How Women Inspire: Invest, Lead, Give

Inclusive leadership is more important than ever. But what does it actually take to be a leader that shows the skills needed to be a good and inclusive leader? Our guest this week shares practical tips and strategies for being a better leader. This week’s episode 38 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the essential skills needed to become an inclusive leader! 

With high hopes and tons of aspiration, fresh from business school, Dr. Debra Clary started her career as a  Frito-Lay Route Driver. In this role, which required long hours of physical labor, she learned the value of hard work and the value of an education. Dr. Deb has nearly three decades of experience with Fortune 100 Companies, holding executive roles at Frito-Lay, Coca-Cola, Brown-Forman (marketing Jack Daniel’s), and currently, Humana, a leading health and well-being company.  

Her roles span from sales management, operations, and marketing, to strategic planning and executive leadership development. While serving as the VP of Strategy for Brown-Forman, Dr. Deb earned her doctorate degree at George Washington University in Leadership and Organizational Development. Today, she works with leaders that want to improve their impact and contribution. She is a student and teacher of narrative leadership (storytelling), resilience, transformation, and change. She draws on her corporate experiences, academic research, and her performance as a standup comic to inspire others striving to live with purpose.

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Dr. Debra Clary share the importance of leadership skills if you want to join boards and actionable steps you can take right now to be a thoughtful leader who truly listens to those around them. 

Some of the talking points Julie and Debra  go over in this episode include:

• An innovative approach to inclusive leadership and why it’s so important.
• The four characteristics of inclusive leadership, which are visible commitment, humility, awareness of your blind spots, and curiosity.
• Structural ways to put these into practice so that you can become a better leader.
• Building these leadership skills through asking good questions and being curious.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH DR. DEBRA CLARY:

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CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

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In major cities, there is no more room for landfill. In NYC alone, they are trucking their waste 6 hours north. The single-use products contribute significantly to the environmental crisis. This is no longer a tomorrow event. This is a current issue, and we need to do something about it. This week’s episode 37 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about using the circular economy to tackle global challenges! 

In this episode of the How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Caroline Vanderlip share the importance of the circular economy and what it means for climate change.

Caroline Vanderlip puts her passions and creativity into building businesses like Re:Dish, and is excited to be able to tell its huge environmental impact story. A successful entrepreneur, Caroline has launched businesses within parent companies (CNBC, AT&T Personal Online Services), as well as independent entities like the publishing technology company, SharedBook. Armed with a BA from Vassar and an MBA from NYU, Caroline is a life-long learner, now focused on sustainability and the huge impact that Re:Dish can have as it supports a shift from a linear to a circular economy.

Some of the talking points Julie and Caroline go over in this episode include:

• Starting a company at the start of the pandemic.
• Using transferable skills and a great team to grow a new business.
• The product that causes the most issues with climate change and has the biggest impact.
• The transition from tech to operationally heavy businesses in where future investments and funding will be going.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH CAROLINE VANDERLIP:

LinkedIn

Re:Dish

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

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LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

With the Western Hemisphere consisting of the majority of the world’s Latinx population, it’s important that we think about how we can ensure that there are Latinas in political leadership positions both locally and throughout the hemisphere. What are we doing collectively as Latinas– especially executive Latinas– to support each other to ensure there is a broader vision for Latina leadership? This week’s episode 36 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about ensuring political and economic equality for Latinas with Helen Torres! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Helen Torres share the importance of helping to create opportunities for more Latinas in leadership positions. They also discuss actionable steps you can take right now to support Latinas from both leadership and political stances. 

Helen Iris Torres is CEO of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), where she leads one of the state and nation’s most influential Latina organizations. She has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the HOPE Leadership Institute (HLI), a program that prepares adult Latinas for their next level of civic participation. HLI has resulted in more than 180 Latinas being appointed to state and local commissions, and over 200 Latinas serving on nonprofit boards to improve local communities.

Some of the talking points Julie and Helen Torres go over in this episode include:

• Leadership lessons learned over 20 years of political equality work.
• What it takes to get more Latinas into politics.
• The challenges and barriers facing Latinas in getting and keeping leadership roles.
• Three ways to truly deliver on the mission to ensure political and economic equality for Latinx folks. 

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH HELEN TORRES:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE)

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

We’ve seen from the statistics that when more People of Color and women invest in ventures, more companies founded by People of Color and women get those funds. With a background in founding and investing, our guest has some very unique insights that can help us see the big picture. This week’s episode 35 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the foundational skills needed for both founders and investors! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Nancy Hayes share the importance of confidence in both founders and investors. They also chat through some actionable steps you can take right now to find strategic support at the right time in your business. 

After serving as a senior executive in a Fortune 5 corporation, CEO of 2 non-profit organizations, dean of a large college of business, and CFO of a state university, Nancy Hayes became an entrepreneur and then an investor. She consults on leadership, career, and organizational effectiveness, with a special emphasis on coaching women executives. She is an active angel investor and advisor/mentor to women entrepreneurs and founders of color.

Nancy left the IBM Corporation as a senior executive after a long and satisfying career to bring her leadership and management skills to the nonprofit social services sector. She became CEO of the STARBRIGHT Foundation, an innovative national nonprofit chaired by Steven Spielberg and General H. Norman Schwarzkopf. It developed technology and media-based solutions to help seriously ill children deal with the psycho-social aspects of their illnesses. Later, she was CEO/President of WISE Senior Services, a nonprofit tackling the issues of isolated low-income seniors and fighting elder abuse and financial fraud against the elderly.

Nancy also served 6 years as dean of the College of Business at San Francisco State University and then was CFO and Chief Administrative Officer of SF State for 2 years. In 2013, she co-founded MoolaHoop, a unique rewards-based crowdfunding platform for women-owned small businesses. She’s been an active angel investor since 2014 with a portfolio of more than 30 women-led companies. She was Managing Director of Golden Seeds, an angel group focused on women entrepreneurs, for over 3 years. 

Some of the talking points Julie and Nancy Hayes go over in this episode include:

• Why it’s essential for People of Color and women to invest in venture capital.
• Long-term strategy and tactical impact are what make a successful founder. 
• What we need to capitalize on women and people of color run companies.
• Essential leadership skills needed at each phase of growing a business.
• How to understand when you might need to step out of the business you’ve founded.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH NANCY HAYES

LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

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LinkedIn - HWL

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Currently, 70% of all the people quoted by reporters, editors, producers, and hosts are men. And within the first portion of that media, 90% of the experts quoted are men. One of the main reasons that this happens is that women tend to refrain from putting themselves out there. This week’s episode 34 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about amplifying your voice in media! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Lee Caraher share the importance of closing the “say gap” and actionable steps you can take right now to get your voice out there as an expert in your field. 

Lee is the founder and CEO of a highly sought-after communications firm, Double Forte, known for producing great results with its innovative approach to traditional, digital and experiential programs. She has a long history of leading high-performing, multi-generational teams that enjoy working together. Lee is a champion for creating a positive workplace culture that fully supports its talent, even when they choose to move on. She takes the long view to support employees building their own personal brands that balance loyalties to themselves and their employers. Lee believes that companies able to inspire lifetime loyalty from employees — currently or formerly employed — are the companies that are best suited to thrive. She has long recognized that people will leave employers and understands the real problems this causes for companies.

Some of the talking points Julie and Lee Caraher go over in this episode include:

• The #1 reason why women don’t tend to put themselves out there.
• How to amplify the voices of the women around us.
• The steps you need to take to get found so that media starts coming your way.
• How to determine what you want to be known for and move toward being an expert in that.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH LEE CARAHER:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Twitter

Website

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

It’s important that, as women, we fight for our rights to reproductive health and one of the ways to do that is through our political fundraising. This week’s episode 33 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about reproductive health and political fundraising! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Gretchen Sisson share the importance of understanding the data behind reproductive health and where it’s headed in the future. They also discuss actionable steps you can take right now to put your dollars to work for the values you hold dear to you.

Gretchen Sisson, Ph.D., is a qualitative sociologist whose research focuses on social constructions of parenthood, specifically examining abortion and pregnancy decision-making, teen pregnancy and young parenthood, infertility and assisted reproductive technologies, and adoption and birth/first motherhood. She is the lead investigator for ANSIRH's Abortion Onscreen program, which examines the representation of abortion on American film and television and the impact of such portrayals. 

Dr. Sisson also studies adoption within the context of the reproductive health and justice movements and is working on a book about contemporary first motherhood. She serves on the Boards of Directors for WDN Action (a sister organization of the Women Donors Network) and Emerge America. She received her BA from Amherst College and her Ph.D. from Boston College.

Some of the talking points Julie and Gretchen go over in this episode include:

• Why so many institutions have not historically funded reproductive work.
• How adoption doesn’t work in the discussions around reproductive health and the data behind that.
• Where politics fits into reproductive work and why it’s an important part.
• How to put your political donations to work so that you can see the results you want.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH GRETCHEN SISSON: 

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Website

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

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LINKS MENTIONED: 

The Turnaway Study by Diana Greene Foster

Our guest this week has had a very interesting journey toward being a leader and board director. She started her career with a hard hat and now sits on the board of a public company. Her journey is inspiring, and she gives insights on how you can live every day to its fullest potential. This week’s episode 32 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about leading with self-realization! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Kathryn Henry share the importance of showing up as an authentic leader. They also discuss what living to your full potential really looks like and how it has a positive impact on how you show up in the world. 

Kathryn Henry is currently serving as CEO & Co-Founder of LightBrite and Independent Board Director at lululemon since February 2016. She’s a member of Audit and Compensation Committees focusing on Technology, Operations, Cyber Security, People Development, and Social Impact/ESG. She’s led strategic planning and program management for Blue-Chip global firms, including Gap Inc., Levi Strauss & Company, lululemon, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte & Touche. Kathryn also serves as a limiter partner at How Women Invest, a venture firm disrupting the unequal investment in women-owned ventures and propelling women-led businesses forward.

