Work Besties Who Podcast
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Work Besties Who Podcast
Noticed vs. Seen: Jess’s Ode to Claude
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September on Work Besties Who is all about storytelling and visibility: finding your voice, owning your story, communicating your value, and allowing yourself to be seen—not only for the work you produce, but for the person you are and the perspective you bring.
And because storytelling is one of Jess’s greatest strengths, there was only one way she could begin the month: by telling the story of someone who is an enormous part of her own.
In this special solo episode, Jess shares an ode to her cohost, friend, and work bestie for life, Claude.
Jess reflects on the difference between being noticed and being truly seen—and how Claude’s intelligence, honesty, loyalty, grounded confidence, and unwavering belief have helped Jess recognize the power of her own voice.
Because being noticed is when someone knows what you accomplished. Being seen is when someone understands the courage, doubt, preparation, resilience, and heart behind it.
This episode is both a love letter to Claude and an invitation for all of us to consider the people who have helped shape our stories, made us braver, and reminded us of what we struggled to see in ourselves.
The right work bestie doesn’t give you your voice. She reminds you that you had one all along.
Who is a huge part of your story? Send them this episode—and then tell them why they matter. Don’t make them guess. Don’t wait.
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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband
A Work Bestie Changes Everything
Jess KThere are certain people who enter your life and without even realizing it, change the way you see yourself. They remind you who you are when you forget. They see your potential before you are fully ready to claim it. And sometimes, if you're lucky, they become more than a colleague, more than a friend, and more than a work bestie. They become part of your story. And today I want to tell you about mine. Her name is Claude.
Claude FHi, I'm Claude. And I'm Jess. We are corporate employees by day, entrepreneurs by night, and work besties for life.
Jess KJoin us as we explore how work besties lift each other up, laugh through the chaos, and thrive together in every industry. Work besties!
September Theme Storytelling And Visibility
Jess KHi, Work Besties. Welcome back to Work Besties Who Podcast. This is a little different of an episode. It's me, Jess, I'm all alone. Um, and I'm gonna do two things. One, I want to first officially kick off the month of September. As you know, this season, we have been doing a new month, a new theme, a new opportunity for us to take that breath and reset and think about where we want to go next. So our focus this month is on storytelling and visibility. We're going to talk about finding your voice, owning your story, communicating your value, and allowing yourself to be seen not only for the work you produce, but for the person you are and the perspective you bring. But before we get into all that, I want to begin with my own story. Because when I started thinking about storytelling and visibility, I kept coming back to the people who help us find our confidence and use our voice. The people who don't try to speak for us or turn us into something else. The people who see something in us and gently or sometimes very clearly remind us that it deserves to be seen by everyone else too. For me, one of those people is my work bestie, my co-host, my friend, and the other half of this podcast, Claude. So today's September opener is also an ode to Claude.
Why Claude Matters So Much
Jess KAnd Claude, if you're listening, which you better be listening, I hope you know how much this episode comes from my heart. So on this uh podcast, we talk a lot about the importance of having good people around you at work, people who will support you, people who will tell you the truth, people who will celebrate your wins without making those wins about themselves, people who can sit beside you during the hard seasons and remind you that one difficult moment does not define your entire career. But every once in a while you meet someone who becomes all of those things. Claude is one of those people for me. She was born and raised in Monaco in the south of France, which somehow makes perfect sense when you get to know her. She has the elegance and confidence that feel completely natural. She is very authentic to who she is, and she's incredibly intelligent, beautifully articulate, and deeply thoughtful. Claude really knows who she is. She has opinions, she has standards, and she's not afraid to express either one of them. But what I admire most about her is not simply that she is direct, especially to me, it is that her honesty comes from a place of clarity and care. You never have to wonder whether she means what she says, you never have to decode her support, you never have to question whether she is truly in your corner. When Claude believes in you, she believes in you fully. And when you become part of her inner circle, you feel it. You feel protected, you feel cared for, you feel remembered, and especially you feel loved. That kind of friendship is rare anywhere, but it can feel especially rare in the workplace where so many relationships begin because two names happen to appear on the same organizational chart. Claude and I may have met through work, but what we've built became so much bigger than work. Eventually, it became this podcast. And in some ways, it helped me become
Noticed Versus Truly Seen
