WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk with Elaine Lou Cartas

Elaine Lou Cartas
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Struggling with what to do next? Need honest realtalk cause you're tired of the curated highlight reels on the socials? And want strategies to get out of your own way? Your host, Elaine Lou Cartas, the oldest daughter of a Filipino immigrant, is an award-winning Business and Executive Career Coach for women of color and allies. Elaine is like you - she’s been fired, quit jobs, changed careers three times, and been in debt. Elaine’s success story? She’s always done what’s true to herself and wants you to know it’s possible too. She’s a former grassroots organizer and nonprofit fundraiser who raised $11 million.LA Weekly awarded Elaine as the #1 Thought Leader in 2023, and MSN recognized her as the Best Leadership & Executive Coach in 2024. Elaine has online courses with LinkedIn, Duke, Brown, Penn and USC. On the WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk® Podcast (formerly known as the Color Your Dreams podcast), Elaine reminds you that your definition of happiness in work and life can evolve. Elaine's podcast guests include team members, clients, friends, and even family members who discuss real challenges and how they honored their own voices. As a business owner and career leader, this podcast is here to help you overcome overwhelm, while protecting your peace. So bring your coffee, tea, or boba for some realtalk every other Thursday! @elainelou_ // www.elainelou.com

  1. FEB 5

    129: How to Grow & Scale Your Business with Executive Presence

    Main Points It’s the second month of 2026 &  despite the uncertainty, my business is growing not by hustling, but with more calmness and focus:  In this episode, I share the practical, how-to techniques I taught in a live workshop with 19 minority-owned business owners and allies, including: How editing my P&L helped me measure ROI (one change led to 500% ROI, another to 5,000% ROI)How I increased email open rates from 25% to 75% through trust and storytellingWhy high-touch, human connection is a competitive advantage right nowHow sitting with discomfort leads to better business decisionsWhy scaling is about small, precise edits, not doing moreWhat made me cry to my therapistWhere We Can Connect: Schedule a Business & Career Review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together: elainelou.com/call Check out our 300+ reviews on Google | LinkedIn | Youtube | Website Follow the Podcast on Apple Follow the Podcast on Spotify Follow Elaine on Instagram: @elainelou_ Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn: Elaine Lou Cartas Check out our other podcasts for Women of Color

    31 min

  2. JAN 22

    128: Burned out? You're over-available to everyone & everything, here's weird things I’m doing.

    Main Points Burnout seems to be a trending word, so what do we do? It’s not about working harder. In this episode I share: Why you SHOULDN’T be doing a lot in 1 day (it takes ~ 23 minutes to refocus)Why “doing nothing” is actually how clarity forms (there’s science behind it)Why and how over-availability becomes a survival skill especially for womenMy results of when I stopped designing my life around “urgency”Resources Mentioned: Episode 110: How EMDR Therapy HEALED Me (& why you might need it too) with Jennifer Oh, LCSW. Listen on Apple, Spotify or YouTubeWhere We Can Connect: Schedule a Business & Career Review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together: elainelou.com/call Check out our 300+ reviews on Google | LinkedIn | Youtube | Website Follow the Podcast on Apple Follow the Podcast on Spotify Follow Elaine on Instagram: @elainelou_ Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn: Elaine Lou Cartas Check out our other podcasts for Women of Color

    25 min

  3. JAN 8

    127: 2026 Marketing Trends: Why My ‘Losing’ Pitch Still Drove Sales (with Monica Schrock)

    Main Points Why my losing pitch led to salesPersonal brand > AI: my actual techniques on how my conversion rate is 70%How I grew my email open rate from 10% to 75%Resources Mentioned: Connect with Monica SchrockFollowing Monica on Instagram: @moneyschrockConnect with Monica on LinkedInMonica’s Podcast: Play Like A TheyPorsche Human Made CartoonWhere We Can Connect: Schedule a Business & Career Review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together: elainelou.com/call Check out our 300+ reviews on Google | LinkedIn | Youtube | Website Follow the Podcast on Apple Follow the Podcast on Spotify Follow Elaine on Instagram: @elainelou_ Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn: Elaine Lou Cartas Check out our other podcasts for Women of Color Follow, Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Are you following the WOC & Allies: Business & Career Realtalk podcast? My team and I created this podcast for accessible education for women of color and allies. When you follow the podcast, it lets podcast streaming companies know that this podcast is a podcast fellow women of color and allies should listen to. If you are enjoying the show, I would love it if you would leave me a review on Apple Podcasts. This is one of the best ways to support the show and my team, and it helps other Legacy Leaders find it! Head over to Apple Podcasts to follow, rate and review now!

    1h 2m

  4. 12/19/2025

    126: Birthday Reflections: Rest, Recalibration, and How I’m Setting Aligned Goals for 2026 (So You Can Too)

    Why I stopped drinking alcohol, it’s been 9 months nowHow pausing, rest and reflection helped me getFive reflection questions to help you ensure your calendar & bank account aligns with your valuesResources Mentioned: Follow Elaine on Instagram for Philippines photos + reflections: @elainelou_El Nido ResortsWhere We Can Connect: Schedule a Business & Career Review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together: elainelou.com/call Check out our 300+ reviews on Google | LinkedIn | Youtube | Website Follow the Podcast on Apple Follow the Podcast on Spotify Follow Elaine on Instagram: @elainelou_ Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn: Elaine Lou Cartas Check out our other podcasts for Women of Color

    29 min
  5. 125: Future Jobs & AI: Why Emotional Intelligence is Important (replay from Dubai)

    11/25/2025

    125: Future Jobs & AI: Why Emotional Intelligence is Important (replay from Dubai)

    This episode is the replay of my biggest talk to 10,000+ AI founders and engineers at /function1 Dubai. I spoke about Emotional Intelligence (EI) at an AI conference, and they listened. I broke EI down in a way technical audiences understand: patterns → systems → data → small improvements. Because no matter how advanced AI becomes, the most complex system I’ll ever work with is a human. In this conversation, I share how EI shapes leadership, communication, and opportunities — and I also learned so much from my fellow panelists. Mohammed Benzakour of LinkedIn: 70% of our job skills will change by 2030.AI replaces tasks. Humans win through adaptability + communication.Prof. Abhilasha Singh Dean of American University in the Emirates: “The illiterate of the 21st century are those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”Hemant Pandey CEO of Hustling Engineer and ex-Meta/Tesla/Salesforce): Your real edge? Skill Velocity: how fast you can learn the next thing.Ahmed Metwoali (Sphinque): Engineering is a team sport. Communicate → ship fast → become your team’s AI go-to.Adil-Ul Islam of Microsoft reminded us AI should augment, but not replace human judgment.Me (EI): If you want funding, collaboration, or opportunity, learn to read people as well as you read data.In a world moving at the speed of algorithms, staying human is your unfair advantage. Resources /Function1 Connect with the panelists on LinkedIn: Mohammed Benzakour of LinkedInProf. Abhilasha Singh Dean of American University in the EmiratesHemant Pandey CEO of Hustling Engineer and ex-Meta/Tesla/Salesforce)Ahmed Metwoali (Sphinque)Adil-Ul Islam of Microsoft My LinkedIn Learning AI Courses: The AI Edge for EntrepreneursUsing AI to Make a Career SwitchWhere We Can Connect: Schedule a Business & Career Review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together: elainelou.com/call

    41 min

  6. 11/06/2025

    124: Addicted to Being Busy: Why High-Achieving Women Struggle to Rest (and How to Stop)

    Addicted to chaos and busyness? Maybe it’s cause your body learned that busyness felt safe. In this episode, we explore how to unlearn that pattern.I share the science behind why high achievers struggle to rest including the dopamine loop of achievement, the cortisol trap, and the trauma of chaos.You’ll learn why rest is important for your nervous system resetting.I’ll share how to replace overwork with presence, peace, and purpose cause you don’t need to EARN rest. You already deserve it.Resources Mentioned Book: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der KolkWebsite: PsychologyToday.com – to find a therapist licensed in your area Articles Referenced:National Institute on Drug Abuse – research on the dopamine loop of achievementHarvard Health – research on stress and the cortisol trapTravel Recommendation: El Nido Resorts, Palawan, PhilippinesWhere We Can Connect: Schedule a Business & Career Review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together: elainelou.com/call Check out our 320+ client reviews on Google and our website Follow the Podcast on Apple Follow the Podcast on Spotify Follow Elaine on Instagram: @elainelou_ Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn: Elaine Lou Cartas Check out our other podcasts for Women of Color

    25 min

  7. 10/23/2025

    123: Let’s Talk Money: Technical, Psychological & Cultural Truths for BIPOC leaders with Uchechi Kalu

    Main Points Money isn’t just math,  it’s a relationship. In this conversation with Certified Financial Planner and poet Uchechi Kalu, we unpack the real stories behind your bank account:Why your money mindset starts with culture & family, not spreadsheets.Uchechi’s 3-part framework: Technical · Psychological · Cultural; and how to use it like a wheel.The “Cost of Being You” exercise that reveals what enough truly means.How women of color can plan preventatively in an unstable economy.What happens when love meets money — and how to have that talk (without fighting).Resources Mentioned: Book: I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit SethiMoney personality test: Money Coaching InstituteUchechi Kalu’s website: greenlightfp.comLinkedInInstagram: @dearuchechi Where We Can Connect: Schedule a Business & Career Review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together: elainelou.com/call Check out our 320+ client reviews on Google and our website Follow the Podcast on Apple Follow the Podcast on Spotify Follow Elaine on Instagram: @elainelou_ Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn: Elaine Lou Cartas Check out our other podcasts for Women of Color

    52 min
  8. 122: From Layoff to Landing Contracts: How Uchechi Kalu Already Hit 50% of Her 2026 Revenue Goal

    10/02/2025

    122: From Layoff to Landing Contracts: How Uchechi Kalu Already Hit 50% of Her 2026 Revenue Goal

    How do you even start a business in 2025!? I sat down with my client (and friend) Uchechi Kalu, CFP®, 2024 Olympic Poet to talk about what it really looks like to go from being laid off… to working with over 700 clients, landing contracts with 5 major literary arts organizations, and already hitting 50% of her 2026 revenue goal. Uchechi’s layoff story and what it was like to start from zeroWhy starting a business isn’t for everyone (and why you probably shouldn’t work with me)How integrating your passions makes you stand out, in Uchechi’s case, poetry + financial planningWhy she chose to double down on building relationships IRL vs. URL to get her first contractsResources Mentioned: Uchechi’s websiteUchechi’s LinkedIn and InstagramWhere We Can Connect: Schedule a Business & Career Review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together: elainelou.com/call Check out our 314 client reviews Follow the Podcast on Apple Follow the Podcast on Spotify Follow Elaine on Instagram: @elainelou_ Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn: Elaine Lou Cartas Check out our other podcasts for Women of Color Follow, Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Are you following the WOC & Allies: Business & Career Realtalk podcast? My team and I created this podcast for accessible education for women of color and allies. When you follow the podcast, it lets podcast streaming companies know that this podcast is a podcast fellow women of color and allies should listen to. If you are enjoying the show, I would love it if you would leave me a review on Apple Podcasts. This is one of the best ways to support the show and my team, and it helps other Legacy Leaders find it! Head over to Apple Podcasts to follow, rate and review now!

    1h 3m
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About

Struggling with what to do next? Need honest realtalk cause you're tired of the curated highlight reels on the socials? And want strategies to get out of your own way? Your host, Elaine Lou Cartas, the oldest daughter of a Filipino immigrant, is an award-winning Business and Executive Career Coach for women of color and allies. Elaine is like you - she’s been fired, quit jobs, changed careers three times, and been in debt. Elaine’s success story? She’s always done what’s true to herself and wants you to know it’s possible too. She’s a former grassroots organizer and nonprofit fundraiser who raised $11 million.LA Weekly awarded Elaine as the #1 Thought Leader in 2023, and MSN recognized her as the Best Leadership & Executive Coach in 2024. Elaine has online courses with LinkedIn, Duke, Brown, Penn and USC. On the WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk® Podcast (formerly known as the Color Your Dreams podcast), Elaine reminds you that your definition of happiness in work and life can evolve. Elaine's podcast guests include team members, clients, friends, and even family members who discuss real challenges and how they honored their own voices. As a business owner and career leader, this podcast is here to help you overcome overwhelm, while protecting your peace. So bring your coffee, tea, or boba for some realtalk every other Thursday! @elainelou_ // www.elainelou.com

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