It is hard not to be energized when you are around, Vera Moore, President & CEO of Vera Moore Cosmetics. Vera shares her trailblazer journey of being one of the first black actreses in a family on a soap opera. Embracing her entrepreneurial spirit during this time, she recognized that there was a void in the market for quality cosmetic products for women of color and she launched Vera Moore Cosmetics. Vera further shares her powerful messages of having tenacity and audacity.

Being of service is a core value to Rick Peck, Head of New Hampshire Charitable Foundation's Philanthropy and Donor Services Team. During the pandemic, he and his colleagues found various ways to stay connected with the Foundation's clients and donors. Rick's team aligned to attract more funding to enable the non-profits that they serve to fulfill their respective missions. It is inspiring to hear Rick's story about how strangers have come together during the pandemic to help one another and make a positive impact. Being focused on doing "good work" has made the difference for the community!

Without having any formal business classes or training, Chris Vaglio, CEO of Rock It Growth Agency, founded his first company. He shares his journey and the lessons he learned along the way. Surrounding himself with supportive mentors, educating himself on business principles and reading books about entrepreneurship have been critical to Chris' success. Chris also shares one of his favorite videos with a well-know singer. Watch to find out who!

Anticipating change and being proactive are Sima Ali's approaches to being resilient. Sima inspires us to embrace change and to not be afraid. When you are changing, you are growing and becoming more relevant. Sima supports her clients in being proactive vs. reactive in putting in place employee and workplace policies and procedures to keep businesses moving forward and to be compliant.

Coming from a family of lawyers, having a law-related career was her destiny. While Jennifer Gillman, President of the Gillman Strategic Group, started off her career practicing law, she found that her passion was on the people side of the business and launched her own legal recruiting "matchmaking" firm in 2018. With her positive mindset and boundless energy, Jennifer inspires us to follow our passions.

Inspired by To Kill A Mockingbird, Sheila Murphy, CEO and President of Focus Forward Consulting LLC, became an attorney. She wanted to make a difference and have a positive impact on people's lives. Prior to founding her own firm, she was internal general counsel at MetLife. Sheila inspired those that she worked with to believe in themselves and to take on stretch assignments. She believes in creating inclusive work environments that promote belonging and provide a support structure for people to thrive.

Are you a time-starved, harried executive? Are you frustrated by the challenging and changing business landscape? Is your organization growing so quickly that you can’t get ahead of the curve? Are you finding it difficult to get through your to do list? If you answered Yes to any or all of these questions, let’s talk as you may be in need of a Chief of Staff. Reach out to Susan Ganz at susan@ganzstrategicsolutions.com to take a quick assessment to find out.

Inspired by her entrepreneurial parents and motivated by her passion for social justice, Sejal Thakkar, Chief Civility Officer and Founder of TrainXtra, launched her business. Through her training and consulting work, she advocates for promoting psychologically safe work environments and cultures that allow people to authentically be themselves. Her advice about learning from mistakes is so powerful!

Entrepreneurship was a calling for Garrett Lang, Founder of PlateRate and My Development Mavens, since middle school.  After getting some corporate experience under his belt and with the support of his family as well as surrounding himself with others who had expertise different than his strengths, Garrett started his first company.  He shares how he built an inclusive culture with a social mission.  Such an inspiration!

Through her own personal journey, Kajal Khurana or KK as she likes to be called has learned about the power of own’s mind and having a positive mindset. She shares her insights about how wellness is not a one-size fits all solution. She has studied food and fitness and learned about the interconnections between diet, exercise, sleep, mindfulness, and positive affirmations. KK's advice about being present in the moment, particularly resonated with me!

From her studies in microbiology to working in sales management to consulting and then coaching business executives, Jackie Gernaey, CEO of SevenStar HR founded the company to offer solutions for hiring and managing employees. Jackie shares her insights on empowering employees by giving them responsibility and the authority to make decisions. She inspires us with her can do attitude and giving people the space to learn from their mistakes.

An internship in tv news changed the career path for Kerry Barrett, Founder of Kerry Barrett Consulting. Initially Kerry wanted to be a veterinarian and after the internship, Kerry caught the media bug and overcame her fear of public speaking. She went onto become an Emmy-award winning news anchor, reporter, and producer. Kerry loves storytelling and inspires her clients to make lasting impressions.

Applying her background in the chemical industry, Elizabeth Gearhart, became a Patent Agent and then the Chief Marketing Officer for Gearhart Law. To build something on her own and to highlight small and mid-sized businesses, Elizabeth founded Fireside to revolutionize how businesses are found via a video business directory. She shares her message of staying strong during these challenging times.

So proud to showcase some of the leadership of Nassau Suffolk Law Services. This organization is committed to helping people in need vindicate their rights under the law. The Nassau Suffolk Law Services provides free legal services in thousands of civil cases each year as well as legal support to community advocates to ensure that low income, disabled and disadvantaged individuals have equal access to the civil justice system on Long Island. Hear insights on the organization from Marissa Luchs Kindler, Attorney and Supervisor of the Housing/Civil Unit in the Suffolk County offices, and Rez Islam, Managing Attorney for Nassau County.

With his background in multiple languages, corporate recruiting, and implementing assessments, Chris Kunze, President of Kunze Analytics, LLC, applies his knowledge in building models to predict employee performance. Chris reminds us that everyone can be resilient. We have the inner resolve. He inspires us to ignite our passions to get us through these challenging times!

So proud to share my interview with my Female Wave of Change colleague, Roula Eid Sawan, Managing Partner of Team in Motion and General Manager of Youth & Culture Center at Zouk Mikael municipality. After working for several years in the corporate sector, Roula decided to launch her own coaching and consulting company with her husband. She was inspired by her dad, who was also an entrepreneur. She talks about how she and her husband leverage their strengths in managing the business and how to navigate change and be proactive when faced with challenges. Roula is such an inspiration!

"Traveled" across the US to speak with Dr. Summer Watson, PhD, Founder of KORE Women, LLC. I am so inspired by Summer's work ethic - she's been working since she was 15 years old and has been adamant about owning her own financial security - as well as her dedication to creating a space for women to be empowered to become the best versions of themselves! As a military spouse, she has been committed to creating programs for military families and advocating for their needs.

Her relentless focus and passion for improving patient outcomes and funding research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer drives Kerri Kaplan, President and CEO of the Lustgarten Foundation, to bring her best self to work. Kerri’s love of community service has translated into a 30-year career in the non-profit sector. She talks about adjusting to working virtually and the importance of constantly being in touch with staff, patients and their families, researchers, doctors, and donors as well as showing up with positive energy to support all the stakeholders. Kerri encourages us to let go of “sweating the small stuff” and celebrate little wins.

What a joy to interview my Eminae Network colleague, Roy Pellicano, Principal of Tri-Angular Consulting LLC! Roy talks about how his curiosity, love of learning, and fascination with computers impacted his professional journey. He is a servant leader and inspires us to teach others and to make the world a better place. This is evident in his community work and board work.

Her professional journey has spanned management consulting, co-founding and selling a health benefits firm, and writing 2 best-selling books to co-founding, Business Talent Group. Amelia Tyagi, Co-CEO of Business Talent Group is an advocate for non-linear careers and inspires us to embrace our passions and strengths in designing a career that you love. During the pandemic, her company quickly pivoted to remote work and supported clients in their digital transformations.