Trash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out

What does “work hard, play hard” really mean and why won’t it die? In this episode of Trash Talk, Erica and Erin sit down with Meghan French Dunbar, author and co-founder of Conscious Company Media, to unpack the cultural myth of “work hard, play hard.” Drawing on Meghan’s new book, “This isn’t Working,” this conversation explores how play has been commodified, as well as why, despite our best eff...

Erin Thomas and Erica Breuer  talk about everyone’s favorite decision-making mantra: “If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no.” They trace this phrase back to its roots (surprisingly, it's not an influencer carousel) and get into into the messy stuff (privilege, trauma, hustle culture) that makes this cliche difficult to apply everywhere. They also review the neuroscience that proves your brain isn...

Erica and Erin are back from summer break and they’re examining the lifecycle of a cultural darling, “Let Them.” In this episode, they explore why society (sometimes) eats meaning for breakfast.  If you’ve ever wondered why some advice hits hard one day and feels hollow the next, you’ll enjoy their examination of how “Let Them” and other cliches become wallpaper for the internet. Resources & M...

Trash Talk: Season 2 Trailer  Welcome back to Trash Talk for season two, where Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas dive into the cliched advice everyone repeats like gospel (even when it’s garbage).  Got a cringe-worthy cliche to share?  Call or text our new Trash Talk hotline at 719-819-2175.  New episodes of Trash Talk drop Tuesday, September 9th—subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you li...

This isn’t a goodbye: it’s a see you in September.  We’re taking a well-earned summer break (because seasonal girlies need rest too), but we’re already cooking up a trashier, spicier, more unhinged Season 2. In this episode: A heartfelt thank you to our listeners (yes, you, with the fire DMs and existential side-eyes) Listener highlights, PLUS feedback we’re incorporating into next season Why poki...

Erica and Erin dig into the creative cliché they actually love: “Steal like an artist.” Inspired by Austin Kleon’s book and a long lineage of remix-friendly wisdom, they explore the difference between influence and theft when both humans and AI borrow from what’s come before If everything’s an echo, what makes something yours? Resources & Mentions: Austin Kleon  → Steal Like an Artist  → Also...

If happiness is a choice, let’s talk about who gets to choose it, and who’s just trying to survive a system that tells them it’s their fault they’re miserable. Erica and Erin are joined by William Davies, political economist, author of The Happiness Industry , and one of the sharpest critics of how governments and corporations turned happiness into a metric, a mandate, and a market.  Together, the...

No full episode this week. We’re stepping away from the mic to touch grass, eat carbs, and avoid small talk. Back next week with more delightful dumpster fires.

Erica and Erin trace this phrase from its New Age roots to its Instagram glow-up, digging into how “the universe” became a rebranded higher power for people who’d rather not talk about God. What looks like faith might actually be a filter for avoidance, especially when it’s used to explain away failure or justify a $10K group program that never delivered. From prosperity gospel to “trust the proce...

You know that phrase, “Be your best self”? This episode rips it wide open: from its shiny, self-help packaging to the industrial shame complex underneath. Erica and Erin are joined by media scholar Laurie Ouellette to break down how makeover reality shows (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Biggest Loser, Wife Swap, etc.) didn’t just make for good TV;  they quietly rewired our ideas about help, w...

You know those phrases that sound important but mean absolutely nothing? Yeah, we made a list. In this rapid-fire episode, Erica and Erin pull back the curtain on some of the most overused (and underwhelming) buzzwords in business, leadership, and personal development, or rather “Business BS,” “Leadership Lies,” and “Personal Development Delusions.” It’s a roast. It’s a reset. It’s your permission...

In this episode Trash Talk , Erin and Erica take a step back to reflect on their podcast journey…from their first encounter in a Google Doc to deciding to turn their weekly coffee chats into a podcast, they share the behind-the-scenes story.  They also dive into the juicy bits of their personal histories, like Erin’s dumpster dive moment that launched her career (literally), and Erica’s museum exh...

You’ve heard the quote. You’ve probably even said it. But what if that ever-popular cliché is doing more harm than good?  In this episode, Erica and Erin throw “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room…” under the microscope, and discover a tangled web of assumptions about intelligence, value, status, and the rooms we choose to enter (or flee from). If this episode gave...

Transformation. It’s a buzzword that’s been overhyped and misused to the point of meaninglessness. In this episode, Erica and Erin dive into the fallout of selling the “transformational” dream in coaching, marketing, and self-development. They break down how the promise of overnight change leads to unrealistic expectations, burnout, and shame. From Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey to Tony Robbins’...

Authenticity is the hill everyone wants to die on; until it gets awkward. In this episode, Erin and Erica take a scalpel to the overused advice to “just be authentic.” They dig into why this well-meaning mantra is often misleading, unpack the social and professional landmines of being real, and introduce a far more useful approach: being authent-ish.   Along the way, they break down the paradox of...

Gary Vee told us to document, don’t create —but is that really the move in 2025? In this episode of Trash Talk , we break down why this advice led to an era of oversharing, redundant content, and a whole lot of noise. Not everything needs to be documented, and not every “authentic” moment serves your brand. So how do you create content that actually means something? We’re talking about the death o...

“If you just shift your mindset, everything will change.” Sound familiar? Yeah, us too- and we’re calling BS. Mindset isn’t a business strategy, and positive thinking won’t magically solve real problems. So why has the coaching world convinced us that our biggest barrier is our own thoughts ? In this episode of Trash Talk , we break down the mindset myth, how it gets weaponized, and why it’s often...

“Self-care isn’t selfish.” We’ve all heard it. But let’s be real—this phrase has been hijacked by an industry that sells bubble baths, wine nights, and spa days as the ultimate cure-all. And somehow, we still end up exhausted. In this episode of Trash Talk , we break down how the self-care movement went from a necessary practice to an expensive (and often performative) industry. Is self-care actua...

Perfection. It’s the thing we’re supposed to chase—or avoid completely, depending on who you ask. “Done is better than perfect.” “Progress, not perfection.” “Perfection is the enemy of progress.” But is it really? Or is that just another well-worn cliché that’s been warped into something unhelpful? In this episode of Trash Talk , Erin and Erica take on the cultural tug-of-war with perfection. From...

What if the so-called ‘truths’ of entrepreneurship and leadership were actually keeping you confused or small? On Trash Talk , hosts Erin Thomas and Erica Breuer cut through the tired cliches and threadbare advice that dominate entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal development. These ideas might be popular, but that doesn’t mean they’re useful. The aim: To shake up listeners so they uncover s...