Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel

Latest Episodes:

How to Lead Through Chaos Without Burning Out Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

Change is no longer something that happens occasionally—it’s constant. And navigating it effectively requires the right mindset. In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with FutureThink CEO, bestselling author, and LinkedIn Learning instructor Lisa Bodell to explore how simplicity, meaningful work, and essential soft skills can help us thrive in a world defined by chaos and constant change.

Lisa is the author of Why Simplicity Wins and a speaker who has spent years helping leaders and teams cut through complexity to focus on what truly matters. This conversation was recorded live during LinkedIn’s learning day, in an interactive session with insights you can put into practice immediately.

Lisa and Jessi discuss:

How to navigate constant change versus leading through predictable change
Designing your North Star around meaningful work and aligning your priorities accordingly
The power of subtraction: freeing your time from low-value tasks and distractions
Essential soft skills—empathy, listening, and communication—for thriving in complex environments
How to reclaim control, joy, and focus in your daily work
Practical tips for applying simplicity and prioritization at work

Continue the conversation at Hello Monday Office Hours this Wednesday at 3 PM EST on the LinkedIn News page. Join Jessi and senior producer Sarah Storm live to discuss actionable strategies from the episode and share your own experiences.

Mickey Drexler on Taste, Intuition, and Building Iconic Brands Aug 18, 2025

Show notes

Taste might be the most valuable skill in business today. But what is it, exactly? And how do you know if you have it? In this episode, Jessi Hempel sits down with legendary retail executive Mickey Drexler to explore the magic behind great taste—and how it shapes products, brands, and careers.

Mickey is known as the “King of Retail.” Over his decades-long career, he transformed Gap into a 1990s style powerhouse, invented Old Navy, revitalized J.Crew, and launched Madewell. Today, he’s the co-founder of Alex Mill, a fast-growing apparel brand he started with his son.

Jessi and Mickey discuss:

• Why taste is more than pattern recognition—and why AI can’t replicate it

• How intuition, curiosity, and listening fuel creativity and business success

• Lessons from building and reinventing iconic fashion brands

• How to rebound after career setbacks

• The role of taste in spotting products that move markets and shape culture

• How to cultivate your own taste, no matter your field

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

Why People Don’t Hear You — And How to Fix It Aug 11, 2025

Show notes

We’ve all had conversations that go sideways. Not because we said the wrong thing, but because we weren’t speaking the same language. In this week’s episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Charles Duhigg, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author, to unpack the science of great communication.

Charles's latest book, Supercommunicators, explores how anyone—yes, anyone—can get better at having meaningful, impactful conversations. Whether you’re pitching an idea at work or trying to connect more deeply at home, Charles offers tools to help you bridge the gap between intention and understanding.

Jessi and Charles discuss:

The three types of conversations: practical, emotional, and social—and how to recognize them
Why most of us are bad at predicting how conversations will go
Why listening in real time matters more than planning what to say
How to practice your way into being a better communicator
How to talk so people will listen and listen so others feel heard

This is a must-listen for anyone who wants to communicate more clearly, build stronger relationships, or become a better leader.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! We’re live on the LinkedIn News page every Wednesday at 3 PM ET.

The Science of Goal-Setting, with Anne-Laure Le Cunff Aug 04, 2025

Show notes

We spend so much of our lives chasing goals: big ones, small ones, some we barely remember choosing. But what if the goals we’re working toward aren’t really ours? This week on Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with neuroscientist and author Anne-Laure Le Cunff to talk about how we really achieve the lives we want to live.

Anne-Laure is the founder of Ness Labs, a popular online school focused on mindful productivity for knowledge workers. Her new book, Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, offers an alternative to rigid goal-setting: a flexible, curiosity-driven approach to figuring out what matters most—through trial, reflection, and self-compassion.

In today’s episode, Jessi and Anne-Laure discuss:

• Why we put too much pressure on “capital P” Purpose

• How to design tiny experiments to better understand yourself

• The role of curiosity in redefining ambition

• The “Head, Heart, Hand” framework for navigating uncertainty • How to make peace with evolving priorities

• The dangers of hustle culture, and how to opt out

This conversation is a gentle invitation to slow down, reflect, and explore new ways of working that are more aligned with who you are rather than who you think you’re supposed to be.

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

What If Work Was Actually Fun? Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

Most of us spend the majority of our lives at work — but how often do we pause to ask whether our days are actually fun?

In this episode of Hello Monday, host Jessi Hempel sits down with Bree Groff, a senior advisor at SYPartners and author of Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously), to talk about how fun, mischief, and human connection can radically improve our work lives.

Bree’s work centers around workplace transformation and employee experience. She’s advised companies like Google, Microsoft, Pfizer, and Calvin Klein on how to build work cultures where people thrive. And her approach is surprisingly joyful.

Jessi and Bree unpack:

Why fun belongs at the center of great workplace culture
How professionalism can strip us of our humanity — and how to get it back
The emotional toll of over-identifying with our jobs
How “Do Nothing Days” unlock creativity and innovation
The radical power of micro-mischief and music in the workplace
Friendship at work and why it matters more than we think

This episode is for anyone feeling worn down by workplace norms or wondering if work has to feel so serious. Bree offers fresh, practical strategies to build a work life that’s more joyful, more connected, and yes, more productive.

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

Caregiving Is Work — We Just Don’t Treat It That Way Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

You shouldn’t have to choose between showing up for your job and showing up for your family and loved ones. Caregiving is a growing part of modern work life — and it’s largely invisible. In today’s episode of Hello Monday, host Jessi Hempel talks with Jennifer Levin, author of Generation Care, about what it means to care for others while juggling a career, and how we can better support caregivers at work and beyond.

Jennifer began caregiving for her chronically ill father in her early thirties, long before her peers were navigating similar responsibilities. Struck by how few people were talking about it, she created Caregiver Collective, a Facebook group for Millennial and Gen X caregivers. Her new book, gives voice to a generation of caretakers, and confronts the increasingly urgent crisis of caretaking in the U.S.

Jessi and Jennifer discuss:

• The emotional toll of caregiving and why so many of us feel alone in it

• Why caregiving should be treated as real, valuable work

• How to support colleagues who are quietly balancing care responsibilities

• Why policy change must recognize caregiving as core to the future of work

• How managers and leaders can create cultures that acknowledge and support caregiving

• The power of talking about caregiving — with friends, with employers, and in public

This episode is for anyone who’s ever whispered, I’m sandwiching today. Whether you're deep in it now or likely to take on a caregiving role in the future, this conversation offers clarity, comfort, and community.

Continue the conversation at Hello Monday Office Hours. Join Jessi and Senior Producer Sarah Storm this Wednesday at 3PM ET on the LinkedIn News page to talk about caregiving, trade-offs, and what support really looks like in today’s workplace.

How to Be a Consultant—and Actually Make It Work Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

More professionals than ever are rethinking what’s next. For many mid-career and senior-level workers, consulting is the best path forward. But how do you actually make the leap?

In this week’s episode of Hello Monday, host Jessi Hempel sits down with Erin Halper, founder and CEO of The Upside, a vibrant community for consultants. Erin shares what she’s learned from years of working independent consulting and coaching others through the same transition. From pricing and positioning to finding your first clients and building support systems, Erin and Jessi walk through what it really takes to thrive as a consultant.

They also tackle the big questions:

How do you know if consulting is right for you?
What’s the best way to price your work?
How do you talk about what you do in 10 words or less?
What role does community play in solo success?
How do you shift between full-time work and consulting as your career evolves?

Whether you're just starting out or thinking about a pivot, this episode offers practical advice, clarity, and confidence for building your independent career—especially in an uncertain job market.

🔗 Join us for Office Hours. We’re continuing the conversation on Wednesday at 3PM ET on the LinkedIn News page. RSVP here!

From Side Hustle to Main Meal: How Nicaila Matthews Okome Scaled Her Passion Project Jul 07, 2025

Show notes

Millions of professionals are balancing side hustles alongside their full-time jobs. But what does it take to turn that extra project into something bigger? In this episode from the Hello Monday archives, Jessi Hempel sits down with Side Hustle Pro creator and host Nicaila Matthews Okome to explore how side work can lead to a meaningful, lasting career.

Nicaila didn’t always see herself as an entrepreneur. She built her résumé with big-name employers, earned her MBA, and followed a traditional career path. But she kept testing new ideas on the side — and eventually turned her podcast into a full-time business. Now, she helps others navigate the same transition.

If you’ve ever dreamed about turning your passion project into something more, this conversation is for you.

Jessi and Nicaila discuss:

Why side hustles can be a smart career safety net
How to know when a side project is ready to grow
The difference between hobbies and businesses
Building a brand while holding a day job
How to manage your time for real progress without burnout
What stability looks like when you’re your own boss

Nicaila also shares her journey from NPR and Google to building Side Hustle Pro, a thriving platform for Black women entrepreneurs.

Keep the conversation going at Hello Monday Office Hours. Join us on the LinkedIn News page this Wednesday at 3 PM ET.

Reclaim Your Joy and Overcome High Functioning Depression with Dr. Judith Joseph Jun 30, 2025

Show notes

You’re showing up, doing the work, checking the boxes, but something feels…off. You’re not falling apart, but you’re not really okay either. And you’re certainly not alone. This week on Hello Monday, Dr. Judith Joseph joins Jessi Hempel to name and unpack this experience: high functioning depression.

Dr. Judith is a board-certified psychiatrist, researcher, and educator at Columbia and NYU. Her new book, High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy, offers a roadmap for understanding and addressing a kind of mental health struggle that often goes unnoticed—and untreated.

Together, Dr. Judith and Jessi explore:

• What high functioning depression looks like—and how to recognize it in yourself and others

• The five Vs method for healing: Validation, Values, Venting, Vitals, and Vision

• The power of naming hard feelings like anhedonia

• Why we must treat mental health as proactively as physical health

• How small steps can help us reclaim joy

This episode is a starting point for anyone who feels stuck in the motions but wants more from their life.

How One Mom Sparked a National Movement with Shannon Watts Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

Twelve years ago, Shannon Watts was folding laundry when breaking news stopped her in her tracks: a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. The next morning, she woke up with a fire inside her, and turned her grief and rage into action.

That action became Moms Demand Action, now part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country. In today’s episode, Shannon joins Jessi Hempel to reflect on the grassroots journey that began in her kitchen and grew into a national movement.

Shannon’s new book, Fired Up, is a call to action for women everywhere who are ready to turn their spark into action, but aren’t sure where to start.

Jessi and Shannon discuss: