From a Woman to a Leader

Hosted by Limor Bergman Gross

Business CareersInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Instagram YouTube

Episodes

195

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

About the show

From a Woman to a Leader is the women in tech leadership podcast — honest conversations with senior women in tech about promotions, visibility, and leading without burning out.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 11, 2026Episode 10332 min

Confidence Doesn't Come From Competence | Tori Jenae | From a Woman to a Leader

Everyone tells you confidence comes from competence. Do the work, get good, and the feeling will follow. Tori Jenae doesn't buy it. She has three psychology degrees, ran HR for a 7,000-person company by the age of 30, and has spent 14 years coaching high achievers — and what she sees is women who are objectively excellent and still waiting to be found out. Her argument: confidence isn't built on competence. It's built on resilience, and on healing whatever shook your confidence in the first place. In this conversation we get very specific about where self-doubt actually comes from, and what to do with it on a normal Tuesday. In this episode: • Why doubt shows up every time you level up — and why that's the correct response• The "badass list": 20 things you were scared of and did anyway, and why it works• Why big swings fail and 1% a week doesn't — the brain science behind self-sabotage• How one sentence from a fifth-grade teacher shaped 18 years of what she believed she could do• The difference between "vent up" and "vent down," and who you should actually be talking to About Tori: Tori Jenae is a Transformational Life Strategist with three degrees in psychology, a background in HR leadership, and deep training in Energy Medicine, functional medicine, nervous system science, and spiritual development. Born into a world of addiction and trauma, she rebuilt her life from the ground up at 17, completely sober and entirely self-funded. She has been coaching since 2010, working holistically across identity, relationships, business, family, and health. Clients stay with her for years, refer their spouses and children, and credit her in published books. She works with international clients from Beverly Hills, California. Connect with Tori:Website: https://www.torijenae.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tori.jenae/ Connect with Limor:Website: https://limorbergman.com Podcast: https://limorbergman.com/podcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/ Substack: https://limorbergman.substack.com Coaching: https://limorbergman.com/coaching/ Search terms: confidence vs competence, how to build confidence as a woman, imposter syndrome women in tech, self-sabotage why it happens, limiting beliefs from childhood, new leader self-doubt, how to stop doubting yourself at work, small t trauma

August 4, 2026Episode 10229 min

Men Speak Up at 30%. Women Wait Until 70%. | with Topaz Zafrir

You have been telling yourself you'll put yourself out there once you know a little more. One more course. One more certification. One more round of edits on that post before you press send. Topaz Zafrir has been coaching women through exactly this, and she came on the show with a number that explains a lot: men will speak about a topic as experts when they know about 30% of it. Women wait until they know 70%. That gap is not a knowledge problem. It is the reason opportunities keep going to people who were less prepared than you and said yes faster. In this conversation, we get specific about what playing small actually looks like on a normal Tuesday, and what to do instead. In this episode: • Why does more training never make you feel ready?• What does playing small look like when you're already good at your job?• Why "step out of your comfort zone" is bad advice, and what Topaz says instead• How do you answer the inner critic without arguing with it?• Why being a little imperfect makes people want to work with you About Topaz: Topaz Zafrir is a life and business coach in British Columbia with a master's in organizational consulting and more than 14 years of experience facilitating groups. She went back to school for coaching when she realized the women she was advising didn't need more advice, they needed accountability and someone to believe in them out loud. She helps self-employed women press "send," show up, and talk about their business without freezing, overthinking, or hiding. Connect with Topaz:Website: https://topazcoachingandconsulting.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/topaz-zafrir/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/topaz.coaching.consulting/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570375918181 Connect with Limor:Website: https://limorbergman.com Podcast: https://limorbergman.com/podcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/ Substack: https://limorbergman.substack.com Search terms: imposter syndrome at work, confidence gap men vs women, how to stop playing small, why women don't apply for jobs, how to stop hiding in business, saying yes before you're ready, expand your comfort zone, women in tech confidence

August 2, 2026Episode 10134 min

Stop Posting, Start Talking: LinkedIn for Women Who Hate Self-Promotion with Karen Yankovich

