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Unstuck & Unstoppable

Unstuck & Unstoppable

Written by: Sarah Archer
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Unstuck & Unstoppable is the go-to podcast for ambitious female leaders ready to amplify their impact, boost their income, and achieve career success on their own terms—without burning out or compromising their values. Hosted by Sarah Archer, a leadership coach and career strategist dedicated to empowering women in leadership, this show provides the tools, strategies, and inspiration you need to thrive in your career. Whether you’re looking to overcome imposter syndrome, enhance your leadership skills, or create a sustainable path to success, each episode will offer actionable insights, expert interviews, and real-life stories to help you take your career to the next level. It’s time to stop playing small, unlock your full potential, and create the impact you’re destined for. Tune in weekly to discover how you can lead boldly, live fully, and succeed with confidence and integrity.Copyright 2026 Sarah Archer Careers Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Success Self-Help Success
Episodes
  • Episode 85 How to Get Unstuck In your Career: Kate Dunstone's journey from Marketing Manager to Director

    Episode 85 How to Get Unstuck In your Career: Kate Dunstone's journey from Marketing Manager to Director
    Jun 26 2026
    In this episode, Sarah is joined by former client Kate Dunstone, who shares her inspiring career journey from a long and successful career in higher education marketing to a senior leadership role in a completely new sector.After 17 years at the University of Portsmouth, Kate knew she was ready for something more aligned with her values, interests and long-term ambitions. In this conversation, she shares what it was really like to leave the security of a role and organisation she’d known for years, how she built the confidence to change sector, and how coaching helped her step into a more strategic, senior role with greater flexibility.If you’re wondering whether it’s too late to change direction, whether your skills will transfer to a new sector, or whether you’re really ready for a bigger role, this episode will give you both practical ideas and a confidence boost.In this episode, we cover:Kate’s career journey from course administrator to senior marketing leaderWhat made her realise she’d outgrown higher education after 17 yearsHow she built the confidence to change sector and go for a more senior roleThe role coaching played in clarifying her direction and helping her take actionWhy a trustee role helped strengthen her CV and support her sector moveHow she negotiated a role with more flexibility and better fit for her lifeWhat helped her move from Head of Marketing to DirectorWhy empathy and emotion can be leadership strengths rather than weaknessesWhat being “unstuck and unstoppable” means to KateTimestamps00:00 – Introduction to Kate and her career journey01:50 – Kate’s current role as Director of Membership, Marketing and Digital03:35 – Starting out in higher education and moving into marketing06:20 – Growing into leadership and becoming more strategic08:15 – Confidence, career progression and balancing ambition with motherhood10:45 – Why Kate decided to get coaching support13:00 – How coaching helped with clarity, confidence, CV and LinkedIn15:00 – Taking on a trustee role to support a sector change17:20 – Landing the Head of Marketing and Communications role at the college20:05 – Going for the Director role and backing herself to step up22:40 – What Kate wishes she’d known earlier in her career23:35 – Reframing emotion and empathy as leadership strengths25:10 – Kate’s experience of coaching and what helped most27:10 – What “unstuck and unstoppable” means to Kate28:20 – Why networking, visibility and LinkedIn still matter even when you’re not job searchingKey takeaways from this episodeKate’s story is such a good reminder that getting unstuck isn’t always about making a dramatic leap. Sometimes it’s about paying attention to what no longer fits, getting honest about what you really want, and taking the next step before you feel 100% ready.It’s also a powerful example of how career change doesn’t mean starting again. Kate took years of leadership, marketing and stakeholder experience and repositioned it into a new sector that felt much more meaningful and aligned.And perhaps most importantly, this conversation highlights that qualities many women dismiss in themselves - like emotion, empathy and sensitivity - can become some of their greatest strengths as leaders.Useful LinksConnect with Kate on LinkedInEpisode 61 How to Create a Personal Board for Your Leadership CareerSign up for Weekly Career InspirationLearn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching ProgrammesBook a Free 121 Clarity CallConnect with Sarah on LinkedInRate & Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk
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    30 mins
  • Episode 84 The Sign There is More For You in Your Career (even if you can't see it yet!)

    Episode 84 The Sign There is More For You in Your Career (even if you can't see it yet!)
    Jun 19 2026

    Have you ever found yourself wondering, "Is this really it?"

    From the outside, everything looks successful. You're performing well, earning good money, and progressing in your career. Yet something feels different. Not wrong exactly, but no longer quite right.

    In this solo episode, Sarah explores the often-overlooked signs that you've outgrown your current role, even when you can't yet see what comes next. She shares insights from her work with senior professional women who are navigating career transitions, questioning their direction, and searching for greater meaning, purpose and fulfilment.

    If you've been feeling disconnected, restless or drawn towards something different, this episode will help you understand what's really happening beneath the surface and why uncertainty may be a sign of growth rather than a problem to solve.

    In This Episode You'll Discover
    • Why successful women often struggle to recognise when they've outgrown a role
    • The hidden reasons career clarity can feel so elusive
    • How your professional identity can lag behind your personal growth
    • Four subtle signs there may be more for you in your career
    • Why uncertainty is often a natural part of career evolution
    • A simple reflection exercise to help you reconnect with what matters most

    Timestamps

    00:00 Welcome and introduction to the podcast

    01:45 Why so many successful women ask, "Is there more for me?"

    03:00 The feeling of success without fulfilment

    04:05 Sarah's personal story of leaving corporate HR for the voluntary sector

    05:00 The LinkedIn profile test: when your career story no longer feels like you

    05:40 Why you can't see what's next yet

    05:50 Reason 1: You're too close to your current identity

    06:30 Reason 2: Your career identity hasn't caught up with your personal growth

    07:20 Reason 3: External success can mask internal change

    08:20 The awareness phase that comes before clarity

    08:45 Sign #1: Feeling disconnected from your current identity and work

    09:50 Sign #2: Being drawn to different careers, lifestyles or choices

    10:50 Sign #3: Inconsistent motivation and what it might be telling you

    11:45 Sign #4: Asking questions without having answers yet

    12:30 Expansion versus exhaustion: understanding the difference

    13:15 Why uncertainty is not a problem to solve immediately

    13:40 A simple daily exercise to help uncover what's changing

    14:35 Trusting the process of career transition and growth

    15:00 How coaching can help you gain clarity and confidence

    15:45 Final reflections and closing thoughts

    Useful Links

    Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

    Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

    Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

    Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

    Rate & Review the Podcast

    If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

    If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

    Remember "You don't have to know what's next. You just have to trust that something is shifting, and that shift is giving you valuable information about what matters most."
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • Episode 83 From Operational HR to People Director - the Power of Authenticity with Helen Cook

    Episode 83 From Operational HR to People Director - the Power of Authenticity with Helen Cook
    Jun 12 2026

    What does authentic leadership really look like in practice?

    In this episode Sarah sits down with former client Helen Cook, an experienced People Director, to discuss her career journey from hospitality into HR leadership, the lessons she's learned about confidence and career progression, and how coaching helped her gain clarity at an important point in her career.

    Helen shares a refreshingly honest perspective on leadership, including navigating self-doubt, balancing ambition with family life, and staying true to yourself in senior roles. This is a thoughtful conversation for anyone who wants to lead with confidence without feeling they need to become someone they're not.

    In This Episode
    • Finding a career that aligns with your strengths and values
    • Building a successful career in HR and people leadership
    • Navigating self-doubt and imposter syndrome
    • Leading authentically rather than copying others
    • Balancing career ambitions with family responsibilities
    • Lessons learned from stepping into senior leadership roles
    • Why leadership isn't a race
    • The value of coaching during career transitions
    • Developing confidence and self-awareness as a leader
    • What it means to be unstuck and unstoppable

    Timestamps

    00:00 – Introduction to Helen and her career journey

    02:15 – From hospitality into HR: finding the right career path

    04:30 – Key career turning points and leadership progression

    07:00 – Discovering a leadership style that feels authentic

    09:45 – Navigating self-doubt and imposter syndrome

    12:20 – Balancing leadership responsibilities and family life

    14:50 – Why leadership isn't a race

    17:10 – The challenges of stepping into senior leadership

    19:40 – Reaching a career crossroads and seeking coaching

    22:15 – What coaching helped Helen uncover

    24:30 – Building confidence and trusting yourself

    27:00 – Lessons learned from leading people through change

    29:45 – Advice for others considering coaching

    32:15 – What being unstuck and unstoppable means to Helen

    33:30 – Final reflections and key takeaways

    Useful Links

    Connect with Helen on LInkedIn

    Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

    Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

    Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

    Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

    Rate & Review the Podcast

    If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

    If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
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