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Being a connector is my calling. This is the work that lights me up. -Valerie McSorley

Valerie McSorley could claim the title of “super-connector” any day of the week. She’s been building her vast professional network for decades by producing live, major market industry events, developing businesses and creating strategic partnerships that endure the test of time. She’s currently the Senior Vice President for Partner Success at livepro, a knowledge management system designed specifically for contact centers. For over 20 years, Val has been bringing people together for better results by developing the acronym C.O.A.R: communicate, offer, ask receive. But at the root of her success is the fact that people in just about every field know and trust her. She may be “an army of one” but you can count on Val and the caliber of the company she keeps. A seasoned corporate event planner and emcee, she has always had the gift of foresight: “I see the whole picture. I understand how the pieces come together and I am unafraid to have difficult conversations. Plus, I never ask anyone to do anything I would not do myself.” Born and raised in New York’s Hudson Valley, Val’s lifelong role model was and still is her nearly 100-year-old maternal grandmother. Says Val: “Every single day when I was growing up, she drilled it into me that I was going to go to college. I was going to be successful, make my own money, and most of all, I was going to stand on my own two feet.” The proud mother of two sons, Val is not only a super-connector but a passionate entrepreneur who credits her husband as her biggest fan. For a 23-minute tutorial on how to take become a connector, just hit that download button. #connector #entrepreneur #mentor

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There is a massive under-investment in non-profits serving women and girls in this country.
-Christina Gordon

Meet Christina Gordon, Co-Founder & CEO of WFBoston. www.wfboston.org. She holds an undergraduate degree from Boston University and four master’s degrees: two from the prestigious Sloan School of Management at MIT and two more from Brandeis University. Raised by a single mom not far from New York City, Christina is the daughter and grandchild of educators who was taught early in life that education is the foundation upon which future success grows. She believes (and research shows) that a woman’s education and financial health are the keys to her success and the success of her family. Now the mother of four grown children, Christina is a champion for women and girls through WFBoston. In this interview, she shares her own rise in the financial world, beginning with a very lucky chance to intern at Standard & Poors when she was only 20 years old, and a wise decision to begin her career at Fidelity Investments. As a young mother, she found herself drawn to share her business acumen and interest in women and financial independence only to discover that most non-profits had “ tons of passion but weren’t able to get the impact they wanted because they weren’t managing their organization like a business.“ Together with three other exceptional women, she began searching for a non-profit focused on educating underserved women and girls in finance. To their surprise, the team discovered that there were no organizations with this focus, particularly in Massachusetts. Says Christina: “We didn’t do this because we thought it would be fun or exciting or that we could make a difference. We founded WFBoston because we were filling a gap.” A marathon runner, hiker, and skier in her downtime, Christina says she is a problem solver by nature. Loaded with advice and guidance for the next generation of women, she applauds the fact that glass ceilings have been shattered, but there is more work to be done. Filled with wisdom and a willingness to share it, Christina says: Surround yourself with optimists. True success is being really good
at something that you really love…and also having an impact. That’s the trifecta.”
#women #finance #WFBoston

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I have always wanted to do something that has a lasting impact on the youth of this nation. Today I am doing what I am meant to do, using my gifts and talents.
-Stacy A. Padula

Young Adult and children’s book author Stacy A. Padula has written 13 books and every one of them has risen to #1 either as a New Release or Best Seller on Amazon since 2010. One of the most fascinating parts of this story is that even though Stacy started planting the seeds of her series Montgomery Lake High in middle school, she also had her sights set on being an architect and an interior designer. In fact, she was a Presidential Scholar at the world-renowned Wentworth Institute of Technology. Armed with a degree and a job in her chosen field, Stacy
worked for 2 years at an architecture firm but found herself restless and unfulfilled. Deep down inside, a little voice kept calling her toward something else…a lifelong love of writing and working with youth. In this interview, Stacy shares her devotion to her Christian faith as the conduit for all of her life choices, explaining that the best advice she ever received was to read the Bible and she has done that, cover to cover. Says Stacy: “Learning how to see God at work in my life strengthened my faith, gave me courage, and guided my path. I would not be where I am today if it were not for my personal relationship with God.” Today, this exceptional woman is an award-winning author, educator, and founder of a publishing company named after her beloved
dachshunds, Briley & Baxter www.brileybaxterbooks.com. Her acclaimed young adult book series Montgomery Lake High and Gripped focus on realistic stories about high school and college including substance abuse, peer pressure and bullying. Stacy’s characters explore getting past the hard times with faith and redemption. She has partnered with NBA basketball coach Brett Gunning on an empowering children’s book series called On The Right Path and her acclaimed Gripped series is being adapted for TV by an Emmy award-winning producer. For 24 minutes of sheer inspiration, just hit that download button. #stacypadula #grippedseries #montgomerylakehigh #brileyandbaxterpublications

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Yes, it was like entering a man cave when I first got started, but now, I am a voice for women in finance and trading and I am empowered to bring women along with me.  -Samantha LaDuc

Samantha LaDuc describes herself as a macro-to-micro analyst, educator, and trader of stocks, options, futures, crypto, commodities, currencies, and bonds.  www.laductrading.com.  Born and raised on a farm in upstate New York by a single mom, this chapter in Sam’s career could not be further from her humble roots.  The divorced mother of three grown children, Sam’s clients come to her for her expertise as a market timer, crowning her the Mother of Market Timing.  Says Sam:
“I have one job and that is to time the markets.  To identify when the market is going to move and in which direction it will go, and to seize those gains.”   She’s so good at what she does that media outlets like Bloomberg, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Market Watch, and Sirius XM have all called upon her as a contributor.   Often the only woman featured in these discussions, Sam loves every single minute of it.  “Restriction is not my jam.  I don’t care if there are “DoubtingThomases out there.  I am curious and I am determined.  This is my passion and my purpose.”  Her advice in life and in finance?   Don’t risk more than you are willing to lose.”  For a 20-minute dive into the life of a woman who is not afraid to make tough calls and blaze new paths, just hit that download button. #wallstreet #macro #micro #trader #stocks#options #futures #crypto #commodities #currencies #bonds #tradingroom

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Don’t tapdance too loudly.  Under promise and over-deliver. That’s my advice.  -Andrea Hall

Andrea Hall is living proof that our lives really do unfold like chapters in a book.  Her latest chapter finds her at the helm of a non-profit called Grateful Friends www.gratefulfriends.org where the mission is to provide financial support to adults undergoing cancer treatment.  But just how did she get here?  Andi was raised by a single mom in a great big Greek family in Brookline, MA. Armed with a degree in Communications from Boston University, she landed in radio sales at the iconic WXKS AM where she shared office space with legendary broadcasters Arnie Woo Woo Ginsburg and Sunny Joe White.  Always curious about where her father was, Andi discovered him in her 30s and experienced the joy of not only meeting him but learning that he was a well-known music executive. Her natural ability to work with artists led her to a career at Universal Music Group where she promoted superstars like Smokey Robinson, Aerosmith, Mary J Blige, Guns N’ Roses, and more. As a single mom, she felt a deep need to be a hands-on mom to her son Ty, so she founded New Leaf Marketing, working from home to create a thriving business as an entrepreneur for over 20 years.  In this interview, Andrea shares her deep understanding that everything she has done in her life has led her to where she is today.  She taps into her well-honed skills and talents, along with a belief that relationships are everything.  Her mantra? “Sunnyside up. Never complain.  Be resilient and keep on pluggin’!”  #cancer #resilience #gratitude

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As an autistic parent, there is intense isolation and no matter how supportive your friends with typical children want to be, you need to have someone who understands your life.
-Candice Hartford

Candice Hartford is a NICU nurse with a heart of gold. She’s spent her career caring for critically ill newborns and their families, first in her native California and now in Boston at Mass General
Brigham Hospital. She’s also the mother of twin boys who were born prematurely and later diagnosed with autism.  It is this life-changing experience that led Candice to found Raising Harts, www.raisingharts.org, a 501c3 charity that is creating community, connection, education, and support for families with autistic and neuro-diverse children and their siblings.  Says Candice:
“While there were support groups in a clinical setting for families with autistic children, I really wanted someone to come over with their coffee (or a bowl of wine) and cry with me today.”  Her sons Grady and Keaton are now 7 and the community their mother has created has nurtured them and hundreds of autistic and neurodiverse children and families.  In this interview, Candice shares her non-traditional upbringing outside of Pasadena as well as her lifelong mantra:“Anything that scared me, I felt like I had to do. I learned early on to be strong and resilient.”   #autism #neurodiversity#NICU

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I’ve spent my adulthood working with the Greatest Generation.  My average client is 89 years old and they’ve taught me that even if you live 100 years, it is the blink of an eye.   -Erin DiCarlo

Erin DiCarlo‘s career path has been inspired not only by her lifelong devotion to her grandparents Nanny and Da, but by the joy she gets from working with the elderly. A wife and mother of four, Erin is the Founder & President of Dovetail Companies which she created to address the vast needs of families dealing with dementia and the overwhelming landscape of elder care. Nominated as a guest on the show by one of her employees, Erin’s long-term goal is to “change the way we view and support aging in America.”  In this interview, she explains that the final stage of aging is called “Legacy Leaving”.  Our elders need to be able to share their stories so that their experiences and accomplishments are not forgotten.   The women’s liberation movement brought women out of the home and into the workforce, and while this societal shift opened doors for women, it closed doors for their parents who were no longer able to be cared for at home and ended up in nursing homes instead.  For an insightful look into ageism and a quick tutorial on how we can understand the deepest needs of our aging loved ones, just hit that download button.  #ageism #dementia #eldercare  

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If you tell me I can’t do something, I’m gonna do it 10 times better than you ever thought I could. 
-Judy Briggs

We’re on the road for this episode of The Story Behind Her Success, featuring the story of Judy Briggs, mother of 4 and franchise owner of 3 thriving synergistic businesses:  1-800-GOT-JUNK, Men in Kilts/Boston and MaidPro Metrowest.  Recorded in Judy’s offices in the little town of Hopkinton, Massachusetts which is famous for being the location of the starting line of the Boston Marathon, this interview is full of wisdom for entrepreneurs, both future and present!  After pursuing a career in the insurance business, Judy purchased her first franchise in 2003 and has never looked back.   She loves what she does, often appearing at the town dump in a skirt and heels for a 1-800-GOT-JUNK drop-off.   Her four sons have played a role in the development of her businesses, and Judy speaks candidly about the joys and challenges of a family business while always maintaining the belief that no success in business can trump her loyalty to her family.  Judy’s tireless work ethic comes from watching her mother, a single mom who earned her living in a hospital cafeteria work endless hours just to make ends meet.  Judy became a mother at 21 to twin boys and in this interview, she shares how she taught her boys the value of an education by doing her homework around the kitchen table with them, completing her undergraduate degree, and achieving her master’s degree in business.  As an employer, Judy vowed to never treat an employee the way she was treated and prides herself on creating a family environment where relationships are everything, especially when it comes to growing her businesses.  A supporter of the Genesis Fund www.genesisfund.org Judy was the first woman to rise to board chair for the organization.   Her best advice?   “Don’tsweat the small stuff. Do what you love and most of all, don’t ever allow anyone to tell you that you can’t do something.  If you are passionate about it,
do it!”  For 20 minutes of plain talk from a fearless entrepreneur, hit that download button. #entrepreneur #franchise

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:41 — 21.7MB) | Embed

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When I was a teenager, I had one of those diaries with a little lock.  I kept it under my bed and I would pull it out and just start writing.  -Maggie Van Galen

Do you love to write?  Meet Maggie Van Galen. Inspired by her father’s incredible ability to tell a story, this award-winning children’s book author and wordsmith has been writing since she could hold a pen.  Maggie grew up in a tiny town in Northern Michigan where “everyone knew your business before you even did it.”  She went to Michigan State wanting nothing more than to be a number and majored in Journalism until someone told her she would never make any money at it, so she pivoted to advertising with an aim to be a copywriter and ended up in corporate sales.   It was when Maggie became a mom that her father’s story of Keeno & Ernest resurfaced in her memory as she re-told it to her sons.   Teachers who heard the story urged her to put pen to paper and the series came to life, as The Adventures of Keeno & Ernest won the coveted Mom’s Choice Award.  Her latest series is a collaboration with a doctor of pediatric occupational therapy called King’s Day Outwhich empowers children as they navigate life’s adventures.  When she is not writing, Maggie shares her talents by offering her services as a ghostwriter, editor, proofreader, and content creator for social media, marketing, and websites.  www.maggievangalen.com. Says Maggie:  “Words are my gig. When I sign my books, I write:  always follow your dreams.  Sometimes, dreams are not right in front of you and that’s because life takes you in different directions.” #writer#author  #childrensbooks