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Failure is something so many of us try to avoid, hide, or push past quickly—but what if it’s actually the thing that shapes us the most?
In this episode of the Career Gems for the Journey podcast, Leah C. Murphy CEO of Career Gems for the Journey, sits down with Priscilla Loomis, Olympic athlete, entrepreneur, and speaker, to talk about resilience, perseverance, and what it really looks like to fail forward.
Priscilla shares her journey of chasing Olympic dreams, facing setbacks, and continuing to show up even when the outcome wasn’t guaranteed. This conversation is a powerful reminder that success is not a straight path and that growth often comes from the moments that challenge us the most.
Together, they explore how to reframe failure, build confidence through adversity, and keep moving forward with purpose even when things don’t go as planned.
💎 Gems from This Episode
💎 What it really means to “fail forward” in your career and life
💎 How to stay committed to your goals when the path gets hard
💎 The mindset shifts needed to move through setbacks with confidence
💎 Why resilience is one of the most important skills you can build
💎 How to redefine success on your own terms
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
About Our Guest
Priscilla Loomis is an Olympian, entrepreneur, media host, and advocate known for blending elite performance with purpose-driven leadership. A 3x Hall of Fame inductee and nationally recognized athlete, she leverages her platform to empower women, support students and families, and amplify untold stories in sports and beyond. Whether on air, on stage, or in the community, Priscilla leads with excellence, impact, and unapologetic confidence.
🎥 Be sure to check out Respect The Audacity—her bold digital streaming series highlighting powerful stories of women who are setting the standard and shifting the culture. Available on Apple TV, Fire TV, Xbox, and Roku
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priscilla_frederick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skylar.e.lee.214/
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/priscilla-loomis-oly
Website: https://priscillaloomis.com/
AI is everywhere right now. From workplace conversations to company strategy meetings, it seems like everyone is talking about artificial intelligence. But what does it actually mean for your career?
In this episode of the Career Gems for the Journey podcast, Leah C. Murphy sits down with Farron Rucker, CTO and co-founder of Syntax Data, to break down the reality of AI in a way that is clear, practical, and approachable.
Together, they explore how artificial intelligence really works, why so many people feel anxious about falling behind, and what professionals can do to stay curious instead of overwhelmed. Farron explains the difference between data analytics and AI, shares real examples of how AI already shows up in everyday tools, and offers guidance on how individuals and organizations can begin using these technologies thoughtfully and responsibly.
This conversation moves beyond the hype to focus on what truly matters: understanding the role of human decision-making, recognizing the ethical considerations surrounding AI, and learning how to use these tools as a resource rather than something to fear.
In this episode:
💎 What artificial intelligence actually is and how it differs from data analytics
💎 Why AI has been around for decades and why it feels new right now
💎 The biggest misconceptions people have about AI in the workplace
💎 How professionals can start experimenting with AI without putting sensitive data at risk
💎 Why curiosity and critical thinking are still essential in an AI-driven world
💎 The ethical considerations and bias challenges that exist within AI systems
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
About Our Guest
Farron Rucker is the CTO and Co‑Founder of Syntex [data], an AI enablement company focused on accelerating insights, reducing costs, and driving innovation for healthcare and life sciences organizations. He is a seasoned data engineer and technology leader with more than a decade of experience delivering AI and data solutions across healthcare, life sciences, the Department of Defense, and large enterprises, and is a past recipient of the Black Engineer of the Year Award.
Perimenopause is not the only topic we avoid talking about at work. Mental health in the workplace is another conversation that many organizations still struggle to address openly.
In this episode of the Career Gems for the Journey podcast, Leah C. Murphy sits down with Tonya Ladipo, licensed clinical social worker and workplace mental health expert, to talk about what it really takes to create psychologically safe workplaces where people can thrive.
This conversation offers practical insight for leaders, teams, and professionals who want to build workplaces where people feel supported, respected, and empowered to bring their full selves to work.
In this episode:
💎 What psychological safety actually means in the workplace
💎 How negative thinking patterns can unintentionally harm team dynamics
💎 The role leaders play in shaping emotionally healthy work environments
💎 Why accountability and communication are critical for workplace wellbeing
💎 How organizations can begin building cultures that support both performance and mental health
Tonya is also a returning speaker at the 2nd Annual Career and Care Summit, where she will share deeper insights on building mentally healthy workplaces and supporting employee wellbeing.
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
🎟️ Secure your spot at the 2nd Annual Career & Care Summit!✨ Buy Your Ticket Today!!
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
About Our Guest
Tonya Ladipo is the Founder and CEO of The Ladipo Group, a leadership development and organizational consulting firm that helps leaders navigate hard conversations and change with courage, kindness, and clarity. With more than 25 years of experience, she is a nationally sought-after speaker specializing in emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and workplace wellness, known for making complex topics practical and actionable. Her work has been featured in major national outlets, trusted by organizations like Google and the University of Pennsylvania, and recognized with honors including being a two-time Titan 100 awardee.
