In this episode, I sit down with Laura de Benedetto — product policy manager at Meta, Cambridge AI Ethics graduate, and the very first Career Queen to return for a second conversation — for an honest discussion about what it actually takes to build a career that holds when the ground shifts beneath you.

Laura was laid off from Airbnb. She didn't see it coming. And like so many high achievers, she had done everything right — which made the shock of it that much harder to process. What she did next is the conversation every career-driven woman needs to hear right now.

Because the layoff era is not slowing down. AI is restructuring entire teams. And the idea that hard work alone guarantees security is a contract that is quietly being rewritten. This episode is about what job security actually looks like when you build it from the inside out — through community, clarity, and a mindset shift that Laura didn't find until she was forced to.

If you are navigating uncertainty in your career, watching the industry change faster than you can keep up, or simply want to feel more grounded in where you stand, this conversation is for you.

In this episode:

• What it really feels like to be laid off as a high achiever and how to process it
• Why being open about your situation is one of the most strategic things you can do
• How Laura went from layoff to presenting at the UN General Assembly in the same year
• The human skills that become more valuable as AI advances — not less
• Why you probably don't want to be indispensable at work
• How to separate your professional identity from the company you work for

The job market has changed. Has your strategy?

In this episode, Career Queens, I sit down with Sonya, a senior recruiter at Netflix, for an unfiltered conversation about what is actually happening in tech hiring right now — and what candidates need to do differently.

With over 400,000 tech layoffs since 2022, companies getting leaner by design, and AI reshaping entire teams, the playbook that worked three years ago is no longer enough. Sonya breaks down exactly what recruiters see when they open your resume, why the shift to an employer's market changes how you should negotiate, and whether personal branding on LinkedIn is helping or just noise.

If you are in a job search, thinking about your next move, or building your career in tech, this episode will give you the honest, insider perspective you have been looking for.

In this episode:

• What recruiters actually look for on your resume
• Why referrals increase visibility but don't guarantee the role
• The AI skills myth — and what companies are really asking about
• How to stand out when everyone is applying for everything
• What Netflix's culture really looks for in candidates
• Salary negotiation in today's employer's market

On this episode, Sopé Ogunrombi, an MBA Candidate at London Business School, shares how she went about her business school applications — from school selection, to writing the GMAT and her essays. This is for anyone who is considering pursuing an MBA, and would like more information about the degree.

On this episode, I'm leaving the tech world for a bit! In it, I speak to Ziyanda Khumalo, an investment banker, about her career change, from marketing in fast moving consumer goods (fmcg)  to finance and investment banking.

Career Queens Podcast is a show that spotlights millennial women in tech, and women in business that are using technology to grow their businesses. Conversations range from navigating a career change or salary negotiation, to starting and running a side hustle. 

On this episode I speak to Julie Vandingenen, a Senior Sales Consultant at Google. Julie is also the founder of Lovingly Box, a passion project and business that sells care packages with an aim to support loved ones going through difficult situations. These include break ups, illness, depression and bereavement.

Julie was inspired to start this business, in 2017, after she lost her fiancé to cancer. Julie composes Lovingly Box to contain some of the items that made her days a little easier, a little more bright, and a little less lonely.

Initially, I’d intended for this episode to be all about starting a side hustle while working full time. After all, Julie started her business and has been running it while excelling in a demanding role at Google. And while this episode is a must-listen for anyone with passion project ideas, it’s also relevant for anyone in hearing about building resilience through challenging seasons and finding purpose through pain.

Career Queens Podcast is a business podcast that spotlights career conversations with millennial women making moves in tech.

On this episode, I speak to my good friend, Lauren Jutai (a Partner Manager at Facebook) talks about her experience leading an international career. Lauren was born in Toronto, and raised in various other cities across Canada, namely Ottawa, Woodstock and Hamilton. Since her first move abroad, Lauren has lived and worked in 5 other countries across 4 continents!

Career Queens Podcast is a business podcast that spotlights career conversations with millennial women making moves in tech.

In this episode, Halimatu (Hali) Umar, a Market Specialist at Facebook, talks about her experience moving abroad for work. When Hali moved to Dublin to work for Facebook, it was her first time living outside of Nigeria. The transition was challenging, particularly as Hali wasn’t moving alone — Hali moved to Ireland with her husband and three kids.

Despite the obstacles she had to overcome (from homesickness, to prejudiced neighbors) Hali survived and eventually thrived in her new home. She was determined to rise, inspired be a role model for young Nigerian girls.

Career Queens Podcast is a business podcast that spotlights career conversations with millennial women making moves in tech.

In need of salary negotiation tips? Laura DeBenedetto, a Policy Manager at Tiktok, started her career accepting the first salary offer she was made. However, with every new company she has joined (including Facebook, Google and Tiktok), she has gained the experience and confidence to counter and ask for more.

Tune in to hear Laura’s advice on negotiating a salary offer, based from her multiple experiences with salary negotiation to date.

Career Queens Podcast is a business podcast that spotlights career conversations with millennial women making moves in tech.

Sade Omojowo, a Strategic Partner Manager at Instagram, talks about her experience as boomerang employee, following her moving from Facebook to Tiktok, and then back again to Facebook. This is what some people call a “career boomerang”, and many consider it a strategic way to pivot their career.

Being rehired by a former employer is becoming increasingly popular amongst millennials, and it’s particularly common in fast-moving industries like technology. Being a boomerang employee allows an individual to get to learn new skills, try something different, explore another industry, pursue a passion… and then return to their former employer… arguably, at a higher level and salary band than they would have been had they stayed there all along. As I was speaking to Sade about her journey, one thing that struck me is how self-aware she was about where she wanted to go in her career.

Career Queens Podcast is a business podcast that spotlights career conversations with millennial women making moves in tech.

In this episode, Tracy Jasper, a manager at Hubspot, talks about her experience transitioning from an individual contributor to a people manager in the tech industry. Tune in to hear about the challenges Tracy faced, as well as the people management skills she’s had to develop.

In many tech companies, becoming a people manger is neither a promotion, nor the only way to advance one’s career. In fact, there are often parallel tracks for people interested in individual contributor or manager work. That said, becoming a people manager is often a strategic move because, to progress to Director and VP level, one almost always needs to have this experience under their belt.

Career Queens Podcast is a business podcast that spotlights career conversations with millennial women making moves in tech.

I speak to Marcelle Mbuyu, a Product Manager at Google, about her career change, from sales to her current role by studying part time, networking and finding stretch assignments at work.

Career Queens Podcast is a show that spotlights millennial women in tech, and women in business that are using technology to grow their businesses. Conversations range from navigating a career change or salary negotiation, to starting and running a side hustle. 

In this episode of Career Queens Podcast, I sit down with LaKiesha Tomlin — engineer, MBA graduate, and investor — to talk about financial preparedness, emergency funds, and building income streams in an uncertain job market.

This episode is for women in tech, corporate professionals, and ambitious career women who want to reduce financial anxiety and build optionality.

Because your employer is not your safety net, and financial security is something you design.

If you’re thinking about emergency savings, career pivots, investing, or building income streams to prepare for a potential layoff, this conversation will give you both the mindset and practical steps you need.

This episode is about habit formation, self-trust, and choosing yourself when change feels hard. I’m joined by Elle Caffrey—an event consultant and founder of Ellevents—who reflects on her journey from obesity to losing over 100 pounds, and eventually running half marathons. We unpack how sustainable change is built through small, consistent actions, identity shifts, and systems that support you long after the initial transformation. If you’re trying to move away from all-or-nothing thinking and toward self-care habits that stick, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we dive into how vision boarding can unlock real career clarity—not just big dreams, but practical direction you can actually act on. I’m joined by Gracious Nyamupachitu, Pinterest’s first Marketing Strategy & Operations Manager and the founder of VisionaryMe, who breaks down how to turn goals into a life strategy using vision boards. Drawing on her journey from corporate banking to global tech, she shares how clarity, intention, and action work together to shape career moves that actually stick. We talk about using vision boards to cut through overwhelm, align your decisions, and stay focused in seasons of uncertainty. If you’re feeling stuck, scattered, or ready for your next chapter, this episode is for you.

On this episode, I speak to my mother, Dr. Rosemary Kobue-Lekalake, about her experiences moving to America back in the early '80s and again in the early '90s. We also delve into how she managed the guilt that often riddles mothers that work full-time.

On this episode, I speak to Sonali Karmarkar about how she’s managed to start and grow a creative business while working full time as a Community Partner Manager at Youtube. Sonali is based in New York where she supports Youtube’s creator community by day, and grows her handpainted hair accessory brand, Soieli, by night. 

I chat with Angela Guido, founder of Career Protocol, author of two books: “Interview Hero” and “How to Network Without Feeling Like an A‑Hole”. The topic on the table on this episode is  how to find your voice and ace your job Interviews. 

We're back! And, on this first episode of the second season of Career Queens, I’m so excited to be chatting with digital entrepreneur, Adanna Steinacker, about personal branding and leading your career authentically.

My guest on this episode, McKenna Sweazey, is the VP of Marketing at a Silicon Valley based startup called Truthset. Prior to this role, she was based in London where she led a team regional Marketing managers at the Financial Times. Over the course of her career, she has formed important relationships with people willing to connect her with great opportunities and help her navigate challenging situations.