About this episode

Lisa Cork shares her journey of mentorship and the importance of small steps in career development.

Lisa Cork spent 35 years as a CEO. She made her first call asking for help this spring. Early in her career, two women mentors were handed to her through a women's mentoring program. Both were deep in the fresh produce world. Both could have changed her trajectory. She had no idea what to do with them. Not because she didn't care. Because nobody teaches you how to use a mentor, and she was an introvert who didn't yet know she was one. So the relationships went quiet. And for the next four decades, Lisa built a career, a reputation, and a network of people who knew her and respected her... and never once asked any of them for anything. Then, over spring break, she picked up the phone. A produce woman she'd known for years. One call. Nervous as heck. The answer came back immediately. Yes, of course, absolutely. It paid dividends she wasn't even expecting. And it took 40 years. In this episode: → Why mentorship fails from not knowing how to use it, not from lack of access → The two mantras Lisa reaches for when the work feels bigger than she is → Why your peer network outlasts any single mentor... and the LinkedIn target to set before you graduate → How to reach out to someone…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Christiane Schroeter

Guest: Lisa Cork

Topics covered

• mentorship
• career development
• networking
• personal growth
• leadership

Keywords

• mentorship
• career
• networking
• leadership
• personal growth
• small steps
• introvert

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: LinkedIn

More episodes of happy healthy hustle

• Why Couldn't I Sleep? · July 3, 2026 · 7 min
• What If You're Already Enough? w/ Lisa Cork · June 19, 2026 · 21 min

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