What happens when high-performing women wake up and realize that doing everything “right” still doesn’t guarantee the outcome they hoped for?
In this special Career & Care Summit preview episode, Leah C. Murphy sits down with leadership strategist, equity advocate, and bestselling author Tara Jaye Frank for an unfiltered conversation about ambition, exhaustion, identity, and what it really means to lead without losing yourself.
Together, they explore the tension so many mid-career women feel, especially those navigating caregiving, leadership, and personal reinvention all at once. Tara shares the heart behind her newest book, You Are Before the World, and why redefining success is not a luxury but a necessity in today’s climate.
In this conversation, you’ll hear about:
💎 Why hustle culture and “twice as good” conditioning can quietly undo us
💎 The emotional weight of always being the fixer
💎 Why reflection, not just experience, fuels growth
💎 The power of rewriting your narrative in real time
💎 What it means to choose yourself without abandoning your calling
Tara opens up about writing You Are Before the World in the wake of the 2024 election, and how the book serves as both a reckoning and a roadmap for high-achieving women who are tired of pouring from an empty cup.
This conversation is especially meaningful because Tara Jaye Frank will be joining us live as a featured speaker at the upcoming Career & Care Summit. If this episode resonated with you, imagine what it will be like to experience this dialogue in person.
📚 You Are Before the World is available wherever books are sold. And for those attending the Career & Care Summit, a copy of Tara’s book will be included with your registration, thanks to our generous sponsors.
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
🎟️ Secure your spot at the 2nd Annual Career & Care Summit!✨ Buy Your Ticket Today!!
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
About Our Guest
Tara Jaye Frank is a leadership strategist, equity advocate, and founder and CEO of The Waymakers Change Group, where she advises Fortune 500 companies and senior leaders on human-centered leadership, equity, and belonging. A former executive and Hallmark greeting card writer, she has held senior roles across creative, multicultural strategy, and business innovation, and spent a decade as creative partner to Dr. Maya Angelou. Tara is the award-winning author of The Waymakers, a 2025 LinkedIn Top Voice, and brings soulful clarity to leaders ready to create lasting change without losing themselves.
Why is perimenopause still so taboo? Too many women are navigating this major life shift in silence, without the knowledge or support they deserve.
In this episode, Leah C. Murphy gets real about a topic rarely discussed out loud. She shares what she's learned through her own experience and research, pulling back the curtain on the physical, emotional, and professional challenges that often go unspoken.
With vulnerability and strength, Leah unpacks how perimenopause can impact everything from your mindset to your career, and why it's critical to create space for these conversations—especially in communities where health topics are often kept quiet. This episode is for anyone who has felt dismissed, unprepared, or unsupported in their journey. You’re not alone, and you deserve clarity and care.
This is exactly the kind of honest, powerful dialogue we’ll be diving into at the 2nd Annual Career and Care Summit. If this conversation resonates with you, make sure you’ve got your tickets—we’re creating space for real stories, real solutions, and real support. You don’t want to miss it.
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
🎟️ Secure your spot at the 2nd Annual Career & Care Summit!✨ Buy Your Ticket Today!!
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
In this episode of the Career Gems for the Journey podcast, Leah C. Murphy sits down with Loni Booker-White, co-founder and executive creative director of Sauce, for a powerful conversation about creativity, leadership, entrepreneurship, and legacy.
Loni shares her non-linear career journey, from studying English and public relations to building a thriving creative career across advertising, retail, and media. Together, Leah and Loni explore what it really means to lead with integrity, navigate layoffs without losing your sense of self, and build work that aligns with both purpose and impact.
This conversation offers a meaningful preview of what attendees can expect at the 2nd annual Career & Care Summit where Loni Booker-White will take the stage as a speaker, sharing her insights on creativity, leadership, and legacy.
In this episode, they discuss:
💎 Why creativity belongs in corporate spaces and leadership roles
💎The influence of HBCUs, Black women leaders, and mentorship
💎 Entrepreneurship across generations and honoring legacy through work
💎 How consumers are reclaiming power through where they spend their money
💎 Why purpose, not just profit, should guide business decisions
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
🎟️ Secure your spot at the 2nd Annual Career & Care Summit!✨ Buy Your Ticket Today!!
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
About Our Guest
Loni Booker White is the Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director of Sauce Creative House, a creative studio
bridging brand advertising, television, film, and culture. With over 15 years shaping brand campaigns, visual identities,
and original storytelling for Fortune 100 and purpose-driven brands, she builds immersive worlds defined by
emotional intelligence, cultural truth, and lasting connection.
In this episode of the Career Gems for the Journey podcast, Leah C. Murphy CEO of Career Gems for the Journey, sits down with Ebony Wyatt, Vice President of North America Retail and Sales Strategic Initiatives, for a candid conversation about career identity, leadership evolution, and learning to trust yourself when your career no longer fits the box you built
Ebony shares her journey from aspiring attorney to becoming the first Black woman sales vice president in her company’s history, and how stepping into a newly created role challenged her sense of identity in unexpected ways. Together, Leah and Ebony explore what it means to outgrow titles, navigate risk later in your career, and stop shrinking parts of yourself to fit someone else’s expectations.
In this episode, they discuss:
💎 How career identity can quietly limit growth if left unchecked
💎 Trusting a pivot even when it feels uncomfortable or unexpected
💎 The role of storytelling, support systems, and self awareness in long term career success
This episode is a powerful reminder that growth often requires letting go of who you thought you had to be, and giving yourself permission to evolve without apology.
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
🎟️ Secure your spot at the 2nd Annual Career & Care Summit!✨ Buy Your Ticket Today!!
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
About Our Guest
Ebony Wyatt is a corporate sales leader, entrepreneur, speaker, and facilitator of courageous conversations with more than twenty two years of experience in consumer products sales within a Fortune 500 environment. She is known for her ability to lead transformation, build relationships, and guide people through change with clarity and purpose.
In 2020, Ebony founded Ebony Wyatt Speaks, launching her first workshop with twenty two corporate women on a Zoom call. Since then, she has taught workshops and facilitated conversations for corporations, nonprofits, and professionals at industry conferences across the United States and Canada. She is the creator and facilitator of the Building Your #BadAss Brand personal branding workshop and is passionate about helping professionals elevate their personal and professional brands, tell their stories, and take meaningful action.
In this episode of the Career Gems for the Journey podcast, Leah C. Murphy, CEO of Career Gems for the Journey, shares an inside look at the 2nd Annual Career and Care Summit and what attendees can expect from this year’s experience
Leah reflects on the success of the inaugural summit and explains how attendee feedback helped shape the 2026 event. She outlines who the summit is designed for, why career and care must be addressed together, and how this experience supports professional women navigating growth, burnout, and life transitions.
In this episode, Leah covers:
💎 The purpose and vision behind the Career and Care Summit
💎 What to expect at the 2026 event including key themes and experience highlights
💎 How the summit supports professional women through career growth and care responsibilities
This episode offers a clear overview of the summit and why it has become a meaningful space for connection, learning, and community.
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
🎟️ Secure your spot at the 2nd Annual Career & Care Summit!✨ Buy Your Ticket Today!!
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
In this episode of the Career Gems for the Journey podcast, Leah C. Murphy, CEO of Career Gems for the Journey, continues the conversation on how artificial intelligence is impacting early career roles and what professionals can do to stay competitive in a rapidly shifting job market
Leah explains why entry level roles are often affected first, what AI can and cannot replace, and how combining AI fluency with human skills creates long term career value. She also addresses the reality of longer job searches, economic uncertainty, and why focusing on what you can control is critical right now.
In this episode, Leah covers:
💎 Why AI is reshaping entry level work first
💎 The difference between automatable tasks and human centered skills
💎 How AI is becoming a coworker across nearly every industry
💎 Why emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and collaboration still matter
💎 How micro credentials can help professionals upskill faster than traditional degrees
💎 What happens when companies stop investing in early career development
💎 How professionals can position themselves as value creators instead of feeling replaced
This episode offers clarity, perspective, and practical guidance for navigating career growth in the age of AI without fear based hype.
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
🎟️ Secure your spot at the 2nd Annual Career & Care Summit!✨ Buy Your Ticket Today!!
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
In this episode of the Career Gems for the Journey podcast, Leah C. Murphy, CEO of Career Gems for the Journey, breaks down how artificial intelligence is reshaping early-career and entry-level roles. After recently investing in her own professional development, Leah returns with research and insights on why AI is eliminating many traditional “first-step” jobs—and what rising professionals can do to stay competitive.
Leah explains how up to 30% of entry-level tasks are now automated and encourages listeners to see AI not as a threat but as an opportunity. She shares practical ways early-career professionals can build AI fluency, stack skills, and stand out through adaptability, emotional intelligence, and continuous learning.
She also highlights how organizations can evolve internship and rotational programs to ensure new talent still receives mentorship, training, and technical development.
Leah closes with a reminder that the future belongs to those who combine human capability with AI competence—and that now is the time to prepare.
Make Your Journey Work For You!
Stay Connected:
🎟️ Secure your spot at the 2nd Annual Career & Care Summit!✨ Buy Your Ticket Today!!
💎 Subscribe to the Career Gems for the Journey podcast for more conversations that empower your personal and professional growth.
💎 Stay engaged with Career Gems for the Journey by subscribing to the ‘CareerGems for YOUR Journey’ newsletter and gain access to exclusive content just for you!
💎 Catch Leah LIVE every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on YouTube for fresh insights, real-time discussions, and career-building conversations.
💎 Visit gemsforthejourney.org for upcoming events, resources, and more leadership gems.
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