Unmute Yourself

Jennifer Carter
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  • Updated Biweekly

This podcast is about lifting the curtain on leadership, purpose, and the real stories behind people who dared to do things differently. We’ll talk about how they found their path, the struggles they faced, and how they built something that truly matters. These are everyday people doing extraordinary things, and I want you to know, you are capable of that too.

Episodes

  1. Apr 1

    Season 3 EP 12: You Don’t Manifest What You Want, You Manifest What You Believe | Courtney Confare

    What if the reason you feel stuck isn’t your circumstances… but your beliefs? What if the life you’ve been waiting for is already available—but your mindset is keeping you from stepping into it? In this episode, Courtney Confare, founder of Encoded, shares how she rewired her thinking, built self-trust, and created a life by design—without waiting for certainty, permission, or a perfect plan. From moving to a new city knowing no one, to building a thriving network and launching a platform that helps people identify and rewire limiting beliefs, Courtney shows us that action, clarity, and belief are more powerful than luck or talent. We dive into: How beliefs shape your results—and why thoughts alone aren’t enough The power of self-trust and stopping the habit of outsourcing your clarity Nervous system regulation vs. increasing its capacity How to create meaningful change without force, friction, or willpower The story behind Encoded and the daily practices that make transformation sustainable Real-life strategies to step into your identity and show up fully as yourself 00:00 – Welcome 00:16 – Meet Courtney 02:17 – Beliefs & “magic” 04:20 – Detachment & letting go 05:55 – Thoughts → feelings → actions → results 08:25 – How Encoded works: journal + app 10:06 – Moving to Austin & building a community 14:31 – Building self-trust & trusting your own voice 17:12 – Nervous system regulation vs. capacity 18:43 – Reframing rejection 22:13 – Lightning round: unmuting your truth 24:46 – Final takeaway Connect with our guest: Courtney Confare Email: confarecourtney@gmail.com Website: https://www.encoded.ai/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyconfare/ Connect with Jennifer Carter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercartersocialimpact/ Instagram: @unmuteyourself Website: https://flashlightthinking.com Ready to make a decision you’ve been avoiding? Book a strategy call: https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call Watch the full episode and follow the podcast: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast What beliefs are quietly shaping your life—and which ones are ready to be rewritten? Music: “Your Way” by Mark July Licensed by Uppbeat License code: KKHUU4BLYO3R5SKJ https://uppbeat.io/t/mark-july/your-way #UnmuteYourself #SelfTrust #MindsetShift #PersonalGrowth #Podcast

  2. Mar 30

    Season 3 EP11: Rebuilding Life After Loss with Beth Stowell Reed

    Life doesn’t give you a manual for losing everything. Beth’s story is messy, raw, and full of moments that make you stop and breathe. This episode with Beth Stowell Reed is about what happens when life changes overnight and you don’t get a say in it. After losing her husband just months after his diagnosis, Beth was left to navigate grief, identity, and the impossible task of starting over. What stayed with me wasn’t just her story… it was her perspective. We talk about: - Walking someone “home” - Finding humor in the hardest moments - Letting go of perfection - Choosing herself, over and over again This is a conversation about resilience but not the polished kind. The real kind. The kind that rebuilds you. 00:00 Welcome & Beth’s story begins 01:30 Moving back home & starting over 06:20 The diagnosis that changed everything 08:30 Losing her husband & navigating grief 15:40 Rebuilding life from the ground up 19:00 Finding purpose & returning to work 22:00 Writing, healing, and finding her voice 24:00 Humor as a survival tool 25:50 Letting go of perfection 27:00 Boundaries, identity, and self-trust 28:30 Final reflections: grace and patience Let’s talk: https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast Where are you still trying to hold onto a life that no longer fits? Contact Our Guest – Beth Stowell Reed: Email: bsreed4@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-stowell-reed/ Connect with Jennifer: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercartersocialimpact/ Instagram: @unmuteyourself Website: https://flashlightthinking.com Music: “Your Way” by Mark July Licensed by Uppbeat License code: KKHUU4BLYO3R5SKJ https://uppbeat.io/t/mark-july/your-way #Healing #LifeAfterLoss #SelfDiscovery #WomenWhoLead #UnmuteYourself #PersonalGrowth #Resilience

