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The Pivot and Promotion Podcast - Career and Leadership Advice

The Pivot and Promotion Podcast - Career and Leadership Advice

By: Dani Tan - Leadership and Career Coach
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Hi! I'm Dani Tan, a Leadership and Career Coach, and Speaker. I empower leaders who are the first, few, or only in their space. If you’re looking to pivot careers, get promoted, expand your leadership skills, or find your voice, I’m here for you. I've pivoted multiple industries from sales, PR, merchandising, and e-commerce all while achieving 11 promotions in 11 years. Let's get started.Dani Tan - Leadership and Career Coach Career Success Economics
Episodes
  • 97. Beyond ‘What Do You Do?’: A Gen Z Approach to Authentic Networking with Errika Brooks, Founder of Gen Z Times
    Oct 16 2025

    In episode 97, I’m joined by Errika S. Brooks, founder of Gen Z Times (GZT), a platform created to amplify and empower Gen Z by helping them navigate career challenges, build meaningful connections, and define success in their own way.


    With over seven years of experience across higher education, nonprofit leadership, and youth-focused partnerships, Errika blends strategy, creativity, and student development to design spaces that reflect the needs and values of Gen Z, especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+ audiences. As a youth advocate, community strategist, and Gen Z’s biggest cheerleader, she brings an authentic and heart-centered perspective to every conversation about connection and belonging.


    Together, we explore how Gen Z is redefining networking, moving beyond the question “What do you do?” toward authentic, community-driven connection. Networking has long been seen as awkward or transactional, but Gen Z is shifting that narrative by focusing on shared interests, values, and belonging. Errika shares how her After 5 Experiment networking events help people connect without the pressure of titles or business cards and what professionals of all generations can learn from this human-centered approach to building relationships.


    In this episode, I cover:

    • How Gen Z is moving beyond the question “What do you do?”

    • Why authentic networking starts with shared humanity, not hierarchy

    • What it looks like to create safety and inclusion in professional spaces

    • How to network across, not just up, and why peer connections matter

    • The mindset shift needed to make networking feel natural instead of forced


    Key Takeaways:

    • Networking doesn’t have to be transactional—it can start with friendship

    • You don’t need to “network up” to grow; building across your peers matters just as much

    • Authenticity and inclusion make spaces safer and more effective for everyone

    • Community and consistency are key to meaningful connections


    Chapters:

    00:12 Guest Introduction and Networking Shift

    02:32 Errika Brooks’s Career Journey

    05:39 Critique of Prescriptive Networking

    09:14 Gen Z Networking Principles

    12:53 DC Networking Experiment Format

    17:52 Prompt Effects and Accessibility

    22:37 Networking as Peer Community

    26:53 Alignment, Career Pivots, and Next Steps

    Learn more and stay connected:

    www.danitan.com

    www.linkedin.com/in/dani-tan

    Join my weekly newsletter

    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • 96. How to Make Career Moves Without Second-Guessing Everything
    Oct 9 2025

    In episode 96, we’re talking about how to make bold career moves without spiraling into overthinking or second-guessing every step.


    Big decisions, whether it’s pivoting industries, leaving corporate, or starting a business, will always come with fear and uncertainty. That’s why I use a framework with my clients called the ABC Plan, designed to help you name what you really want, prepare for the hard moments, and create the safety net you need to move forward with confidence.


    In this episode, I cover:

    • How to define your Plan A, your boldest vision, without worrying about practicality

    • Why creating a Plan B helps you navigate the messy middle when things get tough

    • How Plan C builds the psychological safety to take risks without panic

    • Real client stories of making big career pivots, from corporate jobs to new cities and businesses

    • Practical ways to reduce stress, detach from outcomes, and keep momentum even when challenges show up


    If you’ve been stuck in hesitation or caught in loops of “what ifs,” this episode will show you how to ground your decisions in clarity and create the confidence to finally move forward.


    Key Takeaways:

    • Your boldest goals must be named before they can be achieved

    • Challenges are inevitable, prepare for them instead of quitting when they come

    • A safety net creates the confidence to take calculated risks

    • Detaching from outcomes helps you show up with clarity and energy


    Chapters:

    00:00 ABC Plan: Define Plan A Vision

    04:06 Start with a Bold Desired Outcome

    06:41 Plan B: Prepare for Hard Moments

    09:50 Navigating the Messy Middle

    15:04 Plan C: Build Psychological Safety

    18:28 Managing Uncertainty with a Safety Net


    Learn more and stay connected:

    www.danitan.com

    www.linkedin.com/in/dani-tan

    Join my weekly newsletter

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    23 mins
  • 95: You Want to Start a Side Business But Don’t Know Where to Start
    Oct 2 2025

    So many people sit on a side business idea for months or even years because they think they need the perfect plan before taking the first step.


    If you’ve been circling your idea, asking yourself if you’re “ready,” or stuck in research mode, this episode is your reminder that clarity comes from action, not overthinking.


    I’m sharing client stories and my own experience of waiting too long to start, along with the practical steps I now guide clients through to move from hesitation into momentum.


    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • Why hesitation and self-doubt keep you stuck in the “what ifs”

    • How to start small by offering one simple service with skills you already have

    • The first concrete steps to test your idea with real feedback instead of procrastinating

    • How to identify your first clients and where to find them

    • Why consistency, not intensity, is what builds a sustainable side business


    If you’ve been sitting on an idea but don’t know where to start, this episode will help you move forward with clarity, strategy, and energy that lasts.


    Key Takeaways:

    • The first version of your business won’t be the final version, start anyway

    • You don’t need a perfect plan, you need one clear step

    • Testing with real people builds clarity faster than more research

    • Consistency is what creates momentum


    Chapters:

    00:00 Internal Hesitation Blocking Side Businesses

    03:17 Start Small Using Existing Expertise

    07:38 Concrete First Steps to Avoid Procrastination

    11:17 Define Ideal Client and Test Reach Channels

    13:50 Start Small and Protect Energy


    Learn more and stay connected:

    www.danitan.com

    www.linkedin.com/in/dani-tan

    Join my weekly newsletter

    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
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