Last week, I was surrounded by people building things.

First: Chicago. A real-life meetup with fellow HR and People pros who’ve gone fractional. We talked business, burnout, big feelings, snacks. All the stuff humans-who-are-up-to-something talk about when they finally land in the same room.

Then Thursday: an AI workshop with Emily Worden for job seekers. Over 300 people registered – most midlife, all navigating a job search that’s fundamentally different than it was even three years ago.

Friday: I delivered a virtual session for CliftonStrengths coaches on bridging generational differences at work. Was I a certified Strengths coach? Hell naw. But I am #oldAF, neurospicy, corporate-seasoned, and I’ve made AI my business partner. That means I can take on anything I’m curious about and learn what I need.

Someone else dropped out. I raised my hand.

I’m learning that “Say yes first, figure it out after” works better than I thought.

And here’s what I keep noticing:

Building this business feels exactly like my last job search.

Months of consistent effort.

Crickets.

A growing suspicion I was just shouting into the void.

And then?

I partnered with other women.

Everything shifted.

I joke that I’m in my feral feminist fifties, but honestly? It’s less feral, more tender.

Women have always been the ones who reached out a hand and pulled me up beside them.

Not ahead. Beside.

In a world that keeps trying to convince us there’s not enough room, not enough opportunity, not enough anything – that matters.

Dan Hollinger on resume secret weapons

Put your work philosophy front and center on your resume. Dan's been reviewing resumes for 15 years and says nobody else does this. Interviewers notice. It differentiates you and ensures people who move forward with you aren't in opposition to your position. Smart.

#FPPIRL2025 reflections

The Fractional People People crew posted their reflections from Chicago. There was literally a magician. This is what it looks like when you build a community where collaboration beats competition. #Abundance #Joy #Vibes

Khulan Dav - AI creative goddess

AI Content Manager at Google who makes stunning AI images and shares how she does it. Her "Make it pop" newsletter is worth following if you're curious about the creative side of AI.

I made you something new.

Five copy-paste-ready prompts that follow the ROCO structure (Role, Objective, Context, Output) so you can see exactly how to build a good prompt.

The Reconnection Message

Since we're talking about the women who've pulled us up – here's a prompt to actually tell them.

Someone helped you along the way. Maybe they opened a door, gave you honest feedback, or just believed in you when you needed it. This prompt helps you reach out without it feeling awkward or over-the-top.

Copy the prompt below. Paste it into your chatbot. Fill in the [brackets] with your own details.

Role

You are a warm, thoughtful communication coach who helps people reconnect authentically.

Objective

Help me write a short message to someone who helped me at an important moment in my life or career.

Context

I want to reach out to [person's name or description, like "my former manager" or "a colleague who mentored me"]. They helped me by [what they did - be specific]. I haven't been in touch recently, and I don't want this to sound weird, transactional, or overly sentimental. I just want them to know their impact mattered.

Output

First, ask me one clarifying question about what I want from this reconnection (just to say thanks? rekindle the relationship? both?). Wait for my answer. Then give me two message options: one for email, one for LinkedIn. Keep both under 150 words and genuinely human.

✨ Try it in ChatGPT (free version works great):

I got selected.

One of 200 women chosen for the SheBuilds buildathon with Lovable.

I'm building a thing called Toodle (To-Do + Noodle). It's an ADHD-friendly brain dump tool that uses AI to help with overwhelm and structure.

Am I qualified to build this? Not remotely.

Am I scared? Yep.

Am I doing it anyway? Obviously.

I'll be posting chaotic updates on LinkedIn all week. You've been warned.

FREE:
📅 Tuesday, October 7th @ 1:00-2:00pm CT
AI Confidential: Here For The Party

You don't need to be techy. Or trendy. Or totally confident.

You just need to be curious.

This is a warm, playful, judgment-free space for midlife women (and our favorite curious allies) to explore how AI might actually help in real life – without the overwhelm, the jargon, or the tech-bro energy.

In this 1-hour session, you'll:

✨ Learn what AI is (and isn't) – no BS
✨ Try real prompts using ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity
✨ See how tools like this can make everyday tasks easier, faster, or weirder (in a good way)
✨ Leave feeling less behind, more in control, and maybe even excited about what's possible

No experience required. No question too basic.

Come as you are – this is AI, but make it human.

💜 1:1 AI Coaching – Testing Something New ($50)

Not sure how AI fits into your actual life?

Let's figure it out together.

What this is: A 60-minute session where we take your real work/life situation and build prompts that actually fit your brain.

Bring:

Leave with:

No jargon. No pressure. No pretending you need to become an AI expert.

Only 6 spots while I test this out.

Pay-what-you-can options available – just let me know in the form.

Build beside each other.

Say yes first, figure it out later.

Make your Toodle.

💜

Take care of yourself, take care of each other.

Deb

P.S. If this landed for you, forward it to another woman who's building something. Better yet – use that Reconnection Message prompt and actually tell someone they mattered.

P.P.S. Welcome to the 20 new folks from the AI for Job Seekers event. You showed up uncertain and curious. That's exactly the energy we need here. Glad you're with us.