Courageous Conversations with Fran Pastore

Small Business Saturday, November 27, is right around the corner. Started to encourage people to bring more holiday shopping to small businesses, Small Business Saturday has become a critical component to the holiday shopping season for many of our local retailers.

In this episode of Courageous Conversations Fran talks with four local business owners about their own entrepreneurial journeys and discusses the importance of shopping local, not just on Small Business Saturday, but everyday! Joining Fran are WBDC clients Lorenza Arnal (Alma Mexican Foods), Tori Brown (Breakfast Belle), Jodi Burns (Blazing Fresh Donuts), Lyndsay Dean (Glaze Handmade), Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts.

Check us out on Instagram and Facebook

Become a member of WBDC Connect

To learn more about the Women's Business Development Council and the support we provide to help women thrive in business, visit us at www.ctwbdc.org. Thanks for listening!

This episode of Courageous Conversations is brought to you Webster Bank Thanks for listening to Courageous Conversations, a podcast dedicated to inspiring women entrepreneurs through the stories of incredible leaders! .

Until 1988 a woman could not access capital in her own name for commercial purposes. That year, legislation was enacted that finally allowed a woman to apply for a business loan without a male co-signor. A lot has changed in 33 years, but access to capital remains one of the most difficult challenges facing women entrepreneurs.

In this episode, Fran talks with Jennifer Palmer, CEO of Gerber Finance, who has spent much of her career finding ways that financiers can better support female business owners.

Fran and Jennifer explore Jennifer's unique journey to the C-Suite of a major financial institution, the importance of surrounding yourself with the right support system, and methods for breaking down the barriers that stand between women entrepreneurs and access to capital.

Listen to hear why Jennifer thinks it's critically important to know what you don't know.

To learn more about Jennifer and her work at Gerber Finance, visit gerberfinance.com.

Check us out on Instagram and Facebook

Become a member of WBDC Connect

Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations on your favorite podcast listening app so you won't miss an episode!

Thanks for listening to Courageous Conversations, a podcast dedicated to inspiring women entrepreneurs through the stories of incredible leaders!

This episode has been brought to you by Webster bank.

In the United States, approximately 11 MILLION WOMEN are either living with Alzheimer's or caring for someone who has it.

Almost TWO-THIRDS of Americans living with Alzheimer's are women.

More than THREE IN FIVE unpaid Alzheimer's caregivers are women.

To learn more about this devastating disease that so disproportionately impacts women, Fran talks with Kristen Cusato, Director of Communications at the Connecticut Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, and Molly Devanney, Co-Owner and Vice President of Public Relations for Highland Park Market, who balances her professional responsibilities with serving as the primary caregiver for her aunt who has Alzheimer's.

During this honest and open conversation, you'll gain an understanding of the disease and learn about resources available for caregivers. You'll also learn how you can help, including how to participate in one of the Walks to End Alzheimer's taking place in Connecticut through the end of October.

To learn more about the resources available through the Alzheimer's Association, or to get involved with one of the walks happening in Connecticut in October, visit www.alz.org/ct.

To access the Alzheimer's 24/7 Helpline, call: 1(800) 272-3900

To find out where you can visit a Highland Park Market, visit www.highlandparkmarket.com.

This episode of Courageous Conversations is brought to you Webster Bank

Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts. Check us out on Instagram and Facebook

Become a member of WBDC Connect

To learn more about the Women's Business Development Council and the support we provide to help women thrive in business, visit us at www.ctwbdc.org. Thanks for listening!

Molly Hirsch abandoned her budding marketing career to move to Vermont and help run a relative's home goods boutique, unknowingly heading down the path to a successful future in interior design.

Shivonne Mathison cared for her aging grandmother. That experience, combined with her background in social work, paved the way for her to start a company to provide compassionate home care to the elderly.

Jane Moen watched as her autistic daughter struggled to find her way as a young adult, motivating her to create a safe place to help other disabled individuals transition to the working world.

These "accidental entrepreneurs" join Fran for this episode of Courageous Conversations as we celebrate Small Business Week. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or an established business owner, you'll be inspired by the stories of these remarkable women. They've got some great advice and insight to share!

To learn more about today's guests, visit Molly Hirsch Interiors, Cura Home Care Services, and The Nest Coffee House.

Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts.

Check us out on Instagram and Facebook

Become a member of WBDC Connect

To learn more about the Women's Business Development Council and the support we provide to help women thrive in business, visit us at www.ctwbdc.org. Thanks for listening!

The pandemic hasn't been easy on any of us, but you could argue that it's been tougher on restaurants than almost any other industry.

In this episode of Courageous Conversations, Fran sits down with Stephanie Webster, Editor-in-Chief and Founder of CTBites, an online community focused on the food scene in Connecticut.

Listen to learn about how, during the state-wide pandemic shutdown, CTBites found a new way to support local restaurants while also helping to feed our exhausted healthcare workers. Stephanie also shares her thoughts on which trends born out of necessity – think outdoor dining and takeout cocktails – will continue post-pandemic. You'll also find out which Connecticut restaurants are currently Stephanie's favorites and learn one small thing we can all do to help Connecticut's restaurants recover.

