Demoted

Two-time World Series champion, four-time MLB All-Star, and three-time email sender, Hunter Pence, joins the podcast as our first-ever guest! If you aren’t a San Francisco Giants (or baseball) fan, have no fear. In this episode, Ross and Natalie chat with Hunter Pence about his career transition from being a professional baseball player to MLB commentator and multi-business owner. He reveals how his experience developing a strong work ethic, a positive mindset, and a healthy relationship with public critique has transferred over from the sports world to the corporate world. Of course, Ross and Hunter also get to geek out about baseball, video games, and board games while Natalie politely keeps the conversation on track. Stay tuned for our regular scheduled programming of just Ross and Natalie yapping about Tahoe with the boys, watching sports with your dad, and how to laugh without smiling. Try Notion for free when you go to https://notion.com/demoted

Is there a such thing as Corporate spooky? Yes, and it’s more terrifying than you would believe. Don’t listen to these spooky stories with the lights off. These outrageous and absurd stories have been too spooky to share until now. From a mind-boggling Google search on a shared screen to a murder at an internship to a carpool flatulence disaster that could bring tears to your eyes, these stories will give you a fright. Natalie and Ross also explore the do’s and don’t’s of celebrating Halloween in the office; they cover the main rules for dressing up for the holiday in a corporate setting, and they give tactical techniques for spreading the Halloween spirit in the office. Stay tuned for a recap of the corps’ favorite costumes over the years, Ross’s love for Hans Zimmer, and the legend of Winnie the Rizz. Try Notion for free when you go to https://notion.com/demoted

You’ve most likely been wondering how Ross functions on a daily basis. How does he keep his business and personal life afloat despite his apparent and abundant flaws? Introducing… Becca, Ross’s business manager and wife. In this episode, Ross and Becca open up about their lives living and working together. They dig into the details of how they structure both their personal and professional relationships and go through the pros and cons of their arrangement. You’ll get a close look at who Becca was as a teacher and school principal before shifting careers to managing content creators. More importantly you'll find out if Ross was a “cool kid” in high school when they first started dating. Stay tuned for a breakdown of their shared finances, an ongoing fantasy football rivalry, and some advice on how to transition out of tech sales.

None of these clients will be getting a friendly gift basket this holiday season. If anything, they should get a restraining order filed against them and a shot of penicillin. In this episode, Ross and Natalie read through the wildest client stories we’ve ever heard. They cover client interfacing going horribly wrong, crazy deal stories, and technical failures resulting in utter embarrassment. Hidden foot cams, threesomes, dengue fever and stool softener are among the various twists and turns these stories take. Stay tuned for some bonus stories about a glass pumpkin addiction and a tampon plumbing disaster. Try Notion for free when you go to https://notion.com/demoted

There’s nothing like the mix of excitement and anxiety when walking into your first day of a new job. Set yourself up for success by starting out on the right foot…you’ll thank yourself later. In this episode, Natalie and Ross reflect on their first days of work in consulting and sales. They give some tips for you to employ when starting a new job that’ll lower your anxiety and help you to be productive right out of the gate. If you’re interested in making a first impression that will scar your image in your coworkers’ minds, we’ll hit you with some absolutely unhinged stunts to pull on your first day. Stay tuned for a behind the scenes discussion of Natalie staring in The Charlie Puth Show, Ross busting a stanky leg on the stage of a crowd of hundreds of people, and Natalie’s decision to laminate her eyebrows.

According to CNBC, 57% of Gen Z Americans want to become a social media influencer. But, the road to becoming a successful content creator is long and not all glitz and glam. In this episode, Natalie and Ross discuss their social media journeys and highlight the necessary first steps toward building a life of content creation. You’ll hear about how to choose your niche, how to grow a following, and why it’s important to keep testing out new content ideas. They will share an exclusive inside look at the decisions that contributed to the success of their Corporate Bro and Corporate Natalie brands. Stay tuned for an a story of an influencer live streaming a gala dinner, Natalie’s Halloween costume plans, and the newest batch of corporate jargon.

Performance enhancement shouldn’t only apply to top athletes. Its time we start enhancing the performance of desk-dwelling corporate warriors. Here is how its done. In this episode, Natalie and Ross discuss the various methods, rituals, supplements and substances that may or may not improve your work productivity. Whether by chugging espresso or counting 25 minute pomodoros, everyone can find simple hacks for a daily boost of focus. You’ll also hear a bunch of tricks that are inadvisable to add to your routine such as hiring high school coaches to yell at you at your desk or mix and matching various stimulants. Stay tuned for a story of a weird CEO who needs help with his morning routine, Ross’s love of smelling salts, and why you should never swear at AI.

