SheSpeaks: Women of Influence

What does it take to create content people connect with? For Fara Wilson, it starts with showing up as yourself.

In this episode of Women of Influence, host Aliza Freud sits down with the creator behind TheFaraFix to discuss her unexpected journey from corporate marketing and communications to content creation. What began as a creative outlet during the pandemic grew into a community built around everyday life, practical tips, and honest recommendations.

Fara shares how she found her voice, why building trust goes beyond sponsored posts, and how her marketing background shapes her approach to brand partnerships. She also offers advice for creators navigating comparison, perfectionism, and the pressure to chase trends.

Episode Highights

• Finding your voice: Getting comfortable in front of the camera after a career behind the scenes.
• Building community through everyday content: Why sharing real experiences helps audiences feel connected.
• Creating effective brand partnerships: Balancing a brand’s message with your own voice and audience’s needs.
• Making people stop scrolling: Pairing strong hooks with useful, relatable content.
• Growing on your own terms: Moving past perfectionism and focusing on your progress instead of someone else’s numbers.
• Using AI as a business tool: Fara’s perspective on supporting creativity while preserving human connection.

Links and Resources
Follow @thefarafix on Instagram
Follow @thefarafix on TikTok
Watch @thefarafix on Youtube
Learn More About Fara Wilson

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Katelyn Rhoades has built her career on a philosophy she repeats often: take messy action. A Forbes-featured social media strategist and founder of Enfluence Marketing Studio, she grew her Instagram following past 200,000 from scratch, scaled a 7-figure boutique agency, and turned a $19 digital guide into a six-figure passive income stream — all after starting out selling her own clothes for grocery money at 21.

In this episode, Katelyn joins Aliza Freud to talk about building a following imperfectly and consistently, how a $19 PDF guide turned into six figures in passive income, and why she believes AI raises the value of human perspective rather than replacing it. They also dig into handling public criticism, her "Oh Well" for turning rejection into redirection, and why ambitious women struggle to stop people-pleasing.

Episode Highlights

• From selling clothes to a 7-figure agency — How Katelyn went from struggling to cover college costs to building a following, an agency, and a media brand from nothing.
• Messy action over perfect action — Why her earliest, most awkward videos were the foundation for everything that came after.
• The $19 product that made six figures — How a simple Canva PDF guide, priced to be accessible, turned into a six-figure passive income stream — and why she now pairs it with live coaching to stand out.
• Handling the good, the bad, and the ugly — Why she built her team a "brag about it" channel to counterbalance the sting of public criticism.
• AI as amplifier, not replacement — How Katelyn uses AI to help her organize and articulate ideas while keeping her voice and perspective front and center.
• The "Oh Well” Theory — Her personal framework for reframing rejection as redirection, not a verdict on her worth.
• Redefining influence — Why Katelyn measures success by impact, not follower count — and what "visibility without influence" really means.

Links and Resources
Follow Katelyn Rhoades on Instagram
Listen to Call Her Creator
Buy the Visibility Content Vault

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Kristen Sellentin has built a career on the same thing that makes any good friend worth listening to: authenticity. A Houston-based family lifestyle creator with more than 845,000 followers across social media, she creates content spanning family life, DIY projects, recipes, home decor, seasonal celebrations, and everyday motherhood — and has become a trusted voice for modern families along the way. Her partnerships with brands like Walmart, Target, Netflix, Sony, General Mills, Nike, Michael's, Crayola, and M&M's are proof that relatability, not polish, is what actually moves people to buy.

In this episode, Kristen joins Aliza Freud to talk about what it really takes to build a community versus an audience, why authenticity always outperforms polish, and how she evaluates brand partnerships to protect the trust she's built. They dig into the mechanics of a great hook, the shift toward long-term brand partnerships and UGC, and why — even in an AI-driven content landscape — her community can tell the difference between a real photo and a generated one, and responds accordingly.

Episode Highlights

• From hobby to full-time business — How Kristen's early posts about crafts and motherhood evolved into a career built on sharing wins, failures, and everything in between.
• Community over audience — Why trust, consistency, and authenticity — not follower count — are what actually drive brand results.
• The anatomy of a hook — Why leading with the finished product (not chronological storytelling) is what keeps audiences watching, and how on-screen text and pacing factor in.
• The value of long-term brand partnerships — Why ongoing creator-brand relationships lead to stronger content, deeper trust, and better results for everyone involved.
• Creating multiple income streams — How Kristen has built a business beyond sponsored posts, and why diversification matters for creators.
• Using AI without losing authenticity — How Kristen incorporates AI into her workflow while ensuring her content still feels personal, genuine, and true to her brand.

Kristen's story is a reminder that in a crowded creator economy, the edge isn't more content — it's more trust, built one authentic post at a time.

