Hannah and Jade Sullivan are women founders disrupting an age-old industry. When Hannah and Jade first had the chance to start Pogo.co, their own insurance business, they weren’t sure it was for them. They were designers by trade and had no formal experience working in insurance. But being the go-getters that they are, Hannah and Jade recognized their fresh perspective could provide a unique opportunity to reshape the way things were done. In this episode, we talk with Hannah and Jade about what it was like to dive head-first into a new industry, as well as how they manage their relationship as both business partners and spouses.

As one of the top thought leaders in business innovation, Whitney Johnson has reshaped the way we think about professional development. Whitney’s latest book, Build an A-Team, looks at how bosses can create an ever-improving and engaged team. In this episode, Whitney talks about the thought process and research behind her book as well as what it means to disrupt yourself.

For RM Harrison, entrepreneurial success doesn’t just mean big profit margins. After starting her entrepreneurial career as a communications designer, RM realized that to continue to flourish, she needed to find a way to keep her passions alive, even if it meant making big changes. That’s when she decided to start helping other entrepreneurs design business models that not only drive financial success but also cultivate and maintain a sense of fulfillment for the entrepreneur. In this episode, RM Harrison traces her path to becoming a Pivot Strategy Consultant and explores how entrepreneurs can stay in touch with the inner motivations that led them to start their business in the first place.

Elizabeth Zeigler is a master in the art of fundraising. As CEO and President of Graham-Pelton Consulting, she uses her powers for good. Unlike other consulting firms, Elizabeth’s works to help nonprofits get the support and funding they need to achieve their philanthropic mission. In this episode, Elizabeth discusses the exceptional power of individual giving, and she provides a refreshing example for how companies can create equal opportunities for flextime employees.

Less than 30% of key management positions are held by women. Archana Ravichandran is working to change that. After getting her MBA from Wharton, Archana decided she wanted to try her hand at management. She signed on as a manager with Google and led three different teams over the course of her seven years there. Now, she is using her people skills to help professional women get to the top through her very own podcast. 

Laura Atwell is solving two big problems at once. As VP of Development at Team Rubicon, Laura helps military veterans get reintegrated into civilian life by connecting them to disaster relief projects. Laura uses her background in journalism and her fundraising skills to tell Team Rubicon’s powerful story and raise funds that fuel disaster relief missions all over the world. Follow along with our conversation with Laura as she talks about her path to making a difference and what goes into creating an impenetrable, positive work culture.

Rana Nawas has spent her professional life standing up for women’s rights in the workplace in Dubai. As SVP of Capital Markets for GE, Rana pushed for better maternity leave policy and advocated for women at her company. As President of the Ellevate Dubai chapter, Rana creates opportunities for professional women to develop their careers and support one another. Rana’s next endeavor is her podcast, “When Women Win,” which highlights formidable women of the past and present. On this episode of the Ellevate Podcast, we talk to Rana about changing workplace policy and culture, how she manages her busy schedule, and what inspired her path to championing women.

Kate Edwards is the Co-Founder and COO of Heartbeat, a marketing platform that connects brands to real women through real women. Kate saw that women hold immense power when it comes to promoting the brands they love. She thought, why not capitalize on the authentic promotion these women are already putting out there? In this episode, Kate talks about what it took to go from an idea to a thriving company that provides side hustle opportunities to thousands of women.

This week, we sat down with broadcaster, speaker, writer, and educator, Natali Morris to discuss managing your personal finances. When Natali left CBS, she set out to build her family’s wealth by growing the resources they already had. In the process, she became highly knowledgeable in the realm of personal finance, so much so that women and men around the world seek out her insights.

Lorraine Hariton’s illustrious career has stretched into every sector - public, private, and now, as SVP of Global Partnerships for the New York Academy of Sciences, nonprofit. What all of her experiences hold in common is STEM. Lorraine started working in computers in the 1970’s, and her knowledge of technology opened many doors for her. Now she wants to open those doors for future generations of women. In this episode, Lorraine talks about how we must champion women and girls in tech, as this is where the fate of our future lies.

Jodi Flynn knows very well that Type-A people are a “special breed.” That’s because she works as a career coach for Type-A women...and if her additional list of titles (speaker, author, podcaster) doesn’t already give it away, Jodi is Type-A, too. While a Type-A woman’s desire for perfection can lead her on a journey to the top, Jodi points out that it can also hamper her efforts to get there through unnecessary self-doubt and burnout. In this episode, Jodi walks us through the rewards and challenges of holding oneself to the highest standard, and she outlines helpful practices that all women can adopt to let go of unrealistic expectations of what we can accomplish. In doing so, she believes we’ll find that we are actually able to accomplish more.

When we think of someone who seems to be “doing it all,” Melanie Curtis no doubt comes to mind. Melanie is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and life coach with a dedicated Facebook following. She has also jumped out of a plane over 10,000 times. When asked how she manages it all, Melanie reassured us that the state of her apartment would reveal her humanness. In this episode, Melanie Curtis chats about making her imperfections known, overcoming fears, and what it’s like to throw yourself out of planes, helicopters, and the occasional hot air balloon.

Neha Gandhi is Chief Operating Officer and Editor in Chief at Girlboss—a versatile role one could only have at a startup. With her love of storytelling as her guide, Neha charted a path to professional fulfillment that is all her own. As she honed her skills at publications like Harper’s BAZAAR, Seventeen, and Refinery29, Neha realized she was destined for more than publishing alone. Neha has since become a force in both the editorial and operational realms. In this podcast, Neha shares her insights on how to create a work culture that churns out innovative solutions, the universal value of storytelling, and the future landscape of media.

Letitia James is the epitome of a female role model. As Public Advocate for the City of New York and the first woman of color to hold citywide office in NYC, Letitia James is all about breaking down barriers and giving a voice to those who have been “locked out of the sunshine of opportunity.” In an episode guaranteed to inspire, Kristy and Letitia sit down to discuss Letitia’s career path, how she stays connected to her community (it may involve DoubleDutch), the feminization of poverty, and the need for more women to take up positions in public office.

As psychotherapist, writer, wellness & executive coach, Megan Bruneau is a leading voice in the health and wellness community. She has pursued her passion to help others to no end, even if it meant taking an unconventional approach. After graduating from a prestigious counseling psychology Masters program, Megan couldn’t seem to land a job and rather than letting her situation get the best of her, she chose to pursue the thing in her life that brought her joy: yoga. In this episode, Megan traces her winding path from a yoga mat cleaner to successful entrepreneur and discusses the importance of therapy and using one’s privilege to help others.

Eva Moskowitz, Founder and CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools, has been passionate about education from the time she was young. Growing up in NYC, she was aware of the effect a family’s zip code had on a child’s destiny. With her passion for educating grades K through 12 and her service as a chairwoman of NYC Council’s Education Committee, she opened the Academy to close the achievement gap for children in low income neighborhoods. In this episode, Eva discusses how Success Academy is reversing the achievement gap, why we need to more women at the top and why it’s important for parents to have autonomy over where their kids go to school. 

Not many companies have a single individual as their Chief People and Legal Officer; however, AppNexus is setting a trend and changing the game with diversity in tech. After 4 years as their General Counsel, Nithya Das now serves as the Chief People and Legal Officer at AppNexus. This hybrid role allows her to help drive diversity and inclusion while working closely with both the legal and people teams. In this episode Nithya discusses how she transitioned from working at a firm to working at AppNexus, the importance of corporate culture and why she’s not afraid of people saying, “No.” 

Taylor Bradford has always been curious about being her own boss, so she bought her first rental property at 24 years old. As a multi-passionate entrepreneur, she’s had the opportunity to pursue various endeavors from the fitness world to the oil and gas industry to blogging. Her brain is constantly thinking of ways to move forward and collaborate. In this week’s episode, Taylor talks about finding an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age, changing her career path and wanting to be the first female owner of an NFL team.

Andrea Ormeno, Women’s Business Center Director at the Queens Economic Development Center (QEDC), is no stranger to the hard work of an entrepreneur. As an immigrant and the youngest director in the history of QEDC, she understands the immense work it takes for small business owners to succeed. However, she is dedicated to breaking down the barriers. Growing up in an entrepreneurial family in Ecuador, she is passionate about providing immigrant business owners with the resources they need when starting their businesses in America. In this week’s episode, Andrea discusses her experience working for QEDC and her passion for getting women entrepreneurs the tools they need. She also gives some incredible pro-tips and advice for small business owners. 

From the time Environmental Artist Anne DeCarbuccia was young, she’s been passionate about nature. Growing up on the island of Corsica, she always been surrounded by and interested in the beauty around her. Her love of nature coupled with her passion for art has led her to an illustrious career bringing awareness to the effects that we have on our planet. In this episode, Anne discusses her evolution as an artist, the power we have as consumers, and her exhibition One Planet One Future. You can see Anne’s work at her permanent gallery exhibitions in New York and Milan.