Shows
Trash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken OutTrash Talk — Mid-Season TeaserEveryone has advice. Most of it’s garbage.On Trash Talk, we dig into the cliches everyone swears by and figure out what’s actually worth keeping. If you’re new here, jump in anywhere — you’ll get it.New episodes return February 17th, every Tuesday.Don’t forget to leave a review and call the hotline to share your favorite or most cringe-worthy cliches:719-819-2175Links Follow Erica Breuer: LinkedIn Follow Erin Thomas: LinkedInTrash Talk Website: https://www.buz...
2026-02-1001 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"New Year, New You" - BONUS EPISODEWe’re back, unannounced, and ready to shake up your New Year’s Eve. In this bonus episode, Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas examine overhyped New Year’s Eve rituals.They dissect the promises these practices make, the cultural pressures behind them, and why so many self-help platitudes leave us burned out, skeptical, or just plain exhausted. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at motivational hype (or felt guilt for skipping the ‘ole resolution ritual) this episode is your permission slip to keep doing it your way.Got a resolutio...
2025-12-3132 min
Truth, Lies and WorkExpert Predictions for 2026 (Part 1): Ethical AI, text chat and the death of the resumechaWelcome back to a very special edition of Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. This episode features Part 1 of our annual Predictions for 2026.
Join Leanne and Al as they speak to top experts who share their contrasting views on how AI, leadership, identity, and productivity are about to fundamentally shift the world of work.
🔮 Your Panel of Experts: Prediction Headlines
Phill Agnew (The Nudge Podcast): AI Must "Show Its Working" & the Rise of Text Speak. Find Out...
2025-12-3044 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Clarity is Kind"Erin and Erica agree about a lot of things, but this cliche isn’t one of them. Whether you attribute it to Brené Brown, Melissa Hartwig, or somewhere else in the wellness-industrial complex, “Clarity is kind” is THE cliche where they don’t see eye to eye.Erica gets real about her baggage when it comes to this cliche (spoiler: that baggage has three luscious layers), and Erin does her best to persuade her back into seeing it in a positive light. Reviews help, but your weird, wild, or painfully familiar cliches are the real go...
2025-12-0224 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Count Your Blessings"Yep, Trash Talk is skipping a week. Thanksgiving, leftovers, existential dread…pick your excuse. Consider this week a breather for your ears and brain, or a chance to get caught up on those episodes that almost got away.Tell us about the TRASHIEST advice you hear over the holiday…Call the Trash Talk hotline at 719-819-2175 and share your story. Honestly, your weird, wild, or painfully familiar family cliches are the real feast we’re after.Links & ResourcesNative Land Digital h...
2025-11-2501 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out“Your Words Become Your World” Part IIIn this second installment of cliches they love and live by, Erin and Erica reveal the traits that make a cliche worth keeping.The TLDR version: "Done is better than perfect," "Gotta start somewhere," "Your vibe attracts your tribe," "The road to hell is paved with good intentions," "Tell the story only you can tell," "Don’t put all your eggs in one basket," "Pray on your knees, act with your feet," "How you do anything is how you do everything," and "Try anything twice."Whether you’re a perfectionist-in-recovery or just someone tired of surf...
2025-11-1820 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out“Your Words Become Your World”Just because Trash Talk is the podcast where clichés go to die doesn’t mean Erica and Erin hate all of them. This is the episode where they examine cliches they actually live by. From “clear is kind” to “baffle them with bullshit," Erin and Erica get honest about cliches that stick for them, as well as where they backfire.Don’t forget to leave a review and call the hotline to share your favorite or most cringe-worthy cliches:719-819-2175Links & Resources Follow Erica Breuer: Li...
2025-11-1133 min
The Writing DocsThe Importance of Clear Writing for Social Media with Erica BreuerClear writing isn't easy, but it's crucial for growing as a business, surviving in the business world, and developing a community and following on social media. So, why do people struggle with clear writing and messaging? Why is clear writing so hard and what can you do to improve your writing and messaging as a business and as an individual? How can you improve your social media presence, communication style, and writing?
Erica Breuer reveals how to craft clear messages that will actually work for businesses’ social media platforms.
