Women Who Ship

About Women Who Ship

Are you a high-achieving woman in tech who is tired of proving yourself in rooms you’ve already earned a place in? Do you ever walk into a meeting and wonder if everyone can tell you don’t quite believe you belong there? You are not struggling because you aren't capable, you're struggling because no one taught you how to lead with confidence in spaces that weren't built with you in mind. Women Who Ship dives into the real, unspoken challenges of tech leadership. Hosted by Sarah Williams, a leadership coach and former Senior Manager with 15 years of experience navigating the tech industry, this show provides practical tools and honest conversations to help you stop second-guessing yourself. Whether you're dealing with imposter syndrome, trying to make ambitious goals stick without burning out, feeling invisible in a "recognition-rich" culture, or figuring out how to navigate massive industry shifts like the rapid rise of AI, this podcast is for you. Tune in to build grounded self-trust and learn to navigate your career with both strategy and heart. Because you don't have to wait for your brain to magically stop doubting you to start leading boldly.

Publisher

Sarah Williams

Category

education · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

13 May 2026

Latest episode

5 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

16 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Nov 2026

   12. Proving vs. Improving: How Carol Dweck's 'Mindset' Transforms Your Tech Career

   “Shifting from proving yourself to improving yourself will change everything for your career.” Welcome to a new episode of Women Who Ship, the podcast for women in tech who are tired of proving themselves in rooms they have already earned a place in and are ready to lead like they know it. As a lifelong reader and long-time book club member, I rate most books 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads because I can find something to enjoy in almost anything I finish. But last year, I read a rare 5-star book that completely reshaped how I view growth, performance, and self-trust in tech: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Dr. Carol S. Dweck. In this episode, we unpack why the belief that your talents are set in stone is holding you back, and how shifting to a growth mindset transforms your day-to-day work: Fixed vs. Growth Mindset in Tech: How fixed mindset thinking leads us to treat code reviews, architecture reviews, and VP presentations as tests of our innate worth rather than skills we are building. The Proving Trap: Why needing constant external validation creates an existential threat to your ego whenever mistakes happen. Stereotype Threat & Resilience: How a growth mindset insulates women in male-dominated industries, helping you preserve your sense of belonging even when facing unfair stereotypes. The Power of "Yet": How adding one small word to your internal scripts completely changes your brain's response to challenges. Your next steps: Run a 15-Minute Career Mindset Audit: Pick one area where you hold a fixed belief (like public speaking, executive presence, or data modeling). Reframe Your Story 10%: Practice growth thoughts like: "Effort is part of the learning process" or "I haven't mastered this yet." Find a Role Model: Identify someone who excels in that skill and learn about the hidden effort behind their talent. Book & Resources Mentioned: Featured Book: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated with you, share it with another brilliant woman in tech who is ready to choose growth over proving herself. Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

2. 

   22 Oct 2026

   11. Why 'Work Speaks for Itself' is a Trap for Women in Tech (Interview with Tanushree Panigrahy)

   “Work doesn't really speak for itself. The people you work with do.” Welcome to a special episode of Women Who Ship! Today, we are sharing a cross-post interview I recently did on Tanushree Panigrahy's podcast, Show What You Know. Tanushree spent 20 years leading high-stakes tech and consulting programs, and together we dive into a myth that quietly sabotages the careers of brilliant women in tech: the belief that hard work speaks for itself. Many high-performing women were raised to believe that doing great work automatically leads to recognition and promotion. But in an industry built around public execution and high visibility, staying quiet about your wins often means staying invisible. In this deep-dive conversation, we cover: Social Conditioning vs. Tech Advancement: Why the behaviors women are taught growing up (don't brag, share credit, play small) are the exact opposite of what tech promotion calibrations reward. Skill Gap vs. Visibility Gap: My personal story at Atlassian when I was told I "wasn't strategic enough," and how getting assignments in front of skip-level leaders changed everything. The "Should" vs. "Proof" Promotion Trap: Why using promotions to prove your worth creates a fleeting fix, and how to build internal self-trust instead. The Recognition Retro: How to spend 30 minutes every Friday overriding your brain's negativity bias and building a private evidence file for performance reviews. Your next steps: Block 30 Minutes This Friday: Put a recurring appointment on your calendar for a Friday Recognition Retro. Document 3 Wins: Write down 3 positive contributions from your week along with their specific impact on your team or business. Practice One Low-Stakes Rep: Share one documented win with your manager or a trusted colleague in your next 1:1. Free Resource Mentioned: Stop doing invisible glue work in silence! Download my free 5-step playbook Get Recognized at Work: 5 Steps to Document and Show Your Impact at go.coachsarahwilliams.com/recognition (https://go.coachsarahwilliams.com/recognition) Resources Mentioned: Guest Podcast: Show What You Know hosted by Tanushree Panigrahy Free Playbook: Get Recognized at Work: 5 Steps to Document and Show Your Impact at go.coachsarahwilliams.com/recognition (https://go.coachsarahwilliams.com/recognition) Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated with you, share it with another brilliant woman in tech who is tired of being the industry's best-kept secret. Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Let's go ship some good stuff together. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this episode are those of the host and guest alone and do not reflect the views of their respective employers. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

3. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Beyond Pizza Parties: Designing Recognition that Actually Motivates Tech Teams

   "In your brain, genuine social recognition lights up the exact same reward centers as receiving a monetary bonus. When you give someone meaningful, personalized recognition, their brain registers it with the exact same neurological weight as cash." Welcome to a new episode of Women Who Ship, in this episode, we are tackling one of the most common management traps in tech: default, one-size-fits-all recognition. Imagine your team hits a major milestone after months of crunch time. You order a pizza party to celebrate and call out your star engineer, Tom, in front of the whole room. But Tom is notoriously private and looks ready to melt into the wall from embarrassment. Meanwhile, Sandy is fuming in the back because she spent weeks reworking project documentation and mentoring junior engineers, but her critical work was completely ignored. In a single pizza party, uncalculated recognition failed twice: it publicly mortified an introvert who wanted quiet 1:1 appreciation, and ignored the vital glue work of someone who craved public visibility. In this episode, we unpack why pizza parties fail and how to design recognition that actually motivates tech teams: The Neuroscience of Praise: How researchers like Izuma et al. (Neuron, 2008) proved that genuine social recognition activates the exact same reward centers in the striatum as receiving a financial bonus. The Gallup Reality & The Iceberg Metaphor: Why 67% of workers feel overlooked, and why managers must look beneath the surface to celebrate invisible "glue work" like documentation, refactoring legacy code, and mentoring. The Dimensions of Recognition Compass: How to navigate the four key axes of recognition: Where (Public vs. Private), Who (Peers vs. Leadership), When (Day-to-day vs. Milestones), and What (Achievements vs. Behaviors). The Manager's Recognition Toolkit: How to map team preferences, run a Recognition Retro, and practice Precision Recognition ("When you did X, it led to Y"). Your next steps: Download the Free Playbook: Grab the step-by-step instructions and team preference templates at go.coachsarahwilliams.com/playbook. Identify Invisible Glue Work: Spot one person on your team whose documentation, maintenance, unblocking, or mentoring went unnoticed this month. Deliver Precision Recognition: Give them personalized praise using the formula: "When you [action], it led to [impact]". Free Resource Mentioned: Download the free step-by-step Recognition and Appreciation Playbook at go.coachsarahwilliams.com/playbook! Special thanks to co-creators Emily, Aidan, and Kat. Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated with you, share it with a manager or leader in tech who wants to build a highly motivated team. Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Connect with Sarah on Instagram or LinkedIn @coachsarahwilliams and let her know what you're shipping this week! Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

4. 

   24 Sept 2026

   9. Thoughts are Optional: How Self-Coaching Changes Everything in Your Career

   "Thoughts are optional. The story you are layering onto your career right now is something you get to choose." Welcome to a new episode of Women Who Ship, the podcast for women in tech who are tired of proving themselves in rooms they have already earned a place in and are ready to lead like they know it. In this episode, I'm opening up about a deeply personal chapter from my career: what I used to call my "Year of Rejection." Five years ago, I was dreaming of landing a Product or Program Management role at a major tech company. I spent years searching, getting deep into interviews, even interviewing with VPs, only to repeatedly hear "no." At the exact same time, I was dealing with a challenging situation at my day job where a colleague was actively trying to alienate me. In my mind, those rejections felt like scientific proof that I wasn't good enough, that I'd never land my dream job, and that people just didn't like me very much. In this episode, we unpack why the sentence running in your head is often the single biggest barrier to your career advancement, and how to break out of the Hopelessness Loop: Clean Disappointment vs. Dirty Suffering: Why a job rejection or a difficult meeting is just clean disappointment, but layering on "I'm not good enough" creates dirty suffering that sabotages your next interview. Rejection as Data, Not Valuation: Why a "no" is simply market data about a role's fit or timing, never a verdict on your capability or human worth. The 3-Step Self-Coaching Toolkit: How to use the self-coaching model to separate facts from stories, spot your blind spots using a coaching mirror, and climb the Thought Ladder. My Real 10% Better Ladder Thought: The exact sentence that allowed my shoulders to drop and helped me land my dream tech job within just a few months. Your next steps: Run a 15-Minute Self-Coaching Audit: Pick one recent disappointment at work and write down the neutral circumstance (what a video camera recorded). Identify the Story: Catch the sentence your brain offered and notice the feeling it’s creating. Find Your 10% Better Thought: Practice a believable ladder thought like "Oh well, that didn't work out, but there are other opportunities out there for me." Free Resource Mentioned: Stop doing invisible glue work in silence! Download my free 5-step playbook Get Recognized at Work: 5 Steps to Document and Show Your Impact at go.coachsarahwilliams.com/recognition. Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated with you, share it with another brilliant woman in tech who needs a reminder that her worth isn't up for debate. Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

5. 

   10 Sept 2026

   8. Who Is in Your Corner? Why Tech Careers Fail Without a Mentor, a Sponsor, and a Coach

   A mentor talks to you. A sponsor talks about you. A coach talks with you." Welcome to a new episode of Women Who Ship, the podcast for women in tech who are tired of proving themselves in rooms they have already earned a place in and are ready to lead like they know it. Today, I'm tackling a fundamental misconception that keeps some of the most brilliant, high-performing women in our industry quietly stuck at the middle management level: the difference between mentorship, sponsorship, and coaching. I fell hard into this trap early in my career while leading global teams and AI initiatives at Atlassian. I was working late, quietly writing documentation, and hoping my flawless execution would speak for itself. But behind closed doors, when promotion decisions were made, my name wasn't even in the room. Quiet competence is a career trap. To advance, you need more than advice, you need advocacy. Grounded in the latest data from the 2025 AWS Women in the Workplace Study, we unpack the massive "sponsorship gap" in tech (where entry-level women are half as likely as men to have senior sponsors) and discuss how sponsored employees are promoted at nearly double the rate. We also share highly practical strategies directly from the trenches of leadership: Why you should stop "admiring from afar" and calling it mentorship. How to build relationships with male allies and leverage peer-to-peer networks. How to ask your manager: "What's something my skip-level manager needs to know about our project or metric right now?" A manager reality check: why your manager’s weekly alignment meeting with fellow leaders is not enough to get your wins discussed, and why you must own your own narrative. Sponsors open doors, but if your internal narrative is running a script of self-doubt, you'll hesitate to walk through them. Sponsoring and mentoring only work if you are mentally ready to let your work be seen. That is why coaching is the invisible foundation of your career corner, a topic so vital we are dedicating our entire next episode to the art of self-coaching. Your next steps: Map Your Visibility Circle: Spend 15 minutes writing down your skip-level manager, your manager's peers, and one cross-functional partner. Draft Your Impact Statement: Pick one win from your evidence file and translate it into: "I [action], which resulted in [impact]". Stop the Invisible Glue Work: Pick one person from your visibility circle and share your impact statement directly with them. Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated with you, share it with another brilliant woman in tech who is tired of being the industry's best-kept secret. Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

6. 

   27 Aug 2026

   7. Proof of Work as Insurance Part 2: Building publicly with AI

   "Putting things out there is scary. That is the honest truth. But when you go ahead and do that first, you realize that nobody here is judging you." Welcome back to Women Who Ship! In Part 2 of my conversation with Tanushree Panigrahy (founder of the Stay Ahead of the Curve Substack (https://tanushreepanigrahy.substack.com/s/stay-ahead-of-the-curve)), we get practical about how to start building publicly with AI to actively build your courage and career confidence. In this episode, Tanushree shares her journey of stepping off the over-learning treadmill, dusting off a 12-year-old GitHub account, and putting her "half-baked" experiments online, which led to a major tech VP asking to reuse her code. We walk through four of her hands-on AI experiments: Private Desktop Assistant: Analyzing sensitive personal finance data locally with Ollama. School Memo Summarizer: Simplifying massive school documents for working parents. Deal War Room: A multi-agent AI system simulating proposal teams. Procurement Assistant: Spotting diplomatic evasion patterns in vendor RFP responses. Your next steps: Pick one annoying, recurring problem in your life. Build the roughest possible version of a solution using AI. Spend a couple of weeks playing with it, and then share it publicly. Retrain your brain to trust your own execution! Connect with Tanushree: Substack: Stay Ahead of the Curve (https://tanushreepanigrahy.substack.com/s/stay-ahead-of-the-curve) LinkedIn: Tanushree Panigrahy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanushree-panigrahy-a2693b15/) Subscribe: Subscribe to Women Who Ship on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Recommended Reading: Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon (sharing your process over polished output) Let's go ship some good stuff together. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this episode are those of the host and guest alone and do not reflect the views of their respective employers. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

