Capability Edge

AJ Lauer, EdD: From Shoveling Snow in a Blizzard to Coaching Scientists Through Imposter Syndrome: a Story of Knowing When to Walk Away What do snow shoveling, hurricanes, and a room full of grandmothers on a ferry have in common? They're all part of Dr. AJ Lauer’s winding, real-life journey to becoming a leadership coach for scientists, engineers, and STEM professionals. In this episode, AJ share...

Alyssa Willet: From Cleaning Glasses at 13 to Coaching Women to Ditch the Doubt — a Story of Owning Her Voice What does it really take to own your voice and design a career you  actually  love? In this inspiring and refreshingly honest conversation, I sit down with  Alyssa Willett —leadership trainer, certified coach, and talent development powerhouse—who shares her journey from cle...

Everyone says people leave bad managers. But the truth? People leave when they don’t see a future. In this video, we unpack why lack of development and growth opportunities has become the #1 reason employees are quitting, and what Learning & Development can actually do about it. 📉 Braverly. Lattice. Gartner. Deloitte. The data is loud: employees are craving growth, not more eLearning. So if y...

Learning and Development isn’t just a support function—it’s a critical part of how HR delivers on its strategic goals. So why are L&D and HR still working in silos? In this episode, we explore how learning and development in human resource management can become a true strategic partnership. We’ll unpack: ✅ Why L&D and HR often operate in parallel ✅ What high-impact partnership really loo...

In this powerful episode, we dive into Desiree’s real, raw, and remarkably relatable story. From working in a nursing home at 15 to leading a dementia facility through the pandemic, from personal tragedy to launching a leadership company, Desiree’s path has been anything but smooth. And that’s exactly what makes it worth listening to. We talk about: Why she felt unqualified for her first leadershi...

A Story of Strategic Self-Belief What do a toy store, a dance dream, and cross-country running have in common with a career in data strategy? Dr. Alaina Szlachta joins Candice Mitchell to unpack the incredible journey from juggling four jobs at 15 to becoming a data-obsessed entrepreneur, real estate investor, and advocate for building a life of intention. In this episode, Alaina reveals the power...

Learning and Development (L&D) and Human Resources (HR) aren’t two separate functions, they’re two sides of the same coin. If you’ve ever felt like L&D is treated as an afterthought, just the training arm of HR or a line item on someone else’s to-do list—this video is for you. In this episode, we unpack what real partnership looks like between HR and L&D, and why that partnership is th...

Shelby Kiernan’s story is a masterclass in reinvention — not the fluffy kind, but the real, raw, what-am-I-worth-now kind. After 12 years in a job she loved, Shelby was laid off and faced a new kind of challenge: rebuilding confidence in a world that quietly tells older women they're past their prime. In this episode, we trace Shelby’s journey — from her teenage jobs in small-town Wyoming to leadi...

They’ve been calling L&D “order takers” since 1975... and it’s still happening. In this eye-opening episode, we get real about what’s holding Learning and Development professionals back — and how to finally break the cycle. Candice shares the exact practical framework she uses with corporate clients to align learning initiatives with real business KPIs (and no, it's not just about collecting s...

A story of discovering her calling the long way around When Stacey dropped out of high school in her senior year, she didn’t have a plan — but she did have grit, curiosity, and a quiet belief that things would work out. In this deeply honest episode, Stacey Oliver-Knappe shares the real story behind her career in Learning & Development: from smelling like peanut oil while cleaning fryers at Ch...

After the burnout, the misunderstandings, and the never-ending “can you just run a quick training?” requests, this episode is your reminder of why Learning & Development is still one of the most impactful, strategic, and fulfilling careers out there. You’ll learn: ✨ Why L&D is the infrastructure behind business sustainability ✨ How AI is changing the game (and why L&D is future-proof...

When Anna and her husband inherited the family business, they thought they’d have time. Time to learn. Time to be mentored by his grandfather—the man who built it. But just a few months after they took over, he passed away unexpectedly… and they were left holding the keys with no playbook. In this episode, Anna shares what it really looked like to navigate that kind of loss—while keeping the busin...

If you've ever been asked to fix company culture in a two-hour workshop… or deliver “quick training” with zero context, you're not alone. This episode dives deep into one of the biggest challenges facing Learning & Development professionals today: managing expectations . We explore: 🎯 Why L&D expectations are so confusing (and where that history comes from) 📍 What you are actually respon...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re not built for the corporate mold—or like the traditional career path just isn’t it, this conversation is your permission slip to do it your way. In this vibrant, raw, and wickedly insightful episode, I sit down with Mark Gaisford , a video strategist who went from delivering pizzas and motorbike couriering around London to leading a recruitment firm, getting diagnos...

If you work in Learning & Development, you already know, this job is a rollercoaster. One day you’re facilitating transformation. The next? You’re being asked to “just make it an eLearning.” 🙃 In this episode, we’re talking about what it really feels like to work in L&D: ✅ The highs that make it all worth it ✅ The lows that leave you questioning everything ✅ The emotional whiplash of b...

This is a story of listening deeply, leading differently, and standing for what matters. In this episode, I sit down with the incredible Andrew Jacobs — independent learning strategist, podcaster, and longtime L&D disruptor — for one of the most honest, wide-ranging conversations we've had yet. From pricing soda cans in the '80s to reshaping L&D in the fire service and public sector, Andre...

Forget the LinkedIn highlight reels—today we’re getting real about working in Learning & Development. You’ve probably seen posts like: 👉 “Launched a leadership program!” 👉 “Facilitated onboarding for 80 new hires!” 👉 “So grateful to be in this role!” But what about the real moments? Like being asked to whip up a training by Friday. Or being mistaken for the compliance person. Or constantly...

Lavinia Mehedințu : From Quiet Teen in a Romanian Village to L&D’s Loudest Cheerleader: A Story of Saying No, Leading Anyway, and Building What Didn’t Exist She said no to people management. Dropped out of university. Burned out building Offbeat. And still? She built one of the boldest L&D communities on the planet. She said no to people management. Dropped out of university. Burned out bu...

Ever struggle to explain what you actually do in L&D? You’re not alone. If you’ve ever mumbled something like, “I create training” while knowing deep down that your role is so much more —this episode is for you. 👀 In this episode, I break down the REALITY of working in Learning & Development, and why it’s time to reframe our work as Talent Enablement . Because you don’t just build courses...

What do mowing lawns, being “too social,” and moving your family across the world have in common? They’re all part of Andy Storch’s journey, from drifting through early career choices to building a purpose-driven life and business. In this episode, Andy and I swap stories on the underestimated power of journaling, why your "weakness" might actually be your greatest strength, and the reality of mak...

Pull up a chair... this episode is a coffee chat with two brilliant minds in Learning and Development who followed wildly different paths to end up co-authoring a book that’s about to change the L&D game. Bianca Baumann and Mike Taylor didn’t plan to work together. In fact, they didn’t even meet in person until after their first joint workshop. But from different sides of the world and through...

If you've ever felt stuck in a role that didn’t reflect your potential — this episode is your permission slip to dream bigger and move boldly. In this powerful conversation, JB Ryan shares her career story — from waiting tables in Johannesburg and working as a bank teller, to leading a billion-dollar sales team in the U.S. and writing a book on confident public speaking. We talk about career growt...

If you’re tired of being seen as the “training person”… if you’re done waiting for a seat at the table… this is the episode where everything changes. In Episode 4 of this series, we’re talking about what it really takes to go from order-taker to strategic partner—and finally be seen as a business-critical leader in Learning & Development. You’ll learn: ✅ Why most L&D professionals are stu...

You’re in for a treat (and probably a few spit-take laughs) in this episode with Jo Watson – the copywriter hired by people with great taste in copywriters. We go back in time to awkward teenage work placements, waitress tips from nuns, misogyny in football, and that moment Jo literally walked out of a toxic meeting — holiday booked, no job lined up, zero regrets. This is what it really looks like...

Let’s be real, most L&D measurement? It’s garbage. Completion rates, smiley sheets, post-training quizzes… they might look good in a report, but they don’t prove business impact. And leadership knows it. In this episode, I break down exactly why traditional L&D metrics fall short—and how to start tracking what actually matters. You’ll learn how to: Align learning with real business KPIs Ba...