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103. ​​Your Career Is Not Who You Are With Kelly Poquiz Burke

Secrets of the Career Game

Release Date: 09/01/2025

114. The One Percent Career Hack Nobody Talks About show art 114. The One Percent Career Hack Nobody Talks About

Secrets of the Career Game

Kendall Berg reveals why the real career hack is not a promotion or a lucky break. It is the quiet one percent improvements in soft skills that reshape your communication, visibility, and leadership presence. She shares how small daily habits build reputation, influence, and long term career momentum without burnout. In this episode, Kendall Berg breaks down how to take tough feedback without spiraling, speak up without creating resistance, and build relationships before you need them. She also explains three common career traps that stall growth and the practical soft skill habits that help...

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113. Stop Climbing, Start Leading: Career Moves That Actually Work with Whitney Faires show art 113. Stop Climbing, Start Leading: Career Moves That Actually Work with Whitney Faires

Secrets of the Career Game

Most professionals chase the next promotion without ever asking if it’s the right move. In this conversation, Kendall Berg and executive coach Whitney Faires expose the myth of the linear career path and why the most fulfilled leaders often take strategic sideways moves instead of climbing straight up. Whitney shares her Courageous Leader Roadmap, a framework for showing up with authenticity, self-awareness, and fearless communication, the traits that separate high performers from true leaders. Together, they unpack the messy middle of leadership transitions, how to navigate corporate...

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112. How to Write a Performance Review That Gets You Promoted show art 112. How to Write a Performance Review That Gets You Promoted

Secrets of the Career Game

Your performance review might be enough to save you from getting fired, but it’s definitely enough to keep you from getting promoted. Kendall Berg unpacks why most professionals underestimate their self-evaluations and how a well-written review can make or break your next career move. She explains how to turn your performance review into your best internal marketing tool: one that showcases impact, influence, and growth. From gathering 360 feedback to crafting measurable goals and starting promotion conversations at the right time, Kendall shares the proven strategies she used as a corporate...

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111. Why Smart Women Still Play It Safe in Their Careers: How to Stop | Dr. Candace Steele Flippin show art 111. Why Smart Women Still Play It Safe in Their Careers: How to Stop | Dr. Candace Steele Flippin

Secrets of the Career Game

Too many smart, capable women stay stuck in roles that feel “safe.” In this episode, Kendall Berg and Dr. Candace Steele Flippin unpack why — and how to finally break free. Drawing on groundbreaking research from her book and her SHAPE Framework (Safe, Hard Work, Advocate, Persevere, Educate), Dr. Candace reveals the hidden connection between financial stability and career confidence — and why money literacy isn’t just about saving, it’s about power. Together, they explore how self-advocacy, financial readiness, and strategic visibility help women move from fear to freedom. Whether...

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110. The Confidence Gap: Why Soft Skills Beat Technical Skills show art 110. The Confidence Gap: Why Soft Skills Beat Technical Skills

Secrets of the Career Game

Most professionals don’t plateau because they’ve hit their technical limit; they plateau because no one can see their value. In this episode, Kendall Berg breaks down the confidence gap and exposes the real reason talented people stay invisible at work: not a lack of skill, but a lack of visibility, presence, and confidence. Kendall explains how soft skills like communication, influence, and executive presence can move your career forward faster than any other certification ever could. She shares actionable frameworks to build authentic confidence through repetition, feedback, and mindset...

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109. Job Security Is a Myth: Become the CEO of Your Career with Renata Bernarde show art 109. Job Security Is a Myth: Become the CEO of Your Career with Renata Bernarde

Secrets of the Career Game

True “job security” as guaranteed lifetime employment was never a reality, though the perception of it was stronger in previous generations. In this episode, Kendall Berg sits down with career strategist Renata Bernarde to talk about what it really takes to stay relevant when the rules of work keep changing. From quiet layoffs to invisible promotion ceilings, they dig into why waiting to be “discovered” is no longer a strategy but a trap. Renata shares how thinking like the CEO of your own career changes everything: the way you network, the way you show up online, and the way you plan...

