Time To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-Suite
The only constant is change. To successfully navigate through the change, leaders need the time and space to focus. It’s time to press pause. Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, is the host of these raw, intimate C-Suite "press pause" stories. Listen to the why, when, and how they knew it was time to press pause and their outcomes. Pausing to focus is crucial, whether it is minutes, days, weeks, or longer because some decisions can be made quickly, but many can’t and shouldn’t.
Episodes
In this special Thanksgiving episode, Ellen Williams sits down with Mas Moriya, filmmaker, producer, and founder of Filmclusive, a platform he built from scratch to make hiring in film, TV, and gaming more transparent and equitable.
Mas was once an up-and-coming creative working with the likes of Alicia Keys.
But after the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, rising production costs, and the LA fires, the industry ...
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams sits down with Jenica Norris, ADHD entrepreneur, systems strategist, and CEO of Strategic Sound Consulting, for a powerful conversation about what it really means to pause when your brain works differently.
Jenica shares how navigating neurodivergence reshaped not only her career path but also the way she approaches energy, focus, and leadership. Instead of ...
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams sits down with Sophie Devonshire, CEO of The Marketing Society and bestselling author of Superfast: Lead at Speed, to talk about why strategic pauses are the fastest way to better decisions, clearer direction, and more sustainable momentum.
Sophie shares her “squiggly career” from P&G and Coca-Cola to founding and selling an e-commerce company, moving oversea...
What happens when your career no longer aligns with your values?
In this episode, Ellen Williams speaks with Stephanie Vaughan, about pressing pause to realign your life, family, and purpose.
From walking away from corporate success to finding fulfillment through intention and emotional awareness, Stephanie shares how listening to your emotions can lead you to the right next step, both in business and at home.
They dis...
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Barbara Lange, Principal and CEO of Kibo 121, about the courage and strategy behind leaving a secure executive role to start a purpose-driven consultancy. Barbara shares how leading an organization through the pandemic sparked her decision to step away after more than a decade, embrace uncertainty, and launch a business dedicated to sustainability...
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, speaks with Laura Lampa, owner and CEO of LML StoryLab Consulting. Laura shares her incredible journey from a career in science to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
Laura reveals how a layoff became her pivotal "press pause" moment, forcing her to trust herself, embrace uncertainty, and launch her own business.
This ...
How do you rise from security guard to managing director at Morgan Stanley?
Ed Clementi did just that and then made the bold choice to bet on himself by walking away from a C-Suite career to build his own company, Inspired Fire.
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, dives into Ed’s story of resilience, self-belief, and the importance of finding alignment in your c...
In this powerful episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Scott Ballard, CEO and owner of Confidence Coach LLC, about the life-altering experience of exiting a business and navigating the uncertain space that follows. After building a highly successful company from the ground up, Scott found himself with time, money, and no clear plan. What began as a pause after selling his company became a dee...
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams interviews Anatoly Spektor, founder of Soul to Soul Business and a seasoned entrepreneur, about the pivotal pauses that reshaped his life and work. Anatoly shares his early experiences as a software developer and consultant, reflecting on how he repeatedly ignored the signs of burnout and misalignment in corporate roles. These experiences led him to press pause, j...
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Mitchell Levy, a global credibility expert, executive coach, and prolific entrepreneur. Mitchell shares his journey through various business ventures, highlighting how critical feedback, especially the kind that challenges your assumptions, can be the catalyst for meaningful growth. He discusses how his past ventures in credibility and clarity, th...
In this heartfelt episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Ann Sheu, CEO and founder of Mpowered Journey, about two pivotal moments in Ann’s life when she chose to "press pause" and radically re-evaluate how she was spending her time. The first pause came after the unexpected passing of her father, which led to deep regret over not being more present during his final days. Ann shared h...
In this heartfelt episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams sits down with Julie Niehoff, co-founder of Distance Learning Media and a long-time advocate for small businesses and veteran support. Julie shares how her intended pause to start a new business with her husband turned into an unexpected and emotional journey when her father was suddenly diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. What began as a mome...
In this powerful episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Elor Shem Tov, founder and CEO of Lucid Lev, about a deeply personal and professional moment that tested her identity and leadership. Elor recounts how unexpected accusations from colleagues in a leadership role prompted an internal investigation, threatening her reputation and sense of self. Instead of reacting defensively out of fear or...
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams welcomes Leah Salinas, former founder of a thriving beauty business and now Director at The Alexander Group. Leah shares her journey from early entrepreneurial success—launching a hair and makeup company that expanded to 14 artists and high-profile events—to burnout and the realization that her career no longer aligned with her values or family life. As weeke...
In this special one-year anniversary episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams welcomes guest Kim Poulos Lieberz, founder and CEO of KGI Design Group, for an open conversation about the challenges and importance of creating space to pause in the midst of a busy life. Instead of following the typical format where guests share a specific “press pause” story, Ellen and Kim discuss different types of pauses — fr...
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Kevin Bartram, founder and principal of Bartram Partnerships, about the pivotal moments that reshaped his career and life. Kevin reflects on his early years growing up in a challenging home environment, entering the workforce at 13, and how he built a thriving career in corporate sponsorships and sustainability-focused marketing. A turning point c...
In this heartfelt episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams speaks with Andrea Schiavone, a seasoned operations and finance executive, about how even the most intentional pauses can be derailed by life’s unpredictability. Andrea shares her journey from leading a high-growth marketing agency through its acquisition, to planning a deliberate break for self-reflection—only to have it interrupted by the sudden loss o...
In this episode, Ellen Williams interviews Jennifer Gulbrand, founder of Embody Your Essence, who shares her journey of breaking free from burnout and discovering authenticity. After 35 years in the health and wellness industry, Jennifer realized that her business success did not equate to personal fulfillment. Despite her achievements, she felt disconnected from her own truth. Through mindfulness, meditation, energy ...
In this episode, Rajen Sheth, formerly a vice president at Google Cloud AI and industry solutions, shares with host, Ellen Williams, how he took a bold step after nearly two decades at Google. Motivated by a desire to make a positive social impact, he pressed pause on his career, leaving behind the familiar security of his role to explore how technology could improve educational equity. During this hiatus, Rajen recon...
In this episode, host Ellen Williams speaks with entrepreneur and philanthropist Mei-Yung Lee about her unique approach to taking a “pause” when burnout loomed. Mei-Yung, CEO of Ageless Zen—a natural skincare research and manufacturing company—found herself overwhelmed by the demands of building her organization from the ground up. Instead of stepping away entirely, she joined her local Rotary club. This simple shift ...
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