Episode Highlight: On this episode of the "Embracing Only" podcast, we delve into embracing the unpredictable nature of life with Rupal Patel, a CIA agent turned CEO. In a world that often forces us to conform, Rupal’s journey of embracing her uniqueness stands out. Rupal shares her insights on owning your weirdness, finding your tribe, and embracing the uncertainties of life.   Rupal’s career is notably defined by her remarkable tenure at the CIA. Her service and dedication were recognized...

Episode Highlight: On this episode of the "Embracing Only" podcast, we are recapping some of the common themes that have been coming up between our recent guests. In the current political climate, something that continues to come up is being brave, being bold, and stepping out of your comfort zone to create an impact not only on yourself but on the people around you. At the same time, you have to have boundaries in place and honor saying no—so you can embrace saying yes.   Key Discussion...

Episode Highlight: On this episode of the Embracing “Only" podcast, we delve into pursuing the liberation of your time, love, and freedom while achieving moral clarity with Sibil Patri, a dynamic and visionary leader whose career spans over two decades across finance and strategy. Sibil shares her experience of leaving a harmful corporate culture and how you can claim back your power and break generational curses. Sibil’s work focuses on impact-driven coaching, speaking, and collaborating...

Episode Highlight: On this episode of the Embracing “Only" podcast, we delve into the importance of self-reflection and understanding diverse perspectives to refine and better workplace dynamics. To do that, we invited Mita Mallik, a renowned corporate leader and best-selling author, her book 'Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths to Transform Your Workplace' is discussed as well as a powerful tool for anyone, particularly those in the HR and DEI space.    Mita shares her personal...

Episode Highlight: On this episode of the "Embracing Only" podcast, we delve into the topic of intersectionality and how it impacts the experiences and resources of female founders and professionals in the workspace. To have that conversation, we incited Janine Vanessa Heinrich, a fervent advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in entrepreneurship.  Recognizing inequities, she champions initiatives for underrepresented founders and speaks on important (yet still overlooked) topics,...

In this insightful interview Archita and Olivia interview award winning author, Farah Harris. Where they explore the complexities of emotions, emotional intelligence, and cultural identity in the workplace.  Key topics covered: Why emotional intelligence and emotional skills are critical for leaders today, despite prevailing attitudes that emotions should be "left at the door" The damaging effects of suppressing emotions and "masking" our authentic selves to fit in at work  How...

In this episode, hosts Archita and Olivia are joined by the remarkable Elaine Lin Hering – a celebrated author, adept facilitator, and engaging public speaker. Together, they delve deep into the realm of leadership, shedding light on varying leadership styles and their consequent impacts on teams. Elaine, brings a fresh perspective to the conventional leadership discourse, emphasizing the essence of communication and inclusivity in fostering a thriving workplace environment. The episode...

In this empowering episode, Archita and Olivia discuss how to navigate career transitions with confidence and purpose. They share their personal experiences and offer valuable advice for making intentional choices that align with long-term goals. Despite facing challenges like layoffs and visa issues, Archita emphasizes staying focused on your goals. Olivia challenges us to recognize that not every opportunity will align with our goals and being clear on what it is you really want will help...

In this podcast episode Archita Fritz sits down with Martha Aviles, a fierce marketing leader.  Martha is the VP of Marketing at Austin-based Gigster, a firm that accelerates the delivery of digital transformation applications giving companies the agility to thrive in a software-defined world. With  20+ years of high-tech marketing experience in SaaS, semiconductor, networking, and network security at start-ups, private, and public companies, Martha has a gift for building and growing...

Financial literacy and wealth-building are crucial for women to claim their financial futures. In this podcast episode, host Olivia Cream sits down with trailblazer Kelly Ann Winget, author of "Pitch The Bitch: Grab Your Financial Future By The Bags" and the only millennial LGBTQ+ manager of a solo-female-founded private equity fund. Winget's book challenges the notion that women shouldn't be part of financial conversations, offering readers insight into her journey from selling in car...

Dive into our latest real talk episode, as Archita and Olivia, shed light on their journeys of conquering fears and embracing imperfect action. A potent blend of personal anecdotes, inspiring insights, and practical strategies, this episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling the tug of fear or hesitation in their path. Listen in to learn how both Olivia and Archita leveraged their fears to catalyze growth, and the power of taking imperfect action to navigate through life's many challenges. ...

In this episode, we have the pleasure of interviewing retired Air Force Colonel, Kim "KC" Campbell, a fighter pilot who served in the Air Force for over 24 years. During her service, she flew 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Kim was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism after successfully recovering her battle-damaged airplane after an intense close air support mission in...

In this episode of the Embracing Only Podcast with Archita Fritz and Olivia Cream, Regina Jackson of Race2Dinner helps us deconstruct what being a true ally is. She leads off with how her work alongside Sair Rao is not steeped in niceness because being nice has not stopped racism. Thorugh her work and lived experiences over the last 72 years she is on a mission to change the status quo she co-founded Race2Dinner with Saira Roa. They took the experiences from these dinners and developed a...