Jess Kmore fully myself. One of the greatest gifts another person can give us is this experience of truly feeling seen, not just simply noticed, not recognized because we completed a project or delivered a presentation, but feeling seen. There is a big difference. Being noticed is when someone knows what you did, but being seen is when someone understands what it took for you to do it. Being noticed is someone saying, good job. Being seen is someone recognizing the courage, the doubt, the preparation, the resilience, and heart that existed behind the finished product. Claude has always had an incredible ability to really see people. She notices the things that other people might overlook. She recognizes when somebody needs encouragement, even if that person is pretending to be completely fine. Do that a lot. She understands that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same person at the same time. And she has a way of reminding the people she loves that they are capable, even when they temporarily forgot. There have been moments in my career when I have felt completely confident. And there have also been moments when I questioned whether I was doing enough, saying enough, or even making any sort of an impact. Moments when I wondered whether my voice was getting lost. Moments when I was giving so much energy to everyone and everything around me that I could no longer see what I was accomplishing for myself and others. Claude has been one of those people who's helped me see it again. Not through empty compliments, not through generic encouragement, through genuine belief. She reflects back the things that are difficult to recognize when you're standing too close to your own life. She reminds me of the value of my ideas. She reminds me of the impact that I truly do have on people. She reminds me that caring deeply is not a weakness. And she reminds me the qualities we sometimes question in ourselves may be the exact qualities that make us special. That is what the work besties do best. They do not create confidence for you. They
Building A Safe Space At Work
Jess Khold up the mirror until you are able to see what has been there all along. So when Claude and I first started the Work Besties podcast, we were not just starting a show. We actually really wanted to create a safe space, a space to say the things that people often think at work but are afraid to say out loud. A space to translate the corporate language into actual human language, which I'm still figuring out. A space to talk honestly about ambition, friendship, confidence, burnout, boundaries, leadership, mistakes, growth, and all the complicated emotions that come with building a career. Yes, we are corporate employees by day and entrepreneurs by night. But more importantly, what we are and still are today are work besties for life. Our voices are different. And that is one of the things that I love about us most. Claude brings her perspective, her intelligence, her experience, her composure, and her beautiful point of view, even when I don't agree, it's still beautiful. And we all know I bring the energy, the curiosity, I bring a lot of storytelling, questions, and I have to be honest, occasionally, enough words to take over for both of us. But that's the thing. Neither of us are competing with each other. We didn't do it at work despite people trying. We still don't do it today. We find the ways to complement each other. Claude does not need to become more like me, and I do not need to be more like Claude. The magic is in allowing both of us to be completely authentically ourselves.
Five Lessons From Claude
Jess KAnd that is a lesson that extends far beyond podcasting. Visibility is not about becoming the loudest person in the room. It is not about copying the communication styles of those who seem to have the most power. It's not about performing some artificial version of competence. Real visibility begins when you stop trying to sound like everyone else and start trusting the value of how you naturally think, communicate, and connect. Claude has helped to create a space where I can do that, and hopefully all of you. It's a space where I feel super enthusiastic every day, where I can care deeply, where I can ask all the questions that I love to ask, where I can be serious one minute, laugh at something absolutely ridiculous the next, and then come right back to the serious. Where I do not have to edit away the parts of myself that really make me who I am. I hope I've created that same space for her and for all of you. Because Claude's voice matters as does yours. Her perspective matters to me. The way she sees the world really matters. And I want more people to experience the intelligence, warmth, wit, and wisdom that I have been lucky enough to experience as her friend. Claude has taught me so many things, far more than I could ever fit into one episode. But there are a few lessons that feel especially important as we enter a moon focused on storytelling and visibility. The first is that honesty can be an act of love. There is something so incredibly comforting about having a person in your life whose words you can trust. Claude will celebrate you sincerely, encourage you thoughtfully, and share her perspective honestly. There's no performance in it, even when I have lipstick on my teeth. Her support is meaningful because it's so real. The second lesson that I have learned from her is confidence does not have to be loud. Claude has this grounded confidence. She doesn't even realize she's doing it. She carries herself with this sense of knowing. She truly knows what her values are and she never shies for them. She knows what she believes. She knows the people she loves, and she does not need to become the center of every room to make her present felt. That is a powerful kind of visibility. The third lesson is that loyalty lives in the details. It's in the checking in. It's in her remembering. It is making someone feel that what matters to them also matters to you. It is being present, not only for the polished moments, but for the complicated, messy ones. Claude cares fiercely for her people, and I am incredibly grateful to be one of them. The fourth lesson is friendships can make you braver. We often talk about courage as if it's something you must manufacture entirely on your own. But sometimes courage is borrowed. Sometimes it comes from hearing a trusted person say, You can do this. You've got this. Sometimes it comes from looking beside you and realizing you are not walking into the next chapter alone. Sometimes it comes from knowing that whether you succeed immediately, make a mistake, or need to begin again, there is someone who will still be there. Claude has been that person for me. And finally, she has taught me that the right partnership does not make either person smaller. It creates more room for people to grow. A true partner does not dim your light to make theirs appear brighter. They help you understand that there is room for both of you to shine.
