LEAD LIKE A GIRL

Jessica Smith, Coralyn Musser and Jamie Knebel
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

We are empowering everyday women through our stories – the good, the bad, and the funny. Join hosts Jessica, Jamie, and Coralyn as they dive into unfiltered stories, big lessons, and real conversations. They met in their 20s as ambitious sales pros, quickly rising to the top. Careers shifted, industries changed, and life threw curveballs—but their drive never wavered. Now, they’re sharing the highs, lows, and hilarious moments of balancing career, family, faith, and friendship. If you’re ready to lead, laugh, and level up, you’re in the right place!

  1. 3d ago

    The Biggest Mistake We Make After Falling Off Our Goals |E125

    Did your New Year’s resolutions fall apart somewhere around January 19? You’re definitely not alone. But you don’t need to wait until January 1, next month or even Monday to start again. In this episode of Lead Like a Girl, Jessica, Jamie and Coralyn talk about how to get back on track with your goals, build better habits, stay motivated and recover when you fall off. Whether you want to exercise consistently, eat healthier, save money, change careers, travel more, reconnect with friends or finally pursue a personal goal, the same principle applies: stop waiting for the perfect time to begin. We talk about why goals fail, the problem with all-or-nothing thinking, accountability, tracking progress, creating realistic goals and building a recovery plan for the days when life inevitably gets in the way. In this episode: • Why waiting until Monday keeps us stuck• How to restart a goal after falling off• Why one bad day doesn’t mean you failed• Setting smaller, realistic goals that create momentum• Tracking progress beyond the final outcome• Finding an accountability partner who actually helps• Creating habits that fit who you really are• Applying these ideas to fitness, money, careers, relationships and travel• Why “partial credit is still credit”• Building a recovery plan before you need one One of our biggest takeaways? Don’t chase the outcome. Chase the behaviors that get you to the outcome. The calendar didn’t fail you. Maybe the plan just needs to change. You still have time. Start again today. Lead Like a Girl is empowering everyday women through our stories, the good, the bad and the funny. Learn more and connect with us: https://leadlikeagirllab.com If there’s one goal you’ve fallen off this year, tell us in the comments what you’re starting again. We might just hold you accountable. #Goals #Motivation #Habits #PersonalGrowth #WomenInLeadership #GoalSetting #LeadLikeAGirl

  2. Sep 23

    Why Are We So Proud of Being Busy? Boundaries, Burnout & the Pressure to Do It All | E124

    When did being exhausted become something we brag about? “I’m slammed.” “I haven’t stopped all day.” “I’m running on four hours of sleep.” In this episode of Lead Like a Girl, Jamie, Jessica and Coralyn are talking about our obsession with being busy and asking a bigger question: Are we actually being productive, or have we just gotten really good at filling our time? From answering emails at 10 PM and feeling guilty about PTO to struggling to delegate, overexplaining our “no,” and even organizing the pantry when there are more important things to do, we get into the habits that keep women constantly running. We talk about setting boundaries at work and home, delegating without expecting perfection, saying no without a 10-minute explanation, making room for rest, and recognizing when busyness has become part of our identity. Three takeaways: A full calendar doesn’t necessarily mean a full life.Measure productivity by results, not activity.Every yes costs you something, so know what you’re trading your time for.And maybe the biggest reminder: You don’t get extra points for being the most exhausted person in the room. Lead Like a Girl is empowering everyday women through our stories, the good, the bad and the funny. Topics: work-life balance, burnout, busyness, productivity, time management, setting boundaries, saying no, delegation, women in leadership, career growth, working women, leadership and personal development. LeadLikeAGirlLab.com

  3. Sep 17

    I Nailed the Event. My Boss Said Nothing. | Why Does Recognition Matter More Than Your Paycheck? | E123

    She pulled off a flawless multi-day event, everything went exactly as planned, and her manager said absolutely nothing — not a text, not a thumbs up, not even a "good job" — and that silence is exactly what this episode is about. This week Coralyn, Jamie, and Jessica dig into why praise matters so much more than most leaders realize — and why a paycheck is not the same thing as recognition. They talk about the husband who asks "how does the lawn look?" after mowing it, the boss who believed a paycheck was the only "good job" you needed, and why some of us have been chasing a gold star since third grade and never stopped. They get into the psychology behind why recognition can matter as much as money, how to actually give praise that lands, whether praise should happen in public or private, and why accepting a compliment is not the same as being arrogant. If you've ever done something great and heard nothing back, or you're a leader who assumes people already know they're doing well — this one is for you. Topics covered in this episode: Why recognition and a paycheck are not the same thingThe psychology behind why people crave praiseWhether needing praise is a personality trait or a gender patternHow to give praise that actually sounds genuinePublic praise versus private praise, and when each one worksWhy accepting a compliment is a sign of confidence, not egoIf this hit home, send it to someone who needs to hear "good job" today — or to a leader who needs the reminder to say it. Follow Lead Like a Girl on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. leadlikeagirllab.com youtube.com/@LeadLikeaGirlLab linkedin.com/company/leadlikeagirllab

  4. Sep 9

    No Talent Required: Lynne Ghelfi on the Real Skills Behind Leadership and Influence |E122

    Lynne Ghelfi spent 15 years leading in a male-dominated industry with zero natural talent for it — and she says that's exactly why it worked. Lynne never waited for a title to catch up to her influence — in this episode she breaks down why courage and consistency beat raw talent every time, why tough conversations are a leadership skill and not just an awkward moment to survive, and why "courage is doing it scared" isn't a motivational poster line but something she practiced daily. We get into mentorship, community, and the soft skills that get dismissed as "nice to have" until someone realizes they're actually the whole game — Lynne shares stories of resilience that will make you rethink what leadership potential looks like on paper versus in real life, and why promotions built on tenure instead of leadership skill are quietly holding good people back. If you've ever felt like you needed permission or a promotion before you were allowed to lead, this episode is your permission slip — send it to the woman on your team who's already leading, title or not. Connect with Lynne Ghelfi: soleilleadership.com | linkedin.com/in/lynne-b-ghelfi-3882b364 leadlikeagirllab.com - youtube.com/@LeadLikeaGirlLab - linkedin.com/company/leadlikeagirllab

  5. Sep 2

    The Sales Skill That Saved My Reputation — Perception Is Reality | E121

    A car dealership manager pulled Jessica aside ten minutes after she walked away. "You're my type of girl," he told her — not because of anything she sold him, but because of what she refused to promise. This week Jessica, Jamie, and Coralyn break down the sales principle that quietly determines whether people trust you — in business, in friendship, in marriage, everywhere: underpromise, then overdeliver. Jessica's built her entire career refusing to tell people what they want to hear. She'd rather warn a customer it might take six weeks than promise 24 hours and fall short — and it's made her more trusted, not less. Then the conversation turns a corner. Jessica confronts a rep who's earned a reputation across the company for being impossible to reach. His response barely matters, because she hands him the line that reframes the whole episode: it doesn't matter if it's true — perception is reality. From there, all three co-hosts turn the mirror on themselves. Coralyn admits the resume lie she told for a decade — calling herself "detail-oriented" when her actual gift was big-picture vision. Jamie realizes she's stopped holding her own kids to the expectations she set years ago, and traces her daughter's radio silence back to habits she let slide. And they land on the same challenge: when's the last time you actually asked someone — a spouse, a kid, a friend with some distance — what they really think of you? Your reputation isn't something that happens to you. It's something you're building every single day, in every promise you keep or quietly let slide. This episode is your reminder to start paying attention. Ready to find out what people actually think of you? This episode will show you exactly where to start. leadlikeagirllab.comyoutube.com/@LeadLikeaGirlLablinkedin.com/company/leadlikeagirllab

  6. Aug 26

    Why That Coworker Drives You Crazy (It's Not What You Think) | E120

    She wasn't disorganized. She wasn't rude. She wasn't even wrong. She just didn't talk like everyone else in the room — and that was enough to get her written off. Jessica, Coralyn, and Jamie unpack the assumption that quietly wrecks more work relationships than actual conflict does: mistaking a different communication style for a personality problem. Jamie sits through a 40-minute interview where the interviewer never asks her a single question — and doesn't stop it, then spends the rest of the episode figuring out why. Coralyn admits she wrote off a coworker as standoffish for weeks before realizing he just needed time to think before he spoke. Jessica confesses the bias she still has to catch herself in: she gravitates toward hiring people who think exactly like her. Then it gets sharper. What happens when you're the only person in the room who sees it differently — and everyone else is staring at you like you grew a second head? Jamie tells the story of raising her hand when no one else would, and what her manager told her afterward that changed how she shows up in every meeting since. And the line that reframes the whole conversation: personality explains behavior. It does not excuse bad behavior. Because knowing someone processes differently doesn't mean you have to accept being talked down to — and this episode gets into exactly how to call it out without blowing up the relationship. If you've ever left a meeting wondering whether you're the problem, or spent months resenting a coworker before realizing you just never learned how they actually communicate, this is the conversation you didn't know you needed. This is the first of three episodes in the Networking series — the ones that get into what actually builds (or quietly destroys) professional relationships. Send this to the friend who vented to you about a coworker last week. She needs to hear this. leadlikeagirllab.comyoutube.com/@LeadLikeaGirlLablinkedin.com/company/leadlikeagirllab

  7. Aug 19

    What Would You Do If You Could Rewrite Your Biggest Regret? |E119

    You are not behind. You are not a sum of every decision you wish you could take back. In this episode, Coralyn, Jamie, and Jessica get into something most women carry quietly — the book of regrets. The coulda, shoulda, woulda. The what ifs that get loudest when life gets quiet. Inspired by the book The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, they unpack why one decision doesn't just change one thing — it changes everything. And why the life you're living right now might be exactly where you're supposed to be. They get real about fear, priorities, and what it actually looks like to make peace with your past choices — not because they were all perfect, but because you made them with what you had at the time. This one will make you want to shut the book of regrets for good. What Coralyn, Jamie, and Jessica cover: The ripple effect of small decisions and how they shape everything The concept of the book of regrets — and how to close it Why fear is at the root of most regret How misaligned priorities fuel the what ifs Why owning your decisions changes everything How to live with fewer regrets starting today Book mentioned: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig — amazon.com/s?k=The+Midnight+Library+by+Matt+Haig Know someone living in their book of regrets? Share this episode with them. Find us: Website: leadlikeagirllab.com YouTube: youtube.com/@LeadLikeaGirlLab LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/leadlikeagirllab

  8. Aug 12

    Leisure vs. Luxury: Are You Spending Your Time and Money on the Wrong Things? | E118

    You work hard every day — but what are you actually working for? More stuff or more life? In this episode, Coralyn, Jamie, and Jessica are getting into a conversation that doesn't happen enough — the difference between leisure and luxury, and why so many women are chasing the wrong one. They share personal stories, real talk about priorities, and what it actually looks like to live well without waiting until everything is perfect, paid off, or figured out. Because here's the truth: experience over stuff. Every time. This one will make you rethink how you're spending your Saturdays — and your savings. What they cover:The real difference between leisure and luxuryHow priorities shift as you growThe role time and money actually play in happinessHow to enjoy leisure without overspendingWhat intentional living looks like in real life Resource mentioned:Atomic Habits by James Clear — amazon.com/s?k=Atomic+Habits+James+Clear If this hit home, share it with a woman who needs permission to live her life today. Find us:Website: leadlikeagirllab.comYouTube: youtube.com/@LeadLikeaGirlLabLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/leadlikeagirllab

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5
out of 5
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About

We are empowering everyday women through our stories – the good, the bad, and the funny. Join hosts Jessica, Jamie, and Coralyn as they dive into unfiltered stories, big lessons, and real conversations. They met in their 20s as ambitious sales pros, quickly rising to the top. Careers shifted, industries changed, and life threw curveballs—but their drive never wavered. Now, they’re sharing the highs, lows, and hilarious moments of balancing career, family, faith, and friendship. If you’re ready to lead, laugh, and level up, you’re in the right place!

Information

  • Creator
    Jessica Smith, Coralyn Musser and Jamie Knebel
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    163
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jessica Smith, Coralyn Musser and Jamie Knebel
  • Show Website
    LEAD LIKE A GIRL

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