This week we have Cassidy Ford on the podcast! Cassidy is Account Director for FRM Solutions, a franchise relationship management platform, and the founder of The Franchise Ticker, a multi-channel initiative spurring action on key issues in the franchise community and beyond. 

Cassidy has Tourette Syndrome, a neurological condition which causes uncontrolled movements and noises. Throughout her almost 9 years in franchise sales, development and operations, she has learned valuable lessons about owning her uniqueness and embracing the struggles of life as a professional with Tourette’s. Now, Cassidy shares her insights, along with others’ inspiring stories, via social media, on YouTube and through The Franchise Ticker Podcast. 

Listen in on our conversation!

>> Connect with Cassidy on Linkedin

>> Learn more about The Franchise Ticker

>> Connect with Ruth on Linkedin

>> Learn more about Code Wiz

This week we have franchising rockstar, CEO, and mentor, Angela Coté on the Regardless Podcast! Angela is an entrepreneur, growth advisor, AND one of my best friends in the business world.

Angela and her team at AC Inc. are working to change the world of franchising through unconventional, yet practical advice while keeping franchising and business growth, fun. We spend time discussing being a mom while being a business owner, the fallacy of “business owners are superhuman” and so much more. 

>> Connect with Angela on Linkedin

>> Learn more about AC Inc.

>> Connect with Ruth on Linkedin

>> Learn more about Code Wiz

This week I am chatting with the founder and CEO of Fun World Language Academy, Silvia Dubinsky!

Prior to becoming an entrepreneur Silvia had a career in the corporate world in financial services. She has a BA in Philosophy and an MBA in Entrepreneurship. She is a passionate language learner and an advocate for bilingualism. Her company’s mission is to bring high-quality, affordable language classes to as many young children as possible. Her story and mission are INCREDIBLE and I can't wait for you to listen to our conversation!

>> Connect with Silvia on Linkedin

>> Learn more about Fun World Language Academy

>> Connect with Ruth on Linkedin

>> Learn more about Code Wiz

Queen Allotey-Pappoe is an award winning Fashion-prenuer born and raised in Accra, Ghana, where she studied Political Science. Currently living in Littleton, Massachusetts with her family, Queen is the CEO and Creative Director of Queen Adeline: A Sustainable Fashion Brand.

Queen is committed to sustainability and economic empowerment of women and minorities in her work. Queen Adeline creates sustainable, wearable art for a metro-cultural world. The brand features biodegradable fibres both organic and 100% cotton African print textiles sourced from Ghana. The pieces are versatile and timeless, designed for year round wear to minimize waste in clients’ closets and to help reduce the fashion industry's carbon footprint on the environment.

In this week's episode of the Regardless Podcast Ruth and Queen discuss sustainability, fashion, African culture, and being female CEOs. Learn more about Queen Adeline at the link below, and you can book appointments for virtual/in person Studio/Showroom shopping at the Western Avenue Studios in Lowell, MA.

>> Connect with Queen on Linkedin

>> Learn more about Queen Adeline 

>> Connect with Ruth on Linkedin

>> Learn more about Code Wiz

This week Ruth chats with the rockstar authors of The Insanely Awesome Pandemic Playbook: A Humorous Mental Health Guide For Kids, Katharine Covino and Dr. Elizabeth Englander.

>> Learn more about The Insanely Awesome Pandemic Playbook

Dr. Elizabeth Englander is the founder and Executive Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University, a Center which delivers programs, resources, and research for the state of Massachusetts and nationwide. During the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic, Dr. Englander’s work has focused on helping children and schools promote strong mental health and social relationships in the face of sustained social isolation and rising depression and anxiety in children. During 2020, she authored and published two books, one for schools (When The Kids Come Back) and another for children aged 8-11 years old (The Insanely Awesome Pandemic Playbook: A Humorous Mental Health Guide For Kids), which also features a supplemental guide for teachers and parents.

