If the last couple years have you looking to change your work situation, it makes so much sense. Whether you’re a new hire or you’ve been working for decades, times of unrest cause all of us to reassess things. You don’t have to do it alone or know it all. Listen to this episode with career coach, Nikki Innocent, who specializes in showing up authentically in today’s modern workplaces to thrive without burning out. For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast...
May 17, 2022•23 min•Ep. 82
With an increasing shift away from organized religion in our culture and a global crisis testing people’s faith, it makes sense that there are a lot of questions about how religion and spirituality will evolve as our society continues to change and become more diverse. We often hear about religion used as a reason for maintaining oppressive or exclusionary policies, behaviors and systems, but with an ever diversifying population, we’re seeing record numbers of people opt out of religion altogeth...
May 10, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 81
With record numbers of people quitting their jobs and considering career changes, and so many businesses who have had to make the difficult decision to close their doors or let employees go as a result of the economic turbulence from the pandemic, there’s a lot of breaking up happening in the workplace. The thing is we’re never really taught how to leave a job in a healthy, reciprocal, human way. All of the attention is on the getting of the new job that often it can feel really confusing how to...
May 03, 2022•25 min•Ep. 80
Your gut feeling, your intuition, your inner knowing, that thing you just know but can’t say why or show the proof – that’s what we’re talking about today. Modern mystic, business strategist, psychic channel, new paradigm entrepreneur and energy and light worker, Lindsay Pera joins us to talk about the new landscape of business, leadership and human existence altogether as we navigate the civilization shifting moments that are colliding together all at once right now. Lindsay shines a light on t...
Apr 26, 2022•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 79
Climate change is a conversation that so often is met with talk about fossil fuels, plastic straws and inevitability. But today environmental engineer, Ashley Stewart, joins us to talk about the human-centric view on how we have an opportunity to shape, reconnect with and repair our Earth. Ashley talks about the importance of understanding the impact of our insufficient environmental systems and structures on real human beings and the disproportionate harm on urban Black communities. She shares ...
Apr 19, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 78
In a world with 24/7 breaking news stories, burnout and outrage exhaustion are inevitable. With the algorithms, our shortened attention spans and the whistleblower provided evidence that social media sites prioritize and amplify emotionally volatile content, it’s no wonder it feels like a nonstop media barrage on our sense of safety and stability. In today’s episode Nikki is joined by licensed clinical psychologist and previous guest, Dr. Adia Gooden, to talk about tips for taking care of yourse...
Apr 12, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 77
There are millions struggling to care for an elderly parent or relative, while also stepping into their careers, raising children, and being present in their lives, but no one really talks about it. We hear about working mothers, but we don’t talk about working daughters, though the populations are about the same size and at times overlap — Hello Sandwich Generation! 👋🏽 A working daughter is a woman who is navigating the intersection of eldercare and career. If you are the person responsible f...
Apr 05, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 76
Imagine, like the majority of the workers, you're experiencing burnout. You tell your boss you need support, they tell you to hustle and push through it. You know something has to change, but where do you start? Resignations are at an all-time high and employees are job searching and considering career changes more than ever. How do you stand out in the interview process? Pam Ford, one of Nikki's coaching clients, joins the podcast to share her burnout story and discuss how it motivated her to i...
Mar 29, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 75
When The Gates Foundation put out a call for someone to revolutionize the condom, today’s guest, Dr. Stacy Chin was there to take on the challenge and co-created HydroGlyde Coatings. Stacy joins host Nikki Innocent to discuss her experience as a woman in STEM stepping into the startup/business world, working in a taboo industry developing a new medical device (the self lubricating condom), getting funding as a founder at the intersection of historically excluded identity groups — all while recla...
Mar 22, 2022•56 min•Ep. 74
If you are looking for a generative, energetic, joyful conversation about dismantling racism and white supremacy, you’ve found your podcast! In this conversation, writer, publisher and liberation practitioner Courtney Napier joins host Nikki Innocent in conversation about the vital impact of holding space for learning the stories of our elders as we work towards a future where oppression and injustice are dismantled. Courtney shares her personal, nontraditional journey of the power of storytelli...
Mar 15, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 73
If you grew up going to DARE programs in school or you remember the “Say No To Drugs” tagline, this episode is for you. It’s a reeducation around marijuana, it’s effects and it’s possibility. Our guest is Dru Ledbetter, co-founder of Building A Life Legacy (BALL), ThePot Boston and Flower Xpress, all cannabis centric enterprises prioritizing the needs and support of the community and the opportunity to reinvest in legacy building through the booming cannabis industry. As a former leader in the n...
Mar 08, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 72
How many times in your life have you been forced to choose between two options and neither of them felt like they fit? In this episode, Kt McBratney joins Nikki to talk all about rejecting the binary and the fact that we are conditioned to think and operate in a binary world when really we're intended to live within a spectrum. They dive into what Kt calls “disrupting the status bro”, turning the ripple effect into tidal change and building a business that celebrates and connects us through the ...
Mar 01, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 71
Do you struggle with self doubt when you are trying something new or getting noticed for the contributions you are making to the word? That feeling as though you don’t belong or you will be found out as an imposter is all too common, so much so that at least 75% of women have experienced imposter syndrome in their careers. You are not alone, but the funny thing about imposter syndrome is that you do feel so isolated and individually unworthy. In this episode, Nikki demystifies the all-too-common...
Feb 22, 2022•55 min•Ep. 70
For many of us, the message growing up was “make sure you follow the right path” but what does that really mean? Does that mean spending your time doing what other people expect of you or following your interests, strengths and passions? With Millennials now stepping into senior levels of leadership, the largest generation is redefining what success looks like. It looks like following your own path forward and embracing a non-traditional journey to step into your unique potential. In this episod...
Feb 15, 2022•55 min•Ep. 69
“It’s all about who you know” but in the last few years our ability to network and connect with others has been put to the test – the isolation, the reliance on technology, a shift in career priorities and workplace values have all changed the game. In this episode, Nikki discusses the transactional nature of traditional networking, the shift towards authenticity and relationship in modern networking and ways to approach networking if it’s something you dread. If you’re looking for more networki...
Feb 08, 2022•36 min•Ep. 68
If the pandemic has you battling cabin fever or wishing you could hop on a plane to head on vacation or to relocate, this episode is for you! Margo Gabriel, freelance writer and new cookbook author did just that, in the fall of 2020 she took the leap and is now an expat living in Lisbon Portugal. Margo shares her story all about leaning into uncertainty to discover opportunities beyond her wildest dreams, from finding her new home due to an airline offer to extend her layover in Portugal to a di...
Feb 01, 2022•54 min•Ep. 67
How often are you doing things because you feel like you “should?” Not because you want to, or need to, but because you feel the pressure to do it in order to avoid criticism, gain approval or to meet other people’s standards. If you don’t do what you “should do” how does it impact your relationship with your self worth, self confidence and motivation? If you have been trying to find your footing coming out of the last couple years and you find yourself striving for and/or falling short of your ...
Dec 14, 2021•29 min•Ep. 66
If you’ve ever doubted yourself, wondered if you are enough or battled feelings of imposter syndrome, the world around you has had you question your self-worth. What would your life be like if you operated with the knowledge that you are born worthy and nothing you can do or say will take that away? In this episode, Dr. Adia Gooden, licensed clinical psychologist and self-worth specialist joins Nikki to discuss the key components of building your self-worth and four practices can truly revolutio...
Dec 07, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 65
In the world of self-improvement and professional development we are so caught up in where things need to be fixed and we miss the beauty that is around us. We are encouraged to buy things to find our fulfillment and strive for things to reach happiness. During the holiday season, things tend to get more complicated, you are pressured to do more, buy more, and give more. What if this year, you gave yourself permission to do the opposite? Instead of more, you did less, you focused on simplifying....
Nov 30, 2021•26 min•Ep. 64
Ever wish you could have learned about diversity, equity and inclusion in school instead of in the headlines? This week’s episode features Kiana Pierre-Louis lawyer, professor and the co-creator of the new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion major at Bentley University, the first ever at a business university. Kiana shares her experience of co-creating the curriculum with a cross functional team, advocating for the major within a historically white, male dominated school and industry and the key ste...
Nov 23, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 63
Counterterrorism and national security expert, Ryan Greer, joins Nikki to talk about white supremacy, domestic terrorism and the imperative to understand and dismantle the oppressive foundations of both on an individual and collective level. Ryan talks about his time serving in the US Department of Homeland Security, the White House, the US Department of State and the US House of Representatives and how both his work and perception of counterterrorism work have shifted from when he first started...
Nov 16, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 62
Twenty one babies are born every minute, which means with every minute numerous women’s bodies are going through the trauma of childbirth, but our culture doesn’t prioritize healing in the same way we do all other significant body traumas. Post birth rehab, strengthening and healing are topics that are often not spoken about or even acknowledged as part of the birthing process until after the baby is in the world and their mother is attempting to “do it all.” In many cultures, the entire communi...
Nov 09, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 61
Do you know the feeling when a goal you’ve worked so hard for is finally becoming a reality and it scares you, overwhelms you or you find yourself second guessing if it’s even what you wanted in the first place? This is a very common reaction to success, especially when you’ve put all your energy, blood, sweat and tears to make the achievement happen, in work and in life. In this episode, Nikki talks about upperlimiting or the Upper Limit Problem a term coined by Gay Hendricks. If as you come cl...
Nov 02, 2021•19 min•Ep. 60
Trish Fontanilla is the ultimate community builder, everything she does she creates such a welcoming, encouraging and humanity driven environment for people to show up as themselves and connect with one another. In this episode, Trish shares her story of how she entered the startup world and has become an expert community builder in a time when we need true community more than ever. Trish and Nikki discuss the importance of humanizing technology, artificial intelligence and the customer experien...
Oct 26, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 59
If you’ve been thinking about taking a leap, making a change or stretching outside of your comfort zone, now is a great time to start -- even if it’s just taking baby steps. In this week’s mini episode, Nikki shares her recent leap, an impromptu extended trip to Portugal! What ways have you been thinking about making a chance in your life or betting on yourself? We want to hear about it: www.nikkiinnocent.com/jointheconversation...
Oct 19, 2021•6 min•Ep. 58
Mixed-race Americans are the fastest growing racial group in the US based on the 2020 Census. One of the most common and often most frustrating questions that biracial and multiracial people get is “What are you?” it can be dehumanizing and extremely “othering.” In this episode, our host Nikki Innocent, a mixed-race Haitian American woman, flips the dynamic on its head and dives into the question of “What Am I?” on her own. She talks about recent new discoveries about her own multi-racial and mu...
Oct 12, 2021•18 min•Ep. 57
When you progress in your career, your life and your relationships, oftentimes making decisions becomes more complex. There is a more complex level of nuance needed as each call impacts both the long and short term, both you and other, both the big picture and what needs to get done today. In this episode, Nikki talks about the coaching technique she uses to help clients and herself navigate the nuance of strategic decision making -- the spectrum of eagle and mouse view. If you want to learn mor...
Oct 05, 2021•22 min•Ep. 56
As an entertainer, rejection comes with the territory as does resilience. In this episode, Andrea Dora, Broadway actor, entrepreneur, mother and all around game changer joins Nikki to dive into the nuances of taking up space in a world that tells black, biracial women to be quiet and play their part. Andrea and Nikki dive into the dynamics of belonging and confidence, families of origin and the wisdom you learn from experiencing grief and loss. Andrea talks about her choice to go from auditionin...
Sep 28, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 55
The Great Resignation is in full swing, June 2021 brought record numbers in resignations and job openings but with the pumping of the brakes from the Covid19 Delta variant, everyone is waiting to see how that impacts the job market. In this episode, Nikki talks about why the Great Resignation is happening right now and the key trends that have been catalyzed and amplified due to the pandemic. She walks through recent pivotal workforce statistics and offers four main tips for how to keep momentum...
Sep 21, 2021•42 min•Ep. 54
If you were asked to write a note of gratitude to one person in your life, who would it be? What would you say? Today’s guest Brian Doyle talks all about his passion for bringing more gratitude in all it’s nuanced beauty to the world. Brian is a lover of storytelling with a deep background in the TED community and as an event producer for vital organizations like the LGBT Community Center in NYC and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Brian and Nikki dive into the dynamics of privilege and power tha...
Sep 14, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 53
