Breaking Barriers Women in Leadership and Business with Viviene Cardenas
What does it take for a woman to lead boldly — and why are the exact same qualities that make men "great leaders" used to call women difficult, abrasive, or a bitch? In this episode of the Too Big to Fit Podcast, host Mackenzie Morris sits down with Viviene Cardenas — business owner, bartender extraordinaire, and unapologetic leader — for a real, raw conversation about what it's actually like to be a woman climbing the ladder in corporate America, and what it looks like when you finally decide to build something of your own.
Viviene has spent nearly a decade in the food and beverage industry, held a store manager role at the largest jewelry conglomerate in the world, and navigated male-dominated boardrooms, finance programs, and oil field offices. She brings all of that experience to her new venture: CM Cocktails and Creations, a mobile bartending service serving events across the entire state of Oklahoma.
This conversation goes deep — and it goes there fast.
You'll hear why Viviene always knew she wanted to own a business (spoiler: it was never about the money), how she's seen corporate America treat women versus men in leadership roles, what the difference between a boss and a leader actually looks like in practice, and how she built her entire business as a class assignment before deciding to just... press send.
This episode is for every woman who has ever been told she's "too much" in a room where a man with the same energy would be applauded. It's for every aspiring entrepreneur who thinks starting a business is out of reach. And it's for anyone who wants to lead with empathy AND accountability — without apologizing for either.
📌 WHAT WE COVER:
- How a decade in the service industry built Viviene's leadership foundation
- The difference between a boss and a leader (and why it matters)
- What it's really like to be a young woman managing men with 20+ years of experience
- The double standard women face in corporate leadership roles
📲 FOLLOW VIVIENE:
CM Cocktails and Creations — https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585496562738 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585496562738]
📲 FOLLOW THE PODCAST:
@toobigtifotpodcast
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