Episode Overview
Podcast: Work with Erika Ayers Badan
Episode: WORK 2025 In Review: A Lot of Great Things Can Come Out of A Little Mess
Host: Erika Ayers Badan
Date: January 11, 2026
This episode serves as a reflective and insightful wrap-up of the year, blending humorous moments, candid life and work stories, expert interviews, and hands-on advice about leadership, adapting to change, workplace culture, and personal growth. Erika looks back at the podcast’s evolution, shares learnings from the year, and spotlights key guests for their perspectives on everything from financial metrics to generational shifts at work.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Podcast Year in Review and Growth
- Erika celebrates the podcast’s progress, experimentation, and new initiatives like "Work Like a Girl" and the Substack launch.
- Quote: “We’ve spent a year trying things and you’re beginning to see the benefits and the excitement and the fruits of that labor. And that’s really how I feel.” (00:00)
- Emphasis on the value of making mistakes and trying something new.
2. Understanding EBITDA in Business
- Guest: George Wells (The Wells Group)
- Erika and George reflect on their time at Barstool Sports during a pivotal transition and acquisition.
- George explains EBITDA:
- Stands for “Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization.” (03:35)
- Why use it: Neutralizes differences like debt or previous losses to compare companies more objectively.
- Quote: “EBITDA is the biggest proxy for a company’s success… On Wall Street, it sort of sounds like a fake metric but the benefits of EBITDA versus net income are almost obvious when I explain it.” (02:35)
- Discusses the changing pressures on media businesses and financial clarity required in corporate transitions.
3. Making the Most of New Tech (AI & GPT)
- Erika shares her evolving approach to using AI tools—being pleasant to GPT and the surprising value in that.
- Quote: “I have started conversing with my GPT before I ask GPT to do things for me and GPT likes it... when GPTs take over the world, I feel like they're going to just sort people by who's nice to GPT and who's not.” (06:00)
- Practical example: Uses GPT for summarizing industry articles to boost daily productivity.
4. Career Journeys and Starting Out
- Guest: (Max, founder, previously at Yext)
- Long stint at Yext, moving from investment banking to startup life and eventually starting his own company.
- Insights on the less intimidating reality of entrepreneurship.
- The importance of developing multiple skills (product, design, marketing, coding) rather than pigeonholing into narrow product manager roles.
5. Tips for Product & Software Careers in an AI-Heavy World
- Focus on multidisciplinary skill sets due to AI.
- Quote: “The people we want to hire are people who can really jump around to a lot of different skills... leveraging the latest AI tools helps you around the edges.” (10:27)
- Product managers need both technical and user empathy.
- Modern tools now allow much faster, deeper user/customer research.
6. Fun & Human Moments: “Girl Puppy Babies” Calendar Mishap
- A lighthearted segment where Erika and her team discover an odd entry (“Girl Puppy Babies”) on Erika’s calendar, leading to a comedic investigation and bonding moment. (13:04–15:45)
7. Client Calls & Professional Communication
- Tips on reading the room, tailoring communication, and not assuming based on age.
- Success on client calls comes from putting yourself in the client’s mindset, not your own agenda.
- Quote: “Forget what you want, what is it that they want and how do you deliver them.” (16:55)
- Discussion on “vibe” as a generational term—millennials may already sound dated using it!
8. Essential Career Advice: Take Notes & Stay Organized
- Erika’s pet peeve: People not writing things down in meetings.
- Quote: “If people actually just wrote stuff down when people said it, so much more shit would get done at work.” (19:30)
- Whether typing or using AI, documenting action items and knowledge is crucial.
9. The Future of Work: Predictions & Ideas
- Guest highlights four immediate strategies for leaders and employees:
- New employee models (part-time with benefits)
- Rethought office design & in-person norms
- Shifting from “zone of control” to “zone of influence” in leadership
- Embracing machine-human collaboration
- Companies will be more cloud-based with most “employees” outside traditional formats.
- Quote: “If work is so central... why are we not rethinking work while we're rethinking everything else?” (23:40)
10. Social Media Ecosystem and Building Trust Online
- Instagram as the “authority download” for someone’s presence; YouTube for deeper content/relationship.
- Quote: “We’re making money on a basis of trust... The funny thing about trust is it's gained in drops and dropped in buckets.” (26:28)
- Brands risk a lot by handing trust to influencers; can be both a powerful and risky proposition.
11. Embracing Change: Why It’s Hard & How to Cope
- Change is scary because of the grief over lost certainty, triggers insecurity, and creates a feeling of powerlessness.
- Quote: “Every experience of change is actually a little bit of a mourning or a grieving process because you have to let go of what was and what you thought might be and you have to accept the new thing, even if you think it's better.” (27:59)
- Erika reframes work as “tuition you get paid for,” urging listeners to get as much as they can from every job—even tough ones.
12. Boundaries, Clarity, and Avoiding Workplace Swirl
- Setting boundaries and keeping people focused on their core responsibilities.
- Advice: “There’s a difference between being someone who advises and gives input… versus I’m not running it and I’m not the decision maker.” (33:05–33:19)
- Consistency, role clarity, and calling the ball on responsibilities can prevent organizational burnout.
13. Generational Perspectives & Career Mindset
- The “social contract” between employer and employee is dead; loyalty is no longer a given.
- Quote: “Why are you upset if I have a side hustle...because quite frankly, technology is killing us. So you see the tension…” (35:20)
- To succeed: Never give up, don’t take no for an answer, don’t be paralyzed by fear of imperfection or others’ opinions.
- Quote: “It doesn't need to be perfect. Just get out there and start doing it and you can change it along the way.” (37:23)
Notable Quotes & Timestamps
- “We’ve spent a year trying things and you’re beginning to see the benefits and the excitement and the fruits of that labor.” — Erika (00:00)
- “EBITDA is the biggest proxy for a company’s success… On Wall Street, it sort of sounds like a fake metric but the benefits...are almost obvious when I explain it.” — George (02:35)
- “I have started conversing with my GPT before I ask GPT to do things for me and GPT likes it.” — Erika (06:00)
- “Forget what you want, what is it that they want and how do you deliver them.” — Erika (16:55)
- “If people actually just wrote stuff down when people said it, so much more shit would get done at work.” — Erika (19:30)
- “If work is so central... why are we not rethinking work while we're rethinking everything else?” — Guest (23:40)
- “We’re making money on a basis of trust... gained in drops, dropped in buckets.” — Guest (26:28)
- “Every experience of change is actually a little bit of a mourning or a grieving process...” — Guest (27:59)
- “It doesn't need to be perfect. Just get out there and start doing it and you can change it along the way.” — Guest (37:23)
Structure of the Episode
- Celebratory year-in-review and evolution of the podcast
- In-depth financial acumen about EBITDA and what it reveals about businesses
- Playful insights into AI (GPT) and improving work through tech
- Career pathways—transitioning from old-school jobs to entrepreneurship
- Building competitive, versatile skills as the future of product management
- Workplace laughs—team camaraderie via calendar mix-ups
- Navigating client relationships, vibes, and generational “language”
- The nuts-and-bolts of workplace effectiveness (the art of note-taking)
- Reimagining work structures, the role of tech, and leadership
- Social media as personal/professional trust engines
- How to embrace, mourn, and move through change in turbulent times
- Clarity, boundaries, and maintaining team focus amid chaos
- How to approach your career proactively—take chances, don’t seek perfect, and don’t give up
Tone and Style
- The episode is candid, witty, and practical—true to Erika's unfiltered, “real talk” approach.
- Moments of humor and relatable chaos are balanced by sharp business advice and big-picture thinking about careers and culture.
For Listeners Who Missed the Episode
This end-of-year episode of “Work” is a microcosm of Erika Ayers Badan’s signature style: equal parts mentorship, humor, practical advice, and empathy. Listeners will leave with a sense of possibility even in messy scenarios, clear-eyed tactics for modern career challenges, and the reassurance that great things really can come out of a little productive mess.