Work Besties Who Podcast

Fifty Episodes Strong: Cheers to our Listeners

• Work Besties Who Podcast • Season 2 • Episode 50

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🎉 50 Episodes Later… We’re Just Getting Started 🎙️💖

What began as a wild idea between two work besties has turned into 50 episodes of laughs, lessons, and serious growth. From fumbling through our first recordings to finding our voice, this journey has been real — and we’re bringing you behind the scenes for our milestone moment.

In this episode, we’re reflecting on:
 ✨ The glow-up from episode 1 to now
 🧠 How imposter syndrome still creeps in
 📅 Our behind-the-scenes planning evolution
 💨 Quitting smoking & making space for wellness
 📣 The power of YOUR feedback
 💌 And why we’re more grateful than ever

This one’s personal, honest, and full of love for everyone who’s been riding with us. Whether you’ve listened to one episode or all fifty — we couldn’t do this without you.

🎧 Hit play and celebrate with your work besties. Let’s gooo 🚀
 #WorkBestiesWhoPodcast #Episode50 #Gratitude #PodcastGlowUp #WellnessJourney #CreatorsSupportingCreators

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

Claude:

Can you believe we're here 50 episodes.

Jess:

What started as a wild idea between two work besties has definitely turned into something way bigger and way more fun than we ever imagined.

Claude:

Totally so. Now today, we're flipping the script. That's right. No guests today. No guests.

Jess:

No filter.

Claude:

Just the two of us, just the two of us, just the two of us.

Jess:

Just the two of us, and we'll be asking each other some serious questions and some no serious either, some silly, and let's just get right into it.

Claude:

Let's go Hi. I'm Claude and I'm Jess. We are corporate employees by day, entrepreneurs by night and work besties for life.

Jess:

Join us as we explore how work besties lift each other up, laugh through the chaos and thrive together in every industry Work besties. So, as we mentioned, this episode's a little different. No guests, just.

Claude:

Claude and I.

Jess:

Just us, and we have come up with some questions, some of which Did we. I hope you did. That was the goal. Someone came up with questions. We are going to ask each other some questions around what brought us here and all that fun stuff. So some will be silly, some will be more reflective.

Claude:

And memory. Some might be a little bit more thought-provoking, yeah, and going through memory lanes a little bit as well, yeah. So you know what made us laugh? Cry, not cry. Some might cry Emotional, yeah, some people might cry All right, you want to go first?

Jess:

Sure.

Claude:

Let's see what's one podcast moment that made you laugh until you cried. I mean there's a lot of them, Besides all our bloopers, and you know.

Jess:

Oh yeah, what was the one word that when you went? What?

Claude:

do you love? Okay, if we are going to start doing all the bloopers, which usually is only me.

Jess:

Okay.

Claude:

Was it also?

Jess:

camaraderie. No, I would say, my absolute favorite, when we both were laughing so hard, was probably with the World's Okay, I'll say yes With Ryan and Danielle, and also the second round of that too. We were just laughing. I think the first time we met with them I don't even think we talked, we just laughed.

Claude:

The whole time it was like we were in a comedy show.

Jess:

And we were just like watching the two of them laughing, along with all of their jokes and lightheartedness. Yeah that's true, that was a good one. All right. So question for you If our podcast was a drink, what would it be? Something?

Claude:

strong.

Jess:

Really we're laughing all the time, I know, but it's because it's strong. Okay, I'd say a dirty martini, it's strong, but it's got a kick to it.

Claude:

No Litchi, martini Lychee, martini Lychee, olives, all right, because it's strong but sweet. Oh, that's better. Okay, I like that. And there's a knife floating the lychee.

Jess:

The lychee. I knew what you meant All right, what else you got.

Claude:

What was the weirdest DM and comment we've ever received DM and comment we've ever received? I don't think we received any comments.

Jess:

Yes, we have In their Instagram. Yes, that's because I.

