Gravity Assist Coaching

Another glass ceiling is shattering today.

Christina Koch is going where no woman has gone.

The moon. Tonight. 6:24 PM Eastern.

Christina, a NASA mission specialist and electrical engineer, is about to become the first woman in history to travel to the moon’s vicinity.

She has already logged 328 days in space, the longest single spaceflight by any woman in history. Tonight she goes further than any woman ever has.

And I want to say something to every woman watching this launch:

Glass ceilings do not shatter on their own.

They shatter because someone kept going when every system said “not yet.”

Christina Koch did not get here by waiting to be chosen. She built the credentials, the capability, and the case, until the mission could not be built without her.

That is the same work I ask of every woman in STEM I coach. Not to work harder inside a system that was not built for you. But to understand the system well enough to become undeniable inside it.

Tonight, watch the launch.

And remember: the ceiling only holds until someone decides it does not.

Godspeed, Christina Koch and the crew of Artemis II!

If you’re a woman in STEM, you’ve heard it:

“You’re not quite ready.”
“Just keep doing great work. You’ll get noticed.”

But what if you’ve been doing great work for years, and the recognition never comes?

I’ve been there.

I earned my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. Then my Black Belt.
In every role, I saved my organization millions of dollars, and crucial days (sometimes weeks) of schedule.

Everyone said it should’ve been my ticket to a promotion.
It wasn’t.

That’s when I learned the truth:
The system wasn’t built to reward quiet excellence.

It was built to recognize the people who know how to get seen, sponsored, and supported.

That realization changed everything for me.

I stopped waiting to be chosen.
I started learning how visibility, sponsorship, and strategic positioning actually work, and how women like us can use them to shift the power dynamic.

That’s what I now teach inside The STEM Career Accelerator, a leadership roadmap for women ready to move from overworked to undeniable.

If you’ve ever wondered why “doing more” isn’t working anymore, this is your answer.

Because you don’t need to become someone else to lead.
You just need to learn how to play the game differently, without losing yourself in the process.

Your next level isn’t about working harder.
It’s about being seen differently.

Masterclass seats will be limited. DM me “ready” to get the link before it goes public tomorrow.

Women doubt their success more than men do.
Even when they’ve earned every win.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve just been lucky,”
you’re not alone.

Research shows women experience imposter syndrome
at much higher rates than men【1】—even in leadership.
And in STEM, where you’re often the only woman in the room,
those doubts hit harder.

You question your expertise.
Downplay your wins.
Worry you don’t belong.

But here’s the truth:
You don’t need more proof.
You need to believe the proof you already have.

That’s why I teach every woman I coach this habit:
Take inventory of your strengths—and own them.

Try this:
• Write down 3 things you’ve accomplished that made a difference
• Name 2 skills people consistently recognize in you
• Recall 1 challenge you overcame that still makes you proud

This isn’t arrogance.
It’s evidence.

Confidence isn’t a prerequisite for growth.
It’s a byproduct of seeing your value clearly.

If you don’t own your strengths,
you risk being the last one to recognize them.

P.S. What’s one thing you’re proud of but rarely say out loud?
Share it in the comments—let’s practice here.

Owning your strengths is step one.
Step two? Acting on them before you feel ready.

In my last post, we talked about imposter syndrome—
and how women tend to doubt their abilities, even when they’ve earned every win.

That doubt shows up in job applications, too.
Studies show women often wait until they meet 100% of the qualifications before applying.
Men? They apply at 60%【1】.

If you’ve ever said,
“I’m not ready for that role,”
let’s change the script.

Here’s how to move forward anyway:

Scan for stretch, not perfection.
If the role challenges you—but isn’t a full leap into the unknown—you’re probably ready.

Own what’s transferable.
Technical skills can be learned. Your experience, leadership, and judgment are harder to teach. Lead with those.

Write a learning plan.
For any qualifications you don’t have, list how you’d close the gap. That shows initiative and self-awareness.

Apply anyway.
Don’t eliminate yourself. Let the hiring team decide.
(And if they don’t see your value? That’s not a missed opportunity. That’s a data point.)

You’ve already done hard things.
You’ll figure this out, too.

P.S. What’s one role you’re now thinking about applying for—even if you’re not 100% “ready”?

Women wait until they’re 100% qualified.
Men apply at 60%—and get hired.

If that makes your stomach drop a little—good.
Because it means we can do something about it.

This isn’t a confidence problem.
It’s a strategy problem.
And it’s holding too many brilliant women in STEM back.

Mid-career women tell me all the time:
“I’m not ready for that role.”
“I don’t check every box.”
“I need a few more years.”

Meanwhile, someone with half the experience just hit “submit.”

The data backs this up:
• Men apply when they meet ~60% of qualifications.
• Women wait until they meet every single one.【1】
• Women apply to 20% fewer jobs than men—even when more qualified【2】.

We’re screening ourselves out.
Before we ever get in the room.

This text added to Blue Origin job reqs stands out:

“Don’t meet all desired requirements?
Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification.
If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate.”

Would that make you more likely to apply?
What if every company said that?
What if you didn’t wait for permission?

Confidence doesn’t come first.
Action does.

You don’t need to feel ready.
You just need to move.

P.S. What’s one opportunity you passed on because you didn’t meet 100% of the qualifications? Was it really out of reach?

Until Monday, only 104 women had been to space.
Now it’s 110 — and that shift matters.

Blue Origin’s recent all-female flight made history.
It wasn’t just about reaching space.
It was about expanding who we see in space.

The six crew members weren’t just astronauts.

They were:
🎤 Pop icon Katy Perry
🎤 Journalist Gayle King
🚀 Rocket scientist Aisha Bowe
🧬 Bioastronautics researcher Amanda Nguyen
🎥 Filmmaker Kerianne Flynn
✈️ Pilot and journalist Lauren Sánchez

Different professions.
Different backgrounds.
Different races.
And all women.

This was only the second all-woman spaceflight ever, the first since Valentina Tereshkova in 1963.

But it also marked something bigger:
A new image of who belongs in STEM.

Let’s be honest:
For decades, the narrative has been male, pale, and technical.

Even now, women represent just 15% of the more than 700 people who’ve been to space.

This mission changed that—visibly.
It showed that space isn’t only for engineers or scientists (though yes, Aisha Bowe is a former NASA rocket scientist).

It’s for curious minds. Bold voices. Strategic thinkers. Leaders. Creators.

That visibility? It matters.

Representation in space ripples into classrooms, boardrooms, labs, and launchpads.

When a girl sees someone who looks like her in a flight suit, it shifts what she believes is possible.

And when a team of women takes up literal space in the sky, it tells a generation:
This field is for you, too.

The crew called it a collective experience.
They said, “We’re making space for future women.”

That’s the breakthrough.
Because it’s not about six women going to space once.
It’s about opening the door—and leaving it open.

We still have a long way to go.
But this launch?
It gave us six new names.
Six new ways to imagine who belongs in the launch photo.

And one powerful reminder for the next generation:
You belong here.

P.S. Who inspired you to imagine your place in STEM?
Tag them. Thank them. Or be that voice for someone else today.

Photo Credit: Blue Origin/AFP via Getty Images

Confidence isn’t a feeling.
It’s a decision backed by evidence.

And most women ignore the evidence.

I just attended my daughter’s 5th grade parent-teacher conference.
Before the meeting, each student had to complete a self-assessment.

Here’s what she wrote:

“I love Social Studies because I like learning about the past…
I think Math is a little difficult for me.
I am also a little bad at Science.”

But we’d already seen her report card.

A+ in Science.
A in Math.
Straight. A. Student.

When I reminded her about her grades, she softened her stance.

But then she said it again:
“Yeah… but Math and Science are hard.”

Sound familiar?
It should.
Because grown women in STEM say this too.

They downplay their skills.
Doubt their abilities.
Ignore their track record.

That’s imposter syndrome in action.

Here’s the truth:
Hard doesn’t mean you’re not good at it.
Struggle doesn’t mean you’re not succeeding.
And feelings aren’t facts.

That’s why I created the Career Self-Inventory.

It’s a tool I use with every client—because we don’t always see our strengths clearly.

When you list your roles, achievements, and skills on paper, patterns start to emerge.
Evidence starts to speak louder than self-doubt.
And confidence becomes a choice you can defend.

Your brain may lie to you.
But your receipts won’t.

Want more confidence?
Start with the facts.

P.S. When was the last time you sat down and took stock of your career? Your wins? Your skills? If it’s been a while, maybe it’s time.

Most women in STEM choose mentors by default.
Start choosing by design—here’s how.

If you’re serious about growing your career, you need more than a mentor.
You need a Board of Directors.

This isn’t just a metaphor.
It’s a real structure that supports real progress.

Think about it:
Top-performing executives have boards.
So do founders, athletes, creators.
Why not you?

But here’s the catch:
You can’t just collect people who are “nice” or “senior.”
You need people who play clear roles—each one with a purpose.

Here are the top 3 you need to build around:
1. The Coach
Your Coach helps you improve in real time.
They provide encouragement, honest feedback, and practical tips to help you grow.
They don’t tell you what to do. They ask better questions to help you figure it out.
The Coach is the first person you go to when you feel stuck.

2. The Advisor
Your Advisor has been there.
They’ve walked a similar path and know where the pitfalls are.
When you face a decision, they help you think through the options—and make smarter moves.
They won’t sugarcoat it. They’ll give you the straight truth, with your best interest in mind.

3. The Sponsor
Your Sponsor doesn’t just support you—they advocate for you.
They say your name in rooms that matter.
They nominate you for stretch roles, share your wins with others, and actively open doors.
Sponsors are the difference between working hard and being seen.

These three roles form the foundation of your board.
They cover skill-building, strategy, and access.

There are five more roles that round out a strong board—and I’ll share those in tomorrow’s post.

Stop waiting for one perfect mentor.
Start building the team that will take you further.

P.S. Which of these roles do you already have? And which one are you ready to go find?

Here’s the real retention strategy:
Stop asking women to adapt to broken systems.

Women in STEM don’t leave because they can’t cut it.
They leave because they’re tired of being overlooked, underpaid, and overqualified.

The fix isn’t another workshop.
It’s leadership that values talent over titles, skills over sameness.

If you’re a woman in STEM feeling stuck, it’s not you.
It’s the system.

Let’s build a better one—where you lead from your strengths, not your silence.

I can help you chart that path.

💬 Drop “READY” and I’ll send you the details for my group coaching program.

You don’t need to feel ready.
You need to take the next brave step.

The biggest growth blocker I see in women STEM leaders?
Waiting until they’re “confident enough.”But here’s the truth:

💥 Confidence comes after the leap.
💥 Clarity comes from action—not overthinking.

Try this:
Ask yourself, “What do I do better than anyone else on my team?”
Say it out loud.
Now go tell someone.

This is how my clients break through: not by hustling harder, but by owning their value and asking for what they’ve earned.

Visibility = Value.

🗣️ Want a confidence prompt that works in 5 minutes?

Drop “STEP UP” in the comments.