Have you ever done excellent work, posted about it consistently, and still watched the opportunities go to someone with half your expertise and twice your network? If you have ever felt that LinkedIn is either a wasteland of people pitching you or a place where you have to become someone louder than you are, this episode is for you. My guest is Karen Yankovich, founder of She's LinkedUp and host of the Good Girls Get Rich podcast. Karen spent most of her career in tech, usually as the only woman in the room, and learned early that if she did not shine a light on her own expertise, nobody was going to do it for her. We talk about why posting is the comfortable part of visibility and not the part that works, what to do with the flood of cold pitches in your inbox, and the four minute move that almost nobody makes. In this episode: - Why women get lost in the room instead of showcased in it - What to do about the cold pitches without giving up on the platform entirely - Why your profile should read like a sales page, not a resume - The keywords that decide whether someone finds you or your competitor - How much content you actually need, and why it is far less than you think - The three 15-minute blocks a week that put your profile in front of thousands - Why the people on your email list are already leads, and the exact message to send them - The gift cards Karen brings to every conference that almost nobody ever claims About Karen: Karen Yankovich is a LinkedIn and visibility strategist and the founder of She's LinkedUp. For over 20 years she has helped women use LinkedIn and media visibility to land big contracts, get featured in the press, and become the go-to expert in their industries. She hosts the Good Girls Get Rich podcast, now approaching 400 episodes, and has been quoted in Huffington Post and Social Media Today. Connect with Karen: Website: https://karenyankovich.com Good Girls Get Rich podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-girls-get-rich-by-karen-yankovich/id1308227233 Free Borrow the Stage masterclass: https://shelinkedup.com/masterclass LinkedIn for PR checklist: http://linkedinforpr.com Connect with Limor: Website: https://limorbergman.com Podcast: https://limorbergman.com/podcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/ Substack: https://limorbergman.substack.com Coaching: https://limorbergman.com/coaching/ Search terms: LinkedIn for women in tech, how to be visible without bragging, LinkedIn profile tips, getting clients on LinkedIn, networking for introverts, personal branding for women, LinkedIn strategy, women in male dominated fields.

July 30, 2026Episode 10014 min

Your Difference Is Your Edge

Have you ever been the only one in the room? The only woman, or the quietest person at the table, while everyone around you seemed louder and more sure of themselves? And quietly wondered if that means you're not built to lead? For years I believed my quietness was a disadvantage, something I needed to fix. This solo episode is about the moment I realized the opposite was true, and what changed once I stopped trying to lead like everyone else. In this episode: - Why the thing you keep trying to hide might be your biggest advantage - What a leadership off-site taught me about being the different voice in the room - Why teams that all think alike can't innovate, and what that means for you - How to speak up when you're introverted, without pretending to be someone you're not - What to do when your perspective creates friction, instead of apologizing for it This is my personal take on my conversation with Marina Naomi Smolyanov. If you haven't heard that one yet, go listen. She does exactly this within one of the world's largest healthcare systems. Connect with Limor: Website: https://limorbergman.com Podcast: https://limorbergman.com/podcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/ Substack: https://limorbergman.substack.com Search terms: women in tech leadership, introverted leaders, being the only woman in the room, leading as an introvert, diversity of thought, speaking up in meetings, being different at work.

July 28, 2026Episode 9929 min

Thriving Through Crisis: Turning Uncertainty Into Opportunity with Marina Naomi Smolyanov

Have you ever been the only one in the room who sees things differently, and quietly wondered if that makes you a problem instead of an asset? If you have ever walked into a traditional, change-resistant organization as a woman and felt like you had to shrink your pace, your energy, or your ideas just to fit in, this episode is for you. My guest is Marina Naomi Smolyanov, and she does something that sounds almost impossible. She drives AI and innovation inside one of the largest, slowest, most traditional healthcare systems in the world, as a woman and as an outsider. We talk about why she was hired precisely because she was different, how she turns every crisis into a reason to reinvent herself, and what it really takes to move a system that does not want to move. In this episode: - Why the "difference" you keep apologizing for is the exact reason you belong in the room - How to lead change in an organization that is built to resist it - What being an outsider lets you see that the people on the inside never will - How to be assertive without being aggressive when you are the woman driving the agenda - What AI in healthcare actually looks like day to day, beyond the buzzword About Marina: Marina Naomi Smolyanov is a healthcare innovation leader, international speaker, and PhD researcher studying how crises reshape innovation and leadership. At Clalit Health Services, one of the largest healthcare organizations in the world, she leads the adoption of AI and new technologies and builds partnerships with healthtech startups as regional innovation manager for the Haifa and Western Galilee district. Connect with Marina: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-naomi-smolyanov-83995115/ Website: https://marina983.wixsite.com/marinasmolyanov Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marina.smolyanov/ Connect with Limor: Website: https://limorbergman.com Podcast: https://limorbergman.com/podcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/ Substack: https://limorbergman.substack.com Search terms: women in tech leadership, women in health tech, driving innovation, leading in a male dominated field, AI in healthcare, thriving through crisis, being the outsider at work.

July 21, 2026Episode 9832 min

How to Network When You're Introverted and Don't Know Anyone with Tzufit Herling

You walk into the room. You don't know anyone. So you find a spot near the wall, you look at your phone, and you wait for someone to talk to you. And usually, no one does. Tzufit Herling knows that feeling, because that used to be her. She's built communities for a living for almost a decade; she's advised founders and organizations around the world, and three years ago she moved to Portugal without a single connection or the language. In this episode, she walks through exactly how a quiet, introverted person builds a real network on purpose, without pretending to be someone louder. In this conversation: Why "just network more" is useless advice, and what to actually do first How to build connections in a place (or a job) where you know no one How to choose which communities are worth your time when there are a hundred of them Why giving value first is the whole game, especially if you hate self-promotion How to walk into a room full of men and not stand there circling alone About Tzufit: Tzufit Herling helps organizations, founders, and professionals grow through communities. She's the founder of Connecteur, a certified Meta community management company, and a Facebook Certified Community Manager who has spent years building professional communities across ecosystems and continents. She learned all of this as a self-described deep introvert, which is exactly why her approach works for the rest of us. Connect with Tzufit:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzufitherling/ Website: http://www.connecteur.co/ Connect with Limor: Website: ⁠https://limorbergman.com⁠ Podcast: ⁠https://limorbergman.com/podcast/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/⁠ Substack: ⁠https://limorbergman.substack.com⁠ Searches this answers: how to network as an introvert, how to build a network when you don't know anyone, networking for women in tech, how communities help your career, building connections in a new city.

July 14, 2026Episode 9727 min

Why Your Successful Life Feels Empty — And How to Build One That's Actually Yours | Leila Lahbabi

Your career looks good on paper. The salary, the title, the house. From the outside, you've made it. So why does it feel like it belongs to someone else? In this episode, Limor sits down with Leila Lahbabi, who left a prestigious strategy consulting career in France, moved back to Morocco, and built two companies and a book called Billion Dollar Purpose. Leila gets honest about the gap between looking successful and feeling successful, the guilt of wanting more when you "should" be grateful, and the day she cried at daycare drop-off and made a promise to herself that changed everything. This is a conversation for any woman who is quietly wondering if the life she built is actually hers, and who has been taught that asking for help means she's weak or broken. In this episode: Why looking successful and feeling successful are two different things, and how to tell which one you're living What "you're not starting from scratch" really means when you're afraid to begin again Why the people who cheered you on can go quiet the moment things start working, and how to handle it How to move from "Chief Everything Officer" to CEO so you stop being the bottleneck in your own business Why asking for help is courage, not rescue, and how women get this backward About Leila: Leila Lahbabi is the founder and CEO of MindImpact and Mindful Academy, and the author of Billion Dollar Purpose. A former strategy consultant, she now helps purpose-driven founders scale their businesses without burning out by attracting, developing, and retaining high-performing teams. She lives in Morocco with her two daughters. Connect with Leila:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leilalahbabiimpactstrategy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leilalahbabi Book (Billion Dollar Purpose): available on Amazon Instagram: search "Leila Lahbabi" Questions this episode answers: why does my successful life feel empty, how to know when to leave a good job, leaving corporate to start a business, how to scale a business without burning out, why is it so hard for women to ask for help, feeling unfulfilled despite success.

July 7, 2026Episode 9631 min

Stop Waiting for Someone More Qualified (Dr. Karny Ilan)

You keep waiting for someone more qualified. A mentor who has done it before, a manager who will finally say you're ready, a role model who proves it's possible. But what happens when that person doesn't exist? Dr. Karny Ilan went looking for a role model who was both a surgery resident and a startup CEO. She couldn't find a single one. So she became one. In this episode, Karny shares how three students with no business experience raised over $2 million for Feminai, an at-home breast cancer screening startup; why every senior surgeon told her "don't do it to yourself, especially because you're a woman," and why she stopped planning to hand her company to a "real CEO." What you'll hear: Why VCs feel less comfortable with female founders, and why showing up as yourself, not in a costume, is what actually builds trust What to do when you can't find a role model who looks like you How Karny runs a company between 30-hour hospital shifts, and why a strong why beats any time management system The shift from "at some point I'll bring in a CEO" to "it's my company, no one will do this better than I do" About Dr. Karny Ilan:Karny is a general surgery resident at Sheba Medical Center and the CEO and co-founder of Feminai, developing the first AI-powered remote breast cancer screening platform for at-home use. She was named to the Forbes Israel 30 Under 30 list, recently led Feminai's seed round with Vertex Ventures, and became a mom shortly after we recorded this conversation. Connect with Karny:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karny-ilan/ Feminai: https://www.feminai.com/ If you've ever waited for permission, waited for a role model, or waited to feel ready, this episode is for you. Listen to more episodes: https://limorbergman.com/podcast/

June 30, 2026Episode 9535 min

From Top Engineer to New Manager: Why No One Tells You the Rules Have Changed

You were the best engineer on the team. So they made you a manager. And then, as Megan Robinson says, no one told you the rules had changed. If you've ever felt like you're winging it as a new manager, or you're waiting for a title before you act like a leader, or you keep doing great work hoping someone will finally notice, this episode is for you. Limor sits down with Megan Robinson, founder and CEO of eLeader Experience, who has spent her career building leadership capability for technical leaders, engineers, product people, and operations people who were promoted for their expertise and are now expected to lead. They get honest about why the move from individual contributor to manager is so hard, why "doing good work" isn't a promotion strategy, and how to build real influence before anyone hands you authority. In this conversation: Why your value completely changes the moment you become a manager, and what to measure instead of output "Leadership is influence, not a title" — what that actually looks like day to day The difference between waiting for things to fall into place and making them fall into place How to build cross-department relationships that make you more valuable (the "what's in it for them" approach) Why business acumen is the missing skill for technical leaders, and how to start thinking like the CEO The unspoken assumptions that are quietly limiting your value, and how to name them About Megan Robinson: Megan is the founder and CEO of eLeader Experience. She helps technical and high-performing professionals make the leap from doing great work to leading people, influencing stakeholders, and driving change, without overexplaining, people-pleasing, or burning out. Connect with Megan: eLeaderExperience.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tritcak Connect with Limor: Website: https://limorbergman.com Podcast: https://limorbergman.com/podcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/ Substack: https://limorbergman.substack.com Resources mentioned: John Maxwell — "Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less." Maxwell's core definition of leadership, from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership . → https://www.johnmaxwell.com Robin Sharma — The Leader Who Had No Title — On the idea that you don't need a title or anyone's permission to lead. → https://www.robinsharma.com/book/the-leader-who-had-no-title Stephen Covey — Circle of Influence vs. Circle of Control — A framework from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for focusing your energy on what you can actually affect. → https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/ WIIFM / WIIFT — "What's in it for me?" / "What's in it for them?" — A classic sales and marketing lens Megan uses for building genuine, value-driven relationships at work.

June 25, 2026Episode 9414 min

"Your English Sucks, But I Like Your Energy" | Solo | My Take on flaws and gifts

"Your English sucks, but I like your energy." A radio station manager said it to this week's guest, Lirone Glikman, when she walked in looking for a show. It sent me straight back 25 years. In this solo episode I take you to the first big tech conference I ever attended, Java One in San Francisco, where I stood at the top of an enormous escalator looking down at thousands of engineers, mostly men, and felt completely terrified. As a quiet, introverted woman, I couldn't even go to a session alone. For years, I believed something was wrong with me. What I eventually learned, and what Lirone reminded me of this week, is that it was never about changing who I am. It's about recognizing who I am, naming the things I see as flaws, and doing the thing anyway, because I bring something else to the table. In this episode: Why I didn't realize I was an introvert until years after that conference The story of why I almost never started this podcast A recent room full of senior coaches where I felt like the least experienced person, and what I brought that they didn't Why you should focus on your gifts, not on what you think you're missing The question to ask yourself when something is holding you back Your version of "my English sucks, but I bring..." If you've ever felt too quiet, too inexperienced, or too different to put yourself out there, this one is for you. Listen to Wednesday's full conversation with Lirone Glikman, author of The Super Connector's Playbook, wherever you get your podcasts. Connect with Limor: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/ Coaching: https://limorbergman.com/coaching/ Newsletter/Substack: https://limorbergman.substack.com/ From a Woman to a Leader drops guest episodes every Wednesday and solo episodes every Friday.