WIN/WIN: Women in Innovation

In this episode of Win/Win: Women in Innovation, Zoia Kozakov sits down with Kat Schneider, Founder and CEO of Ritual, to explore what it looks like to build radical trust in an industry that’s never required it — and why a prenatal vitamin became the starting point for reimagining women’s health from first period to menopause.Kat shares how her path from Ukraine to Brooklyn to venture capital to founding a category-defining brand was driven less by a plan and more by a problem she couldn’t stop thinking about: why couldn’t she find a supplement she actually trusted?Listen for advice on:Why the best founders are the best storytellersHow to know which idea is worth dedicating your life toWhy instinct beats data — and when to know the differenceHow to keep innovating on trust once competitors copy your languageLearn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaKat Schneider (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/katschneiderWomen in Innovation: http://www.womeninnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Win/Win: Women in Innovation, Zoia Kozakov sits down with Meghan, Founder and CEO of Duckbill, to explore what it looks like to bet on a problem you've been thinking about for twenty years — and finally have the technology to solve it. Meghan shares how her path from Uber to Oscar Health to founding her own AI-native startup was driven less by a plan and more by a set of principles: do hard things, work with people who challenge you, and build something that makes the world a little better than you found it.Listen for advice on:Why you should give yourself the promotion before anyone else doesHow to de-risk a leap of faith without waiting for the perfect momentWhy humans in the loop isn't a compromise — it's the whole strategyWhat it really means to build a product that levels the playing field for womenLearn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaMeghan (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanvjoyce/details/experience/Women in Innovation: http://www.womeninnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Win/Win: Women in Innovation, Zoia Kozakov sits down with Niamh Martin, Managing Director UK at Convene Hospitality Group, to explore what it looks like to lead at the intersection of hospitality, innovation, and scale. Niamh oversees 12 venues, nearly 600 people, and the entire UK operation of a company that has grown from a single premium meeting venue into a global hospitality group with 40 locations across nine cities. She shares how falling into restaurants by accident over 20 years ago turned out to be the best leadership education she never planned for — and how a question she kept asking ("why aren't we doing this?") led to one of the most in-demand large-scale event experiences in the UK.Listen for advice on:Why you can't build something meaningful alone — and what that actually looks like in practiceHow to make a career move when you weren't even looking for oneWhat happens when you borrow an idea from one industry and ask why it doesn't exist in yoursThe difference between being the best person in the room and being responsible for the roomLearn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaNiamh Martin (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamh-martin-26252a30/Women in Innovation: http://www.womeninnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Win/Win: Women in Innovation, Zoia Kozakov sits down with Zerlina "Zee" Jackson, VP of Experience & Design Strategy at New York Life Insurance, to explore what it looks like to build something genuinely new inside one of the oldest institutions in America. Zee shares how a childhood spent counting back change in her grandmother's garage store in Bessemer, Alabama, shaped her belief that innovation isn't just about building products — it's about building possibility. From launching New York Life's first Design Center of Excellence to navigating a promotion, a newborn, a cross-country move, and a pandemic all at once, this conversation is about what it really takes to lead with both ambition and humanity.Listen for advice on:The four foundational skills that will serve you in any seat, any industryWhy the best innovation happens when you don't wait for a blueprintHow to drive real change inside a 180-year-old company without losing what makes it greatWhat it means to build a team that shows up for each other — and why that's the whole pointLearn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaZerlina Jackson (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjackson/Women in Innovation: http://www.womeninnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Win/Win: Women in Innovation, Zoia Kozakov sits down with Chris Konya, Chief Strategy Officer at Sylvain, to explore what twenty years in strategy and innovation actually teaches you — about business, about creativity, and about yourself. Chris shares how the field has evolved from generating a plethora of ideas to finding the one right idea, why the best insights can come from the most unexpected places, and how she thinks about navigating change, loss, and reinvention both professionally and personally.Listen for advice on:Why the right idea always beats a room full of ideasHow to find the insight that unlocks an entirely new categoryReframing gender from disadvantage to different advantageWhat it means to choose your people — and bet on them — when it's hardLearn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaChris Konya (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskonya/ Women in Innovation: http://www.womenininnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Win/Win: Women in Innovation, Zoia Kozakov sits down with Anisha Kamat, COO of ShopMy, to explore what it means to build and operate a fast-scaling company at the intersection of creator culture, commerce, and taste. Anisha shares how she made the leap from Goldman Sachs and BCG to the startup world, what it's really like to grow into a C-suite role in real time, and why ShopMy is betting on human recommendation as the future of how we discover and buy.Listen for advice on:Why the best career moves often don't make sense on paperHow to build operating systems that create space for creativity — not just efficiencyNavigating ambiguity without letting perfectionism block progressHuman taste as a competitive advantage in the age of AILearn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaAnisha Kamat (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/anisha-kamat-27960591/Women in Innovation: http://www.womenininnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Win/Win: Women in Innovation, Zoia Kozakov sits down with Henley Vazquez, co-founder of Fora, to unpack how she’s reimagining the travel advisor industry through technology, training, and community. Henley shares how Fora is lowering barriers to entry, empowering a new generation of travel entrepreneurs—most of them women—and using thoughtful innovation to modernize an industry long overdue for change.Listen for advice on:Why innovation doesn’t always mean reinventing the wheelLowering barriers to create stronger ecosystemsCommunity beats competition - collaboration, shared learning, and trust are core to scaling a platformHuman expertise matters more in the age of AILearn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaHenley Vazquez (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/deedunne/Women in Innovation: http://www.womenininnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dee Dunne shares her extensive experience in lifecycle marketing, discussing her journey from PayPal to Mailchimp, where she is currently Sr. Director, Global Lifecycle Marketing & Operations. She emphasizes the importance of understanding customer behavior, the challenges of event marketing, and the complexities of measuring ROI. Dee also delves into the role of innovation in marketing, particularly in the context of AI, and reflects on the dynamics of gender in her career. The conversation highlights the evolving landscape of marketing and the future possibilities driven by technology and strategic thinking.Listen for advice on:Integrating innovation into daily operations vs. having it exist as a siloTaking a multifaceted approach to measuring ROI for eventsWhy marketing is the middle point between people and dataThe impact of rapid technological advancements on marketingLearn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaDee Dunne (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/deedunne/Women in Innovation: http://www.womenininnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we are joined by Joanna Strober, CEO and co-founder of Midi Health. Joanna’s career spans venture capital, entrepreneurship, and now category-defining innovation in women’s midlife care. We explore how her own experience navigating perimenopause sparked the idea for Midi, and how she transformed a small pilot into one of the fastest-growing women’s health platforms. Joanna opens up about the realities of fundraising in an underestimated category, the emotional resilience required to lead through “no’s,” and why starting a company in your fifties can be a strategic advantage. Listen for insights on:The advantage of pursuing innovation through addressing personal pain pointsHow to accept a fundraising ‘no’ as a data point, not an identityThe superpower of starting a company later in life/career Learn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaJoanna Strober (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannastrober/Women in Innovation: http://www.womenininnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, host Zoia Kozakov sits down with Marissa Steinmetz, Head of Digital Product, eCommerce at Coterie. With over a decade of experience spanning industries from luxury fashion to liquor and now baby care, Marissa shares how she’s built a career on adaptability, empathy, and innovation. She reflects on leading through ambiguity while designing digital experiences that truly make parents’ lives easier.Listen for insights on:Pivoting product skills across luxury, liquor, beauty, and now baby careWhat “wartime innovation” really looks like in a fast-scaling startupBuilding empathy for customers—even when you’re not (yet) the end userLeading through uncertainty and crisis with resilience and clarityLearn more:Zoia Kozakov (Host): http://www.linkedin.com/in/zoiaMarissa Steinmetz Israel (Guest): https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-steinmetz-israel-1b101511/Women in Innovation: http://www.womenininnovation.coAudio Editor: Samantha Gattsek Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.