Podcast · Business

Awfully Quiet

Quiet has a branding problem. At work, it gets mistaken for lack of ambition. Or confidence. Or presence. So you’re told to adjust. To be louder. Faster. More obvious. But what if quiet isn’t the problem… just the positioning? This show is a rebrand. A more strategic, more intentional way of bei

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 13 min
Latest: 12 May 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

12 May 2026 · 10 min

What if the way “up” is actually inward?

I came home from a Monday evening cycling class and immediately sat down to record this. The instructor said something during class that completely stayed with me. And the more I sat with it (or more accurately: sweat through it), the more I realized how much of career ambition, confidence, visibility, and even success seems to come back to that exact thing. Not following what looks impressive externally. Not following the same path as everybody else. But figuring out what actually feels true, warm, strong and deeply yours. This one is very voice-note style. Unfinished thoughts, real time…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E130 · 5 May 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Taking up space gets to be quiet ft. Annelise McCarthy
Apparently, speaking in front of people is one of the most feared things in the world. Which… checks out. Especially if you’re listening to this. This conversation made me want to use my voice more. Not in a performative, “be louder” way. More in a stop overthinking and just say the thing kind of way. This week, I’m joined by Annelise McCarthy: Speaking coach and the voice behind You’re On Mute . She’s just wrapped a national tour across Australia, teaching thousands of women how to speak with confidence. We talk about: Why you’re not actually “bad at speaking” The gap between what you…
E129 · 21 Apr 2026 · 13 min
I never say “senior” in my job title (and I think it’s costing me)
Here’s my confession: I worked five years to get to a senior level position in brand management. But whenever I introduce myself in meetings… I always drop the word "senior". Because it feels like I shouldn’t be making a fuss. Stressing this little word would feel ego driven. Like I want to make myself more important than I am. Until I realized… it’s doing myself and the people I introduce myself to a huge disservice. I talk all about this in what feels like a voice note episode to myself, and to the person who downplays their credentials in the same way.
E128 · 7 Apr 2026 · 6 min
Why exceeding expectations is not the flex quiet people think it is
At some point, exceeding expectations stops being impressive… and starts being expected. It becomes your thing. What you’re known for. And more often than not… what quietly keeps you in place. Because your work is strong. Your standards are high. And somehow, you’re still not the one people think of when opportunities come up. We get into: Why exceeding expectations is the floor, not the ceiling Why quiet people over-index on output and under-index on visibility The difference between value and value people can actually see What to do instead of just working harder What promotion decisions…
E127 · 31 Mar 2026 · 6 min
Why “speak up more” is actually terrible advice for quiet people
You’ve probably been told to “speak up more” at work. And you try. But it never quite works the way people say it will. This episode is about why that advice doesn’t really work for quiet people. And actually… why it can make things worse. We talk about: why visibility isn’t a volume problem what happens when you try to “speak up more” why your thinking stays invisible (even when it’s really good) the difference between talking more and being understood what the quiet version of visibility actually looks like Chapters 00:00 The worst advice quiet people keep getting 00:47 Why visibility was…
E126 · 24 Mar 2026 · 11 min
Dying Just From Trying to Seem Cool
It’s Monday morning. Someone asks how your weekend was. And suddenly you’re performing. Because you feel like you need to sound interesting… without saying that your weekend was actually quite quiet. In this episode of Awfully Quiet , we talk about the version of you that shows up at work. The one that’s polished, professional, reliable. And somehow… a bit hard to connect with. Not because something’s wrong with you. But because you’ve shaped yourself into a version that works. Just not one that people fully feel. I started sharing one small, genuine part of my life at work. Nothing…
E125 · 17 Mar 2026 · 9 min
The Unwritten Rules of Who Gets Seen at Work
You don’t get seen at work just by doing great work. You get seen because people understand what you’re doing, remember it, and talk about it when you’re not in the room. Most of us were never taught how that part actually works. In this episode of Awfully Quiet , we get into the unwritten rules of who actually gets seen at work and why visibility has very little to do with extrovert-coded networking tactics. We talk about why good work doesn’t speak for itself, how advocacy actually works (and how to quietly set it up), why visibility is often about who comes to mind rather than who works…
