Feeling lost and purposeless when her youngest child left for college, Rita Lussier leaned into her writing and running to cope. Forming a new morning routine along with the process of running and writing helped her find a new sense of purpose, culminating in the creation of her book, And Now Back To Me. Rita is an award-winning journalist and writer whose column 'For The Moment' was a popular feature of the Providence Journal for a dozen years. Her writing has also been featured on National Public Radio in the Boston Globe, the New York Daily News, and many other publications. Rita enjoys coaching writers, conducting workshops, and has worked as a publicist and editor. She's taught at both University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College.

What You Will Hear in This Episode

01:12 Rita's Journey: From Empty Nest to Published Author

03:37 The Healing Power of Writing

05:04 Navigating Midlife Changes and Empty Nest Syndrome

06:51 The Emotional Rollercoaster of an Empty Nest

09:34 Finding New Purpose and Joy

13:29 Advice for Empty Nesters

26:45 Comparing Empty Nest Syndrome to Retirement

29:01 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Quotes

" I think I'm at my best when I'm reaching out to others and using the things that I have learned and helping others with them."

" The best advice I can give to anyone is to just acknowledge that this is a huge transition. You're going through a big change, and you need to be patient with yourself. It's not gonna happen right away, and I think women in particular are very patient with everybody and everything else in their lives, but maybe not necessarily themselves."

" I think it's important to acknowledge the loss before you can really embrace a new beginning."

" I believe writing your life honors your life."

Mentioned

https://www.ritalussier.com/

Instagram

Facebook

threads

eConnect with Bonnie

Substack Newsletter: Own Your Ambition

Gendered Ageism Survey Results

Forbes article

5 Tips to own the superpower of your age

IAMMusicGroup

Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:

If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review

Marcia Dawood's journey into angel investing began in 2012 when she attended an angel investing meeting in Pittsburgh. Previously working in sales, marketing, and operations within corporate America, she was intrigued and fascinated by the world of entrepreneurship and investing in early-stage companies. Initially unaware of the opportunities that existed locally and globally, Marcia quickly immersed herself in the field. Overcoming the misconceptions that one needs a finance degree or significant wealth to invest, she discovered that anyone with curiosity and willingness to learn could participate. Marsha is the author of Do Good While Doing Well, Invest For Change, Reap Financial Rewards, and Increase Your Happiness. She's currently working on a new book. Unapologetic Wealth, and she's also an associate producer on the award-winning documentary. Show Her the Money. She's a TEDx speaker, host of the Angel Nextdoor podcast, and she really walks the talk and holds investments in over 50 early stage companies and funds. Previously, Marsha worked in sales, marketing and operations for capital education for over 16 years. She received an MBA from the University of North Carolina, Keenan Flagler Business School.

What You Will Hear in This Episode:

02:23 Marcia's Journey into Angel Investing

04:07 Debunking Myths About Investing

05:53 Equity Crowdfunding Explained

12:24 Challenges for Women in Investing

15:10 Overcoming Investment Barriers

22:22 The Importance of Diversification

23:43 Marcia's Books and Resources

31:03 Conclusion and Final Thought

Quotes

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky.

" You really don't have to have any, level of education other than to be curious and to surround yourself with other people who know a lot about, not just investing, but about the different industries. "

 "We have been dealing with being held back from investing, from even getting a credit card, from owning property, you could go all the way back to when women got the right to vote. We weren't even allowed to have a credit card in our name until 1974. So there's a lot of things generationally that have happened that have held women back when it came to finances, and so. If we can start to demystify a lot of that, then we can hopefully get women to feel more comfortable with investing, with using their money for good."

 "I just really believe that women need to be more unapologetic about money, about gathering information so that they can have more wealth."

Mentioned

 www.marciadawood.com

LinkedIn

Facebook

eConnect with Bonnie

Substack Newsletter: Own Your Ambition

Gendered Ageism Survey Results

Forbes article

5 Tips to own the superpower of your age

IAMMusicGroup

Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:

If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review

Yue Zhao's career began with aspirations rooted in a desire to help people, initially thinking she would become a doctor. However, her path led her into the tech industry, where she spent over 15 years as a product executive in Silicon Valley. Discovering the power of executive and leadership coaching became a pivotal point in her career. Inspired by her experiences and driven by her commitment to support underrepresented groups, Yue transitioned from a tech executive to a full-time executive coach. She now focuses on advancing the careers of women and minorities by leveraging her unique insights and personal journey. Through her Substack newsletter, "The Uncommon Executive," and her coaching work, Yue shares valuable lessons on leadership, overcoming challenges, and creating more inclusive workplaces. Yue has coached hundreds of aspiring executives since 2016, is an instructor at Reforge and Maven and is the author of the Uncommon Executive: Breakthrough to the C-Suite as a Minority. She's also been a VC back founder, venture partner at Life X Ventures and a consultant at McKinsey and Company. Yue has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley

What You Will Hear in This Episode:

02:16 Youi's Journey: From Aspirations to Reality

03:52 Discovering Executive Coaching

06:22 Challenges and Triumphs in Silicon Valley

09:20 Leveraging Unique Perspectives

13:37 Coaching Women and Minorities

17:27 Addressing Gender Bias and DEI Efforts

22:03 Building a Web of Influence

23:04 Challenges in Career Advancement

25:03 The Importance of Advocacy and Relationships

33:24 Creating Inclusive Work Environments

Quotes

"Being able to empathize with multiple different perspectives is crucial."

"Finding those moments where you can say, okay, who I am, and where I naturally come from, gives me a step up."

"If I do the work and I do it really well, that'll get me ahead."

"When you've been in environments where you see what great looks like, you're like, 'This should just be everywhere."

Mentioned:

The Uncommon Executive subastack

LinkedIn

eConnect with Bonnie

Online Course for Ambitious Women: https://www.female-career-accelerator-online.com/

Substack Newsletter: Own Your Ambition

Gendered Ageism Survey Results

Forbes article

5 Tips to own the superpower of your age

IAMMusicGroup

Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:

If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review