In this episode of Around the Ladder, Erika Steinberg welcomes Shauna Bryce, a Harvard Law School and Johns Hopkins graduate, and the founder of Bryce Legal. Shauna shares her journey from a traditional legal career to becoming a renowned coach and consultant helping lawyers achieve success, fulfillment, and happiness. Their conversation explores how Shauna’s career path defied expectations, the realities of law firm life, and how she now guides attorneys through career transitions-especially in today’s climate of uncertainty.

Key Topics Discussed

• Shauna’s Career Journey: Shauna describes her path from law school to practicing law in firms and in-house, and ultimately stepping off the partnership track to pursue her passion for coaching and professional development. She reflects on the challenges of making unconventional career choices and the importance of following her instincts-even when it meant leaving the “brass ring” of partnership behind.

• The Reality of Law Firm and Corporate Environments: Drawing on her experience as a Chief Legal Talent Officer and Chief Diversity Officer, Shauna discusses the difficulties of driving change in risk-averse, conservative environments. She highlights the challenges of implementing lasting diversity and inclusion initiatives and the disappointment of seeing progress rolled back.

• Current Legal Market Trends: Shauna shares insights into the current legal job market, noting a surge in government and public sector lawyers seeking new opportunities amid layoffs and uncertainty. She observes increased risk aversion among lawyers and a general sense of fear about the future, leading many to reconsider job changes or prepare for worst-case scenarios.

• Coaching Lawyers Through Uncertainty: Shauna explains her approach to coaching lawyers who are anxious about the future. She emphasizes the value of process and structure-helping clients distinguish between rational and irrational fears, and building practical roadmaps to address their concerns. Her method involves partnering with clients to break down overwhelming challenges into manageable steps.

Notable Quotes

“I had so many people tell me, ‘You’re crazy to not want this [partnership].’ And I just kept thinking, I just don’t want this for me, and I don’t want this for my life. So I’m very happy that I followed my heart, and that brought me into the work that I do now in lawyer development, career development, and all of that.”

“Law firms tend to be really risk averse settings, and they tend to be very conservative in their decision making. It is really, really hard to effect change, even minor changes.”

“One of the major things that I’m seeing in this market is fear. Fear of the uncertainty… And I think this is one of those moments where lawyers’ risk aversion, sort of by nature, by training, might actually be helping them because they are really thinking about worst case scenarios and preparing for them.”

Actionable Takeaways

• For lawyers feeling uncertain about their careers, it’s helpful to separate rational from irrational fears and use structured planning to regain a sense of control.

• Change in traditional environments is difficult; real progress requires deeply embedded values, not just performative programs.

• Nonlinear career paths can lead to greater fulfillment-trusting your instincts and being open to new opportunities is key.

Listen & Subscribe

• Connect with Shauna on LinkedIn
• Bryce Legal

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Around the Ladder for more conversations about unconventional career journeys and practical wisdom for navigating change.

In this episode of Around the Ladder, host Erika Steinberg welcomes Judy Schoenberg and Linda Lautenberg, co-founders of EvolveMe, for a candid conversation about career reinvention in midlife. Together, they explore the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women looking to relaunch, pivot, or level up their careers, and discuss how EvolveMe is helping women thrive in an ever-evolving world of work.

1. Nonlinear Career Paths

• Erika, Judy, and Linda reflect on their own journeys, emphasizing that career paths are rarely linear. Judy shares her transition from a long tenure at Girl Scouts of the USA to entrepreneurship, while Linda recounts her pivot from finance to co-founding EvolveMe after a significant career break.

2. Facing Fear and Embracing Reinvention

• Both guests discuss the fears they faced—loss of professional identity, fear of being “too late,” and uncertainty about what’s next—and how embracing their past accomplishments and taking small steps helped them move forward. They highlight the importance of owning one’s value and successes as fuel for reinvention.

3. Systemic Barriers & Ageism

• The conversation addresses systemic challenges such as ageism and societal expectations for midlife women. Judy and Linda note the positive shifts in workplace flexibility and the normalization of career breaks, but also acknowledge ongoing barriers. They offer strategies for navigating these obstacles, including embracing one’s unique strengths and maintaining a growth mindset.

