Her Career Unplugged | Career Advice for Women, Leadership & Real Stories

Dr. Gabrielle Pelicci spent 25 years in wellness, hospitality, and higher ed before becoming a TEDx speaker, 3x author, and book coach. She's here to demystify what every woman in tech (and beyond) is avoiding: telling your real story. In this conversation, Gabby walks us through why a book isn't about perfect prose. It's about visibility, voice, and courage. We talk about the 90-day sprint, why AI is a tool not a threat, how to use voice memos when English isn't your first language, and the concrete playbook that turns a manuscript into TED Talks and paid keynotes. Plus: Joanne realizes her next career move in real time. No fluff. Just honest talk about getting your ideas out of your head and into the world.

What happens when you do everything right and the career you built still stops feeling like yours?Joanne and Vimala talk with career coach Erica Rivera, who spent years reading resumes inside Indeed and Google until a November 2023 layoff email changed everything. Erica explains why women so often treat a layoff as a personal failure, and shares the "career story walkthrough" she uses to separate what actually happened from the story you're telling yourself.In this episode:• The moment the playbook broke, and handing the layoff email to her husband to read• Why "I'm the problem" is the wrong story• Taking inventory of your skills in a job market reshaped by AI• How rejection pushed Erica to go all in on coaching and move her family abroad• A laid-off tech professional whose hand-drawn vegetable cards are now sold in eight Colorado stores• Fear of rejection, and the interviews Joanne and Vimala once skipped• Getting comfortable being seen on LinkedIn, at your own pace• Rapid fire: the worst career advice, "burn down the lane," and the resume myths that need to dieA layoff is an event, not an identity.Connect with Erica: https://ericariveracoaching.com | https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-rivera-recruiter/Show notes: https://hercareerunplugged.com/episodes/ep-014Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hercareerunpluggedInstagram: @hercareerunpluggedEnjoying the show? Follow and leave a rating. It helps more women find us.

Success shouldn't cost you your health. Dr. Judy Wright, physician, TEDx speaker, and sustainable success strategist, joins Joanne and Vimala to unpack her P.A.C.E. method: Pause, Audit, Calibrate, Elevate. After burning out multiple times and facing a cancer diagnosis, Dr. Judy stopped asking "why is this job so hard" and started asking "how did I get here again." This episode digs into self-leadership vs. self-care, why saying no more makes your yeses count, and how high-achieving women can build success that's actually built to last. Rapid-fire round included. Stay Unplugged.

Ever feel like your work should speak for itself, but somehow no one's listening? Bry Bird used to feel invisible in her industry too, until she stopped trying to blend in and started treating her personal brand like the business it actually is. Now she's an award-winning creative strategist based in Essex, England, with press features and a client roster to match; and she did it in a matter of months, not years.If you've ever wondered whether visibility is worth the effort, or you've been quietly building without seeing results, this episode is your playbook.In this episode, we cover:Why Bry stopped hiding her neurodivergence and how it became her competitive advantageThe three-part ecosystem (brand, website, social) that judges and clients actually noticeWhat award judges are really evaluating when they choose who to invest inHow to tell if your content is working even when engagement looks quietWhy rest and mental health days are a business investment, not a luxuryConnect with Bry: hithisisbry.com | @hithisisbry on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and SubstackFollow Her Career Unplugged on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. New conversations drop every two weeks.

Lynne Ghelfi built a career in one of the most male-dominated industries out there, the automotive world, going from stay-at-home mom to top-three car salesperson to marketing director in under two years. Now a John Maxwell certified coach, she's writing "No Talent Required: The Twelve Leadership Practices That Drive Culture, Trust, and Productivity."In this episode, Lynne breaks down why leadership isn't a title, it's a mindset. We talk personality styles (the Maxwell DISC method), the "face the mirror" practice for resetting your attitude, and the story about her mom that taught her real courage in leadership. Plus: her biggest career risk, her leadership superpower, and the one sentence she'd put on a billboard for every woman in automotive.If you've ever doubted whether you're "leader material," this one's for you.