
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

Sep 13, 2021 • 26min
Episode 261: Playing “Wait-and-See” is Slowly but Surely Killing Your Tech Career
We hear it all the time. Tech managers are playing “Wait-and-See” with their tech careers.
“Let’s wait and see. They might give me that raise next year.”
“Let’s wait and see. This time around, my new boss might actually be a great guy.”
“Let’s wait and see. I have equity that vests in 6 months and I don’t want to lose it.”
How many more years do you want to play this game???
How many more times do you want to hear, “We don’t have the budget?”
How many more new bosses do you want to have to go through?
How many more hours do you want to spend stressed out because you hate your job?
It’s time to stop this! Or your tech career will die a slow but certain death.
Check out this episode RIGHT NOW so you can finally escape the comfort of sitting around and waiting…
…and take the bold, decisive, intelligent action necessary to build the career and live the life you’re meant to.
Check this one out immediately!

Sep 8, 2021 • 8min
Episode 260: Why You Can’t Take a REAL Vacation
It’s back-to-school season and you may be wondering - where did the summer go?
Why don’t I feel relaxed and rejuvenated?
In this 5-minute Quick Shift, I explain the key to taking a REAL vacation so that you can feel 100% restored and ready to conquer your career obstacles.
It’s never too late to give yourself some much-needed time off!
Check this one out right now.

Sep 6, 2021 • 25min
Episode 259: When Thinking Becomes Your Tech Career’s Worst Enemy
Did you ever spend time alone with your thoughts and realize your thoughts are a$$holes?
Self-sabotage and negative self-talk are a fact of life, especially as you attempt to climb the ranks as a technical leader.
How do you turn this around?
How do you make your THOUGHTS your best friend - your greatest superpower - so that you can finally get recognized and earn the premium salary you deserve?
Check this one out right now!

Sep 1, 2021 • 9min
Episode 258: You’re Stuck in Your Tech Career. Are You Failing to See What’s REALLY at Stake?
On this 5-minute Quick Shift, I share what’s REALLY at stake by being stuck in your tech career.
And it’s more than you think.
Check this one out right now!

Aug 30, 2021 • 23min
Episode 257: What’s the Hidden, Devastating Collateral Damage of Having Career Problems?
It’s obvious that career problems are going to lead to even more career problems. And work problems.
But what’s the hidden collateral damage?
To your relationships, your finances, your physical well-being, and your emotional health?
In this very special episode, I chat with valued People Stack Career Strategist Daniel Perez.
We uncover exact examples of the devastating collateral damage that our clients were facing before they started working with us.
Check out this episode right now so that you can gain clarity on how YOUR career struggles are - unbeknownst to you - damaging other areas of your life…
...and stop this negative spiral to finally get on the path towards career - and live - victories.

Aug 25, 2021 • 7min
Episode 256: Are You Taking Enough Risks in Your Tech Career?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
If you don’t take career risks, you’re going to stay stuck exactly where you are in your career.
Ready to get unstuck and learn how to take intelligent risks so you can finally earn the premium salary you deserve as an accomplished technical leader?
Check out this 5-Minute Quick Shift right now!

Aug 23, 2021 • 27min
Episode 255: How to Stop Throwing Thousands of Dollars/Month in the Shredder (and FINALLY have the confidence to take tech career risks)
I know you want to use your career to create financial stability for you and your family.
That’s why you’re reading this!
I also get how it’s hard to take risks with something so big and important as your career.
Especially when the downsides are so devastating and scary.
You could get fired or demoted. You could end up with even FEWER resources to grow your team.
Or that hiring manager could end up reneging the ONE job offer you’ve actually gotten.
How do you take career risks without suffering these negative consequences?
So that you can finally get to the next level as a tech leader and earn what you’re truly worth?
Check out this episode immediately!

Aug 18, 2021 • 8min
Episode 254: How to Avoid Getting Sucked In By Career Inertia
Inertia without acceleration leads to deceleration.
In this 5-minute Quick Shift, I explain how to quickly and powerfully accelerate your tech career so that you don’t get sucked in by the inertia of being underpaid, under-recognized, and overworked.
Check this one out immediately!

Aug 16, 2021 • 27min
Episode 253: You Can’t Win in Your Tech Career if You’re Constantly Playing Defense
In a soccer game, what would happen if your team only played defense?
Imagine it! A bunch of players huddled around the net. They’re putting all of their might into preventing the other team from scoring!
What would happen?
You’d LOSE! Guaranteed!
Think about how ridiculous this strategy sounds.
And take a moment to consider what strategy YOU’RE using to up-level in your tech career.
Most likely, you’re over-using defense and under-using offense. We see it time and time again with our new clients.
In this video, I explain how to notice if this is happening to you.
And I reveal how to build the best combination of offense AND defense…
...so that you can earn that raise or promotion, create massive amounts of verifiable impact, and create a zen-like work-life balance.
Check this one out right now!

Aug 12, 2021 • 8min
Episode 252: Mythbusting: “Your Career Will Fix Itself”
In this 5-minute Quick Shift, I explain why believing that your career will fix itself leads to disaster!
You can say good-bye to any chance at up-levelving your position or pay if you believe this.
I explain the sneaky ways this belief shows up AND how to shift your perspective so you can be in control of your tech career and build your dream.
Check it out right now!