Links and Resources

Follow Kristen Sellentin on Instagram

Follow Kristen Sellentin on TikTok

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Few people have experienced the retail industry from as many angles as Anne Mezzenga. With more than 25 years of experience spanning journalism, retail, marketing, and technology, she's held leadership roles at Target, co-founded the influential retail podcast Omni Talk, and now leads Retail Field Report, where she uncovers the people and ideas shaping the future of commerce.

In this episode, Anne joins Aliza Freud to discuss the rapidly evolving retail landscape, from AI-powered shopping and social commerce to the growing importance of authentic human connection. Together, they examine why creators are becoming indispensable to modern commerce, how brands can stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented marketplace, and what leaders should be doing now to prepare for what's ahead. Anne also shares lessons from her own entrepreneurial journey and why curiosity, authenticity, and trust remain the most valuable currencies in business.

Episode Highlights

• Preparing for the next era of commerce — Why AI, social commerce, and agentic shopping are redefining how consumers discover and purchase products.
• The human advantage in an AI-driven world — Why authentic experiences, trusted recommendations, and creator voices remain essential to building consumer confidence.
• How retail brands are adapting — From luxury retailers embracing "invisible AI" to brands navigating an increasingly complex mix of sales channels.
• Creators are becoming commerce engines — Why creator content is fueling retail media, product discovery, PDPs, and AI search in ways traditional marketing can't.
• From corporate leader to entrepreneur — Anne reflects on building Retail Field Report and creating a platform centered on meaningful conversations rather than headlines.
• The power of authentic storytelling — Why asking better questions, staying curious, and leading with empathy create stronger content and deeper connections.

Links and Resources
Connect with Anne Mezzenga on LinkedIn
Follow Retail Field Report on LinkedIn
Learn more about Retail Field Report

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Mary Matyas has spent twenty-five years moving across every layer of the digital media ecosystem — from operating leadership at Criteo, The Trade Desk, and MediaMath, to the deal table as COO and Managing Partner at Ironbound Group, a boutique M&A advisory firm specializing in FinTech, AdTech, and MarTech. What sets her apart from most advisors: she's been the operator on the other side of the table.

In this episode, Mary unpacks what the Publicis acquisition of LiveRamp could mean for identity, RampID, and the future of "neutral" data infrastructure. She breaks down how platforms like Meta are pushing advertisers toward open targeting and message-first strategies, why better creative works with modern algorithmic delivery rather than against it, and what acquirers actually look for when evaluating ad tech and martech businesses. Plus: a firsthand look at the Criteo/Hook Logic integration, the retail media consolidation coming, the creator economy's missing infrastructure, and where AI is actually moving the needle.

Episode Highlights

• What the Publicis/LiveRamp deal really signals — what a $2B acquisition tells us about the future of identity, RampID, and whether "neutral" data infrastructure can survive inside a holding company.
• Open targeting and the creative imperative — how Meta and other platforms are nudging advertisers away from tight audience controls, and why message-first creative is the new competitive advantage.
• The M&A playbook from both sides of the table — what strategic buyers and private equity look for differently when evaluating ad tech, martech, and agency businesses, including the role of leadership and culture.
• Why earnouts don't have to be a trap — the structural conditions that make earnouts a feature rather than a fight waiting to happen.
• Criteo and Hook Logic as a retail media origin story — a firsthand account of integration friction that ultimately helped define an entire category.
• The creator economy's unfinished business — why measurement, contracts, and brand safety remain the missing infrastructure holding the space back.
• Where AI is actually delivering — why the real impact is showing up in data quality, fraud detection, and supply path optimization rather than in replacing authentic creative voice.

Links and Resources
Connect with Mary Matyas on LinkedIn
Connect with Ironbound Group on LinkedIn
Learn more about Ironbound Group

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Amy Vollet has spent her career at the intersection of media, commerce, and retail — watching the entire landscape transform around her. Now leading the digital commerce practice at Saatchi X, part of Publicis Commerce, she brings together media planning and buying, data and analytics, and e-commerce into one end-to-end approach that reflects how consumers actually shop today.

In this episode, Amy shares her perspective on how retail media has evolved from shopper marketing, why the brand-retailer relationship is more complicated than ever, and what it takes to stay competitive when private label is growing and AI is rewriting the rules of media buying. She also gets candid about leadership, the lost art of humanity in business, and what the next generation is teaching us about intentional personal branding.

