Wickedly Smart Women

Wickedly Smart Women® is a multi-award-winning, internationally ranked podcast featuring conversations with women who have left high-level corporate roles or exited businesses and are now discerning what comes next. Each episode explores leadership, visibility, value creation, and the transition from corporate identity to independently owned impact. Guests share candid stories, hard-earned wisdom, and real-world insight drawn from lived experience. This show is for women who know they are in — or approaching — their final corporate chapter and are beginning to explore how their expertise, leadership, and discernment can be structured into a high-value consultancy, advisory path, or independent body of work that reflects who they are becoming. Wickedly Smart Women® supports thoughtful transitions — from structure to sovereignty, from credentials to contribution, and from success as defined by others to success defined from within. Listeners come for grounded conversations, practical perspective, and clarity about what’s possible after corporate — and stay for the intelligence, integrity, and depth that define the Wickedly Smart Women® ecosystem

Win the Corporate Game Without Losing Yourself with Robin Goad – Ep.362 02/04/2026

Win the Corporate Game Without Losing Yourself with Robin Goad – Ep.362 What if the reason you’re exhausted, overworked, and questioning your worth at work has nothing to do with your talent and everything to do with a game no one ever taught you how to play? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Robin Goad, a senior technology executive at Amazon Web Services, speaker, and author, to unpack how childhood trauma, perfectionism, and unspoken corporate rules shape the careers of high-achieving women. With more than 30 years of leadership experience at Fortune 100 companies like Dell and Gartner, Robin shares how she built a wildly successful career while unknowingly operating from survival patterns formed in childhood. If you’re a high-achieving woman navigating corporate life, considering a transition, or simply tired of sacrificing yourself for success, this episode will shift how you see leadership, power, and your place in the room. What You Will Learn: How childhood trauma and early survival patterns often drive high-achieving women in corporate environments. Why corporate success can feel empty or exhausting even when you are “winning.” How performance and people-pleasing become coping mechanisms rather than conscious choices. What a true breaking point looks like and how it can become the doorway to transformation. Why separating your identity from your job title is essential for long-term fulfillment. How corporate America operates as a game with unspoken rules that most women are never taught. Why knowing the rules of the game makes leadership more strategic and less draining. What it means to recognize your personal superpower and why it often goes unnoticed for decades. How to establish a leadership strategy that benefits both you and the organization. Why authenticity is not a liability in leadership but a powerful advantage. How women can lead without losing their soul, voice, or values. Who the REAL Framework is designed to support and why earlier awareness changes everything. Connect with Robin Goad Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39973285

Trusted Leadership Starts With Your Voice with Julie Holunga – Ep.361 01/28/2026

Trusted Leadership Starts With Your Voice with Julie Holunga – Ep.361 What if the way you speak is the most powerful leadership tool you’re underutilizing? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Julie Holunga, to explore how trust, communication, and intentional leadership language shape influence at every level of an organization. Julie shares her journey from nonprofit and corporate leadership into building a consulting practice rooted in integrity, trust, and meaningful impact. If you’re a heart-centered leader, consultant, or professional considering a transition into more purpose-driven work, this episode offers both insight and grounded, real-world wisdom. What You Will Learn: How early life experiences can shape curiosity, empathy, and a lifelong desire to help others lead more effectively. Why being a natural helper can sometimes create tension in leadership and consulting roles. How to recognize when people want support versus when they are resistant to being helped. What inspired the transition from corporate and nonprofit work into building a consulting practice. The unexpected challenges and joys of starting a values-aligned business. Why managing every part of a business alone eventually limits growth and impact. How strategic delegation and hiring the right expertise can dramatically elevate a consulting practice. What the Trusted Voice Paradigm is and how it reframes leadership through trust and communication. The four core pillars of trust and how each one shows up in leadership behavior. Why aptitude and honesty about capability are essential to sustaining trust. How leaders unintentionally break trust when they promote technical experts without leadership support. What it looks like to lead with integrity while still honoring business results. How deep cultural change happens when leaders commit to doing the hard work together. Connect with Julie Holunga /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39890965

When the Soul Calls for More with Aleksandra Ceho – Ep.360 01/21/2026

When the Soul Calls for More with Aleksandra Ceho – Ep.360 What if the feeling that something is missing in your career isn’t confusion, but wisdom trying to get your attention? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Aleksandra Ceho, whose work bridges the worlds of spirituality, leadership, and business strategy. Aleksandra shares her remarkable journey from studying kinesiology and working in motor vehicle accident clinics to building a thriving astrology practice rooted in authenticity, self-awareness, and aligned decision-making. If you’ve ever felt like a square peg in a round hole or sensed that there is “more” waiting for you, this episode offers a powerful perspective. What You Will Learn: How astrology can be used as a practical framework for self-awareness, leadership development, and business decision-making. Why the feeling of “there must be more” often signals misalignment rather than failure. How multiple archetypes exist within each person and how ignoring your dominant archetype creates burnout. What cognitive dissonance looks like at a soul level and why it intensifies over time. How astrology can indicate when it may be time to leave a career or make a major life transition. Why authenticity is essential for long-term success, fulfillment, and resilience. How Aleksandra’s leap from healthcare into astrology unfolded and what it taught her about trust. The astrological influences often connected to midlife awakenings and identity shifts. Why some people burn bridges while others build them during transitions and how astrology explains both. How businesses have their own energetic charts and why alignment matters for sustainability. What astrology can reveal about whether a business or opportunity is the right fit before investing. How forecasting helps entrepreneurs focus their energy where it will have the greatest impact. Why perceived credibility and age can become barriers when starting a purpose-driven business. How astrology supports values-driven decision-making rather than rigid personality labels. Why deep self-knowledge is the foundation for building meaningful relationships, wealth, and legacy. Connect with Aleksandra Ceho Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39793510

Reshaping the Beliefs That Shaped You with Tracy Doyle – Ep.359 01/14/2026

Reshaping the Beliefs That Shaped You with Tracy Doyle – Ep.359 What if burnout isn’t proof you’re failing but proof something in you is begging to change? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Tracy Doyle, author of Life Storms: Finding Your Clear Sky and creator of the Aurora Method. Tracy shares the childhood trauma and survival patterns that shaped her drive, her leadership, and her belief that sacrifice meant abandoning herself. If you’ve ever felt like you have to hold everything together, this episode will meet you right where you are and offer a real path forward. What You Will Learn: How early childhood experiences can quietly wire your nervous system for burnout later in life. Why “looking fine on the outside” can mask unprocessed trauma that eventually demands attention. How survival skills like self-reliance can become leadership liabilities as your responsibilities grow. The difference between a breaking point and a turning point—and how to use burnout as a transformation portal. Why burnout often isn’t caused by your job or your family, but by the beliefs you formed while trying to belong. How the belief “If I don’t do it myself, it won’t get done” fuels control, resentment, and isolation. The real reason personal growth tools can fail when they’re done in isolation instead of as a connected process. What a “loving look back” self-assessment is and how it helps you recognize patterns without drowning in shame. How unmet needs can shape fear-based thinking and drive high-achievers into over-functioning. How emotional burnout fractures relationships and how acknowledgement conversations rebuild trust fast. What it looks like to create a personalized mindfulness practice that actually fits real life. Why high-achieving women often fear vulnerability, especially in corporate environments, and how community changes that. Connect with Tracy Doyle Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39680440

