Stories by Career Sistas

Crossing Cultures, Creating Success

In this episode of Stories by Career Sisters, Beverly speaks with Heather Krog, a goal attainment coach, educator, and basketball coach with a global career.
 
Heather shares her journey from New York to Copenhagen, shaped by curiosity, growth, and life across cultures. She reflects on studying abroad as a turning point that transformed her sense of identity, belonging, and freedom.
 
The conversation explores building a career and businesses abroad, and redefining success through change and experimentation. A powerful discussion on agency, resilience, and using imagination to move from feeling stuck to seeing new possibilities.

Choosing Work with Intention: What are your three I’s?

From her immigrant roots to executive leadership, Abeth reflects on how identity shapes resilience, grit, and a sense of purpose. She introduces her “Three I’s” framework: interest, inspiration, and impact, as a guide to choosing meaningful work, while exploring the vital role of sponsorship, mentorship, and the people who open doors along the way.
 
In this conversation, we unpack why feedback, failure, and psychological safety are essential to strong leadership, and share practical advice on career growth, self-awareness, and leading with trust in a fast-changing world.

Power & Purpose - The Story behind Build Your Power

In this special solo episode, Beverly steps behind the microphone to share the story, purpose and vision behind Build Your Power—the free digital careers magazine created to expand the impact of Career Sistas. Reflecting on one year of community building through the book Build Your Table and the Stories by Career Sisters podcast, she explains why the magazine is the natural next step in widening access to career tools, inspiration and representation.
Drawing on insights from nearly 50 podcast conversations, Beverly explores the recurring themes that have shaped the magazine’s direction—community, intentionality and purpose. As she notes, the magazine is designed to “reach women, reach people of colour… anybody who’s going to find that career advice, tools, resources, useful.”
Listeners will hear how Build Your Power brings together career development, entrepreneurship, directories, resources and celebration of everyday role models to create a platform where underrepresented professionals can see themselves reflected. Beverly also shares what she’s most proud of so far “just getting issue one done” and why experimentation, feedback and evolution are central to the journey.
This episode offers a thoughtful, personal look at the mission behind the magazine and the broader ecosystem Career Sistas is building: a space for learning, amplification, connection and collective empowerment.

The Defining Moments: Lessons in Leading from a Veteran HR Manager

In this inspiring episode of Stories by Career Sisters, Beverly sits down with Gwendolyn, a former human resources manager with decades of experience across nonprofit and federal government organisations. From starting at the bottom to leading teams and advocating for equity, Gwendolyn shares the defining moments that shaped her leadership style.
Listeners will gain insight into:
How challenges, setbacks, and inequities can shape authentic leadership
The difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and why advocacy matters
Leading with values, fairness, and compassion, even in difficult environments
Practical wisdom for navigating careers, protecting your peace, and building a supportive network
Gwendolyn also opens up about the upcoming release of her book The Heart of Leadership and Managing Leadership in a Changing World. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to lead with integrity, resilience, and purpose.

Building a Law Firm from Scratch: Risk, Leadership and Entrepreneurship

What does it take to build a successful business from scratch with everything on the line?
 
In this powerful episode of Stories by Career Sisters, Beverly sits down with Joy Edwards, a Caribbean-born attorney and founder of a growing Atlanta-based family law firm. Together they explore her journey from debate champion in Jamaica to bold entrepreneur and law firm leader in the United States.
 
Joy shares what shaped her path into law, why international law didn’t unfold as planned after law school, and how she made the courageous decision to leave a stable job to launch her own firm.  Joy also reflects on supporting women from underrepresented backgrounds who want to pursue leadership or start their own firms, emphasising that success requires both passion and perseverance.
 
Whether you’re a lawyer, entrepreneur, aspiring leader, or a professional navigating career growth, this episode offers honest insights into ambition, risk-taking and building a purpose-driven business.
 
Tune in for an inspiring conversation about courage, growth, and creating success on your own terms.

Rejected on Paper, Brilliant in Practice: Rethinking CVs (Resumes)

In this episode of Stories by Career Sistas, Beverly sits down with Vivian Sunmola, a Nigerian woman in tech and the founder of an early-stage hiring platform challenging traditional recruitment.
 
Vivian shares her journey into the tech industry through a digital technology apprenticeship, navigating stigma, bias, and underestimation in a male-dominated field. She reflects candidly on what it means to pursue a non-traditional career path, the pressure to prove yourself as a Black woman in tech, and how community, mentorship, and research helped her stay the course.
 
The conversation explores the realities of early-career hiring, from CV bias and seven-second screening decisions to the hidden barriers faced by candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. Vivian explains how watching talented people get rejected not because of lack of skill, but because they couldn’t articulate their experience sparked her decision to build a platform focused on fair access, meaningful feedback, and trust in hiring.
 
She also unpacks why hands-on experience, portfolios, and apprenticeships are becoming increasingly valuable in today’s job market, and why the future of recruitment must move beyond outdated CV models. With insights on building credibility, finding the right spaces, and ignoring the noise around “acceptable” career paths, this episode is packed with practical wisdom for anyone navigating tech, early careers, or entrepreneurship.
 
A must-listen for aspiring, founders, career changers, and anyone passionate about equity, access, and rethinking how talent is recognised.

Your Achievements Can’t Be Taken Away: A Story of Career Reinvention

What happens when you walk away from a career you worked years to build and trust yourself to start again?
In this episode of Stories by Career Sisters, Beverly is joined by Rosemary Kargbo, a former probation officer turned author, publisher, entrepreneur, and housing professional — for conversation about career pivots, transferable skills, faith, resilience, and believing in yourself against the odds.
 
Rosemary shares her powerful journey from studying sociology and psychology, retraining through a Master’s in Criminology, and spending six years in probation , before making the difficult decision to walk away from a role that had become her identity. She opens up about navigating disappointment, systemic challenges, and resource limitations, and how those experiences ultimately shaped her confidence, leadership, and sense of purpose.
 
This episode is for anyone who feels stuck, underestimated, or pressured to follow a linear career path, and for those who want permission to aim higher, take bold steps, and create a career that truly reflects who they are becoming.
 
If you’re facing self-doubt, a career crossroads, or wondering whether it’s too late to change direction, Rosemary’s story will remind you: your past is preparation, not a prison.

From Accounting to Big Tech: Learning Fast and Choosing Differently

In this episode of Stories by Career Sistas, Beverly is joined by Sopé Ogunrombi, a strategy and finance professional in big tech, for a powerful conversation about career pivots, non-linear career paths, identity, and intentional career growth.
 
Sopé shares her career journey from studying accounting under strong cultural expectations to working across investment banking, digital transformation, FinTech, and big tech. She reflects on  how growing up across Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and South Africa shaped her identity, adaptability, and ability to read context—skills that continue to influence how she shows up in corporate environments today.
 
The conversation explores what it really takes to make successful career transitions, including mindset shifts, learning velocity, confidence, and intentional decision-making. Sopé breaks down how she navigated lateral moves without seeing them as setbacks, using a clear framework of capital, credentials, and credibility to guide her choices.
 
The episode also dives into navigating visibility and belonging as a Black woman in corporate spaces, dealing with imposter syndrome, and the role of mentorship, coaching, and community in building confidence and self-advocacy at work. Sopé offers honest advice for ambitious women feeling pressure to follow a “perfect” timeline, encouraging listeners to release rigid milestones and focus on values, skills, and optionality.  Insightful, reflective, and deeply practical, this episode is a must-listen for professionals considering career pivots, MBAs, or major transitions—and for anyone seeking to design a career that aligns with who they are, not just what’s expected.

Menopause at Work: Understanding the Impact

In this episode of Stories by Career Sistas, Beverly is joined by Nancy Boulos, a FinTech professional and workplace menopause champion, for an essential conversation about menopause at work, perimenopause, and how hormonal changes can impact women’s careers, confidence, and wellbeing.
 
Nancy shares her lived experience of navigating perimenopause and menopause while working in a corporate environment. She explains the difference between perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause, and discusses common menopause symptoms such as brain fog, anxiety, sleep disruption, hot flushes, fatigue, and loss of confidence—and how these symptoms can affect performance, focus, and career progression.
 
This episode is for women experiencing perimenopause or menopause, and employers who want to understand the career impact of menopause, how to support women at work, and why menopause awareness, inclusion, and empathy are essential for retaining experienced female talent.

Non-Linear Careers: Leadership, Motherhood, and Making Intentional Choices

In this episode of Stories by Career Sistas, Beverly sits down with marketing leader Sarah Sadiq to explore intentional career growth, leadership, and navigating a non-linear career path.
 
Sarah shares her global career journey—from training as an accountant in Pakistan to pivoting into marketing, working across banking, telecommunications, and FMCG, and later teaching marketing a University in Melbourne. She reflects on career pivots, transferable skills, and how exposure, risk-taking, and community have shaped her professional identity and personal brand.
 
The conversation dives into building a global career, becoming a global citizen, and challenging long-held beliefs about success, leadership, and work. Sarah speaks openly about motherhood and work–life balance, explaining how career pacing and intentional choices allowed her to stay fulfilled while navigating different life stages.
 
A key theme of the episode is intentional networking and career strategy. Sarah shares a powerful real-world example of proactive networking, personal branding, and creating opportunity through preparation, research, and meaningful human connection—offering practical career advice for navigating a competitive job market.
 
The episode also explores mentorship, sponsorship, inclusion, privilege, and representation at work, as well as the importance of building community and “building the table” for others. Insightful and honest, this episode is ideal for professionals, career switchers, women in leadership, and anyone seeking clarity on career development, leadership growth, and designing a career aligned with their values.

Manuscript to Market: The Publishing Reality Check Every New Author Needs

If you’ve ever said “I want to write a book” or you’ve already written one and don’t know what comes next, this episode is for you.
 
In this episode of Stories by Career Sistas, Beverly is joined by Karen Jackson , founder of The Vonnie & Ollie Agency, for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about what it really takes to write, publish, and market a book. Drawing on her 20 years of marketing experience across the music industry, book publishing with a Big Five  publisher,  and now entrepreneurship, Karen unpacks the parts of the publishing journey that aspiring authors often underestimate, or misunderstand entirely.
 
We explore the true cost of publishing, why marketing often matters more than most authors realise, and the critical difference between being a writer and becoming a branded author. Karen highlights common mistakes first-time authors make, how to avoid spending money in the wrong places, and why building community and operating with intention are just as important as writing the manuscript itself.
 
The episode also explores advocacy in publishing, the importance and power of underrepresented voices and the stories they carry, as well as why books are one of the  most challenging, yet most meaningful, products to sell in today’s attention economy. Karen closes with practical advice for writers who are sitting on an idea, unsure how to begin, and questioning whether their story is worth pursuing.
 
Whether you’re an aspiring writer, a first-time author, or someone dreaming of publishing a book that truly reaches its audience, this episode delivers clarity, strategy, and encouragement to help you take the next step.

Building Legacy Through Entrepreneurship

In this episode of Stories by Career Sisters, Beverly is joined by Bayo Adelaja, nonprofit CEO, entrepreneur, and founder of Do it Now Now, an organisation dedicated to advancing equity through entrepreneurship, with a primary focus on the Black community in the UK.
 
Bayo shares her journey, from growing up in a Nigerian immigrant family with traditional expectations, to questioning a pre-law path, and ultimately building a purpose-led organisation that has distributed millions of pounds in funding to Black-led social ventures. She reflects on how lived experience, community, and entrepreneurship became her chosen vehicles for change.
 
Bayo also discusses the realities of scaling a non-profit, leading a growing team, navigating leadership transitions, and why continuous learning — including completing multiple master’s degrees and an MBA — has shaped her leadership style.  Listeners will also hear Bayo's honest reflections on fear, public failure, and the importance of practising courage before confidence arrives. From portfolio careers and creative fulfilment to building organisations that outlast their founders, this episode offers thoughtful insights for anyone seeking to build meaningful, community-driven work.