In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum sits down with Sheila Burkett, a tech entrepreneur whose background spans finance, racing, historic redevelopment, and digital innovation. Sheila’s career started at Edward Jones, where she advanced from intern to general partner, gaining insight into technology and leadership along the way. Sheila went on to co-found Spry Digital, leveraging open-source technology to empower small and medium-sized businesses with the digital solutions they develop

Sheila’s journey illustrates how embracing risk, nurturing resilience, and championing innovation can lead to opportunity and impact. Sheila is also a vocal advocate for women in technology, emphasizing the critical role of confidence-building and community support to foster inclusion in STEM.

Topics Explored:

1. Career Transitions – How Sheila navigated major career shifts, from Edward Jones executive to race car entrepreneur and digital agency founder.
2. Importance of Open Source – Sheila discusses why open-source software is vital for empowering businesses and leveling the competitive playing field.
3. Leadership and Learning – Key moments and philosophies that shaped Sheila’s approach to leadership and continuous learning.
4. Resilience in Entrepreneurship – Sheila’s insights into embracing failure, nurturing innovation, and maintaining transparency during challenging times.
5. Women in Technology – Barriers, misconceptions, and Sheila’s advocacy for greater inclusion and confidence-building for young women in STEM.
6. Systems and Culture – How Sheila applies her technology and marketing expertise to build efficient operational systems and positive workplace cultures.

Links:

• Sheila Burkett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaburkett/
• Spry Digital: https://sprydigital.com
• Crystal: https://www.crystalknows.com
• National Center for Women & Information Technology: https://ncwit.org
• Dream Hoarders by Richard Reeves: https://amzn.to/4bW4UaP
• Andy Bales’ episode: https://unfoldingthought.com/20-andy-bales-from-poverty-to-purpose/
• Kimberly Beckley’s episode: https://unfoldingthought.com/25-kimberly-beckley-rethinking-beauty-school-dreams/

For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com

Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: eric@inboundandagile.com

In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, host Eric Pratum chats with Mandy Hoskinson—a digital marketer and agency founder whose journey took her from UCLA’s nascent social media team to founding her own agency in Los Angeles. Along the way, Mandy led social campaigns for marquee brands (like CBS primetime shows, the LA Olympic bid, and more), using her holistic, multicultural perspective to connect data and storytelling. She shares how seizing the right moments (and sometimes pure luck) catapulted her from being an intern dabbling in “the new Facebook events feature” to orchestrating global campaigns with large, diverse teams. Now at the helm of Zolay, Mandy offers high-level strategic social media, bridging her passions for community-building and operational data.

Topics Explored:

1. From Art & Anthropology to Social Marketing – How Mandy’s unique UCLA degree and global curiosity shaped her approach to communications.
2. The UCLA Flood & Crisis Comms – Early in her career, Mandy landed in a real-world crisis scenario that taught her the power of facts and quick thinking.
3. Scaling Strategy & Data – Why Mandy believes every brand needs both “heart” and a CRM-level view of their audience if they want to see real ROI from social.
4. Building Communities – As President of Social Media Club LA and VP of SMC Global, Mandy talks about how local chapters can support marketers’ careers.
5. From One-Woman Shop to 12-Person Team – Lessons learned in the transition from freelancing at home to opening an LA studio, including the pandemic pivot.
6. Cultural Sensitivity in Content – Why certain words, trends, or jokes can backfire, and how Mandy’s multicultural background helps clients navigate complexities.

Links:

• Mandy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandahoskinson/
• Zolay: https://zolaystudio.com
• Social Media Club Global: https://socialmediaclub.org
• Social Media Club Los Angeles: https://www.socialmediaclub.la
• Air Force Blog Assessment: https://web-strategist.com/blog/2008/12/31/diagram-how-the-air-force-response-to-blogs/

For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com

Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: eric@inboundandagile.com

In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, host Eric Pratum welcomes Simplifying Beauty founder Kimberly Beckley, a lash artist, salon owner, and soon-to-be academy director with 20 years of beauty industry experience. Kimberly isn’t your typical beauty professional: she’s driven by the idea that real success comes from running a human-focused, sustainable business—not just chasing trends or hustling 24/7. Kimberly opens up about:

• Her own journey from corporate environments to entrepreneurship, seeking a healthy work-life balance for herself and her staff.
• The hard truth about the 37% annual attrition rate in cosmetology, fueled by beauty schools that fail to teach real business fundamentals.
• Why she believes enhancing someone’s natural beauty is about far more than aesthetics; it’s a confidence boost that can ripple through every area of a client’s life.
• The parallels between beauty-school promises and the broader higher-ed “sell”—and how a lack of practical training can leave people saddled with debt or a failing business.
• How her new academy will offer not just technical skill-building but also the strategies you need for running a profitable business while maintaining boundaries and sanity.

If you’ve ever been curious about how a heart-driven entrepreneur can rewrite the script for future generations—this conversation is for you.

Topics Explored:

1. From Corporate Burnout to Lash Artist - How Kimberly transitioned from a stifling 9-to-5 life into cosmetology—and why she wanted more autonomy for family and self-fulfillment.
2. Why Beauty Schools Fail Aspiring Entrepreneurs - The reality behind beauty programs: great at teaching state-board skills, terrible at teaching business fundamentals.
3. Building Confidence vs. Selling Trends - Kimberly explains why she’s big on “there she is again” moments—helping women recognize their authentic selves.
4. Cutting Through the Hustle-and-Grind Myth - Strategies Kimberly uses (like 90-day reset periods) to avoid burnout, stay profitable, and set boundaries, proving you can love your work without sacrificing your life.
5. Parallels to Broader Education - How the “bill of goods” about limitless earnings in beauty school mirrors the promises some traditional universities make—without giving students the “blueprint” for actual success.

Links:

• Simplifying Beauty (Salon Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/simplifyingbeauty_salon/
• Email Kimberly: kimberlybeckley@simplifyingbeauty.com
• Connect with Kimberly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-beckley/
• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: https://amzn.to/42qGemI
• Traction by Gino Wickman: https://amzn.to/426FxzX

For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com

Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: eric@inboundandagile.com