Disrupt Your Career – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, we speak with Navid Nazemian, executive coach and author of Mastering Executive Transitions. Navid shares insights from his career across seven industries and hundreds of C-suite clients, revealing why nearly 40% of executives fail in their first 18 months. He explains his Double Diamond framework for successful transitions, highlights the critical role of culture, politics, and soft skills, and explores gender gaps in executive support. Navid also discusses emerging trends and his new coaching and eLearning initiatives.

Navid Nazemian, PCC, speaks on executive transitions with authority grounded in research and complemented by demonstrated real-world experience. Working with C-level coaching clients worldwide, Navid distills key insights, guidance, and strategies for maximizing leadership impact in his book Mastering Executive Transitions. He has been recognized as HR’s Most Influential Practitioner by HR Magazine, Coach of the Year by CEO Today, and received the Outstanding Leadership Award from Education 2.0 in 2022.

Links from the episode: 

Navid’s executive coaching homepage

Navid’s book ‘Mastering Executive Transitions’ 

Navid’s LinkedIn profile

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Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
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Many professionals work hard, deliver strong results, and uphold high standards—yet still feel their career progression slipping further out of reach. Traditional advice like “let your work speak for itself” or “play the game” often traps people between burnout and becoming someone they don’t want to be. But this cycle can be broken, allowing you to advance with clarity, integrity, and confidence.

In this edition of Author Chat, Disrupt Your Career speaks with May Busch, Founder of Career Mastery™, speaker, executive coach, and former COO of Morgan Stanley Europe, about her book ‘Visible: How to Advance Your Career Without Playing Politics, Selling Your Soul, or Working Yourself into the Ground’ (Summit Press Publishers, October 2025). In her book, May explores the hidden capabilities senior leaders look for when deciding who progresses and who plateaus, offering practical guidance on navigating office politics without compromising your values, building strategic relationships authentically, and developing the presence to command attention—all while taking ownership of your career at every stage.

Order May’s book ‘Visible: How to Advance Your Career Without Playing Politics, Selling Your Soul, or Working Yourself into the Ground’

May’s personal website

May’s LinkedIn profile

Thanks for listening!
Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Irina Cozma about her journey from HR roles in global corporations to launching her own coaching and consulting practice. She shares how a mix of planning and serendipity shaped her career, why she believes every leader is above all human, and what it means to design better career adventures. Irina challenges traditional training methods, discusses her “Go Broad, Go Deep, Go Forward” coaching approach, and offers empowering advice for young professionals. 

Irina Cozma is an executive coach, speaker, trainer and consultant who helps professionals design more fulfilling career adventures. With a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology and over 20 years of experience, she has coached hundreds of senior leaders and entrepreneurs across industries like tech, healthcare, and finance. An ICF-certified coach, Irina teaches at Purdue University, contributes to Harvard Business Review, and brings global insight from living and working in four countries. 

Links from the episode: 

• Irina’s articles in Harvard Business Review
• Irina’s personal homepage
• Irina’s LinkedIn profile

Thanks for listening!
Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Stéphanie Daudier about her career journey and the values that have shaped her path. She shares her transition from marketing and leadership roles to entrepreneurship and executive coaching after her time at L’Oréal. She discusses how she navigated career changes, including her shift to building a public presence, underscored by her TEDx speech. Stéphanie reflects on the importance of simplicity in career management, her commitment to promoting equality and career opportunities for seniors, her advice to her younger self and her plans for the future.

Stéphanie Daudier is a specialist in workplace diversity and the founder of The Inspiration Lab. As an entrepreneur, she is dedicated to promoting senior inclusion in society and advancing gender equality in the workplace. With 30 years of experience in the corporate world across Europe and Asia, Stéphanie spent over 8 years living and working in Asia, including 4 years as an expatriate in Tokyo, Japan. A trained mathematician, she brings precision to her work and makes complex data both tangible and engaging. Stéphanie stands against ageism and stereotypes, advocating for a rebellious life full of joy and energy.

Links from the episode: 

• The Inspiration Lab homepage
• Stéphanie TEDxBlois ‘Exister pleinement jusqu'à 100 ans’ (in French)
• Stéphanie’s LinkedIn profile

Thanks for listening!
Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Sheila Buswell about her unconventional career path from the US Army to engineering and entrepreneurship. She shares how personal challenges led her to create technology that enhances mobility and independence, the leadership lessons she’s learned along the way, and the connection between technology, upward mobility, and diversity. Sheila opens up about imposter syndrome, the insights from her book Is This Seat for Me?, and practical strategies to overcome self-doubt. She offers advice to her younger self and a glimpse into her future plans.

Sheila Buswell is the CEO and Co-Founder of Buswell Biomedical, a US Army veteran, and the author of Is This Seat For Me? After starting her career in engineering, she transitioned to entrepreneurship, driven by a mission to create innovative solutions that improve mobility and independence. Sheila is passionate about leadership and navigating our own journey toward overcoming imposter syndrome—topics she explores in her book and speaking engagements. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Biomedical Engineering.

Links from the episode: 

• Sheila’s LinkedIn profile
• Sheila’s book Is This Seat for Me?
• To get a free audio book chapter of the book 
• Buswell Biomedical homepage

Thanks for listening!
Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Naeema Pasha about her inspiring career journey and the early influences that shaped her leadership path. She shares lessons from her diverse industry experiences and addresses challenges in advancing diversity and inclusion. Naeema discusses the motivation behind co-authoring Future Proof Your Career and explores its key insights on navigating change in the evolving workplace. She also dives into the rise of the anti-work movement, exploring how side hustles and better work-life balance are reshaping modern careers.

Dr. Naeema Pasha set up and led the World of Work (WOW) Institute at Henley Business School, which examines the future of work, including the ethical impact of AI on work, workers and workplaces. She is also a leading expert in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion leadership. Naeema has written and spoken extensively for publications such as BBC Worklife, Forbes and People Management Magazine on transformations in workplaces. She is co-author of Futureproof Your Career: How to Lead and Succeed in a Changing World.

Links from the episode: 

• Naeema’s book Futureproof Your Career  
• Naeema’s LinkedIn profile

Thanks for listening!
Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Michelle Prince about her extraordinary career journey across healthcare, IT, and human capital advisory services. She highlighs the evolution of HR from paper-based systems to technology-driven processes, the international assignments that shifted her career trajectory, and the challenges of transitioning from corporate to solopreneur. She shares insights from her book, Creating Your Encore Career, exploring how to find purpose and prosperity in later career stages, reimagine work in a longer lifespan, and redefine retirement. Michelle also offers advice for career transitions, and tips for early professionals.

Dr. Michelle Prince is a global leadership coach, HR tech advisor, and human capital consultant. A certified leadership coach since 2006 with a doctorate in management and organizational leadership, she helps professionals and organizations achieve transformational growth. Michelle has over 30 years of corporate HR experience and now runs her consulting firm, MPrince Consulting LLC. An advocate for sustainability and empowering people to thrive, she wrote the book ‘Creating Your Encore Career‘ to inspire others to craft fulfilling Encore Careers.

Links from the episode: 

• Michelle’s book Creating Your Encore Career
• Michelle’s LinkedIn profile

Thanks for listening!
Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

As the year comes to a close, we’re celebrating with a special Disrupt Your Career episode: a curated collection of the most inspiring and actionable career advice from our incredible 2024 guests.

Over the past year, we’ve explored leadership, career transitions, and talent development with some of the brightest minds: Julia Goodman, Valerie Sutton, Octavia Goredema, Riet Grond, Asad Husain, André Martin, Carmen Wee, Sarah Wittman, Mosongo Moukwa, Joerg Staff, Ben Legg, and Isabel Berwick.

In this “Best Of” episode, we bring you their standout advice—designed to empower professionals at every stage of their journey, from those just starting out to seasoned leaders ready to take their next big step. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, actionable strategies, or fresh perspectives, this episode is packed with insights to fuel your career growth in 2025.

Tune in to hear expert advice and find the motivation to reimagine, grow, or disrupt your own career path!

Thanks for listening!
Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

Isabel Berwick is host of the award-winning Financial Times 'Working It' podcast, about the workplace, leadership, management and the future of work. Isabel also writes a weekly newsletter covering all the latest work trends for FT subscribers. Her book, The Future-Proof Career, published in April 2024 has been a top ten Amazon bestseller in the careers category. An FT staff journalist for more than 20 years, she has held senior editing posts across the paper, most recently as editor of the paper's Work & Careers coverage.

In this episode, we talk with Isabel about her career journey and the leadership lessons she learned in journalism, her transition to hosting the ‘Working It’ podcast and writing ‘The Future Proof Career.’ Isabel emphasizes the importance of leadership quality, the need for flexibility in careers, and advocates for self-awareness and proactive career management. She shares insights on the “squidginess” of careers, the value of networking, and the potential for radical career transitions. She also gives us a peak into her upcoming projects—including a paperback release and a new video series—alongside personal life updates.

Links from the episode:  

• Isabel’s FT author page
• Isabel’s book ‘The Future Proof Career’
• Isabel’s LinkedIn profile

Thanks for listening!
Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In today’s fast-paced, interconnected world, breakthroughs don’t come from individuals—they come from teams. And not just any teams, but diverse and inclusive ones. Andrés Tapia and Michel Buffet provide a revolutionary model that empowers teams to harness the full potential of diverse perspectives.

In this edition of Author Chat, Disrupt Your Career speaks with Andrés Tapia and Michel Buffet about their book, The 5 Disciplines of Inclusive Teams: Unlocking Collective Power to Achieve Breakthrough (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, March 2025). Andrés and Michel introduce an actionable 5-step framework for building truly equitable, high-performing teams and unlocking their collective power to deliver groundbreaking results.

Pre-order André and Michel’s book The 5 Disciplines of Inclusive Teams
Andrés’ LinkedIn profile
Michel’s LinkedIn profile

Thanks for listening!
Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com
If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast