In today’s episode, I’m digging into one of the topics I care about most: personal brand positioning in a world where visibility is no longer granted, it’s built.

We’re talking about what it really takes to become known for your work (hint: it’s not perfection), why your brand is a living narrative rather than a one-time declaration, and how consistency outperforms talent every single time. I’m also sharing a behind-the-scenes look at what I’ve learned from 15+ years in PR watching leaders rise and the patterns that never fail.

If you’ve been waiting to feel “ready” before showing up, this episode is your sign to stop waiting and start leading.

In this episode:

- Why your personal brand is an evolving story — not a static identity

- The Don’t Wait to Be Picked approach and why it matters more than ever

- How to build visibility through owned platforms like LinkedIn + Substack

- The real engine behind thought leadership (spoiler: consistency beats everything)

- What I’ve learned from working with global brands, CEOs, and cultural leaders

- How your network amplifies your ideas and why visibility and relationships fuel each other

By the end, you’ll understand the exact mindset shift and visibility habits that separate “hidden talent” from “recognized leader.”

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

In this episode of Not Perfect Networking, Zoe sits down with Wendy Heilbut, founder of Heilbut LLP, attorney, angel investor, and connector in New York’s creative business community.

Wendy’s career has spanned law, recruiting, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership—giving her a unique perspective on what networking really means. Instead of chasing leads or following sales formulas, Wendy believes the best connections happen through everyday conversations and genuine curiosity.

Together, Zoe and Wendy discuss how to move beyond transactional networking and into relationship building that feels natural, sustainable, and fulfilling.

In this episode:

• Why networking doesn’t need to feel forced or awkward
• How relationships you build today can shape your career years later
• The importance of boundaries when being generous with your time and expertise
• How to stay top of mind in your network through authentic updates
• Using platforms like LinkedIn and Substack for genuine connection
• Why every conversation—big or small—can lead to opportunity

Connect with Wendy:

Website: https://heilbutllp.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-heilbut-1356022b/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

Big announcement: I’m launching the Not Perfect Podcast Network — a curated network built for founders, thought leaders, and professionals who are ready to start their own podcasts without the stress or guesswork.

Yep, on my birthday, I’m officially turning Not Perfect Networking into something even bigger.

Over the past year, I’ve interviewed incredible CEOs, creatives, and entrepreneurs who’ve shared how real, unpolished networking opened doors and shaped their success. One thing they all have in common? They built powerful communities by showing up imperfectly and consistently.

That’s what inspired me to launch this network — because podcasting is the new personal branding essential. In 2025, your podcast matters as much as your website or LinkedIn profile. It’s your owned platform — your voice, your authority, your story.

And I want to make it simple for you to start.

The Not Perfect Podcast Network brings together the best editors, producers, and marketers so you can finally launch the podcast you’ve been dreaming about — with clarity, confidence, and momentum.

Because here’s the truth: you’ll never feel “ready.” So start anyway. Start messy. Start small. Start now.

In this episode, I share:

• The vision behind the Not Perfect Podcast Network
• Why every entrepreneur and thought leader needs a podcast
• How networking and storytelling fuel personal brand growth
• My biggest lessons from a year of Not Perfect Networking
• My birthday message for anyone waiting for permission to start

What if wealth wasn’t just about money—but about community, confidence, and access?

In this episode, Zoe sits down with Syama Bunten, co-founder of Wealth Catalyst and host of the top-100 podcast Getting Rich Together, to explore how women can build meaningful wealth and powerful networks. Syama shares her journey from fashion executive to entrepreneur, what inspired her to create the Wealth Catalyst Summit, and why she believes connection is the key to financial freedom.

You’ll hear how she leads with love, builds authentic communities, and helps women invest with intention—plus her best advice for creating rooms where everyone rises.

Connect with Syama:

Website: https://syamabunten.com

Getting Richer Together Podcast: https://wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syama.co/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

In this Not Perfect Networking episode, communications strategist and “power connector” Jeanne Meyer (Authentic Intelligence; former comms leader at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Current TV, EMI Music, and ToysRUs.com) shares a masterclass on networking and executive communication. We dig into listening before speaking, delivering “be brief, be brilliant, be gone” messages, using the Rule of 3, navigating crisis and disclosure, and building a consistent, authentic presence on LinkedIn and beyond. Jeanne also unpacks the non-transactional mindset that’s fueled her network—from a triathlon community to a six-degrees apartment party that led to three marriages.

In this episode:

• Learn the exact frameworks Jeanne gives C-suite leaders for clear, memorable messaging.

• Get practical, non-cringey ways to show up on social media as a business leader.

• Steal Jeanne’s simple weekly cadence to keep networking on your calendar (and working for you).

Connect with Jeanne:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meyerjeanne/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

Hustle isn’t the problem, how we define productivity is. Creativity strategist Dr. Natalie Nixon shares a human OS for work: Move, Think, Rest—and how a cultivation mindset transforms networking.

Dr. Natalie Nixon is “the creativity whisperer to the C-Suite,” Top 50 global keynote speaker, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and author of the award-winning The Creativity Leap. Through her firm Figure 8 Thinking, she helps leaders reframe the future with foresight, wonder, and rigor. Featured in Forbes, Fast Company, and Inc; named a top woman keynote speaker by BigSpeak.

In this episode we cover:

• Wonder + rigor: a practical definition of creativity that drives results
• Why Move, Think, Rest beats speed-only productivity
• Movement hygiene, micro daydreams, and better thinking
• Play’s “PR problem” at work—and how to fix it
• Networking as cultivation (plant seeds, not quotas)
• Redesigning meetings to reflect culture and focus
• Rest as strategy: from 90-second breaks to sabbaticals

Connect with Dr. Natalie Nixon:Website: https://www.figure8thinking.com/about/

Course: Build Your Creative Capacity as a Leader (LinkedIn Learning) https://www.linkedin.com/learning/build-your-creative-capacity-as-a-leader

Connect with Zoe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

What if your next big idea wasn’t born in a boardroom… but on the back of a cocktail napkin?

Dana Hork is a transformational brand leader, entrepreneur, storyteller, and Founder & CEO of Beers With Friends, an agile creative agency helping challenger brands solve high-stakes problems in just five days. She partners with founders, CMOs, and marketing leaders to unlock fast, high-impact brand solutions through the agency’s signature ‘Beer Run’ sprint approach, delivering expert-driven strategy without the bureaucracy of traditional agencies.

Dana shares how her career evolved from JP Morgan to marketing leadership roles at Jet, Walmart, and Wonder before realizing the traditional agency model wasn’t built for the speed of modern brand building. That’s where Beers With Friends comes in: a nimble, collaborative approach to creative problem-solving that mirrors hashing things out with—yes—a beer and a few great minds.

In this episode:

• Dana’s journey through high-growth startups and Fortune 1 brands
• The inspiration behind Beers With Friends and how “beer runs” work
• Why the best creative happens when collaboration is casual, fast, and fun
• How to stay top-of-mind in your network (hint: start with a text)
• Why networking isn’t about asking—it’s about showing up with value
• How Dana nurtures both old and new connections with intentionality

Connect with Dana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danahork/

Connect with Zoe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/

In this episode I sit down with Danielle Corone, law firm executive, former federal prosecutor, adjunct professor at Seton Hall, and lifelong connector. Danielle brings a fresh, nontraditional take on networking—one rooted in generosity, intuition, and being deeply intentional about how and with whom you spend your time.

Danielle shares how her networking superpower isn’t about volume—it’s about meaning. You’ll hear how she "snuck into" powerful industry circles, built a business through authentic connections, and how she now mentors the next generation of lawyers on ambition, wellness, and making space for both.

Danielle proves that successful networking can be both strategic and soulful.

In this episode:

• How moving schools as a child shaped her relationship-building skills
• Climbing the ranks in big law and making pivots with intention
• The story behind her in-house beauty industry role
• Integrating wellness and ambition, such as crystals, meditation, and executive leadership
• What “marketing like a mom” looks like
• Why small, curated gatherings beat awkward networking mixers
• The ripple effect of generous introductions

Connect with Danielle:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-corcione-a8b59013b/

Connect with Zoe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-weisberg-coady-57aab37/