Development Nerds with Candice Mitchell

Candice Mitchell
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Real talk. No fluff. Just honest conversations about career growth, resilience, and the messy middle of success. Hosted by Candice Mitchell, this podcast dives deep into what it really takes to build a career, and a Talent Development function, that makes an impact. Many solo episodes are tailored for high-level, strategic Talent Development professionals, offering the kind of depth you won’t find anywhere else. Whether it’s building and nurturing a Talent Development function, truly partnering with the business to become business critical, or navigating your own career growth, this podcast gives you the practical insights and unfiltered conversations you actually need. 🎧 Listen in for: ✔ Strategic insights for senior L&D professionals ✔ Actionable career strategies you can actually use ✔ Unfiltered conversations on leadership, growth, and business impact ✔ Lessons from setbacks, pivots, and defining career moments Because career growth, and Talent Development itself, is never-ending and I love that for all of us! Subscribe now and let’s nerd out on all things development!

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    AI Is Coming for Jobs — 5 Ways to Make Sure Yours Survives

    AI is coming for jobs — maybe even yours. Roles built on repeatable, predictable tasks are already disappearing. But this doesn’t have to be a career death sentence. If you know how to respond, you can make yourself AI-proof and thrive in this new world of work. In this video, we’ll talk about: AI is coming for jobs (why it matters now) Stop pretending AI is a fad How to know if your job is in the replaceable zoneThe human skills AI will never replace (your real safety net)How to reframe AI as a teammate, not a threatWhy starting now puts you miles ahead of everyone else 👉 Grab your free AI-Proof Skills Checklist here This survival kit shows you the exact human skills that will keep you relevant no matter how fast AI advances. Coming up next:The 4 Jobs AI Is Replacing Fastest (and What To Do If Yours Is One of Them) Want to learn more?What HR and L&D Really Need to Know About AI 📌 Subscribe for more: practical career growth, talent development, and how to stay future-ready in an AI-driven world. Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:Website: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent_development_nerd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd Talent Development Academy: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/tda Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven pauldehavenmusic.com

    20 min
  2. Matt Gjertsen: From Air Force cockpits to coaching managers — a story of freedom, fit, and finding your game

    6 DAYS AGO

    Matt Gjertsen: From Air Force cockpits to coaching managers — a story of freedom, fit, and finding your game

    In this episode, I sit down with Matt Gjertsen, founder of Better Everyday Studios and former Air Force pilot turned SpaceX training leader, to dive deep into what it really takes to love your work and build a career that fits the life you want. We talk about: ✅ Matt’s journey from yard work as a teen to the Air Force Academy and pilot training. ✅ How becoming an instructor pilot led to running training at SpaceX for 7,500+ employees. ✅ Why frontline managers hold the key to engagement, retention, and productivity—and what most companies miss. ✅ The messy reality of entrepreneurship: sales, scaling, and becoming someone you’ve never been before. ✅ The overlooked questions we should be asking about career fit, culture, and how life choices shape our work. Whether you're an L&D professional, a new manager, or someone craving a career that energizes you, Matt’s story is proof that structure, pressure, and persistence can create incredible outcomes. 🎧 Listen in for actionable insights, candid career lessons, and a real conversation about why hitting a "home run" in the wrong game never counts. Connect with Matt: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/matthewgjertsen/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewgjertsen/ Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:Website: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent_development_nerd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd Talent Development Academy: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/tda Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven pauldehavenmusic.com

    59 min
  3. Brenda: From SIX college jobs to teaching moms how to hack time — A Story of building your village

    22 AUG

    Brenda: From SIX college jobs to teaching moms how to hack time — A Story of building your village

    Meet Brenda Noon Schmidt, aka Kick-Ass Modern Mom. She grew up on a cattle ranch on the Arizona/Mexico border, worked six jobs in college (including teaching swim lessons and working at a cigar shop with retired cops), built a career in marketing and finance, and now runs her own business teaching moms how to outsource, delegate, and reclaim their time. This episode is pure energy. We talk about: ✅ What ranch life taught her about systems and collaboration ✅ How she balanced multiple jobs, paid her way through college, and married an entrepreneur ✅ The surprising link between restaurant work and business strategy ✅ Her journey from finance to entrepreneurship and helping moms "run their home like a business" ✅ Why outsourcing isn’t a luxury (and how anyone can start with 5 hours a week) If you’ve ever wondered how to juggle everything—career, family, adventure, and sanity—this conversation is your permission slip to stop doing it all yourself. 🎧 Listen in for stories about $2.13 diner shifts, cigar shop nights with Bill Murray types, and the secret to finally making time for the life you want. 📌 Watch now and learn how to buy back your time, build your village, and enjoy the life you’re working so hard for. Connect with Brenda:LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-noon-schmidt-4880aa183/ Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:Website: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent_development_nerd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd Talent Development Academy: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/tda Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven pauldehavenmusic.com

    1h 1m
  4. Teaching the Next Generation AI (Without Ruining Their Brains)

    19 AUG

    Teaching the Next Generation AI (Without Ruining Their Brains)

    How do we help our kids (and learners) grow up with AI — without outsourcing all their thinking to it? In this final episode, Gavin shares the behind-the-scenes of his AI academy for kids and what he’s learned about teaching technology in a way that builds curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. We also explore the massive opportunity AI offers L&D professionals to personalize learning and build truly future-ready teams — and what we, as parents and People leaders, need to do right now. Get to know Gav:I’m a husband to an ambitious woman and a dad to two curious girls. I’ve spent years in tech as a seasoned IT professional, certified in AI and other areas at the world’s largest cloud computing company. Now I’m building a generative AI school for kids. The idea came from both personal and professional motivation. I want my daughters, and others growing up in this AI-shaped world, to understand the tools shaping their future. Connect with Gav:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-b-4467198/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cutsmethod.official/ Keywords: AI in education, personalized learning with AI, kids and AI, AI for parents, AI learning tools, future-ready skills, learning and development, adaptive learning technology. Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:Website: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent_development_nerd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd Talent Development Academy: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/tda Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven pauldehavenmusic.com

    47 min
  5. Brianna: From Publishing a Book at 7 to Burning Down a 10-Year Business — a Story of Unshakable Belief

    15 AUG

    Brianna: From Publishing a Book at 7 to Burning Down a 10-Year Business — a Story of Unshakable Belief

    At seven years old, Brianna published her first book and dreamed of changing the world. But her path was far from easy. Bullied in school, battling an eating disorder, and starting a business at 16, she learned grit the hard way. Ten years later, after building a successful agency, she burnt it all down to rebuild life and business on her terms — and birthed Overflow, her global movement helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses while actually enjoying their lives. In this episode, Brianna shares: How writing and publishing a book at 7 shaped her entrepreneurial mindsetThe harsh lessons of bullying, judgment, and proving herself in boardrooms at 16Why she walked away from a thriving 10-year business to build OverflowThe mindset shifts and support systems that keep her grounded while growingWhy so many entrepreneurs hit big milestones yet still feel empty — and how to stop that cycle. If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the weight of your clients, your dreams, or your business alone, Brianna’s story will inspire you to believe again. This isn’t just about scaling a business. It’s about creating a life of happiness, health, freedom, and impact — a life of Overflow. Connect with Brianna:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-johnston-8b1229102/?originalSubdomain=uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_briannajohnston/ Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:Website: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent_development_nerd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd Talent Development Academy: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/tda Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven pauldehavenmusic.com

    55 min
  6. The Rise of Agents: How AI Will Transform Work (And Why People Still Matter)

    12 AUG

    The Rise of Agents: How AI Will Transform Work (And Why People Still Matter)

    Will AI agents replace people? Or will they just free us from the worst parts of work? In this episode, we explore the future of work with AI agents — intelligent tools that don’t just suggest actions, but take them for you. We talk about automation, emerging roles, job redesign, and how People functions need to get ready — now. Plus: how to help your workforce shift, reskill, and stay relevant in a world where knowledge work is being redefined. Get to know Gav:I’m a husband to an ambitious woman and a dad to two curious girls. I’ve spent years in tech as a seasoned IT professional, certified in AI and other areas at the world’s largest cloud computing company. Now I’m building a generative AI school for kids. The idea came from both personal and professional motivation. I want my daughters, and others growing up in this AI-shaped world, to understand the tools shaping their future. Connect with Gav:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-b-4467198/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cutsmethod.official/ Keywords: AI agents, future of work, HR automation, AI job disruption, strategic L&D, AI in business operations, reskilling workforce, AI adoption in HR Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:Website: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent_development_nerd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd Talent Development Academy: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/tda Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven pauldehavenmusic.com

    26 min
  7. Elena: From 17 jobs by 25 to building businesses in Dubai — A story of finding her place

    8 AUG

    Elena: From 17 jobs by 25 to building businesses in Dubai — A story of finding her place

    What does it take to go from working 17 jobs before age 25 to building a business in Dubai, pitching to investors, and living an adventurous, international life? In this episode, Elena Agaragimova shares her fascinating journey: ➡️ Moving from Russia to the U.S. as a teen and feeling like an outsider ➡️ Changing majors five times and navigating her way through community college ➡️ Traveling the world recruiting students and living out of a suitcase (while sick in Peru!) ➡️ Moving to Dubai, reinventing herself, and launching a startup from scratch ➡️ Facing rejection, career lows, and rebuilding her confidence—plus how she turned it all around This is a story about reinvention, risk-taking, and what you learn about yourself when you keep stepping into the unknown. 🎧 If you’ve ever felt stuck in your career, doubted yourself, or wondered if it’s too late to pivot—this episode will inspire you to take the leap. Connect with Elena: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaagaragimova/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elenaagaragimova/?hl=en Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:Website: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent_development_nerd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd Talent Development Academy: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/tda Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven pauldehavenmusic.com

    52 min
  8. Good AI, Bad AI: Cookies, Echo Chambers & How to Stay Out of the Bubble

    5 AUG

    Good AI, Bad AI: Cookies, Echo Chambers & How to Stay Out of the Bubble

    Ever talked about something random and then got an ad for it the next day? You’re not imagining it — and there’s more going on than you think. In this episode, we dive into how AI-driven algorithms shape what we see, hear, and even believe. We unpack targeted ads, cookies, echo chambers, and why your AI tools are so agreeable — and how that can be dangerous. Plus: how to use prompts like “act as” to break out of the bubble and get AI to challenge you instead of flatter you. Get to know Gav: I’m a husband to an ambitious woman and a dad to two curious girls. I’ve spent years in tech as a seasoned IT professional, certified in AI and other areas at the world’s largest cloud computing company. Now I’m building a generative AI school for kids. The idea came from both personal and professional motivation. I want my daughters, and others growing up in this AI-shaped world, to understand the tools shaping their future. Connect with Gav: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-b-4467198/ Website: https://nextgencloudacademy.com Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:Website: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talent_development_nerd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd Talent Development Academy: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/tda Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven pauldehavenmusic.com

    16 min
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About

Real talk. No fluff. Just honest conversations about career growth, resilience, and the messy middle of success. Hosted by Candice Mitchell, this podcast dives deep into what it really takes to build a career, and a Talent Development function, that makes an impact. Many solo episodes are tailored for high-level, strategic Talent Development professionals, offering the kind of depth you won’t find anywhere else. Whether it’s building and nurturing a Talent Development function, truly partnering with the business to become business critical, or navigating your own career growth, this podcast gives you the practical insights and unfiltered conversations you actually need. 🎧 Listen in for: ✔ Strategic insights for senior L&D professionals ✔ Actionable career strategies you can actually use ✔ Unfiltered conversations on leadership, growth, and business impact ✔ Lessons from setbacks, pivots, and defining career moments Because career growth, and Talent Development itself, is never-ending and I love that for all of us! Subscribe now and let’s nerd out on all things development!

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