Explore every episode of the podcast Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel

How do you know when it’s time to stop? Most high achievers would say never. We keep going because quitting feels like failure. But Lindsay Crouse argues that sometimes the bigger failure is continuing past the point you should have. The four-time Emmy Award winner, four-time Oscar nominee and author of the new book The Case for Quitting spent 15 years at the New York Times covering endurance sports before walking away. This week she joins Jessi in the studio to make the case that sometimes stopping is the most courageous thing you can do, and that knowing when to quit is an essential skill. In this episode, Jessi and Lindsay discuss: Why quitting on time almost always feels too early The moment when perseverance flips into self-sabotage, and how to catch it before you crash Why the decision to continue always has costs, we just can't see them as clearly as the costs of quitting What Lindsay's own running career taught her about the difference between stopping and giving up Why women in particular are conditioned to override their instincts and keep going, and what it costs us The spotlight illusion: why we overestimate how much anyone notices when we leave Jessi on quitting Wired too late, and what it took from her before she finally walked away The five-to-ten year question: a simple way to know whether it's time to start building an off-ramp What Lindsay's 15 years at the New York Times taught her about identity, and why leaving felt like both nothing and everything How writing a book about quitting transformed her What’s next for Lindsay Crouse Follow Lindsay Crouse and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Danny Meyer has built some of the most beloved and enduring restaurants in the US. The “secret sauce” behind Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Shake Shack, and more? How diners feel when they walk in the door.  His new book, What Could Possibly Go Right, is about a common obstacle in business. How do you grow without losing the thing that made people love you in the first place? Danny joins Jessi in the studio to talk about everything he’s learned in four decades of building businesses around hospitality, including how to scale a feeling. In this episode, Jessi and Danny discuss: The assumption Danny held at 30 that he has since debunked Why culture is what happens when you're not in the room, and how to build it so it endures The 49/51 rule: why the job is only half of what Danny is actually hiring for The six emotional skills that make up a high HQ (hospitality quotient), and why "soft skills" is one of Danny's least favorite phrases The interview questions Danny uses to reveal character, including one that stops almost everyone cold The jigsaw puzzle theory: why the worst hiring mistakes happen when you keep jiggling a piece that doesn't fit Why Danny's biggest leadership mistakes came from hanging on too long: to people, to businesses, to deals How to get to "no" faster, and why a quick, honest no is kinder than a slow one The five-year, no-tipping experiment at Union Square Hospitality Group: what worked, what didn't, why the pandemic ended it and what Danny replaced it with What Danny is still learning, and why he looks to younger people to teach it to him Follow Danny Meyer and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn. RSVP here for a special edition of Office Hours this Wednesday at 3pm EST. We’ll be discussing how we might be able to get what we need from work if jobs disappear, inspired by this micro-documentary from the Hello Monday team.

Ten years ago, Angela Duckworth wrote the book on grit. Now she's back with the advice you need to keep moving forward. The MacArthur genius fellow, University of Pennsylvania professor and bestselling author joins Jessi in the studio to make the case that individual effort only takes you as far as your situation allows and that changing your situation is one of the most powerful tools you have. Her new book is called Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best.  In this episode, Jessi and Angela discuss: Why grit isn't enough and what Angela has learned in the decade since she wrote her first book The three-box model: how your situation shapes your thoughts, and your thoughts shape your behavior Why changing your situation feels like giving up and why Angela calls it an act of heroism instead Status quo bias: the psychological reason we cling to circumstances we know aren't working The difference between quitting and job crafting and how to make smaller career moves before the big one What Taylor Swift moving to Nashville at 14 has to do with your next career decision Microfriction: the surprisingly small physical changes that do what willpower can't The Pygmalion Effect: why so much of what we believe about ourselves is borrowed from the people around us Three kinds of mentors everyone needs: mentors for a reason, a season and a lifetime The curiosity conversation: how Oprah got Maya Angelou to be her mentor, and how you can apply the same approach Why Y Combinator funds in batches and what that tells us about trying to go it alone Follow Angela Duckworth and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn. This conversation was recorded live and broadcast to LinkedIn Premium members. Premium members can watch the extended version here.

Laura Vanderkam tracks her time in 30-minute increments and has been for over a decade. That’s 336 half-hour blocks over the course of a week. After reviewing thousands of people’s schedules, she finds, again and again, that most of us are sitting on more time than we think. We just have to shift our mindset to believe it. The time management expert and author of the new book Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance returns to Hello Monday to talk about what it actually takes to move from time scarcity to abundance. In this episode, Jessi and Laura discuss: Why "I don't have enough time" is not just inaccurate, it's actively making things worse The math that surprises everyone: what a full-time worker actually has left after work and sleep each week Why we're bad narrators of our own experience and how to get better data The biggest blind spots in a week: weekday evenings and weekends How email and digital communication expand to fill all available space and what to do about it The one-hour a week experiment that could change how you feel about your job Why tiny tweaks beat lifestyle overhauls every time How to carve out "play and possibility time" The right way to think about learning something new at work, including AI How to recast ambition when climbing the ladder no longer feels like enough Laura's September time-tracking challenge and why she's been doing it every year since 2015 Follow Laura Vanderkam and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn. Join Laura’s time-tracking challenge here Join us for Office Hours, Wednesday at 3pm EST

Most of us try to avoid conflict. But done right, fighting can be a path to stronger teams and healthier communities. On this episode of Hello Monday, Priya Parker makes the case for embracing “healthy heat” and learning how to navigate conflict with care. Priya Parker is a conflict resolution facilitator and author of The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict. Drawing on her work with teams, organizations, communities and groups, she shares practical ways to face conflict effectively. Jessi and Priya discuss: Why conflict is often a sign of relevance, and why we tend to fight with the people and groups we care about most The difference between healthy heat, unhealthy peace and destructive conflict How healthy conflict can create connection, clarity, better decisions and stronger teams Why our “fighting muscles” have atrophied, particularly after the pandemic How digital communication can flatten or exacerbate conflict rather than help us hold productive tension How to become an artful fighter by approaching conflict with curiosity instead of immediately trying to shut it down How to identify “hairline fractures” before they grow into larger rifts within teams and communities How to determine whether a conflict is worth facing The role of an outside facilitator in helping teams navigate conflict and develop practical conflict-resolution skills Why preparing your body for conflict matters, including breathing, grounding and learning to stay physically relaxed under pressure How listening can transform conflict and why staying in the heat long enough to hear each other can create breakthroughs A lesson from the Canlis restaurant team: how treating feedback as “an investment in you” can help people listen without becoming defensive What the Seattle Seahawks can teach us about culture and hairline fractures Why learning to gather and fight well is increasingly important as AI reshapes the workplace Follow Jessi Hempel and Priya Parker on LinkedIn Join us for Office Hours, Wednesday at 3pm EST

For a lot of people, work feels especially chaotic right now.. Projects start and don't finish. Layoffs happen, then reorgs, then new strategies, and through all of it, managers are expected to have the answers. Caroline Webb spent 25 years coaching leaders through exactly this kind of turbulence. She's a behavioral scientist, a former economist and the author of the new book Leadership Intelligence: Science-Backed Strategies for Mastering 21 Everyday Management Challenges. This week she joins Jessi to talk about what the science of the human brain tells us about leading through uncertainty. In this episode, Jessi and Caroline discuss: Why the current moment hits a stress trifecta — demanding, uncontrollable and unpleasant — and what that does to your team's brains The "know-be-do" framework: how to lead people through uncertainty when facts are in short supply Why naming how you feel is one of the most powerful things a leader can do and what affect labeling actually does in the brain What "measured authenticity" means, and why "terrified" is not a word you want your manager to use How to be honest with your team when you know more than you can say Why letting projects die quietly is one of the most demoralizing things a manager can do, and what to do instead What Astro (Google X's moonshot factory) does when it kills a project, and why it works The "when-then" method for taking the sting out of worst-case scenarios before they happen "Compassionate clarity": what it means in practice when layoff season arrives Why walking people out of the building immediately is almost never necessary and what a seasoned CHRO said about it Follow Caroline Webb and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn Join us for Hello Monday Office Hours, Wednesday at 3pm EST Listen to Caroline’s previous Hello Monday episode on how to have a good day at a bad job

We spend a lot of energy trying to optimize our time, but what happens when we're forced to surrender to it? Writer, meditation teacher and lifetime student of Buddhism Sebene Selassie has been living with cancer for more than twenty years. In that time, she's learned something most of us spend a lifetime avoiding: how little control we actually have, and how to find joy anyway. This is the third and final episode in our month-long series on time. We’ve discussed how we spend our minutes, our days, our months and our years. Today you’ll hear about how we make the most of all of it.. In this episode, Jessi and Sebene discuss: Why a cancer diagnosis at 34 became the entry point to a deeper spiritual life, and eventually, to teaching The tight relationship between fear and control, and how Sebene has spent twenty years slowly loosening her grip on both What Sebene’s ticking clock has taught her about the present moment The difference between joy and happiness, and why joy is available even in the hardest moments Why meditation isn't about feeling better, and what the saccharine corporate version gets wrong The paradox at the heart of Sebene’s book You Belong: A Call for Connection How grasping for time is often just grasping for control, and what we miss when we do this What it means to show up to life openhearted, fully as yourself Follow Sebene Selassie and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn. Join us this Wednesday at 3pm EST for the return of Office Hours!

Being busy and being productive are not the same thing. Cal Newport, computer science professor at Georgetown and author of Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, has spent years making that case. This is the second of three episodes from the archive that we're revisiting this month on the subject of time. In it, Cal joins Jessi to zoom out and ask: what does it really mean to get meaningful work done over the course of our weeks, our months, and even our years? In this episode, Jessi and Cal discuss: Why "pseudo-productivity" — using visible activity as a proxy for real work — was always a bad idea, and why mobile computing made it unsustainable How the pandemic pushed knowledge work past a breaking point The administrative overhead trap: why agreeing to too many things at once is slowing you down How to say no to new work without actually saying no, and why transparency is the key Why boredom is essential What your phone has to do with short-circuiting the most human productivity tool we have Cal's rule for his kids on smartphones and social media, and the age he thinks unrestricted internet access becomes safe Why doing fewer things at once will get you to the finish line faster What AI tools like ChatGPT are actually good for, and what Cal is waiting for them to do instead The difference between technology that helps you do things faster and technology that takes things off your plate entirely Follow Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Most of us are convinced we don't have enough time. Laura Vanderkam argues that we have enough time, we just aren’t using it with enough intention. This month, we're revisiting our series of episodes on time, and how we make the most of it. We’re starting here, with the bestselling author of numerous books on time management and the host of the daily four-minute podcast Before Breakfast.  In this episode, Jessi and Laura discuss: Why 5 PM on Thursday is actually the exact midpoint of your week, and what that reveals about the time you're losing How Laura has tracked every half hour of her life since April 2015, and what nine years of data taught her The biggest time waster of all (it's not email or your phone) Effortful fun versus effortless fun, and why doing a little of the first before the second changes everything Why you should give yourself a bedtime, and how most adults are already getting more sleep than they think The case for moving for 10 minutes by 3 PM every day Why busy people need a hobby The Friday punch list: how batching your small tasks protects your best hours for the work that actually matters Follow Laura Vanderkam and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Baratunde Thurston fired ChatGPT. And ChatGPT helped him do it. This week, the Emmy-nominated storyteller, writer and host of Life with Machines joins Jessi in the studio to talk about what it actually means to have agency in a moment when we’re still figuring out the rules and norms of AI.  In this episode, Jessi and Baratunde discuss: Why Baratunde fired ChatGPT and what the chat bot taught him on his way out What he means when he says we're not using a tool, we're entering a relationship The "direction, not perfection" principle for navigating an imperfect landscape of AI companies and choices Why switching platforms is itself a practice of agency, and proof that you can leave What AI tools reveal about you that you didn't know you were sharing The two people living inside every employee at an AI all-hands: the one on-program, and the one who's scared and skeptical What the kids opting out of AI are trying to tell us What the internet could look like if we treated it as a public utility instead of a commercial space Why token-maxing is a "flagrant foul" in an era of climate change What executives get wrong when rolling out AI, and the questions they should be asking their teams instead Follow Baratunde Thurston and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Daniel Pink is a seven-time New York Times bestselling author, a three-time Hello Monday guest, and one of the most trusted voices on motivation and performance. This week, he joins Jessi in the studio to talk about productivity and regret: how to actually get meaningful work done, how to protect your time and attention in an age of infinite distraction, and how to use the things you wish you'd done differently as a map for what you actually care about.  Jessi and Dan discuss: Why productivity shouldn’t be measured in units of output, it should be measured in meaningfulness The MIT method: why Daniel writes his single most important task at the top of his to-do list before anything else How to design your environment for deep focus instead of trying to willpower your way there The to-don't list: how to treat the things that drain your time with the same seriousness as the things you need to do Why you probably overestimate how disappointed people will be when you say no, and how to say it cleanly The SNL rule for shipping work: "We don't go on because we're ready. We go on because it's 11:30." What to do when your boss keeps changing the priorities The Pomodoro technique: whether it still holds up, and Dan thanked its inventor in the acknowledgments of one of his books Why regret is one of the most misunderstood and underused emotions we have The four core regrets that show up across 26,000 people in 130 countries, and what they reveal about what we actually value This conversation was originally recorded live and broadcast to LinkedIn Premium members. Premium members can find the extended version here.  Follow Daniel Pink and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Most of us approach a long break from work with some anxiety. Whether it’s a layoff, parental leave, or a season of caregiving, there’s tension around if and when we’ll return to work and how we’ll explain the gap on our résumé. DJ DiDonna, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and author of the new book Big Time Off, wants to change that. This week, he joins Jessi to make the case that stepping away from routine work — for whatever reason, for however long — is one of the most strategic things you can do for your career and your life.  Jessi and DJ discuss: What a sabbatical actually is, and why two-thirds of them happen because of a negative catalyst, not a choice Why immediately job-searching after a layoff is like grocery shopping while hungry The difference between a vacation, a corporate "sabbatical," and the real thing, and why it takes six to eight weeks just to feel like yourself again What DJ calls "fertile emptiness," and why most of us never let ourselves get there How to use a sabbatical to run experiments on possible future versions of yourself The story of a CTO who went to Norway, built a text-to-speech app, and redesigned his entire relationship with work and money Why functional workaholism is the thing most of us are living with What AI has to do with the case for stepping back, and why learning from a place of fear versus curiosity makes all the difference How Jessi's own three-month hiatus from the workplace, during which she wrote a book and raised a newborn, turned out to be a sabbatical she didn't know she was taking How to start planning for a sabbatical five years from now, even if taking one today feels impossible Follow DJ DiDonna and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

