What does it really take to get featured in Vogue or Forbes? Publicist Sydney Schiff is the founder of Sydney on the Scene, a boutique PR agency that supports small brands doing big things. From fashion to food to wellness, her agency works with female founders and LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs to tell their stories through earned media, events, and creative strategy. In this episode, Sydney shares how she built her PR business from scratch after getting laid off, what it means to actually be ready for press, and how to find clients (and collaborators) you truly believe in. If you’ve been burned by PR before, this conversation might change your mind.

We talk about brand storytelling, realistic goal setting, influencer trends, creative entrepreneurship, and what it means to build your own version of success-without burning out.

00:00 From summer camp to CEO: Sydney’s unconventional path

01:45 What a boutique PR firm actually does

03:20 Why telling the why builds trust

05:30 Leaving the big agency world to go solo

08:10 Working with brands you believe in

10:45 How Sydney builds client strategies that work

13:00 The truth about getting into Vogue or Forbes

15:00 PR vs. marketing vs. social media: what’s changed

18:20 Her biggest influences and inspirations

21:00 Setting boundaries in a 24/7 industry

24:30 Saying no without burning bridges

27:00 Why mutual respect matters in client relationships

30:00 Tips for small brands doing their own PR

33:30 Don’t be transactional, be human

36:00 What she needs next: interns, collaborators, and more

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

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What if the dream you had as a kid – the one you buried under jobs, bills, and adulting – was still waiting for you? That’s exactly what happened to Bet Heykoop. She was working in tech, on paper successful, but inside feeling lost. Then one day she quit, got behind the wheel, and everything changed. In this episode, Bet shares the wild road from self-taught parking lot spins to working on real Hollywood stunt sets. We talk about how she made the leap, the power of manifesting specific outcomes, the importance of community, and what it feels like to finally be in the driver’s seat of your own life, literally.

Chapters:

00:00 Saying yes to the Verizon commercial

01:30 Why she always wanted to be a stunt driver

03:30 Leaving tech and starting over

06:00 The power of imagination and writing it down

09:30 Manifesting both a commercial and a music video

11:00 Building confidence through discomfort

15:00 Reconnecting with your eight-year-old self

18:30 From practice car to Hot Shift series

22:00 Teaching queer and non-male drivers how to drive stick

28:00 Being on set with a Russian Arm camera car

34:00 Finding belonging in male-dominated spaces

39:30 Building community through saying your dream out loud

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kelly Roberts never imagined she’d be the face of a running movement. In fact, she used to hate running. But after losing her brother and turning to running as a way to cope, Kelly discovered not only a new outlet for grief, but a new path for herself. Today, she’s the founder of Badass Lady Gang, a community-focused running group rewriting the rules of who gets to be an athlete. In this episode, Kelly shares how she went from outsider to community builder, why traditional fitness culture fails most women, and how movement can become an act of empowerment, not punishment. We talk about grief, body image, leadership, entrepreneurship, redefining success, and how personal growth often starts with simply showing up. If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t belong in fitness spaces, or like your body was a problem to solve, this conversation offers a powerful reset.

Chapters:

00:00 The unlikely origin story of a running leader

02:00 Losing her brother and finding movement through grief

05:00 When a treadmill became a turning point

07:30 Starting Badass Lady Gang from a viral blog

10:00 Why traditional running groups felt unsafe

13:00 Redefining what it means to be an athlete

15:30 Building community as an act of resistance

18:00 How grief continues to shape her leadership

20:30 Body image, strength, and running for joy

23:00 The limits of the wellness industry

26:00 Why she started coaching (reluctantly)

28:30 What’s broken in apparel and running culture

31:00 Movement without punishment

34:00 Reframing fitness as personal development

37:00 What she’s building next and how you can help

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special International Women’s Day episode, Kara Duffy gathers three powerhouse coaches, Angie Wisdom, Marie Garvey, and Lindsay White, for an honest conversation about why so many women are still burned out, stuck, and holding themselves back. They discuss why work-life balance is a myth, how perfectionism and people-pleasing get in the way of leadership, and what coaching actually looks like when it's working. You’ll hear hard truths about why women opt out of their dreams and how to rewrite the rules so you can actually enjoy the life you’re working so hard for.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Welcome to a special International Women’s Day episode

02:00 Meet the panel: Angie, Marie, and Lindsay

05:00 Why Kara invited all coaches for this conversation

07:00 The trap of “balance” and how women define success

10:45 How the inner critic sabotages growth

14:10 The myth of “I can so I should”

17:20 Permission to stop fixing everyone’s problems

20:30 Making peace with being uncomfortable

24:15 Redefining leadership, ambition, and joy

28:00 What joyful success actually looks like

31:15 You’re not too late to change your life

35:45 Why fun and play matter more than productivity

39:30 The deeper reasons we became coaches

44:00 Final advice: one small thing to try today

48:00 Connect with the guests

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every entrepreneur deserves a lawyer who sees the whole picture, not just the paperwork. For Kara, that person is Kelly Galligan. As a corporate lawyer and M&A partner, Kelly helps founders and business owners navigate everything from equity to exits. But more importantly, she makes her clients feel safe, empowered, and heard.

In this episode, Kara and Kelly talk about what true legal partnership looks like, why every founder needs a trusted advisor on their team, and the most common legal missteps to avoid when building a business. They also get personal: from mental health and wellness in demanding careers to what it really means to be a powerful woman in a male-dominated field. Whether you're thinking about starting something or scaling what you’ve already built, this conversation is packed with clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of actionable advice.

Chapters:

00:00 How Kara and Kelly met in the startup world

01:15 What it actually means to be an M&A lawyer

03:20 Why startups need legal advice earlier than they think

06:10 The top mistakes founders make

08:50 How to build trust with your legal team

11:30 From rural roots to BigLaw partner

13:45 Building confidence as a woman in corporate law

16:20 Managing work, kids, and her own ambition

18:50 What founders should know before raising money

21:00 Balancing legal risk with business vision

23:15 The power of clear communication in law and life

25:00 What she’s mentoring women lawyers to do differently

27:45 What she needs now and where she’s headed next

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if the fear you have around spreadsheets, taxes, and bookkeeping is actually holding your entire business back? In this episode, Candace Galiffa, founder of NewWay Accounting, shares how to stop running your business like a hobby and start making powerful, strategic financial decisions. We talk about what real financial strategy looks like, why knowing your net profit is more important than your revenue, and how to stop playing small when it comes to your money mindset. Kara and Candace also discuss the unique challenges that women entrepreneurs face around money, from pricing to profit to power, and how a values-led approach to accounting can help founders of small, successful businesses finally feel like the CEOs they really are.

Whether you’re spreadsheet-averse or already running a multi-six-figure company, this episode will show you why financial confidence is one of the most powerful tools in your business.

00:00 A “cute little hobby” that turned into a thriving firm

01:45 The Instagram algorithm (finally) doing something right

03:00 Why spreadsheets terrify so many new entrepreneurs

05:20 IRS jail, tax shame, and other unnecessary fears

07:00 Your first steps: open a separate account and start tracking

08:45 The difference between bookkeeping and tax strategy

10:15 How financial clarity impacts everything, including relationships

12:00 Treat your business like the business you want it to be

13:15 How often do you really need a bookkeeper?

15:40 From corporate job to quitting, and a husband swapping roles

17:30 Building a fully remote team and a values-led culture

28:00 The team that saved clients $1.2M and what that means

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when you stop waiting for change and start leading it yourself? Fashion designer Mindy Scheier thought her path was in high fashion, until her son’s experience with Muscular Dystrophy pushed her to create clothing that works for every body. Now, she’s revolutionizing the fashion industry through two game-changing organizations: Runway of Dreams and Gamut Talent Management. In this episode, Mindy shares how she built a movement for disability inclusion from the ground up. We talk about adaptive fashion, representation in media, parenting, entrepreneurship, and why being underestimated can be your biggest superpower.

