UNSHAKEABLE HER: Real-World Leadership, Influence and Promotion for Ambitious Women.

2025 wasn’t dramatic in one big way; it was heavy in lots of small ones.

In this episode, Caroline Esterson reflects on what last year really taught us about work, careers, and ourselves AND how to move into 2026 with more clarity, energy, and intention.

From isolation and hybrid working, to AI overload, budget cuts, and collective exhaustion, this isn’t about predictions or platitudes. It’s about noticing what changed and making small, deliberate moves that help your career flourish, even when the world feels wobbly.

No reinvention required. Just a few intentional shifts.

Resources

2026 Planning worksheet

Connect with Caroline here

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

A quieter, gentler story to close the series.
Ellie, home on Boxing Day, surrounded by cold stuffing, rogue Brussels sprouts, and the sudden realisation that she can’t keep shrinking at work.

No big drama.
No catastrophe.
Just an honest, still moment - the kind that changes a life quietly.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Why identity beats resolutions
• Why quiet decisions stick longer than loud declarations
• How “I’m not shrinking this year” becomes a 2mm shift
• The power of reflective moments that no one sees

Power Move: Stand Tall
Little Move: Make a decision about who you are becoming.

What You’ll Take Away:
Your biggest breakthroughs won’t look big from the outside. But you’ll feel them. And once you’ve made the internal shift, the external changes follow naturally.

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

Ah, the office Christmas party.
Less “festive joy,” more “performance review with glitter.”

Nia (our quietly brilliant operations manager ) positions herself near the buffet like a tactical genius. But when Gareth from Sales knocks the cable out of the snow machine mid-brag, the night descends into festive chaos.

Nia steps in with the kind of calm, grounded authority that makes real leadership obvious… without saying a word.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Snow machine pandemonium
• One-woman peacekeeping forces
• Gareth being… Gareth
• Why quiet leaders are the ones we follow without realising

Power Move: Build Your Circle
Little Move: Be the steady one when nonsense erupts.

What You’ll Take Away:
Influence isn’t loud. Influence is presence. And the people who keep the room calm are the people who get remembered.

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

Pressure: This is the big one. The call centre story. The real, messy, emotionally brilliant tale of Amina - QC Queen, calm diplomat, and unofficial backbone of the entire operation. 

On December 22nd the wallboard turns red, the VIP line collapses, agents are in tears, and the CEO shows up unannounced… just in time to take a call he’s absolutely not ready for. Amina doesn’t rescue him. 

She reveals the truth. 

In this episode you’ll hear: 

• The sound of collective panic when the wallboard hits “Queue: 198” 
• How emotional labour keeps entire industries running 
• The CEO learning more in five minutes than in five strategy decks 
• The moment frontline expertise becomes undeniable 

Power Move: 

Be Seen Little Move: Make the truth visible to the person who needs to see it. What You’ll Take Away: Leadership isn’t title. It’s clarity under pressure. And sometimes the smallest act (showing someone the reality) changes everything.

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

Episode 2 brings us to the Marketing department, where a mystery Christmas hamper lands on Desk 14, belonging to the formidable Margaret - patron saint of “I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.”
 

Cue panic, silence, and the kind of tension only a British office can generate over chutney, cheese wheels, and a questionable ribbon.

A tiny moment of misplaced gifting turns into a masterclass in pattern spotting, calm thinking, and stepping up when no one else will.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• A whole office freeze because Margaret simply asks a question
• The Business Development junior’s walk of shame
• The “Bold move” whisper that tells you everything about workplace politics
• Why small acts of courage create huge ripples

Power Move: Make It Matter
Little Move: Deliver clarity when everyone else is dithering.

What You’ll Take Away:
Office drama is never about the hamper. It’s about ownership, expectations, and knowing when to act instead of stare.

Contact Caroline [email protected] or

Connect with her here

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

In Episode 1 we meet Holly - a 19-year-old Christmas temp who gets dropped into a chaotic consultancy in December… the exact moment clients start demanding miracles before close-down.

Holly doesn’t shout, she doesn’t flail, she doesn’t grandstand.
She notices.
She organises.
She builds the one thing the entire team needed and didn’t realise: a list that prevented a full-blown Christmas Eve catastrophe.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Why outsider perspective is a secret superpower
• How quiet clarity outperforms loud panic every time
• The hilarious moment Holly accidentally becomes the most competent person in the building
• Why the 2mm Difference is often just… writing the list

Power Move: Spot & Solve
Little Move: Notice the mess no one else is looking at.

What You’ll Take Away:
The smallest interventions (especially from unexpected people) can completely shift a team’s trajectory. Visibility isn’t noise. Visibility is impact.

Contact Caroline [email protected] or

Connect with her here

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

Being the one who keeps their job sounds like relief… until the reality kicks in: guilt, fear you’re next, shaky culture, doubled workloads, and zero guidance on how to move forward.

This episode is for the people who stay after a redundancy wave and are left to rebuild confidence, clarity, culture, and boundaries in the aftermath.

We dig into:

• The emotional whiplash no one talks about
• Guilt, anxiety, pressure & culture wobble
• Why survivors often overperform (and burn out)
• What GOOD leaders do after cuts
• How to reset your role, priorities & boundaries
• How to rebuild trust when everyone’s twitchy

PLUS:
 🔹 A listener dilemma about losing your work bestie
 🔹 Quickfire Career Moves for immediate action
 🔹 A spicy Quote Crime to end the episode

This one’s emotional, practical, and deeply human. If you’ve ever stayed when others left - this is for you.

Resources

Your Bold Moves Brief

The Big Conversation Guide for leaders

email: [email protected]

Connect with Caroline here

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

Now we rebuild - not the old way, but smarter. This episode helps you design a career comeback plan that’s practical, intentional, and you-shaped. It’s not about getting back on the ladder; it’s about building one that actually leads somewhere you want to go.

Quick Move: Map your “Next 5 Little Moves” - because small steps build big momentum.

Download the Redundancy Reset Workbook - 5 power moves, the Impact Translator, the Progress Tracker, and 19 pages built for people who refuse to let redundancy define their story.

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

Networking after redundancy can feel like trying to flirt after a bad breakup. But this time, we’re doing it with purpose and self-respect. You’ll learn how to reconnect, show up online, and talk about what’s next without begging for validation.

Quick Move: Message three people with curiosity, not desperation.

Download the Redundancy Reset Workbook - 5 power moves, the Impact Translator, the Progress Tracker, and 19 pages built for people who refuse to let redundancy define their story.

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

You’ve got skills. You’ve got stories. You’ve got receipts. But can you say what you’re brilliant at without sounding desperate or cringe? We’ll fix that fast. This episode helps you reframe your experience, find your voice again, and pitch yourself like someone who knows their worth.

Quick Move: Write your “Genius Soundbite” - a one-liner that captures your impact.

Download the Redundancy Reset Workbook - 5 power moves, the Impact Translator, the Progress Tracker, and 19 pages built for people who refuse to let redundancy define their story.

New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.

And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.

Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.