Everything Counts

Kristin
  • 5.0 (9)
  • CAREERS

A podcast about careers, detours, and the absurdity of work. Host Kristin talks with guests about the twists, pivots, and tiny choices that shape our lives. With humor, feminism, and honesty, Everything Counts (but nothing is real) reminds us that even when nothing makes sense, everything we do counts.

  1. 6D AGO

    Celia: People matter most.

    People matter most. In the Season 1 finale of Everything Counts (But Nothing Is Real), Kristin sits down with one of her closest friends, Celia (they/them), to reflect on careers, values, and the human relationships that shape our work lives. A feminist philanthropic advocate working at the intersection of gender, racial, and economic justice, Celia shares what it really means to “move money ethically” and why relationships, patience, and trust are central to lasting systems change. They talk about a winding career path, several big moves, stumbling into fundraising, and learning how to operationalize big visions without losing sight of the people behind the work.  From carrying rocks in their pocket as career armor to redefining what it means to be “on track,” this conversation is a grounded close to a season about careers, detours, and the absurdity of work and a reminder that, in the end, people matter most. Send us a text

    43 min

  2. 12/31/2025

    Sara: Say it, then do it.

    Say it, then do it. In this episode, Kristin sits down with Sara (she/her), a longtime friend and education leader whose career has been shaped by ambition, follow-through, and a deep belief in joy as a leadership practice. From nearly two decades in education nonprofits to earning multiple master’s degrees, getting married, and landing a new role as Dean of Student Life (all at once) Sara shares what it really looks like to set a goal and see it through. They talk about ambition without burnout, the importance of good benefits (“the bennies”), sneakers as career armor, and what it looks like to lead with joy in schools and in life. It’s a reminder that you don’t have to have it all figured out, you just have to say what you want and then do the work to make it real. Send us a text

    40 min

  3. 12/24/2025

    Advice: A grain of salt and a pair of soft pants.

    A grain of salt and a pair of soft pants. In this episode, Kristin and Loren break the fourth wall on career conversations and swap the usual interview format for a casual, candid advice session. From figuring out what you actually want (versus what you’ve been conditioned to want), to recognizing the difference between burnout and boredom, they talk through the questions so many of us are quietly asking at work and in life. Along the way, they unpack urgency culture, eldest-child energy, pointless meetings, LinkedIn performance art, and the freedom of choosing soft pants over hard rules. This is an advice episode to take with a grain of salt: thoughtful, nosy, occasionally petty, and rooted in autonomy, self-trust, and the belief that your job doesn’t have to be your passion to be good enough. No professionals here, just two eldest children in their 40s, doing their best. Send us a text

    35 min

  4. 12/17/2025

    Kenzie: Adaptation is a skill.

    Adaptation is a skill. In this episode, Kristin sits down with her sister Kenzie (she/her) for a conversation about nonlinear careers, survival skills, and what it really means to “read the room.” Kenzie’s path, from reality TV casting to corporate recruiting to a bold pivot toward law school, is a masterclass in adaptation. Together, they unpack how early chaos shapes professional instincts, how work inevitably collides with life, and why being “off track” is often exactly where growth happens. This episode is about transferable skills born from resilience, the limits of changing systems from the inside, and remembering that behind every résumé, interview, and job title is a human trying to make it work. How to get in touch: Instagram and TikTok: @kenziedgardnerSend us a text

    33 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    Heidi: Do all the things, with purpose.

    Do all the things, with purpose. In this episode, Kristin sit down with longtime friend and multi-hyphenate creative Heidi (she/her)--marketer, DJ, podcaster, higher-ed storyteller, civic-tech comms pro, and now small-business founder--to explore the many twists and pivots of her career. From clerk-of-court cubicles to national civic tech work to launching her own consultancy, Heidi shares what she’s learned about work boundaries, risk-taking, pay cuts, unionization, and staying grounded through it all. It’s a conversation about reinvention, and creative renewal. How to get in touch: heidikerr.com Heidi on LinkedIn@alsothatheidi  Send us a text

    31 min

  6. 12/03/2025

    Dolores: Life changes. So do we.

    Life changes. So do we. Dolores returns for part 2 to share what life looks like after the classroom. She talks about how retirement became “the best job she’s ever had,” from early-morning VIPKid lessons with students in China to unexpected cultural exchange, care packages, and real connection across oceans. We also walk through the hardest years of her life—losing my dad and later my sister—and how she coped by staying busy, learning to live between “the cloud and the sun,” and finding support in unlikely places. That journey eventually led her to a fresh start and a new chapter: managing the Pocono Phoenix, the Airbnb she sees as her own rise-from-the-ashes story. It’s an honest look at grief, reinvention, and building a life beyond one career. And a reminder that it’s never too late to begin again. How to get in touch: @thepoconophoenix on InstagramSend us a text

    27 min

  7. 11/26/2025

    Dolores: Work changes. So do we.

    Work changes. So do we. In Part 1 of this two-episode arc, Kristin sits down with her mom, Dolores (she/her), to explore a life built in classrooms and the way work evolves as people do. Dolores shares how she felt called to teach at an early age, and how her career unfolded through shifting curriculums, school politics, and dramatically different parent dynamics. She reflects on the joy of whole-language learning, the inequities between systemically underfunded and affluent schools, and her unexpected pivot into becoming a technology teacher; eventually creating a student-run news broadcast that became a beloved “happy place” for kids across the building. She also speaks candidly about a deeply personal chapter: the years when one of her daughters was struggling, and how she channeled that grief and uncertainty into mentoring students who needed extra care and attention. Her story is a reminder that the work we do is never separate from the lives we live, and that small acts of care can leave lasting impact. Next week in Part 2, the conversation turns to what came after the classroom: retirement, loss, and the process of rebuilding a full life beyond a long career. Send us a text

    25 min

  8. 11/19/2025

    Mary Ann: It's not that serious.

    It's not that serious. In this episode, Kristin talks with Mary Ann (she/her), a former ska-punk zine kid turned corporate law firm website manager, about what it really means to not dream of labor. They trace her path from AOL fan sites and popcorn shifts at the mall, through nonprofit burnout and film/TV detours, to a corporate web career that pays the bills without owning her identity. Mary Ann shares how books like Work Won’t Love You Back helped her de-center work, stop taking every email so personally, and build a life where quitting a bad job is an act of self-care. They also reminisce about early-internet nostalgia, hybrid work fashion, and the career armor that comes from remembering: we’re not saving lives here. Send us a text

    33 min
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About

A podcast about careers, detours, and the absurdity of work. Host Kristin talks with guests about the twists, pivots, and tiny choices that shape our lives. With humor, feminism, and honesty, Everything Counts (but nothing is real) reminds us that even when nothing makes sense, everything we do counts.

Information

  • Creator
    Kristin
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Everything Counts
  • Show Website
    Everything Counts