Urban Girl Corporate World

How do you transition into a new career or role without starting from the bottom?

In this episode of Urban Girl Corporate World, recorded live from RSA 2026 in San Francisco, Nicole breaks down what it actually takes to make a successful career transition without resetting your progress.

Drawing from her 22-year career across Wall Street, global operations, and cybersecurity, she shares practical insights on how to move from where you are to where you want to be with intention.

In this episode, Nicole covers:

• Why the “linear career path” is a myth

• How to position yourself beyond just doing great work

• Translating your experience into a new industry

• Identifying your unique value and competitive edge

• Why visibility and relationships matter more than you think

If you’re looking to pivot into a new domain or step into leadership, this episode gives you a clear framework to navigate the transition with confidence.

📩 Have a career question? Email Nicole at [email protected]

🔗 Learn more: https://www.nicoledove.com/

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What does it actually take to get promoted?

In this episode of Urban Girl Corporate World, Nicole Dove answers one of the most common questions she receives from professionals at every level: how to move to the next stage in your career.

Drawing from her own experience across Wall Street, global operations, and cybersecurity, Nicole breaks down why strong performance alone is not enough and what it really takes to position yourself for advancement.

In this episode, she covers:

• What it takes to move beyond “doing great work”

• Why clarity, communication, and visibility matter

• How to align with your manager on expectations for the next level

• How to identify and close critical skill gaps

• The role of stretch assignments and strategic exposure

If you’re ready for more but not sure how to get there, this episode offers a practical framework to help you move forward with intention.

📩 Have a career question? Email Nicole at [email protected]

🔗 Learn more: https://www.nicoledove.com/

⭐ Enjoying the podcast? Leave a 5-star review and don’t forget to subscribe and share

How do you design and deliver a high-impact presentation that commands authority, captivates your audience, and lands seamlessly at every corporate level?

In this live episode of Urban Girl Corporate World from Black Hat MEA in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Nicole breaks down her personal, field-tested strategy for crafting powerful presentations.

You’ll learn:

• How to establish a clear presentation purpose and map it directly to your audience's technical or business needs

• Why strategic storytelling and focused slide design always outperform dense, text-heavy formats

• How to narrow your core message into punchy, memorable take-home points under pressure

• Why bringing your authentic self to the stage transforms complex content into real executive impact

Whether preparing for an international industry keynote, an enterprise board presentation, or an internal team update, these actionable guidelines will elevate your communication delivery.

🎧 Tune in to master the art of strategic presentation design and step onto your next stage with absolute confidence.

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Interested in presentation and performance excellence? Explore Nicole’s LinkedIn Learning course, Stand Out as a Power Performer.

What does it actually mean to find the right mentor?

In this episode of Urban Girl Corporate World, Nicole Dove checks in from Bucharest, Romania, following her first international speaking engagement at the GoTech World Conference. Reflecting on a full-circle career moment, she shares insights on the long-term impact of relationships, reputation, and strong leadership.

She then dives into one of the most common questions she receives: mentorship and how to approach it with clarity and intention.

In this episode, Nicole covers:

• Why clarity matters before seeking a mentor

• How to identify the right people to learn from

• The role of preparation and reputation in building meaningful relationships

• Why mentorship is not passive and how to drive the relationship effectively

If you’re thinking about finding a mentor or making better use of the ones you already have, this episode offers a practical framework you can apply right away.

📩 Have a career question? Email Nicole at [email protected]

🔗 Learn more: https://www.nicoledove.com/

⭐ Enjoying the podcast? Leave a 5-star review and don’t forget to subscribe and share

In this Season 8 opener of Urban Girl Corporate World, Nicole checks in from Shanghai, China, to celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month and share high-impact global leadership reflections.

You’ll learn:

• How to build trust and drive deep alignment across diverse international cultures

• What it takes to grow a business footprint while managing cross-border operations

• Lessons from authoring her upcoming book, Learning Cybersecurity Fundamentals, to navigate the industry confidently

• A strategic preview of upcoming solo episodes answering your top career growth questions

Nicole also provides an exclusive preview of her first book, allowing listeners to explore the early chapters directly.

🎧 Tune in to kick off a powerful new season of global leadership, career strategy, and technical growth.

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Interested in navigating the cybersecurity industry? Explore Nicole’s LinkedIn Learning course, Becoming a BISO.

Nicole interviews Ashley, who she works with as an Executive Coach, and discusses their leadership philosophies on the final episode of season 7.

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Rate, review, and share with someone navigating their own journey in leadership. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

In this episode of the Urban Girl Corporate World Podcast, Nicole sits down with Ervin McBride, a cybersecurity professional, mentor, and North Carolina A&T alum, to discuss his intentional journey into the tech world, the power of mentorship, and the importance of representation in cybersecurity.

Ervin shares how intentional networking helped him break into cybersecurity and how internships during college gave him the chance to explore different career paths before discovering the "right fit" in cybersecurity. After meeting Nicole at AfroTech, he took the time to build trust and vet her before asking her to be his mentor—an example of how genuine connections can lead to powerful relationships.

The conversation dives deep into how Ervin navigates imposter syndrome, especially as one of the few Black professionals in many cybersecurity spaces, and how he channels that experience into creating awareness content on social media and mentoring others as a way of giving back to

the community.

Ervin describes why cybersecurity is a field he loves—it keeps him on the edge of his seat and demands that he always stay ready. With the landscape constantly evolving, continuous learning and adaptability are key.

Follow Ervin on social media to keep up with his cybersecurity awareness content and professional journey.

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Enjoyed this episode?

Rate, review, and share with someone navigating their own tech journey or exploring mentorship. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

In this episode of Urban Girl Corporate World, Nicole sits down with Hatu Kanu, Technical Recruiter at Riot Games and founder of Power Pivots, to break down the key strategies for landing and excelling in a tech career.

They dive into the biggest resume mistakes & Hatu shares interview best practices. They also discuss how to engage with recruiters the right way, why conferences should be used for real-time networking with a job in mind, and how to follow up effectively to foster genuine connections.

Once you’ve secured an offer, negotiation is a must—Hatu explains the mindset shift needed to confidently advocate for yourself, understand salary bands, and communicate the value you bring.

If you're ready to level up your job search, this episode is packed with actionable insights! Connect with Hatu at [email protected], and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share!

In this episode of Urban Girl Corporate World, host Nicole chats with Christina, Producer at Riot Games, about her incredible career journey—from facing constant rejection to finally landing a job offer that changed everything.

Christina shares her experience relocating across the country to a place she’d never even visited, navigating the workforce as a neurodiverse professional, and tackling her first big project at Riot: Tech Talks which you can watch here.

They also get real about the misconceptions about introverted leaders and the power of self-awareness. Plus, Christina reveals why she keeps a “Brag File” and why you absolutely need one too!

Loved this episode? Like, subscribe, and share to help others tap into these career gems! 🚀✨

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In this episode of Urban Girl Corporate World, host Nicole sits down with Adrianna Seeny, Data Scientist, for a powerful conversation on confidence, resilience, and authenticity in the workplace.

Adrianna shares her journey of securing a job after interviewing at AfroTech, the challenges of navigating corporate culture as a woman of color, and how she balances managing emotions while breaking stereotypes. Nicole & Adrianna unpack the discomfort of talking about money, the athlete’s mindset of continuous learning, and why chasing excellence is the ultimate career move.

If this episode resonated with you, like, subscribe, and share to help more professionals step into their power! 🚀✨

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Interested in leveling up at work? Check out Nicole's LinkedIn Learning Course: Stand Out as a Power Performer for tips on managing your manager, leveling up your performance, and sharing your wins.