2025-11-0738 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Community is Everything" with Dr. Kalpana Sundar“Community is everything,” they say. But what if that “everything” is actually a drain on your time, energy, and sanity? Erica and Erin sit down with Dr. Kalpana Sundar, health and wealth strategist for MedSpa and healthcare entrepreneurs, to untangle the truth behind one of the most overused platitudes in business. Kalpana brings data and a hefty dose of reality on how to build community that lifts you up (without demanding your soul in the process). Your turn: tell us the cliche that makes you roll your eyes- or secretly nod in agreement. Call the hotline at...
2025-11-0430 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out“You’re Not the Main Character in Other People’s Stories.”Erica and Erin dig into the viral #maincharacterenergy phenomenon, weighing its appeal, its dark side, and what it really means to claim agency in your own life. Together, they ask the question that underlies it all: just who decides who gets to be the main character anyway?Reviews help, but your weird, wild, or painfully familiar cliches are the real gold. Share them via our hotline: 719-819-2175Links & resourcesNarcissism and Agency https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702617725537Cornell Study https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.19037Read Erin's article in...
2025-10-2820 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Your Soul Speaks in Whispers, Not Shouts"What does it actually take to hear your inner voice when your brain- and life- doesn’t work like a Zen meditation retreat? In this episode, Erica and Erin dismantle the quiet-whisper mantra, why stillness isn’t universally accessible, and how this advice quietly reinforces control (and yes, capitalism).Have a story about when someone hit you with “Your soul speaks in whispers, not shouts”? Leave a message on the Trash Talk hotline at (719) 819-2175- we might feature it on a future episode. And don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review...
2025-10-2125 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Don't Confuse Effort With Results" with Nick PowerThis week, Erica and Erin take on the cult of productivity with guest Nick Power, marketer, creator, and professional chaos enthusiast. Nick shares how he first heard the phrase (hint: it didn’t go well), and how it still haunts the way we talk about work and worth. They also get into what counts as success, how “results-only” thinking dulls creativity, and what might actually be worth measuring instead.Don’t forget to leave us a review and call the hotline to share your favorite or most cringe-worthy cliches:719-819-2175Links & r...
2025-10-1434 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”Show notes“You can’t pour from an empty cup”...but what if your cup isn’t empty?From misreading your cup to questioning learned helplessness, Erica and Erin go beyond individual self-care and discuss the messy (mostly) terrifying context of today’s world—shrinking rights, disappearing resources, and structural chaos–and how we might think about cups in a way that generates some much-needed hope.Don’t forget to leave us a review and call the hotline to share your favorite or most cringe-worthy cliches:719-819-2175Links & Resources...
2025-10-0730 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Get Out of Your Comfort Zone" vs. "Stay in Your Lane"Two of the most recycled pieces of advice—“Get out of your comfort zone” and “Stay in your lane”—sound helpful on the surface. Push yourself! Focus! Hustle! Specialize! When these concepts collide, the absurdity becomes obvious.Erin and Erica analyze two cliches that seem at odds, but that also define a new reality in the tension that lives between them.Don’t forget to leave us a review or call the hotline to share your favorite (or most cringe-worthy) cliches:719-819-2175Show Notes & Links Selective Attention https://the...
2025-09-3030 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Work Hard, Play Hard" with Meghan French DunbarWhat does “work hard, play hard” really mean and why won’t it die?In this episode of Trash Talk, Erica and Erin sit down with Meghan French Dunbar, author and co-founder of Conscious Company Media, to unpack the cultural myth of “work hard, play hard.”Drawing on Meghan’s new book, “This isn’t Working,” this conversation explores how play has been commodified, as well as why, despite our best efforts, hustle culture from decades ago still sneaks into modern work.Don’t forget to leave us a review and call the hotline to share...
2025-09-2337 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"If It's Not a Hell Yes, It's a Hell No"Erin Thomas and Erica Breuer talk about everyone’s favorite decision-making mantra: “If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no.”They trace this phrase back to its roots (surprisingly, it's not an influencer carousel) and get into into the messy stuff (privilege, trauma, hustle culture) that makes this cliche difficult to apply everywhere. They also review the neuroscience that proves your brain isn’t always the best hype-man when you’re chasing a hell yes. 📞Listener HotlineHave you ever made a “meh” choice that turned into the best decision of your life—or dodged a...
