Power to Pursue

In this episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, Rachel sits down with Molly Kreuzman, Program Director of Ohio Goes to the Movies, the signature statewide film festival celebrating Ohio's semiquincentennial. What begins as a conversation about movies quickly becomes a powerful discussion about community, connection, purpose, and the courage to simply keep saying "yes." From restoring historic thea...

Two women. Two conferences. One shared belief: when women are healthy, supported, and connected, everything changes. In this heartfelt episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, Rachel DesRochers sits down with Deborah Belfatto; two-time breast cancer survivor, women's health advocate, nonprofit founder, and creator of the Let's Talk Women's Health & Wellness Symposium. Deborah shares how survivi...

In this episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, Rachel sits down with fifth-generation Graeter's leader Annie Graeter to explore what it means to forge your own identity, build a life beyond the family legacy, and ultimately return home with a deeper understanding of purpose. Together, they discuss the realities of working in a multi-generational family business, the women who helped shape Graeter...

What if one of the greatest sources of healing in your life isn't found in a romantic relationship, but in the women who walk beside you through every season? In this deeply personal episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, Rachel sits down with her longtime friend Stephanie Beck for a conversation about friendship, healing, reinvention, and the power of being truly witnessed. Together, they reflec...

What if the stories we tell ourselves, and the ones we're allowed to hear, shape everything about who we become? This week on the Power to Pursue Podcast, Rachel sits down with author, poet, advocate, and community-builder Holly Brians Ragusa for a conversation about fear, language, creativity, and the radical act of choosing connection over control. Together, they explore why words matter, how li...

This week on the Power to Pursue Podcast, Rachel sits down with mindset and movement coach Nadia Murdock for a deeply grounding conversation about what it really means to return to yourself. Together, they explore the power of women gathering intentionally, the importance of community in healing, and how alignment, gratitude, movement, and play can radically shift the way we experience life. From...

In this episode of Power to Pursue, we sit down with Kristin Smith Shrimplin, President & CEO of Women Helping Women, for a conversation that is equal parts grounding, challenging, and deeply human. Kristin shares what it means to live a life rooted in purpose, and why she’s always been clear on hers: creating collective impact. From leading an organization that serves thousands of survivors o...

What does it look like to build a life that actually feels as good as it looks? In this episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, we sit down with Jane Karlson, women’s health coach, entrepreneur, and founder behind Train Like Jane, to talk about the real work behind wellness, ambition, and alignment. Jane shares her journey from a 17-year corporate career into full-time coaching, and how burnout, p...

Recorded at 1819 Innovation Hub during Professional Readiness Day, this special live episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast brings together powerful voices across entrepreneurship, leadership, and student experience. Hosted by University of Cincinnati students Mirsayah Wasnuk and Anna Kantz, this conversation features Rachel DesRochers and Camryn Ellis for an honest, energizing dialogue on what it...

In this episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, Rachel DesRochers sits down with Emmy-award winning journalist and community leader Michelle Hopkins for a powerful conversation about reinvention, storytelling, and finding joy in unexpected places. Michelle shares her journey from a shy girl growing up in Fort Wayne, Indiana to becoming a respected television journalist, host of Coffee with Michell...

If you’ve ever attended Power to Pursue, you’ve felt her work, even if you’ve never seen her on stage. In this special behind-the-scenes episode, Rachel sits down with Tara Litmer... the right-hand woman, operational genius, and heart-forward “do-er” behind the Power to Pursue programming. From volunteer wrangler to run-of-show architect, Tara has been a pivotal force in building this community fo...

A special live-recorded edition of the Power to Pursue Podcast, Host Rachel DesRochers sits down with New York Times bestselling poet Kate Baer, where poetry, friendship, motherhood, aging, creativity, and community meet in one deeply honest conversation. Recorded in front of a live audience at the Mercantile Library, Kate shares how her words are born from ordinary moments, why women’s friendship...

In this deeply reflective episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, Rachel DeRochers sits down with writer, founder, and cultural thinker Rachel Cargle for a conversation about what it means to be well, not as a goal, but as a daily practice. Rachel shares what she’s learning in this season of stillness: returning home to Ohio, paying attention to cycles, redefining ambition, and letting go of the n...

What does it mean to keep moving, through uncertainty, grief, growth, and the quiet seasons in between? In this episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, we sit down with Hannah Chapman for a grounded, honest conversation about becoming: how we listen to ourselves, how we change course, and how meaning is often found not at the destination, but in the pursuit itself. Hannah shares reflections on gro...

What does it look like to grow a business without doing it all alone? In this episode of Power to Pursue, host Rachel DeRochers sits down with Jill Morenz, President & CEO of Aviatra Accelerators, to talk about women-led businesses, side hustles, sustainable growth, and the power of community. From helping women launch their very first idea to supporting founders scaling multi-million-dollar e...

In this episode of Power to Pursue Podcast, Rachel sits down with storyteller, entrepreneur, and community-builder Amy Scalia to explore what it truly means to never give up, even when life doesn’t look the way you planned. Amy shares her journey from founding Cincy Chic, Greater Cincinnati’s first online-only publication for women, to launching Local Creator Studio, where she now helps women tell...

What does it really take to lead with integrity, especially when you’re stepping into a legacy that isn’t entirely your own? In this episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, we’re joined by Mollie Lewis, President of New Riff Distilling. Mollie reflects on her journey from the wine industry to the bourbon world, what it means to define her leadership style beyond her father’s legacy, and how she’s...

What happens when creativity, resilience, and storytelling collide? In this deeply honest and inspiring episode of Power to Pursue, host Rachel DesRochers sits down with Jennifer Siems, founder of Immortal Perfumes, indie perfumer, perfume historian, and writer, to explore what it means to build a life, and a business, in true alignment. Jennifer shares her journey from self-taught perfumer to suc...

In the third and final conversation of our financial well-being series with Truepoint Wealth Counsel, host Rachel DesRochers sits down with Kate Brownstein, Senior Financial Planner and Shareholder, and Kristine Kolzing, Director of Client Growth, to talk about the power of rewriting your money story. Together, they explore what it means to build trust, confidence, and clarity in your financial li...

In this episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, host Rachel DesRochers continues the Power to Pursue Financial Well-Being series in partnership with Truepoint Wealth Counsel . She’s joined by Lauren Niestradt, Senior Portfolio Manager, and Michelle Stevens, Director of Financial Planning, for an honest conversation about confidence, clarity, and care in personal finance. Together, they unpack what...

In this episode of the Power to Pursue Podcast, host Rachel DesRochers kicks off a three-part Financial Well-Being Series in partnership with Truepoint Wealth Counsel. Joined by financial advisors Gwen Keihl and Deanna Sicking, this conversation brings money talk back to the basics. No jargon, no shame, just real guidance for women and families ready to take control of their finances. Together, th...

In this episode, Rachel sits down with mindset & movement coach Nadia Murdock for a conversation about confidence, alignment, and coming home to yourself. Nadia shares her journey from psychology to PR to nonprofit work.. and how each chapter led her to helping women reconnect with their inner strength and trust their own voice. Together, they explore what alignment really feels like, why trus...

In this episode, Rachel sits down with Kacy Fleming, a workplace strategist, organizational psychologist, and founder of The Fuchsia Tent, to talk about redefining women’s health and leadership at work. From her own journey through burnout and perimenopause, to her mission of helping companies create compassionate, inclusive environments, Kacy shares how values alignment, wellbeing, and humor have...

Welcome to Power to Pursue, a groundbreaking podcast hosted by Rachel DesRochers, a serial entrepreneur and nonprofit founder. Launched in the Spring of 2025, this podcast aims to celebrate and normalize the diverse pursuits of women-from perfecting their morning coffee to building successful businesses. With a focus on inspiring and empowering listeners, Power to Pursue will feature interviews wi...

In this episode, we converse with the incredible Susanna Wong of Oriental Wok (a Cincinnati staple!) and dive into a story rich with family legacy, entrepreneurial grit, and the power of community. Susanna shares the remarkable journey of her family, starting with her parents' move from Hong Kong to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream, and how they built their beloved restaurant fro...