Her Career Unplugged | Career Advice for Women, Leadership & Real Stories

Stuck or Strategic: Knowing the Difference Could Save Your Career

You've been in your role for two years. You know the job, people respect you, nothing is on fire. But every few months, that little voice shows up and asks if you should be doing more by now. Is it right? Maybe. Or maybe it's just noise. This week, we (Joanne and Vimala) get into one of the most misunderstood moments in any career journey: the pause. Not every stall is a failure. Not every plateau means you've given up. But there's a real difference between a strategic pause and quietly coasting, and knowing which one you're in changes everything. Joanne shares the story of taking a horizontal move right after her second son was born, when everyone, including herself, expected her to push for a VP title. Vimala talks about the season she stopped chasing promotions and chose to flex instead of hustle. And together they make the case that pausing on purpose, with intention and a timeline, is not the same as getting stuck. If you've ever felt behind on someone else's timeline, turned down an opportunity because the timing was wrong, or wondered whether your LinkedIn silence is a red flag, this episode is for you. Topics covered include: * What a career stall actually means (and how it changes at different life stages) * The difference between a strategic pause and coasting * Joanne's PhD pivot, 50% pay cut, and what happened when she came back to industry * How to stay relevant while you're in your pause * Rapid fire: stuck or strategic? Eight career scenarios, one honest answer each Follow Her Career Unplugged on LinkedIn and YouTube, and listen on your favorite platform.

Start Before You Feel Ready: Building a Tech Startup in Your 20s with Natesha Mortimer

There is no roadmap for when you decide to build something from scratch. But there are lessons that actually shape you as a founder, and they show up long before you ever write a business plan. In this episode of Her Career Unplugged, we sit down with Natesha Mortimer, Georgia Tech grad student, data entrepreneur, and founder of Data Swale, for a conversation about what building a company in your 20s actually looks like when you strip away the Instagram version. We talk about the moment you realize a need keeps finding you, why the "be your own boss" dream glosses over the part where you are also your own accountant, marketer, and calendar manager, and how showing up before you feel ready is often the only move that works. Natesha shares why she refuses to give energy to imposter syndrome, how she built a support system that followed her out of corporate into entrepreneurship, and the flywheel framework she uses to turn community into opportunity over time. She also gets real about burnout, and the triangle she draws in her planner to make sure career ambition does not quietly swallow everything else. If you have ever talked yourself out of starting something because the timing was not right, wondered how young founders actually build their networks, or felt like the only person in the room who had not figured it out yet, this one is for you. In this episode: * Why starting before you feel ready is not reckless, it is the whole strategy * What entrepreneurship actually looks like when the social media filter comes off * How to build genuine community that opens doors without feeling transactional * The triangle method for staying grounded when you are chasing big goals * Why refusing to give energy to imposter syndrome is itself a practice Follow Her Career Unplugged on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. New episodes weekly.

Nobody Told Us: The Unwritten Rules of Office Politics

Nobody handed you a guide to office politics on your first day. But those unwritten rules? They were already shaping your career before you even knew the game existed. In this episode of Her Career Unplugged, we pull back the curtain on the workplace dynamics nobody warns you about: the decisions made in rooms you are not in, the informal power structures that run alongside the org chart, and the moment you realize you are part of the politics, whether you opted in or not. Vimala shares a raw, personal story about being labeled part of a workplace "mafia" in a group she actively disliked. Joanne opens up about her early days at Lockheed Martin, a boss who drove every woman off the team, and the advice she wishes she had taken before finally walking out. Together, we break down how to read the room, when to go to your boss's boss, when to find a mentor, and when the only smart move is to leave on your own terms. If you have ever felt blindsided by workplace dynamics, wondered why the most excellent people get passed over, or found yourself in a political situation you did not choose, this episode is for you. In this episode: * Why being excellent at your job is not the same as being seen for it * The "party planning committee" rule and what it really means * How to navigate office politics without losing yourself or your reputation * Why how you leave a job matters as much as how you show up Follow Her Career Unplugged on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. New episodes weekly.

Community Growth: The Career Booster That Doesn't Go on Your Resume

The career move that helped two introverts land jobs and find mentors had nothing to do with their resumes — and it's more accessible than you think. What if the biggest career investment you're not making costs nothing, doesn't go on your resume, and is available to you right now? In this episode of Her Career Unplugged, hosts Joanne Skiles and Vimala Pydi get honest about community building as a career growth strategy — and why most people are either skipping it entirely or doing it wrong. Both self-described introverts, Joanne and Vimala share how showing up to the right communities helped them land jobs, find mentors, and grow in ways no job application ever could. Including how Vimala built an AWS User Group from scratch and what that community gave back in return. In this episode: * Why community building is one of the most underrated career growth strategies * How to get something real out of networking — even if you hate networking * What it actually looks like to build a professional community from zero * The difference between showing up to take and showing up to give (and why it matters) * Career advice for introverts who want to build connections without draining themselves * Rapid-fire: genuinely terrible networking opener stories you'll recognize immediately Whether you're early in your career or a seasoned professional who's been heads-down too long, this episode will make you want to get out of the house — and actually mean it. 🎙️ Subscribe to Her Career Unplugged for weekly conversations about career growth, leadership, and the real stories behind women's careers. What community has made the biggest difference in your career? Tell us in the comments.

You’re Not Ready… Do It Anyway: Career Reinvention

Never feel ready for your next big career move? Neither did a former Army psychologist turned CEO. Here's what she did anyway. In this episode of Her Career Unplugged, hosts Joanne Skiles and Vimala Pydi sit down with Jennifer Solberg — CEO, entrepreneur, and former U.S. Army research psychologist — to talk about career reinvention, entrepreneurship, and why waiting until you feel "ready" might be the most expensive mistake you make. Jennifer's journey takes her from developing training technology for the U.S. Army to founding Quantum Improvements Consulting and launching augmented reality company Magellan XR. Along the way, she shares what the highlight reel leaves out: the failures, the identity shifts, and the moments she had to bet on herself before she felt ready. In this episode: * Why you never really feel ready for big career moves — and why that's okay * The hardest parts of entrepreneurship nobody warns you about * How to spot real market opportunities before launching a business * Why separating your identity from your company is critical for long-term success * Career reinvention after you've already "made it" — and why it's never too late * Rapid-fire: women role models, chaotic morning routines, and the best professional decision Jen ever made Whether you're thinking about a career pivot, considering entrepreneurship, or just tired of waiting for the "right moment" — this conversation will push you to move. 🎙️ Subscribe to Her Career Unplugged for weekly conversations about career growth, leadership, and the real stories behind women's careers. What's the career move you've been waiting to feel ready for? Tell us in the comments.