Le vital corps Salon

If that wasn’t enough, Jana is a writer, too. She will be releasing her first book, Wild Beauty, in July. (I’ve seen it, and it’s gorgeous.)

In this episode, we talk about art curation versus creation as well as Jana claiming her artistic confidence through Captain Blankenship. Plus, we discuss how Jana navigated the intersection of career, family and honoring the different parts of herself, including the tiny chemist. At a young age, Jana started making potions. She eventually developed a sensitivity to synthetic fragrance, which as an adult led her to dive headfirst into natural perfumery and research plant-based ingredients. She’s smart, artistic, and resilient - all of which we discuss during our conversation.

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with Jana on social media: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram    
• Mandy Aftel (perfumer)
• Reuben Museum in NYC
• DIA: Beacon
• Matthieu Ricard on Good Life Project podcast
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (book)
• Joyful by Ingrid Lee (book)
• B Corp
• Wild Beauty: Wisdom & Recipes for Natural Self-Care by Jana Blankenship (book)
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.
• Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a single mom, Whitney bravely took on the risk of being an entrepreneur and has never looked back. Whitney is a successful entertainment industry executive-turned-cannabis storage designer who's spearheading her quickly growing startup.

Inspired by a lack of stylish, safe cannabis storage systems and a total disdain for storing plant medicine in a shoe box, Whitney decided to produce a product for cannabis users. Using her brand, she is positively redefining the image of cannabis users, too. She hopes to change the image from the “basement stoner” to one the 6-figure professionals who are finding comfort and pleasure in their stash.

In this episode, you will hear about the cannabis industry, including society’s demonization of it and how women in leadership in the cannabis space is actually dropping. We’ll also talk about the easy to say, but tough to do concept for all entrepreneurs: Permission to take care of yourself. Yes, it is beyond OK to prioritize self-care. Because, let’s face it, your business will be better if you do.

Whitney has always had pluck, drive, and an entrepreneurial spirit. In fact, her high level of confidence helped her maneuver her way through Hollywood and, later, the entrepreneurial world. Everything wasn’t always sunshine and cannabis plants. She suffered setbacks, anxiety attacks, feelings of isolation, and the many challenges that come with business growth. 

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with Whitney on social media: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
• DDA Awards
• William Morris Agency
• Harry Anslinger | His Campaign Against Cannabis
• Reefer Madness (film) Note: For reference purposes on how systemic racism intersects with the cannabis industry culturally and  historically, not to be cheeky.
• Supernova Women
• Caboodle
• Canopy (business accelerator for ancillary cannabis businesses)
• Genius Juice
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.
• Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve been so fortunate to have some really, really kickass guests! Kelly Lyndgaard, who you met in episodes 30, 56, and 57, nudged this one along. Kelly’s become a mentor, sponsor, and a dear friend to me. So, it was an honor to turn the host reigns over to her, while I moved on over to the hot seat.

In this episode, you will hear us cover a lot of ground. I think Kelly compiled 2 years of questions! We will talk about neuro-fatigue, coaching, what my superpower would be if I could have one, making major changes in life, issues with feeling disconnected, and some ways to deal with decision fatigue.

This was a deeply personal conversation. I offer you a window into what’s been going on over the past couple years - a lot I haven’t spoken about publicly. My hope is that you find some lessons or comfort from my experiences to apply in your own life.

I think some folks try to put me on a pedestal as host. You will plainly hear how perfectly imperfect I am. After recording this episode, I felt pretty vulnerable. It felt so very strange to be on the other side of the interview. Please join Kelly and me for this heartfelt conversation.

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with me on social media: Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram
• Connect with Kelly on social media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Kelly on Le vital corps Salon episode 30 and the Mentor Sponsor Mashup (episodes 56 and 57)
• Captivating Revised and Updated: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge (book)
• Neuro fatigue
• Queer Eye
• Natural Cycles (app)
• Pomodoro Technique
• Barb Oakley (LvcS episode)
• Sharon Rowe (LvcS episode)
• Thor: Ragnarok
• Black Panther
• X-Files episode: Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose
• Trello
• Diane Crump (LvcS episode)
• Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon (book)
• Overwhelmed by Brigid Schulte (book)
• Remember the Milk (to-do/task list app)
• Evernote (app)
• South by Southwest
• Brené Brown on belonging
• Vanity Fair article about President Obama’s repeating wardrobe
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After many years of illness and being sick (since she was a child), Mary was diagnosed at 43 with Celiac Disease. And yes, she was thrilled with finally receiving a diagnosis. In this episode, she opened up about her experience with healing as well as her 27-year career as a practicing psychotherapist before her homemade crackers took on a life of their own.

Mary talked about the process of starting Mary’s Gone crackers, including her many failed attempts at getting the cracker dough just right. Then, she shares what it was like to satisfy the public’s overwhelming demand for her product and the sometimes harsh realities of building, running and, later, exiting a business. For the uninitiated among us or the non-entrepreneurs, it's not all glitter and rainbows all of the time.

Mary offers a unique perspective when sharing her stories and insights as both a healer and a food company entrepreneur. 

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with Mary Waldner on social media: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
• Food Inc. (documentary)
• Cal Patch of Hodge Podge Farm | Hodge Podge Farm on Facebook
• SXSW
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.
• Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Lava Mae goal: to deliver hygiene and to reconnect people experiencing houselessness with their dignity.

Doniece began Lava Mae after learning there were 16 shower stalls and about as many toilets for San Francisco's 7,500 houseless men, women, and children. Think about that math. It just does not work out. In this episode, she talks about how her idea became reality in such wonderful detail. In the five years since launching Lava Mae, 14,000 Californians have been served. Lava Mae is expanding by sharing an open source toolkit to respond to the more than 2,000 requests for help from communities as far away as Zimbabwe and as close as New York. In that same period of time, she has won countless awards and been recognized by CNN, Toyota and other organizations. Doniece, however, is most proud of the honor bestowed upon her by her 12-year-old daughter who calls her a homeless superhero. You know what? Her daughter is so right.

In this episode, we discussed what Radical Hospitality™ is and transforming how communities see our unhoused neighbors. Hygiene is important for everyone, not only for physical health, but for self-worth and self-confidence. Doniece saw firsthand how a shower can change a person, their view of the world, and how the world views them. She also eloquently shared her experience of seeing how bureaucracy and innovation can play nice in the sandbox.

Doniece helps us see ways to navigate interactions with our houseless, sometimes invisible, neighbors, people who need to be and should be seen. She reminds us that being homeless is a set of circumstances, not the identity of a person. 

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with Doniece Sandoval on social media: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
• Start your own mobile hygiene service with this open-source tool kit: https://buildit.lavamae.org/
• Lava Mae Service Areas: San Francisco | Oakland | Los Angeles
• The 3 Pillars of Lava Mae: Mobile Hygiene, Pop-up Care Villages and Replication
• Brett Terpeluk, architect
• Kohler (Bathroom products company)
• Brené Brown  | Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
• Karim Rashid (designer)
• Hygiene kits
• Salesforce CRM
• Burning Man Festival
• Aimee Gardner of O+ Festival
• Research on how close people are to being homeless. (75% of Americans are $400 away?)
• Draper Richards Kaplan
• Sarah Blondin, Sarah Blondin is the founder, writer, videographer and podcast host for Live Awake
• Workaholics Anonymous
• Sharon Rowe of EcoBags
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.
• Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With over 25 years of experience as a medical malpractice attorney, Heather has been consistently named one of the top 50 female lawyers in Pennsylvania. Additionally, she advocates, she mediates, she anchors content, and she stars as a legal talking head.

I’m stoked about her book, The Elegant Warrior: How to Win Life’s Trials Without Losing Yourself. Heather gathers up all of her lessons from the courtroom and shows readers how they can use their complaints, discoveries, questions, and objections to find their own voices and win arguments without losing themselves in the process. For those of you who have been listening to this podcast for a long time, you know that communication, asking questions, applying empathy, and being curious are all super important to me. I found a kindred spirit and teacher in Heather Hansen.

In this episode, you will hear how Heather has re-potted her career over the years. We also talk about the importance of being an advocate for others and for themselves. We look deeply at the power of curiosity, empathy, listening, and questions. Finally, Heather showed us how we can be an elegant warrior (and advocate) in our own lives.

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with Heather Hansen on social media: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
• Heather’s book, The Elegant Warrior: How to Win Life’s Trials Without Losing Yourself
• Dan Abrams, Law & Crime
• Cal Newport, author of Digital Minimalism and Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
• Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why
• Donald Miller of StoryBrand
• Research: Perspective-Taking Doesn’t Help You Understand What Others Want
• Seth Godin
• Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now
• Paul J. Zak, author of The Trust Factor
• Four Agreements
• Really Read It
• Zachary Wood, author of Uncensored and Guardian columnist
• Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Minda Harts on LvcS Episode 16, Episode 56 & 57
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.
• Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As PelotonU’s Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Sarah and the organization are committed to ensuring working adults can earn a college degree on time without a mountain of debt. We explore the challenges, or straight-up barriers, that exist for these adults who want to continue or go back to school. As Sarah says, “Picture going back to school right now with nothing else changing in your life.”

Yes, you will learn about PelotonU and its innovative, competency-based learning initiative. You’re also going to learn about Sarah, the perfectly imperfect human being. Sarah opened up about how she grew to hate the work she was great at and how that contributed to a mental breakdown.

Healing has been a part of her path, and Sarah’s incredibly candid about what it took to overcome her obstacles. She also opened up about her suicidal ideations and celebrating her "5-year burnout-iversary.” We talk about workaholism as a coping mechanism, hitting pause on the “shame tapes” we play on repeat, and Sarah’s tenacity in putting the pieces back together.

I can't thank Sarah enough for truly showing up to this conversation and sharing her story so poignantly and with such grace. It's so important for all of us to connect, learn, and grow from each other's experiences and stories. And now, here is my conversation with Sarah Saxton-Frump.

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with Sarah Saxton-Frump  on social media: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
• Teach for America
• KIPP
• KIPP Austin Collegiate
• Southern New Hampshire University
• 2gen research from Ascend Network from the Aspen Institute
• Barb Oakley and MOOC
• University of Texas - Austin
• Beth Moore article
• Brené Brown
• Kelly Lyndgaard of Unshattered on Le vital corps Salon
• Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator
• Enneagram
• Are You My Mommy? by P.D. Eastman (children’s book)
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.
• Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diane was also the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby in 1970, where she rode a horse called Fathom. These days, Diane runs her own business doing equine sales, which almost seems like a horse and rider matchmaking service. If that wasn't all enough, she worked with author Mark Schrager on the upcoming book about her life called Diane Crump: A Horse Racing Pioneer’s Life In the Saddle.

In this episode, Diane and I talk about all things equine and horse racing. Yes. All. The. Things. This includes women’s right to ride and gender (in)equality in horse racing. Plus, we talk about the importance of quiet determination and focused fascination. Diane also shares poignant insights about the freedom to follow (but not force) what’s in your heart and navigate all of the negativity. Seriously, Diane walks her talk for focusing and letting negativity roll right off of her.  

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with Diane Crump  on social media: Website | Facebook  
• Diane Crump: A Horse Racing Pioneer’s Life In the Saddle, Mark Shrager (book)
• Kentucky Derby
• Tampa Bay Downs
• Churchill Downs
• Kathy Kusner
• Barbara Jo Rubin
• Hialeah Park and Racing
• National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.
• Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I first met Sharon when she gave a talk at Woodstock BYO. That’s when I learned about her passion for the zero/less waste movements. There was so much more I wanted to ask this thought-provoking, social entrepreneur.

Not only is Sharon passionate about reducing waste, she is also passionate about entrepreneurship. She recently condensed all of her business knowledge into a book called The Magic of Tiny Business. I ripped through the book in one afternoon and loved it. I'm not the only person who loved the book. Seth Godin had some awesome things to say about it, too. (Yes, that Seth Godin.)

When Sharon's not running her company, she is speaking to rid the world of single use plastic bags and promote sustainable, tiny business. She’s also active in The Social Venture Network, B Corporation, The Women's Presidents Organization, and the Governing Board of Westchester Collaborative Theater. Whew. She is one busy lady who holds it all together with poise and grace.

In this episode, Sharon talks about the power of making simple a switch over time, the death of single use plastic bags (YESSS!), and getting comfortable with discomfort. We also talk about turning tiny ideas into tiny businesses, how regrouping can help you move forward, and the importance of being intentional and incremental in life and in business.

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with Sharon Rowe on social media:  Eco-Bags Website | Eco-Bags on Instagram Eco-Bags on Facebook | Sharon’s Author Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• The Magic of Tiny Business, Sharon Rowe (book)
• Seth Godin: Website | Blog
• Blake Rowe
• The Social Venture Network
• BCorporation
• The Women's Presidents’ Organization
• Westchester Collaborative Theater
• Creative Confidence, Tom Kelley, David Kelley (book)
• Terry Gross - Bruce Springsteen interview on Fresh Air
• Roz Chast, Cartoonist, The New Yorker
• Twyla Tharp
• Earth Day
• Bridget Jones’ Diary (movie)
• Mentor Sponsor Mashup
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.
• Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saundra got her start working her way up through amateur night at the Apollo Theater (yes, that one). She's been a touring member with artists like Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Victor Wooten, Mavis Staples, and Low Cut Connie. She's recorded with artists such as Amy Winehouse, Moby, Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Lady Wray. Saundra has also written her own music, has had a solo career, and makes up one half of the group, Saun and Starr (who are signed to Daptone Records).

Saundra has a lot of professional cred. Yet, she’s here today to talk about Saundra - the woman and working mom. While I know Saundra believes music has a real healing power to it, I happen to think her story does, too. In this episode, you’ll hear Saundra share stories of being a young girl growing up in the Bronx and singing into her “microphone” (a hairbrush). She also opens up about being a working teenage mom and experiencing some working mom guilt. Plus, she talks about her time at the Apollo Theater and lessons learned about recognizing your own worth. Saundra also talks about the grind of the music industry and how she’s navigated it. (This kind of persistence is transferable for those of you not in the music industry.)

Selected link love + resources from the episode

• Connect with Saundra Williams on social media:  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Saun and Starr on Facebook
• Saundra Williams on Sharon (video)
• Kesha - Woman (video)
• I Want it I Need It (Real Love) (video)
• Saun & Starr - Big Wheel  (video)
• Low Cut Connie on Seth Meyers - All These Kids are Way too High (video)
• Imposter Syndrome
• Apollo Theater
• Starr Duncan of Saun & Starr
• Astronaut/Artist Nicole Stott on LvcS
• The Wolf of Wall Street (movie)
• Low Cut Connie
• Daptone Records
• Kickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.
• Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.