Somewhere along the way, founders were taught to ask “is this scalable?” before they ask whether something is worth making at all. In this episode, Kim pushes back on the pressure to build like a venture-backed startup. She unpacks the beliefs that keep smart, capable entrepreneurs stuck in planning mode, the growth advice that’s flattening good ideas, and why starting small and not as polished as you're capable of is the most strategic move you can make.   HIGHLIGHTS The beliefs entrepreneurs absorb that make them feel behind if they don’t have a scale plan   Why “build it bigger” advice is flattening good, human-centered ideas   The fear hiding behind questions like: “Is this worth starting if it can’t grow?”   How venture-style thinking has quietly become the default, even when it doesn’t align with most founders' goals   What actually becomes possible when you stop designing for scale and start building for service   LINKS & MENTIONS "Great things start in little rooms" clip by André 3000 Simon Sinek interviews Jeni Britton Brian Chesky on Masters of Scale: Do things that don't scale Kim's Website

Black Friday gets all the attention, but what about the independent shops holding our towns together the rest of the year? In this episode, Kim sits down with vintage shop owner and designer Lisa Tumbarello for an honest conversation about the realities of running a small business during the busiest (and most emotionally loaded) shopping weekend of the year. They talk about the unseen labor, the tough calls, the creative joy, and the very real pressures that come with trying to build something meaningful in a world obsessed with speed, scale, and discounts. If you’ve ever wondered what it actually takes to keep your favorite small shops alive, this episode is the truth-telling you won’t hear anywhere else this week.HIGHLIGHTS The assumptions people make about small shops and the reality behind running one Why transparency is tricky when a small business is struggling or in transition and how that leads to us being shocked when they make an announcement that they're closing their doors The tension between curating what you love vs. stocking what reliably sells What Lisa wishes customers understood about hours, inventory, and bandwidth The misunderstood pressure small businesses feel around Black Friday and holiday shopping culture and why shopping small is about more than community, taste, and identity than sales Simple, meaningful ways to support local shops year round    FOLLOW Potomac River Interiors website and Instagram Kim on Instagram, LinkedIn, and website

Leadership isn’t always loud, polished, or certain. Sometimes it looks like sitting in a room with women who are figuring it out in real time. In this episode, Kim shares the biggest lessons that emerged from The Bench Summit in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida: moments of honesty, humanity, and self-led leadership that had nothing to do with titles and everything to do with how we show up for ourselves and one another. Whether you were in the room or not, these reflections offer a new way to think about influence, ambition, and the kind of leader you’re becoming.   HIGHLIGHTS Why embodied leadership isn’t about having the right answers; it’s about creating space for others What happens when high-achieving women let their guard down and tell the truth The difference between “leading the room” and holding a room How vulnerability, not performance, became the Summit’s most powerful takeaway How the right community expands what feels possible The unexpected (and at times, hilarious) moments that revealed what it looks to build in real time and take up space   FOLLOW Kim on Instagram and LinkedIn Kim's Website

How do you stay open to change when what once drove and defined you no longer fits? In this conversation, Kim talks with communications strategist and solo mom by choice Sara Amin about what it means to rewrite the story you thought you were living and trusting yourself enough to move toward what’s calling you next. From career burnout to building a family on her own terms, Sara shares how to create your own version of fulfillment, redefine ambition, and to take action on projects when you aren't sure where they'll lead. For anyone who's worked in a giving profession, been in a helper role, or pursued work that is mission-driven, this will address the question you've grappled with: can work just be work?  This conversation highlights the three most important questions we must come back to every time we're experiencing a shift: What am I doing? Where am I putting my energy? What do I really want?   HIGHLIGHTS How ambitious women can give themselves permission to show up and do the job, and allowing that to be enough The way burnout changes what we're reaching for and redefines our priorities Sara's decision to become a solo parent and how sharing her story sparked curiosity in others Why, as a parent, it's so difficult to remember and lean into who we are when our kids reach a certain stage of independence The power of starting before you have all the answers   FOLLOW Sara on Instagram and LinkedIn Kim on Instagram and LinkedIn Kim's Website

When we're in the depths of a career pivot, reinvention, or shift, it's easy to feel stuck waiting for the new version of ourselves to arrive. The old bio doesn't fit, but when we haven't yet done the thing we want to be known for, how do we embody it? Rather than waiting for a client to find us and become our magical test case, on this episode Kim is asking you to consider what it could look like to greenlight your own ideas.   HIGHLIGHTS Why the term "passion project" devalues the important role of self-directed work What it looks like to invest in something before the ROI is clear How we've all been fooled into thinking something needs to be profitable from the get-go The quickest way to get from where you are to the work you want to be known for What the most successful creatives are doing that most others aren't willing to A walkthrough of the most recent project that ignited Kim's professional direction: The Bench Magazine FOLLOW Kim's website Kim on Instagram Kim on LinkedIn

Most of us wait until something feels finished before we’re willing to share it — but what if that’s the reason our work stalls out? In this episode, Kim sits down with her book editor, Jacqueline Fisch, to talk about why the best creative work happens in collaboration, not isolation. They unpack the fear of being seen too early, the trauma so many of us carry from bad feedback experiences, and how to ask for feedback in a way that builds momentum instead of shutting you down.   HIGHLIGHTS: Why waiting until something is “polished” slows our growth How to give feedback without killing someone’s voice or confidence The exact moment in the process you should invite feedback (hint: it’s earlier than you think) What's wrong with the common advice to write a "shitty first draft" Why overthinking stunts the creative process and how we can leave those natural tendencies aside when we're writing    FOLLOW: The Intuitive Writing School Jacq's Author Website Connect with Jacq on LinkedIn Jacq's new Instagram    MENTIONS: How Women Write Episode with Kim Wensel: Trusting a Non-Linear Career Path and Writing a Book About It

We’ve spent the Visibility Series redefining a word that's often used as synonymous with content strategy and relating it closer to a practice of being seen in honest, human ways. To close it out, this episode lands on what may be the hardest part of all: using your voice and letting people think what they think. Visibility isn’t always public or polished; sometimes it’s simply asking for what you need without over-explaining, advocating for yourself, or holding a line without worrying how it might land.   HIGHLIGHTS Why visibility happens in private moments as much as public ones The difference between advocating for yourself vs. hoping someone “gets the hint” How people-pleasing sneaks back in even when we think we’ve outgrown it The ways visibility feels different when you're showing up without a title, logo, or identity to hide behind   MENTIONS Rethinking Your Bio When You're In The Messy Middle The Bench

Bios carry a lot of weight. They introduce us before we walk in the room, shape how others see us, and are also supposed to tell our whole story. No wonder writing one feels difficult—especially if you’re multi-passionate or in transition. In this episode, Kim uses her messaging expertise and stories from women in The Bench to explain how to reframe your bio so it feels more true to who you are.   HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE Why bios feels harder to write during times of transition (and why that's normal) The hidden weight titles carry and why this is limiting for women who are good at many things What members of The Bench learned while rewriting their bios for a magazine Two practical exercises for making your bio more true to you Five tips everyone should follow when sharing their bio publicly    FOLLOW The Bench community for women Kim on Instagram Kim on LinkedIn  

When we think about visibility, it’s easy to picture self-promotion, algorithms, or endless posting. But what if visibility is actually about connection—the kind that feels human, reciprocal, and even easier than “selling yourself”? In this episode, Kim unpacks why showing up consistently creates more opportunities than self-promotion ever could—and shares the one shift that makes visibility feel less like performance and more like possibility.   HIGHLIGHTS Why visibility feels loaded for so many women (and how to redefine it) The hidden cost of only showing up when you “need” something How to make visibility feel natural—without forcing promotion or perfection What consistency really does for you (that perfection can’t) A practical starting point you can use this week to stay visible and connected   FOLLOW & MENTIONS Playing Big by Tara Mohr Kim on Instagram Kim on LinkedIn Kim's Website

Welcome to the second episode in our Visibility Series. This week we're getting tactical as we talk about what it takes to be a great podcast guest. There are many guides to pitching shows and positioning yourself to get a "yes" from a podcast host, but that misses the mark on what happens after you're booked. This episode is what every podcast host wants you to know and do. Listen through and act accordingly and you'll outperform 95% of all podcast guests!   HIGHLIGHTS Why growing your following is not enough of a reason to pitch yourself for a show What to do with an opportunity once you get a yes The often missed—and critical—steps you must take AFTER you record What nearly every one of my podcast guests has failed to do, six years in The reason you need you be viewing podcasting less as a marketing hack and more as a channel for human connection FOLLOW The Bench is open for enrollment for one more week! Follow Kim on Instagram Connect with Kim on LinkedIn

Welcome to part one of our September visibility series! In this episode we'll explore what it actually means to let yourself be seen. From the myth of organic reach to the fears we avoid by staying small, this conversation invites you to rethink how you show up for your career, your ideas, and yourself. We're unpacking the messy, vulnerable, and often misunderstood work of visibility.   Plus, The Bench is open for enrollment through September 17 🥳. Catch all the details at kimwensel.com/thebench.   HIGHLIGHTS Why visibility isn’t just for entrepreneurs and why executives, leaders, and creatives need it too The fears that lie beneath visibility and keep us small How to separate visibility from social media (and what to do if you hate the algorithm) Practical shifts: asking for shares, leading with what you believe, and showing up in your own style The risk of staying hidden and the unexpected payoff of consistent, imperfect presence   LINKS & FOLLOW The Bench community application Kim's Website Kim on Instagram / LinkedIn

What if the real secret to moving forward wasn’t another strategy or success formula, but a circle of women who let you show up as your full self? In this episode, we're turning the tables as Kim is interviewed by a member of The Bench. We'll take you inside the community, one created for ambitious women who have opted out of the traditional path.   In this episode you'll hear why so many of us feel like “outsider–insiders,” how easy it is to get stuck pretending we have it all together, and what changes when you sit with women who cut through the polish and talk about what’s really happening behind the shiny gloss of social media. From surfacing money fears to ambition burnout to redefining leadership, The Bench is replacing performative networking with honest, messy, liberating connection.   HIGHLIGHTS The trap of polished success stories and what we lose when we skip over the messy middle How traditional masterminds miss the mark (and what makes The Bench a lighter, more liberating alternative) The kind of conversations women really want to be having about work, money, and ease A redefinition of leadership that blends intuition with intellect Why true connection might be the career strategy that you need If you’ve been looking for a space where intelligence meets intuition—and where the conversations are as real as they are rare—this episode will give you a taste of what happens on The Bench. Enrollment for the next cohort opens September 3 for two weeks only. Join the waitlist at kimwensel.com/thebench for early access and a bonus 1:1 session with Kim (available to waitlist only). FOLLOW The Bench Waitlist Kim on Instagram

We've gotten to the place where we're comfortable—even proud—talking openly about therapy. We share the inner work we're doing and post carousels full of our wellness routines. So why isn't it acceptable to celebrate our outer work—the individuality that shows up in our appearance? This episode dives deep into the societal pressures and internal fears that often prevent women, particularly high-achieving professionals, from fully expressing themselves. For the first time you'll hear a member of The Bench sharing her ideas in a Pitch Session, on this exact topic. Listen until the end for a big announcement about The Bench!   HIGHLIGHTS Why we assume women who focus on their appearance are less capable or "merely creatives" rather than business leaders The contradictory messages we receive of not showing off too much when we're younger but not letting ourselves go as we age Why past experiences cause us to play small and fall into the chameleon role How merging our interior and exterior worlds help us live in a more aligned manner The reason 99% of trends won't apply to you How having strong personal aesthetic preferences can help you overcome the fear of being "acceptable" or having to defend your choices   FOLLOW Get on The Bench waitlist Follow Kim on Instagram

Do you believe that you're creative? Today's guest, Amandolin Webb, would argue that you are. In this conversation we explore why creativity has nothing to do with credentials and everything to do with instinct, why sacrifice isn't the same as suffering, and how we can say yes to something before we're forced into a decision. In a world that tells us to do more, be more, sell more, Amandolin shares her tips from branding and beyond on how to avoid taking the expected path just because it's normalized. Listen to the end for the story behind her unique name.   HIGHLIGHTS How your location affects your work (hint: digital nomad status isn't always the goal) What you need when you're facing a big project The upside to failure Why sharing the messy parts is more magnetic that showcasing the flattering angles The dichotomy between creativity and conventionality Advice for "making it" as a creative   FOLLOW Smeuse Studio Find Amandolin on Instagram Find Kim on Instagram Kim's Website

Everyone fails. Yet few people are willing to admit it. Instead, we're inundated with the clean before/after stories told from the rearview, glossing over the messy middle. So when it's not easy to bounce back, we harbor shame and hold back from trying again.   What if we could talk about failure just like we talk about success—normalize things working out like we didn't imagine they would and realizing that's not always a bad thing? If we want to evolve, we have to accept failure as part of that journey.    Today I'm sharing my own, very personal story of failure. One that started with the simple thought, "I could do that better than them" and ended with an existential crisis coated in the question of, "What now?"    If every no gets us closer to a yes, how do we become better at failing?   HIGHLIGHTS The important distinction between failing and feeling like a failure How to build self trust after things turned out differently than you imagined Why admitting failure builds trust and connection Three important steps you should take after failing   FOLLOW Get on The Bench waitlist Follow Kim on Instagram   MENTIONS Article: Why I Am Closing Ami Colé Range Global Goods

As women, we're encouraged to bounce back. We do so after kids. We do so after heartbreak. We do so after a career disappointment. But how many times can we bounce back without admitting that we need to sit out? And how does that reflect on the narrative we've woven about ourselves. In this episode Kim is joined by Jami Crist, women's health advocate and author of The Losses We Keep. Jami shares her own story of hustle, pregnancy loss, and how much can change in just three years, offering a fresh perspective on "life is short."SOUND BITES "I always said I would never be a stay at home mom. I can do it all. I want to do it all." "Am I losing my sense of credibility? Am I in the know anymore?" "How did I get this job? I don't deserve it. And that made me want to work even harder." "Keeping good people close to you is literally everything through these hard moments."   LINKS Jami's book: The Losses We Keep Jami's website Find Kim on Instagram Kim's website   MENTIONS LERA Health Soul Speaks Press The Power Pause

Self-employment has been heralded as the ultimate power move. Be your own boss! Monetize who you are! These are the messages we here that glorify moving from employee to entrepreneur. In this episode, Kim talks about the shame associated with moving in the opposite direction. She shares why there are many positive and healthy reasons you may want to go back to working for someone else, including her own personal story of accepting an employment offer after promising to never go back. This episode is for anyone who feels pressure to make it work on their own even—and especially when—they're feeling called back to a more traditional role. Kim emphasizes the importance of flexibility in career paths and describes exactly why the future of work is impermanent.   HIGHLIGHTS Why you should never say never in your career. How regular shifts make you more adaptable and valuable to your employer or business. The reason Kim left her business and went back to work for a client. Why it's a trap to think work should fulfill your all of your passions and interests. How to identify what you need in this season of life and work. LINKS Career Contessa Kim's website  

Are your proud that, unlike your peers, you aren't using AI? Does it make you feel like a more honest, capable professional? Or could it actually be an excuse like "I'm just not good at tech" that's keeping you behind? This is what we're exploring on today's episode of Why Is Nobody Talking About This with my special guest, Karen Sergeant. Karen's career has taken her from tech to the CIA to founder operations. Through that journey, she's gotten really good at change—and helping others move through ambiguity as well. This conversation changed Kim's entire outlook on adopting AI into her business systems. If you're looking to make the biggest impact you can without burning out or getting in the way of your team, this is your next listen.  KAREN'S QUOTES AI can feel like a loss of relevance when you’re being asked to let go of things that made you once feel indispensable If you're impact driven, get out of delivery so you can impact the most amount of people with your brilliant ideas. Real-time culture rewards extroverts. It privileges insiders. It's basically gatekeeping. We're not competing with AI. We're competing with our competitor who uses AI, who can produce results more reliably, faster, and at a lower cost. FOLLOW  Karen Sergeant's website Connect with Karen on LinkedIn Kim on Instagram @kimwensel Kim's website MENTIONS Join The Bench waitlist! ChatGPT Perplexity Claude

Do you feel like you have to shape shift at work? Act a certain way because that's what clients expect a very serious businessperson to do? Whether we like it or not, corporate America takes a masculine approach to leadership. And that, my friend, has trickle down effects to even the smallest businesses. What if I told you things are changing? That by leaning into your soft power and creativity, you could be part of a massive shift—one that asks for presence over power, taking time off over hustling and grinding your way through.   HIGHLIGHTS Why we need more women as leaders and how to embrace both femininity and masculinity at work How we rank the importance of skill sets and how that's affecting our willingness to slow down What happens when we try to produce our best work in the margins The reason that making decisions based on ROI alone will not move you forward in meaningful ways   MENTIONS From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks Episode 9: The Traditional Path Rewards People Pleasing The Creative Act by Rick Rubin The Bench community for women   FOLLOW Kim's website Kim on Instagram Kim on LinkedIn    

We laugh about being recovering people pleasers, but where do those tendencies come from? Are we born this way or did we learn to people please as a safety mechanism? In today's episode, Kim speaks openly about events in her younger years that led her to become a people pleaser and how this was reinforced at work. If you've ever wondered why you're motivated to do or say things that appeal to others but aren't necessarily true to you, this is a must listen.   Trigger warning: domestic violence is discussed. This episode may not be appropriate for younger listeners.   HIGHLIGHTS How understanding trauma can lead to personal growth Why the career ladder validates people pleasing How to say, think, and act with more authenticity and personal alignment The role of writing in uncovering people pleasing habits How to trust yourself when you aren't sure if that will be accepted   FOLLOW  Kim on Instagram @kimwensel Kim's website MENTIONS Join The Bench waitlist! The Tell by Amy Griffin