Brave Women at Work

Leadership positions in corporations are overwhelmingly held by men. Women who want to advance their careers and have equal representation at the table face enormous obstacles in today's society. They are frequently viewed through the lens of stereotypes, making it difficult for them to demonstrate their worth. In response, it's only natural that they keep their heads down and wallow in their insecurities. Don't you wish there was a guidebook for women to use as they enter the workforce? With this, they could have a much easier time navigating the complex environment. Since there isn't anything like it out there, Jen Pestikas created a podcast called Brave Women at Work to fill the void. This show encourages women to believe in themselves and take charge of their professional lives so that they can progress to the next level. Each episode is devoted to a different set of issues that prevent professional women from reaching their full potential and o

Brave Women at Work is a business podcast hosted by Jen Pestikas, with 303 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Jen Pestikas hosts Brave Women at Work, a business show with 303 episodes published.

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  Episode #303

  I’m Right Here: Bet on Yourself with Kelly Hiller

  Oct 1, 20261h 1m

  I love a good I started from one place and made my way up to the top story, and this is what I have for you today with my guest, Kelly Hiller. Kelly’s story is unique because she has been with Purdue University and Purdue Alumni Association a combined total of over 20 years! You do not hear that very often. We often hear that the employee had to leave an organization to find their next opportunity. What if you could craft it for yourself inside one organization? And better yet, what if you had the guts to let everyone know that you were the replacement and that they didn’t need to recruit to fill the role? That takes bravery and guts, and Kelly’s story inspired me deeply. During our conversation, we also chatted about: What it was like for Kelly to transition to the Chief Marketing Officer at Purdue University.  How she set clear boundaries with management regarding how she was different than her predecessor, so they know what they were getting right up front. How she continually works to build relationships within her team, including having a one-on-one meeting with every person in her group once per year. How Kelly has navigated Imposter Phenomenon as she has ascended to higher roles in leadership. What perceptions Kelly and her female-leadership team have faced. And so much more. One thing among many that I love about Kelly is her refreshing honesty. It was obvious that she is authentic, and I believe that this is a sign of a true leader. Listen in for real leadership talk! Here is more about Kelly: Kelly Hiller is Chief Marketing Officer at Purdue University, where she leads the marketing strategy, brand, creative, and social teams responsible for bringing the Purdue University and Purdue Global brands to life. Overseeing a full-service in-house agency, she drives initiatives that build reputation, generate demand, and tell compelling stories across digital, social, content, and live experiences. A passionate advocate for community impact and leadership, Kelly also serves on her local school board.  Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review. Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Imposter Phenomenon, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three! If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at hello@bravewomenatwork.com . I am happy to share the details on the project.   Alright, let’s welcome Kelly to the show!

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  Episode #302

  7 Kids, One World Championship, and a Company Built on Equity with Maria Colacurcio

  Sep 24, 202652 min

  Superwoman alert! Or at least someone I see as a superwoman. My guest today, Maria Colacurcio, not only has 7 children (you heard that right), but she also is a top-level athlete and is the founder and leader of her own company.  Woah. Maria shares with us how she doesn’t do it all, leans on her partner, and even boldly talks about how she has learned that each of her children do not need the same level of attention. Understanding that we do not need to do it all made me feel like my whole body did a deep exhale.  During our conversation, we also chatted about: Maria’s company, Syndio, and the work they are doing with pay equity What tips Maria has for balancing a full professional and personal life The seasons or rhythms she follows for making it happen and how her family is in the know with these seasons What she things women should stop doing What HYROX is and how she trains her body to support her life and work Here is more about Maria: Maria Colacurcio is reshaping how enterprises govern their largest and most consequential investment: how they pay their people. As CEO of Syndio, she leads the company that defined the market for pay equity software and is now pioneering Decision Intelligence for Pay. Under her leadership, Syndio partners with global brands including Walmart, Microsoft, and Salesforce to make every pay decision compliant, optimized, and aligned with business strategy. Maria previously co-founded Smartsheet, which went public in 2018. She has built her career at the intersection of technology, policy, and purpose-driven leadership, earning recognition as one of the 100 most exceptional entrepreneurs by Goldman Sachs Builders+ Innovators Summit.  Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review. Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Imposter Phenomenon, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three! If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at hello@bravewomenatwork.com . I am happy to share the details on the project.   Alright, let’s welcome Maria to the show!

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  Episode #301

  Overachieving, Under-Recovering: Breaking the Corporate Burnout Cycle with Katie Hardie

  Sep 17, 202657 min

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  Episode #300

  It Was Never Just About the Podcast: 9 Lessons in 300 Episodes

  Sep 14, 202632 min

  Honestly, when I started the podcast, I thought it was just that. A podcast. But it became so much more. The Brave Women at Work Podcast has been: A path to healing from burnout A doorway to amazing friendships, business colleagues, and partnerships A way to express myself creatively A platform to build community And a huge part of who I am and my purpose As I reflected on my learnings, I have jotted down nine learnings. Some of them will sound familiar if you've been listening a while. Some might surprise you. Let’s get right into it! LESSON 1: SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO GO FOR IT When I started this podcast, I didn't know how to run a podcast. I was afraid — of sounding foolish, of nobody listening, of starting something I couldn't sustain. I did it anyway. And that's the first lesson, maybe the most important one: waiting until you feel ready means you might never start. Readiness is a myth we tell ourselves to stay safe. Sometimes the only way through fear is straight through it. LESSON 2: IT TAKES DISCIPLINE — AND IT REWARDS MORE THAN JUST YOU Here's what nobody tells you about 300 episodes: inspiration will not get you there. Inspiration is unreliable. It shows up when it feels like it. Discipline is what shows up every week — whether you feel like it or not, whether the episode's easy or hard, whether you're excited or exhausted. Three hundred episodes is not a monument to motivation. It's a monument to discipline. And here's what I didn't expect: that discipline wasn't just a gift to myself. I used to think of it as a private commitment — something I owed only to my own goals. But showing up consistently became a gift to everyone who kept coming back, week after week, expecting this show to be here. Consistency isn't just self-discipline. It's a form of care for other people too. LESSON 3: YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL BECOME YOUR ART I didn't set out to make this podcast my art. It started as a project, an idea, maybe even an experiment. Somewhere along the way, it became something else. It became the thing I think about, care about, pour myself into. And I think that's true more broadly — you don't always know in advance what will become the thing that defines you. Sometimes you have to commit to something before you understand what it actually is. LESSON 4: LISTENING IS THE PATH TO LEARNING Every single guest on this show has taught me something I couldn't have learned by talking. The best moments in 300 episodes weren't when I had the perfect question or the sharpest insight. They were when I got out of my own way and just listened. Listening isn't passive — it's actually the harder skill. And it's the one that taught me the most. LESSON 5: THE ROAD IS LONG AND WINDING, AND THERE WILL BE POTHOLES There was no straight line from episode 1 to episode 300. I thought there might be — a clean, upward path. That's not what happened. The road curved in directions I didn't plan for. Topics I never expected to cover. Seasons where the show changed shape entirely. And along the way — bad episodes, technical failures, weeks I wanted to quit entirely. I used to think those potholes meant I was doing something wrong. Now I know they're just part of the road, not a detour from the journey, but the journey itself. If you're doing anything long enough, you will hit potholes. The lesson isn't to avoid them. It's to keep driving. LESSON 6: MOTIVATION SHOWS UP IN THE ODDEST PLACES Not always where I expected it. A comment from a listener I'd never met. A guest's offhand remark that stuck with me for weeks. A message that arrived on exactly the day I needed it. I stopped looking for motivation in the big, obvious places. Some of the smallest, strangest moments are what kept me going. LESSON 7: HEALING COMES IN INTERESTING

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  Episode #299

  What Brave Women Taught a Brave Young Man with Logan Schultz

  Sep 3, 202637 min

  It’s a special day over here at Brave Women at Work! Today marks the first show in almost 300 episodes when I have a male guest! Logan is the first! So, you may be thinking, “Why now?” First, the format of this show is not changing. Most of the guests will be female or identify as female, but I just knew in my gut that Logan had to be the first male guest because he is not only interesting and amazing at the young age of 16, but he has co-written a children’s book series, Different But the Same Game, that celebrates diversity, inclusion, and empathy, with his aunt, Mylene Barizo. Logan is a brave young man because he is smart, wise, and I love that he has amazing, strong women in his life, such as his mom, NAME, his aunt, Mylene, and also his sister Layni, who has not only beaten leukemia as a child but also has Down’s Syndrome. I have been told that Layni is a firecracker and really squeezes the juice out of life, so I hope I get to meet both Layni and Logan in-person one day. The first book in the series, Tabletop Fun, is not just a book. This book is for every child who has ever felt different, every family who has navigated tender conversations about special needs, every parent that has looked for a joyful and more natural way to teach empathy to their kids, and for every teacher that wants to celebrate diversity. Here is more about Logan: Logan Schultz was fourteen years old when he agreed to co-author a children's book celebrating his experience as the sibling to Layni, his sister with Down Syndrome.  Layni’s special needs have shaped him in many ways.  At an early age, he became very aware of how different they were.  Learning to accept and embrace their individual qualities came as he matured, a process that accelerated when he lived through Layni’s battle with cancer.  A high school student today, Logan excels in academics, competes in piano adjudications, is a sports enthusiast (go Seahawks!) and shares a love of travel and food adventures with his family.  His parents' gifts of a strong work ethic and love of music are things he will carry into college and beyond. Before we begin, please be sure to share this show with a family member, friend or colleague. As you know, your ratings and reviews help this show to gain traction and continue to grow. Thank you if you have already left a review. Also, if you haven’t downloaded one of my freebies on my site, check them out on bravewomenatwork.com. I have 5 Ways to Managing Imposter Phenomenon, 34 Leadership and Career Affirmations, and 10 tips to Win Your Next Negotiation. Download one or them or all three! If you also have a story to share and a deep desire to become an author, please contact me at hello@bravewomenatwork.com . I am happy to share the details on the project.   Alright, let’s welcome Logan to the show!

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