Less Than Expert

This week we're joined by Laura Canzano (Mademoiselle Astrology) to break down what astrology actually is, why birth charts are so much more detailed than your daily horoscope, and why people - from world leaders to CEOs - have turned to astrology for centuries.

Laura walks us through the foundations of astrology, explains rising signs, houses, solar returns, eclipses, and even gives both Amanda and Katie live birth chart readings (will they make it?! Is there drama in the house? Listen to the episode for all the tea).

Whether you're astrology-obsessed or completely skeptical, this episode is a fascinating introduction to understanding yourself through your birth chart.

In this episode:

• Why your sun sign is only a small piece of your chart
• What your rising sign actually means
• The 12 astrological houses explained
• Solar returns and forecasting your year ahead
• Why eclipses often bring major life changes
• Electional astrology (choosing dates for important events)
• Why AI still struggles to interpret birth charts accurately
• Amanda & Katie's live chart readings
• How astrology can help with careers, relationships and parenting

Resources Mentioned

📖 The Stars Within You (Laura's recommended beginner astrology book) https://www.amazon.com/Stars-Within-You-Modern-Astrology/dp/1611805112

🗓️ Laura's Personalized Astrology Planner (Etsy) https://www.etsy.com/shop/MyYearlyRevolution

🌙 Chani App https://chani.com

🎓 Kepler College https://keplercollege.org

Follow Laura: Instagram: @mademoiselleastrology

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love it if you'd follow, rate and review Less Than Expert on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Those reviews make a huge difference in helping new listeners discover the show. Find us on lessthanexpert.com for more!

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After a much-needed break, Amanda and Katie are back.

In this candid catch-up episode, they share what's been happening behind the scenes: from burnout, grief, stress, and parenting challenges to fitness goals, mental health checklists, dating struggles, and the realities of trying to do all the things.

They discuss the habits helping them feel more like themselves again, including prioritizing sleep, building muscle, walking daily, simplifying nutrition, and learning when it's time to step back and reset.

Plus:

• Amanda's "feeling low" checklist
• Why sleep might be the most underrated health tool
• Fitness, muscle mass, and approaching 40
• Katie's latest financial moves
• Dating as a single mom
• Body scans, wellness trends, and health tracking
• The meal-prep solution that's saving Amanda time, money, and sanity
• Upcoming episodes (including our astrology episode!)

We're also sharing what's next for Less Than Expert and asking for your input: What topics do you want us to explore next?

Follow us on Instagram and visit LessThanExpert.com to share your ideas.

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We did it. The final episode of our Surviving the Layoff series is here, and it's the one we've been building toward.

Getting HR reps to talk to us was not easy. They take confidentiality seriously (and honestly, we respect it). We still interviewed multiple HR professionals (anonymously) across advertising, software, and direct-to-consumer product industries and compiled everything they shared into this episode.

If you've ever wondered what's actually happening behind the scenes when layoffs go down, this is the episode.

In this episode, Amanda and Katie cover:

What's driving the current wave of layoffs and why companies are still reluctant to name AI as the reason

Warning signs to watch for (and why there may be none at all)

How layoff lists actually get made: the 3-6 month planning process, the legal review, and who has final say

Whether you can opt in to a layoff and when it actually makes sense to raise your hand

The WARN Act (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) explained: which companies it applies to, what notice employees are owed, and how to check if your company has filed

The OWBPA (Older Workers Benefit Protection Act): your review and revocation rights if you're 40+ including the 7-day window you can never waive

Severance packages: what's standard, what's negotiable, and why HR reps say many people sign without reading the agreement carefully enough

What happens to bonuses, equity, and unvested shares and why you have to advocate for yourself

Unemployment in Texas: how it works, how it's calculated, how employers pay into it, and why your tax bill in April might surprise you

COBRA and health insurance: what the transition looks like and why missing enrollment windows is a costly mistake

Final advice from HR themselves: stay composed, don't post, don't burn bridges

Resources mentioned: Check your state's WARN Act filings at [dol.gov] and the layoff checklist available at lessthanexpert.com

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What does a financial advisor actually do when you're staring down a layoff...or trying to avoid one? In this bonus episode of our Surviving the Layoff series, Katie and Amanda sit down with Tina Hoang, a Northwestern Mutual financial advisor with over a decade of experience. Spoiler: she's part financial planner, part career coach, part therapist. Honestly, we could all use a Tina.

We talk through the money moves you should be making before anything goes wrong, what NOT to do the second you get that pink slip (put down the 401k, we mean it), and why Tina's approach to financial planning goes way beyond the numbers.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• The financial basics everyone should have in place — layoff or not
• How to figure out your "safe zone"
• What mistakes people make after a layoff — and the 401k move that could cost you 40%
• Whether you should negotiate your severance
• How to evaluate a job offer beyond just the salary number
• When to reach out to a financial advisor — and how to find one you actually click with
• Why Tina calls herself a "saver from yourself"
• The in-service distribution rule at age 55 that most people have never heard of

ABOUT TINA HOANG:

Tina Hoang is a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual based in Dallas, Texas. With over ten years of experience, she specializes in comprehensive financial planning — covering both the defensive side (insurance, risk planning) and the offensive side (wealth accumulation and investments). Before financial advising, Tina spent a decade as a personal trainer, which explains a lot about how she coaches clients through the emotional side of money.

CONNECT WITH TINA:

Phone/Text: 972-663-7237 Email: Tina.T.Hoang@nm,com

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) — borrowing against your home asset
• 401(k) in-service distributions at age 55
• Roth IRA vs. pre-tax vs. after-tax contributions
• The "mega backdoor Roth" and why most people are confusing it with something else
• Myers-Briggs and culture index assessments

This episode is part of our Surviving the Layoff series. Catch up on all episodes at lessthanexpert.com.

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AI was everywhere at SXSW 2026, and honestly? A little “ay ay ay” was warranted.

In this episode, Amanda and Katie break down the biggest themes from the festival, including the rise of AI in branding, creativity, work, accessibility, healthcare, and infrastructure. From Amy Webb’s now-iconic funeral for the annual trend report to powerful conversations about the hidden environmental cost of data centers, this year’s SXSW made one thing clear: the future is moving faster than most of us are ready for.

The good news? Not every takeaway was bleak. We also found real examples of AI being used to make products better, experiences more inclusive, and creative work more human.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why AI was the dominant theme at SXSW 2026
• Amy Webb’s warning about the “unlimited workforce”
• How AI is changing creativity, branding, and real-time marketing
• The overlooked environmental cost of AI and data centers
• Why accessibility and empathy need to be part of the tech conversation
• The SXSW highs, lows, and weird logistical quirks

Bottom line: AI is here. The bigger question is what kind of world we’re building around it.

Read the companion articles: A-Ay Ay Ay and The Future of Health Is Connected: Skin, Brain, Microbiome on LessThanExpert.com

Panels mentioned in this episode:

• Better Leadership Starts with Understanding the Stressed Brain
• Featured Session: Amy Webb Launches 2026 Emerging Tech Trend Report
• The Next Digital Wave Excludes Millions. Let’s Fix it.
• Dirty Data: The Hidden Climate Cost of Our Digital Lives
• Why Will AI Make Brands Feel More Human and Not Less

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Last week we talked about the emotional side of layoffs. This week? We’re talking strategy.

In Part 2 of our Layoff Survival Series, Katie and Amanda break down some of the latest layoff stats in corporate America, and get very honest about what’s happening inside our own jobs.

Then Amanda walks through exactly what she’s doing to prepare — financially, professionally, and mentally — in case the worst happens.

We also go down a small but important rabbit hole: Is AI replacing us… or repositioning us?

If you’ve ever thought, “Am I behind?” or “How do I prepare without spiraling?” This episode is for you.

No doom or panic. Just practical moves.

What We Cover

• Quick recap of Part 1 of the Layoff Series
• Recent layoff trends in corporate America
• What we’re seeing inside our own roles
• Amanda’s real-life preparation strategy:
  • Emergency fund upgrades
  • Resume refresh + quiet networking
  • Skill stacking
  • Income diversification
  • Mental reframing
• The AI sidebar:
  • Is AI eliminating jobs?
  • Who is actually most at risk?
  • How to future-proof your skill set
• Why doing nothing is the riskiest move of all

Visit lessthanexpert.com for more tactical steps and tips!

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Surviving the Layoff, Part 1: The Personal Story

In Part 1 of our Surviving the Layoff series, we sit down with writer and career coach Allison McNearney to talk about what really happens after you hear, “We regret to inform you…”

Allison was laid off in 2024 — and while the experience was destabilizing, it was also clarifying. In this episode, we talk about:

• The emotional whiplash of being laid off
• How job loss impacts identity and self-worth
• The financial fear that follows
• What surprised her most about the process - including financial and healthcare watchouts
• How she reframed the experience
• The lessons she now shares with clients
• What resilience actually looks like in real life

Whether you’ve been laid off, fear you might be, or want to support someone who has, this conversation is for you.

About Our Guest

Allison McNearney is a writer, editor, and creative mindset coach. She has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing for publications including The New York Times, The Daily Beast, and National Geographic. After experiencing a layoff herself in 2024, she brings first-hand experience to conversations about career pivots, identity, and rebuilding. In her coaching work, Allison helps writers, artists, and entrepreneurs discover their purpose and passion, move from stuck to creatively fulfilled, and tell more powerful stories. You can contact her at [email protected] or on her website: allisonmcnearney.com.

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Podcast Resources

• Unemployment Resources: https://www.usa.gov/unemployment-benefits
• ATX Gastroenterologist: https://tddctx.com/lilah-mansour/

After an unplanned but much-needed January break, Amanda and Katie are back behind the mic for a check-in.

In this episode of Less Than Expert, we’re catching up on life updates, talking through why we took the month off, and sharing what we’re (loosely) planning for the year ahead…without the pressure of resolutions, reinvention, or pretending we have it all figured out.

Think: banter, reflection, recalibration, and a reminder that it’s okay to start the year slowly.

What We Cover

• Why January didn’t go as planned
• Life updates since we last recorded - the serious and the absolutely not serious
• How we’re thinking about the year ahead

Who This Episode Is For

• Anyone easing back into work or creativity
• People who started the year tired instead of motivated
• Listeners who like our banter more than the advice

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Resources

• @chaninicholas
• @kirsty_gallagher_
• @itsdrglutes
• @benbrunotraining
• @melissawoodhealth
• Vanity Affair astrology reading article
• https://thriveworks.com/ - therapy that accepts insurance!

Lessons Learned, Favorite Gear, and What’s Coming in 2026

Most podcasts don’t make it past Episode 6, but we're proud to say we're committed.

In this check-in episode of Less Than Expert, Amanda and Katie reflect on what it’s been like launching a podcast from scratch: what surprised us, what worked better than expected, and what we would not recommend.

We’re also sharing our favorite products we used this year (from mics to software to things we thought we needed… but didn’t), plus a sneak peek at what’s coming next as we commit to going well beyond this so-called “podcast death episode.”

If you’ve ever thought about starting a podcast, this episode is your reminder that you don’t have to be an expert to keep going.

In This Episode:

• Why Episode 6 is where most podcasts quietly disappear
• What we’ve learned since hitting “record” for the first time
• Our favorite podcast gear, tools, and platforms from the year
• The products and processes that did not live up to the hype
• How we’re thinking about sustainability and growth going forward
• A sneak peek at upcoming episodes and themes for 2026

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In this episode of Less Than Expert, we’re talking about something that rarely gets celebrated at work: taking a step back on purpose.

We sit down with two women who chose to slow their careers down without walking away entirely. Instead of chasing the next promotion or following a prescribed ladder, they intentionally redesigned their roles to better support their lives, energy, and priorities right now.

We talk honestly about:

• Why “more” isn’t always better
• Letting go of someone else’s timeline and script for success
• Redefining ambition outside of titles and promotions
• The emotional and financial realities of stepping back
• What it looks like to choose sustainability over burnout

This conversation challenges the idea that success only moves in one direction. Sometimes growth looks like less pressure, more clarity, and work that fits your actual life.

Whether you’re feeling burned out, questioning your career path, or just wondering if there’s another way to do work without blowing everything up, this episode is for you.

Because maybe the real flex isn’t climbing higher… It's choosing what works.

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