>> Connect with Dr. Elizabeth Englander

Katharine Covino is an Assistant Professor of English Studies and teaches writing, literature, and teacher-preparation classes at Fitchburg State University. Her research interests include critical pedagogy, gender, and identity. She has published and presented on a variety of issues related to literacy praxis, entwining theory and practice to support English teachers and learners at all levels in their classrooms. Guided by her interest in promoting critical, collaborative, and reflective pedagogy, she has served for multiple years as a Faculty Mentor at Fitchburg State University. In addition to her work as a teacher, researcher, and mentor, she is also a children’s book author. Her latest book, The Insanely Awesome Pandemic Playbook: A Humorous Mental Health Guide For Kids, seeks to support children (and their families) in understanding, processing, and addressing the challenges they are facing due to the pandemic in a funny, accessible, kid-friendly way.  

>> Connect with Katharine Covino

>> Connect with Ruth on Linkedin

>> Learn more about Code Wiz

Designing curriculum, training coaches, coding websites, Esther Agbaji is the face behind a multitude of tasks at the coding & robotics education franchise, Code Wiz. 

Esther immigrated to the US from Nigeria in 2011 and has done a lot in the 10 years she has worked in North America. From earning an MS degrees in Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, to working as a software developer, to helping Code Wiz in its early days. Yes - she was the girl putting furniture together AND teaching classes!

In this episode of the Regardless Podcast Esther tells some of her story and shares how determination and moving forward is a successful strategy for life.

>> Connect with Esther on Linkedin

>> Connect with Ruth on Linkedin

>> Learn more about Code Wiz

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Susan Wilkinson to learn more about her amazing journey into entrepreneurship! As I have stated, this podcast is all about sharing stories of ordinary men and women like you and me who are pushing through and pursuing their dreams regardless of what life throws at them! Listen to her inspiring story!

Here's Susan's short bio - 

As a family psychiatric nurse practitioner, I specialize in providing care in the outpatient setting. Prior to starting Ally Integrated Healthcare, PC in 2018, I worked in various clinical settings including acute inpatient psychiatric units, consultation, and liaison at the VA Boston Healthcare System and as a psychiatry consultant on the Integrated Behavioral Health team in the Family Medicine clinic at Boston Medical Center.

My focus has always been on treating the whole patient. I am a firm believer in the mind-body connection. At Ally Integrated Healthcare, my team and I help patients struggling with a wide range of conditions including anxiety, depression, trauma-related conditions, eating disorders, substance abuse and ADHD. We use a holistic approach and tailor treatment to individual needs.

Along with my practice, I am also the Founder of Your Ally Foundation, Inc a 501c (3) nonprofit with a mission to raise awareness; community sensitization, social mobilization and health education about substance use disorders and related mental health disorders, in low and middle-income countries as well as the African Diaspora in the New England area. I am very proud of this global health initiative operating in Uganda and Zambia and we hope to expand its reach.

Visit her at https://allyintegratedhealthcare.com/

In this episode, I share on starting Code Wiz and Franchising - the push that got me going, some of the personal and professional obstacles I had to face, and how a life-changing health diagnosis made me a better business person and helped me on my franchising journey!

Learn more about Code Wiz HERE

From the next episode, we would be having guests! Woohoo! Regular people sharing their stories of how they achieve success. Not blockbuster, all over the news kind of success, but wins that help them live the best life they can! The hope is that we all will be able to relate to these stories and be inspired to take that first leap of faith towards our dreams! 

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Thank you and remember you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to REGARDLESS!

In part 2, I conclude my story on journeying to the US! Next, episode, I will share on starting Code Wiz and Franchising. 

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Connect with me on Linkedin HERE

Subscribe and review this podcast to help spread the word!

Thank you and remember you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to REGARDLESS!

In this episode, I start to share about what growing in Nigeria was like. I talk about the points in my life where I started to believe that I was made for more and I share the experience of finding a mentor who's time investment in me from across continents changed the trajectory of my life forever. 

My story got so long I had to split it in two. Stay tuned for part 2!

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Connect with me on Linkedin HERE

Subscribe and review this podcast to help spread the word!

Thank you and remember you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to REGARDLESS!