The CEO I Never Planned to Be episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 9, 2026 · 34 MIN

The CEO I Never Planned to Be

from Lay Low Pod · host Erin Madsen

In Episode 7 of Lay Low, Erin takes listeners through the career journey that shaped who she is today. From bagging groceries as a teenager in Texas to building and leading Simple Modern Energy, this episode is a reflection on hard work, entrepreneurship, reinvention, and trusting opportunities as they appear.Along the way, Erin shares stories of the mentors who believed in her, the grandparents who inspired her entrepreneurial spirit, and the jobs that taught lessons she would carry into every chapter that followed. What began as a marketing degree, a young marriage, and a baby on the way evolved into a career filled with unexpected turns—from working for a successful businesswoman she admired, to opening a soda shop, building a business in direct sales, and eventually finding her place in the solar industry.In this episode:• Growing up around entrepreneurs and learning the value of hard work• The first jobs that sparked a lifelong love of business• How one customer at a bank changed the direction of her career• Working in marketing during the early days of YouTube, Facebook, and digital media• Launching a soda business in small-town Utah• Taking a leap into direct sales and network marketing• Building systems, solving problems, and finding a place in the solar industry• How a solar training course unexpectedly became the foundation for Simple Modern Energy• Why confidence comes from taking action—not from having all the answers• The importance of staying open to opportunities that don't fit the original planThis episode is for anyone who has ever questioned their next career move, wondered if it's too late to start over, or felt called toward something bigger. Erin's story is proof that careers are rarely linear, success often comes from unexpected places, and sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you never saw coming.Submit listener questions or share your story as a possible pod guest at www.laylowpod.comThanks for laying low with me. ❤️

In Episode 7 of Lay Low, Erin takes listeners through the career journey that shaped who she is today. From bagging groceries as a teenager in Texas to building and leading Simple Modern Energy, this episode is a reflection on hard work, entrepreneurship, reinvention, and trusting opportunities as they appear.Along the way, Erin shares stories of the mentors who believed in her, the grandparents who inspired her entrepreneurial spirit, and the jobs that taught lessons she would carry into every chapter that followed. What began as a marketing degree, a young marriage, and a baby on the way evolved into a career filled with unexpected turns—from working for a successful businesswoman she admired, to opening a soda shop, building a business in direct sales, and eventually finding her place in the solar industry.In this episode:• Growing up around entrepreneurs and learning the value of hard work• The first jobs that sparked a lifelong love of business• How one customer at a bank changed the direction of her career• Working in marketing during the early days of YouTube, Facebook, and digital media• Launching a soda business in small-town Utah• Taking a leap into direct sales and network marketing• Building systems, solving problems, and finding a place in the solar industry• How a solar training course unexpectedly became the foundation for Simple Modern Energy• Why confidence comes from taking action—not from having all the answers• The importance of staying open to opportunities that don't fit the original planThis episode is for anyone who has ever questioned their next career move, wondered if it's too late to start over, or felt called toward something bigger. Erin's story is proof that careers are rarely linear, success often comes from unexpected places, and sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you never saw coming.Submit listener questions or share your story as a possible pod guest at www.laylowpod.comThanks for laying low with me. ❤️

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The CEO I Never Planned to Be

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This episode is 34 minutes long.

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This episode was published on June 9, 2026.

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In Episode 7 of Lay Low, Erin takes listeners through the career journey that shaped who she is today. From bagging groceries as a teenager in Texas to building and leading Simple Modern Energy, this episode is a reflection on hard work,...

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