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108. The Secret to Career Growth: Learning to Emotionally Detach show art 108. The Secret to Career Growth: Learning to Emotionally Detach

Secrets of the Career Game

Kendall Berg reveals the truth about how to emotionally detach from work—without losing your ambition. Most professionals don’t burn out from overworking; they burn out from over-caring. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall breaks down why emotional detachment is the real power skill behind sustainable success. You’ll learn how to stop tying your self-worth to work performance, focus your energy where it actually drives results, and let go of the constant need to fix everyone else’s problems. Kendall also shares her personal “Future Self Cheat Sheet,” a simple...

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107. The Secret to Leadership Confidence No One Teaches You with Sara Anderson show art 107. The Secret to Leadership Confidence No One Teaches You with Sara Anderson

Secrets of the Career Game

Kendall Berg and Sara Anderson go deep into why authentic confidence isn’t about “faking it until you make it”—it’s about rewiring your nervous system so your leadership presence becomes undeniable. From grounding exercises that calm anxiety before high-stakes meetings to mindset shifts that make you more memorable in the boardroom, this episode unpacks the hidden mechanics of influence that no one teaches you in corporate training. Sara explains how nervous system regulation directly impacts clarity, vocal control, and body language. She shares a client story of a senior leader who...

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106. Corporate Politics and Career Growth—The Truth No One Tells You show art 106. Corporate Politics and Career Growth—The Truth No One Tells You

Secrets of the Career Game

Kendall Berg doesn’t sugarcoat it: if you refuse to engage in corporate politics, your career will stall. Hard work alone gets you to middle management at best, while those who master influence, relationships, and reputation move into senior leadership. Politics isn’t about gossip—it’s about power dynamics, alliances, and timing. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall breaks down how to navigate the politics of influence without losing yourself. She shares tactical strategies for identifying power centers, mapping allies and rivals, managing conflict with integrity, and...

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105. LinkedIn Networking Secrets You’re Not Using Yet with Catherine Fisher show art 105. LinkedIn Networking Secrets You’re Not Using Yet with Catherine Fisher

Secrets of the Career Game

Networking isn’t just for job hunting — it’s the long-term career insurance policy that carries you through promotions, layoffs, and everything in between. And in a world of AI, real career decisions still rely on real people. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall Berg sits down with Catherine Fisher, LinkedIn’s career expert and author of the Career Companion newsletter, to unpack how authentic networking really works in 2025. Catherine shares why 75% of professionals still trust human insight over AI tools, why 63% turn to their colleagues and peers when making big...

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Kendall Berg sits down with Kelly Poquiz Burke, a former Doritos brand manager who walked away from Super Bowl campaigns, corporate titles, and nonstop promotions to build a life that actually aligned with her values. Kelly’s story begins at the peak of success—meeting celebrities, managing billion-dollar brands, and collecting promotions—but underneath, she was burning out while holding it all together as a new mom and cancer survivor.

In this conversation, Kelly explains why passion isn’t enough for lasting fulfillment, how over-identifying with your career keeps you stuck, and why she believes Life-Work Alignment is a more sustainable framework than the outdated idea of balance. She shares the moment her three-year-old daughter asked her not to leave again, the Apple Watch notification that confirmed her stress levels, and the four pillars that now guide her work and life. If you’ve ever wondered whether your career is defining too much of who you are, this episode will shift your perspective.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • How do you know when it’s time to walk away from a dream job?

  • Why is purpose more sustainable than passion in your career?

  • What are the early signs of burnout most people ignore?

  • How does Life-Work Alignment work in practice?

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That Career Coach

Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach?

Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_

Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/

Build out the tools you need to navigate the corporate game: — Self Driven Mastermind

 

About Kelly Poquiz Burke

Kelly Poquiz Burke is an Executive Coach, Keynote Speaker, Podcast Host, and the Founder & CEO of Career Slay®. After beating breast cancer while pregnant during the pandemic, she found purpose in helping high performers develop their careers with courage and authenticity. Before launching Career Slay, Kelly spent over a decade in marketing, leading Super Bowl campaigns for brands like Doritos, Avocados From Mexico, Nestlé, and GameStop. She holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, a BBA from the University of Notre Dame, and is an ICF Level 1 Certified Coac