You know you should be networking, but when you try, it feels forced, awkward, or performative. You second-guess your outreach, overthink every word, or don’t hit send at all.

In this energizing conversation, Lis Best sits down with Carly Valancy to reframe networking as a creative, human, and even joyful practice.

Carly shares her signature framework for writing “unignorable emails” and how small, intentional reach-outs can unlock unexpected opportunities.

Together, they explore how to increase your “surface area for luck” by following curiosity, embracing honesty, and daring to be seen.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Episode Outline:

• [08:12] Why the “front door” approach to opportunities is broken—and what to do instead

• [12:21] The 4-part framework for writing an unignorable email

• [16:02] How to send bold “moonshot” emails (even when you don’t feel ready yet)

• [32:50] The difference between chasing outcomes vs. placing yourself in the “current of serendipity.”

• [45:12] Simple, actionable steps to reach out today—without overthinking or overcomplicating

Connect with Us:

• Lis Best's website
• Learn more about the Girls Club Collective
• Connect with Girls Club Collective and Lis Best on LinkedIn
• Join the next GCC Community Power Hour
• Inquire about coaching with Lis

Carly Valancy Info:

• Carly’s LinkedIn
• Carly’s website
• Reach Out Party
• TETHER

This episode was post-produced and edited by Yanina Mora.

The intro and outro music was created and produced by Daniel Mark.

About Lis:

Lis Best is an executive coach for impact leaders, founder of the Girls Club Collective, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast.

Since launching her business in 2020, Lis has helped hundreds of leaders navigate ESG and sustainability careers, launch heart-centered businesses, and become more effective change agents.

You followed the “right” path—career growth, leadership roles, meaningful work—and still, something feels off. The ambition that once fueled you now feels heavier, especially as your choices start impacting the people you love. And suddenly, the question isn’t just “What’s next?”… it’s 'Do I even want what I once worked so hard for?”

In this intimate and honest conversation, Lis Best sits down with Amber Stryker, founder and CEO of Bespoke ESG, to explore what it really looks like to reimagine ambition as you grow and evolve.

Amber shares the messy middle of building a business, charting a new path, and learning to ask: What do I want now? What do I want to try?

Together, they unpack how to let go of definitions of success that don’t serve us, lean on a human support system, honor “quiet progress,” and trust that your choices don’t have to be forever.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that growth isn’t always loud—sometimes it’s quiet, steady, and only truly visible in hindsight.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Episode Outline:

• [00:03] Why doing the thing you “said you’d never do” can unlock a new identity
• [00:06] How to rethink ambition when your priorities shift (career, family, life)
• [17:58] The power of asking “What do I want now?”—and letting go of past ambitions
• [26:40] What starting a business really looks like (including doubt, pivots, and post-it reminders)
• [31:47] How to navigate uncertainty without losing yourself—and why support systems matter
• [42:16] The idea of “quiet progress” and how to recognize wins even when they don’t feel big

Connect with Us:

• Lis Best's website
• Learn more about the Girls Club Collective
• Connect with Girls Club Collective and Lis Best on LinkedIn
• Join the next GCC Community Power Hour
• Inquire about coaching with Lis

Follow along with Amber Stryker and Bespoke ESG:

• Amber’s Linkedin
• Bespoke ESG on LinkedIn
• Bespoke ESG website and newsletter sign-up

This episode was post-produced and edited by Yanina Mora.

The intro and outro music was created and produced by Daniel Mark.

About Lis:

Lis Best is an executive coach for impact leaders, founder of the Girls Club Collective, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast.

Since launching her business in 2020, Lis has helped hundreds of leaders navigate ESG and sustainability careers, launch heart-centered businesses, and become more effective change agents.

In this episode, Lis Best sits down with Erin Byrne to explore the deeply personal and powerful concept of “enoughness.”

In a world that constantly asks us to do more, be more, and achieve more, it’s easy to lose sight of what enough even feels like. The pressure to keep up can quietly turn into burnout, self-doubt, or a lingering sense that no matter what we accomplish, it’s never quite sufficient.

From corporate burnout to redefining identity and impact, Erin shares how learning to feel—and define—“enough” can unlock clarity, purpose, and meaningful action.

Together, they unpack how embracing enoughness can help you show up more fully in your work, parenting, and the world and create space for the impact that actually matters.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Episode Outline:

• [00:03] Erin’s journey from corporate leadership burnout to redefining her identity beyond her job title
• [00:09] What “enoughness” really means—and why it’s rooted in contentment, purpose, and confidence
• [00:11] How early experiences can shape our belief systems around not feeling “good enough.”
• [00:15] Practical ways to cultivate enoughness through reflection, self-awareness, and community
• [00:21] Why small actions matter—and how to take meaningful impact without burning out

Connect with Us:

• Lis Best's website
• Learn more about the Girls Club Collective
• Connect with Girls Club Collective and Lis Best on LinkedIn
• Join the next GCC Community Power Hour
• Inquire about coaching with Lis

Erin Byrne Info:

• Linkedin
• Consulting website
• Enoughness website

This episode was post-produced and edited by Yanina Mora.

The intro and outro music was created and produced by Daniel Mark.

About Lis:

Lis Best is an executive coach for impact leaders, founder of the Girls Club Collective, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast.

Since launching her business in 2020, Lis has helped hundreds of leaders navigate ESG and sustainability careers, launch heart-centered businesses, and become more effective change agents

In this conversation, Lis Best sits down with Danielle Azoulay for an honest and expansive look at what it means to evolve—not just a business, but yourself—through uncertainty, pivots, and growth.

From navigating an in-house sustainability career to launching and reimagining a company without a perfect plan, Danielle shares the behind-the-scenes reality of entrepreneurship that we don’t often hear about.

Together, they explore how self-trust, community, experimentation, iteration, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty can become powerful tools for creating impact in both business and life.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Episode Outline:

• [05:51] How Danielle’s early life experiences shaped her path into sustainability and impact work
• [14:00] Why “just start messy” is the key to building a business that actually works
• [20:39] The challenges of the 3-year business mark—and how to evolve beyond your network
• [31:47] How to build self-trust as an entrepreneur (especially when it feels uncomfortable)
• [37:43] Why the future of some impact work is shifting from data to culture change—and what that means for you

Danielle Azoulay’s info:

Linkedin

The CSO Shop

Connect with Us:

• Lis Best's website
• Learn more about the Girls Club Collective
• Connect with Girls Club Collective and Lis Best on LinkedIn
• Join the next GCC Community Power Hour
• Inquire about coaching with Lis

About Lis:

Lis Best is an executive coach for impact leaders, founder of the Girls Club Collective, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast.

Since launching her business in 2020, Lis has helped hundreds of leaders navigate ESG and sustainability careers, launch heart-centered businesses, and become more effective change agents.

After a year away, this intimate return episode of Women Changing the World flips the microphone toward host Lis Best, who is interviewed by longtime friend and collaborator Stephanie Dolmat. In a warm and reflective conversation, she shares how motherhood is reshaping her leadership, business strategy, and focus.

The conversation weaves through community-building, entrepreneurship, and evolution, while asking a deeper question: how do we create real stability in uncertain times?

Together, they unpack how self-trust and meaningful relationships become the true foundation for sustainable impact. Without a rigid annual plan or perfectly mapped-out strategy, this season is about embracing the “next right step” and allowing clarity to emerge through action.

At its heart, this episode is a reminder that surrounding yourself with people who reflect your magic back to you can become the most reliable form of stability when the external world feels unpredictable.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Episode Outline:

• [00:01] What happened during Lis’s year away, and how motherhood shifted her perspective and still maintained the essence.
• [08:13] The surprising ripple effects of choosing presence over control
• [25:07] Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: momentum over perfection
• [27:42] What confidence and momentum actually look like inside the community
• [45:41] How can we redefine 2026 in terms of global influence and impact?

Resources Mentioned:

Ep 81 - Interview with Sam Hartsock

Ep 17 - Interview with Stephanie Dolmat

Ep 06 - Interview with Kacie Brennell

Ep 56 - Interview with Jenny Blake

Adrienne Maree Brown’s Emergent Strategy

Interviewer´s Info:

Connect with Stephanie Dolmat on LinkedIn

Connect with Us:

• Lis Best's website
• Learn more about the Girls Club Collective
• Connect with Girls Club Collective and Lis Best on LinkedIn
• Join the next GCC Community Power Hour
• Inquire about coaching with Lis

About Lis:

Lis Best is an executive coach for impact leaders, founder of the Girls Club Collective, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast.

Since launching her business in 2020, Lis has helped hundreds of leaders navigate ESG and sustainability careers, launch heart-centered businesses, and become more effective change agents.

In this episode, Lis is joined by Praise Santos McKenna, founder of Come Plum, to discuss creating your personal brand, throwing out the “shoulds” in entrepreneurship, and manifesting ease. Praise works at the beautiful intersection of brand photography and personal branding for thought leaders.

Her recent Mexico City retreat was a huge success. Praise emphasizes the importance of creating spaces in a retreat that allow space for processing and self-reflection. She also speaks to how she knew it was time to take a sabbatical, what she learned in her time of deep rest, and the role of nourishment in guiding her decision-making.

At Come Plum, a personal brand consists of the elements that make someone memorable and loveable. Praise guides listeners to a revealing question to help you hone in on your brand!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Episode Outline:

(03:09) Branding and photography to help women align with their value

(05:41) Praise’s entrepreneurial journey

(16:33) Permission to leave the “shoulds” behind

(19:15) The experience and impact of creating in-person retreats for women

(29:55) How to know when it’s time for a sabbatical

(36:39) Come Plum’s lens on personal branding

(38:55) Tips for crafting a memorable personal brand

(46:12) The importance of visibility and suggestions for embracing discomfort

(49:38) Leadership as listening, stepping back, and asking good questions

Resources Mentioned:

• Take the “What’s your personal brand vibe?“ and “What kind of business/side hustle fits your personality?“ quizzes on comeplum.com.

Guest Info:

• Connect with Praise on LinkedIn
• Follow Praise on Instagram
• Learn more on Come Plum’s website
• Listen to the Branding Your Business podcast

Follow Us:

• Learn more on our website: girlsclubcollective.co
• Follow us on Instagram: @girls_club_collective
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Girls Club Collective

About Lis:

Lis Best is an executive coach for impact leaders, founder of the Girls Club Collective, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast.

Since launching her business in 2020, Lis has helped hundreds of leaders navigate ESG and sustainability careers, launch heart-centered businesses, and become more effective change agents.

In this episode, Lis is joined by storytelling coach Liz Morrison to discuss the power of reflecting on our own stories, how to become the author of your story this year, and how you can use storytelling as a tool for connection.

Liz explains the neuroscience of storytelling and why humans have evolved through storytelling. Stories make people care, which in turn leads us to action. Stories are the ultimate first step toward creating better futures.

Liz shares what a hi-story is and her favorite tips and tricks for better communicating your own story, including her story scaffold framework and story bank method. She highlights two ways that storytelling can inform leadership. Remember, you never know who needs to hear your story!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Episode Outline:

(03:23) What does a storytelling coach do?

(08:25) How Liz turned being laid off into an empowering story

(15:46) Humans are a storytelling species

(18:04) The neuroscience behind storytelling

(21:46) Stepping into author mode

(29:30) How to craft your hi-story

(38:30) Ways to build the storytelling muscle

(44:44) How good leaders use storytelling

Resources Mentioned:

• Reflect on 2024 and begin authoring your 2025 story with this free guide.
• Receive Liz’s free storytelling worksheet, Plot The Chapters of Your Career.
• Download the Plant a Story Seed worksheet.

Guest Info:

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn
• Follow Liz on Instagram
• Learn more on Liz’ website

Follow Us:

• Learn more on our website: girlsclubcollective.co
• Follow us on Instagram: @girls_club_collective
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Girls Club Collective

About Lis:

Lis Best is an executive coach for impact leaders, founder of the Girls Club Collective, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast.

Since launching her business in 2020, Lis has helped hundreds of leaders navigate ESG and sustainability careers, launch heart-centered businesses, and become more effective change agents.

In this episode, Lis is joined by Sam Hartsock, co-founder of qb. consulting, to discuss what it means to take a human-centered approach to ESG strategy and consulting, the Remake Ambassador Program, and balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship.

The name qb. represents a female-led community in nature 🐝 and reflects the firm's mission to help organizations prioritize inclusive, diverse communities and climate resilience. Sam shares the lessons she learned at the beginning of her career in sustainable fashion and how they have impacted her work today.

She discusses the early challenges of running a small business, the wins that kept stacking over the past seven years, and how she has navigated motherhood along the way. Sam emphasizes the importance of listening to communities and designing solutions informed by local needs and perspectives, including how she does this through her work at qb. today.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Episode Outline:

(04:41) qb.’s vision for diverse communities and climate resilience

(08:35) Sam’s career journey and passion for sustainable fashion

(21:47) Creating the Remake Ambassador Program

(27:18) The early years of building qb., one project at a time

(32:25) Cold outreach and being selective about clients

(39:23) Being vulnerable and asking for help as a business owner

(43:45) Sam’s work in climate justice, climate equity, and double materiality

(49:15) Her motherhood journey as an entrepreneur

(53:00) The importance of vulnerability and accountability in leadership

Resources Mentioned:

• Remake Ambassador Program

Guest Info:

• Connect with Sam on LinkedIn
• Learn more on the qb. consulting website
• Follow Sam on Instagram
• Sign up for the qb. newsletter
• Email Sam at sam@consultqb.com

Follow Us:

• Learn more on our website: girlsclubcollective.co
• Follow us on Instagram: @girls_club_collective
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Girls Club Collective

About Lis:

Lis Best is an executive coach for impact leaders, founder of the Girls Club Collective, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast.

Since launching her business in 2020, Lis has helped hundreds of leaders navigate ESG and sustainability careers, launch heart-centered businesses, and become more effective change agents.