We Are Women Unapologetically

If you're waiting for the “right time” to pivot… you might be waiting forever.
And the cost? Your joy, your leadership, your future.

In this episode, Jessica Cumming sits down with Hope Yin, ICF-certified executive coach, former Fortune 200 tech executive, and fierce advocate for women in leadership. From immigrating to the U.S. at 25, to raising two children solo while leading global teams, Hope’s journey is a masterclass in courage, clarity, and reclaiming purpose.

🎧 Listen now

• How Hope used journaling to uncover her turning point—and what happened when she asked herself, “When was the last time I laughed?”

• Why stepping back in your title (on purpose) can actually propel your career forward

• The role of clarity and strategy in navigating divorce, single motherhood, and executive leadership

• How women can build influence and leadership credibility without selling out their values

• Why networking is not optional—and how to build real relationships, not just transactions

  
  

🔹 Inside This Episode:

• How Hope used journaling to uncover her turning point—and what happened when she asked herself, “When was the last time I laughed?”

• Why stepping back in your title (on purpose) can actually propel your career forward

• The role of clarity and strategy in navigating divorce, single motherhood, and executive leadership

• How women can build influence and leadership credibility without selling out their values

• Why networking is not optional—and how to build real relationships, not just transactions

• How to use your identity (immigrant, woman, underrepresented voice) as power, not limitation

“I was journaling... and I asked myself: When was the last time I laughed?
I couldn’t answer that question. In the beginning, I told myself:
In 10 years my kids will be in college — I can wait.
But then I thought… Can I survive 10 years without smiling, without laughing, without love?
That was the final straw.”
— Hope Yin

Hope Yin is an award-winning ICF PCC-certified Executive Coach, former Fortune 200 tech executive, and founder of Blueprint Coaching. With 3 master’s degrees, global leadership experience, and a passion for elevating women in leadership, Hope partners with companies and individuals to build powerful brands, teams, and cultures.

📍 Connect with Hope on LinkedIn

📍 Connect with ⁠Jessica on LinkedIn

📥 Clarity in 10™ Reset — your free 10-minute clarity tool to reconnect with what matters

Download the Official Transcript Here

🎧 You Don’t Owe Your Loyalty to the Wrong Room

We Are Women, Unapologetically — Season 2, Episode 3
Guest: Rachel Spekman, Founder of Made for More Coaching

If the room no longer fits, you’ve outgrown it.
And you don’t owe your loyalty to the wrong room.

In this episode, Jessica Cumming sits down with Rachel Spekman, founder of Made for More Coaching, for an honest conversation about alignment, identity, and what it really means to pivot with purpose. Together, they unpack how to leave rooms that no longer reflect your growth—without guilt or apology.

🎧 Listen now — and explore The Courage to Pause™, open this week for women ready to realign before their next big move.

• The difference between growth and familiarity — and why comfort can become a cage

• How to audit your own alignment using Rachel’s “internal résumé audit”

• Why loyalty can hold high-achievers back from the rooms meant for them

• What it really looks like to build a new identity after burnout or misalignment

• How stillness creates precision, not pause

0:00 – 3:37 | Welcome + Rachel’s Career Story
Rachel shares her early career in education, the shift from teaching to after-school programs, and how her natural gift for leadership led her into entrepreneurship.

3:38 – 7:58 | Forced Transitions and The Universe’s Nudge
When tenure wasn’t renewed, Rachel reframed the experience as redirection. She shares how a moment in the ocean became her turning point.

8:06 – 10:35 | The Internal Résumé Audit
Rachel explains her “internal audit” method—how to measure time spent vs. happiness level in your daily work to find alignment.

10:36 – 12:15 | Resistance, Loyalty, and Letting Go
They discuss why 99% of people resist change and how permission begins with ourselves, not external validation.

12:16 – 16:50 | The Board of Advisors + The Role of Identity
Jessica and Rachel talk about creating your personal “Board of Advisors,” letting go of identity attachments, and finding grounded support during reinvention.

16:51 – 20:28 | Permission and the Power of Discomfort
Rachel’s take on the false comfort of “false pauses” and her reminder: change happens when we’re uncomfortable.

20:29 – 25:17 | Therapy, Self-Awareness, and the Classroom Within
Rachel reframes therapy as a “classroom in yourself” and shares how discomfort and stillness can become powerful teachers.

25:18 – 27:23 | Death by a Thousand Cuts
The subtle signals of stagnation: when work that once felt meaningful starts to feel misaligned.

27:24 – 30:33 | Designing a Dream Day
Practical ways to regain clarity and control by designing your ideal day—and comparing it to the one you’re living.

30:34 – 33:40 | The Hurry Culture + Breaking Up with the Instant Life
A grounded conversation about pace, presence, and intentional living.

33:41 – 37:33 | The Power of Presence and Permission
Rachel’s final reflections on being fully present, living intentionally, and her book recommendation How to Break Up With Your Phone.

“Change happens when we’re uncomfortable. The more uncomfortable we get, the more we realize nobody’s going to make this change except for me.”
— Rachel Spekman

Rachel Spekman is the founder of Made for More Coaching, helping high-performing professionals trade high-paid, soul-sucking careers for values-aligned work that still pays. With an MBA, startup leadership background, and clinical therapy experience, Rachel bridges clarity and courage to help people align their purpose and profession.

Connect: rachelspekman.com | madeformorecoach.com

• How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price

  
  

• Clarity in 10™ Reset — your free 10-minute clarity tool

  
  

The Courage to Pause™ is open now.
If your energy has been telling you “this isn’t it,” this is your reset.
Because clarity doesn’t come from chaos, it comes from courage.

→ Enroll in The Courage to Pause™

If this conversation sparked something for you, share it with another woman who’s been quietly outgrowing her own room.

Download the Official Transcript Here

What truth have you been avoiding?

You know the one, the job that doesn't light you up anymore, the friendship that drains you, the version of success that feels more like a performance than alignment.

In this episode, I share two personal stories. One professional, one personal that brought me face-to-face with truths I didn’t want to admit. And I unpack why so many of us bury our awareness out of fear, only to wake up burnt out and resentful.

You’ll learn:

• Why ignoring the truth is the most expensive decision you'll make

• How to tell when your nervous system is trying to speak up

• The hidden cost of loyalty without boundaries

• And the power of one small act of honesty to change your life

  
  

  Chapters

  00:00 Welcome to We Are Women Unapologetically
  00:18 The truth that hits you in the face
  01:00 Why we ignore what we already know
  01:28 Self-betrayal vs survival
  01:43 Two stories: a job and a friendship
  02:20 Story 1: The job that looked good on paper
  02:58 Success without alignment is a slow death
  03:36 Story 2: The friendship that drained everything
  04:34 Loyalty without boundaries = self-abandonment
  05:01 Friendships are allowed to expire
  05:40 Harvard study: relationships & health
  06:13 Nervous system check-in prompts
  06:46 Energy tradeoffs and the long game
  07:05 Why we avoid what we know — fear of change
  07:58 The truth won’t go away — it gets louder
  08:41 The cost of pretending
  09:14 What the truth actually is: a gift
  09:37 What if you don’t honor the truth?
  09:50 Reset action of the week
  10:45 The cost of honoring truth vs ignoring it
  11:19 Final message: the truth is your compass
  11:44 Permission to pivot, protect, and grow
  12:17 Closing — stay unapologetically you

This episode is for the woman who’s been pretending everything is “fine” even when it isn’t. You’re not confused. You’re scared. And that’s okay. But it’s time to honor what you already know.

💥 Download the free Clarity in 10 Guide
📩 Ready for a deeper reset? Learn more about The Courage to Pause

Download the Transcript

🎧 Tune in. Reflect. Reclaim your power.
Because you don’t have to carry the weight of pretending anymore.

You Finally Left the Job / Relationship / Title… So Why Do You Still Feel Stuck?
We Are Women Unapologetically – Season 2, Episode 1
Host: Jessica Cumming

You made the brave move, you walked away from what didn’t fit. Everyone said you should feel free… but instead you feel lost. In this season opener, Jessica shares the raw truth of the in-between — why freedom can feel like fog, how “false pauses” keep you stuck, and the simple practice that brings your clarity back online.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
• The in-between isn’t punishment — it’s preparation
• How to spot a “false pause” (motion without intention)
• Why “I don’t know” is courage, not failure
• A 10-minute clarity reset you can start today

CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome to We Are Women Unapologetically
00:18 Why Season 2 feels different
00:54 Home to Wisconsin + slowing down
01:11 Aunt Paula’s 40-year lesson
02:34 The messy middle — the in-between
03:03 Who this season is for (open invitation)
03:58 After the decision: when freedom feels like fog
05:01 The in-between as transformation
06:45 Jessica’s layoff story
08:59 The “false pause” — busy but not aligned
09:43 Why silence feels unbearable (identity + worth)
10:33 When silence becomes transformation
11:42 Permission: grieve, not know, disappoint
13:00 “Not knowing” means you’re becoming
13:21 Clarity comes from stillness, not speed
14:00 What truth are you pretending not to know?
14:42 The cost of skipping the transformation period
15:54 The in-between is your workshop
16:03 Clarity Reset action (10 minutes)
16:42 Strategic hold, not stuck
17:26 Preparation, not punishment
17:43 Clarity in 10 Reset
17:55 The Courage to Pause (coming soon)
18:04 Closing

