What Works
Episodes
EP 434: What do we really want from social media? with Jay Acunzo
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is an episode about Meta's new app, Threads. It's also about Substack and Substack's new-ish feature, Notes. But really, it's an episode about wh...
EP 433: What is Capitalist Realism? with Iggy Perillo
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"It's easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism," say Frederic Jameson and Slavoj Žižek.Capitalist liberal democracy is cons...
This is Not Advice: Accessibility Beyond the Checklist
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the 5th edition of This is Not Advice, a non-advice column for premium subscribers of What Works. If you’re already a premium subscriber,...
EP 432: Queer Failure with Kate Tyson
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Failure" got a glow-up sometime in the last 20 years. Instead of something to be feared, gurus tell us to embrace failure. That failure is a waypoin...
EP 431: The Shoulds and Supposed-tos of Baking
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Buckle up—today's episode was inspired by something that got me really worked up this week: "I think home-baking is one of the stupidest things any...
This is Not Advice: Who is Responsible for Adapting?
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Outsiders" shoulder a disproportionate burden when it comes to fitting in. Can we demand more from the "insiders?"This is a preview of the 4th instal...
EP 430: Why Does Authenticity So Often Feel Fake?
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What gets labeled as "authentic" is often quite predictable. It's a market-compatible expression of what was once something unique or personal. Authen...
EP 429: Maybe bigger isn't better?
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On June 8, Skye Pillsbury opened the latest edition of her newsletter, The Squeeze, with the header RIP Gimlet. She continued:I’m heartbroken over t...
EP 428: "You paid WHAT for that?!" Or, How Echo Chambers Distort Prices and How We Think
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I’m about to write the most journalistic thing I’ve ever written: I received a tip.I wish I could say it was an “anonymous tip” because that s...
This is Not Advice: Making Work That Can't Be Sold
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the 3rd edition of This is Not Advice, my advice column that’s not an advice column for paid subscribers of What Works. This week, I am ...
EP 427: The Trust-Profit Paradox
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is all about trust and responsibility—and how those qualities impact the cost of doing business and the work that's required for any...
EP 426: This is Not Advice: It's Our World, AI Just "Lives" In It
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are we really talking about when we talk about our hopes and fears about AI?It's us. We're the problem.Actually, we're not the problem—we're mo...
EP 425: [Dispatch] Gone Meta
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There's a sort of inside joke in the online business space of coaches, creators, and service providers. Or maybe, at this point, it's an "outside joke...
EP 424: How the Game We Play Changes Our Work
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“This cancerous economic principle means that executives and venture capitalists have abandoned the concept of value within a business. Through deca...
EP 423: This is Not Advice: What can I do to grow my audience?
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s quick episode is a sample of something I’m creating for paid subscribers to What Works. I’m calling it my “This is Not Advice” colum...
EP 422: The "Risks" of Losing What You Never Had with Nathalie Lussier
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does a bad movie from 1992, loss aversion, Steinbeck, pizza, farm animals, and the founder of a software company have in common? Well, you’ll f...
EP 421: AI, Automation, and the Case for Luddism
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I am on board when it comes to technological progress. I look forward to updating my devices (although I don’t do it as frequently as I used to). Ne...
EP 420: Why every business is "on a mission to..."
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It seems like every company today claims to be "on a mission" to change the world or improve our lives. They bill themselves as social movements more ...
EP 419: What is an “ethical business?” with Brooke Monaghan
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At least in my corner of social media, there are a lot of folks asking what makes a business ethical. Or, perhaps more accurately, there are a lot of ...
EP 418: [Dispatch] Going beyond the "greedy corporation" critique
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This Earth Month... buy more stuff?!We're about to be bombarded with messaging about corporate climate initiatives. We'll have the chance to buy merch...
EP 417: [Dispatch] "All parasites have value"
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"All parasites have value, Sibling Dex. Not to their hosts, perhaps, but you could say the same about a predator and a prey animal. They all give back...
EP 416: Anxiety (and Mental Health) in the Achievement Society with Morra Aarons-Mele
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve called myself a recovering overachiever. I’m recovering not from the drive to excel but from the anxiety inherent to wondering if anything I ...
EP 415: The Economics of Being Needy with Mara Glatzel
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all have deep human needs—for belonging, for autonomy, for creative expression, for safety and security. But modern life can make it a real chall...
EP 414: The Economics of Ideas with Jenny Blake
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What makes an idea valuable? What turns it into a product that can be bought, sold, or rented? Ideas turn into capital assets thanks to our system of ...
EP 413: The Economics of Getting (And Paying) Attention: Part 2
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 2 of The Economics of Getting (and Paying) Attention. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, I highly recommend starting there!In today’s...
