Coffee and Coaching

Licensed psychotherapist Mendel Toron joins coach Karol Figueroa to break down the difference between everyday stress and full nervous system burnout and why logic alone won’t fix it.Learn why separating work and life is an illusion, how to shift from automatic reactions to intentional responses, and why a forced pause might be exactly what your body needs. Mendel also introduces trauma-informed approaches like EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to explain why chronic stress must be processed not suppressed.If you feel stuck in survival mode, this episode will help you regulate your nervous system and stop fighting your own body.Connect with today’s guest, Mendel ToronLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mendeltoron   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapywithmendel/ Website:  http://mendeltoron.com/ Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

Tech professional and PMP-certified leader Jessica Norwood joins coach Karol Figueroa to break down how financial stress, salary gaps, and “golden handcuffs” impact your career decisions.Learn why having a financial Plan B increases your leverage at work, how lifestyle creep quietly traps you, and why talking about salaries is key to uncovering hidden pay gaps. Jessica also shares strategies to negotiate beyond your base salary and take control of your financial future.If you’re avoiding your finances or feeling stuck in your job because of money, this episode will help you build confidence, clarity, and real financial power.Connect with today’s guest, Jessica NorwoodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicafnorwood/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesugardaddypodcast/ Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings 

Life Freedom Coach Mike Messeroff joins Karol Figueroa to unpack why high-achievers procrastinate on their true dreams and how fear, job security, and social conditioning keep them stuck.Learn how to recognize the illusion of security, break free from people-pleasing, and understand why F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real) drives inaction. Mike also introduces the “magic gap” to create clarity, and the concept of Memento Mori as a powerful reminder to stop waiting for “someday.”If you feel stuck between what you should do and what you want to do, this episode will help you reconnect with your direction and take action.Connect with today’s guest, Mike MesseroffLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemesseroff/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikemesseroff Website: https://mikemesseroff.com/ Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HiK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

ADHD coach Cathy Rashidian joins coach Karol Figueroa to break down why traditional time management doesn’t work for neurodivergent professionals and what to do instead.Learn how to shift from time management to energy management, identify the hidden workplace patterns (like the Architect, Rescuer, and Imposter) that keep you stuck, and understand why burnout is often a sign of deeper misalignment. Cathy also introduces the concept of “Vitamin A” (executive function) and “Vitamin B” (identity + boundaries) as the key to sustainable performance.Whether you have ADHD, suspect you might, or lead neurodivergent teams, this episode will help you work with your brain—not against it.Connect with today’s guest, Cathy RashidianLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyrashidian/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cathyrashidianInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/proudlyadhd_coachcathy/ Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings 

Crisis coach and former federal leader Zazy Lopez joins coach Karol Figueroa to break down what happens when burnout, stress, and personal crises collide with professional demands.Learn how constant cognitive switching drains your energy, how to identify the real root causes of stress, and how to know whether you need a mentor, coach, or therapist. Zazy also shares her personal experience navigating major life disruptions while still showing up at work and why mastering the power of the pause is critical to avoid burnout.If you’re overwhelmed, stretched thin, or operating under constant pressure, this episode gives you the tools to regulate, reset, and keep moving forward.Connect with today’s guest, Zazy LopezLinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/zazy-ivonne-lopez/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zazylopez/ Read her book: Slaying the Bar ExamMeet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

What happens when life doesn’t wait for work to slow down?Season 2 of Coffee & Coaching explores how professionals navigate stress, crisis, and real-life challenges while still showing up at work.Hosted by Karol Figueroa, this season dives into how we cope, perform, and make decisions when personal challenges collide with workplace demands, because life and work are never truly separate.Grab your coffee. This season is about showing up when life hits work.Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings 

In this season wrap-up of Coffee & Coaching, our Coach Karol Figueroa revisits the most powerful lessons from the Real Work series, bringing together key insights on burnout, boundaries, self-advocacy, toxic workplaces, and job transitions.You’ll revisit why saying “I’m at capacity” is leadership, how your body signals misalignment before your mind admits it, why high performers must show their work, how to recognize when trust in a workplace has cracked, and how to stand out after a layoff with a Personal Walking Deck.If you’re navigating today’s workplace or rethinking your relationship to it, this episode delivers the essential takeaways from Season 1 and sets the stage for what’s coming next.Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

Gallup and ICF-certified executive coach Angelique Arnao joins Coach Karol Figueroa to break down why workplace assessments often feel frustrating and how to actually use them for real leadership growth.Karol and Angelique unpack why many employees see assessments as “pass or fail,” and what they’re truly designed to reveal. They compare the most popular tools—CliftonStrengths, Hogan, MBTI, and DiSC—and explain how to combine them to better understand your personality, communication style, and leadership approach. They also explore whether personality can change over time, how trauma can impact results, and why you can’t develop what you don’t truly understand.If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at “another assessment,” this episode will help you use these tools strategically for deeper self-awareness and stronger leadership.Connect with today’s guest, Angelique ArnaoLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/angelique-arnao-97a1a31Website: https://www.arnaoanderson.com/ Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

In this Coffee Capsule, Coach Karol Figueroa breaks down why “New Year, New Goals” pressure can lead to procrastination, overwhelm, and negative self-talk.Learn how to identify the real root cause (fear, lack of clarity, or external circumstances), tell the difference between being stuck vs. taking a purposeful pause, and take small steps forward with realistic milestones and new approaches.If you’re overthinking or struggling to move, this episode will help you reset with clarity and self-compassion.Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

Executive Coach and Professor Shannon Hogan joins Coach Karol to uncover how toxic work cultures quietly damage trust, creativity, and well-being—long before the warning signs feel obvious.Learn how negligent communication creates toxic environments, the three warning signs of a failing culture, why trust is nearly impossible to rebuild once broken, and why people don’t leave organizations—they leave leaders. Shannon also explains the courage required to confront toxicity and protect your health.If work feels draining, stressful, or unsafe, this episode will help you assess your environment and decide what to do next.Connect with today’s guest, Shannon HoganLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonhoganphd/ Website:  https://www.totalbrilliancecoaching.com/Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

Marketing leader and CliftonStrengths Coach Helane Cohen joins Coach Karol to unpack the emotional and practical realities of today’s layoff landscape after her own 14-year career at Microsoft.Learn how to let go of outdated beliefs about job security, navigate ageism, and separate your personal value from your corporate title. Helane also shares actionable strategies for standing out in a crowded job market—including how to use a Personal Walking Deck to connect with hiring managers and why you should build a side hustle before you need one.If you’re navigating uncertainty or preparing for your next chapter, this episode offers a roadmap for rebuilding your confidence and career.Connect with today’s guest, Helane Cohen LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/helanecohenMeet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

Coaches Reggie and Karol unpack the real meaning of purpose and why your calling has nothing to do with job titles, positions, or industries.Learn why clarity takes time, how to stop tying your identity to your work, and what it really means to “do what you need to do before you can do what you want.” Reggie also breaks down the difference between commitment vs. interest and why creating mental space is essential for finding direction.If you feel stuck, unfulfilled, or unsure of your next step, this episode offers the mindset shifts you need to let your calling find you.Connect with today’s guest, Reginald G. JacksonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachreginaldgjacksonsrpcc/   Website:  https://www.totalbrilliancecoaching.com/Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

Executive coach Dr. Danielle Lombard-Sims joins Coach Karol to break down the real challenges behind promotions, leadership transitions, and imposter syndrome.Learn how to navigate your first 30-60-90 days, shift from doer to strategic leader, set boundaries with former peers, and handle the pressure placed on middle managers. Danielle also shares how to avoid burnout and navigate corporate politics with confidence.If you’ve stepped into a new leadership role—or want to—this episode gives you the essential playbook for leadership success.Connect with today’s guest, Danielle Lombard-SimsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellelombardsims/  Website:  https://talentergy.com/  Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

Are you burned out and don’t know why it keeps coming back?Coach Karol and Coach Tamie Rising break down the real causes of burnout, chronic stress, and emotional exhaustion and why rest alone isn’t enough.Learn why hard work becomes a trap, how childhood conditioning fuels pressure, and how to use the productive pause to create sustainable emotional regulation.If you feel overwhelmed, overworked, or trapped in a toxic environment, this episode will help you reset and rebuild.Connect with today’s guest, Tamie RisingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamierising/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamierising/  Website:  http://getonyourtruepath.com/ Read her book: Pause to Prosperhttps://getonyourtruepath.com/pause-to-prosper-book-and-bonus  Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

Are you a top performer who keeps getting overlooked for promotions?Coaches Karol and Tammi Teague break down the power of self-advocacy at work and why working hard in silence isn’t enough for career advancement.In this episode, you’ll learn the two key steps to promotion: know what you want and show your work, plus how to give your advocates the right “ammunition” to speak for you when you’re not in the room.If you feel unseen, overworked, or stuck in your career, this episode will show you how to increase your visibility and move to the next level. Connect with today’s guest, Tammi TeagueLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tdlloyd062016/ Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

The Hard Truth About Promotions: Why Being Too Good Can Hold You Back, and How to Navigate Corporate SetbacksAre you feeling stuck in your career? In this comprehensive episode, drawing on insights from a former Microsoft Director, we answer real-life questions covering the most frustrating obstacles people face on the path to the next level.Letter #1 (1:40)Stuck in a New Promotion & Performance Improvement PlansA newly promoted employee placed on repeated PIPs and blocked from internal opportunities.Letter #2 (5:23)Lacking Leadership Qualities Due to Being QuietA high-performing but quiet employee told they lack “leadership presence”Letter #3 (8:19)Questioning Leadership Approach: Hands-On vs. Situational LeadershipA manager torn between being hands-on and focusing only on leadership.Letter #4 (12:34)Denied Promotion for Being Too GoodAn employee denied a promotion for being “too good” at their job.Letter #5 (16:01)Recourse After Being Passed Over by a Less Qualified ColleagueBeing passed over for a less qualified colleague due to suspected bias.Letter #6 (19:47)Quitting Due to Feeling Undervalued and Pay InequalityQuitting after pay inequality and deciding what to say in an exit interview.If you’re struggling with career advancement, corporate politics, workplace fairness, or leadership development, this episode gives you practical strategies to navigate your next step. Meet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings

How to Know It’s Time to Change Careers (Even If Everything Looks Fine)Have you done everything you were told to do—gotten good grades, earned promotions, and achieved a "corner office [and] multiple six figures"—yet still feel empty and "not online"?In this essential episode, the host welcomes the incredible career change coach, Vilma Usaite, who specializes in working with women. Vilma guides listeners through the hard truth that a career pivot is not just changing a job title; it’s a multi-dimensional, multi-layer identity change.In this holistic coaching session, you will discover:• The Body Keeps Score: Learn the physical signs that your body is communicating misalignment, including persistent coughing, chronic fatigue, nervous system dysregulation, indigestion, or repeating headaches. These are often "mystery symptoms" that disappear on weekends or holidays.• The Mind Trap: Vilma explains why career decisions made purely with your head may be "hacked" and running on historical data. We discuss the importance of using your body and heart to make decisions, and then using your brain for the strategy.• Taming the Gremlins: Practical advice for working with the inevitable limiting beliefs and Impostor Syndrome (or "gremlins") that show up, especially when you are leaving a prestigious career path.• Purpose Over Paycheck: Understand why many people who achieve high corporate success realize they need to seek more meaning and purpose aligned with their values.• Normalizing Fear: Recognize that shifting your career path shakes your identity and financial reality, triggering survival fear. Learn why feeling fearful is not a sign you shouldn't go forward, but rather a reminder to build a safe transition strategy.Tune in to find out how to stop living someone else's life and begin making decisions that align with your authentic selfConnect with today’s guest, Vilma UsaiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vilmausaite/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vilma.usaite/ Website:  https://vilmausaite.com/hccg-programMeet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings 

How to Set Boundaries at Work & Life (Guilt-Free): Your Invitation to a Better RelationshipAre you struggling with overwhelm and burnout? The root cause is often a missing boundary. In the foundational episode of Coffee & Coaching, the host Karol Figueroa sits down with career coach Chianti Lomax, who specializes in helping high-achieving people, especially women, move from overwhelm to ease.Chianti, author of Evolving While Black, explains why setting boundaries is not about creating friction, but is an open invitation to have a better relationship with your co-workers, boss, partners, and family.In this episode, you will learn:• Why the traditional idea of a boundary is a myth, and how to reframe boundaries as flexible "agreements" in the workplace to ensure everyone feels heard.• How to handle the fear of retaliation by prioritizing your needs and remembering that you must "feel the fear and do it anyway".• How to respond when people use a guilt trip—which is described as a "weapon of destruction to my joy"—to manipulate you after you set a boundary.• The difference between the seven types of boundaries, including Mental, Emotional, and the crucial Time Boundary.• The essential insight that just because you are available doesn't mean you are free, especially when dealing with the pressures of the "Imaginary Advisory Board" of expectations.Boundaries are literally to help you show up better for yourself and the people around you. Tune in for practical ways to implement these crucial skills to navigate toxic environments and achieve the peace of mind you need.Connect with today’s guest, Chianti LomaxLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiantilomax/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiantilomax/Website: https://www.chiantilomax.com/Read her book: Evolving While Black https://a.co/d/g2XJOukMeet your host: Karol FigueroaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolfigueroa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karol.figueroa.tate/Need support at work? HIK Trainings can help.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiktrainings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings 

What do burnout, toxic work environments, and the feeling of being overlooked for a promotion all have in common? They’re about to change the way you think about The Real Work.The demands of work have changed completely. The load is heavier, expectations are higher, and individuals are more demanding—often because more is being demanded of them. We, the coaches of Coffee & Coaching, often get called only when it’s too late. So, this season, we are here to offer a peek behind the curtain, sharing not just what your bosses and companies want you to hear, but what is really happening in the modern workplace.This podcast season, The Real Work, takes listeners from personal struggles to systemic challenges, offering practical tools for growth. You will gain clarity on why boundaries are not walls but bridges to healthier relationships, and learn strategies for navigating setbacks like layoffs.Website: https://www.hiktrainings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiktrainings