Best Yvonne Simon Podcasts (2024)

1
Jeanie Chang: Therapist travels the world talking about mental health through the lens of Korean dramas 18:58

3d ago18:58

18:58

Jeanie Chang has lived nine lives. She started her career as a journalist in Washington, D.C. Then she got her M.B.A. and worked in marketing. But at the height of her family’s parenting chaos while raising four young children with her educator husband she decided to go back to school and become a therapist. Working in mental health opened up a who…

1
Why BAD services are good for you / Lou Downe / Ep. #205 1:04:40

6d ago1:04:40

1:04:40

Good Services... A book that has quickly become a classic in our field. If you haven't read it yet, it's a must. It outlines the 10 principles of good services, which is pretty fundamental stuff.But even before writing it, Lou Downe was already an icon, creating impact as the Director of Design at the Government Digital Service in the UK. So when I…

1
Janet Cowell: From finance to a life of public service, she embodies what it means to be a strong and compassionate leader 19:04

9d ago19:04

19:04

Growing up in Tennessee, thanks to her parents, Janet Cowell just knew she had a big life ahead of her. After getting an undergraduate degree and multiple graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, including an MBA from Wharton, she followed the finance path. But examples in her family continued to pull her and her heartstrings in the di…

1
Cheyanne Headen: From the bright lights of Hollywood to the streets of Raleigh, she leads with humanity 20:55

16d ago20:55

20:55

I met Cheyanne Headen at A Place at the Table which is a pay-what-you can café in downtown Raleigh that allows people to volunteer for an hour in return for a meal. Cheyanne is a Community and De-escalation specialist which in layman’s terms means when things start to go south, she handles it, and boy does she handle it. When I first met her, I dis…

1
Exploring The Materials of Service Design / Simon Clathworthy / Ep. #204 1:12:34

22d ago1:12:34

1:12:34

What are the materials of service design... A seemingly simple question, but one that I believe has the potential to reshape our understanding of service design. Historically, design has always been about shaping and manipulating materials to give form to things around us. It's only in recent years, with the popularization of design thinking, that …

1
Mary Angelini: A mother and a daughter who is living with Down Syndrome create a successful business employing people with special abilities 12:02

23d ago12:02

12:02

Mary Angelini saw a problem and decided to do something about it. After high school graduation, Mary’s daughter, Gabi, was unable to get a job. No one could see past her diagnosis of Down Syndrome and see what Gabi had to offer. Mary and Gabi were determined to help shift the conversation from disabilities to neuro-diversity and the power of inclus…

1
Marcy Bullock: From college professor who helped students practice happiness to career coach who empowers women and believes in “sweaty, messy beauty” 20:58

1M ago20:58

20:58

Marcy Bullock has a theory, when the runway is short, why wouldn’t you do what you love? And why whould you rush to get to the end? She believes in the “sweaty, messy beauty” of life and that being the busiest doesn't win you a prize. She also believes that happiness is a choice. And she believes in sharing wisdom in multi-generational settings. Ma…

1
The Secrets to Effective Design Leadership / Marzia Arico / Ep. #203 56:13

1M ago56:13

56:13

What does it take to become a great design leader... Regardless of whether or not it's in your official job title, you're already leading to some degree. You are leading because your work is to deliver change. Change because we want to break free from outdated mental models that can't solve today's challenges. But what kind of leadership is needed …

1
Brenna Crowson: Paralegal, fitness teacher, focuses on helping others through grief after son's loss 21:25

1M ago21:25

21:25

Brenna Crowson has had a diverse career path. She is a paralegal specializing in litigation and an international presenter on fitness who leads talks on health and wellness around the world. She is also a passionate yoga teacher who joyfully shares her practice with others. Her education is just as diverse as her career path—she has an undergraduat…

1
The Unsinkable Yvonne Simons: dreams of Broadway lead improbably to television news and a life of discovery 20:48

1M ago20:48

20:48

Yvonne Simons grew up poor. Her parents told her she needed to be smart, work hard, and get a college scholarship, which she did. In her first career as a middle school teacher, she was frustrated by so many things about the system that she felt did not serve her students. She eventually used her role as an education reporter for multiple televisio…

