This episode starts with leadership… and somehow ends up in online dating.
So yes - it’s another Brains Gone Bold ride.

On this episode, Maria and Jeanine talk about expectations and how they sneak into everything: work, relationships, leadership, even what we think people “should” do or say.

Maria shares a moment from a leadership talk that hit her hard: we’re always teaching managers how to support their teams, but we rarely ask the obvious question: who’s supporting the managers? She opens up about how heavy leadership can feel, especially when you’re carrying everyone else and still expected to look “fine.”

Jeanine jumps in with the truth: leadership can be lonely, draining, and unrealistic, especially when people get promoted with no training and are told to manage a team on top of doing their old job.

And then… the detour.

Jeanine shares some very real online dating stories, including a guy who went from “promise you won’t stalk me” to “do you want to measure me?” real fast. It turns into a surprisingly deep moment about perception, self-blame, and the pressure women feel to manage other people’s behavior.

By the end, the big takeaway lands clearly: expectations can set us up, but curiosity helps us stay human in leadership, in life, and yes… in dating.

Come join us for another fun ride. Tune in.

The holidays are supposed to feel magical… so why do they sometimes feel like pure chaos?

In this Brains Gone Bold: Holiday Edition, Maria and Jeanine keep it real about what the season actually looks like as adults. You know - the stress, the money, the “what do I buy my teenager?” spiral, and the pressure to have a picture-perfect holiday that doesn’t exist.

They talk about what does bring joy, though:
✨ experience gifts instead of “stuff”
✨ Christmas lights and nostalgia
✨ baking cookies (and freezing them… even if you can taste it)
✨ gingerbread house competitions with secret weapons
✨ and the core memories we all wish we could bottle up and keep forever

Jeanine shares a hilarious (and very real) take on why there’s “no such thing as a Hallmark Christmas” and how the smell of fish can totally hijack Christmas. Maria admits she sometimes wants to strip away gift-giving entirely, just to get back to the actual spirit of the season.

They also end with a warm call to action:
What holiday traditions still work when kids are older and how do you create new core memories? Jeanine says she’s “chasing” that feeling, and they want your ideas.

If you’re looking for a holiday episode that’s funny, honest, and comforting - this one’s for you.

👉 Drop your favorite holiday tradition in the comments.
👍 Like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs a holiday laugh

If you think your workplace is wild… just wait.
In this episode of Brains Gone Bold, Maria and Jeanine discuss real HR stories and workplace nightmares that prove leading people is never boring. From an employee clipping her toenails at the office to a memorable (and very awkward) bathroom incident caught on a work call, these HR tales are equal parts hilarious, shocking, and painfully relatable.

Whether you're in HR, a manager, or just someone who loves unbelievable workplace stories, this episode delivers.

Maria and Jeanine break down why people do bizarre things at work, how leaders can stay calm in chaos, and why empathy and clear expectations matter even when the situation is… gross.

This is your very real reminder that leading humans is never boring.

Tune in - you’ll laugh, cringe, and feel way less alone.