Farmgirl Flowers' Christina Stembel is Giving the Flower Industry a Refresh

Lauren Schiller February 10, 2016

The go-to gift for birthdays, Valentine's Day, and "congratulations!" days...is flowers. It's estimated to be between a six and eight billion dollar business. But have you ever stopped to think about where those flowers come from? If you shop natural grocery stores, boutique flower shops, or live in a field of flora, you can find flowers whose origins may be close to home. But for most of us...it turns out that at least 80% of cut flowers sold in the US are shipped from overseas. Christina Stembel, the founder of Farmgirl Flowers thinks the flower industry could use a re-fresh.

Listen to the interview at the link above, or read the edited & condensed interview on Fortune.com

Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva: The "Hidden Worlds" of the Kitchen Sisters

Lauren Schiller February 10, 2016

The Kitchen Sisters, Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva are prolific producers of radio, teachers of the craft of storytelling and pioneers in audio production. They've even produced a couple of cookbooks. Their stories air on NPR and other public media under many headings--"Hidden Kitchens," "The Hidden World of Girls," and "Kitchen Sisters Fugitive Waves" to name a few. Davia and Nikki have been working together since the late 1970's and they share some of their secrets, including what it takes to work together for over 30 years--and what makes for a great story.

Mary-Louise Parker, "Dear Mr. You."

Lauren Schiller January 27, 2016

You might think from your mailbox that letter-writing is on the wane. But a new memoir by Mary-Louise Parker may just revive the art. While she is known for her work as an award-winning actress, including roles on Broadway, in Weeds, Angels in America and The West Wing, her memoir is comprised entirely of letters to the men in her life, including her father, ex-boyfriends, teachers and the future man who loves her daughter. It's called Dear Mr. You.

Lara Mendel, Founder of The Mosaic Project On Attaining a Peaceful Future

Lauren Schiller January 27, 2016

Conflict resolution, diversity, and inclusion are critical elements to achieving a just and peaceful society. Where to start? Our guest Lara Mendel, Founder of The Mosaic Project, says it all starts with the children. The Mosaic Project "teaches people - from elementary school students to adults in the workplace - the skills they need to build the communities they envision."

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Felicia Marcus, CA Water Resources Board Chair

Lauren Schiller January 20, 2016

We speak with Felicia Marcus, the Chair of the California Water Resources Control Board. She tells us how she manages multiple interests for one of the earth's most precious (and dwindling) resources.

Alison Levine, Polar Explorer

Lauren Schiller January 20, 2016

Meet Alison Levine, the only American to follow the route of Reinhold Messner to the South Pole, and one of the few to complete the Adventure Grand Slam--climbing the 7 highest peaks in the world, and skiing to both the North and South Poles. Alison has written a book about leadership with lessons from these extreme environments, called "On the Edge." She tells us what it takes to make it in extreme conditions--and everyday ones.

Echo Brown, "Black Virgins are not for Hipsters"

Lauren Schiller January 13, 2016

San Francisco Bay Area solo performer Echo Brown tells us why she titled her one-woman show, "Black Virgins are Not for Hipsters." Her solo performance has sold out for nearly a year at The Marsh in San Francisco, and is still going strong. Want to see her live? The show runs through March 5th in San Francisco and will move over to the Berkeley Marsh on March 12, 2016.

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Gloria Feldt, Founder of Take the Lead Women on Why “Having It All” Is Bad for Self-Esteem

Lauren Schiller January 13, 2016

Take the Lead Women founder, Gloria Feldt addresses the question--"can women really have it all?". She says that phrase has "done more damage than any phrase in the English language to women's self-esteem." We'll find out why, along with her advice for how women can walk through the many doors that are now open to them--and attain leadership parity by 2025.

Read an edited and condensed version of the article at Fortune.com MPW.

GLORIA FELDT, FOUNDER, TAKE THE LEAD WOMEN

Katie Goodman Defines the "F" word

Lauren Schiller January 6, 2016

Meet actress and comedian Katie Goodman, whose YouTube video "Sorry Babe, You're a Feminist" went viral when it touched a nerve with both men and women. Her videos are hilarious commentaries on culture and politics. She is a writer, performer, teacher of improv, and children's book author.

Sonja Perkins, Venture Capitalist "Owns it"

Lauren Schiller January 6, 2016

Only 6 % of partners in venture capital firms are women, and 77% of those firms have never had a female investor. Sonja Perkins is a Venture Capitalist who founded Broadway Angels, an *all-women* investing group, and was just named one of Worth Magazine's 2015 100 most powerful people in global finance--one of fifteen women to make that list this year. She is also the founder of Project Glimmer which provides gifts to underserved women and girls.

Most recently she founded her own boutique fund, The Perkins Fund, which focuses on early-stage tech ventures.

Listen to the interview above, or read the edited and condensed interview in Fortune MPW.

Inflection Point

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