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In this solo reflection, I share a powerful reframe on what it really means to thrive — especially when you're navigating transitions, uncertainty, or moments when clarity feels out of reach.

Inspired by a recent PowerToFly session and the wisdom of Elizabeth Weingarten, this episode gently challenges the idea that thriving means having it all figured out. Instead, you’ll be invited to recognize the strength it takes to keep going — one step at a time — and to trust that motion, not perfection, is evidence of your growth.

Whether you're between roles, rebuilding after a life shift, or simply unsure of your next move, this episode offers encouragement, affirmation, and a reminder:
✨ You are not behind.
✨ You are not broken.
✨ You are in motion — and that, my friend, is thriving.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• A grounding reminder about how we define “thriving”
• Why it’s okay to not have all the answers
• How to notice and honor your progress
• A journaling prompt to help you reflect on your own thriving journey

Mentioned in this episode:

• How to Fall in Love with Questions by Elizabeth Weingarten
• PowerToFly community session on navigating uncertainty
• An invitation to the Courage to Elevate cohort for women navigating transition

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone who might benefit from our discussions.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest, join a panel, or participate in live coaching.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting the show via the "Bytes of Kindness" Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and my way of giving back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments Lightning Session

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

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In today’s bite-sized episode of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance, we explore one powerful leadership question: Do you know how important it is to know your people?

Whether you lead a team, manage projects, or mentor others, the truth is this —people don’t leave companies, they leave managers. And retention starts with relationship.

In under 10 minutes, I break down:

• 3 reasons why knowing your team deeply matters
• 3 practical ways to build meaningful connections
• The link between empathy, psychological safety, and retention
• Why human-centered leadership is a must-have in tech (and beyond)

You’ll walk away with insight you can apply today — to lead better, connect deeper, and cultivate stronger team dynamics.

🎧 Listen now, share with a leader who needs this, and don’t forget to rate and review the show!

Find me on LinkedIn: Dawn

Join the Courage to Elevate Waitlist

This program is designed to help professional women step into more clarity, confidence, and purpose-equipping you with tools to communicate authentically and powerfully in any setting.

By joining the waitlist, you’ll be the first to receive:
✔️ Early access when enrollment opens
✔️ Special pricing and exclusive bonuses
✔️ The full scoop on what’s included

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone who might benefit from our discussions.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest, join a panel, or participate in live coaching.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting the show via the "Bytes of Kindness" Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and my way of giving back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments Lightning Session

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

In this Quick Bytes of Brilliance episode, I unpack insights from a recent ISC2 article on non-traditional paths into cybersecurity — and share a heartfelt reflection on the realities women still face, from systemic bias to pay inequity to being underestimated despite our qualifications.

This episode is for every woman carving her own way in cyber and beyond. Tune in for truth, encouragement, and a powerful reminder of who you are.

**************************************

Connect with me on LinkedIn ➾ here

ISC2 Article 👉🏽 here

🎯 Ready to rise? Join the Courage to Elevate cohort - waitlist here.

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone who might benefit from our discussions.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest, join a panel, or participate in live coaching.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting the show via the "Bytes of Kindness" Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and my way of giving back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments Lightning Session

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

Step back in time and leap forward with us as we celebrate the extraordinary journey of a trailblazing IT trainer, Carol "Lady Ray" Holmes, who has spent four decades breaking barriers, empowering communities, and growing alongside technology itself.

From delivering flyers at 13 to transitioning typist skills to teach basic computer skills, our guest shares her story of resilience, patience, and self-taught mastery-without a college degree.

We dive into her experiences navigating civil rights movements, recessions, and the ever-changing tech landscape, as well as her strategies for handling misogynoir and microaggressions in the workplace.

Discover her “why” for giving back, her recognition by Congress, and the mentors who helped her shatter systemic barriers.

If you’re seeking wisdom on mentorship, handling adversity, and thriving in tech against the odds, this fun yet down-to-earth conversation is for you.

Work Smart, Live Balanced, and Thrive in your Career Journey.

Connect with us:

Carol: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ladyraycomputer-b621769/ | www.ladyraycomputer.net

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

✨ Join the waitlist for my upcoming coaching cohort: Courage to Elevate​
It’s designed specifically for Women of Color in Tech navigating professional and life transitions who are ready to step into more clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Click here and You’ll be the first to receive:
✔️ Early access when enrollment opens
✔️ Special pricing and bonuses
✔️ The full scoop on what’s included

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone who might benefit from our discussions.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest, join a panel, or participate in live coaching.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting the show via the "Bytes of Kindness" Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and my way of giving back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments Lightning Session

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

In this episode, I sit down with JT Taylor, the visionary leader behind our non-profit, Black IT Academy (BITA).

JT shares his inspiring journey through the tech industry, from overcoming the glass ceiling without a college degree to embracing leadership roles in customer success management.

We dive deep into the importance of confidence, networking, and continuous learning, especially for underrepresented professionals.

Our conversation explores how balancing professionalism with personal authenticity can open doors, why embracing your true self attracts opportunities, and how building confidence one step at a time can transform your career.

We also discuss the value of humility, asking questions, and speaking up, even about the small things.

Whether you’re just starting out, pivoting, or climbing the tech ladder, this episode is packed with actionable insights for career development, personal growth, and thriving as your authentic self in the global tech landscape.

Reminding you to Work Smart, Live Balanced, and Thrive in your Career Journey.

How to connect with us:

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

JT: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josetaylor06/

BITA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-it-academy/

BITA Discord: https://discord.gg/yBEM5zjV

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone who might benefit from our discussions.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest, join a panel, or participate in live coaching.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting the show via the "Bytes of Kindness" Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and my way of giving back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments Lightning Session

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

In today's episode, we're moving from reflection to action.

If you've ever felt stretched thin, overwhelmed by change, or unsure of your next move in tech or cybersecurity, you're not alone AND you're not failing.

You're being called to evolve.

Join me as I share five powerful, actionable strategies to overcome career challenges, thrive in dynamic environments, and build resilience that doesn't just help you survive but propels you into your next level.

It’s time to collaborate, learn, refine, speak up, and courageously adapt.

You are not stuck. You are at a threshold.

If this episode resonates with you, share it with a fellow tech or cybersecurity professional who might need the reminder: you were built for this.

📩 Connect With Me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

✨ Join the waitlist for my upcoming coaching cohort: Courage to Elevate
It’s designed specifically for Women of Color in Tech navigating transitions and ready to step into more clarity, confidence, and purpose.

You’re ready for more support, guidance, and sisterhood on your journey…

You’ll be the first to receive:
✔️ Early access when enrollment opens
✔️ Special pricing and bonuses
✔️ The full scoop on what’s included

Click here to join the waitlist

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone who might benefit from our discussions.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest, join a panel, or participate in live coaching.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting the show via the "Bytes of Kindness" Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and my way of giving back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments Lightning Session

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

In this heartfelt and empowering episode, we tackle one of the most important yet often unspoken parts of a technology or cybersecurity career: Navigating the professional challenges that stretch, test, and shape us.

Through compassion, insight, and real talk, you'll hear how challenges are not interruptions but essential parts of your growth. We'll explore why it's critical to ask for help, how to redefine success on your terms, and practical tools you can use to thrive through seasons of uncertainty.

This episode is for you if you’ve ever questioned your place, your pace, or your purpose in the tech space.

You are not alone. You are evolving. And your brilliance is needed now more than ever.

✨ Join the waitlist for my upcoming coaching cohort: Courage to Elevate
It’s designed specifically for Women of Color in Tech navigating life & career transitions who are ready to step into more clarity, confidence, and purpose.

You’ll be the first to receive:
✔️ Early access when enrollment opens
✔️ Special pricing and bonuses
✔️ The full scoop on what’s included

Click here to Join the Waitlist

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone who might benefit from our discussions.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest, join a panel, or participate in live coaching.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting the show via the "Bytes of Kindness" Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and my way of giving back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments Lightning Session

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

Welcome back to the Podcast and another AI voiced episode, inspired by my reading the book, The First 90 Days and My Musings aka From My Mind.

Transitions: whether a new job, a career pivot, or a sabbatical, can shake us to our core. In this episode, we explore a powerful insight from The First 90 Days about the difference between balance and equilibrium, and why mastering this distinction can transform how you navigate change.

You’ll learn why transitions disrupt your sense of stability, why balance is an active skill (not a passive state), and how building the right support network can keep you grounded when everything feels uncertain.

If you’re facing a career shift or life change, this episode will help you reflect, regain your footing, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.

Tune in to discover:

• What balance vs. equilibrium really means and why it matters
• The common pitfalls during transitions and how to avoid them
• Practical strategies to maintain your mental and emotional balance
• How to leverage your network to stay connected and supported

Ready to turn your next transition into a breakthrough? Let’s get started.

"In the personal and professional tumult of a transition, you must work hard to maintain your equilibrium and preserve your ability to make good judgments. The risk of losing perspective, becoming isolated, and making bad calls are ever present during transitions. The right advice-and-council network is an indispensable resource.” — The First 90 Days

Find Me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone who might benefit from our discussions.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest, join a panel, or participate in live coaching.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting the show via the "Bytes of Kindness" Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and my way of giving back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments Lightning Session

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.