When Women Fly

This compilation episode is for mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and women everywhere who are challenged by work, life, and everything in between. It’s for women pushing to make a difference amid pressure and self-doubt and for those who need support along the way. It’s for anyone who has felt vulnerable but still found the courage to push forward. It is for you. In this special episode, we are featuring four inspiring guests who talk about creating resilience in a high-pressure world, t...

Our culture repeatedly tells us that the goal is to be the best, and to be the best you need talent or perseverance... but this message could be misleading. What if success isn't found in being the best but in becoming the best? What if becoming the best led to talent, perseverance, and hope instead of the other way around? In this short solo episode, Sylvia flips the script by discussing how becoming the best is truly where our story, growth, and success lie. She joins us to talk about pushi...

Welcome to Episode 100 of When Women Fly! To celebrate we go back to where it all began, Episode 1 with skydiver, life coach and writer - the amazing Melanie Curtis. True success—the kind you can sustain over time—demands a different relationship with ambition and action. Mel takes a deep dive into serving a higher purpose and how that gives meaning to life, a healthier, more sustainable model rooted in elevating the human condition. We reflect on the last 2 years, current lives a...

This is an episode for all women everywhere. If you are finding motherhood hard, this episode is for you. If you are finding it hard to mother yourself, this episode is for you. If you aren't sure motherhood is right for you, this episode is for you too.In this special compilation, we are featuring five rockstar guests who tell their stories of becoming moms. Sonya Looney, professional mountain biker and entrepreneur, talks about shifting her perspective and finding out what's really im...

Archetypes. Fleeing. Freedom. Flight. And the roles we play. How do we break out of the limiting versions? And why has it always been important for women to express authentic and uncut versions of themselves.Let's take a deeper look at women who fly, modern feminism, and how adventurous women are stitched into a narrative about freedom and control ranging widely through myth, religion, and iconography - this story of 'sky-going females'.In this episode, Sylvia talks to Serinity Young PhD abou...

Shannon Huffman Polson is continuously challenging herself to move out of her comfort zone, whether it’s by flying attack helicopters, climbing the tallest mountain in North America, or speaking in front of hundreds of people. This time, it’s by moving with her family from Washington state to a village nobody’s ever heard of in the mountains of France. And no, she does not speak French… yet, anyway.As one of the first women to fly Apache helicopters in the male-dominated U.S. Army, Shannon is...

In this episode, Sylvia talks with pilot, visionary, and strategist Ivy McIver, the Director of the SR Product Line at Cirrus Aircraft.Ivy talks about parachutes in airplanes, where planes can go and how they can change your life, why training is so critical, the importance of collaboration in the design process, and bringing outrageous innovations to market. They also dig into the psychology of endurance multi-sports and how lessons learned from extreme physical challenges can be applied in ...

After discovering her passion at an early age, Jan was determined to put her heart, mind, and soul into riding. She knew that riding was her calling and had no doubts that she would become one of the best in the sport. Everything came into question, however, after a riding accident and subsequent stroke that left Jan unable to speak. Jan was quick to reject the doctors who told her she would never ride again, and she hasn't stopped persevering since. In this conversation, Sylvia and Jan discu...

What happens when you have two very big but different dreams vying for your focus? Do you choose one? Or do you risk pursuing both and stretching yourself thin?Meet Kimmy Fasani — Snowboarder. Voice for female athletes. Mother. Mountain Baker. Author. Director of Storytelling @andmother_org. And so much more.Kimmy Fasani has been a pioneer in women’s snowboarding since she became the first female snowboarder to land a double backflip in the park and the powder in 2011. In this episode, Sylvia...

In this solo episode, Sylvia shares what prompted her to move her family and three kids across the ocean to Switzerland. She digs into the challenges they've faced, her house rules for change, and three strategies she's developed for a happier, healthier, and more grounded approach to change.Sylvia also responds to listener questions about her past, her current career ambitions, flying in Europe, and much more.Topics Include:- How COVID helped Sylvia reset and prioritize- Moving across the oc...