Have you ever checked your phone during a meeting and watched the speaker's energy completely shift? Or felt dismissed when someone glanced at their screen while you were presenting? As companies mandate returns to the office, they're confronting technology habits we developed during remote work - and some, like JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon, are responding with complete device bans.

Boosted is the podcast that reveals the unwritten rules of professional success that nobody teaches you in school. Hosted by Trina Boos, founder of Boost Academy of Excellence, this show delivers actionable tips to build your professional presence and advance your career through real workplace scenarios and human stories.

In this episode, Trina shares a moment she's still embarrassed about years later. During a strategy meeting, mid-presentation, she reached for her phone - just for a second, just to check one thing. When she looked up, she watched her employee's shoulders drop and her voice lose confidence. That split second communicated a message Trina never intended: "What's on my screen is more important than what you're saying." The impact was devastating, even though her intention was innocent.

Here's the thing: Jamie Dimon's blanket ban on devices addresses a real problem - research shows we check our phones every 37 minutes, guaranteeing disruption in every meeting. But one-size-fits-all policies miss something crucial: context matters, and professional judgment matters even more. Trina shares the three-meeting framework she developed at her former recruitment agency, where device policies were intentionally different for status meetings (laptops open), strategy sessions (devices away), and team building (intentional tech use). She also reveals the simple equation that helps professionals navigate device etiquette regardless of company policy: Purpose + Expectations = Protocol.

This episode is essential for professionals returning to in-person work, leaders setting team norms around technology, or anyone who wants to build a reputation as someone who shows up fully present - the kind of person who gets promoted.

New episodes every other Thursday.

Subscribe and discover how intentional presence creates the career differentiator that sets you apart.

Boosted is brought to you by Boost Academy of Excellence (boostacademyofexcellence.com).

Music by: In the City

Special thanks to: Shahin Nezhad and Sina Sabouri (advisors)

Have you ever felt uncomfortable when someone treats a café like their private office? Or worried that your work calls might be disrupting the people around you? Remote work has given us incredible flexibility - but it's also created situations we're all still learning to navigate.

Boosted is the podcast that reveals the unwritten rules of professional success that nobody teaches you in school. Hosted by Trina Boos, founder of Boost Academy of Excellence, this show delivers actionable tips to build your professional presence and advance your career through real workplace scenarios and human stories.

In this episode, Trina witnesses an uncomfortable moment unfold in real-time. While reading Emily Post's book on business etiquette, she watched a woman conduct a loud business call in a crowded café - speaking as if the space was her private office. When a polite elderly gentleman asked if she could speak more softly so he could hear his wife, the woman's response shocked everyone: she stood up, still on her call, and yelled at him for interrupting her meeting. The gentleman returned to his table visibly shaken, and the entire café atmosphere shifted.

Here's the thing: that woman was probably stressed, overwhelmed, or having a difficult day. We've all been there. But this moment revealed something bigger - we're all still figuring out how to work from public spaces respectfully. The good news? Being a productive remote worker and a considerate café guest aren'tmutually exclusive. Trina shares nine guidelines across three categories that help her navigate café work with confidence: managing noise and space, supporting the business, and respecting fellow café-goers.

This episode is essential for remote workers who use cafés as workspaces, anyone navigating the etiquette of public working environments, or professionals who want to be more thoughtful about shared spaces.

New episodes every other Thursday.

Subscribe and discover how considerate workplace habits benefit everyone - including you.

Boosted is brought to you by Boost Academy of Excellence (boostacademyofexcellence.com).

Music by: In the City

Special thanks to: Shahin Nezhad and Sina Sabouri (advisors)

Have you ever avoided small talk because it felt awkward or superficial? What if that discomfort is costing you career opportunities, meaningful connections, and life-changing moments? One simple conversation in a coffee shop line landed a consultant her biggest client of the year. A curious "Why do you ask?" launched a 25-year tech career. And a comment about a ceramic figurine helped two people find love.

Boosted is the podcast that reveals the unwritten rules of professional success that nobody teaches you in school. Hosted by Trina Boos, founder of Boost Academy of Excellence, this show delivers actionable tips to build your professional presence and advance your career through real workplace scenarios and human stories.

