Send us a text In this episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams sits down with Sophie Devonshire, CEO of The Marketing Society and bestselling author of Superfast: Lead at Speed, to talk about why strategic pauses are the fastest way to better decisions, clearer direction, and more sustainable momentum. Sophie shares her “squiggly career” from P&G and Coca-Cola to founding and selling an e-commerce company, moving overseas, and writing Superfast. You’ll hear how s...

Send us a text What happens when your career no longer aligns with your values? In this episode, Ellen Williams speaks with Stephanie Vaughan, Vice President of Coaching at TM3, about pressing pause to realign your life, family, and purpose. From walking away from corporate success to finding fulfillment through intention and emotional awareness, Stephanie shares how listening to your emotions can lead you to the right next step, both in business and at home. They discuss: T...

Send us a text In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Barbara Lange, Principal and CEO of Kibo 121, about the courage and strategy behind leaving a secure executive role to start a purpose-driven consultancy. Barbara shares how leading an organization through the pandemic sparked her decision to step away after more than a decade, embrace uncertainty, and launch a business dedicated to sustainability in the media technology sector. She offers insight into mana...

Send us a text In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, speaks with Laura Lampa, owner and CEO of LML StoryLab Consulting. Laura shares her incredible journey from a career in science to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Laura reveals how a layoff became her pivotal "press pause" moment, forcing her to trust herself, embrace uncertainty, and launch her own business. This conversation is for anyone who has considered leaving a secure ...

Send us a text How do you rise from security guard to managing director at Morgan Stanley? Ed Clementi did just that and then made the bold choice to bet on himself by walking away from a C-Suite career to build his own company, Inspired Fire. In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, dives into Ed’s story of resilience, self-belief, and the importance of finding alignment in your career. In this episode, you’ll discover:&nb...

Send us a text In this powerful episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Scott Ballard, CEO and owner of Confidence Coach LLC, about the life-altering experience of exiting a business and navigating the uncertain space that follows. After building a highly successful company from the ground up, Scott found himself with time, money, and no clear plan. What began as a pause after selling his company became a deeply reflective period of personal growth and spiritual search...

Send us a text In this episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams interviews Anatoly Spektor, founder of Soul to Soul Business and a seasoned entrepreneur, about the pivotal pauses that reshaped his life and work. Anatoly shares his early experiences as a software developer and consultant, reflecting on how he repeatedly ignored the signs of burnout and misalignment in corporate roles. These experiences led him to press pause, journal deeply, and analyze recurring patterns, ultimately shi...

Send us a text In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Mitchell Levy, a global credibility expert, executive coach, and prolific entrepreneur. Mitchell shares his journey through various business ventures, highlighting how critical feedback, especially the kind that challenges your assumptions, can be the catalyst for meaningful growth. He discusses how his past ventures in credibility and clarity, though profitable, weren’t aligned with market demand. A conver...

Send us a text In this heartfelt episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Ann Sheu, CEO and founder of Mpowered Journey, about two pivotal moments in Ann’s life when she chose to "press pause" and radically re-evaluate how she was spending her time. The first pause came after the unexpected passing of her father, which led to deep regret over not being more present during his final days. Ann shared how this experience awakened her to the danger of assuming there will al...

Send us a text In this heartfelt episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams sits down with Julie Niehoff, co-founder of Distance Learning Media and a long-time advocate for small businesses and veteran support. Julie shares how her intended pause to start a new business with her husband turned into an unexpected and emotional journey when her father was suddenly diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. What began as a moment of planned professional reinvention quickly shifted into a...

Send us a text In this powerful episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Elor Shem Tov, founder and CEO of Lucid Lev, about a deeply personal and professional moment that tested her identity and leadership. Elor recounts how unexpected accusations from colleagues in a leadership role prompted an internal investigation, threatening her reputation and sense of self. Instead of reacting defensively out of fear or anger, she consciously paused to observe her thoughts, emoti...

Send us a text In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams welcomes Leah Salinas, former founder of a thriving beauty business and now Director at The Alexander Group. Leah shares her journey from early entrepreneurial success—launching a hair and makeup company that expanded to 14 artists and high-profile events—to burnout and the realization that her career no longer aligned with her values or family life. As weekends filled with weddings and long hours began to separate her...

Send us a text In this special one-year anniversary episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams welcomes guest Kim Poulos Lieberz, founder and CEO of KGI Design Group, for an open conversation about the challenges and importance of creating space to pause in the midst of a busy life. Instead of following the typical format where guests share a specific “press pause” story, Ellen and Kim discuss different types of pauses — from unexpected micro-pauses like gaining an extra hour in the ...

Send us a text In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Kevin Bartram, founder and principal of Bartram Partnerships, about the pivotal moments that reshaped his career and life. Kevin reflects on his early years growing up in a challenging home environment, entering the workforce at 13, and how he built a thriving career in corporate sponsorships and sustainability-focused marketing. A turning point came after the 9/11 attacks, when Kevin found himself far from...

Send us a text In this heartfelt episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams speaks with Andrea Schiavone, a seasoned operations and finance executive, about how even the most intentional pauses can be derailed by life’s unpredictability. Andrea shares her journey from leading a high-growth marketing agency through its acquisition, to planning a deliberate break for self-reflection—only to have it interrupted by the sudden loss of a family member. Her story is one of resilience, as her pla...

Send us a text In this episode, Ellen Williams interviews Jennifer Gulbrand, founder of Embody Your Essence, who shares her journey of breaking free from burnout and discovering authenticity. After 35 years in the health and wellness industry, Jennifer realized that her business success did not equate to personal fulfillment. Despite her achievements, she felt disconnected from her own truth. Through mindfulness, meditation, energy work, and intentional stillness, Jennifer reconnected with he...

Send us a text In this episode, Rajen Sheth, formerly a vice president at Google Cloud AI and industry solutions, shares with host, Ellen Williams, how he took a bold step after nearly two decades at Google. Motivated by a desire to make a positive social impact, he pressed pause on his career, leaving behind the familiar security of his role to explore how technology could improve educational equity. During this hiatus, Rajen reconnected with personal interests—like recording music—and spoke...

Send us a text In this episode, host Ellen Williams speaks with entrepreneur and philanthropist Mei-Yung Lee about her unique approach to taking a “pause” when burnout loomed. Mei-Yung, CEO of Ageless Zen—a natural skincare research and manufacturing company—found herself overwhelmed by the demands of building her organization from the ground up. Instead of stepping away entirely, she joined her local Rotary club. This simple shift in focus gave her both a mental break and a new community of ...

Send us a text In this podcast episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams welcomes guest Johanne Brierre, CEO of Brooklyn Commons and New York Beauty Suites. Johanne recounts her transition from working in the fast-paced New York City hospitality industry to founding co-working spaces in her Brooklyn neighborhood. She explains how she recognized a need for supportive, community-oriented resources for entrepreneurs, especially outside Manhattan’s usual tech and business hubs. With min...

Send us a text Ellen Williams host of Time To Press Pause and CEO of The Salient Strategist, Inc. welcomes Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO of the global branding firm Mavens and Moguls. Paige describes how a six-year period of family caregiving and estate responsibilities forced her to step away from the demanding pace she had maintained early in her entrepreneurial journey. Despite initial fears that scaling back would harm her thriving business, Paige found the opposite to be true: taking...