The life of a corporate intern isn’t supposed to be glamorous but we didn’t expect to hear such shocking stories from our listeners. Buckle up for some rapid-fire Internship confessions! In this episode, Natalie and Ross read confessions that illustrate the dramatic range of experience that young professionals are having while kicking off their careers. You’ll hear stories of drunk interns teleporting bar to bar, interns being framed for embezzling funds, interns sleeping all over the office, and interns using company funds to go to a strip club. Stay tuned for big four consulting career advice, Ross starting mascot brawls, and a friendly reminder to not stick your hand in a grizzly bear exhibit.

Does the perfect email exist? What are the unwritten rules of corporate email? If opening your email every morning is like playing a desperate game of corporate whack-a-mole, you're not alone. In this episode, you’ll get a crash course on all the do’s and don’ts of crafting effective work emails. Natalie and Ross dive deep into the world of email etiquette by sharing best practices for professional email formatting, tips on how to get more responses to cold outreach, and ways to make your email stand out in a busy inbox. Ross explains the challenges of sales email outreach and all the out-of-the-box techniques used to grab a buyer’s attention. You’ll also get a guide on writing inflammatory subject lines that will guarantee a 100% open rate. Stay tuned for an email fail story of a Gen Z employee CCing their entire company and then proceeding to vape in the conference room.

Is your direct report calling you “Baby Daddy”? Or maybe you have a piercing in a not-so-office appropriate place that somehow you now have to tell your boss about. Or perhaps your boss is saying “bust on” in a work setting - regardless, we got you covered. In this episode, Natalie and Ross address some absolutely absurd listener-submitted calls. They may not be licensed or certified to give advice, but thats not stopping them. They provide one listener advice on how to step into their first corporate job after college, and give another listener the best strategy for shifting from an IC to management. Stay tuned for Natalie’s group hiking experience, Venmo stalking, and Ross getting memed by Elon Musk. The Corporate Hotline is open for calls. Please submit your audio message to the submission form in the top right corner of our website. https://demotedpodcast.com

Does rizz play a role in ascending the corporate ladder? Is it about how big your rizz is or how you use it? In this episode, Ross and Natalie break down what it means to have rizz in the workplace and why it is a factor to career success that should not be overlooked. You’ll get a crash course in how to rizz up your office that will either result in a series of promotions or a direct ticket to HR. You’ll learn how to make friends and rizzfluence people with the help of our favorite author D Carn (Dale Carnegie). If you are not yet sick of hearing the word “Rizz,” then this episode just might push you over the edge. Stay tuned for a webinar screen share disaster, a bear encounter on a golf course, and a tale of Gam Gam getting bullied. Follow the link https://www.chomps.com/demoted to purchase Chomps online or find them at a store near you!

To go to business school or not to go to business school? In this episode, Ross goes in depth about his experience attending Stanford's Graduate School of Business. From why he went back to school at 29 years old, to how an MBA has affected his career. Natalie shares her perspective on the Stanford MBA program as a close outside observer sneaking into classes and attending all their parties and international trips. The two discuss the merits of using business school to career pivot and how to get the most out of the time there if you do decide to go. They also talk about the challenging balance of keeping up with class workloads and a robust social life. Stay tuned for some enhanced corporate icebreakers, a “touchy feely” class, and a listener-submitted story of what happened when a bridesmaid hooked up with the bride’s brother. Start Ritual or add Stress Relief to your subscription today. Go to https://ritual.com/demoted for 25% off.

The job search these days feels more impossible than it ever has. No better reason to be ready to crush a job interview when the opportunity arises. In this episode, Corp and Nat share some best practices on how to put your best self forward in a job interview. They also reminisce about their early interview failures, including a particularly spooky story of Ross being given a phone in the middle of a sales interview to do a surprise cold call. You’ll hear a listener-submitted advice request about how to maintain your sales leaderboard positions. Stay tuned for takes on getting a keratin treatment, non-romantic adult sleepovers, and practice pitching in an empty parking structure. Follow the link https://www.chomps.com/demoted to purchase Chomps online or find them at a store near you! Check out the Silly Valley News newsletter at https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/silly-valley-news-7211044838354362368 For the founder dinner story check out the beginning of the Nightmare Bosses: Part 1 episode: https://youtu.be/QtaQewgmmr0

Is going into the sales profession a worthwhile career move? If you can handle the stress and rejection… maybe. Ross reveals the unmitigated truth of a career in sales, explaining the struggle of hitting quota quarter after quarter, the grind of cold prospecting, and the joy of closing a deal. Natalie discusses how her impression of sales and salespeople has evolved since working with Ross and overseeing sales motions for her own startup. You’ll hear how even if you’re not in a sales role, the soft skill of selling can be applied throughout your career and life. Stay tuned for an unhinged sales cold call recording, tips on how to make work feels more like a vacation, and an exclusive sample of Natalie’s shower singing skills.

