Her Story Radio

It seems fitting that Nic Murray of Good Bitches Baking is my 100th guest on Her Story Radio. She, along with friend Marie, are on a mission…to make Aotearoa (New Zealand) the kindest place on earth.

It may seem like a lofty mission, however, once you hear the impact Good Bitches are having all over our country you may well change your mind and want to join them.

In four short years, Nic and Marie, have created a charity which involves over 2000 volunteers who bake and deliver baked goods to people who are going through a tough time.

The’ve also included a new initiative called Prison Bake where men, who are transitioning to life outside of prison, are learning to bake food for women and children at Women’s Refuge. The men get the opportunity to show kindness, something that some of them have never done before, and for the women it has given them hope.

Powerful right? This…all from a seemingly simple act of making food to share with someone who may just need a little kindness and love in their life.

Find out more about becoming a Good Bitch, the work of Good Bitches Nic and Marie, and how to support the charity here: https://www.gbb.org.nz

Shauna Bruce-Hamburger was born with the most severe form of spina bifida and at just 4 days old, doctors told her parents she may not make it through her surgery and if she did, it was likely that she would never walk.

But defying the odds is something that Shauna is used to. Her story is one of overcoming adversity and making choices about how you want to live out your life. Shauna says we have two choices; either we can be a victim of life or we can choose to believe that we are here for a reason and our lives have a purpose.

Shauna is a living, breathing, fun-loving example of living life on purpose.

About Shauna…

Shauna Bruce-Hamburger has been an inspirational speaker for over 10 years. She has a keynote on overcoming adversity, “Beyond Adversity into Freedom” and a book of the same title.

She was born with the most severe form of spina bifida but have always believed in living life with a positive attitude. In her keynote speech and book, she shares the keys that she’s have learned in living a life of genuine freedom and joy even in the midst of living with a daily disability.

She also teaches workshops, webinars, and seminars on Stress Management, “Stress Less & Be More Productive”. She has a B.S. in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University and loves inspiring and teaching others to live healthier, more inspired and less stressful lives.

Website: http://www.divinepotential.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Divine-Potential-209030202381/

Erika Cramer is the Queen of Confidence; real and raw and seamlessly cutting through the crap and getting straight to the point.

How did she get that way? That’s the interesting part. Erika has a massive story. Raised by a single mum who struggled with bipolar, she was in and out of foster homes, experienced physical and sexual abuse and she was a widow at 23…and that’s just scratching the surface.

But Erika always knew she was here to do something more…and that more comes in the form of helping women discover their Queen-ness by working on their inner wardrobe. She says confidence can be learned and caring about what others things is a reflection of you and how you judge others.

Full of wisdom with some laugh out loud anecdotes, this episode is the perfect antidote to perfectionism and embracing your magnificence.

About Erika…

Erika Cramer is a mother of 2, wife and confidence coach (professional hype woman) who is taking a bold stand and showing women how to reclaim their relationship with self-confidence and how to stop giving a F*$k about what others think about them. She embraces the ‘process of becoming’ or the hot mess moments of life (regularly posting videos about her breakdowns on social media). She’s passionate about keeping it real and raw, expressing herself and her story in order to inspire others to own who they are and stand in their fully expressed selves!

Website: https://www.thequeenofconfidence.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Theconfidencequeen/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thequeenofconfidence/

 

Bronwen Sciortino had an intense battle with not being good enough. She pushed herself so hard and for so long she collapsed. For the first time in her life, she couldn’t just click her fingers and fix things.

There was literally nothing left. She’d given all of herself to everyone and everything else.

On her journey to recovery, Bronwen took a series of simple steps that enabled her to build up her resources, accept that she wasn’t perfect and be OK with it and learn to have compassion for herself. She says that recovering from perfectionism isn’t just about control, it’s about fear and being seen as a failure.

Her journey wasn’t straightforward but the steps she took were simple and formed the foundation for her sheIQ Life and her book Keep It Super Simple.

Are you a recovering perfectionist or struggling with perfectionism? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments about perfectionism.

About Bronwen…

Bronwen Sciortino is an internationally renowned author and Simplicity Expert who spent almost two decades as a high powered, award-winning executive before experiencing a life-changing event that forced her to stop and ask the question ‘What if there’s a better way to live?’

Working globally through corporate programs, conference platforms, retreats, professional mentoring and in the online environment, Bronwen teaches people how easy it is to live life differently.

Bronwen believes in the positive impact that the power of community can have and that the best is yet to come!

Website: https://www.sheiqlife.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheiqlife

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheiqlife

 

One day Sarah Morrissey decided to start a radio station for kids aged 0-6 years old. She had no idea how she was going to do it, however, four years down the track over 1.5 million mums, dads and carers have pressed play on Little Rockers Radio in order to entertain their little ones.

Little Rockers Radio isn’t just about providing meaningful entertainment (yoga, exercise, dancing, meditation, and lullabies) for little kids, it has another purpose. Sarah’s nephew passed away in his sleep when he was 16 months old and after seeing the support given to her brother by SIDS and Kids, Sarah knew she wanted to do what she could to give back.

SIDS and Kids were the first charity partner to come board and 70% of the profit from Little Rockers Radio goes back to charity.

Sarah is passionate about what she’s doing and she has big plans for Purpose Little Media. Her goal is to raise $100k per year and $1million over 10 years. She believes that with the power of having an audience you can do a lot of good in the world.

 

About Sarah…

Sarah Morrissey’s nephew passed away from SIDS at 16-months of age and since she successfully built a business that supports Red Nose.

Little Rockers Red Nose Disco broadcasts through child care centres nationally on red nose day each year. This year is their fourth year running the disco and is a great way to fundraise in a fun way for a very serious cause and for Sarah, she loves the thought of thousands of children right around the country dancing and having fun, in memory of Dylan.

Last year they raised just over $50,000 from this campaign for Red Nose and this year they’re aiming to hit $100,000. Their long-term goal is $1million over 10-years.

 

Website: www.littlerockersradio.com.au

Facebook: www.facebook.com/littlerockersradio

Instagram: www.instagram.com/littlerockersradio

Twitter: www.twitter.com/lilrockersradio

Diana Elizabeth Jordan always knew she would be an actor one day. She grew up determined and tenacious. In fact, it’s quite likely those qualities that saved her life. When she was born doctors worked on her for 45 minutes until she could breathe on her own and at the age of 2 years old she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

However, she didn’t let diversity and shyness get in the way of her dream of becoming an award-winning actor who has been cast in over 40 roles on theatre, film, and television.

She’s also a speaker, educator, advocate, director, producer, and entrepreneur.

Diana says when it comes to her career and doing what she loves she always asks for what she wants even if there a chance that it won’t work in her favour.  She says the only way to guarantee it won’t happen is to never try but if you do try you increase the opportunity by 50%.

Diana is a wonderful role model for anyone who has ever struggled with feeling different or like they don’t fit in. If you’ve got a comment about this episode, we’d love to read it.

About Diana…

Diana Elizabeth Jordan is a living example of triumphing over adversity and resiliency. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy (which mildly affects her speech and gait) around age 2, she grew up with a tenacious determination to not to let adversity stand in the way of achieving her dreams. Diana was the first actress with a disability to obtain a Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from California State University Long Beach. She also holds certificates in Occupational Therapy (University of Kansas), Social Emotional Arts ( UCLA) and is currently training to become a drama therapist As an award-winning actress, she has been cast in over 40 plays, film and television and is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association. Diana is also a producer and director and she can currently be seen as Ella in the horror film Edge of Isolation (written and directed by Jeff Houkal) now on Amazon.

