How to Get Unstuck When You're a Smart Woman in a Male-Dominated Industry
Most smart, ambitious women I meet have already tried everything.
You’ve read the books (or, if you’re like me, have a growing list of books still waiting).
You’ve bought the courses (and lost interest around minute 19).
You’ve put in longer hours, tried to be “tough like the guys,” leaned in—and still hit backlash like rude, ice cold water on your face.
Maybe you’ve worked with coaches who taught “leadership presence” but ignored how dehumanizing it feels to fit a white-and-thin-body-centric mold.
Or sat through trainings designed by and for men—where communication tactics backfire the moment women or marginalized folks use them.
Therapy may have helped you process the rage, but it didn’t show you how to talk to Disappointing Steve without losing your cool—or your values.
Because here’s the truth:
Most advice out there doesn’t speak to what it’s like to be essentially yourself: richly complex and uniquely potent.
That’s why my approach blends practical neuroscience to engage your subconscious while honoring women’s lived experiences—to help you unwind from the conditioning that says “be likable first” or “do everything for everyone,” and instead lead from grounded authority.
Transformation begins when you stop fixing yourself and start engaging the multiple levels of intelligence already alive within you.
That’s what SJ, a coaching client, discovered in our work together.
Here's SJ in her own words...
Watch the 17 minute video interview with SJ and her sister Beth here
Transcript
SJ: Part of the reason I picked Jamie as my executive coach—because there are lots out there—was her whole thing. Somewhere on her website it said something like, “You’re tired of pretending to be somebody else, or you just want your voice to matter without losing sight of who you are.”
And I was like, Yes. I didn’t even know who I was anymore, besides someone who’s just trying so hard to be liked. Fun fact—trying to be liked doesn’t make you very likable.
When I started coaching with Jamie, I was just like, “I don’t even know who I am.” It didn’t take her long to notice misalignments. She’d say, “It sounds like you’re not someone who’s scared, but you feel scared now,” or, “You’re not someone who cares what people think, but you really care here.”
Coaching with her was about finding my way back to my roots—doing things differently and being comfortable with that.
Beth: As her sister, I expected executive coaching to make SJ more intense—like Business Barbie leveled up. But it actually made her softer, calmer, more at peace with herself. She’s stronger because she’s settled.
SJ: A lot of executive coaches say, “Do more.” Make better to-do lists. Jamie doesn’t do that. She says things like, “I’m not going to fight with you,” or, “Let’s just talk slower.” No one’s ever gotten me to do that before.
Or she’ll say, “Let’s take a minute and feel it in your body.” That’s not what most people expect from an executive coach—but it works. It’s not about more; it’s about less.
Jamie: That’s from Open Focus Brain by Dr. Les Fehmi—a method for shifting from high-frequency beta waves (the frantic state) to alpha waves (the calm, creative state).
SJ: Yes! That’s what I loved. She’d have me notice spaces on my body, and when I came out of it, she’d say, “What do you know?” And I’d just know. Every time.
It’s like she bypasses the amygdala—my fight-or-flight center—and helps the rest of my brain take over. I slow down, find the solution, and then we talk strategy.
It’s not the kind of session people expect. It’s not “What should I do?” and the coach gives a plan. It’s more like, “Let’s get quiet so you can hear your own knowing.”
That pause for clarity is uncomfortable, especially for women, because we’re taught never to stop. But that’s where the wisdom lives.
Now I spend more time in that calm state, and I feel more confident, creative, and whole. Every piece of advice out there says “do more.” Jamie says, “No. There’s a gem inside you. Slow down and find it.”
Ready to Experience the Same Shift?
Book a free consult to explore how coaching with me can help you lead with authentic self-confidence—no matter the noise of office politics or other people’s misguided perceptions of what you’re truly capable of.
