The Climb

You can have a strong network, a good reputation, and people who enjoy working with you—but when opportunities are being discussed, who is willing to advocate for you?In Season 8, Episode 6 of The Climb Podcast, host Felicia Smith explores the difference between being known, being recognized, and being advocated for. Recognition acknowledges what you’ve accomplished. Advocacy connects those accomplishments to what you could do next.Felicia shares career advice that changed how she communicated her ambitions, explains the distinction between mentorship and sponsorship, and offers practical ways to strengthen relationships with people who understand your value.For women of color navigating leadership, building these relationships doesn’t erase organizational barriers or guarantee an opportunity. It does help you become more intentional about making your contributions, capabilities, and aspirations understood.In this episode, we discuss:Why a large professional network doesn’t automatically mean you have advocates.The difference between a mentor who advises you and a sponsor who speaks on your behalf.Why sponsorship involves trust, credibility, and professional judgment.How keeping your career ambitions private can unintentionally limit your visibility.Communicating the impact of your work without feeling like you’re bragging.Building genuine relationships before you need someone’s advocacy.Reconnecting with people who already know your value.Your challenge: strengthen two relationships.First, reconnect with someone who has seen your work firsthand but may not know what you want to pursue next.Second, begin a conversation with someone whose perspective could help you better understand the opportunities you’re working toward.Start with curiosity, share your direction, and stay connected. The goal is to build relationships where advocacy can develop naturally and credibly.A thought to carry with you:“It’s not just who knows you, it’s who knows your value, understands your ambition, and is willing to say your name when you’re not in the room.”Stay connected with The ClimbSubscribe to our newsletter for leadership insights, resources, and updates:https://jointheclimb.myflodesk.com/newsletterWatch and subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@JoinTheClimb2024If this conversation challenged how you think about professional relationships, share it with another woman who needs to hear it.We’re not just climbing careers—we’re building ladders.

The Power of Presence: Polish, Poise, and Preparedness with Kelli StenhouseOn The Climb Podcast, host Felicia Smith talks with stylist, image consultant, and author Kelli Stenhouse (Dress Better, Feel Better) about the power of presence—how people experience you before you speak—and how it differs from simply performing confidence. Kelli defines presence through her “three Ps”: polish (appearance and attention to detail), poise (body language, communication, composure, and emotional intelligence), and preparedness (skills, knowledge, and contribution). They discuss how clothing, color, fit, and comfort affect mood and confidence, how to balance personal style with workplace norms, and how body language cues like smiling, eye contact, and posture shape perception. They also connect presence to clear communication, preparation, and the confidence to say “I don’t know,” while exploring how life experiences can shape self-presentation and how self-awareness and intentional practice help women of color show up authentically and “finish different” this year.00:00 Why Presence Matters00:16 Podcast Welcome01:41 Meet Kelli Stenhouse02:59 Defining Presence03:20 The Three Ps04:51 Presence vs Performance08:08 Style Mood Confidence09:34 Stop Shrinking Yourself12:27 Dress for the Room16:06 The Perception Gap16:51 First Impressions Cues17:38 Be Intentional18:20 Etiquette Meets Presence19:08 Find Your Magic19:24 Curiosity and Compliments20:18 Body Language Tweaks22:03 Clarity and Preparation24:18 Confidently Saying I Dont Know25:43 Unlearning Old Rules30:48 Finish Different This Year33:36 Where to Find Kelly35:16 Book Bonus and Farewell

What if the very thing you're being praised for at work is the thing keeping you from getting promoted?You're dependable. You deliver results. You're the person everyone calls when something needs to get done.Your performance reviews are excellent. Your leadership tells you how valuable you are.So why are you still in the same position?Here's something nobody may have told you: The rules for being good at your job aren't necessarily the same rules for getting promoted.In this episode of The Climb Podcast, Felicia Smith is challenging what many of us have been taught about career advancement. Because you may be working harder than you need to—not because you lack ambition, but because you're trying to prove the wrong thing.We're talking about the gap between being a high performer and being seen as ready for leadership, why doing more doesn't always