Come and listen to our Host, Candace Gish, as she chats with today's guest, Erin Ward, for our “Unapologetically Unique” Podcast Series.

This mini-series serves to distill success into its truest form—standing firmly in your own identity. We are moving beyond the comparison game to help you lead with unapologetic confidence. By anchoring your habits in self-belief rather than outside expectations, you’ll shift from chasing temporary inspiration to becoming a changemaker with lasting, year-long momentum.

Erin has worked in many areas of fundraising and has made it her life’s mission to study and explore the most effective means of fundraising possible. With over 10 years of fundraising success, helping hundreds of nonprofits raise millions of dollars by creating exceptional donor experiences. She has a big
heart for and background in social change and activism. She has sat in everyone’s seat to special events and understands the problems and has found solutions to create events that leave donors happy and bank accounts full. She is very passionate about affecting change in the world.

Being a mission ambassador, professional public speaker, fundraising auctioneer and nonprofit trainer, Erin utilizes a smart, eloquent, energetic approach to engaging donors in the event venue and changing trajectories for organizations in the boardroom. As an educated, well- cultured and traveled individual with an amazing life story, her empathy and passion allows her to tell amazing stories and inspire hearts to give.

https://www.starbenefitauctions.com/

Videos of Erin:
● Inspire Hearts Performance https://youtu.be/8-zDjIxipIY
● Erin performing with Doug Aiken https://youtu.be/n4KudDKAj8U
● Video of Star Benefit Auctions Team https://youtu.be/NoasM4_0moQ

We talk with fundraising auctioneer Erin Ward of Star Benefit Auctions about what really makes charity galas succeed and why the most powerful fundraising moment is often a simple gift from the heart. We dig into identity-led confidence, donor psychology, and practical stage tips you can use even if you never touch a gavel.

• Erin’s path as a third-generation auctioneer and why being a female auctioneer still breaks expectations
• Building a fundraising-only auction business and refusing the “side gig” model
• What a fundraising auctioneer actually does before the event through consulting and planning
• How the paddle raise fund-the-need creates inclusivity and drives donor engagement
• Auction school basics versus the real skill of reading the room
• Sales craft and professional development through fundraising trends and donor challenges
• How gala strategies shift from selling items to mission-first direct giving
• Finding an auctioneer who aligns with an organisation’s mission and values
• Confidence and public speaking tips like squeezing your toes and focusing on impact

Make sure that you take this call and you send it to your friends and family. Make sure you share, like, and comment because that's how we get this the word out there.

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com

Come and listen to our Host, Gia-Raquel Rose, as she chats with today's guest, Barbra Banner, for our “Unapologetically Unique” Podcast Series.

This mini-series serves to distill success into its truest form—standing firmly in your own identity. We are moving beyond the comparison game to help you lead with unapologetic confidence. By anchoring your habits in self-belief rather than outside expectations, you’ll shift from chasing temporary inspiration to becoming a changemaker with lasting, year-long momentum.

Barbra Banner's story started with 35 years as a marketing and advertising maven in Los Angeles. Then with the Pandemic came flying objects, mysterious orbs, and a push from Spirit that was impossible to ignore .

She had no idea that her decades of volunteering for a woman's crisis hotline, the LA Crisis Response Team (with the police and a body on site), and the busiest ER in the city had been divinely guided stepping stones to finding her true purpose in life. And that her gifts ran in the family.

Fast forward, she is now a Certified Medium with Helping Parents Heal, Find a Certified Medium with Mark Ireland and Very Soul. She supports grieving families with a mix of compassion, startling evidence and a touch of humor. She loves when mental health, Psychic/Evidential and Trance Mediumship, and the science of how laughter heals, all come together to raise everyone's spirit.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbrawitzer/

https://bannermedium.com/

https://www.instagram.com/bannermedium13/

We talk with psychic medium Barbara Banner about how mediumship, psychic reading, and trance work actually function and what it feels like to receive information through energy. We also get honest about trust, boundaries, and why intuition can guide us well while still being easy to second-guess.

• the difference between psychic information and evidential mediumship
• what trance mediumship feels like and why Barbara is not fully aware during it
• aligning frequency and energy to create a clear connection
• a Reiki story that shows intuitive data can involve living people
• a late-life spiritual awakening during the pandemic and the role of training
• family gifts, past lives, and why abilities can skip generations
• “downloads,” crown chakra sensations, and meditation versus trance
• protecting the sacred space of a reading and handling skepticism
• crisis response work, grief, and staying steady for families
• building trust in intuition and separating guidance from projection
bannermedium.com

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com

Come and listen to our Gia-Raquel Rose for our “Unapologetically Unique” Podcast Series.

This mini-series serves to distill success into its truest form—standing firmly in your own identity. We are moving beyond the comparison game to help you lead with unapologetic confidence. By anchoring your habits in self-belief rather than outside expectations, you’ll shift from chasing temporary inspiration to becoming a changemaker with lasting, year-long momentum.