In this episode, Trina shares three powerful stories that prove small talk at work isn't small at all. After being laid off in the late 90s, one professional struck up a conversation with a stranger at an event. His willingness to engage—and his follow-up question "Why do you ask?"—completely changed his career trajectory. Trina's late father noticed a woman holding a large ceramic figurine during a business trip stopover. That simple observation led to an introduction that resulted in wedding bells six months later. And a marketing consultant almost stayed quiet in a coffee shop line when someone commented on her busy day—but her two-minute response landed her biggest client of the year.

Here's the truth: many of us have a complicated relationship with small talk. Even seasoned CEOs who can command boardrooms feel awkward making elevator conversation. We worry about being disingenuous or wonder why we're talking about the weather. But small talk isn't about the weather—it's about signaling openness and creating low-stakes opportunities for connection. That discomfort you feel? That's just the vulnerability of reaching out to another human being. And that vulnerability is what makes the connection real. Trina shares five practical approaches to make small talk feel natural, from starting with observations to remembering it doesn't have to be perfect.

This episode is essential for anyone who finds small talk challenging, wants to build authentic professional connections, or is missing opportunities because they're staying quiet in those in-between moments.

New episodes every other Thursday.

Subscribe and discover how genuine curiosity and brief conversations can transform your career and life.

Boosted is brought to you by Boost Academy of Excellence (boostacademyofexcellence.com).

Music by: In the City

Special thanks to: Shahin Nezhad and Sina Sabouri (advisors)

Have you ever wondered what really happens in the moments before your interview even begins? The truth might surprise you - and it could be costing you opportunities.

Boosted is the podcast that reveals the unwritten rules of professional success that nobody teaches you in school. Hosted by Trina Boos, founder of Boost Academy of Excellence, this show delivers actionable tips to build your professional presence and advance your career through real workplace scenarios and human stories.

In this episode, Trina shares three unforgettable interview stories from her years as a recruitment agency CEO - including the one that made her cry.

There's the Senior Art Director who erupted into a profanity-laden tirade over standard paperwork, forcing Trina to leave the room as a shaken junior recruiter. The highly qualified creative professional who put his feet on her desk after being dismissive to office staff. And the promising PR candidate whose constant Apple Watch checking completely derailed what should have been a successful interview.

But not all stories involve disasters. Trina also shares the executive whose thoughtful gesture of gratitude - a personal visit with a handwritten card - still touches her years later. His response demonstrates what professional etiquette is really about: showing others that they matter.

Your interview begins the moment you enter the building and ends the moment you leave. Every interaction, every gesture, every moment of impatience or courtesy is being noticed and evaluated. Trina reveals the practical lessons from each story - from silencing notifications to treating everyone with respect - that will transform how you prepare for interviews.

This episode is essential for anyone preparing for job interviews, early in their career, or wanting to understand what recruiters actually notice during the hiring process.

New episodes every other Thursday.

Subscribe and discover how professional etiquette can transform your career opportunities.

Boosted is brought to you by Boost Academy of Excellence (boostacademyofexcellence.com).

Music by: In the City

Special thanks to: Shahin Nezhad and Sina Sabouri (advisors)

Have you ever checked your phone while someone was talking to you, only to realize you missed what they said? That split-second choice is shaping your career in ways you might not expect.

Boosted is the podcast that reveals the unwritten rules of professional success that nobody teaches you in school. Hosted by Trina Boos, founder of Boost Academy of Excellence, this show delivers actionable tips to build your professional presence and advance your career through real workplace scenarios and human stories.

In this episode, Trina shares a surprising story: her husband traded his smartphone for a flip phone, and the transformation was remarkable. More present in conversations, more engaged at work, genuinely more relaxed.

When she shared his story, she discovered an entire movement of Brooklyn Gen Z youth doing the exact same thing - they call themselves "Luddites." Logan Lane started the Luddite Club in 2019, gathering with like-minded teens in Prospect Park every Sunday to read, sketch, and connect face-to-face without digital distractions. What began as a small rebellion has spread to colleges across the United States.

These Gen Z students recognized something profound: when we're constantly performing for an online audience, we lose the ability to be genuinely present with people right in front of us.

And in workplaces where most people are half-present, constantly checking notifications and multitasking through meetings, the person who shows up fully engaged becomes immediately noticeable.

Trina reveals two concrete Luddite-inspired practices you can implement immediately to build the reputation and relationships that lead to promotions.

This episode is essential for anyone who's ever felt enslaved by their phone, struggled to stay focused in meetings, or wants to stand out in a distracted workplace.

New episodes every other Thursday.

Subscribe and discover how simple presence strategies can transform your professional relationships.

