Trust Your Voice Sylvie Légère

In this episode, host Sylvie Légère leads an informative discussion on aging, health, and fitness with guests Mona Antwan, Alex Rodriguez, and Ashanti Johnson.



Rounding out the conversations, we explore the role of discipline and intentionality, making mindful wellness a daily habit.


Join us as we delve into life's low hanging fruits - the things we all can do to age better, live healthier, and promote overall well-being. Let's unlock the secrets to creating a happier, healthier future together.


The Policy Circle Brief: Health Disparities and the Determinants of Health



Mindfulness Leader

Episode Summary: 

Sylvie Légère hosts a discussion on the pillars of a good life, specifically focusing on financial readiness, technology literacy, and community engagement in the context of aging. The guests share their perspectives and experiences on these topics, highlighting the importance of financial education, the challenges of navigating technology as one ages, and the role of community and government in supporting the elderly population. They also discuss the prevalence of scams and fraud targeting older adults and the need for better support and resources in dealing with these issues. 

About The Guests: Sylvie Légère: A civically engaged entrepreneur, co-founder of the Posse Circle, and a mom. 

Derek Kreifels: CEO of the State Financial Officers Organization, representing state treasurers and auditors across the country. 

Ferona Lee: CEO of Near Technology, a company that provides tech support and education for older adults. 

Sheila Brown: A senior executive at Medtronic with over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry.  Key Takeaways: 1. Financial education is crucial for individuals of all ages to ensure financial readiness and stability throughout their lives. 

2. Technology literacy is essential for older adults to stay connected, access services, and protect themselves from scams and fraud. 

3. Community engagement and support are vital for the well-being and quality of life of aging individuals. 

4. Scams and fraud targeting older adults are prevalent and often result in significant financial losses.  Great Quotes from The Episode: "Women live longer and are inheriting the largest transference of wealth in American history." - Derek Kreifels 

"When someone retires, they often lack practice with technology, which can lead to challenges in various aspects of their lives." - Ferona Lee 



"Having an advocate is crucial when navigating the complexities of aging and accessing support services." - Sheila Brown 



Helpful Resources:

Resources from the Policy Circle:

https://www.thepolicycircle.org/brief/aging-in-the-21st-century/

https://www.thepolicycircle.org/brief/financial-literacy/

Resources from Derek Kreifels:

ourmoneyourvalues.com

1792exchange.com

https://swsmmagazine.com/

Resources from Ferrona Lee:

feelnear.com





 

In this episode of the Trust Your Voice podcast, host Sylvie Légère sat down with Magatte Wade, Founder and CEO of Skin is Skin, to talk about the complexities and nuances of Africa's challenges and opportunities. 

Magatte Wade challenges the traditional narrative surrounding sub-Saharan Africa and sheds light on the missing middle in foreign aid. Drawing from her own experiences and expertise, she questions the effectiveness of international aid and explores how it often fails to reach local entrepreneurs and stimulate economic growth. 

 

About Magatte Wade: 



Magatte Wade is passionate about creating jobs and prosperity in Africa through entrepreneurship and economic freedom. She was born in Senegal, educated in France, and launched her entrepreneurial career in San Francisco. She is fluent in and conducts business in Wolof, French and English. Magatte's current product line, manufactured in Senegal, is Skin is Skin, a lip balm dedicated to reducing racial discrimination. Her previous companies, Tiossan and Adina, brought Senegalese recipes and ingredients to U.S. markets in skin care and beverages. 

Based on her experiences creating consumer brands and building agricultural and manufacturing capacity in Senegal, Magatte has spoken at dozens of universities including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, MIT, etc. as well as at global conferences on innovation and economic development in France, England, Dubai, Guatemala, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Gabon, Senegal, and more. She writes for the Huffington Post, Barron’s, and the U.K. Guardian. She is a Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum at Davos and has appeared on the cover of Forbes Afrique. She was also named one of the “Twenty Young Power Women of Africa” by Forbes U.S. 

 

Connect with Magatte: 


Instagram - @magattw 


Twitter - @magattw 


LinkedIn - @magattw 



 

Resources: 


https://magattewade.com 
https://www.amazon.com/Juice-How-Electricity-Explains-World/dp/B088N9SBC8 

In this episode of the Trust Your Voice podcast, host Sylvie Légère sat down with Lindrea Reynolds, an agency founder, strategist, and visionary to talk about how to define and integrate the various aspects of our personal identity, professional persona, and our many-sided selves.



As the Founder and CEO of LR Brand Consulting (LRBC), Lindrea leverages over 15 years of marketing and design experience to help businesses and professionals find focus, articulate their value and prioritize well-being practices. Emphasizing a human-centered approach to brand-building, Lindrea believes that empathetic storytelling is essential for cultivating purposeful interactions. She has shared her philosophy with top-performing enterprises, educational institutions, and influential figures spanning both the public and private sectors. Lindrea's strategies have secured collaborations with the NBA, Google, iHeart Media, Amazon, and others.



A zealous educator and advisor, Lindrea is shaping the future of inclusive brand marketing. Her expertise has earned her invitations to share her insights on various platforms and stages. Additionally, Lindrea has taught for the University of Chicago’s Department of Professional Education, sharing her knowledge with rising marketing professionals. As a sought-after mentor and brand builder, her influence extends globally, enhancing stakeholder experiences from employee to consumer. PRSA, Communication Arts, Ad Age, the City of Chicago, Academic leaders, and business influencers have acknowledged Lindrea's insights and contributions to the design and brand marketing industries.



When Lindrea is not building brands, she dedicates her time to promoting positive youth development and fueling her creativity through oil painting, DIY projects, lots of laughs with family and friends, and enjoying sports-related activities. She shares these joyful experiences with her husband, Solomon, and their Pomeranian, Adobe (yes, named after the software).

https://www.lrbrandconsulting.com/


Other resources:  Lindrea’s example of one of the best personal branding - https://www.bozomasaintjohn.com/ 

Bozoma Saint John is a Hall of Fame inducted marketing executive, author, and entrepreneur. Her book “The Urgent Life” is a memoir of grief that had ultimately driven her to thrive in the face of loss. 

Economics is essentially the science of human nature as it manifests through our innate desire to create and capture value. Even in the most intricate economic structures, at their core, you'll find individuals making decisions to maximize what they value, based on their perceptions of the facts and options available to them.

Traditionally, economics has sought to simplify this complexity by assuming that businesses strive to maximize their profits and individuals aim for what's best for themselves, armed with complete knowledge of all relevant facts and options. This framework creates neat scenarios where rational decisions lead to optimal outcomes. While this has significantly contributed to our understanding of economic behaviors, it often fails to explain why some decisions seem irrational and result in detrimental outcomes.

Behavioral Economics fills this void by focusing on the individual. It challenges the assumptions of traditional economics, which believes everyone in the economy is rational and selfish, as Richard Thaler, a Nobel laureate for his work on Behavioral Economics, puts it. His goal for this field is to assist people in making the choices they would have made if they had paid full attention and had complete information, unlimited cognitive abilities, and absolute self-control.

From my perspective, this translates into making economics consider two main factors. First, the limitations around information—understanding how much a person can genuinely gather and process. And second, the unique individual factors such as psychological, cognitive, emotional, cultural, and social influences which can shape what people value, sway their perceptions, and occasionally create a disconnect between their perceptions and reality.





Perhaps the most pertinent concept for policy-making is the idea of a "nudge". This concept focuses on presenting choices in such a way that aids individuals in making better-informed decisions that align with their values. By implementing nudges effectively, policies can safeguard personal freedoms while guiding individuals towards choices that generate the most beneficial outcomes for all. Importantly, this approach enables the government to act without infringing on its ideal role of aiding economic individuals in acting on their incentives. However, as Richard Thaler of UChicago suggests, "If you want people to do something, make it easy."

Yet, it's crucial to navigate this process with integrity and precision. We must be mindful not to employ nudges as manipulative tools, by being opaque about our intentions or making it challenging to opt for anything other than the default. Additionally, nudges may not be appropriate where there isn't a widely agreed-upon best choice or where a strict mandate should be enforced.

A key takeaway is that even a meticulously crafted policy can falter if its communication fails to align with individuals' perceptions. Consequently, people might resort to workaround methods that counteract the policy's intentions, as they strive to maximize their value.

In this episode of the Trust Your Voice podcast, host Sylvie Légère sat down with Craig Scalise, a distinguished economist with a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and who also taught at the University of South Carolina.



His publications include the book, “Intellectual Property Protection: Theory, Evidence and Policy” and the “Entrepreneurial Energy: It’s Creation and Capture” series of journal articles about innovation policy.



In this conversation, Sylvie and Craig discussed:


What is the essence of behavioral economics and how it delves into the complexities of human decision-making


The differences between the traditional vs behavioral economics


The 'nudge' concept which involves designing choices and decision environments


Other behavioral economics key concepts





We hope you enjoy the episode! Tell us what you think by leaving a review on Apple podcasts. Stay tuned for more episodes and be sure to subscribe to the Trust Your Voice podcast on your favorite podcast player.