Taking Back Monday
Welcome to "Taking Back Monday," the podcast designed for the go-getters, the visionaries, and the trailblazers who are ready to say "goodbye" to the Sunday Scaries and lead the way in creating meaningful work.
We talk about building high-performance teams, enhancing leadership skills, and creating impactful customer relationships.
It's time to say "goodbye" to the Sunday Scaries.
Episodes
55 episodes
Whole-Ass People: The Case for Purpose at Work and at Home feat. Luisa Anderson
What do immigration law, spiritual awakenings, and Zoom meetings have in common? For Luisa Anderson, they all revealed one truth: we’re not meant to live fragmented lives. In this episode of Taking Back Monday, we talk about what it me...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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22:50
Soft Skills, Big Impact: Leadership Lessons from the Wiz feat. Tajiri Brackens
What does it take to build a workplace people actually want to be part of? Dr. Tajiri Brackens - aka the Workplace Wizard - joins us to unpack the underrated power of soft skills, intentional energy, and relationship-driven leadership. From dec...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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27:33
Talk Less, Lead More: Building Rapport and Real Influence feat. Scott Harvey
What do hostage negotiation and leadership have in common? A lot more than you'd think. In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Scott Harvey shares what 20 years in law enforcement taught him about communication, influence, and why good leadersh...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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26:46
The Courage to Take Back Your Life with Pamela Dale
In this episode, Pamela Dale and Alyssa Nolte dive into why the dreaded “Sunday Scaries” are just a symptom of a larger problem: a work-life system that values conformity over individual fulfillment. Pamela shares her journey—from teaching ESL ...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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30:23
Redefining Hustle: Why Productivity Starts with Protecting Your Energy feat. Bob Mathers
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Alyssa sits down with Bob Mathers—Customer Success coach, keynote speaker, and host of The Growth Mixtape—to talk about what happens when life forces you to rethink work. From personal wake-up calls to the...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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25:36
Why Hierarchies Kill Innovation: Focusing on Culture Isn't Enough feat. Dawn Holly Johnson
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, host Alyssa Nolte sits down with transformation strategist Dawn Holly Johnson to unpack why traditional hierarchies are crushing innovation—and what to build instead.With over 20 years of experienc...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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34:08
Customer Success Is Not Dead - It’s Evolving feat. Sabina Pons
Customer Success isn’t dying—it’s evolving. In this episode of Taking Back Monday, host Alyssa Nolte sits down with Sabina Pons, CEO of Growth Molecules, to explore the shifting role of Customer Success in today’s business landscape. They discu...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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24:25
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The One Thing Holding CS Back: How to Work Smarter, Not Harder feat. Alex Turkovic
CS teams are stuck in a cycle of busy work, but what if the real problem isn’t the workload - it’s how they work? Alyssa Nolte and Alex Turkovic break down the one shift that can transform Customer Success: taking control of your workflow. They...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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23:50
The House Always Wins: Why Ignoring Workplace Red Flags Will Cost You feat. Danielle Roberts
You wouldn’t sit at a blackjack table, ignore the odds, and hope for the best—so why do leaders do that with their teams? Employee disengagement, customer churn, and burnout don’t happen overnight. The signs are there… if you’re paying attentio...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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26:22
The Price of Ambition: What We Sacrifice in the Pursuit of Having It All feat. Angela Besignano
For decades, women have been fighting for equality, breaking barriers, and proving they can do it all. But at what cost? In this powerful and eye-opening talk, Angie Besignano dives into the silent epidemic of burnout among high-achievers—why i...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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23:34
The High Cost of Exclusion: What Leaders Get Wrong About DEI feat. Joanne Lockwood
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Alyssa Nolte sits down with Joanne Lockwood to tackle a hard truth...exclusion isn’t just an ethical issue; it’s a business risk. Joanne shares her journey from IT entrepreneur to inclusion advocate, break...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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26:05
Why Good People Leave: Toxic Bosses & Saying No to @$$holes feat. Lindsay White
What happens when you give everything to a job—only to realize you’re working for a toxic, gaslighting boss? Lindsay White knows this story all too well. After a 20-year corporate career in HR and strategic talent management, she made the bold ...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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26:35
