Show notes
In this episode of Awaken Your Power, Keri is joined by Karen Laos—speaker, coach, confidence cultivator, and host of the Ignite Your Confidence podcast. Karen has spent 25 years as a trusted C-suite advisor and keynote speaker for companies like Google, Starbucks, and NASA, and is the author of Trust Your Own Voice.
Keri and Karen dive into what it really takes for women to speak up, negotiate clearly, and take up space—at work, in relationships, and on the stage. Karen shares candid stories from her upbringing in a frugal, traditional home and how mixed messages about “being seen” shaped her early relationship with her voice and self-worth.
They explore cultural myths around negotiation, scarcity, gender roles, and “imposter syndrome,” while offering practical tools to help women ask for what they want without apology and step into a deeper, more grounded confidence.
In This Episode, We Explore:
Karen’s origin story: flea markets with her dad, learning to “never pay full price,” and the early messages she absorbed about speaking up
The painful gap between being valued for what you produce vs. being loved simply for who you are
How cultural myths (like “a good negotiation means everyone’s a little unhappy”) keep us in scarcity and zero-sum thinking
Why women tend to over-qualify themselves before applying or asking—and what we can learn from how men apply “underqualified”
The power of clear, direct asks vs. passive, softened language
“If you’re interested…” vs. “Would you like to…”
How to negotiate in a way that creates win–win outcomes, not winners and losers
The subtle ways women still police other women who take up more space, speak boldly, or break traditional norms
Gender conditioning and invisible early messages (like “girl sandwiches” vs. “boy sandwiches”)
Why discomfort is necessary for growth—and how to get curious instead of judgmental when we feel triggered by another woman’s boldness
Imposter syndrome as a sign of growth, not proof you don’t belong
Why we need both warmth and assertiveness, and how women are held to a different standard than men
The idea of a “celebration portfolio” to collect evidence of your strengths and accomplishments
Karen’s mission to reach 10 million women and help them turn self-doubt into self-confidence
Key Concepts & Practices
1. Celebration Portfolio Create two lists:
Your accomplishments (things you’ve done, created, achieved)
Your character strengths (who you are—your attitude, presence, and values)
Return to this when doubt creeps in to remind yourself you do belong where you are.
2. 5 & 5 Exercise Ask five people you trust to share five positive qualities they see in you. Look for themes and strengths you may take for granted because they feel “just like you.”
3. Clear, Direct Asking Replace:
“If you’re interested…”
“If you’d like to…”
With:
“Would you like to…”
“Are you available to…”
“Here’s a time that works for me—does it work for you?”
4. Borrowing Your Future Self When you’re scared to ask or step forward, ask:
“What would the woman I’m becoming do here?”
Then make the decision she would make.
About Karen Laos
Karen Laos is a speaker, confidence cultivator, and communication expert who helps women speak up, negotiate clearly, and own their power in every conversation—from the boardroom to the kitchen table. With 25 years as a trusted advisor and keynote speaker for companies like Google, Starbucks, and NASA, she has coached countless leaders to become more influential and effective.
Karen is the author of Trust Your Own Voice, host of the Ignite Your Confidence Podcast, and is on a mission to help 10 million women transform self-doubt into self-confidence.
Connect with Karen
Karen Laos
Keynote Speaker
Communication Expert & Confidence Cultivator
Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial
Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/
Episodes also available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videos
My book “Trust Your Own Voice”:
https://karenlaos.com/book/
Connect with Keri
For more conversations that challenge the status quo and invite deeper personal power, subscribe to Awaken Your Power on your favorite podcast platform.
Find more of Keri’s writing, talks, and offerings at kerimangis.com.