Mastering Midlife Podcast

Vanessa Ford is an author and menopause/perimenopause expert, as well as the Co-founder of the women's health company, MenoLabs. Backed by two decades of research, MenoLabs delivers an ecosystem of support to help women in their menopause journey. Before co-founding MenoLabs, Vanessa served as the Chief Marketing Officer of Magnitude Management Services and the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. As the Co-founder of MenoLabs, Vanessa is focused on bringing femtech innovations and natural solutions to women's midlife health.

Vanessa joins me today to discuss women's midlife health, perimenopause, and menopause. She defines perimenopause and outlines its symptoms. She shares how food and nutrition impact the symptoms of menopause and highlights the role of the gut in overall health. She also describes the economic impacts of perimenopause and menopause and argues why everyone will benefit from supporting women in their midlife.

"The more we can support women in their midlife undergoing this transition, the better off we're all going to be. Whether it's from the perspective of a company, a community, or a relationship, everything will be better." - Vanessa Ford

Today on Mastering Midlife:

• Why men need to join the conversation on menopause
• Vanessa's background and why she started a company advocating for women's health
• How hormone replacement therapy can also be helpful for men
• Perimenopause: its symptoms and tackling them through nutrition
• Sugar and other foods that exacerbate the symptoms of perimenopause
• Why we need to look at gut health as part of overall health
• Addressing gut health and consuming probiotics for estrogen deconjugation
• The emotional and mental aspects of perimenopause and menopause
• The stigma women face when they're experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms
• How and why we need to support women in perimenopause and menopause

Connect with Vanessa Ford:

• MenoLabs
• Book: How to Master Menopause: Practical Guidance for Dealing with Hot Flashes, Weight Gain, Insomnia, Mood Swings, and Other Menopause Symptoms
• MenoLabs on YouTube
• Vanessa Ford on LinkedIn
• Vanessa Ford on Instagram
• Email: [email protected]

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.

My friend, Helen Appleby and I recorded a series of conversations for LinkedIn last year discussing the challenges our clients face in their Senior Leadership positions. We received so much great feedback that I decided to release them as podcast episodes for you to experience.

In life and business, we spend a lot of time trying to get people to see things our way. In today's show, we explore how listening, really listening, can help improve your impact.

"Often the first level argument, isn't what's really important to the person speaking." – Mark J. Silverman

"The deeper you can get into someone's world, the more likely you will be able to influence them." – Helen Appleby

• People have a point of view, listening helps you understand
• The power of asking "why"
• Listening helps you shape your proposal
• Listening fosters "win -win."

Helen Appleby is a British, New York based Executive Coach, Author, Speaker and Leadership Trainer who has a strong track record of leadership and commercial success. Prior to becoming a full-time coach, she was a Global Business Leader for GlaxoSmithKline where she led the $1bn Respiratory Health business in Consumer Healthcare.

Her career at GSK and Unilever spanned 6 countries and she has lived and worked in Canada, the UK, Cyprus, Dubai, Malaysia and the USA.

She is the author of "The Unwritten Rules of Women's Leadership" book, course and podcast.

Are you a busy, overwhelmed business leader?

Through my work as an author and executive coach, I've discovered the 10 lies we all tell ourselves that keep us away from true productivity and creativity.

If constant firefighting is part of your daily grind, I have a free gift for you. My "10 Uncomfortable Truths" about overwhelm, from "Only 10s, Confront Your To-Do List – Transform Your Life."

Go to www.markjsilverman.com, click on the red banner and receive your 10 videos (one minute, one per day) as well as the first chapter of the book.

While you are there, check out some of the other ways I may be able to help you on the journey.

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.

My friend, Fran Sorin, is a coach, best-selling author, gardening and health evangelist, futurist, and an advocate of open-heartedness, joy, and deep connection. Her mission is to help people design a life they're meant to live–one that's aimed at joy, wellbeing, and freedom. In her highly-regarded book, Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots through Gardening, Fran teaches the art of living creatively and encourages us to discover the magic taking place every day.

Fran joins us today to share her wisdom on maturing and aging gracefully. She describes her transition from motherhood to empty-nester and how becoming an interfaith minister allowed her to own her spiritual identity. She offers advice for people who want to start gardening but are afraid that they might kill plants. She also underscores the role of curiosity in living a vibrant life and highlights the importance of focusing on people who suffer.

"Curiosity leads me to where I need to go; it is my North Star." - Fran Sorin

Today on Mastering Midlife:

• Fran's experience joining an interfaith seminary and discovering what it means to be a spirit in a body
• The importance of living life with an open heart
• How accepting vulnerability makes us braver
• The relationship between physical, emotional, and mental health
• Why you need to become the CEO of your own health
• Gardening as a way of making meaning out of life
• Fran's morning routines and the power of meditation
• How curiosity keeps our lives vibrant
• Confronting the fear of failure through gardening and what gardening has done for Fran's life
• What makes great gardeners and what plants can teach us about patience

Connect with Fran Sorin:

• Fran Sorin Website
• Fran Sorin on LinkedIn
• Fran Sorin on Facebook
• Fran Sorin on Twitter
• Book: Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots through Gardening

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.

My friend, Helen Appleby and I recorded a series of conversations for LinkedIn last year discussing the challenges our clients face in their Senior Leadership positions. We received so much great feedback that I decided to release them as podcast episodes for you to experience.

Helen and I met in a mastermind six years ago. In that mastermind, we developed deep, lifelong friendships that are invaluable to us today. But friendship isn't the only benefit.

"I hang with people who think so highly of me that the negative self-talk never gets a foot hold." – Mark J. Silverman

"It is amazing to have a place to go for support, inspiration and resources." – Helen Appleby

• Be in a room with people who raise the bar for you
• When the value is high, even busy folks show up for every meeting
• In a mastermind, you get by giving
• Seek people who will tell you the truth, no matter how uncomfortable
• Diversity only adds to the power

Helen Appleby is a British, New York based Executive Coach, Author, Speaker and Leadership Trainer who has a strong track record of leadership and commercial success. Prior to becoming a full-time coach, she was a Global Business Leader for GlaxoSmithKline where she led the $1bn Respiratory Health business in Consumer Healthcare.

Her career at GSK and Unilever spanned 6 countries and she has lived and worked in Canada, the UK, Cyprus, Dubai, Malaysia and the USA.

She is the author of "The Unwritten Rules of Women's Leadership" book, course and podcast.

Are you a busy, overwhelmed business leader?

Through my work as an author and executive coach, I've discovered the 10 lies we all tell ourselves that keep us away from true productivity and creativity.

If constant firefighting is part of your daily grind, I have a free gift for you. My "10 Uncomfortable Truths" about overwhelm, from "Only 10s, Confront Your To-Do List – Transform Your Life."

Go to www.markjsilverman.com, click on the red banner and receive your 10 videos (one minute, one per day) as well as the first chapter of the book.

While you are there, check out some of the other ways I may be able to help you on the journey.

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.

Carl Ficks Jr. is the Founder of No Surrender, a venture he created after his 30-year career as a trial lawyer. Through No Surrender, Carl helps busy professionals get back in the fitness game so they can lower their stress and reclaim their wellness. He also created the "Ficks System," a proven road map for endurance athletes and weekend warriors. Being passionate about educating people on building consistent, healthy habits, Carl shares strategies, tools, and inspiration in his bi-weekly newspaper column and LinkedIn posts—both entitled The Friday Ficks—to help his audience stay resourceful and resilient regardless of the circumstances.

Carl joins me today to discuss health, fitness, and wellness for busy people. He recounts his life as a litigation lawyer and describes how he was able to maintain a habit of exercising despite his hectic court life. He highlights why self-care isn't selfish and how prioritizing your health can benefit the people around you. Carl also underscores the relationship between performing better at work and cultivating wellness and points out the impact that a daily, 20-minute exercise can have.

"You have to be healthy to honor your word and commitment; if you're unhealthy, you can't show up." - Carl Ficks Jr.

Today on Mastering Midlife:

• How Carl maintained his fitness despite the demands of being a trial lawyer
• How Carl decided on a value system and structured his busy life around it
• Why prioritizing and tending to your wellbeing isn't selfish
• Filling the teacup and how women get fatigued from doing too much
• How going to the gym allows Carl to be a better father and member of his community
• High-Intensity Interval Training and the power of working out 20 minutes a day
• Why Carl recommends hiring a fitness coach when you can afford it
• Managing food, diet, and nutrition on a busy schedule
• Why it takes self-esteem to prioritize your health and wellness
• The relationship between taking time off of work and performing better at work

Resources Mentioned:

• Strava GPS App
• Book: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

Connect with Carl Ficks Jr.:

• Carl Ficks Website
• No Surrender: 10 Steps for Getting Back in the Game
• Carl Ficks Jr. on LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.

My friend, Helen Appleby and I recorded a series of conversations for LinkedIn last year discussing the challenges our clients face in their Senior Leadership positions. We received so much great feedback that I decided to release them as podcast episodes for you to experience.

Today's show explores the power of deep listening in all the relationships of your life.

"Do you know what is important to your direct reports?" – Mark J. Silverman

"Men tend to interrupt twice as much as women, and when they do, three quarters of the time, they interrupt women." – Helen Appleby

• Performative Listening vs Active Listening
• Listening to connect is a superpower

Helen Appleby is a British, New York based Executive Coach, Author, Speaker and Leadership Trainer who has a strong track record of leadership and commercial success. Prior to becoming a full-time coach, she was a Global Business Leader for GlaxoSmithKline where she led the $1bn Respiratory Health business in Consumer Healthcare.

Her career at GSK and Unilever spanned 6 countries and she has lived and worked in Canada, the UK, Cyprus, Dubai, Malaysia and the USA.

She is the author of "The Unwritten Rules of Women's Leadership" book, course and podcast.

Are you a busy, overwhelmed business leader?

Through my work as an author and executive coach, I've discovered the 10 lies we all tell ourselves that keep us away from true productivity and creativity.

If constant firefighting is part of your daily grind, I have a free gift for you. My "10 Uncomfortable Truths" about overwhelm, from "Only 10s, Confront Your To-Do List – Transform Your Life."

Go to www.markjsilverman.com, click on the red banner and receive your 10 videos (one minute, one per day) as well as the first chapter of the book.

While you are there, check out some of the other ways I may be able to help you on the journey.

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.

Joyce Shulman is the Co-founder, CEO, and Pack Leader of 99 Walks, an organization aiming to get a million women walking with a powerful app. An idea junkie, self-branded "recovering lawyer," and former CEO of the digital media company, Macaroni Kid, Joyce has shifted her focus to being an entrepreneur committed to building authentic communities. She also hosts the Weekly Walk podcast, where she and her co-founder and husband Eric Cohen, interview thought leaders and explore a wide range of topics to encourage the 99 Walks community to get up, get moving, and get happy.

Joyce joins me today to discuss why walking is a game changer for the mind, body, and emotions, and to highlight how walking with others can help us connect. She describes how walking helps her process difficulties and fuels her creativity. She also explains why the impact of fitness and physical movement is something integral to our personal lives and shares the four simple, effective ways she takes a walk.

"We are meant to live in a community with meaningful human connection; walking regularly with people connects us in a very different way." - Joyce Shulman

Today on Mastering Midlife:

• Joyce's origin story and why she cares about getting people to walk
• The loneliness epidemic and discovering the power of walking with other people
• The mission of 99 Walks and the impact of walking on our well-being
• How walking can help prevent disease
• The emotional and mental benefits of walking
• How walking balances the body's hormones and improves productivity and performance
• The power of the 20-minute walk
• Being bipedal and how walking provides us with a shared experience
• The 99 Walks community and how to market a movement

Resources Mentioned:

• How More Walking Leads to Less Loneliness | Joyce Shulman at TEDxDelthorneWomen
• Book: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
• Peloton App

Connect with Joyce Shulman:

• 99 Walks
• The Weekly Walk Podcast
• Book: Walk Your Way to Better: 99 Walks That Will Change Your Life
• 99 Walks on LinkedIn
• 99 Walks on Instagram
• 99 Walks on Facebook
• 99 Walks on YouTube
• Joyce Shulman on LinkedIn
• Joyce Shulman on Instagram
• Joyce Shulman on Facebook

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.

My friend, Helen Appleby and I recorded a series of conversations for LinkedIn last year discussing the challenges our clients face in their Senior Leadership positions. We received so much great feedback that I decided to release them as podcast episodes for you to experience.

Today's show explores how our self-limiting impact every aspect of our lives.

"Uncovering the beliefs we formed when an event happened helps us right size it for who we are today ." – Mark J. Silverman

"Some events from childhood didn't seem traumatic at the time, still influence my thinking today." – Helen Appleby

• Even after decades of inner work, there are always more layers of the onion.
• Beliefs come from the "meaning we made" of things that happened in the past.
• Some of these "beliefs" have benefits… for a time.
• Coaching is a way to gain perspective on the beliefs that subconsciously run us day to day.

Helen Appleby is a British, New York based Executive Coach, Author, Speaker and Leadership Trainer who has a strong track record of leadership and commercial success. Prior to becoming a full-time coach, she was a Global Business Leader for GlaxoSmithKline where she led the $1bn Respiratory Health business in Consumer Healthcare.

Her career at GSK and Unilever spanned 6 countries and she has lived and worked in Canada, the UK, Cyprus, Dubai, Malaysia and the USA.

She is the author of "The Unwritten Rules of Women's Leadership" book, course and podcast.

Are you a busy, overwhelmed business leader?

Through my work as an author and executive coach, I've discovered the 10 lies we all tell ourselves that keep us away from true productivity and creativity.

If constant firefighting is part of your daily grind, I have a free gift for you. My "10 Uncomfortable Truths" about overwhelm, from "Only 10s, Confront Your To-Do List – Transform Your Life."

Go to www.markjsilverman.com, click on the red banner and receive your 10 videos (one minute, one per day) as well as the first chapter of the book.

While you are there, check out some of the other ways I may be able to help you on the journey.

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.

Peter Docker is a speaker, executive coach, leadership consultant, and author who is passionate about teaching leadership that is focused on commitment and human connection. After serving as a Royal Air Force senior officer for 25 years, Peter worked as an international negotiator for the UK government. He worked with Simon Sinek for seven years and was one of the founding "Igniters" on Sinek's team. Alongside Simon Sinek and David Mead, Peter co-wrote Find Your Why, a book that has been translated into more than 25 languages and sold over 420,000 copies. After seven years of working with Sinek, Peter began sharing his insights on the factors that make organizations thrive. He recently published Leading from the Jumpseat, a book where Peter draws from his life experiences to show that leadership is about lifting and empowering others.

Peter joins me today to discuss what it takes for leaders to create new leaders. He outlines how to assess whether switching career paths is the right decision. He differentiates a stand from a position and underscores why knowing the distinction matters for leaders. Peter also defines what it means to lead from the jumpseat and highlights the impact of bringing love and empathy to the business world.

"Lead with the intention of empowering people, so they can carry forward those things that are important." - Peter Docker

Today on Mastering Midlife:

• Peter's background and how he pivoted from serving in the UK Royal Air Force to working with Simon Sinek
• The courage it takes to pivot between industries and how to prepare for it
• How to know if switching career paths is the right decision for you
• The difference between a position and a stand
• What it means to lead from the jumpseat
• Shifting from the "doer" to the "leader" mindset and working through the emotional baggage of letting someone else lead
• Fear: its origins and how it shows up in people
• Choosing to lead with love and the power of embracing humble confidence
• Love and fear in action in the business world and the impact of showing your colleagues that you care
• Learning how to fly, being in flow, and teaching others to fly
• The importance of recognizing that we are human and we make mistakes

Resources Mentioned:

• Leading from Love vs. Fear | Peter Docker at EPIC/2020

Connect with Peter Docker:

• Leading from the Jumpseat
• Book: Leading from the Jumpseat: How to Create Extraordinary Opportunities by Handing Over Control
• Peter Docker on LinkedIn
• Peter Docker on Instagram
• Peter Docker on Twitter

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.

My friend, Helen Appleby and I recorded a series of conversations for LinkedIn last year discussing the challenges our clients face in their Senior Leadership positions. We received so much great feedback that I decided to release them as podcast episodes for you to experience.

Today's show explores how we take everything, especially work, too seriously. And how the heaviness of our day-to-day costs us productivity, creativity and enjoyment.

"It's ok to play hard when you are on the field. The trick is to let it go when you walk off the field." – Mark J. Silverman

"It's not who I am, it's what I do" – Helen Appleby

• Everything is life and death, even when it isn't.
• The challenge when the seriousness bleeds into the rest of your life.
• The pitfall of getting our worth from our achievement
• What do you do with the fear of failure?

Helen Appleby is a British, New York based Executive Coach, Author, Speaker and Leadership Trainer who has a strong track record of leadership and commercial success. Prior to becoming a full-time coach, she was a Global Business Leader for GlaxoSmithKline where she led the $1bn Respiratory Health business in Consumer Healthcare.

Her career at GSK and Unilever spanned 6 countries and she has lived and worked in Canada, the UK, Cyprus, Dubai, Malaysia and the USA.

She is the author of "The Unwritten Rules of Women's Leadership" book, course and podcast.

Are you a busy, overwhelmed business leader?

Through my work as an author and executive coach, I've discovered the 10 lies we all tell ourselves that keep us away from true productivity and creativity.

If constant firefighting is part of your daily grind, I have a free gift for you. My "10 Uncomfortable Truths" about overwhelm, from "Only 10s, Confront Your To-Do List – Transform Your Life."

Go to www.markjsilverman.com, click on the red banner and receive your 10 videos (one minute, one per day) as well as the first chapter of the book.

While you are there, check out some of the other ways I may be able to help you on the journey.

Mastering Midlife...Together!

Thanks for tuning into today's episode of the Mastering Midlife Podcast: How to Thrive When the World Asks the Most of You with Mark Silverman. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.

Be sure to visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and don't forget to share your favorite episodes on social media.