Episodes

  • INBOX: Work Wife Red Flags, WFH Hacks & New Role Reality Checks
    Aug 20 2025

    Feeling like the office weakest link in your new role? Your partner's "work wife / husband" making you seriously uncomfortable? Or maybe you're just trying to master the art of looking busy on those "done by lunch" WFH Fridays?

    This week, we're serving up the exact strategies and scripts you need to handle these sticky situations - from reframing new role anxiety to having that awkward work wife conversation, plus tactical Friday WFH hacks.

    What you'll learn:

    New Role Confidence Toolkit: Why the "drowning" feeling means you're doing it right, plus how to reframe imposter syndrome using the HP study that shows men apply at 60% qualified

    Friday WFH Survival Tactics: Specific strategies for spreading workload, scheduling emails, and staying available without being glued to your desk

    The Work Wife Conversation Script: Exact approaches for discussing boundaries with your partner and red flags to watch for when workplace friendships cross the line

    Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions.

    Got office politics nightmares or boss-from-hell situations? Send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous!

    SHOW MENTIONS:

    Get more Sarah Davidson in her sensational podcast Seize The Yay!
    Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here to get all our tips and tricks.

    Want $10 + a free month of Mamamia? We've got you.
    We're cooking up something exciting and need your brilliant opinions to help us make even better content.
    It's just 20 minutes of your time, and you'll get:

    • $10 e-gift card
    • 1 month Mamamia subscription (or gift it to someone if you're already a subscriber)

    Survey here
    T&Cs here

    THE END BITS
    Support independent women's media
    Follow the Biz Instagram and Sarah's very own podcast: Seize The Yay Podcast.

    HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em Vernem
    SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
    AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

    BIZ UPDATE:

    Sarah Davidson has been sharing her career wisdom with us, and now she's officially here to stay. She's joining BIZ Inbox full-time as co-host alongside Em Vernem and honestly, we couldn't be more excited.

    Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
  • Why Your Skills Have an Expiry Date (And What to Do About It)
    Aug 18 2025

    Let's be honest...waiting until you feel "ready" to make a career move is like waiting for the perfect weather to start exercising. It's never going to happen, and meanwhile, everyone else is getting ahead. This week, we're diving deep into why learning isn't just nice-to-have anymore - it's career insurance. Our guest Andrea Clark has spent her career helping people adapt fast, and she doesn't believe in waiting until you're ready to grow.

    From recognizing when that "mutual value exchange" with your employer has run its course, to spotting signals of change before they become obvious to everyone else. We explore why Andrea invested $3,000 in an AI course back in 2017 (spoiler: it paid off massively) and tackle the biggest blocker to career growth - thinking you need to feel 100% confident before taking action.

    What you'll learn:

    • The "mutual value exchange" test to know when it's time to move on

    • How to spot signals of change 5 years before your industry

    • Micro-learning strategies for busy people who think they don't have time

    • Why courage brings clarity and how to turn experiments into evidence

    • How to align your learning goals with where your business is heading in 2030

    Resources:

    • Future Fit: How To Stay Relevant And Competitive In The Future Of Work

    Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

    Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.

    Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here


    THE END BITS
    Support independent women's media.
    Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!

    HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

    GUEST: Andrea Clarke

    SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
    AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

    Want $10 + a free month of Mamamia? We've got you.
    We're cooking up something exciting and need your brilliant opinions to help us make even better content.
    It's just 20 minutes of your time, and you'll get:

    • $10 e-gift card
    • 1 month Mamamia subscription (or gift it to someone if you're already a subscriber)

    Survey here
    T&Cs here

    Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

    Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • INBOX: The Oversharer Shutdown & When Your Breakup Becomes Everyone's Business
    Aug 13 2025

    Workplace oversharing making you cringe? Your messy ex just applied to work at your company? And someone definitely overheard you venting about colleagues to your husband?

    This week, we're tackling the most awkward workplace situations that have you lying awake at 3am wondering how to fix them. We decode the delicate art of telling a colleague they share way too much personal information, reveal what to do when your romantic history collides with your professional life, and share the exact words to use when your private conversation becomes very public.

    What you'll discover:

    The Oversharer's Dilemma: How to address a colleague who won't stop talking about their period and sex life without becoming the office prude

    The Ex-Files: Real strategies for when your messy breakup threatens to invade your workplace (plus Em's brutal confession about sabotaging an ex's job application)

    The Overheard Conversation: Exactly what to say when someone catches you venting about work to your spouse

    The Boundary Setting Masterclass: Why reading the room is everything and how different workplaces have wildly different tolerance levels

    The Awkwardness Antidote: Why addressing uncomfortable situations head-on is always better than letting them fester

    Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions.

    Got office politics nightmares or boss-from-hell situations? Send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous!

    SHOW MENTIONS:

    Get more Sarah Davidson in her sensational podcast Seize The Yay!
    Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here to get all our tips and tricks.

    Want $10 + a free month of Mamamia? We've got you.
    We're cooking up something exciting and need your brilliant opinions to help us make even better content.
    It's just 20 minutes of your time, and you'll get:

    • $10 e-gift card
    • 1 month Mamamia subscription (or gift it to someone if you're already a subscriber)

    Survey here
    T&Cs here


    THE END BITS
    Support independent women's media
    Follow the Biz Instagram and Sarah's very own podcast: Seize The Yay Podcast.

    HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em Vernem
    SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
    AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

    BIZ UPDATE:

    Sarah Davidson has been sharing her career wisdom with us, and now she's officially here to stay. She's joining BIZ Inbox full-time as co-host alongside Em Vernem and honestly, we couldn't be more excited.

    Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • How To Show Up Without Showing Off
    Aug 11 2025

    Let's be honest...stuff like "personal branding" and "networking" can feel so cringey. But this kind of work - building relationships, putting yourself out there, making sure people know what you do - isn't optional anymore.

    This week, we're tackling the awkward space between wanting recognition and not wanting to feel like you're constantly selling yourself. We explore why 70% of Australian jobs happen through the "hidden job market" and how making your "invisible work" visible is key to career growth without the cringe factor.

    From the difference between visible work (what's in your job description) and invisible work (the relationships you build and unique perspective you bring) to navigating LinkedIn's evolution from professional networking to... whatever it is now. We unpack how to do it in a way that feels like you - not like you're selling yourself - plus practical ways to start showing up without feeling like a walking LinkedIn post.

    What you'll learn:

    • Why "idea promotion" feels so much better than self-promotion (and gets better results)
    • The low-effort, high-impact strategies to start building visibility this week
    • How to use LinkedIn authentically without becoming one of those people with the em-dashes
    • Why commenting meaningfully beats posting your own content when you're starting out
    • The art of casual networking that doesn't feel like networking at all
    • How to reconnect with former colleagues without it being weird

    Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

    Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.

    Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here


    THE END BITS
    Support independent women's media.
    Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!

    HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

    SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
    AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

    Want $10 + a free month of Mamamia? We've got you.
    We're cooking up something exciting and need your brilliant opinions to help us make even better content.
    It's just 20 minutes of your time, and you'll get:

    • $10 e-gift card
    • 1 month Mamamia subscription (or gift it to someone if you're already a subscriber)

    Survey here
    T&Cs here

    Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

    Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • INBOX: Say This Instead Of "That's Not My Job" & The Networking Script That Works
    Aug 6 2025

    Do networking events make you want to hide in the bathroom? Your colleagues keep dumping their disasters on your desk? And everyone's talking about "conscious unbossing" like it's the career move of the century?

    This week, we're diving deep into the workplace trends that are reshaping how we think about success. We decode the viral conscious unbossing movement that's got Gen Z turning down promotions (and whether it's genius or career suicide), plus we tackle the networking game without sounding desperate and reveal the diplomatic ways to tell colleagues their chaos isn't your problem.

    What you'll discover:

    The Conscious Unbossing Reality Check: Why turning down promotions might be the smartest move you never considered

    The Zookeeper's Power Move: How one woman refused every promotion to stay happy (and why her boss loved it)

    The Networking Breakthrough: The one question that transforms awkward coffee chats into real connections

    The Boundary Setting Bible: Diplomatic ways to say "that's not my job" without burning bridges

    The Small Talk Truth: Why everyone who says they "hate small talk" is missing the point

    Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions.

    Got office politics nightmares or boss-from-hell situations? Send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous!

    SHOW MENTIONS:

    Get more Sarah Davidson in her sensational podcast Seize The Yay!

    Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here to get all our tips and tricks.

    Want $10 + a free month of Mamamia? We've got you.
    We're cooking up something exciting and need your brilliant opinions to help us make even better content.
    It's just 20 minutes of your time, and you'll get:

    • $10 e-gift card
    • 1 month Mamamia subscription (or gift it to someone if you're already a subscriber)

    Survey here
    T&Cs here


    THE END BITS
    Support independent women's media
    Follow the Biz Instagram and Sarah's very own podcast: Seize The Yay Podcast.

    HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em Vernem
    SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
    AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

    BIZ UPDATE:

    Sarah Davidson has been sharing her career wisdom with us, and now she's officially here to stay. She's joining BIZ Inbox full-time as co-host alongside Em Vernem and honestly, we couldn't be more excited.

