Flip the Tortilla

“Where do I go from here?” It’s a question many of us are asking ourselves after time of unprecedented stress and burnout. Today, Denice sits down with Lawrence Levy, the former CFO and board member of Pixar, who left his corporate work to follow self-work in the Buddhist tradition. Levy shares stories of turning Pixar from a failing graphics studio to the Hollywood animation powerhouse it is today. He urges listeners to “flip the tortilla” and look at work as part of what you DO, not who you ARE.

If you’re feeling unsettled in the areas of DEI, you’re not alone! Jordyne Blaise, director of DEI at bluebird bio and expert on this topic, talks with Denice about wins, challenges, and things to come in this important space. Today’s workforce is changing so rapidly, and to remain competitive, companies will need evolve at a speed greater than ever before. Part Two of this series will focus on what women and other underrepresented groups can do to achieve their career goals. This is real world stuff!

If there is one thing we all need right now, it is resilience. Denice is joined by pharmaceutical executive, Pritesh Shah, who shares his story of what it took to go from immigrant outsider to health care leader. Pritesh talks about his three keys to success—authenticity, transparency, and yes, resilience. Plus, he gives great insights on giving and receiving feedback. For anyone who’s been ‘yelled at’ this week—this one’s for you!

This week Denice is joined by one of her personal heroes—author, motivational speaker, and long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad—to answer the question, "what does success look like?" You’d think for Diana it would be sink or swim, but she says that failures and victories add up to success. Plus, she gives her advice on pursuing your passion—if you don’t know what it is yet, start anywhere. The lessons you will learn by just doing will help illuminate your path.

Barbara Ryan, wall street pioneer and glass breaker, shares how she built an incredible career in the traditionally male dominated financial sector. Her practical advice about not just surviving but thriving in muddy career terrain is priceless. Today Barbara serves as a public company board member, editorial advisor for a pharmaceutical executive magazine, and founder of Fabulous Pharma Females.

“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This old quote comes to life with today’s guest Caitlin Sakdalan who took what she loves-- food and travel-- and turned it into her career. Caitlin also tells Denice how she flipped the tortilla when the pandemic shut down travel. This episode will inspire you to think differently about how to pursue your dreams.

Terri Broussard Williams, best-selling author of “Find your Fire,” joins Denice to talk about her journey and the strategies she has used to build the personal brand she has today. She tells Denice about when she realized that if she didn’t invest in herself, nobody would. Terri is creating a community of Movement Makers focused on helping themselves as well as each other. And as a bonus, Denice and Terri share their go-to songs that ignite inspiration.

Gabriela Annacone, a first-generation American, turned her homesickness at the holidays into a business when she started making and selling coquito (NYC Coquito). Gabriela stresses the importance of owning your voice as well as finding the confidence to run a business. Gabriela shares with Denice her advice for starting a business, her hopes for the Latin women who want to start a business, and her philosophy—that no matter where you are, you’re there for a reason.

Husband and wife filmmaking team Rebecca De Ornelas and Michael DiBiasio-Ornelas share how they worked through their fears to pursue their dreams of making a movie, even when it felt unattainable and scary. Through the power of story, they give us a glimpse into how they overcame some of their toughest challenges. With passion and resilience they recently produced an award winning film, The Sleepless, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime.