Shows
The Not Perfect Networking Podcast25. Building Brands That Matter and Networks That Last with Shena PatelSome people create brands. Some people create communities. Shena Patel does both.In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Shena Patel, a creative executive, strategist, and writer who has spent over 20 years shaping voices, narratives, and campaigns for some of the world’s most iconic brands—think the little blue boxes and stripe pink bags. Shena now helps founders and CEOs build brands that don’t just succeed—they make the world a better place.We dive into her rare talent for distilling complex ideas into simple, unforgettable stories, her creative app...
2026-01-2829 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast24. Why Great Brands Start with People: A Conversation with Gabby Etrog CohenSome people build brands. Very few build movements. Today’s guest is one of the rare ones who can do both—and she’s here to break down exactly how she does it.In today's episode, I’m sitting down with someone who has shaped culture through every brand she’s touched. Gabby Etrog Cohen is one of those rare leaders who understands that brand isn’t a logo or a marketing plan—it’s human connection. It’s how people feel. It’s how people talk. It’s how people experience something together.Gabby...
2025-12-1721 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast23. The Framework Behind Effective Personal BrandingIn today’s episode, I’m digging into one of the topics I care about most: personal brand positioning in a world where visibility is no longer granted, it’s built.We’re talking about what it really takes to become known for your work (hint: it’s not perfection), why your brand is a living narrative rather than a one-time declaration, and how consistency outperforms talent every single time. I’m also sharing a behind-the-scenes look at what I’ve learned from 15+ years in PR watching leaders rise and the patterns that never fail.If you’ve been w...
2025-12-0312 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast22. No More Small Talk: Building Real Relationships Naturally Through Networking with Wendy Heilbut, Heilbut LLPIn this episode of Not Perfect Networking, Zoe sits down with Wendy Heilbut, founder of Heilbut LLP, attorney, angel investor, and connector in New York’s creative business community.Wendy’s career has spanned law, recruiting, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership—giving her a unique perspective on what networking really means. Instead of chasing leads or following sales formulas, Wendy believes the best connections happen through everyday conversations and genuine curiosity.Together, Zoe and Wendy discuss how to move beyond transactional networking and into relationship building that feels natural, sustainable, and fulfilling.In this...
2025-11-0530 min
Podcast Cafe: Insights from Podcasters for Podcasters59. Every Business Needs a Podcast: PR-Backed Reasons to Start Now with Zoe Weisberg CoadyA podcast is not a nice-to-have; it’s a strategic brand asset that compounds over time.Networking pro and PR agency founder Zoe Weisberg Coady, host of Not Perfect Networking, joins me in the Podcast Café to make the case that a podcast is an essential owned channel for every modern brand. We get into how podcasts fuel thought leadership, strengthen real relationships (not transactional “networking”), and plug into today’s evolving media landscape. If you’ve been “thinking about starting,” this one’s your nudge.In this episodeWhy Zoe believes every busin...
2025-10-2333 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast21. Why Every Founder and Thought Leader Needs a Podcast in 2025 (Not Perfect Podcast Network)Big announcement: I’m launching the Not Perfect Podcast Network — a curated network built for founders, thought leaders, and professionals who are ready to start their own podcasts without the stress or guesswork.Yep, on my birthday, I’m officially turning Not Perfect Networking into something even bigger.Over the past year, I’ve interviewed incredible CEOs, creatives, and entrepreneurs who’ve shared how real, unpolished networking opened doors and shaped their success. One thing they all have in common? They built powerful communities by showing up imperfectly and consistently.That’s what inspired me to launch t...
2025-10-2210 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast20. Networking Your Way to Wealth: Lessons from Syama Bunten of Wealth CatalystWhat if wealth wasn’t just about money—but about community, confidence, and access?In this episode, Zoe sits down with Syama Bunten, co-founder of Wealth Catalyst and host of the top-100 podcast Getting Rich Together, to explore how women can build meaningful wealth and powerful networks. Syama shares her journey from fashion executive to entrepreneur, what inspired her to create the Wealth Catalyst Summit, and why she believes connection is the key to financial freedom.You’ll hear how she leads with love, builds authentic communities, and helps women invest with intention—plus her best advice f...
