Meredith is the CEO, Founder, and Director of Webfest Berlin - a short-form series festival.  On this episode she tells us how she went from Texas to starting her own business ½ way around the world in a city she didn’t speak the language or know anyone.  We talk about diversity and opportunity in the web series and podcast space, why it’s always a good idea to move abroad, and how ever expanding networks allow you to find the various keys to your dream life. 

Katia Kulawick Assante has spent over two decades chasing stories across the globe, from interviewing bands in the post-Nirvana era as a teenage rock journalist to editing Men’s Vogue and co-founding Sport & Style. Today, she writes for Vanity Fair, Architectural Digest, and the Louis Vuitton City Guides, while splitting her time between Paris, the French Alps, and Corsica. We talk about what it means to live with curiosity, keep a rock-and-roll edge in your work and life, and trust yourself enough to follow the path only you can see. Katia’s career is proof that when you make your own rules, you get a life full of great stories...and maybe even your own Indiana Jones.

Chapters:

00:00 Meet Katia Kulawick Assante

02:15 Life as a teenage rock journalist

06:40 Traveling the world post-Nirvana

10:20 Memorable moments with music legends

14:05 From rock magazines to Men’s Vogue

18:30 Building Sport & Style from scratch

22:50 Lessons from luxury publishing

27:15 Freelancing for Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest

31:00 Writing for Louis Vuitton City Guides

35:45 Balancing life between Paris, the Alps, and Corsica

40:20 Why curiosity fuels creativity

44:50 Staying true to yourself in any career stage

49:30 The advice Katia lives by

53:10 The magic of the Corsica Classic Regatta

56:40 Final thoughts on creating your own path

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

Katia is on my list of women I want to be when I grow up. She’s an author, a journalist, a wife and mum who splits her time today between Corsica, the French Alps and Paris. Today she writes for Architectural Digest, Vanity Fair, and the Louis Vuitton City Guides. She started her career in 1995 at 18 as a rock journalist traveling the world over 200 days a year interviewing bands in a post-Nirvana world. She then went on to be the co-founder of Sport & Style and features director of Vogue Hommes International. Today in addition to her writing and journalism, every summer, she sails on the most beautiful classic yachts during the Corsica Classic, a vintage yacht regatta celebrating its 10th birthday in 2019, an event she co-organizes with her husband. On this episode we talk about the journey of her career, what she prioritizes in her busy life, and how she maintains the rock n’ roll approach to life no matter location, setting or age. Get excited to have a new #wcw.

Jennifer Weg has built a career telling the stories that move audiences—first in creative advertising for film, now at Netflix, and always with a focus on championing women. She’s also the founder of Soapbox, a thriving LA-based community empowering women in entertainment, creative advertising, and marketing. What started as a small gathering has grown into a network of over 1,000 women making space for connection, advocacy, and real change. We talk about her path from Cornell to Netflix, the moments that shaped her leadership, and why she believes in only saying yes to what truly matters.

Chapters

00:00 From Encino to Cornell

02:15 Entering the entertainment industry during a recession

05:10 Early career in tech and market analytics

08:20 Yoga teacher training and finding balance

11:05 Breaking into creative advertising for film

14:30 Lessons from mentors and 18-hour workdays

17:55 Joining Netflix and shaping award campaigns

21:10 The Emmy wins and career highlights

24:35 Founding Soapbox LA before the Me Too movement

28:00 How Soapbox grew to over 1,000 members

31:15 Creating spaces for women in entertainment

34:40 The importance of curated conversations and events

38:25 Life with her French bulldog, Butter

40:50 Why “hell yes” is the only yes she’ll give

44:15 What’s next for Soapbox and Jennifer

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

Jen Weg manages Global Creative Marketing for Film at Netflix and is the founder of Soapbox - an organization committed to empowering, protecting and promoting women in the entertainment, creative advertising, and marketing industries.  On this episode she shares her story of building a career in the entertainment world, what pushed her to create Soapbox and the impact it’s had in LA in a post-Me Too movement.

Lora Bleijenberg’s journey is nothing short of remarkable. Once caught in the grip of poverty, abuse, and meth addiction, she’s now a thriving gym owner, personal trainer, massage therapist, and proud dog mom. In this conversation, Lora opens up about her past with honesty, humor, and heart—sharing how love, fitness, and a fierce commitment to change helped her rewrite her story. She talks about the power of finding your “pack,” the importance of speaking your truth, and why no matter how far you’ve fallen, a new life is always possible.

Chapters:

00:00 Meet Lora Bleijenberg

01:15 Growing up in Cypress, CA

03:20 Surviving poverty and abuse

06:05 The role of humor in healing

08:40 Falling into addiction

12:10 Meth use and the turning point

15:25 Quitting cold turkey

18:10 Becoming a personal trainer

21:45 Fitness as a path to self-worth

25:00 Losing everything and starting over

28:15 Sobriety and life changes

31:30 Building a gym and community

34:20 Finding your pack of powerful women

37:00 Speaking your truth with conviction

40:10 Advice for creating a life you love

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

Lora is one of the funniest people I know and she oozes love.  Today her life is great. She owns a local gym, is a personal trainer and massage therapist, has a great marriage and is a doting dog mom. On this episode she shares how she escaped almost every statistic possible - poverty, abuse, sexual abuse, alcoholism, drug abuse and a meth addiction - and how love, humor and fitness saved her life. 

Jordan Duffy has built a career on saying yes to big opportunities, especially the ones that felt impossible. As one of the first female audio engineers at Earwolf & Stitcher, she’s worked on hit shows like Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Bitch Sesh, and Queery while also pursuing her passion as a singer-songwriter. She’s the engineer behind Powerful Ladies, and she also happens to be Kara’s sister. Jordan opens up about moving to California with no safety net, finding creative ways to make it work financially, and navigating a male-dominated industry. She shares what it’s really like to chase a music career, the lessons she’s learned from high-pressure production work, and the mindset shifts that helped her keep going when things got tough. It’s an honest, inspiring look at following your dreams and removing the excuses that keep you from starting.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Jordan Duffy: audio engineer & musician

01:15 Becoming one of the first female engineers at Earwolf–Stitcher

03:20 Working on hit podcasts like Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend

05:05 Moving to California with no money and no safety net

07:40 How to say yes when it feels impossible

10:15 Creative ways to fund a big life change

12:30 Building a music career alongside audio engineering

14:50 Lessons from working in a male-dominated industry

17:10 The realities of podcast production at a high level

19:25 How to keep your passion alive in your day job

21:40 Personal stories of resilience and persistence

24:00 The power of community and support systems

26:15 Advice for chasing your dream career

28:40 What’s next for Jordan Duffy

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

Jordan is the first female audio engineer at Earwolf/Stitcher a podcasting company where she works on podcasts such as Hollywood Handbook, Best Friends, Bitch Sesh, Spanish Aqui Present, Yo Is This Racist?, Queery, and Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend plus many more. She’s also a singer / songwriter, the engineer here on the Powerful Ladies Podcast and my sister.  On this episode she shares how to chase your dream and say yes to opportunities when you’re broke, what it’s really like to chase a career as a musician, her personal experiences with sexual assault, and breaking news on when her new album is coming out.

Julie Podolec turned a homemade frozen fruit bar for her son into a national brand sold in 2,800 stores, including Whole Foods, Costco, and Target. As the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of The Modern Pop, she’s built a business that blends healthy indulgence with fearless growth. We talk about how she went from a push cart in Laguna Beach to negotiating with major retailers, why LinkedIn is her secret networking weapon, and how being bold has opened doors she never expected. Julie’s energy is contagious, her advice is practical, and her story is a reminder that joy and grit can build something extraordinary.

Chapters:

00:00 From homemade treat to national brand

01:20 Launching The Modern Pop in Laguna Beach

03:00 Early days with a push cart

05:15 Selling at local farmers markets

07:00 Landing in Whole Foods and Costco

09:45 Scaling to 2,800 stores nationwide

11:30 Networking fearlessly on LinkedIn

13:15 The role of boldness in business growth

15:00 Balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood

17:30 Lessons learned from the CPG industry

19:00 Building a purpose-driven company

21:30 Maintaining quality at scale

23:15 Expanding into new retail channels

25:00 Finding joy in the hustle

27:00 Advice for aspiring food entrepreneurs

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