Future Female Leaders
by Nichole Harrop: Women's Leadership + Career Coach
The Future Female Leaders Podcast helps create more female leaders in the workplace.If you are working in an entry level role and are preparing for future growth opportunities, this podcast is for you.Future Female Leaders topics consist of building confidence, improving communication skills, becoming more self aware, learning how to proactively network, and expanding your mindset to best prepare you for that future leadership role.Let's get you promoted!Nichole Harrop is a Women's Leadership + Career Coach. She started at a call center in an entry level role and built her career from there without a college degree. Nichole was turned down for promotions many times before she was offered a leadership position and has led teams in different organizations from well established companies to new tech start ups for over 10 years.
Episodes
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298| How to Request the Meeting: Easy Messaging for the Ask
Nichole moves from planning to action, with simple templates you can borrow to get the raise meeting on the calendar. In this episode: A recap of the week so far: the best time of year to ask, reading the room, and whether to ask before or after a big project Why most women either bring it up...
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299| What to Avoid: Fridays, Mondays, and Right Before PTO
To close out timing and strategy week, Nichole covers the times to avoid, so you don't accidentally set yourself up for a harder conversation. In this episode: A recap of the week: the best time of year to ask, reading the room, before or after a big project, and how to request the meeting A note...
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297| Timing Your Raise Request Around Big Projects
Nichole answers a question many listeners are quietly asking: if you have a big project in the works, should you ask for a raise before it wraps or after? In this episode: A recap of the week so far: the best time of year to ask and how to read the room Why the honest answer is "it depends" on…
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296| How to Read the Room: Company Health, Layoffs, and Budget Signals
Building on yesterday's episode about the best time of year to ask, Nichole zooms in from the calendar to what's actually happening inside your company, and how to adjust your ask based on what you see. In this episode: Why the mood of the room matters even in the right month How to read company...
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295| The Best Time of Year to Ask for a Raise
Kicking off timing and strategy week, Nichole answers a big question: when is the best time of year to ask for a raise? In this episode: A recap of last week's pre-ask checklist and a look ahead at the timing and strategy episodes A note from Nichole that some themes will repeat over the next...
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294| Recap and Checklist: Everything You Need Before the Ask
Looking back on everything since the series began on Labor Day, Nichole pulls it all into one pre-ask checklist so you can see where you stand and what's left. In this episode: A personal update from Nichole: she's expecting a baby girl in December, and she's pushing through on tired days to give...
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293| "I Don't Have Big Wins This Year": What to Do Instead
Nichole takes on the little voice that says you have nothing to offer, and shows how to find the real value in a year without a headline-worthy win. In this episode: Why most people don't have a big win every year, and why that usually means we're measuring ourselves against the wrong thing...
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292| What to Do if You Don't Have a Formal Review Process
Building on yesterday's performance review episode, Nichole helps listeners whose workplaces have no formal reviews create their own paper trail. In this episode: Why not having a formal review process is common, especially at smaller companies and startups, and why it doesn't mean you can't…
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291| Using Your Last Performance Review to Your Advantage
Following yesterday's episode on testimonials, Nichole shows how your last performance review, your own employer's words about you, can become some of your strongest proof. In this episode: Why a performance review is one of the most credible pieces of evidence you have, and why it shouldn't get...
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290| How to Get a Peer or Client Testimonial
Nichole adds a new proof point to your raise case before the timing episodes begin: a short, specific testimonial from someone other than you. In this episode: A quick change of plans from Friday's episode: a few more proof points come first, and timing follows Why a short, specific comment from…
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289| Finishing Your One-Pager
Wrapping up a week of building your raise case, Nichole gives you a weekend project to bring every piece of your one-pager together. In this episode: A recap of the week: starting your one-pager, learning what to leave out, tying your work to company goals, and rewriting weak statements into…
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288| Weak vs. Strong: Let's Re-Write Together
In this workshop episode, Nichole takes weak accomplishment statements and rewrites them live, so you can hear exactly how the transformation works. In this episode: A look back at turning tasks into achievements, cutting what doesn't belong, and connecting your work to company goals, and how…
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287| Tie Your Work to Company Goals
Continuing this week's case-building focus, Nichole shows how to make your achievements land harder by connecting them to what your company actually cares about. In this episode: Why achievements without a connection to company priorities land as "nice job" instead of "this person is worth...
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286| What to Leave Out of Your Raise Case
Following yesterday's one-pager episode, Nichole covers the other half of building a strong case: knowing what to leave out. In this episode: Why more isn't always better, and how a cluttered case makes your strongest points harder to see Leaving out anything without a result, and why stalled or...
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285| Your Raise Proposal, As a Simple One-Pager
Kicking off a new week, Nichole shows how to turn your accomplishment tracker into a simple one-page raise proposal you could actually hand your manager. In this episode: Why "proposal" sounds intimidating, and why this is really just one clear page that pulls together what you've already done…
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284| Where To Store It All
Wrapping up a full week on your brag document, Nichole pulls everything together into one simple, organized accomplishment tracker so you're not left with scattered notes and screenshots. In this episode: A recap of the week: what goes in your brag document, turning tasks into achievements,...
