Libsyn Directory

291: Real Talk About AI and How it Can Propel You with Dan Chuparkoff

Release Date: 07/15/2025

314: Why You Need to Trust Your Creative Process

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

Erin tried to become a “better” speaker. She got the coach. Did the reps. Rehearsed the lines. Followed the advice. And then realized she may have accidentally polished the magic right out of herself. In this solo episode, Erin shares what happened when a huge speaking opportunity pushed her into full preparation mode, why over-rehearsing made her feel less connected on stage, and the old coaching advice that came back swinging: Trust your creative process. This one is for anyone who has ever tried to improve themselves and accidentally started sanding down the exact thing that made them...

313: The Hidden Ways We Survive, Stand Out, and Stay Sane at Work

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

Modern work is getting weird. In this episode, Erin and Nicole talk about career envy, AI “bot sitting,” Gen Z’s job search chaos, parents overstepping in the hiring process, airport drama, bathroom hideouts, and the deeply human ways people are trying to stand out, stay sane, and survive work right now. They also unpack one of Erin’s favorite new questions for killing comparison: “Would I actually want their life?” Because chasing someone else’s version of success only works if you’re willing to take the whole life that comes with it. In this episode you’ll hear: Why career...

312: The 7 Trust Languages Every Leader Should Know with Minda Harts

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

Trust at work isn’t built through big promises or polished corporate statements. It’s built in the tiny moments. In this episode, Erin sits down with bestselling author, speaker, professor, and filmmaker Minda Harts to talk about her framework for the 7 Trust Languages and why trust is really a communication issue hiding in plain sight. In this episode, you’ll hear: -Why leaders need to stop pretending employees don’t see what’s happening -How the 7 Trust Languages can help leaders build stronger relationships -How to rebuild...

311: The Secret to Tough Conversations (From a C-Suite Whisperer) with Paru Radia

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

After years of advising CEOs and senior leaders, she's learned that the higher you climb, the more the same human stuff shows up: insecurity, miscommunication, fear of failure, and avoiding the conversations nobody wants to have. In this episode, Erin sits down with the self-proclaimed "C-Suite Whisperer" , Paru Radia, to talk about tough conversations, turning adversity into an advantage, and why standing still might be the riskiest thing you can do. Along the way, Paru shares lessons from her own journey and her no-BS coaching style. Some of the things you'll hear are:...

310: The Former BBC Journalist Who Refuses to Hate Humanity with Melanie Marshall

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

This episode is part journalism, part therapy, part “girl WHAT?!” Today’s guest, Melanie Marshall, is a former BBC foreign journalist turned filmmaker, speaker, and coach who has reported from some of the most intense places on earth. And somehow… despite seeing humanity at its messiest, she still believes people are mostly good. Some of the things you’ll hear: -The wildly unexpected way radicalized followers of Osama Bin Laden welcomed her into an interview shortly after his death -What actually creates human connection when people...

309: How to Handle Tough Conversations Without Losing Your Cool with Gabe Karp

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

Life isn’t all smooth conversations and easy people. Sometimes it’s messy, uncomfortable, and straight-up frustrating. In this episode, Erin sits down with former trial lawyer turned entrepreneur and conflict expert Gabe Karp to talk about how to handle tough situations without spiraling, avoiding, or blowing things up. Because here’s the truth: conflict isn’t the problem. How you handle it is. Gabe shares practical strategies to help you stay grounded, take control, and walk away without regret… even when the other person is making it hard. ...

308: She Stopped Planning Perfect and Everything Changed (Nicole Turns 50!)

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

What happens when you actually step away from work… like really step away? In this episode, Nicole shares what it looked like to take a true 19-day vacation with zero email, zero checking in, and zero control. What started as a milestone birthday trip turned into something much bigger: a reset on how she works, leads, and lives. From skinny dipping under a full moon in Mexico to rethinking perfection, boundaries, and identity at work, this conversation gets real about burnout, control, and what it actually takes to create a life that feels good. Not perfect....

307: Micro Motivator: Why No One Is Listening to You at Work And the Simple Fix

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

In a world of overflowing inboxes, AI-generated emails, and corporate language that all sounds the same, most messages get ignored. Erin explains how changing just one word, adding an unexpected phrase, or using a little personality can break the pattern and actually get people to pay attention. If you want people to listen to you at work, communicate more authentically, and stand out in workplace conversations, sometimes the fix is surprisingly simple. To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com If...

306: How to Be Civil in a Workplace (and World) That Isn’t with Shola Richards

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

A toxic workplace pushed this week’s guest to his breaking point. That moment changed everything for him. In this episode, Erin sits down with Shola Richards, CEO of Go Together Global, bestselling author of Civil Unity, host of the Kindness Extremist Podcast, and a speaker who has taken his message from Google and Microsoft to the TODAY Show, CBS Mornings, and even Congress. But this conversation is not about fluffy kindness. After years of bullying, workplace toxicity, and untreated depression, Shola hit rock bottom and attempted to drive his car off an...

305: Micro Motivator: How to Handle Your Neurotic Boss Before a Board Meeting

b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

Do you work for a neurotic boss? You are capable. You know your numbers. You’ve done this before. But the moment there is a board meeting or executive presentation, your boss spirals and catapults into weeks of prep and endless rehearsals. In this episode, Erin shares an executive coaching story about a seasoned P&L leader reporting to the COO whose boss demanded over-preparation and fully scripted talking points before presenting to the board. The problem? No executive wants to be read to. Erin breaks down three strategies to...

More Episodes

You don’t need a PhD to get AI—you just need Dan Chuparkoff.

A former tech leader at Google and McKinsey, Dan now helps people make sense of innovation as the “Understandable Technology” expert. From dropping out of college to redefining how leaders use AI, this episode is packed with mic-drop moments, real-world use cases, and fresh ways to rethink how you work.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

1.) Why he dropped out of college and how that actually served him better in the long-run

2.) How using AI can be thought of as simply as finding small "copy/paste" moments

3.) How leaders should think about using AI to be more efficient (and why AI might not always be the answer)

4.) The biggest changes he sees coming with AI and work

5.) One company's unique approach to leveraging all those meeting notetakers' notes

 <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuparkoff/">Connect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuparkoff/ </a> 

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at <a href="https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie">https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie </a> 

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com 

 

If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration! 

 

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<li> <a href="https://twitter.com/bcausepodcast">Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole) </a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/erin-hatzikostas/">Follow Erin on LinkedIn </a>or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/erinhatzikostas/" >Instagram</a> </li><li> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/bCAUSEPodcast">Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group</a> </li><li> <a href="https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/600ec8544ddf900016d517d1"> Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz</a></li><li> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/You-Do-ish-Authentic-Superpowers/dp/1736376535/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=you+do+youish&qid=1634564333&sr=8-1">Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)" </a></li><li><a href="https://www.bauthenticinc.com/our-2-cents">Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.bauthenticinc.com/authentic-programs">Work with Us </a></li><li><a href="https://www.bauthenticinc.com/b-you-shop">Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here </a></li>

 

DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

 

Tweetable Comments 

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“Almost a billion people are using one of the top three AI tools every single week.”

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“Some people are choosing to be left behind.”

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“What I think most people are missing is that you want to create efficiencies in the places that you're actually spending five or six hours a day.”

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”Let AI take all that minutia away so you can focus on building great relationships with people that you like and enjoy being around.”

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