Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel

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 [email protected] and let us know!

Ambition. Is it a dirty word? Do you love the term, or hate it? In this Hello Monday episode from the archives, Jessi Hempel sits down with two incredible colleagues at LinkedIn, Hayley Saltzman and Ahyiana Angel, to explore how our understanding of ambition evolves, and what it means to chase personal growth rather than external validation.

Hayley Saltzman is an Editor at Large at LinkedIn, focusing on vertical video strategy. Ahyiana Angel was the Podcast Ad Ops Producer at LinkedIn and the host of her own podcast called Switch, Pivot, or Quit. Together, they reflect on how ambition is often shaped by external expectations and how true fulfillment comes when we start living for ourselves.

In this episode, Jessi, Ahyiana, and Hayley discuss:

The tension between extrinsic and intrinsic ambition

Our gendered notions of ambition, and how society’s definition of ambition is often limiting for women

What happens when you quit a dream job to pursue something more aligned with personal growth

The relationship between fear and ambition

Practical tips for reconnecting with your own ambitions and self-worth

If you've ever questioned what success and ambition truly mean for you, this episode is for you. Whether you're navigating career transitions or redefining what ambition looks like in your life, we hope this conversation will inspire you to live and work authentically.

What if the very habits that made you successful are now the ones holding you back?

In this episode of Hello Monday, host Jessi Hempel is joined by executive coach and leadership expert Muriel Wilkins to explore the hidden beliefs that quietly shape how we lead and make decisions. These “blocking beliefs”—like I need it done now, if I can do it, so can you—often begin as strengths. But over time, they can fuel burnout, micromanagement, and disengaged teams.

Drawing from her new book, Leadership Unblocked, Muriel offers a practical framework for identifying the beliefs that no longer serve us and replacing them with more flexible, sustainable ways of leading—without losing ambition, standards, or control. Together, Jessi and Muriel unpack how leaders can expand their range, lead with greater ease, and grow their organizations by first growing themselves.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:


What “blocking beliefs” are and how they develop over the course of a career


A three-step process for uncovering, unpacking, and unblocking limiting beliefs


Why urgency and perfectionism often undermine leadership effectiveness


How the belief “I need it done now” contributes to burnout and unclear priorities


How the truth of our external environment can be reframed in the narrative we tell ourselves


How to stop micromanaging without sacrificing accountability

We are no longer hosting weekly Office Hours but are thrilled to launch the Hello Monday Book Club. If you’re interested in joining, send us an email at [email protected] and let us know!

What is your dream job? What will your life look like in ten years? Kick off the New Year with a favorite Hello Monday activity: the Dream Job Exercise. 

In this episode, host Jessi Hempel kicks off the new year with a powerful ritual she returns to every January: the Dream Job Exercise. It’s not about chasing a title or predicting the future—it’s about reclaiming imagination, agency, and hope in a moment when many professionals feel stuck or anxious about what comes next.

Jessi explains why imagination may be the most essential career skill of the next decade—and how a simple writing exercise can help you clarify what you really want from your work and your life.

Jessi walks listeners step by step through the Dream Job Exercise, sharing why looking 10 years ahead creates space to stop editing yourself and start dreaming again. Along the way, she reflects on how this practice helped her land a version of her own dream role—and why it can work as a decision-making filter in an era of constant change.

In this episode, Jessi explores:

The role of hope and personal agency in navigating career change

Why imagination is a critical future-of-work skill

How the Dream Job Exercise helps clarify what you actually want

Why looking 10 years ahead unlocks bolder career thinking

How this exercise can guide better career decisions year after year

Whether you’re questioning your next move, feeling unsettled in a job you once loved, or simply craving more clarity as the year begins, this episode offers a grounding reset—and a practical tool to help you move forward with intention.

This week, a show about work brings you an episode about time away from work, and why we all need it. We hope you enjoy this classic holiday rerun from Hello Monday's very first year of production featuring some favorite vacation stories, and we’ll see you in the new year!