Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast

Episodet

• They Said No — Here's Exactly What to Say Next (8 Steps to Overcome Workplace Resistance) 29.05.2026 37min

  Getting a "no" at work isn't the problem. Not knowing what to do with it is. In this episode, you'll get a proven 8-step framework to turn workplace resistance into genuine cooperation — without pressure, without losing your composure, and without damaging the relationship. Whether you're asking for a raise, requesting flexibility, pitching an idea, advocating for resources, or handling a performance review objection, these steps give you a repeatable approach for any high-stakes conversation where the stakes feel too high to get it wrong. In this episode, you'll learn: How to recognize workplace resistance — even when it's subtle, indirect, or disguised as agreement The most common mistakes that kill your credibility and close the conversation down How to ask the questions that surface the real concern, not just the surface objection How to address objections confidently without being aggressive, passive, or overly apologetic The exact 8-step framework to move someone from "no" to "yes" while keeping the relationship intact If you've ever left a workplace conversation feeling like you gave up too easily — or pushed too hard — this episode is for you.  
• She Waited for Someone to Offer Her a Promotion. Nobody Did. Ceridian SVP Geetanjali on Owning Your Career 22.05.2026 44min

  A Recruiter She Never Asked for Advice from Told Her to Lower Her Ambitions. It Derailed Her for Months. What Geetanjali Learned About Who Gets to Define Your Ceiling. She was doing great work, getting strong reviews, and waiting for someone to recognize she was ready for the next level. Nobody came. Finally, she went and asked. They said: "Yeah, we think you're ready." She walked away with one permanent lesson: no one knows where you want to go unless you tell them. Your manager cannot promote you toward a goal they don't know you have. Geetanjali is SVP of Financial Planning and Analysis at Ceridian, and she has built her career across multiple industries, companies, and cities, often following her spouse's career moves and rebuilding her network from scratch each time. She has been told she had no career path because of a commute. She has had a recruiter give her unsolicited opinions about her ceiling — someone who had never worked with her and didn't even have a position for her. Both times, she fact-checked herself, pushed back, and moved forward. In this episode, she gets specific about how. You'll learn: Why she walked out of her first promotion conversation wondering why her manager didn't just offer it, and the mantra she built from that moment: "I own my career." How she separates "I can't do this" from "I don't want to do this" — a distinction her husband called her out on, and one that completely changes how you diagnose self-doubt. The worst-case scenario mindset she uses every time asking feels too risky: maximum they say no, and then at least you know exactly what you need to work on. The recruiter who told her to stay put and aim lower, without her asking for any of that advice, and how she spiraled — until she realized: this person has never worked with me, doesn't know what I do, and has no position for me. Why am I listening? The manager who told her she had no career because she was commuting. How she found a better position, and what she said in her exit interview when the CFO asked why she was leaving. How she negotiated leaving at 5 PM sharp with a male manager who was more supportive than she expected — and why building trust first is the prerequisite for every other ask. Her salary negotiation rule, applied to every job offer she has ever received: never accept in one go, always go back at least once, and negotiate the full package not just the base number. How she leads her team by modeling openness about her own mistakes first, which makes it safe for her team to take risks and tell her when she is wrong. Her networking approach: stay in touch with mentors even after years of silence, get involved in community organizations when you move cities, and commit to one lunch a month with someone new. About Geetanjali: SVP of Financial Planning and Analysis at Ceridian, Geetanjali has built a finance leadership career across multiple industries and cities. She is a dual-career couple partner, working mom, woman of color from India, and active member of the Association of Financial Professionals.
• "Success Isn't About Who You Know. It's About Who Knows You." How a J&J Senior VP Went from Waste Picker to the Top 15.05.2026 46min

  His Boss Told Him He'd Never Rise Above Engineer Level. Three Years Later, That Boss Reported to Him. Samuel Santos on Getting Noticed at Work Early in his career, his manager told him the company had a prototype for success: blonde hair, green eyes. Samuel Moody Santos was mixed race, Black, an immigrant who had started his working life as a waste picker. His manager told him he would never advance past engineer level. Three years later, Samuel was a manager and that man reported to him. He went on to retire as Senior Vice President at Johnson & Johnson, one of the top 40 Fortune 500 companies in the world. He speaks five languages. He holds an engineering degree and an MBA. And he wrote the book on how he did it: "In Spite of the Headwinds." In this episode, Samuel shares the specific mindset shifts, communication strategies, and career moves that took him from invisible to indispensable, as a minority, an immigrant, and someone who was actively told he didn't belong. You'll learn: Why "success depends on who you know" is the wrong mental model, and the one-sentence reframe Samuel used to challenge a corporate trainer in a room of 40 people that changed how he thought about visibility for the rest of his career. Why doing excellent work and staying quiet about it is the same as doing nothing, and how he marketed his ideas without ever bragging about himself. How he turned a direct manager who tried to limit his career into a stepping stone by building relationships with leaders two and three levels above that manager. The "poor photograph" framework: why being visible without being skilled fails, and why being skilled without being visible fails just as badly. Why he treats every "no" the same way: either he didn't explain the idea well enough, or he needs a different audience. The Starbucks founder knocked on 242 doors. Samuel applied that same logic to ideas inside a corporation. How he disagrees with superiors without triggering defensiveness: "I never disagree with any person. I disagree with ideas." The specific language he used to pose challenges as questions so people moved toward his position instead of defending against it. The performance review confrontation where someone tried to penalize a team member for a mistake from two years prior, and how Samuel addressed the entire room to win that argument on the spot. Why he focused ruthlessly on the one skill he could take above average (presenting technical ideas to non-technical executives), and chose not to develop things that wouldn't move the needle, including declining to learn Mandarin during a two-year assignment in Shanghai. About Samuel Moody Santos: Retired Senior Vice President at Johnson & Johnson, Samuel is an engineer, MBA, minister, polyglot (five languages), honorary consul, former university professor, public speaker, and author of "In Spite of the Headwinds: My Journey from Waste Picker to Vice President at a Top-Forty Fortune 500 Company." Book: https://www.amazon.com/Spite-Headwinds-Picker-Senior-Executive-ebook/dp/B09KGRQ61W Connect with Samuel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-moody-santos-56601a10/
• She Told Both Job Interviewers She Wanted to Be CIO. They Hired Her Anyway. Calendly's Head of IT Darlene on Being Unabashedly Ambitious 08.05.2026 44min

  Her Dad Found a Rolex and Returned It. What That Taught Her About Asking for Everything. Her father came to the United States in 1989 with next to nothing. He found a Rolex in a locker room while working as a janitor and returned it. The owner gave him a job. He stayed 27 years. In that time, he asked his employer for a green card. They sponsored it. He asked for college tuition. They paid for his associate's and his bachelor's degree. He asked to pivot into chemistry. They made a role for it. Darlene watched all of this and had one thought: if he could ask for all of that with nothing in his pocket and no English, why was she self-editing her ambitions? She stopped. Now she opens job interviews by telling the people who will decide whether to hire her exactly what she wants: to be CIO of an organization. She told her future boss. She told the Calendly interviewer. Both were supportive. She uses it as a filter. Darlene is Head of IT at Calendly, and in this episode she breaks down the frameworks she's built for speaking up, pitching ideas, and asking for exactly what she wants without apology. You'll learn: How to know which conversations are worth inserting yourself into, and which ones to let go based on span of control, stakeholder complexity, and how badly you want the outcome. The self-interest framework: why "selfless" leads to burnout, "selfish" kills collaboration, and the middle zone of self-interest is where real buy-in happens. Why she describes senior leadership as "glorified salespeople" and what changed when she stopped clicking on the backend and started selling visions instead. The "directionally correct" approach to numbers: why giving a C-suite executive "$270K plus or minus 20%" is infinitely more persuasive than "decreased time" or a 6-decimal-point calculation that took two weeks to produce. How self-editing language like "I think the answer might be..." quietly signals low confidence, and how to hit the delete button on it. Why she tells every interviewer exactly what she wants out of her career, and how she uses their response as a filter for whether the organization is actually a place where she can grow. About Darlene: Head of IT at Calendly, Darlene has built her career at the intersection of technology leadership and organizational influence. Originally from a Venezuelan family in Rhode Island, she leads IT strategy and operations at one of the most widely used scheduling platforms in the world. She is candid, direct, and unabashedly ambitious.
• She Was a Shy, Introverted Child Who Became a Chief Strategy Officer. The Realization That Changed Everything. (with Lisa, CSIO at Lee Health) 01.05.2026 40min

  She missed the scholarship deadline for her MBA. She asked anyway. She got it. She was the only woman in her group project cohort, a single mom with a one-year-old, living paycheck to paycheck. She told her group on day one exactly what she could do and when she was leaving. They respected it. On a business trip with a relatively new manager, she admitted mid-conversation that she wanted to move into a strategy role that didn't even exist yet. That manager became her greatest champion. That pivot launched the career that led her to become Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Lee Health. Lisa has spent her career figuring out what fearless authenticity actually looks like in practice: not as a concept, but as a set of specific choices made in specific moments of risk. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, she walks through the mindset shifts and early career moves that built her foundation. You'll learn: The exact moment Lisa realized intimidation was her own internal problem, not something others were doing to her and how that realization changed every difficult room she walked into after Why the post-it on her monitor reads "no one wants to feel insignificant, incompetent, or unlikable", and how she uses it to decode defensiveness in herself and others The MBA-as-single-mom stories: how she advocated for a scholarship she'd missed the deadline for, set hard boundaries with her group project team from day one, and created an independent study that wasn't in the curriculum How a candid conversation on a business trip, admitting she wanted a completely different role, launched her entire strategy career, and what she learned about speaking up to managers about your real aspirations Why her first attempt at people management felt completely wrong, and the leadership philosophy she arrived at: "developing leaders, not amassing followers" How conflict made two of her most important professional relationships stronger, not weaker About Lisa: Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Lee Health, Lisa leads strategic planning, innovation, and organizational transformation across one of Florida's largest health systems. She is a passionate advocate for women in leadership and women of color in senior roles.
• Every Man in the Room Ignored Her and Started the Meeting. She Interrupted. What Happened Next. (with Lisa, CSIO at Lee Health) — Part 2 01.05.2026 35min

  The Mirror Method, the WAIT Acronym, and Why "Learn Fast" Beats "Fail Fast": Lee Health CSIO Lisa on Challenging the Status Quo — Part 2 She walked into a conference room as the only woman in a room full of men in technical data roles. They introduced themselves to each other and started the meeting without acknowledging her at all. She paused, said "excuse me," stated her name, her role, and why she was there. It startled them. She was glad she did it. Because if she hadn't, she wouldn't have belonged in the conversation that followed. In Part 2 of this conversation, Lisa, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Lee Health, moves from personal story into the specific leadership tools she uses every day to challenge the status quo, orchestrate high-stakes conversations, and move organizations through change without creating enemies. You'll learn: The Mirror Method: why the most dangerous thing you can do when entering a new organization is come in with a fix-it mentality, and the structured listening approach that gets people to agree the status quo needs to change before you ever propose a solution WAIT — "Why Am I Talking?" — the acronym she uses to decide when her voice advances a conversation and when silence does more How she reads the nonverbals of an entire organization the same way she reads body language in a room, and what signals tell her when trust is building and when it isn't Why she stopped relying on PowerPoint and what changed when she started looking people in the eye instead of at her slides, including the mentor advice that saved her: "be ready to deliver a 5-minute version of what you just created"  The difference between intellectual sparring and debate, and how she creates conditions for divergent thinking that actually leads to decisions, not just more discussion Why she says "learn fast" instead of "fail fast", and how she navigates naysayers, skeptics, and the inevitable "you paid how much for what?" moments in healthcare innovation What she looks for when building a team: curiosity, courage, and comfort with ambiguity, and why trustworthiness ranks above everything else About Lisa: Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Lee Health, Lisa leads strategic planning, innovation, and organizational transformation across one of Florida's largest health systems. She is a passionate advocate for women in leadership and women of color in senior roles.
• Years of Being Called "Hardworking and Quiet." How Revolut's Head of Strategy Daisy Rewrote Her Professional Brand 24.04.2026 49min

  For years, Daisy's performance reviews said the same things: hardworking, great team player, result-driven, quiet. Cycle after cycle, different managers, same words. Then she realized: those were her brand hashtags, and they were never going to get her to where she wanted to go. She wanted "confident," "influential," "driven," "leadership." And nobody was going to give her those labels. She had to earn them by using her voice. Daisy is Head of Strategy and FP&A at Revolut, one of the world's fastest-growing fintechs. Originally from China, she built her career navigating the cultural expectation that hard work and results would speak for themselves. They didn't. In this episode, she breaks down exactly how she changed that, and what she now teaches every junior person who reports to her. You'll learn: The performance review pattern that finally made her realize she was building the wrong brand, and the specific words she decided to own instead Why she stopped being the silent note-taker in every meeting, what she lost by doing it, and why AI has made that role completely obsolete The 4-phase framework for asking questions in town halls and large meetings, from canned questions that still get you seen, to strategic dialogue that opens collaboration doors with senior executives The "golden three months" strategy: how to use your newness as a security blanket to ask anything, map broken processes, and deliver visible value before anyone expects it Why there is no such thing as over-communication at work ,and how staying quiet to avoid being "too much" is actually the riskier move The one mandate she gives herself and every person she mentors: say something in every meeting, even if it's just a rephrasing If you've ever been called "hardworking" but not "leadership material," or if you have great ideas that only come out in one-on-ones but never in the room, this episode is the blueprint. About Daisy: Head of Strategy and Financial Planning & Analytics at Revolut, Daisy leads strategic and financial operations at one of the world's largest fintech companies. Originally from China, she coaches and mentors junior professionals on speaking up, building visibility, and translating strong technical work into leadership presence. Stop Taking Notes, Start Getting Noticed: Revolut Head of Strategy Daisy on Building Your Brand Through Your Voice  
• Be Brief, Be Bright, Be Gone: How Newell Brands VP Malvika Challenges Senior Leaders, Manages Type A Executives, and Turns Conflict Into Opportunity 17.04.2026 56min

  When a new business leader walked in and told Malvika they were going to restructure the entire segment — 60% of company revenue — in a room with just the two of them, no leaks, no one else in the room, she didn't say no. She said: "I hear you. And here's how we get to the same outcome with the right people involved." Six months after implementation, he came back and told her it was the right call. That's the ABC method — Acknowledge, Build, Challenge — and it's the framework Malvika has built her career on. As VP HR, Learning & Development at Newell Brands, she's spent years figuring out how to challenge senior leaders without triggering defensiveness, manage rooms full of type A executives without losing the thread, and find genuine joy in the conversations most people dread. In this episode, she gets specific about all of it. You'll learn: The ABC method for challenging leaders without coming across as aggressive, and the Project Panther restructure story that proves it works How she handled a client in Oman at 24 who kept making inappropriate comments — alone, in a foreign country, with a relationship and additional business on the line, and still won the next assignment The "be brief, be bright, be gone" framework for capturing and keeping the attention of type A executives in high-stakes meetings How she gamified a full-day leadership talent review to keep a competitive senior team engaged, and still got all the work done Why leading with facts instead of emotion is the only way to challenge the status quo without losing credibility Her personal technique for staying calm when everything is tense: painting, choosing to laugh, and the line about "not my circus, not my monkeys, but I do know some of the clowns" If you work with strong-willed leaders, navigate difficult conversations across cultures, or just want to bring more effectiveness, and more joy, into the hardest parts of your job, this episode delivers. About Malvika: Vice President HR, Learning & Development at Newell Brands, Malvika has led organizational transformation, talent strategy, and cross-cultural teams across global markets. Originally from India, she has built her career navigating high-stakes leadership conversations across cultures, industries, and executive levels. She Was 24, Alone With a Difficult Client in Oman. What She Figured Out Built Her Entire Leadership Playbook.
• Your Job Title Can Evaporate Overnight. Your Internal Power Can't. Leadership Lessons from Equifax SVP Alejandra 17.04.2026 43min

  She watched a brilliant female CEO — strategic, skilled, accomplished — get pushed out of her company. And in that moment, Alejandra had a realization that changed how she thinks about her entire career: if it can happen to her, it can happen to any of us. A job title is the most fragile kind of power there is. The only power that can't be taken away is the one you build inside yourself. Alejandra is SVP of Technology, Global Infrastructure Solutions at Equifax, leading teams across multiple countries and continents. She also runs "I Am Remarkable" workshops — originally a Google initiative — helping professionals, especially women and underrepresented groups, learn to celebrate their own achievements out loud. She did not always find this easy. Growing up in Argentina, where the culture does not reward self-promotion the way the U.S. does, she spent years assuming her work would speak for itself. It didn't. In this episode, she shares what she learned late, by her own admission, and what she now teaches others from the start. You'll learn: Why waiting for others to recognize your achievements is a trap, and the mindset shift that breaks it The story of how she walked into a job interview at 22 with no experience and got hired on boldness and a single honest promise Why she left a well-paying job that supported her family to escape bias, and how she made that decision The difference between title-based power and internal power, and why only one of them survives a corporate restructure The single biggest leadership gap she sees across cultures, levels, and industries, and it's not what most leaders focus on How values contain ambition and keep influence from crossing into manipulation The practical system she teaches for tracking and sharing your own achievements before you forget them If you've been doing great work and waiting for someone to notice, this episode reframes that habit entirely. About Alejandra: SVP of Technology, Global Infrastructure Solutions at Equifax, Alejandra leads infrastructure teams across the globe. Originally from Buenos Aires, she moved to the U.S. seven years ago. She is an advisory board member of WATT (Women Advancing Technology Together) at Equifax, a board member of the Start House Foundation, an active facilitator of the I Am Remarkable initiative, and a member of Women in Technology (WIT) Atlanta. Stop Waiting to Be Recognized: How Equifax SVP Alejandra Learned to Promote Herself — and Why You Need To
• "I'm Not Responsible for How You Feel": How Melissa Stood Her Ground With an Intimidating Executive and Changed Their Relationship Forever 17.04.2026 44min

  Sixteen years later, she still tells this story. She was called into the office of a 6'4" senior executive she barely knew. He sat with his back to the door and said: "You will either make me a very happy man or a very unhappy man." Something in her snapped. She replied: "I was always told I'm not responsible for how other people feel." He slowly turned his chair around with a smile on his face. That one moment became the foundation of a decade-long mentorship. Melissa is Executive Director and Chief Privacy Officer at Kodiak Solutions, and she's spent her career learning, sometimes the hard way, what it actually means to hold onto your personal power when the professional stakes are high. In this episode, she breaks down the real moments that tested her, and the specific tools she built to handle them. You'll learn: What "giving away your personal power" actually means, and how to catch yourself doing it before it costs you What Melissa said to a senior executive that instantly shifted how he saw her, and why most people would have responded the opposite way How she handled a new boss who made every conversation feel like an interrogation, and the scripting technique that got her through it without losing her composure or her job Why a mentor told her "if you're going to swim with sharks, you need to thicken your skin", and what that actually means for women moving into senior leadership How to stop taking feedback personally when your whole identity has been built around being the A student The self-awareness practice that tells you when to speak up and when holding back is the smarter move If you've ever left a difficult conversation beating yourself up, questioning your own judgment, or wondering why you didn't say what you meant, this episode gives you the tools to stop that pattern. About Melissa: Executive Director and Chief Privacy Officer at Kodiak Solutions, Melissa brings decades of experience in technology and healthcare leadership. She is an active mentor to early-career women in tech and a champion of honest, values-driven leadership. How to Reclaim Your Personal Power When Authority Figures Try to Diminish You
• Crying at Work, Called Polarizing, Still Made It to the Top: Executive Presence Lessons with Wendy 17.04.2026 55min

  She was called polarizing. She cried in meetings. She was written off as "the rookie." Then she spent 30 years rising through Oracle and Microsoft to become a Global Customer Success Leader for the Americas. Wendy didn't wait to feel confident. She built the skills to project authority even when she didn't. In this episode, Wendy breaks down exactly how she did it, including the practical strategies she used to manage emotional responses at work, shake off damaging labels, and position herself for opportunities most people never even get invited to. You'll learn: A concrete technique to stop tears in the moment and stay composed under pressure How to identify the labels that cap your career, and what to actually do about them Why being heard at work isn't about speaking louder, it's about being in the right rooms When to be the one speaking up, and when letting someone else take the lead is the smarter power move How casual networking leads to the sponsors and mentors that actually accelerate careers If you've ever been dismissed, mislabeled, or felt like your emotions were working against you at work, this episode is your playbook. About Wendy: Retired after a 30-year career in Washington-area tech, Wendy served as Microsoft's Global Customer Success Leader for the Americas and VP of Customer Success at Oracle, where she led teams responsible for half of Oracle's North American Cloud Technology customers. She's a longtime advocate for diversity in tech and an active mentor through Girls in Technology (GIT).
• Socialized to Stay Silent: How Autodesk VP Mary Hope Found Her Voice and Learned to Hold Anyone Accountable 17.04.2026 47min

  Mary Hope grew up learning not to make waves, not to get emotional, not to rock the boat. Those lessons followed her into the boardroom. When a male colleague made a sexist comment during a high-stakes presentation, she said nothing. She couldn't even bring herself to tell her husband that night. The shame of her own silence was that heavy. That moment became the turning point. Today, Mary Hope is VP and General Manager of Autodesk's Education Business, a business she helped scale from 5 million to over 235 million users. She's learned not just to speak up for herself, but to build teams and accountability systems where silence doesn't get to win. In this episode, she gets specific about how. You'll learn: The societal conditioning that trains women to suppress their voice, and the values-based trigger that finally broke through it How to hold cross-functional peers accountable when they nod along but never follow through, and the system that actually works Why she fired a trusted high-performing manager not for misconduct, but for failing to surface a toxic situation in his team, and what that decision cost her What a "listening tour" looks like when you're the one who needs to hear, not speak . The Billie Jean King moment she watched at age 6 that became her earliest model for speaking up when the stakes are real If you've ever stayed quiet and paid for it later or led a team where silence was quietly doing damage  this episode is your playbook. About Mary Hope: VP and General Manager of Autodesk's Education Business, Mary Hope co-founded Autodesk's consumer and 3D printing business in 2010 and helped scale its user base from 5 million to over 235 million users in four years. She serves on the SkillsUSA board of directors and is a longtime advocate for women's advancement, LGBTQ+ rights, and equal access to education.
• How to Handle Pushback and Difficult Conversations at Work Without Getting Defensive 06.02.2026 27min

  Find out the real reason difficult conversations feel so hard at work, and how our mindset hurts our conversations and relationships. This episode gives you four internal switches you can flip in real time, so that you can have calm authority to fix conversations that go sideways. You'll discover what confident communicators do differently in difficult conversations. Because you don't need to say the perfect thing. You just need to stay stable enough to say something useful in that moment so that you can keep your influence. You'll learn how to: Stop taking pushback personally and stay detached under pressure Regulate your emotions so you don't interrupt, over-explain, or get defensive Bring clarity to conversations that feel messy or overwhelming Keep progress happening when discussions get tense, repetitive, or uncomfortable If you want to: Handle difficult conversations at work with confidence Respond to pushback without shutting down or getting reactive Increase your influence with managers, peers, or senior leaders Speak up clearly, even when situations aren't perfect …this episode will give you a practical internal system you can use immediately. 🎧 Listen now and learn how calm, clear communication moves decisions forward.   🎁 Free Resource: Download the 30 Power Shifts Guide — a free, practical cheat sheet with real-life "weak vs. powerful" word swaps for meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Replace soft, hesitant phrases with powerful, natural ones. Speak with clarity, conviction, and calm authority. Be heard without apology. 👉 Get your free guide here: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/30power    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, 'Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: info@assertiveway.com or ivnacuri@assertiveway.com Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2
• Speaking Up With Intention: A Smarter Way to Set Your Goals 06.01.2026 40min

  A new year doesn't require a long list of aspirational, feel-good goals. It requires the right specific goals — especially when it comes to speaking up at work. In this first episode of the year, you'll reframe goal-setting for speaking up at work — away from vague intentions like "be more confident" and toward specific, observable communication behaviors that actually change your impact, credibility, and influence at work. In this episode, we cover: Why most speaking up goals fail by February The difference between wanting to speak up and deciding when and how to speak up Three practical assertive communication goals you can set for the new year: What to say more of What to say less of What to say earlier — not perfectly You don't have to change who you are, become fearless, or extroverted. If speaking up at work, self-advocacy, and career advancement matter to you this year, this episode will help you start with clarity instead of pressure. 00:00 Speaking Up Goals That Actually Work 04:28 Understanding Situational Responses 05:40 Don't Wait To Feel Ready, Instead Plan Your Speaking Up Moments 06:48 Speaking Up When You're Not Confident, Not Extroverted, Not Fearless 09:35 Specific Speak Up Goals 10:48 What Will You Say More? 24:58 What to Say Less Of 32:12 Speaking Up Earlier 38:05 Conclusion   🎁 Free Resource: Download the 30 Power Shifts Guide — a free, practical cheat sheet with real-life "weak vs. powerful" word swaps for meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Replace soft, hesitant phrases with powerful, natural ones. Speak with clarity, conviction, and calm authority. Be heard without apology. 👉 Get your free guide here: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/30power    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, 'Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: info@assertiveway.com or ivnacuri@assertiveway.com Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2
• Boundaries During Holidays: How to Say No Without Guilt or Drama 23.12.2025 17min

  As we navigate the holiday season, setting boundaries can be challenging. Find out how to respond confidently to intrusive questions and requests without guilt or drama. Learn why boundaries are hard to set during the holidays and discover effective strategies to assert your needs while maintaining relationships. From common boundary mistakes to real-life examples, this episode offers practical tips to help you protect your energy and priorities, enhancing both personal and professional interactions. Tune in to develop the skills to speak up with confidence and authenticity. Happy holidays! 00:00 Introduction: Navigating Holiday Boundaries 00:52 Why Setting Boundaries is Challenging During Holidays 08:56 Common Boundary Mistakes and How to Avoid Them 12:52 Effective Communication for Firm and Warm Boundaries 13:56 Handling Pushback on Your Boundaries 16:12 Conclusion: Strengthening Your Unapologetic Voice   🎁 Free Resource: Download the 30 Power Shifts Guide — a free, practical cheat sheet with real-life "weak vs. powerful" word swaps for meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Replace soft, hesitant phrases with powerful, natural ones. Speak with clarity, conviction, and calm authority. Be heard without apology. 👉 Get your free guide here: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/30power    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, 'Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: info@assertiveway.com or ivnacuri@assertiveway.com Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2
• Accountablity: How to Stop Carrying the Team (Without Becoming "the Difficult One") 09.12.2025 35min

  If you've ever felt like you're the one holding everything together at work — following up, reminding, double-checking, fixing last-minute mistakes, and caring more about the outcome than everyone else — this episode is for you. Because you shouldn't have to sacrifice your time, your sanity, or your career reputation just to compensate for other people's lack of follow-through. And you also shouldn't have to choose between: staying silent and doing it all yourself or speaking up and being labeled "difficult," "demanding," or "not a team player." There's a better way, and it starts with assertive accountability. You'll learn: why holding others accountable feels so uncomfortable how to stop chasing and reminding without sounding controlling how to protect your boundaries without damaging relationships how to speak up early (before resentment builds) how to get colleagues and partners to follow through, without nagging or apologizing We'll walk through 10 accountability conversations you can use with anyone you work with  peers, project partners, cross-functional teams, even leaders  to get results while maintaining respect and likability. If you want to be known as someone who is reliable, respected, and not walked over, this episode will give you the exact language and confidence to make it happen.   🎁 Free Resource: Download the 30 Power Shifts Guide — a free, practical cheat sheet with real-life "weak vs. powerful" word swaps for meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Replace soft, hesitant phrases with powerful, natural ones. Speak with clarity, conviction, and calm authority. Be heard without apology. 👉 Get your free guide here: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/30power    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, 'Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: info@assertiveway.com or ivnacuri@assertiveway.com Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2
• When People Steal Your Idea in Meetings (and Get the Credit Instead) 02.12.2025 25min

  Have you ever shared an idea in a meeting… and nothing happened? No reaction. No acknowledgement. People move on. Then minutes later — or even next week — someone else says the exact same thing, and suddenly everyone thinks it's brilliant. It's infuriating. It's discouraging. And it makes you question your value, your credibility, and whether speaking up even matters. Here's the truth nobody teaches you at work: Most ideas don't get ignored because they're bad. They get ignored because of how they're introduced, framed, and reinforced. In this episode of Speak Your Mind Unapologetically, you'll learn exactly what to do so that your ideas land, don't get overshadowed, and are not repeated by someone else. You'll walk away with simple, repeatable strategies to make your ideas heard, respected, and credited back to you — without sounding aggressive, needy, or territorial. You'll learn: Why some voices get taken seriously in meetings — and others don't (regardless of talent) How to speak up so your ideas stick the first time What to say when someone repeats your idea and gets the credit Phrases that reinforce your expertise without conflict or defensiveness How leaders can amplify overlooked voices and stop accidental idea-stealing This episode applies to anyone who's felt ignored, overshadowed, or underestimated at work: introverts, early-career professionals, remote workers, immigrants, and empaths. Because great ideas don't change careers. Great ideas that get heard change careers. Tune in now to learn how to make your voice impossible to overlook.   🎁 Free Resource: Download the 30 Power Shifts Guide — a free, practical cheat sheet with real-life "weak vs. powerful" word swaps for meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Replace soft, hesitant phrases with powerful, natural ones. Speak with clarity, conviction, and calm authority. Be heard without apology. 👉 Get your free guide here: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/30power    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, 'Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: info@assertiveway.com or ivnacuri@assertiveway.com Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2
• Don't Let One Question Destroy Your Credibility — Learn the Top 1% Response Strategy 26.11.2025 27min

  When you're in a high-stakes meeting, job interview, panel, or senior leadership presentation, everything can be going perfectly, until someone throws a loaded question at you. Suddenly, confidence can turn into defensiveness. Preparation can turn into rambling. Months of hard work can collapse in 10 seconds if you sound insecure, reactive, or unsure. This episode of the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast reveals exactly how the top 1% of executives, leaders, and media-trained spokespeople stay calm, credible, and in control even when they're challenged publicly, and even when they don't have the answer. You'll learn how to: Stay in command of the conversation when someone tests you Pivot without sounding evasive Respond without rambling, over-explaining, or defending yourself Sound confident even when you're caught off guard Protect your credibility under pressure We'll cover 15 powerful media-training tactics used by CEOs, world-class communicators, and top-tier interview candidates to make sure tough questions never derail their image, confidence, or opportunities. Whether you're navigating executive meetings, stakeholder presentations, performance reviews, client discussions, or interviews for bigger roles, this episode will teach you how to turn hard questions into opportunities for influence and respect. If you want to feel unshakeable when someone challenges you, this episode is for you. Press play and learn to communicate like someone who deserves to be heard.   ✅ Schedule a Complimentary Call To Plan Your One Conversation: https://calendly.com/assertiveway/30min    🎁 Free Resource: Download the 30 Power Shifts Guide — a free, practical cheat sheet with real-life "weak vs. powerful" word swaps for meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Replace soft, hesitant phrases with powerful, natural ones. Speak with clarity, conviction, and calm authority. Be heard without apology. 👉 Get your free guide here: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/30power    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, 'Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: info@assertiveway.com or ivnacuri@assertiveway.com Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2
• The One Conversation at Work You're Afraid to Have — And How to Finally Do It Right 20.11.2025 31min

  Most people don't struggle with speaking up in general. They struggle with one specific conversation that feels risky — a conversation with career, relationship, or emotional consequences. Whether it's a performance review, a promotion request, a conflict, a micromanaging boss, a workload pushback, a boundary conversation, or a situation where you feel overlooked or disrespected… avoiding the conversation always feels safe in the moment, but it silently costs you confidence, influence, visibility, and self-respect. In this episode, you'll discover: Why certain conversations feel so intimidating What's really driving the fear of conflict, backlash, or judgment The hidden psychological and career consequences of staying silent What changes when you approach these conversations strategically rather than reactively How to communicate with clarity, respect, and strength — without aggression or over-explaining If you've been overthinking a conversation at work or losing sleep about what to say, this episode will give you the roadmap to finally move forward.   ✅ Schedule a Complimentary Call To Plan Your One Conversation: https://calendly.com/assertiveway/30min    🎁 Free Resource: Download the 30 Power Shifts Guide — a free, practical cheat sheet with real-life "weak vs. powerful" word swaps for meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Replace soft, hesitant phrases with powerful, natural ones. Speak with clarity, conviction, and calm authority. Be heard without apology. 👉 Get your free guide here: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/30power    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, 'Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: info@assertiveway.com or ivnacuri@assertiveway.com Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2
• Why Every Leadership Problem Is Really a Communication Problem (with Lily Lapenna, MBE and Amy Ewbank) 10.11.2025 39min

  Your voice is the bridge between who you are and how you lead. So how can you be heard and be remembered, even in toxic workplaces? In this episode we are joined by Lily Lapenna, MBE, communication coach and facilitator, honored by Queen Elizabeth for her impact work, and Amy Ewbank, expert in voice and former professional actor and Head of HR. Amy Ewbank and Lily Lapenna are Co-CEO's at Verve Leaders They share how to express your true essence and the art of joyful communication. You'll discover: The 3 Es Framework (Essence, Expression, Environment) that transforms the way you communicate. What Prince William taught me about communication in 3 minutes. How to listen to what's not being said, and create trust through attunement. How to pitch, present, and persuade with storytelling that enchants. The secret confidence technique of powerful speakers. What every great pitch needs to land, that most people avoid. Amy Ewbank and Lily Lapenna are Co-CEO's at Verve Leaders Lily Lapenna, MBE, is a communication geek working with professional to help them get heard and be remembered. She works in academic institutions Like Harvard and Oxford university on business and communication. She is a passionate coach and facilitator around all things communication. She was honored by Queen Elizabeth with an MBE for her social impact work. Connect with Lily: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilylapenna/ Amy Ewbank is a leadership coach, communication strategist, and expert in voice. She began her career as a professional actor, performing in repertory theatre, BBC Radio, and Channel 4 amongst others. She also has experience working as Head of HR at a UK national charity, she has been featured on Sky News, Channel 5 and The Guardian for her work on the stage and beyond. Connect with Amy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-ewbank-45158a231/ Elevate your communication skills with Verve: https://www.verveleaders.com/   ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, 'Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/