Meant For It With Polina Rubin, Yelena Mugin & Amber Greene

Sophia Khalifa, an engineer, working on AI at Amazon AWS, has a story we need to hear. Sophia is a muslim Bedouin Arab,  born and raised in Israel. In Sophia's culture and community,  girls traditionally do not receive an education, but Israeli policies mandating schooling for all children, changed her entire life. Sophia graduated from Tel Aviv University with a BS in Electrical Engineering, moved to the US, worked as an engineer for Intel, received her MBA from Stanford, and started working at Amazon leading trust and safety for generative AI. SInce October 7, Sophia’s life changed again when she added activism to areas where she excels.  
Sophia says, “ ​​if ​Israel ​was ​not ​established, ​I ​probably ​would ​be, ​ ​illiterate, ​married ​to ​my ​cousin ​and ​herding ​sheep, ​somewhere ​in ​Galilee. ​Because ​that ​was ​ ​generation ​after ​generation. ​That's ​the ​culture ​that ​we ​had ​but ​Israel ​actually ​up ​leveled ​the ​field ​for ​the ​Arabs. ​And ​if ​you ​look ​at ​the ​number ​of ​like ​20% ​of ​the ​population ​of ​citizens ​and ​the ​population ​in ​Israel ​are ​Arabs. ​Most ​of ​them ​are ​Muslims. ​ And ​in ​universities ​today, ​the ​percent ​of ​Arabs ​pursuing ​bachelor ​degree ​is ​20%, ​same ​as ​their ​percent ​of ​the ​population.”
As a muslim Arab who grew up in Israel straddling two cultures, Sophia speaks from first hand experience about the  cultural divisions in Israel. In our conversation, Sophia dispels the damaging lies against Israel as an apartheid state guilty of genocide and oppressing Arabs. Sophia breaks down how each of these lies is absurdly false and how the repulsive jew hatred that is poisoning our society and hijacking the social justice movement should concern all of us. Sophia tells us that the real problem is not Israel vs Hamas, it is the western world vs. radical Islam. 
Sophia emphasizes the importance of identifying Islamist anti semitism, and the need for honest conversation about this global threat. 
When we talked about those who try to attack Sophia’s honesty  because her experience doesn’t match up with the story they believe about Israel, Sophia had wise words, “first ​they ​try ​to ​spread ​lies. ​ ​And ​then ​when ​you're ​able ​to ​fight ​against ​it ​because ​you're ​sharing ​the ​facts, ​the ​truth, ​then ​they ​try ​to ​discredit ​you.”
 
Must Read Quotes from this episode:
“​​And ​then ​I ​think ​that ​as ​long ​as ​you're ​using ​this ​social ​justice ​language, ​you ​are ​kind ​of ​like ​protected, ​you ​are ​righteous,  ​and ​then ​that ​gives ​you ​the ​legitimacy ​to ​say ​anything. ​But ​no ​one ​comes ​and ​tries ​to ​question ​what ​you're ​saying. And ​what ​is ​happening ​is ​that ​we ​have ​the ​islamist, ​anti ​Semitism. ​And ​I'm ​not ​saying ​Muslim. ​I'm ​saying ​islamist, ​extreme ​Islam, ​antisemitism ​that ​is ​exploiting ​that ​language ​and ​using ​that.”
“​They ​try ​to ​be ​for ​the ​oppressed, ​for ​women's ​rights, ​for ​LGBTQ ​rights ​and ​all ​that they're ​trying ​to ​be ​on ​the ​right ​side ​of ​history. So ​they ​hear ​that ​social ​justice ​lingo ​about ​like, ​ah, ​genocide, ​colonialism, ​white ​supremacy  Which ​is ​like, ​if ​you ​went ​to ​Israel, ​you ​would ​laugh ​to ​think ​that ​this ​is ​like ​white ​supremacy. ​You ​cannot ​tell ​the ​difference ​between ​a ​Jew ​and ​Arab ​in ​Israel.”
“But ​all ​of ​a ​sudden, ​your ​teacher, ​someone ​tha

In this episode,  Susan Griffin-Black, co-founder of EO Products, shares her story.  Susan tells us about her path from her early days in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to becoming a pioneer in the natural products industry. Raised by a father who was an early feminist and advocate for women's economic empowerment, Susan's entrepreneurial spirit was nurtured from a young age. She recounts her experiences in the fashion industry, opening her first retail store in San Francisco, and eventually co-founding EO Products.
In 1995, Susan founded EO Essential Oils, starting with a few essential oil blends. Her vision was to create a company that she would want to work for, one that prioritized sustainability, community, and holistic well-being. Over the years, EO has grown significantly, becoming a trusted name in the natural products industry.
Susan's story is one of intentional living. Susan's dedication to holistic, sustainable practices has been unwavering. "Our premise was we wanted to create a company that we would want to work for. And so what does that look like?” Susan’s Buddhist spiritual practice has also been a guiding force, helping her navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Susan has always believed in meeting people not for what they can do for you, but to understand their journey and learn from their experiences.
As EO Essential Oils approaches its 30th anniversary, Susan is optimistic about the future. She plans to continue growing the business while staying true to its core values. New products are in the pipeline, and there are exciting plans to celebrate this milestone with the community.
Susan Griffin's journey is a reminder and model  that success is not just about financial achievements but about values based living.  We hope Susan’s story inspires you to stay committed to your dreams.  We also discuss the months when it was a struggle for Susan to make payroll and a living wage. It was not easy, but the alignment of values, purpose, great products and smart business decisions led to EO’s success. Susan says, “You just have to collectively aim for the highest good for the most amount of people. Always, always, always."
Memorable Quotes
"I've had a Buddhist spiritual practice for 30 years. This is, I don't care what all of the external voices are saying, but if I go down this path, it's just not aligned with my values."
"Our premise was we wanted to create a company that we would want to work for. And so what does that look like? 
"Essential oils are like very, very distilled flowers and plants and bark and, you know, all sorts of plant material, but they have so much vitality."
“You just have to collectively aim for the highest good for the most amount of people. Always, always, always."
EO Products
 

Steve Leder, Head Rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles, is one of the country’s most influential rabbis and the author of 5 life changing books. Rabbi Leder joins us for second podcast to discuss topics such as the foundations of Jewish faith, fascinating historical anecdotes, the problems within DEI, the role of education in Judaism, mental health and addiction,
 Did you know that the founding fathers of the United States considered adopting Hebrew as the official language? Or that Napoleon played a pivotal role in the emancipation of European Jews? 
Whether you're deeply religious, spiritually curious, or simply a lover of history, there will be something for you in this discussion. 
Topics Discssed
(01:01) Differences between Judaism and Christianity, The Jewish emphasis on ethical behavior
(09:00) The idea that Jews are white eastern european colonizers is absurd
(18:23) The problem with diversity, equality and inclusion
(31:14) Hate of Jews subordinates the rest of their entire identity
(36:32) The democratic party no longer represents the working class
(38:40) As it relates to God and religion, how much do you think our country has veered
(56:13) I was not capable of balancing it, which is why I'm stepping aside
(01:04:41) Painkiller addiction and how it changed your life
(01:16:45) Spirituality is the sanctification of the ordinary
Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and share your thoughts via email at contact@meantforit.com. Visit www.meantforit.com for more episodes that offer guidance, light and community.
 

Join us as Joan Barnes, the founder of Gymboree, she shares  her journey from a young woman seeking community into a powerhouse businesswoman. Gymboree started as a mommy and me play center in Marin County, California that eventually Joan led to a successful franchise business and chain of international children’s clothing stores. At the time of Gymboree’s blockbuster IPO in 1993, the company had annual revenue of $86.3M. In 2010, Bain Capital acquired the company for $1.8 billion!  In this truthful conversation, Joan shares her  unorthodox approach to business, motherhood, domestic life, her struggles with bulimia, and the personal sacrifices she made when putting her work first. 
Joan's insights on the challenges of balancing professional ambition with personal happiness are as relevant today as they were during her time with Gymboree. This episode and Joan’s book, Pay it Forward,  will be fascinating for entrepreneurs who like to hear behind the scenes stories about companies that made it to  the exhilarating  day of a successful IPO.  Joan shares the challenges of accepting VC funding and balancing a family life with a growing franchise This is not the story about having it all, partially because Joan knew she didn’t want it all, and also because a complete focus on her business, resulted in sacrificing her marriage and spiraling deeper into bulimia.


Today, Joan has found peace with her family, friends and knowing that  she made bold choices and stayed true to herself. So, sit down or take this podcast for a walk as we have a real conversation with a woman who despite the odds, always knew she was meant to be a trailblazer. 
 
Notable Quotes from Joan Barnes:
"Professional friendships are not the same when you don't have that job anymore."
"I'm a cheerleader, not a caretaker."
"We all know what to do. It sometimes takes us a while to, you know, uncover it all."
"I wouldn't do anything differently because you kind of are who you are."
 
Topics Discussed:
(00:00) Joan's early life and her path to entrepreneurship
 (09:29) The societal pressures and personal challenges of motherhood
 (13:40) The inception and global success of Gymboree
 (25:20) Joan's battle with bulimia and her road to recovery
 (44:00) Life after Gymboree: Embracing spirituality and letting go
 (49:33) The importance of listening to your heart and making conscious choices
Find us on Instagram @meantforit. You can also visit our website at www.meantforit.com, and sign up for our newsletter here or email us contact@meantforit.com
We jump with joy when we hear from you. Unless it's negative, then we may stomp a bit.. 
 
 

In this short podcast,  we talk about how to shift your perspective about making a difference in the world. It is so easy to compare ourselves with others and to feel that we aren' doing enough in our lives to make a difference in the world. What if we consider that the way we choose to live our day-to-day life is our personal activism  / impact.  Making a difference isn't only about huge professional achievements, it is also about the daily interactions and the kindness we share with our family, our friends and the people who cross our path.
From opening a door, complimenting someone, be gentle and thoughtful with your family, to getting to know the people in our communities,  let these micro-acts of positivity fill you up.  If you also fall into the loops of feeling bad about your day job,, this is a reminder that our jobs don't define our impact on the world—it's the type of person we are from dawn till dusk that matters.
If you are uncertain about your influence in the world, we hope this is a gentle nudge to feel good about the power and importance of your everyday actions
Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and share your thoughts via email at contact@meantforit.com. Don't forget to visit www.meantforit.com for more episodes that inspire, challenge, and celebrate the small yet significant victories of daily life.
Want to contiune ths convesation?  Find us on Instagram @meantforit. You can also visit our website at www.meantforit.com, and sign up for our newsletter here or email us contact@meantforit.com
 
 
 

If you decide to divorce a narcissist this is a must-listen episode.  Dr. Ramani, the world’s leading expert on narcissism, joins us for a third episode to discuss what you can expect during a divorce. We cover the emotional landmines, legal traps and issues you are likely to struggle with even long after your divorce. Your ex may start to behave in ways you never expected, like suddenly becoming a father who is completely devoted to sharing custody. We cover the best and worst-case scenarios of ending a marriage with a narcissist, including a quick settlement to the torture of vindictive custody battles.
Dr. Ramani also offers valuable guidelines for getting through the divorce. We cover the importance of choosing a divorce attorney who understands narcissism and why you must be prepared to be meticulous in your activities and always document your communication with your ex. Dr. Ramani suggest you use an app such as My Family Wizard to communicate so it is documented and admissible in court.
We also discuss the emotional impact on children and the long-term consequences of growing up with a narcissistic parent. Doctor Ramani shares invaluable advice on supporting your children and there is a hopeful reminder:  Every child needs just one truly loving and  supportive adult to thrive, and the suffering they endure in a divorce can be transformed into strength and resilience.
Previous Episodes with Dr. Ramani
Dr. Ramani's Guide to Dealing with Narcissists at Work Dr. Ramani on Dealing with the Narcissists in Your Life Notable Quotes from Doctor Ramani
"You're going to war, and you have to be prepared for that."
"Narcissistic people are novelty seekers. They do tend to lose interest in situations, but as long as the kids represent a place of power, they will fight that right to the end."
"Be present, be attuned, be loving, be all the things you want to be with that child."
"The courts are about parental rights. It's not about child's rights."
Topics Discussed:
(00:00) Doctor Ramani offers advice on dealing with a narcissist during a divorce
(09:29) You need to document everything that happens with your children
(13:40) There are two mistakes people make when going through divorce proceedings
(25:20) When you have a child with a narcissistic person, your kids are carrying legacy burden
(44:00) Legal system for divorces involving children
(49:33) Do narcissistic parents ever stop fighting over children? 

Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and share your thoughts via email at contact@meantforit.com. Visit www.meantforit.com for more episodes that offer guidance, light and community.