We Are All Workerbees

Workerbee, Inc.
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Work is being rewritten. By AI, shifting expectations, economic pressure, and the lived realities workers and employers are facing every day. Most people are trying to understand where they fit in all this change. And it isn’t just workers. Concerned parents, students, and anyone thinking about the role of people and meaning in work are all trying to make sense of this moment too.  In We Are All Workerbees, hosts Heiko Roth and Erika Van Noort sit down with workers, hiring managers, and people in the thick of it to talk honestly about what work feels like right now, how it’s shifting, and what these changes actually mean in real life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. Aug 6

    Is Freelancing Worth it in 2026?

    Freelancing in 2026 isn't just about picking up gigs between jobs. It requires systems, boundaries, a personal brand, and learning to say no. But for those who build it right, independent work can offer more stability, income potential, and creative freedom than traditional employment. In this episode, we’re joined by Edward Sun and Grace Lemire, two freelancers who took very different paths to full-time independence. Edward is a brand and web designer who left agency life in early 2025 to freelance full-time and now books 100% of his clients through social media. Grace started freelancing straight out of college and spent five years as a marketing consultant and ghostwriter for FinTech and SaaS founders before building her own content brand without ever holding a traditional full-time job. Together, they walk through what it actually takes to thrive: which soft skills matter more than technical ability; how AI is reshaping creative workflows and client expectations; why a personal brand has become the new job security; and how to start creating content when video feels overwhelming. They also discuss setting non-negotiable boundaries, using rate increases as a filter, and why the convergence of AI and the creator economy has created a rare window for new freelancers to break old gatekeeping structures. Thanks to Edward Sun and Grace Lemire for joining us. -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Is Freelancing Worth it in 2026?

  2. Jul 23

    Can the Gig Economy Deliver on Its Promises?

    What does it really mean to be your own boss? For all the hype around entrepreneurship and side hustles, the reality of independent work often looks less like freedom and more like risk shifted onto the individual. In this episode, we’re joined by Benjamin Waterhouse, a historian of modern economic life and professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to demystify the gig economy and trace it back to its roots. He argues that the gig economy is not a modern invention but the result of a decades-long "fracturing" of the workplace. Since the 1980s, corporations have steadily outsourced responsibility for wages, benefits, scheduling, and the social safety net, first through temp agencies and consulting contracts, and now through app-based platforms and vertically disintegrated supply chains. We explore what self-employment statistics actually reveal about underemployment, why younger workers are both drawn to and pushed into independent work, and how AI might be affecting stable entry-level jobs. Thanks to Benjamin Waterhouse for joining us. -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Can the Gig Economy Deliver on Its Promises?

  3. Jul 9

    What Two Veterans Learned About Value, Identity, and Work After Service

    Every year, more than two hundred thousand service members transition out of the military—and nearly half say they struggle to find purpose in their first year as civilians. The job hunt is unfamiliar, the timelines are unclear, and the support systems often fall short of what veterans actually need. In this episode, we’re joined by two guests who bring two perspectives on the same journey. Michael Hucker, COO of Workerbee and a veteran who spent over twenty years in service before retiring in 2021, planned his exit years in advance. Brian Fisher is actively serving today and navigating that transition right now, with Michael as his mentor. Together, they explore the realities of leaving military life: how the structured, trackable world of military assignments differs from the opaque silence of civilian hiring; why the military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) often fails to prepare service members for the private sector; and how veterans can learn to network, negotiate salary, and communicate their value. They also discuss the culture shock of moving from tight-knit, high-intensity teams to remote civilian work, and what it means to build an identity beyond the uniform. We learn what meaningful support from corporate America actually looks like, why veterans often undervalue their own skills, and how the mission-oriented mindset of military service translates into creative, resourceful problem-solving in any industry. Thanks to Michael Hucker and Brian Fisher for joining us. -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    What Two Veterans Learned About Value, Identity, and Work After Service

  4. Jun 25

    Can Technology Make Hiring More Human?

    Recruiting is changing. AI is writing job descriptions, screening resumes, sourcing candidates, and in some cases even showing up to interviews pretending to be a real person. Where does that leave recruiters? Erika Van Noort and Brandon Ram believe the future of recruiting is actually becoming more human, not less. As AI transforms how organizations hire, they argue that the most successful recruiters will be the ones who understand people, advocate for candidates, and help organizations make smarter decisions. In this episode, we explore how AI is reshaping recruitment. Why do so many organizations still not have a clear AI strategy? And what happens when recruiters start interviewing AI-generated avatars instead of real candidates? We also discuss why curiosity may be the most valuable skill for recruiters today, how companies can uncover hidden talent by focusing less on credentials and more on potential, and why candidate experience has become a critical part of employer branding. Thanks to Erika Van Noort and Brandon Ram for joining us. -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Can Technology Make Hiring More Human?

  5. Jun 3

    Why You Need an AI Strategy

    Amir Feizpour has been working in AI for more than a decade, and he thinks we're asking the wrong question. Instead of focusing on job loss, Amir argues that the bigger shift is job description loss. The gradual process where parts of our work are automated and responsibilities and roles change over time. As founder and CEO of AI.Science, Amir helps organizations integrate AI agents into their day-to-day operations. In this episode, he explains why most companies are still in the early stages of adoption, where AI is already delivering real value, and why data quality, knowledge management, and human oversight matter far more than most people realize. We also explore what happens when AI agents start acting more like coworkers, why organizations need a clear strategy for using AI, and what workers can do right now to stay relevant as their roles continue to change. Amir stresses why learning to build with AI may be one of the most valuable skills you can develop today. Thanks to Amir Feizpour for joining us. Check out the Agentic Buildcamp: https://sherpa-b.ai.science/  -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Why You Need an AI Strategy

  6. May 20

    How Students Are Preparing for an Uncertain Job Market

    Graduation used to feel like the beginning of the rest of our lives. For many young people entering the workforce today, it feels more like standing at the edge of uncertainty. John Branam has spent more than 30 years helping first-generation and low-income students navigate college, careers, and the leap into adulthood. But lately, he’s watching more and more young people do everything “right” ( earn the degree, build the résumé, send hundreds of applications) and still struggle to land that first opportunity. In this episode, we talk about why entry-level jobs seem to be disappearing, how AI is reshaping early-career work, and why networking matters more than ever in a crowded hiring market. We also get into the emotional side of starting out: the fear, the pressure, the hustle, the challenge of building a life in an unstable world. Along the way, John shares practical advice for students and young workers trying to get their footing. From building networks and using LinkedIn strategically to embracing nonlinear career paths and learning how to “choose your hard.” Thanks to John Branam for joining us. -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    How Students Are Preparing for an Uncertain Job Market

  7. May 6

    What Employers are Actually Looking For Today

    We take a look at how hiring has shifted from evaluating résumés and credentials to understanding people at a much deeper level. Jim Beqaj, a corporate recruiter, executive coach, and leader who has hired nearly a thousand people across industries, joins us to break down what employers are really prioritizing in 2026 and why traditional hiring tools are no longer enough. We talk about how AI is flooding the hiring process with applications, how adaptability is now valued over experience, and how both candidates and employers are struggling to define what a good “fit” actually means. Thanks to Jim Beqaj for joining us. -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    What Employers are Actually Looking For Today

  8. Apr 22

    The Collapse of Trust in the Job Market

    In this episode, we zoom out to look at the deeper shifts happening across the job market. Believe it or not, more applicants, more technology, and more data aren’t always leading to better outcomes. David Hain, an industry veteran, walks us through how the system itself is being rewired in real time. From thousands of AI-optimized resumes flooding a single role to new questions around trust and transparency, the hiring process is evolving quickly and not always in obvious ways. We explore why traditional systems are starting to fall short, why resumes are becoming more of a starting point than the full picture, and how both companies and candidates can adapt to find better matches in a more complex landscape. Thanks to David Hain for joining us. -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Collapse of Trust in the Job Market

  9. Apr 22

    Inside the Hiring Black Box with Emily Durham

    The hiring process is changing fast. But what’s actually going on behind the scenes? In this episode, we go inside the modern recruitment “black box” with career coach and former Fortune 500 recruiter Emily Durham. From AI tools that don’t quite work (yet) to a flood of applications and rising candidate ghosting, hiring today is messy, inconsistent, and often frustrating for everyone involved. We talk about what’s really driving the breakdown in hiring, why applying to hundreds of jobs isn’t the answer anymore, and how networking, personality, and human connection are becoming the most valuable signals in an increasingly automated system. Thanks to Emily Durham for joining us. -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Inside the Hiring Black Box with Emily Durham

  10. Apr 22

    What Job Hunting Actually Looks Like Right Now

    The job market is shifting. But what does that actually look like on the ground? In this episode, we go inside the modern job search through the experiences of two professionals navigating it in real time. From AI-driven screening tools to a surge in competition and fewer responses, the hiring process is evolving quickly… and not always for the better. We talk about what’s changed, what’s working (and what isn’t), and how job seekers are adapting to a system that increasingly feels automated, unpredictable, and impersonal. Thanks to Christopher Mines and Montea Sherritt for joining us. -- You can talk to Workerbee 24/7 at workerbee.ai. Follow Workerbee on LinkedIn. Check out Nikki’s executive consulting company: The Hive Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    What Job Hunting Actually Looks Like Right Now

  11. Season 1 Trailer

    Introducing “We Are All Workerbees”

    The world of work is changing. And we need to talk about it. Hosted by Nikki Vegenski and Heiko Roth, We Are All Workerbees is a podcast about what it actually feels like to navigate work right now. Each episode brings you into conversations with job seekers, hiring managers, recruiters, and people building something on the side just to stay afloat. From AI interviews to endless applications to shifting expectations around careers, the show follows how work is changing in real time… and what that means for the people living through it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Introducing “We Are All Workerbees”

Trailer

About

Work is being rewritten. By AI, shifting expectations, economic pressure, and the lived realities workers and employers are facing every day. Most people are trying to understand where they fit in all this change. And it isn’t just workers. Concerned parents, students, and anyone thinking about the role of people and meaning in work are all trying to make sense of this moment too.  In We Are All Workerbees, hosts Heiko Roth and Erika Van Noort sit down with workers, hiring managers, and people in the thick of it to talk honestly about what work feels like right now, how it’s shifting, and what these changes actually mean in real life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Workerbee, Inc.
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Workerbee, Inc.
  • Show Website
    We Are All Workerbees