Liz Horowitz returned to work too soon. She was still in a tremendous amount of pain and not sleeping well following a major surgery. She was determined to power through but was also pushing herself beyond physical limits.
She soon realized that she was not going to heal by sheer will. She needed time and rest. Without traditional work, she had to completely redefine what success looked like for her.
Fortunately, she had been active for several years in the global networking organization “Women in Wireless” which brings together women in mobile, digital and tech fields for inspiration and empowerment. Her particular team’s objective was to grow outreach with high level executives so they decided to experiment with podcasting to amplify the voices of these women who had advanced to the top.
The interviews poured in and The MADWomen Podcast was born!
They began by interviewing their own leadership and board but soon branched out to various mobile executives and began receiving more referrals than they could keep up with. Through the efforts of some amazing volunteers, the team produced 13 podcasts distributed on iTunes and have another 20 or so in the queue.
The podcast is full of amazing stories and lessons learned with the overarching narrative around inspiration. Who inspires these women, who are their role models and what have they experienced and learned that could help other women?
Top Female Executives Featured on MadWomen Podcast
Here are some of the most powerful leadership lessons captured on The MADWomen Podcast:
“Self care is ultimately critical in your ability to accomplish all the things and support all the people you want to support in work, in life, in a relationship, in your family”. ~Jayne Babine, VP of Media and Advertising with NeuStar.
“No one cares about your career more than you do so invest in it”. ~ Kelly Hoey, Author of "Build Your Dream Network"
“Keep learning. Keep an open mind. And when things are difficult, sometimes just taking a deep breath and stepping back and assessing it from a calm place can give you the space you need to make the right decision”. ~ Jennifer Garrett, EVP Publisher, National Enterprise Group with XO Group
“You're not the only one. There are others who are trying to do what you're trying to do, go where you're trying to go, feeling the way you are. Find them. Share their strength, divide and conquer”. ~ Sheryl Tullis, Partner, Launch Consulting Group and Co-President, Women in Wireless.
‘How you say something is as important as what you say. When you have something to say, say it with confidence. Even if you are not confident inside, just say it. Put on your stage face and go for it”.~ Allison Checchi, Chief Marketing Officer at YP
“No one is above you. We need to step boldly into our role, be present and non negotiable. When you go to the conference room, sit at the table, don’t ask where should I sit”. ~ Diane Najm, Founder, PhotoPad for Business
“Don't feel like you have to subjugate your womanhood however you choose to express it on any given day to your career goals because there's room for both. You can do business and be a woman at the same time”.~ Rachel Pasqua, Practice Lead, Connected Life, MEC Global
“Be open. Being open reduces fear. You'll realize you're not the only one dealing with the challenge. You will learn other people's smarts because they will be more willing to share. At the end of the day, life is a journey, have some good company”. ~ Ning Gao-Condon, Managing Principal,New Digital Collective
“Be mindful of how important a network is and surround yourself with people that you respect and are inspired by. ~ Monica Ho, CMO xAd
“Instead of saying ‘knowledge is power’, my mantra is ‘sharing knowledge is power’. The more you share, the more powerful we all become”. ~Janis Spivack, Co-Founder, MAPoME
“Before you win in business, you have to win the head game. I mean that annoying little voice that's in your head that drives fear and casts doubt”.~ Veronika Sonsev, Partner, Chameleon Collective
“Don't be afraid to live an authentic life. Accept your strengths and weaknesses. Be accountable. Be deliberate. Be forgiving. And most of all, I'd say be contagious”. ~ Aura Motiska, COO at BOKU
For more powerful lessons listen to The MADWomen Podcast on iTunes.