    Mamamia's studios are furnished with thanks to Fenton & Fenton. For more head to their website here.

    Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

    Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • How To Get Out Of The "We've Always Done It This Way" Trap
    Aug 4 2025

    Ever suggest something new at work only to hear "that's just how we do things here" and watch the energy completely deflate? Yeah, we've all been there. This week, we're chatting with Wade Kingsley about breaking free from status quo thinking and actually getting your ideas heard without being shut down or laughed at (been there too).

    Wade breaks down why most workplaces are set up to reward playing it safe, how to identify whether you're a Dreamer, Doer, or Doubter on your team, and the genius strategy of testing ideas in kitchen conversations before you pitch them to the boss. Plus, we dive into why creativity isn't about having the most artistic job - it's about getting curious and asking "but what if we tried this instead?" when everyone else just accepts the way things are.

    What you'll learn:

    • The Three Creative Types and why your team needs all of them (spoiler: it's not just about the big idea people)
    • Why you should never pitch your brilliant idea to the boss first - and who to talk to instead
    • The 'Five Whys' technique for getting to the real problem (not just what's on the surface)
    • How to frame risky ideas as "experiments" so people actually want to try them
    • The art of separating brainstorming from reality-checking so ideas don't get killed instantly
    • How to build creative confidence even when you've been shot down before

    Our new BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

    Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.

    Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here


    THE END BITS
    Support independent women's media.
    Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!

    HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

    GUEST: Wade Kingsley

    SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
    AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

    Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

    Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • INBOX: How To Stop Your Boss Stealing Your Ideas & Bounce Back From Office Tears
    Jul 30 2025

    Your boss just stole your brilliant idea. Again. While you're sitting there feeling invisible, they're presenting "their" genius solution to the entire leadership team. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Idea theft is alive and well in Australian offices, and this week we're giving you the tools to fight back. We're also tackling the mortifying moment we've all had - crying at work - and helping a millennial navigate the tricky waters of managing a team of boomers. This week we're solving workplace dilemmas that hit close to home, from generational clashes to protecting your intellectual property!

    What you'll learn:

    The Authority Paradox: How to earn respect when you're the youngest person in charge

    The Credit Protection System: Simple tactics to stop your boss stealing your ideas

    The Crying Recovery Plan: How to bounce back professionally after showing emotion at work

    The Generational Bridge: Why adapting your style (temporarily) isn't selling out

    The Paper Trail Strategy: Creating evidence that protects your contributions

    The Salary Reality Check: Australia's highest-paying jobs revealed (surgeons still dominating at $472K)

    Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions.

    Got office politics nightmares or boss-from-hell situations? Send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous!

    SHOW MENTIONS:

    Get more Sarah Davidson in her sensational podcast Seize The Yay!

    Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here to get all our tips and tricks.

    THE END BITS
    Support independent women's media
    Follow the Biz Instagram and Sarah's very own podcast: Seize The Yay Podcast.

    HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em Vernem
    SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
    AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

    BIZ UPDATE:

    Sarah Davidson has been sharing her career wisdom with us, and now she's officially here to stay. She's joining BIZ Inbox full-time as co-host alongside Em Vernem and honestly, we couldn't be more excited.

    Mamamia's studios are furnished with thanks to Fenton & Fenton. For more head to their website here.

    Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

    Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • How To Work Your Way Up (And Actually Get There)
    Jul 28 2025

    Working your way up isn't just about putting in more hours or waiting your turn. It's about being strategic, being visible, and knowing how to navigate the messy middle - like relationships, timing, and office politics. This week, we're giving you the exact playbook to stop waiting around for someone to tell you that you're ready for a promotion and how to actually make it happen instead.

    We dig into how to know if you're actually ready to move up (spoiler: time in seat doesn't equal readiness), the art of asking for advancement without sounding pushy or awkward, and how to build the kind of reputation that makes people want to champion your career. Plus, we tackle what to do when you tick all the boxes but still don't get the promotion - and why that might actually be the best thing that could happen to you.

    What you'll learn:

    • The Readiness Reality Check: How to get honest feedback about where you stand and what a "10 out of 10" performance actually looks like
    • The Promotion Conversation Reframe: Why you should never use the word "promotion" and what to say instead to get results
    • The Trust Factor: Why promotions go to the most trusted person, not the loudest, and four quiet ways to build your reputation
    • The Sponsor vs Mentor Distinction: Understanding the difference and why having a sponsor is crucial for career acceleration
    • The Rejection Recovery Plan: Four strategic experiments to try when you don't get the promotion (that set you up for success either way)

    Our new BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

    Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.

    Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here


    THE END BITS
    Support independent women's media.
    Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!

    HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem
    SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
    AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

    Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

    Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    24 mins