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Tia Graham, bestselling author of Be a Happy Leader and founder of Arrive at Happy, shares how happiness isn’t a byproduct of success, but a catalyst for it. Drawing from her own personal journey and extensive research, she explores the science behind why happier people perform better, the power of the SPIRE model for wellbeing, and how leaders can create ripple effects far beyond the workplace. With insights on bold leadership, emotional wellbeing, and practical strategies for building a thriving culture, this episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking greater impact and genuine happiness.

About Tia Graham

Tia Graham is a best-selling author, keynote and TED speaker, and Founder of The Calm Working Moms Collective and Arrive At Happy. She has certifications in applied neuroscience, positive psychology, coaching, and is a Certified Chief Happiness Officer. She led sales teams for 14-years in luxury hotels in the US and Europe. Her best-selling book, Be a Happy Leader, teaches her 8-step methodology to drive business results and create a happy, high-performing team. Her research and experience prove that it is possible to overcome the challenges of balancing your career and parenting, and find a path to inner peace and happiness.

 Additional Resources

Web: arriveathappy.com

Watch Tia’s TED Talk: youtube.com/watch?v=gYeHV_nA36c

Instagram: @ArriveAtHappy

YouTube: @TiaGraham

LinkedIn: @TiaGraham

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 Content Warning: Suicide ideation; mention of alcoholism, abuse, depression

About This Episode

Nina Eiland shares her extraordinary journey from questioning her worth to discovering a bold new path rooted in self-compassion and purpose. Starting over within the trucking industry, Nina's grit and determination caught the attention of mentors who helped her rise through the ranks. Choosing to redefine leadership on her own terms, she has leaned into being true to herself and sharing her story of perseverance. Now the author of Grace in Leadership: A Nobody’s Guide to Inspired Leadership, Nina reminds us that true leadership begins within, and that embracing our perfectly imperfect selves can unlock a future brighter than we imagined. Tune in for a story of resilience, reinvention, and the power of believing in your own worth.

About Nina Eiland

Nina Eiland currently resides in Dothan, Alabama, with her husband, John, and their three beautiful children Brandyn, Celia and Charlotte. Professionally, Nina brings over a decade of leadership experience in human resources and people operations across both public and private sector organizations. She is a certified HR Consultant and Professional Life Coach, holding credentials including PHR, SHRM-CP, and certifications in Lean Six Sigma and People Analytics. Her debut non-fiction book, Grace and Leadership: A Nobody’s Guide to Inspired Leadership, focuses on servant leadership, shaped by her journey of self-acceptance and the importance of showing grace to herself and others. 

Additional Resources

Web: graceandleadership.com

LinkedIn: @NinaEiland

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About This Episode

What happens when we reimagine healthcare through the lens of data? Dr. Julie Schulz, physician executive and VP of Product at Avalon Healthcare Solutions, shares how analytics are being used to guide smarter testing, improve outcomes, and reduce inefficiencies. With up to 70% of medical decisions driven by lab results that are often trapped in silos, she explains how unlocking this data is key to better care. We also explore cardiometabolic disease, treatment gaps, and why obesity is a medical condition. Julie offers practical advice for patients to advocate for themselves and bridge communication gaps in a strained system. Tune in to hear how data, when paired with compassion, can lead to real change. 

About Julie Schulz

Dr. Julie Schulz is a physician executive and Vice President of Product of Avalon Healthcare Solutions with experience building and leading healthcare decision support, analytics, and B2C products. Specifically, she focuses on value-based care, women's health, medical device & pharma, and patient & physician engagement.

Additional Resources

LinkedIn: @JulieSchulz

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About This Episode

In this powerful episode, holistic business and career coach and author Amina AlTai joins us to unpack and redefine ambition. Drawing from her own experiences and her new book, The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living, Amina explores the difference between painful ambition rooted in core wounds and purposeful ambition aligned with wellbeing and contribution. We dive into the nuanced ways identity and societal pressures shape ambition, especially for women and marginalized leaders, and introduce tools and ideologies like the resentment line. If you're feeling burned out, questioning your path, or craving a more sustainable version of success, this conversation will help you redefine achievement on your own terms without losing yourself in the process.

About Amina AlTai

Amina AITai (pronounced AH-MIN-UH) is a holistic business and career coach, proud immigrant and chronic illness advocate.  A leading coach to notable leaders, executives and founders—Amina's mastery is in connecting us to our brilliance and teaching us to live and lead from it each day. She is the author of the forthcoming book, The Ambition Trap, with Penguin/The Open Field. Amina has partnered with progressive companies such as Google, Roku, Deloitte, Snap, Outdoor Voices, NYU and HUGE. She's an Entrepreneur Magazine expert-in-residence, a Forbes contributor, and was named one of Success Magazine’s Women of Influence. Additionally, she's been featured in goop, Well+Good, The New York Times, Yahoo, NBC, and more.

Additional Resources

Web: aminaaltai.com

Instagram: @aminaaltai

LinkedIn: @AminaAlTai

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Content Warning: Brief mention of sibling death, pet death, depression, anxiety, child abandonment

About This Episode

In this inspiring episode, Wendy Valentine, professional life coach and podcast host of the top-ranked Midlife Makeover Show, explores what it really means to be bold. Wendy shares her remarkable transformation from heartbreak and hardship to healing and freedom that ultimately led to her traveling across the country in an RV named Felicia. With deep honesty, she introduces her FREEDOM method and the powerful message behind her upcoming book Women Waking Up, reminding us that midlife isn't a crisis; it's an awakening and an invitation to come home to yourself. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to trade fear for freedom and take the bold steps they’ve been avoiding.

About Wendy Valentine

Wendy Valentine is a speaker, certified professional life coach, and author of Women Waking Up—a midlife rebel with a mission to help women reignite their spark and embrace the magic of midlife. As the host of The Midlife Makeover Show podcast, ranked in the top 1% globally and #1 in midlife on iTunes and Spotify, Wendy inspires her listeners to embrace the magic of midlife and live with passion and purpose. Through her transformative group coaching program, FREEDOM at Midlife, and her in-person retreats, Wendy helps women kick fear to the curb, reclaim their joy, and live life on their terms. Whether she’s soaking up the beauty of Madeira, Portugal, or cruising across the USA in her trusty motorhome, Felicia, Wendy lives for adventure and believes that life only gets better with age.

Additional Resources

Website: wendyvalentine.com

Learn More About Her New Book: womenwakingup.com

Instagram: @wendy_valentine_ 

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About This Episode

In this episode, Dr. Gail Burgos, CEO of PayTech Women, reframes boldness as a mindset, one grounded in intentional choices, self-awareness, and the courage to lead with vulnerability. She shares her insights on the power of community and the importance of women supporting one another, especially in male-dominated industries like FinTech. Gail clarifies the distinction between mentorship and sponsorship, explaining how sponsors advocate for you even when you’re not in the room. She describes her philosophy to start with your gifts, align your actions, and build a network around them. Her approach has not only transformed her own path but fueled the explosive growth of the PayTech Women community, making this episode a must-listen for anyone ready to lead boldly.

About Gail Burgos

Dr. Gail Burgos is the former Senior Diversity and Inclusion Officer for TSYS and Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at 1st Sentry. After retiring from TSYS with 25 years of service, she founded Burgos Consulting Group, Inc., where she currently serves as CEO. Prior to retirement, she led Global Payments’ global inclusion and diversity strategy and supported all areas of information technology as Senior Advisor to the CIO at legacy TSYS. With deep knowledge of corporate culture and an impeccable leadership record, Burgos has remained committed to advancing equity for children, women, and underrepresented groups. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Columbus State University, an M.S. in Human Resource Management from Troy State University, and a Doctorate in Organizational Theory and Leadership from the University of Phoenix. She has served as an adjunct professor and on multiple educational and community boards.

Burgos is a former CEO of Girls Inc. of Columbus, an organization supporting girls ages 6–18, and served on the boards of Hope Harbour and PayTech Women, where she is now CEO. She is also an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. While at TSYS, she founded Project Cookie Jar, a financial literacy initiative for Girls Inc. participants, and chaired the TSYS IT Education Council to boost STEM awareness in regional schools. Through her consulting work, she continues to guide organizations in building inclusive cultures, launching DEI programs, and embedding diversity into recruitment, retention, and succession planning. Her leadership and community service have earned her numerous awards and speaking engagements.

Additional Resources

Learn More About PayTech Women: paytechwomen.org 

LinkedIn: @GailBurgos

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About This Episode

In this episode, Dr. Lori Rosenkopf, Vice Dean for Entrepreneurship at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, offers a fresh, accessible take on boldness and entrepreneurship. Through her journey and insights from her new book Unstoppable Entrepreneurs: 7 Paths for Unleashing Successful Startups and Creating Value through Innovation, Lori debunks common myths about founders, showing that innovation can just as easily come from "accidental entrepreneurs," who leverage their unique experiences in unexpected ways. Lori encourages us to rethink what it means to create value, start small, move quickly, and trust that our distinctive paths can spark meaningful innovation. This conversation is packed with actionable advice for anyone ready to make a bold move, whether launching a business or bringing fresh ideas to their current role.

About Lori Rosenkopf

Lori Rosenkopf is the Simon and Midge Palley Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. As Vice Dean for Entrepreneurship, she serves as Wharton’s faculty director for Venture Lab, Penn’s home for student entrepreneurs, and also their San Francisco campus. In a prior role as Vice Dean of Wharton’s Undergraduate Division, she introduced a new curriculum and developed experiential classwork in the tech sector. For over thirty years, Rosenkopf has taught entrepreneurship and management of technology to more than 20,000 high schoolers, undergraduates, MBAs, and executives, connecting these learners to many of the most entrepreneurial alumni at Wharton and Penn through treks, panels, and classes.
 
 Rosenkopf was named a Best Undergraduate Professor by Poets and Quants, and has received multiple awards for her teaching, including Wharton’s prestigious David Hauck Award for Distinguished Teaching. Rosenkopf has published more than thirty articles on technological communities and social networks in top management journals, and she is a Fellow of the Academy of Management.
 
Rosenkopf received her PhD in Management of Organizations from Columbia University, her MS in Operations Research from Stanford University, and her BS in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from Cornell University. She worked as a systems engineer at AT&T Bell Laboratories and Eastman Kodak between her degrees. Rosenkopf lives in Philadelphia with her partner, Allan, and their dog, Winston.

Additional Resources

LinkedIn: @LoriRosenkopf

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About This Episode

Erika Hanafin, CEO and co-founder of Hello Mamas, explores what it truly means to be bold as a mother, leader, and entrepreneur. Erika redefines boldness as taking decisive action with confidence, even amid uncertainty—a mindset that has guided her through multiple startup acquisitions, motherhood, and personal transitions. She shares raw insights on navigating identity beyond titles, the power of community, and the often unspoken loneliness of leadership. With refreshing vulnerability, she encourages others to take the first step, however imperfect, reminding us that bold journeys are built in motion, not perfection.

About Erika Hanafin

Erika Hanafin is a devoted mom, sophisticated business leader and startup advisor, and a compassionate advocate for women in business. She is the CEO and co-founder of Hello Mamas, a community dedicated to supporting every mom’s success by empowering every mom with the tools, connections, and joyful experiences needed to thrive in all aspects of life. 

Growing up in a family of successful CEOs, Erika was enriched with the intricate details of running successful businesses through observation, higher education, and extensive experience. Over the past 15 years, she has played a pivotal role in growing small businesses across various industries, with a focus on business development, research and data, operations, revenue management, and an expertise in diverse fundraising models. Erika's success is underscored by her involvement in four significant startup acquisitions, three of which she was instrumental in leading.

Through her experiences, Erika has learned that a company's culture is fundamental to its success. She is committed to fostering supportive and healthy corporate cultures across the world by empowering women through leadership, collaboration, philanthropy, mentorship, and fundraising. This passion led her to the helm of HeyMama, a membership community of over 75,000 moms in business with events and programs impacting over 400 million moms. In just three years as CEO, Erika transformed the distressed company, marking it as her fourth acquisition and launching its parent company Hello Mamas. 

Recognized for Excellence in Business by the National Association of Professional Women VIP Awards, Erika has also earned President’s Club and Knights of the Roundtable awards. Beyond her professional achievements, Erika is the Chairman of EQUI-KIDS, is a Certified Holistic Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, and is dedicated to supporting divorced and co-parenting businesswomen like herself navigate the delicate balance between high-pressure careers and crucial roles at home.

Additional Resources

Website: www.erikahanafin.com

Instagram: @ErikaHanafin

LinkedIn: @ErikaHanafin 

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This episode was taped live at the ViVE 2025 conference in Nashville, Tennessee. 

About This Episode

Patty Hayward, General Manager of Healthcare and Life Sciences at TalkDesk, shares how personalized AI communication in healthcare is becoming reality. In a groundbreaking partnership with Epic, TalkDesk is transforming healthcare contact centers from cost-driven call hubs into vital parts of the care team, integrating support directly into electronic health records and empowering agents to guide patients with empathy and precision. Hayward dives into this evolution and makes a compelling case for co-innovation, challenging outdated metrics and redefining what truly human-centered healthcare can look like. Whether you're a healthcare professional, technology enthusiast, or simply someone who's experienced the frustration of healthcare bureaucracy, this episode offers a compelling vision of how bold thinking and strategic partnerships are creating more human-centered experiences.

About Patty Hayward

Patty Hayward, General Manager of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Talkdesk, has over a quarter century of industry strategy experience, including at organizations such as McKesson, Medicity, and Humedica. She is an expert in HIE, population health, pharmacy, process redesign for healthcare systems, and increasing access to patient information.

Additional Resources

LinkedIn: @PattyHayward

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About This Episode

The path to gender equality in the workplace remains frustratingly slow despite decades of well-intentioned efforts. What if we've been focusing on the wrong solutions all along? Harvard researcher and author Siri Chilazi joins us to challenge conventional wisdom about advancing women in the workplace. Her groundbreaking research shows how we need to fix the systems that weren't originally designed for women's success, offering evidence-based approaches that actually work. Whether you're a leader seeking to create a more inclusive workplace or someone navigating career advancement, Siri provides practical advice for creating fairness through measurable, data-driven approaches rather than performative initiatives. The key to progress isn't adding more one-off programs; it's embedding fairness into our everyday business processes and measuring results with the same rigor we apply to other business goals. Listen in and discover how small, evidence-based changes can create significant impact in creating workplaces where everyone truly has an equal opportunity to succeed.

About Siri Chilazi

Siri Chilazi is a senior researcher at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School whose life’s work is to advance gender equality in the workplace. As a keynote speaker and strategic advisor, Siri collaborates with a wide range of organizations around the world. Her work regularly appears in leading media outlets. Siri has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard College. 

Additional Resources

Website: sirichilazi.com

LinkedIn: @SiriChilazi

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