Sometimes doing the right thing as a leader means disappointing someone you genuinely want to help. In this episode, Shelby and Belinda get candid about tough feedback, workplace politics, protecting your credibility, and knowing when (and when not) to use your influence on someone else’s behalf. Because the higher you go, the grayer the decisions get.

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He spent 37 years as a software engineer. Then a ruined painting changed everything.

In this bonus episode of Leadership Tea, Shelby and Belinda sit down with artist Erasto Curtis Matthews (@erastoarts) for a conversation that wasn't even supposed to happen. True to form for their 'Leading Unscripted' theme for this season. They met him by chance, minutes before recording their Season 6 premiere. Erasto shares how one destroyed canvas turned into a full-time art career, the mantra that's guided every scary decision since ("whenever something scares me, that's what I'm supposed to do next"), and his blunt advice for anyone building a legacy: get rid of fear, because fear usually gets you the exact opposite of what you want.

A quick, unscripted reminder that some of the best pivots in life start as mistakes.

🎨 Follow Erasto's work on Instagram: @erastoarts
🎙️ New episodes of Leadership Tea drop bi-weekly.

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We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
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Who taught you that talking about your wins is bragging?

LinkedIn strategist Portia Obeng has helped thousands of professionals and small business owners stop being the best-kept secret in their industry. She joins Belinda and Shelby for a candid, practical conversation about showing up online before you feel ready, and why playing small doesn't help anyone.

In this episode:
• The first move to make on LinkedIn when you're pivoting industries
• What Portia would do if you only had 30 minutes to fix your profile
• How to speak confidently about your expertise without sounding arrogant
• The profiles that make her hit "connect," and the ones that make her roll her eyes
• Why she's "allergic to quick chats," and what she says to people who ask for one
• Her North Star when the entrepreneurial journey gets hard

As former diplomats, Belinda and Shelby spent decades in a culture where your work was supposed to speak for itself. Portia makes the case that it won't, and that the people who need what you know are waiting to hear it from you.

Connect with Portia:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/portiaobeng/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@portia.o
Website: https://linktr.ee/portiaobeng

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We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
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Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

What if the fear holding you back isn't even your own?

In the Season 6 premiere of Leadership Tea, Belinda and Shelby get personal about the voices that tell us we're not ready, and what happens when we choose to walk through the door anyway.

They revisit the unlikely story of how they became friends and professional partners, including the surprising reason Belinda almost never got to know Shelby. They talk about the career disappointment that pushed Shelby toward an opportunity she initially resisted, how Belinda encouraged her to take the leap, and the unexpected turns that ultimately shaped both of their careers.

They also reflect on building the Leadership Tea Podcast itself and everything they've had to learn along the way, from technology and editing to social media and video.

At its heart, this conversation is about leading unscripted: learning to distinguish your own fear from someone else's, letting go of ego, staying agile when the plan changes, and having the courage to take the next step even when you don't know exactly where it will lead.

In this episode, Belinda and Shelby talk about:

• How fear can keep us from opportunities we're actually ready for
• The difference between your own fear and someone else's fear
• What happens when someone else believes in you before you believe in yourself
• Career disappointment, ego, and learning to recognize an unexpected opportunity
• Why the right door isn't always the door you planned to walk through
• Faith, uncertainty, discomfort, and taking the first step

Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome to Season 6: Leading Unscripted
01:17 — Is fear keeping you in a box?
02:35 — How Vincent introduced Belinda and Shelby
03:44 — The advice that almost kept them apart
05:44 — When someone else's doubts become your own
06:55 — The story of power, water, and momentum
07:47 — Getting past the fear of video
08:17 — Is this fear yours or someone else's?
09:36 — When the dream job doesn't work out
10:06 — Why Shelby hesitated to join the Operations Center
12:19 — “You are built for this moment”
13:30 — Quieting the voices that sabotage your growth
14:00 — Walking through doors you didn't expect
14:43 — How Togo and Peru became the right places
15:29 — Why agility matters more than ego
15:41 — Learning to build a podcast unscripted
16:38 — Getting comfortable with YouTube and video
17:06 — Faith over fear
17:51 — Knowing when to shake off negativity
18:21 — There is no growth in comfort
18:34 — What does leading unscripted mean for you?

A few quotes to carry with you:

“Fear is blocking you from your blessings.”

“I never end up where I wanted to be, but I always end up where I'm supposed to be.”

“There’s no growth in comfort.”

What fear are you learning to move through right now?

Tell us in the comments. We'd love to hear your story.

And if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or another audio platform, come join us on YouTube for Season 6. We're excited to bring you more conversations about leadership, culture, clarity, uncertainty, and what it really means to lead unscripted.

Send us a comment!

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
• Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube!

Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

We wrap the season by getting specific about what it means to be a good mentee, not just someone who wants access to a mentor. We share the habits that build real trust, the red flags that tell you to move on, and the practical ways to grow a “village” that supports your career and your life. We discuss issues such as:

• remembering you always have options beyond assigned pairings
• being in relationship with mentors beyond transactional asks
• reaching out before a crisis and making clear, focused asks
• leaning into virtual coffee chats in hybrid and remote work

If you're listening on audio, please also subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Send us a comment!

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
• Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube!

Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

You've dreamed about it. Maybe you've even Googled it. But what does moving abroad actually cost — financially, practically, and emotionally?

In Part 2 of our series with the State Department Federal Credit Union (SDFCU), Shelby and Belinda sit back down with Sam Salmon and Josh Barrett — two financial professionals who aren't just advising on international living, they're currently doing it. From hidden garbage taxes in Spain to bills buried in junk mail in Belgium, this conversation gets into the real details that most people don't think about until they're already on the plane.

We cover banking across borders, credit strategy, U.S. tax obligations that follow you everywhere, and what to do in the 12-18 months before you make the move. If you've ever seriously considered planting roots somewhere new, this one's for you.

Here are a few acronyms that were used in this episode:

• WISE (Wise is an international money movement solution); SDFCU has info on WISE on their website, https://sdfcu.org/
• FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Reporting Requirements)
• AARO (Association of American residents overseas)
• FAWCO (Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas)
• ACA (American Citizens Abroad)

Missed Part 1? We kicked off this series talking about raising money-smart kids — find it wherever you're listening now.

Learn more about SDFCU's international services: https://sdfcu.org/

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We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
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How do you raise children who understand the value of money in a world where almost every payment is digital?

In this episode of Leadership Tea, Shelby Smith-Wilson and Belinda Jackson welcome back financial experts Sam Salmon and Josh Barrett from the State Department Federal Credit Union to discuss practical strategies for raising financially confident kids.

Together, they explore allowances, saving, budgeting, first jobs, spending habits, and how parents can build healthy financial mindsets through consistent conversations, not fear or shame.

Whether you're raising young children or preparing teenagers for adulthood, this conversation offers practical ideas that leaders can apply both at home and at work.

In this episode:

• The biggest mistake parents make when teaching kids about money

• Why communication matters more than the size of an allowance

• Helping children understand needs versus wants

• Teaching financial responsibility in a cashless world

• Preparing teens for their first paycheck

• Why it's never too late to build better money habits

Part 1 of a two-part series with the State Department Federal Credit Union.

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Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive:

One 60-minute coaching session per month
Priority access to our calendar
One annual 90-minute strategic intensive
This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited.

If you're interested, email us directly at hello@stirringsuccess.com, and we'll be in touch.

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We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

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Surprise! We recorded from a new space this week, Cowo & Crèche here in the DMV, and it feels like the start of a new chapter for Leadership Tea. We're also making an announcement we've been sitting on: Rooted & Rising, our first international leadership retreat, taking place January 17–22, 2027 in Cape Town, South Africa.

We talk through what to expect: Table Mountain, wine country in Stellenbosch, meaningful reflection tied to Dr. King's birthday, and real connection with local business leaders — and why this is the next chapter for our company, Grounded & Global.

Early bird pricing ends July 31. Full details and booking: https://tri.ps/UCyae

As always, community is clutch.

For more information on Cowo & Crèche, check out their website https://www.cowocreche.com/ or follow them on IG, https://www.instagram.com/cowo.creche/

Send us a comment!

Support the show

We publish new episodes every other Wednesday.

• Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast
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Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.