Today’s guest has made a career out of helping others build connections. In particular, she teaches introverts how to have a sense of self-worth, find their tribe, and make strides toward the career of their dreams.

Growing up she was painfully shy and felt like an outsider. She didn’t believe it was possible to deeply and authentically connect with large numbers of people, so she rarely tried. That began to change as she stepped into leadership roles and a more outgoing part of herself started to emerge.

Since then, she’s been on a mission to reframe what it means to be an introvert, initially leading by example and now helping others. She founded Confident Introvert, a training and development company helping introverts with their networking skills through corporate workshops and webinars as well as private one-on-one networking strategy coaching.

To share her message, she recently published, the “Confident Introvert: A Practical Guide to Connecting with Others at Networking Events and Beyond.”

Please join me in welcoming Stephanie Thoma. 

In this episode we discuss:

• her thoughts on leadership “I learned from an early age to lead by example and figuring things out as I go.
• how she teaches her clients to have a level of self-awareness while not living in a vacuum.
• her journey from high school cross country captain to actively seeking out leadership opportunities in college.
• her insight on how she feels her 8 year old self would think about her success.
• her turning point in her business when she spoke at a friend’s event and how that transformed her business.
• her habits when it comes to nurturing connections.
• her advice when it comes to empowering introverts to network.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 202

Today’s guest is an experienced on-air host and communication strategist whose credits include numerous national television networks, such as HBO, PBS, and most recently QVC, where she single-handedly launched the fastest growing brand in the entire network for 2019.

She has combined her skills in marketing, production, and hosting with her personal passion for helping nonprofit organizations to create Spotlight On Giving - a full-service company specializing in Corporate Social Responsibility and Spotlight On TV - which offers celebrities the chance to shine their spotlight on causes dear to them.

She wears many other hats, including as a marketing strategist who works with individuals to help them find their voice, as Executive Producer and host of ABC Coast to Coast, which creates sizzle reels, and as Chief Empathy Officer of A Pebble in the Road, which specializes in effective video story telling for broadcast, marketing, and online content.

Please join me in welcoming Amber Browning-Coyle.  

In this episode we discuss:

• her thoughts on leadership “Leadership is teamwork. I think a leader is only as strong as their team.”
• how her mother was her first influence to being a great leader.
• her passion to be a multi-faceted and competitive learner in everything she sets her mind to.
• how her stint working as an emcee for Nascar was the turning point of her career.
• how she wanted to be in a show to highlight causes/non-profits but because it didn’t exist - she created it - a trait that has been consistent throughout her career.
• how she has stopped focusing on the outcome while still being goal-oriented, focusing instead on the process and helping others.
• her thoughts on social media and how it helps her keep in touch and network with her connections.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 201

This week's On the Schmooze episode is the 200th episode - wow.

That means I’ve produced 50 episodes a year for four years. I almost gave this all up two years ago and I’m so grateful I stuck with it.

For this special episode, my friend Laurie Guest (whom I interviewed in OTS 177) interviews ME. That’s right, the tables were turned so you can learn about the host behind the mic.

In this episode we discuss:

• his thoughts on leadership “Leaders have followers. There’s influencers, connectors, and people who host. I lean into leadership helping others connect.”
• his first experience as a leader organizing a movement to ban steel jaw traps for animals.
• his podcast beginnings and inspiration to begin his show and how he almost ended On the Schmooze at the two year mark.
• the importance of the first question you ask in an interview.
• his selection process for his podcast guests.
• his excitement for virtual events and the future of that facet of networking events.
• his future message to his children.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 200

Today’s guest focuses on the communication side of leadership.

Through her warmth and humor, she helps people to become better communicators, influencers and leaders. They recognize gaps, build on strengths, and become more effective professionals.

Over the last 10 years, she has worked with clients across a variety of sectors to enhance their performance and workplace influence. Her clients have included AirBnB, Bank of America, Microsoft, Nestlé, and Visa.

She is the founder of Forte Consulting inspiring extraordinary performances from individuals and teams.

Please join me in welcoming Hope Timberlake.

In this episode we discuss:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is three things: having a clear purpose, thinking about the team, and how they lead”.
• how being a leader has been a consistent theme in her childhood development from being the oldest child to being tapped in the 8th grade to teach Latin to kindergarteners.
• her mentor who entrusted her with a phenomenal career opportunity at the young age of 23.
• her baby boot camp franchise which helped her nurture her entrepreneur spirit while being a mom to small children but made her feel very vulnerable.
• how having children really showed her how much she needed community connections to be a great parent and an even better entrepreneur.
• how she put herself out there despite her vulnerability in order to be seen.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 199

Today’s guest is a passionate connector who helps people find their natural communication and networking style.

She is driven by connecting people and helping them grow their own networks organically by being present in conversations, finding ways to connect to others, and looking for opportunities to collaborate. While her corporate career has been very diverse, including military, telecom, healthcare, legal, and financial, every position she has held has been people-centric and solution-oriented.

She founded Mindful Mingling to help her clients gain insights and practical tips on what networking REALLY is and how to tap into its power in a way that feels comfortable and authentic.

Please join me in welcoming Megan Hudson.    

In this episode we discuss:

• her thoughts on leadership “I’ve always believed in the philosophy of servant leadership prioritizing service rather than taking charge”.
• her experience of having a special needs sibling helped her be more in tune to the needs of others and ensure people are included.
• how her military career honed her leadership skills by teaching her to to follow first, then lead.
• her core belief that having authentic conversations that lead to connections that lead to collaborations is the core of her networking philosophy.
• how she is still figuring out how to structure and scale her business.
• how networking is never a waste of time. Maybe she can make someone smile? Or recommend a connection to someone else.
• her core belief that servant leadership is at the core of all her networking decisions.
• her tried and true tips for maintaining connections and nurturing relationships.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 198