Food52 CEO Erika Ayers Badan: No One Cares About Your Career - Part One

Part One

I’m joined by none other than Erika Ayers Badan, the current CEO of Food52—a leading innovator in the food, cooking, and home space. Before her time at Food52, Erika was the first-ever CEO of Barstool Sports, and her career spans across media, marketing, and tech, with roles at companies like Fidelity, Microsoft, AOL, and Yahoo.

But let me be clear—this isn’t about interviewing someone with big titles. On my show, I bring on guests who are willing to share real, lived stories. And Erika has no shortage of those. In fact, she’s gathered so many lessons along the way that she decided to write her first book, titled No One Cares About Your Career. When I saw that title, I knew I had to develop a two-part series featuring Erika.

In this episode, we’ll dive into the book—why she wrote it, why now, and why this title. Plus, we’ll unpack some key nuggets of wisdom, including five simple things anyone can do to succeed at work.

In the next episode, Erika will open up about her life and career experiences—her upbringing, her parents, her leadership approach, and even her thoughts on toxic work cultures. And here’s something you won’t hear in other interviews: What career advice would Erika give her own two middle and high school-aged kids, especially in today’s rapidly changing world?

Episode Breakdown:

0:38—A special 2-part series on Erika’s book, career, life, and more

4:40—Revisiting the Roots: A Walk Down Memory Lane to Discover the Past’s Impact on the Present

8:25—The Brutal Truth Behind ‘No One Cares About Your Career’—How Did Erika Land on That Mic-Drop of a Title?

"Nobody's coming to help you. It's up to you to save yourself, grow yourself, push yourself, teach yourself."

12:04—What Sparked the Inspiration Behind Writing the Book?

18:17—What Makes This Book a Game Changer in a Sea of Career Guides?

21:36—Who Is This Book Really For? Unpacking the Audience Behind the Pages

"Just because you went to Princeton doesn't mean you have to go work in finance. A lot of times people get caught up in what everyone else thinks they should do. That's the lore. What everyone else thinks they should be and the reality is that nobody's really thinking about you that much. You should do what makes you happy and tell everyone else to jump off a cliff."

25:45—30 Years, 5 Simple Lessons: How to Succeed at Work Without the Overwhelm

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Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Erika Ayers Badan

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