PostdocTransformation show for scienctists leaping into business
Get to know companies which hire people with a doctor title
Episode 0066 Shownotes
From Lab Coat to Launchpad:
How to Conquer the Imposter syndrome
Are you a scientist wanting to leap from academia to business? In this episode of the PostdocTransformation Show, hosted by Prof. Dr. Eleonore Soei-Winkels, you will learn insights and strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome, leveraging academic skills in the business world, and using psychological concepts like cognitive flexibility, a growth mindset and self-efficacy to adapt to new challenges.
You will be encouraged to explore side business projects, utilize AI tools, and apply growth mindset principles. The episode also highlights essential tools for building and managing a digital business.
Additionally, you can use our free business preparation quiz to check your startup readiness.
You are invited to our new internship opportunity in podcasting to help you gain practical experience and industry connections.
For your free career planning, check your readiness to leap, enroll in our email course for your career transition made simple, and plan your life with our calendar.
All linked in these show notes.
Subscribe to our weekly seasonal show on your favorite podcast platforms: Why? Postdoc scientists & PhD students / candidates will learn the basics for their career transition from research into business & industries AND will get to know a company that hires early career scientists!
About our PostdocTransformation show
Invest in your PostdocTransformation. Welcome to the seasonal show for scientists leaping into business. In every sponsored episode, we are happy to recommend employers of choice for you. Make sure to check your readiness to leap out of science with us for free, as linked in the show notes. For your career transition, we offer customized career transition e-courses and memberships, also at graduate schools all over the world.
Maybe yours too. And if your university isn't yet our customer, enroll in your free email course for career transition made simple as linked in the show notes. I'm your host, Professor Dr. Eleonore Soei Winkels, with my team who is rooting for you. And let's build your PostdocTransformation with this episode.
Announcement: Second podcast show #CreatingReorganized
[00:00:00] Thank you for listening to my PostdocTransformation Show. Maybe you want to leap out of science and start your own side business as a runway for your better future. Then you will benefit from my free business preparation quiz as linked in the show notes. If you want to organize your marketing and selling efforts, please also subscribe to my new video podcast show, Creating Reorganized.
[00:00:25] I share my tricks from creating this show, speak with business owners who run a podcast for their business, and learn from podcasting service providers about their tools boosting our businesses. My new video podcast show, CreatingReorganized, will also be a living example of applied industrial and occupational psychology for my students in real life.
[00:00:46] And now, let's get to this episode.
Overcoming imposter syndrome (00:01:06)
Dear PostdocTransformer, welcome back to another episode of our PostdocTransformation Show for the scientists leaping into business. Do you know that I love rollercoasters? Yes. In my previous live, I have had a lot of rollercoaster rides, and why do I love rollercoaster? Well, it's a calculated, enhanced, apparently safe thrill for me. And this feeling of onboarding a rollercoaster that is slightly too high, it was a very similar feeling when I left my lab coat at my university and then started to wear business suits as an IT analyst. I knew that other scientists have also leaped successfully before me.
https://juniorconsultant.net/accenture/soei-winkels/ (that is a business portrait of young Eleonore, LOL).
And I also felt like standing with my back at the wall and there was no other way to go forward, so I had to onboard into my own new business career. [00:02:00] There was nothing else to do. And I have not regretted it once!
Yes. I boomerang back eventually to academia to be appointed as a professor for industrial occupational psychology at an applied university, and I have dedicated an episode to all of you who may want to come back one day as linked in the show notes, but I never stopped being in and building my own business. So let me be your guide on your PostdocTransformation because if you are ready to shake off those academic anxieties and step into a future that truly excites you, I know that will be a future for you that is brighter than today's presence.
And today we're gonna be diving head first into our biggest fears. That may also be, keeping you as a brilliant scientist stuck in the academic comfort zone.
Even when you know in your gut it's time for something new. I am talking about this, you know, feeling a little voice whispering. You don't know enough, you're not [00:03:00] qualified. You need another degree, another certification, another five years of learning before you can even think of making that leap into business.
And I do know that voice. It's the voice of the imposter syndrome. A sneaky little devil that loves to tell high achievers like you and me. That we're just not good enough, no matter how many degrees we have already under our belt or how many papers you have published or so.
It's like that time you submitted a paper and you knew it was solid, you double checked everything, but still had that, tiny voice in your head saying, are the reviewers going to believe that I did this? Well, you know what? Imposter syndrome will follow you also in the business world because it's all in your head.
but Here's the hilarious and also liberating truth, my dear PostTransformer, everyone feels this. Even people who have been running multinational corporations for decades still get the flutter of. [00:04:00] Am I really qualified for that? Do I know everything I need?
