Finding Your EPIC

In this week’s podcast, Jacqueline Frost interviews Julia Kelley, Vice President, Legal and Compliance - AB Volvo Penta. Julia explains her role in the company, detailing her work with Volvo's industrial business unit. She shares her pivotal career moment, which occurred while clerking for Judge Charles Weston Houck, known for his landmark ruling in Faulkner vs. The Citadel. Julia describes Judge Houck's principled approach to justice, his sacrifices, and his influence on her commitment to fairness and excellence.

Jacqueline and Julia discuss the role of female and male role models in shaping careers and the value of persistence and deferred gratification. Reflecting on the ongoing journey toward justice and principled leadership and the importance of tone and authenticity.

In this EPIC podcast episde, Jacqueline meets with Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, founder of fintech Snoop.

Jayne-Anne focuses on pivotal moments in her career. She shares how a leadership course in Derbyshire, UK changed her life, giving her the confidence to lead by realising her ability to connect with an audience.

During her time at Norwich Union (now Aviva) in the 1990s, Jayne-Anne was asked to manage a regulatory crisis. Leveraging her strong network, she coordinated a large-scale response to stabilise operations, revealing her talent for project management. Later, a chance encounter led her to co-found Virgin Money with Richard Branson.

Jayne-Anne emphasises curiosity, networking, and seizing opportunities. She discusses how overcoming fears taught her to take the first step and trust her support system. Her father's motto, "never give up," has guided her throughout her career, reminding her to persevere even in challenging times.

In this podcast, Jacqueline Frost interviews Prae Sunantaraks, Director, Thailand and Laos, AVPN, about navigating the world with visual impairment and the power of insight. 

Prae shares how her lack of sight sharpened her other senses, enabling her to "see" the world in unique ways. She highlights the importance of listening, suggesting that people should "use their ears for their real purpose." Prae describes experiences with visually impaired children and emphasizes the need for clear communication and empathy, pointing out that societal leadership can also have "disabilities" in understanding others. 

Prae’s outlook is one of acceptance and focusing on positives, paraphrasing a quote from Helen Keller: "What we have once loved and deeply enjoyed, we can never lose; it will always be a part of who we are." 

In this podcast episode, Jacqueline Frost interviews Karen Jones, Director of Europe Marketing Immunodiagnostics at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Beyond her demanding role marketing allergy and autoimmune diagnostics across Europe, Karen also runs a 12-week women's coaching program at Thermo Fisher.
Karen shares that despite her impressive academic background—including a PhD and postdoctoral research at Harvard—she felt blocked a few years ago. She discusses her transitions from academia to biotech and then into commercial roles, each accompanied by self-doubt and an inner voice telling her she wasn't good enough.
After being made redundant when her second baby was just eight weeks old, Karen spotted a market gap and started her own company. She provided biotech start-ups with expertise combining scientific acumen and marketing skills. Eventually, she returned to corporate life but struggled with the shift from being her own boss to navigating a large organization. Thrown into a massive project with little support, she overworked and privately suffered from stress and burnout.
Realizing this was unsustainable, Karen sought coaching to address her limiting beliefs, set boundaries, and prioritize her well-being. After implementing these changes, she was promoted to leadership roles where she now empowers her team, emphasizes well-being, and supports other women in their careers. She is inspired by leaders who support and empower her and believes in fostering vulnerability in the workplace.
Karen concludes by sharing a quote from Brené Brown:
"Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It's the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path."

In this episode, host Jacqueline Frost talks to Kat Davis, VP of Strategy and Business Development at Solenis.

Kat highlights the importance of combining business acumen with technical skills. Drawing from her early career experience in a production line, Kat emphasizes the value of understanding the financial impact of operational efficiency. This mindset helped her identify opportunities to increase value without additional costs. Kat introduces the concept of “future escaping,” which focuses on proactively envisioning and shaping the future rather than merely mitigating risks. She contrasts this with “future proofing,” advocating for a positive and strategic approach to achieving business goals.

Jacqueline and Kat discuss the significance of developing personal strengths and leveraging team dynamics to enhance workplace productivity. Kat uses the Fantastic Four analogy to illustrate the power of combining unique individual strengths. This approach encourages teams to focus on their superpowers and complement each other’s weaknesses. They also explore the concept of “knowledge workers,” emphasizing the importance of recognizing and promoting one’s expertise.

Kat concludes with her personal mantra: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” She encourages taking small steps beyond comfort zones to foster growth and achieve unexpected career advancements.

In this episode of "Finding Your Epic," Jacqueline Frost takes on a new role as the interviewee, with Lisa Quinn stepping in as the interviewer. The theme for their enlightening conversation is about the importance of setting boundaries, both personal and professional, a recurrent topic Jacqueline has observed throughout her interviews with various influential women. They delve into "EPIC limits," discussing the critical balance between being generous and preserving one's self-interests.

