
Surfing Corporate
The Surfing Corporate Podcast tackles the highs and lows of corporate life with a humorous and relatable point of view. Hosted by Aileen Merciel and Glenda Pacanins, former media executives who have experienced first-hand what really goes on behind fancy corporate doors, this podcast aims to entertain as well as provide practical advice to employees who are currently navigating turbulent corporate waters.
Latest episodes

Nov 29, 2023 • 57min
Building An Unconventional Career Path: How Peggy Northrop Went From Vogue Magazine to Non-Profit CEO, Investor, and Board Advisor
Peggy Northrop, a publishing powerhouse, shares her journey from Vogue Magazine to non-profit CEO, investor, and board advisor. She discusses navigating the publishing landscape, the digital transformation of print media, and her entrepreneurial spirit. Peggy also reflects on her career journey, women's empowerment, and strategies for career changes. The chapter highlights include her time at Moore Magazine, Reader's Digest, and the importance of networking with genuine curiosity.

Nov 15, 2023 • 30min
Potential vs. Accomplishments – Why Men and Women Are Promoted Differently at Work
This podcast explores the disparities in how men and women are assessed and promoted at work. It delves into the effects of unconscious biases on women in professional settings and discusses the gender differences in standards applied for leadership roles. The speakers reflect on the tendency for women to undersell their work and discuss the challenges women face in the workplace, including bias in promotions. They also highlight the importance of awareness, changing mindsets, and building a strong network for professional growth.

Nov 8, 2023 • 48min
Creating A Work Culture That Makes People Want To Go To The Office, W/ Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia
As more and more companies are mandating return-to-office policies to their employees (many of whom deem those mandates as unnecessary and counterproductive), workplace culture takes on more importance for employees and management alike. So, how can you balance the needs of both employees and employers?If you ask @Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at Vayner Media, employers need to step up their game and create work cultures that employees actually want to be a part of. She’s determined that, at Vayner Media, employees will find it both appealing AND beneficial to work in-person with their colleagues and superiors.In this episode, Claude shares her philosophy on work and what it actually means to be a Chief Heart Officer (trust us, it makes a lot of sense). She also talks about the tactics that lead their employees to be excited about work and event in-person meetings (yes, it is possible). Spoiler alert: it’s not about ping-pong tables and free Kombucha!If you like Surfing Corporate and would like us to make more episodes, you can donate by clicking on this link: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/surfingcorporateFollow SurfingCorporate on Intagram and LinkedIn.Original theme song: Chaliwa MusicOther music if by BlueDot Sessions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 23, 2023 • 8min
Surfing Corporate Quickie
https://bmc.link/surfingcorporate Aileen and Glenda catch up on their summer vacation adventures, share updates on season 4, and somehow end up discussing the Barbie movie.Support Surfing Corporate!"Friendly reminder" that our pod is completely self-funded (and it takes A LOT of work). If you like what we do, please consider making a donation by clicking here. It would mean SO MUCH to us to be able to keep making this show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 14, 2023 • 41min
Season 3 Finale! Epic highlights and Deep Thoughts à la Surfing Corporate
We look back at the best moments of the season and also discuss hot new topics, like the current female-driven movement on social media that is making the case for women to write emails more like men (more assertive, less apologetic). We also unpack the new corporate buzzword that is giving us hives: ProcrastiWorking.FRIENDLY REMINDER! Surfing Corporate is completely self-funded, and it takes a lot of work! If you like what we do, please consider making a donation here. It would mean SO MUCH to us :)Sign up for our newsletter at SurfingCorporate.com so we can stay in touch over our Summer hiatus!This episode of Surfing Corporate was produced, edited and co-hosted by Aileen Merciel.Co-host is Glenda Pacanins, queen of corporate decks and corporate lingo.Our fabulous intern is Stephany Gil de Sucher.Our original theme song is by the amazing folks of Chaliwa Music & Sound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 24, 2023 • 38min
Job Scams and Ghost Posts... As if The Job Search Process Wasn't Hard Enough Already
According to the Better Business Bureau, approximately 14 million people encounter job scams annually in the U.S. alone! 😱😱In 2022, CNBC reported that Americans lost $68 million to this deceitful practice. With the rise of remote job opportunities, scammers have unlocked a whole new level of potential victims.In this episode, we tackle the very current issue of job scams, and we talk about "ghost posts" (positions that companies post on major online professional platforms, but they have no real intention of filling) and why that’s actually a thing.We also interview Callie Heim, a marketing professional who was scammed via LinkedIn's Easy Apply feature, and we connect with recruiting expert Daniel Space (@danfromhr) who shares advice on how to avoid this from happening to you.FRIENDLY REMINDER! Surfing Corporate is completely self-funded, and it takes a lot of work! If you like what we do, please consider making a donation here. It would mean SO MUCH to us :)EPISODE SOURCES:
Don't be scammed by fake job listings - Business Insider.com
Job Listings Abound, but Many Are Fake - WSJ
Americans lost $68 million to job scams this year—here's what to look out for - CNBC.com
Fake job scams are skyrocketing online — and they're getting harder to detect - LATimes.com
CREDITS:
This episode was produced and edited by Aileen Merciel, and improved by the feedback of Glenda Pacanins.
Surfing Corporate's intern is Stephany Gil de Sucher.
Our original theme song is by Chaliwa Music. The rest of our music is by BlueDot Sessions.
Check out surfingcorporate.com and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 3, 2023 • 1h 20min
Surfing Corporate - Especial en Español: Cómo Adaptarse al mundo Corporativo Americano Siendo Extranjero
For this week’s episode, we have a treat for our Spanish-speaking fans, since Aileen and Glenda interview our fan favorite guest, Susana Sala Bosch, but this time, 100% in her native Spanish. She’s as insightful, honest and funny as ever, and now, en español!Estamos felices de compartir nuestro primer episodio especial de Surfing Corporate. En este episodio, conversamos con Susana Sala Bosch, una ejecutiva senior con una amplia experiencia navegando exitosamente las aguas (a veces turbulentas) de “Corporate America”.Con su trayectoria como líder de recursos humanos, operaciones y planificación estratégica en las industrias del entretenimiento, bebidas alcohólicas y producción de alimentos, Susana ofrece una perspectiva única sobre cómo los profesionales extranjeros pueden tener éxito en el mundo corporativo americano. Descubrirás cómo se adaptó a las diferencias culturales, cómo lideró equipos en un entorno multicultural y cómo aprendió rapidito a decir “F*ck” en vez de “Joder”.Si eres extranjero y trabajas en Estados Unidos o si quieres entender mejor acerca de diferencias culturales en el ámbito laboral, este episodio es para ti. Surfing Corporate is financiado enteramente por nosotras y lleva un MONTON de trabajo. Si te gusta lo que hacemos, por fa consideren donar con tan solo hacer clink en este link. Significaría mucho!Créditos:- Producción Ejecutiva: Aileen Merciel y Glenda Pacanins- Pasante de producción (intern): Stephany Gil de Sucher- Música original de Surfing Corporate: Chaliwa Music- Música de librería: BlueDot Sessions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 26, 2023 • 36min
Executive Assistants: Corporate America's Secret Power Players
We all know that Executive Assistants perform key administrative tasks, but the scope of their role goes WAY beyond what appears on their job description. They are psychologists, secret service agents, strategists, magicians, cheerleaders and general advisors. They also have a special “chaos radar” that allows them to detect and get ahead of any potential issue before it becomes a massive mess.Their duties vary from buying multi-million dollar homes for their bosses to influencing top-level corporate decisions, handling highly confidential information and also, sometimes even picking up dog sh*t if needed.This job promises one thing: it will never be boring.For this episode, we talk with two Executive Assistants who share their insider’s POV of a role that keeps so many of the corporate players – and pieces – in place, and all this without most people even knowing it.FRIENDLY REMINDER: Surfing Corporate is completely self-funded, and it takes A LOT of work. Please consider making a donation by clicking on this link. This would mean so much to us. EPISODE SOURCES:
https://www.zippia.com/executive-personal-assistant-jobs/demographics/
Executive Assistants Are Superheroes Without The Cape
The Case for Executive Assistants.
The CEO's Secret Weapon
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 19, 2023 • 42min
The Inevitable Female Rivalry at Work: Fact or Fiction?
In movies and TV shows, women in the workplace are often pitted against each other to ramp up the drama and tension among characters. Think Meryl Streep’s fabulous “Miranda Priestley” in The Devil Wears Prada. But does is this kind of “Queen Bee” behavior true in real life? Or more of an exaggeration? And f it is true, why would women sabotage other women in the workplace?During this episode, Aileen and Glenda delve into the controversial topic of workplace “Queen Bees”, discussing research on the topic that can be both enlightening and infuriating. We also share highlights from our fascinating conversation with Andie Kramer, who is an accomplished attorney, a nationally recognized authority on gender equality, a best-selling author on the subject and someone who’s worked tirelessly to increase women’s leadership opportunities.Andie and her husband and co-author Al Harris have written three award-winning books: Beyond Bias: The PATH to Ending Gender Inequality at Work; Breaking Through Bias: Communication Techniques for Women to Succeed at Work; and It’s Not You, It’s the Workplace: Women’s Conflict at Work and the Bias That Built It. They are contributing writers to Harvard Business Review’s On Women and Leadership, and Andie is a contributing writer on gender issues in the workplace for Forbes.com. They are also the authors of hundreds of articles on diversity and overcoming gender stereotypes that have been featured in a wide variety of national media outlets including HBR.org, The HuffPost, The New York Times, NBC News, The Chicago Tribune, and Fast Company.FRIENDLY REMINDER: Surfing Corporate is completely self-funded, and it takes A LOT of work. Please consider making a donation by clicking on this link. This would mean so much to us. EPISODE SOURCESBooks- Beyond Bias: The PATH to Ending Gender Inequality at Work, by Andie S. Kramer and Alton B. Harris[- It’s Not You, It’s the Workplace: Women’s Conflict at Work and the Bias That Built It, by Andie S. Kramer and Alton B. Harris](its not you its the workplace)- Breaking Through Bias: Communication Techniques for Women to Succeed at Work, by Andie S. Kramer and Alton B. Harris- The Stiletto in Your Back: The Good Girl's Guide to Backstabbers, Bullies, Gossips and Queen Bees at Work, by Michelle Villalobos-Mean Girls, Meaner Women: Understanding Why Women Backstab, Betray and Trash-Talk Each Other and How to Heal, by Erika Holiday and Joan I. Rosenberg- Tripping the Prom Queen: The Truth About Women and Rivalry, by Susan Shapiro Articles:Why Women Don't Always Support Other Women - Forbes.comSheryl Sandberg on the Myth of the Catty Woman - The New York TimesWhy Do Women Bully Each Other at Work?Queen Bee syndrome: Workplace inequality encourages women to sabotage one anotherhttps://www.gailgoldenconsulting.com/insights/the-myth-of-the-bad-female-bossVideos:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMBrR5YgfC0
Credits:
This episode was produced, written and edited by Aileen Merciel
Executive Producers are Aileen Merciel and Glenda Pacanins
Surfing Corporate's intern is Stephany Gil de Sucher
Original Theme Song is by Chaliwa Music
The rest of our music is by BlueDot Sessions.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 12, 2023 • 48min
How to Ditch Workplace Drama with Cy Wakeman
Did you know that the average employee spends nearly 2.5 hours per day in drama? Yup, we spend 150 minutes a day gossiping, tattling, withholding buy-in, and resisting change. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Imagine having the right tools to leave the drama ––AKA emotional waste –– behind, and instead spend your time and energy on your actual work and wellbeing.This is the goal of Cy Wakeman, a therapist accidentally turned drama researcher who is recognized for cultivating a counter-intuitive, reality-based approach to leadership. During this episode, Cy shines a light on the part that we ourselves play in creating workplace drama (it’s not just a problem that everyone else has) and she provides techniques to improve the way we face these challenging moments in our interactions with colleagues. She also shares her most embarrassing moments ever on stage.Cy is a New York Times best-selling author and a sought-out consultant and speaker for many Fortune 500 companies. She’s been featured on the TODAY Show, the AskGaryVee Show with Gary Vaynerchuk, The New York Times, Business Insider, The Daily Muse, SHRM.com and many more. Now she can add being on the Surfing Corporate podcast to her accolades. You can learn more about Cy Wakeman by checking out her website. You can also follow her on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Tiktok.FRIENDLY REMINDER: Surfing Corporate is completely self-funded, and it takes A LOT of work to make each episode. Please consider making a donation by clicking on this link. This would mean so much to us!Credits:
Surfing Corporate is produced and edited by Aileen Merciel.
Cohosts are Aileen Merciel and Glenda Pacanins.
Our Intern is Stephany Gil de Sucher.
Surfing Corporate's original theme song is by Chaliwa Music.
The rest of our music is by BlueDot Sessions.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices