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Leadership positions in corporations are overwhelmingly held by men. Women who want to advance their careers and have equal representation at the table face enormous obstacles in today's society. They are frequently viewed through the lens of stereotypes, making it difficult for them to demonstrate their worth. In response, it's only natural that they keep their heads down and wallow in their insecurities. Don't you wish there was a guidebook for women to use as they enter the workforce? With this, they could have a much easier time navigating the complex environment.
Since there isn't anything like it out there, Jen Pestikas created a podcast called Brave Women at Work to fill the void. This show encourages women to believe in themselves and take charge of their professional lives so that they can progress to the next level.
Each episode is devoted to a different set of issues that prevent professional women from reaching their full potential and obtaining the leadership positions they seek. Burnout and imposter syndrome are two common causes of self-sabotage. Learn to break free of the victim mentality and the distractions that prevent you from speaking up, and you will have taken the first step toward removing those obstacles. Get out of your comfort zone and into the path to achieving much larger objectives. Use the information you gain from this show to help you realize your full potential, then stand firm against the unjust demands of the business world.
Listen in on discussions that teach you how to advocate for yourself and let others recognize the value you bring to the workplace. Don't let the long hours you spend at work make you feel bored or unappreciated. Find out when it's appropriate to negotiate your salary, your hours, and your position to get the most out of your job. One should not put their professional success in the hands of others. Take advantage of your unique abilities to make significant strides in your career.
For over twenty years, Jen has worked as a Certified Career and Leadership Coach in the business world, and now she's bringing that knowledge to the podcast audience. She'll show you how to succeed professionally without sacrificing your personal life or putting on a false front. Gain self-assurance and knock down roadblocks to success with the help of Jen's insightful advice.
In addition to her extensive expertise, Jen shares uplifting takeaways from her own corporate experience. Both burnout and the "imposter syndrome" have affected her. She struggled with many self-limiting beliefs and experienced her share of professional dissatisfaction. After spending many years in the predominantly male investment services industry, Jen learned what it takes to stand out as a strong, career-focused woman. She overcame adversity and is now the Senior Vice President of Business Development at a thriving financial institution. She is a shining proof of how far one can go in their careers by playing to their strengths and removing any self-doubt that may have been holding them back.
On the podcast, Jen not only discusses her own life but also features interviews with other remarkable women. Find out how they overcame the obstacles they encountered in the business world and how they turned their setbacks into opportunities. These outstanding individuals were once in your shoes, and now you can benefit from their experiences and insights as you propel your own career to new heights.
As long as men dominate the corporate world, it will be difficult for women to advance. Don't let the gender gap stop you from pursuing your professional goals. Acquire the resources you need to fully realize your potential by following Jen's guidance and the examples of her amazing guests. Luck will not make you a good leader. Instead, make people listen to what you have to say, become your own advocate, and take bolder action in everything you do.
Listen to Brave Women at Work at https://bravewomenatwork.com/.
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Who knew that I would be so excited to talk about perimenopause and menopause today? The truth is, I have been searching for the right expert to chat with about this important topic. And Georgie Kovacs, my guest today, is exactly the right person to lead us through this.Why? Well, selfishly, I am in perimenopause, and I want to understand how to deal with this. Many of my coaching clients have shared they suffer from brain fog, tiredness, and more, which I learned can be attributed to this stage of life.As Maya Angelou said, “Once we know better, we can do better.” We can do better by understanding our bodies and how this change impacts all women. We can do better by advocating for ourselves at the doctor’s office. We can do better by spreading the word to other women. So, let’s jump in!During our conversation, Georgie and I chatted about:What the symptoms of perimenopause are and how long this transitionary period can last for women.Why Georgie thinks talking about perimenopause at work is taboo and what we can do about it.How much perimenopause costs U.S. companies per year.Standing in our values in professional and personal situations.How I may have confused my burnout symptoms as part of early perimenopause. Or maybe it was a mix of both?How we can advocate for ourselves along this journey, including finding practitioners that look at various remedy sources for our symptoms.Georgie’s podcast FemPower Health, her free resources on her site, and where she’s taking FemPower Health next.
According to an article on American Progress “In a Stagnating Job Market Job Seekers are Struggling to Find Opportunities”, the current US unemployment rate is at 4.4%, which is lower than the long-term average but is at its highest amount since before COVID began almost 5 years ago. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/in-a-stagnating-job-market-job-seekers-are-struggling-to-find-opportunities/When Jackie Cetera of JNC Innovations introduced me to Melinda Stoops, I knew I had to have her on the show. Melinda has taken her own job loss and tried to help others through it with her work with the Reluctant Free Agent. With the state of job seeking today, I knew I had to take our conversation live right away. In my discussion with Melinda, we chatted about:Her personal job loss story and what prompted her launch her LinkedIn newsletter and book, The Reluctant Free Agent.Her advice with being emotionally resilient, especially when shame and waiting for an extended period for the next right job opportunity comes alone.The power of community to your job search because the process can be lonely.Resources that Melinda recommends you take advantage of, especially if you are in the middle of a search.What the biggest learning Melinda has had during the last several months of her personal search.How you can register to receive Melinda’s newsletter and grab a copy of her book.Here’s more about Melinda:Melinda Stoops PhD helps people navigate change—with clarity, compassion, and measurable results.As a licensed psychologist, executive coach, and strategic consultant, Melinda works with individuals and institutions facing transition, disruption, or reinvention. Whether you're processing personal loss, recalibrating your career, or leading organizational change, Melinda offers a space that’s both emotionally grounded and outcome-driven.Melinda’s psychotherapy practice supports adults seeking insight, healing, and growth. Her coaching and consulting work empowers leaders to transform uncertainty into strategic clarity. Across both domains, Melinda brings:Deep clinical expertise and emotional intelligence,Frameworks for decision-making and change, andA personal understanding of transition, as reflected in her book The Reluctant Free Agent. Melinda believes transformation is possible when we honor our lived experience and build toward what’s next.Before we begin, if the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!
Several years ago, one of my dear friends, Jennie, visited me for the weekend. We went shopping and decided to duck into TJ Maxx. Who doesn’t love a good TJ Maxx run?While we were in the store, we saw a coffee mug that had this saying on it, “I’m kind of a big deal.” I held it up, pointed at it, and smiled while Jennie took a picture of me. Back then, I was play acting that I was kind of a big deal.Now, years later, I know I am. It’s taken burnout and many years of healing to get here. And my guest, Dr. Shana Lewis, has gotten there herself. She mentioned the phrase “I’m major, not minor” in our podcast today, and it reminded me of that story. During our discussion, Dr. Shana and I chatted about:What prompted Dr. Shana to leave a professional therapy practice to pursue executive wellness coachingWhat the 12 dimensions of wellness areWhat #saucerlife means to Dr. ShanaAn overview of her latest book, ONE – Own, Navigate, Elevate Yourself & Everyone Around You: The Leadership Model that Eliminates Burnout and Elevates Your MissionDr. Shana’s tips to use our voices and build our personal and professional brandsIf you want to start fully embodying being major and not minor in your life and career, listen in!Here is more about Dr. Shana:Dr. Shana D. Lewis is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor turned Executive Wellness Coach. She has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education. She is the founder of SDL Enterprises Education, Training, & Consulting Services, LLC, home of the Brand Mastery Academy. She is also the founder of Her VOICE a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering survivors of domestic violence to live healthy lives thru mentorship and education. With over 20 years of experience working with women in the mental health field, Dr. Shana decided to take her clinical knowledge, coupled with her personal experience and wellness training to help high achieving professional women stop seeking balance in life and instead create harmony/integration through understanding the 12 dimensions of wellness. In addition to this work, Dr. Shana is a sought-after business coach for experts & practitioners who want to leverage their genius by building a bankable brand beyond traditional practice by increasing their impact, influence, and income to help thousands across the globe!Dr. Shana believes that wellness is an inside job as a woman cannot lead anyone else anywhere until she has first led herself through healthy self-care and prioritization of her life. To this end, Dr. Shana is a sought-after international keynote and motivational speaker, trainer, and leader in the women’s empowerment and wellness space and curator of the Self-care is the New Sexy International Retreat. She delivers powerful, high-energy keynotes to audiences across the country about a variety of issues including domestic violence, women’s issues, wellness, spiritual issues, mental health issues, self-care and transformation. As a result of her expertise in these areas Dr. Shana has been featured on several media outlets including CBS, NBC, Fox, CW, and ABC as a mental health expert on LIVE with Kelly & Ryan! While Dr. Shana has several pursuits that she is passionate about, her overall desire is to equip high achieving professional women who are overwhelmed and burnt out from the responsibilities of life, career, business, or relationships to gain clarity and focus to position herself to have it all. Dr. Shana believes that when a woman has properly cared for herself, she is aligned, and she has done her work she is then able to function from a place of abundance--a space she affectionately calls #Saucerlife!
