224. She Came to the U.S. Not Speaking English, Now this 54-Year-Old is Leading Education Brand Sylvan Learning: Susan Valverde

Sadie's story will inspire you to dream big, work hard, and never give up on your passions. CEO/Founder Piece: Disenfranchised with the classic, 9-5 capitalistic world, she wanted out. Her and her husband sold their house and with those savings started the first barre3 location in Portland. The brand now has 207 studios (all female owned with no outside investment!). Community: Sadie also created the class as she was noticing the loneliness epidemic hitting American families (especially women) hard. She felt it was hard to find a community, and wanted to create a space where women could connect, feel seen and ensure they never feel alone. Motherhood: barre3 has a dedicated PLAYCENTER where mothers can drop off their kids to safely play under supervision while they workout. Sadie identified the importance of allowing mothers to take a break, and wanted to ensure she could make working out an easy thing. She recalls a crying baby and crying mother coming into class once - Sadie took the baby and proceeded to start class WHILE holding the baby. Fitness: The importance of incorporating mindfulness into your movement practice for a successful workout and the Why behind thiswww.barre3.comhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DIUE7OVP2eb/www.emilyjaenson.cominstagram.com/emilyjaenson

Susan Valverde, the president of Sylvan Learning, has an extraordinary story from a young immigrant to a top leader in education is truly one for the books.Imagine moving to the U.S. at 12 not speaking English, facing every obstacle you can think of—and not only overcoming them, but using those experiences to reshape the future of education. That’s exactly what Susan did.After excelling in school despite the language barrier, she became the first in her family to attend college. But it was a Sylvan Learning commercial that set her on a life-changing path. Inspired by the brand’s impact on education, she made the bold decision to leave her career and open three Sylvan Learning centers in Texas, serving some of the nation’s poorest counties. Her centers became some of the highest-performing in the network.Susan’s franchise success eventually led her to Sylvan’s corporate team, where she rose to president in 2016. Now, she’s transforming Sylvan’s approach to learning, modernizing the curriculum, and pushing the brand forward with parent company Unleashed Brands.Susan speaks on:How her journey as an immigrant, first-generation student, and passionate learner ignited her pursuit of a career in education.The bold move from franchisee to president—and the lessons she learned leading Sylvan centers in some of the most underserved communities in Texas.The massive changes she’s driving at Sylvan, including a game-changing customer experience overhaul set for 2025.Her unique perspective on the current state of education—how budget cuts, understaffing, and curriculum changes are impacting kids, and how Sylvan is stepping in to bridge those gaps.Susan’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience, passion, and believing in the potential of every child. Let's Go!instagram.com/leadershipisfemaleinstagram.com/emilyjaenson

Kate comes from a long line of high-achievers — a family that values training, education, achievement, and top performance.As a competitive swimmer for 17 years, she internalized a strong work ethic and the value of focused discipline. Working as a professional model, she was challenged to develop new tools for strengthening my self-confidence and sense of self-worth. And as a broadcast journalist and international TV personality, she experienced what it took to perform at the highest level at all times and to be an exceptional team player.Along the way, she discovered the value of turning inward. She studied mindfulness practices and became a passionate advocate of their benefits for both brain and body health. Learn about turning inward in this episode Learn about truly taking care of yourselfhttps://www.kateeckman.tv/abouthttps://www.instagram.com/kateeckman/Follow along at:www.emilyjaenson.cominstagram.com/emilyjaenson

Radical Reset Expert and founder of FIX Coaching & Consulting Dana L. Cox shares her insights and strategies for breaking the cycle of overwork and burnout in her latest book FROM BURNOUT TO BADASS: Flip the Script on Your Work-Life Balance. We discuss:How Women Leaders Can Reject ‘Cultural Success Taxes’ and Redefine Power on Their TermsWhy Women Are Working Themselves into ExhaustionThe Leadership & Pay Gap: Doing More for Less is a Fast Track to BurnoutThe Money Connection: If You’re Underpaid, You’re OverworkedHow Companies Can Turn Exhausted Leaders into Energized InnovatorsHere's Dana in her own words: "Women are told they can ‘have it all,’ but no one warns us having it all often means losing ourselves. This book isn’t about doing more—it’s about leading smarter, protecting your energy, and thriving on your terms."Please hit subscribe and share!www.emilyjaenson.cominstagram.com/emilyjaenson

