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What if losing interest in the job you once loved is a signal of growth? What if that shift in your energy means you've expanded and your work is ready to expand with you? In this episode, Cecilia Zapata-Harms shares how she recognized that turning point after over three decades in leadership and chose to build forward following intuition and intention. This is the Your Next Success podcast, and I'm your host, Dr. Caroline Sangal I'm a life first career coach and strategist on a mission to normalize questioning your career because I believe each of us is made on purpose for a purpose only we can fulfill. The longer we live out of alignment with who we are, what we do best, and why we are here, the more we miss out. And the more the world misses out on what only we can give. The Your Next Success Podcast is where we explore how to build a career that truly fuels your life. We talk about self-discovery, smart job, search strategies, professional growth, and you'll hear stories from people who have navigated big career transitions themselves, so you can create a life, first career and become your own version of authentic success. My guest today is Cecilia Zapata Harms. Cecilia has served multiple decades in leadership roles across life, science and healthcare operating inside complex institutions where innovation, research and strategic partnerships shape real outcomes. She understands how organizations grow and how meaningful progress gets built. As her leadership evolved, her interest also evolved. She recognized that her energy was moving towards something new. Today, Cecilia is the founder and executive director of Women Life and Science, and has created a supportive community in the Greenville, South Carolina area and beyond. She also accelerates the startup ecosystem, through Palmetto Innovasphere where life science innovators receive structure, strategic guidance and connection. Cecilia builds environments where expansion happens for people, ideas, and impact. There's a point in the careers of many high achievers when growth creates a shift, your competence remains, your credibility remains, and yet your energy is pulling you towards somewhere new. When you listen, that shift carries and creates clarity. Cecilia Zapata-Harms reached that moment after decades of high level leadership instead of persevering with more momentum in the same direction, she chose alignment. Her experience became the foundation, and she built something that reflected who she was becoming. In this conversation, we explore the leadership evolution, the power of shared success, and the distinction between external validation and internal direction. We talk about building ecosystems instead of chasing titles and creating communities where momentum expands collectively. If your growth is creating movement in your own career, this episode will delight you.

Caroline Sangal 3:39

Cecilia, welcome to Your Next Success. I am so excited to be talking with you again.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 3:46

Yay. I'm too, I have been looking forward to this. I am so honored to be here. Thank you so much. I remember our first conversations and this has been, so many things have happened since. Um, look at you. Yay. You.

Caroline Sangal 4:01

Look at you. I mean, I'm just like, I just keep putting my head down, trying to do the right thing

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 4:07

Long as it's joyful.

Caroline Sangal 4:08

It is joyful.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 4:09

Good.

Caroline Sangal 4:10

It is joyful. I think it's also getting into a point of, wait, wait, wait, wait. What did I really wanna do? And what am I actually doing? And how can I adjust? But I assure you, I'm so excited to get to know more of your story behind the amazing, awesome success, you know, promoter and, and gatherer and collaborator of women and, you know, entrepreneurial companies and all of those things. So we're going to get into that.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 4:38

Oh boy.

Caroline Sangal 4:40

This is a subject you know very well because it's you. all about you. So, um, tell us where were you born? What was life like for the very youngest Cecilia?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 4:54

Mm. Okay. So interesting story there, which most people that I know have heard me talk about it before. Um, so I'm an only child. Um, I was born in a Navy hospital, um, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, so Navy brat. Um, we didn't live there for very long because my, my dad was stationed there. And then, um, uh, my mom's family lived in the Philippines, so being in the, in the Navy, my dad was, you know, shipped all over the place. And as a young mom with, uh, no family where we were, they decided that she was better off, you know, coming home, um, to her family to just have that support system. So we lived in the Philippines pretty early, my early years, like, you know, until I was like, maybe two, um.

Caroline Sangal 5:53

Which part of the Philippines.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 5:54

Manila.

Caroline Sangal 5:55

Oh, nice.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 5:56

Yeah, but being a Navy brat, my dad was stationed in Japan for a few years, and so we lived in Japan in Okinawa for a while. Interesting enough though, somehow, I, I credit a lot of me, and I always, I talk about this a lot, I credit a lot of me of where, how far where I am today because of the sort of like the vision of my mother of you are not gonna just, you know, hop along in school, uh, to different schools. You're actually gonna go somewhere where it's a disciplined, um, structure. And she decided to enroll me into a private school for girls. It's a Catholic actually it was a convent, um, in Spain and, um, and, and so during the school years I lived there and then vacations, I would hop on a, a, you know, military plane and then come back.

Caroline Sangal 7:05

How did she even know about this school in Spain?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 7:10

Don't, don't ask me.

Caroline Sangal 7:12

Right? Like I'm just saying like,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 7:14

I,

Caroline Sangal 7:15

It's kind

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 7:15

I, I know there's a story. There's a story there in itself, right. And so, um, she, I don't know, and I, I think she met someone probably an, an, you know, I grew up Catholic, so she probably met a, a, a Catholic nun and, and said something and she looked into it and all that stuff. Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 7:40

From what age was that that you were,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 7:43

Keep in mind, my biological father passed away fairly early when I was little. I went to school, kindergarten all the way up to maybe equivalent to like eighth grade here,

Caroline Sangal 7:59

So as a kindergartner, you were put into a completely different country, completely different environment, nearly basically on your own.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 8:13

Pretty much.

