Wickedly Smart Women

Anjel B Hartwell & The Creative Age Consulting Group
  • 5.0 (208)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Wickedly Smart Women® is a multi-award-winning, internationally ranked podcast featuring conversations with women who have left high-level corporate roles or exited businesses and are now discerning what comes next. 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 high-value consultancy, advisory path, 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

  1. Building a Business That Honors Motherhood, Money, and Meaning with Lesley Pyle – Ep.363

    6D AGO

    Building a Business That Honors Motherhood, Money, and Meaning with Lesley Pyle – Ep.363

    What if working from home wasn't a trend but a calling you answered decades before the rest of the world caught up? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Lesley Pyle, a true pioneer in the remote work and entrepreneurship space. Lesley is the founder and CEO of Hire My Mom, a platform that connects small businesses with highly skilled virtual professionals. This episode is a must-listen for women who feel the inner nudge to do work differently, redefine success on their own terms, and create a business that aligns with their life.   What You Will Learn: How personal necessity and motherhood can spark powerful entrepreneurial ideas. What it really looks like to leave a stable job and start a business with limited resources. Why early sacrifices can create long-term freedom and flexibility. How to navigate the emotional and practical tension between ambition and family priorities. What it takes to stay grounded when others question or misunderstand your choices. Why passion and determination matter more than chasing massive growth or external validation. How remote work has evolved and why small businesses are perfectly positioned to benefit from it. What types of roles and industries thrive in remote, flexible work environments. How supportive partnerships can make or break the entrepreneurial journey. Why building a business that serves your life is a form of leadership. How Lesley has sustained motivation and purpose across multiple life seasons. What it means to play the long game in entrepreneurship without burning out. Connect with Lesley Pyle For small business owners hiring remote talent: HireMyMom.com/podcast For moms seeking flexible, remote work opportunities: HireMyMom.com/podcast-moms Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343  Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    30 min
  2. Win the Corporate Game Without Losing Yourself with Robin Goad – Ep.362

    FEB 4

    Win the Corporate Game Without Losing Yourself with Robin Goad – Ep.362

    What if the reason you're exhausted, overworked, and questioning your worth at work has nothing to do with your talent and everything to do with a game no one ever taught you how to play? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Robin Goad, a senior technology executive at Amazon Web Services, speaker, and author, to unpack how childhood trauma, perfectionism, and unspoken corporate rules shape the careers of high-achieving women. With more than 30 years of leadership experience at Fortune 100 companies like Dell and Gartner, Robin shares how she built a wildly successful career while unknowingly operating from survival patterns formed in childhood. If you're a high-achieving woman navigating corporate life, considering a transition, or simply tired of sacrificing yourself for success, this episode will shift how you see leadership, power, and your place in the room. What You Will Learn: How childhood trauma and early survival patterns often drive high-achieving women in corporate environments. Why corporate success can feel empty or exhausting even when you are "winning." How performance and people-pleasing become coping mechanisms rather than conscious choices. What a true breaking point looks like and how it can become the doorway to transformation. Why separating your identity from your job title is essential for long-term fulfillment. How corporate America operates as a game with unspoken rules that most women are never taught. Why knowing the rules of the game makes leadership more strategic and less draining. What it means to recognize your personal superpower and why it often goes unnoticed for decades. How to establish a leadership strategy that benefits both you and the organization. Why authenticity is not a liability in leadership but a powerful advantage. How women can lead without losing their soul, voice, or values. Who the REAL Framework is designed to support and why earlier awareness changes everything.   Connect with Robin Goad Website Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343  Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    30 min
  3. Trusted Leadership Starts With Your Voice with Julie Holunga – Ep.361

    JAN 28

    Trusted Leadership Starts With Your Voice with Julie Holunga – Ep.361

    What if the way you speak is the most powerful leadership tool you're underutilizing? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Julie Holunga,  to explore how trust, communication, and intentional leadership language shape influence at every level of an organization. Julie shares her journey from nonprofit and corporate leadership into building a consulting practice rooted in integrity, trust, and meaningful impact. If you're a heart-centered leader, consultant, or professional considering a transition into more purpose-driven work, this episode offers both insight and grounded, real-world wisdom. What You Will Learn: How early life experiences can shape curiosity, empathy, and a lifelong desire to help others lead more effectively. Why being a natural helper can sometimes create tension in leadership and consulting roles. How to recognize when people want support versus when they are resistant to being helped. What inspired the transition from corporate and nonprofit work into building a consulting practice. The unexpected challenges and joys of starting a values-aligned business. Why managing every part of a business alone eventually limits growth and impact. How strategic delegation and hiring the right expertise can dramatically elevate a consulting practice. What the Trusted Voice Paradigm is and how it reframes leadership through trust and communication. The four core pillars of trust and how each one shows up in leadership behavior. Why aptitude and honesty about capability are essential to sustaining trust. How leaders unintentionally break trust when they promote technical experts without leadership support. What it looks like to lead with integrity while still honoring business results. How deep cultural change happens when leaders commit to doing the hard work together.   Connect with Julie Holunga Website

