Underestimated: Stories for Women

Anne Hudson, local Austin on-air personality on 96.7 KISS-FM and KASE101, talks about the challenges she has overcome throughout her career and life and how she pushes through the bad and stays positive.

Jennifer Brazer, Founder and CEO of Complete Controller, talks about her experience starting her business the hard way, the bootstrap way. Listen to real-life experiences where she followed her gut and saved her baby girl's life and how she uses that mentality in everything she does to this day. 

Welcome to Season 2 of Underestimated! In Episode 1 we talk to CEO and Co-Founder of Living Security, Ashley Rose, about running a company with three daughters and a few amazing stories of course. We discuss the journey Ashley took in completing college after having her first daughter, starting her first business, and pivoting her company during Covid. 

Sometimes strength doesn't appear the way we expect it to but tends to be more like a super power when witnessed than anything one human can posses. Samantha Turnbull's story is exactly that. An army wife with a young son who manned the house and raised their son while her husband was deployed. On January 16, 2019 Samantha's world would change forever and every ounce of her being would be tested. Sam's husband Captain Jonathan Turnbull was given 0% chance of survival during a suicide bombing in Syria and so her journey begins. In Episode 14: Be The Light In Darkness, we will hear her story from the time they met, multiple deployments, news of a tragic event and the road to recovery.

Lily WilkerWhat: Special Operations Medic working towards PHDWhere: at Fort Bragg, NCWhy: An underestimated Soldier because of her physical size and sex The military is known for its poor treatment of women in uniform.  We are an organization that values hard charging, barrel chested, red, white, and blue blooded freedom fighting Alpha males.  Staff Sergeant Wilker is one of the most important individuals I have recruited for my Special Operations team.  I met Lily in 2014 at a qualification course.  Prior to this moment I was an under-appreciating, sexist individual that didn’t not think there was a place for women in the military.  This sentiment came from my career as a tanker where women were not allowed in our units.  I thought that women would undermine an organization, especially during combat operations.  We had a young lady at my Combat Outpost (COP) in 2012 in Afghanistan and saw how Soldiers treat women first hand.  For example, when we were attacked by the Taliban all of my guard posts were not manned because my guys went to the woman’s building and tried to “protect” her.  What I didn’t see was that I was completely wrong about women in combat, and that the fault was my own because I didn’t have as tight of a grip on my Soldiers as I thought and that their professional discipline was lacking.  When I was selected to be a member of Special Operations I learned this.  Lily Wilker showed me that a woman that is under 5’ and weighs less than 100lbs could carry a heavier backpack with all of our units ammunition, communication equipment, and food further and longer than myself.  I felt like a fool having this little girl outperform me physically, but then saw her outperform me mentally and emotionally as we were partners through training.  By the end of our training I learned a valuable life lesson that I will never judge a person based on their stereotype, but look at the individual.  I joined a Special Operations Team immediately after graduating the Qualification Course and deployed to Jordan for my first go-around with ISIS.  When I got back it had been a year since I last spoke with Lily, but knew she was a person that I wanted on my team.  I fought tooth and nail upon returning to Fort Bragg to get Lily on my team, and in 2015 she became my medic.  I got to train with her on the team for a year before we all deployed to Lebanon.  After leaving the Special Operations Team I would never deploy again without a woman on my team because Lily taught me that she brings a capability to the team that empowers us to reach greater impacts on the community.  When I deployed to Syria on the greatest fighting force in the world team  and my lesson from Lily had me again fight to get the additional capability on my team, which led to me having two ladies on my team.  Because of the lessons from Lily I was overwhelming successful in Syria to the point that we led the fight that ended with the US winning the war against ISIS. Lesson Learned:  Women in combat are not a hinderance, but an added capability.  Never assume a women cannot perform until I have tested them.  From my experiences with SSG Wilker I leaned that a tiny girl was capable of outperforming the toughest man (me) physically, and mentally.  She increased the capability of my special operations team to levels I couldn’t have reached without her.  “Alone, and Unafraid.  CAT613”

Courtney ZimmermanMy passion in life is helping others by using my career and personal endeavors I am involved in.I started my sales career in 2014 doing B2C sales for Colonial Penn and was moved to management due to the feedback from my clients on educating them of the importance of insurance, what different policies cover and help make the best financial decisions to cover the unexpected costs that could happen that the stakeholders saw as important value to coach to my team.I moved into Tech Sales with SaaS products in 2016 doing B2B sales for multiple start-ups. In 2019 I started my career at Google Cloud selling the full spectrum from the IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings we have.Why sales and why technology? Sales can give you the chance to help or empower your clients if you are consultative and have a mindset of servitude. Technology can provide a solution invented to solve real life problems to make others life easier, give back time, save money, empower their passions. I want to make an impact and help others by giving them the tools and ideas necessary to live a better life, so working in technology sales was a "no-brainer" decision for the direction in my career.In my personal life I am a mental health advocate, dog mom of 11 years to my American Eskimo Ellie, an Aunt and cheerleader to Mason and Emma, a little sister and big sister of 5 siblings, outdoor adventurist, theater nerd, comedian, stormchaser, and a writer.I believe in the power of networking, collaborating, and sharing ideas on any spectrum. Feel free to connect and let's solve some problems!Linkedin

RestartCBD CEOShayda Torabi- LinkedinShayda was trying to recover from an auto-pedestrian accident in Austin when she was first introduced to the health and wellness properties of CBD.During that time, we encountered the frustration of finding quality organic hemp products from trusted suppliers. And as a family of athletes, living in Texas, we wanted a legal product with Zero THC. Realizing very few pure products existed in this market, we decided to create our own. After months of research and making the connections needed to deliver a high caliber product, RESTART CBD was born.We use a pure CBD isolate in our Signature Product Line (Replenish, Recover, Relax and Repair) derived from organically grown industrial hemp with CO2 extraction, 3rd party lab testing for quality, and organic ingredients.RESTART CBD is Austin’s first locally handcrafted organic CBD wellness brand founded by two sisters, Shayda and Sydney Torabi. 

Free Guide : 10 Must-Have Habits of Ultra-Confident WomenWant to learn what it takes to go from being a people pleaser to a confident self-lover? Learn the habits of high performing women who put themselves first, and still make a difference in the lives of others.Hi, I’m Vasavi, Licensed therapist with a dual Masters degrees in Special Education and Social Work.  I’m first-generation Indian-American and grew up in a traditional Hindu household on Long Island, New York. Living and going to school in a predominantly all-White town, I struggled with: figuring out my unique identity, the mental heartache of bullying, and shame from outshining the other students in my class due to my strict upbringing and focus on academics. Back then, I longed for acceptance, and believed that I had to dumb myself down in order to fit in, and be welcomed into social circles.I’m often asked, “How have you been able to get back up no matter what you’ve gone through?”I am here to help you heal. When you work with me, I help you uncover YOUR way to get BACK up, no matter what you go through. I believe that when you know yourself, you can do, be, and have anything you want.  As YOU grow through what you go through, don’t forget to check in with yourself. Keep getting to know you.  In order for me to be in the present, I had to be honest about the evolution of self.  From my own mental health illness, divorce, addiction and RECOVERY, I’ve learned that missteps and wrong turns don’t break my love of self. You have the power to overcome your rock bottom moments successfully, and come out the other side stronger.  I am here to help you heal.  I’ve been there.  Now I am present, I am Vasavi.Free Guide : 10 Must-Have Habits of Ultra-Confident Women

Larissa Tater is an accomplished leader in the tech industry as a Senior Product Manger. She has been an amazing mentor in my own journey finding my career path and has proven to always provide sound advice that empowers women to "go for it". I really enjoyed my conversation with Larissa in this episode as we really focused on the importance of taking risks and finding your own way. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in other people's opinions and expectations of you. This is episode is a great reminder to live your life and DON'T BE AFRAID TO TAKE THE RISK. Linkedin

sarahephoto.comInstagramAbout Sarah Lindstrom (sourced from sarahephoto.com)It’s me Sarah! The one tearing up behind the camera at some point on your wedding day, ya that may be lame, but I can’t help it, love gets to me. And I’m a crier. Like the type of person who cries because there’s a cute dog on T.V. or the person who cries when any sports team wins a major championship because they’re just so overwhelmed with joy. At this point, my fiancé just looks over and laughs because it happens way too frequently. If you can’t tell, I’m a feeler. An INFJ a 2w1 2w3 (I can’t decide). Sharing in case those numbers and letters mean something to you.All that to say, don’t be surprised if you see me crying on your wedding day or suggesting you take a second to pause and soak in the moment. My fiancé (woah still very new word to me), and I live in Austin, Texas, with our two dogs. Aspen, a mini Aussie, and Emmett, a German wired haired pointer. We call Aspen my shadow because she’s constantly right behind me and I can never find her. And Emmett well, he’s a big ball of energy and attitude, he sounds like Chewbacca every morning when he stretches. We love to explore the outdoors, enjoying the green space Austin has to offer, and we love to try new things. We’re always trying new activities, hobbies, and new recipes. We’re always in the kitchen experimenting, sometimes failing, but still trying. The Cooks Illustrated magazine is our new favorite thing to get in the mail because it means more things to try out! Austin will always have a special place in my heart. It’s the place, I found myself and my best friend.It’s where I learned that I don’t have to be like everybody else. I don’t have to wear a hat in every Instagram post (trust me I have some cute GigiPip hats in my closet, but those aren’t me), I don’t have to be labeled as an adventure photographer to shoot elopements. I don’t have to have a perfect Pinterest styled apartment to share photos of my life. While I may not be the hippest girl on Instagram, I am true to myself.So here’s the real Sarah:The girl who eats stupid amounts of chocolate every day - dark chocolate with sea salt all the wayThe girl who lives in athleasure wearThe girl snuggled under a blanket even when it’s 95 degrees outside The girl who posts more pictures of her dogs than herself The girl who talks to her parents every single day The girl who falls asleep during every movie night The girl who wears makeup 4 times a yearThe girl who loves Jesus The girl who would rather ski all winter than go to the beachThe girl who wears the same jeans 12 times before washing themThe girl who will probably share a new workout program with you because she thinks exercising is fun The girl who would much rather play cards than watch T.V.The girl who over apologizes The girl who will find any excuse to give a gift or do something for you - love languages, anyone?The girl who can’t stand to be late, if she’s not early, she’s already late The girl who's grandma calls “iron Sarah” cause she’s always trying a new extreme sport The girl who loves to explore new placesThe girl who currently is talking in 3rd person, weirdo.That’s me, the girl who will always advocate for you to be yourself. The one advocating for you to do what you want on your wedding day. Not what your friends want, or your family wants. I'll be there to help your voice be heard amongst the noise of the busy wedding day. No matter what your wedding day looks like. I’m here to capture you and your love. I’m ready for you to be a part of my family!LOVE, Sarah

ABOUT VAL SANTOSHey! My name is Val Santos! You also might know me as the Midday Mamacita! I started my radio career here in Austin in 2011. I am originally from Arizona but Austin is home! I am the mother of an awesome little girl and have a white boxer named Moonshine (who I adopted from Austin Boxer Rescue). I love movies from the 90’s (Love Jones is my all time favorite), live tweeting while watching tv shows, the Arizona Cardinals, and music that connects to my soul!Other things I love are wine, coffee, working out (when Im not being lazy), makeup, animals & fake plants. I talk A LOT and have a story about everything. Don’t ask me to tell a joke because I am the WORST at it. Seriously. I ruin all jokes.InstagramTwitterHot95.9 Website

Becca Halbert - Deputy Director of Development at Austin Habitat for HumanityAustin Habitat for Humanity (AHFH) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to ending the cycle of poverty housing in the Austin area. AHFH believes everyone deserves a decent, affordable place to live. AHFH was incorporated in 1985 and is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International: a global, non-profit housing corporation founded in 1976. The Austin affiliate covers Travis, Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell and Hays counties. As the Director of Corporate Sponsorships, I research and cultivate new corporate and faith partnerships with companies and churches throughout our service area in those 5 counties. I collaborate with my team on strategy in which to show the true impact corporations can have as being part of our volunteer force that builds affordable homes. In constant contact with our communication, engagement, and construction teams, we work together on how we can maximize the donor's dollars, while ensuring a fun and worthy experience for our volunteers. I assist in planning our annual fundraiser, Blueprints and Blue Jeans, and also attend numerous small community events helping to promote the brand of Habitat for Humanity. I also serve as the liaison for the organization between Habitat Young Professionals and Austin Habitat and help coordinate and manage their events and membership.austinhabitat.orgInstagram

One of the kindest, strongest souls I know comes from my step mom, Dianna Goodman. I've learned so much from this woman and would not be the same person without her in my life. She taught us about the power of listening, the importance of always doing the right thing and how it's never acceptable to underestimate or speak ill of anyone. I think you will all see just what a loving, kind, giving woman she is from this episode. Love you Mom. 

This episode is near and dear to my heart and I will cherish it for years and years to come. Interviewing my Mom felt like the silliest thing, but so far it has been the most rewarding as I work on developing my skills in this endeavor. I love her spirit, spunk and silly stories and know exactly where I got my "can do" attitude from.  Thanks Mom for always telling us that we can do anything we set our minds to. PS - I hope you all get a kick out of my mom's adorable accent. 

Laurie Rios was born and raised in Upstate, New York. She and her husband relocated after his retirement, to Englewood, FL, where she has worked as a REALTOR® since 2011. In 2018, she earned her SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) designation. While Laurie enjoys working with everyone from /rst time home buyers to experienced real estate investors, she is especially passionate about working to meet the special needs of maturing Americans when selling,buying, relocating, or re/nancing residential or investment properties. By earning the SRES® designation, Laurie prepared herself to approach mature clients with the best options and information for them to make life-changing decisions. She takes pleasure in advocating for senior citizens who may not know all that is available to them in their decision making. Laurie gauges her success on the happiness of her clients. Anything less than stellar customer service is not an option.When Laurie is not working, she likes to spend time with her husband and friends. She is an avid boater, beach goer and reader. She also loves being creative. Crocheting and painting are two of her favorite past times.Twitter FacebookInstagramwww.englewoodflhomes.comlaurie.floridian@gmail.comwww.contentflywheel.com

Jessica Lawlor - Founder and CEOContinuing the journey of interviewing women who have been underestimated in different aspects of their life, how they overcame those hurdles and what they learned from their experience. Who is Jessica LawlorJessica Lawlor is the founder and CEO of Jessica Lawlor & Company (JL&Co), a specialty communications agency focused on content management and creation. She's an accomplished writer, speaker and personal branding expert in the Philadelphia area. Check out her blog, focusing on the ins and outs of running a business, productivity and stepping outside your comfort zone. Her story has been featured on Entrepreneur.com, Business News Daily, The Penny Hoarder and more.Jessica's Underestimated StoryJessica walks us through her experience of a mentor responding negatively to her announcement about leaving her job and starting her own company. She talks about the sacrifices she made to get her company off the ground like living at home to save money and staying in on Friday nights to work. Through all of the ups and downs her strongest recommendation to younger generations is to stop caring about what people think and do what you love. Contact Jessica Lawlor Jessica Lawlor & Company WebsiteBlogTwitterInstagramFacebookLinkedin

My best friend tells her story of being passed up for a promotion three times before finally leaving the company.

Stories from women when they felt that they were underestimated or under appreciated and showcase the actions they took to move forward and what they've learned from those experiences. 

Underestimated : Stories for Women coming soon!