smart career
& Life design
Susan Martin, Ed.D., PCC, CAPP
Trustworthy Guidance for
Women with PhDs and Other Doctoral Degrees
Individual Career & Life Coaching
Online small Group coaching Programs
Coaching Women with PhDs to Freedom, Fulfillment, and Impact
From Stuck to Thriving
Women with PhDs and other doctorates often face unique challenges that can leave them feeling unseen, undervalued, or out of alignment in their careers and lives. Despite years of dedication and achievement, many find themselves navigating environments that overlook their expertise, limit their advancement, or fail to reflect their values. They may feel the weight of perfectionism, self-doubt, or the pressure to prove themselves, while also juggling competing personal and professional demands. These challenges can create a sense of being stuck—uncertain how to move forward, yet yearning for work and a life that fully honor their brilliance, purpose, and potential.
Smart Career Design LLC is a boutique coaching practice dedicated to helping women with PhDs and other doctorates transform their lives and careers. Founded by me, Dr. Susan C. Martin, Ed.D., PCC—an ICF-certified coach and longtime educator—I blend women-centered coaching with applied positive psychology to catalyze deep, sustainable change at the ident.
Women-centered coaching differs from traditional GROW model coaching in its focus and depth. Women-centered coaching begins by uncovering and addressing the often-hidden inner barriers—such as limiting beliefs, cultural conditioning, and self-worth patterns—that can hold women back, even when they have clear goals. It integrates visioning, mindset shifts, and the activation of uniquely feminine strengths like intuition, collaboration, and creativity, creating transformation from the inside out rather than focusing solely on external action steps.
When You Invest in You, Everything Changes
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With Coaching You Can:
Move from confusion to clarity about your vision, values, and next steps.
Break free from self-doubt and limiting patterns to feel confident and capable.
Shift from feeling stuck to taking bold, purposeful action toward what you want.
Replace overwhelm with proven strategies that create faster, easier progress.
Transform isolation into support with a coach and community that believes in your brilliance, vision and success.
Trade burnout for balance, fulfillment, and joy in both work and life.
I was trained in the woman -centered coaching process by World Renowned Expert Claire Zammit, PhD
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Create Your Vision
We begin by painting a vivid picture of the life and work you truly want—free from external expectations or old definitions of success. This vision becomes your north star, guiding decisions and helping you align your time, energy, and resources with what matters most. It’s not just about goals—it’s about imagining the future that feels inspiring, expansive, and uniquely yours.
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Identify Hidden Barriers
Once your vision is clear, we uncover the often-invisible beliefs, fears, and cultural conditioning that have kept you from fully stepping into it. These hidden barriers can show up as self-doubt, perfectionism, people-pleasing, or the feeling that you’re “not enough.” By bringing them to light, we can address their root causes—freeing you to move forward with greater confidence and freedom.
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Break Through/New Story
With old barriers uncovered, we work together to write a new, empowering story about who you are and what’s possible for you. This means consciously replacing limiting beliefs and outdated narratives with ones that reflect your strength, worth, and potential. As you live into this new story, you naturally begin to think, speak, and act in ways that align with your vision—opening doors to opportunities and experiences that once felt out of reach.
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Build Skills & Capacities
Finally, we strengthen the practical and personal skills you need to bring your vision to life—whether that’s communication, leadership, boundary-setting, or resilience. At the same time, we expand your capacity for joy, trust, and possibility. This combination of inner and outer growth ensures you have both the mindset and the tools to thrive, not just now, but for the long term.
