Wickedly Smart Women

Hosted by Anjel B Hartwell & The Creative Age Consulting Group

BusinessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Facebook YouTube

Episodes

409

Latest episode

Nov 2026

Language

About the show

Welcome to Wickedly Smart Women®: What Comes After Corporate? We are a 15× award-winning, #1 internationally ranked podcast downloading in more than 160 countries. We feature conversations with high-achieving women leaving corporate or exiting businesses who are now discerning what comes next and exploring consulting after corporate. 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 premium independent consultancy 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. What Comes After Corporate?: https://wickedlysmartwomen.com/what-comes-after-corporate

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 11, 2026Episode 39629 min

Pursuing Ambition Without Self-Abandonment with Nisch Reddy – Ep.396

What happens when you've achieved everything you thought you wanted, but still feel exhausted and unfulfilled? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Nisch Reddy, a former technology product leader who spent 15 years building a successful corporate career before recognizing the personal cost of constantly performing and adapting to systems that weren't designed for her. They explore the early conditioning that can lead women to tie their worth to achievement, the hidden cost of staying in careers that no longer align with their purpose, and what it takes to build a business that supports a more sustainable definition of success. If you're questioning whether your current career still fits the life you want, this conversation offers a different way to think about success. What You Will Learn: How childhood conditioning and the pressure to be exceptional can shape our relationship with performance and personal worth. Why a successful corporate career can still leave you feeling burned out. The difference between finding a better job and recognizing that it's time to pursue a completely different path. How creating space for rest, meditation, nature, and creativity can help uncover what you truly want from your next chapter. Why building a business around your own methodology requires understanding the deeper needs and challenges of the people you serve. How to identify a specific niche by starting with the people whose experiences and struggles you understand most deeply. What it takes to create a sustainable business without recreating the same demanding work patterns that contributed to corporate burnout. How to recognize the influence of money fears, financial security, and golden handcuffs when considering leaving corporate. Why understanding the cost of staying can be just as important as evaluating the risks of leaving. How redefining success and taking ownership of your calendar can create more freedom and fulfillment. Connect with Nisch Reddy My Embodied Resonance https://www.myembodiedresonance.com/ Free Audio Guide https://embodied-resonance.kit.com/7c842b9760 Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

November 4, 2026Episode 39529 min

Creating a Career That Matches Your Potential with Alison Hemmings – Ep.395

What if the career you've worked so hard to build is actually keeping you from the opportunities you're meant to pursue? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Alison Hemmings, executive career coach and founder of Newo Executive Solutions Inc., to explore how women can recognize their value, step beyond traditional career paths, and create work that aligns with their skills and ambitions. After being fired for standing against racial discrimination in hiring, Alison launched her own recruiting business with little more than a laptop, LinkedIn, and faith in herself. Today, she helps executive women land six-figure roles, explore fractional leadership, and build consulting businesses that reflect their expertise. They discuss the importance of trusting your instincts, navigating self-doubt as a business owner, and learning to manage success without losing sight of what matters most. Allison also shares how her experience inside hiring rooms gives her a unique perspective on helping women recognize their potential and pursue opportunities beyond the job boards. What You Will Learn: How to recognize the skills and strengths that can open doors to new career opportunities. Why relying solely on job boards can limit your ability to find the right role. How to explore fractional leadership, consulting, and entrepreneurship as alternatives to traditional employment. Why trusting your instincts and recognizing your value can help you make more confident career decisions. How to navigate self-doubt, uncertainty, and the emotional challenges of starting a business. Why having the right support system, including a coach, can make a difference during a career transition. How to approach financial success without tying your self-worth to your income. Why loving your clients and the work you do is essential to building a sustainable business. Connect with Alison Hemmings LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonhemmings/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

October 28, 2026Episode 39430 min

Leaving CNN For a New Calling with Carol Lin – Ep.394

What happens when the career you worked so hard to build no longer aligns with the life you need to live? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Carol Lin, former CNN and ABC News anchor, award-winning journalist, and author of When News Breaks: A Memoir of Love and War, to explore the personal reckoning that led her to leave corporate news and discover a new purpose. Carol shares the pressures of navigating a highly competitive industry, the loss of her husband, and the decision to prioritize motherhood over a prestigious career. This episode is a powerful reminder that you do not have to be defined by your greatest grief, your worst mistakes, or the expectations others place on you. What You Will Learn: How women can navigate the pressures of high-achieving corporate environments. How major life transitions, including grief, motherhood, and changing personal priorities, can reveal when a once-successful career no longer aligns with the life they want to lead. How to turn personal experiences and challenges into purposeful work by identifying meaningful problems to solve and finding new ways to serve others. Why career transitions rarely follow a straight line and how to remain open to unexpected opportunities, professional connections, and new directions when an initial plan does not work out. How to approach a new industry or community with humility, curiosity, and a willingness to build trust before offering solutions or expertise. Why taking calculated risks and betting on yourself can open doors to opportunities that may not have seemed possible within your previous career. How reflecting on your personal story and lived experiences can help you identify your next chapter, reconnect with your purpose, and create a more meaningful definition of success. Connect with Carol Lin Website https://www.carollinnow.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

