Boss Maidel's Podcast

Linda Grant was born in Liverpool. She read English at the University of York and did further postgraduate studies in Canada at McMaster and Simon Fraser Universities. For some years she worked as a journalist, writing for the Guardian and Independent on Sunday. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and holds honorary doctorates from the University of York and John Moores University.   Her first novel, The Cast Iron Shore (1996), won the David Higham First Novel Prize and was shortlied for the Guardian Book Prize. Her next book, Remind Me Who I Am, Again (1998), a family memoir about her mother’s dementia, won the Mind Book of the Year award and the Age Concern Book mod the Year award. Her next book, When I Lived in Modern Times (2000) won the Orange Prize for Fiction. Her next novel, Still Here (2000) was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Her non-fiction book, The People on the Street: A writer’s View of Israel, (2005) won the Letter Ulysses Prize for Literary Reportage. Her next novel, The C

After working for a corporate recruiter, California Job Shop founder, Estee Cohen, realized that there were two big problems in the world of employment:  first, small businesses have unique staffing needs and require excellent entry level and mid-level employees quickly and efficiently, but they can’t afford to pay $10,000 and up for a recruiter and they don’t have the time to wait several months to fill a position.  Second, but equally important, job seekers have difficulty accessing positions.  California Job Shop solves both issues:  we cater to small businesses and find great employees at an affordable fee and within 45 days.  For job seekers, we are completely accessible, approachable and act as a portal for positions in health, mental health, billing, sales, education, business, wholesale, retail, non-profits and more.    In this episode, I chat with Estee about the start and growth of her business. Over time, Estee has learned to fine tune the practical logistics of the business as well as prioritize h

Mrs. Rivkah Slonim is the education director at the Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Student Life and a lecturer on Jewish Medical Ethics at Binghamton University. A self-described "Chassidic Feminist", she lectures internationally on the intersection of Jewish observance and contemporary life with a special focus on Jewish women. She is the editor of Total Immersion: A Mikvah Anthology and Bread and Fire: Jewish Women Find G-d in the Everyday, an anthology on Jewish women’s spiritually. Mrs. Slonim serves on the Editorial Board of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute and is co-author of one of JLI’s most popular courses, Fascinating Facts.   In this episode, we talk about women's role in Judaism.  Rivkah discusses the sin of Eve and explains  the deeper chassidic explanation that sheds a completely different light on the story of the original sin. Rivkah talks about a woman's unique purpose and work in uncovering the hidden G-dliness that is all around us in this physical world. You can purchase Bread and Fire h

Esther Amini is a writer, painter, and psychoanalytic psychotherapist in private practice. Her short stories have appeared in Elle, Lilith, Tablet, The Jewish Week, Barnard Magazine, Washburn University’s Inscape Literary Journal, and Proximity. She was named one of Aspen Words’ two best emerging memoirists and awarded its Emerging Writer Fellowship in 2016 based on her memoir entitled: “Concealed” and was chosen by JWT as their Artist-in-Residence in 2019. Her pieces have been performed by Jewish Women’s Theatre in Los Angeles and in Manhattan. Esther Amini lives in New York City with her husband. Concealed is her debut memoir. In this episode, we chat about Esther's book Concealed. In her beautifully crafted memoir, Esther describes her colorful childhood growing up in Queens, NY as the daughter of  Persian parents who fled Mashhad, Iran.  Straddling two completely opposing cultures, Esther and her mother are pulled towards all the glorious freedoms that America has to offer while simultaneously being he

  Chavi Eve Karkowsky grew up in Maryland; went to college at Yale University, and completed medical school at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She then went on to residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the integrated program at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, followed by a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM)  at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Karkowsky lives with her husband and four kids. In this episode, we discuss Chavi's new book High Risk. In her book, Chavi explores the complexities of reproductive life and everything we lose when we don’t speak honestly about women’s health. We lose the ability to care for people in our community who may have experienced a miscarriage or still birth and the ability to dictate our own care and policy on women’s health. Most importantly, we miss the opportunity to share our stories and unique experiences. Chavi discusses both the incredible strides that modern medicine

Leah Schapira is one of the founders of the beloved site Between Carpools. Leah as also the best-selling author of Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking and the co-author of the Made Easy and Secret Restaurant Recipes cookbook series. Leah is the ultimate connector, she networks constantly and is always making new friends. When she’s not busy doing any of the above, you will find Leah testing yet another way to enjoy pizza, or having lunch with some new talent she discovered.   In this episode, we talk about how Leah began the popular site Between Carpools. Leah talks about her start in cooking, how she met and formed the team behind Between Carpools and how she was fueled by the desire to share recipes, advice and products to help busy moms.   Leah and I chat about the importance of respecting someone's creative vision (a huge factor in successful team work) and the necessity for women to have the option of remaining private on social media. We also shmooze about Leah's favorite recipes, the women that inspire her

Alyson Richman is the #1 international bestselling author of seven novels including The Velvet Hours, The Garden of Letters, and The Lost Wife, which is currently in development for a major motion picture. The Secret of Clouds, out in February 2019, centers around the transformative bond between a mother and her son, and a teacher and her student. A story that will make readers examine what it means to actually live life with a full heart. In this episode, we talk about Alyson's novel The Secret of Clouds. We also talk about Alyson's creative process and how she structures her writing. Alyson is the daughter of an abstract painter and an engineer, she credits her parents for shaping her curiosity and imagination. All of her books are infused with the theme of light and shadow corresponding to the inevitable suffering that life can bring and how we can ultimately triumph in the end. This theme echoes back to what Alyson’s mother told her about life existing  in many shades of grey.  Alyson’s writing is an arti

Powerful and compassionate, soulful and worldly, insistent and understanding, Slovie Jungreis Wolff is an acclaimed author, lecturer and parenting instructor. She is the leader of Hineni Couples and has taught about life, relationships and marriage for more than 30 years. She gives weekly classes on the East and West side of NYC, Long Island, Brooklyn and Westchester. Slovie’s groundbreaking parenting hand book ‘Raising A Child With Soul ’is published by St. Martin’s Press and has been a source of support and guidance to parents and families all over the world . She has given workshops and lectured extensively throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Panama, Europe and Israel and has addressed thousands at South Africa’s Sinai Indaba by the invitation of Chief Rabbi Goldstien. Slovie is a popular columnist for the renowned site, Aish.com where her articles about life and Judaism have inspired people worldwide. Her parenting workshops on JewishEbooks.com. has reached audiences around the globe. She is also a colum

Dani Shapiro is the author of the instant New York Times best selling memoir, Inheritance, which was published in January 2019 by Knopf. Her other books include the memoirs Hourglass, Still Writing, Devotion, and Slow Motion, and five novels including Black & White and Family History.  Along with teaching writing workshops around the world, Dani has taught at Columbia and New York University, and is the cofounder of the Sirenland Writers Conference in Positano, Italy. In February of 2019, Dani launched an original podcast, Family Secrets, in collaboration with iHeartMedia. An iTunes Top 10podcast, the series features stories from guests who—like Dani— have uncovered life-altering and long-hidden secrets from their families’ past.   In this episode, we talk about Dani's memoir Inheritance. Dani's extraordinary story made me rethink how we view family and the rigid definition that we often associate wth the word. In truth, family is so much more then a biological connection, a passing of genes. It is love,

Adele believes that refining our lives in both big and small ways is an affirmation that no matter what.. life's looking good.She does this via her lifestyle platform www.life'slookingood.com  where she helps individuals elevate how they look and how they live. Estie Kessler is an interior designer and busy mama. Creating beautiful spaces is her passion and Estie believes that the spaces we occupy the most  become the back drop of our lives. Estie recently moved from California to Texas to build her dream home. You can follow her journey on her blog Abode by Estie. This episode is brought to you by SHMUZY let's connect and converse about design! You can follow Adele's forum on: Thanksgiving tables here. You can follow Estie's forum on: Building a home from the ground up here. You can follow my forum on: Embracing Color and Pattern here. In this episode, we share all our favorite design tips and tricks. Among the topics discussed: Art: -We recommend going larger in size, a 30"x 40" print can make much more of

  Chavie  Bruk is a Chabad shlucha (emissary) leading a Jewish community with her sushi loving husband while raising her five rambunctious kids (who are adopted). Chavie lives in the Wild West where it's winter ALWAYS (or so it feels) all the while seeking a bit of inner peace (ha, what's that?) and doing it while embracing the chaos and enjoying life. Chavie shares her thoughts and musings about motherhood on her blog Clear As Mud.   In this episode, we talk about Chavie's unusual path to motherhood. After discovering that having biological children would not be an option for her, Chavie and her husband embarked on the journey of adoption. We chat about what the process was like and how Chavie mentors other couples in similar situations. Chavie also talks about her experience as a white women of privilege raising her black son in middle of Montana. When talking about difficult topics with her son Menny, Chavie tries to use them as learning opportunities to discuss important themes around race, culture etc. A

Rivki Rabinowitz is an interior  design trained lifestyle expert, with a strong focus on fitness, wellness, food and fashion. She currently resides as the editor to Family Room by Mishpacha magazine and contributor and copy writer to Family Table by Mishpacha. She uses her award - winning literature background to engage with her audience as well as her interest in the human experience host weekly Live sessions with your favorite female content creators.  In this episode, we talk about Rivki's numerous creative pursuits, her definition of success and how important it is to first figure out the WHY before embarking on any project. Rivki shares her tips for her awesome morning routine but she also stresses the importance of being  flexible  with any new habit that we take upon ourselves. She says: "The pressure we put on ourselves to be good at the things we have taken on is often counterproductive and counterintuitive to the  purpose of  what ever it is we have taken on in the first place." Healthy habits are m

Rachel's debut novel is A Bend In The Stars.  It has been named a New York Times Summer Reading Selection and a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. It is also a Boston Globe Bestseller. Rachel's second novel, Atomic Anna, is forthcoming from Grand Central (2022). Rachel is a prolific writer and reviewer for the LA Review of Books, the Tel Aviv Review of Books and DeadDarlings. She is an Honorary Research Associate at the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute and a graduate of GrubStreet’s Novel Incubator. She is also the founder of Debut Spotlight and the Debut Editor at A Mighty Blaze. In a former life she was a hedge fund manager and a spin instructor. She has degrees from Harvard in Business, and Literature and Philosophy. She lives in Brookline, MA.    In this episode, we discuss Rachel's book " A Bend In The Stars." It is the Summer of 1914 and siblings  Miri and Vanya  Abramov are both making incredible  strides in their careers. Miri is on the verge of becoming one of Russia’s only female su

Best-selling author, consultant, media expert and master clinician, Dr. Joan Rosenberg is a cutting-edge psychologist who is known globally as an innovative thinker, acclaimed speaker and trainer. As a two-time TEDx speaker and member of the Association of Transformational Leaders, she has been recognized for her thought leadership and global influence in personal development. Along with serving as a blogger for Psychology Today, Dr. Rosenberg has been a featured expert in multiple documentaries. She’s been seen on CNN’s American Morning, and ABC, CBS, FOX, PBS and OWN networks; seen in Forbes, Inc. and Women's World and has made appearances on radio interviews in major metropolitan markets. A California-licensed psychologist, Dr. Rosenberg speaks on how to build confidence, emotional strength, and resilience; how to achieve emotional, conversational and relationship mastery; how to integrate neuroscience and psychotherapy; and suicide prevention. An Air Force veteran, she is a professor of graduate psycholog

Shternie Wuensch  is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a private practice in Miami, FL and online. She works with individuals, couples and groups, specializing in individual psychotherapy and couples therapy. She is also trained as  somatic psychotherapist, the belief that our bodies carry the stories of our life and trauma, and through body awareness and practices we can move towards healing. With her background in chassidic life and psychology she deeply understands the issues of modern relationship and spiritual life. In this episode, we talk about the process of return and repair that comes every year during the Hebrew month of Elul. We talk about creating positive change and how important it is to get clear on what it is  that we are wanting and then creating practices that support growth in that direction.  We often get caught in old stories and thought patterns that don’t work and we  tend to experience familiar emotions such as guilt, despair etc. Once we are  aware of our thoughts and we

