The Story Behind Her Success Candy O'Terry

There are so many parts to us and writing this book is a big part of me. But there’s a lot more to do and it makes me excited about life and getting out of bed every morning.  -Christy Cashman



Christy Cashman is an actress who has appeared in more than twenty movies including American Hustle, Joy, Ted 2, and Kettle of Fish.  She’s written two children’s books, has her own production company,  and is the founder of a teenage writing mentorship program called YouthINK www.christycashman.com. The wife of Boston developer Jay Cashman, Christy is the mother of two sons.  The family splits their time between three homes including a castle in Ireland.   Fresh from her book tour with galpal Jane Seymour, Christy arrived ready to share the inspiration for The Truth About Horses including her complex characters, the creative process, and the stories of her life.  Written in a gazebo at her home on Cape Cod, The Truth About Horses is a brilliantly crafted tale about a 14-year-old girl obsessed with horses and emotionally crushed by the death of her mother. Published by SPARKPRESS, the book is being celebrated worldwide for its unique relatability, whether you are a horse enthusiast or not.  The 9th of 10 children, Christy spent the first seven years of her life on a poultry farm in Novelty, Ohio, and then moved to the mountains of North Carolina where horses became the focus of her life.   In this interview, Christy describes her own mother and older sisters as her role models, sharing through tears “Ever since my Mom died, I have always felt like I was meeting special people she was sending my way.”   Her mother’s wisdom about accomplishment is reflected in one of the most poignant moments of the book.  “Oncedrams are reached, they are meant to turn to dust giving you a chance to dream again.”  For a deep dive into the soul of an exceptional woman who can write, act, produce, and mentor the next generation, just hit that download button.  #actress#novelist #thetruthabouthorses 

Sometimes the door you’re trying to push or kick open isn’t the door that’s designed for you.  -Maureen Weisner



If your career needs an adjustment, I’ve got just the woman for you!  Meet Maureen Weisner, co-founder and managing partner of KICKSTART Your Transition www.kickstartyourtransition.com. A wife and mother of grown children, Maureen has been flexing her teaching muscles for a lifetime, helping women and men understand that “sometimes, the job you want is not available, so you pivot and what you learn from that experience is that what you thought was your singular goal in that environment just isn’t.   Raised in a gigantic coop in Queens, New York with 700+ families and 1700+ children, Maureen was an only child whose mother died when she was only 11. Raised by her father who worked long hours at the post office, Maureen was self-guided and learned resiliency early in life. In this interview,  she recalls being watched over by the other moms in her complex, with a profound sense that she would excel in school and accomplish great things.  Recognized as a Top 10 Executive Coach by Women’s Business Boston, Maureen is an in-demand seminar leader, speaker, and author who practices what she preaches.  “You are a product of the 5 people you spend the most time with.  Make sure they are all achievers who also support your goals.”  Citing research from the University of London that shows it takes 66 days to create change, Coach Maureen suggests you take that first big step today:   “Get up. Get dressed. Get out.”   For 21 minutes that will leave you firing on all cylinders, just hit that download button. #executivecoach #womeninbusiness #careerchange 

I thought I was broken. I thought there was something wrong with me. -Kimberly Plante



This episode is going to make you angry and it might just make you cry. As the abused child of a young, single mother, Kimberly Plante grew up in constant fear. She lived in squalor in a home where cockroaches climbed the walls. She wore filthy clothes, had no friends, and was left alone at night to care for her little brother. She was beaten, burned on her scalp and arms with cigarette butts, and every day she was told: You are unworthy of love. In her powerful memoir, Kimberly Plante walks us through a life that at times, seems so unbelievably terrifying, you wonder how on earth she managed to survive it. But, survive is exactly what she did, often inspired by the iconic lyrics of Gloria Gaynor’s anthemic song “I Will Survive” which played on repeat in her head. Kim’s memoir WORTHY worthymemoir.com is a testimony to the strength of the human spirit. Armed with a handwritten 3-point action plan, Kim vowed to turn her adult life around not just for herself, but for her young children. Today, she is thriving as an associate director of respiratory therapy at Franciscan Children’s Hospital in Boston. During the pandemic and throughout her career, she has saved countless lives. Kim is happily married to the love of her life and has been deeply changed by a startling discovery on Ancestry.com that has transformed her life. You’ll have to read the book if you want to find out more! This episode serves as a reminder to anyone working with children: if you see something, say something because as Kim says: “Kids don’t tell. When you are being abused you think it is your fault. You are embarrassed. It is shameful. Abused children are just too terrified to talk.” www.childhelphotline.org, call or text: 800-422-4453 #childabuse

Being a connector is my calling. This is the work that lights me up. -Valerie McSorley



Valerie McSorley could claim the title of “super-connector” any day of the week. She’s been building her vast professional network for decades by producing live, major market industry events, developing businesses and creating strategic partnerships that endure the test of time. She’s currently the Senior Vice President for Partner Success at livepro, a knowledge management system designed specifically for contact centers. For over 20 years, Val has been bringing people together for better results by developing the acronym C.O.A.R: communicate, offer, ask receive. But at the root of her success is the fact that people in just about every field know and trust her. She may be “an army of one” but you can count on Val and the caliber of the company she keeps. A seasoned corporate event planner and emcee, she has always had the gift of foresight: “I see the whole picture. I understand how the pieces come together and I am unafraid to have difficult conversations. Plus, I never ask anyone to do anything I would not do myself.” Born and raised in New York’s Hudson Valley, Val’s lifelong role model was and still is her nearly 100-year-old maternal grandmother. Says Val: “Every single day when I was growing up, she drilled it into me that I was going to go to college. I was going to be successful, make my own money, and most of all, I was going to stand on my own two feet.” The proud mother of two sons, Val is not only a super-connector but a passionate entrepreneur who credits her husband as her biggest fan. For a 23-minute tutorial on how to take become a connector, just hit that download button. #connector #entrepreneur #mentor

There is a massive under-investment in non-profits serving women and girls in this country.

-Christina Gordon



Meet Christina Gordon, Co-Founder & CEO of WFBoston. www.wfboston.org. She holds an undergraduate degree from Boston University and four master's degrees: two from the prestigious Sloan School of Management at MIT and two more from Brandeis University. Raised by a single mom not far from New York City, Christina is the daughter and grandchild of educators who was taught early in life that education is the foundation upon which future success grows. She believes (and research shows) that a woman’s education and financial health are the keys to her success and the success of her family. Now the mother of four grown children, Christina is a champion for women and girls through WFBoston. In this interview, she shares her own rise in the financial world, beginning with a very lucky chance to intern at Standard & Poors when she was only 20 years old, and a wise decision to begin her career at Fidelity Investments. As a young mother, she found herself drawn to share her business acumen and interest in women and financial independence only to discover that most non-profits had “ tons of passion but weren’t able to get the impact they wanted because they weren’t managing their organization like a business.“ Together with three other exceptional women, she began searching for a non-profit focused on educating underserved women and girls in finance. To their surprise, the team discovered that there were no organizations with this focus, particularly in Massachusetts. Says Christina: “We didn’t do this because we thought it would be fun or exciting or that we could make a difference. We founded WFBoston because we were filling a gap.” A marathon runner, hiker, and skier in her downtime, Christina says she is a problem solver by nature. Loaded with advice and guidance for the next generation of women, she applauds the fact that glass ceilings have been shattered, but there is more work to be done. Filled with wisdom and a willingness to share it, Christina says: Surround yourself with optimists. True success is being really good

at something that you really love…and also having an impact. That’s the trifecta.”

#women #finance #WFBoston

I have always wanted to do something that has a lasting impact on the youth of this nation. Today I am doing what I am meant to do, using my gifts and talents.

-Stacy A. Padula



Young Adult and children’s book author Stacy A. Padula has written 13 books and every one of them has risen to #1 either as a New Release or Best Seller on Amazon since 2010. One of the most fascinating parts of this story is that even though Stacy started planting the seeds of her series Montgomery Lake High in middle school, she also had her sights set on being an architect and an interior designer. In fact, she was a Presidential Scholar at the world-renowned Wentworth Institute of Technology. Armed with a degree and a job in her chosen field, Stacy

worked for 2 years at an architecture firm but found herself restless and unfulfilled. Deep down inside, a little voice kept calling her toward something else…a lifelong love of writing and working with youth. In this interview, Stacy shares her devotion to her Christian faith as the conduit for all of her life choices, explaining that the best advice she ever received was to read the Bible and she has done that, cover to cover. Says Stacy: “Learning how to see God at work in my life strengthened my faith, gave me courage, and guided my path. I would not be where I am today if it were not for my personal relationship with God.” Today, this exceptional woman is an award-winning author, educator, and founder of a publishing company named after her beloved

dachshunds, Briley & Baxter www.brileybaxterbooks.com. Her acclaimed young adult book series Montgomery Lake High and Gripped focus on realistic stories about high school and college including substance abuse, peer pressure and bullying. Stacy’s characters explore getting past the hard times with faith and redemption. She has partnered with NBA basketball coach Brett Gunning on an empowering children’s book series called On The Right Path and her acclaimed Gripped series is being adapted for TV by an Emmy award-winning producer. For 24 minutes of sheer inspiration, just hit that download button. #stacypadula #grippedseries #montgomerylakehigh #brileyandbaxterpublications