#6 Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt - The MAPS to a Big League City

05/07/19 • 68 min

There have been three Presidents who’ve served as mayors prior to taking office. Grover Cleveland, served as the mayor of Buffalo, NY. Andrew Johnson, as mayor of Greeneville Tennessee and Calvin Coolidge as mayor of Northhampton, Massachusetts. Today, Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, Indiana is running for the 2020 presidential bid - and until recently, many speculated that Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti would also run though he’s publicly decided against the presidential bid.

Although, most people look at federal and state governments for solutions. When it comes to our most serious social, economic and environmental challenges, the roadmap to creating change often lies in the communities where people actually live and work. It all goes back to designing the city in which you’d like to live. That’s why we believe that Mayors can play a huge role in building sustainable economies and communities.

In today’s episode, we follow one of those Mayors with a strong influence in the community. Oklahoma City’s Mayor, David Holt, was elected to office in 2018 with 78% of the vote. He is the youngest and first Native American person to serve as Mayor of Oklahoma City. Mayor Holt has a long history in public service. Prior to serving as Mayor, he served as State Senator, Chief of Staff to former Mayor Mick Cornett, and in the White House during the George W. Bush’s Administration.

Mayor Holt believes that even though Oklahoma City has come far, as one of the fastest growing midsize cities in the country, the long-term sustainability of that growth, needs to ensure that every part of the city benefits from its momentum.

Join us as we learn more about Oklahoma City’s Mayor early start in politics, his vision for a unified city and his approach to managing the fast pacing growth of one of the most up and coming cities in America.

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#5 Jill Castilla - Small Bank, Big Impact

With only 18 percent of startups ever accessing a bank loan, finding community banks that see the long-term value of working with early stage entrepreneurs even if they are not bankable right away, is a rare find. Jill Castilla, President and CEO of Edmond Citizen’s Bank is one of those rare finds. As a Fintech inventor herself, she believes in fostering the next generation of businesses and has even transformed 15,000 square feet of unused office space into Vault 405, a co-sharing space for startups and early stage entrepreneurs. Jill is also a big proponent of organic growth and is the chief architect of Heard on Hurd, an outdoor community appreciation event drawing more than 45,000 visitors.

But the Journey hasn’t been a smooth ride for Jill. She took over the bank at a time of turmoil and was forced to make difficult decisions in order to save the bank. She also had to deal with peers who didn’t believe in her unconventional approach. Jill ultimately led a successful turnaround and changed the bank’s story from one of near collapse and failure to one of transformation.

Jill has been named “Most Innovative CEOs in Banking”, "Community Banker of the Year" and one of the "Most Powerful Women in Banking". But she still remembers her humble beginnings, and like most of us, she suffers from the impostor syndrome from time to time. Join us as we find out more about her passion for entrepreneurs and how she’s managed to keep her small bank competitive using technology and social media.

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#7 Stephanie Conduff - Founder of Leche Lounge: Creating Safe Spaces for Working Moms

Managing the nuances of returning to work, while caring for an infant is a heroic endeavor. That’s why having the support of management and peers is not only encouraged but critical. Particularly for moms who choose to breastfeed. Nearly 4 million babies are born each year in America and according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 out of 10 moms choose to breastfeed. Many of these moms are going back to work quickly for economic reasons -- in fact, it’s not uncommon for women to cut their maternity leaves short.

Companies that commit to supporting working mothers during this time, experience higher retention rates and increased engagement. Yet to this day, most workplaces don’t have access to a private and clean place to pump milk. This despite legislation requiring employers with 50 employees or more to provide ample break time and a private space other than a bathroom -- for nursing moms.

Stephanie Conduff wants to change that. A lawyer by trade, Stephanie considered becoming America’s premiere lactation rights attorney. But, she quickly realized, she could get settlements for her clients but she wouldn’t achieve the social change she ultimately wanted. So she took an entrepreneurial approach instead and founded Leche Lounge, a company providing portable units for pumping and nursing mothers (and as she explains in the episode, dads too). Stephanie is defeating the odds on multiple levels. She has pitched on national competitions to prominent female investors and leaders like Ariana Huffington. As a bootstrapped founder, she has managed to place her product in multinational corporations, like Nike’s Headquarters in NY, airports, convention centers and she is even working with the Air Force to provide a solution for our servicewomen who are deployed while still breastfeeding. She’s also been featured on Good Morning America, Entrepreneur, and Forbes. Join us as we learn more about her journey of solving problems for working mothers while creating employment opportunities for the Cherokee Nation.