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283| Collecting Your Kudos
Nichole shares a different kind of evidence for your raise case: the praise that's probably already sitting in your inbox, Slack messages, and texts, waiting to be collected. In this episode: Why a kind message from a client, manager, or coworker is evidence, and how easily it gets lost in a sea…
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282| Quantifying Your Impact Without Hard Numbers
Addressing a common roadblock, Nichole helps listeners whose roles don't come with obvious metrics find the numbers hiding in their work anyway. In this episode: Why roles outside of sales often feel harder to quantify, and why that's not actually true Thinking in terms of time: how long…
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281| Turning Tasks Into Achievements
Building on yesterday's brag document episode, Nichole shows how to take a plain, ordinary task and turn it into something that actually reads as an achievement. In this episode: Why most brag document entries read like a job description instead of showing real impact Three real before-and-after...
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280| What Actually Goes in Your Brag Document
Kicking off a new week focused on your brag document, Nichole gets specific on exactly what belongs in it and how to make it actually usable later. In this episode: The five categories to track: completed projects, problems solved, measurable results, new responsibilities, and recognition from...
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279| Reflect: Your Career Story So Far
Wrapping up a big week on numbers, ranges, and offers, Nichole slows things down for a reflection episode, no new tactics, just a chance to sit with your career story. In this episode: Why today is about your real story, not your resume or job titles Reflecting on where your career started, and…
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278| How to Talk About a Competing Offer
Following yesterday's episode on general market research, Nichole shifts to a higher-stakes scenario, how to handle an actual competing offer in hand. In this episode: The key difference between market research and a real, specific offer from another company Why you should only bring up a…
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277| Should You Mention What Other Companies Pay?
Building on yesterday's specific ask number, Nichole introduces a different approach, why leading with a range instead of a single number can sometimes work in your favor. In this episode: Why a range can give your manager room to say yes without feeling boxed in Why every number in your range...
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276| The Range Strategy: Asking For a Range, Not One Number
Building on yesterday's specific ask number, Nichole introduces a different approach, why leading with a range instead of a single number can sometimes work in your favor. In this episode: Why a range can give your manager room to say yes without feeling boxed in Why every number in your range...
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275| Turning Your Research Into an Actual Number
Kicking off a new week, Nichole walks through how to take all the research gathered so far and land on the actual number to say out loud in a raise conversation. In this episode: Finding where your current salary sits within your researched range: bottom, middle, or higher Why tenure and…
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274| When the Timing Genuinely Isn't Right
Wrapping up the week on pay structure and budget cycles, Nichole tackles the harder scenario, what to do when the timing genuinely isn't right after doing all the prep work. In this episode: Why a hiring freeze, recent layoffs, or a closed review cycle doesn't mean your preparation was wasted Why...
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273| Signs There's Actually Room in the Budget
Continuing this week's dive into pay structure, Nichole covers how to read whether your company genuinely has money available right now, or is just giving the easy answer. In this episode: Why "there's no budget right now" is sometimes true, and sometimes just the easier answer to give Signs…
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272| Recognizing Your Company's Raise Cycle Without Asking HR
Building on yesterday's episode on budget cycles, Nichole shares quieter ways to figure out your company's timing without asking HR directly. In this episode: Why asking HR directly about raise timing can feel intimidating or premature Checking your own pay stub history for signs of a past...
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271| When Companies Actually Do Raises
Picking up from yesterday's breakdown of merit increases, promotions, and market adjustments, Nichole dives into timing, specifically why companies budget for raises in advance and why that changes when you should ask. In this episode: Why most companies operate on a budget cycle, and why raises...
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270| Merit Increase vs. Promotion vs. Market Adjustment
Shifting focus for the week, Nichole breaks down the three different types of raises and why knowing which one applies to you changes your whole approach. In this episode: Why "raise" usually means one of three things: a merit increase, a promotion, or a market adjustment What a merit increase…
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269| Building The Worksheet to Justify Your Ask
Wrapping up a big week of research, Nichole helps pull everything together into one simple worksheet instead of scattered notes and browser tabs. In this episode: A recap of the week: salary research, tools to use, how location and industry shift your number, and how to find out what your company...
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268| What Your Company Actually Pays
Shifting from general market research to something closer to home, Nichole covers how to find out what your own company actually pays for your specific role. In this episode: Why external salary research only tells part of the story, and can differ significantly from what your own company pays A...
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267| Why Location and Industry Change Everything
Continuing this week's hands-on research focus, Nichole breaks down two of the biggest variables that shift your salary number: location and industry. In this episode: Why the same title can pay wildly different amounts depending on location, and how competitive talent markets, not just cost of...
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266| Salary Research Tools: A Practical Guide
Following up on how to research your salary range, Nichole gets specific on the actual tools and resources to use to find your number. In this episode: Why you should use more than one resource, since each pulls data a little differently Salary aggregator sites as a free, quick starting point…
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265| How to Research Your Actual Salary Range
Building on last week's foundation, Nichole kicks off the research phase by walking through exactly how to find your real salary number. In this episode: A quick recap of last week: labor value, the brag document, manager feedback, and market rate as a range, not a ceiling Why you should search...
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264| Your Roadmap for What's to Come
After wrapping the first full week of daily episodes, Nichole zooms out to share exactly where the series is headed for the rest of the year. In this episode: A recap of week one: believing your labor has value, starting your brag document, getting feedback from your manager, and understanding...
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263| What 'Market Rate' Actually Means
Nichole breaks down one of the most misunderstood phrases in salary conversations: market rate. In this episode: Why market rate is a range, not one fixed number, and the variables that shift it: role, experience, location, and industry How to push back when someone tells you what "market rate"…
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262| Getting Feedback First
Continuing the week's momentum on believing your labor has value and tracking it in your brag document, Nichole covers a step most people skip entirely: getting feedback from your manager before you ever bring up a raise. In this episode: Why walking into a raise conversation cold is risky, and…
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261| Start Your Brag Document Today
Building on yesterday's episode about believing your labor has value, Nichole introduces the one tool that actually proves it: the brag document. In this episode: Why the word "brag" makes so many women cringe, and why this document isn't about bragging to anyone but yourself Why our brains are...
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260| What Is Your Labor Worth?
After more than a year away from the podcast, Nichole is committing to daily episodes throughout the rest of the year, all in service of one goal: helping 1,000 women confidently ask for a raise by the end of the year. In this episode: Why Labor Day is the perfect day to ask yourself: What is my...
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259| Where People Go Wrong When Asking for Feedback
Nichole is back after a break, with a life update: she is expecting her third daughter and easing back into recording. In this episode, she gets real about a recent moment where she asked for feedback the wrong way, even though it is a topic she coaches on all the time. She breaks down exactly…
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258| Imposter Syndrome at Work
🎙️ Episode Summary: In this candid solo episode, Nichole opens up about her own experience with imposter syndrome—including why she hesitated to hit "record" after a few months away from the mic. From putting off speaking engagements to doubting her podcasting consistency, Nichole reflects on…
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257| Choosing a Word for the Year
In this episode, Nichole Harrop dives into the practice of selecting a Word of the Year to guide personal and professional growth. She shares her own process of choosing the word Momentum for 2025 and how it aligns with her goals. Nichole also offers practical tips for selecting a word,...
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256| Staying Relevant in the Tech World with Lauren Cohen
Real quick, grab the Career Growth Guide here. Nichole Harrop chats with co-worker Lauren Cohen about her incredible journey through nearly four decades in the tech industry. From programming on mainframes in the '80s to embracing cutting-edge AI and modern workplace technologies, Lauren shares…
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255| Leading with Boundaries: How to Prioritize Well-Being Without Sacrificing Success with Amy Spurling
Nichole chats with Amy Spurling, the CEO and Founder of Compt, about the power of leading with boundaries. Amy shares her personal journey of founding Compt at 40 after a successful career as a CFO and COO in the tech industry. She explains how Compt's global lifestyle benefits platform supports...
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254| Navigating Career Uncertainty: Strategies for Your Next Move with Andrea Yacub Macek
In this episode, Nichole Harrop chats with career coach Andrea Yacub Macek to discuss navigating career uncertainty and creating strategies for your next career move. Andrea shares her personal journey, including how she transitioned from pursuing a medical career to climbing the corporate…
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253| Getting Back Into the Workforce After a Break with Heather Nemelka
Check out the Career Growth Guide to grow in your career. In this episode, Nichole Harrop sits down with Heather Nemelka, a single mother of five who re-entered the workforce after an 18-year break. Heather shares her inspiring journey of navigating career pivots, regaining confidence, and...
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252| Start With Leading Yourself with Elizabeth Lotardo
This podcast episode with Elizabeth Lotardo dives deep into the importance of leading yourself effectively as a foundation for transitioning into leadership roles. Elizabeth shares her insights on how to shift focus from unattainable output goals to manageable input goals, empowering individuals…
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251| What to Do After You Get Turned down for a Leadership Role
In this episode of the Future Female Leaders podcast, Nichole Harrop discusses what to do after not being promoted to a leadership role. Nichole offers insights into the emotional and strategic steps you can take to turn the experience into an opportunity for growth. Whether the role was filled…
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250| Celebrating Milestones
Connect with Nichole on LinkedIn Episode Summary: In this special milestone episode, Nichole Harrop reflects on the journey of creating and growing the Future Female Leaders podcast. Nichole shares her experiences, challenges, and accomplishments over the past five years, celebrating the…
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About this show
The Future Female Leaders Podcast helps create more female leaders in the workplace.If you are working in an entry level role and are preparing for future growth opportunities, this podcast is for you.Future Female Leaders topics consist of building confidence, improving communication skills, becoming more self aware, learning how to proactively network, and expanding your mindset to best prepare you for that future leadership role.Let's get you promoted!Nichole Harrop is a Women's Leadership + Career Coach. She started at a call center in an entry level role and built her career from there without a college degree. Nichole was turned down for promotions many times before she was offered a leadership position and has led teams in different organizations from well established companies to new tech start ups for over 10 years.
Hosted by
Nichole Harrop: Women's Leadership + Career Coach