Plot twist: your girls are taking a little summer breather. 💅🏽☀️

After a year of weekly episodes, questionable advice, unnecessary oversharing, deep conversations, chaotic stories and somehow turning our lives into podcast content… we’ve decided it’s time to slow things down just a tiny bit for summer.

But don’t panic — we’re not going anywhere! 💖

For the rest of the summer, the Trial and Error and Error Podcast will be switching from weekly episodes to one episode every two weeks. Our next full episode will be dropping next week, and then we’ll be back in your headphones every other week. 🎧✨

Consider this our ✨summer opening hours✨.

Most importantly, THANK YOU for understanding and for continuing to show up for us. Whether you’ve been here since episode one or discovered us somewhere along the way, every listen, share, message and recommendation means more to us than you know. 🥹🩷

So this isn’t goodbye. It’s simply:

☀️ Summer schedule: every two weeks 🎙️ Next episode: next week 💅🏽 Level of chaos: absolutely unchanged

Enjoy your summer, stay hydrated, wear your SPF, make good decisions (or at least decisions that make good podcast stories), and we’ll see you next week. 💋

Love, Ale and LJ 🩷🎙️

You know that friend who swears they’re happy for you… but somehow their “compliments” sting like a wax strip? Yeah. This episode is for that. 😬💅🔥

In “Toxic Friendships”, we dive into the glamorous, confusing, low-key unhinged world of the frenemy: the “bestie” who’s weirdly competitive, suspiciously jealous, and about as trustworthy as a man who says “I’m just going to the bathroom” at a party. We break down what actually makes a frenemy (spoiler: it’s not just “being a bit shady”), how frenemies are different from messy-but-real ambivalent relationships, and why some of us keep these people in our lives anyway (hello, shared friend groups and workplace politics).

Expect philosophy, psychology, petty anecdotes, and a loving reminder that boundaries are hotter than revenge. 📚🧠🍿🚧

• Frenemies aren’t just “bad friends”: the pattern is usually competition + jealousy + lack of trust.
• Ambivalent relationships (high highs + low lows) can still mess with your health—sometimes more than you’d expect.
• Frenemies often happen when:
  • you used to be real friends,
  • you’re stuck in the same social circle/work/class,
  • the relationship survives on proximity, not peace.
• You don’t always need to “cut them off dramatically in a restaurant.” Sometimes the move is awareness + boundaries + distance.

• Delaney & Malakhova (2018) — Philosophy Now article discussing frenemies as a friendship “façade” with underlying resentment.
• Williams & Packer-Williams (2019) — Work discussing frenemies and relational aggression (and how definitions can get gendered).
• Research on ambivalent relationships and health outcomes (e.g., links to cardiovascular stress, blood pressure, depression, and interpersonal conflict).
• Aristotle’s classic friend categories (pleasure, utility, virtue) — and our unofficial addition: the frenemy, obviously.

Ever rehearsed asking for a raise... only to convince yourself you're being "too greedy" five minutes later? Yeah, us too. 😅

In this episode, we're diving into one of the most nerve-wracking conversations of your career: asking for more money. We unpack whether it's actually okay to ask for a raise in your first few years, why Millennials and Gen Z are changing jobs more than ever, how to figure out what you're really worth, and the exact questions you should ask your manager when it's time to talk salary.

No awkward corporate jargon, no "girl boss" clichés—just practical advice, research-backed insights, and the confidence boost you need to start advocating for yourself. Because doing great work deserves to be recognised. 💸✨

• Know your value before you negotiate: Research market salaries, understand your unique skills, and gather evidence of your achievements before asking for a raise.
• It's about impact, not time served: You don't have to wait five years—if your responsibilities and contributions have grown, it's reasonable to start the conversation.
• Preparation beats confidence: A well-prepared case with measurable results is far more persuasive than simply saying you've worked hard.
• A "no" isn't the end: If a raise isn't possible now, ask what specific goals you need to achieve and agree on a timeline to revisit the discussion.
• Salary isn't the only thing you can negotiate: Bonuses, flexible working, extra leave, professional development, and promotion pathways can all be valuable parts of your compensation.

• European Commission — Labour Market and Wage Developments in Europe 2025
• OECD — Employment Outlook 2025
• International Labour Organization (ILO) — Global Wage Report
• Linda Babcock & Sara Laschever — Women Don't Ask
• Leigh Thompson — The Mind and Heart of the Negotiator
• Daniel H. Pink — To Sell Is Human
• Ramit Sethi — I Will Teach You To Be Rich
• Adam Grant — Research on workplace performance, negotiation, and career development
• Harvard Business Review — Articles on salary negotiation and career progression
• Glassdoor — Salary Insights and Market Data
• LinkedIn Salary Insights
• Payscale — Compensation and Salary Research
• Robert Half & Hays — European Salary Guides
• Bank of America Institute — Research on wage growth among job switchers versus employees who stay with the same employer

(Friendly reminder: every company has different compensation policies and budget cycles. This episode is intended for educational purposes and offers general career advice—always consider your own workplace policies and circumstances when negotiating your salary.)