Everything Counts

Kristin Gardner
  • 5.0 (13)
  • CAREERS

A podcast about careers, detours, and the absurdity of work. Host Kristin Gardner 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. 2D AGO

    Nichole: Don't fear the unknown.

    In this episode, Kristin sits down with Nichole (she/her), founder of Success on the Spectrum—the first autism treatment franchise in the U.S.—to talk about building a business that truly changes lives. What began as a personal mission to support her daughter grew into a nationwide network serving thousands of families, after Nichole saw firsthand how few spaces existed for children with autism to truly belong. Together, they explore the intersection of purpose and profit, and what it means to build something meaningful without having it all figured out. Nichole shares how she scaled her work through franchising, empowering others to start purpose-driven businesses of their own. This episode is a reminder that care and courage often go hand in hand. Sometimes the most impactful thing you can do is try something new and build what doesn’t yet exist. How to get in touch: Success on the SpectrumSOS FrancisingSend us Fan Mail

    29 min

  2. APR 1

    Vera: Why not?

    In this episode, Kristin reconnects with Vera (she/her), a public sector professional working in the Dutch national government, to explore a career that took shape slowly and unexpectedly over time. From moving to the U.S. after college and taking on a series of “random” jobs to returning to school and ultimately finding purpose in public service, Vera shares how her path came together in hindsight even when it didn’t make sense in the moment.  Together, they unpack the realities of government work, the importance of bridging policy and real life, and what it means to contribute to change from behind the scenes. It’s a conversation about timing, support, and the quiet accumulation of experience. And a reminder that feeling “off track” might just mean you’re still in the middle of becoming. Send us Fan Mail

    43 min

  3. MAR 25

    Susan: Trust what your body knows.

    In this episode, Kristin talks with Susan (she/her) who spent years building a successful career in the legal world before realizing that being good at something is not the same as feeling aligned with it. Together they explore the path from paralegal to massage therapist, what it meant to choose a more embodied and values-driven life, and how self-employment changed her relationship to work, stability, and success. Together, they talk about right livelihood, the surprising ways stress lives in the body, the intimacy and healing of long-term client relationships, and why changing direction doesn’t mean starting over. Susan’s story is a reminder that nothing is wasted, your experience comes with you, and sometimes your body knows what your brain is still trying to figure out. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re off track, this conversation offers a gentler reframe: maybe you’re not lost. Maybe you’re just collecting information about what a more aligned life could be. How to get in touch: susanlmt.com Send us Fan Mail

    44 min

  4. MAR 18

    Brielle: You can have many lives.

    In this episode, Kristin sits down with Brielle (she, her), one of the first friends she made after moving to New York City and someone whose career has always been marked by a rare sense of intentionality. Brielle works in corporate social impact, helping large organizations connect their resources to nonprofit partners and community needs. But her path didn’t begin in corporate boardrooms. It started with volunteering as a kid, working at a small women’s rights nonprofit in New York, and asking a lot of questions about how change actually happens. In this conversation, Kristin and Brielle reflect on early career uncertainty, the surprising culture shock of moving from nonprofit scrappiness into corporate life, and what it means to build a career with purpose. They talk about informational interviews, meditation, leadership, parenting, and how perspective shifts as we grow older. Along the way, Brielle shares a simple but powerful reminder: you don’t just get one career or one version of yourself. Over time, we all get the chance to build many lives. Send us Fan Mail

    44 min

  5. MAR 11

    Josie: Put your foot down.

    In this episode, Kristin talks with Josie (she/her), a project engineer in the construction industry who helps manage the building of massive projects like hospitals and data centers. Josie shares how she found her way into construction after starting in civil engineering and realizing she wanted something more hands-on, practical, and people-centered. She reflects on choosing an unconventional path to college, leaving New Jersey for the University of Wyoming, and the sweet story of her dad moving nearby to support her while still giving her space to grow. Together, Kristin and Josie talk about confidence, credibility, and what it means to put your foot down as a young woman in a male-dominated field. Josie offers thoughtful insight into learning to trust your voice, speak with authority, and accept that not everything that looks good on paper actually works in real life. Funny, grounded, and quietly wise, this episode is a conversation about building a career, and a life, that actually fits. Send us Fan Mail

    33 min

  6. MAR 4

    Zakiya: Don't bury your gifts.

    In this episode, Kristin sits down with Zakiya (she/her), Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships at the Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund, to talk about leadership, identity, and the through-lines that shape a career. A Bermudian immigrant, former therapist, and seasoned fundraiser, Zakiya reflects on what it means to mobilize money at the intersection of climate and racial justice; and why money, at its core, is intimate work. From navigating tokenization in philanthropy to choosing when and how to step back into formal leadership, she shares hard-won wisdom about boundaries, authenticity, and using your gifts before they atrophy. Together, they explore what it means to build a career without bitterness, how to recognize the skills that have always been yours, and why the job may change, but the gift doesn't. How to get in touch: Zakiya J. Lord on LinkedInSend us Fan Mail

    47 min

  7. FEB 25

    Amber: Don't force the fit.

    Season 2 kicks off with Amber (she/her), someone who has never stayed in a life that didn’t fit. From Texas Tech to flight attendant, from a post-9/11 pivot to a master’s degree in London, from being “under-qualified” for marketing roles back home to building a career across sports, student marketing, and ultimately professional tour guiding, Amber’s story is a masterclass in adaptability. Today she leads tours across London, Oxford, and Paris (sometimes in full costume) and has earned multiple prestigious guiding qualifications. In this episode, Kristin and Amber talk about career reinvention, contingency plans, learning as a lifestyle, and what it looks like to stop forcing a fit and start building a life shaped like you. How to get in touch: americantourguideinlondon.com@americanldn on InstagramSend us Fan Mail

    40 min

  8. FEB 11

    Bonus: Try it first, decide later.

    In this bonus episode of Everything Counts (but nothing is real), Kristin sits down with her almost 10-year-old niece, Quinn, for an off-script conversation about school, art, animals, ambition, and all the possibilities that exist before work becomes a defining force in our lives. There’s no tidy narrative arc here, and that’s the point. Through stories about clay figurines, lemonade stand economics, animal rescue videos, sibling dynamics, and future dreams of teaching and saving animals, Quinn offers a reminder of what it’s like to be “pre-work,” when curiosity leads and some identities are still joyfully undecided. This episode is a reflection on trying things before mastering them, wanting more than one future, and allowing phases, pivots, and wonder to coexist. It’s an invitation to reconnect with childlike imagination and to remember that not every meaningful path needs to make sense right away. Send us Fan Mail

    33 min
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Trailers

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

A podcast about careers, detours, and the absurdity of work. Host Kristin Gardner 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 Gardner
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Everything Counts
  • Show Website
    Everything Counts

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