b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

Erin Hatzikostas
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A podcast obsessed with helping GenX(ish) leaders, who should be at the top of their careers but don’t feel like they are. The b Cause Work Doesn’t Have to Suck podcast isn’t another boring, stuffy leadership podcast. And it doesn’t bring you a gazillion guests who had the guts to “ef” the 9-5, seemingly the only answer to truly being happy in your career. Instead, this podcast is focused on helping you continue to rise in your career, but doing it without compromising everything else - your family, your health, or maybe even who you are. Erin, a former corporate CEO turned Authentic Leadership expert, teams up with her good friend, Nicole, an ivy league grad and professional do-gooder. Nicole lays it all on the line to share her real-time work highs, lows, contemplations, and sometimes barely believable stories. And Erin coaches and cajoles her (really, you) along the way...all in the name of helping you feel less insane, more inspired. Erin also interviews authentic leaders and experts who are focused on giving you the stories, advice, and tips that will have you making small, creative changes that will help you contend with and catapult your career. Grab a drink, put your feet up, and come along for a journey that will involve career advice, unsanitized thoughts, leadership lessons, important guests, and who the hell knows what else. b Cause work DOESN’T have to suck.

  1. 296: Micro Motivator: How to Use a Humility Moment to Build Trust (Fast)

    3 DAYS AGO

    296: Micro Motivator: How to Use a Humility Moment to Build Trust (Fast)

    In this micro episode, Erin shares one of the most powerful (and wildly overlooked) tools for building trust as a new leader: the humility moment. Not just “I suck at Excel” level vulnerability, but a real, human story that opens the door for connection, honesty, and trust. She also tells the story of failing seven actuarial exams, how that shaped her leadership style, and why ditching the old-school success rubric is actually the smartest move you can make. Here’s what you’ll hear: -Why trying to be perfect is killing your leadership credibility -What a “humility moment” is (and how to find yours) -How to use storytelling to build trust fast Why failing early might be the best thing that ever happened to you Whether you’re leading for the first time, managing former peers, or just trying to earn credibility quickly, this episode gives you a practical mindset shift to build trust in a way that actually works. If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)   Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz  Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice Work with Us Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments “I was taught, like you and so many people, that there’s this rubric for success… and the reality is, a lot of that doesn’t matter.” “That is the number one way to build trust-purposely mine for, be aware of, and share your humility moments.” “As soon as you share a humility moment, especially when people don’t expect it, immediately your trust radar goes down.”

    7 min
  2. 295: Simple Tweaks to Propel Motivation & Support Menopause with Phil Putnam

    23 SEPT

    295: Simple Tweaks to Propel Motivation & Support Menopause with Phil Putnam

    Content warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. In the U.S., you can dial or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Think leadership is about pep talks, perks, or pushing harder? Phil Putnam, former tech executive, speaker, and author of Desire-Based Leadership disagrees. In this conversation, Erin and Phil chat performance, loyalty and even take us into a topic most leaders avoid: menopause. Here’s what you’ll hear: • Why traditional motivation tactics don’t work • The overlooked link between leadership and loyalty • What companies miss about remote work culture • The attrition math every leader should track • How menopause symptoms get misread as performance problems • Creating real safety and support at work • Why Phil speaks out about menopause on stage-and why leaders should listen   Website: https://philputnam.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philputnamspeaks/   We Do Not Care Club IG: @justbeingmelani   If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)   Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz  Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice Work with Us Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments “Menopause is not a performance issue. It’s a biological process being misread by the system.” “People don’t work for a paycheck—they work for the life the paycheck helps them create.” “She didn’t tell me because she felt safe. She told me because she had nothing left to lose.” “The bar is low. Just signal that menopause is something people can talk about.”

    1h 5m
  3. 294: How “Not Caring” Can Actually Make You a Better Boss

    9 SEPT

    294: How “Not Caring” Can Actually Make You a Better Boss

    What if caring less actually made you a better leader? In this episode, Nicole shares how dropping the mental load, setting unapologetic boundaries, and leading with humor have made her team stronger (and her stress levels lower).  Erin also jumps in with insights on why authenticity is finally winning in the workplace.  What’s Inside: 1.) Why “I don’t care” is Nicole’s new leadership mantra 2) .How humor helps you set boundaries without sounding like a jerk 3.) What ChatGPT is teaching us about tone, trust, and real connection 4.) The subtle difference between burnout and badassery 31: Thankful for 30: Erin & Nicole Recap the First 30 b CAUSE Episodes  246: Kill Your Company's Complexity with Lisa Bodell   We Do Not Care Club IG: @justbeingmelani If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)   Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz  Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice Work with Us Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments "ChatGPT isn’t the problem. It just sounds like corporate emails always have. Now people finally notice.” “Please refer to my face before sending a follow-up email. It already told you what I think.” “Leadership isn’t about doing it all. It’s about knowing what you don’t care about and making space for what you do.” “I used to care about everything. You know where that got me? Miserable and stressed. Boundaries are the new promotions.”

    55 min
  4. 293: Micro Motivator: How to Handle the 'Tell Me About Yourself' Interview Question

    12 AUG

    293: Micro Motivator: How to Handle the 'Tell Me About Yourself' Interview Question

    Hate the “Tell me about yourself” question? Ok, we all kind of do, but truthfully you’re probably answering it all wrong. In this solo episode, Erin breaks down how to stop regurgitating your resume and start captivating your interviewer from the first question. Using her signature “Intriguing Intro” method, you’ll learn how to combine humility, credibility, and a dose of what’s-in-it-for-them to make hiring managers lean in and actually remember you. If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)   Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz  Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice Work with Us Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments "You can win the job with this one question, but only if you do it with authenticity." "People are more connected to people who are a little bit imperfect." “It's all about connection and trust. And you build that through authenticity."

    9 min
  5. 292: Tough Love on Why Your Work-Life Balance Might Suck

    29 JUL

    292: Tough Love on Why Your Work-Life Balance Might Suck

    In this solo episode, Erin chats about the kind of burnout we don’t talk about enough—the kind that masquerades as dedication.  After a powerful moment during a workshop with a high-achieving leader, Erin unpacks the hard truth: working nonstop isn’t always selfless… sometimes, it’s selfish. From addiction to the “hum” of hustle to the unintended signals we send our teams, this episode offers a tough-love reframe for anyone who’s worn burnout like a badge of honor.  If you’ve been struggling to set boundaries or feel guilty for slowing down, this one’s your permission slip (and reality check). If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)   Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz  Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice Work with Us Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments  ”Your job as a leader isn't to take on their burdens.” “It's an addiction. It's also not necessarily the thing that's best not just for you, but for your team and for your others.”  ”Recognizing it is the first step.”

    12 min
  6. 291: Real Talk About AI & How it Can Propel You with Dan Chuparkoff

    15 JUL

    291: Real Talk About AI & How it Can Propel You with Dan Chuparkoff

    You don’t need a PhD to get AI—you just need Dan Chuparkoff. A former tech leader at Google and McKinsey, Dan now helps people make sense of innovation as the “Understandable Technology” expert. From dropping out of college to redefining how leaders use AI, this episode is packed with mic-drop moments, real-world use cases, and fresh ways to rethink how you work. Here’s what you’ll hear: 1.) Why he dropped out of college and how that actually served him better in the long-run 2.) How using AI can be thought of as simply as finding small "copy/paste" moments 3.) How leaders should think about using AI to be more efficient (and why AI might not always be the answer) 4.) The biggest changes he sees coming with AI and work 5.) One company's unique approach to leveraging all those meeting notetakers' notes Connect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuparkoff/ If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)   Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz  Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice Work with Us Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments “Almost a billion people are using one of the top three AI tools every single week.” “Some people are choosing to be left behind.” “What I think most people are missing is that you want to create efficiencies in the places that you're actually spending five or six hours a day.”  ”Let AI take all that minutia away so you can focus on building great relationships with people that you like and enjoy being around.”

    53 min
  7. 290: 5 PTSD Work Moments That Taught Us Something Important

    1 JUL

    290: 5 PTSD Work Moments That Taught Us Something Important

    In this episode, Erin and Nicole swap stories about the work traumas that shaped them—some painful, some funny, all of them unforgettable. From leadership flops and job losses to the quiet moments that hit a little too hard, they unpack the professional PTSD that left a lasting impression (and taught them what not to repeat). If you’ve ever wondered why a small comment still haunts you—or how to make meaning out of a mess—this one’s for you. Here’s what you’ll hear: 1.) Why your “superpower” might actually be a trauma response 2.) What Erin learned when a boss called her character into question 3.) The toxic startup job that taught Nicole how to separate brilliance from bullshit 4.) What happens when you sacrifice your wholeness for a job 5.) How validation-seeking keeps us stuck—and how to break the cycle If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)   Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz  Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice Work with Us Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments  ”Just because you can be the calm in the storm doesn't mean you need to make the storm your habit.” “Do not confuse prestige with integrity.”  ”I'm certain she doesn't remember it, but I'll never forget it.” “ When you're not chasing validation, you can make a difference. “  ”Sometimes getting taken out is the only way that you wake up.”

    1h 13m
  8. 289: How to Stop Letting Stress Run the Show with Dr. Rebecca Heiss

    24 JUN

    289: How to Stop Letting Stress Run the Show with Dr. Rebecca Heiss

    If stress has ever hijacked your brain mid-meeting or made you question your own success, this episode is for you. Dr. Rebecca Heiss—stress physiologist, keynote speaker, and author of Springboard and Instinct—joins us to unpack the science behind stress and how to harness it as a powerful force for growth, resilience, and confidence. Here’s what you’ll hear: 1.) Her Fear(less) Formula, a 3-step process for dealing with stress 2.) What the Hedonic Treadmill is and how it explains why you often feel stressed 3.)  What the Winners Effect is and how it can help you achieve big things 4.) What a Disaster Diary is and how it can help you 5.) How to rewire (and rename) the age ole "Imposter Syndrome" Dr. Rebecca’s Book-Springboard: https://rebeccaheiss.com/books/springboard/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaheiss/ Instagram: @drrebeccaheiss If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)   Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram  Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group    Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz  Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice Work with Us Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments  ”Stop trying to get rid of stress. It is a losing battle.”  ”Rather than calming down, what we need to do is shift the energy.”  ”One thing that actually mitigated negative stress feelings was service to others.”

    48 min
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About

A podcast obsessed with helping GenX(ish) leaders, who should be at the top of their careers but don’t feel like they are. The b Cause Work Doesn’t Have to Suck podcast isn’t another boring, stuffy leadership podcast. And it doesn’t bring you a gazillion guests who had the guts to “ef” the 9-5, seemingly the only answer to truly being happy in your career. Instead, this podcast is focused on helping you continue to rise in your career, but doing it without compromising everything else - your family, your health, or maybe even who you are. Erin, a former corporate CEO turned Authentic Leadership expert, teams up with her good friend, Nicole, an ivy league grad and professional do-gooder. Nicole lays it all on the line to share her real-time work highs, lows, contemplations, and sometimes barely believable stories. And Erin coaches and cajoles her (really, you) along the way...all in the name of helping you feel less insane, more inspired. Erin also interviews authentic leaders and experts who are focused on giving you the stories, advice, and tips that will have you making small, creative changes that will help you contend with and catapult your career. Grab a drink, put your feet up, and come along for a journey that will involve career advice, unsanitized thoughts, leadership lessons, important guests, and who the hell knows what else. b Cause work DOESN’T have to suck.

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