Powerful Ladies® Podcast

Beverly Asante Puschmann isn’t just here to help people feel better. She wants to help them live fuller, more authentic lives. Beverly shares how storytelling, cultural identity, and intentional mental health care can shape communities and create lasting change. Kara and Beverly talk about intergenerational trauma, career pivots, and what it means to serve others without losing yourself. Chapters:...

If you’ve been listening for a while, you know Kara loves books, big dreams, and the power of storytelling. Today’s guest, Lindsay Bednar, lives all of that. She’s the founder of Rodney K Press, an independent publishing house. She’s also a writer, author coach, wife, mom, sister, and daughter who’s passionate about helping others reach their goals. In our conversation, we talk about executive pre...

Sara Seyed grew up in Iran, where she saw firsthand what happens when women are silenced, rights are stripped away, and power is used as a weapon. Now based in LA, she’s using her voice and platform to amplify the revolution happening in her home country. A former human rights lawyer turned actor, Sara shares what it means to live with purpose, speak up even when it’s risky, and turn grief into fu...

Karen Duffy is one of Kara’s heroes, and after this episode, she might be one of yours too. She broke onto the world stage as the MTV VJ “Duff” in the early 1990’s, was on People’s 50 Most Beautiful People list in 1993, she is an actor, a model, a producer, an Oprah and NY Times best selling author, a speaker, a writer, and has also had a full assortment of social service roles including being a h...

Lady Altovise is a one-woman show...in the best way possible. A licensed NYC tour guide, she brings Harlem history to life with the energy of a Broadway performance and the heart of a lifelong storyteller. Lady Altovise shares how her background in theater and dance helps her keep Black history vibrant, why tourists and locals alike need to experience Harlem on foot, and what it means to be a “lad...

We’re juggling jobs, relationships, households, and, if we’re lucky, time to breathe. Jackie Waller, co-host of the Beauty, Bags & Bravo podcast, talks with Kara about the reality of holding multiple roles as women, and how she navigates being a researcher, wife, mom, friend, and creator. They get into why community is non-negotiable, how Bravo became her best therapy, and what it really means to...

What if your best idea started in a college dorm room? That’s exactly what happened to Abby Michaelsen, the founder of Statement Home and creator of the viral tray that launched the fast-growing product brand. Abby shares how she took a single prototype and turned it into a full business, with no co-founder, no paid ads, and no formal product design experience. They talk about building confidence,...

What does it really mean to be fierce? For Tara Wilson, it’s not about being loud or intense. It’s about ownership and action. Tara is the founder of Fierce Lab, an empowerment platform helping women take charge of their careers, finances, mental health, and risk-taking. Tara breaks down why women often hesitate to claim their power, how to move past perfectionism, and why knowing your numbers is...

Marie Garvey spent years as a successful executive coach and crisis comms expert. But when she found herself alone in a bathroom stall during a business dinner she didn’t want to attend, she knew something had to change. Marie joins Kara to talk about rewriting the rules women live by, building her company Crazy Busy Women in Balance, and why “good girl training” is holding so many women back from...

This episode is a live & unedited recording of A Powerful Conversation Series: The Rise & Empowerment of Women in Iran.  This recording took place on Saturday October 8th, 2022 in response to and support of the protests happening in Iran being led by brave young women asking for freedom for Women, Life and Liberty.  Our amazing panelists include:   Dr. Marjan Koosha Johnson a physician and entrepr...

From growing up on a dirt road in Vermont to dancing in NYC with Prince, Jasmine Carey has always followed her curiosity. Jasmine crafted a life around freedom, creativity, and self-expression. A writer and teacher as well as editor of LiT Magazine, Jasmine talks about what it means to live deliberately, why storytelling bridges divides, and how we all benefit from honoring what lights us up. We g...

What started as a wedding favor turned into a million-dollar gourmet cookie business. Kara talks with Vicki Kotris, founder of Cleveland Cookie Dough Company, about turning passion into profit, and why your support system might be your most valuable business asset. They unpack how to grow a small idea into a serious operation, the difference between momentum and burnout, and the surprising sales c...

For Tracy Christian, fashion is about power, visibility, and legacy. A legendary Hollywood talent agent and the founder of the fashion house Sante Grace, Tracy is on a mission to help plus-size women show up as boldly as they feel. She shares how she built her own line from scratch, why self-love is the ultimate emancipation, and what it means to lead with integrity in an industry that wasn’t buil...

What happens when a stay-at-home mom with a passion for baking refuses to let a pandemic crush her dream? Elise Thomas went from filling cookie boxes in her home kitchen to launching one of the fastest-growing dessert franchises in the U.S. Elise shares how she turned a moment of crisis into a movement of kindness and entrepreneurship. They talk about what it means to lead with service, how to bui...

What if one plant could solve multiple global problems: environmental degradation, economic instability, and public health? Annie Rouse believes hemp can. Kara talks with Annie about the power and potential of hemp as an industrial crop, a wellness resource, and a tool for climate solutions. They get into how policy, stigma, and industry gatekeeping have slowed hemp's progress, and why Annie’s on...

Stress and burnout are on the rise, but Massoma Alam Chohan wants to change that...one lunch break at a time. She’s an Amazon #1 bestselling author, TEDx speaker, industrial-organizational psychologist, wife, and mother. Kara and Massoma talk about the emotional and physical toll of workplace stress, the myths we believe about productivity, and how even two intentional minutes a day can shift your...

Dr. Swathi Varanasi is creating the kind of healthcare she wished existed - one rooted in science, inclusivity, and plant-powered wellness. As an integrative health pharmacist and entrepreneur, she’s bridging the gap between evidence-based medicine and holistic care. She shares how she co-founded Element Apothec, how she’s changing pharmacy from the inside out, and why more women of color need a s...

Sydney Olson turned a childhood love of movement into a career as a free-runner, pro stuntwoman, and Red Bull Championship athlete. She shares how listening to her intuition helped her pivot from gymnastics to parkour, why falling is part of success, and what it takes to push your body, and mind, to new heights. We talk about creativity, confidence, injury recovery, and how she's learning to balan...

What happens when you're going through IVF, building a comedy career, and trying not to scream at strangers giving you unsolicited fertility advice? Casey Balsham finds the funny in all of it. In this honest and hilarious episode, Kara and Casey talk about grief, body changes, baby-making timelines, and what it takes to show up as a female comic in a world that still wants women to shrink. From th...

When it comes to wellness, most of us think food, fitness, or mindset...but what about your furniture? Erica Reiner is the founder of Eco Method Interiors, a design firm that helps clients create beautiful, functional spaces that are also safe, non-toxic, and sustainable. She and Kara dig into the surprising things that might be affecting your health at home, the truth behind greenwashing in desig...

Lida Mangal grew up during wartime in Afghanistan and now lives in Sydney, where she runs Ghan Fashion, an ethical brand preserving Afghan traditional dress and employing Afghan women. Lida shares her story of resilience, her passion for color and cultural heritage, and how fashion became both her creative outlet and her form of advocacy. You’ll hear how she built a life rooted in purpose, what it...

What if your love of travel could fuel real change? Candice Young didn’t plan to start a nonprofit. But when a trek to Nepal collided with a need for earthquake relief, she launched Trek Relief, an organization that combines adventure travel with on-the-ground impact. We talk about how curiosity, movement, and a willingness to say yes led her from fire dancing in Thailand to leading treks in the H...

What does it mean to chase your dreams and lift others as you go? Actor and filmmaker Katya Martín shares how she's navigating her career, from indie projects to starring in ABC’s Promised Land, while making room for collaboration, representation, and self-reflection. She talks about growing up between Spain and the U.S., what “power” really means to her, and why community matters just as much as...

Vana Chupp didn’t set out to start a business. She was a stay-at-home mom with a background in architecture and a passion for capturing moments through silhouette sketches of her son. What began as a creative outlet on Etsy has grown into a thriving lifestyle brand featured at Pottery Barn Kids. Vana talks with Kara about building a business on her own terms, redefining success after burnout, and...

Casey Hohman is one of those people who makes you believe anything is possible. What started as a side hustle became a wildly successful company. Casey learned how to lead, grow, and stay grounded as a first-time founder. He opens up about the early days, the mindset shifts that helped him go from employee to entrepreneur, and how he's scaling something joyful without losing his own spark. Chapter...