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What if hitting pause could become the most powerful move in your career?

In this honest and soul-stirring episode of Bytes, Bits, and Brilliance, Dawn sits down with Nyam, a digital product delivery leader who made the bold decision to take a year-long sabbatical after experiencing burnout. Together, they explore how intentional rest can lead to deep transformation, renewed creativity, and a redefined sense of purpose.

They unpack:

• 💭 The emotional journey of stepping away from traditional career paths
• 💰 Salary transparency, negotiations, and the need for equity in tech
• 🌿 How sabbaticals can serve as seasons of reflection, creativity, and self-leadership
• 👩🏾‍💻 The unique pressures Black women face around taking time off
• 🧘🏾‍♀️ Why aligning your career with your values may require courage and recalibration

Through stories of burnout, bravery, and breakthrough, Dawn and Nyam remind us that growth doesn’t only happen in forward motion—sometimes, it begins in stillness.

Connect with us:

Nyam: nyamadodoadji.com | shespeakssoftly.substack.com, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyamado/ | hello@nyamadodoadji.com

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

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In this intimate and honest conversation, Dawn reconnects with longtime friend and former mentor Ali, an Afro-Latina, Caribbean-born technologist whose journey spans cybersecurity, data analytics, AI engineering, and beyond.

Together, they explore what it really means to lead and live well in the tech industry—where success demands not just skill, but soul.

You’ll hear insights on:

• 🌍 Building a thriving career while honoring your identity and personal story.
• 💪 The art of salary negotiation and knowing your worth in a competitive field.
• 🧘🏾‍♀️ The intersection of leadership, emotional growth, and self-care.
• 💭 Why rest and reflection are forms of progress, not pauses.
• 🤝 The irreplaceable value of genuine human connection in an A.I.-driven world.

From their shared experiences as Black professionals in corporate spaces to lessons learned through mentoring, Ali and Dawn remind us that professional growth and personal well-being are not opposing forces—they’re partners in building a sustainable, fulfilling career.

Connect with us:

Ali: http://linkedin.com/in/alissaom

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us Fan Mail

This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. In this episode of Bytes, Bits, and Brilliance, Dawn invites listeners to go beyond consuming content and instead co-create the next evolution of the show and its growing community.

She shares plans for exciting new features, including:

• 🎙️ “Ask Me Anything” episodes about career, leadership, and the next steps in navigating your path.
• 💬 Office hours-style sessions for real-time connection and shared problem-solving.
• 🧠 Technical deep dives that demystify AI while staying true to the podcast’s mission of humanity-centered leadership.

This season marks the beginning of an expanding ecosystem—a space where brilliant, courageous, daring, and audacious minds come together to learn, lead, and lift one another.

Dawn also announces plans to support small businesses as they navigate the AI era and invites listeners to share their stories, questions, and guest nominations to shape what comes next.

Join us through LinkedIn, our website, or the feedback form in the show notes—and let’s build this community together.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA)

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.