How do you lead teams in a way that puts people first—not just as a slogan, but as an everyday practice? In this episode, Angie Callen welcomes Earl Hoeg, founder of PeopleFirst and a leader with over 30 years of experience driving results through genuine human connection.

Earl's journey started in the Canadian federal government, where he learned a powerful lesson early on: people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. This episode dives deep into what it really means to put people first, why many workplace cultures miss the mark, and how leaders can build trust and connection in ways that fuel both well-being and performance.

In this episode, we explore:
- The impact of managers on workplace culture and employee turnover
- The challenge of transitioning from individual contributor to effective leader
- The role of self-awareness and individualized consideration in transformational leadership
- Practical ways to build connection and trust at work
- Why investing in human skills remains a competitive advantage in an AI-driven world
- Living the philosophy that "humans still matter" in leadership

Earl's insights offer a grounded and hopeful perspective on leadership and the future of work. For leaders navigating change and aiming to design careers and workplaces where people truly thrive, this episode is a reminder: putting people first is not just a strategy, it's the heart of successful leadership.

Guest Bio:
Earl Hoeg has spent over three decades in leadership roles within the Canadian federal government and now leads People First, a company dedicated to helping leaders build workplaces where humans thrive. A founding member of the Future of Work Alliance, Earl brings a practical, human-first approach to leadership that centers relationships and connection.

Find Earl on LinkedIn and at peoplefirst.ca to learn more about his work and how to bring a people-first mindset to yours.

Closing Thought:
In a world of constant change, remember that leadership is about more than just results—it's about the humans who make those results possible. When you put people first, you set the stage for sustainable success. Because at the end of the day, humans still matter.

Connect with Angie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angiecallen/

Connect with Earl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/earl-hoeg/

Authenticity doesn't mean oversharing — it means connection. In this week's Double Shot, Mike Kim explains how to build a "campfire brand": warm, inclusive, and human.

Learn how to share your message in a way that people actually want to gather around — and remember.

#MidweekMomentum #NoMoreMondaysPodcast #AuthenticBranding

What if fun wasn't something you earned after the work was done — but something that actually made the work better?

In this episode of No More Mondays, Angie Callen sits down with Mike Brennan, creative consultant, professional artist, and author of Make Fun a Habit: The Creative Playbook for Making Life and Work Fun Again, to explore why so many of us have lost touch with play — and what happens when we intentionally bring it back.

In a world that rewards busyness, seriousness, and constant productivity, Mike challenges the idea that fun is frivolous or optional. Instead, he makes a compelling case that creativity, curiosity, and joy are not luxuries — they're necessities for sustainable work, innovation, and well-being.

This conversation is thoughtful, practical, and surprisingly grounding — especially for leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals who don't consider themselves "creative," but feel something missing in how they work and live.

• Why modern work culture has trained us to equate seriousness with success

• How "being busy" has become a badge of honor — and what it's costing us

• The difference between being artistic and being creative (and why everyone is creative)

• How creativity shows up in unexpected ways: systems, strategy, organization, and problem-solving

• Why fun works best when it's part of the process — not a reward at the end

• How curiosity opens the door to new ideas, energy, and possibility

• The power of small creative habits (10–15 minutes a day) and their cumulative effect

• Why perfectionism and efficiency can actually block innovation

• How play and rest help us solve problems more effectively than pushing harder

• Mike's personal journey through burnout, depression, and rediscovering creativity

• What it looks like to integrate creativity into real life — even during "sucky" tasks

• Why ambition and joy don't have to compete with each other

Fun doesn't mean pizza parties or forced cheerfulness.
Creativity doesn't mean painting or performing.

It means allowing space for curiosity, play, and enjoyment — so you can bring your best thinking, energy, and humanity into the work you're already doing.

If you've been feeling burned out, stuck, or disconnected from your work — or if your inner voice has been nudging you that something needs to change — this episode will meet you right where you are.

Mike Brennan is a creative consultant, professional artist, live sketcher, and host of the Creative Chats podcast. He helps individuals and organizations reconnect with creativity as a practical, everyday tool for better work and a more joyful life. His work blends art, storytelling, and mindset to help people rediscover curiosity, purpose, and play.

• Mike Brennan's website: https://mikebrennan.me

• Book: Make Fun a Habit: The Creative Playbook for Making Life and Work Fun Again

• Newsletter: Daily Creative Habit (weekly creative prompts delivered every Monday)

• Podcast: Creative Chats

You don't need more time, permission, or talent to bring creativity into your life.

You just need curiosity — and the willingness to try something small.

Because ambition doesn't have to come at the expense of joy.

What if the freedom you want isn't on the other side of a perfect plan… but on the other side of your next move?

This week on No More Mondays, Angie is joined by Navid Moosa — real estate investor, serial entrepreneur, and living proof that you don't need a trust fund, a head start, or a shiny roadmap to build a life on your terms.

Navid has spent more than 20 years in real estate, closing over $1B in deals and building a portfolio of 300+ doors — and that's just one lane. He's also built multiple businesses (yes, including a taco truck), created a trademarked investment method, and developed a practical framework for mindset + discipline + time management + action.

But the most compelling part of Navid's story?
He built it while navigating cultural expectations, family pressure, limited resources, and very real early setbacks — including being screwed over by someone he trusted when he first tried to break into the industry.

This episode is for anyone who feels behind, stuck in comparison syndrome, or trapped between "safe" and "I know I'm meant for more."

In this conversation, you'll hear:

• The moment Navid realized he was done playing the corporate game

• What it's like to grow up first-generation with competing expectations and "normal" constraints

• Why he believes you're "damned either way"… so you might as well do what's right for you

• How he got started in real estate with limited resources (and early hard lessons)

• "Pick your struggle" — and why freedom always comes with a price

• A practical reframe for overthinkers: write your fear… then write the opposite

• Why perfectionism is often just procrastination in better clothes

• Balance vs. harmony — and how Navid structures his week across multiple businesses

• The shift from "I'm doing this for them" to "I'm doing this for me" (and why that's not selfish)

If you've been waiting for permission, clarity, or a guarantee… this one will lovingly call you out.

Because you don't need everything to start.
You just need to start.

What happens when the business you've built starts to feel like the thing that's holding you back?

This week on No More Mondays, I'm joined by Bonny Morlak—startup coach, founder, and fellow real-talk enthusiast—for a conversation about what it really means to scale a business, stay sane, and stop being the bottleneck in your own success story.

Bonny is a two-time Global Startup Coach of the Year, a 2025 Momentum Award winner (shoutout, Modern Coach fam!), and someone who's seen the full arc: from launching companies to burning out, to rebuilding from the ground up in a way that actually felt good.

This isn't your typical hustle culture episode. We're calling BS on the idea that productivity equals worth, exploring how our cultural wiring feeds burnout, and digging into what it looks like to define success on your terms.

We get into:

• The difference between growth and grind (and how to spot it)

• Why "doing it all" is a red flag, not a badge of honor

• How founder mindset becomes the biggest barrier to scale

• What to do when the universe goes from subtle tap to full-on slap

• Why every entrepreneur needs to step out of the echo chamber

You'll also hear Bonny's take on calendar audits, naming your North Star, and why the loudest voice in your life should be your own (but in a good way).

Whether you're scaling a business or just trying to stay human while chasing something big, this one's a permission slip and a perspective shift.

🎧 Mentioned in this episode:
📘 Scary Good: Discovering Life Beyond the Sunday Scaries → ScaryGoodRead.com
📺 Bonny's YouTube channel → Just search Bonny Morlak
👥 Want to join a community of coaches who get it? → The Modern Coach

🎙 About the Show:
No More Mondays is the podcast where we explore the human side of modern work so you can design a life, career, or business that's intentionally yours.

🙋‍♀️ Hosted by: Angie Callen
Follow Angie on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/angiecallen

Connection starts with curiosity. In this Wednesday's Double Shot, Jason Raitz shares how asking intentional, meaningful questions builds instant trust and deeper relationships.
Here's how to move past small talk, listen better, and turn everyday conversations into genuine human connection.

#MidweekMomentum #NoMoreMondaysPodcast #Communication

What happens when the life you've built suddenly breaks? And what if the breaking ends up setting you free?

In this episode of No More Mondays, Angie Callen speaks with Carol Lin — award-winning journalist, former CNN/ABC anchor, and author of When News Breaks: A Memoir of Love and War.

Carol spent decades reporting from war zones, natural disasters, and major national stories while quietly navigating exhaustion, misalignment, and a grief she did not yet have the tools to name. Her story reveals what breaking points show us, how identity is rebuilt, and why purpose often emerges from the hardest seasons of life.

This episode explores:

• Early signs of burnout and misalignment

• How grief became a source of wisdom and clarity

• Rebuilding identity after loss

• What breaking points reveal about who we are

• Why aligned values matter more than external success

If you've ever experienced burnout, career disillusionment, grief, or the quiet knowing that something in your life needs to change, this conversation offers insight, grounding, and hope.

When News Breaks is available wherever books are sold.

Sometimes doing less means leading more. In this Wednesday's Double Shot, Alyssa Nolte, host of Taking Back Monday, shares the pivotal belief she let go of — that she had to do everything herself.

Her insight, "I'm killing your growth by not allowing you to help," is a powerful reminder that letting go creates space for others (and you) to grow.

#MidweekMomentum #NoMoreMondaysPodcast #Leadership