The Lonely Office

With 42% of kids owning smartphones by age 10, is it time to confront our digital hypocrisy as parents? Adam cut bedtime reading short to answer work messages—only to catch his daughter secretly scrolling Instagram. When we're expected to be always online yet limit our kids' screen time, who's setting the example—and who are we really protecting?Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast Leah OvaFollow Leah on TikTok Editorial:Matt SunbulliBrooks BordenKen Wendt Aaron CalafatoSenior Audio Engineer: Ken WendtResearch: Zaid SafeMatt SunbulliAaron Calafato

We kick things off with Glassdoor’s Chris Martin, who shares insights from a recent internship analysis. Then, we shift to a story that feels more relevant than ever: is the classic “mailroom to boardroom” path still alive? Zach thinks so—until he tries to follow in the footsteps of Nike’s new CEO, who rose from intern to corner office over 32 years. But there’s a catch: the unpaid internship Zach’s eyeing already requires two years of experience. From 12:03 AM rejection emails to career portals that treat human referrals like spam, we’re asking if today’s hiring systems are just brick walls painted to look like doorways.Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast Leah OvaFollow Leah on TikTok Editorial:Matt SunbulliBrooks BordenKen Wendt Aaron CalafatoSenior Audio Engineer: Ken WendtResearch: Zaid SafeMatt SunbulliAaron Calafato

This week we investigate the growing trend of PTO marketplaces, where 10% of companies now allow employees to buy, sell, and even gift vacation days. From Ben bribing his boss with three PTO days before a performance review to employees purchasing extra time to care for aging parents, we explore whether these programs offer genuine flexibility or just another way for companies to offload responsibility. Are these exchanges the next evolution beyond unlimited PTO, or simply a clever accounting trick to remove vacation liabilities from the balance sheet?Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Leah OvaFollow Leah on TikTok Editorial:Matt SunbulliBrooks BordenConor BezaneAaron CalafatoSenior Audio Engineer: Ken WendtResearch: Zaid SafeMatt SunbulliAaron Calafato

This week we investigate the $3 billion career coaching industry that's exploded to 70,000 coaches worldwide. From 23-year-olds giving life advice to vague promises about "audacious visions," we examine what happens when professionals like Jamie spend $6,000 on advice like "eat a healthy breakfast" only to lose their job anyway. With advertising veteran Cindy Gallop, we explore whether the problem is really you needing "fixing" or just your work environment, and why sometimes the best career guidance doesn't come from the person charging by the hour.Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Leah OvaFollow Leah on TikTok Editorial:Matt SunbulliBrooks BordenConor BezaneAaron CalafatoSenior Audio Engineer: Ken WendtResearch: Zaid SafeMatt SunbulliAaron Calafato

When promotions go to office politicians instead of high performers, more workers are choosing to do exactly what they're paid for - and nothing more. With 52% of young professionals now doing exactly what they're paid for and nothing more, we explore whether "acting your wage" is sustainable in today's challenging job market.Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Leah OvaFollow Leah on TikTok Editorial:Matt SunbulliBrooks BordenConor BezaneAaron CalafatoSenior Audio Engineer: Ken WendtResearch: Zaid SafeMatt SunbulliAaron Calafato

This week we explore corporate messaging tactics that walk the line between strategic communication and outright manipulation. When a seemingly doomed company announces they're "facing unexpected challenges" but miraculously recovers days later, should employees feel relieved or manipulated? From mysteriously "secured" contracts to stress balls instead of bonuses, companies are experts at controlling their narrative. We explore the blurry line between necessary narrative control and outright deception.Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.threads.net/@mattsunbullihttps://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Leah OvaFollow Leah on TikTok Editorial:Matt SunbulliBrooks BordenConor BezaneAaron CalafatoSenior Audio Engineer: Ken WendtResearch: Zaid SafeMatt SunbulliAaron Calafato

With searches for "AI girlfriend" up 2400% and one in five men on dating apps trying AI companions, are we witnessing the next evolution of human connection, or just a temporary stop on the journey to finding real love? When Vince loses his job after turning Slack into his personal dating playground, he finds an unexpected solution: an AI chatbot named Dolly. From workplace romances gone wrong to the surprising statistics behind AI dating, we explore the blurring boundaries between professional messaging and personal relationships.Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.threads.net/@mattsunbullihttps://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Leah OvaFollow Leah on TikTok Editorial:Matt SunbulliBrooks BordenConor BezaneAaron CalafatoSenior Audio Engineer: Ken WendtResearch: Zaid SafeMatt SunbulliAaron Calafato

From CEOs embracing "masculine energy" to workers claiming they can't "be themselves" anymore, something's triggering a masculinity crisis at work. This week, we explore what happens when men feel their identity is challenged in the modern workplace.Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.threads.net/@mattsunbullihttps://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Leah OvaFollow Leah on TikTok Editorial:Matt SunbulliBrooks BordenConor BezaneAaron CalafatoSenior Audio Engineer: Ken WendtResearch: Zaid SafeMatt SunbulliAaron Calafato

A weekend email from DOGE—titled What Did You Do Last Week? —hit millions of federal employees’ inboxes, sparking confusion, panic, and speculation about a mass downsizing effort. Was it a routine check-in on government efficiency or a strategic move to force resignations and trim the workforce? In this episode, we break down the chaos, agency responses, and what this moment reveals about the evolving nature of job security.Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories

When Mark chooses to "sever" his work self from his home self in Apple TV's hit show Severance, it reveals a workplace fantasy many secretly share: what if you could leave your work baggage at the office and your personal troubles at home?From compartmentalized personas to corporate cult culture, we explore how this sci-fi drama eerily mirrors today's workplace reality. Are we all performing different versions of ourselves throughout the day? And in a world where work-life boundaries continue to blur, would the ultimate separation actually be a relief?Hosts: Matt Sunbullihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/https://www.threads.net/@mattsunbullihttps://www.firstdraft.vcAaron CalafatoListen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Leah OvaFollow Leah on TikTok Editorial:Matt SunbulliBrooks BordenConor BezaneAaron CalafatoSenior Audio Engineer: Ken WendtResearch: Zaid SafeMatt SunbulliAaron Calafato