Anne Marie Anderson is a three-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, inspirational speaker and one of the most experienced female play-by-play announcers in the country who just penned the book Cultivating Audacity: Dismantle Doubt and Let Yourself Win (January 2025).  We cover:1. 'New Year, New You' career strategies: an attempt to change this narrative over goal setting, Anne Marie has proven micro steps to impact change and it all starts with aligning what is important and what is urgent.2. Understanding urgent vs. important – 3 reasons you’re falling for the urgency fallacy & how to not fail with pressures of 20253. Check your superego (why it is okay to have an ego, but learning to hone it is key)4. Time VS Money: How to assess your tasks in 20255. What women can do today to level up tomorrow.Get Anne Marie's Book Here: https://a.co/d/3OuIz96www.emilyjaenson.cominstagram.com/leadershipisfemale

Such an enlightening and fun conversation with Terry Norvell, Co-CEO of Leadership Growth Formula. I loved this convo and you will too. Here is what you will learn:IQ, EQ, PQ - what is PQ and why do we need it? Learn one of the most important skills to help you level up in life and business.The neuroscience of critical conversations. When you say something you can see in the other person’s reaction that it does not land, what do you do? Leadership growth formula and how it can help you to have a greater experience at work.https://leadershipgrowthformula.comwww.emilyjaenson.cominstagram.com/emilyjaenson

Want to know how-to increase your confidence and conquer your fears? Emily shares tips on how-to do it. Science-backed from a study on emotions.let's go!www.emilyjaenson.cominstagram.com/emilyjaenson

Successful CEO of The Bench, Sarah Musgrove raises an important topic: Connection. Evaluate if you are a connector and where you might tune up this important value of any career person. Learn how to serve first and be strategic in your connections. BONUS: We talk JOB MARKET. - how to be a contractor- who is asking for contractors - how to be successfulLet's Go!Like this episode? Please hit that share button and text it to a friend.www.emilyjaenson.cominstagram.com/emilyjaensonwww.thebench.us

Popular topic alert! Emily shares candidly how to build resilience in your life to empower you to take on life's biggest challenges, preserver and live a bigger, fuller life in the aftermath. Resilience is GOOD. Make it an opportunity.Key Takeaways:Resilience is not about avoiding stress, but about how we respond to it.Building resilience takes time, but small, consistent steps can make a huge difference.A support network, both personal and professional, is crucial for navigating life's tough times.Mental resilience is a skill you can cultivate through self-awareness, growth, and persistence.Follow along at:instagram.com/emilyjaensonwww.emilyjaenson.com

In this episode, we sit down with Kelley Babcock, the co-CEO of Leadership Growth Formula, to dive deep into the world of entrepreneurship, decision-making, and leadership growth. Kelley shares her expertise on partnering for success, making tough career decisions, and how to develop the leadership skills that can level up your career.In this episode, you’ll learn:Are you in or out of entrepreneurship?Kelley talks about the big decision many face: entrepreneurship or returning to a traditional job. She shares key insights and tips on evaluating your skills and passions to determine which path is best for you.Decision Making: The Coin Flip!How do you make tough decisions? Kelley shares her approach to decision-making, including how something as simple as a coin flip can be a helpful tool in navigating uncertainty.Success through Partnership:Kelley and her business partner, Terri, have built a successful collaboration. We discuss how to know when it’s the right time to partner up, how to choose the right partner, and how partnerships can drive success in entrepreneurship.The Leadership Growth Formula:So, you’ve found your fit. Now what? Kelley introduces the Leadership Growth Formula and explains how to use it to scale and level up in your career, whether you're an entrepreneur or leading a team.Leading Across Generations:We wrap up with a compelling conversation on multi-generational leadership. Kelley shares research on leading across four generations in the workplace, providing valuable insights for managing teams of diverse ages and experiences.Resources Mentioned:Leadership Growth Formula: https://leadershipgrowthformula.comKelley Babcock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelley-babcock-8ba1578/Connect with Us:Follow Leadership is Female on LinkedIn and Instagram for updates and exclusive content.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed the episode!This episode is perfect for entrepreneurs, aspiring leaders, and anyone looking to grow their leadership potential. Tune in to learn how to make better decisions, partner up for success, and use the Leadership Growth Formula to level up in your career.