BONUS: Permission to Speak with Samara Bay
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How comfortable are you with your own voice? How likely are you to say what's on your mind?Samara Bay, the author of the brand-new book Permission to ...
EP 412: The Economics of Paying Attention (Part 1)
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Attention is a scarce (and precious) resource. A gargantuan number of media outlets, advertisers, influencers, and brands vie for our attention every ...
EP 411: The Economics of Cashflow (Remix)
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Toward the end of last week's episode, Kate Strathmann talked about the importance of understanding the "tiny economy" of your business. Digging into ...
EP 410: The Economics of Work Relationships with Kate Strathmann
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, you can build a business or independent career made for one. But once you start thinking about making a bigger impact or scaling up to serve mor...
EP 409: The Economics Of Information and Care
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The first time I heard you could charge $47 for a PDF less than 50 pages long, I was shocked. When I first encountered an online course selling for $2...
EP 408: The Economics Of Big (and Small) Decisions with Hillary Rea
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to “The Economics of…”—a new series from What Works. In this series, I’ll be exploring how economic concepts and frameworks can help...
EP 407: How To Feel Good About Going Slow
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Well, it’s the first week of January. And whether you’re back to work or eking out a few more hours of unstructured liminal time, the arrival of N...
A Vision for Work in 2023 (and Beyond)
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If 2020 was the year people asked, “Can we really work from home?” and 2021 was the year people asked, “How might we return to the office?”, t...
EP 406: Our Favorite Things of 2022
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is decidedly different from what you've heard on What Works this year! If this happens to be your first foray into the show, maybe start ...
EP 405: What causes work stress? And what can we do about it?
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone experiences work stress from time to time. But some of us experience persistent work stress—even though we have more "tools" for reducing s...
EP 404: What lights your fire?
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last two years, I've transitioned from identifying as a business owner first to identifying as a writer and podcast first. In the first year—...
EP 403: Have your values been hijacked?
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The shelves are full of products that promise to fulfill your values: ecofriendly, independent, cooperative, woman-owned, Black-owned, sustainable, et...
EP 402: How do you crack the code on goal-setting?
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is a goal really? What purpose does a goal really serve? And is that purpose truly benefiting us, the goal-setters?These are big, messy questions...
EP 401: Do we really all have the same 24 hours?
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do we really have the same 24 hours as Beyoncé? Yes. And no. And… it’s complicated.There is a never-ending stream of advice about how to make the...
EP 400: The Power of Practice
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been almost exactly 7 years since this podcast first launched as Profit. Power. Pursuit. Since then, we’ve produced 400 regular episodes (wit...
EP 399: Self Help, LLC: The Politics of Hustle Culture with Jadah Sellner
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hustle. Grind. Boss up. Do more. Love them or hate them, these words are embedded into the ways we think about work and entrepreneurship. But as we’...
EP 398: Self Help, LLC: Good Bodies With India Jackson, Tiffany Ima, and Jessica DeFino
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I wanted to include an episode on bodies in the Self-Help, LLC series because so much of our modern discourse around productivity, empowerment, entrep...
EP 397: Self Help, LLC: Bad Usage With Samara Bay
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We form an impression of our voices early in life. While it might shift some as we age, those impressions tend to stick with us. For many of us, what ...
EP 396: Self Help, LLC: #MakingMemories with Sara Petersen
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There’s an influencer for every thing these days. Camping equipment? Sure. Nutritional supplements? You bet. Miniatures? You know it. College admiss...
EP 395: Self Help, LLC: Instagram, the Algorithm, and Personality Types with Steph Barron Hall from Nine Types Co
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If your Instagram feed or Explore page looks anything like mine, then you likely see a preponderance of posts about personality types, conditions, or ...
EP 394: Self Help, LLC: The Paradox of Self-Help Expertise with Patrick Sheehan
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our quest for self-improvement requires us to decide who (or what) to trust with our time, energy, and money. What book do you decide to read next? Wh...
EP 393: Self Help, LLC: Selling Empowerment with Kelly Diels
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s not only self-help or entrepreneurship products that are sold as tools for “empowerment” today. It’s just about everything: makeup, cloth...
EP 392: Self Help, LLC: Winners & Losers
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s hard to escape the language and politics of self-help today. Whether you’re browsing your LinkedIn, Instagram, or even TikTok feed, there’s...
COMING SOON: Self-Help, LLC
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Self-help is everywhere. But for a long time, I tried to avoid it. "I just focus on business," I'd say. What I didn't realize back then was how much t...
EP 391: How do human decisions shape the economy? with Stacey Vanek Smith
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The economy seems like a monolithic entity we measure, manage, and adapt to. But really, economics (as a field) and the economy (as a system) is reall...
THE BOOK: Do your Big-G Goals Serve You?
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What’s a Big-G Goal? Well, those are the kind of milestone targets we set. At that time, my Big G Goals were about how many new members I could enro...
EP 390: Context Clues: Is a recession inevitable?
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you prepare your small business for economic ups and downs? Is a recession inevitable? And what even is a recession? In this episode, unpack wh...
EP 389: Context Clues: Does everyone need a personal brand?
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Personal brand development is now a mainstay of college career preparation. Young social media influencers are well-versed on the language of personal...
EP 388: Extra Context: Not Getting Paid
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“You could make money with that!” That’s probably the first thing you hear when someone discovers you’re an excellent baker, or designer, or p...
EP 387: Context Clues: Is there hope beyond positive thinking?
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Positive thinking” comes in many forms: New Thought, the prosperity gospel, manifestation teaching, self-help guides, and more. It’s hard to ar...
EP 386: Extra Context: Getting Paid
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Who doesn’t love to get paid? So we’re going to talk about how that actually happens. Not the dollars and cents of getting paid, but the form and ...
EP 385: Context Clues: Who do you work for?
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It seems like every business owner or freelancer I know wants to quit social media. But very few people are actually doing it. It seems easier to imag...
EP 384: Context Clues: Do you love your work?
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I grew up expecting to love what I did for a living. I was encouraged to choose a career that I was passionate about. But when I did, I bumped up agai...
EP 383: Extra Context: Rugged Individualism
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Rugged individualism” is the very language we speak in America. It shapes the way we approach work, family, and society. And rugged individualism...
EP 382: Context Clues: What makes for a fair refund policy?
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
No one likes being asked for a refund. In fact, I find the thought of it stomach-churning. And when what’s being refunded is the product of your tim...
EP 381: What happens when you take a 4-month break from business as usual?
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
At the end of 2021, I stepped away from my business: left our community, off-boarded my employee to another company, and focused on my mental h...
EP 380: When does overdelivering become overcompensating? with Allison Davis
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I’m sure you’ve heard it before: underpromise and overdeliver. But is that really the best way to do business? Or does it just give us a pe...
EP 379: Why do we choose squeezing more in over taking time off? (Time & Money 8)
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I’m bringing our Time & Money series to a close this week by exploring why we choose squeezing more in over taking time off. I share how ...
EP 378: How much time do you work? with Anne Ditmeyer (Time & Money 7)
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of the work we do today doesn’t much look like “work.” The divide between work-life and life-life is flexible and porous. So what d...
EP 377: What game are you playing? (Time & Money 6)
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The systems we operate in all have different incentive systems: our business models, the social media platforms, our economy, the culture at la...
EP 376: What Is Our Time Worth? With Keina Newell (Time & Money 5)
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us learn the value of our time in our first jobs. Even as we get more experience and our hourly jobs turn into salaried jobs or freelan...
EP 375: Is this really a new economy? (Time & Money 4)
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve been talking about the “new economy” since about 2010. But more and more, I recognize that the economic possibilities created throug...
EP 374: How do you measure quality time? with Elisabeth Jackson (Time & Money 3)
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There’s more than one way to measure success—and there’s more than one way to measure time. How do you account for the time you spend wor...
EP 373: Should we lower our expectations? (Time & Money 2)
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We spend money on lots of tools designed to save us time and work. But all too often, those tools just end up raising our expectations. Why do ...
EP 372: What Is Money? with Paco de Leon (Time & Money 1)
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Time is money.” Ben Franklin gave us that chestnut in 1748—and ever since, we’ve been trained to think of our lives as opportunities f...
EP 371: How does emotional labor impact our work?
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Emotional labor is an under-appreciated, under-compensated type of work. But it’s essential for navigating the 21st-century economy. Entrepre...
EP 370: What is the creator economy? with Gina Bianchini
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is the creator economy? And why are so many creators… miserable? Mighty Networks founder Gina Bianchini was the first person I knew talk...
EP 369: Do your goals make you a better person?
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The way we set goals often invites a load of comparison and competition. We can even create a moral hierarchy of more and better. In this episo...
EP 368: What Does Growth Without Striving Look Like? with Rita Barry
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“What does growth without striving look like?” Rita Barry posed this question 3 years ago, and it’s stuck with me ever since. In th...
EP 367: Moving Into A New Chapter with Darden Creative Founder Tamera Darden
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why Darden Creative founder Tamera Darden decided to shut down her business at the end of 2022—and how that decision evol...
EP 366: Unpacking Business Grief with Charlene Lam
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Creative grief worker & curator Charlene Lam shares how grief impacts us—as humans, leaders, and business owners* How...
EP 365: Asking Abundant Questions To Solve Business Challenges
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I always hesitate to talk about practicing an “abundance mindset…” …because it so quickly veers into positive vibes only, charge wha...
EP 364: The Abundant Value of Virtual Assistants with Janice Plado Dalager
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Consultant and virtual assistant Janice Plado Dalager joins Tara for a conversation about the unique skill set that virtual...
EP 363: Making The Hard Call With 90-Day Business Launch Founder Michelle Ward
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why Michelle Ward decided to retire as the When I Grow Up Coach to go all-in on the 90-Day Business Launch* Why a complicat...
EP 362: Debunking The Myth Of Scarce Attention
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Have you heard? The average human attention span is now shorter than a goldfish’s! Thanks, internet. TV journalists and politicians tal...
EP 361: Embracing Your Whole Identity With Coach & Consultant Angela Browne
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * How Angie Browne‘s career has evolved into embracing her whole identity as a coach & consultant* Why she’s explorin...
EP 360: Slowing Down To Make Sustainable Choices
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I am a fast person. I walk fast. Cook fast. Write fast. Talk fast. Work out fast. It’s like I’m always moving towards some urgent need o...
EP 359: Operating An Ethical Business With the ethical move Founder Alice Karolina
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why brand strategist Alice Karolina created the ethical move, which helps small business owners navigate building more ethi...
EP 358: Imagining New Ways To Work With Future Proof Skills Lab Founder Liz Wiltsie
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode * How Future Proof Skills Lab founder Liz Wiltsie has build her business on her North Star values & the movements she belo...
EP 357: Building A Business Based On What Matters With Coach Mara Glatzel
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * The key values that coach Mara Glatzel has built her business on* How her human-first approach to business gives her a fram...
EP 356: Creating A System Of Care
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Systems have a reputation. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, as I have, “Oh, I’m just not a systems person,” you might know wh...
EP 355: Cash Flow Is A Feminist Issue
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Tara explains how using a system-thinking approach to money makes it easier to invest in the growth of your business* Why c...
EP 354: Making Sales A System With Coach Pony Founder Christie Mims
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why Coach Pony founder Christie Mims uses 2 “competing” sales funnels to accommodate for different ways of buying* How ...
EP 353: Dancing With Systems In Clickup With Lou Blaser & Sean McMullin from YellowHouse.Media
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why Sean McMullin & Lou Blaser, from YellowHouse.Media, switched their project management software from Notion to Click...
EP 352: Personal Strengths Make Strategy Stronger
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Personal strengths are like a photo filter. Imagine you’ve got a photo that’s… fine. You upload it to Instagram or VSCO or some fun ph...
EP 351: Thinking Differently With Writer Kris Windley
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why writer Kris Windley decided to learn how to illustrate her articles* How doodling has helped her work with her ADHD* Ho...
EP 350: Slowing Down For Success With Coach Reva Patwardhan
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why coach Reva Patwardhan counts her intrinsic sense of belonging as one of her top strengths* How “deep processing” al...
EP 349: Updating Your Default Settings With Work Brighter Founder Brittany Berger
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * How Work Brighter founder Brittany Berger leverages her unique strengths to create a custom approach to productivity and ...
EP 348: Knowing When To Get Out Of The Way With Let’s Do The Books Founder Mark Butler
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why Let’s Do The Books founder Mark Butler has been working on getting out of the way for his team* How he’s evolved th...
EP 347: Carving Out Space For Creative Work With The Autonomous Creative Founder Jessica Abel
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why Jessica Abel believes carving out space to work on experimental and creative projects is key* The strategy she recommen...
EP 346: Finding The Right Blend With Financial Behaviorist Jacquette Timmons
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Why financial behaviorist Jacquette Timmons is more interested in finding the right blend that finding a balance between wo...
EP 345: Putting Your Business In Maintenance Mode With ScaleSpark Founder Susan Boles
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * Sean McMullin asks Break The Ceiling host Susan Boles what she’s learned about creating a business that runs itself* Why ...
EP 344: Time To Take A Break?
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever get the feeling you’re white-knuckling it through business ownership? Like if you just squeeze the wheel hard enough and focus o...
EP 343: 5 Ways To Do More & Better By Teaming Up
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I did not like group work as a student. I much preferred to take on a project myself. I wanted complete control over the vision for that pro...
EP 342: Getting Help Before The Ish Hits The Fan with Shulamit Ber Levtov
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In This Episode: * How mindset & resilience consultant Shulamit Ber Levtov became interested in the mental health challenges women face in...