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SheBreathes Soul Stories: From Triumph to TransformationEpisode 30 with guest Ellen Williams, Beyond the "American Dream"Episode 30 - SheBreathes Soul Stories with Ellen Williams, Beyond the “American Dream”What happens when you “have it all” — the house, the job, the picture-perfect life — and still feel completely empty?In this powerful new episode, Ellen Williams shares the raw truth of hitting emotional rock bottom after achieving what many would call “The American Dream.” With vulnerability and wisdom, Ellen walks us through the moment she realized external success wasn’t enough — and how diving deep into self-help, self-awareness, and soul work helped her find her way back to alignment.2025-05-0829 min
Time To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteYou Can't Go Back with Leah SalinasSend us a textIn this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams welcomes Leah Salinas, former founder of a thriving beauty business and now Director at The Alexander Group. Leah shares her journey from early entrepreneurial success—launching a hair and makeup company that expanded to 14 artists and high-profile events—to burnout and the realization that her career no longer aligned with her values or family life. As weekends filled with weddings and long hours began to separate her from her children and husband, she faced the difficult but necessary decision to step back and...2025-05-0623 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuitePausing Can Be Easier Said Than Done - Anniversary Episode with Kim Poulos LieberzSend us a textIn this special one-year anniversary episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams welcomes guest Kim Poulos Lieberz, founder and CEO of KGI Design Group, for an open conversation about the challenges and importance of creating space to pause in the midst of a busy life. Instead of following the typical format where guests share a specific “press pause” story, Ellen and Kim discuss different types of pauses — from unexpected micro-pauses like gaining an extra hour in the day, to the larger, more intentional pauses that require planning and commitment. Kim shares how cr...2025-04-2926 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteFeed the Soul and the Bottom Line with Kevin BartramSend us a textIn this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Kevin Bartram, founder and principal of Bartram Partnerships, about the pivotal moments that reshaped his career and life. Kevin reflects on his early years growing up in a challenging home environment, entering the workforce at 13, and how he built a thriving career in corporate sponsorships and sustainability-focused marketing. A turning point came after the 9/11 attacks, when Kevin found himself far from home and questioning the deeper meaning of his work. That moment of reflection in a quiet Vermont town ultimately...2025-04-2318 min
Tip of the TongueTip of the Tongue Episode 270: Ellen KannerEllen Kanner has written a terrific book full of wonderful, flavorful recipes that are all vegan. She writes for the person who is using some prepared or canned food. This makes the book perfect for those putting a toe in the vegan waters. And for those who have eaten a vegan diet for some time, it offers new recipes with available ingredients that can pull you out of the dinner doldrums. Ellen KannerVegan Pimento Cheese (from Miami Vegan, with permission)8 ounces raw cashews soaked overnight*3 tablespoons nutritional yeast1...2025-04-2228 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteThe Pause Rewritten with Andrea SchiavoneSend us a textIn this heartfelt episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams speaks with Andrea Schiavone, a seasoned operations and finance executive, about how even the most intentional pauses can be derailed by life’s unpredictability. Andrea shares her journey from leading a high-growth marketing agency through its acquisition, to planning a deliberate break for self-reflection—only to have it interrupted by the sudden loss of a family member. Her story is one of resilience, as her planned pause to rest and recalibrate became a period of mourning and caregiving. Rather than the solitude she...2025-04-1520 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteAllow Yourself to Evolve with Jenn GulbrandSend us a textIn this episode, Ellen Williams interviews Jennifer Gulbrand, founder of Embody Your Essence, who shares her journey of breaking free from burnout and discovering authenticity. After 35 years in the health and wellness industry, Jennifer realized that her business success did not equate to personal fulfillment. Despite her achievements, she felt disconnected from her own truth. Through mindfulness, meditation, energy work, and intentional stillness, Jennifer reconnected with herself and shifted her focus toward promoting self-care and authenticity, eventually founding the SheBreathes Balance Women's Collaborative and later expanding it to the We Breathe Wellness Center.2025-04-0818 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteBeware of Mental Cement with Rajen ShethSend us a textIn this episode, Rajen Sheth, formerly a vice president at Google Cloud AI and industry solutions, shares with host, Ellen Williams, how he took a bold step after nearly two decades at Google. Motivated by a desire to make a positive social impact, he pressed pause on his career, leaving behind the familiar security of his role to explore how technology could improve educational equity. During this hiatus, Rajen reconnected with personal interests—like recording music—and spoke with numerous teachers and experts to better understand educational needs. These conversations, he explains, offered valu...2025-04-0121 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuitePay Attention to Pets and Pet Projects with Mei-Yung LeeSend us a textIn this episode, host Ellen Williams speaks with entrepreneur and philanthropist Mei-Yung Lee about her unique approach to taking a “pause” when burnout loomed. Mei-Yung, CEO of Ageless Zen—a natural skincare research and manufacturing company—found herself overwhelmed by the demands of building her organization from the ground up. Instead of stepping away entirely, she joined her local Rotary club. This simple shift in focus gave her both a mental break and a new community of like-minded individuals who share her passion for service. The volunteer work not only revitalized Mei-Yung’s energy, bu...2025-03-2519 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteNurture Your Dreams with Johanne BrierreSend us a textIn this podcast episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams welcomes guest Johanne Brierre, CEO of Brooklyn Commons and New York Beauty Suites. Johanne recounts her transition from working in the fast-paced New York City hospitality industry to founding co-working spaces in her Brooklyn neighborhood. She explains how she recognized a need for supportive, community-oriented resources for entrepreneurs, especially outside Manhattan’s usual tech and business hubs. With minimal funds, she took a leap of faith—pressing pause for a year to identify the right partnerships, incubator-style supports, and a sense of p...2025-03-1919 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteLess is More with Paige Arnof-FennSend us a textEllen Williams host of Time To Press Pause and CEO of The Salient Strategist, Inc. welcomes Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO of the global branding firm Mavens and Moguls. Paige describes how a six-year period of family caregiving and estate responsibilities forced her to step away from the demanding pace she had maintained early in her entrepreneurial journey. Despite initial fears that scaling back would harm her thriving business, Paige found the opposite to be true: taking time away for personal priorities revealed that “less could be more.” Rather than constantly networking and chas...2025-03-1118 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteTrust Your Feelings with Jeffrey P. McNultySend us a textIn this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams interviews Jeffrey P. McNulty, CEO and Founder of New Retail Ethos Consultancy. Jeffrey recounts two major "press pause" moments in his life that spurred him to step away from a long career in retail leadership.First, after nearly three decades in executive roles with companies like The Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Publix, Jeffrey felt he had lost his signature energy and passion, prompting him to question his path. It took him three years of reflection to finally leave retail ma...2025-03-0419 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuitePause Before You Hit the Bottom with Dr. Shehzad BatliwalaSend us a textIn this episode of “Time to Press Pause,” Ellen Williams speaks with Dr. Shehzad Batliwala, an ophthalmologist, entrepreneur, and first-generation Indian American who grew up undocumented in the United States. Dr. Batliwala shares how his early struggles with belonging and external validation fueled his ambitious pursuit of success—becoming a doctor, doing research on vision in zero gravity, and even founding a cell phone repair franchise. Yet despite these achievements, he discovered that relentless drive came at the cost of his personal relationships. A turning point arrived when his wife left, prompting him to ref...2025-02-2521 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteWhat Is Your Currency? with Erin MoteSend us a textIn this episode, host Ellen Williams interviews Erin Mote, CEO of InnovateEDU and co-founder of Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School, as she recounts her transformative moment of realizing she felt detached from her work’s impact. Once working at the intersection of technology and national security, she found herself in boardrooms advising tech giants but missing the direct connection with communities. It was only after an emotional epiphany—crying during a flight while watching a children's movie—that she acknowledged how much she wanted to be back in a role serving people more directly. This l...2025-02-1820 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteSecure Your Mask Before Helping Others with Megan StecklySend us a textIn this episode of Time To Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with CEO Megan Steckly of CompuDopt. She shares how she dramatically grew the nonprofit—from a shoestring budget and three-person staff to a multimillion-dollar organization serving hundreds of thousands across 24 states. Amid the rapid expansion, Megan realized she was burning out: working around-the-clock and feeling stuck in a cycle of constant urgency. She describes how she “pressed pause” by seeking therapy, enrolling in a drawing class, embracing yoga, and hiring a COO. These steps helped her let go of micromanaging, reduce stress...2025-02-1118 min
The Plant Based PodcastThe Plant Based Podcast S17 E03 - Artist Beth Williams joins the podcast to discuss designing with living textiles.Todays podcast is with Beth Williams, multidisciplinary artist and fashion designer who creates living textiles with incredible designs based around plants and nature. Beth centres around an inaccessible world as well as the relationship between human and environmental sustainability. Afterwards, @ellenmarygardening and @mr_plantgeek gossip separately with news of what they have been up to recently. Sponsors of series 17 are Lava-Lite - Naturally The Best Effortlessly nourish and protect your plants with a collection of totally non-toxic, environmentally friendly, sustainable, pH neutral, lightweight and 100% natural products. Derived from volcanic deposits, LAVA-LITE was formed by nature over 10,000 years ago.2025-02-0943 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteIdentify Your Transferable Skills with Ruchi PinnigerSend us a textIn this episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams interviews Ruchi Pinniger, founder and CEO of Watch Her Prosper. Ruchi recounts her background on Wall Street, where she excelled in leadership and team-building, yet felt unfulfilled. She took a sabbatical hoping to discover her true passion, dabbling in nonprofit work, baking, and decorating. Although she temporarily returned to the corporate world, Ruchi soon decided to leave permanently, realizing she found more joy in mentoring others than in climbing the corporate ladder. With encouragement from a coach and her husband, Ruchi listened to...2025-02-0417 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteLet Go of Things You No Longer Need with Donna CravottaSend us a textIn this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, interviews Donna Cravotta, CEO and founder of Cravotta Media Group. Donna shares how, after 18 years running a virtual agency that managed everything from PR to technical fixes, she realized she had built a business she no longer loved.By taking stock of her 40-year professional journey, Donna recognized she was devoting precious time and energy to services that drained her—such as constant website fixes and juggling multiple social media accounts—rather than the strategic visi...2025-01-2818 minTime To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-SuiteEnagage in Honest Assessments to Avoid Regret with Urs KoenigSend us a textIn this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Urs Koenig, founder of the Radical Humility Leadership Institute and author of Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human. Urs shares his powerful story of “pressing pause” on his life at age 50 to rejoin the Swiss military as a United Nations and NATO peacekeeper.Inspired by his father’s volunteer work in Somalia decades earlier, Urs felt a deep call to take on meaningful international service—despite the personal and professional sacrifices required. He explains how step...2025-01-2119 min