Y’all… can we be honest for a second?

The internet has some of us convinced that nobody is hiring, every job posting is fake, AI is taking over, and the only path forward is to quit your job and become an entrepreneur.

But what if that’s not actually true?

In this chat I sit down with career strategist and executive coach, Rayla Bailey for a conversation about layoffs, career transitions, salary negotiation, networking, LinkedIn, and what it really takes to get hired in today’s job market.

Because whether you're feeling stuck in your current role, wondering if you're underpaid, navigating a layoff, or quietly dreaming about your next chapter, this chat is packed with practical advice and a healthy dose of hope.

We Chat About:

• Why Rayla tells job seekers to stay off the internet after a layoff
• The biggest mistake professionals make when they start looking for a new job
• How networking actually works in today's hiring market
• Whether LinkedIn is still worth your time
• What career coaches recommend doing before you ever need a new job

If you've ever told yourself:

"Nobody is hiring."

"I'll update my resume when I need it."

"It's too hard to get a new job."

Friend... this chat is for you.

Connect with Rayla Bailey:

• Website: https://rayla.co/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raylabailey/

Connect with Nicole:

• Read Context is Everything: https://nicolewaltersofficial.substack.com/
• Threads: https://threads.net/nicolewalters
• WATCH the Tell Me More podcast: http://nicolewalters.com/youtube

Episode Sponsors:

If you're ready to finally sleep great and feel like yourself again, head to bioptimizers.com/nicole and use my exclusive code NICOLE to get 15% off any order.

Try Gusto today at gusto.com/NICOLE, and get three months free when you run your first payroll.

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever built a life that looks amazing on paper... and still found yourself wondering, "Why doesn't this feel the way I thought it would?"

Friend, this conversation hit me right in the chest.

Today I'm sitting down with my real life friend, Yasmine Cheyenne, to talk about her new book, The Comeback Era, but this is NOT a typical book interview.

This is a chat about what happens when you've done everything "right" and still find yourself burned out, exhausted, disconnected, or questioning the life you've worked so hard to build.

We Chat About:

• What to do when you've checked all the boxes but still feel stuck
• The difference between being full and being fulfilled
• How to stop living in fix-it mode and learn to trust yourself through uncertainty
• The power of using "and" instead of blame to take ownership of your next chapter
• What it really means to enter your comeback era and create a life that feels aligned, not just impressive

Yasmine shares her own journey through burnout, identity shifts, perfectionism, fear of failure, and learning how to stop proving her worth through productivity. We talk about marriage, career changes, self-trust, vulnerability, and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes the biggest thing standing between us and the life we want is our willingness to tell ourselves the truth.

And whew... there were several moments in this conversation where I felt personally attacked in the best possible way.

If you've ever found yourself wondering whether you're actually happy... if you're tired of performing, pushing, and proving... if you're standing at the edge of a major life transition and wondering what's next... this chat is for you.

Connect with Yasmine:

• Grab the new book, The Comeback Era: https://yasminecheyenne.com/books
• Follow Yasmine on IG at https://www.instagram.com/yasminecheyenne

Grab Deesha Dyer's book here: https://www.deeshadyer.com/undiplomatic-the-book

Connect with Nicole:

• On her *new* Substack: https://nicolewaltersofficial.substack.com/
• On Threads: https://threads.net/nicolewalters
• WATCH Tell Me More: http://nicolewalters.com/youtube

Episode Sponsors:

Explore viral bestsellers and products of healthier hair of ALL types from Bask and Lather. Go to baskandlatherco.com and use code NICOLE for 20% off.

Ready to reach your goals? Visit forhers.com/nicole to get personalized, affordable care that gets you.

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when you stop and ask yourself, "Who is this all for?"

Friend this one is a THERAPY SESSION with Dr. Phebe Brako, a licensed therapist supporting immigrants and individuals of the Global Majority to heal, grow, and build homes away from home.

We Chat About:

• The difference between stress, burnout, and actual trauma
• Why so many high-achieving women feel unsafe slowing down
• How immigrant and first-generation women learn to over-perform for survival
• Parenting differently than you were parented and the emotions that come with it
• The guilt many women feel around rest, pleasure, and spending money on themselves

We also get into the emotional reality of being “the strong one,” the accidental breadwinner, the high performer everyone depends on… while secretly feeling exhausted, anxious, and terrified of slowing down.

And honestly? This chat challenged me personally in ways I WASN'T expecting.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to earn your place in every room you walk into…

If resting makes you uncomfortable…

If success still somehow doesn’t feel like enough…

... This chat is going to hit hard in the best possible way.

Connect with Dr. Phebe:

• Watch Dr. Phebe's new podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@phebebrakolmft
• Learn more about how you can work with Dr. Phebe: https://www.phebebrakolmft.com/
• On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drphebebrako/

Connect with Nicole:

• On her *new* Substack: https://nicolewaltersofficial.substack.com/
• On Threads: https://threads.net/nicolewalters
• WATCH Tell Me More: http://nicolewalters.com/youtube

Episode Sponsor:

Ready to reach your goals? Visit forhers.com/nicole to get personalized, affordable care that gets you.

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.