Work Is Third

There are very few workplace problems that bettercommunication can't improve, at least according to today's guest.

In this episode of Work Is Third, I sit down with BJ Talley, Founder and President of the strategic communications firm Gladius, to talk about what actually builds trust on a team. BJ shares how his fully remote company opens its books to every employee, why he believes leaders should help people find work elsewhere if ...

What if the version of you that got you here isn't the version you need for what's next?

Emily Adams left the Amish community at 17 with no roadmap—jumping out of a two-story window in the middle of the night with no plan. She went on to manage production lines for Ford, GM, and BMW, save millions in operational gaps inside a global tech company, bootstrap a tech platform from scratch, and help lead Tampa Bay Tech Week to a pr...

What happens when the role you're playing on the outside stops matching who you actually are underneath it?

On this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn Hunter talks with Jonathan Cave about daring to become that person instead. Jonathan is the author of The Tree and the Mountain – Dare to Become where he shares his journey to redefine himself.

Jonathan was a partner in a prestigious Geneva law firm, outwardly successful yet inwardl...

What has to happen in your life for you to realize that you need a break – and to take it?

Brooke Dukes has built four companies in 24 years, and she's found the same problem inside every one of them: the founder becomes the bottleneck. Brooke Dukes is the founder of Success by Design, a leadership operating system for founders and CEOs of small and mid-sized businesses and the author of Burn On, Not Out.

In this episode, Bro...

What if the people around you are one of the best ways to invest in yourself?

Self-Published Author, Speaker, Female Mentor and Women's Advocate, and corporate finance professional, Urmi Hossain joins Dawn to talk about "friendtors," speed mentoring, and the boundaries that let her invest in herself so she can invest in everyone else. She shares tips on managing time so that she can do all the things that fill her up.

Together, Dawn...

Have you ever felt like you didn't belong somewhere but couldn't explain why? Organizational scientist, adjunct professor, and keynote speaker Andrea D. Carter has spent years studying exactly that feeling — and she has the data to prove it's not in your head. It's in your nervous system.

Her belonging research, validated across 8 industries and over 150,000 people, makes one thing undeniable: belonging isn't soft. It's scienc...

What does health actually look like — when you factor in ADHD, night owl energy, systemic barriers, and the courage to say the hard thing out loud?

In this episode, I sit down with Jen Fry — conflict resolution coach, speaker, tech entrepreneur, and author of I Said No: How to Have a Backbone and Boundaries Without Being a Jerk — for a wide-ranging conversation about redefining health on our own terms. We talk abou...

Are you building a life that feels right for you , or one shaped by expectations, achievement, and what you think you're supposed to do?

In this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn Hunter sits down with Calvalyn Day to explore freedom, flexibility, reinvention, and the choices that shape our lives. Together, they unpack why so many people live by the "shoulds," how external validation can quietly drive our decisions, and why feeling stuc...

Have you ever felt like you’re always trying to do enough, be enough, have enough?

In this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn Hunter talks with psychotherapist and coach DeMonta Whiting about people pleasing, emotional resilience, identity, and learning how to stop tying your worth to productivity. Together, they explore how childhood beliefs shape adult behaviors, why so many high achievers struggle to feel “good enough,&rd...

What if protecting your peace doesn’t mean staying quiet—but finally speaking up?

In this episode of Work is Third, Dawn Hunter talks with Rene Rivas, entrepreneur, nurse, and founder of RevIVe+ Mobile IV Concierge, about healing, presence, vulnerability, and redefining success on your own terms.

Rene shares his journey from difficult workplace experiences to building a business rooted in prevention and wellbeing. Togeth...

Have you ever had a moment where you stopped and thought… how much of who I am is actually me?

In this episode of Work is Third, Dawn Hunter sits down with James Lumumba, host of Don’t Be Afraid to Talk, for a powerful conversation on identity and how to rewrite the stories we’ve been told about ourselves.

Together, they explore how many of the beliefs people carry about themselves are shaped by early experiences, ...

What if the problem isn’t that your life is too full, but that there’s no space for what actually matters?

In this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn Hunter speaks with Natolie Warren, a psychotherapist, wellness expert, and retreat leader, about shifting out of autopilot and reconnecting with yourself through small, intentional practices.

They explore the power of breath, the importance of asking better questions, and how le...

What happens when women share their stories and build connections across generations?

In this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn Hunter speaks with the hosts of the Raised by Her Podcast, a mother-daughter duo exploring womanhood, identity, and life through an intergenerational lens.

Together, they discuss the power of storytelling, the importance of honest conversations about women’s health, and how mentorship and community can he...

What if progress didn’t have to look impressive to count?

In this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn Hunter sits down with founder and storyteller Paula Thomas to explore what it means to rebuild after loss, and how small wins can change everything.

After navigating crippling depression and anxiety, and later, an ADHD and autism diagnosis, building a career in tech, and then losing her husband unexpectedly, Paula was forced to rede...

What does real healing look like after historical trauma, and how do we carry sovereignty, ceremony, and leadership into modern life?

In this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn sits down with Southern Cheyenne Chris Tall Bear for a deeply grounded conversation about healing, history, and the responsibility of leadership.

Chris Tall Bear is a Southern Cheyenne Chief, Tribal public health advisor, and community leader. In this conversation...

What if your exhaustion, pain, or restlessness isn’t something to fix, but something to listen to?

In this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn Hunter sits down with Dr. Aissa McGuirl, physical therapist and author of Connect the Body Dots, for a grounded conversation about what our bodies are trying to tell us and why so many of us aren’t listening.

Together, they explore how breath, movement, and recovery are foundational to ...

What does it mean to care deeply for others without losing yourself in the process?

Adrienne Tucker, founder of Generation NOW Alaska, joins Work Is Third to talk about chronic illness, caregiving, boundaries, and the truth behind showing up sustainably.

Living with fibromyalgia while leading youth programs, supporting families, and raising two children has taught Adrienne a powerful lesson: you can’t give your best if you&rsqu...

Midlife isn’t a decline — it’s a shift.

In this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn sits down with Certified Midlife Coach Jody Phifer for an honest, grounding conversation about perimenopause, menopause, identity, and what it really means to put yourself first after decades of caregiving, hustling, and holding it all together.

Together, they unpack why perimenopause is just one part of a much bigger midlife transition, ...

When you’ve spent years being who you needed to be, it can be hard to remember who you actually are.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, sit with yourself, and reconnect with what self-love really looks like.

In this episode of Work Is Third, Dawn Hunter talks with Ger Carriere, entrepreneur, artist, and healer, about healing, legacy, identity, and what it means to truly commit to yourself.

This conversation is a...