The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast with host Monica Kretschmer, Founder & CEO of the Universal Womens Network™, shines the spotlight on inspiring female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and visionaries making an impact locally, nationally, and globally who lead, inspire and motivate.

Today’s guest is Michelle Fine-Smith, 2025 Women of Inspiration™ Women in Media Awardee and Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Partnerships at Variety, one of the most iconic and influential brands in entertainment media. With the largest entertainment news-gathering team in the world, Variety is the industry’s link between every showbiz center across the globe, representing 84 countries.

Michelle oversees partnerships across digital, social, print, and live events, leading innovative campaigns for some of the world’s most powerful brands — including Google, Chanel, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Delta, and United Airlines. With a career spanning Forbes, Billboard, and Variety, she has spent over two decades shaping the connection between media, culture, and commerce.

This is also an incredibly exciting time for women in entertainment. From Taylor Swift redefining the music economy, to Jamie Lee Curtis, Jodie Foster, and Scarlett Johansson stepping behind the lens as directors and producers — women are influencing culture, reshaping the economy, and shifting the power dynamic. While progress has been made, there is still much to do to see women consistently in positions of power.

Michelle joins us today to share her journey, her perspective on the trends and innovations reshaping global entertainment, and why celebrating women in leadership and media is not only essential — it’s the future.

Get ready to be inspired!

Chapters:

Michelle's Path and Variety's Media Transformation 00:02:34

How to Break Into Entertainment Media 00:05:06

Overcoming Barriers and Finding Your Voice 00:07:51

Celebrating Impactful Women Through Variety's Platform 00:10:16

The Importance of Authentic Brand Partnerships 00:12:30

How Women Are Influencing Culture and Economy 00:15:06

Navigating Work-Life Balance During the Pandemic 00:18:02

The Women Who Inspire Michelle Fine-Smith 00:20:31

Why Listening is Key to Authentic Leadership 00:24:01

The Role of Support and Persistence in Career 00:26:00

Why Women Must Celebrate Their Achievements 00:30:01

From Trade to Mass Audience: Variety's Milestones 00:34:37

Michelle's Definition and Career Advice for All 00:38:35

Favorite Books, Red Carpets, and Dream Interviews 00:43:35

Learn More: https://www.variety.com Connect with Michelle - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-fine-smith-419353 

Learn More & Connect:  www.universalwomensnetwork.com  Instagram: @UWomensNetwork | Women of Inspiration™ is a registered trademark in the USA and Canada.

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast with host Monica Kretschmer, Founder & CEO of the Universal Womens Network™, shines the spotlight on inspiring female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and visionaries making an impact locally, nationally, and globally. These are real, raw, and authentic stories from women who have pushed through challenges, overcome barriers, lead by example, and achieved success in business and in life.

Today’s guest on the Women of Inspiration™ Podcast is a creative powerhouse who has been shaping the way we connect with brands, ideas, and stories for over two decades. Vida Cornelious, 2025 Women of Inspiration™ Women in Media Awardee and the Senior Vice President, Creative for New York Times Advertising, where she leads T Brand Studio — the award-winning creative team that develops bespoke branded content infused with the unmatched storytelling of The New York Times.

Her career is a masterclass in cross-industry creative leadership, with experience spanning the world’s most respected publishers, global brands, and top advertising agencies. She has held leadership roles at The Walt Disney Company, DDB Chicago, and served as Chief Creative Officer at Fake Love and Hello Society, expanding T Brand’s reach and redefining brand experiences in the process.

Vida’s work has not only moved brands forward — it has deepened emotional connections with audiences, won international recognition from Cannes Lions to The Effies, and set new creative standards across industries. She is also a sought-after mentor, speaker, and thought leader who uses her platform to inspire the next generation of creative visionaries.

This is a conversation about creativity at the highest level, leading with purpose, the power of storytelling and putting women into the spotlight. Get ready to be inspired!

