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Five with Fry
Think of this podcast as your go-to for tackling the hard stuff with clarity and confidence. On Five with Fry, Dr. Jen Fry breaks down the rules, challenges the norms, and dives deep into the tough conversations that shape our lives—conflict, culture, family, sports, tech, and everything in between. This is where you learn to rely on yourself, embrace the messy, and come out stronger on the other side.
Episodes
45 episodes
42: Defending Without Being Defensive
Ever been told you’re “being defensive” the moment you try to explain yourself? In this episode, we break down the fine line between defending your choices with context and showing up as defensive through tone, body language, or shut-down phras...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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5:35
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41: If You’re Old Enough For A Mortgage, You’re Too Old For The “Just Joking” Defense
The group chat got leaked, and the spin started fast. Racist, antisemitic, and homophobic “jokes” from 24 to 35-year-old political operatives were quickly brushed off as “just edgy humor.” Commentators framed them as “kids who made a mistake,” ...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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6:30
40: Repeatable vs. Repetitive: The Secret to Continuous Growth
Have you ever skipped revisiting a course or concept because you thought, “I’ve already done that”? In this episode of Five with Fry, I unpack why that mindset might be holding you back.During a drive back from Martha’s Vineyard...
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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6:21
39: Why Failure Delivers Your Greatest Breakthroughs
Ever notice how your best ideas show up right after something goes completely wrong? Same.As someone who’s wildly competitive, losing has never sat well with me. Take this recent tech pitch competition. I was sure I’d win. When I didn’t,...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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4:58
38: Five Things You Need to Know When Navigating Leadership’s Hardest Moments
When you’re in the chair—whether as an Athletic Director, head coach, or top leader—everything starts and stops with you. Most books don’t prepare you for that reality. Leading means holding steady when the boat feels like it’s tipping and peop...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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50:16
37: Stop Saying "Sorry If I Offended You"
Have you ever noticed how often people say, “I’m sorry if I offended you” when they’re called out for something they said? In this episode of Five with Fry, I talk about why that phrase sounds like an apology but actually avoi...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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5:22
36: Boom! When Frustration Becomes Your Teacher
Ever had that satisfying moment when you finally figure something out after hours of wanting to throw your computer across the room? That’s what this episode of Five with Fry is all about—the messy, frustrating, and ultimately rewardin...
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5:28
35: Why Niceness Makes You Ineffective
Kindness and niceness might sound similar, but they’re very different in how they shape our communication and leadership. Too often, leaders avoid hard conversations because they want to be “nice.” The problem is that what feels compassionat...
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5:40
34: NIL TIME: So Your Agent Wants You to Sign NOW? Think Again!
The world of athlete representation is complicated, and the stakes are higher than ever. Whether you’re a high school athlete thinking about your future, a college player navigating NIL deals, or a pro looking at new opportunities, you need to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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46:58
33: Show Me the Money, Show Me the Pressure
College sports have entered a whole new era. With NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals and the recent House settlement allowing schools to pay athletes up to $22.5 million, freshman athletes are walking onto campus with multimillion-dollar exp...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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5:36
32: The Human Cost of Finding Your Leadership Style
Ever think about the human cost of leadership development? Those first teams you lead are really the guinea pigs for your trial-and-error experiments in figuring out what kind of leader you’ll become. I know this firsthand. At 27, I jumped into...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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5:49
31: The Truth Can Sting Without Being Rude
Can truth hurt without harming? In this episode of Five with Fry, we dig into the difference between being direct and being rude and why so many people confuse the two. I break down an eye-opening video from Conflictish, a social media...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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5:01
30: Running from Arguments? Your Relationships Might Be Shallow.
We’ve been taught that “good” relationships are the ones without conflict, but I’m calling BS on that. In this episode of Five with Fry, I’m digging into the idea that conflict isn’t a sign of failure. It’s actually proof of depth....
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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6:13
29: You Were Never Taught How to Fight Fair
Why Didn’t Anyone Teach Us This?Most of us were never taught how to handle conflict. We picked up habits by watching family or just winged it. And now we're out here navigating disagreements, tough conversations, and daily tension...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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6:01
28: Conflict Isn't Solo Work. It's Group Work.
Ever wish you could handle tough conversations without feeling like you’re losing your cool or your integrity? In this episode of Five with Fry, Dr. Jen Fry dives into the real reason conflict feels so messy, and why most of us have never been ...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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5:14
27: Five Mindset Shifts That Change the Game for Players
Think elite athletes are just born different? Not so fast. In this episode of Five with Fry, Dr. Jen Fry sits down with sports psychology consultant Dan Mickle to unpack the real difference between good and great athletes—and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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28:37
26: Five Truths Every Sports Parent Should Hear (Even if Don’t Want To)
What happens when a mental performance coach and a conflict and culture expert, who is also a former athlete and coach, team up? You get a real, raw conversation about youth sports that every sports parent needs to hear, whether they want to or...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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45:03
25: My Five Favorite Countries
What if your next favorite place wasn’t even on your radar yet?In this episode of Five with Fry, I’m taking you on a quick tour of five destinations that changed the way I see the world, and just might do the same for you. From ...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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7:45
24: Active Listening Is a Scam (If You’ve Never Been Taught How)
“Just listen.” Sound familiar?It’s one of the most repeated pieces of conflict advice and one of the most misunderstood. In this episode of Five with Fry, I’m coming for the myth of active listening. Because expecting peo...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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5:51
23: I Wrote the Book Young Jen Needed
Why does conflict make your stomach twist, your hands sweat, and your words disappear? If you’ve ever frozen in the middle of a hard conversation or walked away replaying everything you should have said, this episode is for you....
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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5:34
22: The Real Test of Team Culture Isn’t Positivity—It’s Conflict
The Real Test of Team Culture Isn’t Positivity—It’s ConflictIt’s easy to talk about team culture when things are going well. But what about when they’re not?In this episode, Dr. Jen Fry gets real about what truly defines a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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4:58
21: Five Things You Should Expect From Your Local Representatives
What Should Your City Council Member Be Doing for You?Ever wonder what your city council member actually does—or should be doing? In this episode of Five with Fry, Dr. Jen Fry sits down wit...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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27:10
20: No Mercy at the Game Table: Life Lessons From an Uncomfortably Competitive Person
Think board games are just innocent fun? Not so fast.In this raw and hilarious episode of Five with Fry, I’m diving into the very real emotional chaos of tabletop games, starting with the time 10-year-old me absolutely
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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5:47
19: Holding the Line: The Uncomfortable Truth About Who Gets Protected in College Sports
Who gets saved, and who gets sacrificed?In this episode of Five with Fry, Dr. Jen Fry digs into the uncomfortable—but essential—question at the heart of college coaching: Who is deemed “worth saving” when things get to...
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5:58
18: Five Strategies for Managing Tough Conversations with Kierra Pelz - Part 3
In the final installment of our three-part series, Kierra Pelz and I dig into one of the most overlooked but critical parts of leading well: proactive communication. Because let’s be honest: it’s one thing to put out fires. It’s another ...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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8:44