Professional Humans

In this episode of Professional Humans, Elli and Jenna sit down with Matt Stahl and Stiles Anderson, co-founders of Ascent Community. The conversation explores how their organization evolved from Studio E to become a holistic development program centered around four key elements: wellness, adventure, connection, and pursuit. Matt and Stiles share their personal journeys of realizing that tradition...

Jenna & Elli, with their guest Amy Brown, explore how traditional work structures can stifle innovation and harm employee well-being, making a compelling case for prioritizing results and impact over hours logged. Through personal experiences and industry insights, they unpack the crucial role of trust in the workplace and challenge leaders to reimagine what success truly means. Whether you're a m...

Jenna and Elli talk with Pablo Alejo as he delves into the art of building a meaningful professional network over his 25-year career. Pablo shares insights on moving beyond transactional networking by focusing on authentic human connections, stressing the importance of nurturing client relationships and understanding business needs in creative work. He candidly discusses his journey through indust...

elli and jenna dive into what it looks like to carve your own career path, however circuitous that may be, in order to honor the time and focus you have for your family. there are many barriers that get thrown into your career path when you become a parent - limited flexibility, less access to networking and on the job opportunities, biases and stigma, and of course child care costs....but what we...

Jenna and Elli dig into both the emotions and the tactical response to being laid off with guests Carrie Bucko and Clinton Forry. Great insights and advice not only for folks who have been laid off, but also some tips for those who might be anxious it could happen in their current role. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episod...

Join us as we welcome Dessa, a multifaceted creative force known for her work in music, writing, and public speaking. Explore her journey from childhood aspirations of business to becoming an artist whose career spans hip hop shows, orchestras, and even the BBC. Dessa shares insights into balancing artistic creativity with the demands of running a business, recounting her early influences, career...

In this episode, Jenna and elli delved into the complexities of advocating for oneself in the workplace and what happens when it doesn't go the way you wanted. The episode highlights the importance of resilience, persistence, and viewing setbacks as a time to learn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader.s...

In this episode, Elli and Jenna discuss neurodiversity with former consultant and current student Emma. The trio explore what it means to experience and interact with the world in various ways, the concept of masking, and how understanding and perceptions of neurodiversity are evolving over time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bo...

hosts Elli and Jenna chat with their long-time friend, Ben Steinbach, about something we've all faced: feeling totally overwhelmed. Ben shares his own story of hitting, and growing through, a breaking point and how he uses the analogy of 'the Gardener and the Flower' as a way to think about personal balance - sometimes we do the caretaking, and sometimes we need to be taken care of. The crew discu...

It’s live episode time!! Elli and Jenna, a dynamic audience of Professional Humans, and Fathom Consulting CEO, Kate McRoberts, come together to celebrate the launch of Gray Cardigan and its founder, Mark Hines. Their discussion tackles the often-undiscussed topic of asking for help, delving into the value and the challenges that can present, especially in professional settings.  Listen in for an e...

In "What if you need a coach?", Elli and Jenna talk with the lovely and lively Alison Gretz about her journey from corporate design leader to launching her own coaching business. They delve into the essence of coaching versus traditional leadership, and Alison shares her more authentic spin on the 'fake it til you make it' adage: "embody it until you become it." Alison is committed to making coach...

Elli and Jenna chat with Mark Hines (Gray Cardigan) and Robert Nelson (Soto Digital),  wonderful folks who've recently dived into different entrepreneurship ventures. They share their experiences making the leap, tackling everything from dreaming up ideas to drawing in clients and nailing down prices. It's all about the crucial choices they made early on and how they continue to quickly adapt to w...

Elli introduces new host, Jenna Alden! And they talk about what's in store for the next era of the podcast! And they definitely do not talk about Oregon Trail. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader.substack.com

As we wrap our series in partnership with the University of Minnesota about facing and addressing racism in the workplace, our guests share ideas for how to continue to normalize the behaviors that will drive more equity and less bias. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader.substack.com

As we continue our exploration into how race and bias impact our work experience, we talk with Bruce and Ryan about their experience with typecasting themselves into the same roles repeatedly and how that might inhibit professional growth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader.substack.com

Aileen and Elli talk with Lynn Farmer and Terry Harris about the experiences they've had with mentors and allies. Lynn and Terry share great insights that will help anyone in a leadership role or early in their career. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader.substack.com

In partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, we are honored to have hosted a virtual event on June 25th, featuring students of the Carlson School as well as professionals from our community to come together and share knowledge and experiences that we will all be able to learn from. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers...

This week, our guest Eri O'Diah shares a few of her experiences of being the youngest and only black person at work early in her career. Today, she runs a marketing company that she founded - but she still carries some of the damage that was done by corporate abuse. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader.s...

Elli chats with Aaron Keller, founder of Capsule Design in Minneapolis, about the importance and tactics of networking - especially if you can't meet in person. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader.substack.com

Elli has a conversation with Jeff Gothelf, author of Lean UX and Sense & Respond. Jeff has a new book coming out called Forever Employable, and it's a timely subject as our unemployment rate continues to climb during the COVID crisis. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader.substack.com

Elli has a chat with Randi Myhre, a talent recruiter in technology, to get some tips about using recruiters and starting a job search in the midst of the Covid Crisis. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader.substack.com

Aileen and Elli have a conversation with a human performance coach, resiliency expert, award winning author on the essential tools in the self advocacy tool kit. Jenny Evans, founder and CEO of Powerhouse Performance shares her insights on the role of alter egos (wait for it, she has one and you’re gonna want one too) and inner mentors in self advocacy and engagement. This is a public episode. If...

Elli and Aileen talk with a former executive and head of merchandising at a Fortune 50 company about her experiences as a younger person in her career and her perspective now as a mentor and coach. Trish shares a unique view both as an ahead-of-her-time female leader and as a happily retired woman with lots of great hindsight...as expected, she talks about self awareness as a foundation and shared...

Aileen and Elli have a conversation with a small business owner about creating an engaging culture with loyal employees. Kate shares some of her more corporate what-not-to-do stories that helped shape her view of the company culture she wanted to create with her team. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellirader...

Elli and Aileen talk to a long time corporate lawyer about the importance of self awareness, and ultimately authenticity, in picking the right moments to self advocate. Bob shares his perspective and stories from his own career navigating corporate and law firm cultures. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ellira...