Female Fractionals

In this episode of Female Fractionals, host Amanda Nizzere sits down with Michael Lopez — author, speaker, and transformational consultant — to break down what it really takes to embrace change, especially as a fractional executive or aspiring entrepreneur.

Michael shares insights from his new book, Change Six: Science-Backed Strategies to Transform Your Brain, Body, and Behavior, and explores how we can flip the script on fear, stress, and uncertainty. Whether you're already living the fractional life or contemplating your leap, this episode will rewire how you think about discomfort, motivation, and what it means to build something of your own.

🔥 Episode Highlights:

• Michael’s eclectic background from government intelligence to corporate intrapreneur to founder
  
• Why vision boards might actually demotivate you (GASP!)
  
• How to build a healthier relationship with stress — and why it’s critical to your growth
  
• The myth of needing to “listen to your brain”
  
• How motivation is driven by action (not outcome)
  
• Why falling in love with the process is more powerful than achieving the end goal
  
• The science behind why doing hard things builds a stronger brain
  
• Practical advice on pricing, outreach, and business development as a fractional
  
• What Michael would do differently two years into his entrepreneurial journey
  

Grab Michael’s Book: Change Six: Science-Backed Strategies to Transform Your Brain, Body, and Behavior on Amazon and other major platforms. You can also find it on his website: michaeljlopez.coach

✨ Learn More: Visit femalefractionals.com for the full transcript and links to everything we discussed.

In this episode of Female Fractionals, Amanda sits down with Erika Weiss — a seasoned fractional CMO, founder of Elevated Brand, and adjunct professor at Loyola Marymount University. With a rich background in brand strategy, fitness, wellness, and consumer marketing, Erika shares her journey from corporate leadership to launching her own consultancy after four layoffs in four years.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

• Why Erika left the corporate world to create her own path as a fractional executive
  
• Her personal definition of what it really means to be “fractional” — and why embedding with the client is key
  
• The importance of resilience, upskilling, and building a strong professional network
  
• How Erika lands clients through authentic relationship-building and a standout LinkedIn presence
  
• Tactical advice for marketing yourself as a fractional, especially in competitive industries
  
• How she balances her roles as a consultant, professor, and mom — and why agency over her time is her biggest win
  
• What she wishes she’d known at the start of her fractional journey
  

💡 Erika’s mantras:
“Resilience is my ethos.”
“Always be learning.”
“Make friends before you need them.”

📘 Mentioned in the episode:

• Obsessed by Emily Heyward (Erika’s favorite business book)
  
• Her mentors she wants to give a shout-out to: Gordon Ho and Suzanne Blankenship
  

🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a review if you enjoyed the episode!
🌐 Full transcript and links: femalefractionals.com

What happens when a fractional CMO meets the rise of AI? Magic—and massive efficiency. You'll want to grab a pen and paper for this one!

In this episode of Female Fractionals, host Amanda Nizzere sits down with the dynamic Crys Black, a fractional CMO and RevOps leader at Crys Black Consulting. Crys shares how she leverages over a dozen AI and tech tools to run her business, amplify client results, and build an AI-powered digital twin to manage her social presence (yes, really!).

You’ll hear how her nonlinear career—from IT to marketing to fractional life—intersects with her love of experimentation, and how AI has not only improved her workflows but also helped her create a custom Valentine’s Day album.

Whether you're overwhelmed by the pace of new tools or just wondering where to start, this episode will give you inspiration, a real-world roadmap, and full permission to just start playing.

💡 Highlights:

• How Crys transitioned from Silicon Valley IT to fractional CMO life
  
• Her go-to AI tools, including ChatGPT, Motion, Storm, and Lovable
  
• How she uses deep research tools to prep for sales calls in 10 minutes flat
  
• Why your digital twin might be your best content creator yet
  
• Her approach to staying current without getting overwhelmed
  
• How she used AI to win Valentine’s Day (we’re serious)
  

🔗 Resources + Links:

• Connect with Crys Black on LinkedIn
  
  
• Tools like Motion
  
  
• AI Book Mentioned: The Playground (fiction)
  

✨ Fractional doesn’t have to mean frazzled. With the right tools, you can scale your value—without scaling your hours.

Visit FemaleFractionals.com for the full transcript and bonus resources from this episode.

In this powerful episode, host Amanda Nizzere welcomes Erin Coupe—founder of Authentically EC, transformational speaker, and mindset coach—to share her extraordinary journey from burnout in high-powered corporate roles to building a soul-aligned business.
After nearly two decades in global companies like Goldman Sachs and CBRE, Erin hit a turning point. She transitioned from defining herself by job titles to rediscovering her true identity. Erin shares how childhood adversity shaped her grit, why she walked away from Wall Street, and the inner work that led her to a thriving coaching business rooted in authenticity.
Whether you're navigating burnout, exploring fractional work, or considering entrepreneurship, Erin’s story offers a roadmap for reclaiming your energy, identity, and joy.
What You’ll Learn:

• Erin’s journey from financial hardship to corporate success—and why she walked away
• The two pivotal moments that catalyzed her career and mindset transformation
• How to begin a soul-aligned pivot before leaving your current job
• Why action (not clarity) is the key to confidence
• How to quiet your inner critic by naming it (Erica, anyone?)
• What it means to ritualize your life and shift from obligation to intention
• Practical tools for navigating burnout and rediscovering yourself

Links & Resources:
💼 Authentically EC – Erin’s Website
→ Subscribe for alignment insights + grab Erin’s free mindset mastery guide
🎧 The Erin Coupe Podcast – bite-sized wisdom in under 15 minutes
📚 Pre-order Erin’s book (coming September 2025!) – stay tuned for title reveal
👥 Want to go deeper? Apply to Erin’s private cohort experience. Podcast listeners receive $100 off if accepted.

Amanda Nizzere is joined by fractional CMO Kymm Martinez, CEO of Wilder Marketing Group. With a 25+ year career that spans Fortune 200 brands, nonprofits, and higher ed—including CMO roles at General Mills, the University of St. Thomas, and the American Cancer Society—Kymm now leads her own fractional marketing firm with purpose, flexibility, and impact at the core.

In this refreshingly honest conversation, Kymm shares what prompted her bold leap at age 55, why she left a high-profile job with no backup plan, and how she gave herself space to figure out what came next. She discusses the difference between consulting and fractional work, the joy (and surprises) of entrepreneurship, and how she’s using automation and AI to scale her business and her network.

Whether you’re thinking of launching your own fractional business or wondering what happens after you leap—this episode is packed with practical insight, inspiration, and real talk from someone who’s walking the walk.

Resources & Tools Mentioned:

• 💼 Wilder Marketing Group
  
  
• 🧰 Tools: HubSpot CRM (free version), ChatGPT, SCORE/SBA, LinkedIn
  

Favorite Quote from Kymm:

“I’m still a work in progress—but I’ve learned to stop defining myself by my last job title. I have so much more to give, and now I get to decide how and when I give it.”

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