Modern Mavericks with Janel Abrahami

Last week, I hit a career high interviewing the one and only CHEVAL (a woman you might know by a different name) in collaboration with Kendra Scott Soho! The three of us designed a powerful live podcast event at the KS Soho store to share CHEVAL’s and my top tips for reclaiming your career and taking fresh steps in 2024 . The line to attend spanned two NYC blocks, and the store was totally at capa...

The most hotly-requested edition of Modern Mavericks over the past 6 months! A lot of us are questioning the assumption that you’re either a corporate go-getter OR you’re an entrepreneur, and that there’s no wiggle room to create your own hybrid. FALSE.  Seven months into this multi-hyphenate career, I can say confidently: You can be an entrepreneur even with a 9-5 job. It’s all about your entrepr...

"The Burn It All Down Day" "The Rejection I Didn't See Coming" "The $600 Dumpster Fire" Just like I love seeing everyone’s Spotify Wrapped at the end of the year and the creative TikTok spin on people’s “Dating Wrapped,” I took a moment to look back on 2023 in terms of the meaningful career I’m building.  And it was clear that this year was a rather extreme mix of...

“The more I share my life, the more opportunities come around that are worth sharing.”  When I heard today’s guest Ashna Mankotia say share this insight in one of her TikTok videos, my whole perception of a business built around my personal brand changed. Ashna, a Product Manager at a digital media company, is making her own name in business as a content creator with an audience of 100k+ and the f...

I can already tell you— this a Lunch Break episode I will be recommending for-ev-er. I don’t know a single career-minded friend who doesn’t have a complicated relationship with external validation. The gold stars, the praise, the admiration for doing an impressive job— it’s addicting. And it stems from a disconnection from your own self-worth. In this episode, Executive Leadership coach Bahija Hum...

When I say “personal brand,” if you immediately think of your LinkedIn bio, your headshot, or your resume— I created this episode especially for you, because you’re missing out on SO much freedom  and autonomy in your career by not harnessing a true personal brand! We dig into: What we actually mean by “personal brand” in the context of your multi-hyphenate career; Why your personal brand is key t...

Hot take: our traditional approach to mentorship is in desperate need of a revamp. You know, it’s 2023 and we’re embracing our multi-hyphenate eras- combining corporate with side gigs and personal brands. So isn’t the idea of finding that one magical mentor whose career you look to emulate, following their path to rise up into similar titles… a bit tired? It's time to shift your perspective an...

Didn't you promise that this was your Main Character Era- when you'd finally step into your own power, make choices for your higher self, and grab onto your big potential? Yeah? Then WHY are you still acting like the supporting character? Listen to this episode for the 4 warning signs that you're still playing too small in your career and life, and the actionable ways to shift your min...

Emma Hinchliffe knows what it takes to be influential. Emma writes The Broadsheet, Fortune magazine’s daily newsletter on the Most Powerful Women and co-chairs the Most Powerful Women summit- casual! In today’s conversation, the career journalist and editor shares her career confessions from starting at her college newspaper, how she raised her hand for stretch opportunities across the country, an...

I owe you a life update. I’ve shared a few videos on TikTok and Instagram, and very lightly touched upon it here on the podcast, but I’m going through some of my own changes in my career. Things are in flux. "Janel, you’re a career coach, and you help people find career clarity – what’s going on?" You’re right, and now the career coach has become her own client. So today, in this episode...

Today’s mentor is actually a duo— Alicia Franklin and Kass Gratwick-Sarll are clinical psychologists and the founders of Tend, a practice that helps women tend to themselves and step into their brilliance. Alicia and Kass are experts at the intersection of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and their impact on women's careers . Together in this conversation, we’re uncovering: what perfectionism l...

When you’re in the holding pattern for the job opportunities you’re in the running for, clicking into your email or LinkedIn is like a drug. You’re constantly wondering when you’ll hear back about next steps, and it can take over your entire day.  In this episode, we'll tackle the waiting game head-on, to help you survive (and thrive!) instead of obsessively checking your email! We'll cove...

To say that today’s guest is having a powerful year would be a massive understatement! After 10 years working social for brands like Microsoft, Beats By Dre, Morning Brew, Twitch, and more, Jack Appleby started Future Social, a newsletter teaching marketers to build best-in-class social media strategies. Each week, he breaks down the latest social news into actionable lessons, like how to use what...

Thinking about going back to school or getting a certification, but feeling overwhelmed by all of your options? Scared of the time and financial commitment? Today we’re tackling the most important factors to consider in going back to school AND breaking down all of your options to give your career an edge, from alternatives to grad school, MOOCs, professional certifications, and workshops. We'...

Feel like the year is starting to ramp up and it’s time to ~hustle~? Then SHUT UP AND LISTEN! Marissa Freeman, Certified Mindfulness and Wellbeing Strategist joins me for our first #MENTORED episode to start our healing journey unwinding & unlearning hustle culture. We explore the question: “How can I stay true to MY end goal without my job’s end goal interfering with that?” and why so much of...

Why is managing your time so difficult when you’re looking for a new job? Whether you’re unemployed and on the search, starting at a blank week on your calendar, or working a full-time job on top of your search for something better, time can feel like a puzzle you just can’t solve. I’ve got you. In this episode, I’m taking you through the framework that’s proven so useful for myself and my career...

Did the pandemic turn your professional identity upside down? Was 2020 a pivot lightbulb moment for you, in which you realized just how valuable you are in the world of work? Did you think about packaging up your expertise and making a go of it on your own? If you answered YES to any of the above, you won’t want to miss today's conversation with Dana Farber! After a decade in C-level agency market...

Did I ever tell you about the career move I made that totally BACKFIRED? It’s the story of an experience that ignited my ultimate career pivot away from the path I’d been on for years, and a core memory that I’ll always think about when making important career decisions. Ultimately, I really want to talk about this in hopes that it helps you AVOID making the same mistake!

This is- without a doubt- the hottest question in my DMs: “Should I start this side hustle? Should I turn my passion into a business?” Here, we’re unpacking 3 reasons you SHOULD monetize your passion project, and 3 reasons you SHOULDN’T. PLUS: Real personal examples of each from my own experience successfully monetizing my passion for career development. (Coming soon to follow: another episode on...

Lauren Powell is the woman who first inspired me to diversify my career path. The Global Insights Lead at TikTok has carved out a dynamic professional path that lets her be a corporate baddie, a creative entrepreneur, and a self-development devotee all at once. But the journey hasn’t been all Insta-worthy (of course). Lauren shares her experiences through layoffs, a painful cross-country move, and...

Getting your “foot in the door” can often feel like the most challenging part of finding a new opportunity- mostly because there are so many different ways you can do this, depending on where you’re going in your career. I’m demystifying all of it in today's episode! Specifically: a framework called The 3 A’s for you to remember when trying to get your foot in the door, get people on your side, an...

If I were determined to land a new job I loved, these are the *exact* eight steps I would take to make it happen as soon as possible! Consider this your proven Pivot Playbook, with only the most effective ways to land a more meaningful career this year. PLUS: the biggest (avoidable) mistake that sabotages most career pivots! Apply to Pivot With Purpose: https://bit.ly/3wSbmti Follow on social: Ins...

What happens when you basically have no choice but to pursue a certain career path? For Jess Janz, making art wasn’t a choice, it was a need. Jess is a poet, writer, group facilitator, and creative connector forging her own path as an artist. In her Career Confessions, Jess shares what it takes to build a profitable & soul-centered artistic career. The Canadian creative explains how she hosts...

One summer day in 2018, D. Arthur got an offer to join the recruiting team at a hot start up with some former colleagues from Google. It would be their first big move up in the corporate world after college. Later that same day, though, they got a phone call that no one ever wants to pick up: their mother had Stage 4 lung cancer. This is the story of how D. declined the job offer they’d been waiti...

Hey real quick- what's your Enneagram Type? Whether you just thought to yourself, "Okay, here's my number, my wing, and my sub-stack," OR "Ennea-what?" this episode is for you! Today, I'm connecting with Enneagram-certified career coach Jazmine Reed-Clark to explore how your Enneagram type can help you find more meaning in your career. Jazmine breaks down what the Enneagram reveals about your pers...