Beta-Tested: A Podcast for Women Building Bold Careers in Media and Tech

Sarah Caputo, Founder of Fraction Method, joins Stacy Bohrer for a candid conversation about leaving a Chief Digital Officer role without a backup plan, building her own consultancy, and navigating the challenges of leadership, entrepreneurship, and self-belief.

Sarah shares how curiosity became her competitive advantage, why asking questions unlocks growth, and how reframing imposter syndrome helped her take bigger risks. From overcoming adversity to helping technology companies refine their go-to-market strategies, Sarah offers a powerful perspective on resilience, authenticity, and finding success on your own terms.

Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Sarah Caputo

01:54 Leaving a CDO role without a plan

03:46 Why discomfort drives growth

05:31 Growing up independent and resilient

07:26 Taking risks despite uncertainty

09:28 Building a career through curiosity

11:45 The power of asking better questions

12:53 Managing imposter syndrome

15:26 Handling criticism and public disagreement

17:11 Navigating challenges in a male-dominated industry

19:07 Why women need to advocate for themselves

21:10 Building Fraction Method and advising founders

23:12 Creating value through strategic partnerships

27:08 What Sarah is still beta testing

29:39 Standing by your convictions

31:49 Understanding and communicating your value

33:00 Final reflections and closing thoughts

Stacy Bohrer sits down with Kimberly Jones, CEO of Butler Till, and Amanda DeVito, CMO, to discuss leadership, employee ownership, company culture, psychological safety, delegation, decision-making, and building a business designed for long-term success. Learn how empathy, accountability, ownership, and purpose-driven leadership create stronger teams, better client outcomes, and sustainable growth.

Takeaways

- Employee ownership creates accountability, engagement, and long-term thinking.

- Culture isn't a campaign. It must be demonstrated through actions and behaviors.

- Empathy, authenticity, and vulnerability are leadership strengths that drive growth.

- Great leaders pause to consider stakeholders who aren't in the room.

- Psychological safety starts with making people feel seen and heard.

- Strong leadership teams invest in relationships, trust, and alignment.

- Delegation means allowing others to make decisions you wouldn't necessarily make.

- Imposter syndrome is normal and often a sign that you care deeply.- Decision-making should balance speed with the reversibility of outcomes.

- Sustainable growth happens when people, purpose, and profit are aligned.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Butler Till and Shareholder Summit

02:21 What It Means to Be Woman-Owned

06:21 The Power of Employee Ownership

09:31 Communicating Company Values Without Being Performative

12:25 Choosing Culture Over Short-Term Gains

14:26 Leadership, B Corp Values, and Long-Term Thinking

18:11 Protecting Culture and Maintaining High Standards

20:48 Leadership Norms and Psychological Safety

22:37 Why Great Leadership Teams Invest in Relationships

24:10 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

27:48 Leadership Lessons and Continuous Growth

28:18 What Kimberly and Amanda Are Currently Beta Testing

31:11 Delegation, Decision-Making, and Leadership Scale

33:03 Final Reflections and Closing Thoughts

Beta-tested, Stacy Bohrer sits down with Nola Solomon, Founder & CEO of Renoverse AI. Drawing from leadership roles at companies including The Trade Desk, NBCUniversal, Criteo, and AOL, Nola shares lessons on ambition, resilience, imposter syndrome, AI adoption, and why fear should never drive your decisions.

They discuss women in tech, confidence versus perfectionism, navigating corporate politics, mentorship, leadership, entrepreneurship, and Nola's latest project: building her own AI-powered personal assistant.

00:00 Introduction to Beta Tested & Meet Nola Solomon

01:12 Career Journey: Trade Desk, NBCU, Criteo, AOL & Entrepreneurship

02:30 Finding Your Voice as a Leader

04:04 Women in Tech, Credibility & Imposter Syndrome

07:21 Perfectionism and Leadership Growth

08:10 Why Women Often Wait Until They're "Ready"

09:33 Lessons From an Entrepreneurial Childhood

11:20 Confidence, Introversion & Personal Growth

13:13 Living Around the World & Cultural Perspectives

15:00 Leadership Challenges and Executive-Level Biases

16:00 Women Supporting Women in the Workplace

17:58 Unique Strengths Women Bring to Leadership

21:20 AI, Technical Skills & Career Growth

23:57 How AI Makes Learning More Accessible

25:19 Becoming Brave and Taking Risks

26:47 The Life Lesson: Never Let Fear Drive Decisions

27:28 What Nola Is Beta Testing Right Now

28:00 Building an AI-Powered Personal Assistant

Stacy Bohrer sits down with Katy Friday, revenue leader at StackAdapt, to unpack her journey from administrative assistant to senior leadership. Katy shares how she navigated career pivots, overcame perfectionism, built confidence, and stayed authentic in male-dominated spaces. This conversation is a real look at growth leadership and the messy middle that shapes success.

Takeaways

• Progress comes from showing up, not perfection

• Confidence grows when you trust your own path

• Betting on yourself creates new opportunities

• Authenticity is a leadership advantage

• Mentorship and support accelerate growth

• Preparation is useful, but over-perfection can hold you back

• Partnerships matter more than being liked

• Boundaries are key to balancing career and family

• You don’t need to reinvent yourself to lead

• Saying yes intentionally can help you rediscover fulfillment

Chapters

00:00 The idea behind Beta Tested and embracing imperfection

00:34 Introducing Katy Friday and her leadership journey

02:25 From criminal justice to media, an unexpected start

04:49 Transitioning into media and early career growth

06:04 Moving into digital and spotting industry shifts

07:53 Taking risks and betting on yourself

09:27 Joining The Trade Desk and accelerating career growth

10:11 Overcoming doubt in a complex industry

11:10 The turning point, shifting from likability to impact

12:59 Perfectionism and self-pressure

13:58 Building confidence and quieting self-doubt

16:32 Staying true to yourself as a leader

17:45 Authenticity in male-dominated leadership spaces

20:50 Balancing leadership and motherhood

24:15 Building a supportive partnership at home

27:05 The importance of community and support systems

27:16 What Katy is still beta testing in life

Stacy Bohrer sits down with Stephani Estes, Chief Media Officer at The Shipyard, to discuss leadership, confidence, psychological safety, sponsorship versus mentorship, and advocating for women in the workplace. Stephani shares lessons from her unconventional career journey, why speaking up matters, how leaders can create trust, and the power of embracing opportunities before feeling fully ready.

Takeaways

Confidence comes from trusting your perspective and being willing to speak up, even when it's uncomfortable.

Psychological safety is essential for innovation, collaboration, and high-performing teams.

Women often wait until they're fully qualified before pursuing opportunities, while growth happens by embracing the unknown.

Great leaders listen more than they talk and actively seek perspectives that aren't represented in the room.

Sponsorship goes beyond mentorship by actively advocating for others and creating opportunities for them.

Feedback is a gift, and leadership requires both the courage to give it and the humility to receive it.

Reframing apologies into expressions of gratitude can help build confidence and stronger communication habits.

Success comes from continuous learning, whether in your career or personal passions.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Beta Tested & Introducing Stephani Estes

01:05 Stephani’s Career Journey: From Special Education Teacher to Chief Media Officer

02:24 Why Media Is Always in Beta Mode

03:08 Finding Your Voice and Learning to Speak Up

04:49 Overcoming the Fear of Being Wrong

06:00 Speaking Truth to Power and Managing Resistance

07:10 The Role of Therapy in Personal and Professional Growth

08:06 Looking Polished While Navigating New Leadership Roles

09:00 Being “Scited”: Scared and Excited at the Same Time

10:08 Growth Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone

11:15 Why More Women Should Apply Before They're Fully Ready

13:02 Hiring for Curiosity, Critical Thinking, and Potential

15:15 Learning When and How to Use Your Voice

16:15 Advocating for Women in Leadership

16:45 Asking: “Whose Voice Is Missing?”

