A simple birthday call turned into a conversation about politics—and a reminder of how quickly people form strong opinions about complex decisions.

In this episode, I reflect on that moment and take it further by working through a detailed and highly opinionated article by a Latvian journalist. I walk through her arguments, her historical references, and her perspective on Iran, global conflict, and recent geopolitical decisions.

You will hear about:

This is an episode about thinking, speaking, and staying grounded when the subject is emotionally charged.

If you’ve ever hesitated to express your thoughts because a topic felt too complex or too controversial, this episode will give you a different way to approach it.

If you want to express your ideas more clearly, handle difficult conversations with more confidence, and build stronger messaging in your personal or professional life, reach out to me.

If you’ve ever worked with people from different cultures, traveled abroad, or simply wondered why people behave so differently depending on where they are, this episode will likely stay with you.

In this conversation, I invited someone who knows me well—my partner, Scott—to share what he noticed when stepping into my world: Latvia, my background, and the way I see people, business, and culture.

We talk about what it actually feels like to move between countries—not as a tourist, but as someone trying to understand how people think, communicate, and work.

You’ll hear:

What changes when you work with international teams

Why the same behavior can mean something completely different in another culture

What surprised him most about Latvia, from daily life to deeper history

The difference between surface-level friendliness and real connection

Why Americans (and not only Americans) often misunderstand the rest of the world

How travel forces you to question your own assumptions

There’s also a more personal layer in this episode.

If you’ve followed me for a while, disappeared with me, and are now seeing me return, you’ll understand more about what my life looks like behind the scenes.

This is not a structured interview. It’s a real conversation.

And somewhere in it, there’s a message I think matters:

You can’t understand people—or business—without understanding context.

If you are starting a business and thinking about hiring help, this episode may save you time, money, and frustration.

Many early-stage entrepreneurs quickly discover that coming up with an idea is the easy part. The real challenge begins when you start building a team, outsourcing work, and figuring out how to turn your experience into a functioning business.

In this episode, Ilze shares three real stories from her own entrepreneurial journey that offer practical lessons for new and aspiring entrepreneurs.

You will learn:

Hiring tips for beginner entrepreneurs

how to recognize red flags when outsourcing work

why the cheapest service provider can become the most expensive mistake

how previous experience can become the foundation for a new business direction

why you don’t always need a perfect plan before taking action

Ilze also reflects on her experience building and managing a translation company in Latvia, training employees, and working with international teams. Those lessons now inform the work she is developing through ILZE BE LLC, where she supports professionals and organizations with documentation, writing, translation, proofreading, and administrative preparation.

This episode is especially relevant if you:

• are starting a business with limited resources

You will also hear Ilze’s perspective on passion projects, persistence, and building a business later in life — especially for women transitioning into a new phase after raising families.

If you are trying to turn your experience into something meaningful and sustainable, this episode will give you ideas to think about before making your next move.

For coaching or collaboration inquiries:

In this episode, I explore how storytelling can happen through stage art.

Using the performance of Latvian singer Atvara, whose song “Ēna” won Latvia’s national Eurovision selection contest Supernova, I look at how music, staging, and visual effects can communicate a powerful story—even when the audience does not understand the lyrics.

To test how effective that storytelling is, I also share reactions from several YouTubers who watched the performance without knowing Latvian and tried to interpret the visuals.

You can listen to this episode as audio, but if you enjoy the intersection of music, art, and technology, you may also want to watch the video version on my YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/@SheBecameCEO

In this episode, I sit down with Leah Ellis, mother of four and founder of The Society of Child Entrepreneurs (SoCE) — a nonprofit teaching children ages 6–17 real entrepreneurship through hands-on business experience.

Leah’s mission is rooted in something deeply personal. As a child, she was told to shrink. Today, she teaches kids to stand up — sometimes literally on chairs — and use their voices.

We talk about:

Why Leah rejects the phrase “children are the future”

How kids build real businesses (from 3D printing to book-recommendation services)

The mindset shift from profit to impact in a nonprofit model

How to test demand before launching a business

What kind of risk you should accept — and what kind you should limit

Why children don’t need protection from responsibility — they need support

How adults can mentor child entrepreneurs (even without kids at home)

As an Amen University-certified brain health coach, I was especially intrigued by the idea of directing open neural plasticity responsibly. When confidence is nurtured early, adults don’t have to spend decades rebuilding it.

Leah Ellis is a mother of four and the founder of The Society of Child Entrepreneurs (SoCE), a nonprofit dedicated to helping children ages 6–17 build confidence, leadership, and real-world business skills through hands-on learning.

Through business fairs, curriculum, and coaching, she helps children launch real ventures, learn financial literacy, and develop resilience through experience, not theory.

At the heart of her work is a simple belief:

Important note:

Programs currently operate in South Central Kansas

🔗 Website: SOCEICT.org

Ilze Be Berzina

SheBecameCEO.com

In this episode, I respond to requests to speak about weight loss in midlife — especially the relationship between hormones and the nervous system.

I share my personal experience and the information I’ve collected over the years from listening to hundreds of hours of podcasts and reading extensively on metabolic health, thyroid function, insulin, menopause, and nervous system regulation.