2025-10-0833 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast19. Jeanne Meyer on Power Networking, C-Suite Communications, and Building Authentic InfluenceIn this Not Perfect Networking episode, communications strategist and “power connector” Jeanne Meyer (Authentic Intelligence; former comms leader at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Current TV, EMI Music, and ToysRUs.com) shares a masterclass on networking and executive communication. We dig into listening before speaking, delivering “be brief, be brilliant, be gone” messages, using the Rule of 3, navigating crisis and disclosure, and building a consistent, authentic presence on LinkedIn and beyond. Jeanne also unpacks the non-transactional mindset that’s fueled her network—from a triathlon community to a six-degrees apartment party that led to three marriages.In this episode:
2025-09-2434 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast18. Move, Think, Rest: Dr. Natalie Nixon on Redefining ProductivityHustle isn’t the problem, how we define productivity is. Creativity strategist Dr. Natalie Nixon shares a human OS for work: Move, Think, Rest—and how a cultivation mindset transforms networking.Dr. Natalie Nixon is “the creativity whisperer to the C-Suite,” Top 50 global keynote speaker, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and author of the award-winning The Creativity Leap. Through her firm Figure 8 Thinking, she helps leaders reframe the future with foresight, wonder, and rigor. Featured in Forbes, Fast Company, and Inc; named a top woman keynote speaker by BigSpeak. In this episode we cover:Wonder + rigor...
2025-09-1036 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast17. How Dana Hork Built Beers With Friends and Reimagined the Agency ModelWhat if your next big idea wasn’t born in a boardroom… but on the back of a cocktail napkin?Dana Hork is a transformational brand leader, entrepreneur, storyteller, and Founder & CEO of Beers With Friends, an agile creative agency helping challenger brands solve high-stakes problems in just five days. She partners with founders, CMOs, and marketing leaders to unlock fast, high-impact brand solutions through the agency’s signature ‘Beer Run’ sprint approach, delivering expert-driven strategy without the bureaucracy of traditional agencies.Dana shares how her career evolved from JP Morgan to marketing leadership roles at Jet, Walmar...
2025-08-0630 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast16. Ambition Meets Authenticity: Networking, Law & Wellness with Danielle CorcioneIn this episode I sit down with Danielle Corone, law firm executive, former federal prosecutor, adjunct professor at Seton Hall, and lifelong connector. Danielle brings a fresh, nontraditional take on networking—one rooted in generosity, intuition, and being deeply intentional about how and with whom you spend your time.Danielle shares how her networking superpower isn’t about volume—it’s about meaning. You’ll hear how she "snuck into" powerful industry circles, built a business through authentic connections, and how she now mentors the next generation of lawyers on ambition, wellness, and making space for both.Danie...
2025-07-2332 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast15. Midlife Is a Calling, Not a Crisis: Julie Flakstad on Networks, Truth & Your Greatest Connection PointWhat does it mean to take inventory of your life—and your network—at midlife? In this episode, I sit down with Julie Flakstad, founder and host of The Midlife Truth Project, a limited series podcast that’s earned an Ambie nomination and featured guests like Sarah Blakely and Chip Conley.Julie shares how networking helped her bring the podcast (and her new documentary, book, and more) to life—starting with a bold list of dream guests and working her web of connections until it became a reality.From redefining the word “networking” to weaving powerful webs...
2025-07-0933 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast14. The Future of Community Starts with Space — Inside Fabrik with Jaclyn PascocelloWhat if community was the missing piece to fixing modern work culture? Jaclyn Pascocello, founder of FABRIK, believes the cure for workplace loneliness starts with giving people a place to actually belong—and she’s proving it, one intentional gathering at a time.In this episode Zoe sits down with Jaclyn Pascocello, founder of FABRIK, a tech-enabled network of real-life gathering spaces designed to solve one of today’s most pressing challenges: disconnection.With a background rooted in hospitality and entrepreneurship, Jaclyn shares how FABRIK turns underutilized office spaces into vibra...
2025-06-1832 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast13. Inside The Board: How April Uchitel Connects Experts with Companies That Need ThemWhat if your next career move didn’t require starting over—but evolving forward? In this episode, Zoe sits down with powerhouse networker and community builder April Uchitel—CEO and Founder of The Board, co-founder of Dish Studios, and former CEO of Violet Grey and ONDA Beauty—to explore how the future of work is shifting toward a more agile, connected, and collaborative model.April shares her journey from a career in fashion to launching The Board, a hybrid community and agency that helps companies solve problems with on-demand expertise from trusted, fractional talent. Whether you're a leader trying to fill gaps on...
