This is How She Did It with Bonnie Habyan: Top Women Podcast, Conversations for Women, GenX Women, MidLife Women on Claiming

Bonnie Habyan

Welcome to This is How She Did It—a bold, honest, and inspiring space for women who are building success on their own terms. Here, we spotlight real conversations with women who've faced big challenges, pushed through fear, and stepped into their worth with grit and authenticity. These are stories of persistence, reinvention, and those "finally me" moments that change everything—no fluff, just powerful insights, unfiltered wisdom, and hard-earned lessons from women who refused to be held back and created their path to find success and overcome adversity. If you're looking for authentic connection, courage, and practical takeaways for creating the life or career you want, you're in the right place. Because your story isn't over—it's unfolding with every step you take toward your goals and every time you truly know your worth. This podcast will answer questions like: What does success look like for women today—and how do we give ourselves permission to redefine it? How do women rebuild confidence after a career break, pivot, or setback? How do women overcome the fear of starting over—and what does it look like to push through when doubt and uncertainty arise? How can women know and own their worth—claiming their value and embracing their strengths? How can women not only own their dreams but also refuse to apologize for them? What are practical ways women can put themselves out there again—authentically and boldly? How do women quiet the inner critic and reclaim their voice and power? What does resilience really look like when life doesn't go according to plan? How can women turn life lessons and hard-earned wisdom into something meaningful? How do women surround themselves with others who get it—their tribe—those who accept them for who they are and support their ambitions and dreams? What small (but powerful) steps can women take today to move toward the life they want next? Most importantly, you'll hear the real stories of women who have faced fear head-on, pushed through, and emerged stronger. Because the world needs more women who know their worth, go after what they want, and aren't afraid to stand in it—no matter what. Let's build, rise, and do it together—unapologetically. 💪✨

  1. 5d ago

    #30 How to Stop Waiting and Start Before You Feel Ready

    How to Stop Waiting and Start Before You Feel Ready How long have you been telling yourself you will make the move when you feel more confident, more qualified, or finally ready? The problem may not be that you are incapable. You may simply be waiting for a feeling that never comes. In this episode, the message is simple: confidence is not the prerequisite for action. Very often, it is the result of taking action. Jamie Hess knows what it means to move before she feels ready. After addiction brought her to what she calls the "gift of desperation," she reached out for help, rebuilt her life, and began redefining what success meant to her. Today, her work through the Gratitudeology Podcast, speaking, coaching, content creation, and her book The Gratitude Shift centers on gratitude, resilience, mindset, and helping people move forward through fear. What makes this conversation so relatable is that you do not need to have experienced addiction to recognize the patterns Jamie describes. We all have stories we repeat: I'm too old. It's too late. I'm not qualified. I'll be happy when. Jamie offers a question that can interrupt that thinking: Is it a fact, or is it simply a story you have rehearsed enough times that it feels true? We also talk about the difference between achievement and alignment. Jamie spent 17 years climbing the corporate ladder and learned that promotions, paychecks, and praise can look like success while you quietly move further away from the person you want to become. That distinction matters for anyone who looks successful on paper but knows something still feels off. And we get practical about what it takes to change. Jamie explains how gratitude can train your attention, how she uses reframing and affirmations when fear and imposter syndrome show up, why failure can be useful feedback, and why you do not need one giant courageous moment to change your life. You need the next small act of courage. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN Recognize why waiting to feel ready can keep you stuck. Separate achievement from alignment and rethink what success means to you. Question limiting beliefs that have started to feel like facts. Use gratitude as a practice for changing what your mind pays attention to. Reframe fear and imposter syndrome before they make the decision for you. See failure and rejection as part of growth rather than proof you should stop. Take one small courageous step instead of waiting for a perfect plan. Put yourself back on your own to-do list and intentionally reinvest in your growth. KEY TIMESTAMPS 00:00:02 - Why waiting to feel ready keeps us stuck 00:01:24 - Confidence comes after action 00:02:14 - Jamie's addiction story and the gift of desperation 00:04:29 - Why feeling scared does not mean you are making the wrong decision 00:06:28 - Achievement versus alignment 00:08:34 - Is it a fact or a story you have rehearsed? 00:09:37 - How gratitude can reset what your brain pays attention to 00:16:24 - Reframing imposter syndrome in everyday moments 00:21:32 - Why Jamie believes failure means you tried 00:25:49 - The hidden cost of waiting WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR This episode is for anyone who knows there is something more they want to do, change, build, or become but keeps waiting to feel completely ready. If fear, self-doubt, other people's opinions, or the need for a perfect plan have been keeping you on the sidelines, Jamie's perspective offers a practical way to start moving. If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to This Is How SHE Did It, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who would benefit from these insights. 🎧 Listen now to This Is How SHE Did It with Bonnie Habyan 👉 Follow Bonnie on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bonnie-habyan 👉 Visit: meetbonnieh.com

    #30 How to Stop Waiting and Start Before You Feel Ready
  2. Oct 7

    How to Get Ahead of Change: Lessons from Amazon Autos' Leader Fan Jin

    What if the next big opportunity in your career begins before you feel completely ready? What does it take to build a new business inside one of the world's most innovative companies? In this episode of This Is How SHE Did It, Bonnie Habyan sits down with Fan Jin, Head of Amazon Autos, to discuss how Amazon is transforming the car-buying experience through customer obsession, innovation, and technology. But this conversation goes far beyond buying cars. Fan shares her remarkable journey from Amazon intern to leading one of Amazon's newest businesses. Along the way, she reveals the leadership principles that helped her navigate uncertainty, build trust, make fast decisions, find mentors, and create meaningful change inside one of the world's most customer-focused companies. Whether you're a leader, entrepreneur, executive, or someone looking to accelerate your career, this episode offers practical insights on innovation, confidence, decision-making, and becoming a changemaker. What You'll Learn Why you don't have to know everything before taking the next step How Amazon builds new businesses by starting with the customer Why speed often matters more than perfection How great leaders balance data with judgment The role mentors play in accelerating your career How to develop the mindset needed to lead through uncertainty In This Episode 00:00 - Why buying a car has been so frustrating 00:28 - Amazon Autos and the bigger mission 01:41 - How Amazon identified the opportunity 03:36 - Why consumers struggle with the buying process 05:29 - How Amazon Autos works today 07:27 - What makes Amazon Autos different 09:13 - Leading in traditionally male-dominated industries 13:06 - Balancing data, judgment, and speed 15:40 - Why Amazon embraces fast iteration 18:02 - Mentorship and career growth 20:33 - Learning without being the expert 22:47 - The future of Amazon Autos 24:46 - Fan's advice for women ready for their next opportunity If you've ever wondered how great leaders build innovative businesses, lead through uncertainty, or create meaningful change inside large organizations, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to This Is How SHE Did It for inspiring conversations with women who are redefining leadership, building remarkable careers, and creating lasting impact. Connect with Bonnie Habyan: Website: https://www.meetbonnieh.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-habyan Subscribe to the This Is How SHE Did It LinkedIn Newsletter for more leadership insights, career strategies, and inspiring stories. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who's ready to stop waiting and start building what's next.

