Narrow Spaces with Holly Mcllwain
In a world chasing "work-life balance," NarrowSpaces confronts a deeper truth: the space between work and life isn’t always wide. It’s narrow—and that’s where the real leadership happens.
Hosted by Holly McIlwain, leadership coach, corporate culture strategist, and founder of the Brave Women Project, this podcast dives into the high-pressure spaces where professionals live, lead, and grow. With each episode, Holly interviews executives, entrepreneurs, and experts from across the country—uncovering hard-earned wisdom, actionable tools, and authentic stories of navigating the tension between purpose and performance.
Whether you're a seasoned leader, a working parent, a team builder, or someone trying to lead without losing yourself, NarrowSpaces gives you the mindset, language, and strategies to thrive. From mastering team dynamics to restoring your energy and values, Holly brings clarity to the chaos.
Leadership podcast, women in leadership, work-life integration, executive coaching, corporate culture, employee engagement, career development, personal growth, CliftonStrengths, DISC assessments, manager tips, burnout prevention, emotional intelligence, podcast for working professionals
📅 New episodes drop every Monday.
💡 Learn more at www.narrowspaces.com
Narrow Spaces with Holly Mcllwain
C-Suite Champion
Episode Title: C-Suite Champion
Release Date: November 10
Host: Holly McIlwain
Guest: Debra Squyers
Episode Summary: In this insightful episode, host Holly McIlwain welcomes a true C-Suite Champion, Debra Squyres, Chief Customer Officer at Bonusly, who shares her remarkable journey as a working mother at a time before legal protections were established for pregnant women in the workplace. Debra's experiences have shaped her into a human-centered leader, emphasizing empathy, transparency, and work-life harmony in her leadership approach.
Debra discusses the importance of leading with empathy and prioritizing employee well-being to foster a positive workplace culture. She reflects on her early career experiences and shares strategies for harmonizing work and personal life, stressing the need for leaders to set an example. Debra encourages her team to practice ruthless prioritization, focusing on what truly needs to be done and delegating effectively.
Listeners will discover the impact of recognizing and celebrating personal milestones in creating an engaged workforce and gain insights into the evolving nature of work, including the rise of the gig economy and flexible work arrangements. Debra reminds us that “work-life balance is not a thing; it’s about harmonizing our lives,” and emphasizes that when leaders take care of their teams, those teams, in turn, take care of customers and foster a supportive environment.
Guest Bio: Debra Squyres is the Chief Customer Officer at Bonusly, where she merges her passion for exceptional customer experience with her commitment to empowering companies to connect, motivate, and engage their employees in building winning workplaces. With over 30 years of experience in senior leadership roles in Human Resources, Debra has worked in diverse areas, including HR consulting, outsourcing, client services, and customer success. Residing in Fort Worth, Texas, she enjoys life with her husband and two dogs.
Resources Mentioned:
- Bonusly Website
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Connect with Debra Squires:
Key Takeaways for Youtube, LinkedIn, and NarrowSpaces.com:
- The Importance of Human-Centered Leadership: Debra discusses how leading with empathy and prioritizing employee well-being fosters a positive workplace culture.
- Navigating Work-Life Balance: Debra reflects on her early career experiences and shares strategies for harmonizing work and personal life, emphasizing the need for leaders to set an example.
- Ruthless Prioritization: Learn how Debra encourages her team to practice ruthless prioritization, focusing on what truly needs to be done and delegating effectively.
- Celebrating Personal Milestones: Discover the impact of recognizing and celebrating employees' personal achievements and milestones in creating an engaged workforce.
- The Future of Work: Debra shares her insights on the evolving nature of work, including the rise of the gig economy and flexible work arrangements.
Quotes:
- “Work-life balance is not a thing; it's about harmonizing our lives.”
- “When you take care of the team, they take care of the customers, and they also take care of you.”