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I want people to remember Greta Bajrami: the girl who was an immigrant, a teenage parent, the woman who made it in an industry that not many women are welcomed into. That’s what fuels me every day. -Greta Bajrami, CEO & Founder, Golden Group Roofing

Welcome to the inspiring story of a girl from war torn Albania who came to the United States when she was only 9 years old. Greta and her parents settled in Worcester, Massachusetts where she enrolled in public school knowing only one word: pizza! Her mother had been a Chief ER surgeon in Albania and while Greta excelled in school, she set about re-training herself to meet rigorous U.S medical standards. The message in her home was clear: sacrifices have been made to get us here. Work hard and honor your family. At only 17, Greta and her steady boyfriend learned they were expecting a baby. They stayed in school, graduated and began their lives together. Disappointed in their daughter’s behavior, Greta’s proud parents let her know that she was on her own. In this episode, Greta doesn’t sugar coat the life of teenage parent. Determined to get their college degrees, Greta and her husband Freddie organized their classes at Worcester State College so that they could also care for their daughter. When there was no heat in the house, they covered their baby in blankets and wore extra clothes themselves. But deep down inside, Greta thought she was a loser who had let her parent’s down. At 21, she saw an ad on Craig’s List for a roofing foreman that paid $300.00 a day. She reasoned that her family desperately needed the money and that if she put her mind to it, she could learn to do the job. Greta was hired that day. After spending three years as a roofing foreman, Greta and her husband took a giant leap of faith and founded Golden Group Roofing where she has innovated the construction process, elevated the customer experience, and brought pride and dignity to her workers. Considered a trailblazer in her industry, Greta is a role model for any young woman who finds herself at a crossroads. Looking back on her life as a teen parent, Greta says “I don’t know how we did it. I think in life when we’re put in very tough circumstances, the best comes out of it. We become super-heroes. We have so much strength…we don’t even know where it came from!” #womeninconstruction #inspiringstories #storybehindhersuccess

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Imagine being in commercial real estate during a pandemic. Retail stores, restaurants, bars and businesses are closed. Pretty scary, don’t you think? Meet Ann Ehrhart. Her colleagues call her the “master distiller” because she is able to listen, process information, articulate goals, take action, and solve problems. These days, Ann is using her skills 24/7 as she and her business partner help their clients navigate an unprecedented health crisis. A recognized leader in Boston’s commercial real estate industry, Ann launched Boston Urban Partners in 2010 with Jonathan Dutch. Together they have grown the firm into one of the region’s most successful real estate companies, facilitating close to 2 billion dollars in transactions. In 2019, Ann and JD took another leap of faith when they joined forces with architect Deniz Ferendeci to open Boston Urban Places. In this interview, Ann recalls her childhood in St. Louis, and her tight knit family where the message was always “to whom much is given, much is expected.” An accomplished equestrian, Ann says her competitive spirit has helped her win business and stay confident in a male dominated field. “I think one of the biggest keys to success is wanting something…being willing to get your butt kicked and to get back up and show up everyday.” A devoted wife to husband Andrew and mother of one year old Harrison, Ann is no stranger to the balancing act women in the workplace experience every single day. Her climb to the top and her perspective about what really matters in life will inspire you. Suggestion: download this episode and play it whenever you feel like you need a push in the right direction from someone who believes in taking chances! #womenincommercialrealestate #womenleaders #wereallinthistogether

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I come from a long line of working women. It wasn’t a matter of learning to have confidence, it was a matter of learning to work hard to get what one wanted and I knew that I would work hard to get whatever I wanted. -Joyce Kulhawik

Joyce Kulhawik is a trailblazer for women in the arts. As the first full-time arts reporter/critic in the United States, she broke down barriers for women in television and made it her mission to promote the importance of the arts in our lives. Raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut by loving, hard working parents, Joyce was the organist and soloist for her church, danced ballet, was the president of her senior class, and had no fear of public speaking. But Joyce says: “I just didn’t know what to do with all of that!” Always a “talker”, Joyce loved words, great writing, literature and critical points of view. When it came time to go to college, she double majored in Literature and Education and began a career as a high school english teacher that lasted about two years. She left her position with no other job to go to because she knew that teaching was not for her. The story of how Joyce ended up on television is two parts talent and one part old fashioned chutzpah. One of the original members of the Evening Magazine team in Boston, Joyce experienced “lightening in a bottle” on a show that would become the inspiration for copycat news magazine programs nationwide. As the longtime arts & entertainment reporter for WBZ, Joyce gave journalistic stature to arts reporting, winning numerous Emmys for the WBZ series “You Gotta Have Arts”, and her role in team coverage at Ground Zero. It wasn’t long before Joyce was tapped by Roger Ebert and Leonard Malton to co-host their nationally syndicated movie review shows. A three time cancer survivor, Joyce testified before Congress on the 20th anniversary of the National Cancer Act and has been a champion for the American Cancer Society, which honored her for her work with its National Bronze Medal. Her trailblazer legacy is reflected in her status as a member of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame, The New England Emmys Governor’s Award, an Honorary Doctorate in Communications from her alma mater, Simmons University and an endowed scholarship in her name at the Berklee College of Music. For a master class in what it takes to create the kind of career that has a pulse, and a purpose, download part one of the story of Joyce Kulhawik.  #theatre  #arts  #inspiringstories #womeninmedia

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I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and I had a little baby inside of me. I had to be strong. You do what you’ve gotta do to get through the hard things. -Annie Montgomery Clausen

Just imagine it: you are 34 years old, happily married with a successful career as a sales rep for Stryker Instruments. You love being a mom to daughter Quinn and are overjoyed to learn that you are expecting a second child. And then suddenly, something is very wrong. Your OB-GYN notices that one of your ovaries is abnormal and before you know it, you are having surgery to figure out what is wrong. Biopsies are taken and at 14 weeks pregnant you are told that you have stage 4 colon cancer. The situation is dire and word goes out through family and friends that prayers are needed. A group of prayer sisters, all Boston College grads receive this request and begin praying for Annie and her unborn child in earnest. Welcome to the life of Annie Montgomery Clausen, a beautiful California girl raised in the Bay area by loving parents (both cancer survivors) who taught her that a positive mindset combined with equal parts of courage and determination will serve you well. Although there was a moment when doctors warned that treating the cancer and saving the baby might not be possible, Annie and her husband found an oncologist at UCLA who could effectively treat her cancer without harming their unborn child. Exhausted but determined to “keep her head down and beat this” she did 9 rounds of chemotherapy and delivered a perfectly healthy baby girl named Cody at 36 weeks. Say’s Annie: “Someday I’ll tell her that she’s a warrior. From day one, she fought and fought. She is our miracle baby. In this emotional interview, Annie shares a cancer journey that is still unfolding and a mindset that will inspire anyone who hears it. This story is what “mother love” is all about. #inspiringstories #motherhood #coloncancer

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My decision to pursue this career is because I feel that I learn from kids every single day. Sick children are amazing. They don’t act like they are sick. -Laurel Schnitman

Meet Laurel Schnitman: wife, mother of two and certified child life specialist for Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. I didn’t have to go very far to find Laurel, because she lives right across the street! We settled into my living room for a conversation about her career and her passion for working with children while making sure we practiced social distancing! As part of a team of 15 child life specialists, Laurel provides psychosocial, medical play therapy and procedural support for children during hospital stays. Many of the children she helps are hospitalized for long periods of time and she has experienced the heartache of losing her young patients to the illnesses that brought them to the hospital in the first place. Laurel is that critical bridge between doctors, nurses, parents and children, offering sage advice and comfort when it is needed the most. In this interview, Laurel shares her experience of working with children and families at the most vulnerable times in their lives to shed some light on how our children are reacting to the stress and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Anxiety and fear come from the unknown. When you can give children a predictable environment at home, that can really help to reduce fear and anxiety.” For a tutorial on helping your child maneuver the rough seas of a worldwide pandemic, press that download button. #wereallinthistogether.

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The one thing that isn’t being talked about in the corona virus pandemic is that people are dying alone. And that’s not all: Covid-19 has changed the entire funeral service. -Debra Briss Wolfe

The woman you are about to meet has spent nearly 30 years in the funeral business. In fact, it is fair to say that being of service to those who have died and those who are mourning is in her blood. Debra Briss Wolfe is the great-great granddaughter of Jacob H. Levine, the founding father of Levine Chapels and that iconic funeral home has been part of the fabric of the Boston Jewish community for generations. A graduate of Mount Ida College, Debra recalls going inside Levine’s as a child, and becoming very aware that “important work” was done there. Armed with a degree in funeral service, Debra has been devoted to her work in the funeral industry ever since, first as a Funeral Director and now as a Family Service Counselor. With the death toll climbing each day from Covid-19, I wanted to ask Debra if she could shed some light on how the extremely contagious virus has changed her industry, what families can expect when their loved one is taken to a funeral home and how the rules around funeral services and burials have changed due to new CDC guidelines. The mother of two daughters, Debra says she has never shielded her girls from the reality of her work. A big believer in the healing power of yoga, she is “sitting in a lot of silence these days because I feel that I’m going to be needed by my colleagues, my friends and my family. This pandemic is going to be rough for a lot of people.” No matter what your faith is, Debra’s knowledge of the funeral industry, along with her understanding of the importance of religious customs and rituals for the dead and those who mourn them will educate, inform and inspire you.
#coronavirus #covid-19 #funeralservice

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If you walk on the sidewalk outside our school you might see blood. -Sima Aleahmad

Frightening words from Ms. Sima, an elementary school teacher in South Central, Los Angeles, one of the most violent school districts in the United States. But it is here in this place that Sima has chosen to work, spending 20 years empowering hearts and expanding the minds of underserved children. Sima says it is not rare at all to see kindergarten students kicking doors and punching teachers. An advocate for school improvement from the inside out, she is a beloved teacher whose classroom strategies reach into the hearts of children who live in a world filled with toxic stress and fear. She calls her philosophy the SIMA method and that stands for: success is mindful awareness. www.thesimamethod.com. Says Sima: “One thing I know after 20 years of teaching is that all children really want is to love and be loved. Connecting with a child heart to heart is how we create fertile soil. It is how we plant the seeds for a child’s future.” Her third graders have learned how to be mindful of their actions, how to stop and “refresh” before reacting violently, and how to fill themselves and each other with compassion and love. And it’s not just the students Sima is transforming, it is her fellow teachers. Increased performance demands and complex student needs have made teaching more challenging the ever before. In this interview, Sima advocates that self-care for teachers is just as important as creating a daily lesson plan. Armed with a masters degree in Elementary Education, Sima is also National Board Certified in Teacher Leadership. In this up-close and personal interview, Sima speaks passionately about the violence she has experienced first hand, including the devastating loss of students who have been murdered. She also shares her success stories and the everlasting belief that what drives student success can’t be found in a textbook. For this exceptional woman, the meaning of success is simple: “I do whatever I can to make a child feel safe, secure and loved. I want to be that one teacher who changed a life.” #thesimamethod #storybehindhersuccess #inspiringteachers

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I learned that if you want to be in broadcasting, you’ve gotta be able to take tough criticism and not let it get you down. You’ve just got to take it, soak it up, cry at home and get to work and do your best. -Cassy Arsenault

If you’ve ever wondered what would be like to work at Good Morning America and Nightline, this episode is for you. Born and raised in the little town of called Leominster, Massachusetts (also the home of Johnny Appleseeds), Cassy promised herself that someday, she’d fly away and live large in New York City. As luck would have it, she gained admission to New York University and before you know it, was interning for network TV. She got her start as a live producer for Lara Spencer on Good Morning America and then became an associate producer for Cynthia McFadden producing segments that ran the gamut from extreme bachelorette parties to an investigation into the case of poison leaching into the watersource used by military families at Camp Lejeune. Although she loved what she did, Cassy realized that if she was ever going to make the switch from working behind the camera to being the face in front of the camera, she’d better do it quick. After stints at small stations in Salinas/Monterey California and in Michigan where she was a member of the Problem Solvers Team at WXMI, Cassy made her way back home to Boston where she is now a freelance reporter for NBC 10 and the creator of an empowering video series called Bosstown which features boss ladies from every walk of life. The oldest of 4 children, Cassy credits her parents with instilling her unstoppable work ethic and sense of resiliency no matter what the obstacle may be: “When things are going bad, you just have to self talk and say: don’t quit. Keep going. You CAN do this.” At a time when members of the media are often accused of being vultures, Cassy subscribes to a more personal approach to her stories. “As a general assignment news reporter, I show up in people’s lives on their worst days. I’m inspired by their courage. I’m respectful of everyone I meet. I’m gonna give a good name to our industry. “  #womeninmedia  #storybehindhersuccess  #gma  #nightline

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I’ve learned that you have to be persistent. You have to keep at it. You can’t let yourself down. You can’t let anybody else down, either. You just have to keep going no matter what. -Nancy Quill

Words of wisdom from the most listened to woman in the city of Boston. Nancy Quill has been on the radio for 38 years. Hired at only 22 on a brand new station called Magic 106.7, WMJX, Nancy is still there, doing what she loves every single day. And she’s really good at it. With number one ratings in her 10A-3P time slot, Nancy says it wasn’t long before she realized that being #1 is great, but staying #1 is hard work: “I’ve got to be on my game every day. I’ve got to do the best that I can to relate to people…to be real. I want them to know that I care, that I’m there for them.” A graduate of the University of Lowell with a degree in music education, Nancy is an accomplished singer, songwriter and musician. Radio is in her blood: she is the daughter of the late Doris and Joe Quill, owner and general manager of WRLM in Taunton, Massachusetts. In this interview, she recalls voicing her first commercial at about 4 years old, sitting on her father’s lap. She names her Dad as her lifelong mentor…a gentle giant who always had the best advice in any situation. It was Joe Quill’s diagnosis and eventual death due to Alzheimers Disease that sparked Nancy’s devotion to the mission of the Alzheimer’s Association. At the end of the day, Nancy’s marriage and motherhood are what matter most to her. For a look into a humble and kind Boston radio legend’s life, this candid interview checks all of the boxes. #womeninradio #storybehindhersuccess

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I had a lot of hopes and dreams, but I really didn’t have a voice growing up. I was shy. I was in the background. I had to figure out what I wanted to do in this world. -Natalie Martinez

The Executive Director & Co-President of Strong Women Strong Girls has spent her entire career in the non-profit world. The youngest of three girls and the daughter of a military man and a nurturing mother who was “her rock”, Natalie Martinez grew up in Mattapan not really knowing what she wanted to do with her life. Her career path was full of forks in the road, but there was one thing knew for sure: “I wanted to give back to the community. I want to see us all thrive.” With 18 years of experience in nonprofit management, she accepted the opportunity to step into a leadership role at Strong Women Strong Girls with open arms. An award-winning nonprofit launched in 2000 by Harvard undergraduate student Lindsay Hyde, the organization blossomed in Boston as a way of mentoring girls in grades 3-5 with a goal of helping them to develop skills for lifelong success. There is a reason why girls between the ages of 8-11 are the target for this curriculum. Research shows that a girl’s self-esteem peaks at about age 11 and if she doesn’t have a positive role model, her confidence and sense of self go down and girls in underserved communities are at especially high risk. Female students from area colleges served as role models within the original program model. By 2004, Strong Women Strong Girls was incorporated as a nonprofit and the organization expanded its footprint across the country. Today, Strong Women Strong Girls is thriving in Boston with 550 elementary school girls from 45 different community centers across the city and mentors from 7 area colleges. With corporate support from forward thinking companies, www.swsg.org is able to provide mentorship for its college students by introducing their Strong Leaders Network. The mother of three daughters, Natalie says her message to her girls is the same message she brings to Strong Women Strong Girls every day: “Your path may not be like everyone else’s, but there is something unique in you that you have to contribute to the planet.” In other words: little girl: you can do anything! #swsgboston #storybehindhersuccess #mentoring