Powerful Conversations: Insights from leaders, coaches, and entrepreneurs on living a life that matters

Having a supportive community full of inspirational people surrounding you can be the difference between success and failure. You can find your community online, through social networks, but it’s even better to find a group local to you to get that inspiration face-to-face. Today’s guests, SC Moatti, Darryl Grant, Anne Devereux-Mills, are all founding members of women’s communities who find great comfort and support within their groups. SC Moatti is a technology visionary, entrepreneur, and investor. She founded Mighty Capital, a tech company based in Silicon Valley, and Products That Count, one of the largest networks for product makers in the world. Her companies focus on creating products that people love. Darryl Grant was born and raised in Harlem, NYC, and has 20 siblings! Through his involvement in the Merrill Corporation, he founded Inspiring Connectivity, a community of C-level executive women based in San Francisco. Darryl takes his inspiration from his mother, Eloise Grant, who raised hundreds of children and mentored dozens of women, sometimes in the middle of the night. Anne Devereux-Mills is a driving force behind making change possible and showing women where to start. She’s the founder of Parlay House, a national affiliation of thousands of diverse and inspirational women. Anne praises collaboration over competition and believes that women are oftentimes guilty of rejecting other women. In this episode, we’re talking about the power of social communities, how these leaders have built their groups, what value they have, and how other members have received support from within. You can absolutely bring a group together and embrace the resulting empowerment, and each leader explains how they’ve cultivated that for themselves. We discuss what it’s like to nurture and advise young women, and transferring these skills to working with business executives across a diverse range of industries. Establishing relationships among your community is vital to creating a harmonious environment that promotes support and inclusivity, as well. Community relies on strong leadership and consistency in order to grow and develop trust. Everyone wants more community, the key is finding people that actually inspire you. Do you have a community of powerful women who support you? How have you embraced all the ups and downs that life has given you? When is the last time you met up with a local person who inspires you? In This Episode: How to reframe what’s important in your life after everything changes How you can bring a group of diverse women together to embrace empowerment What it’s like being an advisor to young women Why you need to build and nurture relationships across the board How you can build a network full of support and trust Why you need to run events on a consistent schedule in order to build community Why you need to embrace both the highs and lows that come on your journeys Why it’s more important to meet the people that inspire you, rather than the people who just bolster your numbers   Quotes: “There’s so much judgment in this world. So many times that women reject other women, either because they’re competitive with them or they don’t feel they’re right for a job, that I didn’t want to cultivate a place of rejection or encourage a choice to be included.” (8:24) “I think so many of us that are successful want to present ourselves as perfect, whether it’s on social media, or in our work lives, or to our families and not wanting to show that there are struggles. And the fact that we can create these environments where people who you might view as role models are saying ‘here’s what was really going on behind the scenes’... it makes everyone not feel alone when they have their own struggles.” (11:53) “Find your tribe, surround yourself with great people, focus on one thing that matters, and find others that want to be part that with you.” (35:55) “Sometimes trying and failing is more insightful than trying and succeeding.” (42:23) “Continue to be ambitious in your dreams and reshape that image in the mirror. Always evolve. Anchor yourself in what you want to be and continue to reach for that. No matter what the people around you say.” (55:24)   Links Find Anne Devereaux-Mills on | Find Parlay House | | |   Find SC Moatti on | | Find Mighty Captial | | | Find Products That Count | | |   Find Darryl Grant on Find Toppan Merrill |   Follow Monica on | | |

If you want to write a book, the best advice out there is that you really need to like writing because the whole process is time-consuming and, to be perfectly honest, kind of hard! My guest, , joins me to talk about the process she went through writing Bumpin’ while she was pregnant and some of the best parts of her book. Leslie is an entrepreneur who works with start-ups, co-founded her own selling sustainable protein made from crickets, and is a member of an advisory board. She’s a published author with her book Bumpin’ which is a modern woman’s guide to pregnancy. Leslie has had some tumultuous pregnancies and when she was finally pregnant with her first son, she knew she had to document these experiences for other women to talk about the new normals. Leslie was 36 when she was pregnant with her first child, and one day her doctors told her they were going to induce her. She didn’t agree with this advice, sought out a doula, and is a firm believer that you need to become your own medical and birth advocate. Only you know your body the best! Bringing your partner into your pregnancy is also something healthy for your relationship and family that you should make sure you’re doing. Leslie shares the best ways she’s found to integrate your partner into this new life, because, let’s face it, both of your lives are going to change when the baby is born. Leslie also explains how you can talk to your employer about what your needs are when you’re pregnant and what expectations you’ll have on your return to work. Childcare is also something you need to consider, maybe even from before you get pregnant. Leslie believes that we should all be campaigning for government-funded childcare, similar to an initiative started in France. When you’re a new parent returning to work, you might find that you become better and more productive at your job. Leslie says this is because of your priorities change, so obviously you’ll want to spend as much time as possible with your child.  For Leslie, having a doula is the best thing she did during her pregnancy. This is a person who advocates for you throughout your pregnancy and birth, and even after you’ve had your baby. Having a doula also made Leslie more comfortable asking for help. She encourages all women to start asking for help - we’re all better when we work together. Have you thought about writing a book? How can you integrate your partner into your pregnancy? Do you feel confident asking for help?   In This Episode: What the process of writing a book is Why you need to be your own medical and birth advocate How you can integrate your partner into your pregnancy and how your life is going to change How you can communicate with your employer what you need when you’re pregnant and when you return after maternity leave Why we need to champion for government-funded childcare How becoming a parent can make you better at your job What the benefit of a doula is in pregnancy and childbirth Why we should become more comfortable asking for help   Quotes: “I think until we as women and families really demand the system change, it’s not going to. We have to go into appointments asking questions.” (23:16) “Your partner is not a mind reader, you’ve got to sometimes just tell them what you need.” (32:06) “If you want to talk about the parts of the book I didn’t enjoy writing as much, it’s definitely the financial planning and insurance stuff because it’s kind of the last thing you want to think about. But in some ways, it’s the most important because it is what dictates whether or not having a family is a net positive or net negative for you emotionally as a parent..” (40:05)   Links Find Leslie Schrock on | | | |     Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

Black women exist in corporate America and the more we talk about, advocate, and acknowledge them and their differences, the better their experience will be. is here to talk about how black women can be their own advocates to advance in their life and career. Minda Harts is the CEO of The Memo LLC, a career development platform for women of color. She’s written the best-selling book, The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table, full of career advice for women to climb the ranks in their jobs. While Minda started losing her self-identity at work, her desire to stop sexism in the workplace was born. The more we open the conversation about workplace politics and sexism in the workplace, the more awareness, and eventually change, we bring to the problems. For women of color especially, having that sense of belonging in the workplace is vital. It impacts everything from self-belief to job performance. Minda shares some of the secrets she’s written about in The Memo about what women need to do in order to advance in business. Part of the future is about recognizing when a woman, especially a woman of color, is doing a remarkable job in their industries. Social media helps make these acknowledgments easier and more accessible. That’s one of the reasons Minda is so active on social media, particularly Twitter. She’s built an engaged following, community, and network who have helped further her career in a number of ways. Social media also helps women become their own personal advocates. But it’s not just through social media that women can advocate for themselves. When we speak up and ask for what we want, as many of our male counterparts do, we’re often surprised when we get it. Minda shares why you need to make a name for yourself at your workplace by attending social functions and putting yourself in the sight of key people who can help further your career. Do you feel like you’re flying solo at work? How can you start advocating for yourself today? Have you felt like you’ve lost a piece of your identity at work?   In This Episode: How you can lose pieces of your identity when you go into a corporate workforce Why we need to talk about workplace politics and sexism in the workplace Why having a sense of belonging in the workplace can make a difference to your job performance What you need to do in order to advance in business Why it’s important to acknowledge the women, especially women of color, who are doing an exceptional job in their industries What power there is in being your own personal advocate Why you should be active on the social media platforms you enjoy to build a network Why you need to hold fast to your virtues and find the right audience for your work   Quotes: “Success is not a solo sport. We can all be successful. I can help you get there faster and you can help me get there faster. Who wants to be at the table as the only one?” (7:41) “Even if I don’t think I might be worth whatever the amount is in my head, I know that I’m doing myself a disservice if I don’t ask for it. That’s the part of the equation you get to control: What you ask for.” (26:27) “One way or the other, we need to know if our companies are invested in our success and the only way to do that is to keep having those conversations and advocate for ourselves.” (33:32) Links Find Minda Harts on |     Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

Opening the conversation about gender equity in and out of the workplace is the first step to creating productive and positive allies. Women have always been in positions that promote a culturally feminine leadership, often behind the scenes or beside strong men. Historian joins Powerful Conversations to discuss feminine modes of leadership in today’s political climate. Julie has written multiple books about strong women who changed history, including her most recent work about Missy Meloney, who you should definitely know. She has also recently started Credas, a consulting firm that helps American corporate companies introduce gender equity. Using Missy Meloney as a strong example, Julie explains why feminine modes of leadership are needed, especially in the current political climate. Having a culturally feminine way of leading allows for less divisive politics, leading to a wider voting pool and clearer objectives. Historically, women have lead from behind the scenes, advocating and encouraging for other women and male allies. In corporate America, women who climb the ladder and get to positions of leadership need to reject the notion they’ve joined a prestigious boy’s club. Instead, they need to help other women coming behind them rise the ladder with them.  Change doesn’t happen when we have more women in leadership positions and leave it at that, change happens when we reimagine what these positions of leadership look like. For many women, this looks like being a mother and sharing the struggles they’ve gone through to get to the top. There is power in language, especially in gendered language such as “fireman” and “manhole cover”. When we remove gender from language, we’re removing a barrier and bringing more power and possibility for gender equality. The world has been built around men, but they weren’t the only ones who created it. Making your workplace more gender-neutral and equitable is possible. Julie genuinely believes that most people desire equity, they just don’t know how to get there. That’s why women need to be open to having the hard conversations with men so they can learn how to become a productive ally, instead of living in fear of saying the wrong thing. Have you heard of Missy Meloney? How do you make sure you’re a productive and encouraging ally? What does leadership mean to you?   In This Episode: Why feminine modes of leadership are so needed, especially in our current political climate What it means to have a culturally feminine way of leading How there is power by being behind the scenes Why women in leadership roles need to help other women rise the ladder What power there is in the language we use How you can make your workplace more gender-neutral and equitable Why women have to create space for men to ask the hard questions so they can learn how to make positive changes to be a productive ally   Quotes: “I would say in American corporate culture, there’s this idea that for a woman to succeed and move up the rungs of the corporate ladder, they have to get in with the boys and play the game like the boys are playing it. And that doesn’t always necessarily mean bringing the women up with you. I strongly urge successful women to reconsider that proposition.” (22:30) “To solve the woman in science problem or the woman in any workplace problem, you can’t just throw more women into that culture, stir, and think that the problem is going to be solved. It is a culture problem. You have to find a way, from the ground up, to reimagine not just what the scientist looks like, but what our very notions of science are at a fundamental level.” (28:02) “There are such subtle ways that we have infused these gendered presumptions into even the most seemingly neutral terms and concepts that this is something we need to start changing in work environments.” (36:46) “Intention means everything. Let’s have a meaningful conversation where everybody in the room, no matter what their perspective is, has to be mindful of where they’re coming from in the conversation.” (45:36) Links Find Julie Des Jardins on |     Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

