139. Sheri Salata: The Beautiful No

In today’s episode Kate and Betsy interview entrepreneur Sheri Salata, author of “The Beautiful No” and former Executive Director of the Oprah Winfrey show. Today Sheri is lighting a path for women as the founder of the support system and prosper network designed to connect and support women on their entrepreneurial and transformational journeys. Today we explore the power of personal transformation and practices that are acts of self love. Sheri shares her own story of returning to herself, her deep wisdom and how through her intentional daily practices, she is doing her work. In today’s episode we discuss: Sheri’s early years moving several times and then ending up in a suburb of Chicago. How as the oldest cousin, she was part of a big extended family and was later the older sister to an adopted brother. The early messages she was taught to work hard and that achievement equals love. She shares her early production days when she directed pageants and shows with her cousins. Sheri’s enjoyable time as a student in Iowa City at the University of Iowa and her early career path in Texas in various service jobs, including working for 7-Eleven. Her return to Chicago where she was producing television commercials and her overwhelming desire to work for the Oprah show. The “beautiful no” that came when she thought she had received an offer for a big advertising job, that ended in rejection and eventually led to a call and job offer from the Oprah Winfrey show. Leaving her role at Oprah’s TV network OWN, her reckoning process where she recognized the false narrative in her life that achievement equals love, and how her practices of self-love are her medicine. How the old structure of patriarchal energy that is breaking down is not good for the planet, relationships, spiritual expansion, or connection. We talk about her own re-wilding process that began after leaving her larger than life career and how she sees herself as a late bloomer. Sheri’s idea of life ruts and how how trying things outside of your comfort zone and being willing to fail can get you out of your ruts. Her belief that you must love yourself first and love yourself most and how her daily practices like meditation have begun to fill her self love cup. How although we have been trained not to be “too much” of anything and stuff your own dreams down so you can be of service, it is never too late for a third act. Her desire now to live a practiced life and her journey of expansion that has led to the support system and prosper network memberships and her new “Practiced Life” podcast. Her desire to find women who want to walk on the path alongside her, and how she has come full circle from her early days at the Oprah show. Bio: Sheri Salata, former Executive Producer of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Co-President of Harpo Studios and OWN, is an award winning storyteller and an inspirational transformation guide. Sheri began her career with Oprah Winfrey, the most celebrated woman in media, as an entry level promotions producer and ultimately rose to helm the strategic and creative direction of the most renowned talk show in television history. Leading an Emmy award-winning team, Sheri touched the lives of millions around the world as they broke cultural barriers and advanced the show’s mission of enlightenment and understanding. Sheri-who Arianna Huffington once described as “the visionary behind the visionary”- also appeared regularly in the acclaimed docu-series, Season 25: Oprah Behind the Scenes, chronicling the historic final season. Sheri’s memoir, The Beautiful No: And Other Tales of Trial, Transcendence and Transformation is an Amazon Editor’s Choice Best Memoir and an Apple Must-Listen audio book. Sheri has been named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100 and a Feminist Press Power Award Winner. Sheri + her team produce transformational coursework experienced by people all over the world. She is also the founder of The Support System, a membership platform for women who are passionate about creating new possibilities for their lives. Sheri is the cofounder of The Prosper Network – a membership platform serving dynamic women who run their own businesses + are committed to the core values of reciprocity, generosity + expansion. Sheri, a proud University of low alum, is living her dreams in Georgia with Dolly, Buzz + Steve the Wonder Horse. Book : “The Beautiful No” IG @sherisalata Website: https://sherisalata.com Podcast: https://sherisalata.com/podcast/ Past Episodes You Might Like With other Women Leaders 119: Wendy Hummell: Bringing the Power of the Feminine to Law Enforcement 108: Angie Chaplin: Mindful Sober Leader 107: Jocelyn Davis: Insubordinate 94: Fierce Love with Presidential Candidate Marianne Williamson 70: Women In Leadership 52: Katerine Wintsch: Slay Like A Mother 15: Rebecca Ryan: Bring It On Today’s Episode sponsored by: Kate Moreland Coaching Dr Yoga Momma Heartland Yoga For more information about Betsy’s Upcoming Reclaim: The Heroine’s Journey Program (Dec 19-March 20): https://dryogamomma.com/reclaim-heroines-journey-of-transformation/ Want to Meet Betsy & Kate in Person on Retreat? Join us on a feminine reclamation journey to Paros, Greece in the Fall of 2025. There are just a few spots left. All the details here! Source