Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel

Latest Episodes:

Understanding ADHD with the Holderness Family Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

What if the traits that once got you in trouble could actually be your greatest strengths? Viral creators Penn and Kim Holderness have built careers—and a family life—around embracing ADHD. They join Jessi Hempel to talk about how understanding the ADHD brain can transform frustration into creativity, connection, and confidence.

Penn and Kim Holderness—viral content creators, parents, and partners—have built an entire career on laughter, honesty, and showing what real family life looks like. With over 5 million followers and hundreds of millions of views, they’re known for turning everyday chaos into hilarious and heartfelt videos about marriage, parenting, and mental health.

In this episode of Hello Monday, they sit down with Jessi Hempel to talk about how embracing ADHD has reshaped their lives, their marriage, and their work—and why understanding neurodiversity can be the key to unlocking success.

In this episode, Penn and Kim open up about:

How shame and misunderstanding often mask ADHD’s gifts
The systems and strategies that make their partnership work
Why reframing “fixation” as “hyperfocus” can change everything
How parents and leaders can support ADHD brains—at home and at work
The growing cultural awareness around neurodiversity and creativity

Whether you’re raising a neurodivergent child, leading a team, or navigating your own diagnosis, this conversation offers a roadmap for understanding difference as strength.

Check out Penn and Kim’s new children’s book: All You Can Be with ADHD

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

Dr. Jennifer Freed on Creativity, Healing, and the Power of Self-Understanding Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

In the age of endless scrolling, the antidote to overconsumption is creativity.

Dr. Jennifer Freed believes that when we spend less time consuming and more time creating, we reconnect to something essential: our vitality. A clinical psychologist and astrologer with over 40 years of experience, Jennifer combines psychology and spirituality to help people understand themselves more deeply and live more fully. Her client list includes everyone from celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow to teens in her nonprofit program AHA!, which supports emotional intelligence, empathy, and inclusion.

In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Jennifer to explore how creativity, self-awareness, and collective action can help us navigate a world in flux. They discuss how to turn grief into imagination, why nostalgia can hold us back, and how astrology can serve as a “map” to our potential—not a prediction of our fate.

Jessi and Jennifer discuss:

Why creativity is the antidote to consumption
How grief and reinvention go hand in hand
The difference between astrology as prediction and astrology as self-understanding
What it means to find “immunity” from collective despair
Why spiritual bypassing keeps us stuck—and how to move through pain instead
The discipline of daily creation (even when you’re not “good” at it)
What Jennifer learned from writing her first novel and redefining success
Why our human longing for love, meaning, health, and purpose unites us all

Jennifer’s work bridges the head and the heart. Her message: less consumption, more creation. When we make something—however imperfect—we resist the pull of cynicism and reclaim our power to imagine a better future.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

Jen Hatmaker on Speaking Out, Breaking Down, and Beginning Again Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

When your story falls apart, how do you begin again?

Jen Hatmaker has lived through more than one public unraveling. Once an acclaimed evangelical Christian leader and author, she lost much of her audience when she began to publicly speak out against racism and homophobia within the church. And then, a few years later, she lost her marriage too. But instead of retreating, she rebuilt her life from the ground up.

In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Jen to talk about faith, identity, and what happens when you decide to live in alignment with your values, even when it means losing the world you built. Jen shares what she’s learned about listening to her intuition, rewriting her story, and building a new identity rooted in honesty and self-trust.

Her new book, Awake, begins the night everything changed—and chronicles how she moved from shock and grief to calm and clarity.

