• 07: Dr. Gail Lebovic – Surgeon, Inventor, Serial Entrepreneur
    Nov 20 2024

    I’m excited to share this conversation with you because Dr. Gail Lebovic has an incredibly impressive background in multiple male dominated fields. Most importantly, she has committed her career to improving the delivery of healthcare for patients around the world, especially woman’s health. Internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work as an Oncoplastic Surgeon, Dr. Lebovic is also highly regarded as a creative inventor and successful serial entrepreneur.

    Along with her highly skilled team, she has developed and brought to market numerous innovative products. The team has achieved multiple successful acquisitions totaling nearly $500M.

    Dr. Lebovic holds over 50 US patents, is a member of the Forbes Business Council, and currently serves as Founder and CEO of Silicon Valley Innovations. Her company is focused on bringing novel drug delivery platforms to the multi-billion dollar nasal healthcare and feminine healthcare markets. Their initial product called NasoClenz is on the market as the first intranasal antiseptic, perfect for those of us seeking nasal relief products.

    Dr. Lebovic told me she loves to pay attention to areas of the body that are neglected – like the nose. I tried NasoClenz, and let me tell you, it is the product I never knew I needed, and now I will not travel without it. You know how your nose gets dry on airplanes? Well this stuff was a dream. NasoClenz was also designed for patients with allergies, chronic sinus issues, CPAP users and more.

    She has served as director of several important clinical programs and is the Founder of the Society of Oncoplastic Surgery,

    Listen in to hear how Dr. Lebovic did all of this, including her take on being likable, and how she navigated being told in medical school that being a surgeon is not for women!

    Enjoy the show and Stay Driven!

    Meet Dr. Lebovic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaillebovic/

    Visit Dr. Lebovic’s news blog here: https://svi-inc.com/news/


    Nominate a Driven Woman:

    https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

    Connect with Erin Smith directly: erin@drivenbeyondexcellence.com

    Download Erin’s free ebook: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/ebook


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    51 mins
  • 06: Kat Benzova Rock 'n Roll Photographer
    Jul 10 2024

    🌟 Meet Kat Benzova: Rock Photography's Trailblazer! 🎸📸 🌟

    From a globe-trotting fashion model to the tour photographer for Guns N’ Roses, Kat

    Benzova has become one of the world's most sought-after rock photographers.

    She's worked with legends like AC/DC, Aerosmith, KISS, and many more. With her

    own philanthropic foundation, Mission 11, Kat's work and social impact are awe

    inspiring, and she is nowhere near done evolving.

    🔊 Tune in to hear: 🔊

    • 🎤 Exclusive insights from Kat’s extraordinary journey.
    • 💪 Struggles and triumphs in an intense male-dominated industry.
    • 🌍 Inspiring stories from her charitable foundation, MISSION 11.
    • 🧠 Mindset and growth: Overcoming challenges and finding balance.
    • 💡 Empowering perspectives: How environment shapes us and the importance of rebalancing our feminine energy.

    Don't miss this episode filled with powerful moments and valuable lessons. Listen now and get inspired to create your extraordinary life! 🎧✨

    Kat’s website: https://www.katbenzova.com/about

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katbenzova_rockphoto/

    Nominate a Driven Woman:

    https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

    Schedule a complimentary strategy call with Erin: https://erinsmithexecutivecoach.youcanbook.me

    Download Erin’s free ebook: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/ebook

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • 05 Vasanta Pundarika: Investment Banker
    Jun 11 2024
    Vasanta works at the intersection of healthcare and finance as an investment banker,and she is most passionate about investing in and advancing behavioral andwomen’s health. She’s also on the board at Sakhi – For South Asian Women. Sakhi is a New York City-based not-for-profit that represents South Asian survivors of gender-based violence. Vasanta is a frequent panelist or moderator at various healthcare conferences orwebinars and as an avid Princeton alumnus, she is a Co-Class Agent for herclass for Annual Giving and also serves on the National Annual Giving Committee. She also has many passions beyond advancing women’s healthcare, she also lovescooking, has lots of house plants, loves arts and crafts and staying healthyand fit with Orange Theory. I’m excited to share this conversation I had withVasanta, because she is fiercely authentic and has developed an admirable setof core values that guide her. Which I think we can all learn from. If you take away one thing from this episode, letit be this: As a woman in a male dominated career, and an immigrant Vasanta isa shining example of how being different has the power to drive you to want to fit in, unless you decide that being different is awesome!
    Show highlights:Listen all the way through because there are a lot of gems that you wouldn’t expect –for example
    • Vasanta’s path from majoring in Anthropology to wanting to be a food writer to becoming an investment banker.
    • We also talk about the difference between how men and women build trust in the workplace, and how she dealt with men in her office who didn’t understand her methods.
    • How exhausting it is to not be yourself, and how it kills trust
    • How following your passion leads you to figure out the “how” to make it happen.
    • Knowing how to do something is not the driver, and not knowing how to do something wont stop you if you have a passion for it.
    • If you don’t have a passion, look for your super power. What are you really good at.
    • We also talk about how you don’t have to subscribe to the belief that competition is best. A rising tide lifts all boats. You can hear this advice but u don’t have to agree with it just because lots of people say it, but listen as we talk about it and decide for yourself.

    Helpful links:

    Connect with Vasanta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasantapundarika/

    Nominate a Driven Woman:

    https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

    Connect with Erin Smith directly: erin@drivenbeyondexcellence.com

    Download Erin’s free ebook: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/ebook

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    56 mins
  • 04 Dr. Liz Clayborne: Doctor, Inventor, CEO
    Apr 25 2024
    BIO of Driven Woman:Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne is an Emergency Physician and the CEO & Co-Founder of NasaClip, a medical device for nosebleeds. She has raised $3.25M in funding as of December 2023 and was awarded a NSF SBIR Phase I grantfor $256K to assist with the development of her device. NasaClip launched as the “Band Aid” of nosebleeds in late 2023 on NasaClip.com. Dr. Clayborne has been featured on several national interviews on networks such as CNN, MSNBC,CBSN and TEDx discussing COVID-19, health equity, ethics and challenges faced by Black female founders. Follow her on Twitter, IG and TikTok @DrElizPC.
    Show highlights:
    We talk in depth about finding the courage to be your authentic self, how to flip adversity, and life challenges in your favor. Life is full of struggles, and it can be especially hard for women, and even harder for women of color. Dr. Lizhas mastered the art of believing in herself despite the risks she had to take to raise money and launch her innovative medical device that you and I should have as part of our regular first aid kits in our homes and schools.
    Why you should stay until the end:Make sure you listen all the way through only if you want to catch Liz’s brilliant advice to young women – we have seen so many changes overour lifetimes, and she is realistically optimistic that if women can embrace the challenges they face, and use them to grow, the power they will feel, and the possibilities are truly endless.
    LINKS:Follow Dr. Liz Clayborne on Twitter, IG and TikTok @DrElizPCDr. Liz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethpclayborne/
    Nominate a Driven Woman to be a guest on The Driven Women Project Podcast:

    https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

    Connect with Erin Smith directly: erin@drivenbeyondexcellence.com

    Download Erin’s free ebook: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/ebook
    Enjoy the show and Stay Driven!
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    36 mins
  • 03 Dianne Nolan: Head Basketball Coach and Broadcaster
    Mar 27 2024

    𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

    Dianne Nolan, former basketball coach and current broadcaster, shares her compelling journey on our show today. With 43 years in a male-dominated field, Dianne talks about facing initial resistance in sports coaching, transitioning to broadcasting without credentials, and her passion-driven success.

    Her story from coaching women's basketball to being a respected color commentator is truly inspirational.

    Dianne touches on gender pay disparities in sports, the role of marketing in bridging this gap, and the importance of self-promotion for women.

    Her insights are vital for anyone striving to tackle challenges and advance in their fields.

    𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲:

    𝙁𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠:

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009529504055

    𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙄𝙣:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianne-nolan-2184592b/

    𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢:

    https://www.instagram.com/dianne_nolan_2015/

    Please help us help more women succeed in male dominated fields by giving this podcast 5 stars and subscribing on your preferred podcast platform.

    If you know a driven woman who needs to be a guest on this show you can nominate her here: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

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    48 mins
  • 02 Erica D'Eramo: Mechanical Engineer, DEI Professional, & Founder
    Feb 28 2024

    "Changing the game from within — sometimes you need to create a new path to shine as a leader."

    Erica D'Eramo, a trailblazer in the energy sector and champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), joins us on today's episode. Founder of Two Piers Consulting, Erica is a mechanical engineer with two decades of experience in the international energy industry, now dedicated to elevating DEI in workplaces.

    In this episode, Erica and I talk about how she decided to become a mechanical engineer despite initially believing it sounded too boring! Because girls often look at math and science related fields and think it sounds hard or uninteresting, right?

    Erica also shares her thoughtful theory as to why so few women enter into male dominated fields, and why the few who do, don’t always last. It isn’t what you may think, and has to do with how girls and boys are socialized differently.

    I was most excited to learn what her life was like from being one of two women on a boat out in the ocean for 30 days at a time, to being in the board room being surrounded by men, - these are two totally different environments that she needed to navigate – listen carefully to hear her techniques and how she handled being told that swearing is not “lady-like.”

    Make sure you listen all the way through because Erica talks about what well intentioned organizations need in order to make their diversity equity and inclusion initiatives truly effective.

    - Learn more about Erica's work: https://www.twopiersconsulting.com/

    - Reach out to Erica: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-deramo/

    And don't forget to leave a review or share the episode to inspire another woman who might be on her own path in a male-dominated career!

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • 01 Maureen Pollack: Inventor, Politician, Executive Producer
    Jan 31 2024

    If Maureen wants to do it, it will get done, and in HER way, no matter who tries to silence or edit her voice.

    Maureen Pollack, Stamford, CT city council member, inventor, and co-owner of the pleasure brand Lovability, joins us to discuss advocating for oneself and others. She delves into embracing her identity and balancing motherhood with politics, also touching on fighting stereotypes as a modern orthodox Jewish woman and entrepreneur.

    Maureen shares strategies from "Feminist Fight Club" for handling interruptions and mansplaining, highlighting the importance of response over silence. With her unique tale of transforming CEO of her household to a successful politician while maintaining her values, she inspires listeners to boldly own their narratives.

    For more inspiring interviews with women like Maureen subscribe to The Driven Women Project Podcast.

    Don't forget to nominate a Driven Woman here: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

    An article about Maureen's Product: https://www.kveller.com/meet-the-orthodox-jewish-mom-who-invented-the-latest-pleasure-product/

    Maureen's Lovability Website: https://www.lovabilityinc.com/

    Feminist Fight Club: https://www.amazon.com/Feminist-Fight-Club-Survival-Workplace/dp/0062439782

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    37 mins
  • 00: The Driven Women Project Podcast - Intro Episode
    Jan 31 2024

    In this episode of The Driven Women Project Podcast, host Erin Smith shares her personal journey and insights into success in male dominated fields. Join us as we explore the following key points:

    Here are 5 keys you'll glean from this episode:

    • Why I went to work for Bridgewater, why I left, and the one thing that would get me to go back.
    • What to expect from each episode and who I plan to interview.
    • What the Co-Chief Investment Officer at Bridgewater (a woman!) inspired me to do.
    • The one thing every successful woman I've interviewed has in common.

    Please help us help more women succeed in male dominated fields by giving this podcast 5 stars and subscribing on your preferred podcast platform.

    If you know a driven woman who needs to be a guest on this show you can nominate her here: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

    To connect with Erin: https://drivenbeyondexcellence.com/

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    20 mins