Gia-Raquel Rose, owner of Airs Above Yoga, LLC and a real estate sales associate in Tewksbury, New Jersey has had a love for horses stemming from early childhood. Growing up in “horse country” afforded her the privilege of beginning to ride from the tender age of four. It was a childhood illness, which brought her riding aspirations to an abrupt halt. It took twenty years before she was able to reunite with her long lost passion for horses and their ability to heal. In that time, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication from Arcadia University and became a twice two hundred hour certified yoga instructor in both Hatha and Vinyasa. It was the loss of her mother, Rose, to breast cancer, which ultimately shifted her trajectory from the corporate world to the internal work for which yoga, as a practice, is renowned.

We talk about what happens to your nutrition when life gets stressful and your routine falls apart, and how to stay close to your health goals without pretending you never crave comfort food. We share realistic “meet yourself halfway” strategies, two fast paleo-friendly meals, and why protein becomes even more important as we age.

• moving stress and disrupted routines shaping cravings and choices
• comfort foods and targeted cheats that stay aligned with goals
• keeping quick staples on hand to avoid defaulting to junk food
• cauliflower fried rice with eggs, avocado oil and coconut aminos
• egg white wraps with jackfruit, slaw and a paleo-style sauce
• making dietary change sustainable through creativity and experimentation
• listening to your body and adjusting protein intake over time
• simple protein rule of thumb and why too much can backfire

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com

Come and listen to our Gia-Raquel Rose for our “Unapologetically Unique” Podcast Series.

This mini-series serves to distill success into its truest form—standing firmly in your own identity. We are moving beyond the comparison game to help you lead with unapologetic confidence. By anchoring your habits in self-belief rather than outside expectations, you’ll shift from chasing temporary inspiration to becoming a changemaker with lasting, year-long momentum.

Gia-Raquel Rose, owner of Airs Above Yoga, LLC and a real estate sales associate in Tewksbury, New Jersey has had a love for horses stemming from early childhood. Growing up in “horse country” afforded her the privilege of beginning to ride from the tender age of four. It was a childhood illness, which brought her riding aspirations to an abrupt halt. It took twenty years before she was able to reunite with her long lost passion for horses and their ability to heal. In that time, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication from Arcadia University and became a twice two hundred hour certified yoga instructor in both Hatha and Vinyasa. It was the loss of her mother, Rose, to breast cancer, which ultimately shifted her trajectory from the corporate world to the internal work for which yoga, as a practice, is renowned.

We move from external noise to inner knowing through a guided meditation that strengthens self-trust and helps you stop outsourcing your biggest decisions. We meet a higher version of ourselves, receive a symbolic gift, and ground it into the body so it can show up in real life.

• why meditation builds a stronger inner compass
• balancing outside guidance with self-trust and discernment
• using the body as a signal for what fits and what does not
• choosing a comfortable meditation posture for grounding or openness
• breath awareness and observing thoughts without chasing them
• visualising your higher self and receiving your unique gift
• integrating the gift through golden light and embodied intention
• closing practices for grounding, hydration, and gentle re-entry

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com

Come and listen to our Gia-Raquel Rose for our “Unapologetically Unique” Podcast Series.

This mini-series serves to distill success into its truest form—standing firmly in your own identity. We are moving beyond the comparison game to help you lead with unapologetic confidence. By anchoring your habits in self-belief rather than outside expectations, you’ll shift from chasing temporary inspiration to becoming a changemaker with lasting, year-long momentum.

Gia-Raquel Rose, owner of Airs Above Yoga, LLC and a real estate sales associate in Tewksbury, New Jersey has had a love for horses stemming from early childhood. Growing up in “horse country” afforded her the privilege of beginning to ride from the tender age of four. It was a childhood illness, which brought her riding aspirations to an abrupt halt. It took twenty years before she was able to reunite with her long lost passion for horses and their ability to heal. In that time, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication from Arcadia University and became a twice two hundred hour certified yoga instructor in both Hatha and Vinyasa. It was the loss of her mother, Rose, to breast cancer, which ultimately shifted her trajectory from the corporate world to the internal work for which yoga, as a practice, is renowned.

We bring more play into yoga by exploring bird poses that look wild online and feel even wilder in the body. We break down how to work toward Crow, Bird of Paradise, Heron, and Peacock with smarter prep, clearer body awareness, and a hard line on injury prevention.

• shifting from winter introspection to a lighter, more playful practice
• why yoga stays practice oriented even when you set goals
• how anatomy and hip structure affect pose access
• recognising compression versus a deep stretch sensation
• Crow pose basics, blocks as training wheels, and core engagement
• why drishti and head position change balance fast
• wrist, neck, and shoulder cautions for arm balances
• Bird of Paradise essentials, safer prep, and bind risks
• Heron pose options, including knee friendly variations
• Peacock pose setup, strength prep, and shoulder alignment rules

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com

Come and listen to our Host, Tina Spoletini, as she chats with today's guest, Orzala Quddi, for our “Unapologetically Unique” Podcast Series.