    29 min
  4. When the Soul Calls for More with Aleksandra Ceho – Ep.360

    JAN 21

    When the Soul Calls for More with Aleksandra Ceho – Ep.360

    What if the feeling that something is missing in your career isn't confusion, but wisdom trying to get your attention? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Aleksandra Ceho, whose work bridges the worlds of spirituality, leadership, and business strategy. Aleksandra shares her remarkable journey from studying kinesiology and working in motor vehicle accident clinics to building a thriving astrology practice rooted in authenticity, self-awareness, and aligned decision-making. If you've ever felt like a square peg in a round hole or sensed that there is "more" waiting for you, this episode offers a powerful perspective.   What You Will Learn: How astrology can be used as a practical framework for self-awareness, leadership development, and business decision-making. Why the feeling of "there must be more" often signals misalignment rather than failure. How multiple archetypes exist within each person and how ignoring your dominant archetype creates burnout. What cognitive dissonance looks like at a soul level and why it intensifies over time. How astrology can indicate when it may be time to leave a career or make a major life transition. Why authenticity is essential for long-term success, fulfillment, and resilience. How Aleksandra's leap from healthcare into astrology unfolded and what it taught her about trust. The astrological influences often connected to midlife awakenings and identity shifts. Why some people burn bridges while others build them during transitions and how astrology explains both. How businesses have their own energetic charts and why alignment matters for sustainability. What astrology can reveal about whether a business or opportunity is the right fit before investing. How forecasting helps entrepreneurs focus their energy where it will have the greatest impact. Why perceived credibility and age can become barriers when starting a purpose-driven business. How astrology supports values-driven decision-making rather than rigid personality labels. Why deep self-knowledge is the foundation for building meaningful relationships, wealth, and legacy. Connect with Aleksandra Ceho Astrologer Royale   Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343  Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    30 min
  5. Reshaping the Beliefs That Shaped You with Tracy Doyle – Ep.359

    JAN 14

    Reshaping the Beliefs That Shaped You with Tracy Doyle – Ep.359

    What if burnout isn't proof you're failing but proof something in you is begging to change? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Tracy Doyle, author of Life Storms: Finding Your Clear Sky and creator of the Aurora Method. Tracy shares the childhood trauma and survival patterns that shaped her drive, her leadership, and her belief that sacrifice meant abandoning herself. If you've ever felt like you have to hold everything together, this episode will meet you right where you are and offer a real path forward.   What You Will Learn: How early childhood experiences can quietly wire your nervous system for burnout later in life. Why "looking fine on the outside" can mask unprocessed trauma that eventually demands attention. How survival skills like self-reliance can become leadership liabilities as your responsibilities grow. The difference between a breaking point and a turning point—and how to use burnout as a transformation portal. Why burnout often isn't caused by your job or your family, but by the beliefs you formed while trying to belong. How the belief "If I don't do it myself, it won't get done" fuels control, resentment, and isolation. The real reason personal growth tools can fail when they're done in isolation instead of as a connected process. What a "loving look back" self-assessment is and how it helps you recognize patterns without drowning in shame. How unmet needs can shape fear-based thinking and drive high-achievers into over-functioning. How emotional burnout fractures relationships and how acknowledgement conversations rebuild trust fast. What it looks like to create a personalized mindfulness practice that actually fits real life. Why high-achieving women often fear vulnerability, especially in corporate environments, and how community changes that.   Connect with Tracy Doyle Website Book: Life Storms: Finding Your Clear Sky   Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343  Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    29 min
  6. Healing, Intuition, and the Courage to Pivot with Julie Ryan – Ep.358

    JAN 7

    Healing, Intuition, and the Courage to Pivot with Julie Ryan – Ep.358

    What if everything you've done in your career has been preparing you for something far more expansive than you ever imagined? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Julie Ryan, world-renowned medical intuitive, psychic medium, inventor, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of Angelic Attendance. Julie shares her extraordinary journey from founding nine companies across five industries to fully stepping into her intuitive and spiritual calling later in life. This episode is a powerful reminder for women feeling called to leave corporate, pivot their careers, or honor unconventional paths. What You Will Learn: How reading Anatomy of the Spirit and Hands of Light opened the door to energy healing and intuition. Why intuition, psychic ability, mediumship, and healing are not separate gifts but expressions of the same spiritual connection. Why everyone goes to heaven and why fear-based beliefs about death are deeply outdated. How medical intuition works and why healing always comes from within the person themselves. The surprising role maternal ancestors play in guiding souls during the dying process. Why spiritual awakenings are happening more frequently on a collective and planetary level. How women are often the natural leaders in spiritual healing and intuitive development. Why your existing skills, education, and business experience are never wasted when answering a spiritual call. How science is beginning to validate what intuitive and energy healers have known for centuries. Connect with Julie Ryan Ask Julie Ryan   Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343  Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    30 min
  7. Building a Purpose-Driven Product After 40 with Liat Kaplan – Ep.357

    12/31/2025

    Building a Purpose-Driven Product After 40 with Liat Kaplan – Ep.357

    What happens when a high-achieving corporate leader realizes her legacy must be about more than titles, promotions, and golden handcuffs? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Liat Kaplan, a global product innovation leader turned founder and CEO, to explore what it truly takes to leave corporate life, trust your inner conviction, and build something that matters. If you are a woman standing at the edge of change, questioning whether it's "too late" to start something meaningful, this conversation will remind you that your most important work may still be ahead of you.   What You Will Learn: How personal conviction becomes essential when stepping away from corporate identity and external validation. Why clarity around purpose matters more than having everything figured out before starting. What it truly means to take a leap later in life and why age can be an advantage, not a limitation. How releasing fear of judgment creates freedom and sharper focus on what actually matters. What surprises many founders when they leave corporate structure behind. How passion and impact fuel resilience during the entrepreneurial journey. Why building a product-based business requires patience, long timelines, and strategic planning. What to consider when funding a startup, especially the importance of aligned and supportive investors. How innovation can be shaped by curiosity rather than rigid corporate processes. Why real-world problems and lived experiences often spark the most powerful business ideas. How technology can empower people to make informed, self-directed choices. Why safety, awareness, and informed decision-making are key components of modern leadership and legacy. How letting go of unnecessary processes can reignite creativity and love for one's work. Why legacy is often defined by contribution and impact rather than titles or income. How building something meaningful often requires balancing intuition with discipline. Connect with Liat Kaplan Get Wisp   Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343  Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    29 min
  8. Healing Emotional Eating at the Root with Amber Romaniuk – Ep.356

    12/24/2025

    Healing Emotional Eating at the Root with Amber Romaniuk – Ep.356

    What if your "willpower problem" with food was never about food at all? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Amber Romaniuk, an emotional eating, digestive, and hormone expert with 12+ years of experience. Amber shares the childhood roots of emotional eating, the intense turning point that forced her to face her own binge-restriction patterns, and the multidimensional healing path that led to true body freedom. This episode explores why feeling emotions can feel unsafe and how to create real nervous system safety. What You Will Learn: A clear understanding of how childhood moments can become identity wounds that drive emotional eating for decades. Language for naming the difference between discomfort and being unsafe, so emotions stop feeling like an emergency. A simple way to work with the brain's threat response without letting it run your life. A practical starting point for emotion work: set a timer for 30 seconds and build capacity gradually. Why food becomes a regulator when life feels helpless, out of control, or emotionally unsupported. Insight into how the binge–restriction cycle can intensify after weight loss, breakups, and "perfect body" beliefs. A realistic picture of what root-cause healing actually involves: mental, emotional, behavioral, energetic, spiritual, and physical layers. Tools that help create safety while feeling emotions, including breathwork, EFT tapping, self-holding, music, and affirmations. Why chronic stress and fight-or-flight make it harder to heal digestion, blood sugar, and hormones. A grounded approach to "breaking the lineage" by combining inner healing with loving boundaries when family dynamics push back. Why progress requires structures that support "doing the reps," not just inspiration or insight. How long-term support helps women stay consistent when real life hits. Why new success can trigger fear and how identity work helps you maintain change without self-sabotage. Connect with Amber Romaniuk Amber Approved   Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343  Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

    29 min
See All (300)

5
out of 5
208 Ratings

About

Wickedly Smart Women® is a multi-award-winning, internationally ranked podcast featuring conversations with women who have left high-level corporate roles or exited businesses and are now discerning what comes next. 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 high-value consultancy, advisory path, 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

Information

  • Creator
    Anjel B Hartwell & The Creative Age Consulting Group
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2019 and beyond Empowered Messenger Enterprises, LLC
  • Show Website
    Wickedly Smart Women

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