Podcasts about career coaching

A lot of the conversation on retirement runs one way: stay busy, stay productive. Dr. Denise Taylor thinks that could quietly cost some people their best years. Denise is a Chartered Psychologist and later-life researcher in the UK. She spent 25 years coaching people through career transitions, then, at 61, went back to school herself, completing a professional doctorate on how people reconstruct meaning after full-time work. Her research subjects were all at least two years past retirement, deliberately, because the first two years tell you very little. What she found in them became the backbone of her new book, ThriveSpan: Walking Gently Into What Matters Now. The extra years we have gained, she argues, arrive roughly between 60 and 80, while health usually still holds. Spending them duplicating the shape of your working life is a decision, and it’s not right for everyone. Her alternative is not reinvention, which she calls exhausting, but recalibration: a reset in which you subtract before you add. She is also candid about her own path. Leaving a twenty-year marriage. Four days and four nights alone in nature with no food and no tent. A doctorate that started the October before COVID. Four acres of woodland that taught her, at last, how to stop moving fast. We discuss why purpose does not have to be a cathedral, why she stopped dyeing her hair on principle, what her research says about curiosity and being of service, why you should imagine the future you do not want, and why saying no is the most underrated skill in later life. Retirement is different for everyone and we have choices. Denise argues against a continue to work narrative, and she argues strongly. If you’re a listener who loves their work, or who needs the income, shear her as offering choice rather than a verdict. ________________________ Bio Dr. Denise Taylor is a Chartered Psychologist, later-life researcher, and widely published author whose work explores how we can live well as we age. With more than 25 years’ experience supporting career and life transitions, she has written extensively on work, identity, ageing, and meaning in later life. Her work has been featured by the BBC, ITV, and national newspapers. Her previous books include Career Coaching for Midlife and Beyond, Rethinking Retirement for Positive Ageing , and Find Work at 50+. Her doctoral research into meaning after full-time work won the Research by a Career Development Professional award in 2024. ThriveSpan: Walking Gently Into What Matters Now offers a reflective, psychologically grounded approach to later life, integrating research, lived experience, and the restorative influence of nature. Denise writes the Substack newsletter Ageing Reimagined and is a regular contributor to the i Paper. She lives in Gloucestershire, where time spent in her woodland continues to inspire both her writing and her approach to later life. _______________________ For More on Denise Taylor Substack – https://ageingreimagined.substack.com/ ThriveSpan – https://denisetaylor.co.uk/thrivespan/ Website – https://denisetaylor.co.uk/ _______________________ Other Retirement Podcast Conversations You’ll Also Love Inspired Retirement – Nathalie Martin Re-Visioning Retirement – Susan Reid, PhD Joyspan – Kerry Burnight, PhD _______________________ Wise Quotes On Recalibrating “You don’t have to reinvent yourself. You can just slow down a bit…now time is more my own.” On Purpose “When I’m talking to people about purpose, they want this massive thing, like building a cathedral. You can have purpose just by smiling at somebody walking down the street.” On Being “If all you are is a human doing, then you’re not really thinking about who am I as a human being?” ______________________ About The Retirement Wisdom Podcast There are many podcasts on retirement, often hosted by financial advisors with their own financial motives, that cover the money side of the street. This podcast is different. You'll get smarter about the investment decisions you'll make about the most important asset you'll have in retirement: your time. About Retirement Wisdom I help people who are retiring, but aren't quite done yet, discover what's next and build their custom version of their next life. A meaningful retirement doesn't just happen by accident. Schedule a call today to discuss how the Designing Your Life process created by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans can help you make your life in retirement a great one — on your own terms. About Your Podcast Host Joe Casey is an executive coach who helps people design their next life after their primary career and create their version of The Multipurpose Retirement.™ He created his own next chapter after a 26-year career at Merrill Lynch, where he was Senior Vice President and Head of HR for Global Markets & Investment Banking. Joe has earned Master's degrees from the University of Southern California in Gerontology (at age 60), the University of Pennsylvania, and Middlesex University (UK), a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and his coaching certification from Columbia University. In addition to his work with clients, Joe hosts The Retirement Wisdom Podcast, ranked in the top 1% globally in popularity by Listen Notes, with over 2 million downloads. Business Insider recognized Joe as one of 23 innovative coaches who are making a difference. He's the author of Win the Retirement Game: How to Outsmart the 9 Forces Trying to Steal Your Joy.

What happens when the toolkit that built your success stops working for the life you actually want to live? In this episode, Brad Cooper sits down with Kathy Robinson — former Wall Street veteran and chief audit executive turned author and coach — for a wide-ranging, rabbit-trail conversation about reinventing the next phase of life.After 33 years in corporate (18 on Wall Street, 15 at a Fortune 250 company), Kathy walked away at 55 — a full decade before she'd planned. Here she unpacks the messy, unmapped "liminal space" between chapters and why high achievers can't think their way through it: they have to feel their way forward.Along the way, Brad and Kathy dig into doing "the wrong work the right way" versus "the right work the wrong way," why success can be the very thing that traps us, how longevity has quietly rewritten the entire retirement playbook, and why the smartest move isn't burning the ships — it's running parallel until you're certain. Whether you're 37 or 72, dreaming of "someday" or standing at the edge of a leap, this conversation offers a grounded, honest map for finding purpose in the years you didn't used to count on.Kathy's advice for anyone feeling the pull but held back by responsibility: stay until you're certain, don't do anything reckless, and remember — it's not binary.Website:  https://athenawellness.comFree PDF: The Sage Discovery Kit: A Field Guide to Your Future SelfBook:  Walking with the Sage, A Story of Leaving Everything to Find MoreInfo re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here.YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannelContact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.comTwitter: @Catalyst2ThriveWebsite: CatalystCoaching360.comIf you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218.  This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more. 

Cindy Esliger looks into the gap between who we have become and what we still won't allow ourselves to believe is possible. Many accomplished women in engineering have already exceeded anything their younger selves could have imagined, but continue to play smaller than their capabilities suggest because of learned patterns that prioritize safety over possibility. Cindy explains how these patterns develop, why they persist long after the original threat has passed, and how they quietly limit career opportunities. Rather than chasing more achievements, she encourages us to give ourselves permission to imagine what comes next and to build careers rooted in curiosity instead of fear. Much of what holds us back is not a lack of confidence but a nervous system that learned to stay safe through appeasing others. Cindy introduces the concept of the fawn response and how it can appear in everyday work situations, from staying quiet in meetings to over apologizing, overcommitting, or constantly managing other people's comfort. She explains the difference between perfection and wholeness, encouraging us to stop measuring ourselves against impossible standards and instead embrace growth as an ongoing process. Rather than trying to become a polished, finished version of ourselves, she reminds us that we can be whole while still evolving. Cindy offers practical ways to begin shifting these deeply ingrained patterns: Pause before automatically saying yes to requests, ground ourselves by reconnecting with our senses when our minds start anticipating threats, ask ourselves what we genuinely think and want instead of defaulting to what is expected of us, and follow the threads of curiosity that fascinated us as a child. Treat career growth as an ongoing practice of experimentation rather than something to perfect. Cindy reminds us that by choosing curiosity over control and trusting our own instincts, we become examples of what's possible for anyone who comes after us. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Becoming Whole Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this week's Work It Like a Mum podcast, we're sharing the second session from our Momentum Career Summer Series, designed to help women build confidence, take action and keep moving forward in their careers. Elizabeth Willetts is joined by confidence and career coach Lindsey Roberts, founder of Gold Digger Coaching, to explore why confidence isn't something you wait for – it's something you build through action. Together, they share practical tools to help you overcome self-doubt, challenge limiting beliefs and step into your full career potential. What we cover: Why confidence isn't a personality trait – it's a skill you can build.  How fear of disappointing others keeps many women stuck.  Practical techniques to challenge self-doubt and reframe negative thinking.  Why waiting until you feel "ready" could be holding you back.  Three simple confidence-building tools you can start using today.  How taking small, consistent actions creates lasting confidence.  Why your future confident self is built one step at a time. Key takeaways: Confidence grows through action, not before it.  Your feelings aren't facts – challenge the stories you're telling yourself.  Small, consistent steps build momentum and lasting confidence.  Stop spending your confidence making everyone else comfortable.  You already have more confidence than you realise – it's time to use it differently. Why listen:If you've ever doubted yourself, struggled to speak up, or felt like you're waiting until you're "confident enough" before making your next career move, this episode will give you practical tools to break the cycle, build confidence and take the next step with purpose.Show links:Connect with  Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn hereConnect with Lindsey on LinkedIn hereVisit Lindey's website here  Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.Support the showSign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!Follow us on Instagram.Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

You Don't Get Paid What You're Worth. You Get Paid What You Negotiate.What if one conversation could completely change your financial future?In this episode of Casa De Confidence, Julie DeLucca-Collins sits down with executive career strategist, former Chief People Officer, and founder of The Salary Bump, Keri-Lynne (KL) Shaw, for one of the most practical conversations we've ever had about confidence, networking, salary negotiation, and career growth.After spending more than 30 years hiring thousands of professionals, Keri-Lynne noticed a common pattern. Brilliant people consistently undersold themselves. Women negotiated less often than men, people of color even less, and millions of dollars were being left on the table over the course of a career.This conversation isn't just about asking for more money. It's about understanding your value, preparing with confidence, building relationships that open doors, and learning how to advocate for yourself throughout your career.Whether you're interviewing for a new position, preparing for your annual review, or simply wondering if you're being paid what you're worth, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can start using immediately.In This EpisodeWhy confidence and ego are not the same thingThe biggest salary negotiation mistakes professionals makeHow to research what you're truly worthWhy compensation is much more than your paycheckNegotiating PTO, benefits, flexibility, bonuses, and equityThe importance of networking before you need a jobWhy 80% of jobs are found through relationshipsHow to prepare for difficult salary conversationsWhat to do when your raise request is deniedThe power of silence during negotiationsHow confidence directly impacts earning potentialClosing the gender and racial pay gapMemorable Quotes"You can only control two things: how you show up and how you treat others.""Less than 30% of women negotiate.""If they've made you an offer, they want you.""Eighty percent of jobs are found through your network.""Silence is one of your greatest negotiation tools."

In this episode, Cindy Esliger explores the career plot twist and why so many ambitious professionals wait until burnout forces us to make a change instead of recognizing the warning signs early. Drawing on her own experience of reaching a breaking point, she explains how success can quietly become unsustainable through a series of small decisions that add up to an overwhelming burden. Cindy challenges the common beliefs that we need to do what we love, find our purpose through work, or say yes to prove our value. Instead, she encourages us to redefine success on our own terms and recognize that just because we can do something doesn't mean we should. Rather than waiting for circumstances to dictate the next career chapter, Cindy shares five practical suggestions for recognizing and planning a career plot twist before burnout takes over: 1. It's not necessary to have it all figured out before taking the first step, 2. Ask better questions, 3. Ask how much planning is actually enough, 4. Learn to spot the signs that it's time to move on, and 5. Make peace with the road not taken. She explains how setting boundaries became the most transformative tool in her own career, allowing her to regain control without sacrificing success. Cindy also explains that recognizing the need for change is only half the challenge. The other half is effectively negotiating for it. She walks through a three-phase approach of preparation, discovery, and agreement, showing how to advocate for career changes in a way that supports both individual goals and organizational needs. Cindy emphasizes that sustainable success isn't built by creating a bigger bonfire. It comes from building a career that leaves room to thrive rather than burn out. By regularly revisiting boundaries and defining our own ‘enough' point, we can build careers that grow with us rather than consume us. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Choosing Your Plot Twist Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Artificial intelligence is changing the workplace faster than anyone can predict—but does that mean we should prepare our children by chasing "AI-proof" careers? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens welcomes career coach Tami Peterson back to the show to explore a very different approach. Rather than focusing on specific jobs, Tami argues that parents and educators should cultivate uniquely human qualities that technology can never replace - starting with curiosity. Drawing from her work coaching thousands of students through vocational discipleship, Tami explains why curiosity is the foundation of creativity, courage, compassion, and communication. Together they discuss why career paths are becoming less predictable, how AI is changing the questions students are asking, and why raising adaptable, thoughtful problem-solvers matters more than ever. Whether you're a parent wondering how to prepare your child for an uncertain future or an educator seeking timeless principles that outlast technological trends, this conversation offers practical encouragement and hope. Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible: Wisdom and EloquenceThe Herzog FoundationLife ArchitectsWisephone by TechlessZipCast Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

In this week's episode of the Work It Like a Mum podcast, we're sharing the first session from our Momentum Career Summer Series, designed to help women build clarity, confidence, and keep their careers moving forward. Elizabeth is joined by Kim Holland, a career pivot coach with 12 years' experience, to explore how to get unstuck, understand what you really want from your career and start figuring out what comes next. What we cover: Why jumping straight onto job boards could be keeping you stuck.  The biggest barriers to career change – fear, confidence, finances and flexibility.  How to uncover your professional DNA and what really matters to you.  Why a career change does not mean starting again.  Practical exercises to help you get clear on what you want next.  How to focus on what you're moving towards, not just what you want to leave behind. Key takeaways:Clarity comes before applications – know what you're looking for first.  You have more transferable skills and experience than you might realise.  Your next move doesn't need to solve your entire career.  Think about the work that will fulfil you, then explore how flexibility can fit around it.  A good next step simply moves you further from what you don't want and closer to what you do want. Why listen:If you know something needs to change but have no idea what you want next, this episode will help you cut through the noise, recognise the value you already bring and start moving forward with greater clarity and confidence.Show Links:Connect with  Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn hereConnect with Kim on LinkedIn hereVisit Kim's website here  Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.Support the showSign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!Follow us on Instagram.Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

The summer holidays can feel like a juggling act. You're balancing work, childcare, endless to-do lists, and the pressure to make every day magical... all while trying not to feel guilty.In this week's episode of Work It Like a Mum, Elizabeth is joined by parental coach Giulia Galli for a reassuring and practical conversation about navigating the summer holidays with more confidence and less pressure. Together, they explore why so many parents feel overwhelmed, how to let go of perfection, and the small mindset shifts that can make family life feel calmer and more enjoyable. What We Cover:Why the school holidays feel so overwhelming for working parentsHow your mindset can shape your experience of the summerThe difference between helpful guilt and harmful guiltWhy understanding your parenting values changes everythingHow to stop comparing your family to what you see on social mediaSharing the invisible mental load and communicating better with your partnerPractical tips for surviving—and even enjoying—the summer holidaysHow to prepare for returning to work after the holidays or a career breakKey Takeaways:You don't need to be a perfect parent—just an intentional one.Guilt often comes from acting in ways that don't align with your values.Children don't need perfection; they need connection, consistency and presence.Taking time for yourself isn't selfish—it's essential.Preparing for the unexpected is often more valuable than trying to control everything.Comparison steals joy. Focus on what works for your family.Why You Should Listen:If you've ever felt like you're juggling work, family and the pressure to do it all, this episode is for you.Packed with practical advice and reassuring insights, Giulia shares simple mindset shifts to help you let go of guilt, embrace imperfection and enjoy the school holidays with greater confidence and calm. It's an uplifting conversation that every working parent can relate to.Show Notes:Connect with  Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn hereConnect with Giulia on LinkedIn hereBook a session with Giulia here  Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.Support the showSign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!Follow us on Instagram.Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

In this episode: the hidden grief of job loss, rebuilding your identity, five-question career clarity, relationship-first job searching, financial resilience with Michelle SchaferEpisode SummaryLosing your job may be a business decision, but it creates a deeply human loss. Career transition coach Michelle Schafer reveals the shock, shame, betrayal, and identity struggles people rarely discuss—and explains how to move from emotional recovery to career clarity, strategic networking, and new possibilities.Guest BioMichelle Schafer is an Ottawa-based career transition coach, author, and certified grief companion. After experiencing two restructurings, she built a coaching practice that helps people recover from job loss, identify energizing work, and navigate their next move with purpose.Resources & Books MentionedCultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose by Michelle SchaferMichelle's Career Focus FrameworkCalm meditation appAsk What's Possible exerciseGuest Contact InformationWebsiteLinkedInKey TakeawaysJob loss is disenfranchised grief; acknowledge the emotions and find support before rushing into tactics.Updating your résumé is premature until you define a target using Michelle's five career-reflection questions.Relationships, recruiters, and focused outreach are more effective than sending hundreds of applications.Taking a bridge job is not failure; set a timeline and keep pursuing work aligned with your priorities.Join the Mindful FIRE Legends community at MindfulFIRE.org/join.

Cindy Esliger explores why accountability has earned such a negative reputation and reframes it as one of the most empowering tools we can develop in our careers. Rather than treating accountability as punishment or as another way to criticize ourselves, she explains how it shifts our focus away from waiting for recognition and toward building confidence and control. In workplaces where expectations are often unclear and recognition is inconsistent, accountability becomes a way to reclaim personal power rather than relying on external validation. Cindy explains that many of us associate accountability with being harder on ourselves, admitting failure, or trying to earn recognition in systems that may never reward our efforts fairly. She distinguishes accountability from punishment by showing that accountability is forward-looking and rooted in growth, while punishment keeps us trapped in shame and self-criticism. She also explores how accountability applies not only to ourselves but also to creating clarity with others by setting expectations, documenting agreements, and encouraging follow-through. Cindy highlights how developing internal standards strengthens self-worth, improves decision-making, and helps us identify when to advocate for ourselves or move on from environments that no longer serve us. Cindy identifies five workplace warning signs that make healthy accountability difficult: 1. Vague expectations without clear deliverables, 2. Lack of consequences when others don't deliver, 3. Credit stealing goes unnoticed, 4. Shifting goalposts, and 5. Isolation when we are the only woman or one of very few. She also shares five practical strategies for building accountability in an empowering way: 1. Control the controllables, 2. Take care of our foundation, 3. Make small controllable changes, 4. Create rituals and routines, and 5. Encourage accountability in others. Accountability is not about working harder for someone else's approval. It is about building the confidence, evidence, and self-trust to create the career you truly want. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Reclaiming Your Power Through Accountability Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The truth is, some of the most powerful career moves happen when you don't ask for anything at all. This Friday, July 24th, my client Sarah-Neel Smith and I are going to teach you exactly how to have those career conversations where you don't ask for anything at all and generate power for your negotiation outcomes. All the details here: https://antinetworking.jamieleecoach.com/If you're going, "Wait, what? How does that happen?" I explain it in detail in this episode. What you'll learn: How not asking for anything in preliminary conversations can grow your negotiation leverage for job offer or promotion negotiation Key questions I ask about my client's organization's promotion cycle, decision-makers, and influencers and why answering those questions matter How curious, no-ask conversations across functions and levels help you better understand the system and negotiate better outcomesHow can you use informational interviews to cut through information asymmetry when you're negotiating a job offer or raise?Case Study 1: How a client used informational interview to secure a $250K base salary as director of finance at an AI startup Case Study 2: How another client used informational interviews to compel her boss to secure the highest pay increase possible as director of marketing What you'll learn and gain from joining Anti-Networking workshop with Sarah-Neel and me on Friday, July 24th Mentioned: Interview with client Grace Anniskett: https://podcast.jamieleecoach.com/2033808/episodes/12125488-from-minimum-wage-to-ceo-with-grace-anniskett-of-anniskett-consulting-groupInterview with client Sarah-Neel Smith: https://podcast.jamieleecoach.com/2033808/episodes/19111448-50-raise-self-advocacy-informational-interviews-sarah-neel-smith-phd-with-coach-jamie-leeText me your thoughts on this episode!Enjoy the show? Don't miss an episode, listen and subscribe via Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  Leave me a review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with meBook a free hour-long consultation with me. You'll leave with your custom blueprint to confidence, and we'll ensure it's a slam-dunk fit for you before you commit to working with me 1:1. Connect with me on LinkedIn Email me at jamie@jamieleecoach.com 

Cindy Esliger looks into why being the most reliable, hardest-working person in the room can quietly become one of the biggest obstacles to career success. While overfunctioning often earns praise and makes us feel indispensable, it also keeps us trapped in tactical work and limits opportunities to develop the strategic thinking and leadership skills needed for career advancement. Cindy examines why the cycle of constantly fixing problems is so appealing, why it's especially common for women in technical fields, and how tying self-worth to productivity creates an exhausting pattern that ultimately leads to burnout and career stagnation. Cindy explains how overfunctioning becomes self-reinforcing through perfectionism, expectation escalation, and the belief that constantly saying yes is what makes someone valuable. She outlines three major consequences of staying trapped in this pattern: 1. Burnout, 2. Career stagnation, and 3. Erosion of confidence. She also challenges several limiting beliefs, including the idea that boundaries are a sign of weakness, that being the gold-star employee leads to leadership, and that burnout is always a personal failure rather than a signal that something needs to change. Rather than focusing on what can't be controlled, Cindy shares five practical strategies for starting small in breaking free from the overfunctioning trap: 1. Single-tasking as opposed to multitasking, 2. Set small boundaries when saying no, 3. Dedicate one hour per week to mental well-being and career reflection, 4. Create a system to manage workload that isn't simply keeping everything in our heads, and 5. Audit internal standards regularly. By stepping away from playing the role of everyone else's safety net, we create space to lead more strategically, build genuine confidence, and pursue careers that are both successful and sustainable. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Breaking Free from the Overfunctioning Trap Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to this episode of Talking about Coaching, the podcast from coaches for coaches. This episode is one of Yannick's deep dives into one topic or person and we're talking to Dr. Britt-Mari Sykes about existential career coaching, and how career development and navigation in the age of AI increasingly brings existential themes to the fore, as clients have to confront questions of identity, authenticity, uncertainty, temporality, meaning, and isolation. What you'll hear in this episodeWhy career coaching needs an existential lensHow identity and meaning shift across a career lifeThe role of resistance, stuckness, and uncertaintyWhy “passion” can become a limiting narrativeHow deep listening opens up more useful coaching conversationsThe importance of descriptive reflection over quick fixesHow AI changes the way people think about work, choice, and human valueKey themesWhere traditional career coaching fails to deliverThe existential layerStuckness as informationChallenging narratives around passion and purposeAI as a third voice in the roomChapters0:01 — Why Career Coaching Needs an Existential Lens1:55 — How Britt-Mari Found Her Calling4:14 — Beyond Strategy: The Deeper Work of Career Coaching5:53 — Bringing a Role to Life7:11 — Why Human Conversations Matter More Than Ever9:06 — Traditional Coaching vs. Existential Questions11:06 — Why Practical Steps Come Second14:35 — When Change Feels Impossible21:23 — Listening for What's Really There23:34 — What “Stuck” Is Really Telling You28:12 — You Are the Job33:25 — The “Shoulds” That Shape Careers39:24 — Passion Paralysis45:32 — Why Description Beats Labels48:58 — Reframing Purpose and Value52:17 — When Work Holds You—and Traps You54:18 — Stuckness as a Useful Pause58:20 — Stepping Back to Reflect63:29 — The Existential Gym67:51 — Five Minutes That Change Your Day70:02 — Practicing Reflection Like a Muscle73:44 — Camus, Sisyphus, and Meaning76:11 — Commitment, Choice, and Decisions80:37 — Freedom, Bad Faith, and the Dizziness of Choice83:30 — Choice, Tradeoffs, and Standing Behind Decisions87:46 — How Clients Step Into This Work91:31 — Making Space for Ambiguity and Contradiction92:33 — Why AI Can't Replace a Human Coach98:43 — When AI Becomes a Tool, Not a Relationship99:16 — Why the Existential Gym Still Matters100:19 — What Resonated Most103:17 — The Third Voice in the Room104:16 — Learn more from and with Britt-MariBIO: Britt-Mari Sykes, Ph.D., is a Career Counsellor and Consultant, a Career Development Practitioner (CDP), and the founder of CANVAS Career Counselling. She is a member of Career Professionals of Canada and received the 2024 Outstanding Career Professional Award of Excellence. She holds certifications as a Career Strategist (CCS), Work-Life Strategist (CWS), Employment Strategist (CES), Interview Strategist (CIS), and Résumé Strategist (CRS). Britt-Mari has supported a diverse range of clients across Canada for over 16 years, assisting those facing career changes, burnout, or feeling unfulfilled, as well as individuals exploring new work options later in life. She also works with emerging young leaders, senior leaders managing multigenerational teams, and career development practitioners seeking mentorship and guidance. Britt-Mari brings an existential and experiential approach to career counselling, guiding clients to explore their relationship with work and careers, reflect on their experiences, choices, and decisions, and develop practical, meaningful next steps. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Ottawa and specializes in existential and experiential psychotherapies. Britt-Mari is the author of Questioning Psychological Health and Well-Being (2010), a historical and contemporary exploration of the meaning of psychological health and development. Currently, she is working on her second book, a collection of essays on the meaning of career and our relationship with work from an existential perspective in career counselling. In addition to her private practice, Britt-Mari has presented at conferences across Canada, the USA, and Europe on topics such as human development, ethics in everyday life, and the value of work. She continues to teach as a sessional and guest lecturer in university classrooms on the history and development of existential psychology and the theory of Existential Analysis. Committed to lifelong learning and professional growth, she regularly participates in workshops and certificate programs on Existential Analysis, Trauma-Informed Care, and Narrative Therapy. Actively engaged in community service, Britt-Mari currently volunteers as a Certification Assessor with Career Professionals of Canada and, for 8 years, volunteered as a group facilitator with the Discover Year program (a structured gap-year initiative).Email: hello@mycareercanvas.coWebsite: https://mycareercanvas.co LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittmarisykes/ Instagram: @mycareercanvas Brainz Magazine Profile: https://www.brainzmagazine.com/executive-contributor/britt-mari-sykes Support the show- Never miss an episode:https://rocketsupervision.com/talking-about-coaching/- Yannick's Coaching Nuggets: https://gocoachinglab.com/nuggets- Free Starter Kit for new coaches: https://rocketsupervision.com/coaching-starter-kit/- More deep dives at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEK9UENWT66D6uqPJhCznXNhc9Ba9jite- Short episodes of TaC addressing specific questions: https://www.youtube.com/talkingaboutcoaching- Support what we do with a positive review, a comment or by telling a friend or colleague about this episode.- Watch COACHING DEMOS from many of our guests in Yannick's Lab. Membership: https://gocoachinglab.com/Upcoming Labs: https://bit.ly/FutureCoachingLabsFREE taster sessions: https://rocketsupervision.com/coaching-lab-coaching-sessions/ Thanks for being a coach. You're making the world a better place!

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with retail leader, five-time Top Retail Expert, NRF Top Voice, and Retail Women in Tech founder Shannon Flanagan to discuss the launch of her new book, Choose, Don't Chase Your Career. After being laid off four times between 2016 and 2024, Shannon shares how those experiences forced her to rethink success, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves about work. Together, they explore why career transitions are about far more than finding the next job—they're opportunities to redefine who we are and what truly matters.The conversation dives into fear, comparison, burnout, financial insecurity, and the courage to pause instead of rushing into the next opportunity. Shannon explains why the traditional definition of success is no longer enough, how to recognize the "scripts" that shape our decisions, and why choosing purpose over chasing titles can lead to a more meaningful career and life. Whether you're navigating a layoff, considering a career change, or simply questioning what success looks like, this episode offers practical wisdom and an honest reminder that sometimes the greatest transformation happens in the space between chapters.You can buy Shannon's book here!

How do we make ourselves indispensable in a workforce where we're constantly being replaced? Welcome to today's ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed.  In this uncertain job market, the things that make you uniquely you — like your ideas, communication skills and emotional intelligence — are becoming increasingly important for career success. So we're throwing it back to this helpful advice from Emily The Recruiter on how to incorporate AI into your job to stand out, and the soft skills that will make you irreplaceable in the current market. Plus, Emily myth-busts how much of our authentic self we should actually bring to work.  Emily Durham—aka Emily the Recruiter—is a career coach, content creator, and host of the Clock In Podcast. With millions of views across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Emily is known for her no-BS advice on how to land your dream job and deal with workplace dynamics like a boss.xn Listen to the full episode with Emily The Recruiter here. Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes. Check out our first episode with Emily here. Follow Emily on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.  Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

Cindy Esliger explores the real cost of losing belief in ourselves and how self-doubt quietly limits career growth, especially for women in STEM and other male-dominated workplaces. Staying silent, downplaying achievements, and waiting for permission can feel like the safer path, but those choices create invisibility over time and prevent us from pursuing opportunities we've already earned. Cindy explains why self-confidence is not a fluffy concept but a critical skill for building a successful career. Drawing on the unique challenges women face in technical fields, Cindy explains how repeated microaggressions, vague feedback, and being overlooked can slowly erode confidence. She highlights six warning signs that lack of self-belief is costing us: 1. Asking permission instead of taking initiative, 2. Working harder and later than everyone else to prove worth, 3. Attributing success to luck, timing, or other people while owning every failure, 4. Staying quiet in meetings or minimizing ideas with apologies, 5. Declining opportunities because of feeling underqualified, and 6. Apologizing excessively even when nothing is wrong. She also challenges common beliefs that keep us stuck and explains the difference between confidence built on external evidence and self-confidence that comes from trusting ourselves. Cindy closes with four practical strategies to strengthen self-confidence from the inside out: 1. Understand the difference between confidence and self-confidence, 2. Use our voices effectively and powerfully, 3. Stop relying on other people's belief in us, and 4. Manage our thoughts deliberately. Believing in ourselves is not about arrogance. It's about trusting that we can handle whatever happens, continuing to take action despite uncertainty, and creating the career and life we truly want. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Reclaiming Your Self-Confidence Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We'd love to hear from you. Send us fan mail!If you've been powering through your workday instead of actually leading it, this episode will change how you think about your next move. Bernadette Boas sits down with career strategy and executive coach Randi Roberts to talk about what it really takes to take control of your career path starting with the moment Randi turned down a company-recommended assignment to protect what mattered most to her family.Randi shares how she rebuilt her own career like a strategic plan, why suggestions from leadership are not commands, and the small trusted circle she calls her "Holy Smokes List" when she genuinely doesn't know what to do next.What You Will LearnHow to tell the difference between a leader's suggestion and a required decisionWhy rehearsing a hard career conversation before you have it changes the outcomeHow to build a personal board of directors for your careerWhat a Holy Smokes List is and why every leader needs oneThe first question to ask when a role stops fittingHow to think like "future you" when evaluating an opportunityEpisode Chapters00:00 – Cold Open: Are You Just Powering Through? 01:00 – Randi's Own Career Demotivation Story Begins 03:00 – Turning Down The Expat Assignment For Family 04:00 – The Real Risks Of Pushing Back On Leadership 06:00 – Rehearse The Hard Conversation Before You Have It 08:00 – Suggestions, Not Commands: Getting In The Driver's Seat 10:00 – Building Your Career Like A 25-Year Strategic Plan 13:00 – Think Like Future-You, Future-CEO-You 14:00 – The Pivotal Moment Randi Left Corporate 16:00 – Step One: Figure Out What's Itching 17:00 – Building Your Career Board Of Directors 20:00 – The Holy Smokes List, Explained 21:00 – Asking For Help Without Overthinking It 25:00 – Randi's Free Right Time Guide 26:00 – Close & Recap With BernadetteAbout the GuestRandi Roberts is a career strategy and executive coach who spent 30 years leading in corporate before launching her own coaching business nearly a decade ago. She helps professionals build intentional, strategic career paths instead of drifting through them.  Learn more: https://www.corlinroberts.net/Related Episodes    How to Handle Workplace Disputes Before They Become Lawsuits — with Felicia Harris Hoss    Employee Engagement Strategies That Actually Move the Needle with IAN WATTS    Define What Winning Looks Like and Watch Performance Shift with JACKSON LYNCH Subscribe CTAEnjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to Shedding the Corporate Bitch on any podcast streaming platform or YouTube @ShedtheCorpBitchTV and never miss an episode.Support the show

In this episode of Stop Sabotaging Your Success, Cindy Esliger dives into why building professional relationships can feel uncomfortable, especially for women working in engineering, STEM, and other male-dominated environments. While technical competence matters, Cindy explains that career growth is also shaped by the informal networks we build through interaction. She discusses keeping everyone at arm's length to protect professional credibility and becoming the person everyone relies on emotionally, showing how both extremes can limit career opportunities, making a case for true connection. Cindy shares six common pitfalls that quietly undermine our success: 1. confusing boundaries with walls, 2. becoming everyone's person without receiving support in return, 3. dismissing connection as frivolous or unproductive, 4. showing up as all business and wondering why people think we're cold, 5. Letting fear of seeming weak prevent us from being human, and 6. assuming others will not reciprocate our first offer of connection. She also reframes three limiting beliefs that keep many professionals isolated. Strength is not handling everything alone. Workplaces are not always unsafe for authentic connection. Enduring is not the same as thriving. Cindy then shares practical strategies for building stronger relationships. Cindy emphasizes that engaging with colleagues is not a distraction from the work. It's part of the work. Strong professional relationships improve team dynamics, encourage innovation, create opportunities, and provide the reciprocal support needed to prevent burnout. She challenges listeners to begin with one simple action by asking a colleague a genuine question before their next meeting and listening with curiosity. Building meaningful professional relationships is a skill that grows with practice, and taking the first step can transform both career success and everyday work life. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Building Professional Connections Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This summer is kinda special. I will be celebrating 10 years of career coaching. What started as an experiment turned into a real business and a fresh start after I shut down my tech startup. I've met some wonderful people, worked with great clients, and enjoyed the journey. This will also be the summer I turn 60. Yikes! Just writing those words feels crazy. It sounds so old! Luckily, I don't feel old, thanks to investing so much in my health and fitness. It also helped to step away from the stress of my old corporate job when I left in 2010 to take control of my destiny. Stress ages you. I've even lost friends and colleagues all too soon, and I blame the stress of that lifestyle for contributing to the issues that took them away so young. I've talked about the cycles of life before, and how I've noticed a repeating 10-year cycle in my life of change and reinvention. I guess that partly explains what I'm announcing this week. ⬆️ I discuss everything in more detail in the audio for this episode, so scroll up, hit play, and check it out. Taking a coaching breakAt almost 60 years of age, and after a decade of coaching, I'm giving myself the gift of stepping away (a bit). I think the time has come. * My life and my needs have evolved. * I've become a different person. * The industry has shifted.* The world has changed. So, I'm taking a break from accepting new career coaching clients (perhaps forever). Of course, I'm still working with a few clients on retainer, and other engagements are in progress and will need to wind down over the rest of the year. Also, if we're friends, or we've enjoyed working together before, I may make an exception here or there. But that's about it. Instead, I am shifting my focus to my new Exit Blueprint business coaching and Gen X life coaching. I will also offer a few courses, workshops, and retreats throughout the year (I miss working with folks in the real world). So, even though I won't offer new one-on-one career coaching, I will have courses and workshops: * The Invincible Goals System (success strategies and planning to achieve your goals)* The Invincible Job Quest (job searching, interviews, and negotiations) * The Exit Blueprint (business design, planning, and testing self-employment) This change will free up my time for all the side quests I've put on hold for years (e.g., finishing my book, writing fiction, making music again, painting, etc.). Of course, I'll still be working out every day, hiking as much as possible, traveling the world, and visiting my children often. Life is too short! Newsletter and podcastSo, what happens with this newsletter and podcast? That's a great question. I've written almost 700 articles to share my advice on the job search, interviews, getting promoted, dealing with bosses and coworkers, and generally making yourself so valuable and known that you get to call the shots in your career. My podcast episodes date back over six and a half years. I know many people aren't even aware of half of what I've written and shared in my podcast. So, I'll resurface more of my evergreen advice and freshen up details to make sure they are relevant for today's working world. If something ignites my passion (or anger

Get Job Offers Faster Webinar is Back! Learn the exact steps I used to go from layoff to ideal job offer in just eight weeks. Register at thefirstgencoach.com/webinar Career growth is a cycle, and where you are in the cycle matters. It influences what actions you take and why you take them. In this episode, I break down each of the three stages of the career growth cycle, what you should be doing at each stage, and how you can intentionally set yourself up for growth and long-term career success. Plus, an update on where I am in my own career growth cycle!  If you've ever wondered what you should be doing to get unstuck or break out of a career rut, this is the episode for you.  Resources:  Get Job Offers Faster - Register now at thefirstgencoach.com/webinar 6-Month 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call Apply for On-Air Coaching: https://forms.gle/JshV6Z6TfUw6BBnk6 Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Stop Sabotaging Your Success, Cindy Esliger explores a difficult truth about career growth: not everyone in a professional circle is invested in seeing someone succeed. She explains how women in engineering and other male-dominated workplaces can mistake politeness for genuine support, especially when supportive relationships feel scarce. Cindy challenges us to stop assuming that proximity equals loyalty and instead become intentional about who we trust, who we seek advice from, and who we allow to influence important career decisions. Cindy outlines how to see five warning signs that someone may not be the ally they appear to be: 1. Watch how people react to our wins, 2. Notice who only reaches out when they need something, 3. Pay attention to chronic interrupters and dismissals, 4. Watch what people do when we show vulnerability, and 5. Watch for the people who introduce us as one of the boys, not as unique. She also challenges several flawed beliefs that keep us stuck in unhelpful relationships, including the idea that any mentor is better than no mentor, that networking means being nice to everyone, and that toxic relationships should be maintained because they might be useful someday.  To build a stronger support system, Cindy encourages us to create a career board of directors intentionally made up of five key roles: 1. Cheerleaders, 2. Allies, 3. Mentors, 4. Advocates, and 5. Supporters. She also shares six practical strategies for evaluating current relationships, creating distance from energy-draining connections, building honest feedback loops, and ensuring a support network evolves alongside career goals. Her message is clear: a carefully curated inner circle is not just a nice-to-have. It can become a powerful competitive advantage. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Auditing Your Career Circle Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Silence in meetings costs everyone. It silences voices, stalls accountability, and signals that thinking isn't happening in real time. But silence isn't inevitable. It's a leadership choice. In this episode, Jill Griffin breaks down what silence actually means, why AI-generated content is training us to consume instead of engage, and the specific moves leaders and peers can make to bring people into the conversation. Leadership is a lifestyle and an inside job. Here's how to show up.You're in a meeting and nobody's talking. What's actually happening?The silence in your meetings is costing you more than you realize.Most leaders have it backwards about what silence means in the room.Show Notes: Workslop: The Hidden Cost of AI-Generated BusyworkSupport the showJill Griffin, is a leadership strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh. She works with senior leaders to navigate complexity, strengthen teams, and lead with greater clarity and intention.With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy. Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:The Next Era Leader An 8-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intentionExecutive Coaching & Leadership Advisory 1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what's nextConnect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & WorkshopsInstagram: @JillGriffinOffical

Teddy Berman grew up in the Syrian community in Flatbush, went to college, worked in finance — and then got the itch. Almost ten years of learning later, he's back in the driver's seat, building a family in Yerushalayim and trying to figure out what comes next.In this bonus episode, Teddy reaches out with the questions a lot of guys have but don't always get to ask directly: How do I balance parnasa with a serious morning seder? Is the dream of American hours realistic? Does it matter if I'm a working person or a mashpia by the bima? And how do I even figure out what I'm cut out for?We get into all of it — including the recruiter who laughed in my face, why Rav Yonasan Sacks's career advice puzzled me as a bochur in KBY, and why knowing yourself is the most underrated job search tool there is.Also: what Aliyah really means for your community, your nusach, and your kids — and why "choosing a box" might be the wrong frame entirely.If you're somewhere between the beis medrash and the boardroom, this one's for you.Topics covered:Hishtadlus, bitachon, and the Ramban on going to warAhavat melacha — what Chazal actually say about loving your workSoft skills vs. marketable skills: the honest breakdownUsing AI for career self-reflection (Teddy's been doing it)Building community in Eretz Yisrael as an Anglo olehDati Leumi vs. Haredi — more nuance than you think

In this episode of Stop Sabotaging Your Success, Cindy Esliger dives into an uncomfortable workplace reality: some people genuinely want to see us succeed, while others see us as a convenient stepping stone for their own advancement. She explains how many of us, especially women in male-dominated environments, are conditioned to be helpful and accommodating without questioning whether those relationships are reciprocal. Cindy discusses how misplaced loyalty, people-pleasing, and a lack of discernment lead us to invest valuable time and energy in relationships that drain our resources while advancing someone else's agenda. Cindy examines four limiting beliefs that keep us trapped in unhealthy workplace dynamics: 1. We should help everyone who asks because it's the right thing to do. 2. If we're too cautious about who we trust, we'll seem paranoid or difficult. 3. We need to prove our worth by being selfless and accommodating. 4. Everyone is watching and judging us, so we can't afford to be selective. She also shares six warning signs that someone may see us as a pawn rather than a valued colleague, including one-sided reciprocity, private support without public backing, credit and recognition issues, emotional manipulation, energy draining interactions, and gaslighting disguised as support. To help us build healthier professional relationships, Cindy outlines five overlooked insights. She encourages perspective taking, understanding the difference between commitment and compliance, paying attention to specific recognition, remembering that most people are focused on themselves, and recognizing that people get more of what they tolerate. She then details six practical strategies that help us focus on what we can control: 1. Develop a boundary script arsenal, 2. Address issues early, 3. Shift our self-talk, 4. Anticipate the testing of our boundaries, 5. Move beyond our fear of judgment, and 6. Follow through. Cindy challenges us to conduct an energy audit of our workplace relationships and invest intentionally in people who genuinely support our growth and long-term success. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Building Your Real Support System At Work Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, I'm joined by Max, co-founder of Superpower, a longevity and preventive health company based in San Francisco. Max shares his unconventional journey from a curious, entrepreneurial kid in Sydney to building one of health tech's most ambitious startups — all without a clinical background. He offers a refreshingly direct perspective on why clinicians are uniquely positioned to drive change in healthcare, why sunk cost is a trap, and why the best time to make your move is now. If you're a healthcare professional thinking about stepping into health tech, this episode will challenge the way you think about your career.Quotes:"Health professionals are some of the best placed to actually create change in health." - Max"Servicing a system allows you to impact maybe a few hundred or thousand people. Building a system ideally gets to the millions over time." - Max"The fastest path between A and Z is not to go through B, C, D — just do the thing." - Max"Being willing to be dumb is almost a prerequisite to being smart." - Max"If you're trying to do something in a new way, it's very hard to do that from the model of thinking that created the existing way." - MaxShow Notes:Why clinicians have an unfair advantage when building in health techHow to stop letting sunk cost hold you back from a career pivotThe difference between servicing the healthcare system and building itWhy the "one day I'll do this" mindset is keeping you stuckHow an outsider perspective can be the most powerful tool for reinventing healthcareLinks: https://www.matchday.health/ https://superpower.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxmarchione/

Love Your Career Podcast? Let us know!Career Reinvention, Retirement and Building a Richer Life with Hannah MartinWhat does it really mean to prepare for retirement? For many women, especially mid-career professionals, retirement planning is often reduced to one question: “Will I have enough money?” Yet, as Hannah Martin explains in this thoughtful conversation, a fulfilling later life requires more than financial security. It also calls for purpose, community, health, independence and a clear sense of what comes next.In episode 282 of Your Career Podcast, Jane Jackson reconnects with Hannah Martin, founder of Talented Ladies Club and Rich Retiree, seven years after their last conversation. Hannah and I chatted in episodes 19 and 101. Hannah shares how her work supporting ambitious mothers returning to the workforce evolved into a new mission: helping women prepare for retirement in a way that is practical, empowering and deeply human.Jane and Hannah discuss the unique career and financial challenges many women face, including career breaks, lower pension or superannuation balances, caring responsibilities, and the implications of, unfortunately, a divorce. Confidence dips after time out of the workforce, and the long-term impact of the gender pay gap.They also explore why career reinvention does not stop at midlife. Whether you are facing redundancy, considering a career change, preparing for retirement, or wondering how to create more meaning in your next chapter, this conversation offers a reassuring reminder that it is never too late to make considered, confident choices.In this episode, we discuss:Why retirement planning must go beyond moneyThe four pillars of a rich retirement: finance, health, community and purposeHow career breaks can affect confidence, savings and long-term financial independenceWhy women often face different retirement challenges from menThe importance of community, contribution and meaningful activity as we ageHow mid-career professionals can begin planning their next chapter before they are forced toWhy career clarity matters at every stage of lifeHow cultural attitudes towards ageing can affect confidence, wellbeing and possibilityThe value of wisdom, lived experience and intergenerational connectionKey takeawayA rich retirement is not only about what you have saved. It is also about the life you are building.For mid-career professionals, this episode is a timely reminder to pause, reflect and ask: “What do I want the next chapter of my life and career to feel like?” Whether you are navigating redundancy, exploring a career change, rebuilding confidence, or preparing for a new stage of life, clarity is the first step towards making wise and grounded decisions.Resource mentioned:YouTube video when Jane visited Hannah in Worthing, UK - showing how genuine networking turns into genuine connections, taking the online connection offline to meet in person.  Watch here: https://youtu.be/hN_dAzQ30uo?si=PxSphzC7KI_psFsE About Hannah MartinHannah Martin is the founder of Talented Ladies Club, created in 2013 to support ambitious mothers returning to work and building careers or businesses that fit their lives. Her latest initiative, Rich Retiree, helps women take a more holistic approach to retirement planning, considering not only finances but also health, purpose, community and fulfilment.Find out more at: richretiree.comAbout Jane JacksonJane Jackson is a career management coach, author of Navigating Career Crossroads, and host of Your Career Podcast. With over 24 years of experience, Jane helps mid-career professionals navigate redundancy, career change, job search, interview preparation, LinkedIn personal branding and career clarity so they can make confident decisions and move towards work they will enjoy.If you are at a career crossroads and would value caring, practical support, visit janejacksoncoach.com.------Welcome to Your Career Podcast with Jane Jackson where I help mid career professionals overcome self doubt and gain career clarity and the confidence to create the life and career they desire. Book a Zoom chat with me at janejacksoncoach.com - I'd love to meet you and discover what's happening in your career! Support the show- - - - - -Find out what you MUST DO to make a successful career change and land the job you'll LOVE.  Take the CAREER SUCCESS QUIZ (it only takes 2 minutes) https://careersuccess.scoreapp.com/   

In this episode of Stop Sabotaging Your Success, Cindy Esliger explores why so many professionals achieve a goal only to immediately move the goalposts and focus on what is still not enough. She explains how productivity can become a form of self-soothing, especially in environments where recognition is scarce and we feel we need to constantly prove our value. Cindy examines the connection between achievement and self-worth, and why relying on external validation creates a cycle where success never feels satisfying. We need to learn to distinguish between productive discomfort and true misalignment. Productive discomfort signals growth and expansion into new territory, while misalignment feels like climbing a ladder that's leaning against the wrong wall. Cindy challenges us to evaluate whether we're pursuing goals that genuinely reflect our values or are simply chasing recognition that may never arrive. She also outlines five beliefs that keep us trapped in moving our own goalposts: 1. If we keep proving ourselves, we'll finally be recognized, 2. Slowing down or setting boundaries will make us seem uncommitted, 3. We can't afford to make mistakes or show vulnerability, 4. We need to do it all to prove we can handle it, and 5. Changing direction means we failed. Cindy outlines six workplace red flags that can normalize this pattern and seven practical strategies to regain control: 1. Design our own scorecard, 2. Distinguish between productive and performative work, 3. Set boundaries as strategic  career moves, 4. Channel anxiety into action, not affirmation, 5. Build selective vulnerability, 6. Create decision criteria for our career ladder before we pursue a new goal, and 7. Practice less control. Cindy's message is that success should be measured by alignment with personal values, not by endlessly chasing validation. Sometimes the bravest career move is recognizing that a path no longer fits and giving ourselves permission to choose a different one.   Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Recognizing When You're Moving Your Own Goalposts Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Guest Rich Gassen has worked at UW-Madison for over 15 years as Production Manager and, more recently, as Director at Digital Publishing and Printing Services. He focuses on empowerment, autonomy, and process improvements with his team. His work mantra has always been "Show Up and Participate," which continues to guide him in his lifelong learning. He also leads a community of practice for supervisors at UW-Madison, focusing on training and development. Summary In this episode, Rich discusses his leadership journey and the principles that guide his work. Drawing on more than 35 years in the printing industry, Rich explains how influential mentors shaped his belief that effective leaders provide both autonomy and support. He recalls a manager who trusted employees to make decisions while remaining available during difficult moments—a model that continues to inform his own leadership style. Rich emphasizes that leadership is fundamentally about people. He believes employees perform best when they feel valued, understood, and connected to the larger purpose of their work. Whether by sharing customer praise, encouraging innovation, or involving staff in major decisions, such as relocating the print shop, he seeks to create an environment where people feel a sense of ownership and agency. A strong advocate for continuous learning, Rich helped build a campus-wide community of practice for supervisors, providing opportunities for networking, book discussions, and professional development. He stresses the importance of listening, asking questions, and resisting the urge to have all the answers. As leaders advance, he argues, their role shifts from solving problems to removing barriers that prevent others from succeeding. Throughout the conversation, Rich highlights transparency, curiosity, and habit-building as essential leadership skills. Ultimately, he sees leadership not as a destination but as an ongoing learning process focused on helping people grow, contribute, and thrive. The Essential Point Great leadership is less about having the answers and more about creating the conditions for others to succeed. Leaders serve their teams best when they listen, build trust, remove obstacles, and help people see the significance of their contributions. Social Media & Referenced LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richgassen/ Campus Supervisors Network Homepage: https://campussupervisorsnetwork.wisc.edu/ UW Printing site with article on innovation during a change initiative: https://printing.wisc.edu/2024/05/23/the-dpps-printshop-move-finding-innovation-through-challenge/ Jeff's LinkedIn article   About Jeff Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. "Quetico" (KWEH-teh-co). He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high school U.S. history and government. Jeff has hosted the "Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity" podcast for 5 years. The guests and topics he explores are designed to help listeners think differently about the familiar and welcome the new as something to consider. He is also the co-host of the Cultivating Resilience – A Whole Community Approach to Alleviating Trauma in Schools, which promotes mental health and overall wellness. Jeff co-authored Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. Shifting integrates leadership development and change mechanics in a three-part change framework to help guide school leaders and their teams toward productive change.

Send us Fan MailIn this inspiring interview, Roxanne McCoy, CEO of Dress for Success Southern Nevada, shares how her organization empowers women through professional attire, skills development, and holistic support to foster economic independence and community strength.Dress for Success InstagramDonate to Dress for Success hereWorldwide Dress for Success websiteStay Connected

Cindy Esliger addresses the uncomfortable truth that technical competence is really only the price of admission in today's workplace, not advancement, especially for women navigating male-dominated industries. We tend to believe that keeping our heads down and producing excellent work will naturally lead to advancement, but Cindy explains why career growth depends just as much on communication, relationship building, emotional intelligence, and political savvy. She discusses the double bind women face when developing these skills and why waiting for technical excellence alone to be recognized can quietly stall a career. As organizations evolve faster than ever, technical expertise without strong people skills can leave us stuck in individual contributor roles while others move into leadership. Cindy breaks down four common problems women often face in this environment: 1. The invisibility trap, 2. The likability penalty, 3. The catch-up cycle, and 4. The promotion pitfall. She also highlights six warning signs that career growth may be blocked, including avoiding office politics, staying too long in the same role, and struggling to communicate accomplishments in business terms instead of technical details. Cindy shares six practical strategies that focus on what we can control: 1. Start future-proofing your career now, 2. Be intentional about projecting both confidence and competence, 3. Develop soft skills with the same rigor as technical skills, 4. Think globally and stay ahead of change, 5. Prepare for transition before a promotion happens, and 6. Take inventory regularly and stay proactive about development. The workplace increasingly rewards people who can combine technical expertise with interpersonal skills. Cindy reminds us that these skills can be learned and that developing them creates more options and long-term career resilience.  Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Future-Proofing Your Career Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us Fan MailJordan Kapitanoff is a mechanical engineer by training and a transformation leader by practice. A graduate of Kettering University with a BSME and an MBA from Aurora University, Jordan built his career at the intersection of engineering, operations, and culture change. Over the years, he has consistently stepped into roles where systems, teams, and processes needed elevation — and delivered measurable results. At Bison Gear & Engineering, Jordan moved from Application Engineer to Innovator, and later to Supervisor of Quality Innovation and Sustainability Engineering Manager. There, he led initiatives grounded in A3 problem solving, DMAIC, and lean thinking — not just to fix problems, but to transform how teams approached quality and continuous improvement. He also launched a new innovation and product development consulting division inside the organization, demonstrating an entrepreneurial drive even within established companies. His leadership continued to evolve at G&W Electric and later at tmax Group, where he served in operations excellence and operations management roles. Across these organizations, Jordan focused on production management, lean process improvement, and aligning communication across departments — recognizing that operational excellence is just as much about people as it is about process. Today, Jordan is channeling that experience into entrepreneurship. As Co-Founder of CoForge Technologies LLC and Head Coach at Thinking Kap Personal and Career Coaching, he works at the convergence of operational performance and personal leadership development. With a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Villanova University and service as a board member of The Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), Jordan continues to advocate for systems thinking, continuous improvement, and empowering professionals to take ownership of their growth.  LINKS: Jordan Kapitanoff LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-kapitanoff-5b821817/ CoForge Website: https://www.coforge.com/ Aaron Moncur, host  Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.usWatch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Cindy Esliger explores why personal and professional growth often feels threatening. This feeling can be compounded for women working in environments where they already feel constant pressure to prove themselves. Admitting that we are improving can feel risky because it means acknowledging that we didn't always have all the answers. Cindy explains how many of us were conditioned through school and early experiences to avoid failure at all costs, even though career success and innovation require experimentation and mistakes. She discusses the hidden pressures women face while trying to grow, including perfectionism, double standards, and the emotional labor of constantly managing how they are perceived. Cindy outlines four common pitfalls women encounter when they begin owning their growth: 1. The double bind, 2. The perfectionism trap, 3. The language audit problem, and 4. Invisible labor. She also shares six warning signs to watch for in professional environments: 1. Growth being framed as ‘catching up', 2. Moving goalposts, 3. Isolation, 4. The humble trap, 5. Comparison culture, and 6. Shame-fuelled perfectionism and fear of failure. Cindy reframes the beliefs that keep people stuck, challenging the idea that failure proves incompetence. Instead, she explains that growth comes from learning to cope with frustration, confusion, disappointment, and even humiliation without giving up. To help make growth more manageable, Cindy shares five practical strategies: 1. Create a proof of progress file, 2. Do a language audit, 3. Use the cope and adjust framework, 4. Embrace strategic failure, and 5. Apply the momentum principle. She explains that confidence is not built by avoiding failure, but by repeatedly surviving it and continuing forward anyway. The ability to fail, learn, and keep moving becomes one of the most valuable career skills we can develop. Cindy encourages us to stop waiting for external validation, start documenting our progress, and recognize that becoming better than before requires courage. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Owning Your Growth Without Apology Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Guest After 11 years at IBM, Brooke Erol left a "great job on paper" to pursue a more aligned, purpose-driven life. She founded Your Best Life Inc. to help professionals find meaning at work, and later Purposeful Business to support leaders in building people-centered organizations. She is the author of More Than A Paycheck and Create a Life You Love, and speaks globally on leadership and purposeful work. Summary In this conversation, career coach and author Brooke Erol explores the changing nature of work, fulfillment, and identity in an era shaped by burnout, layoffs, and artificial intelligence. Drawing from her own experience at IBM, she reflects on realizing early in her career that many people were "chasing the weekend" rather than finding meaning in their work. That realization eventually led her to write More Than a Paycheck, a guide designed to help individuals develop greater self-awareness and agency in their careers. Brooke argues that self-awareness is foundational to meaningful work, yet modern life leaves little room for reflection. She encourages people to intentionally create time to examine what energizes them, what no longer serves them, and which limiting beliefs may be shaping their choices. Throughout the discussion, she emphasizes that traditional career formulas—go to college, get a corporate job, retire happily—are no longer reliable in today's unstable job market. The conversation also examines the disruptive impact of AI, especially on younger workers and recent graduates, while highlighting the growing value of trade and skilled labor careers. Brooke encourages people to remain adaptable, continuously learn new skills, and consider side projects or entrepreneurial paths alongside traditional employment. The discussion closes with reflections on retirement, purpose, and identity. Brooke and Jeff agree that fulfillment comes not from stopping work entirely, but from continuing to contribute, learn, connect, and pursue activities that make life meaningful. The Essential Point Brooke's central message is that people must take greater ownership of their careers and lives by developing self-awareness, questioning inherited assumptions about work, and intentionally pursuing work that aligns with who they are. She also stresses that fulfillment and purpose are not luxuries reserved for retirement—they are essential parts of a healthy, sustainable life at every stage. Social MediaWebsite: www.yourbestlifeinc.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careeryoulove/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ozlemerol LinkedIn Newsletter: Career Path YOU Love: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7234651608981065729/ All My Books Page: https://www.yourbestlifeinc.com/books More Than a Paycheck: https://www.yourbestlifeinc.com/books/morethanapaycheck A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle About Jeff Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. "Quetico" (KWEH-teh-co). He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high school U.S. history and government. Jeff has hosted the "Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity" podcast for 5 years. The guests and topics he explores are designed to help listeners think differently about the familiar and welcome the new as something to consider. He is also the co-host of the Cultivating Resilience – A Whole Community Approach to Alleviating Trauma in Schools, which promotes mental health and overall wellness. Jeff co-authored Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. Shifting integrates leadership development and change mechanics in a three-part change framework to help guide school leaders and their teams toward productive change. Show Credits "Getting Unstuck" is commercial-free. It's brought to you by Jeff Ikler, his amazing guests, and Neil Hughes, the best engineer a podcaster could ask for. "Getting Unstuck" theme music: Original composition of "Allegro ben ritmato e deciso" by George Gershwin. Arrangement and recording courtesy of Bruno Lecoeur.

Cindy Esliger unpacks the hidden cost of self-doubt and how hesitation quietly sabotages career growth. In competitive workplaces, many women spend too much time overthinking conversations and waiting to feel ready. We hold back instead of speaking up. Cindy explains that confidence is not a personality trait that a few of us luck into; it's a skill that can be developed. Action, resilience, and self-trust are the keys to growing confidence, and she highlights how, without them, holding back can damage our visibility, momentum, and professional reputation over time. Many of us believe confidence means being the loudest person in the room, but Cindy challenges that idea. Real confidence is about genuine presence. Cindy outlines five common pitfalls that keep brilliant women stuck: 1. Confusing confidence with extroversion, 2. Perfectionism, 3. People pleasing, 4. Risk aversion, and 5. The readiness illusion. These patterns often feel responsible or safe, but they slowly reinforce self-doubt and make it harder to step into leadership opportunities. Cindy states that the real consequences of constantly playing small include burnout and resentment, stalled career growth, and missed opportunities. She shares five red flags to watch for in our own behavior: 1. Using diminishing phrases to preface ideas, 2. Waiting to be called to speak, 3. Declining opportunities because we don't meet all criteria, 4. Attributing our success to luck instead of competence, and 5. Avoiding opportunities to share our expertise. Cindy offers practical strategies for growing confidence from within, like keeping promises to ourselves, practicing self-compassion, and creating reset rituals, among others. The goal is not to become someone else, but to stop letting outdated thought patterns dictate how we show up at work. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Building Your Confidence Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lift as you rise!   This is the through line in the life of legendary leader Anucha Browne. Anucha broke all basketball scoring record at Northwestern, but it her life TODAY, that is shattering norms. Hear about AnuRISE app that democratizes access for expert coaching for all. This is a game a changer to that will accelerate human potential. If University is where a student finds their voice, then AnuRISE app will guide their voice into their future careers. You learn advocacy for yourself and for others. The App activates Lift as you rise! The App models leadership, resiliency, integrity, courage, critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence....accessible to 99% of the people.   It's the highest quality coaching to the most marginalizews. MEET this moment with strategy through AnuRISEapp.com Contact Anucha at CoachAnuchaBrowne@gmail.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/success-made-to-last-legends--4302039/support.

Career coach Michelle Schafer returns to the podcast, but this time, we talk to her from the seat of her expertise as a career coach. Michelle has been on the podcast twice already. Both times we explored how she faced down adversity: once as she healed from breaking her leg, the other as she hiked to Machu Picchu in Peru. And both times, she had to draw on deep inner resources to persevere.  Today, we talk about the very difficult job market people are facing. Fewer jobs, more people looking, the encroachment of tech eradicating whole sectors of work. It's tough out there. It's an exhausting environment, and resilience is that much more important.  Relationships connect us to job opportunities, and support us as we do the shift. Michelle speaks to this and so much more in our meander: what does it take to navigate through this job market, and how can we stay positive in the process? You can find her award-winning book, "Cultivating Career Growth, Navigating Transitions with Purpose" at your local independent bookstore. And you can read about it on her website. (You can also find it on Amazon.) Michelle is just a delight to chat with; her clients are well-served by her effervescent outlook on life and vast array of support to offer them in their coaching adventure.  Please drop me a line if anything piqued your interest at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. And share this episode around, and if you're of a mind, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Episode links: Michelle's coaching company is called: Michelle Schafer Coaching. Here are the links to her previous episodes: healing from a broken leg, and hiking in Peru. As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLive life joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

Send us Fan MailKate McKinnon is the former Head of Human Resources at Playfly Sports, a leading sports media and marketing company. There, she led the People function through a fast-paced, high-growth phase - helping the company earn recognition as both a Most Loved Workplace and one of the Best Employers in Sports. Today, she leads her own consulting practice focused on empowering organizations by prioritizing their most valuable asset: people. Her work centers on:Leadership DevelopmentHR Strategy & Culture BuildingPersonalized Career Coaching-Quick Episode Summary:Kate McKinnon shares Human Resource insights, Philly sports, and kindness stories.-

In this episode, Cindy Esliger explores the difficult balance between standing up for ourselves at work and maintaining professionalism. This is especially true in environments where women in STEM are talked over or subjected to inappropriate comments. She explains that staying silent in the face of disrespect can quietly damage confidence and credibility and, over time, will impede career growth. Cindy explores the beliefs that keep us trapped in silence, including the pressure to keep the peace to avoid being labeled difficult. She points out that we're trained to prioritize everyone else's comfort over our own boundaries, and ultimately shares how to respond with more authority.  Cindy discusses the professional and personal costs of tolerating disrespect, including burnout, resentment, damaged self-esteem, and missed leadership opportunities. Unaddressed boundary violations tend to compound over time, and she explains why staying silent teaches others how we're willing to be treated. She outlines six red flags that make workplace dynamics worse: 1. Avoid overcompensating with aggression, 2. Stop apologizing for having boundaries, 3. Don't back down when people test you, 4. Stop making it your job to comfort others, 5. Don't be vague about what we need, and 6. Inconsistent enforcement destroys the integrity of our word. She also breaks down the manipulation tactics people may use to avoid accountability and why recognizing those tactics matters. To help us respond more effectively in difficult situations, Cindy shares practical strategies for reclaiming authority without escalating conflict. She shares four common scenarios and how to handle them: 1. What to say when we're talked over, 2. What to say when somebody makes an inappropriate comment, 3. How to get time when we need to process what just happened, and 4. The options for explaining when our boundaries have been violated. Cindy encourages us to prepare phrases ahead of time, pay attention to physical signals from our bodies, and get clear on our limits before situations arise. Taking the high road does not mean becoming a doormat. It means holding firm boundaries while remaining calm, tactful, and aligned with personal values. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Standing Your Ground Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Cindy Esliger explores why fawning in the workplace impacts your career. Fawning is that automatic “yes” that shows up before there's even time to think. She explains how fawning is not just people pleasing, but a nervous system response that activates when fight, flight, or freeze aren't adequate options. In professional environments, this often looks like overcommitting and constantly scanning for how everyone around us might be feeling. While it can feel like being a good team player, Cindy highlights that fawning is actually rooted in a need to feel safe and how external validation becomes addictive. Cindy breaks down how fawning shows up day to day, from softening every message with apologies to avoiding conflict, and even shape-shifting to match other people's expectations. She points out that this pulls attention away from internal understanding, leaving no room to access personal opinions or instincts. Over time, this leads to taking on disproportionate emotional labor and low-visibility work while others focus on projects that lead to advancement. Cindy details rooted in a need to feel safe and that external validation can become, or not others are mad at us, 3. We don't share technical opinions or expertise out of fear of being disliked, and 4. We take on a disproportionate amount of administrative and emotional work that doesn't lead to advancement. The long-term impact is significant. Fawning erodes credibility, contributes to burnout and resentment, and can stall career growth despite strong performance. More deeply, Cindy explains, it disconnects us from our own sense of self and reinforces the belief that validation comes from others. She reframes this pattern as an adaptive response rather than a flaw, and encourages building internal validation and the capacity to tolerate discomfort. The goal isn't to stop being collaborative, but to recognize when our responses are driven by fear instead of choice, so we can show up with more agency. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Recognizing Your Fawn Response Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cindy Esliger challenges the habit of making career decisions based only on what seems realistic, explaining how probability thinking keeps many professionals stuck below their potential. By relying on past patterns in our organizations, we treat incomplete data as the full picture and limit what we go after. She draws a clear distinction between probability as pattern recognition and possibility as pattern creation, pointing out that while many are comfortable solving complex problems at work, we hesitate to apply that same thinking to our own careers. She outlines four beliefs that reinforce this pattern: 1. Needing to see how it's done before we do it, 2. Waiting until we feel completely qualified, 3. Believing that if it hasn't happened for other women, it won't happen for us, and 4. We need to know how before we commit to what. These beliefs lead to playing small, accepting low-visibility work, and missing opportunities. Cindy also highlights four common professional landmines that keep this cycle going: 1. The qualification trap, 2. Comparison quicksand, 3. The false binary choice, and 4. The permission pattern. These all encourage hesitation instead of action. To shift into possibility thinking, Cindy shares six practical strategies: 1. Start with the finish line instead of the starting point, 2. Make decisions from your future self, not current circumstances, 3. Integrate all data, not just external things, 4. Focus on frequency, not just magnitude, 5. Build our inner circle, and 6. Reframe failure as a necessary part of the process. She encourages approaching career growth like solving a technical problem by testing, learning, and iterating. Cindy ends with a challenge to commit to one goal that feels improbable and take a single step toward it, reinforcing that discomfort is often a sign of growth, not a reason to hold back. Resources discussed in this episode: Guide to Breaking Free from Probability Thinking Astronomic Audio Confidence Collective — Contact Cindy Esliger  Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Getting a job in 2026 will require you to think outside the box. But sometimes, you also have to rely on tried and true methods, such as going to career fairs. In this episode, I share practical strategies for getting hired at career fairs. I talk both logistics and self-care.  Plus, a very special announcement for episode 150! Referenced Episodes:  115. A Quick start Guide to Networking Events 78. Three Types of Coffee Chats to Increase Your Income Resources:  In honor of Financial Literacy Month, I am bringing back one of my most impactful trainings: Get a Raise in Any Economy.  This training will show you the exact steps you need to take to understand how companies determine salary and what you need to do in order to maximize your salary.  Get instant access via thefirstgencoach.com/freetraining 6-Month 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call Apply for On-Air Coaching: https://forms.gle/JshV6Z6TfUw6BBnk6 Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  on Instagram Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Careers are evolving faster than ever and artificial intelligence is accelerating the shift.In this Career Coaching episode of Coaching In Session, Michael Rearden speaks with career strategist and Overqualified™ founder Isaiah Hankel about how AI is reshaping the job market and what professionals must do to stay competitive.Isaiah breaks down how careers have evolved over the decades and why adaptability is now the most valuable professional skill. He explains the real impact of AI on hiring, job structures, and long-term employability and why professionals must understand market needs rather than rely solely on credentials.The conversation focuses on practical strategies for leveraging AI tools, shifting your mindset toward continuous evolution, and positioning yourself strategically in a rapidly changing workforce. Isaiah also shares insights from working with thousands of senior-level and advanced-degree professionals navigating major career transitions.If you're an ambitious professional looking to future-proof your career, strengthen your positioning, and thrive in the age of AI, this episode delivers practical, forward-thinking guidance.What You'll LearnHow careers have evolved over the past decadesThe real impact of AI on today's job marketWhy adaptability is essential for professional growthHow to leverage AI tools to increase productivity and positioningThe importance of understanding market demandWhy credentials alone no longer guarantee opportunityHow to shift your mindset for long-term successStrategies for navigating hiring biasPractical steps to future-proof your professional lifeKey Takeaways✅ Careers are constantly evolving, adaptability is critical✅ AI is changing how companies hire and operate✅ Skills and positioning matter more than credentials alone✅ Understanding market needs increases career leverage✅ Leveraging AI tools creates competitive advantage✅ Hiring systems often overlook highly qualified professionals✅ Mindset shifts are required for long-term career security

In this episode: Defining “enough,” FIRE mindset shifts, intentional career design, sabbaticals as low-risk experiments, and taking action to find clarity.Episode SummarySusie Ade—mental health and wellbeing program manager at Google and a certified career coach—shares how discovering financial independence changed not just how they spend, but how they make decisions about work, time, and meaning. Susie and Adam explore what it looks like to define “enough” from the inside out: using daily joy, energy, and alignment (not comparison or consumerism) as the measuring stick.They also dig into Susie's unconventional path at Google and a three-month sabbatical working at a winery in Australia—an intentional reset that helped clarify what Susie wanted next. A recurring theme: clarity rarely comes from overthinking; it comes from running thoughtful experiments and building a “bias toward action” within safe boundaries.Guest BioSusie Ade is a certified career coach (CPCC) and mental health and wellbeing program manager at Google. Over nearly a decade at Google, Susie has held roles across sales, YouTube's Intelligence Desk, and people development. Susie coaches employees internally and works with private clients who want more fulfillment, clarity, and alignment in their careers.Resources & Books MentionedMr. Money Mustache blogYour Money or Your Life — Vicki Robin & Joe DominguezThe Simple Path to Wealth — JL CollinsDesigning Your Life — Bill Burnett & Dave EvansStrengthsFinder 2.0 — Tom RathChooseFI podcastHeadspace (meditation app)The Tim Ferriss Show #542: Chris Dixon & Naval Ravikant on Web3Mindful FIRE ep 14 with Morgan Bria: mindfulfire.org/14Guest Contact InformationWebsite: susieade.comLinkedIn: PS: Introducing the…

In Hour 3. Spadoni and Shasky are joined by San Francisco Giants bullpen coach Jesse Chavez to chat about his long big league career and now coaching with Tony Vitello

"I didn't care about my job. I didn't care about my career. I cared about my son." In this deeply personal and courageous episode, we sit down with Deep Lam to discuss the heartbreaking reality of losing her son to suicide. Deep shares the "unthinkable" experience of loss and reveals the subtle signs of isolation that can hide behind high achievement, good grades, and academic success. If you are a parent, leader, or friend, this conversation is a must-watch to understand how to bridge the gap between "I'm fine" and the truth. Key Chapters: 00:00 - Deep's Story: How I Lost My Son 04:15 - The Signs I Missed (And What To Look For) 12:30 - The One Question Every Parent Must Ask 18:45 - Breaking the Stigma: Mental Health in the Workplace 25:00 - Advice for Leaders Supporting Grieving Employees 32:00 - How to Build a "Help Chain" at Home and Work

Why mastering unspoken workplace communication is essential to long-term career success.Succeeding at work doesn't just depend on how hard you work or how smart you are. According to Erin McGoff, it often comes down to whether you understand the “secret language” everyone else seems to be speaking.McGoff is a career creator, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and author of The Secret Language of Work: Hyper Helpful Scripts for Every Situation. Known for her wildly popular AdviceWithErin platform, she helps millions of professionals phrase things more effectively — without sounding stiff or robotic. “It's this hidden curriculum to the workforce,” she explains, describing the unwritten rules of interviews, negotiations, and professional etiquette. “It's not written down anywhere. It's not equally distributed.” Her mission is to make those invisible rules visible — and usable.In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, McGoff and host Matt Abrahams explore how to communicate with confidence, advocate for yourself strategically, and build a professional brand with intention. Confidence, she says, isn't fixed: “Confidence isn't binary. Confidence is a spectrum.” It starts internally, with how we speak to ourselves, and strengthens when we “get really good at what you do.”Episode Reference Links:Erin McGoffErin's Book: The Secret Language of Work202. Own Your Brand: How to Communicate with Presence and Impact Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (04:56) - The Secret Language of Work (06:32) - Building Confidence (08:39) - Creating Your Professional Brand (10:00) - Setting Expectations at Work (12:31) - Advocate Strategically (14:34) - Mastering First Impressions (15:50) - Professional vs. Personal (18:19) - Interview Before, During, After (22:55) - Nonverbal Presence (23:19) - The Final Three Questions (27:18) - Conclusion  ********Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.This episode is brought to you by Babbel. Think Fast Talk Smart listeners can get started on your language learning journey today- visit Babbel.com/Thinkfast and get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription.Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. 

Find the FULL TRANSCRIPT for this episode and more resources for coaches at ProsperousCoach.com/379.Also mentioned in this episode:280 - Coach, Are You Worried About Promising Results?Nail Your Niche - 90-minute private niche strategy session with RhondaAre you stuck on your coaching niche?A coach I talked to was struggling to decide whether they wanted to be a Health Coach or a Life Coach.They were looking at the niche decision from a limited perspective.Putting a word before ‘Coach' doesn't constitute a niche that helps you stand out in the crowd and gain traction, which is what a niche is meant to do.Also, LIFE coaching is coaching anyone about anything because life is everything.Do you see how life coaching can't be an effective niche?In my book, other broad tracks aren't quite a niche either.At the centerpiece of a smart niche is the people you serve. A unique group with unique problems.The coach and I worked through 5 pervasive myths—beliefs this coach held— that kept them from identifying a specific audience and niche they would love.Then it was easy to break through to a smart choice that fit the coach well.Let's bust the 5 myths once and for all in this episode of Prosperous Coach Podcast.I'd love to hear from you. Stay inspired and make things happen! - Rhonda Hess, Prosperous CoachRhonda Hess helps new coaches leverage their zone of genius into a profitable coaching niche and launch with confidence.For VIP step-by-step support apply  for Rhonda's VIP Coaching Business Breakthrough Program here and she'll be in touch to invite you a discovery call.Or if you're stuck on your coaching niche, grab a Nail Your Niche Strategy Session with Rhonda here.

  How do we maintain our authenticity in a workplace that often demands conformity?  In this episode, organizational psychologist Janice Gassam Asare, Ph.D., joins us to discuss the strategies for fostering psychological safety, and ethical AI in the workplace. From the weaponization of "professionalism" to the risks and opportunities of Ethical AI, Janice provides a roadmap for driving societal change while protecting your own well-being.   We dive deep into: The Conformity Trap: How "professionalism" is often used against underrepresented groups. Covert Equity: Practical advice for building effective equity strategies even when facing organizational pushback AI & Equity: A look at the risks AI poses to marginalized groups and how to advocate for responsible tech. Collective Action: Why community and patience are the secret ingredients to long-term activism.   Connect with us: Learn more about our guest, Janice Gassam Asare, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/janicegassamphd/ and instagram at janicejnice Follow our host, Samorn Selim, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/.    Books:  Career Unicorns™ 90-Day 5-Minute Gratitude Journal: An Easy & Proven Way To Cultivate Mindfulness, Beat Burnout & Find Career Joy: https://tinyurl.com/49xdxrz8. Career Unicorns™ 90-Day 5-Minute Self-Reflection Journal: An Easy & Proven Way To Find Career Clarity, Purpose & Fulfillment: https://tinyurl.com/nnu8k5rd.  Belonging: Self Love Lessons From A Workaholic Depressed Insomniac Lawyer: https://tinyurl.com/4z6erw7v  Career Coaching, Trainings & Keynotes Schedule a free consult by sending a message at www.careerunicorns.com.  

Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast Host: Vicki Noethling Today's Interview Title: It's Not About Where You Start in Your Career; It's About Where You Finish Career paths are rarely linear—and that's exactly what makes them powerful. In this episode of the Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast, host Vicki Noethling is joined by Cheryl Polk, a renowned Holistic Career Coach, Certified Professional Resume Writer, and Recruiter who has helped more than 3,000 clients align their careers with their overall wellbeing—physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, financially, and spiritually. As the owner of Excel Resumes & Career Coaching, Cheryl has supported students and professionals at every stage of life in navigating career pivots, building personal brands, preparing for interviews, and creating meaningful work/life balance. Top-rated and highly recommended on LinkedIn, Cheryl brings both strategic expertise and heart-centered insight to career development. In this conversation, Cheryl shares practical guidance, real-world strategies, and encouragement for anyone questioning their next career move—or wondering if it's too late to make a change. In this episode, we discuss: Cheryl's personal journey and what led her to holistic career coaching How to successfully pivot into a new industry mid-career What truly makes a resume stand out to today's employers Smart ways to handle tough and unexpected interview questions How job seekers can stay competitive in a challenging job market Why it's never too late to transition into a new career How high school graduates and college students can confidently choose a major Whether you're just starting out, navigating a career transition, or redefining success in your current role, this episode will remind you that your career is a journey—and you get to decide how it unfolds.