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

In this episode we discuss all things femtech with Healthcare Law Lawyer, Advisor and Portfolia FemTech Fund Partner Delphine O’Rourke. We get into what FemTech is, why it’s so important for women to invest and support this sector, and how you can help. In case you haven’t noticed, in the past, VCs have overlooked products designed for women primarily because they don’t understand the needs or the market  
When you invest in or support FemTech, your contributions help the market develop innovations that address issues like osteoporosis, menopause, fertility and many more opportunities that will help women live better and longer lives..  According to Market.us, the Global FemTech Market size is projected to surpass around USD 127.1 Billion by 2033! For example, have you ever considered why the dreaded speculum used in annual ob-gyn exams has not been updated since the 1800’s? Neither did we until Delphine mentioned it. 
Whether you're an experienced investor or just curious about how to get started, this episode may cause a paradigm shift in how you think about investing. As a Fund Partner at Portfolia, Delphine is part of a team that decides what start-ups to invest in. We discuss how you can also join a Portfolia fund with a minimum $10k if you are an accredited investor.
if you enjoy this topic, don’t miss our podcast with Portfolia founder and venture capital pioneer, Trish Costello, and our podcast with Ida Tin, the woman who coined the term Femtech!
Want to talk more about this?  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.
Notable Quotes from Delphine:
"We need to move medicine for women out of the 1900’s, 1800’s into modern medicine."
"We make 92% of consumer decisions, 82% of healthcare decisions."
"Shifting the contraceptive burden is highly impactful and that's what we look for."
"We want to make our money work for us and it's just sitting in a checking account. The financial gap, the pay gap, will just continue and compound."
Podcast Chapters:
(03:48) Femtech is where technology intersects with women's health
(07:35) The stark reality of women's health innovation and the need for change
(15:10) The potential of wearable bone technology and its impact on osteoporosis
(18:59) Portfolia invested in a male contraceptive that is reversible
(22:55) Maven's success story and the shifting role of employers in healthcare
(29:29) Why investment education is critical for women
(32:53) Exploring why men haven't invested in women's health historically
(37:35) Every woman will go through menopause unless she dies
(43:03) An accredited investor is someone who is eligible to invest in credit funds
(49:56) We know we have a loneliness crisis in the United States
(53:03) Maven provides women's health remotely through telemedicine
 

Head Rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles ( rabbi for a large congregation incuding many stars) is our guest for this episode.  Rabbi Steve Leder, one of the country’s most influential rabbis and the author of 5 life changing books,  joins us to discuss the radicalization and chaos on university campuses. We invited Rabb Leder to discuss his latest book, For You When I am Gone, but first wanted to address the Jew hatred inflaming US universities so we have split our conversation in two parts. In this episode,  Rabbi Leder breaks down the rise of Jew hatred on college campuses, tracing its roots back to a decades-long campaign of indoctrination. There was a very organized and well funded campaign leading to today's moment. 
But, it's not all doom and gloom and there are huge reasons to be optimistic.  Rabbi Leder shares how  peace with Saudi Arabia can transform the world and shift the power away from the regimes choosing to make war and hatred their top priority. If you doubt that is possible, consider Israel’s peace treaty with Jordan, Egypt and normalized relations with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. Despite the desperate attempts of Iran to keep the world inflamed with hate and war, we need to unite and stay focused on peace. 
This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to understand what the f&^(&( is happening across the US.  And remember, in the words of Rabbi Leder, "Peace is an environment in which conflict can be addressed with civility and respect."
Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and reach out via email at contact@meantforit.com with your thoughts or suggestions for future episodes. Visit www.meantforit.com for more episodes that challenge, inspire, and drive us towards a world where understanding wins over division. If you leave us a review on iTunes, we'll be overjoyed with gratitude!
Sign up for our newsletter here
Topics Discussed:
(03:22) The origins of campus protests and the 25-year groundwork
(09:15) How economic disparity and victim identity fuel current unrest
(17:40) The hope for peace in the Middle East and its implications
(26:50) Addressing the conflation of Palestinian rights and extremist agendas
(31:10) The importance of fighting for the rational middle ground in society
Notable Quotes:
Today's college anti-Israel protests are "The bearing of fruit of a tree planted 25 years ago."
"This is straight up Jew hatred, and Jew hatred has been inculcated into this community to the degree that hatred subordinates every other value these people claim to live by."
"Peace is an environment in which conflict can be addressed with civility and respect."
"The greatest threat and the greatest enemy to a better life for Palestinians is Hamas and Hezbollah and Iran and Qatar and the Islamic brotherhood."
"The news is not the world. The news is just the collection of stories that will sell the most commercials. It's entertainment."
 

