Cultivate with Alex Canavan

CNY Women's Network

Success rarely happens overnight. Instead, it's cultivated over time through different experiences, relationships, and conversations. On Cultivate, host Alex Canavan — founder of the CNY Women’s Network — sits down with builders, creators, and visionaries to share the stories behind those experiences. New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit the Follow button. Business and sponsorship opportunities - hello@alexcanavan.com

  1. 6d ago

    How to Network with Intention (And Actually Build Relationships That Go Somewhere)

    Alex is back solo, and this time she's tackling the topic every woman in this community asks her about: networking. Not the awkward, business-card-collecting kind. The intentional kind, the kind that actually turns conversations into community. This episode is the best of a recent Collective call, expanded and made even more tactical. Alex breaks down why most networking advice leaves people feeling like they're just going through the motions, and what to do instead if you actually want your relationships to go somewhere. She gets specific: how to set real, measurable networking goals instead of vague intentions. How to build a personal rolodex so you stop relying on memory and luck. How to introduce yourself in a way that sparks curiosity instead of ending the conversation. How to walk into a room and insert yourself with ease, even when every instinct says to hang back. And how to follow up in a way that feels generous, not awkward. She also gets honest about what nobody tells you: that quality beats quantity every time, that some of your best networking moves are sitting in relationships you already have, and that you don't need to do more, you need to do it better. In this episode: Why transactional networking doesn't work, and what intentional networking looks like insteadHow to set quantitative networking goals and actually stick to themBuilding your own networking rolodex (and why a spreadsheet is more powerful than it sounds)The three things every strong networker does: intro, approach, follow-upThe follow-up formula that removes all the guessworkWhy nurturing the relationships you already have is still networkingHow community, done right, becomes the most sustainable networking strategy there isIf you've ever left an event with a stack of cards and zero real connections, this episode is your reset. New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit subscribe. Learn more about Camp Collective Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on Substack Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be a guest on Cultivate Connect with Alex Canavan, the host of Cultivate on her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Diam Media Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    12 min
  2. Jun 15

    135: Timing is Never Going to be Perfect ft. Sarah Pelligrini

    In this episode, host Alex sits down with Sarah Pellegrini — Syracuse native, real estate veteran, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Noble Cellar — for a conversation about what it really means to bet on yourself, bet on your community, and build something that didn't exist before you showed up. Sarah has spent over 20 years executing across real estate, sales, business development, and hospitality. She guided more than 600 families to achieve their real estate goals. She spent five years as Vice President of a national real estate coaching organization, mentoring hundreds of agents and business owners across the country. And then — in the middle of all of it — she co-founded Noble Cellar, a fine-dining restaurant inside a historic downtown Syracuse church that went on to earn Wine Spectator Awards, DiRōNA recognition, and Best Restaurant honors in its first two years. She didn't wait for the perfect moment. She didn't wait for the perfect space, the perfect plan, or the perfect time to come back home. She found a building that made her feel something — and she built the rest from there. Because timing is never going to be perfect. And Sarah Pellegrini is proof of that. 💬 Topics we cover: What it takes to lead across industries — from real estate to fine dining — and the thread that ties it all togetherWhy she came back to Syracuse and what community investment really looks like in practiceWhat she learned coaching hundreds of business owners that most people never figure outHow she and her co-founder built Noble Cellar without investors — just vision, grit, and each otherWhat it felt like to be told fine dining would never work in Syracuse — and then prove them wrongWhat she wants builders and leaders who are in the thick of it right now to hearIf you've ever talked yourself out of something because the timing wasn't right — this is the episode you needed to hear. New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit Subscribe. Connect with Sarah Learn more about Noble Cellar ⁠⁠⁠Apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be a guest on Cultivate Connect with Alex Canavan, the host of Cultivate on her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Diam Media Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    41 min
  3. Jun 8

    134: Whose Definition of Success Are You Living? ft. Barb Stone

    In this episode, host Alex sits down with Barbara Stone — entrepreneur, author, TEDx speaker, leadership development coach, and founder of Build Your Path LLC — for a conversation about what it really costs to spend 25 years chasing someone else's version of success. And what it takes to finally walk away from it. Barb did everything right. She earned her MBA, climbed the ladder in manufacturing — one of the most male-dominated industries out there — and reached the top. Executive Vice President. CFO. Impressive by every measure. And then one day, she stopped and asked herself a question that changed everything: Whose definition of success am I actually living? What followed wasn't a clean, Instagram-worthy pivot. It was a reckoning. With identity. With worthiness. With the version of herself she had been performing for decades. Through the loss of her first husband, a kidney cancer scare, and living with alopecia — a condition that took her nearly eight years to stop hiding — Barb kept doing the inner work. Studying resiliency. Getting certified as a coach. And eventually, building a life that actually looks like her. In April 2025, she released her first book — So Much to Drool About: Lessons for Living Large — inspired by the Great Danes who taught her more about presence, courage, and showing up fully than any boardroom ever did. 💬 Topics we cover: What it was like being a woman in manufacturing and learning to lead without losing herselfThe moment she realized looking good and getting it right was killing her soulWhat resilience actually means — and why it's about building forward, not bouncing backHow her Great Danes became the unexpected teachers behind her first bookThe daily practices that keep her grounded, intentional, and moving forwardWhat she wants every quietly unfulfilled high-achiever to hear right nowWhy the antidote to being stuck is simpler than you thinkIf you've ever built a life that looks great on paper but doesn't feel like yours — this is the episode you needed to hear. New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit Subscribe. Learn more about Barb Stone ⁠⁠⁠Apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be a guest on Cultivate Connect with Alex Canavan, the host of Cultivate on her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Diam Media Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    54 min
  4. Jun 1

    133: She Didn't Stop. Until She Had To ft. Kennedy Myers

    In this episode, host Alex sits down with Kennedy Myers — former corporate professional, founder of The Graze Catering and The Graze Management, and one of the most honest voices on the internet right now — for a conversation that is raw, courageous, and impossible to forget. Kennedy was doing what so many of us do: working a nine to five, building two businesses on the side, and grinding through every warning sign her body threw at her. When she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia — a blood cancer with a 0.0006% chance of occurring in someone her age — everything stopped overnight. The businesses she poured herself into. The clients she showed up for. The identity she had built around doing it all. What came next was a fight for her life. And a lesson that no hustle culture guru will ever teach you. Kennedy turned to TikTok to document her journey through diagnosis, aggressive chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, and everything in between — unfiltered, and without a safety net. Nearly 130,000 people found her there. Because she was saying the thing nobody else was saying out loud. 💬 Topics we cover: What life looked like before the diagnosis and the signs she kept explaining away as burnoutThe moment her heart rate hit 285 BPM and everything changedWhat it actually felt like to close her businesses from a hospital bed and the guilt that followedWhy chemo made her feel closer to dying than the cancer ever didHer stem cell transplant, graft-versus-host disease, and where her recovery stands todayWhy she started posting on TikTok and what it means to find community in the most isolating experience of your lifeHer message to every entrepreneur who thinks they can't afford to stopThis one will shake something loose in you. If you've been ignoring the signs, running on empty, or putting your body last on a very long list — this is the episode you needed to hear. New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit Subscribe. Learn more about Kennedy and her journey ⁠⁠⁠Apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be a guest on Cultivate Connect with Alex Canavan, the host of Cultivate on her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Diam Media Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    35 min
  5. May 18

    132: Erik Ramstad: "We threw it all under the table and decided to start from scratch"

    In this episode, host Alex sits down with Erik Ramstad — COO of Farmwell and part of the family behind one of upstate New York's most purposeful food and beverage brands — for a conversation that is grounded, genuine, and quietly refreshing. Erik and his family didn't set out to build a beverage company. They set out to grow something real. What started as a family dream rooted in the aronia berry — one of nature's most antioxidant-rich and underrated superfoods — has grown into a Regenerative Organic Certified® farm and a brand built on a simple but powerful belief: that farming well and living well go hand in hand. This episode isn't about hustle culture or scaling fast. It's about intention. Craft. And what it actually takes to build a product people genuinely believe in — from the soil it's grown in to the bottle it ends up in. 💬 Topics we cover: -What regenerative organic farming actually means — and why it changes everything about the final product - The real process behind developing something people trust and keep coming back to - What it's like to build a brand as a family — and what that dynamic actually looks like day to day - The intersection of sustainability, entrepreneurship, and getting your product into the world - What Farmwell is building next — and the vision behind it This one is warm, thoughtful, and a great reminder that the most meaningful things are usually grown slowly. If you've ever wanted to build something you're truly proud of — from the ground up, with purpose — this conversation is exactly where to start. New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit Subscribe. Learn more about Farmwell ⁠⁠Apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be a guest on Cultivate Connect with Alex Canavan, the host of Cultivate on her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Diam Media Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    56 min
  6. May 11

    131: Andrew Lunetta: "The market is never going to help. So that's why we exist."

    In this episode, Alex sits down with Andrew Lunetta — Founder and Executive Director of A Tiny Home for Good — for a conversation that is honest, grounding, and genuinely inspiring. Andrew has spent the better part of his life close to homelessness — first as a shelter worker, then as someone who literally lived alongside the men he was trying to help, and now as the leader of one of Central New York's most innovative housing nonprofits. He didn't start A Tiny Home for Good because it seemed like a good idea. He started it because after eight years of watching the same people cycle in and out of the shelter system, he knew the model that actually worked simply didn't exist yet. This episode isn't about charity in the traditional sense. It's about dignity. Proximity. And what it really takes to solve a problem — not just address it. It's about building something the market will never build, and doing it anyway. 💬 Topics we cover: - Why getting someone into a home is only the beginning — and what long-term stability actually requires - How Andrew's upbringing shaped a life of service before he even realized it - What eight years in a shelter taught him that no degree could - The honest truth about building solutions inside a broken system - Why you can't — and shouldn't — do it alone - What "success" looks like when it's measured in years, not overnight wins This one is real. It's raw. And it might just change the way you think about what it means to solve a problem in your own community. If you've ever felt the pull to build something that actually matters — this is exactly the conversation you need to hear. New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit Subscribe. Learn more about A Tiny Home for Good Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn ⁠Apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be a guest on Cultivate Connect with Alex Canavan, the host of Cultivate on her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Diam Media Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    57 min
  7. May 4

    #130: The Art of Giving ft. Monica Merante

    In this episode, Alex sits down with Monica Merante — Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®, Senior Director of Philanthropic Services at CNYCF, and one of Central New York's most thoughtful voices on generosity and legacy — for a conversation that is warm, grounding, and quietly profound. Monica has spent over a decade at the Central New York Community Foundation helping donors build legacies that last — connecting families to causes that reflect their deepest values and teaching the next generation what it means to give with purpose. And after just one conversation with her, it's easy to understand why people trust her with something as personal as that. This episode isn't about charity in the traditional sense. It's about intention. Identity. And the kind of generosity that goes far beyond writing a check. It's about asking yourself what you actually stand for and building something that reflects that long after you're gone. 💬 Topics we cover: - What philanthropy actually means and why it starts with values, not dollars - How families can use giving as a tool to pass down purpose, not just wealth - What holds people back from giving more intentionally and how to move through it - The role community foundations play in connecting people to lasting impact- What legacy really looks like when it's built with intention - How anyone — at any giving level — can start living a more generous life right now This one is warm. It's wise. And it might just shift the way you think about what you're building — and what you're leaving behind. If you've ever felt called to do more, give more, or simply mean more with the resources you have — this conversation is exactly where to start. New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit Subscribe. Learn more about CNYCF Connect with Monica on LinkedIn Apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be a guest on Cultivate Connect with Alex Canavan, the host of Cultivate on her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Diam Media Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    59 min
5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Success rarely happens overnight. Instead, it's cultivated over time through different experiences, relationships, and conversations. On Cultivate, host Alex Canavan — founder of the CNY Women’s Network — sits down with builders, creators, and visionaries to share the stories behind those experiences. New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit the Follow button. Business and sponsorship opportunities - hello@alexcanavan.com

You Might Also Like