My guest today, Bofta Yimam, is an expert in owning your voice, so I was excited to have her on as a guest on the show. During our discussion, Bofta and I chatted about:A bit about her family and Ethiopian roots and what led her to a career in the newsWhat drove her to start her entrepreneurial journeyHow we can stop playing small and own our voicesThe importance of having a LinkedIn presenceWhat mistakes Bofta often sees when her clients try to build their brands onlineWhy it is important for you to have an online presence, whether you are building a business or are in the corporate worldIf speaking up or owning your voice is something you struggle with, please listen in.Here is more about Bofta:Bofta Yimam is an Emmy® and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, international speaker, and Founder of StoryLede. As the first Ethiopian-American newscaster to receive an Emmy, she helps leaders and business owners amplify their stories and boost visibility.With more than a decade reporting for outlets like CBS News and The Black News Channel, Bofta has covered historic moments from the White House to the 2020 election. As a former Capitol Hill Correspondent, she’s known for her powerful storytelling and trusted voice on issues impacting communities of color.Today, Bofta is a sought-after speaker and corporate trainer who empowers entrepreneurs, nonprofit founders, and thought leaders to elevate their presence online, on stage, and in their industries—driving greater visibility, impact, and revenue.If the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!Don’t forgot about the freebies on bravewomenatwork.com. There are 10 Tips to Win Your Next Negotiation, 24 Career and Leadership Tips, and 5 Ways to Manage Your Imposter Syndrome.And, last but not least, I am already receiving interest in Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Abundance! This will be the sixth book in the women’s anthology series! This project will begin later this year in August 2026! If you have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at hello@bravewomenatwork.com. I am happy to share the details on the project.
To get started today, I would like to share a personal story about my daughter, Olivia. Olivia’s story relates to our theme of setbacks and using them as stepping stones.You may not know this, but Olivia was born was a hair condition that limits hair growth. Olivia is gorgeous exactly as God made her, but as she is getting older, she asked me for a hair piece so she can have longer hair. Olivia’s request scared me, and I wondered if this was too soon (she’s 7) and we needed to wait. Yet, Olivia persisted. She asked me for a hairpiece for months and months. I finally said ok and took her to get the partial wig. When she wore the hairpiece to school the first day, it was really challenging and scary. It was so scary that Olivia decided to take off the wig. This represents her setback. But this isn’t the end of the story. Olivia faced her fear and setback and did something with it. She took a few hours to gather her strength and then put the wig on herself. In front of her friends and peers. When I asked her what made her put the wig on, she said her heart told her so. I share that because that’s what we’re talking about. You can use a setback as a springboard for growth. My guest, Athena Brownson, knows all about this in her own life.During our discussion, Athena and I chatted about:How she kept going after extensive skiing injuriesHer diagnosis with Lyme DiseaseThe modalities she used to support her healingWhat resilience means to Athena and how she used her setback as a springboard for growthHer advice for women who are experiencing their own personal challenges and setbacksHere is more about Athena:Athena Brownson is a living testament to the power of resilience and reinvention. A former professional skier who endured nine kneesurgeries and two neck operations, Athena’s greatest challenge came when she was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease—a debilitating condition that left her bedridden for months. Yet, instead of letting thesesetbacks define her, Athena used them to fuel her purpose, transforming pain into strength and obstacles into opportunities.Now a thriving entrepreneur and advocate for resilience, Athena empowers audiences to navigate life’s challenges with grit, authenticity, and purpose. She teaches how to embrace change, build balance, and align your career and life with your values. Drawing from her journey, Athena inspires others to redefine success, build their "why," and cultivate the mindset needed to overcome adversity and achieve meaningful growth.If the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!Don’t forgot about the freebies on bravewomenatwork.com. There are 10 Tips to Win Your Next Negotiation, 24 Career and Leadership Tips, and 5 Ways to Manage Your Imposter Syndrome.
My guest, Ashley Tuburan, and I met at a women’s leadership conference I was speaking at last May. Ashley’s story and her spirit touched me, so I asked her to be on the podcast.I would like to warn our listeners that this podcast deals with sensitive topics such as sexual assault and mental illness, so if either of these issues trigger you or others, do what is right for you. During our discussion, Ashley and I chatted about:Her tough childhood and decision to enlist in the militaryHer experience with sexual assault while on active duty and the aftermath of that traumaAshley’s decision to get into law enforcement to protect othersHow Ashley took it a step farther by pursuing a law degreeHow Ashley deals with her mental health and mental health setbacksHere is more about Ashley:Ashley Tuburan is a U.S. Navy veteran, police officer, and trauma-informed coach dedicated to mental health advocacy and survivor-centered leadership. As a military sexual assault survivor, Ashley brings both lived experience and professional insight to her work, helping organizations and individuals better understand resilience, accountability, and healing within high-stress environments.Drawing from her background in military service, law enforcement, and coaching, Ashley speaks on topics including trauma awareness, survivor advocacy, mental wellness, and building healthier cultures in institutions traditionally shaped by toughness and silence. Her approach is grounded, compassionate, and practical—focused on empowering people to lead with empathy while maintaining strength and professionalism.Outside of her professional work, Ashley is a proud mom to an energetic 8-year-old son, a devoted animal lover (maine coon cat mom), and a self-proclaimed donut enthusiast—because balance matters. She believes healing and leadership can coexist, and that authenticity is a powerful catalyst for change.If the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!Don’t forgot about the freebies on bravewomenatwork.com. There are 10 Tips to Win Your Next Negotiation, 24 Career and Leadership Tips, and 5 Ways to Manage Your Imposter Syndrome.And, last but not least, I am already receiving interest in Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Abundance! This will be the sixth book in the women’s anthology series! This project will begin later this year in August 2026!
Welcome to final show in the Reinvention Roadmap mini-series with my friend and colleague, Jenn Smith, of Flourish Careers. I have heard such great feedback on this series from listeners. If you would like to have more series like this, please email me at hello@bravewomenatwork.com.This week, Jenn and I share practical steps you can take today to start reinventing your career. It’s one thing to talk about it in theory. It’s another to start taking bold and brave action towards making your next career chapter a reality!Here are some of the items we cover:Tiny actions to move through reinventionBuilding new habits + ritualsHow to experiment your way into clarityNetworking in an aligned, human wayCreating space for the next version of your lifeAgain, these shows are shorter than my typical normal length – 30 minutes, but they are power-packed. If you have a deep desire for career change in 2026, listen in!Here is more about Jenn:Jennifer Smith Jenn believes career success doesn’t have to be at the expense of living a radiantly happy + healthy lifestyle. Before she became a career coach and HR consultant for heart-based professionals, her roots were deeply grounded in corporate America, including 15 years in HR departments at Fortune 200 organizations. Now as a career coach and consultant, she has had the honor of supporting thousands of professionals around the world by assisting them with discovering and pursuing career intentions better aligned with their hearts and spirits while prioritizing well-being—and she believes we're all the better for it.It's time to stop applying to all those jobs that...don’t exactly get you excited anyway. Using a proven, HEART-based approach, Jenn will help you cultivate a better path, confidently pursue new opportunities, and find the place where you belong.If the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!And don’t forgot about the freebies on bravewomenatwork.com. There are 10 Tips to Win Your Next Negotiation, 24 Career and Leadership Tips, and 5 Ways to Manage Your Imposter Syndrome.Alright, let’s welcome Jenn to the show!
Welcome to part two of the Reinvention Roadmap mini-series with my friend and colleague, Jenn Smith, of Flourish Careers. If you missed the first show in the series on signs you need to either leave corporate or pursue a career transformation, you’re not too late. That show aired on January 8th, so it’s still pretty hot off the press. This week, Jenn and I talk about the importance of reviewing and redefining success in a more heart-centered way, and the power of tapping int our community for support, especially during times of change.If you like this series, the last one will air next week, January 29th and give you practical steps to reinvent your career. Again, these shows are shorter than my typical normal length – 30 minutes, but they are power-packed. If you have a deep desire for change in 2026, listen in and take notes!Here is more about Jenn:Jennifer Smith Jenn believes career success doesn’t have to be at the expense of living a radiantly happy + healthy lifestyle. Before she became a career coach and HR consultant for heart-based professionals, her roots were deeply grounded in corporate America, including 15 years in HR departments at Fortune 200 organizations. Now as a career coach and consultant, she has had the honor of supporting thousands of professionals around the world by assisting them with discovering and pursuing career intentions better aligned with their hearts and spirits while prioritizing well-being—and she believes we're all the better for it.It's time to stop applying to all those jobs that...don’t exactly get you excited anyway. Using a proven, HEART-based approach, Jenn will help you cultivate a better path, confidently pursue new opportunities, and find the place where you belong.If the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!And don’t forgot about the freebies on bravewomenatwork.com. There are 10 Tips to Win Your Next Negotiation, 24 Career and Leadership Tips, and 5 Ways to Manage Your Imposter Syndrome.
Welcome to the Reinvention Roadmap mini-series during the month of January with Brave Women at Work and Jenn Smith, my friend and colleague of Flourish Careers. This series will run on January 15th, January 22nd and January 29th.Jenn and I were chatting the Thrive in ’25 Women’s Conference last summer, and podcast ideas just started pouring out of us! I told her that I was in this weird middle ground with my work clothes, for example. She told me that this was a sign I was in the middle of a deep career reinvention and that I had to pay attention! So, I guess my desire to burn my suits on my front lawn like the old move Waiting to Exhale was telling me something?In this three-part series, Jenn and I dive into the following:Signs You Need to Leave Corporate or Make a Big Change – that’s what we cover in today’s showHow to Redefine Success & the Power of Community in TransformationAnd the final show touches on Practical Steps to Reinvent Your CareerThese shows are shorter than my typical normal length – 30 minutes, but they are power-packed. If you have a deep desire for change in 2026, listen in and take notes!Here is more about Jenn:Jennifer Smith Jenn believes career success doesn’t have to be at the expense of living a radiantly happy + healthy lifestyle. Before she became a career coach and HR consultant for heart-based professionals, her roots were deeply grounded in corporate America, including 15 years in HR departments at Fortune 200 organizations. Now as a career coach and consultant, she has had the honor of supporting thousands of professionals around the world by assisting them with discovering and pursuing career intentions better aligned with their hearts and spirits while prioritizing well-being—and she believes we're all the better for it.It's time to stop applying to all those jobs that...don’t exactly get you excited anyway. Using a proven, HEART-based approach, Jenn will help you cultivate a better path, confidently pursue new opportunities, and find the place where you belong.
Well, as we get cooking with gas in 2026, I wanted to share some exciting news! I am going to start doing more solo shows. Why? Well, because I want to. I want to share more of my first-hand experience with you. This does not mean that I will not be doing interviews. Not at all! It just means that we will have more one-on-one time together. Also, if you would like me to cover a specific topic in one of these solo shows, please email me at hello@bravewomenatwork.com. Also, if the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!Alright, let’s jump into today’s topic: standing in your quiet power.Let’s start with what quiet power is. To me, quiet power is standing in your worthiness without having to fight, prove, or convince. Let me repeat.Quiet power is standing in your worthiness without having to fight, prove, or convince.AI’s definition of quiet power is:Quiet power means having a strong, influential presence through calm, thoughtful action, deep thinking, and self-trust, rather than loudness or dominance, often seen in introverted individuals who lead with empathy, resilience, and focus, making significant impacts without needing attention. It's about inner certainty, allowing one to inspire others and navigate challenges with grounded confidence, aligning personal values with impactful, deliberate choices.I have been thinking about quiet power a lot lately, so I wanted to share more about the topic with you.Why you ask? Well, in 2025, I did not stand in quiet power. I used loud, brash power, and it was exhausting.
Happy New Year and officially welcome to 2026! Fresh start in the New Year! For my second show in the Best of Brave Women at Work Series, I was excited to re-share my show with Dr. Shawnte Elbert. Dr. Shawnte Elbert has faced her fair share of career struggles, but unlike my traditional position of overdriving when I face challenges, Shawnte introduced me to a concept that I love and have referenced since our initial conversation: inhale faith, exhale fear. In today’s Best of podcast, Shawnte gives me a beautiful masterclass in letting go of the need to control and leaning on something much greater: our faith. Here is my hope for you: I hope that you can lean into your faith to overcome any fears that you face in 2026.Before we get started, let me share more about Shawnte:Dr. Shawnté Elbert, EdD, MCHES, CWHC, is the founder and CEO of Elbert Innovative Dr. Shawnté Elbert is a nationally recognized leader in public health, health equity, and mental healthcare innovation. She is the Founder & Principal Consultant of Elbert Innovative Solutions (EIS), advising organizations on equity-driven leadership, workforce development, and systems change.Dr. Elbert is also the Regional Director and Director of Training and Development at Growth & Empowerment Mental Healthcare Services, LLC (G&E). She oversees comprehensive training for clinical and non-clinical staff and ensures that mental healthcare services are effective, culturally responsive, and equity-centered. She is also a co-founder of Sister WELLS Counseling, Coaching & Consulting, PLLC, alongside Dr. Charla Blumell and Dr. Sherrá Watkins. Sister WELLS is a collective of experienced wellness and leadership professionals dedicated to leadership development, holistic wellness, and guiding individuals toward authentic transformation. Rooted in their shared sisterhood and passion for equity-driven change, the practice brings a unique and deeply personal approach to leadership and well-being.Dr. Elbert has worked across healthcare, higher education, and community health sectors to champion policies and practices centered on justice, access, and well-being. She is a sought-after speaker and consultant known for her engaging and transformative approach to tackling complex health and equity issues.
For the last 2-3 years, I have highlighted by top 2 favorite podcasts of the year in my year-end Best of Series. This week, I am highlighting my coach, friend, and colleague Jay Fields. I would like to thank Jay for her guidance and instruction this year on inner child and parts work because it has made a huge difference in life. If you are not familiar with parts work, I am going to do a solo show on it soon, so stay tuned!If you missed this show, you want to go back and listen. I promise; it’s a good one! Even if you did listen to this one, it doesn’t hurt to listen in again because Jay has wisdom galore. During the podcast, Jay and I chatted about: What is the purpose of the nervous system and why is training it to serve us important.Why is it easier to remain in our heads vs. listen to our bodies’ signals?What does it mean to be embodied?What is Jay’s Overthinking Quiz and why should you take it?The meaning behind Jay’s popular phrase and podcast, “Hey Wait.”How we can leverage these learnings to protect our energy.Here is more about Jay:Jay Moon Fields, M.A. is a leading educator, coach and author. Nearly a million people have taken her courses featured on LinkedIn Learning, and her book Teaching People Not Poses is used by yoga teacher training programs globally. Her Hey, wait framework teaches people how to honor their emotional experiences and share them authentically, helping them to break free from the cycles of overthinking, people-pleasing, and self-doubt.For over twenty years, Jay has taught the principles and practices of embodied social and emotional intelligence to individuals and groups from Patagonia, Wieden + Kennedy, Apple, the UN, and Baker Tilly. She has been a guest on over 30 podcasts and was named one of the top 50 health and wellness bloggers making a difference in the world by Greatist.com. Jay has been a featured speaker at the GoPro Women’s Summit, The Fifteen Seconds Festival and the Omega Institute. She received her BA in Psychosocial Health and Human Movement from the College of William and Mary and her masters in Integral Transformative Education from Prescott College.If the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!
My guest today, Vera Cherepanova, shares the importance of being ethical at work and how we can leverage our values to create safer work environments.In my discussion with Vera, we chatted about:Why ethics is so important to Vera, and how she got into her line of work.The definition of ethical leadership.How ethics and compliance support the growth of an organization.How we can hold true to our values as working women when working in male-dominated industries.How we can advance from leadership to a seat on a company’s board.And more. Here’s more about Vera:Vera is the Executive Director of a non-profit, Boards of the Future™, a Chartered Accountant, and an award-winning Ethics and Compliance expert who writes and speaks about business ethics, governance, risk, and workplace culture.She is the author of Corporate Compliance Program, the first-ever book on compliance in the Russian language, and a co-author of The Transnationalization of Anti-Corruption Law, as well as hundreds of articles on all aspects of ethics, risk, compliance, and governance. Her insights have been featured in the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Law360, CityAM, and Thomson Reuters. Vera serves as a corporate director and ethics advisor for market-leading corporations and international not-for-profits. Before we begin, if the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!
Today’s show deals with the loss of a spouse, which we all know is a serious and devastating loss for so many women. In fact, here are some statistics on being a widow in the United States:For women under 50, being widowed occurs less than 12% and under 40, it’s less than 5%.Even though it seems rare, this adds up to 73,000 new U.S. widows each year between the ages of 35-54 years old.The average age for widowhood in the U.S. is around 59, but like I just said, many women are widowed much younger, during their working years. And PS, if we take age out of the mix, 2,800 women are widowed each day, or over 1 million per year. That’s staggering.This topic hits particularly close to home for me because my mom was in that statistic. She was 43 years old when my dad died from kidney cancer that move to the bone at 48. 48. I wanted Sandy to share her story because it is an important one. Also, Sandy pays it forward with tips for other women facing a similar situation and the aftermath of challenges from being a widow.In my discussion with Sandy, we chatted about:Her late husband, Scott’s, story.How Sandy handled life and work after Scott’s passing.The challenges widows face. What Sandy’s life and work look like today. Resources that Sandy recommends widows leverage to make the season more bearable.Some of the tips and resources that Sandy provides during our conversation are unexpected, so listen in!Here’s more about Sandy:Sandy Ramage-Kallal has over 15 years of experience in the credit union industry and currently serves as Director of Member Experience at the Illinois Credit Union League, supporting nearly 200 credit unions. Her background includes roles in training and development, community relations, and project management, as well as experience in education and nonprofit leadership. Sandy has served on the League’s Young Professional Advisory Committee, chaired the Burnett Chapter of Credit Unions, and presented at national conferences. She holds a master’s in social Geography and a bachelor’s in history from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Outside of work, Sandy enjoys traveling with her husband and daughter.
Are you were coming up in your career, what were you taught about rest? Here are a few oldies but goodies I was taught:You can rest when you die.No pain, no gain.Sleep is for the weak.Face time means you are committed. Don’t take a break.Do any of these toxic messages resonate with you? Unfortunately, so many women I chat with understand exactly where I am coming from. I am so happy to hear people like my guest today, Dr. Erin Wilson, sharing a new, healthier way to work.In my discussion with Dr. Erin today, we chatted about:Why boldness starts with clarity before bravery.The story behind Dr. Erin’s book, Strategic Rest in Leadership: The Nap Framework.Why rest is a competitive advantage for a leader.How we can incorporate rest into our corporate cultures.What relationship intelligence is and how it plays into the larger work that Dr. Erin does with her clients.Here’s more about Dr. Erin:Dr. Erin Wilson is a dynamic workshop facilitator, speaker, leadership consultant, and co-author of Strategic Rest in Leadership. With a doctorate in Organizational Leadership and over a decade of experience in leadership, adult learning and human development, Dr. Wilson empowers professionals, teams, and students to achieve meaningful growth through strengths-based development, strategic rest, and collaborative leadership strategies.Her innovative approach, including the NAP Framework (Nurture, Assess, Prioritize), helps leaders and teams foster well-being, build resilience, and drive success. Known for her engaging and results-driven workshops, Dr. Wilson brings clarity and actionable solutions to organizations and individuals alike. Whether working with college students to build confidence and purpose or partnering with teams to enhance collaboration, Dr. Wilson’s mission is to create lasting impact through thoughtful, empowering solutions.Before we begin, if the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!Also, a Brave Women at Work Affirmation Deck is available in time for the holidays! It is a 54-card deck that is a beautiful compilation of advice and hard-won wisdom from podcast guests, Brave Women at Work Podcast guests, authors in the anthology series, and community members! You can grab a copy of the deck for $19.99 plus $10 shipping. To purchase your deck, visit Brave Women at Work and click on Resources. From there, you will see the Affirmation Cards page. I hope you enjoy them!
Today, I had the privilege of having Tracey Newell on as a guest. We chatted about more women making their way to the top, no matter what the level means to you. Listen in to be inspired and challenged to reach your next level.Here’s more about Tracey:Tracey Newell is the former president of Informatica, where she also served as a member of the company’s board of directors for two years prior to being asked to join the management team. Prior to joining Informatica, Newell served as executive vice president of global field operations at Proofpoint, where she led sales through a five-year period of hypergrowth. Recognized as a Top 100 Sales Leader by The Modern Sale, Newell led Proofpoint’s go-to-market team to become a top five leader in the cybersecurity market. Newell has also served as executive vice president of global sales at Polycom and held sales leadership positions at Juniper Networks, Webex, and Cisco Systems.Newell currently serves in the non-profit organization Impact 100, and is also a member of the board of advisors for the University of California, Santa Barbara’s economics department. In addition to Druva, Newell serves on the board of directors of DataRobot, Highspot, Sailpoint, and Sumo Logic. Before we begin, if the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!Also, a Brave Women at Work Affirmation Deck is available in time for the holidays! It is a 54-card deck that is a beautiful compilation of advice and hard-won wisdom from podcast guests, Brave Women at Work Podcast guests, authors in the anthology series, and community members! You can grab a copy of the deck for $19.99 plus $10 shipping. To purchase your deck, visit Brave Women at Work and click on Resources. From there, you will see the Affirmation Cards page. I hope you enjoy them!
Today, I have a great guest, Arivee Vargas. Arivee and I had a fun and flowing conversation about rising up and getting unstuck from situations that no longer serve you. I loved this conversation, and I am sure you will too!Here is more about Arivee:Arivee Vargas is an award-winning executive & High Performance™️ coach to lawyers and corporate leaders, author of the bestselling book Your Time to Rise: Unlearn Limiting Beliefs, Unlock Your Power and Unleash Your Truest Self, leadership development strategist, keynote speaker, and host of the Humble Rising podcast.With nearly 20 years of experience—from Big Law attorney to corporate executive—leading global litigation and corporate compliance initiatives to leading global employee relations and leadership development at a fast-paced biotech, Arivee knows firsthand what it takes to excel & lead in high-pressure environments. Trusted by top companies and 100 Am law firms, Arivee delivers coaching, keynotes and workshops to help organizations develop—and lawyers & leaders to become—bold, grounded, values-driven leaders, who lead with clarity, purpose, and seek to drive meaningful, lasting impact. Whether she’s coaching or advising executives, delivering workshops, or speaking on stage, Arivee is driven by one mission: to empower and equip leaders and lawyers with the tools to create transformational change from the inside out—and build a culture of sustainable high performance where work feels fulfilling and rewarding, even in the face of challenge and immense pressure.Arivee’s work has been featured in Oprah Daily, Forbes, Success Magazine, and Boston Business Journal. She graduated magna cum laude from Boston College, cum laude from Boston College Law School, and received an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Boston College in 2022. In addition to her career at two large law firms and as a corporate executive, Arivee taught Business Law at the Boston College Carroll School of Management and served as a judicial law clerk at the Federal District Court in Massachusetts and on the First Circuit. She is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including most recently being honored with the Latina Trailblazer Award from the National Hispanic Bar Association Region II in 2025. She is a proud Latina, daughter of Dominican immigrant parents and mother of three children.
As you will find out during today’s show, I have one of the authors I have worked with, Magon Peuker, on the show today! Magon and I began working on marketing her book earlier this year, maybe April or May 2025. When I first met Magon, I was so excited to work with her because this was the first book my partner, Hope Mueller, of Hunter Street Press and I were publishing!Also, the book, Raelynn’s Flower Garden, is so beautiful. I must give a shoutout to Olivia Deckard, the illustrator on this book. It’s just lovely! The book’s message is also appropriate for children and adults alike. It boils down to this: be kind and respectful to others because you never know what someone else is facing. So, if they look different than you or have a different life experience, show them care and love. Again, be kind to those you encounter in this world.
Have you ever been betrayed? You’re probably thinking, “Of course I have, Jen.” That can be betrayal in a professional relationship with a boss or colleague or as devastating as marriage infidelity. But have you thought of burnout as a form of self-betrayal? When I saw Lora Cheadle, my guest today, refer to burnout that way, I was like “Ouch. That is some tough love right there.” I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about Lora’s perspective on betrayal.During the show, Lora and I chatted about:Her personal betrayal storyWhat Lora thinks of burnout as a form of self-betrayalKey tips on how you can rise above betrayal and thrive personally and professionallyHer Flaunt FrameworkWe touch on Lora’s books, FLAUNT! Drop Your Cover and Reveal Your Smart, Sexy, & Spiritual Self, and It’s Not Burnout, It’s Betrayal, 5 Tools to FUEL UP & Thrive. Here is more about Lora:Lora Cheadle, JD, CHt, is a betrayal recovery coach, licensed attorney (CO & CA), somatic attachment therapist, clinical hypnotherapist, and international speaker who guides women through the soul-shattering impact of infidelity into a life reclaimed. As the creator of Life Choreography® and the FLAUNT!® Framework, she offers the complete path of healing—legal, emotional, somatic, and spiritual—so women rise whole, sovereign, and free.Author of FLAUNT! Drop Your Cover and Reveal Your Smart, Sexy, & Spiritual Self, (an International Book Awards finalist and Tattered Cover bestseller) and It’s Not Burnout, It’s Betrayal, 5 Tools to FUEL UP & Thrive, Lora blends the precision of a lawyer, the compassion of a trauma-aware coach, the depth of somatic and spiritual practice, and the channeled wisdom of The Librarians with the lived experience of surviving infidelity herself.
I am excited for today’s guest, another repeat Brave Women at Work guest from a year or so ago, Gina Riley! I look up to Gina as a coach because she is successful in the industry, has built a solid and understandable framework, and is has now launched a book, Qualified is Not Enough: Develop Your Story, Land the Interview, Win the Job. During the show, Gina and I chatted about:What prompted her to write the book and get it out in the world.What Gina’s Career Velocity System is and how it works.What a career story is and why it’s important.How a career story is different than an elevator pitch. How do we develop our own unique career story and leverage it in our career. What the YouMap Assessment is and why you should consider taking it for yourself.Here is more about Gina:Gina has spent her career on both sides of the hiring process, giving Gina a unique perspective on what it takes to secure competitive leadership roles. As an executive search consultant, Gina has led searches, trained corporate teams on effective talent selection, and witnessed firsthand what makes candidates stand out—or miss the mark.Today, Gina guides leaders through career transitions with clarity and confidence using her proven Career Velocity™ framework—an actionable roadmap that helps her clients refine their story, market themselves strategically, and land the roles they are after.With a master’s degree in Whole Systems Design and certifications in Behavioral Interviewing, YouMap®, and Speaker Skills Academy coaching, Gina combines deep expertise with a practical approach to career strategy. Her insights have been featured in the Forbes Coaches Council, on 50+ podcasts and webinars, and in Gina’s book, Qualified Isn’t Enough: Develop Your Story. Land the Interview. Win the Job.Gina’s mission is simple: to demystify the hiring process and empower executives to own their value, take control of their careers, and create new opportunities instead of waiting for them.If the Brave Women at Work Podcast has helped you personally or professionally, please share it with a friend, colleague, or family member. And your ratings and reviews help the show continue to gain traction and grow. Thank you again!Also, I have an awesome announcement! I have been working an awesome project with Jackie Cetera of JNC Innovations and Jennifer Johnson. Ready…. drumroll please! A Brave Women at Work Affirmation Deck! It is a 54-card deck that is a beautiful compilation of advice and hard-won wisdom from podcast guests, Brave Women at Work Podcast guests, authors in the anthology series, and community members! You can grab a copy of the deck for $19.99 plus $10 shipping. To purchase your deck, visit Brave Women at Work and click on Resources. From there, you will see the Affirmation Cards page. I hope you enjoy them!
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