Shedding the Corporate Bitch
Welcome to Shedding the Corporate Bitch — the podcast where executive leadership gets real.
Hosted by executive coach, strategist, and unapologetic truth-teller Bernadette Boas, this show is built for senior leaders, CHROs, and HR executives who are done with surface-level leadership advice and ready for the conversations that actually move the needle.
Drawing from 25 years in corporate — including being fired — and over a decade coaching leaders at the highest levels, Bernadette delivers the raw insights, honest dialogue, and practical strategies you won't find in a leadership textbook. Each episode tackles what's really happening in today's organizations: toxic cultures, burned-out teams, leadership gaps, talent retention crises, and the fear, doubt, and imposter syndrome that quietly undermine even the most accomplished executives.
Joined by world-class leaders, HR innovators, and organizational experts, Bernadette doesn't just identify the problems — she hands you the tools to solve them.
This is the podcast for leaders who are ready to shed what's holding them — and their organizations — back, and build something that actually works.
Follow now. Your next level starts here.
Shedding the Corporate Bitch
Confident as F*ck: How to Stop Leading Through Fear
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In this powerful episode, we sit down with Rachel Lawrence — confidence coach, speaker, and author of Confident as F*ck to talk about why so many professionals struggle with imposter syndrome, and what it actually takes to overcome it.
Rachel's story is anything but ordinary. From surviving workplace humiliation by toxic leaders in her 20s, to donating a kidney to her ex-husband only to have her marriage fall apart, to facing a full-blown midlife confidence crisis during the pandemic, Rachel has rebuilt her sense of self more than once.
And she's turned those hard-won lessons into a book and a coaching practice that's changing lives.
This conversation is packed with honest truths, practical strategies, and a few laugh-out-loud moments, including the story of a hungover, skeptical man who walked into a room full of women and left as a completely transformed human being.
If you've ever held yourself back, let perfectionism paralyze you, or told yourself you're "not ready", this episode is your permission slip to start now.
Key Challenges Addressed in This Episode
• The lasting damage of toxic leadership on self-worth and career trajectory
• Rebuilding confidence after major life trauma and relationship breakdown
• Why imposter syndrome can return in midlife, even after years of personal development
• Perfectionism as a mask for fear — and how to stop letting it steal your time
• Learning to recognize when your inner critic is running your decisions
• Understanding that confidence is not a fixed trait — it's a daily practice
Episode Timestamps
[00:00] Intro — Rachel's background and what led her to confidence coaching
[06:00] Why weak leaders lead through fear — and how to find compassion for them
[08:00] The lessons from her 20s she leaned back into in her 40s
[12:00] Why imposter syndrome is conditioning, not a personal flaw
[20:00] One area, five goals, one bold move — the action framework
[27:00] The freeing feeling of finally not giving a f*ck
[30:00] Rachel's core message: confidence is a choice at any age
[31:00] Where to find the book and follow Rachel
Enjoying the Show?
• Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it helps more people find this content
• Grab Confident as F*ck by Rachel Lawrence on Amazon
• Learn more about Rachel's coaching at rachelawrence.co.uk
• Follow Rachel on Instagram & TikTok: @RachelLawrenceUK
• Share this episode with someone who needs a confidence boost today
