PODCAST · society
Schmooze with Suze
by Suzie Becker
Hi, I’m Suze. Here with your dose of culture, values and global citizenship- and where we tackle those topics others may consider off-limits. A little about me, I’m a busy GenX mom who, quite frankly, wanted to grow up like the Brady Bunch… But ended up being raised in the shadow of Schindler’s List. So this means I’ve spent a lifetime navigating these mixed messages we get hit with daily. You know those conversations- where we wonder if it’s safe to speak our minds? Can we share our experiences? Voice our fears and concerns, or should we just keep our mouths shut? Well, too bad. I need to know! But I’m no expert. So, I’m going to schmooze the experts and get their thoughts. Why? So when we engage with our kids, colleagues, or the countless committees we interact with, we can do it with competence, kindness, confidence, and maybe a bit of humor. If this sounds like your cup of coffee- welcome to Schmooze with Suze!
Episodes
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What Does It Take to Turn “Coming Soon” Into “Now Open”? My Guest: Colin Tarbert, CEO of Jacksonville's Downtown Investment Authority
Send us Fan Mail Why do some big downtown ideas become buildings, parks and neighborhoods... while others never make it past the rendering? Jacksonville has never been short on plans for Downtown. We have seen the glossy renderings. Heard the promises. Watched projects get announced, redesigned,...
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What If We Built Cities Around People, Not Places- And What If Connection Is The Real Infrastructure? My Guest: Kady Yellow, Social Architect and Vice President of Placemaking and Events, Downtown Vision Inc.
Send us Fan Mail What if the most important infrastructure in a city isn’t a building, a bridge or a billion-dollar development? What if it’s connection? This episode on Schmooze with Suze, I sit down with Kady Yellow, a social architect, tactical urbanist, civic entrepreneur, artist, educator…
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Who Gets To Frame A Community’s Memory? My Guest: Adam Madrid, Filmmaker
Send us Fan Mail Accents taught me something I didn’t understand until much later: people don’t just “sound” different, they carry different histories. That lens is why I’m obsessed with the storytellers behind the stories, the directors and producers making choices that shape what our community...
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Why Should We Care About the Stories Right Outside Our Front Door? My Guest: Brittany Cohill, Executive Director Mandarin Museum & Historical Society
Send us Fan Mail You can fly to Europe for a history fix, or you can turn down a Jacksonville road you’ve driven a thousand times and realize the best stories have been sitting behind a garden gate all along. This episode we talk with Brittany Cohill, executive director of the Mandarin Museum,...
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What Happens When Three Different Paths Share the Same Direction? My Guest: Three Mikes on Mic Co-Hosts- Mike Hightower, Mike Miller & Mike Tolbert
Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to lose a city is to stop listening to it. That's the topic at the heart of this conversation with Mike Hightower, Mike Miller, and Mike Tolbert- the hosts of Three Mikes on Mic Podcast. We examine what podcasts can do that much of today's media cannot: restore...
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What If A City’s Greatest Masterpiece Is Itself? My Guest: Diana Donovan, Executive Director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville
Send us Fan Mail Jacksonville doesn't have a culture problem. It has a visibility problem. If you've ever said, "There's nothing to do in Jacksonville," this conversation may completely change the way you see our city. This week, I'm joined by Diana Donovan, Executive Director of the Cultural...
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What If Your Phone Could Build A City? My Guest: Eric Dunn
Send us Fan Mail As a Gen X mom born in 1976, I've had a front-row seat to one of the greatest transformations in human history: a technological revolution. I grew up in a world where advertising was something that happened to me. Companies bought television commercials, radio spots, billboards,...
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What If Every Person Was a Work of Art Waiting to Be Understood? My Guest: Reese the Poet
Send us Fan Mail Some truths don't arrive wrapped in comfort. They arrive through heartbreak. Through discipline. Through music. Through the quiet decision to become someone better than your circumstances. Hate can be ancient, loud, and deeply personal. Yet every morning we still have to answer…
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Who Helps the People Who Protected Our Freedom? My Guest: Jonathan Richmond, Director of Mission United- United Way of Northeast Florida
Send us Fan Mail Freedom is easy to celebrate. It's surprisingly easy to outsource in our minds until you meet the people who actually stood watch for it. This episode on Schmooze with Suze, I'm joined by Jonathan Richmond, a retired Navy officer whose service didn't end when he hung up the...
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What If We Judged Women’s Greatness Without A Different Lens? My Guest: Donna Orender
Send us Fan Mail What happens when a player puts up a once-in-a-generation stat line and still gets overlooked? That question sparked this conversation with Donna Orender, one of the most influential voices in sports, business, and women's leadership. It also reveals something deeper about the…
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Is Artificial Intelligence the Greatest Opportunity or Greatest Risk of Our Time? My Guest: Angelina Grissom
Send us Fan Mail The Jetsons promised us flying cars, robot assistants, and futuristic technology that seemed impossible. What they really got right was something simpler. One day, the things that sound ridiculous become normal. Artificial intelligence has crossed that threshold, and for many...
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How Does LOL Jax Turn Local Talent Into Community? My Guest: Monique Madrid, LOL Jax Film Festival, Filmmaker, Producer, Creative
Send us Fan Mail Cities love to celebrate the things you can see. New buildings. New roads. New development. But the strongest infrastructure in any community may be the part that's invisible. The stories people tell. The risks they take. The collaborations that happen when creative people find…
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How Do We Grow Jacksonville Without Leaving People Behind? My Guest: Jimmy Peluso, Jacksonville City Council
Send us Fan Mail City Hall doesn’t feel dramatic until you realize a single vote can reshape a neighborhood for generations. We sit down with Jacksonville City Council Member Jimmy Peluso to get past the headlines and into the decisions that actually change daily life: where investment lands, how...
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Are We Awake to the Needs Around Us? My Guest: Colleen Rodriguez, CEO of LJD Jewish Family & Community Services
Send us Fan Mail A rent increase doesn’t sound like a siren, but it can be the first crack that breaks a family’s whole scaffolding. Today we sit with that uncomfortable truth and follow it where it leads: to grocery checkout lines, week-to-week hotel rooms, kids trying to hide the same outfit…
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What Happens When We Stop Teaching Language As Memorization and Start Teaching It As a Connection? My Guest: Donna Guzzo, Language Exploration Enrichment
Send us Fan Mail Language class shouldn’t feel like a worksheet factory where conjugation is the only goal, and instead the mission is to learn a language... share a culture... change the world. In this episode we learn from Donna Guzzo, President and CEO of Language Exploration Enrichment, about...
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When One Mission Ends, How Do You Find the Next One? My Guest: Alexa Jenkins, The Periwinkle Crayon
Send us Fan Mail Titles change fast. Identity changes slower. And when you’ve spent years living inside a mission, walking away can feel like you’re leaving part of yourself behind. I’m joined- for the third time- by Alexa Jenkins, former United States Navy commander, a wife and mom who’s now...
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What Happens When We Stop Asking Whether Students Have Potential and Start Asking Whether We've Built Pathways Worthy of Their Potential? My Guest: Hannah Oberholzer, Thrive Scholars Jacksonville
Send us Fan Mail Being “the first” sounds like a celebration until you realize how often it comes with no blueprint. I grew up in a family shaped by immigration and four Holocaust survivor grandparents, where education meant security, not prestige and nobody was sitting around the table talking...
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Can Generosity and Wealth Really Go Hand in Hand? My Guest: Kellie Smith, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®), B&C Financial
Send us Fan Mail A jar of loose change can be a financial plan, a love letter, and a blueprint for resilience all at once. This week on Schmooze with Suze, I begin with a childhood memory that has stayed with me for decades. My parents kept one of those giant water jugs from the water machine…
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What Happens When Giving Young People a Voice Can Change the Trajectory of Their Lives? My Guest: Kathryn McAvoy, The Performance Academy
Send us Fan Mail Some children walk into a room carrying more than backpacks. They carry noise. The noise of uncertainty. The noise of expectations. The noise of circumstances they did not choose. The noise inside their own heads. In this episode of Schmooze with Suze, I sit down with Kathryn...
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How Do We Create Ecosystems Where People Don’t Just Network, They Actually Belong? My Guest: Daniel Davis, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce
Send us Fan Mail In this episode I sit down with Daniel Davis, for a conversation that goes far beyond networking events and business cards. Because if you think a Chamber of Commerce is simply about ribbon cuttings and after-hours mixers... think again! We unpack what happens when business,...
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Are We Listening to Foster Youth… or Just Talking About Them? My Guest: Kate Temple-Brown, Founder of The Opportunity Project
Send us Fan Mail There are some conversations that stay with you long after the microphones are turned off. This was one of them. In this episode of Schmooze with Suze, I sit down with Kate Temple-Brown to talk about foster youth, resilience, mentorship, and the uncomfortable reality that too…
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What If “Holding It All Together” Is the Problem? My Guest: Suri Robinson, MSW- Founder of After The Burn Co
Send us Fan Mail What happens when you’re holding it all together… but quietly falling apart? In this episode, I sit down with Suri Robinson, founder of After The Burn Co, to talk about burnout in a way most people don’t. Not just exhaustion, but disconnection. Not just doing too much, but being...
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Who Feels the Impact When a City Makes Big Moves? My Guest: Ron Salem, Jacksonville City Council
Send us Fan Mail From public service to personal responsibility... From holding the line to making the call... This episode explores what leadership really looks like when the stakes are high and the outcomes shape a city’s future. Not just policy. Not just process. But the weight of decisions…
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What If Your Cracks Are The Map To Your Purpose... In A Time Such As This? My Guest: ME
Send us Fan Mail Season 6. Year 3. We’re back. And of course we’re kicking off in my favorite month… March. Women’s History Month. The month of queens, courage, and just enough chaos to keep us humble. And yes… Purim. Because nothing says “spiritual growth” like costumes, hidden miracles, and a...
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Can Tapping Into Spiritual Energies Unlock Personal Transformation? My Guest: Jax Cassidy, Bestselling Author & Intuitive Healer
Send us Fan Mail Unlock the mysteries of energy, spirituality, and healing with our special guest, Jax Cassidy, a bestselling author and sixth-generation intuitive and shamanic healer. Discover how these concepts transcend cultural and religious boundaries as Jax shares her personal journey of...
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Can Conversations Across Faiths Foster Family Beyond Beliefs? My Guest: Hazzan Jesse Holzer
Send us Fan Mail How do we bridge the gap between faith and politics, particularly when elections pull us in different directions? Join me, as I chat with Cantor Jesse Holzer from the Jacksonville Jewish Center about the art of loving our neighbors despite our differences. Inspired by the wisdom…
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What Happens When Ancient Hospitality Meets Modern Education? My Guest: Sel Buyuksarac, Co-Founder River City Science Academy
Send us Fan Mail What happens when the ancient values of hospitality and community-building meet modern-day education? Join me, as I explore this with Sel Buyuksarac, co-founder of the River City Science Academy in Jacksonville, Florida. Sel's journey from engineering to education brings to life...
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From Conflict to Consensus- Can We Foster Fellowship With Feedback From The Opposition? My Guest: John Delaney, University President & Former Mayor
Send us Fan Mail From the tumultuous political narratives surrounding the Israeli-Gaza conflict to free speech challenges in university settings, this episode ventures into today's most pressing issues post the recent election. Hear stories of protests, disruptions, and the need for ethical...
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Are Networking Events the Secret to Jacksonville's Thriving Business Scene? My Guest: Liz Grebe, Events Director- Jacksonville Business Journal
Send us Fan Mail In the heart of Jacksonville, where the St. Johns River flows and the vibrant spirit of the community thrives, the Jacksonville Business Journal weaves together the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and visionaries who shape the city's landscape with each printed page and...
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From Theater Kid to Outdoor Stage, How Can Creativity Revitalize a Park? My Guest: Liz McCoy, Executive Director of James Weldon Johnson Park
Send us Fan Mail Nestled in the heart of downtown Jacksonville lies a park steeped in history and cultural significance. Originally established as a public square in the 19th century, the park has witnessed the evolution of the city and has served as a gathering place for generations. Throughout...
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Can Curiosity About Community Connection Be Our Compass To Navigating New Environments? My Guest: Leah Palestrant, Director at Hillel International
Send us Fan Mail Transitioning from the familiar to the unknown can be daunting, especially during our formative years. Whether faith and community were once at the center of our education, or it becomes a new space in which to find more ways to connect on a deeper lever, college campuses have...
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Can We Transform Broken Pieces Into a Foundation of Strength and Beauty? My Guest: Elena Øhlander, Visual Artist and Cultural Storyteller
Send us Fan Mail Imagine a world where shattered pieces become the foundation of strength and beauty. Visual artist and cultural storyteller Elena Øhlander shares her experience with Kintsugi, revealing the profound lessons it imparts about identity and self-acceptance. Our conversation weaves...
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How Can We Provide The Base of The Pyramid With Dignity? My Guest: Colleen Rodriguez, Executive Director of LJD- JFCS Jacksonville
Send us Fan Mail After two years, and five seasons, I can finally say, let's follow up. I share an intimate conversation with Colleen Rodriguez, Executive Director of the LJD Jewish Family and Community Services of Jacksonville- my first guest from my first episode. We tackle the topics we…
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Have You Been Wondering, Where Are The Party People At? My Guest: Seri Kertzner, Founder of The Social Society & OG Party Girl
Send us Fan Mail I'm not much of a party person. The reason I tell you this is because I will be turning 50 in two years and I'm starting to emotionally plan... to mentally prepare... to pull off the party I've always wanted, "Schmoozapalooza!" I have been screen-shotting ideas for months. The...
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Can Embracing Our Unique Beauty Enhance Our Aging Journey? My Guest: Audrey Colman
Send us Fan Mail What if the secret to aging gracefully lies not in drastic measures, but in understanding and embracing the nuances of your unique beauty? This episode opens a candid dialogue about my own experiences with aesthetic enhancements and the pivotal role that informed choices and...
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From Salmon Fishing to AI Pioneering, Can One Man's Journey Inspire Many? My Guest: Travis Wold
Send us Fan Mail What if artificial intelligence could revolutionize cancer treatment and make life-saving therapies more accessible worldwide? Join us on "Schmooze with Suze" for an enlightening conversation with Travis Wold, a visionary in the medical biotech sector. You'll discover how AI is...
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Can We Curate, Educate & Activate With Parties and Placemaking ? My Guests: Kady Yellow and Haley Wright Tinkle
Send us Fan Mail Join me as I recount my biggest failure from the Suzie Sucks Scrapbook! Serendipity meant for me to keep this for 15 years until I met these two modern muses, who inspired me to realize that bravery, creativity and resilience are a necessity for building, collaboration and...
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Can We Protect Our Children By Teaching Them About Insurance Coverage? My Guest: Daniel Miller, Brightway Insurance
Send us Fan Mail Back in the 1900s, my dad would set up the dining room table "one night, once a year for David, the insurance guy." There were manila folders and legal pads, different pens- and one of the four-clicker-color-kinds. This insurance meeting was so serious that there were two…
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Can You Please Ask Me Your Uncomfortable Questions? My Guest: Pastor John Allen Newman, The Sanctuary at Mt. Cavalry
Send us Fan Mail I start this episode by calling him "Reverend." He corrects me, "Pastor." I am sincerely sorry. He is graciously forgiving. I made an honest mistake without malicious intent. We move on to a meaningful conversation. When I was little, we knew what racists were. There were enough...
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Can We Deeply Listen Our Way To Coexistence? My Guest: Dr. Elliott Rosenbaum, Founder of Emunah Meditation
Send us Fan Mail Following the events of October 7, 2023, I feared that all of the work I had done to become a cycle-breaker would become derailed. The propaganda filled images and messages seemed like they were unleashed concurrent with the atrocities upon my Homeland. I worried I would lean…
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Now That You Embraced Your Imperfections, Can You Add Captions and a Soundtrack? My Guest: Taylor Hayes, @ImperfectTaylor
Send us Fan Mail I can remember the first person I blocked on social media. She unabashedly took to my comments to give unsolicited feedback, judgment and suggestions. She wrote that I was sharing too much personal information and I would never find a husband if I kept this up. She complained…
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From The West Village to the Village of Jax, Who Said "I Don't Do 'Villes"? My Guest: Allishia Bauman, Ambassador of Ubuntu
Send us Fan Mail Back in the 1900s, as a child of immigrants to the United States, I remember always having to learn it on my own. My parents weren't familiar with American cultural norms and my world was pretty narrow. If I wanted to understand how private school girls acted, I watched "The…
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Can You Strengthen Faith By Talking About More Than Interfaith? My Guest: Elizabeth Andersen, OneJax Inc.
Send us Fan Mail Back in the 1900s there was a period of time that you could not safely stroll the streets of Manhattan for fear. I’m not talking about the high profile cases that made the news. Those weren’t the things that scared me. Violence that had statistics meant there were people…
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Can a Cantor Help Conduct a Curated Concert of Culture, Connection and Community? My Guest: Hazzan Jesse Merlin Holzer
Send us Fan Mail Growing up in New York City meant I was exposed to all kinds of ethnicities, cultures and religions. Except Baptist- I don't think I ever met a Baptist. And the more I knew about every other- because I studied them relentlessly with curiosity, along with my Catholic best friend...
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How Does a Foundation of Giving Grow to Greater Impact? My Guest: Isaiah Oliver, Community Foundation of Northeast Florida
Send us Fan Mail For as far back as I can remember charity has been ingrained in me, like challah braided into my DNA. From my very first nursery school classroom, at my very first circle time, I recall proudly clutching my shiny copper penny and eagerly waiting that tzedaka box to get to me....
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Can Urban Planning Reshape Memories and Future Visions? My Guest: Sondra Fetner, Urbanist
Send us Fan Mail Growing up in 1970s, New York City, I felt like I was always living under construction. Things that got built for people to live in, single or multi-family- were filled instantly with residents, as quickly as their various family members were able to sponsor them, and shops too....
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Can Embracing The Less Formal YOU, Ignite Your Professional Empowerment? My Guest: Yanira 'Yaya' Cardona, YaYa Productions
Send us Fan Mail Back in the olden days, before taking the Myers-Briggs, Big Five and any Enneagram to assess personality, there was the Teacher's Comments section of a handwritten report card. So if people are telling us who we present as from the time we are little, should we believe them? And...
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How Do You Know If You Should Spend, Save or Invest? My Guest: ME
Send us Fan Mail This episode I introduce new music in the INTRO and OUTRO. The piece, and the composer, are special- Dance With Me. It's the title- but also my invitation to this season. I've asked you to borrow my binoculars. We got interested... curious... We got funky. (Note the previous...
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How Can We Unpack the "Birth Bag" To Better Understand Mom? My Guests: Megan Mangiarcino & Natalie McBride of Baby Boldly
Send us Fan Mail The best way to explain parenting is, you don’t know what you don’t know. I remember my parents saying, "this didn’t come with a manual." Then I remember there being a manual... In fact, so many manuals on how to raise the exact kind of kid you want to raise. The formulas... the...
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Can You Make A Holiday Impact In 10 Minutes? My Guest: Donna O'Steen, LJD-JFCS
Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered about the struggles faced by local families and how you can help? The LJD Jewish Family and Community Services, contrary to popular belief, doesn't just cater to the Jewish population, but to anyone in need, with a staggering 85% of their clientele being...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Hi, I’m Suze. Here with your dose of culture, values and global citizenship- and where we tackle those topics others may consider off-limits.
A little about me, I’m a busy GenX mom who, quite frankly, wanted to grow up like the Brady Bunch… But ended up being raised in the shadow of Schindler’s List. So this means I’ve spent a lifetime navigating these mixed messages we get hit with daily. You know those conversations- where we wonder if it’s safe to speak our minds? Can we share our experiences? Voice our fears and concerns, or should we just keep our mouths shut?
Well, too bad. I need to know! But I’m no expert. So, I’m going to schmooze the experts and get their thoughts. Why? So when we engage with our kids, colleagues, or the countless committees we interact with, we can do it with competence, kindness, confidence, and maybe a bit of humor.
If this sounds like your cup of coffee- welcome to Schmooze with Suze!
HOSTED BY
Suzie Becker
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Schmooze with Suze have?
Schmooze with Suze currently has 84 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Schmooze with Suze about?
Hi, I’m Suze. Here with your dose of culture, values and global citizenship- and where we tackle those topics others may consider off-limits. A little about me, I’m a busy GenX mom who, quite frankly, wanted to grow up like the Brady Bunch… But ended up being raised in the shadow of Schindler’s...
How often does Schmooze with Suze release new episodes?
Schmooze with Suze has 84 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Schmooze with Suze?
You can listen to Schmooze with Suze on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Schmooze with Suze?
Schmooze with Suze is created and hosted by Suzie Becker.
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