2025-06-0443 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast12. From Ghostwriting to Global Influence: Storytelling, Legacy & Relationship Capital with Pauleanna Reid, WritersBlokEver wonder who’s behind the speeches, op-eds, and books of the world’s most powerful leaders? Meet Pauleanna Reid, celebrity ghostwriter and founder of WritersBlok, who’s built an empire on storytelling, strategic relationships, and showing up with confidence.In this conversation, Pauleanna shares how she went from failing high school English to becoming the go-to storytelling partner for C-suite executives, cultural icons, and global change-makers. She breaks down her philosophy of relationship capital, how she built a network from scratch (often sleeping in airports to make it happen), and why asking for help is one of the...
2025-05-2831 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast11. The Relentless Pursuit of Talent: Keva Dine on Creative Careers, Connections & Standing OutHow do you build a business by launching other people’s careers? Keva Dine, creative powerhouse and founder of the Keva Dine Agency, joins the show to talk about bold networking, thoughtful follow-ups, and the kind of persistence that turns passion into legacy.In this episode we are joined by Keva Dine—founder and CEO of the Keva Dine Agency—to unpack the art and science of creative recruiting, what makes a great candidate stand out, and how intentional networking can supercharge your career.With a background as an art director, brand strategist, trend hunter, and “g...
2025-05-2130 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast10. Unstoppable Together with Women Work F#%k*ng Hard's Kristin O'Keeffe Merrick & Lindsay ShookusWhat happens when two longtime best friends combine Emmy-winning experience, financial brilliance, and a shared passion for supporting women? You get WOMEN WORK F#%K*NG HARD—a national movement built on kindness, connection, and seriously impressive results.In this episode, we are joined by powerhouse best friends and co-foundersKristin O'Keeffe Merrick & Lindsay Shookus—two women who truly walk the walk when it comes to helping other women rise. Lindsay spent two decades producing television at the highest level, including Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, and Miley Cyrus’s NYE Party. Kristen built a career in fina...
2025-05-1433 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast9. From Closet to Community: The Power of Style—and Who You Know with Jessie FreschlWhat do personal style, sustainable fashion, and building a nonprofit from scratch all have in common? According to Jessie Freschl—it’s the power of real, authentic connection. Jessie Freschl is a seasoned professional in the fashion industry, combining her expertise as a stylist with her entrepreneurial spirit, all while emphasizing conscious consumption. In 2011, she founded Freschstyle, a personal styling business based in New York City. Eight years later, she established Shop Repurpose, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainable fashion and workforce development. Her most recent venture is Turnstyle, a fashion tech platform designed to help...
2025-05-0739 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast8. Fran Hauser’s Network: The Secret Behind Her Business Wins and Bookstore DreamWhat happens when you say yes to the coffee meeting, the late-night event, or the bookstore dream? Fran Hauser’s story proves that some of the best career moments happen when you show up with no expectations—and an open heart.Fran Hauser is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, champion of women in the workplace, and a LinkedIn Top Voice. She is the bestselling author of The Myth of the Nice Girl and Embrace the Work, Love Your Career, angel investor, keynote speaker, and now, bookstore owner! Fran shares her layered career journey: from leading...
2025-04-3035 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast7. The Business Karma of Connection with Vicky BoudreauWhat happens when you lead with curiosity, ask bold questions, and build empires from authentic relationships? Vicky Boudreau, the powerhouse behind PR firm bicom and now the tech platform Heylist, joins us to talk about networking with heart—and how it’s fueled every chapter of her entrepreneurial journey.Vicky, CEO & Founder of Heylist, leads a tech marvel revolutionizing influencer marketing, empowering creators to monetize content. With a seasoned background in PR & Marketing, Vicky champions democratizing influencer marketing, ensuring broad access to the expanding creator economy. Alongside co-founders Alex & Nico, Vicky fosters innovation and inclusivity at He...
2025-04-2333 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast6. The What of Networking: Inside The Community for Women Doing Big Things with Amy ParkerWhat happens when two powerhouse women decide to reimagine what networking could look like—on their own terms? Amy Parker, co-founder of The What, joins us to talk about how she and her business partner Gina Pell turned an idea into one of the most powerful female-led communities out there—where real connection, generosity, and impact lead the way.Amy Parker is the Co-Founder and CEO of THE WHAT, an independent media and community platform for visionary female leaders to spark impact and action. Together, with longtime business partner, Gina Pell, they preside over The What Alliance, a pri...
2025-04-1644 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast5. How to Be the Most Powerful Networker in Any Room with Lydia FenetWhat does it take to raise over a billion dollars on stage, share it with celebrities like Elton John and Hugh Jackman, and then build a powerhouse agency from scratch? In this episode, I sit down with Lydia Fenet — the world’s leading charity auctioneer, bestselling author of The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You, and founder of the Lydia Fenet Agency.Lydia Fenet is the founder and CEO of the Lydia Fenet Agency, a boutique agency representing best in class charity auctioneers. Over her two-decade long career, Lydia served as the Global Managing Director of Strategic...
2025-04-0948 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast4. Building Wealth, Power & Authentic Networks with Jennifer JusticeShe’s negotiated for music’s biggest names — now she’s helping women everywhere secure the deals they deserve. Jennifer Justice, founder of The Justice Dept, shares her journey from Roc Nation to redefining power and pay equity for women across industries.Jennifer Justice, also known as JJ, is a renowned entrepreneur and former entertainment executive with a passion for championing gender equality and diversity. As General Counsel and EVP at Roc Nation, JJ played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s vision and growth, while also serving as Jay-Z’s personal attorney for 17 years and representing...
2025-04-0239 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast3. Mastering the Art of In-Person Networking with Lisa Smith, Founder of The PR NetWhat if networking didn’t have to be polished, perfect, or painfully awkward? In this episode, I sit down with Lisa Smith, founder of The PR Net, to explore how real relationships—not forced transactions—are the key to building a global network and thriving in the ever-changing world of PR and marketing.New Zealand native Lisa Smith has a unique work history, blending entrepreneurship in communications and marketing, publishing, online retail and new media. At 25, Lisa started a PR agency in Sydney which she ran for several years then subsequently sold. She concurrently authored a coffee table book...
2025-03-2638 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast2. The Power of Improv, Connection & Community with Melissa FerraroWelcome to the Not Perfect Networking Podcast! Today is an exciting day—our official launch episode! I’m your host, Zoe Weisberg Coady, and while I’ll admit I’m a little nervous, this podcast isn’t about perfection—it’s about real conversations, meaningful connections, and the power of networking.For our very first episode, I’m joined by my friend, Melissa Ferraro. Mel is a versatile artist, educator, and improv performer based in NYC. She has built an incredible, layered, and diverse community around her, and today, she shares how she did it.In this ep...
2025-03-1932 minThe Not Perfect Networking Podcast1. Network for LifeWelcome to the Not Perfect Networking Podcast! I'm your host, Zoe Weisberg Coady, founder of Brandstyle Communications and I’m so excited to bring you this new show all about the power of networking—not as a transactional business function, but as a way of life.In this episode, I’m taking you on a journey through my own networking moments, decade by decade. From summer camp friendships to starting my PR agency in New York 15 years ago, I’ve learned firsthand how building relationships can transform both personal and professional growth.In this episode:How networking is more than...
2025-03-1910 minThe Not Perfect Networking PodcastTrailer: Not Perfect Networking PodcastNetworking isn’t just a business function—it’s a way to build genuine relationships, unlock new opportunities, and create meaningful connections. In this podcast, we’re redefining networking and making it accessible, fun, and, most importantly, real.Join host Zoe Weisberg Coady, a self-proclaimed networking expert and Founder of Brandstyle Communications, as she brings you insightful conversations with incredible guests across various industries. Each episode dives into how they’ve built their personal networks and the strategies they use to grow and sustain them.This podcast will showcase dynamic fou...
2025-03-1001 min
Takin' Care of Lady Business®S2Ep80: Beyond the Headlines: How Female Founders Master PR in the Digital EraFounder of Brandstyle, America’s fast-growing PR agency with one primary focus: to make the stories around Companies, Businesses, Founders and Entrepreneurs relevant and interesting. We're the PR behind the BRAND.
In this episode of Takin’ Care of Lady Business®, Jennifer Justice speaks to Zoe Weisberg Coady, founder of Brand Style Communications, about the evolving role of PR in the digital age. Zoe discusses how her company utilizes earned media, thought leadership, and strategic partnerships to help digitally native consumer brands in the health and wellness and lifestyle spaces gain exposure and awareness. The two also delve into the optimal timin...
2023-05-2434 min