The Upgraded Leader Podcast

If you’re tired, overwhelmed, or telling yourself, “I’ll start over after the holidays,” this episode is for you.

Nicole shares a real client story of a newly promoted executive who’s juggling layoffs, new departments, and burnout — and how a simple reset shifted everything.

What you’ll learn:

• Why waiting for a date to “feel different” is just disguised procrastination
• How to know when it’s time to pause instead of push
• Nicole’s 3-p...

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it really costs to upgrade into the next version of your CEO self. Whether you're leading a business, a team, or just ready to stop playing small in your life—there's a price for growth. I break down: 👉 The three things you’ll absolutely have to let go of to grow 👉 Why your old beliefs about money, time, and relationships won't work at the next level 👉 ...

If you’re feeling stretched thin and constantly reacting to your calendar, this episode is your reset button. Inside this episode of The Upgraded CEO Podcast, I’m sharing the four essential time blocks that every entrepreneur and corporate leader needs to protect their energy, think strategically, and actually lead. Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ Why Deep Work Time is non-negotiable for visionary leadership ✅ How Buffer Time k...

Feeling like you're always busy but never actually getting anything done? 😩 In this episode of The Upgraded CEO Podcast, I’m walking you through a simple but game-changing exercise: the CEO Time Audit. This is not just about tracking your time—it’s about reclaiming your calendar, your energy, and your leadership focus. If you’re constantly stuck in the weeds doing work your team should be doing, this is your wake-up c...

Welcome back to The Upgraded CEO Podcast! 🎉 We're kicking off Season 2 with a fresh name, a clarified vision, and a bold new energy. In this episode, I'm walking you through what it really means to be an Upgraded CEO—and no, it’s not just about the title. Whether you're leading a team in corporate or scaling your own empire, the pressure to do it all is real... but it’s not sustainable. Let’s talk about: Why...

Have you evaluated your goals lately? Sometimes it's not about whether you meet your goal, it's about knowing when it's time to change course or quit the goal altogether.

This week on the podcast, I'm sharing:

-How to assess your goals progress
-Signs it's time to quit the goal
-Alternatives to quitting the goal

Full show notes and transcript can be found here.

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Feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and underutilized? Maybe all that work you are doing isn't meant for you?

Effective delegation is really hard for ambitious and driven people to get the hang of.  But not empowering your team to meet their potential is also keeping you stuck in the weeds and without that promotion you deserve.

In this episode, I share the top reasons leaders struggle with delegation ...

Professionalism is an illusion we’ve been sold.

If we’re honest, the concept of professionalism often masks the realities of workplace dynamics, leading us into a deceptive cycle.

The world is changing though and holding onto antiquated norms might impede organizational advancement (or existence).

Join me this week for a conversation with the incredible Anessa Fink!

Here's a what w...

No one likes to fail. It feels uncomfortable and can be embarrassing. But failure also puts us in positions to grow. When we embrace failure, it allows us to build confidence.  

This week, fitness trainer Lindsay Arias and I delve into the incredible power of failure and how it fuels confidence, both within and beyond the gym.

In this episode, we are discussing:

•  Building confidence through fitness
•  Recognizing th...

In a world of corporate layoffs and quiet quitting, where we are more disconnected and disengaged at work than ever before, how do we increase productivity, retention, and employee satisfaction? We create cultures of belonging.

Full show notes and transcript can be found here.

In this episode, we talk with Wendy Gates Corbett about:

• What does belonging mean?
• Why it’s so important to our workplace and community
• Who...

Setting clear goals and specific actions is important. But most people forget a critical step in goal setting that will ensure you will be happy and satisfied with achieving your goals. 

In this episode, I share how setting intentions on how you want to feel and the pace you want to make progress on your goals for sustainable success in the new year.

Full transcript and show notes can be found here.

Click h...

How was your last year? How are you feeling about moving into this new year?

In this episode, I share two journal exercises. One to close out last year - especially if it was a tough one. And one to move forward into the new year with hope and optimism.

Full transcript and show notes here.

Click here to see all my other goal-setting episodes in one place plus download the Upgraded Goal Setting Workbook.

This time of year can feel overwhelming and chaotic. Things may have pilled up over the last few months or you've been meaning to organize that desk drawer.

But there is something nice about a fresh start on January 1st.

I'm sharing the 5 things to review to reset and refresh before the new year.

These are great things to do even if you aren't quite ready to set new goals.

Support th...

“We are all running our own races. Keep your eyes on your own track.”

That’s great advice - and something I often remind my clients of.

But trust me, I can struggle with career envy and comparison at times. 

This fall, I attended a lot of events and was surrounded by some amazing professionals who are totally crushing it. 

But instead of being inspired, I found myself upset that I wasn’t where I wanted to be.

I was deep in a pit...

You can be grateful for your job and still want more. Two things can be true at the same time. 

In this week’s episode, I share:

-Finding gratitude in your job even when it feels hard

-Discovering the purpose of your job in this season

-Considering an external opportunity does not mean you are disloyal

-How to decide if it is time to move on

Full transcript and show notes can be found here.

Email Nicole at nicole@theupgradedleader...

Do you struggle with your personal and professional identity?
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➡️One person at work
➡️Another outside of work
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When what you really want is to show up just as a complete person, right?!
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This week on the podcast I invited my friend Mel McSherry to join me and discuss identities:
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✨What identity is
✨Outside of work
✨Incorporating it inside of work
✨Finding Balance
✨Feel...

We are all under pressure to deliver more with less. At the same time, we are already overworked, overwhelmed, and exhausted.

And the last thing we need is another meeting on our calendar. But if done well, this meeting can actually replace other meetings or emails or Slack threads that are not as effective. 

Plus, your can increase the engagement and productivity of your team. 

In this episode, I share:

• What employees need...

With RTO mandates becoming more common, you might find yourself wondering what to wear to the office. Are we still doing business casual? What does that even mean?

Whether we like it or not, we are judged (consciously or unconsciously) first based on what we look like before we are judged by what we say or do. If that is the reality, then let's optimize what we wear to work! 

On today's episode, ...

We know that building our networks is important in our careers but we often resist the next step which is to actually leverage them. In this week’s episode, we are talking about why we resist asking for help or a favor from our network and what leveraging our internal and external networks can do for our careers.

Full show notes and transcript can be found at https://www.theupgradedleader.com/podcast/37

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