In this episode of The Career Refresh, I talk with Eric Gillin—an executive who’s held just about every role in media: editor, product lead, head of sales. He calls himself “professional putty,” and he’s not wrong.

We cover:

• How to drive influence without a formal title
• How to lead teams through turbulence and build trust
• Why chasing the right problems beats chasing promotions

Show Guest

For over 20 years, Eric Gillin has been a force inside legacy media—driving innovation at Condé Nast, Hearst, Maxim, Discovery, and beyond. He’s partnered with over 100 editors-in-chief, from David Granger to David Remnick, to launch digital products that moved the needle.

He’s done nearly every media job out there—writing for Esquire, interviewing celebrities at Maxim, hosting a podcast at 23, launching a dozen apps at Hearst, creating the viral Bon Appétit video strategy, and becoming the first person to run Condé Nast’s U.S. ad sales team.

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical

As team leaders, we need to understand what prevents burnout, understand work styles, and build thriving teams by creating environments where everyone can succeed, from the ultra-resilient to the highly sensitive.

This episode breaks down the “Dandelion-Orchid Theory” and what it means for your career, leadership style, and how you handle stress. You’ll learn:

• Why “one-size-fits-all” leadership leads to burnout
• The subtle signs your team is struggling—even if they say they’re fine
• How to support both high-achievers and deep-feelers

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical

Feeling awkward about networking? You’re not alone. In this episode, I’ll show you how to reach out with clarity, confidence, and strategy—without feeling like you’re begging for help. In this episode: 

• Why networking isn’t about the “perfect ask”—it’s about being a decent human.
• The secret incentive no one tells you about: referral bonuses.
• One ask. One click. One shot (but not in the way you think).

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical

Perfection looks good, but excellence gets results. This episode breaks down: 

• A recent failure, the mindset behind it, and how to lead with ownership 
• The hidden cost of cutting corners
• Why asking for help shows strength, not weakness
• What excellence actually looks like in action

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical

In an unpredictable world—elections, layoffs, economic swings—our brains scramble for meaning, often defaulting to worst-case scenarios. In this episode, discover how to combat uncertainty—our biggest productivity killer. We also discuss: 

• Understand how uncertainty triggers your brain's threat response
• How uncertainty kills creativity and innovation
• Hear how a horse taught a life-changing lesson about fear and the present moment
• 3 Techniques to help navigate uncertainty

Mentioned on the Show: 

The Career Refresh Episode 8: Fear and Job Performance

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical

Beth Mach, Co-founder and COO of Spacely, shares how her 25+ year career—and 70 global pitches in one year—prepared her for her TEDx talk. She discusses decision-making confidence, leadership resilience, and work-life integration while thriving in high-stakes startup environments.

Key Takeaways:

• Why pitching beats perfect scripting
• Her go-to-strategy for overwhelm
• The surprising power of listening
• Why every leader needs a board of advisors
• Practical strategies to strengthen decision-making confidence 

Show Guest: 

Beth Mach brings over 25 years of experience driving growth through marketing, media, and technology solutions for Fortune 500 brands. She is currently the Co-founder and COO of Spacely and an advisor and moderator for The Room. Beth actively contributes to several start-ups such as Compliant, Brandstory Architech, and Influential and is also an accomplished public speaker, mentor, investor, and active volunteer. Beth holds a B.A. from Walsh College and is pursuing a CME through Harvard Business School. Find more about Beth Mach at:

LinkedIn

YouTube

TEDxDetroit

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical

Work isn’t just a paycheck—it’s a journey. We explore the three stages, Job, Career, and Calling, and how each phase shapes purpose, growth, and reinvention. In this episode, I discuss: 

• How to move from survival to growth to purpose 
• Why true callings often come from disruption and reinvention.
• Three key strategies for fulfillment at each stage of work.

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical

We’re often our own toughest critics, but self-doubt doesn’t have to control us. Learn how to shift your mindset, stay neutral, and lead with confidence. In this episode you learn:

• How to break free from self-criticism and reframe negative thoughts.
• The power of neutral thinking to reduce stress and improve decision-making.
• Leadership mindset strategies to stay focused and navigate challenges effectively.

Send us a text

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical

Empathy advocate and author of The Empathy Dilemma, Maria Ross discusses how empathy fosters transparency in leadership. Learn practical strategies to build trust, improve communication, and inspire teams by leading with empathy. Explore how transparent leadership creates stronger connections, boosts morale, and drives organizational success.

In this episode: 

• How the definition of empathy has changed over time
• What empathy means in today's workplace
• What to do when empathy has been weaponized
• The 5 pillars of empathetic leadership

Show Guest:
Maria Ross is a speaker, author, strategist, and empathy advocate. She has spoken in front of TED stages and at top conferences and companies, and she’s been featured in NPR, Entrepreneur, and Forbes. Her newly-released book, The Empathy Dilemma, is described as “refreshing” by Dan Pink and a powerful “balance of empathy and accountability” by Dorie Clark. Maria lives in Northern California where you may find her sipping red wine, doing CrossFit, or indulging in a British crime drama.

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical

Your Leadership Classroom is Everywhere. Are You Paying Attention? Leadership isn’t about proving what you know—it’s about staying curious, observing, and learning from unexpected sources. Great leaders embrace a lifelong classroom mindset. In this episode I discuss: 

• One of my biggest leadership disasters
• Why you want to rethink your teachers
• The behaviors that make you a more intentional leader
• How to spot the lessons all around you

Support the show

Jill Griffin, is a leadership and career strategist, executive coach, and host of The Career Refresh podcast. She works with high achievers to strengthen their leadership, navigate career transitions, build effective teams, and create what’s next.

With 20+ years of experience at companies like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton, and Martha Stewart, Jill brings a practical, real-world lens to leadership, decision-making, and career strategy.

 Visit GriffinMethod.com to learn more about working together:

The Next Era Leader
An 12-week cohort for women leaders ready to expand their capacity and lead through complexity with clarity and intention

Executive Coaching & Leadership Advisory
1:1 strategic partnership for leaders navigating growth, transition, and what’s next

Connect with Jill for Leadership Development for Organizations and Speaking & Workshops

Instagram: @JillGriffinOffical