For everyone who has subscribed to Work Mappers in anticipation of this podcast launch, thank you for your patience. Creating a podcast is a bit of a lift when you’re also trying to launch a business. The first three episodes have been recorded and will be released together very shortly here on Substack as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, or wherever else you listen to your podcasts.
Guests for the first three episodes include:
Amelia Ransom
Amelia is many things. She is a veteran DEI leader with more than 20 years of corporate experience, a storyteller and public speaker, a nonprofit board member, and a cancer survivor. She is also now retired from corporate life but recently launched her own podcast, DEI AF.
Geraldine DeRuiter (joint episode with Rand)
Geraldine is the James Beard Award–winning blogger behind The Everywhereist and the author of “If You Can’t Take the Heat: Tales of Food, Feminism, and Fury” and “All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft.” The New York Times has both praised and trashed her work. She is currently developing a culinary video game with her husband, Rand.
Rand Fishkin (joint episode with Geraldine)
Rand is CEO and cofounder of three companies: SparkToro, makers of fine audience research software, pun-filled Google Alerts alternative Alertmouse, and indie game developer Snackbar Studio. He’s the co-author (with Amanda Natividad) of the upcoming "Zero Click Marketing" and 2018’s "Lost and Founder". When Rand’s not working, he’s usually traveling with or cooking a fancy meal for the love of his life, Geraldine.
Micah Baldwin
Micah started his first business when he was 9 years old and sold the last one about 10 years ago. Between those, he started or was early at six companies which raised a total of $350 million. After selling his last company, he spent time at Amazon, Madrona Ventures, and Microsoft. He currently lives in Austin, Texas with his dogs Alvin and Sydney, where he coaches founders to help them grow.
New episodes of the podcast will launch as I collect the stories of new Work Mappers. These are people willing to not only forge new paths as they explore their own careers, create new businesses, or speak up for better workplace cultures and policies. They’re also willing to draw a map for others.
For 18 years, I worked at companies with missions focused on improving the workplace — from pay equity to the transformational impact of mentorship. Along the way, I learned a few things and had the opportunity to write and speak to audiences, from HR and business leaders to people navigating their own career journeys.
And, this concept is one that I’ve come back to again and again. I’ve said it to more audiences than I can count.
“If you forge a new path, draw a map for the people coming up behind you.”
The workplace can be filled with potholes, dead ends, and other treacherous obstacles. Why not make the path a bit easier if we can?
As this new podcast and publication gets off the ground, please share it with anyone else you think would find it valuable.
I’ll likely write some content in between podcast episodes as well, because at my core, I’m a writer first, and I know people like to consume information in different ways.
And, if you have any suggestions for future Work Mapper podcast guests, please let me know. I’d love to hear your suggestions.