Boosted is brought to you by Boost Academy of Excellence (boostacademyofexcellence.com).

Music by: In the City

Special thanks to: Shahin Nezhad and Sina Sabouri (advisors)

Have you ever sent an email in the heat of the moment and immediately regretted it? You're not alone - and that split-second decision can cost you more than you realize.

Boosted is the podcast that reveals the unwritten rules of professional success that nobody teaches you in school. Hosted by Trina Boos, founder of Boost Academy of Excellence, this show delivers actionable tips to build your professional presence and advance your career through real workplace scenarios and human stories.

In this episode, Trina shares her most embarrassing professional email mistake - the frustrated follow-up message that cost her a dream job fresh out of college. After nailing an interview with a VP of Marketing at one of Canada's most prominent job search websites, the position was practically hers... until she sent a "strongly worded" email after three weeks of waiting. That one emotional message changed everything.

We've all been there - frustrated by lack of communication, tempted to fire off that email telling someone exactly how we feel. But professional communication isn't about suppressing your emotions; it's about expressing them strategically. Trina reveals three practical strategies that have saved her career countless times since: techniques you can implement today to avoid sending emails you'll regret tomorrow.

This episode is essential for anyone who's ever felt the urge to hit send on an emotional email, struggled with professional communication under pressure, or wants to protect their career from avoidable mistakes.

New episodes every other Thursday.

Subscribe and discover how simple communication strategies can transform your professional relationships.

Boosted is brought to you by Boost Academy of Excellence (boostacademyofexcellence.com).

Music by: In the City

Special thanks to: Shahin Nezhad and Sina Sabouri (advisors)

Your colleagues think you don't care about them. And honestly? They might be right. You're nodding when someone mentions their parent's surgery, then immediately pivoting to talk about the client meeting. Two weeks later, you've completely forgotten - but they haven't. They notice.

Boosted is the podcast that reveals the unwritten rules of professional success that nobody teaches you in school. Hosted by Trina Boos, founder of Boost Academy of Excellence, this show delivers actionable tips to build your professional presence and advance your career through real workplace scenarios and human stories.

In this episode, Trina shares the pattern she hears about constantly at networking events: professionals who aren't really present when colleagues talk to them. From wandering eyes during conversations to remembering every project deadline but forgetting the personal details your coworkers share, these subtle signs of not truly listening are quietly destroying your professional relationships.

The good news? Being others-focused isn't about grand gestures or technical skills. Trina reveals three warning signs that show you're not really listening, plus three simple solutions that take just 30 seconds but build relationships that last years. Small moments that create real connection - and make people actually want to work with you.

This episode is essential for anyone who wants to transform their workplace relationships and become the colleague everyone wants on their team.

New episodes every other Thursday. Subscribe and discover how simple acts of genuine presence can accelerate your career.

Boosted is brought to you by Boost Academy of Excellence (boostacademyofexcellence.com).

Music by: In the City

Special thanks to: Shahin Nezhad and Sina Sabouri (advisors)

Two equally qualified candidates. One got the job, the other didn't. The deciding factor had nothing to do with their resumes or interview answers. What happened in the reception area before the interviews even began revealed everything - and it's probably happening to you right now without you realizing it.

Boosted is the podcast that reveals the unwritten rules of professional success that nobody teaches you in school. Hosted by Trina Boos, founder of Boost Academy of Excellence, this show delivers actionable tips to build your professional presence and advance your career through real workplace scenarios and human stories.

In this episode, Trina shares a story from her recruitment agency days that perfectly captures what Ralph Waldo Emerson said 200 years ago: "What you are shouts so loud in my ears, that I cannot hear what you say." One candidate barely looked up from their phone and curtly dismissed the office manager. The other chatted warmly and acknowledged everyone they passed. Same qualifications. Same interview performance. Completely different character.

Your professional image isn't built in the moments you're consciously crafting it - it's revealed in the moments you don't think anyone's watching. Trina breaks down the Three-Pillar Framework that makes or breaks your professional reputation, including the one pillar most people completely ignore. These unconscious actions are constantly shaping how others perceive your professional value.

This episode is essential for anyone who wants to understand how their unguarded moments are either building or destroying their professional reputation.

New episodes every other Thursday. Subscribe and discover how the moments you think don't matter are the ones that matter most.

Boosted is brought to you by Boost Academy of Excellence (boostacademyofexcellence.com).

Music by: In the City

Special thanks to: Shahin Nezhad and Sina Sabouri (advisors)