You have built a successful career, but you may be reaching a point where what once felt right no longer fits who you are now.
On Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin, host Robin L. Owens, PhD, speaks with high-achieving women about the significant career crossroads they have faced and the clarity, courage, and decisions that shaped what came next.
These conversations go beyond polished success stories. You will hear how accomplished women navigated uncertainty, questioned long-held definitions of success, made difficult decisions, and created new ways to work, lead, and live with greater meaning and fulfillment.
At the end of each guest conversation, she offers practical advice for the woman who may be standing at a career crossroads of her own.
Through these interviews and occasional solo episodes from Dr. Robin, you will gain insight, encouragement, and new possibilities for your own next chapter. You may begin to see that the career crossroads before you is not simply a place of uncertainty; it may be the beginning of a career life that feels more meaningful, more fulfilling, and more fully your own.
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The Dream You Keep Ignoring Isn't Going Away | Ep299 with Dr. Alicia Newsome
Season 7 · Episode 299
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 • Duration 30:08
"Whatever lights you up, lean into that, you know, and be okay with it lighting you up. Sometimes it can even be fearful what's lighting you up."
This week's "At her Career Crossroads" insight comes from Dr. Alicia Newsome.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode:
You'll hear how Dr. Alicia tested a new career direction before fully committing to it—and why giving yourself room to try something can be a practical way to approach a career crossroads.
If an idea or dream keeps coming back to you, this conversation will encourage you to pay attention. Sometimes what you pushed aside years ago still has something to tell you about what you want now.
You'll hear what it looks like to acknowledge that you don't have the next step figured out yet—and why being uncertain doesn't mean you have to rush into an answer.
Dr. Alicia Newsome is an international speaker, executive advisor, functional medicine doctor, and author of Worthy of Rest: For the Woman Who Is Tired of Being the Strong One, who helps high-performing founders and senior leaders build profitable companies without sacrificing their well-being, marriage, or values.
When Your Dream Career Starts Draining You | Ep 298 with Dr. Nikia Smith
Season 7 · Episode 298
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 31:44
"You are a superwoman. You're not the superwoman. So, like, yes, you are super, you can expand, you can grow, you can evolve. And that is the best for you. And whatever is the best for you is the best for everyone around you because you'll be the best version of yourself."
This week's "At her Career Crossroads" insight comes from Dr. Nikia Smith.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode:
You'll hear what can happen when changing jobs doesn't fix the exhaustion because the real issue may be deeper than where you work. Nikia shares how she reached the point where she knew something had to change—and why that realization led her to look inward.
If your professional identity has become a big part of how you see yourself, this conversation will help you think differently about what it means to change direction. You don't have to erase everything you've worked for to make room for another part of who you are.
You don't need to have your entire next chapter figured out before you make a change. Sometimes the next best step is simply creating enough space to recover, get curious about what you want, and begin finding yourself again.
Dr. Nikia Smith is a board-certified anesthesiologist, wellness coach, retreat facilitator, and founder of She is Fire Forged, a wellness brand that helps high-achieving women of color reclaim their peace, power, and purpose.
You Don't Need the Whole Career Plan Yet | Ep 297 with Lynn Smargis
Season 7 · Episode 297
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 26:54
"It's fine to stay where you're at now, but if you really don't feel aligned and there's something inside you that's like, I need to change, start figuring out what that change needs to be and start, like, making those little micro goals to get to where you wanna be."
This week's "At her Career Crossroads" insight comes from Lynn Smargis.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode:
You'll hear how Lynn rebuilt her career more than once, including what she did when the pandemic wiped out 90% of her clients in just seven days and later when AI disrupted her business again.
If you're successful but no longer feel aligned with the work you're doing, you'll get a practical exercise to help you start figuring out what you want next—without having to leave your current career before you're ready.
You'll hear why self-belief, trusted people around you, and staying open to unexpected opportunities can make a difference when doubt creeps in and you start wondering whether you should go back to what feels safe.
Lynn Smargis is the CEO and founder of Write for You Self Publishing, a six-time author, and host of the Self Publishing for Thought Leaders podcast who helps professionals, thought leaders, executives, and consultants turn their expertise into nonfiction books.
What Happens When You Stop Choosing the Safe Career | Ep 296 with Margaret Graziano
Season 7 · Episode 296
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 • Duration 39:41
"And it's that ability to not be holding on to what is safe and what is secure, but believing and betting on me."
This week's "At her Career Crossroads" insight comes from Margaret Graziano.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode:
Hear what it can really look like to leave behind a successful career that feels safe when you know you want something different—and why having a vision for your future can help you make that choice.
Margaret's story is a reminder that career transitions don't always unfold according to plan. Hear how she navigated financial uncertainty, a business partnership that went badly wrong, and moments when fear almost stopped her from moving forward.
If you're at your own career crossroads, you'll hear practical advice for creating more choices for your future, including why continually reinventing yourself and making time for what brings you joy can help you imagine what you want next.
Margaret Graziano is the CEO and founder of Keen Alignment, a workplace culture and leadership development consultancy, with more than 25 years of experience in organizational culture transformation, and has been recognized as one of Silicon Valley's top 100 influential women in business.
When Taking a Step Back Moves Your Career Forward | Ep 295 with Lindsey Busfield
Season 7 · Episode 295
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 29:46
"Don't be afraid to start over. Don't be afraid to take a step back and reflect even if that is in terms of professional title, if it's in terms of pay, if you can afford to do that. But don't be afraid to take one step back if it means that you're going to take two steps forward in five years."
This week's "At her Career Crossroads" insight comes from Lindsey Busfield.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode:
You're successful, but you know where you are isn't where you want to stay. Lindsey shares what it was like to leave a successful position, start over as a temp, and build a new skill set that eventually led her to work that was a much better fit.
You're trying to figure out what your next career move could actually be. You'll hear a practical way to look at what you've loved—and haven't loved—about your work over the past 10–15 years and use those clues to consider what could come next.
Taking a step backward in title or salary feels difficult when you've worked hard to get where you are. This conversation offers another way to think about starting over and why a temporary step back could help you move toward work that feels more meaningful and fulfilling.
Lindsey Busfield is a leading expert in legal SEO and content marketing and the Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Partner at Optimize My Firm. Her career has taken her from studying philosophy and teaching English to managing agricultural compliance with Amish farmers before eventually finding her place in legal SEO.
Your Career Looks Great But You Want Out | Ep 294 with Nicole Johnston
Season 7 · Episode 294
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 • Duration 28:58
"And then my next thought was, man, if I hadn't been so fast on the brake, I wouldn't have to go to work today. So when you're choosing bodily harm over your job, you should probably pay attention to that."
This week's "At her Career Crossroads" insight comes from Nicole Johnston.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode:
What if the career you worked so hard to build no longer feels like the career you want? Hear what happened when Nicole could no longer ignore that disconnect—and how she began figuring out what she actually wanted instead.
Are you ruling out what you really want before you've even considered how it could work? You'll hear a practical way to question the "shoulds," assumptions, and self-imposed barriers that can keep you stuck at a career crossroads.
Could the work no one notices be quietly getting in the way of your career? Discover how mental load and non-promotable work can consume hundreds of hours of your time—and what that could mean for your energy, opportunities, and next move.
Nicole Johnston is a TEDx and leadership speaker, bestselling author of Taboo Topics: Things Women Should Talk About, But Don't, and executive and leadership coach who brings more than 30 years of global sales and marketing leadership experience at companies including Procter & Gamble, Hershey, and Kimberly-Clark.
The Career Crossroads and What Comes Next | Ep293 with Dr. Robin
Season 7 · Episode 293
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 02:22
You've built a successful career. You've accomplished what you set out to do. But…
"What happens when the work that brought you here no longer fits who you are now?"
In this short solo episode, I'm introducing Season 7 of Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin and the career crossroads we'll be talking about throughout the season.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode:
If you're questioning whether the career you've worked hard to build still fits the person you are today, you'll hear why this season was created with you in mind.
You'll get a preview of the honest conversations ahead—about what begins to feel wrong, what makes change difficult, what you fear losing, and how other high-achieving women found the clarity and courage to move forward.
You'll hear what you can expect from each conversation, including practical advice to help you think about your own decisions and what you want your next chapter to look like.
A career crossroads can feel uncertain, but it can also be the beginning of a career life that feels more meaningful, more fulfilling, more fully your own, and aligned with your true purpose.
You have built a successful career, but you may be reaching a point where what once felt right no longer fits who you are now.
On Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin, host Robin L. Owens, PhD, speaks with high-achieving women about the significant career crossroads they have faced and the clarity, courage, and decisions that shaped what came next.
These conversations go beyond polished success stories. You will hear how accomplished women navigated uncertainty, questioned long-held definitions of success, made difficult decisions, and created new ways to work, lead, and live with greater meaning and fulfillment.
At the end of each guest conversation, she offers practical advice for the woman who may be standing at a career crossroads of her own.
Through these interviews and occasional solo episodes from Dr. Robin, you will gain insight, encouragement, and new possibilities for your own next chapter. You may begin to see that the career crossroads before you is not simply a place of uncertainty; it may be the beginning of a career life that feels more meaningful, more fulfilling, and more fully your own.
The Thoughts That Keep You Aligned | Ep 292 with Dr. Robin
Season 6 · Episode 292
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 • Duration 23:29
This week's Career Crossroads insight is a simple sentence that changed the way I think:
"Transformation can begin by remembering who you already are and allowing that truth to guide your thoughts, your decisions, and the career life you continue creating."
Have you ever noticed how one difficult moment can suddenly feel like it defines everything? Or how one fearful thought can quietly turn into a belief about who you are?
In this episode, I share a lesson that began with something my brother used to tell me whenever I felt overwhelmed: "Don't make it bigger than what it is, sis." That simple reminder helped me recognize that while our circumstances matter, it's often the thoughts we attach to those circumstances that shape how we experience them.
As we wrap up this series on career crossroads, I explore why making an aligned decision is only part of the journey. The thoughts you continue to think after the decision is made are what help you stay connected to who you really are. I introduce the idea of PurposeMAKER™ thoughts—the thoughts that become your mental home base and help you return to deeper clarity, lasting fulfillment, and alignment with your true purpose.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode:
If you're facing a career decision and feel stuck, you'll learn why the most important question may not be "What should I do?" but "Who am I allowing to make this decision?"
You'll discover how fear, expectations, and old conditioning can quietly pull you away from your authentic self—even after you've made the "right" decision—and how to recognize those patterns.
You'll leave with a practical way to create PurposeMAKER™ thoughts that keep you grounded in who you really are, so your decisions reflect your deepest values rather than your greatest fears.
I'm Dr. Robin Owens, founder of the PurposeMAKER™ framework. Through Leadership Purpose, I help high-achieving women close the Purpose Gap by making decisions and creating careers that reflect who they truly are, leading to deeper clarity, lasting fulfillment, and meaningful impact.
When the Whole of Me Could Be Present | Ep 291 with Dr. Robin
Season 6 · Episode 291
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 22:49
This week's "At Her Career Crossroads" insight comes from me. I want to share the career decision that helped me realize alignment isn't about finding the perfect opportunity. It's about choosing the one where more of who you are gets to show up.
"Clarity can begin when you stop asking only what makes sense on paper and start asking what would allow the whole of who I am to be present in this decision."
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode:
If you've ever wondered why a successful career can still leave you feeling unfulfilled, you'll discover why competence, passion, values, natural abilities, and the people you're called to serve all matter when making career decisions.
You'll hear the personal story behind one of the biggest career decisions I've ever made, and how asking one simple question helped me recognize an opportunity that allowed more of who I am to be present.
You'll walk away with practical questions you can ask yourself before making your next career move so you can make decisions that feel more aligned with who you are today—not just what looks good on paper.
I'm Dr. Robin—professor, speaker, author, coach, and creator of the PurposeMAKER philosophy, framework, and platform. Through my work, I help high-achieving women close the Purpose Gap so they can create lives and careers filled with more meaning, alignment, and true purpose.
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