The Flourish Careers Podcast

//LinkedIn with Confidence with Michelle Schafer (Part 1)

I believe LinkedIn is more important than your resume in today’s world of work. Yet many talented professionals are underusing it.
Meanwhile, it can work for you in the background—building visibility, opening doors, and helping opportunities find you, often before a job is even posted.
Today, we’re kicking off an all-new three-part series with Michelle Schafer, career & leadership coach extraordinaire, about LinkedIn and how to use it in ways that feel aligned and effective.
Part 1 is about the limiting beliefs holding you back. Things like: “My boss will think I’m job hunting”, “I have nothing valuable to say”, “What if nobody engages?”
Over the next few weeks, we will also cover how to make the most of your profile and what actually works for connecting with professionals on LinkedIn. 
We had so much fun recording this, and I genuinely think it’s going to shift something for a lot of you.
If LinkedIn has ever felt awkward, unclear, or not quite like you, this is a great place to start 🌟
Connect with us on LinkedIn 
🔗 Michelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleschafercoaching/
🔗 Jenn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferlsmith9200/ 
Visit Michelle's Website: https://mschafercoaching.ca/
Order Michelle's book, Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose:
https://mschafercoaching.ca/cultivatingcareergrowth/
🖋️ In a season of transition? The In Season guided planner is designed to support career change and fresh starts (use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order): https://shopflourishcareers.myshopify.com/discount/PODLOVE  
💛 Join Fried to Flourishing Career Change Experience: https://flourish.careers/work-with-me   
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Freebies + Shop
 

// Why Leadership Growth Isn’t Linear with Akua Nyame-Mensah

Career and leadership growth were never meant to be a straight line, and Akua Nyame-Mensah has lived that truth beautifully.
From urban planning to AmeriCorps to leading a startup launch in West Africa, Akua's career has moved in seasons, each one building on the last. Now a leadership advisor and facilitator, she helps others navigate their own cycles with greater clarity and less pressure.
In this conversation, Akua shares her Leadership Cycle framework and why the messier seasons of leadership are just as valuable as the flourishing ones.
🔗 Connect with Akua on her website: https://www.akuanm.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akuanm/
🖋️ In a season of transition? The In Season guided planner is designed to support career change and fresh starts—in just five minutes a day (use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order): https://shopflourishcareers.myshopify.com/discount/PODLOVE  
💛 Join Fried to Flourishing Career Change Experience: https://flourish.careers/work-with-me   
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Freebies + Shop
 

// The New Rules of Job Searching

The job search looks nothing like it used to, and the rules have changed faster than most people realize. In this episode, we're breaking down exactly what's happening behind the scenes in modern hiring, so you can stop second-guessing yourself and start searching smarter.
🎧 Tune in to discover how to adjust your job search and get ahead in today's world of work.
🖋️ In a season of transition? The In Season guided planner is designed to support career change and fresh starts—in just five minutes a day (use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order): https://shopflourishcareers.myshopify.com/discount/PODLOVE  
💛 Join us in the Gathering Ground Insider circle: https://flourish.careers/community-membership
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Freebies + Shop
 

// How to Build a Network When You Hate Networking (No Small Talk Required) with Yolanda M. Owens

Does networking make you want to run and hide? 🫣 Same.⁠
Today I’m welcoming back career expert Yolanda M. Owens for her *fourth* appearance on the show... she’s practically a co‑host at this point 🌟
Yolanda and I talk about why the word “networking” makes so many of us cringe and how to reframe it. She shares introvert‑friendly, real‑life strategies to build genuine professional relationships—without awkward small talk or stuffy conference rooms.
If traditional networking guidance has never felt like it was meant for you, this conversation will help you find your own natural + sustainable way to build a professional community. 
🌟 Connect with Yolanda on her websites www.yolandamowens.com and www.careersenseiconsulting.com 
🖋️ In a season of transition? The In Season guided planner is designed to support career change and fresh starts—in just five minutes a day (use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order): https://shopflourishcareers.myshopify.com/discount/PODLOVE  
💛 Join Fried to Flourishing Career Change Experience: https://flourish.careers/work-with-me   
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Freebies + Shop
 
 

// Want to Change Careers? Here's How Informational Interviews Can Help

What if a 15-minute conversation could change the direction of your career?
In this episode, we’re breaking down one of the most underrated (and most effective!) tools for career changes and job searching: the informational interview.
I share why these low-pressure conversations can bring more clarity than months of guessing—helping you understand the role, the company, and the industry, while also beginning a genuine relationship with someone who could become a future colleague. We’ll cover how to approach these conversations, who to reach out to, and how to make the most of them.
If you’re navigating a job search or career pivot, this episode invites you to start with one conversation.
🌟 Grab the free Informational Interview Checklist to help you confidently get started
🖋️ In Season planner-meets-journal use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order
💛 Join the Flourish Careers Insider community 
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Freebies + Shop
 

// How the Blank Page Creates Career Clarity

Here's the thing about a blank page... it can help you gain career clarity. In this episode, we will explore a gentler approach to career clarity, rooted in noticing how you want your work to feel and honoring the season you’re in.
We’ll discuss how small reflective practices can help you, and I'll share 3 thoughtful questions to guide you. If you’ve been feeling uncertain or quietly out of sync with your work, this episode offers a calm place to begin.
🖋️ In Season planner-meets-journal (use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order): https://shopflourishcareers.myshopify.com/discount/PODLOVE 
💛 Join Flourish Careers Insider community: https://course.flourish.careers/offers/s26qDEcs
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Freebies + Shop
 

// Subtract to Succeed — How Doing Less Can Transform Your Life with Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey

What if growth isn’t about adding more, but about letting something go?
In this episode, Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey shares what happens when a heart-based, aligned career (literally) drifts out of its lane, and why “getting back to normal” isn’t always the goal.  
We dig into gold-star chasing, inherited “shoulds,” and small experiments in self-knowledge that help you notice what’s draining your energy. And we talk about the ripple effects of intentional subtraction, how letting go can change the way you show up at work, in leadership, and at home.
This conversation is a permission slip to stop adding by default and start asking a more compassionate question: What can I release so I can live and lead more intentionally? 💛
🌟 Free three-step guide to Stop, Drop, and Roll toward a life that feels as good as it looks 
🔗 Connect with Nell on her website 
🖋️ Writing and subtraction tips 100-day challenge
💛 In a season of transition? The In Season guided planner is designed to support career change and fresh starts—in just five minutes a day https://flourish.careers/shop (use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order)  
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Freebies + Shop
 

// 5 Questions to Ask Before Making a Career Move and How AI Can Support Career Clarity with Michelle Schafer

Are you running toward something, or away from something?
When work starts to feel off, I see many people go straight into action mode: update their resumes, scroll job boards, and apply quickly. Doing something feels safer than pausing—but clarity doesn’t come from rushing. It comes from slowing down and noticing.
In this episode, I’m joined by expert career transition coach Michelle Schafer, and we talk about what career clarity really looks like before you make a move.
Michelle shares five questions that help you understand how you want your days to feel, what’s non-negotiable in this season, and what will actually sustain you over time.
If you’re at a crossroads (or sensing it might be time for a shift), this conversation will help.
🎧 Related episode: Why Success in Your Job Search Starts with Mindset with Michelle Schafer 🔗 Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn | Website📗 Download a free chapter from Michelle's book 📚 Order Michelle's book Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose  🌟 Download the Career Focus Framework
💛 In a season of transition? The In Season guided planner is designed to support career change and fresh starts—in just five minutes a day → flourish.careers/shop https://flourish.careers/shop (use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order)
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Shop
 

// Staying Relevant in the Age of AI with Natalie Benamou

What does it really mean to stay relevant in a world reshaped by AI and constant change?
In this episode, Natalie Benamou, Founder + CEO, shares the personal moments, from an unusual accident to a pivotal phone call, that redirected her career. 
We talk about relevance, why curiosity matters more than speed, and how lived wisdom remains irreplaceable in the age of AI. Natalie brings a generous mix of insights and resources you can start using today ✨
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I falling behind?” this conversation offers an impactful reframe: you’re not behind. Relevance is about presence and curiosity.
🔗 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliebenamou/
🌟 HerCsuite® https://hercsuite.com/
🔗 NEXT2LEAD AI https://hercsuite.com/next-2-lead-ai-powered-by-hercsuite/
📗 Natalie’s latest book: Power of What’s NEXT: Bold Moves By Design: https://amzn.to/4qLk21k
💛 In a season of transition? The In Season guided planner is designed to support career change and fresh starts—in just five minutes a day → flourish.careers/shop: https://flourish.careers/shop (use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order)
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Freebies + Shop

// Career Courage: Why It’s Finally Time To Do What’s Right For You—And How To Begin

What if the bravest career move you could make was simply permission to try?
In this episode, I share the sentence that changed my career path and the stories that taught me about self-trust.
We’ll explore what courage really looks like in our everyday work lives—setting boundaries, saying yes (and no), and choosing what’s right for you, even when it doesn’t match expectations.
🖋️ In Season planner-meets-journal (use code PODLOVE for 10% off your order): https://shopflourishcareers.myshopify.com/discount/PODLOVE 
🎧 Tune in to the Career Reinvention Roadmap: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
💛 Join Flourish Careers Insider community: https://course.flourish.careers/offers/s26qDEcs
🌟 Check out Fried to Flourishing Career Change Experience 
🖋️ For detailed show notes, visit the Flourish Careers Blog
🌟 Stay in touch! Newsletter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Freebies + Shop