Deanna Jones is a business leader in the tech world; she’s been at Cisco Systems for nearly 25 years, but she’s also a passionate speaker and consultant in the diversity arena. She’s Vice President of Harmony-the North Carolina LGBT+ Allied Chamber of Commerce. At the age of 54, she traded in attachment for authenticity and became the person she always knew she was deep down inside. Deanna’s midlife transformation story is one-of-a-kind. In this episode, she bravely shares her major reinvention and what it cost her to become the fulfilled person she is today.

For more about Deanna:

https://deannajonesnow.com/

https://www.harmonync.org/

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Megan Sumrell is a former corporate executive turned entrepreneur. As a business owner, mom, and wife, she knows exactly how hard it is to juggle everything while still maintaining your own sense of self and purpose. As the CEO and Founder of The Pink Bee, she took her 20-plus-year career and applied it to all things time management, organization, and productivity. She is the creator of the TOP Program and TOP Planner, a program and planner that teach planning and time management. But most importantly, she is a cheerleader and an inspiration for women who are trying to juggle work and family. She says there is no such thing as the perfect balance but you can find harmony if you are willing to connect with the dreams you had as a child.

For more about Megan and her work:

Website: www.megansumrell.com

Podcast: https://www.megansumrell.com/podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansumrell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkLifeHarmonyPodcast

Leslie Matz didn't know anything about professional football when a family friend and mentor, Susan Tose Spencer, the first female in charge of an NFL team, asked her to work for the Philadelphia Eagles. She quickly rose through the ranks and became a leader in the organization. After the birth of her son, Leslie wanted to return to her home state of North Carolina to be closer to family, and secured a position with a brand new NFL team, the Carolina Panthers. As much as she loved her career, having a work/life balance was becoming increasingly more difficult. Eventually, Leslie returned to her first love-teaching. In this episode, Leslie shares how she's never looked back, and how she became an advocate for the LGBTQIA community as the mother of a gay son.

It didn't look like Sharon Hill was going to have a bright future. Instead of attending her college classes, she played cards. Eventually, her failing GPA was proof that something needed to change. That's when Sharon got serious about her education. Before she even graduated, IBM came knocking. She worked for the tech giant for two decades and even got her MBA. But her next chapter was as big of a surprise to her as it was to everyone else. Sharon became an expert on all things relating to etiquette, everything from social etiquette to business etiquette. Now, she teaches other young professionals, especially Black professionals, how to put their best foot forward in the world. Sharon kept me laughing throughout our entire interview, and she promises to keep all of us on our toes when it comes to etiquette!

To learn more about Sharon, go to:

www.SharonHillInternational.com

(41) Sharon Hill | LinkedIn

Aletia Ferreira has always told her sons that life is hard, and so when you are choosing between two options, know that they will both present challenges in different ways. She came to the United States from South Africa in her early twenties as a wide-eyed dancer and aspiring actress. Her dreams of performing in Los Angeles soon turned to teaching dance and creating dance costumes in order to pay her bills and stay in the country. Today, her journey has brought her to another place, a place where she is once again helping to shape young lives through her passion for dance and movement. You will be inspired by her life-wisdom and her willingness to take risks.

For more on Aletia and her work:

https://www.facebook.com/KeKAYMethod

https://www.instagram.com/kekay_method/

Lorraine Woodward is a woman on a mission to help people living with disabilities, specifically, to help them find short-term rentals so that they can travel with more ease. She is the CEO of Becoming RentABLE which finds creative ways to make short-term rentals accessible for everyone. Her mission is born out of her own personal journey. Since her diagnosis as a young child with muscular dystrophy, Lorraine has been a full-time wheelchair user. She is also the mother of two children diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. When her family had trouble finding accessible rentals for vacations, she decided to create her company. Her "aha moment" came when a 16 year old boy thanked her for creating a shower that he could get his wheelchair into. Lorraine believes in chasing what fuels you and that transformation is possible at any age.

To learn more about Lorraine:

Website: https://www.becomingrentable.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/becomingrentable/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becomingrentable/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becoming-rentable/

Sharon Lawrence always dreamed of being an actor, but it wasn’t dreaming that got her there; it was hard work. From a young age performing in musical theater, to starring in major television dramas, films, and more, Sharon made her childhood dreams come true. Somehow, through all of it, she has managed to stay grounded in the work instead of being focused on the fame. Sharon is a major supporter of women writers and directors in her industry. At this point in her career, she wants her work to have purpose. And she can think of no better purpose than lifting up other women and their narratives as they transform Hollywood one story at a time.

To follow Sharon and her work got to:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonelawrence/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharon.lawrence.980

X: https://twitter.com/sharonlawrence

Divya Parekh moved to the United States from India when she was in her twenties. She grew up in a household where her parents never set limitations on what she could accomplish. She was already a professor in India, and resisted the move. But soon after she arrived in the United States, she discovered that you can have two homes. She worked in corporate America in biotechnology until she decided it was time for her to follow a bigger purpose. Now, she is a global business coach, consultant, and author. She helps individuals who are experts in their fields become leaders and influencers. Her strategy is simple-let people figure out who they really are and what their purpose is in life, and then, help them get there.

To learn more about Divya and her work go to:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/divyaparekh/
https://success.divyaparekh.com/atomichabitgift/
https://councils.forbes.com/executive-library/executive-library-expert-to-influencer-divya-parekh