Jessi and Jen discuss:

What it means to lose everything you thought defined you
How to tell the truth about your life, even when it breaks the story you wanted
How to listen to intuition when fear is loud
Jen’s experience of public cancellation after confronting racism and affirming LGBTQ+ rights
The difference between recovering and truly flourishing
How identity evolves after faith, marriage, and public failure
What it takes to move from rupture to renewal

Jen’s story is about more than resilience. It’s about the power of starting over and finding freedom on the other side of letting go.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

Making Sense of Money, Jobs, and the Economy with Kyla Scanlon Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

The economy can feel overwhelming, confusing, and even intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be. As markets shift, housing costs rise, and labor shortages disrupt industries, economist Kyla Scanlon believes the way forward is understanding how the economy really works—and seeing the human connections at its core.

Kyla is the founder of the financial education company Bread and the author of In This Economy? How Money and Markets Really Work. She creates viral, accessible content that makes economics understandable, actionable, and even empowering. In this episode from our Hello Monday archives, Jessi Hempel sits down with Kyla to break down how money, markets, and macroeconomic forces impact our everyday lives—and how shifting from scarcity to abundance can help us navigate them.

Jessi and Kyla discuss:

Why understanding the economy starts with people, trust, and relationships
How labor shortages, the housing crisis, and renewable energy challenges really work
The mindset shift from scarcity to abundance—and why it matters for decision-making
How economic systems can feel complicated but are actually predictable
Practical ways to make informed financial choices in personal and professional life
Why the economy isn’t just numbers—it’s human, and it can even be beautiful

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

The Truth About Vulnerability and Leadership from Brené Brown Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Brené Brown has spent more than two decades studying courage, vulnerability, and leadership. Her work has changed how we talk about shame and belonging—and helped millions of people lead with more humanity.

In her new book, Strong Ground, Brené introduces the idea of “grounded confidence”: a practice of leading with consistency, clarity, and courage instead of bravado. She argues that the strongest leaders aren’t the loudest or the most certain. They’re the ones willing to hold paradoxes, set boundaries, and strip away the armor that keeps us stuck.

In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Brené to talk about what it really takes to lead today, and why developing human skills, like courage and empathy, matters more than ever.

Jessi and Brené discuss:

Why we’ve been “building on dysfunction” at work—and how to stop
How to embrace paradox instead of rushing toward certainty
Why grounded confidence is a stronger foundation than bravado
What leaders get wrong about vulnerability
How values clarify choices and protect against resentment
Practical ways to set boundaries and build trust
Why human skills are the real core muscles of work today

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

🎥 Want more? LinkedIn Premium members can watch an extended version of this interview.

Mark Cuban on How to Spot Opportunities Before Anyone Else Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

When rejection strikes, smart bets win. Mark Cuban knows that the biggest opportunities don’t come from luck, they come from bold, calculated moves.

In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Mark, the entrepreneur, investor, and Shark Tank star, to uncover how he turns setbacks into wins and spots opportunities before anyone else does. From negotiating high-stakes deals to pivoting careers in uncertain times, he shares the mindset and strategies that help him thrive when the future feels unpredictable.

This conversation will leave you with tools to:

Identify opportunities others overlook
Make smarter bets that pay off
Turn rejection and failure into momentum
Negotiate with confidence and get what you’re worth
Stay resilient in a world that never stops changing
Navigate career pivots, ageism, and salary conversations at any stage

Don’t just survive the changing world of work; learn how to turn uncertainty into your greatest advantage.

Continue the conversation at Hello Monday Office Hours, Wednesdays at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

Watch the extended conversation with LinkedIn Premium.

The Likeability Trap and How to Escape It Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Why does success make men more likable, but women less so? Researchers call it the success–likeability paradox, and it’s one of the biggest challenges women face as they rise in their careers.

In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Kate Mason—executive coach, former world champion debater, and author of the new book Powerfully Likeable—to explore how women can succeed without sacrificing authenticity or influence.

Kate argues that likability and power aren’t opposites. In fact, the most effective leaders know how to blend authority with connection, conviction with empathy. And with the right communication tools, we can all do the same.

Jessi and Kate discuss:

Why the likability–success paradox persists—and how to navigate it
How women can project authority without being labeled “too much”
Why over-preparation holds many leaders back (and how to stop)
What executive presence really means (and why the term is flawed)
Why you don’t have to minimize yourself to be liked
Practical ways to build authentic influence through better communication
Why failure is essential to success—and how to reframe it as experimentation

If you’ve ever felt like you’re walking a tightrope between being likable and being respected, Kate offers a new way forward—one that’s rooted in communication, confidence, and authenticity.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

An FBI Agent's Playbook for Everyday Negotiation Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

Most of us think of negotiation as something reserved for high-stakes boardrooms—or even hostage situations. But Christopher Voss, former FBI lead hostage negotiator and bestselling author of Never Split the Difference, says negotiation is everywhere: in salary talks, in team meetings, even in conversations with your kids. And the secret isn’t control. It’s influence.

In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Chris to explore how we can all become better negotiators by focusing on empathy, collaboration, and trust. Drawing on decades of experience, Chris shares practical tools you can use to move conversations forward—whether you’re asking for a raise, dealing with a difficult boss, or navigating conflict at home.

Chris and Jessi discuss:

Why negotiation is really about collaboration and long-term relationships
How to shift from seeking control to building influence
The power of labeling emotions to build trust and lower defenses
Why “no” is often more powerful than “yes”
How to recognize when a negotiation is over—or when it’s time to walk away
Strategies to reframe salary conversations and show your value

Chris’s methods aren’t about winning at someone else’s expense. They’re about creating better outcomes for everyone involved. If you’ve ever wondered how to be heard, respected, and influential in your work, this conversation offers a masterclass.

This episode was recorded live in-studio. For an extended, behind-the-scenes version, watch on LinkedIn Premium.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

The Old Productivity Playbook Is Broken. Here’s What to Do Instead. Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

Burnout. Ubiquitous technology. New rules for remote work. These forces are reshaping our jobs—and in many cases, breaking them. The old model of productivity, born during the Industrial Revolution, doesn’t fit the realities of knowledge work today.

In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel talks with Natalie Nixon, creativity strategist and author of Move. Think. Rest., about why it’s time to reinvent productivity and how her framework can help us do it. Natalie calls it the MTR Framework: Move, Think, Rest. It’s not about doing more. It’s about cultivating creativity as a strategic advantage, for individuals and organizations alike.

Jessi and Natalie explore:

How burnout, technology, and remote work are disrupting traditional productivity
How the MTR Framework helps us reimagine work around creativity and flexibility
What “movement hygiene” is and why small shifts matter more than big ones
The importance of daydreaming
Why rest goes beyond sleep and includes micro-breaks, sabbaticals, and recovery
Practical ways to redesign meetings to spark creativity and democratize ideas
Why creativity is now one of the most essential skills for the future of work

If you’ve been feeling drained by endless meetings and productivity hacks that don’t deliver, this episode offers another path forward.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

Break Free from Financial Anxiety with Mellody Hobson Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

Most of us grow up with unspoken lessons about money—lessons that can stick with us for life. But what if those beliefs are holding us back?

In this week’s episode from the Hello Monday archives, Jessi Hempel sits down with Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, and one of the most powerful voices in finance and leadership. Named by TIME and Fortune as one of the most influential leaders in business, Mellody shares how to shift your money mindset, build healthy financial habits, and teach the next generation how to thrive.

Mellody’s latest project is a children’s book, Priceless Facts About Money, designed to make financial literacy accessible and fun for kids. In this conversation, she and Jessi explore how money shapes identity, how to overcome financial anxiety, and why separating self-worth from net worth is key to long-term success.

Mellody and Jessi discuss:

How early money beliefs influence financial decisions and careers
The importance of financial literacy for kids and families
Practical strategies for reducing money anxiety
Why self-worth is not the same as net worth
Steps anyone can take today to achieve financial freedom

This episode was recorded live in-studio. For an extended, behind-the-scenes version, watch on LinkedIn Premium.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours, every Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.

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