Forty Over 40

Forty Women to Watch Over 40

40 Women to Watch Over 40

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40 Over 40 Asks: 12Qs with Kahshanna Evans, Founder, Kissing Lions PR

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick. This week’s Q & A is with Kahshanna Evans, Founder, Kissing Lions Public Relations

 

1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
A pivotal moment of reinvention for me was transforming my anger into my first screenplay, Amani which is based on real life experiences. Stories don’t matter unless we make them matter by telling and sharing them.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
Activist, mentor and woman extraordinaire…Marcia Dyson is an invaluable role model to me. She stands for beliefs that celebrate and champion women to be all they can be and advocates for the upliftment of women including equal pay. She is consistently being the measure, which is a value that absolutely drives my success and humanity.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?
My biggest goal right now is to support philanthropic and social good initiatives a mission-based client is shaping for women, performers and the arts community.

4. How did you get your first job? How did you jump to your second job?
My first job in my current line of work was working for Yvonne Maisonette. She encouraged me to give her the help that she needed running her family business and pushed me to take myself seriously. As 2008 hit everyone pretty hard financially, I shifted from bi-coastal living to rooting myself, once again, in NYC. The second job, which was really a springboard, was for two male-centric clients in tech. They dissolved the business, refusing to pay their employees for monies outstanding. Talk about motivation to return to my own brand and stick to it.

5. What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?
On a good day when my schedule is reasonable, I like to head to morning yoga.  More often than not, however, I wake up, nibble and get to work organizing, writing and shaping proposals and programs for projects I’m working on for my clients.

6. What’s the best networking contact you’ve made? How did you make it?
The best networking contact I made is Robert McEwen of Consumer Reports (formerly of McEwen McMahon), or Bob, as I’ve been invited to call him.  Bob has followed my milestones and even taken an interest in grabbing a quick coffee to follow the progress of Kissing Lions Public Relations.  His advice as a thirty year veteran in the publicity industry has been sound.

7. What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?
I am most proud of being an associate-producer for While Lies, Black Sheep, a feature length indie film which received accolades. It was an incredible challenge working on “no-budget”, which meant I worked on four hours sleep per night in exchange for my best contributions on-set and behind the scenes in a male-centric setting. Ultimately, the biggest challenge was being appropriately credited which took me years to resolve as the boys club left little room for fairness or equality due to male politics.

8. What cause do you most want to advance?
It’s really hard to choose one. Arts programs for kids and transformational mentorship for women are at the top of my list, however, if I stumbled upon unlimited wealth I would love to create a Made in Harlem sewing start-up so women can make a living with the skills they learn.

9. What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Somewhat of a bird with broken wings, I found myself in Robbi Reed’s office years ago.  It’s not that she gave me advice to pray, it’s that she was a woman enough, and a leader enough to take my hands and pray for me. I cried.  It was generous and I was beyond words. Prayer is a universal statement referencing the power of intention, goals and the relationship we make with that which is greater than ourselves in getting where we are going in life.

10.What is your “keep me going” quote?
At the tail end of my intention, one wonderful Spiritual mentor, Anne Angelheart, taught me to tack on, ‘for my highest and best good’.  This has carried me through the years.

11. What is your secret indulgence?
I absolutely adore stationery and print making.

12. Who on the list of prior Honorees would you like to meet?
Diane Hessan of Startup Institute.

Checkout Kahshanna’s full #40over40 profile here:

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Forty Over 40 Asks: 11Qs with Sue Chen

suechenWelcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Sue Chen, Founder and Chief Executive Officier at Nova Medical Products, diver and shark conservationist.

1)  What was a pivotal moment of reinvention for you?

The pivotal moment of reinvention for me was when I hit a bottom in my life – both personally and professionally. At 36, I was engaged, in love and an invincible CEO.  One year later, I was in a miserable marriage, feeling like the most vulnerable CEO on the planet and on the brink…of what? – I don’t know. But I was now living in a bottomless pain and darkness I had never known. My epiphany in this place was that I owned my emotional bucket.  The same place that inspired love and passion was the the place where now lived pain and resentment.  So, there was the hope. It was the same place. The same bucket where I could rediscover and reignite the love and passion that once thrived in my bucket. How? With the most powerful source to everyone’s bucket – meaningful connections. I connected with my customers, my mission, my family, my friends, my employees, my planet – and that reconnected me back to my loves, passion and myself.

2)  Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?

My mother.  She is my one woman cheerleading squad who has supported and mentored me my entire life and continues to. No one comes close. And, if you asked my mother this question, she would also say without hesitation, her mother. I’ve had crazy ideas and big project plans since I can remember. As long as I had a plan and passion, my mother supported the “crazy” ideas and projects regardless of any cultural anchors or barriers that may define a Taiwanese girl or Taiwanese woman. And that means I did many firsts as a Taiwanese girl and woman, from being President of my High School class to producing a documentary to being the first woman Membership Chair of my YPO Chapter. As a 43 year old woman, I know I am here today because of three women – my mother and my two grandmothers. They indeed paved a path that gave me infinite opportunities.

3)  What is your biggest goal right now?

My biggest goal right now is to transform and save the Home Medical Equipment industry, which has been stagnant and declining for decades with very little product innovation, the highest dissatisfaction rates of any healthcare products and moral spiraling down to an eminent bottom. A symbol of this is the grey walker with tennis balls. That walker was developed in 1965 and dirty tennis balls never meant for walkers. The dysfunctional distribution of medical equipment and that lack of innovation and has been controlled and fueled by drastic Medicare cuts and regulations forcing thousands of independent Home Medical Equipment (HME) providers out of business and the remaining paralyzed about their uncertain future. I am not just transforming and disrupting my industry, but imploding and exploding it.  I am giving the entire product segment and dealer channel a180 degree turn and doing much more than making great products and saving an industry, but changing the cultural negative stigma towards people with physical challenges and physical differences.  In the past 20 years, I have been making beautiful, sexy, stylish and empowering medical equipment.  That’s right!  Canes in gorgeous prints and styles trending from classics to runway, walkers that are so turbo and “bling-ed out” they turn heads with their leopard seats, colors, brakes, lights, cup holder and designer bags.  And, it’s not just the hot products, but our campaigns and missions that fuel everything we do including the Lose the Tennis Balls campaign, Bathroom Safety fall prevention challenge and Mobility Makeovers.  To save and reposition the dealers, I created a program called HME180 that takes the dealer from a Medicare/insurance business model to consumer direct retail – and it is working.  We have hundreds of independent dealers and pharmacies that have embrace the new opportunities in consumer healthcare retail and most of all, loving their business and mission again.  That mission is the greater good that we all share to improve the lives of millions of Americans.

4)  How did you get your first job? How did you jump to your second job?

I grew up in Davie, FL – a small country town in south Florida. Even though we were the only Taiwanese family in own town, like all small towns there is a Chinese Restaurant.  Even though we never ate there, I had good feeling I could get a job there…supply and demand.  So, I when I turned 14 and showed up at our town’s Chinese Restaurant, the New Canton Chinese Restaurant, requesting a job, I was hired on the spot to be the Hostess and Take Out Girl. I loved interacting with the customers and realized the value of customer engagement and service. I happily and enthusiastically engaged with every customer except one…and that one was the person I most idolized in my life at that time.  I was the # 1 Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins Quarterback) fan and when he came in to pick up his take out order I had so much to say, but completely clammed up and experienced Lock Jaw…and couldn’t say one word.

Second job?  Yep, Chinese restaurant again, but now as a waitress.  I waitressed throughout high school and college and that really taught me the value of exceptional customer service.  And, still hoping have that conversation with Dan Marino…

5)  How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?

I unplug by becoming a Marine Biologist and Conductor of an Orchestra…well, kind of.  I have always loved ocean life and classical music and these loves and passions have become a very active, dynamic and meaningful part of my life. Though I am not a Marine Biologist, I am an avid diver, ocean and shark conservationist, underwater photographer and very connected with the ocean world. Though I am not a Conductor of an Orchestra, I am a classical music aficionado, student and super appreciator of the music, artists and composers. And I do have my own baton…just in case! Immersing myself in these two incredible worlds of beauty and sound allow me to refuel, recover, recharge and reinvent with clarity, new perspectives and I unplug in a powerful way.

6)  What’s the best networking contact you’ve made? How did you make it?

The best networking contact I’ve made was with Sir Richard Branson. He was kind enough to come out for the Operation Blue Pride shark expedition. Sir Branson is a tremendous leader and advocate for our oceans and sharks, but had never dove with sharks before. I was his dive buddy for his first shark dive where we encountered dozens of sharks including Emma – the famous Tiger Shark. What an incredible experience. We both experienced the beauty and true gentle nature of sharks. During this trip I learned so much from Sir Richard Branson. I learned about graciousness, courage, adventure and about LISTS. As I was making my TO DO list for my new mission and organization – Operation Blue Pride — and feeling a bit overwhelmed, he said, “Keep on those lists. I make lists for all of my ventures. You make lists and cross things off. Keep making lists and crossing things off until you’ve got something good.”

7)  What cause do you most want to advance?

The cause I most want to advance is to improve the lives of millions of Americans who are facing the greatest fear of aging – loss of independence. All people want to remain active and independent on their own terms and in their own homes.  Yet, falls are the 5th leading cause of death for Americans over 65 with 1 in 3 people over 65 falling every year. Most of these falls can be prevented with information, education and some basic products.  I have become a certified instructor in Fall Prevention and Mobility Optimization so I can educate healthcare providers and consumers and do so in a way that creates a movement and mission.  One of the ways I define success for me is to move that stat – Falls are the 5th leading cause of death for Americans over 65 – out of the top ten.  This is one painful healthcare epidemic we can cure.

8)  What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

Just a few months after I started my company, a family friend and great entrepreneur Chris Schmid said to me, “If you’re going to do something big, be sure to have partners. Real partners…because with partners, the good times are so much better and the bad times not as bad.”   The joy of sharing the highs and comfort in facing the lows has kept my company going, surviving and thriving for 21 years.

10) What is your secret indulgence?

My secret indulgence is playing on my Bosendorfer Grand piano.  I do not deserve such a great piano and sometimes I feel my Bosendorfer deserves a better pianist and one that can perform for others.  A failed piano competition when I was 14 left me with piano performance anxiety and I still struggle playing in front of others.  So, I play and indulge with my beautiful Bosendorfer Grand secretly and happily.

11)  Who on the list of 2013 Honorees would you like to meet?  Paola Gianturco

Check out Sue’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

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Forty Over 40 Asks: 8 Questions with Stacy Ratner

stacyratnerWelcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our female disruptors and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This weeks Q & A is with Stacy Ratner founder of Open Books, a nonprofit social venture that provides literacy experiences for thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and creative capitalization of books.

1)  What was a pivotal moment of reinvention for you?

Almost three years ago, my nephews were born. I don’t have children of my own and hadn’t thought I’d have the chance to be an aunt, so this was a moment of revelation and recalibration: I realized I wanted to be someone they would always be excited to see and proud to know, and that that would mean being present for them any time, any place, and in any way possible.

2)  Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?

I am so, so lucky to be surrounded by the Open Books team, who continue to teach me about the challenges, possibilities, and rewards of what we do every single day. They sponsor this idea of mine with their time and talents, offer both practical and challenging mentorship, and provide unforgettable examples of what can be done by a group of people with a common cause and genuine desire to change things for the better.

3)  What is your biggest goal right now?

I am currently co-leading the initiative to open the Literacenter, a shared workspace and cause beacon for more than 80 literacy organizations across Chicago. In some ways, it’s the most significant project I’ve ever undertaken, because the goal is so big: we are determined to bring everyone who cares about this issue into one place to collaborate, communicate, and cooperate with each other towards our shared vision of a 100% literate city.

4) What is your “keep me going” quote?

“It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it.” (Pirkei Avot)

5) How did you get your first job? How did you jump to your second job?

I got my first job, which was an entry-level position in catalog production (copywriting and graphic design), from a classified ad in the newspaper. It was the last time I worked for anything other than a startup: my second job was co-founding a computer consulting firm with my brother, and every gig since then (including Open Books) has been an entrepreneurial venture as well.

6) What cause do you most want to advance?

I believe that once a person is fed, housed, clothed, and safe, the most crucial thing they can be is literate. There is no substitute for the ability to communicate through written language, which makes it possible to do everything from meeting basic needs through touching the future. I came to the field eight years ago with a naive appreciation of its potential and a willingness to submerge myself in it. Now, a little more educated and a lot more humble, I hope I will be lucky enough to spend the rest of my working life working on the cause of literacy, and making it possible for people at all levels to get involved.

7) How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?

My three favorite ways to recharge are to read mystery novels, to go to the park with my beagle, and to make quilts. (I do listen to audiobooks when quilting, but I think it still counts as unplugging. 😉 ) I try to do at least one of these things every weekend.

8) What is your secret indulgence?

I don’t have a lot of secrets, so everyone already knows: ice cream. I eat some every day.

You can read Stacy’s full #40over40 profile here and follow her on twitter here:

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Forty Over 40 Asks: 10 Qs with Celia Pronto, Ford Retail Group

celiaprontoWelcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our female disruptors and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This weeks Q & A is with Celia Pronto, Marketing and E-Commerce Director, Ford Retail Group, United Kingdom

1. What was a pivotal moment of reinvention for you?

Like many professional women out there, the early years of my career were spent growing my skill sets through education and work experience to get ahead.

However, in 2010, following a year of personal tragedies in my family, I realized that I had reached the point where I had more to give – of myself, my experience and my ability to help others.

This new-found appreciation that every day is a gift has given me the confidence to participate in inspiring new areas like growing the pipeline of female talent, getting involved in initiatives to actively drive forward the issue of the under-representation of women at the top of corporate UK, championing my organization’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy and agenda; and taking on international speaking engagements.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?

My father, who always championed my education, independence and ambition. He always expected me to be the best, but also accepted me just the way I am.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?

To serve as a role model for younger females, and inspire them to push themselves forward and be all they can be – no matter what the obstacles or challenges in their way.

4. How do you unplug? 

It has taken me a while to figure out how to unplug, as I generally prefer to be busy all the time. However, during the past few years I have learnt the value of exercise in helping me to unplug. Wherever possible I try to make time for exercise three times a week. More recently, I have taken up mindful meditation, as well as tapping – which are proving invaluable in bringing perspective and balance.

5. What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?

Despite being born in a country which shortly after my birth experienced a 19-year civil war that subsequently saw my family lose everything, I am proud that this has never held me back from being ambitious and successful. Where you come from does not determine who you are, that is up to you.

6. What was the last business book you read? 

American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company

7. What cause do you most want to advance?

Giving females the confidence to push themselves forward, and creating the right corporate cultures to ensure they are able to continue contributing productively to organisations across all levels of business.

8. What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

You can’t control other people’s behavior, you only ever control your own reaction and behavior.

9. What is your “keep me going” quote?

When you were made a leader, you weren’t given a crown, you were given the responsibility to bring out the best in others – Jack Welch

10. Who on the list of 2013 Honorees would you like to meet?

Farah Mohamed: Founder & CEO, G(irls)20

You can read Celia’s full #40over40 profile here

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Forty Over 40 Asks: 8 Questions with iRelaunch co-founder Carol Fishman Cohen

CarolFishmanCohenWelcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our female disruptors and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This weeks Q & A is with Carol Fishman Cohen Co-founder of iRelaunch; a company connecting professionals returning to work after a career break with employers interested in hiring from this talent pool.

1. What was a pivotal moment of reinvention for you?

Resuming my career at age 42, and after 11 years out of the full time workforce, by joining Bain Capital, and then having that journey become the subject of a Harvard Business School case study.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?

How about role model? One of the highlights of our book research for Back on the Career Track was interviewing Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in person (she hadn’t retired yet) about how she returned to work following five years at home with her sons. She is one of my most powerful role models.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?

To demonstrate to employers the quality of the return-to-work talent pool. To enable and document so many return-to-work success stories that hiring a returning professional following an extended career break is no longer viewed as a high risk proposition.

4. How did you feel on your 30th birthday? What were you doing at that time?

On my 30th birthday I was just about to have my first child. Little did I know that, while on maternity leave with that child from my corporate finance job at Drexel Burnham Lambert, Drexel would collapse, precipitating my career break. I went on to have three more children over the next five years.

5. What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?

Together with iRelaunch co-founder Vivian Steir Rabin, we have presented our career reentry strategies to over 12,000 people globally, and have worked with nearly all of the major U.S. return to work programs.

6. What was the last business book you read? 

“Flash Boys” by Michael Lewis (excellent!)

7. What cause do you most want to advance?

I remain on a mission to connect returning professionals with employers interested in hiring them.

8. What advice you would give a 40-something woman trying to return to the workforce? 

Return to work success is not about age or number of years out of the work force. It’s all about figuring out exactly what you want to do and being absolutely relentless in going after it.  Determine your strongest interests and skills, and where you can add the most value to an employer. Then go out and tell everyone you know what you are looking to do and why you are the best person to do it

You can read Carol’s full #40over40 profile here