What if you really can have it all, just not all at once?
For the milestone 200th episode and the season 7 finale, Matt Stewart brings on two of the sharpest leaders he knows, Nicole McMackin and Lisa Bhathal Merage, for a raw, funny, and honest look at what it really takes to rise to the top as a woman in business.
Nicole runs a technology staffing company, which she took over at 29. Lisa built a global swimwear brand with her brother, sold it to private equity, and now co-owns a portfolio of professional sports teams. Together, they get into fear versus positive thinking, the myth of being ready, why they never saw a glass ceiling, and how to have it all without trying to do it all at once.
If you are waiting to feel qualified before you make your move, this conversation will change how you think about that. Listen now.
Timestamped Highlights
- 00:01:37 - Can men and women really be friends? The question that reframes the whole episode
- 00:09:02 - The one habit behind Lisa’s success, and it started with her parents
- 00:14:13 - Nicole’s success habit, plus the word she now says to almost everything
- 00:17:44 - The pivotal yes that changed Nicole’s life at 29
- 00:19:19 - Why nobody is ever ready, and why that should not stop you
- 00:23:09 - The night 26,000 fans convinced Lisa to bet on women’s sports
- 00:25:16 - "I didn’t know there was a glass ceiling" and what that belief unlocked
- 00:34:23 - The prioritization secret behind having it all without doing it all
- 00:45:24 - The barrier question flipped: why the opportunity now belongs to women
- 00:52:43 - What organizations get wrong about showing people a path up
- 00:55:00 - The two books these CEOs credit for how they lead
Mentioned Resources
About The Guests
Nicole McMackin is President and CEO of Irvine Technology Corporation, an award-winning IT solutions and staffing firm based in Southern California. She took over the company as a young executive and grew it into a nationally recognized, women-owned business. A passionate advocate for women in technology, she teaches Women in Leadership programs and mentors the next generation of female leaders. Curious by nature and candid about her own fears, Nicole is known for pushing through discomfort, saying yes to the right opportunities, and helping others find a real path to the top.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website
Lisa Bhathal Merage is Managing Partner and Chief Impact Officer of Revitate, a Newport Beach investment platform focused on real estate, sports, and consumer brands. She and her brother worked their way up in the family business to become co-CEOs of women’s swimwear company RAJ Swim, took it global, and sold it to private equity in what is regarded as the largest buyout in the swimwear industry. Today, she serves as Governor of the Portland Thorns (NWSL) and the Portland Fire (WNBA), helping shape the future of women’s professional sports. A USC Marshall graduate with a Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania, Lisa leads with fearless positivity and a deep belief in creating lasting community impact.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website
Important Links
The Edge of Excellence is an original podcast hosted by Matthew Stewart. Brought to you by College Works. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
