“As a parent, I cannot think of any other reason to bring a human into this world, other than to support the flourishing of a life's fullest expression.”There is a difference between a business owner and a business leader. Business ownership historically leads patriarchally, treating employees as property, a means to an end, and disposable. Business leadership seeks to operate more matriarchally, working to create a culture and environment that supports onward and upward economic mobility. Do you own, or do you lead? Creating the infrastructure for girls, women, and mothers to flourish within your company is not too complicated. It’s actually easier than you think - but it may cost you a bit of time and intention. In this episode, I’ll give you some simple ways to get started, infuse some matriarchal leadership strategies, and help you position your business as a leader in your industry.Go HERE to read the essay that inspired this episode.xoxoxo,Melinda

What does cancer have to do with communication? If you think about it, communication dysfunctions also hide out as nameless, faceless, sabotaging agents that are capable of wreaking havoc on the health of personal and professional relationships. Communication challenges can also poison workplace culture, spreading toxicity swiftly and quietly through disengaged, careless, and fearful members. Not many people like confrontation or stepping in as mediators to conflict - but what would happen if instead of hiding out, we practiced embracing organizational tensions? Communication is fluid, not fixed, and that means there are multiple junctures that provide opportunities for infusing fresh insights, empathy, respect, and consideration into everyday workflows.Great leaders make space for the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, the comfortable and the uncomfortable, because a great leader knows how to learn something from everything.Through Conrad and Poole's system's principles, curating a healthy communication flow is not as difficult as it may seem. The value of systems thinking is that it provides a focus on the framework - creating space for humanity to flow in and throughout - with the opportunity to adapt with advancement. Communication skills, strategic thinking, and mindfulness are essential skills for leaders of the future. If we hope to lead, direct, govern, or oversee people - we need to continually practice improving communications skills. This episode of Coeur d'Femme was created from the blog post, Cancerous Communications. If you would like more information on topics related to communications theories and strategic communication planning, join me HERE. I hope this episode leaves you with some things to contemplate before embarking on the new year. Take with you what worked, leave behind what breeds unnecessary challenges, and let's keep on moving forward. Melinda

Scientific theories are not just for business leaders or corporate giants - they can also be applied to personal leadership, parenting, and for improving relationships. Join me in an exploration of the theory of the Communicative Constitution of Organizations (CCO), commonly called the Four Flows theory, where I discuss the ways this theory makes its presence in the practical world whether you are an individual or represent an organization. The Four Flows theory places communication at the helm of organizational and relational ecosystems, modeling flows of dialogue that supports movement along dialogue and through challenges. We say this a lot here at Coeur d'Femme: communication is fluid, not fixed. Health has a flow. Stagnation and blockage lead to dysfunction and disease. You'll find it easier to embrace communication tensions when applying a model for moving dialogue forward. Personal and professional relationships require investment and a commitment to listening and learning; one way to invest in your communication skills is to learn about the Four Flows theory. You'll learn more about yourself, and others while enlarging your capacity to communicate effectively. This project is part of Gonzaga University's master's in Communication and Leadership program. To learn more about the Four Flows theory, or to follow up with me about how this theory could help you improve operations or relationships, join me HERE.

Welcome back to season 2 of Coeur d'Femme. In this episode I sat down with Jackie McCormick in the summer of 2021 and discussed her work with The Northwest Femicide Project, how her passion became a pursuit, and how women (and men) can pay closer attention to these acts of violence against women. Jackie's research is hosted on Instagram at @nwfemicideproject where she continues to educate, inform, and share stories that jostle complacency about femicide - the murder of women because they are women. Jackie's hope is to continue identifying and highlighting the predatory elements that comprise femicide and doing her unique work towards dismantling it, amplifying the charge of freedom for women to live their fullest lives. Femicide is described as a silent killer because the term "femicide" is not typified. Once labeled a "crime of passion", more and more organizations and nations are identifying the "constellations of conditions" that point to this extremist display of violence and are actively working to 1.) define it, and 2.) create policy to fight against it. There's a lot to talk about when women take up meaningful work, and Jackie is clear on the value of having multiple avenues of support, encouragement through partnership, and the commitment to listening to inner wisdom, emotions and instincts. Jackie's work not only teaches us more about important issues affecting women, but also about the necessities of life for women who chase their passions - especially those that instigate challenging conversations and demand change. With faithful devotion to trusting her process, Jackie envelopes the purposes of Coeur d'Femme, a listening to what's at the heart of feminism: to see women flourish wholly unto themselves, free from abuse, control, or fear of violence. For more information on femicide in the U.S., and around the world, start here:Femicide: a silent epidemicDATAWOMEN COUNT USAMMIW - (missing murdered indigenous women)[ TW: disturbing conversations about violence against women ]

Hey friends, Melinda here. Welcome back to the second season of Coeur d'Femme. I thought I would kick off this session with some reflection on closing The Hive, get a little bit vulnerable, and chat about what's next for the podcast. As always, Coeur d'Femme aims to center the voices and lived experiences of women, mothers, and femmes, in the Inland Northwest, placing high value on the belief that women are wholly intelligent, and creative beings, in and unto themselves. As a communications analyst, I truly appreciate listener insight, feedback, and suggestions for future shows, so don't be a stranger. Let's turn this monologue into a dialogue and just talk about it.

Coeur d’Femme carries on with episode 3 of Shameless, The Empowerment of Sexuality. In this episode, Melinda and Tiana pass the mic to two confident and kind local men, Jake Casey and Michael Cadwallader. Jake is a lover, tattoo artist, fitness coach, and Shibari practitioner. Michael is a father of three, committed partner of 15 years, outdoor enthusiast, and wellness Chiropractor.Unashamed of their own sexual history and continuously curious in the quest for hosting female pleasure, these men will have all genders laughing, applauding, and considering possible improvements within sexual experiences.  Join the femmes and the mens as they expose gender-biased upbringings, uncover the “ferocious veracity” of a pure sex, and engage in raw, hilariously punny talk about sex that will have you marveling at the emergence of a more caring and conscious masculinity. Warning: this episode contains mature content and colorful language. Batteries are most certainly included! Coeur d’Femme is proud to engage in promoting a SEX POSITIVE community, where learning about one another’s lived experiences, through dialogue and discussion, helps society move beyond reckless to responsible - beyond burden to a blessing - and advance women from identifying as “on the rag, such a drag” to “divine queen, doing her thing.”Coeur d’Femme is a podcast for elevating the femme perspective. Recorded and produced at The Hive CDA, with your hosts Melinda Cadwallader and Tiana Simmons. Looking to host your own podcast? Check out thehivecda.com for membership information. Stop waiting for an invitation and start your own show!

Empowered people respect, honor and engage in regular dialogue about SEX. Sex is natural, sex is fun, sex is best when it's...however you choose to have it! Talking about sex helps us to become better communicators, better lovers, and better humans. In this episode, Tiana answers questions about her sexuality, what makes her purr, and how playful sex left a scar on her nose, while Melinda discusses the joy of staying sexually curious after 15 years of marriage. Coeur d’Femme is a podcast for elevating the femme perspective in North Idaho. Recorded and produced in the media room at The Hive CDA, with your hosts Melinda Cadwallader and Tiana Simmons. Looking to host your own podcast? Check out thehivecda.com for membership information and start your project today!

In this first episode of the series, Shameless: The Empowerment of Sexuality, Melinda and Tiana get down to the roots of all the sex firsts - first education, first curiosities, and first experiences of shame. With Tiana in her 20s, and Melinda in her 40s, their stories and experiences may sound different, but the common thread of “hearts over parts” rings true for both. Coeur d’Femme is proud to engage in promoting a SEX POSITIVE community, where learning about one another’s lived experiences, through dialogue and discussion, helps society move beyond reckless to responsible, beyond burden to a blessing, and advance from identifying as “on the rag, such a drag” to “divine queen, doing her thing.”Coeur d’Femme is a podcast for elevating the femme perspective in North Idaho. Recorded and produced in the media room at The Hive CDA, with your hosts Melinda Cadwallader and Tiana Simmons. Looking to host your own podcast? Check out thehivecda.com for membership information and start your project today!

Growing things may come easily to women, but that doesn't mean maternal leadership is only for women. Maternal leadership is gender neutral, offering space to what we cannot yet see and empowering that which relies upon our nurture to thrive. In this episode of Coeur Notes, Coeur d'Femme host Melinda Cadwallader talks about the leadership of nurturing, and how The Hive was designed to host a variety of ambitious pursuits.

She Started It: stories of women who go after, chase, and work to make things happen.You gotta start somewhere! Melinda and Tiana dream together about what Coeur d'Femme can offer the local community, in this very first, unedited episode. Before The Hive was open, before the media room was built out, and before they knew what hosting a podcast would look like - Melinda and Tiana just decided to get it started.

Coeur d’Alene just got a little cooler since The CDA Flea came to town, thanks to Nicole and Alexis, friends and business partners who created a space for artisans and small business owners to pop-up, show up and share their goods with the local community. Hosted at the beautiful Roosevelt Inn in downtown CDA, The CDA Flea is quickly becoming the best gig to wander into on a warm, summer, Sunday morning. In this episode of HerStory, your Coeur d'Femme host, Melinda, joins Nicole, and Alexis in discussing a changing landscape of “work”, adventures of discovering new avenues of interest, lessons from the first year hosting CDA Flea, and the imperative labors of open communication. With a few sips of tequila, the “Flea Girls” also open up about their working friendship, getting into “spats”, and their hopes for a fun future in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Coeur d’Alene is a better town because of salon professionals like Chantell Steinke. In this episode of HerStory, Melinda and Chantell talk about the value of beauty industry education, the importance of caring for your self, and the magical adventure of chasing your self-confidence across the globe.Chantell is not just a talented hairstylist, she is also a visionary and philanthropist who launched the charity, Cut Kids Hunger, where 100% of haircut proceeds help feed our local youth. Operating out of Voiage Salon in Midtown CDA, Chantell’s investment into herself has resulted in dividends benefitting our town, our schools, and our kids. Coeur d’Femme elevates the femme perspective by sharing the real stories of women at work in our local area. By publishing Chantell’s empowering experiences, in her own words, we help to inspire other women to take the lead in their own industries, communities and in their own unique capacity. When women show up for themselves, all those around them benefit. SAVE THE DATE: Cut Kids Hunger haircut fundraiser - Sunday, June 27, 10am at Studio Cultive. $15 minimum donation. Kids up to age 12, appointment only. Contact @cutkidshunger or email cutkidshunger@gmail.com for more information.

Melinda joins Dr. Molly Kreyssler of Bloom Coaching, in a quick-wit conversation on growth and development of our local youth. Molly is here to remind us that our kids need someone who’s not their mom to talk to, sometimes. Dr. Molly started Bloom Coaching as a side hustle while working at Gonzaga University over a decade ago - now, she’s coaching full-time, where her most important question she asks students is, “where do you want to put your energy into the world?”In hospitality-driven economies, Molly acts as “town mother”, encouraging youth to consider their own future and helping to create supportive villages around them. Her invaluable mentorship, coupled with a Masters of Education, fuels her in helping students carve out a space for themselves in the world.

In this edition of HerStory, Melinda chats it up with Jenn Boehm, owner, creator and femmepreneur of a favorite local accessory: Leatherbird earrings. From defining and confronting "copycats" to gracefully merging motherhood with ambition, Jenn shares her thoughts, speaks her mind, and offers us a glimpse into her ways of being as a small business owner. What does a "copycat" look like, sound like? What do you do when faced with one? Jenn knows. She's been there - faced it - worked through it, and learned a lot. Confrontation is an important part of human development, it produces and refines character and helps us get clear on what is most important to us. With Jenn's unarmed, "girl next door" vibe, she empowers others to just BE YOURSELF- there's no one like you, not a one. Love it and own it, boo!

In The Four Agreements: a practical guide to personal freedom, Don Miguel Ruiz, a nagual (shaman) from the Eagle Night lineage, reminds us that nothing other people do is because of you. In this final episode of the Four Agreements series, Melinda and Tiana dialogue about Agreement #4: Always Do Your Best. “Doing your best, you are going to live your life intensely.” - Don Miguel Ruiz. Listen in and join the conversation!

Melinda and Tiana are back talking about The Four Agreements book: a practical guide to personal freedom, Don Miguel Ruiz, a nagual (shaman) from the Eagle Night lineage. In episode 3 of the Four Agreements series, Melinda and Tiana dialogue about Agreement #3: Don’t Make Assumptions. “The way to keep yourself from making assumptions is to ask questions.” - Don Miguel RuizWe live in the age of difference and can no longer assume we all hold the same meaning of a word. When we practice using our voice to express clearly what we need, and ask enough questions to clear any confusion, we work to tighten connections and enjoy our relationships on a much deeper level.

In The Four Agreements: a practical guide to personal freedom, Don Miguel Ruiz, a nagual (shaman) from the Eagle Night lineage, reminds us that nothing other people do is because of you. In episode 2 of the Four Agreements series, Melinda and Tiana dialogue about Agreement #2: Don’t take anything personally. “If you keep this agreement, you can travel around the world with your heart completely open and no one can hurt you.” - Don Miguel RuizListen in and join the conversation! If you have read The Four Agreements, what was the most liberating lesson for you, personally?

With every word we speak, we make or break agreements with ourself and with others. In The Four Agreements: a practical guide to personal freedom, Don Miguel Ruiz, a nagual (shaman) from the Eagle Night lineage, prompts us to pay closer attention to the words we speak and consider if we are instigating heaven or leading ourselves into a personal hell.  In episode 1 of this series, Melinda and Tiana dialogue about Agreement #1: Be Impeccable with your word, asking - what does being impeccable sound like, and how do we evolve beyond talking about and do more talking with? Listen in and join the conversation! If you have read the 4 Agreements, what are some ways putting this first agreement into practice changed you?

HerStory: a series of interviews where femmes practice the art of vulnerability by sharing their story. Making space for HER to speak helps paint a more complete picture of the human experience. In this episode of the HerStory series, Melinda sits down with local creative artist, Toby Keough. Toby talks about being bold, the Pinterest pothole, and her and Melinda's shared love for garbage. Truly some electric conversation between these two enthusiastic local femmes discussing tattoos, the feeling of being “too much” and new seasons of creativity as the kids get older. Drop some sunshine in your ears and get carried away with this inspiring conversation with Toby Keough. Mentions: Artist Neicy Frey4th Street Tattoo

Meet Kasha, Coeur d'Alene resident, doula and student midwife, passionate about educating our community on birth work. Kasha talks about how we can increase the value of the birth process as a whole, shares resources for reading about pregnancy choices, and speaks about her first protest at 15 years old.