The Not Perfect Networking Podcast

In this episode of Not Perfect Networking, Zoe sits down with Wendy Heilbut, founder of Heilbut LLP, attorney, angel investor, and connector in New York’s creative business community.

Wendy’s career has spanned law, recruiting, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership—giving her a unique perspective on what networking really means. Instead of chasing leads or following sales formulas, Wendy believes the best connections happen through everyday conversations and genuine curiosity.

Together, Zoe and Wendy discuss how to move beyond transactional networking and into relationship building that feels natural, sustainable, and fulfilling.

In this episode:

• Why networking doesn’t need to feel forced or awkward
• How relationships you build today can shape your career years later
• The importance of boundaries when being generous with your time and expertise
• How to stay top of mind in your network through authentic updates
• Using platforms like LinkedIn and Substack for genuine connection
• Why every conversation—big or small—can lead to opportunity

Connect with Wendy:

Website: https://heilbutllp.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-heilbut-1356022b/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

Big announcement: I’m launching the Not Perfect Podcast Network — a curated network built for founders, thought leaders, and professionals who are ready to start their own podcasts without the stress or guesswork.

Yep, on my birthday, I’m officially turning Not Perfect Networking into something even bigger.

Over the past year, I’ve interviewed incredible CEOs, creatives, and entrepreneurs who’ve shared how real, unpolished networking opened doors and shaped their success. One thing they all have in common? They built powerful communities by showing up imperfectly and consistently.

That’s what inspired me to launch this network — because podcasting is the new personal branding essential. In 2025, your podcast matters as much as your website or LinkedIn profile. It’s your owned platform — your voice, your authority, your story.

And I want to make it simple for you to start.

The Not Perfect Podcast Network brings together the best editors, producers, and marketers so you can finally launch the podcast you’ve been dreaming about — with clarity, confidence, and momentum.

Because here’s the truth: you’ll never feel “ready.” So start anyway. Start messy. Start small. Start now.

 In this episode, I share:

• The vision behind the Not Perfect Podcast Network
• Why every entrepreneur and thought leader needs a podcast
• How networking and storytelling fuel personal brand growth
• My biggest lessons from a year of Not Perfect Networking
• My birthday message for anyone waiting for permission to start

What if wealth wasn’t just about money—but about community, confidence, and access?

In this episode, Zoe sits down with Syama Bunten, co-founder of Wealth Catalyst and host of the top-100 podcast Getting Rich Together, to explore how women can build meaningful wealth and powerful networks. Syama shares her journey from fashion executive to entrepreneur, what inspired her to create the Wealth Catalyst Summit, and why she believes connection is the key to financial freedom.

You’ll hear how she leads with love, builds authentic communities, and helps women invest with intention—plus her best advice for creating rooms where everyone rises.

Connect with Syama:

Website: https://syamabunten.com

Getting Richer Together Podcast: https://wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syama.co/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

In this Not Perfect Networking episode, communications strategist and “power connector” Jeanne Meyer (Authentic Intelligence; former comms leader at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Current TV, EMI Music, and ToysRUs.com) shares a masterclass on networking and executive communication. We dig into listening before speaking, delivering “be brief, be brilliant, be gone” messages, using the Rule of 3, navigating crisis and disclosure, and building a consistent, authentic presence on LinkedIn and beyond. Jeanne also unpacks the non-transactional mindset that’s fueled her network—from a triathlon community to a six-degrees apartment party that led to three marriages.

In this episode:

• Learn the exact frameworks Jeanne gives C-suite leaders for clear, memorable messaging.

• Get practical, non-cringey ways to show up on social media as a business leader.

• Steal Jeanne’s simple weekly cadence to keep networking on your calendar (and working for you).

Connect with Jeanne:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meyerjeanne/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

Hustle isn’t the problem, how we define productivity is. Creativity strategist Dr. Natalie Nixon shares a human OS for work: Move, Think, Rest—and how a cultivation mindset transforms networking.

Dr. Natalie Nixon is “the creativity whisperer to the C-Suite,” Top 50 global keynote speaker, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and author of the award-winning The Creativity Leap. Through her firm Figure 8 Thinking, she helps leaders reframe the future with foresight, wonder, and rigor. Featured in Forbes, Fast Company, and Inc; named a top woman keynote speaker by BigSpeak.

 In this episode we cover:

• Wonder + rigor: a practical definition of creativity that drives results
• Why Move, Think, Rest beats speed-only productivity
• Movement hygiene, micro daydreams, and better thinking
• Play’s “PR problem” at work—and how to fix it
• Networking as cultivation (plant seeds, not quotas)
• Redesigning meetings to reflect culture and focus
• Rest as strategy: from 90-second breaks to sabbaticals

Connect with Dr. Natalie Nixon:Website: https://www.figure8thinking.com/about/

Course: Build Your Creative Capacity as a Leader (LinkedIn Learning) https://www.linkedin.com/learning/build-your-creative-capacity-as-a-leader

Connect with Zoe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

What if your next big idea wasn’t born in a boardroom… but on the back of a cocktail napkin?

Dana Hork is a transformational brand leader, entrepreneur, storyteller, and Founder & CEO of Beers With Friends, an agile creative agency helping challenger brands solve high-stakes problems in just five days. She partners with founders, CMOs, and marketing leaders to unlock fast, high-impact brand solutions through the agency’s signature ‘Beer Run’ sprint approach, delivering expert-driven strategy without the bureaucracy of traditional agencies.

Dana shares how her career evolved from JP Morgan to marketing leadership roles at Jet, Walmart, and Wonder before realizing the traditional agency model wasn’t built for the speed of modern brand building. That’s where Beers With Friends comes in: a nimble, collaborative approach to creative problem-solving that mirrors hashing things out with—yes—a beer and a few great minds.

 In this episode:

• Dana’s journey through high-growth startups and Fortune 1 brands
• The inspiration behind Beers With Friends and how “beer runs” work
• Why the best creative happens when collaboration is casual, fast, and fun
• How to stay top-of-mind in your network (hint: start with a text)
• Why networking isn’t about asking—it’s about showing up with value
• How Dana nurtures both old and new connections with intentionality

Connect with Dana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danahork/

Connect with Zoe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

In this episode I sit down with Danielle Corone, law firm executive, former federal prosecutor, adjunct professor at Seton Hall, and lifelong connector. Danielle brings a fresh, nontraditional take on networking—one rooted in generosity, intuition, and being deeply intentional about how and with whom you spend your time.

Danielle shares how her networking superpower isn’t about volume—it’s about meaning. You’ll hear how she "snuck into" powerful industry circles, built a business through authentic connections, and how she now mentors the next generation of lawyers on ambition, wellness, and making space for both.

Danielle proves that successful networking can be both strategic and soulful.

In this episode:

• How moving schools as a child shaped her relationship-building skills
• Climbing the ranks in big law and making pivots with intention
• The story behind her in-house beauty industry role
• Integrating wellness and ambition, such as crystals, meditation, and executive leadership
• What “marketing like a mom” looks like
• Why small, curated gatherings beat awkward networking mixers
• The ripple effect of generous introductions

Connect with Danielle:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-corcione-a8b59013b/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

What does it mean to take inventory of your life—and your network—at midlife? In this episode, I sit down with Julie Flakstad, founder and host of The Midlife Truth Project, a limited series podcast that’s earned an Ambie nomination and featured guests like Sarah Blakely and Chip Conley.

Julie shares how networking helped her bring the podcast (and her new documentary, book, and more) to life—starting with a bold list of dream guests and working her web of connections until it became a reality.

From redefining the word “networking” to weaving powerful webs of personal and professional community, this conversation is packed with truth, strategy, and inspiration.

 In this episode:

• Why midlife is a powerful time to re-evaluate your network
• How to approach “big names” with intention and impact
• The power of asking, connecting the dots, and staying curious
• Why Julie prefers “webbing” over “networking”
• Using your network to open doors—not just for you, but your kids too

Connect with Julie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julieflakstad/

Website: https://julieflakstad.com/the-midlife-truth-project-podcast/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

What if community was the missing piece to fixing modern work culture? Jaclyn Pascocello, founder of FABRIK, believes the cure for workplace loneliness starts with giving people a place to actually belong—and she’s proving it, one intentional gathering at a time.

In this episode Zoe sits down with Jaclyn Pascocello, founder of FABRIK, a tech-enabled network of real-life gathering spaces designed to solve one of today’s most pressing challenges: disconnection.

With a background rooted in hospitality and entrepreneurship, Jaclyn shares how FABRIK turns underutilized office spaces into vibrant, community-driven hubs—where people can connect, collaborate, and feel like they belong. From early lessons in restaurant service to building Spacious (acquired by WeWork), Jaclyn has always believed in the power of space to spark human connection.

In this episode:

• ​Why consistent access to space is foundational to building real community
• ​The loneliness epidemic and how FABRIK is meeting the moment
• ​What companies often miss when it comes to creating true connection at work
• ​How introverts and extroverts thrive differently in communal settings
• ​Why “networking” doesn’t have to feel transactional—and what actually works

Whether you're a founder, community builder, or just someone craving more meaningful connection in your day-to-day life, this episode will inspire you to rethink how—and where—you connect.

Connect with Jaclyn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclyn-pascocello/

FABRIK: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joinfabrik/about/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

What if your next career move didn’t require starting over—but evolving forward? In this episode, Zoe sits down with powerhouse networker and community builder April Uchitel—CEO and Founder of The Board, co-founder of Dish Studios, and former CEO of Violet Grey and ONDA Beauty—to explore how the future of work is shifting toward a more agile, connected, and collaborative model.April shares her journey from a career in fashion to launching The Board, a hybrid community and agency that helps companies solve problems with on-demand expertise from trusted, fractional talent. Whether you're a leader trying to fill gaps on your team or a seasoned professional wondering what’s next, this conversation is a roadmap to the new world of work.

 In this episode:

• April’s evolution from fashion to tech, beauty, and now community building

• What it really means to work fractionally—and why it’s more than just consulting
• Why “networking” needs to be rooted in generosity, collaboration, and trust
• The rise of communities that blend strategy with support (and how to find yours)
• How The Board helps brands build dream teams without bloated budgets
• The reorg of the future: blending operators, outsourced experts, and tech
• Why upskilling and specialization matter more than ever
• Real talk on burnout, boundaries, and choosing work that aligns with your life

Connect with April:

Learn more about The Board: https://www.wearetheboard.co/about

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-uchitel-2b56b414/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/