You can't lead a team through a hard moment if you can't manage yourself first. That's the core of Dr. Becky Kennedy's work. The clinical psychologist and founder of Good Inside built a global movement teaching parents how to navigate the hardest moments with their kids. It turns out those same skills are exactly what the modern workplace needs. This week, Dr. Becky joins Jessi in the studio to translate her parenting playbook for managers, leaders, and anyone who's ever had to deliver hard news, hold a line they didn't fully believe in, or hold it together when someone on their team fell apart.  In this episode, Jessi and Dr. Becky discuss: Why conviction matters more than confidence, and how to tell if you actually have it before walking into a hard meeting The AVP method (acknowledge, validate, permit) for regulating your own emotions before they spill into the room Why self-regulation isn't a two-minute fix, and what Dr. Becky calls "the road to reactivity" How to separate behavior from identity when giving feedback, and why conflating the two is what makes hard conversations go wrong Why sturdiness is the key to managing a team through uncertainty and layoffs The sentence structure to use when you don't have all the answers but still need to show up as a leader Why empathy requires boundaries, and a tennis court visualization that keeps other people's feelings on their side of the net What anger is actually telling you, and how to use it productively instead of letting it drive the conversation Why Dr. Becky is skeptical of the feedback sandwich, and a feedback method to use instead A simple question managers can ask every week to make upward feedback feel safe and specific This conversation was originally recorded live and broadcast to LinkedIn Premium members. Premium members can watch the extended version here. Follow Dr. Becky Kennedy and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Most of us think of negotiation as something reserved for high-stakes boardrooms—or even hostage situations. But Christopher Voss, former FBI lead hostage negotiator and bestselling author of Never Split the Difference, says negotiation is everywhere: in salary talks, in team meetings, even in conversations with your kids.  In this episode from the Hello Monday archives, Jessi Hempel sits down with Chris to explore how we can all become better negotiators by focusing on empathy, collaboration, and trust. Drawing on decades of experience, Chris shares practical tools you can use to move conversations forward—whether you’re asking for a raise, dealing with a difficult boss, or navigating conflict at home. Chris and Jessi discuss: Why negotiation is really about collaboration and long-term relationships How to shift from seeking control to building influence The power of labeling emotions to build trust and lower defenses Why “no” is often more powerful than “yes” How to recognize when a negotiation is over—or when it’s time to walk away Strategies to reframe salary conversations and show your value This episode was recorded live in-studio. For an extended, behind-the-scenes version, watch on LinkedIn Premium.

We tend to talk about AI and the future of work as a young person's game. Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, CEO of AARP, is here to challenge that notion. A physician turned healthcare executive turned nonprofit leader, she joins Jessi in the studio to talk about ageism, AI, and what it means to not just stay relevant, but to move ahead, in the second half of a working life.  In this episode, Jessi and Dr. Minter-Jordan discuss: How the fifty-plus workforce is upskilling faster than other generations How to reframe experience as an asset in a job search, and why soft skills are having a moment The move Dr. Minter-Jordan made that surprised everyone: going back to business school in her thirties, while practicing medicine Why mentorship is one of the most powerful tools an older worker has for demonstrating value, and why stepping back from it is a mistake How Dr. Minter-Jordan got her current job as CEO of AARP What the trillion-dollar caregiving economy means for employers, and why the policies aren't keeping up How to approach AI without feeling overwhelmed: start small, stay consistent, and focus on what's relevant to your field Whether you should de-age your résumé How to be strategic about timing a career pivot, especially when you have real responsibilities What Dr. Minter-Jordan would tell a thirty-five-year-old building a career for the long arc This episode was originally recorded live and broadcast to LinkedIn Premium members. Premium members can watch the extended version here. Follow Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

“It’s not your fault.” This is the message Alissa Quart has spent over a decade trying to get people to believe when it comes to economic hardship. Right now, it feels harder than ever to embrace. Alissa Quart is the executive director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, the nonprofit Barbara Ehrenreich built after writing her groundbreaking exposé Nickel and Dimed. A journalist herself, Alissa is the author of seven books, including Squeezed: Why Our Families Can’t Afford America and Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream. She's spent over a decade reporting on class, caregiving, and economic precarity. In this episode, Jessi and Alissa discuss: Why "insecurity" is a more honest and unifying framework than "affordability," and how it builds solidarity across class lines The data behind it: 52% of US families are now financially insecure by one measure, and nearly half of workers lack confidence they could find a job they'd want "Apocalyptic insecurity": the new framework Alissa and economist Lynn Parramore developed to describe how employers use AI dread to manipulate workers The Frederick Taylor parallel: how AI is repeating the logic of scientific management, a century later "AI brain fry": the exhaustion of performing enthusiasm for AI at work while feeling something very different about it personally Why losing the narrative of generational progress is its own kind of psychological injury The AI dividend, universal basic income, and what a modern New Deal could look like Why naming the problem matters: how failing to recognize insecurity as systemic — rather than personal failure — can curdle into self-blame and even disordered coping What Alissa tells her own daughter about finding agency in an uncertain future Follow Alissa Quart and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

We've built an economy that rewards destroying value. Eric Ries wants to know how we got here, and whether we can build our way out. Eric wrote The Lean Startup in 2011 and helped define a generation of entrepreneurs. Since then, he's watched promising, mission-driven companies get hollowed out, and he thinks he knows exactly why. His new book, Incorruptible: How Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great, is his attempt to name what's happening, explain how we got here, and lay out a blueprint for building something better.  In this episode, Jessi and Eric discuss: What Eric calls "financial gravity": the systemic force that pulls organizations away from their mission and toward extraction Why shareholder primacy isn't ancient law; it's a 1980s invention that was never voted on by anyone The private equity problem: how you can taste the cost-cutting in your food when private equity buys your favorite restaurant Why today's best practices are actually value-destroying, and what the data says about the alternative The Public Benefit Corporation filing: a two-page form that could change what your company is legally obligated to do Why "it's always too early until it's too late," and how founders miss their window to protect their mission The AI layoff glee: why Eric thinks companies racing to replace people with robots is slow-motion suicide How to find opportunity in this moment, even if you've been laid off, and why trust is the most underrated asset in business today Follow Eric Ries and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Joanna Stern spent a year using AI to do (almost) everything: write her emails, analyze  her medical records, text her wife, drive her around, and even fold her laundry. The result is her new book, I Am Not a Robot, which documents what she learned testing AI as a journalist, a parent, and a newly independent founder. Joanna spent over a decade as a tech reporter at The Wall Street Journal before leaving to launch her own media outlet, New Things. She brought the same approach that's defined her career — hands-on, consumer-first testing of the technology itself — to her year-long experiment in living with AI.What she found was more nuanced than the hype: some of it works, some of it really doesn't, and some of it needs guardrails. In this episode, Jessi and Joanna discuss: Why the same AI technology that's transforming cancer detection is also upselling you at the dentist The data privacy moves everyone should make right now, including the settings most people never touch What happened when Joanna tried to let AI handle all her communications Why robots are bad at folding clothes How AI gave Joanna the confidence to leave a staff job and start a business The emotional difference between work you make yourself and work a machine makes for you What it means to raise kids in a world where the struggle of figuring things yourself might disappear entirely Follow Jessi Hempel and Joanna Stern on LinkedIn.

