Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:27 — 20.5MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeartRadio | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

I had a trader pour tequila on my head because I wouldn’t kiss him in the middle of the trading floor. To react to that would have been career suicide on Wall Street in the 1990’s, so I laughed it off and grew some pretty thick skin. -Jill Fopiano

Making her way in the financial world has been quite a ride for Jill Fopiano. She never really got used to being the only female at the table, but she always did her best to be heard, even when she was mistaken for a secretary. As the years passed, she added designations and credentials to her name like CFA, CFP and an MBA from Yale. The goal was to demand the same level of respect given to her male counterparts. Armed with the wisdom that comes from real world experience, Jill made the move to O’Brien Wealth Partners LLC as a Principal. In 2016, she became the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and majority owner of the all-female owned firm. One of her missions is to break down the “Money Taboo” which is the idea that it is impolite or improper for women to talk about money. Jill’s aim is to create an environment where women are financially confident and empowered. Says Jill: “we don’t hide behind mahogany walls, leather briefcases and power suits. We sit on the same side of the table as our clients.” The single mom of two sons, there is no such thing as the work/family balance for this powerhouse. No stranger to long work days, there are times when she runs to her son’s baseball games in a black dress and red heels, just in time to stand-in as a third base coach. A member of the Women’s President’s Organization, Jill is committed to mentoring and advancing women owned businesses in the Boston area and beyond. Her top 5 secrets for balancing career, family and self include this pearl of wisdom: “On your worst or hardest days, wear your best tutu.” Right on, Jill. #womeninfinance  #storybehindhersuccess  #singlemoms

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:38 — 20.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeartRadio | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

Nobody in the dressing room at Shear Madness knew that I was the co-producer. I just wanted to be a part of the cast and the camaraderie! -Marilyn Abrams

This is the story of a woman who has not only used her creative talents as a singer and an actress, but has gone outside her skillset and comfort zone to produce and market a theatre production. Meet Marilyn Abrams, the co-creator and co-producer of Shear Madness, the hilarious and endearing whodunit launched in Boston at the Charles Theatre way back in 1980. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running play in the history of theatre in the United States, the play has launched 50 production companies, been translated into 27 languages and seen by 12.5 million people around the world. Not bad for a play that was originally 4 pages long! Raised in the Bronx, New York, Marilyn always loved to act and sing. A student at the Bronx School of Science, she held her own, but never excelled in math or chemistry. One day at an assembly, Marilyn’s teachers discovered her love of the stage and created moments for her to shine. They also wrote glowing recommendations for Marilyn to attend Cornell where she continued to thrive. Marilyn met fellow actor Bruce Jordan playing summer stock in Lake George, New York and the two actors would go on to co-create and co-produce Shear Madness. This effort took time and patience, and originally, Marilyn was committed only to an 8 week run playing the role of Barbara deMarco. She soon realized that someone had to figure out how to sell tickets and market the play in order for it to succeed. Marilyn figured out early on that word of mouth, and relationships within the Boston area would eventually grow the production, and she was right. “We were told to give up, that nothing plays in Boston in the summertime. A little light bulb went off and we said: great, we’ll be the only show in town.” At one point, Marilyn got on a bike and dropped off playbills herself to every hotel in the city. As Shear Madness celebrates 40 years on stages worldwide, we celebrate the accomplishments of Marilyn Abrams: wife, mother, singer, actress, producer and force of nature! #storybehindhersuccess  #shearmadness40  #whodunit  #womenintheatre

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:28 — 21.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeartRadio | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

Walking into a book store is like being surrounded by friends.
-Nandini Bajpai

Meet a woman who wrote her first story in the second grade and has been writing them ever since! Born in New Delhi to a mother and father who encouraged both written expression AND the fine art of conversation around the dinner table, Nandini Bajpai has written 5 books for children and tweens. www.nandinibajpai.com. Her latest book: A Match Made in Mehendi is about a young girl who has inherited the ancient gift of being a matchmaker. Published by Little Brown & Company, the book marks the author’s U.S. debut. In this interview, Nandini shares her determination to include the people and rich culture of her native India in all of her books, saying “when I was growing up, there were no stories for kids like me. I wanted to change that for my own kids.” Once a systems analyst and a bookseller, Nandini has also traveled the world and is a big believer in the lessons we learn from every job and every chapter in our lives. The journey a writer takes from idea to publication is also explored in this interview. She credits her mother’s sage advice when faced with life’s inevitable obstacles, roadblocks and disappointments: “Keep going. It’s almost like Dori in Finding Nemo. Keep Swimming. Never give up.”  #tweenauthors   #matchmaking   @BWME    #storybehindhersuccess    #16LifeLessons    #mydoveproductions