Episode 4

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Published on:

16th Apr 2026

S2E4: Just Us with Liz and Kere Podcast - The Just Say No Episode

In this powerful and relatable episode of Just Us, Liz and Kere are joined by special guest Erica Fulton—entrepreneur, esthetician, and founder of Kin Skin & Wellness—for a real conversation about one of the hardest skills to master in the workplace: saying no.

Responding to a listener who feels trapped in a cycle of overcommitment, the trio unpacks the pressure many high-achieving Black women face to always say “yes”—and the burnout, invisibility, and frustration that often follow. From “performance punishment” to internalized expectations, they break down how we become the go-to person… and how to reclaim our time, voice, and boundaries.

With practical strategies like “soft no’s,” capacity language, prioritization, and even a game-changing email scheduling hack, this episode is both a mindset reset and a tactical guide to self-advocacy at work. Plus, the conversation expands beyond the office—challenging listeners to examine where else “yes” is costing them peace.

And because it’s Just Us, the episode wraps with a hilarious and all-too-real segment: Top 10 Ways to Disagree Using Black Conversation—proving you don’t always need words to say “absolutely not.”

If you’ve ever felt like a “professional yes ma’am,” this episode is your permission slip to do things differently.

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Just Us + Meet Guest Erica Fulton

01:15 – The Readout: “I’m tired of always saying yes at work”

02:40 – The pressure of being a Black woman in corporate spaces

04:15 – “Performance punishment” and the cost of overdelivering

07:05 – How to say no (without actually saying “no”)

09:00 – When your boss makes you the go-to for everything

10:45 – Self-advocacy: Asking “what should I deprioritize?”

12:00 – Pushback vs. people-pleasing

13:00 – Are you doing this to yourself? (Internal expectations)

15:00 – Managing the anxiety of saying no

16:00 – The “sleep at night” test

17:00 – Why leaders don’t actually want yes-people

18:00 – Burnout risk: What happens when you never say no

20:00 – Mindset shift: Are you creating unnecessary pressure?

21:30 – Real-life story: When work isn’t more important than life

23:00 – Setting boundaries in real time (Kere’s example)

25:00 – Understanding urgency vs. perceived urgency

26:30 – Teaching people how to treat you

27:45 – 🔥 Pro Tip: Use scheduled email send to manage expectations

30:00 – Why you shouldn’t make everything look “too easy”

31:00 – Boundaries beyond work (friends, family, business)

33:00 – You created it—you can fix it

35:00 – Practical tools: capacity language + prioritization

36:30 – Documenting conversations to protect yourself

38:00 – Final advice: You don’t have to say yes

40:00 – Final thoughts: Capacity, burnout, and self-awareness

😂 Bonus Segment

41:50 – Top 10 Ways to Disagree Using Black Conversation

43:00 – Honorable mentions (“Girl, bye”, “I said what I said”)

45:25 – Top 10 countdown begins

50:00 – #1 way to disagree (no words needed 👀)

51:00 – Viral “Black conversation” moment explained

52:30 – Closing + where to connect

Transcript

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About the Podcast

Just Us with Liz and Kere
A place for Black women navigating corporate spaces
Just Us is the unapologetic, unfiltered podcast for Black women navigating the complexities of corporate America.
Hosted by purpose-driven strategist Liz Nolley and seasoned corporate leader Kere Thomas Just Us creates a space where career, culture, and community meet.
Each episode features dynamic segments designed to empower, educate, and entertain:
Teachable Moments – Bite-sized workshops focused on the “soft skills” that make a hard impact in the workplace.
Top 10s – Our pop culture hot takes, always served with a corporate twist and a career lesson.
Elevator Pitch – Step into the spotlight and pitch yourself! Whether it’s for a job, business, or personal brand, get live coaching on-air from Liz and Kere.
Read Out – Real-world scenarios from our listeners, Reddit, and beyond. We break them down and serve up honest, actionable advice.
Toss It or Boss It – Our fun freestyle segment where we give our verdict on trends, tools, and topics. Boss move or total flop? We’ll tell you.
Whether you're climbing the ladder, breaking the mold, or just trying to survive the Monday meeting, Just Us is your go-to guide for thriving in corporate spaces—on your terms.

About your host

Profile picture for Elizabeth Nolley

Elizabeth Nolley

Liz is a communications strategist, executive coach, and purpose-driven leader with a passion for leveling the playing field by sharing the unspoken rules of success in corporate America. With over 35 years of experience advising C-Level executives, Liz has led award-winning initiatives in employee engagement, executive visibility, brand communications and community relations. For Liz, the Just Us podcast sits at the intersection of the personal, professional and entrepreneurial. It's a platform for combining her love for all things pop culture (especially classic cartoons, old school music, sports and TV shows) and her passion for empowering Black women navigating corporate spaces to educate, inspire and entertain.