Episode 55 - The Radical Joy of Building a Life You Don't Have to Beg For

In this week’s episode of We Are Out of Office, your co-hosts Veteran Television Executive Producer Nikki T and Bestselling Author Jayne Allen return with a short but layered conversation about voice, visibility, culture, and what it means to build a life rooted in self-respect, alignment, and enoughness.

The episode opens with the ladies doing what they do best: turning on their out-of-office replies and naming the energy. With the world worlding as usual, Jayne is busy reading up on the latest developments in community collective action, while Nikki enters her birthday month with one clear instruction: talk to her nice.

From there, the conversation moves through brilliance in marketing, creativity, entrepreneurship, internet foolishness, and the quiet power of building a life that doesn’t require over-explaining, over-proving, or begging to be believed.

I See You GirlNikki spotlights Dara Treseder, the powerhouse marketing executive currently serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Autodesk. From helping drive Peloton’s explosive growth to turning software into story-driven cultural messaging, Dara is a reminder that the best marketing doesn’t just sell products — it sells identity, possibility, and belonging.

Jayne highlights Viola Davis, who now adds novelist to her already-iconic résumé with the release of Judge Stone, a courtroom thriller co-written with James Patterson. Viola also narrates the audiobook herself, because of course she does — and the hosts reflect on what it means to witness a woman continue to evolve at the highest level of her craft.

What We’re On Right NowJayne is currently on facial massage — and not in a frivolous way. After noticing puffiness and fluid retention from travel, stress, and changing routines, she’s been deep in the world of lymphatic drainage and facial massage, discovering just how much a few intentional minutes can shift how you look and feel.

Nikki, meanwhile, is deep in another internet rabbit hole — or rather, several. From “attic lady” and “birthday cake lady” to a wedding canceled under mysterious circumstances and a husband allegedly stranded overseas with his sneaky link, Threads continues to prove itself as one of the most chaotic storytelling platforms on the internet.

The ladies also take a moment to praise Paradise, which Nikki says is doing the rare thing: delivering a season two that may actually be just as strong as the first.

Mindin’ My Black BusinessJayne brings listeners a Black-owned coffee brand: