Everything Counts

In this special bonus episode, Kristin sits down with Nana (Loren’s grandmother) to talk about work, family, and the quiet choices that shape a life. Raised on a farm in rural North Florida, Nana spent decades working part-time as a bookkeeper and in banking, intentionally building a career that left room to be present for her children and grandchildren. What unfolds is a tender oral history about...

People matter most. In the Season 1 finale of Everything Counts (But Nothing Is Real) , Kristin sits down with one of her closest friends, Celia (they/them), to reflect on careers, values, and the human relationships that shape our work lives. A feminist philanthropic advocate working at the intersection of gender, racial, and economic justice, Celia shares what it really means to “move money ethi...

Say it, then do it. In this episode, Kristin sits down with Sara (she/her), a longtime friend and education leader whose career has been shaped by ambition, follow-through, and a deep belief in joy as a leadership practice. From nearly two decades in education nonprofits to earning multiple master’s degrees, getting married, and landing a new role as Dean of Student Life (all at once) Sara shares...

A grain of salt and a pair of soft pants. In this episode, Kristin and Loren break the fourth wall on career conversations and swap the usual interview format for a casual, candid advice session. From figuring out what you actually want (versus what you’ve been conditioned to want), to recognizing the difference between burnout and boredom, they talk through the questions so many of us are quietly...

Adaptation is a skill. In this episode, Kristin sits down with her sister Kenzie (she/her) for a conversation about nonlinear careers, survival skills, and what it really means to “read the room.” Kenzie’s path, from reality TV casting to corporate recruiting to a bold pivot toward law school, is a masterclass in adaptation. Together, they unpack how early chaos shapes professional instincts, how...

Do all the things, with purpose. In this episode, Kristin sit down with longtime friend and multi-hyphenate creative Heidi (she/her)--marketer, DJ, podcaster, higher-ed storyteller, civic-tech comms pro, and now small-business founder--to explore the many twists and pivots of her career. From clerk-of-court cubicles to national civic tech work to launching her own consultancy, Heidi shares what sh...

Life changes. So do we. Dolores returns for part 2 to share what life looks like after the classroom. She talks about how retirement became “the best job she’s ever had,” from early-morning VIPKid lessons with students in China to unexpected cultural exchange, care packages, and real connection across oceans. We also walk through the hardest years of her life—losing my dad and later my sister—and...

Work changes. So do we. In Part 1 of this two-episode arc, Kristin sits down with her mom, Dolores (she/her), to explore a life built in classrooms and the way work evolves as people do. Dolores shares how she felt called to teach at an early age, and how her career unfolded through shifting curriculums, school politics, and dramatically different parent dynamics. She reflects on the joy of whole-...

It's not that serious. In this episode, Kristin talks with Mary Ann (she/her), a former ska-punk zine kid turned corporate law firm website manager, about what it really means to not dream of labor. They trace her path from AOL fan sites and popcorn shifts at the mall, through nonprofit burnout and film/TV detours, to a corporate web career that pays the bills without owning her identity. Mar...

Nothing is real, but you are! In this special episode, the mic flips as host Kristin becomes the guest. She traces her path from bookstore counters to boardroom tables, unpacking what it means to lead yourself before you lead others. With humor and honesty, she explores perfectionism, patriarchal workplaces, and the lifelong lesson that leadership starts within and that every version of you counts...

Leadership doesn't have to be loud. In this episode of Everything Counts (but nothing is real) , host Kristin interviews Sam (she/her), an operations leader with a rich background in nonprofit work. From aspiring musician to business student to AmeriCorps alum, Sam’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, curiosity, and quiet leadership. We talk about the impact of service, what it means to...

Ease is a power move. Executive coach and organizational psychologist Talia (she/her) joins to talk about what happens when “working hard” becomes who you are, and what it takes to rewrite that story. We trace her path from AmeriCorps to L&D and consulting to launching Stepping Stones Coaching , the moment she realized job satisfaction can’t sit in someone else’s hands, and the practice of des...

Job security is a myth. In this inaugural episode of Everything Counts (but nothing is real) , host Kristin interviews her partner Loren (they/them), an artist turned web developer turned business owner whose story embodies the everything counts spirit. Loren started in sculpture, taught themselves design and web, and said yes to the kinds of opportunities that don’t look like a plan, until they d...

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