Black Womaning in Corporate America®

Nicole S. Palmer
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Navigating corporate America is a game, and no one knows the rules better than we do. The Black Womaning in Corporate America® podcast, hosted by Nicole S. Palmer, is your guide to understanding and thriving within the complex, often unspoken rules of the workplace. Each episode blends candid storytelling, sharp insights, and actionable strategies to help Black women break through the biases, microaggressions, and systemic barriers that pervade professional spaces. From decoding office politics to claiming your rightful seat at the table, this podcast does not just share advice. It empowers you to rewrite the rules on your own terms. Your voice matters. Your journey is worth celebrating. And this space was built for you.

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 40: The Rules Were Never Unwritten | Black Womaning in Corporate America® with Lynnae Brown

    The Rules Were Never Unwritten | Lynnae Brown, Part 3 What happens when everyone at work seems to know the rules except nobody will actually say them out loud? In Part 3 of Nicole S. Palmer’s conversation with workplace navigation consultant and strategist Lynnae Brown, they unpack the power, politics, coded communication, and unspoken expectations that can shape a Black woman’s career regardless of how well she performs. Because sometimes the variable changes. Sometimes the work was never the problem. And sometimes the rules were never unwritten. They were simply never spoken to you. Chapters 00:00 Podcast Welcome00:41 Previously On01:51 When The Variable Changes03:10 Petty Grudges In Power04:54 Nice, Polite Culture Codes06:20 Clarity Versus Gaslighting07:23 No One Explains The Game08:29 Pretty Privilege And Preference 11:11 What Truly Belongs To You 11:35 Final Thoughts And Outro This is Part 3 of a four-part conversation with Lynnae Brown on Black Womaning in Corporate America®. Playing the Game While Black Womaning in Corporate America is available wherever books are sold. #PlayingTheGame #BlackWomaningInCorporateAmerica #BWICA

  2. Aug 13

    Episode 39: Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title | Black Womaning in Corporate America®

    Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title | Black Womaning in Corporate America What happens when your job title becomes part of your identity? Nicole S. Palmer continues her conversation with workplace navigation consultant and strategist Lynnae Brown about why Black women in corporate America should “marry” their talent, not their title. Together, they unpack the danger of tying self-worth to a role, what happens when workplace power shifts, and why your talent remains yours even when the title does not. Chapters 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:41 Meet Lynnae Brown 02:22 Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title 03:08 Why Titles Are Volatile 04:35 Nicole’s Breaking Point 07:33 Lynnae’s Catalyst Story 09:58 The Core Distinction 10:12 Next Episode Tease 10:29 Final Thanks and Outro Learn more about Lynnae Brown’s work: - Visit her website: lynnaebrown.com - Connect with her on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lynnaebrown.

  3. Aug 12

    Episode 38 | Special Edition: Zara Northover v. Rocket Mortgage Case Update

    Taking Rocket Mortgage Fight to the U.S. Supreme Court Host Nicole S. Palmer welcomes returning guest Zara Northover for a special update on Northover v. Rocket Mortgage. Northover shares that the Michigan Supreme Court declined to review her appeal after eight months, and she is now preparing a petition for writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court within the 90-day window following the May 22, 2026 decision. She recounts key moments that sparked her legal fight, including workplace threats and receiving a “gorilla” birthday card, and discusses navigating the process as a pro se litigant while also pursuing a separate federal case. The conversation highlights documenting issues, using medical leave for mental health, and learning legal basics, plus upcoming projects including her book The Cost of Justice, a legal-navigation tech startup, speaking engagements, and ways listeners can follow updates and support. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:41 Guest Returns Update 02:56 Michigan Supreme Court Decision 03:37 Taking It to SCOTUS 04:26 Why She Keeps Fighting 09:17 Rocket Mortgage Backstory 10:43 From Trauma to Legal Tech 15:12 Medical Leave and EEOC Clock 16:55 New Book The Cost of Justice 18:22 What the Book Covers 19:39 Faith And Authenticity 20:36 Balancing Lawsuit And Life 21:41 Know Your Rights Advocate 22:53 Despair And Faith Talk 23:44 Why Fighting Matters 25:32 Case Updates And Petition 27:33 Tools For Self Advocacy 29:54 NDA Freedom And Truth 32:32 Trust God Build Business 34:33 Support Subscribe And Events 36:50 Podcast Outro And Book Learn more about Zara Northover, follow her work, and stay connected to the ongoing Northover v. Rocket Mortgage case: • Zara Northover: https://zaranorthover.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaranorthover/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaranorthover/ • Moving in Faith: https://www.movinginfaith.com/ • Support Zara’s work through Faith It Forward: https://www.movinginfaith.com/products/faith-it-forward • Follow Delnic Media’s ongoing Case Files coverage: https://news.delnicmedia.com/northover-v-rocket-mortgage/

