The Uplifters

In this week's episode, you’ll meet Eliza Factor, an artist and author whose life took an unexpected turn when her first child, Felix, was born with significant disabilities. What began as a challenging and often isolating experience blossomed into a beautiful journey of discovery, innovation, and community-building. Eliza's story begins in 2003 when she contracted chicken pox during pregnancy. Wh...

When I was 46 years old, my young husband died suddenly from a heart attack. He died in my arms, and I couldn't save him.  This tragedy put my life on a different trajectory...one that could've spelled disaster for my own life for years to come. I wanted to cry in a corner, being catatonic and not interacting with the world. Actually, I did for several months after his passing.  I had a business t...

This week, you’ll meet Maysoon Zayid: comedian, bestselling author, and self-proclaimed "lost Kardashian" who's turning pain into laughter and shaking up the world's expectations of disability. With the wit of a standup comic and the wisdom of a sage, Maysoon introduces us to her latest creation - the graphic novel " Shiny Misfits " - and shows us how to shine in a world that often tries to dim ou...

Shelley Zalis is a force of nature who refuses to play by anyone else's rules. As the founder of The Female Quotient and a pioneering researcher, Shelley has made it her mission to rewrite the playbook for women in business. From transforming online research when everyone said it couldn't be done, to creating the "Girls' Lounge" at male-dominated conferences, Shelley's career is a masterclass in f...

When Sarah Krasley was a little girl growing up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, she witnessed the collapse of the local steel industry and the devastating impact it had on her community. Hundreds of thousands of people, including members of her own family, lost their jobs seemingly overnight when the factories closed down. That experience planted a seed that would eventually blossom into her life's wo...

From a young age, Emily Bailey was immersed in the world of human behavior thanks to her emergency room physician father. While most kids got bedtime stories, Emily got psychology journals to read with her dad. This early exposure and a complicated relationship with her mother sparked her curiosity about what makes people tick and set her on a path to becoming a therapist specializing in OCD and a...

Cleyvis Natera hasn’t always been the author of a critically acclaimed novel. She always knew she wanted to be, and she was certain she had what it took, but big jobs and big paychecks kept distracting her, and the big break she was looking for kept eluding her. Her son’s life-threatening illness triggered an awakening that propelled her to reclaim her passion for writing. I always knew I wanted t...

Cleyvis Natera hasn’t always been the author of a critically acclaimed novel. She always knew she wanted to be, and she was certain she had what it took, but big jobs and big paychecks kept distracting her, and the big break she was looking for kept eluding her. Her son’s life-threatening illness triggered an awakening that propelled her to reclaim her passion for writing. I always knew I wanted t...

In business, and life, everything is figureoutbable and every story can be rewritten. You can make progress each day with your biggest goals if you lean on your confidence, tenacity, resources and networks. Have you ever felt the exhilarating rush of taking a leap into the unknown? Jennifer Maanavi certainly has. In the latest episode of The Uplifters Podcast, the CEO and founder of Physique 57 ta...

Have you ever felt the exhilarating rush of taking a leap into the unknown? Jennifer Maanavi certainly has. In the latest episode of The Uplifters Podcast, the CEO and founder of Physique 57 takes us on her entrepreneurial journey - from the serendipitous discovery of a life-changing exercise method to the bold decision to start her own business with zero experience. With refreshing candor, Jennif...

When crisis hits, instead of asking "Why me?" ask "What now?" because you never know what beauty can come out of a brutal hardship. When Jessica Patay's second son Ryan was born, she knew something was different. Ryan didn't cry like other newborns and had trouble feeding. After a month in the hospital with no answers, a DNA test finally revealed Ryan had Prader-Willi syndrome - a rare genetic dis...

When Jessica Patay's second son Ryan was born, she knew something was different. Ryan didn't cry like other newborns and had trouble feeding. After a month in the hospital with no answers, a DNA test finally revealed Ryan had Prader-Willi syndrome - a rare genetic disorder causing low muscle tone, developmental delays, and an insatiable hunger starting in childhood. Jessica found herself thrown in...

"I always say instead of win or lose, it's win or learn. From each chapter, I have learned things that have then helped me with the next chapter." ~Sandy Samberg Meet Sandy Samberg , a nurse practitioner turned serial startup founder. Sandy’s ventures have spanned the full life journey. Her first, BABY-C, created health educational starter kits for parents & caregivers of infants. She then co-foun...

Meet Sandy Samberg , a nurse practitioner turned serial startup founder. Sandy’s ventures have spanned the full life journey. Her first, BABY-C, created health educational starter kits for parents & caregivers of infants. She then co-founded SOUL RYEDERS, an organization that provides personalized resources, innovative programs, and community support to people impacted by cancer. Most recently...

"Great stories are born of moments that have changed you." -Kate Tellers Imagine stepping onto a stage, a solitary spotlight illuminating your face as you prepare to bare your soul to a room full of strangers. Now imagine all of those strangers silently encouraging you, laughing and crying along with you, and cheering you on. This is the essence of The Moth , an organization that has captivated au...

Imagine stepping onto a stage, a solitary spotlight illuminating your face as you prepare to bare your soul to a room full of strangers. Now imagine all of those strangers silently encouraging you, laughing and crying along with you, and cheering you on. This is the essence of The Moth , an organization that has captivated audiences worldwide with its celebration of raw, unscripted storytelling. O...

I don’t have room for fear on my plate. -Kristy Jeansonne The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a screeching halt, but for Kristy Jeansonne, life took an even more unexpected turn. As the weeks of lockdown ticked by, her husband Brian's sprained ankle stubbornly refused to heal. With doctor’s offices closed, it took a stroke of luck - a pediatrician friend's plea into the void of an online me...

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a screeching halt, but for Kristy Jeansonne, life took an even more unexpected turn. As the weeks of lockdown ticked by, her husband Brian's sprained ankle stubbornly refused to heal. With doctor’s offices closed it took a stroke of luck - a pediatrician friend's plea into the void of an online medical community - to finally get answers. But those answers...

If you know what you want, but you're not doing it, there's some exploration to be done. -Rahti Gorfien Rahti Gorfien is a one-of-a-kind coach for creatives and adults with ADHD. From her hazy days as a young, mischievous actress to embracing her new identity as "Rahti" in an ashram to earning the impressive distinction of getting kicked out of a cult, her journey towards self-discovery and purpos...

Rahti Gorfien is a one-of-a-kind coach for creatives and adults with ADHD. From her hazy days as a young, mischievous actress to embracing her new identity as "Rahti" in an ashram to earning the impressive distinction of getting kicked out of a cult, her journey towards self-discovery and purpose is a wild and wonderful ride. These days, Rahti spends her time guiding others to overcome the "Five E...

You're capable of healing and you have the power to heal. Your body is waiting and ready to heal. It's just waiting on you. -Janelle Hill April is Sexual Abuse Awareness Month- a time to raise awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it, honor survivors, and show those who have been impacted by sexual violence that they are not alone. Please share this story. Viola...

April is Sexual Abuse Awareness Month- a time to raise awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it, honor survivors, and show those who have been impacted by sexual violence that they are not alone. Please share this story. Violated by the adults she looked up to, emotionally abandoned by her parents, and failed by the institutions designed to keep her safe, trauma...

Everybody expects me to quit. Everybody wants me to quit. If I quit that's what they're going to say all women do. I'm not going to quit. -Kathrine Switzer In 1967, a young runner named Kathrine Switzer made history by becoming the first woman to officially enter the Boston Marathon. Her defiant act of fearlessness paved the way for generations of female athletes. As Kathrine took off down the mar...

In 1967, a young runner named Kathrine Switzer made history by becoming the first woman to officially enter the Boston Marathon. Her defiant act of fearlessness paved the way for generations of female athletes. As Kathrine took off down the marathon course, an infuriated official named Jock Semple realized she was a woman and tried to forcibly remove her from the race. In a dramatic scene captured...

Some environments will lead you to believe that something is fundamentally wrong with you. I was finally able to sit back and realize there's nothing wrong with me, I just learn differently and I operate differently. When you're able to discover your uniqueness you discover how you individually contribute to the beauty in the world. -Taylor Ratliff This week's episode of The Uplifters Podcast feat...