Wickedly Smart Women

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...

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. 

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 a...

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...

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...

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 c...

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 a...

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 t...

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 w...

What happens when being the person everyone turns to becomes a habit of giving away your expertise for free? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell and Amanda Goodwin continue the seven-part anniversary series exploring what comes after corporate and take on one of the most common ways accomplished women undervalue their expertise.

Amanda shares how she learned to distinguish between external validation and a genuine value exchange, including the simple question she now asks when someone wants her time.

If people constantly ask how you did something, seek your advice, want...

What if the next chapter of your career isn't another executive position, but something you build for yourself? In this special seventh anniversary episode of the Wickedly Smart Women Podcast, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Amanda Goodwin, the newest member of the Wickedly Smart Women team and Director of Engagement and Strategic Partnerships. 

After serving as CEO of a technology startup, Amanda realized she had spent decades progressing from one leadership role to another without ever intentionally mapping out what would come next. Her initial answer to the question was simple: rest.

This is Part 1 o...

What happens when you accomplish everything you set out to achieve, yet still feel like something deeper is calling you forward? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Cassandra Crawley Mayo, bestselling author, dynamic speaker, and podcast host who made history as the first African American woman to hold every corporate leadership role she has held.

Cassandra also shares the lessons she learned after becoming a bestselling author, including how to develop discernment when opportunities and offers begin coming your way. She explains why building a personal board of directors can help...

How do you move forward after getting fired, surviving breast cancer, and completely redefining what success looks like? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Ira Kaganovsky, a former Merrill Lynch and Citigroup advisor, successful financial practice owner, entrepreneur, and breast cancer survivor.

Ira's story is one of resilience, tenacity, sales, and knowing when to let go of the plan you originally created. After three friends were diagnosed with breast cancer, Ira began questioning what she was putting on her body and set out to create a natural deodorant that actually worked...

What if the life you thought would make you happy is actually the thing disconnecting you from yourself? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Desislava Dimitrova, a meditation teacher, bestselling author, podcast speaker, and transformational guide.

Desislava shares how her early vision of corporate success quickly began to unravel when the reality of long hours, competition, and an environment that didn't align with her values began affecting her physical and emotional well-being. Her first yoga class became an unexpected doorway into a deeper spiritual awakening and a reconnection with herself.

What happens when you've achieved financial success by following the traditional playbook, only to realize it has left you burned out, disconnected, and unfulfilled? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Debbie Dobbins, speaker, author, and transformational mentor, helping women and conscious entrepreneurs rewrite their relationship with money, success, and self-worth.

After building successful businesses and earning millions, Debbie's life took an unexpected turn when she faced cancer, financial collapse, and the challenge of rebuilding from scratch. Rather than allowing those experiences to define her, she discovered a deeper understanding of abundance...

What if the key to growing your business isn't finding more leads but building better relationships? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Sarah Hubbard, founder of The Intentional Network and author of The Intentional Networker. 

Today, 85% of her multi-million-dollar business comes from referral partnerships, and she's helped hundreds of entrepreneurs generate millions in referral revenue using her proven MAPP Framework. Sarah shares how listening to your deeper calling, creating intentional relationships, and refining your message can transform both your business and your life.

Whether you're preparing to leave corporate, g...

Why do so many successful women thrive in business but struggle to find lasting love? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Chaya Garcia, The Epic Love Expert, a relationship expert and founder of the growing #LoveLighter movement.

Chaya shares how her own journey through toxic relationships, codependency, and self-discovery inspired her mission to help women attract emotionally healthy, lasting partnerships.

Whether you're navigating dating, marriage, or simply learning to trust yourself again, this conversation offers powerful wisdom for choosing yourself first.

What You Will Learn:

What if your career hiatus wasn't a gap, but the foundation for your most impactful work? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Raina Gandhi, a powerhouse advocate for women in leadership and the founder and CEO of Rising Tide Consulting.

After an 11-year hiatus to raise her daughters, Raina returned to the professional world with a Wharton MBA and an investment banking background, only to find a corporate landscape that often felt misaligned with her values. Her journey through burnout, the challenges of re-entry, and navigating workplace barriers led her to...

What if the biggest obstacle to building the life and business you want isn't your circumstances, but your willingness to take the first step? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Jennifer Johnson, founder of True Fashionistas, Florida's largest lifestyle resale store, entrepreneur, business coach, best-selling author, and host of the Confident Entrepreneur podcast.

Jennifer shares the setbacks, betrayals, pivots, and powerful mindset shifts that shaped her entrepreneurial journey. She also explains why building a personal brand before exiting your business creates lasting freedom and opportunity.

If you've been wondering...

What happens when the business you've worked so hard to build no longer feels aligned with who you've become? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Allison Maslan, CEO of Pinnacle Global Network, Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author of, Scale or Fail, which is endorsed by Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran of Shark Tank. 

From nearly losing her life after pushing herself beyond her limits to becoming a homeopathic physician and ultimately founding Pinnacle Global Network, Allison's journey is a powerful reminder that every experience prepares you for your next evolution.

What does it take to leave a successful corporate career, build a thriving business, and create a life that aligns with your values? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Marjie Hadad, Founder of  Marjie Hadad Communications, crisis and leadership communications expert, and author of The Confident Kid Playbook.

The conversation explores the importance of visibility, public relations, work-life integration, crisis communication, and how leaders can use their professional skills to empower the next generation.

Whether you're considering leaving corporate, growing a consultancy, or looking to bec...

What if getting fired was actually the catalyst for building the life you were meant to live? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Merry Korn, entrepreneur, author, and social enterprise pioneer. 

After losing a job she desperately wanted to keep, Merry found herself facing uncertainty, fear, and the responsibility of supporting her family. What followed was an extraordinary journey that led her to build Pearl Interactive Network, a company that grew to employ more than 1,300 people and specialized in hiring individuals often overlooked by traditional employers, including people with disabilities, veterans, m...

What happens when a successful entrepreneur leaves her own thriving business to get a "real job" only to discover she already knew more than she gave herself credit for? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Arielle Tayar, founder of Whip Creative Studio and Whip Productions. 

Arielle shares her journey from growing up in an immigrant family to becoming a serial entrepreneur, her surprising experience in the corporate world, and the lessons she learned about confidence, creativity, leadership, and trusting her own vision.

This conversation is an inspiring reminder that c...

What happens when the career you've worked so hard to build no longer energizes you? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Bela Shah, a former attorney and ICF-certified coach.

Bela shares how feelings of disconnection, burnout, and a lack of alignment ultimately led her to leave a successful legal career and step into coaching. Drawing on her experiences as a first-generation South Asian immigrant, meditation practitioner, and leadership mentor, Bela offers a powerful perspective on self-trust, purpose, and navigating major life transitions. 

This conversation is a reminder that leadership b...

What happens when the career you worked decades to build no longer aligns with who you've become? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, organizational development strategist, executive coach, international keynote speaker, and creator of Stop Drifting: The Discipline of Direction™. 

After more than 30 years in executive leadership roles across multiple industries, Dr. Cynthia shares the realities of being one of the only women in the room, navigating leadership expectations, surviving personal challenges, and ultimately transitioning out of corporate life into entrepreneurship and thought leadership.

This conversation is...

What happens when a woman walks away from corporate stability, navigates financial uncertainty, and builds a thriving business in a male-dominated industry? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Hannah Hurckes, author, entrepreneur, and high-impact speaker known for saying what others won't.

Hannah shares her journey from construction and trucking to launching Boss Lady Logistics after years of trial and error, failed businesses, and financial hardship. She opens up about being a stay-at-home mom on WIC assistance, overcoming fear, learning how to trust her abilities, and creating a company culture rooted in...

What if the biggest wake-up call of your life became the reason you completely reinvented your future? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Janet McConnell, a Senior National Champion Bodybuilder who began competing in her late 40s, Janet brings decades of experience in strength training and lifestyle habits that support cognitive health, resilience, and vitality. As the author of Elements of Aging Well, she blends science-backed insight with real-world strategies to help women age with confidence, strength, and purpose. 

Janet shares how a shocking health diagnosis at age 46 forced her to c...

What if the reason your team isn't performing has nothing to do with strategy and everything to do with leadership? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Kathy Eastwood, CEO and creator of the human-first E3 Leadership Code and a leadership strategist with over thirty years of executive experience across EY, Hewlett-Packard, high-growth startups, and private equity-backed companies.

This conversation dives into the real reason most teams struggle, why emotional intelligence is the missing link in leadership.

If you've ever questioned your leadership environment, your next career move, or how...

What happens when you wake up one day and realize the career you built no longer fits your life? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Megan Applegate, Career Strategist, Certified Personal Consultant, and the founder of Career Blueprint Solutions. 

Megan shares her powerful journey from a 20-year corporate career in hospitality to building her own business in recruiting and career strategy. What started as a feeling of disconnection and burnout turned into a bold leap into entrepreneurship, without a clear roadmap.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone feeling s...

What if the decision that changes everything isn't about leaving your job but about how you think? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Dr. Crystal Gifford, CEO of EdgeTech Global, a pioneering force in educational leadership, curriculum development, and EdTech integration.

This conversation goes deeper than "just leap." It explores the internal and external variables that shape major life decisions, the importance of trusting yourself, and how to build a business that aligns with your values instead of burning you out.

If you've been questioning whether it's time to...

What if the key to higher profits isn't better marketing or more sales tactics but how you treat your people? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Sandra Coker, CEO of Human Power Solutions and author of People Profit. Sandra shares her powerful journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, sparked by life-changing personal experiences that forced her to rethink everything.

Sandra breaks down how investing in employee development directly impacts customer experience, retention, and long-term profitability.

This episode is a must-listen for leaders, entrepreneurs, and women navigating what's next, offering...

Burnout is not a personal failure. It is a systems problem, and today's episode breaks down exactly why. In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Dr. Trisha Vinatieri, a clinical psychologist and organizational development psychologist who has spent nearly two decades treating PTSD and holding various leadership roles within healthcare systems.

From her own experience navigating burnout during COVID to stepping into a leadership role focused on wellbeing, Dr. Vinatieri explains why so many high-achieving professionals feel stuck, exhausted, and disconnected from work that once gave them purpose.

If you've...

What happens when your body starts telling you it's time to walk away, even before your mind is ready to admit it? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Stacey Bailey, a leadership coach, strategist, and facilitator who helps entrepreneurs and creative leaders grow businesses with heart. A certified System and Soul™ Implementor and Dare to Lead™ Certified professional, she brings more than 15 years of experience in leadership and operations within the creative services industry.

Stacey shares her evolution from accidental leader to COO, and ultimately to entrepreneur, revealing the internal struggles, phys...

What if your burnout isn't just stress but a deeper biological disconnect? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Meredith Oke, strategic coach turned science storyteller, host of the Quantum Biology Collective podcast, and founder of a nonprofit focused on helping women reclaim their energy and health through the lens of quantum biology. After walking away from burnout and chronic fatigue, Meredith now helps women understand how their environment, light exposure, and daily habits directly impact their energy, health, and long-term wellbeing.

If you've been feeling exhausted no matter how much you...

What if the biggest risk in your career isn't leaving corporate, but staying? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Heather Moore, Founder and CEO of Pet Centric Health. Heather takes us behind the scenes of what it really looks like to transition from corporate stability into entrepreneurship, including the mindset shifts, challenges, and unexpected growth that come with building a company from the ground up.

This episode is a must-listen for high-achieving women who feel the pull toward something more and are ready to explore what's next in leadership, impact, and...

Why are women still dramatically underrepresented in leadership positions despite earning the majority of college degrees and making up half the workforce? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Gloria Feldt, visionary leadership strategist, bestselling author, and co-founder of Take The Lead. Drawing on decades of experience, including serving as national president of Planned Parenthood and building leadership development programs for women, Gloria explains why the issue is not a lack of ambition but a deeper challenge around women's relationship with power and money.

This episode is a must-listen for women leaders...

What is trauma-informed leadership, and why does it matter in today's workplace? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Dr. Melanie Gray shares how trauma-informed care transforms leadership, strengthens workplace culture, and prevents burnout before it derails careers. Drawing from over 25 years in healthcare, higher education, and corporate leadership, Dr. Gray explains how trauma shapes behavior, how generational stress impacts performance, and why confidence is built through intentional self-leadership.

If you are a high-achieving woman considering leaving corporate, building a consulting business, or leading teams through change, this episode delivers practical wisdom...

What happens after the baby arrives, and why has that conversation been missing for generations? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Aanchal Dasoar Arora, women's health innovator, pelvic floor physical therapist, and founder of Mendhai Health, shares how postpartum depression, pelvic floor dysfunction, and an identity crisis after motherhood led her to leave a high-level corporate healthcare career and build a digital maternal recovery platform born out of MIT.

If you are a leader navigating identity shifts, a healthcare innovator, or a woman seeking support after pregnancy, this episode delivers both...

What if the reason you feel stuck isn't that you need to push harder but because you need to let go? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Ginny Priem, keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, master certified coach, and host of the Unsubscribe podcast. Ginny shares how escaping a toxic relationship became the catalyst for transforming her entire life and career.

If you've ever wondered whether it's time to let go of something you've invested years into, this episode will challenge and empower you to make bold, aligned decisions faster.

What if working from home wasn't a trend but a calling you answered decades before the rest of the world caught up? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Lesley Pyle, a true pioneer in the remote work and entrepreneurship space. Lesley is the founder and CEO of Hire My Mom, a platform that connects small businesses with highly skilled virtual professionals.

This episode is a must-listen for women who feel the inner nudge to do work differently, redefine success on their own terms, and create a business that aligns with their...