Jess:

So for all you out here, most of you know that Claude's like the main face of our Instagram, but there's a lot of things in the messages that I clean up for you, so you're really good on the primary in general, but there's like a third bucket and I'm always constantly going. There's a third bucket. That's like people that are unknown and like they write to you before you accept them. Oh, I never saw that. It's because I clean them up. We've had some interesting ones that come through there. We had one that asked us about what type of person we'd like to date. I just deleted it. And then we had another, which I did write back but said no, thank you, was they asked?

Claude:

us if we'd be interested to be the spokesperson or a model for their swimsuit.

Jess:

I would be the before before model. After no date or a diet, didn't feel that's a good one. It didn't feel on brand for work. A date or a diet with a bathing suit company, that's a good one. It didn't feel on brand for work besties?

Claude:

No, maybe not. Unless, we were like what is it? You know, those people down on the beach that save people? Lifeguards. Unless we were lifeguards Work, bestie lifeguards, then it would make sense.

Jess:

Work besties on Baywatch. Yeah, okay, we'll call up David Hasselhoff for that one. Okay, so my question for you, because we've actually chatted about this before, so I'm curious to see if it's still the same answer. If we were to get matching tattoos to celebrate our 50 episodes, what would they be? I?

Claude:

think I would do the logo the heart.

Jess:

We changed it. We were supposed to do the yin and the yang. That's right. That would be kind of cool. That's another callback from last Halloween. We dressed as yin and yangs, and Claude here likes to say that phrase quite a lot. I believe I did a video clip of you just.

Claude:

Actually it wound up me saying it, which of course it ended up you.

Jess:

You said it more than me Our second or third episode ever, and then you said it a couple times and I said it like crazy.

Claude:

Yeah, so who said it more? But yeah, that would be the gang. Can you imagine what's your go-to feel-good meme and why?

Jess:

That's a tough one. I don't know. We've had so many good content creators that have been guests of ours and some that are upcoming, I don't know. Corporate Gen X mom, gnarly oodles Maybe.

Claude:

Rock Besties. Oh, average co Maybe Rock Besties memes, that's right. Claudeesty's memes.

Jess:

That's right, claude makes our memes. Thank you, I mean, they're good. They kind of can go like super viral. All right, let's have some less serious and more maybe reflective or deeper ones. So I'm going to ask you how do you think we've changed in the past 50 episodes?

Claude:

So I think so I'm not going to say about the interaction between the both of us. What I'm going to say is, if we look at what our first episode to the last one, it's pretty. You can see a big difference and you can see. Well, first of's pretty, you can see a big difference and you can see. Well, first of all, you can see us we didn't even record, I know, but it's.

Claude:

I think that we went a long way to when we started. And what helped me also to really realize and again combat this imposter syndrome was when we went to the in houston, to that conference the social success, which was great, shout out to everybody who was there that we met great people who ran. It was very good.

Jess:

It was a great job and oh, and also the tisci's for hosting us yes, cannot say enough good things.

Claude:

Um, it's once I was there. I'm like oh, we do, we are doing that, we are doing that, we are doing that. So we were like and we did, I mean, we did learn stuff we did.

Jess:

Oh yeah, we learned. We're more advanced than we we thought that's where exactly.

Claude:

And I have to say it's a shout out to you as well, because you really really went head down, like even doing all the slicing, the editing I know it's not that easy, oh and well, yeah, and also like keeping me on track as well.

Jess:

I feel like that's where we're a good yin and yang. Yeah, we've kind of ebbed and flowed. There's definitely times I've slacked and you've picked up and vice versa.

Claude:

that's how it makes us a good team for the people that are listening and not looking at watching the video we're wearing matching clothes. We have matching color, which we did not we did not plan, so you can see really besties. The toll that we have on each other. All right. What about you?

Jess:

What about me? What do you mean? The question, oh, you want me to ask the same one. So how we've changed in the past 50 episodes, I think to your point. We've definitely advanced a lot from season one. In total, I think what's changed the most is that we're actually more thoughtfully planned out and we have more of a longer range vision, which I feel has helped us tremendously. I'm excited We've got so much more to come too.

Claude:

Yeah, yeah, we have also just already cooked a third season theme Fourth and fifth, fourth and fifth as well. What's something you would like to say to our listeners, who have been with us since the beginning?

