
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

Oct 31, 2023 • 30min
Episode 321: You're Color Blind to Red Flags
Some red flags are truly useless - like that colleague who always sends emails with “asap” in them and it’s never truly an emergency.
But others are helpful. And if you ignore these red flags, your career will suffer.
How do you know what red flags you’re ignoring that you shouldn’t be?
And why bother, anyway? Why is it so important to be aware of what we’re tolerating?
I explain all of this in this episode so that you can have a level of career & life clarity that you never had before…
…and create your dreams from the most powerful place possible.

Oct 24, 2023 • 1h 21min
Episode 320: Dave Sobel discusses managed service providers, the business & tech intersection, & the value of IT
For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Dave Sobel, the host of the Business of Tech podcast (https://www.businessof.tech/).
We talked about:
The ins and outs of managed service providers (MSPs) and why they’re relevant to a growing number of people (yes, even you)
Why the intersection of business and tech is the key to success for so many tech folks
How to move from being a cost center to being a revenue generator
The importance of being comfortable talking about money, money, money
Risk management, IT security, and the mafia behind current tech threats
Why education is the core offering for many tech companies
How he became a full-time podcaster
Enjoy this multi-layered, informative, and fun episode!Special Guest: Dave Sobel.

Oct 17, 2023 • 31min
Episode 319: Stop Giving Advice!
Even if it’s well-meaning, advice can be harmful.
This goes for both giving and receiving advice.
Why is it harmful and what do you do instead?
I want you to empower yourself and others w/out treating them like robots…
...while you co-create all of the marvelous work & career & life outcomes you desire!
Check this one out right now!

Oct 6, 2023 • 27min
Episode 318: Dream Jobs Don’t Have a Season
Stop treating your career like a seasonal gig.
There’s no “perfect” time or season to land a new job or promotion.
It’s time for you to treat your career with more intention and become a year-round badass career athlete!
In this episode, I talk about why this is so important and how to make this shift so you can create your dream tech leadership job no matter what’s going on externally.
Check this one out right away!

Sep 26, 2023 • 1h 26min
Episode 317: Marc Prine talks about hiring, firing, building trust, and his “no asshole” rule
For this episode, I interviewed Marc Prine who is an I/O Psychologist with the management advisory firm MIP Consulting.
We talked about:
The good, bad, and ugly of employee monitoring systems
How to REALLY build trust with team members
Psychometric testing (and why Meyers Briggs & DISC are good for fun & games only)
How to increase your confidence and executive presence
The best way to hire (that’s backed by the scientific literature)
How to fire with dignity
How his “no asshole rule” helped him create his dream career
Enjoy this valuable episode full of evidence-based leadership principles, strategies, and tactics.Special Guest: Marc Prine.

Sep 20, 2023 • 35min
Episode 316: Guaranteed Career Success or Your Money Back!!! (just kidding)
There are no quick answers to complex problems - including career problems.
It’s never - “You just have to update your resume” or something similar.
Also, there are no guarantees in life so why should we offer guarantees to you?
In this episode, I explain exactly why we don’t offer money-back guarantees (like so many other coaches are doing right now)...
…and more importantly, I explain why embracing your own agency - your own badass power - is the key to your career success.
Tune in right now!

Sep 12, 2023 • 1h 43min
Episode 315: April Wensel talks about Compassionate Coding, connection, assertiveness, and her real dream career
For this episode, Rob and I interviewed April Wensel, founder of Compassionate Coding.
We talked about:
What her mission at Compassionate Coding is
Why compassion is so important
How leaders can create more compassionate organizations
Connection, communication across differences, & assertiveness
The roles of suffering and intuition in building compassion
How mindfulness and spirituality are important pieces to the compassion puzzle
Her honest answer to “is this your dream career?”
Enjoy this multi-layered and useful episode!Special Guest: April Wensel.

Sep 5, 2023 • 26min
Episode 314: Another Book for the Pile
It’s back-to-school time so let’s talk about books and online courses.
Let’s get serious about what they can and cannot do.
In this episode, I invite you to take an honest look at what you’re doing (and not doing) to intentionally create your dream tech career.
And ask yourself: Are those books and online courses REALLY helping?
Because they are NOT the key to career success.
In this episode, I talk about what that key is.
Enjoy!

Aug 30, 2023 • 1h 26min
Episode 313: Aviv Ben-Yosef talks about leadership as a profession, leadership training, and what REAL leadership experience looks like
In this episode of the People Stack Podcast, Rob sits down with author and consultant Avi Ben-Yosef to talk about:
smaller teams with smaller egos
leading teams worth leading
leadership as a profession
connecting tech teams more closely to business outcomes, and how that determines startup success
how you actually gather REAL experience (not just years or lines on your resume)
Enjoy this jam-packed episode!Special Guest: Aviv Ben-Yosef.

Aug 22, 2023 • 1h 30min
Episode 312: Josh Doody talks about fearless salary negotiation, transparency, pay bands, and financial freedom
For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Josh Doody, a self-employed Salary Negotiation Coach who specializes in helping high earners get paid what they’re worth.
We talked about:
Fearless Salary Negotiation
Pay Bands
Revealing Your Salary History
Salary Transparency
His money beliefs and definition of financial success
Why being a Salary Negotiation Coach is his dream career
Enjoy this informative and eye-opening episode!Special Guest: Josh Doody.