What if your rock bottom turned out to be your turning point? That’s exactly what happened for Jenn Harper, the Anishinaabe founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty. After getting sober in her 30s, Jenn had a vivid dream that set her on a new path: to build a purpose-driven, Indigenous-owned beauty brand that could change the industry and support future generations. In this episode, Kara and Jenn talk about entrepreneurship, recovery, identity, and the hard-won lessons behind Cheekbone’s rise from kitchen startup to Sephora shelves. They explore mindset coaching for women, redefining success, community and social impact, and what it means to lead a business rooted in healing and representation.

Chapters:

00:00 From rock bottom to business dream

01:45 Getting sober and discovering purpose

04:00 The dream that changed everything

06:30 Starting Cheekbone Beauty from her kitchen

09:00 Indigenous values at the heart of the brand

11:30 Building a B Corp rooted in representation

14:00 Learning to lead while healing

16:45 Why “failing fast” was essential

19:00 The long game of business and personal growth

21:30 Landing on Sephora shelves

23:00 Sustainability and impact beyond the product

26:00 Balancing entrepreneurship with personal wellness

29:00 What she’s building 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 American Dream wasn’t broken - just never built for everyone? Karen Losi is a social worker, foster parent, and fierce community advocate who’s spent years on the front lines of public service. In this episode, she joins Kara to talk about what really shapes opportunity, how systems fail families, and why small changes can lead to huge impact. They discuss trauma-informed care, foster parenting, leadership in social work, and how to build communities that actually work for everyone. Whether you’re working in education, dreaming of a purpose-driven career, or just trying to make a difference where you are, Karen’s story is a powerful reminder that empathy is action - and action is what changes lives.

Chapters:

00:00 Growing up in Boston with purpose

02:30 From retail career to social work pivot

05:00 Why the playing field was never level

07:30 What foster care really looks like

10:00 The myth of the “bad parent”

13:00 Trauma, resilience, and the power of one adult

15:30 The hidden cost of poverty

17:30 Why universal programs matter

20:00 The ripple effect of caring teachers

23:00 Advice for anyone thinking of fostering

25:00 What leadership looks like in hard systems

27:30 Defining success in service

29:00 What she’s building now and why

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

Leadership is more than managing people. It's managing yourself first. Christie Garcia, founder of Mindful Choice Leadership Academy, breaks down the hidden patterns that block us from being the leaders we want to be. She introduces her three ego types framework, shares how to shift from reactive to intentional leadership, and explains why even your calendar reflects your values. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating career development, managing teams, or building a life that matches their values. Practical, honest, and deeply motivating.

Chapters:

00:00 Leading without ego

01:15 The three ego types and how they affect leadership

03:30 How ego shows up in your calendar and priorities

05:10 Christie's pivot from real estate to coaching

07:00 Why leadership training is broken

09:45 Mindful leadership vs. reactive management

11:30 Tools for communicating hard truths

13:20 Leading your team through uncertainty

15:05 Creating a culture of personal accountability

17:40 Building a business that aligns with your values

20:15 How ego affects female entrepreneurs

22:30 When leadership feels lonely

24:45 Productivity myths that hold leaders back

27:00 What powerful really means

30:00 Letting go of perfectionism

33:00 Advice for new or struggling managers

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

Beverly Asante Puschmann isn’t just here to help people feel better. She wants to help them live fuller, more authentic lives. Beverly shares how storytelling, cultural identity, and intentional mental health care can shape communities and create lasting change. Kara and Beverly talk about intergenerational trauma, career pivots, and what it means to serve others without losing yourself.

