Not All Business

Blakely Graham + Heather Cooper

Because at work, it's not all business. We're Heather Cooper & Blakely Graham, two rival tech CEOs turned friends, hosting real conversations about the messy reality of leadership. Think of us as Sex Ed for Leadership—discussing the topics and answering all the questions professionals are too afraid to ask, with occasional reality checks from our brilliant producer, Clay. Join us for serious insights. Slightly less serious hosts. New episodes every week!

  1. 12h ago

    Dying At Your Desk? Why Comfort Is More Dangerous Than Failure

    Most of us know the feeling: hitting snooze, going through the motions, wondering if this is really it. This week on Not All Business, transformational coach Jayne Robinson joins from Australia, the show's first guest calling in from outside North America, to talk about the difference between your real inner voice and the fear-driven noise that tries to pass for it. Jayne knows the cost of staying comfortable firsthand. After walking away from a teaching career, she spent the last decade helping leaders, founders, and people at life's turning points break free from the patterns keeping them stuck, including her own move to Bali, then Costa Rica, where she finished writing her first book with a viper curled up a few feet from her bed. Her second book, The Freedom Experiment, is about getting out of what she calls the cage of comfort: a life that looks good on paper and quietly costs you your potential. Key Takeaways: How to Tell Your Real Voice From the Fear Talking The Cage of Comfort, and Why It Costs More Than It Look The Manifestation Story Behind a Times Square Billboard Small Moves to Make When You're Not Ready to Blow Up Your Life Please consider sharing this episode & subscribing to the show for more unfiltered conversations about leadership, growth, and the messy human side of business. Follow Jayne: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaynerobinsoncoach/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaynerobinsoncoach/  Jayne’s latest book, The Freedom Experiment: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-freedom-experiment-how-i-white-knuckled-fear-to-find-myself-jayne-robinson/75779559c176ceb2?ean=9798765203248&next=t Jayne’s book, That Impact Book: https://impactbook-order.my.canva.site/  Referenced on the show, sourced from LeanIn.Org & McKinsey's annual Women in the Workplace report: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZz4dHfkcl4/ ● Referenced on the show, the AI resume screening stat Heather brings up in the cold open, male associated names favored 52% of the time versus 11% for female associated names: https://www.instagram.com/p/DaDLtiMkShw/ ● Original source for that stat, a University of Washington study on AI bias in resume screening by race and gender: https://www.washington.edu/news/2024/10/31/ai-bias-resume-screening-race-gender/ Links & Mentions: LeanIn.Org & McKinsey's annual Women in the Workplace report: https://leanin.org/report/women-in-the-workplace/  University of Washington study on AI bias in resume screening by race and gender: https://www.washington.edu/news/2024/10/31/ai-bias-resume-screening-race-gender/ Keep exploring the stories that power Not All Business. Every episode opens the door to fresh insights on what it really means to be a Female Executive or Female CEO, navigating the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of leadership. From real-world workplace dilemmas to candid conversations about breaking barriers, this podcast gives you the tools, inspiration, and perspective to thrive in your own career. So don’t stop here, dive into more episodes, learn from other women in business, and stay connected to the conversations shaping the future of work. Your next breakthrough might be just one episode away. Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about the messy reality of leadership, professional growth strategies, and the real talk about work with new episodes every week. #career advice for women, #workplace mental health, #women in business, #working moms, #workplace drama, #toxic workplace, #women at work, #Female CEOs, #Female Executive, #Female Executive Podcast, #Women in Business, #Women in Business Podcast, #Women Entrepreneurs, #Business Podcast, #Real Talk about Work, #Workplace Dilemmas, #Heather Cooper, #Blakely Graham, #Sticky Situations,  #careeradvice #womenatwork #goldenhandcuffs #careerchange #workplaceculture #burnoutrecovery #corporatelife #selfdiscovery #findingpurpose #careercoach #podcastforwomen #notallbusiness