Visit ctbites.com to get the latest on what's new with food in Connecticut. You can also follow CTBites on your favorite social media platform. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the newsletter on their website HERE

Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts.

Check us out on Instagram and Facebook

Become a member of WBDC Connect

To learn more about the Women's Business Development Council and the support we provide to help women thrive in business, visit us at www.ctwbdc.org. Thanks for listening!

Mental Illness, homelessness, food insecurity, domestic abuse, lack of childcare . . . . These are just some of the issues for which Connecticut residents can turn to 211CT for help. Offered by the State of Connecticut through the United Way of CT, 211CT is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people to essential health and human services 24 hours a day, seven days a week online and over the phone.

In this episode of Courageous Conversations, Fran talks with United Way of CT President and CEO Lisa Tepper Bates and Nadia, a Housing Supervisor with 211CT who speaks directly with residents seeking support. Nadia asked that we refer to her by first name only in order to protect her privacy. This enlightening conversation covers the types of resources available through 211CT, the trends that have emerged since the beginning of the pandemic and the issues that Lisa and Nadia believe front and center as Connecticut moves forward.

If you or someone you know is in need of support for health and human services, you can dial 2-1-1 or visit 211ct.org, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information on United Way of CT and the work they're doing to support residents and childcare businesses in the state, visit ctunitedway.org.

Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts.

Check us out on Instagram and Facebook

Become a member of WBDC Connect

To learn more about the Women's Business Development Council and the support we provide to help women thrive in business, visit us at www.ctwbdc.org. Thanks for listening!

In this episode of Courageous Conversations we continue the conversation about racism and your small business that began with our previous episode. Originally part of a WBDC Roundtable discussion recorded in June 2020, this important conversation offers small business owners steps they can take to make a difference in the journey toward social, economic, and racial equity and justice.

Joining Fran in this discussion are Britt-Marie Cole-Johnson, Esq., Partner, Robinson + Cole LLP, Robin Imbrogno, President, The Human Resource Consulting Group, and Joelle A. Murchison, Founder & Principal, ExecMommyGroup LLC.

Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts. To learn more about the Women's Business Development Council and the support we provide to help women thrive in business, visit us at www.ctwbdc.org or on Instagram and Facebook

Become a member of WBDC Connect

With Juneteenth just days away, and as we look back at the year since George Floyd's murder, in this episode of Courageous Conversations and the one that will be launched on July 1, we are revisiting a conversation between Fran and a panel of prominent women that was originally recorded as a 3-part WBDC Roundtable discussion in June 2020.

While much has changed since George Floyd's murder and the civic unrest that followed, there is still a long way to go in our journey toward social, economic, and racial equity and justice. This discussion, intended to start a conversation and explore steps we can all take to make a difference, remains as relevant today as it was a year ago.

Joining Fran are Britt-Marie Cole-Johnson, Esq., Partner, Robinson + Cole LLP, Robin Imbrogno, President, The Human Resource Consulting Group, and Joelle A. Murchison, Founder & Principal, ExecMommyGroup LLC.

Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts. To learn more about the Women's Business Development Council and the support we provide to help women thrive in business, visit us at www.ctwbdc.org. Thanks for listening!

Authenticity, empathy, strength, vulnerability . . . . These are just some of the virtues Kitt Shapiro gained as she soaked in the lessons handed down by her mother, legendary performer Eartha Kitt.

In this episode of Courageous Conversations, Fran and Kitt talk about what it was like to travel the world with Eartha and how those shared experiences shaped Kitt's own journey as a mother and entrepreneur.

Listen to learn some "Kitt-isms" – small but powerful nuggets of advice and perspective from Eartha – that we can all use in our everyday lives.

You can read more about Kitt's experiences with her famous mother in her recently published book, Eartha and Kitt: A Daughter's Love Story in Black & White. Buy the book through all major booksellers.

For More information about Kitt & Eartha visit Simply Eartha

Visit Kitt's retail shop West, in Westport CT or online at West2Westport.com

Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts. To learn more about the Women's Business Development Council and the support we provide to help women thrive in business, visit us at www.ctwbdc.org. Become a WBDC Connect Member

Thanks for listening!

In this episode of Courageous Conversations, as we near the end of Mental Health Awareness month, Fran talks with Kevnesha Boyd, a trauma therapist and the owner of Quality Counseling, a mental health practice in Hamden, CT, that focuses on helping members of the Black community to heal from traumatic childhood experiences and break unhealthy generational patterns.

During this inspiring and informative conversation, Fran and Kevnesha address the chronic and pervasive nature of racial trauma, inequities in access to mental health care in black communities, the decreasing stigma associated with mental illness, and the importance of proactively nurturing our mental well-being.

Listen to learn why Kevnesha considers mental health care akin to brushing your teeth.

To learn more about Kevnesha and the work she is doing through Quality Counseling, visit qualitycounselingct.com.

Be sure to follow Courageous Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts. To learn more about the Women's Business Development Council and the support we provide to help women thrive in business, visit us at www.ctwbdc.org, on Facebook and on Instagram

Become a member of WBDC Connect