Chapters:

00:00 Why “no” is just feedback

01:22 Meet Mindy: fashion designer, founder, and mom

03:56 Dreams of becoming the next Betsey Johnson

05:00 How her son inspired a new mission

07:00 The real needs of the disability community

10:15 Rethinking design from the ground up

13:00 The impact of adaptive clothing in daily life

15:00 Breaking into fashion’s mainstream

18:45 The future of inclusion and innovation

20:00 What grit really looks like

23:00 The path to working with Tommy Hilfiger

25:12 13 brands down but we’re not done yet

26:40 “No” as a doorway to curiosity

29:00 New York Fashion Week, the Gamut Seal, and what’s next

34:00 Fashion as a site of empowerment

37:00 Why design + tech = true inclusion

39:00 Mindy’s rituals and boundaries as a founder

42:00 What she needs next and how you can help

44:30 The ramp story: designing for everyone

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stephanie Kauffman’s career has taken her from entertainment and corporate marketing to the front lines of cancer research funding. As President and COO of the Melanoma Research Alliance, she’s now helping lead the largest nonprofit funder of melanoma research worldwide. But her personal connection to the cause, and her passion for purpose-driven leadership, goes far deeper. In this episode, Kara and Stephanie talk about what we still don’t know about melanoma, the surprising groups most at risk, and how Stephanie went from movie premieres to life-saving partnerships. It’s a conversation about clarity, courage, and the power of asking what really matters.

Chapters:

00:00 – From media to melanoma: Stephanie’s career shift

03:00 – What melanoma really is (and why it’s not just skin cancer)

06:20 – Why melanoma rates are rising in young women

08:45 – Personal loss and finding purpose through action

12:00 – How the Melanoma Research Alliance works

15:00 – The biggest myths about prevention and risk

17:30 – Why people of color are often diagnosed too late

21:00 – What early detection actually looks like

25:00 – How Stephanie defines success now vs. then

29:00 – Running a nonprofit like a business

33:00 – Career reinvention, leadership, and personal growth

37:30 – Her advice for making a difference in your own corner

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if the real you has been hidden under expectations, labels, and trauma? Parisa Frost is an identity-affirming, trauma-informed associate marital and family therapist, art therapist, yoga teacher in training, and creator of Hiking Healers. In this episode, she joins Kara to talk about what it takes to unlearn the conditioning that’s shaped our lives, and how to reconnect with your core self to create a limitless future. They dive into her Iranian-American upbringing, how cultural conflict shaped her career path, and why women supporting women is non-negotiable. You’ll hear a powerful discussion about personal development for women, redefining success, community and social impact, and what it really takes to build a purpose-driven life and business.

Chapters:

00:00 Who you are vs. who you were taught to be

01:10 What identity-affirming therapy really means

03:00 Cultural sensitivity in relationships

04:00 Little Parisa’s big dreams

05:00 Compassion, trauma, and how therapy changed her

06:30 Why your past is not your fault but your responsibility

07:30 Straddling Iranian and American identities

09:00 Individualism vs. collectivism

11:00 The unlearning process we all go through

13:00 Getting to the core self for healing and growth

14:00 Deconditioning through therapy, coaching, and business

17:00 Using yoga, art, and somatics to heal

20:00 Why therapists want you to stop needing them

22:30 Building safe client relationships

26:00 Women need women and community

29:00 Healing toxic masculinity starts with safe space

31:00 Slowing down and growing strong roots

36:00 What she’s calling in now: intentional community

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you have it all: thriving careers, a strong relationship, a family, and a sense of sanity? Josh and Liza Shirazi are proof that it’s possible. In this episode, Kara sits down with her longtime friends and favorite power couple to talk about how they juggle marriage, parenting, and multiple successful businesses while staying grounded in their values. They open up about navigating entrepreneurship, managing burnout, embracing individual growth, and supporting each other through the rollercoaster of life and leadership. You’ll hear the real story behind Revival Cafe + Kitchen, Shirazi Distributing, and Morrissey Market; plus, the mindset, boundaries, and communication tools that help them keep showing up for their family, their team, and themselves.

If you’re a business owner, parent, or just someone who wants to make life work on your terms, this episode is packed with inspiration and practical takeaways.

Chapters:

00:00 Meet Josh and Liza Shirazi

01:15 How they define being a power couple

03:00 Building businesses while raising a family

07:00 Entrepreneurship lessons from an immigrant upbringing

10:30 What they’ve learned from managing burnout

13:00 Why communication is everything in marriage and business

16:00 Growing in different directions and staying connected

18:20 What success looks like right now

21:00 Getting out of survival mode

25:00 Building teams and making space for each other

30:00 The mental load of parenting as entrepreneurs

35:00 Liza’s integrative health journey

41:00 What they need now and how the community can support

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices