2B Bolder Podcast : Career Growth and Insights from Women in Business, Tech & Sports

Most people don’t fail at sales because they’re “bad at sales.” They fail because fear hijacks their brain at the exact moment they need clarity. That’s why I loved talking with Maggie Pounds, co-founder of Salescoach Pro, an AI-powered sales training platform that helps sales reps practice real conversations before they ever get on the phone with a real customer. If you’ve ever frozen, rambled, or felt your heart rate spike during an objection, you’ll recognize what she describes: even simulated role play can feel shockingly real, and that realism is what builds true confidence. 

Maggie shares her unconventional path from urban farming and farmers markets to building an AI product alongside her husband, plus how a simple Thanksgiving dinner conversation with her sister sparked the core idea. We get into what makes effective sales coaching work, why repeated reps matter more than generic advice, and how tailored feedback, scoring, and structured scenarios can improve onboarding and sales enablement without draining a manager’s time. We also talk about the practical question everyone asks: why not just use ChatGPT, and what a purpose-built voice role play experience does differently. 

Beyond the product, Maggie brings a refreshing perspective on AI hype and fear, especially for people who worry they’re “behind.” She argues for curiosity, moving slowly, and using technology as a tool to enhance human skill, not replace it. We close with a candid look at intentional living, homeschooling, presence, and giving yourself permission to pause projects in different life chapters, plus what “to be bolder” really means when you listen to yourself and take the next step. 

If this conversation helps you rethink confidence, sales practice, or building a business that supports your real life, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

You can spend your whole career waiting to feel “ready,” or you can do what Kellen Gorman did: jump in, learn fast, and let results speak. Kellen is an engineer and advocate at Redgate Software with nearly three decades across databases, cloud, and AI, plus experience at Microsoft, Oracle, and Delphix. Her path into tech starts with a brutal curveball, recovering from five strokes and rebuilding her work life from the ground up, then turning the hardest, least popular tasks into standout opportunities.

We get concrete about what career boldness looks like in practice: taking on the database no one wants, refusing to be boxed into a single platform, and staying technical even in an advocacy role by working directly with product teams and customers. Kellen shares why “AI exhaustion” is real, how duct-taped AI features can hurt usability, and how to experiment with generative AI without blowing up your cloud bill. If you’re trying to upskill in AI, cloud, or cybersecurity, you’ll leave with sane starting points and a clear warning about AI snake oil salesmen.

We also talk about visibility and personal branding for women in tech: blogging, books, GitHub, and public problem-solving as proof that travels when you’re not in the room. The episode closes with community and support, including the revival of PDX Women in Tech in Portland, and why mentorship alone isn’t enough without sponsorship and real networks.

Subscribe to this podcast for more conversations on topics that matter to women in tech and business, skills, being in the right rooms, gaining opportunities, confidence, visibility, and meaningful career growth, then share this episode with a friend and leave a review so more women can find it.

Resources:
DBAKevlar website
Kelly’s LinkedIn Profile
Pdxwit.net

On episode #155 of the 2B Bolder Podcast, I got to sit down with someone I could have honestly talked to for hours — Dr. Fern Halper. And if you've been feeling overwhelmed by all the AI noise out there, this one is for you.
Fern has been working in data and AI for over 30 years — long before it was a headline — and she is the real deal. What struck me most wasn't just her brilliance or depth of knowledge; it was her warmth, her wisdom, and the genuine human kindness she brings to everything she does. It was such an honor to have her on the show, and I walked away inspired.
We got into all of it — data foundations, governance, trust, and the career skills that keep you valuable as AI tools and agents move faster than most organizations can keep up with. No fluff, just real talk.
Here's what we covered:
Fern's unexpected path from oceanography research to data and AI leadership
The career forks that shaped her journey and why speaking up is everything
What companies are actually coming to her for: strategy, starting points, and governance
The new roles emerging around responsible AI, ethics, stewardship, and operations
Why so many enterprises are lagging behind and what "building a foundation" really means
What feels genuinely different about this AI moment — and why it comes with real risks
Where agentic AI and multi-agent systems are taking businesses in the next 3 to 5 years
The skills that stay valuable no matter what: critical thinking, risk, communication, and literacy
The mistakes leaders keep making — skipping the business need and treating governance like a chore
Why trust isn't just technical — it's the change management your people can actually believe in
Why we need more women's voices at the table when it comes to AI governance and ethics
If this resonates with you, please share it with a friend who needs to hear it — and don't forget to like and subscribe!
Resources:
📖 Data Makes the World Go 'Round: The Data, Tech, and Trust Behind AI Success by Dr. Fern Halper
🔗 Connect with Dr. Fern Halper on LinkedIn
🌐 aifoundationsgroup.com

"Different is better than better." It's the belief that drove Monica Nassif to build one of the most beloved household brands in America, and in the latest episode of the 2B Bolder podcast series, she sat down with me to share exactly how she did it. And this was a conversation I didn't want to end.
Monica didn't stumble into entrepreneurship. She grew up the oldest girl in a family of nine kids, all born within 10 years, running the household when her mom needed backup, holding jobs from age 10 onward, babysitting, waitressing at a truck stop (where she lied about her age at 15!), and typing in an ER at 16. Her mom's mantra? "Learn to work with people." That stuck.
What I love most about Monica's story is the boldness of her strategy. She built a beautiful, high-end cleaning brand called Caldria, and then deliberately set out to compete with herself before anyone else could. That's how Mrs. Meyer's was born, inspired by her real Midwestern mom, Thelma Meyer, the original recycler who wasted absolutely nothing.
We cover so much:
Why she trusted trend-spotting over focus groups 
How packaging and fragrance turned cleaning products into something people wanted on their countertops 
The two "belly flops" and the financial guardrails she used to shut one down before it became a sinkhole 
Building an up-tempo culture with office badminton, ornament contests, and talent shows
Why authenticity and storytelling are your biggest competitive advantages right now, especially in the age of AI
And she's got a book coming late April, I Bottled My Mother: The Mrs. Meyer Story, Grit, Grime, and Growing a Business, part love letter to her mom, part startup manual. It's the business book that's actually funny and emotionally honest. I cannot wait to get my hands on it. I'm sure it will be a very popular business book.
Her advice to her younger self? Slow down and listen more. Mine too, Monica. Mine too. 😄
🎧 Please check out this episode, drop a review, and share it with a founder or dreamer in your life!
Resources:
I Bottled My Mother: The Mrs. Meyer Story
Monica Nassif on LinkedIn

Interviews can feel overwhelming if you're not prepared, or worse, they can feel discouraging when you know you’re qualified, yet you keep hearing “we went another direction.” In episode #153 of the 2B Bolder podcast, I’m joined by Gina Riley, a former Fortune 50 HR leader turned executive career strategist and author of Qualified Isn’t Enough, to discuss what’s really happening behind the scenes in executive hiring and why great résumés still fall flat without the right story. And yes, even if you're not an executive, this show has great takeaways for you!

We dig into the hiring manager’s reality: a requisition is funded to solve a specific business problem, and the candidate who wins is the one who positions themselves as the clearest solution. Gina shares how to “read the room” across every touch point, why every stakeholder is effectively a decision maker, and how to build a tight set of interview stories that prove leadership, judgment, and results without sounding like everyone else. We also talk about executive presence, including the subtle communication habits that can weaken confidence and decisiveness, especially for women navigating competitive leadership roles.

Gina walks us through her Career Velocity Framework: clarifying your unique value proposition, capturing wins in a career data vault, tightening your “tell me about yourself,” then translating it all into a stronger LinkedIn profile, interview prep, and a relationship-driven job search strategy. We also get practical about today’s job market, layoffs, and how informational interviews can guide AI skill building when the landscape changes too fast for generic advice.

If you’re planning a career transition or you’re in the middle of one, stop what you're doing and listen now, then subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more women in business and tech can find these career strategy tools.  Gina is amazing at knowing the ins and outs of navigating these waters, so you don't have to go it alone.

Resources:
Gina Riley on LinkedIn
Gina Riley Consulting