Jess:

Well, first, thank you. We are so happy to have you as a part of our WorkGuesty tribe and I think we also would love to hear more from you. As I just commented, or Claude alluded to, I do have plans for us to be at least five years, because I've planned out a five-year plan, but we love your feedback. I think the more you provide to us, the more we feel you'll get out of this community and can give back too. So I think that's what I'd say.

Jess:

Thank you, keep your comments coming, whether that's Instagram, youtube, even directly in our audios. A few have written on there. Definitely, still continue to like and subscribe and share with your friends, but let us know, I think there's some episodes that we'd love to really customize based on what you guys are asking, and we would also love to have some of you on as guests. Oh, and then, last thing, we have a lot more upcoming giveaways and things, so be on the lookout. Yes, all right, let's see. What do you feel is the hardest part of podcasting that nobody has warned us about? Which actually, nobody really warned us about anything. We never asked.

Claude:

We just did it. The only people that send us DMs are like the weirdos, apparently on the third page.

Jess:

No, I know I'm joking. What was the question again? What's been the hardest part of podcasting that no one warned us about?

Claude:

I think it's the work behind and the preparation. I mean we have a full-time job. The preparation, I mean we have a full-time job and we meet after a 10-hour day or 12-hour day, we meet on the weekend prepare the guests.

Jess:

Coordinating the guests and all that. So I think that's a lot of work Making clips, sharing content.

Claude:

Yeah, exactly, it's a lot of work sharing content? Yeah, exactly, it's a lot of work. Meanwhile, it's a lot of fun as well. Right, so it can be only negative, but it's a lot of work. And it also like sometimes you might say am I doing the right thing? You know, when we look, oh, not that many people listened. And we just have to remember that a lot of podcasts are there, but what was it? They don't like a lot of them, don't even last one year.

Jess:

Yeah, oh, I forgot the stat now the number that make it past 10, I think it's like only 20%.

Claude:

It's like really fast.

Jess:

So make it past 10 and past 50, like cuts it down even further.

Claude:

Yeah.

Claude:

So you know, drop in the notes of the extra percentages are because we work with an amazing company, pot mash, that shares this with us monthly yeah, it's fascinating because not many have made it to 50 exactly so it's just to continue, you know, be true to ourselves, um, and I think, educating ourselves too, we've been going to, we want to. Like I alluded to, we went to Houston together, which was a lot of fun. We went to another event in New York, budfest. So to continue and staying fresh and meeting new people, I think is very important. It's the work behind.

Jess:

So I have a slightly different spin on it. I agree with all that, but the spin for me is and we got this. This is probably the best takeaway Shout out to Brett, who I love, One of the things I think it's been the hardest part of podcasting for me, because obviously I love to play on, love to have guests, love meeting people and I've enjoyed all the people we've met. The one thing that's been the hardest is our authenticity and voice being still heard, because we so much focused on the guests.

Jess:

Yes yes, you are going to start to hear. We got the challenge from our peer set to be more in front of sharing who we are sharing some of these things that we discussed behind the scenes. A lot of the things we talk about get cut in the clip because we want so much of our guests to be center even the clip that we put you know on youtube, and yeah, so I think you're going to start to see it.

Jess:

That's been for me one of the hardest parts of the balance. But getting that feedback, as well as the the pause to say like it's okay to do that, I think for me just hearing that has helped. But before it was hard yeah, that was the hardest part.

Claude:

And also finding that last year we had struggle. We were struggling finding guests.

Jess:

Finding guests. Yeah, yeah, well, that was less honestly about the guests. It was we were not planned ahead, which I have felt that for us, because we are now pretty much planned to the end of the year. Who's the planner? All right, well, anything any other questions? Or should we go into more of a deeper, serious sure? Have you ever felt imposter syndrome during your podcasting?

Claude:

journey. I breathe, even my breathing.

Jess:

I have an imposter syndrome from breathing it's only because before we started recording, Claude was eating and I'm like, could you be any louder?

Claude:

Not because I was opening my mouth, but because it was crunchy. It was crunchy, okay.

Jess:

The food you were eating was loud, not you. Well, of course, I know.