The 50th episode! Tying the bow on the year 2022, Archita and Olivia tackle the changing dynamics in the workplace and our economies, performance review anxiety and our collective need for a sense of belonging in all places we occupy and give our energy to.  Here are some key takeaways: Focus on the controllables and #Killthefear Recognize that our fear response is rooted in trauma, honor the transitions Allow for help, allow for rest, allow for the abundance  Olivia and Archita...

In the Season 5 Finale Olivia Cream and Archita Fritz tackle two key topics “Only’s” navigate in the workplace leadership and the power of feedback. Here are some key takeaways from the episode: Cancel the noise around not waiting to ask for permission for a title or for a place at a table because you are leading always in your own space in your own way! You performing at your job is the ticket to the ball, yes! But what you do in terms of focus, in terms of advocacy, in terms of...

In this episode we chat with Katherine Ann Byam, and ESG change agent for organizations, internationally acclaimed podcaster and best selling author of 'Do What Matters'. We tackle how to thrive as ‘an only’, how to work on yourself and discover your biases and those of others with curiosity and in doing so get curious about the planet. She is on a mission to engage and empower more businesses and individuals to lead net positive lives. Key takeaways from this episode: A company‘s culture...

In this episode Archita Fritz co-host of the Embracing only podcast is in conversation with not just one but three fierce queens. Fabia Ogunmekan executive director of WISCAR in Nigeria, Zanele Khanyile founder of Ndlovukazi Yakwazulu in South Africa and Mai Khidir founder of the Al Sudaniya Mentoring Network based in London, UK. These three fierce queens talk about sponsorship, navigating power structures and honoring the journey you are on. Key takeaways from this episode:  Make...

"In life, you genuinely can't control what others say, what others do." - Meghana Rao Pahlajani  Meghana a multifaceted sustainability professional in the development sector has driven conscious impact across coal, natural gas and solar from rural India to large power plants in the Midwest USA.  In this episode she shares her limitless leadership lessons navigating being 'an only' leading a coal plant, to breaking the bias on maternity leave in corporate India, navigating loss due to COVID...

In this episode co-host Olivia Cream engages with Dr. Rana Dajani. Dr. Dajani,a prolific scientist and social entrepreneur shares with us her journey to becoming the worlds leading Arab scientist. We discuss how to combat bias when migrating to a different culture, gender disparities in STEM, and assumptions we all make that impact the world around us.  

In this episode we are thrilled to welcome #OperationGrowthCoach Brandi Richard Thompson! An expert coach and entrepreneur Brandi Thompson shares her journey from a college dropout to transformational growth strategist. She highlights how she recovered from failure; how she battles fear and perfectionism; and how history plays a role in helping Brandi understand the dynamics of interracial relationships. 

In this episode of The Embracing Only podcast Joyal Mulheron talks about her traumatic experience that led to her purposeful vision of creating a Global system that supports anyone who has lost a loved one. Death is an affliction that will affect us all. Joyal’s purpose is to provide support to those who need it most, when they need it most. In this episode she shares with us the startling statistics around death and the impact it has on the living. She dissects this often unspoken...

In her new book, THE FIRST, THE FEW, THE ONLY: How Women of Color Can Redefine Power in Corporate America (March 1, 2022, Harper Business), Deepa Purushothaman lays the groundwork for how other women of color can redefine success on their own terms. It’s the book she says she needed when launching her own career. In this episode of the Embracing Only Podcast, hosts Archita Fritz and Olivia Cream unpack their stories and the stories of the 500 women Deepa has documented. The hosts share how...

In this episode Olivia and Archita dig deep and unpack doomsday scrolling within the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine within a global pandemic and share tangible ways to focus on our controllables. They tackle Olivia’s personal journey of defining ‘What it means to be a woman’ after life altering changes due to surgery or illness. They wrap up with questioning what our legacy is in a world that seems to be constantly hustling and performing.

In this episode Niyati Tamaskar shares her journey of leading from the front to #Breakthebias and cultural stigma associated with a cancer diagnosis in the black and brown communities. Niyati Tamaskar was diagnosed with cancer at age 34 while breastfeeding her second child. Through humor and education Niyati emphasizes the importance of being your biggest advocate if you were to find yourself in a similar situation.  Most importantly she shares how one can thrive in their ‘onlyness’ while...

In the first episode of Season Five, Archita and Olivia talk through their personal experiences of embracing their ‘only’ experience in the workplace. The courage it takes to leave and move on from the familiar while thriving and growing within new environments. They reflect on the past year and the continued resilience we all need as we navigate loss and uncertainty. They challenge us to step into our power and make decisions based on what should happen not in the fear of what could happen! ...