Have you ever wondered why scandals slide off certain politicians like water? Jessica Tarlov, co-host of Fox News Channel’s The Five, cable’s highest-rated program, actually did her PHD dissertation examining how scandals impact politicians' careers. As the lone, democratic voice on The Five, Jessica shares how she handles the daily debates and how she decides to pick her battles. Given our upcoming elections, Jessica has a lot of thoughts on this topic including the phenomena of teflon Don. Jessica loves her job on The Five and feels fortunate for the opportunity to bring alternative opinions and analysis to the most important news stories. 
 
Topics Discussed
(04:10) Political economy professor says none of Trump's scandals have affected his popularity (10:32) People reject the direction that the Democratic Party is going (19:29) 40% of Americans now identify as an independent (21:00) Thoughts on how Fox is covering the Israel war compared to other networks (24:49) What's going on on college campuses (40:25) What it’s like to work on The Five  
SIGN UP FOR OUR newsletter here
Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and reach out via email at contact@meantforit.com with your thoughts or suggestions for future episodes. Visit www.meantforit.com for more inspiring stories, and if you leave us a review on iTunes, we'll  do a little dance of joy.

Jared Armstrong, a professional basketball player, is using his love for sports as a tool for uniting, educating, and creating social change in our kids and communities.
Growing up in the vastly different environments of the Maryland suburbs and the inner city of Philadelphia, Jared learned to move between different cultures, ethnicities and religions. Jared’s love for basketball, led him to play professionally in Israel, and Jared’s desire to help others led to starting Jab Camp, a sports camp with a goal of connecting kids of different religions and backgrounds. 
We love Jared’s passion and commitment to using sports as a tool for positive change. We discuss the importance of introducing kids to diversity early on. While it’s easier to send your kids to the same local camp where their friends are going, getting uncomfortable, and stretching yourself to be around people different than you is where the magic happens.
https://www.jaredarmstrong.net/about-jared
 
SIGN UP FOR OUR newsletter here
Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and reach out via email at contact@meantforit.com with your thoughts or suggestions for future episodes. Visit www.meantforit.com for more inspiring stories, and if you leave us a review on iTunes, we'll celebrate with a happy dance!
Favorite Quotes from the Podcast:
"I'm just looking to try to make a difference, make a change. I think, you know, where we're at in society, not just jab camp, but any type of sports camp that can help bridge the gap between communities."
"I think the biggest, I would say fault that I see in my experience so far is more so parents than kids. You know, so many parents are afraid or, they're just used to being in that comfort zone of sending their kids to the same camp with the same kids, same people."
"So ​it's ​kind ​of ​just ​of ​a ​bigger ​picture ​here, ​you ​know, ​to ​show ​kids, ​you ​know, ​that ​number ​one, ​basketball ​and ​or ​any ​sport ​can ​take ​you ​all ​around ​the ​globe, ​but ​also ​can ​introduce ​you ​to ​so ​many ​different ​people ​from ​so ​many ​different ​walks ​of ​life, ​you ​know, ​that ​you ​never ​thought ​you ​would ​meet ​and ​you ​may ​one ​day, ​you ​know, ​end ​up ​doing ​business ​with ​them ​or, ​you ​know, ​becoming ​close ​friends ​or ​marrying ​someone, ​you ​never ​know. So ​I'm ​just ​trying ​to ​use ​basketball ​as ​a ​tool."
 
Topics:
(09:57) How did you end up wanting to apply for Israeli citizenship
(14:23) Fell in love with Israel on birthright trip
(19:17) What does it feel like to be black and living in Israel
(21:16) You were there on October 7 - what happened?
(30:32) Sarted a nonprofit to bring kids from different backgrounds together


 

Grit, resilience, strong values and a work ethic instilled in her from a young age propelled Jane from her dirt poor Iowa upbringing to an executive role at Microsoft where she was one of the top 10 women at Microsoft at 40.  By 52, Jane had launched three billion-dollar businesses. We discuss Jane’s new book, "Worthy: From Cornfields to Corner Office of Microsoft,"  and the story that led her to a life she never could have imagined.
When a door opened, Jane leapt through it and went all in. When she felt like a fraud, and was flooded with fear and insecurity, she kept going. When she felt like she didn't belong among the upper middle ivy leaguers, she kept going. Jane wants you to know that your background does not define your future. If you find it hard to relate to people who have all the answers, and don’t have major issues they are struggling with, this is the book for you. Jane doesn;t shy away from the uncomforable memories, including her recovery from the bulimia that nearly destroyed her. 
From the Jane's Gottman Institute bio:
"Unwilling to let circumstances, fear or others define her, Jane was penniless and married at 20, earned an MBA at 24, saw the ocean at 25, commuted to South America each week at 31, brought two sons into the world by 35, was a millionaire at 37, and one of the top 10 women at Microsoft at 40.  By 52, Jane had launched three billion-dollar businesses, been VP of the largest merger in the history of the US, forged global alliances, won lots of awards and left a legacy of strong leaders in her wake.
Along the way to the corner office, Jane was hit on, spit on, shot at, yelled at, a zero and a hero. She’s been called a bulldog, a bitch, an idiot and brilliant, all in the same week.
Married to her high school sweetheart, Jane lives in Washington state and works to make a difference, serving on boards including Boys & Girls Clubs, writing, speaking, and consulting. 
SIGN UP FOR OUR newsletter here
Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and reach out via email at contact@meantforit.com with your thoughts or suggestions for future episodes. Visit www.meantforit.com for more inspiring stories, and if you leave us a review on iTunes, we'll celebrate with a happy dance!
Favorite Quotes from the Podcast:
"I never look at a no as a no. I always think of it as a not yet."
"I'm no longer afraid to be afraid. And that being afraid means that I am stretching, I am growing, I am trying to do something I've never done before."
"Nobody has the full meal deal. Know what you're good at, embrace that and own it."
"In sharing your secrets and having the courage to share your secrets, that's when you heal."
"Everybody has a secret. And it's the secrets that kill."
"I worked my heine off and I took jobs that required me to travel overseas when my child was one and a half years old and commute."
 

If you have ever dreaded going to work because of a nightmare colleague or manager you are  not alone. Dr. Ramani joins us again to discuss a topic rarely discussed in corporate environments: narcissism in the workplace.
Did you know narcissists are more likely to be found in certain professions and certain high-status jobs within competitive, elitist environments, such as finance, law, media, entertainment, and even certain medical fields. 
From extreme competitiveness to gaslighting, Dr Ramani gives examples and  discusses the subtle tactics narcissistic bosses use to keep talented employees from advancing and creating a 'frozen talent' scenario that keeps high performers stuck in the same roles. Hiding information, stealing ideas, gaslighting, colluding behind your back are all examples of narcissistic behavior at work.
What can you do if you find yourself in a toxic environment? Dr. Ramani has a few suggestions. If you've ever felt alone in your workplace struggles or unsure how to handle a narcissistic colleague or boss, this episode is a must-listen. 
Quotes:
"Narcissistic bosses absolutely sap people's talent." "Workplace bullying is actually not against the law." "Me Too was not a women's movement. Me Too was a narcissism movement." “It's almost like corporations are almost like cults, right? They have their messaging, they have their programming, they have their leader."
Topics Discussed
Introduction to the podcast discussion on dealing with narcissism in the corporate workforce. Dr. Ramani highlights the industries where narcissistic behavior is prevalent. Identifying narcissistic traits in the workplace, such as lack of empathy and secretive communication, gaslighting, colluding. Importance of documenting interactions for protection in toxic work environments.  Strategies for setting boundaries and handling confrontations with narcissistic individuals. Leveraging documentation to address HR concerns and ensure psychological safety in the workplace. Encouragement to find allies and mentors within and outside the organization. Seeking reality checks from mentors on industry standards and strategic decision-making support. Naricssism in other countries Why The Devil Wears Prada movie does not reperesent a narcissist  SIGN UP FOR OUR newsletter here
Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and reach out via email at contact@meantforit.com with your thoughts or suggestions for future episodes. Visit www.meantforit.com for more inspiring stories, and if you leave us a review on iTunes, we'll celebrate with a happy dance!
We use Fireflies.Ai to transcribe our podcasts and we love the accuracy of the transcripts, the summary, outline and chapters help us find key highlighs. If you need an AI notetaker to 5x your efficiency give it a try. Sign up here! (we promise that we only promote products we love)