Some of the talking points Julie and Kathryn go over in this episode include:

• The unique situation of being on the team at lululemon and then joining the board.
• How a background with technical and people skills is helpful for board members. 
• Finding your meaning through meditation and spiritual practice of quiet. 
• How we as a society are becoming more awakened to our broader consciousness.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH KATHRYN HENRY:

LinkedIn

MySoul Vibe App

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

LINKS MENTIONED:

Living with the Himalayan Masters

Autobiography of a Yogi

Did you know that women who invest generally earn more than 1-2% over their lifetime than their male counterparts? Women are fantastic investors, but it’s up to us to take that step and take control of our finances. This week’s episode 31 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about becoming more financially empowered now through investing! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Haleh Moddasser share the importance of being financially empowered and actionable steps you can take right now to better understand your financial status.

Haleh Moddasser is a Senior Financial Advisor at Stearns Financial Group and the Managing Partner of their Chapel Hill office. Over the last ten years, Haleh has built a practice devoted primarily to women and their financial empowerment, a topic she is passionate about. In addition to her client engagements, Haleh has written about women and finance and has frequently been interviewed for national media outlets such as Forbes, Barron’s, Reuter’s, Bloomberg, and Kiplinger’s among others. Haleh also has spoken at various conferences around the country; most recently at Harvard's Chan School of Public Health.

Some of the talking points Julie and Haleh go over in this episode include:

• How women are different from other types of investors.
• Your wealth status might correlate with your sense of financial empowerment and how that impacts your investment.
• Valuing your marital estate from a place of power and understanding.
• How to find a trusted financial advisor who can help you make good choices with your money.

We must band together and stop viewing ourselves as a group of empowered people who can make a difference in this world. 

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH HALEH MODDASSER:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Website

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

Who is going to define the political future? Within four years, our guest was able to redefine the political landscape. We made space in American culture for the potential of something new that’s a politics we haven’t seen yet. This week’s episode 30 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about making space for new political practices! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Aimee Allison share how she was able to make the term “Women of Color” shorthand for something beautiful. It’s not just about solidifying a multi-racial coalition of women. It’s not solidarity. It’s also shorthand for a political vision that’s grounded in a re-founding of America.  

Aimee Allison is a writer, democratic innovator, and visionary champion of racial and gender justice. She is the Founder and President of She the People, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to an America redefined and inspired by women of color. 

Renowned for her national efforts to build inclusive, multiracial coalitions, Allison organized and moderated the nation’s first presidential forum for women of color, attended by Presidential candidates and more than 1000 women from across the country, garnering major national press. 

Some of the talking points Julie and Aimee Allison go over in this episode include:

• How she got started with She the People and what led to its birth.
• The shift to helping women of color shows up as an important group of people from a political standpoint. 
• Removing overwhelm, negativity, and the sense of individualism that keeps us from moving forward with the vision of what our political future could look like.
• An overview of what we are dealing with on a political landscape. 
• How stories can be used to continue to drive the activism needed to further the cause.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH AIMEE ALLISON:

LinkedIn

Twitter

She the People

Website

  CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL

The climate crisis has seen major changes in the past few decades. We’ve seen companies starting to step up to make positive climate changes and there are ways you can help with that. This week’s episode 29 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about how you can positively impact the climate crisis!  

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Virginia Klausmeier share the importance of massively curbing carbon emissions. We also chat about actionable steps you can take right now to make changes in your own business and life to support our climate. 

Virginia has dedicated the last 10 years to solving climate change, and on this life path, she founded a venture-backed climate tech company, Sylvatex (SVX) Inc. Sylvatex has won numerous awards/funding at industry conferences and venture competitions, and is an affiliate with National Laboratories (LNBL) and USDA. Virginia is currently active in advising climate tech and minority-led organizations as well as a fellow/member of All Raise, Unreasonable Group, Alliance of CEO’s, Astia, Silicon Valley Leadership Group and is actively working on the growth and commercialization of Sylvatex Inc. 

Virginia attended Singularity University and the University of Oregon earning her B.S. in Chemistry/Economics and a M.S. in Engineering. Virginia currently has a number of patents pending and has been a speaker at a number of domestic and international events. Prior to this venture, she managed the new development ideas for a fortune 500 medical device companies and led the US clinical and biomechanical research. Virginia was featured as one of the "Top 10 women in biofuels" and was selected by Forbes for "30 under 30 in Energy". Last but not least, she is the proud partner to Ryan Irwin Klausmeier and the mother to two little boys River and Dakota.

Some of the talking points Julie and Virginia go over in this episode include:

• How her life journey has been a series of epiphanies that have led her to this moment. 
• The power of being a coachable person and how that helps her bring her education and interests into her work and business.
• How to create substantial amounts of carbon change in our world. 
• Ways that collaboration have had such a huge impact on being able to create positive climate change. 

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH VIRGINIA KLAUSMEIER:

LinkedIn

Sylvatex

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL