b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck

Who isn't asking themselves a few questions these days? How am I showing up? What am I serving up to myself, my colleagues, my family and anyone else one might see me in 3-D these days? Erin Hatzikoastas and Nicole Licata Grant take it all in as they Zoom it up for another How Was Your Week Episode. And it's chock full of humor and honesty about the aches and pains in life, work and everything in between. Appreciating that folks are still cheering her on 60+ big episodes in and asking some redemption, Nicole ponders a big Question, and talks about utilizing Erin's advice at work as she prepares for both the arrival of a new CEO/boss in the U.S and a virtual visit from the Big Boss from the global group. And, cue up a classic b Cause WTF moment...ah, the good 'ole times! Sometimes you have to not only ask the questions, but also answer your own damn question... This turns out to be a perfect into for Erin's Authentic So Hard (ASH) du jour, the launching of "A-H.O.L.E.S : Authentic Humans Overhauling Lousy Energy". In true Erin fashion, she's already drafted the manifesto and building a whole movement around it. But it hasn't been easy, and in a self-coaching moment Erin shares recent self-questioning, including that maybe it's time to shift her approach to include things she may have avoided. Nicole gives her own idea for a supplementary framework based on a favorite four-letter word: Finally Upending Keynote Speeches. b Cause, of course... would anyone question buying into that service? But another question looms: Are corporate spaces ready for the type of work Erin is doing? It seems that individuals clearly are hungry, but traditions and rules in the workplace create a gap between what corporations think serve en masses and what individuals want, Erin and Nicole feel like the playbook is changing; notable that employees being "out there" as valuable ambassadors - and assets - and not only can be, but must be leveraged in new ways, even if it doesn't seem like corporations are fully "there" yet. With that, Nicole talks about her own ASH moment, feeling that the pace she's been moving is not sustainable. So, when a colleague asks for a task, Nicole explains - authentically - the situation, and surprise, surprise, she got a positive response. Whoa! It all leads to the next big question: in this new world that's opening back up, what will going back to regular work (or different) life be like? But not to worry, the podcast will still be going strong: Nicole has a whole list of new observations, discomforts, and unsanitized questions to talk about. If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration! Here are some options... Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ b Cause Podcast Facebook group @ We even sare more crazy stuff here (you probably thought that was impossible). Take our simple, fun and insightful "What Kind of Dog Are You At Work?" by going to We have so much fun stuff going on...we wouldn't want you to miss out - join the authenticity movement and our community by adding your email just about anywhere @ Check out our blog for more of our no-BS career advice @ We have fun and inspiring t-shirts @ DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments: "Am I only fun to be around when I'm drunk?" "Here I am, Identifying my problems but doing nothing to solve them." "Anyone who hasn't listened to an episode before, that was a summary of the last 60+ episodes of Nicole's career." "The antichrist of authenticity is this lousy, fake, go through the motions, bullshit energy that's in the corporate workplace." "If I'm going to go and talk to corporations, how are they going to feel when they see things sassy like 'A-HOLE Manifesto'?" "I've got one for you: F.U.C.K. - Finally Upending Crappy Keynotes." "It's not going to stop me, but it reminds me I'm really pushing at the forefront of something that's different." "It's the same playbook being set everywhere, and it has been for 30 years, and it's just not enough. The playbook is not working." "If you're looking to move the needle, and you're looking to shake it up, then probably I'm you're gal." "A lot of this shit sounds self-serving, and it's self-serving for the people at the top." "You're doing the simple things that aren't that costly but make the biggest difference." My LinkedIn has really blown up recently, maybe it's because I'm no longer behind a firewall." "Every day I have people say 'if you have a job, I don't care what level, I'm gonna come and work for you." "I'm feeling burned out, I'm not feeling productive, I'm feeling like I need to not sit in front of a computer for 18 hours a day." "I've got a whole list of new anxieties to explore in this new world." "We could be the best MC's any women's conference has ever seen." "I was forced to have calls, I was forced to have interactions with people - ther...

It is nearly impossible to not feel inadequate in a world where accomplishment badges are everywhere. Comparison Monsters, as this week's guest calls them, can cripple our confidence. But what if you could change all of that by simply getting "back to neutral?" This week, Erin Hatzikostas talks with Hilary Billings, former Miss Nevada, an on-camera host, celebrity interviewer, event MC, digital influencer, and motivational comedian to talk about everything from overcoming rejection to overcoming third-degree burns. Hilary talks about her early life, coming from a "Production Family", which led her wanted to stay as far away from the entertainment industry as she could (you'll see how well that worked out.) After getting rejection letters from 14 different graduate schools, she went to Nicaragua to rest and recover. She unexpectedly started writing travel blogs before meeting a great community of people and deciding to continue working as a travel blogger/writer. Then, just a few weeks after returning home, she was tragically hit in the chest by a malfunctioning firework. While recovering she realized she needed to do something that would make her wildly uncomfortable. She landed on entering the Miss Nevada pageant, because being judged in a swimsuit with burn scars felt like the epitome of getting uncomfortable. Erin asks to discuss not only why she decided to go traveling, but how and why she started writing about her travels. Hilary tells the story of a young woman she met who inspired her to think a different way about her options in life, and who's death were a catalyst for Hilary's next steps in life. The discussion continues with Hilary explaining how she went from a travel writer to becoming Miss Nevada. She mentions how shocked she was when she realized how many of the contestants were not "the stereotypical pageant girl" but were in fact people with unique and sincere reasons to be there and use it as a platform for their message of positive change. Erin asks about Hilary's move into E! News (it helps being named best blogger of the year and then being contacted by the editor of USA Today) which leads into a conversation on work ethic and what she learned as a journalist. Ending on the big topic of confidence, Hilary discusses feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. How do you gain the confidence to take steps forward in life and in your career? She advocates for not jumping from one extreme to another and/or the "fake it till you make it" mentality. The likelihood is you will fall short. So instead of moving in extremes, move towards the neutral and slowly build your confidence. You can get her free workbook - "Four Steps To Quick Confidence" and so much more @ hilarybillings.com If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration! Here are some options... Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ b Cause Podcast Facebook group @ We even sare more crazy stuff here (you probably thought that was impossible). Take our simple, fun and insightful "What Kind of Dog Are You At Work?" by going to We have so much fun stuff going on...we wouldn't want you to miss out - join the authenticity movement and our community by adding your email just about anywhere @ Check out our blog for more of our no-BS career advice @ We have fun and inspiring t-shirts @ DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments: "You bleed authenticity." "I love this idea of you as an authenticity bloodhound." "It's been this b-line of trying and getting involved in new things, and continuing down this path of embracing and overcoming diversity." "Take that experience and proactively apply it to the next problem you run in to. If you're able to look back and apply that knowledge - that's the win." "I'd never been in a pageant before. I was borrowing clothes and had my dress sponsored. I couldn't afford any of it." "My first ever interview was with Ryan Seacrest - so you know, no pressure." "The first rejection, you take it a lot harder. But then comes ages and time and seasons. The faster you fail, the more resilient you become." "If I got the thing I thought I wanted, I would not be here. " "Everyone we grew up looking at was airbrushed, but we didn't know it. Yet even now we do know, and we are aware, we still compare ourselves to it." "IF you're in that place of feeling inadequate, and you try to pretend confidence, it will pull you down further." "Try to find confidence in an authentic way." "The definition of confidence is having the belief that you can rely on someone or something." "For me, a big part of finding confidence and overcoming inadequacy is finding comedy in everyday life." "It's been a lesson in dealing with some of the lower consciousness of the world."

Does it make any sense that most people work nonstop for 40 years so they can simply enjoy the last few years of their life? Shelley Paxton would argue that your soul deserves better. She believes that everyone deserves to b successful, not success-empty - and a life that's more authentic, courageous and purposeful. Erin Hatzikostas sits down with the rebel of all rebels, Shelley Paxton, the former Chief Marketing Officer for Haley Davidson. She since has left and started a Soulbbatical movement. Shelley discusses her inspirational father, how he went from meager beginnings to a CEO at multiple companies, and how even his mentality while battling illness in his later life was an inspiration. Erin asks Shelley to talk about her younger life, how she was a rebel living the classic sex drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle...and also that time she drove into a lake. Shelley talks about how she left college and started a great job at a huge marketing agency, moonlighting as part of an improv comedy act...only to ask for a sabbatical at the age of 25. This sabbatical had a huge impact on her mindset, personal, and professional life, leading her to constantly question what do we NEED to do? When SHOULD we work? WHERE should we work? Should we save for 40 years so we can enjoy the last 5? Erin talks about her 50% rule when trying anything, whether at home or at work - 50% of what you should do, and 50% of how you do it your own way. Shelley talks about pushing your boundaries and living a life that is true to you. She also opens up about a dark time in her life when she wasn't talking about her feelings and didn't think asking for help was an ok thing to do. She talks openly about her attempted suicide, and what she's learned from looking back on that period of her life. We hear a few excerpts from Shelley's book, "Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel's Guide to Finding Your Best Life". Be sure to check it out to really bring out your inner rebel. (FYI the book is so incredibly written Erin might have the entire thing tattooed.) You can find Shelley and the Soulbbatical book and movement at: soulbbatical.com Instagram @ soulbbatical Facebook @ Soulbbatical Coaching / Shelley Paxton Linkedin@ Shelley Paxton If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration! Here are some options... Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ b Cause Podcast Facebook group @ We even sare more crazy stuff here (you probably thought that was impossible). Take our simple, fun and insightful "What Kind of Dog Are You At Work?" by going to We have so much fun stuff going on...we wouldn't want you to miss out - join the authenticity movement and our community by adding your email just about anywhere @ Check out our blog for more of our no-BS career advice @ We have fun and inspiring t-shirts @ DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments: "If we weren't living it before, we're living it now." "It was one of those things where you think 'This isn't supposed to happen. This can't happen.'" "I think I shot out of the womb rebelling against everything." "We somehow made our way through all of the trees, and our car nosedives into a lake." "Improv is like life training, it's magical." "We were 25/26 and we wanted to take a sabbatical. The Young and the Restless." "The rebel who forgot how to break the rules." "I want to spread my wings. So when an assignment comes up, send me wherever no one else wants to go." "The concept of a soulbbatical is not to leave your job, it's to find yourself." "My number one regret would be not living the life that was true to me." "What would change in your life right now if you were being 100% true to you?" "What are your personal values?" "We are powerful motherfuckers." "Awaken the rebel within."

It has been a dark several months. This week Nicole and Erin bring a big-ass spotlight of fun back into the b Cause Podcast via an improved run-through of the b Cause Facebook Group's least favorite business buzzwords. Erin and Nicole double-click on the best-in-class business buzzword long hanging fruit. From their vantage point, they socialize it by saying more words to find the synergies and unpack a bunch of stuff that's above their paygrade. In this short episode of fun and laughter, Erin Hatzikostas, Nicole Licata Grant, and Megan Thatford sit down together, reminiscing about the first-ever recording of b Cause and paying homage to the kick-ass community it has catalyzed. Besides the reminiscing and business buzzwords, they also get slightly sidetracked talking about Nicole's soaring success with the b Cause Twitter account (well, actually, she got put in Twitter prison after one tweet, which leads to the realization that she perhaps wasn't the right candidate for the job.) Listen in for the shortest, most action-packed b Cause episode yet! If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration! Here are some options... Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ b Cause Podcast Facebook group @ We even sare more crazy stuff here (you probably thought that was impossible). Take our simple, fun and insightful "What Kind of Dog Are You At Work?" by going to We have so much fun stuff going on...we wouldn't want you to miss out - join the authenticity movement and our community by adding your email just about anywhere @ Check out our blog for more of our no-BS career advice @ We have fun and inspiring t-shirts @ DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments: "We were having a quote on quote strategy meeting, and the quote on quote is very large because we're not that strategic." "You forgot to tell me your Twitter engagement was so low You didn't mention that in the interview." "I got put in Twitter Prison. Day one." "I don't know anything about the social media, I'm a dinosaur." "Anyone listening, hashtag speedmetal: it works." "You know Nicole, we're going to take this offline. Our listeners don't have time for this." "The juice isn't worth this grease." "There's probably synergies involved." "Our podcast listeners don't have time for this. I don't hav any line of sight on how this is going to help us get listeners." "I feel like you didn't socialize this. Potentially you just made a unilateral decision." "In reality, this is a little above my paygrade." "Can you just say more words about that?" "I think you just won." "That was best in class." "I'd like to double-click on that and maybe dive a bit deeper." "Eh, we've always done it that way." "Are we thinking enough outside the box though?" "I don't think that's been socialized enough before."

We've all taken those personality tests. Hell, we even talk about them on this podcast. But can these tests do more harm than good? Is your personality your authentic self? Or rather, is it that your personality (and your authenticity) can and SHOULD continually change? Erin sits down with Dr Benjamin Hardy, an organizational psychologist, to discuss everything from enneagrams, to trauma, to how envisioning your future self is critical to your growth. From humble beginnings and an unfortunate childhood situation, Ben is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author of Willpower Doesn't Work. His blogs have been read by over 100 million people and are featured on Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, Cheddar, Big Think, and many others. He is a regular contributor to Inc and Psychology Today and from 2015-2018, he was the #1 writer, in the world, on medium.com. He and his wife Lauren adopted three children through the foster system in February 2018 and, one month later, Lauren became pregnant with twins, who were born in December of 2018. They live on Orlando. Ben has gone on to become a best-selling author of one highly successful book, and working on two more, forged a career in organizational psychology, and started a family. Erin asks Ben what started him on the road to Organizational Psychology and they dive deep into the pitfalls of personality tests, such as enneagrams and Myers Briggs. Ben discusses the difference between identity and personality, and how they can shape, or be shaped, by behavior. He moves on to discuss how people view themselves, and how you can create a picture of your future self: how you want your future self to be, to make sure you don't become stuck in who you think you are now. You can find more information about Ben, his book, and his work here: Or you can buy his latest book, Personality Isn't Permanent here: If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration! Here are some options... Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @ b Cause Podcast Facebook group @ We even sare more crazy stuff here (you probably thought that was impossible). Take our simple, fun and insightful "What Kind of Dog Are You At Work?" by going to We have so much fun stuff going on...we wouldn't want you to miss out - join the authenticity movement and our community by adding your email just about anywhere @ Check out our blog for more of our no-BS career advice @ We have fun and inspiring t-shirts @ DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments: "You are a positive deviant in how you challenge the norm." "My big problem with these tests is that they overemphasize a person's personality." "Your identity shapes your behavior. And over time, your behavior becomes your personality." "You might notice everything that fits your label, but you won't notice all the other things that don't fit your identity." "Research shows that your personality will change over time, whether you do anything about it or not." "You can always develop, but if you stick yourself in a category then you might not even try it." "Last week could have become a trauma if I'd been caught up in it. But I decided not to be defined by it." "Trauma, if unresolved, creates a fixed mindset." "You see yourself a certain way, but it's not objective. IT's not fact." "You're as sick as your secrets." "I have so many roles, and if I was the same person in each of those roles it wouldn't work." "Nothing good happens when you do a bonfire with old high school friends."