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rolemodels/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolemodels

Sophia Amoruso is the founder of Nasty Gal Vintage; author of #Girlboss; and founder of Girlboss Media. About Sophia Sophia started Nasty Gal Vintage from her bedroom at the age of 22 and grew it into one of the world’s fastest growing companies. In 2016, she was named one of the richest self-made women in the world by Forbes, and Netflix created the show Girlboss based on her story. When the company subsequently filed for bankruptcy, Sophia founded Girlboss Media bringing events, conferences, multiple podcasts, books and more to the millennial women and helping them to redefine success by providing the tools and connections they need to own their futures. In this episode Sophia speaks openly and honestly about what she learned from bankruptcy before going on to found a globally recognised movement with over 10 million #Girlboss uses on Instagram. These conversations touch on areas including: Growing and owning your personal brand - How to take risks, own failure and learn from it - How to lead a company and onboard people into your vision Find out more about Girlboss at: https://www.girlboss.com/ Follow Sophie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiaamoruso Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiaamoruso/ This episode was recorded in partnership with the OMR Podcast which is usually hosted by Philipp Westermeyer. Check out previous episodes of the OMR Podcast here: https://omr.com/de/podcast/ If founding your own company is soemthing you want to explore, you’ll find more Role Models episodes on the topic here: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/language:english-only/category:business/ Thanks to Samsung NEXT for supporting this episode. Find out more about their mission to support entrepreneurs: http://samsungnext.com/berlin Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org - Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris Follow Role Models! On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rolemodels/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolemodels

Anna Soellner is Director of Communications at @Reddit. With over 300 million active users spread across 138,000 different communities on the number 6 most trafficked website in the world, it’s fair to say Anna Soellner has a pretty daunting role as Reddit’s Director of Communications - a website which positions itself as “the front page of the internet”. Recorded live at The European Communications Summit in Berlin, Anna shares her personal journey from working in governance alongside Dianne Feinstein and Sheryl Sandberg all the way up to her current position overseeing communications with, and on behalf of, Reddit’s many millions of international users. Whether you work in communications yourself or want to learn how to better connect your business with those around you, today’s episode is full Anna’s personal learnings and insights as she tells how we can all become better and more effective communicators. Anna shares tips including: - How to manage the fragmented media landscape its ever-changing macro trends - How to practice social listening across multiple social media platforms - Why staying curious, discipline and being an advisor are all key communication skills As well as this, Anna also took the time to talk us through her thoughts on the future of communications, sharing insights on what she thinks we should be paying attention to in the next 2-3 years. To hear more from Anna you can follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/axisanna88 And if technology and the internet are something you’re keen to hear more about, you’ll find lots more Role Model episodes on the subjects here: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/language:english-only/category:technology-internet/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org - Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris If you’d like to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future (thank you!), become a patron and chip-in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels Follow Role Models on Instagram: https://instagram.com/_rolemodels Follow Role Models on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolemodels

Carolyn Coughlin is an executive coach, facilitator, and leadership development specialist. Carolyn’s journey began as a management consultant first at PriceWaterhouseCoopers and later at McKinsey & Co. She was introduced to the idea of adult development shortly after leaving the corporate world 15 years ago, and instantly felt passionate about helping people not only to grow into their biggest selves, but also to live as fully as they can. Throughout all of her work, Carolyn acts as a coach for executives struggling to navigate new or different career situations and in particular, has a keen interest in encouraging more women to step into leadership positions. With her fellow Cultivating Leadership partner Jennifer, Carolyn co-designed and runs the Growth Edge Certification series – a developmentally-oriented coaching platform that helps people find the right coach alongside helping coaches expand their knowledge in the developmental coaching area. Key to Carolyn’s work are two core philosophies of: - Cultivating leadership by offering skills that are immediately useful as well as developmental in nature. - Seeing leadership as a series of habits that are both self-reinforcing and contagious. In this episode Carolyn expands on both of these principles and shows us how we can all create a “self-authored” leadership voice that moves us away from reinforcing feedback loops that could potentially be holding us back. We also touch on topics including: - Why the key to deep listening is curiosity - Why we need to ask different (not better) questions of ourselves - How we can all escape reinforcing feedback loops - Why we’re so hard on our leaders! If you’re inspired by today’s episode you can learn more from Carolyn at: Leadership and change consultancy: https://www.cultivatingleadership.co.nz/ Learn more about the book by Stanley McCrystal 'Team of Teams' https://www.mcchrystalgroup.com/insights/teamofteams/ Developmentally-oriented coaching: https://www.growthedgecoaching.com/ And if leadership is something you’d like to learn more about you’ll find lots more Role Model episodes on the topic here: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/category:leadership/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org - Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris And if you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future (thank you!), become a patron and chip-in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Laura Brown is the Editor in Chief of InStyle magazine. Laura spent eleven years at Harper’s Bazaar, rising to the role of Executive Editor before moving in 2016 to head up one of the world’s most successful fashion media brands. At InStyle Laura is responsible for the print magazine (which reaches 1.8 million readers every month), 13 international editions and digital across all platforms as well as the voice, content, strategy and brand extensions that reach 30+ million women across the world. This multifaceted role leads Laura to liken her job description to more of a producer than an editor. Since her appointment, Laura has championed “Badass women” leading to a refresh of InStyle’s print and digital franchises and giving a relatable voice to a new group of fashion, beauty and celebrity influencers and thought leaders. In addition to all the above, Laura also leads the development of live events such as the annual InStyle Awards, Badass Women, and innovative video series including PeopleTV’s “Dirty Laundry”. Laura’s determination, self assurance and openness are infectious and this podcast episode is bursting with her advice on how to get where you want to be, no matter your industry. This includes: - Doing things with energy rather than passivity - Finding a voice through social media and using it as a tool for learning Storytelling over content creation - Not forcing things – and why taking no for an answer isn’t a bad thing - How to build personal equity through doing good work and being good to people It’s also the perfect listen for anyone looking to break into fashion’s notoriously competitive industry, full of practical advice for people who are struggling to find an access point, including: - The top 3 skills needed to become an editor - How to stand out from the crowd in order to win internships, facetime, and get your foot in the door - The timeline of planning a magazine edition If today’s episode leaves you wanting more you’ll find Laura on Twitter and Instagram: https://instagram.com/laurabrown99 and https://twitter.com/laurabrown99 Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org - Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip-in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Tina Roth Eisenberg (aka @swissmiss) is the founder of CreativeMornings - a global monthly lecture series; TeuxDeux - a to-do list app; Tattly - a design-led temporary tattoo shop; and Friends Work Here - a co-working space in New York City. Swiss-born Tina started swissmiss in 2005 as her personal visual archive and watched it grow into one of the internet’s most popular design journals with over 1 million visitors a month. After working in several prominent NYC design firms Tina decided to start her own design studio but found that many of her side projects were (unexpectedly!) growing into small companies. So, in February 2015, Tina took a one-year client sabbatical to follow her labors of love in their many and varied directions. This led her to found a global monthly lecture series called CreativeMornings; a to-do app called TeuxDeux; Tattly, a design-led temporary tattoo shop; and a co-working space called Friends Work Here. Tina is dedicated to finding intersections between her personal and professional interests and believes we should all be taking our side projects seriously, and sees these passions as areas of opportunity through which we can create wholesome work environments for ourselves. Today’s episode is full of advice on how you can turn your passion projects into long term businesses. This includes how to: - Take the time and space to be entrepreneurial - Make your side projects work together - Scale ideas and add value to them - Overcome hesitation (clue: examine what that hesitation is about) - Do things for the joy of the process, instead of the outcome - Adopt five personal rules to help root your beliefs and ideas Tina credits much of her businesses’ success to the individual teams in charge and is infamous for assembling her teams through unusual interview techniques which isolate shared visions and outlooks. Later on in our episode, Tina shares these invaluable tips for finding talent that’s the right fit in your company. Find out more about Tina: 5 personal rules: http://www.swiss-miss.com/2014/06/sharing-my-5-personal-rules.html Swissmiss blog: http://www.swiss-miss.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/swissmiss Tattly: http://tattly.com/ TeuxDeux: http://teuxdeux.com/ Creative Mornings: http://creativemornings.com/ Friends Work Here: http://www.friendsworkhere.com/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org - Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip-in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Ama Marston is the author of “Type R - Transformative resilience for thriving in a turbulent world” and a thought leader on the topic of “transformative resilience”. In today’s world we’ve become ever-more focused on “bouncing back” and “recovering” from periods of stress, adversity and resilience. But Ama is reframing the ways we talk and understand these challenges, so that we can use them to our advantage. “Adversity is a terrible thing to waste” she says, and by helping us to check our default settings, Ama gives us the tools and capacity to make challenging situations a point from which to grow and innovate through her book and extensive work. In this episode of the Role Models podcast, Ama and I discuss, amongst other things: - How she defines resilience and what she means with transformative resilience - What she calls Type R and what the characteristics are of someone who demonstrates these Type R characteristics. - About the Type R mindset and how we can turn this mindset into action when faced with a crisis. Ama also dives deep into the common themes shared by Type R identifiers including: - Adaptability - Having a healthy mindset to control - Continual learning - Having a deeper sense of purpose - Leveraging support - Actively engaging As well as all the ways we can learn to leverage support in periods of stress. If you’re keen to find out how we can live and work better as well as be more thoughtful in the world, this episode will be an invaluable learning curve for you. Take the “Type R” assessment and find out more: http://type-r-resilience.com/ Follow Ama on Twitter: @amamarston Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org - Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip-in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

In our first ever live episode recorded at Hamburg’s OMR Festival, we speak to Amy Emmerich - Chief Content Officer at Refinery29. As Chief Content Officer, Amy oversees all Refinery29 content with an audience footprint of over 500 million. During her time in leadership with the platform, Refinery29 has launched numerous successful franchises and content brands; as well as scoring exclusives with leading female voices including Cecile Richards. This success is thanks in part to Amy’s 20 years of experience developing content and programming, and in producer roles for platforms including MTV, HBO, Travel Channel, and Vice Media. As an Emmy award-winning producer she has worked across a wide variety of platforms to create and sustain a lasting dialogue about what matters most to a new generation of powerful women. Amy’s success is also thanks to her unique career path and she’s forged her way through traditional media to progressive media by what she calls “positive hustling”. In this conversation we explore her philosophy, touching on many different subjects including: - Why, with hard work, you can get something out of every job - How to hustle positively and with kindness - How to make the most of opportunities when they’re granted to you - Why the people you meet now might take on different roles in the future If you like this episode you can also catch up with Amy: On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Emmerschmidt On Instagram: https://instagram.com/amyemmerich Or by reading Refinery 29: http://www.refinery29.com Thanks to our patrons for this episode: Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org Caoimhe Keogan: http://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com Emma Harris If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip-in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Rebecca Jarvis is the ABC News chief Business, Technology & Economics correspondent; the host and managing editor of the podcast No Limits with Rebecca Jarvis; and the host and managing editor of Real Biz with Rebecca Jarvis. After studying economics in college, Rebecca began her journalism career writing for Crain’s Chicago Business and Business 2.0 alongside gruelling hours working in investment banking and foreign currency trading. This early experience on the trading floor proved invaluable in giving Rebecca the confidence and know-how needed to later launch her broadcast journalism career through which Rebecca has interviewed some of the world’s most successful people including Warren Buffett, Richard Branson, Sheryl Sandberg, Diane von Furstenberg and Arianna Huffington. Rebecca was also the first person at ABC News to launch a podcast, something she had to convince her bosses was the right move and build from the ground up. Through No Limits, Rebecca works hard to demystify success by interviewing bold and influential women about the decisions, trade offs, and realities they’ve had to face up to in order to get where they are today. In this jam-packed episode Rebecca talks candidly about the lessons she’s personally learned during her career so far, as well as those she’s picked up through her extensive interviews with other women. Topics touched on include: - Effective ways to ask for career advice - Defining personal success and how that changes over time - Finding the “side door” instead of following the same path as everyone else - Ways to influence your bosses and get the chances/breaks you deserve - The top 3 skills for being a great journalist - Simple life hacks to make long term goals achievable - Why finding out the worst advice someone ever received is often more telling than the best advice - Why we all have a “greatest hits failure” – and it isn’t something to feel ashamed about And if today’s episode leaves you curious you can catch up with Rebecca by following Rebecca: On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rebeccajarvis On Instagram: https://instagram.com/rebeccajarvis And listen to the No Limits podcast: http://abcradio.com/podcasts/no-limits/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org - Caoimhe Keogan: http://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan - Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip-in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Ali is co-founder and COO of Reboot.io. Reboot is first and foremost a coaching platform - a place where Ali and her team take on the mental models that CEOs and founders use to make decisions so that they can reaffirm their business relationships, enhance their leadership and greater practise resilience. As a coach Ali is skilled in getting her clients to tap into their innermost sense of self to find the original source of their creativity, often helping them to tune into motivations they’d forgotten. To do this she draws on her 11 years experience working operationally managing projects, teams, and human resources at startups. During this time Ali met and worked with Jerry Colonna, and together they developed the first incarnations of the life-changing CEO Bootcamps that then went on to become the foundations of Reboot. Nowadays the company offers coaching, mentoring and team experiences alongside its celebrated Bootcamps, and it has also launched a podcast to make its 360 degree coaching insights accessible to everyone. In today’s episode Ali shares the unique foundations of Reboot’s Bootcamps and what we can all do to further ourselves professionally and creatively in the workplace. This is includes: - What “radical self inquiry” means and how to practise it - How to encourage and promote self awareness - The “Red, yellow, green” check-in exercise and how it resolves conflict - Why good listening skills and presence are essential and how to foster them Ali has also had a long-lasting love of horses since her childhood and references this rider-horse relationship as an essential lesson in practicing connection and presence in “fight or flight” moments of stress. This understanding is something we touch on in the latter part of the episode, as well as how facilitated coaching takes these interpretations and places them in a human context to encourage trust and partnership. To find out more about Ali’s great work head to: The Reboot website: https://www.reboot.io/ The Reboot blog (and its infamous newsletters): http://www.reboot.io/blog Twitter: @manifestcookies The Center for Collaborative Awareness: https://www.collaborativeawareness.com/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: www.code2040.org - Caoimhe Keogan: twitter.com/caoimhekeogan - Alexandra Cosma: alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip-in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Gretchen Rubin is a New York Times bestselling author, podcaster and happiness expert. Gretchen started writing about happiness almost ten years ago, at a time when it wasn’t as much a part of our everyday dialogue as it is now. Over the years Gretchen has worked incredibly hard to identify not just her own core beliefs about happiness and habit forming, but also those which apply to a wider understanding of how different personality types respond to the inner and outer expectations which ultimately lead to feelings of contentedness. Gretchen made the transition into writing by working (she says) “obsessively” on topics that interest her. This compulsion has led her to write nine different books including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers: The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before, The Happiness Project, and Happier at Home which have sold three million copies worldwide in more than thirty languages. Alongside this, Gretchen also produces two podcasts and on her award-winning podcast “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” she discusses happiness and good habits with her sister Elizabeth Craft. The podcast was named in iTunes’s lists of “Best Podcasts of 2015” and was named in the Academy of Podcasters “Best Podcasts of 2016.” Out of her extensive research Gretchen has created a number of different strategies to help us live more fulfilling lives. Today’s episode touches on many of these wider learnings, including: - The “lightning bolt” strategy - Why forming good habits is about setting up something effortless and automatic - What our typical “Four Tendencies” are when responding to inner and outer expectations - Why short-term definitions can be a good way of organizing our thoughts as opposed to forming definitive labels There’s also some great advice in the episode for wannabe writers who are struggling to get started with the creative process. Read more about Gretchen: https://gretchenrubin.com/ Listen to the “Happier” podcast: https://gretchenrubin.com/podcasts/ Take the “Four Tendencies” quiz: https://gretchenrubin.com/2015/01/ta-da-the-launch-of-my-quiz-on-the-four-tendencies-learn-about-yourself/ Photo by Andy Ryan Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2014: http://www.code2040.org - Caoimhe Keogan: http://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan - Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Rianie Strydom is the General Manager and Winemaker at Haskell Vineyards and Dombeya Wines. A graduate of the University of Stellenbosch, Rianie decided to become a winemaker at the age of 14 working in Burgundy, Bordeaux