Reclaim Your Career

Jess Galica

This is the Reclaim Your Career podcast where we talk with experts and real women about how to achieve executive careers, balance motherhood, and fight for equity at work. read less
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Episodes

Working Moms Balancing Career and Life Ambitions With Eve Rodsky
May 8 2024
Working Moms Balancing Career and Life Ambitions With Eve Rodsky
Eve Rodsky is a New York Times bestselling author, dedicated to revolutionizing the division of domestic labor in households worldwide. With a background in organizational management from Harvard, Eve leverages her expertise to address the imbalance of unpaid work within relationships. Her bestselling book and Reese’s Book Club Pick, Fair Play, introduces a gamified life-management system that redistributes household responsibilities and reimagines partnerships. Building on this success, her latest work, Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World, delves into the intersection of creativity, productivity, and resilience. Key Discussion Takeaways: In today's rapidly evolving professional landscape, women face a myriad of barriers on their path to success. Can strategic career planning and a steadfast long-term vision transform these obstacles into stepping stones toward achievement?  Author Eve Rodsky addresses the stark realities of being a career woman in contemporary America, shedding light on gender roles, income inequality, and the perpetual struggle for work-life balance. She emphasizes the importance of setting long-term visions to navigate through unconscious biases and societal expectations, citing how her aspirations aligned remarkably with plans made in a leadership class at age 24. Delving into the systemic issues contributing to gender inequality in the workplace, Eve stresses the significance of fair play and systemic change.  In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica hosts Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author of Fair Play and Find Your Unicorn Space. Eve reflects on her career journey, emphasizing the importance of long-term planning and aligning career goals with personal values. She also discusses inequalities in unpaid labor, the Fair Play movement, and the significance of communication in relationships.
Half the Work & Twice the Money? Finding “Enough” in Your Career, With Jenny Blake
Jan 25 2023
Half the Work & Twice the Money? Finding “Enough” in Your Career, With Jenny Blake
Jenny Blake is the author and host of Free Time, an award-winning book and podcast for heart-based business owners exploring how to free their minds, time, and team for more of their best work. She is also the author and host of Pivot, the go-to career development framework for forward-thinking organizations, pivoters, and entrepreneurs. Jenny is an international keynote speaker and licenses her Pivot Programs to clients like Google and CHANEL. She loves helping people move from friction to flow through smarter systems.  In this episode… Money isn’t the only metric that matters when doing business. How can you earn twice as much in half the time, with joy and ease, while serving the highest good? According to Jenny Blake, many people suppress their inner whisper to do something new because they fear it comes at the cost of something good. She was experiencing the same until she decided to pivot. Jenny discovered that she had more free time and money doing what she loved. She now shares how she helps people do the same.  In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Jenny Blake, author and host of Free Time, to discuss how you can maximize your money and free time. Jenny talks about how corporate companies are embracing the notion of the pivot and things that hinder people from that transition.  She also discusses her book Free Time and how to know when to go after your dreams.
The Myth of the Dream Job With Lauren McGoodwin, CEO of Career Contessa
Jan 18 2023
The Myth of the Dream Job With Lauren McGoodwin, CEO of Career Contessa
Lauren McGoodwin is the Founder and CEO of Career Contessa, a trusted career resource that helps working women be more fulfilled, healthy, and successful at work. She is the host of The Career Contessa Podcast, an educator, and the author of Power Moves: How Women Can Pivot, Reboot, and Build a Career of Purpose. Before Career Contessa, Lauren was a university recruiter for Hulu focused on hiring, employer branding, and program management.  Lauren has a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Oregon and a masters in communication management from the University of Southern California. In this episode… Even after achieving all the traditional prerequisites for success and having well-established careers, many women still feel lost and confused. So how can millennial women find purpose in their work or even pivot into new industries? How can they build meaningful careers on their terms? According to Lauren McGoodwin, the lack of career resources for women is the leading cause of their poor career development. Lauren faced many struggles that made her question her direction. It led her on a remarkable journey, helping solve the problems that women face in their careers. She launched Career Contessa out of her master’s thesis project and then turned it into a website with actionable career advice and valuable resources. Now she shares how she helps millions of women from diverse backgrounds develop their careers and find fulfillment in their work. In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Lauren McGoodwin, Founder and CEO of Career Contessa, to discuss how women can develop in their careers. Lauren talks about her interest in women’s career development, how the narrative of career empowerment for women has changed with time, and how Career Contessa caters to the unique career needs of different women when providing advice.
Why We Need Work-Life Care With Blessing Adesiyan, Founder of Mother Honestly
Jan 11 2023
Why We Need Work-Life Care With Blessing Adesiyan, Founder of Mother Honestly
Blessing Adesiyan is the Founder and CEO of Mother Honestly, a community-powered care platform that transforms benefits for employers and employee caregivers. She began her career in chemical engineering before leading global business solutions for Fortune 100 companies such as PepsiCo, Cargill, DuPont, and BASF Blessing has been featured on Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, NBC, ABC, and Fortune Magazine. She obtained a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Florida, a master's degree in energy management from the New York Institute of Technology, and an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. In this episode... As a caregiver, how can you combine work and family? Where can you get the work-life care you need to thrive in your career and live your best life?  According to Blessing Adesiyan, employers have a duty to provide everything their employees need to flourish professionally and personally. She says she could not have made it in corporate America after pregnancy were it not for the support she received from her workplace and home. Her experience made her believe that companies, men, and society need to lean into care for working caregivers to succeed. She now shares her journey of starting Mother Honestly to support women who don't have the infrastructure and support they need. In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Blessing Adesiyan, Founder and CEO of Mother Honestly, to discuss the importance of work-life care. Blessing talks about Mother Honestly, what need to be improved to enable women’s work-life balance and related issues people seek advice on from Mother Honestly.
From Corporate to Consulting or Freelance Work With Emily Hay
Dec 21 2022
From Corporate to Consulting or Freelance Work With Emily Hay
Emily Hay is the Founder and CEO of Hay There Social Media, a community-led brand that upskills women across the US to be freelance social media managers. She has been a freelancer for over a decade, specializing in social media marketing.  Emily and her husband were featured in the Fair Play Documentary, produced by Reese Witherspoon’s media company Hello Sunshine and based on the New York Times bestselling book by Eve Rodsky. She also received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The Ohio State University. In this episode… As a woman, are you looking for a business model that helps you achieve flexibility, fulfillment, and financial independence? Where can you get the support you need to achieve it?  According to Emily Hay, freelancing is the best model that gives women the work-life integration they desire. While it has been around for a while, it emerged as a trend after the pandemic. After working for corporate America for some time, Emily decided to become a freelancer, which allowed her to work flexibly and live intentionally as she started her family. Now she shares the keys to helping women launch social media businesses so they can live and work flexibly. In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Emily Hay, Founder and CEO of Hay There Social Media, to discuss how women can achieve flexibility, fulfillment, and financial independence through freelancing. Emily talks about her experience featured in the Fair Play documentary and how it changed how she runs things at home. She also details her entrepreneurial journey, how to overcome the challenges of freelancing, and advice for women wanting to enter the field.
The Money Talk! Financial Do’s and Dont’s for Navigating Your Career With Cameron Rogers From Ellevest
Nov 23 2022
The Money Talk! Financial Do’s and Dont’s for Navigating Your Career With Cameron Rogers From Ellevest
Cameron Rogers is the Private Wealth Advisor at Ellevest, the only investing platform built for women by women. She is a CFA who has spent her career advising high-net-worth individuals and some of the country's largest institutional investors. Cameron advises clients on generational wealth, investing for financial and social impact, and nonprofit investment strategy. She acquired a bachelor’s degree in finance from Georgetown University. In this episode… Are you a woman that would like to take charge of your financial future? Where can you get the financial support you need to build wealth? According to Cameron Rogers, the financial well-being of women has been challenged for ages. The world has made women believe it's taboo to own investments or have careers with C-suite roles in an organization. Research on the relationship between women and money shows the tangible benefits of women controlling their own money. Cameron now shares how her company is helping women take action and build the life they want.  In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Cameron Rogers, the Private Wealth Advisor at Ellevest, to discuss how they are helping women navigate through their careers and build wealth. Cameron explains how she got started in the finance world, what women should consider when making career decisions, understanding your career as a financial asset, and trends in women’s finances.
Building a Family While Building Your Career
Nov 9 2022
Building a Family While Building Your Career
Jessica Bell van der Wal is the Co-founder and CEO of Frame Fertility, the first and only evidence-based platform that enables the early identification of fertility risk and care navigation. Frame Fertility’s approach helps alleviate the cost of fertility problems for patients, employers, and providers.  Before Frame, Jessica led marketing and strategy teams at companies such as Castlight Health, Nike, Deloitte Consulting, and Genentech. She currently sits on the advisory boards of two digital health companies and multiple educational institutions, nonprofits, and women’s empowerment organizations. In this episode… How can you build the family you desire and still maintain a successful career? Where can you get the support you deserve on your family-building journey?  Jessica Bell van der Wal and her husband faced an uphill battle on their journey to growing their family. As they navigated limited options and hurdles, they discovered that there was so much about the process they didn't know. There's the issues of fertility, ovulation, and even career that's rarely taught or discussed. They started with hundreds of conversations with healthcare providers, researchers, and others that had been through the same. Jessica and her husband then founded Frame Fertility to empower people to maximize their options.  In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Jessica Bell van der Wal, Co-founder and CEO of Frame Fertility, to discuss her family-building journey running her company. Jessica shares her journey in founding Frame, its approach of helping couples build the family they want, balancing a family and a career, and working with a spouse as a new mom.
Investing in Yourself (And Your Fashion) With Ambika Singh, Chief Bosslady at Armoire
Oct 26 2022
Investing in Yourself (And Your Fashion) With Ambika Singh, Chief Bosslady at Armoire
Ambika Singh is the Founder and CEO of Armoire, a clothing rental membership company built for working women. She has worked across small and large organizations with roles in marketing, business development, product management, SEO, and social media. Additionally, she played a significant role in the creation of internet startups Rover.com and TravelPost.com as well as Internet Explorer 8 and Windows 7 for Microsoft. Ambika was featured on the Puget Sound Business Journal "40 Under 40 list" in The Seattle Times and was invited to speak at Amazon, American Express, Harvard Business School, and MIT. In this episode... Are you a woman that doesn't have time to endlessly scroll through retailers trying to be stylish? Where can you get the help you deserve to revolutionize the way you dress?  Women deserve to invest in themselves. As much as they invest in their careers, they should also invest in how they look to raise their self-esteem. According to Ambika Singh, a modern woman is a busy, social, and stylish person. She decided to make women's lives easier by making an algorithm that delivers personalized clothing recommendations based on style and fit preferences. Ambika now shares her journey running a fashion company for the modern bosslady. In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Ambika Singh, Founder and CEO of Armoire, to discuss how women can invest in themselves through fashion. Ambika shares her background in founding Armoire, what Chief Bosslady means, how Armoire positively impacts its customers’ lives, and how she overcomes challenges.
Being Bold and Reinventing in Your Career With Linda Goodman
Oct 12 2022
Being Bold and Reinventing in Your Career With Linda Goodman
Linda Goodman is the Principal of LG Associates: a marketing, strategic planning, and qualitative research consultancy. She is the pioneer of emotional trigger research and the co-author of Why Customers Really Buy. For more than 20 years, Linda has successfully helped b2b and b2c clients understand emotional triggers and how to capitalize on those triggers to grow their companies. She's also a former C-suite executive who worked in marketing, sales operations, and general management leadership positions for both national and international corporations.  In this episode… Are you looking for new ways to connect with customers amid unprecedented challenges? What can you do to reinvent your career and keep your business on the cutting edge?  Having held various executive roles, Linda Goodman overcame many challenges as a woman and is now a successful entrepreneur. She mastered the skills of provocative questioning and intuitive listening to uncover the motivations behind how and why people make their decisions. She now offers insights that enable entrepreneurs to overcome crises, enter untapped markets, acquire new customers, and strengthen relationships through consultation. In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Linda Goodman, Principal of LG Associates, to discuss how to have a successful career and business. Linda shares her career achievements in executive roles as a woman, challenges she had to overcome, her emotional trigger research, and advice to women entrepreneurs.
Sponsorship and Career Change With Sophia Dozier
Sep 28 2022
Sponsorship and Career Change With Sophia Dozier
Sophia Dozier is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Rapid7, a company that believes in simplifying the complex to unite your teams around cybersecurity. She is a data-driven professional that supports diversity and inclusion. She helps drive strategy around diversity retention, engagement, leadership development, strategic partnerships, and hiring. Sophia also worked at Clong Education, IBM, and Google. In this episode... Are you in a career that you desire? Would you want to change your career? How can you do this efficiently without risking your current occupation?  Many people fear having honest conversations with their employers or managers about their career. They lack mentors and sponsors who can have those conversations and can successfully guide them. Companies also lack diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that enable employees to feel free in their careers. Now Sophia Dozier shares the ways she successfully transitioned careers and how she's creating DEI programs that give their employees a sense of belongingness.  In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Sophia Dozier, the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Rapid7, to discuss how you can have career changes through different programs. Sophia talks about her career transition into DEI, the importance of having honest conversations about your career, and how she’s incorporating mental health into overall DEI strategy.
Navigating Career Changes During Motherhood with Christina Altomare
Sep 14 2022
Navigating Career Changes During Motherhood with Christina Altomare
Christina Altomare is the Global Events Marketing Leader at IBM where she's involved in multiple diversity and inclusion efforts. She is a seasoned marketing and communications leader with over 15 years of experience in the technology industry. Christina has a deep passion for cultural transformation, purpose-driven outcomes, and advancing inclusion. She has professional experience in visual design, user experience, and leading and managing marketing communication teams. In this episode… Many women are in a dilemma of choosing the career role that suits them. So what should you focus on when making that difficult decision?  Christina Altomare has held different career roles at IBM. She didn't love most of the career roles she was in, but with time she found one that better suited her. Christina realized that it's a challenge for many women. Depending on the stage they are at in their lives, most women get pulled into different directions when choosing their careers. Now she shares how she navigated her career changes during motherhood to help other women do the same.  In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Christina Altomare, the Global Events Marketing Leader at IBM, to discuss how she successfully navigated her career changes. Christina talks about the evolution of her career roles at IBM, what helped her execute those changes, and how women can balance their desire to have a rich and diverse career.
Ellen Bailey on Diversity and Inclusion and Becoming CEO of Your Career
Aug 31 2022
Ellen Bailey on Diversity and Inclusion and Becoming CEO of Your Career
Ellen Bailey is the VP of Diversity and Culture at Harvard Business Publishing (HBP), a not-for-profit, wholly-owned subsidiary of Harvard University on a mission to improve the practice of management in a changing world. Ellen creates and executes the diversity and inclusion strategy, vision, and goals for the organization. She drives employee engagement and business results by serving as a catalyst to deliver the best practices and resources, promoting a culture of inclusion. Before HBP, she served as a Solution Architect and a Custom Program Manager for AchieveGlobal. In this episode... How do you drive business results by aligning diversity, equity, and inclusion to your business strategy? How do you become the CEO of your own career?  For the longest time, organizations have had a reactive rather than proactive approach to diversity. This was the case until the murder of George Floyd, which became an eye-opening moment for many organizations. Being the only black woman on her leadership team, Ellen Bailey saw an opportunity from this incident to bring out her voice. She was able to create a strategy, vision, and goals for diversity and belonging in her organization. Now she shares what she has learned to help people implement those same changes.  In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Ellen Bailey, the VP of Diversity and Culture at Harvard Business Publishing, to discuss diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Ellen shares her journey of working on inclusion, how to become CEOs of our own careers, how organizations can weave diversity and inclusion in their daily activities, and advice to women working in companies that don’t fully support equity.
Amin Ameen Teaches Us How To Overcome Impostor Syndrome, Negotiate Right, and Pivot Your Way Into Tech
Aug 24 2022
Amin Ameen Teaches Us How To Overcome Impostor Syndrome, Negotiate Right, and Pivot Your Way Into Tech
Amin Ameen is the Senior Product Marketing Manager for Global Consumer Products at Twitter. Amin started her career as an engineer where she worked in a male-dominated field and developed her skills by taking on numerous roles of responsibility. Her passion for photography and creative mindset helped her step into entrepreneurship, product consulting, and the tech industry.  Amin’s mantra “When you teach, you will always learn twice” has been a driving force for her as a consultant and educator, sharing her experiences with like-minded people on Twitter Spaces, Instagram Live, and more. In this episode... Being uncertain of your abilities can have an impact not only on your mental health but also on your professional life. How many times have you passed on an opportunity because you were unsure of yourself? Is having constant stability really the only way to success? Amin Ameen is here to share her experience on the topic. With her remarkable accomplishments come more than a decade of growth and hard work. Amin’s time in the engineering and tech industries taught her the power of negotiation, the importance of self-worth and self-care, and ways to overcome impostor syndrome as a skilled professional. She aims to make her expert knowledge available to everyone and help people take a leap into the dynamics of the tech industry. In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Jess Galica is joined by Amin Ameen, Senior Product Marketing Manager of Global Consumer Products at Twitter to discuss how to grow in your career and find your voice. Amin talks about her own journey before diving into topics like how to monetize your skill sets, the keys to negotiating correctly, and knowing the right time to say no.
Communities and Leadership Resources Designed to Help Women Thrive
Aug 17 2022
Communities and Leadership Resources Designed to Help Women Thrive
Jess Galica is the Founder and Executive Coach of Reclaim Your Career. Her business has a blog and a podcast where women help each other pursue bold, authentic lives through personal anecdotes. Motherhood inspired Jess to interview more than 150 successful, high-performing career women; these stories are found in her upcoming book, Reclaim Your Career: Stories of Women Letting Go to Get Ahead.  Jess is also a speaker, tech leader, and executive coach for high-achieving women in the tech and business worlds who desire career reinvention. She honed her chops in the tech world with her MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Her education and expertise in the corporate world have led her to consult for Bain & Company and work for Fortune 500 companies such as Apple, Siemens, and other startups. In this episode… Do you crave a different career path but don’t know how to transition? Do you desire a career change but are unsure of what that change is? Do you struggle with “doing” and ”having it all” yet still feel lost? Career women carry the burden of giving their all in the corporate world as wives and mothers, only to be depleted regarding their personal needs and wants. Jess Galica founded Reclaim Your Career to champion the success of women. She understands that women have the right to change their minds and seek new career paths. As an executive coach, Jess has helped hundreds of women with career reinvention. However, Jess toils with balancing her career, life, and mommy-hood.  In this episode of Reclaim Your Career, Dr. Jeremy Weisz of Rise25 interviews Jess Galica, Founder and Executive Coach of Reclaim Your Career. In this sit-down talk, she reflects on her struggles as a “boss” woman. She discusses corporate systems that force women to be silent and passive to get ahead and why it needs to change. Finally, Jess passionately discusses curated books and communities aimed at uplifting highly-successful working moms and women to live the bold and joyous lives they deserve.
Getting to the C-Suite and Feeling Psychologically Safe at Work
Aug 3 2022
Getting to the C-Suite and Feeling Psychologically Safe at Work
Emily Levada is the Chief Product Officer at Embark Veterinary, a company that provides dog DNA tests for purebreds. She is a customer-focused, collaborative, and creative product executive. She focuses on delivering value through delightful & intuitive e-commerce products and tools. Additionally, she is a skilled people manager, coach, and community leader who excels at building a sense of belonging among teams. Emily is passionate about the Boston start-up scene and is engaged in advising through the Underscore VC Core Community and investing through the WayFund, a Wayfair alumni syndicate. She is an experienced thought leader, public speaker, and teacher on the subjects of psychological safety, trust building, inclusive cultures, high-EQ leadership, Radical Candor, and interpersonal dynamics. In this episode… Are you struggling to recognize your own potential as a leader? How can you achieve long-term success in your career? Rarely does one’s career trajectory move at a constant pace. There are just as often moments of slow growth as there are moments of accelerated growth, and there is nothing wrong with that. Recognizing the value in both slow and fast moments of career development is necessary to becoming a stronger leader and taking your career to the levels you envision. In this episode, Jess Galica is joined by Emily Levada, a thought leader  and the Chief Product Officer at Embark Veterinary, to talk about advancing in your career. Emily discusses how women can break into leadership roles, the importance of psychological safety to team success, and how to foster a psychologically safe environment.
How To Make Parental Leave a Strategic Advantage for Your Career
Aug 3 2022
How To Make Parental Leave a Strategic Advantage for Your Career
Allison Whalen is the Co-founder and CEO of Parentaly. When Allison became pregnant with her first child, she realized firsthand the huge gap in how companies support working parents before, during, and after parental leave without impacting their career trajectory. Parentaly offers the tools and services employers everywhere truly want to support working parents in the most critical, wonderful, and vulnerable moments of their lives. Parentaly turns parental leave into a competitive advantage for new parents and their employers. In this episode... Are you an expecting parent who wants to take leave and return to the workforce but is unsure of how it will impact your career? Or maybe you are with a company that isn’t sure if offering parental leave is a good idea or what value it would offer?  Having access to paid parental leave is an excellent opportunity. However, returning to work without much support can leave mothers feeling lost and behind in their careers. Parentaly offers the tools and services employers truly want to support working parents in the most critical, wonderful, and vulnerable moment of their lives. There are many benefits to the parent and the company that offers parental leave.  In this episode, Jess Galica invites Allison Whalen, CEO and Co-Founder of Parentaly, to the show to discuss parental leave. Allison reflects on her experience with parental leave and returning to the workforce and speaks about how parental leave can serve as a time for career acceleration. Becoming a parent is a time of dramatic change, and Allison discusses the best ways businesses can support parents in their return to the workplace and how offering it is good for business.
Revealing Your Strengths Through Human Design With Aniekeme Umoh
Aug 3 2022
Revealing Your Strengths Through Human Design With Aniekeme Umoh
Aniekeme Umoh is a Nigerian born human design guide and life coach based in New York City. She has lived many lives — as the VP of Operations at a startup in New York, an independent consultant to the CEO of Diddy’s fashion company, a product manager, technical program manager, and investment banker. She earned an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an engineering degree from Columbia University. Her extensive career includes early-stage investment with one of her companies being valued at over $1 billion. In this episode… Do you ever struggle understanding yourself? Do you feel like you are lacking understanding in your unique personal strengths and how to best use them? Human design is a system engineered to help people recognize their individual strengths and build the life they want to live. Personality assessments are often subjective and colored by personal bias, but human design seeks to be objective in unearthing our own truths. Everyone is unique and has their own path to walk, so discovering what we respond best to can make that path clearer. In this episode, Jess Galica sits down with Aniekeme Umoh, a human design guide and life coach, to discuss the principles of human design and how best to apply them to learn more about yourself. Aniekeme reflects on the various lives she has lived and hats she has worn throughout her career. She also shares tips for self-prioritization and how understanding your strengths and needs will make your ideal life more clear to you.