Work Besties Who Podcast

Have you ever looked at your paycheck and thought, “Wait… is this it?” Or watched someone else get promoted while doing work that looks a lot like yours?

This episode is all about helping you ask for more at work — whether that means salary, a promotion, better boundaries, or new opportunities. We talk through one of the biggest myths in the workplace: that if you work hard enough, someone will automatically notice and reward you. Then we break down a simple three-part framework to help you advocate for yourself more clearly: Proof, Position, Pause. 

We also cover:

•  how to lead with results instead of emotion 
•  why clarity matters more than hinting 
•  how to prepare for the ask before the conversation starts 
•  why silence after your ask is powerful 
•  small ways to practice negotiation before the stakes feel big 

This week’s challenge:  Share this episode with your work bestie, practice your script out loud, and make one clear ask this week. 

FYI Key States with Mandatory Salary Range Posting: California, Colorado, New York, Washington, Illinois, Rhode Island, Maryland, Nevada

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

Jess and Claude tackle one of the biggest career questions many of us quietly carry: How do you know whether to stay, shift, or go? This conversation is not just about work. It is about confidence, energy, identity, relationships, and the ways work can start following you home. Together, they unpack why awareness comes before any big career decision and why the real question is often not just “How do I feel at work?” but “Who am I becoming because of what is happening at work?” 

Throughout the episode, they explore what patterns show up when stress takes over, how high-capacity people often default to doing more instead of facing what is actually true, and why some career pivots are not dramatic exits but smaller shifts in communication, boundaries, or how you advocate for yourself. Jess and Claude also reflect on the difference between a difficult season that stretches you and a harmful pattern that starts to reshape you.

They close with practical questions to help you check in with yourself:
 -Where has work started affecting how you see yourself?
 -What patterns have you been normalizing that deserve closer attention?
 -And what truth do you already know, but have been afraid to say out loud? 

This episode is a reminder that not every hard moment means it is time to leave, but every hard moment is worth noticing. Sometimes clarity does not arrive as a lightning bolt. Sometimes it begins as a pattern you finally stop ignoring.

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

How do you know when a relationship needs repair… and when it’s revealing a dealbreaker?

In Episode 94, we sit down with Shelley Badayos to unpack one of the messiest questions in love, friendship, and work-bestie relationships: what is actually fixable, and what is costing you too much to keep normalizing?

We talk about attachment patterns, why we repeat what feels familiar, the difference between awareness and acceptance, and what it really looks like to move from insight into action. We also explore how these same relationship dynamics show up in platonic and workplace relationships, especially when a friendship starts to shift, feel one-sided, or quietly stop feeling mutual.

Inside this episode:

•  fixable problems vs. true dealbreakers 
•  awareness vs. acceptance 
•  repair, boundaries, and changed behavior 
•  the friendship formula and why work friendships change 
•  how to tell if a relationship needs a conversation, a reset, or something more honest 

If you have ever found yourself wondering whether a relationship is asking for repair — or revealing something deeper — this conversation is for you.

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

In this episode, we sit down with David Prosper, aka The Clarity Guy, for a conversation on career pivots, overthinking, burnout, and what it really takes to move forward when you don’t have the full plan.

David shares why clarity is not about knowing the entire outcome — it’s about identifying your next right step. We talk about why high performers often get stuck, how overthinking keeps people trapped, and what to do when you’re successful on paper but no longer feel aligned with your work.

We also walk through a real-time example of David’s coaching process, where he helps us break down a press kit challenge into one simple next action. Later, we get into the emotional side of clarity: anxiety, ambiguity, reacting versus responding, and the difference between feelings that are valid and feelings that should not drive your decisions.

If you’ve been waiting for certainty before making a move, this episode is your reminder that progress comes before clarity — not after.

What we cover

• Why the biggest myth about clarity is thinking you need the full outcome
• The question that cuts through overwhelm: What is my next right step?
• Why smart, ambitious people overcomplicate simple decisions
• How to know whether a career pivot is really necessary
• The difference between reacting to pain and responding with intention
• David’s framework for getting unstuck: state, story, and system
• Why overthinking can become a prison
• The meaning behind David’s compass and the idea of finding your north

David Prosper
Instagram: @theclarityguy_

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

Elena Donskaya had the career, the title, the team, the family, and everything that looked like success from the outside. But inside, something felt off.

In this episode, Elena opens up about the moment she realized her “first mountain” wasn’t fulfilling what it had promised, how she began listening to the whispers of her intuition, and what eventually led her from Wall Street into coaching women through burnout, identity shifts, and self-reconnection.

We also talk about what a feminine energy coach actually does, why so many high-achieving women feel numb or disconnected, how overthinking fuels burnout, and why clarity often starts with slowing down enough to hear yourself again.

This conversation is for anyone who has ever thought: I did everything right… so why doesn’t this feel right?

In this episode, we cover:

• Elena’s breaking point after achieving the “dream” on paper
• Why success doesn’t always equal fulfillment
• What feminine energy coaching means in practice
• How intuition can show up in everyday life
• The role of stress, burnout, and disconnection in high-achieving women
• Why identity shifts matter more than just changing habits
• How to tell when it may be time for a pivot
• Why clarity comes from space, stillness, and self-trust

Connect with Elena:

• Instagram: @elenavisionary 
• LinkedIn: Elena Donskaya, MBA 
• Skool community: Awakened Woman Academy

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

Have you ever opened LinkedIn, seen someone announce a new job, and immediately started rethinking your entire life? Or had a normal Tuesday and one email made you think: maybe I should become a florist. If that’s you, welcome to career clarity and pivoting—the Work Besties way.

Jess & Claude break down how to stop making decisions in panic after one bad meeting and start gathering real data about what’s actually going on. You’ll get:

• A Stay / Shift / Go decision framework
• A 5-factor scorecard to stop arguing with yourself
• Several clarity experiments you can try this week 
• A Work Besties Clarity Sprint you can do with a trusted friend in 12 minutes
• Our March Community Challenge: Your Ideal Day 

This month is all about momentum, not mayhem—so instead of waiting for clarity to arrive, we’re helping you move a little so clarity can follow.

Clarity comes from action: use small experiments to generate data 

Books cited:

What Color is Your Parachute

Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies For Reinventing Your Career by Herminia Ibarra

PIVOT: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next Move by Jenny Blake

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

In this episode of Work Besties Who Podcast, Jess and Claude sit down with executive coach and leadership strategist Kathryn Booker-Veloz to answer the question so many professionals struggle with: How do you show up authentically—without oversharing and regretting it later?

Kathryn breaks down what real workplace authenticity looks like (hint: it’s not perfection, and it’s not bringing every personal detail to work). You’ll learn a simple “intent vs. impact” check before you speak up in a meeting or post on LinkedIn, how to “read the room,” and how to build trust while still keeping healthy boundaries. Plus, Kathryn shares how leaders can create “breathing points” for their teams and why younger generations are demanding more humanity at work.

What you’ll learn

• What “authentic” actually means at work (and why perfectionism backfires)
• The difference between being real and oversharing
• Kathryn’s 10-second visibility check: intent vs. impact
• How to share stories that build trust (without crossing personal boundaries)
• What to post (and not post) on LinkedIn
• How leaders can create psychological safety—without losing credibility
• How to find (or become) a “work bestie” when trust feels risky

Guest

Kathryn Booker-Veloz — Executive coach & leadership strategist, founder of Influence Leadership Lab. She has coached 300+ leaders in high-stakes environments where visibility, power, and reputation matter.

Work with Kathryn

Kathryn is offering a complimentary 1-hour coaching call to help you work through a real challenge in real time.
Website: kathrynexecutive.com

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

If you’ve ever been the person who “just handles it,” this episode is for you. Jess and Claude sit down with leadership coach Ronni Landeck to talk about authenticity at work that’s rooted in alignment (not performance), boundaries that protect your time without sounding difficult, and communication that doesn’t come with a side of apology.

They kick off with a powerful distinction: being a high performer is being great at your job — becoming “the default” is being great at everyone else’s job too. From there, Ronni shares how to stay authentic within real workplace dynamics, how to pause with executive presence when you’re put on the spot, and how to build sustainable success without burning out.

You’ll also hear Ronni’s SOURCE framework — a practical guide for staying grounded under pressure — plus a simple way to reframe imposter syndrome using self-compassion and “power phrases” that help you show up with clarity and confidence.

What we cover in this episode

• The difference between being a high performer vs. becoming “the default”
• What authenticity at work actually means (and what people get wrong)
• Boundaries that strengthen executive presence
• A clear script to use when new work gets added to your plate
• Confidence, imposter syndrome, and why self-compassion matters
• Ronni’s SOURCE framework for sustainable performance and personal growth

The sentence to use when someone hands you work that isn’t yours
 “Right now, my top three priorities are A, B, and C — where would you like this new task prioritized?”

Memorable moments

• “Hope isn’t a strategy.”
• “Self-compassion is a muscle—you build it.”
• “Action brings clarity and confidence.”

Resources mentioned

• How to Win Friends and Influence People — Dale Carnegie
• Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors — Janina Fisher
• Self-compassion research — Kristin Neff
• Rumi: “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”

Connect with Ronni Landeck
 Website: https://ronnilandeck.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronni-landeck-bast/

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

We all want to “be ourselves” at work… but many of us learned to survive by wearing masks: the high performer mask, the people-pleaser mask, the “I’m fine” mask. In this episode, Jess & Claude sit down with Adriana Vaccaro, CEO and Founder of Culture Redesigned, to unpack what masking actually is, why it happens, and how it quietly becomes your personal brand.

You’ll learn how to recognize when you’re masking, how psychological safety changes everything, and what leaders can do to create environments where people can show up as themselves. And we close with the question we all wonder: If unmasking feels risky, what’s the first mask you should take off without putting your job at risk?

In This Episode, We Cover

• What “masking” at work really looks like (and why it’s a brain-based defense mechanism)
• The connection between psychological safety and authenticity
• How to tell if you’re masking because something is unaligned vs unfamiliar
• Why “chameleon behavior” can feel safe—but cost you over time
• The manager’s role in shaping the emotional environment of a team
• How to build trust through consistent, clear, authentic communication
• Adriana’s safest “first unmasking step” when authenticity feels risky

Key Takeaways

• Unmasking isn’t an overnight change — it’s gradual and strategic.
• Psychological safety is the real opposite of masking.
• Your body often tells the truth first (fatigue, headaches, “the ick,” dread).
• Leaders must take responsibility for the environment they create.
• Trust grows when people experience you as consistent and authentic.
• A safe first step toward unmasking: stop people-pleasing and practice silence.

About Our Guest

Adriana Vaccaro is the CEO and Founder of Culture Redesigned. She blends behavioral science with real-world business leadership to help organizations and individuals turn values into actions that actually change outcomes.

Connect with Adriana

• Adriana Vaccaro, MBA | LinkedIn
• Culture Redesigned – Building Dream Teams

Work Besties Challenge (Try This This Week)

Pick one moment where you usually “fill the space” to keep things smooth.
 Instead, pause for 3 seconds before responding. Practice silence without over-agreeing.

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

Ever notice your voice goes two octaves higher in a meeting—or you rewrite the same email sentence five times because it sounds “too much like you”? In this episode, we’re exploring authenticity at work without turning it into oversharing. Because being yourself at work gets easier when someone else sees you and helps you stay aligned.

This month’s commitment: we don’t punish honesty—we reward it with safety. And we don’t chase perfection; we practice alignment.

In this episode, we cover:

• What we mean by authenticity: consistency between your values and your behaviors
• Why authenticity isn’t “unfiltered everything” (you can be real and professional)
• The two versions of authenticity: corporate (reliability + boundaries) and creative (voice + POV)
• “Your brand is your behavior”—and how misalignment shows up (hello, “brand panic”)
• 3 “work bestie” safety signals: reflect you back kindly, protect you in rooms you’re not in, and tell you the truth without shaming you

Try this this week:
Pick one value (clarity, calm, balance, excellence, etc.) → translate it into one behavior people can see. Share it with your work bestie and ask for a gut check.

Coming up this month:

• Unmasking at Work (and why your brand is your behavior)
• Authentic Influence (boundaries that protect your brand)
• How to Stay You While You Grow

Share with your work bestie and tag us with the value + behavior you’re practicing this week.

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband