Summary:

In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate sits down with Erica Hakonson, CEO and founder of Maven Collective Marketing, to talk about what happens when purpose is not a side project, but the operating system of a business. Erica shares her journey from aspiring academic to entrepreneur, the two-year push to become a certified B Corp, and why giving is not a nice-to-have for her team, it is a responsibility. They walk through Maven’s Pay It Forward initiative, how employee goals now include impact, and why purpose-driven companies can still be wildly profitable.

Takeaways:

• B Corp certification is a rigorous, ongoing commitment, not a one-time badge.
• Purpose-driven practices can live right inside day-to-day operations, not just in marketing copy.
• Giving back can look like money, skills, time, and simple presence in your local community.
• Employees stay longer when they feel like true stakeholders in the mission, not just the work.
• You can grow a profitable business that also funds real-world change, year after year.

👉🏻Contact information for Erica Honkonson: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericahakonson/

B Corp - Maven Collective: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/company/maven-collective-marketing/

B Corp Mission: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/

Officially B Corp Certified: https://mavencollectivemarketing.com/insights/maven-collectives-journey-to-b-corp-certification/

2026 Microsoft Partnership Survey: https://bit.ly/FY26-MSPartner-Survey

2025 Microsoft Partner Global Benchmarking & Insights Report: https://bit.ly/ms-partner-report

Maven Collective Learn With Us: https://www.youtube.com/@MavenCollectiveMarketing

Maven Collective Sneak Peak into Our Culture: https://www.instagram.com/mavencollectivemarketing/

Partner Marketing Bytes Newsletter: https://bit.ly/partner-marketing-bytes

Pay It Forward Initiative: https://mavencollectivemarketing.com/insights/b-corp-pay-it-forward-2025/

Additionally, Maven Collective's Global Survey on AI-Driven Growth: https://www.einpresswire.com/article/866976365/inside-the-1-2t-microsoft-partner-economy-maven-collective-marketing-unveils-2026-global-survey-on-ai-driven-growth

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Episode Summary
In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate sits down with Steven Chinsky to talk about how consulting has evolved and what the next generation of consultants truly needs to grow into the role with confidence and impact. They explore how mentorship and community shape not just technical skill, but presence, communication, and trust. Steve shares why functional literacy matters as much as technical knowledge, how remote work has changed rapport with customers, and why experienced professionals have a responsibility to look around and pour into those coming up behind them. At its core, this conversation is about growth, learning, and building a future that is stronger because we invested in people.

Key Takeaways

• Mentorship plays a critical role in developing confident, capable consultants
• Functional literacy and business understanding matter as much as technical skill
• Consulting today requires adaptability and continuous learning
• Remote work changes how rapport and trust are built with customers
• Strong communities help individuals grow faster and more sustainably

👉🏻Contact information for Steve Chinsky:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-chinsky-321a20/

BC 3 Amigos: https://www.youtube.com/@BC3Amigos

Email: schinsky@llconsultingservices.com

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. 20-minute conversations that stir something in your soul.
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🎧 New episodes every Monday at 8 AM ET.

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Not every year comes with trophies, promotions, or a neat list of accomplishments. Some years are quieter. Harder to explain. Still deeply formative.

In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate Coffey-Bacon sits down with Shannon Mullins, Microsoft MVP, founder, community leader, and longtime friend, to talk honestly about seasons of change. The years where you show up, keep going, and stay grounded even when there’s no highlight reel to share.

This is a conversation about trusting the process, finding steadiness in uncertainty, and recognizing growth that doesn’t announce itself right away.

Key Takeaways

• Not all growth is visible in real time
  Quiet years often prepare you for what’s next
• Staying grounded matters more than staying busy
• You’re not behind just because your year wasn’t loud

👉🏻Contact information for Shannon Mullins, MVP:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-mullinsmacc/

A BC Consulting Group: https://www.abccgroup.com/

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. 20-minute conversations that stir something in your soul.
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🎧 New episodes every Monday at 8 AM ET.

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In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate sits down with Leanne Paul to talk about what it really looks like to step away from a career, come back, and keep moving forward without waiting for permission. From social work to IT, from staying home with kids to rebuilding momentum in tech, Leanne shares how asking for opportunities, staying curious, and valuing soft skills shaped her path. This conversation is a reminder that time away doesn’t erase your experience and that growth often starts when you speak up.

Key Takeaways

• Asking opens doors faster than waiting quietly.
• Time away from work builds skills that matter more than we realize.
• Soft skills carry across industries and roles.
• Growth doesn’t require a linear career path.

In this episode, Leanne mentions Mothers and More. Mothers & More is a support and advocacy network for mothers navigating career shifts, pauses, and returns while raising families. Through local chapters and online communities, it connects women who want honest conversation, shared resources, and reassurance that their choices and experience still matter.https://www.mothersandmore.org/about-us/

Connect with Leanne Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanne-paul-9108a740/

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. 20-minute conversations that stir something in your soul.
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Resilience shows up when things do not go as planned. When the business you built gets shut down. When life forces a pivot you never asked for. When grief, disappointment, or uncertainty refuse to move on quietly.

In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate Coffey-Bacon sits down with David Fullwood to talk about resilience as a lived practice, not a motivational slogan. They explore how setbacks shape identity, how small wins rebuild trust in yourself, and why learning from the past matters more than staying loyal to it.

This conversation is about movement, belief, and continuing forward even when clarity comes later.

Key Takeaways

• Resilience begins with choice, not circumstance
• Small wins rebuild self-trust over time
• Surrounding yourself with the right people changes perspective
• Setbacks can realign you rather than stop you

Contact David:

Instagram: @dmarciano2023

Instagram: @alloysandysprings

LinkedIn: david-fullwood

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. 20-minute conversations that stir something in your soul.
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🎧 New episodes every Monday at 8 AM ET.

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This episode sits down with two women who didn’t wait for permission. Molly Fuchsel and Liz Hallen left comfortable careers to build something the Microsoft ecosystem didn’t have yet. They trusted instinct more than certainty and created PartnerIn, a home for peer learning, vulnerability, and growth. We talk about the moment they knew they had to act, how community works when it’s intentional, and what it takes to leap before you know exactly what the landing looks like.

Key Takeaways

• You don’t need the full plan to begin — you just need the cue inside you that says “this matters.”
• Community isn’t a side task. It’s a strategy built on trust, shared learning, and vulnerability.
• Partnerships thrive when both people respect each other’s strengths and move at different rhythms but with shared purpose.
• Peer learning will shape the future of the Microsoft ecosystem because no one organization can do it all.

👉🏻Contact information for

Molly Fuchsel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollyfuchsel/

Liz Hallen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizhallen/

Partnerin: https://partnerin.io/vibe

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. 20-minute conversations that stir something in your soul.
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In this heartfelt episode of Coffey Talk, Kate sits down with Brittany Burke, a Microsoft MVP and leader in the Dynamics 365 and Power Platform community, to talk about building balance across work, family, and purpose. From an unexpected start in accounting to becoming a respected voice in tech, Brittany shares how authenticity, empowerment, and community have shaped her career. Together, they explore what real balance looks like through the rhythm of building a career you love without losing sight of who you are.

Takeaways

1. Career and personal growth strengthen each other.
2. Empowerment multiplies when it’s shared.
3. Balance is a rhythm not a finish line.
4. You can have it all, just not all at once.

👉🏻Contact information for Brittany Burke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d365withbrittany/

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. 20-minute conversations that stir something in your soul.
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This short version of my conversation with Brad Prendergast gets right to the heart of it. We talk about time in a way that has nothing to do with productivity and everything to do with being alive. We break down the moments that actually shape a life, what we lose when we rush, and why attention is the real currency we’re spending every day.

You’ll hear the parts of “4,000 Weeks” that hit us the hardest, the mindset shifts we’re still working through, and the reminders we both needed about living like time actually matters.

This preview is just a slice of the full conversation, and the full episode goes even deeper into presence, choices, and what it actually means to build a life you recognize.

If this 12-minute cut resonates with you at all, I promise the full conversation will land even harder. Make time for the full episode — it’s worth it.

👉🏻Contact information for Brad Prendergast: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-prendergast/

Books we referred to:

4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals - By Oliver Burkeman

Stolen Focus; Why You Can’t Pay Attention- and How to Think Deeply Again

By Johann Hari

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

By Matthew Walker

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. 20-minute conversations that stir something in your soul.
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🎧 New episodes every Monday at 8 AM ET.

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