7 Kids, One World Championship, and a Company Built on Equity with Maria Colacurcio

Superwoman alert! Or at least someone I see as a superwoman. My guest today, Maria Colacurcio, not only has 7 children (you heard that right), but she also is a top-level athlete and is the founder and leader of her own company. Woah. Maria shares with us how she doesn’t do it all, leans on her partner, and even boldly talks about how she has learned that each of her children do not need the same level of attention. Understanding that we do not need to do it all made me feel like my whole body did a deep exhale. During our conversation, we also chatted about:Maria’s company, Syndio, and the work they are doing with pay equityWhat tips Maria has for balancing a full professional and personal lifeThe seasons or rhythms she follows for making it happen and how her family is in the know with these seasonsWhat she things women should stop doingWhat HYROX is and how she trains her body to support her life and workHere is more about Maria:Maria Colacurcio is reshaping how enterprises govern their largest and most consequential investment: how they pay their people. As CEO of Syndio, she leads the company that defined the market for pay equity software and is now pioneering Decision Intelligence for Pay. Under her leadership, Syndio partners with global brands including Walmart, Microsoft, and Salesforce to make every pay decision compliant, optimized, and aligned with business strategy. Maria previously co-founded Smartsheet, which went public in 2018. She has built her career at the intersection of technology, policy, and purpose-driven leadership, earning recognition as one of the 100 most exceptional entrepreneurs by Goldman Sachs Builders+ Innovators Summit. Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review.Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Imposter Phenomenon, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three!If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at [email protected]. I am happy to share the details on the project.  Alright, let’s welcome Maria to the show!

Honestly, when I started the podcast, I thought it was just that. A podcast. But it became so much more. The Brave Women at Work Podcast has been:A path to healing from burnoutA doorway to amazing friendships, business colleagues, and partnershipsA way to express myself creativelyA platform to build communityAnd a huge part of who I am and my purposeAs I reflected on my learnings, I have jotted down nine learnings. Some of them will sound familiar if you've been listening a while. Some might surprise you. Let’s get right into it!LESSON 1: SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO GO FOR ITWhen I started this podcast, I didn't know how to run a podcast. I was afraid — of sounding foolish, of nobody listening, of starting something I couldn't sustain.I did it anyway.And that's the first lesson, maybe the most important one: waiting until you feel ready means you might never start. Readiness is a myth we tell ourselves to stay safe. Sometimes the only way through fear is straight through it.LESSON 2: IT TAKES DISCIPLINE — AND IT REWARDS MORE THAN JUST YOUHere's what nobody tells you about 300 episodes: inspiration will not get you there. Inspiration is unreliable. It shows up when it feels like it.Discipline is what shows up every week — whether you feel like it or not, whether the episode's easy or hard, whether you're excited or exhausted. Three hundred episodes is not a monument to motivation. It's a monument to discipline.And here's what I didn't expect: that discipline wasn't just a gift to myself. I used to think of it as a private commitment — something I owed only to my own goals. But showing up consistently became a gift to everyone who kept coming back, week after week, expecting this show to be here. Consistency isn't just self-discipline. It's a form of care for other people too.LESSON 3: YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL BECOME YOUR ARTI didn't set out to make this podcast my art. It started as a project, an idea, maybe even an experiment.Somewhere along the way, it became something else. It became the thing I think about, care about, pour myself into. And I think that's true more broadly — you don't always know in advance what will become the thing that defines you. Sometimes you have to commit to something before you understand what it actually is.LESSON 4: LISTENING IS THE PATH TO LEARNINGEvery single guest on this show has taught me something I couldn't have learned by talking.The best moments in 300 episodes weren't when I had the perfect question or the sharpest insight. They were when I got out of my own way and just listened. Listening isn't passive — it's actually the harder skill. And it's the one that taught me the most.LESSON 5: THE ROAD IS LONG AND WINDING, AND THERE WILL BE POTHOLESThere was no straight line from episode 1 to episode 300. I thought there might be — a clean, upward path. That's not what happened.The road curved in directions I didn't plan for. Topics I never expected to cover. Seasons where the show changed shape entirely.And along the way — bad episodes, technical failures, weeks I wanted to quit entirely. I used to think those potholes meant I was doing something wrong. Now I know they're just part of the road, not a detour from the journey, but the journey itself. If you're doing anything long enough, you will hit potholes. The lesson isn't to avoid them. It's to keep driving.LESSON 6: MOTIVATION SHOWS UP IN THE ODDEST PLACESNot always where I expected it. A comment from a listener I'd never met. A guest's offhand remark that stuck with me for weeks. A message that arrived on exactly the day I needed it.I stopped looking for motivation in the big, obvious places. Some of the smallest, strangest moments are what kept me going.LESSON 7: HEALING COMES IN INTERESTING

It’s a special day over here at Brave Women at Work! Today marks the first show in almost 300 episodes when I have a male guest! Logan is the first!So, you may be thinking, “Why now?”First, the format of this show is not changing. Most of the guests will be female or identify as female, but I just knew in my gut that Logan had to be the first male guest because he is not only interesting and amazing at the young age of 16, but he has co-written a children’s book series, Different But the Same Game, that celebrates diversity, inclusion, and empathy, with his aunt, Mylene Barizo.Logan is a brave young man because he is smart, wise, and I love that he has amazing, strong women in his life, such as his mom, NAME, his aunt, Mylene, and also his sister Layni, who has not only beaten leukemia as a child but also has Down’s Syndrome. I have been told that Layni is a firecracker and really squeezes the juice out of life, so I hope I get to meet both Layni and Logan in-person one day.The first book in the series, Tabletop Fun, is not just a book. This book is for every child who has ever felt different, every family who has navigated tender conversations about special needs, every parent that has looked for a joyful and more natural way to teach empathy to their kids, and for every teacher that wants to celebrate diversity.Here is more about Logan:Logan Schultz was fourteen years old when he agreed to co-author a children's book celebrating his experience as the sibling to Layni, his sister with Down Syndrome.  Layni’s special needs have shaped him in many ways.  At an early age, he became very aware of how different they were.  Learning to accept and embrace their individual qualities came as he matured, a process that accelerated when he lived through Layni’s battle with cancer.  A high school student today, Logan excels in academics, competes in piano adjudications, is a sports enthusiast (go Seahawks!) and shares a love of travel and food adventures with his family.  His parents' gifts of a strong work ethic and love of music are things he will carry into college and beyond.Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review.Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Imposter Phenomenon, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three!If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at [email protected]. I am happy to share the details on the project.  Alright, let’s welcome Logan to the show!

 have a wonderful repeat guest, Anna Runyan, this week on the show! I always learn something from Anna, and this show is no different. I see Anna as my brave big sister in business, and she has taken brave leaps personally, too. For example, as you will hear, she moved with her family to Europe for a year, which is on my bucket list! Either way, Anna represents not following the traditional path to me. She is someone that took an intentional look at her life and work and purposefully decided to build her personal and professional life on her own terms. When I was pregnant with my first child, like so many of us, I tried to fit my growing family into my existing work instead of the other way around. Anna was like, “Nope!” This isn’t for me. There must be a better way. And she found it and now helps others with that same dream. So, if you are a closet dreamer of a better way to live and work, this show is for you!During our podcast, Anna and I chatted about:The story behind her company Classy Career GirlHer learnings traveling nomadically as a family and when she realized she wanted to come back to the U.S. and settle in FloridaHow did Imposter Syndrome or (phenomenon) show up for Anna as she was building her businessWhat Classy Career Girl offers and what’s next for her companyHere is more about Anna:Anna is the creator of The Corporate Rescue Plan and The Classy Career Girl® Certified Career Coach Program. She is a former corporate consultant turned entrepreneur. Her website was picked as one of Forbes Top 100 Websites For Women and one of Forbes 35 Most Influential Career Sites. She’s been featured on Fox, The Wall Street Journal and People StyleWatch magazine. Anna was nominated as San Diego Magazine’s Woman of the Year and her podcast was named as Yahoo’s 10 Best Podcasts.Prior to founding Classy Career Girl in 2010, Anna worked for Booz Allen Hamilton where she spent 8 years managing a client delivery team and managed a $75M annual U.S. Navy budget. She was a Certified Adjunct Instructor at Booz Allen Hamilton and a Professor of Management at DeVry University. She received her MBA from University of California, San Diego and after a year of traveling around Europe with her husband and three daughters, she now lives in Florida.Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review.Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Imposter Phenomenon, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three!If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at [email protected]. I am happy to share the details on the project.  Alright, let’s welcome Anna to the show!