  3. Mar 26

    SEASON 3 E10: Losing Yourself to Find Yourself with Jodi Wilding

    Jodi Wilding had a life most people would romanticize: travel, freedom, adventure. And she walked away. She chose the stable path, the path that looked right to others, and slowly… lost herself. I hear versions of this story all the time. Not because women don’t know what they want, but because they stop trusting themselves enough to go after it. This episode is about that exact moment, when you realize something’s off, and you can’t unsee it. We talk about: Losing touch with your intuition The hidden cost of following the “right” path Burnout, guilt, and silent dissatisfaction What it takes to come back to yourself and reclaim your power If something in your life feels off, don’t ignore it. That feeling isn’t random — it’s your inner voice asking to be heard. If you’re circling a decision you already know you need to make— let’s talk. https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call Subscribe, follow, and share: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast Connect with Jodi Wilding: Email: jodiwilding@gmail.com Website: https://www.jodiwilding.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodi-wilding/ Connect with Jennifer: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercartersocialimpact/ Instagram: @unmuteyourself Website: https://flashlightthinking.com “Your Way” by Mark July | Licensed by Uppbeat | License code: KKHUU4BLYO3R5SKJ https://uppbeat.io/t/mark-july/your-way 0:00 – Welcome & intro 2:15 – Jodi’s early life & adventurous spirit 5:30 – Choosing the “right” path vs. intuition 10:45 – Signs you’re losing touch with yourself 15:20 – Burnout, guilt & silent dissatisfaction 21:00 – How to reclaim your power & trust yourself again 26:50 – Closing thoughts & key takeaways What’s the decision you already know the answer to… that you keep circling anyway? #UnmuteYourselfPodcast #JodiWilding #BurnoutRecovery #TrustYourself #SelfDiscovery #Leadership #WomenInBusiness #PodcastForWomen #InnerVoice #Empowerment

  4. Mar 23

    Season 3 Ep 9: Money, Power & Women Who Decide with Elsa Iris Reyes

    Sometimes you realize that something you thought was complicated… Was never actually that complicated. That’s exactly what happened in this episode. Because when Elsa Iris Reyes started talking about money and power, it wasn’t confusing—it was clarifying. And honestly? That took me by surprise. In this conversation, I sit down with Elsa Iris Reyes—finance expert, founder, and someone who learned the system from the inside… and is now helping women stop feeling locked out of it. We talk about: What really happens behind the scenes in business and money Why so many women feel intimidated by finance (and how to change that) The truth about raising money, equity, and ownership How to trust yourself when everyone else sounds like they know more Here’s the part that stayed with me: Most people don’t actually know what they’re doing. They just sound confident doing it. So what would change if you trusted yourself anyway? 00:00 Welcome + why this conversation matters 01:44 Elsa’s journey: from unsure to expert 06:00 Why finance feels inaccessible 14:00 Raising money + equity truths 18:00 Who gets left out of the system 20:30 Learning to trust yourself 23:30 Lightning round 25:30 Key takeaways If you’re carrying a decision you already know you need to make… you don’t have to sit in it alone. Book a private coaching call: https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call Subscribe, follow, and share: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast What’s one choice you’ve been circling… that you already know the answer to? Contact Our Guest – Elsa Iris Reyes: Email: elsa@toloacheconsulting.com Website: https://www.toloacheconsulting.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elsairisreyes1990/ Connect with Jennifer: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercartersocialimpact/ Instagram: @unmuteyourself Website: https://flashlightthinking.com Music: “Your Way” by Mark July Licensed by Uppbeat License code: KKHUU4BLYO3R5SKJ https://uppbeat.io/t/mark-july/your-way #UnmuteYourself #WomenInLeadership #MoneyMindset #FemaleFounders #LeadershipPodcast #WomenInBusiness #Confidence #DecisionMaking #Entrepreneurship #FinancialEmpowerment #PersonalGrowth

  5. Mar 16

    Season 3 EP7: Mojdeh Gharbi on Courage, Leadership, and Finding Your Voice When It Matters Most

    There’s a moment where you realize your voice actually matters. And it’s usually followed by a second thought: So now what do I do with that? My guest this week is Mojdeh Gharbi. This conversation is about leadership, voice, and the choices we make when we know people are listening. You can listen to the full episode of Unmute Yourself on any platform here: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast 00:00 Why this matters 01:32 Meeting Mojdeh 03:10 Finding your voice 06:25 Career shift 09:40 Being heard 13:15 Speaking up 17:20 Letting go of certainty 21:05 Choosing your moments 25:30 Building confidence 29:10 Leadership in action 32:45 Complexity 36:20 Speaking when it’s hard 39:50 Confidence myths 43:15 Responsibility 46:40 Final thoughts If you’re sitting on a decision you already know you need to make, you’re welcome to book a private call: https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call

  6. Mar 11

    SEASON 3 E6: Stop Waiting for Permission with Tori Gene McCarthy

    My second guest this week, Tori Gene McCarthy, is a filmmaker and creative leader who didn’t wait for permission to tell the stories she wanted to see in the world. Tori co-founded Blue Cowgirl Productions in Austin, Texas, creating bold, visually rich storytelling with a human-centered, female-forward perspective. Her path wasn’t linear — she changed her college major twelve times before discovering documentary filmmaking — a journey of curiosity, experimentation, and trusting her voice. In this episode, Tori shares: How changing her major twelve times led to storytelling and filmmaking Building a production company from the ground up The role of curiosity and experimentation in creative careers Why women’s stories matter in film and culture Stop waiting. Start building. Listen to Tori to see what it takes to bet on yourself before you feel ready. Music: “Your Way” by Mark July | Licensed by Uppbeat | License code: KKHUU4BLYO3R5SKJ What’s one decision you’ve been circling because you’re waiting for permission? If you’re carrying a decision you already know you need to make, book a private strategy call with me: https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call Subscribe, like, and follow so you don’t miss any episodes this season: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast Contact Our Guest – Tori Gene McCarthy: Email: hello@bluecowgirlproductions.com Website: https://bluecowgirlproductions.com/ Instagram: @bluecowgirlprods LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tori-gene-mccarthy-145a6126/ Connect with Jennifer: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercartersocialimpact/ Instagram: @unmuteyourself Website: https://flashlightthinking.com

  7. Mar 9

    Season 3 EP 5: Masi Willis on The Leadership Question Most Leaders Avoid

    My guest this week, Masi Willis, is a leadership coach who will make you squirm a little, in the best way. She talks about the blind spots most leaders don’t see, what she calls the “broccoli in your teeth” moments, and how those moments quietly shape your team’s experience of you. Masi left a stable corporate career to start her own business with one client. Six weeks later, she signed a contract bigger than her old salary. Scary? Absolutely. But she leaned on faith, a word for the year, and a mindset of abundance to make the leap. Her approach to leadership is bold, practical, and deeply human. She helps leaders grow people, create thriving cultures, and deliver feedback that actually works—with both truth and compassion. In this episode, Masi shares: • The greenhouse metaphor — leaders as gardeners and their people as plants, each needing different care to thrive. • The leadership question most people avoid: “What is it like to be on the other side of me?” • How to balance support and challenge without creating a toxic culture. • How to own your authenticity, set boundaries, and lead without muting who you are. • Stories from her nonlinear journey that will challenge how you think about risk, leadership, and growth. I’ll be honest, most of the women I work with aren’t stuck because they don’t know what to do. They’re stuck because the weight of the decision feels too heavy. Listening to Masi might help you see a way to step into that fear with more clarity and confidence and actually move forward. Music: “Your Way” by Mark July Licensed by Uppbeat | License code: KKHUU4BLYO3R5SKJ What’s one leadership truth your team sees about you that you don’t see yourself? If you’re carrying a decision you already know you need to make, you’re welcome to book a private call with me: https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call Subscribe and follow the show so you don’t miss any episodes this season: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast Timestamps 0:00 – Intro & welcome 1:35 – Masi’s journey: leaving a corporate career 4:25 – Using “abundance” to fuel bold decisions 6:30 – Growing up in rural Georgia & leadership roots 10:09 – Conscious truth-telling in leadership 16:32 – The greenhouse metaphor: leaders as gardeners 24:04 – The leadership question most avoid 26:25 – Owning authenticity & boundaries 32:13 – Connect with Masi Willis Contact Our Guest – Masi Willis Email: masi@masiwillis.com Website: https://www.masiwillis.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/masiwillis/ Connect with Jennifer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercartersocialimpact/ Instagram: @unmuteyourself Website: https://flashlightthinking.com

  8. Mar 4

    SEASON 3 E4: Kendra Germenis on Career Chaos & Creative Pivot

    My guest this week didn’t plan to become an artist. She planned a responsible career: corporate roles, program management, a master’s degree. Then the layoff came. What followed was a year of job offers falling through. If you’ve ever had life interrupt the story you thought you were writing, you’ll recognize this conversation. Somewhere in the middle of that uncertainty, Kendra Germenis picked up a paintbrush. What started as something small became a creative practice and consulting business focused on workplace experience design. In this episode, we talk about: • the tension between stability and creativity • why the process sometimes becomes the work • what it means to stop explaining your life to other people • how to recognize the version of yourself that’s trying to emerge Watch or listen to the full episode on your favorite platform: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast If you’re carrying a leadership decision you already know you need to make, I work with leaders navigating high-stakes decisions through keynotes and coaching. Book a private strategy call: https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call Contact Our Guest – Kendra Germenis Email: kendragermenis@gmail.com Website: bestatworkplaces.com Instagram (Art): @kitsyco LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendragermenis/ Connect with me: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercartersocialimpact/ Instagram: @unmuteyourself Website: https://flashlightthinking.com Music: “Your Way” by Mark July | Licensed by Uppbeat License code: KKHUU4BLYO3R5SKJ #LeadershipPodcast #CareerPivot #WomenInLeadership #UnmuteYourself #CreativeCareers

  9. Mar 2

    Season 3 Ep 3: From Grief to Growth – Soledad Mateo-Summer

    There comes a moment when you realize success isn’t the same as alignment. In Season 3 of Unmute Yourself, Soledad Mateo-Summer shares how a defining experience in Big Bend National Park changed the trajectory of her life. After losing her mother, she stood beneath a sky so vast it made her feel small in the best possible way. In that moment, she recognized she had spent years building dreams for others. It was time to build her own. This conversation explores grief, reinvention, leadership, boundaries, and the courage to choose yourself without apology. If you’re a leader navigating transition, growth, or a decision you already know you need to make, this episode will resonate deeply. Follow the show so you don’t miss upcoming Season 3 conversations. Leave a review. Share this episode with someone navigating their own turning point: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast I work with leaders navigating high-stakes decisions, delivering keynotes that move beyond motivation, and coaching leaders who are ready to move forward on the choices they’ve been circling. If this resonates, let’s connect: https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call What would change if you trusted yourself fully? Music: “Your Way” by Mark July Licensed by Uppbeat | License code: KKHUU4BLYO3R5SKJ #UnmuteYourself #LeadershipGrowth #WomenLeaders #PurposeDriven

  10. Feb 25

    Season 3 EP 2: Layoffs, Leadership & HR Truths with LaQuisha Scott

    What if the trait they called “too much” is actually your leadership advantage? In this episode of Unmute Yourself, I sit down with HR and operations leader LaQuisha Scott for a candid conversation about authenticity, layoffs, leadership pressure, and separating your identity from your title. LaQuisha has led people operations in corporate and nonprofit spaces, built HR systems from the ground up, and navigated one of the toughest job markets in recent years. She calls her life theme “positive chaos”—I call it courage that shifts rooms and challenges systems. We cover: • Navigating layoffs without losing yourself • Why HR should balance people and business • Being labeled “loud” — and owning it • Saying no as a leadership skill • Redefining success across life seasons • Trusting your moral compass under pressure Who are you when your role changes? If this episode resonates, like, follow, and subscribe to stay connected to conversations on leadership, authenticity, and career growth: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast For leaders navigating complex decisions or a season of change, you’re welcome to book a private call here: https://calendly.com/jennifer-flashlightthinking/strategy-call Music: “Your Way” by Mark July Licensed by Uppbeat | License code: KKHUU4BLYO3R5SKJ https://uppbeat.io/t/mark-july/your-way #UnmuteYourself #Season3 #AuthenticLeadership #WomenInLeadership #HRLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment

  11. Feb 23

    Season 3 Ep 1: Andrea Cilliers on Redesigning Leadership & Inclusion

    Season 3 of Unmute Yourself opens with a powerful conversation about leadership, disability inclusion, and systems change. In this premiere episode, I speak with Andrea Cilliers, a global disability inclusion strategist and former State Department advisor, about the quiet expectation that people with disabilities must be exceptional just to belong. Together, we discuss: - Subtle ableism in workplace culture - Authentic leadership and performance pressure - Behavioral economics and nudge theory - Why inclusion must move beyond compliance - The freedom to be average This episode is for executives, changemakers, and leaders who are serious about building cultures of belonging — not just talking about them. Subscribe to the show and leave a review if this conversation sparked new thinking for you. Your rating helps more leaders discover these conversations: https://linktr.ee/unmuteyourselfpodcast Share this episode with a colleague shaping culture or decision-making. If you’re ready to move beyond insight into decisive action, I work with executives and organizations committed to leading differently, let's connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercartersocialimpact/ What system in your organization needs redesigning, not another motivational speech? #LeadershipDevelopment #InclusiveWorkplaces #DisabilityInclusion #AuthenticLeadership #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipStrategy #CultureChange #OrganizationalLeadership

    Season 3 Ep 1: Andrea Cilliers on Redesigning Leadership & Inclusion
  • 11 Episodes

About

This podcast is about lifting the curtain on leadership, purpose, and the real stories behind people who dared to do things differently. We’ll talk about how they found their path, the struggles they faced, and how they built something that truly matters. These are everyday people doing extraordinary things, and I want you to know, you are capable of that too.

Information

  • Creator
    Jennifer Carter
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    11