    How to Get Ahead of Change: Lessons from Amazon Autos' Leader Fan Jin
  3. Sep 2

    How to Find Your People with Friendship Expert Shasta Nelson

    Why is making new friends as adults sometimes harder than we expect? Most women don't struggle with friendship because they're bad friends. They struggle because adulthood changes the very conditions that friendships need to grow. Between careers, marriage, children, moves, caregiving, and life's inevitable transitions, many women quietly find themselves surrounded by people—but missing the deep connection they crave. In this heartfelt conversation, Bonnie Habyan sits down with friendship expert, speaker, and bestselling author Shasta Nelson to unpack why adult friendships feel so different, what causes meaningful relationships to slowly fade, and, most importantly, how we can intentionally build the kind of friendships that enrich our lives. At the heart of the conversation is Shasta's powerful Friendship Triangle—three essential ingredients every healthy relationship needs: positivity, consistency, and vulnerability. Together, they provide a simple but transformative framework for understanding why some friendships flourish while others slowly drift apart. Bonnie and Shasta also explore the challenges many women face as they navigate major life transitions, relocate to new communities, balance marriage with personal friendships, step into leadership roles, and cope with the loneliness that can quietly accompany success. Throughout the conversation, Shasta offers practical, research-backed guidance that reminds us friendship isn't something that simply happens—it's something we intentionally cultivate. In This Episode You'll Learn: Why adult friendships naturally become more difficult than childhood friendships How the Friendship Triangle of positivity, consistency, and vulnerability creates lasting connection Why loneliness is often about lacking depth—not lacking people How major life transitions quietly cause friendships to drift Why expecting one friend to meet every emotional need sets relationships up for disappointment How to rebuild meaningful friendships after moving, changing careers, or entering a new season of life Why leaders often experience greater loneliness—and what they can do about it A simple exercise you can use today to strengthen the friendships that matter most Key Timestamps: 00:00:02 – Why adult friendships feel harder than they used to 00:02:10 – Understanding loneliness beyond simply being alone 00:04:11 – The Friendship Triangle: positivity, consistency, and vulnerability 00:06:36 – Why healthy relationships need far more positive than negative interactions 00:09:27 – Starting over and making friends after a major life change 00:15:09 – Marriage, friendship, and respecting different social needs 00:19:30 – Why friendships naturally drift over time 00:22:04 – Conflict, disappointment, and repairing friendships instead of walking away 00:24:54 – Why leadership can be surprisingly lonely 00:30:56 – Practical steps anyone can take to build stronger friendships today Who This Episode Is For This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered why friendships seem harder as an adult, felt lonely despite being surrounded by people, experienced friendships changing after a move or major life transition, or wants to build deeper, healthier, and more meaningful relationships. If you've ever questioned whether you're the only one struggling to find lasting connection, this conversation will reassure you that you're not alone—and give you practical tools to change that. If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to This Is How SHE Did It, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who would benefit from these insights. 🎧 Listen now to This Is How SHE Did It with Bonnie Habyan 👉 Follow Bonnie on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bonnie-habyan 👉 Visit: meetbonnieh.com

    How to Find Your People with Friendship Expert Shasta Nelson
  4. Aug 5

    She Walked Away From the "Perfect" Career and Built Her Own Path

    What if the career everyone admires… is the one quietly draining you? She Walked Away From the "Perfect" Career and Built Her Own Path  In this episode of *This Is How SHE Did It*, Rae Liu shares the deeply personal story behind walking away from the path that looked "successful" on paper: Columbia University, the World Bank, the corporate track, only to realize none of it felt aligned. Instead of staying stuck in a life that looked good from the outside, she chose uncertainty, reinvention, and eventually co-founding Leatherology into the powerhouse brand it is today. This conversation is about identity, fear, ambition, confidence, and what happens when women stop waiting for permission to build lives that actually fit them. 01:09 — Ray shares feeling lost in her mid-20s and reassessing her path. 03:55 — The "build the house you want to live in" business philosophy. 06:37 — Introduction to Leatherology and what the company does. 08:24 — Ray explains trying pastry and accessories before finding her fit. 11:45 — Family reaction and her father's entrepreneurial background. 16:44 — The risk of leaving a stable career to start something new. 27:07 — Final advice: ask what brings you joy, what must change, and what you want to look back on. If you've ever questioned your path… this episode will hit home. 🎧 Listen now to *This Is How SHE Did It* with Bonnie Habyan 👉 Subscribe to the podcast: www.meetbonnieh.com 👉 Follow Bonnie on LinkedIn:  👉 Get the *This Is How SHE Did It* newsletter: https://bit.ly/49p85HV ✨ Power is built. One move at a time.

    She Walked Away From the "Perfect" Career and Built Her Own Path
  5. Jun 3

    How to Reinvent Yourself: 5 Fearless Lessons from Joan Lunden

    Joan Lunden was the face of Good Morning America for 17 years. Then, at 46, she was let go. What followed became one of the most powerful stories of reinvention, resilience, and women's empowerment in modern media. In this deeply inspiring conversation, Joan Lunden opens up about breaking into a male-dominated television industry, rebuilding her identity after public career loss, and transforming a breast cancer diagnosis into a mission that changed women's healthcare advocacy forever. 💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Reinvention never retires Resilience is built through adversity Starting over is not failure — it's evolution Your purpose is bigger than your title Want it more than you're afraid of it She also reflects on the advice that shaped her career from Barbara Walters, her groundbreaking partnership with Charlie Gibson, and the mindset that helped her continue evolving through every chapter of life. Her message is unforgettable: "They can take you out of a job, but they can't fire you from your gift." This episode is a masterclass in self-improvement, intentional living, resilience, and how to succeed when life forces you to start over. 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Joan Lunden's reinvention story 03:43 Breaking barriers for women in television 05:28 Barbara Walters' career advice 08:36 Being a working mother before it was accepted 10:24 Leaving Good Morning America and redefining success 13:10 "You can't get fired from your gift" 19:45 Public scrutiny and staying grounded 24:37 Breast cancer and women's health advocacy 27:00 The fight for mandatory mammogram reporting 33:53 Advice for women afraid to start over This conversation is for anyone navigating: • Career transitions • Burnout or identity shifts • Women in leadership • Personal growth and healing • Breast cancer awareness • Reinvention after loss or change 🔔 Subscribe for conversations about resilience, reinvention, leadership, healing, and personal growth. Resources 🔔 Subscribe to my newsletter here for weekly conversations with people who refuse to be defined by their hardest moments. Visit my website here: www.meetbonnieh.com #WomenEmpowerment #MindsetMotivation #PersonalDevelopmentPodcast #OvercomingAdversity #SelfImprovementPodcast #BOLDMethod #AudaciousExpansion #Resilience #ErikaRothenberger #WomenInLeadership #PersonalGrowth #ResiliencePodcast #WomenEmpowermentPodcast #PersonalDevelopment #Podcast

    How to Reinvent Yourself: 5 Fearless Lessons from Joan Lunden
  6. May 6

    How to Become Unbreakable and Rise After the Unthinkable

    In 2022, civil engineer and entrepreneur Erika Rothenberger was violently attacked in her workplace parking lot — and it changed everything. In this powerful episode, Erika shares the 5-step framework she used to go from victim to advocate, from shattered to stronger. What you'll learn: → Why resilience isn't about being unbreakable → How to reclaim your sense of identity after trauma → The one mindset shift that turned her pain into purpose → How she's fighting to change strangulation laws in Pennsylvania → Why community is the #1 factor in trauma recovery Erika is a TEDx speaker, host of the "Grit, Grace & Glitz" podcast, founder of the Audacious Women's Summit, and author of the upcoming book "Audacious Expansion." ⏱ 00:00 – Introduction 02:15 – The attack that changed everything 07:30 – Rock bottom & the identity crisis 13:00 – The engineering mindset applied to trauma 19:45 – Step 1: Acknowledge but don't be defined 23:10 – Step 2: Redefine resilience 27:00 – Step 3: Build your support community 31:20 – Step 4: One small empowered action 35:50 – Step 5: Turn pain into purpose 41:00 – The Audacious Women's Summit & what's next                                                                                                                      🎧 Listen now to This Is How SHE Did It with Bonnie Habyan 👉 Follow Bonnie on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bonnie-habyan Visit meetbonnieh.com #TraumaRecovery #WomenEmpowerment #ResilienceStory #SurvivorStory #AudaciousWomen #GritGraceGlitz #TedxSpeaker #WomenInEngineering #MentalHealthAwareness #PodcastForWomen

    How to Become Unbreakable and Rise After the Unthinkable
5
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Welcome to This is How She Did It—a bold, honest, and inspiring space for women who are building success on their own terms. Here, we spotlight real conversations with women who've faced big challenges, pushed through fear, and stepped into their worth with grit and authenticity. These are stories of persistence, reinvention, and those "finally me" moments that change everything—no fluff, just powerful insights, unfiltered wisdom, and hard-earned lessons from women who refused to be held back and created their path to find success and overcome adversity. If you're looking for authentic connection, courage, and practical takeaways for creating the life or career you want, you're in the right place. Because your story isn't over—it's unfolding with every step you take toward your goals and every time you truly know your worth. This podcast will answer questions like: What does success look like for women today—and how do we give ourselves permission to redefine it? How do women rebuild confidence after a career break, pivot, or setback? How do women overcome the fear of starting over—and what does it look like to push through when doubt and uncertainty arise? How can women know and own their worth—claiming their value and embracing their strengths? How can women not only own their dreams but also refuse to apologize for them? What are practical ways women can put themselves out there again—authentically and boldly? How do women quiet the inner critic and reclaim their voice and power? What does resilience really look like when life doesn't go according to plan? How can women turn life lessons and hard-earned wisdom into something meaningful? How do women surround themselves with others who get it—their tribe—those who accept them for who they are and support their ambitions and dreams? What small (but powerful) steps can women take today to move toward the life they want next? Most importantly, you'll hear the real stories of women who have faced fear head-on, pushed through, and emerged stronger. Because the world needs more women who know their worth, go after what they want, and aren't afraid to stand in it—no matter what. Let's build, rise, and do it together—unapologetically. 💪✨

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