Permission to Thrive: Taking Ownership of Your Workday Mindset feat. Lori Rogers
Is your Sunday ruined by the dread of Monday? In this episode, we’re tackling the Sunday Scaries and transforming them into an opportunity for growth and success. Join Alyssa as she chats with Lori Rogers, founder of PositiveActivity.ne...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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23:07
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Your First Customers Are Your Employees: Building Teams That Thrive feat. Jean-Pierre Dumas
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Jean-Pierre Dumas joins Alyssa to unpack the critical connection between employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CX). Jean-Pierre shares powerful stories from his leadership journey, including ho...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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35:05
Happiness is Courage: Redefining Work feat. Sarah Ratekin
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Alyssa Nolte sits down with Sarah Ratekin, founder of Happiness is Courage, to explore how optimism and positive psychology can inspire courage, improve workplace culture, and combat the ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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21:56
From Survival to Success: Healing Professional Trauma to Thrive feat. Rob Connelly
Are you stuck in survival mode at work? In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Alyssa Nolte sits down with workplace trauma expert Rob Connelly to explore how professional environments can shape our responses to stress and adversity. Learn how ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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23:53
The Power of the Ask: How Bravery and Vision Shape Careers feat. Elizabeth Solaru
In the Season 2 premiere of Taking Back Monday, Alyssa Nolte sits down with Elizabeth Solaru, a trailblazer whose journey spans microbiology, headhunting, and luxury cake artistry. Elizabeth shares her inspiring story of resilience, from cold-c...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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28:21
Sundays Are Ruining Your Life: Breaking Free from Work Anxiety feat. Shaté Hayes
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Alyssa sits down with career coach and former professional dancer Shaté Hayes to explore what it means to build a life and career that truly lights you up. Shaté shares her journey from the dance floor to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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17:46
Actionable Empathy: How to Create Impactful Work Environments feat. Gill Brabner
In this episode of *Taking Back Monday*, Alyssa Nolte sits down with Gill Brabner, expert in workplace empathy and founder of Resound Training, to explore the transformative power of compassion in the workplace. Gill shares her ECA model—Empath...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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22:09
Fail Fast, Win Big: Why Risk-Takers Thrive feat. Sandra Possing
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Alyssa sits down with Sandra Possing, coach and digital nomad, to explore what it takes to thrive by embracing risk and rejecting the conventional 9-to-5. Sandra shares her personal journey of redefining s...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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24:24
Sales with Soul: Building Real Connections that Drive Success feat. Dionne Mejer
In this Taking Back Monday episode, Alyssa Nolte talks with Dionne Mejer about what it means to sell with integrity in the modern workplace. Dionne introduces her "Sales with Soul" methodology, which prioritizes building real connections and le...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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23:54
Life on Purpose: Turning Small Steps into Big Changes feat. Jason Yarusi
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Alyssa Nolte sits down with Jason Yarusi, creator of the Live 100 program, to dig deep into the journey of self-discovery and transformation. Jason shares his story of overcoming personal struggles and tra...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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23:42
Shorts: Loyal to Ferocity - Why Loyal to a Fault is a Leadership Fallacy
In this episode, we explore the concept of "Loyal to Ferocity" — a powerful reframe of loyalty that pushes leaders to think beyond just "loyal to a fault." We dig into what it means to support a team fiercely and strategically, balancing protec...
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10:27
Navigating Change: Storytelling as a Tool for Team Buy-In feat. Katie Leimkuehler
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, Alyssa Nolte dives into the art of leadership and personal branding with executive coach Katie Leimkuehler. Together, they unpack the nuances of going beyond traditional management to become a true mentor ...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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22:25
Shorts: Under the Radar - How True Change Takes Root
In this episode of Taking Back Monday, we explore Alyssa's concept of 'The Invisible Revolution,' where real transformation occurs quietly in the shadows. The discussion highlights three strategies to enact deep-rooted change: leading with curi...
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8:22
