From the show
Navigating corporate America is a game, and no one knows the rules better than we do. The Black Womaning in Corporate America® podcast, hosted by Nicole S.
Palmer, is your guide to understanding and thriving within the complex, often unspoken rules of the workplace. Each episode blends candid storytelling, sharp insights, and actionable strategies to help Black women break through the biases, microaggressions, and systemic barriers that pervade professional spaces.
From decoding office politics to claiming your rightful seat at the table, this podcast does not just share advice. It empowers you to rewrite the rules on your own terms.
Your voice matters. Your journey is worth celebrating.
And this space was built for you.
Episodes
Latest Episode
August 29, 2026 · 19m
Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title: Loosening Your Soul from Corporate Labels Nicole S. Palmer and Lynnae Brown unpack what it means to separate your identity from your job title and “marry your talent, not your title.” They discuss reframing “I am” into “I serve as,” recognizing that your skills and impact travel with you, and building a comprehensive CV that captures everything you’ve actually done, not just what appeared in your job description. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:41 Previously On Recap 02:17 Marry Talent Not Title 03:27 Loosen Your Identity 05:13 DEI Titles and Reinvention 05:57 CV Exercise With AI 09:12 CV vs Resume Explained 12:21 Agency and Staying by Choice 13:44 Nicole’s Corporate Reset 16:28 How to Reach Lynnae 18:37 Closing and Subscribe Learn more about Lynnae Brown’s work: - Visit her website: - Connect with her on LinkedIn: .
More Episodes
Aug 20 · 12m
The Rules Were Never Unwritten | Lynnae Brown, Part 3What happens when everyone at work seems to know the rules except nobody will actually say them out loud?In Part 3 of Nicole S. Palmer’s conversation with workplace navigation consultant and strategist Lynnae Brown, they unpack the power, politics, coded communication, and unspoken expectations that can shape a Black woman’s career regardless of how well she performs.Because sometimes the variable changes.Sometimes the work was never the problem.And sometimes the rules were never unwritten. They were simply never spoken to you.Chapters00:00 Podcast Welcome00:41 Previously On01:51 When The Variable Changes03:10 Petty Grudges In Power04:54 Nice, Polite Culture Codes06:20 Clarity Versus Gaslighting07:23 No One Explains The Game08:29 Pretty Privilege And Preference11:11 What Truly Belongs To You11:35 Final Thoughts And OutroThis is Part 3 of a four-part conversation with Lynnae Brown on Black Womaning in Corporate America®.Playing the Game While Black Womaning in Corporate America is available wherever books are sold.#PlayingTheGame #BlackWomaningInCorporateAmerica #BWICA
Aug 13 · 11m
Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title | Black Womaning in Corporate AmericaWhat happens when your job title becomes part of your identity?Nicole S. Palmer continues her conversation with workplace navigation consultant and strategist Lynnae Brown about why Black women in corporate America should “marry” their talent, not their title. Together, they unpack the danger of tying self-worth to a role, what happens when workplace power shifts, and why your talent remains yours even when the title does not.Chapters00:00 Podcast Welcome00:41 Meet Lynnae Brown02:22 Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title03:08 Why Titles Are Volatile04:35 Nicole’s Breaking Point07:33 Lynnae’s Catalyst Story09:58 The Core Distinction10:12 Next Episode Tease10:29 Final Thanks and OutroLearn more about Lynnae Brown’s work:- Visit her website: lynnaebrown.com - Connect with her on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lynnaebrown.
Aug 12 · 37m
Taking Rocket Mortgage Fight to the U.S. Supreme CourtHost Nicole S. Palmer welcomes returning guest Zara Northover for a special update on Northover v. Rocket Mortgage. Northover shares that the Michigan Supreme Court declined to review her appeal after eight months, and she is now preparing a petition for writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court within the 90-day window following the May 22, 2026 decision. She recounts key moments that sparked her legal fight, including workplace threats and receiving a “gorilla” birthday card, and discusses navigating the process as a pro se litigant while also pursuing a separate federal case. The conversation highlights documenting issues, using medical leave for mental health, and learning legal basics, plus upcoming projects including her book The Cost of Justice, a legal-navigation tech startup, speaking engagements, and ways listeners can follow updates and support.00:00 Podcast Intro00:41 Guest Returns Update02:56 Michigan Supreme Court Decision03:37 Taking It to SCOTUS04:26 Why She Keeps Fighting09:17 Rocket Mortgage Backstory10:43 From Trauma to Legal Tech15:12 Medical Leave and EEOC Clock16:55 New Book The Cost of Justice18:22 What the Book Covers19:39 Faith And Authenticity20:36 Balancing Lawsuit And Life21:41 Know Your Rights Advocate22:53 Despair And Faith Talk23:44 Why Fighting Matters25:32 Case Updates And Petition27:33 Tools For Self Advocacy29:54 NDA Freedom And Truth32:32 Trust God Build Business34:33 Support Subscribe And Events36:50 Podcast Outro And BookLearn more about Zara Northover, follow her work, and stay connected to the ongoing Northover v. Rocket Mortgage case:• Zara Northover: https://zaranorthover.com/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaranorthover/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaranorthover/• Moving in Faith: https://www.movinginfaith.com/• Support Zara’s work through Faith It Forward: https://www.movinginfaith.com/products/faith-it-forward• Follow Delnic Media’s ongoing Case Files coverage: https://news.delnicmedia.com/northover-v-rocket-mortgage/
Aug 6 · 25m
Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title (Part 1) | Black Womaning in Corporate America®Nicole S. Palmer talks with guest Lynnae Brown, a consultant and strategist specializing in workforce navigation to help people make work sustainable. Brown shares her background training people in mental health recovery to work in social services, and explains her concept “Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title,” warning that titles can’t capture full value and that layoffs for profit make tying identity to a role risky. She recounts leaving a decade-long position after pandemic burnout, concerns about returning in-person with vulnerable populations, and receiving student loan forgiveness, then consulting nationally before grant cancellations disrupted the field. The conversation also distinguishes self-accommodation from self-advocacy and touches on the long recovery from toxic workplaces, teeing up a deeper discussion in part two.00:00 Podcast Welcome00:44 Meet Lanay Brown02:21 Marry Talent Not Title02:37 Origin in Social Services05:36 Titles Worth and Layoffs06:47 Burnout Turning Point08:23 COVID Work Shift10:40 Leaving After Loan Forgiveness11:22 Consulting Then Funding Cuts12:28 From Social Work to Corporate12:47 Trauma Informed Management13:29 Self Accommodate vs Advocate14:44 Code Switching Survival17:37 Healing After Toxic Jobs21:07 Abusive Relationship Mindset22:17 Exit Strategy Playlist24:06 Part Two Teaser and Wrap
Jul 9 · 28m
Nicole S. Palmer continues her conversation with Crystle Johnson, founder of Kinory® and creator of Underbelonging: the hidden experience of being included in corporate spaces without ever feeling fully seen.Crystle defines Underbelonging and explains why so many Black women spend their careers shrinking themselves, overperforming, and carefully calibrating how they show up at work. Together, Nicole and Crystle examine how Underbelonging manifests in corporate America, including within DEI roles, where practitioners are often caught between executives and employees without meaningful decision-making authority.The conversation explores why organizations must move beyond performative commitments toward greater clarity and accountability, and how Kinory is creating spaces where Black women can experience genuine belonging through community dinners, workshops, retreats, and courageous conversations.00:00 Podcast Welcome00:41 Part Two Intro01:46 Defining Underbelonging03:04 Why It Resonates04:41 Origins Through Kinory07:19 Taking Up Space09:42 Kamala As Case Study12:15 DEI Caught In Middle15:58 Corporate Honesty17:26 What Comes Next19:05 Protecting The Work21:32 Make Your Own Table23:58 Where To Find Crystle25:53 Retreat And Resources27:47 Closing And OutroTo learn more about Crystle:Visit Kinory: https://kinory.co/Follow Her on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/crystlejohnsonConnect With Her on Instragram: https://instagram.com/kinory.coFind Her on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@kinory.co
Jul 2 · 34m
Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one compromise, one expectation, and one “I’ll just push through” at a time.In this episode of Black Womaning in Corporate America®, founder of Kinory® Crystle Johnson joins host Nicole S. Palmer for an unfiltered conversation about burnout, belonging, and the moment she realized her job was something she did—not who she was.From corporate leadership to building a global community for Black women in Mexico, this conversation explores identity, rest, and the courage to imagine a different future.Whether you’re questioning your next career move or simply trying to remember who you were before work consumed so much of your life, this episode is a reminder that your value has never been defined by your title.00:00 Welcome00:44 Meet Crystle Johnson02:13 An Origin Story of Belonging04:47 Why Kinory Exists05:44 The Courage to Center Black Women08:45 Recognizing Burnout09:50 FMLA, Recovery & Finding Mexico13:49 Your Job Is Not Your Identity17:03 The Truth About Corporate DEI20:06 Racism, Visibility & Obsession22:45 Building Kinory in Mérida25:32 Casa Kinory & A New Vision28:14 Why Every Exit Needs a Plan30:25 Don't Leave Your Benefits Behind33:46 Coming Next Week...34:17 Outro
Jun 19 · 38m
Dr. Chelsey Green on Leading The GRAMMYs, Finding Your Voice & Protecting CreatorsWhat does it mean to find your voice—and trust it enough to use it?In this powerful Black Music Month conversation, Nicole S. Palmer sits down with Dr. Chelsey Green: artist, educator, advocate, and the first Black woman and youngest person ever elected Chair of the Recording Academy® (The GRAMMYs®).From her early roots in church and classical music to leading at the highest levels of the music industry, Dr. Green shares how creativity, courage, and community shaped her journey. Together, Nicole and Chelsey explore what it means to lead with purpose, advocate for equity, protect creators in the age of AI, and remain connected to joy in a culture that often rewards burnout.More than a conversation about music, this is a conversation about visibility, voice, wellness, faith, and the courage to believe in yourself before anyone else does.Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, executive, educator, or simply someone trying to navigate life with authenticity, this episode is filled with wisdom you’ll want to revisit again and again.In This Episode00:00 Podcast Welcome00:41 Meet Dr. Chelsey Green02:17 Music Roots and Calling04:53 Village and Mentors05:35 Path to the GRAMMYs Board09:06 Equity and Representation10:47 Black Music Month and Voice12:50 AI, Music, and Creator Rights18:29 Inspiring the Next Generation19:17 Rebuilding Community20:44 The Power of In-Person Connection21:34 Choosing Joy Over Burden23:08 Workplace Breakdown and Perspective25:54 The System Versus Self29:13 Presence, Therapy, and Gratitude32:09 Living an Abundant Life Now33:11 Believe and Trust Yourself35:43 When the Inner Voice Wins36:40 Where to Find Dr. Green37:20 Final Thanks and OutroConnect with Dr. Chelsey GreenWebsite: https://www.chelseygreen.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchelseygreen/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenProjectTGPYouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ChelseyGreenProjectSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4gYJdJNkyrYyocVfI9LZUMContinue the ConversationWhat resonated most with you from this episode?Was it the conversation around AI and creator rights? The reminder to prioritize joy? The challenge to trust your inner voice? Or Dr. Green’s reflections on leadership, community, and purpose?Join the conversation in the comments and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that their voice matters.And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow Black Womaning in Corporate America® for more conversations at the intersection of leadership, visibility, wellness, and navigating systems not built with us in mind.Want to go deeper? Explore the book that inspired the podcast, Playing the Game While Black Womaning in Corporate America®, available wherever books are sold.Learn more at BlackWomaning.com.
May 7 · 44m
Travel as Self-Care: Dr. Lisa Pittman on Boundaries, Burnout Prevention & Black Women’s WellbeingHost Nicole S. Palmer welcomes Dr. Lisa Pittman, a licensed psychologist and certified travel coach based in the DC metro area, to discuss travel as an intentional form of self-care for Black professional women. Dr. Pittman shares her background, including living in Singapore, visiting all 50 states, all seven continents, and 114 countries, and explains how her therapy experience informs coaching focused on maintaining balance and optimal functioning. To contact Dr. Pittman…Email: Lisa@traveldocta.comWebsite: https://thetraveldoctallc.comLinkedIn: Dr-Lisa-PittmanIG: thetraveldocta Blog: TravelDocta.com
Apr 23 · 28m
When Delays Become DataIn this episode of Black Womaning in Corporate America, host Nicole S. Palmer continues April’s focus on burnout and self-regulation by revisiting a past “story time” that reveals burnout patterns through chronic unresponsiveness.