Friends with Benefits

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AI Is the Stress Test for Leadership with Sarah Olin and Elena Arecco Bridgmon of Lumo

AI is the ultimate stress test for leadership, and it's exposing every crack leaders have been trying to hide. Executive coaches Sarah Olin and Elena Arecco Bridgmon, co-founders of Lumo Leadership, have coached leaders everywhere from the UN to the NBA, and right now they're watching AI separate the strong leaders from the ones who've been white-knuckling it.

They compare it to the treadmill test a cardiologist puts you through. Under pressure, everything shows up. We talk about what that fear looks like behind closed doors, why your team picks up on it even when you don't say a word, and what the best leaders are doing right now that everyone else is avoiding.

In this episode, we talk about:
 • Why the move from individual contributor to manager is so hard, and the ego shift nobody warns you about
 • How to build trust as a leader, including Brené Brown's BRAVING framework and the one move that builds trust fastest
 • How leaders can get comfortable saying "I don't know"
 • Who you are when the title goes away
 • The question about your life that completely changed how Elena saw hers
 • Whether you can change your experience of work without quitting your job
 • Why you can't jump straight from fear to fun, and what has to come first

If you're a leader feeling the pressure right now, or you've ever wondered if there's an option B, this one is for you. Some of it may surprise you.

Chapters
00:00 Intro
07:03 The hardest part of going from IC to manager
12:04 Why AI is a stress test for leaders
16:15 Building trust and saying "I don't know"
22:22 Who are you without the title?
39:11 Changing your experience without quitting
43:48 From fear to fun

Connect with Sarah and Elena
Website: lumoleadership.com
Find them both on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in this episode
Brené Brown's BRAVING Inventory at brenebrown.com
Not All Business podcast with Heather Cooper and Blakely Graham

Want more conversations like this with leaders who get it? Find everything Arcadia, including ALX and The Constellation, at bearcadia.com.

Be Great.

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia

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Season four of Friends with Benefits opens with a live recording from the final session of ALX 2026, the Arcadia Leadership Experience, in the mountains outside Bozeman, Montana.

In this episode

- Why the people in the room are the real playbook behind ALX
- Alignment, and why it starts with honestly naming what needs work
- Jason on asking friends for help during a hard season of life
- The mountain run that shows what it means to have someone beside you
- How a group of strangers becomes a community in a matter of days
- Keeping relationships going after the event through calls, meetups and ongoing conversations
- Arcadia as a practice of harmony with yourself and with others


- Sam Yarborough on LinkedIn
- Jason Yarborough on LinkedIn
- Find out more about Arcadia 

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia

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Making friends as an adult is awkward, but it gets a lot easier when you stop waiting for it to just happen.

This week, we’re joined by Sarah Grieco for a conversation we’ve been having a lot lately, but this time with actual research, frameworks, and tactical advice behind it. Sarah has spent years moving cities, starting over, building community from scratch, and studying what it really takes to make and keep friends as an adult.

We get into why friendship feels so much harder in this stage of life, how to be more intentional about the kind of friends you’re looking for, and why curiosity is one of the most underrated tools for connection. Sarah shares her ARE framework for starting better conversations, why rejection usually has nothing to do with you, and how small rituals, follow-ups, voice memos, walks, coffee dates, and shared spaces can turn casual connections into real community. This one is practical, honest, and a little uncomfortably relatable.

What you’ll learn:

• How to make new friends as an adult without overthinking or making it weird
• Why curiosity, consistency, and follow-up are essential for building deeper relationships
• How to turn existing connections into real friendships through small, intentional rituals

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:45) Meet Sarah Grieco

(04:59) What moving cities teaches you about friendship

(07:23) Ask these three questions before making friends

(10:16) Why different friends serve different parts of life

(12:57) Why men have a harder time connecting

(17:14) How to deepen the friendships you already have

(21:47) How to ask someone to be your friend

(26:40) Why curiosity makes friendship easier

(32:04) Complimenting can open the door

(40:10) Friendship rejection is rarely about you

(44:20) How long real friendship actually takes

(48:38) Where to find your third place

(50:38) How to go from good friend to great friend

(55:34) Why friendship needs a ritual

Connect with Sarah Grieco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgrieco/ 

Check out Arcadia: https://www.BeArcadia.com  

Connect with Sam Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-yarborough/ 

Connect with Jason Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarby/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

https://www.shareyourgenius.com 

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia

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The callings we answer in life often begin long before we ever find the courage to step out of the boat.

This week, we're joined by corporate comedy pioneer and improv expert Tim Washer, Keynote Speaker, Event Emcee, PowerPoint Comedian at Ridiculous Media, for an honest conversation about humor, fear, and what it really takes to build a life true to who you are. After two decades at IBM and Cisco, an unexpected improv class taught by Amy Poehler set Tim on a path toward writing for SNL and Conan, acting with John Oliver, and helping leaders humanize their brands. We explore why feeling unqualified is actually confirmation you're on the right track, and how businesses can build bulletproof customer trust by embracing self-deprecating humor and showing their "knuckleheadness."

Our chat also covers Tim’s time pushing creative boundaries,like pitching a $250,000 Cisco router as a Valentine's Day gift, and why walking into discomfort isn't a career risk, but an obligation. If your marketing is feeling a little too beige or your inner critic is keeping you playing safe, pack your sense of humor and tune in.

What you’ll learn:

• How to silence your inner critic, follow the fear, and use discomfort to build actual confidence
• Why revenue leaders should care about humor, and the neuroscience behind how laughter thaws the ice
• How to appropriately admit corporate mistakes and lead with empathy rather than an endless pitch

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(03:06) Meet Tim Washer

(06:48) Learning from Amy Poehler and writing for Weekend Update 

(07:57) Childhood wounds and learning to forgive parental pressure 

(09:22) Hearing a new calling in the wilderness and moving to Texas 

(11:33) Why self-doubt is confirmation you're on the right path 

(16:10) Making a funny video about the absurdity of traditional B2B sales 

(19:15) The neuroscience case for bringing laughter into business 

(21:26) Pitching a $250,000 Cisco router as a Valentine's Day gift 

(23:01) Why safe marketing gets lost in corporate metrics 

(24:02) Strategic vulnerability and using self-deprecating humor to build trust 

(27:12) How to safely introduce long-form improv to your corporate team 

(30:35) Finding our playful nature and embracing the discomfort of risk 

(34:25) Walking through fear, reclaiming faith, and learning to get out of the boat

Connect with Tim Washer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwasher/ 

Check out Tim Washer’s website: http://www.timwasher.com/ 

Follow Tim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timwasher/ 

Check out Arcadia: https://www.BeArcadia.com  

Connect with Sam Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-yarborough/ 

Connect with Jason Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarby/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

https://www.shareyourgenius.com 

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia

Send us Fan Mail

The stories we carry about money often begin long before we earn, spend, save, or invest a dollar.

This week, we're joined by Jeff Greenberg, somatic coach, mental health counselor, and former Wall Street macroeconomist, for a deeply honest conversation about money, meaning, and what it really takes to build a life that feels true to who you are. Jeff spent over a decade at JPMorgan and UBS analyzing global financial systems before a personal reckoning in his early 30s led him somewhere no spreadsheet could take him. He shares how a hollowness beneath the success, paired with a global meaning crisis, set him on a path toward somatic coaching, men's groups, death dinners, and ultimately, a new kind of work he calls "Money Is an Inside Job." We explore how childhood money wounds quietly govern our adult decisions, why the thing is never really about the thing, and how couples can have radically more honest conversations about finances when they go beneath the surface.

Our chat also covers Jeff's work as an embedded coach at Clay, where he helps employees show up more fully at work and in life, and why he believes rest, retreat, and slowing down aren't luxuries, but a competitive advantage. Whether you're a leader wrestling with burnout, a couple navigating financial tension, or someone ready to trade the "good enough" life for a more interesting one, Jeff's journey is one you don't want to miss.

What you’ll learn:

• The childhood money stories quietly steering your adult decisions and relationships
• What somatic coaching actually is and the difference it makes for leaders under pressure
• The real reason couples fight about money and what to do instead

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:18) Meet Jeff Greenberg

(04:35) From engineering to economics to Wall Street

(05:20) Following the trail of what's next

(10:48) The hollowness beneath the success

(14:45) The slow pivot away from Wall Street

(20:27) Sitting with death to clarify how to live

(22:28) A year to live and the relationship with time

(24:40) Money is an inside job

(29:43) How childhood money wounds steer adult life

(33:55) Couples, money, and going below the surface

(45:59) Coaching at Clay and bringing your whole self to work

(53:59) Rest, retreats, and why slowing down is a competitive advantage

Connect with Jeff Greenberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffdgreenberg/ 

Check out Jeff Greenberg’s website: https://jeffgreenberg.co/ 

Check out Arcadia: https://www.BeArcadia.com  

Connect with Sam Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-yarborough/ 

Connect with Jason Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarby/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

https://www.shareyourgenius.com

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia

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The people who build the strongest networks know that real connection starts with showing up fully, and giving others permission to do the same.

This week, we're joined by Melissa Moody, founder and CMO at Wednesday Women and self-proclaimed "accidental super connector," for a rich conversation about networking, women in leadership, and the art of building community with intention. Melissa has spent years amplifying incredible leaders and creating spaces where executive women can show up authentically, and she shares how it all started with a simple LinkedIn post, once a week, every Wednesday. We explore how Melissa thinks about increasing your "luck surface area," why sharing your story is a gift to others, and what it really means to build a public presence that feels true to who you are.

Our chat also talks about how Melissa balances being a mom, entrepreneur, and marketer while running a global movement from Alaska. Whether you're a connector, a leader, or someone looking to build more meaningful relationships, Melissa's approach to showing up for others, and yourself, is one you don't want to miss.

What you’ll learn:

• How small acts of connection can create ripples that change careers and communities
• Why sharing your story publicly is a gift, not self-promotion, and how to reframe it
• Why building your "luck surface area" through curiosity and presence opens unexpected doors

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:58) The accidental super connector

(03:25) Why connecting is in her DNA

(05:09) Giving yourself grace and the art of curiosity

(07:39) Increasing your luck surface area

(08:27) Building an authentic public presence

(09:43) Women, self-promotion, and flipping the model

(12:05) How Wednesday Women was born

(14:23) Helping women build confidence to speak up

(20:54) Juggling life as mom, marketer, and yourself

(26:04) Running a business from Alaska

(30:03) How to build community in a new city

(34:26) Communities where you can show up as yourself

(43:34) Questions that go beyond small talk

Connect with Melissa Moody: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissammoody/ 

Check out Wednesday Women: https://www.wednesdaywomen.org/ 

Check out Arcadia: https://www.BeArcadia.com  

Connect with Sam Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-yarborough/ 

Connect with Jason Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarby/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

https://www.shareyourgenius.com 

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia

Send us Fan Mail

The best leaders aren't just built in boardrooms, they're built in the moments nobody sees.

This week, we're joined by Heather Cooper, former CEO of Cloud Coach, and Blakely Graham, former CEO of TaskRay, now co-hosts of the podcast Not All Business, for a rare, unfiltered conversation about competition, connection, and what it really costs to lead. Heather and Blakely spent over a decade as rival CEOs in the Salesforce ecosystem, building competing companies, never once meeting. Until, a mutual friend changed everything. In this conversation, we explore how their unlikely friendship became the foundation for something bigger, what they both silently carried as leaders, and why the loneliness of the corner office is the topic nobody wants to admit to.

We also dig into the realities of building a people-first culture in a world obsessed with top-line numbers, what it looks like to lead with humor and humanity, and how both women redefined success after their exits. From crying in bathrooms between negotiations to bootstrapping profitable companies without a single investor dollar, Heather and Blakely don't hold back. Whether you're a founder, a leader, or someone who's ever felt like they had to have it all together, their honesty, laughter, and hard-won perspective are exactly what you need to hear.

What you’ll learn:

• How true belonging starts with self-acceptance and embracing your full identity
• Why community leaders must navigate both connection and conflict to build trust
• Why chasing external validation can lead to burnout and inner conflict

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:43) Meet Heather Cooper and Blakely Graham

(03:51) Rival CEOs who never met

(05:47) The meet cute: from competitors to friends

(09:20) When competitors become your best allies

(11:06) The loneliness no one warned them about

(13:32) Hindsight vs. real-time awareness of burnout

(18:20) Why leaders should know the human behind the role

(20:03) Blakely's philosophy: work should be beautiful

(23:27) Bootstrapped, profitable, and proud of it

(27:55) Why VC culture kills company heart

(33:07) Sex ed for leadership: the sticky situations segment

(46:50) What great leaders are truly proud of

Connect with Heather Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathercoopercc/

Connect with Blakely Graham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakelygraham/ 

Check out Not All Business: https://notall.biz/ 

Check out Arcadia: https://www.BeArcadia.com  

Connect with Sam Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-yarborough/ 

Connect with Jason Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarby/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

https://www.shareyourgenius.com 

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia

Send us Fan Mail

Better communication starts with understanding how people think, listen, and receive what you say.

This week, we’re joined by Brittany Hart, Founder and CEO of Communiscape, for a conversation about what effective communication actually requires. Brittany shares how her work in large scale Salesforce implementations led her to a bigger realization: technology was rarely the issue. Teams were often missing the communication architecture needed to help people understand change, trust leadership, and move forward together.

We talk with Brittany about why communication can feel easy with some people and surprisingly hard with others, what shifts when you’re running on a full tank versus an empty one, and why listening is often the part we miss. This one is practical, thoughtful, and a helpful reminder that small changes in how we communicate can have a big impact at work and at home.

What you’ll learn:

• How Brittany’s four communication temperaments help explain the way people speak, process, and receive information
• Why communication changes when you’re operating from a full tank versus an empty one
• How the Five Terrains of Human Connection framework can help leaders create more clarity, trust, and better outcomes across teams

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:21) Meet Brittany Hart

(05:02) Brittany’s origin story

(07:19) Why communication breaks down

(10:14) The four communication temperaments

(16:01) Lessons on how to read the room

(20:35) Operating on a full tank vs. empty tank

(23:52) Becoming multilingual in communication

(26:19) How to spot communication styles fast

(28:19) What body language is telling you

(29:48) Do similar communication styles clash

(31:29) “Masking” in organizations and executive communication

(36:15) The Five Terrains of Human Connection

(40:18) How to deliver hard feedback well

(43:04) Daily practices for better communication

Connect with Brittany Hart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyhart/ 

Check out Communiscape: https://www.communiscape.com/ 

Check out Arcadia: https://www.BeArcadia.com  

Connect with Sam Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-yarborough/ 

Connect with Jason Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarby/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

https://www.shareyourgenius.com 

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia

Send us Fan Mail

We talk a lot about performance, but not nearly enough about what pressure does to the way we think, lead, and show up.

This week, we’re joined by Angus Nelson, executive coach and author of Neuro Resilient Leader, for a conversation about what sits underneath pressure and performance. Angus shares why leaders who seem successful on the outside can still be operating from stress, scarcity, and survival mode, and why what looks like a strategy issue is often something deeper.

We talk through his C3 framework and what it means to build real stability when everything feels fast and uncertain. Angus also reflects on his own story, and how identity, self trust, and daily inputs can keep us reactive or help us lead from a steadier place. This one will hit home for anyone who has been carrying too much and telling themselves to just push through.

What you’ll learn:

• Why high performers can still get stuck when their nervous system is running the show
• How Angus’ C3 framework helps leaders build more clarity, capacity, and composure under pressure
• Why changing your inputs, beliefs, and daily practices can change the way you lead and live

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(03:59) Meet Angus Nelson

(07:14) Redefining resilience and what to do with it

(10:03) What to do when pressure starts running the show

(11:43) Why self-awareness changes everything

(14:06) The C3 framework for steadier leadership

(18:19) Why hustle can’t build real capacity

(20:10) Identity, power, and who you become

(26:17) The shift from scarcity to freedom

(32:26) Rewriting the inputs that shape you

(37:45) The voice that says growth can feel dangerous

(44:36) How to calm your body in the moment

(50:20) Angus’ story of collapse and rebuilding

(55:47) Why so many men choose isolation

(01:00:28) Why being more human matters more now

Connect with Angus Nelson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angusnelson/ 

Check out Angus’ website: https://angusnelson.com/ 

Check out the Neuro Resilient Leader: https://freebook.vip 

Check out Arcadia: https://www.BeArcadia.com  

Connect with Sam Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-yarborough/ 

Connect with Jason Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarby/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

https://www.shareyourgenius.com

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia

Send us Fan Mail

Sleep is essential for high performance and well-being, yet it’s often overlooked.

This week, we’re joined by Kristen Rainey, sleep expert and consultant, to discuss how quality rest can transform your health, productivity, and life. Kristen shares her journey from battling burnout to becoming an advocate for the power of sleep, explaining how it’s the foundation for optimal performance in both work and life.

In this conversation, we go into the importance of sleep routines, the impact of habits like screen time and alcohol, and how to create an environment conducive to rest. Kristen highlights how many people believe they’re getting good sleep, only to discover they’re missing key components for truly restorative rest. Whether you’re struggling to get quality sleep or want to optimize your rest for better focus and resilience, this episode offers valuable tips to help you achieve a healthier, more productive lifestyle.

NOTE: Our conversation on sleep got so intense that the building’s electrical grid decided to take a nap. The lights got cut near the end, but the mics stayed awake to bring you this unintentional ASMR session in the dark. After all, the show must go on!

What you’ll learn:

• How sleep impacts performance, productivity, and overall well-being
• Key habits that affect your sleep quality and how to improve them
• Why creating a consistent sleep routine is essential for peak performance

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(04:21) Meet Kristen Rainey

(06:18) Kristen’s career running food at Google

(07:39) Burnout, the battery metaphor, and hitting the wall

(11:25) Why sleep is the missing piece

(13:22) Nighttime dos and don’ts for better sleep

(15:53) How alcohol and REM sleep affect resilience connection

(20:22) What works and doesn’t in sleep tracking technology

(25:43) Sleep deprivation as a badge of honor and the cost of “getting by”

(30:15) How poor sleep changes what you crave and why

(38:02) Morning light, circadian rhythm, and the snooze button problem

(40:58) The highest-leverage changes you can make starting tonight

Connect with Kristen Rainey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenrainey/ 

Check out Kristen’s website: https://kristenrainey.com/ 

Check out Arcadia: https://www.BeArcadia.com  

Connect with Sam Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-yarborough/ 

Connect with Jason Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarby/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

https://www.shareyourgenius.com 

Brought to you by Introw.
Still forcing partners into a portal? With Introw, they register deals and co-sell from Claude, ChatGPT, Slack or Teams, so you can spend your time on relationships, not admin.
Learn more at: https://www.introw.io/arcadia