Melissa Franks

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Business EN ↓ 186 episodes

Do I have to be friends with my co workers to get ahead? Should I take the promotion even if I hate the job? Is my salary big enough or am I getting screwed? Do I have to choose between having a family and having a career? I've been laid off now what do I do? I'm Melissa Franks, and I've spent the last 25 years building my corporate career and a family to along the way, there have been bumps and bruises and some epic going down in flames of glory moments. My journey up the corporate ladder found me forging new ground without a safety net. Through my real life stories, experiences, and special...

Author

Melissa Franks

Category

Business

Podcast website

www.buzzsprout.com

Latest episode

Jul 8, 2026

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Episodes

Working Vacation - My Formula for Doing Both 09.08.2023

We all know that trying to juggle work and personal items can be a struggle, add in vacation to the mix when the work doesn’t stop and you can feel your stress level skyrocket! In today’s episode, we are tackling the idea of a working vacation and I share my formula on how you can do both.  Over the next 30 minutes, I discuss how to advocate for yourself to take vacation time and if you simply can...

What Business Professionals can Learn from Entrepreneurs 02.08.2023

It's no secret that entrepreneurs often start as solopreneurs and have to wear multiple hats, but what about professionals in corporate structures? This is an area that is often not talked about enough or even thought about in a professional environment. The truth is you can tap into the entrepreneurial side to grow your skillset and become a better, more diverse asset.  During today’s episod...

Dark Drivers an Interview with Cynthia Corsetti 26.07.2023

Today, we are welcoming Cynthia Corsetti to the show! Cynthia is an executive coach, business owner, and author of a book that is coming out later this year called Dark Drivers. She is passionate about giving professionals and business owners the tools they need to leverage communication, build influence and make a bigger impact.  Over the next 44 minutes, we dive into the importance of pre-orderi...

How You Know If You Are an Over Achiever or a High Performer and Why It Matters 19.07.2023

Raise your hand if you consider yourself an over achiever or high performer or have been called a workaholic. We hear about these two often in the workplace or even in the entrepreneurial world, and today we are focused on what the difference is between the two and how they are viewed in the corporate sphere.  Over the next 40 minutes, I dive into what traits are associated with each of these two...

The Do's and Don'ts of Goal Setting at Midyear 12.07.2023

We are a little past the halfway mark of 2023 which is a great time to take a look at what goals you set, what you have achieved and what else you want to do. In today’s episode, we are focusing on setting midyear goals in a professional setting in a way that aligns with your personal values.  During today’s conversation, I share practical and insightful tips on how you can set effective goals and...

Quarter In Review - 2nd Quarter How it Went, What I learned, What's Coming Next 05.07.2023

It’s that time again! The second quarter has come and gone which means it’s time for my quarterly review. Every quarter these reviews are always penciled into my calendar as I manage life as a mom, C-suite executive, and inside of a start-up so that I don’t lose sight of my goals.  Over the next 40 minutes, I dive into my process when it comes to quarterly reviews, I recap how it went and what I l...

F*** Politeness - The Death of Feedback in the Corporate World 28.06.2023

Are you tired of zipping your lips? Not following your instincts? All for the sake of being polite and not wanting to step on anyone's toes, then today’s episode is especially for you. Being polite is defined as behaving in a way that is socially correct, the catch here is the word socially. Let’s dive into how politeness is not the same thing as kindness, especially in your workplace.  Durin...

Intrapreneurship is Alive and Well - How It Can Get You Where You Are to the C-Suite 21.06.2023

In today’s episode, I am diving deep into something that needs to be talked about more, Intrapreneurship. In 2020, we saw in the news daily about people jumping ship from their corporate jobs to start their own businesses, in fact, small business permits went up by 20%.  I share my own journey of intrapreneurship, tips on how to become one, and how you can use it to leverage yourself further in yo...

The Power of Connection with Katie Barnett 14.06.2023

Today, I am joined by special guest, Katie Barnett. Katie is a mom of three, an entrepreneur and host of the Level After Next podcast. She shares how to take action towards your dreams by breaking down your big hairy goals into actionable steps. Over the next 50 minutes, we dive deep into how creating meaningful connections can grow your business and network leading to more sales and a deeper sens...

A Day in the Life - The Lessons I have Learned and Applied in a Busy Season 07.06.2023

Raise your hand if you find yourself in a busy season and are completely overwhelmed. It's the end of the school year, you're trying to reach your own goals and keep your sanity. In today’s episode, I pull back the curtain to share tips I have learned over the years to make this busy season a heck of alot easier than busy seasons of the past.  In this episode, we cover: Identifying prior...

How to Pivot Your Mission Driven Career with Urvashi Bhatnagar 31.05.2023

Urvashi Bhatnagar joins me for today’s episode. Urvashi is a Yale University graduate, holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Boston University, is the co-author of The Sustainability Scorecard: How to Implement and Profit from Unexpected and is a healthcare executive. Tune in to hear how she pivoted her career from clinical work to strategic endeavors all while staying true to her life's...

Change Your Habits Change Your Life: Habit Stacking, Setting Defined Goals, Elimination Method and Morning Routines 24.05.2023

If thinking about changing your habits makes you want to run away, then today’s podcast is for you. I dive into a few tools that have changed my life and I know have the power to change yours too, habit stacking, setting goals and the morning routine that works for you. Simply put, you can change the habits, you can change the behavior, you can have confidence in yourself, you can have credibility...

Shooting it Straight about Mom Guilt with Scottie Durrett 17.05.2023

Join me in today’s episode with Scottie Durrett who is the host of the Momplex podcast, founder of the High Vibes Mom Club and a certified life coach who supports Mom's in their journey to show up in the best way possible for their families and most importantly themselves. I absolutely loved our time together. We chat about piling shame on top of shame, syncing calendars as a family group, li...

Hustle Culture & The Reformed Corporate Bragger 10.05.2023

The term “hustle” or “hustler” has varied in its meaning over the years. Once as referring to perhaps shady business practices, then to a badge of honor, and currently is viewed as a workaholic. Anti-hustle culture emerged as a result of the pandemic, and in today’s episode I share some guidance on how to opt out of the “hustle” conversation and how to opt in to living the life and having the care...

Your Picker Might Be Broken 03.05.2023

Raise your hand if you have second guessed a decision you made, either in your personal or professional life. In the work setting, there really isn’t anyone pointing out to us that we didn’t pick wisely, and so we end up in situations that are not what you expected and not what you signed up for. Today’s episode is all about how you can tell if your picker is broken, what to do, and practical ways...

How a Mentor Can Change Your Life 26.04.2023

Flashback to April, 2022 when I was the COO of a company that I had been working for the last 15 years. A third party company was brought in to conduct yet another assessment on the leadership positions, and I was determined to ace it and prove I was worthy of my position. My results from this assessment, and the conversation I had with the assessor in a follow up conversation lit a fire in me tha...

It's not just employee engagement, it's People Engagement with Becca Schweitzer 19.04.2023

The podcast’s very first guest episode welcomes Becca Schweitzer, a human resources professional and a people engagement expert. She has built her expertise working in the healthcare industry supporting teams of 2 to hundreds and helping them through some of the toughest years the industry has seen. These teams are multi-generational and diverse and she shares her unique perspective on how taking...

Look Back Look Forward - How the 1st Quarter Went 12.04.2023

The last week of each quarter is one of my favorites, and the reason isn’t what you would think. No, it’s not about business results, but instead all about how I executed my plan. In today’s episode, I quickly review how 2022 ended and the beginning of Q1 began when I shifted into the startup world, teach you how to create quarterly goals by looking in the rearview mirror as well as looking ahead,...

You are not the victim of your circumstances, you choose your circumstances 05.04.2023

This one is all about the B word: boundaries. You may or may not want to look at your reflection in the mirror on this topic, but it’s important to get a bit uncomfortable here, because you’re going to have a spark that ignites during this episode that will have you ready to make changes immediately. So, buckle up as I share about how to figure out what’s going on, setting boundaries and navigatin...

Advice for twenty something employee's and their managers 29.03.2023

Gone are the days of cohorts of new employees into corporations, all being onboarded and mentored together at the beginning of their careers. Many college graduates are entering the corporate world without this mentorship, as many companies have gone away with this structure. Some may call it the Wild Wild West, and others the survival of the fittest. I, too, didn’t have this onboarding experience...

We Have Some "Work" to do - Women v. Women 22.03.2023

International Women’s Day was on March 8th, and the theme was “equity.” In today’s episode, I am fired up about something disastrous that happened on this very day when a woman with influence and a large following slammed the organization publicly. I share how women are actually not supporting other women, and why so many women are leaving the business world day in and day out. This has to stop an...

Law of Attraction, Manifestation and the Power of Mindset 15.03.2023

The Law of Attraction is that like attracts like. I was in my 40s when I realized I had spent the last 20 years of my career unintentionally manifesting and attracting what I didn’t want. I was thinking negatively, manifesting poor outcomes, and those were becoming reality. In today’s episode, I share with you how I began to manifest the life and career I wanted that led to my very first intention...

Are You Sure It's Burnout? 08.03.2023

Are you going to work each day excited, or is there a disconnect somewhere? In today’s episode, I share how to go from stuck to unstuck with simple advice and tactics to make a change without relying on hope and then describe how to use forward looking action so you can be brave enough to make a decision on how to act. Whether you are a brand new employee in your very first corporate job, or a sea...

There is no Crying in the C-Suite . . . or is there? 01.03.2023

Raise your hand if you have cried at work. The truth is: about half of women in the workplace have or will cry at work and it impacts people’s perceptions of you, whether right or wrong. Today’s episode is a big one because while your emotions may be something outside of your control, your response to them is within your control. I first share my own stories where I have cried at work, breakdown t...

Side Hustle Shame and Why YOU Should let it GO 22.02.2023

Today we are ripping off the bandaid and talking about something that is more common than you might think: side hustles. In 2020, it was reported that 45% of Americans have a side hustle, in addition to their full time job. I share with you my own experience working as a C-suite executive with a side hustle in network marketing, and how I didn’t back down. I talk you through recommendations to hel...

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