From Hyper-Independence to Collective Healing with Erica Courdae

Feminist Founders: Building Profitable People-First Businesses

Erica Courdae joins Becky Mollenkamp for an eye-opening conversation on collective healing, interdependence, and the intersections of feminism. They dive into the difference between equity and equality, explore the power of shadow work for personal and collective liberation, and unpack the toxic culture of hyper-independence in society and business. Erica shares her journey from the beauty industry into coaching and DEI work, highlighting the importance of values-based leadership and the need to foster truly interdependent communities. Together, they challenge mainstream narratives, discuss the ongoing challenges of practicing imperfect allyship, and explore how individuals can cultivate intuition and connection as part of their leadership.

Erica Courdae Coté (she/her) is committed to shifting focus, power, and resources to support individual healing to foster a thriving community collective. She takes action through being an author coach, mentor, speaker, and 25+ year beauty industry veteran. Erica believes imperfect action is necessary as a pivotal part of evolution and growth. In 2018, Erica co-founded the Pause on the Play Podcast, which also expanded to include a consultancy. She has provided training for established businesses such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Martha Beck Incorporated, and Paul Mitchell School. Website | Instagram | Threads

Discussed in this Episode:

• The difference between equity and equality and why equity matters more in feminism
• Why interdependence is the future of sustainable communities and businesses
• The journey from hyper-independence to interdependence in life and work
• How shadow work can lead to personal and collective healing
• Feminism and intersectionality: why the personal is always political
• Erica’s transition from the beauty industry to DEI work and coaching
• The importance of values-based business and leadership
• Understanding intuition and its role in effective leadership
• The significance of collective action in social change

Resources Mentioned:

• “Who Are You? A Shadow Work Journal for Self-Exploration” by Erica Courdae: https://amzn.to/3ZOgkcW
• Pause on the Play: https://pauseontheplay.com/
• Erica’s free course: Shadow Work for Collective Healing: https://www.ericacourdae.com/shadowworkcourse
• From Implicit to Explicit workshop from Pause on the Play: https://pauseontheplay.com/explicit
• “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho: https://amzn.to/4dvVxha
• Backyard Basecamp: https://backyardbasecamp.org/