Caroline Sangal 8:15

Wow.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 8:16

Yeah. So if I start to really think back of how I behave, um, as a person, um, this is where I think one of the reasons why when I embrace people in my life, they become family.

Caroline Sangal 8:33

Hmm.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 8:34

Because that's been the thing, um, growing up.

Caroline Sangal 8:40

Oh my gosh. Okay. Do you remember before you went there, like what did you love to do what kind of a things were fun or fascinating, or how you enjoyed your time?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 8:53

As a kid. Oh, like,

Caroline Sangal 8:55

Like a, like a really young, like before five or is, is it all the memories are now zapped into, you know, this,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 9:02

Uh, there, I mean, certain snippets of things like, um, I've always had the, I, I think if I remember, I had the, I had this room, like at our house. I had a room, my own room, but I also had a kind of like a, we had this extra room that somehow I wanted a blackboard and things like that. And, and yeah. So. So it was still a chalkboard, you know, when I was growing up. And then, and, there were books everywhere. So that I remember. I, I've always loved books, whatever that is. And then as a kindergartner, um, I remember like cutting, uh, magazines and making on my own little paper dolls and then I would take a shoebox and I'd turn that into sort of like a stage.

Caroline Sangal 9:59

Oh, nice.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 10:00

And then I would, um, like write plays.

Caroline Sangal 10:05

Wow.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 10:06

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 10:07

That's so cool.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 10:08

I wish my mom would have saved some of that, but I remember, I remember, I mean, there, I mean, right now I don't even. Seeing this, this box, it's pink on the outside and I had like, I had like a scenery that I cut from a magazine and I pasted it on the back and, you know, I'd make, oh, it's just, yeah, stuff like that.

Caroline Sangal 10:29

Really neat little scenes. And then, but this is kind of a very fascinating, I, I think element because this in the midst of a community of women has been. Nearly from your infancy, obviously, that your mom was a very strong woman to want to do what she thought was gonna be the best for you and for your development in growing up, even though I can't even imagine how that was for her to have to give her precious daughter over to some,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 11:05

Well,

Caroline Sangal 11:05

Somebody else.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 11:06

And you would think, well, and you know, and she traveled there with me obviously. I mean, you know, she was, she was, she was in Spain with, with me. It wasn't like I left my home of homes and off she goes.

Caroline Sangal 11:19

So she, so you still went home to your mom, but yet you went to school in the daytime to

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 11:23

Yeah, yeah, yeah,

Caroline Sangal 11:25

Good. Okay. So I'm

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 11:26

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no. It wasn't, it wasn't severe.

Caroline Sangal 11:30

Okay,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 11:30

It's like ship you off.

Caroline Sangal 11:33

But still she's immersed herself in yet another culture, language, environment.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 11:38

Yeah. Uh, she spoke Spanish. Um, she's part Spanish anyway, so it wasn't, you know, I mean, culturally, like my grandfather on my mother's side is a hundred percent Spanish.

Caroline Sangal 11:49

Gotcha.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 11:50

And, and my grandmother, uh, her mom was Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino.

Caroline Sangal 11:56

Oh.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 11:57

Yeah, yeah. So,

Caroline Sangal 11:58

And, and so your dad passed away when you were really little. Like, how, how old were you?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 12:04

Oh,

Caroline Sangal 12:05

Him?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 12:05

Uh, no.

Caroline Sangal 12:07

Wow.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 12:08

And then she never remarried until much, much later, which is one of the reasons why it was easier for her to get to,

Caroline Sangal 12:14

Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 12:15

To, right. So,

Caroline Sangal 12:16

Yeah,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 12:16

Yeah,

Caroline Sangal 12:16

Interesting.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 12:17

She married, she remarried, uh, later, and then that also to a Navy guy, and that brought us all over the world. And then, um, back to Japan, Germany, um, and then the last station was, uh, Washington State.

Caroline Sangal 12:38

Interesting.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 12:39

In my high school years.

Caroline Sangal 12:42

So in your high school year, so so kindergarten to roughly eighth grade, you're in this,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 12:46

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 12:47

For

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 12:48

I skipped, I skipped two grade. I skipped two grades technically because I, I actually here I skipped eight and nine, then went straight to 10th.

Caroline Sangal 12:59

Interesting,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 13:00

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 13:01

Okay, so you're there, then you're like Japan and all over and then Washington state, and where did you go to high school?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 13:05

Uh, Chief South High, Washington State.

Caroline Sangal 13:08

School. Wow. Wow. And during school, what kind of things did you like, and what did you like outside of school? Like what fascinated you? What sort of subjects were you drawn to and what did you do in your time outside of school?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 13:24

Oh, well, so I was a volleyball player. Um, at school. I learned that the, at the Catholic school, because the, the, the nuns loved volleyball, so they taught me, I played varsity volleyball in high school, got varsity volleyball, freshman college, um, until I hurt my knee and I couldn't do it anymore. And that was when they would accept anybody because I am five, two and a half. I am not six, two and a half as a volleyball player. So, you know, it's just, it's just one of those, uh, fluke in itself. Um, uh, let's see, uh, outside of school, I mean, you're a typical, I mean, I don't remember too much about like typical play. I remember a neighbor who was the daughter of an actor and we became good friends. Got to see like, um, how, uh, her, her dad, you know, played a role in some film?

Caroline Sangal 14:26

Interesting.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 14:26

Um, just, just stuff. Yeah. Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 14:33

How did you decide what to do after high school?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 14:37

Like a after Oh, like where my career?

Caroline Sangal 14:41

To study? All of like,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 14:42

Oh.

Caroline Sangal 14:43

Going to school beyond high school and all. Like,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 14:45

Uh,

Caroline Sangal 14:46

Did that even come to fruition?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 14:48

We, you know, I don't, I, I've always said I wanted to be in, in some sort of health related field. Um, I was taking pre-med courses, uh, was when, you know, got to undergrad, didn't really like it as much. Um, so I said, all right, fine. I'll go into nursing. Because maybe it's, maybe it's not the medical school. Maybe it's the nursing school. Didn't like that very much either. Um, uh, and then during the prerequisite classes for both of those, uh, track, um, I met Dr. Soland at the University of Washington. She actually was teaching, uh, anthropology 101. And there, here's this six foot, actually, she was taller than six foot. I think she was six two. Um, Norwegian woman anthropologist taught the class. Uh, she obviously, she talked about archeology. She talked about, you know, all the different disciplines under anthropology. And then she, her, her subject matter was, uh, in social cultural anthropology and. Then it, something clicked that my, my fascination to culture, like different historical, uh, different belief systems, um, all that, different countries different,

Caroline Sangal 16:26

And did you just study them from Washington State or did you now travel and go and immerse yourself in some of those as well?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 16:34

Um, specifically in Washington State. I mean, the, the programs were incredible. Obviously all great academic organizations have a, an incredible program. Um, the, the opportunity there was really because of her, but also, um, I was fascinated with, you know, tribal, uh, native Indian, native American Indians, but not just native, native American Indians, any, uh, tribal, uh, cultures. And so, got to see. And worked in different parts of, um, the world, um, from, from observing culture archeological, and then kind of getting into, you know, belief systems and stuff like that.'Cause my minor is actually in, um, religious anthropology, so, yeah. Yeah,

Caroline Sangal 17:27

Very interesting.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 17:28

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 17:28

Fascinating. And then what happened?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 17:31

Oh, and then what happened? Well, so mind you, um, uh, during undergrad, all the way through grad school, I was working full time. So we,

Caroline Sangal 17:41

And.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 17:42

We weren't,

Caroline Sangal 17:42

For work? Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 17:44

Yeah. Um, there, I mean I held many different, all within the healthcare. I held many different jobs. My first job in the hospital system was actually pouring orange juice for the patient's breakfast. That was my first job. Worked in the kitchen and every, you know, in the afternoon and poured orange juice. Get it, getting it ready for the next day.

Caroline Sangal 18:09

Wow.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 18:10

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 18:10

Cool. But so, so you're drawn to healthcare. So we have, you know, you're immersed in communities of women now. There's a woman who's an amazing mentor and kind of guide and opens you up to all sorts of extra,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 18:26

Thanks.

Caroline Sangal 18:27

And,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 18:28

Yes.

Caroline Sangal 18:28

And things to kind of learn about and cultures and people. And then you're. You know, immersed in various places of, of healthcare as you're going to school. And then in grad school, did you stay at the same place for undergrad and grad school, or did you,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 18:44

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 18:45

Did you,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 18:46

You know where I want. Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 18:47

And, and, and now, then when you graduate, what did you do?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 18:52

Uh, well, so it's not very linear. Not in that way. There, you know, none of, and I think everyone can relate to this. No, no one's path has been a straight line. Right? You, we've all sort of done this sort of squiggle. Yeah. Love, lovely swivels. Um, I, I've always sort of, um, followed intuition. So all through, all through college, all through grad working, ended up working at, um, uh, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, uh, after working in a hospital system. So how that even happened was. Again, it's, you know, I follow whatever is put in front of me because there's something there and stayed there for a long time and not actually that organization molded me in the way that I am today.

Caroline Sangal 19:54

That's, in what ways would you say?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 19:56

Hmm. Entrepreneurial, innovative thinking outside the box, being around, um, the, the, the constant curiosity of what if, um, I don't really believe in the word no or the word impossible. Um, I've always, uh, that that came from just sort of that, that molding, um, because even, even before, I've always like, well, what do you mean I can't do that kind of thing? Right.

Caroline Sangal 20:28

Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 20:29

Um, I followed the sort of that, that same model that they have, because that's, and, and worked with some incredible, incredible, my gosh, fascinating people. Nobel Laureates, um, one of the founders of bone marrow transplant. I, I mean, just incredible. His wife was an incredible woman, you know, tough, smart. Um, because again, back then it wasn't, you know, it was a, it's like groveling on concrete, trying to kind of make your way as a career professional. She was tough, not in the sense of like tough as in like, you know, hardcore kind of individual. She was tough because she expected high expectations of, of especially women. And, but at the same time, it was a balance of softness too.

Caroline Sangal 21:33

Mm,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 21:34

So, um, yeah.

Caroline Sangal 21:36

Maybe like a beautiful resilience where she still has a strong pull and yet flexible in how it could be.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 21:43

Yeah. No, I, I characterize her more as the, um, what would be, what would be a good word for her? Um, it's not, yes, absolutely, resilient. Mission driven.

