007 - The Power of Voice Roundtable with Allison Bennie, Jenee Halstead and Ruby Rose Fox
04/29/21 • 69 min
The Power of Voice Roundtable
This is the first special edition roundtable episode. These episodes provide an in depth look at an interesting topic. They feature guests who are experts in the specific area, who share their experience and then discuss the connection between that area and leadership
Today’s topic is the connection between voice, creativity and leadership.
Allison Bennie, Jenee Halstead and Ruby Rose Fox have one thing in common. Each one of them started their career as a singer and performer. And each one of them found an interesting way to expand beyond voice to use their experience to help people in different areas of their life.
We start from their stories, what attracted each one of them to sing and how they went on the journey to be an artist. It is a pretty raw and candid discussion. Along with the passion and the joys, they cover some of the less known and less glamorous realities of life as an independent artist and as a woman in show business.
From there, we talk about the moment when they realized that their expertise in voice and performance could actually benefit people who are not artists, and how the three of them has used this platform to expand career into new areas . Spoiler alert: everyone can sing, no matter what they have been told. You will hear about the physiology of voice, and what impact realizing they can sing has on adults who were told their whole life they couldn’t.
Of course, we talk about some of the connections between voice and leadership. And they share some exercises that you can use in your everyday life to improve your overall presence as a leader, in any situation. As usual, we close the episode with some great recommendations for food for the soul.
Enjoy this episode, it is a good one.
Key Takeaways:
04:14 – Dino introduces today’s special roundtable episode, featuring Jenee Halstead, Allison Bennie and Ruby Rose Fox
07:25 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby share the moment they realized they wanted to become performers
11:37 – The less glamorous side of being an independent artist
23:28 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby talk about what led them to pursue more powerful and meaningful initiative through their collective experiences as artists
40:45 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby provide advice for those looking to truly be seen more
54:15 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby share some food for your soul
59:38 – Dino thanks Jenee, Allison and Ruby for all joining the show
1:02:25 – Dino leaves the audience with two songs: ‘Solitary People,’ by Jenee and ‘Matador,’ by Ruby
Tweetable Quotes:
“I’m a musical artist of various kinds and storyteller of various kinds.” (05:09) (Ruby)
“So, here were these white men who were telling me how to get my dream as how I saw it. And I said, ‘Ok, cool. I’ll stop eating.’ So I did and I lost a ton of weight very quickly. I got very ill, very weak, and lost my voice. By the age of twenty-four my voice was gone and my singing career was over.” (13:50) (Allison)
“I didn’t know why, but my heart was calling me somewhere else. And, I think I could have stayed in theatre if I had wanted to but there was so much negativity there. And I knew that I could produce my own shows, put my name on the marquee so they know a woman is coming through the door. And it just empowered me in a way that made me feel like an entrepreneur.” (18:16) (Ruby)
“Since that time, it’s just been really a process of facing my own insecurities and my own fears around being seen.” (22:47) (Jenee)
“Just all these little pieces of saying yes, and saying yes, and saying yes, and realizing that all of this stuff that I had been through and all of this training that I had was still within me.” (26:43) (Allison)
“Everybody can sing. The fact that we’re putting people on a pedestal that only certain people are born to sing and others aren’t was just this terrible narrative that’s false. So, I’m on a path to deconstruct that.” (39:55) (Jenee)
“That’s the place to start is to breathe and to chill out and to relax and to support yourself with that breath.” (42:07) (Allison)
“Switch your focus from thinking that whatever apparatus you use – whether it’s your voice, or a saxophone, or whatever instrument you’re using to perform with – that there’s an instrument prior to that, which is your nervous system. And that instrument is what people are gonna pay you a lot of money to see.” (49:35) (Ruby)
“Nobody comes to me for voice lessons because they want to be a professional singer. I don’t teach professional singers. I have no interest in polishing something to perfection. I only work with people who just want to connect with something.” (52:48) (Allison)
Links Mentioned:
Dino’s Email –
The Power of Voice Roundtable
This is the first special edition roundtable episode. These episodes provide an in depth look at an interesting topic. They feature guests who are experts in the specific area, who share their experience and then discuss the connection between that area and leadership
Today’s topic is the connection between voice, creativity and leadership.
Allison Bennie, Jenee Halstead and Ruby Rose Fox have one thing in common. Each one of them started their career as a singer and performer. And each one of them found an interesting way to expand beyond voice to use their experience to help people in different areas of their life.
We start from their stories, what attracted each one of them to sing and how they went on the journey to be an artist. It is a pretty raw and candid discussion. Along with the passion and the joys, they cover some of the less known and less glamorous realities of life as an independent artist and as a woman in show business.
