🎙️ Episode Summary: In this candid solo episode, Nichole opens up about her own experience with imposter syndrome—including why she hesitated to hit "record" after a few months away from the mic. From putting off speaking engagements to doubting her podcasting consistency, Nichole reflects on the internal dialogue so many women face at work.

You'll walk away with practical strategies for recognizing and confronting imposter syndrome, plus reminders that growth takes time—and you're not alone.

💬 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why imposter syndrome can creep in—even when you're already successful

• How to reframe fear-based thoughts and stop self-sabotage

• Ways to reflect on and celebrate your growth

• The power of technical vulnerability and asking for help

• Why clarity from your leader can reduce self-doubt

• How to use your voice (literally!) to change your mindset

✨ Nichole's Top Tips:

• Speak truth out loud: Replace fearful thoughts with intentional affirmations.

• Track your growth: Write down how you've improved since starting your current role.

• Don't go it alone: Ask for support, guidance, or mentorship when you're feeling stuck.

• Connect with your leader: Clarify what success looks like in your role and what to work toward.

📥 Get the Career Growth Guide: Not sure what to focus on each month in your career? Download Nichole's Career Growth Guide—it includes two focus areas per month and video support to help you grow with purpose. 👉 Grab it here.

🔗 Let's Connect: Nichole would love to hear from you! Say hi on LinkedIn and start a genuine conversation. You're not alone in your career journey. 💛

In this episode, Nichole Harrop dives into the practice of selecting a Word of the Year to guide personal and professional growth. She shares her own process of choosing the word Momentum for 2025 and how it aligns with her goals. Nichole also offers practical tips for selecting a word, incorporating accountability, and using AI tools to brainstorm meaningful options.

Don't forget to get your copy of the Career Growth Guide

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why choosing a word of the year can provide clarity and motivation
• Nichole's personal journey with goal-setting and accountability
• How to find a word that resonates with your goals and values
• Real-life examples of words chosen by others and their meanings
• How to stay accountable and build momentum throughout the year

Resources Mentioned:

• Career Growth Guide: A resource to help you focus on key areas of growth each month. Get your copy via the link in the show notes.
• LinkedIn Connection: Join Nichole on LinkedIn to participate in free career growth sessions.

Key Takeaways:

• Selecting a word that aligns with your aspirations can help guide your actions throughout the year.
• Building habits and accountability through small steps leads to long-term success.
• Using AI tools like ChatGPT can help generate ideas and refine your word selection process.
• It's okay to pivot and adjust your focus throughout the year as needed.

Real quick, grab the Career Growth Guide here.

Nichole Harrop chats with co-worker Lauren Cohen about her incredible journey through nearly four decades in the tech industry. From programming on mainframes in the '80s to embracing cutting-edge AI and modern workplace technologies, Lauren shares her insights on staying adaptable and thriving in an ever-changing field.

Lauren discusses how she navigated major transitions in technology, overcame challenges as a woman in computer science, and continues to evolve in her role at Vasion. She offers actionable advice on managing change, collaborating across generations, and building confidence through experience. Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up in your career, this episode is packed with inspiration and practical takeaways.

What You'll Learn:

• Strategies for staying relevant in the tech world.
• The value of cross-generational learning and collaboration.
• How to embrace change and manage frustrations when learning new skills.
• Tips for identifying mentors and leveraging workplace relationships.

Resources Mentioned:

• Career Growth Guide: Plan your development with actionable monthly goals. Get your copy here.

About the Guest: Lauren Cohen is a Digital Transformation Engineer at Vasion with 37 years of experience in software development. She has a passion for learning and sharing knowledge, and her ability to adapt and thrive in the fast-paced tech world makes her a leader and mentor to her peers.

Connect with Nichole

• Visit www.hellogrowvio.com for more career resources.
• Follow Nichole Harrop on LinkedIn.

Nichole chats with Amy Spurling, the CEO and Founder of Compt, about the power of leading with boundaries. Amy shares her personal journey of founding Compt at 40 after a successful career as a CFO and COO in the tech industry. She explains how Compt's global lifestyle benefits platform supports employees in a personalized way, empowering companies to meet their team members where they are in their life journeys.

This conversation dives into key strategies for balancing well-being and career success, setting boundaries like "No Meeting Mondays," and embracing mental health as an integral part of leadership and workplace culture.

1. The Importance of Boundaries: Amy emphasizes how setting boundaries—like logging off at 5 p.m. or protecting lunch breaks—leads to increased productivity, creativity, and team morale.
2. Measuring Outcomes Over Hours: A results-oriented mindset encourages flexibility and allows employees to manage their workloads without unnecessary stress.
3. Mental Health Matters: Amy opens up about her personal strategies for managing her mental health and the ripple effect this approach has on her team.
4. Personalized Benefits Work: Learn how tailoring employee benefits to individual needs can improve workplace satisfaction and foster a positive culture.
5. Leadership Lessons: Amy's insights on empowering her team, managing priorities, and fostering sustainable work environments are invaluable for leaders at every level.

• Connect with Amy Spurling on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Compt
• Download the Career Growth Guide to simplify your professional development journey: link here.

In this episode, Nichole Harrop chats with career coach Andrea Yacub Macek to discuss navigating career uncertainty and creating strategies for your next career move. Andrea shares her personal journey, including how she transitioned from pursuing a medical career to climbing the corporate ladder, and finally finding her passion in helping women discover career alignment.

Andrea and Nichole dive into topics like:

• How to recognize when you're at a career crossroads
• Common challenges women face in their careers, like toxic bosses or feeling lost in their roles
• The importance of sitting with discomfort and using it to gain clarity
• Practical strategies for turning setbacks into growth opportunities
• The power of vulnerability and building trust in your decision-making process

Whether you're feeling stuck in your current role or unsure of your next steps, Andrea's advice on gaining clarity and aligning your career with your purpose will give you the tools you need to move forward with confidence.

Key Takeaways:

1. Embrace Change: Career setbacks or unexpected changes can be growth opportunities if you practice resilience and trust in yourself.
2. Clarity First: Before making any decisions, take time to clarify your vision for your life and career, and simplify it into actionable steps.
3. Support System: It's important to build a network of supportive people around you, whether that's inside your workplace or outside.
4. Sit in Discomfort: Growth often comes from uncomfortable emotions. Don't run from them—process them to gain deeper insight into what you truly want.

Links Mentioned:

• Download Nichole's Career Growth Guide to focus on key areas of professional development each month. Get yours here.
• Connect with Andrea Yacub Macek on LinkedIn.
• Visit Andrea's website for more information on her coaching services.

Check out the Career Growth Guide to grow in your career.

In this episode, Nichole Harrop sits down with Heather Nemelka, a single mother of five who re-entered the workforce after an 18-year break. Heather shares her inspiring journey of navigating career pivots, regaining confidence, and launching her own business, Elevare, to help women—especially single mothers—return to the workforce.

Heather discusses the challenges she faced, including the self-doubt that comes with re-entering the workforce after a long break. She offers actionable advice on using informational interviews to build confidence, making career pivots, and leveraging networking to grow professionally. Heather's story provides valuable insights for anyone looking to re-enter the workforce or pivot careers.

Key Takeaways:

• Informational Interviews: Heather explains how conducting informational interviews helped her gain confidence, network, and land her first role after her career break.
• Building Confidence: Heather highlights the importance of "borrowing confidence" from those around you and using past experiences as evidence of your abilities.
• Networking: Heather shares practical tips for expanding your network, including attending free local events, volunteering, and making meaningful LinkedIn connections.
• Affirmations and Self-Belief: Heather emphasizes the power of positive affirmations in overcoming self-doubt and rebuilding confidence.
• Reframing Experience: Mothers returning to the workforce can leverage the skills they've gained during their time at home to showcase value in the professional world.

Resources Mentioned:

• Elevare: Heather's business focused on helping women, particularly mothers, return to the workforce. Visit www.elavare.com for more information.
• Career Growth Guide: Nichole's resource to help you focus on skill development and career conversations with your leader.

Connect with Heather Nemelka:

• Website: www.elavare.com
• LinkedIn: Heather Nemelka

Connect with Nichole Harrop:

• Website: hellogrowvio.com
• LinkedIn: Nichole Harrop

This podcast episode with Elizabeth Lotardo dives deep into the importance of leading yourself effectively as a foundation for transitioning into leadership roles. Elizabeth shares her insights on how to shift focus from unattainable output goals to manageable input goals, empowering individuals to control what they can and improve their performance. She emphasizes that leading yourself is about identifying and maximizing what is within your control—like your mindset, emotional response, and daily actions—while recognizing the power this brings in both personal and professional growth.

Key takeaways include:

• Celebrating Small Wins: Embrace and celebrate small achievements as they contribute to overall progress and satisfaction.
• Managing Unrealistic Goals: Understand the importance of setting realistic goals and how to break them down into actionable steps within your control.
• Leading Yourself: Leadership starts with effectively leading yourself by controlling your mindset and behaviors, which will eventually translate into successful leadership of others.

Elizabeth's book, available now, offers a deeper exploration of these concepts, providing practical advice for anyone looking to enhance their leadership skills by first mastering self-leadership.

Tune into the first episode with Elizabeth Lotardo here.

Get your copy here. Or download on Audible here.

Connect with Nichole and Elizabeth on LinkedIn.

Grab your copy of the Career Growth Guide.

In this episode of the Future Female Leaders podcast, Nichole Harrop discusses what to do after not being promoted to a leadership role. Nichole offers insights into the emotional and strategic steps you can take to turn the experience into an opportunity for growth. Whether the role was filled by an external or internal hire, Nichole shares advice on how to navigate the situation with grace, support the new leader, and continue your own career development.

Get your copy of the Career Growth Guide here.

Connect with Nichole on LinkedIn.

Key Takeaways:

1. Reflect on Your Leadership Aspirations:

   • Before jumping into the disappointment, assess your true interest in leadership roles.
   • Understand the difference between ladder growth (traditional career progression) and expanded growth (broadening your skills and impact without necessarily moving up).

2. Seek Constructive Feedback:

   • Give yourself time to process before seeking feedback.
   • Approach feedback with curiosity and a readiness to implement changes.

3. Support the New Leader:

   • Whether the new leader is an external or internal hire, offer your help to make their transition smooth.
   • Build a positive relationship by being a resource and showing your value to the new leader.

4. Build Relationships and Continue to Grow:

   • Use this time to deepen your relationships within the organization.
   • Consider asking the new leader about their experiences and strategies, turning this into a learning opportunity for yourself.

5. Maintain a Positive Attitude:

   • Even if disappointed, focus on helping the team and the new leader succeed.
   • This attitude not only helps the team but also positions you as a strong candidate for future leadership opportunities.

Actionable Tips:

• Assess Your Goals: Take time to reflect on whether you genuinely want to be in a leadership role or if you're driven by external factors like title or pay.
• Ask for Feedback: When you're ready, ask for specific feedback on why you weren't selected for the role and how you can improve.
• Offer Support: Be proactive in supporting the new leader, whether they were hired internally or externally.
• Network and Learn: Use this time to build relationships and learn from the new leader's experiences.

In this special milestone episode, Nichole Harrop reflects on the journey of creating and growing the Future Female Leaders podcast. Nichole shares her experiences, challenges, and accomplishments over the past five years, celebrating the podcast's 250th episode. She discusses the importance of celebrating milestones, the evolution of her podcasting skills, and the valuable lessons learned along the way.

1. Introduction and Milestone Celebration

   • Nichole celebrates the 250th episode and reflects on starting the podcast nearly five years ago.
   • Emphasizes the importance of celebrating both small and large accomplishments.

2. Starting the Podcast Journey

   • Nichole shares how she was encouraged by a business coach to start her own podcast after not finding many relevant podcasts to guest on.
   • Initial challenges of learning podcasting basics, including using GarageBand and creating an RSS feed.

3. Overcoming Doubts and Initial Struggles

   • Dealing with doubts and the desire for perfection.
   • Early experiences of recording episodes in less-than-ideal conditions and the slow growth in the initial months.

4. Finding a Niche and Audience Growth

   • Nichole's goal to fill a gap in the podcasting space by focusing on career growth for future female leaders.
   • Realizing the need to pivot content based on feedback and focusing more on career growth topics.

5. Podcast Rebranding and Impact

   • Changing the podcast's name from "Next Level Leaders" to "Future Female Leaders" to better align with the target audience.
   • Celebrating the global reach of the podcast with listeners in 120 different countries.

6. Top Podcast Episodes

   • Highlighting the top five episodes based on listener engagement:
     1. Episode 15: Building off Strengths
     2. Episode 231: Are You Setting Boundaries at Work?
     3. Episode 49: Are You Doing the Right Things to Stand Out at Work?
     4. Episode 241: The Most Important Thing About Consistency
     5. Episode 215: An Easy Way to Approach Giving Feedback

Get the Career Growth Guide

Connect with Nichole on LinkedIn

In this episode, Nichole Harrop reflects on her past approach to career growth and shares how she wishes she had focused more on holistic growth rather than just climbing the corporate ladder. She discusses the importance of celebrating each step of the journey and offers practical advice for maintaining a balanced and fulfilling career trajectory.

Key Takeaways:

1. Career Growth Guide: Nichole introduces a helpful resource, the Career Growth Guide, to assist listeners in establishing a consistent and effective growth strategy.
2. LinkedIn Importance: She stresses the importance of having a LinkedIn profile for career development and networking, even if one is not actively posting content.
3. Ladder Growth vs. Expanded Growth:
   • Ladder Growth: Traditionally, career growth is seen as climbing a corporate ladder, focusing on achieving higher titles and positions.
   • Expanded Growth: Nichole advocates for a more rounded approach, where growth is multifaceted, similar to a garden of blooming flowers. This includes expanding skills, knowledge, and impact without necessarily moving up in title.
4. Personal Reflection: Nichole shares her experience with burnout from focusing too heavily on upward career movement and the lack of fulfillment that came with it.
5. Work Journal: Keeping a work journal to track accomplishments, projects, and impacts can help one recognize their growth and stay prepared for future opportunities.
6. Mindset Shift: Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own growth strategies and consider adopting a more holistic view of career development.