Owning Your Legacy

This week, Laurette is joined by Paul Graham, President & CEO of Americas at Döhler and recently appointed FEMA President, who shares his remarkable journey from humble beginnings as a grape picker in Adelaide, Australia, to becoming a transformative leader in the global food and beverage industry.

Throughout his conversation with Laurette, Paul shares invaluable insights about authentic leadership, creative problem-solving, and the power of mentorship. Drawing from his extensive experience at Döhler, and his new role leading FEMA (Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association), Paul offers unique perspectives on innovation, industry transformation, and the importance of saying “yes.”.

In this episode:

• The pivotal role of mentorship in professional growth and development
• How creative solutions can unlock unexpected opportunities, from selling insurance to truck drivers to revolutionizing food and beverage distribution
• The importance of authenticity in building trust with customers and teams
• Why saying "yes" to challenges, even when feeling unprepared, can accelerate your career
• The lasting impact of making a difference in both businesses and people's lives

Join us for an inspiring conversation filled with practical wisdom and insights from a true legacy of climbing to the top.

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

Ever been told you can’t do something? Darcy Gaechter’s journey to becoming the first woman to kayak the Amazon River from source to sea is filled with moments when she defied limitations imposed by others and followed her passions.

In his episode of Owning Your Legacy, Darcy candidly discusses the challenges she faced being told she was "too small," "too short," or "too female" to succeed. From earning a college scholarship in volleyball to entering the male-dominated sport of extreme kayaking, when someone told her, “You can’t,” Darcy said, “Watch me.”  

Darcy’s experiences navigating the intense team dynamics during her 148-day Amazon expedition offer powerful insights into relentless determination, compassionate leadership, and redefining limits — and she shares these insights with humility and thoughtfulness throughout her conversation with Laurette Rondenet. 

In this episode:

• How early experiences of being underestimated fueled Darcy's determination to prove others wrong
• The unique challenges of being a woman in the male-dominated world of extreme kayaking
• Lessons about managing team dynamics during the grueling Amazon expedition
• The emotional rollercoaster of completing a life-defining journey and facing the question, "What's next?"
• Learning to accept help and support when you need it
• Darcy’s empowering message for anyone who feels underestimated.

Join us for an unforgettable conversation that will inspire you to push your boundaries, embrace challenges, and redefine what's possible.

For a more in-depth look at Darcy’s Amazon adventure, read her book: Amazon Woman.

To experience kayaking yourself, check out Small World Adventures for guided trips in Ecuador. 

Want to have Darcy as a speaker? Book her through Leading Authorities.

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

In an inspiring story of perseverance and passion, Kevin Boehm, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of BOKA Restaurant Group, shares his journey from living in his car to building one of Chicago’s most celebrated restaurant groups.

Throughout his conversation with Laurette, Kevin talks openly about the big risks he’s taken, the moments that didn’t go as planned, hitting "rock bottom", and getting the help he needed to make a strong comeback.

Kevin reflects on how the restaurant industry gave Kevin a place to call home in contrast to the one he grew up in. And from this foundation, he developed the courage and maturity to pay attention to his “Inner Narrator” — and learned to understand and respect each of his inner voices.

Kevin’s raw honesty about failure, overcoming imposter syndrome, and managing his mental wellness, offers powerful life lessons for anyone navigating their own challenges.

In this episode:

• How a trip to Wendy’s sparked unexpected inspiration — we all need a Joan!
• Why Kevin doesn’t see his move to Florida at 19 as “brave”
• The difference between “hospitality” and “service”
• The Art of Gathering
• What you can learn from failure, even when things are going well
• Kevin’s personal wellness journey and how he conquered imposter syndrome
• The power of the “pre-shift”
• Our Inner Narrator and the importance all voices have a seat at the table

Tune in for this inspiring episode — and follow the Owning Your Legacy podcast!

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

This episode of Owning Your Legacy has Laurette speaking with Robert Pomazak, or “Coach Pom” as he is known by the players of St. Charles North High School, where he serves as head football coach. Coach Pom talks about how he answers the call to be a leader and everything that entails. He discusses his highs and lows as a coach and as a leader—from making a positive difference in the lives he touches to what he calls the “Leadership Gut Punch.”

Join us for a discussion about the importance of sports during formative years, the difficulty and crucial nature of building trust, the overlap between business and sports leadership, and the unique challenges of running an organization where you are the only real constant.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy:

• Overlap between leadership qualities for sports and business
• How to cope with the hard moments as a leader
• Why it’s so important to create key “moments” for the people you lead
• Building something that people truly need in their lives
• Coach Pom’s approach to cultivating the next generation of leaders

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

Israel Santiesteban-Barrientos joins us in this episode of Owning Your Legacy to share his story of how he went from delivering milk at Dannon to becoming a leader in food and beverage with roles at prestigious companies like Kraft-Heinz and Schreiber Foods.

