Badass Women at Any Age

Bonnie Marcus
Badass Women at Any Age

Women are becoming stronger, claiming our power, and being true badasses. Host Bonnie Marcus interviews some of the most groundbreaking badass women and shares their stories of doing extraordinary things to change perceptions and challenge the status quo

  1. NOV 26

    Breaking the Rules with Chef Rossi

    Despite facing significant discrimination in the male-dominated culinary industry, Chef Rossi transformed her rebellious upbringing and passion for food into a successful career as a pioneering chef and author. Her journey is a testament to resilience, creativity, and living authentically. Chef Rossi is the catering director, owner and executive chef of the Raging Skillet, a cutting edge catering company known for breaking any and all rules. She has earned a reputation as the one to call when it's time to do something different.  Rossi, who credits America as her hometown, grew up in a camper wedged on the top of a Ford pickup truck, and had visited most of the United States by the time she was 10.  She has a wacky sense of humor, loves  international food fusions that reflect her Hungarian Yiddish background, and her love of all things. Rossi has been published in outlets including the Daily News, New York Post, Time Out New York, and McSweeney's to name a few. She has been the food writer of the Eat Me column for Bus Magazine since 1998. Hosting her own hit radio show on WOMR and  WFMR in Cape Cod, now in its 19th season, Rossi has been featured on the Food Network,  NPR  and has been a popular blogger for Huffington Post. Her first memoir, The Raging Skillet, The True Life Story of Chef Rossi, was published by the Feminist Press to rave reviews. It was adapted for the stage, and has been a smash hit touring the country.  In addition to the memoir, Rossi has written two full length plays, a number of one act comedies, and a one woman stage adaptation of Queen of the Jews.  Her new memoir,  the Punk Rock Queen of the Jews was released this spring. What You Will Hear in This Episode:  02:54 Rossi's Rebellious Beginnings 06:17 The Birth of a Chef 13:18 Challenges of Being a Female Chef 19:20 Standing Up to Discrimination 23:21 Starting a Zen Kitchen 28:19 The Essence of Kosher Food 33:30 Living in a Hasidic Community 37:02 Parental Perceptions and Success   Quotes “I do love a chance to hang out with other bad ass babes.” “I think I might've started rebelling from birth.” “Food equals love.” “Once you use the F bomb and the S bomb and the MF bombs.”   Mentioned: The Raging Skillet IG:  @ChefRossiNYC Fb: Chef Rossi NY   eConnect with Bonnie Gendered Ageism Survey Results Forbes article 5 Tips to own the superpower of your age IAMMusicGroup   Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:  If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review.

    42 min
  2. NOV 12

    Resistance Training for Women with Kim Rahir

    Diagnosed with MS 10 years ago, Kim Rahir defied her doctor's advice, choosing instead to take control of her health and become a beacon of strength and vitality. Kim is a 60 year old mother of three and this year became the European Champion in Masters Weightlifting in her age and weight category.  Her journey inspired her to leave her career in journalism in her 50s and become a health coach for middle aged women, with a big focus on reactivating and rebuilding muscle. And today, she helps women tap into an abundant source of vitality by reactivating and maintaining their muscles. while ditching the diet culture conditioning, to actually eat and nourish and flourish.  What You Will Hear in This Episode:    5:00 Kim's Early Life and MS Diagnosis 8:00 The Struggle with Guillain Barré Syndrome and coping with MS 15:00 Discovering Weightlifting  21:00 Competing in Olympic Weightlifting 30:00 CrossFit's Influence on Weightlifting 35:00 Life-Changing Hospital Stay 40:00 Challenges Midlife Women Face 48:00 Functional Training and Movement and common health mistakes   Quotes "I wanted to get so strong, physically strong, as strong as I could get."  "We need to fight for our right to move."  "Every step I take, I know that’s not a given. When you’ve lost it once, you know it’s not a given and you enjoy it."  "Our environment is built for us to be still, so we have to fight for the opportunity to move."    Mentioned: KimRahirHealth.com IG:: @KimRahir X: @KimRahir   eConnect with Bonnie Gendered Ageism Survey Results Forbes article 5 Tips to own the superpower of your age IAMMusicGroup Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:  If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review.

