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Latest Episodes:

Root and Ritual — Becca Piastrelli Nov 16, 2021

There are a lot of things wrong with the way we live our lives. While the average American spends 90 percent of their day indoors, we continue to feel completely disconnected from our food sources, and are lonelier than ever, especially in light of this pandemic.
My guest Becca Piastrelli, author of a new book Root & Ritual, believes we can offset some of this modern angst by “rewilding” and reclaiming the natural part of ourselves. Becca is a friend, writer, speaker, ancestral folk medicine keeper, and women’s group facilitator. I’m thrilled to share her journey and work with you!
In this episode, Becca describes how she grew up with an ache of unbelonging, and an inner knowledge that there had to be more to life than what she was taught by her family and the patriarchal, convenience-driven society within which she was raised. Acknowledging that change is very difficult, she shares her thoughts on connecting with our ancestry, navigating the pandemic, and handling grief.
Her book Root & Ritual which I highly recommend offers practical wisdom, processes, and recipes for reconnecting with land, lineage, and community.
Tune in today to learn more about her work that embracing old ways can make our modern lives feel significantly better.
• Becca shares the anxiety she experienced growing up, and why she developed impostor syndrome at a young age.
• The four parts which make up Becca’s book, Root and Ritual.
• How Becca’s relationship with nature has evolved over time.
• Different meanings that rewilding can hold.
• Obstacles to rewilding that exist in our society.
• The value that Becca believes lies in embracing ancestral ways of living.
• Everyday experiences which highlight how disconnected we are from nature.
• What Becca’s life currently looks like, and how she plans to change it.
• The importance of human connection, which we are losing.
• Becca shares her thoughts on navigating different opinions about the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Our “great severing” from our ancestors.
• A process Becca went through to rebuild lost ties to her ancestry.
• Personal challenges that Becca has gone through, and her method of dealing with them.
• Becca’s relationship with shame.
• The long journey that is rewilding.
• What Becca is currently reclaiming.
References
Becca Piastrelli - https://beccapiastrelli.com/
Root and Ritual - https://beccapiastrelli.com/book/
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Writing Our Stories into Being — Angeline Boulley Sep 16, 2021

Writing a debut novel that becomes a New York Times bestseller is an impressive feat. Doing it over 10 years while raising children and working a full-time job is simply awe-inspiring.
Angeline Boulley is the author of Firekeeper's Daughter, a layered Native American thriller. She is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and writes about her Ojibwe community.
In today's episode, we learn more about Daunis Fountaine, the book's main character, and her distinctive character traits. While there are similarities between Angeline and Daunis, the teen character blossomed into something unique and fierce. We hear some moving excerpts from the book, and Angeline talks about the gravity of the regalia and elder scenes in the work.
Our conversation also touches on the complexity of strong women, why the book is not a trauma story, and we also find out more about what Angeline's fascinating writing process was like.
This moving dialogue around the power of women creators and the role they play in shaping their cultural stories will lift your spirits and potentially change your life.
• Hear about what Angeline was like as a little girl.
• Where Angeline grew up and insights into her cultural background.
• Hear about what Firekeeper's Daughter's main character, Daunis Fountaine, is like.
• How similar and different Daunis is from Angeline.
• What Daunis's greatest virtue and greatest flaw are.
• The tension that Daunis feels struggling with different aspects of her identity.
• Why it was so important for Angeline to convey the significance of Daunis's regalia.
• The role that elders play in the book and how Angeline views elders in all of our lives.
• Why it was so important for Angeline to include the complex Aunty character in her book.
• We do strong women an injustice when we place them on pedestals.
• How the word "resilient” is often misused to justify suffering.
• The balance Angeline had to find between telling the truth and overloading Daunis with tragedy.
• How Angeline found time to write the book while raising children and having a job.
• What Angeline has learned about being kinder to herself from having children.
• The impact that having teenagers had on Angeline's ability to write a teen character.
• Why Angeline decided to make her first book the epic work it is.
• How Angeline learned the craft of fiction, given that she did not study creative writing.
• The support that Angeline had during her writing journey.
• Angeline's tips for aspiring writers: find what works for you.
• What Angeline, as a heroine, feels she is reclaiming for herself.
References
Angeline Boulley - https://angelineboulley.com/
Angeline Boulley on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FineAngeline?ref_src=twsrc%255Egoogle%257Ctwcamp%255Eserp%257Ctwgr%255Eauthor
Firekeeper's Daughter - https://www.amazon.com/Firekeepers-Daughter-Angeline-Boulley/dp/1250766567
We Need Diverse Books - https://diversebooks.org/
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com/
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Home Is Not A Country — Safia Elhillo Sep 09, 2021

How do you relate to the country of your birth, if it’s a place you’ve never visited? And when does nostalgia go from being something beautiful to an illness that keeps you from living in the present moment?
Our guest today, Safia Elhillo is a Sudanese American poet whose strikingly beautiful debut novel Home Is Not a Country is deeply informed by these questions of belonging, nostalgia, and identity.
Her book is written entirely in poetic verse and follows the story of Nima, a 15-year-old girl who longs to escape the racism and bullying she experiences daily in America and become someone else.
Safia shares how she was first drawn to poetry because of the sense of community she saw amongst poets at open mic night and how she steadily honed her craft. We discuss the challenges immigrant parents face in imparting their culture to their children and how nostalgia can deprive you of appreciating the richness of your present circumstances.
Join us today for an insightful and meaningful conversation on what it means to straddle two worlds and the power of community.
• Introducing today’s guest Safia Elhillo
• Safia shares what she was like as a child and how she discovered her talent for poetry.
• Safia’s experiences moving around a lot as a child and insights into her cultural background.
• How Safia was first drawn to the sense of community among the poets she saw.
• Hear about Home Is Not a Country’s main character Nima and how Safia created her.
• How nostalgia and its effects inform the topic of Safia’s book.
• How Nima is driven by a desire to return to the country her parents came from.
• Nima’s experiences of racism, rejection, and loneliness in the US.
• The extent to which Home Is Not a Country is autobiographical.
• How Home Is Not a Country explores the confusion of growing up in America while straddling two cultures.
• Safia shares her experiences of belonging and how her perspective has changed.
• The significance of a chosen community.
• Safia explains the concept of nostalgia as an illness.
• The challenges that immigrant parents face in raising their children to care about a culture they are not immersed in.
• The use of magical realism and Islamic mythology in Home Is Not a Country.
• The logistical challenges Safia faced in using time travel in her novel.
• How Safia chose to write the entire novel in poetic verse.
• Why it’s important to allow yourself to write a bad first draft.
• The value of community and outside input for revising your work.
References
Safia Elhillo on Twitter - https://twitter.com/mafiasafia
Safia Elhillo on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/safiamafia/
Home Is Not a Country - https://www.amazon.com/Home-Not-Country-Safia-Elhillo/dp/0593177053
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com/
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Healing Intergenerational Trauma Through Story — Mary H.K. Choi Sep 02, 2021

Continuing with our series on women in the literary arts, today’s guest is Mary H.K. Choi, a Korean-American New York Times best-selling author.
Mary has written three young adult novels and has been published in The Atlantic, New York Times, and GQ.
Her latest book, Yolk, is the story of two estranged sisters who slowly heal their relationship after one of them is diagnosed with cancer.
In our wide-ranging conversation today, we talk about Mary’s journey to becoming a writer and some of the beliefs she had to let go of to get to where she is.
We then dive into Yolk, where Mary talks about the similarities between her and one of the main characters, Jane. Mary unpacks why it was important for her to write about an eating disorder and having a fraught relationship with your body.
Not only does this reflect Mary’s personal experience, but it also comments on the broader pressures within east Asian communities regarding physical appearance. We also touch on intergenerational trauma and why Mary thinks it’s an inevitable outcome of the immigrant experience, race, and the power of sibling hood as an immigrant.
To hear all this and more, tune in today!
• Hear what Mary was like as a little girl and her naturally inquisitive, scrappy nature.
• When Mary realized that she wanted to be a writer and the pain that came with this realization.
• The difficulty Mary faced trying to break into mainstream media.
• For many years, Mary waited for permission, or for a break based on her merit.
• A synopsis of Mary’s latest book, Yolk, and the similarities between her and the main character, Jane.
• The struggles Mary has had with eating disorders throughout her life.
• Why it was so important for Mary to talk about bulimia in her book.
• How Jane’s low self-worth and insecurity reflect what happens to many women of color.
• The different yolk signifiers and why Mary chose this as the name of the book.
• Why Mary chose to explore sisterhood in Yolk, despite not having sisters herself.
• Mary’s fraught relationship with America and how she thinks about her identity.
• Having a brother gave Mary someone to talk to about their unique immigrant experience.
• Representations of East Asian men in the media and how this differs from representations of East Asian women.
• How Mary chose to bring up the issue of race in a non-prescriptive way.
• What Mary has learned from her characters about what it means to break free.
References
Mary H.K. Choi - http://www.choitotheworld.com/
Mary H.K. Choi on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/choitotheworld/?hl=en
Mary H.K. Choi on Twitter - https://twitter.com/choitotheworld?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Yolk - https://www.amazon.com/Yolk-Mary-H-K-Choi/dp/1534446001
Emergency Contact - https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Contact-Mary-H-Choi/dp/1534408967
Permanent Record - https://www.amazon.com/Permanent-Record-Mary-H-Choi/dp/1534445978
‎Hey, Cool Life! - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-cool-life/id1448378735
‎Hey, Cool Job! - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-cool-job/id984365487
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com/
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Exploring All Your Identities — Meredith Talusan Aug 25, 2021

The conversation around identity has evolved greatly in recent years, and this progress has been so important for many people.
However there is still a long way to go to a more inclusive and accepting world, and we are joined today by someone who is adding a beautiful and complex voice to the discussion!
Meredith Talusan is a transgendered woman, born with albinism in the Philippines, and who later immigrated to the US.
Her relationship to acceptance and belonging has always been a complex one, a relationship she explores in her book, Fairest, and in today's episode!
We get to dive deep into her journey, talking about external perceptions and inner realities, her writing for many prominent publications, and her current role as contributing editor at Them, Conde Nast's LGBTQ online platform.
We look closely at her move to the US and time at Harvard, and how this influenced her life's trajectory and her professional and personal decisions.
Meredith also talks about the art and literature that played a huge role for her, and how she tries to avoid too many comparisons and stark binaries.
This is a beautiful and nuanced conversation from someone with an amazing story and the ability to unpack it honestly and insightfully, so make sure to join us!
• Meredith's curious early years, growing up in the cultural melting pot of the Philippines.
• How being born with albinism impacted Meredith's feeling of never fully belonging.
• Meredith's work on a sitcom and soap opera, and the dynamic this created with her mother.
• Feelings around being treated a certain way due to appearance; Meredith's mixed emotions.
• Meredith's experiences and reflections on leaving the Philippines as a teenager.
• The constant process of learning and growing; navigating life with fewer examples to follow.
• Literature and stories that impacted Meredith and how these aided her on her journey.
• The evolution of the academic approach to 'minority literature' over the last few decades.
• How Meredith came to terms with and appreciated her particular experiences.
• The influence that Meredith's life story had on her success and publication as a writer.
• Uncertainty and complexity within the transgender experience; adding nuance to the discourse.
• Meredith's gender identity and her hope for a different world.
• Considering the possibility of a space beyond identity and Meredith's perspectives on spirituality.
References
Ignite Leadership Program - https://majo-molfino.mykajabi.com/ignite
Meredith Talusan - http://mtalusan.com/
Fairest - https://www.amazon.com/Fairest-Memoir-Meredith-Talusan/dp/0525561307
Meredith Talusan on Twitter - https://twitter.com/1demerith
Them - https://www.them.us/
Jane Austen - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jane-Austen
George Eliot - https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Eliot
Virginia Woolf - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Virginia-Woolf
James Baldwin - https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Baldwin
Langston Hughes - https://poets.org/poet/langston-hughes
Jennifer Finney Boylan - https://www.nytimes.com/column/jennifer-finney-boylan
Sophia Amoruso - https://www.girlboss.com/
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book

The Heroine's Journey — Gail Carriger Aug 19, 2021

The heroine’s journey has historically been ignored, cast aside, and devalued, which has lead most of us to idolize and play out the hero’s journey in our own lives.
On today’s episode, Gail Carriger, author of The Heroine’s Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Fiction, breaks down why and how we can begin to reclaim the heroine’s journey for ourselves.
You’ll hear about the biggest differences in motivation between the hero’s journey and heroine’s journey, as well as the best and worst parts of being a writer and how her writing genre facilitates a greater feeling of connection with readers. We explore the impact of culture on storytelling and narrative, how the hero narrative can feed into the development of toxic masculinity, and the history of how romance writing is critiqued and defined.
If you’re a heroine on the journey who wants to have more self-trust and confidence, this episode is for you.
• What Gail was like as a child: a bossy, self-motivated old soul who knew her own mind.
• How Gail realized she was a storyteller; rewriting the end of stories her mom read to her.
• The kind of stories Gail tells about heroine’s stories, connection, and happy endings.
• Her primary motivation as a writer: found family and how that has played out in her life.
• What she considers the best part of being a writer: providing comfort and connection.
• Why the hardest part of being a writer is the illusion of extreme intimacy and being known.
• How the genre of fiction Gail writes leads the audience to feel connected to her.
• Why it is important for young people to have adult perspectives outside of their parents.
• The distinction between the motivations of the hero’s journey and heroine’s journey.
• The Wonder Woman journey as an example of the hero’s journey.
• The heroine’s motivation to reconnect and her position of strength in asking for help.
• Why a hero operates in isolation, but a heroine is most powerful in community.
• The impact of culture on storytelling and narrative and their core mythos.
• How the hero narrative can feed into the development of toxic masculinity.
• What Break of the Good Girl Myth is about.
• The history of romance writing and how it is defined and critiqued.
• The harmful trope of “Pussy Salvation” in romance writing.
•The prevailing American myth is that you have to do everything by yourself.
•TJ Klune’s book on connection and found family, The House in the Cerulean Sea.
•Gail’s realization that she is a communal writer and writes best around people.
•How Gail’s confidence in herself and trust in her audience has grown over time.
•How authors are driven to write non-fiction when they have identified a problem.
•Break of the Good Girl Myth by Majo Molfino and where to get it.
References
Gail Carriger - https://gailcarriger.com/
Gail Carriger on Twitter - https://twitter.com/gailcarriger
The Heroine’s Journey - https://www.amazon.com/Heroines-Journey-Writers-Readers-Culture-ebook/dp/B08D5ZSNRB/
The House in the Cerulean Sea - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45047384-the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

The Power of Ritual Storytelling — Anita Kopacz Aug 12, 2021

Alongside raising three children, working as an editor, and practicing as a spiritual psychologist, Anita Kopacz spent seven years creating the magnificent work of art that is Shallow Waters, her debut novel.
Part historical fiction and part parable, Shallow Waters deals with deep ancestral trauma through ritual storytelling.
The heroine of the book is a Black mermaid, Yemaya, and you’ll hear Anita’s reasoning for centering her story around this mythical deity, and what she thinks is the most valuable lesson that readers can learn from her.
In today’s episode, we cover how Anita heals her own generational wounds by writing this story, a gift which she hopes it will also give to others.
• Anita shares the quirks that make her describe her younger self as strange.
• Where Anita’s family is from.
• A description of the deity, Yemaya, that is the protagonist of Anita’s book, Shallow Waters, and
what the story is about.
• The connection that Anita feels to Yemaya.
• How the process of writing Shallow Waters was healing for Anita.
• Unexpected feedback that Anita has received from readers of her book.
• Why Anita chose to write a work of fiction.
• A novel that Anita read in high school which had a profound impact on her.
• How the Yemaya in Anita’s book differs from the mythical deity that she is based on.
• Reasons that Anita decided not to include any sexual trauma in the book.
• The target audience that the book was originally intended for, and why that changed.
• An important lesson that readers can learn from Yemaya.
• Anita’s love for ritual storytelling and her plans for the future in this realm.
• Advice from Anita on transitioning from non-fiction to fiction writing.
• Fears that Anita has managed to overcome.
• The process Anita went through to get Shallow Waters out into the world.
• A valuable lesson Anita learned about how to deal with writer’s block.
• Anita’s request to buy the book from independent outlets.
References
Anita Kopacz on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/anitakopacz/?hl=en
Shallow Waters - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/56180285-shallow-waters
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

HEROINE is back! Jul 29, 2021

Hi heroine,
We are starting the new HEROINE season on Thursday, August 12th.
Today I’m releasing the teaser and announcing the line-up of a badass guests.
We are going to be focusing on the heroines at the center of these women’s books. As you can see, it’s going to get very literary and very nerdy!
The questions we get to explore: Can we learn from these heroines? Are they mirrors for ourselves? How can we apply the learnings from these characters into our own lives?
See the full-line up below, along with the books (and the heroines) we will be talking about.
Anita Kopacz, author of adult “fairytale”/historical fiction novel Shallow Waters
Gail Carriger, author of The Heroine’s Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture
Mary H.K. Choi, author of novel Yolk
Meredith Talusan, author of memoir Fairest
Safia Elhillo, author of novel-in-verse Home is Not a Country
Angeline Boulley, author of the YA thriller Firekeeper’s Daughter
I don’t say this lightly, when I say I have one of the most interesting and creative HEROINE seasons in store for you.
These are deep, authentic, meaningful conversations here to help you make connections in your brain about your own creative work and the heroine’s journey.
Get ready to be inspired.
Interviews will begin airing on August 12th and will run until mid-September. It’ll be a short and sweet season of about 6-8 episodes so please devour them all, re-listen to them, and share them widely as they are all gifts for creative women everywhere.
Can’t wait to share these amazing interviews with you,
Talk soon!

Curing Comparisonitis — Melissa Ambrosini May 18, 2021

In her new book, Comparisonitis, Melissa Ambrosini talks to Majo about the very common
disease of comparisonitis and offers actionable tips and strategies to heal yourself from it.
• What Melissa was like as a little girl; she was outgoing, bubbly, and confident.
• Melissa’s experience of being 12, losing her self-assurance, and comparing herself to other girls.
• Why Melissa loved competitive dancing and the freedom it gave her.
• How being involved in dance fed into Melissa’s self-doubt and “inner mean girl.”
• The story of how Melissa emerged from her substance abuse and an eating disorder.
• The catalytic moment in Melissa’s life that caused her to re-evaluate everything.
• Where comparison stems from, according to Melissa.
• Distinguishing between healthy comparison and toxic comparison.
• Why it is so important that we heal our relationship with comparison now.
• The difference between the way men and women compare themselves.
• How our childhoods and caregivers shape the way we view ourselves.
• Melissa’s ACES technique that you can use if you are in a comparison spiral.
• Dealing with the powerful emotion of envy and how we can transform it into inspiration.
• Melissa’s relationship with social media and how time blocking helps her.
• You have to find what works for you when it comes to developing a healthy relationship with social media.
• The amount of time the average person will spend on their phone and social media.
• Strategies Melissa shares in her book to help you rethink your relationship with social media and your phone.
• The value of having physical boundaries around where to use your phone.
• You have to remember that social media is just showing the best aspects of everyone’s life. • Why Melissa is reclaiming presence for herself.
References
Melissa Ambrosini - https://melissaambrosini.com/
Melissa Ambrosini - https://www.instagram.com/melissaambrosini/?hl=en
Melissa Ambrosini on YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoUydVMx0tYz4NU5bx8ifXQ
Melissa Ambrosini on Twitter - https://twitter.com/mel_ambrosini?lang=en
The Melissa Ambrosini Show - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-melissa-ambrosini-show/id1196106699
Comparisonitis - https://www.amazon.com/Comparisonitis-Comparing-Yourself-Others-Genuinely/dp/1950665860
Ignite - https://majo-molfino.mykajabi.com/ignite
Tony Robbins - https://www.tonyrobbins.com/
The Social Dilemma - https://www.netflix.com/title/81254224
Tristan Harris - https://www.tristanharris.com/
Gretchen Rubin - https://gretchenrubin.com/
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com/
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Discovering Your Life’s Purpose — Sahara Rose Jan 07, 2021

If you have ever disappointed a loved one by following your truth, you will know just how painful it is. And although it hurts, not living in alignment with your life’s purpose will ultimately cause you much more pain. Sahara Rose has been there, let down her parents, and now wants to help you overcome the fear of judgment and criticism in her new book, Discover Your Dharma. In this episode, Sahara opens up about her background and the expectations placed on her as the child of Iranian immigrants. We hear about the fight she had with them and why this resulted in her finally feeling free. Then, we get into what the meaning of dharma is and how we can think of it as the mission statement of our lives. It might seem like getting closer to your dharma is a journey of seeking, but, in fact, it is about remembering who you were always born to be. Sahara also walks us through the three ways we can discover our dharma along with the nine dharma archetypes. Although we will have three to five dominant dharmas, we need them all, which is why it is necessary to see how they can work together and enhance one another. The conversation wraps up with talking about embodiment, and the work Sahara is doing to get a place of less exertion for greater reward. If you feel stuck in any way or disconnected from a purpose you know is within you, this conversation is sure to spark some questions to get you on a journey of discovery and remembrance.
- Hear more about what Sahara was like as a little girl and her innate drive to help people.
- Sahara’s ethnic and cultural background; her Iranian and Indian roots.
- The fight that Sahara had with her parents when she was following her dharma.
- How not having her parents’ approval finally set Sahara free.
- What dharma means; the overall mission statement of your life and the essence of your soul.
- The core dharma we all share to raise consciousness, so we don’t have to compete with one another.
- Why finding your dharma is more about remembrance than seeking.
- Sahara’s journey of unfolding and getting closer to her dharma.
- The link between dharma and career; how they can become more closely aligned.
- The three pathways to get to your dharma Sahara outlines in her book.
- A question to ask yourself about the dharma finding pathway that’s best for you.
- Hear about the nine dharma archetypes and the ones Majo got when she took the quiz.
- Our archetypes, particularly the artist, can get suppressed because of societal expectations.
- You need all nine archetypes but you will resonate with them in different strengths.
- The archetypes which are naturally more embodied
- How discovering ecstatic dance led Sahara to deeper embodiment and closer to her dharma.
- The ongoing process Sahara is going through to reclaim the way she works.
References
Sahara Rose - iamsahararose.com
Sahara Rose on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamsahararose/?hl=en
Sahara Rose on Twitter - https://twitter.com/IAmSaharaRose
Highest Self Podcast Sahara Rose - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/highest-self-podcast/id1244644906
Discover Your Dharma - https://iamsahararose.com/dharma
Dharma Archetype Quiz - https://www.dharmaarchetypequiz.com/
Highest Self Podcast: 310: Breaking the Good Girl Myth - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/310-breaking-the-good-girl-myth-with-majo-molfino/id1244644906?i=1000488839779
Ayurveda - https://www.ayurveda.com/resources/articles/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide
Ayurveda (Idiot's Guides) - https://www.amazon.com/Ayurveda-Idiots-Guides-Sahara-Ketabi/dp/1465462767
Ecstatic Dance - https://switchonnow.com/magazine/benefits-ecstatic-dance-5-rhythms-biodanza-ways-finding-bliss-movement-meditation/
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com/
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Breaking Free From Self-Sabotaging Habits — Majo on OkaySis Podcast w/ Scout & Mady Nov 22, 2020

Majo joins Scout & Mady from the OkaySis Podcast to talk about how to break out of the good girl myths and design our purpose.
Order the book at goodgirlmyth.com

In Harmony with the Soul — Christine Gutierrez Sep 24, 2020

Christine Gutierrez is a Latina licensed psychotherapist, life coach, and expert in love addiction, trauma, abuse, and self-esteem, and author of the book I Am Diosa: A Journey to Healing Deep, Loving Yourself, and Coming Back Home to Soul.
She has a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University in human behavior and development, and a master’s degree from City College of New York in mental health counseling with a focus on prevention and community.
In this episode, Christine covers a lot of ground, including what the soul is, what the return to soul looks like, what the common soul traps are – including being a good girl, how to get back in touch with your intuition, and why it is vital for us Diosas to rise up now. If you are still stuck wondering what is next in your life, this episode is not to be missed.
Show Notes
- Christine describes being a sensitive young girl who had a heart for the suffering of others.
- Hear about the dream analyses Christine’s mother and grandmother did with her as a girl.
- Learn what Christine means when she talks about our souls and connecting to the soul voice.
- Experiencing the sense that there is more to life than just what we see at the surface level.
- The loneliness that comes from being unusually aware of the spiritual dimension as a child.
- Christine talks about the childhood abuse and trauma that caused her ‘original wound’.
- When the first major shift happened and what she discovered about repetition compulsion.
- The importance of having compassion with yourself as you unpack the layers of trauma.
- Find out how you can avoid the ‘counterfeit gold’ soul traps on your journey to healing.
- How these counterfeits can function to sharpen our instincts and develop trust in ourselves.
- The problem of compromising your voice and truth for the sake of acceptance and belonging.
- Advice about beginning to come into alignment with yourself and what your gut is telling you.
- How to deal with your tendency to want to avoid getting still and confronting your feelings.
- The possibility of inhabiting both the mundane world and the realm of the soul as a creative.
- Why it is high time for the rise of leaders who are grounded in spirituality and the real world
References
Christine Gutierrez - https://www.christineg.tv/
Christine Gutierrez on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cosmicchristine/
Christine Gutierrez on Twitter - https://twitter.com/CosmicChristine
I am Diosa - https://www.christineg.tv/eventsandretreats
Dr. Clarissa Pinkolo Estés - http://www.clarissapinkolaestes.com/
Women Who Run with the Wolves - http://www.clarissapinkolaestes.com/women_who_run_with_the_wolves__myths_and_stories_of_the_wild_woman_archetype_101250.htm
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com/
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Why Unlearning is the Key to Becoming - Martha Beck Sep 17, 2020

This week I’m thrilled to speak with a woman whose work I’ve followed for years.
Martha Beck, PhD, is a New York Times bestselling author, life coach, speaker, and holds three degrees from Harvard University. Oprah calls her “one of the smartest women I know.” Martha walked away from the religious Mormon community she was raised in, exposed her father, and wrote about the dark secrets and hypocrisy of the Mormon church in her book Leaving the Saints. She received backlash from the church, but in the process, found her true, whole self.
In this episode, Martha and I discuss why the intellect is important, but a deeper connection to nature and with our own souls is what the world truly needs. You’ll learn how breaking away from cultural rules brings us into alignment with our true selves, and we become whole, healthy, connected individuals full of integrity.
This is a beautiful conversation heroine, one of the top interviews in all my years of doing the show.
Show Notes
- Martha on being raised as Mormon royalty due to his father’s “scholarly” work.
- Discovering the hypocrisy surrounding certain religious people, including her father.
- The intense experience of leaving the church and, with that, her family, friends, and culture.
- How she got the courage to confront the deep religious conditioning she grew up in.
- The crossroads experience of her pregnancy with her Down’s syndrome boy, Adam.
- Hear why Martha felt like she needed to unlearn everything that she was taught at Harvard.
- Why caring for a fragile life is the most-needed skill in the world right now.
- The restrictive good girl archetype as a socially constructed self for many women.
- Distinguishing between the essential self that is natural and the social self that is cultural.
- The split that happens when people believe things that are contrary to their essential self.
- Understanding that finding and claiming your true nature does not come without opposition.
- Withstanding backlash, the role of shame, and grieving the loss of cultural connection.
- Why, for Martha, life coaching is such a powerful, necessary tool for society.
- What the flip side of the Drama Triangle means for persecutors, victims, and rescuers.
- How wayfinding can help us discover our deeper purpose and navigate through the chaos.
- Find out how existing in alignment with your true nature brings you closer to the supernatural.
- The magic of the written word when we write from a powerful connection to truth.
References
Martha Beck - https://marthabeck.com/
Martha Beck on Twitter - https://twitter.com/marthabeck/
Diana, Herself: An Allegory of Awakening - https://www.amazon.com/Diana-Herself-Awakening-Bewilderment-Chronicles/dp/1944264000
Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith USA Today - https://www.amazon.com/Leaving-Saints-Mormons-Found-Faith/dp/0307335992
NPR - https://www.npr.org/
Oprah - http://www.oprah.com/index.html
Esther Perel - https://www.estherperel.com/
David Emerald - https://powerofted.com/about-david/
Stanford University - https://www.stanford.edu/
Harvard University - https://www.harvard.edu/
J.K. Rowling - https://www.jkrowling.com/

The 4 Questions That Can Change Your Life and Mind - Byron Katie Sep 10, 2020

Do you wrestle with the power your thoughts have over your beliefs about yourself and your life? This episode is for you, heroine.
Bestselling author and founder of The Work, my guest Byron Katie shares her experience waking up in a state of joy after a decade-long spiral into depression, rage, and self-loathing. This state of joy hasn’t left her since, and Byron has shared this transformational practice with others for over 30 years. The Work is a simple, yet powerful process of inquiry that teaches us to identify and question the thoughts that cause us suffering.
In this episode, Byron and I discuss her battle with depression, and the moment of her awakening (which she credits to a cockroach). She explains the principles of The Work, and the four key questions we need to ask in order to change our beliefs. This episode is filled with practical, simple steps to help you become more conscious of your thoughts and free yourself from suffering. If you feel stuck in your beliefs – about your identity, your work, or your relationships – by the end of this episode, you’ll see a way out by going inward.
Show Notes
- Byron’s childhood as a quiet, solitary young girl
- Her decade-long experience with depression in her thirties
- Byron re-lives the moment of awakening that pivoted her entire life trajectory
- How The Work was born
- Find out why Byron gives all the credit for her moment of awakening to a cockroach
- The types of thoughts that hold us back and the four questions we need to ask them
- The importance of uncovering the cause and the reaction to the thoughts we believe
- Why intelligence is questioning and freedom is choosing the thoughts we believe
- The difference between sitting in the “I know” mind as apposed the “curious” mind
References
Byron Katie - The Work - https://thework.com/
Byron Katie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ByronKatie
Byron Katie on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/byron.katie/
Byron Katie on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theworkofbyronkatie
A Mind at Home with Itself - https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Home-Itself-Asking-Questions/dp/0062651609
Loving What Is - Four Questions That Can Change Your Life - https://www.amazon.com/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=loving+what+is&qid=1598781393&sr=8-1
A Thousand Names for Joy - https://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Names-Joy-Living-Harmony/dp/0307339246

The Tendencies that Make You Happier & More Effective — Gretchen Rubin Sep 03, 2020

In the world of productivity hacking and self-help, Gretchen Rubin needs little introduction. She’s a nationally acclaimed author who writes popular books about habit change and happiness. In fact, her books have sold millions and have been on the New York Times best seller list numerous times.
Gretchen draws from cutting edge research, tried and true wisdom and her own life experience, but she also isn’t afraid to admit that she herself is not an expert. She’s not a scientist, but she writes about topics that have a scientific edge. She has become one of the country’s top thinkers on happiness and human nature.
We cover a lot of ground in this interview, and talk discuss her framework The Four Tendencies because of how much it impacted me. It’s about how people respond to expectations. In this episode, you’ll learn why self-knowledge is the key to a better life, and how knowing your tendency can revolutionize the way you work and live.
You’ll love this episode, heroine, it’s a great one.

The Secrets to Connecting in Relationships & Sex — Shan Boodram Aug 27, 2020

My guest on this week’s episode, Shan Boodram, isn’t afraid to talk about sex. Shan’s a Canadian born, LA based dating coach, author and certified sex educator. Her first book was a bestseller and her new book, “The Game Of Desire: 5 Surprising Secrets to Dating with Dominance and Getting What You Want” is even more popular.
She’s the most sought-after sex educator online today, educating you about sex toys on Playboy’s Instagram, and also on the reality TV show Too Hot to Handle, where she teaches contestants a yoni puja – a sacred ritual which involves worshipping your own pussy. Go Shan.
With her down-to-earth style and openness, Shan discusses the importance of engaging with your own sexuality. She shares how focusing on this intimate part of yourself leads to more joy, purpose, and pleasure in all areas of your life.
Show Notes
- Shan’s fascination with the human body from a young age
- How our family’s perspectives inform how we learn about sex
- How Shan realized what she really wanted to do
- Laid, her first book, published in 2009, when she was 24 years old
- Shan’s philosophy on sex education
- Shan turns the tables on Majo, asking about her experiences
- The reality check Shan experienced after the release of her first book
- The opportunity that prompted her decision to move to the US
- Low lights and high lights from her experience in LA
- The wager she made with herself that changed her course
- Her journey of healing after ending her toxic relationship
- How engaging in sexuality can engage your whole self
References
Shan Boodram - https://www.shanboodram.com/
Shan Boodram on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shanboody
Shan Boodram on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR1aFO8kPS2WgdOfvU0zpag
Shan Boodram on Quibi - https://quibi.com/shows/sexology-with-shan-593/
Laid: Young People's Experiences with Sex in an Easy-Access Culture - https://www.amazon.com/Laid-Peoples-Experiences-Easy-Access-Culture-ebook/dp/B0097CYXT6
The Game Of Desire: 5 Surprising Secrets to Dating with Dominance and Getting What You Want - https://thegameofdesire.com/
Institute of Advanced Study of Human Sexuality - http://www.iasscs.org/
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com/
Break the Good Girl Myth - http://goodgirlmyth.com/

How to Undo the Idea That You’re Not Enough — Monica Padman Aug 20, 2020

On this week’s episode, I talk with fellow recovering good girl, Monica Padman.
Monica, an actress and podcast producer, hustled her way into acting and co-leading one of the most downloaded podcasts today, Armchair Expert. She double majored in theatre and PR at the University of Georgia and then moved to LA to pursue her dreams of acting. She’s appeared in several TV shows, such as The Good Place, and Drop Dead Diva, and performed a role specifically written for her in the 2017 movie, CHIPS. Armchair Expert, the podcast she co-hosts with Dax Shepard, started off as something they did for fun, and has now exploded into one of the most downloaded podcasts. The duo have interviewed musicians, entertainers, writers, doctors, and psychologists including Alicia Keys, Brené Brown, Monica Lewinsky, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Emilia Clarke.
In this episode, Monica shares how she met Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell. She talks about the familial relationship she’s built with them, and how that relationship influenced her path. You’ll also hear about the parts of herself she kept hidden in order to fit in as a good girl, which are now the parts she’s reclaiming for herself. Monica’s story shows that you can do whatever it takes to create your dreams, while staying authentic.
Show Notes
- Monica’s childhood as a careful, shy, rule follower
- The early influences that fueled her love for acting
- Her experience with being a good girl and her need to fit in during school
- Monica’s relationship to her Indian culture growing up in the South
- How she dealt with the uncertainty of making the leap into a full-time acting career
- The importance of community and relationship
- Ensuring she built out other areas of her life so that acting wasn’t the only focus for her
- How she built a close, family type relationship with Kristin Bell and Dax Shepard
- The inspiration for the Armchair Expert podcast
- The role Monica plays with Armchair Expert, and how she feels about it
References
Monica Padman on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mlpadman
Armchair Expert podcast - https://armchairexpertpod.com/
Armchair Expert on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/armchairexppod/
The Best Little Boy in the World - https://www.amazon.com/Best-Little-Boy-World-Anniversary-ebook/dp/B0042JSNYU
Serial podcast - https://serialpodcast.org/
CHIPS - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493405/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
Making Sense podcast - https://samharris.org/podcast/

The Power of Creative, Female Collaboration — Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik Aug 13, 2020

Do you ever feel like you don’t fit in, that you’re somehow different from everyone else, or maybe even, that you don’t belong? This week I sit down with Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik, the co-founders of Almost 30, the top-rated LA-based lifestyle podcast. After meeting in SoulCycle, the two became best friends and soon realized they shared a desire to explore the theme of belonging, both to yourself and others. Almost 30 was born out of these conversations, and while not their original intention, it’s now grown into a full-time business, brand, and community.
In our conversation, Krista and Lindsey discuss creating for the pure love of creating, and how money, validation, and recognition fall into line once you’re doing what you love. They share what they’ve discovered about themselves and their relationships as they turned their podcast into a business. Krista and Lindsey show us how to speak your truth with compassion and trust yourself as you pursue what you love.
Show Notes
- A glimpse into Krista’s wild and rebellious and Lindsey’s eccentric childhood days.
- Krista’s departure from her Catholic roots and why she sees the church as oppressive.
- Discovering spirituality and the love of the true source that she felt was “hidden” from her.
- Why Catholic school was confusing for Lindsey and how she is revisiting the idea of God.
- A word of wisdom about navigating your difference and individuality in the context of a group.
- The distinction between fitting in and belonging and how this sentiment is expressed in Almost 30.
- How the two women met and the mutual interests that ignited their podcasting journey.
- Hear about their creative collaboration, the growth of the business, and the intricacy of the co-founder relationship.
- The significant learning opportunities presented by our closest relationships with people.
- Female friendships and the importance of responding to others from a place of awareness.
- Asking yourself the hard question: do I truly want to create or am I looking for validation?
- How social media can hamper your creativity and perpetuate inauthenticity.
- From side hustle to booming business and learning that you can make money from doing what you love.
- The lessons Almost 30 is teaching them about their relationship with money and boundaries.
- How they are reclaiming their gut instinct and speaking their truth with love.
References
Krista Williams - http://itskrista.co/
Krista Williams on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/itskrista/
Krista Williams on Twitter - https://twitter.com/itskrista?lang=en
Lindsey Simcik on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lindseysimcik/?hl=en
Lindsey Simcik on Twitter - https://twitter.com/lindsimss?lang=en
Almost 30 Podcast - https://almost30podcast.com/
Brené Brown - https://brenebrown.com/
SoulCycle - https://soul-cycle.com/
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com/
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Sophia Amoruso on Why Failing Forward is the Key to Designing Your Path Aug 06, 2020

What is your relationship to failure?
My guest this week, Sophia Amoruso, believes that, as long as you’re learning from your experiences, there’s no such thing as failure. The founder of Girlboss Media and author of #GIRLBOSS, Sophia watched her first business, online fashion retailer Nasty Gal, go bankrupt after a successful run. Rather than hide or quit when the challenges came, she chose instead to learn from the experience her first business gave her.
Sophia started her new venture, Girlboss Media, in 2017, with a fresh perspective on what success really means and a healthy relationship to failure. In this interview, you’ll hear how Sophia emerged from the challenges of losing her first business and the way these trials shaped who she is today. Even when the darkest days come and life puts obstacles in your path, there’s always something you can be grateful for.
Show Notes
- Growing up a troublemaker who had a distaste for authority and convention.
- Hear about Sophia’s high school years with ADHD and mental health struggles.
- A few compelling reasons why the traditional education system fails many people.
- Leaving home at 17 to live in the city in a purple “closet” with a bunch of musicians.
- How Sophia's teenage anti-establishment phase spilled over into her mischievous life in Portland.
- Find out why Sophia describes her time as a stripper as a positive experience.
- How privilege and special treatment made her feel entitled to indulge in delinquent behavior.
- The lessons in social engineering and acting that help Sophia to combat imposter syndrome.
- Learn about Sophia's journey to starting Nasty Gal and its exponential growth.
- 2016: the year her husband left her, her company went bankrupt, and Trump was elected.
- Breaking free from the binary concepts of success and failure.
- Seeing the good things in life amid the difficulty and embracing the mystery of our existence.
- The wonderful hindsight that comes with being a second-time entrepreneur.
References
Sophia Amoruso on Twitter - https://twitter.com/sophiaamoruso
Sophia Amoruso on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sophiaamoruso
Girlboss - https://www.girlboss.com
Girlboss on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/girlboss
#GIRLBOSS - https://www.amazon.com/GIRLBOSS-Sophia-Amoruso/dp/039916927X
Nasty Gal - https://www.nastygal.com
Isabel Allende - https://www.isabelallende.com
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Behind-The-Scenes of a 3-Year Book Journey (Top 5 Lessons) Jul 30, 2020

Majo shares the three year process of writing Break the Good Girl Myth (which is now available at http://goodgirlmyth.com, yay!). If you want to write a book, or birth any creative project into the world, this episode shares the resilience, commitment, and perseverance you need to stay the course. And heroine, it’s worth it to stay the course. Follow Majo on Instagram @majomolfino and sign up for my newsletter to hear about all the upcoming book launch events.
Show notes:
- How Majo refined my idea early on
- The difference between your “why” and your “how”
- How Majo sought to understand the book publishing landscape early on
- The importance of a book proposal
- The importance of surrounding yourself by people who are standing where you want to go
- How Majo got in touch with literary agents and landed on the one she wanted
- The way publishing works
- THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT SELLS BOOKS (the answer is not having a big platform)
- The heroine’s journey of the book writing process including the dark cocoon phase
- How Majo landed the book deal
- How Majo dealt with self-doubts
- The top 5 lessons and things about from the whole journey

HOLY F*! The Book is Now Yours–! Jul 28, 2020

Majo celebrates the official publication and release of her new book, Break the Good Girl Myth, available wherever books, ebooks, and audiobooks are sold. Join her as she freaks out. And order the book at http://goodgirlmyth.com –!

A Sneak Peek Into Your Creative Purpose (Training) Jul 26, 2020

Majo gives a sneak peek into the Design Your Creative Purpose Training / book pre-order bonus (since today and tomorrow are the last day to get it) AND updates you on the fun activities you can plug into for the book in the next couple of weeks, including a book giveaway and an IG live with one of Majo's biggest heroines (you won’t believe it!). Yay!

The Only Way to “Have it All” — Randi Zuckerberg Jul 23, 2020

Do you find yourself thinking that you want to have and do it all in life: a career, relationship, kids, fitness, money, home? Randi Zuckerberg, my guest this week, certainly does it all — she’s an entrepreneur, investor, bestselling author, tech media personality, and occasional Broadway performer. Behind that impressive resumé is a woman who understands that you can do it all — but not all in one day or even one season of life. She believes you can do everything you want to do, but over a long period of time.
After Harvard rejected her for the music program, Randi set aside her love of music to pursue a degree in psychology, followed by a career in technology, which ultimately led to her role as Director of Market Development at Facebook. Years after she thought she’d left music behind, Broadway came calling, and Randi lived her lifelong dream of performing.
In this interview, Randi shares the philosophy behind “Pick Three,” and how she’s incorporated this idea when choosing what to focus on in her life. We discuss how to adopt a beginner’s mindset when trying new things, and not giving up on your dreams, even if the path to get there seems hidden.
Show Notes
- Growing up with a girls-can-do-anything mentality and oblivious to the glass ceiling.
- Her early exposure to technology and how it impacts the work she does with girls today.
- Why Randi ended up studying psychology despite her passion for music and performance.
- The sobering shift from working in an ad agency with women in leadership to Silicon Valley.
- The observations in Silicon Valley that made Randi aware of the glass ceiling at age 22.
- Reaching out to female peers outside of the tech industry to create a network of support.
- Giving her brother free digital marketing advice before being recruited by Facebook.
- The dangers of online anonymity and why Randi feels so strongly about protecting kids.
- How Randi’s music dream circled back to her when she got a call from a Broadway producer.
- Bridging the worlds of arts, entertainment, and tech, and why it’s becoming increasingly important.
- The pros and cons of having such a large spectrum of focus areas under Zuckerberg Media.
- A willingness to learn and other strategies for becoming a fearless leader.
- A brilliant—yet realistic—perspective on achieving a work-life balance in the long run.
References
Randi Zuckerberg on Twitter - https://twitter.com/randizuckerberg
Randi Zuckerberg on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/randizuckerberg
Zuckerberg Media - https://www.zuckerbergmedia.com
Harvard University - https://www.harvard.edu
Tina Turner - https://www.biography.com/musician/tina-turner
Ogilvy - https://www.ogilvy.com
Pick Three - https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Three-Have-Just-Every/dp/006284282X
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://www.amazon.com/Break-Good-Girl-Myth-Purposeful-ebook/dp/B081NH1KJC
Majo Molfino - http://majomolfino.com
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Breaking Out of the "Good Girl" Myth & Designing Your Purpose — Majo on Real Reel Podcast w/ Natalie Barbu Jul 19, 2020

Majo joins Natalie Barbu from the Real Reel Podcast to talk about how to break out of the good girl myths and design our purpose.
Pre-order book before 7/28 at http://GOODGIRLMYTH.COM to receive a bonus training (~$300 value) to help you design your creative purpose.
In the training, you'll learn:⁠
➕ The one intention you must clarify to get clear about your creative purpose⁠
➕ How to more easily bring shape to your creative purpose by choosing one of the four creator paths⁠
➕ A powerful process for choosing a direction if you have a lot of interests and passions⁠ ⁠
➕ How to turn your creative dream plan into an actionable, creative dream plan
http://GOODGIRLMYTH.COM

Why Vulnerability Can Help You Create — Brit Morin Jul 16, 2020

When’s the last time you expressed vulnerability through your creativity? For Brit Morin, my guest on this week’s episode, it’s part of her every day life. Brit founded her lifestyle and online learning platform, Brit + Co, to help women connect with and express their creative spirit. With an engaged community of 125+ million women and over 200,000 online class enrollments, Brit + Co is the leading destination for learning and discovery among female millennials. She launched her business at the age of 25, and learned how to balance motherhood alongside her career as a creative entrepreneur.
In this episode, Brit discusses how to empower and equip your employees by letting go of control, and how she brings her authentic self into her brand. She shares the power of believing in yourself and your creativity, even in the face of criticism. Trying new, creative things feels vulnerable and scary, because we’re afraid to fail. Brit shows us that, while we may fail and everything won’t be perfect, we can learn how to be resilient and keep creating anyway.
Show Notes
- How Brit saw her inner creativity evolve through childhood and adolescence.
- Why she decided to leave her job at Google to launch Brit + Co at 25.
- What it was like for Brit meeting her husband at 19.
- Brit’s highs and lows with Brit + Co.
- What is was like to have to lay off members of her team after Facebook algorithm changes.
- Having a decentralized team means Brit + Co hasn’t taken a hit during quarantine.
- Letting go of control and finding balance as an entrepreneur.
- Brit’s ‘North Star’ when her motivation is low.
- How creativity can equate to courage.
- Ways that Brit pushed through some of her own insecurities.
- The Private/Public Divide and how Brit decides where the boundaries are.
- Dealing with criticism and juggling motherhood and career.
- How Brit has managed to lessen some of the demand that she puts on herself.
- What Brit is reclaiming for herself in her journey of personal growth.
References
Brit + Co - https://www.brit.co
Brit Morin on Twitter - https://twitter.com/brit
Brit Morin on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brit
Brit + Co on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/BritandCo
Teach Me Something New with Brit Morin - https://www.brit.co/teach-me-something-new-podcast

Blending Heart & Hustle — Coco and Breezy Dotson Jul 09, 2020

My guests on this week’s episode are the definition of hustle. Coco and Breezy Dotson, twin designers & founders of Coco and Breezy Eyewear, are no strangers to hard work. Growing up in a mainly white Midwestern suburb, the twins relied on each other for companionship throughout their childhood. Coco and Breezy developed a unique fashion sense that set them apart from other kids, and experienced bullying and exclusion while in school. Rather than allow the bullying to keep them down, the twins used it to inspire their love for stylish eyewear. They sold their first pairs of glasses on Myspace, where they built an extensive following. By the time the twins turned 17, they held three jobs to support their family.
In this inspiring interview, Coco and Breezy share their early lessons in entrepreneurship. Through their own personal examples, we learn why failure is necessary, and how we even should embrace failure as an opportunity for growth.
Show Notes
- Coco and Breezy share stories from their creative, active, curious childhood and what it’s like to grow up with a twin
- How they had to assimilate to whiteness growing up in a mostly white Midwestern suburb
- Being bullied, left out, misunderstood, and without a community meant the twins had only each other to rely on during their school years
- The bullying they experienced in school inspired their love for eyewear
- The twins posted photos of their unique, stylish outfits on Myspace and created a community of followers online
- Working three jobs by the age of 17 to support their family
- Making their first eyewear sales through Myspace, and then traveling to New York wearing their creations
- The twins share difficult lessons they learned in their early years of entrepreneurship
- How they feel excited by the opportunity to solve a challenge because it pushes them out of their comfort zones
- After spending the last of their money on a defective order, they saw the chance to make changes in their lives and business
- Learning how to run a more efficient business as two individuals, rather than as one person
- Why failure is necessary and something we all experience, especially if we’re willing to get uncomfortable
References
Coco & Breezy - https://cocoandbreezy.com
Coco & Breezy on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cocoandbreezy
Coco & Breezy Eyewear - https://www.instagram.com/cocoandbreezyeyewear
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://majomolfino.com/book

Following Your Creative Purpose — Elise Loehnen Jul 02, 2020

When you’re faced with a new opportunity in your career, do you evaluate that opportunity based on the potential for growth it provides? My guest this week has used this measure throughout her career, and as a result, she takes career opportunities where she learns, grows, and adds value.
Elise Loehnen Fissmer is the Chief Content Officer of goop, the lifestyle and e-commerce company established by Gwyneth Paltrow in 2008. Prior to joining goop, Elise worked for Condé Nast and Shopzilla, where she adopted a mindset that helped her design a career and life aligned to her purpose.
In this interview, Elise tells us of her career progression from recent Yale graduate freelancing at Lucky Magazine, to the opportunity at Shopzilla she pursued because of the tremendous learning potential that came with it. She discusses her early days at goop, when she found herself more hands-on with the team. Recognizing her own comfort with staying behind-the-scenes, Elise now challenges herself to grow by taking on external facing opportunities to contribute. In this episode, you’ll learn about the importance of prototyping ideas you want to try, and Elise shares the questions to ask when considering how new career opportunities align with your purpose.
Show Notes
- Get a glimpse of Elise’s childhood: horses, making jewelry, and attending hippy school.
- Comforting her inner child and speaking to her anxieties around money and security.
- Hear about Elise’s middle school years as a competitive athlete, mathlete, an artist.
- The period of desperation after graduating from Yale during a time of job market uncertainty.
- How landing a freelance job at Lucky Magazine became her doorway to the media industry.
- Find out what Elise did in the period between working for Lucky and getting hired by goop.
- Why you should work for the company that will teach you what you want to know.
- Learning early on that waiting to be scouted, discovered, and invited was unrealistic.
- How goop started as a newsletter in 2008 and the organic way that Gwyneth scaled it.
- Goop’s approach to business: prototyping, experimenting, playing, collaborating.
- Beginner’s resistance and imposter syndrome and why women excel at conquering them.
- How Elise’s role has transitioned from managing to being an individual contributor.
- Learn what the Netflix series the goop lab is all about and the edgy topics they cover.
- The cycle of backlash that ensues every time goop does something expansive.
- Thoughts about why people tend to defend the status quo and how it relates to authority.
- The creative dream of writing a book instead of only ever co-authoring.
References
Elise Loehnen - http://www.eliseloehnen.com
Elise Loehnen on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/elise-loehnen-b867523
Elise Loehnen on Twitter - https://twitter.com/eloehnen
Yale - https://www.yale.edu
Shopzilla - http://www.shopzilla.com
goop - https://goop.com
Condé Nast - https://www.condenast.com
Gwyneth Paltrow on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gwynethpaltrow
Who’s Afraid of Gwyneth Paltrow and goop? - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/03/opinion/goop-gwyneth-paltrow-netflix.html
the goop lab - https://www.netflix.com/za/title/80244690
Break the Good Girl Myth - https://www.amazon.com/Break-Good-Girl-Myth-Purposeful-ebook/dp/B081NH1KJC
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Smart Disobedience: The Key to a Braver Life — Rana el Kaliouby, PhD Jun 25, 2020

Have you ever been faced with this choice: remain obedient to your family by giving up your dreams, or pursue your heart’s passion, against your family’s wishes? My guest on HEROINE this week faced that exact situation. Rana el Kaliouby, PhD, Egyptian-American computer scientist and CEO, knew her patriarchal Middle Eastern culture required her to make sacrifices she wasn’t willing to make. After studying computer science and receiving her PhD at Cambridge, Rana developed a deep passion to bring emotional intelligence (EQ) into technology. While founding her company, Affectiva, she chose to leave her marriage, rather than give up on the work she believed in so deeply. Rana recently released her first book, Girl Decoded, a memoir about her life as a rule breaker.
In this episode, Rana takes us through her childhood in the Middle East, raised in a family of technologists with strict gender roles. While she wasn’t used to vulnerability or emotion growing up, Rana discusses her personal journey in dealing with emotionally complex situations throughout her life. We also learn about the importance of following your convictions, even if they don’t align with others’ expectations. Rana teaches us when disobedience is necessary, and how to keep yourself out of your own way in the pursuit of your dreams.
Show Notes
- Rana’s childhood growing up in the Middle East.
- The influence of Rana’s technologist family, with two programmer parents.
- How Rana creatively rebelled against her father’s patriarchal ways.
- The influence the mixture of a forward-thinking but conservative family had on Rana.
- How Rana’s family suppressed emotions about evacuating Kuwait after it got invaded by Iraq.
- The story of why Rana’s dad got angry with her while she was studying computer science.
- Rana’s dream to build technology that can capture non-verbal communication signals.
- How Rana realized that building EQ into technology was her calling.
- What EQ in technology can offer and how this vision helped Rana disobey conventions.
- The story of how Rana had to prioritize starting Affectiva to the detriment of her marriage.
- Having to become a disobedient daughter in order to become a powerful woman.
- How Rana overcame her self-imposed barriers to become CEO of Affectiva.
- Rana’s use of journaling to externalize and process her feelings.
- Being a mother amongst all of the career challenges Rana faced.
- Why Rana has decided to lead with empathy.
- One thing Rana is reclaiming and hopes her book does.
References
Rana el Kaliouby - https://ranaelkaliouby.com
Girl Decoded - https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Decoded-Scientists-Intelligence-Technology-ebook/dp/B07VF1SKPV
Affectiva - https://www.affectiva.com
The American University in Cairo - https://www.aucegypt.edu
Alexa - https://alexa.amazon.com
Siri - https://www.apple.com/siri
Affective Computing - https://www.amazon.com/Affective-Computing-Press-Rosalind-Picard/dp/0262661152
Untamed - https://www.amazon.com/Untamed-Glennon-Doyle-Melton/dp/1984801252
Ariana Huffington - http://ariannahuffington.com

How to Choose Meaningful Work — Amy Yeung Jun 18, 2020

Do you ever wonder how your skills and experience could lead you to your higher purpose? Amy Yeung’s soul journey from corporate fashion designer to social entrepreneur shows that inside each of us lies the ability to create positive change in the world. Owner of the Orenda Tribe lifestyle brand, Amy lives and works with artisans in the Navajo community to create upcycled clothing and share indigenous culture.
Growing up in rural Indiana, with her Native American heritage and obsession with fashion, Amy felt like an outsider. When she moved to New York to pursue her career in fashion, she knew she’d found her path and never looked back.
As a mother, Amy desired to leave a legacy focused on sustainable design and solving the social problems plaguing her native community. She left her corporate job behind and retraced her family history back to the Navajo reservation of her birth, where her studio is now based.
In this episode, Amy models reconnecting with ourselves by connecting with the land, sky, and water. She shows us that, while we can step into our true calling at any point in life, the best time to align with your greater purpose is right now.
Show Notes
- Learn about Amy’s Diné heritage and growing up in a small rural town in Indiana.
- The historical context that played into her mother’s decision to have her adopted.
- The difficulty of trying to translate your passion into a career in a community that is unlike you.
- Feeling like an outsider as a Native American artsy kid who made her own clothes.
- Starting with studies in pharmacy before convincing her parents to let her apply for fashion.
- The sink-or-swim experience of moving to New York and creating a life there.
- Ascribing her success to a deep understanding of being loved by her parents.
- How motherhood made her more community-oriented and invested in sustainable design.
- Responding to the call to consciousness by turning her back on the corporate measures of success.
- Rethink, revive, rebirth, and other re-words that form the foundation of Orenda Tribe.
- Learning about environment genocide, fracking, and other problems on her journey of reintegrating with her tribe.
- Advice for crafting the life you want: simplify, eliminate the noise, and connect to the earth.
- How the meditative processes in indigenous cultures brings us closer to ourselves.
- Reclaiming her ancestry, learning about the native community, and educating others.
- Find out which Navajo community service projects Amy is currently working on.
References
Amy Yeung on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyyeung/
Amy Yeung on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lilacreative/
Orenda Tribe - https://www.orendatribe.com/
Inc. - https://www.inc.com/leigh-buchanan/orenda-tribe-amy-yeung-navajo-reservation-albuquerque-new-mexico-main-street.html
Majo Molfino - https://majomolfino.com/
HEROINE (Podcast) - https://majomolfino.com/podcast

Where HEROINE Stands Jun 16, 2020

Today, I want to talk about where HEROINE stands with Black Lives Matter and my commitments to being anti-racist. ~ Majo
References:
Me & White Supremacy by Layla Saad – https://bookshop.org/books/me-and-white-supremacy-combat-racism-change-the-world-and-become-a-good-ancestor/9781728209807
Guide for How to help your Black friends and your non-Black friends today by Kat Vellos at https://weshouldgettogether.com/blog/how-to-help-your-black-and-nonblack-friends-right-now

New Season [Teaser] Jun 11, 2020

The new season will begin on Thursday, June 18th. It’s going to be a good one! Here’s who we’ll have on the show:
Amy Yeung | Navajo Fashion Designer & Activist
Rana el Kaliouby, PhD | Egyptian-American Computer Scientist
Elise Loehnen | Chief Content Officer at GOOP
Coco & Breezy | Twin Designers & Founders of Coco and Breezy Eyewear
Brit Morin | Founder & CEO of Brit+Co
Randi Zuckerberg | Founder & CEO of Zuckerberg Media
Krista & Lindsay | Hosts of the Almost 30 Podcast
Sophia Amoruso | Founder & CEO of Girlboss
Monica Padman | Actress & Co-host of the Armchair Expert Podcast
Shan Boodram | Sex Educator & Dating Expert
Gretchen Rubin | Bestselling Author & Happiness Expert
Byron Katie | Spiritual Teacher
Martha Beck, PhD | Bestselling Author & Life Coach

Trusting Your Vision — The Making of a Book Cover & Icons Feb 20, 2020

How do you design a book cover and icons that encapsulate the message of women breaking their good girl myths to unleash their power? Go behind the scenes as Majo, her editor from HarperOne and design collaborator Vanessa Koch from paladarstudio.com to create the book cover and special icons to her new book Break the Good Girl Myth available NOW for pre-order at goodgirlmyth.com –!

The Key To Your Clarity Nov 21, 2019

I’ve asked many of you a simple question: Have you thought about striking out on your own and starting your own business (freelance, studio, consulting, coaching, company, startup, etc.) in the future? About 98% of you say yes. So, then comes the follow-up question: Well, how come you haven’t started today?
What do you think is the most common response? While there are many excuses around readiness, and enjoying the stability, prestige, and recognition of your current job, the most common reason you haven’t started: you’re waiting for clarity. Some “I don’t know’s” that are stalling you: I don’t know where to focus, I don’t know which interests to pursue first, I don’t know where or how to begin, I don’t know where my strengths lie, and I don’t know if this can make money.
What are the strategies you’ve used to gain clarity? Here are some I’ve heard:
Journaling
More trainings
Meditation
Vision boarding
Conversations
Retreats
Nothing, just waiting!
Now, these are all lovely and needed strategies, but they’re far, far too passive. Sorry. You need a little fire under your butt. A little pep in your step. A little sprinkle on your latte (too much?).
The good news is there is a method to this ambiguous madness. Designers (inventors, creatives, scientists!) have been using a method for a very long time.
Designers know that clarity doesn’t come from waiting, it comes from making.
What if you could define a project for yourself, and break it into prototypes you can test, in order to get clarity about whether it’s the direction you want, and in order to course-correct from there?
Clarity comes from taking action first. You start with action. And the most powerful action you can take is to make something, throw it at someone, and see how they react.
Now, even prototyping and testing has its fair share of vulnerability involved, doesn’t it? What if people judge you? What if you are the laughing stock of the whole class as you run around naked in that nightmare which has now become real life? That’s why in order to move into this approach, we also need to strengthen our creative confidence muscle (by learning how to manage fear and resistance).
It’s the combination of understanding our resistance (e.g., doing the inner work) with the actual, making and testing of our ideas (e.g., doing the outer work) that will get us results.
I’m really excited to personally invite you to my second pilot of IGNITE – a 12-week program that supports female leaders in defining, testing, and ultimately sharing their creative ideas and gifts with the world while working full-time. You don’t need to quit your day job, take on a huge financial risk, or make a crazy career pivot to design your purpose. By sharing your gifts, you design your unique creative purpose and translate that into actionable steps in your career.
IGNITE IS FOR...
A female, creative professional
A leader such as a manager, lead, director, or executive
Between the ages of 28 - 40
Someone who wants to make a difference and have an impact
An empathic woman who cares deeply for others and the world
Someone who is willing to invest time and money into up-leveling themselves
IT’S NOT FOR...
A founder or entrepreneur already engaged in your creative purpose
A coach
A college or graduate student
Someone who is not working (e.g., unemployed)
Someone who thinks personal growth is too “woo woo”
Someone who isn’t willing to put in the work and take action to design a better life
WHAT WILL WE DO?
Stage 1: Lose Good Girl & Fear Mentality (CLEAR)
In this stage, we clear good girl mentality, fears, and excuses and replace them with new, empowering beliefs that you can carry forward into your life. Inner work and self-discovery is the foundation.
Outcome: A unique Creative Badass Daily Ritual (CBDR) tailored to you so that you can reprogram any negative, fear-based beliefs about sharing your gifts through daily guided meditations, affirmations, and mantras throughout the program.
Stage 2: Design Your Creative Purpose Project (CPP) (DESIGN)
Here we design and define a timeline, three prototypes, and final launch date for a project that is rooted in your creative purpose (what I’ll call your “Creative Purpose Project”) based on the self-discovery above.
Outcome: A CPP Brief which includes a timeline, launch date, and three increasingly challenging prototypes that encapsulate your creative purpose.
Stage 3: Ignite Your Creative Purpose Project (IGNITE)
In this final stage, we test our ideas with real people, get feedback, launch our CPP, and build our creative confidence. We gain clarity from ACTION.
Outcome: New insights from putting your CPP into practice resulting in the formulation of a 12-month Creative Purpose Plan to take beyond the program, including your aspirational Creative Legacy Statement (e.g., “North Star”) you can carry forward.
The 12-week journey
Week 1: Setting Up for Success
Week 2: Identify Fears & Excuses
Week 3: Reprogram Fears & Excuses
Week 4: Define Prototypes & Launch
Week 5: Finalize Your CPP Brief
Week 6: Run Prototype 1
Week 7: Run Prototype 2
Week 8: Run Prototype 3
Week 9: Prototype Analysis & Prep for Final
Week 10: Final Launch
Week 11: Debrief
Week 12: Design 12-Month Career Action Plan
FORMAT
A weekly group coaching call
12 weeks
A curriculum & training with weekly assignments
Communication and mentorship between sessions (e.g., Slack)
For many years, I’ve guided private clients through this journey and am excited to offer it for the first time in a group format.
If you’re curious to learn more and are ready to take action, then sign up for a free Creative Purpose Design Session by heading to my website- Majo.co and clicking Let's Chat (limited spots, available next week only) to experience some of this process.
Let’s go!
Excited to connect with you.

Managing Impostor Syndrome — Vanessa Larco Nov 14, 2019

Hi Heroine,
Imagine you worked so hard building a startup you really believed in and then it crashed. Would you keep going until you succeeded or give up?
My guest today is Vanessa Larco who decided to keep going. When regulatory changes killed her startup she fled to Greece for two weeks, to swear off Silicon Valley forever.
That’s when people there assumed, in her sad state, that she was a bride who had been left by a man at the altar – a wake-up call that lead her to stop mopping around and return the world of product and startups, which eventually lead her to receive an unexpected offer to become partner at a top venture capital firm, NEA. In fact, Vanessa is now one of the few female, Latina investors in Silicon Valley, which is a big deal.
Women of color are the fastest-growing sector of the entrepreneurial market but they receive less than 2% of the capital because 99% of venture capitalists are men, particularly white men. There are so many products and services that never have a chance to get off of the ground because of the lack of diversity in this sector, which is why we need smart women like Vanessa on the inside.
HIGHLIGHTED EXCERPT:
Vanessa: I never thought I would be here.
Majo: It sounds like it. Now, Vanessa, I know there are some listeners who might be thinking like “I could’ve never taken that role and would’ve felt like such an impostor”. Did you feel that or like you could learn it?
Vanessa: Every job I’ve had, I’ve had major impostor syndrome and tons of anxiety, to be honest. I look back and realize I figured out a lot of things and there’s a lot of things I didn’t figure it out but I learned a ton in a very short amount of time. I’ve kinda just made peace with the impostor syndrome. I don’t think it ever goes away. I just think that now I’m aware of it and have the confidence in myself to be able to embrace it.

The Courage To Be Seen — Cathy Heller Nov 07, 2019

Have you ever felt like the deck was totally stacked against you and it just made you more determined to succeed? This is one of the main themes for my guest Cathy Heller. She gets really real and vulnerable so grab your favorite tea and settle in.
Her story so clearly shows the heroine’s journey from the dark hopelessness of being told she couldn’t succeed, that her sister was the talented one. The only time her parents paid attention to her was to complain about each other. Even after having been dropped by two record labels she refused to give up.
Instead, she was scrappy and figured out how to create contacts with the people choosing music for television, movies, and advertisements. In her twenties, she managed to build a business making multi-six-figures a year and ended up running an online school to help other creatives do the same.
She wrote an incredible book that comes out November 12th so make sure to snag a copy of Don’t Keep Your Day Job which talks about designing a way to contribute to the world that is personal and relevant to YOU.
Her perspective of purpose being the opposite of depression has helped thousands understand that as humans, we are happiest when we are contributing to other people.
HIGHLIGHTED EXCERPT
Cathy: What I did have was a cautionary tale. I had two parents who were miserable and a mom who didn't want to be here anymore with 911 calls and suicide hotline calls from her. So that was the driving force of “Oh I will not put my dreams on the back burner because it doesn't work. And I will not be invisible anymore or else I will be broken forever. So I have to do this. My life depends on it”.
Majo: So, you decide to move to Las Angeles to pursue a career in music. And at this point are you writing your own songs?
Cathy: Not really, maybe a couple, like I started right around then. I came out here and started to ask questions like “How do you get a record deal?” and I thought that was the only way to make a living was to get a record deal. I just started trying to figure out how to do it. My husband says I have the will of a small country like if I'm going to do something I commit. I ended up getting a record deal at Interscope and it was amazing. I remember being like “OMG! I’m here.” I was actually sitting with Lady Gaga at Sunset Sounds, which is a recording studio. She was recording Paparazzi and I had just gotten signed. I couldn't believe it; they were asking me like what kind of coffee I wanted and I was like “Wow, I'm the next person to record a record.” And then I got dropped from the label about three months later.

Reclaiming Your Inner Witch Oct 31, 2019

Happy Halloween witches! We’re continuing with female archetypes (and stereotypes!) in old fairy and folk tales. We started with this series last season with the Queen and Princess Archetypes (make sure to check them out if you haven't already for context) and this is the last part of that series.
Today, on the witch’s new year – Samhain, we are going to look at the witch and the hermit archetypes. They’re more connected than you might think.
The witch needs very little introduction. She is in practically every fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers. She’s cruel, conniving, solitary and sometimes, connected to the evilest forces in the world. And in 1692, life imitated art in a big way. An entire community of settlers in Salem, Massachusetts decided that witches were real, and needed to be killed.
But where did this idea come from?
I caught up with my friend Becca Piastrelli to learn a bit more about how witches got the reputation they have today. Becca is the host of the Belonging Podcast and she and I have been circling on the new moon for years now.
"It’s a campaign that’s happened for centuries, many generations from basically the rise of Christianity and capitalism in Europe that specifically targeted women who were healers, and midwives and really powerful beings in the community. Ones that people respected and looked up to, maybe they even owned land. And it wasn’t just women, sometimes it was queer men or two-spirit or genderfluid folk. Anyone who didn’t fit the patriarchal paradigm.
There was a very calculated campaign to turn the people against them in their earth ways. This is known as the burning time which in many ways is still happening today. Where you hear the term witch hunt in media or popular culture or even see how it’s displayed in media. It’s really something that has been embedded in our ancestral memory for many many generations. "
As Christianity grew across Europe, the Church demonized these women and connected them to dangerous, evil forces. It was classic scapegoating. Talking to Becca got me thinking about scapegoating, and I realized, there’s a good reason for men to fear us. Women are connected to the Goddess...and to childbirth...and men are not.
So how must it have felt - to be a respected, practicing healer and midwife one day - and called an evil witch - the next? That is why I believe when we meet witches in fairy tales, they are often alone. They live in solitude, in the forest - remember, that’s where the medicines were - scheming, angry and isolated. Basically, the happy midwife becomes a resentful hermit.
Have you ever felt like a hermit, Heroine, all alone? The Hermit isn’t all bad - not at all. The bright side of the hermit is that she’s also a mystic. She goes into the forest for some much needed alone time - to reconnect with her spiritual side. She goes there to tend to the parts of herself that are precious, and need protection.
But the dark side of the Hermit is avoidance and fear. Keeping people out because they might hurt you. It starts as a punishment for those who have wronged you, but ends up mostly, hurting you.
I believe this split - between connected, centered, community-surrounded healer, and betrayed, mystical, and isolated witch - must be healed in each of us.
Just think - have you ever been passive-aggressive? Have you said something underhanded, but in a nice way, and not understood why you did it? That has to do with the complicated origins of the witch. She wants to fully express herself - thorns and all - but she knows that patriarchy will cast her out and make her quiet if she does.
Well, I want to reclaim the witch archetype within each of us, as so many others have been doing and continue to do today. A witch is creative, she’s complicated, and she’s been to the depths. So whether you’re cooking a large meal and it feels like you’re listening to your grandma tell you a recipe, or you’re listening to your intuition fully, and without judgment, I want you to lean in...to the witch. Hard. Whether you’re a modern witch, with a coven and a spellbook, or just witch-curious, it’s all good.
So what about you, Heroine? Do you identify with the witch?
A big thank you to Meg Rose who helped score this special Samhain episode!

Broadening Your Impact — Debra Silverman Oct 24, 2019

Hi Heroine,
One of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is how the practice of astrology could help me step up as a leader. How could it help me broaden my impact and align with my purpose? And that’s a huge part of what my guest Debra Silverman opens up by applying astrology in a practical way to our lives. Debra holds an M.A. from Antioch University in Clinical Psychology and trained for her mental health credentials at Harvard University.
What’s super interesting about astrology is that for thousands of years it was primarily practiced by men but in recent times, we’ve all seen the shift – women practice it far more than men – and Debra has been a driving force in training women to combine both their analytical and intuitive gifts in order to become astrologists. It’s really inspiring to see how she shifted from private practice as a psychologist for over 40 years to building a scalable business and school online that certifies thousands of mostly women. In other words, she’s kicking ass. In this episode, you’re going to learn about the Saturn return (if you don’t know what that is, you’ll so find out) and how much it affects you and your destiny, even if you don’t recognize it at the time.
HIGHLIGHTED EXCERPT
Debra: Don’t underestimate- I wish someone would have told me that if you have a passion, whatever it may be, something that you really pour yourself into- that does come into a reaping cycle eventually.
Majo: I want to talk to you about that transition that you made. You were doing private practice as a clinical psychologist and an astrologer for multiple decades.
Debra: That’s right, 38 years.
Majo: And then you shifted to scaling and in large part because we’re in a special time as well with all the technology and tools. With so much of your business online, tell me a little more about the shift and how that happened. I hear the energetics of it but I'm curious was there particular characters or moments?
Debra: Fate showed up and introduced me to Destinee Berman who I now have a meeting with every Monday morning. It’s karmic- fate has a file for each of us and if you open it you can see the destiny lines. So she opened mine and said “Have you ever heard of an online school?” and I didn’t know what she was talking about. She then helped me do a “skinny launch”- just my email list and in that first class there were 40 women and now it’s grown to thousands.

The Three Things You Need to Design Your Purpose Oct 17, 2019

Hi Heroine,
Today’s podcast episode is a minisode, where I share the three elements you need to become creative badass like the women who come onto the show.
These elements will be helpful to each and every one of you. But I especially want to invite you to read closely if you are a creative female professional who is a leader at her company, what I mean is you’re in a senior or lead creative role, a manager, director, or executive. As you go into your work day after day, you’ve been asking yourself a few questions such as “Is this all there is?” “What’s next? What’s beyond this?” and “Am I making the most out of my potential?” and my favorite, “Could I start my own fill-in-the-blank” whether that’s a conference, a podcast, a book, a business...
Even though you’re kicking ass at work, and you have a ton of responsibility, and you’re achieving and hitting milestones, deep down you feel like something is missing, something key, and you can’t put your finger on it. Of course, you have a ton of ideas of your own...brilliant ideas, and thoughts, and opinions, but you find yourself keeping them under wraps, to yourself, hidden...stowed away.
Far too many women with incredibly creative ideas and skills aren’t tapping into them and putting them out into the world, whether it’s their art or creative problem-solving. And it’s painful– on a soul level – to be unexpressed.
Think about it. What is the cost to you when you hold back your gifts and leave so much of your potential untapped? It’s a steep price.
Funny story I’ve been sharing recently, I used to have to wear sunglasses at my 9-to-5! Yes, I wore sunglasses inside because I was far too sensitive and creative to be put in a cage. As a little girl, I was creative and for many years completely suppressed that part of myself because I became a “good girl” and studied what I thought would be the safe path and what my parents wanted me to do. After a lot of soul searching, I was able to start a six-figure business, launch a podcast where I interview award-winning artists and authors, and land a publishing deal with a top publisher and write a book...I would not have been able to do all that if I was still being a good girl. I made bold, professional moves towards my mission that would change my life and impact other people too.
But here’s the thing, like the heroine’s journey, this does not happen overnight. It takes steps. And I want to share with you the three things that women need in order to start on this journey towards owning themselves as creative badasses.
Ready?
The first is you have to clear. What do I mean by clear? You have to clear out all the negative blocks, fears, and excuses that are getting in the way of sharing your gifts. The one that most just drives me crazy is “It’s not the right time to share my gifts.” Newsflash! If you’re waiting to feel ready, you’ll wait until your deathbed. You have to do the inner work to reprogram your mind to success.
The second is you have to design. We do not discover our creative purpose, we actively design it. You need to define a creative purpose project that feels scary enough but not paralyzing. It needs to be something that is going to grow and stretch your creative confidence. This project is the physical embodiment of an idea that you have.
The third is you have to ignite. You need to put that project out into the world, in front of people, learn to withstand judgment and feedback, not take it personally and move forward. Practice being seen and heard- this works through quick prototyping and sharing with people you trust.
By having these three building blocks: the inner work, the design and the igniting through active prototyping and learning, you are going to be so much closer to being a creative badass than ever before.
I’m designing a new program that blends the inner work of self-discovery with the outer work of taking action in the direction of our true, creative purpose. It’s the culmination of multiple years of coaching women. For many years, I’ve guided private clients through this journey and am excited to offer it in a new group format.
So, I’m looking for six to ten brave women who want to begin designing and living their creative purpose, and who are curious about working through this process with me.
If that’s you, you can sign up for a session (if there are any left) by heading to Majo.co andclicking on “Let’s Chat” in the navigation at the top of the page.
*Please read carefully: This program is designed for women who are working full-time as employees at a company and are in a leadership position. It’s not a program for women who are already independent and already entrepreneurs. It’s not a program for women who are job-seeking or in-between jobs. I may offer something for creative entrepreneurs in the future, but that’s not my focus at the moment. So please do not sign up for a session if you are not working at a 9-to-5.
Whether that’s you or not, you can still take the first step to becoming a creative badass right now, by taking a free quiz on the homepage of my website, Majo.co, that is going to help you identify your unique, feminine, creative power and give you one practical action step to channel this power in a way that elevates your leadership.
Not only are you going to learn about your creative strength, but based on that new insight, I’m going to give you a recommendation to take action right now. The action step will depend on your unique result, so this quiz will personalize a recommendation specifically for you.
Listen, I know you’re tired of not feeling like you’re making the most out of your potential. And I know you don’t want to end up on your deathbed looking back, regretting your career choices. We spend 8 (or more) hours of our day working, and that work should feel meaningfully creative and abundant, and if it isn’t, you’re wasting precious time and precious life force.
It should matter to you to feel ALIVE. It matters to the world that you feel ALIVE. The world needs women’s perspectives, voices, and above all, creativity. If you don’t become creatively alive and share your gifts, we’re going to hear from the same people again and again...we’re NOT going to see progress, we’re going to see an imbalance of power, and contributions skewed towards those who talk the loudest and uphold an illusion of separation – separation with ourselves, the planet, and each other.
We don’t need or want more of that. We’re in a special time in the world, and we need more women like you activated. Not tomorrow. But today.
So head over to my website, Majo.co, and click Let’s Chat in the navigation bar, and/or take the quiz on the homepage to discover your creative, feminine, power.

Why We Need Other Women — Ashley Sumner Oct 10, 2019

Have you ever felt like you would like to take the leap into entrepreneurship but you imagined that it might be a lonely place? I speak to a lot of women who want to strike out on their own but feel the desire to be a part of a team as well. Ashley Sumner is helping solve this tension by providing an online and in-person community for female entrepreneurs with her friend Gianna Wurzl.
The daughter of parents who both ran their own businesses, Ashley learned very early on the benefits of creating something you’re passionate about. She went to NYU for theatre before realizing what she really loved was connecting people. After working as a romantic matchmaker and later, community builder at companies such as Neuehouse, she met Gianna who had the other half of her idea for Quilt. Now, they bring women together in small groups of 8-10 in homes where they can work, learn, and grow together while exploring the concept of women supporting women.
HIGHLIGHTED EXCERPT
Majo: So it’s more of a mindset shift than an expertise conversation. So it’s like “Hey guys, we all don’t know what we’re doing and that’s okay because we can figure it out together.
Ashley: Totally. We learn from stories. So we can get ten women in a room who all have a different story around money but when you hear someone’s story where maybe they’ve gotten themselves out of debt and how they did it. They’re by no means a financial expert but oftentimes those experts have a really hard time coming down to where people are and translating and understanding. So I think we often learn the most from someone who just completed a step right above us or right below us. A billionaire has no idea how to tell you to save five dollars on a cup of coffee. So, yeah, peer to peer.
Majo: Peer to peer. I love that.

Leaving Our Invisible Cages Oct 03, 2019

Discover your creative, feminine power with my free online quiz at http://majo.co
Have you ever felt like you were in a costume, caged in a life that just isn’t you? In this week’s podcast for the first time in Heroine history my editor, Anne Hoffman, flips the tables and interviews me. It quickly gets raw and real as we dig deep.
We talk about everything from loving rubrics in school to how I felt like I was wearing a costume when I worked an outwardly perfect cubicle job at a research organization in D.C. It was so much fun to walk through all the threads that led me to step into my creative purpose as a podcaster, writer, and women’s leadership coach.
Highlighted Excerpt
Anne: I think your story reflects this story that when you’re twenty or thirty you can’t really write anything because you haven’t lived enough and in your forties is when you write. I know you’re in your thirties but it’s like you did so much living and there’s a way in which, when it happening, you’re like “where is this going”. There are all these disparate experiences but look where it got you. It all sort of culminates in your book.
Majo: Creativity is built from inputs. you’re literally taking all these threads from your life and mashing them together to create new things. It’s interesting to take all the threads of who we are and weave them into something.
You want to discover your creative purpose? You design it. It’s about looking back …that’s how we live creative purpose, it’s not sitting around and waiting and feeling chronically “not ready yet”…it’s by active design and engagement, and that’s the creative process. You create your life as much as you create a poem, a short story, a film, a podcast episode…
Anne: I think for me and for a lot of other women you are the example of having the confidence to synthesize your experience into art or something greater than the experiences.
Discover your creative, feminine power with my free online quiz at http://majo.co

Carving Your Own Path — Ann Shen Sep 26, 2019

Discover your creative, feminine power with my free online quiz at http://majo.co
Have you ever had the urge to follow the opposite of what you learned in school? That’s a theme for my guest Ann Shen – an illustrator and author of Bad Girls Throughout History and Legendary Ladies, books that depict women as they are: complex, funny, dark and everywhere in between. In fact, her book Bad Girls Throughout History resonated so much that it has even been picked up by Universal Cable Productions to become a show.
A daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, Ann calls herself a reformed goody two shoes who creates art that empowers women to be their authentic badass selves. She combines incredible artistic talent with a high degree of business sense and shows us that choosing your own path does not have to mean depending on your parents, spouse, or whoever to survive. While her professors in art school pushed the students to all create very masculine, serious art, she went in the opposite direction – her own style that markets to women in a really fun, whimsical way, and of course in the time of Instagram, this style blew up. You can find her empowering, delightfully illustrated, books on Amazon and in stores like Target so definitely check them out after you hear her story.
Also as a heads up, Ann and I met and recorded at the lovely all-female co-working space The Wing in Los Angeles so the audio is a little busy and echo-ey at times and I apologize in advance, but I have a feeling that you’ll be so engaged in our conversation, you will barely notice! Plus, y’all know me: progress over perfection.
Highlighted Excerpt
Ann: The art school I chose to go to was very militant and demanding.
Majo: Okay so what were people telling you was the right kind of work and what did you discover?
Ann: So in school, it was very trendy at the time to think about editorial illustration as the career, like the ultimate career. And you do like New York editorial illustration stuff that’s like in the New York Times, The New Yorker, like just very serious, beautiful. A lot of it is conceptual or just technically very, it just looks a certain way. And most of it was a very male-dominated view.
Majo: Okay, and what did you discover was like what you really wanted to do and move into?
Ann: That’s my favorite question because it wasn’t something that was really presented to me as an option and then I discovered this later was I just wanted to do stuff for women. Stuff that I was interested in, stuff that was floral or decorative or representative. Like just having something that’s like “oh, this is just a beautiful painting”. It either had to be a beautiful fine art oil painting or it had to have like a really brilliant concept behind it for it to be considered “good” in school. And then I left and I was like “Oh, it’s good enough for it just to be a beautiful thing that brings people joy”.
Discover your creative, feminine power with my free online quiz at http://majo.co

Fall Season [teaser] Sep 19, 2019

I’m so excited to be back and running for this Fall season. We have a lot of exciting interviews for you with incredibly creative, badass women including an extremely gifted illustrator Ann Shen who wrote Bad Girls Throughout History, as well as a renowned astro loger and businesswoman Debra Silverman here to ground astrology for us, and make it super practical and applicable to our lives as creative women. AND we’ll be continuing with the archetype series, looking at two archetypes that exist with yourself, including my favorite the Wtich. Also, doing something I have never done in three years of running the show. My editor Anne is going to interview ME for an episode. A lot of you have been asking me about my story, and who I am, and what I’ve been up to, and it’s true I haven’t really shared, I’m an introvert, I’m private, I’m a mysterious Scorpio you’ll always feel is a little inaccessible, so we thought it would be a fun experiment, plus she’s journalist and knows how to ask questions. So stay tuned for that!
The new season will kick off next Thursday on September 26th and run until mid-November and I’ll also be sprinkling some bonus episodes throughout.
Until then!
Majo
Oh wait! Heroine, before you go, I have a really important question for you: Do you want to look back on your life in 40 years from now and feel like you didn’t live up to your greatest, creative potential? I’m pretty sure the answer is no. Yet perhaps you know in your heart of hearts that you are currently holding back your voice and gifts, that you aren’t as expanded as you could be, and frankly you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and confused. You’re certainly not alone. Well, I want to help, and the first step I propose is you taking a free quiz that is on my website right now, that I’m really excited about cause I haven’t offered anything like this in the past, but what it’s going to do is help you identify your unique, feminine, creative power and give you one practical action step to channel this power in a way that elevates your leadership. It’s a quiz that’s going to give you something really tangible and a ton of clarity, I know that a bunch of lightbulbs and connections will set off for you when you take it so go ahead and take the free quiz at majo.co (MAJO.CO), discover your creative, feminine power, and how to best leverage it, because the world needs more women’s voices, perspectives, and above all, creativity, so after this is announcement is done, type this into your mobile or desktop browser MAJO. CO and I’m so curious and excited for you! Onwards.

Boundaries with Tech & Social Media (Bonus) Jun 27, 2019

This is our summer bonus episode!
Last month I moderated a panel at The Assembly in San Francisco. I interviewed two guests: Adereni Fashokun - a Life Coach, Co-Founder and Sr. HR Business Partner at Amazon AND Lauren Harper - the Director of Marketing at Palm.
The topic? Technology and mental wellness.
Does that sound like a contradiction to you, heroine? Sometimes it does to me, too.
Technology is increasingly a part of our lives. It can feel impossible to get away from it.
A friend of mine once had her phone break down for an entire weekend. At first she was furious, and then fearful. But she and her husband had plans that weekend, and as she immersed herself in what they were doing, she forgot about her phone. She was able to lose herself in activities. To let go. It was a kind of mental recharge she didn’t know she needed. Once her phone was fixed, she reflected that she had felt better that weekend than she had in a long time.
So how do we set limits with technology, so we too can experience this kind of mental recharge…. and still stay connected to the world?
The guests on today’s show offer ideas you may have never thought about. I’ll share just one: turn off all of the alerts on your phone. All of them. No beep for a text. No on screen notification that you just got an email. My editor Anne is doing this now, and she says it’s made a huge difference in her ability to focus on what’s happening in the moment.
Stay tuned as the Fall season will pick up in September. In the meantime, you can always connect with me on my website majo. Co (MAJO.CO) or on Instagram majo.heroine!

Feeding Your Own Longing — Lynsey Addario May 30, 2019

Earlier in this season we talked about fairy tales. Queens, specifically…. and waifs. The waif is a passive figure, like the stereotypical vision of Rapunzel. She sits, in a tower, waiting for someone to come and rescue her.
(Quick note: This episode is from the archive and available when you subscribe to the podcast on ApplePodcasts.com/Heroine or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also stream it live from any browser on spreaker.com/heroine).
As the writer and cultural critic Gloria Anzaldúa once said, “Nobody’s going to save you. No one’s going to cut you down, cut the thorns thick around you. No one’s going to storm the castle walls nor kiss awake your birth, climb down your hair, nor mount you onto the white steed. There is no one who will feed the yearning. Face it. You will have to do, do it yourself.”
Some women seem to understand this inherently, and live their lives accordingly. Some of us struggle a bit more to accept this.
American Photojournalist and New York Times Best Selling Author Lynsey Addario falls into that first camp. She’s a war photographer who works in conflict zones all over the world.
Throughout her entire career, Lynsey has been willing to risk her life, her safety, and her creature comforts to pursue what makes her feel alive.
She’s photographed women under the Taliban, documented misogyny in the Congo and been kidnapped in Libya. And she has also found love and become a mother.
Lynsey’s story reminds me to choose to do what is meaningful …. To feed the yearning, as Gloria Anzaldúa says.
Also, heroine, today’s episode wraps up the Spring season, though keep your ear open for a bonus episode or two dropping this summer. And don’t worry, we’ll pick back up in the Fall. Also, this episode happens to be the 100th episode of the podcast. Can you believe it? I write about my top ten learnings since I started the show three years ago on my blog and Instagram – tips that will help you, in starting to share your voice and becoming more visible. So make sure to check that out on my blog (majo.co – MAJO.co) AND on my instagram @majo.heroine. Remember that Majo is spelled with a “j” that Spanish “j’ as in José!
A BIG THANK YOU & SHOUT OUT TO OUR BADASS PATRONS ESPECIALLY:
Bianca Wendt, an award-winning art director and graphic designer based in San Francisco and London. Learn more about Bianca and her work here.
Pssst....don't forget to follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine for more goodies, inspiration, and updates when episodes drop – yay!
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.
MUSIC:
Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs

Eileen Fisher on Embodied Leadership May 23, 2019

Eileen Fisher is more than a strong, female leader. Eileen Fisher is an icon. Her clothes - and her signature style - soft, elegant, warm - are an entire way of life. But unlike many famous leaders, and especially many famous FASHION leaders, Eileen is not driven by ego. She is humble. Midwestern. The Devil Wears Prada...she is decidedly, NOT. Throughout our interview, I wondered, how can such a strong leader speak with such a down to earth realness?
Perhaps it’s because Eileen is an example of how to succeed well. As her brand continues to grow, she continues to reinvent. Instead of defining her business by how much money it makes, her company’s new parameter of success…. is sustainability. Her new mantra is do the most good instead of make the most money.
In a world where our political leaders deny climate change...and other painful truths such as a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body...all to hold on to power...I think we can all take something from Eileen’s example.
Live your values, show up, try. And remember that integrity is the only real currency we have in this world.
Alright, on to the show.
A BIG THANK YOU & SHOUT OUT TO OUR BADASS PATRONS ESPECIALLY:
Bianca Wendt, an award-winning art director and graphic designer based in San Francisco and London. Learn more about Bianca and her work here.
Pssst....don't forget to follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine for more goodies, inspiration, and updates when episodes drop – yay!
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.
MUSIC:
Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs

Disrupting the Fairy Tale — Justine Musk May 16, 2019

What happens when you marry someone who becomes rich and famous? Perhaps you find yourself becoming a bit blonder, a bit more stylish, and less, well, you - to fit into his life. I think we’ve all done this to a certain extent. Changed ourselves to fit the needs of someone we wanted to fit with.
(Quick note: This episode is from the archive and available when you subscribe to the podcast on ApplePodcasts.com/Heroine or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also stream it live from any browser on spreaker.com/heroine).
But let’s say this all happens in the public eye. You and this man start a family. And after all this stretching and shifting, tragedy strikes. Nothing can insulate us from that.
And then, he breaks up with you. And quickly takes up with someone new.
That’s what happened to Justine Musk. She’s a writer, speaker and soul-blogger. She is also the ex-wife of tech billionaire and provocateur Elon Musk.
When I interviewed Justine, I was reminded of why I do this podcast. Justine experienced something in the Heroine’s journey called the descent. In crude terms, Justine was kind of a starter wife. She herself has said this in an article she wrote for Marie Claire. But as we’ve seen with our examination of archetypes in fairy tales at the beginning of the season, this one is woefully inadequate. It’s an oversimplification as they do little to reveal the soul of the person.
And the origins of Justine’s story don’t define her. It’s what she chose to do with her story...that does.
And it’s the descent - the darkness in her life that revealed the light of who she is. Which I think...is the truth for all great heroines. As the Sufi mystic Rumi once said, be patient where you sit in the dark, the dawn is coming.
References:
Check out Justine's blog at http://justinemusk.com/
A BIG THANK YOU & SHOUT OUT TO OUR BADASS PATRONS ESPECIALLY:
Brigid Cabry Nelson leads Lettershop, an award-winning creative studio that serves a wide range of clients—from boutique retailers to large corporations—approaching each and every project with vigor and enthusiasm. Learn more about Brigid and her work here.
Bianca Wendt, an award-winning art director and graphic designer based in San Francisco and London. Learn more about Bianca and her work here.
Pssst....don't forget to follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine for more goodies, inspiration, and updates when episodes drop – yay!
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.
MUSIC:
Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs

How To Create Your Own Myth — Roz Savage May 09, 2019

I can’t believe it’s been about three years since I first aired this episode with Roz Savage, the first woman to row solo across three oceans. Honestly, I remember feeling so nervous, not so much during the conversation, but more so in sharing the interview, as it was the first show that launched the podcast. Today, my editor, Anne, recut this so it’s lively, fresh and even more revelatory.
(Quick note: This episode is from the archive and available when you subscribe to the podcast on ApplePodcasts.com/Heroine or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also stream it live from any browser on spreaker.com/heroine).
Give yourself a second to really think about the fact that Roz rows across oceans alone. She sits in a small boat, day after day, with little besides the cold waves for company and the sea mist hitting her face. This is a woman who is comfortable with solitude….and freedom.
But when Roz started rowing, she was, in her words, “just a management consultant” from the UK.
So...how did she get to that wide, open ocean? What drives someone to leave everything they’ve known for so long to achieve a distant goal? In a way, that’s really the central question of this podcast. How do we stop being good girls and start being the heroines we’re meant to be? How do we write our own stories, create our own myths? How do we activate our own potential - even when it goes against all of our social conditioning?
Roz ended up leaving her ordinary life because she sat down one day and wrote herself two obituaries. It sounds morbid, but for Roz it was clarifying. In one version, she had lived life as a business woman, in control and with fancy clothes. In the other, well, I won’t give too much away. Let’s just say, in the other obituary, her clothes didn’t matter.
References:
Roz Savage’s book, "Rowing the Atlantic: Lessons Learned on the Open Ocean."
Roz Savage’s website, http://www.rozsavage.com/
A BIG THANK YOU & SHOUT OUT TO OUR BADASS PATRONS ESPECIALLY:
Brigid Cabry Nelson leads Lettershop, an award-winning creative studio that serves a wide range of clients—from boutique retailers to large corporations—approaching each and every project with vigor and enthusiasm. Learn more about Brigid and her work here.
Bianca Wendt, an award-winning art director and graphic designer based in San Francisco and London. Learn more about Bianca and her work here.
Pssst....don't forget to follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine for more goodies, inspiration, and updates when episodes drop – yay!
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.
MUSIC:
Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs

On Rapunzel, Feeling Trapped, & Healing (Part 2) May 02, 2019

Today, we’re going to sink deeper into the waif archetype to understand the true essence of the powerful fairytale and heroine Rapunzel.
This episode is available when you subscribe to the podcast on ApplePodcasts.com/Heroine (or wherever you get your podcasts). You can also stream it live from any browser here.
Let’s bring back Kate Forsyth – an incredible novelist and fairy tale connoisseur – from the last episode. Kate argues the motifs we believe are passive in the tale, or that look passive at first glance, really aren’t. Here’s our convo.
Majo: Yeah, I mean on the one hand her hair is kind of passive because it's dropping off the side of the building and it's being climbed on or it's being used but on the other hand –
Kate: See I don't think that is a symbol of passivity, her own hair is the only form of ingress to her, it's the only way that people can reach her in her isolated state and in the end try and think of it more her hair is actually a symbol of her own strength that is being used against her. And once she's freed from that that is when she comes into her true power. It's not necessarily a symbol of passivity, in fact Rapunzel is not a passive figure, she sings with all of her strength and that draws the prince to her, she allows herself, she takes control of her life even though she is trapped against her will in this confined space. It's a misunderstanding of the fairy tale to use her as an example of female passivity.
Majo: Yeah, that's really helpful, I love what you wrote, "Rapunzel's no passive maiden awaiting rescue. She was an active agent in events, an empowering figure. Though later versions increasingly drain the tale of it's subversive power."
Kate: I mean that is exactly right, so the earliest versions are when she's at her most active.
So what happened? Turns out the Grimm brothers, who were telling these tales in a very religious society, received a ton of backlash for the Rapunzel story. The story of lovers having sex in a tower was too racy (especially for children), so they stripped away the eroticism, darkness, and violence out of the original story. As Kate shares,
The Grimm's were trying to make their stories more suitable for children but Rapunzel was never meant for children, it was always meant for young women on the verge of their own sexual lives.
Because the truth is Rapunzel was proactive, clever, and resourceful. She was not waiting around. In one older version of the tale by Italian folk collector Giambattista Basile, Rapunzel is even more fierce, as she finds three acorns from the witch she then uses against her. Each acorn becomes an animal ally of sorts – first a dog, then a lion, and finally a wolf that devours and kills the witch. I was super into this version, and was going to go with it and be like, “See Rapunzel’s a warrior!” until I met Kate, who brought way more refinement to the conversation.
Kate was attracted to the version written by 18th Century French, female writer Charlotte Rose De La Force. Because in that version, it is Rapunzel who heals the prince with her tears. The more I reflect on both versions, I do love what De La Force did to the tale...Rapunzel’s tears are not a sign of weakness, but of power. This got me thinking about something a friend once told me, “healing doesn’t happen through force, or action, it happens through relaxation, opening…release.” Tears are a form of release, sacred tears are the release that, like the rain, allow for new growth to happen. For centuries, we’ve been shamed for having tears, for being emotional, we’re called hysterical, when our feelings are a source of our intelligence as women, and I think that’s what Rapunzel is truly all about. Feelings, sadness, grief, and tears, allow us to release and move on, allow us and others to heal. Tears are a sign of compassion. In fairy tales, we’re so used to good versus evil, but Rapunzel not only heals the Prince, but she redeems the witch. Rapunzel moves the witch to remorse for what she’s done, essentially saving the old, magical woman in the process. In other words, it isn’t about dominance and winning, but about harmony. I don’t know about you, but I can feel my entire body go into a deep sigh of relief when I hear that one.
I’m only scratching the surface of our conversation in this post, as you’ll need to listen to the episode ( ApplePodcasts.com/Heroine and here) to get the full picture of Kate’s work and the real depth of this tale and heroine.
So now it’s your turn: What tears are you holding back, when, and with whom? Who do you need to have a good cry with? And who do you need to nurture and forgive? Big questions, and I don’t have the answers for you, but that’s the power in the waif archetype, that’s what lies truly underneath her, and that is maybe even how we change the world.
Thanks for tuning in, this has been a really amazing series for me, and I enjoyed every second of this experiment of examining fairy tales. To be honest, it has rejuvenated my love for this podcast and strengthened my conviction in the power of stories and female-drive narratives with heroines at the center, battling their inner and outer shadows.
Alright, heroine, til next time!
xx
Majo
P.S. As a reminder, next episodes, we’re going to be going back into the archive while throwing a fresh perspective on each interview, with a new setup and new cut, so you can really let their stories sink in, in relationship to the work we’ve explored with fairy tales and myths.
A BIG THANK YOU & SHOUT OUT TO OUR BADASS PATRONS ESPECIALLY:
Brigid Cabry Nelson leads Lettershop, an award-winning creative studio that serves a wide range of clients—from boutique retailers to large corporations—approaching each and every project with vigor and enthusiasm. Learn more about Brigid and her work here.
Bianca Wendt, an award-winning art director and graphic designer based in San Francisco and London. Learn more about Bianca and her work here.
Pssst....don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more goodies, inspiration, and updates when episodes drop – yay!
MUSIC:
Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs
Blue Dot Sessions, Album: Duck Lake, track: "Stately Shadows"
Blue Dot Sessions, Album: Resolute, track: "Greyleaf Willow"

On Rapunzel, Feeling Trapped, & Healing (Part 1) Apr 25, 2019

Today, we’re kicking off the first part of exploring the waif archetype, also know as the very passive maiden in the tower, the princess waiting to be rescued, and the good girl – an archetype I’ve long been fascinated with and am even writing a whole book about (coming out next year, still can’t believe it!).
Today’s episode is available when you subscribe to the podcast on ApplePodcasts.com/Heroine (or wherever you get your podcasts). You can also stream it live from any browser here.
Some of you may be wondering why I’m focusing on fairy tales, when most of us haven’t thought about them since we were children. What do they have to do with you now? To help me answer this question, I invited Australian author Kate Forsyth onto the show. Kate has retold many fairy tales through her novels, including Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, and Rapunzel. I asked Kate if she thinks that reading fairy tales as little girls actually affects us as adult women. Kate says that yes, fairy tales help prepare us for what’s to come:
I mean in a way the witches and the dragons and the ogres, these are metaphors that allow us to examine things like fear of abandonment, fear of not being loved, fear of failure, fear of death, fear of harm. And because they're generally told in a safe place in a circle of light around a fire, in the comfort of a mothers lap, while tucked up in bed, because the person listening to the story is safe, it enables them to for a while in their imagination do battle with these witches and these monsters and triumph over them. Now we know, neurologically speaking, that anything that we experience in our imagination acts in the brain as if it has actually happened. So when we feel that thrill of triumph at having outwitted the witch well our brain processes it as if we had actually done it.
So these stories help us learn emotional resilience and intelligence, and if we were fed wonky stories, or if we didn’t fully integrate them as little girls, that will affect how we live and lead down the road. A few years ago, Kate completed her PhD on reimagining the Rapunzel archetype, which is why I specifically reached out to her. I thought she could better help me understand this maiden in the tower.
In this episode, we go over the Rapunzel tale together, which is super important because some of you may remember it differently (I was shocked by the ending, which I had no memory of whatsoever). In her more reduced interpretation (as a trope for female passivity), Rapunzel represents this idea of feeling trapped, which is symbolized by the tower in the tale, as Kate shares:
I mean fairy tales work at this kind of metaphorical or archetypal level and it's a rare human that does not find themselves trapped and disempowered by their circumstances in some way. And so in Rapunzel the tower stands in for anything that is tying back the human spirit, it might be fear, it might be an unhappy relationship, it might be ones own parents, it might be the school that you are forced to go to against your will, it might be a job that is making you deeply unhappy. It's a metaphorical tower and so for that reason it is the most memorable motif in the fairy tale.
So what’s your tower right now? It could be internal or external. That’s my question to you. Or let me put it this way: what is the story you’re telling yourself, about how you’re trapped, and you have no choice to be doing this or that. Remember, an uncomfortable situation and relationship can be bizarrely comfortable because it’s familiar, so we forget amidst that cozy comfort, that we still have choice. Every day, every second, we are making choices. The first step to getting out of your tower is taking back your agency by seeing that you have choice. Rapunzel made choices. She was far more proactive than we think.
I’m only scratching the surface of our conversation in this post, as you’ll need to listen to the episode ( ApplePodcasts.com/Heroine and here) to get the full picture of Kate’s work and the real depth of this tale and heroine.
xx
Majo
P.S. In the next episode, we’re going to explore the possibility and power of healing and redemption in Rapunzel (seeing her beyond her usual interpretation, and what we can learn from her). It’s super fascinating, so stay tuned for Part II coming out next week!
A BIG THANK YOU & SHOUT OUT TO OUR BADASS PATRONS ESPECIALLY:
Brigid Cabry Nelson leads Lettershop, an award-winning creative studio that serves a wide range of clients—from boutique retailers to large corporations—approaching each and every project with vigor and enthusiasm. Learn more about Brigid and her work here.
Bianca Wendt, an award-winning art director and graphic designer based in San Francisco and London. Learn more about Bianca and her work here.
Pssst....don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more goodies, inspiration, and updates when episodes drop – yay!
MUSIC:
Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs
Blue Dot Sessions, Album: Duck Lake, track: "Stately Shadows"
Blue Dot Sessions, Album: Resolute, track: "Greyleaf Willow"

Understanding Your Inner Queen (Part 2) Apr 18, 2019

For the first four episodes of this season, we’re exploring the female archetypes (and stereotypes!) in old fairy and folk tales. First up – the Queen. To quickly recap – in the last episode, we learned about the sequel to Sleeping Beauty’s “happily ever after” in which she has to deal with her mother-in-law – the evil Queen Mother – an ogre and wants to eat her twin babies. If you haven’t listened to that episode, go back and do so, otherwise this second part won’t make sense. Today, we’re going to sink deeper into this archetype to understand what’s going really going on – and in the process, learn more about ourselves.
Episodes are available when you subscribe to the podcast on ApplePodcasts.com/Heroine (or wherever you get your podcasts). You can also stream it live from any browser here.
So, I came across a 17th Century version of Sleeping Beauty called Sun, Moon, and Talia, and oh heroine, did this really put the Queen in perspective for me. It helped me see her in a completely different light.
In this other version, the evil Queen isn’t the King’s mother, but get this, she’s the King’s wife. Yes, Sleeping Beauty– or Talia – is actually the “third” woman in this tale. That’s right, our homeboy King is a player. He already had a wife before he met Sleeping Beauty – it’s the part Disney doesn’t mention. He’s just doing what Kings did back then, sleep with whoever they wanted.
So we begin to see that there’s a complicated relationship between the King and the Queen. At one point in the tale, when The Queen thinks he’s eating one of his own kids (the kids he would have had with another woman), she tells him, and I quote “"Eat away! for you eat what is your own." What the King replies is fascinating, and I quote “"Ay, I know well enough that what I eat is my own, for you brought nothing to the house." Oh snap. That’s a rude response. The tale writes, “And at last getting up in a rage, he went off to a villa at a little distance to cool his anger.”
In other words, the King is annoyed that the Queen isn’t contributing “bread” to the table. This line could be interpreted many ways. Either he’s mad she hasn’t brought home the bacon or he could be shaming her for coming with a small dowry. But what options does a Queen have, locked in a Kingdom, in a patriarchal society, to go out and bring something to the house? Very little. In fact, in most of these fairy tales, the King is always quite mobile of course, traversing stretches of land, while the Princesses and Queens are confined within walls, or being ordered around to go from place A to B. It’s clear that the Queen is powerless in the patriarchy with her lead patriarch, very literally the King. At one point, when she confronts Talia who we know as Sleeping Beauty – the woman her husband is having an affair with – she says, “Are you the weed that has caught my husband’s eye and given me all this trouble? So so, you are come at last to purgatory, where I'll make you pay for all the ill you have done me." Obviously, Talia’s not the problem – the King is the main issue here, lest this becomes an episode of Jerry Springer. Both Talia and the Queen are powerless in different ways.
So, it’s obvious and quite justified – one of the ways the Queen has responded to betrayal, hurt, and feelings of powerlessness is to become a total Queen. Duh. In other words, she claims control because she’s been badly hurt. She’s wounded! When we see the full context of the Queen, we can see how she’s very connected to the inner victim...underneath Queen behavior is a feeling (and perhaps even a reality) of victimhood.
Ok, now it’s our time to turn it to you. How have you felt out of control in your life, and how has that made you double down on becoming more controlling? For some of us, we grow up in chaotic households, so we turn to controlling what we eat. In my case, I grew up moving around a lot, not having control in where I’d live or what community so I doubled down by becoming an hyper-achiever. Perhaps we’ve been emotionally, sexually, or physically betrayed or hurt by others, and as a way to defend ourselves, we turn up our inner Queens, and it works. The Queen is fierce.
She also has her merit. Yah! Let’s talk about her merit. One of the major strengths I see in women who have and own this archetype fully is that they know what they want, aren’t afraid to ask for it, and aren’t afraid to go for it. That’s the blessing of the Queen. Sure, in the fairy tale, that desire is directed towards evil, or fear, instead of good, or love – but this character is not a passive, floating character, waiting to be rescued. She’s a bad bitch.
Remember my friend Dionna, from last episode? She shared how being a Queen does help her own her womanhood and power. Here she is again, talking about what she actually likes about being a Queen:
Dionna: I went to West Point and so to be one of the few women in an environment, it'd be easy to shrink in that environment and take on really masculine energy. And so I think being able to stay in your womanhood but stand still as a leader among leaders, I think that's definitely a showcase of that part of me for sure.
I think in the end, the key is to direct this energy of desire – this flavor of Queen – towards authentic goals, and not ones that come from our wounds and feelings of powerlessness (many of which are subconscious). Now that’s a life long journey, if you ask me.
Don’t forget to tune into the episode on ApplePodcasts.com/HEROINE (or wherever you get your podcasts) to dive deeper, and let this one really sink in. The Queen is far more complex than she looks like on the outside. By understanding stories, we can begin to understand ourselves a little bit more.
Majo
P.S. Next episode, we’re going to explore her opposite – the Waif – the Passive Princess, the Good Girl...and archetype I’ve long been fascinated with and am even writing a whole book about, yes a book that’s coming out next year (May 2020, HarperOne).
A BIG THANK YOU & SHOUT OUT TO OUR BADASS PATRONS ESPECIALLY:
Brigid Cabry Nelson leads Lettershop, an award-winning creative studio that serves a wide range of clients—from boutique retailers to large corporations—approaching each and every project with vigor and enthusiasm. Learn more about Brigid and her work here.
Bianca Wendt, an award-winning art director and graphic designer based in San Francisco and London. Learn more about Bianca and her work here.
Pssst....don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more goodies, inspiration, and updates when episodes drop – yay!
MUSIC:
Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs
Blue Dot Sessions, Album: Duck Lake, track: "Stately Shadows"
Blue Dot Sessions, Album: Resolute, track: "Greyleaf Willow"
Blue Dot Sessions, Album: Azalai, track: "Alustrat"

Understanding Your Inner Queen (Part I) Apr 11, 2019

For the next four episodes on Heroine, we’re exploring the female archetypes (and stereotypes!) in old fairy and folk tales. The first archetype we’re going to explore is one of my favorites – the Queen.
Obviously the “evil” Queen is a common storytelling trope. But like all tropes, they’re simultaneously false and real. They’re real in that by learning and growing up around these characters, we internalize some of them. They’re false in that they’re still tropes, which means nobody is all Queen, or all Princess, all of the time – that’s a sweet oversimplification.
We’re going to first explore how there’s some reality in this Queen archetype. If we think of these characters as part of our own psyche, who is the reckless Queen out to control and maintain power? Is this a part of you that’s loud in your life, or quiet?
I was curious about the Queen archetype in the women in my life – so I thought I’d interview a mutual friend.
Meet Dionna.
Dionna: My name is Dionna McPhatter. I'm the co-founder of Nacci (naccidigital.com). We do data driven storytelling that harnesses the power of data, data science, narrative and storytelling and design thinking to bring solutions to businesses.
Majo: Do you feel like others perceive you to be like queenly or have this energy?
Dionna: Yeah, I think so. I think there's plenty more to me, but yeah, I think that this wouldn't be hard for them to ... I mean, I have people that call me Queen D. So I think that has come out early and I never asked for that as a title.
Majo: Do you have example from your own life where you were like, oh dang, maybe I was too much, maybe I was too powerful in this situation or too assertive or too queenly and I should've peeled back or that got me in trouble.
Dionna: Trouble, no. I see it all as learning. I haven't felt in trouble in a long time, but I think the ... I've had times where I'm leading a team or I'm just on the team. So it was all of my peers and so, I didn't see myself as higher than them. But I just have a certain way that I communicate. And I got feedback that because I communicate with such clarity, that made people feel like I wasn't open to their ideas, right? There's plenty of times when I choose not to speak, so you know I don't really care that much or I'm in listening mode or whatever. But when I choose to speak about something, I am passionate, so that can deter other people sometimes. And then, when they're speaking, they can think that I'm not listening.
I can really relate to Dionna, because I have a lot of the Queen archetype within me. And it manifests in a variety of ways – I want things done, when I want them, efficiently, and on my own time. I like to delegate, I actually have no problem with it at all. And being a Queen feels great most of the time, but I did notice that there’s a downside to it – people often don’t feel my warmth, or feel cared for, when I’m acting like a Queen. One time I was queening out, and dissatisfied by someone I hired to help handle my social media. I found myself getting irritated, and angry, and snappy at her. You know since my Queen is a total perfectionist, one who wants it perfect or not at all. And then she quit! I felt relieved, but also kind of embarrassed. I realized when I’m being a Queen, people obviously don’t want to collaborate. The impact of that of course, is that Queens end up lonely and isolated in their glass or ice palaces. They shut themselves off from the world.
It’s hard for me to admit tell you about the times I Queen because she’s not a part of myself I’m proud of. Even now, I can feel how uncomfortable it is to share with you, because it’s an ugly dark part of myself (the shadow!) I sometimes wish would go away, especially when she’s acting out.
So how about you? What is your relationship to this trait? Does it help you get things done? Do you value it? Do you feel trapped by it? Do you secretly resent it? Perhaps you feel don’t have enough of this archetype expressing in you – your inner Queen is muffled and quiet, she’s buried under the fear of being seen as bossy or too dominant. That’s real too. Many of us stay away from her, because of what we’ve learned in fairy tales, that we’ll be punished if we’re total Queens.
The Queen is far more complex than she looks like on the outside. In the next episode, we’re going to go deeper with the Queen (and her true power) by looking at one of the older versions of the tale. She’s power-tripping for a reason, you know. Queens don’t become controlling out of thin air.
By understanding stories, we can understand ourselves. Excited to be on this journey with you!
A BIG THANK YOU & SHOUT OUT TO OUR BADASS PATRONS ESPECIALLY:
Brigid Cabry Nelson leads Lettershop, an award-winning creative studio that serves a wide range of clients—from boutique retailers to large corporations—approaching each and every project with vigor and enthusiasm. Learn more about Brigid and her work here.
Bianca Wendt, an award-winning art director and graphic designer based in San Francisco and London. Learn more about Bianca and her work here.
Pssst....don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more goodies, inspiration, and updates when episodes drop – yay!
MUSIC:
Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs
Blue Dot Sessions, Album: Duck Lake, track: "Stately Shadows"
Blue Dot Sessions, Album: Resolute, track: "Greyleaf Willow"

Spring Season [Teaser] Mar 14, 2019

One of the reasons I started this podcast was to share women’s stories – showing us as complex, nuanced, and still very much in progress. But as we know, stories like this have only become available to us recently. I remember as a little girl, being bombarded by Disney Princesses, witches, and evil step mothers who were one dimensional and pretty flat.
But a lot of these characters were based on older stories which were far darker, even more multi-layered and satisfying. Old folk tales that show us the full dimensionality of who we are as women. That’s why this season, we’re going to explore these older tales and uncover more about ourselves in the process. Have you ever felt like a major Queen, stirring up drama for yourself and those around you? Or have you ever felt like a waif, a kind of frail woman, who is too breakable to take on a challenge?
For the first half of this new season, we’ll explore how there are more to these female archetypes (and stereotypes!) than what we see on the surface. We’ll talk about how by embodying and rejecting them, they play out in our personal and professional lives.
Ok, so that will be the first part of the season. For the second part, my editor Anne Hoffman and I have curated and freshened up four interviews from the archive that relate to the theme of archetypes. You’re going to hear from record-breaking rower Roz Savage (she was my first interview ever), Justine Musk, a writer and the ex-wife of Elon Musk, design icon Eileen Fisher, and from New York Times Award-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario. Even if you’ve listened to these episodes, I guarantee you will hear something new in them the second or third time.
Also, I invite you to connect with me on my website that has a ton of free resources for you such as a Rituals e-Guide, Creative Confidence Playbook, articles, and also a free guided meditation. Check it out on majo.co (MAJO.CO).
An episode will be released every Thursday as usual – and the season will run for eight weeks starting on April 11th. Onward!

How To Voice & Stand Up for Your Needs — Boundaries Minisode (4/4) Nov 08, 2018

For more tips and inspiration, go to my website majo.co and follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine
You made it this is the last and final minisode in a four part series on boundaries. If you haven’t already done so, make sure to listen to the entire series from top to bottom, because it will give you a full picture on how you can maintain healthy, strong, boundaries to be more badass in a world that is clawing at your time and attention.
In this episode, I want to introduce you to a four-step communication tool for speaking up when something is bothering you, when you feel someone has overstepped one of your boundaries, and you want to let them know that’s not cool with you.
Because in working with and talking to hundreds of women, I noticed a pattern – after years of growing up in the patriarchy, when something bothers us, we don’t speak up.
You know, It starts in our teens. Harvard researchers found that during adolescence, girls stop speaking from their experience, and expressing their true feelings and thoughts, even though they were outspoken as children. They literally lose their voices, become more quiet, and say “I don’t know” a million times, really as a way to hide. The researchers conclude “to say what they are feeling and thinking often means to risk losing their relationships...”
Sound familiar? It starts in our teens but carries on into our 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond.
The tool I want to introduce to you is called nonviolent communication – NVC for short. Started by a psychologist in the 60s, Marshall Rosenberg, this process will help to communicate to others about you need with less judgment.
You might want to pause the audio and grab a paper if it’s helpful to take notes.
Surely, you’ve been in a scenario, where you’ve felt triggered and want to respond, so what can you do?
NVC consists of four simple steps:
Step 1: State the facts – What events did you observe?
Step 2. State your feelings – How did you feel?
Step 3. State your needs – What is your unmet need? (Note: I like to give the option of stating your values here, if that works better in a professional context than your needs)
Step 4. State your requests – What is your request? What do you want moving forward?
I’m going to break it down and run through examples and tips.
Step 1. What events did you observe?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example: “Last month, you authored the article about our project.”
Notice here, that I’m sticking to the facts. It’s something that a third party objective observer would agree , and couldn’t be argued.
Tips:
So, you want to stick to the facts. “You seldom do what I want,” is an evaluation, versus “You did not attend the last three meetings,” which is more factual.
You want to be specific. “She frequently attends,” is too vague, versus “She attended at least three times a week,” which is precise.
You want to focus on observable behaviors. Memories about words people said can be subjective and distorted, so report on actions.
Step 2. How did you feel? “I felt …
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example: “I felt frustrated.”
Tips:
Focus on emotions and sensations. Most derive from these five: sadness, disgust, fear, joy, and anger.
Avoid thoughts (e.g., "I feel like I didn't get a fair deal"), stories about yourself (e.g., "insecure"), how you think others are evaluating you (e.g., "unimportant"), or what we think others are doing to us (e.g., "misunderstood," "ignored").
Be vulnerable. It takes courage to state something plainly, but it’s powerful!
Step 3. What is your unmet need or value? “Because I need/value ….
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example: “Because I need/value collaboration and equality.”
Tips:
Focus on universal human needs and/or cultural values. Under your feeling is an unmet need or unheld value.
That’s why you’re hurt, sad, surprised, frustrated, because some universal human need feels like it isn’t being met.
For a list of common needs, check out: www.cnvc.org/Training/needs-inventory
Step 4. What is your request?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example: “When we launch the next product, I’d love to author the announcement post. How does that sound?”
Tips:
Use clear, actionable language.
Don’t expect a yes. Requests are free of demand. We put the request out there, but it may not necessarily be met.
Empathize. If you receive a "no,” don’t give up. Instead, empathize with what is preventing the other person from saying "yes" before deciding how to continue the conversation.
So there you have it, the four steps to non-violent communication. Honestly, it’s one of the most powerful communication tools I’ve come across – and I’ve used it on myself and with clients, with family, with friends, and it’s really given me the power to set a boundary about what I need and want, and share how I feel about a situation, instead of staying quiet, and stewing in my bitterness.
Outro:
That’s it.
We have wrapped up our minisode series on boundaries – I hope you found it helpful. Since starting the series, you have gained so many more tools in your toolbelt to conserve, and yes, protect your energy, so that you can invest it towards your creativity and calling on this planet. We really need you to have those boundaries as a modern woman, so that you rock your heroine’s journey to its fullest.
If you care about living an empowered life, go follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine more juiciness – and go to my website majo.co and get on my email list for more updates about my work and this podcast. You got options. Lots of love, heroine.

Reclaiming Multiple Identities in the Age of Extremism — Shiza Shahid Nov 01, 2018

I’m thrilled about today’s interview. Shiza Shahid co-founded The Malala Fund along with the youngest Nobel-Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. I’m sure you already know this, but just in case, Malala was the young girl in Pakistan who was shot in the head on her school bus by the Taliban for going to school, but she survived and became internationally recognized. So Shiza, who I speak to in this interview, was one of Malala’s early mentors. While in college, Shiza started a secret summer camp for girls in Pakistan, which is also her home country. Today, Shiza is a venture capital investor and many other things. Named one of Time's "30 Under 30 People Changing the World" and Forbes "30 Under 30 - Social Entrepreneurs," she’s also host of the USA Today news show "ASPIREist," which activates millennials to have a positive impact.
http://majomolfino.com/blog/2018/11/1/shiza-shahid
In this episode, we talk about why empowering women around the world is so important and what Shiza sees as global trends as she travels to different continents. As a fellow immigrant, she shares how culture helped her shift perspectives, and what it means to reclaim your identity when you grow up cross-culturally.
Highlighted Excerpt:
Majo: You do so much. How do you stay grounded? How do you avoid overwhelm or do you just feel overwhelmed?
Shiza: How do I avoid overwhelm? I think perhaps by not comparing myself. I think a lot of the overwhelm comes from comparison. Now when we do good things we have to put it on Instagram and count how many likes it got, and I think a lot of that comparison causes dissatisfaction and unhappiness. Because if you go and truly help someone, the way that will make you feel will give you so much satisfaction, it will calm the fatigue and help with the overwhelm, so as long as you don’t go to that place of you know, “Is this good enough?Am I good enough?” and allow the satisfaction of doing your work become overshadowed by the comparison, which I think we’re constantly in the middle of particularly here in the West. I was in Pakistan for a while, and I realized that I didn’t buy anything for weeks, and I was barely on social media, and I came back to the U.S. and started getting hit by all these ads and all these things I felt I needed to buy, and information about other people doing other things.
Majo: When you came back you started noticing that you were comparing?
Shiza: Absolutely. I think that over here, there’s a lot of that comparison, even when you’re doing so called social impact work, you’re still comparing –
Majo: Right. Like, who’s doing more social impact work.
Shiza: Right. I think avoiding that. Getting outside this place which can really do that to you, and focusing on direct impact.
Show Notes:
Shiza’s parents and upbringing in Pakistan [3:20]
On volunteering as a teenager in women’s prisons and her passionate activism as a young woman [5:36]
Applying to college in the U.S. on a whim and her decision to go to Stanford where she was first exposed to technology and entrepreneurship, but still feeling connected to help women and girls back in Pakistan [6:58]
The online diary of Malala Yousafzai (at the time, 11 years old), inspiring Shiza’s creation of a secret summer camp amongst dangerous circumstances [11:30]
Joining McKinsey and receiving the news of Malala being shot [14:00]
On co-founding and building The Malala Fund at age 22 and leaving the safe, predictable path [21:00]
Witnessing Malala become the first child to win The Nobel Peace Prize and how it shifted stereotypes about what courage looks like [26:00]
On the polarization of technology, tech utopianism, and how social media creates a divide and leads to a rise in extremism, as well as the need for a representative group of people making decisions [28:00]
On being a global citizen and how that perspective-shifting encourages entrepreneurship [32:20]
The patterns she sees across the world, particularly around the false facts and news, as well as untapped opportunities such as supporting women in computer science in the Middle East [36:00]
How to deal with feelings of overwhelm and unhappiness in a culture of consumerism and comparison [40:00]
On reclaiming identity having grown up cross-culturally [43:00]
REFERENCES:
Learn more about Robin Berzin and Parsley Health here.
A BIG THANK YOU & SHOUT OUT TO OUR BADASS PATRONS ESPECIALLY:
Brigid Cabry Nelson leads Lettershop, an award-winning creative studio that serves a wide range of clients—from boutique retailers to large corporations—approaching each and every project with vigor and enthusiasm. Learn more about Brigid and her work here.
Bianca Wendt, an award-winning art director and graphic designer based in San Francisco and London. Learn more about Bianca and her work here.
Pssst....don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more goodies, inspiration, and updates when episodes drop – yay!
MUSIC:
by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs

Doing Less & Ruthless Prioritizing — Boundaries Minisode (3/4) Oct 25, 2018

For more tips and inspiration, go to my website majo.co and follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine
This is the third minisode in a four part series on boundaries. Make sure to listen to the entire series, so that you can have those healthy boundaries that allow you to thrive as a modern woman, when there are so many demands on your time and energy.
In this episode, I’m going to give you a process for clearing crap off your plate.
We all have very full plates, don’t we? We pile it on there, because we’re ambitious, smart, modern women. In hundreds of women, I’ve seen us dry ourselves up and burn ourselves out and feel so overwhelmed and anxious because our plates are simply too full. It’s an epidemic that needs to stop.
Here’s what you can do.
Write a list of your commitments or things you said “yes” to but that you aren’t excited about or really meant to say no to. These also might be thought of the logistics and operations of life, that take away and claw at your energy from doing deeper, more meaningful work. These are things that may feel more like “shoulds” or obligations.
Go ahead and pause this minisode if you need to, and grab a piece of paper, and then come back.
Here’s an example list you might write:
Host dinner for the family next Saturday
Go to Cape Cod in July
Write out the brief for Jackson
Grocery shopping
Create four columns, and write the following empowering VERBS at the top: ELIMINATE, DELEGATE, AUTOMATE, ASK FOR HELP.
Your next step is to slot your different tasks into each column. The idea is to get all those annoying “should” activities of your plate and into one of these buckets. It’s amazing what eliminating can do – oftentimes, we think we have to do something, but do we really have to? Time and time again, I’ve seen that the real issue is that we’re afraid to say no and back out...make sure to circle back to the first minisode about how to no.
Let’s define these for a second. Eliminate is obvious – take it off your list, and it ceases to exist. Delegate is when you request that somebody else do the task, instead of you. That’s pretty clear. Asking for help is different from delegating in that you’re still doing the task, but you’re doing it with someone, or having someone take a part of it off your plate. But what about automate? Automate is when you build a system that makes the behavior easier to do on a repeating basis. So, let’s take grocery shopping, a way to automate that, and cut down on your time doing it, is to use a tool like Instacart, in which you have a set repertoire of groceries that you get weekly, or signing up for one of those farm-fresh CSAs that deliver to your door. The point is, you’re not spending loads of time thinking about and doing it every week. Capeeshela?
That’s it, if you care about living an empowered life as a woman on this planet, follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine more juiciness – and go to my website majo.co and get on my email list for more updates about my work and this podcast. You got options. Make sure to be in touch. Lots of love, onward!

Disrupting the System & Throwing Out the Rules — Robin Berzin Oct 18, 2018

Today, I speak with Dr. Robin Berzin. She’s the doctor, founder, and CEO of a wellness and medical practic, Parsley Health, that takes a whole mind-body approach to your health. Robin is on a mission to heal and reinvent American healthcare when less than 4% of CEOs in the healthcare space are female. She’s a real badass with a medical degree from Columbia University who has raised millions of dollars in venture capital. In this episode, we talk about how she dealt with being lost and confused after college, having a baby while fundraising for her startup, and how to build your creative confidence as a woman.
http://majomolfino.com/blog/2018/10/18/robin-berzin
Highlighted Excerpt:
Majo: How did your yoga practice help you align into your purpose?
Robin: It taught me to listen. It taught me to listen to myself. I think I was someone who was a little bit trapped in her head and I think a lot of us live with a bit of a concrete wall between our bodies and our heads and we don’t really pay attention to what’s happening in our bodies, and we live in our minds and we live in the past; we live in the future and we’re never present. And if you’re somebody who is like a grades getter, go-getter, and an overachiever in any way, whether that’s in sports or academics, you’re rewarded constantly for that, right?
It’s reinforced in our educational system and it’s certainly been in mine growing up in Baltimore and going into this all-girls school that was very academically oriented and also athletically oriented. I wasn’t good at the athletics part but I was pretty good at the academics part.
For me, yoga was this moment of literally just waking up to right now and I realized I had this huge concrete wall between my head and my body. And then in many ways, there’s kind of low-grade abusing myself living on really crappy food, not really exercising, partying at night, hating my job, being in a crappy relationship with a crappy boyfriend at the time, and I think yoga was just this kind of stillness. And then I started listening; and then I started looking back to undergrad and back in my life and starting asking the questions, “What do I want to do? What do I care about? What is interesting to me and how do I want to spend my time?”
Show Notes:
- On childhood, her early days as a “neat freak” and “good girl.” [01:55]
- Working as a paralegal and stumbling on a yoga studio that would change her life. [04:42]
- Losing her grandmother to colon cancer and her growing interest in medicine; winning the award for a paper in complimentary medicine. [09:17]
- Her amazing experience working with Dr. Oz and Oprah’s team. [20:20]
- Reaching out to Dr. Oz to get the job. [23:09]
- How she learned to fundraise and how she managed after giving birth to her son. [26:04]
- Her thoughts on starting a company – don’t overthink it, just do it. [32:02]
- What she reclaimed during her heroine’s journey. [33:42]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Robin's website – ParsleyHealth.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

A Simple Technique for Staying Grounded — Boundaries Minisode (2/4) Oct 11, 2018

For more tips and inspiration, go to my website majo.co and instagram @majo.heroine
This is the second minisode in a four part series on boundaries. Make sure to listen to the entire series, so that you can have those healthy boundaries that allow you to thrive as a modern woman, when there are so many demands on your time and energy.
Have you ever been talking to someone and then you felt completely drained? Maybe that person was in a terrible mood, or complaining, or qualifies for a personality disorder. Whatever, the case, you feel fried.
In this minisode on boundaries, I’m going to give you a simple technique for staying grounded when you’re face-to-face with someone who feels like they might be sucking the energy off of you.
Obviously, the most ideal scenario is for you to steer clear from energy vampires, or to cut the conversation short, and leave.
But let’s say you’re locked in, and you’re like fuck, what do I do?
The technique is this: drop your attention down to your feet, specifically the soles of your feet. Feel them make contact with the ground. Go ahead and do that now as you listen to this, bring your attention to your feet. And then take deep lower belly breaths. So, attention on the feet, and deep breaths while the person is speaking.
The benefits of this simple move are amazing. You will walk away feeling less floored, and swayed by the other person’s emotions. If you’re an empath like me, you’ll feel less emotional contagion between you and the person. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself.
That’s it, if you care about living an empowered life as a woman on this planet, go follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine more juiciness – and go to my website majo.co and get on my email list for more updates about my work and this podcast. You got options. Make sure to be in touch.

Esther Perel on Masculinity, Power & Relationships at Work Oct 04, 2018

I am so honored to bring to you this conversation with a personal heroine of mine: Esther Perel. Esther is truly a thought leader in the space, with a perspective on modern relationships that is refreshingly original, insightful, and pretty un-American. Recently, she’s been stretching the bounds of her work beyond the bedroom, which is the focus of this episode.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/10/4/esther-perel
Can we apply something like couple's therapy to co-workers and how easily does it translate? In this episode, Esther shares how to bring the relational intelligence from our romantic lives (things like trust, empathy, vulnerability, etc) into our most difficult, stressful work relationships and creative collaborations, especially in the context of patriarchy and the #MeToo movement.
Esther’s work practically saved my relationship with my husband before we got married– and her work really helped us see what sustains desire between two people over the long-term. Her celebrated TED talks have garnered more than 20 million views and her international bestselling book Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence became a global phenomenon translated into 25 languages. Her newest book is the New York Times bestseller The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity. Esther is also an executive producer and host of the popular podcast called Where Should We Begin?
I know you will find this conversation fascinating and applicable to your life.
Show Notes
Esther shares about her childhood as a bold and extroverted girl, her experience as an immigrant and the daughter of Holocaust survivors, and getting by on the goodwill of people willing to help her. [2:48]
Esther turns the table on Majo and asks why she felt pressured to focus on her career over relationships for so long. Plus, how Esther became a “disciple of people” and learned to navigate uncertainty while writing her first book. [7:43]
Why Esther enjoys taking on difficult and taboo subjects, and her non-prescriptive approach to finding solutions. [11:35]
The major problem with our current culture of experts. [15:43]
Bringing her expertise to the context of work: Esther shares her insights as a cross-cultural therapist, and the big shift she’s seeing toward reliance on relational intelligence as the core of company success. [19:59]
Why do 65% of startups fail? Co-founder breakups. Esther discusses the deep, intimate, and often turbulent relationship between company founders. [26:10]
Majo shares two true scenarios with Esther for advice on how to navigate relationships. Scenario 1: A woman being constantly triggered by her male manager who refuses to listen to her advice. [30:51]
Scenario 2: A woman feeling disempowered by a male CEO who favors his own ideas over hers. [38:24]
On difficult conversations, what’s missing from the #MeToo movement, and how we reshape and redefine relational thinking through communication (not policies or rules). [43:23]
“Patriarchy doesn’t just hurt women.” On polarized systems, masculine vs feminine, and the honesty required on both sides. [46:30]
From the bedroom to the boardroom – more resources on translating the personal to the professional. [49:39]
Resources:
Majo’s website – majo.co
Esther’s website – estherperel.com
Esther’s event – “The Masculinity Paradox” on November 10 in NYC – estherperel.com/therapists-and-coaches
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

How To Say No — Boundaries Minisode (1/4) Sep 27, 2018

For more tips and inspiration, go to my website majo.co and follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine
This is the first minisode in a four part series on boundaries. Make sure to listen to the entire series, so that you can have those healthy boundaries that allow you to thrive as a modern woman, when there are so many demands on your time and energy. By the end of the series, you’re honestly going to feel like you have so many more tools in your toolbelt to conserve your energy, so that you can channel it towards your creativity and calling on this planet. Because we ain’t got time, to be diddle daddling, OK? We need you to have those boundaries, so that you can function and be a badass.
In this minisode on boundaries, I’m going to give you a simple template for saying no. SO SIMPLE you’re going to be like OMG, why did this take so long?
LMK ask you this one question – How do you feel when you say yes to something, but you really mean no? Take a few seconds to think about it. What feelings come up when you agree to something you don’t really want to do, or care to do?
When I ask most women this, they admit they feel resentful, bitter, annoyed, at the other person and themselves.
It’s a radical concept but when you say YES when you mean NO so that you can please someone or not make them upset or because it’s easier, YOU LOSE TRUST IN YOURSELF. You essentially abandon yourself. That’s a big problem.
The solution to this is to communicate what you want, to communicate your focus, and communicate your priority.
Let’s take a really sticky situation. One of my clients wanted to quit her job forever, but was stalling because she didn’t want to set this boundary – to say no more to this soul-crushing job that was sucking the life out of her. She was scared of her boss’ disappointment, of her parent’s backlash etc. You know the drill. When we drilled down, it became obvious that she was nervous about not finding the right words, or screwing up in the moment, so we wrote out a script that she could practice and role play with her friends and roommates. That made it way easier. Based on the “sandwich” technique, she started and ended on a positive note, and shared her desire for the future as the filling of the sandwich. It looked like this:
Positive: I’m grateful that I spent the last two years at this company as I learned so much.
Desire: It’s time that I focus on transitioning into design that focuses on social impact and international development.
Positive: Again, I want to reiterate that I’ve grown enormously through your guidance and appreciated all the autonomy you’ve given me throughout the years.
Notice how she didn’t say NO to the job, but say YES to her focus...to the direction she wanted to move in.
You can do this for anything – if someone asks you for your time, energy, or money, instead of saying NO, telling them what you’re saying YES to. I can’t go to Jamaica this year, because I’m focusing on launching my Etsy store. I can’t speak at your event on pickles, because I’m focused on almond milk this year. I can’t donate $100 to your campaign, because I’m donating my funds this year to animal right’s issues.
Get it?
So clear. Let people know what you care about, and they’ll understand you’re saying no to them, and they’ll respect you for it. They’ll be like dang, this woman knows what she wants. And if they’re pissed and you experience backlash, then fuck em’. That ain’t your problem. Your commitment is to yourself.
Go get it, heroine.
That’s it, if you care about living an empowered life as a woman on this planet, go follow me on Instagram @majo.heroine more juiciness – and go to my website majo.co and get on my email list for more updates about my work and this podcast. You got options. Make sure to be in touch.

How to Let Go of Idealism & Create More Freely — Keiko Agena Sep 20, 2018

Do you want to create more freely? If so, you might wanna shift your relationship to mistakes, and let go of some of that idealism. That’s the central topic of today’s show with actress Keiko Agena. You might remember Keiko for her supporting role as Lane Kim – the punk rock obsessed daughter of strict Korean-American parents on the show Gilmore Girls. I know I was pretty obsessed with Gilmore Girls back in the day. Recently, Keiko has been recurring on SWEET/VICIOUS, COLONY and the new Netflix release of 13 REASONS WHY.
http://majomolfino.com/blog/2018/9/20/how-to-let-go-of-idealism-create-more-freely-with-keiko-agena
She’s also the author of a new Artist workbook called No Mistakes.
In today’s episode, we talk about Keiko’s experience as an Asian American woman in the world of acting and Hollywood, why you don’t have to call yourself an artist, and the one thing she recommends you do to bring more creative freedom into your life.
As a heads up: For the next eight weeks, there will be an episode dropping every Thursday – alternating between interviews and minisodes. The minisode series is all about boundaries, my favorite topic, so stay tuned for those too.
Show Notes:
● On childhood, acting, auditioning and landing a role on Gilmore Girls show. [02:23]
● Transitioning from Hawaii to the mainland and realizing how being Asian American would impact her acting career moving forward. [06:06]
● The ease of temping in contrast to her discomfort and anxiety while on Gilmore Girls. [09:50]
● More on Gilmore Girls and newfound interest in drawing, arts, and creativity. [19:44]
● About her new book, “No Mistakes: A Perfect Workbook for Imperfect Artists”. She also talks about how what you do will label you eventually. [22:21]
● Her advice for creative women who want to unleash or discover their creativity. [30:50]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Keiko's website – mskeikoagena.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Why It's Essential to Fail — Jaclyn Johnson Jun 14, 2018

Have you ever been knocked down, and had to dust yourself off to start again? Today’s guest, Jaclyn Johnson, talks about the career blows early on in her journey and the blessings that came from them.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/6/14/reclaim-work-with-jaclyn-johnson
I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring you this CEO and powerhouse behind beloved conference and site for millennial working women, Create & Cultivate. She is also author of a new book, WorkParty, which is available for pre-order now. Jaclyn’s a real boss lady who has been named Forbes 30 Under 30, a “Self-Made Woman” by LA Times, and A Woman of Note by The Wall Street Journal. What’s most inspiring to me about Jaclyn is how much she truly believes in the power of creative, millennial women to change the world.
In this episode, Jaclyn and I cover her journey of starting over again, what she means when she says it’s important to be “nice” at work, and whether we modern women can indeed have it all.
Alright, heroine, this is the last episode of the season, and we’ll pick back up in a few months in September. Enjoy the summer, I hope you get outside and play, and don’t forget that you can follow me on instagram in the meanwhile to stay updated @majo.heroine –!
Show notes:
- Jaclyn shares about her childhood; very independent and ambitious, always wanting to explore, making her a little bit of a troublemaker. [02:11]
- On her teenage years and her three jobs in high school [03:12]
- How she interned her way to getting a job right after college because she graduated early. The massive disconnect she noticed between education and real life business skills. [04:35]
- Jaclyn started blogging at a very early age, in 2007. She shares how she learned analytics from a friend and how she found out her blog had gained traffic. [06:12]
- On moving to California after the recession hit, getting laid off three months after the move, and recovering from depression so that she could start her own freelance work as a social media marketing specialist. On partnering up with a girl who shared her co-working office space and their eventual business break-up [07:31]
- How she got back on track, doing almost everything herself. What she learned from the past. [10:16]
- On her book and what she meant by “be nice.” Insights about women having it all. [29:19]
- How she reclaimed working for herself, by herself, and became successful after a crappy situation. [37:10]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Jaclyn's website – jaclynrjohnson.com
Jaclyn's book – workparty.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Speak Up & Tell Your Truth — Luvvie Ajayi May 31, 2018

Luvvie is an award-winning writer and 15-year blogging veteran known for her razor-sharp wit, and her take on all things pop culture, race, media, and technology.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/5/31/speak-up-with-luvvie-ajayi
Her debut book I’M JUDGING YOU: The Do-Better Manual was a New York Times Bestseller and is a series of humorous essays that dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digital, connected lives.
It passes on lessons and side-eyes on life, social media, culture and fame, addressing those terrible friends we all have to serious discussions of race and media representation to what to do about your fool cousin sharing casket pictures from Grandma’s wake on Facebook.
Show Notes:
-On Luvvie’s childhood in Nigeria, their move to the U.S. when she was nine years old, and how she adjusted to American culture. Her name was different; her accent was different. [2:55]
-Her choice of psychology as a major in college, why she dropped her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor, but why she also didn’t think she would make a good therapist. [7:29]
-On her experience after college, going into marketing internships while figuring out what she really wanted to do, including starting her now-famous blog back in college. [8:36]
-Luvvie’s journey in becoming the marketing coordinator of a non-profit while developing her blog as a hobby; winning an award for “Best Humor Blog” in 2009. [13:20]
-On writing recaps for the show, Scandal, by Shonda Rhimes which eventually garnered her attention online and grew her fanbase. [15:49]
-How she came up with the idea for her New York Times Bestseller “I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual.” [19:48]
-On feminism: why a lot of people – especially women of color – have a hard time calling themselves feminists. [25:58]
-Reclaiming what it looks like to be a creative: writing, speaking, running a business, and hosting the Rants and Randomness podcast, and why you should let your work evolve with you. [41:45]
References:
- Majo's website: majomolfino.com
- Learn more about I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual – luvvie.org/im-judging-you-book/
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.
Don't forget to follow Majo on Instagram for book giveaways – instagram.com/majo.heroine/

Move Beyond Fear & Doubt — Amber Rae May 17, 2018

Do you get anxious? Let’s get real. We all do. And we need tools to deal with the worrisome thoughts and the uncomfortable feelings that naturally come up from living life. We need tools to help us put worry aside and step into a more positive state, the state of childlike, exuberant wonder. Enter today’s guest, Amber Rae, who is a total badass and who Mind Body Green called her "The Brene Brown of Wonder."
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/5/17/wonder-over-worry-with-amber-rae
She is an author of a book that was just released this week, Choose Wonder Over Worry: Move Beyond Fear and Doubt to Unlock Your Full Potential (Hello, who doesn’t want to do that? You can find out more about how to order the book in the show notes because honestly every woman needs to read this Now, ASAP). In addition to being an author, Amber is an artist and speaker who has been featured in The New York Times, TIME, Fast Company, BBC, ABC World News, Tim Ferriss's blog, and more. Previously, she helped launch six best-selling books with Seth Godin.
Show Notes:
-Amber shares about her childhood; how her mother has influenced her in so many ways and how she’s lost her father in a car accident at a very young age. [2:56]
-Her very early interest in psychology and reading books related to the discovery of how the psyche works; her pre-puberty story and starting her own magazine. [8:01]
-On dealing with the development of her physical body and her emotions; her high school life and the start of her wanting to be liked and approved by people. [10:53]
-A brief description of her college experience and chosen course; her great dating relationships and her ending up with someone who broke her. [18:07]
-Life after college; getting into tech; moving from San Francisco to New York upon the advice of her friend Ahmed Gupta. [24:19]
-The high and low of her life; lowest was when she self-sabotaged her successful career/work; highest was when she met her soon-to-be-husband, Farhad. [36:56]
-About her book, “Choose Wonder Over Worry.” [41:26]
-About her reclaiming her truth and essence without denying any part of herself. [53:42]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Learn more about Choose Wonder Over Worry – choosewonder.com
- LIVE Event w/ Majo & Amber: Book Passage Sunday, May, 20th @ 4pm in Corte Madera, CA --> bookpassage.com/event/amber-rae-majo-molfino-choose-wonder-over-worry-corte-madera-store
- LIVE event w/ Amber: Women Catalysts Sunday, May 20th @ 7pm in San Francisco, CA --> wonderoverworrywithamberrae.splashthat.com/
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Being Weird is Your Superpower — Laurie Segall May 03, 2018

When we’re kids and teens, being called weird is an insult. But as we grow older, we realize so much of our superpowers come from allowing ourselves to be weirdos. Being weird is about following your quirks, strange esoteric interests, and inexplicable curiosities. Let’s face it: the best art and ideas come from the land of weird.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/5/2/be-weird-with-laurie-segall
This is the focus of today’s show with Laurie Segall, a Senior Tech Correspondent for CNN and Editor at large for CNN Tech. She’s also the host of CNN’s first CNN Originals – Mostly Human – an amazing six-part docu-series that explores sex, love, and death through the lens of tech. As an award-winning journalist, she specializes in understanding the impact of tech on our daily lives.
Show Notes:
-Laurie as a little girl: Weird and funny, a Southerner and of a Jewish background who felt she never fit in, loved talking to people who didn’t fit in. [4:35]
-On her journey as a young journalist, her undercover mission with her father at a purity ball that led to her public declaration of her virginity. [15:20]
-Laurie’s fundamental mind shift: “I want to work at CNN!” The steps she took to get to where she is now, starting out and doing anything she was told to do. [22:30]
-On interviewing Ariel Castro’s daughter, realizing the power of technology to investigate, and doing a docu-series on “Sex, Drugs, and Silicon Valley”. [39:00]
-Pitching “Mostly Human” to CNN President, Jeff Zucker: How Laurie used her experiences going into dark places to make the “Mostly Human” show possible and how people that surrounded her have contributed to her success through their suggestions and advice. [43:54]
-Laurie’s realization about how people live their lives on social media, choosing how they portray life while masking the reality of pain and sadness. [49:45]
-Her interest in AI and the creation of the Laurie bot shows the possibilities of the future through technology. Laurie shares how she has reclaimed her confidence and weirdness to be who she wants to be without trying to fit in. [56:12]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Learn more about Mostly Human – money.cnn.com/mostly-human/
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Design That Empowers Women — Gabrielle Guthrie Apr 19, 2018

Gabrielle Guthrie is the founder of Moxxly, a company that is redesigning the breast pumping experience for the modern mama. In this episode, Gabrielle shares her personal and professional journey into becoming a designer-founder who has thrown her life’s mission into building a product that re-humanizes the experience of breastfeeding for women. Gabrielle and her two female co-founders use the best of product design, business, and engineering to give mothers their dignity back.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/4/18/design-for-women-with-gabrielle-guthrie
Show Notes:
-Gabrielle shares her life as a creative little girl who loves to make things, growing up with two older brothers and her father who raised them. [2:50]
-The challenges she faced in high school, her rebelliousness, and her relationship with her father. [6:28]
-On her experience of freedom in college but how she hadn’t been thinking about the next step. [10:36]
-While working on a thesis, she and her project partner talked about starting a company that will help change the lives of women and the challenges women faced throughout their lifetime. [14:47]
-On her journey into failure, eventually selling the company and what she learned from the experience. [25:50]
-Her travel to China after the acquisition of her company and her rise again after realizing the root cause of the product’s failure, leading to a comeback and a better product. [31:50]
-Some tips for those who feel passionate about something or are planning on becoming founders. [40:37]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Learn more about Moxxly – moxxly.com/
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Is There Something More For You? — Kathryn Finney Apr 05, 2018

Today’s episode features writer, women’s advocate, and tech entrepreneur Kathryn Finney. Named one of the most influential women in tech by Inc Magazine, she’s the Founder and Managing Director of digitalundivided, which fosters economic growth by empowering black and latina women entrepreneurs.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/4/4/something-more-with-kathryn-finney
Kathryn talks about the courage required to find your tribe and take a leap when you feel there’s more out there for you. From her travels to Ghana during the height of the AIDS epidemic and deciding to become an epidemiologist, to starting one of the first fashion blogs and changing up all of her plans, Kathryn shares how she’s dealt with fear and challenges on her path to figuring out what she wants most out of life.
Show Notes:
-Kathryn as a little girl: Business savvy from a young age, she learned the value and power of making her own money. Plus, the examples of entrepreneurship that had an impact on her growing up. [1:58]
-Challenges during her formative years, and Kathryn’s inspiring message on finding your own tribe and having the courage to take a leap. [7:42]
-Her first trip to Ghana on a college fellowship, the humbling experience of contracting malaria, and how it all inspired her work. [13:35]
-Her thesis on how the HIV AIDS virus impacted violence against women in South Africa, deciding to become an epidemiologist, and the events that changed her trajectory. [19:20]
-Reaching a crossroads: Kathryn’s insights on sacrifice vs decision, and figuring out what you really want out of life. [24:20]
-How Kathryn found herself running a non-profit organization and starting an influential blog. [30:35]
-On teaching herself how to make money from her blog before there was a clear path to doing it, landing a book deal, and how Kathryn compartmentalizes fear. [35:50]
-The TV deal she almost went through with: Realizing it wasn’t what she wanted, what she learned, and how she handled the backlash. [39:51]
-The movement that emerged for Kathryn as a result of attending conferences and realizing there were so few women who looked like her. [49:53]
-What Kathryn has reclaimed on her heroine’s journey. [55:58]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Kathryn's website – kathrynfinney.com
Check out digitalundivided – digitalundivided.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Showing Up When It's Hard — Jasmine Aarons Mar 22, 2018

Jasmine Aarons is the founder of VOZ – an ethical fashion company with a mission to protect and promote the stories, livelihoods, and cultural values of rural indigenous women around the world. Jasmine has spent years working with artisans in South America, creating a collaborative design model with an inspiring ethical and sustainable vision.
More about this episode: http://majomolfino.com/blog/2018/3/21/passion-ethics-with-jasmine-aarons
In this episode, Jasmine shares her journey to becoming a founder, taking us through the moments in her life where she wanted to give up, but didn’t. She talks about the “blessing” of being a novice, and shares key insights and moments of growth as a founder.
Show Notes:
-A precocious, creative little girl with an old soul: Jasmine’s childhood, plus the challenges she faced in her teens. [2:20]
-How theater and performance saved her in high school, and how that training has aided her throughout her life. [7:26]
-“It has never felt easy, but I’m willing to show up”: On Jasmine’s college years, being shameless about having a weakness, and the moments where she wanted to give up but didn’t. [9:20]
-On the thesis that was the seed for her work today – Jasmine’s passion for culture and concern for ethical systems, and the inspiring mission behind VOZ. [12:45]
-The journey to Chile that changed her life, and Jasmine’s insights on what it takes to be a founder. [19:10]
-On dealing with the peaks and valleys of founder life, how the vision behind VOZ has grown, and Jasmine’s passion for celebrating feminine leadership and women’s stories. [26:35]
-How VOZ champions sustainability, connection, and authenticity, and what feminine leadership means to Jasmine. Bonus: An inspiring story about one of VOZ’s artisans. [30:48]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Learn more about VOZ and their vision – madebyvoz.com/
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Your Story is Your Power — Elle Luna & Susie Herrick Mar 08, 2018

We’re kicking off the new season with two returning guests. Elle Luna is a SF based artist and author, and Susie Herrick is a licensed therapist with over twenty years of experience. Together, they have co-authored a new and timely book: Your Story is Your Power, Free Your Feminine Voice.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/3/7/your-story-is-your-power-with-elle-luna-susie-herrick
In this episode, they dive into the idea of taking back our stories as women. Elle and Susie explain what this means, why it matters, and how to get started. They share beautiful insights on bringing into awareness the conditioning and cultural messages hidden in our subconscious that affect us, and also teach us about the Enneagram, a powerful personality typology that will help you see your ego defenses more clearly.
Show Notes:
-What Elle and Susie were like as little girls. [3:02]
-The stories and fairytales that capture us when we’re young, and how these apply when starting to look at our own stories. [5:19]
-Our journeys as a labyrinth – spiraling into the center of our own stories, and bringing into awareness the hidden cultural messages that affect us. [9:22]
-Bringing things into consciousness: “When a person has a coherent narrative, they have more capacity for relating to others.” [13:50]
-On enneagrams, personality typologies, and what can be discovered about our growth and aspects of the self. [17:35]
-Elle shares how she found and approached the center of her story. [28:39]
-On feminine leadership and power, tending and befriending, and overcoming the fears that underlie our innate tendencies. [33:53]
-Susie shares a beautiful, personal passage from their book. [43:16]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Elle's website – elleluna.com
Susie's website – susieherrick.com
Find their book, Your Story is Your Power - workman.com/products/your-story-is-your-power
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Welcome to Heroine with Majo Molfino Mar 01, 2018

Welcome to HEROINE, so glad you’re here with us. I’m your host Majo Molfino. What is this show all about? HEROINE features leading female experts and authors in creativity, leadership, business, feminism, and personal growth about their own journeys and what they’ve learned along the way. I’ve had the pleasure to interview Award-Winning Artists, New York Times Best-Sellers, CEOs and Execs – you name it. These women are legends, Badasses, Rule-Breakers, Risk-Takers. Women from all backgrounds and walks of life who are changing the world with their ideas and stories.
Show notes:
- Interview snippets with Isabel Allende, Eileen Fisher, and Luvvie Ajayii
- Website: majomolfino.com/podcast

Clarity & Service {Claudia Chan} Dec 07, 2017

Claudia Chan is a leadership expert, social entrepreneur, and founder of S.H.E. Summit, an annual conference that celebrates women’s leadership and gender equality. She’s also the author of the newly released book, This Is How We Rise.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/clarity-service-with-claudia-chan
Claudia hit a breaking point in her thirties that led her down the path of “waking up” to what she truly felt passionate about. In this episode, she offers a framing of leadership where both men and women work together toward gender equality, and gets honest about the obstacles she’s still working on today. You’ll also learn her unique toolkit for reacting effectively when meltdowns arise.
Show Notes:
-Claudia as a little girl: Strong-minded and confident, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, and eager to become an adult. [2:20]
-On her early desires to achieve success and prestige, the strides she made after graduating college, and internalizing her surrounding culture that seemed focused on material wealth. [8:02]
-Claudia’s breaking point: “Waking up” to a life of purpose, and the steps she took to grow spiritually and as a leader. [12:39]
-A new trajectory focused on caring about women’s issues and gender equality, and the crazy momentum women have right now in this “4th wave” of feminism. [19:23]
-Inviting men into the conversation: How Claudia and her husband divide and conquer as co-CEOs of their family and life. [26:09]
-Getting honest about how she takes care of herself while “doing it all” – Claudia dives into her book, sharing her strategies and tools. [33:10]
-The internal obstacles Claudia’s still working on today, and her final words of wisdom. [37:51]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Claudia's website – shesummit.com/founder
S.H.E. Summit – shesummit.com
This Is How We Rise – shesummit.com/book
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Poetry & Listening {Joy Harjo} Nov 30, 2017

Do you ever rely on your intuition when you’re at a crossroads? Today’s guest has trusted in this power for most of her life, and it’s led her to where she is today. Joy Harjo is a poet, musician, and author, and an inspiring female figure among Native American artists and the broader poetry community.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/poetry-listening-with-joy-harjo
Joy hit a major crossroads while taking her pre-med courses, where she had to decide whether to follow the more conventional path or commit herself to what she truly felt connected to. You’ll love her profound insights on the importance of listening and following your “inner knowing”, along with her tips for self-renewal and honoring your creative side.
Show Notes:
-What Joy was like as a little girl, how she coped with the unique challenges within her family, and the important relationship she built with her ancestors. [2:20]
-After music was literally taken away from her, the chance to attend an American Indian art school “saved her life”. [8:54]
-On the challenges Joy faced as a young wife and mother, and her process of building a better life for herself. [12:30]
-How she reconnected with art and started writing while attending medical school. [15:53]
-“I know beyond knowing that this is the path I’m supposed to take.” How Joy found the courage to follow poetry. [21:06]
-On connecting to your intuition (or “the knowing”), listening to the voices of your ancestors and your own spirit, and resisting the conventional path. [24:04]
-How Joy stays fluid while creating/performing across a range of artistic mediums. [29:30]
-Joy’s tips for paying attention to your creative impulses and making time for them. [32:50]
-Joy shares about the importance of learning to listen, changing your beliefs to open up what’s possible, and picking up the saxophone at forty. [36:38]
-“Perhaps the world ends here.” Joy closes by reading one of her gorgeous poems. [40:29]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Joy's website – joyharjo.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Holiday Announcement Nov 16, 2017

A quick announcement about our holiday schedule so you know what to expect the rest of the season. As we take this short break, we invite you to explore our database of 70+ incredible, empowering interviews.
Wishing you all a beautiful and happy Thanksgiving next week!
Would you like to see future episodes in the coming year and continue to be inspired? You can now support the show directly for as little as the price of a cup of coffee.
We're so close to our goal!
Support the show & sign up for rewards at https://www.patreon.com/heroinefm

Creative & Analytical {Erin Benzakein} Nov 09, 2017

Erin Benzakein is one of the nation’s leading farmer-florists and the founder of Floret Farms. Her recent book, Cut Flower Garden published by Chronicle Books, will teach you how to grow and cut your own seasonal blooms.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/creative-analytical-with-erin-benzakein
In this episode, Erin shares what she’s learned about the importance of leveraging rules and structure, while making space for creativity and beauty. She is a great example of balancing feminine and masculine traits, following your intuition, and listening to the whispers of your inner voice. As a bonus, you’ll also learn about the magic of flowers.
Show Notes:
-On being an anxious and curious little girl, her love for growing things from an early age, and her dream of her own “little plot of land”. [2:17]
-Dropping out of high school as an angry teen who couldn’t see a future for herself. [6:59]
-Starting a family at a young age, always taking the path less traveled, and her lifelong struggle of listening to her inner voice. [11:31]
-How a book inspired Erin to leave the city and start living her dream, and the beautiful partnership she has with her husband. [14:30]
-Erin’s biggest challenges starting out. [18:33]
-When things really started to click, and the fears Erin had to push up against along the way. [21:36]
-How not liking to feel “held back” has fueled her love for learning and figuring things out on her own. [28:34]
-“It’s okay to fail”: Erin’s insights on failure as a prerequisite for success. [31:51]
-On the balance between the feminine/creative side and the masculine/business side. [34:14]
-The importance of making space for creativity to grow and thrive, the magic of flowers, and what Erin has reclaimed for herself on her journey. [38:51]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Learn more about Erin and Floret Farms – www.floretflowers.com
Get her book, Cut Flower Garden – chroniclebooks.com/titles/floret-farm-s-cut-flower-garden.html
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

You Are A Badass {Jen Sincero} Nov 02, 2017

Jen Sincero is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of You Are a Badass, and most recently, You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth. After being fed up with merely scraping by for years, Jen decided to focus on figuring money out. She took a leap of faith that led her down the path to fully embracing money and wealth, and her latest book uncovers the mental blocks she had to overcome to let the money flow.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/you-are-a-badass-with-jen-sincero
In this episode, you’ll learn how to detach from the icky stigma of wanting more money, seeing it instead as the energetic exchange between people that it really is. Jen also shares her insights on the association between self-promotion and shame, especially among women. Her open, no-nonsense approach will motivate and inspire you to feel excited about whatever it is you have going on.
Show Notes:
-How being challenged by a second grade teacher who set firm boundaries was exactly the kind of attention Jen needed as a little girl. [2:40]
-Jen in her twenties: college years, landing a dream job, being ignored in a male-dominated environment, starting a rock band – all while being unsure of what she was doing with her life. [3:38]
-Falling in love with her drummer, writing her first book, and constantly reinventing herself. [8:03]
-Jen’s lowest point of being broke and still clueless about what she was doing with her life, her first big break, and the power of being excited about what you’re doing. [11:22]
-Powerful insights on the association between self-promotion and shame (especially for women). [16:10]
-On exploring her sexuality while on her first book tour, writing a sex column, and helping people get over shame. [24:39]
-Tired of scraping by, Jen decided to devote her time and focus on figuring out money by reading self-help books, going to seminars, and taking a big leap of faith. [29:32]
-On the energy behind money, our attitudes toward our day jobs, and Jen’s insights on making compromises. [36:29]
-Still unsure of what she was doing with her life in her forties, Jen “just kept doing the next right thing.” [42:40]
-Looking back on the success of her books, You Are A Badass and others, and Jen’s final words of wisdom. [44:57]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Jen's website – jensincero.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Trusting Your Vision {Brenda Chapman} Oct 26, 2017

Today’s episode features Academy Award Winning film director, Brenda Chapman. She was the head of story for The Lion King, co-director of The Prince of Egypt, and the writer and co-director of Disney-Pixar’s Brave.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/trusting-your-vision-with-brenda-chapman
In this episode, you’ll learn about Brenda’s own heroine journey, how she began directing when she didn’t feel completely ready for it, and her resilience as one of the few women in animation. As an expert storyteller, she also helps us see how we can learn from characters and their flaws, and what they can teach us about our own lives. Share in the wisdom of a true feminist and gifted creative who trusted her vision and kept fighting for what she believed in.
Show Notes:
-Growing up in a small town in the midwest, Brenda spent most of her time escaping into the world of reading, drawing, and making up stories. [2:50]
-How she fell in love with storytelling while studying animation at CalArts. [6:18]
-How she got Disney’s attention, her defining moments there, and the circumstance that made her privately ashamed for years. [8:25]
-Being one of a few female directors: How she stepped into her leadership, some of the amazing films she’s worked on, and leaving Disney for Dreamworks. [13:45]
-The inspiration behind the story of Brave, a love story between mother and daughter. [18:05]
-Working at Pixar, and how her biggest challenge made her a stronger artist, director, and creator. [26:24]
-How the support of her colleagues helped Brenda through a dark time, and the surprising opportunities that poured in. [31:39]
-How the heroine’s journey differs from the hero’s, and Brenda’s insights on the importance of using external metaphors to shine a light on internal obstacles. [34:47]
-The flaw Brenda had to overcome/embrace on her own heroine’s journey, and her final words of wisdom. [39:07]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Brenda's website – brenda-chapman.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Isabel Allende: Truth & Story Oct 19, 2017

Isabel Allende is a woman who fearlessly enters the imaginal realm and trusts where her instincts take her. The most widely read Spanish-speaking author in the world, her books have sold over 65 million copies worldwide. She received the Medal of Freedom from Obama and carried an Olympic flag with Sophia Loren. But that’s not all that makes her incredible.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/truth-story-with-isabel-allende
Isabel understands struggle, pain, and what it means to fight, and she passionately serves women and girls around the world through her foundation and work. In this episode, Isabel explains what really makes a heroine, sharing the darkest moments on her own heroine’s journey, and offers profound insights on feminine energy and how it can change the world.
Show Notes:
-Isabel’s somber and isolated childhood: Growing up in Chile after her father abandoned them, the death of her grandmother, and finding solace in reading and storytelling. [2:59]
-How love and feminism saved her from her angry teenage years, disgusted by authority and male chauvinism. [5:12]
-On having to flee Chile for Venezuela, Isabel’s insights on immigrants and refugees, and having “too much imagination” to be a journalist. [7:33]
-Why Isabel sees stories as truer than truth, and how her twenties and thirties provided the necessary raw material for her writing. [11:08]
-A passionate rebel heart – Isabel explains the key quality her female characters have, plus the survival stories of real women she’s witnessed through her organization. [14:02]
-On sisterhood and female community, and the difference between the hero’s and heroine’s journey [17:03]
-Isabel’s “dissent”: The darkest phase of her heroine’s journey, and her wisdom on trials making the heroine. [26:27]
-The high price Isabel has paid for feminism, and how feminine energy can change the world. [31:57]
-How Isabel has seen women and feminism change, and why you should never try to avoid pain. [36:08]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Isabel's website – isabelallende.com
Check out the incredible work being done through The Isabel Allende Foundation – isabelallende.org
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Creative Flow {Denise Jacobs} Oct 12, 2017

Today’s episode features author, speaker, and creative evangelist Denise Jacobs. She’s spoken at Creative Mornings, Adaptive Path, TEDx, and more, and is the author of Banish Your Inner Critic, which dives into some of the most important subjects for creative women leaders today.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/creative-flow-with-denise-jacobs
In this episode, Denise breaks down creativity’s two opposing forces: creative flow and the inner critic. She shares her insights on how women are socialized to take on more than we need to, offers some of the most practical tips for producing and maintaining a state of creative flow, and provides an array of tools for managing your inner critic.
Show Notes:
-Denise’s self-consciousness about being extremely tall as a little girl, and how she found solace in reading stacks of books and developing a sense of humor. [1:36]
-On being told by a teacher that she was a perfectionist (which she later realized was not a compliment), and becoming aware of her inner critic. [5:45]
-The aha moment Denise had after swirling in self-doubt and fear while working on her last book. [9:38]
-The teaching experience that helped her realize her passion for speaking to people and her gift for being on stage. [14:27]
-Diving into her book: How creative flow and the inner critic interact, and practical tips for recognizing and dealing with the latter. [16:03]
-How to train your inner critic and recognize when it’s showing up in subtle ways. [22:52]
-On dealing with overwhelm, reframing situations in ways that empower us, and the importance of To-Don’t lists. [28:27]
-On being aware of our comparison triggers in the age of social media, how women are socialized to take on more than they need to, and Denise’s final words of wisdom. [34:57]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Denise's website – denisejacobs.com
Find her book, Banish Your Inner Critic – innercriticbook.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

What's Your Purpose? {Ruby Warrington} Oct 05, 2017

Purpose is something we all seek on the heroine’s journey, especially at breaking points when we may wonder where our lives are headed and what really matters. This is the central theme in today’s episode with Ruby Warrington, author of Material Girl, Mystical World and founder of The Numinous, a wonderful online resource that helps bridge the gap between mystical and mainstream.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/whats-your-purpose-with-ruby-warrington
Ruby covers the definition of dharma (or “purpose”) and how we find our own, as well as how to strip away the layers of conditioning that can leave us feeling stuck. In sharing her journey of coming out of the spiritual closet and finding her dharma, Ruby also provides practical advice for enhancing our personal and professional lives.
Show Notes:
-Ruby as a girl: A talkative child who was enamored with the idea of expressing herself through words. [2:10]
-Finding independence after high school, dreaming of working in fashion during her college years, and her first job at a print magazine. [6:29]
-On landing her dream job and everything she thought she’d always wanted, and the stress, confusion, and anger that quickly followed in the form of an existential crisis. [9:44]
-The critical point in Ruby’s journey that reshaped her future: taking up a new passion project after much self-reflection. [13:26]
-On the imbalance that comes when we neglect our sense of mystery and wonder, Ruby’s vision for The Numinous, and how the universe intervened on her behalf. [18:45]
-Establishing herself as a freelance journalist, turning points on the path to achieving her vision, and coming out of the spiritual closet. [22:48]
-Diving into Ruby’s book, Material Girl Mystical World, and the concept of dharma. [25:40]
-Spiritual tools and techniques that help strip away layers of conditioning to reveal our true purpose. [29:54]
-Bonus story: Ruby gets personal and emotional about her hair – a metaphor around connecting to the inner, divine feminine. [35:55]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Ruby's website – rubywarrington.com
Check out The Numinous & find Ruby’s book, Material Girl, Mystical World – the-numinous.com/material-girl-mystical-world-book
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Have questions about this episode? What are some of your challenges? Leave a message or send a text to 513-HEROINE.
Submit an iTunes review for the show and then email us that you’ve done it at majo@heroine.fm – receive a free audio training on personal branding & how to reach out to women you admire in return!
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Smart Leaps {Margaret Stewart} Sep 28, 2017

Margaret Stewart has spent her career focusing on designing user experiences that change the world in fundamental ways. As the VP of Product Design at Facebook, and formerly at YouTube and Google, Margaret sees design as creativity in the service of others.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/smart-leaps-with-margaret-stewart
In this episode, Margaret opens up about her biggest challenges as a woman leader, breaking down some of the notions that tend to hold us back. Along with her inspiring managerial style, she shares insights on the tricky emotions of ambition and guilt, and her recipe for smart leaps of faith and taking risks that pay off.
Show Notes:
-Margaret shares about growing up as the youngest of 9 kids; an early maker and performer who often wondered what her role in life would be. [2:20]
-On the bold move she made after college, her first jobs in the early days of the internet, and the pattern that emerged for her around risk-taking. [6:34]]
-How women are socialized to be more cautious, and Margaret’s experience and wisdom in getting over that. [11:43]
-Margaret breaks down some of the big risks and leaps of faith she took, plus her thoughts on the value of naivety. [16:35]
-On ambition and guilt, dealing with negative critique, and Margaret’s biggest challenge. [20:56]
-Majo and Margaret discuss: Feminine qualities in the workplace, and Margaret’s inspiring management and leadership style. [26:46]
-What Margaret has reclaimed for herself on her heroine’s journey. [32:28]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Learn more about Margaret – medium.com/@mags
Rebecca Garza-Bortman's podcast Advice from Mom – advicefrom.mom
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Submit an iTunes review for the show and then email us that you’ve done it at majo@heroine.fm – receive a free audio training on personal branding & how to reach out to women you admire in return!
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Self-Care & Leadership {Elena Brower} Sep 21, 2017

Elena Brower is an internationally recognized author, yoga teacher, and speaker. She wrote The Art of Attention, and most recently, Practice You, a gorgeous journal for self-reflection. Elena has contributed to The Huffington Post and MindBodyGreen, and has been featured in Yoga Journal and The New York Times. She’s a true pioneer in the world of yoga.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/self-care-leadership-with-elena-brower
In this episode, Elena shares about her journey and approaches deep, introspective truths as she and host Majo discuss the power of meditation and journaling. Elena offers her unique insights on the energy behind money, and years of wisdom on why self-care is so important.
Show Notes:
-Elena growing up – a gawky, intuitive girl who would look in the mirror and ask, Who are you? [2:42]
-Her teenage years, what she studied at Cornell, first jobs, and living in Italy. [6:38]
-Finding her calling, getting started with yoga, and Elena’s insights on teaching. [11:37]
-On husting as a yoga teacher and opening her own studio. [14:39]
-What Elena learned from running her own businesses, and how she found a way to make the money she needed to fund the life she wanted. [17:52]
-On fear of success, sharing energy, and the unique perspective that makes her a good teacher. [26:04]
-Elena’s tough-love wisdom on self-care and creating time for yourself. [29:37]
-On her new book, Practice You – Elena shares some of her profound, introspective writing prompts. [31:38]
-The powerful effects of journaling and meditation, and Elena’s final words of wisdom. [36:43]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Elena's website – elenabrower.com
Get her book, Practice You – practiceyou.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Submit an iTunes review for the show and then email us that you’ve done it at majo@heroine.fm – receive a free audio training on personal branding & how to reach out to women you admire in return!
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Keep Going {Ash Huang} Sep 14, 2017

Today’s episode features writer, artist, and designer Ash Huang. Her essays have appeared in FastCompany, Offscreen Mag, and Lean Out. Her novel, The Firesteel, won first place in the Writer’s Digest Self-Published eBook Awards. An early designer at Twitter and Pinterest, and currently at Adobe, Ash has also been her own boss over the years, giving her unique career insights to share.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/keep-going-with-ash-huang
Along with the ups and downs of her personal journey, Ash talks about the importance of knowing the rules (and how they’re subjective), the paradox of structure, and what it means to be free in your work. If you’re a multi-passionate creative, Ash offers encouraging wisdom on changing things up.
Show Notes:
-Ash growing up: A creative girl who talked to animals, dealing with feelings of “otherness”, and her desire for unique self-expression. [1:57]
-On loving her college years, graduating at the height of the recession, and her struggle to find a job. [6:30]
-Ash’s insights on following the rules, and her growing desire to be more free in her work. [11:22]
-The ups and downs of getting started as a freelancer. [15:57]
-On working at Twitter in its early days. [19:12]
-Learning about product design at Pinterest, and the onslaught of illness that forced her to step back and reevaluate her path. [23:49]
-Ash’s reflections on cultural rewards, fighting against the system, and figuring out her authentic process. [29:23]
-“My first brush with real art…” On writing her novel, The Firesteel, and departing from the Good Girl archetype. [34:08]
-On Ash’s transition from freelance to Adobe, and the unsexy sexiness of having structure. [40:29]
-On being multi-passionate and changing a lot through her twenties, and Ash’s final words of wisdom. [45:15]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Ash’s website – ashsmash.com
Sponsor:
TuneIn – tunein.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Road to Independence {Aminatou Sow} Sep 07, 2017

The new fall season kicks off with Aminatou Sow, host of the Call Your Girlfriend podcast where she discusses all things pop culture, politics, and feminism with her long-distance best friend. A fierce boss lady, digital powerhouse, and writer, Aminatou has been named in Forbes 30 Under 30 in Tech and amongst Women to Watch by KQED Arts.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/road-to-independence-with-aminatou-sow
In this episode, Aminatou shares about being raised in a conservative Muslim family and her experience immigrating to the U.S. From working at a toy store when she had no other prospects, to becoming her own boss and a well-known podcast host, Aminatou has excellent advice for creative women working full-time who want to become more independent and level up in their leadership.
Show Notes:
-Aminatou’s childhood: Growing up in Nigeria in a conservative Muslim family that emphasized intellectual curiosity. [1:25]
-Thoughts on her high school days, being a feminist, and wanting to live in America. [4:30]
-College years and the pressure to achieve as a child of immigrants. [7:28]
-The unexpected death of her mom, what she learned, and how she moved on. [14:10]
-Living in Belgium and DC, struggling to find a job amidst the obstacles of being an immigrant, and the job that taught her humility. [15:30]
-Landing her first “real” job… and then the recession hit – how panic and anxiety turned to hustle. [21:09]
-How Aminatou redefined her path after being granted asylum and built a solid digital PR resume. [27:33]
-How the Call Your Girlfriend podcast got started. [30:32]
-The “weird ride” to becoming her own boss and Aminatou’s insights on the long game. [35:17]
-Aminatou’s advice to women working full-time who want to level up in their leadership and gain more independence. [40:03]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Call Your Girlfriend – callyourgirlfriend.com
Music by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.com
Want to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters

Introducing New Season Aug 24, 2017

New Fall Season kicks off Thursday, September 7!
You're in store for more amazing interviews featuring the real journeys of inspiring heroines.
But don't wait for the season to start – connect with us now!
Join us for Heroine's first Live Q&A call on Thursday, August 31.
Go to http://www.heroine.fm/call to register. Ask a question, participate a little or a lot, or just listen in!
Our lead host Majo will be sharing tips & insights on starting Heroine that you can apply to your own projects and ideas. Followed by a Q&A where you can ask her anything!
Register at http://www.heroine.fm/call

Feeling Alive {Kim Chambers} Aug 03, 2017

In today’s bonus episode, Majo speaks with Kim Chambers, one of the world’s best marathon swimmers and the sixth person to complete the ultimate open water challenge “Oceans Seven.” She also set a world record as the first woman to swim thirty miles to the Farallon Islands through one of the largest concentration of great white sharks. Surprisingly, Kim only discovered swimming a few years ago.
A daughter of farmers and a ballerina for many years, Kim talks about the value of learning discipline and a strong work ethic, and shares about the accident that changed her life – setting her on a new life course. Her journey reveals what’s possible when you choose to jump into the deep end and follow your bliss.
Show Notes:
-On growing up on a farm in New Zealand, dancing ballet, and how Kim learned tenacity at a young age. [1:32]
-Defining moments from adolescence: Attending an all-girls school, witnessing the death of a friend, and more. [6:20]
-Kim talks about the impact of travelling a lot with her family, and studying Human Computer Interaction at Berkeley. [12:15]
-The perks of classical training and discipline, plus how having a routine sets a strong foundation. [18:32]
-Becoming a “completely different person in the last ten years”: Kim shares about the accident that nearly required the amputation of her leg (and how it was the best thing that could have happened to her). [22:54]
-On her newfound desire for freedom, feeling drawn to the water, and getting started as a swimmer. [29:58]
-Kim’s relationship to water: Making friends with dolphins, talking to sea lions, feeling spiritual connections with islands, and swimming with great white sharks. [34:29]
-How Kim relates to fear, her most challenging swims, and her advice to other women wanting to take a new leap. [42:15]
References:
Check out Kim's adventures at http://kimswims.com/
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com
Go to http://www.heroine.fm/survey and give us your feedback on the show so we can continue to delight you with Heroine – Receive an audio training on the Inner Critic as a gift in return!

Gloria Steinem & Lateefah Simon in SF Jul 06, 2017

A few months ago our host Majo attended a live conversation at the Women’s Building between SF-based activist Lateefah Simon and Gloria Steinem, who became nationally recognized as a leader and spokeswoman for the feminist movement in the late 60s and early 70s. She’s been an inspiration to generations of women who want to live life on their own terms.
This episode is a compilation of some of the most interesting moments from the historic conversation, with Majo weaving in and out to provide context and insights. As a woman who’s been around the block and long-engaged in social and political activism, Gloria has powerful wisdom to share on the topics of feminism, sex, race, our current political climate, and how we can have an impact.
Show Notes:
-Introducing Lateefah and Gloria, and the setting for this historic conversation. [0:00]
-Defining feminism. [2:34]
-Gloria weighs in on why white, married women voted for Trump, and talks about the ways in which our minds are colonized. [4:48]
-“If we look up, we feel disempowered. Look at each other.” [9:39]
-Using empathy to design solutions: A story about sex-trafficking in Zambia. [14:34]
-Gloria’s advice for affecting change and making an impact. [18:57]
References:
The Women's Building – https://womensbuilding.org/
Gloria Steinem – http://www.gloriasteinem.com/
Akonadi Foundation – https://akonadi.org/
94.1 KPFA – https://kpfa.org/
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com
Go to http://www.heroine.fm/survey and give us your feedback on the show so we can continue to delight you with Heroine – Receive an audio training on the Inner Critic as a gift in return!

Quick Reminder Jun 22, 2017

A quick reminder about our summer schedule & feedback survey.
Go to http://www.heroine.fm/survey and give us your feedback so we can continue to delight you with Heroine. We want to hear from you!
In return, we'll send you an audio training on the inner critic — it's a win-win!

Inner Voice & Trust {Jenna Bott} Jun 01, 2017

Today’s bonus episode features Jenna Bott, Art Director for the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, who worked on the visual identity for Sheryl Sandberg’s new book Option B.
Amidst holding down full-time jobs and having three children, Jenna shares how she came to call herself a designer over a decade of freelance projects, working at a small agency, and landing clients like Lean In. She also talks about dealing with rejection and imposter syndrome, and what it means to be “paid to learn.” For anyone looking to bridge into what they really want to do, Jenna has fantastic insights and advice to offer.
Show Notes:
-Jenna growing up: A “visually particular” tomboy who didn’t identify as an artist. [2:32]
-How she felt a strong pull to the arts in college, but went in a completely different direction, plus her one creative outlet and the job that sparked her love for design. [6:55]
-Jenna shares the pivotal motivation and insights that came after a crushing rejection. [10:28]
-On her decision to switch things up after becoming pregnant, and the internal challenges around embracing herself as a designer that she had to get over. [14:08]
-Growing her freelance business while working full-time with three kids... how this hustle phase paid off when Jenna landed Lean In as a client. [19:59]
Persevering through self-doubt by trusting her inner voice, plus great advice from one of Jenna’s mentors. [23:18]
-On being in process and still figuring things out, and how she approached her work on Option B. [27:57]
-Majo and Jenna discuss Sheryl and her new book: Her goal to normalize the conversation around grief, making it okay to talk about, and the importance of knowing how to comfort others. [31:51]
-What Jenna has learned from her work on Option B, and her final words of wisdom. [34:40]
References:
Option B – https://optionb.org/
Get the book – https://optionb.org/book
Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation – https://sgfamilyfoundation.org/
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com
Go to http://www.heroine.fm/survey and give us your feedback on the show so we can continue to delight you with Heroine – Receive an audio training on the Inner Critic as a gift in return!

Have Feedback? May 25, 2017

Go to http://www.heroine.fm/survey and give us your feedback so we can continue to delight you with Heroine. We want to hear from you!
In return, you'll receive an audio training on the inner critic — it's a win-win!

New Schedule {Important!} May 11, 2017

Today’s short ‘n’ sweet episode is a quick announcement about our new summer schedule – it’s going to be a LOT lighter! Deep breath.
Because here’s the truth – we could all use a little break and the chance to slow down. Majo shares the aha moment she had before coming to this decision, plus drops some teasers on the bonus episodes you can expect to see over the next few months.
She also shares about how far her dream has come over the last year to create a podcast that brings women’s voices together.

Leading Teams {Kristy Tillman} May 04, 2017

Kristy Tillman was the Design Director at Society of Grownups and a designer at IDEO in Boston before making her way up to become the Head of Communication Design at Slack, a messaging tool for teams. This is a recent position for Kristy, who is real and honest about being “in process.” Her insights on building strong and diverse teams are powerful, especially if you’re considering becoming a manager.
As a black woman in design, Kristy offers advice for those who feel like they don’t fit into the dominant culture of their company. She also talks about holding out for the right opportunities, the qualities that make strong managers and designers, and her unique formula for success.
Show Notes:
-Kristy growing up: From a precocious girl in a bike gang to a vulnerable teen who had to learn to become self-assured and independent. [3:20]
-Figuring out what she wanted to do in her college years, internships at Nasa and elsewhere, and discovering her love for design. [10:21]
-Some of Kristy’s bigger career transitions, and the unique approach she took with her application to IDEO that helped her get noticed. [17:40]
-On her favorite projects at IDEO, building her own design teams, and the discomfort she’s occasionally felt as the only black woman in her work culture. [22:48]
-On accepting uncomfortable situations, her love for building teams and bringing people together, and her advice for when you don’t feel like you fit into your company's work culture.
[26:37]
-Kristy shares insights from her first experience building and constructing teams and how she fell in love with it, plus her advice to anyone considering management work. [31:03]
-How Kristy finally transitioned to Slack after the right role presented itself, and her unique recipe for success. [35:58]
-On what the last six months at Slack has looked like and building the culture of a new team, plus what Kristy looks for in a designer. [40:42]
-Kristy’s final thoughts, her 99U talk on “inviting yourself to the table”, and future goals. [49:12]
References:
Kristy’s blog – http://www.tomorrowlooksbright.com/
Her 99U talk: “Inviting Yourself to the Table” – http://99u.com/videos/53998/kristy-tillman-inviting-yourself-to-the-table
Slack – https://slack.com/
Episode Sponsors:
Lingo App – http://bit.ly/lingo-app
TuneIn – http://tunein.com/
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – https://lucia.bandcamp.com/

New Rules of Work {Alex Cavoulacos} Apr 27, 2017

The world of work has seen a lot of change in recent years, and it can be tough to keep up. What do these changes mean for your career and leadership? Alex Cavoulacos breaks it down and shares her career expertise in today’s episode. Named one of INC’s 15 women to watch in tech and Forbes 30 under 30, Alex is co-founder and COO of TheMuse.com, a career platform and community helping millions of Millennials find inspiring careers.
Alex talks about making the leap from her job as a consultant to starting this groundbreaking company, and dives into their book The New Rules of Work: The Modern Playbook for Navigating your Career. Alex also shares her productivity hacks, her genius approach to to-do listing, and how to create your personal brand authentically.
Show Notes:
-On her strong, self-driven personality growing up, and the grit and rigor she learned from her schooling outside the U.S. [2:43]
-Some of the lessons she learned in school, like dealing with pressure and separating efforts from results. [8:47]
-Alex’s college years: throwing previous training out the window, exploring new fields, and getting a clearer sense for how she wanted to go about impacting the world. [15:00]
-How Alex met Kathryn and what drove them to get started with The Muse. [20:25]
-The pain points that came up in deciding between staying at her job and taking a chance with The Muse, and how she ultimately made the leap. [28:32]
-Diving into their new book, The New Rules of Work: The Modern Playbook for Navigating Your Career. [21:06]
-The main difference Alex has noticed between men and women when it comes to career work, and how The Muse helps less-traditional workers be successful. [35:41]
-On the importance of personal branding and how to create your brand authentically. [38:15]
-Alex’s productivity hacks and insights, plus her genius approach to to-do listing. [43:48]
-On saying no, the difference between an employee mindset and a leader mindset, and what Alex has reclaimed on her journey. [47:52]
References:.
TheMuse.com – https://www.themuse.com/
Get their book, The New Rules of Work, available now – https://www.themuse.com/thenewrulesofwork
Episode Sponsor:
Lingo App – http://bit.ly/lingo-app
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – https://lucia.bandcamp.com/

Shifting Careers {Veronica Belmont} Apr 20, 2017

Last year, Veronica Belmont hosted HBO’s Red Carpet Premiere for Game of Thrones. But after spending ten years as an online media personality, she decided to leave the world of video behind her and become a product manager.
On today’s show, she shares about the ups and downs of being a freelancer, switching careers after ten years and embracing a new and unknown path, and how she’s becoming an expert in her new field. If you’re thinking about transitioning your role or industry and jumping over into something kind of but not really related, this is the episode for you.
Show Notes:
-Veronica growing up: A rough and tumble kind of girl who loved gadgets and tinkering with toys. [2:01]
-Her fascination with computers and games, joining the punk rock scene in high school, and studying Audio Production at Emerson. [5:54]
-Veronica’s first taste of feeling blocked because she was a woman, and how she ended up moving to San Francisco. [11:10]
-The hustle phase: Using Craigslist for everything (even her mattress), facing lots of rejections, and landing an internship at CNET. [15:53]
-Diving into her audio career, shifting from behind-the-scenes work to sharing her voice and co-hosting, and the leap to video. [23:45]
-Going from a super high to a super low: Veronica’s huge opportunity to host the HBO premiere of GOT, and her mistake of reading all the nasty comments about it afterward. [31:36]
-“It’s okay to know yourself well enough to know when you need a change.” Veronica shares about her decision to end all her contracts and stop video work. [34:39]
-On freelancing, the podcasts she continues to work on and how they’ve evolved, and her transition into Product Management. [38:53]
-The importance of becoming an expert in your domain, joining Bot Makers, and Veronica’s advice to people wanting to break into a new field. [42:32]
-The tendency women have to disqualify themselves from new opportunities (while men seem to do the opposite), and Veronica’s words of encouragement. [47:55]
-What Veronica has reclaimed for herself on her heroine’s journey. [50:45]
References:
Veronica’s personal website – http://veronicabelmont.com/
Sword & Laser podcast – http://swordandlaser.com/
Growbot website – https://www.growbot.io/
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Do You Own It? {Jaime Derringer} Apr 13, 2017

Jaime Derringer started the blog Design Milk even though she wasn’t a designer – she was simply curating what she thought was beautiful. Today it’s one of the best-known design blogs out there dedicated to modern design – offering what’s new in art, architecture, fashion and technology, and more.
In today’s episode, she and our host discuss the importance of having clarity on your hobbies versus your job, while still embracing all that you are as a creative renaissance woman. Jaime also talks about her depression and anxiety during her twenties, and shares the mindset shifts and energy management tips that helped her to leave it in the past.
Show Notes:
-Growing up: On being an independent girl who preferred the art store to the toy store, expressing herself with piercings and pink hair, and struggling to find herself. [1:52]
-Why she chose to major in Asian Studies in college, even though it was a “useless” degree to her. [7:37]
-On her depression and anxiety during her twenties, and the exercise that saved her. [10:22]
-Moving around, becoming a mom, and how she got started with Design Milk. [12:55]
-Jaime talks about how long it took to find a job where she felt comfortable, how she had to fake it ‘til she made it, and having the confidence to figure things out. [16:58]
-On taking on new challenges, being multi-modal, and her hobbies for relaxation. [23:34]
-Jaime and Majo talk about identity and wearing different hats, plus the big aha Jaime had that expanded her creative freedom. [27:03]
-Some of the common pitfalls of working through big projects, plus tips on energy management. [32:09]
-Jaime shares her final words of wisdom on increasing her capacity and what she’s reclaimed on her journey. [36:07]
References:
Design Milk – http://design-milk.com/
Jaime's personal website – http://www.jaimederringer.com/
Dog Milk – http://dog-milk.com/
Adorn Milk – https://adorn-milk.com/
Find Jaime on Twitter:
@designmilk @jaimederringer
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Hardship & Creativity {Ashley C. Ford} Apr 06, 2017

Ashley C. Ford is a writer, editor, and speaker who has written and guest-edited for publications like The Guardian, ELLE, BuzzFeed, Slate, and many more. But only a few years ago, she had a very different story. After getting fired from all her part-time jobs at once, she hit rock bottom, but was able to find the inspiration to move forward after reading a self-help book.
Soon after, she became friends with Lena Dunham, started writing for BuzzFeed, and is now a senior writer at Refinery29 while also working on a personal memoir. As a survivor of sexual assault, Ashley talks about letting go of shame and the relationship between personal hardships and creativity. She also shares her perspective on Black Girl Magic and what she’s reclaimed on her heroine’s journey.
Show Notes:
-Ashley as a little girl: A precocious, early reader who asked a lot of questions and was highly skeptical of adult authority. [2:57]
-On hitting puberty as a young woman – “It’s not about us, it’s about the way the world starts to react to us.” [10:11]
-Ashley talks about her father, who was in prison for most of her life, and how their relationship was further complicated after learning what his crime had been. [17:46]
-On personal experiences relating to creativity, why Ashley struggled so long to figure out what she wanted to do, and how she ended up becoming a writer. [21:04]
-Diving into Ashley’s transition to becoming a writer – from surviving on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to checking out all the self-help books at the library to getting a job at Buzzfeed. [26:57]
-Some of the beliefs she had to let go of in order to lead, plus her beautiful perspective on "black girl magic". [32:05]
-Ashley’s advice for making yourself more visible and vulnerable, her wisdom on shame, and what she’s in the process of reclaiming for herself. [38:25]
References:
Ashley's website – http://www.ashleycford.net/
Episode Sponsor:
UENO - http://ueno.co/
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Feminist Fight Club {Jessica Bennett} Mar 30, 2017

Today’s episode features a powerful interview with Jessica Bennett – a journalist who writes on gender, sexuality, and culture. She recently authored the book Feminist Fight Club, an office survival guide for a sexist workplace that’s packed with hilarity and insights on the subtle and sneaky sexism that still exists in modern workplaces today.
Jessica talks about how women have been programmed to feel competitive with each other, whether it’s okay to cry at work, and shares practical tools and techniques for dealing with sexism at work. She also shares how she overcame imposter syndrome to write for big names like the Times, and how you can overcome self doubts too.
Show Notes:
- A “geeky” girl with unyielding ambition and lots of lofty goals. [0:00]
- How she began to notice that the men around her were getting promoted faster and published more often, and how that led to uncovering an amazing story about women in the 70s who had felt the same frustration… [1:56]
- Growing up in liberal Seattle, Jessica admits that she wasn’t always interested in gender issues, and shares how she came to form the first feminist fight club. [6:03]
- Majo and Jessica talk about the subtle and insidious nature of sexism even in modern and progressive workplaces. [10:30]
- Diving into the book, Feminist Fight Club: How we self-sabotage, dealing with imposter syndrome, and more. [11:13]
- How women are programmed to feel competitive with each other: “It doesn’t have to be this way… we have the power to change this.” [15:52]
- To cry or not to cry at work? Jessica breaks down the stigmas around crying. [20:29]
- How communication and speech impacts the way we are perceived, and other stereotypes on how women are supposed to behave. [25:55]
- On reclamation, and the importance of bringing humor into issues like this. [31:49]
- How we can bring men into this conversations, the surprising thing that Jessica has reclaimed on her journey, and her advice to women. [35:26]
References:
http://www.feministfightclub.com/
http://www.jessicabennett.me/
Episode Sponsor:
UENO - http://ueno.co/
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Creative Freedom {Shyama Golden} Mar 23, 2017

What is creative freedom – and when do you feel it most? Shyama Golden is an artist and designer who has found a range of ways to express her artistry. As a daughter to scientist immigrants, her parents encouraged her to pursue something practical. But after ten years of taking that route, Shyama felt the time was right to let her artsy side shine.
Shyama shares when she has felt the most and least creative freedom on her journey to becoming a sustainable artist – from her work in graphic and interactive design, to her paintings of families living inside of dinosaurs and a giant Sasquatch made of cats. This episode will get you wondering what phase of creative freedom you're in, and whether it’s time for a change.
Show Notes:
-Shyama as a little girl: an introverted, only child who liked trying new and “weird” things. [2:56]
-On her immigrant parents, college years, and how the nature of her first job affected her creative freedom. [7:12]
-How rejection and getting laid off turned out to be a blessing in disguise. [13:18]
-From full-time work, to freelance work, to a sabbatical focused on making her own art. [17:28]
-How a chance opportunity to participate in an art exhibit helped quiet her inner critic and revealed the positive power of deadlines. [21:58]
-Deciding to move to SF for new challenges and opportunities, and the regret she felt initially. [27:09]
-Shyama’s insights on sustaining herself as well as having mentors and patrons. [35:14]
-The internal shifts Shyama has made to protect her creativity, plus her progress on Catsquatch. [40:38]
References:
Check out Shyama's work – http://shyamagolden.com/
Episode Sponsor:
Adobe Creative Residency – http://adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Cultivating Bravery {Caroline Paul} Mar 16, 2017

Interested in learning how to de-condition away from fear and towards bravery? According to Caroline Paul, girls are socialized to be fearful instead of brave — and it’s not doing us any favors. As one of the first women in the SF Fire Department and author of the children’s book, The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure, Caroline has great insights on the relationship between being adventurous and being creative.
Caroline talks about how interacting with nature can help us cultivate bravery, and shares powerful insights on the relationship between fear and exhilaration. She also does a fantastic job of breaking down the cultural rituals between men and women, which can help explain why women sometimes feel uncomfortable in male-dominated workplaces.
Show Notes:
-Growing up as the shy twin: how being an identical twin uniquely shaped Caroline growing up. [4:52]
-Discussing the research on girls during the pivotal pre-teen years, and what that time was like for Caroline. [9:39]
-College years, being baffled by the idea of careers and what she wanted to do, and how she came to be one of the first women at SF Fire Department. [13:32]
-Caroline shares about the early difficulties of working in such a male-dominated field, and the different cultural rituals between men and women. [19:35]
-Being the first to volunteer for things, striving to out-brave the men and the backlash that came with that, and the different flavors of bravery. [26:25]
-On why parents protect girls more than boys, and the revelation Caroline’s mother had that led her to encourage her daughters to be more adventurous. [29:24]
-On Caroline’s book, The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure. [32:09]
-How we begin the process of de-conditioning ourselves away from fear: Caroline’s advice to practice bravery in small steps, and her powerful final thoughts. [35:08]
References:
Caroline’s website: http://www.carolinepaul.com/
Get Caroline’s book, The Gutsy Girl: https://www.amazon.com/Gutsy-Girl-Escapades-Your-Adventure/dp/1632861232
Caroline’s TED Talk, “To raise brave girls, encourage adventure”: http://www.ted.com/talks/caroline_paul_to_raise_brave_girls_encourage_adventure
Caroline’s New York Times Op-Ed, “Why do we teach girls that it’s cute to be scared?”: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/opinion/sunday/why-do-we-teach-girls-that-its-cute-to-be-scared.html?_r=0
Episode Sponsors:
UENO – https://ueno.co/careers
Adobe Creative Residency – http://adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Back to Six {Linda Liukas} Mar 09, 2017

On the heroine’s journey, a lot of our speakers find that they return to the magic, playfulness, and confidence they had as little girls. Linda Liukas is a beautiful example of this cycle. A computer programmer and children’s book author, she hopes to create a more diverse and colorful perspective of technology – starting with the poetry of coding.
Linda’s coding book for children quickly became one of Kickstarter’s most highly funded children’s books, and her recent TEDx talk has garnered over 1.5 million views. Her unapologetic, girlish enthusiasm is contagious – she’ll get you thinking back to what you were like as a little girl and perhaps remind you of parts of yourself you’d like to reclaim.
Show Notes:
-Linda as a very imaginative little girl who loved role-playing with friends and tinkering on her dad’s computer. [3:51]
-How she came to develop a brave and curious attitude towards technology, plus the hilarious story of teaching herself to build a fan website for her girlhood crush, Al Gore. [7:30]
-Thoughts on identity: Linda talks about how pre-teen girls often feel like they have to define themselves in very binary terms. [13:20]
-Linda’s decade away from computers and technology, what she did instead and why, and how she found her calling. [18:20]
-The small steps that led to her true career, early opportunities, and the start of her children’s book. [21:48]
-On getting swept up by projects, never graduating, and moving to New York to work with a new start-up. [28:34]
-Dealing with self-doubt as her book started to take off, and the importance of taking time and creating empty space for deep work. [34:45]
-Launching her kickstarter: How she dealt with imposter syndrome as she started to see huge success. [41:04]
-On her TEDx talk and speaking more broadly about her work, plus Linda’s insights on being many things at the same time. [48:27]
References:
Hello Ruby website: http://www.helloruby.com/
Linda's TEDx talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/linda_liukas_a_delightful_way_to_teach_kids_about_computers
Episode Sponsor:
Adobe Creative Residency – http://adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Creative Revival {Debbie Millman} Mar 02, 2017

Debbie Millman is a writer, educator, artist, brand consultant, and host of the radio show Design Matters (the world’s first podcast about design). In this episode, she shares her wisdom on dealing with criticism, what to do when you’re in an ‘inner critic storm’, and how to funnel your energy towards your one non-negotiable.
More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/27/creative-revival-with-debbie-millman
She and Majo also discuss Debbie’s darker childhood days, facing rejection in her twenties, and achieving great success in her thirties as a brand consultant. More recently, she realized a connection to her true creative spirit was missing and that she needed to circle back to it. As a creative woman now in her fifties, Debbie’s wisdom and words of encouragement strike a powerful chord.
Show Notes:
-Debbie opens up about her difficult childhood, touches on her coming-of-age years, and shares how she was recently astounded by a picture of herself from when she was two. [5:01]
-The evolution of her creative expression: From making perfumes and writing bad poems as a girl to editing newspapers and magazines in college. Plus, how her twenties came to be dubbed “experiments in rejection and failure”. [10:45]
-On rejection and feedback, the idea of the “good girl myth”, and the parts of herself she disregarded in order to please her inner misogynist. [15:28]
-Debbie talks about her success as a branding consultant, circling back to her creative roots, and how it’s taken a long time to feel comfortable in her own skin. [20:56]
-On getting bullied by a design blog, taking responsibility for our choices, and achieving your one non-negotiable. [25:16]
-“Well-behaved women seldom make history.” Debbie offers advice on making things happen for yourself. [32:27]
-How Debbie deals with criticism and feedback today. [37:08]
-Debbie and Majo discuss an issue many women grapple with, and how they each are working to overcome it. [43:11]
References:
Majo's website – majomolfino.com
Debbie's website: http://debbiemillman.com/
Episode Sponsors:
Adobe Creative Residency – adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
UENO – ueno.co/careers
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Redefining Success {Grace Bonney} Feb 23, 2017

Grace Bonney started the blog Design*Sponge many years ago, and today it’s one of the most trusted places online to go for creative inspiration. Her journey has had several points of big changes, like when she decided to pursue her blog full-time, when she came out as gay, and when she was diagnosed with diabetes. She’s an excellent example of how we sometimes must cycle through the heroine’s journey more than once.
Grace is also the author of the recently released book, In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs, and shares Heroine’s mission to support and empower creative women from all walks of life.
In this episode, you’ll learn the mistakes Grace has made in order to grow, and the lessons she’s learned as her business has evolved.
Show Notes:
-Grace growing up: A quiet and shy girl who struggled to feel like her natural self was accepted. [4:17]
-Transferring to a small liberal arts college after feeling like NYU was too big for her, and how that shifted her path for the better. [10:22]
-Dealing with pushback and criticism, coming out at thirty, and the importance of transparency. [14:30]
-On her early career, the evolution of Design*Sponge, and some deeply-seated patriarchal beliefs that she had to unlearn in order to lead. [21:08]
-Majo and Grace discuss misconceptions about women, like the false sense of competition, and Grace shares how a lot of her growth has come from making mistakes. [27:24]
-On setting boundaries and letting go of guilt, redefining herself and her business, and the aftermath of being diagnosed with diabetes. [34:11]
-Defining success in your own way: Grace shares what a successful day looks like for her. [40:12]
-Digging into her book, In The Company of Women. Grace reveals the huge myth that almost every women she interviewed had learned to let go of. [44:19]
-Discussing some of the most important messages to women in Grace’s book, including the encouragement to take up more space. [50:17]
References:
http://www.designsponge.com/
http://www.designsponge.com/book
http://www.thehivery.com
Episode Sponsors:
InVision – https://www.invisionapp.com/company
Adobe Creative Residency – http://adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Drop the Ball {Tiffany Dufu} Feb 16, 2017

Are you a fixer who loves taking responsibility and caring for others, but feel like you have too much on your plate? You’re not alone. Today’s episode features Tiffany Dufu, Chief Leadership Officer at Levo League and author of the new book Drop the Ball – a must-read for all of us trying to do everything ourselves and struggling to embrace imperfection.
Tiffany’s gems of wisdom include the value of delegating with joy, a concept she calls “strategic chaos”, and the three attributes to look for in a partner before you build a life with them. She also talks about motherhood as the last frontier of dropping the ball.
Show Notes:
-Tiffany growing up: An imaginative “good girl” who experienced early on a sense of injustice that sparked a feminist spirit. [5:25]
-Trying to be valued and liked in her teenage years, plus the benefit of experiencing failure at a young age. [9:59]
-College years, realizing she had more options than she’d been shooting for, and how she got into the nonprofit world. [15:11]
-On the specialness of millennials and the powerful meaning behind the title of her book. [20:33]
-How Tiffany and her husband fell into default mode when it came to the division of domestic labor – and what they did when that didn’t work. [25:10]
-How to delegate tasks in a meaningful way and other essential tips for busy women. [31:39]
-Learning to live with chaos: An incredibly amusing story that resulted in restored balance at home. [36:49]
-Exploring our social conditioning as women, and how to stay focused on what matters most. [42:40]
-Tiffany shares why motherhood is the final frontier in “dropping the ball”, plus the three attributes any partner of yours should have. [45:30]
-On our relationships with our mothers, having a greater sense of service, and Tiffany’s final thoughts. [51:52]
References:
Check out Tiffany’s website and find her new book, available now, at http://tiffanydufu.com/
Episode Sponsors:
UENO – https://ueno.co/careers
Adobe Creative Residency – http://adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Design for Good {Patrice Martin} Feb 09, 2017

Design is powerful magic – It can help solve some of the world’s most urgent, critical problems. Patrice Martin is co-founder of IDEO.org, an organization that works to improve the lives of people in poor and vulnerable communities through design.
Patrice shares about her past struggles to be taken seriously as a petite woman, what she’s observed as a difference in creative confidence between men and women, and some of the incredible projects her team is focused on. Her conversation with Majo is living proof that design, when done well, can change the world.
Show Notes:
-Patrice shares a funny childhood story about persistence that anticipated one of her strongest personality traits as an adult. [5:05]
-High school years: Finding her identity in art. [7:36]
-Thinking of technology as a medium to create experiences, plus other formative experiences during college. [10:56]
-Patrice’s experience at IDEO – applying a design lens to complicated questions and issues. [17:55]
-Her transition to IDEO.org, the organization she co-founded that focuses on social impact and poverty. [21:46]
-What she’s learned as a leader, how to set up an environment where people thrive, and her spot-on insights on the difference in creative confidence between men and women. [26:30]
-Designing for good: Some of the exciting projects Patrice and her team are focused on. [34:01]
-On the importance of being part of a community of mothers who are figuring out the work-life balance together. [43:35]
-Patrice’s final words of wisdom and advice. [52:47]
References:
http://www.ideo.org/
Episode Sponsors:
Adobe Creative Residency – http://adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
InVision – https://www.invisionapp.com/company
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Discipline & Faith {Alana Nichols} Feb 02, 2017

This interview had our host in tears. In today’s episode, Majo speaks with Paralympic Gold Medalist Alana Nichols. Playing sports was like a safe haven for Alana, whose family life wasn’t always ideal. But at 17, she broke her back in a snowboarding accident that left her unable to walk again. As a lifelong athlete, this was devastating.
Alana grappled with denial, depression, and isolation in college, until a magical moment turned everything around. Her story is about the power of practice, discipline, grit, and faith. And she shares powerful insights on gratitude – seeing what we have instead of what we don’t have.
Show Notes:
-Growing up as a confident, active tomboy who found her identity in sports at a young age. [4:13]
-On always being a risk-taker and her dreams of playing Olympic Softball. [8:46]
-Coming into her identity as a young teen, dealing with social pressures, and missing the presence of a mother who wasn’t able to be there for her. [13:48]
-Playing sports in high school, being approached by colleges offering scholarships, and the accident that brought everything to a halt. [17:04]
-Reflecting on that critical moment in her journey when everything changed, and her initial denial of it all. [22:18]
-The hard transition Alana faced upon returning home after rehab. [30:05]
-How taking a chance shortcut led to Alana’s magical moment when she was at her lowest point. [35:25]
-Mourning her loss with grace, moving forward, and developing a new dream. [38:47]
-Alana’s journey to the Paralympics and beyond, her insights on risk-taking, and final words of wisdom. [45:23]
References:
http://www.alanajanenichols.com/
Episode Sponsors:
InVision – https://www.invisionapp.com/company
Adobe Creative Residency – http://adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Victim to Queen {Justine Musk} Jan 26, 2017

In today’s episode, we speak with with writer, speaker, and soul-blogger Justine Musk, who has long been exploring the heroine’s journey in her work. She’s bold, honest, raw, and her story is an uncanny fit of the heroine’s arc.
Justine found her true voice and power as a creative leader after rising up from her own personal underworld. She shares how we can look to myths for guidance and offers advice for putting yourself out there. Her insights on our relationship to emotions, what she calls “non-predatory” power and leadership, and why saying 'no' is so important as a woman will blow you away.
Show Notes:
-Justine’s early years: A small town, bookish girl who couldn’t wait to grow up. Early influences, teenage awkwardness, and learning to stand up for herself. [4:30]
-Coming into her own in her college years, wondering where she belonged, plus her awareness of the disconnect between how people were perceiving her and how she perceived herself. [9:14]
-The story of goddess Persephone and why Justine connects so strongly with her. [12:52]
-The benefit in connecting to myth, “post-traumatic growth”, and Justine’s insights on dealing with pain. [18:33]
-How Justine emerged stronger and more empowered after descending to her lowest point. [22:43]
-Justine’s advice for putting yourself out there, plus why it’s important for women to be unconventional. [27:02]
-Taking a closer look at feminine authority and leadership, and the power of saying ‘no’. [32:23]
-On women’s relationship to emotions and feelings (especially in the workplace). [35:54]
-Justine shares her excitement for an issue she’s exploring and what she’s working on now. [39:05]
References:
Check out Justine's blog at http://justinemusk.com/
Episode Sponsors:
UENO – https://ueno.co/careers
Adobe Creative Residency – http://adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Are you an "artist"? {Lisa Congdon} Jan 19, 2017

Ever get the feeling that it’s too late to do what you love? In this episode, even our host admits to feeling that way sometimes, thinking it’s “too late” because she's already thirty. But thirty is around the magical time that artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon had her artistic revival. After working many years in education, she felt like a part of her wasn’t being fed. On a fluke she took an art class with her brother, and the experience changed her life.
Lisa is best known for her colorful abstract paintings, intricate line drawings, pattern design and hand lettering, as well as her work as an author. She and Majo cover some topics Lisa hasn’t shared on a podcast before, including the unsexy parts of her work and challenges she still grapples with, and discuss why some women can be so afraid to step into their creative power.
Show Notes:
-Lisa’s early years: A young girl eager to please and figure out her place, her awkward teenage years, and the layers of self-doubt and insecurity she had to shed. [4:34]
-“Is this really what I want to be doing?” Lisa’s insights on her early career and the creative outlet she sought to feel “fed”. [10:58]
-The fluke that triggered her creativity and path to becoming an artist. [15:02]
-On deserving to be a creative, exploring loneliness, and opening oneself up to the world. [18:34]
-Some of the internal challenges Lisa faced, including thinking of herself as a victim. [24:41]
-Lisa’s advice to Majo on coming out of the creative closet. [28:46]
-What defines an artist? Plus, conflicting thoughts on sharing your work via social media. [33:33]
-The unsexy parts of Lisa’s world as an artist. [37:24]
-Still “in process”: Lisa shares things she’s never discussed on a podcast before, including her plans to connect her work with activism and some of the vulnerabilities she grapples with. [42:51]
References:
More on Lisa at http://lisacongdon.com/
Episode Sponsors:
UENO – https://ueno.co/careers
Adobe Creative Residency – http://adobe.com/go/creativeresidency
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Bonus: Elle Luna Jan 05, 2017

Starring in this bonus episode is returning guest, Elle Luna. Majo hosts a Q&A with the author and artist, who drops deep, timely wisdom that will help you reflect for the new year.
Elle shares her profound perspective on the difference between 'should' and 'must', and why it's so important to be aware of our 'should's as women. She is an activator and a catalyst who will get your heart stirring and your mind bubbling with ideas.
References:
The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna
Learn more about Elle at http://elleluna.com/
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Quick Update Dec 29, 2016

A quick update from Majo during the break — including a preview into next year's interview lineup.
Happy Holidays!

Bonus: Ayla Nereo Dec 22, 2016

In this bonus episode, Majo hosts a Q&A with musician and environmental activist Ayla Nereo. Ayla is an incredible soul with an uncanny ability to listen to her surroundings and channel the inspiration she hears into musical form.
Ayla shares insights on some meaningful topics, like the importance of listening, being vulnerable, and how we all possess a unique puzzle piece to the bigger picture of our world. Her advice is timely and will inspire you to speak up and share your own creative gifts.
References:
Learn more about Ayla at http://aylanereo.com/
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Transition & Learning {Jesse Genet} Dec 08, 2016

How many fifteen-year-olds do you know have a mid-life crisis and stop to ask themselves, What really matters in life? Jesse Genet was one of them, and today she’s the Designer, Founder, and CEO of Lumi, a company that lets you easily brand your own packaging. Her journey to entrepreneurship started in high school – she basically petitioned herself out of her senior year and drove across the country to L.A. with nothing but a dream and her 1969 Lincoln convertible.
Jesse is a perfect example of a perpetual learner, constantly putting herself in uncomfortable situations in order to grow. She offers great counterintuitive advice to women who are seeking to be more creative and take more risks, and as a bonus, she’s straight up hilarious.
Show Notes:
-Jesse Genet growing up – a serious girl who wanted to be taken seriously. [3:32]
-Going through life phases early and fast, plus the turning point for her creativity. [7:32]
-How Jesse deftly figured out a way to leave high school early, and other evidence of an independent spirit. [13:24]
-On the benefits of being flexible, and choosing to view life with an opportunistic lens. [19:12]
-“I always wanted to level up.” On constantly putting herself in uncomfortable situations in order to learn and grow. [21:34]
-From a low year of being lonely and poor to creating a new path for herself. [27:21]
-The ups and downs of being a CEO, plus Jesse’s insights on developing new skills. [34:18]
-Jesse shares about her inner critic and offers advice to other women who want to be creative leaders and take more risks. [39:55]
References:
More on Jesse at http://jessegenet.com/
Lumi website – https://www.lumi.com/
Episode Sponsors:
UENO – ueno.co/careers
InVision – invisionapp.com/company
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Designing Rituals (6/6) Dec 01, 2016

You are human. You make mistakes. You aren’t perfect and you certainly aren’t a machine. We all know this, and yet so many of us hold ourselves to idealized standards of very disciplined people with high willpower. In a perfect world, maybe we’d actually be like that. But the truth is that even after you design your ritual and test it out, eventually it will morph, lessen, or decay altogether. This is completely natural.
We have to design for the maintenance of our rituals as much as the creation of them. In this flash wisdom episode, host Majo talks to us about the importance of self-compassion and shares three things that have helped her develop a “reset” mindset when rituals fall to the wayside.
Show Notes:
-Check out and pre-order the new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals, shipping on December 8 – plenty of time to order as a Christmas gift! Find it at mariamolfino.com/rituals and use the code “heroine” to get $10 off.
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
References:
-You can read through the steps & resources outlined in this episode and the others in this series at mariamolfino.com/blog. Scroll down to the Rituals category.
-If you’re a woman in the SFBA interested in joining my women’s group, let me know at mariamolfino.com/group.
Some of the incredible supporters of Heroine – Check them out!
-Brigit Kang (http://beauteparler.com/): Brigit is a SF-based designer with a great eye for beauty who is now focusing on weddings.
-Coleen Baik (http://coleenbaik.com/): Coleen is an independent designer and artist who has worked with legends like Gloria Steinham and whose art has explored the heroine’s journey.
-Daniel Steinbock (http://danielsteinbock.com/): Daniel is an incredible musician and philosopher with a beautiful mind. His album, The Blade, is to die for.
-Greyson MacAlpine (http://greysonmacalpine.dribbble.com/): Greyson a very supportive product designer at UENO, our lead sponsor who you know is always looking to hire designers at https://ueno.co/.
-Kelsey Janda (http://kelseyjanda.com/): Kelsey is a very talented designer in the Midwest whom I recently bonded with. Her work is very cool and interesting, so for the designers listening, check out her work.
-Mamie Rheingold (http://beta.onuniverse.com/): Mamie is an amazing legend who is developing the coolest app called Universe that allows you to unleash your creativity and basically make whatever you want with an app.
-Meredith Rom (http://www.risingwomenleaders.com/): Meredith has her own podcast called Rising Women Leaders. If you’re into feminine spirituality, you’ll want to check her out.
-Laura Porcelli (http://lauraporcelli.com/): Laura is my aunt and a very talented artist. She’s freaking dope and so is her work.
-Rhiannon Griego (http://www.ghostdancercollection.com/): Rhiannon is a soul-sister and a really incredible textile artist. She makes woven garments, beaded jewelry...I wore a pair of her earrings to my wedding. Her love for beauty and for our planet is really felt in her work.

Art & Service {Lynsey Addario} Nov 23, 2016

A woman in complete service to what she does, who is even willing to die for her work, definitely fits the archetype of the heroine. Lynsey Addario is a photojournalist who has photographed women under the Taliban, documented misogyny in the Congo, and been on the ground in Afghanistan after 9/11. From capturing the lives of transgender prostitutes in New York to her continued work on Syrian refugees and those displaced by war, Lynsey seeks to do justice for her subjects by capturing the true essence of their humanity.
Lynsey is also a New York Times bestselling author. Her memoir, It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War, is so filled with vivid details and vulnerability, including her very close call as a hostage in Libya, that Steven Spielberg will soon be directing a movie based on her life starring Jennifer Lawrence. Lynsey’s spirit and drive will inspire you to recognize the unique impulses and passions we all have inside of us.
Show Notes:
-Growing up with parents who encouraged her to express herself, follow her dreams, and learn things for herself. [4:19]
-Receiving her first camera, becoming a self-taught photographer, and breaking into the business (which involved sneaking a shot of Madonna). [8:10]
-How Lynsey found her calling early on, and the inspiring purpose that drives her. [12:53]
-How she furthered her career by asking for an advance on the wedding she didn’t intend to have. [15:31]
-Bringing milk and cookies to transgender prostitutes: Lynsey’s method of getting to know people before photographing them. [17:20]
-Going to Afghanistan as an unmarried, American female photographer during a time when photography was outlawed by the Taliban. [22:07]
-The unique barriers (and dangers) of being a woman photojournalist. [25:43]
-The brutal week she spent as a hostage in Libya: Being groped and assaulted and constantly threatened with execution. [28:56]
-Deciding to have a child after surviving the ordeal in Libya, plus Lynsey’s thoughts on living a “dual life”. [34:19]
-“This job is not about me, it’s about the people I cover.” Lynsey shares how she’s able to continue her work despite the trauma and violence she’s seen. [38:48]
-An incredible story of kindness from a young boy displaced by war, plus what Lynsey is working on now. [42:59]
References:
Lynsey’s Website – www.lynseyaddario.com
You can find Lynsey’s best-selling memoir (now in paperback!) on Amazon.com – Search “It’s What I Do” in books.
Episode Sponsors:
UENO – ueno.co/careers
InVision – invisionapp.com/company
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Designing Rituals (5/6) Nov 17, 2016

Rituals are growing, evolving things with their own stubborn intelligence. That’s why the same exact rituals are hard to sustain over time. Since we are constantly changing with the months, seasons, and our environments, it makes sense to allow our rituals to organically change along with us. This approach is not only more realistic, forgiving, and practical, but it honors our naturally changing feminine energy.
Majo described in Part 4 how to design your morning and evening rituals after identifying actions that aligned with your deeper desires. Now it’s time to anticipate and even welcome change. In this flash wisdom episode, Majo shares three principles that will help you add flexibility and fluidity to your rituals in a way that honors your body’s natural rhythms.
Show Notes:
-Check out and pre-order the new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals. Get it through our Indiegogo campaign at bit.ly/heroinelive – You’ll be investing in your own self-care while supporting women’s voices.
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
References:
-You can read through the steps & resources outlined in this episode at mariamolfino.com/blog, How to Evolve Your Rituals.

Community & Heritage {Bethany Yellowtail} Nov 10, 2016

If you’re looking to understand your creativity and how it connects to your roots, this interview will surely spark some ideas and inspiration for you. Bethany Yellowtail is an influential Native fashion designer who shares her Crow and Northern Cheyenne heritage with the utmost sensitivity and care. When our host first stumbled upon her, Majo was struck by Bethany’s work and its beautiful celebration of Native American culture (without the ickiness of appropriation).
They cover what it was like for Bethany growing up as one of the only Native girls in a mostly white public school, how she envisioned her brand and met her co-founder, and the inspiration behind her artist collective. Not only is she carving out an entirely new space in the fashion industry, but she’s doing so in a way that is positively impacting Native communities.
Show Notes:
-Bethany as a little girl: An old soul growing up on the Crow Indian Reservation. [4:43]
-On her parents and Native heritage, and dealing with racist mentalities that still exist to this day. [8:52]
-The extreme culture shock of her college years in L.A. and the emergence of her unique brand. [12:51]
-Bethany’s business partner who arrived via “divine intervention” and the launch of their first ecommerce products. [17:26]
-Her point of view around authentic native representation in fashion, plus the lessons she learned working for other companies. [21:21]
-How Bethany’s work is a way of sharing her culture, and how she deals with criticism. [25:03]
-On the theme of reclamation and how it relates to modern-day issues impacting Native communities. [31:39]
-Bethany shares about the inspiration and vision behind her artist collective. [33:31]
References:
Bethany Yellowtail – www.byellowtail.com
Artist collective – www.byellowtail.com/all
Heroine Live! IndieGogo campaign – bit.ly/heroinelive
Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com
Episode Sponsors:
UENO – ueno.co/careers
InVision – invisionapp.com/company

Designing Rituals (4/6) Nov 03, 2016

Ready to design your morning and evening ritual? Even if you’re not, this flash wisdom episode will help you go through the motions to see what happens. In the last episode of this series we identified actions that align with your deeper desires. The next step is even simpler: sequencing these actions into a ritual.
A ritual is simply a structure with intention, something we make sacred through our attention and love. They provide a way to elevate the mundane (taking a shower) into a magical experience. In this fifth episode of the Designing Rituals series, host Majo walks you through the ritual designing process, inviting you stay experimental as you explore what works best for you.
Show Notes:
-Check out and pre-order the new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals. Get it through our Indiegogo campaign at bit.ly/heroinelive – You’ll be investing in your own self-care while supporting women’s voices.
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
References:
You can read through the steps outlined in this episode at mariamolfino.com/blog, The 6 Steps to Designing Your Ideal Morning Ritual.

Shifting Power {Eileen Carey} Oct 27, 2016

Our speakers often hold up a big mirror, sometimes revealing traits within us that need to be developed or amplified. Eileen Carey is a super feminist who offers that experience as an outspoken, unapologetic woman with a thirst for power. An overachiever who doesn’t always follow the rules, Eileen is CEO of Glassbreakers, which provides solutions for companies that want to keep their employees diverse and engaged by tackling diversity at the corporate level.
Eileen comes from a long line of strong, opinionated women, and she continues in their tradition. In her interview she shares her thoughts on the fluidity of gender, drops some tough-love for women who feel like they can’t completely be themselves at work, and talks about the difference between career and corporate feminism in a way that is refreshingly direct and authentic.
Show Notes:
-Eileen’s powerful upbringing: Coming from a long line of strong and rebellious women. [4:02]
-On her independent and strong-willed personality, speaking up despite labels of being bossy or bitchy, and being comfortable with being controversial. [9:27]
-College years and discovering her true passions, plus the elite job she found on Craigslist that opened the doors of power to her in Manhattan. [14:53]
-Eileen shares about her thirst for power and how that guided her when the recession hit and her career became uncertain. [19:39]
-On being the “token millennial” during Occupy Wall Street, plus stories of Eileen’s mom the “corporate feminist”. [24:53]
-A lively discussion on masculine vs feminine in work cultures, and Eileen’s critical advice to jobseekers. [28:49]
-The value of diversity – One of the main catalysts for starting Glassbreakers. [34:20]
-The rock-bottom years: Eileen shares how moments of darkness in her life led her to make (good) drastic decisions. [39:13]
-Eileen’s lifelong passion for feminist causes and her thoughts on Hillary being the most overqualified candidate. [44:55]
-Some tough-love advice on work-life balance, what it takes to scale a huge company, and the importance of building amazing teams. [49:07]
References:
Check out Glassbreakers at www.glassbreakers.co
Music by Lucia Lilikoi - lucia.bandcamp.com
Episode Sponsors:
UENO - ueno.co
InVision - invisionapp.com

Designing Rituals (3/6) Oct 20, 2016

Pleasure gets an interesting rep, don’t you think? Spiritual traditions all over the world have told us to “transcend” pleasure, or at the very least not get too attached to it. Our American culture built on puritanical principles makes us feel wary of anything that’s too pleasurable, or that comes through pleasure versus hard work. Layer on gender, and we have a whole other conversation about so many of us women (especially good girls) who feel guilty about experiencing pleasure.
In this flash wisdom episode, Majo describes how our morning and evening rituals become the pleasurable bookends to our career work, revealing how pleasure and discipline aren’t mutually exclusive. Your biggest takeaway will be the three steps she outlines to help in designing rituals that are aligned with your deeper desires.
Show Notes:
***Heroine Live! event on 10/27 – RSVP & check out other perks at http://www.bit.ly/herpod
-Check out and pre-order the new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals (available at mariamolfino.com/rituals). Use code “heroine” to get a special rate through Nov. 1!
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
References:
-The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte

Fight for Authenticity {Nancy Douyon} Oct 13, 2016

Many of our guests have had their fair share of obstacles they’ve had to overcome, but Nancy Douyon is on a whole other level. A user experience researcher at Google, Nancy found her way to happiness and stability only after bridging a new and bewildering culture, bouncing around foster homes and living on the streets, and coming to terms with her broken childhood.
You won’t believe the magical, serendipitous encounter with the MIT Media Lab that changed (and potentially saved) her life, revealing an aptitude for computers and design at a young age. Another big theme from her interview is the struggle she faced with her mom and how she was able to heal that relationship – a true hallmark of the heroine’s journey. Nancy is real, resourceful, and she has an incredible story to share.
Show Notes:
-An inquisitive daughter of immigrants: Nancy’s early years in Boston surrounded by her Haitian culture. [4:33]
-Feeling confused, behind, and like an outsider as she tried to bridge American culture, plus the remarkable outcome of running away. [10:35]
-How she got connected to Computer Clubhouse, an MIT program where she learned to produce music, code, use photoshop, build robots, and lead her peers. [16:28]
-The lowest point: Bouncing around between being homeless and different foster homes. [19:02]
-The role of art and design as her only respite during a phase of anger and loneliness. [24:32]
-How she chose to get revenge on the foster care system, and her struggle to afford college. [28:24]
-Finding her passion, acknowledging her skills (despite stereotypes), and taking first steps to healing the relationship with her mother. [34:44]
-Moving forward and making amends, plus her decision to “show love through technology”. [42:49]
-How the earthquake in Haiti affected Nancy and her family, and the growth she experienced as a result. [45:33]
-“Fight to be authentic” and other advice from Nancy for women on their own journeys. [48:23]
References:
Tech Social Impact Conference - www.techsocialimpact.com
*Nancy has been working on multiple support efforts in Haiti - visit her relief outreach page at: www.douyonsignature.com/outreach
Music by Lucia Lilikoi - lucia.bandcamp.com
Episode Sponsors:
UENO - ueno.co
InVision - invisionapp.com

Designing Rituals (2/6) Oct 06, 2016

Here’s the truth nobody ever told you: rituals are really hard to hold down. A lot of people like to pretend it’s a snap to set rituals into place. When we hear about the daily do’s of others (especially successful people of today) it can be inspiring, but it can also make you feel kind of shitty if you’re struggling to nail down your own.
We all make mistakes in how we approach and think about rituals— from the time we set them to how we relate to them after we “fail.” In this flash wisdom episode (part 2 in the Designing Rituals series), our host Majo proposes a key shift in our orientation and relationship to rituals with a feminine approach that honors all that is fluid and cyclical, and in way that promotes self-compassion.
-Check out and pre-order the new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals (available at mariamolfino.com/rituals). Use code “heroine” to get a special rate through Nov. 1!
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
References:
-The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna
-Gretchen Rubin’s quiz: The Four Tendencies

In Progress {Jessica Hische} Sep 29, 2016

Years ago, Majo (our host) invited Jessica Hische to speak at the first Women In Design event and she blew everyone away with her humor, honest vulnerability, and passion for her work. Jessica is a lecturer, illustrator, and type designer – hands down one of the most important designers living amongst us in our generation today. Her clients include Wes Anderson, Dave Eggers, Penguin Books, The New York Times, Tiffany & Co., the list goes on and on.
She recently released her book, In Progress, where she shares her creative process, how her career unfolded, and how each opportunity leads to the next. Jessica and Majo may have only scratched the surface in this interview, but they cover a lot of juicy stuff plus wisdom and tips for the striving creative.
Show Notes:
–Growing up as a quiet art kid from a small town. [4:08]
–On Jessica’s work ethic, the awkwardness of high school, and her book, In Progress. [10:13]
–How her parents’ divorce made her a kinder person, and why “oversharing” is a huge part of who Jessica is. [14:53]
–The shock of criticism: Being told she wasn’t “good enough” and how she responded. [20:16]
–Dealing with competition in art school, doing lots of internships, plus a great pro tip for students. [26:30]
–Going all in: The illustration promo she put together to get noticed, and how it paid off. [31:44]
–On working insane hours, being upfront with her boss about what was important to her, and how hard it was to quit. [42:16]
–Diving into freelancing full-time and being her own boss: How Jessica dealt with doubt and her biggest fear. [50:24]
–Why Jessica likes to think of her life and career as a constellation, plus some great advice for creatives looking to attract business. [54:20]
–The importance of being an accessible creative leader, speaking her truth, and maintaining humility without losing self-confidence. [1:01:08]
References:
In Progress by Jessica Hische
jessicahische.is/awesome

Designing Rituals (1/6) Sep 22, 2016

Now that we’ve finished the Creative Confidence series, we’re launching a new flash wisdom series called The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals. In this first episode, our host makes the case for why you must fiercely protect your daily rituals as a creative woman.
So why is it even important to have daily rituals? Think for a minute of all the stimulation we have at our fingertips day to day: our laptops, iPhone, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, the list goes on and on. Engaging in these great tools and platforms hour upon hour makes our brains tired in this sneaky, unnoticeable way. Establishing a daily ritual is a beautiful, joyful way to remain rooted, stay sane, and keep life magical.
Join Majo (formerly Maria, she explains more about the name change in the episode) for the introduction to her six-part series on rituals, and learn four big reasons to fiercely protect at least 5 minutes of space and time for yourself every day.
Also check out and pre-order her new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals (available at mariamolfino.com/rituals). Use the code “heroine” to get a special rate.
Show Notes:
-Check out and pre-order Majo's ebook at http://mariamolfino.com/rituals
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Strength & Mindset {Nidhi Kulkarni} Sep 15, 2016

Before Nidhi Kulkarni co-founded Spitfire, she did what many of us do after graduating college – she found a good, safe job where she worked hard and burned a lot of midnight oil. But she soon realized she was only pushing herself to avoid the fact that she felt lost and creatively unfulfilled. When the chance came to take a creative side project to the next level, she took it and launched Spitfire Athlete, a strength training and weightlifting app of thousands of users that helps women build physical and mental strength.
Nidhi and her co-founder have created a community of women that focuses on reconnecting with your body and building a confident mindset. What’s just as special is that they did it their own way, going against the “founder myth” that tells us we have to raise a buttload of money from VCs (most of whom are men). For you good girls with a passionate creative side project wondering whether to take the leap, Nidhi offers some wonderful advice.
Show Notes:
-Nidhi growing up: On being quiet and introverted, her love for sports, and testing her own limits. [3:38]
-The teacher who helped change her trajectory and what it was like being the only girl in her programming class. [8:05]
-Nidhi reflects on the reasons for holding herself back in the past, and why she forces herself to do things she’s afraid of. [12:46]
-On practice, intimidation, and the rigors of studying computer science at MIT. [16:38]
-Dealing with stress, the importance of rowing (exercise), plus
-Nidhi’s brief encounter with “imposter syndrome”. [22:02]
-After college: Nidhi talks about feeling lost for a while, working a lot, and the encounter that forced her to decide between taking a chance and playing it safe. [27:46]
Starting Spitfire Athlete and a new phase of life. [34:12]
-From a super high to a frustrating low: Nidhi shares why buying into the “founder myth” and following a prescribed set of steps didn’t work for them (and what they did instead). [38:03]
-The vision behind Spitfire Athlete: Taking a unique and vital approach to women’s fitness by growing strength and confidence. [43:23]
-Nidhi shares an incredibly moving success story from one of their users. [49:17]
“Nothing compares to doing something that is fully your own.” -Nidhi’s advice to women with side projects they want to move forward. [51:04]
References:
Spitfire Athlete at spitfireathlete.com
Spitfire Athlete is a fitness app that helps women build their strength and power through structured training programs. The app features bodyweight and weight training programs for a variety of goals and sports from rock climbing to triathlons to powerlifting. The app has helped women around the world lift more than their bodyweight, learn how to do their first pull-up, and train to overcome anorexia.
Training with Spitfire Athlete is about cultivating the athlete’s mentality — it’s not about what you look like, it’s about what you can do. The warrior’s mentality of strength, mental toughness, grit and dedication.
Download their app: https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id822040342?pt=2083816&ct=heroinepodcast&mt=8
Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
This episode's sponsors:
UENO (ueno.co),
InVision (invisionapp.com/company#jobs)

Overly Independent (Block #10) Sep 08, 2016

This is the 10th and final #flashwisdom episode in the series, The 10 Blocks to Creative Confidence, and it’s all about being overly independent. Many of us (especially women) find it difficult to ask for help or fear being a “burden” to anyone. As a result, we’re so eager to achieve financial independence that we often choose paths that focus more on financial reward than heart.
Join Maria as she talks about the harm in being overly independent, sharing her own examples of how she grapples with this today. Learn how pride, fear, and the inner critic prevent us from following our most meaningful path in our quest for independence. Do some gentle introspecting to uncover whether or not you’re comfortable asking for help or if you’re being blocked by a “make it on your own” mindset.
Show Notes:
-Download Maria’s free playbook and catch up on all ten blocks at mariamolfino.com/free-playbook
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Being a Creator {Ariana DeBose} Sep 01, 2016

Have you heard of the Broadway musical Hamilton? It’s a story of one of America’s founding fathers, featuring a score that blends hip hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway. It has won 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and our own President has seen it. In today’s episode we hear from one of the show’s stars, Ariana DeBose, a woman who had the courage to follow her intuition, drop out of school, and fulfill her dreams.
Ariana is a young, passionate, multi-talented woman with many creative projects already under her belt. We talk about her challenges as an outspoken girl and one of the only students of color in her peer group, her encounter with anorexia and the pressure she felt as a teenager to be perfect, and what it means to her to be a true creator.
Show Notes:
-Ariana’s childhood: Her early love for cinema and how she connects that love to her passion for theater today. [2:55]
-On being raised by a mother who treated her like an adult, never being afraid to ask questions, and her start with dancing. [10:24]
-The challenge that took a self-assured teen out of her comfort zone, plus Ariana’s perspective on needing approval from others. [13:46]
-Her struggles fitting in, always being the smart girl, and rubbing people the wrong way with her focus and ambition. [17:04]
-“I thought I had to be perfect.” Ariana’s struggle with perfection and finding solace in dance. [20:31]
-How her inner faith and intuition helped her fight the odds, drop out of college, and move to New York to become a dancer. [23:18]
-How she came to realize the importance of being there for the creation of projects she worked on, and making her broadway debut. [27:53]
-Lessons from the last six years: Not taking things too personally, knowing your own worth, and fighting stereotypes. [31:35]
-On what it means to Ariana to be a creator, and how it felt getting the part in Hamilton. [36:20]
-“What are some of the internal barriers women face today who want to create?” Ariana shares her insight. [40:31]
Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
Episode Sponsor: UENO at ueno.co

Pressure (Block #9) Aug 25, 2016

In this flash wisdom episode, host Maria Molfino gets personal about the 9th block to creative confidence – Pressure. She shares about the pressure she once felt to repay her immigrant parents for their sacrifice, and how her “save the world” complex left her feeling stressed, angry, and unable to follow her true path.
Listen to her story of the lesson she learned during her travels in India that helped reframe her perspective around pressure, and how small acts of kindness really can make a difference in the world and in yourself. Alleviate some of the pressure in your life by taking a step back and bringing this tendency into your awareness.
Show Notes:
-Download Maria’s free Creative Confidence Playbook at mariamolfino.com/free-playbook
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Owning Your Desires {Emily LaFave Olson} Aug 18, 2016

It’s not uncommon for girls who grow up in a patriarchal society to wonder if being a boy would be better; to see masculinity as more powerful than femininity. That was the case for Emily LaFave Olson, but a conversation with her mom led her to a realization that changed her life (and her perspective on the feminine).
Emily is a fierce entrepreneur whose choice to take back her maiden name and become co-CEOs with her husband sets her apart as a woman unafraid to ask for what she wants. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, like how to manage the voice inside our heads that tells us we’re not good enough or smart enough, why women often struggle to ask for what they want, and how to get in touch with the inner feminine in a hyper-masculine world.
Show Notes:
-Emily’s childhood: Growing up close to her dad, a natural leader, and always believing she could do whatever a boy could do. [3:14]
-Teaching herself to cook from magazines and beginning to see the world through the lense of food. [9:30]
-College years, their first business, and feeling “not smart enough”. [13:12]
-Why she had to reach out to her parents to help reconcile her inner critic and her huge realization about the power and strength of the feminine. [20:40]
-Standing up to fear: When and how it clicked that she needed to change her name back and become co-CEOs with her husband. [25:57]
-How to get what you really want, plus the importance of her husband’s participation in her vision. [30:55]
-On internalized patriarchy, making Big Asks, and why women have a hard time demanding what we want. [33:52]
-How to get in touch with the inner-feminine while surrounded by hyper-masculinity at work. [39:54]
Music: Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
Episode Sponsor: UENO at ueno.co

Chronic Stress (Block #8) Aug 11, 2016

What is chronic stress? Unlike acute stress, chronic stress is constant and low-grade, wearing and tearing on the nervous and immune systems over time. You may not even realize you’re being affected, but studies show that chronic stress makes it harder for us to be creative, think outside the box, and be mentally flexible.
In this flash wisdom episode, host Maria Molfino explains how this form of stress cripples our energy and willpower, inviting the inner critic to come out and play. Practice some compassionate self-inquiry to reveal the impact chronic stress has over your life and learn basic steps you can take to keep it in check.
Show Notes:
-Download Maria’s free Creative Confidence Playbook at mariamolfino.com/free-playbook
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Eileen Fisher: Reclaiming the Voice Aug 04, 2016

A big piece of the heroine’s journey is reclaiming what’s been lost. For some of us, it’s our intuition, our creativity, or our sense of self trust. For Eileen Fisher, it’s been her voice and her courage to lean into difficult conversations. This design magnate has scaled an incredible organization that generates over $300 million a year in revenue, but she didn’t have an easy start or a path paved with roses.
What makes her shine even more is her passion for sustainability, empowering women, and living life with purpose. In her interview you’ll learn the conditions she’s created for her success, her thoughts on purpose and embodiment, and the principles that guide her leadership today.
Show Notes:
-Eileen’s upbringing: Early desires for a simplified wardrobe, the subconscious influence of Catholic school uniforms, and making her own prom dress. [3:25]
-How she used her math skills to help her in business and in finding creative expression. [8:23]
-Falling in love with the concept of simplicity and putting together her first pieces. [11:47]
-How a design-thinking mindset gave her the confidence to move her ideas forward. [16:12]
-Eileen’s biggest challenges starting out (and how she overcame most of them through sheer resourcefulness). [17:31]
-Overcoming her fear of communication and reclaiming her voice. [22:23]
-On being a mom, getting divorced, and trying to run a business (the toughest part of her journey). [26:18]
-The quality that allowed her to keep going during the hard times. [30:38]
-Meaning, purpose, and other principles that guide Eileen’s leadership today. [33:12]
-Beyond profits: The importance of sustainability, organic materials, and supporting women’s bodies. [39:15]
-Eileen’s daily advice for supporting relaxation (which in turn, supports creativity). [45:33]
Discover Eileen’s newest initiative, the Learning Lab, where she is creating opportunities for people to get enlivened and inspired through a focus on the mind-body connection, creative leadership, and purpose-driven living. With online and on-site workshops and events, the Learning Lab offers space to try on new ways to live and work that feel more integrated and authentic.
Connect soon and sign up to be a part of Eileen's vision at www.eileenfisherlearninglab.com
Music by Lucia Lilikoi: lucia.bandcamp.com
Sponsor:
UENO
http://ueno.co

Numbing Feelings (Block #7) Jul 28, 2016

We live in a culture that medicates feelings. Women are especially under constant pressure to restrain our emotional lives; we apologize for our tears, suppress our anger, and tone down our passion out of fear of being called hysterical.
Join Maria in this flash wisdom episode about the 7th block to your creative confidence and expression: numbing feelings. Learn the consequences of this tendency, such as missing out on feelings essential to the creative process, and the important role feelings play in creative leadership. Maria offers empowering wisdom to help you bring this tendency into your awareness and leverage your feelings to great effect.
Show Notes:
-Download Maria’s free Creative Confidence Playbook at mariamolfino.com/free-playbook
References:
-Medicating Women’s Feelings by Julie Holland (NY Times, Feb. 2015)
-Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability (TEDx Houston, Jun. 2010)
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Creative Confidence {Andréa Mallard} Jul 21, 2016

Imagine graduating from college and flying to Europe for your first job as a journalist. Instead of things going as planned, you end up bartending in the red-light district to survive. That’s Andrea Mallard’s “fall from grace” story, but it’s not where her story ends.
From making friends with the head pimp on the street to becoming Chief Marketing Officer at the inspiring and innovative company, Omada Health, Andrea’s journey is filled with personal insights about finding the creative confidence to lead on your own terms. In her interview she busts a few myths that keep you second-guessing yourself, shares her perspective on work cultures that support whole people, and offers advice on how to integrate work and home life.
Show Notes
-Maria introduces Andrea Mallard. [1:45]
-The “lost year”: How Andrea ended up stranded in Paris and tending bar in the red-light district. [3:55]
-The wake up call she needed to stand up for herself and land a job at Forbes Magazine. [9:59]
-Analytic vs. creative and Andrea’s decision to be both, plus the epiphany that helped her get confident fast. [14:52]
-The big secret around feeling like an imposter and how to stop getting in your own way. [20:02]
-On sexism in the workplace, being a working mom, and how to integrate work and home life together. [25:00]
-Why it's so important to be your authentic self at work. [30:52]
-Andrea talks about being a leader on her own terms and shares a 100% unique example of creative confidence. [35:31]
-The most exciting thing about working at Omada, plus Andrea’s advice to her younger self. [40:48]
References:
www.andreamallard.com
Omada Health: www.omadahealth.com
Music:
Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Attachment to Outcomes (Block #6) Jul 14, 2016

Do you hold back from going after what you want because you’re too tied to how things will turn out? Host Maria Molfino shares how our attachment to outcomes is keeping us from the joy and pleasure of our creative process. In this short 'n' sweet episode, learn how to create space between your work and the results and maintain a healthy outlook around how other people perceive you and your own expectations.
Show Notes:
-Download Maria’s free Creative Confidence Playbook at mariamolfino.com/free-playbook
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Luck & Opportunity {Katie Dill} Jul 07, 2016

Katie Dill, Head of User Experience Design at Airbnb, grew up with a creative background that was far from typical. So how did she land her dream job at a company centered around creating unique experiences for their users? Katie shares all about her journey, which often required her to step outside her comfort zone, and how she found her niche.
Learn specific ingredients designers have that are useful to leaders, how she handles growing pains and tough feedback, and her wisdom on the relationship between luck and creating opportunities.
Show Notes:
-Katie’s outdoorsy upbringing as a talented problem-solver and trouble-maker. [4:30]
-How she discovered her niche and figured out how to make a career out of it (despite feeling out of her element). [10:58]
-On her transformative trip to Italy, where she learned how much there is to gain by going outside your comfort zone. Plus, how to talk yourself out of talking yourself out of things. [15:58]
-Creating opportunity vs. Luck (and the relationship between them). [20:17]
-The different types of designers at Airbnb, Katie’s own creative vision as a designer, and how being creative makes her a better leader. [24:48]
-Do women have a secret superpower they need to unlock? Katie, Maria, and Linda discuss. [29:19]
-Dealing with transition: How Katie used positive self-talk, self-reliance, and self-confidence to adapt. [34:43]
-Her biggest career challenges. [41:44]
-How Katie handles growing pains and critical feedback (including the toughest pieces of feedback she’s ever received). [46:35]
References: Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Music: Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Comparison (Block #5) Jun 30, 2016

Continuing the series on the blocks to creative confidence, host Maria Molfino reveals the fifth block: Comparison.
Comparison is an ugly face of the inner critic, and a huge de-motivator. Learn what comparison feeds on, how it can warp your standards for success, and what you can do to keep it in check.
Show Notes:
-Download the free Creative Confidence Playbook at Mariamolfino.com/free-playbook
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Aphrodite Emerges {Elle Luna & Susie Herrick} Jun 23, 2016

In this episode, host Maria Molfino takes on two inspirational women in one go: Elle Luna, a SF based artist and author, and Susie Herrick, a licensed therapist with over 20 years experience and author of an upcoming memoir, Aphrodite Emerges (to be released in the Fall).
They tackle some big themes, the biggest being inner misogyny. Hear about their journeys and the challenges they faced, how to know when you’re following expectations vs. your deeper calling, the expansive power of dreaming bigger, and their upcoming workshop Aphrodite Emerges: Activate the Goddess Within (now open for enrollment at www.aphroditeemerges.com).
Show Notes:
-On Susie’s spiritual upbringing, and her earliest realizations of negative self-talk and the conflicting expectations within women in our society. [3:54]
-Considering our ‘should’s: Where they come from, what they’re like for women, and how they imprison us. Plus, the powerful one-liner Elle read about Susie that caused them to meet. [8:36]
-The insanely busy, exhausted, dried up, and deeply dissatisfied state Elle was in before turning things around. [11:46]
-How do you cross over from discontent and inner dissonance to other side? Susie shares her own experience. [13:33]
-Elle reads from their book, Aphrodite Emerges, about destroying ego and accepting new callings for life. [18:55]
-On the conflict women face in a “balanced” work culture and the kinesthetic experience of ‘should’ and ‘must’. [23:46]
-Culturally inherited misogyny: The oldest prejudice. [27:03]
-Coming to terms with the social emotions of blame and shame. Plus, how Susie’s relationship with her father strengthened after opening up to him about some buried issues. [32:23]
-Elle and Susie talk about their upcoming workshop in August, Aphrodite Emerges: A Journey to Unleash the Godess Within. [39:58]
References:
Aphrodite Emerges retreat info at http://www.aphroditeemerges.com
The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna
Misogyny: The World’s Oldest Prejudice by Jack Holland
Sponsor:
UENO http://ueno.co
Music: Lucia Lilikoi lucia.bandcamp.com

Vision Quest {Majo Molfino} Jun 16, 2016

We’re taking a little break from the blocks to creative confidence series to honor an important one-year anniversary. In this episode, host Majo Molfino shares her recent interview with SOULS of Society creator Dijon Bowden, in which she opens up for the first time about her three-day vision quest in the desert that she embarked upon one year ago today.
Get to know Heroine’s founder and host through her own journey, one that challenged her on every level, as well as the immense preparation it required and the heart-opening moments that made it all worth it. Brace yourselves, this one’s intense.
Show Notes:
-Episode intro: Honoring an important one-year anniversary in the life of Heroine's host, Majo Molfino. [0:00]
-On writing her novel and how it inspired her to go on a vision quest. [2:35]
-The tradition of vision quests, and the discipline and preparation required. [9:10]
-Some of the major insights Majo gained. [14:20]
-What it was like being on a mountain in the desert with no food or water. [17:35]
-On working with a Medicine Woman to prepare, and the predominant emotions she felt during the quest. [21:13]
-Coming down the mountain: Meaningful metaphors around water (and being thirsty!), and not being recognized by her parents. [25:41]
-How the experience sowed many seeds that will continue to sprout for a long time, plus Majo pre- and post- vision quest. [34:41]
-Majo shares some immediate life changes following the event, as well as a few poems she wrote about her experience. [41:20]
References: SOULS of Society at www.soulsofsociety.com
Music: Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

Courage & Hustle {Sofya Polyakov} Jun 09, 2016

CEO & co-founder of The Noun Project, Sofya Polyakov inspires us through her heroine's journey, which includes immigrating to the U.S. from Russia, working insane hours, holding meetings out of her car, and having the courage to embrace the unknown by starting a company for the first time. She also shares her perspectives on key issues that commonly block us from reaching our full potential as creative leaders.
Show Notes:
- Growing up stubborn and independent in communist St. Petersburg. [10:00]
- Sofya’s teenage years, immigrating to the U.S., and the importance of being adaptable. [14:57]
- On staying motivated, searching out people who challenge you, and the inspiration behind The Noun Project. [19:07]
- How Sofya had the courage to launch a startup without a lot of experience and her perspective on what leadership really is. [23:19]
- Challenges getting started on The Noun Project. [28:40]
- The big turning point: How Sofya rose to the challenge and played every card she had when it was all on the line. [35:40]
- On perfectionism, the fear of failure, and the qualities that allow you to give your all when you’re ready to give up. [40:50]
- The trap of comparison: Feeling intimidated but putting yourself out there anyway. [46:26]
- Sofya’s views on balancing business and being a mom, and the type of CEO she strives to be. [52:04]
- How she has built a culture of trust within her team, and the two qualities she considers most valuable in new employees. [57:04]
References:
- http://thenounproject.com
Sponsor:
- http://ueno.co

Guilt of Pleasure (Block #4) Jun 02, 2016

How's your relationship with pleasure? Host Maria Molfino talks about the tendency to feel guilty about pleasure and where that guilt comes from. Learn why it's so important to slow down and access pleasure in your day-to-day.
Show Notes:
-Download the free Creative Confidence Playbook at Mariamolfino.com/free-playbook.
-Music by Lucia Lilikoi, lucia.bandcamp.com

Grit & Generativity {Helena Price} May 26, 2016

Do you have a creative passion you never imagined could pay the bills? Host Maria Molfino introduces us to tech photographer Helena Price. Recently named Silicon Valley’s most wanted photographer, this heroine rekindled a lifelong passion and made it her career. Find out what it takes to make the leap into becoming a full-time creative, and learn some surprising ingredients that can help in the process.
Show Notes:
-Young Helena: Her background, being perceived as the “smart kid”, and dealing with feelings of isolation. [1:23]
-Helena talks about her first exposure to photography and what it was like growing up in a creatively-stifled hometown culture. [6:45]
-On college (and skipping class), falling in love with the tech scene, and touring with music bands. [10:57]
-Some of the challenges Helena faced and how she survived on her own. [15:58]
-What it took to be taken seriously and become a success early in her career. [21:49]
-How photography came back into the picture (to stay). [25:59]
-From getting her first job to drowning in work offers, plus Helena’s theory on how to make sure everything works out. [30:22]
-Grit. Can women learn to have more of it? [34:00]
-What she’s working on now: Her first, personal project that’s showing people a side of tech they haven’t seen before. [39:12]
-Helena’s amazing advice to women wanting more creative expression in their lives. [43:22]
References:
Techies by Helena Price: www.techiesproject.com
Music:
Lucia Lilikoi: lucia.bandcamp.com
Find Heroine at:
Heroine.fm
Twitter.com/heroine.fm
Instagram.com/heroine.fm
Facebook.com/heroine.fm

Perfectionism (Block #3) May 19, 2016

Is your tendency towards perfectionism blocking your creative confidence? Writer and coach Maria Molfino reveals the root of perfectionism's dark side and shares how you can decrease its power over your life.
Show Notes:
-Download the free Creative Confidence Playbook at mariamolfino.com/free-playbook
References:
-The Gap by Ira Glass
-Big Magic by Liz Gilbert
Music:
-Lucia Lilikoi lucia.bandcamp.com

Creative to CEO {Marian Goodell} May 12, 2016

How did Marian Goodell go from studying photography and creative writing to becoming the CEO of Burning Man, one of the biggest sociocultural experiments of our time? The link is fascinating, especially for those who are both creative and analytical and who aren’t following a straight and predictable path. Find out how Marian deals with criticism (i.e., she is too impatient and her tone is too "demanding") and how she filters feedback.
Show Notes:
-Marian as a little girl: Learning self-acceptance, how to embrace differences, and enjoying the perks of being a fiery redhead. [2:34]
-The role of Marian’s family in shaping her to become a strong, confident woman. [8:47]
-On attending an all-girls college, running for student body, and the first time she decided to be a leader. [13:16]
-“My role as a CEO is very much that of a storyteller”: How Marian’s creative, analytical side made her the right woman for the job. [16:37]
-On being a “cat herder” and what that means to her as a leader, and other leadership qualities. [21:47]
-Why Marian cares about providing opportunities, giving people the benefit of the doubt, and sharing differing perspectives. [27:04]
-Stories of her father and his participation in Burning Man 2008 (a year before he passed away). [30:32]
-Marian and Maria discuss failure and the fear of rejection, the importance of creative confidence, and the challenges (and benefits) of collaboration. [35:14]
-On feminism and fathers, and finding the balance between feminine and masculine leadership traits. [40:30]
-Looking beyond gender: Taking a hard look at qualities like patience, aggression, compassion. [47:26]
-How Marian filters and utilizes criticism/feedback. [52:38]
-Have you ever felt like an imposter? The inner critic vs empowering voice. [57:44]
-Burning Man: Marian’s vision for the project’s future, her favorite principles (Leave No Trace and Radical Self-Expression), and being poised in the world as a catalyst for social change. [1:01:53]
References:
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Burning Man at burningman.org
Music:
Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
Find Heroine on:
Heroine.fm
Twitter.com/heroinefm
Instagram.com/heroine.fm
Facebook.com/heroine.fm

Fixed Mindset (Block #2) May 05, 2016

Host Maria Molfino shares how a fixed mindset – believing things about yourself cannot change – is blocking your creative confidence.
- Creative confidence playbook: mariamolfino.com/free-playbook

Meaning over Happiness {Dr. Vivienne Ming} Apr 28, 2016

If you believed you could never be happy, would you go on living? That’s the question that echoed in Dr. Vivienne Ming’s mind when she contemplated killing herself, before she became a woman, mom, neuroscientist, technologist, and LGBT advocate. Dr. Ming shares more about the wisdom that saved her life, and how it led her to focus on the one superpower that predicts success over and over again.
Show Notes:
- Vivienne’s upbringing, not living up to expectations, and realizing she was “different.” [1:30]
- The lowest point — Suicide, and why she decided not to do it. [4:39]
- On her larger-than-life father and his example of “living a life of substance.” [7:54]
- How intrinsic motivation fueled her shift away from the brink of suicide. [12:02]
- From flunking out of college to getting perfect scores in everything the second time around. [14:59]
- On her year at the Machine Perception Lab and the start of her professional success. [19:08]
- Learning to counter her destructive-perfectionism through perseverance. [21:31]
- On feeling free to follow what she believes to be right. [25:09]
- Women’s tendency to worry about how they are being perceived rather than whether they are being true to themselves. [26:51]
- On meeting her wife in graduate school and opening up about wanting to be a woman. [31:13]
- The immediate effects of Vivienne’s gender transition – losing her position at Stanford, being treated differently by close friends and strangers alike, and observing implicit gender biases. [35:38]
- Vivienne’s work at Socos: Studying the predictors of success and optimizing life outcomes. [42:43]
- Defining a meta-learner and the main categories that predict success. [47:33]
- How to strengthen our meta-learning abilities. [52:49]
- Vivienne’s perspective on how society influences gender roles and the enduring disparities between men and women. [54:55]
References:
Dr. Ming’s organization Socos: www.socoslearning.com
Music:
Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com
Find Heroine on:
Heroine.fm
Twitter.com/heroinefm
Instagram.com/heroine.fm
Facebook.com/heroine.fm

Following the Rules (Block #1) Apr 19, 2016

Following the Rules: Little girls outperform boys in school because they do their homework, listen to their teachers, and follow the rules. But that can backfire when it comes to creative leadership. Writer and coach Maria Molfino explains why and how following rules could be blocking you in unexpected ways.
Show notes:
- Download the free Creative Confidence Playbook: mariamolfino.com/free-playbook
- Lucia Lilikoi music: lucia.bandcamp.com

Discomfort & Risk {Roz Savage} Apr 19, 2016

How and why does a management consultant become the first woman to row across three oceans? How does she overcome the ocean at night, and above all, the doubts swirling in her own mind? Roz Savage, environmental advocate and TED speaker, shares the specific process that set her on this wild adventure – one that you can do in under ten minutes.
Show Notes:
- Roz’s upbringing as the perpetual new girl and her skill at jumping through childhood’s hoops. [1:51]
- How Roz got stuck for 11 years pretending to be something she didn’t want to be. [10:00]
- On the epiphany (inspired by a simple self-help exercise) that changed her life. And why she waited to act. [12:58]
- From self-sabotaging to her lowest point, to finding transformational confidence and her life’s calling. [17:39]
- How the unlikely idea emerged to use ocean rowing as her platform for bringing environmental awareness. [24:46]
- Going into the first race (as the only solo female) and the challenges she faced. [29:35]
- How Roz destroyed self-limiting beliefs and redefined what she was capable of. [35:50]
- On surprising herself, being grateful for challenges, and choosing to see her discomfort as a clear sign of success. [39:15]
- The story of her emotional decision to be rescued when she really needed it. [44:11]
- The toxicity of criticism: Roz’s theory on why people criticize, dealing with with her own inner critic, and how she stays true to her vision. [49:22]
- Understanding internal motivations and taking ownership over your life. [56:13]
- On the importance of amplifying heroine journeys, being open to spiritual perspectives, and balancing feminine and masculine energies. [1:00:55]
- Looking to the future: Roz’s belief that stories like hers help others to challenge old paradigms. [1:09:35]
- Roz breaks down the exercise that changed her life and discusses the importance of crafting your own story. [1:12:28]
- Lucia Lilikoi music: lucia.bandcamp.com
References:
Roz Savage’s book, "Rowing the Atlantic: Lessons Learned on the Open Ocean."
Roz Savage’s website, http://www.rozsavage.com/

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