S5E9: Real Talk - Authentic Conversations that Connect Generations, with Erika Ayers Badan

Your Next Stop with Juliet Hahn

“I've messed up in every aspect of my life in every way possible, and I've learned from it. And hopefully someone takes that and they can learn something and then make their own mistakes, too.” - Erika Ayers Badan

Do you want to discover the secret to turning your passion into a successful business? Get ready to unlock the key to transforming your passion into a thriving business.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Unleash the power of your passion and turn it into a thriving business venture.

• Discover the key to navigating career transitions and finding genuine happiness in your work life.

• Unlock the hidden benefits of diverse work experiences and how they can elevate your professional journey.

• Master the art of building a captivating personal brand on social media to stand out in the digital world.

• Explore effective strategies for achieving a harmonious work-life balance and reclaiming your time and energy.

Erika Ayers Badan is a digital innovator, disruptor, and seasoned executive on the cutting edge of content creation, distribution, and monetization of premier and culturally relevant content. As an early adopter of internet culture, Ayers has always been interested in what’s next, driving digital entrepreneurship and large-scale revenue growth within companies.

Ayers Badan was recently named CEO of Food52 after serving as a board member and advisor since 2019.

Ayers Badan currently serves on the boards of the Premier Lacrosse League, and global public safety technology leader Axon Enterprise (AXON).

She is also the author of the book “Nobody Cares About Your Career: Why Failure is Good, The Great Ones Play Hurt and Other Hard Truths” which was released in July of 2024. Intertwined with anecdotes from her own career, Ayers Badan shares inspiring insight into how work really works, and how you can get it to work for you.

As the first-ever CEO of media magnate Barstool Sports, Ayers Badan led the company through explosive growth (+5000% in revenue and significantly more in audience), expanding the company from a regional blog to a national powerhouse brand and media company. During her 9 years steering the company, Barstool became a top ten podcasting publisher in the US, with the world's #1 sports, hockey, golf, and music podcasts, and a top 6 brand globally on TikTok. Ayers Badan has launched over 35 brands, including breakout franchises like Pat McAfee and Call Her Daddy.

Following Barstool’s exponential growth, Fast Company named Ayers Badan as one of its "Most Creative People in Business" in 2018, citing Barstool Sports' expansion into multimedia and merchandising during her tenure. That same year, Forbes ranked her 25th on its "Most Powerful Women in U.S. Sports.” In 2019, she was ranked #19 on The Big Lead's list of "The 75 Most Powerful People in the Sports Media Business." That year, she was also included on Crain's New York's "Notable Women in the Business of Sports.” Adweek named Ayers Badan as one of its "Most Powerful Women in Sports" in 2017 and 2020.

Ayers Badan has also held several senior roles at influential media and technology organizations, including President of BKSTG, CMO for AOL, VP of Branding at Yahoo! and Senior Director of MSN Branded Experiences for Microsoft.