The state of our nation’s food industry is in complete disarray. From pesticide use to over-farming to ads for sugar-laden drinks and snacks targeting our children, we need to completely overhaul the system. is here to talk about food sustainability, health, and justice. Anna is a best-selling author and advocate for food justice and sustainability who is working to implement systemic changes to improve our food chain. While she’s making a lot of positive impacts and helping people realize the role they play in the food system, many don’t believe they can afford to eat healthy food. Anna knows that the real issue isn’t the cost of food: it’s the policies around housing, healthcare, and food, including the cost of living and what constitutes an actual living wage. Anna explains how the food industry has ended up in its current state of crisis. Sadly, it’s had a lot of influence from chemical companies and other industries seeking to keep the nation in the state that it’s in. She shares what we can do, as consumers, to help change the industry. Unfortunately, our current society isn’t truly built to allow us total control over our food choices. Unlike the European Union, America hasn’t banned many toxic chemicals, artificial flavorings, and antibiotics that seriously impact the quality of the food. We also don’t have easy access to fresh food markets like many European countries do. The biggest question Anna gets asked is where you’re supposed to find the time to create healthy meals for your family when you work full-time, have a commute, and frankly can’t afford a lot of the healthier choices. Anna has a lot of empathy for parents in this situation and encourages batch cooking and freezing of easy meals you can make when you’re short on time. Anna also explains what impact pesticide use is having on our nation’s biodiversity. We are in a state of crisis: from the very real climate threat to the insect population being just half of what it once was.  It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Anna shares who her most unlikely partners are - farmers making complete organic changes to the way they farm. She also tells us how we can start to improve our and our family’s diets starting today. Do you eat organic food? How can you be a more conscious consumer? What ways can you start building your family’s healthy eating habits?   In This Episode: Why the cost of food isn’t the main issue; we need to look at the policies around housing, healthcare, and food How the food industry and nutrition has gotten into the state it’s currently in What you can do as a consumer to help change the food industry What impact our built and economic environments have on our food choices Where you can find the time to make healthy meals for your family What impact pesticide use is having on our nation’s biodiversity Where you can start to improve your diet   Quotes: “The real crisis in our food system isn’t a crisis in our food system, it’s a crisis in our democracy.” (4:14) “None of us, as individuals, should feel any sense of failure if we’re unable to make the meals we dream of having with our families.” (35:00) “The level at which we use pesticides in this country is creating a crisis for public health as well as for biodiversity, which I would argue is at the basis of public health.” (45:46) Links Find Anna Lappé on         Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

Being the only woman in the boardroom doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, thinks this situation can actually be something positive and memorable. It’s all about making a difference, standing out, and being recognized, something every professional woman should aspire to. Anita has created a portfolio career for herself after leaving the banking industry. She sits on multiple tech boards in Silicon Valley. Anita is sharing her experiences as a woman in boardrooms and tech and how you can get the most out of your experiences. Especially in the constantly changing tech scene, remaining current, educated, and relevant is essential to actually make a difference from a board point of view. Anita explains how you can stay relevant. She also shares how you can be a better mentee to make the most out of a relationship with your mentors. Anita says that the most valuable business investment you can make is your network. Your network truly is your net worth and can open up opportunities for you that you might never have even considered. How do you nurture and grow your network? Being on a board means you have a responsibility for talking about and asking the hard questions. Anita explains how she takes on this role in order to question, stay relevant, and address underlying issues that might be at play. But as sometimes the only woman in the room, Anita has learned what gender inequality looks like. She talks about how she’s combatted the unequal playing field and actually has reframed what this role entails. For Anita, she uses her unique space in the boardroom to her advantage by being even more memorable. One of the biggest factors in business is gaining recognition and being recognized for your hard work. After all, how are people going to know who you are and what you do if you don’t tell them or celebrate your successes? Lastly, Anita talks about how having a sense of belonging in the workplace is so important for your success. That’s part of the reason she left the banking scene, she didn’t feel comfortable, welcome, or in any way that she actually belonged to that work. Anita encourages you to rethink your work situation if you don’t feel a sense of belonging. Do you feel like you belong at work? How do you make sure you’re getting the most out of the relationship with your mentors? What do you do every day to remain relevant? In This Episode: Why you have