Courageous Conversations with Fran Pastore

Mental Illness, homelessness, food insecurity, domestic abuse, lack of childcare   . . . . These are just some of the issues for which Connecticut residents can turn to 211CT for help. Offered by the State of Connecticut through the United Way of CT,   211CT is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people to essential health and human services 24 hours a day, seven da...

In this episode of  Courageous Conversations  we continue the conversation about racism and your small business that began with our previous episode. Originally part of a WBDC Roundtable discussion recorded in June 2020, this important conversation offers small business owners steps they can take to make a difference in the journey toward social, economic, and racial equity and justice.      Joini...

With Juneteenth just days away, and as we look back at the year since George Floyd's murder, in this episode of Courageous Conversations and the one that will be launched on July 1, we are revisiting a conversation between Fran and a panel of prominent women that was originally recorded as a 3-part WBDC Roundtable discussion in June 2020.     While much has changed since George Floyd's murder and...

Authenticity, empathy, strength, vulnerability . . . . These are just some of the virtues Kitt Shapiro gained as she soaked in the lessons handed down by her mother, legendary performer Eartha Kitt. In this episode of  Courageous Conversations , Fran and Kitt talk about what it was like to travel the world with Eartha and how those shared experiences shaped Kitt's own journey as a mother and entre...

In this episode of  Courageous Conversations , as we near the end of Mental Health Awareness month, Fran talks with Kevnesha Boyd, a trauma therapist and the owner of Quality Counseling, a mental health practice in Hamden, CT, that focuses on helping members of the Black community to heal from traumatic childhood experiences and break unhealthy generational patterns.      During this inspiring and...

WBDC's podcast,  Courageous Conversations with Fran Pastore , features candid discussions between WBDC CEO Fran Pastore and influential leaders in and around our community. Alisa Bowens-Mercado grew up with two grandmothers who would tell her to be sure to find her rhythm in life – to do what she loves – as they sipped from bottles of beer in the kitchen. Many years later, she has found her rhythm...

How do you feel when you make a wrong turn and your car's GPS tells you it's recalculating to find a new route to your destination? New York Times best-selling author, Lindsey Pollak, feels optimistic. "What I think is, 'oh, it's okay, because there's another way to go. So, there are always multiple ways to get to whatever your goals are, even if you change your goals.'" In this episode of Courage...

ypical teenagers and recent college graduates are usually focused on landing their first job or summer internship, but Tory and Roscoe Brown are far from typical. Soon after Tory graduated from college and before Roscoe had even begun his undergraduate experience, this sibling duo founded The 203. What began as a passion project selling t-shirts that celebrated their beloved home state has quickly...

12 months after the beginning of an unimaginable year for small business owners, Fran looks back with entrepreneurs Corey Tolkin and Yvonne Oxley, who pivoted their businesses to survive the pandemic and are thriving as we look forward to better days ahead. Listen to hear why Corey, owner of Unbakeables Cookie Dough Treats, believes it's sometimes important to take a fresh look as what's right in...

"Never say no to yourself. Feel the fear and do it anyway." -Andrea Barton Reeves What if the women who came before us felt the fear and let it get the best of them? As we begin Women's History Month, Fran sits down with Andrea Barton Reeves, CEO of the CT Paid Leave Authority , to learn about her journey from her upbringing in New Jersey to law school and a position at a White Shoe firm to a care...

In honor of Black History month, Courageous Conversations decided to revisit a Town Hall meeting hosted by the Women's Business Development Council last June, soon after the death of George Floyd. WBDC CEO Fran Pastore gathered a group of accomplished women in leadership positions to discuss the historic times we are living through. These women share their own experiences with racism and navigatin...

Fran discusses the unsung heroes of our economic engine – the women, especially women of color, who own and operate the small businesses that populate our Main Streets. These entrepreneurs have received a disproportionately small amount of the pandemic relief state and federal funding. Fran details how WBDC is helping to address the needs of these businesses with grants and other support. She also...

Patricia Russo, Executive Director of The Campaign School at Yale University, and Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean, accomplished author, podcast host, public speaker, and tenured Associate Professor of Political Science at Quinnipiac University, join Fran to discuss the significance of the glass ceiling that is breaking in Washington, D.C. with the inauguration of Kamala Harris as the country's first femal...

Katrina Adams shares her inspirational journey from the tennis court to the boardroom in this previously recorded WBDC Town Hall, hosted by Fran Pastore Katrina is the first African-American, the first former professional tennis player and the youngest person ever to serve as USTA president. Katrina is also an author. Her new book Own the Arena provides a behind the scenes look at the leadership s...

In this first episode of Courageous Conversations with Fran Pastore, Fran is joined by her friend of 30 years, Dr. Karen Alter-Reid, a global expert on EMDR and the treatment of trauma-related symptoms. They discuss what EMDR is and why it is an effective treatment for trauma, not only for veterans and sexual assault victims, but for first responders and everyday people.   Dr. Alter-Reid gives sev...

Through her work as the founder and CEO of the Women's Business Development Council in Connecticut, Fran Pastore has had the privilege of knowing and working with remarkable and accomplished women. In every episode, Fran will be speaking with influential women whose stories have had an impact on her and they will do the same for you. Their stories will excite and inspire you to conquer your fears,...