What happens when our usual ways of dealing with conflict stop working (if they ever worked)?In this episode, Shivani Mehta Bhatia joins Aggressively Human to talk about the changing nature of conflict—especially in a world shaped by grief, uncertainty, and fraying trust.We explore how conflict has shifted post-2020, how our nervous systems are adapting (or not), and why repair feels harder than ever. We talk about Shivani’s approach of “conflict midwifery,” destructive versus generative conflict, and what it means to build and lead with more care in increasingly reactive times.Whether you’re navigating tension in your team, your audience, or your closest relationships, this conversation offers a more humane way through.* What conflict looks like now—and why it feels more brittle* The 5 parts of Shivani’s “prism of conflict”* What “conflict midwifery” means and how it changes the repair process* What ChatGPT says are the fixes of our current polycrisis* What it takes to repair when there’s no shared script* What’s the smallest possible actions we can take in conflict* Leading and relating in a time of collective dysregulation* How we can prepare—not avoid—hard conversationsAbout our GuestShivani Mehta BhatiaMonthly Conflict ClinicConnect with UsListen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meg and JessicaMeg CaseboltJessica Lackey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com
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How to navigate the cycles of creativity without blowing up your business with Megan Dowd
What happens when your content calendar makes you want to set your business on fire?In this episode, Megan Dowd joins Aggressively Human to talk about what it actually looks like to build a business that respects your creative cycles—and what happens when you don’t. From the pressure to always be visible to the collapse that can follow, we explore what it’s like to build a business while also being a human with a nervous system.We talk about the performance trap of “consistent content,” what to do when you’re no longer interested in your own work, and when and how to use data and systems to support you.This is a conversation about honoring your capacity without disappearing, how to say no to content you resent, and why creative rest is not a threat to your business—but often the reason you stay in it at all.* What it really means to have a “human-first” business (hint: it’s not about the right font)* The burnout that comes from forcing content for the algorithm* Navigating visibility after a performance hangover* When to blow up your content calendar for the thing you’re excited about — and when not to* Choosing the work that feels good, even when it doesn’t scale* The myth of “consistency” and what your audience actually needs from you* The identity whiplash of letting go of “known” offers to create something new* How Megan is reshaping what success looks like in her next chapterAbout our GuestMegan DowdConnect with UsListen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meg and JessicaMeg CaseboltJessica Lackey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com
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How a launch changes you: Meg's Evolution from AI Skeptic to Strategist
We often talk about launches as big, flashy events. But what happens behind the scenes when you’re not just releasing something new—but becoming someone new in the process?In this episode, Meg takes us inside the creation and launch of Findable Everywhere—not as a polished “launch debrief,” but as a real-time reflection on what it means to declare a new chapter in your work. We dig into the decisions along the way: how a paused summit talk became a test run, how she built a course that worked for beginners and advanced folks (and the complications that come with that), and how teaching this material sharpened her clarity and authority. Plus: the real numbers, the behind-the-scenes updates, and the emotional roller coaster of launching while also changing.But even more, Jessica and Meg get into the behind-the-scenes decisions, pivots, and identity upgrades that can only come from publicly claiming your voice—even if you’re still figuring out what it sounds like now.* Why this angle simmered for over a year before it became an offer* How a “focus group” (aka an old summit talk) helped clarify the direction* What shifted in Meg’s identity and voice as shifted from AI as separate to AI as integral to client results* Why Meg built Findable Everywhere for both beginners and seasoned marketers—and what that complicated* The emotional roller coaster of launching something that feels deeply personal* The real numbers, real process, and real moments of “do I even want to do this?”* Why launches aren’t just marketing events—they’re identity markers* How teaching the material shaped Meg’s own authority* The difference between planning a pivot and living one in real timeWant to get access to the challenge and a YEAR of implementation support?Join the Content Love Lab and be on your way to be Findable Everywhere.Live Trainings begin October 7, and you can get twice a month check-in on your content!Join the Content Love LabContent Love LabConnect with UsListen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meg and JessicaMeg CaseboltJessica Lackey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com
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The Skeptic’s Guide to AI-Enhanced Copywriting with Prerna Malik
Let’s be honest, we started this podcast as AI skeptics — skeptical of AI to write and sound like us without falling into language homogeny, AI pitch slaps in the DMs, and using AI to replace our thinking.But how are business owners using AI in creative ways that honor the voice of our businesses while being more effective?Enter Prerna Malik and Content Bistro. Prerna caught our eye with the Skeptic Buyer Bot—a tool that actually helps creators pressure-test their sales pages and offers through an AI-powered lens. (Yes, Jessica used it. Yes, she has thoughts.)We dig into how Prerna is using AI to amplify human work, not replace it. How her agency turns real voice-of-customer data into conversion gold. And why the best sales copy isn’t about cleverness—it’s about clarity, empathy, and making decisions easier for your buyer.* What makes a good AI tool (hint: it’s not a clone of you)* How Prerna uses the frameworks behind the Skeptic Buyer Bot to improve sales pages (because not every buyer is the same)* Why real customer data is your best copy asset* What makes a good voice-of-customer process (and what doesn’t)* Why AI should make your thinking better—not do it for you* When to not listen to best practices and trust your voice instead* Why thoughtful critique is one of the most valuable services you can sell“You need to remember, you are the superior brain. You need to look at the facts. You need to check everything. You just cannot ever take what. LLM chat, Claude or anyone else is giving you as the truth.” - PrernaAbout our GuestContent BistroSkeptic Buyer BotConnect with UsListen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meg and JessicaMeg CaseboltJessica Lackey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com
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A Conversation about Online Business Ethics with Erika Tebbens (Part 2)
What happens after you leave a business you built? How do you relate to work, money, systems, and your nervous system when your entire identity has changed?In Part 2 of our conversation with Erika Tebbens, we go deeper—into the murky middle of business ethics, entrepreneurship under capitalism, and how we’re operating in the political climate of 2025.We talk about the ethics of selling transformation, why systems don’t always equal support, and what Erika has learned about nervous system safety outside the online business bubble. This episode is full of those “I’ve been thinking this but no one’s saying it” moments, plus a little bit of righteous rage and some gentle reminders that you’re allowed to do things differently.Whether you’re reimagining your business, your systems, or your relationship to capitalism itself, this episode will give you plenty to think about—and maybe even a little relief.In this episode:* What happens to your identity after entrepreneurship* How to design systems that support your actual nervous system (not just your productivity)* The uncomfortable truth about selling transformation online* Why the ethics of business can’t be separated from capitalism* What real resourcing looks like—beyond time freedom or self-employment* Why Erika feels more supported working in an organization than she did soloAbout our GuestErika Tebbens | Book — You've Got This: A Counterintuitive Guide to Powerful Inevitable Change-MakingConnect with UsListen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meg and JessicaMeg CaseboltJessica Lackey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com
Om Aggressively Human: Online Business in the Age of AI, Algorithms & Automations
In a world focused on more: more content, more followers, more marketing, more scale, more noise… we’re facing less trust, less contact, less reach.
We’re drowning in AI-generated slop, being pitch-slapped by “personalized” email funnels that couldn’t be farther from authentic, and struggling to be seen by a pay-to-play algorithm.
It’s never been easier to create and connect more cheaply and at more scale, with less trust and more skepticism.
But for experts and service-based businesses? We’re seeing the pendulum swing back.
The answer isn’t to play by these trends. It’s to be **aggressively human.** aggressivelyhuman.substack.com
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