Do you resonate with this? You bump into someone and say, “I’m sorry.”You send out an email and start it with, “I’m sorry I’m asking this question again, but…”Or you say, “I’m sorry that I need your help, but…”How many times do women say, “I’m sorry” on the average day? According to Google, women apologize 10 times per day on average, and 25% more than men. What would it look like if we stopped apologizing for everything and started living unapologetically? What would change in your life if you started living that way? Does that just feel like your entire body takes a deep and relaxing sigh? During our podcast, Cassy and I chatted about:What being unapologetic means to her.How does being unapologetic play out in Cassy’s life and work?If someone is a fawner or people pleaser, how can we start being more unapologetic?What prompted her to write her book, Unapologetic: A Journey to Living Boldly, Loving Fiercely, and Being Nothing but Yourself?What Cassy’s thoughts are on failure and comparison?What the Unapologetic Women community and Unapologetic Edit are and how we can get involved.Here is more about Cassy:As a passionate leadership coach, Cassy’s mission is simple: to help individuals and teams reach their full potential, achieve outstanding results, and to fall in love with the process along the way. With a background in healthcare, sales, and marketing, Cassy has seen firsthand how the right leadership and a strong company culture can transform an organization, propelling them to the next level. Her approach is all about inspiring others to lead with heart, innovation, and confidence.After moving from the music industry to healthcare and then transitioning into sales and marketing, Cassy discovered the powerful impact of leadership that values both people and performance. Over the years, she trained and coached professionals at all levels, from front-line employees to senior leaders, helping them develop the leadership skills necessary to create positive, lasting change both for themselves and their organizations.Cassy believes the best leaders are those who serve, empower, and inspire those around them. Her coaching style is centered on cultivating trust, collaboration, and a deep commitment to growth—both personal and professional. Leadership isn’t just about titles — it’s about making a difference, no matter where you stand in an organization.Cassy’s WHY is to serve you and your team through impactful coaching programs that provide clear, actionable strategies to elevate your leadership, company culture, and make a difference. Whether you’re looking for a high-impact, one-day experience or a year-long coaching journey, Cassy is here to help you grow and thrive into the leader that you are meant to be.If you’re ready to take your leadership journey to the next level and create a team that’s aligned, inspired, and driven by a shared vision, Cassy would love to work with you!Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review.Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Imposter Phenomenon, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three!If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at [email protected]. I am happy to share the details on the project.  Alright, let’s welcome Cassy to the show!

I have been schooled in the best way. I learned something so valuable during my conversation with my guest, Nicole Pulliam. You know how everyone (including me) has referenced Imposter Syndrome as well, a syndrome? What if the original researchers on the topic never intended for it to be called that? What if it was really called Imposter Phenomenon. We could do a whole podcast on why it was changed from phenomenon to syndrome, but the gist is that with a syndrome, we can tend to blame ourselves and think we are inherently wrong or bad. With imposter phenomenon, we take the imposter outside of ourselves and into the environment. What in the environment triggered us to feel like an imposter? And what can we do about it?During our podcast, Nicole and I chatted about:The backstory behind her work with her company, Real and WorthyWhat imposter phenomenon is, and how it is different than Imposter SyndromeWhat does it mean to lead in a system that wasn’t built for you? And how is this especially difficult for women of color?What is the Worthy Leadership Framework?The “I am worthy of” promptIf you have beat yourself up regarding Imposter Syndrome, flip your brain inside out in the best way possible with today’s show.Here is more about Nicole:Nicole Pulliam is a first-generation trailblazer, a tenured professor, and a Woman of Color who has spent over 20 years inside the very systems she now helps others navigate. She has led organizations, built programs from the ground up, and sat in rooms where she had to fight, quietly or loudly, to be taken seriously.As a tenured professor, Nicole works inside the academy every day. When she coaches faculty, Nicole is not speaking from the outside. She is speaking from experience. As Nicole knows, the rules are different when you’re a woman. The game often feels different when you’re a Woman of Color. Through executive coaching, leadership development, speaking, and consulting, Nicole partners with women, especially Women of Color, who are doing meaningful work in environments that don't always make space for them. She also partners with higher education institutions ready to invest in their people.Her approach is identity-affirming, strength-based, and unapologetically human. Nicole holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education, an M.A. in Counseling, and a B.A. in Psychology, along with professional certifications in coaching and intercultural development. But more than credentials, Nicole brings lived experience and a genuine commitment to each of her client’s growth.Whether you're a leader navigating your next chapter, a faculty member in the thick of academic life, or an organization ready to do the real work, Nicole’s goal is the same: to help you lead with clarity, courage, and a deeper sense of who you actually are. Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review.Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Imposter Phenomenon, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three!If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at [email protected]. I am happy to share the details on the project.  Alright, let’s welcome Nicole to the show!

