Rachael Rubin -026

The woman you are about to meet has been an entrepreneur since the day she was born. I’m serious.  It’s just the way she’s wired.  You can thank her parents for that.At only 23, she launched Beauty Parlr and RLR Studio:  a unique business plan featuring beauty services and a state of the art photography business…all in one, hip, cool space.   Located in an old mill in Framingham, MA. news of Beauty Parlir and RLR Studio spread like wildfire and now, she has turned the page in her playbook to launch The Parlr.  The best way to describe it is as a total BEAUTY EXPERIENCE from the inside out.  11,000 square feet of gorgeousness.  What inspires this exceptional woman to do what she does and dream these big dreams?  Let’s find out.  Her name is Rachael Rubin and this is her story.  #storybehindhersuccess  #16LifeLessons @theparlr1 @rachaelrubin

Lisa Simmons -025

Meet Lisa Simmons: arts philanthropist, filmmaker and producer.  As the director of the Roxbury International Film Festival and the Color of Film Collaborative, she has spent the last 20 years shining a light on stories that must be told and often are not.  Every June, she screens films that celebrate people of color across the world and in doing so, Lisa supports filmmakers who are creating media that matters. The quality of her work has been acknowledged with many awards including the Image Award from Women in Film New England and the Leadership Award from the Urban League Guild of Eastern Massachusetts.  In this inspiring interview, we sat down to talk about where Lisa’s passion for telling stories comes from and discovered…it’s in her blood. @roxfilm  @roxburyfilm   #RoxFilm20  #16LifeLessons @CandyOterry   #storybehindhersuccess

Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan -024

The Dimock Center sits high on a hill in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Founded in 1862 as a place of hope, health and healing, the mission of Boston’s second largest health center continues to this day.  In fact, the Dimock Center is considered a national model of excellence, providing comprehensive health and human services to more than 17,000 men, women and children every year.  In the spotlight, Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, the woman at the helm of The Dimock Center.   A physician with a medical degree from Brown University and an MBA from Johns Hopkins, this President & CEO is a powerful and charismatic leader who was just named #17 on Boston Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People list.  For her daughters, and for women everywhere, Myechia is living proof that obstacles can be leaped over and that with hard work and dedication, dreams really do come true. #thestorybehindhersuccess    #16LifeLessons   candyoterry.com

Sara Campbell -023

Tenacity. That’s the attribute Sara Campbell says an entrepreneur must have in order to be successful.  In this episode, we interview Boston based women’s clothing designer Sara Campbell.  Born and raised in La Jolla, California, Sara came to Boston to attend graduate school at Lesley College and the Massachusetts College of Art.  A person of great faith and conviction, she was mentored by Sr. Mary Corita Kent whose artwork became an inspiration for her vibrant, colorful clothing line.  Incorporated in 1986 as Sara Campbell Designs, Sara grew her business to 23 stores through good times and bad.  She is proud to manufacture everything she makes in the USA and says designing clothes makes her heart sing.  “It’s what I love to do. I want to make my customer feel good about herself and her life.”  #storybehindhersuccess   #16lifelessons   Candyoterry.com

 

Jodi-Tatiana Charles -022

In the spotlight:  Jodi-Tatiana Charles, a woman who has enjoyed tremendous success in multiple careers:  as a school teacher, a radio and TV producer, deputy press secretary for Mitt Romney, public speaker, entrepreneur and most recently, as the author of a children’s book.  Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts, Jodi is a proud first-generation Haitian American whose inspiring book It’s Just A Rug teaches children to celebrate their heritage, traditions, and values through a lense of love and acceptance.  Determined to open hearts and minds to the beauty of family, Jodi shares the lessons her parents and grandparents taught her along the way, inspiring a whole new generation. #storybehindhersuccess #16LifeLessons candyoterry.com

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Ellie Anbinder-021

27 years ago, Ellie Anbinder heard the words “you have breast cancer”.  With no family history of the disease, she began asking her doctors how she got breast cancer in the first place and no one seemed to have an answer.  So she decided to dig deep into the disease, only to find that 93% of all breast cancer funding goes to treatment and cure, not prevention.  To Ellie, this made no sense.  She is the founder of Find The Cause: www.findthecausebcf.org, a non-profit focused on discovering the why behind a disease 1 in 8 women will experience in their lifetime.  Find The Cause funds scientists and researchers who work tirelessly in labs right here in Boston with a focus on toxic chemicals and their effect on our bodies and our environment.  Her passion to find the cause of breast cancer is not just about protecting her family, but yours, too.  In this way, Ellie Anbinder is a trailblazer and her story will inspire and inform you.  #storybehindhersuccess    #16LifeLessons

 

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Karen Kaplan -020

This week’s success story has to do with climbing the ladder from receptionist to CEO. In the spotlight, Karen Kaplan, Chairman of Hill Holliday, one of the nation’s top advertising agencies. She’s got the corner office with a view of the Boston skyline, but her career did not happen swiftly.   She’s had just about every job there is at Hill Holliday and she just kept putting one foot in front of the other. Recognized as one of the most influential women in advertising, Karen oversees Hill Holliday, EP&CO and Trilia Media.  Mentored by Jack Connors, one of the three founders of Hill Holliday, Karen values empathy and collaboration, kindness and humility above all else.  Her rise to the top was epic and women in her field see her as a role model with a blueprint for success. #storybehindhersuccess #16LifeLessons #Candyoterry

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Liz Brunner -019

Meet an exceptional woman who believes that having the courage to try new things is the key to success. From Miss America pageant queen to high school music teacher, to TV reporter, to major market news anchor, to the CEO of Brunner Communications, Liz Brunner believes that we should always be looking out for the next big chapter in our lives. In this up close and personal interview, Liz shares how it was her mother, and her grandmothers who paved the way for her tenacity. She recalls what it was like to be on the air in Boston during 9/11, the four-year email writing effort that finally led to her interview with President Barrack Obama and the joy she gets from sharing her knowledge and expertise as an Executive Coach. Learn more at lizbrunner.com  #storybehindhersuccess #16LifeLessons -Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Tunein, Google Play Music, Spotify or on Candy’s website candyoterry.com

Valerie Harper -018

Every once in a while, a TV show has a message, or a character, who defines a generation.  For girls growing up in the 1970’s, that show was The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  When Valerie Harper landed the role of Mary’s wacky best friend, Rhoda Morgenstern, her career was catapulted to a whole new level.  In this interview, taken from my interview archives, Valerie shares her life story, including her start as a ballet dancer, her audition with Mary Tyler Moore, the adoption of her daughter Cristina, and her philosophy on life.  Now 78, this Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony Award-winning actress is living one grateful day at a time with a rare form of brain cancer.  Don’t miss this very special chance to be inspired. Catch all episodes of The Story Behind Her Success on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Tunein, Google Play Music and Spotify -or, just say “Alexa, play The Story Behind Her Success on MyCast”.
@valerieharperfans #storybehindhersuccess #16LifeLessons, BWME, Tech Help Boston

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Lauren Baker -017

What is it like to be the First Lady of Massachusetts?  This week, we packed up our recording equipment and headed to the gold-domed Statehouse in Boston to interview First Lady, Lauren Baker.  Her husband, Charlie Baker took the oath of office on January 8, 2015 and is widely heralded as the most popular governor in the United States.  His wife is a woman who has largely kept to herself, supporting Charlie but forging her own path as an advertising executive on Madison Avenue and at Hill Holliday in Boston, and as a devoted mom to their three children. When Charlie decided to run for governor, Lauren was by his side, campaigning hard in every corner of the state.  Today, she is championing a little-known non-profit called the Wonderfund, www.wonderfundma.org with a determination to help children at risk.  What started out as an initiative for the First Lady has become an avocation as she discovers the impact of early childhood trauma on a child’s well-being. Her life story and her vision for a better future for the state’s most vulnerable children will inspire you.  #storybehindhersuccess #16LifeLessons @charliebakerMA @WonderfundMA