In this episode, Erin sits down with author, researcher, and keynote speaker Sheri Jacobs, whose new book The Unexpected Power of Boundaries flips the traditional idea of creativity on its head.

Sheri argues that innovation doesn’t thrive in limitless freedom, it thrives inside clear constraints.

From playground fences to corporate experiments, from polar bears in the Arctic to the diagnosis that changed her life, Sheri shares powerful stories that prove boundaries aren’t barriers, they’re catalysts.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

1.) How boundaries don’t limit creativity, they unleash it

2.) Why “Risk tolerance” is overrated and what you need to focus on instead

3.) The “Best New Mistake” award mindset

4.) How constraints spark innovation

5.) Why boundaries can be life-saving

The Unexpected Power of Boundaries Rethinking the Rules, Risks, and Real Drivers of Innovation

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

• “When we know how far we can go, then we feel safer to experiment, explore, to be creative, and to play.”

• “Most people think take more shots means try everything, but that actually doesn’t work.”

• “Rather than saying, ‘How can I break through the boundaries?’ she said, ‘What can I do with what I have?’”

• “Sometimes the best opportunities are in the worst conditions, when everybody else is turned away.”

In this micro episode, Erin shares one of the most powerful (and wildly overlooked) tools for building trust as a new leader: the humility moment. Not just “I suck at Excel” level vulnerability, but a real, human story that opens the door for connection, honesty, and trust.

She also tells the story of failing seven actuarial exams, how that shaped her leadership style, and why ditching the old-school success rubric is actually the smartest move you can make.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

-Why trying to be perfect is killing your leadership credibility

-What a “humility moment” is (and how to find yours)

-How to use storytelling to build trust fast

Why failing early might be the best thing that ever happened to you

Whether you’re leading for the first time, managing former peers, or just trying to earn credibility quickly, this episode gives you a practical mindset shift to build trust in a way that actually works.

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

• “I was taught, like you and so many people, that there’s this rubric for success… and the reality is, a lot of that doesn’t matter.”

“That is the number one way to build trust-purposely mine for, be aware of, and share your humility moments.”

“As soon as you share a humility moment, especially when people don’t expect it, immediately your trust radar goes down.”

Content warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. In the U.S., you can dial or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Think leadership is about pep talks, perks, or pushing harder? Phil Putnam, former tech executive, speaker, and author of Desire-Based Leadership disagrees.

In this conversation, Erin and Phil chat performance, loyalty and even take us into a topic most leaders avoid: menopause.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

• Why traditional motivation tactics don’t work

• The overlooked link between leadership and loyalty

• What companies miss about remote work culture

• The attrition math every leader should track

• How menopause symptoms get misread as performance problems

• Creating real safety and support at work

• Why Phil speaks out about menopause on stage-and why leaders should listen

 

Website: https://philputnam.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philputnamspeaks/

  We Do Not Care Club IG: @justbeingmelani

 

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

• “Menopause is not a performance issue. It’s a biological process being misread by the system.”

• “People don’t work for a paycheck—they work for the life the paycheck helps them create.”

• “She didn’t tell me because she felt safe. She told me because she had nothing left to lose.”

• “The bar is low. Just signal that menopause is something people can talk about.”

What if caring less actually made you a better leader?

In this episode, Nicole shares how dropping the mental load, setting unapologetic boundaries, and leading with humor have made her team stronger (and her stress levels lower). 

Erin also jumps in with insights on why authenticity is finally winning in the workplace. 

What’s Inside:

1.) Why “I don’t care” is Nicole’s new leadership mantra

2) .How humor helps you set boundaries without sounding like a jerk

3.) What ChatGPT is teaching us about tone, trust, and real connection

4.) The subtle difference between burnout and badassery

31: Thankful for 30: Erin & Nicole Recap the First 30 b CAUSE Episodes 

246: Kill Your Company's Complexity with Lisa Bodell

  We Do Not Care Club IG: @justbeingmelani

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

• "ChatGPT isn’t the problem. It just sounds like corporate emails always have. Now people finally notice.”

“Please refer to my face before sending a follow-up email. It already told you what I think.”

“Leadership isn’t about doing it all. It’s about knowing what you don’t care about and making space for what you do.”

“I used to care about everything. You know where that got me? Miserable and stressed. Boundaries are the new promotions.”

Hate the “Tell me about yourself” question? Ok, we all kind of do, but truthfully you’re probably answering it all wrong.

In this solo episode, Erin breaks down how to stop regurgitating your resume and start captivating your interviewer from the first question. Using her signature “Intriguing Intro” method, you’ll learn how to combine humility, credibility, and a dose of what’s-in-it-for-them to make hiring managers lean in and actually remember you.

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

• "You can win the job with this one question, but only if you do it with authenticity."

• "People are more connected to people who are a little bit imperfect."

• “It's all about connection and trust. And you build that through authenticity."

In this solo episode, Erin chats about the kind of burnout we don’t talk about enough—the kind that masquerades as dedication. 

After a powerful moment during a workshop with a high-achieving leader, Erin unpacks the hard truth: working nonstop isn’t always selfless… sometimes, it’s selfish. From addiction to the “hum” of hustle to the unintended signals we send our teams, this episode offers a tough-love reframe for anyone who’s worn burnout like a badge of honor. 

If you’ve been struggling to set boundaries or feel guilty for slowing down, this one’s your permission slip (and reality check).

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

•  ”Your job as a leader isn't to take on their burdens.”

• “It's an addiction. It's also not necessarily the thing that's best not just for you, but for your team and for your others.”

•  ”Recognizing it is the first step.”

You don’t need a PhD to get AI—you just need Dan Chuparkoff.

A former tech leader at Google and McKinsey, Dan now helps people make sense of innovation as the “Understandable Technology” expert. From dropping out of college to redefining how leaders use AI, this episode is packed with mic-drop moments, real-world use cases, and fresh ways to rethink how you work.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

1.) Why he dropped out of college and how that actually served him better in the long-run

2.) How using AI can be thought of as simply as finding small "copy/paste" moments

3.) How leaders should think about using AI to be more efficient (and why AI might not always be the answer)

4.) The biggest changes he sees coming with AI and work

5.) One company's unique approach to leveraging all those meeting notetakers' notes

Connect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuparkoff/

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

• “Almost a billion people are using one of the top three AI tools every single week.”

• “Some people are choosing to be left behind.”

• “What I think most people are missing is that you want to create efficiencies in the places that you're actually spending five or six hours a day.”

•  ”Let AI take all that minutia away so you can focus on building great relationships with people that you like and enjoy being around.”

In this episode, Erin and Nicole swap stories about the work traumas that shaped them—some painful, some funny, all of them unforgettable. From leadership flops and job losses to the quiet moments that hit a little too hard, they unpack the professional PTSD that left a lasting impression (and taught them what not to repeat).

If you’ve ever wondered why a small comment still haunts you—or how to make meaning out of a mess—this one’s for you.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

1.) Why your “superpower” might actually be a trauma response

2.) What Erin learned when a boss called her character into question

3.) The toxic startup job that taught Nicole how to separate brilliance from bullshit

4.) What happens when you sacrifice your wholeness for a job

5.) How validation-seeking keeps us stuck—and how to break the cycle

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

•  ”Just because you can be the calm in the storm doesn't mean you need to make the storm your habit.”

• “Do not confuse prestige with integrity.”

•  ”I'm certain she doesn't remember it, but I'll never forget it.”

• “ When you're not chasing validation, you can make a difference. “

•  ”Sometimes getting taken out is the only way that you wake up.”

If stress has ever hijacked your brain mid-meeting or made you question your own success, this episode is for you. Dr. Rebecca Heiss—stress physiologist, keynote speaker, and author of Springboard and Instinct—joins us to unpack the science behind stress and how to harness it as a powerful force for growth, resilience, and confidence.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

1.) Her Fear(less) Formula, a 3-step process for dealing with stress

2.) What the Hedonic Treadmill is and how it explains why you often feel stressed

3.)  What the Winners Effect is and how it can help you achieve big things

4.) What a Disaster Diary is and how it can help you

5.) How to rewire (and rename) the age ole "Imposter Syndrome"

Dr. Rebecca’s Book-Springboard: https://rebeccaheiss.com/books/springboard/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaheiss/

Instagram: @drrebeccaheiss

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

•  ”Stop trying to get rid of stress. It is a losing battle.”

•  ”Rather than calming down, what we need to do is shift the energy.”

•  ”One thing that actually mitigated negative stress feelings was service to others.”

What if the key to better work wasn’t more hustle—but deeper connection? In this episode, Shasta Nelson dives into the surprising science of friendship, why belonging matters more than ever, and how your relationships at work could be the hidden driver behind your success (and sanity).

Shasta Nelson is a former pastor turned pioneer on the topics of loneliness and friendships, She's an in-demand keynote speaker, popular media resource, and author of three books in which she teaches how to build healthy relationships, including The Business of Friendship: Making the Most of the Relationships Where We Spend Most of Our Time. 

Here’s what you’ll hear:

1.) How being a pastor helped her see things others might not regarding loneliness and belonging

2.) The three things all friendships must have

3.)  How setting a routine and capsule for your friendships is key to maintaining them

4.) The business case for having a best friend at work

5.)  How she pushed back several times in her career against advice that would have derailed her work

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shastanelson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shastamnelson/

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!

•  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)  

•  Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram 

•  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group 

•    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz

•   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" 

• Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice 

• Work with Us

• Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

• “Some of the research shows that we are replacing half our close friends every seven years. And that's not because we don't like those friends— it's because life changed.”

•  “Most of us aren't lonely for more interaction. We're lonely for more intimacy.”

• “We don’t have to have matching lives. I think we so often go through the world thinking we need to have the exact same kids at the same ages, similar jobs, or make the same amount of money—we just crave all these similarities. But really, commonalities don’t matter.”

• “How seen do you feel? How supported do you feel? How truly held do you feel? “