The Upgraded CEO Podcast

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it really costs to upgrade into the next version of your CEO self. Whether you're leading a business, a team, or just ready to stop playing small in your life—there's a price for growth. I break down: 👉 The three things you’ll absolutely have to let go of to grow 👉 Why your old beliefs about money, time, and relationships won't work at the next level 👉 The habits and processes that need to shift if you want more freedom 👉 What to do when not everyone claps for your glow-up 👉 And how to protect your health, peace, and closest relationships as you scale Let this episode be your permission slip to grieve what’s no longer serving you—and rise into your role as the Upgraded CEO you were born to be. 💥 Join the FREE community — The Upgraded CEO Circle — for weekly mindset shifts, leadership strategies, and behind-the-scenes CEO insights: 👉 https://rebrand.ly/pceocirclecommunity ✅ If this episode hit home, don’t forget to: – Subscribe to the podcast – Leave a review – Share it with another ambitious woman ready to rise And follow me on Instagram @nicolecasecoaching and LinkedIn for more CEO mindset + team-building tips

If you’re feeling stretched thin and constantly reacting to your calendar, this episode is your reset button. Inside this episode of The Upgraded CEO Podcast, I’m sharing the four essential time blocks that every entrepreneur and corporate leader needs to protect their energy, think strategically, and actually lead. Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ Why Deep Work Time is non-negotiable for visionary leadership ✅ How Buffer Time keeps you from spiraling into chaos when life inevitably happens ✅ What Connection Time really looks like (it’s more than just meetings) ✅ How to use Learning Time without it becoming a procrastination trap Whether you're running your business or leading a team inside a company, these four time blocks will help you reclaim your calendar and your confidence. 💬 After you listen, DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn and tell me: Which of these time blocks will make the biggest difference for you? 👇 JOIN THE FREE COMMUNITY 👇 👑 The Upgraded CEO Circle - https://rebrand.ly/pceocirclecommunity Get weekly journal prompts, monthly CEO Power Moves, and real conversations that help you lead like the upgraded CEO you are. 🎧 Let’s dive in. Your calendar’s about to get a powerful upgrade.

Feeling like you're always busy but never actually getting anything done? 😩 In this episode of The Upgraded CEO Podcast, I’m walking you through a simple but game-changing exercise: the CEO Time Audit. This is not just about tracking your time—it’s about reclaiming your calendar, your energy, and your leadership focus. If you’re constantly stuck in the weeds doing work your team should be doing, this is your wake-up call. 🎯 Learn how to: Audit your week (without judgment) Sort your tasks into CEO, Manager, and Operator buckets Spot time + energy leaks Delete, delegate, or automate low-impact work Start empowering your team to take ownership ⚡ Bonus: I’ll show you how to stop being the default attendee in every meeting and take back control of your schedule—starting this week. Whether you run your own business or lead a team inside a company, if you want to spend more time in your zone of genius and less time chasing status updates, this episode is a must. 👑 Loved this power move? You’ll get one every month inside The Upgraded CEO Circle—my free private community. Join us here → https://rebrand.ly/pceocirclecommunity. Find me on Instagram @nicolecasecoaching and on LinkedIn!

Welcome back to The Upgraded CEO Podcast! 🎉 We're kicking off Season 2 with a fresh name, a clarified vision, and a bold new energy. In this episode, I'm walking you through what it really means to be an Upgraded CEO—and no, it’s not just about the title. Whether you're leading a team in corporate or scaling your own empire, the pressure to do it all is real... but it’s not sustainable. Let’s talk about: Why I rebranded the podcast and what’s changing (and staying the same) The 5 key traits of an Upgraded CEO What being a strategic, empowered leader actually looks like in real life How to stop being the bottleneck in your business or career What happens when you finally stop avoiding hard conversations This one’s a rallying cry to lead with more clarity, power, and ease—without running yourself into the ground. ✨ Join the Free Community: The Upgraded CEO Circle https://rebrand.ly/pceocirclecommunity Connect with me on Instagram @nicolecasecoaching or on LinkedIn. 📩 Loved this episode? Share it with a friend or DM me and tell me: what would shift in your world if you fully stepped into your Upgraded CEO identity?

Have you evaluated your goals lately? Sometimes it's not about whether you meet your goal, it's about knowing when it's time to change course or quit the goal altogether.This week on the podcast, I'm sharing:-How to assess your goals progress-Signs it's time to quit the goal-Alternatives to quitting the goalFull show notes and transcript can be found here.Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

Feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and underutilized? Maybe all that work you are doing isn't meant for you? Effective delegation is really hard for ambitious and driven people to get the hang of.  But not empowering your team to meet their potential is also keeping you stuck in the weeds and without that promotion you deserve. In this episode, I share the top reasons leaders struggle with delegation and what message it sends to their boss.Full show notes and transcription can be found here. Support the show Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

Professionalism is an illusion we’ve been sold. If we’re honest, the concept of professionalism often masks the realities of workplace dynamics, leading us into a deceptive cycle.The world is changing though and holding onto antiquated norms might impede organizational advancement (or existence).Join me this week for a conversation with the incredible Anessa Fink! Here's a what we’re covering:• Rethinking Professionalism: Addressing how traditional norms perpetuate bias and inequality in the workplace.• The Future of Work: Advocating for inclusivity and equity• Organizational Adaptation: Strategies for navigating generational shifts and fostering a dynamic workplace culture.• Fractional Work: Exploring this innovative approach and its distinctions from traditional consulting and freelancing.Get Anessa's latest book, "The Revolution of Work: F*ck the Patriarchy and the Workplace it Built"!Full show notes and transcript can be found here. Support the show Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

No one likes to fail. It feels uncomfortable and can be embarrassing. But failure also puts us in positions to grow. When we embrace failure, it allows us to build confidence.  This week, fitness trainer Lindsay Arias and I delve into the incredible power of failure and how it fuels confidence, both within and beyond the gym.In this episode, we are discussing: Building confidence through fitness Recognizing the difference between fatigue and failure Creating a nurturing support networkUnlocking leadership through vulnerabilityFull show notes and transcript at theupgradedleader.comSupport the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

In a world of corporate layoffs and quiet quitting, where we are more disconnected and disengaged at work than ever before, how do we increase productivity, retention, and employee satisfaction? We create cultures of belonging. Full show notes and transcript can be found here.In this episode, we talk with Wendy Gates Corbett about:What does belonging mean?Why it’s so important to our workplace and communityWho is responsible for building a culture of belongingHow everyone can do small things every day to create a culture of belongingGet the book - The Energy Of Belonging: 75 Ideas To Spark Workplace CommunityLearn more about Wendy and her work.Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

Setting clear goals and specific actions is important. But most people forget a critical step in goal setting that will ensure you will be happy and satisfied with achieving your goals. In this episode, I share how setting intentions on how you want to feel and the pace you want to make progress on your goals for sustainable success in the new year.Full transcript and show notes can be found here.Click here to see all my other goal-setting episodes in one place plus download the Upgraded Goal Setting Workbook.Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

How was your last year? How are you feeling about moving into this new year?In this episode, I share two journal exercises. One to close out last year - especially if it was a tough one. And one to move forward into the new year with hope and optimism.Full transcript and show notes here.Click here to see all my other goal-setting episodes in one place plus download the Upgraded Goal Setting Workbook.Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

This time of year can feel overwhelming and chaotic. Things may have pilled up over the last few months or you've been meaning to organize that desk drawer.But there is something nice about a fresh start on January 1st.I'm sharing the 5 things to review to reset and refresh before the new year.These are great things to do even if you aren't quite ready to set new goals. Support the show Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

“We are all running our own races. Keep your eyes on your own track.”That’s great advice - and something I often remind my clients of.But trust me, I can struggle with career envy and comparison at times. This fall, I attended a lot of events and was surrounded by some amazing professionals who are totally crushing it. But instead of being inspired, I found myself upset that I wasn’t where I wanted to be.I was deep in a pity party shit spiral - not a cute look on me. Luckily I was able to recognize it and get out of that spiral rather than continuing to sulk and feel bad. (thank you therapy, coaching, my husband, and rest!)This week on the podcast, I’m sharing:✨My experience with career envy and comparison✨What career envy and comparison are trying to tell us✨Specific questions to ask yourself to pull out of the pity party shit spiralSupport the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

You can be grateful for your job and still want more. Two things can be true at the same time. In this week’s episode, I share:-Finding gratitude in your job even when it feels hard-Discovering the purpose of your job in this season-Considering an external opportunity does not mean you are disloyal-How to decide if it is time to move onFull transcript and show notes can be found here.Email Nicole at nicole@theupgradedleader.com if you want to talk more about coaching!Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

Do you struggle with your personal and professional identity?‌➡️One person at work➡️Another outside of work‌When what you really want is to show up just as a complete person, right?!‌This week on the podcast I invited my friend Mel McSherry to join me and discuss identities:‌✨What identity is✨Outside of work✨Incorporating it inside of work✨Finding Balance✨Feeling a sense of completeness‌As well as how as a leader you can support your team in their individual identity.‌Full show notes and transcript here.Follow Mel on Instagram!Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

We are all under pressure to deliver more with less. At the same time, we are already overworked, overwhelmed, and exhausted.And the last thing we need is another meeting on our calendar. But if done well, this meeting can actually replace other meetings or emails or Slack threads that are not as effective. Plus, your can increase the engagement and productivity of your team. In this episode, I share:What employees need from their leaders to be effective in their rolesHow regular 1:1's with your employees increase engagement and productivity Mistakes leaders and employees make with 1:1s and why most of them suckTips to make 1:1's valuable for everyone including with your own bossWant more info on this! I made you a template on how to structure your 1x1's with your employees or your own boss and helpful questions to cover to make these meetings valuable. Download the 1:1 Meeting Template here.Full episode show notes and transcript here.Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

With RTO mandates becoming more common, you might find yourself wondering what to wear to the office. Are we still doing business casual? What does that even mean?Whether we like it or not, we are judged (consciously or unconsciously) first based on what we look like before we are judged by what we say or do. If that is the reality, then let's optimize what we wear to work! On today's episode, Executive Presence Consultant and Organizational Psychologist, Joanna Lovering, gives us the break down:Why what you wear to work mattersHow our clothes impact our moodFormula to pull together any outfit How to dress for the office vs. zoomFull transcript and show notes can be found at https://www.theupgradedleader.com/podcast/38Sign up for Joanna's weekly newsletter here!Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

We know that building our networks is important in our careers but we often resist the next step which is to actually leverage them. In this week’s episode, we are talking about why we resist asking for help or a favor from our network and what leveraging our internal and external networks can do for our careers.Full show notes and transcript can be found at https://www.theupgradedleader.com/podcast/37Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

Your boss asks you if you have the capacity to take on another project. You say yes but realize later you’ve taken on too much. When we are planning out our work we often forget about the invisible tasks and mental load that also take up time - leaving us feeling overwhelmed and like failures.In this episode, time management strategies, Kelly Nolan, and I talk about:How to determine your actual capacity instead of what you think it should beWhy mental load is adding to your overwhelmHow to account for invisible tasksWhy your calendar is the best place for your to-do listFull show notes and transcript can be found at https://www.theupgradedleader.com/podcast/36Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com

What you do is special. In your own special way. This is what sets you apart from everyone else. It’s why you get promotions, get the new job, and have all the clients wanting to work with you. But how do you know what your secret sauce is? It can be hard to figure this out because it’s so often something that we see as basic or obvious - but it’s not to everyone else!In this episode, I share:-How important it is to figure out what your secret sauce is-5 ways for you to discover what sets you apart-What to do once you recognize what your secret sauce is-Your role in this as an Upgraded Leader for your teamWhat is your secret sauce? Email me at nicole@theupgradedleader.com and let me know!Full show notes and transcript at https://www.theupgradedleader.com/podcast/35Support the showSign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaksmusic by audionautix.com