The Middlests

Middlest creators and hosts, Steph & Pedro reflect on launching the first  year of the podcast and truly owning the experience in the midst of a pandemic and learning about becoming resilient as a result.The impact of topics and guests are reflected on, including Black Lives Matter and COVID-19. Steph & Pedro highlight learnings for professional and personal development that inspired them throughout 2020!Together they revisit conversations with Josh Lucido, Jasmine Harris, Kristen Cheung, and Barbarah Phillips. Tune-in for a look-back! 

Middlest, Julian Lewis shares how he took his side hustle to the bank while working full time. He shares his story of purpose and drive with lessons for how to plan your professional and personal moves based on what “moves” you! Together we revisit the notion of Ikigai, or how to “find purpose” with Anne Baker (Partners International) returning to provide insights on how any middlest can find theirs too!Find Julian online:LinkedInTwitterStudioPodLike Julian, you can get inspired by Guy Raz through his podcast, How I Built This.

Non-profit organizations can be tough and this week's Middlest, Ian Patrick, joins us to discuss how he has navigated this environment.  Leadership changes, communication and "leaning in-to" cohorts are key elements that influenced Ian's path, and now provide learnings for how to affect change in and out of the workplace.NYU Professor and Career coach Mike Valentine (Partners International) joins us for strategies to thrive through turmoil.

We are joined by Middlest, Kristen Chung to discuss "taking on too much," which feels like a cautionary tale during the current extended crisis. If you ever question whether you're providing enough value or have a hint of perfectionist tendencies, Kristen's story of workplace highs and lows will underscore that you're not alone!Career coach Anne Baker (Partners International) is back to dive into strategies to help fortify your sense of "value" across professional and personal realms.

In this episode, the Middlests transition from coping with the pandemic to reflecting on the recent shared collective experience.Specifically, the inequities that the pandemic exposed, which the resurgence of #BlackLivesMatters highlighted, and how these concurrent critical experiences are affecting Black and brown professionals.However, professionals broadly are dueling with how to find their footing as their careers have been impacted and similarly find their voice as it relates to the social issues driving action at all levels of our society.Our guest, Dr. Jasmine Harris, shares her experience transitioning to virtual teaching while remaining a steadfast advocate for her students. You can follow her on Twitter @DrHarrisJay.

In the final episode in the “Career Connections for Coping” mini-series, The Middlests tackle how to pivot in your career and/or job search, during a crisis. Our prolonged period of national crisis has led to reflection and/or job insecurities that make it a moment for Middlests to either pivot their career based on new realizations and priorities, and/or the need to find a new job. Career coaches Anne Baker and Amy Davidson (Partners International) help us focus on strategies to achieve your goals.   

In the second part of  the “Career Connections for Coping” mini-series, The Middlests turn from engaging with intention to: how to have impact remotely & digitally.Whether you're working from home during the pandemic or affected by changes to your work environment, the “new normal” requires us to make certain shifts. Connecting with colleagues continues to be key but making an impact through video conferences and/or remotely, requires us to project a “new” version of ourselves.Career coach Anne Baker (Partners International) returns to the show to give us ways of identifying the elements to lean on and the actions to take for driving impact in the “new normal.”

The Middlests are back with a three-part mini-series while working from home called, “Career Connections for Coping.”Having spent a lot of time thinking about connecting and reconnecting, Steph & Pedro dive into best practices on how to adapt your style given the global pandemic and stress with the help of an expert on each episode.In this episode, they focused on how to engage with intention. Career expert Amy Davidson of Partners International shares how to "learn," "share" & become “discoverable” during this time of crisis.

For the second BONUS episode during COVID-19, The Middlests spoke with career coach, Barbara Phillips (Partners International) about the four stages of "Transition" as researched by William Bridges. Specifically, how to recognize what stage you are in and how to shift your mindset from reacting to acting in accordance with your needs during this time of crisis and change.  

As the U.S. manages through the COVID-19 pandemic, millions in the workforce have been asked to work remotely. However, According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 29 percent of Americans can work from home, including one in 20 service workers and more than half of information workers. Is working from home the same pre & post COVID-19?Steph & Pedro created a special pod to dive into the state of work, share tips & resources for how to thrive remotely, and share perspectives on the newly remote workforce.

In business, rejection is woven into any career path, from the interview process, to influencing decisions (or not), selling through ideas, or even the promotion cycle. How do you accept, receive, apply and thrive in the face of rejection? Or do you? In this episode, The Middlests speak with Christian Siriano about how to stay balanced when, “one day you're in, and the next day you're out!” The business man, fashion designer, and "Project Runway" TV host offers learnings from his own professional journey.Produced in partnership with Newsweek Conversations.

On this special episode, we partnered with Newsweek Conversations on a live event recording with guest Elaine Welteroth who was the youngest and first black editor at Teen Vogue. Our interview echoes her book, More than Enough, which sheds light on her journey of self-identity and how she has created an authentic life and career. 

This episode tackles the issue of feeling behind in your career and the different causes that lead us there. With so much access to other people's lives and careers through social media, it's no wonder many of us are prone to comparing ourselves through available online profiles and posts. This week's Middlest, Josh Lucido, shares his experience as a "career switcher," from career pursuits to family purpose. Our expert, Anne Baker, shares how to avoid the pitfalls of this behavior while focusing on your own path.

In episode two we discuss the culture of communication from the ground up, no matter your role in an organization.We talk with Kate Ward who grew Bustle Digital Group from infancy to over a hundred editors.Expert Liz Tran translates learnings from her favorite resources - "Radical Candor" and "Crucial Conversations" into how-tos into building workplace communication that works.

In our pilot episode, we focus on the feeling of stagnation in the workplace, exploring ways to move forward. The Middlests talk with Brittany Hennessy - author, mom-boss and influencer marketing maven - about her journey and how feeling stuck became a launching pad for her dream career.Liz Tran, executive career coach and founder of Reset in NYC, provides three tangible takeaways that enable you to get out of the rut and move forward with intention.Resources:https://www.resetnyc.com/https://www.brittanyhennessy.com/https://middlests.com/