2025-09-1632 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Let Them" / Mel RobbinsErica and Erin are back from summer break and they’re examining the lifecycle of a cultural darling, “Let Them.” In this episode, they explore why society (sometimes) eats meaning for breakfast. If you’ve ever wondered why some advice hits hard one day and feels hollow the next, you’ll enjoy their examination of how “Let Them” and other cliches become wallpaper for the internet.Resources & Mentions:→ “Let Them” poem (2019) by the original author, Cassie Phillips:“Just let them.If they want to choose som...
2025-09-0930 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken OutTrash Talk: Season 2 Trailer – September Release Date & More!Trash Talk: Season 2 Trailer Welcome back to Trash Talk for season two, where Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas dive into the cliched advice everyone repeats like gospel (even when it’s garbage). Got a cringe-worthy cliche to share? Call or text our new Trash Talk hotline at 719-819-2175. New episodes of Trash Talk drop Tuesday, September 9th—subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to stay up to date.
2025-08-2601 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Time heals all wounds.”This isn’t a goodbye: it’s a see you in September. We’re taking a well-earned summer break (because seasonal girlies need rest too), but we’re already cooking up a trashier, spicier, more unhinged Season 2.In this episode:A heartfelt thank you to our listeners (yes, you, with the fire DMs and existential side-eyes)Listener highlights, PLUS feedback we’re incorporating into next seasonWhy poking at popular ideas isn’t the same as canceling themHow to send us the clichés you love to hate
2025-06-1705 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Steal Like an Artist"Erica and Erin dig into the creative cliché they actually love: “Steal like an artist.” Inspired by Austin Kleon’s book and a long lineage of remix-friendly wisdom, they explore the difference between influence and theft when both humans and AI borrow from what’s come beforeIf everything’s an echo, what makes something yours?Resources & Mentions:Austin Kleon → Steal Like an Artist → Also by Kleon: Show Your Work, Keep Going → Website: austinkleon.comJulia Cameron → The Artist’s Way → Known for: Morning Pages, creative recovery too...
2025-06-1019 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Happiness is a Choice" with William DaviesIf happiness is a choice, let’s talk about who gets to choose it, and who’s just trying to survive a system that tells them it’s their fault they’re miserable.Erica and Erin are joined by William Davies, political economist, author of The Happiness Industry, and one of the sharpest critics of how governments and corporations turned happiness into a metric, a mandate, and a market. Together, they dig into the cultural scaffolding behind our obsession with happiness: where it comes from, who benefits, and what it’s costing us.Connect wit...
2025-06-0331 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken OutTrash Day Postponed!No full episode this week. We’re stepping away from the mic to touch grass, eat carbs, and avoid small talk. Back next week with more delightful dumpster fires.
2025-05-2701 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"The Universe Has Your Back."Erica and Erin trace this phrase from its New Age roots to its Instagram glow-up, digging into how “the universe” became a rebranded higher power for people who’d rather not talk about God. What looks like faith might actually be a filter for avoidance, especially when it’s used to explain away failure or justify a $10K group program that never delivered.From prosperity gospel to “trust the process” culture, they ask: Is this cliche (belief) helping people heal, or is it a cosmic cop-out?
2025-05-2016 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Be Your Best Self"You know that phrase, “Be your best self”? This episode rips it wide open: from its shiny, self-help packaging to the industrial shame complex underneath.Erica and Erin are joined by media scholar Laurie Ouellette to break down how makeover reality shows (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Biggest Loser, Wife Swap, etc.) didn’t just make for good TV; they quietly rewired our ideas about help, worthiness, and personal responsibility. What we mistake for glow-ups, might be about control.Find out more about Laurie Ouellette…Buy one of her books: https://bookshop.org/contribut...
