In this Between the Seasons episode, Pinaki Kathiari, Chris Lee, and producer Bree Bartos welcome back Chuck Gose and Kristin Hancock — co-founders of ICology — for part two of a conversation that had too much in it to fit into one episode.

They pick up right where they left off, exploring what it really takes to build and maintain community — and why it’s often inconvenient by design. The group digs into why some people say they want community but don’t actually follow through, the difference between self-care and isolation, and whether society is quietly retreating from the discomfort that connection requires.

Chuck makes a pointed case that saying no has been glamorized as a form of self-care and boundary-setting, while Kristin argues that confidence issues people carry into the workplace are personal development problems — not workplace problems. The conversation builds toward a deeper question: what happens to the next generation of workers who have never had to sit with rejection long enough to grow from it?

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why not everyone truly wants community — even when they say they do
• The price of community is inconvenience: what that means in practice
• How we’ve confused self-care with isolation
• Why saying no has been glamorized — and what we lose when yes disappears
• Confidence as a personal development issue, not a workplace fix
• Rejection as a career skill — and why avoiding it stunts growth
• What the next generation of workers might be missing by opting out of discomfort

It’s a candid, thought-provoking continuation that goes well beyond internal communications — into the messier, more human questions about connection, growth, and what it costs to show up.

If you’re attending Transform 2026 in Vegas, the EX Factor Summit is happening this month.
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Chuck Gose: LinkedIn

Kristin Hancock: LinkedIn

ICology: joinicology.com — use code ICLOVE for $50 off your first year

Frequency Podcast (Chuck Gose & Jenni Field): Listen Here

Friends of Indy Animals (Indianapolis): Learn More

Connect with Us

Pinaki Kathiari – LinkedIn | Local Wisdom

Chris Lee – LinkedIn | Gallagher Communication

Bree Bartos – LinkedIn | Local Wisdom

Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.

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