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Episode Description:

In this episode, Julia speaks with Jamie Mittelman, founder of Flame Bearers, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of women athletes from around the world. Jamie shares her experiences navigating the challenges of leading in a field that has historically underserved women, she highlights the importance of flipping hostility by leading with positivity and empathy.

“In a hostile environment, don’t mirror the hostility—flip it on its head. Be the opposite, and you’ll draw people to you,” said Jamie.

Jamie recounts inspiring stories from her work with over 250 athletes from 55 countries, highlighting the importance of staying true to your mission despite external pressures. Taking examples of leading from the work of leaders like Becky Sauerbrunn, she illustrates how authenticity and quiet strength can drive change and inspire others.

Listen to this episode to be reminded about the importance of abundance mindsets over scarcity mindsets, staying aligned with your core values, and the transformative potential of creating spaces where all voices are valued.

About the Guests

Jamie Mittleman

Jamie is on a mission to make sure that people of all ages are inspired by women athletes who look and sound like them. A deep believer in the power of stories to change lives, Jamie is deeply committed to elevating as many diverse voices as possible within the world of elite women’s sports. Through Flame Bearers, she’s worked with over 250 Olympians and Paralympians from 55 countries and received 22 awards for her work in video, podcasting and social media. She holds a Harvard Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard, Master of Business (MBA) from Dartmouth, has a decade of experience in the corporate and nonprofit worlds and an International Studies Major & Gender Studies Minor from Middlebury College.

About the Host

Julia Middleton

Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.

In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.

Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.

Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.