
The People Stack Podcast
We explore the intersection of Tech Leadership & Dream careers. We do this by creating inspiring podcasts - including interviews with amazing individuals in the tech leadership space.
Dr. Jen Bunk earned her Ph.D. in I/O Psychology (a.k.a. The Science of Work). She is a retired Associate Professor and an accomplished speaker & researcher. As the CEO of the People Stack, she’s used her decades of experience to coach hundreds of tech leaders to create their dream careers - and the dream lives that go with them.
Rob Allen (Jen’s husband) is a 20+ year software industry veteran who moved from IC to Leadership in 2010, where the focus has always been on helping the technical folks who worked for him live their best lives. In 2019, he broadened that to the tech community as a whole by joining Jen full-time at The People Stack as her Co-CEO.
Latest episodes

Jan 4, 2021 • 34min
Episode 191: New Year, New You?
Every year around New Year’s I’m reminded of those “New Year, New You” ads.
Those ads that seem to imply that with just “3 simple steps” you can completely change your body, your relationships, your stress levels - your career.
As if the turning of the calendar magically creates a new version of you!
I’m calling B.S. on that one!
So - what DOES create a new version of you so that you can upgrade your tech career and your life?
You won’t want to miss this episode!

Dec 23, 2020 • 31min
Episode 190: Career Downgrades
We talk about career upgrading all the time. Promotions, raises, more recognition.
So let’s talk about the opposite: Downgrading.
I know you don’t want to downgrade your career, but here’s the truth:
That’s what’s going to happen if you stay stuck!
Tech managers often think that the worst that can happen is they stay exactly where they are.
Actually, that’s not the worst! There’s way worse! Pay cuts. Demotions. Getting fired.
How do you avoid this?
Check out this episode right now!

Dec 21, 2020 • 27min
Episode 189: Career Doubts Confirmed
We all have doubts. Doubts about ourselves, other people, the external world.
That’s normal and natural.
What I don’t want is for your doubts to continue to get confirmed.
I don’t want your self-doubt to turn into a stagnating salary or getting fired.
I don’t want your doubts about others to turn into relationships destroyed.
I don’t want your doubts about the world to turn into you staying stuck in a mediocre career.
How do you prevent this so you can build your dream tech career - even amid some doubts and challenges?
Check out this episode immediately!

Dec 16, 2020 • 27min
Episode 188: What’s normal for tech managers?
A lot of times, clients ask us, “Is this normal?”
Without getting into the philosophical and psychological underpinnings of the word “normal…”
(You can take the girl out of academia but you can’t take the academia out of the girl!) 🤓
...what they’re REALLY asking is: “Am I settling?”
Our clients don’t want to settle for normal. They want to EXCEED the boundaries of what most tech managers do.
And if you’re reading this, I know you do too!
So how do you get unstuck from a normal tech career so you can command a salary of $200k/year or more while you have more free time than you know what to do with?
Check out this episode right now to find out!

Dec 14, 2020 • 27min
Episode 187: Career Blinders
Whether you realize it or not, you have career blinders on.
You only see what’s in your world.
Until someone shines a light on other possibilities, you don’t know what’s truly possible.
How do you remove the blinders so you can create a future career that exceeds your current boundaries of do-able and achievable?
How do you get to a place where you see, hear, feel, and KNOW that you can create your dream career?
Check out this episode right now!

Dec 9, 2020 • 23min
Episode 186: Taking Career Ownership is an Act of Love
We talk about ownership a lot here at The People Stack.
It’s important to choose to make your career a priority - that’s how you’re going to build your dream!
It takes discipline and hard work to do that.
What we often don’t talk about is that taking ownership of your career is also an act of love.
It’s a gift we give to those who we care for.
Ready to find out how you can give the amazing gift of an amazing career to yourself and others?
Tune in right now!

Dec 7, 2020 • 32min
Episode 185: Hollywood is That Way 👉 🎥
It’s really common to ACT like your career is okay. To behave as if everything is fine and it’ll get fixed.
We hear this time and time again from thousands of tech managers.
You’re coping. Holding the weight of the world on your shoulders.
But underneath all of this, ACTING is taking a huge toll!
If you want to be an actor, Hollywood is that way! 👉 🎥
But that’s not what you signed up for. You signed up to be an authentic, assertive, servant tech leader!
How do you do that without over-burdening others with your problems and struggles?
Check out this episode right now!

Dec 2, 2020 • 18min
Episode 184: Logic vs Intuition
What rules your brain?
Is it the logical side? The one that helps you build systems, solve problems, and plan for all scenarios?
Or is it the intuitive side? The one that helps you go with the flow, tap into your inner Spider-Sense, and create magical moments of synchronicity?
That fact is, we all have a default that we tend to overuse.
And the key to creating the career you want is to tap into BOTH!
If you do not fully develop your logical AND intuitive powers, you’ll never be able to command a $200k+ salary as a tech manager! You’ll never be able to create massive amounts of impact!
How do you avoid this? Check out this episode right now!

Nov 30, 2020 • 34min
Episode 183: You can have any career you want
Yes, you CAN have any career you want!
This is the truth we’ve discovered after thousands of conversations with hundreds of tech manager clients.
Here’s the thing…
We get in our own way. We block ourselves from creating the careers we want!
What are some of the biggest blockers? And how do you overcome them so you can build your dream tech career?
Check out this episode immediately!

Nov 25, 2020 • 30min
Episode 182: “The Obstacle is the Way”
I just finished reading “The Obstacle is the Way” by Ryan Holiday and there are SO MANY ways this is relevant to your career!
It’s cool to get it intellectually. “Yeah, right. I get it. I can turn my career obstacles into catapults.”
But...to really LIVE like that?
To take ACTION from that place?
That’s a bit more complicated.
In this episode, I share a ton of examples of how turning your career obstacles into catapults is EXACTLY what’s needed so you can build your dream.
Ready to have your dream job, with your dream team, with your dream salary?
Tune in right now!