Work Besties Who Podcast

Summer Friday: The Boundaries You Forget to Set

What if burnout isn’t only about how much you’re doing — but how much you’re still carrying that could be shared?

In this Summer Friday bonus, we’re continuing our conversation with Karen Ann Dwyer-Tesoriero from Episode 112 and digging into the boundaries we often forget to set — at work and at home.

We talk about how your physical work environment ca...

What does it really mean to own your seat at the table—especially when part of you is still wondering whether you belong there?

In EP116, Jess and Claude sit down with Dr. Christiane Schroeter, leadership strategist, TEDx speaker, author, and creator of Petite Practice®, to talk about confidence, imposter syndrome, and why waiting until you feel completely ready can keep you stuck.

Christiane shares her STEP approach to buildin...

Have you ever stayed quiet because someone else probably knew more than you—or finished something difficult and immediately focused on what you could have done better?

In this episode, Jess and Claude unpack the confidence trap: the belief that we need to feel completely confident before we speak up, share an idea, apply for an opportunity, or take the next step. They explore how imposter syndrome can show up at work through o...

One of us went to Greece and completely disconnected from work. The other planned a relaxing beach vacation—and got shingles instead.

In this honest and unexpectedly funny conversation, Jess and Claude explore the difference between choosing to rest and being forced to stop. Claude shares how she prepares her team so she can take a real vacation without checking emails, while Jess opens up about ignoring the warning signs of b...

What if being tired does not mean you are more committed?

In Episode 113, Jess and Claude sit down with leadership speaker, coach and author Naomi Asher to challenge the idea that exhaustion is proof we are working hard enough.

Naomi shares how she found herself completely burned out in a role that offered more money and less responsibility—and why her research revealed that burnout is often driven by something deeper than work...

What if staying busy is not just part of your schedule—but the way your nervous system feels safe?

In this episode, Jess and Claude sit down with licensed clinical social worker Karen Dwyer-Tesoriero to explore the connection between high achievement, people-pleasing, hypervigilance and burnout.

Karen explains why high achievers may feel anxious when they stop working, why setting a boundary can initially feel more uncomfortabl...

Have you ever walked away from a difficult conversation and suddenly thought of the perfect response?

There is a reason that happens.

We loved Jennifer Prendergast’s explanation of the “flipped lid” in Episode 105 so much that we wanted to revisit it and give it more space in this Summer Friday Bonus.

Jennifer guides us through the hand model of the brain to explain what happens when stress activates our nervous syst...

Because burnout does not always arrive all at once. Sometimes it starts quietly: one ignored boundary, one skipped break, one more “I’ll just handle it,” one more “I’m fine” when you are absolutely not fine.

In this episode, Jess and Claude talk about the silent drain of burnout and how work besties can help us catch it before it becomes a crash. They break down what burnout is, what it is not, an...

What if your work, your ideas, and even your relationships were meant to function like ecosystems, not deadlines?

In this episode, we sit down with Tigrilla Gardenia, a nature-inspired mentor and plant neurobiology expert, for one of our most surprising and thought-provoking conversations yet. Tigrilla shares her journey from music, technology, Microsoft, and Cirque du Soleil to living in a spiritual eco-community in Northern Italy ...

New Summer Friday Bonus episode is live!

We are back with more from Jodie Goldberg, and this time we are talking about collective intelligence, leadership, and how to bring out the wisdom already sitting inside your team.

Because sometimes the leader does not need every answer — they just need to create the space for the best ideas to rise.

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Bad meetings are not just annoying. They are expensive.

In this episode of Work Besties Who Podcast, Jess and Claude sit down with Jodie Goldberg to talk about how meetings can either build connection, clarity, and trust — or completely drain the room.

Jodie shares why better meetings start with intention, not just an agenda. From setting a clear purpose to creating meeting norms, managing over-talkers, making quieter voices fe...

Have you ever said yes when you really wanted to say no? Or walked away from a conversation feeling drained, anxious, or unsure why it affected you so much?

In this episode of Work Besties Who Podcast, Jess and Claude sit down with therapist, coach, author, and YouTube creator Shannon Petrovich to talk about toxic communication patterns, people-pleasing, narcissistic behavior, and how healthy boundaries can help us protect our peace...

Have you ever left a meeting thinking, “Why didn’t I just say what I really meant?”

In this episode of Work Besties Who Podcast, Jess and Claude sit down with Jennifer Prendergast to talk about truth-telling at work, psychological safety, trauma-informed leadership, and why so many workplace conversations feel harder than they should.

Jennifer breaks down how nervous system awareness can help us better understand wo...

What if the conversation you’re avoiding is the one you actually need?

This month on Work Besties Who Podcast, we’re kicking off our Communication & Transformation theme with a big one: how to talk it out at work.

In this episode, Jess and Claude talk about conflict, feedback, listening, and how to say the thing clearly without making it messy. Because silence is not always peace, and sometimes the conversation we avo...

What if allyship is not just one big brave moment — but something we practice every day?

In Episode 103 of Work Besties Who Podcast, Jess and Claude welcome Sandra Coker, founder and CEO of Human Power Solutions, for a conversation about everyday allyship, people-first leadership, mentorship, and the small workplace moments that help people feel seen, supported, and able to grow.

Sandra shares practical ways teams can build str...

What if the best leaders are not the ones who had the easiest path — but the ones who know what it feels like to need support?

In this episode of Work Besties Who Podcast, Jess and Claude sit down with Allie Grack, founder of Workhorse Marketing, for a powerful and honest conversation about resilience, empathy, leadership, and building teams that do not burn out.

Allie shares how her early life experiences shaped the way she le...

Have you ever wished you had a mentor, but had no idea where to find one?

This month, we’re talking about mentorship and allyship — but not just the formal, structured kind. In this episode, we’re rethinking what mentorship can look like and why the person helping you grow may already be sitting right next to you: your work bestie.

We talk about peer mentorship, why work besties often give the most real-time advice,...

What started as two coworkers laughing through stressful projects somehow turned into 100 episodes of Work Besties Who Podcast.

In this milestone episode, Jess and Claude go back to the beginning: how they met, how their work friendship started, the stressful project that brought them closer, the matching outfits that put them “on the map,” and the chaotic little idea that eventually became this podcast.

They also reflect...

Have you ever been asked, “What salary are you looking for?” and suddenly forgotten every impressive thing you’ve ever done?

In this episode of Work Besties Who Podcast, Jess and Claude sit down with Megan Applegate, a former recruiter and Talent Acquisition Director, to talk about one of the most stressful career conversations: salary negotiation.

Megan shares what professionals often misunderstand before the negot...