Chani Frankel and Freidel Levin are the owners of Mimulo  flower shop and business located in Brooklyn, New York. Mimulo is a boutique florist with strong feelings about how to celebrate.      Chanie and Freidel's focus is event design and florals for weddings and all milestone events. Their goal is to create warmth with clever use of color, florals and intention that expresses the love and welcome you feel to your guests.    Drawing from nature and organic design elements Chani and Freidel create natural arrangements that reflect their unique aesthetic. Creating a business that encompasses friendship, family and beauty is the key value for these two  creative entrepreneurs.   In this episode, we talk about Chani and Freidel's journey into entrepreneurship and what they have learned along the way. Some valuable  pieces of advice are: -  When you feel overwhelmed just do the next right thing for that moment. -If you are interested in starting a particular business go learn about it, find a mentor and educat

Susie Orman Schnall is the author of four novels: WE CAME HERE TO SHINE, THE SUBWAY GIRLS, THE BALANCE PROJECT, and ON GRACE. She grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Her writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, HuffPo, PopSugar, Writer's Digest, and Glamour and she lives in New York with her husband and their three sons.    In this episode, we talk about Susie's latest novel "We Came Here to Shine". Susie discusses the inspiration for her characters as well as why she chose to write about the New York World's Fair. Susie's characters are  strong and resilient women who fight against the constraints that society puts on them. We talk about how women are evolving and slowly changing the status quo.  Additionally, Susie shares the reason she started The Balance Project where she has interviewed over 175 women on how they manage family, careers, friendships etc. Susie found that  there is no "secret sauce" to juggling it all and it really comes down

Jill Sharfman NC, is a board-certified holistic nutritionist living with her family in Los Angeles. She is the co-host along with Dr. Andrea Moskowitz of the nutrition podcast “Let My People Eat.” On each episode Jill helps to demystify confusing talk about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle while keeping kosher. The podcast is available on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePlay and at https://letmypeopleeat.com. Follow her on Instagram @jill_sharfman for more information and on Facebook @letmypeopleeatpodcast.   What to eat and what not to eat? That is a question that many of us struggle with. Whether it is pescatarian, paleo, vegan or vegetarian  the options are numerous and the various messages delivered through our culture can be immensely confusing. Jill’s answer is remarkably simple: eat what works for your body. We can start to eat more intuitively by noticing how we feel after we eat thus  being  more mindful of which foods affect our digestion, our moods and our energy  levels. It’s time to take the fear and

Chava Floryn is a writer, an award winning filmmaker, actress, a singer/ songwriter and advocate. With over 65 short films and 2 documentaries under her belt, Chava's films have been featured across the globe in festivals such as The Jewish Film Festival, The Museum of Tolerance theater, The Ashkelon Film Festival, Hollywood Reel Film Festival and the Film Festival Mediterranean.    As a performer, Chava has traveled across the US with "The Search,"  a one woman show that included her original music and films from a series she created for Nationlight Productions where she attempted to answer the question, "What is the meaning of life?" As a writer, Chava's articles and op-ed's have been featured in The Jewish Journal, The Algemeiner Journal and The Huffington Post. She's been featured on shows like "The Dr. Phil Show", as well as on a Talk show pilot created by Harvey Levin of TMZ. Together with her husband of 25 years, they lead the young professional congregation for Beth Jacob synagogue in Beverly Hills. 

Angela Himsel’s writing has appeared in TheNew York Times, The Jewish Week, Forward, Lilith and elsewhere. Her column Angetevka” on Zeek.net American won two American Jewish Press Association Awards. Angela holds a BA from Indiana University, which included two years at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and an MFA from The City College of New York. She grew up the seventh of eleven children in rural southern Indiana in a fundamentalist, doomsday, Christian faith. She converted to Judaism and lives in New York City. A River Could Be a Tree traces that journey.     In this episode, we talk about Angela's memoir: A River Could Be A Tree. Angela shares her experience growing up in an evangelical branch of Christianity - the Worldwide Church of God. Strict adherence to the church’s tenets, which forbade make-up, medicine, and other demonic  influences, was the only way for her to receive the Holy Spirit and live forever in God’s Kingdom. In search of salvation, Angela decided at nineteen to study at The Hebrew U