Powerful Ladies® Podcast

Welcome to a special edition of the Powerful Ladies Podcast. This episode was recorded live in Venice, California, on April 25th, 2024, at NeueHouse. It’s an amazing discussion about my Have It All Method™ featuring myself and three of my favorite entrepreneurs: Maurice Philogen, who flew in all the way from Lebanon; KJ Atlas, whose solo Powerful Ladies episode you may have heard (if not, go back...

What if saying yes to a full-time job didn’t mean giving up your freedom? In this episode, Kara talks with Jacqueline Lavitt Michaelsen, a creative director and designer whose career has flowed between freelance projects, corporate gigs, and a dream role with one of the top luxury brands in the world. They discuss the real lessons of building a creative business, what she learned from modeling and...

Sandra Soskic is the founder of Humanoid, a skinwear brand that reimagines beauty as a form of self-expression, not perfection. In this episode, Kara and Sandra talk about launching a cosmetics company with no industry background, building creative confidence, and leading with intuition. They also dig into the future of the beauty industry and how Sandra’s multidisciplinary approach is opening up...

Melissa Skeet is a Diné advocate and speaker who’s using her own story of survival to bring awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP). In this episode, she and Kara talk about skating across the country to break the silence, finding purpose through pain, and using your voice even when it's hard. They explore trauma, advocacy, and what it means to heal in public. Chapters: (00:00:...

What happens when three generations of women raise each other to lead? In this episode, Kara talks with Kendra Laine, Nancy Eaton, and Grandma Donna about parenting, entrepreneurship, and building legacy through values. It’s a joyful, honest look at what power looks like in a family of strong women, and how wisdom travels across generations. Chapters: (00:00:01) – Meet the Three Generations of Pow...

Astrologer KJ Atlas helps people make decisions by reading the stars. In this episode, Kara and KJ explore how location astrology, birth charts, and planetary timing can reveal insights about career, home, and identity. They also discuss chronic illness, intuition, and why KJ created the Grove Almanac to make astrology practical, accessible, and powerful. Chapters: (00:00:01) – Why Astrology Is Li...

Kristin Middleton started Bougie Gougies at age 60 after years of making her signature French cheese puffs for friends and family. In this episode, she talks with Kara about turning a homemade snack into a gourmet frozen food business and what it means to become a first-time founder later in life. They explore entrepreneurship, food manufacturing, and why resilience, joy, and female friendship are...

Kim O’Hara is a book coach and publishing consultant who helps people write the story they’ve been afraid to tell. In this episode, Kara and Kim talk about the emotional and professional journey of writing a book, why visibility is so difficult for high-achieving women, and what it really means to be heard. They explore memoir writing, publishing timelines, and how writing your truth can help othe...

Adeline Perez went from corporate burnout to stand-up comedy in a journey that transformed her voice and confidence. In this episode, she talks with Kara about the fear of public speaking, people pleasing, and how making fun of corporate life became her gateway to healing. Adeline’s comedy about toxic workplaces and emotional boundaries has gone viral, and her new book tackles these themes head-on...

Maggie Larkin Hicok helps leaders grow their influence from the inside out. In this episode, Kara and Maggie talk about workplace culture, coaching executives, and what it means to be a goofball that gets results. They also dig into values-based leadership, curiosity as a superpower, and why real power doesn’t require a title. Chapters: (00:00:01) – Influence Without Authority and the Reputation S...

Shubnum Khan is a South African author, illustrator, and Muslim woman writer whose journey to creative freedom was anything but expected. In this episode, she talks with Kara about growing up in a conservative Muslim community, how travel opened her imagination, and why storytelling has the power to heal. They discuss her viral travel memoir, her breakout novel The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years, and...

Kelli Heald is a meditation coach and wellness entrepreneur who turned personal loss into a practice that now helps others heal. In this episode, she and Kara talk about grief recovery, brain science, and how meditation can be a lifeline in the face of chaos. They explore starting a wellness business later in life, raising a daughter with Down syndrome, and why meditation is for every body, not ju...

What if aging wasn’t something to hide, but something to celebrate? Debra Granich is the CEO of the Red Hat Society, a global community for women over 50 who want to age joyfully, loudly, and on their own terms. In this episode, she and Kara talk about rejecting ageism, embracing visibility, and how play and friendship can change your health. They explore how the Red Hat Society has grown into a m...

What would change if you stopped doubting yourself? In this live International Women’s Day panel hosted at Soho Works LA, Kara Duffy brings together four powerful women to talk about how they learned to trust their instincts, honor their inner knowing, and take action that feels aligned. Actress and author Cyann Ribeiro, producer and performer Natalia Trejos, Jungian coach Shadi Sadeghi, and comed...

What if selling didn’t feel awkward, forced, or exhausting? In this episode of the Powerful Ladies Podcast, Kara Duffy sits down with sales coach and keynote speaker Natasha Hemmingway to talk about selling with integrity, alignment, and purpose. They unpack how shifting your mindset can unlock more revenue, more confidence, and a business that actually feels good to run. Natasha shares her R.I.C....

What happens when you stop forcing your path and start listening instead? For Leia Vita Marasovich, that choice led her across continents and disciplines, from farming in Guatemala to shooting cookbooks in California to documenting surf culture and regenerative agriculture around the world. In this conversation with Kara, Leia shares how she’s built a career by trusting herself and following what...

What if the key to success in business wasn’t just strategy or hustle, but joy? Speaker, podcaster, and author Shennice Cleckley joins Kara to share how she went from baking desserts to feeding people with love, purpose, and business acumen. They talk about embracing self-worth, making bold pivots, and the mindset shifts that help entrepreneurs turn setbacks into stepping stones. From building a b...

Stephani Clymer is the founder and owner of Shop Common Threads, a beloved boutique in Newport Beach, CA. In this episode, she and Kara talk about building a values-led business, how to lead with empathy, and what it really takes to run a successful brick-and-mortar shop in today’s digital-first world. Stephani shares her story of shifting from broadcast journalism to retail after a lightbulb mome...

Dr. Tierney Thys is a marine biologist, National Geographic Explorer, TED speaker, and co-founder of Around the World in 80 Fabrics. In this episode of the Powerful Ladies Podcast, she joins Kara to explore how curiosity can change your life, and possibly the world. They discuss biodiversity, mental health, fast fashion, and why protecting the planet starts with getting outside. From her work on g...

Michelle Smith spent decades leading in the male-dominated world of action sports before walking away to launch her own coaching practice. Today, she helps ambitious women lead with clarity, set powerful boundaries, and define success on their own terms. In this episode, Michelle and Kara talk about corporate burnout, the lessons of managing people well, how to lead with presence, and the cost of...

What if better parenting starts with being kinder to yourself? In this episode, Kara talks with Kristine Petterson, founder of Mindful Parenting Evolution, about how emotional health, nervous system support, and real rest can transform both your parenting and your self-worth. They dig into why sleep matters more than hustle, how to rewire habits shaped by burnout and shame, and why connection - no...

Transformation doesn’t happen on the surface. Jungian coach and Emotion Code practitioner Shadi Sadeghi helps people reclaim the parts of themselves they’ve hidden, suppressed, or ignored. In this episode, Kara and Shadi explore what shadow work really means, how it can shift every area of your life, and why true healing requires emotional honesty. They dive into how your unconscious patterns shap...

Louisa Schmolke is a London-based artist whose breakout piece 3024 (Grid of Memories) was featured in the Royal Scottish Academy’s 197th Annual Show. But she didn’t come up through art school, she studied architecture and project management, two fields that taught her how to make art with intention, structure, and an eye toward the audience experience. In this episode, Louisa and Kara talk about n...

After losing her husband to cancer, Anne Watson found healing through creativity, motherhood, and entrepreneurship. In this inspiring episode, Kara talks with Anne, a food photographer, wine grower, yogini, and reiki master, about how she rebuilt her life through Watson Ranch Vineyard, Anne Watson Content Development, and Watson Wellness. They discuss navigating grief, raising a creative son, find...

Melissa Cho is a storyteller, video editor, and creator of the HAAPI Hour podcast, where she amplifies AAPI voices and builds community through real, joyful, and unfiltered conversations. In this episode of the Powerful Ladies Podcast, Melissa shares how growing up across Asia shaped her worldview, why she’s committed to building a life of creative freedom, and how she’s navigating freelance life...