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How to Leave Past Mistakes Behind | That’s a Good Question

Terrified business woman fall down into the hole. Failure or mistake business concept. Vector illustration

PROBLEM: How do I overcome past professional mistakes (i.e. getting fired, performing poorly due to personal issues) with former employers and companies who may now be potential partners or clients, now that I’m a business owner? Delaware is a small state and I have been avoiding events (i.e. networking events, workshops, meetings) when I know a former employer will be there who I have had issues with in the past.

Everyone makes mistakes. But how do you transcend those mistakes and keep growing your career… even in a small business community, where everyone knows everyone? Today’s listener of That’s a Good Question is a business owner in a small state, and the former employers who didn’t get her at her best are now potential partners and clients. We’ll explore ways to help prove your progress and quash doubts about your ability. You’ll walk away with new tools for expressing confidence and humility, and for acknowledging the past while eagerly anticipating the future.


Lisa Hellmann

Lisa Hellmann

Lisa Hellmann is a global Human Resources leader with extensive experience building people strategies in fast-growing medical technology, biotechnology, and healthcare environments. Lisa has implemented worldwide people strategies throughout her career and capitalized on her cultural acumen across diverse workforces and geographies. From 2017 to 2023, Lisa led significant Human Resource advances for Hologic Inc., a global medical technology provider focused on women’s health and medical devices. She joined as Vice President, Human Resources, Diagnostics and Global Internal Communications (2017 – 2021), and then was promoted to Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources and Corporate Communications (2021 – 2023). Lisa is a devoted leader in community organizations (The California Conference for Women and the City Heights Preparatory High School) where she serves as a member of the Board of Directors.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do ItDo NothingHeard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me MoreTalk of the NationAll Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @CelesteHeadlee


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