Kind of a Big Deal

What if collaboration - not competition - is the key to building systems that actually work? Join me as I sit down with Tiffany Loeffler , Executive Director of The Alliance, a nonprofit network working to support vulnerable children and families through collaboration across healthcare, social services, and community organizations. After years of working inside systems meant to help families, Tiff...

What if hating your job isn’t inevitable — and the problem isn’t you? A conversation about work, leadership, and why people leave managers, not jobs. Join me as I sit down with Jill Parish, a leadership facilitator and organizational development expert who has spent her career helping people rethink what work is supposed to feel like. Jill’s path spans HR, healthcare, higher education, and executi...

What if you stopped waiting for opportunities to find you and started creating your own? Join me as I sit down with Tam Smith, founder of Studio 349 and host of Sales for Service podcast. Born from a global pandemic, family health crisis, and a hospital room Google search for "how to make money working from home," Tam's entrepreneurial journey is anything but conventional.  Our conv...

What if every system you engage with is just a story someone told - and it's up to you to decide if you want to build a new one? Join me as I sit down with Genevieve Anderson, a filmmaker and social entrepreneur whose work lives at the intersection of creativity and social impact.  Genevieve has spent her career asking deeper questions about how we tell stories, who gets left out of the syste...

What if the secret to 17 years of success is in staying nimble, and widening the table instead of protecting your seat? Join me as I sit down with Meghan Phillips, founder of Honey and one of the most respected leaders I know.  Over nearly two decades, Meghan has built a thriving creative business while launching initiatives shaping how our region thinks about food and impact. Our conversation exp...

What if accepting a compliment could change your entire leadership trajectory? Join me as I sit down with Gretchen Moore, Executive Director of Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation. We get into why accepting compliments might be your superpower - and why following someone else's playbook won't get you where you're meant to go. Gretchen's career has spanned politics, comm...

What does legacy really mean? For some, it's the ripple effect of lifting others. Join me as I sit down with fundraising expert Marni Mandell, who shares how uncovering her passions involving women's leadership, legacy, and chutzpah connected her back to her own grandfather's legacy.  As president of Tupperware, he inspired countless women to become entrepreneurs by truly believing...

Is your inner voice curious, kind, and supportive when things don't go as planned - or does it sound more like criticism and doubt? Join me as I sit down with Kara Whittington, founder of WE INC. Marketing, to explore how embracing your authentic self can transform not only your business but your entire approach to life.  Our conversation digs into the importance of finding work worth doing,...

Join me as I sit down with Dani Bergstrom, founder of Fresnoland, to discuss her journey from urban planner to nonprofit journalism leader. Our conversation explores breaking barriers in male-dominated spaces, balancing motherhood with career ambitions, and the power of local journalism in empowering communities. Dani's story is deeply personal - her mother gave up a journalism career under p...

What if the best leadership decisions come from asking "what if it were me?" Join me as I sit down with Laura Harmon, Chief People Officer, to discuss career growth, authentic leadership, and the importance of creating space for others. Laura shares her journey from IT to HR, how being a mother has shaped her leadership style, and why taking pauses can lead to greater intentionality. You...

What if the best career move isn't finding "your one thing" - but taking continuous action even when fear creeps in? Join me as I sit down with Polly Allen, who spent formative career years helping build Amazon's Alexa, and now shares her expertise by helping others get hands-on with AI. Our conversation explores her journey from being the only woman in the room to becoming a c...

Think you have to be 100% ready to lead? Not so fast. In this episode of Kind of a Big Deal, I chat with Monica Nainsztein - an accomplished entrepreneur and the driving force behind a global translation and localization company.  Our conversation dives into the challenges women face in leadership, the subtle power of recognizing one's accomplishments, and the importance of embracing our uniq...

What if one of your toughest moments leads to the best thing you build? Join me as I sit down with Réland Logan as we discuss her journey to entrepreneurship, the power of authentic branding and the importance of uplifting women in leadership.  We delve into the nuances of personal and business branding, the challenges women face in asserting their worth, and how to craft a unique voice in a crowd...

Kind of a Big Deal is a podcast spotlighting women who are building meaningful lives, businesses, and legacies - on their own terms.  Hosted by Kristin Belden - strategist, advisor, and storyteller - each episode dives into the real conversations behind leadership and growth: the messy middles, the unexpected pivots, and the hard-won clarity that shapes what comes next. If you’re a woman leader at...

What if the next big step in your career isn’t a title - but how you feel when you get there? Join me as I sit down with Glenda Watry to explore the unique challenges women face in leadership roles and the importance of connection, mentorship, and personal evolution. Our conversation dives into how personal experiences shape professional paths and the necessity of creating supportive networks for...