move you forward, and what organizations may actually be looking for when they make promotion decisions.And we're asking a question that might change how you approach your career:Are you preparing for the job you want, or just getting better at the job you already have?If you've been doing everything you thought you were supposed to do and still wondering why you haven't advanced, this is a conversation you need to hear.Key topicsThe high-performer trap: Could being the person everyone depends on actually be working against your advancement?The promotion gap: Why the things you're rewarded for today may not be what gets you selected tomorrow.Three assumptions worth questioning: What if working harder, earning excellent reviews, and having the right qualifications aren't enough?Readiness vs. positioning: You may be ready for more responsibility, but does the organization recognize you that way?The rules nobody explained: What changes when you're being evaluated for leadership instead of individual performance?When the problem isn't you: How do you know whether you have a development gap or you're working in an environment that keeps moving the goalposts?A different advancement strategy: Three questions that can help you determine whether you're investing your time in the right experiences.Timestamps00:00 - Hook: You're Proving the Wrong Thing00:41 - Welcome to The Climb Podcast01:28 - The Promotion Gap: What You Think vs What Matters03:10 - Somebody Should Have Told Me06:06 - The Promotion Gap Defined06:30 - Three Assumptions That Create a Gap07:10 - Assumption 1: Working Harder Doesn't Make You More Competitive09:02 - Assumption 2: Your Performance Review Doesn't Prove Readiness12:06 - Assumption 3: Qualified Doesn't Mean Considered12:39 - Readiness vs Positioning14:13 - The Reality About Advancement & Barriers16:16 - Three Questions to Ask Yourself18:51 - Effort and Readiness Are Not Interchangeable20:12 - Stop Proving What You've Already Mastered21:45 - Outro & Next StepsYour MoveBefore you take on another assignment, sign up for another certification, or volunteer to do more, ask yourself:Is this actually preparing me for the next level—or am I just proving something I've already proven?Listen to the episode for three questions that will help you take a closer look at your promotion readiness and identify where to focus your development.Connect with Felicia Smith & The Climb🌐 Website: https://the-climb.org📲 Follow The Climb: @JoinTheClimb💌 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://jointheclimb.myflodesk.com/newsletterKnow a woman who's doing all the work but still wondering why she's being overlooked? Share this episode with her. She may not need to work harder. She may need to change what she's working toward.🌍 About The Climb PodcastThe Climb Podcast is hosted by Felicia Smith, founder of The Climb—a 501(c)(3) committed to increasing the number of women of color in leadership and managerial roles.Each week, we pull back the layers and talk about the things no one else is talking about: the unwritten rules, workplace dynamics, relationships, visibility, and strategies that can make the difference between being excellent at what you do and actually moving forward in your career.This isn't about climbing ladders alone. It's about building ladders to success—and reaching back to bring others with us.🎧 Listen & SubscribeSubscribe to The Climb Podcast on YouTube and wherever you listen.🌐 The Climb: https://the-climb.org📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoinTheClimb2024📱 Follow The Climb: @JoinTheClimb

This solo episode from The Climb Podcast is a practical wake-up call for women of color navigating leadership, feedback, boundaries, and career growth. Felicia Smith argues that the conversation you keep rehearsing in your head is often the one that would give you the clarity, information, or next step you actually need. The episode matters because it reframes silence as a decision with consequences. Felicia breaks down four avoided conversations and offers a simple framework, purpose, point, and path, for handling them strategically instead of avoiding them.Key topicsIn this episode, Felicia Smith opens with the core idea that silence is not neutral. Avoiding a hard conversation still produces consequences, and often makes the problem last longer.She explains how people create entire narratives in their heads about what a boss, colleague, or manager thinks without ever testing those assumptions.She highlights three costs of silence:assumptions start to feel like realityunresolved issues continue longer than they shouldyou lose the chance to influence the outcomeFelicia specifically names the professional pressure many women of color feel around being labeled difficult or aggressive, and distinguishes that from simply advocating for yourself.She walks through four conversations professionals often avoid:feedback conversations about readiness and growthboundary conversations about workload