Have you ever seen an absolutely powerhouse woman in the gym? By this, I mean a woman who isn’t afraid to lift heavy and has muscle – like real muscle? When I have seen a woman like this in the gym before, I must be honest – I am partially I awe and terrified at the same time. But here’s the thing. As I get deeper in mid-life, I’m inspired and challenged by the idea of lifting. I know that it is the key to my longevity and doing the things I want to do as I get older. And sure, it’s still a bit scary, but I may just become one of these women yet. Anne Marie Chaker, my guest today, had her own strong woman moment in a hotel. It changed the trajectory of her life, and maybe this conversation will change yours. During our podcast, Anne Marie and I chatted about:The fateful moment where Anne Marie said I want to be like her; I want to be strong.How getting strong has changed Anne Marie’s life for the better.The story behind her book, Lift: How Women Can Reclaim Their Physical Power and Transform Their Lives.Anne Marie’s thoughts on GLP-1’s and diet culture vs. getting strongWhat does it mean to age beastfully vs. gracefully?If someone wants to get started lifting, where should they start?Here is more about Anne Marie:Anne Marie Chaker is a veteran journalist and professional bodybuilder. During her two-decade career at The Wall Street Journal, she held reporting jobs all over the paper, from the Journal’s regional editions to the Spot News Desk during the September 11 attack. She has covered everything from politics to news events, consumer trends, education, the workplace, and the major sociological shifts of our time. Her article “I Never Thought I’d Write This: I Am a Female Bodybuilder” generated more than 500k views since it was published in 2020. She is also the author of LIFT: How Women Can Reclaim Their Physical Power and Transform Their Lives, which hit the shelves in 2025. Chaker lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her partner, Rick; daughters Juliette and Sylvie; and their overeager pup, Ninja.Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review.Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Your Imposter Syndrome, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three!If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at [email protected]. I am happy to share the details on the project.  Alright, let’s welcome Anne Marie to the show!

When was the last time you had fun and experienced joy while doing it? I know. I had a coach many years ago ask me the question, “When do you play?” I was dumbfounded. I worked. I took care of my family. I tried to take care of myself in the middle of all of that. And repeat. I immediately thought there wasn’t time for fun. Let alone creative pursuits like I used to have. Like many times in my life, I was wrong and had to learn that fun, joy, and creativity have a place in our lives. This is imperative for our self-care, for our healing, and for living a full life. And yes, we can be creative at work too. During today’s conversation with my guest Melissa Dinwiddie, we and I chatted about:Her first book, The Creative Sandbox Way.Why everyone is creative, and why believing the opposite is a lie.The steps we can take today to bust out of a creative rut and start experiencing the joy of creative play todayHer latest book, Innovation at Work, and how The Creative Sandbox Way and Innovation at Work play off one another.How you can start one way, like Melissa did at Julliard, move to an entirely different career as a jazz singer, and land in a new place (aka – your career doesn’t have to have a straight line)If you lean towards the work, work, work camp like me, listen into this show with an open mind. And be prepared to debunk the myth that you are no creative because that is simply not true. Here is more about Melissa:Melissa Dinwiddie is an innovation strategist and keynote speaker who helps leaders at mid-to-large tech and SaaS companies turn an innovation mandate into an innovation practice. Her Create the ImpossibleTM framework — Play Hard, Make Crap, Learn Fast — was designed specifically for the analytical, skeptical teams who are convinced they’re not creative. Because that’s exactly who needs it most.Melissa’s keynotes are immersive, interactive experiences that blend storytelling, science, and hands-on activities. Audiences don’t just listen — they participate, surprise themselves, and leave with tools they can use on Tuesday morning. The numbers back this up: 94% of attendees find her talks valuable, and 96% say they’d see her speak again.Her background includes work with teams at Meta, Google, Salesforce, and Uber, and she has delivered sessions for SHRM, PMI, AMA, and Stanford. She studied dance at Juilliard, spent 15 years as a professional artist in Silicon Valley, performed as a jazz singer/songwriter and musical improviser, and is the author of Innovation at Work: 52 Micro-Experiments for Brave Leaders (Pluralite Press, 2026).Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review.Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Your Imposter Syndrome, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three!If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at [email protected]. I am happy to share the details on the project.  Alright, let’s welcome Melissa to the show!