Jacqueline reflects on the nuanced ways boundaries influence our interactions and decisions, noting that while it's essential to be generous, one must avoid self-sacrifice to the point of personal detriment. The discussion also covers the psychological aspects of boundary-setting, examining the deep-seated fears that often lead individuals to either enforce too rigid boundaries or none at all, which can significantly impact relationships and work dynamics.

The episode closes on a powerful note with Jacqueline citing Helen Keller: "Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold." This quote beautifully encapsulates the episode's message, encouraging listeners to recognize and assert their needs thoughtfully and boldly to foster well-being and success across various life aspects.

In this weeks podcast, Jacqueline interviews Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE, CEO, Green Finance Institute. The conversation explores their journeys as female leaders in finance, highlighting how their roles have shaped their leadership philosophies.

Jacqueline recalls their initial connection formed over shared experiences in senior financial positions. Rhian-Mari discusses effective leadership, emphasizing inspiration and collaboration over authoritarian methods. She reflects on her tenure at the Green Finance Institute, advocating for a focus on outcomes, which has steered her through complex challenges and strategic decision-making.

Rhian-Mari also addresses personal growth, noting the importance of learning from others and self-awareness through tools like the Clifton Strengths Test. She stresses maintaining authenticity and balancing ambition with well-being.

The discussion concludes with Rian-Mari quoting Ruth Bader Ginsburg, urging listeners to advocate passionately in ways that inspire collective effort.

In this episode, host Jacqueline Frost talks to Carmina Lees, Managing Director, Financial Services, Accenture
Dive into the transformative power of saying "no" with the latest episode of "Finding Your EPIC,"  This insightful discussion between Jacqueline and Carmina reveals how mastering the art of refusal can dramatically shape your career and improve workplace dynamics. Carmina shares powerful personal stories from her time at Accenture, highlighting the positive impact of setting boundaries. Learn to empower yourself and foster respect within your team with this essential skill. Don't miss out on these career-changing insights—tune in now and start transforming the way you work and live!

In this podcast conversation between Jacqueline Frost and Carolina de La Paz, the focus is on Carolina's initiative called "Women Enhancing Logistics" at Lenovo, aimed at promoting diversity and women's leadership in the logistics industry. Jacqueline was inspired by Carolina's story and reached out to her after listening to a discussion on ambition gaps. Carolina explains that her initiative aims to leverage her position as a senior logistics manager to address the lack of female representation in her field. She emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive network and providing role models for future generations.

Carolina shares that the initiative has been successful, reaching over 2500 individuals globally and garnering support from senior male leaders. They discuss the importance of storytelling and addressing unconscious bias in the industry. The sessions cover topics like leadership and personal growth, focusing on macro issues applicable to everyone while promoting inclusivity. Despite challenges, including the shift to virtual sessions due to COVID-19, Carolina remains motivated by positive feedback and the impact of her work. She shares her mantra of taking decisive steps and maintaining persistence, emphasizing progress over perfection. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration, storytelling, and fostering a supportive environment for women in traditionally male-dominated industries.

In the latest EPIC podcast Jacqueline's guest is Lucy Newcombe. Lucy discusses her career journey and key insights into problem-solving and communication. Lucy, who has a background in journalism, PR, marketing, and corporate communications, currently holds the role of Chief People and ESD Officer at Computershare.
Throughout the conversation, Lucy highlights the gradual realization of her own problem-solving skills, particularly during a pivotal moment early in her career in Australia. Tasked with a complex challenge by the Chief Legal Officer, she learned to deconstruct problems into manageable parts, a skill she traces back to overcoming imposter syndrome and a curious nature developed from childhood.

Lucy and Jacqueline discuss the importance of asking questions, a principle Lucy adheres to regardless of the setting, including board meetings and executive discussions. This approach not only clarifies understanding but also empowers others to engage more actively. They reference a significant moment when the global CEO openly admitted to not understanding a CFO’s presentation, which validated Lucy’s own uncertainties and underscored the importance of clear communication.

A recurring theme in the discussion is the empowerment derived from simplicity and the courage to inquire. Lucy emphasizes how these principles have enabled her to navigate her career transition from PR to leading HR functions, including handling complex payroll systems. By breaking down information into simpler components, she feels confident tackling unfamiliar challenges and encourages others to adopt a similar approach.

Lucy’s closing thought, inspired by a quote from Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings, encapsulates her philosophy: we must decide how to use our time wisely, choosing either to complicate or simplify our approach to challenges to maximize our impact and effectiveness. This perspective not only guides her professional actions but also serves as a personal mantra, reminding her to pursue clarity and purpose daily.
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