304: How to Be Yourself When You’ve Been Told You’re Too Much with Drew Sullivan
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Release Date: 02/03/2026
317: What to Do With Work “Triggers” That Spiral You Backward
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Nicole shares an update that she’s becoming “boss lady” again, which means rediscovering every leadership trigger she thought she’d already dealt with. You’ll also hear Erin and Nicole talk about interim leadership, over-functioning, trying to prove yourself, doing two jobs for approximately “stripper money,” and the uncomfortable realization that growth doesn’t mean your old habits disappear. It means you catch them faster. They also get into Ella, Erin’s daughter, leaving for college, and why Erin refuses to adopt the whole “my baby is leaving me” Sucky Soundtrack just...
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316: Micro Motivator: The Easiest Way to Tell More Stories at Work
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
Think you’re bad at storytelling at work? You might just be doing it backwards. In this Micro Motivator, Erin shares the simple storytelling mistake that makes job interviews, presentations, and workplace communication way harder than they need to be. In this episode, you’ll hear: How to find the right story without forcing it Why your best stories can do more heavy lifting than you think How to make storytelling at work feel natural, not painfully rehearsed Book Erin to speak Ready to modernize your culture, liberate your leadership, and differentiate your business without sounding...
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315: The One Thing That Makes People Say Yes with David Allison
b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck
What if the reason people aren’t buying, engaging, staying, or following your lead isn’t because they need another motivational poster about “teamwork”? It might be because you have no idea what actually matters to them. In this episode, Erin sits down with David Allison, founder of the Valuegraphics Research Company and author of The Values Map, to talk about why demographics, generic corporate values, and a bunch of buzzwords slapped on an office wall don’t tell us nearly as much as we think they do. David shares how understanding what matters most to people can make you a better...
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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...
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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...
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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. <p> 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. <p> In this episode, you’ll hear: <p> -Why leaders need to stop pretending employees don’t see what’s happening <p> -How the 7 Trust Languages can help leaders build stronger relationships <p> -How to rebuild...
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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. <p> 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. <p> Some of the things you'll hear are:...
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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?!” <p> 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. <p> Some of the things you’ll hear: <p> -The wildly unexpected way radicalized followers of Osama Bin Laden welcomed her into an interview shortly after his death <p> -What actually creates human connection when people...
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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. <p> 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. <p> Because here’s the truth: conflict isn’t the problem. How you handle it is. <p> 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. <p>...
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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? <p> 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. <p> <p> 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....
info_outlineIn this episode, Erin sits down with her friend Drew Sullivan for a deeply honest conversation about addiction, recovery, and what it’s like to grow up feeling misunderstood.
Drew shares how being labeled “too much,” navigating ADHD, and never being asked why shaped the way he moved through the world and how those early experiences quietly laid the groundwork for addiction long before substances entered the picture.
This isn’t a polished redemption story or a neat recovery arc. It’s a human conversation about loss, self-awareness, and what finally made change unavoidable.
If you’ve ever felt misunderstood, struggled with addiction (your own or someone close to you), or are still carrying stories from your early years that shaped who you became, this episode is for you.
What you’ll hear:
1) Why being labeled “too much” is often about context, not character—and how to tell the difference.
2) What it actually means to live inside-out instead of chasing approval from the outside world.
3) How Drew believes addiction often starts long before substances, and why unmet needs fuel it.
4) A simple, brutally honest way to know when something in your life has crossed the line.
5) Why work gets easier when you stop hiding parts of yourself and find people who can carry their own baggage too.
Follow Drew on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewjamessullivan/
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 https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie
To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email hello@bauthenticinc.com
If you like jammin’ with us on the podcast, be sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!
Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it’s mostly Nicole)
Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram
Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group
Take our simple, fun, and insightful “What’s your workplace superhero name?” quiz
Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book, “You Do You (ish)”
Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice
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Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ass merch here
DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsuitable for younger audiences.
Tweetable Comments
“I wasn’t being asked why I was being told what I was doing wrong.”
“I never felt safe. I never felt heard, and I never felt seen.”
“When we focus on living our lives from the outside in, we are f*cked. But when we focus on living our lives from the inside out, anything is possible.”
“I don’t feel like I have to think about doing things before I do them anymore and that’s how I know my life has aggressively changed.”