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In this special Thanksgiving episode, Ellen Williams sits down with Mas Moriya, filmmaker, producer, and founder of Filmclusive, a platform he built from scratch to make hiring in film, TV, and gaming more transparent and equitable.

Mas was once an up-and-coming creative working with the likes of Alicia Keys.
But after the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, rising production costs, and the LA fires, the industry around him collapsed.

Friends with feature films, fellowships, and awards were suddenly saying:

That turning point pushed Mas into a powerful pause, a year-long reset where he stepped away from filmmaking entirely to understand what was broken in Hollywood and how to fix it.
What he found wasn’t just economic failure… but a systemic lack of tools, structure, and support for working creatives.

So he taught himself software engineering and design, leaning heavily on analogies (including Pokémon!) to understand complex concepts.
Yes, The story Mas Moriya shared included a very creative idea on how to learn a new skill.

And that learning led him to build Filmclusive, a market network designed to end pay-to-play capitalism in Hollywood and give creatives free access to opportunities and digital tools.

In this episode, Mas and Ellen discuss:

• How Hollywood’s economic shifts are pushing out working creatives
• Why the industry still depends on spreadsheets and 10 disconnected tools
• The moment he realized no platform truly served filmmakers and performers
• How AI and analogy-driven learning helped him teach himself to code
• Why small daily pauses can lead to major life pivots
• The leadership lesson Mas believes every CEO should practice

A perfect episode for anyone navigating change, reinvention, or the courage to build something new.

Learn more about Mas: https://www.filmclusive.com/about-founder

Learn more about Ellen: https://thesalientstrategist.com

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In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams sits down with Jenica Norris, ADHD entrepreneur, systems strategist, and CEO of Strategic Sound Consulting, for a powerful conversation about what it really means to pause when your brain works differently.

Jenica shares how navigating neurodivergence reshaped not only her career path but also the way she approaches energy, focus, and leadership. Instead of forcing herself into rigid productivity systems that never fit, she built a structure that supports how her mind actually works and now teaches others to do the same.

This episode dives into the truth many high performers quietly face:

Your success is not determined by how many minutes you manage, but by how well you understand and support your mind.

🎙 In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why traditional productivity systems fail neurodivergent leaders
• How to spot when your energy, not your schedule, is telling you to pause
• The difference between bandwidth and capacity
• How small, intentional pauses prevent burnout and expand your effectiveness
• Practical ways to build systems that support your brain, not drain it.

Whether you’re neurodivergent, managing a neurodiverse team, or simply tired of productivity advice that doesn’t work in real life, this conversation will help you approach your work with more clarity, compassion, and sustainable energy.

🌐 Learn more about Ellen: https://thesalientstrategist.com

🌐 Learn more about Jenica: https://www.strategicsoundconsulting.com

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In this episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams sits down with Sophie Devonshire, CEO of The Marketing Society and bestselling author of Superfast: Lead at Speed, to talk about why strategic pauses are the fastest way to better decisions, clearer direction, and more sustainable momentum.

Sophie shares her “squiggly career” from P&G and Coca-Cola to founding and selling an e-commerce company, moving overseas, and writing Superfast.

You’ll hear how she builds micro-pauses into projects (pre-mortem, midpoint check, fast feedback), uses the “soak period” when navigating a transition, and why community and coffee chats are non-negotiable when you land somewhere new.

You’ll learn:

• How to slow down to speed up (and avoid headless-chicken mode)
• A simple cadence for year / mid-year / monthly reflection that actually sticks
• The “100 coffees” playbook to build a real network (friends, not just contacts)
• How to frame a break as a “strategic pause” so ambitious teams buy in

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What happens when your career no longer aligns with your values?

In this episode, Ellen Williams speaks with Stephanie Vaughan, about pressing pause to realign your life, family, and purpose.

From walking away from corporate success to finding fulfillment through intention and emotional awareness, Stephanie shares how listening to your emotions can lead you to the right next step, both in business and at home.

They discuss:

• The moment Stephanie realized her career no longer aligned with her values
• How she turned a leap of faith into a 20-year coaching legacy
• What it really means to balance family, purpose, and ambition
• Why “listening to your emotions” is one of the most powerful leadership tools

If you’ve ever felt torn between career and family, or struggled to slow down long enough to hear what your next chapter might be, this episode will speak directly to you.

To learn more about Ellen, please visit: https://thesalientstrategist.com/

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In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Barbara Lange, Principal and CEO of Kibo 121, about the courage and strategy behind leaving a secure executive role to start a purpose-driven consultancy. Barbara shares how leading an organization through the pandemic sparked her decision to step away after more than a decade, embrace uncertainty, and launch a business dedicated to sustainability in the media technology sector. She offers insight into managing risk, overcoming the fear of losing stability, and using networking and continuous learning to stand out in an emerging space. This conversation is a must-listen for leaders and entrepreneurs ready to pivot their careers and align their work with their values.

To learn more about Barbara, please visit https://www.kibo121.io/

To learn more about Ellen, please visit https://thesalientstrategist.com/

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In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, speaks with Laura Lampa, owner and CEO of LML StoryLab Consulting. Laura shares her incredible journey from a career in science to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Laura reveals how a layoff became her pivotal "press pause" moment, forcing her to trust herself, embrace uncertainty, and launch her own business.

This conversation is for anyone who has considered leaving a secure career to build something on their own terms.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How a layoff can be a catalyst for a life-changing career pivot.
• The courage it takes to leave the safety of a secure job for entrepreneurship.
• Why stress feels different when it's tied to passion and purpose.
• The importance of listening to your inner voices of doubt, as they often point to your true passions.
• The pleasure of working for clients who believe in you and your vision.

More from Laura Lampa:

• Website: https://lmlstorylab.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauralampa/

More from Ellen Williams:

• Website: https://thesalientstrategist.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenwilliamsny/
• Contact: ellen@thesalientstrategist.com

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How do you rise from security guard to managing director at Morgan Stanley?

Ed Clementi did just that and then made the bold choice to bet on himself by walking away from a C-Suite career to build his own company, Inspired Fire.

In this episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, dives into Ed’s story of resilience, self-belief, and the importance of finding alignment in your career.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How Ed rose from security guard to managing director.
• The crucial leadership lessons he learned from mentors who saw his potential and gave him room to grow.
• Why "betting on yourself" might be the most important career decision you ever make.
• How to recognize the signs that it’s time to "press pause" and realign your path.
• The simple yet powerful analogy of staying on the "wrong train" and how it applies to your career.

More from Ellen:

• Website: https://thesalientstrategist.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenwilliamsny/
• Contact: ellen@thesalientstrategist.com

More from Ed Clementi:

• Website: https://edclementi.com/
• Newsletter: https://edclementi.com/newsletter/

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In this powerful episode of Time to Press Pause, host Ellen Williams speaks with Scott Ballard, CEO and owner of Confidence Coach LLC, about the life-altering experience of exiting a business and navigating the uncertain space that follows. After building a highly successful company from the ground up, Scott found himself with time, money, and no clear plan. What began as a pause after selling his company became a deeply reflective period of personal growth and spiritual searching. During this time, Scott immersed himself in volunteer work, traveling with young adults to underserved areas around the world, seeking clarity on what came next in his journey.

Scott recounts how a simple request from a peer in his former industry to offer leadership advice reignited his purpose. That single encounter led to the realization that his true gift lay in helping others identify and overcome limiting beliefs—something he understood intimately through a childhood marked by dyslexia and destructive labeling. A pivotal figure in his early life helped him reframe his identity, sparking a lifelong commitment to mindset transformation. These formative experiences shaped his passion for coaching CEOs and entrepreneurs who, despite their external success, often feel like impostors or disconnected from their true purpose.

The conversation closes with Scott urging leaders to consider the deeper purpose behind their pauses. He emphasizes that a pause isn’t just about rest, it’s a gateway to discovering how one’s future can align more fully with their core identity and long-term legacy. His story is a powerful reminder that mindset is not only foundational to success but essential to fulfillment, and that the most significant growth often comes from intentional stillness.

For more information about Scott, visit https://www.confidencecoach.org/

For more information about Ellen, visit https://thesalientstrategist.com/