Unserious

Most of us have been taught from early childhood that dreams aren't meant to be taken seriously. "Don't worry, it's just a dream," your parent might have said. But as community builder, author, and product leader Sarah Epps shares with Micah in this Upshots episode, dreams can be a potent source of data to be explored for personal and professional growth. Don't miss this easy approach to receive life direction from your subconscious and literally follow your dreams."Listening to your dreams can be an act of deep compassion and self-trust... when you acknowledge yourself as having something worthy to tell yourself, that can change your life." - Sarah EppsPDF cheat sheet @ https://bit.ly/eppshotsHear more from Sarah and sign up for her Substack at recipeasfeeling.com.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

Building a customer community has been on the goal sheet for most B2B and consumer product companies at some point or another. But do your customers really need one? And are you ready to go all in to make it work? In this episode, Micah is joined by customer community consultant Heather Foeh to break down the elements of successful online communities and some common misconceptions. With actionable strategies for starting small and scaling effectively, this episode is packed with valuable tips to help you build a thriving and engaged customer base - or avoid a potential misstep altogether."Customer vibe is very hard to put into an ROI. Once they feel like it's their community, that's a great tipping point. It's a good six months before that first glimmer." - Heather FoehFree PDF guide @ https://bit.ly/upshotsfoehConnect with Heather on LinkedIn. Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

There are a number of reasons why we might not gel with a co-worker - some personal, some not. But luckily, being chummy isn't a requirement for great work, and there are tactical approaches to working in spite of interpersonal challenges. In this Upshots episode, product and marketing leader Natalie Kubitz shares her insights on identifying signs of difficult interactions to a framework that helps you identify common goals and foster effective collaboration without the need for personal rapport."It's inevitable that you're going to cross paths with a coworker where you just don't gel but results are still expected. Getting these skills is sort of a gift to yourself." - Natalie KubitzFree PDF guide @ https://bit.ly/upshotskubitzYou can connect with Natalie on LinkedIn. Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

If you're human like us, chances are you've had times where you've felt like you're drowning in commitments. But there's a way to keep your head above water, as Micah learns from Courtney Kaplan, the force behind Iconic Leadership Coaching, who shares a powerful approach for conquering overwhelm. Discover the transformative "whiteboard" technique that helps you visually organize and cut through what's dragging you down. This episode isn't just about managing tasks; it's about aligning your time with what truly matters."We know we've committed to more than what we can handle, but it's fixable. So how can we get back on track?” - Courtney KaplanFollow Courtney's work at iconicleadershipcoaching.comFollow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

When people talk about managing up, they don't usually dig into what that actually means. But becoming your boss's biggest ally can have a profound affect on your career and professional well-being. In this episode, product management leader Katie Bolz, shares her profound and practical insights on aligning with your boss's goals, tackling tasks they might dread, and communicating with precision. By mastering these strategies, you’ll not only achieve greater autonomy but also pave your way to leadership roles and smoother team dynamics."A lot of us get hyper-focused on things like ‘I'm going to climb the ladder and here's all the steps’... But they forget to invest in the relationships or even how helpful they actually are to their immediate boss.” - Katie BolzPDF cheat sheet @ https://bit.ly/upshotsbolzFollow or connect with Katie on LinkedIn.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

It's no secret that the gap between stated company culture and the reality of the employee experience can be enormous. And we've all been there when the employee survey rolls back around with no real change from the last one. In this Upshots episode, designer and executive Leonardo De La Rocha returns to Unserious to share real ways to take action on company culture with tangible actions and measurable outcomes, zeroing in on the pivotal role of managers in transforming company culture from the inside out."It sucks to work at a company where you bought into the culture and then it's just not there. If your company's promising something and doesn't deliver on it, employees are going to be looking elsewhere so they can find that." - Leonardo De La RochaPDF cheat sheet @ https://bit.ly/upshotsdelarochaConnect with Leonardo on LinkedIn, on Instagram at @delar0cha, or check out his Adobe Portfolio.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

Uncertain times have a tendency to stop us in our tracks. But marketing leader and mental health advocate Andrew J. Coate posits that life may be more ambiguous than not and offers a practical and effective approach for managing ourselves during times of flux. Embracing the situation might not just be a matter of survival, but can even be a catalyst for growth and opportunity!"Look at ambiguity as a chance to gain instead of a chance to lose. These kind of moments are the best opportunity to grow, to test, to learn, to stretch yourself, to figure out something new, to try things." - Andrew J. CoateCheat sheet @ https://bit.ly/upshotscoateConnect with Andrew on LinkedIn or follow on Instagram at @andrewjcoate and @maggieandscooch.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

The "sophomore slump" is a notorious curse for artists who set high expectations with the debut. Luckily here at Unserious, our expectations for season 2 were just to keep shining the light on more brilliant people and their wonderful ideas - and we were not disappointed! In this season closer, J.B. and Molly are joined by producer Micah to look back at favorite moments and surprises from the season before the long form podcast takes a little break.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

Work and life are often defined by milestone moments. But getting to the top of the mountain is only halfway; we need to plan for and manage energy to get all the way back down safely. In this Upshots episode, product and marketing leader and founder of PRUXM,  Natala Menezes, shares her insights for keeping the momentum post-launch. From setting strategic post-launch goals to the necessity of a dedicated follow-through team, we're lending you the compass to navigate the often-overlooked yet crucial descent from launch day's summit."We often focus on launch day, but that is not actually what makes your business or product successful. It's the before and after." - Natala Menezes Cheat sheet @ bit.ly/upshotsmenezesFor all things product, user experience, and marketing, you can connect with Natala on LinkedIn and pruxm.ai.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.

The journey to finding your own leadership voice is very personal and can be wildly confusing. Yes, it’s about authenticity, but it takes a long time to figure ourselves out.  Dr. Vignetta Charles is the CEO of ETR, which is committed to improving health outcomes and advancing health equity for youth, families, and communities, and is a lifelong advocate and leader in healthcare equity. She's also a childhood friend of J.B. and Molly. In this episode, the group reunites to discuss the factors of cultivating a leadership voice that resonates with authenticity and compels change. "My personal voice as a leader has been about trying to uplift complicated truths [and] have people lean into that complication as the gift that it is.” - Dr. Vignetta CharlesConnect with Vignetta on LinkedIn and learn more about ETR at etr.org.Follow Unserious in your podcast app, at unserious.com, and on Instagram and Threads at @unserious.fun.