From there, we talk about the moment when they realized that their expertise in voice and performance could actually benefit people who are not artists, and how the three of them has used this platform to expand career into new areas . Spoiler alert: everyone can sing, no matter what they have been told. You will hear about the physiology of voice, and what impact realizing they can sing has on adults who were told their whole life they couldn’t.
Of course, we talk about some of the connections between voice and leadership. And they share some exercises that you can use in your everyday life to improve your overall presence as a leader, in any situation. As usual, we close the episode with some great recommendations for food for the soul.
Enjoy this episode, it is a good one.
Key Takeaways:
04:14 – Dino introduces today’s special roundtable episode, featuring Jenee Halstead, Allison Bennie and Ruby Rose Fox
07:25 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby share the moment they realized they wanted to become performers
11:37 – The less glamorous side of being an independent artist
23:28 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby talk about what led them to pursue more powerful and meaningful initiative through their collective experiences as artists
40:45 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby provide advice for those looking to truly be seen more
54:15 – Jenee, Allison and Ruby share some food for your soul
59:38 – Dino thanks Jenee, Allison and Ruby for all joining the show
1:02:25 – Dino leaves the audience with two songs: ‘Solitary People,’ by Jenee and ‘Matador,’ by Ruby
Tweetable Quotes:
“I’m a musical artist of various kinds and storyteller of various kinds.” (05:09) (Ruby)
“So, here were these white men who were telling me how to get my dream as how I saw it. And I said, ‘Ok, cool. I’ll stop eating.’ So I did and I lost a ton of weight very quickly. I got very ill, very weak, and lost my voice. By the age of twenty-four my voice was gone and my singing career was over.” (13:50) (Allison)
“I didn’t know why, but my heart was calling me somewhere else. And, I think I could have stayed in theatre if I had wanted to but there was so much negativity there. And I knew that I could produce my own shows, put my name on the marquee so they know a woman is coming through the door. And it just empowered me in a way that made me feel like an entrepreneur.” (18:16) (Ruby)
“Since that time, it’s just been really a process of facing my own insecurities and my own fears around being seen.” (22:47) (Jenee)
“Just all these little pieces of saying yes, and saying yes, and saying yes, and realizing that all of this stuff that I had been through and all of this training that I had was still within me.” (26:43) (Allison)
“Everybody can sing. The fact that we’re putting people on a pedestal that only certain people are born to sing and others aren’t was just this terrible narrative that’s false. So, I’m on a path to deconstruct that.” (39:55) (Jenee)
“That’s the place to start is to breathe and to chill out and to relax and to support yourself with that breath.” (42:07) (Allison)
“Switch your focus from thinking that whatever apparatus you use – whether it’s your voice, or a saxophone, or whatever instrument you’re using to perform with – that there’s an instrument prior to that, which is your nervous system. And that instrument is what people are gonna pay you a lot of money to see.” (49:35) (Ruby)
“Nobody comes to me for voice lessons because they want to be a professional singer. I don’t teach professional singers. I have no interest in polishing something to perfection. I only work with people who just want to connect with something.” (52:48) (Allison)
Links Mentioned:
Dino’s Email –
Previous Episode
006 Dr. Steve Yacovelli - The Gay Leadership Dude - Authenticity - Conscious Inclusivity
Welcome to Authentic Leadership for Everyday People, the podcast that investigates the connection between effective leadership and authenticity. Today, Dino is sitting down with speaker, author and catalyst, Dr. Steve Yacovelli, a.k.a. “The Gay Leadership Dude.” Steve is the Founder and Principle of Top Dog Learning Group, a firm that provides guidance and solutions in leadership, change management, diversity and inclusion. Steve is an expert practitioner in leadership, change management and diversity and inclusion, a published author, and a sought after keynote speaker. He’s worked one-on-one with some of the most prestigious global firms and institutions, including Disney, IBM, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The Ohio State University.
In this episode, Steve opens up about how he came to embrace his identity as LGBTQ+ and the impact that had on how Steve showed up to work. Dino and Steve talk about trends Steve has noticed in twenty years as a leadership trainer in Corporate America, the value that equity, diversity and inclusion bring to an organization and the connection between authenticity and courage.
Key Takeaways:
01:28 – Dino opens the episode by sharing his connection with today’s guest, Dr. Steve Yacovelli, who speaks to discovering his true authentic self and the role that equity has in the workplace
08:07 – What led Steve to focus on training and development
10:10 – Steve expounds on The Top Six Leadership Competencies he helps his clients develop
14:26 – Steve provides insights and advice on leadership
16:37 – The significant shifts in leadership that Steve has observed throughout his career
18:15 – Steve speaks to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace
22:13 – Advantages to having a more equitable and diverse workforce
25:44 – Steve talks about the conscious choice to brand himself as The Gay Leadership Dude
32:31 – The connection between authenticity and courage
39:04 – How Steve built up his own courage
42:19 – Practical steps that can be taken to enhance the voices of marginalized groups
44:51 – The business phrases that drive Steve absolutely crazy
45:48 – Steve shares some food for your soul
49:01 – Dino leaves the audience with ‘Let the Music Deliver Me,’ a song written and performed by his wife, Susan Cattaneo
Tweetable Quotes:
“I started spending my focus trying to help folks really see that leadership is important – regardless of if you’re an army of one or an army of a thousand – and what can you do to be more effective in that leadership journey that you’re on.” (09:56)
“The number one strategy that I share with any leader, regardless of the level that you’re at, is your job is to cultivate the garden.” (14:51)
“Several studies show that if you have diverse Boards of Directors and C-Suites, your profits are better.” (25:02)
“If you focus on these competencies that I identify, which are authenticity, courage, empathy, effective communication, relationships and shaping culture, you’re gonna be just awesomely inclusive and really successful.” (30:02)
“To be authentic is to be courageous and to own it and to be yourself.” (34:23)
“If you’re a rock star at what you do, where you live won’t matter.” (37:43)
“I could take my three hundred and fifty-six page book, put it to one page, one word. And that’s trust. Best, authentic, effective leaders have trust with those around them. And that’s not just direct reports, that’s 360.” (40:11)
Links Mentioned:
Authentic Leadership for Everyday People Website
Next Episode
008 Rand Fishkin - A Different View of Tech Startups
If you enter the phrase “top digital marketers in the world” in a google search, chances are you will get a list with 10 names, and among those names, you will find Rand Fishkin, our guest for today. Rand is an entrepreneur and author. Currently he is CEO of SparkToro, an organization that helps entrepreneurs, marketers, and product folks of all stripes uncover the publications and people that influence their target audience. In this episode, Rand talks about the importance of building organizations with strong core values and best practices for being a conscientious, thoughtful and empathetic leader. Rand presents a vision of the tech start-up world very different from what you hear in the predominant discourse. And in sharing the origin story of his latest startup, SparkToro, he details how his vision has informed the strategic choices he made in the process and how his definition of success has evolved throughout his career.
Key Takeaways:
01:12 – Introducing today’s guest, Rand Fishkin, who shares his thoughts on authenticity and seminal moments from his career where he discovered who he was as a leader
08:06 – Rand reflects on what he learned throughout the journey of building his software company, Moz
09:23 – The importance Rand placed on building out company values at Moz
11:47 – Rand talks his struggles with Imposter Syndrome
14:16 – Rand provides advice to those who are considering entrepreneurship or launching startups
18:14 – How Rand’s personal definition of success has evolved throughout his career
23:45 – Rand speaks to the evolution of content, SEO and building brands through digital marketing tactics
28:03 – Rand tells the origin story of his latest startup, SparkToro
32:18 – How Rand built SparkToro and the key decisions that were instrumental to the success of his company
34:07 – Rand talks about the importance of being a conscientious, thoughtful and empathetic leader and founder
36:18 – Rand talks about some of his passions and how they impact how he shows up at work
37:42 – The business phrases that drive Rand absolutely crazy
41:07 – Rand shares some food for your body and food for your soul
47:28 – Dino leaves the audience with ‘Outsider,’ a song written and performed by Honest Mechanic, a band featuring Dino’s wife, Susan Cattaneo
Tweetable Quotes:
“I think it’s really terrible to have a set of stated values – of expressed values that you put on the wall or the website – that are not lived up to internally.” (11:20)
“I suspect that some of it is biology and some of it is culture and some of it is upbringing. Those are generally the forces that shape us as human beings.” (12:22)
“I would urge folks that if you want to focus on the financial side, I would focus on profits over sales and revenue. If you want to focus on happiness, I would worry much less about size. Most entrepreneurs I know who have businesses between five and fifty employees are much happier than those that have five hundred to five thousand.” (16:23)
“I love proving people wrong. Oh man. When someone tells me ‘You can’t do this. No way that’s gonna work,’ oh my God, there’s nothing more I like more than proving them wrong.” (23:37)
“What does it mean to be a conscientious and thoughtful and empathetic leader and founder and company? And what is the way we want to participate in the world around us. Those are big picture conversations.” (35:29)
“I think it’s pretty darn obvious to anyone and everyone that if all you’re after is Google rankings: A.) That might not be the best thing in the world, you might want to diversify your marketing and B.) Links are not all there is to Google.” (39:23)
Links Mentioned:
Authentic Leadership for Everyday People Website
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