Comedy writer Jenny Hagel has six Emmy nominations. The other week, she wrote 20 jokes. One made it to television. She doesn’t see this as failure, though. It’s the nature of the job. And it might offer the most useful career lesson you'll hear all year. Jenny is a writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers, where she also regularly appears on camera in the popular segment Jokes Seth Can’t Tell. She is also the author of a new book of essays called Advice No One Asked For. In this episode, Jessi Hempel sits down with Jenny to talk about the arc of her non-traditional career, and what it actually takes to keep going in the face of failure. In this episode, Jessi and Jenny discuss: The live advice show Jenny built during the writer's strike, and how a room full of strangers asking earnest questions accidentally became the most community-building thing she's ever done How humor acts as a spoonful of sugar that lets us endure the heavy stuff a little longer The 411 call that landed Jenny a grad school internship Why the find-yourself period matters, and what gets lost when young people skip it The writing advice Jenny gives everyone: the part where you create and the part where you judge have to be two completely separate steps How growing up queer in the '80s and '90s inadvertently became a blueprint for every out-the-box decision she's made since Why a creative career isn't all-or-nothing, and what the middle actually looks like Find Advice No One Asked For wherever books are sold, and follow Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Lesbian bars aren’t just nightlife, they’re evolving spaces of community and chosen family, and they have a special place in Jessi Hempel’s heart. On this bonus episode, Jessi sits down with one of Hello Monday’s own producers,  Rachel Karp, to talk about her new book The Lesbian Bar Chronicles: The Living History and Hopeful Future of America's Dyke Dives and Sapphic Spaces.  Rachel’s journey started as a passion project: a documentary podcast in which the Cruising podcast team went on a road trip to visit every lesbian bar in the US. Their goal was to tell the history of lesbian bars and stories of the people who go to them. Now, those stories– and the lessons we can learn from them about how to create real-life community spaces–are in a book. In this episode: Why Rachel and the Cruising podcast team went on their road trip Why lesbian bars have endured, even as culture, technology, and rights have shifted What makes physical spaces of belonging different from digital communities The role of leadership in shaping inclusive, values-driven spaces What “chosen family” looks like in practice, and why it matters What anyone (queer or not) can learn from lesbian bars Follow Jessi Hempel and Rachel Karp on LinkedIn.

We're trained to climb ladders and chase titles, but what if the real metric of career success was the positive impact you have on the world? In this episode from the Hello Monday archives, host Jessi Hempel sits down with Rutger Bregman to explore moral ambition—a framework for building a career based on what positive impact you can have on the world.  Rutger's groundbreaking book, Moral Ambition: How to Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference, is a wake-up call for anyone who's felt something was missing from their work. Whether you're early in your career, questioning your path, or rebuilding after a layoff, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for pivoting toward meaningful work. In this episode, Jessi and Rutger explore: What moral ambition is, and why it's the antidote to burnout Why "follow your passion" is the wrong advice for building a sustainable career How to shift from success-driven to service-driven work Which industries funnel talented people into unfulfilling roles, and how to break free Real-world examples of people solving humanity's biggest problems How to build coalitions and find collaborators aligned with your values The hidden cost of prestige, and how to redefine what winning looks like This episode is a call to action for anyone who wants to do good—and do it well. Follow Rutger Bregman and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn

Rituals work. They help us make meaning, process transition, and connect with each other. That’s why we’ve been doing them for more than 300,000 years. So why, in this century, have we largely abandoned them?  This week, bestselling author, repeat Hello Monday guest, and longtime friend Bruce Feiler joins us in the studio to talk about his new book, A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World and How It Can Save Us. Bruce traveled to 16 countries on six continents to explore why ritual matters and identify how we can bring it back into our everyday lives. In this episode: Why ritual is the original human algorithm and why we've abandoned it The difference between self-care and group care, and why the latter matters so much The rise of new rituals: cancer-versaries, sober-versaries, infertility ceremonies, and divorce parties Why funerals are disappearing, and what we're losing when they do A live ritual design class: Bruce walks Jessi through building one for her daughter's preschool graduation The three things every ritual needs: a beginning, a middle, and an end From "rites of passage" to "bites of passage": why small, frequent moments of connection matter as much as the big ones Virtual vs. ritual: why 2026 feels like the year we're choosing to come back together in person Follow Jessi Hempel and Bruce Feiler on LinkedIn. And let us know how you’re incorporating ritual into your own life. 

You might think the biggest, most prestigious job is always the right career move. Patty Stonesifer — founding CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and an early Amazon board member — says that’s exactly the wrong way to decide what to do next. So what should guide your career? In this special episode from WorkLife with Molly Graham, Patty shares the nine-word personal mission statement she’s used for decades to filter opportunities, turn down what doesn’t fit, and speak up for what matters. Patty shares how you can write your own, and even coaches Molly through creating hers in real time.WorkLife is a podcast from TED where host and company builder Molly Graham and her expert guests talk through the messy feelings we all experience at work. Ambition and failure, joy and burnout, confidence and self-doubt — this show digs into it all to help you build a career without losing yourself. Listen now: https://link.mgln.ai/7r9KAe

We talk a lot about what technology is doing to our minds. But what about everything below the neck? This week, Jessi is joined by Manoush Zomorodi, host of NPR's TED Radio Hour and author of Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age, and New Science to Reclaim Your Wellbeing. Unfortunately, a killer workout or a standing desk won’t save us from the long-term health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle. But five minutes of gentle movement every half hour could. In fact, Manoush helped run a clinical trial with 23,000 people to prove it. Jessi and Manoush discuss: Why sitting all day drains your energy even when you haven't done anything The Columbia study that got 23,000 people moving, and what it proved Why standing desks aren't actually the fix we thought they were The "garden hose" model of what happens to your arteries when you sit or stand too long How people can restructure their workdays (and their calendars) to make movement stick What "information athletes" can learn from dancers, musicians, and pilots The shift from screen-shaming to something kinder and more practical This one might make you want to stand up and take a lap while listening. That's kind of the point. Follow Manoush Zomorodi and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Work has always been demanding, but lately, it feels like the ground is constantly shifting. Business is moving faster, projects disappear overnight, expectations change without warning. Under pressure, teams see more tension and uncomfortable moments. So how do you stay steady through these times and even use workplace tensions to grow and improve? This week on Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel talks with Aiko Bethea, leadership coach and author of Anchored, Aligned, Accountable: A Framework for Transcending Bullsh*t and Transforming Our Lives. Aiko’s book comes with a forward from Brené Brown, and offers a road-tested framework for navigating modern work with more clarity and intention. Instead of looking outward for stability, she argues that the real work starts within: understanding your values, recognizing your impact, and reclaiming your sense of agency. In this conversation, Jessi and Aiko discuss: Why work feels more chaotic than ever What it really means to be “anchored” in your values—and why most of us get this wrong How to align your decisions and behavior with what actually matters to you A more generous, effective way to think about accountability (hint: it’s not about blame) The many forms of power operating inside organizations Why curiosity is the key to better leadership and stronger relationships How to stop waiting for external conditions to improve and start creating your own stability This episode is for anyone looking for a way to regain clarity, ownership, and direction in the middle of constant change. Follow Aiko Bethea and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn. 

Work can feel a little surreal. Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat makes that feeling literal. In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Lee Eisenberg, writer and co-creator of the Jury Duty franchise, and Nick Hatton, executive producer, to talk about the hit series. The show’s premise is simple but radical: one real person dropped into a completely staged world, surrounded by actors. In Company Retreat, that world is the workplace. Specifically, a hot sauce company navigating a looming acquisition in the midst of their annual retreat.  Beneath the comedy, the show lands because it feels real. Lee has built his career capturing the nuances of human behavior at work, spending 5 years in the writer’s room for The Office before co-creating Jury Duty. Nick, too, has built a career in comedy, with past producing credits such as Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and This Is America.  In this conversation, they unpack how they recreate workplace dynamics so convincingly, why audiences connect so deeply with these stories, and what the show reveals about modern work culture. Jessi, Lee, and Nick discuss: The "David vs. Goliath" design behind Company Retreat and why Anthony was cast as the lowest rung on the corporate ladder How the show argues that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary decency when given the right environment The unexpected discovery that many of their casting candidates were gig workers, and what that says about the modern economy The ethics and mechanics of "laying breadcrumbs" for their hero without compromising his free will Their fears and cautious hopes about AI's impact on the entertainment industry and the future of meaningful work Follow Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn

When was the last time you felt truly bored? And when was the last time your life felt genuinely meaningful? For Harvard social scientist Arthur Brooks, those two questions are more connected than you might think. This week on Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Arthur Brooks — professor at Harvard Business School, bestselling author, and one of the most compelling thinkers on happiness and purpose — to dig into his new book, The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness.  In this episode, Jessi and Arthur discuss: Why so many high-achievers feel empty even when everything is going right How our devices are literally pushing us into the wrong hemisphere of the brain, and why eliminating boredom may have accidentally eliminated meaning The psychology of strivers: why so many driven, successful people are secretly running on a fear that idleness means they'll stop being loved The "arrival fallacy": why reaching your goals so often feels like a letdown, and what that tells you about whether you were chasing the right things The four types of career paths, and why "spiral" careers — built from a series of reinventions — may be the most fulfilling model for this moment How to retrofit a sense of calling into the job you already have Arthur's gut-check formula for evaluating any career opportunity: 80% excitement, 20% fear, 0% deadness Why suffering and meaning share the same part of the brain — and why trying to avoid all pain may be the very thing standing between you and a purposeful life This episode is for anyone who has achieved what they set out to achieve and still found themselves wondering, "Is this it?" — and for anyone still figuring out what they're actually working toward. This conversation was recorded live. If you’re a premium member, you can watch the extended version, featuring lots more audience questions, here. Follow Arthur Brooks and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Finding your path to a meaningful career has never felt more complicated. The job market is entirely unpredictable, AI is reading your resume, and entire industries seem to be disappearing.  It’s a particularly uncertain moment to be entering the workforce for the first time. This week on Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel talks with Jodi Kantor about navigating the early years of a career.  Jodi is one of the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists who broke the Harvey Weinstein story, igniting the Me Too movement. Last year, she delivered a commencement speech to Columbia’s class of 2025, offering practical and comforting advice for young people on the cusp of their professional lives. She’s expanded on that guidance in her new book, How to Start, which offers a roadmap to a meaningful career. In this episode, Jessi and Jodi discuss: Why the early stages of a career are inherently difficult, and how to embrace a “fruitful struggle” instead of giving up Jodi’s own winding path, from law school dropout to journalist How the job search itself has changed, including the rise of AI interviews and increasingly impersonal hiring processes Why the real measure of a career isn’t prestige or stability, but how connected you feel to the work in your day-to-day tasks The challenge of distinguishing your own voice and interests from expectations coming from parents, culture, or conventional career advice Why trying to game the job market or chase the “safe” profession rarely works How to hold onto the belief that work can be meaningful, satisfying, and sustainable, even in a difficult job market How cold calling doesn’t get easier, and why you should do it anyway This episode is for anyone starting out, starting over, or helping someone else navigate the messy early chapters of a career. Follow Jodi Kantor and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn

If you feel like your attention span has shrunk, you’re not imagining it. According to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, our phones and social platforms have fundamentally reshaped childhood, work, and our ability to focus. In his bestselling book The Anxious Generation, Jon argues that the rise of smartphones and social media triggered what he calls the “great rewiring of childhood.” But the consequences extend far beyond kids. In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi talks with Jon about what constant connectivity is doing to our minds,how we got here, and why reclaiming our attention may be one of the most important challenges of our time. Jon and Jess discuss: How smartphones reshaped adolescent development Why social media use is linked strongly to rising anxiety and depression among young people How tech platforms are intentionally designed to capture and fragment our attention Why today’s digital tools isolate people Practical steps families, workplaces, and individuals can take to reclaim focus and develop healthier tech habits Why restoring unstructured play, independence, and boredom is critical for healthy development At its core, this conversation asks a simple question: What happens when an entire society loses control of its attention, and how do we get it back? Find Jon’s new book for kids, The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World, here.  Follow Jonathan Haidt and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

Do you think of your beliefs as immutable facts? If so, you might be holding yourself back. In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Nir Eyal, bestselling author whose work sits at the intersection of psychology, technology, and human potential. His latest book, Beyond Belief, explores how the stories we tell ourselves shape our motivation, and how changing those stories can change our outcomes. In this conversation, Jessi and Nir explore how limiting beliefs take hold, why our brains default to helplessness, and how we can challenge the narratives that keep us stuck. Jessi and Nir discuss: Why beliefs should be treated as tools, not truths How limiting beliefs undermine motivation and progress The “motivation triangle” and why belief is essential to action Why we often quit too early, and what a famous rat experiment reveals about persistence A practical method for questioning assumptions and collecting new perspectives Why visualization can actually hurt motivation, and what to do instead The difference between pain and suffering, and why separating the two matters At the heart of Nir’s work is a simple idea: our minds default to safety and survival, not growth. But when we learn to question the beliefs that hold us back, we can unlock more motivation, agency, and possibility in our lives. Follow Nir Eyal and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn. Office Hours are back! Join Jessi live from her LinkedIn page on Wednesday 4/1 at 3pm EST. 

Women spend nearly a decade more of their lives in poor health than men. It’s a gap that doesn’t just affect individuals, it holds back entire organizations. This week on Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Melinda French Gates, philanthropist and founder of Pivotal, and Regina E. Dugan, President and CEO of Wellcome Leap, to unpack the health disparities impacting women at work, and explore what it will take to close them. Melinda and Regina both operate at the intersection of capital, science, and equity. Together, they are rethinking how we invest in women’s health, examining why progress has been so slow, and identifying what leaders can do to drive meaningful change. Jessi, Melinda, and Regina discuss: Why women spend more years in poor health, and how that affects their careers The ways health inequities limit advancement and economic opportunity Why investing in women’s health isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s a smart move financially The role senior leadership plays in reshaping outcomes for women at work How policy, science, and leadership all play a part in closing the health gap for women Follow Melinda French Gates, Regina E. Dugan, and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn This conversation was recorded live in Bellevue, Washington. If you’re a premium member, you can watch the extended version, featuring lots more audience questions, here. We will be launching the Hello Monday book club soon. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!

AI is reshaping industries and jobs faster than most of us can keep up. But futurist Amy Webb argues we have more control over what lies ahead than we might think.  In today’s episode, Jessi Hempel sits down with Amy, founder and CEO of the Future Today Strategy Group and one of the world’s leading experts on strategic foresight. For nearly two decades, Amy’s annual tech trends report has helped leaders understand what’s coming next, and what to do about it. Amy and Jessi explore the concept of creative destruction—the economic force that disrupts old systems to make room for new ones—and what today’s wave of AI-driven change means for workers, leaders, and organizations. Amy and Jessi discuss: What creative destruction really means, and why we should embrace it How AI and emerging technologies are transforming industries faster than many leaders expect How leaders can strategically prepare for trends and crises, rather than merely reacting to them Why organizations need to invest in foresight and long-term thinking How individuals can position themselves to adapt and thrive during rapid transformation Follow Amy Webb and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn Learn more about The Future Today Strategy Group Watch Amy’s 2026 SXSW talk  We will be launching the Hello Monday book club soon. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com

What skill is most critical in a world defined by constant change? Leadership coach and author Liz Tran believes it’s AQ, or agility quotient. In this episode of Hello Monday, host Jessi Hempel sits down with Liz to explore why traditional measures of intelligence like IQ and even EQ may matter less in today’s AI-powered, rapidly evolving workplace. Instead, Liz argues that what really predicts success is our ability to adapt, navigate uncertainty, and respond to change. Liz’s new book is AQ: A New Kind of Intelligence for a World That's Always Changing. Drawing from her work with executives, founders, and professionals across industries, she explains how AQ works—and why it’s a skill anyone can develop. Together, Jessi and Liz unpack how strengthening your agility quotient can help you navigate career transitions, unexpected challenges at work, and a future where skills evolve faster than ever. Liz and Jessi discuss: What AQ (agility quotient) is—and why it may matter more than IQ or EQ in the modern workplace Why AI and automation are leveling traditional intelligence advantages The four AQ archetypes—Astronaut, Novelist, Firefighter, and Neurosurgeon—and how each handles change How understanding your archetype can guide career decisions, leadership style, and personal growth How to build resilience and adaptability in a world where careers span multiple industries and roles Follow Liz Tran and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.  We will be launching the Hello Monday book club soon. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!  

Hot flashes. Brain fog. Sleepless nights. For too long, we’ve mislabeled midlife women’s health as burnout, anxiety, or a loss of ambition. But what if the real issue isn’t performance — it’s hormones? In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel talks with Joanna Strober, founder and CEO of Midi Health, about menopause, perimenopause, hormone therapy, and power at work. Together, they unpack how gaps in women’s healthcare during midlife are quietly pushing talented leaders out of the workforce at the exact moment they should be accelerating. After struggling to get proper treatment for her own perimenopause symptoms, Joanna built Midi Health to deliver insurance-covered, expert virtual care focused on women in midlife. This conversation goes beyond hot flashes — it’s about workplace equity, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), ageism, health misdiagnoses, and why normalizing menopause could unlock a generation of leadership. Because menopause isn’t a road bump, with the right care, it can be a power surge. Jessi and Joanna discuss: The difference between perimenopause and menopause, and why the distinction matters for women’s health at work Why 1 in 5 women in their 40s are prescribed SSRIs — and how hormonal shifts are often overlooked Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and non-hormonal menopause treatments The workplace impact of untreated menopause symptoms, including research showing women may lose authority during visible symptoms like hot flashes How employers can support midlife women through better insurance coverage  Ageism in the workplace — and why women in their 50s may be primed for peak performance How normalizing menopause conversations can help women reclaim power Follow Joanna Strober and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn. We will be launching the Hello Monday book club soon. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!  Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/hellomonday-LI-video-youtube  Watch/Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/hellomonday-LI-video-spotify⁠ Listen on Apple: https://bit.ly/hellomonday-LI-video-apple⁠ 

Be yourself. That’s the advice we give graduates, job seekers, and leaders. But what if it’s wrong? In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with organizational psychologist and author Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic to interrogate one of the most popular ideas in modern career advice: authenticity at work. Tomas is the Chief Talent Scientist at ManpowerGroup, a professor of business psychology, and the author of Don't Be Yourself. His research explores personality, leadership, workplace performance, and the science of success. In this conversation, he challenges the notion that “just be yourself” is the key to career growth—especially in a rapidly changing job market shaped by AI, shifting power dynamics, and rising inequality. Together, Jessi and Tomas unpack how authenticity functions as both a personal value and a professional strategy—and why it can be a privilege reserved for those already in the “in-group.” They also examine what young professionals, underemployed graduates, and leaders navigating AI disruption need to understand about perception, communication skills, and the future of work. Jessi and Tomas discuss: • Why authenticity at work is often misunderstood—and how perception matters more than self-expression • The hidden privilege behind “bring your whole self to work” • In-group vs. out-group dynamics in workplace culture • AI and the future of work: entry-level jobs, automation, and the changing career ladder • Why curiosity—not authenticity—may be a critical skill for 2026 • Balancing personal values with organizational expectations • The psychology of influence, impression management, and professional success If you’ve ever felt frustrated by workplace politics, confused about how much of yourself to reveal at work, or anxious about how AI is reshaping career paths, this episode is for you. We will be launching the Hello Monday book club soon. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!   Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/hellomonday-LI-video-youtube  Watch/Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/hellomonday-LI-video-spotify⁠ Listen on Apple: https://bit.ly/hellomonday-LI-video-apple⁠ 

Rest is essential. It’s like food or water; without it, we die. As today’s guest points out though, it’s also a sacred practice. In today’s rerun conversation, originally held live on Hello Monday’s Office Hours, Octavia Raheem joins Jessi Hempel to talk about, and to practice, rest. Octavia Raheem is a rest coach, yoga and meditation teacher, and author. Her latest book is called Rest is Sacred: Reclaiming Our Brilliance Through the Practice of Stillness. She and Jessi discuss: How rest sparks creativity and connection Rethinking productivity through rest How to build micro-rest practices into your days The power of rest for self-reflection, personal growth, and clarity Then, Octavia leads us in a transformative guided rest practice that combines mindfulness, relaxation, and breathing techniques. Follow Octavia Raheem and Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn.

AI didn’t decide to reshape work. People did. And that distinction matters more than we like to admit. Dr. Rumman Chowdhury says the real story isn’t about machines replacing humans. It’s about the choices people in power are making—and the agency the rest of us still have. In today’s episode, Jessi Hempel and Rumman unpack what responsible AI really means, why fear is the wrong default reaction, and how workers, leaders, and everyday users can shape a better technological future. Rumman Chowdhury is a leading expert in responsible artificial intelligence and algorithmic accountability. She previously led responsible AI efforts at Accenture, served on Twitter’s product team before it became X, and advised governments in the U.S. and U.K. She is the co-founder of Humane Intelligence, an organization focused on independent AI auditing and public participation in technology oversight. Rumman and Jessi discuss: Why AI isn’t “happening to us”—and how leadership decisions shape its impact What responsible AI looks like inside real companies and products The rise and fall of trust in Big Tech and Silicon Valley Algorithmic bias, content moderation, and the limits of internal oversight The root of why we fear AI The difference between techno-optimism and techno-solutionism How individuals can reclaim agency by understanding and engaging with AI If you want to hear more from Dr. Rumman Chowdhury listen to her recent Ted Talk here.  Follow Dr. Rumman Chowdhury on LinkedIn Follow Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/hellomonday-LI-video-youtube  Watch/Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/hellomonday-LI-video-spotify Listen on Apple: https://bit.ly/hellomonday-LI-video-apple⁠ 

Every day is filled with negotiations. Here’s how to start winning them. Any conversation that has a want or a need is a negotiation. It's critical to approach even the low stakes negotiations with the same tools that will win high stakes conversations. But what if the key to better outcomes isn’t pushing harder, but listening better? In today’s episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Jonathan Smith, negotiation instructor and co-author of Fight Less, Win More, to break down why negotiation is really about empathy, trust, and disciplined listening. Drawing on The Black Swan Group’s negotiation framework—made famous by Never Split the Difference—Jonathan shares practical tools for navigating conflict, building influence, and getting what you need without damaging relationships. Jonathan is a business strategist and negotiation expert who has spent years teaching leaders, managers, and teams how to communicate in moments that matter most. His work focuses on tactical empathy, emotional intelligence, and the everyday negotiations that shape our careers and lives. Jonathan and Jessi discuss: Why every difficult conversation is a negotiation Tactical empathy and how to help people feel truly heard The “core four” negotiation skills: labels, mirrors, dynamic silence, and summaries How low-stakes practice builds confidence for high-stakes conversations Managing tone, emotion, and self-regulation  Why listening is a discipline—and how it improves trust and influence Using AI as a preparation tool without losing human connection If you want to go deeper on these tools listen to our episode from September, 2025 with The Black Swan Group's founder and CEO, Chris Voss.  Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/chrisvoss-hm-youtube  Listen on Apple: https://bit.ly/chrisvoss-hm-apple  Watch/Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/chrisvoss-hm-spotify We will be launching the Hello Monday Book Club soon. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!

Want an easy framework for winning any pitch? We’re pitching all the time—at work, at home, and everywhere in between. But most of us are doing it wrong. We lead with logic, credentials, and data, when what people actually need first is connection. In today’s episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Danny Fontaine to unpack what makes a truly great pitch—and how to persuade with emotion, not just information. Drawing on decades of experience in experiential sales and storytelling, Danny shares a framework for captivating any audience by helping them feel seen, understood, and invested before you ever make your case. Danny Fontaine leads an experiential selling team at IBM and has closed millions of dollars in deals across industries. He is the author of Pitch: How to Captivate and Convince Any Audience on the Planet and hosts a UK-based podcast called “Pitch Masters” on modern selling, persuasion, and communication at work. Danny and Jessi discuss: Why pitching is really about connection, not performance How emotional storytelling builds trust and influence The “backfire effect” and why logic alone doesn’t persuade How to determine which opportunities are worth pitching—and which aren’t Why the audience, not the seller, should be the hero of every pitch Introverts, ambiverts, and why confidence isn’t what makes a great salesperson How AI can help you prepare without losing authenticity We will be launching the Hello Monday Book Club soon. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!

Ambition. Is it a dirty word? Do you love the term, or hate it? In this Hello Monday episode from the archives, Jessi Hempel sits down with two incredible colleagues at LinkedIn, Hayley Saltzman and Ahyiana Angel, to explore how our understanding of ambition evolves, and what it means to chase personal growth rather than external validation. Hayley Saltzman is an Editor at Large at LinkedIn, focusing on vertical video strategy. Ahyiana Angel was the Podcast Ad Ops Producer at LinkedIn and the host of her own podcast called Switch, Pivot, or Quit. Together, they reflect on how ambition is often shaped by external expectations and how true fulfillment comes when we start living for ourselves. In this episode, Jessi, Ahyiana, and Hayley discuss: The tension between extrinsic and intrinsic ambition Our gendered notions of ambition, and how society’s definition of ambition is often limiting for women What happens when you quit a dream job to pursue something more aligned with personal growth The relationship between fear and ambition Practical tips for reconnecting with your own ambitions and self-worth If you've ever questioned what success and ambition truly mean for you, this episode is for you. Whether you're navigating career transitions or redefining what ambition looks like in your life, we hope this conversation will inspire you to live and work authentically.

What if the very habits that made you successful are now the ones holding you back? In this episode of Hello Monday, host Jessi Hempel is joined by executive coach and leadership expert Muriel Wilkins to explore the hidden beliefs that quietly shape how we lead and make decisions. These “blocking beliefs”—like I need it done now, if I can do it, so can you—often begin as strengths. But over time, they can fuel burnout, micromanagement, and disengaged teams. Drawing from her new book, Leadership Unblocked, Muriel offers a practical framework for identifying the beliefs that no longer serve us and replacing them with more flexible, sustainable ways of leading—without losing ambition, standards, or control. Together, Jessi and Muriel unpack how leaders can expand their range, lead with greater ease, and grow their organizations by first growing themselves. In this conversation, you’ll learn: What “blocking beliefs” are and how they develop over the course of a career A three-step process for uncovering, unpacking, and unblocking limiting beliefs Why urgency and perfectionism often undermine leadership effectiveness How the belief “I need it done now” contributes to burnout and unclear priorities How the truth of our external environment can be reframed in the narrative we tell ourselves How to stop micromanaging without sacrificing accountability We are no longer hosting weekly Office Hours but are thrilled to launch the Hello Monday Book Club. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!

What is your dream job? What will your life look like in ten years? Kick off the New Year with a favorite Hello Monday activity: the Dream Job Exercise.  In this episode, host Jessi Hempel kicks off the new year with a powerful ritual she returns to every January: the Dream Job Exercise. It’s not about chasing a title or predicting the future—it’s about reclaiming imagination, agency, and hope in a moment when many professionals feel stuck or anxious about what comes next. Jessi explains why imagination may be the most essential career skill of the next decade—and how a simple writing exercise can help you clarify what you really want from your work and your life. Jessi walks listeners step by step through the Dream Job Exercise, sharing why looking 10 years ahead creates space to stop editing yourself and start dreaming again. Along the way, she reflects on how this practice helped her land a version of her own dream role—and why it can work as a decision-making filter in an era of constant change. In this episode, Jessi explores: The role of hope and personal agency in navigating career change Why imagination is a critical future-of-work skill How the Dream Job Exercise helps clarify what you actually want Why looking 10 years ahead unlocks bolder career thinking How this exercise can guide better career decisions year after year Whether you’re questioning your next move, feeling unsettled in a job you once loved, or simply craving more clarity as the year begins, this episode offers a grounding reset—and a practical tool to help you move forward with intention.

This week, a show about work brings you an episode about time away from work, and why we all need it. We hope you enjoy this classic holiday rerun from Hello Monday's very first year of production featuring some favorite vacation stories, and we’ll see you in the new year!

Uncertainty has become a defining feature of modern work. From shifting economic signals to rapid technological change, many professionals feel stuck in a constant state of not knowing—and they’re exhausted by it. In today's episode, Jessi Hempel sits down with journalist and behavioral scientist Elizabeth Weingarten to explore how asking better questions --not demanding faster answers--can help us navigate uncertainty.  Elizabeth is the author of How to Fall In Love With Questions. Her work focuses on uncertainty, decision-making, and how curiosity can help us build more meaningful lives and careers. In this conversation, she challenges the culture of binary thinking, and offers a powerful framework for living well in the unknown. Elizabeth and Jessi discuss: Why our tolerance for uncertainty is shrinking—and how technology plays a role The danger of binary questions and why “yes or no” often isn’t the right frame How to change the relationship we have to our questions Burnout, work, and what happens when we stop asking meaningful questions How to use questions as an internal GPS for career and life decisions We are no longer hosting weekly Office Hours but are thrilled to launch the Hello Monday Book Club starting in 2026. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!

High achievers like to go after their goals, but what if in the face of disruption, we’re skipping a step in our hurry to get going and get “doing”?  With ongoing layoffs and a new (sometimes scary) work landscape, so many of us are trying to figure out what opportunities remain, and what we should do next. But today’s guest, Victoria Foster, suggests we’re starting from the wrong place. Before trying to figure out what we can do, we should first ask: who do I want to be?  Victoria is an executive coach and co-founder of FutureWomenX. She invites us to step out of scarcity, tap into our deeper gifts, and reclaim our agency. She argues that instead of clinging to old definitions of success or the skills we’ve mastered, we need to understand the values, beliefs, and strengths beneath them. That’s where possibility lives. In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi and Victoria discuss: Why defining ourselves by what we do limits our ability to adapt How to uncover the gifts beneath our skills, and why they matter Why layoffs often trigger shame, and how to reclaim your story The importance of honoring where you’ve been before choosing what’s next How community and courageous conversations help us face the unknown Why 2025 demands a new mindset for navigating work and identity Continue the conversation with us at our last Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

Artist & content creator Elyse Myers initially gained popularity after a viral TikTok video about buying 100 tacos on a date. Since then, she’s built a massive following off of her compelling storytelling and unique perspective on the world. But when her followers started suggesting that she might be autistic, Elyse was surprised…even resistant. She looked into it, got an assessment, and eventually, a formal autism diagnosis as an adult.  Since being diagnosed with autism, Elyse has found herself living more authentically. Recently, she’s shared about the process of getting a diagnosis and how it has benefited her in more ways than she could have imagined.  In this episode of Hello Monday, Elyse sits down with Jessi Hempel to discuss how her new self understanding impacts the way she connects with others at home and at work. Elyse and Jessi talk about: How an adult autism diagnosis helped Elyse understand herself better The importance of giving people a toolbox to understand and love you How Elyse approaches getting to know others  Missing social cues in the workplace  How neurodivergence can be an asset in the workplace  Elyse’s willingness to be open online about the personal transformation and changes she goes through  Whether you’re working with a neurodivergent colleague, navigating an adult diagnosis yourself, or wondering how autism might impact your child,  this conversation offers a look at how a successful artist & creator works with her brain–not against it–to succeed.  Check out Elyse’s new book: That’s a Great Story, I’d Love to Tell You. Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

Most of us were taught to be agreeable. To be easy. To be helpful. But constantly saying “yes” can drain our energy and derail our careers. In this episode from the Hello Monday archives, Jessi Hempel sits down with Dr. Sunita Sah, author of Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes, to explore why saying “no” feels so hard and why reclaiming defiance is essential to our confidence, clarity, and integrity. In her conversation with Jessi, Dr. Sah breaks down how to recognize compliance, interrupt it, and rebuild a relationship with “no” that is grounded, principled, and guilt-free. Jessi and Dr. Sah discuss: Why saying “no” triggers discomfort What insinuation anxiety is, and how it quietly shapes workplace behavior Strategies to speak up even when the stakes feel high How to break patterns of over-compliance and reclaim autonomy How to make defiance a practice How to align your “no” with your values Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us on the LinkedIn News page this Wednesday at 3 PM ET.

No one plans to lose their financial independence. But for many women, it happens slowly, quietly, over years of caregiving and career pauses. In today’s episode, Jessi Hempel sits down with Steph Wagner, expert voice in women’s wealth and financial empowerment and author of Fly: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Freedom and Building a Life You Love, to talk about what it really takes to rebuild your financial life. Steph began her career in investment banking, drawn to numbers, strategy, and financial control. A brief pause from work to focus on motherhood turned into 14 years, during which she lost her income, confidence, and ultimately her marriage. When she discovered her husband’s double life, she was surprised to find herself financially unprepared. Her story is one many women will recognize, whether the catalyst is divorce, job loss, grief, or a major life transition.  Jessi and Steph discuss: How women slowly lose financial power, and how to take it back The emotional toll of financial dependence, shame, and starting over Why so many of us carry scarcity mindsets we don’t even realize we learned in childhood How to identify your “money personality” and how it shapes your habits How compounding interest and awareness of opportunity cost can quietly transform your financial future Why traditional budgets fail and Steph’s 45/20/35 model that actually works How to talk about money with partners, kids, and family members who have their own money beliefs What it really looks like to rebuild your identity after financial and emotional collapse And how to build healthier relationships without giving up your financial autonomy again Steph’s story is a reminder that financial freedom isn’t about having more money, it’s about understanding your choices, aligning them with your values, and believing you’re capable of steering your own life. The skills are learnable. And it’s never too late to begin.

Most people think personal branding is for the loudest voices in the room. But Goldie Chan, longtime creator and author of Personal Branding for Introverts, believes the opposite; introverts have superpowers that make them uniquely equipped to shape a personal brand with depth, clarity, and impact. Goldie has built a global audience with her signature green hair, thoughtful storytelling, and approachable advice for people who don’t want to pretend to be someone they’re not. In this episode of Hello Monday, she sits down with Jessi Hempel for a practical, generous conversation about how introverts can build a personal brand that feels authentic, sustainable, and true to who they are. Jessi and Goldie discuss: Why personal branding is not about being loud The difference between reputation (what others say) and personal brand (what you say) Goldie’s 5 Cs framework: clarity, consistency, competency, confidence, and community What it really means to be an introvert How “loud introverts” can manage energy, show up powerfully, and recover afterward Tips for networking without draining your battery, from scripts to small-group strategy Why “evergreen content” is your friend, and how to build a sustainable posting cadenceThe power of making mistakes in an AI-saturated world How to evolve your brand over time without confusing your audience Practical advice for job seekers, career pivoters, and anyone afraid of climbing “Cringe Mountain” Goldie’s message is clear: introverts don’t need to become extroverts to build a meaningful presence. They just need the right tools, and permission to build a brand in a way that honors their energy, creativity, and voice. Continue the conversation at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us this Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page. Want more? Watch the full conversation with Goldie Chan with LinkedIn Premium.

Most of us were taught to “play the game” when it comes to money; work hard, follow the rules, and financial stability will follow. But what happens when the game itself was never built for most of us to win? Jasmine Rashid calls herself a financial activist. She’s an impact investor, writer, and advocate who believes that reclaiming power in our financial systems starts with everyday people—not policymakers or billionaires, but those of us who spend, save, and invest every day. Her new book, The Financial Activist Playbook: Eight Strategies for Everyday People to Reclaim Wealth and Collective Wellbeing, is part invitation, part instruction manual for building a fairer economy from the ground up. In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel talks with Jasmine about how to put people back into the economy. Together, they explore how financial activism can help us move from scarcity to abundance, and from isolation to collective power. Jessi and Jasmine discuss: Why both finance and activism feel intimidating—and how to reclaim both How to build community wealth instead of just personal wealth Why talking about money is an act of empowerment How scarcity mindsets and cultural taboos keep us disconnected The role of mutual aid and community care in a just economy Why “enough” is one of the most radical financial goals we can set How expanding our definition of capital can change everything The power of collective action to build a fairer financial future Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.