Episodes

What does it look like to build a life from scratch, not once, but again and again? Nuray Krein Yilmaz has done it more times than most people ever will, and her story is one of the most quietly extraordinary ones we've shared on this podcast.

Nuray grew up in a small farming village in eastern Turkey, the eleventh of twelve siblings, in a community where girls' futures were largely pre-written. She lost both parents to cancer before she turned 13. She taught herself to dream inside boarding school libraries and across chess tournaments — and she never stopped.

In 2018, she moved to the United States through a cultural exchange program with limited English, no safety net, and an enormous amount of courage. Today she is a content analyst in tech, a published author, and the founder of What If You Can — a community for people navigating immigration, grief, career transitions, and the question of whether they belong.

What if the way we’ve been thinking about brains at work is fundamentally broken? What if accommodations aren’t about fixing people, but about unlocking talent we’ve been filtering out for decades? In this powerful episode, Lori sits down with Dave Thompson to explore how neurodiversity is the biggest shift in human capital in a generation, and why the companies that get it right will lead the future of work.

What if the key to innovation in your workplace isn't finding people who fit your culture, but transforming your culture to unlock brilliance that's been overlooked? Tara May, CEO of Aspiritech, has spent her career proving that when organizations create truly neuro-inclusive workplaces, everybody wins. In this conversation, Tara opens up about her personal journey, including raising an autistic son and her own OCD diagnosis in her 40s, and shares the practical frameworks any organization can us...

You're highly capable. So why does your next move feel so unclear?
For senior leaders at a career inflection point — whether navigating a layoff, a values misalignment, or a long-overdue pivot — the problem is rarely a lack of skill. It's a lack of perspective.

In this episode, executive coach and strategic advisor Karen Kunkel Young joins host Lori Adams-Brown to talk about what high-performing leaders consistently miss when they're standing at a crossroads — and what it actually takes to move...

What do you do when the doors you’ve worked for keep closing because of factors you can’t control? In this episode, Rebeca Lopez Valerio shares how she turned “no” into fuel, built opportunities from scratch, and learned to lead with coraje, heart-forward courage rooted in identity, resilience, and values.

Rebeca’s story is powerful and deeply human. Born in Mexico with Indigenous roots from the Oaxaca/Puebla region, she immigrated to the U.S. at age four and navigated life as a first-generation student, while also carrying the realities of being undocumented during key years of her education and career journey. Together, we talk about what it really takes to keep showing up when the stakes are high, and how community can be the difference between feeling stuck and finding your way forward.

What if the very conversations you’re avoiding are the ones that could change everything? In this episode, we explore the hidden cost of silence, and how choosing “peace” over honesty can slowly erode trust, connection, and even joy.

Many of us were taught to keep the peace, smooth things over, or stay quiet especially when the stakes are high in families, partnerships, and leadership roles. But as today’s conversation reveals, avoiding hard conversations doesn’t actually protect relationships....

What happens when faith communities quietly replace women’s leadership with unpaid, invisible labor? In this powerful Best of most downloaded episode of 2025 re-release, historian and bestselling author Dr. Beth Allison Barr joins Lori Adams-Brown to unpack how the role of the “pastor’s wife” became a substitute for women’s ordination—and the deep harm that followed.

Drawing from her book Becoming the Pastor’s Wife, Beth combines rigorous historical research with lived experience to show how a once-fluid vision of women’s leadership in Christianity narrowed dramatically in the late 20th century. What emerges is a sobering picture: women expected to perform the equivalent of multiple full-time jobs for free, while being told their obedience—not their gifts—is God’s highest calling.

Together, Lori and Beth explore how this shift didn’t happen gradually, but almost overnight, during the Southern Baptist Convention’s fundamentalist takeover. They discuss the psychological toll on wo…

Some conversations stay with us because they name what we’ve been living but haven’t had words for yet. This episode is one of those moments, a reminder that gratitude does not require us to deny our pain, and authenticity does not demand perfection.

As we revisit this Thanksgiving message, one of the most downloaded and shared episodes of the year, Lori reflects on what it means to hold multiple truths at the same time. In a year marked by layoffs, uncertainty, grief, and global upheaval, this...

Ever started a new job and realized the “real work” isn’t just the work. It’s learning the culture, the decision-making rhythm, and what success actually looks like? In this re-released best-of conversation, Dr. Shweta Miglani breaks down the small, practical moves that help you ramp faster, build credibility, and grow your career without burning out.

Dr. Miglani shares how her journey began in journalism, pivoted through learning science and instructional design, and expanded into global talent management and organizational development—supporting leaders across industries and countries. Together, we talk about what separates professionals who thrive quickly from those who stay stuck: proactive communication, stakeholder mapping, clear expectations, and learning how to lead with both strategy and humanity.

You’ll hear actionable guidance for your first 90 days, how to make your one-on-ones count, and why emotional intelligence and cultural intelligence matter even more as AI tra…

What if the talent your organization is searching for is already inside your walls? In this Best of episode, Lori revisits one of the most impactful conversations of the year with talent strategy expert Dr. Edie Goldberg, and it’s just as relevant now as when it first aired.

Dr. Goldberg shares why traditional job structures are holding organizations back, how skills-based talent strategies unlock massive ROI, and what leaders can do right now to reduce burnout while increasing engagement and a...

As 2025 comes to a close, this episode is a love letter to difference makers everywhere—those navigating change, courage, career pivots, and complex workplaces. Lori Adams-Brown reflects on the books that shaped her thinking this year and deeply resonated with listeners across the globe.

From leadership in the age of AI to psychological safety, toxic workplaces, courage, presence, and recovery after trauma, these books don’t just inform—they invite you to live and lead differently. Many of the ...

Are you feeling the weight of leadership decisions that seem to pull you away from your core values? You're not alone in wrestling with what it means to lead authentically when the world around us feels increasingly divided and transactional.

What happens when kindness becomes your greatest strength, not your weakness? In a year marked by global upheaval, AI transformation, and workplace challenges that have disproportionately affected women, the question of authentic leadership has never been ...

Are you leading with the assumption that your team is operating from a place of psychological safety? The reality might shock you. Recent research reveals that 80% of workplace professionals have experienced trauma that directly impacts how they show up at work—and most leaders have no idea it's happening.

What happens when that high-performing employee suddenly becomes reactive during feedback sessions? Or when your most talented team member can't seem to engage during meetings? Elizabeth Vahe...

Are you leading teams across cultures but struggling to understand why brilliant strategies fail and talented people clash? The answer might be simpler than you think, and more complex than you've imagined.

What happens when the biggest barrier to global leadership isn't language or logistics, but the invisible assumptions we carry about how work should get done? Maria Angela Calmet has spent over 15 years leading projects across five continents, and she's discovered that the most successful leaders aren't just culturally aware—they're culturally competent.

As CEO and founder of Allopoli and author of LIDERESA, Maria Angela has seen firsthand what separates leaders who thrive globally from those who fail spectacularly. Her framework goes beyond surface-level cultural etiquette to address the root systems that drive behavior, decision-making, and trust-building across cultures.

In this conversation, Maria Angela reveals why directness in Dutch culture completely transformed he…

Are you struggling to hold space for both gratitude and grief in your leadership? In a year marked by unprecedented challenges, many executives are finding it difficult to navigate the tension between authentic appreciation and the very real pain their teams are experiencing.

What happens when toxic positivity meets genuine leadership? In this deeply personal Thanksgiving reflection, I share why the most powerful leaders aren't the ones who wrap everything up in a neat bow, but those who can ho...

Are you feeling the tension between staying authentic and using AI tools in your leadership? You're not alone. Many executives are grappling with this exact challenge, and the stakes have never been higher.

What happens when the biggest threat to authentic leadership isn't AI itself, but how we choose to use it? Communication expert Allison Shapira has spent years helping executives find their voice in moments that matter most. Now she's tackling the question keeping leaders up at night: How do...

Are you watching people stay silent and get in line when their values are being violated? Lori Adams-Brown, a Strategic Transformation Executive gets real on why you need to get clear on your values and speak up when they are being violated.

In this engaging conversation, Lori Adams-Brown interviews Mita Mallick about her book "The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses." Mita shares personal stories and insights on leadership, workplace culture, and the impact of bad bosses on mental health. The discussion covers the importance of self-awareness, setting boundaries, and the role of personal relationships in professional settings.

The genesis of Mita's book started with a personal experience of her mo...

If you're feeling stuck in the same old thought patterns, journaling your heart out only to end up reliving the same pain, or you keep trying new workshops and self-help tricks but still feel disconnected from your creativity and sense of wonder, then you are not alone! If you’ve signed up for writing classes hoping for transformation but walk away feeling more self-critical instead, or you’re longing for a breakthrough but just keep hitting that emotional wall, then you are not alone! If you keep scrolling through inspirational posts and books, looking for that spark to reignite your resilience but end up feeling even more isolated, then you are not alone! If you find yourself craving deeper connection and authenticity but every attempt leaves you feeling misunderstood or too vulnerable, then you are not alone!

Ever wondered if being “nice” at work could actually be making everything worse? Picture this: a leader so shielded by everyone’s politeness that a single, cringeworthy comment in the halls of Congress nearly tanks a $9 million deal—while everyone else sits silent, protecting comfort over honesty. Turns out, our obsession with not rocking the boat isn’t just awkward... it can be downright destructive. But here’s the twist: the real danger isn’t ego or greed. It’s this sneaky, everyday culture of...

What if the real reason your best people are leaving isn’t about paychecks or perks, but something way bigger, something you might not even be measuring yet? There’s a quiet shift happening in the workforce that’s turning traditional retention strategies upside down. And here’s the kicker: companies that embrace it aren’t just keeping their talent. They’re watching productivity and promotions soar, with results that might surprise you. So, what’s the one move that could help your people see a fu...

Ever heard these myths floating around about leadership and work-life balance? Myth #1: True leaders have to hustle nonstop to be successful. Myth #2: Burnout just means you’re not cut out for the job. Myth #3: Neuroplasticity is only for scientists—not something leaders can actually use. I’m about to spill the truth on how to flip these old stories on their head—so you can actually lead with clarity, energy, and a life that feels good. Ready for a totally different take? Stick around!

In this ...

Does this sound familiar? You’ve been told that “just learning every new AI tool” is the secret to staying relevant and leading your team into the future. But after hours tinkering with the latest apps and features, you’re still feeling overwhelmed and wondering if you’re actually making any real progress—or just adding more noise to your workflow. If you’re tired of chasing shiny objects and still feeling uncertain about how to lead responsibly with AI, you’re not alone. Let’s talk about what a...

Ever wondered what really happens behind closed boardroom doors when leaders are faced with uncomfortable truths, especially when speaking up could cost them their job? This conversation isn’t just about corporate buzzwords or performative change. It’s an unfiltered look at how fear quietly shapes decisions, and how a handful of micro-courage moments can actually flip the script for whole organizations. If you think courage at work is all about bold speeches, think again. There’s a twist here th...