    34 min
  3. OCT 29

    Supporting New Moms with Barbara Palmer

    Barbara Palmer left law school to pursue a career in entertainment marketing and ended up discovering her passion for mentoring women.  Barbara Palmer is a workplace leadership coach and founder of Broad Perspective Consulting and Your Fourth Trimester, a unique program designed to provide one on one support for parents who are returning to the workplace after welcoming a child.  Barbara specializes in coaching employees through transitional moments in their careers, such as becoming parents, navigating a conflict in the workplace, or leading a team for the first time.  Barbara also has a mission to ensure that more women stay in the workforce, and ultimately we reach the C suite. As a certified facilitator of the Fair Play Method, She has a sharp point of view on gender roles and can help employees navigate more equitable divisions of labor Leading to more fulfilling careers and higher retention    What You Will Hear in This Episode:  01:38 Barbara's Journey: From Law School to Leadership Coaching 06:44 Challenges and Triumphs: Navigating the Corporate World 09:59 The Impact of Social Media on Self-Perception 12:06 Supporting New Parents: The Fourth Trimester Program 17:53 Setting Boundaries and Managing Guilt 21:20 Balancing Work and Family 27:27 The Importance of Support Systems 32:27 Corporate Policies for New Parents 37:49 Final Thoughts and Resources   Quotes “I think the first badass moment that I can recall was when I walked out of law school two and a half years in” “I'm not one to live with regrets. I'm more one to live with lessons.” “We have to stop using the word should.” . Mentioned: broadperspectiveconsulting.com LinkedIn   eConnect with Bonnie Gendered Ageism Survey Results Forbes article 5 Tips to own the superpower of your age IAMMusicGroup   Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:    If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review.

    40 min
  4. OCT 15

    Wisdom is Beautiful With Alexis Eizinas

    Starting as a model in the 1990s, Alexis Eizinas  transitioned to a two-decade career in beauty retail design. Inspired by her mother's example, she embraced her silvering hair but struggled to find suitable products. During COVID-19, she realized the market gap and, in 2023, founded Silvering, the first North American beauty brand to provide cosmetics and hair care uniquely designed to amplify and never hide the true beauty of naturally silvering hair. Leveraging over 30 years of experience in the beauty industry and her experience trying to find products that worked with her own silvering hair, Alexis created a truly innovative and contemporary product line for the modern woman who has embraced her grays.   She launched Silvering in 2023.  The company's tagline, Wisdom Is Beautiful, speaks volumes about Alexis's mission to change the way all women perceive silvering hair, to see it as a powerful, beautiful, outward expression of growing up.   What You Will Hear in This Episode:  03:08 Alexis’s Personal Journey 04:17 Returning to Canada and Further Career 06:00 Founding of Silvering 08:21 Online Influence and COVID impact 19:15 Changing Perceptions of Silvering Hair 26:25 Wisdom is Beautiful 28:43 Visibility and Confidence for Aging Women 33:17 Closing Remarks and Next Steps   Quotes “I've always been in beauty, and I think really all women are in beauty in some way or another because our identity is naturally wrapped up in appearances.” “The trick to finding your beauty is really in amplifying those features that make you, you.” “We want them to see it as a sign of wisdom.” “A man can walk around with a little bit of silver in his hair. It's considered sophisticated and he's a seasoned professional.”   Mentioned: Silveringbeauty.com Facebook Instagram   eConnect with Bonnie Gendered Ageism Survey Results Forbes article 5 Tips to own the superpower of your age IAMMusicGroup Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:  If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review.

