Welcome back to the Executive Coach Podcast and part two of my conversation with Kemi Lawson. Today we dived into the fascinating story of her career transition. After a successful 15-year corporate career, Kemi made the bold decision to leave and pursue her passion for creativity and business.

In today’s episode, we explore the challenges she faced in the corporate world, including the systemic biases and struggles as a Black woman in the UK workplace. Kemi shares her journey of stepping away from the corporate grind, creating her own path, and starting her own business, The Cornrow.

We also discuss the mindset shifts she’s had to make in the process, the importance of confidence, and the impact of movements like Black Lives Matter on her entrepreneurial journey.

Key Takeaways:

• Push and Pull Factors of Career Transition: Kemi shares the personal and professional motivations that led her to leave her corporate job. The pull of her creativity and desire to share her heritage, coupled with the push of dissatisfaction in a corporate environment full of systemic challenges, led her to create her own path.

• Challenges Faced as a Black Woman in Corporate: Kemi opens up about the obstacles she faced as one of the few Black women in senior roles within corporate spaces. She discusses the difficulty of accessing mentorship, informal networks, and being surrounded by a lack of diversity in leadership.

• The Importance of Changing the System: Kemi shares her reflections on how institutions need to evolve to be more inclusive and supportive of diverse employees, especially for those who aren’t part of the traditional “prototype” of a white, middle-class, cisgender male.

• Creating Your Own Table: Kemi discusses the empowering shift from striving to get a seat at someone else’s table to creating her own. She highlights how entrepreneurs can break free from traditional corporate structures and build their own business that aligns with their values.

• The Role of Black Lives Matter in Entrepreneurship: Kemi explains how the Black Lives Matter movement provided a boost of confidence and support for starting her business. While the momentum has slowed, she discusses how it shaped her entrepreneurial mindset and helped her business gain visibility.

• Mindset Shifts for Entrepreneurs: Kemi reflects on the important mindset shifts required to transition from the corporate world to running your own business. These shifts include embracing uncertainty, building confidence, and understanding the value of carving out your own path.

Connect with Kemi www.thecornrow.com

Connect with Maya www.mayagudka.com

Welcome to this special episode of the Executive Coach Podcast, where we’re diving into the power of home and its impact on your creativity, well-being, and work-life balance.

In this episode, I’m joined by the talented interiors influencer Kemi Lawson, one of my favourite mum friends, to discuss how to design a space that feels like a true reflection of who you are and what matters most to you.

If you're an ambitious leader balancing work and life, your home is more than just a place to drop your bags. It’s the place where your creativity flows, your family connects, and your story unfolds. But for many of us, it’s also where the clutter, chaos, and overwhelm can take over. Kemi shares practical, achievable tips for creating a home that feels good even in the midst of family life, how to find joy in your surroundings, and how to express yourself through your living space. Whether you're redesigning or simply tidying up, Kemi’s advice is designed to help you make your home a source of energy and inspiration.

Key Takeaways:

• Home as the Beating Heart: For many successful, ambitious individuals, home isn't just about a place to relax—it’s a source of inspiration and creativity. Your home should reflect who you are, your values, and your family’s story.

• Decluttering Isn’t the Only Answer: We often think clutter is the enemy of a well-designed home, but Kemi challenges this notion, showing how clutter can sometimes serve a functional or sentimental role in our lives. We talk about the balance between organization and the chaos that comes with family life.

• Designing for Life’s Chaos: Kemi provides practical tips for designing a home that works for busy families while still feeling aesthetically pleasing. This includes everything from furniture choices to organizational systems that embrace the realities of daily life.

• Practical Tips for Transformation: Whether you're looking to overhaul your space or just make small adjustments, Kemi breaks down achievable steps to make your home reflect your ambitions, without the overwhelm.

• Fun as a Family Value: We even get into the fun stuff—like figuring out where to put the ping pong table if fun is a value for your family! Because, yes, your home should bring joy as well as order.

Connect with Kemi  www.thecornrow.com

Connect with Maya www.mayagudka.com

Link to the £33 Vision Unblocked: www.mayagudka.com/vision-unblocked

What if the best thing you could do for your business wasn’t setting more goals, but letting some of them go?

In this episode I’m walking you through three unexpected things that have actually been working for me lately—and spoiler alert: they’re not your typical “productivity hacks.” In fact, they might feel a little counterintuitive at first, but they’ve helped me reclaim a more ease-filled rhythm at work, uncover deeper clarity about my business direction, and move beyond relying on willpower alone.

We’re talking:

✨ Recognizing and respecting your natural seasons of work (yes, it’s a thing!)
✨ The power of going goal-free to create space for real breakthroughs
✨ Why relying solely on your own motivation might be the biggest bottleneck in your business—and how to change that

Plus, I’ll share how I finally stumbled across the perfect name for my company after seven years… but only once I stopped trying so hard to find it.

If you're ready to pause the hustle and lean into more intentional, sustainable ways of working, this episode will give you permission to think differently about productivity, success, and the systems you build around your business.

Link to Vision Unblocked: https://www.mayagudka.com/vision-unblocked

In this episode of the Executive Coach Podcast, we explore the common dilemma faced by many of the men I work with in my coaching practice—how to strike the balance between climbing the corporate ladder and creating a meaningful, fulfilling life. Today, we dive deep into how a 10-year vision can be a game-changer in your career and personal life.

Key Takeaways:

• The Struggle of Ambition: Many of the men I coach are focused on their next big career move or a high-level leadership role, but they feel uncertain about what comes after that. The pressure to achieve more often comes with an internal conflict about lifestyle and work-life balance.

• The 10-Year Vision: A key focus of my coaching is guiding clients through the process of envisioning their long-term future. This is where many men start to struggle, feeling like their goals are too unique or difficult to map out. But you're not alone in this struggle, and it's more common than you might think.

• Beyond the CEO Role: It's fascinating to discover that when we dig deeper into what they really want in life, it’s often not the top corporate role that brings satisfaction. Instead, it's the lifestyle—a more balanced life that includes time for family, health, and personal passions. I’ll share examples from my clients who are inspired by those who prioritize quality of life over status.

• How to Redefine Success: For many men, their version of success isn't about the big paycheck or working endless hours. It’s about finding purpose and meaning in their everyday life. This episode will help you rethink your vision and align it with your true priorities.

Checklist: https://www.mayagudka.com/career-blindspots-checklist

Today, I’m answering the question "How do you reignite when you’ve lost the passion for your work that once drove you?"

Spoiler alert: You don’t need to feel passionate about your work 24/7. In fact, expecting constant passion might be setting you up for burnout. In this episode, I’m drawing from the insights of Cal Newport, who challenges the "follow your passion" mantra. Instead, we’ll explore how building blocks like autonomy, impact, and recognition are often the real keys to long-term career satisfaction.

We’ll also talk about why it’s completely normal to experience cycles in your motivation and how embracing these natural ebbs and flows can actually lead to more fulfilling, sustainable work.

Whether you're craving clarity, wondering how to navigate a lull, or simply need a mindset shift, this episode will leave you feeling reassured and equipped to move forward with confidence.

Get your Career Blindspot Checklist here

Find out more about The Vision Builder here

Checklist: https://www.mayagudka.com/career-blindspots-checklist

Welcome back to The Executive Coach Podcast and our JuneCareer Series! Today, I have an important question for you: Have you ever looked around your workspace—whether it's a boardroom, management table, or executive suite—and thought, They just have that thing... and I don’t? That sense of belonging, confidence, and natural authority that makes leadership look effortless?

You’re not alone. Many of my clients share this exact feeling, as if there’s some kind of unwritten rulebook that they were never given access to. A secret formula for executive presence that some people just seem to get while others feel like they’re always playing catch-up.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into these unwritten rules—what they are, why they matter, and how you can master them to break through the glass ceiling. This is the second pillar of my coaching framework, and it’s a game-changer. Whether you’re aiming for the C-suite or simply want to elevate your presence in leadership, understanding and applying these principles will shift everything for you.

And here’s the thing—I’m not here to tell you that the glass ceiling doesn’t exist. In fact, we’re going to acknowledge the systemic factors at play while also equipping you with the tools to navigate them with confidence and ease.

The Unwritten Rules of C-Suite Success

Connect with me on Linkedin

Welcome back to The Executive Coach Podcast! This is Part 2 of my fascinating conversation with Stephen Shapiro, author of Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want Now.

If you haven’t yet listened to Part 1, go back and start there — we focused on you as an individual and your personal relationship with goals.
Today, we’re zooming out — and I’d love you to put your leadership hat on.

Grab a copy of  Goal Free Living, how to Have the Life You Want Now, ⁠here⁠*

This episode is especially for you if you're a busy leader at work or at home wondering:

• Is there a better way to motivate and retain your team?

• Why do your most creative or innovative employees sometimes seem disengaged — or even leave?

• How do you balance the need for structure and systems with the freedom and flexibility that spark innovation?

• Could your goal-driven culture be doing more harm than good?

If you’re tired of endless targets and want to energize your team without burning them out, this episode is a game changer.

Stephen brings research and real-world insight to help you rethink your approach to leadership. And while it might feel counterintuitive at first, loosening your grip on traditional goal-setting could be the key to unlocking greater creativity, longer-term performance, and deeper engagement.

Let’s dive in.

*affiliate link

This episode is an absolute treat. I’m joined by the brilliant Stephen Shapiro, author of Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want Now.

If you’ve ever achieved a big goal — one you poured blood, sweat, and tears into — only to feel a fleeting moment of “Great… what’s next?” rather than true satisfaction, this conversation is for you.

Stephen and I explore how we can redefine our relationship with goals in a way that truly aligns with who we are, not just what we think we should want.

This episode is all about alignment over achievement — and creating success that feels good now, not just in some far-off future. Grab your copy of  Goal Free Living, how to Have the Life You Want Now, here*

*affiliate link