The Story Behind Her Success

At the moment that it happened, when I could see into the eyes of that shark, and then it veered away, my first emotion was not fear. It was fascination and wonder. -Laura DeSisto I’m always on the lookout for stories that will inspire and motivate you, and the story of Laura DeSisto checks all the boxes! Raised around the water every summer on Martha’s Vineyard, Laura begged her parents to let her see the movie Jaws and that experience instilled a lifelong fear of sharks in her. Flash forward to mid-life, when Laura fell into a depression. It was her girlfriends who encouraged her to go outside of her comfort zone and take scuba diving lessons. On her very first dive in the Bahamas, Laura came within two feet of an 8-foot-long shark, and that encounter created a seismic shift in her mindset, inspiring her to write the memoir Resurfacing: sisterhood, sharks & storms. A lifelong professional writer who got her start writing ad copy and then feature articles for magazines, Laura openly shares how becoming an empty-nester left her without a sense of purpose. She credits her mighty sisterhood of friends for picking her up and pushing her toward a brave and daring new chapter. Says Laura: “I think our best years are our later years and I want to keep doing things that scare me. Find what you love and it will make you come alive.” For 22 minutes of shark encounters and plenty of inspiration, just hit that download button! #sharks #scuba

My books are like Nancy Drew for grownups. -PK Norton Meet PK (Paula) Norton, murder mystery author extraordinaire. She spent most of her career in the insurance business, first as an agent and then as an insurance investigator, sniffing out fraud and looking for clues. Paula and her late husband loved to travel and over dinner, would concoct unique ways to kill people. Jack died of Parkinsons' disease but before he passed, he urged Paula to finally press START on a writing career that flourishes to this day. The Amy Lynch Investigation series includes (6) books with the latest Avenging Madonna just published and available worldwide on Amazon. If you’ve got a secret talent, or a wish to do something you just haven’t had the time or the courage to explore, PK Norton’s story might just inspire you to throw caution to the wind, and give it a try. www.pknortonauthor.com. #murdermystery #author

Pursue your dreams, even if someone says “you’re crazy”. Do it anyway! -Yolanda Cellucci We’re on location for this episode in the penthouse of Yolanda Cellucci: a fashion icon with a passion for Swarovski crystals, feathers, fur, sequins, and every shade of white. Known as the Goddess of Glitz, she is the author of the book Beyond the Glitz & Glamour which chronicles the story of a girl who grew up at the end of an alleyway, across the street from a junkyard, in a humble home full of love where she was told she could accomplish anything. Married to Dan Cellucci for 65 years, Yolanda talks about how her late husband helped her make her dreams of bringing bridal, couture, a beauty salon, fitness, and events all under one roof by building her legendary destination: Yolanda’s of Waltham “where beautiful lifestyles begin” with his own hands, from the ground up. The mother of two and grandmother and great-grandmother of many, Miss Yolanda is an 88-year-old powerhouse with a heart of gold, who got her start in the 1970’s and 80’s, long before the glass ceiling had been broken. In this interview, she shares details of her personal life, including her pride in the successes of her daughters Sondra and Linda, and the tragic loss of Linda to esophageal cancer in 2018. If you are an entrepreneur, you’ll want to write down Yolanda’s pearls of wisdom about the importance of relationships: “be open-minded, be happy for other people and don’t be selfish” and that true success is measured “not by how long you have lived, but how you live.” Inspiring? You better believe it. #yolandacellucci #fashionista

I’ve gone from creating something that millions of people around the world will want, to creating something that is individual to the woman who wears it. -Betsy Ferg Wood In the spotlight, Betsy Ferg Wood. She spent much of her career focused on brand identity and product design where job #1 was to communicate the essence of major brands to consumers worldwide. She was living large…from New York, City to L.A, from London to Paris, working for Liz Claiborne, and was even a part of the legendary Barbie Team at Mattel. But at some point, Betsy felt like she needed to make a change and flex her artistic muscles a bit more independently. The daughter and grandchild of artists, she had that gene in spades and started creating story necklaces out of mementos, trinkets, treasures, buttons, and charms. It wasn’t long before Jewelry Bee Social www.jewelrybeesocial.com was born by taking recycled pieces and making them new again. To Betsy’s surprise, the connections her story necklaces have made bring a whole new shine to each unique creation. #jewelryBee #mementostrinketsandtreasures #storyjewelry #madeintn #storynecklaces #charmbraceletsonsteroids #tellyourstoryinjewelry

Turning my pain into my passion. That’s what is most important to me. - Morgan Dzicek Morgan Dzicek is a beautiful young woman who is loaded with talent. A singer, songwriter, violinist and former New England Patriots Cheerleader, Morgan has had the experience of singing the National Anthem and cheering for the Patriots as they won their 5th Super Bowl. But life has not been all sunshine and super bowls for this week’s guest. Raised on a farm in Northbridge, Massachusetts where her mother raised Morgan horses, she was diagnosed at 13 with a rare form of cancer in her eye. Hospitalized for long periods of time with multiple surgeries and 40 rounds of chemotherapy, she was granted a wish through the Make A Wish Foundation and was flown to Nashville to co-write and record an original song with Lari White called Every Step of the Way. Now cancer free, Morgan shares her story about leaning on God for strength, dancing her way through pain, and her passion for bringing the gift of music whenever and wherever she can.

I thank God that He has allowed me to be strong enough to endure this and to show my family and friends that I am a “she cancer warrior”. -Tona Hines October is breast cancer awareness month and sadly, the statistics have not improved. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and this is a disease that affects the woman and her whole family. In this episode, we’re shining a spotlight on two-time breast cancer survivor Tona Hines. Diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer at 40, this devoted mother of two didn’t require any treatment beyond surgery the first time around. Ten years later, everything changed. Tona was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Her story would not be complete without the support she has received from The Ellie Fund, www.elliefund.org, a non-profit devoted to supporting patients, funding care and providing hope. Meredith Mendelson, Executive Director of the non-profit shares the story of Ellie Popkin for whom the charity is named, and it’s mission to serve 1200 patients per year by 2023. #mbc #breastcancer #elliefund

I have MS. MS does not have me. I prefer to be Bridget the mother, the wife, the career driven woman. -Bridget Snell In this episode, we meet Bridget Snell, co-founder of Waiting Room Media and Chief Editor of the company’s flagship print magazine, Living Crue. Diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis in 2015, Bridget made a choice not to allow the disease to rule her life. When traditional medications failed to work, she dove into every medical journal and discovered HSCT, a stem cell transplant that is currently used to fight cancer in the United States, but is not approved for use on MS patients. Determined to receive the treatment, the mother of two daughters then 2 and 4 traveled to Mexico where she stayed for 30 days, emerging with a new lease on life. Four years later, Bridget is using 20+ years of print publishing experience to breathe life into a magazine that is a platform for women’s stories, raw and authentic. Co-Founded with Marci Bracken whom she met in the waiting room of a karate dojo, Living Crue is a reminder of the power of friendship and living proof that even in the toughest of times, you just can’t keep a good woman down. #livingcrue #publishing #empowerment

What means the most to me is building community, finding safe spaces for the lonely and the elderly. -Nikki Shults Nikki Shults grew up on a family compound in rural Connecticut. At the center of this compound, in the humble, makeshift home lived her grandmother whom she called “Meme”. This wise, matriarch of the family lived to be 95, surrounded by generations of the people she loved. It was on this compound where Nikki learned some of her first lessons about the elderly, community and companionship. She would go on to pursue a BA in Gerontology and an MBA in Healthcare Management from Quinnipiac University. With only a wish to learn more about the world, she entered the Peace Corps, working in Ethiopia. It was there that she observed “you don’t need a lot to make you happy” and that what she had learned on her family compound about caring for the elderly was true in Ethiopia as well. Nikki could see that Ethiopians kept their elderly close, protecting them inside multigenerational family homes until the day they died. These days, you’ll find Nikki doing what she loves as the Executive Director of a charity called LBFE or Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly www.lbfeboston.org. She is devoted to intergenerational programming and the organization’s mission to build communities and friendships between the old and the young. In this interview, Nikki shares some startling statistics about loneliness, the long-term effects of the pandemic on our oldest populations, and the priceless gifts of wisdom she has learned along the way from the elderly. Says Nikki: they’ve taught me that the sooner you learn to be your most authentic self, the sooner you stop caring what everyone else thinks, that is when your life begins.” #elderly #companionship #lbfeboston #peacecorps

If I can push my body to the limit physically, what can I do mentally in other parts of my life? -Kathleen Ralls, PhD We’re back with another season of stories about women doing great things with their lives. If you need a dose of get up and go, this episode is for you. Kathleen Ralls is a lifelong athlete who is also an award-winning educator, a high school sports coach and a Fullbright Scholar whose doctoral research on gender equity sports and voice empowerment brought her to 20 countries and 4 continents to gather crucial data from female athletes. In this interview, Kathleen shares her experiences working with and learning from girls in Ethiopia through the Girls Gotta Run Foundation. www.girlsgottarun.org. I asked here: what are the attributes at the heart of a champion female athlete? Why are athletes such great leaders? Where do they find their strength to bounce back after a loss? And what role does consistency play when it comes to performance both on the athletic field and in the workplace? Kathleen’s research into what makes female athletes tick is captured in her book: Take Her Word For It: Sports Cultivates World-Class Leaders. These days, you’ll find this exceptional woman sharing what she has learned in her own coaching practice centered on female empowerment and leadership training. www.kathleenralls.com. If you are an athlete, or the parent of a girl who is just starting her athletic journey, hit that download button. You’ll be glad you did. #title9 #leadership #empowerment

I’ve innately had this willingness, a fearlessness to challenge the people in charge and to not be afraid of power. -Jenn Abelson Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be an investigative reporter? In the spotlight, Jenn Abelson, reporter for The Washington Post and co-host of the new series, Broken Doors. www.washingtonpost/brokendoors. Born and raised on Long Island, New York, Jenn went to Cornell University and spent time abroad, working in Israel during violent times when her family worried about her safety. In this interview, we get a bird’s eye view into the psyche of an investigative reporter who is not afraid to look into the darkest corners to find the truth. A former member of the Boston Globe’s elite Spotlight team, Jenn is also the co-author of a memoir by Chessy Prout called I Have A Right To: A High School Survivor’s Story of Sexual Assault, Justice and Hope. These days, you’ll find Jenn headfirst into the art of storytelling with her podcast series Broken Doors which examines no-knock warrants. Her decision to be a part of the show is no surprise: “I like to do things that make me feel a little bit uncomfortable and not always take the path everyone else is taking.” For a look inside the world of a gifted writer and major market investigative reporter, take the risk and hit that download button. #washingtonpost #investigativereporter #noknockwarrant

If they didn’t let me in the front door, I was going to climb up the cellar stairs. -Sandra Goroff Sandy Goroff has spent 40 years shouting about her clients from the rooftops. In this interview, we turn the tables to talk about her incredible career as a publicist and photographer and the result is a tutorial on how to do it right. Sandy specializes in authors and their books, art, lifestyles, design and architecture, movies and museums. With plenty of chutzpah and little experience, she landed her first job as a publicist telling the story of Boston’s sidewalk artist known as “Sidewalk Sam”. Says Sandy: “The fact that I had no experience in the beginning of my career made me work and try that much harder.” Her next stop was the big time at Houghton Mifflin where she worked with A-listers like President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn Carter, world-renowned anthropologist Jane Goodall, Hollywood celebrities and children’s book authors Maurice Sendak and Margret Rey of Curious George fame. Born with an eye and an ear for a great story, Sandy worked with unknowns whose stories were so compelling, she took them on against all odds, selling millions of books along the way. A true believer in the power of relationships, Sandy created connections with every major network show and producer so that her clients got the best exposure. Her favorite connection was formed in 1986 when she worked on a book by Steven Callahan called Adrift: 76 Days Lost At Sea. Today, the book is about to be launched as a documentary, with Sandy credited as Unit Publicist and Associate Producer of the movie. www.76days.net. On a mission to bring the stories of others into the spotlight, in this interview, we learn that Sandra Goroff has a powerful story of her own to tell. www.sandragoroff.com. #storybehindhersuccess #pubicity #PR

I don’t really believe in obstacles. If there’s a wall, you get on top of it and start dancing -Elin Schran Meet Elin Schran, Founder of Joy Skate Productions: joyskateproductions.com. She’s passionate about making ice skating accessible to all and spends her days bringing specially designed camps and clinics to rinks that accommodate skaters of every age and every ability, including adaptive/therapeutic skating clinics. For this exceptional woman, ice skating= joy. You see, Elin is the daughter of Olympic Figure Skating Champion Tenley Albright who was the five-time National Champion, two-time World Champion, Silver Medalist at the 1952 Olympics in Oslo, Norway and the Gold Medalist at the Olympics in Cortina, Italy in 1956. In this interview, we hear Tenley’s inspiring story through her daughter’s loving eyes and learn that Elin was never pressured into figure skating. It’s just a sport she couldn’t resist. She loves the twirling, the precision, the feeling of freedom and act of flying through the air and it is this joy that she hopes to bring to others through Joy Skate Productions. Now a mother herself, Elin shares her experiences on the ice as a member of Dorothy Hamill’s Ice Capades, as the Founder of Boston Ice Theatre and co-founder of Frozen Frog Productions. She believes in manifesting your dreams and goals, which is something her mother taught her when she was growing up: “Put it out into the ether. Let it be, visualize it, and it’s going to happen.” In this episode, we come to know Elin as a woman who has spent her life on the ice, while shining her own light, crafting her own unique skating story. For 23 minutes of joy and inspiration on ice, just hit that download button! #joyskateproductions #storybehindhersuccess #figureskating

When you have a child with a heart defect, you live with fear every day. And yet, you have to live your life and you have to lean into hope. -Diane Pickles Diane Pickles admits that a little voice inside her head thought something might be wrong with the unborn child she was carrying. The year was 1994 and she and her husband William had a healthy three year old son at home when an ultrasound revealed that their baby had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, meaning that he had half a heart. Doctors suggested a late term abortion, but that was not an option for the couple. Instead: they picked option 2: a series of experimental surgeries which up until then, had shown little success. Today, their son Jake is 27, making him one of the oldest patients with this heart defect in the world. Diane has made it her life’s mission to assist and educate heart families and to forward research that maps genomes which cause congenital heart defects. The Program Director of Project Singular at Additional Ventures, she has also worked tirelessly for the American Heart Association, was appointed to the board of the Directors of the American Board of Pediatrics, and was a key player in successfully passing legislation to end smoking in restaurants. In this interview, Diane opens her heart to talk about what it’s like to lovingly raise a child with only half a heart. Born and raised in faith, Diane follows her father’s 10 Guidelines for Life which he wrote on his 70th birthday. Her favorite is #10: Share your gifts, be heard, give back. Says Diane: I have always believed that if I can make this path easier for someone else, I’m gonna do it. For 23 minutes of inspiration, just hit that download button. #heartdefects #specialneedschildren #humangenomes

I look at everyone on my team as a colleague. We’re all women, we’re all tough and we care. -Christine Buckley If you’ve ever had a really bad headache, the worst kind of headache that keeps you up at night and just won’t quit, keep listening because this episode just might save your life. All too often, severe headaches for women between the ages of 35-60 are all too often explained away as stress or misdiagnosed as migraines when they could be a sign of a brain aneurysm. Meet Christine Buckley, Executive Director of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation: www.bafound.org. Originally a volunteer for the organization, Christine has been running the charity for 16 years with humility, purpose and passion. In this interview, she shares the Brain Aneurysm Foundation’s “Scan to Save” Campaign including the 5 warning signs of a brain aneurysm: severe localized headache, nausea/vomiting, stiff neck, drooping eyelid, sensitivity to light and confusion. For a tutorial on how to recognize and act quickly on these symptoms, along with the inspiring career of an exceptional woman who is devoted to the health and service of others, just hit that download button. #brainaneurysmfoundation #womeninhealthcare #storybehindhersuccess

Work hard, play hard, enjoy every day and THINK BIG. -Candy Costas Get ready for a personal and career story that plays out like a roller coaster ride! In the spotlight, Candy Costas, RN. She’s the President & Co-Owner of Privatus, a private, upscale nursing company with 500 employees that spans five states and counting www.privatuscare.com. What we will learn in this story is that running a nursing company was never part of Candy’s plan. The decision was the result of a personal crisis that took her completely by surprise, rearranging her life in ways she never could have imagined. Like so many of the women who have shared their stories on this show, Candy got brave. Instead of wallowing in her grief, she stood on her own two feet and used her talents as a nurse and a skilled salesperson to create her next big chapter. Today, her personal life brings her great joy and so does her career, which is on fire. Check out her website: www.candycostas.com for a taste of Candy’s personal style. Follow Candy on Instagram: @candy_costas_style and find out what makes this outgoing 64 year old sparkle and shine 24/7. For any woman facing the loss of a marriage due to betrayal, this episode is the shot of confidence you need to step into your power and reclaim your life on your terms. #womanpower #nursing #fashion #style

What makes us different is that we lead with kindness. We lead with relationships first, and the business comes organically and naturally. -Melissa Gilbo & Amy Pocsik In the spotlight, two moms who were invited by a colleague to meet for coffee. That meeting would change Melissa Gilbo and Amy Pocsik’s lives because as they spoke and compared notes about their business careers, they realized what they lacked: a place at the table, a network of support, a community that would lift them up, and which they in turn could nurture and grow as well. It wasn’t long before they started meeting regularly and in 2018 Co-Founded the Women’s Business League www.womensbusinessleague.com which started out with 5 local chapters and and in just a few years has grown to 45 chapters nationwide. In this interview, the two discuss how they structured the organization based on kindness and connection, managed to inspire their members and grow during the pandemic, and that serving other women sets their hearts on fire. For a dose of keen business smarts and woman-power, hit that download button and please leave us a review.

Every day is a chance to make the world a more beautiful place. -Tanya Holton The Arnold Arboretum is a treasure to Boston. Established in 1872 it encompasses 281 acres of land owned by Harvard University in an area of Boston called Jamaica Plain. The Arnold Arboretum is filled with 15,500 individual plants and is a benchmark for similar institutions all across North America. In this interview, we meet Tanya Holton, Director of Institutional Advancement. It is her mission to keep this urban paradise top of min, so that donors will fund it and the public can continue to enjoy the Arboretum in all its glory, free of charge. Tanya is also a champion for women in horticulture and has spent most of her career in the non-profit space. She’s also the treasurer of the National MALS Foundation (we’ll find out why she is connected to this disease that affects women more than men in this interview) and in her spare time, does research on women and education in the 19th century. Sound interesting? Hit that download button. #arnoldarboretum #womeninhorticulture #storybehindhersuccess

Our children are borrowed. They are not ours. It is our duty, our role, our most important thing to empower them and raise them right. -Katie Wood The woman you are about to meet was a guest on The Story Behind Her Success in the summer of 2019. When we recorded her story, she was expecting her 4th child and that episode continues to be one of our most downloaded shows. The community of women who admire Katie Wood and consider her a wise coach and role model is quite stunning. A former school teacher, Katie has devoted her career to helping women reach their full potential through her vibrant social media presence, robust website: www.katielwood.com and inspiring public speaking platform. When Covid-19 caused families to go into lockdown in March of 2020, Katie joined millions of parents struggling to home school their children. The proud wife of a local firefighter and paramedic, Katie also endured the extra worry for her husband’s safety while he was on the front lines, providing treatment to patients on their way to emergency rooms. When Kate’s daughter saw her meditating one morning, she said “can you teach me how to have great mornings, too?” and in that moment, Kate’s next big project was hatched. She created A Simple Seed of Growth, Gratitude & Giggles. www.simpleseedjournal.com. Filled with 100 life lessons, the book is a 5 minute morning journal for kids. Recorded in Katie’s kitchen as her two year old son, Andrew played outside with his Dad, this breakthrough book might be exactly what you child needs to find peace, confidence and a new understanding that adversity can be a great teacher. Says Katie: “The goal of this journal is to bring families together, to connect them through beautiful conversations.” #podcast #thestorybehindhersuccess #asimpleseedjournal #gratitude

I have created for other women what I know I needed, which is a platform to be seen and to be heard and to be celebrated for being just who you are. -Kristie Dean We all know what it means to receive healing from medicine, but how do you mend a broken heart? How do you heal your soul? Enter Kristie Dean. The mother of three young girls and a gifted photographer, it wasn’t that long ago when she was sitting in a parking lot in tears, feeling like she had lost her way. Now the Founder & Director of The Soul Project in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, she is thriving in a community she created that inspires her and so many women, every single day. What started as a safe place where women could come together to tell their stories of struggle, triumph and hope has now expanded to include adolescent workshops and partnerships with survivor led organizations, all working in symphony to heal and empower women once caught up in prostitution and sex trafficking. The Soul Project also extends its heart and hands to widows, widowers and children who have lost a parent. Says Kristie: “Souls hang on to pain. We’re giving women a safe platform so that they can release that shame and pain and move on into their most empowered selves.”

Bad things can happen. Good things can happen. But how do you conduct yourself and I don’t mean putting on a facade. How do you take care of you? -Tara West Childhood trauma can linger for a lifetime. It can kill your self-confidence, leaving you to wonder if you are worth it. Or, it can ignite a fire, deep down inside and propel you to break free. Welcome to the life of Tara West www.tarawestfashion.com. Today, she is one of the nation’s most successful stylists and fashion bloggers, but it wasn’t so long ago that she was cleaning up broken, bloodly glass off the floor, calling 911, and trying to rescue her alcoholic mother from her self-destructive behavior. In truth, things got so bad that Tara ran for her life one night and never looked back. Buoyed by the love of her grandmother, her uncle and her 3rd grade teacher, she knew that she was an innocent child and that both her mother and her father had failed miserably as parents. In this interview, Tara speaks openly about a childhood that could have scared her forever. She chronicles how she broke free from her mother, how she made her way in life despite the odds, how she loves being the mother of three, and is enjoying her career as an in-demand stylist, fashionista and podcaster. Says Tara: “Don’t wait for opportunity. Create opportunity. “ #fashion #stylist #fashionblogger

It’s our duty as humans to help humans. Beyond anything, we as people owe it to these innocent lives to help them in their time of need. - Ilana Pavlotsky It’s been hard to watch the news lately. The war in Ukraine gets worse by the hour, with thousands dead, including innocent children. I’ve been looking for a woman to profile who knows first-hand what is happening on the ground in Ukraine, someone who will share what she knows, openly, and from the heart so that we as women, can come together to help in any way we can. And as if by magic, an email from a listener pointed me toward Ilana Pavlotsky. Born and raised in a suburb outside of Boston, she is a proud first generation Ukrainian American Jew. Her father is from Odessa and her mother is from a town outside of Kiev. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Ilana watched her parents weep with despair, knowing that it was her duty to do what she could to make a difference. Together with her brother Daniel and her sister-in-law Brianna, Ilana is the co-founder of Boston Aide For Ukraine. www.bostonaideforukraine.com and the small but mighty non-profit raised 50,000 dollars in it’s first week on social media, sending 1,000 pounds of life saving supplies into Ukraine itself, plus Poland and Romania where thousands and thousands of Ukrainians are seeking safety. A registered nurse by profession, Ilana is putting her medical knowledge to work while never forgetting her heritage as a Ukrainian Jew and the grandchild of Holocaust survivors. For a dose of inspiration and faith in the power of the human spirit, hit that download button. #ukraine.

Did I change somebody’s life or change somebody’s day or help somebody to survive cancer because of this song that was just a joy to write? That’s everything. -Lindy Robbins Have you ever wondered what it would be like to write hit songs for a living? For this interview, I’m on the road, just outside of Los Angeles for an interview with multi-platinum selling and award-winning songwriter, Lindy Robbins. She started singing at three and later got her start as a singer in a vocal group, touring the country, selling out shows and even singing at Carnegie Hall. When Lindy realized that writing songs for the group was more satisfying than singing them, she shifted her focus to songwriting and has been a success story ever since. With mega hits for the Backstreet Boys, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo, and dozens more, Lindy is at the top of her game. Recorded in her backyard garden, this interview reveals not only what it takes to write a hit song, but how to achieve longevity in a business that few survive. As she begins writing her first musical, Lindy is in high gear to write the next great songs. For a glimpse into the career of a high energy, gifted hit songwriter, you know what to do: hit that download button!

I tell the parents of special needs children: your child can do more than you think. Unleash all of their possibilities and find people who also believe in what they can do. -Debby Sabin It’s been 7 years since I’ve interviewed Debby Sabin. She is a licensed Occupational Therapist and the Founder of Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding Program. A not for profit therapeutic riding program serving disabled children from 3 years old to young adults, Lovelane is a place where children with disabilities find freedom, joy and renewed confidence while learning to ride horses. Founded in 1988 at a little stable in Weston, Massachusetts called Love Lane, Debby got her start with a skeleton staff, a couple of horses, and about 5 students per week. Today, Lovelane is a state of the art riding facility in Lincoln, Massachusetts designed specifically for children with special needs. The program serves 130 students per week with 19 staff members, 197 volunteers and 12 horses. www.lovelane.org. After 31 years as the Executive Director & Program Director of Lovelane, Debby now serves on the board of directors, but continues to teach the children who she says have taught her more about possibility, courage and life than we can ever imagine. Says Debby: “Make sure you are honest to your true north. Your passion, your purpose, what you love. Always count your blessings. “ For a look at the miracles that happen every day at Lovelane, check out their YouTube channel: Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding. #lovelane #occupationaltherapy #horses

We are tenants for a lifetime and this castle is a wonderful lesson for us, because we are just here for a short lifetime, far shorter than the cedar trees or the oak trees. We’re just trying not to muck it up! -Lady Fiona Carnarvon This week’s story is steeped in history, including a certain castle named Highclere which you may have seen on the famous series, Downton Abbey. It is also a rare glimpse into the life of British royalty. Lady Fiona Carnarvon is the 8th Countess of Carnarvon and the accomplished author of many books including her latest: Seasons at Highclere. Originally built on this site 1200 years ago, the 5000 acre English estate includes ancient trees, an orangery, a working farm, horses and 7 dogs. Living here and preserving the history of the place is a passion and a calling for Lady Carnarvon and her husband, the Earl of Carnarvon who see themselves as stewards of the land. In this interview, she takes us through her early life, which was shaped for she and her sisters by the loss of their mother and father. Educated at St. Andrew’s University, Lady Fiona Carnarvon has a degree in accounting. She takes us through meeting her husband, becoming a Countess and a stepmother, the birth of her son, Edward, and her philosophy around how to handle obstacles in life. In this episode Lady Fiona Carnarvon also tells the story about how she discovered a secret, handwritten recipe for gin which would become the award-winning Highclere Castle Gin, made from botanicals grown on the estate and distilled in England’s oldest gin distillery. For a rare glimpse into the life of a British Countess, hit that download button as quick as you can. #downtonabbey #highclerecastle #highclerecastlegin

Hippies sat around on the oval all day, throwing frisbees and sniffing flowers. Radicals put their asses on the line. -Nancy Newman In this episode, we meet a woman who entered Ohio State in 1967 with a goal of becoming a sorority sister and within one year, became a radical, fiercely protesting the Vietnam War and supporting the Black Panthers. Nancy Newman was a senior, majoring in journalism when college campuses erupted on May 4, 1970 following the Kent State Massacre which left 4 students dead and many injured. Soon after, she was hit in the head with a brick during a demonstration that got out of control. A picture of her being carried out of the angry crowd was all over the news, including the famous CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. In this interview, Nancy tells us what happened next and in her candid story, we hear the words of a woman who felt things so deeply, she put her life and her freedom on the line. Her life’s path led her toward a 40 year career in social work, where she specialized in family therapy and then taught at the college level in Canada. Now retired and living in California, Nancy has a Masters Degree in Fine Arts and is writing her memoir. If you lived through it, or if you’ve ever wondered what college life was like in the late 60’s and early 1970’s when bell bottom jeans, love beads, peace signs, psychedelic drugs, and the Vietnam War defined an entire generation, just hit that download button because this episode is for you. #OhioState #KentStateMassacre #VietnamWar

I may have created this, but I wouldn’t be here 10 years later if it wasn’t for the support of hundreds of thousands of families from around the country who sit down with their kids and take a few minutes to explain gratitude and giving something to someone you will never meet.  -Emily Spencer This week’s story takes us to Florida where we meet Emily Spencer, the Founder & President of Heartillery Group, heartillerygroup.org, a non-profit with a simple mission: to spread love and gratitude for those who serve through cards, letters and gift boxes. A graduate of Manhattan College with a master degree from Harvard in Operation Management, Emily has spent her career as an advocate for soldiers, veterans, and their families. The proud wife of a former United States Army captain who served two tours in Afghanistan and one in Kuwait, she knows only too well the toll a deployment takes not just on troops but on their families. And then, there are our veterans who we must never forget…and to whom we owe so much. For over 10 years, Emily has been growing her non-profit by creating community based strategic partnerships in order to enhance fundraising efforts and to build robust services for our nation’s troops, veterans, and families. In this interview, Emily shares how far Heartillery Group has come and what this noble work means to her. #military #veterans #heartillerygroup #valentinesforveterans

I don’t know anything else except loving what I do. -Marcie Mills For this interview, we’re in Palm Springs, California, at the Ocotillo Lodge. Built by Gene Autry, “the singing cowboy” in 1948, this legendary location was once a playground for movie stars like Lucille Ball, Doris Day, and Marilyn Monroe. And it’s here that we are talking to Marcie Mills, a radio sales pro from Boston who took her career to a whole new level when she made the move to Los Angeles 20 years ago to run radio sales departments for CBS and Clear Channel. When we met back in 1993, Marcie was the Director of National Sales for Greater Media’s Magic 106.7/WMJX and there was just something about her. She had a contagious energy then and she still does now. A senior sales executive for Pandora since 2009, Marcie has taken her love for terrestrial radio into the digital space where she sees endless opportunities, not just for advertisers, and listeners, but for those who create the music. Born and raised in a blue collar family with 6 children and 1 bathroom, this exceptional woman shares the values her parents taught her, including a tireless work ethic rooted in a love for what you do, a responsibility to vote, and a moral compass that has pointed her toward the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles.

If you want to be successful, start by making your bed and getting up in the morning. Keep showing up. If you just keep showing up, good things will happen. -Pam Lewis Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be a publicist to the stars? This week, I’m taking you to Music Row in Nashville to meet Pam Lewis, one of the PR queens of country music. Born and raised in upstate New York, she attended Wells College and studied abroad to attend a program associated with The Sorbonne University. One of her very first jobs out of college took her to New York City where she was part of the original publicity and marketing team for MTV and sister channels Nickelodeon, the Movie Channel and A&E. In this interview, you’ll hear about her decision to accept a job that meant moving to Nashville, where she knew nothing about country music. She would transition to RCA records where she helped to shape the careers of stars like Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, The Judds & Alabama. Her partnership with Bob Doyle in 1987 formed Doyle/Lewis Management and their first client was an unknown artist from Oklahoma named Garth Brooks. In addition to her work with Garth, Pam helped Trisha Yearwood land her first record deal. The dissolution of her business relationship with Garth Brooks is well documented, and so is her determination and tenacity to get back on her feet through PLAMedia, Pam’s thriving PR and marketing agency. For a birds-eye view into the life of a trailblazing female powerhouse, just hit that download button. #PR #countrymusic #trailblazers #entrepreneurs

There absolutely still exists the “maternal wall bias” in the medical culture. It’s implicit, not overt, but it happens, every single day. -Tamara Chang, MD. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, female doctors are 40% more likely to leave medicine completely or go to part-time practice within 6 years of completing their residencies. In this episode, we’re zooming with Pediatric Hematology & Oncology physician Tamara Chang who explains why this is happening and what she is doing about it. The co-founder of www.pinkcoatmd.com and co-author of How to Thrive As a Woman Physician, Tammie attended Brown University for her undergraduate and medical degrees. Now practicing in Tacoma, Washington, she is a tireless advocate for the needs of female physicians who often stretch themselves very thin as they try to juggle their responsibilities to their families, along with the needs of their patients. A first generation American, Tammie’s parents came to the United States from Taiwan, filling her up with the importance of education. As the daughter of an opera singer and a physician, Tammie admits she can’t remember a time when she hasn’t been driven to achieve. Her advice to young docs, including the importance of putting your oxygen mask on first before caring for others, combined with stories of her early life as a concert pianist make this an episode worthy of your download! www.tammiechangmd.com

The first time I went up in the air, people said: “when you come down, you’re going to get bitten by this bug” and I completely understood. It’s such an incredible feeling seeing the world from a different perspective, so I knew I had to pursue this. -Emma Anderson She’s 20 years old now, but five years ago, Emma Anderson shared her passion for aviation and for learning how to fly an airplane someday with her mother, Tina. Instead of discouraging her daughter, Tina helped her fulfill this dream. In this episode, Emma tells the story about her first time “up in the air” at 15 and the fear/joy of getting her pilot’s license, along with her first solo flight. When the opportunity presented itself to purchase their town’s local flight center this mother and daughter joined forces and are now co-owners of the Beverly Flight Center in Beverly, MA. This is a story about the connection between a mother and her daughter, and it is proof that the best thing we can do for our children is to support their dreams, and in this case, give them wings to fly. Says mom Tina, “we’re trying to get more women in aviation. Right now, only 4% of all pilots are female and we’re trying to grow that number. “ Amen, sisters. Hit that download button for some mother/daughter magic.