This mini-series serves to distill success into its truest form—standing firmly in your own identity. We are moving beyond the comparison game to help you lead with unapologetic confidence. By anchoring your habits in self-belief rather than outside expectations, you’ll shift from chasing temporary inspiration to becoming a changemaker with lasting, year-long momentum.

Orzala is a visibility coach and former owner of the award-winning social media agency, Make It Happen Services. With 13 years of entrepreneurial experience, she knows how to turn online presence into real-world impact.

Best known for her sell-out networking event, Coffee & Collab, which created real buzz in the small business community, Orzala now helps entrepreneurs cut through the noise, grow their platforms online and offline, and get seen by the right people.

Her work is grounded in strategy, simplicity, and a deep passion for helping business owners step confidently into the spotlight they deserve.

IG Makeithappenservices

Facebook: tag my personal page orzalatadman

Linkedin: Please tag my account orzalaquddusi

We share practical ways to show up without copying anyone else and why your difference is the advantage you have been trying to hide.
• why many women avoid vulnerability on social media and how it becomes a business bottleneck
• the headshot and “I’ll do it after I lose weight” trap and what it signals to your audience
• simple ways to practise visibility using Stories, b-roll reels and low-pressure formats
• how shame and burnout break consistency and how to return without spiralling
• redefining success beyond income goals and stepping out of comparison culture
• what makes Coffee And Collab work including community energy and no hard selling
• visibility beyond social media including networking, podcasts and offline marketing
• how to stop being invisible in a room by clarifying messaging and uniqueness

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com

Come and listen to our Host, Tina Spoletini, as she chats with today's guest, Cathy Holt, for our “Unapologetically Unique” Podcast Series.

This mini-series serves to distill success into its truest form—standing firmly in your own identity. We are moving beyond the comparison game to help you lead with unapologetic confidence. By anchoring your habits in self-belief rather than outside expectations, you’ll shift from chasing temporary inspiration to becoming a changemaker with lasting, year-long momentum.

Cathy Holt is an international speaker, bestselling author, TV host, and women’s leadership strategist who helps high-achieving women expand their influence and shape decisions, direction, and growth inside organizations and their businesses. Over the past four decades, Cathy has guided women across corporate, entrepreneurial, and global arenas, including collaborations with the United Nations. She brings a rare blend of strategic insight and lived leadership experience to her work.

Her book, Unstoppable Women: Owning Our Voices and Leading Change is a call to action for women who want to stay true to their strengths and values as they expand their influence.

www.cathyholt.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-holt-hts/

https://www.facebook.com/catherine.holt.56

Instagram: cathyhts

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1965652247

Link to gift - https://catherine-holt.com/4strategies

We explore the real-world skills that turn lived experience into leadership, from meetings and body language to boundaries and big leaps.
• confidence as a skill built through doing
• how early messaging and comparison culture shape self-doubt
• being talked over at work and how to respond strategically
• nonverbal communication and presence that changes outcomes
• leveraging strengths and staying on message to influence decisions
• building supportive relationships and learning from every season
• compassionate leadership and women amplifying women in rooms
• practical shifts that change how we lead and how we are perceived
• burnout patterns, saying no, and choosing what fits your path
• stepping into opportunities before you feel ready

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com

Come and listen to our Host, Tina Spoletini, as she chats with today's guest, Allissa Blondin, for our “Unapologetically Unique” Podcast Series.

This mini-series serves to distill success into its truest form—standing firmly in your own identity. We are moving beyond the comparison game to help you lead with unapologetic confidence. By anchoring your habits in self-belief rather than outside expectations, you’ll shift from chasing temporary inspiration to becoming a changemaker with lasting, year-long momentum.

Allissa Blondin is a multi-faceted creator, author, and writing coach who has led team-building events, creative workshops,and writing retreats all across Canada. In 2021, she founded The Feathered Pen: part creative sanctuary, part magical literary laboratory, where wild ideas transform into journaled musings, books, and heartfelt stories. She is especially skilled at guiding others to connect with that generative space where all ideas come from, helping people bring their imagination to life and connect with their true self. Her book, Confessions of a Ghostwriter: How to Tap into Higher Consciousness to Write Your Book , was named one of Amazon’s “Most Gifted Books” in 2023, proving that when you mix humour, heart, and a dash of higher consciousness, magic really does happen.

https://www.instagram.com/thefeatheredpen_/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/allissa-blondin-34522114/

https://www.facebook.com/TheFeatheredPenAuthorServices/

https://www.thefeatheredpen.com/

We share practical tools like a grounding writing practice and journaling prompts that help you quiet harsh self-talk and show up as your true self.
• noticing how the need to belong trains us to perform
• reframing uniqueness as a strength that connects people
• understanding why women hide parts of their stories
• sharing messy chapters with purpose rather than shame
• breaking the comparison habit by returning to your gifts
• challenging beauty standards and the pressure to “look the part”
• using connected writing practice to calm your nervous system and access your authentic voice
• building inner validation through journaling, curiosity, and self-kindness
• spotting the “itty bitty shitty committee” and choosing a truer thought
• trying one simple reset question: what do I need right now

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com