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Success isn’t grades, money, or status.  It’s fulfillment, joy, and kindness that come together to allow you to live your best life. –  Colleen Esposito

Welcome back to part 2 of my interview with my daughter, Colleen Esposito, co-author of Nelson’s Garden and our follow-up children’s book, Nelson’s Garden & the Free Little Flower Stand.  It’s been a joy to ask my daughter the same kinds of questions I ask every woman who is a guest on the show and to hear her wise, thoughtful, and sometimes sassy answers.  After all, Colleen is the “Queen of Sass”, a nickname given to her decades ago by her Godmother, who recognized her chutzpah early on.  Colleen is the kind of person who figures out how to make the best of any situation, evidenced by her determination to become the family cook at 10 when she made her first Thanksgiving meal.  In this interview, we extend our gratitude to the village that raised Colleen and her brother, Christopher, as well as her grandfather, fondly known as “Bapa,”  who stepped in to take care of them every day after school.  In this interview, Colleen shares what happened to her at 20 when she fell asleep at the wheel and almost died.  “I had a moment of being unsure if I was dead or alive, or in this weird in-between place where I could see myself, I could see the car, but I was away from it, watching it all.”   From stories about what it was like to sleep on the newsroom floor when I started my career in major market radio, to finding true love and becoming the mother of two precious daughters herself, this interview is a tribute to the enduring power of the mother-daughter connection. #daughter #family #childrensbookauthor #gardening

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Getting a book published is not for the faint of heart. It’s kind of heartbreaking because you have this book you’ve poured your heart and soul into, and you’re hoping readers will love it, too. -Colleen Esposito

I’ve wanted to introduce my daughter, Colleen, to you for the longest time, and here she is!   Recorded from the window seat in her home just outside of Boston, part 1 of this interview focuses on the process of writing our illustrated children’s book series, Nelson’s Garden www.nelsonsgarden.com.   Colleen and I met Nelson McNutt when she was growing up.  He lived in a falling-down farmhouse in Weston, Massachusetts, and we’d see him working in his garden every morning on our way to summer camp.  One morning, Colleen asked if we could pull over and say hello. Nelson tipped his hat and said, “Top of the morning to you.”  Colleen recalls, “You and I had this telepathy idea swap and said to ourselves:  That sounds like a storybook character!” Years passed, and we filed this experience away, only to recall it decades later.

Co-authoring a series about a garden has inspired Colleen to become a gardener herself.   This year, she and her husband Ben have expanded their backyard garden to include 10 raised beds, a fence to keep the critters out, and veggies and flowers in every color of the rainbow.   Quite an accomplishment for a girl who had no interest in this kind of “get your hands dirty” work when she was growing up!   These days, she’s surrounding herself with research that shows flowers make you feel good, and the microbes in the soil keep your body healthy.  Fascinating, right?

The journey toward motherhood was not without its challenges, and in this interview,  Colleen speaks candidly about the two-year road toward conceiving her first child, Elizabeth Ray, whose nickname is Belle.  A PR pro at a top 5 advertising agency in Boston, Colleen is a lifelong reader with a unique writing style of her own.  “I write how I talk, says Colleen, and I didn’t realize until I was in college that my style was okay. One of my college professors told me it’s very honest, refreshing,  and easy to understand.  When you are given permission from someone you respect, it’s very freeing.”   In this interview, she shares the joy the series brings to Belle and Rosie, who join Nelson as the stars of our series.    “Lastsummer, we were drowning in flowers, and the girls and I started snipping them and putting them in jars by the side of the road.”   This act of kindness inspired book two in our series: Nelson’s Garden & the Free Little Flower Stand, scheduled for release in September 2025.   Says Colleen:  “This idea of giving away something that makes people happy is a real cool gift.”  #writer #childrensbooks #kindness #flowers #veggies

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They always say, you can’t choose your sister, but I would choose mine. – Linda Wong Chu

If you are ever visiting the Boston area and you need a hot tip for the best Chinese food around, the family-owned Kowloon is the place to go! We’re on the road to Saugus, Massachusetts, for this episode, and you better believe there will be a takeout bag of Kowloon delishiousness beside me in the passenger seat! Purchased by William & Madeline Wong in 1958, the Kowloon was first named the Mandarin and was owned by Madeline’s parents. The restaurant was small with seating for about 40 customers, but the Wongs had big ideas and their vision would catapult the Kowloon to legendary status with 1200 seats, five themed rooms, and the distinction of being one of the premier multi-concept dining establishments in the United States. What’s it like to grow up in the hard-working Wong family? Former school teacher Linda Wong is the eldest of the six children, and in this interview, she and her little sister Lisa who manages the Maui Restaurant in Brockton, Massachusetts sit down in the restaurant that shaped them to share not only the success story of their grandparents and parents, but the ingredients that make up the perfect formula for achievement: Says Lisa: “I used to believe that success meant work, work, work, work, work. Now, I know that you have to have a really happy family life to be successful.“ #chineserestaurant #entrepreneur #sisters #asianculture #family

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A good outfit can make you feel confident.  Uncommon Threads is a non-profit that boosts the self-esteem of low-income women through the power of clothes.  We focus on dignity and respect. -Susan Kanoff

Meet Susan Kanoff, style blogger, influencer, and Founder of uncommonthreads.org. A life-long fashionista with a heart of gold, she has spent her career helping women feel better about themselves with an innovative “outside-in, inside-out” approach.  For 25 years, Susan ran a self-sufficiency program funded by HUD and designed to move people out of poverty. Along the way, she started blogging about her passion for clothes and became the style editor for a magazine, gathering high-profile women in media who sought her styling advice. Many of her clients had high-end clothes to donate, and it wasn’t long before Susan’s office started looking like a boutique. In 2016, Uncommon Threads was born, and low-income, single moms became the grateful beneficiaries of beautiful clothing that, in turn, boosted their self-esteem. The mission of Uncommon Threads is simple:  to boost women’s self-esteem through the power of clothes. Originally housed in a 400-square-foot room at an old mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the non-profit has spread its wings in the same mill, helping 15,000 women so far. Women ages 18- 65+ receive an appointment and are treated to their own personal wardrobe stylist. Susan has also created Uncommon Closet, a social enterprise where donated designer clothing is sold to benefit Uncommon Threads. It’s a “shop to give” philosophy that’s win-win for everyone. Says Susan: “There’s something very special about women helping women. We have a sisterhood, a connection. Watching a client transform, right there in the mirror, is magical!” For 23 minutes of shop ‘til you drop inspiration, just hit that download button! @TheMidlifeFashionista 

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My daughter Dalia taught me about courage, sweetness, patience, and love. I am who I am because of her.  We were meant to be together. -Jessica Fein

Welcome to part two of my interview with Jessica Fein, author of Breath Taking:  A Memoir of Family, Dreams and Broken Genes.    Jess and her husband, Rob, adopted three children from Guatemala.  When their daughter, Dalia, began exhibiting balance issues and speech delays, genetic testing revealed a devastating diagnosis of MERRF Syndrome, a degenerative disease that affects the mitochondria and has no cure.  In this interview, Jess shares what life was like for her family, and the story is equal parts love and fear of the future. From age 9 to her death at 17, Dalia was an “eyes on patient,” which meant that either a parent or a specially trained medical professional had to have eyes on her 24/7.   Dalia couldn’t swallow and required a tracheotomy, which meant she was also on a ventilator.  She could not speak and was fed through a tube.  Dalia couldn’t walk and required a wheelchair.   As she got older and was completely bedridden, she lost her ability to move and couldn’t communicate at all, including pointing, nodding, or even mouthing words.  At the core of this interview is Jessica’s powerful life philosophy that “joy and sorrow can hold hands.”   Says Jess:   “Dalia showed me that we can be going through what feels like a horror movie and laugh and create meaning and joy.  We tried to have fun in any way we could, and she was leading that charge.   She wanted to be a kid, and we were going to give that to her. We all learned that it’s okay to laugh, to smile, and to be happy. The joy we created became even more powerful because of the sorrow we had.”  Hit that download button as fast as you can. Jessica’s story is overflowing with the power of love.  www.jessicafeinstories.com #motherhood #rarediseases #resiliency #family.

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We spent five years trying to have a baby and then decided to make the switch from baby making to family making – Jessica Fein

We’re back in my cozy living room for this episode of The Story Behind Her Success. I’m learning that when you’re sitting on a comfy couch with the fire going, the time you spend together feels more like a chat between friends and less like a formal interview. An author, marketing executive, and former opinion columnist for the Boston Globe, Jessica Fein’s book, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams and Broken Genes, will give you new reasons to believe in the resiliency of the human spirit. In Part One of this interview, Jessica tells the story of how she and her husband, Rob, spent five years trying to have a baby. When nothing worked, they turned to adoption, and were so overjoyed with their decision, they wondered why they hadn’t made it sooner. Over the next few years, the couple welcomed three beautiful babies into their home, all of whom were from Guatemala. It was baby heaven with Jonah, Dalia, and Theo for a while, until the little voice inside Jessica’s head got louder and louder. Call it a hunch, or mother’s intuition, but Jessica knew that something just wasn’t right with Dalia. As a toddler, she fell down a lot, and her speech was delayed. Repeated tests by early intervention experts showed that Dalia was on the lower end of normal, but as time went by, Jessica persisted. Finally, Dalia’s hearing was tested and showed moderate hearing loss. Now in kindergarten, Dalia had hearing aids, but continued falling down. Since she was adopted, doctors suggested that Dalia undergo genetic testing, and the result was devastating. Five-year-old Dalia was diagnosed with a degenerative, rare disease with no cure called MERFF, which impacts the ability of the body’s organs to function. MERFF is degenerative and has no cure. 2 children in 1 million will get this disease, and Dalia had yet another layer of the disease, making her 1 of only six known cases in the world. With this news, Jessica and her family began a journey filled with overwhelming fear, sorrow, and a belief that in life, we must find reasons to laugh in order to capture joy wherever we can. For a 21-minute story that will leave you breathless, just hit that download button. #rarediseases #motherhood #storytelling #adoption

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There were two flashes of white light at my feet, like quick fireworks, and then everything went black.  My brain knew that my right leg was beyond repair.  -Roseann Sdoia Materia

April 15, 2013: That’s the day the bombs went off at the Boston Marathon finish line.  This is the story of an innocent bystander who lost her right leg when the second bomb went off in front of the Forum Restaurant. Roseann Sdoia Materia’s life would be saved that day by three people who stepped into the smoke and mayhem to save her life:  college student Shores Salter, Boston police officer Shana Cottone, and Boston firefighter Mike Matteria risked their lives to help her, and their story is told in Roseann’s memoir:  Perfect Strangers:  Friendship, Strength and Recovery After Boston’s Worst Day.  Originally released as part of this series in 2018, the interview brings the listener into the events of that day, when brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev unleashed a terror attack using homemade pressure cooker bombs planted near the Boston Marathon finish line, killing three people and injuring 264.  Days later, the brothers would also kill MIT police officer Sean Collier. Treated by trauma surgeon Daniel King, MD at Mass General, Roseann explains how fortunate she was to have a doctor who had experienced treating soldiers wounded by IEDs during his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.  Beyond the details of what happened on that fateful day, Roseann’s story is a profile in courage as she struggled to accept the loss of her leg and a new reality as an amputee.  Says Roseann, “Courage is getting up every day and facing the world. Some days you have it and some days, you don’t. “  The founder of robostrong.com, she is an in-demand public speaker, an advocate for amputees everywhere, and a supporter of the many charities that have been born out of the bombings.  The friendships Roseann forged with those who rescued her remain strong. In fact, Roseann married firefighter Mike Materia!  For 23 minutes of strength, courage, community, and the resiliency of the human spirit, just hit that download button.  #bostonmarathonbombings #bostonmarathon #bostonstrong #massgeneralhospital#spauldingrehab 

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We are on a mission to inspire and empower children and families to discover, imagine, and grow together.  -ErinGallagher

The living room edition of the series continues with an interview with Erin Gallagher, a young mother of three who teamed up with a friend and neighbor to create the Children’s Museum of Franklin.  www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org.  What started as a dream in the summer of 2023 has become a reality, with the grand opening scheduled for the summer of 2025.  Consider this proof positive that if you want to get something done, give it to two busy moms!  Housed in a former AGWAY home and garden space, the state-of-the-art children’s museum will be overflowing with exhibits to engage and inspire children of all ages.  Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Erin says she found her confidence and purpose rowing crew on the river near her childhood home and later as a member of the crew team at Boston College.  A dedicated community leader, marketing and communications professional, and passionate advocate for children and families, Erin has combined her desire to create an inspiring space for children with her experiences in multiple industries, with the hope of connecting families throughout the region. In this interview, Erin shares her belief that having a vision is everything:  “Your creativity and your ability to envision what something could be like can be so powerful, and it can take you so far.”   For 23 minutes of empowerment, just hit that download button.  #childrensmuseum #education #community 

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Being a scientist is a way of looking at the world, and asking the question ‘why’ without your own pre-conceived notions. I’ve learned that it’s also a great way of doing business. -Julia Wrin Piper

How do you go from scientist to CEO? Meet Julia Wrin Piper. She’s got degrees in Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, and Evolutionary Biology from UC/Berkeley, the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences, and Harvard University, and she’s using years of scientific training to forward the mission of Clover, a Boston-area fast casual chain specializing in local, seasonal sandwiches and bowls. www.cloverfoodlab.com. Clover’s mission is to significantly reduce carbon emissions through the creation of delicious, sustainably-sourced, plant-based fast food. Says Julia: “We take beautiful food that people are familiar with, and reinvent it with 100% locally sourced vegetarian ingredients. We want you to love your veggies so much, you dream about them.” Clover’s Cambridge-based culinary experts work directly with farmers in the region. Born and raised in California’s Bay Area, Julia’s mom is a virologist who was at the forefront of HIV research and continued to offer her scientific expertise during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her father was a stay-at-home dad for many years before taking a job as an educator. Now a mother herself, Julia deeply appreciates the home she grew up in: “It was like no other. My mom was my role model, and having my father at home gave us a wonderful and very different perspective. What does the future look like for Clover under Julia’s leadership? Chances are, there will be a Clover near you as the company eyes expansion beyond Massachusetts. “Being a scientist is a way of looking at the world, asking the question ‘why’ without your own pre-conceived notions. I’ve learned that it’s also a great way of doing business. For 23 minutes with a woman who makes science yummy and fun, just hit that download button. #scientist #veggies #climatechange #STEM #local #carbonfootprint

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The Amalfi Coast is a dream place, and when I saw it for the first time, something shifted in me.  I knew I had to live there.   -Lauren Birmingham

Born into an Italian-American family of great chefs, Lauren Birmingham has an innate love of food and family.   As a child growing up in Cranston, Rhode Island, she spent hours swinging in a hammock under a cherry tree,  reading the classics.  This fascination with reading, combined with her passion for travel, inspired Lauren to explore Europe as an adult.  On a trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast, she came around a corner in her Fiat 500 and couldn’t believe her eyes.   “Thecolor of the houses built into the mountains was like confetti.  They were the prettiest pink, blue, and yellow, and the color of the Tyrrhenian Sea was an unmatchable shade of blue. It’s a magical place, unlike any I’d ever seen in my life.”  From that moment, Lauren came back to Positano as often as she could,  running her PR business from a rented studio while developing her Cooking Vacations Italy culinary tour company.   cooking-vacations.com.  Along the way, she met and married an Italian race car driver named Rino Piscitelli.  At the top of her career,  she decided to write a cookbook that would include the recipes of 5-star Michelin Chef Andrea Migliaccio and become a 360-page labor of love.  Says Lauren:  “ It took years to travel around the Amalfi Coast and Capri, interviewing in Italian and then translating into English, plus the recipes had to be translated from metric to imperial.”  Aptly named It’s A Dream Place: Stories & Recipes of Food, Love & the Amalfi Coast, this interview with Lauren will set your compass toward the next flight to Italy!   #amalficoast #italy #food #michelinchef