Category Archives: Episodes

Tara West -196

April 7, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:00 — 22.0MB) | Embed

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

Ilana Pavlotsky -195

March 31, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:00 — 17.4MB) | Embed

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.

Lindy Robbins -194

March 24, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:36 — 20.7MB) | Embed

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!

Debby Sabin -193

March 18, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:12 — 20.3MB) | Embed

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

Lady Fiona Carnarvon -192

March 4, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:17 — 19.5MB) | Embed

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

Nancy Newman -191

February 24, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:37 — 23.5MB) | Embed

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

Emily Spencer -190

February 17, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:19 — 17.7MB) | Embed

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

Marcie Mills -189

February 10, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:59 — 23.8MB) | Embed

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.

Pam Lewis: Nashville Publicist & Entrepreneur -188

February 3, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:47 — 22.7MB) | Embed

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

Tamara Chang, MD -187

January 28, 2022Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:54 — 21.9MB) | Embed

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 Story Behind Her Success with Candy O'Terry

What's your story?