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I don’t just make pretty dresses.  If I design a dress that doesn’t excite the woman who is wearing it, this is not good enough.  Every piece of art should excite you. -Anna Nieman

Born in Belarus in the former USSR, Anna Nieman learned all about perseverance and hard work from her parents.  Her father was a messanger for the resistance during World War II. Captured by Stalin’s army at only 17, he was sent to the gulag for 5 years.  Always an artist with a deep love for nature, Anna spent her days as a child, painting pictures on the banks of the Nieman River, eventually immigrating to the United States in 1991 in search of her dreams.  When the plane touched down in New York City, she knew only one word of English:  “taxi” which came in very handy.  Her rise in the fashion industry is a testimony to her strong belief in freedom, entrepreneurship, female empowerment, and the American Dream.  Once a nanny, she learned how to speak English by taking ESL classes, talking to people, and reading books. While the children took naps, Anna combed through the Boston Globe and saw an ad for a fit model.   Not knowing what a fit model was, she noticed that her measurements matched the job description, so Anna applied and got the job.  She would spend years honing her craft working with J-Jill, Talbots, Appleseeds, and Chadwicks of Boston, soaking up every piece of knowledge she could from fashion industry pros who looked at her early designs and encouraged her to go out on her own.  In 2010 she launched Anna Nieman Couture www.annaniemancouture.com.   Recently voted Best in the City as a designer of women’s formal wear by Boston Common Magazine, Anna describes her design style as “classic, beautiful, feminine and flattering.” Her devotion to her customers is what motivates her.  Says Anna:  “I give myself a grade and if I see a smile on a woman’s face, and I make her happy, goal achieved!”  For a tutorial on making your dreams come true, just hit that download button.   #americandream #fashion #formalwear

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I’m a businesswoman with old-fashioned values:  loyalty, tenacity, and a burning desire to be successful. – Cindy Stumpo

Cindy Stumpo has been paving the way for women in construction for decades. At only 23 and just days away from giving birth to her daughter Samantha, Cindy was the only woman in the room when she sat for hours to take her general contractor’s exam and would sell her first million-dollar home at 24.  In an industry dominated by men, Cindy is a role model for women in the trades and has built a multi-million-dollar luxury home construction business based on her “grindit out” motto.  www.cstumpodevelopment.com Her opulent floor plans coupled with attention to detail caught the attention of executives at HGTV and Cindy quickly became the star of the popular series Tough As Nails.  In this interview, her unstoppable personality is on full display with tough love for anyone listening. Say’s Cindy: “You’re not a loser as long as you keep picking yourself up. You’re a loser the day you don’t pick yourself up. That’s the day you quit on you.”  Born and raised on the Northshore of Boston as a child and then as a teenager in upscale Newton in a loving Italian-Jewish family, Cindy looked to her father for guidance when she wasn’t sure what to do with her life.  His response guides her to this day:  “Everybody’s got their talents and you’ve got yours.  When you find something you love to do, there’s not going to be anybody who is better at it than you.”  An advocate for speaking openly about mental illness, Cindy has dealt with anxiety and panic attacks for 26 years, sharing her story in the hopes of inspiring others. The host of the radio show Tough as Nails with Sam, Cindy is proud of her son Chad and delighted to see her daughter follow in her footsteps as a second-generation general contractor and founder of Newbrook Realty Group. Cindy Stumpo is a trailblazer with her boots on the ground every day.   “Obstacles?  I’m an excavator, says Cindy.  I just keep on pushing that rock up the mountain. “ #construction #luxuryhomes #determination #perseverance 

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Mental Illness affects everyone across all domains.  It doesn’t matter what your cultural background is, or your socio-economic background. It’s really an equal-opportunity illness that affects everyone. -Gemima St. Louis, Ph.D.

A recent survey shows that 90% of Americans believe our country is experiencing a mental health crisis.  Fortunately, Gemima St. Louis is leading the way toward solving this problem by creating groundbreaking programs that will train a diverse generation of mental health professionals at William James College in Newton, Massachusetts. www.williamjamescollege.edu. Born and raised in Port au Prince Haiti, Gemima and her family immigrated to the United States, landing in Boston on a cold day in January without winter clothing!  At only 14, Gemima did not speak the language and found herself in a high school classroom surrounded by teenagers from other countries who were also learning how to speak the language and understand American culture. Her parents raised 5 children with a sense of social responsibility, Gemima was told that she could become anything she set her mind to and that education would be the key to success.  All she had to do was remember where she came from and “reach back to bring those you left behind along with you.   Armed with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Gemima is now the mother of three children and the Vice President of Workforce Initiatives & Speciality Training, and an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology.  Determined to be a change-maker when it comes to disparities in access to mental healthcare, Gemima says:  You really have to rely on your networks of support to move systemic barriers. One person can try and it is exhausting, but when you are surrounded by others with a shared passion, you can move mountains. “   #mentalhealth #stigma

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When we talk about people, it’s very easy to talk about the things we don’t do well. We easily go to our weaknesses. My job is to encourage people to think about their strengths and what makes them a leading product. -Joanna Dutra

Today’s story is all about using our gifts, talents, and collective experience to create a new chapter in our lives. Joanna Dutra plays the piano and the violin. She sings and she’s even a stand-up comedian. After spending 20 years developing brand identities for Fortune 500 companies, she decided it was time to use her skills to help people instead of products. As the founder of The Creative Confidant. www.thecreativeconfidant.com Joanna is sharing what she knows with clients who come to her in search of a personal brand that reflects “who they are and where they stand.” In this interview, Joanna credits her grandfather with inspiring her work ethic. Born in Italy, he came to the United States at 9, unable to speak English. His compelling personality and zest for life propelled his personal and financial success story despite many obstacles. The way he lived his life became a roadmap for Joanna. A graduate of Georgetown University, it was Joanna’s love of sports that brought her to Boston where she has remained for decades, raising two daughters who inspire her every day. A big believer in taking chances, Joanna says: “We don’t grow when we are comfortable. We only grow when we are uncomfortable.” For 24 minutes of passion, purpose, and high-spirited wisdom just hit that download button. #passion #confidence #coaching

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It’s hard to Innovate because It’s not a linear process, it’s often circuitous. So if you fail, pick yourself up and learn from it. You might go in a new direction. -Carrie Allen

Having a great idea and acting on it, nurturing it into reality, and believing in its merit is a lot like finding buried treasure at the bottom of the ocean. If your idea works, the rewards are huge. Carrie Allen has spent her career focused on innovation: helping people steward new ideas, methods, and products. Her clients are trailblazers who have taken great ideas and turned them into dreams come true to form thriving businesses. As Managing Partner of CIC Captains of Innovation in Cambridge, MA. she and her team provide bespoke white glove innovation consulting from new idea generation to commercialization, and in the process, www.captains.cic.com is creating a global network of doers and dreamers in a city that is home to both MIT and Harvard. Says Carrie: “the companies that succeed are those that can navigate ambiguity.” Raised in Kentucky by her father, after her parent’s divorce divided the family in two, Carrie admits to learning how to be resilient as a child and names her beloved grandmother as her role model. Her passion and determination are evident in everything she does, including taking on work-life balance in a blended family with love and grace, while scratching her own creative itch with handcrafted linens she markets through her website: www.augusttable.com. For a brief encounter with a creative guru, hit that download button. #innovation #entrepreneur

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I don’t need to be a big star.  I don’t have to be defined by how much money I’m making.  If I’m performing, that is success to me. – Francesca Amari

Welcome to part 2 of my conversation with uber-talented cabaret singer Francesca Amari. Recorded in my rental car, in the parking lot of a hotel beside a highway in Thousand Palms, California, this interview is full of wisdom for anyone with a dream. Francesca has been singing for decades and through it all, she has maintained a career as an entertainer on her own terms:  “Your dream might need to include options and you might need to do other things that fuel your passion.”  A lifelong fan of the music of Linda Ronstadt and the genius of Gilda Radner, Francesca has created tributes to both women that are instant sellouts. Her award-winning weekly live stream performance called Cocktails & Cabaret was launched in 2020 as a way to stay connected to her fans and is thriving 150 weeks later!  www.francescaamari.com.  In this interview, you’ll hear Francesca singing stunning harmonies with the Boogie Woogie Babie as well as clips from her favorite theatre performances, plus, she’ll explain her philosophy about sharing the stage with others and the key to her success which works no matter what you do for a living.  Says Francesca:  “Be authentic and real.  Don’t try to make your life seem like what it’s not.  Tell the truth.“   #cabaretsinger #lindaronstadt #gildaradner #palmsprings #carkaroke

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I am an honest singer. I screw up on stage, I own it.  I laugh at myself. I look at people when I sing, I don’t sing over them.  I’m just really human.   -Francesca Amari
Our west coast swing continues with an interview that ended up taking place IN MY RENTAL CAR!  Francesca Amari is a fabulously talented cabaret singer, so when she agreed to be on the show, we made a plan to do the interview at a television station in Thousand Palms, California where she just happened to be filming that day. At the last minute, the studio we were supposed to record in became unavailable, so we punted and ended up driving to a hotel parking lot, right beside “the 10” which is California’s mega highway.    As I set up my microphones and recording equipment, Francesca and I bonded over our love for 12-time Grammy winner Linda Ronstadt.   Bonus:  you’ll hear us sing one of Linda’s signature songs, LIVE from the front seat.  This interview is a deep dive into the heart and mind of someone who has been singing since she was about 2 years old, first with her siblings as The Amari Sisters and later on iconic stages and legendary venues from New York City to Hollywood, California.   Francesca is a master at the craft of cabaret singing and is willing to tackle just about every kind of vocal from pop tunes to Broadway, to Jazz to Big Band.  Her tributes to Linda Ronstadt and Gilda Radner are instant sellouts and her fans follow her wherever she goes. During the pandemic, she missed performing so much, she created a weekly live-stream event called Cocktails & Cabaret which earned her the 2021 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Award for “Best Streaming Concert/Cabaret. www.francescaamari.com.  Part One of our time together includes Francesca’s firm belief that she doesn’t pick the songs she sings, they pick her. She also offers plenty of wisdom about harmonizing and sharing the stage with others.  Says Francesca:  “Your talent shines more when you are with other people who are also talented. “ No matter what you do for a living, Francesca’s interview is full of the kind of wisdom you need to put your goals and dreams in motion.  #cabaretsinger #lindaronstadt #gildaradner#palmsprings #carkaroke 

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Style is your aura. It’s your energy. -Rosa Hu

In the spotlight, creator & designer Rosa Hu.  Born in New York City and raised in Southern California, Rosa’s parents escaped communist China and settled in Taiwan.  When it was time to go to college, the two came to the United States and never left.  As a child, Rosa was obsessed with style and never wanted to do anything but fashion.  Armed with a degree from the Fashion Institute of Design & Marketing, she started a career at 19, working her way up the ladder as an assistant to designers at big clothing manufacturers. By the time she was in her mid-twenties, Rosa was burned out and her dream of being in fashion was fading fast.  Enter the legendary Trina Turk www.trinaturk.com who mentored Rosa and suggested she work for her evolving brand on a freelance basis. Says Rosa:  “I learned early in my career that it is not how much money you have in the bank, it is how happy you are, doing what you love.” Now the designer of her own line called House of Who, (follow her on IG @House_of_Who) Rosa creates mystical adornments for the body, soul, and space.  Her success story includes the lessons she has learned as a Chinese-American woman who was determined to forge her own path in a culture that is often driven to the point of exhaustion. The owner of two mid-century modern units at the legendary Ocotillo Lodge in Palm Springs, Rosa is proud to open the doors of her brilliantly bohemian bungalows during Mid-Century Modern Week.  In this interview, she passes on lots of wisdom including:  “Don’t ever think you can’t do anything for any reason. Not for being a minority. Not for being a woman.  Never let anything stop you.  Ever. “ #fashion #trinaturk #palmsprings #midcenturymodernweek #ocotillolodge

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I knew in the depths of my soul that all of this had a reason. I knew I was going to get to the other side. -Dawn Kohler

Last week’s episode was incredibly powerful and so is part 2 of the story of Dawn Kohler, author of the memoir The Messages. www.dawnkohler.com. Now an in-demand executive coach who helps her clients re-awaken their purpose and their passion, Dawn is an incest survivor who has spent decades working through her deep sense of loss and shame. Her testimony in this interview is not graphic, but it is brutally honest, so if you have children nearby who might hear this interview, I suggest that you wait for a time when you are alone or with other adults. In this interview, Dawn explains that the inaudible messages she was receiving right around her own daughter’s 5th birthday were triggered by the fact that her father raped her at that very same age. She also discovers that he shared her with other men who were part of a molestation group. Throughout her deep depression and psychotherapy, Dawn’s first husband supported her and somehow, she was able to care for her three children. Says Dawn: “The kids kept me alive. There is no doubt about it. I’m sure I dropped the ball on several occasions, but I wanted to be there for them, no matter what.” Enrolled in the same Tai Chi class as the mother and sister of murder victim Nicole Brown Simpson, Dawn explains how Tai Chi relieves muscle tension and releases feelings of loss and grief. Her experience over a 3 day period when the messages culminated in a profound, divine encounter will remind you of our universal responsibility to love one another or perish. For a life-changing story that simply must be heard, hit that download button. If you or someone you love is experiencing sexual abuse, text HOME to 741741 or go to: www.crisistextline.org to speak immediately to a volunteer crisis counselor.

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I raised myself. From a very early age, I knew in my heart I was on my own. Nobody was helping me. -Dawn Kohler

What you are about to hear is Part 1 in a series about Dawn Kohler, author of the memoir The Messages. This story needs to be told, but it is also very difficult to hear. If you have children nearby, my strong suggestion is that this episode is not for their ears. Born and raised in San Diego, California, Dawn was the oldest of three children. Her mother was a coal miner’s daughter, originally from West Virginia and her father was from a strict German Catholic family in Ohio. In part 1 of this interview, we learn what life was like in Dawn’s house. She was very independent, didn’t like to be touched, and started working at only 14. Dawn married her high school sweetheart and together they had 3 beautiful children. During the personal computer boom in the 1980s, she and Jeff discovered their niche and founded a computer service company before their 30th birthdays, employing over 50 people. Dawn was the CEO of the business, with plaques on the wall naming her Entrepreneur of the Year when suddenly, she started receiving what she calls internal, inaudible “messages” that told her “this is no longer your way.” She tried to block out these messages by running and swimming, but they just got more intense. One day, she literally could not get out of her car and walk into her office. What happens next will break your heart and then it will lift you up, reminding you of the power of the human spirit. www.dawnkohler.com #sexualabuse #incest