Episode Highlights

• How the retail media conversation has expanded to include the retailer as a full partner — and why that changes everything
• Why social media has collapsed the traditional purchase funnel, turning a single piece of content into an end-to-end brand experience
• The "four shelves" framework: digital, physical, social, and agentic — and what it means for content strategy
• Why brand-building remains the most powerful answer to private label competition
• How AI agents are already changing media planning — and why the human 20% is what separates good from great
• Her "no dead ends" philosophy and what it really means to be omni-channel
• Why she defines influence as advocacy — and how that shapes the way she leads

Links and Resources

Connect with Amy Vollet on LinkedIn

Learn more about Saatchi X and Publicis Commerce

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When Sarah Centrella hit a breaking point in her life, she was left with uncertainty, pressure, and no clear path forward. In that moment, a simple shift in thinking opened the door to something new: the idea that her future could be shaped by what she chose to believe.

As an author, speaker, and coach, and the author of multiple books including her newest release Think It, Sarah has spent over a decade helping individuals and executives reprogram their mindset, aligning their thoughts with the outcomes they want to create. 

In this episode, she breaks down how internal dialogue shapes reality, why many people unknowingly reinforce the same patterns, and how small, intentional shifts in thinking can unlock entirely new possibilities.

 Episode Highlights

• The moment that sparked her mindset shift and changed the trajectory of her life
• How thoughts influence outcomes and why repetition plays a key role in rewiring the brain
• What mental fitness looks like in practice and how to apply it daily
• Why negative self-talk is often the biggest barrier to growth
• Simple tools, including the Power of Pause, to interrupt unhelpful thinking
• How visualization and future planning can create clarity and momentum

Sarah offers a practical and grounded perspective on influence, showing that real change starts internally. By becoming more intentional with our thoughts, we can begin to shape better outcomes in both our personal and professional lives.

Links and Resources

Connect with Sarah Centrella on LinkedIn

Learn more about Sarah’s Mindset & Vision Setting

Purchase Sarah’s Books

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When Thayer Lavielle joined Wasserman, she recognized an opportunity to drive change from within one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment agencies. What began as a conversation about how to better support women across industries became The Collective—a global initiative dedicated to advancing the power of women through data, strategy, and storytelling.

As Managing Director, Thayer has helped transform how brands and organizations view women’s impact as consumers, fans, and leaders. In this episode, she discusses the evolution of women’s sports, the cultural moments fueling its momentum, and why authentic influence starts with service and purpose.

Episode Highlights

• The inspiration behind The Collective and how it’s elevating women across sports, music, and entertainment
• Research-driven insights revealing the true scale of women’s fandom and purchasing power
• Key cultural milestones that have shifted public perception of women’s sports
• The challenges and rewards of building a new brand within a global agency
• Lessons from Thayer’s early career in journalism and beauty that shaped her leadership approach
• What influence really means and how it’s best expressed through service and authenticity

Thayer’s perspective offers a thoughtful look at how advocacy, business, and storytelling can come together to create lasting impact for women everywhere.

Links and Resources

Connect with Thayer Lavielle on LinkedIn

Connect with Wasserman on LinkedIn

Learn more about The Collective

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When Diana Thomas became one of the first women in the United States to give birth through donor egg IVF in 1996, there were no guidelines, agencies, or contracts. It was determination and uncharted territory. Today, as Founder and CEO of The World Egg and Sperm Bank, she is on a mission to bring transparency, ethics, and rigorous standards to a rapidly growing and often misunderstood industry.

Episode Highlights

• Diana’s groundbreaking 15-year journey through infertility and how it shaped her mission to protect and empower future families
• Eye-opening truths about the global egg donation landscape, including trafficking, exploitation, and overlooked legislative gaps
• Why transparency and rigorous screening are critical—and the essential questions every hopeful parent should ask their clinic
• Practical advice for women navigating fertility challenges, including how to advocate for themselves in an emotional and complex process

Whether you are navigating fertility yourself or want to understand an industry that touches millions, Diana’s insights are both eye opening and inspiring.

Links and Resources

Connect with Diana Thomas on LinkedIn

Connect with the The World Egg and Sperm Bank on LinkedIn

Learn more about The World Egg and Sperm Bank

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Rikki Marler, Vice President of Client Development at Pēq, joins Women of Influence to share how she helps brands move beyond surface-level metrics to understand the true incremental impact of their campaigns. With a background in shopper marketing and lessons learned from early mentors, Rikki talks about why today’s marketers need real-time insights, how transparency has guided her career, and the importance of staying curious when navigating change.

Episode Highlights:

• The shift from proof of performance to proof of value in marketing.
• Why in-flight optimization is essential as budgets tighten.
• Lessons in transparency from early career mentorship under Walmart’s first COO.
• Staying curious and using an “advisory board” to navigate career twists.
• Influence as making people feel seen, heard, and empowered.

Links and Resources

Connect with Rikki Marler on LinkedIn

Connect with Pēq on LinkedIn

Learn more about Pēq

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