Courageous Conversations with Fran Pastore

In this episode of Courageous Conversations , WBDC CEO Fran Pastore takes on a different role as she's interviewed by Terri Piekara, a WBDC Business Advisor and podcast Editor. Fran's vast experience in networking shines through as they discuss strategies for building meaningful relationships and offer actionable tips for successful networking.    Many thanks to the entrepreneurs who attended WBDC...

Today, we are replaying a thought-provoking conversation Fran had in 2020 with Katrina Adams, a true trailblazer in the world of tennis and in the boardroom. Katrina's insights are as valuable today as they were when this episode was first released, and we hope you'll find inspiration from her journey.  If you want to hear more from Katrina, author of Own the Arena , join us at WBDC's annual Gala...

In this episode of Courageous Conversations, Fran is honored to host the remarkable Carla Harris, Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, and author of the empowering book, Lead to Win .  Carla's "Pearls" – nuggets of wisdom she's gained throughout her extensive and impressive career – will inspire you to lead with purpose, foster a culture of inclusivity, and ultimately, lead to win.  Don't miss...

Join Fran Pastore on this episode of Courageous Conversations as she engages in a thoughtful discussion with Connecticut's Lt. Governor, Susan Bysiewicz. Together, they explore why it's a good time to be a small business entrepreneur in CT and share information about the many programs currently available in the state – the CT Small Business Boost Fund, the state's child care initiative, WBDC's Equ...

The creators of FunkkOFF TeethRefreshers, Joelle Flynn and Sonia Hounsell, join Fran on today's episode of Courageous Conversations. Lifelong friends, the duo share their journey of entrepreneurship, how their diverse skillsets in finance and brand marketing played an instrumental role in the development and launch of their groundbreaking product and how a WBDC pitch class helped them hone their s...

How are New York and Connecticut embracing growth, innovation, and collaboration? Join Fran Pastore as she engages in a dynamic dialogue with Alexandra Daum, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), and Hope Knight, President, CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development, New York State's economic development agency, as they discuss the strengthe...

Join Fran Pastore in this episode of Courageous Conversations as she speaks with Dr. Oscar Guerra, an Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker and UConn professor. Dr. Guerra shares his experience directing "Grit & Grace: The Fight for the American Dream," a 30-minute documentary produced by the House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, led by CT Congressman Jim Himes. T...

Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon is on a mission to make financial literacy and saving for retirement more accessible for the state's small businesses and their employees. He sits down with Fran in today's episode of  Courageous Conversations  to talk about MyCTSavings, Connecticut's retirement savings program, and why it's so important to him. His passion for the program was born, in pa...

  "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." – Ben Franklin   Mr. Franklin certainly knew what he was talking about – especially for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs! That's why Fran is joined by WBDC Business Advisor Carol Cheswick on today's episode of Courageous Conversations. Carol has helped thousands of clients craft their business plan. She knows many entrepreneurs are...

Unlocking Connecticut is a blog, Instagram account and website created by Lora Karam and Bev Canepari, which explores the places and faces of Connecticut. Fran recently had the pleasure of meeting Lora and Bev and invited them to join her to share their start up story, the challenges they see facing small businesses & their love of all things CT. Listen to hear about their entrepreneurial journey...

The 2022 mid-term elections took place just over a week ago. While we don't fully know all of the results or what they will mean for the balance of power in our country, it is clear that female voters came out in force to make their voices heard. In this episode of Courageous Conversations, Fran spoke with two extraordinary female leaders;  Patti Russo , Executive Director at the  Campaign School...

25 years ago, Fran Pastore & Dorothy Bratchell embarked on a mission to create a resource for women entrepreneurs in   Connecticut. They were at the forefront of forging a path to accelerate the growth of women's entrepreneurship and remain committed to that mission today. Listen to this episode of Courageous Conversations to hear how WBDC began, learn about the struggles faced by Fran and Dorothy...

What does it take to reach the pinnacle of success in a male dominated arena? Of the more than two dozen banks that are licensed or headquartered in CT, six are led by women in the CEO position. Four of those extraordinary women join Fran to discuss the lessons they learned along the way, the mentors who inspired them, and the advice they have for young people coming up in today's world – in busin...

Twenty-five years ago, Fran Pastore turned a transition in her career into an opportunity for thousands of other women, their communities, and the State of Connecticut. A recent guest of the Mom Shuffle Podcast, a show which features interviews with guests who are trying to build businesses while also raising their families, Fran spoke with host, Dr. Colleen Kendrick about her own entrepreneurial...

WBDC CEO Fran Pastore was recently appointed Board Chairperson for the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority. In this episode of  Courageous Conversations  Fran sits down with Nancy Barrow, host of  The Paid Leave Podcast . Of course, they discuss WBDC's work and why Fran is so passionate about CT's paid leave program, but they also cover the need for more women in leadership positions, small business...

  Can supporting your local Community affect your bottom line? Amy Kenkel and Laurie Surprenant say it can! Amy and Laurie are the owners of Leaps and Bones, a pet supply store and pet bakery with locations in South Windsor, Southington and a new location opening soon in Manchester, CT. They are passionate about giving back to the communities that have supported them and they have some great advic...

In her inspiring and eye-opening book, The First, The Few, The Only, Deepa Purushothaman examines the challenges faced by women of color in the workplace. In this episode, Fran had the opportunity to discuss Deepa's work at an event held by the Westport Library. While the intended audience for this book is women of color navigating corporate America, it can truly serve as a roadmap for anyone want...

We continue our conversation about child care – an industry in crisis – with Beth Bye, Commissioner of the CT Office of Early Childhood. Child care providers are struggling as they strive to recover from the pandemic. While much has been done to strengthen the industry – including an innovative public private partnership between WBDC and OEC – there is still much to be done to stabilize this indus...

The child care industry is in crisis – in Connecticut and across the country. Recognizing that access to quality child care is essential for our economic recovery, Connecticut's leadership took action to stabilize the industry and drive growth for its businesses. As part of those efforts, WBDC has partnered with the CT Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to provide business training, technical support...

Welcome to Season 2 of Courageous Conversations with Fran Pastore ! We're kicking off the season with two recent WBDC Equity Match Grant recipients, Kevnesha Boyd, owner of Quality Counseling in Hamden, and Jona Jeffcoat, owner of Infinity Music Therapy Services in Southington. Listen to hear how these inspiring entrepreneurs plan to use the EMG funds to expand their businesses.  The WBDC Equity M...

Small Business Saturday, November 27, is right around the corner. Started to encourage people to bring more holiday shopping to small businesses, Small Business Saturday has become a critical component to the holiday shopping season for many of our local retailers. In this episode of Courageous Conversations Fran talks with four local business owners about their own entrepreneurial journeys and di...

Until 1988 a woman could not access capital in her own name for commercial purposes. That year, legislation was enacted that finally allowed a woman to apply for a business loan without a male co-signor. A lot has changed in 33 years, but access to capital remains one of the most difficult challenges facing women entrepreneurs. In this episode, Fran talks with Jennifer Palmer, CEO of Gerber Financ...

In the United States, approximately 11 MILLION WOMEN are either living with Alzheimer's or caring for someone who has it. Almost TWO-THIRDS of Americans living with Alzheimer's are women. More than THREE IN FIVE unpaid Alzheimer's caregivers are women. To learn more about this devastating disease that so disproportionately impacts women, Fran talks with Kristen Cusato, Director of Communications a...

Molly Hirsch abandoned her budding marketing career to move to Vermont and help run a relative's home goods boutique, unknowingly heading down the path to a successful future in interior design.   Shivonne Mathison cared for her aging grandmother. That experience, combined with her background in social work, paved the way for her to start a company to provide compassionate home care to the elderly...

The pandemic hasn't been easy on any of us, but you could argue that it's been tougher on restaurants than almost any other industry. In this episode of Courageous Conversations , Fran sits down with Stephanie Webster, Editor-in-Chief and Founder of CTBites, an online community focused on the food scene in Connecticut. Listen to learn about how, during the state-wide pandemic shutdown, CTBites fou...