Happy Wednesday, readers. We hope you’re having a great March so far. As for us, we’re feeling caught in between — spent from producing the behemoth that is our Women in Leadership issue, yet delighted by how much passion and wisdom is printed on its pages; basking in the late winter sun yet hoping for more rain.

Here’s the latest:

A pioneer in geophysics reflects on her accomplishments before becoming dean of the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis last year; the leader of SMUD’s efforts to address climate change shares her approach for finding the best solutions; an investment firm owner shares how getting a foothold in new markets has been key to evolving her business; a Fairfield-based startup helps farmers drive productivity and cut costs by connecting them directly to buyers via e-commerce; Evil HR Lady provides ways a company can appeal to entry-level candidates when it can’t afford to raise pay.

Recommendations from our editors:

We’re adding a new element to these newsletters that will hopefully give you more to chew on throughout the week: reading and listening recommendations. Here’s what our editors are consuming this week:

• Vanessa: Stop. Breathe. We Can’t Keep Working Like This. (Podcast)

  • New York Times columnist Ezra Klein chats with author and computer science professor Cal Newport about the productivity revolution, where it all went wrong and what’s on the horizon in terms of the way we work. 
• Jennifer: Grounds for Revolution: The Stimulating Story of How Coffee Shaped the World (Podcast)
  • From “Gastropod,” a podcast on food history, science and culture, this two-part series explores how coffee built the modern economy. 
• Judy: “The Personal Librarian” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (Book)
  • Historical fiction novel about Belle da Costa Greene, a Black woman who posed as a white woman while procuring rare books and art for financier J.P. Morgan and his Pierpont Morgan Library. It’s compelling how Belle fitted into New York and European society during the Gilded Age while hiding her secret.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the magazine to stay up to date on the region’s business trends, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for daily stories and extras. 

Oh, and be sure to nominate an inspirational young leader age 40 or under for our upcoming Young Professionals issue! It takes just a few minutes to fill out the form and submit your pick. Deadline for submissions is April 1.