4. The Power of Community

• EvolveMe’s cohort-based model is designed to combat the isolation of career change. Judy and Linda explain how group support, mutual accountability, and cross-industry perspectives foster confidence and momentum, helping women see possibilities they might not have considered on their own.

5. Inspirational Stories

• Linda shares the story of a former cohort member, an attorney who initially sought to pivot to nonprofit work but ultimately found renewed purpose by niching down in her legal practice. Her journey exemplifies the self-discovery and transformation possible through EvolveMe’s approach.

6. Advice for Younger Selves

• Both guests reflect on what they wish they’d known in their twenties: careers don’t have to be linear, building diverse networks early is crucial, and paying attention to what brings you energy can guide future pivots. They encourage younger professionals to seek mentors and stay open to new opportunities.

“It doesn’t have to always be this grand statement of reinvention. It could be a 10% pivot. It doesn’t have to be a 360-degree pivot.” – Judy Schoenberg

“You can’t Google your way into a career reinvention… That’s why we created a community, so women don’t have to do it alone.” – Linda Lautenberg

“At every career stage, you have something special and unique that you’re bringing. In midlife, it’s perspective, wisdom, and resilience—you can see the forest for the trees.” – Linda Lautenberg

• EvolveMe: Learn more about EvolveMe’s programs for midlife career reinvention.

• Connect with Judy & Linda on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Around the Ladder, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

In this inspiring episode of Around the Ladder, host Erika Steinberg sits down with Laurel Carpenter to explore her unconventional career journey from nonprofit leadership and social work to thriving as a brand strategist and copywriter. Laurel shares how pivotal moments, unexpected challenges, and a willingness to pivot led her to co-found Pearl Consulting NYC with her partner, Charles Herold. Together, they help purpose-driven entrepreneurs discover and articulate the magic in their message.

Key Topics & Highlights:

• Career Pivots and Defining Moments: Laurel recounts her transition from social services to entrepreneurship, sparked by a pivotal experience in a challenging work environment and encouragement from her network to pursue her entrepreneurial instincts.

• Building a Business from Scratch: The story behind Pearl Consulting NYC’s launch, starting with a single client, and how Laurel and Charles turned a guest blogging experiment into a full-time business.

• Leveraging Transferable Skills: Laurel discusses how her background in social work-especially skills like interviewing, relationship-building, and technical writing-proved invaluable in branding and copywriting.

• Partnership Dynamics: Insights into Laurel and Charles’s complementary working styles, blending journalistic rigor with people-focused networking and business development.

• Navigating Challenges and Pivots: The realities of losing major clients, building a client base through networking groups like BNI, and adapting service offerings in response to market changes and the pandemic.

• The Evolution to Branding and Messaging: How client needs and market trends led to the creation of their signature “Reveal Your Brand” process, focusing on helping clients differentiate themselves in a crowded, often AI-influenced marketplace.

• AI in Copywriting: Laurel’s nuanced take on using AI as a tool for amplifying original brand voice-not for replacing it-and the importance of human creativity and specificity in messaging.

• Client Personas and Targeting: Why fleshing out detailed, psychographic client personas is essential for effective branding, and practical tips for entrepreneurs on interviewing clients to refine their messaging.

• Staying True to Your Niche: The importance of working with clients and industries that align with your strengths and passions, and letting your brand language both attract and repel to ensure the right fit.

Memorable Quotes:

"It was an experiment that ended up turning into a full-time business. It's been six years and I haven't looked back."

"AI is never going to substitute for a creative human brain... I'm really pro original creative thought, especially when it comes to branding."

"Let the language both attract and repel clients for you-better to know before you start working with them."

About the Guest:

Laurel Carpenter is a brand strategist and copywriter dedicated to helping coaches, creatives, and consultants turn generic copy into powerful, specific messaging that reflects their values and drives business growth. As co-founder of Pearl Consulting NYC, she partners with her husband, Charles Herold, blending their backgrounds in journalism, social work, and creative storytelling.

Connect with Us:

• Connect with Laurel on LinkedIn
• Pearl Consulting NYC

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