Caroline Sangal 22:00

Hmm.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 22:01

Mission driven,

Caroline Sangal 22:02

Love it.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 22:03

Yeah. Mission driven with not forgetting the heart. So,

Caroline Sangal 22:08

Hmm.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 22:09

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 22:10

Very, very important. And so then having such a great experience working with so many beautiful, amazing people in including her, then why did that, why, why didn't you say like, what happened there?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 22:25

Oh, I was there for a long time. Right. But I, you know,

Caroline Sangal 22:29

How do you pick what to do after that?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 22:32

Well, I, again, my life has been guided by a lot of different things and I tend to kind of, uh, I guess I recognize things in front of me. Um, uh, so I was there for almost 27 years, actually almost 30 years. And so, but just like anything, evolution happens,

Caroline Sangal 22:56

Yep.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 22:56

Things change right there. There's nothing stays the same. That's the constant is change. And I was also at a point where I've done it. I've held leadership roles, I've done it. I have never, I, I have always wanted to kind of go out on my own. And so I did, and I, and I jumped. Um, there was an opportunity. I, I mean, actually I didn't even know what the heck I was doing, but I knew it was done. I was done. And so I let that one go. Um, it was a, a, you know, you do a lot of soul searching. You do a lot of, you know, finding your life coach and, and reading up on books and all that stuff. And, um, you get to a point where you're like, uh, you can only read so much either. Go get off your Excuse the French, I know we're being recorded, or, suck it up. I mean,

Caroline Sangal 23:52

Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 23:52

And be, and be fine with where you are. So, but I, I wasn't like that, huh?

Caroline Sangal 23:59

This kind of the feeling of like knowing you're done, knowing that that chapter is ending and another chapter is beginning? Like do you remember what it felt like or was it just like some sort of like internal knowing or were there any physical symptoms as well?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 24:14

No physical symptoms. Uh, well, I guess you could call it a physical symptom. I, like, I knew I was done because I had no interest anymore.

Caroline Sangal 24:22

Okay.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 24:23

Yeah. Um, and you know, and uh, when you, when you kind of, when you're done with that,

Caroline Sangal 24:32

Yep.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 24:33

That means your chap, that chapter is done,

Caroline Sangal 24:35

Yeah. And so then you open yourself up to a new possibility and you end up leaving. And did you end up moving as well?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 24:43

Not stayed there for a little bit longer. I mean, all the way through COVID.

Caroline Sangal 24:48

Okay.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 24:48

Yeah. And then, um, but,

Caroline Sangal 24:51

In Washington or were you somewhere?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 24:52

Yeah, no, no, we were, we were still in Washington. Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 24:56

Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 24:57

So, um, but immediately right after that, the, you know, other people that I worked with at the organization have moved on to bigger and better things too, but they have all, they themselves are entrepreneurial. Um, and they have, they have actually wanted to build, uh, some sort of accelerator type group. And so we did that. We started this small accelerator slash investor group. Um, small, I mean, we have a small portfolio. Um, did I know something about, you know, accelerator? Yes. Because I, I would look at the Hutchinson's as an accelerator institute.

Caroline Sangal 25:44

Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 25:44

Um, so there's, there's, there's knowledge there, but as an expert, probably not. So, you know, I jumped in. Without, uh, no. Well, knowing that I'm going to learn as I go, so, and then one of the companies that we worked with ended up moving to South Carolina, and that's what relocated us.

Caroline Sangal 26:05

Interesting.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 26:07

Mm-hmm.

Caroline Sangal 26:07

Yeah. So you spent a long time in Washington, and then how, why? guess you're just following the possibility of something that's there. Had you ever visited before you

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 26:19

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, for my previous work, you know, I traveled all over the world. I mean, and, and oversaw. Relationships, right. Um, collaborators for the organization. So I, I, I know South Carolina, but I know Charleston more than I did at the upstate. I didn't know, I knew North Carolina, but from Duke University area, not, not Asheville, not again, um, the border, right? So, came out here and, um, you know, what kicked in, I think the anthropology side of me kicked in and said, oh my gosh, here's another opportunity to learn a new culture, a different group. What would would it feel like to, and I do this anyway, even when I travel, I tend to like, okay, I'm going to just be here and quote unquote pretend that I'm one of the people. So if I were, if I were one of the people, what would I do? Where would I go? How would I behave? What are the, what are the cultural things? What are the beliefs? What are the blah, blah, blah. So it's been, it's a, it's a thing. Uh.

Caroline Sangal 27:24

Immersion.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 27:26

Yeah. And I just, I just kind of do it and I learn. I learn as I go, you know, and, and you get to a point where it's like, okay, you learn as you go and, um, you adapt.'Cause adaptability is important. Um, and then, uh, and here I am.

Caroline Sangal 27:47

And so how did, so you, you were in an accelerator and there were some startup companies and one moved to South Carolina and so you moved to South Carolina and then you still created yet even more spaces. Part of that being Women Life and Science, part of that being a whole other accelerator kind of thing. I don't know if it spun off for the first, but like you ended up getting a radio show. You've ended up creating a community, like connect the dots a little bit more as to how did those, or did you just say, why not? I think there should be a community, I think there should be another accelerator over here like. Help us understand.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 28:30

Well, I think, you know, there, there are definite signs, right? Um. So, I mean, from the practical sense of things, it's an emerging market. There's, there's, um, a desire to build the ecosystem.

Caroline Sangal 28:46

Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 28:47

There is a gap. Um, and it was, and the expertise of, of, you know, the experience of building a small accelerator, you know, how, why not develop, you know, why, why reinvent the wheel? Um, and, and so you, you, you, you take the recipe and then you adopt, adopt it to a new kind of, you know, um, cooking class, uh, that would feed a smaller number of people, not the larger, uh, community like a Seattle, but, and you, it doesn't have to be that big. I mean, that's been, uh, I guess I would, you know, I've always thought, oh, wouldn't that be great to be able to, to create. Similar, I wouldn't say duplicate, but create similar in an ecosystem that actually could benefit from it. And that's, and it's, and it's talking to people, like understanding exactly what's been, sort of like the desires, what's been a strategic initiative, what's been, you know, those are the practical things. At the same time, it's been a desire of mine to actually, okay, what, what if we build it this way? Um, like I wanted, I personally wanted to see, to really push that glass ceiling and push, let's, let's start this institute and why not have a woman or a group of women find, found it? Right. So that's the.

Caroline Sangal 30:20

Tell a little bit about what that is and what the focus is and what kind of,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 30:24

You're talking about the, the Palmetto Innovasphere. So Innovasphere is really an accelerator institute that, that, it's a sphere. If you can think of a sphere, it has the, the main core, but it relies on the spoke that makes it turn.

Caroline Sangal 30:40

Nice.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 30:41

Right. Yes. A linear accelerator's the same thing, right? An accelerator just, you know, you need, you need it to turn and you need to keep it churning, um, and spinning out other opportunities for others. And so, but you need key spokes to make it work. Um, and again, that kind of tells you a little bit about who I am and what I am, because I'm always thinking about the sphere, not the sphere as in the business sphere, but the sphere of the whole, the whole thing.

Caroline Sangal 31:08

Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 31:50

So, we wrap around our services around an early stage life science company to ensure that they are successful in delivering the, whether it's treatment or device or technology, I'd say delivering their innovation into the community to better the community. So at the end of the day, if somebody asked me, well, what's your ultimate, ultimate thing? And I would say, bettering everyone's lives, whether it's curing a disease, coming up with a new treatment that's better for the people and the community. And that's the ultimate thing. Um, so Innova Sphere is really that it works very closely with all the stakeholders, economic development, innovators, investors. Um, and, and what I call the affiliates and the government agencies to really kind of build this fear structure so that everybody's collaborating together and which actually allows for a lot of these early stage companies to grow and expand and scale. And there are many different stages to scaling, in a business sense. some people will say, well, it's kind of touchy feely. It's like, not really. Um, there's practical things in there. Is it, is it easy? No, it's not. It is not an easy thing. It's not an easy path. Um, yes, there are, people are gonna look at me and like, who the hell she thinks she is for building this thing? And I, and I'm, I'm at an age where I'm like, well, why not?

Caroline Sangal 33:22

I could either help you or not because the thing you know, from, you know, being an entrepreneur just in, in general, all new for that first founder to try to do something. Everything is new.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 33:35

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 33:36

Even the most simplest business things from going from an established structure that already had everything in place and relationships, and even if it's just email or computers, like, it, it, the, the simplest thing can end up for any entrepreneur, any on company to be. Like a day derailing event or a week derailing event for

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 33:56

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 33:56

else. And so for you to have spent so many years understanding the ins and outs of so many companies and initiatives or foundations or however the case may be, and then you, you have that insider knowledge of how to make connections and things that would normally stop somebody for a day, a week, a month indefinitely. You're like, but wait. Oh, oh, you need that. okay. And making the connection and helping propel and move people forward greater than they could have done on their own. So why not you? That's,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 34:28

Why, why not? Yeah. And then, you know, and and I, and a lot of the innovators and entrepreneurs, I mean, you know, they're, they're like looking for somebody to help them, but at the same time not minimize their own expertise either. Right.

Caroline Sangal 34:48

Right.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 34:49

Yeah. Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 34:50

Interesting. Such a,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 34:51

Yeah,

Caroline Sangal 34:51

Like a, a cool model of, of ways to make things work because, you know, you hear it, like, I'd heard about accelerators for companies and, and you could kinda like drive by the building and you're like, okay, but you don't really ultimately understand.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 35:06

What happens? Yeah. What that is. Yeah,

Caroline Sangal 35:08

Wait, what?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 35:09

Yeah, yeah,

Caroline Sangal 35:12

They might become something bigger. Interesting.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 35:14

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 35:15

Stuff like that.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 35:16

Someone asked me, well, I wanna be the first, I wanna be like the biggest, the like the number one, right. You know, whatever that is. And I kind of thought about that, and I thought about it and I said, no, you know what? I don't want to be number one. Because you lose your nimbleness. And you lose your thinking outside the box and everybody's trying to be number one and you're constantly having to quote, unquote, fight to stay in number one. Don't want it,

Caroline Sangal 35:52

Yeah. There's,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 35:52

I can.

Caroline Sangal 35:53

In, in working in a smaller environment where you can have more influence, more agility, all of those things.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 36:00

Yeah. And number two is just fine with me.

Caroline Sangal 36:04

There you go. I forgot to ask you back

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 36:06

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 36:07

Kind of like, if we could rewind a little bit to your earlier lens of growing up. What did you think success meant then? What did you think it was for someone to be successful back from that very early viewpoint. viewpoint?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 36:25

Ooh, good question. Uh, other than of course, everybody wants to be rich, um, I don't think I had like a, like a thing. I think probably the, everybody want, you know, um, the, it, it really, I have always thought of like the whole picture, like,

Caroline Sangal 36:52

Hmm.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 36:53

Impacting positive impact and outcome, you know, positive influence, I guess.

Caroline Sangal 37:01

Yes.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:02

And, if you are successful, I'm successful. That that's always been the thing. Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 37:09

A, it was a group focused,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:11

Yeah,

Caroline Sangal 37:11

Zoomed out view.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:13

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 37:14

Even from your earliest,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:16

Yeah. Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 37:18

It was never an individualistic.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:21

No.

Caroline Sangal 37:22

Interesting. Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:23

However, I do find that whatever it is that I am doing, it is individualistic. Uh, but it's like, it's, it's joyful for me to be able to, you know,

Caroline Sangal 37:37

It's a constant like sharing of your gifts and talents to help other gifts and talents.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:42

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 37:43

Not about your, even though, yes, you have an individual focus, but you're not trying to be the number one, you're not trying to be the limelight. You're not trying to step in the thing. You're just trying.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:52

Never have.

Caroline Sangal 37:53

Move something forward in the.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:54

Yeah,

Caroline Sangal 37:54

Can do.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:55

yeah,

Caroline Sangal 37:56

Interesting,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 37:57

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 37:58

Okay, so how did this whole, um, Women Life and Science come about and what is women life and science and how has that been put into the world?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 38:11

Uh uh, yeah. Oh my gosh. So somewhere in there, I have always wanted to build some sort of a women community. Um, and somehow I also recognized, probably innate in me recognizing that we should come together and build a community, um, from, from like how Women Life and Science even started. And I told you this story before brushing my teeth, getting ready to go to a meeting, you know, putting on my makeup and stuff like that. And I'm, you know, of course I listened to podcasts and stuff like that, but I had, I, at the time, I didn't know like, how to even do podcasts. Um, I said to myself, okay, what would that be great to have, like, you know, a podcasts specifically just for, uh, women to tell stories and, and not, not the like high celebrity'cause we have that and it's lovely to, to, to listen to those, but more what I call just the community, regular women to talk about their journeys.

Caroline Sangal 39:20

Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 39:21

And I was like, oh, that, that's great. And then I'm driving, I get this call, I didn't answer. I let the, the phone call, go to a voicemail. After the meeting, I listened to the voicemail and it was Voice America and executive producer and said, well, you know, we're, we're, we're starting our piloting some sort of new channel called Empowering, you know, empowering channel. And would you, have you ever thought about being a, a podcast host? And I'm like, one, where did that come from? Because I have never participated in any podcast prior to that or even started my own thing. Two, how did they find me? Obviously LinkedIn, I'm sure, but, and they looked at backgrounds and stuff like that, but it was like out of the thousands and thousands of people, why do I get that right after on the same day that I actually thought about creating? Or would not be great to have. So I called her up and we talked and, and it was a 13 week pilot. And you know, of course, as you know, I told you there's a cost to that. And I'm like, eh, so I am, I am one of those people that if there's something in front of me that seems to be coincidental and coincidence does, is really not coincidence, then I really look at it and it's telling me something. Right.

Caroline Sangal 40:49

Mm.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 40:50

But that was just like a complete 100000% match to whatever it was that I was thinking. I could not say, say no, I, I was just like, okay, fine, let's do it, but I need, I need help. Like, I have no idea how to do this thing. Um, and they say, oh, we'll coach you, and stuff like that. So we did. I mean, my, my best friend Julie, um. Actually, I told her about it and she's like, oh my God, this is great. And I said, I said, you, you, you might be my first guest, so you know, be ready. I'm gonna call you. And then the rest is history. And, and now, you know, the podcast is not, there's no advertisement there, it's just stories. Um, it got, now it's gotten to the point of really a lot of authors, um, have been, uh, our guest and I'm loving every single episode.

Caroline Sangal 41:47

Yes.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 41:48

Sometimes we just sort of just chat. I, I'm, I have met the most incredible people, obviously, you know, two of'em, Judy, and you know, Cortney there's more. I mean, it is just, there's other, uh, other, other stuff. And for me that that's like a blessing. It's like, okay, I am on a, I, like I am stepping into what the universe has sort of given me as my mission.

Caroline Sangal 42:19

Yeah, and I love it. And even that you had gone on that mission then when I was supposed to be a host in the same network, I was like, success leaves clues and let me try to figure out who's already in the network so I can see if I could learn from them and their experiences. Now, of course, by the time my show was supposed to start, some other things fell apart and I ended up just doing my own,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 42:41

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 42:42

own thing. Um. Yet, I'm still so grateful for that experience, even though for a few months there, it was quite a mess. But it led me to you and it led me

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 42:52

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 42:52

to getting to, to know you, to learning more from your experiences in that journey to getting to be on your show. And now here it is, almost a year later and, and you're on mine and it's like, wait, what? and that beautiful Women Life and Science community beyond just the show, but you've had conferences, and I got to be a part of one last year. But tell a little bit about that. These beautiful events, not just, you know, listening from wherever you are, but you've brought women together now for a few years in a row. So tell a little bit about.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 43:25

Well, it's a three year. It's three years, right? This is our third annual, um, the, so the podcast happened first, and it wasn't even really. an organization, like a formalized organization at that time and you've met Lilia, who is a board member of Women Life and Science, but she's also a co-founder of Palmetto Innovasphere So she and I are somewhat joined at the hip. uh, I call her kind of like my South Carolina twin. but you know, again, that's like a true example of how, when it's meant to happen, people are kind of brought to you, right? And so, the conference was a second thought because as I was doing the podcast and things like that, I said, well, I have done many different conferences professionally. I had a team of event coordinators and, and stuff like that. Totally. You know, within the cancer research world, know all about it. This one was like, let's just do it and oh my gosh, let's just do it. Started talking to people and we just, you know, we did the first one. Um, we had, a great turnout. The second one that you attended, that was just the second one. and having, Cortney come, um, uh, was meant to happen and that even at that, at that conference, you, you saw. How the interaction of every participant, men and women, we had a small number of, of men and they participated, um, very interactive. And it really just truly turned into more of a retreat because it was very interactive and, and just a connection was incredible. I mean, you felt it in the room,

Caroline Sangal 45:17

Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 45:18

uh, all, all throughout. Um, I look at it, uh, again, it is just a, you know, it was a residual from the podcast. It's like, well, let's bring together women and let's just kind of, you know, tell stories. And then at the same time it was almost like, okay, something is happening here. I don't know what it is, but let's just continue. Um, and it also has become sort of like a think tank

Caroline Sangal 45:45

Hmm.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 45:46

of women leaders. I have an idea. Wouldn't it be great? Oh, we, we, we need to talk about women's health. How can we take action, not just as a group, we're not lobbying for anything, but individually, how can we get involved? And that's the theme for this year, the Science of Self and I think there's more to it than that. So it'll evolve. I'm a prime believer of evolution. when it comes to organizations and communities, it will evolve into something else, uh, or grow or, or evolve into something bigger, I should say. Um, what that's gonna look like. I don't know what it looks like yet. Am I gonna be a part of it? If somebody else is gonna take over? Um, I, I'm fine with that. Somebody else has an idea that, that can really take it to the next level. I'm okay.'cause it's not about me.

Caroline Sangal 46:48

Again. Yeah. Yeah. You're, you're just your selfless version of success, I would say. Um, and, but that's, even, I, I've seen that there's many events and other things that you have, so there's still this podcast to tell stories of women, and then there's this conference slash retreat that happens annually. And then I've seen other events that take place throughout the year and primarily, I guess it's, it's the Greenville, South Carolina community, and yet all are welcome

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 47:20

Yes,

Caroline Sangal 47:21

To be able to come and,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 47:22

Yes, yes. Yeah. And then I have my professional stuff, right? I go to professional conferences because I, you know, it's part of my work. Those things are joyful to me. I may not travel as much as I used to,'cause I used to be, my husband will tell you I was gone almost every other week,

Caroline Sangal 47:40

Hmm.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 47:41

you know, and through the, the 30, almost 30 years, I was gone all the time. But we we're kind of used to it that one of us is traveling and gone all the time.'cause he is military and he travel, you know, he was deployed and all that stuff. So that has been our life and we're kind of coming into this sort of like, oh, you're not traveling as much.

Caroline Sangal 48:03

Ah,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 48:03

Oh, what We're gonna travel together to Boston because you're facilitating a panel discussion at a conference. You know, I mean, it's a, it been a

Caroline Sangal 48:12

Fascinating. You're

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 48:13

Yeah,

Caroline Sangal 48:14

Yeah. Yeah.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 48:16

Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 48:17

Okay, so tell us a little bit about this event, and, and of course if, if somebody is a true listener, they'll know that Judy's episode is coming up. Courtney's episode is probably already out by the time we hear your episode, but what is this event on April 30th, this year in Greenville, South Carolina, Women Life and Science, Science of Self. Tell us a little bit, like, how do people learn about it? How can people, if they're listening in time, decide to come and make the trip and view

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 48:47

Oh my gosh. Well, I think, I think they need to listen to some of the podcasts obviously, but, you know, website is wlscience.com and our focus this year, like I said, is, is Science of of Self. That's harnessing your own, uh, personal resilience and empowering, um, uh, action to make an impact. Not just it, it doesn't have to be a big impact. It could be an impact if you want it to be big, great, you know, pick, pick a, pick a cause, what, whatever it is. Um, uh, but if it's an impact to, uh, just establish a new relationship with, with another woman to help them, lift them up, what have you, that's great. Is it a business impact? whatever that may be. It's really just, a call to action, to take action rather than just sit there and contemplate. Whether I'm gonna do it or not. that's what it is really. find that fearlessness, within you to move forward with whatever it is that you're thinking about. Um, the day is, is it is all day. Um, uh, our keynote speaker is, is Judith Pearson. She is a well renowned author, uh, of women in history, um, that have made significant impact in health and life science in, um, other people's lives. and she herself is one of those women who have made an impact, um, uh, and have been a leader herself. And she has her own fascinating story, I won't disclose too much because I know she's gonna talk about it at your podcast. But she has done a lot and I, you know, I love her to death and how, again, how I met her was through my podcast, right? Um, and we became real good friends. Um, Courtney McDermott, she was our keynote speaker last year. Her, the, the science behind what she talks about and teaches others is she practices herself. She's not just, you know, talking about it, just because she's talking about it. She's actually, you know, it's kind of like she's her own first test, um, product. Um, so this is, this is, you know, firsthand stories and firsthand experience on the things that she has learned herself, um, in significant pivot and transition to whatever it was that she was doing at the time, professionally and now, now completely doing it differently and very passionate about women's, um, um, just women's self, you know, really. And then, um, I think we're, you know, we're gonna talk about specific to South Carolina, um, uh, women's health, uh, through our public health relationship and understanding, you know, some of the challenges that we're, that some women are facing within our immediate community. Um, and uh, and then you are doing a panel, um, uh, with Leigh I believe. Yeah. Really? Lee Comb.

Caroline Sangal 52:11

of a panel with a lot of other amazing,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 52:14

Yeah. And, and so there's that conversation. And then, um, in between what, what the, the difference from this year, from last year, uh, this year, in between, um, Cortney's gonna lead everybody into, an exercise and then at the end, a call to action of like, what's your personal call to action, uh, that you are gonna take away from, take away with

Caroline Sangal 52:42

love it so much. Um, so couple more questions.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 52:48

Yes.

Caroline Sangal 52:48

How do people find you? How do people work with you? As far as like the whole Palmetto Um,

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 52:54

Innova Sphere.

Caroline Sangal 52:55

Yes.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 52:56

So, uh, Palmetto Innova Sphere, um, the email is too long, so I'm not gonna, but it's.

Caroline Sangal 53:03

it in the notes.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 53:04

that sounds great. Um, but it, it's czharms@palmettoinnovasphere.org or you can just go to the website at Innovasphere, not Inosphere, Innovaspheresc.org that if you're an entrepreneur, early stage life science company, whether you're a medical device, digital health, um, biotech, uh, that is, I would say that, and if you're an investor in that space, come talk to us because I think we have a lot to offer, um, for Women Life and Science. Uh, wlscience.com or wlscience.org doesn't matter. It kind of connects to each other. And, um, it's cecilia.zh@wlscience.com

Caroline Sangal 53:58

Awesome, I'm huge on authentic success, and that's how you define it. Now, your version of succe of success has been awesome from the start, but how do you define authentic success for you now?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 54:17

Hmm. Now at this particular

Caroline Sangal 54:21

From this vantage point on this day being authentically successful, not necessarily what the world is saying, what other people are saying you should do, but how do you decide what you're doing? If it's a success today, tomorrow, next week, next year, like how, how do you decide that authentic version for yourself and what does it mean?

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 54:45

well, we're doing it right now, right this second. The fact that we're, this is successful in, in my view. Right here. And, and part of that is because of the story and how we even got here.

Caroline Sangal 54:58

Mm-hmm.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 54:59

From, from the time that we first just, you know, you were just, you just called to inquire how to, to being on the podcast, attending the conference. I mean, it, it led to this, this right here for me is an authentic success because it represents just my being my person. So people, people who are listening. Um, this is, this is it. This is what you got. I don't have anything else. Um, to, to, to, like, you know, I mean, I have other talents of course, but this is it.

Caroline Sangal 55:40

Yeah, you're just an amazingly beautiful, helpful, forward thinking innovator, community builder and just allowing all of your gifts and talents to flow through you for the betterment of the world. And I, for one, am extremely blessed and grateful to have been introduced to you to have this develop, into more of a friendship. And I can't wait, or I can hardly wait. I can har, I can wait, but I can hardly wait to see how this community that you've built, evolves, develops over time. Um, and I'm just so thankful for the, the opportunity to get to have you on the show, to have some of these other beautiful women on the show as well. And, and to share that with the world so that each person, no matter where you are, no matter what's happening in your day, if it's your worst day or your best day, just know is an entire community of women that wants to help you move forward to

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 56:48

Absolutely. And it's not just our, you know, immediate Carolinas, they're all over and just it is, it is a it, uh, even our speakers, right? I mean, look, we span, uh, the first year we even had somebody from London, but this year we're more national, but we have somebody from California and Florida and, and, you know, I mean, they're just all over the place. I am going to say just a little plug for, for Women Life and Science Conference. We are, um, if, if your listeners are in the, uh, ab ability to, um, also promote the, the conference, but at the same, and also if they're, um, able to sponsor the conference, that would be fantastic that all the information is on the website or just go to Eventbrite and, you know, type in Women Life and Science conference. Should be there. Yeah.

Caroline Sangal 57:39

Well, thank you so much, Cecilia, for all of your time today

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 57:41

Welcome.

Caroline Sangal 57:42

More

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 57:42

You. Thank you for being you.

Caroline Sangal 57:45

Yes.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 57:46

And for what you're doing, because I know you're doing great things.

Caroline Sangal 57:49

Thank you so much. again, Cecilia. Thank you for being part of your next success.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms 57:53

You are welcome. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks for having me here. I love the conversation.

57:58

Cecilia, thank you. Your leadership expands possibilities. Thank you for creating community structure and opportunity for others. For those listening, you want to be sure to join in the transformation taking place at the Women Life and Science Conference on April 30th, 2026. The link for tickets will be in the show notes. Thanks for listening to Your Next Success with Dr. Caroline Sangal. Remember, authentic success is yours to define and includes aligning your career to support the life you want.