But you know, you with your PhD and your rigorous pursuit of knowledge are uniquely equipped to tackle this.
If you are a returning PostdocTransformer, you know my favorite part of each episode, which is my PostdocTransformation Show avatar mantra, and you can be sure to listen to it later as my original recording, but for now, let me put it this way. You are a brilliant scientist.
You are armed with years of academic knowledge, capable of complex problem solving, meticulous data analysis, critical thinking and strategic planning. Honestly, all of these skills are the ones that businesses are desperately seeking as future proof skills.
Understanding transferable skills (00:06:43)
You don't have to believe me. I invite you to listen to our other [00:07:00] episodes on the future of work, where exactly these kind of skills are future proof skills, and I will link to that episode in the show notes of course.
But back to you. So you're now secretly terrified that your specialized research expertise won't translate, won't be enough in business.
Maybe you are thinking of getting a new shiny MBA, another certification before you can even think of making a move into business. You believe the business world speaks a completely different language and you are stuck speaking in LaTex and python and obscure scientific jargon like R or something like that.
So the picture I now have is like, you are a highly specialized deep sea diver, suddenly asked to pilot a spaceship. Well, and you're thinking, uh, but where are my gills to breathe on my new mission? And that's because you're not yet realizing that breathing works totally [00:08:00] different in the deep sea versus in space.
And I remember that feeling so vividly. In my PhD in neuroscience. I was so focused on neuro pathways, on designing intricate experiments. I was very proud of them and getting those papers published, I did get them published, but you know, that was a currency that was worthless in business and having to find a well-paid job outside of academia.
So, specifically the idea of jumping into it at Aldi South. It honestly felt like jumping off a cliff without a parachute directly into a pool of acronyms I didn't understand, and my mind was screaming. You don't know enough. You're going to embarrass yourself in front of people who speak, return on investment instead of ANOVA.
And my mind was screaming, you don't know enough. You are going to fail. Of course. [00:09:00] And what were you thinking? You achieved so much and now you wanna start over and feel like stupid again. You are going to embarrass yourself in front of people who think Roy or RIO or what is it?
Personal experience transitioning to business (00:11:18)
It was generally terrifying. I mean, my background was psychology and neuroscience. Not really business or IT, so it was like the complete opposite. But like I said, I was offered the job and so somebody believed in me. I had to bet on myself as well, and I actually recorded an episode, which I will link in the show notes for you to find out.
But back to you and listen closely because this is crucial. Your drive, your analytical thinking, your tireless problem solving and your sheer grid that you have developed in academia will be key for your success in business.
Every single day in your [00:12:00] research, you are learning, adapting, pushing boundaries, failing, iterating, and pushing again. All by yourself mostly if you have been socialized in toxic academia. And That is the very definition of a growth mindset as coined by the brilliant professor, Dr. Carol Dweck. It's the belief that your abilities can be developed by dedication and hard work, not you, and it's not fixed. And I will link to her must see YouTube video in the show notes because she's truly inspiring.
As a researcher, you've been living and breathing a growth mindset your entire academic career, even if you did not call it like that. You already know how to learn new things and become an expert.
Now you just switch the topic and you become an expert again.
So here's your actionable prompt. I want you to take 15 minutes. And list three to five transferable skills from your research that are not tied to your specific scientific niche.
Think broadly, did you [00:13:00] manage a complex research project with multiple stakeholders and deadlines? Well, that's project management. Did you analyze vast and complex data sets and present compelling findings? That's data analytics and strategic communication. Maybe you did secure research grants. Well, that's fundraising and proposal writing.
Now, here's then the fun part. Hop onto LinkedIn, which is your sandbox for business, and search for job descriptions in your desired business field. See how many of these skills you have identified.
I bet you will be wonderfully surprised at how much you already bring to the table. If you think you just bring 60% or 75% to the table. Apply anyway.
And speaking of LinkedIn, make sure that your profile reflects these amazing transferable skills. It's your new professional storefront. Don't be shy. Let it your light shine. Especially if you are a woman. And by the way. I am not an affiliate [00:14:00] partner of LinkedIn and I still have a free account, so believe me, you don't need a paid subscription to benefit from most LinkedIn goodies for your own career transition.
Do you feel that your comfortable academic world starts to feel a little bit constraining maybe the funding never seems quite enough. Maybe the politics is getting a little bit too much, or maybe you are yearning for more tangible, direct impact from your hard Won knowledge, and to be honest, if you just want to earn more money, that's also your pink slip. You might even start vaguely searching for jobs outside of academia and feeling that familiar pull towards something new, but the not knowing enough monster holds you back.
I've recorded a couple of future work episodes where I highlight which industries and roles are actually future proof, so I hope that you'll also listen to them in your search for jobs outside of [00:15:00] academia.
So what is this imposter syndrome? The not knowing enough monster that holds you back. It tells you to stay put and play small, to stick with the devil you know, even if that devil wears tweed and smells fainty of stale coffee. It is more in the museum instead of in the future.
But what if I told you that this exact feeling tells you that you are on the verge of something incredible. It means you are pushing against your comfort zone, and that's precisely where all the magic happens.
Believe me, I have never looked back.
So when I was pregnant in 2013, already working as an IT strategy consultant at Accenture, the opportunity arose , to be appointed as a professor for industrial occupational psychology at an applied university. It was not a big leap. Why? Because I strategically was already preparing for that boomeranging back to academia, on my [00:16:00] terms. After a couple of years in business, I was intellectually bored and hence, for a semester I taught an introductory course in Psychology for Business students. I enjoyed it, and I was offered a professorship because I already had a PhD under my belt. So when I finally fell pregnant, I already had built a parachute or safety net.
It was to me a natural progression to help others make similar transitions between academia and business and also back. So it was all about leveraging what I already know while being unafraid to learn what I didn't. And I used my skills in a new context. And guess what?
The world did not end. I leaped out, it was okay. I leaped back. It was also okay. It got a lot more interesting and I stand today with both feet in it and business, but also academia [00:17:00] and I wouldn't want it any other way. So if you wanna learn more about my career transition, I actually recorded a looking back episode for National Postdoc Appreciation Week in 2023, published that also as an episode number two, as linked in the show notes.
Cognitive Flexibility Theory in business (00:20:11)
Most of my coachees, sooner or later come back for career coaching, after I have helped them to leap into business. And this is why. If they are applying their scientific knowledge or at least mindset in business, it feels to them messy.
So unpredictable. So non-sciencey. They wonder, is it me? Am I doing something wrong? How can I navigate through this uncertainty let me assure you, maybe your future you, it's not you, it's the business landscape that you have entered. So now we'll zoom into a more powerful theory from the learning sciences.
And it's called Cognitive Flexibility Theory, developed by Spiro et al this psychological concept [00:21:00] suggests that the ability to switch between different concepts and tasks and adapt behavior to changing situations is crucial for your success in business.
I know it's from 1992, and hence it could be called old. Yes. But it's fundamental for every scientist leaping into business, and you can find the reference in the show notes of course.
So as a scientist, you've been doing this your whole life, adapting your research questions, your methods, your interpretations based on new data. And that same flexibility is now your key to navigating the business world, which is, let's be honest, often chaotic and ever changing.
Now, this theory is originally meant to help learners deal with complex ill structured domains like medicine history or literary interpretation, but it turns out that this theory also explains beautifully why the business world feels so [00:22:00] fundamentally different from academia. And more importantly, it helps you understand how to succeed in it before you leap into a business which is gold, right? So hence, this is an episode you may want to bookmark for later when you are in your first 100 days of your new job.
Spiro et al. (1992). Cognitive Flexibility, Constructivism, and Hypertext: Random Access Instruction for Advanced Knowledge Acquisition in Ill-Structured Domains. Constructivism and the technology of instruction: A conversation. 35. 57-.
Let's pause for a moment to respect those who sponsor this valuable episode. I want to share with you my best marketing agent. Serving my underprivileged, underrepresented and underserved audience, leads and clients is key for me. As an Asian working mom, business owner and professor in Germany. But I can't be marketing and selling all the time.
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Thanking our advertisers for their financial support, we are happy to return to our inspiring episode.
So what are ill structured domains and why is business one of them? Let me take you back to your academic roots. Maybe you were trained in a field like biology, physics, chemistry, or psychology, these are at first glance, well structured domains, rules, formulas, control experiments.
There are clear beginnings, middles, and end, and all operators are clear. That's very easy to understand, quote unquote easy. But the moment you go deeper into applying knowledge into real life situations, you start to feel the chaos. Even in science, the world does not [00:23:00] behave like a clean lab. And business.
Well, market excellence. Innovation and especially thought and people leadership in these AI times are great examples for ill structured domains. In business, every situation is unique. The same product can flop in one market and fly in another. There are no fixed rules.
Context is everything, you deal with market behavior, customer emotions, team dynamics, regulations, finance, and even unpredictable global events. All at once. And that's where cognitive flexibility theory comes in.
So one could ask why most scientists struggle in business. And it's not their fault.
According to cognitive flexibility theory structured domains have two characteristics, and maybe you already recognize them from today.
Number one, conceptual complexity. Many ideas, perspectives and [00:24:00] structures, interact all at once. Number two, case to case irregularity. What works in one situation often does not work in another, even if they seem very similar. And does that now sound scary? Well add speed and decision-making under uncertainty.
And that's business in a nutshell.
Now that's a problem for us scientists, right? Most of us were trained with oversimplified models. We need to find a huge data set to be able to be confident decision makers, we need to think in tidy categories, apply formulas, delete outliers, control for whatever, but there is no control for reality.
But in business, that leads to what Cognitive flexibility theory calls reductive bias. We try to put everything in little boxes too much. We try to apply the same model everywhere as 100%. We do not adapt fast enough. Also, we fail to transfer our knowledge to new messy situations.
Not because we're not smart, but because we were not trained to be flexible.
Now, this [00:27:00] model is a constructivist approach, so it helps you to do something differently, and here's what I love about that. It doesn't tell you. Throw everything away and start from zero, but instead reassemble what you already know differently, and that's called the double constructivist view.
Number one, you construct understanding in the moment. And number two, then you construct the knowledge you need from fragments instead of retrieving some ready to use ready-made solutions. In other words, you stop asking what's the one correct answer?
And instead you are start asking which parts of what I know can I creatively combine for this specific business case.
So that's a shift. I stop here because you have not yet leaped into business, but I want to prepare you for your successful PostdocTransformation.
If you want a dedicated episode on how to use the cognitive flexible [00:28:00] theory for you as a scientist in business. Let me know.
[00:12:56] Let's pause for a moment to respect those who sponsor this valuable episode.
And did you know that we offer deep dive e-course workshops and memberships at graduate schools? Maybe also at yours in the future. Ask your graduate school coordinator, whether they want to book my services so that I can deliver them to you 24 seven, 365 on your mobile device.
And even better, if you get us paid by your grad school, we will pay you 50 percent recurring sales commissions.
So, you will earn money with us as we help you and your PhD besties to [00:05:00] transition into business. We can build our PostdocTransformation together.
So instead of course, I want you now to use the cognitive flexibility theory for playing around with AI to start your own business side project. maybe you are thinking you want to be more business ready. You're not there yet. Why not? Partner with AI tools that force you to reassemble your scientific knowledge for developing and testing business applications of your research.
You can use agenda AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Gamma Perplexity AI, or Notion AI. Just to give you some opportunities that don't just give you answers, but help you remix, refine, and rethink. You can use them to test multiple perspective, generate diverse scenarios, and prepare for the unpredictability of business life.
[00:29:00] Remember, AI is not replacing your thinking. It is your co-pilot in navigating the unknown.
And speaking of preparation, I want you to now expect already the following for when you have leaped into business. You will adapt to business and that uncomfortable tension of adaptation is not failure, it's growth. It's cognitive flexibility in action, okay? You are not just transferring your knowledge, you are transforming yourself.
And because your PostdocTransformation will take place, you can already train for that. Anticipating what will happen by following my actionable prompts. I want you to think about a time in your academic career where you had to pivot, learn a new technique on the fly, or solve a problem outside of your immediate expertise, how did you approach it? What resources did you [00:30:00] use? What did you learn about yourself learning how to adapt.
Take those strategies and imagine applying them to your side business. For example, "when my PCR machine broke, I did not give up. I troubleshooted researched alternatives and found a workaround. That's problem solving under pressure. How can I use that today?" You can start actively looking for online courses or industry reports that might give you a taste of business concepts and platforms like Thinkific are a fantastic resource for this, allowing you to sample short courses on marketing, finance, or leadership. It's like a scientific experiment, just for your own career. And here are some of my best practices to overcome imposter syndrome that I discussed with my coachees too. Number one, a success journal. Collect your success. And growth moments with dates, context, people involved, their reactions and maybe even compliments for your performance.
What may have been the [00:31:00] success factors, why that success matters to you, and how you can maybe repeat that in a similar context. You need to schedule a success journal date every quarter or semester in your teaching downtime because I guarantee you, you will never find enough time for that, unless you have already scheduled that in your diary.
Hey, before we continue, we want to appreciate those who financed this valuable episode for you. I want to share with you my time and energy saver. As a professor for industrial and occupational psychology, I also teach about the future of work. And as a former IT strategy consultant, of course I embrace AI to be a future proof podcast producer of the PostdocTransformation Show and the CreatingReorganized Show.
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After this quick appreciation of our sponsors, we are now back in our insightful episode.
Best practices for overcoming imposter syndrome (00:32:44)
Number two, be your own cheerleader. No one can uplift you more than yourself, in that context. I recorded an episode about start betting on yourself as linked in the show notes.
Number three, stop self-sabotage. [00:33:00] No one can hit you harder like yourself.
So when you start something new, give yourself grace. You must embrace failure before achieving mastery. So be kind to yourself, maybe as kind as you would be to your loved ones. You also deserve compassion and
number four, goal setting. Okay, I have recorded a couple of episodes on how to set realistic and attractive goals, and you can find them all in the show notes.
And related to number four is what is the optimal outcome considering your circumstances? You know, some of us have more privileges or challenges than others, so success is not created equal, and I want you to be compassionate with yourself.
Number six, hire a career coach, if you need help. The best reach to the top with the help of others. Reaching out for help is not a sign [00:34:00] of weakness. It's strength. And maybe now you think, well, I don't have the financial means to hire a career coach. Well, let's talk about a mentor that you don't have to pay.
In your academic journey you had supervisors, postdocs, senior researchers who guided you, and in the business context. The mentor might not always be a formal mentor sitting across from you, be your supervisor, sometimes it's the resources, tools, the communities that empower you to take the next step, or maybe it's this PostdocTransformation Show. These are the guides to show you the path to overcome that not knowing enough monster, the imposter syndrome. Most of us are willing to share their expertise with you if you ask well prepared questions. For example, you can ask me all your career transition questions and I will gladly record an answer as a future episode.[00:35:00]
I just cannot coach you for free one-on-one.
But help can also come in a different form. Think about technology. Okay? So knowing what you want to achieve, you can use technology to be more efficient and effective. My journey from a university to Accenture, the global technology and management consulting company, and then to becoming a professor at an applied university and now a podcaster on top has been incredibly reliant on tech.
Why? Because I believe in leveraging technology for automatic data flow set and forget capabilities, saving time, reducing errors, and creating my own AI sandbox. And it's also about showing my own students, especially women, how we can absolutely capitalize on technology to build our own business. For instance, when I produce this podcast, I [00:36:00] use Podbean for hosting and it's like the perfect academic repository for your audio, but for the world to hear, and even also for video now and for editing my video and audio, Descript is the absolute go-to asset. It uses AI to edit audio like text. It's like having a super smart research assistant who cleans up your data within a few clicks. It's a literal game changer, especially for anyone who like me, prefers writing to fiddling with audio waves. I don't wanna do that. If you can edit a Word document, you can edit a video podcast, with Descript.
And this leads us to the future of work and AI, many of you feel like AI is a threat or just something for tech giants, but for you, the analytical minds, AI is an incredible opportunity. It's about augmenting your existing [00:37:00] skills, not replacing them. Imagine using AI tools to quickly research market trends, summarizing complex reports, summarizing, understanding, and even drafting initial business proposals. It's about working smarter, not harder.
Here's your actual prompt. Dedicate one hour this week to explore a new AI tool relevant to your business side project. You don't have to try to master that within an hour. I just want you to play with it, see what it can do, and this hands-on experience will demystify AI and how you can use your assistant in conquering the not knowing enough area of business.
Don't make the same mistake like one of my students: to my surprise, he said, I tried Google Bard in 2023 and it sucked. I don't use AI at all. [00:38:00] Uh, okay. Let me tell you what I told him. AI developments come weekly, or sometimes new models seem to be released daily in an innovation race. I used to play around with new AI in every season break to improve my podcasting, but to be honest, I think I should be testing out new AI features weekly for content creation or video or audio editing.
And now over to you Dear PostdocTransformer. I will insert my avatar affirmation for you and I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I do.
After listening, I hope you are now armed with new found confidence and tools ready to build a bridge from academia to business. And it's not about jumping blindly, it's about strategic [00:42:00] small step. And I even created a mini series for you as a Runway episodes 56 to 60 as linked in the show notes. In short, one fantastic way to start building that bridge, even while you're still immersed in academia, is to start drum roll a side business.
And this is your entrepreneurial sandbox. It is a low risk way to test ideas, develop new skills, and even generate a bit of extra income. You don't need to quit your PhD or postdoc tomorrow. Finish that with grace and then Leap. You can dedicate a few hours a week. Learn about marketing, sales, and customer service.
And this is exactly what we champion on our other podcast, CreatingReorganized. We are all about taking those entrepreneur sparks and fanning them into flames. We've got 1,800 downloads for eight episodes in our first season as of June 25, which might [00:43:00] sound small, but you know, it's about 600 individual listeners who are taking action towards their entrepreneurial dreams, and yes, you heard that correctly.
All our episodes are listened multiple times, reflecting the actionable nature of our shows. Every big journey starts with a small, consistent step. We talk about building brand awareness, consistent content creation and lead generation. All the things small business owners need.
And speaking of consistent content creation, this is where effective marketing comes in. We use tools like ActiveCampaign for our automated email marketing, and it's genius for automating follow up messages and keeping our community engaged and also helps us capture information seamlessly. For analytics, Metricool is a lifesaver. It gives me a holistic view of my social media and podcast performance. These are the tools that let you [00:44:00] set and forget so you can focus on what you do best, which is maybe building your own business.
And now drum roll. For those of you who listen to the CreatingReorganized show and think, oh, this podcasting thing, you know, that sounds great. I just don't have the time or the tech know-how to produce it myself, even though you are talking about that. I don't wanna learn that. I just wanna build my own business. That's it.
Well, let's just say we're cooking up something really special for you. Imagine a premium white label done for your podcasting service for small business owners who understand the power of audio and video content, but want someone else, me and my team, to handle all the heavy lifting.
More on that soon, but let's just say we're building the solution for your brand awareness, consistent content creation and lead generation needs.
Self-efficacy
Now let me throw in another psychological model [00:45:00] theory concept I have already discussed in previous episodes, so I won't dovetail that in detail. It is, of course, the self-efficacy theory, by Albert Bandura and this theory states that your belief in your ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task influences your motivation and behavior.
And by taking small steps like starting a site business or learning a new AI tool, you build self-efficacy. Each small success reinforces your belief that you can do this chipping away. You know that imposter syndrome.
Now here's your actionable prompt. If applying your science to business is not on your mind for your side business, identify a small business idea or skill you are curious about. For example, offering freelance writing, consulting on data analysis, creating an online course.
Listen to the CreatingReorganized Show because the more often you [00:46:00] immerse yourself to business language, the less cringe it will feel.
Then you can outline just the very first step you could take this week. Maybe it's researching a potential niche or learning a new feature in a business tool you just discovered. This is not about quitting your PhD tomorrow. It's about igniting that entrepreneurial spark and building your confidence in tiny empowering steps at a time.
So taken together, my dear PostdocTransformer, you are not defined by your academic title. You are defined by your capacity to learn, to adapt, to innovate, and to contribute in meaningful ways.
The fear of not knowing enough is just a speed bump on your way to becoming the amazing business leader, entrepreneur or corporate innovator you were meant to be. Embrace that growth mindset by Carol Dweck. Leverage your inherent cognitive flexibility by Spiro [00:47:00] etal.
Build your self-efficacy by Bandura, and remember that with the right tools and a little bit guidance, you can absolutely start building your PostdocTransformation. And don't forget to check out Podbean for your podcast hosting, Descript for revolutionary AI editing, Thinkific for building courses. ActiveCampaign for email marketing, Metricool for all your analytical needs. These are the strategic partner that make my own life and business flow seamless.
And don't forget to tune in next week for networking for Introverts beyond the conference hall, building a business bridge, one authentic connection at a time. Which I recorded for my younger self. Yes, you heard that correctly. I am an introvert, but I understand the importance of networking, so maybe I can teach you some hacks.
I want to share with you my number one lead generator, and you can start that even without a podcast. It's TypeForm and I use them to create free quizzes with open questions and multiple choice answers. I also predefined mandatory answers so I can qualify and score leads. Collect their email addresses for later nurturing.
I can brand my quizzes with my audio files, branch a given quiz based on the answers for the different target groups, and maybe sharing specific podcast episodes or other information, and automatically send them an email after submitting the quiz. I even include the a calendar invite for those leads who qualify specifically.
So, now I can help everyone on the surface and on a deep level for free and divert my own valuable time only to my high ticket leads. I collect all the data automatically after my initial setup as I have also integrated it. with my remaining tech stack. If you want to try out TypeForm for your own lead generation and qualification, DM or email me TypeForm so I can share my experience and consult you, please check it out via my link in the show notes.
Again, I only get a small financial reward if you become their customer using my Typeform link.
Hey, before we continue, we want to appreciate those who financed this valuable episode for you.
If you want a relatively passive income, creating a paid e course as your service is a great option, especially if you are like me, an experienced teacher in higher education and now want to share even more knowledge and maybe also create a paid membership with live group meetings beyond the e course.
Offering an e course is a no brainer. Thinkific is an AI infused platform. Learning Management System, which is a dream for every educator. After setting up an e course or membership, you also need to market and sell your e course. And that's when lead generation with TypeForm and podcasting with Descript and Podbean can complement you well.
If you want to try out Thinkific for creating your own e course and membership, DM or email me at Thinkific, so I can share my experience and consult you. Please check it out via my link in the show notes. I only got a small financial reward if you become their customer using my Thinkific link.
After this quick appreciation of our sponsors, we are now back in our insightful episode.
Let's pause for a moment to respect those who sponsor this valuable episode.
So far, you have learned all my favorite marketing and sales tools. Now, how can you bring all the data from your audience, leads, and clients together so you can serve them on a value ladder and for the long term? Even after multiple touchpoints with you, you want to remain on their mind for when they are ready to buy your service or product.
I am expanding my digital business. And I use ActiveCampaign as the centerpiece for all my services like email course, podcast, newsletter, show notes, websites, sales page, merch shop, forums, whatever it is as needed. As a former IT strategy consultant, I have high requirements on my tech stack and ActiveCampaign offers so many integrations to all my other apps.
I really use it daily. If you want to create your own digital business with various AI driven lead magnets and funnel options, DM or email me ActiveCampaign so I can share my experience and consult you. Please check it out via my link in the show notes. I only get a small financial reward if you become their customer using my ActiveCampaign link.
And if you want to take your business skills further, go listen to CreatingReorganized. That’s where I help you turn your expertise into an income stream, using video podcasting tools like
Podbean for hosting and monetizing,
Descript for video and audio editing,
Typeform for lead generation,
ActiveCampaign for customer relationship management,
website and email marketing automation,
Thinkific for building, marketing and selling e-courses and
Metricool for social media management and scheduling,
so that you can make money and live according to your vision of life.
If you found this episode helpful, share it, leave a review, and tag me on LinkedIn with your reflections!
Until next time—build your PostdocTransformation according to your vision of life!
Let's hold that thought for a quick appreciation of your business.
Are you wondering when and where you can get the attention of your audience? You always think you don't have the time to post on multiple social media platforms. I totally get you. I have been enjoying weeks of social media breaks, why I serve my audience with prepared content to be scheduled out as needed.
Ideally, you have just derived counter social media content from your one video podcast episode, but even without a podcast. With Metricool, you can create and schedule your own social media content in advance according to the best posting times based on your followers. If you want to schedule your content on social media, DM or email me Metricool so I can share my experience and consult you.
Please check it out via my link in the show notes. Again, I only get a small financial reward if you become their customer using my Metricool link.
Thanking our advertisers for their financial support, we are happy to return to our inspiring episode.
Workbook for your PostdocTransformation
How do you feel? Are you stressed out now? I've got you covered. Download our PostdocTransformation workbook as a fillable PDF and write down your answers, so you can make most of your remaining time towards your PhD or end of your postdoc contract. You might want to listen to this episode again to fully reflect the information, but also on previous episodes because all of them are somewhat centered around the future of work.
And that should be also insightful for you. So you can find your fillable workbook as linked in the show notes.
Remember, you are a PostdocTransformer, you are highly intelligent, well educated, a bachelor, master, and maybe you have already your doctor under your belt, or you are a postdoc. You are internationally experienced, fluent in English, a leader and expert in your prior research field. You're resilient, brilliant in adaptation and problem solving.
You are eager to bring in the transferable and monetizable skills needed in many companies to embrace the future and to become, or remain, an innovator in their markets.
Hey, Postdoc Transformer, are you curious to ask professors, principal investigators, visiting scientists, postdocs, PhD students, and candidates some in depth life and career guiding questions? But it feels cringe, so you end up not asking?
Buy our PostdocTransformation Card Game to have more fun and valuable insights in your journal club, lab, and mentoring meetings, lab rotations, during conferences, panels and Breaks at the Mensa.
You'll get 10 intriguing mentoring questions per career level. So 10 for PhD students, 10 for postdocs, 10 for professors, 10 for parental scientists, underprivileged and underrepresented and underserved scientists. Check them out with our discount coupon on the PostdocTransformation Shop, linked on postdoctransformation.
Do you want a transcript of our episode? And our episode sponsors answers to all six bold questions so that you can choose to apply. Do you want to nominate your potential employer of choice so that we can ask them our bold questions? For all of that, click on our links in our show notes and on our website, www.postdoctransformation. com. Remember to check your readiness to leap out of science and to enroll in our free email course Career Transition Made Simple.
Thanks for your attention. I'm Prof. Dr. Eleonore Soei Winkels, the host of your seasonal PostdocTransformation Show.
And once you have determined your readiness to leap and want to transition into business or industries, then you can enroll in your free email course with 10 actionable, bingeable email lessons until you start your job in business. You'll get 10 emails like this at zero cost.
1) How to leap out of science.
2) How to build your sustainable LinkedIn profile.
3) How to read social media and network.
4) How to research your favorite jobs and employers.
5) How to do information interviews to get insights.
6) How to create your customized applications with ChatGPT.
7) How to prepare your thesis from a business point of view.
8) How to apply to your favorite employers.
9) How to choose the right job offer.
10) How to prepare for your new job
Enroll now for free.
Hey, do you want to boost your PostdocTransformation and gain practical business experience? Click below to apply for a podcasting business internship with us!
Thank you for listening!
So, we are at the end of this episode, and I would love to have you, PostdocTransformers, to contribute to future seasons. We have a PostdocTransformation show newsletter where we inform about upcoming episodes, or we lay out the planning for the next seasons so that you are able to forecast who you want to ask as well as role models, or maybe you want to ask a couple of questions certain guest that is upcoming.
This PostdocTransformation show was brought to you by Prof. Dr. Eleonore Soei-Winkels
Leveraging podcasting for attracting the best students from all over the world
If you are a university chancellor, grad school dean, speaker, professor, have you ever wondered how to make your grad school stand out in the crowded landscape of academia?
Do you aim to attract the best master's students from all over the world to learn from and work with your professors so that your research remains globally recognized and well funded? Do you wish to repel bad applications which aren't tailored towards your grad school's research profile?
Now, let's talk about a powerful branding tool, podcasts. They're a game changer for higher education institutions. As a professor, active on TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and a podcast host and producer of this Postdoc Transformation Show, I'm here to encourage all the graduate school representatives to think beyond the conventional marketing mechanism.
Instead of being one of many vendors, at a time limited grad school fair, why not create a podcast that showcases your grad school as the ultimate destination for the world's best masters students. Share inspiring and encouraging stories of your top PhD students, high profile alumni, your Your faculty and the incredible opportunities your grad school offers.
A podcast can be a window into your school's vibrant community. It's cutting edge research and unique experiences, and in times of AI generated marketing material, a podcast with your academic leaders. This would prepare your best candidates for the application.
Even better, you can support and make your current Ph. D. students and postdocs visible for their next career steps in academia or business. Remember, successful graduates elevate your grad school's reputation. So, if you are a university chancellor, grad school dean, speaker, professor, Consider this. By launching a podcast for your grad school, you can elevate your grad school's brand and tell aspiring scientists and employers what makes your grad school the best choice, with scalable, evergreen content.
If you're interested, forward this to your marketing representative and get our list of 30 sample episode titles customizable for your grad school podcast. And just enter an email address on my website, www. postdoctransformation. com as linked in the show notes. As a seasoned professor and podcaster, I'm also happy to strategize about how you can launch your grad school podcast on Podbean, the podcast hosting platform we use for the Postdoc Transformation Show, supporting scientists leaping into business.
Thank you for reading our full transcript of this episode.
For the PostdocTransformation show, we will interview industry experts, leaders in the corporate world, but also companies serving early career scientists leaping into business.
If you want to let us know who we should interview and bring into the show, please subscribe to our inner circle newsletter. In there you can share with us your career transition questions and suggest topics for future episodes.
This way, you will have a voice in our PostdocTransformation show.
If you value our show, please share your favorite episodes with your PhD besties,
follow us on socials and also let us know via direct message what you enjoyed!
We really appreciate positive reviews and stories on all social platforms and podcast players!
Why?
Because this show is for free, but we need sponsors to bring the show to you. So, please help us to help you on your PostdocTransformation.
All right, thanks for listening and I hope that you will watch our show and also listen to our show for the next episodes. And like I said, go back to the previous episodes. I think they have valuable insights for you.
We appreciate every one of you!
Until the next episode,
Cheers,
Eleonore & Team PostdocTransformation
Enroll in your free email course for your career transition into business! Especially emails no 2 & 3 focus on creating a LinkedIn profile and using LinkedIn to network for your career transition!
PostdocTransformation Show mug (buy 1 or get 3 for FREE)
Yeah, you are a grateful listener of our PostdocTransformer Show!
Do you want to support us in our mission to support underserved, underrepresented and underprivileged early career scientists in leaping into business?
Well, then get 3 mugs for free (we cover the costs and shipping), and you place them at your grad school and/or lab kitchen for your PhD peers. Just enter "3mugs" and "freeshipping" and you'll get a 100% discount. Thank you for investing your time into our PostdocTransformation!
