Work in Progress: Corporate Career Podcast

Layoffs happened and you’re still here. Now what?

It’s an awkward place to be. You’re relieved… but also anxious, maybe even a little guilty?

This week’s Work in Progress episode is for the ones left behind. We’re talking survivor’s guilt, role security, and how to prep for what’s next without burning out.

Learn how to:

• Interpret the why behind your company’s layoffs

• Quietly recession-proof your resume, finances, and strategy

• Turn this moment of fear into future leverage

Layoffs are everywhere right now—from Big Tech to companies you thought were rock solid. And even if it hasn’t hit you yet, it could.

If you’ve been laid off and you’re not sure what to do next, you’re not alone. In this episode of Work in Progress, we walk through three steps to help you get back on your feet—from navigating the emotional fallout, to getting your finances in order, to finding momentum again.

What happens when you speak up about harassment—and the team goes silent? In this episode, guest host Elsie Rodriguez joins CJ to talk about what it’s really like to be the only woman in a male-dominated workplace. From second-guessing yourself to being punished for standing up, this is the conversation that too many women are having quietly. We’re saying it out loud.

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Hobbies can super-charge your career. Guest co-host Yvonne Pearson joins CJ to show how museums, concerts and content creation translate into real corporate skills—discipline, delegation and data-driven marketing included.

How can museum hopping, concert stalking, and content creation make you a sharper operator at work? In this episode of Work in Progress, guest co-host Yvonne Pearson (Coffee With Yvonne / Pink Dollhouse Marketing) joins CJ to unpack the hidden career ROI of their favorite “side-quests.” From podcasting workflows that streamline delegation to SZA’s pop-up lip-gloss launch that nails experiential marketing, we draw a straight line between play and professional payoff.

We cover:

• Why hobbies build transferable skills—discipline, project management, creative resilience—and how to talk about them in performance reviews.

• The art-museum cheat code: using gallery walks to spark campaign ideas and inclusive storytelling.

• Concerts as masterclasses in brand experience (feat. Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s vegan beauty drop).

• Leveraging AI tools (ChatGPT, Riverside “magic clips”) to automate busywork and protect creative energy.

• Practical pushback tactics: discovery calls, marketing briefs, and killing misaligned “fun” ideas before they burn budget.

 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your shows, and hit follow for sharp takes on thriving inside corporate walls.

Flying solo, CJ Jennings-Hope unpacks why carefully-crafted relationships—not oversharing—fast-track your promotions. She introduces the Cup-of-Sugar Rule for knowing when a coworker bond is strong enough to swap favors, then shares a two-topic conversation hack that lets even introverts build strategic visibility without spilling their life story.

Stick around for a special announcement on the new formats coming to Work in Progress—and how they’ll help you thrive at work even faster.

You finally land a meeting to pitch your big idea—and watch faces glaze over faster than a Teams outage. Turns out the idea isn’t the problem; the delivery is.

In this episode of Work in Progress, Courtney Jennings-Hope and co-host Larone Ellison break down corporate storytelling that actually moves the room:

• Hook → Context → Ask: the three-beat formula that keeps busy execs listening.

• “Pre-comms”: drop links and background before the meeting so your pitch can stay crisp.

• Brevity without buzzwords: why shorter sentences = bigger influence.

• Stop winging it: record yourself, trim the fluff, and own the pause when nerves hit.

Listen for the real-world examples (and mishaps) that prove facts alone don’t sell—stories do. When the meeting ends, you’ll know exactly how to frame ideas, set the scene, and close the deal.

Follow the podcast at @workinprogressthepodcast https://www.instagram.com/Workinprogressthepodcast

Follow CJ on Instagram ⁠Here⁠ or LinkedIn ⁠Here⁠

Follow Larone on Instagram ⁠Here⁠

We’re chasing six figures—but at what cost? In this episode, Larone and CJ talk through the myth and the math of landing a six-figure job: from resume rewrites and interview ghosting to career pivots and office red flags. Expect stories, strategy, and spicy commentary on capitalism, ChatGPT, and the “gladiator sport” of career progression.

Follow the podcast at @workinprogressthepodcast 

Follow CJ on Instagram ⁠Here⁠ or LinkedIn ⁠Here⁠

Follow Larone on Instagram ⁠Here⁠

👀 Topics covered

• What actually counts as a “six-figure skill”
• Why marketing gets a bad rep
• How to translate soft skills into business value
• The real reason you’re not getting callbacks

Tap in and take notes. Your salary will thank you.

Think you’re great at group projects because you get your work done on time? That might not be the flex you think it is.

In this episode, CJ and Larone break down what really makes someone a strong team player—and why doing your part isn’t always enough. From ghosting your project tracker to hiding updates out of fear or perfectionism, they cover the small habits that quietly derail teamwork (and your reputation).

Whether you’re neurodivergent, naturally independent, or just burned out on bad collaborators, this episode gives you the real-world tools to show up better in group settings—without becoming the office doormat.

We cover:

• What being a “team player” actually looks like in corporate settings

• The lone wolf myth—and why it hurts your visibility

• How communication styles impact collaboration

• Why perfectionism can make you a bad teammate

• How to give (and receive) updates without spiraling

• Real-life examples of team tension—and how to fix it

Plus: CJ and Larone share their own teamwork fails, how they’ve grown, and the different approaches they take when team members don’t pull their weight.

What does accountability really mean at work—and how do you build it without burning out? In this episode, CJ and Larone explore how showing up with consistency, clarity, and self-awareness can shift how you’re seen by peers and leadership alike.

We talk through:

• The difference between accountability and ownership—and why it’s not just semantics

• What it means to be seen as reliable (and why it’s not about being perfect)

• Why defensiveness is often a missed opportunity for growth

• How to take responsibility without taking on blame that isn’t yours

• The small, everyday moments that build—or break—trust at work

Whether you’re navigating feedback, managing projects, or just trying to be someone people can count on, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what accountability actually sounds like in practice.

You can write the perfect bio, ace your intro, and still walk into a room where someone already made up their mind about you.

In this episode, we talk about the tension between your personal brand — the version of you that you want people to see — and your reputation — the version they pass around when you’re not in the room.

We get honest about where we’ve fumbled, where we’ve overpromised, and how we’re learning (sometimes the hard way) that what people feel about working with you matters as much as what you can deliver.If you’ve ever thought, “Wait — is that really how I came across?”… this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen for practical tips, real-life stories, and a reminder that managing your reputation isn’t fake — it’s just another form of care.