The Uplifters

Today’s Featured Uplifter: Jessica Varian Carroll

She started her business with a box of Hefty garbage bags and zero experience. As a single mom of four with spotty child support, Jessica Varian Carroll's motto was stark and simple: "Work or be homeless. Those were the only choices I had."

There was a time when Jessica collected the loose change from her dryer just to feed her children. The water company had shut off service to her small ranch house, forcing her to send her kids to their father's just to shower. Yet even at her lowest moments, something in Jessica resisted accepting help. When friends encouraged her to visit St. Vincent de Paul for assistance, her first reaction was, "I don't deserve this help. This help is needed by others."

It's a paradox many of us recognize - our willingness to help others coupled with our reluctance to ask for it ourselves. Research shows we consistently underestimate others' willingness to help by nearly 50%. We're literally walking around assuming people will say no to our requests at double the rate they actually do.

Today, Jessica's organizing company has rehomed over a million items to charity. She's the author of She Had No Business, co-founder of the SOAR symposium for women, and a community activator who can raise $1,000 in a single day for families in need. Her journey from the shy girl in the corner to someone who confidently extends hundreds of invitations is a testament to what becomes possible when we transform our relationship with asking.

Listen to this episode if:

• You find yourself hesitating to ask for help, even when you really need it
• You've ever felt like an outsider waiting for an invitation
• You want to make bigger impact with limited resources
• You're seeking practical ways to build community around your mission
• You need permission to be braver about inviting others into your life or work

Her Courage Practice: The Radical Art of Invitation

Where most of us wait for permission or suffer silently, Jessica boldly extends invitations that create ripples of positive change.

It started when she was in the corner at a networking event, desperately wanting to belong but too shy to insert herself. A simple "Hey, we're going for drinks at Watermark for my birthday. Do you want to come?" changed everything for her.

That moment became a template for Jessica's approach to community building. For every event, she now invites hundreds – not because she expects everyone to come, but because she remembers how it felt to need that explicit invitation. "I over-invite everything," she explains. "I sent out 750 messages for our first S.O.A.R. event because you don't know who needs that personal invitation. And then guess what? They show up and become your biggest fan."

Jessica continues this invitation practice even when resources are scarce. When she couldn't afford to host a birthday party, she found a public place where people could gather without cost to her. When families needed Christmas gifts, she leveraged her network to raise $1,000 in a day. Her invitations have rehomed over a million items to charity, creating a community-powered pipeline of generosity.

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Let’s keep rising higher together.

💓 Aransas

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Today’s Featured Uplifter: Melissa Petro

I was standing in my kitchen the other day, staring at a pile of produce I'd optimistically purchased, thinking about all the healthy meals I wasn't going to make. That familiar feeling crept in—the one that whispers I'm falling short, not measuring up, failing at yet another standard that seems so effortless for others.

We all have these moments, don't we? Times when we feel the weight of expectations press down on us, making it hard to breathe. These moments aren't just about wilting spinach—they're about the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and whether we're enough.

That's why my conversation with Melissa Petro, author of Shame On You: How to Be a Woman in the Age of Mortification, feels like such a gift, especially as we celebrate Women's History Month and reflect on the silencing forces that have shaped women's stories throughout history. After reading her extraordinary book, I found myself noticing all the places where shame shapes our choices—not just in dramatic life moments, but in the quiet, everyday decisions where we make ourselves smaller to avoid the discomfort of being seen.

Melissa knows something profound about shame. After being publicly shamed and losing her teaching career for writing about her past experiences in sex work, she could have disappeared. Instead, she did something radical—she leaned into authenticity, refused to be silenced, and transformed her experience into insight that helps others find their voice.

Her Courage Practice: Turning Toward Vulnerability

What strikes me most about Melissa's approach is her dedication to staying open in moments when most of us would armor up. When someone shares something vulnerable, she doesn't gloss over it with platitudes or change the subject. Instead, she leans in, makes direct eye contact, and creates sacred space for that person's truth to be fully witnessed.

"It's so powerful to be vulnerable in that moment and to invite someone else to be vulnerable enough to receive that is just sacred," she says.

Listen to this if:

• You've ever felt the need to hide parts of your story
• You're curious about how shame influences your decisions
• You want to create deeper connections with others
• You're ready to consider what might be possible if you weren't afraid of judgment

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Join us next Thursday, March 13th live in NYC for a day of connection, celebration, and boosting our collective courage to do big, bold things, because goodness knows we are gonna need to be brave this year!

Proceeds are going to Emma's Torch (empowering refugees through culinary education + catering our amazing lunch), 826NY (uplifting the voices of diverse young authors), and Lonely Worm Farm (an arts and ecology organization for people of all abilities).

Check out the agenda, our amazing lineup of speakers, including past Uplifters Podcast guests

Eliza Factor, Gisela Sanders Alcántara, Heather Hester, Helen Arteaga, Julie Hartigan, Kara Cutruzzula, Laura Kavanagh, Lia Buffa De Feo, Maysoon Zayid, Melanie Cohen, Rachel Everson Fink, Rachel Lipson, Rahti Gorfien, Taylor Ratliff, and many more, including a very special surprise guest!! Get Your Ticket

Today’s Featured Uplifter: Catherine McKenzie

As we kick off Women's History Month, I can think of no better leader to spotlight than Cat McKenzie, who makes everyone she meets feel like the most important person in the world. That's her superpower – making space for every voice in the room, whether she's at a social gathering or running a high-pressure television production meeting.

While most executives in the cutthroat world of television measure success by ratings, Cat has built her remarkable career, and ratings records, on a radical premise: you can be both successful and kind. As the first Black woman to executive produce a primetime special for ABC News and the first to hold an EP title at the network, she could easily rest on her impressive credentials. Instead, she measures her wins by how well her team treats each other.

Walking into our conversation, I expected to talk about her groundbreaking achievements and television experience. What emerged instead was a masterclass in courage – specifically how to find our footing when disappointment knocks us sideways (which it inevitably will). "The most courage comes when I'm disappointed," Cat shared, describing those moments when colleagues or organizations fall short of our hopes. "How do you get up and go the next day? How do you chart the next path forward?"

In an industry known for its intensity, Cat has created a different kind of leadership model entirely. One where the best idea always wins (no matter who suggests it), where quiet voices are actively sought out, and where no one has to answer emails immediately. It's a refreshing antidote to our reaction-driven world, and a powerful reminder that sometimes the bravest (and ironically the fastest) thing we can do is simply slow down.

Her Courage Practice: The 24-Hour Gratitude Shift

In a world where gratitude journals often become rote exercises listing the same general blessings, Cat has made an adjustment based on the suggestion of a recent Good Morning America guest: her daily gratitude must focus specifically on something that happened in the past 24 hours.

"That really changed my mindset," she explained. "When you get up in the morning, it's easy to be like, 'I'm grateful for my friends' and then move on with the day. But if you have to think...

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Join us on March 13th live in NYC for a day of connection, celebration, and boosting our collective courage to do big, bold things, because goodness knows we are gonna need to be brave this year!

Proceeds are going to Emma's Torch (empowering refugees through culinary education + catering our amazing lunch), 826NY (uplifting the voices of diverse young authors), and Lonely Worm Farm (an arts and ecology organization for people of all abilities).

We'll have an incredible Feng Shui master helping us optimize our energy for the year ahead, guided meditations, creative workshops, and intimate conversations over lunch.

It's going to be an amazing day, and I so hope you can join us.

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Today’s Featured Uplifter: Alexis Shepard

As I sat down with Alexis Shepherd, even through the digital divide, her energy felt authentic and unfiltered. As a former educator turned higher education HR professional, Alexis has built a life around what she calls "going my own way, even when everyone else isn't."

She navigated our conversation with the same thoughtful confidence she brings to her career and personal choices. When describing her decision to leave teaching mid-year — a move many would consider taboo — she didn't shy away from acknowledging both the difficulty and the necessity of the choice. "I had this deep internal knowing that there was just something else that I needed to do," she explained, her voice carrying both certainty and vulnerability.

What struck me most was Alexis' profound understanding of what makes choices truly difficult. It's not just the decision itself but the absence of precedent. "When you are truly going against the grain and standing on your own," she reflected, "you don't necessarily have someone to look to and say, 'this person that I know, that I'm connected to, they did it, and they made it out okay.'" This absence of proof points makes the unknown infinitely scarier — whether it's choosing to be child-free by choice (as she and her husband have), leaving a teaching career mid-year, or showing up as her full, unfiltered self in professional spaces.

This wisdom wasn't theoretical — it was earned through repeated acts of courage, choosing integrity over conformity, and discovering that the path to impact doesn't always follow the well-worn road.

Her Courage Practice: The Full Disclosure

Alexis practices what I'd call "radical transparency" — a deliberate choice to reveal her whole self upfront, quirks and all, rather than gradually unveiling herself over time. When she met her now-husband twelve years ago, she felt an immediate impulse to tell him everything: "I have this disorder, I have this weird quirk. Here's my relationship history, here's where I struggle, here are my insecurities."

Friends questioned this approach, wondering if she was revealing too much too soon. But Alexis understood something vital to deep connection: real love requires real truth. "If he's going to fall in love with me," she explained, "he needs to fall in love with me for all of the things." This wasn't just about being known — it was about creating space for the other person to reveal themselves fully too, establishing a...

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Join us on March 13th at Brooklyn Brewery for a one-day retreat to raise funds for some amazing organizations while connecting, celebrating, and filling our cups.

Proceeds are going to Emma's Torch (empowering refugees through culinary education + catering our amazing lunch), 826NY (uplifting the voices of diverse young authors), and Lonely Worm Farm (an arts and ecology organization for people of all abilities).

We'll have an incredible Feng Shui master helping us optimize our energy for the year ahead, guided meditations, creative workshops, and intimate conversations over lunch. Early birds get amazing Tarte Cosmetics gift bags, and we're ending with a happy hour because, well, we're in a brewery!

It's going to be an amazing day, and I so hope you can join us.

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Today’s Featured Uplifter: YOU

I remember that crisp morning in 2016, riding the subway to a march with my young daughters holding their "Girls Rule the World" signs, and my mother beside them, her sign reading "I can't believe I'm still protesting this sh*t." We were surrounded by women who were fired up and ready to make change. I felt certain we were investing in a brighter future.

But the years since have brought sobering reminders that progress isn't linear. We've watched rights we thought were secured get rolled back, battles we thought were won require fighting again. Some days, I catch myself echoing my mother's weary words, feeling that bone-deep exhaustion of "really, this fight... again?"

Yet in analyzing 99 stories for The Uplifters, I've discovered something more valuable than inspiration – I've found a blueprint for building what one guest, Cher Hale, brilliantly called "courage capital." Just as entrepreneurs think about raising financial capital, these women show us how to invest in and grow the courage required to create change, especially when facing seemingly insurmountable odds.Their stories aren't just testimonials of triumph – they're detailed case studies of how change happens, even when it feels impossible.

After studying these 99 women's journeys – from Kathrine Switzer breaking through the Boston Marathon's gender barrier, to Jenny Jing Zhu building a $100 million company while learning English alongside the toddler she nannied, to

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Join us on March 13th at Brooklyn Brewery for a day of transformation, connection, and celebration. To celebrate our 1st 100 episodes of the podcast, my dream is to assemble as many inspiring women in one room as possible for a one-day retreat to connect, celebrate, and boost our collective courage to do big, bold things, because goodness knows we are gonna need to be brave this year!

Proceeds are going to Emma's Torch (empowering refugees through culinary education + catering our amazing lunch), 826NY (uplifting the voices of diverse young authors), and Lonely Worm Farm (arts and ecology organization for people of all abilities).

We'll have an incredible Feng Shui master helping us optimize our energy for the year ahead, guided meditations, creative workshops, and intimate conversations over lunch. Early birds get amazing Tarte Cosmetics gift bags, and we're ending with a happy hour because, well, we're in a brewery!

It's going to be an amazing day, and I so hope you can join us.

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Today’s Featured Uplifter: Dr. Shayna Kaufmann

Sometimes wisdom arrives at the most uncomfortable moments. For Dr. Shayna Kaufman, it came during a silent retreat – in sticky San Diego heat, without even the comfort of a ponytail or a fan. A hot flash. And it brought with it an awakening to how our stories about midlife transitions often cause more suffering than the transitions themselves.

Sitting there on her meditation cushion, forced to simply be present with the experience, she discovered something surprising: when she stopped fighting against the sensations and simply observed them, the hot flash transformed from a dreaded enemy into a fascinating dance of sensations. Heat rising, sweat trickling, waves of intensity flowing and ebbing. Without the narrative of "this is terrible," it was just... interesting.

This moment became a metaphor for her entire approach to midlife transitions. What if, instead of bracing against change, we could lean into it with curiosity? What if, rather than viewing midlife as a series of losses, we could see it as an invitation to discover what this moment is perfect for?

Her Courage Practice:

Presence Over Escape - When facing any transition or challenge, Dr. Shayna practices what she describes as "embracing" rather than merely accepting. Instead of seeking immediate comfort or trying to push away difficult experiences, she creates space to be present with whatever arises. This practice transformed her approach to everything from career transitions to grief, teaching...

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Join us on March 13th at Brooklyn Brewery for a day of transformation, connection, and celebration. Like Lauren, who you’ll meet in today’s episode, every woman in our community has a story that can light the way for others. Whether you're navigating your own reinvention, seeking deeper purpose, or ready to create meaningful change, you'll find your people here.

This isn't your typical networking event. It's an intimate gathering of purpose-driven women who understand that real magic happens when we drop the masks and share our authentic journeys. Through interactive workshops, a live podcast recording, and facilitated connections, we'll explore what it means to break through barriers and lift others as we climb.

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Today’s Featured Uplifter: Lauren Young Durbin

Sometimes the most powerful shifts in our lives start with a simple question: "What if?" For Lauren Young Durbin, that question came from a friend who saw her entrepreneurial spirit long before she did. "I see you as an entrepreneur," the friend said. Lauren's response? "No, you're crazy." It wasn't that she lacked the capability – she simply had never seen that path as possible.

That moment of resistance would later become a cornerstone of Lauren's work as a career coach, helping other women recognize and push past their own limiting beliefs. After years of working in traditional roles, including a stint in the U.S. Senate, Lauren found herself drawn to career coaching through an unexpected route: a disappointing experience with her own career coach.

"She didn't really listen to me," Lauren recalls of that first coaching experience. "She took what I said and just ran with it." That interaction sparked a realization: "I can do better. I'm going to be the person that I needed for others."

Her Courage Practice: The Power of Strategic No's

Lauren's signature strength emerged early in life – the ability to say "no" with clarity and conviction. While many of us struggle with setting boundaries, Lauren developed this muscle naturally, even when it meant saying no to her own mother. Today, she helps clients develop their own versions of "no," teaching them that it doesn't always need an explanation. Sometimes, "That's not really a priority for me right now" is enough.

Her approach isn't about being dismissive – it's about being intentional. She might offer alternatives or connections when declining opportunities, but the core message remains: it's okay to protect your time and energy for what matters most to you.

Listen to this episode if:

• You're contemplating a career transition but feeling stuck
• You struggle with setting boundaries in your professional life
• You're curious about building a business while maintaining stability
• You want to learn how to turn your expertise into service
• You're ready to challenge your own limiting beliefs about what's possible

5 Ways She Shows Us How to Build Our Courage Capital:

1. Start With What Scares You (but make it specific)

Instead of letting vague fears hold you back, Lauren teaches us to name them specifically. Turn "I'm afraid of failing" into concrete concerns you can address, like "I need X dollars in savings before making this leap."

2. Build Your Foundation While Keeping Your Safety Net

Lauren demonstrates that going "all in" doesn't mean being reckless. She maintained stability through a day job while building her coaching practice, showing us that courage sometimes...

Get full access to The Uplifters at www.theuplifterspodcast.com/subscribe

Join us on March 13th at Brooklyn Brewery for a day of transformation, connection, and celebration. Like Laura Kavanagh, who you’ll meet in today’s episode, every woman in our community has a story that can light the way for others. Whether you're navigating your own reinvention, seeking deeper purpose, or ready to create meaningful change, you'll find your people here.

This isn't your typical networking event. It's an intimate gathering of purpose-driven women who understand that real magic happens when we drop the masks and share our authentic journeys. Through interactive workshops, a live podcast recording, and facilitated connections, we'll explore what it means to break through barriers and lift others as we climb.

Get Your Ticket

Today’s Featured Uplifter: Laura Kavanagh

When we first dreamed up The Uplifters podcast, I made a shortlist of ten women I was most eager to talk to. At the very top of that list was Laura Kavanagh, the first woman to serve as Fire Commissioner of the FDNY in its 157-year history.

Then Reverend Ann Kansfield from episode 26 nominated Laura - not for breaking that glass ceiling, but for being her emergency contact, her trusted advisor, the person she'd call if her kids were in trouble. In that moment, I realized this conversation would be even more meaningful than I'd imagined. Laura's story isn't just about being first, it's about being human in a role where humanity is often hidden behind titles and expectations.

"It's one thing to hike a trail that's already been carved. It's still hard. You're still marching uphill and you're still hot and sweaty and exhausted. But it's another thing if there is no trail. It takes you 10 times as long. You often have to turn around. You have often gone the wrong way and there's a river in the way and you have to turn back. And you're often more bloody and tired by the time you get to the top. You've been scratched and bruised and it’s taken you twice as long."

What unfolded in our conversation was an honest exploration of what it really takes to support women in leadership - not just getting them into positions of power, but helping them thrive and create lasting change once they're there. Her story arrives at a crucial moment when conversations about women in power feel both more urgent and more fragile than ever. I really, really hope you’ll listen to this episode and share it with others.

Laura’s Courage Practice: Curiosity in the Face of Resistance

When facing opposition at the FDNY, Laura chose curiosity over defensiveness. Rather than viewing resistance as a battle to be won, she approached it with genuine interest in understanding the underlying concerns driving pushback against change.

"Curiosity is counter to fear," she reflects, explaining how this mindset helped her uncover that many concerns about diversity initiatives stemmed from fears about job security rather than outright prejudice. By taking the time to truly listen and understand, she found ways to address these deeper worries while still moving forward with necessary changes.

Listen to This Episode If:

- You're navigating uncharted territory as a leader

- You want honest talk about the real challenges women face in leadership

- You're looking for ways to support women leaders more effectively

5 Ways Laura Shows Us How to Build Our Courage Capital:

1. Ask the Questions Others Are Afraid to Ask: Genuine curiosity about resistance often reveals shared concerns

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Join us on March 13th at Brooklyn Brewery for a day of transformation, connection, and celebration. Like Karen Robinovitz, who you’ll meet in today’s episode, every woman in our community has a story that can light the way for others. Whether you're navigating your own reinvention, seeking deeper purpose, or ready to create meaningful change, you'll find your people here.

This isn't your typical networking event. It's an intimate gathering of purpose-driven women who understand that real magic happens when we drop the masks and share our authentic journeys. Through interactive workshops, live podcast recordings, and facilitated connections, we'll explore what it means to break through barriers and lift others as we climb.

Get Your Ticket

Today’s Featured Uplifter: Karen Robinovitz

Picture this: A successful tech entrepreneur sits cross-legged on her floor, fingers deep in a container of sparkly slime, completely lost in the moment. For the first time in over a year, she's not thinking about her grief or her pain – she's just... playing. Four hours have passed without her noticing. In this simple moment with her friend's daughter and a childhood toy, Karen Rabinovitz rediscovered something she'd lost long ago: pure, unadulterated joy.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Karen had co-founded Digital Brand Architects, pioneering the influencer management industry. She was listed as one of Variety's 80 Women of Power. Forbes called her one of the best-branded women in social media. From the outside, she had it all. But behind the scenes, her 14-year marriage was crumbling as her husband battled untreated mental health challenges. After their separation, he passed away unexpectedly, sending Karen into what she describes as "a real hardcore nervous breakdown."

What followed was a year of profound grief, complicated by the devastating murder of her cousin in the Parkland school shooting. Karen sought every form of help available – therapy, medication, support groups, shamans, and healers. But it was an unexpected afternoon playing with slime that would ultimately chart her path forward.

Her Courage Practice: Purposeless Play

Karen's healing journey centered around permitting herself to play without purpose. After that first transformative afternoon with slime, she began ordering artisanal slimes from young creators online, finding joy in everything from the anticipation of packages arriving to the sensory experience of each unique creation. The simple act of playing helped her reconnect with her seven-year-old self, a part of her she thought was lost forever.

This practice expanded when she shared it with her friend Sarah, whose family faced their own profound challenges with disability and caregiving. Together, they discovered how slime could create moments of pure connection and joy across neurological differences. This revelation led them to create the Sloomoo Institute, bringing the healing power of play to others through immersive experiences.

Listen to This Episode If:

• You're wrestling with grief or trauma and seeking unconventional paths to healing
• You've lost touch with your playful side and want to reclaim it
• You're interested in how sensory experiences can aid in emotional healing
• You want to understand how purpose can emerge from pain
• You're curious about the science behind play and mental wellness

"The world is so hard. Nobody can read the news. Every minute

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In today's episode, you'll meet Katie Horwitch, who reminds us how the right community can make all the difference. On March 13, please join me for Uplifters Live, where we'll come together as a community of brave, beautiful Uplifters for a day of deep connection, courage-building workshops, celebration (including my own 50th birthday!), and an amazing lunch created by Emma’s Torch. I hope to see you there!

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Today’s Featured Uplifter: Katie Horwitch

Katie radiates the kind of warmth that makes you forget to care about being "cool." As the founder of WANT (Women Against Negative Talk) and a nationally recognized mindset coach, Katie has built her life's work around helping women shift their self-talk patterns. But her journey to becoming a self-talk activist began with her own struggle to feel at home in herself.

"I am someone who has had such a heightened self-awareness her entire life. I could feel when I was shutting parts of myself away and shutting down different personality traits and pretending."

This awareness became both Katie’s challenge and her salvation – allowing her to recognize when she was living out of alignment with her true self, while simultaneously pointing the way back home.

For Katie, the path to authenticity wasn't linear. It involved navigating OCD (which she describes as "a disorder of extreme catastrophization"), eating disorders, and the constant pressure to dampen her natural enthusiasm. But through it all, she kept integrity as her center line.

Her Courage Practice: "No Talky Time"

At the heart of Katie's self-care practice is what she calls "no talky time" – periods of complete silence that allow her to recharge and reconnect with herself. As a self-described “textbook introvert”, she's learned that these moments of stillness are non-negotiable. Whether it's 10 minutes or several hours, this practice helps her maintain the energy she needs to show up fully for both her work and her relationships.

This seemingly simple practice ripples out into every aspect of her life, influencing how she coaches clients, maintains boundaries, and preserves her capacity to help others. It's a powerful reminder that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is honor our own needs, even when they don't match our expectations of what a "helper" should look like.

"Life is short, but it is also wide, and you have that to use all of the parts of yourselves and bring all of those parts to the table. That is what I suspect will lead you to saying as you look back, 'Oh yeah, that was a life well lived.'"5 Ways Katie Shows Us How to Build Our Courage Capital:

1. Embrace Your Natural Enthusiasm

Let your genuine excitement shine as a beacon that attracts authentic connections and opportunities.

2. Make Friends with Your Inner Critic

Transform your inner critic into an inner ally by understanding its misguided attempts to protect you.

3. Practice Radical Self-Awareness Times Action

Turn insights into impact by asking yourself what specific actions you'll take with your newfound awareness.

4. Honor Your Non-Negotiables

Protect the daily practices that keep you functioning at your best, from sleep to silence to boundaries.

5. Choose Warmth Over Cool

If we let go of the pressure to be "cool" we just might

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