The She Means Business Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

She Means Business is a podcast for aspiring leaders looking ​for inspiration, motivation and mentorship in the business ​world, co-hosted by Gail Banack and Ilana Santone.

This podcast features women Founders, CEOs, trailblazers ​and innovators who are leading their teams and business with ​passion and conviction.

Join us for real stories, meaningful conversations and ​actionable takeaways.

Tune in every week for new episodes with Gail, Ilana and ​special guests.

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Olivia Petrou, founder and CEO of Olive & Fig, shares her journey of leaving her corporate job to start her luxury charcuterie and food experience brand. Growing up in a Greek household, Olivia was surrounded by food and gatherings, which inspired her love for creating beautiful and abundant charcuterie boards. She went through a difficult breakup before finding herself and starting Olive & Fig. With the support of her now husband George, Olivia built a successful business that offers on-demand charcuterie board delivery. She emphasizes the importance of listening, trusting her intuition, and putting her needs first.

Takeaways

• Olivia emphasizes the importance of listening, trusting her intuition, and putting her needs first in order to excel in her business and personal life.
• She credits her background in recruitment for her ability to find valuable employees and build a supportive team.
• Olivia's advice for her younger self is to be more confident in speaking up and putting her needs first, while still being compassionate and empathetic towards others.

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Kelly Olsen, Chief Operating Officer at Arcana, shares her career journey and experiences in luxury retail, consulting, and the cannabis industry. She discusses her involvement with Lean In Canada and the impact it had on her career. Kelly emphasizes the importance of clear personal priorities, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and knowing when to balance extracurricular activities with work. She advises younger professionals to stay curious and be aware of opportunities within their own organization and network and emphasizes the value of building and nurturing a network over time. She also highlights the importance of discipline in making deliberate choices and allocating time effectively.

Takeaways

• Maintaining clear personal priorities, such as health and well-being, is crucial for managing a successful career and personal life.
• Extracurricular activities, like volunteering and expanding one's network, can have a positive impact on career growth and development. Stay curious and be aware of opportunities within your organization and network.
• Build and nurture your network over time.
• Make deliberate choices and allocate your time effectively.
• Embrace growth and be open to new opportunities.
  
  

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Jennifer Ho, Vice President of Product & Design at OLG, shares her journey in the digital field and her experience as a woman in a male-dominated industry. She emphasizes the importance of fostering personal growth, cultivating talent, and solving customer and business problems in digital transformations. She also reflects on her experience as a visible minority and the impact of relationships and constructive feedback on her career. Jen, Gail and Ilana touch on the importance of addressing microaggressions and biases, the challenges faced by visible minorities and women in leadership positions, and the need for deliberate and conscious decisions in how individuals show up and handle adversity. They also highlight the value of feedback and the non-linear nature of career paths.

Takeaways

• Foster personal growth, cultivate talent, and solve customer and business problems in digital transformations.
• Embrace constructive feedback as a gift and an opportunity for growth.
• Slow down, prioritize what's important, and don't sweat the small stuff in your career.
• Being deliberate and conscious in how individuals show up and handle adversity is important.
• Feedback, both big and small, can contribute to personal and professional growth.
• Career paths are rarely linear, and embracing change and adaptation is essential.

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Megan Anderson, Global Client Director at Microsoft, shares her insights on navigating career transitions. She emphasizes the importance of saying yes to opportunities and surrounding yourself with great people. Megan also highlights the value of transferable skills and problem-solving abilities in different roles. She discusses the roadblocks she has faced and the importance of learning from failure.

Takeaways

• Say yes to opportunities and figure it out later.
• Surround yourself with great people who support and inspire you.
• Develop transferable skills and problem-solving abilities.
• Embrace failure as a part of the learning process.

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Megan Anderson, Global Client Director at Microsoft, shares her insights on balancing work and motherhood. Megan shares her experience of being hired while pregnant and the significance of a supportive company culture. She advises women to prioritize and be deliberate in crafting their home and work lives. In this conversation, Megan and Ilana discuss the challenges and choices faced by working mothers. Gail, Ilana and Megan explore the societal pressures and expectations placed on women, the importance of intentional decision-making, and the need for support systems and sponsors. They also touch on the guilt and anxiety that often accompany motherhood and the importance of letting go of unrealistic expectations. The conversation highlights the need for women to prioritize their own well-being and make choices that align with their values and goals.

Takeaways

• Choose a company with a supportive culture that values work-life balance.
• Prioritize and be deliberate in crafting your home and work lives. Don't let societal pressures dictate your choices as a working mother. Be intentional and make decisions that align with your values and goals.
• Build a strong support system and surround yourself with sponsors who advocate for you and support your career.
• Let go of guilt and unrealistic expectations. Focus on what truly matters and prioritize your own well-being.
• Recognize that you can't have it all, but you can have both a successful career and a fulfilling family life by making deliberate choices and setting boundaries.

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Morgan Ferris, Vice President of Merchandising for Entertainment at Walmart Canada, shares her career journey and insights on building a successful career in retail. She emphasizes the importance of being open to different opportunities and taking on stretch assignments to develop a broad skill set. Morgan also highlights the value of networking and maintaining relationships with peers and mentors. She encourages individuals to have confidence in their abilities and to put themselves out there, even if it means taking risks and potentially failing.

Overall, Morgan's advice is to approach careers as long journeys of skill acquisition rather than a linear path of promotions.

Takeaways

• Be open to different opportunities and take on stretch assignments to develop a broad skill set.
• Maintain relationships with peers and mentors, both inside and outside your organization.
• Have confidence in your abilities and put yourself out there, even if it means taking risks and potentially failing.
• Approach careers as long journeys of skill acquisition rather than a linear path of promotions.

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Jessica Snow, a strategy and operations executive, shares her unique career path and her latest venture, Be Uninterrupted, which supports professional women navigating life interruptions. She emphasizes the importance of a portfolio career and taking control of one's own destiny. Jessica discusses the challenges and opportunities of navigating different industries and roles, and offers advice for women looking to make career changes. She also highlights the need for women to acknowledge and navigate interruptions, such as maternity leave, job promotions, and board positions. Trusting oneself and embracing uniqueness are key takeaways from the conversation. The main themes discussed include the challenges of interruptions, particularly in the context of maternity leave, and the importance of support and understanding from leaders and organizations. The conversation also touches on the need for individuals to diversify their skills and identities to navigate career interruptions.

Takeaways

• Embrace a portfolio career and take control of your own destiny.
• Trust yourself and your instincts, and embrace your uniqueness as your superpower.
• Create a support system and community to navigate life interruptions and share success guides. Interruptions, such as maternity leave, can have a significant impact on individuals' careers and require support and understanding from leaders and organizations.
• Leaders have the power to change the trajectory of individuals' careers by providing support and ensuring interruptions do not hinder their progress.
• Individuals can navigate career interruptions by diversifying their skills and identities, allowing for more flexibility and resilience.

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Lisa Gibson, founder of Ignite Communications, discusses the importance of personal branding and how to build an authentic personal brand. She emphasizes the need for self-awareness and strategic thinking in defining one's personal brand. Lisa suggests conducting a self-assessment by asking friends and family for their perceptions and conducting a Google search to see what information is available about oneself. She recommends identifying three to four brand pillars that align with one's values and unique experiences. Lisa also discusses the various ways to communicate and share one's personal brand, such as through social media, speaking opportunities, and writing articles.

In this conversation, Lisa, Gail and Ilana discuss the importance of personal branding and how to effectively build and evolve your personal brand. They cover topics such as identifying your brand pillars, creating content, analyzing engagement, and overcoming the fear of being controversial. They also explore the process of rehabilitating and changing the perception of your personal brand. The conversation highlights the significance of introspection, feedback, and consistency in shaping and maintaining a strong personal brand.

Takeaways:

• Self-awareness and authenticity are key in building a personal brand.
• Conduct a self-assessment by asking friends and family for their perceptions and conducting a Google search.
• Identify three to four brand pillars that align with your values and unique experiences.
• Communicate and share your personal brand through various channels, such as social media, speaking opportunities, and writing articles. Identify your brand pillars and ensure they align with your goals and values.
• Create content that reflects your unique perspective and engages your target audience.
• Analyze engagement metrics, but don't get too hung up on likes and comments. Look at the bigger picture and consider other factors like timing and tagging.
• Overcome the fear of being controversial by focusing on having a unique perspective rather than being intentionally controversial.
• Rehabilitate your personal brand by assessing your current narrative, making necessary shifts, and aligning your internal and external brand.
• Seek feedback from trusted sources and be open to constructive criticism.
• Consistently review and evolve your personal brand to ensure it aligns with your current goals and aspirations.
• Leaders can support their team members in developing their personal brands by providing opportunities for feedback, coaching, and self-reflection.

Lisa's book: Shine the Spotlight on You: A step by step guide to building and amplifying your personal brand. Launching January 7th 2025.

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In this episode of The She Means Business podcast, co-hosts Gail and Ilana engage in a candid conversation about Ilana's career journey, from her beginnings in teaching to her current role as Senior Vice President at Canadian Tire. They discuss pivotal moments in her career, the lessons learned from her experiences at Target, and the importance of mentorship and leadership. Ilana shares her insights on hiring practices, the significance of curiosity, and the value of building strong teams. The conversation culminates in advice for younger professionals to let go of worry and embrace their potential.

Takeaways

• The importance of making deliberate career choices at forks in the road.
• Effective leadership is about building a strong team and trusting them.
• Curiosity is essential for growth in a rapidly changing environment.
• Mentorship plays a crucial role in professional development.
• Letting go of worry can unlock potential and enhance performance.
• Hiring for values and team fit is more important than skills alone.
• Leadership is about empowering others to take risks and learn from failures.

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