BEYOND BARRIERS

Paula Schneider is a highly accomplished leader with a remarkable career spanning over three decades in the fashion industry. She has held prestigious positions such as CEO of American Apparel, as well as leadership roles at renowned brands like BCBG and Speedo. However, Paula's journey took an unexpected turn when she transitioned into the nonprofit sector as the CEO of Susan G. Komen. What sets her apart is her personal connection to the cause,
having battled breast cancer herself. This firsthand experience fuels her passion and drives her commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. Paula's expertise in strategic leadership and her ability to navigate complex challenges have been instrumental in her successful transition into the nonprofit world. Her story serves as an inspiration for individuals considering a career transition, showcasing the power of following one's passion and finding purpose in meaningful work.

Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com, where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Paula.

Highlights:

[02:19] Paula’s background
[10:47] C Suite retail to C Suite nonprofit
[17:42] Moving forward despite uncertainty
[21:16] When fires are all around you
[22:46] Making decisions and what to do when things go sideways
[24:17] How Susan G. Komen® dealt with COVID
[28:25] The importance of knowing your financials
[33:27] Not measuring up when under new management
[35:23] Lightning round questions

Quotes:

“All the work that I do is illustrative of finding a cure so that my daughters don't have to go through this.” - Paula Schneider

“I couldn’t care less if I sold one more pair of jeans to Bloomingdale's. I wanted todo something that was more meaningful.” - Paula Schneider

“Women underestimate their abilities to problem-solve and figure things out. Weneed to believe in ourselves and bring our expertise to the table.” - PaulaSchneider

“People are really happy when they are accountable and understand what theyare accountable for.” - Paula Schneider

“The P&L guides all.” – Paula Schneider

“When you are in a turnaround, you don’t have time to make decisions.” - PaulaSchneider

Lightning Round Questions:

What book has greatly influenced you?
- “The Paris Daughter” by Kristin Harmel (all books by this author)

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
- “Don’t sweat the small stuff”

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
- Instigator

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
- Finding joy in every day.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
- “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang

About Paula Schneider:
Paula Schneider is president and CEO of Susan G. Komen®, where she is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the world’s leading breast cancer organization. Komen has made more than $3.5 billion in investments in breast cancer research, advocacy and patient support since its founding in 1982, helping reduce the breast cancer
mortality rate by 42%. As a breast cancer survivor herself, and having lost her mother to metastatic breast cancer, Schneider’s work is personal as she brings a unique combination of business expertise and real-world perspective to Komen’s mission as CEO.

Paula led Komen through an enterprise-wide restructuring, transformingKomen’s national network of independent local affiliate organizations into a single, united entity, leveraging shared operational functions while maintaining local development and mission teams across the country. Under her leadership, Komen today serves as a trusted health care guide, providing millions of people with safe, accurate, evidence-based information and education—as well as direct patient support services including financial assistance, patient navigation services, emotional support and resources. Komen also remains focused on accelerating
breakthroughs for the most aggressive and deadly breast cancers, and eliminating breast cancer disparities through focused interventions that break down the barriers for Black people across the country. Schneider is widely regarded as a business expert in organizational management and finance. Prior to Komen, she served as CEO of American Apparel, where she navigated one of the most notable turnarounds in the retail sector. She previously served as President of the Warnaco Swimwear Group, the largest swimwear company in the world, with
brands such as Speedo and Calvin Klein. Schneider is a sought-after public speaker on issues of women’s health and empowerment. She has been featured at such thought leadership events such as Fortune’s Most Powerful Women’s Forum and Yahoo Finance. She has served as a spokeswoman for the Liz Claiborne Company and its crusade to eradicate abuse against women, and is currently a member of C200, the preeminent global organization for the advancement of women business leaders.

Links:

Website: https://www.komen.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-schneider-6322661a/

Early experiences often shape our entire lives. The inspiring story of our guest -
Jennifer Openshaw - shows what’s possible to achieve when you choose to own your destiny.

Being a child of divorce and watching her mother struggle as a single mom tomake ends meet shaped Jennifer’s entire career journey. Her first “real” job was working as a maid in a motel while her mother worked two full-time jobs as a waitress to support the family. At an early age, she decided to make it on her own and to make a big impact.

Now as CEO of Girls With Impact, the nation’s leading business educationprogram for young women, she empowers women all around the world with the business and tech skills to become future leaders.

