Not All Business

Why do toxic leaders keep getting promoted when everyone knows they're toxic? And why do we treat being human at work like it's optional? It’s the Heathers episode! Blakely and Heather Cooper sit down with Heather Conklin, CEO of Torch and former SVP and General Manager at Salesforce, to talk about why we only bring a fraction of ourselves to work—the polished, professional tip of the iceb...

Ever watch yourself repeat the same pattern and think, "Why can't I just stop?" Here's why: You're focused on the wrong thing. In this episode, Lindsey Ferris—therapist and former Microsoft exec—breaks down the 3 phases of awareness that actually change behavior, why the pause between trigger and reaction is everything, and how she escaped the golden handcuffs after 20 years...

It's our Christmas episode! Instead of bringing you a guest, we're bringing you something different—a moment to pause, reflect, and share what we're leaving behind and bringing into the new year. This week, Blakely, Heather, and Clay gather in Boulder, Colorado for a festive check-in. We follow up on Clay's infamous phone lockbox experiment from Thanksgiving (spoiler: it actually w...

What's it really like being married to a CEO? What workplace dilemmas make it home? We finally let the husbands on the show. Scott Graham and Nic Widhalm join us in person at our Boulder studio for the real story of what it's like when your partner is running a company. Scott managed a career and life at home while Blakely ran TaskRay. Nic worked with Heather at Cloud Coach, then decided t...

Building culture—but not the fluffy, feel-good version. We're getting into the practical, uncomfortable workplace dilemmas, and dirty real talk about work that actually makes culture stick. It's our first in-person episode at Not All Business! Heather & Blakely welcome Nicole Christensen, founder of CrossFit Roots in Boulder, Colorado, to our brand new studio. Nicole has built one of t...

It's a trust masterclass at Not All Business! Executive coach Carolyn Keyes—the same coach who changed Jamie Cole's life in our very first episode AND Blakely's life years ago—joins us to unpack trust as the invisible currency that fuels collaboration, creativity, and human connection. The same currency that makes navigating workplace dilemmas much easier and effective. Carolyn breaks...

Why is Thanksgiving the ultimate leadership stress test? In this episode, Heather and Blakely break down why the holiday season exposes every leadership skill you think you’ve mastered — from emotional regulation and boundary setting to managing expectations and staying grounded in chaos. They share a practical Thanksgiving Survival Guide that works at home dilemmas and at work dilemmas. The conve...

Why do bad managers exist? Lynda Harvey—the Manager Guru who's built a community of over 587k followers across Instagram and TikTok—breaks down why most people get promoted into management with zero training, and what to do about the ensuing workplace dilemmas. Bad managers aren't born—they're created by companies that skip the training step entirely. Lynda brings 25+ years of leadersh...

Jody Donovan defended her PhD at the height of her intellectual capacity. Then a sledding accident on a closed ski slope in Breckenridge changed everything. Within 48 hours, she couldn't find her way to church. She spent the next year relearning how to get dressed, grocery shop, and find words. But the hardest part wasn't the rehabilitation—it was the shame. In this raw and essential episo...

Welcome to the stickiest Casual Friday yet. Producer Clay flips the script and puts Blakely and Heather in the hot seat to answer YOUR real workplace dilemmas. These aren't theoretical scenarios, these are the uncomfortable, frustrating, and sometimes infuriating situations you're facing at work. From navigating toxic bosses to handling flirtatious managers on company retreats, from being...

It's a milestone episode! We made it to Episode 10—putting us in the top 10% of all podcasts. To celebrate, Blakely and Heather tackle a phenomenon that's costing businesses $438 billion annually: quiet cracking. Guest Maureen "Mo" Berkner Boyt, founder of C2IQ and 2023 Colorado Technology Association Entrepreneur of the Year, explains what happens when high-performing women (and...

Women are about to inherit and control unprecedented wealth—$34 trillion by 2030, to be exact. But here's the problem: we still can't talk about it. Not about salaries, not about investments, not even about asking for what we're worth without feeling like we're "bragging." In this episode, Hayfa Aboukier—Principal at Range Ventures and a female VC in an industry where wom...

What if the smartest career move you could make is intentionally climbing DOWN the corporate ladder? In this episode, Blakely and Heather sit down with Alden Hultgren, a tech executive and founder of the Conscious Leadership Collective who made a radical choice: she's not stepping down—she's creating a new ladder. Alden chose wellness over titles and discovered that "creating a life y...

What happens when a nurse practitioner gets quoted $1 million for software and told "that's cute" when she says she'll build it herself? She teaches herself to code in 100 hours and launches a SaaS company. SaaS founder Stephanie Betters joins Blakely and Heather to share how she rage-coded Left Main CRM—now a high-growth company and Salesforce partner—in just three months. Drawi...

What happens when the hustle that got you promoted becomes the obstacle keeping you from leading well? Brand strategist Cindy Frigard has spent decades helping leaders navigate this exact transition—and she learned most of her lessons the hard way. In this conversation, Cindy breaks down the seven critical mindset shifts every leader needs to make when they level up: from delegation to staying sil...

It’s Casual Friday at Not All Business! Producer Clay takes over and turns the spotlight on Blakely and Heather, who share their personal stories and the path that led to Not All Business. From their first jobs (janitor, A&W carhop, and Apple Store genius) to running successful companies, they reveal the real story behind their friendship. It all started with a mutual friend's introduction...

What happens when leaders are so overwhelmed they default to "lazy leadership" behaviors? Julie Holunga, fractional leadership and culture partner, has seen it firsthand—and she's here to fix it. In this episode, Julie breaks down the communication habits that undermine even well-intentioned leaders. From her memorable networking encounter that bonded her friendship with Heather to h...

What happens when the company values posted on the wall don't match the leadership walking the halls? Corporate communications veteran Molly Keveney spent three decades helping companies define their purpose and values—then watched her own CEO fail the test when it mattered most. In this raw conversation, Molly shares the personal story that changed everything: how she trusted her boss with a...

What happens when your LinkedIn profile photo is a cropped wedding shot and your resume reads like a grocery list of job duties? Resume writing expert and personal branding strategist Michele Lando has built her business helping professionals articulate their value and present the best version of themselves to uplevel their careers. Her mission: build confidence, empower people to celebrate their...

What happens when your executive coach tells you your physical presence "needs a lot of work"? For former TaskRay COO Jamie Cole, that brutal feedback led to an unexpected journey that revolutionized her leadership style. In this candid conversation, Jamie shares how discovering pole dancing transformed her from a post-divorce, confidence-shattered executive into a fearless leader who co...

A podcast where leadership gets real. Because at work, it's not all business. Not All Business features two rival tech CEOs turned friends - Blakely Graham and Heather Cooper - hosting the conversations everyone avoids about the messy reality of leadership. Think of us as Sex Ed for Leadership - answering all the questions professionals are too afraid to ask, with occasional reality checks from ou...