This episode focuses on the Business Leadership Development (BLD) program. Hosted by Michelle O’Dell, the show features insights from Executive Coach Heather Graves Ramsey of Coach to Brilliance, Pam Waldman, and Lara James of the Waldman and James Realty Group. They discuss their experiences with the BLD program, its impact on their leadership skills, and the practical tools they gained. Liz Hartman joins them with What You Need to Know in LO to share upcoming Chamber events and community initiatives, including the Wine Walk and the Wellness Fair.
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Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce | Business Leadership Development
Heather Graves Ramsey, Coach to Brilliance / Business Leadership Development
Keller Williams – Waldman & James Waldman James Realty Group | Pam Waldman | Keller Williams Realty Portland Premiere | Lara James - Licensed Broker & Owner, Lake Oswego, OR
Michelle O'Dell, Modcast Productions- HOME | Modcast Productions
Lake Oswego Wine Walk - Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce | Home
LO Wellness Fair - Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce | Wellness Fair
LO Review - Lake Oswego Review | News, Sports & Community in Lake Oswego, Oregon | Lake Oswego Review
LO Lifestyle - Home - Lake Oswego Lifestyle
Shari Newman - Nicoletta's Table and Marketplace
Kabir Bhatia, Hello Everyday - Hello Everyday
Mark Waller, Reborn Bikes - Home - Reborn Bikes
LIZ HARTMAN:: [00:00:00] This is Business LO, a podcast by the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce, which connects, educates, advocates, and champions, our business community. We have nearly 500 members from international corporations to home-based businesses, and we serve them all. Each episode of Business LO gives insider information to the local business community and the neighbors who support them.
LIZ HARTMAN:: And now let's talk Business LO!
MICHELLE ODELL:: It is Wednesday, September 17th, 2025, and this episode will publish on October 1st. And today we're having an in-depth discussion about the business Leadership development series. That the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce offers and our guests who have been through the program are here to give us the hands-on details and their actual experiences.
MICHELLE ODELL:: We have the Waldman and James Real Estate Group from Portland Premier Keller Williams Realty. Pam Waldman and Laura James running the [00:01:00] ship today is Heather Graves Ramsey, owner of Coach to Brilliance. She specializes in executive coaching and leadership development, and of course she is one of the leaders with the Business Leadership Development Program.
MICHELLE ODELL:: And we have our very own local celebrity chamber, CEO, Liz Hartman. She's gonna share all the insider information we want with what you need to know in lo. I'm Michelle Odell, and let's talk about BLD. Heather, take it away.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: So for those of you that don't know, the Business Leadership Program is a program that is different than Leadership lo.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: It is actually one that focuses a little bit more on organizational leadership and influence. So it's really one that we saw a need for within this. Community. There's a ton of businesses that would love to send their people or have a program in-house, and they can't necessarily fund that themselves to bring somebody like myself and the other coaches in.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: So the [00:02:00] Chamber of Commerce is offering that as something where people can come together, different industries, different ages, different experiences, all to help people gain their influence. And so it is one that is geared towards people who are maybe managing their own company. And or managing others and or managing very strategic relationships.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: So we've had two cohorts. We've had two cohorts go through, and today we have two guests from our very first cohort to talk a little bit about just what the experience was for them and what they might suggest for other people who are considering it. So, would love you both to introduce yourselves if you could, and maybe a little bit about.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Why you chose to do the business leadership program?
LARA JAMES:: We became a team back in early 2023, which is about the time that we joined the program. It came to us right when we needed it. We had been solopreneurs as solo agents and realized that we would be better [00:03:00] together and we. Just had a lot of challenges to get through.
LARA JAMES:: Once we became a team, it wasn't quite as easy or smooth as we thought it would be. A lot of it was just managing people and becoming really good communicators with each other. And we had a coach already more of a real estate coach. So this brought us a different perspective. It brought people from other industries that, oddly enough had some of the same challenges.
