Women Leaders on the Move - by HerCsuite® Radio

In today's episode, special guest Stephanie Sims, founder of Finance-Ability®, sits down with host Natalie Benamou and gives her advice and strategies on moving from “shiny object syndrome” to prioritizing your growth strategies. Learn how to leverage your value and evaluate your business.

About Our Guest:

Stephanie Sims has more than two decades in finance, quality & IT management and valuation of public and private entities. Stephanie’s experience with large transactions and her knowledge of how due diligence works made it easy to spot one of the key reasons that entrepreneurs face such difficulty getting financing: they don’t understand the fundamentals of evaluating risks versus rewards. Developing this knowledge base led her to see that everyone has the ability to manage their finances successfully, but they don’t always realize it. And that’s where the notion of Finance-Ability was born.

Connect with Stephanie Sims:

• LinkedIn
• Website
• Podcast

Keep shining your light bright. The world needs you.

HerCsuite® is a leadership network where women build what's next. Our members land board roles, grow businesses, lead the AI conversation, and live their best portfolio career with our programs. Join us at HerCsuite.com, or connect with host Natalie Benamou on LinkedIn.

In today's episode, special guest Dana Holmes shares her career journey with host Natalie Benamou. She offers strategies based on her experience on how to grow your career intentionally.

About Our Guest:

Dana Holmes is the Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of IL, MT, OK, NM and TX. She is a highly effective communications executive focused on building, connecting and engaging stakeholder audiences. Dana was also a featured speaker at a recent HerCsuite™ Power Up Your Team Program. Find out how Dana has been intentional with her career path since high school and how it has served her throughout the arc of her career. 

Connect with Dana Holmes:

• LinkedIn
• HCSC

Keep shining your light bright. The world needs you.

HerCsuite® is a leadership network where women build what's next. Our members land board roles, grow businesses, lead the AI conversation, and live their best portfolio career with our programs. Join us at HerCsuite.com, or connect with host Natalie Benamou on LinkedIn.

Are you ready to be intentional about growing your career?  Today's guest is Dana Holmes, Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of IL, MT, OK, NM and TX.  She is a highly effective communications executive focused on building, connecting and engaging stakeholder audiences.  Dana was also a featured speaker at a recent HerCsuite™ Power Up Your Team Program. Find out how Dana has been intentional with her career path since high school and how it has served her throughout the arc of her career. 

Feel empowered and listen to this interview with host Natalie Benamou and Dana Holmes as they share important strategies and create your own "Intentional Career Growth". 

The Trifecta for Your Career Success: Mentors, Coaches and Sponsors

1. Mentors are critical to your career.
2. Coach help you walk through complex terrain.
3. Sponsors believe in you and is invested in your success.

"Work Smarter, not longer or harder" - Dana Holmes

Leading Remote and Hybrid Teams Best Practices:

• Encourage people to take PTO
• Draw the distinction between work and personal life
• Step away from the computer

How to Stand Out in Virtual Meetings:

• Make sure you are on the Agenda on the meeting.
• Participate and use engagement tools in a meeting.
• Turn your camera on and be present.

Be Intentional - Connect with a Sponsor:

"Show up at meetings. Every interaction matters. That is what a true sponsor will pick up. I've been a sponsor in a number of ways, for a number of things throughout my career. I noticed when someone is a shining star and they're actually showing their passion, they're getting involved and they have skin in the game. That is where they shine bright. When you are engaged, when you are fully present and aware." - Dana Holmes

Thank you, Dana Holmes, for being on the show and shining your light out on the world and to your team.

Connect with Dana Holmes on LinkedIn | HCSC

Natalie Benamou is the Founder of HerCsuite™, transforming the way organizations retain and advance women in every career phase. Visit HerCsuite™ and schedule a demo to see how companies like Coupa Cross Corporate Mentorship Program and Terumo BCT use the platform for their ERGs and Mentoring Programs. Reach out to Natalie at HerCsuite™ and find out about HerCsuite™ Next - advisory circles for women planning their future after corporate roles. Send a text to 224-209-6424.

LinkedIn: Natalie Benamou | HerCsuite™ | HerPower2 Lead

This podcast is sponsored by Aaptiv, where you can listen to Katie on our favorite health and wellness app with over 3,000 videos. Listeners can get your free 30-day trial here. Credits: Thanks to Julie Deem and the Business Podcast Editor for editing our podcast!

In today's episode, host Natalie Benamou explores how mentoring has become the new currency for companies to recruit and retain female talent. Hear why women more than ever need support during these times of change.

Keep shining your light bright. The world needs you.

HerCsuite® is a leadership network where women build what's next. Our members land board roles, grow businesses, lead the AI conversation, and live their best portfolio career with our programs. Join us at HerCsuite.com, or connect with host Natalie Benamou on LinkedIn.

Have you been feeling the impact of changes in the workplace?  In today's episode, we will explore how mentoring has become the new currency for companies to recruit and retain female talent and why women more than ever need support during these times of change.

Take a break today and listen to host Natalie Benamou as she shares How Mentoring is Your Superpower.

The Great Resignation is Real: 11.5 Million people left their jobs between April-June 2021.

The impact on Women in the Workplace: Statistics from a Deloitte Survey in 2021:
>> 51% Less Optimistic About Their Career
>> 57% Say They Will Leave Their Job Within 2 Years
>> 77% Say Their Workload Increased

Mentoring Helps Employees and Companies
>> 67% of businesses reported an increase in productivity due to mentoring.
>> 55% of businesses felt that mentoring had a positive impact on their PROFITS
>> 93% of small and medium sized businesses acknowledge that mentoring can help them to succeed.

How does mentoring help?
Career development or progression improvement in personal performance, seeking a new or different role, nurture and foster talent, where progress has been blocked, to help individuals through a challenging time, when seeking the advice of a mentor who has direct experience within a certain area, or for business growth.

What happens when you have the right support?
Mentoring can improve the mentees’ ability to resolve challenges and in the case of business mentoring; the ability to stay in business for the longer term.

Natalie Benamou is the Founder of HerCsuite™, transforming the way organizations retain and advance women in every career phase. Visit HerCsuite™ and schedule a demo to see how companies like Coupa Cross Corporate Mentorship Program and Terumo BCT use the platform for their ERGs and Mentoring Women. Have a question? Reach out to Natalie at HerCsuite™ or send a text to 224-209-6424.

LinkedIn: Natalie Benamou | HerCsuite™ | HerPower2 Lead

This podcast is sponsored by Aaptiv, where you can listen to Katie on our favorite health and wellness app with over 3,000 videos. Listeners can get your free 30-day trial here. Credits: Thanks to Julie Deem and the Business Podcast Editor for editing our podcast!

In today's episode, special guest Katie Horwitch and host Natalie Benamou discuss how to move past negative self-talk. Learn how to be fearless and pursue your dreams at any age.

About Our Guest:

Katie Horwitch is a writer, speaker mindset coach, and the founder of WANT (Women Against Negative Talk), a platform that gives women tools and inspiration to shift their negative self-talk patterns. Katie can be heard on our favorite health and wellness app Aaptiv where she provides positive encouragement for all types of fitness.

Connect with Katie Horwitch:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• WANT - Women Against Negative Talk

Reference videos: Dove Real Beauty | Dove Real Beauty Sketches

Keep shining your light bright. The world needs you.

HerCsuite® is a leadership network where women build what's next. Our members land board roles, grow businesses, lead the AI conversation, and live their best portfolio career with our programs. Join us at HerCsuite.com, or connect with host Natalie Benamou on LinkedIn.

How can you move forward fearlessly and be the you, you're meant to be?  Katie Horwitch is a writer, speaker mindset coach, and the founder of, WANT Women Against Negative Talk, a platform that gives women tools and inspiration to shift their negative self-talk patterns. Katie can be heard on our favorite health and wellness app Aaptiv where she provides positive encouragement for every fitness.  This episode goes out to all women who subconsciously think-I am not enough-and change that dialogue to be- I can move forward.  You are worth it.

Feel inspired and listen to this interview with host Natalie Benamou and Katie Horwitch as they share, "How to Move Forward Fearlessly".Discover how to do a multitude of different things at every phase of your life.  Katie shares how age should not be a limiting factor, and we need to think 'why not' start a business in our 40's or 50's or write a Broadway musical in our 60's.  

"At the end of my life, I want to have used every single bit that I was given. I want to have used all of my talents and all of my love and given to me, so that when I am done, I am an empty vessel because I've given it all out."

Three Ways People Experience Self-Talk:

1. Internal monologue.
2. Internal monologue combined with feelings.
3. Only feeling without a monologue.

Locate in your body and get clear where you are and ask: Where in my body do I feel these thoughts? What am I thinking? Then maximize wherever you are and ride that wave and embrace the human experience.

"For me, it's not about living your best life, it is about living your fullest life. I believe that we all have that magic within us. We know deep down who it is we're meant to be whether we know in words or feelings or whatever it is, we have that knowledge to be who we are meant to be. -Katie Horwitch

Thank you, Katie Horwitch, for being on the show. It has been a personal thrill for our host Natalie Benamou!

Reference videos: Dove Real Beauty | Dove Real Beauty Sketches

Connect with Katie on Instagram | LinkedIn |  WANT - Women Against Negative Talk

Natalie Benamou is the Founder of HerCsuite™, transforming the way organizations retain and advance women in every career phase. Visit HerCsuite™ and schedule a demo to see how companies like Coupa Cross Corporate Mentorship Program and Terumo BCT use the platform for their ERGs and Mentoring Women. Have a question? Reach out to Natalie at HerCsuite™ or send a text to 224-209-6424.

LinkedIn: Natalie Benamou | HerCsuite™ | HerPower2 Lead

This podcast is sponsored by Aaptiv, where you can listen to Katie on our favorite health and wellness app with over 3,000 videos. Listeners can get your free 30-day trial here. Credits: Thanks to Julie Deem and the Business Podcast Editor for editing our podcast!

In today's episode, special guest Jennifer Lynn Robinson shares her story with host Natalie Benamou. They discuss visualization and resiliency can help you realize your goals.

About Our Guest:

Jennifer Lynn Robinson is the CEO of Purposeful Networking and a motivational speaker about change and resilience, following her own recovery and reinvention after a near death accident. Jennifer gave a TEDx talk on change and disruption in June 2020 and is a media contributor who has been featured both locally and nationally.

Connect with Jennifer Lynn Robinson:

• "From Fighting for Breath to Fighting for Life" TED Talk
• Purposeful Networking
• LinkedIn

Thank you Jennifer Lynn Robinson, for being on the show and shoutout to Bobbie Carlton and Innovation Women for connecting us!

Keep shining your light bright. The world needs you.

HerCsuite® is a leadership network where women build what's next. Our members land board roles, grow businesses, lead the AI conversation, and live their best portfolio career with our programs. Join us at HerCsuite.com, or connect with host Natalie Benamou on LinkedIn.

How can you be more resilient? Jennifer Lynn Robinson is the CEO of Purposeful Networking and a motivational speaker about change and resilience, following her own recovery and reinvention of a near death accident. Jennifer gave a TEDx talk on change and disruption in June, 2020 and is a media contributor who has been featured both locally and nationally.

Listen to this interview with host Natalie Benamou and Jennifer Lynn Robinson as they discuss, "A Purposeful Journey of Resilience".

Tips for Your Journey of Resilience:
>> Be persistent. Jennifer spent 5 years pursing her dream to give a TED Talk.
>> Use visualization. Seeing herself on stage kept her going.
>> Hyper-focus your goals. It was important for Jennifer to get her message out there.

Feel inspired by this conversation about resilience, reinvention and transformation.  Jennifer and Natalie share their personal challenges after they each suffered a brain injury the same year.  

After being told she might not want to be a speaker, Jennifer used visualization to see herself not only as a speaker, but what it would be like to be on a TEDx stage. Jennifer discovered her super power is networking and did a pivot from consulting to speaking about networking. Today, Jennifer provides resources to individuals and organizations about networking and how to increase your connections.

"Even though the thing that you think is going to be a success is not going to happen in the time frame or in the way that you envisioned it, it doesn't mean it's not going to happen." -Jennifer Lynn Robinson

"From Fighting for Breath to Fighting for Life" TED Talk | Purposeful Networking | Jennifer Lynn Robinson on LinkedIn

Thank you Jennifer Lynn Robinson, for being on the show and shoutout to Bobbie Carlton and Innovation Women for connecting us!

Natalie Benamou is the Founder of HerCsuite™, transforming the way organizations retain and advance women in every career phase.  HerCsuite™ Solutions include: All-In-One Platform and app- Corporate Portal for Employee Resource Groups and Women's Organizations, Networking, Programs, Mastermind Advisory Circles and Group Mentoring with Coaches. Visit HerCsuite™ and schedule a demo to see how companies like Coupa and Terumo BCT use the platform for their ERGs and Mentoring Women. Have a question? Reach out to Natalie at HerCsuite™ or send a text to 224-209-6424.

LinkedIn: Natalie Benamou | HerCsuite™ | HerPower2 Lead

This podcast is sponsored by Aaptiv, our favorite health and wellness app with over 3,000 videos. Listeners can get your free 30-day trial here. Credits: Thanks to Julie Deem and the Business Podcast Editor for editing our podcast!

In today's episode, special guest Deanna Singh and host Natalie Benamou discuss how to make meaningful, lasting change at your organization. You have power--learn how to use it to make an impact.

About Our Guest:

Deanna Singh is the Founder and Chief Change Agent of Flying Elephant, an umbrella organization for four social enterprises, with a mission to shift power to marginalized communities. Deanna is an award-winning author, educator, business leader, and social justice champion who speaks to over 50,000 people, annually giving audiences the tools and courage to imagine activate and impact the world as change agents.

Connect with Deanna Singh:

• Actions Speak Louder, Deanna's upcoming book
• Uplifting Impact
• Flying Elephant
• Uplifting Impact Podcast

Thank you Deanna Singh, for being on the show and shoutout to Bobbie Carlton of Innovation Women for connecting us!

Keep shining your light bright. The world needs you.

HerCsuite® is a leadership network where women build what's next. Our members land board roles, grow businesses, lead the AI conversation, and live their best portfolio career with our programs. Join us at HerCsuite.com, or connect with host Natalie Benamou on LinkedIn.