Ambition 2.0

Most leadership advice was written by and for a generation that thought "work-life balance" meant leaving the office before 9 p.m. and checking emails on weekends.

Amanda Litman is here to set the record straight.

As co-founder of Run for Something—the organization that's helped elect over 1,600 young leaders across the U.S.—and author of When We're In Charge, Amanda has spent years studying what actually makes the next generation of leaders different.

She sat down with Amanda Goetz to get into the stuff no one says out loud, like why "bring your full self to work" is actually setting you up to fail, why return-to-office mandates disproportionately push moms out of the workforce, and what it really means to lead with authenticity without accidentally trauma-dumping on your team. 🙃

Plus: the surprisingly effective thing she did every Saturday in 2025 to fight loneliness; the case for the four-day workweek; and a rapid-fire round of who’s most likely to: workplace edition (Gen Z, millennials, or Gen X).

If you've ever wondered whether you can lead a team, build a career, and have a full life—without becoming the kind of boss you swore you'd never be—this one's for you.

01:17 Intro

02:37 The biggest lie in leadership

07:43 "Bring your full self to work" is setting you up to fail

10:15 The three-question framework for showing up authentically without oversharing

13:43 Personal branding for leaders who grew up online

17:11  How to use your platform without blowing up your career

19:32 Return to office, paid family leave, and why flexible work isn't a perk

25:40 The loneliness of leadership, and two solutions

32:28 The one thing first-time leaders need to let go of (hint: it's being liked)

33:18 Rapid fire who’s most likely to: Gen Z vs. millennial vs. Gen X

KEY TAKEAWAYS


Responsible authenticity is about bringing the best version of yourself to serve your team, not your unfiltered 3 a.m. thoughts.


Your employees are not your friends. Friendship is a relationship between equals, and a boss-employee dynamic is not that. 


If you can't manage a remote team, that's a “you” problem.


The four-day workweek forces better prioritization, and the research backs it up.


The sooner you let go of needing to be liked, the sooner you can actually lead—trying to please everyone is a fast track to pleasing no one and resenting yourself.

GUEST LINKS

IG: https://www.instagram.com/amandalitm/ 

Read When We're in Charge

Learn more about Run for Something

https://www.amandalitman.com/ 

FOLLOW THE PODCAST

IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss 

Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ 

https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast 

SIGN UP 

Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/ 

For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/

ABOUT AMBITION 2.0 

Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we'll be exploring what it really means to "have it all" in work, family, identity, and self… and if it's actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who've walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You've probably had one. Maybe you even have one right now. And if Glassdoor data is anything to go by, you're far from alone—mentions of "toxic boss" in workplace reviews have surged 6.7x since 2018. 🤯

This week, Amanda Goetz sits down with Mita Mallick—bestselling author, workplace culture expert, and self-described recovering people pleaser—to talk about the bad bosses we've all worked for, the ones we've quietly become, and how to tell the difference. 

Mita's new book, The Devil Emails at Midnight, breaks down 13 archetypes of bad bosses (yes, they all have nicknames), and this conversation goes deep on the ones you'll recognize immediately—and the ones that are dangerously easy to miss.

They get into why bad bosses are made, not born; what the midnight email really signals about a leader's psychology; and why toxic positivity might actually be the sneakiest trap for high-achieving women. 

Over 70% of workers say they've quit a job because of a bad boss. This episode is for everyone who has—and everyone who's still figuring out whether they should.

Key Takeaways


Bad bosses are made, not born.


The sneakiest toxic boss, The Cheerleader. 


Demanding excellence and coaching excellence are not the same thing.


Apologies are the most underutilized tool in leadership.


Trauma from a bad boss follows you to the next job if you don't deal with it.


Context matters. Not every bad boss is a reason to quit.

Self-awareness is the non-negotiable foundation of good leadership.02:30 Intro

04:49 The 3 moments toxic leadership shows up 

13:18 Why toxic positivity is the hardest boss to spot 

17:25 What The Devil Emails at Midnight title really means 

20:24 Why companies keep tolerating bad bosses 

25:43 Mita was a micromanager too 

29:08 Where to start if you have a toxic boss right now

31:14 How to survive without burning out when leaving isn't an option 

33:05 The post-toxic-boss trauma nobody talks about 

35:42 What the best bosses do differently 

37:20 Rapid-fire questions

GUEST LINKS

IG: https://www.instagram.com/mita_mallick13/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mita-mallick/ 

Read The Devil Emails at Midnight: https://bookshop.org/a/116169/9781394316489 

Read Reimagine Inclusion: https://bookshop.org/a/116169/9781394177097 

FOLLOW THE PODCAST

IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss 

Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ 

https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast 

SIGN UP 

Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/ 

For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/

ABOUT AMBITION 2.0 

Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we'll be exploring what it really means to "have it all" in work, family, identity, and self… and if it's actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who've walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever wondered what actually gets discussed behind closed doors when companies are hiring, promoting, or handing out pink slips, this episode is like a backstage pass.

Amanda Goetz sits down with Deepali Vyas, a veteran executive recruiter and career coach who’s spent 25 years in the boardrooms on Wall Street. She’s also one of the most followed career experts on the internet.  She's advised Fortune 500 CEOs, hedge funds, and private equity firms on their most senior hires—and she's here to spill everything they never told you.

The timing couldn't be better. Between mass layoffs, rapid AI expansion, and an unpredictable job market, navigating your career right now feels harder than ever. Deepali breaks down exactly what's changed, what still works, and what you need to stop doing right now—from the resume mistakes that get you filtered out in six seconds (!!!), to why loyalty to a company is not the flex you think it is, to the 5-5-3 networking rule that actually moves the needle when you're on the market.

We're also getting into the closed-door conversations that decide who gets laid off, the one move that makes hiring managers want you more, and the corporate truth that might sting a little: your manager is not your mentor.

If you've been playing checkers with your career, this is your invitation to start playing chess. Tune into the episode to find out how.

Key Takeaways


Talent alone won't get you promoted—visibility will. 


Your manager is not your mentor. 


Everyone has skills. What separates people is proximity.


BLUF: Bottom line up front.


Build your external brand while you're still employed. 


Why you should leave your job when you’re winning. 


When you're job searching, use the 5-5-3 rule: five texts to people in your network, five days a week, and aim for three meetings.

00:00 Intro

03:12 Deepali's career origin story

05:41 Being underestimated as a superpower

06:13 Talent alone isn't enough: visibility & access matter most

08:14 Managing up & the power memo

13:58 Checkers vs. chess: playing the long game

15:57 Leave when you're winning

17:30 Behind closed doors: what hiring really looks like

20:06 Resumes, layoffs & career resilience

22:54 The 5-5-3 rule

26:46 Becoming indispensable vs. high impact

32:21 Rapid fire: resumes, LinkedIn & interview tips

GUEST LINKS

IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_elite_recruiter/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elite.recruiter

Subscribe to Deepali's newsletter: https://eliterecruiter-newsletter.beehiiv.com/

FOLLOW THE PODCAST

IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss 

Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ 

https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast 

SIGN UP 

Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/ 

For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/

ABOUT AMBITION 2.0 

Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we'll be exploring what it really means to "have it all" in work, family, identity, and self… and if it's actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who've walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Holden spent years working 13-hour days at a male-dominated finance firm—helping rich men get richer—before she made a bold exit. She saved aggressively, sold her car, and walked away without a plan. That scrappy chapter even earned her the cute nickname “Dumpster Doggy.” 🙃

But it also gave her something most people never get: the space to figure out what she actually wanted. The answer? Teaching women how to invest.

In this episode of Ambition 2.0, Amanda Goetz sits down with Amanda Holden—financial educator, founder of Invested Development, and author of How to Be a Rich Old Lady—to unpack why investing still feels so overwhelming (even for smart, ambitious, high-earning women). Spoiler: it’s not you. The system was designed to gatekeep this information from women.

Amanda breaks down the biggest lies women have been told about money, why the Roth vs. traditional debate is more distracting than helpful, and what a 401(k) actually is (hint: for our millennial listeners, think of it like Caboodles from the ‘90s).

If you’ve ever looked at your retirement account and thought, “I should probably figure that out someday,” this episode is for you!

In this episode:


Why ambition isn't just about winning the man's game anymore


How Amanda went from finance bro to financial feminist


The Caboodles analogy that will change how you think about your retirement account


Why the Roth vs. traditional debate is the wrong conversation


What a fee-only financial planner actually does (and when you need one)


The #1 first step if you feel behind on investing


Why "go get your match" is the most important money advice for employees


The trad wife economy and the financial risks women need to understand

00:00 Intro

03:59 What drew her to finance and what made her leave 

09:29 The mindset shift that helped her walk away from her finance job

11:02 Her scrappy, "Dumpster Doggy" era (which allowed her to quit her 9-5) 

13:10 The TL;DR on Invested Development, Amanda’s financial education platform 

16:12 Why investing feels so hard, even for smart women 

21:01 The biggest lies women have been told about investing 

23:49 Roth vs. traditional: why it's the wrong debate 

25:13 The Caboodles analogy that explains your 401(k) perfectly 

29:28 The first step when you feel overwhelmed by money 

30:39 Do you actually need a financial planner? 

34:57 The beginner investing move that builds real confidence 

40:05 What it actually means to be a rich old lady 

43:00 Rapid fire: earning vs. investing, money myths, and more

GUEST LINKS

IG: https://www.instagram.com/dumpster.doggy/ 

Read How to Be a Rich Old Lady

Check out the Invested Development course: https://amandaholden.podia.com/invested-development

FOLLOW THE PODCAST

IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss 

Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ 

https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast 

SIGN UP Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/ For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/

ABOUT AMBITION 2.0 Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we'll be exploring what it really means to "have it all" in work, family, identity, and self… and if it's actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who've walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dating in 2026 can feel… bleak. Everyone is analyzing “red flags,” burned out on dating apps, and building emotional walls to stay safe out there. Sound relatable?

In this episode of Ambition 2.0, Amanda Goetz sits down with relationship expert Amy Chan—founder of Renew Breakup Bootcamp, bestselling author of Breakup Bootcamp, and author of the upcoming book Unsingle: How to Date Smarter and Create Love That Lasts—to talk about what’s actually going wrong in modern dating (especially for ambitious women) and how to date smarter.

Amy breaks down why high-achieving women can accidentally bring “CEO energy” into their love lives—turning dating into a project, over-functioning, and doing 90% of the work. You’ll learn how to stop over-giving, create space so someone can show you who they are, and why it’s not your job to coach someone out of their insecurity. 

Plus, Amy shares her “dating funnel” framework (lead generation → evaluation → commitment) and the underrated stage most people skip: the evaluation phase (a.k.a.: dates 3–20, where character is revealed).

If you’re dating right now—or you want a smarter path to partnership—this episode is for you.

You’ll learn: 


Why modern dating feels broken—and how hyper-fixating on red flags is blocking connection


How “CEO energy” can sabotage dating and what to do instead


Why it’s not your job to fix or coach a partner out of insecurity


What emotional wealth really means (and why it matters more than money)


Amy’s “dating funnel” framework and why dates 3–20 are crucial


How “ick culture” keeps people single

How to reopen your heart if dating has made you guarded, burned out, or distrustful 

00:00 Intro

03:22 Women’s standards are rising—and “survival coupling” is over

05:04 What is the “CEO energy” problem?

07:26 How to leave space and let them show who they are

10:12 Emotional wealth > financial flex: what men can do differently now

14:50 Amy’s dating funnel framework

21:08 The internet’s worst dating advice

GUEST LINKS

Instagram:  www.instagram.com/missamychan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@missamychan

Read Breakup Bootcamp: https://bookshop.org/a/116169/9780062914743 

Pre-order Unsingle: https://bookshop.org/a/116169/9781419779848 

www.renewbreakupbootcamp.com 

www.missamychan.com

www.hearthackersclub.com 

FOLLOW THE PODCAST

IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss 

Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ 

https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast 

SIGN UP

Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/ 

For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/ 

ABOUT AMBITION 2.0Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we’ll be exploring what it really means to “have it all” in work, family, identity, and self… and if it’s actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who’ve walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices