Professional Life Crisis

Hosted by Amanda Branson

Business Careers Education

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Latest episode

Aug 2024

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EN-US

About the show

Helping young professionals build confidence as they start their careers. No BS, NY-style advice from a sarcastic, overachieving gal who’s been there. "We have no idea what we're doing, but we know we're doing it really, really well" amandabranson.substack.com

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39 recent

August 7, 20246 min

37. Hiatus and a New Project

Link to SaaSfluencer newsletter & podcast Listen to the trailer In this episode, Amanda announces the hiatus of Professional Life Crisis and announces her new podcast, SaaSfluencer. What can I expect from the SaaSfluencer 🗞 newsletter and 🎙 podcast? In general, I’m sharing tips, tricks, and examples of stellar partnerships between startups and influencers. Episodes with content creators will cover topics like: Their content creator story Finding their niche, and what defines their brand's narrative from others Discussing their favorite past brand collaborations and what made them successful for the creator and the brand Dissecting some of their most viral videos and why they did so well Advice for other influencers or brands looking to build successful collaborations in the future Episodes with brands will cover topics like: Some of the brand's top performing marketing campaigns and why they worked so well What’s made influencer marketing a successful piece of their overall marketing strategy Pitfalls or things to avoid when exploring brand and creator collaborations Solving challenges like attribution, budgeting, contracting and other high-headache-potential topics that can be avoided! Subscribe here: https://saasfluencer.beehiiv.com/subscribe

July 19, 202444 min

36. Making Room for Creativity in Your Corporate Career with Jenna Masi

This episode of Professional Life Crisis features my friend and fellow podcaster, ⁠Jenna Masi⁠. Jenna is an ex-KPMG consultant, ex-Chief of Staff and currently exploring themes around creativity in her career, and the career journeys of others. In this episode: We delve into Jenna's experience in consulting (which, hint: was far better and cooler than mine!) and how the Innovation Lab at KPMG laid the foundation for her interest in startups. (You too can find startup-y experiences in consulting if you’re looking in the right places!) Finding the right fit after leaving the innovation lab- after exploring the marketing or product routes, she eventually landed on the Chief of Staff role. We talked about which skills translated and which didn’t coming from a more corporate background into the CoS role at a scrappy startup. How sabbaticals have helped Jenna’s career on a number of occasions (and not all the sabbaticals were formal!) A day in her career when everything went wrong: how to pivot when the client hates your work, and still salvage the engagement by thinking on your feet and not being attached to your work.

July 10, 202456 min

35. Listening to Your Gut & Finding Clarity in a Career Transition with Lindsay Martinez

In this episode, I sit down with Lindsay Martinez to discuss her journey from corporate consulting to finding fulfillment in her bridge jobs, and as a career coach. We cover important topics like recognizing when to leave a corporate job, that a bridge job is nothing to be ashamed of if it helps you get where you want to go, and how to listen to your gut while navigating career and personal life changes. In the episode we cover:* What is a bridge job (it’s not just being a barista or bartender!) and why it’s actually a strong move to take a bridge job over rolling into another full time, high stress position.* How to get clear when to leave your corporate job? Hint: if the option is a mental health facility or quitting- it’s time to quit.* How to handle pressure from friends and family when you and your partner have different career trajectories, and they question their caliber just for having different career values.* Practicing listening to your OWN gut more than you listen to other people’s opinions of what you should or shouldn’t do. After all, it’s you, not them who has to show up in your career for the next 40 years. * We play my new game: “What’s your dirty little work secret?” where Lindsay shares a frankly hilarious and embarrassing thing she should have known as a consultant but…didn’t.Brave and willing to share your embarrassing work story so we can all feel a bit better about the dumb sh*t we do at work? Don’t worry, all stories remain anonymous- neither of us wants to get a call from your boss.If you’ve enjoyed these career chats: tell a friend about Professional Life Crisis, and even better, subscribe on Youtube!Thanks for being here 🫶🏼-Amanda This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amandabranson.substack.com

June 26, 202447 min

34. Mastering Full-Stack Marketing with Ruka Osoba

In this episode, I sit down with Ruka Osoba, a seasoned marketer and entrepreneur, to delve into her expansive career in marketing, her journey into the startup world, and advice for moonlighting a startup. In this episode:* We delve into what it means to be a “full-stack marketer,” and Ruka clears up a common misconception about content marketing.* Ruka talks about the challenges of juggling a full-time job while running a startup, and her insights on the importance of time management and the power of learning to say “no.” * Ruka opens up about imposter syndrome and recounts a personal story of missing an important deadline at work, which taught her the valuable lesson of not self-sabotaging her work.* We play my new game: “What’s your dirty little work secret?” where Ruka talks about the embarrassing thing she should know as a marketer, but apparently still needs a little cheat sheet for 🤫If you’ve enjoyed these career chats: tell a friend about Professional Life Crisis, and even better, subscribe on Youtube!Thanks for being here 🫶🏼-Amanda This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amandabranson.substack.com

June 18, 20241 hr 0 min

33. Taking Nothing for Granted: Bo Abrams on Health, his Career Crisis, and Founding Kommu

Welcome back to Professional Life Crisis! This week we’re going on a rollercoaster with our guest, Bo Abrahams. Ex-Hedge Fund Analyst, Co-Founder of Kommu, an app to swap homes with people in your network. We discuss:* Bo opened up about his personal health experiences that heavily influenced his career choices at various points in his life, including a debilitating illness during college and the story of his HS friend Mallory, who unfortunately passed as a result of Cystic Fibrosis (CF). These experiences led him toward business school to pursue a career in Venture Health.* Getting to business school and realizing that Venture Health wasn’t actually his strong suit, and he wasn’t going to be one of the top contributors to the space, and that he should instead focus on a problem that he feels well equipped to solve.* Bo talks about the financial pressures of business school, including spending heavily on GMAT tutors and application fees, which led to accumulating credit card debt just to keep up with his peers and the expenses related to traveling.* So… Bo and his co-founder started Kommu, a platform for finding short-term places to stay based on your network, rather than paying for Airbnb or a hotel.* To wrap it up, Bo gave some advice for your early career- rip the bandaid off if you’re going for a goal (like studying for the GMAT to get into business school)- commit to it for a set period of time, and give it 100%. Don’t prolong the suffering, spread it out too much or half ass it. Spending too much for hotels or rentals when you're traveling? Try kommu. With tons of homes listed for anything but a profit, you're sure to find a lot of incredible options. Don't want your home to sit empty while you're on the road for business or pleasure? List with kommu and avoid paying double rent.Download kommu todayIf you feel so compelled to share this week’s episode with a friend, and subscribe on Youtube, I would love that.Thanks for being here 🫶🏼-Amanda This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amandabranson.substack.com

June 12, 20241 hr 6 min

32. Mindset, Mentorship & Manifestation with Katy Culver

I am SO excited for this week’s new episode with the incredibly Katy Culver, AND *the new branding*! * This week, Katy and I both reflected on our journeys in consulting- the good, the bad and the, well necessary experiences we had to go through in order to be able to offer any halfway decent career advice and help the next generation of professionals.* Katy discusses how revisiting her old journals helped uncover some long-held dreams and get better aligned in her business.* The absolutely crucial role that mindset plays in navigating career changes, starting something new, and fulfilling your full potential in your life & career. * The strategy Katy’s used for growing her personal brand between Twitter & LinkedIn, highlighting how consistent writing and engagement have been key to her success. * Our thoughts on manifestation, the importance of a clear vision, and saying those difficult “no’s” to things that don’t align with your goals can be a game-changer in your personal and professional life. Brave and willing to share your embarrassing work story so we can all feel a bit better about the dumb sh*t we do at work? Don’t worry, all stories remain anonymous- neither of us wants to get a call from your boss.If you feel so compelled to share this week’s episode with a friend, and subscribe on Youtube, I would love that.Thanks for being here 🫶🏼-Amanda This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amandabranson.substack.com

June 5, 202455 min

31. Finding joy and patience with each new opportunity: Brittany Martin | ex-HR @ Target, Anheuser Busch

This week on the podcast, I was honored to speak with a woman with such a light and positivity about her, Brittany Martin. In this episode:- Brittany shares her journey from HR business partner (HRBP) at household name companies like Target and Anheuser Busch, to starting her own business where she is a Chief People and Culture Advisor for teams looking to improve their dynamic.- We discuss the importance of being comfortable with being multifaceted in your personal and professional life, and how Brittany embraces her role's complexities, proving that one title doesn't define you.- Brittany offers insights into what an HR Business Partner (HRBP)/People Business Partner (PBP) does and why the role is crucial for bridging the gap between the business and the people & why HR is not the enemy!- She opens up about her struggles and the enlightening moment that prompted her to make her dream of moving back to New York a reality.- Brittany provides valuable advice on finding joy in your career, being compassionate toward others, and the importance of having patience with yourself when making significant changes.It’s a great listen if you’re going through & growing through career changes right now and feeling frustrated if it’s not all coming together as quickly as you thought.If you enjoy these career chats share Professional Life Crisis with a friend, and subscribe on YouTube!Thanks for being here 🫶🏼-Amanda This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amandabranson.substack.com

May 29, 20241 hr 2 min

30. Layoffs, Career Tears & Moonlighting, How Nina Chichelo pivoted from TV and film to marketing

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing a friend and colleague, Nina Chichelo, a full-time marketing manager and the founder of her own marketing agency, Allorable. We talked about her winding career journey from aspiring to work on the Tonight Show, to launching her career in marketing and eventually her own agency.* Nina shared her personal experience of going through 2 layoffs and how those difficult moments pushed her to start her agency, while starting a new, full time role (crazy right? when does she sleep!)* What the film industry’s structure of pre-production, production and post-production taught Nina about her career likes and dislikes, and how she developed a work ethic that helped her outshine the competition later in her career.* How she pivoted from the TV industry into digital marketing during Covid when she needed to transfer her skills to something she could do working from home.* Some of our fav past career blunders; special shout out to: crying at work in the open floor plan & how to deal with terrible managers.* We ended the conversation with her valuable advice on digesting your failures to learn from them, learning to delegate, and the importance of leaning on your network for support when you need it.Listen now on: Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.If you enjoy these career chats share Professional Life Crisis with a friend, and subscribe on YouTube!Thanks for being here 🫶🏼-Amanda This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amandabranson.substack.com

May 22, 202430 min

29. Burnout to Bliss: embracing a work-life worth living with Lindsey Fine

Welcome back to part 2 with Lindsey Fine, (ex- Salesforce, Meta, Dropbox, and Amazon) where we talk all about detaching from our work identities, burning out and finding fulfillment through self employment.* Lindsey reflects on her career, transitioning from leading sales teams at big tech companies to working for herself and helping startups with implementing sales strategies and sales tech stacks.* A flexible approach to her offering and allowing potential clients to guide the conversation during discovery calls based on the needs of their business. * Lindsey’s honest reflections about her skewed prioritization of work vs family life, missing out on irreplaceable time with her growing children, and how she’s readjusted that balance during her self-employment.* Some of the most important career lessons Lindsey wishes she would have known early in her career, including the significance of failures for growth, and the need to always advocate for yourself in the workplace.Listen now on: Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.If you enjoy these career chats share Professional Life Crisis with a friend, and subscribe on YouTube!Thanks for being here 🫶🏼-Amanda This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amandabranson.substack.com

May 15, 202458 min

28. Layoffs, career disruptions, and taking content creation on the road through Asia | Elizabeth Manuntag

In this week’s episode, I had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with my former colleague and friend, Elizabeth Manuntag- customer marketer, TikToker and UGC content creator with over 25k followers. We related about our experiences with getting laid off, transitioning careers, and the emotional rollercoaster that is self employment. In this episode we cover:- Liz shared her journey, from working in a corporate setting to embracing the freedom and challenges of being a digital nomad and content creator. -What being a customer-focused marketer taught her about great content creation.-Liz’s work and travel routine now that she’s given up her apartment, sold most of her belongings and taken content creation on the road 🚗 throughout Asia - The importance of not taking feedback or failures at work too personally and how to detach emotionally from work when it feels all encompassing.- We wrapped by playing my new game where we react to your embarrassing work stories, which was both hilarious and loaded with second hand embarrassment. Want to submit your funny work stories? (anonymously of course- neither of us wants to get a call from your boss 😳)If you enjoy these career chats share Professional Life Crisis with a friend, and subscribe on YouTube!Thanks for being here 🫶🏼-Amanda This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amandabranson.substack.com