A Tribute to 4 Years of Meaningful Conversations: The Anniversary Episode You Can't Miss!

Debra Coleman [00:00:09]:
Well, hello. Hello, you, and welcome back to another mini cast episode of Have a Seat, Conversations with Women in the Workplace podcast. I am your host, Deb Coleman. Thank you for sitting down and joining me For another mini cast episode, do you know how much I love these? They are so much fun. Again, for those of you who may not know, Have a seat. Conversations with Women in the Workplace podcast is primarily an interview style show where every week I sit down with amazing women who are just killing it in their space, whether they be working, you know, for a corporation or an organization or have branched off and are have tapped into their brave and are doing their own thing and, and everything in between. So every week, I have a conversation. But every so often, I will steal the mic from my amazing guests and do just this, Record a quick mini cast for you.

Debra Coleman [00:01:06]:
And it's also just a way for me to kinda let loose. And as some of you know, I can Get a little sassy. So sometimes it's just a way for me to, like, share with you something that happened or that I was exposed to, you know, a couple weeks or hours before I hit record, so it's just a way for me to kinda sound off. And unfortunately or fortunately, you are then brought into My rambling. So but this week's show, yes, it is a mini cast, but it is to celebrate Havasit's four Year. Podcast anniversary. Yay. Woo hoo.

Debra Coleman [00:01:42]:
So exciting. Can you believe it has been 4 years? 4 years. Just saying that out loud to you right now, it just it just, It's amazing. It's amazing to me. I hope you don't mind. I literally just grabbed the mic, saw the date on the calendar, and said, I am just going to record A quick quick mini cast celebrating my 4 years in the podcast universe. So let's do a little backtrack first. I have a I have a few items on my on my on my check off list of things that I wanna discuss with you today, so I will try to move through them fairly quickly because I do.

Debra Coleman [00:02:19]:
I really do try my hardest to make these mini cast go quickly. So item number 1, 4 years. I started this podcast cast 4 years ago in January of 2020, and we are late January of 2020, and we are now sitting in late January of 2024. So, yes, 4 years, as I said, in the podcast universe, in the podcast space. Quick recap. I started this podcast as a result of 2 things. 1, some of you may or may not remember. It has been Quite some time, but I was originally a part of a a podcast called Admin Allies.

Debra Coleman [00:02:57]:
And it was myself and 2 other women and who were also administrative professionals, executive assistants, who are brilliant and who were doing their thing in their space as well. We met during a webinar. We broke off and started chatting separately, and we decided to start a podcast. It was unfortunately short lived, and I had a wonderful time engaging with the with those women, and we did much the same. We brought in guests from time to time, and we, shared our own thoughts, picked a topic, and did very similar things to what I'm doing now solo. But, like I said, unfortunately, it was short lived, but what it did is it's it ignited a desire to keep podcasting in me. I fell in love with it As soon as we recorded our 1st show, I was sorta tagged as the audio, quote, engineer, and so I took The you know, I took on willingly, voluntarily, the responsibility of making all our shows pretty, and I fell in love with that. I I've quickly realized I am a low key audio geek.

Debra Coleman [00:03:57]:
I love all that stuff. So that really when that show, sunsetted, it really ignited, as I said, a love of podcasting in me, and so I didn't wanna stop. I didn't wanna stop. So that was one reason. I wanted to keep podcasting, but I wasn't sure. Like, Oh, how do I do this? And do I even have the the confidence, you know, to to carry on by myself? Me? Do a podcast by myself? Eek. You know? And so that was the first reason. The second reason is at this time in my life, between 2018 and 2020, like, honestly, right before the pandemic hit, I was really sort of having a an existential crisis, if you will, of my career life.

Debra Coleman [00:04:37]:
I was starting to question If I even wanted to still be an executive assistant, I wanna I started to question if I even wanted to still be in nonprofit, if I even wanted to still be in higher education. Like, Everything was up for grabs. Like, I was just going through it, if you will. I think we all we all of us in our own way, I firmly believe, go through something similar like that along our career journey. And the season of 2018 to 2020 was it for me. So I really started to explore a lot of different things, started Question where I was going. I started to have conversations with others in my field, outside of my field, women specifically about, like, What what are you doing? Do you love what you do? How'd you get there? Why are you still around? You know, what motivates you? Those types of conversations. And, one day, I was relaying this To my husband, Paul, who is the low key executive producer of Have A Seat, and he said, you know, you're sitting here Grappling with the ideas of continuing in podcasting in some way, shape, or form, and you're also questioning, You know, where you where your career trajectory is going in this season of your life, why don't you marry the 2? Why don't you do a podcast About all about all the conversations you've been having with women in the workplace and and that there's your podcast right there.

Debra Coleman [00:05:53]:
You know? Sometimes it takes somebody who is outside of you know, Externally, to look at our lives and provide perspective, much needed perspective, or to say the things that we just can't see, you know, because we're too close to it. And that's exactly what Paul did in that moment. So thank you, honey. Kudos to you. You were actually the catalyst to get me thinking and to marry the 2. And as soon as he said that, No joke. I immediately sat down pen to paper, like, literally. Remember remember paper and pen? Like, we sometimes use that.

Debra Coleman [00:06:21]:
I don't know. It's But it's out there. There's thing there's something called there's an element called paper and a tool called a pen. And so I took to that, and I started to map out What you know, who this podcast is for, why I was doing it, what I hope to get out of it, what I hope to bring, you know, that sort of thing. Just mapped it out, and I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the idea. And when I was grappling with the title, again, here comes Paul and his cape, you know, landing like the Superman he is. Your title is it, is exactly what you're doing.

Debra Coleman [00:06:51]:
You're having a seat and having conversations with women in the workplace. So boom. There it is. There is my title. Yes. It was a little long. And since then, I have condensed it down. In in, like, casual conversation, I refer to my show simply as have a seat.

Debra Coleman [00:07:06]:
And in all of my, you know, social media promotional materials, I do just condense it down to have a seat. But the true name is kinda like a, You know, a show horse or a show dog, you know, when they have these long drawn out names, the true name is have a seat conversations with women in the workplace. And, low Another reason why I did extend the name because at the time when I went to go create my podcast, I had to do my due diligence, and I had to look up the podcast name I I was Eyeballing to ensure that it wasn't already being used. So I did my homework, went to all the podcast directories, searched high and low, did Google searches, and all of that. And, yes, there was another podcast, I believe, at the time, again, this was 4 years ago, called Simply Have A Seat, And it was I think it was a cohost show. When I found them, I didn't find any recent episodes of theirs, so I don't know if at the time I found them. You know, they had already sunsetted it, but It didn't matter. It still existed.

Debra Coleman [00:08:04]:
So in order to not step on any toes, I elongated my show name, which I really didn't mind doing because it honestly captured the essence of what I was doing, which was having conversations with women in the workplace. And every so often, I get asked, do you feel guilty for not including men in the conversation? Shit. Well, a resounding no in all caps. It's you know? And and, you know, I I feel no I feel no guilt about this in sorry, not sorry. Right? Because it's like, hey. For once you know? I mean, for one reason, there Are there are a lot of podcasts out there, but, honestly, if you kind of do a deep dive, which I know, you know, you either you will or you won't, honestly, the percentage of women Led podcasts that have maintained and survived and are still going, the percentage is actually quite smaller than There are male equivalent of that same, like, categories. So or those same, like, breakdown. So I I adore the fact that I'm contributing to the female podcast led space, first of all.

Debra Coleman [00:09:10]:
And second of all, I really wanted to have conversations with women specifically without our our male ally Influence. I just wanted this to be a podcast produced and directed by a woman, me, for Women or those who identify as female listeners, you. I just wanted our own space, and I really give 0 f's about that. That is what I wanted to do, and I no. So, no, short answer is I don't feel guilty for excluding males in this podcast. It's just a podcast put on by a woman for women and those who identify as female. So done and done. End of story there.

Debra Coleman [00:09:51]:
So have a seat. Conversations with Women in the Workplace podcast was born. Now one other thing I wanna clarify. Those of you may or may not know as well, I am an an executive assistant by day and a podcaster by night. That's sort of my tagline. So why didn't I start a podcast just for executive assistants? When in my early shows, the a lot of my guests were executive assistants because naturally, when you start a An interview style podcast, you turn to your inner circle and your immediate orbit for guest, you know, for to help with that. Because I didn't want to first of all, there are so many amazing, and I truly mean this from the bottom of my heart, quite simply, Incredibly engaging podcasts out there specifically for executive and administrative and personal assistants. They are and, again, I've said this before.

Debra Coleman [00:10:45]:
If you want some recommendations, email me. Go to my website. Send me a quick note, and I will email you back. They are They they are rocking their space, and you will learn. You will engage. You will tune in every week because they are honestly amazing. So if you are In any way, shape, or form in the administrative support professional space and are looking for some podcast recommendations that deal specifically with our line of work, Hit me up. I got you.

Debra Coleman [00:11:10]:
I have some fantastic podcast hosts and podcasts for you. So I didn't want to to be honest with you, I'm just being vulnerable here. I didn't wanna compete with that because they are already doing such a fantastic job. I didn't I didn't wanna compete with that, plain and simple. And because I was at a place where I was questioning whether I still even wanted to be an executive assistant and I wasn't sure where that would have landed, I didn't want to pigeonhole myself into that job category if in the future I found myself out of it. And quite honestly, I was having conversations with women in various professions at that time that I wanted to keep that going. I was learning so much, and I was enjoying learning about Others' journey and others' career path, so that's why I expanded out to women in the workplace and not necessarily executive assistants in the workplace, right, Or just higher ed professionals in the workplace. Like, I didn't wanna niche down too much.

Debra Coleman [00:12:05]:
I wanted to leave it open and leave it broad. So That is how and why Havasit was born. Okay. 1st bullet checked off. So happy 4 years. Here we are 4 years later of Having conversations with women. And as I just recently told Paul and another person just recently, this last week or so, Having this podcast, what it has brought to me and the lessons I've learned, that's another bullet point I'm checking off. Before this before I started this podcast, I really wasn't I had a mouth.

Debra Coleman [00:12:37]:
Right? I wasn't really too afraid to use it. I was always sort of, like, that talkative girl. You know, I still am. The social butterfly, if you will. But having this podcast really has helped me, I guess for lack of a better word, sort of, like, frame that up a bit. I I feel like now I am much better. I'm not perfect. I'm still working.

Debra Coleman [00:12:59]:
I'm still a work in progress, but I've gotten I have improved in my active listening skills. I have improved in actually engaging in a two sided conversation and realizing that there's someone else quite literally in the room, and their thoughts And opinions matter. Even if they differ from mine, we can still somehow come to a meeting of the minds or agree to disagree. You know? And it's healthy. It's just it's brought such a real a real healthy perspective on what it means to communicate with another human being to my life, And that has absolutely trickled into my personal and professional as well in various ways, in different ways. It shows up differently naturally, But I I see elements of it there. I see remnants of it there. So having a podcast has really improved my life whole, like, 360.

Debra Coleman [00:13:48]:
It just it just has. Because, again, this is what I said to to Paul actually just last week. If you think about it, I am literally having conversations once a week or more with a stranger. And quite often, Almost in every case, I should say, that stranger is a is a woman in the workplace who is Elevated in whatever means that is, whether it's a fellow EA or it's a woman who's an entrepreneur or a CEO Or she's in a leadership role at her organization. She is is in an elevated role, elevated job, elevated responsibilities. And here I am my my responsibility is to invite this person into my virtual living room and engage with this stranger every week, Make them feel comfortable, ask them relevant questions, and make our 30 minutes together a value add to them, to me, to you, to you, 1st and foremost. And that if you put it that way, that's a heavy ask. And if I had actually stopped and said that to myself back January 2020.

