In episode 184, I’m joined by Ilene Marcus, a Techstars Global Facilitator, author, and CEO of Aligned Workplace. We talk about why entrepreneurs need a real support network, why keeping ideas secret slows progress, and how leadership starts with self-awareness.
Ilene shares how generational trauma and blind spots show up in business, what she’s learned from working with founders through Techstars, and why managing yourself is often the most overlooked leadership skill. We also dig into asking for what you want, choosing rooms that serve your future self, and knowing when and how to speak up.
This episode is especially relevant for Gen X women solopreneurs who want sustainable growth without isolation, performative confidence, or grinding it out alone.
👉 Learn more and get the full show notes at kandasrodarte.com/184
00:00 Why entrepreneurs need a support network00:40 Stop keeping your ideas secret03:45 Generational trauma and blind spots09:10 Awareness, mirrors, and unlearning patterns12:55 What Techstars does for entrepreneurs18:10 Choosing rooms that serve your future self21:30 Getting fired for someone else’s fraud24:45 How the book Managing Annoying People was born30:20 Ask for what you want33:40 Manage yourself before managing others36:40 Nonverbal cues, triggers, and blind spots39:55 Three questions to ask before you speak44:05 Using AI to stay present47:10 Keep trying, use data and intuition49:30 Moment of gratitude
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