Success is not just about revenue; it's about the intersection of business acumen and social change. Shari Dunn, founder of ITB Solutions, joins Alice Tang to share her journey of leading a $17M non-profit and transitioning into strategic consulting. Shari breaks down the "Business of Impact" and explains why mission-driven organizations must be as operationally sound as Fortune 500 companies.

Shari explores the "Strategic Integrity" required to lead through systemic challenges and why she believes the most successful leaders are those who build institutions that can thrive beyond their own tenure. If you are looking to bridge the gap between "Profit" and "Purpose," Shari's blueprint for operational excellence is a masterclass in modern leadership.

In this episode, you'll learn:

-Shari's non-linear path from law and journalism to the C-suite of major non-profits.
-How she managed a $17M budget and the unique challenges of scaling social impact.
-Why Shari views money as a tool for systemic change and community empowerment.
-Tactical advice for building operational integrity in mission-driven organizations.

Key Moments
01:05 – The Non-Linear Path: Shari's journey from law and journalism to executive leadership.

04:20 – The Value of Money: Viewing capital as a lever for systemic change and community empowerment.

07:15 – The $1M+ Milestone: Leading a $17M organization and the unique challenges of scaling impact.

10:45 – Operational Integrity: Why passion isn't a substitute for process in a mission-driven business.

13:20 – Strategic Consulting: How she helps organizations navigate the "Messy Middle" of growth.

16:50 – Advice for Founders: The importance of building a business that can survive its founder.

19:15 – Legacy: Creating a blueprint for how business can solve society's most complex problems.

How do you build and maintain brands that resonate across the globe? In this episode of Women's Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang sits down with Jigna Kapadia, a powerhouse marketing executive who has led strategic initiatives for Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Cisco. Jigna shares her journey of navigating the complexities of global markets and explains why the most successful brands are those that prioritize human connection over pure data.

Jigna reveals her philosophy on Brand Equity and discusses how aligning cultural intelligence with marketing strategy is the ultimate catalyst for reaching the million-dollar level of professional influence. If you are an aspiring leader looking to amplify your global impact or a veteran marketer navigating a pivot, Jigna's insights on intentionality and storytelling are essential.

In this episode, you'll learn:

-The strategic evolution of Jigna's career through some of the world's most iconic brands.
-How she reached the $1M milestone by consistently delivering high-impact global results.
-Why Jigna views money as a tool for creating "Optionality" and personal freedom.
-Tactical advice for building a "Global Mindset" in your leadership style.

Key Moments
00:42 – Global Roots: Jigna's background leading strategic marketing across continents.

03:15 – The Value of Money: Defining money as the freedom to choose projects that align with personal values.

05:50 – The $1M Milestone: Managing the high-stakes responsibility of global P&Ls and brand equity.

08:25 – Cultural Intelligence: Why understanding the "Human Why" is the secret to scaling brands.

11:40 – Authentic Leadership: How to own your seat at the table in male-dominated corporate environments.

14:55 – Advice for Marketers: Moving beyond data to build emotional connections with your audience.

17:10 – Gratitude: Reflecting on the impact of mentoring the next generation of global leaders.

How do you transition from the C-suite of a major corporation to a thriving independent consultancy? In this episode of Women's Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang sits down with Kristin Bauer, founder of Kristin Bauer Consulting and a veteran HR executive. Kristin shares her journey of leaving a secure executive role to build a million-dollar practice that helps founders and CEOs navigate the "People Side" of business growth.

Kristin reveals why Organizational Design is the key to scaling and discusses how her "Human-Centered" approach allows companies to reach the million-dollar milestone by aligning their talent with their business strategy. If you want to learn how to build a high-performance culture or own your narrative as a leader, Kristin's insights are essential.

In this episode, you'll learn:

-The strategic steps Kristin took to launch her consultancy after a storied HR career.
-How she reached the $1M revenue mark by focusing on high-impact fractional CHRO services.
-Why Kristin views money as a tool for "Optionality" and creating professional freedom.
-Tactical advice for building a leadership team that scales with your vision.

Key Moments:

00:45 – The Career Pivot: Moving from a secure corporate C-suite role to the "brave new world" of independent consulting.

02:30 – The Value of Money: Why she views capital as "Optionality"—the ability to choose your projects, your time, and your impact.

05:10 – The $1M Milestone: Proving that high-level HR strategy is a revenue-driving asset, not just a "cost center".

08:15 – Organizational Design: Why your business will stop growing if your team structure isn't built for the next stage of revenue.

11:40 – Neutralizing Conflict: How to lead through the "Messy Middle" of rapid hiring and cultural shifts.

14:55 – Advice for Founders: The importance of "owning your seat at the table" and trusting your executive intuition.

18:10 – Gratitude: Reflecting on the legacy of building high-performance teams that actually enjoy working together.

How do you go from feeling like an outsider to leading multi-million dollar financial deals? Join Alice Tang as she speaks with Jessica Porter, partner at BPG Wealth Management and co-founder of The 401k Girls. Jessica reveals the internal struggle of entering a new industry from a blue-collar background and how she overcame the "perfectionist trap" to secure a $5 million retirement plan. Learn why Jessica believes your personal struggles can actually be your greatest professional benefit and how to build the confidence to "stack" successes one step at a time.

In this episode, you'll learn:
The Benefit of "Not Knowing": How a non-industry background allows you to explain complex topics in understandable layman's terms.

Bite-Sized Education: The effectiveness of using small, digestible snippets of information to drive real financial change (like increasing a 401k by 1%).

The Running Analogy: Why hitting a major financial goal is like finishing your first mile—it proves what your "body" is capable of and makes the next milestone easier.

Recovering Perfectionism: Why striving for 90% readiness is a more effective strategy for success than waiting for 100%.

Key Moments
01:44 – BPG Partner: Jessica introduces her 11.5-year career as a financial advisor and partner.
01:57 – The 401k Girls: Launching a social media platform to make retirement planning digestible.
02:54 – The 8-Year Learning Curve: Reflecting on the time needed to gain confidence in a new industry.
03:55 – The $5M Surprise: SECURING her first major plan through a virtual interview and a referral.
05:35 – The Fire Hose Phase: Spending the first five years focused purely on licensing and designations.
06:50 – Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Navigating the internal feeling of "who am I to tell people what to do?".
07:55 – Blue Collar Roots: How not growing up with investment accounts became a benefit for explaining finance to clients.
10:45 – Unique Duo: Why two women consulting on 401k plans is a unique advantage in the current market.
12:20 – Confidence Stacking: Using the success of a major deal to build long-term professional momentum.
13:35 – 90% is Enough: Tactical advice for the next generation on moving forward before they feel "ready".
15:15 – Generational Wealth: Jessica's personal mission to be the first in her family to create a financial legacy for her stepdaughter.
17:15 – The Accidental Start: The story of the unexpected phone call from Alice Tang that changed Jessica's life.
18:50 – The Power of Asking: How networking and asking for hiring help led Alice to hire Jessica from 700 resumes.

Is your money working for your values, or is it just sitting in a bank? Join Alice Tang as she speaks with Marla Sofer, a 25-year financial services veteran and founder of Knowmee. Marla reveals why "money is power" and how women can leverage their financial resources to become catalysts for global change. She shares her transition from big-name firms like JP Morgan and BlackRock to launching a startup at age 46, driven by a deep belief that wealth should serve a purpose. Learn how to find your voice through your money and why the most important life decisions are never just about the numbers.

In this episode, you'll learn:
Money as a Catalyst: Why financial resources are a privileged seat of opportunity to back the issues you care about.

Holistic Discovery: The importance of a delightful fact-finding process that centers client values over industry jargon.

The "Hustle" Path: How Marla worked her way up to leadership roles at top firms like JP Morgan and BlackRock through part-time MBA studies and hard work.

Memory Creation: Why money is most useful when it empowers you to create the most important memories and experiences for your family and beyond.

Key Moments
00:00 – Money as Power: Marla defines wealth as the primary tool for creating impact beyond one's immediate circle.
01:15 – 25-Year Journey: An introduction to Marla's deep experience in financial services and operations.
01:56 – Jumping into FinTech: Motivated by wanting to find better financial solutions for clients a decade ago.
02:40 – Knowmee's Mission: Using financial psychology to help people articulate what they want their money to do.
03:36 – The $1M Milestone: Marla reflects on how hard work and "elbows" led to her first seven-figure net worth.
05:35 – Holistic Discovery: Why the financial industry struggles to make the "fact-finding" process engaging for clients.
06:25 – Stickiness vs. Numbers: Why centering a client's life goals creates more business trust than just talking about returns.
08:12 – Tool for Impact: Even paying for a child's education is giving money a specific purpose in the world.
09:49 – Men and Power: A reflection on why men have traditionally embraced money as power more than women have.
11:50 – Starting at 46: Why it's harder to start a company with more experience because "you know your worth".
13:12 – Changing the Future: Marla's technology goal to give every person more say over how each dollar changes the world.
15:21 – Podcasting Goals: Marla explains the purpose of her new show, Knowing Me, Knowing You.
16:43 – Gratitude: A focus on health, family, and the hard but chosen path of an entrepreneur.

Can you build a million-dollar business by focusing on "the human side" of work? In this episode of Women's Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang sits down with Dr. Laura Gallaher, an organizational psychologist and founder of Gallaher Edge. Laura shares how she applied her experience working with NASA to help leaders build cultures of trust, accountability, and high performance.

Laura reveals why Self-Awareness is the single most important trait for an executive and discusses how her psychological framework allows founders to reach the million-dollar milestone by "getting out of their own way". If you want to learn how to lead with more ease and create a team that is truly aligned, Laura's insights on "The Inside Out" approach to leadership are essential.

In this episode, you'll learn:

-The strategic evolution of Gallaher Edge and the "NASA-inspired" approach to culture
-How Laura reached the $1M revenue mark by focusing on transformational leadership.
-Why Laura views money as a tool for creating "Choice" and professional independence.
-Tactical advice for using self-awareness to neutralize conflict and drive growth.

Key Moments:

01:02 – Professional Roots: Applying Organizational Psychology (NASA-style) to private business.

04:20 – The Value of Money: It buys the freedom to choose your work and your clients.

08:15 – The $1M Milestone: Validating the "Inside-Out" leadership model in a competitive market.

12:35 – Self-Awareness: Why the "Shadow" of the leader is the biggest ceiling on growth.

15:10 – Advice: "Invest in your internal maturity as much as your external strategy."

19:00 – Gratitude: Seeing teams move from "Tolerance" to "True Trust."

How do you turn a passion for local art and music into a thriving multi-million dollar business? In this episode of Women's Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang sits down with Brianne Mees, the co-founder of Tender Loving Empire. Brianne shares the story of how she and her husband grew a small DIY space into an iconic Portland brand that supports hundreds of independent artists and musicians.

Brianne reveals the challenges of scaling a retail and record label hybrid and discusses how staying true to the "soul" of her business allowed her to navigate the million-dollar milestone and beyond. If you are a creative entrepreneur or a mission-driven leader, Brianne's insights on community, curation, and "Tender Loving" leadership are a must-watch.

In this episode, you'll learn:

-The strategic evolution of Tender Loving Empire from one shop to multiple locations.
-How Brianne reached the $1M milestone while maintaining a commitment to local makers.
-Why Brianne views money as a tool for "amplifying the good" in the creative community.
-Tactical advice for balancing the "artist's heart" with a "CEO's mindset".

Key Moments:

01:12 – Origin Story: Creating a "Creative Ecosystem" for art, music, and handmade goods.

03:55 – The Value of Money: Using profit to amplify the voices of independent artists.

07:45 – The Scaling Milestone: The jump from one DIY shop to a multi-location retail empire.

11:20 – Curation Strategy: How she manages the complexity of a record label and retail hybrid.

14:35 – Leading with Love: Maintaining an "Indie" heart in a million-dollar business.

17:50 – Advice: "Your brand is a story; make sure it's a true one."

Can a "circuitous" career path lead to ultimate financial freedom? Join Alice Tang as she talks with Lori Love, founder and CEO of TwoPaws Ranch. Lori reveals how she moved from seeking basic security to achieving a life defined by influence and choice. She shares the powerful advice her mother gave her about standing on her own two feet and why a million-dollar net worth is simply a tool to buy more autonomy. Learn why Lori believes "nobody does this on their own" and how her network of candid women helped her break through professional roadblocks.

In this episode, you'll learn:
The "Relentless" Brand: Why defining and adhering to a personal brand helps you stay focused on your goals.

Thriving Environments: How to identify the specific conditions and boundaries you need to succeed in business.

The Power of Humility: Why approaching high-stakes conversations with humility prevents arrogance and fosters authentic results.

Independent Access: The importance of generational advice in fostering female financial independence and career risk-taking.

Key Moments
01:21 – TwoPaws Ranch: Lori introduces her focus on strategy, customer experience, and operational excellence.
02:45 – Economic Stability: How a traditional household upbringing shaped Lori's focus on stability over luxury.
03:15 – The Broad Foundation: Staying with one employer while changing roles to learn multiple disciplines.
04:35 – More Money, More Choices: Lori explains that the primary value of wealth is the expansion of options.
05:46 – Evolving Motivations: A breakdown of how security gives way to influence and choice over a career.
07:45 – Working Through Bias: Pushing past gender and economic roadblocks to thrive.
08:35 – The Power of Network: Why candid and authentic women are essential to finding a path forward.
11:15 – Breaking Through Roadblocks: Using shared experiences to change the trajectory of your activities.
12:54 – Humility as a Strategy: Why demonstrating a willingness to be wrong leads to better business outcomes.
13:53 – Courage for Women: Lori's call to the audience to raise their hands and share uncomfortable opinions.
16:31 – Relentlessly Cheerful: Finding your personal brand and using it as a persistent anchor for your goals.
17:35 – The Gift of Independence: Reflecting on her mother's advice to stand on her own two feet.
19:15 – Stewardship and Legacy: Lori discusses giving back through time, money, and mentorship for the next generation.