Ever feel like you’ve been waiting for someone else to hand you a permission slip when deep down, you already know you’re ready? If you’ve been putting off that big career move, holding back your ideas in meetings, or waiting for the “perfect” moment to step up… this episode is going to change everything.
In this special International Women’s Month series of Being Relatable, host Erica Castner sits down with three accomplished women who’ve learned to stop waiting for permission and start writing their own rules. Whether you’re navigating a career transition, building confidence, or finally ready to claim your seat at the table, this conversation will give you the push you’ve been looking for.
MEET OUR PANELISTS:
- Kristen Manomat – Executive Director, Girls on the Run Southwest Florida (confidence-building programs for girls and their communities)
- LaShaun Middlebrooks Collier – Founder, Whole and Well (wellbeing resources and evidence-based practices)
- Toni Rozelle-Rosio – Director of Marketing, United Way of Lee Hendry Glades (community impact and organizational leadership)
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:
- Why overwhelming projects become manageable when you chunk them into smaller, actionable pieces
- Why servant leadership doesn’t mean self-abandonment
- How stepping into spaces you don’t feel “ready” for accelerates your growth
- The art of standing up for your vision when others don’t get it yet
KEY TIMESTAMPS:
- 14:58 – Kristen shares her transition from teaching to nonprofit leadership and how breaking down big, scary goals made them achievable
- 22:37 – LaShaun discusses learning to claim authorship of her ideas and the difference between humility and disappearing
- 27:50 – Toni talks about asking for promotion “too early” and proving her readiness through action
- 30:46 – The leadership program that changed Kristen’s entire perspective on her own worth
- 34:19 – LaShaun’s “crazy idea” that opened minds by refusing to conform to “how we do things.”
- 40:48 – Toni’s advice on permitting everyone to be themselves in their careers
- 43:17 – HYPE SESSION: The women our panelists are cheering on right now
QUOTABLE MOMENTS:
- “The data is in the doing. Even if something falls apart, now you have more information that’s going to guide your next step.”
- “Being humble and having humility are not necessarily the same thing. Sometimes being humble can shrink into erasing your effort and your intellectual property.”
ACTION STEPS TO TAKE AFTER LISTENING:
- Identify one big goal you’ve been putting off and break it into 3-5 smaller, actionable steps
- Practice taking credit for one idea or contribution without over-explaining or diminishing it
- Apply for or say yes to one opportunity that feels slightly outside your comfort zone
WOMEN WE’RE HYPING UP:
- Lisa Gallucci – Founder of Pelican Patrol Home Watch (nominated by Kristen)
- Sonya McCarter – Founder of Bridging the Gap Performing Arts (nominated by LaShaun)
- Jeannine Joy – President & CEO of United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades (nominated by Toni)
CONNECT WITH OUR PANELISTS:
- Kristen Manomat – LinkedIn | Girls on the Run SWFL
- LaShaun Middlebrooks Collier – Subscribe to the Whole and Well Blog
- Toni Rozelle-Rosio – United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades Facebook page
RATE + REVIEW
If this episode gave you the permission slip you needed to finally take action on something you’ve been putting off, leave a review wherever you listen to Being Relatable. Your review helps other women find the courage to stop waiting and start doing.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow host Erica Castner on LinkedIn for behind-the-scenes content and more conversations about building authentic relationships in work, life, and leadership.
Ready to stop waiting for someone else to tell you you’re ready? Remember, the permission slip was always yours to write. Get Erica’s Weekly “Pep Talks” directly to your inbox HERE!