E124 · 10 Mar 2026 · 13 min
Built for Big Ideas (Not Big Energy)
What do you do when your mind is wired for big ideas but your energy tells a completely different story? In this solo episode, I get honest about the two sides constantly at war in my head: the quiet, introspective one that wants to slow down, and the achiever who refuses to. Building a podcast, a corporate career, digital products and more, all while wondering why I was given a visionary’s mind but not the operator energy to match. This one’s for everyone who’s ever felt too ambitious for their own good... and too tired to stop anyway. Shhhh: If this episode made something click, I’d really…
E123 · 3 Mar 2026 · 15 min
The Intro That Gets You Respected (and Looped In Early)
If introduction rounds make you slightly uncomfortable… this one’s for you. We’re talking about the 30 seconds at the start of a call, and why they quietly shape how people involve you after. Most of us default to our job title. Which sounds fine… but doesn’t actually tell anyone how we think or where we add value. We’ll get into: why intro rounds feel mildly confronting the shift from “performing” to positioning how to make your thinking visible early and real lines you can adapt without sounding rehearsed If you’ve been feeling overlooked in meetings or left out of the more interesting…
E122 · 24 Feb 2026 · 56 min
You Don’t Need to Sound Impressive with Dr. Dan Rosenfeld
If you’ve ever thought, “If I were really confident, this wouldn’t feel so hard,” or felt pressure to sound more impressive than you actually feel, this episode might gently challenge that entire narrative. In this episode of Awfully Quiet, I sit down with Dr. Dan Rosenfeld, psychologist, comedian, and author of The Confidence Equation , to explore why trying to sound confident might be the very thing keeping you stuck in self doubt. Born with cerebral palsy, Dr. Dan has navigated barriers most of us will never face. Through that lived experience, he developed a grounded, unconventional…
E121 · 17 Feb 2026 · 13 min
Stop Hoarding Your Own Brilliance
Your ideas deserve better than your notes app. But I understand why they end up there. What feels layered and sharp on the inside rarely comes out that way on the first try. And most advice about “putting yourself out there” sounds the same: be louder, be faster, be more extroverted than you actually are. So you keep your thinking to yourself. Not because it isn’t good. But because you don’t want to break character to express it. Your idea. Your perspective. Your creative instinct. It becomes something you enjoy privately. Meanwhile, someone else runs with something half as considered. In…
E120 · 10 Feb 2026 · 59 min
Getting Hired Quietly: Why Positioning Beats Applying ft. Anna Belyaeva
If you’re quiet, introspective, and don’t consider yourself good at “selling yourself,” this conversation will change how you think about job search. This week, I sat down with Anna Belyaeva to talk about how jobs actually happen now, especially for people who think deeply, do solid work, and don’t rely on loud self-promotion. Anna is a Stanford-certified career coach and job search strategist who works with ambitious professionals to help them land high-paying roles they genuinely enjoy. In this conversation, we get into: the career skills that matter most, but often get overlooked why…
E119 · 3 Feb 2026 · 8 min
4 Ways to Make Your Thinking Visible
In this episode, I walk through four concrete moves that help make your thinking visible at work, especially if you tend to be on the quieter side. Not by speaking more, pushing yourself to perform confidence, or explaining yourself all the time. But by making your judgement, direction, and intent easier for other people to follow. We look at: – why quiet thinking so often stays invisible by default – what people actually look for when they’re trying to gauge competence – how to anchor your thinking to judgement, direction, and consistency – four practical moves that help turn quiet into…
E118 · 27 Jan 2026 · 5 min
Quiet Thinking at Work: When It’s Seen as Smart and When It’s Overlooked
Quiet doesn’t get overlooked because it’s weak. It gets overlooked when other people don’t know what to make of it. In this episode, we move past why quiet gets misread at work and into the more useful question: when does quiet thinking actually start working? You’ll hear why two people can think quietly in the same room, and yet only one is read as smart, trusted, and pulled into bigger conversations. This episode is for you if you’ve ever felt: – capable, but underestimated – trusted to deliver, but not to lead – included, but not invited into what comes next You’ll leave with a clearer…
E117 · 20 Jan 2026 · 9 min
The Quiet Tax: Good, But Going Nowhere
You do solid work. People rely on you. And still, you’re easier to overlook than you should be. This episode looks at how that happens. How perception forms at work. Why some people get read as “ready” early, while others keep delivering without being pulled forward. It’s not a confidence issue. And it’s not about motivation. It’s a quieter mechanism most people never name. The quietest big dream behind this show is to change how quiet is read and understood at work. That only happens if this work reaches the people it’s meant for. So if an episode ever resonates, follow the show and leave a…
E116 · 13 Jan 2026 · 7 min
Why Loud Behavior Wins Over Quiet at Work
Quiet people are often told the same things: Speak up more. Be more confident. Put yourself out there. But what if none of that is actually the real problem? In this episode, we look at something far more uncomfortable + far more powerful: the fact that quiet behavior creates cognitive and evolutionary discomfort in other people. Not because you’re doing anything wrong. But because the human brain is wired to distrust what it can’t read. This episode isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about understanding the invisible forces shaping how you’re interpreted and why loudness so often wins before…
E115 · 6 Jan 2026 · 22 min
Too Quiet for Your Own Good?
I’ve been questioning something I always thought was non-negotiable: consistency. This week, I reflect on the pressure of releasing an episode every single week, the tension between quality and output, and the fear of stopping when consistency feels like the only thing holding momentum together. It’s a conversation about podcast growth, but also about careers, ambition, and visibility. I draw a parallel to my early corporate career, where I learned that doing excellent work wasn’t enough if no one beyond my immediate team could see it. Quiet people are often told to “be more visible,”…
E114 · 30 Dec 2025 · 20 min
Becoming Senior Without Becoming Loud
In this episode, I reflect on my first year as a Senior Brand Manager and the quiet unlearning that came with it. From letting go of performative “senior behaviour,” to learning when not to speak, this is an honest look at what leadership starts to require as your scope grows. We talk about finding your senior voice, steering instead of telling, facilitating decisions rather than forcing them, and why quiet, observational people often come into their power later, but more sustainably. If you’re ambitious, capable, and stepping into more responsibility without wanting to change who you are,…
E113 · 23 Dec 2025 · 8 min
8 Minutes to Exhale the Work Year
Before you disappear into the well-earned nothingness, take these eight quiet minutes to gently close the work year. A soft bridge between what you’ve just wrapped up and the rest that’s waiting on the other side. No goal-setting. No performance. Just you, taking a moment to let your system settle before the holidays take over. This short pause is an invitation to exhale the noise, remember what worked, release what didn’t, and return to yourself so you can actually enjoy the break you’ve earned. And if you know someone who’s crawling toward Christmas with half a battery left… send this…
E112 · 16 Dec 2025 · 9 min
How Opportunity Finds You (Or Doesn’t)
There’s a moment when you realise the opportunity you wanted all year… might not have known where to sit if it arrived. This episode looks at the subtle difference between wanting something and actually being ready for it, and how the smallest adjustments change the way opportunity finds us. Through two simple, everyday metaphors, we explore how shifts in our environment, habits, and clarity create the kind of space where what you want would actually feel at home. Not through force or hustle, but through intention. A gentle, precise reflection on readiness, desire, and the quiet work that…
E111 · 9 Dec 2025 · 19 min
Tiny Conversations That Decide How People See You
We often assume our reputation at work is shaped by the big moments. The presentations. The milestones. The “official” opportunities. But most people form their opinion of us in the tiny, forgettable interactions — the “how was your weekend,” the quick update in the hallway, the accidental coffee machine moment with someone senior. Because these conversations feel insignificant, we wing them or downplay them. But this is where presence is actually built. These micro-moments become small stages, not for performance, but for clarity. And when you use them with intention, something shifts:…
E110 · 2 Dec 2025 · 59 min
Confidence Is Trying: Self-Doubt, Courage & Tall Poppies with Lauren Currie OBE
Today I'm speaking with Lauren Currie OBE, founder of UPFRONT, an organization on a mission to change confidence, visibility, and power for 10 million women. We explore the quiet moments behind stepping onto a stage, leading change, and taking up space in ways that actually feel like you. We talk about the unlearning that has to happen before confidence becomes real, letting go of the pressure to be louder, bigger, shinier… or smaller, softer, easier. Lauren shares her journey building UPFRONT and helping thousands move into rooms, conversations, and opportunities that feel scary but…
E109 · 25 Nov 2025 · 11 min
#109: How to Introduce Yourself in Meetings
Someone on a Teams call says, “Let’s do quick introductions,” and suddenly your brain goes… blank. It’s not nerves, it’s that micro-freeze when your instinct to reflect meets a moment built for performance. In this episode, we unpack what’s really happening beneath that silence, and how to introduce yourself in a way that feels grounded, effortless, and distinctly you. No more robotic “corporate bio” voice. Just clear, intentional language that lands. This is part of the Subtle Scripts mini-series: practical, ready-to-use language for real moments at work. Get the full set of 200+ scripts to…
E108 · 18 Nov 2025 · 16 min
#108: Recording, Rebranding, and Rethinking Awfully Quiet
Two years into Awfully Quiet , it was time for a subtle rebrand. In this behind-the-scenes episode, I take you inside my little home studio recording an episode of the podcast, reflecting on how far it has come, and sharing the story behind the rebrand. From the new photoshoot to what this next era means creatively and personally, this episode is part studio vlog, part reflection, part permission slip for anyone ready to evolve without losing their quiet. Hit subscribe to not miss an episode of this new era. ⭐ Rate five stars wherever you listen, it makes a huge difference.
E107 · 11 Nov 2025 · 14 min
#107: 7 Steps To Rebrand Your Quiet
Quiet is getting a rebrand. For everyone who’s ever been called shy, reserved, or too quiet at work. This is where you stop waiting to be seen and start shaping how you’re seen. Seven steps. Seven quiet power moves. To shift the story about you, without changing who you are. My resource line-up: Quiet Flex Framework Subtle Scripts Pack Self-Promo Cheat Sheet Hit subscribe if you’re ready to rebrand your quiet (because more to come). ⭐ Rate five stars wherever you listen, it makes a huge difference.
E106 · 4 Nov 2025 · 16 min
#106: The Work Before It Works
This one’s for you if you’re building something, a dream, a project, a business, a new version of yourself, and can’t help but wonder: Will this ever work? You already know the advice: trust the process, stay consistent, enjoy the journey. But some days, that’s not enough. Some days, you just need a new thought, one that keeps you moving when the effort feels pointless, or the outcome feels far away. In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my own “in-between” season, sharing the reflections, reframes, and quiet mental shifts that help me stay in it, even when the results aren’t…
E105 · 28 Oct 2025 · 24 min
#105: The Rebrand You Need At Work
What does running a half marathon have in common with unlocking your next career level? More than you think. Both test your endurance, not just physically or professionally, but mentally. Both ask you to stay on top of the story you tell yourself when things get tough, slow, or uncertain. In this episode, I talk about a moment mid-run when I remembered who tf I really am , and how that same energy is what gets you unstuck in your career, especially if you’re the quiet, introspective type. Because showing up as yourself, truly, deeply, unfilteredly yourself, isn’t a switch. It’s a muscle. One…
E104 · 21 Oct 2025 · 17 min
#104: The Networking Hack That Got Me Dream Guests and Job Offers
I’m not a natural networker, but this one approach has opened more doors for me than anything else. It’s how I landed podcast guests I never thought would say yes, secured interviews for my master’s thesis, and even stepped into corporate positions. In this episode, I share the simple networking hack that works — not by promoting yourself endlessly, but by knowing exactly what you want from a conversation and being able to say it clearly. If networking has ever felt awkward, self-serving, or impossible to get right, this one’s for you.
E103 · 14 Oct 2025 · 18 min
#103: When You’re Trying Too Hard to Be Chosen
Have you ever wanted something so badly (a role, an opportunity, someone’s approval) that your energy tipped from ambition into… desperation? Maybe you kept saying yes , tried to be impressive, shaped yourself into whatever you thought they wanted, and somewhere in the process, you disappeared a little. This episode is a quiet reflection on that feeling, what drives it, how it sneaks into our behaviour, and how we can shift from “please choose me” into quiet self-trust. If you’ve ever worried that you want it too much, this one is for you. If you liked this episode and enjoy the show, please…
E102 · 7 Oct 2025 · 11 min
#102: 3 Scripts to Save You in Meetings
Ever had your name called in a meeting and your mind just… blanks? Your heart races, your face feels hot, and by the time you think of what you should have said, it’s already two hours later on the train home. If that’s familiar, you’re not alone. Freezing in the moment doesn’t mean you’re incompetent. It just means your nervous system is overloaded. And the good news? You can learn subtle ways to handle it. In this episode, I share three scripts that save you when your mind goes blank in a meeting . How to stall with grace (and actually look more composed) How to flip the spotlight and lead…

About Awfully Quiet

Awfully Quiet is a English business podcast from Hannah Sosa. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Hannah Sosa
Language: English
Category: Business
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 13 min
Latest episode: 12 May 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1707497633

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