Small Brave Moves

Nicole M. Bianchi
  • 4.9 (17)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Learn how to be braver in leadership and in life for exceptional results with Master Certified Executive Coach, Best Selling Author, and Certified Speaking Professional, Nicole M. Bianchi. Small Brave Moves is a podcast for mid-level to c-suite leaders who own their growth and development, know there is always room for improvement, and are ready to start making the Small Brave Moves to achieve their goals, unlock their full potential, and lead with confidence, clarity, and authenticity. 

  1. 23h ago

    Own Your Authority as a Leader Without Losing Your Humanity with Christina Pilarski

    She built an agency on her name, her reputation, her expertise, and convinced herself that controlling every project was leadership. She called it standards. Her team called it a bottleneck.  In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi sits down with Christina Pilarski — CEO and co-founder of CIPR Communications — for a conversation about the control that quietly becomes the ceiling in every high-achieving leader's career. Helping brands build their authority is Christina's life's work. Claiming that authority for herself turned out to be the hardest leadership work she's ever done.  Christina opens up about why she couldn't bring herself to put CEO on a business card for years, the moment she admitted to her team she was at a crossroads, and how that vulnerability created more confidence in her leadership than any polished performance ever had.  You'll leave this episode knowing how to: Recognize where control is quietly slowing your business downClaim your authority before you feel ready for it Understand why vulnerability doesn't weaken your leadership credibility — it strengthens itMake the daily brave choice to delegate, release, and lead from flow instead of fearBecause the leader your team truly needs isn't the one who puts their fingerprint on everything. It's the one who's brave enough to trust the people and systems they built.  Let Nicole know you're interested in attending a future Brave LeadHERship Retreat👇 Join the waitlist Follow along with Christina's journey👇 www.ciprcommunications.com LinkedIn Instagram Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your team 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

  2. Jul 22

    What It Really Means to Leave a Leadership Legacy After 30 Years as CHRO with Denice Biocca

    Most leaders spend their careers building something. Few stop to ask what they're actually leaving behind. In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi sits down with Denice Biocca — former CHRO of GE Vernova — on her very last day after 32 years with the company. Not just to celebrate what she built. To get honest about what it actually means to leave it behind. Denise spent three decades being the steady partner they called when the stakes were highest and the truth was hardest to hear. In this conversation, she gets candid about the side of legacy nobody talks about — the identity you have to release, the control you have to surrender, and the quiet fear that lives underneath every high achiever's need to stay in the middle of things: that the team might be wildly successful without you. She and Nicole explore why real legacy isn't just what you build — it's what you are brave enough to let go of. And why the leaders who leave the deepest mark are the ones who created space for others to climb mountains they never could have imagined. You'll leave this episode knowing how to: Reframe what legacy actually means — and why letting go is the final, most important act of great leadershipRecognize the hidden fear driving your need for control, and what it's quietly costing the people you leadNavigate a major identity transition with honesty and grace instead of tying your worth to a title that won't last foreverStart building your full life and your lasting legacy now — not on the other side of a transition that never feels like the right timeShe gave 32 years. This conversation is what she wants every leader to know before they do the same. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your team 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

  3. Jul 15

    The Inner Leadership Work Even a CEO Title Can't Prepare You For with Patricia Kearns

    She spent 24 years building one of the country's most respected rehabilitation organizations, earned the CEO title, then walked away from it — only to discover that the hardest leadership work of her career had nothing to do with running a company. It was learning to lead herself. In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi sits down with Pat Kearns — former President and CEO of QLI and current COO at Immanuel — for a conversation about what happens when a high-achieving leader steps out of the role that defined them and into the uncomfortable, necessary work of starting over.  Pat gets honest about the grip of control, the identity wrapped up in having all the answers, and what it actually feels like to be the newcomer in the room after decades at the top. She and Nicole dig into the real cost of controlling outcomes, why avoiding tough conversations early always costs more later, and the one mindset shift that has carried Pat through every major leadership transition of her career — choosing to see uncertainty as opportunity instead of threat. You'll leave this episode knowing how to: Recognize when control is quietly becoming the ceiling on your team's growth — and what to do before it costs you your best peopleNavigate a major leadership transition with patience and intention instead of defaulting back to old habitsUnderstand why preparation — not just courage — is what makes a tough conversation actually workWhatever transition you're navigating right now — a new role, a new chapter, or just a newer version of yourself — this conversation is your permission to lead through it without having it all figured out first. Let Nicole know you're interested in attending a future Brave LeadHERship Retreat👇 Join the waitlist Follow along with Pat's journey👇 Linkedln Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your team 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