Healing, Intuition, and the Courage to Pivot with Julie Ryan – Ep.358 01/07/2026

Building a Purpose-Driven Product After 40 with Liat Kaplan – Ep.357 12/31/2025

Building a Purpose-Driven Product After 40 with Liat Kaplan – Ep.357 What happens when a high-achieving corporate leader realizes her legacy must be about more than titles, promotions, and golden handcuffs? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Liat Kaplan, a global product innovation leader turned founder and CEO, to explore what it truly takes to leave corporate life, trust your inner conviction, and build something that matters. If you are a woman standing at the edge of change, questioning whether it’s “too late” to start something meaningful, this conversation will remind you that your most important work may still be ahead of you. What You Will Learn: How personal conviction becomes essential when stepping away from corporate identity and external validation. Why clarity around purpose matters more than having everything figured out before starting. What it truly means to take a leap later in life and why age can be an advantage, not a limitation. How releasing fear of judgment creates freedom and sharper focus on what actually matters. What surprises many founders when they leave corporate structure behind. How passion and impact fuel resilience during the entrepreneurial journey. Why building a product-based business requires patience, long timelines, and strategic planning. What to consider when funding a startup, especially the importance of aligned and supportive investors. How innovation can be shaped by curiosity rather than rigid corporate processes. Why real-world problems and lived experiences often spark the most powerful business ideas. How technology can empower people to make informed, self-directed choices. Why safety, awareness, and informed decision-making are key components of modern leadership and legacy. How letting go of unnecessary processes can reignite creativity and love for one’s work. Why legacy is often defined by contribution and impact rather than titles or income. How building something meaningful often requires balancing intuition with discipline. Connect with Liat Kaplan Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39561190

Healing Emotional Eating at the Root with Amber Romaniuk – Ep.356 12/24/2025

Healing Emotional Eating at the Root with Amber Romaniuk – Ep.356 What if your “willpower problem” with food was never about food at all? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Amber Romaniuk, an emotional eating, digestive, and hormone expert with 12+ years of experience. Amber shares the childhood roots of emotional eating, the intense turning point that forced her to face her own binge-restriction patterns, and the multidimensional healing path that led to true body freedom. This episode explores why feeling emotions can feel unsafe and how to create real nervous system safety. What You Will Learn: A clear understanding of how childhood moments can become identity wounds that drive emotional eating for decades. Language for naming the difference between discomfort and being unsafe, so emotions stop feeling like an emergency. A simple way to work with the brain’s threat response without letting it run your life. A practical starting point for emotion work: set a timer for 30 seconds and build capacity gradually. Why food becomes a regulator when life feels helpless, out of control, or emotionally unsupported. Insight into how the binge–restriction cycle can intensify after weight loss, breakups, and “perfect body” beliefs. A realistic picture of what root-cause healing actually involves: mental, emotional, behavioral, energetic, spiritual, and physical layers. Tools that help create safety while feeling emotions, including breathwork, EFT tapping, self-holding, music, and affirmations. Why chronic stress and fight-or-flight make it harder to heal digestion, blood sugar, and hormones. A grounded approach to “breaking the lineage” by combining inner healing with loving boundaries when family dynamics push back. Why progress requires structures that support “doing the reps,” not just inspiration or insight. How long-term support helps women stay consistent when real life hits. Why new success can trigger fear and how identity work helps you maintain change without self-sabotage. Connect with Amber Romaniuk Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39512465

Finding Belonging, Purpose, and a Cause That Matters with Silvia Resnik – Ep.355 12/17/2025

Finding Belonging, Purpose, and a Cause That Matters with Silvia Resnik – Ep.355 What if the “perfect life” is actually the most convincing hiding place for emptiness? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Silvia Resnik, a fulfillment and purpose coach for high-achieving women. Silvia shares how a lifelong ache for connection shaped her drive to achieve. The conversation also goes deeper into the tension between honoring cultural traditions and evolving practices that harm women, including the urgent reality of female genital mutilation and how Silvia’s organization, Empower Her, is working from within community partnership to create change through education, support, and empowerment. What You Will Learn: Why “looking successful” can coexist with feeling emotionally empty. How early experiences of not feeling seen can quietly shape adult identity, ambition, and relationship patterns. The hidden motivation behind perfectionism: trying to earn love, belonging, and “enoughness.” Why external achievements don’t automatically create self-worth. How a single experience of deep community can interrupt lifelong loneliness and recalibrate what matters. What true connection can feel like in the body. How indigenous culture can offer profound healing while still containing traditions that require conscious evolution. A grounded explanation of FGM in the Maasai context, including the rite-of-passage framing and the high human cost. Why sustainable change must be led from within a community, not imposed by outsiders. How education becomes a protection strategy for women and girls. What it means to “bridge two worlds” in coaching: bringing connection back to high achievers while also resourcing underserved communities. How travel can become transformational when it’s relationship-centered rather than consumption-centered. What a purpose-led business transition can look like when it grows out of lived experience, not branding. Connect with Silvia Resnik Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39420385

