Act 2: You're On!

Whose up for a reinvention story at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, connection, and community? Meet Beverly Klau - educator, facilitator, connector, and mom whose mission in life has been to build inclusive communities allowing individuals to show up with dignity and authenticity.
 
You’ll learn how this community activist launched multiple programs to build community and packaged up that know-how, creating Verbina, which you’ll want to immediately go download in the app store!

Designed to foster a deep sense of connection and community using technology, Verbina is an easy, accessible app helping families share messages of support to loved ones living with an illness. Tune in for a fabulous conversation about reinvention and invention.

Highlights include:
“...if you have the app on your phone, and you're ready to invite people into a conversation, your next step is to create an invitation. And I have a sample gallery on the app - it's called "Support for Susan." So it really illustrates like, "Oh, how does this work?" - and you see that there is an invitation, a woman who's saying, you know, this is Deb, I'm Susan's friend, Susan's battling cancer. And she invites other people in to send messages of support to her friend, Susan, who is battling cancer. And so Deb has invited others into this conversation. And that's really how the app works. So you have a curator, and they invite others contributors to contribute their video messages of love and support.”

“I couldn't sleep because, like, there was this very loud voice, like a call - like, “You're gonna have to build this - you figured out that there's a need.” I then was like, “All right, I guess I'm gonna start to see what this is all about.” So then I started the process of interviewing developers and going down that path. But to answer your question, I really wanted to replicate the power of holding space that I had been able to do in person. I thought if we could bring that to scale but also make it asynchronous so that people could hold space in a global way and also asynchronously. So I thought, well -  let's see if we can make this work.”

For more info about Bev:
Website: https://verbina.app/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/VerbinaApp

https://www.jewishboston.com/read/jewish-mom-launches-verbina-a-digital-storytelling-app/

Got a great idea? Feel like you and your great idea could make a bigger impact on the world? Wonder how to find the courage to create a practical plan and make it happen? Could you do it with four young kids in tow? Well, meet Carolyn Kenney - gym owner, personal trainer, and elementary school teacher - on a mission to help others and herself feel the best within the parameters of reality.

From her personal life philosophy, Carolyn created the 85/15 Health & Fitness Studio - a boutique studio offering personal and small group training in yoga, barre, pi-yo, Zumba, HIIT, and Burn. Learn how Carolyn leads a talented group of instructors to create an incredibly effective and welcoming environment where everyone is welcome, whether you worked out yesterday or you have not broken a sweat in years. A podcast with the blueprint for bringing a dream to reality with the blueprint for living your best life.

Highlights include:
“Most of the time, people ask me sometimes, are you always happy? Well, always no, I don't think that's realistic, but 85% of the time? Absolutely. So I think that when you look at things with optimism, it doesn't mean that you're just a realist. If you kind of think about what actually has to occur to make something happen, it just means that you're trying to figure out how you can actually do what you want to do, instead of just dreaming….”
“So 85/15 is 85% fitness or discipline is the word that I really use and 15% fun. That's really the balance for a healthy lifestyle and so many different aspects of the way that we live.”
“So if you surround yourself, like you mentioned Kate, with a good team - so not only my family, but my instructors have been the same since I opened, which is almost unheard of in a gym. But it's because I found people that I could trust that trusted me - that my members like and then know what they're doing and do a good job. And so, by surrounding myself with all of those people and letting them help me, I've been able to get to where I am. If I really tried to be completely independent about it, I don't think it would have.”

For more information about Carolyn:
Website : 8515healthandfitness.com
Social Media: Facebook.com/8515healthandfitness

In a conversation that will not only inspire but warm your heart, you get to meet Debbie and Baylee Donovan, the remarkable mother-daughter team behind a charming little but hugely noteworthy boutique called Baylee Bee. These remarkable entrepreneurs have always shared a deep interest in fashion - not couture, per se - but affordable, fun fashion and the duo saw an opportunity in their hometown. After a lot of hard work and planning - they cannonballed into business. The boutique has been a phenomenal success - not only financially but also personally for the twosome. Baylee Bee opened in November of 2020 - and despite the pandemic - Baylee Bee has not looked back; in fact, they are in the midst of negotiations about opening up other sites. With an exceptional vibe and a savvy finger on the ever-changing fashion industry, Baylee is one of the few boutiques appropriate for every generation.   

Learn how the store has helped Baylee find her voice, providing Debbie with the dream of thriving alongside her daughter, and collaborating on something they love. Settle in for an inspirational reinvention and transformation story.

Highlights Include:

“...if you want really want to do something, you’ve just got to do it. You can't wait; you have got to make it happen. And it's so much work. But…it's so worth it. I mean, we're here, sometimes 12 hours a day, but if you love it - I mean, we love it. So that's great. But…you’ve just got to do it.”
- Debbie

“If you're trying to open a business or just in general, I think being confident in yourself is helpful, also self-talk… I know, that's weird to say. But sometimes, you just have to look yourself in the mirror and say, “Hey, you got it today.” I think that like changes your output on yourself and your outlook…even if  something's hard, ask for help communicating…and then just go from there.”
- Baylee

For more information :
Links:
Website : www.bayleebee.com
Facebook: @bayleebeeclothing
Instagram: bayleebeeclothing

Interested in interior design? Would you like to learn some great design tips that will immediately improve your daily life and spruce up your seasonal decor that won’t break the bank? Want to hear about the design industry with all the knowledge and none of the snoot?
 
Act 2: You’re On is delighted to introduce Mark Haddad, an award-winning interior designer and President of Interiology Design Co. - a full-service, certified interior design firm based in the greater Boston area.

Known for its unparalleled client experience, innovative design solutions, and impeccable service, Interiology helps clients transform their homes into luxurious, exquisitely executed, inspiring spaces that express their distinctive style and envelop the way they live. The results are custom-tailored interiors that clients are excited to come home to and share with those they love.

Interiology Design Co. launched The Experience Studio in 2019 to put what’s best for clients at the heart of everything they do. The Experience Studio is a meticulously curated collection of the finest furnishings, fixtures, and finishes installed and operational in residential spaces for a uniquely immersive design experience. So whether you are interested in hiring the best Boston has to offer or you are just interested in design, you are in for a wonderful conversation.

Highlights include:
“I worked with a professional coach in 2001, and decided that I had so many years of teaching behind me that I should set goals, that would be a three year learning process. And if I didn't meet those goals, with my experience, I could go back and teach. And about 18 months into that process, I met all the goals and never looked back.”

“ I had already gotten a master's degree, but I was willing to get another one. And the best advice they gave me is they said, I learned more on the job in those three years of going through that process than I would ever get other than the theoretical nature of going back to school.”

“I think it's also being willing to take the chance, because that's that's probably the biggest hurdle is to take that leap. You know, there's risk is there's personal risk based financial risk is professional risk, there's so many risks involved that, that I know, so many people that wouldn't have the gumption to do that. And I think it's being able to have the support system in place, and the personal drive to say, I'm going to take the chance and do that.”

interiology.com
IG: @interiologydesignco
FB: interiologydesignco
TW: interiologyco

In one of our most compelling podcasts ever, in a conversation chockablock full of hard truths on mental health challenges faced by our armed forces, their families as well as our civilian population, you’ll meet one of our nation’s most decorated leaders and a compassionate, purpose-driven change maker, Brigadier General Jack Hammond.

Do you have a challenging relationship with change? Maybe, you view change as an opportunity for growth. Or, has life forced change out of the challenge in the most unexpected ways? Today we're going to discuss how one organization addresses the profound effects of military service on veterans, servicemembers, and their families. Not only can their unique experiences present a change in their physical health, but often this population faces issues such as post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, anxiety, depression, co-occurring substance use disorder, and family relationship challenges. Today's guest is United States Army Brigadier General retired Jack Hammond. General Hammond is here to help us all learn about the groundbreaking work being done at home base to help heal the trauma.

 Brigadier General Jack Hammond is a retired US Army General Officer and veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan. General Hammond served as the chief executive for Home Base, an innovative partnership between the Boston Red Sox and the Massachusetts General Hospital. It operates the nation's premier center of excellence for the mental health and brain injuries that affect our veterans and their families. General Hammond is a proven combat leader and has led strategic and tactical formations of the US and allied forces in combat and counterterrorism operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

General Hammond has advised President Obama's commission on military compensation and retirement monetization and presented at his White House veterans and military family mental health conference. He later served as a member of President George W. Bush's health and  Task Force and his veteran wellness Alliance. In addition, Hammond served on Secretary Bob MacDonald's My VA Advisory Committee, Governor Mitt Romney's Homeland Security Advisory Council, and Governor Charlie Baker's health care transition team and veteran advisory council General Hammond's military awards and decorations include: the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit medal for combat service, the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal for valor to Valorous Unit awards, a combat action band, General Hammond earned a bachelor's from the University of Massachusetts, a master's from Boston University and completed a national security fellowship at Harvard University.

Highlights Include:

“What we do is we have this episodic point of care, where we basically allow the person to hit the pause button on life and focus for two weeks to get better. ...And so that's what we've done in working through with a group of people to build this out was really leveraging the collective intellect of a broader group  - cause one person can have a great idea - but a group of people working on a challenge can come up with a fantastic solution.”

“Fortune does favor the bold as people look to that next transition in their life. It takes courage because the status quo is comfortable. When you make a change, when you make big changes, it's uncomfortable. And that's deeply rooted in our lizard brains; in our amygdala, change is uncertain and uncertainly provokes fear and triggers base responses to avoid it. You have to fight through that. When you believe there's something you want to do, you've got to summon the courage - and build that courage - to move forward with and pursue your dreams.”

Find out more about Home Base at
Homebase.org

In Part II, Courtney delves into the common misconceptions that keep a kid from thriving. Neuro-divergent kids often get classified as behavioral issues and struggle with the shame of “not trying hard enough”- and there’s plenty of shame and judgment thrown at parents and their parenting. In this episode, Courtney welcomes us to collaborate with our kids and to embrace a more compassionate curiosity for our kids, ourselves and the less traditional and known path. Taking the shame out of our parenting can help our kids journey. In a world leaning into diversity, let’s embrace neuro-diversity and learn more about the virtues of an exceptional brain that might just reveal some super-powers.


 “...if a child is dysregulated if They're in there, as they refer to it, their downstairs brain, their lizard brain, there, you can't use logic with them. And so often, as parents, we try to use logic with our kids when they're emotionally dysregulated. And it's just not going to work. So we have to start with getting connected with them first and helping them get to a calm state because when they're in a calm state, they can then at least access their frontal lobes, they can access the executive functions that they do have. And they can think logically. So if kids are in a dysregulated state, we first just have to offer them compassion and CO-regulate, and the CO-regulation requires us to be calm. And so in order to connect, we have to be calm, we have to be patient. And we have to be forgiving in the moment and understand that this is a brain-based disability, this is a brain-based moment in which they are dysregulated. And they can't control it. And they first and foremost need someone to just care enough to say, let's just breathe, let's stay calm.”

“...they have to feel heard, we need to give them a voice to help so that we can understand where they're coming from, they can understand where we're coming from. And then we look for the win-win. And we invite their ideas for solutions. And we keep having that back-and-forth conversation with compassionate curiosity. And we meet remaining calm, which helps them remain calm, and helps them feel validated, because we're naming back to them what we hear, instead of just being directive, we're getting curious and figuring out, because when their brains work differently than ours, our solutions may not work for them. And we may not have thought of solutions that they're going to think of that actually can work as a win-win. Because their brain thinks differently than ours. And they might come up with a solution. And we need to honor and give it a chance to work and see what happens. Because magically, they might be able to actually do something that's a win-win that we hadn't thought of. That was their idea. And so that's sort of the concept.”

For more information about Courtney Edman:
Website: 2TametheShame
Linked in: 2TametheShame or Courtney Edman
Facebook: 2tametheshame

Do you or someone you love struggle with learning differences, behavioral issues, or mental health challenges? We all know the modern world is a complex place societally, environmentally, and politically - so, how are we supposed to navigate this complexity without …say - executive function skills - or when our complex learning differences leave us with self-esteem so low we are tripping over it? Well, if you have ever wondered how to get the help you or a struggling loved one might need, you are tuning in to a fascinating conversation that might reignite a sense of hope.

In this episode, we talk to Courtney Edman because Courtney has been in your shoes. She is not only a coach but also the parent of a neurodivergent young adult son with ADHD anxiety and significant lagging executive function skills. She will explain what it takes to guide you and your child to a place of calm and connection while also giving your family the tools that will lead to understanding and success. She developed some of these skills during her years as a pediatric early intervention physical therapist, serving as the Executive Director of a home-based pulmonary physical therapy practice, and her over 22 years of parenting three young adult children. She is the coach and the solution you've been searching for. No matter your child's age, stage, or diagnosis, Courtney will help to unpack the knowledge and skills to help you, your child, and your family. Courtney believes that kids do well if they can, and so does Act 2 You're On!

Highlights Include:

“I've learned so much about what it takes to be a parent, and to have an incredible relationship with your child after having a very, very challenging relationship with my son that was filled with shame and filled with for me….”

“Mental health is at the forefront of conversations that we're having, and anxiety and learning disabilities aren't necessarily grouped within mental health, but they are invisible disabilities in the same way that mental health challenges are also invisible many times. And they are brain-based. And they are neuro biologically neuro chemically based, right? And it all has to do with the way that the brain is wired. And the way that the brain functions.”

“...the reason I brought up COVID…is because I think it just resulted in a heightened level of anxiety and depression, which then impacts the brain. And these ADHD and autism and dyslexia, dyspraxia, all of these neurodiverse diagnoses are brain-based. And I think that that is the piece that culture, in general, is missing. We know that they're brain-based, and yet we're taking a behavioral modification approach to change the manifestations of these disabilities, and that's not getting at the root of the skills that aren't there.

For more information about Courtney Edman:
Website: 2TametheShame
Linked in: 2TametheShame or Courtney Edman
Facebook: 2tametheshame

Do you compare yourself to others or some ideal and always come up short? Do you see yourself as simultaneously better than and less than others? Do you often beat up on yourself for even the smallest mistake? What is your inner critic costing you? And are you asking these things? Even though maybe outward measures say, you're a success?

These poignant questions come to us by way of Dr. Anita Kite, a leadership and couples coach who has worked with over 350 clients. Her key areas of coaching expertise include navigating uncertainty, managing difficult conversations, giving and receiving feedback, achieving work-life integration, navigating power dynamics, and managing distributed teams. Anita is often driven by her passion for adult and organizational learning, as well as her fascination with humans' unique capacity to continue to evolve, grow and improve Anita believes transformation happens through self-awareness and self-acceptance. In this fun, candid, poignant conversation, you’ll gain insight and practical skills - so dive in.

Highlights include:

“I would say that awareness is the unsung hero of transformation because it seems so non-action-oriented, but it actually provides a great basis from which to work. Its baseline: where am I at?”

“So the deal is to have that self-awareness, as an opening, to have some self-compassion and Self-awareness, and from that place, begin to make some subtle changes, not having that awareness as another way to sort of put yourself down.”

“...the question isn't really what do you want? The question is, what are you willing to do in order to get what you want? That is really the key question. And so, thinking about what is the effort that you're willing to put in the action-oriented effort that you're willing to put in? So transformation, unlike in Hollywood, or in some books, even I guess, is not a flip of a switch? Right? It is a slow, incremental process. But as long as you're making these steps - over time, they will accumulate into something bigger. And ultimately, over time, they will create that bigger shift.”

“...your task is to win the chess game. Given that some of the pieces aren't glued down. You have to be able to win the chess game with the pieces that are glued down. You can't move certain pieces. And when those pieces don't move, and you accept that it opens up another world of possibilities, but the more focused you are on the things that you can't change, the less it is apparent to you what else you can do.”
For more information on Anita Kite:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anita-kite/

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and this podcast honors survivors and victims and seeks to raise awareness. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence published these statistics: in the United States, more than 10 million adults experience domestic violence annually. If each of these adults experienced only one incident of violence, an adult in the US would experience violence every three seconds; one in four women and one in 10 Men experience sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.

From 2016 through 2018, the number of intimate partner violence victimizations in the United States increased by 42%. Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and affects all people regardless of age, status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. Physical violence is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior as part of a much larger systemic pattern of dominance and control. Domestic violence can result in physical injury, psychological trauma, and even death. At the end of this episode, we're going to share some resources with our audience so we all know where to go and what to do if faced with domestic violence.

Lynda Monks is a social worker who works with people, day in and day out, who are affected by domestic violence. She has been a medical advocate at a level two trauma center outside of Philadelphia for the past 20 years. She specializes in working with victims of domestic violence, elder abuse, and human trafficking. Before her work in Pennsylvania, she worked at domestic violence programs in Colorado, California, and Pennsylvania. As an advocate, counselor, and community educator, Lynda, we are so grateful to have you in the app to your own studio.

Highlights include:

“The big picture is, and we do it in the county that I work in, I think you need to teach kids from K to 12 - what a healthy relationship is age appropriately.”

“...make sure you're doing something that feeds you, either spiritually or creatively or whatever. Because there's enough hard stuff out there that we're all going to have to deal with. And we can't rely on other people to give us our nuggets. I don't know. But you got to kind of give it to yourself. And, and I think, bringing it back to kind of the topic that we're talking about when it comes to domestic violence, victims of domestic violence that's taken away from them. Right, that's taken away what they need, but what feeds them all of that stuff? And it kind of erases your spirit a little bit. So making sure that you can feed it, you gave yourself a little time every day to feed it. Make sure you're taking care of yourself, no matter what you're doing, or no matter what your next move is that you have to take care of yourself first.”

“I love being on the front lines, I've never really aspired to kind of going up administratively or anything like that. I think my wheelhouse is working with victims in a crisis. It's kind of where I thrive. So I think I'm gonna stay here for a little while.”

Websites:
https://www.thehotline.org/
https://humantraffickinghotline.org/
https://ncea.acl.gov/

Ready for one of the most inspiring conversations that will get you thinking about how you can change the world? Interested in understanding how entrepreneurs achieve success? Are you curious about the mindset of those who see and create opportunities in their lives? Do you wonder how our world will reinvent itself to address our climate’s needs and come together as a global society? Today's guest has the answers.

Adam Sulkowski is an associate professor of Law & Sustainability at Babson College. Adam specializes in teaching research and consulting in law, CSR, corporate social responsibility, green business and sustainable development. He has earned tenure twice, won teaching and research awards, published over 50 times and was a Fulbright Scholar. In addition, he ran a business and worked as an attorney, and his book, Extreme Entrepreneurship was the number one best seller on several lists.

Highlights include:
The universal theme is start, don't wait. Nobody that I've met says, oh, yeah, take an extra day to plan. It's not to say don't plan at all. But the point is to start, and there's magic in starting, because by sharing your crazy idea, your crazy plan, somebody will nudge you in the right direction, or give feedback. People will come out of the woodwork wanting to help. It's happened to me, it's happened to others.

“...starting doesn't mean… get in the car and cross into a warzone today. Start means maybe ask and say, “I do intend to do this, so how do I do it? And that's a form of starting that is short of, you know, quitting your job right now, which some of your listeners apparently are thinking about career changes; it doesn't necessarily mean quit everything now, divorce your family and walk away from your kids and jump into this new life, right? It could be iterative steps of here's my crazy idea. How can I do this? In a way that makes sense. And it's still a form of starting - the instinct to begin.”

“...that quote, that we're not scared of ISIS, we're scared that we're not prepping the next generation to think about sustainability, to think about entrepreneurship that was kind of mind blowing. To be this close, as close as I am to this screen right now talking to you, and have the guy who's literally called in airstrikes. He was like the equivalent of national security adviser I think, literally the guy who's paid to obsess about national security and bombs and guns and stuff like that. And when he says, I'm actually more scared that we're not training people to be entrepreneurs. I'm scared about sustainability issues. That was when I turned to my friends who writes about war and terrorism and stuff like that. “

“...how do you authentically get the value out of corporate social responsibility or sustainability, some of the big takeaways to boil it down a few sentences is frame your story, right? And make it authentic and set up measurable milestones towards a big goal. And if it is a good story, and you're making progress, and you can show that you can deliver progress towards a better reality, that is not just something that helps you sleep better at night, it's the killer business tool, it is the ultimate superpower that we humans have is storytelling, people will die, we're watching it, they will voluntarily die or risked their lives at least for a good story. Your job as a business leader, your job as a human right now is to find the stories that matter to you find the stories that checkout because there's plenty of BS stories out there. But find the stories that matter commit to them and be ready to pivot on the way but it's storytelling. That's that's really the power and setting measurable milestones towards a goal that is better than what is today.”