Learn more: @vida.c IG | LinkedIn - Vida Cornelious

 Learn More & Connect:

 www.universalwomensnetwork.com

 Instagram: @UWomensNetwork | @WomenofInspirationAwards

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast with host Monica Kretschmer, Founder & CEO of the Universal Womens Network™, shines the spotlight on inspiring female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and visionaries making an impact locally, nationally, and globally. These are real, raw, and authentic stories from women who have pushed through challenges, overcome barriers, lead by example, and achieved success in business and in life.

Today’s guest is one of the most influential contemporary artists of our time — Carole A. Feuerman, 2025 Women of Inspiration™ Lifetime Awardee — a pioneer of super-realism whose works have captivated audiences worldwide. Known for her super-realistic sculptures, Carole’s art explores the human body not just as a subject, but as a voice — telling stories of memory, identity, beauty, resilience, and the battles we fight within.Carole A. Feuerman (1945) is an American superrealist sculptor born in Hartford, Connecticut. A pioneer in her field, she is internationally recognized for her swimmers and superrealistic sculptures. Her career spans over five decades, beginning in the 1970s with fragmented wall sculptures and evolving into full-figure works in the early 2000s. Her art ranges from miniature to monumental and includes bronze, oil paintings, prints, and video art. Feuerman's work is in the collections of 34 museums and private collectors including Steven Cohen, President Clinton, and Andrea Bocelli. She has exhibited globally at venues such as the Smithsonian Institution, the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. She has received the Medici Award, the Amelia Peabody Award, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the EAWC. In 2011, she founded the Feuerman Sculpture Foundation. She lives and works in New York.Carole’s career spans decades, with works featured in prestigious museums, galleries, and public spaces around the world. Her art has become a bridge between classical craftsmanship and contemporary dialogue, elevating the female form and reminding us why celebrating women is not only important — it’s essential.

Get ready to be inspired!

Learn more - IG  @CaroleFeuerman  | www.carolefeueramn.com

Learn More & Connect 🌐 universalwomensnetwork.com 📸 IG:@UWomensNetwork | @WomenofInspirationAwards

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Women of Inspiration™ is a registered trademark in the USA and Canada

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast is hosted by Monica Kretschmer, CEO, of the Universal Womens Network™. Monica interviews inspiring female entrepreneurs and business leaders from diverse industries who lead, inspire, and motivate. Learn from women who share their career journeys, the path to success, and leadership wisdom in business and life.

Today’s guest is a trailblazer in digital marketing, a master of global brand building, and one of the most authentic voices in modern leadership. Avery Akkineni spearheads growth, innovation, and global impact as Chief Marketing Officer of VaynerX — a collection of modern-communication companies founded by Gary Vaynerchuk (@GaryVee) — where she leads global brand strategy, content, events, and communications.

In her seven years at Vayner, Avery has redefined what’s possible in digital and growth marketing — launching new companies, expanding VaynerMedia internationally, and leading key Fortune 500 client partnerships with brands like Google, Diageo, Anheuser-Busch, and PepsiCo.

As former Managing Director of VaynerMedia APAC & LatAm, she built the APAC region from the ground up, scaling to 150+ employees across Singapore, Bangkok, Sydney, and Tokyo in just two years, and earning Marketing Interactive’s Agency of the Year recognition.

In 2021, Avery became the founding President of Vayner3, an innovation consultancy helping global brands navigate emerging technologies like AI and Web3. Her groundbreaking work has earned her recognition as Ad Age’s Web3 Trailblazer and AI Thought Leader by Business Insider.

Today, we’re talking about the power of brand voice, authenticity, and the future of leadership in the digital age — including lessons from working alongside Gary Vee, why “unpolished leadership” is the new superpower.

Get ready — this is a conversation that will change how you think about leadership, influence, and how you show up in the world.

Follow @vaynermedia @vaynerX @garyvee @avery.akkineni

 Learn More & Connect:  www.universalwomensnetwork.com 

 Instagram: @UWomensNetwork | @WomenofInspirationAwards 

Learn More & Connect 🌐 universalwomensnetwork.com 📸 IG:@UWomensNetwork | @WomenofInspirationAwards

🎙 Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms 📺 Subscribe for more inspiring interviews

Women of Inspiration™ is a registered trademark in the USA and Canada

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast with host Monica Kretschmer, Founder & CEO of the Universal Womens Network™, shines the spotlight on inspiring female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers who lead, inspire and motivate. Get ready to be inspired.

Today’s guest is a fierce advocate for women’s health, longevity, and human performance. Dr. Vonda Wright, MD, is a pioneering orthopedic sports surgeon, International Best Selling Author, Unbreakable - How to Age with Power, researcher, and thought leader who is redefining aging. With over 25 years of clinical experience, she has cared for more than 100,000 patients, blending medical expertise with innovative strategies to help people go strong, live long, and age with power.

Her award-winning research in Musculoskeletal aging has shifted the conversation around longevity, menopause, and bone health— turning the focus from decline to possibility. She’s been featured on The Today Show, CBS, NBC, Dr. Oz, and on top podcasts including Diary of a CEO, Jay Shetty, and Mel Robbins.

Her upcoming book, Unbreakable: A Women’s Guide to Aging with Power is a rallying cry to empower 1 million women with the tools to protect their bone health, embrace strength, and thrive at every stage of life.

This conversation is personal for me — Dr. Wright inspired me to finally book and complete my own bone density scan after putting it off for over a year. That one decision changed how I think about my health, and I know the information in Unbreakable will change countless lives. Every woman needs to hear this conversation. Your health, your mobility, your bone density, and your ability to live fully at every stage of life depend on the choices you make today.

Get ready — this is more than a conversation. It’s an invitation to take charge of your health, your strength, and your future… and to live an unbreakable life.

Visit: www.drvondawright.com to purchase your copy of UNBREAKABLE - A Woman’s Guide to Aging With Power

Follow on IG  @drvondawright 

Learn More & Connect 🌐 universalwomensnetwork.com 📸 IG:@UWomensNetwork | @WomenofInspirationAwards

🎙 Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms 📺 Subscribe for more inspiring interviews

Women of Inspiration™ is a registered trademark in the USA and Canada

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast is hosted by Monica Kretschmer, CEO, of the Universal Womens Network™. Monica interviews inspiring female entrepreneurs and business leaders from diverse industries who lead, inspire, and motivate. Learn from women who share their career journeys, the path to success, and leadership wisdom in business and life.

Today on the Women of Inspiration™ Podcast, we’re joined by Loretta Soffe, executive coach and author, Balance is Bullshit— a bold voice challenging one of the most persistent myths in our culture: that we can “have it all.” Loretta built a high-powered career in fashion, leading at the executive level for global brands while raising three kids and flipping the traditional parenting script with her husband.

Her journey hasn’t been without challenges — including being fired at the height of her career, a moment that became a defining pivot rather than a breaking point.

Now, as an executive coach, speaker, and author of her new book Balance is Bullshit, Loretta is on a mission to help high-achievers ditch unrealistic expectations and find alignment that actually works. Her book blends memoir with practical tools for cutting through the noise, living by clear values, and redefining success on your own terms.

In this episode, we’ll chat about:

• Her career journey and defining moments as a leader

• The SupportHER™ allies who shaped her path

• The biggest myths about “having it all” in career and family

• How to turn setbacks into springboards • What “alignment” really looks like day-to-day

• Practical mindset shifts from her book that anyone can apply right now

This episode is a must-listen for leaders who believe we can have it all.  

Connect with Loretta, Order Balance is Bullshit - LorettsSoffe.com

Learn More & Connect 🌐 universalwomensnetwork.com 📸 IG:@UWomensNetwork | @WomenofInspirationAwards

🎙 Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms 📺 Subscribe for more inspiring interviews

Women of Inspiration™ is a registered trademarkin the USA and Canada

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast is hosted by Monica Kretschmer, CEO, of the Universal Womens Network™. Monica interviews inspiring female entrepreneurs and business leaders from diverse industries who lead, inspire, and motivate. Learn from women who share their career journeys, the path to success, and leadership wisdom in business and life.

In this episode of the Women of Inspiration™ Podcast, we speak with Dr. Jila Senemar is a board-certified OB/GYN and founder of JilaMD, a concierge practice transforming midlife care for women.

After seeing too many patients suffer through symptoms that were ignored or misdiagnosed, she set out to find real answers. With over 20 years of experience, she blends hormone therapy, metabolic health, and longevity science to offer personalized, root-cause care. Based in Miami, Dr. Jila is also a speaker, educator, board member of BRCA Strong and The Fuchsia Tent, and medical advisor for MindBodyGreen and Womaness—amplifying the movement to make women’s midlife health a priority.

She has dedicated her career to helping women navigate perimenopause, menopause, and midlife with confidence, clarity, and evidence-based care. As the daughter of immigrants and a woman who’s lived through the gaps in our healthcare system, her journey has been both personal and professional.

She is here to challenge outdated narratives, restore trust in hormone therapy, and advocate for a more holistic, empowered approach to women’s health—one that honors science, story, and sisterhood.

 Learn more about Dr. Jila Senemar - https://www.jilamd.com/Learn More: ⁠⁠www.universalwomensnetwork.com⁠⁠

Learn More & Connect 🌐 universalwomensnetwork.com 📸 IG:@UWomensNetwork | @WomenofInspirationAwards

🎙 Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms 📺 Subscribe for more inspiring interviews

Women of Inspiration™ is a registered trademark in the USA and Canada

Women of Inspiration™ Podcast – Hosted by Monica Kretschmer shines the spotlight on inspiring female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and visionaries making an impact locally, nationally, and globally. Listen to the stories of women who have pushed through challenges, overcome barriers, and lead by example to achieve success in business and in life.

Today’s guest is Erin Gallagher, CEO and Founder of Hype Women, author of Hype Women: Breaking Free from Mean Girls, Patriarchy and Systems Silencing You, host of the Hype Women Podcast, and creator of the global Hype Women Movement. Erin has spent over 20 years creating movements, leading global marketing and communications, and advising leaders at The White House, Fortune 100 companies, and some of the world’s most recognized brands.

Her viral post on LinkedIn — featuring actress Jamie Lee Curtis unapologetically hyping Michelle Yeoh's Golden Globes Best Actress win) turned a moment into a movement—and sparked a global conversation.

This conversation dives into how hype is more than applause — it’s a radical shift in how we champion women, rewrite systems, and own who we truly are.

Get ready to be inspired!

Connect with Erin: ⁠www.hypewomen.com⁠

💡Learn More & Connect:

🌐 ⁠www.universalwomensnetwork.com⁠

📸 Instagram: @UWomensNetwork | @WomenofInspirationAwards 🎙Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all streaming platforms

📺 Subscribe to YouTube for more inspiring interviews.

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast is hosted by Monica Kretschmer, CEO, of the Universal Womens Network™. Monica interviews inspiring female entrepreneurs and business leaders from diverse industries who lead, inspire, and motivate. Learn from women who share their career journeys, the path to success, and leadership wisdom in business and life.

In this episode of the Women of Inspiration™ Podcast, we speak with Cristina Howorun is an award-winning investigative journalist and documentary producer with CityTV in Toronto.

In 2018, Cristina went from being live, on-air, to near death on an IV. See the Kidney Living Donor Link below to donate.

