This Is Woman's Work with Nicole Kalil

We’re getting unapologetically muscular today. Former Wall Street Journal reporter turned professional bodybuilder Anne-Marie Chaker joins us to talk about why women’s strength training is not a vanity play—it’s a longevity strategy, a confidence accelerator, and a rebellion against “shrink yourself” culture. In this episode, we dig into: 🏋️‍♀️ Why strength training is self-care that actually works—and how lifting transforms more than your body 🧠 The mental health perks of moving heavy things (spoiler: it’s better than a bubble bath) 🚫 Breaking up with “skinny culture” and redefining beauty, power, and health on our own terms 💪 Motivation vs. discipline—how showing up matters more than feeling ready 👩‍👧 Raising the next generation to value strength over smallness and confidence over comparison 📚 Insights from Anne-Marie’s book Lift: How Women Can Reclaim Their Physical Power and Transform Their Lives—a call to take up more space, in every sense of the word. This conversation is funny, real, and a powerful reminder that stronger is better than smaller—because it’s for you, not for them. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Sex is a skill. Beducated is where you learn it. Visit https://beducate.me/pd2550-womanswork and use code womanswork for 50% off the annual pass. Connect with Anne: Website: https://annemariechaker.com/   Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2268426/anne-marie-chaker/ Substack: https://annemariechaker.substack.com/  Related Podcast Episodes The Stress Paradox: Why We Need Stress (and How to Make It Work for Us) with Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist | 294  How To Breathe: Breathwork, Intuition and Flow State with Francesca Sipma | 267 Apple Podcasts Don’t Let Your Doctor Kill You: The New Hormone Solution with Dr. Erika Schwartz | 305 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not a leader, I just have 47 people depending on me and zero time to pee” — this one’s for you. In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on what really gets in the way of women leading at work, at home, and in our own lives. Spoiler: it’s not your title, your org chart, or your calendar. It’s the invisible beliefs, the perfectionism, the “I’ll just do it myself,” and the “if I say no everything will fall apart” stories running in the background. Executive coach, author, and Harvard Business Review podcast host Muriel Wilkins joins Nicole to unpack the seven hidden leadership blockers that quietly cap our potential — especially for women who’ve been praised their whole lives for doing it all, doing it perfectly, and never dropping a ball. Together, they dig into how to actually lead yourself first, rewrite old scripts like “I can’t make a mistake” and “I don’t belong here,” and create a version of leadership that doesn’t require burnout, over-functioning, or pretending to be someone you’re not. Because leadership isn’t just about managing people. It’s about managing you — your beliefs, your boundaries, and your response when things go sideways. We explore: Why leadership isn’t a title, it’s how you show up in every area of your life The 7 hidden leadership blockers that keep high-achieving women stuck and exhausted How “I need to be involved” and “I can’t say no” destroy your capacity and your team’s growth The quiet cost of perfectionism and the belief “I can’t make a mistake” The difference between being a leader and actually leading (yes, there’s a big one) Why real confidence isn’t knowing you’ll get it right — it’s trusting you can handle whatever happens Because at the end of the day, leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about having the inner steadiness to face whatever comes next without abandoning yourself in the process. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Sex is a skill. Beducated is where you learn it. Visit https://beducate.me/pd2550-womanswork and use code womanswork for 50% off the annual pass. Connect with Muriel: Website: https://murielwilkins.com/ Book: https://www.murielwilkins.com/books Podcast: https://www.murielwilkins.com/podcast-coaching-real-leaders   Related Podcast Episodes: From Small Business to Big Impact: Leadership, Confidence, & Community at the Goldman Sachs 10K What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses with Mita Mallick | 351 How To Build An Emotionally Intelligent Team with Dr. Vanessa Druskat | 328 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We love to talk about authenticity at work… right up until someone actually shows up as their full, messy, human self and makes everyone clutch their pearls. In this episode, we unpack what it really means to be yourself at work with Claude Silver — the world’s first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and author of Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart. We get into the difference between authentic presence vs. executive presence, why “that’s just who I am” is usually “fear” in a cute outfit, and how to stop armoring up at work without turning every meeting into group therapy. We talk about perfectionism, people-pleasing, power dynamics, calling people in (instead of just calling them out), and what it actually costs you and your company when you leave the real you at home. If you’ve ever wondered how to bring your heart into a workplace that’s still obsessed with your hustle, or how to belong without shrinking or pretending, this conversation is your permission slip to stop faking it and start leading from the heart. We Explore: What authenticity at work really means (and why it’s not “I say whatever I want, whenever I want”) The difference between confidence and authenticity – and why you need both How Claude defines authentic presence and why “executive presence” is starting to feel outdated Perfectionism as a confidence derailer and how it quietly kills trust, connection, and creativity How to share your real life (kids, chaos, hard mornings) at work without oversharing or dumping Navigating power dynamics when a client, boss, or leader says something that goes against your values How to find “your people” at work Gen Z and Gen Alpha aren’t being “difficult” — they’re just done with workplaces that value performance over personhood. They expect companies to evolve, not the other way around. If leaders want to keep and motivate this generation, they need to ditch command-and-control and lead with humanity. Authenticity isn’t a bonus anymore — it’s the baseline. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Sex is a skill. Beducated is where you learn it. Visit https://beducate.me/pd2550-womanswork and use code womanswork for 50% off the annual pass. Connect with Claude: Book Website: https://www.beyourselfbook.com/  LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casilver/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/claudesilver/?hl=en  Related Podcast Episodes Work Shouldn’t Suck: How to Make It Good with Moe Carrick | 356 15 Lies Women Are Told At Work with Bonnie Hammer | 330 The Hard Truths Of Entrepreneurship with Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon | 313 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hope isn’t just a feeling. It’s a practice—especially when life feels like a dumpster fire. In this episode, we get real about how to build hope (not wait for it) with psychologist, speaker, and author Dr. Julia Garcia—the mind behind The 5 Habits of Hope. She’s a psychologist and keynote speaker who’s built crisis hotlines, coached schools and leaders worldwide, and blends lived experience with research to turn The 5 Habits of Hope into practical, everyday tools.  We unpack why hope is missing from our work, relationships, and world… and how to bring it back with five repeatable, no-BS habits: Reflect, Risk, Release, Receive, Repurpose. You’ll hear practical prompts, what “emotional risk” actually looks like, and how to rally your people when you’d rather white-knuckle it alone. Bonus: Julia lovingly drags our community (in the best way) to go hit “Subscribe” on our new YouTube. Because support is a verb. We cover: The difference between reflecting vs. ruminating—plus the prompt: “I’m struggling because…” Why emotional risk (not skydiving) is the real courage builder—and how to do it safely A body-based “release” exercise to let go of performance, perfection, and pressure Receiving support without spiraling into “I should handle this myself” Repurposing tough feelings into fuel using the reframe: “I’m hopeful for…” How to set up “tap-in” systems with your people so you’re never doing the hard alone Why hope isn’t naive—it's a discipline that accelerates healing, connection, and action Because when we choose to practice hope—even on the days it feels impossible—we don’t just change our outlook, we change what’s possible for ourselves and everyone around us. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Visit beducate.me/womanswork69 and use code womanswork69 for 65% off the annual pass.  Black Friday has come early at Cozy Earth! Right now, you can stack my code WOMANSWORK on top of their sitewide sale — giving you up to 40% off in savings. Connect with Julia: Website: drjuliagarcia.com Book:The 5 Habits of Hope Youtube: @DrJuliaGarcia IG: https://www.instagram.com/drjuliagarcia/  LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjuliagarcia/ Podcast: Journey with Dr. J on Spotify / Audible Related Podcast Episodes: 7 Questions For Living A Meaningful Life with Marni Battista | 322 How To Live A Fulfilling Life with Dr. Edith Eger | 251 Burnout 2.0: BurnBOLD with Cait Donovan | 331  Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform!🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being “powerful” and being “likeable” aren’t opposites — they’re a killer combo when we stop contorting ourselves into someone else’s definition. In this episode, we get tactical about communicating with influence and warmth, minus the people-pleasing or performative toughness. Our guest today, Dr. Kate Mason, PhD, is an executive communications coach and former Silicon Valley operator who helps women leaders at companies like Google, Netflix, Uber, and Microsoft communicate with influence and ease. A world-champion debater, she’s the author of Powerfully Likeable—a smart, funny field guide for navigating credibility, warmth, and authority without playing small or playing a part. Kim Scott (author of Radical Candor) calls it “compelling, compassionate, and funny,” which tracks. We cover: Ditching the fake either/or: what “powerfully likeable” looks and feels like (for you), and how to build from what already works in your communication. Finding your calm, “unruffled” baseline so you can lead the room instead of reacting to it — especially when emotions are high. The downside of over-preparation (hello, rigidity) and how to use Kate’s lightweight prep approach so we stay flexible and persuasive. Fight / flight / freeze / fawn at work — how to spot your threat response, interrupt it in real time, and re-engage with credibility. Practical scripts and moves to de-escalate, ask for what we need without apology, and buy time when our “fight” response wants the mic. Debate lessons that actually help at work: choose the win you need today, get curious for better data, and frame the shared goal so you’re on the same side of the problem. “Imposing syndrome” (being afraid to ask) vs. imposter syndrome — and tiny language shifts that stop us from undercutting ourselves. We also nerd out on authenticity without the buzzword BS and how to integrate our sharpest strengths with our actual personality. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Visit beducate.me/womanswork69 and use code womanswork69 for 65% off the annual pass.  Black Friday has come early at Cozy Earth! Right now, you can stack my code WOMANSWORK on top of their sitewide sale — giving you up to 40% off in savings. Connect with Kate: Website: www.katemason.co   Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/745694/powerfully-likeable-by-kate-mason-phd/ Related Podcast Episodes The Fourth Trauma Response You’ve Never Heard Of (And How It’s Running Your Life) with Dr. Ingrid Clayton | 342 The 3 N’s: Negotiation, Networking & No with Kathryn Valentine | 327 Be A Likeable Badass with Alison Fragale | 230 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Amazon Music⁠ | ⁠YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a powerful man says, “She’s not my type,” and a jury (actually, multiple juries) finds that man liable for sexual abuse and defamation, that’s not just a headline — that’s a masterclass in what it takes for a woman to be believed in America. In this episode, writer, journalist, and Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President author E. Jean Carroll joins Nicole to talk about truth, power, paperclips, and what actually happens when you drag a president into court and win. Twice. We talk about the facts, the stories we build around those facts, and why so many people will twist themselves into a pretzel to excuse powerful men while shredding women who speak up. We get into: What actually happened in court — beyond the headlines, hot takes, and Twitter warriors How clothes became her armor and why what she wore in court mattered more than you’d think The “not my type” moment, the infamous deposition photo, and how Trump accidentally proved his own lie Why her sexual history was dragged into the trial — and how she took back that narrative with joy Trauma responses, laughter in the dressing room, and why “if you didn’t scream it doesn’t count” is garbage How mock juries forced her legal team to reckon with ageism, beauty standards, and who we think is “believable” What she plans to do with the tens of millions awarded in damages — and why giving it away is part of her resistance strategy The big questions this case raises: What does a woman have to do to be believed? And what does a powerful man have to do to be held accountable?  Because this isn’t just E. Jean Carroll’s story. It’s a mirror held up to how we treat women, power, and truth — and a reminder that one 80-something woman can still change the story for all of us. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Visit beducate.me/womanswork69 and use code womanswork69 for 65% off the annual pass.  Black Friday has come early at Cozy Earth! Right now, you can stack my code WOMANSWORK on top of their sitewide sale — giving you up to 40% off in savings. Connect with E Jean: Book: https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/not-my-type-9781250381682/ Substack: https://ejeancarroll.substack.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/ejeancarroll1/  X: https://x.com/ejeancarroll?lang=en Related Podcast Episodes: The Fourth Trauma Response You’ve Never Heard Of (And How It’s Running Your Life) with Dr. Ingrid Clayton | 342 Access, Agency & The Abortion Underground with Rebecca Grant | 358 The Biology Of Trauma - And How To Heal It with Dr. Aimie Apigian | 346 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Running a small business feels like jumping out of a plane and building the parachute on the way down… all while managing a team, cash flow, and our kid’s snack schedule. In this LIVE episode at the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Summit, I sit down with three women who prove that entrepreneurship isn’t just about revenue and hiring — it’s about who you become while you’re building. You’ll hear from: Natalie Kaddas - CEO of Kaddas Enterprises and respected community and business leader who serves on the San Francisco Federal Reserve Board and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Natalie talks about: Using her seat at powerful tables to make sure small business voices are heard, even when those business owners can’t be in the room. How the 10KSB program helped her dream bigger, pivot, and grow from survival mode into strategic leadership. Why confidence is built like a muscle: through showing up, practicing, and doing it scared instead of waiting to “feel ready.” Tessa Arneson - Co-founder of Maven District, where a pilates studio has evolved into a vibrant, women-powered real estate and community hub where 75% of the businesses are women-owned. Tessa is on a mission to help women lead with their whole selves — with love and curiosity — without burning out in the process. In this conversation, Tessa pulls back the curtain on: Why she doesn’t believe you can “do it all” and why the grind-24/7, “sleep-when-you’re-dead” hustle culture is a fast track to mental and physical collapse — especially for women. Her non-negotiable rituals for staying well while running a business How her business partner, Rocky, taught their team to use top 3 daily priorities Her advice to women who want to start a business but are scared Perlla Deluca - Owner & CEO of Southeast Constructors and founder of the Pink Hard Hat Foundation, Perlla is an immigrant woman thriving in construction — and building a movement for women and people of color in the trades. In this episode, she shares: How the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program helped her learn financials and leverage, leading her to eventually open a school and foundation — all powered by access to capital and the belief that she could do more. How she refuses to let negativity live rent-free in her mind, using gratitude and mindset as daily practices, especially when things are hard. Why success, for her, is measured in people and growth, not money — and why she’s more excited about her students buying homes than she is about her own wins. A big thank-you to Goldman Sachs for the work they’re doing through the 10,000 Small Businesses program — a $750 million commitment helping entrepreneurs across the U.S. grow, hire, and lead through education, support, and access to capital. If you’re ready to grow your own business, you can learn more and apply at gs.com/10ksb Link:https://www.goldmansachs.com/community-impact/10000-small-businesses/us Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Visit beducate.me/womanswork69 and use code womanswork69 for 65% off the annual pass.  Black Friday has come early at Cozy Earth! Right now, you can stack my code WOMANSWORK on top of their sitewide sale — giving you up to 40% off in savings. Connect with today’s guests: Natalie Kaddas: Website: http://www.kaddas.com/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-kaddas-5610184/ Perlla Deluca: Website: https://www.thepinkhardhat.org/ Iowa School of Construction: https://www.iowaschoolofconstruction.com/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perlla-deluca-b00722114 Tessa Arneson: Website: https://mavenslc.com/  Join The Community: https://stan.store/mavencommunity IG: https://www.instagram.com/maven.community/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessa-arneson-b3b41316/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we call BS on the “you’re not enough / who do you think you are?” soundtrack and dig into self-deception—the sneaky brain patterns that distort our reality and keep us looping the same results. Our guest, Bizzie Gold, creator of Break Method and author of Your Brain Is a Filthy Liar, shows us how to spot the lies, map our patterns, and rewire for freedom. Known for her no-BS approach to personal development, Bizzie has spent over a decade helping thousands of people and organizations identify the subconscious patterns running the show. Her data-driven, neuroscience-based system has been featured in major media outlets and is transforming how we think about mental health, leadership, and self-growth. We cover: Positive vs. negative self-deception—when your brain either minimizes risk (“I got this”) or magnifies it (“why try, it’ll fail anyway”). The Brain Pattern Spectrum—why some of us skew hyper-independent and others codependent, and how both can spiral without awareness. Perception of reality ≠ reality—how your “neurocognitive funnel” colors emotions, choices, and behavior on autopilot. Childhood inputs > dramatic anecdotes—how small, repetitive cues (not just Big-T trauma) program lifelong patterns. “Center with range”—why the goal isn’t becoming a new person; it’s regaining balance and flexibility so you can lead, love, and live without self-sabotage. Real-world application—how mapping your pattern can improve team dynamics and performance, not just your inner peace. You can take Bizzie’s brain pattern mapping diagnostic via her site.  Ultimately, this episode is a masterclass in breaking your brain’s bad habits—because when you understand your wiring, you can finally stop running old programs and start living with clarity, confidence, and choice. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Visit beducate.me/womanswork69 and use code womanswork69 for 65% off the annual pass.  Black Friday has come early at Cozy Earth! Right now, you can stack my code WOMANSWORK on top of their sitewide sale — giving you up to 40% off in savings. Connect with Bizzie: Website: https://bizziegold.com/bg-welcome  Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1967424292 IG: https://www.instagram.com/bizziegold/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bizziegold/ X: https://x.com/bizziegold  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizzieGoldOfficial  Break Method: https://breakmethod.com/ Related Podcast Episodes How To Rewire Patterns That No Longer Serve You with Judy Wilkins-Smith | 323 Practical Intuition: How to Trust Your Gut and Tune Out the Noise with Laura Day | 356 The Icelandic Art of Intuition with Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir | 307 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re done pretending intuition is “woo.” In this lively, challenging conversation with Laura Day—New York Times bestselling author, intuitive consultant to billion-dollar companies, and the no-nonsense brain behind Practical Intuition and The Prism—we dig into how to train your intuition like a skill, use it alongside logic, and make small changes that create big shifts. Laura shares how to set one clear goal, document synchronicities (not just “pay attention”), and spot the difference between feeling and actual intuitive data so we stop overthinking and start moving. (Yes, we’re talking goal files, tiny experiments, and “no new damage.”) We cover: Why intuition is actionable intel, not vibes—and how to work with it without giving away your power A dead-simple training plan: set the goal, make the tiniest safe change, document, repeat “Feeling” vs. intuition (and why your body’s history can hijack your reads) The Prism’s “ego centers” and where you tend to get stuck (hello, over-intellectualizing) Micro-resets when you’re spinning: ask “What do I need right now?” and file it to your goal Because when you stop second-guessing and start listening to your own internal data, you realize the roadmap you’ve been searching for was inside you all along—just waiting for you to trust it enough to follow. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Visit beducate.me/womanswork69 and use code womanswork69 for 65% off the annual pass.  Black Friday has come early at Cozy Earth! Right now, you can stack my code WOMANSWORK on top of their sitewide sale — giving you up to 40% off in savings. Connect with Laura: Website: https://lauraday.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/lauradayintuit/?hl=en Related Podcast Episodes Decoding Your Dreams with Bonnie Buckner, PhD | 337  How To Rewire Patterns That No Longer Serve You with Judy Wilkins-Smith | 323 The Icelandic Art of Intuition with Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir | 307 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Amazon Music⁠ | ⁠YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this insightful discussion, Beth Pinsker, a certified financial planner and author of 'My Mother's Money,' shares her expertise on the challenges of caregiving for aging parents. She highlights why women often become the primary caregivers and the importance of having essential legal documents in place. Beth warns against common pitfalls like procrastination and emphasizes effective communication to prevent family disputes. With practical tips for crisis-proofing finances and setting boundaries, she offers a roadmap to navigate the emotional and logistical complexities of caregiving.