Her Success Story

• Facing Challenges, Creating Change: Tara Chalakani on Nonprofit Leadership and Self-Care

  This week Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest,Tara Chalakani. The two talk about the evolution and impact of Preferred Behavioral Health Group, the importance of authentic relationships in nonprofit leadership, and the powerful role of self-care and trauma-informed culture in supporting employees and clients. In this episode, we discuss: How a small local operation launched in 1978 turned into a $39 million organization with 500 team members—by chasing the right grants and growing programs that truly matter to the community. What sets Preferred apart is its culture—rooted in excellence, integrity, and compassion. You can see it in the way staff stick around and in the industry awards they've picked up, like being named one of New Jersey's "Best Places to Work. When conversations about women's leadership, self-care, and trauma-informed workplaces come up, both Tara Chalakani and Ivy Slater share what it really means to lead by example—and why you have to pour from a full cup to do it well. Why nonprofit leadership in mental health matters now more than ever—because the pandemic pushed mental health to the forefront, breaking down stigma and sparking a national conversation about the care people really need. How Tara Chalakani shifts the idea of nonprofits as competitors and instead focuses on working together, showing how collaboration can better serve the shared mission of improving mental health. Dr. Tara Chalakani is a national mental health expert and dynamic leader. As the CEO of Preferred Behavioral Health Group, Dr. Chalakani leads a team of 500 employees providing quality mental health care, substance use treatment, and prevention services to almost 30,000 individuals a year, across New Jersey. In addition, Dr. Chalakani maintains a private psychotherapy practice and is currently an appointed Associate Professor at the Hackensack University School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. She has also taught Psychology and Mental Health Counseling curricula at the undergraduate and graduate level. Dr. Chalakani holds a doctoral degree in psychology with a concentration in behavioral health leadership, a master's degree in mental health counseling, and undergraduate degrees in nursing and psychology. All of her advanced degrees were earned while raising her children and working full-time. Dr. Chalakani is a frequent guest on national and local media outlets, public speaker, and co-host of the Welloff Podcast through iHeart Media. Dr. Chalakani is a regular contributor to Forbes, and the inaugural leader of the Forbes Nonprofit Council Women Executives group. She is most proud of her Puerto Rican heritage and her humble beginnings in Newark, NJ. All of her successes were achieved despite all the odds being stacked against her. For this reason, she is a champion of women, the marginalized, and strives to be a person that offers others a fighting chance at being who they were destined to become. Social Media: Dr. Tara: www.thedrtara.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tara-chalakani-943a4721/ Instagram & TikTok: @thedrtara PBHG: www.preferredbehavioral.org All Social Media: @preferredbehavioral Podcast: www.welloffpodcast.com Social: @thewelloffpodcast    

  --------  

  29:19

  --------

  29:19
• Giving Back: Supporting Nonprofits Through the Her Success Story Community

  In this episode, Ivy Slater shares her passion for giving back during the holidays, introduces a series on impactful nonprofits, and encourages donations and sharing stories. She discusses nonprofit funding challenges, features organizations from local to global, and invites everyone to make a difference through small acts of kindness. In this episode, we discuss: How "Her Success Story" shines a light on various nonprofits during the holiday season, focusing on their stories, impact, and needs. What listeners can learn from nonprofit stories, including insights into starting a nonprofit, strategies that work, and how these organizations make a difference in areas like education, homelessness, and supporting women. The nonprofit series kicks off during Thanksgiving week and continues through New Year's. Her Success Story will feature a diverse group of nonprofits, ranging from small, intimate organizations to larger, global initiatives—each contributing to change in their own way. Listeners are invited to participate beyond donations by providing feedback, sharing referrals, and suggesting topics or organizations for future episodes. Ivy Slater is a professionally certified business coach, speaker, best-selling author and podcast host. After owning and operating a 7-figure printing business, having been in the industry for 20 years, she started Slater Success which focuses on developing great leaders and facilitating business growth and expansion. Ivy holds masterminds and retreats with her private client base and corporate training on communication and strategic planning. She speaks nationwide on the topics of leadership, sustainable growth, relationships and sales. Best Selling Author of From the Barre to the Boardroom Website: https://slatersuccess.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivyslater/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slatersuccesscoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivyslaterssc/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/slatersuccess/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SlaterSuccessCC YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ8b1sGnADlpFE2NrqUfToQ?view_as=subscribe

  --------  

  4:43

  --------

  4:43
• Making a Difference: Why Nonprofit Branding Matters with MOD-Lab's Michelle Perreault

  This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Michelle Perreault. The two talk about how Michelle Perreault transformed her freelance business into a mission-driven company, the unique challenges of helping resource-limited organizations communicate their impact, and the innovative ways MOD-Lab continues to provide value for clients beyond just exceptional design. In this episode, we discuss: How Michelle started as a freelance designer, then founded MOD-Lab to provide high-quality branding and design support to nonprofits, focusing on organizations that make a real difference in their communities.​ What inspired Michelle to focus on nonprofits? She said working with mission-driven organizations fuels her purpose and enthusiasm. The joy she finds in helping resource-limited teams strengthen their brand and share their story to create impact is at the core of MOD-Lab. When Michelle decided to build a team, she transitioned from freelancing to a company as the demand for her services increased. She describes the slow, organic path that shaped MOD-Lab's culture. Why MOD-Lab's success hinges on prioritizing relationships and referrals, emphasizing trust, collaboration, and a strong network over nearly two decades. How consistent branding helps nonprofits fundraise and make an impact; Michelle highlights key differences between nonprofit and for-profit models. Michelle Perreault is the Founder, Creative Director, and Lead Designer at MOD-Lab (Minds On Design Lab). MOD-Lab is the thoughtful design partner for small teams doing big things in the social sector. We create memorable branding, design materials, and websites. With over 25 years of experience working with small teams, she understands the realities they face: limited capacity, tight budgets, and ambitious goals. Often, they don't have design expertise or leadership as part of their teams. Design is a vehicle to inspire confidence, clarity, and trust around a brand, so not having dedicated design resources is a detriment. She works to change this by offering organizations a dedicated part-time design team. At MOD-Lab, she has refined practical, scalable design processes that meet organizations where they are and help them grow with confidence. Her goal is to be a true brand advocate for client partners, ensuring every piece of communication aligns with their mission, strengthens their message, and looks beautiful. Website:  https://mod-lab.com/ Social Media Links:   LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-perreault-6944614 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindsondesignlab/      

  --------  

  19:29

  --------

  19:29
• The Power of Partnerships: Growing a Marketing Agency Through Relationships and Teamwork

  This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guests, Grace Kwak and Alexis Toney. The three talk about the challenges of standing out in an intensely crowded marketing space, the crucial role of relationships and referrals in their growth, and the lessons they've learned from early hiring decisions and business setbacks. In this episode, we discuss: How Background Noise got started What has kept the team motivated and growing in a crowded marketing environment space When to hire and scale a team in a small agency Why partnering with other agencies is part of their growth strategy Who benefits from keeping in touch How setbacks and surprises shape leadership   Grace Kwak is a growth marketing expert who has spent her career shaping customer journeys from every angle – working within agencies and startups alike – Grace Kwak's newest chapter is leading growth, marketing strategy and analytics at Background Noise. As a first-generation Korean-American, Grace is actively aware of how experiences vary from person to person, and how brands must keep diversity of customer experiences top-of-mind at all times. Across her career, she's contributed to growth for brands including Cecred, Taco Bell, Follain, Papa John's, Hint Water, Dunkin Donuts, NBC Sports, COTY, Lysol, Mucinex, and American Family Insurance. She's been internally honored for her contributions, earning an MVP award at Mindshare and a Person of New York award at Performics. She's contributed to internal presentations around International Women's Day Webinar at Big Spaceship, growth marketing for We Are Rosie and is published with MediaPost. Alexis Toney is a strategy and innovation leader who has built her career at the intersection of data, creativity, and cultural storytelling – Alexis Toney is the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Background Noise. She drives brand innovation through research, analytics, and strategy, overseeing proprietary market research and social listening tools that help clients stay ahead of the curve. With more than eight years of experience in performance analytics, media strategy, and marketing intelligence, Alexis has shaped growth strategies for brands across industries while championing people-first insights. Her career path spans roles at Big Spaceship, Ovadia & Sons, and Laundry Service, where she led research, eCommerce, and media strategy initiatives. At Background Noise, Alexis contributed to the launch of Cécred and has collaborated with brands such as Google, Sony, NBC Sports, UPS, Weight Watchers, and Papa Johns throughout her career. Her work has been recognized with honors including Adweek Media Rising Star and the ADCOLOR Future Award. Based in Brooklyn, Alexis balances her data-driven leadership by day with her creative side as a DJ, music producer, and drummer by night. Website: https://www.backgroundnoise.co/ Social Media Links:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracejkwak/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexistoney/  

  --------  

  25:02

  --------

  25:02
• Real Estate, Resilience, and Finding Balance: Bianca D'Alessio's Journey on Her Success Story

  This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Bianca D'Alessio. The two talk about daily leadership strategies, building company culture through being present, and the importance of staying true to your story. In this episode, we discuss: How Bianca scaled her business from the ground up, learned from poor partnerships, and gradually transitioned from operator to CEO by hiring strategically and adapting her team's roles based on their strengths. What imposter syndrome has looked like for both Ivy and Bianca, and the ways women in leadership can reframe self-doubt into self-confidence. When challenging moments – from personal family issues to professional setbacks – became opportunities for Bianca to see failure as a pathway to growth. Why there's no true "work-life balance"—just life—and how focusing on personal growth, authenticity, and empowerment can fuel leadership success. What inspired Bianca's book, "Mastering Intentions," and how practices like gratitude, manifestation, and storytelling can help others amplify their power and impact?   Bianca D'Alessio is the CEO and founder of The Masters Division, where she manages a $10B real estate portfolio and oversees over 80 new construction projects across New York City, the Hamptons, Westchester, and international markets. Ranked the #1 Real Estate Broker in both New York City and State, and recognized by Crain's New York Business as a Notable Leader in Real Estate, Bianca is also the star of "Selling the Hamptons" on HBO Max and the author of Mastering Intentions: 10 Practices to Amplify Your Power and Lead with Lasting Impact. In addition to her real estate success, she is the founder of the nonprofit Master Intentions, a global initiative that reinvests commissions into philanthropic organizations, and she regularly speaks and writes on empowering women, financial literacy, and intentional leadership. Website: https://nestseekersmastersdivision.com/   Social Media Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancadalessio/  

  --------  

  27:10

  --------

  27:10

More Business podcasts

Trending Business podcasts

About Her Success Story