Diagnosed with end stage kidney disease after routine blood work, and after a few frantic voicemails from her doctor urging her to go to ER, Cristina and her camera man rushed to a nearby hospital. She had 8 percent kidney function. The diagnosis was grim- she needed to start dialysis and pray for a transplant. She didn't miss a beat- and did peritoneal dialysis at home everyday for 9-11 hours, coming home from her newscasting job and plugging in. every night. Outside of work, her life was focused on staying alive. But her cousin Christine was a living angel- the mother of five, selflessly courageous donated one her kidneys to Cristina in June 2019. Both were thriving. She spent the next five years doing investigative journalism and producing, writing and hosting eight documentaries for CityTV- examining issues as broad as the true source of crime guns ("The Gun Chase"), sex trafficking in the suburbs ("Fighting Traffick") and exploring motherhood from behind bars ("Prison Moms"), the latter two earning awards. Cristina tried to seize every day and devoted her time to making meaningful connections, travelling, really engaging with friends and family and trying to make the world just a little bit better. She joined a board of directosr for a group that works hard to end intimate partner violence and sex trafficking and used her platform to continue to advocate for organ donation, and acts as an ambassador for the Kidney Foundation- never knowing she would need their help again.

But she does.

In 2024 doctors determined that her new kidney had failed- their best diagnosis is that when she contracted COVID a few years earlier , it ate away at the vulnerable organ. She was gutted. She started doing hemodialysis at home (a much more involved and difficult dialysis) so that she could continue to work- and she has. She's since produced and hosted several specials for CItyTV and even directed her first documentary "Debt to Society", while undergoing dialysis- travelling back and forth from Alberta and Ontario to do so, no small feat. But she needs another transplant- and after several potential donors were ruled out- she had to go public. The wait time for a deceased donor can be 7-10 years- and the odds are, her clock will run out before then.

 Learn more about Cristina Howorun IG - https://instagram.com/howorun

Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://toronto.citynews.ca/author/cristina-howorun/Learn More: ⁠www.universalwomensnetwork.com⁠

Learn More & Connect 🌐 universalwomensnetwork.com 📸 IG:@UWomensNetwork | @WomenofInspirationAwards

🎙 Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms 📺 Subscribe for more inspiring interviews

Women of Inspiration™ is a registered trademarkin the USA and Canada

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast is hosted by Monica Kretschmer, CEO, of the Universal Womens Network™. Monica interviews inspiring female entrepreneurs and business leaders from diverse industries who lead, inspire, and motivate. Learn from women who share their career journeys, the path to success, and leadership wisdom in business and life.

In this episode of the Women of Inspiration™ Podcast, we speak with Sandra Filopoulos - Co-Founder, Filo Import Inc | Women of Inspiration Authentic™ Leader Award

In a few years of activity, she led her company to sign partnerships with the largest corporations in Canada and the world (Disney, Mattel / Fisher-Price, Crayola, Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon / Paw Patrol, Marvel) while succeeding in giving back to her community.

A philanthropic entrepreneur from the creation of her business, she succeeded where those around her advised her not to go. From the start, she has financially supported the medical community and Pediatric causes. By putting in time, ingenuity and determination, she demonstrated to everyone that every company, regardless of its size, turnover or life cycle, can give back to the community by getting involved on committees for the good. communities, in fundraising, by participating in social activities or charity dinners or by giving financially.

A young entrepreneur with a promising future, Sandra was winner of the Gala Vision prize in 2019 (Women's Business category – Les Moulins Chamber of Commerce), finalist of the Quebec Business Women Prize in 2019 (New Entrepreneur category – Women's Network business of Quebec), winner of the TOP 100 in 2020 (BMO Entrepreneur – WXN Network category), and winner of the Gala Vision prize in 2021 and 2023 (Women's Business and Business Personality of the Year categories).

She is a source of inspiration within her own company, in her industry, but also in all the communities in which she is tirelessly involved.

 Learn more about Sandra IG - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/filopoulos.sandra/

Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.filoimport.com

Learn More: www.universalwomensnetwork.com