The Breadwinners

Rachael Lowell

"The Breadwinners" is a podcast about the realities of working, earning, leading and balancing - and the choices we make when the workplace and the world don’t match what was promised. Hosted by workplace and leadership expert Rachael Lowell, "The Breadwinners" features illuminating conversations with leaders, builders, creators, entrepreneurs and everyday visionaries who have redefined what success looks like after realizing the old scripts no longer worked. Together we explore leadership, identity, family in all its forms, ambition, obligation, independence, interdependence and the systems that shape how we show up at work, at home and in the world. Welcome to "The Breadwinners." Still we rise!

  1. 2D AGO

    Don’t Punch Yourself in the Face, with Paulita David

    If you’re wondering whether your role is becoming obsolete, maybe it’s time to build the next one. Every job Paulita David has ever had didn’t exist before she stepped into it. She’s the U.S. Large Customer Sales Lead at Reddit and spent a decade at Google, where she became the highest-ranking Latina at the company. She built teams that consistently outperformed. Google even studied her leadership to understand why. The answer? An unconscious bias toward diversity. In this episode of The Breadwinners, host Rachael Lowell talks with Paulita about and why diverse teams outperform, why the best careers are often the ones you invent yourself, and of course, how not to punch yourself in the face. Social Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulita-d-8554a31 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/paulitadavidofficial Bio Paulita David is Reddit's Senior Managing Director, Head of US Large Customer Sales.  She leads a team that oversees the US business for Reddit’s advertising. Previously, Paulita worked at Google for a decade, holding several roles including Head of Strategy & Operations for the Americas Sales Team, and Google’s internal creative agency known as Creative lab. Most recently she served as Head of US Multicultural, where she led efforts to inspire and educate multicultural consumers and connect them more closely with the brands they love. With her deep understanding of multicultural consumers, Paulita founded PD Strategies to be an advisor to business leaders wanting to dedicate more resources to their multicultural efforts. Paulita has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Northwestern University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, continuing her advocacy work, and browsing her favorite Reddit community ⁠⁠r/MadeMeSmile⁠⁠. Croutons⁠ The Cultural Impact of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show [PBS] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-cultural-impact-of-bad-bunnys-super-bowl-halftime-show Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show Wasn’t a Gamble. It Was an NFL Growth Strategy. https://www.adweek.com/media/bad-bunnys-halftime-show-wasnt-a-gamble-it-was-an-nfl-growth-strategy/ [AdWeek] Reframe the Value Proposition of Diversity {HBR] https://hbr.org/2024/11/reframe-the-value-proposition-of-diversity *** The Breadwinners Season 7 is a joint production between Reworking Leadership and The Smart Friends Network, generously supported by Ruth Ann Harnisch.The Breadwinners was founded by Rachael Lowell and Jennifer Owens in 2019. Host: Rachael LowellExecutive Producers: Rachael Lowell, Rachel SklarAudio Engineer: Ron PassaroOriginal Music: "Perfect" by Hannah BakkeRick Snell: GuitarCesar Moreno: BanjoNyssa Grant: FiddleErik Alvar: BassJustin D. Cook: Keyboard, Percussion, and OrchestrationVocals: Hannah Bakke, Cassidy StonerHannah Bakke: Music and LyricsTo stay up to date with The Breadwinners, please follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebreadwinnerspodcast If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review & share! Thank you for listening. Still we rise! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min

  2. FEB 27

    Polycrisis? What Polycrisis? with Farrah Bostic

    If you feel like everything is too much right now - too much change, too much pivoting, too much pressure - then Farrah Bostic gets you. She's the founder of The Difference Engine, a consultancy that helps companies get radically clear on their goals, where to meet their audience, and the best decisions to take them there. She asks uncomfortable questions and cuts through noise and bloat straight to get to the right answers. She's also the creator and host of Cross Tabs, a podcast about people, data and power. In this episode of The Breadwinners, host Rachael Lowell talks to Farrah about ethics as a North star, adaptability as a practice, and how to brace for polycrisis (pandemic, climate change, AI tech bros). If you're a little over rolling with all these punches - this is for you.  SHOW NOTES Farrah Bostic Websitehttps://www.farrahbostic.com The Difference Enginehttps://www.thedifferenceengine.co Cross Tabs Podcasthttps://www.crosstabspodcast.com Social https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrahbostic  https://bsky.app/profile/farrahbostic.bsky.social X https://x.com/farrahbostic Croutons“Jamie Dimon Wants Everyone in the Office. Is a $3 Billion Building the Answer?” [WSJ] https://www.wsj.com/finance/banking/jamie-dimon-270-park-avenue-jp-morgan-chase-return-to-office-72966a51 "What is this era of calamity we’re in? Some say ‘polycrisis’ captures it" [The Guardian] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/06/polycrisis-disasters-politics The SHIFT Assessment (Security, Horizon, Impact, Fluidity, Ties) https://leadtheshift.ai *** The Breadwinners" Season 7 is a joint production between Reworking Leadership and The Smart Friends Network, generously supported by Ruth Ann Harnisch. "The Breadwinners" was founded by Rachael Lowell and Jennifer Owens in 2019. Host: Rachael LowellExecutive Producers: Rachael Lowell, Rachel SklarAudio Engineer: Ron PassaroOriginal Music: "Perfect" by Hannah BakkeRick Snell: GuitarCesar Moreno: BanjoNyssa Grant: FiddleErik Alvar: BassJustin D. Cook: Keyboard, Percussion, and OrchestrationVocals: Hannah Bakke, Cassidy StonerHannah Bakke: Music and Lyrics To stay up to date with The Breadwinners, please follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebreadwinnerspodcastIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review & share! Thank you for listening. Still we rise! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    36 min

  3. FEB 18

    Finding Your Track with Susan Dominus

    Susan Dominus is a staff writer at the New York Times Magazine, a lecturer at Yale, and the author of The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success. Her feature “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause” won the National Magazine Award and was the #1 gift-shared Times article of 2023. She was also a member of the Times team that won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. In this episode of The Breadwinners, host Rachael Lowell talks to Susan about how siblings shape our achievements and choices, inherited financial anxiety, knowing when to leave a job, and the value in not chasing every dollar. If you've ever tried to find the track and then realized you needed to make your own - this is for you. SHOW NOTESSusan Dominus: https://www.nytimes.com/by/susan-dominushttps://www.susanpdominus.comBook:The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success Social:https://www.instagram.com/suedominushttps://www.linkedin.com/in/susandominus Croutons:  “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause” by Susan Dominus, Feb. 1, 2023 2018 Pulitzer Prize Citation - Public Service  Bio:Susan Dominus is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and the author of The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success. In 2018, she was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize for public service for its reporting on workplace sexual harassment. She won a Front Page Award from the Newswomen’s Club of New York and a Mychal Judge Heart of New York Award from the New York Press Club. She has studied as a fellow at the National Institutes of Health and Yale Law School. Her article about menopause in The New York Times Magazine won a National Magazine Award in 2024. She teaches journalism at Yale University.  *** "The Breadwinners" Season 7 is a joint production between Reworking Leadership and The Smart Friends Network, generously supported by Ruth Ann Harnisch. "The Breadwinners" was founded by Rachael Lowell and Jennifer Owens in 2019.Host: Rachael LowellExecutive Producers: Rachael Lowell, Rachel SklarAudio Engineer: Ron PassaroOriginal Music: "Perfect" by Hannah BakkeRick Snell: GuitarCesar Moreno: BanjoNyssa Grant: FiddleErik Alvar: BassJustin D. Cook: Keyboard, Percussion, and OrchestrationVocals: Hannah Bakke, Cassidy StonerHannah Bakke: Music and Lyrics To stay up to date with The Breadwinners, please follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebreadwinnerspodcast If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review & share! Thank you for listening. Still we rise! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    34 min

  4. FEB 13

    Steady in the Chaos with Carla Zanoni

    Carla Zanoni is a journalist, poet, and media leader who's held senior roles at the Wall Street Journal, TED, and now runs the engagement journalism program at CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. She's also someone who went into recovery at 23 and has rebuilt her life more than once. In this episode of The Breadwinners, host Rachael Lowell talks to Carla about what she calls "the alchemy of surrender" - those moments when the playbook stops working and you have to get quiet enough to see what's actually true. We talk about the myth of the linear career path, why bringing your whole self to work isn't cringey when it's real, and what it means to lead from a place of integration rather than compartmentalization. If you've ever felt like you were supposed to chart a course from A to B but life had other plans, this one's for you. SHOW NOTES Carla Zanoni:https://www.carlazanoni.comhttps://carla.substack.comBooks:Knowing / Saber: In English y Españolhttps://www.carlazanoni.com/writingSocial:linkedin.com/in/carlazanonihttps://www.instagram.com/carlazanonicarlazanoni.bsky.social Bio: An award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience, Carla’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and TED Talks. She was the first Latina named to the Wall Street Journal’s masthead and served as TED’s first head of audience development. Today, she leads the engagement journalism program at CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, produces and guides strategy for The On Being Project, and consults with publishers and thought leaders on media and narrative strategy. She shares personal essays in her monthly newsletter, The Em Dash. Carla is writing a literary memoir about coming of age in 90s New York — reconciling her immigrant childhood, the city’s underworld, and the detours that led her here. "The Breadwinners" Season 7 is a joint production between Reworking Leadership and The Smart Friends Network generously supported by Ruth Ann Harnisch. "The Breadwinners" was founded by Rachael Lowell and Jennifer Owens in 2019.Host: Rachael LowellExecutive Producers: Rachael Lowell, Rachel SklarAudio Engineer: Ron PassaroOriginal Music: "Perfect" by Hannah BakkeRick Snell: GuitarCesar Moreno: BanjoNyssa Grant: FiddleErik Alvar: BassJustin D. Cook: Keyboard, Percussion, and OrchestrationVocals: Hannah Bakke, Cassidy StonerHannah Bakke: Music and Lyrics To stay up to date with The Breadwinners, please follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebreadwinnerspodcast If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review & share! Thank you for listening. Still we rise! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min

  5. TRAILER

    Season 7 Trailer

    Welcome to Season 7 of "The Breadwinners," a podcast about how we navigate work, life, ambition and identity even as the ground shifts wildly beneath us. Join host Rachael Lowell, Executive Coach & Creator of the SHIFT Framework, for conversations with amazing and inspiring creatives, builders, experts and leaders about all the ways in which the world of work is radically different from what we expected (and what we were sold). What happens when the career you built disappears overnight, when your world shakes on its foundations, and when you have to keep leading? It can be messy, expensive and sometimes painful - but also freeing, with unexpected promise and potential. Even in the chaos of 2026 (and "chaos" is being polite), we can still be ambitious, inspired, hungry and driven by big dreams. Welcome to "The Breadwinners" - where we are doing it all, having it all, and ever rising. "The Breadwinners" Season 7 is a joint production between Reworking Leadership and The Smart Friends Network, generously supported by Ruth Ann Harnisch. "The Breadwinners" was founded by Rachael Lowell and Jennifer Owens in 2019. Host: Rachael Lowell  Executive Producers: Rachael Lowell, Rachel Sklar Audio Engineer: Ron Passaro Original Music: "Perfect" by Hannah Bakke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    2 min

  6. 04/04/2024

    Navigating the SHIFT: A Compass for the Future of Work

    In this series finale, host Rachael reflects on her personal journey that led to the development of the SHIFT framework, a compass for navigating the changing world of work. She revisits key insights from this season's guest experts on each of the five SHIFT domains: Security, Horizon, Impact, Fluidity, and Ties. Discover why aligning work with personal values, embracing uncertainty, setting clear objectives, allowing for flexibility, fostering belonging and leveraging AI are crucial for success in the future of work.  This series finale is a must-listen for anyone looking to navigate the future of work with purpose and resilience.  🔑 Key Topics: Personal Journey: How Rachael's unique path led to the creation of the SHIFT framework and her new practice. SHIFT Domains Revisited: Key takeaways from experts on Security, Horizon, Impact, Fluidity, and Ties. The AI Factor: How artificial intelligence can support the SHIFT principles in the workplace. Putting SHIFT into Practice: Introducing the Shift Leadership Approach Assessment for practical application. The SHIFT framework has illuminated our path through this transformative podcast mini-series, and now, it's your turn to take the reins and make it your own. Start by investing just 5 minutes in the the free Shift Approach Assessment Shift Approach Assessment, receive your customized report, and unlock a world of potential. 🔗Resources: Reworking Leadership: Empowering Leaders to Navigate the New AbNormal  Take the free SHIFT Approach Assessment and start your journey towards a more strategic and mindful approach to work. 🔗Guest Links: S: Lyra Health H: AskFora: See it in action! I: Charter F: Flex Strategy Group  T: The Anxious Achiever  Bonus AI: Lever Talent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    24 min

  7. 02/22/2024

    Navigating the SHIFT: AI and the Future of Work

    In this bonus episode of "The Breadwinners: SHIFTING the Hustle Series," Rachael and Drew Fortin, CEO of Lever Talent talk about AI's role in reshaping work dynamics post-pandemic. Throughout their conversation, they explore the transformative potential of AI across the SHIFT model's dimensions—Security, Horizon, Impact, Fluidity, and Ties—highlighting AI's capacity to redefine workplace security, enhance growth opportunities, measure impact, and improve fluidity and connections within the workplace. It’s a must listen for everyone trying to get their head around how AI is changing our work and lives. Don't miss this insightful exploration into how technology is transforming the future of work.  🎧 Key Topics: Security: Exploring AI's impact on psychological safety and creating unbiased, equitable work environments. Horizon: The role of AI in expanding career development and learning opportunities for individuals. Impact: How AI aids in clarifying and measuring the contributions and success of employees. Fluidity: AI's contribution to workplace adaptability, enabling a culture of innovation and flexibility. Ties: Enhancing connections and fostering a sense of belonging through AI-enhanced communication and interaction. 🔗Resources: Lever Talent  Lever Talent Podcast  Reworking Leadership Connect with Us:  Instagram: @thebreadwinnerspodcast  X: @breadwinnerspod  Website: www.thebreadwinnerspodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    47 min

  8. 02/15/2024

    Navigating the SHIFT: The Ties that Bind

    In this episode, Rachael is joined by the phenomenal Morra Aarons-Mele. Morra is a celebrated podcaster, entrepreneur, and a leading authority on mental health, leadership, and the evolving dynamics of the workplace. Together, they delve into the critical challenge of nurturing connections and cultivating a sense of community within the modern landscape of remote and hybrid work settings. Given the growing concerns about isolation and loneliness in the workplace, it's a conversation you won't want to miss.  🎧 Key Topics: A Workplace in Flux: Rachael and Morra talk about how the workplace has changed since the pandemic. They discuss the toll on feelings of belonging and connection.  Mental Health Takes Center Stage. They cover the crucial role of mental health awareness in the workplace. They spotlight the loneliness epidemic and share strategies for both leaders and employees to reconnect.  Overcoming Disconnects: They talk about the challenges of balancing personal needs for flexibility while maintaining a connected workforce. They also offer their perspectives on how leaders can support both individual autonomy and a sense of belonging. This episode is essential for anyone struggling to connect and create connections in a disconnected world. Whether you are a leader aiming to promote belonging, or an employee feeling disconnected, this episode offers valuable insights and tangible advice. 🔗Resources: The Anxious Achiever Podcast American Psychological Association 2023 Work in America Workforce Survey Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s work on loneliness Reworking Leadership Connect with Us: Instagram: @thebreadwinnerspodcast X: @breadwinnerspod Website: www.thebreadwinnerspodcast.com How do you foster connection and community in your workplace? Email us at thebreadwinners@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

"The Breadwinners" is a podcast about the realities of working, earning, leading and balancing - and the choices we make when the workplace and the world don’t match what was promised. Hosted by workplace and leadership expert Rachael Lowell, "The Breadwinners" features illuminating conversations with leaders, builders, creators, entrepreneurs and everyday visionaries who have redefined what success looks like after realizing the old scripts no longer worked. Together we explore leadership, identity, family in all its forms, ambition, obligation, independence, interdependence and the systems that shape how we show up at work, at home and in the world. Welcome to "The Breadwinners." Still we rise!

Information

  • Creator
    Rachael Lowell
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    190
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    Copyright © 2026
  • Show Website
    The Breadwinners

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