Work with Erika Ayers Badan

Jennifer Fisher came by this week. She has a lot of energy and a spicy, strong, fuck-it-let’s-do-it vibe. Her baubles are also next level. We talked about working for what you want, failing and figuring things out, the importance of salt, toothpicks and being happy being yourself. If you’re looking for a gift for the girl who already has everything - check out our Food52 x Jennifer Fisher toothpic...

Hi! I’ve been on 3 red eyes in the past week. I can’t quit a red eye no matter how hard I try. The lure of not wasting the day in a plane always trumps the blur, hangover-esque daze of the next two days after a night of no sleep. Sidenote: It’s fall and apparently the changing fall weather causes bumpy sky roads according to the JetBlue guy at 6am today. This is what work is like this week. On thi...

Today we’re talking about group chats and what not to put in them, the problems with meeting culture and what makes A players leave (read: growth). This is WORK Net/Net Get full access to Mule Media at erikaayersbadan.substack.com/subscribe

Alright, Mita is back with us on the pod. We’re talking bad bosses, bad employees, bad attitudes and how to break the cycle of feeling bad at work. Here’s the rundown of what we’re talking about today at WORK. * Work friction is rising because roles, priorities, and expectations are unclear. * Layoffs create survivor guilt and overwhelm for the people who stay. * Leaders often skip rewriting roles...

Today we are talking about disruption. People hate disrupting themselves. It’s scary, may not work, is a general pain in the ass and is hard. It requires vision, fortitude, foresight, being misunderstood, being on the edge and being ok with it. Su Hawn and Erika talk about the places in my journey where I’ve opted to remodel versus remake (and why it was a mistake), the challenges in re-routing th...

Alright we are back with the WORK Net/Net. Here’s what we’ve got: Gen Z isn’t into you as their boss, whatever project you have them working on or the free snacks (just kidding they love snacks). Know what else they love? Love. Instead of finding connection on dating apps, Gen Z is looking for love in the office. PSA to the Gen Z crowd: This is not a new phenomenon. Thirteen signs it’s time to qui...

Valarie Jacobs is a futurist. She’s built her career capturing and understanding signals, curating and editing those signals to provide a thesis on trends and conveying and implementing strategies to help companies adapt, morph and evolve into the future. Remember when everything became organic? She helped companies understand that trend and change their product mix, brand strategy and supply chai...

Today’s unsolicited advice is about underrated leadership skills. Listening is my #1. We are in a time of work where people are reticent to lead. Either they’re not good at it, don’t think it’s worth the headache, or no one ever taught them how to strive for it. We talk about why leadership it’s important and the subtle skills that help people, teams and projects succeed at work. This is WORK Unso...

The Net / Net today is about job hugging. Blitz recap: Last summer was quiet quitting Then we moved to quiet crushing Now we are outright hugging This is like having a teenager. Defiance turns to angst turns to remorse / insecurity. Job hugging is real, it’s happening and as consumer uncertainty mounts and the year end layoffs arise, it will only be more prevalent. It feels like we are in a time o...

In 2023 Daniela and I were in Boston for something at Barstool - I can’t remember what exactly. It was spitting snow like it does in the Northeast. I had on my favorite winter hat and got a like from Shit That I Knit. This is how I met Christina Pardy. I liked her instantly - she’s a Masshole. Sweet, gritty, creative, earnest and motivated. I had her come to Barstool and we talked about her compan...

In this episode of WORK , Erika is joined by Kelly Bensimon - former model, Real Housewife of New York, author, and now one of New York’s top luxury real estate brokers - to discuss how reinvention, resilience, and fearlessness have defined her career. Erika also reflects on Gen Z dipping into retirement savings, Jamie Dimon’s advice to step outside your lane, and David Ogilvy’s...

In this episode of WORK , Erika is joined by Summer, Noah Tannin, and Alice Hu. Summer decodes Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang, Noah talks about the chaos of creative work at Food52, and Alice explains how astrology helps navigate eclipse season, Mercury retrograde, and career transitions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Get full access to Mule Media at erikaayersbadan.substack.com/...

In this episode of WORK , Erika takes on the state of work and the future of women’s sports. She unpacks why today’s job market feels impossible—from AI-written applications colliding with AI-driven hiring systems to Gallup’s finding that fewer than one in five employees are satisfied at work. With quiet quitting evolving into quiet crashing, she asks what leaders can do wh...

In this episode of WORK , Erika reflects on lessons from the Work Like a Girl event in Boston and why optimism may be the most powerful leadership skill. She then unpacks viral business stories, including the Applebee’s executive who went on to become CEO of IHOP and eventually bought Applebee’s, and Brian Chesky's (Airbnb CEO) reminder that the future waits for no one. Erika also brea...

In this episode of WORK, Erika breaks down the $270K fraud scandal at Food52 and what it reveals about company blind spots. She also tackles Gen Z’s pacifier trend, the rise of quiet cracking as the new quiet quitting, and why overused phrases like “pushing the envelope” miss the mark. She also shares the traits that truly make employees successful—and why focusing on helpi...

In this episode of WORK , Erika explores why generosity has become a lost art in today’s workplace—and why bringing it back can change everything. From the pitfalls of corporate “wellness weeks” to a failed launch that turned into one of her team’s most constructive conversations, she shows how giving time, feedback, and attention can transform culture. Along the way,...

In this episode of WORK, Erika introduces Food52's new resident Test Kitchen creator Isabelle Jardin, who shares her love of cookbook clubs and entertaining. Erika's also joined by Helena Shannon, who shares how nine years of sobriety have fueled her clarity, confidence, and career growth—turning consciousness into a true workplace superpower. From remembering every name in the room to speak...

In this episode of WORK,  Erika dives into the real struggles of breaking the status quo at work and why it’s so hard to change what’s clearly broken. From finance frustrations to startup standoffs, this candid talk is for anyone trying to create real change within their organization. Plus, we spotlight the return of Ty Haney to Outdoor Voices - a comeback story filled with lessons in...

In this episode of WORK , Erika unpacks the growing misuse of the word “burnout” —and why it’s becoming dangerously diluted. From Gen Z’s “rat people” rebellion in China to Elon Musk’s fiery back-to-office mandate, the episode explores the tension between hustle culture, generational work values, and what it really means to be burnt out. Erika also r...

In this insightful episode of WORK, Erika dives into the reality of managing in a rapidly evolving workplace. She shares personal insights on tackling anxiety, navigating tough delegation decisions, and how to inspire teams through meaningful accountability. Special guest Chelsea Burnside joins Erika to discuss first-time management challenges, creating authentic connections at work, and how socia...

In this episode of WORK , Erika sits down with Rishad Tobaccowala—futurist, author, and former Chief Growth Officer at Publicis Groupe—for a big-picture conversation about how work is evolving and what it really takes to stay relevant. From demographic shifts and declining populations to AI, Gen Z mindsets, and the rise of marketplaces and side hustles, Rishad breaks down the five forc...

This week, Erika talks with Allen Warch, Vice President of Food and Fresh at Dollar General, about how the company is transforming itself from a discount retailer to a fresh food access point — tackling food insecurity, expanding into rural America, and making produce affordable. Plus, a little soccer talk and a look at how mission-driven culture scales. Thanks so much for listening to WORK....

In this episode of WORK , Erika dives into how personal style shapes professional presence with Jennifer Heinen, a leading fashion psychologist and creator of the Style‑Mind Shift. They explore how what you wear affects confidence, identity, and control in the workplace. Erika also breaks down the limits of AI note‑takers, and examines how New Balance rebranded a dad shoe into a cultural icon. It&...

In this episode of WORK , Erika talks about the Labubu craze, ethics of A.I and also sits down with Jess Cervellon—fractional CMO, entrepreneur, and founder of She Innovates —about what it really takes to build a career on your own terms. They get into the realities of juggling multiple clients, the myths around networking, and why personal branding isn’t just for influencers. It...

In this episode of WORK, Erika talks to Bree McKeen, founder of Evelyn & Bobbie, about what it really takes to rebuild a product from scratch—and why the bra industry was overdue for a total reset. They get into the science behind better support, the lies women have been told about comfort, and what happens when you stop following the playbook and build your own. It’s a conversatio...