Podcast
Trill MBA Show - The Career Management Podcast for Black Women
Hosted by Felicia Ann Rose Enuha AKA The Trillest MBA You Will Ever Know · EN
Being You, A Black Woman, is hard…especially in Corporate America. There are too many hurdles thrown at us as we try to climb the ladder of success. From microaggressions against you and your hair to the lack of advocates and sponsors everyone needs. Someone please just tell us what to do to make corporate America work for us! The Trill MBA Show is here to help you fight these battles by giving you the strategies that work, straight…no chaser. With our host, Felicia aka The Trillest MBA you will ever know, the Trill MBA Show curates the real truth to help you survive and thrive in Corporate America.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Set Intentional Objectives: How to Drive Your Career, Not Ride Shotgun
Oct 19Tap to summarizeS9: E21 Set Intentional Objectives: How to Drive Your Career, Not Ride Shotgun If you’re winging it with vague goals (or whatever your manager “cascaded” down), you’re driving your career with a blindfold on. Felicia breaks down what objectives really are, why they’re the engine of promotions and pay, and how to use them to drive your internal reputation, not just fill a form for HR. You’ll learn the differences between KPIs, OKRs, and MBOs, plus how to turn objectives into your personal brand soundbite all year long. Key Takeaways in this Episode: Understand the Power of Objectives: Learn why objectives aren’t just corporate busywork, and how they’re your GPS for navigating your career and controlling your professional narrative. Differentiate Between KPIs and OKRs: Get clear on the two main types of workplace objectives and how to use each one to measure progress, demonstrate impact, and make your results undeniable. Own Your Career Story: Stop letting cascading goals define you. Use your objectives to highlight your unique strengths, achievements, and the value you bring to the organization. Use Objectives as a Career Strategy Tool: Treat your objectives as more than yearly tasks. Use them to drive conversations about growth, promotion, and alignment with your long-term goals. Quantify Your Wins: Replace vague deliverables with measurable outcomes that show how you make or save the company money, removing subjectivity from your performance review. Stay Consistent and Visible: Revisit your objectives throughout the year, track progress, and talk about them often so decision-makers associate you with results, not just effort. Time Stamps: 00:00 – “You’re in the driver’s seat” intro: objectives as your career GPS 00:01:12 – Why everyone moans about objectives, and why that’s holding you back 00:02:53 – Objectives as cheat codes: stop button-mashing your career 00:05:52 – Tools break: FMLA & Quiet Firing guides (Stand Store) 00:07:03 – Definitions: what objectives are (specific, measurable, time-bound) 00:09:30 – KPIs: the concrete scorecard (make/save $$, track progress) 00:13:11 – OKRs: objective + key results for longer plays like awareness growth 00:14:53 – MBOs: cascade goals (how to avoid getting buried by your boss’s goals) 00:17:47 – Using objectives to craft your personal brand (your soundbite) 00:19:19 – Example soundbite: tie goals to top-line revenue and repeat everywhere 00:21:12 – Biggest takeaway: objectives = story, strategy, receipts 00:22:58 – What’s next: Part 2 on how to actually write winning objectives Resources & Next Steps: FMLA Leave & Retaliation Tracker – Protect your job before and after leave. Document retaliation, track every move, and get paid if they play dirty. Career Coaching with Felicia – Book a personalized strategy session. Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com (subject: “Listener Letter”). Subscribe & Leave a Review – Subscribe on YouTube and drop a comment to help us grow. Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated on Instagram and LinkedIn. Until next time, keep it trill! Editing and Sound Design by Chris Mann of Podshaper
Transcribe →Corporate Lingo Decoded: Speak Up & Sound Strategic at Work (with Jessica Guzik)
Sep 2901:12:47Tap to summarizeS9: E20 Episode Summary What if sounding “smart” at work isn’t about your IQ, but about learning a language that corporate never taught you? In this episode, Felicia sits down with leadership coach and host of The Art of Speaking Up podcast, Jessica Guzik, to unpack how Black women can show up with presence, clarity, and confidence in corporate spaces without losing authenticity. Jessica and Felicia break down the mindset shifts and tactical phrases that help you stop downplaying your brilliance and start getting heard. In This Episode, We Cover: Why struggling to speak up at work is about skills, not smarts The hidden “corporate lingo” that leaves many women feeling insecure STAR statements and other frameworks that make your stories land How internal processors can thrive in fast-moving meetings The difference between confidence and competence — and why confidence often wins Practical phrases to buy time, push back, and sound strategic How to show your thinking process so your expertise is visible Reframing self-promotion so it feels natural (your work can’t talk — you have to) Why asking “tell me more” is the ultimate leadership move Jessica Guzik is a women’s leadership coach and host of The Art of Speaking Up podcast, where she helps high-achieving corporate women build confidence, find their voices, and become wildly effective leaders. Before becoming a coach, she worked as a corporate strategist at McKinsey & Company and held executive-level roles at major consumer brands, including The Walt Disney Company. Her work has been featured in The New York Times and Harper’s Bazaar UK. Resources & Next Steps The Art of Speaking Up Podcast – Listen in Apple | Listen in Spotify Work with Jess: The Art of Speaking Up Academy Free Resources from Jess Guzic Coaching FMLA Leave & Retaliation Tracker – Protect your job before and after leave. Document retaliation, track every move, and get paid if they play dirty. Career Coaching with Felicia – Book a personalized strategy session. Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com (subject: “Listener Letter”). Subscribe & Leave a Review – Subscribe on YouTube and drop a comment to help us grow. Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated on Instagram and LinkedIn. Until next time, keep it trill!
Transcribe →Company Culture Types
Sep 2100:39:21Tap to summarizeSeason 9, Episode 19 | Trill MBA ShowHost: Felicia Ann Rose Enuha Episode Summary Felicia breaks down the Competing Values Framework (CVF) so you can identify your company’s dominant culture and adjust your strategy to thrive—without compromising your integrity. You’ll learn how internal vs. external focus and stability vs. flexibility create four culture types (Create/Adhocracy, Collaborate/Clan, Control/Hierarchy, Compete/Market), what they sound like day-to-day, and practical ways to show up, get resourced, and get promoted in each. What You’ll Learn The 2 CVF dimensions (Internal–External and Stability–Flexibility) and why they matter The 4 culture types and the common phrases, incentives, and politics inside each Concrete do’s & don’ts for each culture (how to communicate, build allies, and pace decisions) When to adapt vs. when to exit a toxic environment—your integrity comes first The Competing Values Framework (CVF) in Plain English Dimensions Internal External: Do we optimize for inside coordination and people, or outside markets and competitors? Stability Flexibility: Do we prize plans, rules, predictability or speed, change, experimentation? Four Culture Types Create (Adhocracy) — Dynamic, entrepreneurial, future-focused “We’re flying the plane while we build it.” Values: innovation, risk-taking, new products, intrapreneurship Collaborate (Clan) — People-oriented, relationship-heavy “We’re a family.” (…and there are traditions to match) Values: loyalty, mentorship, consensus, long-term development Control (Hierarchy) — Structured, process-driven, conservative “What do the policy and the data say?” Values: rules, precision, reliability, low variance, careful change Compete (Market) — Results-obsessed, external, fast-moving “Beat the target. Beat the rival. Move.” Values: goals, speed, market share, reputation, M&A How to Thrive (Without Losing Yourself) If you’re in Create/Adhocracy Lead with ideas. Bring crisp POVs and fundable pitches (problem → insight → plan → resourcing → ROI). Get comfortable with ambiguity. If uncertainty drains you, this isn’t your playground. Manager fit is everything. You want an oxygen-giving sponsor who fights for resources. If you’re in Collaborate/Clan Show up to the humans. Go to the team events; relationship equity = execution power. Multiply your advocates. You’ll need multiple voices singing your name—especially the loud one. Signal belonging. Say (and show) you like it here; that reads as “you value us.” If you’re in Control/Hierarchy Bring facts, figures, and policy. Tight analysis + clear recommendation → consensus. Dress & operate the part. Consistency and polish matter; follow written processes. Work the calendar. Promotions are cycle-bound—plan your 12–18 month proof points. If you’re in Compete/Market Feed the machine. Surface competitor intel + rapid counter-moves with measurable wins. Protect your reputation. Deliver the baseline and one visible over-delivery per cycle. Build real relationships. Authentic allies are a cheat code in a performative culture. Red Flags & Green Lights Green: Resources follow ideas; calibration is structured; sponsors act. Red: “Family” language with punishment for boundaries; rules weaponized; constant back-channeling; zero psychological safety. Time Stamps 00:00 – “If it’s toxic, quit.” Intro + why culture fit matters 02:20 – CVF basics: Internal vs. External; Stability vs. Flexibility 07:47 – The four quadrants overview 10:09 – Create / Adhocracy: innovation, risk, “build the plane while flying” 13:23 – Collaborate / Clan: family feel, loyalty, long-term people focus 15:50 – Control / Hierarchy: rules, precision, careful change 18:24 – Compete / Market: speed, targets, rivalry, reputation 22:23 – How to show up in each culture (practical playbook) 25:17 – Playing along in Clan cultures (events, consensus, multiple advocates) 29:07 – Winning in Hierarchy cultures (data, policy, cycles) 32:24 – Surviving Market cultures (results, integrity, allies) 35:20 – Final word: adapt but protect your integrity 36:32 – Fast Track System (PIE) CTA 37:34 – Coaching + Listener Letters + outro Resources & Next Steps Competing Values Framework (CVF) — by Cameron & Quinn — Get the book here. Career Freebies – Click here FMLA Leave & Retaliation Tracker – Protect your job before and after leave. Document retaliation, track every move, and get paid if they play dirty. Career Coaching with Felicia – Book a personalized strategy session. Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com (use subject line “Listener Letter”). Subscribe & Leave a Review – Subscribe on YouTube and drop a comment to help us grow. Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated on Instagram and LinkedIn. (Pro tip: Keep this page handy. As you map your company’s CVF quadrant, jot three things you’ll start/stop/continue to align your strategy—and set a 30-60-90 day check-in with yourself or your sponsor.)
Transcribe →Desk Politics EXPLAINED: Why Your Seat at Work Matters
Jul 2700:48:16Tap to summarizeS9: E18 Desk Politics EXPLAINED: Why Your Seat at Work Matters In this client chronicles episode, Felicia unpacks a corporate case study that’s all too familiar: a smart, hardworking Black woman lands the job she thought would launch her career — only to discover she’s been strategically sidelined. Lisa, an MBA with top credentials and sky-high drive, joins a major CPG company and is placed on what looks like a solid marketing assignment. But what she doesn’t realize is that the brand she’s managing has no budget, no visibility, and no path to promotion. As Felicia walks us through Lisa’s journey, we learn how praise without power can keep you stuck, how corporate desk politics silently shape your trajectory, and why not understanding company culture can cost you more than your confidence — it can cost you years. This episode is a masterclass in spotting quiet career sabotage, especially for high-achieving Black women navigating overwhelmingly white spaces. If you’ve ever taken a job that looked good on paper but left you feeling stuck, overlooked, or confused about why your career isn’t moving — this conversation will give you clarity, validation, and strategy. Key Takeaways from This Episode: Being placed on a small brand or low-priority team can quietly derail your promotion track Company culture won’t always be explained — but you’re expected to know how it works Your performance won’t save you if you don’t understand how you’re being positioned Praise can be a trap — especially if it’s not tied to power, budget, or visibility FMLA Leave & Retaliation Tracker – Protect your job before and after leave. Document retaliation, track every move, and get paid if they play dirty. Career Coaching with Felicia – Book a personalized strategy session to navigate your career. Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com Subscribe & Leave a Review – Subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment to help us grow Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated on Instagram and LinkedIn Until next time, keep it trill!
Transcribe →When Your Black Manager Becomes the Problem
Jul 1400:29:37Tap to summarizeS9 Ep 17 When your manager is Black but still toxic, how do you protect yourself without losing your mind — or your job? In this episode, Felicia shares the cautionary tale of “Sherry,” a high-performing Black woman stuck under a micromanaging, insecure Black manager who didn’t choose her — and made her pay for it. From bogus feedback to HR gaslighting, this Client Chronicle breaks down exactly how to document workplace harassment, push back with policy, and stay ten steps ahead when your boss is quietly trying to push you out. If you’ve ever been told to “show more strategic thought leadership” with no real support, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways from This Episode: 1. When your manager didn’t choose you, it changes everything.If your new boss didn’t hire you, they may carry resentment or biases that impact your working relationship. Acknowledge this dynamic early, and take intentional steps to build trust—or protect yourself accordingly. 2. “Strategic thought leadership” is often a smokescreen.Vague feedback like “we need to see more strategic thinking” is often code for “we don’t want to promote you”—especially when no real stretch assignments are offered. Call the bluff by asking for project opportunities that allow strategy to be demonstrated. 3. Know your policy before you push back.When Sherry’s micromanaging manager demanded access to her calendar, she didn’t start a fight—she checked the handbook. Ask HR policy questions without naming names. Protect yourself while staying professional. 4. Documentation isn’t petty—it’s power.By keeping receipts and documenting harassment patterns, Sherry turned herself from a target into a liability for her manager. Her paper trail made it impossible for HR to ignore what was happening. 5. Be the professional—let them show their ass.Sherry stayed calm, followed protocol, and held the line. Her boss played herself. When ego enters the chat, don’t match energy. Match receipts, policy, and poise. Resources & Next Steps: FMLA Leave & Retaliation Tracker – Protect your job before and after leave. Document retaliation, track every move, and get paid if they play dirty. Career Coaching with Felicia – Book a personalized strategy session to navigate your career. Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com Subscribe & Leave a Review – Subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment to help us grow Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated on Instagram and LinkedIn Until next time, keep it trill!
Transcribe →How to Survive a Toxic Boss: Tara’s Story of Strategic Career Moves
Jul 600:41:44Tap to summarizeS9 Ep 16 How to Survive a Toxic Boss: Tara’s Story of Strategic Career Moves In this throwback episode, Felicia shares the true story of Tara — an ambitious Black woman navigating a toxic boss, an insecure manager, and a messy workplace power structure. Through sharp strategy and smart relationship-building, Tara not only survives her bad manager but makes bold career moves that protect her peace and position her for long-term success. If you’ve ever had to deal with a difficult boss or manage up in a toxic work culture, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways from This Episode: How to recognize the signs of an insecure, micromanaging bossThis episode shows how micromanagers operate from fear — and how to spot the red flags early. Why overworking won’t fix a toxic boss — but strategy canLearn why trying to “prove yourself” to a bad manager usually backfires, and what to do instead. How to build workplace relationships that protect your careerTara’s success came from managing up and cultivating allies beyond her direct manager — especially with senior leaders. How to manage office politics without losing your peaceFelicia breaks down how Tara stayed emotionally grounded while navigating sabotage, bias, and backchannel conversations. Why visibility with executive leadership beats loyalty to a bad managerIn a messy org chart or during a restructure, being seen by power players is key to survival. Resources & Next Steps: Career Fast-Track System – Felicia’s training to help you plan your promotion using the P.I.E. model Career Coaching with Felicia – Book a personalized strategy session to navigate your career Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com Subscribe & Leave a Review – Subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment to help us grow Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated on Instagram and LinkedIn Until next time, keep it trill!
Transcribe →This Is Me: Choosing Peace After Corporate Burnout with Lisa Hurley Pt. 2
Jun 2900:50:49Tap to summarizeS9 Ep 15 This Is Me: Choosing Peace After Corporate Burnout with Lisa Hurley Pt. 2 What happens after you say, “This ain’t it”? In this episode, Felicia continues her conversation with author, activist, and Reiki Master Lisa Hurley, diving even deeper into the emotional work of rebuilding your identity after corporate burnout. Lisa opens up about the survival strategies that nearly broke her — from creating a persona to navigate toxic workplaces to being gaslit after George Floyd’s murder. Together, she and Felicia unpack what it really means to choose peace over performance and let go of a path that was never yours to begin with. If you’ve ever found yourself smiling through exhaustion, shrinking to stay employed, or holding your breath at work just to get through the day — this conversation is your call to exhale and reclaim your truth. In this episode, we unpack: Letting go of “the path” and rewriting your own story How corporate gaslighting and microaggressions slowly wear you down The emotional labor of code-switching and performative positivity What it really looks like to practice self-love and boundaries at work Processing trauma, perimenopause, and anxiety in a world that doesn’t see you Creating space to breathe, rest, and just be yourself Plus: Lisa shares the unexpected moment she broke character at work — and how it changed everything. This is your invitation to stop surviving and start choosing yourself. This is the final episode in our two-part series with Lisa Hurley.Make sure you listen to Part 1 if you haven’t already. Resources & Next Steps: Order Space to Exhale Want to win a copy of Lisa Hurley’s book Space to Exhale?Listen to the full episode and email your answer to: ask@trillmba.com Q: What are you going to do this week to remember to breathe? First 5 thoughtful responses win. Deadline: Sunday, July 6, 2025 11:59 PM EDT Career Fast-Track System – Felicia’s training to help you plan your promotion using the P.I.E. model Career Coaching with Felicia – Book a personalized strategy session to navigate your career Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com Subscribe & Leave a Review – Subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment to help us grow Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated on Instagram and LinkedIn Until next time, keep it trill!
Transcribe →This Ain’t It: Reclaiming Identity After Workplace Burnout with Lisa Hurley Pt. 1
Jun 15Tap to summarizeS9 Ep 14 This Ain’t It: Reclaiming Identity After Workplace Burnout with Lisa Hurley Pt. 1 Have you ever looked around at your job, your life, and thought, “This ain’t it”? In this deeply personal and energizing conversation, Felicia sits down with author, activist, and Reiki Master Lisa Hurley to talk about her new book, Space to Exhale — a guide to healing from the inside out after the grind of corporate life has worn you down. Lisa shares her own journey of identity loss, job trauma, and spiritual exhaustion — and how she found her way back to joy, softness, and sovereignty. From navigating layoffs and toxic managers to redefining self-worth outside of titles and roles, this episode is a must-listen for every Black woman trying to hold it together in systems designed to tear us down. If you’re tired of holding your breath at work, wondering how you even got here, this conversation is your reminder to pause, breathe, and begin again — on your own terms. In this episode, we unpack: Why your job title is not your identity How burnout disconnects you from your purpose The pressure to “make your parents proud” — and at what cost The emotional toll of constantly code-switching What it means to love yourself through the unraveling How to reclaim your voice, body, and energy after surviving toxic workplaces Plus: Felicia shares how corporate gaslighting and PIPs shaped her own journey, and why she stopped smiling through the pain. And Lisa? Let’s just say she’s got a fairy wand, a tutu, and some radical truth to sprinkle on your spirit. This is part one of a two-part series with Lisa Hurley. Make sure to catch Part 2 dropping next week. Resources & Next Steps: Click Here to Order Space to Exhale Want a free copy of Lisa Hurley’s powerful new book, Space to Exhale? We’re giving away 5 copies — but to enter, you’ll need to listen to Part 2 of this conversation (dropping June 22, 2025) for the full instructions and giveaway question. Hint: You’ll be asked to reflect on how you’re making space to breathe in your own life. First 5 thoughtful responses win. Deadline to enter is Sunday, June 29, 2025. Career Fast-Track System – Felicia’s training session to help you create your promotion plan using the P.I.E. model Career Consulting with Felicia – Facing challenges at work? Book a career strategy session to get personalized strategies for navigating your career. Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com. Subscribe & Leave a Review – Love the show? Subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment to help us grow and make more awesome content for you. Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated with career tips and new episodes on LinkedIn. Until next time, keep it trill!
Transcribe →Career Clarity Unlocked: How to Reinvent Yourself After Workplace Burnout
Jun 801:05:30Tap to summarizeS9 Ep 13 Career Clarity Unlocked: How to Reinvent Yourself After Workplace Burnout In this episode, Felicia is joined by executive coach and corporate truth-teller Ronnie Dickerson Stewart to explore what happens when you do everything “right” in your career—and still end up feeling stuck, drained, and misaligned. Ronnie shares her deeply personal journey from the C-suite to building a purpose-driven business, revealing the exact moment she realized the career she worked so hard to build was no longer aligned with who she was becoming. From burnout and grief to clarity and transformation, this conversation is a masterclass in learning how to listen to yourself, break toxic career conditioning, and design a work life that actually fits. If you’ve ever questioned your path, felt guilty for wanting more, or found yourself saying “this ain’t it,” this episode is your permission slip to do something about it. This is how Black women in corporate reclaim their power—and their peace. Key Takeaways from This Episode: Agitation is the signal, not the problem.When your work life starts to feel misaligned, it’s not something to push through—it’s something to pay attention to. Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse.Sometimes it looks like success on paper and emptiness behind the scenes. You can outgrow the career they told you to want.The path that once felt “safe” can start to suffocate your growth—and that’s not failure, that’s clarity. Reinvention requires breaking rules, not just following them harder.At some point, survival turns into strategy—and the rules you inherited may not get you where you need to go. Performing safety is not the same as being in alignment.Choosing yourself might feel risky at first, but it’s how you reclaim your power. Resources & Next Steps: Follow Ronnie Dickerson Stewart on LinkedIn to stay updated on her upcoming book and career tools. Learn more about her executive coaching and strategy work at ohheycoach.com. Career Fast-Track System – Felicia’s training session to help you create your promotion plan using the P.I.E. model Career Consulting with Felicia – Facing challenges at work? Book a career strategy session to get personalized strategies for navigating your career. Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com. Subscribe & Leave a Review – Love the show? Subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment to help us grow and make more awesome content for you. Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated with career tips and new episodes on LinkedIn. Until next time, keep it trill!
Transcribe →Demystifying The Board Room: How to Position Yourself for Corporate Board Leadership
Jun 201:00:52Tap to summarizeS9 Ep 12 Demystifying The Board Room: How to Position Yourself for Corporate Board Leadership If you’ve ever thought corporate board leadership was reserved for only a select, mysterious few—this episode is here to set the record straight. Felicia is joined by Heather Spilsbury, CEO of 50/50 Women on Boards, to break down the real deal behind corporate boards, and how you, yes YOU, can secure your rightful seat at the table. This episode demystifies the process of joining corporate boards, unpacking everything from foundational basics to insider insights about what boards genuinely seek in new members—especially diverse talent. Heather shares candid, real-world stories and experiences from her own career journey—highlighting why it’s essential to show up authentically, leverage your existing career experiences, and amplify your value unapologetically. Whether you’ve been eyeing board seats or you’re completely new to the concept, you’ll walk away clear-eyed about what corporate boards do, why they matter, and what it truly takes to serve on one. Key Takeaways from This Episode: The Board Room Explained:Clearly understand what corporate boards actually do, and why your skill set as a Black woman leader uniquely positions you to contribute and thrive in these roles. Unlocking the Power of Networking:Learn why strategic sponsorship and networking aren’t just “nice-to-haves”—they’re essential pathways to boardroom opportunities. Owning Your Expertise:Discover why confidently communicating your accomplishments—without downplaying or diminishing—is your ticket to board service and broader career growth. Your Current Career IS Your Path:Recognize how the professional roles you’re excelling in right now already position you perfectly for a future board role. Consistency is Queen:Heather’s golden insights on why consistency in your professional demeanor and delivery makes you a top candidate for board recommendations. Resources & Next Steps: Connect with Heather Spilsbury directly on LinkedIn Learn more about board readiness programs through 50/50 Women on Boards Career Fast-Track System – Felicia’s training session to help you create your promotion plan using the P.I.E. model Career Consulting with Felicia – Facing challenges at work? Book a career strategy session to get personalized strategies for navigating your career. Listener Letters – Send your questions to ask@trillmba.com. Subscribe & Leave a Review – Love the show? Subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment to help us grow and make more awesome content for you. Follow @TrillMBAshow – Stay updated with career tips and new episodes on LinkedIn. Until next time, keep it trill!
Transcribe →