Leadership Cafe

What do cotton fields in rural China have to do with building trust in a biotech startup? More than you'd think. In this episode, we sit down with Shujian Zhang: PhD molecular plant pathologist, Executive MBA, founder of Nexus BioStrategy, and one of the most thoughtful voices on leadership and communication in the AG-biotech space.  Shujian's story starts in a small farming village in Chi...

What does it mean to market honestly when people's lives are on the line? In this episode, we sit down with Ariella Shoham, C-level marketer with 30 years of global B2B marketing experience and CMO of C8 Health, to explore one of the most important and underexamined conversations in our industry: the ethics of healthcare marketing. From vaccine misinformation during COVID to competitive attack...

Join us to hear from Humaira Akhter — also known as Maira — a Signature Offer Architect who helps entrepreneurs and leaders stop hiding behind a menu of scattered services and find their ONE genius offer. We are talking about excavating your story, turning points, and uncovering the red thread that has been there all along. In this insightful conversation, Maira and Sally explore the importance of...

In this episode, Sally sits down with healthcare marketing expert Alan Shoebridge for a conversation about personal branding. Alan shares practical strategies for building a personal brand, navigating organizational dynamics and leveraging social media for career growth. Learn about the importance of your personal brand and how to balance that with your organization’s brand  What We Cover: Why eve...

What starts as a conversation about misinformation becomes one of the most relevant discussions we've had on the podcast about trust, truth, communication, and what all of it means for leaders and organizations navigating today's noise. Join us to hear from Pauline W. Hoffmann, Ph. D., a scholar practitioner. Pauline is an associate professor in the Jandoli School of Communication at St. B...

Welcome to the Leadership Cafe podcast, where emerging marketing leaders come to brew new skills, gain confidence, and make an impact. In this episode, Sally Mildren sits down with Jen Rittenhouse, Director of Brand and Marketing at Sitecrafting, to explore the power of storytelling in building authentic brands. Jen Rittenhouse, a journalist-turned-brand marketer, shares her journey from the newsr...

Welcome back to the Leadership Cafe! In this episode, host Sally Mildren sits down with rural health marketing leader Khrista Boster, recognized as both a Community Star and Rising Star in her field. Khrista shares her powerful journey from growing up in a small farming town—where firsthand experiences with healthcare access shaped her passion—to leading strategic marketing efforts at Woodlawn Hea...

Welcome back to the Leadership Cafe podcast! In this episode, hosts Sally Mildren and Laila Waggoner dive into the transformative power of strategic marketing—especially within the healthcare sector, but with lessons that resonate across all industries. Laila Waggoner, Chief Dot Connector at Strategy for Hire, brings over 35 years of experience in strategic healthcare marketing and shares insights...

Welcome to another episode of Leadership Cafe! In today’s conversation, host Sally Mildren is joined by Brandon Wasserburger from Firetribe TV—a master storyteller, video producer, and brand strategist who’s worked with universities, technical colleges, nonprofits, and cause-driven organizations to elevate their storytelling through video. You’ll hear Brandon share insights from his Hollywood root...

Welcome back to another episode of Leadership Cafe! In this episode, hosts Sally Mildren and Ginger Zumaeta sit down for a deep dive into the art and science of effective messaging for leaders and organizations. Ginger Zumaeta, founder and CEO of Motive3, brings her expertise as a high-stakes messaging strategist who has worked with major names like Amgen, Xprize, Shell, Verizon, Disney, and more....

Welcome back to Leadership Cafe! In this episode, hosts Sally Mildren and Aileen Gleizer (A-LEAN GLEEZER) dive deep into the art and strategy behind nonprofit communications and storytelling. Aileen Gleizer, a social impact and public health consultant whose career spans foundations, Fortune 50 companies, government agencies, and global NGOs, unpacks why authentic, strategic communication matters...

Welcome to another episode of Leadership Cafe! In today’s conversation, hosts Sally Mildren and Michael Marchand dive into the fast-changing landscape of healthcare leadership, strategy, and communication. With decades of experience rolling out transformative policies like the Affordable Care Act in Washington State, Michael Marchand brings unique insights from his work with Fortune 100 companies,...

Welcome back to the Leadership Cafe podcast! In this episode, hosts Sally Mildren and Melissa Zehner dive into the real-world challenges and practical strategies for small and solo teams looking to launch and grow their marketing programs from scratch. You’ll meet Melissa Zehner, a seasoned organic marketing strategist with over 15 years of experience and an impressive track record of generating o...

Welcome back to the Leadership Cafe podcast! In this episode, host Sally Mildren sits down with Lacey Reichwald, Director of Marketing at AHA Media Group and a dynamic thought leader in B2B content strategy and healthcare marketing. From her entrepreneurial roots running a coffee shop to her current role shaping brand and content workflows, Lacey Reichwald brings a fresh perspective on the interse...

Welcome back to another episode of Leadership Cafe! In this episode, hosts Sally Mildren and Emma Osborne from Mira Media dive into the world of marketing and paid advertising, offering actionable insights tailored especially for small businesses, solo teams, nonprofits, and rural health organizations. With over a decade of marketing experience and a sharp focus on performance media, Emma Osborne...

Welcome back to the Leadership Cafe podcast! In this episode, hosts Sally Mildren and Michael Mattson dive into the vital role emotional intelligence plays in humanizing business and transforming organizational culture. Michael Mattson shares how his journey began with eye-opening experiences in the postal service, where he learned firsthand the power of empathy and authentic human connection - so...

Welcome back to Leadership Cafe! In this episode, host Sally Mildren sits down with creative branding expert Rochelle Serna - the founder of Beachy Keen Creative and the visionary behind the Leadership Cafe brand. Together, they dive deep into the heart and soul of what truly makes a brand powerful, exploring why branding is so much more than just logos and color palettes. Rochelle shares her uniq...

Welcome to the very first episode of the Leadership Cafe podcast! Grab your favorite mug and join host Sally Mildren and guest Lane Taylor as they kick off a show dedicated to empowering marketing leaders in nonprofits, rural health, and small businesses. In this pilot episode, Sally shares her inspiration for launching the Leadership Cafe, drawing from decades of experience as a marketing executi...

Welcome to The Leadership Cafe Podcast — hosted by Marketing Strategist and CEO Sally Mildren. This show brings you bold insights, actionable strategies, and inspiring stories from the worlds of nonprofit, rural health, and small business marketing. Each episode is designed to help you sharpen your skills, expand your impact, and lead with confidence. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or w...