Chapters:

00:00 From HR leader to laid-off overnight

01:45 Why career coaching for women of color matters

04:10 Building Her Movement from the ground up

06:00 The invisible load women carry in the workplace

08:15 Learning to bet on herself after burnout

10:00 How to start over when your confidence is low

12:20 What leadership looks like during uncertainty

14:10 Helping women reconnect with their purpose

16:00 Building career paths outside the traditional mold

18:30 Knowing when it’s time to pivot

20:00 The power of mindset coaching for women

21:30 Why community is key to personal growth

23:15 What powerful really means

25:00 Advice for anyone afraid to take the leap

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

If you’ve been listening for a while, you know Kara loves books, big dreams, and the power of storytelling. Today’s guest, Lindsay Bednar, lives all of that. She’s the founder of Rodney K Press, an independent publishing house. She’s also a writer, author coach, wife, mom, sister, and daughter who’s passionate about helping others reach their goals. In our conversation, we talk about executive presence, emotional intelligence, and how to lead with confidence without losing your voice, plus how pursuing your best self can open doors for success, service, and making other people’s dreams come true.

Chapters:

00:00 Creating a business that works for you

01:10 How Lindsay built Rodney K Press

03:00 What was missing from her teaching career

04:30 Lindsay’s childhood and early creative drive

06:20 Family legacy and expectations

08:00 Leaving stability for entrepreneurship

10:00 Building confidence and getting mentorship

12:45 Meditation and inner child work

14:50 Breaking the “I’m bad at math” story

17:10 Listening to your creative urgency

19:00 Starting her podcast, Storytelling

21:15 The problem with polarization

23:00 Telling stories to find common ground

24:45 Designing a business around your life

26:15 Helping writers bring their stories to life

28:00 Why she doesn’t take royalties

29:45 Books that shaped her mindset

32:30 What powerful really means

35:30 Balancing family and business

38:15 Advice for aspiring authors

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

Sara Seyed grew up in Iran, where she saw firsthand what happens when women are silenced, rights are stripped away, and power is used as a weapon. Now based in LA, she’s using her voice and platform to amplify the revolution happening in her home country. A former human rights lawyer turned actor, Sara shares what it means to live with purpose, speak up even when it’s risky, and turn grief into fuel. This episode goes deep into her personal story and what she wants the world to understand about Iran today.

Chapters

00:00 Why I became an actor

01:45 Meet Sara Seyed

03:00 Mahsa Amini and the morality police

06:00 What sparked Iran’s most recent uprising

09:00 Women’s education, unemployment, and lack of opportunity

12:00 Why past reform efforts failed

14:00 How daily life is changing under protest

17:00 Childhood memories of state surveillance

19:00 How schools indoctrinate children

21:00 Smuggling Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears

23:00 Internalized guilt and early shame

24:00 Iran’s crackdown on freedom of speech

27:00 How the regime uses religion as a control mechanism

30:00 What international law can’t fix

32:00 Why she left law for acting

35:00 Losing her right to go home

38:00 Honoring her grandmother

41:00 Why change is inevitable

44:00 Mourning Iran’s lost future leaders

46:00 Where her power comes from

51:00 Small actions that matter

53:00 Finding hope in collective struggle

56:00 How to help: VPNs, petitions, and pressure

58:00 Final thoughts from Sara

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

Karen Duffy is one of Kara’s heroes, and after this episode, she might be one of yours too. She broke onto the world stage as the MTV VJ “Duff” in the early 1990’s, was on People’s 50 Most Beautiful People list in 1993, she is an actor, a model, a producer, an Oprah and NY Times best selling author, a speaker, a writer, and has also had a full assortment of social service roles including being a hospice chaplain in the Buddhist tradition. In 1996, she was diagnosed with sarcoidosis - a currently incurable chronic pain illness and while it may have slowed her down in moments, it has not stopped her from working, creating or making a huge impact. This conversation is about how to live beautifully within limits, how philosophy can be a daily practice, and how joy and pain can exist side by side. They talk about parenting, creativity, friendship, and why confidence comes from the inside out. It’s a masterclass in resilience, purpose-driven living, and choosing how you want to show up.

Chapters:

00:00 Saying yes to life

01:15 From VJ to chaplain

03:00 Living with chronic illness

05:10 Discovering stoic philosophy

07:00 Why joy is a daily choice

09:10 Practicing gratitude and self-talk

11:15 Mentorship, friendship, and writing

13:00 Parenting while living with limits

15:10 Building confidence and resilience

17:00 Reframing how we think about work

19:15 Service as a mindset

21:00 The meaning of powerful

23:00 Humor and humanity in hard times

25:00 The impact of creative community

27:30 Books that shape our lives

30:00 Turning pain into purpose

32:00 What legacy really means

34:15 Advice to her younger self

36:00 Kara’s favorite takeaways

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

Lady Altovise is a one-woman show...in the best way possible. A licensed NYC tour guide, she brings Harlem history to life with the energy of a Broadway performance and the heart of a lifelong storyteller. Lady Altovise shares how her background in theater and dance helps her keep Black history vibrant, why tourists and locals alike need to experience Harlem on foot, and what it means to be a “lady” in today’s world. She also opens up about being a single mom, a dreamer, and the woman with the audacity to want it all. From the Underground Railroad to gospel music, she’s preserving the past while building her dream future.

Chapters:

00:00 Why she became a NYC tour guide

01:20 Surprising truths about slavery in New York

03:00 From theater to tourism: how she found her calling

05:00 Turning history into a full-body experience

07:10 Studying Broadway legends at Lincoln Center

09:15 Why Harlem history matters now more than ever

11:00 What it means to be a powerful lady

13:00 Being a mom, artist, and entrepreneur

15:20 Surviving the pandemic as a performer

17:00 Creating her own tour company

18:30 Finding joy in storytelling and service

20:00 The dream gig she’s manifesting now

21:45 What visitors get wrong about NYC

23:15 Advice for playing tourist in your own city

25:00 Her gospel tour and preserving culture through music

27:15 What’s next for Lady Altovise

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

We’re juggling jobs, relationships, households, and, if we’re lucky, time to breathe. Jackie Waller, co-host of the Beauty, Bags & Bravo podcast, talks with Kara about the reality of holding multiple roles as women, and how she navigates being a researcher, wife, mom, friend, and creator. They get into why community is non-negotiable, how Bravo became her best therapy, and what it really means to honor the people in your life.

Chapters:

00:00 Wearing all the hats: life, work, motherhood, podcasting

01:45 What led Jackie to launch Beauty, Bags & Bravo

04:00 Her unexpected path into marketing research

06:10 Why Bravo TV hits so deep

08:45 Balancing her podcast with full-time work and family

11:30 Real talk about emotional labor and invisible work

14:00 Why girlfriends are the ultimate support system

16:15 Learning how to ask for help

18:40 What she’s teaching her kids about being human

20:10 The power of gratitude and daily appreciation

22:45 Redefining what “doing it all” means

25:00 Her favorite Bravo characters and why

28:15 What powerful really means to Jackie

30:30 The messy middle of self-care

32:00 Why staying in the lines doesn’t work

34:15 Advice for women who are overwhelmed but driven

36:00 Finding joy even in the chaos

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 your best idea started in a college dorm room? That’s exactly what happened to Abby Michaelsen, the founder of Statement Home and creator of the viral tray that launched the fast-growing product brand. Abby shares how she took a single prototype and turned it into a full business, with no co-founder, no paid ads, and no formal product design experience.

They talk about building confidence, learning on the job, and staying scrappy.

Chapters:

00:00 The tray that started it all

01:15 From dorm room prototype to product brand

03:20 Testing ideas without a product background

05:10 What it takes to go viral on TikTok

07:30 Growing without ads or a team

09:00 Navigating manufacturing and fulfillment

11:00 Learning to believe in your own vision

13:15 The myth of needing everything figured out

15:00 Staying grounded through rapid growth

17:30 Creating products that solve real-life problems

19:00 Lessons from launching a business during college

21:15 Personal growth through entrepreneurship

23:00 Advice for first-time founders

25:15 What powerful really 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