Debra Coleman [00:14:58]:
Like, do you realize this is what you're literally gonna be doing? I probably would have paused a lot longer, and I wouldn't have had maybe a January start Because that's a heavy lift. That's a heavy lift. What if I had told you, you are going to engage in a conversation with a stranger every week? So you've gotta come up with engaging questions. You've got to make you know, all the things. That's a lot. I and I some of you may be like, that sounds totally cool, and I'm I'm with you on that. But others of you may be like, that's kind of yikes. I don't know if I could do that.

Debra Coleman [00:15:27]:
You know what I mean? Like, ah. So anyway, It has really helped me to grow as a person in the way I communicate and listen to others. That is One of a 1000000 things that podcasting has brought to my life. And the other thing, low key, really quickly, is that it has really upped my tech skills. You know, having to produce a podcast and make it pretty and then make it available for your listening pleasure and making sure it lands on all the directories and, You know, all the audio stuff you gotta do to it and all the behind the scenes work, the marketing, all of that, the guest connecting, It has really upped my, like, tech skills because let me tell you. Wow. You know? Wow. So, tech, marketing, You know, communication, all of those skills wrapped up have really increased in the 4 years since starting this podcast, so that's what it's brought to me.

Debra Coleman [00:16:21]:
Next bullet point really quickly I wanna mention is, I've kind of have a new commitment going forward. Entering into my 4th year, I'm realizing I I absolutely am growing every year. And every year, I take inventory, and I look back on how I did and how I'm currently doing and what I wanna see myself do moving forward. And so moving forward, there's 2 things I wanna do in terms of interviews with guests is, One, I want to continue to ask gauging and relevant questions. So taking what they do, what their expertise is or what they do, And really sort of reframing the questions or or or composing questions to that you might ask If you were sitting across from them at a cafe or in a in a you know you know, somewhere. I want to I don't want to necessarily go into All their background and how they got to where they are. I really wanna zone in on what is their expertise or what why are we brought here together today to talk. Let's get to that subject matter.

Debra Coleman [00:17:24]:
Let's talk about it. Let's reflect on it. Let's learn from it and then end the show. Because If you wanna learn more about that guest, you can click the notes the link in the show notes and go to their about page and learn more about their journey how they got there. To me, I have 30 minutes, and I don't wanna spend 20 of it going into someone's bio. I would rather spend 20 to 25 of that Digging right into the subject at hand and getting our takeaways, getting some action items, and just hearing their perspective and their expertise on the subject Or just engaging with another and learning learning more about what they think about current events, like, currently what we're talking about. So That is my commitment to you is to continue to compose and create value added questions for the guests so we get right to the heart of the matter, Right to the heart of it. Your time is precious, so is theirs, so is mine, and I don't want to be wasteful of that.

Debra Coleman [00:18:20]:
I want to be mindful and cognizant of the time we have together and really get to the heart of the subject that we have chosen to speak on at for that episode. That was my commitment to you in terms of interviews with guests. Now in terms of these mini casts, my commitment there is to keep them On the short side, I know I'm not good at that, but I'm really gonna try, keep them on the shorter side and hold me to the same standard. Get right to the heart of what I wanna talk to you about and then end it. I do tend to ramble, so I'm sorry that may continue, but I would like to see myself really try to Work on that a little bit more. And I second thing, in terms of minicasts, I, as I have said before, do not have any initials after my last name. I am not a doctor of anything. I am don't have a master's in anything.

Debra Coleman [00:19:08]:
I have a bachelor's degree that I'm very proud of From in human services from Cal State Fullerton. Yay. Go Titans. So I am going to also be mindful of not, for lack of a better phrase, wag my finger in your face and say, You need to do this, and you're doing this wrong, and you need to improve on that. I really want to and I apologize if I have taken on that tone in the past. Really trying to do some self inventory and course correct there. What I wanna do is to be more of your partner, More of your ally ally, more of somebody who gets it, who's been there. And take it from a perspective of either I have firsthand knowledge because it's my own experience I'm sharing with you, Or I've had front row seats to seeing others do it or being in conversations where they've told me about their experience with whatever we're happen to be talking about.

