“I can’t think of anything more terrifying than knowing what I’ll be doing in ten years’ time.” In this episode, Clare Salmon, a career senior leader, takes Drew Tweedy and COMPOSURE co-author Lee Epting down a path through her life, exploring how her tolerance for risk has created extraordinary opportunity. But even amidst her success, Clare tells a familiar story: A brilliant businesswoman, often the smartest person in the room, yet always feeling like a fraud. Like many of us, our early ch...
"We need to communicate the magnitude of the issue to communicate the magnitude of what we need to do." In this episode, Kate Brodock, General Partner of W Fund and CEO of Switch, is blunt when she tells us what she really thinks: We have a problem. VC funding for women-led teams is going down — not up. In this moment, with so much energy around DEI and bringing more representation to the workplace, how is this possible? In this illuminating conversation, Kate Brodock and Kate Purmal get down...
In this episode, Gretchen Yanover, Cellist/Composer, dives into her creative process, explaining how she uses personal boundaries and dedicated focus to enable flow. She provides guidance for creators of all kinds, from artists to businesspeople, including: The importance of making space for improvisation, connecting with yourself, and making life more fun. The magic of experimentation and finding success by trying new things, learning, and adapting as you go. The necessity of prepa...
“How do I become board-ready?” We’ve heard that for too long — mostly from women. And, more often than not, it’s simply not true. In this episode, Jocelyn Mangan, CEO and founder of Him for Her, dispels the notion that there are not enough women leaders to fill the boardroom — the pipeline is there. It’s just a network problem. She provides guidance for men and women working to diversify boardrooms everywhere. In this inspiring conversation, Jocelyn and Kate Purmal dig deep, getting ...
"Did he really just say that?” You're the only one like you in the room, and an executive colleague says something that you find biased, offensive, or dismissive. However, it’s not egregious. If it were just a one-off you might brush it off — but it’s not. You’re torn. You don’t want to call him out in front of your peers — or worse a partner or customer. But you also don’t want to let it slide. This is the central dilemma special guest Erin Rech brings to her "brain hack" c...
What does parenting with composure look like when you have a 9-second commute from your office to your kids? This is the question at the heart of this episode. Kate Purmal is joined by special guest Laurie McGinley in the latest installment of our “brain hack” series. Kate takes Laurie through a live coaching session, helping her find balance between two versions of herself: Tea Kettle Laurie, who is stressed and anxious (but you better bet she gets the kids to school on time)Wood Turn...
This week, COMPOSURE author Kate Purmal is joined by her daughter, Mariah Driver! This mother-daughter conversation is a special one, full of insights on identity, race, privilege, and the many ways the intersection of those pieces of who we are affect the way we show up in the world — and the ways the world treats us in return. This conversation touches upon the business and the personal — both in Mariah’s expertise as a leader in the field of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and in h...
COMPOSURE author Kate Purmal takes host Drew Tweedy through a special conversation this week. This is the first in a series of “brain hacks” we’ll be releasing in the coming weeks. As an executive coach, Kate regularly uses this exercise to help her clients find greater success and resourcefulness in the areas of their lives where they’re really struggling. Now, she’s bringing the “brain hack” to the airwaves! This conversation focuses on Drew’s struggles to make time for the creative p...
COMPOSURE co-author and trauma therapist Joshua Isaac Smith joins host Drew Tweedy in a conversation about the origins of boundaries. Joshua tackles challenging questions about our boundaries: Where do our boundaries come from? What’s the cost of putting our own needs last? How do we evaluate our own boundaries, and how can we start to shift away from them when they’re no longer serving us?Joshua sheds light on what we can do to strengthen our boundaries, as well as practices ...
A lot of the ways we’re used to thinking about boundaries is in our personal lives. We're all familiar with the need (or desire) to establish a boundary with a family member, a friend, or a partner. But what about in other areas of life? In this episode, we discuss the wide-ranging benefits of establishing strong boundaries, especially in our work lives. COMPOSURE co-author Joshua Isaac Smith is an expert in PTSD and Trauma Therapy, and he joins us for this week's episode. Joshu...
Naomi Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion, was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year in 2020, and is the very first Asian woman to be ranked Number One in the world. She’s one of the most decorated athletes of her generation, and yet she recently acknowledged that she suffers from Impostor Syndrome. How is it that a person as successful as Osaka, who has been quite literally ranked No. 1 in the world in her chosen field, feels like a fraud? In our first episode, we dive into thi...