The Driven Women Project
The Driven Women Project
Erin Smith
My name is Erin Smith and I created the Driven Women Project to shine a light on female role models who have not sacrificed their feminine identities in order to excel in male dominated careers. Together we aim to inspire more women to pursue the careers they want while remaining true to their core values, and ultimately closing the gender gap at the leadership level in male-dominated spaces. After I earned my masters degree in Sport Psychology, I transferred my expertise to the male dominated world of finance. Now I run a Performance Psychology Coaching practice called Driven Beyond Excellence where I focus on helping executive women successfully navigate male-dominated careers and rise into well-deserved leadership roles. However, most of my Executive Coaching clients are men. Why? Because there are still so few women in leadership roles which means there aren’t enough role models, or mentors, or simply peers at the highest levels of leadership for the up and coming women to lean on for support – and let’s face it, we should be surrounding ourselves with as much support as possible to help keep us going when those extra challenges try to keep us down. With so few female role models it can become difficult to know which direction to go to advance your career. If you’ve ever wondered how to best “fit in” or be accepted or feel supported in your male-dominated career, then get ready to be inspired and share in the inspiration generated by women who have struggled within these dynamics, persevered, who maybe even tried to change who they are to fit in, until they realized the power in embracing their true selves and as a result are now dominating in their male-centric careers, while being unapologetically female and making massive contributions to changing the landscape so that maybe one day, “male dominated” will no longer be the case. As you listen, keep in mind that these women did not find success overnight. It was a hard-won journey of self-discovery, building a strong support network, and taking bold action, one step at a time. To Nominate a Driven Woman please visit: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman I hope you enjoy!
Erica D'Eramo: Mechanical Engineer, DEI Professional, & Founder
"Changing the game from within — sometimes you need to create a new path to shine as a leader." Erica D'Eramo, a trailblazer in the energy sector and champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), joins us on today's episode. Founder of Two Piers Consulting, Erica is a mechanical engineer with two decades of experience in the international energy industry, now dedicated to elevating DEI in workplaces.In this episode, Erica and I talk about how she decided to become a mechanical engineer despite initially believing it sounded too boring! Because girls often look at math and science related fields and think it sounds hard or uninteresting, right?Erica also shares her thoughtful theory as to why so few women enter into male dominated fields, and why the few who do, don’t always last. It isn’t what you may think, and has to do with how girls and boys are socialized differently. I was most excited to learn what her life was like from being one of two women on a boat out in the ocean for 30 days at a time, to being in the board room being surrounded by men, - these are two totally different environments that she needed to navigate – listen carefully to hear her techniques and how she handled being told that swearing is not “lady-like.”Make sure you listen all the way through because Erica talks about what well intentioned organizations need in order to make their diversity equity and inclusion initiatives truly effective. - Learn more about Erica's work: https://www.twopiersconsulting.com/- Reach out to Erica: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-deramo/And don't forget to leave a review or share the episode to inspire another woman who might be on her own path in a male-dominated career!
Feb 28, 2024
1 hr 7 min
Maureen Pollack: Inventor, Politician, Executive Producer
If Maureen wants to do it, it will get done, and in HER way, no matter who tries to silence or edit her voice.Maureen Pollack, Stamford, CT city council member, inventor, and co-owner of the pleasure brand Lovability, joins us to discuss advocating for oneself and others. She delves into embracing her identity and balancing motherhood with politics, also touching on fighting stereotypes as a modern orthodox Jewish woman and entrepreneur.Maureen shares strategies from "Feminist Fight Club" for handling interruptions and mansplaining, highlighting the importance of response over silence. With her unique tale of transforming CEO of her household to a successful politician while maintaining her values, she inspires listeners to boldly own their narratives.For more inspiring interviews with women like Maureen subscribe to The Driven Women Project Podcast. Don't forget to nominate a Driven Woman here: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwomanAn article about Maureen's Product: https://www.kveller.com/meet-the-orthodox-jewish-mom-who-invented-the-latest-pleasure-product/Maureen's Lovability Website: https://www.lovabilityinc.com/Feminist Fight Club: https://www.amazon.com/Feminist-Fight-Club-Survival-Workplace/dp/0062439782
Jan 31, 2024
36 min
00: The Driven Women Project Podcast - Intro Episode
In this episode of The Driven Women Project Podcast, host Erin Smith shares her personal journey and insights into success in male dominated fields. Join us as we explore the following key points:Here are 5 keys you'll glean from this episode:Why I went to work for Bridgewater, why I left, and the one thing that would get me to go back.What to expect from each episode and who I plan to interview.What the Co-Chief Investment Officer at Bridgewater (a woman!) inspired me to do.The one thing every successful woman I've interviewed has in common.Please help us help more women succeed in male dominated fields by giving this podcast 5 stars and subscribing on your preferred podcast platform. If you know a driven woman who needs to be a guest on this show you can nominate her here: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwomanTo connect with Erin: https://drivenbeyondexcellence.com/
Jan 31, 2024
20 min