October 21, 202629 min

Finding the Courage to Change Your Life with Charisse Walker – Ep.393

What if the biggest challenges in your marriage aren't really about what you're fighting over? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Charisse Walker, author of the Flipping the Iceberg series, about the hidden fears, unmet needs, and patterns that shape our relationships beneath the surface. Charisse shares her unexpected journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship and relationship education, including how personal challenges inspired her to help others understand their marriages, break unhealthy patterns, and take responsibility for their own healing. You'll learn the connection between career transitions and relationships and why finding your peace and happiness can help you discover your purpose. What You Will Learn: How hidden fears, wounds, and unmet needs influence relationship patterns. Why taking responsibility for your role in a relationship can create opportunities for healing. How unexpected career setbacks can open the door to entrepreneurship and a new calling. Why career transitions and marital challenges can affect one another. How to recognize when you feel stuck and identify what needs to change. Why healing from past experiences can help you avoid repeating unhealthy relationship patterns. How to move beyond other people's perceptions and embrace who you are becoming. Why finding your peace and passion can help you discover your purpose. Connect with Charisse Walker Website https://www.charissewalker.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

October 14, 2026Episode 39230 min

Build Stronger Relationships After Leaving Corporate with Morag Barrett – Ep.392

For many high-achieving women, staying productive, capable, and composed can become a way of hiding the stress, disconnection, and exhaustion underneath the surface. But what happens when those feelings don't disappear? They ferment. In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Morag Barrett, keynote speaker, executive coach, USA Today bestselling author, and founder and CEO of Skye Team. They discuss what it really means to be an ally at work, why leaders need to become more deeply curious about the people around them, and how connection creates the psychological safety necessary for courage, vulnerability, candor, and meaningful debate. If you've been saying "I'm fine" when you're anything but, this conversation offers a powerful reminder that acknowledging where you really are is not weakness. It is the beginning of connection, support, and sustainable success. What You Will Learn: Why the human element of leadership can be more important than systems, technology, or processes. How disconnection, stress, and anxiety can affect leaders and organizations. Why "fine" can become a mask that prevents people from asking for the support they need. The five practices behind an Ally Mindset. How deeper curiosity can transform workplace relationships. Why connection and compassion create the foundation for courage and vulnerability. How candor and debate help teams identify problems before they become disasters. Why being an ally to yourself is essential for sustainable leadership. How to recognize when your current energy and capacity require a different approach. Why entrepreneurs should outsource sooner instead of trying to do everything themselves. How conversations, rather than a perfect website or business plan, can reveal what your market actually needs. Why your first business opportunities may already exist within your existing network. Connect with Morag Barrett Skye Team https://skyeteam.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

October 7, 202630 min

What Comes After Corporate? Part 7: There's a Shelf Life to Everything

What if the career that once gave you security has reached the end of its shelf life? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell wraps up the seven-part anniversary series with Amanda Goodwin to explore what happens when highly accomplished women know they are done with corporate life or an industry but haven't yet figured out what comes next. They unpack how to carry forward the knowledge, relationships, and wisdom gained from a career without carrying the career itself into the next chapter. The series ends with a message of hope and a reminder that you don't have to start over. What you already know can become the foundation for what comes next. What You Will Learn: How to recognize when a career or industry has reached its shelf life. Why leaving an industry does not mean leaving your expertise behind. How to transfer knowledge, skills, and intellectual property into a new business model. Why doing the math matters when considering an exit from corporate. How financial clarity can help determine whether the timing is right for a transition. Why practical tactics alone may not be enough to build a successful consultancy. How the right support can shorten the path from expertise to a high-value offer. Why building the foundation of a business matters more than collecting disconnected tactics. How fear and uncertainty can keep women from following a calling. Why your existing wisdom can become an asset instead of something you leave behind. Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

September 30, 202629 min

What Comes After Corporate? Part 6: Yo, Cancer!

What happens when a health crisis forces you to stop, reevaluate everything, and completely rethink what comes next? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell continues the seven-part anniversary series with Amanda Goodwin, sharing how a stage four melanoma diagnosis changed her relationship with work and investing in herself. They talk about Amanda's stage four cancer diagnosis, the realization that her health had to come before her career, and how facing her own vulnerability changed the way she thought about work, identity, and investing in herself. If you're wondering what comes after corporate, this conversation will help you think differently about your value, your skills, your identity, and what it could look like to build a career and business around a life that actually supports you. What You Will Learn: How a major health crisis can change your perspective on corporate work and career. Why your professional value remains intact even when your ability to work changes. Why investing in yourself can feel uncomfortable, especially for women who have been taught to self-sacrifice. How identity shifts can create ripple effects across your work, business, and personal life. Why the structure of corporate employment may not provide the security you think it does. How building your own business can allow you to create structures that actually support your life. Why consulting can provide a flexible path for using your existing skills and expertise. Why a health crisis can create clarity around what matters most. Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

September 23, 202629 min

What Comes After Corporate? Part 5: There's Only Out

What if the paycheck you worked so hard for is costing you more than you realize? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell continues the seven-part anniversary series with Amanda Goodwin with what happens when there's only out. They explore the emotional and financial cost of staying too long, why resentment can be an early warning sign, and how women can begin planning their exit before they reach the red zone. If you're wondering what comes after corporate, this conversation will help you think differently about your options, your intellectual property, your autonomy, and what it could look like to create a life and business that actually belongs to you. What You Will Learn: How quiet quitting can signal that a corporate role no longer fits. Why a high salary does not always make staying in the wrong environment worthwhile. How resentment can become an early warning sign that it is time to make a change. What the "resento-meter" reveals about frustration, resentment, exhaustion, and rage. Why intentional planning can create a bridge from corporate to consulting. How women can think about different ways out, including starting, buying, or owning a business. Why being the "CEO of yourself" can change how you approach your career and future. How staying too long can lead to having a career decision made for you through layoffs, restructuring, or termination. Why leaving corporate does not necessarily mean abandoning financial security or earning potential. How autonomy can become part of the next chapter after corporate. Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

September 18, 202628 min

What Comes After Corporate? Part 4: Have You Hammered That Ceiling Yet?

What if the ceiling you've been pushing against isn't actually the limit of your potential, but the structure you're working inside? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell and Amanda Goodwin continue the seven-part anniversary series with what happens when women begin to recognize that the expertise they've spent years developing is their own intellectual property. This conversation explores the difference between necessary compliance and unnecessary red tape, why Amanda thinks of the glass ceiling as an "iceberg ceiling," and how documenting your own philosophies, practices, and approaches can help you recognize the expertise you already possess. Get ready to understand how proprietary methodologies can become high-value offers, and what it can look like to finally build a career and life that you truly own. What You Will Learn: Why the glass ceiling can continue to affect women even after they reach the C-suite. How an "iceberg ceiling" can keep executive women carrying work that should no longer belong to them. The difference between red tape, compliance, logistics, and clarity. Why fractional consulting can allow women to use their expertise without giving up other meaningful projects. How to recognize the intellectual property hidden inside years of professional experience. Why documenting your philosophies, practices, and approaches can help reveal your unique methodology. Why comparing your prices to what other professionals charge can create a self-imposed ceiling. How to begin thinking about pricing based on the value and outcome of your proprietary expertise. Why breaking through the ceiling is about more than changing your job or earning more money. Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

September 16, 202629 min

What Comes After Corporate? Part 3: More Red Tape?

What happens when the rules designed to help a company actually start getting in the way of the people doing the work? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell and Amanda Goodwin continue the seven-part anniversary series diving into the frustration, exhaustion, and loss of autonomy that can come from corporate red tape. You'll also hear why simplifying your own business matters just as much as escaping corporate bureaucracy. Leaving corporate doesn't mean recreating the same complexity for yourself. The goal is to build a consultancy that gives you more choice, clarity, and control while allowing you to put your expertise to work in ways that support your financial, mental, emotional, and physical well-being. If you've ever thought, "There's nothing I can do. My hands are tied," this conversation may have you looking at your corporate role in a whole new way. What You Will Learn: How constantly being asked to "pick your brain" can reveal the value of your intellectual property and social capital. Why your professional network can be a valuable business asset. How corporate red tape can create barriers between employees, customers, and the work that actually matters. Why compliance is important, but unnecessary policies can make systems less effective. How rigid workplace policies can affect employee autonomy, motivation, and performance. Why return-to-office mandates can become a breaking point for experienced professionals. How forced collaboration and forced workplace culture can undermine autonomy. Why complicated corporate hiring and promotion processes don't always measure the qualities that create successful leaders. The importance of relationships, project accomplishment, team satisfaction, and client satisfaction in evaluating leadership. How to recognize when corporate systems no longer align with your values. Why leaving corporate doesn't mean you should recreate corporate-level complexity in your own consultancy. How simplifying your offer can help you move more quickly toward revenue. Why clarity and simplicity are essential when building a boutique consultancy. Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com