Diana’s passion for the power of the expressive arts inspired her to create The Rainbow Butterfly Café, an edutainment production company where she uses powerful performances and expressive arts tools and strategies to, impact and empower audiences in inclusive diversity, disability intersectionality, cultivating resiliency, personal growth, and professional development… Whether portraying a character or sharing a personal story, Diana touches the hearts of audiences with her humor, creativity, vulnerability, and honesty.

Website: www.rainbowbutterflycafe.com or www.dianaelizabethjordan.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dianaEjordan or https://www.facebook.com/The-Rainbow-Butterfly-Cafe-1436567876599151/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromtheheartofdej/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fromtheheartdej

This week I turn the tables on Charmaine Marinkovich, a successful New Zealand-based portrait photographer, and delve into her past and find out why she is so passionate about her latest project called ‘Still She Rises’.

When I started putting my nose into other peoples lives and businesses I never thought I’d end up loving it as much as I do and this week I found someone else who loves doing it too. The only difference is she’s capturing stories through the lens of her camera.

The project is a series of photographs and stories, captured in a coffee table book, about women who have overcome some type of challenge in their lives, yet still, they rise.

I love the name, the care and consideration, and determination Charmaine has given to making this idea happen, even though her first attempt to put it into production didn’t turn out as she hoped.

If you’ve ever felt like you couldn’t do something or something is too big or too hard, then this episode may inspire you to take on a project or idea that you are passionate about.

Connect with Charmaine…

Charmaine Marinkovich is a portrait photographer based in Tauranga, New Zealand. She’s a single mum of four (ages 20, 7, 5, 4) and a baba (aka: nana) to one. She became a mum at 18, ended up having to leave an abusive relationship, dealt with intense anxiety and very low self-worth.

She moved away from her family to follow her dream of becoming a photographer, all while bringing up her daughter and in 2002 took the bold step of starting her photography business. 5 years ago she began photographing women and blending my life learnings with it and is now producing a book where women will be sharing their stories. Her mission is to see every human accepting, loving & enjoying just who they are.

Website: www.charmainemarinkovich.co.nz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charmainemarinkovich/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charmainemarinkovichportraits/

Dr Zivit Inbar, CEO of Different Thinking shares her story about how adversity can be a catalyst for growth. Zivit tells us of how labels, Stealth Dyslexia, grief, and cultural and gender bias have all played a significant path in leading her to follow her passion.

Zivit’s story is about strength, resilience and how she believes that when life shakes you up it’s an opportunity for different thinking.

Dr Zivit Inbar is the founder and CEO of Different Thinking, a consulting practice that specialises in people, culture, leadership & performance strategies for growth with particular expertise in Technology companies, Start-ups, and Venture Capitals. Zivit has over 17 years of experience and expertise with building high-performance teams, driving high-level strategies and processes at the board and executive levels, spanning private and listed local and global organisations (China, APAC, Europe and the US).

Her Board portfolio includes roles as a Chairwoman, Non-Executive-Director, Company Secretary and Advisory Board Member. Zivit is also the facilitator of the CSIRO’s Women in Innovation book club, developing leadership and entrepreneurial skills in female Australian and she is the Co-Founder of Parliament 51 Australia, a global initiative that strives to narrow the leadership gender gap.

Zivit is an Adjunct Professor at Deakin University’s MBA program, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of

Company Directors and a Fellow member of the Australian Human Resources Institute. Her PhD is focused on Strategic Thinking and Strategy Implementation by Western companies operating in China and she is the author of “The Ethical Kaleidoscope: Values, Ethics, and Corporate Governance” (with Doug Long), 2017, Routledge Publishing, UK.

Website: https://www.differenthinking.com.au/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/difffthink

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/differenthinking/

Courtney Elmer had always dreamed of owning her own business so she worked her way up the corporate ladder while working a business on the side. She was very successful and after a couple of years, she walked away from her job to be in her business full time.

On the outside, she looked like she had it all but on the inside, she felt deprived and depressed. She was living a double life and felt like she was addicted to work.

Two days after coming home from her honeymoon, Courtney discovered she had cancer. She was 25 years old.

