Kathy Eberwein built a global recruitment empire not by following the rules, but by breaking them with intention. From walking job sites as the only woman in steel-toed boots to launching Global Edge the day after her divorce, Kathy’s story is a masterclass in resilience, values-driven leadership, and trusting your gut even when the stakes are high. In this episode, she shares how staying true to who you are, especially when the world expects otherwise, is the most powerful strategy of all. If you have ever questioned your voice, your timing, or your path, this conversation will remind you that real success starts with owning exactly who you are.

Thayer Lavielle is not waiting for permission. As Managing Director of The Collective at Wasserman, she has built a global consultancy and research platform that proves women are not a charitable investment—they are a business opportunity. In this episode, Thayer shares how her nonlinear career shaped her leadership, why data must drive equity, and how The Collective is scaling measurable change across sports, entertainment, and culture. From launching Title Nine lawsuits in college to helping her daughter spark a 25-team flag football league, Thayer moves with purpose and builds with precision. Her message is clear: know your gift, own your voice, and give yourself permission to lead differently.

After a sudden layoff in 2015, Marissa Rodriguez walked away from the corporate grind and built a life and business rooted in freedom, clarity, and scale. From generating over 100 million dollars in eCommerce revenue to relocating to Greece on a one-way ticket, her story is both a blueprint and a wake-up call. In this episode, Marissa breaks down why eCommerce is not just retail online, how to scale without full-time staff, and what it really takes to build a business that serves your life, not the other way around.

“What you don’t change, you’re choosing.”
At just 24, Min Ju Kim is already rewriting the rules of sportswear, creative expression, and what it means to take up space as an Asian woman in business. From walking away from her father’s dream of pro golf to building Zasin, a golfwear brand for women, by women, Kim is proof that clarity comes when you choose yourself. Her story is not polished. It’s real. It’s bold. And it reminds us that purpose begins the moment you stop waiting for permission and start moving with intention.

“I left with a hundred dollars in my wallet and no home to go to. Today, I get paid five figures to clean million-dollar homes, teach other women how to charge what they’re worth, and run a business that reflects who I am: queer, bold, funny, and fiercely unbothered. The poem that saved my life became the business that changed it. Pause. Reflect. Move forward. That’s not just my brand. That’s my survival story.”
— Holly Oldham, founder of PRMF Cleaning

Crystal Cassidy spent years at the forefront of biotech innovation—then took a leap into the world of spiritual wellness and tech. In this episode, she shares the story behind SoulPod, a platform that blends science, mysticism, and data-driven transformation. From bootstrapping challenges to building a new category she calls “soultech,” Crystal offers a powerful blueprint for women building outside the box.

“We did not have a roadmap. We had a $250 rental space, a few favors, and a lot of late nights. We kept our day jobs, reinvested every dollar, and built a business people actually wanted to work for. That is how Jump Ahead was born. Not with funding or flash. With grit, trust, and a vision we refused to let go of.” — Brittany Smith and Janki Patel, Co-Founders of Jump Ahead Pediatrics

What if the key to healing was already in your body and it sounded like your own voice?

This question sits at the heart of Julia Williamson and Maddy Monticelli’s work. Together, they lead Sing to Thrive, an Australian-based platform that blends music, sound healing, and practical neuroscience to help people reconnect with themselves. Their approach is not about perfect pitch or polished performance. It is about reclaiming the voice as a tool for emotional release, self-awareness, and everyday healing.

Their story is both deeply personal and widely relatable. Julia grew up in a family that both loved music and struggled with dysfunction. Singing was her escape. It gave her comfort when everything else felt uncertain. But like so many women, Julia internalized limiting beliefs early. She believed she needed to be perfect to be worthy. She learned to stay quiet, to not ask for anything, to keep the peace.

When Dr Ishnella Azad enters a room something shifts. Conversation sharpens, posture straightens, and you sense that every obstacle just shrank a size. She talks fast because her story is sprinting. She has been a scientist, a neuro‑psychiatrist, a commercial real‑estate mogul, a data‑center pioneer, and a walking billboard for resilience. Plenty of high achievers look impressive on paper. Ish’s power lives in the space between bullet points, where setbacks meet stubborn determination.

This long‑form piece unpacks the full arc behind our recent episode of Badass Women in Business. It is the behind‑the‑mic look at how a woman with three science degrees, an amputated leg, and an unyielding belief in everyday investors is racing toward a ten‑billion‑dollar empire while lifting others along the way.