How do you raise children who understand the value of money in a world where almost every payment is digital?

In this episode of Leadership Tea, Shelby Smith-Wilson and Belinda Jackson welcome back financial experts Sam Salmon and Josh Barrett from the State Department Federal Credit Union to discuss practical strategies for raising financially confident kids.

Together, they explore allowances, saving, budgeting, first jobs, spending habits, and how parents can build healthy financial mindsets through consistent conversations, not fear or shame.

Whether you're raising young children or preparing teenagers for adulthood, this conversation offers practical ideas that leaders can apply both at home and at work.

In this episode:

• The biggest mistake parents make when teaching kids about money

• Why communication matters more than the size of an allowance

• Helping children understand needs versus wants

• Teaching financial responsibility in a cashless world

• Preparing teens for their first paycheck

• Why it's never too late to build better money habits

Part 1 of a two-part series with the State Department Federal Credit Union.

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Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive:

One 60-minute coaching session per month
Priority access to our calendar
One annual 90-minute strategic intensive
This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited. 

If you're interested, email us directly at [email protected], and we'll be in touch.

Send us a comment!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
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Surprise! We recorded from a new space this week, Cowo & Crèche here in the DMV, and it feels like the start of a new chapter for Leadership Tea. We're also making an announcement we've been sitting on: Rooted & Rising, our first international leadership retreat, taking place January 17–22, 2027 in Cape Town, South Africa.

We talk through what to expect: Table Mountain, wine country in Stellenbosch, meaningful reflection tied to Dr. King's birthday, and real connection with local business leaders — and why this is the next chapter for our company, Grounded & Global.

Early bird pricing ends July 31. Full details and booking: https://tri.ps/UCyae 

As always, community is clutch.

For more information on Cowo & Crèche, check out their website https://www.cowocreche.com/ or follow them on IG, https://www.instagram.com/cowo.creche/

Send us a comment!

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
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Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

What happens when the career you've spent decades building suddenly ends?

In this special re-release of one of Leadership Tea's most impactful conversations, executive leader Cathy Duffy shares how being unexpectedly pushed into early retirement became the beginning of an entirely new chapter.

Shelby Smith-Wilson and Belinda Jackson explore identity, leadership, resilience, and what it truly means to take your power back after a forced career pivot.

If you're navigating layoffs, organizational change, or questioning what's next in your own career, this episode offers practical leadership lessons that feel especially relevant today.

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Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive:

One 60-minute coaching session per month
Priority access to our calendar
One annual 90-minute strategic intensive
This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited. 

If you're interested, email us directly at [email protected], and we'll be in touch.

Send us a comment!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
• Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube!

Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

After nearly three decades of public service, Shelby shares her experience navigating a Reduction in Force (RIF), the grief that follows career loss, and the challenge of rebuilding professional identity after an unexpected transition.

In this candid coaching conversation, Belinda and Shelby explore what it means to process professional grief, move forward without bitterness, and build confidence in the face of uncertainty.

They discuss leadership during difficult seasons, the importance of community, and why resilience often begins by remembering the challenges you've already survived.

In this episode:

• Professional grief and career loss
• Leadership during personal transition
• Rebuilding confidence after a layoff
• Identity shifts and reinvention
• Coaching, therapy, and resilience
• Faith, community, and healing
• Moving from reflection to action

If you're navigating a career transition, organizational change, retirement, or an unexpected life pivot, this conversation offers practical wisdom and encouragement for the road ahead.

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Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive:

One 60-minute coaching session per month
Priority access to our calendar
One annual 90-minute strategic intensive
This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited. 

If you're interested, email us directly at [email protected], and we'll be in touch.

Send us a comment!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
• Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube!

Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

Leadership often means making difficult decisions, staying calm under pressure, and showing up for others. But what happens when the hardest leadership challenge isn't at work, it's at home?

In this episode, Shelby and Belinda sit down with former diplomat and operations leader Brittany Carroll to discuss becoming a caregiver for her father while managing a demanding professional career.

Together, they explore:

• Leadership during personal crisis
• Caregiving and aging parents
• Difficult family conversations
• Workplace flexibility and employee support
• Boundaries, resilience, and decision-making
• Financial and legal preparedness
• The hidden challenges many professionals face outside the office

Whether you're a leader supporting employees through difficult seasons, caring for a loved one yourself, or simply preparing for the future, this episode offers practical insights and thoughtful leadership lessons about navigating life's most complex responsibilities.

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Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive:

• One 60-minute coaching session per month
• Priority access to our calendar
• One annual 90-minute strategic intensive

This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited. 

If you're interested, email us directly at [email protected], and we'll be in touch.

Send us a comment!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
• Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube!

Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

In this episode of Leadership Tea, Shelby and Belinda sit down with Kahana Samms, founder of Good Spirit Cafe, to discuss reinvention, entrepreneurship, wellness, and building community after uncertainty.

After years working in federal IT and cybersecurity, Kahana found herself navigating furloughs, layoffs, and major life transitions, prompting her to rethink stability, purpose, and what it truly means to build a meaningful life. 

Together, they discuss:

• Entrepreneurship and sacrifice
• Building a “third space” for healing and connection
• The emotional realities of starting over
• Leadership, energy, and authenticity
• Creativity as a pathway to purpose
• Why community-centered spaces matter now more than ever

This conversation is grounding, inspiring, and honest, especially for anyone navigating transition or building something from the heart.

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Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive:

• One 60-minute coaching session per month
• Priority access to our calendar
• One annual 90-minute strategic intensive

This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited. 

If you're interested, email us directly at [email protected], and we'll be in touch.

Send us a comment!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
• Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube!

Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

Performance reviews are not just paperwork. They’re a reflection of leadership.

In this episode, Shelby and Belinda break down how strong leaders handle employee evaluations, difficult feedback, and accountability conversations without damaging trust or team morale.

They discuss:

• Why employees should never be surprised by feedback
• How to write more specific and actionable evaluations
• The difference between performance issues and personality conflicts
• Why documentation and HR processes matter
• What leaders get wrong about firing employees 

Whether you’re a first-time manager or a seasoned executive, this episode offers practical leadership advice for navigating one of the hardest parts of management: evaluating people fairly and effectively.

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Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive:

• One 60-minute coaching session per month
• Priority access to our calendar
• One annual 90-minute strategic intensive

This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited. 

If you're interested, email us directly at [email protected], and we'll be in touch.

Send us a comment!

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
• Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube!

Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

A bad performance review can feel personal—but your response is what actually shapes your career.

In this episode, we walk through exactly how to handle a negative evaluation at work—from figuring out what’s true to deciding whether (and how) to push back.

We talk about:

• How to separate facts from emotions
• Using your “receipts” to support your performance
• When to challenge feedback—and when to accept it
• How to rebuild your reputation moving forward
• Why doing the work alone isn’t enough anymore 

Whether your review felt unfair or just didn’t reflect your best work, this episode will help you move forward with clarity and strategy.

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Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive:

• One 60-minute coaching session per month
• Priority access to our calendar
• One annual 90-minute strategic intensive

This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited. 

If you're interested, email us directly at [email protected], and we'll be in touch.

Send us a comment!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
• Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube!

Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

When you feel stuck, doing more isn’t the answer. Clarity is.

In this episode, we sit down with Bobby Staten III (Chief of Clarity) to unpack what’s really happening when leaders feel overwhelmed, stuck, or out of alignment, and how to move forward with intention.

From “changing the tape” to redefining identity, this conversation goes beyond surface-level productivity advice and gets to the core of how leaders actually grow.

This episode is a powerful reminder that growth doesn’t start with doing more. Rather, it starts with seeing clearly and choosing differently.

If you’re navigating a transition, building something new, or stepping into leadership for the first time, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

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Connect with Bobby Staten III: 

https://bit.ly/BTSwaitlist - Built To Scale (my accelerator) waitlist https://www.linkedin.com/in/bstaten 
@chiefofclarity on all social platforms

Send us a comment!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
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Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

What does leadership look like when the playbook breaks down?

In this episode of The Leadership Tea Podcast, Shelby and Belinda reflect on what crisis management requires from leaders when events are unfolding in real time.

Drawing from their own experience in high-pressure environments, they discuss calm under pressure, executive presence, hard personnel decisions, internal communication, and the practical ways leaders can keep teams steady when everything feels uncertain. They also highlight the importance of knowing your people before a crisis begins and accepting support when the usual playbook no longer applies.

This is a grounded conversation about leadership, resilience, and what it takes to move people to action when the stakes are high.

Reach out for Coaching

The Leadership Tea Podcast is brought to you by Grounded and Global Advisory, LLC. Grounded and Global is led by two former senior U.S. diplomats with 50 combined years of experience managing crises in the world's most complex environments. Our services include executive and leadership coaching (see here for our premier Centered Leader Program), crisis management consulting, strategic advisory, and workshop facilitation. We serve high-performing individuals who operate in unique spaces, such as athletes, universities, small businesses, and non-profits. Please contact us at [email protected].

Send us a comment!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
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Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.