What happens when you actually step away from work… like really step away?

In this episode, Nicole shares what it looked like to take a true 19-day vacation with zero email, zero checking in, and zero control. What started as a milestone birthday trip turned into something much bigger: a reset on how she works, leads, and lives.

From skinny dipping under a full moon in Mexico to rethinking perfection, boundaries, and identity at work, this conversation gets real about burnout, control, and what it actually takes to create a life that feels good. Not perfect. Just good.

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 you focus on perfection, you lose the moment. When you focus on the vibe, you create connection."

• "I don't want to do whatever time I have left the same way I've done it up to this point."

• "It wasn't about the birthday. It was about deciding how I wanted to feel and actually planning for that."

• "I can't make good decisions when my nervous system is out of whack."

In a world of overflowing inboxes, AI-generated emails, and corporate language that all sounds the same, most messages get ignored. Erin explains how changing just one word, adding an unexpected phrase, or using a little personality can break the pattern and actually get people to pay attention.

If you want people to listen to you at work, communicate more authentically, and stand out in workplace conversations, sometimes the fix is surprisingly simple.

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!

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

Tweetable Comments

A toxic workplace pushed this week's guest to his breaking point. That moment changed everything for him.

In this episode, Erin sits down with Shola Richards, CEO of Go Together Global, bestselling author of Civil Unity, host of the Kindness Extremist Podcast, and a speaker who has taken his message from Google and Microsoft to the TODAY Show, CBS Mornings, and even Congress.

But this conversation is not about fluffy kindness.

After years of bullying, workplace toxicity, and untreated depression, Shola hit rock bottom and attempted to drive his car off an overpass in Los Angeles. The guardrail held. That moment launched his mission to change the world by changing how we treat each other at work.

Here's what you will hear:

-The difference between a bad day and workplace bullying and why pattern matters

-A practical three-step framework for addressing toxic behavior

-Why "kill them with kindness" does not always work

-What leaders must start doing immediately to make work suck less

If you have ever worked with a bully, tolerated bad behavior, or wondered whether kindness is weakness in leadership, this episode will challenge you in the best way.

Connect with Shola:

Linkedin: Shola Richards

Podcast: The Kindness Extremist Podcast

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 had reached my capacity for accepting unkindness. I was done."

• "You can't hold someone accountable to a standard that doesn't exist."

• "The difference is one word: pattern."

• "Honeybees don't waste a moment of their time trying to convince houseflies that honey tastes better than shit."

​​Do you work for a neurotic boss?

You are capable. You know your numbers. You've done this before. But the moment there is a board meeting or executive presentation, your boss spirals and catapults into weeks of prep and endless rehearsals.

In this episode, Erin shares an executive coaching story about a seasoned P&L leader reporting to the COO whose boss demanded over-preparation and fully scripted talking points before presenting to the board.

The problem? No executive wants to be read to.

Erin breaks down three strategies to handle the panic without sacrificing credibility or authenticity.

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, be 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-ass merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsuitable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

"If you start reading from a script, they are going to immediately want to poke their eyes out."

In this episode, Erin sits down with her friend Drew Sullivan for a deeply honest conversation about addiction, recovery, and what it's like to grow up feeling misunderstood. Drew shares how being labeled "too much," navigating ADHD, and never being asked why shaped the way he moved through the world and how those early experiences quietly laid the groundwork for addiction long before substances entered the picture. This isn't a polished redemption story or a neat recovery arc. It's a human conversation about loss, self-awareness, and what finally made change unavoidable. If you've ever felt misunderstood, struggled with addiction (your own or someone close to you), or are still carrying stories from your early years that shaped who you became, this episode is for you. What you'll hear: 1) Why being labeled "too much" is often about context, not character—and how to tell the difference. 2) What it actually means to live inside-out instead of chasing approval from the outside world. 3) How Drew believes addiction often starts long before substances, and why unmet needs fuel it. 4) A simple, brutally honest way to know when something in your life has crossed the line. 5) Why work gets easier when you stop hiding parts of yourself and find people who can carry their own baggage too. Follow Drew on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewjamessullivan/ 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, be 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-ass merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsuitable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments "I wasn't being asked why I was being told what I was doing wrong." "I never felt safe. I never felt heard, and I never felt seen." "When we focus on living our lives from the outside in, we are f*cked. But when we focus on living our lives from the inside out, anything is possible." "I don't feel like I have to think about doing things before I do them anymore and that's how I know my life has aggressively changed."

This episode is for anyone who swears they're "fine" while secretly letting work run their entire nervous system.

Erin and Nicole get honest about toxic attachment to jobs, the martyr complex disguised as responsibility, and why being the most dependable person in the room isn't the flex you think it is.

If you've ever said "I'll just do it," treated every email like a five-alarm fire, or confused being needed with being valuable, this one might hit close to home.

Here's what you'll hear:

1. Why a toxic job isn't always the problem, sometimes it's your attachment to being needed

2. How "I'll just do it" turns into martyrdom and quietly wrecks teams and leaders

3. The difference between being responsible and absorbing everything like it's your fault

4. Why not every urgent thing is a crisis and why you're not the crisis manager

5. What it actually looks like to care about your work without letting it run your nervous system

   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, be 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-ass merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsuitable for younger audiences.

   Tweetable Comments

   "You could work in the most functional place, you could own the business, and still have a toxic attachment to the role you have."

6. "We often confuse responsibility with absorption. Just because you own something doesn't mean it has to become your inner essence."

7. "The things that make us feel safe are sometimes the very things that make us appear inflexible."

8. "You are not the crisis manager unless your job is literally crisis manager. Not everything urgent is a crisis."

What does a futurist actually do, and how can understanding change make leadership and life feel less overwhelming?

In this episode, Erin talks with futurist Cecily Sommers about how change really works, why uncertainty feels so intense right now, and how leaders can stay grounded when planning horizons keep shrinking.

Here's what you'll hear: -A futurist studies change, not to predict outcomes, but to understand patterns.

-The future is not figure-out-able. It is followable.

-All change moves in cycles of order, disorder, and re-order.

-Understanding change lowers anxiety and increases agency.

-Leaders need shorter horizons, more experimentation, and stronger inner stability.

cecilysommers.com

leadlikeafuturist.com

Book:Think Like a Futurist

LinkedIn: Cecily Sommers

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

• "The future's not figure-out-able. It is only followable."

• "All living systems function in cycles."

• "Anxiety goes down, and your agency goes up."

• "We can't really change it, but we can observe it, respect it, and work with it."

​​In this micro-motivator episode, Erin shares the one strategy every new leader underestimates: using real stories of failure to build trust.

Whether you're stepping into a new role or trying to earn trust with a team that already knows you, this episode gives you a simple habit that makes people think, "I can be myself around this leader."

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

• "This was the first time that I had learned this lesson that working harder wasn't necessarily the answer to success."

• "Being a great leader or being a great successful person in business or in what you do isn't necessarily about following a rubric or doing it the same way."

• "A humility moment is essentially a story about a time when you screwed up."

• "As soon as you share a humility moment, immediately your trust radar sort of goes down and they think, well, if they told me that and they didn't have to, they're probably not hiding other things from me as well."

Seven years, 300 episodes, and more stories, meltdowns, breakthroughs, and belly laughs than anyone could've planned for. In this monumental milestone episode, Erin and Nicole pull back the curtain and celebrate the journey that started on a couch in New Haven and somehow turned into a community of thousands navigating work, life, leadership, burnout, and everything in between.

And in this episode, they're not alone. They invited some of their most loyal listeners to join in the discussion and episode!

153: The 3-Step Method to Getting Anything You Want with Brandon Fong

216: How Pushing Back Propelled Her Career Forward with Barb Flitsch

207: From the Vault: Riding the Elevator Up with Renee Zaugg

206: From the Vault: Nicole's Moving Out, Up, and Onward

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

• "How am I bringing creativity and expression to my life to help me both in my career, but also just life and bringing your full self to the table."

• "Sometimes the ROI is the people and the memories."

• "I remember thinking maybe the world will wanna hear this."

• "I had a space to be fully me and fully heard and seen at a time when I think I felt very unseen."

• "Maybe TMI is not a bad thing. Maybe it's just market research."

Most resumes read like brag sheets no one asked for. Big words, boring buzzwords and mile-long bullet points that hiring managers will never read. In this episode, Erin breaks down what actually gets attention.

If you're tired of blending in and ready to get noticed by real people scanning hundreds of resumes, this episode shows you the exact shift to make.

If you're tired of blending in and ready to get noticed by real people scanning hundreds of resumes, this episode shows you the exact shift to make.

Here's what you'll hear:

1.) Why your resume should act like a marketing flyer, not a brag sheet

2.) The one section that matters most if you want to stand out

3.) How to write a summary that hooks people fast

4.) What a real superpower sounds like and how to explain it

5.) How to use keywords without turning your resume into fluff

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

• "A resume is simply a way to grab the attention of somebody and say, Hmm, they're intriguing."

• "I want you to think about talking about yourself as a unique superpower."

• "Different is better than better." ~Sally Hogshead