We’re told to make it in systems that were never built for us. But what happens after the resignation, the burnout, the pivot, or the layoff?

In this episode, we’re talking about what comes next, life beyond the 9–5. Whether you’re consulting, on sabbatical, freelancing, starting your own thing, or still figuring it out, this conversation holds space for the truth: leaving isn’t the end of the story, it's the beginning of a different way of working and living.

We explore:

Key Takeaway:

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's 5-part limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Want to schedule a 1-1 consultation with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

“You don’t belong here.”

In this episode, we’re flipping the script on impostor syndrome. Too often, we’re told our self-doubt is a personal failing, that we just need to be more confident or stop being so sensitive. But what if those feelings aren’t internal at all? What if they’re responses to systemic exclusion, coded invalidation, and racialized bias?

This conversation builds on key themes from Season 1 (Episodes 4 & 6) and recent Season 3 episodes about code-switching and new leadership models. Now, we’re going deeper into how Black professionals are pathologized instead of supported, and what it means to reclaim our narratives.

We explore:

 Have you ever second-guessed yourself, only to realize you were reacting to a system designed to exclude you? Share your story with us or tag #Not4Prophets.

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's 5-part limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Download your Free copy of How to Keep Great People: for mission-driven organizations that want to create longevity and loyalty among teams https://www.howtokeepgreatpeople.com/

Want to schedule a 1-1 consultation with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

The DEI wave that surged in 2020 is crashing, and once again, Black professionals are the first to pay the price. From layoffs and sidelining to performative accountability and shrinking budgets, many are left wondering: What now?

In this episode, we’re talking about the DEI backlash and what it means for those who've built careers, movements, and entire identities around the pursuit of equity in the workplace.

We ask:

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's 5-part limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Download your Free copy of How to Keep Great People: for mission-driven organizations that want to create longevity and loyalty among teams https://www.howtokeepgreatpeople.com/

Want to schedule a 1-1 consultation with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

At some point in leadership, especially for Black leaders, the work starts to feel absurd. The goals no longer make sense. The requests become contradictory. The funding evaporates. The outcomes are unclear or ever-shifting. And yet, somehow, you're still expected to show up with grace, clarity, and measurable impact. This episode explores what it feels like to be asked to do the impossible with the bare minimum, and the emotional, psychological, and spiritual toll it takes.

This conversation is here to remind you: you’re not imagining it. It is absurd. And Black leaders deserve to work in environments where their time, labor, and vision are respected, not exploited.

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's 5-part limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Want to chat with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

Not all harm comes from "the system”, sometimes, it shows up much closer to home. In this episode, we dive into a tough but necessary conversation: what happens when people inside your organization use racial justice language and DEI frameworks for personal gain? What happens when shared trauma is manipulated, accountability is dodged, and liberatory language becomes a shield against critique?

We explore:

We also name the very real dynamics that happen when non-Black people of color weaponize racial justice rhetoric to gaslight, deflect, or exempt themselves from doing their part, often at the expense of Black colleagues.

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Want to chat with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

We know the cost of assimilating. We’ve felt the exhaustion of constant resistance. So what else is there?

In this episode, we explore “The Third Way”, a growing movement among Black leaders who are choosing imagination over burnout, dignity over martyrdom, and global vision over boxes that don’t fit. What does it mean to lead on your own terms?

Together, we dig into:

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Want to chat with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

Be sure to subscribe, share, and review.

“You’ve changed.”

In this episode, we’re diving into the nuance and necessity of code-switching, compartmentalization, and adaptation, not as signs of betrayal, but as sacred acts of self-preservation. For many Black professionals, especially in predominantly white or high-pressure environments, shifting how you show up is not about inauthenticity, it’s about making it through.

So let’s talk about it:

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Want to chat with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

Welcome to Season 3! We’re kicking things off with a timely and raw conversation about the current political landscape and how it is impacting Black leaders.

In this episode, we’re unpacking the ripple effects of the post-2024 election climate and what it means for Black folks in positions of leadership. As social justice fatigue deepens, DEI funding disappears, and political tensions rise, the stakes are shifting fast, and often quietly.

So we’re asking:

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Want to chat with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

In this episode, Trenia Parham and David DeVaughn dive into the intricate dynamics of how non-Black Americans, people of color, and Blacks who did not grow up in predominantly Black communities experience and understand race and oppression. They explore personal stories, the impacts of anti-Blackness, and the complexities of solidarity within diverse communities. Trenia also shares her work with Sustainable Leadership Consulting and Coaching, helping women leaders recover from burnout and improving organizational culture.

00:00 - Introduction by Trenia Parham and David DeVaughn

• Trenia Parham https://www.treniaparham.com

Episode Description:

In this episode, Trenia Parham and David DeVaughn delve into the complex issue of classism within the nonprofit sector. They discuss how class disparities manifest in nonprofit organizations, impacting both the internal dynamics and the external work being done in communities. Trenia and David share personal experiences and insights into the often overlooked intersection of class and race in this field.

In This Episode:

[00:01] Introduction and overview of today's topic

[02:03] David's experience with classism growing up and in the nonprofit sector

[05:43] Trenia's background and perspective on class dynamics

[10:30] The impact of class assumptions on nonprofit work and solutions

[14:35] Organizational structure and class stratification

[19:45] Challenges of working in nonprofits with class disparities

[22:52] The role of funding and maintaining the status quo

[26:19] Class and salary dynamics within nonprofits

[30:26] Opportunities for ground-level staff to move up and decision-making roles

[32:36] Final thoughts and call to action for listener feedback

Episode Links:

• Are you a woman in leadership or founder that's depleted and exhausted? Join me for Rest. Reset. Reimagine. A virtual Retreat on Saturday, September 14, 2024. Click here to learn more and register.