RESOURCES & LINKS
• Download the Clarity in 10 Reset → https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/clarity-in-10
• Join The Courage to Pause waitlist → https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/the-courage-to-pause-waitlist
• Full episode transcript
• Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn

If this episode hit home, download the Clarity in 10 Reset and join the waitlist for The Courage to Pause (opens Oct 20). Clarity deserves more than a moment , it deserves a practice.

In the season finale of We Are Women, Unapologetically, Jessica Cumming breaks down why bold pivots require courage—not permission—and how to take decisive action before you feel ready.

EPISODE SUMMARY:
You’ve been told to wait, to be sure, to get one more degree, to get approval. This episode dismantles all of it. Jessica walks through the three biggest lies women believe about readiness, shares research-backed truths about the real risks of staying stuck, and guides you through writing your own pivot permission slip.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Confidence comes before clarity. Start now, even if it’s messy

• Permission isn’t something you’re given. It’s something you decide

• Waiting to feel ready is the costliest decision women make

• Strategic pivots require rituals, support, and discomfort

• Celebration fuels the journey every step counts

  
  

CHAPTERS WITH TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — Full-Circle Reflection + Burnout Reality Check
02:22 — Decision Activation: The Wake-Up Call
05:12 — Three Reasons Women Keep Waiting (Clarity, Permission, Readiness)
11:09 — Redefining Risk: The True Cost of Playing Small
13:41 — Pivoting Isn’t Selfish—It’s Leadership
15:39 — Toolkit Recap: Building Bridges, Not Burning Them
18:31 — Introducing the Unapologetic Mindset
19:48 — The 3 Power Pivot Principles (Confidence, Permission, Change)
30:15 — Your Pivot Permission Slip: Reflective Exercise
35:04 — The Science of Self-Authorization
39:30 — Framework for Decisive Action
42:35 — Embracing Discomfort and Celebrating Progress
44:42 — Season One Gratitude + What's Next

Want to take this work deeper?
Grab the tools that will help you turn clarity into motion:

• The Career Confidence Blueprint — a planning system to navigate long transitions with clarity, confidence, and strategy.

• Shift Happens: The Power Pivot System — a fast-action workbook to help you claim your next move now.

Power Move of the Week:
Write your pivot permission slip and take one bold action in the next 72 hours.

Want personal support on your pivot or want to know more about season 2?
DM Jessica on LinkedIn or reach out through jcnewbeginnings.com to explore how she can support your next move.

Feeling stuck in your career pivot? In this episode of We Are Women, Unapologetically, healthcare tech executive Emily Carlson shares honest insights on adaptability, doubt, and finding clarity through small steps.

In this episode, Jessica sits down with Emily to explore what really happens when high-achieving women are forced to pivot. From navigating layoffs to launching a business mid-crisis, Emily opens up about what it means to evolve in real time—and why adaptability isn’t just a resume skill, it’s a life skill.

🧭 Chapters & Timestamps

0:00 – Welcome + Intro to Emily Carlson
1:10 – A career in tech, built out of necessity
2:35 – Getting laid off as a C-suite leader
3:52 – The blurry early days of pivoting
5:07 – Should I get another job... or try this on my own?
6:47 – Start with what brings you joy
7:41 – Red + green journaling to map your energy
9:01 – The surprising impact of informational interviews
11:02 – When you pivot… and then pivot again
12:33 – Adapting your business to match your energy
13:55 – Getting stuck in the survival loop
15:40 – Continuous learning + finding support
17:55 – Coaching vs. AI: real talk
20:00 – Why relationships matter in growth seasons
22:00 – Joy as your metric, even in IT consulting
24:00 – How Emily splits her time across multiple roles
25:45 – Movement as clarity: workout time is non-negotiable
27:20 – The magic of midday resets
29:02 – From full calendars to puppy walks
30:00 – How to time-block without burning out
31:30 – “Top 3” to-do list method
32:15 – The question she wishes people asked
34:50 – The transition advice every woman needs
35:53 – Final thoughts: Don’t hinge your life on someone else’s door

Key Takeaways

Clarity often comes after the chaos

Start by writing down what brings you joy

Don’t underestimate 15-minute conversations

Building a business starts with building belief

You're not behind—you're just in a transition

Follow Jessica on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/

Power Move of the Week:

Reach out to one person doing what you think you want to do—and ask them for 15 minutes.

Download my free power pivot career guide to help you get started: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/powerpivotguide

Download the Transcript HERE

Discover how loyalty may be holding you back—with a 3‑question Loyalty Audit and a proven decision‑making framework to help high‑achieving women choose growth and alignment.

Guest quote:

“Fear isn’t evidence of limitation; it’s evidence of your potential.” – Jessica Cumming

Episode summary:
In this episode of We Are Women Unapologetically, Jessica Cumming unpacks why staying out of fear or obligation can be more harmful than freeing. She guides listeners through a Loyalty Audit—asking if you stay out of love, loyalty, or fear—and a powerful decision‑making process: Future Self, Deathbed, Practical Reality Check. Whether you decide to stay or leave, you’ll gain clarity, confidence, and actionable steps to build a career aligned with who you're becoming.

CHAPTER BREAKDOWN

0:00 Welcome: Shift Happens, But You Don’t Have To Do It Alone

1:12 The Cost of Staying Too Long

2:01 Loyalty or Fear in Disguise?

3:03 Burnout, Identity Fusion, and Invisible Women

5:09 Self-Abandonment Is Not a Career Strategy

6:23 3 Psychological Patterns Keeping You Stuck

8:03 Real-Life Career Pivot: Jessica’s Story

9:03 The Loyalty Audit: 3 Game-Changing Questions

13:12 How to Interpret Your Answers

14:49 The Real Cost of Staying

19:02 The Decision Framework: Future Self, Deathbed, and Reality Check

24:06 If You’re Staying: Do This First

25:36 If You’re Leaving: Do This First

27:33 Universal Next Steps for Any Path

29:12 The Truth About Readiness

30:07 Final Word: You Don’t Owe Anyone Your Exhaustion

Key takeaways:

• Conduct the Loyalty Audit: Are you staying for love, loyalty, or fear?

• Use the decision framework: Will your future self thank or resent today's choice?

• Choose with intention: Whether staying or leaving, do it from strength and purpose.

• Take practical steps: Mentors, LinkedIn updates, self‑care, and documenting wins.

• Own your potential: Fear signals readiness, not weakness.

Power Move of the Week:
Complete your Loyalty Audit—answer if you’re staying for love, loyalty, or fear and journal the truth.

Want to learn more? Follow Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/

Download the Transcript here

Want more guidance? Purchase the Shift Happens Toolkit for just $27 to help you navigate your transition.

Discover how your childhood taught you to chase worth through busyness and what real strength looks like when you choose rest instead.

Episode summary:
In this emotionally revealing episode, Jessica traces the roots of burnout back to childhood lessons like asking, “Do I need an appointment to see you?” as a seven-year-old. She explains how early conditioning wires high-achieving women to equate motion with value, and shares powerful strategies for unlearning those beliefs and embracing purposeful stillness.

Key takeaways:

• Your inability to pause isn’t calendar-related, it’s ancestral wiring

• Busy was your first love, but it cost your peace

• Stillness feels like danger until you rewire your nervous system

• The addiction to motion masks grief, avoidance, and unmet needs

• The 5-step rest safety plan helps you pause without panic

  
  

Chapters:
00:00 – Anxiety trends & episode intro
02:45 – Childhood moment: “Do I need an appointment to see you?”
05:30 – Conditioning: busy = love, availability = weakness
08:15 – The nest of high-achiever nervous system wounds
11:00 – What happens when you really stop
14:00 – Your 5-step safety plan for stillness
18:45 – Strength redefined: rest, repair, release
22:30 – Episode close & next steps

Download the Official Transcript Here

Power Move of the Week:
Choose stillness on purpose. Not because you earned it—but because you already belong.

Want to learn more? Follow Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/

“You don’t have to wait until you’re empty to start refilling.”In this bold, unapologetic episode of We Are Women Unapologetically, Jessica Cumming sits down with Anne Potts a communications strategist turned joy-first recovery coach for a conversation every high-achieving woman needs to hear.If you’ve been holding it all together while quietly falling apart, this one’s for you.Anne doesn’t just talk about self-care, she redefines it. Together, she and Jessica explore why scheduling fun is no longer a luxury for women it’s leadership. From the stress statistics nobody’s talking about, to what it really looks like to reclaim joy in your everyday life, this episode offers both strategy and soul.Because you don’t need another bath bomb.You need your life back.