Soul Assignments, Power Tools and Breaking Generational Chains with Steffani LeFevour – Ep.354 12/10/2025

Soul Assignments, Power Tools and Breaking Generational Chains with Steffani LeFevour – Ep.354 "We wake up every morning as a soul in a human body. That alone should be so incredibly fascinating to us." What if the hardest things you've lived through weren't punishments, but assignments your soul chose to help you grow? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Steffani LeFevour, modern-day soul strategist and author of You Are a Badass Mom and the forthcoming book Soul Assignments. Stteffani shares how childhood trauma, an alcoholic father, and the tragic loss of her sister cracked her open to a lifelong search for spiritual truth. What You Will Learn: The impact of childhood trauma and grief on emotional development and identity. How growing up with an alcoholic parent shapes beliefs, coping mechanisms and adulthood patterns. Why families often end up on "grief islands" when they lack tools, language or support to process loss. How early exposure to death can spark a lifelong search for meaning, spirituality and healing. The role spiritual teachers and books can play in offering language and comfort when religion wasn't present at home. How alcohol can become an unconscious way to avoid feelings, fit in socially, or suppress unresolved pain. What it looks like to break generational chains of addiction through awareness, boundaries and intentional behavior. How to examine your own relationship with alcohol and shift from unconscious use to empowered choice. The importance of creating an alcohol-free "safe house" environment for teens and modeling a different norm. The concept of soul assignments and how reframing painful experiences can move someone out of victimhood. Why radical acceptance of past experiences becomes the foundation for emotional freedom and conscious creation. How thoughts, words, feelings, beliefs and stories function as "power tools" that shape every experience. The difference between using those power tools unconsciously vs. consciously. How to identify outdated stories and rewrite them into truer, more empowering narratives. The process of finding gifts inside even the most difficult events and how that transforms inner resilience. The value of viewing life from a soul-level perspective rather than only through a human-level lens. The path from learning spiritual principles to embodying them, teaching them and serving others with them. How a long-held dream can manifest through clarity, courage and consistent sharing of one's message. Why owning your unique perspective allows your voice, work and mission to expand in powerful new ways. Connect with Steffani LeFevour Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39331950

How Horses Help Women Break Free from Burnout with Sue Willoughby – Ep.353 12/03/2025

How Horses Help Women Break Free from Burnout with Sue Willoughby – Ep.353 “Horses don’t care if you’re afraid. They care if you’re honest.” In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Sue Willoughby, founder of Willoughby Coaching, certified equus coach, real estate investor, and a woman who has rewritten her life more times than most people dare to dream. Raised by a single alcoholic parent and a two-time high school dropout, Sue charted a path from instability to a six-figure career, a multidimensional portfolio of work, and a coaching practice rooted in the intuitive wisdom of horses. If you’re feeling the whisper that something in your life or career needs to change, this episode gives you permission, perspective, and possibility. What You Will Learn: The emotional and psychological impact of being raised by a single alcoholic parent and how early instability can shape lifelong patterns of independence and resilience. What it feels like to reach the moment where corporate life becomes unbearable, and the emotional complexity of leaping from stability into entrepreneurship. How passion projects and side ventures can become bridges out of corporate life without risking everything at once. How horses instantly sense incongruence between what you say, what you feel, and what your body is actually communicating. Why humans store emotional stories in the body while horses process, react, and release without carrying narratives, resentment, or drama. How corporate teams can use horse-led experiences to learn authentic leadership, strengthen team dynamics, and understand each other’s communication patterns. Why it is never too late to reinvent yourself, take risks, pursue a new career, or bring long-buried creative visions into reality. A simple daily practice for reconnecting with presence and intuition. Connect with Sue Willoughby Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39231150

From Franchises to Freedom with Jana Franklin – Ep.352 11/26/2025

How One Woman Scaled a Global Movement with Kate Grant - Ep.351 11/19/2025

How One Woman Scaled a Global Movement with Kate Grant - Ep.351 “I had my ladder on the wrong wall. I was putting all my energy into getting people to want McDonald's instead of Burger King. Who cares, really?” In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Kate Grant, CEO Emeritus of the Fistula Foundation and author of No Woman Left Behind. Kate explains what obstetric fistula is and how a relatively low-cost surgery can restore a woman’s health. She shares the practical steps she took to move from advertising into nonprofit leadership and why investing in your own retooling can be the most powerful career move. If you’re thinking about leaving corporate for mission-driven work, this episode is full of tactical and emotional wisdom. What You Will Learn: How working in advertising at big agencies means using dark arts of consumer research to create psychological needs for products. The decision process of choosing to go back to graduate school and completely retool rather than making a lateral move into nonprofit communications. The reality that career change doesn't happen on the plane ride home from your transformative trip, it happens gradually like a pair of shoes that doesn't fit anymore, and it takes time to empower that voice that says you're done with this chapter. What an obstetric fistula actually is. How women with fistula are often stigmatized and how they're frequently blamed for an injury that's caused by a lack of medical access. Why Fistula Foundation went from being one of several support organizations for a single hospital in Ethiopia to becoming the global leader doing more surgeries than the UN or US government. The strategic decision not to take government money. Why 90% of the fistula surgeries are successful and truly give women their lives back. The permanent pay cut that comes with leaving the private sector for nonprofit work. How ruthlessly thrifty operations with 19 consecutive years of four star Charity Navigator ratings prove worthiness of donor support by getting as much money as possible into the hands of doctors and hospitals in far-flung corners that do the real work. Connect with Kate Grant Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/39071470

Premium Fuel for Midlife with Heather Awad, MD - Ep.350 11/12/2025

Premium Fuel for Midlife with Heather Awad, MD - Ep.350 At 50, I thought my body was broken. I knew everything about nutrition, but nothing was working anymore. In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Heather Awad, MD, a family doctor and certified coach, helps professional women in perimenopause and menopause lose weight without counting or deprivation. Learn why kindness precedes confidence, how insulin resistance shifts at midlife, and why moving from grazing to real meals restores energy, focus, and leadership clarity. Professional photos can be retaken. But kindness and confidence can start today. What You Will Learn: Why eating less and moving more, does absolutely nothing during perimenopause, revealing that something fundamentally different is happening in the body. The moment at age 50 of wondering if the body was broken and questioning how someone with extensive nutrition knowledge could be failing at weight management. How combining an understanding of the biology and nutrition of menopause with coaching to address emotional eating made weight loss simple and sustainable. Why many professional women including those in corporate leadership hold themselves back from seeking promotions or starting businesses because they feel their body isn't under control. The critical distinction that mindset work and being kind to yourself is a completely separate track from getting your body under control or losing weight. How kindness to yourself is the precursor to confidence, and that being kind doesn't cost anything except intention and time unpacking the parts of yourself that don't want to be kind. The fundamental difference between the weight loss world that asks us to work hard, measure, and count calories, versus nutrition that can be simple and nourishing without ever going hungry or counting anything. How our culture has normalized overeating to the point where having a stomach ache after meals seems normal. Why this meal-based eating pattern helps with the natural bump in insulin resistance that comes at menopause. The biological reality that when estrogen drops during menopause, it affects the entire body including digestive hormones. Why insulin resistance means the body suddenly needs much more insulin just to process the same food. Why grazing becomes the default feeding pattern during intense parenting years. Why nourishing your body becomes increasingly important at midlife. Connect with Heather Awad, MD Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/38987915

Money Made Simple with Estelle Gibson - Ep.349 11/05/2025

Don’t Take Burnout to Your Business with Jasmin Dennis - Ep.348 10/29/2025

Don’t Take Burnout to Your Business with Jasmin Dennis - Ep.348 Feeling wired, tired, and secretly dreading Mondays? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Jasmin Dennis, health and wellness leadership coach. Jasmin breaks down her Burnout Pie Framework so you can recognize early signals, prevent a crash, and lead with resilience. Whether you're considering leaving corporate or staying and thriving, this episode gives you the tools to assess where you are and what to do next. What You Will Learn: The critical distinction between burnout as an occupational phenomenon rather than a medical disease. The dangerous cultural pattern of wearing burnout as a badge of honor or turning it into water cooler talk. Why burnout can easily mask clinical depression and go undiagnosed, leading to devastating outcomes when the chronic stress is treated as just exhaustion. How money becomes the primary driving force keeping people trapped in burnout cycles. Practical holistic prescriptions for common burnout symptoms. The power of holding space for someone in emotional crisis by simply allowing them to cry for 15 to 20 minutes without saying a word. How asking someone in crisis to return in two days rather than making decisions in the moment gives them time to release toxicity and get clear about what they actually need. The principle that pulling one thread of wellness unravels the entire tapestry of unwellness. Why the goal is not to eliminate all stress but to successfully manage chronic stress before it accumulates into the eight slices of burnout that require intensive intervention. How burnout affects not just corporate environments but also self employed entrepreneurs, healthcare workers, and stay at home caregivers, making community wellness talks essential for reaching people outside traditional workplace settings. How to use body awareness and emotional intelligence to recognize when someone else's mood or energy is triggering your irritability. Why the scientific community and World Health Organization are still working to identify the root cause of burnout. Connect with Jasmin Dennis Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/38802550

Playbook for Brave Women Leaders with Amy Cosper - Ep.347 10/22/2025

Playbook for Brave Women Leaders with Amy Cosper - Ep.347 When was the last time you asked clearly for what you are worth. In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Amy Cosper, storyteller and brand builder to talk about risk, money, and the power women unlock when they find their voice. Hear why acting like Silicon Valley dulls your authenticity, how stories shape culture, why we cannot outsource them to AI, and the simple courage move that flips fear into forward motion. Smart, practical, and heart forward. What You Will Learn: Why many women are trained to avoid risk and how regular practice with small asks makes courage feel normal. A quick test to notice when you are using a fake voice versus your true voice in rooms, pitches, and content. How authenticity grows as an asset over time and becomes a moat that cannot be bought or borrowed. Why community makes courage easier and how to borrow bravery from other women until yours grows. How classic story arcs help you frame your work so people remember it. Why AI can remix words but cannot create your lived experience and how to keep your stories original. How to use emotional honesty without oversharing and without losing authority. Why asking is non negotiable for funding and fees and how to state your value without apology. What shifted in recent decades for women and business credit and why that context matters for courage now. How to stop giving away ideas and execution and install healthy boundaries around your work. A clean way to reframe failure so sunk costs turn into useful data. How to build a personal story engine so your brand shapes culture instead of chasing it. Why moving one person today is a worthy metric when scale feels far away. A two part mantra for hard conversations. How to turn everyday moments into sticky brand metaphors people repeat. Connect with Amy Cosper Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/38721000

Symptoms as Soul Signals with Dr. Kelly McCann - Ep.346 10/15/2025

Building Real Community as a Disability Advocate and Creator with Lolita Milena - Ep.345 10/08/2025

Building Real Community as a Disability Advocate and Creator with Lolita Milena - Ep.345 What happens when the worst moment of your childhood becomes the catalyst for a lifetime of creative power, advocacy, and audacious dreams? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Lolita Milena, a paraplegic actress, author, and digital creator whose journey from Siberia to the stages of America is nothing short of extraordinary. In this deeply honest conversation, Lolita opens up about transmuting trauma into purpose through dark humor, sisterhood, and relentless creativity. We dive into the hard truths about the U.S. foster care system, what actually keeps kids safe, and how she's building a sustainable creator business while staying true to her mission. Whether you're interested in disability representation in media, survivor advocacy, or simply how to build an audience that truly cares, this episode delivers proof that your darkest moments don't have to dictate your future. What You Will Learn: How to turn trauma into creative fuel without letting it consume you through dance, theater, writing, and digital storytelling. Why dark humor became Lolita's survival tool and how she uses comedy to bridge grief and agency while always punching up, never down. The real problems in the U.S. foster care system that most people never hear about, from understaffing to inadequate background checks. A smart awareness strategy for child abuse prevention that starts with people who don't know what they don't know and equips them to share. The difference between performative activism and tangible action, and why survivors need both to create real change. How to build a multi-interest audience that sticks with you by leading with story first, niche second. The meaning behind 2,4,5,9 as Lolita's sci-fi novel title and how she honors family through art and memory. A simple two-part self-soothing practice for hard days using oldies or folk music that grounds your body and soul. Why nuance and independent thinking matter more than ever when you're advocating for systems change. Connect with Lolita Milena Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/38490645

Systems, Capital & Confidence for Women Entrepreneurs with Amanda Taylor - Ep.344 10/01/2025

Designing a Powerful Body & Purposeful Life After 60 with Allison McCune Davis - Ep.343 09/24/2025

How to Conquer Fear and Thrive with Amy Koford - Ep.342 09/17/2025

Educating for a Free Society with Marsha Familaro Enright - Ep.341 09/09/2025

Visual Storytelling that Drives Decisions with Oreet Kaufman - Ep.340 09/03/2025

Breaking Barriers in Logistics and Leadership with Dianna Fioravanti-Ashikwe - Ep.339 08/27/2025

Building Brands with Vision and Courage with Bashak Ilhan - Ep.338 08/20/2025

Building Brands with Vision and Courage with Bashak Ilhan - Ep.338 What does it really take to leave the corporate world behind and build a thriving business from scratch? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Bashak Ilhan, who has founded five startups, achieved two successful exits, and now leads a global consultancy. From selling childhood toys to landing a $3 million investment over coffee, this episode reveals the mindset, strategies, and resilience needed to bring bold visions to life. Listeners will discover why sales are at the heart of any business, how to immerse themselves fully in their dreams, and why knowing when to delegate is essential for both success and wellbeing. This is a must-listen for women ready to step into entrepreneurship with confidence, clarity, and courage. What You Will Learn: Why early entrepreneurial experiences often shape lifelong business instincts. How transitioning from corporate life to entrepreneurship requires courage and vision. The importance of selling skills and vision casting in building a business. Why doing deep research and immersion before launching a venture can create a strong foundation. The value of building for the audience rather than personal taste. How to navigate challenges that arise in scaling and sustaining a startup. Why timing matters in choosing to exit a business. The role of branding, positioning, and strategy in securing investment and growth. How to innovate during crises and adapt to market needs. Why receiving too much funding early on can be more dangerous than not having enough. How financial constraints can fuel creativity and build stronger foundations. The importance of self-awareness and knowing when to seek a co-founder or partner. Why delegating effectively is critical to long-term success and personal well-being. How to redefine success away from busyness and toward balance and impact. Connect with Bashak Ilhan Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/37877235

Project Managing Your Manifestations with Tiffany Antoine - Ep.337 08/13/2025

Transforming Workplace Communication with Linda Carlisle - Ep.336 08/06/2025

Transforming Workplace Communication with Linda Carlisle - Ep.336 What happens when a brand strategist discovers her true calling isn’t external marketing, but transforming company culture from within? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Linda Carlisle, a fractional corporate communications partner who helps mid-market companies navigate high-impact change with clarity, compassion, and culture-forward leadership. From mergers and acquisitions to organizational restructuring, Linda shares how her internal comms expertise supports psychological safety and lasting performance. What You Will Learn: Internal communications is a form of marketing that influences how employees experience and engage with company culture. A strong internal culture directly shapes customer experience and brand perception. Leaders can intentionally design company culture through communication, behavior modeling, and what they choose to reward. During mergers or major transitions, thoughtful communication helps employees feel informed, supported, and psychologically safe. Fractional leadership allows experienced professionals to support multiple companies without full-time commitments. Financial planning and runway preparation are critical for women stepping into entrepreneurship. Having internal alignment around values and purpose is essential to maintaining team cohesion during growth or restructuring. Giving employees opportunities to volunteer together can deepen workplace relationships and improve retention. The success of a culture transformation often depends on whether leaders are open to embedding new behaviors, not just new messages. Working capital can come from many sources, but entrepreneurs need a plan for navigating income fluctuations. Being part of a leadership team as a fractional partner enables more informed and integrated communication strategies. Disruption doesn’t have to equal chaos; done well, it can lead to growth, clarity, and stronger organizational identity. Connect with Linda Carlisle Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/37674695

