Startup Life Uncensored

It can be super awkward to bring up parental benefits or pregnancy during a job interview. It's often times thought to be taboo and an immediate disqualifier, even though it's technically illegal to get turned down for a job because of it. But what are we missing out on by not bringing this up? Do the pros outweigh the cons? In this episode of SLU, I had the pleasure of chatting with my good friend and SLU alum, Melissa Lui, about her unique experience of navigating job changes while she was pregnant. 

People often think of "leaders" as the people in charge, the top performers, and the big bad bosses... But that's not necessarily the case! More than ever, people in all positions are being encouraged to have a voice, take ownership of projects, and take charge! Leadership is not based on your job title. But how can you flex those leadership muscles and earn the respect of your peers without being "the boss"? In this episode of SLU, I had the pleasure of chatting with my friend and superstar salesperson, Mikyla, who has done an incredible job at embracing her inner-leader and creating an incredible team dynamic based on mutual respect and comradery over competition.

There is a common misconception that if you're great at your job, you're automatically qualified to manage people who do the same job. It's a mistake we see at companies all the time... For example, the top sales person is promoted to be manager of other sales people. Those are two completely different skills! People also may think that the only way to grow in a company or get a bigger paycheck is to become a manager, so even though they don't necessarily like the idea of managing people, they take the job anyways. In this episode of SLU, I got a chance to speak with Lacy Tyrrell all about our experiences navigating the world of management, and when it was and wasn't the right fit for us!

Holy wow... Times have changed at warp speed for working women in the last 50 years. We've gone from secretary to CEO, teacher to founder, and housewife to boss mom. But what was it like to already be that badass in an older generation when it wasn't the norm? On this episode of SLU, we'll get a chance to hear from Sheri Hirschfeld (aka my mom!) about what it was like to be the full-time working mom and breadwinner before it was cool.

Women are more powerful than ever. We are finding our voices in the workplace and making our talents known. But it can take a lot of fine-tuning of that voice to truly make it your own. So how do you do it? In this episode of SLU, I get a chance to chat with badass sales coach and entrepreneur, Heidi Fortes, about our journeys in finding our (strong, independent, female) voices in the workplace. Warning: We get super uncensored!

This is the generation of badass boss ladies. Women are doing it all... thriving at work, pursuing side hustles, starting their own businesses, and some are adding "mom" to the resume as well! How do they handle it all without having a meltdown? In this episode of SLU, learn how to juggle it all while remaining sane with successful entrepreneur and masterful mommy, Sarah Penna.

It can be challenging to get your foot in the door at an early stage startup. For better or worse, it's often times a matter of knowing someone who's already on the inside. In this episode of Startup Life Uncensored, learn how and why to build your network with Mary Stuart Deibel, a Sales and Culture Consultant and master human connector.

Many people begin their careers working in entry level roles with aspirations to grow and eventually become leaders within a company. But how exactly do you do that? And what challenges will you face along the way? On this episode of SLU, I get to have a collaborative conversation with my good friend and former coworker, Melissa Lui, a Sales leader who has triumphed through the hurdles of going from entry level to leadership.