Episode 345: Authenticity Over Approval: Becoming Who You Already Are
Release Date: 04/09/2025
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Episode 357: The Bin of Legos: Designing Leadership in a World Without Blueprints
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Episode 356: The Rare Gem Mindset: How Authentic Leaders Disrupt With Purpose and Foster Belonging
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The strongest leaders aren’t defined by their titles—they’re defined by their ability to adapt, listen, and lead with humanity. In this episode, Michele Smith, CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture, reveals how she built a career on resilience, authenticity, and courage. From her start in contract negotiation to international business development, to helping the Woodland Park Zoo weather the storm of COVID-19, Michele’s story shows that leadership is less about having the answers and more about practicing presence, empathy, and trust. At MoPOP, she continues to expand cultural...
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Episode 355: Beyond the Career Map: Embracing Detours, Trusting Intuition, and Leading with Heart
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Building confidence, navigating career detours, and leading with care takes more than ambition—it takes resilience, clarity, and heart. In this episode, Claire O’Keefe, Partner and Head of Partner Development at Cerity Partners, shares how resilience, intuition, and care have shaped her unconventional journey from the classroom in Ireland to leadership in one of the fastest-growing independent wealth management firms in the country. You’ll hear how Claire built confidence through practice, turned unexpected pivots into stepping stones, and discovered that leadership is ultimately about...
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Episode 354: Turning Lived Experience Into Lasting Impact: Balancing Leadership, Motherhood, and Startup Life
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Balancing leadership, motherhood, and startup life takes more than time management—it takes clarity of purpose and the courage to lead differently. In this episode, Amanda DeLuca, Founder & CEO of Riley, shares how clarity, empathy, and lived experience have shaped her journey from leadership roles at Google, Eventbrite, NerdWallet, and Etsy to launching a parenting platform that meets families where they are. You’ll hear how Amanda transformed the challenges of early motherhood into a mission-driven business, built a culture of trust in high-growth environments, and learned to protect...
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Episode 353: The Power Tools of Leadership: Navigating Uncertainty, Building Trust, and Leading with Heart
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Episode 352: Unmasking Success: Building Bold Careers Through Authenticity and Neurodiversity
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What if the parts of yourself you’ve been told to hide are actually your greatest leadership advantages? In this episode, Becca Chambers—Chief Marketing Officer at Scale Venture Partners—shares how embracing neurodiversity and authenticity has shaped her journey from tech leader to one of LinkedIn’s most influential voices. With ADHD as her superpower, Becca has built award-winning brands, advised fast-growing startups, and reached millions by showing up fully as herself. You’ll discover why working with your brain, not against it, is essential for growth, how authenticity builds...
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Episode 351: Beyond Comfort Zones: How Stretch Roles, Networks, and Self-Care Fuel Career Growth
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Career growth doesn’t happen by accident—it happens when you take the stretch role, nurture your network, and build resilience along the way. In this episode, Ann Bordelon shares how she went from advising Fortune 100 companies to leading finance at Sam’s Club and Walmart Asia, and now guides the University of Arkansas as Executive Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration. Ann opens up about saying yes to opportunities that scared her, how building genuine relationships became her secret weapon, and why self-care is non-negotiable for leaders at every level. Tune in to discover how...
info_outlineWhat if the real key to success isn’t in following the path—but in rewriting it entirely?
In this episode, Salma Gottfried shares how she built a remarkable, multi-decade career by choosing authenticity over approval at every turn. From her early days as a modern dancer in Mexico City to leading high-profile marketing campaigns for global brands like Procter & Gamble and Gatorade, Salma has made bold moves fueled by creativity, purpose, and self-trust.
You’ll hear how she navigated inflection points with courage, why she left a successful corporate role to rediscover her creative voice, and how that leap led her to co-found Beautiful Beast, a cross-cultural agency redefining how brands connect through culture.
Tune in to learn how to trust your instincts, take intentional risks, and lead with authenticity—no matter where you are in your career journey.
Visit our website where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with our special guest.
The key moments in this episode are:
[00:00] Introduction to Beyond Barriers Podcast
[00:27] The Importance of Authenticity
[01:20] Guest Introduction: Salma Gottfried
[03:00] Salma's Career Journey
[04:47] Lessons from Mentors
[08:33] Founding Beautiful Beast
[11:03] Navigating Career Inflection Points
[15:38] The Role of Mentors in Career Growth
[23:01] Building a Personal Brand
[26:18] Cultivating Resilience
[29:19] Daily Rituals and Goal Setting
[32:19] Advice to My Younger Self
[38:35] Lightning Round and Final Thoughts