    33 min
  5. OCT 1

    Secret Voices with Sarah Gristwood

    Feeling unfulfilled in her career as a journalist and Hollywood reporter, Sarah found her true calling when she happened upon the story of Arbella Stuart.  Writing Arbella’s biography opened up a whole new path for Sarah, coupling  her love of writing with her lifelong fascination with the untold stories of women throughout history. Sarah Gristwood is a journalist and author committed to publicizing women’s experiences throughout history. As a young journalist, she championed women’s voices through outlets such as the Guardian Women's Page and as a founder member of Women in Journalism and The Women’s Equality Party. As a historian, she has consistently explored the question of women and power through the ages. She now broadcasts regularly for Sky News, CNN and the BBC on royal and historical affairs. A graduate of Oxford University, she is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and of the RSA, who has been shortlisted for both the Marsh Biography Award and the Ben Pimlott Prize for Political Writing. Her most recent book, Secret Voices: A Year of Women's Diaries, is a captivating collection of extracts from women’s diaries, looking back over four centuries to discover how women’s experiences have changed down the years, and, of course, how they haven't.    What You Will Hear in This Episode:   01:59  Sarah's Personal Story and Journey to Historical Biographies 05:11  Common Themes in Women's Diaries 08:40  Accessing Historical Diaries 11:15  Modern Diaries and Historical Perspectives 21:59  Personal Growth Through Journaling 32:24  Choosing the Diaries for the Book 35:27  Conclusion and Contact Information   Quotes “One aspect of this book of Secret Voices for me was that in some ways the women in it were  voicing some of my own  concerns, thoughts,  and traumas.” “Frustration is the single greatest emotion across all these generations.” "Journaling was a huge part of personal growth for many of these women." "A number of these women were voicing feelings, ambition, anger, that they weren't allowed to express elsewhere in their society." “I love that, for a number of these women, the battles were small personal ones.  Some, like Charlotte Forton, were fighting huge public battles. But others were just opening the doors, moving,  moving the goalposts  on in their own small ways. "The immediate privacy of the diary form allowed them to voice those unacceptable feelings, anger, ambition, discontent."  "Self-expression is so important, and for women, keeping a diary or journal is a great way to tell your truth and perhaps, as we talked about, never share it."   Mentioned: SarahGristwood.com Secret Voices. A Year of Women’s Diaries   eConnect with Bonnie Gendered Ageism Survey Results Forbes article 5 Tips to own the superpower of your age IAMMusicGroup  Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review.

    36 min
  6. SEP 17

    Revolting Women with Lucy Ryan

    Pivoting through a number of different careers, it wasn’t until Lucy Ryan was in her 40s that she decided to follow her true passion and fascination with women in their midlife years. She became the first student in Europe to earn a masters in positive psychology and later a PhD. Lucy is a leadership coach, managing director of MindSpring for the last 20 years, a positive psychologist, advocate of women, a master practitioner coach,  and she has trained and consulted  with and coached 10, 000 leaders in global blue chip companies across 29 countries. In 2021, Lucy published the best selling Lunchtime Learning for Leaders.  She's a passionate advocate for women development, helping organizations attract, retain, and promote their female leaders, and gender proof their success in plans. Her latest book is called Revolting Women, Why Mid Left Women Are Walking Out, and What to Do About It.     What You Will Hear in This Episode:  01:55 Lucy's Personal Journey: From Singer to Scholar 03:09 The Turning Point: Embracing Education and Research 06:16 Challenges and Triumphs: Overcoming Limiting Beliefs 11:12 The Silent Revolution: Gendered Ageism in the Workplace 17:17 Strategies for Retaining and Valuing Midlife Women 27:43 Empowering Women: Building Networks and Finding Voices 32:02 Conclusion: Advocating for Midlife Women   Quotes “Women at midlife have a massive capacity for resilience.” “So many women feel the same as you and that gorgeous strength of the revolution comes from togetherness” “We have the wisdom and experience and a lifetime of lessons learned.” “Every revolution starts with a conversation.”  . Mentioned: www.lucyryan.co.uk Lunchtime Learning for Leaders  Revolting Women: Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out and What to Do About It    eConnect with Bonnie Gendered Ageism Survey Results Forbes article 5 Tips to own the superpower of your age IAMMusicGroup   Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:    If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review.

