Host
SVETKA
A curious student of the human experience, shaped by the courage of the women who came before her, and committed to leaving a meaningful imprint on the world.
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THE WOMEN BEFORE ME | INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2026
THE WOMEN BEFORE ME is an International legacy storytelling project and upcoming podcast dedicated to honoring the WOMEN who shaped who we became. Mothers. Grandmothers. Aunts. Teachers. Coaches. Mentors and more.
Women whose influence may never make headlines but whose impact remains in our lives and will continue for generations. This is an invitation to give tribute to a woman in your life and to remind us all that our legacy is every life we touch as Maya Angelou once said.
Officially launching on International Women’s Day, the podcast features interviews with recognized leaders, compelling stories, and real-time voicemail tributes submitted by people across the globe. Together, these conversations reveal a shared truth: none of us stand alone. We are all part of a bigger legacy story.
Consider this as your invitation to participate:
Leave a brief voicemail tribute below honoring the woman who positively impacted your story, for an opportunity to be featured on THE WOMEN BEFORE ME podcast. Please aim for about one minute so we can honor as many voices as possible.
When you record, please share:
Your name and where you are recording from
Who is the woman who came before you, and how did she shape your life?
What lessons did she pass down?
How does her influence shape the way you live today?
Together, let’s create a ripple effect that honors the women before us, reminding us that generations matter, influence matters, and the choices we make echo far beyond ourselves.
Go to svetkapopov.com and leave us a voice-memo of a woman who made a positive impact on your life.
We can’t wait to listen to your voicemails and hear the story of the woman who left a lasting imprint on your life.
Contributors
Guests
Guest
Bethny Ricks
Bethny Ricks understands the essence of leading through chaos and emerging stronger from it. As a dynamic executive coach, speaker, and author with twenty years of experience, she has guided global teams and assisted companies in reaching peak valuations of $20 billion.
Recognized as one of the Top 100 African Americans in Business and Ohio’s Most Influential Women in Business, Bethny excels at transforming vision into action. What truly distinguishes her is her ability to empower others to do the same, even in times of uncertainty.
Bethny has made billion-dollar decisions in boardrooms, yet she has also engaged in heartfelt conversations at kitchen tables, where the act of showing up again tomorrow takes immense courage.
Bethny is an author of Face Forward
Reclaiming hope when everything is falling apart.
Guest
Jim Murphy
Jim Murphy serves as a Performance Coach to remarkable athletes and leaders globally. He began his journey as a professional baseball player within the Chicago Cubs organization. After facing vision challenges that cut his playing career short, Murphy transitioned to coaching with the Texas Rangers and the South African Olympic baseball team.
In addition, he spearheads Inner Excellence and Best Possible Life retreats worldwide. He is also the president of the Inner Excellence Freedom Project, dedicated to creating communities that combat spiritual and physical poverty around the globe.