The Hypocrite Workaholic: TLO Stories “Heard at Work”
A workaholic dad catches his daughter scrolling at midnight—then realizes he’s the real problem. A short story about screen time, guilt, and modern parenting.
Written by:
Matt Sunbulli
Aaron Calafato
Narrated by:
Aaron Calafato
Hosts:
Leah Ova
Matt Sunbulli
Aaron Calafato
Sound Design:
Isaac Gehring
Editorial:
Matt Sunbulli
Brooks Borden
Ken Wendt
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2:55
Why Building a Personal Brand Is the Best Career Insurance
This week, we sit down with the Podcast Princess herself, Hala Taha, to discuss why, in today’s “do more with less” AI economy, your personal brand is your best insurance policy. Hala shares her own journey—from dropping out of college, working for free at Hot 97 for three years of no paycheck, no benefits, even babysitting the host’s kid) to now running YAP Media, a podcasting juggernaut.
Special Guest:
Hala Taha
Hosts:
Matt Sunbulli
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/
https://www.firstdraft.vc
Aaron Calafato
Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast
Leah Ova
Follow Leah on TikTok
Editorial:
Matt Sunbulli
Brooks Borden
Ken Wendt
Aaron Calafato
Senior Audio Engineer:
Ken Wendt
Research:
Zaid Safe
Matt Sunbulli
Aaron Calafato
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26:06
Confessions of a Paycheck Phantom
James Leonidas Klusaritz spent four months as a management consultant doing absolutely nothing before quitting to become a TikTok star. This week he joins us to discuss his viral "Paycheck Phantom" series - exploring how employees get lost in corporate bureaucracy and survive by mastering the art of invisibility. From nap rooms hidden behind filing cabinets to conference room whiteboard theater, we investigate the corporate cockroaches among us and why companies can't seem to catch them.
Special Guest:
James Klusaritz: On TikTok, On IG
Hosts:
Matt Sunbulli
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/
https://www.firstdraft.vc
Aaron Calafato
Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast
Leah Ova
Follow Leah on TikTok
Editorial:
Matt Sunbulli
Brooks Borden
Ken Wendt
Aaron Calafato
Senior Audio Engineer:
Ken Wendt
Research:
Zaid Safe
Matt Sunbulli
Aaron Calafato
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23:25
Why HR Needs a Divorce Policy
Aaron lied in his job interview when asked if he was happily married - weeks later, he was navigating a new job, fatherhood, and divorce simultaneously. This week, we explore why divorce is the only major life event companies don't support, featuring divorce expert Christina Hawke. From co-founders whose splits nearly tank startups to choreographers with 43% divorce rates, we investigate when work destroys marriages and why no one talks about it.
Hosts:
Matt Sunbulli
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/
https://www.firstdraft.vc
Aaron Calafato
Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast
Leah Ova
Follow Leah on TikTok
Editorial:
Matt Sunbulli
Brooks Borden
Ken Wendt
Aaron Calafato
Senior Audio Engineer:
Ken Wendt
Research:
Zaid Safe
Matt Sunbulli
Aaron Calafato
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25:54
TLO Stories “Heard at Work”: Company Selling PTO?!
Introducing a new short story series in your TLO feed. TLO: Heard at Work delivers short, punchy stories with immersive soundscapes that drop you into the messy moments where work and life collide.
When a struggling employee at a major credit card company faces a brutal performance review, he makes an unexpected move—gifting PTO days to his boss. Was it a bold act of workplace generosity or clever corporate bribery? In this short story from TLO: Heard at Work, we explore the fine line between redemption and manipulation in today’s office culture.
Written by:
Matt Sunbulli
Aaron Calafato
Narrated by:
Aaron Calafato
Hosts:
Leah Ova
Matt Sunbulli
Aaron Calafato
Sound Design:
Isaac Gehring
Editorial:
Matt Sunbulli
Brooks Borden
Ken Wendt
Welcome to The Lonely Office: an award winning podcast about making sense of the increasingly blurry line between work and life, brought to you by Glassdoor. We tackle real workplace stories sourced from anonymous firsthand accounts—like the rise of job ghosting, the truth behind unlimited PTO, and dealing with a nightmare boss. We also share insider advice on layoffs, severance negotiations, and wild work stories, from candidates vaping in interviews to employees fired over free speech. The professional world can be chaotic, but you don’t have to navigate it alone
TLO is hosted by Matt Sunbulli (serial tech entrepreneur, Founder @ Fishbowl and First Draft AI), Aaron Calafato (Storyteller, Narrative Designer & Content Strategist), and Leah Ova (content creator and advertising executive), with special appearances from industry thought leaders and economists.
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