Earned Wisdom! For Accomplished Leaders

Named a 2022 Business Insider CMO to watch, Robin is the Chief Marketing Officer at Codeacademy where she leads a brand-building team that delivers results and drives growth. Cutting her teeth in digital-first businesses gave her the ability to constantly challenge the status quo and pivot in an ever-changing landscape. As a strong female leader, Robin understands the different dynamics and expectations that exist for men and women—something she has been able to successfully navigate throughout her career.

“The more senior I get, there are fewer women that are my peers.”

Listen as Robin talks about how to work with gender, cultural, and generational differences by meeting people where they are, and how understanding yourself can drive you to excel so you’re always ready for what’s next.

Learn more about Robin here:

Michelle Penczak is a military wife, mother of two boys, and co-founder of the virtual assistance agency, Squared Away. Growing up as a sassy kid in North Carolina, Michelle believed that brick walls were made to be broken down. That determination would serve her well into adulthood when several career obstacles tried to trip her up.

Listen as Michelle shares her journey from a laid-off personal assistant to the founder of a virtual assistant agency with more than 350 employees, mostly military spouses. As a military spouse herself (she married a Marine pilot and was named MCAS Miramar Military Spouse of the Year in 2021), Michelle experienced devastating rejections for jobs she was fully qualified for…because she was “just” a military wife who would likely leave in a few years. Seeing a huge gap in the marketplace for talented, capable workers who were being overlooked, Michelle built a fully remote business that gave military spouses a place to work, build their skills and feel valued. Squared Away, which Michelle currently runs from San Diego, offers everything from phone support and bookkeeping to event planning, social media management and a whole lot more.

“Never be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know.’ It shows you have integrity as a leader.”

Learn more about Michelle and Squared Away here:

Website: https://www.gosquaredaway.com/

Instagram: Squared Away (@awaysquared)

Facebook: Squared Away

You see a post in your LinkedIn newsfeed: a woman you know merged her business and people are congratulating her. Then you see a post from a friend who started at the same time you did, but now she’s the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. You start spiraling. Even if you’ve accomplished a lot, it doesn’t feel like nearly enough. You doubt yourself, but who can you admit this to? No one. It feels shameful. What’s wrong with you? Why can’t you do better?

When it feels like everyone has it figured out but you, it can be incredibly lonely. But no one can help you if you continue to hide your fears and insecurities. That’s what we’re talking about in this week’s episode because it keeps women separate from one another. It hampers your leadership potential because you believe there isn’t enough topline success to go around. When you’re afraid to reach out, you miss out on insight that could be invaluable to you and your business. It’s time for women to open up and connect with each other, honestly, vulnerably and courageously.

Johna Burke has almost 30 years of experience in PR, communications and marketing, handling everything from production, sales and HR to finance and overall client experience. As a self-professed “outgoing introvert,” Johna believes our energy is our biggest asset, and that celebrating ourselves and each other is something we can all get better at.

Listen in as Johna and I talk about how competition and collaboration can coexist; the importance of compassion, grace and kindness; the danger of labels and much more. She’ll also share what she believes is the most beautiful word in the English language, and how it can benefit all of us.

“If you’re always in a room of violent agreement, you’re probably in a dangerous room because you have identified the bubble, and you are in it.”

Megan Huber is a Client Fulfillment and Retention Strategist who transforms coaches, consultants, and experts into world class group program facilitators based on her 17 years of experience across public education, athletic coaching, curriculum development, client success management, and group coaching.

Listen as Megan shares her journey from a shy, bashful and sensitive kid to an observant, motivational leader who plays to her strengths. Initially intimidated by female authority figures, Megan tried to emulate what they did to fit in. Now she’s forging her own path by shutting down all her proven, successful programs to go in a totally new, uncharted direction.

“When I became a muted version of myself, I was hiding the parts of me that I thought others weren’t going to like, but those were actually the parts that made me more likeable.” —Megan Huber

Learn more about Megan at:

Website: Megan Huber - Coaching Programs

Instagram: @meganjhuber

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megan.j.huber/

When you cross paths with a powerful woman, do you see them as a possible work connection…or as your competition? Do you admire what they do and want to learn more, or do you compare yourself to them and wonder how they got so lucky? No matter how successful you are, women who are a few steps ahead can bring out that green-eyed monster, leaving you to feel insecure and threatened.

Tune in to this week’s episode where we look at why women are better at tearing each other down than lifting each other up. When you believe there isn’t enough success to go around (hello, scarcity!) you can miss out on a lot of opportunities. If we want more women in the C-suite, we have to start opening ourselves up and lending a hand. Helping other women in business is about being confident enough in yourself to hold the door open rather than letting it hit them (and you!) in the rear.

Whether you want to admit it or not, emotions always play a part in decision-making. We are whole humans, not some mass of intellectual cells, so you can try to hide or control your emotions (good luck), or you can use them to your advantage. Being friends with your emotions makes you unshakeable; not being friends with them makes you hollow because there is nothing substantial to ground you.

In this episode we’ll look at how emotions can be valuable sign posts for directing your decisions, and how to lean into them (it starts with trust). Disconnecting from your feelings can steer you towards fear and scarcity, which is not a good foundation for effective, empowered decision-making. Cultivate emotional intelligence and you just might be unstoppable.

Are you tired of being portrayed as fragile or the damsel in distress? Is it a role you feel the need to fight against in life and work? Yes, there are probably patriarchal rules you were taught, but you are the one who decides whether or not to follow them. When you focus on obstacles, you repeat history instead of forging your own path.

Fighting against perceived obstacles is a choice, and that’s what we’re talking about in this episode. Sure you can get pissed and curse a system that doesn’t support strong women, but that just perpetuates struggle. Instead, why not hang up your gloves and direct that energy inwards, letting your intrinsic motivation lead you? That is the source of true inspiration. By valuing yourself you can make empowered decisions that are aligned with your goals—not ones based on sacrifice, struggle or pain.

When it comes to what you earn, have you held yourself back for fear of appearing greedy? It’s easy to impose limits on yourself when you’re afraid of stepping on someone else’s toes, or when you think others feel slighted while you’re living high on the hog. It’s easy to question your worth when someone pays you what you deserve (or more)... but how does it serve you?

In this episode we’ll talk about this fear of appearing greedy, and challenge the idea there’s not enough to go around. You can play small, but the cost is ultimately your success and wellbeing. A scarcity mindset will always keep you settling for less. When you feel that sense of restraint inside, step through it. Abundance is available to those who believe it exists.