Wickedly Smart Women

Anjel B Hartwell & The Creative Age Consulting Group
  • 5.0 (218)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Wickedly Smart Women®: What Comes After Corporate? We are a 15× award-winning, #1 internationally ranked podcast downloading in more than 160 countries. We feature conversations with high-achieving women leaving corporate or exiting businesses who are now discerning what comes next and exploring consulting after corporate. Each episode explores leadership, visibility, value creation, and the transition from corporate identity to independently owned impact. Guests share candid stories, hard-earned wisdom, and real-world insight drawn from lived experience. This show is for women who know they are in, or approaching, their final corporate chapter and are beginning to explore how their expertise, leadership, and discernment can be structured into a premium independent consultancy or independent body of work that reflects who they are becoming. Wickedly Smart Women® supports thoughtful transitions, from structure to sovereignty, from credentials to contribution, and from success as defined by others to success defined from within. Listeners come for grounded conversations, practical perspective, and clarity about what's possible after corporate, and stay for the intelligence, integrity, and depth that define the Wickedly Smart Women® ecosystem. What Comes After Corporate?: https://wickedlysmartwomen.com/what-comes-after-corporate

  1. 4d ago

    What Comes After Corporate? Part 5: There's Only Out

    What if the paycheck you worked so hard for is costing you more than you realize? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell continues the seven-part anniversary series with Amanda Goodwin with what happens when there's only out. They explore the emotional and financial cost of staying too long, why resentment can be an early warning sign, and how women can begin planning their exit before they reach the red zone.  If you're wondering what comes after corporate, this conversation will help you think differently about your options, your intellectual property, your autonomy, and what it could look like to create a life and business that actually belongs to you.   What You Will Learn: How quiet quitting can signal that a corporate role no longer fits. Why a high salary does not always make staying in the wrong environment worthwhile. How resentment can become an early warning sign that it is time to make a change. What the "resento-meter" reveals about frustration, resentment, exhaustion, and rage. Why intentional planning can create a bridge from corporate to consulting. How women can think about different ways out, including starting, buying, or owning a business. Why being the "CEO of yourself" can change how you approach your career and future. How staying too long can lead to having a career decision made for you through layoffs, restructuring, or termination. Why leaving corporate does not necessarily mean abandoning financial security or earning potential. How autonomy can become part of the next chapter after corporate. Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/   Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

  2. Sep 18

    What Comes After Corporate? Part 4: Have You Hammered That Ceiling Yet?

    What if the ceiling you've been pushing against isn't actually the limit of your potential, but the structure you're working inside? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell and Amanda Goodwin continue the seven-part anniversary series with what happens when women begin to recognize that the expertise they've spent years developing is their own intellectual property.   This conversation explores the difference between necessary compliance and unnecessary red tape, why Amanda thinks of the glass ceiling as an "iceberg ceiling," and how documenting your own philosophies, practices, and approaches can help you recognize the expertise you already possess.   Get ready to understand how proprietary methodologies can become high-value offers, and what it can look like to finally build a career and life that you truly own.   What You Will Learn: Why the glass ceiling can continue to affect women even after they reach the C-suite. How an "iceberg ceiling" can keep executive women carrying work that should no longer belong to them. The difference between red tape, compliance, logistics, and clarity. Why fractional consulting can allow women to use their expertise without giving up other meaningful projects. How to recognize the intellectual property hidden inside years of professional experience. Why documenting your philosophies, practices, and approaches can help reveal your unique methodology. Why comparing your prices to what other professionals charge can create a self-imposed ceiling. How to begin thinking about pricing based on the value and outcome of your proprietary expertise. Why breaking through the ceiling is about more than changing your job or earning more money. Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

  3. Sep 16

    What Comes After Corporate? Part 3: More Red Tape?

    What happens when the rules designed to help a company actually start getting in the way of the people doing the work? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell and Amanda Goodwin continue the seven-part anniversary series diving into the frustration, exhaustion, and loss of autonomy that can come from corporate red tape.  You'll also hear why simplifying your own business matters just as much as escaping corporate bureaucracy. Leaving corporate doesn't mean recreating the same complexity for yourself. The goal is to build a consultancy that gives you more choice, clarity, and control while allowing you to put your expertise to work in ways that support your financial, mental, emotional, and physical well-being. If you've ever thought, "There's nothing I can do. My hands are tied," this conversation may have you looking at your corporate role in a whole new way.   What You Will Learn: How constantly being asked to "pick your brain" can reveal the value of your intellectual property and social capital. Why your professional network can be a valuable business asset. How corporate red tape can create barriers between employees, customers, and the work that actually matters. Why compliance is important, but unnecessary policies can make systems less effective. How rigid workplace policies can affect employee autonomy, motivation, and performance. Why return-to-office mandates can become a breaking point for experienced professionals. How forced collaboration and forced workplace culture can undermine autonomy. Why complicated corporate hiring and promotion processes don't always measure the qualities that create successful leaders. The importance of relationships, project accomplishment, team satisfaction, and client satisfaction in evaluating leadership. How to recognize when corporate systems no longer align with your values. Why leaving corporate doesn't mean you should recreate corporate-level complexity in your own consultancy. How simplifying your offer can help you move more quickly toward revenue. Why clarity and simplicity are essential when building a boutique consultancy. Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

  4. Sep 9

    What Comes After Corporate? Part 2: Let Me Pick Your Brain

    What happens when being the person everyone turns to becomes a habit of giving away your expertise for free? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, Anjel B. Hartwell and Amanda Goodwin continue the seven-part anniversary series exploring what comes after corporate and take on one of the most common ways accomplished women undervalue their expertise. Amanda shares how she learned to distinguish between external validation and a genuine value exchange, including the simple question she now asks when someone wants her time. If people constantly ask how you did something, seek your advice, want access to your network, or tell you they want to "pick your brain," this episode offers a powerful invitation to stop giving away what you have spent years developing and start recognizing the value of your expertise. What You Will Learn: How to recognize when people are consistently seeking your expertise. Why "Let me pick your brain" can be a sign that you have valuable intellectual property. How external validation can make it difficult to recognize the true value of your expertise. Why women can become conditioned to give away their knowledge without a meaningful value exchange. How to identify the questions people repeatedly ask you. How to turn frequently requested expertise into a professional offer. Why understanding your audience is essential when creating a high-value consulting offer. How social capital and professional connections can become valuable assets. Why "I'm hired for that" can be a powerful response to requests for free expertise. How to create a script for responding to requests for your time and knowledge. Why "help" can create confusion around whether a professional service is actually being purchased. How to evaluate whether your work and corporate environment are aligned with your values. Why being complete with a role does not mean you are done. How support can help experienced professionals recognize and package the value they already possess. Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

  5. Sep 2

    What Comes After Corporate? Part 1 - Timing: The Clock is Ticking

    What if the next chapter of your career isn't another executive position, but something you build for yourself? In this special seventh anniversary episode of the Wickedly Smart Women Podcast, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Amanda Goodwin, the newest member of the Wickedly Smart Women team and Director of Engagement and Strategic Partnerships.  After serving as CEO of a technology startup, Amanda realized she had spent decades progressing from one leadership role to another without ever intentionally mapping out what would come next. Her initial answer to the question was simple: rest. This is Part 1 of a special seven-part series celebrating seven years of Wickedly Smart Women and exploring the often-overlooked bridge between corporate leadership and consultancy. What You Will Learn: Why successful corporate careers do not automatically create a clear path for what comes next. How rest can create the space needed for creativity, clarity, and the next stage of growth. Why timing matters when considering a move from corporate leadership into consulting. How decades of professional experience can become valuable intellectual property. Why your expertise can be applied across multiple industries and sectors. How to begin recognizing the systems, processes, and knowledge you have already built. Why creating your own path can give you greater agency over your time and career. How a consultancy can provide freedom while still allowing you to serve organizations and causes you care about. Why having human support can make navigating a major career transition more intentional. How building a consultancy can allow high-achieving women to create new possibilities for their expertise, income, and impact.   Connect with Amanda Goodwin Wickedly Smart Women https://www.wickedlysmartwomen.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

  6. Aug 26

    Stop Shrinking and Rise with Cassandra Crawley Mayo – Ep.391

    What happens when you accomplish everything you set out to achieve, yet still feel like something deeper is calling you forward? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Cassandra Crawley Mayo, bestselling author, dynamic speaker, and podcast host who made history as the first African American woman to hold every corporate leadership role she has held. Cassandra also shares the lessons she learned after becoming a bestselling author, including how to develop discernment when opportunities and offers begin coming your way. She explains why building a personal board of directors can help women navigate entrepreneurship without trying to do everything alone. This conversation is especially meaningful for high-achieving women who have spent decades building successful careers but know there is something more they are meant to do.    What You Will Learn: How being the first African American woman in multiple corporate roles shaped Cassandra's leadership journey. Why achieving a long-held retirement goal does not necessarily mean your purpose ends there. How to recognize the internal barriers that can keep you from pursuing your next chapter. Why recognizing what is holding you back is an essential first step toward change. How to interrupt limiting patterns and embrace what your experiences have taught you. Why building a personal board of directors can make entrepreneurship more sustainable. How mentors, coaches, financial professionals, attorneys, and spiritual advisors can support your growth. Why discernment becomes especially important when success attracts new opportunities and offers. How women can avoid scams and costly mistakes when investing in their businesses. Why trying to do everything yourself can recreate the burnout you experienced in corporate. How to recognize when your successful career is no longer aligned with your deeper purpose. Why living with regret can be more painful than taking the risk to pursue a more authentic life. How to move from looking successful on the outside to feeling fulfilled on the inside.   Connect with Cassandra Crawley Mayo Website https://cassandracrawley.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    Stop Shrinking and Rise with Cassandra Crawley Mayo – Ep.391

  7. Aug 19

    Financial Freedom Smarter Not Harder with Ira Kaganovsky – Ep.390

    How do you move forward after getting fired, surviving breast cancer, and completely redefining what success looks like? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Ira Kaganovsky, a former Merrill Lynch and Citigroup advisor, successful financial practice owner, entrepreneur, and breast cancer survivor. Ira's story is one of resilience, tenacity, sales, and knowing when to let go of the plan you originally created. After three friends were diagnosed with breast cancer, Ira began questioning what she was putting on her body and set out to create a natural deodorant that actually worked. Despite being rejected by 18 spas, she kept going until the Four Seasons saw potential in her product and gave her an opportunity to change her packaging. This episode is about sustainable high performance, burnout prevention, and the importance of being willing to "kill the baby" when your business needs to evolve.   What You Will Learn: How getting fired can become the catalyst for entrepreneurship. Why entrepreneurial thinking does not always fit within traditional corporate structures. How to replace the dollars-for-hours mindset with an ROI-focused approach. Why working smarter can create greater results while reducing burnout. How leveraging one major client can open the door to an entirely new market. Why sales are essential to turning an idea into a sustainable business. How to recognize when your business is telling you to change direction. Why entrepreneurs should avoid becoming emotionally attached to their original product or business model. How Ira pivoted her company when COVID eliminated her primary spa distribution channel. Why profitability matters when you want to grow, raise capital, or continue making an impact. How launching before everything is perfect can create opportunities that waiting may prevent. Why entrepreneurs need to prioritize marketing rather than simply creating more products. How resilience, tenacity, and adaptability can help entrepreneurs navigate major disruptions. The surprising story behind the Freedom brand name and its hummingbird logo.   Connect with Ira Kaganovsky Freedom Deodorant  https://freedomdeodorant.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    Financial Freedom Smarter Not Harder with Ira Kaganovsky – Ep.390

  8. Aug 12

    Finding Your Way Back to Yourself with Desislava Dimitrova – Ep.389

    What if the life you thought would make you happy is actually the thing disconnecting you from yourself? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Desislava Dimitrova, a meditation teacher, bestselling author, podcast speaker, and transformational guide. Desislava shares how her early vision of corporate success quickly began to unravel when the reality of long hours, competition, and an environment that didn't align with her values began affecting her physical and emotional well-being. Her first yoga class became an unexpected doorway into a deeper spiritual awakening and a reconnection with herself. This episode explores what happens when the version of success you've been pursuing no longer fits, how physical and emotional signals can reveal deeper misalignment, and why creating space to reconnect with yourself can open the door to a completely different way of living and working.   What You Will Learn: How physical and emotional symptoms can signal that your current environment is no longer aligned with who you are. Why the definition of success you inherited may not actually create happiness or fulfillment. How yoga and meditation can become gateways to greater self-awareness and spiritual awakening. Why reconnecting with your authentic self can change the direction of your career and life. How motherhood influenced the decision to prioritize flexibility, presence, and purpose. How a personal health crisis can become a catalyst for deeper healing and transformation. What a personalized primordial sound mantra is and how it can be incorporated into a meditation practice. How consistent meditation can help quiet the mind, release emotions, and create greater peace. Why spiritual practices work differently for each person and each moment. How creating space for stillness can help you become more present to what you need right now.   Connect with Desislava Dimitrova Website https://www.desi-divine.com/ Connect with Wickedly Smart Women® Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic [5X Award-Winning Book] Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds Email: listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    Finding Your Way Back to Yourself with Desislava Dimitrova – Ep.389
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About

Welcome to Wickedly Smart Women®: What Comes After Corporate? We are a 15× award-winning, #1 internationally ranked podcast downloading in more than 160 countries. We feature conversations with high-achieving women leaving corporate or exiting businesses who are now discerning what comes next and exploring consulting after corporate. Each episode explores leadership, visibility, value creation, and the transition from corporate identity to independently owned impact. Guests share candid stories, hard-earned wisdom, and real-world insight drawn from lived experience. This show is for women who know they are in, or approaching, their final corporate chapter and are beginning to explore how their expertise, leadership, and discernment can be structured into a premium independent consultancy or independent body of work that reflects who they are becoming. Wickedly Smart Women® supports thoughtful transitions, from structure to sovereignty, from credentials to contribution, and from success as defined by others to success defined from within. Listeners come for grounded conversations, practical perspective, and clarity about what's possible after corporate, and stay for the intelligence, integrity, and depth that define the Wickedly Smart Women® ecosystem. What Comes After Corporate?: https://wickedlysmartwomen.com/what-comes-after-corporate

Information

  • Creator
    Anjel B Hartwell & The Creative Age Consulting Group
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    403
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2019 and beyond Empowered Messenger Enterprises, LLC
  • Show Website
    Wickedly Smart Women

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