11 rounds of layoffs. Yellow envelopes on desks. Two ballrooms in two different hotels, and the news that everyone in the other room just lost their job.

Before Erika built Directorie, she lived through some of the most painful corporate restructurings the pharma industry could deliver. In episode three of the Blow Your Mind Podcast, she walks through what those years actually felt like and how they shaped every decision she made when she got to build her own company.

From the "moments that matter" framework to the no-asshole policy to why one-on-ones are non-negotiable, this episode is the playbook for anyone trying to build a culture where people feel safe, seen, and able to do their best work.

If you've ever sat at a desk wondering whether tomorrow is your last day, or you're a leader trying to build something different, this one is for you.

Follow Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/

Check out her website: https://erikasinner.org/

Buy her book, Pets Are Family: https://erikasinner.org/book

Check out TinySuperheroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/

00:00 Welcome back to Blow Your Mind

00:42 The yellow envelope layoff

02:51 Two ballrooms, two outcomes

03:43 Why I built Directorie

05:25 Moments That Matter

06:36 Why one-on-ones are non-negotiable

08:42 Culture is how they feel on Sunday night

10:20 We're a team, not a family

12:35 Building intentional fun (and ziplining opt-outs)

13:35 Mind blown moment: culture doesn't just happen

14:10 This week's challenge