7. 

   13 Aug 2026

   6. Proof of Work as Insurance Part 1: A conversation with Tanushree Panigrahy

   "I think those were the moments when I felt I need to make something real. Something real that I can see and build that confidence in myself." Welcome to a new episode of Women Who Ship, the podcast for women in tech who are tired of proving themselves in rooms they have already earned a place in and are ready to lead like they know it. Today, we are kickstarting an incredibly timely conversation about a concept that might just be your ultimate career safety net: Proof of Work as Insurance. Our special guest is Tanushree Panigrahy, the founder of the Stay Ahead of the Curve Substack (https://tanushreepanigrahy.substack.com/s/stay-ahead-of-the-curve) and community. Tanushree has spent nearly two decades navigating tech transformations, bridging the gap between global systems integrators (GSIs) and the vendor side of the table. When she recently decided to leap into an entirely unfamiliar vendor ecosystem, she found herself starting completely cold. Nobody knew her, and nobody knew her skills. Instead of waiting for someone to hand her a project or waiting for a formal title to catch up, Tanushree did something revolutionary: she stopped chasing the certification hype and started building. She became her own judge, role-playing customer scenarios to prove her capabilities to herself first. In this episode, we talk about why certifications alone are not enough in the AI era, how to leverage your hard-earned experience as a strategic asset, and why the messiest parts of tech disruption still require human-led change management, empathy, and stakeholder coordination. Your next steps: Start with a small experiment: Do not wait for permission or a perfect role to start experimenting. Your homework this week is to identify one small, everyday problem in your daily life or workflow. Use a free generative AI tool to build a simple solution. Start with a single prompt and focus on making something real, even if it is not perfect. Proving to your own brain that you can ship a solution is where true self-trust begins. Capture your proof of work: If you want help actually documenting what you are shipping, grab my free Get Recognized at Work: 5 Steps to Document and Show Your Impact (https://go.coachsarahwilliams.com/recognition)playbook. It walks you through a simple weekly “Recognition Retro” so you can turn experiments like this into clear impact statements you can use in 1:1s, performance reviews, and promotion packets. Connect with Tanushree: Substack: Stay Ahead of the Curve (https://tanushreepanigrahy.substack.com/s/stay-ahead-of-the-curve) LinkedIn: Tanushree Panigrahy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanushree-panigrahy-a2693b15/) Subscribe: Be sure to subscribe to Women Who Ship on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you do not miss Part 2 of this deep dive! Let's go ship some good stuff together. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this episode are those of the host and guest alone and do not reflect the views of their respective employers. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

8. 

   30 Jul 2026

   [Bonus] Beyond Certainty Part 3: What are you building toward?

   "The recognition and the promotion you have earned deserve to mean something real, not a verdict on your worth, and not the next logical step on a ladder going who knows where." Welcome to Part 3, the final episode of our special bonus series of Women Who Ship: Beyond Certainty: Turning great work into the recognition you have earned. If you have been following along, you have already learned how to separate neutral circumstances from your thoughts and how to build a thought ladder to create believable confidence. But a thought ladder without a clear direction is just energy with nowhere to go. In this episode, we tackle a realization that hits almost every high-achieving woman I work with: she has been climbing hard toward a goal that was never really hers to begin with. We explore the danger of the "should promotion" (chasing a title because it is the next logical step) and the "proof promotion" (using a new role to prove your inherent worth). Because the tech industry rewards behaviors that often go against how women are socialized, achieving these goals can feel incredibly hollow. Instead of burning out for an empty title, I will teach you how to identify your true values and assess if your current and future roles actually align with what gets you out of bed in the morning. Your Next Steps: Assess your values: Think about your career in terms of values rather than titles or salary. Identify two or three core values that get you excited to show up to work, like autonomy, collaboration, or innovation. Then, evaluate both your current role and your next target role to see where they align with or fall short of those values. Subscribe: Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. A Special Announcement: I am officially opening three to five founding member spots for my high touch, one on one coaching program, Lead Boldly! If you are ready to turn great work into the promotion you have earned, send me a DM at Coach Sarah Williams on LinkedIn or Instagram and say "I am in" or "tell me more". Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

9. 

   25 Jul 2026

   [Bonus] Beyond Certainty Part 2: Why the confidence advice you've been given isn't working

   "Nothing is wrong with you. The advice was wrong. And more specifically, it was built for someone else." Welcome to Part 2 of our special bonus series of Women Who Ship: Beyond Certainty: Turning great work into the recognition you have earned. You know that you are capable and have a great track record, but sometimes in high stakes moments, an old thought shows up that holds you back. You have likely tried traditional affirmations and "fake it until you make it" positive thinking, only to find that it just does not hold up under pressure. This advice fails because it assumes confidence is what is standing between you and your results, which ignores the reality women navigate in tech where you are told to be confident but not too aggressive. In this episode, we explore why you do not need to perform false confidence or leap to a positive thought you cannot believe. Instead, I introduce a tool called the Thought Ladder, which helps you figure out what is actually true right now so you can build grounded self trust from there. Your next steps: Practice the Thought Ladder: Go back to the thought that you wrote down after Part 1. Do not try to replace it with the exact opposite thought. Instead, find one thought that is just 10 percent better and slightly more useful. Write it down to create the next "rung" on your ladder. Subscribe: Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you do not miss Part 3, where we discuss the actual goal you are climbing toward! Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

10. 

    21 Jul 2026

    [Bonus] Beyond Certainty Part 1: Rethinking what it means to be ready

    "That anxiety isn't a signal that you're behind. It is actually pointing you directly at the biggest leadership opportunity of your career." Welcome to a special bonus series of Women Who Ship: Beyond Certainty: Turning great work into the recognition you have earned. Everyone in tech is feeling a very specific type of anxiety right now related to the rapid disruption of AI. But oftentimes, high-achieving women react to this uncertainty by over-preparing and waiting until they are 100 percent sure before speaking up. Meanwhile, a colleague with half as much knowledge speaks up, gets tapped for a task force, and is positioned as a leader. The gap between you and that colleague has nothing to do with capability. The work you have already done has already earned you your seat. The only thing standing between you and that recognition is the thought that you have to be certain before you can show up. In Part 1 of this mini series, we define the critical difference between a circumstance and a thought, and how you can use this distinction to stop letting disruption write your internal story. Your Next Steps: Separate Circumstances from Thoughts: Pick one moment this week where your work, your idea, or your contribution did not get the recognition it deserved. Write down the circumstance in one neutral sentence. Then, write down the thought or story you attached to it. Do not try to fix it yet, just observe it! Subscribe: Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you do not miss Part 2 of this special series! Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

11. 

    16 Jul 2026

    5. Layoffs RX Part 2: When you've been impacted

    "While getting laid off is a major source of grief, it can also serve as a powerful moment of reset. You can use this forced pause to reconnect, take time to learn, and imagine your actual dream career." Everyone has been told layoffs are coming, and you will get an email within 15 minutes letting you know your status. It is the longest 15 minutes of your life. When the email arrives, your heart sinks. You have been impacted. If you have found this episode because you were laid off, I am sorry this happened to you. In Part 2 of our series on navigating layoffs, we are talking about the messy reality of losing your job. So far in 2026, over 120,000 tech employees have been laid off, a 66 percent increase from last year. Layoffs are not hitting everyone equally. Data from previous tech layoffs indicates women are up to 65 percent more likely to lose their jobs. This silent exit worsens a severe attrition problem, pushing 50 percent of women out of tech by age 35. Four practical steps to navigate your next chapter: Process your grief and keep a routine: Let your nervous system reset and maintain a daily schedule. Stay connected: Fight the urge to withdraw and tap your network for your next role. Learn a new skill: Upskill for your current path or explore something new. Imagine your dream job: Define your ideal location, pace, compensation, and culture before applying. Your next steps: Imagine your dream job: Do this without boundaries. Pick one aspect, like your workspace or team culture, and define exactly what you want so your next move is highly intentional. Subscribe: Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. A Special Announcement: If going through a layoff has taught us anything, it is that external certainty in tech is an illusion. That is why over the next 10 days, I am dropping a special three part mini series called Beyond Certainty: Turning great work into the recognition you have earned. I help high-achieving women in tech turn great work into the promotion and recognition they have already earned. Make sure you are subscribed so you do not miss it! Resources mentioned in this episode: Forbes: Tech industry loses 123,000 jobs this year GeekWire: Research finds women are 65% more likely than men to lose jobs in ongoing wave of tech layoffs Fair Play Talks: DEI Cuts Hit One in Five Companies, Raising Morale and Inclusion Concerns, Confirms Study LeadDev: Tech layoffs are making things worse for women in leadership CIO.com (http://CIO.com): Why women leave your IT organization and how to help reverse that talent drain McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org (http://LeanIn.Org): Women in the Workplace 2025 Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

12. 

    30 Jun 2026

    4. Layoffs RX Part 1: You've been "marked safe"

    Episode 4: Layoffs RX Part 1: You've been "marked safe" “For senior leaders, the trap looks like quietly absorbing impossible workloads, shielding your team from every hard conversation, and postponing your own ambitions because this isn't the right time.” Everyone in the company has been told that layoffs are coming, and you will get an email within 15 minutes letting you know the status of your role. It is the longest 15 minutes of your life. When the email finally arrives, you breathe a sigh of relief. Your role is continuing. But the chaos has only just begun. Forbes estimates that over 120,000 tech employees have been laid off in 2026, representing a massive 66% increase from last year. Despite these huge numbers, roughly 80% to 95% of workers remain "safe" from layoffs. In Part 1 of this two part series, host Sarah Williams explores the messy reality of being the senior leader left behind in the blast radius. We dig into why senior women often become the unofficial therapists, translators, and shock absorbers between executives and the team. This invisible work feels like "just being a good manager," but without recognition or scope adjustments, it quietly becomes a second job that stalls your strategic impact. Learn how to put your own oxygen mask on first, manage the predictable trust deficit, and stop letting fear dictate your leadership decisions. Your Next Steps: Assess Your Values: Take 15 minutes this week to reevaluate your values. Are you looking for impact or growth? Pick one value and write down one way you can align your current work to that value this week. The Senior Leader Assignment: Identify one woman on your team who has quietly taken on more glue work since the layoff. Either take something off her plate, formally recognize and reward it, or redistribute that load. Subscribe: Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Forbes: Tech Industry Loses 123,000 Jobs This Year (https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/06/04/tech-industry-loses-123000-jobs-this-year-ai-is-the-most-cited-reason-for-layoffs/) Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

13. 

    16 Jun 2026

    3. You Belong in the Room: Rethinking Imposter Syndrome

    “Feeling like an imposter doesn’t mean you’re not qualified. It often means you’re growing.” Do you ever walk into a meeting and wonder if everyone can tell you don’t quite believe you belong there? You are not alone. According to a recent Tech Workplace Survey Report, a staggering 89% of women in tech report experiencing imposter syndrome at work. Even with a stellar resume and a calendar full of people asking for your help, it is easy to feel like a fraud who is about to be "found out". In this episode of Women Who Ship, host Sarah Williams digs into why imposter syndrome is so common in the tech industry. She breaks down how socialization and a lack of representation feed our self-doubt, and why hitting the "valley of despair" in the Dunning-Kruger effect is actually a sign that you are stretching into new territory. You don't have to wait for your brain to magically stop doubting you to start leading boldly. Instead, learn two practical tools to intentionally build your self-trust. Your Next Steps: Download the Playbook: Ready to put these tools into practice? Download the free Imposter Syndrome Playbook at coachsarahwilliams.com/imposter (http://coachsarahwilliams.com/imposter) to help you build your Personal Milestones List and map out your 10% better thoughts. Take Action: Create a Personal Milestones List. Write down the things you are genuinely proud of (both professional and personal), and pause to remind yourself: you did that. Shift 10%: The next time self-doubt creeps in, don't try to change your thinking 100%. Instead, find a thought that feels just 10% more believable and 10% better in your body. Subscribe: Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: 2025 Tech Workplace Survey Report (https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.teamhabitat.com%2FTech-Workplace-Survey-Report-2025.pdf) Springfield Women in Tech (https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.springfieldwomenintech.com%2F) Habitat Communication & Culture (https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mostlyserious.io%2Fhabitat%2Fabout) Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

14. 

    2 Jun 2026

    2. Run the Plan, Not the Fantasy: Making Ambitious Goals Stick

    What happens when that "new year, new me" energy fades and your big goals quietly fizzle out?. For high-achieving women in tech, execution isn't usually the problem, but setting sustainable goals often is. We tend to either set vague, ill-formed goals like "I want to network more," or we push ourselves with so much intensity that we end up burning out. When we inevitably fall short, it doesn't just stall our progress; it damages our self-trust. In Episode 2 of Women Who Ship, host Sarah Williams uses her own derailed running goal as a case study to explore how we can actually follow through on our ambitions without breaking ourselves in the process. The big takeaway: clarity, tiny boring steps, and flexibility will beat intensity every time. Three Ways to Make Your Goals Stick: Run It Through the SMART Filter: Transform vague ambitions into goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant (this is your "WHY"), and Time-based. Commit to Small, Sustainable Changes: Focus on tiny actions that are doable today but transformational over a year. As Jeff Olson outlines in The Slight Edge, small changes compound into big results over time. Stay Flexible and Adjust: Don't get tunnel vision that ignores reality. If you hit a roadblock, give yourself permission to adjust your plan—or even the goal itself—so that it continues to align with your core "WHY". Your Next Steps: Take Action: Take one goal you already have and run it through the SMART filter; you can even use an AI tool to help you structure it. Next, identify the smallest, repeatable action you can take this week, and decide what signals will tell you it is time to adjust your plan. Share: Write your answers down, and if you are feeling brave, share them with a mentor, manager, or trusted peer to help you stay honest and flexible. Subscribe: Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Let's go ship some good stuff together. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

15. 

    13 May 2026

    1. Seeing What You've Shipped: Recognizing Yourself at Work

    What do you do when everyone around you is getting recognized, and you feel oddly invisible? In "recognition-rich" tech cultures, Slack shoutouts, peer awards, and birthday cards are everywhere. But for senior women in leadership, who are often the ones responsible for giving out the praise, it's easy to feel completely unseen. In the premiere episode of Women Who Ship, host Sarah Williams tackles the taboo topic of feeling unappreciated at work. She breaks down why waiting for "gold stars" from others puts your confidence on a rollercoaster, and why you don't actually need external praise to validate your worth. Instead, Sarah shares practical tools to help you build grounded self-trust through intentional self-recognition. You'll learn how to separate the facts from the punishing stories you tell yourself, how to redefine what recognition looks like at the senior level, and exactly how to run a weekly 30-minute "Recognition Retro" to build a private evidence file of your own impact. Your Next Steps: Take Action: Block 30 minutes on your calendar this week to run your own Recognition Retro. Write down three specific things you did that mattered, and exactly why they were important. Share: If this episode helps you see your own value, please share it with another woman in tech who might be feeling invisible in a noisy, recognition-rich culture. Subscribe: Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Let's go ship some good stuff. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

16. 

    13 May 2026

    Welcome to Women Who Ship (Trailer)

    Have you ever walked into a meeting room and wondered if everyone else can tell you don't quite believe you belong there? If you are a high-achieving woman in tech, you know that doing great work doesn't automatically translate into recognition or feeling confident. Welcome to the trailer for Women Who Ship. I'm your host, Sarah Williams, a leadership coach and former Senior Manager who has spent 15 years navigating the tech industry. I started this podcast because you aren't struggling because you aren't capable, you're struggling because no one taught you how to lead with confidence in spaces that weren't built with you in mind. In this brief preview, you'll hear exactly what to expect from the show. We are going to dive into the real, unspoken challenges of tech leadership. I'll be sharing practical tools and honest conversations to help you build grounded self-trust, rethink what imposter syndrome actually means, and navigate major industry shifts, like the rapid rise of AI, with both strategy and heart. You don't have to wait for your brain to magically stop doubting you to start leading boldly. Your Next Steps: Subscribe: Hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app so you don't miss our first official episodes. Subscribing is totally free, and it ensures the newest episodes will automatically download to your phone. Share: If you know another woman in tech who is navigating this industry right alongside you, please share this trailer with her. Connect: If you are ready to stop second-guessing yourself, sign up for the Women Who Ship newsletter at www.coachsarahwilliams.com (https://www.coachsarahwilliams.com) to get practical, no-fluff tips sent straight to your inbox every two weeks. Let's go ship some good stuff together. Theme Music: The Success by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon (https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon) Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.