Career Identity + Growth Conversations for Professional Women: Exposing the Hidden Reality

Annette Garsteck, Master Professional Career Coach + Sandra Wint, Trauma-Informed Leadership Coach
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Bias, burnout, self-worth, and breaking barriers are not just buzzwords — they are the lived reality of women navigating leadership, workplace dynamics, and workplace culture every single day. Women's experiences take center stage here, exploring intersectionality, identity, and the invisible forces shaping professional visibility, belonging, and psychological safety at work.  Annette Garsteck, MBA, MPCC, is the author of Own Your Career: Take Control + Accelerate Your Professional Growth, a Certified Senior Professional Résumé Writer, and a former Fortune 50 hiring leader. She guides women to take ownership of their careers, increase their visibility, expand their influence, navigate workplace dynamics with confidence, and accelerate their growth while staying true to their values. Sandra Wint, GPCC, Human Design practitioner + Gestalt-certified coach integrating shadow work, mother wound healing, nervous system regulation, emotional safety, astrology, and frameworks like the Karpman Drama Triangle to support deep personal transformation and self-awareness. Delivering these in Women’s Circles + leadership retreats, she helps women better understand themselves, their relationships, and the systems they navigate. Each episode goes deep into trauma-informed leadership, the unspoken rules of power for women, and the influence women already hold but are rarely given permission to use. If you are a woman in leadership, or becoming one, who is done shrinking and ready to claim her space, this is your community.  On Exposing the Hidden Reality, we cover topics such as: Why do high-performing women stay in abusive relationships?  Why do women burn out faster than men at work? How does gender bias show up as "culture fit" in the workplace? How can women overcome imposter syndrome and people pleasing at work? What are the hidden barriers women face in leadership roles? How do working women balance personal and professional identity? Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality 

  1. 4d ago

    047: Uncovering Story through The Success Codex: Ankara Rose on Human Design and Astrology

    On this episode, we continues exploring stories with our guest Ankhara Rose creator of The Success Codex.  Since Episode 42, we've been exploring the stories we carry about ourselves, those we've inherit from other people and the ones we create about others. Today, you'll hear us  share thoughts and insights about authenticity, safety, and what it actually takes to stop performing a version of yourself and start living as the real one. Join our newsletter community at ExposingTheHiddenReality.com. About our guest Ankara Rose is the creator of The Success Codex, a system that blends human design and astrology through the lens of business, entrepreneurship, and leadership. She has spent more than twenty years as an entrepreneur and has trained a community of practitioners to use these tools without turning them into a new set of rules to live inside.  She is also a certified menopause doula, a musician, and a mother of two. The conversation opens with a question that comes up constantly in Sandra and Annette's coaching work: why is it that learning something about yourself so rarely translates into actually living differently? Ankara offers a way to think about that gap, moving from gathering information, to testing it in real life, to the point where the change simply becomes who you are without conscious effort. From there the conversation turns toward fear, and specifically the fear of being rejected for showing up as yourself.  We share personal experiences and the freedom that is possible when we see ourselves more clearly.  We talk honestly about the limits of any self-knowledge system, astrology and human design included. Ankara is candid that these tools are meant to be a starting point for self-trust, not a new authority to obey, and she describes how she asks consent before offering intuitive guidance to a client so that the relationship never tips into her being someone else's decision maker. The episode closes with a discussion of free will, and the idea that a chart or a codex hands you ingredients, but what you choose to bake is still entirely yours. Connect with Ankara Rose To generate your own Success Codex, visit freesuccesscodex.com and enter your birth date, time, and location. Ankara shares live readings most Fridays on Substack, searchable under The Success Codex at this link: https://thesuccesscodex.substack.com/ Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality Connect with Annette Garsteck: https://www.annettegarsteck.com Connect with Sandra Wint: https://www.me-her-us.com Photography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations

  2. Jul 16

    046: Why We Create Stories About Other People at Work

    How often have you convinced yourself you knew exactly why someone behaved the way they did? A delayed email. A difficult conversation. A decision you didn't expect. Before long, we've filled in the blanks with a story that feels completely true. But what if the story says more about us than it does about the other person? In this episode, Sandra and Annette explore how quickly we create stories about coworkers, leaders, and even strangers. Through everyday examples, including a simple coupon code that turned into an entire story about a team and its leadership, they unpack the difference between people problems and process problems, why curiosity is often replaced by certainty, and how those assumptions influence leadership, workplace relationships, and career decisions. If you've ever replayed a conversation, questioned someone's intentions, or wondered whether you've been carrying an old story longer than you should, this conversation invites you to pause before deciding you already know the answer. Join our newsletter community at ExposingTheHiddenReality.com. Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality Connect with Annette Garsteck: https://www.annettegarsteck.com Connect with Sandra Wint: https://www.me-her-us.com Photography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations

    046: Why We Create Stories About Other People at Work

  3. Jul 9

    045: Why Smart Women Get Workplace Conflict Wrong: When We Assume We Know Someone's Intentions

    What if one of the biggest causes of workplace conflict isn't what someone did, but the story we've created about why they did it? Sandra Wint and Annette Garsteck continue their exploration of the stories we carry, but this time, they turn their attention outward. Together, they unpack how quickly we assign meaning to other people's behavior and how those assumptions shape our relationships, leadership, workplace culture, and even our most intimate personal relationships. From bosses and coworkers to partners and family members, the stories we tell about other people's intentions often feel true, even when we have very little evidence. Sandra and Annette explore why smart, self-aware women still fall into the trap of assuming they know what someone else is thinking, feeling, or intending. They discuss the difference between facts and the stories we attach to those facts, why our past experiences color our interpretations, and how curiosity can transform conflict into understanding. Along the way, they share personal examples, leadership insights, and practical reflections on accountability, trust, favoritism, and the assumptions that quietly damage relationships at work and at home. The conversation concludes with two powerful frameworks for navigating difficult conversations: the BICA feedback model and the "withhold" process, offering practical tools for addressing conflict without judgment, assumption, or unnecessary harm. If you've ever found yourself convinced that you know exactly why someone behaved the way they did, this episode invites you to pause and ask a different question: What if there's another story? Join our newsletter community at ExposingTheHiddenReality.com for additional reflections, behind-the-scenes conversations, and resources that don't make it into the public episodes. Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality Connect with Annette Garsteck: https://www.annettegarsteck.com Connect with Sandra Wint: https://www.me-her-us.com Photography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations

    045: Why Smart Women Get Workplace Conflict Wrong: When We Assume We Know Someone's Intentions

  4. Jul 2

    044 Human Design for Leadership Self-Awareness and Career Growth

    What if the reason you've struggled at work isn't because you're doing something wrong, but because you've never fully understood how you're designed to work, lead, and grow? In this episode, we continue our exploration of Human Design and discuss how greater self-awareness can transform leadership, career growth, workplace relationships, and professional fulfillment. Sandra and Annette unpack how understanding your Human Design profile can help you navigate job interviews, workplace conflict, leadership transitions, organizational culture, entrepreneurship, and career decision-making. They explore the differences between generators, manifestors, manifesting generators, reflectors, and projectors, discuss why some work environments energize us while others drain us, and examine how understanding ourselves can help us stop internalizing every professional challenge as a personal failure. The conversation moves beyond Human Design itself and into one of the most important questions professional women face: How do we release the stories we've built about ourselves, extend grace to earlier versions of who we were, and create careers and lives that align with who we are becoming? Whether you're navigating leadership, considering a career change, building a business, or simply trying to understand yourself more deeply, this episode offers a powerful invitation to rethink the relationship between identity, work, and personal growth. Join the Exposing the Hidden Reality community and newsletter at ExposingTheHiddenReality.com for more conversations about leadership, identity, workplace dynamics, and growth. Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality Connect with Annette Garsteck: https://www.annettegarsteck.com Connect with Sandra Wint: https://www.me-her-us.com Photography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations

    044 Human Design for Leadership Self-Awareness and Career Growth

  5. Jun 25

    043: What Stories Are Hurting Your Career? Human Design, Identity, and Self-Awareness

    What if the story you've been carrying about yourself was never yours to begin with? Sandra and Annette explore how the labels, expectations, and stories we inherit shape our careers, relationships, leadership styles, and sense of self. Sandra shares how Human Design helped her better understand patterns she had struggled with for years. Together, they discuss how self-awareness can help us separate who we truly are from who we've been told to be, creating more self-compassion and a deeper understanding of how we naturally work, communicate, and lead. The conversation also explores a powerful question: What happens when the real challenge isn't you, but the system you're trying to fit into? If you've ever felt misunderstood, out of place, or like you're working against yourself, this episode offers a new perspective on identity, growth, and finding environments where you can thrive. Join our newsletter at ExposingTheHiddenReality.com for episode updates, exclusive insights, and behind-the-scenes conversations. Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality Connect with Annette Garsteck: https://www.annettegarsteck.com Connect with Sandra Wint: https://www.me-her-us.com Photography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations

    043: What Stories Are Hurting Your Career? Human Design, Identity, and Self-Awareness

  6. Jun 18

    042: Hidden Career Cost of Believing the Wrong Story

    The stories we believe about ourselves often become the stories that shape our careers. In this episode, Sandra and Annette explore how labels like bossy, selfish, and too much can influence confidence, leadership, workplace relationships, and professional growth. They discuss why feedback should be examined thoughtfully, how reputation can become a burden to manage, and why awareness is the first step toward rewriting the narratives that no longer serve us. Because the story holding you back may have been written by someone else. And the moment you ask, "Is that really true?" everything can begin to change.  Join us for this honest conversation about identity, leadership, and the stories we carry. Then join our newsletter community at ExposingTheHiddenReality.com and continue the conversation. Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality Connect with Annette Garsteck: https://www.annettegarsteck.com Connect with Sandra Wint: https://www.me-her-us.com Photography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations

    042: Hidden Career Cost of Believing the Wrong Story

  7. Jun 11

    041: AI Is Making Information Free. Expertise Is Becoming Priceless.

    Artificial intelligence is making information, content creation, and problem-solving more accessible than ever before. But what happens when everyone has access to the same tools? During Part 2 of their conversation with Jenn Prochaska of The Write Difference, Annette Garsteck and Sandra Wint explore how AI is changing marketing, entrepreneurship, coaching, and the future of work. As the discussion unfolds, a surprising theme emerges. While AI can accelerate learning, automate tasks, and remove barriers, it cannot replace lived experience, judgment, creativity, or human connection. From marketing frameworks and business strategy to cooking family recipes and developing mastery, the conversation highlights the difference between having information and knowing what to do with it. If you're wondering how AI will impact your career, business, or industry, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on what remains uniquely human. Join our community at https://www.exposingthehiddenreality.com for episode updates, exclusive resources, behind-the-scenes content, and insights we share only with our email subscribers. 00:00 Part Two Introduction  01:02 Human Art Still Matters 03:24 Rising to the AI Challenge 04:29 Copywriters Adapting Fast 07:34 Sharing AI Expertise with Clients  11:40 Authenticity Beats Automation 13:26 IP Fears 5:55 Experience Over Information 18:03 Community Over Going Alone 19:10 Wrap Up and Next Steps Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality Connect with Annette Garsteck: https://www.annettegarsteck.com Connect with Sandra Wint: https://www.me-her-us.com Photography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations

    041: AI Is Making Information Free. Expertise Is Becoming Priceless.

  8. Jun 5

    040: The Human Advantage: What AI Still Can’t Do

    Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work, market, hire, and build businesses, but what happens when everyone has access to the same tools? During this conversation, Annette Garsteck and Sandra Wint sit down with message strategist and copywriter Jenn Prochaska, of The Write Difference, to explore the opportunities, challenges, and unintended consequences of AI in today's workplace. From website copy and content creation to hiring, résumés, automation, and entrepreneurship, the conversation examines where AI shines, where it falls short, and why authenticity, relationships, and human expertise not only matter, but are a required point of differentiation. Jenn shares her firsthand perspective as a copywriter navigating an industry being transformed by AI, while Annette and Sandra discuss what they're seeing in career development, leadership, and business. If you are curious about the future of work, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about the role AI should play in your life and career. Join our community at https://www.exposingthehiddenreality.com for exclusive resources, episode updates, and the LinkedIn checklist with AI prompts referenced in this conversation. Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality Connect with Annette Garsteck: https://www.annettegarsteck.com Connect with Sandra Wint: https://www.me-her-us.com Photography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations

    040: The Human Advantage: What AI Still Can’t Do
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Bias, burnout, self-worth, and breaking barriers are not just buzzwords — they are the lived reality of women navigating leadership, workplace dynamics, and workplace culture every single day. Women's experiences take center stage here, exploring intersectionality, identity, and the invisible forces shaping professional visibility, belonging, and psychological safety at work.  Annette Garsteck, MBA, MPCC, is the author of Own Your Career: Take Control + Accelerate Your Professional Growth, a Certified Senior Professional Résumé Writer, and a former Fortune 50 hiring leader. She guides women to take ownership of their careers, increase their visibility, expand their influence, navigate workplace dynamics with confidence, and accelerate their growth while staying true to their values. Sandra Wint, GPCC, Human Design practitioner + Gestalt-certified coach integrating shadow work, mother wound healing, nervous system regulation, emotional safety, astrology, and frameworks like the Karpman Drama Triangle to support deep personal transformation and self-awareness. Delivering these in Women’s Circles + leadership retreats, she helps women better understand themselves, their relationships, and the systems they navigate. Each episode goes deep into trauma-informed leadership, the unspoken rules of power for women, and the influence women already hold but are rarely given permission to use. If you are a woman in leadership, or becoming one, who is done shrinking and ready to claim her space, this is your community.  On Exposing the Hidden Reality, we cover topics such as: Why do high-performing women stay in abusive relationships?  Why do women burn out faster than men at work? How does gender bias show up as "culture fit" in the workplace? How can women overcome imposter syndrome and people pleasing at work? What are the hidden barriers women face in leadership roles? How do working women balance personal and professional identity? Connect with Exposing the Hidden Reality: https://exposingthehiddenreality.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenreality Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenreality Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenreality 

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