Podcast Summary: "Why Work Feels Broken and the First Full Season of Women’s Lacrosse"

Work with Erika Ayers Badan — September 15, 2025

Overview

In this episode, host Erika Ayers Badan explores two major themes: the state of workplace culture and satisfaction, and the landmark announcement of the first full professional season for the Women's Lacrosse League (WLL). The show balances relatable work dilemmas—like the universal office dish issue—with inspiring insights from leaders and athletes in women’s lacrosse, including exclusive interviews with WLL players and leadership. Erika also addresses the broader woes of today’s job market and workplace happiness, discussing viral news and research on why work feels “broken.”

Segment 1: Relatable Office Annoyances — The Dishes Dilemma

(00:10 – 05:06)

Key Discussion Points

• Classic Office Issue: Dirty dishes accumulating in the Food52 Brooklyn office despite available dishwashers.
• Failed Solutions: Attempts to address the problem with polite Slack reminders have fallen flat.
• Speculation on Culprits: Some staff suspect the men are to blame, but Erika is skeptical.
• Possible Fixes: Erika suggests more direct confrontation and even installing a security camera to “catch” the offenders, referencing similar antics from her days at Barstool Sports.

Notable Quotes

• “It’s not that hard to rinse it and put it in the dishwasher. I’ve put it in the Slack channel... multiple times.” — Jessica Rose, Office Manager (01:01)
• “First of all, we should install a camera… go buy one today.” — Erika Ayers Badan (02:11)
• [Laughs, banter, and playful workplace blame throughout this segment]

Segment 2: Work Culture Today — Why Work Feels Broken

(05:07 – 14:38)

Key Discussion Points

• Organizational Culture: Erika shares a favorite HR quote:
  “The culture of an organization is shaped by the worst behavior a leader is willing to tolerate.”
• Leadership Responsibility: Tackling workplace culture means proactively addressing negative or lazy behaviors, not just ignoring them.
• The Broken Job Market:
  • Discussion of Annie Lowery’s Atlantic piece, “The Job Market is Hell.”
  • Automated application processes mean both job descriptions and resumes are generated or screened by AI, leading to mass gridlock.
  • Erika warns that “playing the AI game” won't get you hired—personal touches and creativity still matter.
• Employee Dissatisfaction:
  • Recent Gallup poll: Only 19% of US workers are “extremely satisfied” at work.
  • Over half are actively looking for new jobs.
  • Erika attributes this to lowered resilience and inflated expectations.

Notable Quotes

• “Workplace culture is built not only in the moments when leaders choose to act, but also in the moments we choose to stay silent.” — Erika (paraphrasing Sally Pedlo, HR leader) (06:21)
• “Companies are becoming... more skeptical of when a task has to be done, not automatically assuming a human needs to do it.” — Erika (10:33)
• “It’s just like a huge gridlock.” — Erika describing the job market (10:53)
• “Nobody is satisfied at work. Maybe you have a small percentage of people who want to run through a wall...” — Erika (11:39)

Segment 3: The Future of Women’s Lacrosse (WLL) & the PLL

(14:38 – 32:44)

Key Discussion Points

A. Interview with Rachel DeCecco — VP of Lacrosse, PLL/WLL

(14:38 – 21:45)

• Rachel describes her role managing all aspects “on the field” for the PLL and launching the WLL.
• Sharing of discipline policy, differences between men’s and women’s play, and the excitement for the upcoming full season.
• Rachel’s background as a top player at Princeton and Team USA, her Philly sports roots, and balancing work-family life.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Anything that hits the field falls under me. So players, coaches, officials, rules, discipline, medical…” — Rachel (15:20)
• “My bet is ... there are more in-game disciplinary actions for women than there are for men.” — Erika (18:54)
• “I’m just so excited that the women have a place to compete.” — Rachel (21:13)

B. Roundtable with WLL Athletes

(22:39 – 34:18)

• Guests: Sydney Black (Maryland Charm), Allie Mastroianni (California Palms), Lizzie Colson (Maryland Charm), Izzy Skane (New York Charging).
• Full Season Impact: The upcoming WLL season (2026) is a huge leap for gender equity in pro sports, affecting athletes’ day jobs and routines.
• Balancing Careers: Many athletes juggle “real jobs” (like government consulting) with playing/coaching.
• Lifestyle & Training: Discussion on training, eating, routines, and the importance of life balance—including fun and socializing.
• Team Culture & Rivalries: The players anticipate stronger rivalries and tighter bonds as the WLL grows.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “The goal is to be able to do lacrosse full time, like these ladies. So we'll see.” — Sydney Black (25:23)
• “I think we should be able to drink, have a good time, go out with our friends… while performing at a very high level.” — Izzy Skane (28:56)
• “I think women’s lacrosse [is one of] the three best women’s sports to watch… regardless of the gender.” — Erika (22:02)
• “They support us. I think they just know, like, everyone holds themselves to a high standard, and they see how hard we work...” — Allie on men’s PLL players’ support (31:06)

Social Media Shoutouts

• Athletes share their team and personal handles for fans to follow (see from 32:21).

Segment 4: Strategery — "Going Into the Gully"

(34:25 – 35:41)

Key Discussion Points

• “Going into the gully” (from interim CFO Peter): Erika describes it as getting sucked into a work tangent (a “side quest” or “rabbit hole”) that distracts from solving the main problem.
• Importance of spotting when you’re “in the gully” and realigning focus.

Notable Quotes

• “The net net of it is that going into a gully is... you've lost the plot, but now you're deep into a side problem that's semi-related... but doesn’t actually solve the bigger thing.” — Erika (34:32)

Segment 5: Closing Reflections & What’s Next

(35:41 – end)

Key Discussion Points

• Erika reflects on ongoing company transitions, pressure for execution, and coming changes to the podcast itself.
• Invitation for listeners to stay engaged as both the show and its audience grow and evolve.

Memorable and Notable Moments

• Lighthearted Banter: Erika's playful digs at Philadelphia fans (“…Philly people are assholes”) and spirited debate about the “New York Charging” team name keep things lively. (16:05, 23:37)
• Life-Work Balance: Candid talk from young athletes about working multiple jobs, training, socializing, and managing real and sports careers.
• Humanizing Academia & Recruiting: Realistic, sometimes blunt advice about surviving today’s AI-driven job market and why human creativity still matters.

Key Takeaways

• Workplaces everywhere struggle with mundane, morale-destroying problems—leadership and proactive culture matter more than policies or Slack reminders.
• The job market is jammed at both ends by automation and high expectations; “work” itself feels broken, and most people are dissatisfied.
• Historic progress is happening for women’s pro lacrosse; the excitement and challenges of building a league mirror those of modern startups and creative work.
• Balancing ambition, business, and personal life is universal—from the boardroom to the lacrosse field.

Timestamps Reference

• 00:10 – 05:06 | Office dish problems
• 05:07 – 14:38 | Work culture, AI job market, Gallup employee satisfaction
• 14:38 – 21:45 | Interview: Rachel DeCecco, PLL/WLL leadership
• 22:39 – 34:18 | Panel: WLL athletes, routines, full season, personal lives
• 34:25 – 35:41 | Strategery: "Going Into the Gully"
• 35:41 – end | Host’s reflections, podcast updates

Final Thoughts

This episode masterfully weaves small, everyday work distresses with big-picture leadership and change, culminating in a look at the real journey of professional female athletes seizing their moment. Erika’s signature style—funny, blunt, real—offers listeners both relief and real talk on why work is hard, why it sometimes sucks, and why striving for more, together, is worth it.