to remain current and relevant to make a difference on the boards you sit on How you can be the best mentee for your mentors Why your network is one of the most valuable things you can invest in What responsibility board members have to talk about the hard things What can happen when you’re the only woman in the room How we can tackle gender inequality in the workplace Why it’s so important to gain recognition for your work How you can reframe being the only woman in the room as an advantage The importance feeling like you belong at work has on you mentally & physically   Quotes: “Life is not about learning a lot from a small number of people, it’s about learning a little from a large number of people.” (12:40) “The job of a good board director is to ask the right question at the right time in the right tone.” (21:53) “You have to work in a place where you feel, on some level at least, that you really belong.” (40:49) “Being an authentic leader is being yourself, comma, skillfully.” (42:12) Links Find Dr. Anita Sands on | |     Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

Do you remember what you were passionate about when you were 24? Do you still have those dreams? What about when you were seven years old? What did you want to be when you "grew up"? I believe it is never too late. If you haven't started following through on your dreams yet, I hope this episode will inspire you to start now. We are going to hear from three young entrepreneurs who share their passion and engagement with us and the stories of their journeys and their incredible accomplishments.   About Christine Souffrant A globally recognized speaker, Christine Souffrant is a Haitian American entrepreneur with 7 years of business management experience across 30+countries. As the founder of Vendedy (a mobile network connecting global travelers to street vendors of developing countries), she has been featured with IBM, Microsoft, Fast Company, Manatt Ventures, etc. Learn more about Vendedy at Vendedy was selected as a Poverty Alleviation commitment by the Clinton Global Initiative and won global competitions for social impact including the 2015 Digital Entertainment World Competition, Master Card Priceless Pitch, and the $1 Million Dollar Chivas Venture USA competition. As the Managing Director of Startup Grind Dubai, she works with dozens of leading CEO’s within the Middle East and around the world. She has spoken on leadership, disruptive entrepreneurship and tech social impact innovation at conferences located in Trinidad, Dubai, New York, San Francisco, Russia, Romania, LA, and more.   About Daniel Fine Daniel Fine is the founder & CEO of Team Brotherly Love and The Fine Companies, which includes sunglass company Glass-U, medical app Dosed, and Boston based tutoring firm NexTutors. Team Brotherly Love has raised over $2.1 million for Type-1 diabetes research. Glass-U makes fully-folding sunglasses and is licensed to hundreds of universities and many greek organizations in the US. It has been featured at events ranging from The Rose Bowl to Lollapalooza and this past summer was an official licensee to produce sunglasses for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Dosed is a mobile solution intended to revolutionize the way that diabetics manage and track their insulin dosage. Learn more about Daniel at . Fine has been named one of TIME Magazine’s Top 25 International Leaders of Tomorrow and one of the World’s Top 5 Young Entrepreneurs by Entrepreneurs Organization. He has received the “President’s Volunteer Service Award” twice and is a Fellow of the Kairos Society.   About Ladislas de Toldi Ladislas is a 26-year-old biotech engineer, passionate about computers, robotics & spearfishing. He is the founder of Leka, a young startup whose goal is to develop smart and innovative educational toys for children with disabilities. Learn more about . Leka is currently developing Moti, an interactive spherical rolling robot specially designed for children with autism spectrum disorders. Ladislas is in charge of hardware design & technical development. After graduating as a biotech engineer he learned robotics on his own to build the first prototypes of Moti.   Links:     Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

Don't miss this interview with leading innovators in virtual reality as they share how it is being used and future opportunities to connect to a new world through VR.   About Daniel O'Brien Dan joined HTC in 2008 and is currently Vice President of VR Planning and Management leading where he manages the strategy and go-to-market efforts of the Virtual Reality portfolio at HTC. He is responsible for the Vive content and developer engagement, as well as marketing and sales of the HTC Vive. With more than 18 years in the wireless industry, Dan brings to HTC a strong understanding of sector economics, multi-million dollar/multi-level development lifecycles, and integrated product and application implementations.  Having introduced inaugural LTE, Android, Windows and World smartphones into the marketplace on behalf of numerous leading wireless carriers, Dan has a depth of experience in working with pioneering technologies, shaping products value to the marketplace and identifying industry impact.   