Coffee and Coaching

Are you a female professional over 35 experiencing unexplained brain fog, low energy, or irritability at work?  In this episode of Coffee & Coaching , coach Karol Figueroa sits down with menopause coach Judy Hunter to shatter the silence around menopause in the corporate world. Together, they break down the critical differences between perimenopause, menopause (which is actually just a single...

Licensed psychotherapist Mendel Toron joins coach Karol Figueroa to break down the difference between everyday stress and full nervous system burnout and why logic alone won’t fix it. Learn why separating work and life is an illusion, how to shift from automatic reactions to intentional responses, and why a forced pause might be exactly what your body needs. Mendel also introduces trauma-informed...

Tech professional and PMP-certified leader Jessica Norwood joins coach Karol Figueroa to break down how financial stress, salary gaps, and “golden handcuffs” impact your career decisions. Learn why having a financial Plan B increases your leverage at work, how lifestyle creep quietly traps you, and why talking about salaries is key to uncovering hidden pay gaps. Jessica also shares strategies to n...

Life Freedom Coach Mike Messeroff joins Karol Figueroa to unpack why high-achievers procrastinate on their true dreams and how fear, job security, and social conditioning keep them stuck. Learn how to recognize the illusion of security, break free from people-pleasing, and understand why F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real) drives inaction. Mike also introduces the “magic gap” to create clarit...

ADHD coach Cathy Rashidian joins coach Karol Figueroa to break down why traditional time management doesn’t work for neurodivergent professionals and what to do instead. Learn how to shift from time management to energy management, identify the hidden workplace patterns (like the Architect, Rescuer, and Imposter ) that keep you stuck, and understand why burnout is often a sign of deeper misalignme...

Crisis coach and former federal leader Zazy Lopez joins coach Karol Figueroa to break down what happens when burnout, stress, and personal crises collide with professional demands. Learn how constant cognitive switching drains your energy, how to identify the real root causes of stress, and how to know whether you need a mentor, coach, or therapist. Zazy also shares her personal experience navigat...

What happens when life doesn’t wait for work to slow down? Season 2 of Coffee & Coaching explores how professionals navigate stress, crisis, and real-life challenges while still showing up at work. Hosted by Karol Figueroa, this season dives into how we cope, perform, and make decisions when personal challenges collide with workplace demands, because life and work are never truly separate. Gra...

In this season wrap-up of Coffee & Coaching , our Coach Karol Figueroa revisits the most powerful lessons from the Real Work series, bringing together key insights on burnout, boundaries, self-advocacy, toxic workplaces, and job transitions. You’ll revisit why saying “I’m at capacity” is leadership, how your body signals misalignment before your mind admits it, why high performers must show th...

Gallup and ICF-certified executive coach Angelique Arnao joins Coach Karol Figueroa to break down why workplace assessments often feel frustrating and how to actually use them for real leadership growth. Karol and Angelique unpack why many employees see assessments as “pass or fail,” and what they’re truly designed to reveal. They compare the most popular tools—CliftonStrengths, Hogan, MBTI, and D...

In this Coffee Capsule , Coach Karol Figueroa breaks down why “New Year, New Goals” pressure can lead to procrastination, overwhelm, and negative self-talk. Learn how to identify the real root cause (fear, lack of clarity, or external circumstances), tell the difference between being stuck vs. taking a purposeful pause, and take small steps forward with realistic milestones and new approaches. If...

Executive Coach and Professor Shannon Hogan joins Coach Karol to uncover how toxic work cultures quietly damage trust, creativity, and well-being—long before the warning signs feel obvious. Learn how negligent communication creates toxic environments, the three warning signs of a failing culture , why trust is nearly impossible to rebuild once broken, and why people don’t leave organizations—they...

Marketing leader and CliftonStrengths Coach Helane Cohen joins Coach Karol to unpack the emotional and practical realities of today’s layoff landscape after her own 14-year career at Microsoft. Learn how to let go of outdated beliefs about job security, navigate ageism, and separate your personal value from your corporate title. Helane also shares actionable strategies for standing out in a crowde...

Coaches Reggie and Karol unpack the real meaning of purpose and why your calling has nothing to do with job titles, positions, or industries. Learn why clarity takes time, how to stop tying your identity to your work, and what it really means to “do what you need to do before you can do what you want.” Reggie also breaks down the difference between commitment vs. interest and why creating mental s...

Executive coach Dr. Danielle Lombard-Sims joins Coach Karol to break down the real challenges behind promotions, leadership transitions, and imposter syndrome. Learn how to navigate your first 30-60-90 days , shift from doer to strategic leader, set boundaries with former peers, and handle the pressure placed on middle managers. Danielle also shares how to avoid burnout and navigate corporate poli...

Are you burned out and don’t know why it keeps coming back? Coach Karol and Coach Tamie Rising break down the real causes of burnout, chronic stress, and emotional exhaustion and why rest alone isn’t enough. Learn why hard work becomes a trap, how childhood conditioning fuels pressure, and how to use the productive pause to create sustainable emotional regulation. If you feel overwhelmed, overwork...

Are you a top performer who keeps getting overlooked for promotions? Coaches Karol and Tammi Teague break down the power of self-advocacy at work and why working hard in silence isn’t enough for career advancement. In this episode, you’ll learn the two key steps to promotion: know what you want and show your work , plus how to give your advocates the right “ammunition” to speak for you when you’re...

The Hard Truth About Promotions: Why Being Too Good Can Hold You Back, and How to Navigate Corporate Setbacks Are you feeling stuck in your career? In this comprehensive episode, drawing on insights from a former Microsoft Director, we answer real-life questions covering the most frustrating obstacles people face on the path to the next level. Letter #1 (1:40) Stuck in a New Promotion & Perfor...

How to Set Boundaries at Work & Life (Guilt-Free): Your Invitation to a Better Relationship Are you struggling with overwhelm and burnout? The root cause is often a missing boundary. In the foundational episode of Coffee & Coaching, the host Karol Figueroa sits down with career coach Chianti Lomax, who specializes in helping high-achieving people, especially women, move from overwhelm to e...

How to Know It’s Time to Change Careers (Even If Everything Looks Fine) Have you done everything you were told to do—gotten good grades, earned promotions, and achieved a "corner office [and] multiple six figures"—yet still feel empty and "not online"? In this essential episode, the host welcomes the incredible career change coach, Vilma Usaite, who specializes in working with...

What do burnout, toxic work environments, and the feeling of being overlooked for a promotion all have in common? They’re about to change the way you think about The Real Work . The demands of work have changed completely. The load is heavier, expectations are higher, and individuals are more demanding—often because more is being demanded of them. We, the coaches of Coffee & Coaching , often g...