Work Mom Says®, Don't Be An Idiot!

About Work Mom Says®, Don't Be An Idiot!

We’re going to be talking to young professionals about their WTF moments, sticky situations and bad bosses. And we’ll sprinkle in ways you can be strategic about your behavior at work, so you get more of what you want from your career.

Publisher

Work Mom Says®

Category

business · business · business

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

16 Oct 2019

Latest episode

4 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

69 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Nov 2026

   Episode 69 – “Why Young Adults Hate AI”

   Episode Summary Everyone over forty assumes the digital natives love AI. Turns out a lot of young professionals can’t stand it, and their reasons are strong. In this solo episode, host Lori Jo Vest digs into new Gallup research showing nearly one- third of Gen Z says AI makes them angry, even as half still use it every week. She breaks down five research-based reasons young professionals are mad, from a tighter entry-level job market to AI interviews and data centers. Then she gives her work-mom advice on making AI work for you, not the other way around. What You’ll Learn Why so many young professionals are angry about AI, even while using it every week What new Gallup research says about how Gen Z feels about AI How AI is showing up in resume screening and job interviews Why Gen Z worries AI is making people “dumb and lazy” Why young people still want a human on the other end How data centers became a flashpoint for young activists How to use AI without letting it make you lazy Why soft skills matter more as AI spreads Notable Quotes “Gen Z is not anti-technology. You’re anti-getting played.” (Lori Jo Vest) “Mad is fair with this kind of crazy stuff going on. But it’s not a career strategy.” (Lori Jo Vest) “You don’t work for it. It works for you.” (Lori Jo Vest) “Don’t use it to replace your creativity or your abilities.” (Lori Jo Vest) “If you go to curiosity, you will be the better for it.” (Lori Jo Vest) Timestamps 00:00 Welcome: why young adults hate AI 00:19 Nearly one-third of Gen Z says AI makes them angry 00:33 Show intro 00:41 The myth that young people love AI 01:12 The Gallup research: anger up, hope down 01:52 Usage holds steady even as sentiment drops 02:10 “Reassessing its role”: a complicated relationship 02:31 Reason #1: The entry-level job squeeze 03:02 How much is really AI? What economists say 03:29 Reason #2: No human in the hiring process 03:38 AI resume screening 04:05 The AI interview 04:19 Why everyone hates the bots 04:53 Reason #3: Is AI making people dumber? 05:20 The Wharton study: “dumb and lazy” coworkers 05:37 Reason #4: You want a human 06:11 Reason #5: Data centers and the environment 06:36 Teens organizing against data centers 07:07 A message for corporate leaders 07:29 You’re allowed to be mad, but it’s not a career strategy 07:43 Don’t opt out: employers want AI skills 08:05 Familiarity takes the edge off 08:49 Do your own draft first 09:33 Be more human on purpose 10:36 Treat the robot interview like a real interview 11:10 Don’t panic about the AI headlines 11:35 From typewriters to email: technology makes us more efficient 12:09 The bottom line: Gen Z is anti-getting played 12:31 One more number: curiosity 13:03 Closing Resources & Books Mentioned Gallup, Walton Family Foundation and GSV Ventures: Gen Z and AI survey (April 2026) Federal Reserve Bank of New York: The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates Resume Genius: 2026 AI Impact on Hiring Report Greenhouse: 63% of Job Seekers Have Faced an AI Interview Wharton-led study with Gallup on Gen Z and AI at work (Fortune)AP-NORC poll on AI’s environmental impact (September 2026) The New York Times: “The Teens Taking On Data Centers”NACE: Demand for AI Skills in Entry-Level Jobs Nearly Triples Since Fall 2025 Transcript [00:00] Lori Jo Vest: Hello, thank you so much for joining me for this episode of Work Mom Says, Don’t Be an Idiot. Today, we are going to talk about why young adults, early career professionals, hate AI.[00:12] Lori Jo Vest: Admit it, right? Gen Z may use AI every single week, but they’re getting angrier about it.[00:19] Lori Jo Vest: Here’s a number that surprises me. Nearly one-third of Gen Z says AI makes them angry. Not nervous, not confused, but pissed of

2. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Episode 68 – “Redefining Self Care: Intentional, Not Occasional”