18:00 Calling Out Bias and Microaggressions

20:05 Sponsorship vs. Mentorship

21:30 The Challenge of Self-Advocacy

22:25 Internalized Bias and Direct Communication

23:10 Turning “Sorry” Into “Thank You”

24:00 Leadership Responsibility and Listening at Scale

25:45 Monthly Office Hours and Staying Connected to Teams

28:00 Why Psychological Safety Is a Business Imperative

29:00 Breaking Down Silos Through Trust

30:00 Disagreement Without Losing Psychological Safety

In this episode of Beta-Tested, Stacy Bohrer sits down with Melissa Gordon-Ring, media and healthcare industry leader at Omnicom Media Health, to discuss confidence, career growth, motherhood, boundaries, and the myth of achieving perfect balance. Melissa shares how embracing authenticity, asking questions, setting clear boundaries, and focusing on gratitude have helped her navigate leadership, family life, and industry transformation. Whether you're a working parent, aspiring leader, or someone seeking more confidence, this conversation offers practical wisdom for thriving in the messy middle of growth.

Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 - Welcome to Beta Tested: Embracing the Messy Middle

00:35 - Meeting Melissa and First Impressions

02:02 - Leading Healthcare Media at Omnicom Media Health

02:44 - Navigating Industry Change and Uncertainty

04:04 - Building Confidence and Letting Go of Perfection

05:54 - The Link Between Career Growth and Confidence

08:30 - Finding Strength Through Self-Awareness

09:40 - Boundaries, Self-Care, and the Myth of Balance

11:01 - Motherhood, Career Ambition, and Priorities

13:15 - Why Clear Boundaries Matter

14:52 - "Clear Is Kind" and Communicating Expectations

16:15 - Giving Others Permission to Support You

17:26 - Working Parenthood and Managing Guilt

18:36 - What Melissa Is Beta Testing Right Now

19:03 - Resilience, Risk, and Reinvention

20:49 - Designing Your Life with Intention

21:34 - Agility, Adaptability, and Leadership

22:01 - Owning Mistakes and Learning from Them

22:47 - Gratitude as a Daily Practice

23:03 - Final Reflections and Closing Thoughts

For the debut episode of Beta Tested, Stacy Bohrer sits down with Lauren Wetzel, Global President of Data & Technology at WPP, for a candid conversation on leadership, sponsorship vs. mentorship, women in technology, AI innovation, career growth, and building diverse, high-performing teams. Lauren shares lessons from her leadership journey and practical advice for navigating change, advocating for yourself, and creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders.

Takeaways:

Chapters 

00:00 Introduction to Beta Tested

00:38 Lauren's Career Journey & Role at WPP

03:41 Women Leading Data & Technology

05:11 Why EQ Matters More Than IQ in Leadership

08:39 Early Career Ambitions & Learning Mindset

11:03 Becoming a Leader Through Impact

12:03 The Power of Sponsorship

12:44 Handling Feedback Without Letting It Hold You Back

18:50 Self-Advocacy, Promotions & Career Growth

23:50 Taking Ownership Before You Have the Title

24:52 Mentorship vs. Sponsorship Explained

29:44 Structural Barriers for Women in Leadership

34:20 Building Diverse Teams That Drive Results

38:44 Finding Courage When You're Afraid to Speak Up

40:55 Confidence Through Preparation & Self-Trust

44:47 Leadership, Kindness & Creating Space for Others

45:08 What Lauren is Beta Testing: AI, Automation & the Future of Work

47:00 Final Thoughts & Closing Remarks

Takeaways

This sizzle reel offers a glimpse into four powerful conversations with some of the most influential women in media, marketing, and technology. From leadership and resilience to motherhood, confidence, and career-defining breakthroughs, each episode reveals the personal stories behind the titles and the lessons learned along the way.

Featuring Zoe Mann of Amazon, Melissa Gordon-Ring of IPG Health, Lauren Wetzel of WPP, and Katy Friday of StackAdapt, the series captures honest reflections, sharp insights, and the moments that shaped their paths to leadership. Together, these conversations explore ambition, reinvention, and what it really takes to thrive in fast-moving industries.