Laura Ballerini's BIO:

Perspective shifter, Laura Ballerini is an accomplished designer who has been running a thriving communications firm for over 25 years. She started her creative journey in the Advertising Department of The Calgary Herald—during the heyday of newspapers. Ballerini has a degree in Visual Communications from The Alberta University of the Arts and is a recipient of numerous awards. While she’s a quiet and introverted creative, Laura has recently found her inner badass and radiates her “quietly fierce” disposition in her work and in her personal life.

As author of The Green Velvet Chair, Laura gathered a collection of heartfelt stories depicting how art and design influence us and spur creativity in our everyday lives. The essays are viewed through her unique creative lens.

Running her own design boutique over many decades has enabled Laura to work with a variety of clients from many industries. She deliberately chose to ensure her client base was diverse and sees this as her strength. Laura comes to the table with fresh eyes and approaches every project with unique interest and expertise.

Ballerini lives in Calgary, Alberta, with her husband, children, and a pretentious cat named Gooey.

In this episode, Virginia and Laura talked about:

• Laura’s background as a designer

• The transition from print to digital media

• Networking as an introvert

• Laura’s new book The Green Velvet Chair

• The Power of Thought leadership

Takeaways:

1. Know Your Audience

2. Learn to tell your story

3. Flip the networking narrative

4. Ask great questions and listen intensely for networking success.

5. Commit to your vision even when no one else see it

Connect with Laura on her LinkedIn account to learn more about her work and insights into networking effectively:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraballerini/

Connect with Virginia:

https://www.bbrpodcast.com/

Alison's Bio:

Alison C. Jones is a leadership transformation speaker and coach, and the founder of Wellness Society LLC. She’s the best-selling author of Character Leadership, a book focused on building healthy leadership from the inside out. With a master’s in industrial/organizational psychology, multiple certifications in wellness, change management, and leadership, and decades of hands-on experience, Alison is on a mission to blend leadership and wellness into one powerful, purpose-driven path. She helps leaders and organizations reduce burnout, elevate culture, and lead with greater clarity and care. Known for her grounded presence and thoughtful insight, Alison brings heart and strategy to her work—helping leaders find clarity, connection, and renewed purpose. Outside of work, she’s an avid reader, sports enthusiast, music lover, and a passionate advocate for elephant and rhino conservation.

In this episode, Virginia and Alison talked about:

• Alison’s origin story

• How to lead from your centered self

• Alison’s GLOW program

• How to lead with light

• 5 steps of authentic leadership

Takeaways:

1. Nothing sustainable starts outside—it begins within

2. We lead by who we become

3. Don’t confuse humility with invisibility

4. Resilience isn’t found—it’s cultivated

5. Purpose isn’t a someday thing—it’s a today thing

Connect with Alison on her LinkedIn account to learn more about her work and insights into networking effectively:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alison-c-jones

Connect with Virginia:

https://www.bbrpodcast.com/

Lila Veronica's Bio:

As a Speaker, Coach and CEO of The Riverstone Movement School, Lila Veronica helps high-performers, business owners & organizational leaders own their worth & shift the physical component of their lives. She integrates mindfulness & movement into their mental-mastery journey, so her clients reach a greater potential faster without burning out. Lila has personally mentored leaders on all 7 continents.

In this episode, Virginia and Lila talked about:

• Lila’s journey to entrepreneurship

• Mistakes we make trying to sell

• The biggest challenges in the relationship business

• Practical pointers for communicating with your body

Takeaways:

1. Harness the power of PRESENCE

2. The person with the most power moves the slowest

3. Leaders don’t have boundary issues

4. The slower you go, the more trusted you are.

Connect with Lila on her social media to learn more about her work and insights into networking effectively:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelilaveronica

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelilaveronica/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lilagonzalez

Connect with Virginia:

https://www.bbrpodcast.com/