Podcast Your Story Now: Empowering Women to Tell Their Stories Through Podcasting

The Power of Connection: A Sisterhood of Female Podcasters and Business Leaders

• Julie Marty-Pearson, Caterina Rando • Season 1 • Episode 5

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Embark on a transformative adventure with the effervescent Caterina Rando, a trailblazer who's redefining the entrepreneurial landscape for women. As I, Julie Marty Pearson, sit across from this dynamo, we delve into Caterina's roots and her ascent to becoming a revered business coach and podcaster. Caterina's zeal for fostering community among female entrepreneurs shines as brightly as her business acumen, proving that success is sweeter shared.
In the realm of podcasting, we discuss how we've both uncovered a powerful medium that goes beyond mere business—it’s the creation of lasting bonds and personal connections. For those craving the magic of face-to-face connection, we discuss Women's Mastermind Cruises, where female entrepreneurs come together in a floating think-tank of inspiration and support. It's a testament to the power of in-person retreats that elevate business relationships to familial bonds, ensuring that we're not just building enterprises, but lifelines of empowerment and a sisterhood of success.
In this episode, we will discuss:

·        The Long and Winding Entrepreneurial Journey

·        Uplifting Others Through Podcasting

·        How Determination is a Skill

·        Having Business Friends Who Lift You UP!

Learn more about the AMP UP Mastermind Cruise for Women Podcasters, Speakers, and Business Leaders. You can use my code JMP for a $200 discount. Have questions about the cruise? Book a one-on-one with Caterina HERE. 

Caterina Rando is a woman on a mission to uplift the lives of women every where through thrive entrepreneurship. She is an author, sought-after speaker, podcaster, and business transformation coach who passionately serves women leaders and entrepreneurs. Her over twenty-five years of educating and empowering, makers her truly masterful at providing a ton of value to her clients. Caterina specializes in authentic selling, embracing speaking to build influence, how to bliss in your business, and all about thriving women’s retreats. Find out more about Caterina on her Website, and follow her on social – LinkedIn – Facebook - Instagram. 

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Speaker 1:

Hello, my friend and fellow podcaster, Welcome to a new episode of Podcast your Story. Now I am your host, julie Marty Pearson, podcaster and coach for new and aspiring podcasters, excited to bring you a new episode where I will be talking to my guest, katerina Rando. She is a woman on a mission to uplift the lives of women everywhere through Thrive Entrepreneurship. She is an author, sought-after speaker, podcaster and business transformation coach who is passionate about serving women leaders and entrepreneurs on a mission. Her own 25 years of educating and empowering makes her truly masterful at providing a ton of value. She specializes in authentic selling, embracing speaking to build influence, how to bliss in your business and thriving women's retreats. I can't wait for you to hear this conversation, learn more about Katarina and talk all about her business journey, her podcasting journey and her work with women, where she is the ultimate networker, creating amazing summits and retreats every year for women to learn and grow together.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to another episode of Podcaster Story. Now I am your host, julie Marty Pearson, podcaster and coach for new and aspiring podcasters, and I'm so excited today a brand new interview with an entrepreneur, a coach and a podcaster, herself one of my new friends. I'm so excited to have Katarina Rando with me today. Hello, katarina, thank you for being here. Hi, julie, so happy to be with you. Yeah, I'm so excited. Katarina is another woman who I've been introduced through fellow entrepreneurs and friends, and that is the power of networking right there. If you don't have a community, you build it. That's right and that, I would say, is one of your specialties. Anytime anyone has mentioned you or told me about you, she is the community person, the networking queen.

Speaker 2:

Thank you. You know, julie, like you I work from home. I talk to gals all over, they work from home. You know we work by ourselves with our computers and it's really important that we infuse community, even when it's virtual, in our lives so we don't feel by ourselves all the time.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely. I have learned that too, as an entrepreneur. It can be very lonely isolating all of those things. So before we get into your podcasting journey, let's talk a little bit about your journey as a businesswoman.

Speaker 2:

Tell my listeners a little bit about you what your business is and how you got started. I'm second generation American. My grandparents came through Ellis Island, and I say that because of that immigrant entrepreneurial spirit. My one grandfather was a shoemaker. My other grandfather had a grocery store. Grandfather was a shoemaker, my other grandfather had a grocery store.

Speaker 2:

My parents were the first in their families to go to college and they had regular J-O-Bs. My dad was an engineer and my mom was a schoolteacher, but they also had entrepreneurial ventures on the side, I think as a result of being the children of entrepreneurial parents. And so when I was growing up I saw my parents go to work, but then I saw them doing their thing on the side too. And my mom had an Italian novelty business. She made shirts for all the Italian clubs around the country. They said you know, the luckiest people have a root in the boot or all of that things, and the luckiest people marry Italians. And so I saw her having so much fun with her side biz business. She made chocolate chips, Italiano, with a touch of Galliano, Like she was always doing something entrepreneurial. And so I saw that trying businesses is fun too. I wasn't afraid of it.

Speaker 2:

And then my first business was my sister opened a cafe and then she left and I ran the cafe and I loved the business part of it. I love the people, I loved connecting. But I really didn't like the food part of it you know, chopping all day. So one day this lady came in my cafe and she thanked me for some business advice I had given her, and her gratitude literally touched my heart. I felt a hang of bliss in my chest and I said you know what? This is pretty cool. So I sold my cafe and I had a coach who thought I would make a good business coach, and then I started this business. But really I was shy and self-conscious and so now I'm much more dynamic, or at least confident on some days, Julie. But you know, the great thing about having your own business is, whatever you need to work on, it will show up in your business for you to work on. So true.

Speaker 1:

I love that. I love that your family has this history of entrepreneurial ship and passion for doing new things and trying new things and helping people. I too, come from a family where small businesses existed. My parents, when I was born, my parents had a furniture store, marty's Furniture. We were pretty well known here in Bakersfield. There still are some people when they hear my last name they're like hey, are you related to Phil Marty? I'm like, yeah, he's my dad because he did all the commercials on TV and radio. So I get that.

Speaker 1:

But it's funny because unfortunately that business did not last and they had to close when I was a kid and that was very hard for my family and they went through a lot of financial struggles after that. And so years ago, when I decided to start my own coaching business, my mom was always oh, I don't want you to do that because she's so weary of it, and along the way proved to her it's okay, it's different. But what I love with your parents, you really got the spirit of it's okay to try new things, it's okay to change your mind and do something different, and I love that inspiration for you.

Speaker 2:

My dad used to say that my mom had a scheme of the week.

Speaker 2:

That's what he used to call it A scheme of the week, and as I talk to all my gals and my clients, I call it brilliant idea syndrome.

Speaker 2:

Like, we get all these brilliant ideas right, and the challenge is that you can have all these brilliant ideas, and of course they're going to come and you can even write them down and capture them. Ideas, and of course they're going to come and you can even write them down and capture them. You just can't do them all at once and sometimes you know, the thing that we've been doing, julie rinse and repeat over and over and over that's not as exciting as the new thing. You know, like, I have this Thrive at Sales program 12 weeks, I've taught it probably 20 times. Okay, it's an awesome program, but it's certainly not as exciting as the next retreat that I'm brewing up, you know. And so we have to find that balance between the new exciting thing, our goal that we're super passionate about, but also what are those things that you, you know work, that bring the revenue in the door, that are still providing massive value to you while you're getting the new exciting thing up and running.

Speaker 1:

That's so important, I think, because especially if we've done something and we launch and it doesn't work, then we get discouraged. That doesn't mean there wasn't good content there. You've got to keep going and once you have it, you can keep it moving, but you still want to then try what's next. What's my new thing? And that's kind of a balance we have to have as entrepreneurs of doing what we know works and keeping that going, because you know we all need money coming in, but we're still testing and growing and changing and evolving. And I think that's so important growing and changing and evolving and I think that's so important. So I think that's maybe a good segue into podcasting. At what point did you maybe get the bug for podcasting or say, hey, that would be a good addition to my business?

Speaker 2:

Let me say this you know, one of the things about being in business for many years, as I have, is that it's a circuitous route. What I mean by that is the first several years I probably didn't know too much about what I was doing, and then you start to try things and figure out. You know what you like and what I always loved is giving speech, building influence with people right away, and then, hopefully, if you're doing it right, you're coming home with clients and, of course, now we don't even have to leave our house to go give a speech, which is so exciting. You know, I mean, during the pandemic there was days I was doing three speeches in one day. Wow, very exciting, right In different parts of the country, all from my dining room, and that's the excitement of what business brings us now.

Speaker 2:

And the other thing and of course, as you know, technology has developed. We can all have an amazing podcast studio in our house very inexpensively. And I realized that I used to publish books, I used to publish a magazine. That's fine, the print word is fine, but I like the spoken word, I like the speaking part, and so when podcasting came around, it seemed like a natural fit for me, because I realized I preferred speaking over writing, and I want people to feel the energy. You know, it's not just about the education of what we're talking about. It's about the inspiration and the motivation and the positive enthusiasm and energy we give our audience, and so that's part of the reason why I love to do podcasting.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's the connection you don't realize I was. I think that's been the shock for me because obviously I realized what I was going to say, people were going to hear it and so it's putting something out into the world. But you don't realize, in telling your story and sharing other people's stories, you find connection with people who you've never met before, and that's powerful.

Speaker 2:

I was in another city a few months ago. I was in a lady's room before a speech and this lady comes up to me and she says are you Katerina Rando? I said yeah. She said I listened to your podcast. That was so exciting and it's happened a few times and the beautiful thing about that is that people feel like they really know you. You know, I mean I'd never met her before, but she felt like she really knew me, and that's part of what podcasting does is it gives us. We really are building a relationship in some ways and of course I know it's not a real relationship in other ways. You know, like all the ladies on that show the View, they're all my BFFs but they don't know I exist, like that. But at the same time, hopefully, what I'm doing with my podcast and I know you're doing with your podcast, julie is we're making a contribution to people, we're positively impacting people and hopefully, if we're doing it right, we're uplifting their life experience, and so that brings me great joy and pride that I get to do that.

Speaker 1:

That's so important. You know you're doing it for the right reasons. I mean, we all know doing it as a part of our business. Obviously we want the positive impact on our business, whatever that may be Listeners, clients, followers. From what happened with me, that's the point. We're putting it out for everybody who might need to find it, might need to hear it, even if I never meet them, ever knew they'd listen. There's that feeling of by sharing what I've gone through, it's going to help somebody else and I think that's why podcasting is powerful in business, because you, as a seasoned businesswoman, can say this is what I do and I know what works because of these 10 examples and for you, that's the power in your podcasting and helping people learn about business through your experience yes, my experience and my clients' experience too, because part of the cool thing about serving women for so long is that I've met so many cool women and we also get to see what's worked for them and their journeys as well.

Speaker 2:

Right, one thing I want to say, julie, if I may back to something you mentioned earlier about you know, when we get discouraged, I do want to say that one of the things hopefully podcasting supports supports is helping. I'll speak about women in business helping us to not stay discouraged. I really feel that determination is a skill we don't talk about enough, because there is disappointment du jour, there's distress du jour, there's deflation du jour some days, and wouldn't it be great if we could take all that and we could turn it into determination. And it sounds perhaps impossible, but we can do it when we put our intention on doing it and we really set that as part of our plan to stay determined, and so that's one of the things that podcasting helps with. We can listen to a podcast that we know will uplift us and get us back on track.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely, and I think that I love the power of podcasting. You can see it in so many ways and maybe that comes for you listening to you know a podcast about pop culture and laughing about something they've said. Or listening to you know a podcast about pop culture and laughing about something they've said. Or listening to you know Katarina's about business. It's what I've been missing in my sales process. You know, whatever it is, it's that connection. Even if you didn't realize you needed it, you get a boost in that determination that you're talking about. So one of the ways that you not only work with your clients but connect women in business is by doing events, by doing retreats. Yes, so can you talk a little bit about how that played a role in your business? Yes, and, like I said, Julie.

Speaker 2:

I love the virtual situation. However, nothing beats being in a room of like-hearted, like-minded women on a mission just like you making friends, connecting, sharing ideas, having fun together, sharing resources. And last year I took some gals on a cruise retreat and the theme of the cruise retreat was how to thrive with women's retreats. So it was a retreat about how to do retreats. We had a great time, we had education sessions and excursions and activities. And then one afternoon I said to the gals I said hey, my friends, why don't you come to my suite? Cause I always get a mini suite on the cruises. And in the afternoon we'll have mastermind, we'll have some mocktails and we'll mastermind Mocktails and mastermind. So we were supposed to be there for 90 minutes and we ended up being there for seven and a half hours.

Speaker 2:

Oh my gosh. They had so much to talk about. They wanted to ask each other's opinions. They wanted to say what do you do for this? What solution are you using over here? What do you think about this? We had room service for dinner. We didn't go out. They were blissing.

Speaker 2:

And at the end of the week, me, I worked on all this stuff and I said what part did you like the most, and that was the part that they liked the most. Not all my fancy swag or my fancy activities or all the stuff I thought was the brilliant education. No, that's the part they liked the most, and so, that said, to me this is a needed solution for giving women an opportunity to get together, make friends, share ideas, share resources, and that's why I created AMP Up, which is our mastermind cruise for women podcasters, speakers and business leaders. That we'll be doing April of 2025. And, as you know, we've already got the party moving. We've got a lot of gals coming already, because women love to get together and they will make friends, they'll create connection, they'll maybe get clients, they'll book each other on each other's podcasts and they'll uplift each other's lives and everyone's going to get off the ship more uplifted than when they got on. And that's also part of the goal, because we do need to fill our cup and we need help filling our cup.

Speaker 1:

So true, I have realized in the last few months there's nothing like the in-person connection. I've been Zooming and conferencing and retreating with people online for you know, the last five years, but when I went to my first in-person podcast conference in January, there was nothing like it. I kept saying there was this weird feeling. I'm walking around this hotel and I keep seeing people I know, but then I don't really know them because I've never met them in person before. But just that connection, the energy. You know, the first day I went to it was an all women in she podcasts, female podcaster, non-binary podcaster organization. It was a room filled with women podcasters being spoken to by women podcasters and it was just the energy of being in that collective place of learning and sharing and growing. So I can imagine in your example of being on a cruise in a room together. They were all just vibing, blissing, as you say, together.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and this is what we see, and I've done a lot of cruise retreats and Julie, because nobody can come late, nobody can leave early, they're all stuck together because mostly, you know, it's couples on cruise ships. So there's not a lot of socializing other than with your people, and also for women it's very safe. Socializing other than with your people, and also for women it's very safe. Cruising is very safe and that is a consideration when you're going, especially for a lot of women traveling alone. And so I have had many gals say to me they did more business on the ship than if they were home with their computer, and it's very transformational for the participants.

Speaker 1:

It's so funny. I was just talking on a recent interview I did for the podcast with a friend of mine, clarissa, who is a coach and artist. Her and I went to our doctoral program together, which had a unique version where it wasn't online classes, it wasn't nightly classes. We had one weekend a month where we all were at the school Most of us lived in other cities and that whole weekend it was all school and learning and social and together. And we say that we would have never gotten through that program if it hadn't been that format, because we developed a bond and a family, a tribe, and I think it's. This is so much what female entrepreneurs of whatever you do need a community.

Speaker 2:

You need to find your place, yes, and because it's a place where you contribute and you know you give and you receive Right and that keeps us going. It really keeps us going because there are many challenges that we will run into and sometimes we need a gal who's going to be a girlfriend and say look, sweetheart, you got this. Or don't forget who you are. You know, I remember one day I was depresso about something and one of my gal pals said to me she said you're Katerina Rando. And just the way she said it, you know, she was like saying you're badass, you're awesome. I didn't feel that way, julie, in that moment, but just the reminder was very impactful and we need business girlfriends to lift us up.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely, and I know a few people who went on the cruise that you did earlier this year and they all raved about it. So this new cruise that I'm happy to say I will be going on in April of 2025. Can you talk a little bit about so it's a week-long cruise. What are the type of things you're planning, what kind of activities, so people get a sense of what they would be doing?

Speaker 2:

Sure, Okay, it's round trip San Francisco and we're on a princess cruise ship, the Ruby Princess, and we're going north to Astoria, oregon, seattle, washington and Vancouver, british Columbia. There will be three port days and there'll be three sea days, and on the sea days we'll have a lot of our masterminding time and we'll have some fun activities also I always like to host a private afternoon tea with fascinators. We'll do a really also feminine fun thing, which will be an accessory and jewelry exchange where everybody brings stuff that they love, never wear and now they realize it's time to share. But the idea is that successful women make decisions quickly and when jewelry and accessories are involved, it's a good way to have them practice making decisions quickly. And then you know what's so fun, julie, after that is to walk around the ship and see gals looking great in some item that you brought for the activity.

Speaker 2:

We'll also do some group Zoom karaoke, where we'll get in small groups and we'll sing karaoke together, which is great for connecting and team building. And then we'll do lots of masterminding, which are different roundtables where you'll sit with an expert. She'll facilitate and then talk a little bit about some super tips and then everyone will ask questions and share ideas for about half an hour and then you'll go to another table that interests you and go to another table that interests you with other hot topics, and again for podcasting, for speaking to grow your business and for overall business success. So we might be talking about strategy, we might be talking about doing your own retreats or running your own group programs or, like you and I were talking about before this, how to use YouTube to significantly grow your downloads or how to use Pinterest to grow your downloads, or all these some more techno topics, some more personal development topics and some more overall business topics.

Speaker 1:

Sounds amazing. I'm so excited. I wish it was happening this year, but I love that because you are going to have lead up events and it's going to be a group of women that's going to really get to know each other well before we all get on the ship together.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, our plan is that actually, starting in July, we're going to have a three-week masterclass series on thriving with women's retreats, which is also applicable for events. In August, we have our Shiro Speaker Summit, which is virtual, all about using speaking to get clients. Grow your list, grow your business. November, we'll have a one-day strategy day, which will be called Expand your Fempire that's what my podcast is called. And then in January, february and March of next year, we're going to have monthly gatherings so virtual, so the women can get to know each other before we get on the ship together. So by the time you get on the ship, you're going to already be friends with all these gals.

Speaker 1:

That's amazing. I love that because I think that's so important Sometimes, especially if you're going to something you don't know anyone going to it, that can make you hold back or not maybe participate.

Speaker 2:

So it's like we're all going to get on there, feel like we're old friends and we reuniting 10 years later yes, and let me say this If somebody wants to come but they don't have a roommate, no problem, because I'm really good at matchmaking roommates. Okay, absolutely, we'll do that. And then some gals might want to get their own cabin. That's fine too, and the cabins are really affordable. We've priced this event really affordably, julie, because this is the first one, and I'm hoping that we are going to have so much fun. We're going to want to keep coming back every year, so this is really this is the one to come to, if you're giving it any consideration.

Speaker 1:

What I love about it because you are starting so far ahead, not only because for the pre-events, but it also gives all of us all that time to be paying on it. We have to show up and have this huge cost because we want to go next month.

Speaker 2:

I'm giving women 10 months 12 months to pay for their program and then the cabins. Actually, when we're recording this, the cabins are on sale right now through the end of next month, so that will also allow people through next January to make the investment for that as well. That's great.

Speaker 1:

So many amazing options. Katarina, thank you so much for being here. I'm so happy that we are now connected and know each other and I get to participate in all of your amazing events, and I appreciate you sharing some of your journey here, hopefully inspiring some other women that you can do it, no matter where you're starting. Please check out Katarina's podcast Expand your Fempire I love that word and we will have all the deets. We'll have the link to the amp-up cruise that we've been talking about in the show notes so you can read more details, learn a little bit more about it. Please feel free to reach out to myself or to Katarina on Facebook If you have questions and want to ask more details about this event. Hopefully, everyone will sign up because we just the more the merrier, and I'm so looking forward to it. But I really just enjoyed this time to connect with you and get to know you better and hear a little bit more about your journey.

Speaker 2:

Thank you, julie, thank you so much, and I look forward to being with you on the ship.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much for listening to this episode. It means so much to me to have you here. Make sure you don't miss any new episodes of the podcast. Hit, subscribe wherever you are listening right now and new episodes will automatically pop up in your feed as they come out. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends and family, and make sure to leave a rating and review wherever you are listening. That will help the podcast to grow. Come on over to Instagram at podcastyourstorynow to keep up with me and the podcast so that you can be ready to podcast your story now. Thank you,

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Julie Marty-Pearson, PsyD

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