Jennifer’s story illustrates the power of vision, determination and tenacity in yourpursuits. She achieved her ambitions by looking at how other people got to where they are and always surrounding herself with a community of next level peers.

She has broken barriers and paved the way for others to follow.

Visit gobeyondbarriers.com, where you will find show notes and links to all theresources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Jennifer.

Highlights:
[02:18] What shaped Jennifer’s young life
[04:19] Jennifer’s young career choices
[08:05] Pursuing passions or pursuing money
[14:44] Looking for opportunities
[15:57] Dealing with fear of rejection or failure
[18:17] Lessons learned as an entrepreneur
[24:09] Gen Z in the workforce and the benefit of failing
[27:36] Ready for the “what if”
[30:05] Women when it comes to finances
[32:14] About Girls With Impact
[34:56] Taking her mission to the next level
[43:57] Companies attracting entrepreneurs and Gen Z
[49:21] Lightning round questions

Quotes:
“Sometimes the way to move up is to move out.” – Jennifer Openshaw

“I’m a believer in not taking a leap until you know what you’re leaping to.” –Jennifer Openshaw

“It shows people something when you’re willing to raise your hand.” – JenniferOpenshaw

Lightning Round Questions:

What book has greatly influenced you?
- “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
- "If there’s a will there’s a way.” And “The answer will reveal itself.”

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
- What leapfrog move can take you to where you want to go?

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
- Being grateful every day.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
- “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Diana Ross.

About Jennifer Openshaw:

Jennifer Openshaw – called “one of the most outspoken proponents for empowering women to control their financial lives” by CBS MarketWatch – is CEO of Girls With Impact, the nation’s leading business education program for young women.

Her expertise and national reputation as a financial innovator have made her avaluable ally in the media – from “Oprah,” “Dr. Phil” and “Today” to CNN, Fox and CNBC.

At the age of 14, Jennifer took on her first “real” job as a maid in a motel whileher mother worked two full-time jobs as a waitress to support the family.

In 2000, Jennifer was named one of the Internet’s 25 Rising Stars as a result of herwork as CEO and founder of Women’s Financial Network, a company created as a result of her experience in the industry and as the “Money Expert” for KCBS-TV.

The company was acquired by Wall Street legend Muriel Siebert (NYSE: SIEB).Jen’s financial industry experience includes senior roles at Bank of America,leading pension advisor Wilshire Associates, and BankOne (now JP Morgan Chase). She also headed the 60-year-old Financial Women’s Association and, most recently, was Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at global consulting firm Mercer, where she led the When Women Thrive research platform. She started
her career in the California State Treasurer’s Office.

Drawing from her experience in Silicon Valley, Wall Street and Main Street in tech,education, and the financial industry, Jennifer has been a fixture in the media. Her roles have included “Money Expert” for KCBS-TV, host of ABC Radio’s Winning Advice, and columnist for Dow Jones’ MarketWatch. She’s the author of three books: The Socially Savvy Advisor (2015); The Millionaire Zone (Hyperion), based on research about the social networking strategies of the wealthy; and What’s Your Net Worth? (Perseus), turned into a Public Television Show.

Jennifer has been an advisor to Fortune 500 firms, including Microsoft, where shealso served as national spokesperson. She writes regularly for Dow Jones, USA Today and as a LinkedIn Influencer.

Jennifer holds an MBA in finance and BA from UCLA. She is a member of the NewYork Economic Club and was appointed by the California Governor to the Commission on California Government Efficiency.

Links:
Website: https://www.girlswithimpact.org/
LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenopenshaw/
LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/girlswithimpact/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlswithimpact/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jopenshaw
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GirlsWithImpact

Be Fearless, Be Bold, Be You. This is a mantra that Dominica Ribeiro shares with us in today’s podcast, and it is one that she herself has lived. Dominica started her career in finance when she walked into a firm after graduating high school and asked for a job. 27 years later, she is Chief Marketing and Distribution Officer at Breckinridge, a leading asset manager firm. Dominica is as wise as she is brilliant. She gained her fierce independence and work ethic from her mother who taught her to work hard and not to depend on anyone else for what you want.

Dominica shares how she nurtures the ideas of those around her at every level,and how her experience seeking mentors who don’t look like her, has paid dividends for her career.

She is a leader who is adept at building her own brand and is always focused onthe positive. She shares how her dual roles of Executive and parent have taught her lessons about communication, negotiation, and strategy. We learned so much from this conversation and we hope you will too.

Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes andlinks to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Dominica.

Highlights:
[04:09] Leveraging data
[06:36] When the data proves you wrong
[09:16] Expressing your opinion no matter what your role
[12:25] Dominica’s vision of being a leader
[14:16] Building a brand
[19:36] When your mentors don’t look like you
[23:10] Finding confidence
[27:21] What led Dominica down her career path
[29:39] Habits of success
[32:06] Dominica’s background and story
[36:20] Lightning round questions

Quotes:
“Be fearless, be bold, but be you.” - Dominica Ribeiro

“If you layer your opinion or thought process on top of the data, that is the power behind the decision or the conversation.” – Dominica Ribeiro

“I’ve never had somebody who looks and acts like me and has my experience be a mentor to me, and I think that’s the beauty of diversity of thought.” - DominicaRibeiro

Lightning Round Questions:
What book has greatly influenced you?
- “Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
- “Leadership is not about being in charge, it’s about taking care of those inyour charge.” – Simon Sinek

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
- Mom, and empathetic.

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
- Weekly therapy.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
- “Roar” by Katy Perry

About Dominica Ribeiro:

Dominica is Breckinridge’s chief marketing and distribution officer. In her role, she leads the firm’s strategic distribution, including sales and relationship management, as well as the marketing plans and initiatives. She is also a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. Dominica has been with the firm since 2020 and has over 27 years of industry experience.

Prior to Breckinridge, Dominica was head of institutional marketing at State StreetGlobal Advisors where she was responsible for the development and execution of their overall marketing strategy. Campaigns focused on the promotion of State Street Global Advisors thought leadership, investment strategies, and gender diversity initiatives – notably, the Fearless Girl installation on Wall Street in New York City which helped raise awareness around the globe of the power of women in leadership, as well as the connection between increasing gender diversity on boards and long-term company performance.

She began her career at Putnam Investments where she spent five years beforejoining the marketing and communications team at Fidelity Investments where she rose from communication analyst to director of institutional marketing, and then to vice president of institutional marketing.

Dominica currently serves on the Board of Directors for Crispus Attucks Children'sCenter, a Boston-based childcare and development center, and as a Corporate Trustee for the Trustees of Reservations, the nation's oldest preservation and conservation organization. She also serves as a teen mentor for the Attleboro Community Academy, a state accredited high school diploma program, which provides an alternative path to graduation for struggling students and high school dropouts. She is a member of 100 Women in Finance, Boston Women in Finance, Women in Pensions Network, and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA). She previously served on the leadership committee for the 50/50 Women on Boards Boston chapter. Dominica holds a B.S. and a M.S. in Business Management from Lesley University.

Links:
Website: https://www.breckinridge.com/
LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominica-ribeiro/

Are you frustrated about setbacks and challenges that are getting in the way ofyour dreams? Our guest today will reveal the secret to turning these obstacles into opportunities.

Meet Tiffani Potesta, a trailblazing leader in the finance industry whose life andcareer is a testament to the transformative power of gratitude. With limited resources and no college degree, Tiffani built a successful career on Wall Street simply by leveraging her insatiable curiosity and love of math. Her journey reflects the indomitable human spirit and the will to survive and thrive.

Throughout the episode, Tiffani emphasizes the importance of focusing onyourself and the contributions you can make, rather than comparing yourself to others. She stresses the value of being respected, rather than just being liked.

Tiffani also provides practical advice on decision-making, embracing curiosity, andovercoming the fear of failure.

Tiffani shares her story of how she emerged from the depths of darkness withnewfound strength and determination. But what exactly happened that changed the course of her existence? Stay tuned as we unravel the extraordinary tale of resilience that will inspire you to embrace life's unexpected surprises.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking personal and professionalgrowth. Brace yourself for a story that will leave you in awe!

Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes andlinks to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Tiffani.

Highlights:
[02:48] What shaped Tiffani’s life and career
[05:49] Succeeding on Wall Street without a college degree
[07:23] Choose being respected over being liked
[08:01] Making high-impact decisions
[11:37] Reframing doubt as a strength
[13:30] Attributes of a great team member
[26:30] Recognizing and sharing your value
[29:13] How to talk to the higher ups in your company
[30:43] How Tiffani stays grounded every day
[33:46] What Tiffani is most curious about now
[40:12] Lightning round questions

Quotes:
“Gratitude is like the driving force of everything that you're going to do because
what stands on top of that is humility and integrity and grace.” - Tiffani Potesta

“You are only bound by limits of your own curiosity.” – Tiffani Potesta

“Doubt is healthy because doubt makes us strive to do better. We need toreframe doubt as a strength, not a weakness.” - Tiffani Potesta

“Being liked is a great thing to have, but respect actually carries so much morecurrency.” – Tiffani Potesta

“It’s the fear of failure that actually creates an inability for us to move forward.” –
Tiffani Potesta

Lightning Round Questions:
What book has greatly influenced you?
- “The Coming Plague” by Laurie Garrett

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
- Sometimes you’re the windshield, and sometimes you’re the bug.

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
- Honest

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
- Active listening

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
- “Rise Up” by Andra Day

About Tiffani Potesta:
Tiffani Potesta is the Head of US Client Group and Chief Strategy Officer for North America at Schroders.

As CSO, she has oversight responsibilities across the US client group strategy,marketing, product development, the sustainability initiative, data and clientservice. She drives business management and strategy, partnering with the CEO to prioritize and deliver regional plans and procedures to direct growth in North America.

Prior to the CSO role, Tiffani was Chief Administrative Officer as well as Head ofDistribution Strategy at Schroders. Prior to joining Schroders, Tiffani was Head ofDCIO and Third Party Insurance at DWS Investments and Director of National Accounts at First Eagle Funds.

Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffani-potesta-a55b9a5/

Website: https://www.schroders.com/en/global/individual/

Daphne Kis, CEO of WorldQuant University, got her strong work ethic as a child ofimmigrant parents. Her mom always encouraged her to find a career path that was engaging. This provided her a guiding principle to find meaning in her work and to create a path and fill it.

Daphne is a risk-taker. She believes we have to understand how much risk we arewilling to take and be willing to make new mistakes all the time. In fact, we should make mistakes and then beg for forgiveness. For Daphne, patience breeds change, and being a change agent is critical. She talks about how data science is the means and not the end and why women are disproportionately represented in the field of analytics.

Join us while Daphne has an interesting discussion with us about how the processis more important than the outcome. She shares her take on the paralysis that comes when faced with too many choices and the problem when needing to optimize every decision. Daphne also talks about the impact of economic insecurity and if a company really wants to retain employees, they should offer amazing health insurance!

On a personal note, Daphne likes to build things. She’s a social person who enjoyspartnerships with other people and sharing ideas with them. Learn more abouthow she turns everything off in order to stay grounded.

Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes andlinks to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Daphne.

Highlights:
[02:07] Daphne’s background
[06:11] Discovering her tolerance for risk
[11:54] Resisting change
[15:45] Advancing in data and technology
[22:28] Gaining clarity on your purpose
[29:13] Being a change agent
[33:43] Future proofing
[38:00] Risk taking
[42:52] Assessing risks for making changes
[45:42] Self care
[49:02] Staying grounded
[53:10] Lightning round questions

Quotes:
“Impatience breeds change.” – Daphne Kis

“Data science is the 21st Century sociology.” – Daphne Kis

“I am a bigger believer in the process than the outcome.” – Daphne Kis

Lightning Round Questions:

What book has greatly influenced you?
- “Beloved” by Toni Morrison

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
- It changes by the month..

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
- I come from kindness and generosity.

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
- Hiring a trainer.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
- “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge

About Daphne Kis:
Daphne Kis is the CEO of WorldQuant University (WQU), the leader in global education for data sciences. WQU delivers entirely free, online programs that expand access to studies and credentials in data sciences. With its MSc program in Financial Engineering and Applied Data Science Lab, WQU serves more than 10,000 students in over 100 countries.

As a dynamic entrepreneur, Kis has been at the forefront of identifying, chronicling, and transforming trends in technology, education, and business for decades. Passionate about global entrepreneurship opportunities, especially for women, Kis regularly mentors female founders, and serves on the advisory boards of the Quorum Initiative and Mindshift Capital.

Links:
Website: https://www.wqu.edu/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnekis/

Stacy Devine knew from a young age that the field of finance was for her. Whileother kids were playing, she enjoyed balancing a budget. She even loaned hersister money and charged her interest. She later took an accounting class inschool and was hooked. She pursued her CPA and started her career at Ernst & Young as a certified public accountant.

Today, Stacy finds herself as the Chief Investment Officer of RPTC, a private trustcompany for a single family office in Chicago. With all of her accomplishments, it might be hard to believe that Stacy was always underestimated and had to prove herself over and over again. She took this as an opportunity to build her courage.

She finds great strength from her solid network of support (including her husbandand friends) to keep finding the courage to claim her seat at the table. When Stacy needs to make a decision, she always tries to discover what are the opposite opinions. She’ll seek out other points of view and then see how they affect her convictions. She also knows the importance of just stopping what she’s doing and having fun with her family because there will always be a million things to do. She has learned to give up on perfection to have more balance in her life.

Join us as Stacy shares her wisdom as a leader in her field.

Visit gobeyondbarriers.com, where you will find show notes and links to all theresources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Stacy.

Highlights:

[02:59] Stacy’s path to finance
[08:47] Asking for what you deserve
[14:23] Making important decisions
[16:44] Creating an open environment for debate
[18:30] Taking a break from work
[22:59] Building relationships
[27:42] Staying grounded
[31:05] Continuing to grow professionally and personally
[32:01] Lightning round questions

Quotes:
“Community has been essential throughout my career.” – Stacy Devine

“It’s important for me to really see both sides of an argument and understand it,and then I can challenge my view to have much better convictions in the decisions I’m making.” – Stacy Devine

“I’m basically an introvert pretending to be an extrovert.” – Stacy Devine

Lightning Round Questions:

What book has greatly influenced you?
- “Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
- What makes you different will make you stand out. You will be
remembered.

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
- Yin/yang.

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
- I stopped reaching for perfection.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
- “Unstoppable” by Sia

About Stacy Devine:
Stacy Devine is the Chief Investment Officer of RPTC Inc, a private trust company for a single family office in Chicago. Prior to joining RPTC, Stacy was a Managing Director and Head of Investments for the Midwest and Canada Regions of Citi Private Bank, working with a range of ultra-high net worth families in the U.S.,Canada and Asia. Before Citi, Stacy was an investment advisor at Barclays (Lehman) and a member of the Portfolio Advisory Group at Goldman Sachs, covering the Midwest region. Prior to her focus on ultra-high net worth individuals and family offices, Stacy was a senior sell-side equity analyst with Deutsche Bank and First Analysis Corporation, specializing in environmental and industrial service sectors. In this role, Stacy was ranked as Wall Street Journal’s#1 All-Star Analyst for two years running and was recognized in Institutional Investor’s 2001 All American Research Team. She started her career at Ernst & Young as a certified public accountant. Stacy holds a BS summa cum laude from Drake University and an MBA with honors from Kellogg Graduate School of Management. In the Chicago community, Stacy is a member of the Advisory Board for Invest for Kids. She is also a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Chicago.

Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-devine-cfa-0259646/

Meet Tina Manikas, President of the Tracy-Locke group of companies at Omnicom, a seasoned veteran in marketing and advertising, who shares profound insights from her career journey, promoting a message of empowerment and self-advocacy for women in the industry.

A game-changer in the industry, Tina's story is anything but ordinary. A fortunate encounter sparked her interest in marketing during her college years, leading her to ambitiously climb the ladder and amass a wealth of experience, eventually becoming the President of Tracy-Locke.

Throughout her journey, Tina championed two paramount ethos: self-promotion and the power of generosity. Tina advocates for individuals to be more proactive, stepping up as their most enthusiastic promoter and seizing opportunities to showcase their intrinsic worth. Complementing this self-belief, she extols the virtues of kindness and openness, underscored in the sharing of ideas and mutual uplifting within the industry.

In this inspiring interview, women in marketing and advertising get a tangible blueprint on overcoming challenges, capitalizing on opportunities, and unlocking their boundless potential. Tina's story serves as a powerful reminder to women everywhere: Advocate for your own worth, actively search for opportunities, and maintain a mindset of persistent progression.

Join Brooke Skinner Ricketts on an incredible ride, as she unravels Tina's empowering journey and learn how you too can tap into 'The Power of Possibility'.

Highlights:

[03:33] Tina’s background and path to advertising
[07:53] What’s behind Tina’s strong work ethic
[09:51] How to promote yourself and others
[08:58] Being in a leadership position
[14:33] Having inspiring mentors
[13:23] Overcoming failures
[16:29] Learning from every challenge
[23:00] Gaining navigational skills
[26:06] Making important decisions
[28:38] Daily rituals that are grounding
[32:49] Setting and achieving goals
[34:32] Making priorities
[35:56] Believing in yourself
[39:46] Lightning round questions

Quotes:

“You've got to be your number one promoter, stand up for yourself, know your value, and orchestrate your own narrative.” - Tina Manikas

“Realize that failure is a life lesson. Take time to heal, reflect on what could have been done differently, and use it as ammunition to succeed in the future.” - Tina Manikas

“Focus on what really matters, prioritize, and give yourself the gift of focus.” - Tina Manikas

“How can you be an entrepreneur inside companies?” – Tina Manikas

Lightning Round Questions:

What book has greatly influenced you?

“The Art of the Pitch” by Peter Coughter

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?

What you put up with, you end up with. And, The truth to life is not getting what you want but wanting it after you get it..

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?

Intrapreneur.

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?

Understanding that there is luck in the world and there’s also putting yourself in the way of being lucky.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?

“Love Again” by Dua Lipa

About Tina Manikas:

Tina Manikas is a dynamic marketing executive and leader, known for her focus on vision and relentless pursuit of new strategies, capabilities, and solutions to grow brands and solve business problems. She recognizes that creativity, technology, and commerce can be harnessed to multiply business potential. Her appreciation for fostering a thriving team and culture underscores her knack for motivating, mentoring, and retaining diverse top talent, aligning individual passions with strategic opportunities.

As President of the Tracy-Locke group of companies at Omnicom, Tina has developed and steered its Compelling Commerce platform which provides clients with industry-leading omni-commerce innovations and creative solutions that connect to culture and inspire people to buy into brands and buy products. This build business for clients that include Pepsi, Diageo, Lego, FedEx, Pizza Hut, P&G and Kellogg to name a few.

Under her leadership, Tracy-Locke has soared, solidifying its position among the industry's most respected, and sought-after brand and commerce-building communications agencies with award-winning creative industry achievements that include Cannes Lions, Effies and ANA REGGIES.

Prior to joining Tracy-Locke in 2021, Tina built a 23+ year career at FCB and Interpublic Group where she founded and led FCB/RED, an award-winning shopper, digital and commerce agency. Before FCB/RED she served as Global Retail Officer for FCB Global, and Chief Retail Marketing Officer at Draft Chicago.

Her experience spans many industries and includes several industry “firsts”. Named Advertising Woman of the Year in 2019 by the Chicago Advertising Federation, Tina has earned numerous recognitions over the course of her career.

They include Woman of Excellence award from the Path to Purchase Institute, the Retail leadership Award from the Asia Retail Congress, and President of the Jury for Activation for both Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity and Spikes Asia.

As a speaker, advisor and faculty member of several global and US advertising industry forums, Tina continues to help shape the future of her industry and on the community front, she also serves on the boards of both the Off the Street Club, Chicago’s oldest boys and girls club, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Tina is an advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion and was one of the original signers of #timesupadvertising and an early supporter of the Free the Bid initiative.

A devoted wife and mom, Tina and her husband John have three
children, including a daughter who is now in advertising. She also boasts 10 godchildren and an extended, big fat Greek family.

Website: https://tracylocke.com/ 

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tinaman

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

Ever feel like an impostor in your own success story? That's exactly the experience
co-founder and partner of Cardone Ventures, Natalie Dawson, intricately navigated. She transformed this so-called 'imposter syndrome' into a secret weapon for success, thereby creating a compelling narrative of resilience and self-improvement.

Navigating the challenging waters of a high-level leadership position at 23, falling in love with a man 25 years her senior and rejecting the stereotype of the 'trophy wife'—Natalie's journey is anything but conventional. She embodies an ethos of continuous learning and improvement with her favourite mantra, 'Google that shit'. Encouraging her team to tackle the unfamiliar with relentless curiosity is testament to her groundbreaking approach.

An Amazon best-selling author, Natalie offers in-depth insight into her successful methodology in her book, 'TeamWork.' She shares wisdom on constructing efficient teams and embracing pressure as a privileged opportunity. Her take on mentorship is to keep queries specific and purposeful, rather than a vague 'can I pick your brain?'
If you find your inner voice bombarding you with doubts, questioning your rightful position at the table, this powerful podcast will serve as an inspiring guide. Tune in, gain insights, and empower your journey with Natalie Dawson. Be sure to subscribe, share and leave us a review. Let's redefine success together!

Visit gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Natalie.

Highlights:
[02:55] Natalie’s career path and discovering her value
[08:22] Leaning into who you are
[08:25] Embracing and communicating your value
[13:24] Overcoming limiting beliefs
[16:56] Facing tasks you’ve never done before
[19:35] How Natalie stays ahead
[19:01] The secret of teamwork
[21:36] Asking for and dealing with feedback
[24:41] Leveraging your community
[27:43] Aligning teams with business objectives
[30:53] Advice to young professionals who want to pivot in their careers
[36:09] Lightning round questions

Quotes:

“My biggest fear was imposter syndrome, and the way I got over it was I really didn’t have a choice.” – Natalie Dawson

“When you become great at something, you love that thing because you’re rewarded for being great.” – Natalie Dawson

“Pressure is a privilege.” – Natalie Dawson

Lightning Round Questions:

What book has greatly influenced you?

- “Beyond Positive Thinking” by Robert Anthony

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?

- "Success is my duty.” by Grant Cardone

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
- Passionate

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?

- Going to bed at 9:30 and using the Super Human app for emails.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?

- "Peaches” by Justin Bieber

About Natalie Dawson:
Natalie Dawson is an expert in developing people and building scalable teams.

She has interviewed, hired, trained, and led thousands of employees over the course of her career, most recently as Co-Founder and Partner of Cardone Ventures, a management consulting, joint ventures, and private equity firm that helps business owners achieve their personal, professional, and financial goals through the growth of their business. With no cost of capital, no outside investment, in 30 months Cardone Ventures has generated 60 million in revenue and over 30 million in EBITDA. Natalie is responsible for the operations and finding, hiring, aligning, developing and retaining the team that allows the business to scale profitably.

Having attended the London School of Economics, Natalie uses her unique blend of operational and financial skill sets to align employees with the business objectives--for measurable returns on investment. She is a #1 Amazon best seller for her book “TeamWork” which details exactly how she has built a highly engaged, highly aligned, high performance team in order to accommodate the business opportunity and growth.

Links:
Natalies Instagram
Natalies Tik Tok
Natalies Website
Natalies Twitter
Natalies "WorkWoman" Podcast
Cardone Ventures Events Page

"Remember, ‘Life is not a dress rehearsal’." This vital fatherly wisdom from Robin Wheeler’s childhood resonates in each step of her successful journey. As the Chief Revenue Officer at Fetch, Robin lives by this credo, becoming a risk-taker who skillfully transforms every challenge into an opportunity.

She unveils her exceptional journey navigating significant roles at industry powerhouses such as People Magazine, AOL, Twitter, and intricately weaves a narrative of how her success required a move across the country to integrate her career with her personal life.

Robin brings to light the critical elements of her success, primarily her daring choice of venturing into the less-traveled path and embracing challenges outside her comfort zone. She identified her super power for connecting with people and influencing through sales. With an unwavering belief in her value, she recomposes our understanding of self-worth: trusting ourselves and knowing the remarkable skills we bring to the table.

This episode untangles the bustling knitting of a thriving career and mothering twins. Hear from Robin herself about her effective strategies surrounding work-life integration and the importance she assigns to downtime expectations.

Visit gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Robin.

Highlights:

[03:03] Robin’s background and path to Twitter
[08:51] Adapting & evolving
[11:45] Knowing your strengths
[14:37] Leveraging your community
[19:22] How to make decisions and avoiding analysis paralysis
[22:52] Work/life integration
[27:37] Lightning round questions

Quotes:

“People are at the heart of sales.” – Robin Wheeler

“You have to trust the value that you’re bringing and know that you belong in that role.” – Robin Wheeler

“If work/life balance means you have to take a step back, that doesn’t mean you’re failing, that doesn’t mean you’re not growing, it just means that’s what’s right for you at the moment.” – Robin Wheeler

Lightning Round Questions:

What book has greatly influenced you?

- “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol Dweck

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?

- "Life is not a dress rehearsal.” And “Mind over matter, anything is
achievable.” And “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?

- Authentic

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?

- Getting outside at least once a day.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?

- "Confident” by Demi Lovato

About Robin Wheeler:

Robin Wheeler is a strategic and inspirational Global leader with over 20 years of experience leading revenue teams. She has a strong track record of building high performing teams from the ground up and leading existing teams through change and turnarounds. A data driven decision maker, Robin is adept at successfully navigating the challenges of fast paced and constantly evolving industries in order to drive results.

Robin currently serves as the Chief Revenue Officer at Fetch, a consumer engagement and rewards platform. In her role she oversees the sales team and partners with the biggest names across consumer packaged goods, retail and restaurants to help them leverage Fetch’s unique data and engaged user base to drive measurable results for their businesses.

Prior to Fetch, Robin spent 11 years at Twitter where she held various leadership roles throughout that tenure. In addition to overseeing the Consumer Packaged Goods team and the Technology and Telecom team, Robin also launched a new division targeted at mid-market businesses.

Robin also spent time as the Global Head of MoPub, Twitter’s mobile app monetization platform, overseeing the Supply Team, the Demand Team, Marketing, Analytics and Operations in the US, UK, Japan, Singapore and Dublin.

Robin also served as Twitter’s Vice President, US Client Solutions, where she oversaw the team that serviced the largest brands all the way through to the Customer Success team who onboarded new small businesses. Prior to Twitter, Robin worked for AOL, Time Inc and US News and World Report and started her career on the agency side at TBWA\Chiat\Day LA where she worked on the Apple business. Robin also sits on the board of Sliide, a mobile
technology company, based in the UK.

Robin holds a Bachelor of Arts from Villanova University. When Robin isn’t working she loves spending time traveling with her family, snowboarding, hiking with her dogs and working out at F45. She resides in the Bay Area in Northern California with her husband and twin teenage daughters.

Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-partenheimer-wheeler/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/robinw

Meet Rati Sahi Levesque, President and Chief Operating Officer at The RealReal.

Rati worked with her co-founder Julie Wainwright to grow the business from the ground up, all the way to taking the company public in 2019, while fundamentally transforming the retail industry.

Rati’s journey is a true testament to resilience. Raised in a hardworking environment, her entrepreneurial spirit was nurtured from a young age as she observed her parents deal with the demands of being small business owners. Rati faced her own challenges as she strived to reconcile her dual identity - as an American and as the child of Indian immigrants. These life experiences gave birth to her tenacity, forcing her to adapt quickly and constantly push the boundaries - whether it was dealing with rejection by investors, learning to level up as a leader in fast growing business, or making timely and tough decisions on a daily basis.

Tune in and learn from Rati’s extraordinary journey of defying the odds and building a thriving business with over 32M members. In this episode, you will uncover the secret to making effective trade-offs in the face of complex problems, and how resilience triggers personal growth and drives success despite challenges.

Visit gobeyondbarriers.com, where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Rati.

Highlights:
[03:02] What shaped Rati
[07:43] Early career clarity
[11:19] Knowing your value
[14:30] Obstacles and fears Rati has overcome
[17:33] Staying focused during volatile times and during setbacks
[20:37] Making key decisions
[23:30] The type of people that make you better
[27:14] Getting by early on
[28:29] Shifting to lead a larger organization
[33:38] Having mostly female employees
[35:55] Top 3 things to focus on
[37:13] Rati’s company’s vision and how it drives their values
[33:16] Building key business relationships
[44:47] Lightning round questions

Quotes:
“Have a bias toward action.” – Rati Sahi Levesque

“If you’re not staying up at night thinking “Oh I really wish we could do this one thing for ourselves”, then you’re not making trade offs.” – Rati Sahi Levesque

“Sometimes you have to go on that journey of self-discovery to find your group, your people, and build resilience.” - Rati Sahi Lavesque

“Being honest with yourself is the key to personal growth and success.” - Rati Sahi Lavesque

“Believe in your vision, lead with data, and push through barriers to achieve your goals.” - Rati Sahi Lavesque

Lightning Round Questions:

What book has greatly influenced you?
- “Circe” by Madeline Miller

What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
- "Between stimulus and response, there’s space, and that space is our
power to choose our response, and in our response lies our growth and our
freedom.”

What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
- Resilient

What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
- Little things like sleeping, taking walks, or getting a massage.

What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
- Anything by M.I.A.

About Rati Sahi Levesque:

As President and Chief Operating Officer, Rati oversees the company’s revenue channels and operations, including its rigorous authentication process, machine learning and AI tech developments, its operation centers and retail footprints, its team of master authenticators and experts, as well as its marketing and merchandising functions.

In her tenure, Rati has developed a playbook when it comes to resale, helping teams including merchandising, operations, sales, retail and marketing understand how to leverage technology to scale TRR through all of its functions and channels. She has leveraged technology to lead the company to where it is today, helping to attract 32.5M+ members, keep 32.7M+ luxury items in circulation, and pay a total of more than $3.4B in cumulative commission payouts.

Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rati-sahi-levesque-782b824/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealrati/