Let's Thrive Together

In this episode, we take a look back at one of the most insightful and inspiring conversations I’ve had around career pivots with Kate Burke, Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of AllianceBernstein. Kate joined me for our Rise & Thrive, Advancing Women Leaders program to talk about all of the career pivots she made that led her to her C-Suite roles today, and there were so many invaluable insights & lessons learned from that conversation that I had to share it with you today!

You will learn how to take ownership of your career development by taking intentional actions and standing firm in you your story, your power, and your truth. Kate also talks about adopting a learner’s mindset when entering rooms with people who are smarter than you, how to add value in such rooms, as well as how to best position yourself for potential roles & opportunities.

Join Kate and me in this powerful conversation as we uncover the key things to making successful career pivots and setting yourself up for success no matter where your career path takes you.

KEY POINTS 

- Kate Burke’s major pivots throughout her career journey

- What are the keys to making the right career pivot?

- How to add value to rooms with people smarter than you 

- How to best position yourself for new roles & opportunities 

- Advancing women leaders within a male-dominated industry

- Inheriting additional responsibilities without compensation

- Q&A session with Kate Burke 

QUOTABLES 

“One of the things that's probably been the hallmark of my career has been recognizing that in almost any circumstance, there will be someone in the room who knows more than I do about the topic.” - Kate Burke

Kate Burke

LinkedIn | @kate-burke-839483 

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Brittany Cole 

IG | @BrittanyNCole 

LinkedIn | @BrittanyNCole 

Career Thrivers produced by EPYC Media Network

Welcome back Thrivers! We’re back from a pretty long hiatus with the Career Thrivers Podcast, but as I always say, moments of silence and pauses can also bring opportunities for reflection & growth. And in this episode, I’m going to share what I’ve been up to during this hiatus and the key insights I’ve gained that have really inspired this season’s overall theme.

We are going to take a deep dive into the theme that will guide us throughout this season, and the steps you need to take in order to own your personal power and thrive in both your life and your career. I cannot wait to kick this new season off with you - welcome back to the Career Thrivers podcast! 

KEY POINTS 

QUOTABLES 

“Every experience that includes the pauses, most silent moments, every hiatus, it presents an opportunity for continuous improvement.” - Brittany Cole 

“Remember, with ownership also comes accountability. And holding ourselves accountable for decisions really strengthens the trust, credibility, and instincts that help us to have effective decision making.” - Brittany Cole 

“We can treat the challenges as stepping stones, or we can treat them as stumbling blocks. The choice is ours.” - Brittany Cole

Get the Own Your Power Checklist, the ultimate guide to helping you to own your personal power to drive as a leader, at https://www.careerthrivers.com/podcast 

Love what you’re hearing? Follow Brittany Cole & The Career Thrivers Podcast to share the love!

Work with Brittany at Career Thrivers 

https://www.careerthrivers.com/ 

IG | https://www.instagram.com/careerthrivers/ 

Brittany Cole 

https://brittanyncole.com/ 

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brittanyncole/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyncole/ 

Career Thrivers produced by EPYC Media Network - visit at https://www.epyc.co/ 

We’re back Thrivers! I hope you’ve been flourishing and thriving during this hiatus, and I’m so excited to be back and kick Season 3 of the Career Thrivers podcast with you. 

We’ve spent a lot of time listening to your feedback, requests, challenges, and hopes, and that is why in this season, we are going explore everything there is to do with owning your power in your life and career. 

Get ready to uncover all the gems and learn all the tools you need to thrive in your career and own your personal power. We'll be diving into how to harness your unique strengths, leverage opportunities to overcome challenges, and explore fresh & inspiring perspectives on leadership, career growth, cultivating an inclusive organization and so much more. 

I’m so excited to be back, and I’ll see you in Season 3 of the Career Thrivers podcast! 

Get the Own Your Power Checklist, the ultimate guide to helping you to own your personal power to drive as a leader, at https://www.careerthrivers.com/podcast 

Love what you’re hearing? Follow Brittany Cole & The Career Thrivers Podcast to share the love!

Work with Brittany at Career Thrivers 

https://www.careerthrivers.com/ 

IG | https://www.instagram.com/careerthrivers/ 

Brittany Cole 

https://brittanyncole.com/ 

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brittanyncole/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyncole/ 

Career Thrivers produced by EPYC Media Network - visit at https://www.epyc.co/ 

In this episode of Career Thrivers, we speak with Eric Cox, Director of Training Operations at American Addiction Centers. He is also the Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit Community Soup Nashville. In January 2020, Eric published Sign Up!: 10 Interactive Lessons To Take Your Goals From The Starting Line To Across The Finish Line.

A native Nashvillian, Eric grew up in a predominately Black community in the North Nashville area. His drive to succeed led him to start his own business after graduating from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2009. Unfortunately, all he built up to that point was taken away, practically overnight, when the 1,000-year floods struck Tennessee in May 2010.

Losing everything and being in “the pits of pain” was a defining moment that only served to strengthen Eric’s resolve, and ten years later, he had completely reinvented himself after “siphoning the pain” into an empowering drive to succeed. 

Listen in as Eric shares how he developed a response to life’s challenges that motivates him to keep moving forward, practical steps to creating a vision for your life, why it pays to WAIT (Work Actively In Transition) amid adversity, how to be a more emotionally mature leader in the workplace, and the four pillars to signing up for your life.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

●      Eric’s inspiring journey from living in poverty to becoming an empowerment coach

●      How to keep moving forward when it all seems hopeless

●      Creating a vision for your life

●      The seven main areas to give intention and energy toward for a balanced life

●      Staying motivated to work toward your vision for your life in spite of setbacks and losses

●      Managing emotions, particularly in a professional setting

●      How leaders can be more inclusive in the workplace

●      What it means to sign up for your life

●      What being a thriver means to Eric

Memorable Quotes:

“One of the things about a seed is, prior to ever-growing, it has to be buried and it has to experience a very intentional season of loneliness. It’s a space and a place where it’s just you and God, and that’s it. It’s dark and it’s cold and you can’t see your way out and you’re just trusting some other source to take care of you.”

“It really was from the pits of pain that I was able to siphon the pain into something that was powerful and empowering.”

“Every person is met with challenges every day. The variables are your understanding of those challenges and your response to that outward stimuli.”

“Scarcity breeds competition.”

“Whatever I chase today, my question is not about, ‘How can I serve Eric?’ but, ‘How can Eric serve the world?’”

“If your outcomes are not favorable, then we term them as ‘problems’ and that impacts your thinking.”

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn and find his book Sign Up! On EricLCox.com.

In this episode of Career Thrivers, we speak with Kelly D. Parker, a marketing professional, consultant, and confidence coach that teaches professionals, entrepreneurs, and speakers the keys to effective communication.

As a professional speaker, Kelly has had 15 years of experience presenting at colleges, churches, and corporations. She has leveraged her communication skills to garner support for key business initiatives and influence C-level executives and has worked with prestigious global powerhouses such as Sherwin-Williams, Cleveland Clinic, and American Greetings.

Listen in as Kelly shares how she made the transition from a corporate employee to business owner and highly-sought-after speaker and coach, how she achieves work-life synergy, her tips for becoming a better communicator whether onstage or at work, and why it’s time to stop apologizing for yourself.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

●      Kelly’s backstory

●      How Kelly navigates being a wife, mom of three, and business owner

●      Building your confidence as a speaker

●      Improving your communication skills as a professional

●      Why you shouldn’t second-guess your impulse to share your thoughts

●      One thing that has surprised Kelly after working with countless speakers

●      How leaders can be more inclusive in the workplace

●      What being a thriver means to Kelly

Memorable Quotes:

“I think there’s that moment that we all come to when we work in corporate or for someone elsewhere we realize, ‘This isn’t my house.’”

“When you take that role, think about what you’re going to get out; but you better be thinking about what you’re going to have to put in, because some of these folks want everything—they want all of you. You have to sit with yourself before you sign on the dotted line to understand, ‘Is that what I’m willing to give? Is that going to fulfill me, holistically?’”

“Good communication is not about perfection; it’s about connection.”

“Speaking is leading. If you plan to be an effective leader, you better be a good speaker—you better be a good communicator.”

“Your life is a manifestation of what you’ve been rehearsing.”

“Look at the track record of all the things that you accomplished in your life, of all the different milestones that you have had, and understand that whenever you show up, you elevate the room. So, it is the room’s privilege to hear what you have to say. Why are you withholding off of some imaginary stuff? Why don’t you go ahead and bless the room with what you have to say and let the chips fall wherever they may? Amen!”

Connect with Kelly on Instagram or LinkedIn.

In this episode of Career Thrivers, Brittany Cole speaks with Nikki Gibson, Nashville Site Director/HR Consultant & The North America Regional Pride Lead at Dell Technologies.

Our last three episodes dove deep into the first three letters of our word for 2021, BOLD: Belief, Ownership, and Leadership. Today, we discuss the four and final letter: Discipline.

When we consider what it means to transform not only the culture but also the infrastructure of an organization to be more equitable, discipline is a skill that doesn’t often get discussed. We tend to get so caught up in big-picture ideals while spending much less time on the day-to-day steps to actually making those ideals a reality.

Discipline is the practice of educating and training ourselves to adhere to a code of behavior when an alternative is more comfortable. The work of diversity, equity, and inclusion, at the end of the day, boils down to moving beyond what’s comfortable toward a prescribed action. For leaders of an organization, this means giving our employees the education and resources as well as the accountability to change their behavior on a company-wide scale.

Listen in as our guest Nikki shares her perspective on living authentically, bringing your full self to work, and how leaders can use their power for good in the workplace.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

●      Three ways to develop discipline

●      Developing thick skin to embrace what sets you apart

●      Why authenticity allows you to bring your full self to work

●      The importance of finding your tribe

●      Bringing your full self to work while maintaining boundaries around your values

●      How organizations can educate their employees to embrace authenticity

●      Creating workplaces where employees feel they can be 100% engaged

●      How leaders can be more inclusive in the workplace

●      What being a thriver means to Nikki

Memorable Quotes:

“You have to really be careful about who you let in close to you, how to focus on what’s important in your life, and take control without expecting others to do it for you.”

“Relationships are the foundation for everything. It’s the core of everything.”

“If you cannot be authentic and be your true self, you leave a portion of yourself out of work. If you can’t bring your whole self, you can’t be 100% engaged, you can’t be 100% creative, you can’t be innovative, and you can’t live your passion. If you can’t live your passion at work, then you need to find something else because you’re not going to be successful.”

“No matter what the company is, you’re in the people business.”

“Companies need boundaries to manage behaviors and ensure that team members are respectful and working within the company values. But boundaries are also important for creating a work environment where everyone can be successful and win the right way.”

“We have to stop thinking about having a seat at the table. That cannot be your goal. What needs to be your goal is what you’re going to do once you get there.”

Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn.

Order Your Signed Copy of Thrive Through It here: brittanyncole.com/shop

Join us for a conversation on all things leadership development with Krystal Clark, Director of Employee Learning and Organizational Effectiveness at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. In 2020, Krystal established Equip To Thrive, LLC to offer compassionate personal and professional development opportunities for “talented and imperfect” people.

Krystal began her professional life upon moving to Durham, NC, where she served as the Program Coordinator for Fraternity & Sorority Life at Duke University, with the goal of ushering in greater acceptance of diversity and inclusion. In 2011, Krystal moved to Nashville to take on her first role at Vanderbilt, Associate Director of Greek Life.

From there, her passion for leadership, personal development and volunteerism opened the doors to scores of opportunities outside of Vanderbilt—an ongoing journey which she reflects on in today’s conversation.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

●      Why it may benefit your career in the long run to do tasks that aren’t “part of your job”

●      A primer on strengths-based leadership and fulfilling the potential that is uniquely yours

●      How leaders can make the workplace more inclusive

●      Tips for integrating entrepreneurship with a leadership role 

●      Krystal’s advice to emerging professionals who are looking to get to their next level

●      How leaders can support their teams

●      What being a thriver means to Krystal

Memorable Quotes:

“That extra work could be the gateway that you want to do that no one has ever done before because you get to create it as you’re doing it.”

“Leaders create more leaders. Leadership is a relationship, and if you forget that, it’s never going to work.”

“It takes a lot more work to hire new people than to keep great people.”

“Don’t forget the mountains that you already climbed.”

Connect with Krystal at krystalnclark.com and Instagram

This week's episode is brought to you by the Thrive Together Toolkit - with free and immediate access to courses, resources, and tools to stop shrinking your greatness and own your passion, purpose, and path! 

It's season 2 and today we have avid lifestyle blogger, influencer, and digital marketer, Jasmine Sweet sharing our 1st DEV Talk! Aside from her own blog, she has written for features in Huffington Post, Southern Weddings, and Forbes. Jasmine is also the Marketing Project Manager at iHeartRadio.

The common theme running through today’s conversation is the value Jasmine places on owning your self-worth. She says that entrepreneurship is not the only pursuit of freedom in one’s work. Even as an employee, “you are a personal brand. The company that you’re working for has to understand that you are an asset to them.” She encourages us all to own our strengths, and lead with purpose.

No matter which phase you’re in as an entrepreneur or which rung you’re on as an employee, by taking ownership of your career, you will find your why and thrive even amid these unsteady, COVID-ridden times.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

Memorable Quotes:

“The more areas you can step your foot in, the more you’re going to be able to pivot and twist and turn throughout this crazy path that we’re all going through in today’s career landscape.”

“Do it young, or do it never.”

“You are a personal brand. The company that you’re working for has to understand that you are an asset to them.”

“Along the way, it may not look how you want it to, but as long as you keep showing up, you’ll elevate.”

“Marketing is 100% the most multifaceted industry I think anybody can go into, because nobody can go to school and get a degree in marketing and come out knowing everything about it.”

“Leadership is not just seen. It is felt.”

Connect with Jasmine at jasminesweet.blog and Instagram.

Welcome back to Season 2 of the Career Thrivers podcast! On this episode we'll be discussing what's new on the show, how we thrive through the challenges of the previous year, and why 2021 is the year to make BOLD moves! Let's do this! 

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In this final episode of 2020, Brittany shares:

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