The Star Guided Entrepreneur

In the podcast episode,  I show you what needs to happen for you to be able to fully unplug AND be a productivity superhuman at work.   I give you 4 strategies to take control of your time, whether you're at work or on vacation.You'll learn:The surprising reason why Henry Ford invented the 5-day work week and the impact of the industrial era on how companies work today,How face-time is still a big thing at companies, even when they don't acknowledge it, and most importantly, how you can work around it,How boundaries can get you more respect and recognition if you do it right,The key ingredient to checking email and messages less frequently and pushing back on time-sucking meetings,The calendar strategy that top writers and productive entrepreneurs use to get deep work done. And how you can implement it in meeting-heavy tech companies,The two modes of working that you need to set for yourself that will save you from burnout,How one of the most respected thought leaders in business successfully pushed back on weekend work in his competitive consulting firm and got away with it,And more!  

In this episode, I interview Tanya Bonamico, a Senior Product Manager at Amazon, leading a team of 50+ for seller risk management and a CareerClimb® client. We discuss her career journey and the challenges she faced while working in a long-term role. Tanya shares her insights on the price of loyalty, the struggle for career advancement, and the importance of seeking support and making bold decisions. Her story sheds light on the need to prioritize personal growth and recognize when it's time to explore new opportunities.We talk aboutThe challenges of staying loyal to a company and its impact on career growth,The realization that flight risk often takes priority over merit for promotions,The importance of seeking support from peers and a skilled career coach,Making bold decisions and taking leaps when growth opportunities are limited,Tanya's personal journey and the lessons learned along the way,And much more!

I dive into a juicy conversation with Gabby Bernstein's coach and author of the book "The Calling: 3 Fundamental Shifts to Stay True, Get Paid and Do Good" - Rha Goddess.  We explore topics ranging from the practical to the spiritual. We discuss the importance of women connecting with themselves, the transformational power of community, and the need for conducive environments that foster growth and success.  Especially at a highly chaotic and uncertain time when women need more support than ever. Rha is an amazing woman and my interview with her put a smile on my face and charged me for days to come.  I hope it does the same for you too!Connect with Rha and grab her book "The Calling" here: https://www.movethecrowd.me/the-calling

Today I interview one of my favorite clients ever - Lori Edwards, a Director at Niche - an ed-tech leader in school search.  If you're in the first decade of your career and looking to break through the Director level, this conversation can give you the mindset shift that will help you replicate her success, even if you feel stuck and frustrated at the moment.Lori had spent seven years as a Product Manager when she joined her current startup as a Senior PM. That's when things got complicated.The head of her team didn't have a product background, so Lori found herself managing everything and everyone. She was clearly operating below her level.  Frustrated at waiting on a promotion that never came, she struggled to figure out why she was not moving up in the company.  Just when she had resigned that there wasn't a role above her opening up anytime soon, she discovered the Denali Executive Accelerator.  After the Program and while continuing to work with CareerClimb, Lori received two promotions.  She had set her initial goals for a year but achieved them 3 months early.  Today Lori is a recognized leader in her company with a strong team.  In our conversation, I explore the secrets to her continued career success.How to cultivate the mindset of an athlete and a championThe critical importance of unlearning habits in order to relearn better onesHow to deal with failure and being stuckHow to get people to trust you, even though you may be the youngest in the groupAlso, discover:The go-to framework Lori uses for change management that has gotten her visibility and results at her companyThe way she learned how to negotiate with authority during a hospital stay and how she uses this skill at workHow Lori chooses who she surrounds herself with and learns from (hint: your environment trumps everything else)And more!Don't forget to opt into Lisa's email list to receive more episodes like this and to receive other news, insights and articles on how to grow your career as a woman in tech: www.careerclimb.coCheck out the Denali Executive Accelerator at https://executiveaccelerator.co/Check out Lori at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-a-edwards/

Today I interview Alessandra Ghini, my very first executive coach and a partner at Go Partners.  We talk about what it was like working with Steve Jobs at Apple and how Alessandra survived the most difficult working environment for years before walking away at the peak of the company's rise.  Following her tenure at Apple, Alessandra worked with Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks on relaunching the Starbucks brand.Alessandra and I discuss:1) What was Steve Jobs like as a boss and how he would insult his people,2) How to not get destroyed or infected by a toxic culture,3) How to not sell your soul destroyed at the hottest company in the world, even if it's led by an iconic figure whom the whole world worships,4) The bad name Steve Jobs had picked out for one of Apple's products and what made him change his mind (hint, it was not the input of his marketing team)5) The difference between working with Steve Jobs and Howard Schultz and their distinct CEO styles.6) How to be financially independent, so you can walk away from a bad situation

In this episode, I go through advanced networking strategies, especially for those who are looking for a job. Strategic networking beats transactional networking every time in terms of quality and quantity of results, hands down.  Plus, it spares you from getting the reputation of a spammer.  In this episode, I cover:- The biggest prerequisite you need before you start networking (it's not what you think)- The precise formula and template for the reach-out message to your network- What to ask for and how to ask for it- Other considerations that will improve your connections, results and the quality and quantity of the opportunities that come from your networking.So tune in to find out how to level up your networking in the New Year!

In this episode, I talk about the two types of networking - transactional and strategic.  I then offer you a 5 step approach to kickstart your strategic networking if you've been doing transactional networking up until now.  I also give you a framework for reaching out to your connections.

Nivedita Ojha has broken quite a few norms in her life.  But none more significant than the decision she made to adopt an older child from an Indian orphanage as a single mom.It was the spring of 2020 and as the world came to a halt at the onset of COVID, Nivedita was unable to travel to India to bring her new daughter home.  What followed was 9 months of a forced wait as Nivedita's boss transitioned out and a new executive came in - one who felt threatened by the independence of an Indian woman who dared to adopt a child as a single parent and single provider.  Today as I sit down with this brave woman full of fire, passion, generosity, and optimism, I want to know the key to her ability to overcome challenges - both professional and personal - as a high-level female executive.  Nivedita is currently Chief Product Officer at FORT Robotics, in charge of a high-precision suite of products that combine both software and hardware.  She loves her job, her company, and her team. But the road to here has not been easy.  It has taken her from leading her own startups to VP roles at companies like Citrix and Autodesk. There were many times in her career when Nivedita didn't exactly fit in with her big personality, big energy, passionate voice and bold vision in the package of an Indian woman.But she persevered.  And she's here to share the lessons learned and the keys to not just surviving some spectacular challenges, but to thriving and enjoying her life and work fully.Connect with Nivedita at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nojha/

Today I interview Evelyn Chou who currently works in Product at Coursera (ex-Uber) and whose passions include creating great articles and content on Medium and LinkedIn, working with data and analytics, traveling and launching products in different cities, as well as offering her advice and mentorship to up and coming PMs.  Evelyn is also one of the hardest-working, kindest and bravest people I've had the honor to know and coach.  In our conversation, Evelyn opens up about a challenge that so many women face in private and keep a secret at work -  her fertility struggles. She shares with us how the journey has evolved her and what it has meant to open up to her manager and a few close colleagues about it, as well as the gifts of choosing to not isolate herself and feel alone.  Tune in to find out:How she built a consistent habit of writing content and found the courage to press the "publish" button and what are some of her key principles that you can try as well in order to start writing, Why trying to "check boxes" works for aspects of her career and professional life but not with her body and fertility,How feeling "out of control" has changed Evelyn's perspective on life, career and her purpose in life,What she found when she chose to share her fertility journey with her manager and a few colleagues, and why you should consider doing the same if you're going through this journey,What she learned from her bad*ss Taiwanese grandma,And more!Connect with Evelyn and follow her writing at https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynchou/

In this episode, I introduce you to the mechanism responsible for accomplishing goals, including career goals.  And I show you what so many psychologists, behavior change experts and best-selling authors agree is the KEY to not falling off the bandwagon but being successful in achieving your goals, even the most stretchy ones.   This podcast episode is accompanied by a guided visualization (the prior podcast track) that will support you in using this powerful change strategy.  Books / Resources mentioned in the episode:* The Alter Ego by Todd Herman* Psycho Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz* Indistractable by Nir Eyal

This episode is intentionally missing the podcast intro music. It's intended as a guided visualization for you to use to create powerful change in your career and life by feeling into the identity you're trying to become - whether an executive, a CEO or an entrepreneur.  The guided visualization starts with you picking a role model you'd like to emulate and practicing intentionally becoming them for a moment, in order to pick up how this person thinks.  

I couldn't think of a more uplifting story and episode to share with you before this Thanksgiving Holiday (and at an economically challenging time for many when it's easy to feel down) than this conversation with Sabrina Ruelle.  I met Sabrina on a LinkedIn text message thread where she struck me with her thoughtful, well-articulated and insightful answers to my simple question: "What is the biggest challenge facing you in your career now?".  She sounded way wiser than her years and I knew I wanted to talk to her.  It turns out Sabrina's story is a unique one.  She was placed in foster care at 12 years old when her mom had to battle addiction and she spent the next few years defying the expectation that she would underperform in the system.  After high school, the only college that would accept her was a community college but she didn't let that deter her either. She ended up getting her master's degree at Boston University, and today, at 32 years old, is a Senior Director of Program Marketing and Management with a healthcare device startup.  She's one of the best storytellers I've met and shows you what's possible when you choose career paths that follow your passion - healthcare for Sabrina, because of her mom's struggles.  Tune in to hear Sabrina's inspirational story and to see what's possible when you are determined to put down roots, bloom and count your blessings in any environment.  

In this episode, I break down the trend that we're starting to see in tech - companies using creative "performance management" strategies to cut costs and people in order to avoid labeling them as layoffs and avoid paying severance.  These strategies also help companies shift the blame for a downward trend and buy time with investors, while you're left holding the blame bag.  Tune in to this episode to find out:1) How to recognize a "sneaky PIP (Performance Improvement Plan)" is coming,2) Why most companies use sneaky PIPs during downturns to conceal layoffs and hiring freezes and buy time with investors,3) How to proactively manage your situation in a way that saves you money and time.Getting support during this time of your career is critical.  If you're interested in joining a confidential support group of female peers in tech who are affected by these trends, please indicate your interest by filling out a 1 minute confidential survey here: https://forms.gle/xvwfQV4SMLnLTQRV9

In this episode, I review the lessons learned from my most recent trip to Japan, where the environment is so calm and peaceful, it's easy to feel grounded and centered.  In our more hectic reality in tech in the Western world, I offer you three simple strategies for cultivating a calm and peaceful attitude - the most important advantage you can have in your career.Tune in to learn how to:1) Cultivate a presence practice,2) Cultivate a straight spine,3) Adopt the Rule of One

In this episode, I challenge an often-held belief that success is working hard at a job you hate in order to retire early and not work anymore. I talk about the example of the late Queen Elizabeth who was working into her mid-90s until 2 days before her death at 96.  We examine the path of finding work you enjoy doing forever and how to use the little-used and little-understood concept of VALUES to accomplish the seemingly impossible feat.

In this episode, I discuss something that a lot of us tend to overlook but can destroy even the best thought-out career plans and roadmaps, and I show you how to effectively manage it. 

Join me for a conversation with Shyvee Shi, a PM at LinkedIn and a LinkedIn creator with over 50,000 followers, to understand how to create content successfully and grow your LinkedIn follow-ship while holding a full time job.  Join us in an information-packed interview to learn:What type of content should you create and how often,How to choose your topics and audience based on your career goals and objectives,Tools and strategies to sustain the pace of your content creation,Why daily or even weekly content production may not be for you and what you should do instead to be successful with a less frequent content schedule,How to apply to become a LinkedIn instructor,How to overcome any doubts and fears you may have about not having done it before, not being an expert, not being a native English speaker, having an accent, not being confident and other challenges you may face in becoming a content creator. Here are resource links generously shared by Shivee.  An accompanying LinkedIn newsletter article will be posted shortly. Subscribe to the newsletter HERE.  Shyvee's LinkedIn Learning course: Personal Productivity for Product Managers10 steps to create a LinkedIn newsletter from the LinkedIn Learning teamCreating LinkedIn Newsletters – a 21m course from Gemma Leigh Roberts, a popular instructor on all things emotional resilience and whose own LinkedIn newsletter has 500K+ subscribers —shares tips on how to create and publish newsletters on LinkedInApply to become a LinkedIn Learning instructorCreator Weekly newsletter published by LinkedIn's Editorial team to get a sense of trending topicsA form to subscribe to receive emails about LinkedIn Trending Topics to write about to be featured (click "Yes" in the last question)

My conversation today is with the author of Adventures of Women in Tech: How We Got Here and Why We Stay - Alana Karen, a tech leader in Google and an articulate and successful woman in tech.  In her book, she interviews 80 women and traces their triumphs, challenges, fears and misconceptions about tech and what it takes to be successful in the field. In my conversation with Alana, learn:1) What she learned from talking to 80 women about whether the myth of "it's hard for women to be successful in tech" and the #metoo articles presented a true picture or not, 2) Her advice to her younger self starting out in tech,3) The gifts and pitfalls of responsibility and loyalty for women in tech,4) How to ask for what you need,5) The 5 tools in Chapter 8 of her book that will help you transition through the most vulnerable part of the journey - your mid-career,6) The questions to ask if you're convincing yourself to stay at a job "too long" and how to get unstuck,And much more!Alana Karen is an award-winning tech leader, author, and speaker whose work impacts many of our everyday lives. From Google Search to Ads, Fiber to Google Grants and beyond, Alana has been leading the charge to develop, scale, build and drive team and product development that has seen a rippling industry impact. Alana has spoken at conferences and summits on technology, leadership, DEI, talent and innovation. Her award-winning book, Adventures of Women in Tech: How We Got Here and Why We Stay, aggregates hundreds of stories on these topics as well. She lives with her three children, husband, two dogs, and a cat in the San Francisco Bay Area. More info and mailing list at:  www.adventuresofwomenintech.comConnect or follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanakaren/

Dalia Ramos Guerra is the Head of Build and Test for the BWT Alpine Formula 1 team, one of the most successful teams in Formula 1.  She's also one of only 11% of females in the space and one of even fewer women in a management position.  In her role, she is responsible for the last part of the process before the championship cars are delivered to the track every weekend race. Dalia radiates a high degree of professionalism, combined with a refreshing curiosity and seeming fearlessness. She thrives on solving thorny problems. That's her job and it takes nerves of steel to do that at the round-the-clock pace that the role demands.In my conversation with Dalia, we explore:1) The drive to mastery and the secret ingredients behind her success,2) The importance of childhood conditioning,3) How she cultivates a trait that is shared among all top CEOs (and how you can too),4) How to not believe people who may doubt you,5) Finding the right culture that will support you and why that matters,and much more!You can connect with Dalia at https://www.linkedin.com/in/daliacarolinaramos/

In this episode, I talk about my experience working with the famed Prof. Clayton Christensen, author of "The Innovator's Dilemma" and "The Innovator's Solution" and one of the most influential business thinkers of the past 50 years according to Forbes.In 2014 I had the privilege of collaborating with Prof. Christensen and 18 other people, including Heads of Innovation for major corporations, other Harvard professors and a few alumni of Prof. Christensen's class on his work on the "Capitalist's Dilemma".  It resulted in me being named a "community thought leader" in the Harvard Business Review in June 2014.But more importantly, my interaction with Clay taught me a few valuable lessons beyond innovation, business and the theory of capital, including how to:1) Lead and get the best out of people2) Think in a disciplined way3) Get amazing mentors who believe in you4) Not get crushed by the pressures and expectations of your jobTune in to listen to my lessons from working with this amazing person - the episode was recorded on what would have been his 70th birthday.Books and resources:-  The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail by Clayton M Christensen (NY Times Best-seller, 1997)- The Innovator's Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth by Clayton M Christensen (2003)- Seeing What's Next: Using the Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change by Clayton M Christensen (2004)- How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M Christensen (2012)- The Capitalist's Dilemma by Clayton M Christensen and Derek van Bever + collaboration by Lisa Kostova and other alums (2014)- Investor's Business Daily: Clayton Christensen's Thinking Revolutionized Innovation (2022)- - The Christensen Institute: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/

In this episode I explore the hidden costs to overwhelm - both for you if you are relying on overwhelm to get help from your manager or colleagues, and for you as a manager who may be tempted to rescue people out of overwhelm.  I also show you how to handle overwhelm in a constructive way that helps you rise in your career and cultivate self-sufficient teams.

Many women don't  see ourselves as "worthy" of working with a wealth advisor.  That is especially true at the start and middle of our careers, when we are paying off student debt and living in expensive cities.  Today's conversation with Financial Advisor and husband of one of our CareerClimb members Chris Welton will change your way of thinking about the wealth that is already yours and show you how to:Overcome the syndrome of “I don't have enough money in the bank to get professional help in managing my wealth”Manage the value of your future earnings (Do you know you're already a future millionaire and that managing that wealth starts TODAY?)Overcome any feelings of guilt or shame for not having saved or made as much money as you think you should (compared to your classmates, peers, where you think you should have been by now)Deal with the gut punch from finding out you're underpaid How to think about your stock options or RSUs How to evaluate the equity of a startup you're thinking of joiningContact Chris at christopher.weltcon@nm.com and mention this podcast to get a complimentary session.

Our CareerClimb community has had phenomenal success, as expressed in:40%+ raises in compensationAccelerated promotionsSenior roles negotiatedVP roles landedIndustry and Function switches,and more.   How did these mid-career women in tech achieve all this in less than 18 months? I reveal the keys to their success in this episode.  A quick preview: It starts with the vision crafted during the Product VP Challenge.  The next Challenge is coming up in mid-May 2022 - register for free at www.productvpchallenge.com.

The topic of Review Cycles and how to plan your promotion has become one of the most requested ones in our community at Club Denali, so we've decided to dedicate our May 2022 Product VP Challenge to a deep dive of that topic (www.productvpchallenge.com).  It's the "Plan Your Promotion" edition of our 6th Product VP Challenge and we kick off May 12th!This podcast episode gives a preview to the next Product VP Challenge by reviewing the top four critical mistakes that mid-career women make when it comes to Review Cycles and Promotions and how to avoid them.  If you want to take this topic further, join us at www.productvpchallenge.com. We'll have recordings available for the duration of the Challenge if you need to miss any of the live calls.

In this episode, I share with you my take-aways from spending a weekend with a small group of our clients in one of their beach homes.  Here's the twist - I didn't organize it, I was invited to come as a guest.  And when did, I was blessed to discover just how tight and close this group of women is and just how passionate they are about our community and about us growing this community more.I share with you my impressions from this amazing weekend, so you too can unlock the power of community for your career and your life.  My hope is that whether you join our intimate and thriving community by joining our next Executive Accelerator cohort, or you find your community elsewhere, you will do something to connect with powerful and inspiring peers who can help you feel more confident and less alone.

Ketanji Brown Jackson's appointment to the Supreme Court is a huge milestone for all the communities that she represents - Black women, African Americans and all women. And I would argue she also represents all of us, professional women, especially professional women of color, who are working tirelessly and deserve not just representation in the highest echelons of power, but also acknowledgement and respect.  In this episode, I break down what Ketanji Brown Jackoson's appointment to the Supreme Court means for you as a woman in tech, why you should pay attention and celebrate it and why You personally have a responsibility to pave the way for other women like you in tech and how to do it.

The question I get the most hands down from women looking to progress in their career is "How do I become a strategic thinker?"  In reality, there are several questions and assumptions made in this question.  In this episode, I break down this common request into the components of what's really going on and how to find your way to not just thinking strategically, but being perceived as strategic by the people in charge of promotion decisions.Tune in to find out:* Why are you getting this feedback and what it really means to be "strategic"* The four layers of "I'm not strategic" challenge in front of most women and how to overcome each one.* Why are you getting this feedback and what it really means to be "strategic"* The two important paths to establishing your reputation as a thought-leader inside and outside of your company

Join me and the Head of GlobalRecruiting for HubSpot, Becky McCullough, to discuss how to build your career as an executive in tech while having a family and a full life. We discuss:Breaking the myth that you can't have "it all" - a career as an executive and a familyWhat makes it possible to build your career in tech while having a family or other prioritiesHow to vet prospective employers for a supportive cultureThe emergence of "returners" programs for people who have had a career breakThe importance of sponsorship vs. mentorship, and how to find it,and much more!Resources mentioned in the episode:Opportunities at Hubspot: www.hubspot.com/careers

Continuation of the episode about why you should be submitting speaking proposals to industry events.  Here, I go through the single most important part of a speaking proposal - the headline.  I teach you specific frameworks to write winning headlines for your speaking proposals to industry events, as part of building your brand as a thought leader in the tech space. I go over:The four principles of writing winning headlines for speaker proposals (or articles)Examples of winning headlines from our CareerClimb community

I follow up on a huge wave of speaker submissions from our CareerClimb community that came in for the 2022 Women In Product conference and discuss why every woman in tech should immediately start submitting to speak at industry events and how to go about doing it.  In this episode we discuss:Why speaking at industry events is the fastest way to build your brand inside and outside of your company.Why you should start submitting proposals immediately, even before you feel you're ready.How to submit winning proposals, even before you know what exactly you'll be talking about.How to deal with rejections and evolve your identity as a speaker and thought leader.Resources:Headline Analyzer: https://aminstitute.com/headline/

In our 100th episode, get a short-cut to the 10 most popular episodes on the Female Tech Exec podcast, so you can quickly catch up with the hottest topics!

Nir Eyal is the author of two bestselling books, “Hooked: How to build Habit-forming Products” and “Indistractable: How to Control Your attention and Choose your life”. Nir and I met in 2014 and I was a guest contributor to his blog www.nirandfar.com, writing about addictive online auctions: [Auction Addiction: This Online Industry's Dirty Secrets](https://www.nirandfar.com/online-auctions/). In our conversation with Nir, we explore:* Why humans did not evolve to be happy all the time* What is more important than happiness in making your life productive and fulfilling, and how to cultivate that quality* The dangers of “overtraining” when embarking on new goals and what to do instead to not fall off the bandwagon* Why external motivators don't work in sticking to your goals as well as evolving your identity and how to do thatCheck out these resources mentioned by Nir:“Indistractable” book: http://geni.us/Indistractable“Indistractable” bonus content is here: http://nirandfar.com/indistractable“Indistractable” summary article: https://www.nirandfar.com/skill-of-the-future/Distraction guide here: https://www.nirandfar.com/distractions/Habits vs routines article here: https://www.nirandfar.com/habits/Why schedules are better than to-do lists: https://www.nirandfar.com/todo-vs-schedule-builder/Time boxing article: https://www.nirandfar.com/timeboxingValues article: https://www.nirandfar.com/common-values/Habit tracker - https://www.nirandfar.com/habit-tracker/Also, the schedule maker tool Nir mentioned is here: https://nirandfar.com/schedule-maker/

In this episode, I walk you through the importance of writing your own playbook, as a Product Manager and as a team leader, even if you're just starting out and think you don't have anything important to share.  One of the biggest mistakes professional women do in their careers is fail to write down and understand the mechanics behind the failures and successes, not only in the projects they drive personally, but in the companies and products around them.I learned the critical importance of writing a playbook in my first product role at Zynga where we turned every experiment into a recipe that could be replicated predictably. The playbook you write and document as you're learning from your experiences will provide you with the tools that you need to demonstrate as you interview for your next position.  Tune in to learn:- How to use any work experience to write your playbook- How to start writing your management playbook as a new manager- How to use failures or even experiences you weren't responsible for directly in your playbook

In my experience working with lots of ambitious hard-working women in tech, there is one skill that stands head and shoulders above everything else when it comes to being successful at any tech company. And that's the ability to build trust.Hands down every time I hear a horror story from work, it's about lack of trust.  Similarly, anytime someone is getting supported and promoted quickly, there's usually at least one solid relationship built on trust.  Tune into this episode to learn:How trust is like a bridge - the stronger it is, the more truth and vulnerability it can support. Just like a bridge, it requires intention, time and investment to build it.How to build trust starting today, even though you may have hit bumps on the road with some relationships at work.How to deal with a challenging group dynamic.How to be vulnerable with the right people and not overshare with the wrong people.

In this episode, I talk to Mengmeng Chen, Sr Director of Product at F5 and a member of our CareerClimb community and Executive Development Program, at the end of her 23 day brutal quarantine in China, where she was visiting family.  We talk about:Straddling two different cultures, The future of tech in China and the role of the new generation in driving the tech sector in China and the US.The perils and advantages of being a rapidly rising star in your careerBuilding trust, cultivating patience, turning challenges into opportunities and constantly stretching yourself into unfamiliar territory.  Mengmeng's sense of adventure and unapologetic go-for-it attitude are infectious, so prepare to be seriously inspired and challenged to reframe your thinking about what it takes to succeed in your career (hint: you don't need anyone's permission to go for it)

In this episode, I take you back to my climbing adventure on Mount Shasta, transporting you to an icy hill up in the clouds, close to the summit, aptly named Misery Hill.    That's the place where 50% of the climbers who make it to that point on the mountain give up and turn back.  We face many Misery Hills in our career - whether it's a last minute setback on your product launch, a reorg just before your raise, getting passed over for a promotion you thought was in the bag, not getting the offer you want after 24 rounds of interviewing, or having a partner or co-founder quit on you - it really sucks.And it's super easy to give up at that point or take whatever you're given and not ask / negotiate for what you deserve.  And fully half of people in your shoes WILL quit at that point if the statistics are consistent with what we're seeing on Mount Shasta climbs.Tune in to learn how to not give up and push yourself in that last 5% stretch.  The payoffs are huge - raises, promotions, career opportunities, better satisfaction and of course, the feeling of accomplishment at reaching the summit!

In this episode, I address something I've observed recently in our CareerClimb community - women who haven't worked with a coach before are sometimes intimidated and at a loss of "how to use" their executive coach.   That's normal, we've all been there with our first coach.  It's like we're gingerly driving a powerful car but we're afraid to go out of the parking lot and drive it on the street. My very first executive coach is a coach on our platform today and I still joke with her that I put her on a pedestal and was very deferential to her when we first started working together.  This podcast episode is an attempt to provide a "user manual" of sorts to your executive coach if you're so lucky to have one.  Learn:1) How to uplevel yourself faster with the help of your elite coach2) What to ask and what not to ask of your coach3) What to prepare for your coaching sessionSo that by the end of the episode, you're empowered to pick up some speed in that Ferrari of yours!

Today I speak with Nalina Murthy, a technical Product Manager and a member of our CareerClimb Community, who has shown great resilience and perseverance in building her tech career in the US.  She has managed to gain over a decade of experience in retail, banking, data centers and social media platforms, despite facing immigration-related challenges, taking a break to have her child and experiencing a set of conscious and unconscious biases from her colleagues. Tune in to learn:How Nalina refused to cover up her 4 year gap on her resume.How her experience as a South Asian female in tech had additional layers of challenge when working with South Asian male colleagues and homogeneous teams.How Nalina refused to give up even after a drawn-out immigration process that took her out of work. Connect with Nalina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nalina-murthy/

In this episode I share a common mistake that I've seen many women make including myself.  In fact, it even got me fired once - I share the story in the episode.  There's a big misconception that a certain behavior most professional women adopt will get you noticed and promoted, but that's a HUGE trap that is waiting to swallow you.In this episode, I walk you through:1) The costs to your career and wallet of falling into the promotion misconception trap2) How to avoid being a “low light plant” in your office, ignored and kept away from sunlight and opportunities3) Four key strategies of positioning yourself for promotion the smart way.Ready to start implementing these and other key strategies to start climbing your career today? Sign up for the next free VP Challenge - open to all mid-career women in Product-related tech fields - Product Managers, Product Marketers, Program Managers, Business Analysts, Designers, etc. Register at www.productvpchallenge.com.

In this episode, I discuss the KEY factor in making your career dreams and goals come true in the New Year and beyond. Without this ingredient, your career goals are likely to join the graveyard of failed New Year's resolutions - data shows that over 90% of them get scrapped by February. Don't let this be you!Tune in to find out:What separates mid-career professional women who successfully get raises, promotions and more senior opportunities from the ones who remain stuck in their careersThe most important key to your goals' success and 3 strategies of getting this key if you don't have it yetHow to stop blaming yourself if your goals haven't happened in the past and how to turn them around, so you can hit them out of the park in the New Year!Want to dive deeper into not only figuring out your career vision and goals for the New Year, but actually making sure you hit them?  Then don't miss our New Year's special "Hitting Your Career Vision and Goals in 2022" edition of our famed free Product VP Challenge (for any female in Product or related fields, from PM to Sr Director).  We start January 15th!  Register here: www.productvpchallenge.com

The market for talent is "hot" in tech.  Just how "hot"?  Tune into this week's episode to find out.Andrew Abramson of Riviera Partners provides a timely update for anyone looking to land senior product roles in tech today (or just getting constantly stalked by recruiters) and answers your burning questions.Find out:How hot is the market and what does it mean for you? What can you ask for and what can you negotiate if you know how to play the game,How to be noticed and considered for senior roles today,The one hot emerging sector that is friendly for industry switchers right now and how to take advantage of that opportunity, and much more!Interested in accelerating your career further?  Join us for the next free Product VP Challenge experience to jump-start your climb to VP (even if you're still just a Senior IC). Sign up at www.productvpchallenge.comRiviera Partners is the premier recruiting firm for senior-level product and engineering roles in tech, having placed some of the top executives at companies like Airbnb, Grubhub and Uber.  Follow Riviera here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/riviera-partners/

In the midst of the "great resignation" and with the New Year just around the corner, many of you may be wondering if you should leave your current job in tech.  In this episode, I explore a question I get often from successful driven mid-career members of our community who're feeling stuck and unappreciated at their tech work: “Should I stay or should I look for something else?”I lay out a few key considerations for you, so you end up in a stronger position instead of shooting yourself in the foot, including:The reasons you may be feeling frustrated, The three traps that women in tech fall into that cause them to want to leave, How to avoid or extricate yourself from these pesky traps once you're in them,When is the right time to leave,and more!Looking to get clarity and inspiration for your career? Consider joining our next free Product VP Challenge (New Year's Edition) at www.productvpchallenge.com.  For mid-career female professionals in product and related fields.

This is one of the most important interviews I've done.  It's a conversation with two brave individuals - Natalie Egan and Joseph Schneier - who talk openly and honestly about their experiences as male and female in tech and about their experiences after their transition to the opposite gender.  It's a unique opportunity to put a lens to the effects of gender and gender identity on people's careers in technology, answering questions such as:What are the prevalent gender biases in tech and how to navigate them?Do women have to work harder at getting promoted or raising capital?How does biology influence our perception of power and decisions on who to promote / fund / listen to?Do women have to work harder and how to get ahead in an uneven playing field?How to create an inclusive environment that celebrates our uniqueness without triggering blame or fear?Natalie Egan is an openly transgender, B2B software entrepreneur and a recognized thought leader living her life at the intersection of technology and Diversity & Inclusion.  Natalie has over 20 years of experience driving digital change, developing high performing teams, building complex products, and selling enterprise solutions. Today, Natalie is the CEO & Founder of Translator, Inc., where she and her team are on a mission to scale empathy and equality through technology. Prior to founding Translator in 2016––and prior to her transition––she was CEO & Founder of PeopleLinx, a venture capital backed sales technology solution that was acquired in 2015. In addition to her entrepreneurial pursuits, Natalie has also worked in sales leadership positions at large public companies like LinkedIn, Autonomy, and Ecolab. Joseph Schneier is a serial entrepreneur who co-founded and exited two companies in the educational technology space. Following that, Jo worked with behavioral research scientists productizing their research with technology-based solutions for patient behavioral change, focusing on HIV drug adherence, health literacy, and addiction. In 2013, he co-founded Cognotion — a company solving the talent shortage of healthcare workers. In 2020, with James Firman, the former CEO of the National Council on Aging, Jo founded Bellage, a company empowering older adults in healthy choices.In 2018, Jo founded Trusty.care, an InsurTech company that modernizes and simplifies health and Medicare insurance sales and the business processes that surround it so that agents and insurance carriers can focus on what matters most: beneficiaries. It's Jo's mission to make sure no one goes through bankruptcy because of out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

This Thanksgiving I'm grateful for one year of CareerClimb and most of all, grateful for YOU, the over a thousand women who have followed us and gotten to work with us in our Product VP Challenge or by listening to this podcast - my biggest hope and dream is that you have gotten support, inspiration and have accelerated your CareerClimb and picked up valuable momentum.I want to especially thank the close to 60 members of our CareerClimb programs, who keep showing up to weekly calls, coaching sessions, workshops and even to our live events and doing your homework, even with a full plate of life-responsibilities.  The fantastic results you're producing and your faith and trust in me and the nascent CareerClimb project, is the sweetest reward I can ever wish for.You have the choice to give your hard earned dollars to any large corporation or male-led company doing the “next Masterclass” getting millions of dollars of VC money thrown at them.  Instead, you chose to invest in yourself with a female-owned business, and with someone who's been in your shoes.  And for that I thank you.PS.  Focusing on women in tech is too niche for most of the VCs and they're yawning at it. Most of the men in those investment funds don't understand the market, they don't understand us.  They would rather serve the biggest audience, even if it means lumping us into the big pot that's still largely dominated by white men.  But here's the thing - as women, we  DO have special needs, unique requirements and challenges.  The types of conversations that often happen in our CareerClimb safe space could not have happened with guys in the room - about crying in a meeting or in the office bathroom or whether we should let our manager know about our upcoming IFV.  Ultimately, the bro culture will change.  I want to thank you for starting a movement with CareerClimb and changing the prevalent culture by modeling a different type of leadership and becoming successful while being authentically you.Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I sit down with a true powerhouse - a woman whose drive, unapologetic courage, contagious smile and boundless generosity made her a rising star in our CareerClimb community early on in her Product Executive Accelerator cohort.  Linda Lee started the year as a stuck and frustrated Senior Director at Walmart.com and is now head of her own startup - Wonderblocks.io, which she started in the third month of our program and which aims to transform the gaming and leisure industries through blockchain innovation.You would never guess that as a child she was called the “dumb one” and that she felt she had to compete with her “perfect” brother.  When it came time to go to Cornell, her father was told that he was wasting his money sending a girl to an expensive school.  Her childhood was all about adapting to new environments - born in Taiwan, she was raised in Costa Rica before moving to the US and beginning her adventures in tech.Linda and I talk about getting unstuck in your career, recognizing when you're operating below your level (as Linda was when she joined our Product Executive Accelerator) and being able to imagine the future in order to take big leaps instead of small increments. Linda's success today is testament to grit, perseverance and courage.  Linda's message to every single girl is “just go for it”, even if nobody else believes in you but you. 

If you're buying into the notion that you should be "networking" a ton, congratulations!  You've bought into the lie perpetuated by social media networks who want you to believe that sending canned messages and clicking on people's stuff is authentic connection.  It's not. It's spam.  Copy and pasting messages on LinkedIn to people who don't know or asking them to give time to you without offering anything of value in return is transactional and it's actually closing doors for you with people, rather than making them want to talk to you or help you.  And over time, it will negatively impact your reputation.  In this episode, I share with you a smarter way to "network" - one of the biggest keys to success in advancing your career and one that we coach our members on all the time.  Once they really get it, it changes everything for them.  It opens doors for them, it fulfills them rather than drains them, and it totally transforms their careers.  And the joke is that it will end up saving you lots of time in the long-run over the watered-down spammy version of transactional"networking".The biggest lie about networking and what to do instead to be successful in building relationships and advancing your career. How to build authentic relationships and a strong reputation in a smart way, so it's fun, effective and is not time-consuming.A deceptively simple strategy to leverage your existing connections and relationships to get people to be interested in you. Why it's crucial to give something of value in every connection you make, and how to do it, even if you're junior, have no experience or expert knowledge in the other person's domain.  

I was so excited to record this interview with Jackie Bavaro, one of the authors of "Cracking the PM Interview" where I had my own interview chapter as a VP of Product back in 2014.  In this awesome reunion and the first time we met face-to-face, Jackie and I talk about the three phases of the PM Career, Jackie's new book about growing your product career and how you can take charge of your career today, regardless of your present circumstance.Jackie shares the story about her manager wanting to bring an external manager of PMs and how she not only asked for the opportunity for herself, but managed to change his mind and land the promotion.  We talk about the elusive career ladder and how it really looks more like a zigzag path.  I also challenge Jackie if she can take credit for never having had to deal with a difficult manager, or if it's pure luck.  Tune in to hear her answer and to learn about building your career in Product management.Check out Jackie's new "Cracking the PM Career" book here: https://amzn.to/38q6jGVFollow Jackie on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jackiebo.

In this episode, I talk with a powerful female executive, who is also a member of our CareerClimb Community - Deepa Chand.  We talk about:The brutal culture of financial services,The dangers of isolating yourself as a female in hostile work environments,How to surround yourself with support structures,How to not only survive, but learn how to thrive and be a role model for compassionate leadership,Going for it and having kids while not putting the brakes on your career if you want to be a mom.Deepa is a Product Lead for Enterprise Product Platforms at Capital One and a member of our CareerClimb community and our Executive Development Program. She is an accomplished product leader with over 20 years of experience in financial services, focused on innovation and disruptive technologies.  Her values are Family & Relationships, closely followed by Integrity and her passion is Compassionate Leadership - the idea that the best leaders act as coaches.

I talk with Personal Branding Expert and CareerClimb trainer on Content Creation, Ryan Foland, about why it's critical for you to create a personal brand outside of your company to stand out in the marketplace and how you can easily start doing that today.In our conversation, we address:How to establish yourself as a thought-leader by creating  “brand crumbs”How to amplify your impact by plugging into existing thought-leadership networks and conversationsHow to use your existing experience instead of waiting to become an “expert” to differentiate yourselfHow to be relatable and establish personal rapport without being “unprofessional” or oversharingHow to create content easily and quickly while having a busy life Ryan Foland is a ginger, high-energy keynote speaker, host of 3 podcasts, the inventor of the 3-1-3™ method and a consultant to teach executives and brands how to build an authentic personal brand. He also teaches our Executive Development Program members how to start establishing their content platforms and develop their reputation as thought leaders in their markets.  Find him at www.ryanfoland.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanfoland/Twitter:https://twitter.com/ryanfolandRyan's book "Ditch the Act" can be found here.

Join me and my mentor Lydia Bradey - the first woman to climb Everest without oxygen and a mindset trainer at CareerClimb - as we delve into what made her not just successful, but one of the best, in her field of climbing and high-altitude guiding. Lydia has climbed Everest 6 times, most recently as a guide leading clients, and was recently invited to become the first female lead guide on a K2 expedition. She has been awarded the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit award for her services to mountaineering. Lydia's story of being publicly accused by her male teammates of not reaching the summit on her record-breaking climb is the subject of an upcoming movie.Lydia and I talk about:Her incredible story of not just accomplishing something that many have died attempting to do, but overcoming accusations and bullying by the men in her field.What she has learned from working with our CareerClimb members about women in tech and their fears, doubts, strengths and talents.How the lessons she has learned in mountaineering can be applied by YOU in your career as a woman in tech.More about Lydia here:www.lydiabradey.com - Lydia's websiteMy article in the Mazamas magazine about my first encounter with Lydia and what I learned from her in the mountains (hyperlink to: https://www.dispatchesfromthe45.com/home/2018/12/29/daring-to-be-lydia)A short movie about Lydia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8ScFjRPdMgA news report about Lydia's award: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ezCZuB3FDc

The recruiting market for tech is the hottest it's ever been. We sit down with top executive recruiter for Product roles - Andrew Abramson of Riviera Partners, a firm that has placed the senior leadership at companies like Airbnb and Uber - to find out the latest and unpack what it means for YOU as a potential candidate. Tune in to find out:What sectors are the hottest,What concessions are companies making to candidates to get them,Which skills and experiences are most in demand,How to position oneself as a strong candidate,How to evaluate the financial opportunity in startups,And much more!