Topics include:

Estrogen, serotonin, and midlife metabolic shifts

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and common myths

Thyroid–insulin connection

Low-carb, ketogenic, and carnivore approaches

Ketones and fat adaptation

Sleep, cortisol, and circadian rhythm

Why nourishing the body may be foundational for nervous system balance

Sources and voices mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Peter Attia

Dr. Andrew Huberman (Huberman Lab)

Dr. Sara Gottfried (The Hormone Cure)

Dr. Lisa Mosconi

Dr. Elizabeth Bright

Dr. Anthony Chaffee

Rina Ahluwalia (The Primal Podcast)

Dr. Robert Kiltz

Steven Bartlett

The Williams Table (90-Day Carnivore Update)

This is not medical advice. It is an invitation to research, discern, and consider your options.

If this episode resonates, please rate and follow the podcast.

Host's email: [email protected]

https://shebecameceo.com https://ilzebe.com

This episode is different from the others—because this time, I’m the guest.

I’m sharing a few fragments from Leave Nothing to Chance, where host John Solleder interviewed me. It was my first time ever being interviewed on someone else’s podcast, and John made it easy.

We talk about communication, why listening is the foundation of clear messaging, how trauma can shape how we speak and relate, and how I work with both organizations and individuals to clarify what’s not working—and what to do next. You’ll also hear the story behind my original podcast name, Ill Zebra’s Transformations, and why She Became CEO is about more than business: it’s becoming CEO of your voice, health, money, and relationships.

If you’re an experienced entrepreneur, I also recommend checking out Leave Nothing to Chance—John’s audience is slightly different from mine, and you may love it.

Why clear messaging starts with listening

Communication as an art: talking with people, not at them

Trauma, compassion, and what changes after hard life events

How I begin organizational work (interviews + defining outcomes)

The “Ill Zebra” story and the transformation behind it

A simple clarity exercise for 2026: where you are → where you want to be → resources you already have

Leave Nothing to Chance (John Solleder)

She Became CEO (Ilze Be)

In Episode 50 of She Became CEO, I welcome back my very first podcast guest, Paige Royal, for a conversation about community—how we build it, how we belong, and how we sometimes outgrow it.

We talk about authenticity versus “filtering” ourselves in different spaces, loneliness (including the kind that comes from language and cultural barriers), and why shame—especially around money—keeps people quiet. I also share how learning English as a 12-year-old became my way into the wider world, and eventually into business and leadership.

Connect with Paige: https://www.paigeroyalcoaching.com/

My newsletter: https://shebecameceo.com/index.php/podcast-newsletter-subscription/

This episode was recorded just before Ilze travels to Latvia to visit her parents—during their birthday month—and shortly after Jermaine lost his mother.

Jermaine asked to be on the podcast not to promote a product, but to honor his mom by sharing her story and the lessons she left behind.

What unfolds is a quiet, deeply human conversation about parents, time, migration, money, and the conversations we postpone because they feel uncomfortable—or too final.

Losing a parent and what it changes about how we relate to time

Growing up in a communal culture where family always came first

Reinventing oneself later in life—and learning, sometimes late, to enjoy it

Why gratitude can feel complicated after loss

The small moments we dismiss that end up mattering the most

How encouragement from loved ones can help us reclaim joy

Why clarity around money, wishes, and legacy is an act of love

Jermaine also shares the personal story behind HeirLight—a will-making app he is building in honor of his mother. Designed as a calm, guided experience, HeirLight helps people face one of adulthood’s most avoided tasks with clarity and care.

As Jermaine says in the episode: clarity is love, in practical form.

This conversation isn’t about productivity or hustle.

Jermaine Ee is a founder and storyteller interested in how we spend our time, the work we do, and what we leave behind. His career has spanned ed-tech, logistics, toys, political campaigns, executive search, and impact projects, always focused on helping people make better decisions about their futures.

Born in Los Angeles and raised between LA and Malaysia, he reflects often on belonging, identity, and the quiet instructions we leave behind for the people we love.

Connect with Jermaine Ee through his website: https://heirlight.com/en 

This episode is for people who want to create income without being on camera, without “selling themselves,” and without a large upfront investment.

My guest, Paul Apollonia, has been buying and selling on eBay since 2001. Over the past two decades, he has built a sustainable eBay business, weathered economic downturns, and helped individuals and businesses turn overlooked items into real income.

In our conversation, Paul shares why eBay is a particularly strong option for people who are:

camera-shy or introverted,

navigating layoffs or career transitions,

short on startup capital,

looking for a realistic side gig that can grow over time.

We also talk about pivoting, mindset, and why practical skills often matter more than hype when money is tight.

Why eBay selling does not require video, personal branding, or public speaking

How Paul pivoted from IT → auto detailing → online selling

Starting with what you already own—or can source for free

Why selling needs often works better than selling “wants”

The power of niches and overlooked items

Real examples of ordinary objects that sell surprisingly well

What actually makes an eBay listing effective

When coaching helps people move faster than trial-and-error

Why eBay works well for introverts and people who prefer minimal interaction

Using eBay as a side income vs. a primary business

How small businesses can turn excess inventory into cash

Paul Apollonia has been selling and buying on eBay since 2001 and became an eBay-trained Education Specialist in 2009. He teaches both new and experienced sellers how to succeed on eBay and works closely with businesses to help them turn excess or idle inventory into cash.

Paul has taught:

stay-at-home parents,

small business owners,

executives and employees,

He teaches in classroom settings, small groups, and 1:1, and continues to support clients through Zoom, phone, and email.

Paul is also the founder and facilitator of a monthly eBay E-Commerce Sellers Circle, launched in 2013. What began with just two members has grown to over 540 sellers, connecting beginners and experienced sellers from across the U.S. and beyond.