You’re overdelivering. Everyone relies on you. But you’re exhausted—and no closer to the promotion or recognition you deserve.
If you're stuck in overfunctioning, feeling responsible for everyone, or afraid to say no—this episode is your permission slip to lead differently.

Join us as we explore how boundaries aren’t just helpful—they’re essential for executive presence, sustainable leadership, and getting recognized at work.
You’ll walk away with the mindset shifts, scripts, and practical tools to reclaim your time, your strategic focus—and your path to promotion.

💡 Want to know what’s really holding you back from a promotion?
Take the Promotion Readiness Scorecard (tonicollis.com/scorecard)— a 3-minute diagnostic to find your biggest gap.

In this episode:
✔️ Why women leaders are especially vulnerable to burnout
✔️ The performance vs. potential promotion gap
✔️ How to stop being the team therapist
✔️ 4 signs your boundaries are broken
✔️ Why boundaries = executive presence
✔️ Scripts to say no without guilt or burning bridges

The Micro-Boundary Phrases to help you get started:

• 🗣️ “That sounds important—can I suggest someone better positioned to help?”
  (👉 Delegates without guilt, empowers others.)
• 🗣️ “Let me check my priorities and get back to you.”
  (👉 Buys you time. Signals intentionality, not resistance.)
• 🗣️ “To give this the attention it deserves, I’ll need to shift the timeline.”
  (👉 Balances ownership with realism.)

🔥 You’re not failing. You’re just doing too much of the wrong kind of work.
Let’s fix that—starting today.

What if the key to unlocking the next wave of tech innovation lies in the hands of the entrepreneurs receiving the least funding?

There's a fascinating paradox in today's tech landscape: women-led startups are 63% more likely to succeed and have higher chances of becoming unicorns, yet they're receiving less venture capital funding than ever before. This gap represents not just missed opportunities, but untapped potential that could reshape entire industries.

In this inspiring conversation, tech entrepreneur and AI pioneer Susan Sly reveals the uncomfortable truths about Silicon Valley's old boys' club and shares her blueprint for change. From deploying AI computer vision at scale to building The Pause—a revolutionary menopause-focused platform—Susan breaks down exactly how women can stop waiting for permission and start reshaping the industry from within.

“If you don't like the stats we're sharing, where did you go shopping for that outfit you're wearing? Who designed it? We need to get present to where we're spending our hard-earned dollars—from the apps we download to the brands we're wearing." — Susan Sly

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• What’s really driving the decline in VC funding for women
• Simple ways to discover and support women-founded companies in your everyday purchases
• How perimenopause affects women leaders and why workplace support matters more than ever
• Practical strategies for breaking into male-dominated tech spaces without playing small
• Why AI governance desperately needs more women's voices and how to get involved
• The real reason most medicine is based on data from middle-aged white men and how AI can change this
• How to leverage crowdfunding platforms and angel investing to support female founders

🎧 Want to explore the companies mentioned in this episode? Visit Susan's website to learn more about The Pause and discover other women-led companies making waves in tech.

💵 Consider how your own purchasing decisions and investment choices can support the change you want to see in the industry.

**Useful links**

• Connect with today’s guest and sponsor, Susan Sly:
  • LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/susansly/
  • Instagram https://www.instagram.com/susansly/
  • X https://x.com/susanslylive
  • Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SusanSlyLive/
  • Personal Website https://www.susansly.com
  • The Pause Technologies https://www.thepause.ai
• Susan’s current read: We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.

Did you know most teams using AI are actually moving slower?

Lots of teams are testing AI tools—but not seeing the payoff. Why? Because tools alone don’t create results. In this episode, I break down what AI-Ready Leadership actually looks like and how to drive real results.

You’ll learn how to create an AI Leadership Strategy that drives results, how to avoid the pitfalls of reactive adoption, and how to position yourself as a future-ready leader with AI who can scale output, protect market share, and accelerate your career.

I’ll also cover why team sizes will shrink, how to lead with confidence in regulated or hesitant industries, and why embracing AI Productivity Leadership is now part of your credibility as a strategic leader.

Whether you’re in marketing, sales, engineering, or preparing for your next promotion — this episode gives you the playbook to lead AI adoption with purpose.

📌 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The gap between AI hype and reality — and how to close it
• Why AI-driven team acceleration is about leadership, not tools
• How to embed AI into workflows without losing critical thinking
• The career edge: talking AI-readiness in promotions and interviews
• What ethical AI leadership looks like in practice
• How to shape the future of work instead of waiting for it

Are you leading your team into the AI era — or just dabbling?

🕛 The window for proactive AI adoption is closing. Don't wait for the market to force your hand. Book a FREE strategy session with me:

👉 https://www.tonicollis.com/lets-chat