The Impostor Syndrome Files

Kim Meninger
  • 5.0 (26)
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Do you ever feel like a fraud? Struggle with chronic self-doubt? Wonder if you really deserve your role? You’re not alone. As a leadership coach who’s battled impostor syndrome myself, I created this podcast to provide a place where professionals can share their stories, shed the silent shame and feel seen. Each episode features honest conversations with professionals from all walks of life who’ve faced impostor syndrome and found ways to move through it. We’ll also hear from experts who share practical strategies for managing ourselves and shaping environments that reduce the threat of impostor syndrome. Let’s erase the stigma. Let’s stop pretending we’re the only ones. And let’s come together to share, support and rise above the fear that keeps us playing small.

  1. Building a Life That Feels as Good as It Looks

    2D AGO

    Building a Life That Feels as Good as It Looks

    In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we explore what it takes to build a life that feels as good as it looks. My guest this week is Brandi Hudson, a performance coach who works with senior leaders in tech and finance to help them navigate pressure, redefine success and reconnect with internal fulfillment. Brandi shares her remarkable journey from being relentlessly driven by external achievement to realizing that success on paper didn’t automatically translate into happiness. Raised by teenage parents who equated success with safety and stability, Brandi learned early to meet every metric and exceed every expectation. From Ivy League acceptances and elite athletics to leading multimillion-dollar sales organizations, she did everything she was taught would guarantee fulfillment. And yet something was missing. In our conversation, we talk about Brandi’s relationship with pressure and worry, including how she once believed anxiety was the price of success. She explains how dense emotions often signal misalignment rather than motivation and why learning to hold pressure lightly can transform how we perform and lead. We also dig into the patterns high achievers develop early in life and how those patterns can quietly shape careers long after they stop serving us. Brandi walks us through powerful reflection practices she uses with her clients, including how to document success across your lifetime, re-train your brain to notice what’s going right and build internal validation instead of chasing external proof. We explore why self-awareness is the gateway to breaking unhelpful patterns and how understanding the root causes of our behaviors creates space for lasting change. We also discuss why personal growth doesn’t need to feel like a second full-time job, how intentional inner work creates more ease rather than more effort and why the most effective leaders learn to operate from clarity instead of fear.  About My Guest Brandi Hudson is a Performance Coach, speaker, and former executive who helps accomplished professionals create sustainable results through a repeatable process for success, grounded in alignment, not force. Her work blends strategy, systems, and emotional intelligence to help people trust their power—and know their success is inevitable. ~ Connect with Brandi: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandibhudson Substack: https://substack.com/@brandibhudson ~ Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files: Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge: https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group: https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumans Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Website: https://kimmeninger.com

    30 min
  2. Communicating More Clearly at Work

    APR 14

    Communicating More Clearly at Work

    In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about improving communication. My guest this week is Yosi Kossowsky, a leadership coach whose journey from engineering and technology to emotional wellness and behavioral neuroscience reshaped not only his career but his relationships, communication and impact as a leader. Yosi shares how early feedback about his leadership style forced him to confront a gap many high performers experience but struggle to name. While his technical abilities came easily, leading people exposed blind spots around self-awareness, emotional regulation and perception. Rather than dismissing that feedback, Yosi leaned into it, eventually immersing himself in emotional wellness therapy, behavioral neuroscience and leadership coaching. In our conversation, we talk about why communication breaks down even when we believe we are being clear, how our brains filter meaning based on past experience and why confirmation, not assumption, is one of the most powerful leadership tools available. Yosi offers a simple yet underused practice that can dramatically reduce misunderstanding, rework and frustration at work. We also explore why resistance to self-reflection remains strong, how stress and cultural division have intensified defensiveness in the workplace and why emotional education remains largely absent from how we develop leaders. Yosi offers practical ways to experiment with new communication behaviors without feeling awkward or confrontational. And he shares why treating leadership growth as a series of small experiments creates lasting change. About My Guest Yosi Kossowsky is a seasoned executive coach with over 18 years of experience and a background as a Chief Technology Officer and Senior Director of Talent Management. Yosi specializes in leadership development, personal growth, and effective communication, leveraging neuroscience and organizational development principles. He’s helped leaders across the globe navigate complex challenges, build high-performing teams, and drive meaningful change. Get ready to learn actionable strategies to enhance your leadership skills and foster a culture of trust and collaboration. ~ Connect with Yosi: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykossowsky/ ~ Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files: Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge: https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group: https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumans Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Website: https://kimmeninger.com

