The Cyber Savvy Woman Podcast

Welcome to the Cyber Savvy Woman, where women business owners reclaim their power in the digital world. We shatter the myth that cybersecurity is too complex to master, and transform protection strategies into clear, actionable guidance. This is your digital empowerment sanctuary, where cyber fear becomes cyber confidence. Whether you’re protecting client trust as a therapist, or safeguarding financial data as an advisor, you’ll hear from women founders who’ve conquered digital challenges, and security experts who speak your language. Every woman leading a business deserves to feel unshakable in her digital decisions, no matter her technical background. Are you ready to stop letting cybersecurity intimidate you, and start letting it elevate you?

Episodes

Episode 139: Why Great Teams Need Rhythm, Not Just Strategy | Natalie Spiro

What if the missing piece in your team's performance isn't strategy — it's rhythm? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Natalie Spiro, CEO of Drum Cafe North America and founder of Blue Fire Leadership. Natalie is an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and TEDx speaker who has spent more than two decades helping organizations build connection, collaboration, and engagement through rhythm-based experiences — reaching millions of people across 58 countries.

Episode 138: The Original "Get-it-Done" Operator: Sharon's Journey from Tech to Implementation | Sharon Schanzer

Have you ever had that one project, decision, or tech mess sitting on your chest for months — and the second it's finally done, you feel like you got your brain back? Today's guest is basically the person you call to move that boulder. In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Sharon Schanzer, founder of What's Your Boulder? (an implementation studio), RLD Group (a design studio building WordPress, Shopify, and Lovable sites and brand collateral), and AI FOMO Nomo, a beginner-friendly workshop that makes AI simple and approachable.

Episode 137: From Profit to Purpose - Building Legacy Level Impact without Burnout | Lisa Avila

You don't have to choose between wealth and purpose — you can build both, sustainably. In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Lisa Avila, a nonprofit strategist and founder of Poppy Grove, who helps women turn success into legacy. Lisa's own path started in the wine industry before a growing sense of "what's my impact?" led her back to school and into a career built around families, education, and community.

Episode 136: Building Brands in the Age of AI & Social Media | Marissa Stahl

Marketing today is so much more than posting content — it's psychology, storytelling, data, relationship, and trust, all working together. In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Marissa Stahl, Founder and CEO of Cherry Creative, a bicoastal digital marketing agency helping brands grow through social media, influencer partnerships, advertising, content strategy, and full-scale digital marketing execution. Marissa started her career in social media before building Cherry Creative into a strategic marketing partner for brands ranging from direct-to-consumer to CPG companies, personal brands, and brick-and-mortar businesses. She's known for blending creativity with real business results — and for staying ahead of where digital marketing, influencer culture, and AI are heading next.

Episode 135: The Real Side of Small Business: Support Systems, Structure, and Growth | Jennifer Hancox

What does it really take to build a successful small business? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Jennifer Hancox, founder of Edna Collective, to discuss entrepreneurship, business growth, craftsmanship, and the systems that help small businesses thrive. Jennifer shares the realities of growing a creative business, preserving family legacies through jewelry redesign, embracing new technology, and planning for sustainable expansion.

Episode 134: Standing Out In A Sea Of Sameness | Kathryn Nuñez

What truly makes a business stand out when everyone has access to the same AI tools? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with entrepreneur and marketing strategist Kathryn Nuñez to discuss why authentic messaging, strong business foundations, and intentional leadership matter more than ever in an AI-driven world. Kathryn shares practical lessons on branding, marketing, AI adoption, leadership, and building a business that people remember for the right reasons.

Episode 133: Clarity Over Conflict: A Smarter Way To Handle Business Disputes | Alice Shikina

Conflict doesn't have to end in court. In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with mediator, arbitrator, and negotiation coach Alice Shikina to discuss how business leaders can resolve disputes more effectively through communication, preparation, and the right mindset. Alice shares practical insights from years of helping individuals and organizations navigate challenging conversations, negotiate successful outcomes, and preserve valuable business relationships.

Episode 132: Clarity Before Visibility: How Leaders Decide What They Want to Be Known For | Hersh Rephun

Before you become visible... Make sure you're memorable. In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with branding strategist, speaker, and founder of YES! Brand Builders, Hersh Rephun, to discuss why successful leaders define their identity before investing in visibility. Drawing from decades of experience across entertainment, public relations, and branding, Hersh explains why businesses often struggle not because they lack expertise—but because their message lacks clarity.

Episode 131: Finance Meets Technology: Building Smarter Financial Systems | Shoma Sinha

How do growing businesses know when it's time to move beyond spreadsheets? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Shoma Sinha, founder of Vicara, to discuss how finance transformation, ERP systems, and AI can help organizations make smarter, faster decisions. Drawing on her experience in global banking, financial leadership, and Silicon Valley startups, Shoma explains why finance should lead technology transformation—not the other way around.

Episode 130: From SEO to AI Search: How Businesses Stay Visible in a Changing Digital World | Josiah Lorsung

Search is changing—and businesses need to change with it. In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker welcomes Josiah Lorsung, founder of Odin Marketing House, to discuss how AI is transforming search, why brand authority matters more than ever, and what businesses need to do to remain visible online. Drawing from years of B2B marketing experience, Josiah explains why successful marketing isn't just about rankings or lead generation—it's about building trust, understanding customer psychology, and supporting your sales process.

Episode 129: From Tech To Film: How Storytelling Becomes Your Business Superpower | Olga Gabris

What if storytelling is the most underrated business skill? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with filmmaker, entrepreneur, and former tech product manager Olga Gabris to explore how storytelling can transform brands, businesses, and careers. After years in product management, Olga followed her passion into filmmaking and founded Coffee Cup Productions, where she helps businesses tell meaningful stories that build trust and lasting connections.

Episode 128: Cybersecurity Without the Fear - Building Trust, Resilience, and Community | Ron Woerner

Does cybersecurity always have to be about fear? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with cybersecurity advisor, educator, speaker, and coach Ron Woerner to discuss a more effective approach to cybersecurity—one built on trust, resilience, awareness, and community. Drawing on decades of experience across government, education, consulting, and private industry, Ron shares practical strategies for helping organizations reduce risk while empowering people rather than overwhelming them.

Episode 127: Decision Fatigue Is Real - Fixing 'The What Should We Watch' Problem | Chris Pearcey

How much time do you spend deciding what to watch? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Chris Pearcey, founder of Decisio, to explore the growing problem of decision fatigue and how technology can help people make faster, smarter entertainment choices. Chris shares the story behind Decisio, a platform designed to help users discover movies, shows, books, podcasts, and games through a unique recommendation system that focuses on intent rather than simple ratings.

Episode 126: From Slack to Subpoena: The Rise of Unstructured Data in Legal Cases | Matt Neal

What happens when critical business conversations live across Slack, Microsoft Teams, text messages, cloud platforms, and mobile devices? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Matt Neal of Kuro Group to discuss the growing challenge of managing unstructured data in legal cases and why digital evidence is becoming more complex than ever before. Matt explains how law firms collect, preserve, and analyze electronic evidence, the rise of mobile communications in litigation, and why businesses need to understand the digital footprints they create every day.

Episode 125: Building Brands in the Age of AI & Social Media | Dr. James Chitwood

Can great leadership alone build a successful company? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Dr. James Chitwood, organizational consultant, Army veteran, and author of Leadership Is Not Enough, to discuss why systems—not leaders—are often the real drivers of sustainable business growth. Drawing from decades of experience in the military, higher education, consulting, and organizational leadership, James explains how businesses can create performance cultures where employees take ownership, communication flows effectively, and operations scale successfully.

Episode 124: Why Working Harder Isn't The Answer: Cognitive Leadership For Modern Founders | London Wolfe

What if burnout isn't a productivity problem, but a leadership problem? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with London Wolfe, business strategist and cognitive leadership specialist, to explore how founders, leaders, and organizations can create more sustainable ways of working. London shares how cognitive leadership helps teams reduce miscommunication, improve collaboration, and align business systems with how people naturally think, process information, and manage energy.

Episode 123: Legal Tech, Client Privacy & Smart Operations: Inside a Modern Law Firm | Ben Barry

How do you evaluate technology without getting distracted by hype? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Ben Barry, Chief Operating Officer of a leading California family law firm, to discuss cyber security, client privacy, AI adoption, and the operational systems that help modern firms thrive. Ben shares real-world insights from managing technology, finance, talent, and operations in an industry where trust and confidentiality are everything.

Episode 122: From Fintech To Fashion: Reinventing A Career With Purpose | Mira Musank

What does it take to leave a successful career behind and build a life that's more aligned with your values? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Mira Musank to discuss her journey from FinTech and product management into sustainable fashion, upcycling, and climate-focused community building. Mira shares how she transitioned into entrepreneurship, the challenges of building a purpose-driven career, and the lessons she's learned while creating impact through creativity and sustainability.

Episode 121: A Culture First Approach to Leadership, Compliance, and AI | Bernadette Jones

Strong workplaces aren’t built on policies alone — they’re built on culture, trust, and intentional leadership. In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, Rachele Schainker sits down with Bernadette Jones, CEO of Vision Nova HR Consulting, to explore how businesses can build healthier workplace cultures while balancing compliance, cybersecurity, and the growing impact of AI. Bernadette shares practical insights from years of helping founders, nonprofits, and small businesses strengthen people strategy, improve communication, and reduce operational risks.

Episode 120: The Blue Ocean Moment for AI in Business | Aaron Welch

Technology alone doesn’t create success — strategy does. In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, Rachele Schainker sits down with Aaron Welch to discuss why AI represents a “blue-ocean moment” for businesses willing to innovate, experiment, and adapt early. Aaron shares how AI tools are helping businesses reduce burnout, improve workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and create more efficient systems — while also warning against relying on AI without a clear business strategy or human oversight.

Episode 119: Building Trust, Culture, and Compliance in an AI Workplace | Alexandra Martinez-Villarroel

How can businesses adopt AI while still protecting trust, culture, and the human side of work? In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Alexandra Martinez-Villarroel — entrepreneur, HR expert, and Co-Founder of Leap AI Technologies — to explore how organizations can successfully navigate the intersection of AI, leadership, hiring, and workplace culture. Whether you're a business owner, HR professional, leader, or tech enthusiast, this episode offers actionable insights for building healthier, more resilient workplaces in an AI-driven world.

Episode 118: The Human Side of Smart Hiring Using Behavioral Data to Build Stronger Teams | Brian Gelt

Host Rachele Schainker sits down with Brian Gelt, founder of PeopleLytics and certified Predictive Index partner, to explore the human side of smart hiring. Together, they discuss how behavioral data can help organizations reduce bias, improve communication, strengthen leadership, and build more resilient teams. Brian shares insights from decades of leadership experience and explains why hiring based purely on gut instinct can lead to costly mistakes — and how aligning people with the right roles improves performance, retention, and workplace culture.

Episode 117: Leading with Curiosity in the Age of AI | Jen Seregos

In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Jen Seregos, founder of Athena Digital, to explore how leaders can embrace AI thoughtfully while keeping people, ethics, and strategy at the center. Jen shares her journey from digital marketing into AI consulting and explains how curiosity — rather than fear or hype has shaped her leadership style, business growth, and approach to innovation.

Episode 116: From Tech Overwhelm To Tech Clarity | Edith Sumaquial

What if the secret to using AI and technology effectively wasn't about knowing more but was about asking better questions? Edith Sumaquial, founder of the Kulay Collective, is a seasoned strategist who works at the intersection of technology, business operations, and mission-driven organizations. With a background spanning journalism, iHeartRadio, and enterprise roles at Gallo Wine, Edith has built a career around one powerful skill: translating between the people who build tech and the people who need it.

Episode 115: Real decisions behind running a business in a digital world | Laryssa Wirstiuk

Running a business today means making constant decisions — what tools to use, where to show up online, how to communicate with clients, and how to stay focused when the digital world keeps changing. In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman podcast, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Laryssa Wirstiuk to talk about what it really takes to run a business in a digital world — beyond the trends, platforms, and buzzwords. Together, they unpack how business owners can make smarter digital decisions, choose tools that actually support their goals, and build a more confident approach

Episode 114: Why Digital Literacy Matters in the Age of AI | Martin Mehl

In this episode, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Martin Mehl to explore why digital literacy has become one of the most important skills for business owners, leaders, and professionals in the age of AI. Together, they unpack how technology is changing the way we work, why practical understanding matters more than just knowing the tools, and how people can build confidence in a world where AI is moving faster than ever.

Episode 113: Culture Before Code: Why People Make Tech Work | Anthony Calleo

Host Rachele Schainker sits down with Anthony Calleo, founder of Calleo EX, a culture and employee experience consultancy that helps organizations build stronger teams, healthier workplaces, and more effective leadership. Together, they unpack the powerful intersection of culture, technology, and leadership, and what women business owners can take away to make smarter decisions in their organizations.

Episode 112: Networking Without The Cringe: The Introvert’s Advantage | Greg Roche

In this episode of THE CYBER SAVVY WOMAN, host Rachel Shanker sits down with Greg Roche, known as The Introverted Networker, to break down a smarter, quieter, and more effective way to build real relationships - without awkward events, cold outreach, or salesy tactics. After a career-changing layoff in 2012, Greg stopped avoiding networking and built a system around it. Now he teaches professionals and business owners how to grow their networks in a way that feels natural, sustainable, and actually works.

Episode 111: AI Agents, Automation, and the Systems That Actually Scale a Business | Wes Schaeffer

In this episode of THE CYBER SAVVY WOMAN, host Rachele Schainker sits down with sales and marketing strategist Wes Schaeffer, also known as The Sales Whisperer®, to break down the real-world systems behind sustainable growth. From old-school sales to modern automation, Wes shares how he transitioned from cold calling and workshops to building scalable systems powered by automation—and now, AI. If you’ve been hearing about AI agents but aren’t sure where to start (or what’s hype vs. useful), this episode gives you a clear, practical roadmap.

Episode 110: The Launch Queen Method: Strategy, Intuition, and Iteration with Yasmeen Turayhi

In this episode of The Cyber Savvy Woman, host Rachele Schainker is joined by Yasmeen Turayhi—product marketing leader, founder, and author—to explore what really drives effective go-to-market strategies. With experience commercializing over 200 technology products, Yasmeen shares why most companies skip the most critical step: truly understanding their customer. The conversation explores how strategy, intuition, and continuous iteration work together to create launches that actually resonate.

Episode 109: Cyber Savvy AI: Using AI Without Putting Your Business at Risk | Brett Schklar

In this episode of THE CYBER SAVVY WOMAN, host Rachele Schainker sits down with Brett Schklar, serial entrepreneur, AI adoption strategist, and author of AI Without the BS, to talk about how CEOs and business owners can embrace AI while protecting their companies from unnecessary risk. The conversation cuts through the hype around AI and focuses on practical leadership decisions: how to set the tone inside your organization, avoid “shadow AI,” create simple guardrails for employees, and focus on the use cases that deliver real ROI.

Episode 108: Inner Game, Outer Gain: Mindset, Messaging & Client Attraction with Nancy Fox

Nancy shares her journey from a corporate career in women’s lingerie (including leading product development, design, and marketing) into coaching and training—and why the modern business landscape demands smarter positioning, clearer niches, and more targeted relationship-building. You’ll also hear Nancy’s practical framework for “networking like a fox”: building the right mix of decision-makers, referral sources, and influencers, and using tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator and AI-driven research to save time, money, and energy.

Episode 107: Holistic, Not Halfway: Therapy, Nutrition & Mindfulness in Practice with Debby Simmons

What happens when holistic healing meets digital security? In this powerful episode, Debby Simmons, founder of Primrose Healing and Wellness, reveals how she's revolutionized mental health care by treating the WHOLE person—mind, body, and spirit—while navigating the critical cybersecurity challenges that every therapist and small business owner faces today.

Episode 106: Channel Leadership & Cyber Resilience with Michelle Hodges

Michelle shares insights from her extensive career in IT and channel alliances, including her experience driving channel-first transformations and building partner ecosystems. Together, Rachele and Michelle discuss how cybersecurity has shifted from a technical afterthought to a core business strategy — especially for small and mid-sized organizations.

Episode 105: Designing Spaces, Securing Futures with Amy Fregosi

Amy shares her journey from a deeply creative childhood to building a successful interior design business that blends beauty with technical expertise. Together, Rachele and Amy discuss how physical environments influence mental clarity, why structure is just as important as creativity, and how technology plays a critical role in modern design workflows. This conversation also dives into an often-overlooked topic in creative industries: cybersecurity. Amy explains why protecting your digital systems, passwords, and business identity is essential for long-term success — especially for women entrepreneurs and creatives who rely heavily on technology every day.

Episode 104: Leading Through Transformation: Trust, Resilience & Tech with Rachel Burr

Rachel Burr shares her journey into leadership coaching, the critical role of mindset and self-awareness, and why imposter syndrome is far more common among leaders than many realize—especially women. Topics include practical ways to build trust and resilience within teams, how leaders can create a healthy culture around cybersecurity without fear or overwhelm, and why partnerships matter when navigating complex technology decisions. Rachel also discusses key insights from her book Butterfly Goo, a powerful metaphor for transformation that emphasizes embracing discomfort, leveraging core strengths, and trusting yourself through change. The episode wraps with a rapid-fire cybersecurity round that blends humor, perspective, and practical awareness.

Episode 103: Proactive, Not Perfect: Protecting Your Future with Natalie Oh

Host Rachele Schainker sits down with Natalie of Taran Insurance. It's a candid conversation about what it really means to plan ahead—without fear, perfection, or technical overwhelm.

Episode 102: Lights, Camera, Confidence: Empowering Women Through Video with Caron Shahrestani

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Cyber Savvy Woman! Host Rachel Shanker, a Silicon Valley technologist and owner of CMIT Solutions, sits down with Carone Shahrestani—video marketing expert and founder of a boutique marketing company—to explore the latest tech trends and actionable strategies for women in business.