Shifting Habits for Lasting Change with Hilda Fainsod - Ep.335 07/30/2025

Shifting Habits for Lasting Change with Hilda Fainsod - Ep.335 What if the secret to transformation wasn’t speed but consistency? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Hilda Fainsod, executive coach, podcaster, and author Hilda Fiallos, a transformation catalyst who’s helped leaders build sustainable growth and long-term impact. Hilda shares how true transformation starts by shifting everyday habits and tuning into what we practice not just what we say. With 10+ certifications and 20 years in coaching, Hilda breaks down why short-term gains won’t lead to long-term success, and how even a 2-minute gratitude routine can shift your entire day. Whether you’re building a business, changing careers, or rethinking your leadership style, this conversation will help you reset your mindset and commit to practices that last. What You Will Learn: Why transformation takes time and can’t be rushed. How fast-paced habits and urgency culture block true change. The difference between surface-level goals and deep transformation. How to identify automatic routines that shape your life. Why small, consistent actions are more powerful than big, unsustainable ones. How to create simple habits that align with long-term goals. What it means to coach yourself through change using micro-promises. Why support systems like mentors and coaches accelerate transformation. How to shift identity during a career or life transition. The importance of investing time or money in your personal growth. How a two-minute daily gratitude practice can anchor your mindset. How to build new routines by starting with what already works. Why defining who you want to become is the first step in transformation. How self-awareness helps you replace habits that no longer serve you. Why true transformation is more about what you practice than what you say. Connect with Hilda Fainsod Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/37587750

Breaking Free from Self-Doubt and Finding Your Voice with Amy L. Bernstein - Ep.334 07/23/2025

Your Worth Is Not Up for Debate with Karen Sigalas - Ep.333 07/16/2025

Your Worth Is Not Up for Debate with Karen Sigalas - Ep.333 What if the story holding you back isn't theirs, it’s yours? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Karen Sigalas, whose mission is to help ambitious women become respected, heard, and paid what they're worth. Karen blends science-backed mindset work with practical career strategies to help her clients own their voice, shift internal narratives, and rise confidently into leadership. Through personal stories of overcoming bias in male-dominated industries and being underestimated due to her appearance, Karen reveals how our internal self-talk often does more damage than external critics. What You Will Learn: Why your internal dialogue often holds more power than external criticism. How to recognize and shift limiting stories you tell yourself. The difference between external validation and internal self-worth. How to rewire your brain through gratitude and positive affirmations. How neuroscience supports mindset work, especially the Reticular Activating System (RAS). Practical ways to start your day with mindset rituals that boost confidence. How to stop tying your value to your job title, income, or other people's opinions. Why self-doubt is normal, and how to respond powerfully when it arises. Tools to stop internalized oppression from dimming your voice. How to transform microaggressions and subtle put-downs into moments of clarity and growth. How to hold confident, non-defensive conversations in response to biased comments. The importance of being seen, heard, and valued, especially for women of color. How to lead without waiting for permission, titles, or external authority. Why fighting harder isn’t the solution, and how reframing your energy can lead to peace and progress. How gratitude and celebration can fuel forward momentum without burnout. The long-term career impact of mindset traps and how to avoid them. How to use personal leadership practices even if you’re not in a formal leadership role. The power of storytelling to reclaim agency over your professional and personal narrative. The connection between mindset, visibility, and earning power. Why celebrating how far you’ve come matters more than obsessing over what’s next. Connect with Karen Sigalas Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email /episode/index/show/wickedlysmartwomen/id/37407970

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