Claude:

Of course I had that, but it's good for everyone else to hear that I know I think so many people do suffer from imposter syndrome.

Claude:

No, okay, I'm going to tell you, jess is from the start we started working together and she's like fake it until you make it. Meanwhile, me is like, oh, my God, did I do the right thing? My God, I don't think. Who am I, anyway? So that's why, again, ying and yang, exactly to push another one to say, okay, slow down, buddy, you know? So I think it's it's again. It's a great partnership and going to meet more people and everything. Give me a bit with my, my syndrome, but it will always be there and it's actually something that makes me who you are and a lot of harder work harder and a lot of our work bestie community can relate to that.

Jess:

So I think it's really important. People like you and I do have some syndrome, but I do still think it's good to bring that topic to light and share so that other people don't feel so alone, because there are so many of us that have that oh all right, I'm gonna ask you another one because you're you're taking too long.

Jess:

Patience is not my strength, so the whole part of season two, as we talked about. I love to make themes of our seasons. Season two is about wellness. We have been stating that we were going to incorporate more of the wellness. You're going to start to hear more of those episodes, but I'm curious where you're at in your wellness journey and how things are going for you Well, I have to say I'm still not smoking, yay, and I'm miserable.

Claude:

It's been five months now. That's amazing. Yes, so it's really good. Yeah, really really good. But now I have to. Obviously you know that you put on some weight when you stop smoking. So that's, you know, I'm miserable and put on some weight. It's getting easier and easier. I have a lot of time now I don't even think about it. So now I have to exercise and diet. But what is going to be left of something fun for me? I stop smoking will not be able to eat what I want and then work out. So, but no, it's going to help you.

Claude:

I know at the end of the day I'm very proud and I like to say I'm not quitting, but I'm seeing how far I'm going. It's less pressure. Yeah, guess what, shoka, I can breathe more.

Jess:

Better. Yay, that's amazing.

Claude:

So this is my big thing of 2025. And please know that that was not a New Year resolution at all, because I started it was for Thanksgiving. So what about, oh, if?

Jess:

it's Thanksgiving, then it's more than five months.

Claude:

Well, at the end of May it's going to be six months halfway.

Jess:

We're halfway through it, yeah, halfway so yeah, oh, I'm gonna also call you out a little. When we decided to do wellness by we me, I gave us those journals yeah, which, yeah, I know and every morning you're supposed to wake up or to find five minutes of your day to do some type of manifestation or planning of your future, and I have kept up with it. You did, I have every morning you're doing.

Jess:

I mean I try. I don't necessarily do it every morning, I definitely don't do it on the weekends, but during the week I try and take five minutes out of my day and I either take one of the new sections and write it in or reflect on what I wrote for from the last place, to like help focus on it but what do you write? Well, if you open up the book you know, tell you what to write.

Jess:

yes, each, each chapter is kind of like a little bit different, like some of them is how do you so? You said that this is what you're most you're planning for. What are you going to do each day this week to get to there? Or one of them was like what is your 30-day plan of it, or how has your previous portion of this shifted since you started, like there's things that help help you in your journey? Yeah, so I've kept up with it.

Claude:

Maybe one of these episodes.

Jess:

Some of it is yeah, we're staying on time. We have not had any episodes go late. We have oh you're doing on the podcast. I'm doing it more around the podcasting and then some personal things.

Claude:

So I'll share the podcasting.

Jess:

I'll share the podcasting.

Claude:

Because right now it's in my head.

Jess:

Yeah, I mean, I write out what I'm aiming for, our whole plan.

Claude:

It's in my bedside drawer.

Jess:

Oh, I'm glad. Maybe it's gathering some dust.

Claude:

Because it's in the drawer. It's in the drawer, so it's not collecting dust. You're manifesting an empty drawer. There's a lot of things in that drawer, all right, so that is coming. Okay, I'm sorry, I was very into quitting smoking. I cannot do it with. No, I'm joking, that's five minutes a day.

Jess:

No, no, I know, and it doesn't have to be so. The book that I picked is also. You could actually just do it for the like once a week. Yeah, I just choose to do it more because it helps me. Yeah, all right. Any more questions you have, or should?

Claude:

we want to wrap it up. Can you share one word that sums up this journey so far support very nice what did I get?

Jess:

I'm not voted off this island. That was a good one all right, thank you that's beautiful so that's one of our goals, for WorkBestie is to be that support, whether your WorkBestie is that support or we can be that support for you. Yeah, that's what I would say is that's awesome, that's beautiful. What would you say? The one word is Camaraderie.

Claude:

Camaraderie Ying and yang. What do you love? It was a very good question. I'm sorry. It was a good question.

Jess:

It was, but it was just the inflection of how you stated it it was. What do you love?

Claude:

You dragged it out, what do you love? I would say like yeah, support was so good. And Ying and Yang, and like opposite attract In a way. Okay, you know, because we are again, we are a bit different and we complete. Just say it again what? Just say it again Yin and yang.

Jess:

Yin and yang, yin and yang. Cute clip of all the yin and yangs. All right. Well, one thing you probably can tell from viewing us is that we're not really super young, yeah. So my question to you is what would your younger self say if the if she knew that you were doing a podcast?

Claude:

you're crazy what the heck it would be like. And I have to say impressed. I said I was gonna say I'd be impressed. I would say what the heck? And impressed. Yeah, it's like that. As you say, we are not that young going in that journey. We're not that old either.

Jess:

I'm just saying no, we're not that old. And Botox free, that's true. No failures, no, nothing. Just see what you get.

Claude:

Yeah, you don't get upset. You don't get upset, eat your dinner. Yeah, I think being impressed. Yeah, because starting something new. And again, you still have a job and you have a younger child, so it's even harder. You know he's older, he's doing his life well almost, but you know what I mean. So, yeah, impressed.

Jess:

That's a good one, All right. So then I think we should end this yes by saying what are we most grateful about the podcast that we've done?

Claude:

I think our friendship, yeah, because we learn each other even more, we learn to handle each other. Yes, you've been amazing.

Jess:

Oh, stop it, I'm not easy to deal with.

Claude:

I'm not either, and that is it doesn't matter, because if you believe in something, you I mean love someone. It's like you can love your sister, so it's like slash, love someone. You make concession too and you support, like you said before, supporting each other when one is like overwhelmed or whatever, the other one take over, et cetera, et cetera, yeah, yeah, and also to the people yeah, I'd say what I'm most grateful for is our community and that.

Jess:

You are amazing. You're so supportive, you listen to us, you re-listen, so we've seen some of you recently go back and re-listen to some of our episodes. If you've got feedback, feel free to tell us.

Claude:

Yes, please. You know it's always important to say feedback. We learn from it.

Jess:

Positive, negative, we'll take it. But yeah, I would say that's the community and building this community, because there are people that have come up to us in our work and even just friends outside, or people we've met in other industries that have said they're so appreciative of just hearing about some of our experiences or some of our guests experiences, because they didn't know you could have friends at work, which breaks my heart. I know how would you be able to survive in a work environment where you spend the majority of your without having some type of support? So we love to be that for those people.

Claude:

we love the community to be that for each other and the content creator community oh yeah, they've been like we're so grateful, so grateful because we're still newbies right, and they are all embracing and ready to help each other, like even Brett again, again, was saying it's better to help each other than against each other. There is so much space in this environment and also I believe in karma. Right, you bring something good. Good is coming back to you.

Jess:

Yeah, and I feel like it has already and hopefully it will continue, because we're loving every moment of it and we hope you all are too. So with that we made it to 50. 50.

Claude:

I can't believe it, thank you all.

Jess:

Thank you. Thank you community. Thank you Jess. Thank you Clyde, so happy. We'll be back next week with more work. Bestie fun, ciao bye. Remember, whether you're swapping snacks in the break room, rescuing each other from endless meetings or just sending that perfectly timed meme, having a work bestie is like having your own personal hype squad so keep lifting each other, laughing through the chaos and and, of course, thriving.

Claude:

Until next time, stay positive, stay productive and don't forget to keep supporting each other.

Jess:

Work besties.

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Claude F

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Jess K

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