2025-05-1322 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken OutMajor Buzzkills: Volume I, The Greatest Hits (of Nonsense)You know those phrases that sound important but mean absolutely nothing? Yeah, we made a list.In this rapid-fire episode, Erica and Erin pull back the curtain on some of the most overused (and underwhelming) buzzwords in business, leadership, and personal development, or rather “Business BS,” “Leadership Lies,” and “Personal Development Delusions.”It’s a roast. It’s a reset. It’s your permission slip to stop pretending these phrases are helpful.
2025-05-0612 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken OutThe Dumpster Dive That Started It AllIn this episode Trash Talk, Erin and Erica take a step back to reflect on their podcast journey…from their first encounter in a Google Doc to deciding to turn their weekly coffee chats into a podcast, they share the behind-the-scenes story. They also dive into the juicy bits of their personal histories, like Erin’s dumpster dive moment that launched her career (literally), and Erica’s museum exhibition background that led her to shaping big ideas for brands.Tune in for a mix of branding, life lessons, and personal anecdotes, with a sneak peek at what...
2025-04-2917 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"If You're The Smartest Person in The Room, You're in The Wrong Room"You’ve heard the quote. You’ve probably even said it. But what if that ever-popular cliché is doing more harm than good? In this episode, Erica and Erin throw “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room…” under the microscope, and discover a tangled web of assumptions about intelligence, value, status, and the rooms we choose to enter (or flee from).If this episode gave you a forehead-smack moment, or just made you feel seen, go ahead and rate & review Trash Talk on your favorite podcast app.
2025-04-2217 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Focus on The Transformation"Transformation. It’s a buzzword that’s been overhyped and misused to the point of meaninglessness. In this episode, Erica and Erin dive into the fallout of selling the “transformational” dream in coaching, marketing, and self-development.They break down how the promise of overnight change leads to unrealistic expectations, burnout, and shame. From Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey to Tony Robbins’ high-ticket events, “transformation” has become the ultimate sales pitch…one that’s setting everyone up for disappointment.
2025-04-1516 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Just Be Authentic"Authenticity is the hill everyone wants to die on; until it gets awkward. In this episode, Erin and Erica take a scalpel to the overused advice to “just be authentic.” They dig into why this well-meaning mantra is often misleading, unpack the social and professional landmines of being real, and introduce a far more useful approach: being authent-ish. Along the way, they break down the paradox of authenticity and the different ways authenticity can go hilariously (or painfully) wrong. Expect also: Some light Gwen Stefani discourse and at least one moment of existential crisis.
2025-04-0813 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Document, Don't Create"Gary Vee told us to document, don’t create—but is that really the move in 2025?In this episode of Trash Talk, we break down why this advice led to an era of oversharing, redundant content, and a whole lot of noise. Not everything needs to be documented, and not every “authentic” moment serves your brand. So how do you create content that actually means something?We’re talking about the death of the “just post more” era, the rise of thoughtful branding, and how to turn your documentation into something that connects and converts—without looking...
2025-04-0111 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"It's All About Your Mindset"“If you just shift your mindset, everything will change.” Sound familiar? Yeah, us too- and we’re calling BS.Mindset isn’t a business strategy, and positive thinking won’t magically solve real problems. So why has the coaching world convinced us that our biggest barrier is our own thoughts? In this episode of Trash Talk, we break down the mindset myth, how it gets weaponized, and why it’s often used to gaslight people out of taking real action.Mindset matters, but it won’t save you. Let’s talk about what actually will.Listen now!
2025-03-2514 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"Self-Care Isn't Selfish"“Self-care isn’t selfish.” We’ve all heard it. But let’s be real—this phrase has been hijacked by an industry that sells bubble baths, wine nights, and spa days as the ultimate cure-all. And somehow, we still end up exhausted.In this episode of Trash Talk, we break down how the self-care movement went from a necessary practice to an expensive (and often performative) industry. Is self-care actually fueling you—or just numbing you from the things you really need to address? We’re unpacking the hard truths, the real purpose of self-care, and why “treating yourself”...
2025-03-1810 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out"There is No Such Thing as Perfect"Perfection. It’s the thing we’re supposed to chase—or avoid completely, depending on who you ask. “Done is better than perfect.” “Progress, not perfection.” “Perfection is the enemy of progress.” But is it really? Or is that just another well-worn cliché that’s been warped into something unhelpful?In this episode of Trash Talk, Erin and Erica take on the cultural tug-of-war with perfection. From childhood conditioning to business advice that contradicts itself, we unravel the mixed messages surrounding perfectionism. Is perfection always the problem? Or does it sometimes deserve a place at the table?Let’s trash some...
2025-03-1114 minTrash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken OutConsider Yourself Warned (Welcome to Trash Talk)What if the so-called ‘truths’ of entrepreneurship and leadership were actually keeping you confused or small?On Trash Talk, hosts Erin Thomas and Erica Breuer cut through the tired cliches and threadbare advice that dominate entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal development. These ideas might be popular, but that doesn’t mean they’re useful.The aim: To shake up listeners so they uncover sharper, smarter ways to navigate the complexities that actually matter.
2025-03-0401 min
The Make Me Over Eb PodcastHow Service Providers Can Demonstrate Their Expertise with Erica BreuerIn this episode, Ebony Looney talks with messaging and thought leadership strategist Erica Breuer about how service providers can be seen as an expert instead of just an option. Erica shares invaluable insights on how service providers, particularly in wellness and beauty industries, can harness the art of communication to elevate their expertise at different stages of their business. Erica advises service providers, especially in wellness and beauty industries, on leveraging language to position themselves as experts, emphasizing transparency, commitment, and care in communication.
Follow Erica at www.ericabreuer.com
Follow Ebony...
2024-04-2336 min
The Silent BattleGuest Interview with Jefflin BreuerToday, I am interviewing Jefflin Breuer from Olympia, Washington. Jefflin has an autoimmune disease called Inflammatory Myositis. Today, she is going to share her raw and candid story about her journey with Myositis and how she manages her symptoms.
2022-08-0328 min
The Distilled Brand PodcastS1 E0 Introduction with Ryan Rhoten and Erica BreuerHosted by Erica Breuer and Ryan Rhoten, The Distilled Brand Podcast is for solopreneurs, freelancers, or anyone making money from their expertise. In each episode, we'll provide actionable tips and insights to help you know what to do next when building your brand online.
In this initial episode, Erica and Ryan discuss who the show is for, why you should listen, as well as provide a little background on who were are and why we're doing this podcast.
Youtube code: RL5OVCHLQBCMNRAH
Written By
Sander Kalmeijer
Performed By
2022-07-2703 min
The Tim DeMoss Show PodcastHayley Orrantia (The Goldbergs) + featured clips (Zach Eflin, Furkan Korkmaz, Alex Kendrick, Jodi Benson, Jim Breuer)Singer/songwriter/actress Hayley Orrantia joins the show to talk about her experiences as Erica on the TV show "The Goldbergs" (set in Jenkintown, PA) and her love of music and singer/songwriter career. Orrantia shares a neat story about one of her visits to Jenkintown and the backstory of her song "Made For This" which she wrote for her mom for Mother's Day 2020. Among numerous other acting and musical roles, Orrantia also played Brooke Thawley in "God's Not Dead 2." The text line (610-500-DOVE (3683)) was busy too, as we gave away gift cards to Dunkin, Panera...
2021-03-0340 min
Bad On PaperThe Best of 20202020 is coming to a close and we are not going to let this year end on a negative note. There were really some great things about this year (politics and pandemics aside, of course). In this episode we talk about our biggest professional and personal accomplishments this year and all of our favorite purchases. We reminisce about our favorite episodes of the pod this year, our favorite books, clothing and beauty purchases and all of our favorite ways that we self-cared our way through 2020. Grace's Post: I don't want kids … and that's okay! ...
2020-12-091h 13
The BRAND New You Show - A Personal Branding podcastErica Breuer - Cake ResumesErica Breuer is the founder of Cake Resumes.com. At Cake resumes, Erica specializes in teaching talented people how to capture their career brands, tell their professional narrative across multiple platforms, so they can get the job opportunities they want and deserve. Erica specializes in working with career changers, remote work seekers, freelancers, and solopreneurs. She also works with people whose resumes don’t quite fit the typical 9-to-5 mold. If this describes you, you’re going to want to tune in today. THE BEST WAYS TO CONTA...
2016-05-0533 min