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In this engaging episode, Amy Wilkins hosts the esteemed Fran Hauser to discuss her transformative journey and her insights on balancing professional life with personal aspirations. The conversation kicks off with nostalgic reflections on their initial meeting and the impactful community ties formed through She Runs It, previously known as the Advertising Women of New York. Hauser dives into her career transitions, especially highlighting her messy yet rewarding shift from corporate America to becoming a successful entrepreneur and author.

Continuing with an exploration of Fran’s newly launched book, “20 Minutes is the New Hour,” the episode unpacks the challenges of managing time effectively and the strategies for moving from a corporate role to a multifaceted career. Hauser emphasizes the importance of understanding different aspects of time, distinguishing between Kronos and Kairos, and shares practical advice for achieving a flow state to enhance productivity. Her “Four P’s” framework, Perfectionism, People Pleasing, Procrastination, and Padding, offers listeners actionable insights into overcoming common time management pitfalls and creating more space for creativity and restorative activities. Discover how to harness your natural work rhythms for better productivity and personal well-being.

Key Takeaways

Fran Hauser discusses the importance of building a supportive network to navigate career transitions successfully.

  • Fran introduces the concepts of Kronos and Kairos, illustrating different perceptions of time management and productivity.
  • The “Four P’s” framework addresses harmful patterns that can affect our relationship with time: Perfectionism, People Pleasing, Procrastination, and Padding.
  • Emphasizing the need for spaciousness in our schedules, Fran advises routinely reviewing and optimizing our calendars to align with personal and professional priorities.
  • The episode underscores the potential for growth during “messy” transitions, stressing that these periods often lead to significant personal and professional development.
Fran Hauser Notable Quotes

Any big transition… is going to be messy.
20 minutes is the new hour. And it’s a metaphor for how we spend our time.
I really want everyone to know they probably have more control and agency over time than they think.
I really want to encourage everyone to challenge accepted timelines.
It’s important to have open space on your calendar.

Mentioned in this Episode
She Runs It

About Fran Hauser

Fran Hauser is a leading career expert and longtime champion of women in the workplace. A former Fortune 500 executive and President of Digital at Time Inc., she has spent the past decade as an author, speaker, investor, and mentor, helping women thrive professionally. She has invested in more than 40 female-founded companies and spoken at more than 200 organizations, including Meta, Google, Unilever, BlackRock, NPR, Mastercard, and The Conference for Women, reaching communities of women at every stage of their careers. 

She is also the founder of Bedford Books in Bedford, New York, and the acclaimed author of The Myth of the Nice Girl. Her forthcoming book, Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour, was published by Penguin Random House/Crown Currency in September 2026.


Fran’s LinkedIn Profile
Fran’s Website

“Regardless of where you are in your career, TWENTY MINUTES IS THE NEW HOUR is the time management guide you need to reclaim your time and get ahead. Everyone—Gen Z, millennial, Gen X, and boomer alike—will find something useful in these pages.”
Lindsey Pollak, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming the Boss and The Remix

“In TWENTY MINUTES IS THE NEW HOUR, Fran Hauser offers a liberating reframing of time in a culture that equates busyness with worth. With clarity and compassion, she reveals how perfectionism and people-pleasing pull us away from what truly matters and how to reclaim our time for the people and work that both add value and make us feel valued, so our days reflect meaningful work, deep relationships, and a life aligned with what matters most.”
Jennifer B. Wallace, New York Times bestselling author of Mattering and Never Enough

 

About Amy P Wilkins, The Messy Middle Coach

Amy P Wilkins is a leadership coach, former media executive, and the founder of Choose Awe—a coaching practice devoted to helping women leaders navigate transitions with clarity, courage, and self-trust. After decades in senior leadership roles, Amy now empowers women to lead with purpose and thrive through the “messy middle” seasons of life and leadership.

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