Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM
We’re Kathy Nelson and Linda LaTourelle — co-hosts of Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM.
Kathy, an electrical engineer, launched the podcast in 2020 to share real, unfiltered stories of women working across STEM disciplines. Now with over 130 episodes, the mission remains the same: to amplify the voices of ordinary women doing extraordinary work in science, technology, engineering, and math.
We’re deeply committed to:
- Normalizing the presence of women in STEM by making their stories visible
- Building community for women who may be the only ones like them in their workplace
- Educating listeners about the wide variety of STEM careers — and what they actually look like
- Empowering growth and retention by addressing the challenges behind the leaky pipeline
From early-career professionals to experienced leaders, our guests share how they got started, how they’ve grown, and what they’ve learned along the way. This podcast is a space where women in STEM can be seen, heard, and supported — because representation isn’t just powerful, it’s essential.
Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM
118. STEMSkills: Building Your Confidence with Karen Laos, Confidence Cultivator
Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, is on a mission to eradicate self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them simple strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals with a proven model and is known for her actionable tips and ability to build trust quickly. During her corporate career, she led a team of facilitators while traveling the globe consulting industry leaders on the seemingly soft skills that impact the bottom line. Karen is the author of Trust Your Own Voice: Growing Your Influence Through Confident Communication, as well as the host of her highly ranked podcast, Ignite Your Confidence.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- How Karen got into confidence coaching.
- Karen's signature "Confidence Cocktail"TM.
- Karen provides advice and tips on how to improve your confidence.
- Her influences in childhood that helped her build her confidence.
- How to introduce yourself using the PPU method.
- Creating a Celebration Portfolio.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887
Resources
Karen Laos' website: https://karenlaos.com
"Trust Your Own Voice: Growing Your Influence Through Confident Communication" book. (https://karenlaos.com/book/)
"Ignite Your Confidence" Podcast (https://karenlaos.com/podcast/)
Between the ages of 8 and 14, girls' confidence levels fall by 30 percent. At 14, when girls are hitting their low, boys' confidence is still 27 percent higher. (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/01/well/family/confidence-gap-teen-girls-tips-parents.html)
"Pioneers in Skirts" An Emmy-nominated 60-minute documentary about the issues that affect a woman’s pioneering ambition. Real-life stories and frank commentary leave viewers seeing their role in the solution, feeling hopeful, and motivated to act. (https://www.pioneersinskirts.com)
The phrase “Women must be seen and not heard” originates from an old English proverb, “Children must be seen and not heard”. This proverb first appeared in a book by John Mirk published in the 15th century titled Mirks Festial. (https://doseofwonani.wordpress.com/2021/08/23/why-i-have-a-problem-with-women-must-be-seen-and-not-heard/#:~:text=The%20phrase%20“Women%20must%20be,15th%20century%20titled%20Mirks%20Festial.)