and competing prioritiesunresolved issue conversations after disrespect, tension, or breakdownsambition conversations about what you want next in your careerShe emphasizes that feedback is information, not always truth. It may be unfair, vague, or incomplete, so it should be examined, not blindly accepted.On boundaries, she points out that dependable can quietly turn into endlessly available, especially when people keep saying yes without clarifying priorities.On unresolved issues, she notes that unspoken tension becomes the lens through which every future interaction gets interpreted.She introduces a practical framework called purpose, point, and path:purpose: why am I having this conversation?point: what exactly needs to be said or asked?path: what happens next, and what action or decision should follow?She closes by urging listeners to stop having the whole conversation only in their heads and to take one intentional step toward clarity before the year ends.Timestamps00:00 - The conversation in your head is costing you02:37 - Why another project will not solve a communication problem04:04 - Silence is still a decision with consequences05:25 - The career cost of assuming instead of asking07:15 - How assumptions become your reality08:37 - When silence lets bad situations drag on09:32 - Why women of color are often pushed toward self-silencing11:22 - The feedback conversation and what readiness really means13:43 - The boundary conversation and competing priorities16:08 - Why unresolved tension keeps showing up in future interactions19:32 - The conversation about what you want next21:25 - The purpose, point, and path framework22:22 - Step one: define your purpose before you speak24:15 - Step two: make your point clearly and directly26:01 - Step three: decide the path and next step29:43 - Your weekly exercise: write down purpose, point, and path30:42 - Why waiting until next year is a costly mistakeAction itemsIdentify one conversation you have been avoiding.Write down your purpose, point, and path before you speak.Decide whether the best format is a meeting, phone call, one-on-one, or thoughtful email.If direct conversation is not appropriate, use the proper channels instead of staying silent.Stop letting the conversation live only in your head.Connect with Felicia Smith & The Climb🌐 Website: https://the-climb.org📲 Follow The Climb: @JoinTheClimb💌 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://jointheclimb.myflodesk.com/newsletterIf this episode helped you see how to share your work with confidence, subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Know a woman who’s doing excellent work but still waiting to be seen? Send this episode to her. Your work deserves an accurate story—and the right people need to hear it.🌍 About The Climb PodcastThe Climb Podcast is hosted by Felicia Smith, founder of The Climb—a 501(c)(3) committed to increasing the number of women of color in leadership and managerial roles. Each week, we pull back all the layers and talk about the things no one else is talking about: what women of color survive and navigate in the workplace day to day, and how we climb together, teach lessons together, and build community along the way.This isn’t about climbing ladders alone. It’s about building ladders to success—and reaching back to bring others with us.🎧 Listen & SubscribeSubscribe to The Climb Podcast on YouTube and wherever you listen:🌐 The Climb: https://the-climb.org📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoinTheClimb2024📱 Follow The Climb: @JoinTheClimb

DOWNLOAD THE FINISH DIFFERENT SCORECARD📝 Put this episode into practice: https://jointheclimb.myflodesk.com/products/finishdifferentYour work doesn’t speak for itself. You have to give it a voice. In this episode of The Climb Podcast, host Felicia Smith explores a question that can shape your next opportunity: Who is telling your story—and is it accurate? As year-end reviews, promotion discussions, and budget conversations approach, Felicia shares how women of color can make their contributions visible, communicate their impact without feeling like they’re bragging, and help the right people understand the value they’ve delivered. Part of the “Finish Different” season, this conversation is about closing the year with clarity, confidence, and a stronger voice in your own career.What You Will LearnWhy doing great work and being known for that work are two different thingsHow “keep your head down and let your work speak for itself” can lead to invisibilityThe four parts every accomplishment needs: the problem, your contribution, the result, and why it mattersA simple three-sentence structure for sharing your impact without feeling like you’re braggingHow to prepare for a year-end conversation that connects your results to future opportunitiesHow to recognize the difference between a communication gap you can address and an organization that isn’t valuing youChaptersWho Is Telling Your Story?Finish Different: Making Sure the Right People KnowSegment: “Somebody Should Have Told Me…”Doing Great Work vs. Being Known for ItWhen Keeping Your Head Down Becomes InvisibilitySegment: “Truth Is…” People Forget, Misunderstand, and Get BusyThe Four Parts of a Strong Accomplishment StorySame Work, Completely Different StoryMaking Your Contribution Clear in a Team ProjectThree Sentences to Share Your ImpactWho Needs to Hear About Your Work?Preparing for Your Year-End ConversationWhat If the Problem Isn’t You?This Week’s Challenge: Document Three AccomplishmentsThe Finish Different ScorecardGive Your Work a Voice and Keep ClimbingResources from This EpisodeThis week’s challenge: Write down your top three accomplishments from this year. For each one, answer:What was the problem?What did I do?What was the result?Why does it matter to the organization?Then choose one accomplishment and share it with someone who needs to understand your impact. Use this simple structure: “Here’s what I worked on. Here’s what changed because of it. Here’s what I’d like to do next.”Connect with Felicia Smith & The Climb🌐 Website: https://the-climb.org📲 Follow The Climb: @JoinTheClimb💌 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://jointheclimb.myflodesk.com/newsletterIf this episode helped you see how to share your work with confidence, subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Know a woman who’s doing excellent work but still waiting to be seen? Send this episode to her. Your work deserves an accurate story—and the right people need to hear it.🌍 About The Climb PodcastThe Climb Podcast is hosted by Felicia Smith, founder of The Climb—a 501(c)(3) committed to increasing the number of women of color in leadership and managerial roles. Each week, we pull back all the layers and talk about the things no one else is talking about: what women of color survive and navigate in the workplace day to day, and how we climb together, teach lessons together, and build community along the way.This isn’t about climbing ladders alone. It’s about building ladders to success—and reaching back to bring others with us.🎧 Listen & SubscribeSubscribe to The Climb Podcast on YouTube and wherever you listen:🌐 The Climb: https://the-climb.org📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoinTheClimb2024📱 Follow The Climb: @JoinTheClimb

We're in Q4.And if you're like most high-achievers, you're already doing the math.What did I accomplish? What didn't happen? How far off am I from where I thought I'd be by now?And somewhere in that inventory, there's a voice that says — just wait until January.Don't.Because your year is not over. And neither are you.The One Move Challenge: Finish the Year Strong Without Waiting for JanuaryI’m kicking off season eight of The Climb Podcast—focused on finishing 2026 well—by reminding you that you don’t have to cram 12 months of progress into the last few weeks of the year. Instead, I want you to focus on one strategic move—one conversation, decision, ask, boundary, or introduction—that can change your position going into next year. I share that a disappointing year doesn’t have to have a disappointing ending, and I challenge you to stop replaying what didn’t happen and ask what you can still influence right now. I explain that most of us aren’t stuck because we don’t know what to do, but because we keep waiting for January, confidence, or permission while organizations are already planning for next year. I close with my “One Move Challenge”: decide what you want different, what’s keeping it the same, and one concrete action you’ll complete before year-end.00:00 One Move Left00:44 Welcome to The Climb02:08 Season Eight Focus02:31 Strategic Fourth Quarter03:56 Disappointing Year Reframe06:24 One Courageous Move08:22 Stop Waiting Start Now11:00 Positioning Through Relationships12:51 One Move Challenge16:31 January Is Not Strategy17:15 Wrap Up and Subscribe18:01 Podcast OutroThe One Move ChallengeBefore the year ends, answer these three questions — and don't just ask them. Answer them.What do I want to be different going into next year? Not ten things. One.What's keeping it the same? Be honest about what's in your control — not just what's broken in the system.What is one move I can make before this year ends? Needs to be an action. A verb. Send. Schedule. Ask. Apply. Call. Decline. Start. Stop. Decide.Reflection QuestionWhat's the move you've been putting off — and what are you actually waiting for?January doesn't send the email.January doesn't ask for the meeting.January doesn't advocate for you.You do.Connect with Felicia Smith & The Climb🌐 Website: https://the-climb.org📲 Follow The Climb: @JoinTheClimb💌 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://jointheclimb.myflodesk.com/newsletter🎧 Subscribe, share, and bring a friend who's about to write off the rest of their year.Because we are not just climbing careers.We are building ladders. ✊🏾

Are you paying attention to what's happening in your organization — or do you understand what it means? In the Season 7 finale of The Climb Podcast, host Felicia Smith unpacks one of the most underrated leadership skills there is: seeing the through line — your ability to connect what looks separate into a single story. It's the difference between attending every meeting and actually thinking like a senior leader. This is the skill that turns strong individual contributors into strategic, invaluable leaders.What You Will LearnWhat a "through line" is — and why seeing it separates leaders from great individual contributorsHow your questions have to change as you climb: from "what's my deliverable?" to "why are we doing this, and how does it connect?"Five concrete places to spot the through line: repeated language, money, attention, cross-functional patterns, and organizational historyHow connecting the dots lets you anticipate what's coming — the rare, career-defining muscle that makes you invaluableA practical weekly exercise to start building your enterprise mindsetChapters00:00 – Are You Paying Attention, or Understanding What It Means? 00:40 – Welcome + Wrapping Season 7: The Through Line 01:30 – What Is a Through Line? Connecting What Seems Separate 03:15 – Segment: "Somebody Should Have Told Me" — Your Job Is to Know How It Connects 06:00 – From Individual Contributor to Enterprise Thinker 08:15 – Segment: "Truth Is" — Nothing Happens in Isolation 10:45 – #1 Listen for Repeated Language 12:15 – #2 Follow the Money (the budget tells a story) 14:00 – #3 Watch What Gains and Loses Attention 15:30 – #4 Look Across Functions 17:15 – #5 Connect What's Happening Now to What Happened Before 19:00 – The Leadership Shift: From Reacting to Anticipating 21:00 – Segment: "Another Rung Mended" — The Through Line Exercise 23:00 – What's the Through Line? Season 7 Finale CloseConnect with Felicia Smith & The Climb🌐 https://the-climb.org 📲 @JoinTheClimbIf this episode made you think differently about your organization, subscribe, share, and send it to another woman who's ready to strengthen the way she thinks and leads. Real leadership is not about rising alone — it's about redesigning the system so others can rise with you.🌍 About The Climb PodcastThe Climb Podcast is hosted by Felicia Smith, founder of The Climb — a 501(c)(3) committed to increasing the number of women of color in leadership and managerial roles. Each week, we have honest conversations about what women of color encounter as we navigate our careers and climb into leadership. We pull back all the layers and talk about the things no one else is talking about — and how we climb together.This isn't about climbing ladders alone. It's about building ladders to success — and reaching back to bring others with us.🎧 Listen & SubscribeSubscribe to The Climb Podcast on YouTube and wherever you listen:🌐 The Climb: https://the-climb.org 📺 YouTube: (109) The Climb - YouTube 🍏 Apple Podcasts: The Climb - Podcast - Apple Podcasts 🎵 Spotify: The Climb | Podcast on Spotify📱 Follow The Climb: @JoinTheClimbThat's a wrap on Season 7 — 10 episodes done. We'll be back for Season 8. Keep climbing.

Strong is not the same as well. In this episode of The Climb Podcast, host Felicia Smith sits down with Ebony Grover — founder and CEO of LYLAS (Love You Like a Sister) — for an honest conversation about the cost of being the strong one. We talk about burnout, the pressure to be "twice as good," why rest isn't a reward you earn, and how Black women can move from surviving to thriving without carrying it all alone.What You Will LearnWhy being strong is not the same as being well — and why the difference is essential to sustainable leadershipHow burnout actually shows up for Black women, and why it's so hard to admit out loudWhy rest is a form of resilience, not a reward you have to earnThe difference between productivity and purpose — and how to stop over-performingHow delegation becomes a promotion strategy, not a sign of weaknessPractical first steps to reclaim your time and protect your well-beingChapters00:00 – Strong Is Not the Same as Well 00:44 – Meet Ebony Grover, Founder of Lila's (Love You Like a Sister) 02:56 – The First, The Only: Who Is the Blueprint? 04:53 – Segment: "Somebody Should Have Told Me…" 05:36 – Why We Won't Admit We're Burned Out 07:12 – Reframing Burnout: It's Not Weakness, It's Delegation 08:40 – Rest Is Resilience (and Sleep Isn't a Reward) 10:33 – Segment: "Truth Is…" Wellness vs. Being Strong 11:48 – "Twice as Good to Get Half as Far" 13:03 – They're Hoping You Don't Know How Good You Are 14:11 – We've Confused Productivity with Purpose 15:40 – Being Needed Is Not the Same as Being Valued 16:38 – Segment: From Surviving to Thriving 18:00 – Why We Put Ourselves Last 20:37 – Stop Celebrating the Weight: Reclaim Your Time 22:19 – The First Step to Reclaiming Your Time 23:37 – Delegation Is Your Freedom 25:13 – Inside the Lila's Retreat in New Orleans 27:06 – How to Connect with Ebony 28:04 – Keep Climbing: Build the Ladder, Reach BackConnect with Ebony Grover & Lila's🌐 Website: https://www.lylasbiz.com 💼 LinkedIn: Ebony Grover, MBA 📸 Instagram: @Lilas (Love You Like a Sister) 🌴 The Lila's Retreat — New Orleans, October 6–8: professional development meets wellness, in a Black-owned space with all Black-owned vendors. Prioritize yourself and join.Connect with Felicia Smith & The Climb🌐 https://the-climb.org 📲 @JoinTheClimbIf this episode resonated with you, subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Real leadership is not about rising alone — it's about redesigning the system so others can rise with you. Know a woman who's burnt out, tired, and holding it all together for everyone? Share this episode with her.🌍 About The Climb PodcastThe Climb Podcast is hosted by Felicia Smith, founder of The Climb — a 501(c)(3) committed to increasing the number of women of color in leadership and managerial roles. Each week, we pull back all the layers and talk about the things no one else is talking about: what women of color survive and navigate in the workplace day to day, and how we climb together, teach lessons together, and build community along the way.This isn't about climbing ladders alone. It's about building ladders to success — and reaching back to bring others with us.🎧 Listen & SubscribeSubscribe to The Climb Podcast on YouTube and wherever you listen:🌐 The Climb: https://the-climb.org 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoinTheClimb2024📱 Follow The Climb: @JoinTheClimb

As women of color, many of us weren't just taught to work hard—we were taught to survive.We learned how to stretch a paycheck, help family when they needed us, and celebrate career milestones. But too often, no one taught us what to do once the paycheck got bigger.In this episode of The Climb Podcast, Felicia Smith sits down with financial planner and educator Nadia Vanderhall to have an honest conversation about wealth, budgeting, emergency funds, behavioral finance, and why earning more money doesn't automatically create financial freedom.Together, they unpack the unique financial realities many women of color face—from supporting family members to navigating new wealth, avoiding lifestyle creep, and building habits that create lasting financial security.If you're climbing professionally, it's time to make sure your money is climbing with you.In This EpisodeWhy the racial wealth gap affects more than just incomeThe difference between generational and intergenerational wealthWhat every woman should know after landing a promotion or six-figure salaryWhy emergency funds are more important than everHow to avoid lifestyle creep as your income growsThe truth about Buy Now, Pay Later programsWhy your money story shapes your financial decisionsPractical steps to build healthier financial habitsReflection QuestionWhat's one financial habit you've carried from your past that may no longer serve the future you're trying to build?More importantly...What new money story do you want to begin writing today?If this conversation encouraged you, share it with another woman who's working hard to build not only her career—but her wealth.Because we're not just climbing careers.We're building ladders.

Have you ever left a meeting wondering, "How did they come to that decision?" Or watched someone get promoted and thought, "What am I missing?"Many of us assume the answer lies with the people involved. But what if the real answer is the system they're operating in?In this episode, Felicia Smith explores one of the biggest mindset shifts in leadership: developing an executive lens. As you grow in your career, success becomes less about doing your job well and more about understanding how the entire organization works.You'll learn why executives often see the same situation differently, how organizational history, relationships, competing priorities, and unwritten rules shape decisions, and why thinking beyond your own role is essential if you want to lead at the next level.In This EpisodeWhy there are really two organizations—the one on paper and the one that actually operates every dayThe difference between managing your work and understanding the businessFive things executives see that most professionals overlookA practical framework to help you think more strategically when workplace decisions don't make senseHow to begin developing an executive mindset without becoming "political"Reflection QuestionThink about one recent decision at work that frustrated you.Instead of asking, "Why would they do that?" ask yourself:What business problem were they trying to solve?What information might leadership have that I don't?Who are the key stakeholders?What competing priorities exist?What constraints may have influenced the decision?You may discover there's more to the story than you first realized.If this episode challenged the way you think about leadership, share it with another woman who's ready to move beyond doing great work and begin seeing the bigger picture.Because we're not just climbing careers.