Create a Career-Accelerating Support Network

Are you intentional about who sits at your table of career success? In this thought-provoking episode, host Bernadette Boas dives deep into the essential relationships you need to fuel your career growth and personal transformation. She unpacks why creating a circle of influence—your own “Personal Board of Directors”—isn’t just a nice-to-have, but a critical strategy for anyone determined to thrive at any stage of their journey. Challenges Professionals Face:Navigating corporate life or entrepreneurship without the right support systemConfusing the roles of coaches, mentors, advocates, and sponsorsFailing to seek or cultivate key relationships that impact advancement and opportunitiesStruggling to showcase your achievements or take the initiative for your own growth Key Talking Points:Why Relationships Matter: Relationships are central to career and personal success. Bernadette illustrates how they influence opportunities, insights, and your overall trajectory.Roles Defined:Coaches: Focused on performance, accountability, and short-term goal setting. May be internal, external, formal, or informal.Mentors: Offer guidance based on their own experience, helping you navigate processes, people, and decision-making. Typically less structured and ad hoc.Advocates: People within your organization who actively support and promote your accomplishments behind the scenes.Sponsors: Influential leaders invested in your advancement, leveraging their own power to champion your high-visibility projects and opportunities.Board of Directors: A carefully curated mix of all of the above, including those outside your professional sphere (friends, family, community leaders) for holistic advice.Debunking Myths: Coaching isn’t just for “troubled” employees—it’s a growth catalyst!Cultivating Relationships: Why building, maintaining, and giving back to your network provides career insurance at every level. Bernadette encourages listeners to “shed the bitches”—ditch self-doubt, fear, and hesitancy—to become the powerhouse leader you’re meant to be. Whether you’re 30 or 65, it’s never too late (or early) to build the structures that will skyrocket your career and life. Connect with Bernadette:LinkedIn: @BernadetteBoasInstagram: @balloffirebernadettePodcast updates: Shedding the Corporate Bitch Podcast SHARE, LIKE, and FOLLOW the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Tune in, take notes, and step up—your Power Circle awaits! Support the show