Episode 26: Own Your Brand, Own Your Career with Mike Kim
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Release Date: 10/29/2025
Episode 39: Competence vs Confidence & Promotions with Sara Gallagher
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
What’s more valuable at work, being good at your job, or looking like you are? Diana reconnects with longtime friend and guest Sarah Gallagher, President of The Persimmon Group and creator of the popular LinkedIn newsletter Big Dumb Questions. They dive into a lively, honest conversation about why confidence often outpaces competence in career advancement and why that might not be a bad thing. They also unpack Sarah’s career journey, her sobriety story, and how she's redefining leadership on her own terms. Where the idea for Big Dumb Questions came from Confidence vs. competence at...
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Episode 38: Fake Recruiters & Resume Scams with Diana Alt
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Fake recruiters. Phony resume “fixes.” Learn how to protect yourself from a rising scam that’s catching even the smartest job seekers off guard. Scams targeting job seekers are getting more sophisticated and more personal. In this solo episode, Diana Alt exposes the latest trend in fake recruiter scams designed to exploit your job search anxiety. From LinkedIn messages to fake ATS feedback, she walks through how the scam works, red flags to watch for, and what ethical resume support really looks like. Whether you've already been targeted or just want to protect yourself, this episode...
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Episode 37: Career Breaks for Dummies with Katrina McGhee
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Burned out or misaligned at work? Here’s how a break could change everything. What if taking a break from your career wasn’t a setback, but a strategic step forward? In this episode, Katrina McGhee, career break coach and author of Taking a Career Break for Dummies, joins Diana to explore how to plan, fund, and return from a career break with clarity and confidence. From burnout to intentional reinvention, Katrina shares powerful insights from her own 20-month break and the 200+ clients she’s helped since. If you're craving change but unsure how to make space for it, this episode is...
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Episode 36: Turning New Year’s Intentions into Real Action with Diana Alt
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Want to follow through on your New Year's goals instead of fizzling out by February? Diana breaks down exactly why most resolutions fail and how to turn your intentions into real progress. In this solo episode, she shares three common mistakes that sabotage follow-through and how to avoid them with a better approach to planning, prioritization, and progress tracking. Whether you're building healthier habits or launching something new in your business, this episode will help you set goals that actually stick. Why resolutions often fail by February The “boiling the ocean” trap and how to...
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Episode 35: Why Being Qualified Isn’t Enough with Gina Riley
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
In this conversation, Gina and Diana dive deep into the Career Velocity™ system Gina developed after years of experience in executive search and career coaching. Together, they bust outdated job search myths and show why checking all the boxes on a job posting still won't guarantee an interview, let alone a job offer. You’ll learn the difference between being qualified and being compelling, why resumes are not the first step in a successful search, and how a strong unique value proposition (UVP) can change your entire career trajectory. Gina shares advice for leaders and job seekers of all...
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Episode 34: The Difference Between Rest and Avoidance with Diana Alt
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Are you actually resting… or just numbing out? As the year winds down and exhaustion sets in, it’s easy to blur the line between real rest and quiet avoidance. In this solo episode, Diana breaks down how to tell the difference and why noticing it matters as you move into the new year. Diana explores why so many of us feel depleted at the end of the year, even when we finally slow down. She explains how rest is intentional and capacity-building, while avoidance is often reactive and numbing even when it looks relaxing on the surface. You’ll hear practical examples of how everyday...
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Episode 33: Achieve More By Eliminating Time Confetti with Leslie Weaver
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
What does it take to lead 500+ people, grow a thriving program, and still prioritize personal growth? Leslie Weaver has the answers and she’s sharing her powerful, practical insights with us today. In this inspiring conversation, Leslie Weaver, Program Manager of before and after school programs for one of Tennessee’s top school districts, shares how she leads with purpose, models growth from the top down, and creates a culture of care and excellence. We talk about her journey from coaching gymnastics and working in retail, to thriving in education leadership. Leslie reveals how she helps...
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Episode 32: My First Layoff 25 Years Later with Diana Alt
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Laid off? You're not alone. Here’s what’s actually changed in 25 years and what hasn’t. In this solo episode, Diana shares the powerful story of her first layoff experience in 2000, which just so happened to fall on her 26th birthday, the very same day the Supreme Court ended the Bush v. Gore recount. With vulnerability and wisdom, she reflects on how layoffs felt then, what she sees now as a coach working with professionals every day, and what’s stayed consistent despite a changing job market. You’ll hear why layoffs still shake people’s sense of identity, how stigma around...
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Episode 31: Managing Perfectionism at Work with Greg Chasson
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Are your high standards helping or hurting you at work? Let's unpack the real cost of perfectionism. Dr. Greg Chasson joins Diana for an eye-opening conversation on how perfectionism shows up in the workplace and what leaders and individuals can do about it. A licensed clinical psychologist, professor, and expert in OCD and related disorders, Greg breaks down how perfectionism isn’t just about wanting things to be “right”it's often a barrier to progress, innovation, and well-being. Whether you're a leader, a team member, or just tired of beating yourself up for not being “perfect,”...
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Episode 30: Finding Clarity in the Chaos this Thanksgiving with Diana Alt
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Brain tumor, business challenges, and deep clarity. Diana gets real about the chaos that reshaped her 2025. This first-ever Thanksgiving episode isn’t a gratitude list. It’s a raw, personal story of what happens when life derails your plans. Diana shares how an unexpected brain tumor and subsequent recovery forced her to rethink support, vulnerability, and her own worth. From discovering who she could count on, to choosing joy and experiences (like Hamilton in NYC), this episode is a masterclass in reclaiming your voice, your energy, and your no white-knuckling required. If...
info_outlineYour personal brand isn’t just for influencers, it’s your career superpower. Learn how to stand out with authenticity and strategy.
In this insightful conversation, Diana Alt sits down with branding expert and author Mike Kim to explore how owning your personal brand can elevate your career. Mike shares his unconventional path from church music director to Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author and how authenticity, strategy, and storytelling shaped his journey.
They dive into the power of having a public-facing identity, why your good work alone won’t get you noticed, and how even the quirks in your past (like cringey AIM screen names!) can become part of your unique narrative. Whether you're working toward a promotion, building thought leadership, or pivoting into entrepreneurship, this episode offers real talk and actionable tips to build a brand that reflects the real you, no Instagram influencer vibes required.
⏳ Timestamps:
02:15 Mike’s origin story and his first embarrassing screen name
06:45 Why owning your weird makes your brand work
10:48 Mike’s journey from church musician to brand strategist
15:12 The skills from ministry that translate into marketing
18:44 The importance of identity and domain names
23:03 What a personal brand actually is and isn’t
24:58 The 4 elements of a personal brand
26:15 Why personality is the hardest for most professionals
28:40 The career paths Mike helps people with
32:10 How tech leaders can build their brands without feeling fake
35:20 Getting visible without “selling out”
💡 Take action
🔥 Subscribe for future episodes → https://www.youtube.com/@dianaalt
📖 Grab my Resume Don’ts Guide → https://www.dianaalt.com/resumedonts
❌ Avoid these common job search mistakes → https://www.jobsearchmistakes.com
🚪 Wondering if it’s time to walk away? → https://www.isittimetowalk.com
💼 Work with me → https://www.dianaalt.com
📢 Connect with Mike Kim
🌐 Website → https://mikekim.com
🔗 LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/in/mikekimtv
📺 YouTube → https://youtube.com/@RealMikeKim
📘 Facebook → https://facebook.com/mikekimtv
🎵 TikTok → https://tiktok.com/@mikekimtv
🐦 X (Twitter) → https://twitter.com/mikekimtv
📸 Instagram → https://instagram.com/mikekim
📲 Follow me on social media:
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