Help Wanted

Today, Jason shares a question that's been stuck on his mind: if someone uses AI in their work, does that signal that they’re not good at it? In other words: does use of AI indicate a lack of natural competency or skill? To get some answers (and maybe even permission to use AI in his own work!), Jason calls up storyteller and AI strategist Taryn Southern. Together, Jason and Taryn explore whether it's time to embrace AI openly in our professional lives and how AI affects perceptions of authenticity. Plus, Taryn shares the prompts she uses to make ChatGPT an asset, not a crutch. Get more of Taryn's great AI tips and resources here!

We often don’t celebrate endings. We think of them as failures or mistakes — as if the end invalidated everything else. But endings can be many things: They’re how we preserve time and energy, how we reach a healthy conclusion, and how we prepare for something new. Today, Jason wants to help you embrace endings. He’ll give you three questions to ask yourself — and after you do, you may find yourself feeling lighter and freer. And he’ll start with something he just ended. He loved it, truly. But saying goodbye was liberating — just as it could be for you.

You do awesome work, you just need people to pay you to do it. So now, you need to figure out: how do you describe your work in a way that gets people to recognize that they want, or better yet, need it? That’s the question that today’s caller, Lisa Pircher-Reid, wants answered. To help, Jason phones in a friend: Richelle DeVoe, marketing and positioning expert. Richelle shares scripts for two conversations that every entrepreneur needs to have in order to craft marketing language that attracts customers and drives sales. Learn more about Richelle here: https://www.thegrowthguides.com/ Connect with Lisa here: https://www.instagram.com/the_healing_parent/ Listen to Lisa's podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-more-do-better/id1681672098

You made the wrong decision. Now you’re doubting yourself. Today, Jason will give you three questions to ask yourself — and once you truly consider them, you’ll have an easier time growing, changing, and making peace with the past.

While Nicole is out on maternity leave, Jason will be joined by several guest cohosts. In this episode, Jason’s cohost is his wife, Jennifer Miller! Jen is a parent and a writer— and she wants to know: why does she feel more validation from her work in the latter role versus the former? We all know parenting is the most important job there is… so, what gives? Jason and Jen analyze which micro and macro features have contributed to this imbalance, and find that the key to unlocking more validation is in the way we measure our accomplishments. Read Jen’s work here: https://www.byjennifermiller.com/ And hey, based on the topic of this episode, we’d be remiss not to mention: there’s no link we can direct you to to learn more about Jen’s parenting (because why would there be?), but can confirm, she rules!

If you’re having a tricky time communicating at work, Jason has a solution: he calls it “bricks and mortar” — and it is the single most important insight he’s had as a communicator. He explains how to use it next time you need to hold someone's attention at work.

Today, Nicole opens up about how she's been thinking about taking parental leave; from the logistical side of taking time off as a self-employed person to the emotional side of stepping away from your work if you're someone who defines yourself by your work. Jason shares how he and his wife figured out these logistical and emotional questions and how Nicole (and any listeners interested in being parents!) can too.

'Tis the season to set goals for the New Year. But the way we create our goals often sets us up for failure. Today, Jason helps you set goals you can actually reach — by avoiding the goals that’ll drag you down. And to start, he’ll tell you about the goal he hears all the time… and why he keeps telling people to ditch it.

Today, you're going to hear a new segment Nicole and Jason are calling The Smartest People We Know In Business, where they ask the most brilliant people they know what they're doing that's working, so you can use their winning strategies. Today, Nicole and Jason talk with Stephanie Latham, VP of Global Brand Partnerships & Advertising of the super popular gaming platform Roblox. Stephanie shares tips on how to successfully engage Gen Z, building meaningful partnerships, what to prioritize if you're a startup with a small marketing budget, and more! Read more about what Stephanie and her team is working on here!

You have too much to do. Too many tasks, too many deadlines, too many things to track. Jason has the same problem — and today, he shares a simple solution that’s helped him. It’s called a list funnel, and it’s something he learned from Google’s in-house productivity expert. The list funnel helps you get things done and reduces your stress. Today he shares how it works — but first, he explains why our current solutions don’t.

On the show, Jason and Nicole read a lot of bad emails. Today, you're going to hear a good one— featuring the person who sent it, Julie Griggs, cofounder of the app Fourplay (a social platform where single friends match with other pairs and go on double dates). In this episode, Jason and Nicole explain why Julie's email was so good that they're still talking about it two years later. Learn more about Fourplay here: https://www.fourplaysocial.com/ To keep up with Julie, click here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliegriggsfourplaysocial/

A few years back, Nicole created a course and... it flopped. Now, she's thinking about giving it another go, but wants to understand what went wrong the first time so she doesn't make the same mistakes again. Today, Jason and Nicole are joined by Abi Prendergast, an expert on marketing and sales strategy for courses. Abi diagnoses what she sees as the problem with Nicole's first course, and gives advice anyone can use if they want to make— and more importantly, sell— a course. For more on Abi, visit her website here: https://www.aptcontent.co.uk/

Are you dreading a conversation because you know it will be awkward? Today, Jason explains how to use awkwardness as its own solution— and to do that, he shares a story from this very podcast!

If someone says the wrong thing, is it actually helpful to tell them? Today's caller, Jeff, got a message from an acquaintance asking if Jeff could secure an internship for his son. Jeff told his acquaintance that it would have been better if the son had reached out directly... should he have said that? Today, Jason and Nicole help you find the line that separates helpful feedback from overkill.

Today, Jason teaches you how to chill out… while getting everything important done. Because for all the wild stories out there about hustlers hustling, there’s something important you need to know. Jason explains.

Can challenges socializing at work stunt your career growth? It's possible - but if small talking and networking aren't your jam, don't worry! Today, Jason and Nicole share strategies you can use to connect with colleagues— whether you're an introvert or an extrovert.

Maybe you started a business. Or pursued ambitious goals. You set the bar high, which meant that your life is often busy and complex — and sometimes you wonder: Did I do this wrong? Here’s Jason’s answer: Don’t question your past. Instead, take what you need from it. Today, Jason tells you how to do that— which will lead you to the right path.

Want to attract new business? Or just build valuable relationships? Here’s one of the best ways: Give away your knowledge. This may sound like a bad idea. Won’t people just steal your work and not pay you? In fact, the opposite is true: When you give away knowledge, you build trust and authority — and then people want you more! Today, Jason will show you how this works, and how to use it to your advantage. But to start, he’ll tell you about someone who did not do this — and how it led to the most awkward interview of Jason’s career.

No. Why is that teeny word so hard to say? Today, Nicole helps Jason craft the perfect response to someone who won't take no for an answer and gives you the framework to say no in a way that is kind, but that also sticks.

Your comfort zone can also be a trap. It’s too easy to stick with what you know. Why make yourself uncomfortable? Today, Jason will give you the trick that he has used to propel himself into the unknown.