Israel’s journey is one of perseverance, from losing his mother at a young age and playing semi-professional soccer to keep food on the table to learning food science on the job and reading textbooks for classes he wasn’t officially enrolled in.  Israel put himself headfirst into every challenge and made lasting connections with his community, quickly learning about every aspect of his greatest passion—food production and nutrition.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy:

• Israel’s incredible story, from farmer to executive through a language barrier
• What makes milk and dairy products more or less nutritious
• Kraft’s role as a power player in improving nutrition and wellness
• Improving supplier diversity and empowering smaller, disadvantaged groups
• Using your power and influence to be a force for good and move others

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette speaks with Mar Soraparu, a former finance executive who went on to co-found BIÂN, a premier private social and health club for total well-being. She also serves as the club’s chief wellness officer. The transition from finance to wellness may not be a typical one, but the series of events makes perfect sense in her story—she simply met the challenges before her and followed what her intuition and heart told her.

Laurette and Mar discuss the intersection of wellness and business, both in terms of how corporations can be doing a better job of promoting wellness, and some ways in which holistic wellness has already influenced corporate life. Join us on Mar’s journey through the corporate finance world, the value of following her intuition, how she discovered her passion, and why she made the bold decision to pursue it.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy:

• Mar’s career journey of finance to holistic and physical wellness
• How holistic wellness shapes the western corporate world
• The power of having a career mentor
• Owning and being empowered by your mindset
• What business can do better to promote total wellness

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette is joined by Julia Stamberger, the president, founder, and director of The Planting Hope Company, Inc. The two begin by discussing Julia’s start at United Airlines where she pioneered the airline snackbox concept and set her career on a trajectory of food innovation. This led her to found Planting Hope, a company that reimagines the future of food to something more sustainable, healthy, and scalable for the future.

The road to making Planting Hope a success has not been without its challenges. Julia has grappled with the demands and expectations of venture capital funding, learning more about food science on the job, and identifying which healthy products can actually be commercially viable—wait until you hear what she says about almond and sesame milk!

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy:

• Improving airline food during an era of cost-cutting
• Reimagining sustainable food with Planting Hope Company
• The realities of working with VCs
• The challenges of scaling healthy products
• Empowering women and raising equity-focused men

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette is joined by Brent Novoselsky, former NFL player and current VP of Wealth Services at Alera Group. The two discuss Brent’s experience playing for the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings, his career-ending injury, and life after professional football. Fortunately for Brent, he had a business degree from Penn State to fall back on.

When it comes to professional football and business, according to Brent, it’s all about who you know. It was his connections that got him a call from the Bears. They also helped him build a successful career as a financial advisor, where he helps clients make savvy decisions based on their values. 

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy:

• Brent’s early football years
• The neck injury that changed Brent’s life
• Transitioning from the NFL to everyday life
• How values influence your financial decisions
• LinkedIn as an untapped resource

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette is joined by Jennifer Convery, the former group president of Griffith Foods North America. Jennifer currently sits on three boards and is an advisor to CEOs. Together, Laurette and Jennifer discuss how women’s role in the workplace has evolved over the last 30 years and the importance of advocating for yourself to get what you want.

Jennifer created a successful career path by tuning into her needs, learning to balance motherhood with work responsibilities, and never being afraid to raise her hand when new opportunities emerged. Pulling from decades of leadership experience, Jennifer shares valuable insights and personal anecdotes that anyone can apply to get ahead at work.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy:

• Jennifer’s way into the food and beverage industry
• Balancing personal and professional priorities
• Building a career without mom guilt
• How to communicate your value
• The importance of connections outside of your organization

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette sits down with Tali Kogan, renowned Chicago stylist, founder of Tel Aviv Couture, and co-founder of Sweet Dome Chicago Foundation. Tali shares her inspiring story as a Ukrainian-born Israeli immigrant who came to America with little to her name and began her career as an accountant. Finding herself unhappy, she escaped an abusive relationship, eventually left her job, and turned her passion for Israeli-made fashion into a career as a personal stylist and empowerment coach. 

Tali is a bright light who works with women leaders around the world, using clothing as a way to transform not only their style but their self-confidence. Her styling process “Calling Forth the Queen” is a one-of-a-kind experience that brings out a woman’s true essence and creates an energetic shift that allows them to show up in a whole new and powerful way.

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy:

• Tali’s story from “frumpy” accountant to shining stylist
• The four style personas—which one are you?
• Top styling strategies anyone can use
• The importance of a spiritual practice
• The inspiration for Sweet Dome Chicago 

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.