On this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia welcomes keynote speaker, author, and former executive Tara Renze for a powerful conversation about identity, courage, and becoming the person you were meant to be.

Tara shares the deeply personal origin of her message "Be Who You Came to Be," inspired by a letter her 87-year-old grandmother wrote to her newborn son. That message became the foundation of Tara's work helping women reconnect with their authentic selves in the midst of careers, motherhood, and leadership.

In this episode, Tara unpacks the "identity trap" many professionals experience when their roles begin to overshadow who they truly are. She introduces her concept of Butterfly Goals, a framework for personal growth focused on becoming more rather than simply doing more.

Using her T.A.B.E. model, Tara explains how goals should be:
• Transformative – creating meaningful change
• Aligned – authentic to who you truly are
• Brave – bold enough to give you butterflies
• Expansive – inspiring growth beyond yourself

Tara also shares a candid story about a high-profile mistake she made on The $100,000 Pyramid and how it strengthened her resilience and mental fitness.

This episode is packed with practical advice for professionals who want to reconnect with their purpose, avoid the "pleaser trap," and start pursuing goals that truly align with who they came to be.

In this episode, Dr. Cynthia sit down with Sheila R. Carmichael, an executive coach and leadership adviser with more than 30 years of experience working with top corporate brands. Sheila is the author of Presence: A Self-Coaching Guide for Executive Presence and the creator of the 3D Authentic Presence Framework.

Sheila shares how pivotal moments in her career led her to "graduate" from a successful corporate path into a new chapter focused on coaching and developing leaders. Together, we explore what it means to evolve in your career, navigate transitions, and lead with greater authenticity and clarity.

Sheila also introduces her 3D Authentic Presence Framework—Define, Discover, Decide—a practical tool leaders can use in real time to pause, assess both external realities and internal signals, and make intentional decisions.

The conversation also unpacks the often-vague concept of executive presence, why women are frequently told to develop it without clear guidance, and how leaders can advocate for more specific feedback.

If you've ever wondered how to show up more intentionally as a leader or how to navigate the next chapter of your career with confidence, this episode offers thoughtful insights and practical tools to help guide the way.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual assault and violence that may be distressing to some listeners.

In this deeply moving episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with author, speaker, and founder of the Audacious Women's Summit, Erika Rothenberger.

Erika shares the life-altering moment that changed everything: a brutal assault in the parking lot of her office that forced her to confront trauma, fear, and ultimately, her own untapped audacity.

What followed was not retreat but expansion.

Through her framework, Punch. Pivot. Expansion., Erika unpacks how setbacks can become catalysts for transformational growth. She introduces her BOLD method for resilience and leadership:

• Believe in yourself before asking the world to
• Create an Ongoing daily discipline that fuels progress
• Lean on the right people because resilience is not a solo sport
• Develop others to create legacy and impact

This conversation explores trauma recovery, women's leadership, post-traumatic growth, resilience in business, and the courage to move from complacency into expansion.

Erika's story is not about surviving. It is about choosing audacity in the face of adversity and using pain as a platform for purpose.

If you are a woman in leadership navigating setback, self-doubt, or misalignment, this episode will remind you that resilience is built long before you need it and that your next level may be waiting on the other side of the pivot.