Is an 8am meeting ever okay? Ross and Natalie revisit the controversy surrounding their early podcasting cancelation by digging deeper into the ideal time to meet for work-related calls. Spoiler, it’s not at 8am. They also share tips on ways to set boundaries at work in a way that's not off putting and will be appreciated by coworkers. The hosts discuss the most common things that motivate employees and what's motivated them in their personal careers. Of course they also give examples of the absolute worst ways to motivate employees, including but not limited to: pizza parties, company loyalty points, and ejector seats. Stay tuned for worst practices when packing for vacation, advice on corporate revenge, and the unique appeal of a breakfast buffet. Follow the link https://www.chomps.com/demoted to purchase Chomps online or find them at a store near you! Check out https://https://thehustle.co/ to read The Hustle newsletter.

It’s wedding season, baby! Time to write that toast you’ve been putting off for weeks for your friend. Lucky for you, Ross and Natalie have the perfect framework to deliver a heartfelt, funny speech that will make everyone at the wedding come up to you and say “hey that was a great toast.” The duo also tells you things to avoid, and even go as far as to describe how to give the worst speech imaginable that may get you physically removed from the venue. In addition to a full-on course in speech writing do’s and don’ts, you’ll also hear some stories about Ross’s followers marrying their coworkers. These stories include marketing girls banished to the sales pit, point-blank tinder swiping, and the romantic fate of a small bladder. Stay tuned to hear about Corporate Natalie hitting 1 million followers on Instagram and Corp waxing his back to celebrate. Start Ritual or add Stress Relief to your subscription today. Go to https://ritual.com/demoted for 25% off.

You might not have known this is an educational podcast but you’re gunna learn today. Ross and Natalie share their tested methods of subtly asserting dominance in the workplace, from power leans to de-magnetizing key fobs. As a self-proclaimed restroom aficionado, Ross gives a DemoTED Talk titled “The Throne Room: Mastering the Art of Workplace Bathroom Etiquette”. Is it ever okay to play TikTok videos at full volume from the big stall? You’ll find out in this exclusive seminar. They also give some advice to a Moterhead on how to better control their non-verbal cues on Zoom calls. Stay tuned for Gam Gam’s 90th, charitable magic show volunteers, and Ross’s A.I. digital twin malfunctioning on air. Follow the link https://www.chomps.com/demoted to purchase Chomps online or find them at a store near you!

Welcome to the Demoted Live Show… recap episode! We went out and did a secret live show and in this episode, you’ll hear all about it (and perhaps learn how to score an invite to the next one). Ross and Natalie break down their first Demoted live show where they interviewed ZoomInfo’s CEO, Henry Schuck. You’ll get to hear some audio of him handling the onslaught of roasts and fiery questions. They cover his background in building a successful company, ask personal rapid fire questions, and confront him with some terrible GlassDoor reviews. The hosts run through some FAQs about their future live shows including how the show will advance your career, what your pre-game routine should be, and where the special seating section for salespeople is located. If your company is interested in hosting a live show, we’ll invite your CEO up on stage and absolutely roast them (in the most humanizing way possible, of course). Email contact@demotedpodcast.com if you’re interested.

Q3 is coming in hot! In this episode, Ross and Natalie review each other’s performances over the first half of the year, covering vulnerability scores, friendship ratings, and even carpool ability. The hosts share their hopes for the rest of the year and set goals for live shows and maybe even bringing on some guests. Stay tuned for a comparison of bachelor and bachelorette parties, confessions from Deloitte University, and Natalie’s experience with a truly awful dentist.

We all know Corporate Natalie. But who is Real Natalie? In this episode, Natalie’s roommate and co-founder Katrina enters the studio to grill Natalie on your most-asked questions. She reveals first-hand accounts of what it is like to both live and work with Natalie. Natalie opens up about her journey to finding self-confidence, her challenges of dating while in the public eye, and navigating her completely new reality while living with three roommates. You’ll hear stories about Katrina pretending to be Natalie’s assistant, horrible first dates, and a late-night odyssey on the big island of Hawaii. Don’t worry, Ross has not been fired... yet. He’ll be back for next week’s episode.