Inside Job

Aaron Calafato

Leah Ova

Editorial:

Matt Sunbulli

Brooks Borden

Conor Bezane

Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:

Ken Wendt

Research:

Zaid Safe

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Corporate Psyops: How Companies Control Narratives Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

This week we explore corporate messaging tactics that walk the line between strategic communication and outright manipulation. When a seemingly doomed company announces they're "facing unexpected challenges" but miraculously recovers days later, should employees feel relieved or manipulated? From mysteriously "secured" contracts to stress balls instead of bonuses, companies are experts at controlling their narrative. We explore the blurry line between necessary narrative control and outright deception.

Hosts:

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Leah Ova

Editorial:

Matt Sunbulli

Brooks Borden

Conor Bezane

Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:

Ken Wendt

Research:

Zaid Safe

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

When Humans Start Dating the Machine Mar 12, 2025

Show notes

With searches for "AI girlfriend" up 2400% and one in five men on dating apps trying AI companions, are we witnessing the next evolution of human connection, or just a temporary stop on the journey to finding real love? When Vince loses his job after turning Slack into his personal dating playground, he finds an unexpected solution: an AI chatbot named Dolly. From workplace romances gone wrong to the surprising statistics behind AI dating, we explore the blurring boundaries between professional messaging and personal relationships.

Hosts:

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Leah Ova

Editorial:

Matt Sunbulli

Brooks Borden

Conor Bezane

Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:

Ken Wendt

Research:

Zaid Safe

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

The Bro Culture Reset: Why Corporate Masculinity is Back in Business Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

From CEOs embracing "masculine energy" to workers claiming they can't "be themselves" anymore, something's triggering a masculinity crisis at work. This week, we explore what happens when men feel their identity is challenged in the modern workplace.

Hosts:

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Leah Ova

Editorial:

Matt Sunbulli

Brooks Borden

Conor Bezane

Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:

Ken Wendt

Research:

Zaid Safe

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

The Email That Shook Washington: Workforce Audit or Federal Worker Purge? Feb 26, 2025

Show notes

A weekend email from DOGE—titled What Did You Do Last Week? —hit millions of federal employees’ inboxes, sparking confusion, panic, and speculation about a mass downsizing effort. Was it a routine check-in on government efficiency or a strategic move to force resignations and trim the workforce? In this episode, we break down the chaos, agency responses, and what this moment reveals about the evolving nature of job security.

Hosts:

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Severed: When Work and Life Split Apart Feb 26, 2025

Show notes

When Mark chooses to "sever" his work self from his home self in Apple TV's hit show Severance, it reveals a workplace fantasy many secretly share: what if you could leave your work baggage at the office and your personal troubles at home?

From compartmentalized personas to corporate cult culture, we explore how this sci-fi drama eerily mirrors today's workplace reality. Are we all performing different versions of ourselves throughout the day? And in a world where work-life boundaries continue to blur, would the ultimate separation actually be a relief?

Hosts:

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Leah Ova

Editorial:

Matt Sunbulli

Brooks Borden

Conor Bezane

Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:

Ken Wendt

Research:

Zaid Safe

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Furlough Frenzy: Inside Stop Work Orders Shaking Up Federal Agencies Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

When USAID issued sudden stop work orders, thousands of NGO workers were caught in the crossfire. This week, as DOGE sets its audit sights on more federal agencies, we talk to a furloughed employee about the impact of frozen federal funding. Are American taxpayers’ calls for greater accountability being answered? Is this truly about fiscal responsibility, or are we putting America’s strategic “soft power” at risk?

Hosts:

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Before you start a podcast, talk to Aaron!

Leah Ova

Editorial:

Matt Sunbulli

Brooks Borden

Conor Bezane

Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:

Ken Wendt

Research:

Zaid Safe

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

9 to 3 is the New Work Day Feb 12, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the "in-between hours”—that precious window from school drop-off to pickup where working parents attempt to pack a full day's productivity into six fleeting hours. When Matt tries to squeeze his workday between 9 and 3, he discovers the new reality of the remote working parent.

From impromptu kid cameos on Zoom calls to the pressure of the afternoon countdown, we explore how parents navigate these compressed hours. Is there a way to succeed in this new normal, or are we all just surviving organized chaos?

Hosts:

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Before you start a podcast, talk to Aaron!

Leah Ova

Editorial:

Matt Sunbulli

Brooks Borden

Conor Bezane

Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:

Ken Wendt

Research:

Zaid Safe

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

My Boss Is Plotting Against Me Because I'm Good at My Job! Feb 05, 2025

Show notes

When Brooks started outperforming everyone on his team, he thought his career was about to take off. Instead, his manager Jordan felt threatened, blocked his promotion, and even asked him to train his own replacement. Sound familiar?

From blocking promotions to playing favorites, we explore why being too good at your job can backfire. How do you handle a boss who sees your talent as a threat? And is there a way to shine without becoming a target?

Hosts:

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

Before you start a podcast, talk to Aaron!

Leah Ova