In the final episode of Season 2 of “Speaking of Phenomenal,” host Amy Boyle celebrates the podcast’s 25 episodes and remembers the 12 phenomenal women who accompanied us throughout this season. By sharing their stories, they taught us about resilience, kindness, mindfulness, generosity.
“The Speaking of Phenomenal podcast is more than a platform,” Amy explains. “It’s a beacon for those who believe in the transformative power of narrative, in the beauty of a shared journey and in the strength of a community that stands together.”
On spreading kindness
“One message at just the right moment can change someone's entire day, outlook or life.”
On adaptability
“Life gets better the older we get. We become more of ourselves. We trust ourselves. We speak our minds. We don't care what people think anymore. We really, truly blossom into our true selves.”
Shannon Gomes, marketing expert focused on promoting women and redefining Gen X as the “adaptable generation.”
On food literacy
"We have such a challenge with malnourishment in this country… What we want to provide with the Charlie Cart Project is an antidote.”
Carolyn Federman, founder of “The Charlie Cart Project,” a non-profit that helps children across the U.S. access food education through innovative mobile kitchens.
On generosity and happiness
“I just simply think, get out of your own way. Start helping someone else… you will be amazed how it shifts your attitude and your focus and all of a sudden stuff starts falling to you.”
Lisa Dietlin, philanthropy expert, author and keynote speaker.
On food and cultural roots
"When you're giving your kids your culture, you can give it to them on a plate and they don't even realize it, but it just instills this love of their culture and their roots in them."
On female leadership
"Women are here to change the paradigm of business, and we are gonna change it in a big way, in a really positive way."
"When we have more money and more resources, we can make bigger differences. We can really achieve our epic missions a lot easier."
Meghann Conter, the founder and chief visionary officer of The Dames, a global online network that supports businesswomen from 6 continents.
On women’s empowerment
“You will get angry by injustices because they are injustices. What matters is what you do with that anger. Channel that anger into something productive.”
Book recommendation: 50 Women, by Jessica Buchlitner and Carol Pott
On innovation and fashion
“I think a lot of times success is like this: You have a hope, so you try again.”
On mindfulness
"When you're present, you pay attention to your life…and experiencing life is how we enrich our soul, how we feel more joy.”
On communicating one’s true value
"Everything isn't perfect. But you know what? I'm not going to give up."
"I am glad that no matter how dark it got, that I kept moving forward. And I dreamed bigger."
On holistic healing
"You have the answers. And even if it seems like it's scary, the reality is, when you lean into it, it's usually the best thing you could have ever done."
Jennifer Froemel, a bilingual Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) passionate about holistic healing, bilingualism and pro bono therapy.
On the power of pause
“Our limits are not barriers, but rather signposts guiding us towards more sustainable paths to our goals.”
“As phenomenal women, we thrive on challenges, but let's not forget the power of pause. It’s in these moments of stillness that we often find our greatest insights and make the most significant strides forward.”
As Season 2 comes to a close and we eagerly await Season 3, let us take a moment to reflect on how those trajectories compare to our own lives. Like Carolyn Federman, the founder of the Charlie Cart Project, for example, we may not know how our endeavors will end, but we move forward.
Carolyn started using a mobile kitchen to improve the logistics of a class she was giving as a volunteer at her children’s school. Now, her project serves almost 500 locations, raising awareness of healthy eating habits among children. Like Carolyn, who struggled to learn about manufacturing techniques to build the carts, we all face obstacles. But the path gets a little easier if we have a clear “why” for whatever we want to accomplish.
A friend once told me the best step is the one we give. We’ll always learn something. From our failures and achievements.
Carolina Baldin is a freelance journalist from Brazil. Having worked in law, policy and regulation, she is passionate about everyday stories that illustrate larger issues. She graduated from a master's program at Northwestern University in 2023 and became a guest blogger on the "Speaking of Phenomenal" podcast blog in March 2024.