About Iva Leon Fashion/wearable tech designer. Co-founder of VRLab. VR community builder. Early retailer of mobile VR headsets. Co-organizer @AR/VR women, @VRO2 and @VRLab.com   About Adam Bruce Adam Bruce is an advisor and co-founding partner with VRLab. He consults with start-ups and pioneers companies with user acquisition focused social products. He co-founded Vidiac a pre-YouTube UGC video service that scaled to millions of monthly unique users across thousands of SaaS powered domains. They pioneered concepts such as embed video players and UGC video encoding. This technical success propelled their brand StreetFire through two rounds of Sand Hill Road venture financing and eventual exit via sale to a major media company. He has incubated and advised a couple of venture-backed deals since, including an early YouTube MCN funded by Google and am presently an Advisor and development Partner creating solutions at a Virtual Reality start-up in the Bay Area.   Links:     Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

Will the actions you take today have a positive impact on tomorrow’s society? That’s a question that Sandra Lopez, VP of Intel Sports Group asks herself every day. She’s not only creating a new world of sports technology, but she’s also a diversity advocate for women in C-level careers. Sandra was named one of the 50 most powerful women in technology. One of her visions and missions is to educate the world on how to use technology correctly, in a healthy way that uplifts all of society. Overall, Sandra believes that technology creates storytelling platforms for people to truly express themselves. Technology is helping to bring our world forward by sharing knowledge and intelligence with regions that wouldn’t previously have had access to it. But what implication does tech have on our societies? Sandra explains how we can use tech in a healthier way. Sandra wants us all to think about our role in the next level of technology. How do you use technology now? Will you embrace emerging techs? Sanda believes we can all help create a dialogue just by the way that we act and do things. She’s active in bringing more diversity to the boardroom and knows she is helping to pave the way for other women in C level careers. And when there’s not adequate representation present, Sandra asks those difficult questions to find out why. Being one of the only women at C-level in her current role, and having come through corporate America as a minority, Sanda encourages more women to follow in her footsteps. But not without a caveat: you need to be mentally ready to play on an uneven playing field. How are you championing diversity and inclusion? Do you lead by example in any area of your life? How do you share your vulnerability? In This Episode: How technology is bringing our world forward in terms of knowledge and intelligence sharing What the implication of our current technology has on our societies Why you should think about what your role in the next level of technology is How you can open a dialogue by changing the way you do things How much diversity needs to be represented to get a true and objective input Why it’s important to have uncomfortable questions about diversity How you can be mentally ready for existing on an unlevel playing field Quotes: “Really think about your little actions every day. Do you really need to engage in tech or can you put it away? How much do I share on social media platforms and how much do I not share?” (15:02) “How do we make sure that we continue to use technology to lift every person up and not leave people behind.” (15:35) “The good stories are stories worth sharing because for sure it’s going to transform another person’s life.” (21:24) “Being vulnerable is okay. In the process, you build trust with your colleagues and then they know when they’re going through a tough time, I’m going to be empathetic and I’ll recognize that.” (39:20) “You can’t be talking about diversity and inclusion when you have all white men in the board room.” (42:38) Links Read Sandra’s article:       Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

Jane Chen is the co-founder and CEO of , a social enterprise that aims to help the millions of vulnerable babies born every year in developing countries through a low-cost infant warmer. Unlike traditional incubators that cost up to $20,000, the Embrace infant warmer costs around $200. The device requires no electricity, has no moving parts, is portable and is safe and intuitive to use. Jane Chen has spent years working on health issues in the developing world. Listen in and learn more about the impact she is making in the world so that mothers don't lose their babies because of a lack of access. About Jane Chen: Jane Chen is the co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Embrace Innovations, a social enterprise that aims to help the 20 million premature and low birth weight babies born every year, through a low-cost infant warmer. The Embrace Infant Warmer costs less than 1% of a traditional incubator and has helped over 50,000 babies to date. The company's vision is to create a line of affordable healthcare technologies for women and children around the world. Chen is a TED Senior Fellow and was selected as one of Forbes' Impact 30 in 2011. She was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2012, and a Schwab Social Entrepreneur in 2013. She and her co-founders recently won the 2013 Economist Innovation Award.   Links: Follow Jane on      Find Powerful Conversations on | | |