From Sales to Sponsorship: How Women Leaders Close the Gap

In this episode, Javier sits down with Nicole Johnston, a former Chief of Sales at major corporations like P&G, Hershey, and Clark, to discuss her transformative journey from corporate leadership to executive coaching. Nicole shares the pivotal moment that changed everything—a near-fatal car accident that made her realize she'd rather face bodily harm than go to work—and how that wake-up call led her to leave corporate life to focus on developing people instead of hitting revenue targets.

Nicole founded Innate Power to coach mid-career women who feel stuck in their careers, helping them achieve the roles they want. She also provides corporate leadership training and facilitation. Throughout the conversation, Javier and Nicole explore the unique challenges women face in male-dominated corporate environments, the critical difference between coaches, mentors, and sponsors, and why women are particularly poor at cultivating sponsorship relationships—despite needing them most.

The episode also dives into a compelling topic: the impact of Title IX on women's athletics and how women athletes develop resilience and leadership skills that translate to professional success. Nicole shares alarming statistics showing that nearly 70% of female senior leaders are former athletes, yet the systemic barriers women face in sports directly impact their ability to pursue leadership in corporate America.

Key Themes:

• The pivotal moment that sparked Nicole's career pivot
• Why people development beats revenue metrics
• The hidden toxicity of male-dominated sales cultures
• Building inclusive, diverse teams for better energy and performance
• The coach/mentor/sponsor framework and why it matters
• Women's sports, Title IX, and the scholarship gap
• Why 70% of female senior leaders are former athletes
• The confidence gap for women and how sports builds resilience
• Sponsorship as the missing link in women's career advancement

Key Takeaways:

1. Listen to your gut: When your body is telling you to avoid your job, it's time for change.
2. Coach, Mentor, Sponsor—Know the Difference:
3. Women need sponsors, not just mentors. Most women have many mentors but few sponsors—and that's the gap.
4. Sports teaches resilience. Women need safe spaces to learn that failure and struggle are part of growth.
5. Diversity isn't nice-to-have—it's essential. Diverse teams have better energy, culture, and performance.

Timestamps:

• 00:01 – Introduction
• 01:22 – Nicole's pivotal moment (the car accident)
• 02:44 – Leaving corporate to focus on people development
• 04:52 – Introducing Innate Power and her client base
• 05:38 – Being a female sales leader in a male-dominated world
• 21:46 – Title IX, women's sports, and the scholarship gap
• 26:24 – Why sports is critical for girls' leadership development
• 27:57 – Where to find Nicole
• 29:12 – Final question: The conversation women in leadership need to have

Resources & Links:

• Nicole's Website: www.innatpower.com
• Instagram: @Nicole Johnston Coach (look for the yellow jacket!)
• LinkedIn: Nicole Johnston (yellow jacket profile photo)
• Book: Nicole's published work on leadership and career development

Connect with Nicole:Visit her website, follow her on social media, or reach out directly. Nicole works with mid-career women who feel stuck and want to advance their careers, as well as corporations seeking leadership training and facilitation.

Want to be a guest on Positive Leadership Academy – Inspires, Guides and Transforms? Send Javier Llerena a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/positiveleadershipacademypodcast