In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about pivoting to a second act. Many of us dream of changing careers but we stop short for a number of reasons – our careers are tied to our identities and we don’t feel we can walk away, we don’t believe we can make a living doing what we really want to do, we are afraid of the unknown, and much more. My guest this week is Shannon Russell, a career transition coach who supports professionals in pivoting towards their second act. Here we talk about how to get clear on what a second act might look like and how to move forward with confidence, including learning before you leap.

About My Guest
Shannon Russell is an entrepreneur, Career Coach, Course Creator, and host of the Second Act Success Career Podcast. She helps women in unresolved careers pivot towards a second act career that produces a balanced life of abundance. Shannon spent over 16 years as a Television Producer in New York City and Los Angeles working for MTV, E!, Yahoo!, Pop Sugar, A&E, TLC, VH1, etc. She then pivoted to open her own business running a Snapology franchise teaching children STEM education. Now, as a certified Career Transition Coach, Shannon coaches women on how to change careers, start a business, and follow their creative passions to the fullest as they produce their best life. Shannon’s company Second Act Success (www.secondactsuccess.co) allows her to share her journey from television executive to business owner(x2) and mom. Shannon hopes to motivate more women to make big moves in life and follow their dreams through her businesses and podcast. She lives at the beach in New Jersey with her husband, two boys, and her chow chow pup.

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Connect with Shannon:
Website - https://secondactsuccess.co/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secondactsuccess/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@secondactsuccess
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/secondactsuccess.co/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonrussellcareercoach/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about neurodivergence. As DEI initiatives have expanded to include more of a focus on neurodivergence, we’ve learned more about what it means to be neurodivergent in the workplace. Examples include ADHD, autism spectrum disorder or dyslexia. But from an inclusion standpoint, challenges remain for neurodivergent and neurotypical professionals alike. This week, I talk with Dr. Matt Zakreski, a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with neurodivergent children. Here we talk about how we can all benefit from showing greater curiosity and communicating more openly with one another. Whether you are neurodivergent or you’re neurotypical and want to better support neurodivergent folks around you, this conversation will help you think differently about how we can create more inclusive workplaces for everyone.

About My Guest
Matthew “Dr. Matt” Zakreski, PsyD is a high energy, creative clinical psychologist and professional speaker who utilizes an eclectic approach to meet the specific needs of his neurodivergent clients. He is proud to serve the Gifted community as a consultant, a professor, an author, and a researcher. He has spoken over 400 times all over the world about supporting neurodivergent kids. Dr. Zakreski is a member of Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG), the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children (NJAGC), and Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE). Dr. Zakreski graduated from Widener University’s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology (IGCP) in 2016. He is the co-founder of The Neurodiversity Collective: https://www.theneurodiversitycollective.com/

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Connect with Matt:
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/drmattzakreski
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmattzakreski/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-zakreski-0a32358
Website: https://www.theneurodiversitycollective.com/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about reconnecting with our creativity by becoming a beginner again. As children, we are constantly pushed outside of our comfort zones. But as adults with more control over how we spend our time, we often avoid trying new things unless we’re guaranteed to do them well. This week, I’m talking with Cliff Goldmacher, a professional songwriter and music producer, about his unique approach to helping teams explore their innate creativity. Cliff works with teams to write songs, which stretches their comfort zones and strengthens their connections to each other while helping them tap their own creativity. If you’ve ever told yourself, “I’m not creative,” you’ll feel differently after hearing this conversation.

About My Guest
Cliff Goldmacher is a GRAMMY-recognized, #1 hit songwriter, two-time TEDx speaker and author who, for the past nine years, has been helping organizations innovate and build their creative confidence by teaching them to write songs. Cliff’s work has been featured in Forbes and Cliff’s book, The Reason For The Rhymes: Mastering The Seven Essential Skills of Innovation by Learning to Write Songs, encapsulates the principles of his workshops. Cliff’s clients include Deloitte, Bank of America, IDEO, the ATD and Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

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Connect with Cliff:
Five Daily MicroCreativity Exercises: https://se295.infusionsoft.com/app/form/tr4tr-creativity-tip-sheet
Website: https://www.TR4TR.com
Work with Organizations: https://www.thereasonfortherhymes.com/workshops/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:
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Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6

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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about staying confident while looking for a new job. This is difficult under the best of circumstances but is particularly true when you’ve lost your job. How do you stay connected to your strengths and bring your best self to the search process when you still have lots of unresolved feelings? My guest this week, Debra Boggs, is the founder and CEO of D&S Executive Career Management. Here we talk about how to confidently navigate your job search. In addition to discussing higher-level strategy, she also offers great practical tips on how to measure progress, how to reach out to your network and how to update your LinkedIn profile.

About My Guest
Debra Boggs, Founder & CEO of D&S Executive Career Management, is an award-winning entrepreneur, international speaker, and recognized expert in executive career growth, C-level job search strategy, and board candidate best practices. She was recently honored by Forbes as a NEXT 1000 Entrepreneur and is currently a member of the Forbes Business Council. Additionally, she is a founding Member of the Career Industry Authority and holds a master’s degree in Management.

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Connect with Debra:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debraboggs/
Website: www.dscareermanagement.com

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
https://kimmeninger.com

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about managing up. For professionals with impostor syndrome or self-doubt, managing up can be a big challenge. Many of us prefer to keep our heads down, do good work and avoid the politics. Unfortunately, if your goal is advancement, that strategy won’t get you there. My guest this week, Roberta Matuson, is an executive coach and author of the book, Suddenly in Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around. Here she shares her own story of learning the hard way about the importance of managing up. We also discuss strategies you can use to manage up in ways that feel more authentic to you.

About My Guest
For more than 25 years, Roberta Matuson, president of Matuson Consulting, has helped leaders in highly regarded companies, including General Motors, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and Microsoft, and small to medium-size businesses, achieve dramatic growth and market leadership through the maximization of talent. She’s the author of seven books including the forthcoming third edition of Suddenly In Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around, a Washington Post Top 5 Business Book For Leaders. Can We Talk? Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work, and Evergreen Talent. Roberta is one of a handful of people who have appeared as a guest of Bill O’Reilly’s on Fox’s O’Reilly Factor, and who left the show unscathed.

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Connect with Roberta:

Website: https://matusonconsulting.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Suddenly-Charge-Roberta-Chinsky-Matuson-dp-1399811924/dp/1399811924/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberta-matuson/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about the importance of helping men to become more emotionally connected. My guest this week is Mike Cameron, leadership coach and author of the book, Becoming A Better Man: When "Something's Gotta Change", Maybe It's You! Here Mike shares his personal journey from financial entrepreneur to coaching men to improve their mental health by becoming more emotionally connected, which began with the murder of his girlfriend by her ex-boyfriend. Mike and I talk here about the ways in which the patriarchy negatively impacts men as well and how we would all be better off if men were given the space and encouragement to connect with their feelings.

About My Guest
Mike Cameron is a two times TEDx speaker, Canadian author, entrepreneur and Certified Executive Coach. As a sales and leadership authority, Mike has studied the impact that emotion has on human behavior for over 2 decades. After tragedy struck in 2015, Mike sold his award-winning, multi-million dollar business and turned his expertise to teach men to become better leaders.

He is an ultramarathoner who loves running hundred-mile races for 30+ hours through the mountains. His adventures have taken him everywhere from the coastal mountains of Costa Rica, and the geothermal pools of New Zealand to the beautiful Rocky Mountains in his own backyard in Canada.

A gifted storyteller, Mike will share stories that challenge and inspire you. He will introduce you to his S.O.A.R. framework for resilience. He will teach you to become a stronger leader connected with your passions and purpose in life. He excels at helping leaders pull the best out of themselves and their teams.

He is the founder of Connect’d Men, an organization designed to create a safe space for men to practice emotional fitness. His 2018 CBC Op-Ed “Dear Men” has been shared over 125,000 times. His 2017 Tedx “The way men think of strong is wrong”, urges society to help redefine what it means to be a badass. He is also the co-founder of the Ignore No More Run for Respect, an event designed to raise awareness around gender-based violence and specifically engage men and boys in the conversation.

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Connect with Mike:
Website: https://mikecameron.ca/
Connect’d Men Men’s Group: https://mikecameron.ca/activity-2/
Book: https://mikecameron.ca/shop/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:
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Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6

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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about overcoming self-doubt. Self-doubt gets in our way more often than we think. It creeps up on us in big and small ways that keep us from leaving our comfort zones, even when those comfort zones are making us miserable. My guest this week is Amy Bernstein, author of the upcoming book Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears, Finding Inspiration. Amy shares her own story of pivoting from a career in government to a full-time writer and the steps she took to make that transition. She also encourages us to have an honest reckoning with ourselves and offers great practical advice on how to reconnect with our joys and passions so that we can find more meaning and purpose in our lives.

About My Guest
Amy L. Bernstein's nonfiction book of inspiration for creative people, Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears, Finding Inspiration, will be published by Bancroft Press in 2024. She is also the author of four novels and when not writing, she is coaching other writers to success as a certified book coach. Learn more on her website and on Substack.

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Connect with Amy:
Author Website: https://amywrites.live
Doubt Monster on Substack: https://amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Wordfirst Book Coaching: http://wordfirstbookcoach.com

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:
https://www.kimmeninger.com/coaching

Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6

Join the Facebook group:
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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
https://kimmeninger.com

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about letting go of our scripts at work. We all have scripts that guide our behavior in the workplace. These scripts might be internally generated based on past experiences and influences. Or they might be dictated by external forces, such as our manager, who tells us how to show up in certain situations. When we adhere too closely to these scripts, we lose our authenticity and our ability to build trust with those around us. This week, I talk with Ulrike Seminati, a coach and former C-Suite leader, about how to let go of these scripts so we can be ourselves. We also talk about the ways in which our egos undermine our communication and connections in the workplace and what we can do instead. And, finally, Ulrike shares strategies you can use to build your confidence and manage what she calls the thunderstorm in your head.

About My Guest
Ulrike Seminati, a globally operating coach, trainer, and consultant, brings a wealth of experience as a former C-level executive to her expertise in authentic leadership and impactful communication. By blending the latest self-development methodologies with her extensive practical experience in leading across all levels of hierarchy, she enables leaders to establish trust and lead change through effective communication. Ulrike's clients benefit from her pragmatic and user-friendly tools that enable them to make lasting improvements.

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Connect with Ulrike:
Website: https://ulrikeseminati.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulrikeseminati/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
https://www.kimmeninger.com/

Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:
https://www.kimmeninger.com/coaching

Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6

Join the Facebook group:
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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
https://kimmeninger.com