🔗 Follow Jessica on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/🔗 Follow Anne on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/annemarapotts/📌 Timestamped Chapters

• [00:00] Opening + Welcome

• [00:30] Meet Anne Potts

• [03:00] The Stress Epidemic + Personal Flashbacks

• [05:00] From PR to Purpose

• [06:30] Self-Care Isn’t the Goal—It’s the Floor

• [08:00] Chief Activity Officer Syndrome

• [10:00] Why Vacations Don’t Always Refuel You

• [13:00] Caregiving, Guilt, and Burnout

• [15:00] What Fun Looks Like (and Doesn’t)

• [17:00] Designing Your Own Joy—On Purpose

• [20:00] The Cortisol Connection

• [22:00] Why Women Overfunction

• [25:00] “It’s My Summer Too” Moment

• [28:00] The Shift from Fun to Framework

• [30:00] Systemic Pressure + The Overwork Trap

• [33:00] How to Start Scheduling Fun

• [36:00] Flow State, Confidence, and Visibility

• [38:00] Boundaries, Practice, and Repatterning

• [40:00] Modern Life vs. True Joy

• [42:00] Values Alignment and Redefining Fun

• [44:00] Cultural Lessons + Early Shows + Daylight Joy

• [46:00] Final Thoughts + Call to Action

• [47:00] Outro

✨ Key TakeawaysFun isn’t the reward after burnout, it’s what keeps you from getting there.Self-care is survival. Fun is fuel.Being the Chief Activity Officer at home is costing you your joy.You don’t need permission to put yourself first, but here it is anyway.The strongest move you can make this summer? Put fun back on the damn calendar!

Download the Official Transcript Here

💣 Power Move of the WeekSay it with your whole chest:“It’s my summer too.”Then block off one hour this month that’s just for you and defend it like your peace depends on it.📥 Grab the Shift Happens ToolkitReady to stop over-functioning and start choosing you?Download the free Shift Happens Toolkit—your step-by-step reset plan for clarity, boundaries, and action. https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/produ... Learn More about The Fun Reset https://thefunreset.com/

What if the thing you’re trying to hide is actually your greatest asset? In this powerful episode, Erris Klapper shares how leaving law—and the identity it gave her—unlocked a life rooted in purpose, voice, and true impact.

🎧 Episode Summary:

“That gap is really the time you take for yourself to figure out who you are, what your identity should be, what you value, what you care about. That’s the place where we can dare to dream.” — Erris Klapper

Erris Klapper’s career pivot wasn’t clean, linear, or approved by others—and that’s exactly why it worked. This episode is a bold reframe of the resume gap, imposter syndrome, and the invisible grief of walking away from who you were supposed to be.

Follow Jessica on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming/

Connect with Erris → ErrisKlapperCoachingAndConsulting.com

LinkedIn → Erris Langer Klapper, MS, Esq.

⏱ Timestamped Chapters:

• [0:00] — Welcome + Meet Erris

• [1:20] — From Law to Purpose: The Courage to Walk Away

• [5:01] — “Law school was pushed on me”: Owning Your Path

• [9:01] — The Resume Gap is Not a Problem—It’s a Portal

• [11:26] — Don't Be Afraid to Dream. Be Afraid to Stagnate.

• [17:17] — The Trench is Where Transformation Happens

• [24:01] — From Writer to Coach: The Power of Transferable Skills

• [31:18] — What Imposter Syndrome Actually Is

• [35:03] — High Achievers Are Not Immune

• [36:53] — Burnout, Boundaries & Building a Support System

• [43:58] — The Conversation Everyone Needs to Have

✨ Key Takeaways:

• The resume gap isn’t a weakness—it’s evidence of reinvention.
  

• Imposter syndrome isn’t solved by slogans—it requires strategy.
  

• You don’t have to explain your pivot to anyone who isn’t living your life.
  

• Purpose doesn’t always start with a plan—it starts with a pause.
  

• The most transformative seasons rarely look impressive on paper.
  

🔥 Power Move of the Week:

Stop explaining the “gap.” Start naming what it gave you. (And if you don’t know yet—get curious. That’s where reinvention begins.)

Books Recommended by Erris (Writing Resources):

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
  

• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
  

• Still Writing by Dani Shapiro
  

• Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction by Benjamin Percy
  

• What About the Baby? by Alice McDermott
  

• On Writing by Stephen King
  

📥 Download the Official Transcript here 

🔥 Ready to reframe your “what’s next”? Grab the Shift Happens Power Pivot Toolkit — built for bold women in the in-between. →Download here