It was a huge wake-up call. She had surgery and radiation therapy and forced downtime that made her stop and think about how she had been doing life. She recongised that if she wanted to survive she would need to figure out how to work and live with less stress and without sacrificing her life for the sake of being successful.

She poured all of her mentoring, learnings and education into creating a roadmap that helped her navigate through her journey with cancer and get clear about how she wanted her life to look. The first step is always to stop. Stop the wheels spinning because it’s the only way we can evaluate where we are and tune the outside world out.

Courtney’s story is one of warning to those of us who have a pattern of excessive stress, continued exhaustion, burn out and are mentally overloaded. If you do it continuously you will eventually be stopped in your tracks.

In this episode, Courtney and I talk about how wearing all the hats and doing it all are external pressures that trap us into thinking that we’re not worthy unless we perform. We also talk about balance and give our opinions on what our definitions are. I’d love to hear your thoughts about what balance means to you and how it makes you feel when you hear those words.

An insightful interview about what our purpose in life is and why being in alignment and connected with what’s important to us, are the keys to building an unshakable foundation for life.

Meet Courtney

Courtney Elmer is an outstanding Empowerment Speaker and Stress Coach who is on a mission to help female business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders eliminate stress and overwhelm so that they can live a more vibrant and fulfilling life. Most of the time you can find her running amazing workshops and private retreats where she teaches her fellow entrepreneurs how to stop spinning their wheels, stress less and work from a place that is more centered, focused, and balanced.

When she’s not speaking to groups or leading a retreat, you’ll usually find her at the barre studio or adventuring with her husband Alan. She has an obsession for dark chocolate, is a new mom, and makes her home in the fun and funky city of New Orleans with her husband Alan and their furry pups Ace and Deuce, and her lop-eared rabbit Mambo.

Website: http://courtneyelmer.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/courtneyelmerpage

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CourtneyElmer

Instagram: http://instagram.com/CourtneyElmer

If you listen carefully to Jessica Mendoza’s accent you will gain insight into where she grew up, but ask her where she belongs and you won’t get the straightforward answer you might be looking for.

Born in Venezuela, Jessica and her mum moved to Scotland when she was 7 years old, then back to Venezuela, finally landing in the United States where she completed her studies and began her career.

Jessica never thought that living in different countries and experiencing different cultures would be relevant to her career, but her passion for diversity and understanding of cultural differences led her to a project at The Associated Press where connection and localised content could enhance the experience of their audiences.

She says English is the global business language but when it comes to connection we need to go deeper than that and understand the cultural aspects when engaging with people and the company wanted to communicate in a way that better served their audiences across the world.

Origins

Jessica grew up without a strong sense of herself, she struggled to speak up for herself and was swayed by other people’s opinions, until she decided to began to trust herself and define her own path.

She sees herself as a multi-cultural citizen. It took time for her to work out where belonged and recognised that being defined by one place or culture was not for her. Instead, her identity has been shaped by each of the cultures and places she’s lived.

Meet Jessica

Jessica Mendoza is passionate about the intersection of marketing and technology. She is the Senior Marketing Manager at The Associated Press, she develops digital marketing strategies and drives business growth across global markets. Jessica also consults with startups to establish their brand positioning and help them create meaningful connections with their audience.

Her personal journey started in Venezuela, she has lived in 6 different cities in 3 countries, she faced cultural and financial challenges at an early age and grew to learn to adapt herself to new environments rapidly. She has brought as much of her identity and knowledge about cultures to her work. She has published articles in Advertising Age and Medium on marketing and career development.

She was a judge for the 2017 Webby Awards and has spoken about the value of cross-functional teams, empathy-building in the workplace and brand identity at conferences and incubators, like the Digital Strategy Summit and NEW INC. In her spare time she runs The Modern Strategist, a newsletter focused on the convergence of technology, design, science, and marketing.

Website: https://www.jessicagmendoza.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaGMendoza

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessgmendoza/