The Gift of Gab

**Content Warning: This episode contains details of plastic surgery, plastic surgery recovery, medical terms, etc. If you find this kind of content is triggering or disturbing, maybe skip this one.** In Mommy Makeover (pt. 1), I dove into the 'why' behind my choice to have elective plastic surgery. I shared the process of preparing for my surgery as well as how the day of surgery went. N...

In Episode 22 of The Gift of Gab, I go into detail about my recent mommy makeover. Everything from my 'why' behind choosing to invest in elective surgery, to a step by step on how surgery day went, to the changes I'm already feeling in my life being only a few weeks (not even) post op. On deck for the next episode will talk about recovering from the procedure what I would recommend...

Happy 2024 everyone! It's been a while.  Since deciding to take a podcasting break in the month of December, I have been in a state of consumption. And when I say that, I don't mean just food. I mean taking in content, art from other creators, diving into shows, and even reading a few books (which I'm super proud of)! But I'm back for a super speedy episode which I recorded in...

I cannot believe I've writing an episode description for my 20th episode of Gift of Gab. I've been spending the week reminiscing on this podcasting journey and took some extra time to reflect on how this all started and how far this project has come.  My ONLY goal for this hobby project was to publish 13 episodes. I heard a stat somewhere.. probably TikTok.. that 90% of podcasts fail or...

Alright students! Class is in SESSION! Join me as I sit down with Dr. Mary Worley, a seasoned communications professor at UW-Eau Claire, to talk social media education for the future professional communicators of the working world and her innovative approach to teaching. In this episode you'll hear us discuss how she engages students in the learning process for the sheer joy of knowledge acqu...

Disclaimier: Strategies and topics discussed on this podcast are not financial advice and are for informational purposes only, and listeners should seek professional guidance for their unique situations.  Join us for a deep dive into the world of money management and financial expertise in this one-hour podcast episode. We've got Ben Cooper in the hot seat, tackling the big questions about yo...

I think I've met my Oklahoma soulmate in fellow Social Media Professional, Sarah Southerland. When you think of fun, witty content online, the first brand to pop into your head is likely not a government agency. But the Oklahoma Deptartment of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC for my own sanity) is knocking it out of the park. In this episode, you'll meet and hear from Sarah Southerland who is...

This episode is all about celebrating your authentic self and celebrating joy in everyday, seemingly ordinary moments! Fitness friend, Kelsey Finnvik, has a contagious positivity and I couldn't be more proud to know her. Kelsey and I covered a lot of ground on this episode but what you can expect to hear from us includes: - Kelsey's career journey, full circle moments, and coming back to...

This episode.. dare I say with Halloween just around the corner.. was an absolute TREAT! Social Media professional and prior teammate of mine, Erin O'Donnell, joined me for an amazing conversation focusing on early careers in social media. We hear from Erin about her career journey into her social profession, her tips for tools budding social pros should take time to study and learn, a brief...

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Mary Worley and one of her communications classes at UW-Eau Claire alongside Jennifer Radke, SMS, and CEO of the National Institute of Social Media (NISM). During our visit, Jennifer and I answered some burning questions from the future generation of communicators and professional marketers. I figured, why only indulge the live audience? While they heard...

The internet can be a terrifying place.. but it can also be a place to make amazing new connections. This episode is evidence of the latter. In episode 13, two elder millennials -- myself and guest Jenny Burnham -- who have never met or spoken before (except over insta DMs) connect to chat all things social! From her beginnings as a real estate agent, to launching her social media agency, Jenny ta...

Buckle in, folks! This episode might seem long, but it's PACKED with surprise insights and captivating conversation and it's worth every second to listen. I had the pleasure of interviewing Orlando Rodriguez, a true multi-passionate professional currently working in the world of social media. Orlando brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to the table, having worked with a multitude of...

I've been keeping a secret! My 'in-between' is OVER! Before Labor Day I was offered and accepted a new role with Sprout Social as a Strategic Services Consultant. I'll be starting work with the Sprout Social Professional Services team on Monday, October 2nd. I'm beyond thrilled to have not only a new job but a new job I'm EXCITED about. Yes, there were other opportuni...

If you google, "When was social media born?" one of the top results will tell you 1997. That means if the oldest social media platform (Six Degrees according to this google result -- which is no longer functioning) were a person, it would be 26 years old. Even LinkedIn, founded in 2002, is 22 years old.  But even with twenty-plus years of existence, there are still plenty of people -- so...

Influencer. It's a term all social media users have become all too familiar with. It's also a highly sought after job title for the up and coming young adults. But what does it actually take to become an influencer? I had the honor of interviewing Chelsea, aka @HungryGirl_MPLS, who has grown her instagram channel to roughly 12.7k followers over the last 6.5 years. Her channel features so...

Raise your hand if you've been personally victimized by the "Thank you for your interest in our open role but we've chosen to move forward with other candidates" email? If your hand is raised, this episode is for you! From what is happening on the back-end of social media platforms to best practices in building an engaged community online, in this 30 minute episode, I give spec...

In this episode of the Gift of Gab, I'm a solo act and I spend my time sharing what life has been like since my role elimination. Spoiler alert, I'm loving this slow living life. I share some lessons learned and reflections as I try to battle my natural hustle mentality and embrace what I've coined as 'My Season of Slow'.  Rarely -- if ever -- are we given the opportunity...

Wisdom galore from social media pro, industry peer and friend, Steve Retka, on this episode of the Gift of Gab.  Steve brings a powerful perspective with his professional experience in working on all sides of social media. From his agency beginnings to freelance work and ultimately landing in his current role with corporate, Steve weaves practical insights into the storytelling of his career journ...

"Gardening in a lot of ways is like social media. You're constantly learning and experimenting and every year is so different. Every year you get a little bit better but every year you're thrown a lot of curveballs." Jennifer Strecker In this conversation, I catch up with prior co-worker, friend, and social media professional, Jennifer Strecker who has led a successful and colo...

Welcome to our latest episode, where we delve into the vital topics of therapy, mental health, and self-care in the context of parenthood. Our guest, Katrina Hetke, a licensed therapist, joins us to share her expertise and insights on navigating the journey of parenthood while prioritizing self-care and making essential mental shifts. During our conversation, we explore the challenges many parents...

In most professions, and especially for social media professionals, life-long learning isn't a choice. It's a necessity. Social media moves quickly and changes often. Social media strategists and channel managers need to exhibit ferocious curiosity and develop a high-drive for learning to keep up and stay up on the latest and greatest in the social media space. In this episode, CEO of th...

In episode 2 we cover some big life news! And I won't bury the lead.. here's the scoop: I learned recently that my corporate social media position was being eliminated effective immediately. Needless to say, it's been a major time of adjustment. So let's talk about it! Today's conversation includes a general life update, Q&A from listeners on instagram and a look ahead...

In this kick-off episode, host and Social Media Strategist, Gabby Grahek, introduces listeners to the heart and soul of The Gift of Gab Podcast.  In future episodes, we'll dive deeper into the inner workings of social media as a profession, the importance of practicing and protecting mental health, flexing your career empowerment muscles, and lastly, different flavors of parenting and guardia...