Episodes

The pandemic hasn’t been easy on any of us, but you could argue that it’s been tougher on restaurants than almost any other industry. In this episode of Courageous Conversations, Fran sits down with Stephanie Webster, Editor-in-Chief and Founder...

Mental Illness, homelessness, food insecurity, domestic abuse, lack of childcare . . . . These are just some of the issues for which Connecticut residents can turn to 211CT for help. Offered by the State of Connecticut through the United …

In this episode of Courageous Conversations we continue the conversation about racism and your small business that began with our previous episode. Originally part of a WBDC Roundtable discussion recorded in June...

With Juneteenth just days away, and as we look back at the year since George Floyd’s murder, in this episode of Courageous Conversations and the one that will be launched on July 1, we are revisiting a conversation between Fran …

Authenticity, empathy, strength, vulnerability . . . . These are just some of the virtues Kitt Shapiro gained as she soaked in the lessons handed down by her mother, legendary performer Eartha Kitt. In this episode...

In this episode of Courageous Conversations, as we near the end of Mental Health Awareness month, Fran talks with Kevnesha Boyd, a trauma therapist and the owner of Quality Counseling, a mental health practice...

10.Finding Your Rhythm in Small Business

09. Recalculating with Lindsey Pollak

08. Keeping it Local with The Two Oh Three

with Yvonne Oxley and Corey Tolkin

with Andrea Barton Reeves

In honor of Black History month, Courageous Conversations decided to revisit a Town Hall meeting hosted by the Women’s Business Development Council last June, soon after the death of George Floyd. WBDC CEO Fran Pastore gathered a group of...

Fran discusses the unsung heroes of our economic engine – the women, especially women of color, who own and operate the small businesses that populate our Main Streets. These entrepreneurs have received a disproportionately small amount of the...

with Dr. Khalilah Brown Dean and Patricia Russo

02. Own the Arena with Katrina Adams

with Dr. Karen Alter-Reid

Through her work as the founder and CEO of the Women’s Business Development Council in Connecticut, Fran Pastore has had the privilege of knowing and working with remarkable and accomplished women. In every episode, Fran will be speaking with...