152. Career Fulfillment and Success with Erika Ayers Badan
The month of June is upon us and with it brings many rites of passage including graduation season. This episode is especially timely for new grads; anyone who may be looking to make a change in their career path; or even for someone who loves their current job and isn’t ashamed to admit it. This week’s guest, Erika Ayers Badan, the first CEO of Barstool Sports and current CEO of Food52, as well as author of the new book, “Nobody Cares About Your Career,” available on June 11th, speaks to us on the topic of Career Fulfillment and Success. She discusses how she embraces being a self described, career “nerd” who loves to work; explains how things like taking risks or experiencing failures, on your career path, can lead to growth and success; and offers some advice on navigating some of the more difficult and tricky things that come with a career – like the do’s and don'ts of socializing with coworkers or clients outside of work.
Guest’s Bio: Introducing Food52's New CEO
Guest’s book: Nobody Cares About Your Career (macmillan.com) (Available June 11, 2024)
Quote:
“I think a lot of times people spend their time at work or in pursuit of work or a career, because it makes other people happy or because they think other people will approve of that, or reward it, or laud it, and I just think that's kind of bullshit. I think you should do what makes you happy.”
“You should work as hard as you possibly can, but you should be the judge of what makes a great career. which in essence is being fulfilled at work so that you can be fulfilled in life.”
“If you can be happy with who you are at work, the knowledge you're taking from work, the things you're doing at work, and the way you're pushing yourself in surprising yourself at work – I think that then carries over to who you are in your life.”
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
Are you or have you ever been a “career nerd” like Erika and Kristy?
What kinds of failures or struggles have you faced in your career that you think have helped you to grow?
Have you ever chosen a career because of someone else’s influence or to gain the approval or praise of someone else?