    34 min
  7. SEP 3

    Success on Amazon with Lesley Hensell

    When Lesley Hensell’s oldest son was diagnosed with autism, focusing on him became a priority.  Deciding to quit her job, Lesley found a way to supplement her lost income by pivoting from marketing consulting to online retail, a change that led her down an unexpectedly successful path. Lesley is the  co-founder of Riverbend Consulting, whose 85 plus employees solve problems for e-commerce sellers. Lesley oversees the Riverbend service team, and she has personally helped hundreds of sellers get their suspended Amazon accounts and ISINs up and running.  She has been an Amazon seller for more than a decade. And her new book is the Amazon Incubator: Grow Your Business or Hatch a New One. Lesley  earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MBA from university of Texas at Austin. She volunteers for A Wish With Wings, a wish granting organization for little Texans with life threatening conditions  and serves on the board of directors for Hallie's Heroes,  which funds bone marrow matches and medical research for kids with cancer and critical illnesses.    What You Will Hear in This Episode:  1:31 Lesley’s personal story 5:46 Challenges and lessons 10:28 Amazon strategy and skill set for success 17:26 Suspended accounts,  Amazon ads,  algorithms, editor’s picks and Amazon’s choice 25:21 What people don’t know about being a seller on Amazon 33:15 Testimonials and verified reviews   Quotes “I had to really learn to take joy in the small accomplishments that we had as a family.” “As a seller, one of your top goals is to develop a good BSR or best seller rate.” ”What people don't realize is that you make or lose money at the moment you buy your inventory….Make sure the item is profitable first that is the number one thing you can do to Set yourself up for success because if you overpay when you purchase the product, there's just no way to recoup that money.”   Mentioned: LinkedIn Facebook Instagram RvierbendConsulting.com The Amazon Incubator   eConnect with Bonnie Gendered Ageism Survey Results Forbes article 5 Tips to own the superpower of your age IAMMusicGroup   Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:    If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review.

    38 min
  8. AUG 20

    Burnout Immunity with Dr. Kandi Wiens

    Driven by hope and a strong sense of curiosity,  Dr. Kandi Wiens built a successful career as a management consultant.  Unaware of her own personal burnout, Kandi got a jarring wake up call with a health scare that changed the trajectory of her life and career.  Kandi is director of the University of Pennsylvania's Master in Medical Education Program and the Penn Health Professions Education Certificate Program. A sought after international speaker, she is co-founder and Chief Research Officer of Big Sky Leadership Labs, where she leads and conducts evidence based research on executive performance, emotional intelligence, and burnout and resilience. Her work has been prominently featured in Harvard Business Review and several Harvard Business Review press books.  A senior fellow at Penn, Kandi teaches various graduate level and executive format courses. She's designed and delivered over 2000 leadership development programs focused on helping leaders build and leverage their emotional and social intelligence to amplify their positive impact and protect themselves from burnout. Kandi holds a doctorate from University of Pennsylvania chief officer executive doctoral program, an MBA from University of Oregon, and a BS in business administration from Montana State University. Her new book is  Burnout Immunity: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Build Your Resilience and Heal Your Relationship With Work.    What You Will Hear in This Episode:  2:02 Kandi’s personal journey 10:10 Burnout research and discovery 15:20  Susceptibility to burnout.  Identifying red flags, causes and recovery 20:42 Good stress, distress vs bad stress, eustress and thinking traps 24:50 Gender differences in responses to stress and emotional intelligence 31:18 Seeking outside help   Quotes “I needed to really re-evaluate how much stress I was under and what that stress was doing to me.” “I might be better off pursuing a career where I’m really happy and really making a contribution where I want to, where It’s not about chasing someone else’s goals but I’m finally chasing  the goals I’ve always wanted to.” “Emotional intelligence (EI) is a resource…..it can help us regulate our nervous system.” “Burnout is caused by our response to stress at work.” “Women in general carry a higher mental load, even if they're not doing more physical family activities; even if they have support and help with family and non-work activities.”   Mentioned: Burnout Immunity: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Build Your Resilience and Heal Your Relationship With Work Burnout Risk Assessment A-R-M-O-R Kandiwiens.com eConnect with Bonnie Gendered Ageism Survey Results Forbes article 5 Tips to own the superpower of your age IAMMusicGroup Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:  If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review.

    38 min
4.9
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Women are becoming stronger, claiming our power, and being true badasses. Host Bonnie Marcus interviews some of the most groundbreaking badass women and shares their stories of doing extraordinary things to change perceptions and challenge the status quo

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