Reinvention, Leadership & Toxic Culture with Lyndsay Dowd
What if getting knocked down at 50 was the doorway to everything you were actually meant to do? In this episode of The Midlife Makeover Show, Wendy Valentine sits down with Lyndsay Dowd — founder of Heartbeat for Hire, two-time bestselling author, and Harvard guest lecturer — for a fierce, funny, wide-open conversation about reinvention.
After 23 years at IBM, Lyndsay left on her own terms for a new opportunity… and was let go just six months later. The humiliation nearly took her out. But three questions pulled her through, and the answers became the company she runs today. Lyndsay shares what toxic leadership really looks like, why she calls them “power skills” instead of soft skills, how trust becomes your currency, and why your personal brand was never your job title. If you’re staring down a plot twist you didn’t order, this one is your permission slip. 🔥
What You’ll Learn
- The three questions to ask when life hands you a plot twist you didn’t order
- Why “power skills” — listening, delegation, trust — drive real results, not just good vibes
- How great leaders celebrate people, delegate for growth, and never throw their team under the bus
- What a “listening tour” is, and why every new leader needs one in their first 30 days
- Why your personal brand isn’t your job title — and how to find your people in midlife
👉 Connect with Lyndsay
📖 Order Your Copy of Women Waking Up
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My brand-new book, Women Waking Up: The Midlife Manifesto for Passion, Purpose & Play, is finally here! 🎉 Inside, you’ll discover my proven FREEDOM Method to help you break free from what’s holding you back and step boldly into the life you were meant to live.
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✅ My Women Waking Up Playbook
✅ A guided goal-setting workshop
✅ The full FREEDOM meditation series
✅ A printable vision board template
… and more!
👉 Grab your copy and your bonuses now at WomenWakingUp.com
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