17 | Stop Playing Small: The Networking & Leadership Secrets Every Career Mom Needs featuring Daphne Valcin

👉 Are you doing everything right at work—but still feel invisible?

👉 Do you freeze when it’s time to advocate for a raise, a promotion… or your time?

👉 Feel like you’re juggling 100 things and can’t possibly fit in networking or leadership growth?

In this empowering episode, I’m joined by Daphne Valcin—certified executive coach and corporate trainer who’s helped over 400 leaders from companies like JPMorgan Chase, UPS, and UnitedHealthcare unlock career-advancing confidence and land six-figure roles (without burnout).

🔥 In This Episode:
✔️ How to overcome fear and take bold, aligned action in your career—even as a busy mom

✔️ The “Top 3” networking method that opens doors (and doesn’t eat up your time)

✔️ The surprising truth about promotions, influence, and your visibility at work

✔️ Practical tips for time-blocking, presence, and progress—even when life is loud

💬 Key Quote:
"Your dream deserves space on your calendar—just like your family does." – Daphne Valcin

🛠️ Try This Action Step:
This week, reach out to one new or old connection. Keep it simple:
👉 Send a voice note, drop a quick “thinking of you” text, or reply meaningfully to a post on LinkedIn.
🌱 Progress doesn’t require perfection—it just needs intention.

🔗 Connect with Daphne Valcin:
🌐 Website: daphnevalcin.com
Get her Networking Cheatsheet: http://www.daphnevalcin.com/yourtop3

💼 Ready to Grow Without Guilt?
🚀 Take the FREE Leadership Style Quiz to uncover your strengths and leadership path: https://theshannonfox.com/leadership-style

👯‍♀️ Join the Career EmpowHERment Collective

💡 New episodes drop Tuesdays s—subscribe and share if this spoke to you!

Kat and Tanner by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/

Transcript

Intro:
Are you playing small in your career without even realizing it? In today's episode, certified executive coach Daphne Valcine reveals the networking and leadership hacks that have helped hundreds of women score six-figure promotions and dream roles without burning out. If you're a working mom ready to rise, this one's for you.

Welcome to The Shannon Fox Show, the podcast where we empower career moms to thrive. I'm your host, Shannon Fox, a career advancement coach dedicated to helping moms like you leverage your strengths to land your dream job, secure that well-deserved raise, or finally get that promotion—all without sacrificing time with your family. Each week, I'll bring you actionable strategies, inspiring stories, and strength-based tools to help you align your career with your natural gifts and step into your full potential.

So if you're ready to stop feeling stuck and start building the career and life you deserve, you're in the right place. Let's get started.

SHANNON:
Hello, everyone. Welcome. I'm joined here today with Daphne Valcine.

Daphne is a certified professional coach, speaker, and corporate trainer who helps professionals and entrepreneurs achieve career advancement and business growth. She's coached over 400 clients across four countries, including leaders from Fortune 50 and 500 companies like UnitedHealthcare, UPS, and JPMorgan Chase—as well as mission-driven organizations like Boys and Girls Clubs of America and KIPP Public Charter Schools.

She's been featured in Forbes.com and Voyage Magazine for her work. And today, she's here to share strategies for leadership, career growth, and work-life balance. 

Welcome, Daphne. I'm so excited to have you here.

DAPHNE:
It is my pleasure to be here. Thank you so much.

SHANNON:
So what inspired you to start your coaching business after that amazing background that we just heard about?

DAPHNE:
Sure. So—I was getting married. Basically, that changed everything.
I wanted to get my MBA, and I wanted to work for a consulting firm. Specifically, Deloitte was my dream job—working in human capital and maybe entrepreneurship, so something that would be related to that. I took my GMAT three times, got the score I wanted, was going to apply to a top MBA school, and then I met my husband and fell in love.

I decided that instead of going wherever a top school might accept me and hopefully having a full scholarship, I wanted to move to Lake Worth, Florida to be with my dear husband. We had dated long distance for a year before we got married.

So I made the move and started trying to figure out what kind of career I could grow in—especially one that could support raising a family. We now have a six-year-old and an eight-year-old. And I thought, you know, my career has always been about tapping into people’s potential and the potential of ideas—and that led me to coaching, training, and speaking. And in that order, I started coaching first and eventually grew into the other areas as well.

SHANNON:
I love that. I love that. So what are some of the biggest lessons you've learned about career growth and leadership that you can share with the ladies listening today?

DAPHNE:
When it comes to career growth and leadership—over 70% of jobs are attained through networking, and over 70% of jobs are not listed.

So what that should tell anyone who's listening is: networking has to be a key part of career advancement.

And I would even say it’s crucial for leadership growth and development too—even if that just means finding mentors and key sponsors who can help you flourish, grow, and even spot your own blind spots as a leader.

SHANNON:
Yes, awesome. So what are your top strategies for cultivating a strong network that leads to those bigger opportunities, higher salaries, promotions—all of that?

DAPHNE:
Sure. I’ll call it your “Top Three”: three goals, three words, and three wins.

So first, the three goals.

If you’re going to a networking event, most people think, I just want to meet some people or make some connections. But I challenge my clients to be more specific.

Ask yourself:
How many people do I want to meet?
Do I want to coordinate any one-on-one follow-ups, maybe virtual or phone chats?Is there a specific panelist or expert I want to speak to?
Set those three goals in advance so you can show up intentionally.

Then, the three words.

This is about how you want to show up at the event.

So even though I grew up a shy little girl—and I do believe in being authentic—I know that when I’m my best self, I show up as: Inspiring, Energized, A guide.

And I commit to showing up that way. So pick your three words and use them as your anchor during the event. If you feel off, just come back to those.

Finally, the three wins.

You should always have a few key achievements ready to share that highlight your credibility and value. These are like micro-pitches that communicate your expertise.

For example, some of mine are:

• Clients I’ve worked with have seen salary increases of 65%, 80%, 100%, even 105%.
• I’ve coached over 400 clients across four countries, including leaders at companies like JPMorgan Chase and UPS.
• For my CEO clients, I’ve helped them grow revenue by 3–10x through leadership coaching.

If you're a teacher, maybe your win is:
“I teach over 100 students each year” or “I’ve been in the same school district for 25 years.”

If you’re in marketing:
“My campaigns reach over 3 million viewers.”

The idea is—memorize your wins. Practice saying them. Over time, it becomes second nature.

SHANNON:
Yes! I love that you said you had to memorize them. That’s such a great reminder for listeners that it’s okay if this doesn’t come naturally. Practice makes it stick. And I think when you use those wins consistently, it really reinforces your confidence.

So as a career mom yourself, we have a different struggle of balancing home life and work life. What suggestions do you have for the career moms listening—especially those trying to get a promotion or a raise right now, which may require more time?

DAPHNE:
Yes, great question. I always share this with my executive coaching clients during our orientation: success often comes down to three things—Fear, Focus, and Time Management.

Let me break it down:

Fear:
The most successful clients are the ones who are willing to do things scared. I get it—after becoming a mom, my level of caution increased. Before kids, I traveled solo to Kenya, quit jobs without a backup—super risky stuff!

But once I had kids, I became more risk-aware. Still, pushing past fear is critical. For example, if I want to pitch something big—like a training for a major company—I still have to be brave enough to send that first message or make that call.

Focus:
Let’s be real—life be life-ing. Your kids are arguing or climbing on you while you’re trying to write an email. So we have to find pockets of time and ask for support - “Hey, can you watch the kids for two hours while I finish this?” “Mom, can you help so I can attend this conference?”

Even if you’re worn out, find those bursts of energy and protect that time for your growth.

Time Management:
Without kids, your schedule is flexible. With kids? Not so much. So you have to time block around their routines.

Ask yourself:
When am I most alert?
Is it early morning before the house wakes up?
Late evening when it’s quiet?

Find your focus window and schedule in what matters most. It won’t be perfect, but little by little, it works.

SHANNON:
Yes! That resonates so much. I’ve had to get creative with time-blocking too. My son started joining me for morning reading, and instead of giving up my routine, we made it ours. He brings his book into my office and we read side-by-side.

DAPHNE:
That’s such a great example! Sometimes the answer isn’t either/or, it’s finding ways to bring them into your rhythm. I love that.

SHANNON:
So you've coached hundreds of people. What kind of hacks do you have for the women listening who are hoping to advance in their careers? Maybe get that raise or dream role?

DAPHNE:
Oh, I’ve got a few! Here are two that can make a major impact:

Have a Dual Job Search Approach:
If you're in transition or looking for your next move, don’t just focus on applications. 

You need a two-part strategy:
One part for applying.
One part for reaching out to your network—and expanding it weekly.

For example, one client of mine spent an entire year looking for a super niche role. After working together, she tapped into her network in a whole new way. A person she never would’ve thought to ask gave her a referral link and endorsement for the exact position she’d been trying to find. She landed the job within two months.

Track Your Achievements as You Go:
If you’re working right now—even if you’re not job-hunting—you need to track your wins. Don’t rely on memory during performance reviews or interviews.

Here’s what to track:

• Metrics (Did you grow revenue? Cut costs? Train X people?)
• Projects you led
• Positive feedback from leadership or clients
• Anything tied to business outcomes

Because if you wait years to recall your numbers? Trust me, they’ll fade. But if you keep a simple log—like a Google Doc or Notes app—you’ll be ready for those high-stakes conversations.

SHANNON:
Yes, yes, yes. I love this! Keeping track in real time is such a game-changer. I've had clients struggle to remember just how impressive their results were when they’re sitting in front of their boss or updating their resume.

DAPHNE:
Exactly! And when you have that info ready, you can step into those conversations with confidence. It’s not just about doing great work—it’s about being able to communicate it clearly and strategically.

SHANNON:
I know networking is such a huge part of what you’ve talked about today. But what about the working moms listening who are thinking, “I don’t have time to network.” What would you say to her?

DAPHNE:
First—girl, I feel you. That’s totally valid. But networking doesn’t have to be formal or time-consuming. It’s about creativity and consistency. 

Here are some hacks just for busy moms:

• Voice Notes: Can’t have a full conversation? Leave a voice note on LinkedIn or via text. Something like, “Hey Lisa, loved meeting you the other day. What you said about marketing really stuck with me—thanks for that!”
• Driving Time = Connection Time: If you’re driving to pick up your kids, that’s the perfect time to make quick catch-up calls or send voice texts. Just keep it safe and hands-free.
• Favorites List: I have a list of “favorites” in my phone—people I want to stay in touch with. Every couple of weeks, I send them a quick message just to check in.
• Mini Group Meetups: Can’t do a coffee date? Try a group coffee or invite folks over to your home casually. It creates connection without adding pressure.

Networking doesn’t have to mean “suits and name tags.” It can be simple, warm, and authentic. Just stay in motion.

SHANNON:
That’s gold. We do a monthly virtual coffee with friends on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m.—it’s only 30 minutes, but it’s our time to catch up. It matters!

So before we wrap, I love to leave our listeners with one final action step. What would you say to the career moms listening who want to get unstuck and move forward?

DAPHNE:
Network. Consistently. Even if it’s small steps, keep going.

But let me go a little deeper—networking isn’t just for getting a job. It’s also about building your village. Your mentors, friends, sponsors, advisors—even therapists or coaches. People who can lift you up, pour into you, remind you of your value.

As women—especially as moms—it’s too easy to feel isolated. You can have a full calendar and still feel alone. But connecting with others gives you strength, perspective, and access to opportunities you can’t create alone.

So, whether it’s a voice note, a five-minute call, or a Saturday coffee chat—don’t isolate. Keep reaching out. Keep building your village.

SHANNON:
Mic drop. Thank you so much, Daphne. This was incredible.

DAPHNE:
Thank you, Shannon! This was so fun—I loved it.