1
Can Design Help Us Break Free From Broken Systems? / Fang-Jui Chang / Episode #202 1:03:44

2M ago1:03:44

1:03:44

Why is it that we rarely question the systems that govern our day-to-day lives?Imagine building a rocket ship while still believing the sun revolves around the earth. Even though this sounds ridiculous today, it's not that long ago that this was the accepted notion. When Galileo first made the claim that it was actually the other way around, he eve…

1
Karen Woomer: Colon cancer survivor finds healing in helping others 30:37

2M ago30:37

30:37

Karen Woomer was a corporate executive who stepped back from her career to focus on her family, but it wasn’t until she was hit with a major illness that she found her true purpose in life. Karen put off a routine colonoscopy because of the pandemic. When she finally had the test, she was diagnosed with late stage three colorectal cancer. The treat…

1
Deanna Jones: Corporate executive finally reveals her true gender and her authentic self in her fifties 27:37

2M ago27:37

27:37

Deanna Jones is a business leader in the tech world; she’s been at Cisco Systems for nearly 25 years, but she’s also a passionate speaker and consultant in the diversity arena. She’s Vice President of Harmony-the North Carolina LGBT+ Allied Chamber of Commerce. At the age of 54, she traded in attachment for authenticity and became the person she al…

1
What it takes come out stronger from a crisis / Lilli Graf / Ep #201 58:01

2M ago58:01

58:01

My daughter dared me to 15 meters free-fall... I was on a climbing track with her, and this was one of the "attractions." Of course, she had taken the plunge without shedding a sweat.So, there I was standing on the edge, ready to take the jump, while everything in my body was screaming NO. I hesitated, terrified... but backing out was not an option…

1
Megan Sumrell: Teaching working mothers how to find organization and harmony amid the chaos 21:18

2M ago21:18

21:18

Megan Sumrell is a former corporate executive turned entrepreneur. As a business owner, mom, and wife, she knows exactly how hard it is to juggle everything while still maintaining your own sense of self and purpose. As the CEO and Founder of The Pink Bee, she took her 20-plus-year career and applied it to all things time management, organization, …

1
Leslie Matz: Woman in NFL leadership roles turns to teaching to find work/life balance 25:13

2M ago25:13

25:13

Leslie Matz didn't know anything about professional football when a family friend and mentor, Susan Tose Spencer, the first female in charge of an NFL team, asked her to work for the Philadelphia Eagles. She quickly rose through the ranks and became a leader in the organization. After the birth of her son, Leslie wanted to return to her home state …

1
Your Burning Questions Answered / Marc Fonteijn / Ep #200 49:57

3M ago49:57

49:57

Recently, I turned 43... I don't really celebrate my birthdays anymore. Don't worry; I have an amazing wife who makes sure there's always cake. But I do always try to take a moment and reflect on my past year because “The only time you should ever look back, is to see how far you've come.” Well, today, it's not just about my journey; it's about our…

1
Sharon Hill: Failing college student ends up with an MBA, a job at IBM, and a passion for etiquette 21:36

3M ago21:36

21:36

It didn't look like Sharon Hill was going to have a bright future. Instead of attending her college classes, she played cards. Eventually, her failing GPA was proof that something needed to change. That's when Sharon got serious about her education. Before she even graduated, IBM came knocking. She worked for the tech giant for two decades and even…

1
Womb Healing, Shakti Yoga and Breast Massage with Jasmine Rose 1:02:50

3M ago1:02:50

1:02:50

Jasmine Rose is a Yogini and Women’s Temple Keeper, devoted to the Feminine Mysteries. She is the Foundress of the Shakti Yoga School where she teaches and trains facilitators in her Womb-Centred Yoga Method specifically designed for the female body. She is a Wise Womb Medicine Practitioner and has been guiding women to awaken their embodied wisdom…

1
Aletia Ferreira: Dancer from South Africa finds success in the U.S. in an unlikely place 15:26

3M ago15:26

15:26

Aletia Ferreira has always told her sons that life is hard, and so when you are choosing between two options, know that they will both present challenges in different ways. She came to the United States from South Africa in her early twenties as a wide-eyed dancer and aspiring actress. Her dreams of performing in Los Angeles soon turned to teaching…

1
What Design(ers) Needs to do to Stay Relevant / Yvonne Tran / Episode #199 53:45

3M ago53:45

53:45

Is design facing a crisis? You don't have to spend much time on LinkedIn to read about the recent layoffs, studio closures, and debates about our value. Whether or not you call it a crisis, it's hard to deny that things have been shaken up recently. But instead of focusing on surface level symptoms, let's dive deeper. In this episode, we sit down w…

1
Lorraine Woodward: A Woman Living with a Disability Wants to Make Travel Accessible for Everyone 21:36

3M ago21:36

21:36

Lorraine Woodward is a woman on a mission to help people living with disabilities, specifically, to help them find short-term rentals so that they can travel with more ease. She is the CEO of Becoming RentABLE which finds creative ways to make short-term rentals accessible for everyone. Her mission is born out of her own personal journey. Since her…

1
Sharon Lawrence: From NYPD Blue to a TV, Film, and Theater Star, She Continues to Reinvent Herself 34:10

3M ago34:10

34:10

Sharon Lawrence always dreamed of being an actor, but it wasn’t dreaming that got her there; it was hard work. From a young age performing in musical theater, to starring in major television dramas, films, and more, Sharon made her childhood dreams come true. Somehow, through all of it, she has managed to stay grounded in the work instead of being …

1
A Sacred Heart’s Journey: Cacao, Mother Earth & the Elements with Simone of Elementals Love Aloha 58:24

3M ago58:24

58:24

Simone upholds a special relationship with the Elements and Mother Earth. This relationship stems from many lifetimes of exploring rituals and undertaking sacred plant medicine ceremonies, following shamanic ancient traditions and the rites of passage and honouring his plants and human teachers. He came into his body in the Northern Hemisphere, in …

1
How to Stop the Erosion of Great Services? / Cameron Tonkinwise / Episode #198 55:13

3M ago55:13

55:13

This has to stop... I don't care what they say. Chatbots s*ck. But we, as service design professionals, have the power to make things better.Sure, ChatGPT and Google Gemini are impressive tools, but a chatbot on a company's website? Probably one of the most frustrating experiences you can have these days.This trend toward replacing humans in servic…

1
Divya Parekh: From Corporate America to Coach and Influencer 21:44

4M ago21:44

21:44

Divya Parekh moved to the United States from India when she was in her twenties. She grew up in a household where her parents never set limitations on what she could accomplish. She was already a professor in India, and resisted the move. But soon after she arrived in the United States, she discovered that you can have two homes. She worked in corp…

1
Embodied Living, Reconnecting to our Body's Wisdom with Nancy Jackson 1:05:32

4M ago1:05:32

1:05:32

Nancy Jackson is an embodiment teacher, sound and energy healer, and intuitive channel of wisdom and vision. She guides men and women to rediscover their true selves, shift conditioned patterns and fears with ease, and illuminate their sacred soul magic through embodiment, empowerment, and spiritual path enlightenment. Her mission as a steward for …

1
Nancy Popkin: Financial independence after divorce in a surprising new chapter 27:24

4M ago27:24

27:24

Nancy Popkin has re-invented herself many times over. She’s had multiple chapters. Some of them were inspired by her passion for a particular field. Others were inspired by her need to be financially independent. Like many women, she left the workforce for a period of time while she was raising her children. Also, like many women, she was divorced …

1
How to Predict the Future and Make Smarter Decisions Today / Ali Draudt / Ep #197 53:16

4M ago53:16

53:16

Imagine that you had the power to look into the future... That you could escape from the short-term focus and envision a world years or even decades away. And on top of this, you'd be able to turn this vision into something real, a roadmap to guide your decisions today. Wouldn't that change everything? Now, this episode won't give you a crystal bal…

1
Karen Alston: A fierce women's advocate who champions equity, education, and personal transformation 21:25

4M ago21:25

21:25

Karen Alston is a powerhouse. She tells me that if she's not uncomfortable, she's not learning or growing. She's an executive, a marketer, an entrepreneur, a strategist, a storyteller, an innovator, and most of all, she is a fierce advocate for women. Her new master class is all about teaching women how to evolve into their best selves. Karen attri…

1
Dori Staehle: After a freak accident a woman says drum therapy saved her life 23:49

4M ago23:49

23:49

Dori Staehle started having strange symptoms after she was hit and knocked to the ground by a cyclist in 2011. Doctors couldn't figure out what was going on. At one point, things became so dark that she was ready to give up on life. Suddenly, with no real answers on the horizon, Dori decided to turn her attention to her longtime hobby and passion-d…

1
Astral Travel, Lucid & Prophetic Dreams with Chantelle Salisbury 1:13:47

4M ago1:13:47

1:13:47

Chantelle Salisbury is an energy alchemist that works with various tools in unearthing the true magic that's in each of us! She uses things such as reiki energy, sound healing, crystal healing, psychic development, intuitive card readings, angel numbers, angel numerology, holistic counselling and her guides to assist clients. She is a nature lover,…

1
The Key to Understanding the Impact of Design on Business Outcomes / Patrizia Bertini / Ep. #196 1:00:15

4M ago1:00:15

1:00:15

Here is something that makes many service design professionals cringe... The question to quantify the impact design has on the company goals. You'll see that finding the answer to this question is actually surprisingly easier (and more fun) than you might think. Here's a business mantra you might have heard before: If it's not being measured, it's …

1
Florence Melin: Bringing French food and community to the table 24:42

5M ago24:42

24:42

When Florence Melin moved to the United States with her husband, she had no idea that her love for cooking would eventually morph into a career. For Florence, cooking is about more than just introducing people to wonderful food, it's about people sitting together around a table sharing an experience that goes far beyond just eating. The mother of f…

1
Maureen Mountcastle: Midlife actress is still getting gigs and coaching young performers 25:18

5M ago25:18

25:18

Maureen Mountcastle’s motto is that your dream job does not exist. You must create it. And sometimes you must do hard things to make it happen. Maureen is the epitome of doing hard things to continually re-define herself. Being an actor was a childhood dream, one that she finally realized later in life. You’ve probably seen her in a spooky televisi…

1
Unveiling the Magic of Shungite & Sacred Sound with Jerome Zoran - Part One: Jerome talks about his Spiritual Awakening 47:21

5M ago47:21

47:21

Jerome Zoran brings you a unique real world experience, combining rare spiritual throat chakra activation practices with the 2 billion year old power of the Shungite Stone. Jerome’s spiritual development path has taken him on a deep and beautiful journey with the Goddess and with many other Divine Beings. He is an initiated Priest of Goddess Isis, …

1
Unveiling the Magic of Shungite & Sacred Sound with Jerome Zoran - Part Two: Jerome talks about Shungite Healing, Mediumship, Channeling, Manifesting and Master Chung Fu 54:26

5M ago54:26

54:26

Jerome Zoran brings you a unique real world experience, combining rare spiritual throat chakra activation practices with the 2 billion year old power of the Shungite Stone. Jerome’s spiritual development path has taken him on a deep and beautiful journey with the Goddess and with many other Divine Beings. He is an initiated Priest of Goddess Isis, …

1
Practical Strategies for Doing Work that Truly Matters / Frances Yllana / Ep #195 52:37

5M ago52:37

52:37

What's the most important tool in your service design toolbox?No, it's not a fancy piece of software or a groundbreaking methodology.The most important tool is you.A bit cheesy? Perhaps. True? Absolutely!Let me explain.You're the enabler for all actions leading to positive change. It's easy to overlook the importance of keeping this tool—yourself—i…

1
Jerri Williams: From a trailblazing FBI agent to a homerun podcaster 23:05

5M ago23:05

23:05

When Jerri Williams was sworn in as an FBI agent in 1982 she was one of just 23 Black female agents out of 7000 total. To say she is a trailblazer is an understatement. For more than two decades she uncovered corruption and investigated major crimes. She went on to be the spokesperson for the FBI in the Philadelphia area. In her fifties, Jerri blaz…

1
Miracles, Soul Babies & Manifestation within Fertility & Pregnancy with Françoise Molenaar 1:00:55

5M ago1:00:55

1:00:55

Françoise Molenaar is a researcher, podcast host and meditation teacher specialised in mindful and embodied fertility. As an award-winning political scientist and conflict researcher, she used to travel the world to study and advise on how communities can increase their resilience in the face of violent conflict and extremism. But as her own fertil…

1
Joanne Rohde: Former Red Hat COO continues to break glass ceilings 19:31

5M ago19:31

19:31

Joanne Rodhe has spent her career as the only woman in many boardrooms in the financial and technology sectors. She calls herself a "disruptor," a "growth accelerator," and a "creator of new business models." But Joanne is more than her resume. She is a force of nature; a force to be reckoned with. She is usually the smartest person in every room, …

1
Design needs to grow up and take responsibility / George Aye / Ep. 194 1:00:47

5M ago1:00:47

1:00:47

Design is at risk of being misused and exploited... Wow, I had to let that sink in for a moment. It's not the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the service design community. I generally see a bunch of optimistic and passionate professionals dedicated to making the services around us better. However, our latest guest, George Aye, del…

1
Mary Easley: From North Carolina's First Lady to grandmother and everything in between 24:27

5M ago24:27

24:27

Mary Easley is a force of nature; there's no doubt about it. She smashed so many stereotypes when she went to law school fifty plus years ago, became an assistant district attorney, and then opened her own law firm. But most people remember her as North Carolina's First Lady when her husband, Michael Easley, was governor from 2001 to 2009. In this …

1
Miriam Melvin: Elevating Black voices and becoming a fitness leader 28:41

6M ago28:41

28:41

Mimi is a veteran local television news producer from Chicago who was swinging through North Carolina in the nineties on her way up the career ladder when a funny thing happened-her life. She met her husband and ended blooming where she was planted. She works the early morning shift so that she can be home with her two boys in the afternoon and eve…

1
Why Beautiful Businesses always Win / Alan Moore / Episode #193 1:02:27

6M ago1:02:27

1:02:27

Could it be that we're missing the ultimate metric of success? If I asked you about the metrics driving your organization, I bet revenue, costs, and profit would top the list. Sure, staying in business means earning money, and for most organizations, growing profit has been the default mode of operation. But here's the catch: more money shouldn't, …

1
Dr. Hope Seidel: From pediatrician to parenting coach 20:16

6M ago20:16

20:16

Dr. Hope Seidel spent twenty years as a pediatrician doing what she loves, caring for children. But her journey hasn't always been an easy one. She was married to a doctor who suffered from addiction, which meant she was a single parent way before she ever got divorced. When he died in 2020, she had to process her grief along with the grief of her …

1
How to build a thriving community for and with service designers 46:22

6M ago46:22

46:22

Here's a crazy idea... Imagine you had a team of service design superheroes by your side. A team that helps you take on the status quo head-on, challenging organizational inertia with confidence. As service design professionals, we're playing the long game. Change is a journey, and navigating tough times is part of adventure. Over the holidays, I r…

1
Barb: A widow journeys through grief finding love online and a second chance at happiness 28:11

6M ago28:11

28:11

Finding your person online seems like a modern love story ripped from a magazine article, something that doesn't happen to real people in real life, especially to people who have experienced tragedy. What if you suddenly found yourself a widow in your fifties, and you couldn't imagine the thought of discovering love again with someone else? Barbara…

1
The secret to getting Service Design in the driver's seat / Brad Alphonso / Ep. #192 53:01

6M ago53:01

53:01

We've all heard it before... An idea is nothing without execution. As service design professionals, our mission goes beyond doing research and creating future scenarios. We're here to create real, tangible change in the lives of the people we serve. But here's a frustration I'm sure you'll recognize: many insights we uncover eventually never materi…

1
Sloane Heffernan: From NFL cheerleader to entrepreneur 26:32

6M ago26:32

26:32

If not now, when? This is the question Sloane Heffernan asked herself more than a decade ago when she thought about leaving her career in television news to start her own company. But it would be ten more years after she scribbled this written declaration on an envelope on an airplane with her husband before she made the leap. From a small-town gir…

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