The Climb

Emotional Intelligence Part 4: Relationship Management You've probably heard the advice: "Work hard and your work will speak for itself." While performance absolutely matters, leadership requires something more. It requires relationships. In the final episode of our Emotional Intelligence series, we're talking about Relationship Management —the ability to build authentic relationships rooted in tr...

Leadership isn't just about understanding yourself. It's about understanding the people around you. In Part 3 of our Emotional Intelligence series, we're exploring Social Awareness —one of the most overlooked leadership skills and one of the biggest differentiators between good leaders and exceptional ones. Because leadership is never practiced in isolation. Every meeting, every conversation, ever...

Knowing yourself is only the beginning. The real test of leadership is what you do with that knowledge when emotions are running high. In Part 2 of our Emotional Intelligence series, we're talking about self-management—the ability to regulate your emotions, respond with intention, and lead strategically under pressure. Because leadership isn't measured when everything is going well. It's measured...

Everyone wants to talk about leadership. Leading teams. Managing conflict. Influencing decisions. Driving results. But before any of that comes self-awareness. And if we're honest, that's often the part we skip. In this episode of The Climb Podcast, we're kicking off a four-part series on Emotional Intelligence by exploring the foundation of it all: self-awareness. Because you cannot lead others e...

You can work hard, mean well, and be excellent at what you do—and people can still walk away with a perception of you that's quietly shaping your opportunities. In this episode, Felicia tackles one of her favorite (and most uncomfortable) topics: the gap between your intentions and your impact. Because here's the hard truth in leadership: people don't respond to your intentions. They respond to ho...

For years, we've told women to get a seat at the table. Get the degree. Build the expertise. Work hard. Earn the opportunity. But what happens after you get there? What happens when you're sitting in the room, listening to the conversation, and realizing that attendance and influence are not the same thing? In this episode of The Climb Podcast, Felicia Smith explores one of the most overlooked lea...

The conversations women of color have quietly been carrying for years… finally said out loud. We talked about burnout. Visibility. Leadership. Career stagnation. Communication. Identity. And what it really means to grow as a woman of color inside systems that were never fully designed for us. For this Season 6 finale, we pulled together the moments that hit the hardest—the truths, lessons, and con...

What if the advice you’ve been following is the very thing slowing your career down? You’ve been working hard. Saying yes. Being dependable. Keeping your head down. And on the surface — that sounds exactly right. But in the Season 6 finale of The Climb Podcast, Felicia Smith delivers the honest conversation most people won’t have with you: the advice that got you here is incomplete. And if you don...

We’ve been taught to think about career gaps as a choice. Something planned. Something intentional. Something we can easily explain. But the reality is different. “What we found… women lost their jobs.” And now many are navigating something they didn’t expect— figuring out how to move forward while carrying the weight of a gap they didn’t plan. In this episode of The Climb Podcast , Felicia Smith...

At some point, being everything became the cost of being included. And for many women of color, busyness stopped being a schedule problem — and became a survival strategy. In this episode of The Climb Podcast, Felicia Smith takes an honest look at how we got here, what it’s really costing us, and what it looks like to stop performing busyness and start leading with intention. Because your legacy w...

I said what I thought needed to be said. And after I said it — I could immediately tell it didn’t land. No engagement. No follow-up. Barely an acknowledgment that I had said something. Sound familiar? In this episode of the Her Climb Podcast, Felicia Smith gets into the communication gap nobody warns you about — the space between what you said and what the room actually heard. Because getting to t...

So many women are told to “get a seat at the table.” But what no one talks about is what happens next. In this episode of The Climb Podcast , Felicia Smith breaks down the reality of what it means to not just be invited into the room—but to navigate, influence, and lead once you’re there . Because the truth is… You can know your job—and still not understand the room. And that’s the gap no one prep...

What if the next level of your leadership isn’t about doing more… but about learning how to pause? In this episode of The Climb Podcast, Felicia Smith sits down with Elandria Charles to unpack a truth most high-achieving women struggle to accept: Rest is not a reward. It’s a requirement. From burnout and overproduction to reclaiming your time and energy, this conversation challenges the belief tha...

What happens when you finally achieve the thing you worked so hard for… and it no longer feels the same? In this episode of The Climb Podcast , I’m talking about a truth most people don’t prepare you for: Sometimes the dream you’ve been chasing has already finished. And instead of feeling fulfilled, you’re left asking— now what? This isn’t failure. This is evolution. We break down what it looks li...

What if the very thing you’re being praised for is the same thing quietly holding you back? In this episode of The Climb Podcast , Felicia Smith breaks down one of the most frustrating and confusing moments in your career: when you’re doing well—but you don’t know what your next move is. Many high-performing women of color find themselves stuck not because they lack talent, but because they’ve bec...

What You Will Learn • Why burnout among high-achieving women of color is often called the silent epidemic • The early warning signs that burnout is building before you recognize it • Why exhaustion is not a badge of honor in leadership and career advancement • How hustle culture can disconnect you from your identity and purpose • Practical ways to redefine success and rebuild a sustainable life Co...

Takeaways: • Why being excellent at your job does not automatically lead to promotion • The critical difference between tactical execution and strategic visibility • Why many high-performing women of color are overlooked for leadership roles • How positioning, advocacy, and proximity influence career advancement • Why women of color cannot afford to be excellent and invisible Chapters 00:00 – If Y...

In this unapologetic and power-packed episode of  The Climb Podcast , host  Felicia Smith  sits down with returning guest and executive champion  Dionne Baker  to talk about what it  really  takes to build a career that no one is going to hand you. If you grew up believing that “hard work speaks for itself,” this conversation will lovingly shake that myth loose....

In this fireside chat, Felicia Smith sits down with Desiree Goldey , Madjeen Lorthe , and Eliana Cardeno to talk about navigating career pivots with courage and clarity. From layoffs to new beginnings, they explore what it means to redefine success, embrace uncertainty, and step boldly into your next chapter.

Let’s be real — life has been a lot lately. Between work, family, and everything happening in the world, it’s easy to find yourself running on empty. In this episode of The Climb Podcast , I’m joined by Rika Holmes , founder of Master of Transformation (M.O.T.) Yoga , to talk about what it truly means to recharge — not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Rika shares how yo...

In this solo episode of The Climb Podcast , host Felicia Smith takes a powerful pause to talk about something every woman needs to hear: protecting your energy. Drawing from personal reflection and experience, Felicia unpacks what it means to preserve your peace, especially when life—and people—demand more than you have to give. Grounded in the law of conservation of energy , she reminds listeners...

What happens when a return to your roots becomes a pathway to healing and purpose? In this deeply moving episode of The Climb Podcast , host Felicia Smith sits down with Amma Asamoah —an architect, sustainable design visionary, and founder of The Legacy Project —to explore the power of reconnecting with heritage and thriving on the African continent. Amma shares her transformative journey to Ghana...

What does it take to rise as a leader when the ladder wasn’t built for you? In this powerful episode of The Climb Podcast , we shine a spotlight on the Standing on Her Shoulders Leadership Development Program —a groundbreaking initiative designed to equip women of color with the tools, mentorship, and confidence to thrive as leaders. Our guests, Jasmine Luke and Kimiko Purvis , both members of the...

In this episode of The Climb Podcast , Felicia sits down with Sheryl Whitaker —executive coach, leadership strategist, and author—to explore the realities of being a woman of color in leadership. With over 35 years of experience in insurance and financial services, Sheryl shares her journey from claims adjuster at State Farm to executive leader and now coach, offering hard-won lessons on resilienc...

In this powerful episode, Dr. Jackson challenges the narrow idea of success as titles, accolades, or financial gain. Instead, she paints success as something far more personal—rooted in happiness, well-being, passion, and impact. Her story, from aspiring pediatric neurosurgeon to becoming a leader in education and diversity, reveals the twists and turns that shape our journeys. Alongside Felicia,...