   Episode Summary Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s. Host Lori Jo Vest sits down with Sharnell James, founder of Dear Self Care, for a candid, funny, and sometimes emotional conversation about what self-care actually means — and why it’s a decision, not a spa day. Sharnell shares how Dear Self Care was born out of her own undergrad burnout and depression, breaks down the five types of self-care (mental, emotional, social, physical, spiritual), and gets real about the moment she punched a hole in her wall while learning to stop suppressing her emotions. Lori and Sharnell trade stories on trauma, family relationships, boundaries, and the guilt of putting yourself first — closing with practical go-to self-care habits for a genuinely bad day. Guest Sharnell James — Founder, Dear Self Care What You’ll Learn Why self-care is a daily decision, not a nail appointment or bubble bath — and why “the world is designed to drain us” (a line Sharnell borrows from Mel Robbins) How Dear Self Care was born out of Sharnell’s own undergrad struggle with anxiety and depression The five types of self-care — mental, emotional, social, physical, spiritual — and which one people neglect most Why suppressing emotions (instead of feeling and controlling them) shows up later as burnout, autoimmune issues, or worse Early warning signs you’re headed toward a breakdown: forgetfulness, poor sleep, irritability, changes in eating Why “self-care isn’t selfish” and how to stop managing other people’s reactions to your boundaries How to build a self-care habit that sticks — starting with two hours a week for the gym Go-to recovery moves for a genuinely bad day: comfort shows, music, hobbies, and calling your “bucket holders” Notable Quotes “Self-care isn’t selfish.” — Sharnell James “We are in a world that is designed to drain us.” — Sharnell James “If me doing this for me means I’m going to lose you along the way, that means you were never supposed to be a part of this journey to begin with.” — Sharnell James “It’s never too late to take care of yourself.” — Sharnell James “Find your bucket holders.” — Lori Jo Vest Timestamps 00:12 Welcome & introducing Sharnell James, founder of Dear Self Care 01:00 What Dear Self Care is and how it started 02:01 Sharnell’s undergrad burnout at Grand Valley State, and how the show Dear White People inspired the brand name 05:13 Self-care as a decision, not a spa day 07:16 Where to find Sharnell’s content (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, Substack) 08:00 EQ and self-care 08:32 The types of self-care, and the book The Mountain Is You 11:40 Lori on trauma, suppressed emotion, and autoimmune stress 12:59 Recognizing the warning signs of burnout 15:12 Sharnell’s story: punching a hole in the wall 18:13 Healthy release outlets (therapy, rage rooms) 19:49 Leaning on your community 20:11 Lori’s “bucket holders” concept, and her friend Denise 21:24 The five types of self-care, defined 22:25 Social self-care: curating your feed, doom-scrolling vs. taking action 25:06 Choosing the right friend circle 27:24 Which type of self-care people neglect most (emotional) 28:20 Lori on EQ in her business partnership with her husband 31:06 How the gym became Sharnell’s self-care foundation 33:19 “You were never meant to be part of the journey” 34:29 Affirmations, the inner critic, and asking “what would I tell a friend?” 35:29 Sharnell’s relationship with her mom 38:05 The self-care myth Sharnell wants to retire: “self-care isn’t selfish” 39:10 The oxygen-mask metaphor; you’re not responsible for other people’s emotions 40:22 Sharnell’s go-to self-care practice for a bad

3. 

   19 Aug 2026

   Episode 67 – “Stop Surviving, Start Bouncing Forward: A Masterclass in Resilience”

   Episode Summary Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s. Host Lori Jo Vest sits down with Nagham Alsamari, founder of Imkan Leadership Development, for a candid conversation about what resilience actually is — and why “bouncing back” isn’t the goal. Nagham breaks down her Five Pillars of Behavioral Resilience (Self-Awareness, Communication, Decision Integrity, Burnout Recovery, and Adaptability), reframes anxiety as a signal rather than a problem to fix, and shares her own story of surviving as a refugee from Iraq to explain how self-awareness — not just toughness — is what actually builds resilience. The conversation covers anxiety, confidence, burnout, community, and closes with book recommendations and details on Nagham’s free Imkan Academy launch event. Guest Nagham Alsamari — Behavioral Resilience Trainer & Founder, Imkan Leadership Development What You’ll Learn Why “bouncing back” from a setback means you haven’t actually grown — and what “bouncing forward” looks like instead Nagham’s Five Pillars of Behavioral Resilience: Self-Awareness, Communication, Decision Integrity, Burnout Recovery, Adaptability Why anxiety is a signal, not something to immediately fix — and a simple pause technique to move from reaction to response How the DISC behavioral framework explains why we react the way we do under pressure Why confidence, like resilience, is trained — not something you’re simply born with A practical reframe for burnout recovery: stop adding, start removing Nagham’s personal story: fleeing Iraq as a child, years in a refugee camp, and arriving in the U.S. as a 13-year-old refugee Why building real, in-person community is essential to resilience — and how to start small Notable Quotes “My definition of resilience is that you bounce forward… survival is the bridge, not the destination.” — Nagham Alsamari “The biggest philosophy that I teach is love, learn, and let go.” — Nagham Alsamari “Stop going to the end of the movie and making it a tragedy.” — Lori Jo Vest “Confidence is not something you are either born with or not. It’s something you can train and work on your entire life.” — Nagham Alsamari “If you’re burnt out, your plate is already more than full. Stop adding stuff… start removing.” — Nagham Alsamari Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome & introducing Nagham Alsamari 02:03 — What resilience really means (“bounce forward,” not “bounce back”) 05:54 — Why self-awareness is the foundation of resilience 08:15 — The Five Pillars of Behavioral Resilience 11:03 — Reframing anxiety as a signal, not a problem 14:20 — Claiming your resilience and the DISC framework 18:55 — Post-COVID discomfort and the fear younger generations face 24:13 — Building real community, and starting small 29:15 — Nagham’s story: fleeing Iraq, refugee camps, and arriving in the U.S. at 13 38:46 — Confidence is trained, not innate 42:15 — Burnout recovery: stop adding, start removing 45:46 — Final advice for building resilience in your 20s 47:55 — Where to find Nagham, and the Imkan Academy launch event Resources & Books Mentioned The Magic of Thinking Big by Dr. David Schwartz A book on happiness by Dr. Arthur Brooks (referenced in conversation; exact title not stated — verify before publishing) The DISC behavioral framework About Nagham Alsamari Nagham Alsamari is a behavioral resilience trainer and the founder of Imkan Leadership Development. Her Behavioral Resilience Training is built around what she calls the Reactor Pattern — targeting why people react under pressure, not just what they should do instead — and is organized around her Five Pillars of Behavioral Resilience: Self-Awareness,

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

12,547

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 29 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

17

Social presence

0

YouTube

72

Engagement

32

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