and travelling extensively throughout Europe, America and Australia before returning to South Africa to work within her native country’s terroir. After ten years as winemaker at Morgenhof Estate, Rianie took up the dual role of General Manager and winemaker at Haskell Vineyards and Dombeya Wines in the Helderberg. And in 2009 her Haskell Pillars Syrah 2007 won three trophies (Best Shiraz, Best Red Wine and Best Wine of Show) at the prestigious Tri Nations Challenge – the first time in the competition’s history that a South African red wine had won these top spots. Since then, Rianie’s passion and dedication to ‘improving the breed’ of South African wine has seen her career go from strength to strength  – including an invitation to join South Africa’s prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild – one of only two females in the country to be a member. This episode touches on many career cornerstones including: - The practicalities of marketing yourself and your product - Why honesty and loyalty are key to carrying your career - Three foundational skills for a successful career: Being friendly, being goal-oriented, and showing enthusiasm in everything you do On the subject of wine, Rianie also shares some great tips on: - How to approach wine if you don’t feel like enough of an expert on it and why experience is so much better than education - What ‘terroir’ means, and why it’s important You can read more about Rianie’s wines: https://www.haskellvineyards.com And read more about Rianie’s accolades: http://www.capewinemakersguild.com/users/rianie-strydom Please note: There’s a little bit of background noise in this episode. That’s because the episode was recorded, literally, in the middle of one of Rianie’s wine cellars and you will be able to hear some of the barrells being moved at some points! Thanks to our patrons for this episode: - Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com - Megan Quinn who supports Code2040: http://www.code2040.org - Caoimhe Keogan: http://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan - Alexandra Cosma: http://alexandracosma.com - Emma Harris If you too want to support us in creating The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Ann Miura-Ko is co-founding partner at FLOODGATE, an early-stage venture capital firm. As the child of a NASA rocket scientist Ann grew up, literally, surrounded by emerging technologies in California’s Silicon Valley. And as a young champion debater (she placed first in the National Tournament of Champions and second in the State of California whilst at high school), Ann forged a considerable skill set which has since helped her complete a PhD at Stanford (a place where she now a lecturer in entrepreneurship), serve on the Yale Corporation Investment Committee, as well as become a well-known and celebrated pioneer investor in the AI space. In 2017 she made her Forbes Midas List debut at number 77 among the world’s top venture capitalists for investments which include: Lyft, Ayasdi, Xamarin, Refinery29, JoyRun, TaskRabbit (recently acquired by Ikea), and Modcloth. She was also named “the most powerful woman in startups” by Forbes. This far-reaching discussion with Ann touches on a number of valuable career topics, including: - How to get over your fear in pursuit of a goal - Managing and maximising your luck - The power and potential of persuasion when debating effectively - How to welcome 360 degree criticism - How to ‘dial-up’ optimism and find new opportunities - How tapping into your childhood curiosity is the key to success The key values of successful entrepreneurship including: - Hacking value as opposed to hacking growth - Truth seeking to achieve successful customer development - Seeking out the underdog/misfit And don’t miss Ann’s three key career pointers – skills which which she says once mastered, will come back to support you time and time again: - Figuring out how to speak up - Focusing on your ability to learn - Effective storytelling Follow Ann on Twitter: https://twitter.com/annimaniac Check out more about FLOODGATE: http://floodgate.com/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com/ Caoimhe Keogan http://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Johannes Kleske http://johanneskleske.com Emma Rae Harris If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Margaret Stewart is the VP Product Design at Facebook. Margaret credits being the youngest child of 9, as well as having initially studied Theatre as incredibly useful tools in the collaborative nature of all her work today. She then did a graduate studies at New York University’s Interactive Telecommunication Program before starting her career at Tripod - one of the big homepage building sites in the first dot.com era - and rising up the ranks through the design teams at Google Search and Google News, to become the global Head of Design at YouTube. These days, Margaret leads the designers and researchers who help the tools for business all around the world, allowing them to connect with Facebook’s 1.7B users in meaningful ways. This episode touches on many different topics including: - Honouring the creativity inside of you, and why it’s OK to experiment and play around if you don’t know what you want to do - How to be a good listener and collaborate well - How to create the conditions so that people can do amazing work - Key tips for positive leadership - How to work against career inertia - and why going into management isn’t necessarily the best idea. Margaret approaches her work with a total appreciation of great design as well as the end goal of improving people's lives. Her knowledge, passion and insight into how to create workplace environments which inspire and allow people to create amazing work will be an invaluable tool for everyone - whether just starting out in careers, or already in management positions. Follow Margaret on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mags Follow Margaret on Medium: https://medium.com/@mags Check out Margaret’s personal blog: http://www.fountly.com/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Johannes Kleske https://johanneskleske.com If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Ayse Birsel is a designer based out of New York City, Co-founder and Creative Director of Birsel + Seck, the award-winning design and innovation studio, and creator of the workbook 'Design the Life you Love". Born in Izmir, Turkey, Ayse later attended the Pratt Institute in 1986. Since then she has been based in New York and owns the studio with life and business partner, Bibi Seck. Birsel + Seck have worked with Herman Miller, GE, Colgate-Palmolive, IKEA and Toyota, among others. Ayse was identified by Fast Company as one of the world’s most creative people and is on the Thinkers50 Radar List of the 30 management thinkers most likely to shape the future of organizations. She is the creator of Design the Life You Love, a book and coursework that teaches designers and non-designers how to create a meaningful life using her design process, Deconstruction:Reconstruction™. In this episode Ayse recounts how, at 5 years old, she discovered her passion for drawing and tells us of two individuals who played a profound role in introducing her to the world of design. We cover a range of topics including how to tackle a creative block, how design can be a systematic process and what it’s like to work with your life partner. Ayse shares an array of memories and experiences in ways that are poetic yet simple, interlaced with laughter but sincere and positive yet realistic. Follow Ayse on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AyseBirselSeck Get the book ‘Design the Life You Love’: http://www.aysebirsel.com/book/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Johannes Kleske johanneskleske.com If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Lauren Handel Zander is the Co-Founder and Chairwoman of Handel Group, creator of The Handel Method coaching methodology, and author of the book ‘Maybe It’s You’. Lauren has coached everyone from famous movies stars and business executives to everyday men and women who need support pushing through challenging life and career barriers. The coaching methodology that she created, the Handel Method, is designed to help people be honest with themselves and start taking action on the wishes they want to fulfill. In this wide-ranging and unfiltered conversation, we talk about her journey towards finding her calling as a life coach, and how her own experiences inform her approach to helping others. From believing in the fundamental equality of others to embracing failure, we explore the lessons and learnings that inspire her namesake method. We cover topics like: - How to find your calling. - How to learn how and when to seek help. - How to manage transitions. - How to make ourselves accountable. - We learn about something she calls the Head, heart, Hoo-ha. - How to face fears – and in particular the fear of failure. Get Lauren’s new book ‘Maybe It’s You’: https://www.maybeitsyou.com Follow Lauren on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenZander Design Your Life with Lauren’s digital coaching course, Inner.U: https://www.inneru.coach/ Schedule a Consultation https://www.handelgroup.com/consultation/ Get weekly coaching sent to your inbox! https://www.handelgroup.com/newsletter-signup/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Johannes Kleske johanneskleske.com If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Megan Devine is a psychotherapist, grief advocate, and author of the book ‘It’s OK That You’re Not OK.’ For almost 20 years, Megan has dedicated her life to helping people live through things they never thought they’d face. Having witnessed her partner drown almost 9 years ago, today Megan is leading an effort to change the Western culture of grief by proposing new models for grief and by creating an online community and resource that helps people survive some of the hardest experiences of their lives. This is a conversation about grief, about what to do when you lose someone you love, what to do with grief and this new set of never-experienced emotions, and about how to best help friends and family members who experienced severe loss. Get Megan’s book ‘It’s OK That You’re Not OK’: http://www.refugeingrief.com/book/ Follow Megan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/refugeingrief Learn more about Megan, her work, and how to connect with her: http://www.refugeingrief.com/ And the ‘Writing Your Grief’ 30-day e-course: http://www.refugeingrief.com/30daywriting/ Megan’s role models: Rene Denfeld http://renedenfeld.com/author/ Dawn Serra https://www.dawnserra.com/ Kate McCombs http://www.katemccombs.com/about/ Thanks to our patrons for this episode: Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Johannes Kleske johanneskleske.com If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Kelly Stoetzel is TED’s Content Director and the curator of the TED Conference. At TED, Kelly and her team are responsible for all of TED’s programming, content, and editorial and in more than a decade, she has worked with hundreds of some of the best and most inspirational speakers in the world. If you’re looking to exercise your public speaking skills, this is a great episode for you. In the first part of the interview, Kelly and I talk about her background and how she started to work for TED. In the second part, we talk about TED and the TED conference in general – Kelly shares some stories of working with speakers to develop their talks and about the process she and her team have developed to curate this stellar conference. In the third part we talk tactics and skills: how to practice your public speaking skills, how to play with the fear of public speaking – including techniques you can use to overcome nervousness – and what talks she recommends you to watch in your practice. The artists Kelly mentioned in the episode: Dufala Brothers http://dufalabrothers.com/ Here are the TED Talks that Kelly recommends watching that exemplify what she has talked about in our interview: Ken Robinson https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity Ernesto Sirolli https://www.ted.com/talks/ernesto_sirolli_want_to_help_someone_shut_up_and_listen OluTimehin Adegbeye https://www.ted.com/talks/olutimehin_adegbeye_who_belongs_in_a_city Monica Lewinsky https://www.ted.com/talks/monica_lewinsky_the_price_of_shame Thanks to our patrons for this episode: Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Johannes Kleske johanneskleske.com If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Lydia Denworth is an author, science journalist, and speaker. Lydia’s most recent book of popular science is I Can Hear You Whisper. The book is a memoir of her youngest son’s deafness and her subsequent exploration of sound and language and the brain. Reviewers called it “rigorous,” “enthralling,” “tender” and “luminous." She is working on her third book--about the biology and evolution of friendship--and writes regularly for Scientific American and Psychology Today. Her work has also appeared in Newsweek, Time, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Parents, Vogue, and many other publications. Lydia and I talked about her journey of becoming a journalist and reporter – first for Newsweek, then as the London Bureau Chief of People Magazine during the time of Princess Diana’s fatal accident. About her return to the United States, of becoming a mother three times, and learning that her youngest son is deaf. Connect with Lydia: http://lydiadenworth.com/mailing-list/ Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/LydiaDenworth and Facebook http://fb.me/ScienceWriterLydia Her Brain Waves blog for Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-waves] Her website http://www.lydiadenworth.com Special thanks to our patrons on Patreon: Megan Quinn who supports Code2040: http://www.code2040.org Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com/ Tim Herbig https://twitter.com/herbigt Johannes Kleske https://johanneskleske.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Eileen Williams https://www.switchup.de/stromvergleich If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Alex Constantinople is the CEO of The Outcast Agency that works with clients like Airbnb, Instagram, Spotify, Facebook, or Patagonia. Alex started her career as a publicist for CNN, NBC, followed by marketing and communications roles at GE before switching coasts to join Wired Magazine and eventually The Outcast Agency, first as their COO and then as CEO. Alex is based in San Francisco and the mother of 3. In this episode we talk about Alex's favorite books, how she prepared herself and the company for her sabbatical, or how she has learned to take time away from the day-to-day to assess life and work and much much more. Follow Alex on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConstantAlex Books mentioned in this episode: Margeret Atwood – Oryx and Crake https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46756.Oryx_and_Crake Gretchen Rubin - The Happiness Project https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6398634-the-happiness-project W. Somerset Maugham – The Razor’s Edge https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31196.The_Razor_s_Edge Tim Rath – The Strengths Finder 2.0 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56454.Strengths_Finder_2_0 Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29072594-born-to-run Hermann Hesse – Siddharta https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/444555.Siddharta Thanks to our patrons for supporting the creation of this episode: Megan Quinn http://www.code2040.org/ Anna Caroline TruthCircles.com Tim Herbig Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Johannes Kleske https://johanneskleske.com/

Beth Comstock is the Vice Chair at General Electric, one of the largest companies in the world. At GE, she leads efforts to accelerate new growth. She operates GE Business Innovations, which develops new businesses, markets and service models; drives brand value and partners to enhance GE’s inventive culture. This unit includes Current, GE Lighting, GE Ventures & Licensing and GE sales, marketing and communications. In this episode, Beth and I talk about what makes a good leader, how to learn to ask for help, how to embrace feedback, how to build a network – both internally and externally, how she defines success and how she decides to spend her time. Follow Beth on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethcomstock LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethjcomstock Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethcomstock/ Medium: https://medium.com/@bethcomstock Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethComstock/ –– Special thanks to our patrons on Patreon: Megan Quinn who supports Code2040: http://www.code2040.org Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com/ Tim Herbig https://twitter.com/herbigt Johannes Kleske https://johanneskleske.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Eileen Williams https://www.switchup.de/stromvergleich If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Dr. Robin Berzin is a doctor and entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of Parsley Health, a service that is redefining medical care. Robin believes that medicine should put nutrition, wellness and prevention on the front lines of health care, while simultaneously making care smart and data-driven to meet our needs in today’s world. Parsley Health, the company that Robin founded, is her answer to the question how she would rethink medical care from scratch. Parsley’s mission is to redefine how we think about and deliver medical care, and how we put the patient at the center. In this episode, Robin shares what it was like to leave a job she didn’t like, how and why she started Parsley Health, and how she spends her time in the role of the CEO. Robin shares advice about how to fundraise, how to work with investors, and what she looks for when hiring people into the company. Follow Robin on Twitter and Instagram: https://twitter.com/robinberzinmd https://instagram.com/robinberzinmd https://www.parsleyhealth.com/ Special thanks to our patrons on Patreon: Megan Quinn who supports Code2040: http://www.code2040.org/ Anna Caroline who coaches leaders in Berlin: http://truthcircles.com/ Tim Herbig https://twitter.com/herbigt Johannes Kleske https://johanneskleske.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Eileen Williams https://www.switchup.de/stromvergleich If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Lesli Linka Glatter is a film and tv director based in Los Angeles and known for directing tv shows like Homeland, Mad Men, The Good Wife, and The West Wing. Lesli Linka Glatter started her career as a modern dancer and choreographer before a series of (sometimes lucky) events led her to take a path towards film directing. Today, Lesli is an accomplished film and tv director and has directed countless episodes for shows like Twin Peaks, The Good Wife, Homeland, The West Wing, Gilmore Girls, and many many others. Photo by Justin Lubin Special thanks to our patrons on Patreon: Megan Quinn http://www.code2040.org/ Anna Caroline http://truthcircles.com Tim Herbig https://twitter.com/herbigt Johannes Kleske https://johanneskleske.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan Eileen Williams https://www.switchup.de/stromvergleich If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Mollie Chen is the co-founder of Birchbox, a subscription service for makeup and beauty samples. Mollie shares what it’s like to start and grow a company like Birchbox to millions of customers and 300 employees and also what it’s like to decide to leave the company that you co-founded after 6 years.  We talk about the early days of Birchbox and the moment Mollie decided to join her friends from college Katia Beauchamp and Hayley Barna to turn Birchbox from an idea into a real company. Mollie takes us behind the scenes of the very first months of the startup, how she learned to become a manager, how to navigate the ups and downs over the course of 6 years, what mistakes she made, the biggest challenges she tackled, and what advice she can share with people in startups or those interested in joining a startup. We talk about the thought process that led to eventually leaving the company that Mollie co-founded and how she dealt with the self-talk and voices in her head. This episode is recommended for people who want to learn what it’s like to start a company even though you have a different background. It’s a great episode if you want to learn how to navigate the ups and downs of startup life and what it’s like to slowly let go from something you so dearly love. Read Mollie’s post about leaving Birchbox here on Medium: https://medium.com/grey-matters/what-its-like-to-leave-a-company-you-started-dd731058bd62 Thank You to the following patrons for supporting the production of The Role Models Podcast in the $5 per episode tier: Johannes Kleske https://johanneskleske.com/ Caoimhe Keogan https://twitter.com/caoimhekeogan If you want to help us create The Role Models Podcast in the future, become a patron and chip in $1, $3, $5, or $10 per episode. Read more about the different tiers and rewards on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rolemodels

Kara Swisher is the co-founder and Executive Editor of technology news website Recode, host of the Recode Decode podcast, and Co-Executive Producer of the Code Conference. In her career as a technology journalist that spans over more than 20 years, Kara has become one of the most respected and prominent journalists who cover the business of Silicon Valley and is known for her insightful reporting, hard work, and straight-shooting style. She has interviewed thousands of people – most notably Steve Jobs and Bill Gates together on stage, a now-legendary appearance of the two tech industry giants. In this episode, Kara shares her favorite interviewing tips, how she became so fearless, what she learned from having a stroke. We cover topics like innovation in tech, sexism in Silicon Valley, and what leaders in the industry must do to change and improve the culture. Follow Kara on Twitter: https://twitter.com/karaswisher Subscribe to Kara’s Recode Decode Podcast on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/recode-decode-hosted-by-kara-swisher/id1011668648?mt=2

Megan Quinn is a General Partner at Spark Capital, a venture capital firm that has invested in companies like Twitter, Postmates, Tumblr, and Slack. Megan grew up in Los Angeles surrounded by 4 sisters and first didn’t intend to enter the technology sector. After moving up north to graduate from Stanford, she took a job at Google and helped the then-small company go public. As an avid collector of historical maps, she found her perfect dream job in Google’s Maps division where she has held several leadership positions in marketing, product, and business development during her tenure at Google.  After 8 years at Google, she joined the next rocket ship as the Director of Product for payment processing company Square before switching sides and becoming an investor at Silicon Valley venture capital institution Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers where she led a number of the firm’s early-stage and growth consumer investments.  As the first female partner at Spark Capital, today she invests in companies like Medium, Slack, and Grammarly.  In this episode, you’ll learn from Megan: – What skill she recommends everybody should master, regardless of role or company. – How she says “Yes” to an opportunity first, and deals with the fear later. – How she transitioned from one role to the next. – How former Google exec and Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer helped her manage a tricky situation. – How she assesses investment opportunities.  – How she approaches working with mentors. … and much more. Follow Megan on Twitter and Medium: https://twitter.com/msquinn https://medium.com/@msquinn

Debra Martin Chase is a television and movie producer and known for having produced movies like ’The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’, ‘The Preacher’s Wife’, and ‘The Princess Diaries’, amongst many others. Debra graduated from Harvard as a lawyer and practiced law before eventually moving into the movie business to pursue her passion for film and television and fulfill her dream to entertain. She says: “Movie and television need to entertain but if along the way you can be given messages or values can be reinforced, or your eyes can be opened to something you might not have thought about in that way, that, to me, makes great entertainment.” Debra was the first African-American female producer to have a deal at a major studio. Her company, Debra Martin Chase Productions, was affiliated with The Walt Disney Company for more than 15 years and is now affiliated with Universal Television. Her movies have grossed $300 million combined. An eye for talent, Debra launched the careers of A-listers like Anne Hathaway and Blake Lively. If you want to learn from Debra how to enter an industry that you’re not a part of, how to process big transitions in your life, or how listening to your little voice in your head can lead to work with movie stars like Denzel Washington or Whitney Houston, then this episode is for you.

Kathryn Boren is a professional ballet dancer and member of the corps de ballet at the America Ballet Theatre in New York City. Kathryn started dancing at the age of 3 and decided that ballet was her thing at the age of 5 and for the next 20 years she never lost the drive to push forward to master and perfection the art form. Kathryn spent a few years in Berlin, then moved to New York at the age of 15 for a scholarship at the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School where years alter she now performs as part of the company. Kathryn’s story is a story of hard work, determination, and about playing the long game. It’s a story of loyalty to an art form that demands everything from those who practice it. Follow Kathryn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katieboren1 The Ballerina Project: https://www.instagram.com/ballerinaproject_ Artwork photo by Dane Shitagi

Cindy Gallop is a former advertising executive turned startup entrepreneur, consultant, and public speaker. With a background in brand building, marketing, and advertising, Cindy founded the co-action software company IfIRanThe World and is currently focused on building and funding MakeLoveNotPorn, a venture in the emerging #sextech category, a category in tech that she says is ready for disruption. Before starting her own companies and growing her consulting and public speaking business, Cindy was an advertising executive and spent almost two decades with leading advertising agency BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty) where she first opened the Asia-Pacific, then the North American offices. Cindy is a believer that diversity drives innovation, Cindy has also been a champion and advocate for gender equality and diversity and she uses every opportunity to challenge the status quo with pragmatic and actionable insights on how to make any industry more diverse and not only in the aspects of gender but also in race, sexuality, disability, and age. Follow Cindy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cindygallop https://www.makelovenotporn.com/ Cindy’s favorite talk from the most recent TED Conference: Shah Rukh Khan https://www.ted.com/talks/shah_rukh_khan_thoughts_on_humanity_fame_and_love Cindy's tips on public speaking: https://www.rolemodels.co/podcast/episode-12-cindy-gallop-on-why-female-role-models-are-just-as-critical-for-men-as-they-are-for-women/ “The day I met Cindy Gallop” https://www.schoolcommunicationarts.com/the-day-i-met-cindy-gallop/ Cindy Gallop – Closing Keynote – 3 Percent Conference 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRuonEJjIEk&t=19s Cindy Gallop on how to get a raise https://www.bustle.com/articles/129373-how-to-get-a-raise-no-matter-what-according-to-businesswoman-cindy-gallop For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Elisa Goodkind and Lily Mandelbaum are the co-founders of StyleLikeU, a company that creates the documentary-style video series “What’s Underneath” that explores how style is not about trends, money, or presenting a facade of photoshopped perfection. Rather, true style is the result of radical self-acceptance. In this episode, Elisa and Lily — who are mother and daughter — share how and why they started StyleLikeU in 2009, and how it has evolved from an idea to a video series that has been viewed over 35 million times, and from a book to a movement. Today, Elisa and Lily have interviewed hundreds of people about their unique perspectives on style and identity — a perspective that is quite different from the one portrayed by today’s fashion industry and the media. You can watch the video series on YouTube, buy the book ‘True Style is What’s Underneath — The Self-Acceptance Revolution’, and follow the project on Instagram. http://stylelikeu.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/stylelikeu https://www.instagram.com/stylelikeu/ http://amzn.to/2v9gCKy For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Dakota Weiss is the Executive Chef at Estrella, a modern American restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. She’s also the Executive Chef of Sweetfin, a series of California-style poke restaurants. Having learned the first basic cooking skills from her mother and grandmother, Dakota found her way into cooking instead of becoming an international business woman. She studied in culinary school in Arizona and worked all over the United States to learn from some of the best chefs in the industry. Picking up different skills from different chefs, she learned that becoming an excellent chef requires additional qualities like patience and understanding in addition to mastering the craft. In this episode, Dakota shares her story – from the humble beginnings to becoming the Executive Chef of some of the most-talked about restaurant and restaurant concepts in Los Angeles. Follow Dakota and her restaurants on Instagram: https://instagram.com/estrellasunset https://instagram.com/sweetfin https://instagram.com/dakotalovesbonemarrow https://www.sweetfinpoke.com/ http://estrellasunset.com/ And the non-profit she supports – No Kid Hungry, a non-profit that supports ending child hunger. https://www.instagram.com/totnla/ https://www.facebook.com/TasteOfTheNationLA/ https://twitter.com/totnla?lang=en For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Ana Guerrero is the Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti. Daughter of Mexican immigrants (her dad came to the United States as part of the guest worker program), Ana has devoted a large part of her career to community organizing and in helping people mobilize to create collective power. She has been working with Mayor Garcetti for 16 years, more than half of those as his Chief of Staff. In this episode, Ana talks about the role of Chief of Staff–what it entails and how to become effective and successful in it. She shares what she believes to be the most important communication skills anyone should master, and what she believes to be the best way anyone can advance their career. She firmly believes that government can be a force for good in people's lives and encourages anyone to get engaged in their neighborhoods, communities, and cities. For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Kim Vandenberg is a competition swimmer and won an Olympic medal with the U.S. swimming team. Kim started swimming at a young age and always loved competing. The road to the Olympics is hard and long, and Kim shares the journey to two of the highlights of her career: a silver medal at the World Championship in 2007, and the bronze medal at the Olympics in Beijing in 2008. Kim's story is a story of persistence, determination, and hard work. It’s a story of transitions, overcoming self-doubt and failures, and how to create opportunities for yourself. Photo by Duke Loren Follow Kim on Twitter and Instagram: https://twitter.com/kimswim1 https://instagram.com/kimswim For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Samantha Barry is the Head of Social Media at CNN Worldwide where she leads the social teams at all of the CNN bureaus and works closely with the CNN Digital leadership in their editorial strategy. Under Samantha’s leadership, CNN has become the most followed and fanned news organization in the world. Born near Cork in Ireland, Samantha has worked in over 25 countries, reporting and training other journalists in broadcasting, technology and social media. Her lifelong career in journalism and news media has taken her from Newstalk and RTE in Ireland to Papua New Guinea for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to BBC World News in London before joining CNN in New York City where she is currently based. Follow Samantha on Twitter and Instagram: https://twitter.com/samanthabarry https://www.instagram.com/sammybarrynews/ For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Samin Nosrat is a cook, teacher, and author. Equipped with a letter and the determination to work at Chez Panisse, the legendary French restaurant founded by Alice Waters, Samin chose the path of cooking instead of the path of poetry. 17 years later, she turned her many lessons learned into her first book ‘Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat’, a beautifully illustrated book by Wendy MacNaughton that empowers us to learn how to master the fundamentals of cooking. In this episode, Samin and I cover many different topics: her Iranian heritage and growing up in San Diego, the story about how she got to start working at Chez Panisse, the ups and downs of being a newby in a popular kitchen, the different cultures of kitchens, depression and therapy, and what makes a good teacher and a good student. Follow Samin on Instagram and Twitter and learn more about her book here: http://ciaosamin.com/ https://twitter.com/CiaoSamin https://instagram.com/CiaoSamin For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Cindy Holland is the Vice President of Orignal Content at Netflix where she's responsible for all creative development and business aspects of some of our favorite shows like House of Cards, Chef's Table, Orange Is The New Black, and many more original series, comedy, and documentary series. Cindy has held three different roles in her 15-year tenure at Netflix and we discuss her background, her passions for artists and their creative process, and lessons learned of growing from being a doer to leading a team of doers. For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Liisa Pierce Fiedelholtz is the former Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Sourcing for Ann Inc., a holding company of women's fashion retailers. In this episode, Liisa reflects on her work of three decades in the industry and shares a series of things she has learned: how to negotiate, how to sell, how to manage and lead, how to speak in public. As an avid surfer, Liisa also speaks about her work as the chair of the board of the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of our oceans. For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Joanne Wilson aka Gotham Gal is an angel investor, blogger, and podcaster. After starting her career in women's fashion retail, Joanne transitioned into the web and tech industry to eventually become an angel investor. Joanne has invested in over 100 companies and more than 70% of companies in her portfolio are founded or led by women. Joanne and I talk about her journey and career, lessons learned along the way, and how it's been like to start her own podcast. https://gothamgal.com https://soundcloud.com/positivelygothamgal https://twitter.com/thegothamgal For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Kate Burson currently leads the North East market and business development for Tesla Energy. Prior to joining Tesla, Kate was the Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Energy and Finance under the Governor of the state of New York and drove the implementation of the state's energy policy. As an Assistant Attorney General, Kate worked to help solve the largest financial fraud case in the history of the United States and rather than pursuing a career as a professional tennis player, she helped rewrite the constitution of the Republic of Georgia. Kate and I discuss her story and learnings of a career in the public–and now–private sector. For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels

Jillian Mercado is an American-Dominican fashion model and one of the few professionals in the industry who has a physical disability. As an activist, she advocates for more diversity in the fashion industry. In this first episode of The Role Models Podcast, Jillian describes her journey into the fashion industry – from collecting magazines as a young girl, to graduating from New York's Fashion Institute of Technology, and eventually becoming a professional fashion model for campaigns like Diesel, Beyonce, Nordstrom and many more. Jillian is signed to IMG models and advocates for more diversity in the fashion industry. Follow Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilly_peppa/ Read her blog: http://manufactured1987.com/ For more, visit http://rolemodels.co/podcast Sign up for news & updates about Role Models: http://eepurl.com/cLX_PD Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rolemodels Photo by Jamie Ellington.