  4. Jul 8

    Why Rescuing Your Team Is Not the Same as Leading Them with Amy Birkel

    She built a career caring for others — and somewhere along the way forgot to care for herself. For Amy Birkel, COO of Heritage Communities, rescuing her team wasn't just a habit. It was an identity. Learning the difference between rescuing and leading turned out to be the hardest leadership lesson of her career. In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi is joined by Amy Birkel — COO of Heritage Communities for a conversation that goes far deeper operational leadership. Amy gets honest about what it cost her to be the person who always had the answer, why letting go of control felt like losing herself, and what finally shifted when she gave herself permission to stop carrying what everyone assumed she was strong enough to handle. She and Nicole talk about the loneliness of leadership at the top, the guilt of working motherhood, and why the best servant leaders aren't the ones who give the most — they're the ones who know how to fill their own cup first.  You'll leave this episode understanding why it's important to: Recognize the difference between rescuing and leading — and why high achievers are most at risk of confusing the twoRelease the identity tied to always having the answer, and find a new source of fulfillment in empowering others to leadExtend real grace to yourself as a working parent, a leader under pressure, and a human being who doesn't always get it rightThis is a conversation for every high-achieving leader who has ever confused over-functioning with excellence. Let Nicole know you're interested in attending a future Brave LeadHERship Retreat👇 Join the waitlist Follow along with Amy's journey👇 Linkedln Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your team 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

  5. Jul 1

    What to do When the Bottleneck to Your Team's Growth is You with Cara Skowronski

    What if the bottleneck isn't your people, your process, or your plan? You've built a great team. You've got the strategy. And somehow, things still aren't moving the way they should. In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi sits down with Cara Skowronski — professional EOS implementer and former CEO and COO — for an honest conversation about the leadership blind spot most executives never see coming: themselves.  Their conversation goes deep on the inner battles that quietly keep leaders stuck: the need for external approval, the fear of trusting your team, and the moment you realize the biggest bottleneck in your organization is you. Cara shares the pivotal moment from when she attended Nicole's Brave LeadHERship Retreat that changed how she shows up in business and in life.  You'll leave this episode knowing how to: Recognize where control is quietly becoming the ceiling on your team's growth — and what to do about itUnderstand the difference between honesty and openness, and why openness is the harder, more critical leadership skill most leaders never fully developTake one Small Brave Move toward the thing you've been most afraid to let go of — because that's exactly where your team's breakthrough is waitingThe biggest unlock for your team's performance isn't a new strategy or a better process. It's you deciding to lead differently. Let Nicole know you're interested in attending a future Brave LeadHERship Retreat👇 Join the waitlist Follow along with Cara's journey👇 cara.skowronski@eosworldwide.com Linkedln Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your team 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

  6. Jun 24

    Why Every Leader Needs an Operating System That Makes Hard Decisions For Them

    You're leading. You're delivering. And somewhere underneath all of it, you know something is off — not with your team, not with your strategy, but with how you're operating as a leader. In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi makes the case that what most leaders are missing isn't better time management or a stronger vision — it's a leadership operating system. One that governs how they show up, how they decide, and how they protect what matters most before the pressure of the day gets to choose for them. Nicole walks through the five components of her Brave Operating System framework and gets personal about the moment she turned down a high-visibility opportunity that didn't fit her operating system, and why having the system meant the decision was already made before the moment arrived.  You'll leave this episode knowing how to: Build a Brave Operating System that keeps you grounded, decisive, and aligned with who you actually are as a leader when under pressure or making decisionsIdentify what's currently running your leadership when you don't have a system — and why it's costing you more than you thinkCreate a leadership mantra that becomes your filter, your anchor, and your standard on the hardest daysIf your calendar doesn't reflect your convictions, it's just a performance. This episode is where that changes. Sign up for Bravership Foundations: A curated audio course designed to help you develop the mindsets, habits, and behaviors of brave leadership one small step at a time. You’ll move through the three phases of Nicole Bianchi’s Bravership® framework — Small Brave Moves®, Five Tough Talks®, and Conquer Yourself — all packed with practical, real-world tools you can start using right away. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your team 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

  7. Jun 17

    How to Build a Leadership Culture That Sticks, Scales, and Actually Changes Things

    Most leaders say they want a better culture. Almost none of them actually build one. Not because they don't care — but because they're waiting for someone else to install the system. Forbes-featured leadership expert and keynote speaker Nicole Bianchi cuts through the culture-building noise in this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast. She makes the case that a brave culture doesn't start with an offsite, a workshop, or a new set of values on the wall. It starts with a leader who decides to operate differently — and a system that makes that decision stick.  Nicole shares Bravership®: her complete leadership culture operating system built on her three interconnected frameworks — Conquer Yourself™, Small Brave Moves® , and Five Tough Talks®. Together, they address the inner work leaders aren't doing, the daily courageous actions they aren't taking, and the conversations their teams desperately need but aren't having.  You'll leave this episode knowing how to: Use the three Bravership® frameworks together as a complete culture operating system — not a one-off initiativeDiagnose exactly where bravery is breaking down in your organization and which framework to deploy firstBuild a leadership culture where hard conversations happen early, people take ownership, and bravery becomes the standard — not the exceptionTake one immediate step this week toward shifting the culture you have into the culture your team actually needsFor culture leads and senior executives looking to build a high-trust, high-performance leadership culture from the inside out — this episode is the blueprint. Sign up for Bravership Foundations: A curated audio course designed to help you develop the mindsets, habits, and behaviors of brave leadership one small step at a time. You’ll move through the three phases of Nicole Bianchi’s Bravership® framework — Small Brave Moves®, Five Tough Talks®, and Conquer Yourself — all packed with practical, real-world tools you can start using right away. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your team 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

  8. Jun 10

    5 Signs Your Team is Out of Alignment: A Mid-Year Reset Guide for Leaders

    It's June. The vision you sold your team in January is dead. Nobody has said it out loud — including you. And that silence is exactly where team alignment goes to die. In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, keynote speaker and leadership expert Nicole Bianchi explains that misalignment doesn't announce itself — it shows up quietly in meetings that cover the same ground, tension nobody's naming, and a vision that's somehow become someone else's job to worry about. Nicole guides leaders through exactly how to apply the How We Work conversation — the first of her Five Tough Talks®  — as a deliberate mid-year reset for teams that have been grinding since January with nothing to show for the effort but tension and drift.  With just three questions and 90 minutes, teams walk away from this powerful conversation with the kind of clarity, commitment, and reset that no offsite or strategy deck has ever delivered.  You'll leave this episode knowing how to: Spot the five signals that tell you your team has drifted before it shows up in your resultsApply the same mid-year reset conversation Nicole is actively using inside senior leadership teams — and why one CEO said it transformed his team in two weeks Take one immediate step this week to stop the drift before it compounds any furtherYou don't need January energy or an offsite to have this conversation. You just need the courage to start it. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your team 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

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4.9
out of 5
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About

Learn how to be braver in leadership and in life for exceptional results with Master Certified Executive Coach, Best Selling Author, and Certified Speaking Professional, Nicole M. Bianchi. Small Brave Moves is a podcast for mid-level to c-suite leaders who own their growth and development, know there is always room for improvement, and are ready to start making the Small Brave Moves to achieve their goals, unlock their full potential, and lead with confidence, clarity, and authenticity. 

Information

  • Creator
    Nicole M. Bianchi
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    86
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Small Brave Moves
  • Show Website
    Small Brave Moves