Debra Coleman [00:20:01]:
In other words, I don't want to lecture you or to try improve you. I just want to bring you content to make you go, yep. Same. Yeah. Thank you for saying that. I've experienced that too. That's great. How did you overcome that? That's going to be more of what I would like to see myself, the tone of my mini cast that I would like to see Framed out this in the next coming months, in the neck in this 2024 year.

Debra Coleman [00:20:24]:
So that is my commitment to you in terms of minicast to just Have more of a conversation with you and not so much of a lecture with you. I think there's too much of that out there quite quite honestly, and maybe I'll do a show on this separately. But There's too much of the messaging and certain titles of webinars and blog posts and whatever, newsletters. You're doing x wrong, and here's how you fix it. Well, that's all well and good, and that's fantastic. Lord knows we should always be in learning mode. But I wanna be a little bit of a disruptor and say, you're already doing great. Have you ever experienced this? If you have, I have too, and here's how I kinda found my way around it, or here's how I work through it, or here's how I processed it.

Debra Coleman [00:21:05]:
Because we're already doing the best we can. We're we're great. I'm giving you a gold star. You know? So don't get so hard on yourself. You're not always doing something wrong that to be fixed. Sometimes you just wanna freaking talk about stuff, you know, and and commensurate and and relate to somebody else. So that is my commitment in turn moving forward with these minicasts. Okay.

Debra Coleman [00:21:25]:
Last but not least, certainly not least, no, is I honestly wanna thank you. I I honestly wanna thank you. The support and the listenership, believe me, the numbers have grown. Since I started in 2020, All the podcast gurus out there told, you know, told us, you know, on the interwebs through, again, videos and blog posts and newsletters. You know? Hey. And podcast. Right? All the podcast trainers and thought leaders. It's if you're you know, you really should look at your podcast.

Debra Coleman [00:21:54]:
You're in it for the long game. And I I have to say that they're exactly right. Because over these past 4 years, I have seen my download numbers just skyrocket. I have seen them grow, like, steadily. I shouldn't, Excuse me. I don't wanna use the word skyrocket. I wanna give you the wrong impression. They have grown steadily.

Debra Coleman [00:22:11]:
They have gone up since 2020. Not down, but they have grown, and that's exciting. That's exciting to see. My engagement with you has increased since 2020, both, you know, separately through messages you send me or through the social media platforms. I love that. I I just it's So thank you. I I I I I feel so inadequate. I feel like the 2 words thank you just isn't enough, but it truly is.

Debra Coleman [00:22:37]:
This is a this I am just 1 podcaster who is telling you your listenership matters. When you hit play, it matters. When you download an episode, matters. I see you, and I am I'm just so thankful. So thank you in all caps with heart emojis And pray hands prayer hands. I really do appreciate the time that you spend with me. When you choose to, spend time with me, I do appreciate that. And it is reflected In the metadata that's attached to my podcast that I will not bore you with, but it's there.

Debra Coleman [00:23:07]:
I see you, and thank you. Thank you. On that, if you Don't know or you're not aware, I do have a weekly newsletter that goes out. And this is an area that has op has absolutely grown as well. My subscriber numbers have have grown in 4 years, and it's amazing. It's so exciting to see. So thank you for those who have already subscribed and received my weekly newsletter. But if you haven't yet, If you click the link in this show's show notes in this episode show notes, you will be taken to the Have a Seat website where you will get a pop up box Asking if you'd like to subscribe to my newsletter.

Debra Coleman [00:23:40]:
Or if you don't, you there is a there is a part a place on the website for you to Subscribe to my newsletter or to follow. And basically, what it is is once a week, you will get sent every Monday morning, a quick little email blast letting you know what show dropped this week, who the guest is, a little bit more about them, and, thoughts on thoughts on My thoughts on our conversation that we had the on the episode and ways to connect with the guest. So even if you don't listen to the episode that week, but you do receive the email blast. At least you know, hey. Oh, she had this person on? Exciting. I don't really have time to listen to the episode, but I'm gonna click on their links in this newsletter and learn more about them because that sounds really intriguing. So I wanna give you options. I don't wanna, like, You know, hold you hostage to always listening to an episode, which, of course, I love.

Debra Coleman [00:24:28]:
Right? That's why I do the thing I do. But let's admit. Let's face it. Sometimes you just don't have time to listen or you forget or it's just not, you know, part of what you you know, whatever. But maybe you can at least read about the guest and learn more about them through another Avenue, which is through a newsletter. So no pressure. It's just something I like to do to give you an idea of who's coming on the show this week and to tell you a little bit more about them, and for an an oh, and to provide additional ways to connect with my guest or with me. I even drop those newsletters when I have solo episodes.

Debra Coleman [00:25:00]:
So, like, there will be an there will be a newsletter more than likely associated with this episode. Every week, at least, you're you're tuned in. So those of you who've already subscribed, thank you. So awesome. Believe me. Those numbers have subtly increased as well. I love making those newsletters. They are so much fun.

Debra Coleman [00:25:15]:
I love letting my creative side out a little bit. And it's also a really fun way for me to relive The conversation that I had with my guest or to relive the content that I provided in my minicast. So thank you. Many, many, Many of you who have already subscribed, thank you. And to those of you who haven't yet, I appreciate the fact that you are even considering it and may actually do it. So thank you very much for that. Speaking of that, my website is designed by a podcast team for podcasters, So I absolutely adore my website. I love how it's set up.

Debra Coleman [00:25:50]:
It is truly for podcasters. So you will find a All the catalog. You will find the catalog of all my past shows. I think I'm running on show 2/13 now. So there are and I tried to break them up into categories, so it's not so much like, Holy crap. You know, you can also, of course, click all episodes and see every episode I've ever made, or you can kinda filter it down. But this show is not anything, and I said this before, that you need to listen to in order. It's definitely something you can peruse my catalog of shows.

Debra Coleman [00:26:21]:
And if a guest's Title or occupation or one of my mini cast titles, grabs you, hit play. You know? There is no order. And so that that is what you will find on my website as long along with ways to connect with me, as I mentioned before, and ways to, Drum roll, please. Be a guest yourself. Now I have so many guest requests. It's a fantastic problem to have, But I am working through them. So please please feel free to register to be a guest. I will get to you.

Debra Coleman [00:26:52]:
I promise. And if you already have registered to be a guest, Thank you for being patient. Hang in there with me. I will get to you. I will get to you. I just love it. Every time I see another guest request come in, I just I just smile. It's amazing how many women are lined up to have converse I I that are lined up to have a conversation with me, and I am honored and humbled.

Debra Coleman [00:27:12]:
And that's why I am moving as fast as I can, to have these conversations. I record once a week just so you know. So once a week, primarily on Tuesday evenings. Occasionally, that may shift due to scheduling, but, so that's really only allows me maybe 3 or 4 conversations a month, so that's why it's taking me so long. I need to give myself some space to develop the show to then edit the show and do all the things, in between shows. So that's why I have relegated myself to 1 recording a week to be fair to my guest and to you to breed to then create a quality product. So I do not rush, and I do not do a show every day and then rush through and get it dropped. I don't believe in that.

Debra Coleman [00:27:52]:
I believe in Making sure it's done right and then dropping it and then moving on to the next. Like, giving everybody that courtesy and attention that their episode deserves. So Bear with me. I will get there. I promise. So there you have it. There you have it. That's Just I just wanted to quickly do a happy, you know, 4 year anniversary show, and thank you.

Debra Coleman [00:28:15]:
And, again, to say Thank you, which I know I don't do a lot of, so that's another reason why I wanted to do that. I I I'm I am remiss in doing that. So that's another goal of mine is to Remember to thank you and appreciate you. And one last thing I wanna share with you. I had a fellow executive assistant. And since I've been recording, since I've since I started this show in 2020, The executive assistant community that I am a part of, it's it's vast and large. So my corner of the world and in the in our EA space, I have lost 2 EA friends EA sisters, I should say. Nadine King and Esther Williams.

Debra Coleman [00:29:03]:
And I have in memoriam shows dedicated to both of them. I recently heard from Esther's mother after her passing. Esther left us last year, And she had just listened to the episode the rerunning of the episode. I I play I reran. I I created an in memoriam episode to Esther after her passing. That was just my way of honoring her memory. And I recently heard from her mom, and I listened she left me a voice mail because through my website, can do that. You can hit the microphone and leave a voice mail message, and it was so lovely and heartwarming.

Debra Coleman [00:29:49]:
The message she left me, To hear her voice, first of all, mama Jean is her name. And I actually have an episode with her that I recorded, in honor of Mother's Day when Esther was still with us, so that was really fun. So, but Esther Esther's mother, mama Jean, reached out to me, and she Expressed appreciation for for that in memoriam episode of Esther's. And it was she was touched to be able and she was so it warmed her heart to be able to hear her daughter's voice And to hear that interview again, and she said it just it just came out of nowhere. You know? She She she was going through, I think, her emails. I think she may be subscribed to my email list, and she came across the newsletter that, again, that went out that featured the So that week, and in that particular newsletter, I featured Esther's episode, and she listened to it. And so she what she's you know, the fact that she reached out to me and and shared with me that she was so touched to be able to hear her daughter again and to hear her interview. It just meant the world, And that her message meant the world to me.

Debra Coleman [00:31:00]:
And that, my friend, is the heartwarming part And the one that stops me cold and the one that humbles me, that is the reason why I do this show, is To give. You know? And that to me is the very meaning when you say give a voice to somebody. That is right there. Right there. Because Esther will live on. Her voice, her experience will live on through The Have A Seat podcast. And, I can't really express I can't put that into words How that makes me feel, it it it comes I guess, I can't express it, through words. It just comes out emotionally.

Debra Coleman [00:31:47]:
And through the tears and the smile on my face when I heard mama Jean's message. So that is the heart light reason Why I do this show is to have my guests and their experiences and their lives live on and matter. Right? And be and bring them bring their experiences to you. And maybe through somebody else's experience Or a career journey, we will be we will maybe not feel so alone and not feel like we're the only ones going through what we're what we might be experiencing. So and to build that sense of community and to, of course, have a few laughs and and and humor along the way. Esther definitely appreciated my humor. She had The same. We've shared many laughs together.

Debra Coleman [00:32:40]:
I think sarcasm was also, her third language, so it was fun to do that episode with her. But it was Just heartwarming to hear mama Jean's message and to know that my podcast helped bring her that memory and that it mattered. It mattered in that moment. So I was happy to be a part of that in any way in any way, shape, or form. So That is what I wanted to leave you with. And, so having said that, all thank you once again for coming along this 4 year journey with me. It has been So incredible. I I honestly, I can't express it enough.

Debra Coleman [00:33:16]:
And, I look forward to maybe what the next 4 years will bring. We'll see how long this lasts. I am I'm I'm all for it. I hope you are too. And, that's all I got to say. You know I like to end the show, with a quote. And so this week's quote, I I this came across, and I just felt it just hit the nail on the head. It's by Kazu Ishiguro, And it was said during an acceptance speech, and it goes like this.

Debra Coleman [00:33:42]:
But in the end, stories are about 1 person saying to another, This is the way it feels to me. Can you understand what I'm saying, and does it also feel this way to you? That hit home. That that is my why right there. This is the way it feels to me. Here is my story. This is the way it feels to me. Can you understand or relate to what I'm saying, and does it also feel this way to you. That's it.

Debra Coleman [00:34:15]:
That's it. That's the that is the unspoken question or series of question that that frames and that maps out every single episode that I bring you on in Have A Seat conversations with women in the workplace. So there you go. Alright, my friend. Thank you so much for listening in to my 4 year anniversary show. Big virtual hugs to you, and, let's let's move on. Let's do this. 2020 4.

Debra Coleman [00:34:40]:
Let's let's do the thing. Let's have those conversations. Alright. So be well, everyone. And remember, stay safe, and keep having those conversations.