Brave Women at Work

Recently, the latest Brave Women at Work book launched, Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Authenticity. And I am so excited to share that one of the authors, Jennifer Lentner, is on the podcast today! I really love Jennifer’s chapter in the book because her chapter is all about lived experience. What is it like to truly be an authentic leader? And what does it mean to truly learn from experiences so...

We all start our careers as doers, or individual contributors. This means we make the widgets; we do the grunt work; we execute the strategy of management. Then, at one point, we may get very good at being a doer and are tapped for management. The issue is that there is no class for leadership. So many people that move from doer default into manager.  And as you may have seen in the memes onl...

Let’s start with two quotes today. Honestly, I couldn’t decide between the two, so you get both. Carl Jung:  "The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are." Brené Brown:  "Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome." Often, we don’t let ourselves be seen as Brene Brown says. We put on masks...

When I burned out back in 2019, I felt like I was duped. I did all the “right things” – went to college, worked very hard, climbed the ladder, got married, had kids. And then, after doing everything the way I thought I was supposed to do, I burned out anyway. During that period, I was disillusioned and felt like I had no foundation. I had to find a new foundation, and this podcast was part of it,...

Did you know that at one point in our lives, 70% of people experience Imposter Syndrome or now called Imposter Complex/Phenomenon.  And P.S., 75% of executive women have experienced it.  I’ve had many highly successful and motivated Type A female clients come to me wanting to be “fixed.” I always give them the same answer. This is not an on and off switch. There is no fixing. This is a p...

I’m starting today’s show with one word – WOW. Just WOW. This podcast was one of the most thought-provoking I’ve had in a while. Why? Today’s guest, Elizabeth Rosenberg, is willing to have the conversation that no one is having but everyone should be having.  Here’s the question: How do we seamlessly integrate our spiritual and/or intuitive side with the professional side and not come off as...

While preparing to release this week’s show, I realized I forgot to launch a show from this past February with Jenn Donahue. Jenn is an amazing leadership expert and has a ton of hard knocks experience in the military. In fact, she almost died while in Iraq, so this woman knows a thing or two about staying calm under pressure.  During today’s show, Jenn and I chatted about: Jenn’s fascinating...

It’s a reunion podcast! I love it when I can reconnect with prior guests. Kathy Miller and I did our first podcast together 2-3 years ago, so it’s been a hot minute! Kathy has an amazing story in manufacturing you will hear more about. She has that spine of steel and truly learned how to be a great leader from the ground up. It’s amazing that she is now paying it forward to share her leadership kn...

Have you heard the phase, “leadership is a big responsibility?” So many of us, including yours truly, initially got promoted because I was good at my job as an individual contributor. And no, I did not get management training. I fumbled and bumbled and was a manager, not a leader, for a long time.  I didn’t delegate well and tried to do everything myself. I didn’t fully trust my people, and i...

I call on you this week to reach out to another woman in your life. A woman that needs a good word, a in-person or virtual hug, motivation, or support. You have no idea the ripple effect it will have. Today on the show, Ashley and I dive into something so important and foundational – purpose.  During today’s show, Ashley and I chatted about: The meaning behind unlimited to Ashley, especially...

Today on the show, I am so pleased to share that I chatted about the new rules of leadership with Selena Rezvani. Selena just gets it, and she has digestible leadership content and books that anyone can apply to their lives and careers. Selena is also widely followed on all the social platforms, so go check her out! During today’s show, Selena and I talked about: Her book, Quick Leadership: Build...

I’m so excited to have another Chicago gal in the house today with me, Harper A. Bailey. Harper and I discovered we had SO much in common with our stories, perspectives, etc. that I hope to meet up with her IRL (in real life) sometime soon! During today’s show, Harper and I talked about: What it felt like for her to be the first Black woman to lead a prominent national women’s healthcare nonprofit...

Have you ever wanted to build a business? What about a huge business? While many of our listeners are corporate warriors, I wanted to share the brave story of my guest, Jacqueline Basulto, Founder and CEO of SeedX, a multi-million-dollar data and digital business. Most, if not all, of the takeaways from this podcast apply to all of us.  During our discussion, Jacqueline and I chatted about: T...

I thought that Imposter Syndrome was something to be managed. Not eradicated, but managed. Jen has an entirely different view on Imposter Syndrome. She thinks we can make it our superpower. I was curious and completely open-minded to Jen’s perspective because there’s always more to learn. During our discussion, Jen and I chatted about: How she got into the STEM sector and continues to work with pe...

Well friends and podcast listeners, I have met another sister from another mister in my guest today, Dr. Kasi Lacey! I met Dr. Kasi at the Thrive in ’25 Conference last summer, and I was like, Dr. Kasi is my person! When we chatted, I really resonated with what she was saying and so much of our corporate war stories were similar, even though Dr. Kasi and I come from different industries. It simply...

Do you have someone in your life that has made a brave pivot? For example, maybe a friend, family member or colleague that has made a big leap into a new career, left their career to be a mom or caregiver full-time, left a relationship that was draining them. Whenever I hear stories like this, I’m both awed and triggered at the same time. Why? Well, friends, I have always struggled with big change...

I have never been a shopper. Starting in my teenage years, I decided I would be emo and wear black all the time. It was just easier, and it matched my teenage angst and all the Alanis Morrissette I was listening to. Can you relate? I would love to tell you that I have changed in my adult years, but I haven’t really. Black is still my staple, and I don’t put a lot of time into my wardrobe. My guest...

I am so excited to announce that the next Brave Women at Work book is launching soon! I cannot believe we are on our fifth book in the women’s anthology series! Yes, fifth! I do not say this lightly, but Brave Women at Work, this podcast, the book series, the coaching, the speaking, all of it – this is my purpose work. It is what gets me up out of bed in the morning, and it is my rocket fuel of mo...

Several years ago, one of my dear friends, Jennie, visited me for the weekend. We went shopping and decided to duck into TJ Maxx. Who doesn’t love a good TJ Maxx run? While we were in the store, we saw a coffee mug that had this saying on it, “I’m kind of a big deal.” I held it up, pointed at it, and smiled while Jennie took a picture of me. Back then, I was play acting that I was kind of a big de...

My guest today, Bofta Yimam, is an expert in owning your voice, so I was excited to have her on as a guest on the show.  During our discussion, Bofta and I chatted about: A bit about her family and Ethiopian roots and what led her to a career in the news What drove her to start her entrepreneurial journey How we can stop playing small and own our voices The importance of having a LinkedIn pre...

To get started today, I would like to share a personal story about my daughter, Olivia. Olivia’s story relates to our theme of setbacks and using them as stepping stones. You may not know this, but Olivia was born was a hair condition that limits hair growth. Olivia is gorgeous exactly as God made her, but as she is getting older, she asked me for a hair piece so she can have longer hair. Olivia’s...

My guest, Ashley Tuburan, and I met at a women’s leadership conference I was speaking at last May. Ashley’s story and her spirit touched me, so I asked her to be on the podcast. I would like to warn our listeners that this podcast deals with sensitive topics such as sexual assault and mental illness, so if either of these issues trigger you or others, do what is right for you.  During our dis...

Welcome to final show in the Reinvention Roadmap mini-series with my friend and colleague, Jenn Smith, of Flourish Careers. I have heard such great feedback on this series from listeners. If you would like to have more series like this, please email me at hello@bravewomenatwork.com. This week, Jenn and I share practical steps you can take today to start reinventing your career. It’s one thing to t...

Welcome to part two of the Reinvention Roadmap mini-series with my friend and colleague, Jenn Smith, of Flourish Careers. If you missed the first show in the series on signs you need to either leave corporate or pursue a career transformation, you’re not too late. That show aired on January 8th, so it’s still pretty hot off the press.  This week, Jenn and I talk about the importance of review...