    43 min
  3. Harnessing Your Inner Strength

    APR 7

    Harnessing Your Inner Strength

    In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about harnessing your inner strength to overcome self-doubt. My guest this week is Dr. Jenn Donahue, an engineer, retired U.S. Navy officer and author of the book, Becoming the Warrior: Harnessing Your Inner Strength to Silence Self-Doubt. Jenn’s journey spans ocean engineering, seismic design and military leadership across some of the most high-pressure environments in the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan. But her most powerful transformation has been personal: learning to quiet the voice of self-doubt and lead with authenticity, even in the most high-stakes arenas. Jenn shares how her early confidence gave way to self-doubt as she pursued advanced degrees and navigated toxic workplace cultures. We explore what it feels like to be the only woman in the room, the cost of trying to lead like someone you’re not and how finding the right mentor helped Jenn embrace a leadership style grounded in empathy and trust. She also introduces her warrior framework, a science-backed, practical system built from her military and engineering experience to help others reframe their inner dialogue and lead with greater confidence. About My Guest Jenn Donahue, PhD, PE is an international keynote speaker, retired U.S. Navy captain, business coach, and one of America’s leading experts on leadership and personal growth. Her mission is to walk alongside leaders, quiet the voices holding them back, and show them how to become the leaders they were meant to be. Because leadership isn’t about the spotlight—it’s about service, courage, and building others up. Over her twenty-seven-year military career, Jenn built a bridge across the Euphrates River during the Iraq War, commanded an eight-hundred-personnel battalion in Afghanistan, and led the construction of combat outposts in hostile desert terrain. In her inspiring debut book, “Becoming the Warrior: Harnessing Your Inner Strength to Silence Self-Doubt,” Jenn draws from her experiences on the battlefield to build a framework that helps readers combat their inner critics, achieve their goals, and uncover the warrior within them. ~ Connect with Jenn: Website: www.warriorframework.com ~ Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files: Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge: https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group: https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumans Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Website: https://kimmeninger.com

    32 min
  4. When Life Interrupts: Leading Through Caregiving

    MAR 31

    When Life Interrupts: Leading Through Caregiving

    In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we explore caregiving. My guest this week is Cynthia Iorio, founder and managing director of Monarch Solutions, who shares how her own experiences of how caring for her terminally ill parents disrupted and reshaped her 25-year career and how this ultimately led her to redefine what leadership looks like. We talk about the invisible burden millions of professionals carry as they juggle work and caregiving. Cynthia opens up about the moment her identity shifted, not just as a daughter but as a caregiver, without even realizing it at the time. From project management to emotional survival, she breaks down how her professional skills translated into deeply personal leadership, and how self-compassion became her most powerful tool. Cynthia also shares why companies need to do more to support caregivers in their workforces and what actionable steps they can take to retain and empower professionals navigating caregiving responsibilities. We talk about the pressure high achievers face to hold it all together, the career impact of caregiving leaves and the mindset shifts needed to survive the uncertainty of caregiving without losing yourself in the process. About My Guest Cynthia Iorio is a Certified Caregiving Consultant™ and Program Management Professional based in Montreal, QC with over 20 years of experience working in Tech, Media, and Aerospace.  Her life has been shaped by what she calls the privilege of caring for both of her late parents through their untimely illnesses, and she has a deep understanding of the sacrifices and triumphs of taking on an informal caregiving role. Through her business Monarque Solutions and Top 100 podcast Love.Transform.Evolve, which explores the caregiver’s experience, Cynthia is transforming perspectives in caregiving while empowering organizations to partner with their working caregiver demographic, turning a perceived liability into a competitive advantage. ~ Connect with Cynthia: Website: https://www.monarquesolutions.com/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2p8WGa38RZUT0fSnzX836L?si=bbdd6c889ae34df3 ~ Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files: Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge: https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group: https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumans Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Website: https://kimmeninger.com

    34 min
  5. Navigating the Tech Industry with Confidence

    MAR 24

    Navigating the Tech Industry with Confidence

    In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about what it takes to survive and thrive in the high-stakes world of big tech, especially as a woman in engineering. My guest this week is Jossie Haines, a leadership coach for engineering leaders and women in tech, whose journey spans major roles at companies like Apple, Zynga and Tile. Jossie opens up about the culture shock she experienced when she joined Apple, how impostor syndrome almost drove her out of the tech industry and the mindset shift that helped her reclaim her power and purpose. Together, we explore how hidden systems and subtle exclusion can erode your confidence, and what it looks like to rebuild it by honoring your strengths, setting boundaries and creating your own definition of success. About My Guest Jossie Haines is an executive coach, fractional engineering leader, and AI advocate with over 25 years of experience at Apple, Tile, and Zynga. She helps engineering leaders succeed in their first 90 days, show up as the strategic leaders they were hired to be, and leverage AI to optimize their time. Her mission is to retain women in tech and empower leaders to build inclusive, high-performing teams. ~ Connect with Jossie: Website: www.jossiehaines.com Get Promoted Private Podcast: https://jossiehaines.com/get-promoted-podcast-signup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jossiemann/ ~ Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files: Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge: https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group: https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumans Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Website: https://kimmeninger.com

    32 min
  6. Staying Calm Under Pressure

    MAR 17

    Staying Calm Under Pressure

    In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about managing emotional intensity in high-stakes situations. My guest this week is Jeremy Hurewitz, author of Sell Like a Spy and a corporate consultant, who draws on years of working alongside intelligence professionals, such as FBI hostage negotiators, CIA case officers, and special forces, to teach practical strategies for emotional regulation, active listening and managing difficult conversations. Here Jeremy shares why connection and empathy are the superpowers of elite negotiators, and how we can translate those same skills to our workplace and personal relationships. We talk about what to do when emotions run high, how to tell the difference between personal and situational conflict and why learning to let someone vent might be the best first step in defusing tension. About My Guest Jeremy Hurewitz started his career overseas as a freelance journalist for a decade based out of Prague and Shanghai. During that time, he also built and ran the international newspaper association Project Syndicate. After returning to his native New York, Jeremy joined the world of corporate security. An influential but little-known industry, Jeremy works with intelligence officers and other former government officials across a range of services including kidnap-for-ransom consulting, background investigations, executive protection, and many other sensitive assignments. Jeremy is the author of Sell Like a Spy, which bring spy tradecraft to business and everyday communications. Jeremy writes regularly on foreign policy for a wide range of publications and is a policy advisor on National Security for the Joseph Rainey Center. He is a Strategic Advisor to the corporate intelligence firm Interfor International and head of Interfor Academy.  ~ Connect with Jeremy: Website: https://www.selllikeaspy.net/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jeremy-Hurewitz/author/B0CNQ4KTZS?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1754401438&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true ~ Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files: Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge: https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group: https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumans Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Website: https://kimmeninger.com

    27 min
  7. How Perception Shapes Our Confidence

    MAR 10

    How Perception Shapes Our Confidence

    In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we take a closer look at a topic that quietly shapes every professional interaction we have: perception. My guest this week is Shira Abel, keynote speaker, marketing expert and creator of the Perception Formula. Shira brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing, sales and teaching to show us why understanding how others see us is essential to building stronger relationships, communicating with clarity and showing up with confidence. Shira breaks down her perception formula, which includes heuristics, hormones, history and heritage. We explore cultural and socioeconomic differences, the role of social conditioning and how much of our daily communication happens on autopilot. Shira also shares practical strategies for preparing for conversations, reading the room and navigating the nuances of communicating online. Here we talk about the growing influence of AI on communication and personal brand, including how to use AI tools responsibly without losing your own voice. Shira also opens up about confidence, what it really means and why it has less to do with fearlessness and more to do with self-trust and the willingness to get back up after failure. About My Guest Shira Abel is the go-to-market expert trusted by category-leading enterprises including Siemens, Samsung, AXA, and Allianz. As the founder of Hunter & Bard and creator of The Perception Formula, she helps companies reshape how they’re seen, so they can close bigger deals, earn trust faster, and grow with intention. Her perception work has doubled sales for tech companies and enabled clients to land enterprise deals they previously thought were out of reach. Shira holds an MBA from Kellogg, has taught at UC Berkeley, and is recognized globally as a keynote speaker and business mentor. She’s driven over a billion dollars in economic impact and scaled her own agency to seven-figure revenue, an accomplishment fewer than 2% of female founders achieve. ~ Connect with Shira: Website: https://shiraabel.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiraabel/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/shiraabel ~ Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files: Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge: https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group: https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumans Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Website: https://kimmeninger.com

    33 min
  8. How to Shift Your Mindset

    MAR 3

    How to Shift Your Mindset

    In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we dig into what’s happening under the hood when we feel triggered, anxious or stuck. My guest this week is Mitch Weisburgh, educator, author and founder of MindShifting with Mitch. After years in edtech and instructional design, Mitch turned his attention to a deeper question: How do we teach people to manage their brains so they can be more resourceful, resilient and collaborative in the face of challenge? Mitch shares powerful insights on why your brain’s first reaction is rarely the most helpful, how to recognize your “saboteurs” in action and why self-awareness is the first step to real growth. We explore how meditation, mindfulness and even simple positive self-talk can begin to interrupt unconscious patterns, and how teachers, parents and leaders can model better thinking for the next generation. We also talk about the work Mitch is doing with educators across the country and his mission to empower 5 million people to lead with greater emotional intelligence and effectiveness. About My Guest Mitch’s goal is to grow a critical mass of people who live happy, productive lives—resilient, resourceful, and collaborative in the face of obstacles, adversaries, and unintended outcomes. From 1981 through 2000, Mitch founded and ran Personal Computer Learning Centers of America, training adults in the use of computers and growing the company to over 130 employees. In 2005, he cofounded Academic Business Advisors, which helped organizations make a difference and reach more students in U.S. schools. He also launched nonprofit organizations in education such as Games4Ed and Edchat Interactive. MindShifting: Stop Your Brain from Sabotaging Your Happiness and Success (December 2024) focuses on techniques to shift from mindsets that hold us back to ones that propel us forward. ~ Connect with Mitch: Newsletter: https://mindshiftingwithmitch.blog/ Website: https://www.mindshiftingwithmitch.com/ Book: MindShifting, Stop Your Brain from Sabotaging Your Happiness and Success: https://a.co/d/242NDWd MindShifting Courses: https://events.humanitix.com/host/mitchell-weisburgh LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mweisburgh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weisburghm/ X: https://x.com/weisburghm ~ Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files: Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge: https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group: https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumans Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Website: https://kimmeninger.com

    33 min
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5
out of 5
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About

Do you ever feel like a fraud? Struggle with chronic self-doubt? Wonder if you really deserve your role? You’re not alone. As a leadership coach who’s battled impostor syndrome myself, I created this podcast to provide a place where professionals can share their stories, shed the silent shame and feel seen. Each episode features honest conversations with professionals from all walks of life who’ve faced impostor syndrome and found ways to move through it. We’ll also hear from experts who share practical strategies for managing ourselves and shaping environments that reduce the threat of impostor syndrome. Let’s erase the stigma. Let’s stop pretending we’re the only ones. And let’s come together to share, support and rise above the fear that keeps us playing small.

Information

  • Creator
    Kim Meninger
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    316
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Impostor Syndrome Files
  • Show Website
    The Impostor Syndrome Files

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