Beta-Tested: A Podcast for Women Building Bold Careers in Media and Tech

Stacy Bohrer
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Beta-Tested is a podcast for the women navigating careers in tech, leadership, and life while still figuring it out in real time. Hosted by Stacy Bohrer, each episode features honest, unfiltered conversations with women who are writing their own rules, breaking invisible barriers, and redefining what power looks like from the inside. Whether you're leading teams, selling vision, building products, or entering through nontraditional paths - this show is your seat at the table. We unpack the truth behind big titles and polished LinkedIn bios: the ambition, the setbacks, the pivots, and the systems that don’t always work for us. From the myth of work-life balance to the realities of boardroom politics and the psychology of confidence, Beta-Tested is a space to explore what it really takes to build a meaningful, sustainable career as a woman in media and tech. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠Marketecture Media.⁠

  1. 1d ago

    From Patent Lawyer to Ad Tech Founder: Vanessa Otero on Risk, Rejection & Reinvention

    Vanessa Otero, Founder and CEO of Ad Fontes Media, joins Stacey Bohrer to share how a side project became the viral Media Bias Chart and ultimately transformed her career. Vanessa opens up about leaving a secure career in patent law, navigating rejection and criticism, stepping into her identity as a founder and CEO, and finding an unexpected path into ad tech. She also explores the importance of funding quality journalism and why success often requires learning to move forward without knowing how the story will end. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠ http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways - Failure and rejection can be preparation for entrepreneurship. - Stepping into a new professional identity often requires confidence before certainty. - The Media Bias Chart began as a side project before reaching millions online. - Vanessa found an unexpected opportunity to bring Ad Fontes Media's data into ad tech and brand safety. - Taking a risk does not guarantee success, but giving it your best effort is something you can control. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Beta Tested 00:28 Meet Vanessa Otero, Founder & CEO of Ad Fontes Media 01:11 From Sales to Patent Law to Entrepreneurship 03:43 Learning to Embrace Failure in Sales 05:11 The Story Behind the Media Bias Chart 09:21 How the Media Bias Chart Went Viral 13:33 Turning a Passion Project Into a Business 16:17 Leaving Behind a Professional Identity 19:50 Learning to Own the Founder & CEO Title 23:35 Building Confidence and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome 25:18 Representation and Women in Leadership 27:57 The Reality of Gender Equality Later in a Career 29:14 How Ad Fontes Media Found Its Way Into Ad Tech 32:38 Making Quality News Easier for Advertisers to Buy 34:33 Why Advertising Matters to Journalism 37:03 Leaving a Secure Law Career to Go All In 37:55 Crowdfunding, Rejection and Raising Capital 40:44 The Reality Behind Entrepreneurial Success 43:07 Balancing Profit With a Public Mission 46:49 Learning What You Don't Know 47:35 Authenticity, Criticism and Building in Public 50:28 What Vanessa Is Beta Testing Now 52:54 Trying Even When Success Isn't Guaranteed 54:06 Final Thoughts

