Ep 274 Victim, Survivor, or Victor? Leading After Life Knocks You Down w/Erika Rothenberger
Warning: This episode includes a detailed account of a violent assault. It also mentions sexual assault, eating disorders, and growing up with alcoholic parents.
On the morning of June 16, 2022, Erika Rothenberger pushed back a meeting by 15 minutes. She texted her kids to have a great day. Then she pulled into the parking lot she had used for over 10 years.
A man she had never seen before was waiting.
What happened next changed everything.
Erika is a civil engineer. She has spent more than 20 years in construction, where only about 11% of the workers are women. She had the hard hat, the corner office, the family. She thought she was living a big, bold life. What happened to her that day in June showed her she had been playing it safe. She had also been packing years of pain into a dark "basement" she never meant to open.
In this conversation, Erika sits down with show host and longtime friend Tyler Dickerhoof. She tells the story of what happened to her that day and the three and a half years of trials that came after.
She also shares the moment in her backyard, hood up and body bruised, when her children's laughter reminded her she had a choice. She could stay a victim. She could survive. Or she could thrive.
She chose to thrive. The thing that carried her through was human connection: her husband, her sister, her friends, and people she barely knew who showed up.
Erika and Tyler also talk about:
What leading in a male-populated industry taught her, and what she learned from a female-populated one
The drawing exercise that showed her what she had been hiding
Why trauma always finds a way out, and why facing it head-on matters
The pink rubber band and how discomfort builds resilience
Why grace sits in the middle of "grit, grace, and glitz," and why it's the part most leaders skip
A mentor's question she still asks herself: "Do you want to win the battle and lose the war?"
Her BOLD method for turning your hardest story into a light for someone else
Everyone gets a wake-up call. Erika's came in a parking lot. Yours may look different, but the choice is the same: what will you do with it?
Meet Erika Rothenberger
Erika Rothenberger walks her talk. A high-impact executive in the male-dominated construction industry by day and a keynote speaker, podcast host, entrepreneur, and mom of two by always, she's living proof that you can build a life of both impact and intention.
From the job site to the stage, Erika's mission is clear: to help people rise. Rise into unshakable confidence. Rise with clarity, conviction, and purpose. Rise into the kind of life and leadership that leaves a legacy.
Her speaking style is raw, real, and radically energizing. Audiences leave feeling seen, challenged, and lit up with new audacious conviction. Whether she's speaking to a room full of executives or a ballroom packed with dreamers, Erika delivers a message that resonates.
Resources, books, and links mentioned in this episode:
Connect with Erika
erikarothenberger.com
Mentioned in this episode
Audacious Expansion by Erika Rothenberger
Grit, Grace & Glitz podcast
Audacious Woman Summit
Connect with Tyler
Tyler@TylerDickerhoof.com
The Tyler Dickerhoof Show
https://www.youtube.com/@impactdrivenleader
https://www.instagram.com/thetylerdickerhoofshow/
Subscribe to the newsletter:
https://impactdrivenleader.beehiiv.com/
About the Tyler Dickerhoof Show Podcast
The Impact Driven Leader Podcast, hosted by Tyler Dickerhoof, is for Xillennial leaders who have felt alone and ill-equipped to lead in today's world. Through inspiring interviews with authors from around the world, Tyler uncovers how unique leadership strengths can empower others to achieve so much more, with real impact.
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