LARA JAMES:: So, so we were really happy that the program presented itself to us. Liz kind of. Pushed us and said, you should really do it. You should really do it. And we finally bit the bullet and did it. And so appreciative. Pam?
PAM WALDMAN:: Yeah. I'm Pam Waldman, the other half of Waldman and James Realty Group. And you know, similarly, like Laura had said, we, when we had joined forces, you could be really good at what you do.
PAM WALDMAN:: We're very good at helping people buy and sell and upsize and downsize and do 10 31 exchanges or pulling money out of your equity to, to remodel your kitchen, whatever it is. But when it came to leadership, when we [00:04:00] merged. And formed a team that is really a different aspect of the business. You know, there's working on the business and working in the business.
PAM WALDMAN:: And when we turned to be leaders, that was an opportunity that we had to join this program. And like Lara had said, it had come just at the right time. And having that opportunity to really learn from experienced leaders in our community and connect with other professionals in our community, which I think we'll talk about hopefully in a little bit, is the network we formed.
PAM WALDMAN:: Just with our cohorts that were part of this program, but it was really a way to, to refine how we showed up for our team, our clients, and our community, and, and it was a really great program.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: One of the things that we always try to do is make sure that people are not just learning stuff, but they're actually implementing it.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: And along the way, you had talked a lot about the things that you're like, oh, we actually went back and used this today. Just for other people to know. The program kind of starts with flashlight on self. How do I wanna be as a leader? And then we spend a lot of time on how do I [00:05:00] work with others? How do I understand other personality types and how they might need to hear information?
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: How do I have really good conversations with people, not just conversations where I'm pushing my. Ideas on them, but I'm actually pulling, we coach each other on real things, so people are bringing things to the table and actually practicing the tools, but they're also getting coaching at the same time from one another, which is really great.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: And then we spend a lot of time with how do we create environments? That include everybody. We have a lot of different voices at the table and we wanna make sure those voices are heard and it's not easy to create that safety. Coupled on to safety is also change and helping bring people through change, which everybody goes through all the time.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: So a lot of different ways to apply right away. I'm curious for both of you, what is it that you did learn from the program? Maybe there's some specific. Tools or concepts that have stayed with you over time, and then how have you implemented that into just your every day, how you're leading every day?
PAM WALDMAN:: It's funny, Heather, 'cause the, the [00:06:00] pushing and pulling conversations that I distinctly remember you leading that session and talking about that that was a. A really important one, especially at the time we were going through, I don't know if you remember, we were going through a bit of a challenging environment and, and, and you will have as a leader, employees and people that work for you that sometimes you have challenges with, and it's either moving through it or moving on from it.
PAM WALDMAN:: That session was so important, you know, learning to just ask better questions, really listening deeply. Creating
LARA JAMES:: accountability in preparing for this conversation, revisiting some of the topics that we covered in our classes. One of the things that I went back and looked at was like, oh yeah, the inclusivity piece and making sure people feel heard.
LARA JAMES:: We've got a few different personality types on our team, and some of them won't necessarily speak up. So what are the things that you ask to make sure they feel included, to make sure they stay motivated? Because there's nothing [00:07:00] worse than what's the, that whole concept of whether someone is above the line or below the line.
LARA JAMES:: And what happens when we send one of our people below the line, we have one employee who's just, her personality is to be a really a giver and a helper, but she's sensitive. And if we're too abrupt in our like go, go, go mentality, we could actually trigger her to go below, demotivate her, make her sad. And so we just need to be just having that awareness.
LARA JAMES:: Is so valuable.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Yes, totally. I feel like so many leaders don't understand the impact that they have on people, and I am a pleaser and a giver. I will put that out there for sure. And so when somebody comes in, they're like, let's get down to work. And these things, it's like they're mad at me. They didn't even, you know, say hi.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Whereas you're just in mode. It's not like they're not mad at all. But I'm wasting brain space. Like a lot of what we were trying to do is help people stop wasting brain space. We want people to go to work. Have a great time. Do their thing, work [00:08:00] really hard, but leave and not worry about it. And just you thinking through and being like, here's this personality style.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Here's how I need to approach them, really does help that person not go below the line and worry about whether they're taking care of you in the way that you need. Yeah. What surprised you as you were going through the program?
LARA JAMES:: I know one thing that surprised me just on day one. I'm not sure what it was that you and Phil did, what your secret sauce was, but you got everybody to be very quickly vulnerable.
LARA JAMES:: And trusting and open and not set the tone for the whole six months, once a month, six months. But our cohort, which was about I think eight people, we connected very, very quickly and I think it was the leadership that you guys provided on that first day. You set the tone and as open as people were, made it so valuable.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Everything in the way that we do things is really there to help people really get real.
PAM WALDMAN:: I agree with that vulnerability piece a lot too. I mean, and, and [00:09:00] from the beginning because that, you know, creating that space for us all, and again, we were all in, people will be in different places in their leadership journey and you know, all of us were, but we all came together 'cause leaders do face similar challenges, similar highs and lows.
PAM WALDMAN:: But I think what surprised me too, honestly, was how practical the program was. I mean, I expected, I knew it would be great content, but what stood out to me was how. Immediately useful. The tools were we could just walk out of a session and really apply it. Like that same afternoon, I remember specifically times that I did that and you know, I was just surprised at the impact of the small shifts.
PAM WALDMAN:: You know, just changing how I would ask questions or the way I listen and how that just really transforms the dynamic of conversations I was having. And, you know, again, really the community, I wasn't, didn't know what to expect. But building such a strong community, I mean, we still talk to that group today and have happy hours and like bounce things off of each other and ideas and, and concepts.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: And I love that you brought that up. 'cause that's one of the goals [00:10:00] with this program is that we as leaders, it's pretty lonely out there. When you are in a company, an organization you are leading, you don't have that many mentors that you can pick up the phone and peers, peer mentors, that you can pick up the phone and be like, Hey.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: And this program is really geared towards being able to pick up the phone, engage somebody and say, I love the way you ask questions. I love the way you think. Would you mind coaching me around this? And that is our goal is to really create that glue within this community and or when you're out in the community and you see somebody, you really know them.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: You know who they are as a human and a person, and so there's no way that somebody's not gonna buy from you guys or sell their house or you guys because they know how genuinely awesome you are and how you show up for your clients because they've been hearing about it and how you approach your work and each other.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Right. How you approach each other is important too. Absolutely. Along the way. Mm-hmm. And so I think it's that authenticity, but also that we want a city [00:11:00] filled with people who really can count on each other and know each other and reach out in the future. And that's our continued goal with these programs.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: So someone's thinking about this. You know, there's Chamber members, but we can also have people outside the chamber that do this program. So we want people from corporate environments, but also business owners and different industries actually really make this a wonderful program. And so if I am out there and I'm thinking about potentially sending either some of my employees or I'm thinking about going myself, what advice would you give or what would you say to them?
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: To kind of make that decision, I know you took some time to make that decision, so what would you advise
PAM WALDMAN:: if you're considering it? To, to just go in, be open, and be ready to be challenged. The more you engage and the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it. It's one of those. Don't just go in and say, you know, I'm gonna take notes.
PAM WALDMAN:: I mean, there's lots of seminars and webinars, things you can do where you're sitting there and I take such good notes. This is one where. It's not, I mean, of course I [00:12:00] took some notes, but when you engage and truly apply and plug yourself in, you'll see it on the back end.
LARA JAMES:: One of the things too, just as small business owners, it's an expense and that was, I think one of the things that we were like, oh gosh, we already pay for coaching.
LARA JAMES:: Do we do this too? And the Chamber made it really easy for us. You know, they allowed us to pay in increments. So the fact that we could budget for it and pay in small chunks made it a lot easier for us to participate. So I think people should know that there are ways that they can budget for it, because it really is some of the cheapest coaching you can get on how to be a leader and a manager and your learning skills that you not only can apply in your work, but you can take them outside of work.
LARA JAMES:: You can take them to like your kids, you can take them to your marriage, you can take them to at other partnerships you might have, and also for us to our clients.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: And if you can wrangle family conversations, then you can wrangle any business conversation.
PAM WALDMAN:: Oh yeah. Yeah. Right. Like mom, is that the pushing, pulling [00:13:00] conversation?
PAM WALDMAN:: Is that the motivating self and others conversation? Mom?
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Yes. Which mom are we bringing to the table today? Yeah, that's awesome. And then so small business, larger business. Our goal is really to have people come through like, I love that the two of you did it together. I think it's really cool when companies send.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Two or more people to this program because not only do they get to know each other as good humans and they work better together, but they also have some common tools and language that they can continue to use. So even in conversations, I don't know if you've ever done this, but like, Hey, I'm finding myself going below the line right now.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: You know, and just kind of flagging that for each other gives you an okay way to say, I just need to take a minute. Let me just, you know, go, go take a walk. I'll be back kind of thing above or below the line, meaning that when I'm above the line, I'm coming from the front part of my brain, which is the one that can reason and rationalize and cooperate, [00:14:00] create, innovate.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: It's coming from a place of power. It's coming from a place of, yeah, there's this thing going wrong, but there's a gift there. I'm gonna figure out what that is. Let me approach it from a thoughtful and productive way. Below the line is where we spend two thirds of our time because we are humans and we have a caveman brain or cave person, brain, whatever you wanna call, and that's coming from the base of the brain, which is really our emotional.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Response to things, and our first response is, what are they thinking? Or why did they do that? Or who do they think they are, you know? And so we go up, down, up, down, all day long, and the goal is not to be above the line all the time, but to notice when I'm below the line and then decide. And so the line is a very clear place of, yeah, there's this stressful thing or there's this great thing going on.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Am I approaching it from Debbie Downer or am I approaching it from blaming other people? Am I approaching it from a, we call it a hero, where I'm like, I have to bring everything and do everything myself versus coming from above the line where it's like, oh, what can we learn? Yeah. We lost [00:15:00] that sale.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Great. Lost that sale. You know, what, is that the right client? Did we prepare the right way for that conversation? How do I wanna show up differently next time? Maybe our marketing materials could be different so it's more clear so that they understand what we could offer. Oh, maybe we didn't ask the right powerful questions.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: What questions could, so coming from a place of more productive of here's where we are, where do we wanna go? So I know there's different components of the program that we, that we had done. So we have, it's six months. One day a month. And I know that that was a, a big thing for you guys, right? And for a lot of people, can you help us with a little bit of like why that either was the right way to do it or that it made it okay to, you know, was it a good use of that time?
PAM WALDMAN:: One day a month actually worked well, it would give us the time in between. And again, if you're really implementing it and using the tools like we did, I mean really taking that, that session that you learned, being able to. Implemented and see the times when that's needed. And then it's building on the months [00:16:00] before the cadence was helpful in that way because you can think like, well, once a month, I mean, how do you retain or keep 30 days later?
PAM WALDMAN:: But I do feel like it, it built upon each, you know, it layered. It layered. So by the end of it, it all made sense and you really had time to learn and implement and
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: grow. Some other things that we brought into play, we have a leader come and speak at most of them. We try to find a business leader. Those change up every year.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: But help me with your experience of some of the people that came in to speak.
LARA JAMES:: The ones that I remember the most were Mark Waller and ka. Javier spoke about change management and specifically about the habitat for Humanity Board and what, what occurred when they took the two different chapters of Habitat and merged them together, and how he helped as a board leader manage the staff through.
LARA JAMES:: That was a quick part of his talk. And then he also talked about his servant leadership with Hunger fighters and his work to get hunger fighters going and you know, [00:17:00] from very much a student led organization to something now that's become this big wonderful resource for the less fortunate our community.
LARA JAMES:: So I loved his talk and also Mark Waller. He's a Rotary member, I believe, and he also talked a lot about servant leadership and networking, and I loved his message. I loved how much he gives back to the community.
PAM WALDMAN:: I felt, you know, Shari Newman was just, and I've seen her, you know, speak a couple times in different places and out in the community, and she, I mean, it's not only just a lovely woman and soul, but the, the heart that she has for her
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: people is amazing.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Learning from those leaders that have been there and done that. And are they perfect? Heck no. But they come and they share their stories. We ask them to share something real that you know, even that they've gone through. So we'll continue to do that. And then another part of the program is the one-on-one coaching.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: So everybody gets one meeting that they get [00:18:00] to work with. 'cause some of the stuff that you bring to the table, you don't necessarily wanna bring to the whole cohort. And so you do have an opportunity for that one-on-one session. And so I'm curious what your thoughts are around that and the, and how that added to your experience.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: I
PAM WALDMAN:: had you, Heather, as my one-on-one. Coach, and I think you're right, although it created such a vulnerable space. We had talked about that in the, in the cohort and the group from the get go. It was, we were all open and honest with each other, and that led to just great discussions and a great six months.
PAM WALDMAN:: But having that time with you one-on-one where, you know, it did get a little deeper, more vulnerable and having conversations where it was really the heart of maybe. Me and some, you know, either challenges I was facing or some successes I was having or looking to have. And that opened it up differently in, in a way that, that, you know, strictly, you can get on one-on-ones, but I appreciated that portion of it.
PAM WALDMAN:: Yeah, I had you too. And we had a great
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: conversation. Yeah, I think it's [00:19:00] really just having that opportunity to show up. And so if there's anything you would add for people that are considering the program, so they have not only the six months, once a month, you know, where they're coming in for a day, they have the cohort, we have different people from the community coming in to speak, but then also this opportunity towards the end with this one-on-one, sort of like, where are you now?
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Where do you wanna go after this program kind of thing.
LARA JAMES:: Anything else you would add? I just really enjoyed it. I think Pam and I got a lot out of it. We're better leaders, better managers, better realtors because of the program, so I very much appreciate what we got to do with you and all the people we got to meet.
LARA JAMES:: On a
PAM WALDMAN:: broader level, I think the program gave me some framework for guiding. People through change, which has been really critical in real estate. There is a lot of, you know, markets shift. There's, there's uncertainty out there. It's helped me become more intentional about how I lead and how I show up every day.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Well, I also just wanna put in a plug for the community work that the two of you do. The way that you show up for not only the chamber, but the [00:20:00] community overall, the foundation, the schools, the everything like you are really embedded here. And to me that's part of leadership as well. So I just really appreciate that about the two of you.
PAM WALDMAN:: Thank you, Heather. Yeah, thank you. Great. Thanks, Michelle. Thanks.
MICHELLE ODELL:: Well you're welcome. Pam Waldman, Laura James Walden and James Realty Group Waldman and James Realty group.com. Okay, Liz, let's get your expertise in here and let's talk about what we need to know in
LIZ HARTMAN:: lo. Well, if you're listening the first week of October, this is your last chance to get your wine walk tickets.
LIZ HARTMAN:: We will be sold out this year and it will be fabulous with 40 pouring locations and 80 wines to taste. The next thing to put on your calendar is Sunday, October 12th, over at Millennium Park Plaza from two to 5:00 PM where we're doing a wellness fair, and we have about 30 local folks who are coming out to tell you a little bit about what can make your life a little bit easier.
LIZ HARTMAN:: Or make your life a [00:21:00] little bit healthier. It's a great opportunity to talk to the owners and the managers direct face-to-face. We'll have a little music going and the fire department's coming out for that. Hands-only CPR, so we're looking forward to this year's wellness fair. You just heard a little bit about business leadership development and October is a great month to fill out the application form.
LIZ HARTMAN:: It's on the website. Go to lake oswego chamber.com and then go to our programs. And this is one that you can get into and be ready for January. And if you need a payment program, we will set up a payment program so you can start right in January and plan for 2026. One of the greatest things you can do in October is help us recognize people in the community who should be honored.
LIZ HARTMAN:: So our community awards event is in February, but the awards team is working in October and November. So if you have someone you want to nominate for Community Leader of the Year, or [00:22:00] for the Bill Kora Leadership Award or Business of the Year. Or networker of the year. This is the time to do it. October is the month to make nominations, so put that on your calendar.
LIZ HARTMAN:: And we should mention that October is Meals on Wheels month, and our business community gets behind this program every single year. We want to support our Meals on Wheels program because it is surprising how many of our local citizens are served by this program. I wanna make a note that it is wonderful that a past president of the Chamber, Heather Graves Ramsey, is chairing the School District Bond campaign.
LIZ HARTMAN:: But also wanna note that we vet these ballot measures. We have a government affairs committee that went through and learned about the bond and what it was doing, and they've done it with the past two bonds, and then they take the recommendation to the Chamber of Commerce board of Directors. The board of directors approved it, and the Chamber of Commerce will have a statement.
LIZ HARTMAN:: Of support in the voter's pamphlet. [00:23:00] So the Chamber of Commerce takes this seriously. It's not just because our own Heather Grace Ramsey is there that we approve it or that we back it up. We back it up because it's the right thing for our community.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Yes, we have a very important bond coming up, and it's the Lake Oswego School District Bond.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: It affects all the schools in the district and it is one that does not increase taxes. And it is something that's gonna be important for your businesses because people move here because of schools and safety, and they have their businesses here because of schools and safety, as well as our fabulous business community.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: And so we wanna keep that going. And so we need you to help spread the word. To have you, your neighbors, everybody vote. It's the only thing on the ballot. If anybody has any questions, I am leading the citizens campaign for that. But also the school district has a ton of information on their website about the specifics of what schools will be getting, but no increase in taxes.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: You can't go wrong by taking care of your schools and creating safe, resilient, ready for learning [00:24:00] places. And I've been learning a ton about these robotics kids who are doing such amazing work and they don't have a space to do it. And so there's that. And then there's two of our oldest schools from the 1940s as old as my mom.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: Our needing to be replaced and we need to make sure people are in safe places
LIZ HARTMAN:: for all of our businesses out there. You may be planning for your calendar year marketing budget. Now is the time to contact the Lake Oswego Review and greet Lo and Lake Oswego Lifestyle and Podcast Productions. You wanna take a look with Steve Edwards or with Bella Ballow for videography.
LIZ HARTMAN:: We can't forget ri nelson over at Coin tv. So we have a lot of. Representatives from media that will help you put your budget together for 2026. Or if you're a quarterly planner, check with them anytime.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: And I would say too, the Chamber of Commerce has events that have anywhere from 600 to [00:25:00] 5,000 people, and those are a great place to be able to put your sponsorship dollars out there.
HEATHER GRAVES RAMSEY:: And so as you're thinking of, please look at our website, we've got a ton of different sponsorship opportunities. Opportunities. Not only does it help support the community, but it really does get your name out there with the people that you want your name out there.
MICHELLE ODELL:: Good stuff. Thank you ladies, for all you do.
MICHELLE ODELL:: And remember, every day is a Chamber of Commerce Day here in Lake Oswego.
LIZ HARTMAN:: The Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce. Thanks you for listening to Business Lo. We would love to have you as a member so you can help Lake Oswego continue to be one of the best places to live, work, and play. If you wanna share an idea for a future episode or become a member, visit us@lakeoswegochamber.com and please like and follow us on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
LIZ HARTMAN:: And for help with your business podcast, go to podcast productions.com.