  4. Aug 6

    Episode 37: Black Womaning in Corporate America® With Lynnae Brown

    Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title (Part 1) | Black Womaning in Corporate America® Nicole S. Palmer talks with guest Lynnae Brown, a consultant and strategist specializing in workforce navigation to help people make work sustainable. Brown shares her background training people in mental health recovery to work in social services, and explains her concept “Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title,” warning that titles can’t capture full value and that layoffs for profit make tying identity to a role risky. She recounts leaving a decade-long position after pandemic burnout, concerns about returning in-person with vulnerable populations, and receiving student loan forgiveness, then consulting nationally before grant cancellations disrupted the field. The conversation also distinguishes self-accommodation from self-advocacy and touches on the long recovery from toxic workplaces, teeing up a deeper discussion in part two. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:44 Meet Lanay Brown 02:21 Marry Talent Not Title 02:37 Origin in Social Services 05:36 Titles Worth and Layoffs 06:47 Burnout Turning Point 08:23 COVID Work Shift 10:40 Leaving After Loan Forgiveness 11:22 Consulting Then Funding Cuts 12:28 From Social Work to Corporate 12:47 Trauma Informed Management 13:29 Self Accommodate vs Advocate 14:44 Code Switching Survival 17:37 Healing After Toxic Jobs 21:07 Abusive Relationship Mindset 22:17 Exit Strategy Playlist 24:06 Part Two Teaser and Wrap

    Episode 37: Black Womaning in Corporate America® With Lynnae Brown

  5. Jul 9

    Episode 36: Underbelonging™—The Hidden Corporate Experience for Black Women | Crystle Johnson, Part 2

    Nicole S. Palmer continues her conversation with Crystle Johnson, founder of Kinory® and creator of Underbelonging: the hidden experience of being included in corporate spaces without ever feeling fully seen. Crystle defines Underbelonging and explains why so many Black women spend their careers shrinking themselves, overperforming, and carefully calibrating how they show up at work. Together, Nicole and Crystle examine how Underbelonging manifests in corporate America, including within DEI roles, where practitioners are often caught between executives and employees without meaningful decision-making authority. The conversation explores why organizations must move beyond performative commitments toward greater clarity and accountability, and how Kinory is creating spaces where Black women can experience genuine belonging through community dinners, workshops, retreats, and courageous conversations. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:41 Part Two Intro 01:46 Defining Underbelonging 03:04 Why It Resonates 04:41 Origins Through Kinory 07:19 Taking Up Space 09:42 Kamala As Case Study 12:15 DEI Caught In Middle 15:58 Corporate Honesty 17:26 What Comes Next 19:05 Protecting The Work 21:32 Make Your Own Table 23:58 Where To Find Crystle 25:53 Retreat And Resources 27:47 Closing And Outro To learn more about Crystle: Visit Kinory: https://kinory.co/ Follow Her on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/crystlejohnson Connect With Her on Instragram: https://instagram.com/kinory.co Find Her on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@kinory.co

    Episode 36: Underbelonging™—The Hidden Corporate Experience for Black Women | Crystle Johnson, Part 2

  6. Jul 2

    Episode 35: Black Womaning in Corporate America® With Crystle Johnson

    Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one compromise, one expectation, and one “I’ll just push through” at a time. In this episode of Black Womaning in Corporate America®, founder of Kinory® Crystle Johnson joins host Nicole S. Palmer for an unfiltered conversation about burnout, belonging, and the moment she realized her job was something she did—not who she was. From corporate leadership to building a global community for Black women in Mexico, this conversation explores identity, rest, and the courage to imagine a different future. Whether you’re questioning your next career move or simply trying to remember who you were before work consumed so much of your life, this episode is a reminder that your value has never been defined by your title. 00:00 Welcome 00:44 Meet Crystle Johnson 02:13 An Origin Story of Belonging 04:47 Why Kinory Exists 05:44 The Courage to Center Black Women 08:45 Recognizing Burnout 09:50 FMLA, Recovery & Finding Mexico 13:49 Your Job Is Not Your Identity 17:03 The Truth About Corporate DEI 20:06 Racism, Visibility & Obsession 22:45 Building Kinory in Mérida 25:32 Casa Kinory & A New Vision 28:14 Why Every Exit Needs a Plan 30:25 Don't Leave Your Benefits Behind 33:46 Coming Next Week... 34:17 Outro

    Episode 35: Black Womaning in Corporate America® With Crystle Johnson

  7. Jun 19

    Episode 34: Black Womaning in Corporate America With Dr. Chelsey Green

    Dr. Chelsey Green on Leading The GRAMMYs, Finding Your Voice & Protecting Creators What does it mean to find your voice—and trust it enough to use it? In this powerful Black Music Month conversation, Nicole S. Palmer sits down with Dr. Chelsey Green: artist, educator, advocate, and the first Black woman and youngest person ever elected Chair of the Recording Academy® (The GRAMMYs®). From her early roots in church and classical music to leading at the highest levels of the music industry, Dr. Green shares how creativity, courage, and community shaped her journey. Together, Nicole and Chelsey explore what it means to lead with purpose, advocate for equity, protect creators in the age of AI, and remain connected to joy in a culture that often rewards burnout. More than a conversation about music, this is a conversation about visibility, voice, wellness, faith, and the courage to believe in yourself before anyone else does. Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, executive, educator, or simply someone trying to navigate life with authenticity, this episode is filled with wisdom you’ll want to revisit again and again. In This Episode 00:00 Podcast Welcome00:41 Meet Dr. Chelsey Green02:17 Music Roots and Calling04:53 Village and Mentors05:35 Path to the GRAMMYs Board09:06 Equity and Representation10:47 Black Music Month and Voice12:50 AI, Music, and Creator Rights18:29 Inspiring the Next Generation19:17 Rebuilding Community20:44 The Power of In-Person Connection21:34 Choosing Joy Over Burden23:08 Workplace Breakdown and Perspective25:54 The System Versus Self29:13 Presence, Therapy, and Gratitude32:09 Living an Abundant Life Now33:11 Believe and Trust Yourself35:43 When the Inner Voice Wins36:40 Where to Find Dr. Green37:20 Final Thanks and Outro Connect with Dr. Chelsey Green Website: https://www.chelseygreen.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchelseygreen/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenProjectTGP YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ChelseyGreenProject Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4gYJdJNkyrYyocVfI9LZUM Continue the Conversation What resonated most with you from this episode? Was it the conversation around AI and creator rights? The reminder to prioritize joy? The challenge to trust your inner voice? Or Dr. Green’s reflections on leadership, community, and purpose? Join the conversation in the comments and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that their voice matters. And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow Black Womaning in Corporate America® for more conversations at the intersection of leadership, visibility, wellness, and navigating systems not built with us in mind. Want to go deeper? Explore the book that inspired the podcast, Playing the Game While Black Womaning in Corporate America®, available wherever books are sold. Learn more at BlackWomaning.com.

    Episode 34: Black Womaning in Corporate America With Dr. Chelsey Green

  8. May 7

    Episode 33: Black Womaning in Corporate America with Dr. Lisa Pittman

    Travel as Self-Care: Dr. Lisa Pittman on Boundaries, Burnout Prevention & Black Women’s Wellbeing Host Nicole S. Palmer welcomes Dr. Lisa Pittman, a licensed psychologist and certified travel coach based in the DC metro area, to discuss travel as an intentional form of self-care for Black professional women. Dr. Pittman shares her background, including living in Singapore, visiting all 50 states, all seven continents, and 114 countries, and explains how her therapy experience informs coaching focused on maintaining balance and optimal functioning. To contact Dr. Pittman… ​Email: Lisa@traveldocta.com​Website: https://thetraveldoctallc.com​LinkedIn: Dr-Lisa-Pittman​IG: thetraveldocta ​Blog: TravelDocta.com

    Episode 33: Black Womaning in Corporate America with Dr. Lisa Pittman
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About

Navigating corporate America is a game, and no one knows the rules better than we do. The Black Womaning in Corporate America® podcast, hosted by Nicole S. Palmer, is your guide to understanding and thriving within the complex, often unspoken rules of the workplace. Each episode blends candid storytelling, sharp insights, and actionable strategies to help Black women break through the biases, microaggressions, and systemic barriers that pervade professional spaces. From decoding office politics to claiming your rightful seat at the table, this podcast does not just share advice. It empowers you to rewrite the rules on your own terms. Your voice matters. Your journey is worth celebrating. And this space was built for you.

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