Visibility Begins Before Tactics
Jess KNow, you may be thinking, Jess, this is beautiful, but how does it connect to storytelling and visibility? Well, it connects to everything because our stories are rarely shaped by us alone in isolation. They are shaped by the people who encourage us, the people who challenge us to think differently, the people who sit beside us during those uncertain moments, the people who remind us of our voice before we are even ready to use it. When we talk about becoming more visible, we often focus on the tactics. How do I speak up in a meeting? How do I present my work? How do I advocate for a promotion? How do I communicate my accomplishments without feeling like I'm bragging? Those questions matter. They truly do. And we are going to explore them throughout September, I promise you. But visibility begins before the presentation, before that LinkedIn post, or and before that conversation with your manager. It begins with believing that your story is worth telling. It begins with understanding that your experiences have value. It begins with recognizing that your perspective may be exactly what someone else needed to hear. And sometimes we need another person to help us believe that first. Maybe you have a clot in your life. Hopefully you do. Maybe it's a work bestie. It could even be a mentor, a former manager, a family member, or a friend outside of work. Someone who sees you clearly and reminds you that you deserve to take up space. If you do, tell them. Do not assume they already know. Do not wait for that perfect occasion. Let them know what their belief has meant to you. And if you do not currently have that person, perhaps this is your opportunity to become that person for someone else. Tell a colleague that her idea changed the way you approached a problem. Tell a friend that you admire how he handled a difficult season. Tell someone what you see in them before they achieve the title recognition or milestone they believe will finally prove their worth. We talk so much about networking, but not enough about witnessing. Networking asks, who do I know? Witnessing asks, who do I truly see? Claude has witnessed my journey, and I have witnessed hers. She has seen my ambition, the uncertainty, the growth, a lot of chaos. But there's joy, and she's seen everything in between. And she has loved and supported me through it all, even when I made it very difficult. That is something I will never ever
A Public Thank You Letter
Jess Ktake for granted. So, Claude, here's my letter to you. Claude, there are so many things I said to you privately, but I want to say this one publicly. Thank you. Thank you for being my work bestie before Work Besties Who Podcast even existed. Thank you for believing in this idea and taking this incredible jump and journey with me. Thank you for lending your voice, your time, your experiences, and your amazing heart to help build this together. Thank you for every recording, every conversation, every laugh, every silly blooper, every moment one of us looked at the other and knew exactly what we were thinking. Thank you for being someone whose support feels steady and true. Thank you for being brilliant without ever needing anyone else to feel less brilliant beside you. Thank you for showing me that directness and tenderness can live beautifully in the same person. Thank you for caring so deeply for the people you love. Thank you for being proud of me when I struggle to pause long enough to feel proud of myself. And thank you especially for reminding me that my voice matters. Thank you for giving me a place where I can completely and wholly be my authentic self. Claude, you are so intelligent, elegant, very funny, extremely thoughtful, strong, and just an amazing person. You bring a perspective to my life that no one else can bring. You really do make me think. You make me laugh, you make me braver, and you make this podcast better. And you made my life simply better by being in it. No matter how many episodes we record, projects we dream up, or I force you into, or you will always be an essential part of my life. I love you, I appreciate you, and I'm so incredibly grateful that work brought us together and that this friendship has turned into us being family. Your supportive work, Bestie Jess.
How To See Others Too
Jess KAll right, besties, as we begin September, I want to leave you with this. Your story does matter. Your voice matters, your perspective matters, but you do not have to discover all of that completely on your own. Find the people who help you recognize yourself. Stay close to those people who celebrate your growth, tell you the truth with love, and create room for you to be fully yourself. And be that person for someone else. Visibility is not only about making sure that you are seen, it's also about learning how to see other people. So this month, this amazing month of September, we are going to help you own your story. We are going to talk about how to communicate your value, how to make your work visible, how to tell stories that people remember, and how to use your voice even when doing so feels so uncomfortable. But today, I wanted to start by honoring someone who has helped me use my voice, my co-host, my friend, my family, my work bestie for life, Claude. For the rest of you out there, I hope that you have a friend as amazing as Claude. If you don't, please leverage our work bestie community.
Share This And Join Us
Jess KThere are so many thoughtful individuals that are part of our community. So I thank you for listening to this very special September opener. If someone came to mind while you were listening, send them this episode and then tell them directly why they matter to you. Do not make them guess. Do not wait. And if this episode made you reflect or hopefully feel a little less lonely, please follow the show. Leave us a review and share it with your own work bestie. All of your support matters, and we see you too. So until next time, remember, keep supporting each other. Your supportive work bestie, Jess. Remember, whether you're swapping snacks in the break room, rescuing each other from endless meetings, or just sending that perfectly timed meme. Having a work bestie is like having your own personal hype squad.
Claude FSo we keep lifting each other up, laughing through the chaos, and of course, thriving. Until next time, stay positive, stay productive, and don't forget to keep supporting each other.
