Jennifer Pestikas decided to start the Brave Women at Work book anthology series after suffering from burnout and starting her Brave Women at Work podcast. She has been a corporate executive in financial services for more than 20 years. Pestikas is also an executive and leadership coach focusing on helping women achieve their professional goals. Like many ambitious women, she ran into the many obstacles in the workplace that men do not experience because most leadership positions in corporate America are still held by men. She decided she wanted to do something about it.
Women continue to have to deal with age-old stereotypes that make it hard for them to demonstrate their abilities, and it can leave them feeling insecure. Brave Women at Work, both the podcast and now the book series, offer women wishing to move beyond the glass ceiling ideas on how to realize their potential and break free from the unjust demands of the work world.
Pestikas and Her Writing Team
Pestikus and fellow editor and publisher Hope Muller brought together nine female writers from diverse industries in the business world and academia to share their work experiences to help other women navigate their own journey in leadership. These writers are Mylene Barzio, Natalie Benamou, Churni Bhattacharya, Ronicka Briscoe, Shelia Hoggs Burkhalter, Eschell Eady, M.I. Cissy Petty, Mary Beth Richie and Natalie Robinson. All of the authors met via Pestikas’ business partnership with Mueller of Hunter Street Press and CLIMB Conferences.
Wishing to have something to transition into upon leaving her position as a pharmaceutical executive so she didn’t have to start dipping into her retirement funds, Mueller began to build a publishing business as a side gig six years ago. Hunter Street Press now provides editing and publishing services to a number of primarily female authors.
“I had Hope as a guest on the Brave Women at Work podcast and then asked her if she would be interested in writing a women’s anthology series,” explained Pestikas. “Now, three books and two retreats later, here we are!”
How the Women Got Involved
“I am a second time author with the Brave Women at Work book series,” explained Shelia Higgs Burkhalter, MBA, MSED. “Each time that I write a piece for these books, I consider that my experiences as a woman in the workplace are not as unique as I might think. Others are having similar experiences in the world of work and are looking for support, guidance, and tools to navigate challenging issues. If pulling back the veil on my experiences helps even one woman, then the writing project was worth it. Additionally, I know from personal experience that writing for this book series is not just about the book that is produced. It is about the synergistic community of connection, support and empowerment that we are building.”
Burkhalter, known as “Shiggs” to her clients, is a certified executive and leadership transitions coach, accomplished speaker, facilitator, and best-selling author with 30 years of experience in the higher education sector. She currently serves as Vice President for Student Affairs at Winthrop University. Incorporating her knowledge of leadership, management, people, communication, and energy, she creates a transformational experience for her clients.
“I was inspired to participate in the book project after what seemed like a chance encounter with Shelia Higgs Burkhalter at a conference,” said Ronicka Brisco, Ph.D. “I shared my desire to turn my doctoral dissertation findings into a book, as my research had created a blueprint for women who aspire to leadership roles. Shelia introduced me to Brave Women at Work, and from there, the journey began. It has been a life-changing experience to not only share my personal leadership story, but also to highlight the stories of the remarkable women I interviewed during my doctoral research, all while supporting the next generation of women leaders.”
A nationally recognized educator, scholar, and leader, Dr. Briscoe brings nearly 20 years of professional experience to her role as Founder and CEO of Winning on the Road, LLC. Specializing in professional learning, executive coaching, and leadership development, she is known for her dynamic and impactful presentations that blend extensive research with rich lived experiences.
The Writing Process
Every writer had their own process. M.L. “Cissy” Petty likes “the feel of pencil to paper.” She is an experienced executive leader in higher education who also serves as a conscientious leadership coach and consultant with a keen understanding of strategic planning, including organizational and leadership development. She has a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Florida State University.
“My set-up for each writing session started with an outline for the day of what I wanted to convey,” explained Dr. Petty. I would write for a couple of hours, then head to the gym. In the afternoon, I would then review, re-write and then move it to my MAC. Writing for me is a creative exercise filled with both accomplishment and clarity about myself.”
Echell Eady, Ph.D. was initially extremely guarded in terms of how she conveyed her feelings. Dr Eady is a first-generation college graduate with a strong affinity for those seeking to improve their circumstances through learning and work. Owner of Eady Consulting Group, she specializes in employment attainment and retention. A nationally certified Career and Education Advisor, she develops strategies to reduce employment barriers, advance economic empowerment, and promote family education.
“When I read the first draft, [which] my editors returned, I almost didn’t recognize my own story,” said Dr. Eady. “I could tell that my authentic voice was missing. After that experience, and with encouragement from my editors, I decided to be brave and transparent regarding my story. I believe this decision has made all the difference in my chapter.”
Leadership Hurdles They Have Experienced
Each author has extensive experience in the work world, and they each have a unique voice. Churni Bhattacharya is an authentic leader who builds high-performing, fun-loving teams. She offers a track record of more than 30 years delivering highly complex enterprise-level transformational programs. Founder and President of ChurniSpeaks, her company is focused on business consulting and public speaking. She has spent her career in capital markets, commercial banking, mortgage banking, insurance, and wealth management, both as a management consultant as well as a senior technology leader.
“While thinking about the biggest leadership hurdle [I have encountered], I am reminded about “bloody unwinnable battles” between teams, coined by Pat Lencioni.,” explained Bhattacharya. I am rather protective of my team, especially when they engage in unwinnable battles with other teams. What I have learned to do is to pause and take a step back. Before going to war for my team, I think about the root cause of fundamental misalignments. Many times, discussions with my peers have uncovered that we were given totally different guidance by our managers on the same issue! Instead of conflict, we decided to join forces and then present a united front to our CEO and get the necessary clarification.”
Mylene Barizo went through different stages in her leadership development. First, she needed to figure out what type of leader she wanted to be. Contemplating the skills, abilities, and characteristics of those she admired and assessing which ones she had was her first step.
“Once I stepped into a leadership role,” said Barizo, “I realized the value of learning how others wanted or needed to be led. Leaning into my communication skills was critical to learning and adapting to those on my team so I could lead effectively. And as I traverse my “3.0 career,” this stage allows me to focus on helping others navigate their own stages of leadership development. Whether an early career individual or an executive seeking different perspectives to broaden their leadership abilities, it is a privilege to be part of someone’s journey into whatever ‘success’ might look like for them.”
Emigrating from Manila to Los Angeles as a child, Barizo never imagined a corporate career. Challenging cultural and family expectations, she rose to Vice President of Human Resources at Enterprise Holdings and served as the Senior Executive Director of HR to the CIO at The Boeing Company.
Additional Writers
There are several additional authors. Mary Beth Ritchey, BSN, MSPH, FISPE, and PhD has spent her career dedicated to a better understanding of medical product safety and effectiveness. She enjoys leading multi-stakeholder international clinical research, strategic planning and coordination of scientific programming, development of actionable policies, and enabling rigorously accurate plain-language information to aid patients, clinicians, and other decision-makers to make informed choices about medical products.
Natalie Benamou, MBA, accelerated her career to leadership positions in both the trade show industry and non-profits. She has a “serve first” approach to life and leadership. She is the Founder and CEO of HerCsuite® Leadership Programs and Network, and the President and Founder of the non-profit HER HEALTHX which brings together patients, caregivers, women leaders, payers, providers, and industry to create health equity for women.
Natalie Robinson is a highly accomplished senior leader with more than 19 years of experience in the Pharmaceutical-Biotech industry. As a visionary leader, she brings an enterprise approach to her role, focusing on strategy development and execution. With expertise in people development, sales, marketing, market access, analytical, and matrix management, Robinson is a well-rounded professional with a track record of success. Her ability to navigate complex business challenges and drive organizational growth furthers her reputation as an esteemed leader in her industry.
“Being an author was an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Robinson. “When I was approached about joining the project, I quickly knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. Leadership is a topic I am deeply passionate about. I felt this would be the perfect platform to share my experience of being a youth player turned scholar athlete and how I tied those learnings into a successful career with the pharmaceutical-biotech industry.”
To learn more about the book series, click here.
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