The COMPOSURE Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

“I can’t think of anything more terrifying than knowing what I’ll be doing in ten years’ time.”

In this episode, Clare Salmon, a career senior leader, takes Drew Tweedy and COMPOSURE co-author Lee Epting down a path through her life, exploring how her tolerance for risk has created extraordinary opportunity.

But even amidst her success, Clare tells a familiar story: A brilliant businesswoman, often the smartest person in the room, yet always feeling like a fraud. Like many of us, our early childhood experiences shape our future experiences, and Clare tells us how her early childhood experiences led her to take risks because she truly believes she had nothing to lose.

Join us for this entertaining, inspiring, and surprising conversation, where Clare teaches us the value of risk tolerance, mixed with incredible diligence, some helpful allies, and lots and lots of animals by her side (trust us, you’ll want to stick around for that last part!).

Take the FREE Impostor Behaviors Assessment now ➞

• Order your copy of Kate Purmal, Lee Epting, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And, of course, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!

"We need to communicate the magnitude of the issue to communicate the magnitude of what we need to do."

In this episode, Kate Brodock, General Partner of W Fund and CEO of Switch, is blunt when she tells us what she really thinks: We have a problem.

VC funding for women-led teams is going down — not up. In this moment, with so much energy around DEI and bringing more representation to the workplace, how is this possible?

In this illuminating conversation, Kate Brodock and Kate Purmal get down to business, exploring the root of our capital allocation problem, and, more importantly, what women can do about it:

The quality and caliber of women and underrepresented founders - the pipeline - is not the issue.  The issue is systemic, and it’s the VC system itself that needs to change to solve the problem.

This is precisely what Kate is doing - and she implores other women to become investors to make funding for this underutilized founder talent pool a reality. 

Take the FREE Impostor Behaviors Assessment now ➞

• Order your copy of Kate Purmal, Lee Epting, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And, of course, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!

Naomi Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion, was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year in 2020, and is the very first Asian woman to be ranked Number One in the world. She’s one of the most decorated athletes of her generation, and yet she recently acknowledged that she suffers from Impostor Syndrome.

How is it that a person as successful as Osaka, who has been quite literally ranked No. 1 in the world in her chosen field, feels like a fraud? In our first episode, we dive into this question, and so much more, exploring the depths of Impostor Syndrome — what it is, where it comes from, and who is most prone to it.

Kate Purmal and Lee Epting, authors of COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence, join host Drew Tweedy as we begin our journey into The COMPOSURE Podcast.

• Order your copy of Kate, Lee, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And, of course, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!

Mentioned in the show:

• My Grandmother's Hands — by Resmaa Menakem
• The Body Keeps the Score — by Bessel van der Kolk

In this episode, Gretchen Yanover, Cellist/Composer, dives into her creative process, explaining how she uses personal boundaries and dedicated focus to enable flow. She provides guidance for creators of all kinds, from artists to businesspeople, including:

• The importance of making space for improvisation, connecting with yourself, and making life more fun. 
• The magic of experimentation and finding success by trying new things, learning, and adapting as you go. 
• The necessity of preparation, practice, and process when doing your work. 

Listen to this special conversation, as Gretchen, Kate, and Drew discuss music, motivation, and making meaningful change. 

• Order your copy of Kate Purmal, Lee Epting, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And, of course, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!

“How do I become board-ready?”

We’ve heard that for too long  — mostly from women. And, more often than not, it’s simply not true.

In this episode, Jocelyn Mangan, CEO and founder of Him for Her, dispels the notion that there are not enough women leaders to fill the boardroom — the pipeline is there. It’s just a network problem. She provides guidance for men and women working to diversify boardrooms everywhere.

In this inspiring conversation, Jocelyn and Kate Purmal dig deep, getting real about the inner workings of the boardroom:

• Boards are built by private networks, filled with men. Getting women into those networks, where they can shine, is the first step.
• Homogenous boards have always been “easier” to manage. But diverse boards yield more innovation. The truth is simple: Diversity is good for business.
• The onus of becoming a great board member should not fall on the woman or the person of color or the “only” in the room. Everyone needs to learn how to harness the voices of the board.

Come for the wisdom imparted by these executive women, but stick around for the musings on falling in love with problems, maintaining your impatience, and learning how to dream.

Read Board Experience is Helping More Women Get CEO Jobs on the COMPOSURE Blog ➞

• Order your copy of Kate Purmal, Lee Epting, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And, of course, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!

"Did he really just say that?”

You're the only one like you in the room, and an executive colleague says something that you find biased, offensive, or dismissive. 

However, it’s not egregious. If it were just a one-off you might brush it off — but it’s not. 

You’re torn. You don’t want to call him out in front of your peers — or worse a partner or customer. But you also don’t want to let it slide. 

This is the central dilemma special guest Erin Rech brings to her "brain hack" coaching session with Kate Purmal. 

Kate takes Erin through coaching exercises to find the “right” response so she can: 

• Stay present in the room without being overly reactive
• Show up in a way that ensures accountability and helps create change
• Acknowledge the microaggression instead of ignoring or internalizing it
• Create a course of action without bearing the sole responsibility for resolution

Read A Simple “Brain Hack" to Loosen the Grip of your Perfectionism — The COMPOSURE Blog ➞

• Order your copy of Kate Purmal, Lee Epting, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And, of course, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter and Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!

What does parenting with composure look like when you have a 9-second commute from your office to your kids?

This is the question at the heart of this episode. Kate Purmal is joined by special guest Laurie McGinley in the latest installment of our “brain hack” series. Kate takes Laurie through a live coaching session, helping her find balance between two versions of herself: 

1. Tea Kettle Laurie, who is stressed and anxious (but you better bet she gets the kids to school on time)
2. Wood Turning Laurie, who is calm and joyous (but maybe sometimes needs a little help with logistics)

Kate and Laurie go in some unexpected directions on this journey, somehow tying together winter bundling, morning wood turning, and airplane taxiing — it's a ride you won't want to miss.

This episodes provides clarity on:

• How to maintain high-quality parenting during moments of stress and misalignment
• Why all parenting conflict is ultimately about control
• How to turn stressful moments into joyous ones

Read A Simple “Brain Hack" to Loosen the Grip of your Perfectionism — The COMPOSURE Blog ➞

• Order your copy of Kate Purmal, Lee Epting, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And, of course, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter and Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!

This week, COMPOSURE author Kate Purmal is joined by her daughter, Mariah Driver! This mother-daughter conversation is a special one, full of insights on identity, race, privilege, and the many ways the intersection of those pieces of who we are affect the way we show up in the world — and the ways the world treats us in return. 

This conversation touches upon the business and the personal — both in Mariah’s expertise as a leader in the field of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and in her personal relationship with her mom. She and Kate discuss, candidly, the many ways their relationship has changed and grown through the difficult conversations they’ve had over the past year about how Mariah’s identity as a black woman affects the ways she navigates her own life.

The episode also provides insight into the uniquely challenging experience of being a member of an “out group” in the business world and the many discomforts that come along with not feeling a sense of belonging. Mariah shares from the many lessons she’s learned throughout her time as a DEI leader and gives advice to anyone who is struggling to find ways to mindfully support members of the BIPOC community in the workplace.

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Mariah is the Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Webflow, where she designs systems and experiences that enable everyone to show up authentically and grow to their full potential. 

Through all her work, Mariah seeks to question, reimagine, and redesign the systems and practices that surround us to ensure that all people can access equitable opportunities and build a better world. Mariah’s work is grounded in her training and research in social scientific methods, critical race theory, and organizational psychology. 

Mariah identifies as a black, disabled woman and the proud mom of her 12-year-old chocolate lab, Callie. 

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• Order your copy of Kate Purmal, Lee Epting, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And, of course, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!

COMPOSURE author Kate Purmal takes host Drew Tweedy through a special conversation this week. This is the first in a series of “brain hacks” we’ll be releasing in the coming weeks. 

As an executive coach, Kate regularly uses this exercise to help her clients find greater success and resourcefulness in the areas of their lives where they’re really struggling. Now, she’s bringing the “brain hack” to the airwaves!

This conversation focuses on Drew’s struggles to make time for the creative pursuits that bring him joy. His anxiety has been getting in the way, and as he puts it, he’s “ignoring what fills his cup.” Kate helps Drew create a negotiation between his creativity and his anxiety, recognizing the benefits of each part of him so they can come to an agreement that fulfills both of their desired outcomes. 

Read A Simple “Brain Hack" to Loosen the Grip of your Perfectionism — The COMPOSURE Blog ➞

• Order your copy of Kate Purmal, Lee Epting, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And, of course, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!

COMPOSURE co-author and trauma therapist Joshua Isaac Smith joins host Drew Tweedy in a conversation about the origins of boundaries. Joshua tackles challenging questions about our boundaries: 

• Where do our boundaries come from? 
• What’s the cost of putting our own needs last? 
• How do we evaluate our own boundaries, and how can we start to shift away from them when they’re no longer serving us?

Joshua sheds light on what we can do to strengthen our boundaries, as well as practices we can use in the moment when we're triggered by a boundary violation. A few highlights:

• Feeling guilty about saying “no” to things is a key sign of a weak boundary
• Asking questions before reacting can help avoid taking things personally
• Having self-compassion is absolutely essential to strengthen our boundaries

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• Order your copy of Kate Purmal, Lee Epting, and Joshua Isaac Smith's new book, COMPOSURE: The Art of Executive Presence!
• Download the FREE companion workbook to COMPOSURE!
• And be sure to check out Joshua's blog post: Understanding Emotional Boundaries: The Key to Owning Your Superpowers
• And, of course, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin to make sure you’re getting the latest updates!