    1h 11m
  2. Jul 2

    The Hardest Job She's Ever Had Isn't On Her Resume

    What if all those years you spent at home — the ones that don't fit neatly on a LinkedIn profile — were actually building the best resume in the room? Heidi Calmus knows. Before she joined forces with her husband Taylor on the nationally recognized YouTube channel Dude Dad, she spent years managing outreach and emergency intake for homeless and trafficked youth. She ran an entire family operation across multiple kids, multiple schedules, and multiple life crises. And then she had to figure out how to stop doing all of it herself. In this episode, Heidi gets real about the isolation that comes with modern motherhood, the impossible expectations women carry, and the moment a multi-million dollar CEO friend told her: "I don't do any of this." We talk about what it means to finally outsource, the skills stay-at-home moms are quietly building that would make any executive jealous, and what happens when you stop wearing the burnout as a badge of honor. Also in this one: Heather makes a strong case for moving Mother's Day to literally any other month, Heidi pulls a tick out of her daughter's head on the side of a Wyoming highway while traveling solo with four kids, and we learn that wake surfing in a mountain lake in May is basically arctic. Good stuff. All of it. Key Takeaways: Why modern motherhood is harder than it was even 10-15 years ago The "decision freeze" that happens when you have access to too many parenting opinions and not enough permission to just choose What the "hidden years" are actually building When outsourcing isn't giving up What crisis management looks like when you're the only adult in the car Follow Heidi: Heidi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidicalmus/  Heidi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084691694169  Links & Mentions: Dude Dad on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dudedad Dude Dad on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dudedad/  Ten Thousand Waves Spa, Santa Fe: https://tenthousandwaves.com/  Submit Your Sticky Situations & Workplace Dilemmas: Got a sticky situation for Not All Business? Send a voice recording to podcast@notall.biz or drop your question in the comments. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Arcadia Leadership Experience — Three days on a Montana ranch outside Bozeman for senior GTM leaders. July 27–30. Application only. https://www.ArcadiaLeadershipExperience.com Keep exploring the stories that power Not All Business. Every episode opens the door to fresh insights on what it really means to be a Female Executive or Female CEO, navigating the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of leadership. From real-world workplace dilemmas to candid conversations about breaking barriers, this podcast gives you the tools, inspiration, and perspective to thrive in your own career. So don’t stop here, dive into more episodes, learn from other women in business, and stay connected to the conversations shaping the future of work. Your next breakthrough might be just one episode away. Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about the messy reality of leadership, professional growth strategies, and the real talk about work with new episodes every week.

    1h 9m
  3. Jun 25

    She's Teaching Women to Buy Houses Alone — And It's Working

    Women have been legally allowed to get a mortgage for just about 50 years — and the gap that was created is still closing. This week on Not All Business, we sat down with Lane McLeod, founder of West Lane Lending, a mortgage brokerage built around one very clear mission: helping women build wealth through homeownership. Lane has watched the data play out in real time — single men buying homes in their 30s without a second thought, while the majority of single women who come through her door are in their 50s, often after a divorce, sitting on decades of missed equity. Lane's own path wasn't a straight line. She left a dream job in the fashion industry, lived through a hard season during COVID, and started a mortgage company from scratch in an industry she barely knew. Five years later she's hosting invite-only Pilates classes for women where the real agenda is financial education — and the results are speaking for themselves. Key Takeaways: The equity gap no one's talking about: why women's homeownership timelines are running decades behind men's Why Lane doesn't lead with credit score — and what she actually wants you to do first The mortgage math most women were never taught (including why your mortgage can cost less than rent) What "hot girls build equity" actually means — and why it's about more than money How Lane went from the fashion industry to building a mortgage brokerage on Pilates and purpose The one mindset shift that changes how you think about property, debt, and your future self Please consider sharing this episode & subscribing to the show for more unfiltered conversations about leadership, growth, and the messy human side of business. Follow Lane: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westlanelending/  West Lane Lending: https://westlanelending.com/ Property Pilates Club invite list: https://www.propertypilatesclub.com/ [DM Lane on Instagram] Email: lane@westlanelending.com Links & Mentions: Equal Credit Opportunity Act (1974): https://www.justice.gov/crt/equal-credit-opportunity-act-3  Huron skincare (Clay's new routine): https://usehuron.com/  Submit Your Sticky Situations & Workplace Dilemmas: Got a sticky situation for Not All Business? Send a voice recording to podcast@notall.biz or drop your question in the comments. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Arcadia Leadership Experience — Three days on a Montana ranch outside Bozeman for senior GTM leaders. July 27–30. Application only. https://www.ArcadiaLeadershipExperience.com Keep exploring the stories that power Not All Business. Every episode opens the door to fresh insights on what it really means to be a Female Executive or Female CEO, navigating the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of leadership. From real-world workplace dilemmas to candid conversations about breaking barriers, this podcast gives you the tools, inspiration, and perspective to thrive in your own career. So don’t stop here, dive into more episodes, learn from other women in business, and stay connected to the conversations shaping the future of work. Your next breakthrough might be just one episode away. Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about the messy reality of leadership, professional growth strategies, and the real talk about work with new episodes every week. #Female CEOs, #Female CEO Podcast, #Female Executive, #Female Executive Podcast, #Women in Business, #Women in Business Podcast, #Women Entrepreneurs, #Business Podcast, #Real Talk about Work, #Workplace Dilemmas, #Heather Cooper, #Blakely Graham, #Sticky Situations,  #WomenInLeadership, #ImposterSyndrome, #CareerGrowth, #LaneMcLeod

    1h 10m
  4. Jun 18

    My Best Employee Got a Better Offer — What Did I Do Wrong?

    When you can't give someone what they're asking for — and you know you might lose them — what do you actually do? And what happens when two great employees with totally opposite work styles are making each other (and their manager) miserable? This week on Not All Business, Heather, Blakely, and Clay take on two real sticky situations from the NAB community, then close out with a rapid-fire yes or no that goes completely off the rails. Key Takeaways: When you can't match a competing salary offer, what are your real options? Why losing one person to a pay gap is rarely a one-time problem The difference between being a mediator and providing a communication framework How to use company values when the conversation gets hard What the red temperament profile says about visionary leaders — and what it doesn't Links & Mentions: Previous Guests mentioned on today’s episode: Carolyn Keyes: Saying No Builds More Trust Than Saying Yes (Here's Why) Allison O'Brien: Your Brain Processes Too Fast—Here's What Goes Wrong Julie Holunga: The Conversation Every Leader Is Avoiding Brittany Hart: Why Your Team Isn't Hearing You (Even When You Think They Are) Michele Lando: Hiring Managers Reveal What Actually Gets You Hire Submit Your Sticky Situations & Workplace Dilemmas: Got a sticky situation for Not All Business? Send a voice recording to sticky@notallbusiness.com or drop your question in the comments. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Arcadia Leadership Experience — Three days on a Montana ranch outside Bozeman for senior GTM leaders. July 27–30. Application only. https://www.ArcadiaLeadershipExperience.com Keep exploring the stories that power Not All Business. Every episode opens the door to fresh insights on what it really means to be a Female Executive or Female CEO, navigating the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of leadership. From real-world workplace dilemmas to candid conversations about breaking barriers, this podcast gives you the tools, inspiration, and perspective to thrive in your own career. So don’t stop here, dive into more episodes, learn from other women in business, and stay connected to the conversations shaping the future of work. Your next breakthrough might be just one episode away. Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about the messy reality of leadership, professional growth strategies, and the real talk about work with new episodes every week. #Female CEOs, #Female CEO Podcast, #Female Executive, #Female Executive Podcast, #Women in Business, #Women in Business Podcast, #Women Entrepreneurs, #Business Podcast, #Real Talk about Work, #Workplace Dilemmas, #Heather Cooper, #Blakely Graham, #Sticky Situations,  #EmployeeRetention #PayEquity #WorkLifeBalance #WorkplaceConflict #OfficeConflict

    59 min
  5. Jun 11

    She Lost 115 Pounds, Got Abandoned By Her Mom & Still Became the Toughest Person in the Room

    What do you do when the person who was supposed to love you unconditionally just... doesn't show up? If you're Kait Dinunzio, you build yourself from scratch — and then you spend the rest of your career helping other people do the same. This week on Not All Business, we sit down with Kait Dinunzio — executive coach, field operations leader, competitive bodybuilder, and author of Unbreakable. Kait works in some of the most male-dominated industries on the planet — oil and gas, construction, technology — and she's the one they call when something's gone wrong and the culture needs to change. She also lost 115 pounds through diet and exercise alone, started a blog called NoMo Camel Toe before Instagram existed, and wakes up every morning reminding herself of three words: I am love. This episode goes deep. From the reticular activating system to what it actually means to be a cycle breaker. From the Trojan horse approach to navigating male-dominated spaces, to the grief of losing a mother you never really had. Also: Heather accidentally poisoned herself with beet powder. Yes, beet powder. And there's a card game from London that may or may not belong in every team meeting you'll ever run. Key Takeaways: Why "validation is for parking" — and what to replace it with How the reticular activating system shapes your entire day before you've had coffee What it really means to invest in yourself like a project (and why "what's measured is managed" applies to you) The Trojan horse approach to changing systems from the inside How to break a cycle when you were handed one you never asked for Why Kait's daily practice isn't "I am loved" — it's "I am love" — and why that difference matters Please consider sharing this episode and subscribing to the show for more unfiltered conversations about leadership, growth, and the messy human side of business. Follow Kait: Instagram: @unbreakable_legacy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitdinunzio/ Website: yourunbreakablelegacy.com YouTube: Unbreakable Podcast Network Unbreakable on Amazon: https://a.co/d/02jqvh3a  Submit Your Sticky Situations & Workplace Dilemmas: Got a sticky situation for Not All Business? Send a voice recording to podcast@notallbusiness.com or drop your question in the comments. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Arcadia Leadership Experience — Three days on a Montana ranch outside Bozeman for senior GTM leaders. July 27–30. Application only. https://www.ArcadiaLeadershipExperience.com Keep exploring the stories that power Not All Business. Every episode opens the door to fresh insights on what it really means to be a Female Executive or Female CEO, navigating the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of leadership. From real-world workplace dilemmas to candid conversations about breaking barriers, this podcast gives you the tools, inspiration, and perspective to thrive in your own career. So don’t stop here, dive into more episodes, learn from other women in business, and stay connected to the conversations shaping the future of work. Your next breakthrough might be just one episode away. Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about the messy reality of leadership, professional growth strategies, and the real talk about work with new episodes every week. #Female CEOs, #Female CEO Podcast, #Female Executive, #Female Executive Podcast, #Women in Business, #Women in Business Podcast, #Women Entrepreneurs, #Business Podcast, #Real Talk about Work, #Workplace Dilemmas, #Heather Cooper, #Blakely Graham, #Sticky Situations,  #PersonalGrowth #Bodybuilding #CycleBreaker #KaitDinunzio #NotAllBusiness

    59 min
  6. Jun 4

    Your Mission, Vision, and Values Are Not the Same Thing

    Most businesses skip the foundation and wonder why everything feels muddy. Mission. Vision. Values. Purpose. Turns out there's a big difference between writing them down and actually knowing what they mean. This week on Not All Business, brand strategist Cindy Frigard of Yours Truly comes back for her second appearance and does something we've never done on the show before: walks Heather and Blakely through their own brand strategy, live. Every question, every honest answer, every moment they realized they'd been saying the same words and meaning completely different things. If you've ever started a business and gone straight to the logo, skipped the mission statement, or written down a vision that didn't really mean anything, this one is for you. Key Takeaways: Why Your Vision and Mission Are Not Interchangeable (and What Each One Actually Means) The Real Reason "Made for Everyone" Is Made for No One How Values Work as a Decision-Making Filter, Not a Wall Hanging Why Investing in Brand Strategy Before Marketing Will Save You a Lot of Money What Happens When You Finally Define Who You Are and Who You Aren't Please consider sharing this episode & subscribing to the show for more unfiltered conversations about leadership, growth, and the messy human side of business. Follow Cindy: Cindy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-frigard-287a4b/Yours Truly: https://www.itsyourstruly.comFree Mission, Vision, Values Workbooks by Yours, Truly: https://www.itsyourstruly.com/free-workbooks Links & Mentions: Arcadia Leadership Experience: https://www.arcadialeadershipexperience.com/ Friends with Benefits — Work Questions You'd Never Ask Out Loud with Heather Cooper and Blakely Graham: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/work-questions-youd-never-ask-out-loud-with-heather/id1689557087?i=1000767348617 Coach Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/nicchristensen/ Submit Your Sticky Situations & Workplace Dilemmas: Got a sticky situation for Not All Business? Send a voice recording to podcast@notall.biz or drop your question in the comments. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Arcadia Leadership Experience — Three days on a Montana ranch outside Bozeman for senior GTM leaders. July 27–30. Application only. https://www.ArcadiaLeadershipExperience.com Keep exploring the stories that power Not All Business. Every episode opens the door to fresh insights on what it really means to be a Female Executive or Female CEO, navigating the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of leadership. From real-world workplace dilemmas to candid conversations about breaking barriers, this podcast gives you the tools, inspiration, and perspective to thrive in your own career. So don’t stop here, dive into more episodes, learn from other women in business, and stay connected to the conversations shaping the future of work. Your next breakthrough might be just one episode away. Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about the messy reality of leadership, professional growth strategies, and the real talk about work with new episodes every week. #Female CEOs, #Female CEO Podcast, #Female Executive, #Female Executive Podcast, #Women in Business, #Women in Business Podcast, #Women Entrepreneurs, #Business Podcast, #Real Talk about Work, #Workplace Dilemmas, #Heather Cooper, #Blakely Graham, #Sticky Situations,  #BrandStrategy, #MissionVisionValues, #SmallBusiness, #StartupFounder, #CindyFrigard

    1h 16m
  7. May 28

    Frozen at Work: What to Do When Someone Crosses the Line

    Boundaries at work are complicated. Setting them is hard. Getting them crossed is harder. And knowing what to do when something happens faster than your brain can process? That's what this episode is about. This week on Not All Business, it's a Casual Friday sticky situations episode — no guest, just Heather, Blakely, and Clay diving into your real workplace dilemmas. The theme is boundaries, and it gets real fast. A listener wants to know how to stop their very kind, very enthusiastic boss from hugging them every single day. Then a story comes in about a French diplomat who received his award — and helped himself to something that was absolutely not on the table. Heather shares her own experience with workplace harassment and what she wishes she'd known then about freezing, self-blame, and what to do next. Key Takeaways: Why freezing in the moment is not a character flaw — it's neurological How to deflect unwanted physical contact at work without making it weird (and when you do have to make it a little weird) What to do when the moment has already passed — because it's never too late The signals women have to navigate at business dinners that men don't Office vs. remote, gut vs. data, boardroom vs. bar — where do the real decisions get made? Please consider sharing this episode & subscribing to the show for more unfiltered conversations about leadership, growth, and the messy human side of business. Submit Your Sticky Situations & Workplace Dilemmas: Got a sticky situation for Not All Business? Send a voice recording to podcast@notallbusiness.com or drop your question in the comments. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Arcadia Leadership Experience — Three days on a Montana ranch outside Bozeman for senior GTM leaders. July 27–30. Application only. https://www.ArcadiaLeadershipExperience.com Keep exploring the stories that power Not All Business. Every episode opens the door to fresh insights on what it really means to be a Female Executive or Female CEO, navigating the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of leadership. From real-world workplace dilemmas to candid conversations about breaking barriers, this podcast gives you the tools, inspiration, and perspective to thrive in your own career. So don’t stop here, dive into more episodes, learn from other women in business, and stay connected to the conversations shaping the future of work. Your next breakthrough might be just one episode away. Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about the messy reality of leadership, professional growth strategies, and the real talk about work with new episodes every week. #Female CEOs, #Female CEO Podcast, #Female Executive, #Female Executive Podcast, #Women in Business, #Women in Business Podcast, #Women Entrepreneurs, #Business Podcast, #Real Talk about Work, #Workplace Dilemmas, #Heather Cooper, #Blakely Graham, #Sticky Situations,  #Boundaries #WorkplaceHarassment #Leadership

    49 min
  8. May 21

    The Problem With Imposter Syndrome

    What happens when the very thing that got you to the top — perfectionism, over-preparation, the need to prove yourself in every room — becomes the thing you have to unlearn? This week on Not All Business, Bridget Winston, a 3x Chief Revenue Officer with over 20 years of experience scaling companies from early-stage disruptors to global brands, gets into all of it. From growing up in all-girls schools to being the only woman in every boardroom, Bridget has built a career by out-preparing everyone around her. But somewhere along the way, she had to start letting that go. She also went to Italy. Then walked the Camino de Santiago alone. In the rain. Without AirPods. And came back knowing exactly who she was. Key Takeaways: Why the Over-Preparation Habit That Got You Here Might Be Holding You Back Imposter Syndrome Is an Environmental Problem (a Hot Take Worth Hearing) The "Shrink the Change" Strategy That Works for Teams and for Yourself Why Courage Is a Muscle, and the Only Way to Build It Is to Do It Scared One-Way Doors vs. Two-Way Doors: How to Stop Treating Every Decision Like It's Final Please consider sharing this episode & subscribing to the show for more unfiltered conversations about leadership, growth, and the messy human side of business. Follow Bridget: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgetwinston/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briwin8 Links & Mentions: Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath: https://heathbrothers.com/switch/ CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder): https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths Chief — Private Membership Organization for Senior Executive Women: https://chief.com Camino de Santiago: https://www.caminodesantiago.gal/en Submit Your Sticky Situations & Workplace Dilemmas: Got a sticky situation for Not All Business? Send a voice recording to podcast@notall.biz or drop your question in the comments. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Arcadia Leadership Experience — Three days on a Montana ranch outside Bozeman for senior GTM leaders. July 27–30. Application only. https://www.ArcadiaLeadershipExperience.com Keep exploring the stories that power Not All Business. Every episode opens the door to fresh insights on what it really means to be a Female Executive or Female CEO, navigating the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of leadership. From real-world workplace dilemmas to candid conversations about breaking barriers, this podcast gives you the tools, inspiration, and perspective to thrive in your own career. So don’t stop here, dive into more episodes, learn from other women in business, and stay connected to the conversations shaping the future of work. Your next breakthrough might be just one episode away. Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about the messy reality of leadership, professional growth strategies, and the real talk about work with new episodes every week. #Female CEOs, #Female CEO Podcast, #Female Executive, #Female Executive Podcast, #Women in Business, #Women in Business Podcast, #Women Entrepreneurs, #Business Podcast, #Real Talk about Work, #Workplace Dilemmas, #Heather Cooper, #Blakely Graham, #Sticky Situations,  #Organizing, #FengShui, #Declutter, #HomeOrganizing, #LeslieVanDerven

    1h 14m
4.7
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Because at work, it's not all business. We're Heather Cooper & Blakely Graham, two rival tech CEOs turned friends, hosting real conversations about the messy reality of leadership. Think of us as Sex Ed for Leadership—discussing the topics and answering all the questions professionals are too afraid to ask, with occasional reality checks from our brilliant producer, Clay. Join us for serious insights. Slightly less serious hosts. New episodes every week!

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