  2. Sep 9

    Zoe Mann on Taking Risks, Building Confidence, and Finding Strength Through Loss

    Stacy Bohrer sits down with Zoe Mann, VP of Inventory Partnerships at The Trade Desk, for a personal conversation about taking calculated risks, building resilience, and learning to trust yourself. Drawing on her career at Google, Amazon, and The Trade Desk, Zoe shares how embracing imperfect first attempts helped her grow as a leader, why titles don’t define your value, and why strong leadership doesn’t mean being the loudest person in the room. Takeaways: - Titles don't define your value: What matters is the impact you create, the results you deliver, and how you show up for others. - Confidence comes from repetition: Taking imperfect action, learning from mistakes, and getting more reps can build confidence over time. - Calculated risks can change your trajectory: Zoe explains why data matters, but sometimes your gut has to guide the decision. - Strong leadership doesn't require being the loudest: Being thoughtful, direct, authentic, and results-oriented can carry more weight than dominating a room. - Leadership is about scaling through others: Building great teams means trusting people and accomplishing together what you couldn't accomplish alone. - Life is always being beta tested: Growth comes from trying new things, expanding your horizons, and accepting that you'll never have everything figured out. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Beta Tested 00:18 Meet Zoe Mann 02:08 Joining The Trade Desk 03:46 Separating Self-Worth From Job Titles 05:48 Confidence, Vulnerability, and the "S****y First Draft" 07:43 Building SupplyDesk and Taking Calculated Risks 10:52 Trusting Your Gut on Big Career Decisions 12:48 Family, Confidence, and Early Influences 17:42 Women, Leadership, Power, and Finding Your Voice 20:19 Learning to Speak Less and Mean More 21:15 Why It's Powerful to Say "I Don't Know" 22:48 Balancing Ambition With Being Present 23:33 Zoe Shares Harper's Story 26:30 How Loss Changes Your Perspective 28:19 Family, Motherhood, and Marriage 31:27 Perfectionism and Learning From Mistakes 33:26 Friendship, Connection, and Fulfillment 36:15 What Zoe Is Beta Testing Right Now 38:18 Finding Strength, Healing, and Living Fully

  3. Sep 2

    Building the Future of Advertising: Anne Coghlan on Leadership, AI & Scope3

    Stacy Bohrer sits down with Anne Coghlan, Co-Founder and COO of Scope3, to explore her journey from AppNexus to entrepreneurship, the rise of agentic advertising, and the realities of becoming a confident leader. Anne shares how she approaches big bets, overcomes perfectionism, builds strong founder relationships, and continues to "beta test" herself as both a leader and a person. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠ http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways: - Bet on people, not just ideas: Anne explains why the people building the future matter as much as the opportunity itself. - Agentic advertising is expanding what's possible: Scope3 is working toward a future where advertising can extend far beyond traditional websites and social platforms. - Perfection can slow progress: Anne shares how she has learned to balance high standards with making decisions and moving forward. - Leadership doesn't have one mold: Her AppNexus experience taught her that she could lead authentically rather than imitate someone else's leadership style. - Clarity is kindness: Direct communication can help teams understand the outcomes they need to achieve. - Growth never really reaches GA: Anne sees herself as continually evolving, improving, and learning how to balance ambition with downtime and family. Chapters: 00:19 Meet Anne Coghlan, Co-Founder & COO of Scope3 01:46 The Assumptions People Get Wrong About Anne 04:17 Making Big Bets on the Future 06:20 Understanding Technology Through the Hype Cycle 09:20 Scope3 and the Future of Agentic Advertising 11:41 Building Better Advertising Experiences for Consumers 14:22 Confidence, Perfectionism and Self-Doubt 19:24 How AppNexus Shaped Anne's Leadership 23:21 Building a Strong Co-Founder Partnership 26:43 Why Directness and Clarity Matter 28:58 Big Companies vs. Startup Culture 32:35 Curiosity, Childhood and a Love of Learning 36:18 What Anne Is Still Beta Testing

  4. Aug 26

    From Google & Snap to Founder: Ali Manning on Building Chalice, Leadership & Taking Risks

    Stacy Bohrer sits down with Ali Manning, co-founder of Chalice, to explore her path from The Atlantic and Razorfish to Google, Snap, and entrepreneurship. Ali shares candid lessons about founding a company with her husband, navigating financial pressure, earning credibility as a woman in tech, and building an AI-powered advertising platform while raising a family. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠https://marketecturemedia.com/  Takeaways: - Authenticity can be a greater leadership strength than conforming to traditional ideas of executive presence. - Founding a company with a spouse requires mutual respect, productive disagreement, and intentional repair. - Control over your time can be more valuable than the next title or promotion. - Women founders often need to establish their expertise and credibility earlier and more directly. - Chalice helps major brands use AI to connect advertising investments with real business outcomes. - Trusted friends and colleagues can provide perspective when imposter syndrome takes over. - Making space for a long-held creative ambition can restore energy and clarity. 00:00 Welcome to Beta Tested 00:50 Ali Manning’s voice and leadership style 02:11 The childhood goal that built her confidence 03:19 From The Atlantic and Razorfish to Google and Snap 06:14 Becoming co-founder of Chalice 06:46 Building a company with her husband 08:05 Leaping from operator to founder 09:38 The financial pressure behind entrepreneurship 11:45 Ali’s hardest moment as a founder 13:49 Writing, self-awareness and finding her voice 15:02 Rejecting feedback that undermined her authenticity 16:41 Why control over your time matters 18:10 Earning credibility as a woman in technology 20:55 How Chalice uses AI to improve advertising outcomes 23:50 Staying ahead of a rapidly changing market 25:39 Disagreeing productively with a spouse and co-founder 28:34 How to invest in a professional partnership 29:44 What Ali’s children are learning from their parents 32:56 Working through imposter syndrome 34:24 Beta testing a lifelong dream of writing a book 35:44 The story behind Ali’s book 36:27 Closing thoughts

  5. Aug 19

    Priti Ohri, CEO & Co-Founder of Advertible Inc., on Leadership, Entrepreneurship & Self-Belief

    Stacy Bohrer joins Priti Ohri, CEO & Co-Founder of Advertible Inc., to share her journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, trusting intuition, bootstrapping a startup, and finding success without sacrificing peace.  Takeaways - Why Priti left corporate leadership to build Advertible Inc. - How intuition and self-awareness shaped her career decisions. - Lessons from bootstrapping a startup and betting on yourself. - The importance of community, mentorship, and authentic leadership. - Why success doesn't have to come at the expense of peace. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:32 Meet Priti Ohri, CEO & Co-Founder of Advertible Inc.  01:47 From Corporate Leadership to Entrepreneurship 06:24 Why Data Became Her Career Compass 07:45 Trusting Intuition and Taking the Leap 10:52 Getting Laid Off and Starting a Company 13:13 The Reality of Bootstrapping a Startup 16:03 Why She Chose Not to Raise Funding 17:24 Finding Balance Beyond Work 19:26 Building Community and Supporting Women 21:53 Why Women Should Bet on Themselves 23:13 The Power of Self-Awareness and Reflection 24:50 Advice to Her Younger Self 26:01 Achievement and Peace Can Coexist 26:50 Final Thoughts

  6. Aug 12

    Anjlee Majmudar on Authentic Leadership, AI, Career Growth & Work-Life Balance

    Stacy Bohrer sits down with Anjlee Majmudar, VP Programmatic at Level Agency, to discuss authentic leadership, career growth, AI, mentorship, motherhood, and defining success on your own terms. Anjlee shares how taking a career break helped reshape her values, leadership style, and approach to balancing work and family while embracing the future of AI in advertising. Takeaways: - Why authenticity is a leadership advantage. - How AI creates more time for strategy and relationships. - Redefining success beyond titles and promotions. - The importance of mentors and strong personal values. - Balancing leadership, motherhood, and career growth. - Why taking a career break can provide clarity and prevent burnout. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:33 Meeting Anjlee and first impressions 01:17 Three words that define Anjlee 02:02 Finding confidence and speaking up at work 04:07 Leading Programmatic at Level 05:48 Why being direct doesn't mean you don't care 08:44 How AI is transforming her work 11:03 Redefining success beyond job titles 14:07 Becoming an authentic leader 16:24 The importance of mentors 17:34 Taking a career break and rediscovering personal values 20:45 Returning to work with clarity and confidence 23:35 Leading differently after burnout 25:03 How motherhood shaped her leadership 27:04 Setting boundaries while maintaining high performance 29:26 When authenticity has consequences 31:12 Learning to lead through uncertainty 33:08 Advice for anyone questioning their career path 33:53 What Anjlee is still beta testing today 34:50 Closing remarks

  7. Aug 5

    Jill Steinhauser of Warner Bros. Discovery on Resilience, Leadership & Career Growth

    Stacy Bohrer sits down with Jill Steinhauser, Group Senior Vice President, Platform Monetization & Partnerships at Warner Bros. Discovery, to discuss resilience, leadership, career growth, and balancing work with personal well-being. Jill shares how navigating grief, embracing feedback, and prioritizing health helped her become a stronger leader while offering practical advice for professionals facing change and uncertainty. Takeaways: Why resilience is built through both challenges and everyday experiences. How self-awareness helps leaders navigate difficult seasons. The importance of separating work from personal life. Why feedback is essential for leadership growth. How preparation builds confidence and reduces workplace anxiety. Lessons on leading with honesty, vulnerability, and accountability. Why women should prioritize strategic thinking over constant execution. How AI can improve productivity and organization without replacing human judgment. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:37 Meet Jill Steinhauser 01:36 What resilience really means 02:58 Growing up independent and building resilience 07:37 Leading through personal challenges 10:15 Developing executive presence and communication 12:45 Rebuilding after grief and prioritizing health 15:56 Learning to give yourself grace 20:12 Feedback, leadership, and owning mistakes 23:20 Managing workplace anxiety through preparation 25:43 Women in leadership and working smarter 29:03 Advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed 31:37 How Jill is using AI to work smarter 33:03 Final thoughts and closing conversation

  8. Jul 29

    Sarah Caputo on Betting on Yourself, Building Fraction Method, and Turning Curiosity into Career Growth

    Sarah Caputo, Founder of Fraction Method, joins Stacy Bohrer for a candid conversation about leaving a Chief Digital Officer role without a backup plan, building her own consultancy, and navigating the challenges of leadership, entrepreneurship, and self-belief. Sarah shares how curiosity became her competitive advantage, why asking questions unlocks growth, and how reframing imposter syndrome helped her take bigger risks. From overcoming adversity to helping technology companies refine their go-to-market strategies, Sarah offers a powerful perspective on resilience, authenticity, and finding success on your own terms. Takeaways Sarah left her CDO role to pursue a more challenging and fulfilling path. Curiosity and asking questions have been central to her career growth. Reframing imposter syndrome can unlock new opportunities. Success comes from being comfortable with discomfort. Self-awareness helps leaders understand and communicate their value. Constructive disagreement is essential for innovation and growth. Building strong relationships matters more than having all the answers. Entrepreneurship requires balancing long-term vision with short-term realities. Authenticity creates stronger professional connections. Taking risks becomes easier when you trust your ability to adapt. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Sarah Caputo 01:54 Leaving a CDO role without a plan 03:46 Why discomfort drives growth 05:31 Growing up independent and resilient 07:26 Taking risks despite uncertainty 09:28 Building a career through curiosity 11:45 The power of asking better questions 12:53 Managing imposter syndrome 15:26 Handling criticism and public disagreement 17:11 Navigating challenges in a male-dominated industry 19:07 Why women need to advocate for themselves 21:10 Building Fraction Method and advising founders 23:12 Creating value through strategic partnerships 27:08 What Sarah is still beta testing 29:39 Standing by your convictions 31:49 Understanding and communicating your value 33:00 Final reflections and closing thoughts

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About

Beta-Tested is a podcast for the women navigating careers in tech, leadership, and life while still figuring it out in real time. Hosted by Stacy Bohrer, each episode features honest, unfiltered conversations with women who are writing their own rules, breaking invisible barriers, and redefining what power looks like from the inside. Whether you're leading teams, selling vision, building products, or entering through nontraditional paths - this show is your seat at the table. We unpack the truth behind big titles and polished LinkedIn bios: the ambition, the setbacks, the pivots, and the systems that don’t always work for us. From the myth of work-life balance to the realities of boardroom politics and the psychology of confidence, Beta-Tested is a space to explore what it really takes to build a meaningful, sustainable career as a woman in media and tech. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠Marketecture Media.⁠

Information

  • Creator
    Stacy Bohrer
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Stacy Bohrer