Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel

Regina E. Dugan, leader of Wellcome Leap who builds fast biomedical breakthroughs, and Melinda French Gates, philanthropist focused on women’s opportunity and health. They reframe women’s health as a workplace equity and economic issue. Conversations cover underdiagnosed conditions, research gaps, menopause at work, AI-driven maternal-care advances, and how leaders and policy can drive investment and change.

Amy Webb, futurist and CEO of the Future Today Strategy Group, maps how AI and converging forces remake work, institutions, and decision-making. She explains creative destruction, why planners must factor unknowns, and how leaders can prepare strategically rather than panic. The conversation highlights steering change, reinventing tools like trend reports, and choices that will shape AI’s path.

Liz Tran, leadership coach and author of AQ: A New Kind of Intelligence, explores agility quotient as the key skill for a changing world. She explains why IQ and EQ may matter less today. Short segments introduce four AQ archetypes and discuss aligning careers, building resilience, and investing in adaptable strengths.

Joanna Strober, founder and CEO of Midi Health who built insurance-covered virtual menopause care after her own perimenopause struggle. She talks about hormones vs. misdiagnoses, hormone replacement and non-hormonal options, how untreated symptoms can erode authority at work, and why normalizing midlife health could unlock leadership and combat ageism.

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, organizational psychologist and Chief Talent Scientist known for research on personality and leadership, challenges the mantra to “be yourself.” He explains why perceived authenticity matters more than self-expression. They discuss impression management, how authenticity can be a privilege, the impact of AI on entry-level roles, and why curiosity may be the key skill for the future.

Octavia Raheem, a rest coach, yoga and meditation teacher and author of Rest is Sacred, guides a practice centered on restorative rest. She explores how rest fuels creativity and clarity. Short reflections prompt rethinking productivity and uncover personal patterns around rest. A guided breathing and body-scan practice offers a nervous-system reset and renewed creative focus.

Dr. Rumman Chowdhury, a leader in responsible AI and co-founder of Humane Intelligence, talks about how human choices—not machines—shape work. Conversations cover what responsible AI looks like inside companies. She explores algorithmic bias, the rise and fall of trust in Big Tech, why fear of AI often misfires, and how people can reclaim agency by learning and engaging with these tools.

Jonathan Smith, negotiation instructor and co-author of Fight Less, Win More, teaches tactical empathy, disciplined listening, and practical negotiation skills. He explains why every hard conversation is a negotiation. He outlines the “core four” tools—labels, mirrors, dynamic silence, and summaries. He also covers tone, self-regulation, low-stakes practice, and using AI to prepare while staying human.

Want an easy framework for winning any pitch? We’re pitching all the time—at work, at home, and everywhere in between. But most of us are doing it wrong. We lead with logic, credentials, and data, when what people actually need first is connection. In today’s episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Danny Fontaine to unpack what makes a truly great pitch—and how to persuade with emotion, not just information. Drawing on decades of experience in experiential sales and storytelling, Danny shares a framework for captivating any audience by helping them feel seen, understood, and invested before you ever make your case. Danny Fontaine leads an experiential selling team at IBM and has closed millions of dollars in deals across industries. He is the author of Pitch: How to Captivate and Convince Any Audience on the Planet and hosts a UK-based podcast called “Pitch Masters” on modern selling, persuasion, and communication at work. Danny and Jessi discuss: Why pitching is really about connection, not performance How emotional storytelling builds trust and influence The “backfire effect” and why logic alone doesn’t persuade How to determine which opportunities are worth pitching—and which aren’t Why the audience, not the seller, should be the hero of every pitch Introverts, ambiverts, and why confidence isn’t what makes a great salesperson How AI can help you prepare without losing authenticity We will be launching the Hello Monday Book Club soon. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at hellomonday@linkedin.com and let us know!

Join Ayanna Angel, a mid-career media producer and host of the Switch, Pivot, or Quit podcast, alongside Haley Saltzman, LinkedIn's Editor-at-large for vertical video, as they dive deep into the complexities of ambition. They explore the tension between seeking external validation and embracing personal growth. Hear how societal expectations shape women’s experiences with ambition and why leaving dream jobs can lead to true fulfillment. Plus, they share practical tips for reclaiming your self-worth and redefining success.