Work From The Inside Out

Paula Caligiuri, PhD is a D’Amore-McKim School of Business Distinguished Professor of International Business and Strategy at Northeastern University and a Co-Founder of Skiilify. She is a work psychologist dedicated to helping companies, teams, and individuals become effective in today’s diverse, multicultural environment. Raised by blue-collar parents who had immigrated to the US as children, Paula grew up in Buffalo, NY. She attended college intending to study abroad. Paula went to Italy, and soon after her arrival, the stock market crashed, impacting the affordability of her study abroad experience. She stayed and worked to support herself before returning home. Once she returned home, she felt a little lost. Fortunately, Paula had a small circle of supportive faculty members who were tuned into her, and they provided the guidance she needed to reconnect. From there, she decided to attend graduate school and earn her Ph.D.  Paula has authored or co-authored several articles and books – including , , and , and others. She works extensively with leading organizations and universities on the development of individuals’ cultural agility. She has been a frequent expert guest on CNN and CNN International. She is an instructor for two LinkedIn Learning courses entitled "Managing Globally" and "Six Skills to Build Cultural Agility." In 2021 and 2023, Paula was named a semi-finalist for the Forbes “50 over 50” for co-founding a public benefit corporation, to help democratize the acquisition of critical soft skills. Paula holds a Ph.D. from Penn State University in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and is a Fellow in the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the Academy of International Business. Learn more and connect with Paula here:  is a free resource to help people build their cross-cultural competencies

For more than two decades, worked with bands and artists such as Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, The Beach Boys, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Billy Idol, and many more to create magical experiences for their audiences. Starting on music tour crews doing lighting installation and design, he became a trusted team member and built a solid career managing hundreds of high-profile tours worldwide. As a young Italian Catholic boy from the blue-collar Los Angeles port town of San Pedro, Leo Rossi tripped into an improbable dream when he was punished for taking off on his own from a school field trip. His penance was to work on the backstage crew for the school play, which turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to him. Leo Rossi shares his life story, reflects on the transformative experiences and values from his traditional upbringing, and balances the influence of faith with the rock-and-roll lifestyle. He discusses the technological advancements that allowed him to transition into management roles and highlights his involvement with Apple during the early years of the Macintosh. Now retired, Rossi focuses on the  initiative, which is dedicated to preserving the authentic stories of classic rock and supporting . Through his talks and storytelling, Rossi emphasizes the importance of dreams, learning from history, and giving back, urging listeners to follow their dreams and share their stories. Learn more and connect with Leo here: 

Dr. Ruth Gotian is the Chief Learning Officer and Associate Professor at Weill Cornell School of Medicine in New York City. She returns to the Work from the Inside Out podcast to discuss her new book, "" co-authored with Andy Lopata. They emphasize the importance of mentoring in professional development, highlighting that 61% of positive mentoring relationships are formed organically. Ruth stresses the need for diverse mentoring teams and shares insights on the benefits of mentoring, including higher salaries and reduced burnout, as well as the importance of engaging mentors outside one's organization. She has been hailed by the journal Nature and Columbia University as an expert in mentorship and leadership development. In 2021, she was selected by Thinkers50 as one of the eight people worldwide to be named an emerging management thinker. In addition to publishing in academic journals, she is a contributor to Forbes and Psychology Today, where she writes about ‘optimizing success’. Her research is about the mindset and skill set of peak performers, including Nobel laureates, astronauts, and Olympic champions. Her award-winning book, , came out in January 2022. Discussion on Mentoring and High Achievers Ruth stated that mentoring is not just for beginners but also for those looking to grow at all stages of their careers. Mentors provide guidance, support, and new perspectives. She discusses the importance of mentoring for high achievers and shares insights from interviews with top achievers, emphasizing the commonality of seeking mentors. Challenges in Mentoring Programs Ruth discuss the ineffectiveness of many mentoring programs in organizations, emphasizing that 61% of positive mentoring relationships develop organically, not through random assignments. She advocates for creating opportunities for people to organically meet, offering a resource on her website with 13 conversation starters to help people initiate conversations and create those organic connections. The Importance of Organic Mentoring Relationships Ruth shares that mentoring relationships can start with casual conversations and evolve over time. She explains that mentoring should not be transactional and should be about building strategic professional relationships. The Role of Mentoring in Career Development and Organizational Success Dr. Gotian highlights the benefits of mentoring, including higher salaries, promotions, and lower burnout. She emphasizes that mentoring is a valuable retention tool for organizations. Ruth discusses the importance of having a diverse mentoring team with various perspectives. She provides a worksheet on her website to help individuals develop their own mentoring teams. Ruth shares personal anecdotes of mentors who transformed her life and career. She emphasizes that mentoring is not limited to specific professions or industries and encourages individuals to seek out mentors who can offer different perspectives and expertise. Learn more and connect with Ruth here: 

From an early age, Harry Duran displayed a natural affinity for technology, tinkering with computers and embracing the latest gadgets. After briefly attending Syracuse University, Harry got distracted and lost his focus. He says he jumped around, never completing his degree, and then applied for a job at Chase Bank as a teller. Harry thought wearing a suit to work meant that he ‘made it.’ He was a quick learner and adapted well, moving up the ranks in the banking world. In 1999, Harry's innate curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit compelled him to explore opportunities in the dotcom boom, a venture that ultimately fell short. Undeterred, he went into construction with his half-brother in Atlanta, only to return home to his parents, tail between his legs. Harry took some time to self-reflect and realized that many of his choices were heavily influenced by other people. He recognized the importance of finding his own voice and taking responsibility for his future. Harry was always interested in electronic music and grew up DJing. That was his first passion. He wanted to start a podcast interviewing DJs because he was fascinated with the culture. Harry also built a mobile app for electronic music. A turning point came in 2014 when Harry attended the New Media Expo in Las Vegas, where he realized the power of podcasting as a platform to share stories and connect with audiences. Inspired, he launched Podcast Junkies, a show that enabled him to hone his interviewing skills and develop a deep understanding of the podcasting landscape. Harry's entrepreneurial spirit soon took over, and he founded Fullcast, a full-service podcast production and marketing consultancy. Leveraging his corporate experience and newfound podcasting expertise, Harry has helped over 110 clients launch their own shows. But Harry's journey didn't stop there. In 2019, he identified a niche that ignited his passion – vertical farming. Recognizing the potential to educate and inform audiences about this emerging industry, Harry launched the Vertical Farming Podcast, a show that has since become a leading voice in the space, securing high-profile sponsorships and opening doors to international conferences. Throughout his winding path, Harry's unwavering commitment to finding his voice and creating his own stage has been the driving force behind his success. From the corporate world to entrepreneurial ventures, his story is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and the pursuit of finding meaningful work from the inside out. Learn more and connect with Harry here:   

Joe Sprangel is the founder and principal consultant at , which helps organizations develop a hybrid sustainability strategy that enhances their longevity, profitability, and impact. His expertise includes strategic and tactical planning, change leadership, and humanist manufacturing, a framework that addresses the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit, as developed in his book . Joe is the founding dean of the College of Business & Professional Studies at . He leads the undergraduate departments of business, criminal justice, healthcare administration, and social work. He is also the architect of the Master of Business Administration degree there. He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Lawrence Technological University. Joe has over 45 years of experience in various industries, including manufacturing, education, and consulting. He started his career in high school, cleaning and repairing heavy farm equipment and, soon after, rebuilding machines that manufactured auto parts. With a natural ability to figure how things work and to solve a wide range of problems, he was promoted to an industrial engineer role, which took him out of the plant and into the office. It also allowed him to earn a degree in mechanical engineering. At 40, he earned his MBA and his doctorate by 50. In this week’s learn more about Joe’s journey: Before joining the Mary Baldwin faculty in 2010, Joe taught undergraduate and MBA students at Ithaca College for three years, where his classes included Operations Management, and Decision Support Analysis and Sustainable Practices in Operations & Technology. Joe has run 18 marathons, completed an Ironman competition, and continues to compete today.   Learn more and connect with Joe here: https://twitter.com/JoeSprangel

When my clients need information, advice or help, I emphasize the importance and methods needed to proactively get the answers to move their goals forward. Yet, too often people hesitate, filling their heads with fear or self doubt, hampering their progress. I usually point out that if they do not make an inquiry or seek more information, then the answer is always NO. Not only is their progress stunted, they feel disappointed in themselves for not following through. My podcast guest this week,  believes in going beyond the NO to uncover answers to his questions. In our interview, André shares his educational journey, from a French community high school in Winnipeg to earning a PhD in management. His post-PhD career began at Michigan Tech and was followed by his return to Canada as a result of political constraints in the US. André delves into his interests in strategy, mentorship, and research, leading to the publication of his book on spinout ventures, . It covers the implications of spinout ventures, the academic and real-world perspectives on entrepreneurship, and the evolving regulatory landscape. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, André emphasizes the importance of taking risks and continuous learning at any career stage. Today, as a Full Professor in Entrepreneurship and Strategy at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Ted Rogers School of Management, André studies and teaches entrepreneurship and strategy. He is interested in the competitive and institutional barriers preventing potential entrepreneurs from launching new ventures successfully. André has over a decade of experience working as a business and information technology consultant in corporate Canada. He has performed many roles, including business analyst, systems analyst, project manager, practice leader, and integration architect. In this week’s learn more about Andre’s journey: André is a frequent judge at entrepreneurship pitch competitions and an experienced entrepreneur, having launched a startup while in Michigan. His research has appeared in top journals like Human Relations, Journal of International Business Studies, and Journal of Business Research, among others. Learn more and connect with Andre here: 

(formerly Kelly James-Enger) has been writing for 20+ years as a full-time freelancer, and most recently, as a corporate content writer. In June 2024, she published her memoir, , an entertaining, honest account of what (and what not) to do when you make that corporate leap in midlife. As a kid, Kelly loved to read, write, and was an excellent student. In college, she majored in business because it was one of the more competitive programs. Day two of her sophomore year, Kelly had an anxiety attack and left school. She worked in a restaurant and returned to college the next term to study rhetoric, a writing major. A professor told her she would be a good lawyer. She took the LSAT exam, aced it, and went to law school. In 1997, Kelly “escaped from the law.” She practiced law for over five years, yet she knew it was not for her. Kelly began to write articles for major publications, later adding ghostwriting and authoring her own books. As a ghostwriter, Kelly has penned more than 30 books. She is also a novelist and author of writing-related books including , , and . In 2018, Kelly decided to go work for a small company. She was happily self-employed, yet she was also a single mom and worried about the cost of health insurance. In 2022, Kelly returned to the law to write legal content full-time for . In addition, she writes independently about health, wellness, nutrition, and fitness subjects. Her work has appeared in 65+ online and print publications, including Huffington Post, The Girlfriend, NextTribe, Next Avenue, Chicago Health, Vibrant Life, and other markets. In this week’s  learn more about Kelly’s journey: Kelly has written over 2,000 print and online articles for Family Circle, Health, Parents, Runner’s World, Continental, and NextAvenue, and has produced written content for agencies including MXM, StayWell, and Imagination. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer. Learn more and connect with Kelly here: 

When was six years old, she asked her father, “Why am I here?” He laughed but did not answer her. She interpreted this as a message to stop asking questions. Deep down, Rashmir knew she had a purpose. It wasn't until she was 40 years old that she leaned into her true purpose. Rashmir grew up in a traditional Sri Lankan family in Africa and the UK, with high, prescribed expectations. Attending university, she intended to prepare for medical school (her mom is a physician) but realized it was not right for her. Instead, Rashmir studied math and computer science and earned her chartered accounting credential while in her first job at Ernst & Young. Next stop: investment banking. From there, Rashmir navigated a variety of career moves, always seeking to learn new things and to make a meaningful impact. These two threads have been essential foundations in guiding her professional decisions and the quest for her true calling. Rashmir took her work from the for-profit sector to explore several nonprofit sector roles, including a 5-year engagement with the Gates Foundation on a newly formed team dedicated to identifying new areas of giving which became their Global Development Program. Today, Rashmir coaches leaders who have bold visions for change that they want to bring to the world. She also offers team coaching, strategic consultations, speaking, and custom professional development programs. Throughout all of Rashmir’s strategic career moves, she has emphasized: the importance of listening to one's inner voice the value of taking time off for reflection and growth taking a balanced approach to professional development that emphasizes learning, impact, and authentic living In this week’s learn more about Rashmir’s journey: Rashmir decided to pursue an MBA at Yale University to learn best practices in management and leadership as applied in social impact enterprises.  She found her experience living in the US to be eye-opening and transformative.  Rashmir highlights the power of meditation, coaching, and inner reflection in navigating career transitions and aligning work with purpose. Learn more and connect with Rashmir here: 

, is a man living many lives, who is good with numbers and likes to talk. At 15, he entered the banking industry as an apprentice in his home country of Lichtenstein, where he was introduced to the world of work while completing his secondary education. Like many young people who completed apprenticeships and opted not to go to university immediately, Roman went abroad to improve his language skills. Unlike most of his friends who went to English-speaking countries, he went to France to study French for four months and returned to Lichtenstein to work in banking in Lausanne, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. (For those of us in the US, this would be comparable to living in New Jersey and working in New York… well, sort of, kind of!) Over the next several years, Roman worked in banking elevating his roles into the global markets and relocating to Hong Kong and Singapore. His travels also took him to New Haven, CT, Vancouver, Canada, and Nicaragua for different purposes, but you will need to listen to our interview to learn more about that part of his adventures. Roman has carved distinct paths wherever he has gone in his career, and the arenas he has worked in are pretty varied. Yet he has navigated his journey with an internal compass that many of us might not be able to comprehend. Along the way, he earned a university degree, took Seth Godin’s alt-MBA program, and attended a five-day fool’s workshop that was a personally and professionally transformative experience. After working in several large global banking institutions, Roman explored various other avenues, including the hemp business, bread baking, coffee farming, coffee and pastry service, oat milk business, agriculture, and many more entrepreneurial ventures. His takeaway message points to the importance of relationships, curiosity, and adaptability. Roman's story is a testament to the value of continuous learning and the impact of personal relationships on professional fulfillment. In this week’s learn more about Roman’s journey: Roman involved his whole family, including his children, in his decision to transition from a more traditional career path to his entrepreneurial pursuits. He has co-produced a traveling exhibition on discrimination throughout Lichtenstein. More than a thousand schoolchildren have attended the program. Learn more and connect with Roman here:   

is an accomplished fundraising executive and the author of . A book aimed at helping unemployed professionals navigate the challenges of a sudden job loss, she shares her experiences working at the top of billion-dollar organizations, stories of accomplished women who were suddenly severed from their organizations, and how they navigated their way back to success. Robin examines the struggles of separating one’s identity from one's career and how one can rediscover and reconnect with one's value after job loss. Robin shared her journey from an early tough childhood in Philadelphia to a successful career in fundraising for institutions like NYU, Rutgers, and a leading New York hospital. She discusses the emotional and professional impact of job loss and the importance of maintaining one’s personal value and identity independent of one's career while offering insights on effective career reinvention. Robin provides practical strategies for anyone facing career transitions, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and continuous learning. She frequently speaks at national conferences on fundraising and women’s leadership. In this week’s learn more about Robin’s journey: Robin has served as a board member for three nonprofits in New York City, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), New York City Chapter; the New York Women’s Agenda; and Women In Development, New York (WID). Her short fiction has been published in various literary magazines. Involuntary Exit is her first nonfiction book. Learn more and connect with Robin here: 

Odd fact: I was the sports editor on my high school newspaper for a time. One assignment I had was to interview and write an article about a classmate who was emerging as a top boxer, headed for the Junior Golden Gloves competition. Fast forward 45 years later, the subject of said article, , tells me he almost skipped the interview because he felt unsure about doing it. I’ll admit that I felt intimidated because Chris seemed like a pretty tough guy and we hung out in very different crowds. The article won an honorable mention at the Columbia Scholastic Journalism Conference and it gave Chris a confidence boost in ways neither of us could ever have imagined. Gathering at our 45th high school reunion this past October, I learned that Chris was going to be installed in our hometown of Bay Shore, NY’s Hall of Fame for his achievements as a highly innovative and accomplished plaintiff attorney. After high school, Chris worked as a carpenter and continued to pursue boxing, but stopped competing in his early 20s. Working in New York City, he walked by Hunter College regularly. Chris decided to take a class, did well and decided to enroll as a degree granting student, discovering capabilities he never realized he had. Law school followed immediately afterward. Chris started his law career as a corporate defense attorney representing the interests of big business. Struck by the imbalance of power between corporations and the individuals harmed by them, he left to become a plaintiff attorney. A founding partner of , Chris is known for multidistrict mass torts and class actions involving drug injury, toxic injury and personal injury. His practice also handles product liability, property damage, antitrust, third-party payer litigation, and consumer, insurance, and securities fraud. Chris has led complex litigations in the U.S. representing plaintiffs and achieving landmark settlements in cases including the 3M Combat Arms Earplug Litigation, National Prescription Opiate Litigation, NFL Players’ Concussion Litigation, Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” Litigation, Vioxx Litigation, and Syngenta AG MIR 162 Corn Litigation. In this week’s  learn more about Chris’s journey: Chris is regularly quoted in the New York Times, Wall St Journal, Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today, AP, Bloomberg, Reuters, ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, CNN, and ESPN. Whether working on a class action involving thousands of people against a multinational conglomerate or an individual case protecting one client’s rights, Chris fights with the same passion and conviction.   Learn more and connect with Chris here:   

is a Clinical Associate Professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. She teaches a course, Personal Leadership Insights, and serves as the Director of Kellogg’s Women's Leadership Program. Ellen is an independent board director on three company boards and runs her own leadership advisory consulting, speaking, and coaching business.​ Growing up as the fifth of six siblings, Ellen recalled dinner table conversations where her father engaged them in brainstorming about his entrepreneurial challenges. Ellen loved those discussions, saying they influenced her interest in business. Her parents always told her and her siblings that they could do anything with an education, hard work, and a vision. At the same time, Ellen witnessed and experienced the financial instability of her father’s business pursuits. This was not discussed openly, as her parents maintained a never-ever-quit philosophy. While Ellen cherished her parents’ positive belief in herself and her siblings, she recognized the value of bringing more transparency into the conversation with her own children.​ Ellen spent 25 years at Fortune 500 companies in top brand management posts within PepsiCo, Royal Caribbean, and Whirlpool Corporation. In her recent award-winning book, , Ellen offers her vast experience to help women understand and navigate internal and external obstacles to create the careers and lives they desire. ​In this week’s  learn more about Ellen’s journey: Ellen has shared her insights on leadership, careers, advancing women, and inclusion through her writing and speaking in Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Insider, Washington Post, Bloomberg, and Kellogg Insight. In 2019, she delivered a TEDx talk, . Learn more and connect with Ellen here: 

Gena Scurry has dedicated her career to fostering human connection. She is a self-proclaimed introvert, and while she loves people, her alone time sustains her. Gena says she is quirky, and it takes a lot of effort to be social and be herself.  Gena’s formative years differed from most of the other kids in her Texas neighborhood. Crossing the border daily from her home, she attended a Montessori school in Mexico. Later, her thirst for adventure led her to take a year off from college and travel the world, camping and rock climbing. Gena loved rock climbing and traveling and was not sure what else she wanted to do with her life, so she worked hard outside of her classes to save money to support her trips. After completing her degree in Spanish, Gena embarked on her entrepreneurial journey with just $5 and a bicycle, teaching adults to speak Spanish. It started with one person asking her to teach them the language, and her business grew over the next 17 years, with a team of employees and contracts with large companies, which gave her steady revenue. Yet she felt terrified about income most of the time. Gena also got married and started a family during those years.  Nine years ago, Gena went through a major life transition, a divorce. She began meditating and focused on the question,  “What’s next in my life?” The answer: “Build a game.” It felt right to her. Eventually, Gena created , a card deck-based game designed to create deeper connections between people. The game challenges players to ask deeper questions on a variety of topics, integrating random verbs to enhance listening skills.  In this week’s learn more about Gena’s journey: Gena hosts monthly potlucks in her home and invites everyone to join in, embodying her mission to reconnect humanity with each game played. Originally designed as a bilingual board game, Gena tested it for years and determined it would be best to release an English version as a card deck initially. Learn more and connect with Gena here: 

Ludmila N. Praslova, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, is the author of . She is a Professor of Psychology and the founding Director of Graduate Programs in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California. Born in Moscow, Ludmila grew up in a blue collar area where textile mills and farming were predominant, yet, she shared, there was a strange mix of high culture blended in with visits to museums and trips to the theater. She enjoyed reading college text books as a child and writing poetry. Her parents pressed her to use her hands to sew, garden, and play a musical instrument, all of which felt impossible to her.   Ludmila graduated from the Russian State University of Humanities with a 5-year specialist degree in organizational management processes and human resources. She chose this focus  because it was a compromise between something she enjoyed studying and a path that could lead to stable employment. Ludmila was still figuring out her career and did not plan to work in education—she was focused on organizational practice. She went on to build and lead successful intercultural relations programs in global organizations.  Ludmila’s areas of expertise include organizational culture assessment and change, workplace justice and civility, productivity and well-being, and training and training evaluation. She is the editor of the book . Her current consulting focuses on supporting organizations in creating systemic inclusion informed by an understanding of neurodiversity.  In this week’s learn more about Ludmila’s journey: Ludmila is a member of the Thinkers 50 Radar Class of 2024 – a global group of management thinkers, recognized as most likely to make an impact on the world. As a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, she is the first person to have published in Harvard Business Review from an autistic perspective. She also writes regularly for Fast Company. Learn more and connect with Ludmila here:  

Ehab Bandar is a sought-after product design consultant for startups and fintech. What's amazing about his career is that he's managed to do it while being both an outsider and an insider in remarkably distinct ways. Ehab attributes credit to his early life as an immigrant to the US from Lebanon at the age of six. His family moved yearly until he was in seventh grade. Ehab was a shy kid with a stutter, yet he was also a natural observer and listener, taking in different cultural norms and personalities. He recalls endearing himself to fit in with new people by throwing a joke into random conversations, noting how fortunate he was to be warmly received as he started the year at each new school. Ehab describes these characteristics as shy self-reliance while being quietly engaged. Ehab had to invent his own career to become a design leader himself. Educated as a city planner, Ehab started his career as one of the youngest technology managers at Wells Fargo. He then left corporate and went on his own to advise and lead design at fast-growing startups in Silicon Valley, digital agencies, and corporate giants.  Ehab uses city planning tools and curiosity to hone his craft in the tech world. He explains how a quarterly print newsletter he started in grad school out of boredom led him to work in the dot-com boom and how being an outsider as an immigrant from Lebanon made the act of observation and discovery a daily habit.  Today, he's the founder of , an experience-led design agency that partners with product teams to build human-centered designs at scale. They merge hands-on product knowledge, customer insights, and experience strategy to transform ideas into a tangible product vision.   In this week’s learn more about Ehab’s journey: Ehab conquered his stuttering by joining the radio station in college as a news reporter. He has helped dozens of organizations, including Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, Bank of the West, Boost Mobile, Intuit, and Airbnb, design new digital products and successfully launch them into the market. Learn more and connect with Ehab here:     - by Lorne M. Buchman  

makes it easier for us to communicate at work. He helps experts talk to non-experts, teams talk to executives, and much more. Chris's practical methods are used in organizations like Google and NATO and have appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Helping people retain and apply what he teaches led Chris to write the book . He has also authored multiple books on communication and training that have been translated into 15 languages. Chris grew up in what he describes as a traditional nuclear family in the UK. As our podcast interview unfolded, he shared that his parents worked hard to provide sufficient food for their family. As a child, Chris was unaware of how careful they were to ensure there was enough food. He thought all parents put dates on their canned beans. At age 7, he was awarded a scholarship to attend a private school. Chris saw the distinction between his life and that of his classmates. Adding to his experience of differences, he was elevated two grade levels to a class with students who were 9-years-old.  Chris always did well in school without much effort. Then his perspective changed. At 15, he was struck by a car, sustaining serious injuries. After that, he took nothing for granted. Attending university, he majored in aeronautical engineering, and worked 2 to 3 jobs to support himself. Throughout his engineering career, Chris leveraged his problem solving skills by applying them to challenges wherever he saw a need. He was especially drawn towards translating communication between technical and business teams. Chris’s ability to translate and communicate is the common thread in his work today. When he left full-time employment to start his own business, Chris moved into communication, bridging the gap between technical and business teams and between experts and non-experts. In this week’s  learn more about Chris’s journey: Chris attended flight school with the intention to join the Royal Air Force, but he realized he did not like being told what to do. When he was a university student, he also competed in target rifle shooting, an expensive sport, which he supported by his multiple jobs. Learn more and connect with Chris here: 

was always good at math. As a teenager, she and her Dad would sit in front of the family computer (then, households had one computer), dial up AOL (America Online), and check out the latest stock market figures. Dad, an optometrist, was keenly interested in the markets and enjoyed bonding with Erika over all things involving numbers. Erika studied finance and international economics in college, and following graduation, she took a finance role at IBM. Early on, she discovered the advantages of being in a large company where opportunities for mobility were readily available. Erika moved to the consulting side of the business, serving clients, becoming a project manager in a variety of functional areas, and developing her leadership chops. Interspersed within that time, she married, lived in Asia, had her first child, and moved nine times in ten years. Needless to say, Erika’s personal and professional journey was not a linear one. For her, there were many changes: growing up in a household where money was an exciting dinner topic, getting married, having three children, getting divorced, living abroad, moving nine times for a job, and losing a parent. Erika found herself at a crossroads. After a successful decade at IBM, Erika left her corporate role to work on emerging organic food brands, transforming them from innovative products to household names while raising her growing family. Along the way, Erika noticed a gap in how people all over the world talked — or didn’t talk — about money, both within family structures, relationships, and workplaces. Erika then discovered the field of Financial Therapy and decided to pursue her graduate Certificate in Financial Therapy from Kansas State University. Today, she works with individuals, couples, families, teams, and corporate wellness programs to improve communication and relationships regarding money. Partnering with her clients, Erika helps them transform their mindsets and beliefs about money, paving the way to clearer choices and new options. In this week’s learn more about Erika’s journey: Erika created the Financial Wellness Conversation Cards, which allows people to explore the topic of money with 50 thought-provoking questions. Her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, Yahoo! Money, and Time. Learn more and connect with Erika here: 

Catie Harris is a nurse practitioner who believes nurses are uniquely qualified to be entrepreneurs. As the CEO and owner of , a mentorship program that empowers nurses to monetize their knowledge and develop business skills, Catie inspires them to change how healthcare is perceived and delivered. Through individual coaching, live events, and signature group programs, thousands of nurses have been empowered with the knowledge and skills they need to build profitable businesses of their own. ​As a child, Catie was quite introverted and didn’t socialize easily. Her family moved multiple times, which meant going to new schools, and she found this to be consistently difficult. ​At 16, Catie had a vivid dream in which she saw herself working as a nurse, and from then on, it was clear she would go to nursing school. Catie never questioned that decision to this day. What she had not anticipated was the level of interpersonal interactions she would need to engage in as a nursing student. The adjustment throughout her rotations in different clinical areas was painful, yet Catie persevered and eventually discovered the strength of her introverted personality. As is typical of most introverted people, Catie was not a small-talk type of person. She was much better at listening. So when there were families in the hospital who were identified as difficult or temperamental, Catie was assigned to meet with them because she would go in, and just listen to them. By the time they were done venting, they would express thanks for how helpful Catie had been. Catie found that it helped her too. ​Catie continued with her training to get her nurse practitioner's degree. Always curious, her nursing experience included work in multiple clinical areas. Eventually, she focused on her own business to teach and support nurses who wanted to become entrepreneurs.​ In this week’s  learn more about Catie’s journey:​ Catie strives to show nurses around the world how their hard-earned knowledge and skills can transcend the hospital system into a profitable business. Her podcast, , highlights the unique stories of men and women who have embraced adversity and overcome countless obstacles to pursue work that has greater meaning while sharing their experience of being a nurse entrepreneur. Learn more and connect with Catie here:   

Donna Serdula is the founder and president of Vision Board Media, a professional branding company that helps individuals and companies tell their unique stories on LinkedIn and beyond. Donna has authored two editions of . Bringing dynamic brand storytelling to the masses and empowering people to dream big – that’s the ink in her pen. Donna’s website, , is where she and her team of over 20 writers and coaches help people collide with opportunities and transform their lives via future-forward career branding. You’d never know it now, but Donna was a shy little kid. During college, she was interested in pursuing work in development and production in the film industry. While she did work as an intern in the film industry, getting established after graduation proved challenging, so she accepted an invitation from her father to join him in his business. They sold estimating software to autobody shops. Within the first few years, Donna was training people in several industries intersecting with their business on the use of the software and other tools. She realized she loved to help people discover technology, and this led her to move into other arenas, including designing websites and helping people with their LinkedIn profiles. Over the course of the next several years, Donna worked as a reseller in software sales, and she noticed a couple of patterns. While she sold the same software as her competitors, people wanted to do business with her because they could see she understood their industry, had their backs, and was willing to engage with them in ways that were not purely transactional. How did she do this? She used LinkedIn as a part of her networking strategy to make connections and develop relationships. In this week’s learn more about Donna’s journey: After being laid off from a company she had closed over $1M in business for in 2009, Donna decided it was time to start her own business. She's shared her LinkedIn expertise at global conferences, presented keynotes and workshops, and has been featured on a number of high-profile news outlets. Learn more and connect with Donna here: 

This week’s podcast features a delightful conversation I had with Doug Lennick and Chuck Wachendorfer from , a leadership development firm serving many industries. Together, they co-authored the book . Their experience and knowledge show readers how to be positive and impactful leaders. Doug and Chuck offer practical and evidence-based guidance through eight key principles that are essential to one’s ability to lead others: Aim to be Yourself Know Your Real Self Ignite Integrity and Responsibility Embrace Empathy and Compassion Decide Wisely Let Go of What You Know Achieve Purposeful Goals Empower Others They share many examples and lessons learned from their experiences in financial services and the stories of leaders in various industries, illustrating the book’s eight essential principles. Exercises and frameworks are threaded throughout each chapter, enabling the reader to explore their own leadership development and professional directions. Doug and Chuck conclude that the best leaders are “people-wise.” I wholeheartedly agree! In this week’s learn about Chuck and Doug’s journeys: Before founding think2perform, Doug Lennick, a certified financial planner (CFP), was Executive Vice President – Advice and Retail Distribution for American Express Financial Advisors (now Ameriprise Financial). In that capacity, he led an organization of 17,000 field and corporate associates to unprecedented success. Chuck Wachendorfer is a renowned leadership development professional who has worked with clients including American Express, Wells Fargo, Comerica Bank, TD Wealth of Canada, and Charles Schwab. His insights on leadership have been featured in CNN Money, Forbes, Fortune, and The Denver Post. Learn more and connect with Doug and Chuck here:     

and are on a mission to inspire women to redefine success by blending ancient wisdom with modern leadership. They have co-authored a book, to be released on February 14, 2024, .  Rimi, a previous guest on my , and Samantha shared their origin stories with me, including how they met and developed the work that evolved into their book. They each made significant changes in their lives towards a deeper sense of purpose and well-being. Then, Samantha and her husband stayed at the owned by Rimi and her husband in the Azores. The women made a fast connection based on their common interests in health and well-being and kept in touch weekly after Samantha returned home to the US. Rimi and Samantha began to plan a nutrition and yoga retreat for April 2020, which did not occur, yet they continued to talk, and a powerful theme surfaced. Samantha shared, “I’m tired of being told to be resilient. Resilience is not enough to deal with the stressors and challenges of the day.” They developed an online course, Going Beyond Resilience. The response from participants was so transformative that Rimi and Samantha created the term Rootsilience ("root - zeel - ience"), which informed their book.  Rootsilience takes the notion of "resilience" a step deeper and teaches us to be grounded, rooted, and able to respond to stressors from a place of stability rather than being stretched beyond our limits. We need to rise beyond resilience to Rootsilience. Beyond Resilience to Rootsilience combines three key branches: conscious leadership, healing foods, and mind-body integration. The book highlights experiences from Rimi’s and Samantha’s lives, illustrating key lessons for women leaders. Check out their to recognize the connectedness of your leadership behavior and your emotional, physical, and mental signs of ease and dis-ease. In this week’s  learn more about Rimi’s and Samantha’s journeys: Rimi Chakraborty is a keynote speaker, author, yoga teacher, and leadership consulting coach for groups, teams, and individuals dedicated to developing conscious leaders. Samantha Anderson is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach and a certified Functional Medicine Health Coach with decades of experience as a nonprofit and philanthropy consultant. She speaks to women leaders about cultivating purpose and vision. Learn more and connect with Rimi and Samantha here: 

When Jesse Janelle was in elementary school, she experienced a lot of anxiety. When feeling panicked, she went to the nurses' office, visiting there regularly. Jesse didn’t know it then, but this is where her personal and professional development journey began. One day, 11-year-old Jesse was in the nurse's office having a particularly bad panic attack. The nurse called in the guidance counselor, who was asked to help sometimes. Jesse must have been extra anxious this time because the guidance counselor shook her by the shoulders and yelled, “Stop it right now,” in her face. At that moment, Jesse became disassociated from her body. Her thoughts separated from her ‘felt sense’: her ability to know what was happening in her body. Jesse later understood this to be her sense of self-trust. Going into high school and then college, Jesse was high-performing. Attending Boston College, she got straight A's. Because she wasn't feeling connected to her body, she intellectualized many of her struggles. Jesse studied psychology and meditation, attaching deep academic and intellectual perspectives to those arenas. Around her graduation from college, Jesse began to connect with those areas in a felt way, enabling her to be more in touch with who she really was. Jesse's professional career began as an intern at Harvard Medical School's Institute of Coaching in its founding years, where she got immersed in evidence-based coaching research. As her experience and expertise grew, she consulted and coached leaders in top organizations such as McKinsey, Mass General Hospital, The Walt Disney Company, and Amazon.  Today, Jesse is the founder and CEO of . She is an ICF-certified transformational coach and speaker. Jesse has distilled her learnings from her work in leadership development, psychology, ontology, somatics, and spirituality into a coaching method she calls Soul Sessions. This method is grounded in metaphor coaching and intuitive inquiry. This method can be learned and applied independently of a professional coaching session. Using a surprising tool, tarot cards, Jesse helps professionals access and unlock the power of their intuition to make better decisions faster. In this week’s learn more about Jesse’s journey: Jesse was selected in 2022 for the inaugural cohort of Forefront, powered by Marshall Goldsmith and the 100 coaches, for her impact on the field of leadership development. In 2023, she delivered her TEDx talk, .   Learn more and connect with Jesse here:  Save 7 hours a week with a 7-minute daily tarot self-coaching practice:

Christopher Knudsen’s first work experience was on a framing crew at 15 years old in his father’s construction company. He credits those early years with instilling the work ethic he has today. Chris learned how to create momentum for himself, which gave him a sense of ownership and pride in his work. Today, Chris is a published author, university instructor, entrepreneur, and consultant. He works as an independent fractional CMO and is the CEO at , an advertising firm focused on direct-to-consumer companies. Chris’s main focus is to help businesses and ideas flourish alongside technological advancements.  Chris authored  to share his journey to entrepreneurship and to teach his readers how to start their own businesses. In this week’s  learn more about Chris’s journey: Chris earned his MBA from the Gore School of Business at Westminster College. As an adjunct instructor, he taught the capstone strategy course and business plan development, social marketing, and entrepreneurship courses for ten years. He was the former CMO at Purple Mattress and has started and sold many companies, including 3DplusMe, a venture-funded consumer 3D printing and scanning company. Learn more and connect with Chris here:  Website: Special Audience Giveaway:  Book:  LinkedIn -  

A couple of years ago,  was in a group tennis lesson. The instructor, an 84-year-old former HR director, started with an icebreaker game: Two Truths and a Lie. People said things like, I have two cats, I like oatmeal cookies, and I love to ride my bike. Stephanie shared, “I've written two books, been on MTV in my bikini, and was a contestant on a game show.” Everyone exclaimed, “Wow!” ​As the game continued, Stephanie hoped she inspired the next person to dig a little deeper, but it returned to I like dogs. She wondered, am I unusual? (Stephanie’s truths were: she was on MTV in a bikini and had written two books.) Surely, other people must have wow moments. Yet, even her wow moments happened years ago. Stephanie decided it was time to change that. Soon after, she volunteered to join a radio host friend who was going to help out a nearby city that had experienced a devastating flood. It was a wow moment for her. Stephanie, a professional writer, planned to write a blog about it. But as soon as she returned home, life’s routines kicked in and it was easy to put it on the back burner. ​Then everything changed. Just after Christmas 2022, Stephanie’s husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Four months later, he passed away. From that moment on, Stephanie committed to putting more wow moments into her life and she shares them in her . It is inspiring, and thought-provoking. ​ Stephanie has been a writer and author for over three decades. She's been a  covering leadership, productivity, and careers for the last nine years. ​ ​ In this week’s  learn more about Stephanie’s journey: In 2006, Stephanie launched a website, The Organized Parent, selling products to help busy moms. Five years later, she sold the company to FranklinCovey. Her writing has appeared in Inc., Entrepreneur, Success, and Parade, and she has written for companies such as U.S. Bank, Smartsheet, Mastercard, LinkedIn, and Intel.   Learn more and connect with Stephanie here:

Dr. Michelle Drapkin was an honors student in high school, yet she did not graduate with her class. Why? She had cut so many classes that her attendance record disqualified her from graduating. Michelle was lost. Her mother was ill with cancer (she survived!), and no one was paying attention to her activities, or lack thereof. To get her diploma, Michelle was sent to summer school, where the teachers had nothing to offer an honors student. After two days, they let her go. Michelle attended college on schedule. ​Michelle studied psychology and Spanish at Franklin and Marshall with the goal of becoming a Spanish-speaking psychologist. She studied abroad to develop her language skills and aspired to get a PhD in clinical psychology. Michelle hit a roadblock when she was not accepted into any of the graduate programs she applied to. She points to this experience as “failure being part of the process.” While deeply disappointed, this did not stop her. She applied to be a Fulbright Scholar, for more graduate programs and various jobs, all of which were highly competitive. Nothing came through, except Michelle received some helpful advice to get more research experience to strengthen her chances of getting accepted to graduate school. She landed a research role at the University of Pennsylvania and applied to graduate school two years later. By then, Michelle knew exactly what she wanted to do.​ Today, Michelle is a board-certified Clinical Psychologist who has dedicated her career to using psychological research to help people. She is the Owner/Director of the . Michelle provides individual and couples therapy, consults with healthcare tech startups, and delivers training on communication/motivation and health/wellbeing at work and in life.​ In this week’s  learn more about Michelle’s journey: Michelle is the author of  from New Harbinger Publications She held a nationwide role at the Department of Veterans Affairs and was on faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. Learn more and connect with Michelle here:

Ellie Steinbrink grew up on a farm in Iowa. She was always drawn to wearing different outfits to suit the various activities she was engaged in around the farm. Ellie credits her parents for fostering a very creative environment. Her Mom is an artist who introduced her to colors, forms, textures, and patterns. Ellie’s Dad runs the farm with a strategic business mindset, offering her his own creative perspectives. In high school, Ellie was involved in theater and communications. As she set out for college, Ellie wanted to study marketing with the goal of working for an advertising agency. ​ Starting as an intern in an advertising agency, Ellie learned the ropes, which led her to work on the client service side of the business. For the next 15 years, she worked in advertising agencies, elevating to a Director of Client Services role. She created marketing, brands, advertising, content, and social strategies for clients ranging from Fortune 500 giants to small businesses. It was a lot of fun until the stretch between her family life and professional demands became too tight. Ellie engaged a coach to recalibrate her priorities and then took a part-time role as a marketing lead for a small business. For 4 years, Ellie enjoyed the role, but gradually, she had growing feelings that she wanted to do something else. Yet, there was a reluctance to step away from a career in which she had invested so much. ​ In 2020, Ellie took the opportunity to merge her professional experience with her passion for personal styling and started her business, , in Omaha, Nebraska. As an expert stylist and personal brand coach, she teaches women how to define and own their unique style, aligning their insides with their outsides to feel confident in their own skin. ​ In this week’s  learn more about Ellie’s journey: Ellie is offering my subscribers a free guide: ​ What does your outfit say about you to your audience before you even speak? This free guide includes Ellie’s 6 go-to style tips for making your outfits more impactful.     Learn more and connect with Ellie here: 

Janine Kwoh is the owner and designer of , a Brooklyn, NY-based collection of greeting cards and gifts that reflect and celebrate a diversity of identities and life experiences. Her goal is to create products that others will recognize some of themselves in and feel a bit more seen, more connected, and less alone. Janine returns to the Work from the Inside Out podcast to share an update since she was my guest on episode 11, 4-1/2 years ago. Since then, she has authored , an illustrated book on grief for anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one. Additionally, Janine has expanded her product lines with a variety of new items.  Currently, Janine is grappling with the challenges of how to scale her business to meet the demands of her customers and community of followers while maintaining the integrity of her brand and the quality of life she wants to live. In this week’s  follow the update on Janine’s journey and her work today: Janine uses an antique printing press to letterpress print every card one-at-a-time and also paints in many designs by hand.  She enjoys the physical process and distinctive final look-and-feel that comes with using old printing machines and techniques, while experimenting with modern images and sentiments. Learn more and connect with Janine here:     

Cliff Goldmacher is a Grammy-recognized #1 hit songwriter, keynote speaker, and author. A multi-instrumentalist, he has recorded, played on, and produced thousands of recordings and album projects for major and independent music publishers and record labels.  Cliff spent his first ten years in Southeast Asia due to his father’s work. Once they transferred back to the US, they moved to Memphis, Tennessee, a location that Cliff credits for his becoming a musician. He studied classical piano, which provided him with a foundation in music, but it wasn't until Cliff attended Stanford University that his personal connection to music began. He borrowed a guitar from a guy in his dorm and taught himself to play. Next, Cliff started to write songs and began performing with a friend. He graduated with a political science degree, took the LSAT, and applied to law schools.  Rather than go directly to law school, Cliff took an opportunity to do a teaching internship in a small town in France. Once there, he found a little cafe to perform music. The cafe manager asked him to play six nights a week, which Cliff did for the entire year. During that time, Cliff was writing songs, performing, and rethinking his law school plans. He chose to pursue a music career, reasoning that if it did not work out, he could consider law school. Thirty years later, Cliff has written over 1,000 songs, including chart-toppers recorded by Grammy-winning and platinum-selling artists in genres ranging from Americana, country, pop, blues, and jazz to classical crossover.  Cliff’s book, , encapsulates the principles of his corporate workshops, where he helps business teams enhance their creativity, solve problems, and innovate by teaching them to write songs.  In this week’s follow Cliff’s journey and his work today: Cliff runs a production studio in Nashville.  He has also given multiple TEDx presentations on songwriting. Learn more and connect with Cliff here:  

is a media coach whose mission is to elevate the wisdom of women nonfiction authors. She teaches them how to get national publicity and do media interviews that sell books so they can grow their impact and change the world. Mary never planned on becoming a media coach. She was dedicated to her work for twelve seasons as a Post Producer and Associate Director on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and multiple years prior, with NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, and Meet the Press. Yet, not all of Mary’s years in television media have been behind the scenes. She is also a #1 bestselling author and parenting expert who has been featured in television, radio, print, and digital media. Her book, , made Amazon's top 100 after a media interview. However, Mary never expected to become a published author. In fact, her early life was filled with so many responsibilities that she had no vision for her future. When she was 11, her beloved grandmother and her father, who was abusive and alcoholic, died just months apart. Her mother went to work teaching at a Catholic school. Mary took over at home with her 3 siblings, cooking, signing permission slips, and fighting the Social Security Administration when checks were delayed. Many observers called her strong, yet Mary was terrified. She found comfort in having some control over the situation. Mary learned to be independent and to fight for what she believed was right. In this week’s  follow Mary’s journey and her work today: Mary’s unique coaching framework, the Media Impact Method (I.M.P.A.C.T), offers a solid path to publicity with purpose, leading authors to success in national media, and reaching audiences of more than a billion. She offers a variety of programs to help authors gain the strategies they need to share their work and make an impact: , , , and .   Learn more and connect with Mary here:

When Erica Holthausen was in 7th grade, she was inspired to become an attorney after reading A Man for All Seasons, a play about the life of 16th-century Chancellor of England Sir Thomas More. She stayed true to her goal, attended law school, passed the bar, and worked for one year as an attorney, quickly realizing that being in law school and practicing law were not the same. With the support of her legal colleagues, some of whom seemed envious, Erica left the practice of law and embarked on a “master reset.”  At the suggestion of a friend, she applied to an environmental studies program at the Audobon Expedition Institute. After a semester of living on the Institute’s bus in Vermont, she moved in with her recently widowed aunt in Massachusetts who needed her help. While there, Erica explored her options and allowed herself to be with not knowing exactly what she was going to do. She started a daily writing practice to process and synthesize her ideas. Eventually, she joined an arts organization as their director of marketing and development, even though she had no direct experience in those areas. Erica is wholly resourceful and she found her way, continuing on that path for years with a consulting firm and later at a museum, honing her written and communication skills throughout.  In January 2020, Erica founded , a consulting firm that equips professionals with the tools they need to develop a body of work, bolster their credibility and earn a reputation as authoritative experts. Drawing on her experience as a freelance writer and editor, she guides them through the process of pitching, writing, and publishing articles in industry trade journals, and business magazines.  In this week’s follow Erica’s journey and work: Erica challenged herself to deliver a TEDx talk, in 2023. Her clients have secured bylines in many high-visibility publications, including Harvard Business Review, Inc., Fast Co., and Entrepreneur. Learn more and connect with Erica here:   

Dr. Mira Brancu was born in Romania when it was under a communist government. At six years old, her family emigrated to the U.S. as Jewish political refugees. Mira needed to learn English and navigate a new culture. She credits this early experience as providing the foundation for her strong observational skills and her ability to understand people’s nuanced behaviors and make deep connections. Over the course of her career, Mira developed a keen interest in how various dynamics, such as relationships, groups, organizations, and societal factors, impact successful outcomes. She started her career as a school counselor, then focused on clinical psychology for her doctoral degree, and served as chief of operations and in other leadership roles across several industries, including healthcare, academia, federal government, and schools. As Mira deepened her understanding and applied her accumulative knowledge, she grew as a leader, supporting her teams and organizations. Today, Mira is the founder and CEO of , a social impact consulting firm that helps executives and their teams navigate complex systems, develop strategic thinking and processes, to work effectively with individuals, teams, and organizations. To this work, she brings 20-plus years of experience, including a leadership career at the US Department of Veterans Affairs and a faculty appointment at Duke University. In this week’s follow Mira’s journey and work: Mira is the author of a , and writes about women's leadership development for Psychology Today. She works with emerging and under-represented women leaders and companies that support their career growth. Mira also helps small businesses and entrepreneurs progress from early phase start-up into the next phase of business by leading a team of employees.   Learn more and connect with Mira here: 

Sandy Seeber-Quayle learned about adapting to change early in her life. Born in Eastern Germany, she was seven years old when her parents divorced suddenly, leaving her and her toddler brother to be raised by her mother, who struggled with the breakup. Consequently, Sandy took on more responsibilities at home, leaving less time for fun. Four years later, the Berlin Wall came down, and everything changed. Then Sandy’s Mom found a new partner, and they moved to a new village. After an anxious start in her new school, Sandy was embraced by her new classmates and she made friends. This was the first of several moves during her formative years. At eighteen, Sandy got an apprenticeship in an insurance company, and she continued there for eleven years, learning many aspects of the business. Eventually, she was training apprentices. Sandy loved teaching, but she got itchy feet, as she put it. She started traveling all over the world as often as she could. Then, she decided to leave her job and traveled extensively, 808 days, to be exact. She also met her now husband during that time. Today, Sandy lives near Dublin, Ireland. She specializes in developing middle managers using her KUBA Pilot Strategy to foster effective thinking habits, enabling them to remain calm under stress, overcome biases, and enhance their relationships. Know Yourself Understand Others Build Connections Align Decisions In this week’s  follow Sandy’s journey and work Sandy enjoys transforming challenging relationships into collaborative partnerships and delivers impactful training, leveraging strong facilitation. With diplomas in Organizational Behavior, Coaching, and Training, Sandy brings a lifelong passion for human behavior and impactful communication to her work.    Learn more and connect with Sandy here:   

Alicia Ramsdell was raised by two hard-working parents who laid a solid foundation for her and her three sisters; the family came first, and education was a critical path to making a secure living. From an early age, mathematics came quickly to Alicia. So when she decided on her college major, she concluded that accounting would be a good choice. It checked off all the boxes, or so she thought. It was a secure profession that would pay well. As Alicia learned more about the principles and practices of accounting, she realized didn’t love it. Yet she held herself to the value of finishing things she started and kept telling herself that it was a pathway to financial security. In fact, Alicia became so invested in her accounting career that she went on to earn her master’s degree in taxation. She characterizes this as identity foreclosure, which is a psychological term describing an individual who commits to an identity without exploring options. The turning point in Alicia’s life came when her father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in his early 40s. She watched as her parents’ life plans changed completely, and it was a wake-up call for Alicia. She also was raising two young children and wanted to be able to share more with them about what it means to have a meaningful career. Today, Alicia is the founder and CEO of , designing career fulfillment in collaboration with her clients' professional passion and energy. She is a certified career services provider, a global career development facilitator, and holds a certificate in mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques. In her , Alicia says, "Don't be afraid to fail in the career of your dreams. Be afraid to succeed in the career of your nightmares." In this week’s follow Alicia’s journey and work: Alicia worked for over 15 years in her corporate career before changing directions. She authored a children’s book, , offering an ​​empowering message that our future is truly in our own hands.   Learn more and connect with Alicia here:   

Ebony Travis Tichenor is a strategic executive in human resources, talent and organizational development, diversity and inclusion, and health and well-being. She is the Director for Global Well-Being and HR Employee Policies for Boston Scientific, where she has worked for over 25 years.  Ebony grew up in a small town in Texas. Raised by her Hispanic mother and her grandmother, whose only language was Spanish, they insisted that Ebony speak English. Her Dad, who was Black, passed away after she was born. As a child, Ebony was picked on by people who insisted she did not look like her mother and yet, she always maintained an upbeat, energetic personality. Still, Ebony harbored self-doubts, believing she was not bright enough to attend college. After graduating high school, she worked at a gas station convenience store, quickly getting promoted to assistant manager. While Ebony loved working there, she was encouraged by many people to do something more. She began to pursue beauty pageants, eventually auditioning for and becoming a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. As glamorous as it was, high-profile cheerleading did not pay the bills, so she applied for temporary jobs. One of her placements was at Boston Scientific, and as they say, the rest is history. At Boston Scientific, Ebony has helped to spearhead greater pay equity (99%) for a culturally and gender-diverse workforce, including veterans and persons with disabilities. A dynamic speaker, Ebony draws on her experience in change management, diversity and inclusion, performance management, employee engagement, mentoring, and training, to influence the process and cultural changes that improve organizational effectiveness and employee growth. She has served as a keynote speaker, a moderator of leadership panels within Boston Scientific and at public forums, business meetings, events, and conferences. In this week’s follow Ebony’s journey and work: Ebony is an active health and fitness influencer on social media platforms. She mentors and inspires others to meet their personal goals for health and wellness. She speaks to various companies on personal branding, overall well-being, energy management, DEI, and so much more.   Learn more and connect with Ebony here:   

​ is an award-winning author, avid yogi, and yoga teacher, high performance & transformation life coach. In a business career spanning 25 years working with technology giants and start-ups, Smita was one of the first to bring India’s information technology services into the heart of British and European companies. Smita worked internationally with global industry leaders, winning multi-million dollar contracts, the largest being $1 billion. ​ Smita is a TV presenter, and for her YouTube channel,  – Smita has interviewed leading politicians, entrepreneurs, and global gurus. She also creates videos on topics of personal development & emotional and spiritual intelligence. ​ ​Smita is the author of the Amazon bestseller . Inspired by actual events from her own life, “Karma & Diamonds” follows a young woman’s gripping journey of self-discovery across continents and lifetimes as she struggles to conquer life’s conflicts and unpredictable challenges by listening to her inner voice. ​ In this week’s  follow Smita’s journey and work: ​ As a child growing up in a small port town along North West India’s Arabian Sea coastline, Smita observed her father practicing yoga and meditation. While he never taught her, she started her own yoga and meditation practice at age 12.​ ​ Alongside her business life, based in London, when not traveling for work, Smita dedicated her weekends, holidays, and spare time over many years to becoming a life coach.   Learn more and connect with Smita here:   

​ is an advisor, consultant, and speaker specializing in working with leaders and sales teams to unlock the untapped potential in their prospecting and business development efforts. With a focus on the construction, real estate, design, and technology industries, Sara guides professionals to enhance their communication skills and to approach prospecting and their business needs creatively rather than simply push products. Sara’s love for sales started as a young child. Her Mom worked for Delta Airlines, which enabled their family to fly for free via standby. This also meant that they never sat together on the plane. Sara quickly learned to engage with the strangers sitting beside her, “Excuse me, are you going to eat your chips?” Her adult seatmate was often taken aback by her request. Sara had about a 60% success rate in closing the deal. In retrospect, it really didn’t matter if they gave Sara the chips or not. It taught her an easy way to start conversations and connect with people. And she became fearless. Sara learned to ask for what she wanted. As she developed her career selling decorative hardware to the construction and hospitality industries, Sara learned that sales are about how the client and the provider fit together to feel at home. By connecting well with customers in that way, they returned time and again, enabling Sara to foster fulfilling and profitable relationships. Living and working in LA during the pandemic, Sara experienced the impact of the strict lockdown. Working from home through that difficult period, she focused on her health and well-being. Sara became aware that something significant was missing from her work. Her job had become far more technical and less relationship-focused. Sara knew it was time to make a change. ​In this week’s  follow Sara’s journey and work: Sara is the host of the podcast "," Sara discusses prospecting, sales, business strategies, and, most importantly, mindset. She teaches her audience to connect with clients, communicate confidently, and ultimately close deals.   Learn more and connect with Sara here: 

Julie Kratz is the Founder and Chief Engagement Officer of . She is a highly-acclaimed TEDx speaker, author, podcast host, and inclusive leadership trainer who led teams and produced results in corporate America. After experiencing many career “pivot points” of her own, Julie started her own business with the goal of helping leaders and their organizations to be more inclusive through allyship. Next Pivot Point works to promote allyship and inclusion in the workplace to make sure that everyone feels seen, heard, and belonging at work. ​ ​Julie was raised by her single mother. From a young age, her mother always told her that her purpose in life was to help women. As Julie started her career in the corporate world, those words kept replaying in her mind. After twelve years of the “shenanigans,” as Julie refers to it, she was done with corporate life. No longer could she tolerate the lack of inclusion, lack of belonging, and having to stuff herself inside a box where she did not fit. In her early thirties at the time, Julie kept thinking, “Your purpose is to help women.” ​ ​Opening the door for Next Pivot Point, Julie focused on gender equity in the workplace. This was before people were talking about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Julie continues to help people of all backgrounds feel included in the workplace through facilitation, writing books, speaking, and coaching. ​ In this week’s  follow Julie’s journey and work: Julie recently started a nonprofit organization, , which develops programs for educators, parents, and caregivers about how to be more inclusive and talk with children about inclusion. Her books include , , ,  and a children’s book . Learn more and connect with Julie here: 

When I asked Alisha Fernandez Miranda, author of , about her formative years, she said, “I was a really ambitious kid, very type A; the kind of girl you'd call bossy. I really never minded that term personally, I just had a real drive to be the best.” When Alisha was eight years old, she kept a diary and wrote her goal in life was to go to Harvard. Alisha had no idea how she knew about Harvard.  Raised in suburban Miami, she spent her first 18 years being academically driven and socially engaged. Then, Alisha said,” Two big things happened.” She took her first trip outside the U.S., and she was accepted to and attended Harvard.  For the first time, Alisha felt intimidated. She was accustomed to being a big fish in a small pond, yet she found her way at Harvard, declaring an interdisciplinary major in Women’s Studies. She spent her junior year in London and fell in love with Europe. After graduation, she attended the Gender Institute of the London School of Economics for her master’s degree while she figured out how to get a visa and permanent employment in the U.K. During that time, she met the man who became her husband.  Today, Alisha serves as the chair of I.G. Advisors, an award-winning social impact intelligence agency that consults with nonprofits, foundations, and corporations on their philanthropy and social initiatives. Her writing has been featured in Vogue, Business Insider, and Huffington Post. She currently lives in Scotland with her husband and children. In her book, My What If Year, Alisha details her year of unpaid internships in the dream jobs of her childhood. She signs on as an intern at a Broadway theater, a London art gallery, a Scottish luxury hotel, and a virtual fitness studio — only to discover a long-buried question: Why didn’t she do what she most wanted to do until now? In this week’s follow Alisha’s journey and work: Alisha is the host of the award-winning podcast that takes you behind the scenes of your dream jobs.  She built and launched an app, Not My Style, which is focused on sustainable fashion. Learn more and connect with Alisha here: 

Dr. Michelle K. Johnston has life-long experience in embracing and accessing the power of connections. Growing up as a “corporate brat,” Michelle’s family moved every few years. Her father’s job at General Motors required relocation as his career advanced. He promoted their moves as adventures. She always found a way to fit in, and skilled at being the new kid.  As she began her professional career, however, Michelle’s methods for ‘fitting in’ did not work as well for her. She realized that she had to distinguish herself, rather than blend in, to be seen as valuable in the professional marketplace. Michelle discovered that she needed to develop different ways to make meaningful connections to be effective and grow professionally. She worked for a consulting firm right out of graduate school, traveling to companies to teach meeting management, communication, presentation skills, and team building. Michelle also taught an evening business communication class at Loyola University New Orleans, close to home. Being newly married, she welcomed the opportunity to travel less when the Dean offered her a full-time teaching role in the business school. Today, Michelle is a management professor, executive coach, and leadership expert who serves as the Gaston Chair of Business at Loyola University New Orleans. She is a celebrated keynote speaker presenting at conferences and events nationwide.  Her book, , details the need for leaders to shift from a command and control leadership style to one that focuses on connection. She affirms that connection drives long-lasting results, enabling leaders to more effectively connect with their teams to achieve personal and professional goals. In this week’s follow Michelle’s journey and work: Michelle earned her Ph.D. in Communication at Louisiana State University. Her grandfather, a professor at Georgetown, wrote her letters to persuade her to pursue a doctoral degree. She was named to the prestigious MG group, which consists of the top executive coaches worldwide affiliated with Marshall Goldsmith. Michelle was named one of the most influential New Orleanians, a top 500 business leader, and a Woman of the Year by CityBusiness. Learn more and connect with Michelle here: 

With an M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and an engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania, swiftly worked her way "to the top" from cutting deals on Wall St. to the epicenter of the Boston technology hub in strategy and management consulting roles. Yet, her life could have gone very differently.  Born in Alabama, the only child of immigrant Indian parents (who met on their wedding day via an arranged marriage), Rimi’s early years were deeply troubled. At 8, her family moved to Philadelphia, and soon after, her parents separated. Rimi lived with her mother, who worked evening shifts and developed an alcohol addiction, leaving her unavailable as a parent. While maintaining straight-A grades, Rimi joined a gang, nearly got expelled from school, and was on a first-name basis with the police. By high school, she moved in with her father and stepmother, where her life stabilized. She went to UPenn, graduated, and got a Wall Street job.  As she raced to the pinnacles of success, Rimi realized she was sacrificing her health and happiness. Instead of ignoring the voices in her head, heart, and body, Rimi chose to live and lead with purpose. In 2015 she and her husband moved to his homeland, the Azores, Portugal, and opened a lodge and learning center, , where she leads retreats and leadership workshops. Rimi learned the language, embraced a new life, and redefined her metrics of success, enabling her to live in alignment with her values. This became the foundation for her framework. Today, she brings her innovative tools and teaching to Fortune 500 companies, private companies, universities, and individuals to bridge traditional leadership with creative and emotional intelligence. In this week’s follow Rimi’s journey and work: Rimi is the co-founder of and has a book coming out in October 2023. She teaches yoga and mindfulness globally and online, customizing mindfulness programs and courses for private and public companies. Learn more and connect with Rimi here:   

Claudia Miller was the first person in her family to be educated beyond the eighth grade. She was determined to check off all the boxes: excel in school, attend a good university, land a great-paying job, and live the American dream. Unfortunately, it did not go exactly as she had planned. When she graduated college, Claudia had no job offers waiting for her. She ended up just taking a job that was available. This experience propelled her on a five-year journey, determined to learn what was necessary to find satisfying work, grow her income, and build her network. Claudia worked in several industries and went on to earn her master’s degree in public health policy and administration. From there, she started a coaching business and, in 2020, became a full-time entrepreneur.   As a Guatemalan-American, Claudia struggled to find her way in corporate America. She relied on education to rise above her humble beginnings, and now she teaches other women how to become successful.   Today, she is a career coach for women in technology, and she's helped her clients land fulfilling senior-level jobs. Claudia partners with companies and organizations to identify rising stars, providing strategy, insights, and support to develop a leadership and talent pipeline focusing on women and women of color.   In this week’s follow Claudia’s journey and work:  Claudia has partnered with World Business Chicago in developing a workforce development strategy in coordination with the City of Chicago's efforts to decrease unemployment rates for persons of color.   Claudia has been featured in Forbes, MSNBC, Thrive Global, and Business Insider, named her one of the Top Innovative Career Coaches.   Learn more and connect with Claudia here:  Special Gift - Salary Negotiation Scripts:

Do you believe that some people are just luckier than others even though they have not done anything special to create their good fortune? According to my guest this week, NYU Professor Christian Busch, good luck doesn’t happen purely by chance. He says it can be learned and leveraged.  In his book, , Christian explains that serendipity isn’t about luck being out of our control. It’s about seeing links that others don’t, combining these observations strategically, and learning how to detect the moments when unconnected ideas merge to form new opportunities. Exploring serendipity from a scientific perspective, Christian argues that there are ways we can foster the conditions to allow serendipity to grow. Drawing from biology, chemistry, management, and information systems and using examples of people from all walks of life, he shows how you can use serendipity to make life better at work, at home, and everywhere. It is remarkable to note that Christian’s early track record could not have predicted where he has landed today. In his own words, he was a restless, rebellious kid who was “in the 5% of the class that enabled the top 95%.” He dropped out of high school and, at eighteen, went wild in his first car, ending up in a near-fatal multi-car crash. Needless to say, and fortunately, this was a turning point for him. Christian finished high school and with determination applied to dozens of universities. Once accepted, he dove into his studies, fueling his curious mind. Christian went on to earn his master's degree and later a Ph.D. In this week’s follow Christian’s journey and work: Christian is the director of the CGA Global Economy Program at New York University (NYU) and teaches at the London School of Economics (LSE). He is a co-founder of Leaders on Purpose and the Sandbox Network and a former director of LSE's Innovation Lab. He is a member of the World Economic Forum's Expert Forum, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and on the Thinkers50 Radar list of the 30 thinkers "most likely to shape the future."   Learn more and connect with Christian here: 

As a child growing up in England, Octavia Goredema was always reading. At age 7, she wrote a letter to the publisher Penguin Random House and asked how she could become an author. To her delight, she received a formal, personalized letter response from the publisher. For many years Octavia aspired to become a children’s book author.  Upon entrance to a competitive exam school and surrounded by many other smart kids, Octavia  found herself losing confidence, or as she describes it, she “put ceilings on herself.” Octavia’s love of reading continued, yet she assumed that being an author was out of reach. However, she never completely gave up and parlayed her desire to write into a successful career in public relations after college. Octavia reflects on those years and realizes that she never felt fully aligned with her sense of purpose. Her talents were recognized, and her contributions were highly valued, yet she had a boss who  shared his observation that she was not passionate about PR. Octavia was really interested in mentoring and what it takes to advance careers. She started the Twenty Ten Club to help underrepresented women with their careers, and that led her to study coaching, open her practice and write a book. Today, Octavia is a career coach and founder of the Twenty Ten Agency. Her mission is to help underrepresented professionals advance their careers. Octavia is the author of , published by Wiley. In this week’s learn more about Octavia’s journey and work: Octavia was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the Queen in recognition of her work on behalf of underrepresented women in the workforce. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, where she leads the Gender Equity network in the United States.   Learn more and connect with Octavia here:  Find her book here:

Shira Miller knows a lot about getting unstuck. As an author, a , a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, and Chief Communications Officer of a $2 billion corporation, she teaches and coaches people to do the same for themselves. Shira has transitioned from financial ruin to prosperity, chronic health challenges to a constant state of wellness, obesity to sustaining a healthy weight, divorce to lasting love, and an unfulfilling career to a purpose-driven life. Shira is the author of , which features a step-by-step process for getting unstuck and staying that way for good. And it is loaded with real-life stories, expert advice, and wisdom from a wide range of people she personally interviewed to create a robust guide for moving your life in the right direction. Full disclosure: I was honored by Shira to be interviewed for and to provide an endorsement for her book.  Known for her entertaining, informative, and down-to-earth presentation style, Shira has spoken to billion-dollar corporations, served as a Guest Expert Speaker at Canyon Ranch Tucson, and has delivered numerous breakout and keynote presentations at industry conferences.   In this week’s learn more about Shira’s journey and work:  Shira’s story and opinions have been recognized in Shape, Health, First for Women, Quick & Simple, the Atlanta Journal–Constitution, and Emory Magazine. She has written over 100 articles on Medium, LinkedIn, and Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global platform about well-being at work and home, prioritizing self-care, and creating wellness-based cultures. Learn more and connect with Shira here: 

Alain Hunkins is an executive coach, leadership and team development facilitator, and keynote speaker who helps leaders, teams, and companies achieve performance goals easier. He is also the author of the book .  From a young age, Alain was a keen observer of people. He noticed the differences between his life at home, being raised by his mother and grandmother, both Holocaust survivors, and being somewhat ‘glass half empty’ people, and the much lighter atmospheres in his friends’ homes. Upon reflection, he was lifting some heavy weights as a kid and yet, also learned how to navigate a world with many different people all around him. In college, he studied psychology and theater and went on to study acting, earning his Master's in Fine Arts. At that time, Alain attended a training weekend with the Mankind Project, which changed his life. That experience transformed the direction of his career towards group facilitation, arts education, and corporate training. Over his twenty-five-year career, Alain has worked with over 3,000 groups of leaders in 27 countries, including 42 of the Fortune 100 companies. Every spring, Alain runs an online gamified for a cohort of people from around the world. They participate for five to ten minutes a day, tactically practicing the skills of becoming better connectors, better communicators, and better collaborators. You can participate! Alain, noting you heard about the challenge through me and my podcast. He will send you a discount code to get a reduced rate. The challenge starts on May 15, 2023. Space is limited, so act now!  In this week’s learn more about Alain’s journey and work: Alain is on the faculty at Duke Corporate Education and serves on the Academic Board of Advisors for the New Delhi Institute of Management.  His work has been featured in Chief Executive, Fast Company, Inc., Training Magazine, Chief Learning Officer, and Business Insider. He’s also a monthly contributor to Forbes.  Alain was recently named #33 on the Global Power list of the Top 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership for 2023 by LeadersHum. Learn more and connect with Alain here: 

What was your first paid job? Do you recall the training you received to perform your duties? This week’s podcast guest, Susan Spero, vividly remembers the training she got at 18 when she worked at a summer camp. The owners trained the staff on how to understand and manage groups so they would bond as a team and recognize camper group dynamics. They wanted counselors to help campers’ social and emotional development during the eight-week camp season. Susan deeply values her three summers there, crediting that experience as a foundation for how she has negotiated relationships in her adult and professional life.  Susan pursued an education degree in college and taught elementary school for six years. While she was supposed to focus on math, reading, and social studies, Susan was more interested in the student’s social and emotional development, their interactions, and the dynamics between faculty members. Every six years, she had a pattern of getting bored with her work. While Susan was still teaching, she did a clinical internship in digital art therapy. Then, she left her job and pursued a master's degree in psychology and counseling. After a period of underemployment, Susan landed work in management training as she knew her clinical and education skills were applicable, and she was curious to try something new. Her work expanded to teach supervision and leadership, and she started doing some consulting. Susan was having fun until she got bored again, about five years into it. She left the firm she was working with and gave herself a month to reset. Almost immediately, she received calls for consulting work, and the rest, as they say, is history. That was 35 years ago. Today, Susan is an executive coach and organizational consultant. Her book, , is a practical guide to help people better understand relationship dynamics and how to improve their interactions. She uses music as a metaphor to describe how relationships most often evolve. The book integrates popular theories and tools with real-world examples and humorous anecdotes.  In this week’s  learn more about Susan’s journey and work: Susan has worked in various industries with corporations and nonprofits ranging in size from five to 5000 employees   Learn more and connect with Susan here: 

This week’s podcast guests are Dr. Jim Loehr and Dr. Sheila Ohlsson Walker, the co-authors of . While the book draws on research, it is a highly accessible, practical guidebook for anyone seeking to refine their approaches to making a variety of decisions. The authors bring a fascinating combination of experiences, vast knowledge, and deep insights to this work.  Jim is a world-renowned performance psychologist, Co-Founder of the Human Performance Institute, and author of eighteen books, including . He also co-authored the national bestseller .  Sheila is a behavioral geneticist. She is a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Applied Research in Youth at Tufts University, a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Early on, Jim was intoxicated with psychology, earning his master's and a doctorate in psychology and specialized in community mental health. Two years later, he was offered a job as chief psychologist and executive director of a large community mental health center system that served central and southern Colorado. Jim felt he reached the pinnacle of his career. Then, he met exercise physiologist Dr. Joe Hill, an Olympic track and field legend who urged him to launch a new area of psychology in human performance. Jim studied under the Jimmy Connors United States Tennis Center for two years and for six years, set up a research institute. Eventually, Jim and Joe established the Human Performance Institute, to apply science, and sports to the arena of human performance.  Sheila is a former professional tennis player. She earned a B.S. in Finance from the University of Colorado, Boulder, obtained a Chartered Financial Analyst designation, and held an investment career as a Portfolio Manager. She then earned a doctorate in Behavioral Genetics from the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre at King’s College London. In this week’s learn more about Jim and Sheila’s work: Jim and Sheila serve on the board of the Youth Performance Institute that applies to youth many of the learnings drawn from the Human Performance Institute.   Learn more and connect with Jim Loehr & Sheila Ohlsson Walker here: 

How many people can say they’ve never worked for anyone else? Selling eggs door-to-door at 14 years old began a lifetime of self-employment for speaker and small business consultant Jeffrey Shaw. Jeffrey helps self-employed and small business owners look through different lenses to build strategies and compose the often-chaotic pieces of life and business into sustainable success. Jeffrey grew up in a small, rural town in New York. Jeffrey’s father worked for IBM, and his mother ran her own hair salon. While in high school, Jeffrey developed an interest in photography. He was introduced to it by his father, who had built a darkroom in their home. Jeffrey’s talent as a photographer began to emerge, yet when he graduated from high school, he did not feel a sense of direction, so he took a gap year. The following year he decided to attend photography school. For four decades, Jeffrey has served generations of families in his highly successful portrait photography business. Then, he reached a point where he wanted to do something different. He had heard about the coaching profession, found it appealing, and enrolled in a training program to develop those skills. Since then, he has added speaker, author, and podcast host to his professional titles. He has retained a small number of photography clients as he holds a deep value for the relationships he has nurtured over the years. In 2021, Jeffrey created and launched the to educate and support entrepreneurs in growing their businesses. His two books, and have been smash successes. Jeffrey is currently working on his third book. Stay tuned! In this week’s  learn more about Jeffrey’s journey: Jeffrey is the host of the top-rated podcast, . His TEDxLincolnSquare talk, , is featured on TED.com.   Learn more and connect with Jeffrey here:

David Lancefield is a catalyst, strategist, and coach to senior executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs. He also is a speaker, facilitator, and host of the podcast. David enjoys helping leaders and their organizations achieve greater strategic clarity, enhanced resilience, breakthrough performance, and sustainable impact.  David grew up in modest surroundings with his sister and parents. Mom was an educator who ran the local school system. Dad was a nuclear physicist. David says his parents never pressured him or his sister to achieve anything specific or ‘be’ something other than to put in their best effort. Yet, David held himself to high standards and always enjoyed intellectual, complex challenges. He studied economics, earned a master's degree, and went to work for a large management consulting firm. By 32, he became one of the firm’s youngest partners.  In 2012, David and his wife welcomed their son into the world. He was born with significant brain damage, requiring a high degree of care. David has thoughtfully crafted a life where he brings excellence to his work and to his son’s life by providing home schooling and caregiving.   Today, brings the skills, frameworks, and experiences of a strategy consultant, transformational leader, executive coach, and futurist to his work with CEOs, senior executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs from start-ups to corporate, private to public, local to global, and media to utility. These include the BBC, Microsoft, Royal Mail, Standard & Poors, Vodafone, NBC Universal, NHS, Virgin Media, Technicolor, IHG, and The Guardian.  In this week’s  learn more about David’s journey: David writes for Harvard Business Review and is a contributing editor for Strategy+Business.  He is a board advisor to LeaderEQ and a guest lecturer at the London Business School.  Learn more and connect with David here:

On paper, Katie McDonald had it all. She was an international sales rockstar who beat the competition and crushed her goals in the U.S., Europe, and Canada. But Katie’s relentless drive for productivity came at the expense of everything that mattered: her relationships, her time, her health, and her emotional well-being. The demands of her corporate career occupied her every waking moment. Then, one day, she missed one meeting. One. Her mental health was already precarious; that’s all it took to push her over the edge. Facing life-threatening mental and physical health crises, Katie’s have-it-all-together world was quickly crumbling. She had to take action for herself – immediately. Katie left her corporate career behind…and life started to get better. As she started to move past her self-destructive patterns, Katie made meaningful investments in her well-being. Then, something incredible happened: after years of trying and failing, Katie conceived a child. By letting go of her perfectionist habits, she started making intentional choices. For the first time in her adult life, Katie started implementing what she knew about self-care but had never practiced. Today, self-care is at the center of everything Katie does. Fully recovered from years of self-neglect, she now coaches fellow-doers to embrace self-care so they can lead healthier, more intentional, and more nourished lives. As a speaker, Katie leads with tough love to inspire, empower, and challenge audiences. She dispels the myth that self-care is an obstacle to productivity and teaches that self-care is, in fact, a tool to create a more powerful and impactful legacy. In this week’s learn more about Katie’s journey: Katie created to give anyone, anywhere, who’s ready to leave their detrimental habits in the past a day-by-day, step-by-step guide to practicing self-care. She will be the first to tell you “thriving” isn’t a permanent state of being but an everyday journey of small triumphs and setbacks.   Learn more and connect with Katie here:

Kay Allison has been living alcohol-free since 1999. She is a successful entrepreneur, author, and leader of an alcohol-free community. Through her company,  Kay helps woman transform their lives by stopping the drinking spiral and creating a rich, rewarding, joyful future to get free – free from booze, shame, and anxiety. Growing up, Kay felt like she was the fifth wheel in a family of scientists and teachers, having arrived five years after two older sisters who were close in age. Kay comments that her home environment felt like ‘fifty shades of beige’ while she was creative and colorful. She sang and studied cello all the way through her major at Northwestern University. Her parents supported all of her creative endeavors; they simply could not relate to them. In 1999, Kay was a Senior Vice President at a global ad agency and a single mom of two children. Her drinking escalated to the point that she decided to go alcohol-free. Since then, Kay has helped hundreds of women face their struggles with alcohol and come out the other side to live amazing lives. She increased her income 6x, married a man she’s still crazy about 21 years later, helped Fortune 200 companies generate $2 billion in new revenue, adopted a child, invented successful businesses, traveled around the world, and moved to her dream hometown in Colorado. Kay is the author of two books,  and . Most importantly, she is happy with herself. Kay truly lives a Juicy AF life. In this week’s  learn more about Kay’s journey: Kay co-founded two successful companies, Farm & Oven Snacks, Inc and Energy Infuser. She also created and taught a Marketing Innovation course at Northwestern University’s Medill School. Learn more and connect with Kay here:

Dr. Gena Cox is the CEO of Feels Human, LLC. She is an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and award-winning author. After a decades-long career advising leaders in some of America’s largest companies, Gena felt that the pace of progress in workplace inclusion was unacceptably slow. She harnessed her experiences, expertise in organizational psychology, executive coach insights, and understanding of C-suite dynamics to write her book, . It is a comprehensive guidebook for building inclusive organizations from the top down. Gena helps leaders to connect the unfamiliar dots to drive inclusion from the top of their organizations. She asks her clients to remember one simple idea: inclusion tops diversity. Throughout her career, Gena has looked through a global lens, sensing that the world is actually small and humans are more alike than different. She was born in England, and at three years, her parents split, and Gena went to live with her grandparents in Barbados. She had a wonderful childhood and later attended college in the United States, where she studied psychology. Gena had also wanted to be a journalist, so she worked at a newspaper for two years, covering the business beat. To this day, when she sees reporters on television, Gena is fascinated by how they get to the core of a story. Interestingly, her father, who had worked at The Guardian newspaper in England, encouraged her to study something other than journalism and then write about it. Ultimately she pursued her interest in psychology. In this week’s  learn more about Gena’s journey: Before starting her own business, Gena advised leaders in the Fortune 500 and other large global companies to build psychologically healthy and engaging organizational cultures that drive business outcomes. Her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Fast Company, Business Insider, Market Watch/Barrons, BBC Worklife, and The Telegraph (UK). Learn more and connect with Gena here:  

Etta Jacobs is an executive career transition coach and facilitator who supports mid-level and senior managers to become more effective, confident leaders. Powered by 20 years of senior-level corporate experience and an intuitive insight into her clients’ strengths, she guides them to navigate the ambiguities and complexities of their organizations and the world around them. Etta inspires her clients to cultivate compassion and consider divergent perspectives as they envision the impact they want to have in their careers. Etta began her career as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator in New York City. She quickly learned that the most important factor in building a sustainable business was nurturing her relationships with clients and colleagues. It was these relationships that opened the doors to each successive phase of her career—first as a corporate design director and today as a coach and facilitator. Etta gained her corporate expertise as an award-winning executive at two Fortune 500 companies, where she coached cohorts of managers and directed teams of creative professionals working on innovative instructional design products. She shepherded teams through many technological changes and corporate reorganizations, nurturing their resilience and cultivating their creative problem-solving skills. In this week’s learn more about Etta’s journey: Etta earned her Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching and Master's degree in Organizational Psychology from William James College. She is a Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation (ICF). When designing and facilitating leadership training for corporate and non-profit organizations, she draws upon her experience to teach teams to foster a culture of psychological safety to become more innovative, collaborative, and productive.   Learn more and connect with Etta here:  Websites: Email: etta@powerinthemiddle.com Social: 

Grant Tate helps people learn how to thrive in our unpredictable world. He is a servant leader, transformational coach, and business consultant who challenges leaders and emerging professionals to answer the questions: Who am I? What am I called to do now? Who am I going to work with to get it done? Grant is the CEO of  and the author of . Grant grew up in a small working-class town in Virginia. He started school early, the smallest and youngest in his class. Grant quickly developed strategies to use his brain to survive conflicts on the playground and became friends with one of the tough kids who taught him a few jiu-jitsu moves. At 15, Grant got a job at the local furniture store, where he was tasked with cleaning and other physical jobs. Within a week, the store’s owner realized Grant could not sweep a floor if his life depended on it and offered to teach him bookkeeping skills which he continued to do there while attending the University of Virginia. At 16, Grant graduated high school and studied electrical engineering in college. By 25, he was a line manager at IBM with 100 employees working under him. He remained with IBM for 30 years in 15 different management and leadership roles. He has also taught engineering at universities in Connecticut, New Mexico, and New York. After two failed marriages, he moved to Europe to find himself and started a distance education and ed tech company with two partners. Five years later, he returned to the US and started his coaching and consulting business. In this week’s  learn more about Grant’s journey: Grant was part of the original personal computer team at IBM when they were starting from scratch. He also earned a Master's degree in Electronics at Syracuse and a Doctorate in Management, International Business, and Finance at Pace University while teaching there. Learn more and connect with Grant here:

Alicia Butler Pierre is the CEO of Equilibria, Inc, an operations management firm she founded 17 years ago. She designs scale-ready business infrastructures for fast-growing small businesses. At Equilibria, she invented the KasennuTM System for business infrastructure and software by the same name. Alicia has successfully applied this system in over 30 different industries. She is also an adjunct instructor of lean principles at Purdue University and the author of . A chemical engineer turned entrepreneur, Alicia has advised, designed, and optimized processes for enterprises, including Shell Oil, Coca-Cola, and Home Depot. She hosts the weekly, which ranks in the top 2% of the world with listeners in 60 countries. Alicia attended private Catholic school through 8th grade, where there was a methodical, process-oriented cadence to everything. Her father was in the Air Force, and her mother was a health inspector. She sees how these foundations informed her work with clients today. Interestingly, when Alicia entered high school, she planned to become a journalist. She loved English, the arts, and writing. In 11th grade, she took chemistry, discovering she loved it so much that she opted to take the advanced course the next year and studied chemical engineering in college. In this week’s  learn more about Alicia’s journey: After many years in technical roles as a chemical engineer at Monsanto, Alicia was encouraged (more than once) to pursue the managerial track as she was recognized for her outstanding communication skills. Alicia’s online content has over a million views and downloads across various platforms committed to doing the right things in the right way. Her mantra is “to leave it better than you found it.” Learn more and connect with Alicia here:

Author, futurist, and speaker George Chanos served as Nevada's 31st Attorney General from 2005 to 2007. As a young child, George was struck by the outpouring of admiration and grief when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. From that moment onward, he was determined to serve, and during his most formative years, he aimed for the highest office in the land. His role as Attorney General was one step closer to his goal, but after spending a few years deep in the political arena, he determined there were ways to serve the greater good that would better align with his values, so running for elected office was no longer a goal for him. George is the author of two books, and . His original intent in writing his first book was to leave a legacy for his daughter and nephew after suffering a heart attack in his early 50s. Once he recovered, he realized that there was more he wanted to do to help prepare the next generation for the rapid changes that he saw emerging in our culture, business world, and society at large.  George serves on several boards, including as Chairman of the Board, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Inc., with over 200 stores in 20 states. He also speaks to large groups regularly on a variety of topics: Think and Thrive: A Mindset for the 21st Century, How to Surf the Technological Tsunami, Change is Coming: Are You Ready?, and Finding Opportunity in Adversity. In this week’s learn more about George’s journey: Before serving as Nevada's AG, George had a robust legal career representing individual and corporate clients on the growth and management of their businesses.  As Nevada’s AG, he successfully argued (9/0) Whorton v. Bockting, 549 U.S. 406 (2007), before the United States Supreme Court.  George’s parents divorced when he was very young. Dividing his time between rural Wisconsin and Las Vegas, he learned to adapt and live in both environments. He felt it prepared him well for all of life’s changes. Learn more and connect with George here: Books mentioned in this podcast: By George Chanos Millennial By George Chanos By by , , et al.

For most of his career, Nir Eyal has worked in the video gaming and advertising industries, where he learned and applied (and sometimes rejected) the techniques used to motivate and manipulate users. He helps companies create behaviors that benefit their users while educating people on how to build healthful habits in their own lives. Nir is the author of two bestselling books,  and , which was named one of the Best Business and Leadership Books of the Year by Amazon. As a child, Nir was clinically obese. Growing up in Florida, where kids spent lots of time at swimming pools, he was often the object of bullying. Nir managed to transcend those early years in his teens by reading nutrition books and changing his food choices, although he blamed the fast food industry for creating the problems he struggled with. Then he turned the blame into fascination, a critical factor in his ability to transcend the challenges inherent in his obesity. Eventually, Nir became interested in how companies like General Mills could grab customers’ attention and change behaviors. Today, Nir writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Previously he was a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Since 2003, Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies. The M.I.T. Technology Review called him “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” As an active investor, Nir puts his money where his mouth is by backing habit-forming products he believes improve lives. Some of his past investments include Eventbrite, Anchor.fm (acquired by Spotify), Kahoot!, Canva, Homelight, Product Hunt, and Byte Foods. In this week’s  learn more about Nir’s journey: Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.” In addition to blogging at , Nir’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review, Time Magazine, and Psychology Today. Learn more and connect with Nir here:

In her late 50’s, Barbara Pagano and her daughter Elizabeth set out for a six-month sailing adventure on a 42-foot sailboat. Even though neither woman was an experienced sailor, they sailed alone for more than 2,000 miles. Two weeks prior to their departure, Barbara failed navigation school. Fortunately, Elizabeth earned her certification from a one-week sailing school. Pushing a little boat through water was hard work, especially for two inexperienced sailors. Barbara learned how by just doing it.  Eight years later, that ‘learn-by-doing' approach yielded significant returns as Barbara faced the challenge of creating a post-retirement life. The transition should not have been so difficult, but it was hard for her. Her experience and motivation to help others inspired the launch of . She gives post-50 individuals the tools and strategies to design and live fulfilling lives in the last third of life. With graduate degrees in counseling and human behavior as her base, Barbara curates research on aging, retirement, productive longevity, well-being, and happiness to produce content with groundbreaking clarity and a refreshing experienced voice.  Her most recent book, , was released in July 2022. As an executive coach and seasoned speaker, Barbara has motivated thousands of senior leaders and middle managers to higher levels of performance in work and life. Her previous book, , written with her daughter Elizabeth, a business journalist, was chosen by Fast Company Magazine as a book of the month.  In this week’s learn more about Barbara’s journey: Barbara’s work has been featured in Fast Company, Investor's Business Daily, Healthy Aging, The New York Times, and American Executive. She is a speaker, past president of the Georgia Speakers Association, and previously named one of the top three speakers in Atlanta. Learn more and connect with Barbara here:

Resilience expert Deborah Gilboa, MD, aka “Dr. G,” works with families, organizations, and businesses to turn stress into an advantage. Known for her contagious humor, Dr. G works with people across generations to rewire their attitudes and beliefs to create resilience through personal accountability and a completely different approach to adversity. She is the author of the recently released book . Dr. G is a board-certified attending family physician at a community health center whose practice includes making house calls. As a child, Dr. G suffered from seizures. When asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” her answer was a pediatric neurosurgeon since she had a female doctor in that specialty who she liked. Dr. G changed her mind, when in 9th grade biology lab, she had to dissect a fetal pig. Around that time she discovered the fun of theater, finding social acceptance and learning that people can have careers in theater. She decided to study theater in college. After earning her BFA in stage management, Dr. G worked in theater for six years, including two years at Second City, the famous improv company in Chicago. She also volunteered as an emergency medical technician and got certified as a paramedic. At 26, Dr. G decided to apply to medical school, but she needed two years of pre-requisite coursework to qualify. She mapped out a plan to ensure she could make it happen. Dr. G had also worked at Deaf West Theater in Los Angeles, founded by the deaf actress Marlee Matlin. She had learned some American Sign Language (ASL) and a lot about deaf culture. Dr. G heard that ASL interpreters were needed in health care, so she enrolled in ASL classes and began to work as an ASL interpreter while she prepared for medical school. Today, Dr. G practices family medicine on a part-time basis and speaks regularly to audiences in every sector on a variety of topics pertaining to resilience, mental health, and effective communication. She says, “Resilience is not given… it is choice and action.” In this week’s learn more about Dr. G’s journey: Dr. G’s message is straightforward and essential: Do stress better. Be resilient.  She appears regularly on TODAY, Good Morning America, and The Doctors. Her work is featured frequently in the Washington Post, The New York Times, Forbes Magazine, and many other digital and print outlets. Learn more and connect with Deborah here:

At age 18, Richard Newman started his mission to discover core communication principles. He took a gap year after high school and went to the foothills of the Himalayas to teach English to Tibetan monks, who spoke no English. They had to communicate non-verbally to understand each other. Richard had to learn it all from scratch as he is highly introverted. As a young child, he was painfully shy. Richard has high-functioning autism. After returning from the Himalayas, Richard was drawn to learn more about non-verbal communication rather than attend a traditional university, so he studied acting. He learned how to walk, move and speak to increase his impact on an audience. Richard worked as a professional actor and then fell into teaching communication workshops. He became a keynote speaker, coach, author, and speechwriter, winning the coveted Cicero Grand Prize for Best Speechwriter of the Year. Richard is the Founder of Body Talk. Over the past 22 years, his team has trained over 120,000 business leaders around the world to improve their communication and impact, speaking on the biggest stages. His book, , chronicles the story of how he overcame his own fears of public speaking and showcases his communication strategies. In this week’s learn more about Richard’s journey: Richard’s research on non-verbal communication was published in the Journal of Psychology. His study proved that you could increase your leadership ratings by 44% and win 59% more votes in an election by changing a few simple behaviors. His upcoming book, due out in May 2023, draws from his research.  He arrived in the Himalayas after traveling for several days and went to five different monasteries before he found the right one he was assigned to work with. It was the first time in his life he had traveled alone. Learn more and connect with Richard here:   

Annie Leib was born an empath. As early as her toddler years, she felt things from other people. She even found adults relatable. It was not until years later that Annie realized the other kids did not experience people in the same way. To be so attuned to other people’s feelings could be draining, yet Annie always enjoyed meaningful connections with people. For many years, Annie worked in sales and business development for large pharmaceutical companies. She was married with two children, then Annie and her husband divorced. She was at an auto body shop one day signing her divorce papers (that's where she found a notary). On the wall, a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson caught her attention. It was about breath. Annie thought to herself, you can strip me of everything, but you can't take my breath. Breath became the framework she created in her coaching practice a few years later. After her divorce, Annie left her corporate role and enrolled in an executive MBA program, which was a transformative experience. Annie’s classmates encouraged her to become a coach, referring to her as the “glue of their cohort.” She had been doing some consulting work on the side, so Annie added coaching to her business, and it evolved from there. She earned her coaching certification and eventually changed her consulting business into a coaching firm. Today, Annie’s sole purpose is to align leaders with their most authentic selves and unlock their ability to impact the world. She helps companies see that “when you take care of your people, your people take care of your business.” Her coaching has been acknowledged for the change it has created. Annie’s clients become “changed leaders that lead change.” Her unique methodology is captured in her trademark BREATH Framework, which focuses intensely on identifying a person’s life purpose, value system, and core leadership traits. In this week’s learn more about Annie’s journey: Annie’s methodology is captured in her book,     She helps clients realign their actions and mindsets, unlocking their hidden potential. They then recognize and manage the emotional barriers that keep them from it. Learn more and connect with Annie here:  

Growing up in Portugal, Ana Melikian was always curious about personal development, trying to understand herself and the rest of the world. In college, she studied psychology and spent two years in England learning English. After earning her master's degree in Spain, she returned to England for her Ph.D. in Psychology and became a psychotherapist. Several years later, Ana moved to the US, prompting a career shift as her clinical credentials were not recognized in the American market. She then became certified in life and business coaching. Today she is inspiring people to achieve their best potential as a coach, speaker, and podcast host. Building on her 20+ years of experience working in human potential, Ana is the host of the podcast. She breaks down complex topics to help you master your mindset and expand the realm of possibility in your life and work. Ana engages in insightful conversations with world-class guests in the psychological, entrepreneurial, and business arenas every week. Ana is also a sought-after speaker. In her keynote, “The Happiness Fallacy,” Ana uncovers and explores the psychological blind spots that hold us back. Her engaging presentation moves audiences to re-envision and revitalize how they live their lives for both the personal and collective good. In this week’s learn more about Ana’s journey: When she was diagnosed with cancer, Ana came to a stark realization: as long as her goal was merely the pursuit of happiness, she’d never fully obtain it—and she’d never come to embody the power of now. She dives into the research and investigates some of life’s most complicated and challenging questions Learn more and connect with Ana here: 

This week I hit a milestone in my podcast journey, reaching episode 200! My friend, trusted advisor, and accountability buddy, Jenny Lisk joined me this past Friday for a live stream broadcast of today’s podcast episode. Jenny and I have been on this journey together since we started our podcasts on the same exact day four years ago in November 2018. We have supported one another as we developed our podcasting muscles and later, as we each authored books. During this special episode, Jenny and I discussed the importance of consistency, persistence, support, and accountability as keys to success along with having a clear sense of your goals. Several people tuned in during the live event offering words of encouragement and asking us great questions which fueled our conversation. We discussed: How and why we each got started in podcasting What it takes to keep a podcast going How we recruit and select guests, preparation for interviews Some of the technical aspects such as software requirements, equipment, etc. Production details such as audio engineering and related elements Writing a book and the decisions related to getting started on a book project The various ways we supported and challenged each other to keep going … and so much more In this week’s learn more about my and Jenny’s journey: It took me two years to write and publish my book, .  Jenny is the host of the and the author of . Her story of personal loss and career transition is featured in Chapter 9 of my book, Uncertainty is a Fact of Life. Learn more and connect with Tammy here:  Connect with Tammy on @TammyGoolerLoeb on @TammyGoolerLoeb on https://www.tammygoolerloeb.com/

Liz Brunner is an Emmy award-winning journalist who co-anchored the number one rated 6 pm newscast at WCVB-TV 5, Boston’s ABC network affiliate. In 2013, she became the CEO and founder of Brunner Communications and launched Brunner Academy.com in 2020. A certified professional coach, expert communications coach, and motivational speaker, she is also the host of the multi-award-winning podcast, with Liz Brunner. She is the author of the book , which  Forbes described as a teaching memoir.  Liz says she’s in the fourth chapter of her career. She grew up in a family that was very involved in music, performing in her church choir and with her family in front of their congregation. Liz attended Lawrence University's Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin, became a high school music teacher, and sang semi-professionally for a time. After a few years of teaching, Liz felt there was something else she was supposed to do. While working a retail job to pay the bills, she considered many career options by reading books and taking self-assessments. Then, one day she bravely cold-called the NBC and CBS affiliates in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois,  where she had been living, to request informational interviews. It took about six months of conversations, but one of the stations actually created a role for Liz. The rest, as they say, is history. Thus began Liz’s career in communications and TV news broadcasting. In this week’s learn more about Liz’s journey: Liz won the title of Miss Illinois in the Miss America Scholarship Pageant in 1979. This enabled her to pay for her college education, a proud achievement. She was the only Boston reporter to land an exclusive interview with President Barack Obama in the White House. It took her four years to get it! Learn more and connect with Liz here: 

Neuropsychologist helps recovering perfectionists and high achievers stop the cycle of overwhelming to-do lists, procrastination, and self-doubt so they can achieve their goals without burning out.  "I’m a bit of a neuroscience nerd, and I’ve spent years learning how your brain works and what mental habits tank your productivity (including ones you probably don’t even notice!)" When Nicole started university many years ago, she had no idea what she wanted to do or which direction to take. She didn’t like her first-year psychology classes at all. In her third year, Nicole began to connect the dots. She took a course called Introduction to Human Neuropsychology and found the professor to be such an excellent instructor that she volunteered to work in the professor’s lab. Later, Nicole convinced the same professor to be her mentor. She continued to work in her lab through graduate school, earning her master’s degree and a doctorate in clinical psychology.  Initially, Nicole worked in a hospital, part of Canada’s public health system, a pathway on which many with her credentials would spend their entire careers, but after several years she left to pursue private practice. This was not an easy decision, yet it was what she needed to do. In this week’s learn more about Nicole’s journey: Nicole is an Adjunct Research Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary. She has published articles in professional journals on the topics of brain health and neuroscience. She is the CEO of in Calgary, Canada, and the host of podcast. Learn more and connect with Nicole here: 

Dr. Chris Johnson says we need new ways of working with each other, in our businesses, and with our own stresses. And she maintains that can be built on intentional, deliberate practice which … starts with a Pause. Chris grew up on a farm in a small town in central Illinois. Both her parents built successful small businesses and were actively engaged in their community. Yet conflict was a daily staple in their home. While Chris felt completely loved by her parents, their relationship was filled with tensions that often turned into yelling. From a very young age onward, Chris wondered how she could help people get along better with one another. Chris studied psychology in college. She went on to earn a master’s in social work and worked in community mental health with children and families for eight years. During that time, Chris’ sister was sexually assaulted by an intruder in her home. That event changed Chris’ life. She devoted the next twenty-plus years to helping people heal from severe trauma.  At thirty, Chris wanted to deepen her clinical skills, so she enrolled in a Psy.D. program in clinical psychology. In this five-year program, she was able to expand her facility with trauma treatment and mindfulness techniques. She also had an interest in business and wanted to apply her clinical skills in professional settings to help leaders thrive. Today, Chris is the founder of Q4 consulting, where she partners with individuals and organizations to design and implement training programs that access intuition, surface internalized patterns and mindsets, and address roadblocks inherent in change. Chris and her team support professionals at all levels to build the capacity, compassion, and resilience needed to thrive as leaders. Chris challenges and supports leaders ready to embark on integrating life and work in sustainable, fulfilling ways.  In this week’s learn more about Chris’ journey: Chris is the author of the new book, . When she isn't working, you'll find Chris in her garden, making art, hiking or skiing the slopes, listening to jazz or at the aikido dojo practicing the art of peace. Learn more and connect with Chris here: 

Marion Spears Karr has over 30 years of experience in executive recruiting and talent acquisition in healthcare. He has led successful recruitment teams specializing in nursing leadership, c-level, VP, senior director, and physician executive searches. But don’t let that fool you; Marion is not your typical recruitment talent acquisition leader. As with everything he has done well in life, Marion digs deeper, goes the extra mile, and so much more. Marion was raised in a blue-collar family with a strong faith in the hills of Piedmont, North Carolina, below the Appalachian mountains where his family originated. His parents worked in the local Cannon textile mill. He credits his grandmother as an influence in his life, a skilled storyteller who lived with them, for her ability to capture a moment. At an early age, Marion fell in love with skateboarding, and European bike racing, neither of which were typical activities of his peers. By high school, he went to Europe as an exchange student to train and compete as a bike racer. To support his activities, Marion worked at the textile mill and other jobs and had sponsorships that provided his equipment. He also planned to attend college as his parents required him to achieve educational goals to continue bike racing. A week after his high school graduation Marion was hit by a car while on a training ride. He suffered a traumatic brain injury. Marion went through trauma care and rehab, and did attend college though he had to approach learning in new ways. Needless to say, his bike racing career was over. Marion married while in college and upon graduation returned home to enter a management training program at the textile mill. He did well there but he wanted to explore other options. An opportunity to join a management recruitment firm came through a former colleague from the textile mill and Marion felt it was a risk worth taking. He has not looked back. Today, Marion focuses his work on helping healthcare organizations build leadership teams that are aligned and mission-centered. He also does motivational speaking, leadership coaching for individuals, and team development for a vast array of audiences. In this week’s  learn more about Marion’s journey: Marion is involved with several organizations that support Brain Injury Research and recovery programs. He is the developer of the  model for team and individual leadership growth, founded on the principles of positive psychology. Learn more and connect with Marion here:

After returning to a full-time law practice from maternity leave, Lori Mihalich-Levin discovered that she did not have the resources she needed to manage her life in the ways she wanted. Once her second child was born, her stress multiplied. Lori decided to do something about it and help other parents who had many of the same issues. She created to help parents transition back to work after parental leave. Mindful Return offers a multitude of resources for new working parents, including e-courses, programs that employers can offer to their employees, and chapters based in the US, UK, India, and South Africa.  Lori has been committed to promoting women’s equality and leadership throughout her career.  As a Partner at Dentons US LLP, Lori founded and Co-Chaired Dentons’ Parent Professional Network for two years. In her prior role at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), she founded the Returning to Work Community (RWC) for mothers returning to work from maternity leave and a D.C. Health Policy Lean in Circle. At Princeton, Lori wrote her undergraduate on immigrant women in France who experienced domestic violence. At Georgetown Law, she was co-President of the Women’s Legal Alliance and represented clients through the Domestic Violence Clinic. She is the author of , and co-host of the podcast.  In this week’s learn more about Lori’s journey: Lori’s thought leadership has been featured in publications, including Forbes, The Washington Post, New York Times, Parenting, and Thrive Global.  Today, Lori advises clients in her law practice on issues relating to Medicare graduate medical education payments. Learn more and connect with Lori here:

Eleanor Beaton is the founder of , an education & coaching company for women entrepreneurs. Through SafiMedia and her podcast , Eleanor and her team are committed to advancing global gender equity and a model of economic growth that nourishes the planet, one woman-owned business at a time. Eleanor grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada, although she was born in England. Her father was an economics professor at a university in Nova Scotia, and previously, her Mom was a teacher in her native Fiji, where Eleanor’s parents originally met. In fact, in those earlier years, Eleanor’s mother earned more than her father, owned her own home, and was living very comfortably, fully supporting herself when they began dating. Once they moved to England and had Eleanor, they decided that her mother would stay home and raise her, which she did for eighteen years.  Eleanor’s parents had a good relationship, yet her mother regretted not having her own finances to manage. Her message to Eleanor: make your own money. Money is power. Eleanor started her career in PR and advertising, but something was missing. She decided to attend journalism school and, then, started her own communications firm. Eleanor was drawn to content about women’s independence and financial equity. She trained in coaching and shifted her business model to support female entrepreneurs in their growth and development. In this week’s learn more about Eleanor’s journey: Eleanor's work has been published or quoted in publications including The Globe & Mail, The Atlantic, CBC, Chatelaine, and more. She’s on a mission to double the number of women entrepreneurs who scale past $1M in revenue by 2030. Learn more and connect with Eleanor here: Free gift from Eleanor: https://safimedia.lpages.co/selling-with-stories-list/

Gustavo Razzetti’s favorite question is “what if?” That simple question has helped him on his quest for continuous exploration and experimentation. As the fifth child of seven siblings in his family, he learned early to look for new ideas and solutions and to challenge the status quo. Growing up in Argentina during the civil war added to the context in which he valued freedom and independence. What began as responsibilities he took on as a child, such as cooking meals for his siblings when his parents were traveling, has translated into a lifetime of continual experimentation, learning, and discovery. Change has always been a constant to Gustavo. His diverse background is at the intersection of change leadership, marketing strategy, innovation, and design thinking. He has led and transformed six organizations in different scenarios over 20 years: start-up, high-growth, and turnaround, and has worked in diverse places: New York, Argentina, Chicago, Puerto Rico, and Los Angeles. He loves advising CEOs from both Fortune 500 and startups alike. The author of hundreds of articles on change leadership, innovation, and self-improvement, Gustavo released his most recent book in June 2022: . He addresses multiple areas of company cultures, from keeping teams connected and improving remote collaboration to managing asynchronous communication, facilitating courageous conversations, and defining the right hybrid model for your organization. In this week’s learn more about Gustavo’s journey: He was invited to participate in the cutting-edge Innovation Leadership Program at Stanford University. Gustavo is the author of three books prior to his current publication:  , , and . Learn more and connect with Gustavo here:  

Connie Steele grew up as a first generation Chinese-American with the traditional pressures to excel academically as the pathway to success. Her Dad had a Ph.D. in economics and statistics, so there was an emphasis on excellence in math. Connie studied statistics in college. In her junior year, she sought out vocational books in the library to figure out what she was going to do next. She read about marketing research, then took a marketing class and loved it. Connie went to the University of Michigan for a master's degree in applied statistics where she was also able to take classes in the business school. Later, she earned a doctorate in statistics.  Today, Connie is passionate about helping leaders build fluid organizations to adapt and thrive in a world where uncertainty is the new certainty. She is on a mission to help professionals and companies get unstuck to achieve their goals confidently. With over twenty years of working at Fortune 500 companies, such as AOL and General Mills, start-ups and scale-up organizations, and high-growth tech companies, Connie shared with me the full range of how businesses have had to become more collaborative and fluid.  Connie has always been intrigued by the “why” behind companies and careers that thrive. Her goal is to help people discover their portfolio career or super job, their “career mashup”, her term for the career of the future in which they merge their skills, passions, and values. In her best-selling book , Connie shares future work trends that explain how people’s motivations and expectations are changing with respect to work and life. She couples this with a five-step long-term strategic planning framework to help readers take greater control of their careers, personal and leadership development. Connie just published "What Workers Want," the second annual State of Work and Career Success survey. Connie is conducting this survey annually to understand what does it take to be successful now in this new world of work? What holds us back as individuals (not employees) from reaching our goals? What does it take to reach one’s career potential, and what is that relationship with their company’s potential? In this week’s learn more about Connie’s journey: Connie is the host of the podcast, devoted to meaningful work-life fit in an ever-changing world through inspiring stories, actionable tips, and pragmatic advice from those that found their fit. Her perspectives and advice have appeared in Forbes, Authority Magazine, TechRound, and Thrive Global. Learn more and connect with Connie here:  Book “ Podcast: @conniewangsteele (Instagram) @conniewsteele (Twitter)

Deb Coviello is an introvert who likes to talk. As a child, she often wanted to express herself and enjoyed participating in activities such as the school play. Deb was a good student and even skipped fifth grade, heading straight into middle school. Yet, throughout her early years and even into her professional career life, Deb found that teachers, bosses, and others did not always want her to speak, so there were periods of time when she would clam up. This created misperceptions of her abilities. Teachers assessed she was not too bright and bosses perceived she was not aligned with the team.  In college, Deb found a zone where she could offer her voice and became a natural leader. She studied biomedical engineering (at a school her guidance counselor told her she would not be able to get admitted to!) and upon graduation entered a manufacturing management development program with her first employer.  From there she built a 30 plus year career in strategy, quality and operational excellence roles, primarily in the flavors and fragrance industry. Today, Deb has struck out on her own as an advisor, author, podcast host, and founder of Illumination Partners, a consulting firm for CEOs navigating change. A trusted partner to C-suite leaders, Deb supports her clients as they work together to identify, assess and solve the issues that may be preventing their business growth.  Deb has developed powerful programs devoted to helping CEOs identify emerging leaders. She hosts a weekly show, . And she is the author of the book, In this week’s learn more about Deb’s journey: Deb is certified as a Lean and Six Sigma Black Belt in process improvement. She is a board member of Women in Flavor and Fragrance Commerce. Deb is an avid curler with the Cincinnati curling club and won a silver medal in a national tournament. Learn more and connect with Deborah here: Website: Linkedin: The CEO’s Compass: Drop in CEO Podcast: Facebook: Twitter: @DropinCEOInstagram: dropinceo

Julie Schechter danced her way through childhood into college, focusing on ballet. When she wasn’t dancing, she might be hanging out with her dad in his editing room as he spliced film for his documentaries. Mom was a child psychologist. Needless to say, Julie had a front-row seat to entrepreneurism and passion-connected careers. It came as a bit of a shock when Julie announced that she was going to Harvard Law School. There’s more to that story… After studying dance in college, Julie spent two years in Americorps, a national program that engages Americans in intensive community service to meet needs in education, the environment, public safety, health, and homeland security. Julie worked with nurses going into preschools in the San Juan Capistrano, CA area, near the Mexican border, doing wellness checks on children, and trying to identify health needs because English was not their first language. She was inspired by that experience and decided she wanted to be like Atticus Finch, from To Kill A Mockingbird.  Upon entering law school, Julie intended to pursue a career in public interest law, and like many in her shoes, she had a huge debt load at graduation. So, she joined a large law firm and became a litigator, an experience she values to this day. Yet, she is no longer practicing law. Julie in her heart is a serial entrepreneur. Once she left law, she leveraged her background as a ballet dancer to create the successful fitness company fitBallet, which ran for three years in New York City’s hyper-competitive fitness market.  Today, Julie is the co-founder and CEO of . Her curated care packages help busy people maintain their friendships despite the pressures of physical distance. In this week’s learn more about  Julie’s journey: Julie took a day job counseling attorneys while she was building fitBallet to support herself.  Small Packages has been featured in NYT Wirecutter, CNN, Good Morning America, and awarded a Visionary Women Grant by Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran. Learn more and connect with Julie here: Instagram: @smallpackages Twitter: @smallpackagesco Website:

RJ Singh has lived a double life more than once. He loved it in some respects because it was dynamic, yet he chooses to live quite differently these days.  Born in Australia, RJ and his family moved to the San Francisco Bay area when he was four years old, where his Dad joined his uncle in a cleaning business. He describes those early years as a “typical immigrant family with lots of big gatherings and cousins to hang with,” yet RJ  reports that he felt as if he did not know who he was. He was a very active, high-energy kid and a talented soccer player in the Olympics development program. RJ was also intellectually bright, yet his active behavior in school was considered to be disruptive, and by seventh grade, he was getting suspended from school regularly. In high school, RJ was getting into alcohol and drug use. Thus began his double life between athletics and drug use. By 14, he easily fell into addictions, which continued into his twenties, along with many run-ins with the law, jail time, and periodic stays in rehab.  RJ started to deal drugs to support his addictions. He says this was the first time he felt a solid sense of identity. Again, he was living a double life. After more than a decade of involvement in the juvenile justice system and struggling with his addictions, he continued to deal drugs while attending a private university to earn his college degree. Eventually, he quit drugs but not alcohol while still selling drugs. Several years later, he became completely sober by committing to a 12-step program.  Today RJ lives in Australia with his wife and two children. He has his MBA and works as a chief revenue officer, consultant, and advisor to many start-ups and businesses. He is an ultra-endurance athlete who is dedicated to the pursuit of self-mastery.   In this week’s learn more about RJ’s journey: RJ’s mission is to lead by example and share the ultra habits needed to achieve ultra performance in all areas of your life. He says that becoming sober required a lot of structure, and once he met his partner and they started a family, he had to learn to let go and be more flexible. Learn more and connect with RJ here:  

Jill Griffin has spent her career leading innovation, digital and media strategy, content development, and marketing programs for many of the world’s top brands. Advertising Age recognized her as one of the "25 Women to Watch" and she was named one of the "50 Most Influential People in Content Marketing" by NewsCred. She’s also a two-time winner of AdWeek-Mediaweek's Media Plan of the Year. Whether she's working with startups, thought leaders, or renowned global organizations, Jill has sat on all sides of the table. She works with organizations to create strengths-based cultures to increase performance, retention, and well-being. And yet, her road to success was not quite as smooth as it may seem. When Jill’s career started to pick up steam, she was involved in an accident that led to head trauma, forcing her to rethink, reset, and reboot her career and her life. The injury forced her to live on purpose rather than in reaction. She felt compelled to consider how much of an impact her thoughts played in creating her results. And it forced Jill to adjust her own career trajectory.  While she still spent many years consulting with big brands like The Coca-Cola Cola Company, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Samsung, Jill also became a certified coach passionate about helping others create fulfilling careers and lives. Today, Jill works with busy clients to achieve results by clearing out their old B.S. (belief systems). This necessary work gets them clear on what they want to create, and it rewires their thoughts so they can see the results they desire and be confident it’s within their reach. In this week’s learn more about Jill’s journey: Jill has written for Fast Company, HuffPost, and Metro UK. She has been quoted by leading media outlets like Adweek, Advertising Age, Forrester Research, The New York Times, NewsCred, Newsday, Media Week departures, and the Wall Street Journal.  She is a Gallup® Certified Strengths Coach and has helped hundreds of clients amplify their strengths, increase visibility, create career clarity, and design a brighter future. Learn more and connect with Jill here:    

Kelli Thompson is a leadership coach and speaker who specializes in helping women advance to the rooms where decisions are made. She is the founder of the and a Stevie Award® winner for Women in Business Coach of the Year. Kelli’s book, , will be released in November 2022. Kelli characterized her early years as sheltered. She grew up in a small Midwest town, attending a Catholic school in a homogenous environment where most people shared the same values and followed common rules and social norms. Kelli described her emerging adulthood as checking off the boxes on a list and staying on track with the expectations she was raised to fulfill. She went to college, earned a master's degree, married, and had her daughter by age 24. Kelli presumed that these accomplishments would bring her happiness and success, but that is not what happened. She divorced and worked in banking for 14 years, getting experience in a variety of areas from sales to human resources. From there, she built a career in training and development in technology companies until 2019, when she started her own coaching practice. Kelli has coached and trained hundreds of women to trust themselves, lead more confidently, and create a career they love. She has served as an adjunct management professor and has more than 10 years of senior leadership experience in financial services and technology organizations. In this week’s learn more about Kelli’s journey: Kelli opened up and shared some of her personal challenges while attempting to start her coaching business shortly before the pandemic hit. She experienced some major losses and candidly spoke about how those experiences impacted her decisions. Her thought leadership has been featured in Forbes MarketWatch, Parents Magazine, HuffPost, and Working Mother. Learn more and connect with Kelli here:    

Vice Admiral Sandra Stosz, US Coast Guard retired, was the first woman to command an icebreaker on the Great Lakes and to lead a US Armed Forces service academy. She served for 40 years in many leadership roles on land and at sea. Sandy, as she asked me to call her, is the author of .  When Sandy was considering her post-high school plans, she learned about the option to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, thanks to the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and the implementation of Title Nine, which required the military to open their service academies to women. Sandy was immediately intrigued by the potential opportunity to see the world and be a part of something bigger than herself while securing a free post-secondary education. Just a few years prior, this would not have been possible for a female. In order to apply to the Naval Academy, Sandy needed a nomination from a member of Congress, which she was able to secure for admission. Her guidance counselor suggested that she not put all of her eggs in one basket, however. Sandy received a Coast Guard Academy flyer in the mail, and their admission process was based more directly on her merits. She was accepted into the Coast Guard Academy and decided to attend it because “I wanted to go to a school and join a service that values me for what I know, not who I know.” Sandy started out in the US Coast Guard as an ensign, serving aboard polar icebreakers conducting national security missions from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Her 40-year career was filled with leadership lessons. Sandy served for 12 years at sea, commanding two ships and led large Coast Guard organizations during times of crisis and complexity. She finished her career as the first woman assigned as Deputy Commandant for Mission Support, directing one of the Coast Guard's largest enterprises. In 2012, Newsweek's The Daily Beast named Sandy to their list of 150 women who shake the world. In this week’s learn more about Sandra’s journey: Sandy volunteers in leadership roles, including as chair of the Coast Guard Academy Sailing Council and as a trustee for the Coast Guard Academy Institute for Leadership. She lectures widely on leadership and has been featured on C-Span and in other media. Learn more and connect with Sandra here:

Dr. Amanda Crowell is a cognitive psychologist, speaker, author and creator of the Great Work journals. She educates future teachers, coaches accidental entrepreneurs, and speaks about how to make progress on great work to colleges and corporate teams. She is the author of the book, . Amanda said her early years were both lovely and complicated. At two years old she was diagnosed with a developmental seizure disorder, meaning that once her brain was further developed, the seizures would stop. Until she was nine, she took medications that affected her motor skills and general alertness. In this week’s podcast episode, Amanda shared her experience of those critical developmental years. She had difficulty functioning in school and in social interactions, but she did have friends, was able to watch TV and knew her teachers’ names. Once she discontinued the seizure medication, everything opened up. At times it was an overwhelming experience. It also sparked a tremendous sense of wonder and curiosity about people and social dynamics as the world unfolded in front of her. Today, everything Amanda does as a coach, author, speaker and podcast host of , points to doing the work that matters the most to you, what she refers to as YOUR Great Work. It might involve building a business, inciting a movement, creating breathtaking art, writing world-changing books, or helping other people to heal and grow into their potential. YOUR Great Work is a combined fascination with human achievement and a passion for helping others in order to explore how to get YOUR work out into the world where it belongs.  In this week’s learn more about Amanda’s journey: Amanda’s TEDx talk “Three Reasons You Aren't Doing What You Say You Will Do” has received more than a million views, and has been featured on TED's ideas blog and TED shorts.   Her career took a few twists and turns from continuing legal education, event planning to communications, and a potential admission to law school. Amanda teaches psychology at Hunter College School of Education in New York City in their teacher certification program. Learn more and connect with Amanda here: Her book:  

Lisa Fain grew up in a family of lawyers and while there was no obvious pressure, she ended up going to law school. She had envisioned a career in public interest law, but upon graduation, she had significant student loan debt which she wanted to clear before moving forward. Fortunately, Lisa was able to work in an area that interested her, labor and employment law, while squaring away her loan, working for a large law firm. She enjoyed counseling clients, using her negotiation and mediation skills while focusing on matters pertaining to EEO, diversity, and compliance. Yet, still, Lisa knew this was not the way she wanted to work. The turning point came after she had pulled an all-nighter preparing for a litigation case. She saw a blinking light on her phone indicating she had a voicemail. It was a message from her four-year-old daughter. She said “Mommy come home. We need a mommy, not a lawyer.” Lisa shared, “It was the worst best gift I ever got because I recognized that I wasn't living my values. Although I was doing great work, I wasn't able to be the kind of mother that I wanted to be.” Lisa left the large firm and transitioned to an in-house role at a company where she developed workplace policies, eventually focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She loved the work and demand across the company grew. Lisa was asked to create a mentoring program so she reached out to Lois Zachary of the Center for Mentoring Excellence to provide consultation on how to set it up. Full disclosure: Lois is Lisa’s mother!  Fast forward to today: Lisa is the CEO of the Center for Mentoring Excellence. She is a global speaker with expertise in cultural competency and mentoring. Her passion for diversity and inclusion fuels her conviction that leveraging differences creates a better workplace and drives better business results. In this week’s learn more about Lisa’s journey: Lisa is the co-author with Lois Zachary of and the 2022 revision (3rd Edition) of She is an Executive Coach who guides leaders to create better workplaces and is known for her frank, kind, and holistic approach to helping leaders help themselves. Learn more and connect with Lisa here:

Christina Eanes’ first career took an entrepreneurial path just as she was about to enter middle school. Living near a golf course, she would retrieve stray golf balls and set up a lemonade stand at the ninth hole, selling golf balls and ‘cold ones’ to thirsty golfers. How enterprising! While in college, Christina did an internship doing crime data analysis, and upon graduation, she was hired full-time at a local California Police Department. A few years later, she joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a crime analyst helping local law enforcement agencies solve complex crimes. She thoroughly enjoyed this work describing it as solving a series of complex puzzles. In more than 15 years of public service, Christina worked on an array of programs, including the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program, and the FBI’s Leadership Development Program where her team helped to train thousands of leaders.  Christina enjoyed the professional development work with the FBI so much that she joined a consulting firm offering training and development programs and services to a variety of corporate and organizational clients. After several years, she decided to establish her own training company. Today, Christina is on a mission to help others achieve more in life, mainly by getting out of their own way.  Christina inspires others to take responsibility for their success at work and home. She has designed and delivered an array of professional development programs, providing strategies that lead to better professional and personal relationships, improved communication skills, and, increased productivity in accomplishing personal and organizational goals. In this week’s learn more about Christina’s journey: Christina has written several books, hosts a YouTube channel and speaks to groups and organizations on a regular basis. She hosts a podcast, , dedicated to helping individuals achieve more in life – to own their inner superachiever! Learn more and connect with Christina here:

Emma Arnoff told me that helping others has always been in her blood. As a young child growing up in New York City, she had strabismus, a condition that caused her to have crossed eyes, requiring her to wear large glasses. Her physical coordination wasn’t too good and she never felt as if she fit in with other kids. Emma’s antidote to this feeling was to befriend the school bully as she felt he was misunderstood and needed a friend. Or when a new student arrived from a different country, she wanted to help them learn English. Graduating college with a degree in sociology and women’s studies, Emma worked for several years with children and families in schools, residential treatment centers, and the foster care system. She then pursued a master’s degree in social work. Today, Emma is the owner and director of in Poughkeepsie, New York. At The Sensory Space, children can use sensory supports while participating in play therapy and psychotherapy in a safe environment. Emma has a team of 11 clinicians who work with children, adults, families, and groups. Supportive services are also offered including occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy.  In addition to working with clients individually, Emma facilitates programs and groups on inclusion, bullying, and social skills. As a parent herself, she understands the skills needed for child-rearing, working with parents individually and in groups on developing the parenting approaches needed for different developmental stages. Emma has also presented workshops at schools and colleges on supporting neurodiversity in schools and organizations.  In this week’s learn more about Emma’s journey: Emma is a certified children's yoga instructor and loves to incorporate yoga and movement into therapy sessions. She facilitates discussions on sensory integration, emotional regulation, and inclusion.   Learn more and connect with Emma here:

As the Founder of , Tracy Hooper helps people elevate their personal and professional presence, communicate with clarity, and work together better. She leads dynamic presentations for high-achieving teams and advises executives and professionals in a wide variety of industries. Tracy has been a TV news reporter, anchor, producer, and voice-over professional. She draws on the best of her background in TV news and storytelling with actionable takeaways for her clients and audiences.  Tracy is the author of and her just-released book, , which answers the big question: What's the confidence playbook now in the world of work? We discussed current-day matters such as how do you eloquently communicate your discomfort about shaking hands, if you are not yet ready to make contact with people in that way? One of my favorite topics we discussed was the topic of eye contact in communication. Tracy offers her advice on how to convey a sense of respect and connection (as eye contact is viewed in American culture) if you are uncomfortable looking at people directly in the eye.  Yet, Tracy’s career started in a very different place. She went to college to study nursing and discovered that she did not have a proclivity for science. Instead, she loved reading and writing. After graduation, she landed a job in college admissions where she enjoyed interviewing prospective students and writing summaries of those conversations. A few years later, a friend suggested that she consider news reporting since she enjoyed interviewing and writing. Tracy started small by borrowing some video equipment on the weekends, writing her own news stories, and creating her own demo reels. She sent the demo reels out to small-town TV stations and eventually was offered a job as a “weather girl”.  In this week’s learn from Tracy’s advice: Based on a quote from Elizabeth Gilbert, she shared:  Passions are hard to quantify. There's a lot of pressure to follow your passion. Follow what you're curious about. There may be opportunities there. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. If you don't, other people will pull you down. Cultivate a personal board of advisors of people who know you well and have your interests at heart and have people who think differently than you–they could give you ideas that you hadn't thought about. Learn more and connect with Tracy here:  

Laura Spero told me that she was an intense kid who gave her all to everything she did. She played soccer, competed in Tae Kwon Do, swam competitively, and rowed crew in college. As a kid still living at home, she would spend hours, hyperfocused in her basement doing art projects in a space she set up for herself. Most of the art she created was items she made for other people. Laura is a mission-driven person who values making the day-to-day moments of life meaningful. Growing up in Bethesda, Maryland, Laura was surrounded by a family of entrepreneurs, and advocates. Dinner table conversations were lively with people trying to solve problems by debating them around the table. Laura was so accustomed to the lively dynamic of throwing ideas around that it took her a long time to learn that not everyone needed to be that energized to hold a conversation at the end of the day. Mom was a consumer advocate attorney and Dad ran his own tech company. Coincidentally, he had been an Olympic rower in his younger years. After graduating from college, Laura went to Nepal to do volunteer work. She was motivated by her adventurous spirit, and fascination with Eastern cultures and had a yearning to break away from her advantaged life. What began as a brief stint in Nepal has become a lifelong connection to the people and culture of Nepal. Over the past 22 years, Laura established and grew a dental health program, the for people in rural areas of Nepal. She encountered many people suffering from toothaches who assumed they would eventually lose their teeth and she set out to do something about it. While Laura is not a dentist, she has tirelessly raised funds and provided administrative oversight to grow and sustain the organization. Not unlike many people who begin their career in one arena during their twenties, she has explored other pathways while remaining dedicated to running the Jevaia Foundation on a part-time basis. Laura has been able to travel and live in the US and Nepal over the years.     Today, Laura is a clinical social worker based in the Boston area working as a medical social worker in a hospital setting and as a clinical social worker and therapist in a women's prison reentry program. In this week’s learn more about Laura’s journey: Laura has worked as an oral history facilitator for the NPR program StoryCorps, as an arts consultant in the New York City public schools, and in a holistic physical therapy practice.  She also earned her MFA in writing during the time she was working with StoryCorps. Learn more and connect with Laura here:     

I recently sat down with Antuan Magic Raimone to learn about his journey to become the first male universal swing for the five US companies of the popular musical, Hamilton. It’s a remarkable career story for someone in his field as he has been able to make a solid living as a performer from the start, without compromising his values. That is not to say that he did not experience some bumps in the road. Yet, he learned from those experiences, kept his ego in check, while maintaining his love for his craft and his confidence in his talent.  Antuan grew up Blue Springs, Missouri, a small suburb near Kansas City. He was raised by his mother, a single parent and for a period of time, they lived as a family with his two older half-sisters until they became independent. Antuan stated that his sisters had vocal talent and while each aspired to pursue entertainment careers, their lives went in other directions. His mother sang in the church choir. He sang in the choir there since he was a little boy and joined his school choir in middle school. As a kid, Antuan was a fan of Jean-Claude Van Damme and dreamed of making movies as a  martial arts actor. At ten, he took Tae Kwon Do, earning his black belt in just two years. His instructor, recognizing his talent, offered him a scholarship to increase his class time. This led to competing in the Junior Olympics, with an eye toward the US Olympic team, expected to open up to Tae Kwon Do a few years later, but Antuan burned out. At the risk of disappointing his mother and instructor, he decided to stop. Mom was very supportive. His instructor tried to offer accommodations to make it work, but Antuan stood his ground. MTV was coming onto the scene. Antuan loved Janet Jackson’s music videos and would mimic her moves. He aspired to become one of her backup dancers. He got involved in school plays, musical theater to be exact. Antuan loved it, although he learned about how unfair the world could be, especially to a young black male trying to get cast in musicals that were originally written for all white characters. Throughout high school and college, he learned how to navigate numerous disappointments, painfully and yet, with hope. As the author of , a TEDx speaker, and Soldier of Love, Antuan has more than 20 years of experience in musical theater. He champions light, love, and joy for others. His passion and purpose are to empower people to live a whole life, where mistakes can exist, fear isn't debilitating, and vulnerability is not a weakness. In this week’s learn more about Antuan’s journey: Antuan has worked as a singer, dancer, choreographer, and actor on cruise ships, in theme parks, regional theater, and on Broadway. A sexual violence survivor, Antuan is on the Advisory Council for the Office of Victim Services of New York, has given many keynote addresses, spoke on a panel at the Men's Sexual Assault Summit, and at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Learn more and connect with Antuan here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/antuan-raimone/ https://www.facebook.com/antuan.raimone/ https://twitter.com/AntuanRaimone https://www.thesoldieroflove.us/

This week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast is a little different than usual. Two of my previous guests, Corey Blake and Gen Georget, returned to share the work they have been doing to help people clarify their purpose through the transformative powers of storytelling. Corey and Gen lead The Roundtable Storytelling Academy, which offers a series of transformational online courses that helps participants find their superpowers and articulate their origin story so they can step into their purpose, and redefine the relationship they hold to the narrative of their lives. I recently completed the 11-week storytelling course myself and can testify that it was an enlightening learning experience on so many levels.  Together, Corey and Gen, and RTC are on a mission to share how powerful telling your story can be.  Corey began his storytelling career as an actor, starring in one of the . In 2006, he created (RTC). Corey spearheaded the conversion of best-selling business books into comic books with authors like Tony Hsieh, Marshall Goldsmith, Chris Anderson, and Robert Cialdini. That effort landed him in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Wired, Inc., and Forbes magazines. RTC’s clients have included Microsoft, Workday, Magoosh, Zappos, and ADP. Gen Georget is an executive editor at RTC and a successful author in her own right. She is the coauthor of with Earthkind CEO Kari Warberg Block. Gen’s own book, , was named 2020 Book of Year for the Ottawa FACES Magazine Awards. Gen’s writing and photography have been featured in The Good Mother Project, Oprah.com, Simplify Magazine, Her View from Home, The Good Men Project, Real Leaders Magazine, and Addicted2Success and she boasts her own online community of more than 35,000 followers.  In this week’s learn more about RTC’s Storytelling Academy: RTC is also offering four mini-courses open to the public: My Powerful Purpose, Asking Powerful Questions, Heroes Journey Crash Course and Beyond Active Listening. Corey and Gen have facilitated storytelling courses with in-tact teams in corporations,  resulting in significant business, interpersonal, and individual growth. Learn more and connect with Corey and Genevive here:

When Fran Hauser was just 6 years old, she would prepare the invoices for her father’s landscaping business. Her mother was a seamstress and had a tailoring shop where she spent a lot of time. The oldest of four children, she would provide translation for her parents, both small business owners, as neither of them spoke English. Fran observed the way her parents warmly engaged their customers using nonverbal communication and gives them credit for shaping her own development as a compassionate leader. Fran studied public accounting in college and climbed the corporate ladder in finance roles, eventually moving into leadership roles in the media industry. Today, she is a startup investor, long-time media executive, author, and champion of women and girls. Through her investing, writing, and speaking, Fran works to level the playing field for women. Her list of accomplishments is impressive but as you’ll hear, what’s most impressive is how she’s navigated her career while staying true to herself and inspiring others to do the same.  Fran has invested in over 30 female-founded companies, written two books to help women realize their full career potential, and delivered over 200 talks. Much of her current work is informed by the 20 years she spent in corporate as both a C-suite executive and a mentor to hundreds of women. Fran’s new book, an engaging workbook,  is quickly becoming the go-to resource for women seeking more joy and fulfillment in their careers. In fact, I found it so compelling that I included it in the resources section of my book. In this week’s learn more about Fran’s journey: Fran’s first book, has been translated into six languages and was named “Best Business Book of the Year, 2018” by Audible. She suggests that when you are feeling hesitant to engage in the networking process just think of one person you believe is really interesting and reach out to that individual to get started. Learn more and connect with Fran here:

Sonja Price did not know what she wanted to be when she grew up, yet she was always a curious person who enjoyed learning new things. When the time came to attend college she studied psychology because she was interested in people. Then Sonja transferred to a school in Tennessee and studied music management. A variety of interests and seven transfers followed in which she studied, architecture, photography, and video. Sonja began creating documentary films and started to think about pursuing it as a career. She was about three-quarters on her way toward earning her bachelor’s degree and was considering her next steps. As much as she loved filmmaking, Sonja had to face the reality that she had no solid plan for making money to support herself. Rather than just finish college without a plan, Sonja decided to take a ‘professional break’. She got a job working for a tech start-up and this opportunity opened her up to a whole new world. She stayed there for five years and learned more than she could ever imagine as she was able to fill a variety of roles there as the company’s needs changed rapidly. From there, she went to work for a larger company doing usability engineering and product testing. Within those years, Sonja completed her undergraduate degree and earned a master's degree in leadership and organizational development as she was fascinated by the dynamics of people within the workplace. Sonja has since worked in several industries, including management consulting. All these professional experiences culminated in her decision to become a career coach.  “I just like to see life as this very exciting adventure. And that's constantly this evolutionary process of what's the growth path in front of me right now? What are the skills that I can be working on? What's the next thing for me? What do I want to be working towards? We found through research that when you have something out on the horizon to look forward to, that actually can help create a greater sense of happiness and satisfaction in your life.” Today, Sonja is the Chief Career Strategist and Founder of Dynamo Careers. She is passionate about empowering people to become financially free, achieve every item on their bucket list, and make a positive impact on the topics that matter most to them.  In this week’s learn more about Sonja’s journey: Sonja has worked with a wide range of clients including Amazon, AT&T, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Starbucks, and a number of growing start-up organizations. She is a Certified Career and Executive Coach. Learn more and connect with Sonja here:

I begin each of my weekly podcast conversations by asking my guest about their early years. They often share a story about their childhood aspirations or talk about an influential person who made a special impact on their life. This week’s guest, Michael Wenderoth, offered a different twist on the theme. His recollection was of something that he didn't want to be. Michael is half Chinese. He grew up outside of Philadelphia, in the 70s-80s, not wanting to be half Chinese, and this sentiment lasted through high school. Ironically, he’s now fluent in Chinese, despite years of going to Chinese school and rejecting it. Then, during college, Michael met people who felt more like him. He said it was as if a switch was turned on inside him. He also had the opportunity to go to Taiwan and realized how the culture and values there were familiar to him. After college, he started his career in China as a journalist.  Within a year, Michael realized that his future in journalism was unlikely to grow the way he had expected, so he began exploring other options by speaking with a network of very interesting people, the ex-pat community in China. He met Roberta Lipson, who had a small medical equipment company that was doing business in China. She had the vision to set up a private hospital and decided to give Michael a chance to be on the leadership team that set up the first such hospital in China. He was open to something new and the mentoring that Roberta offered him. After four years, the hospital opened its doors. Michael was ready for his next move. He moved back to the US to attend business school at Stanford. Graduating with his MBA in 2000 was a humbling experience for Michael as this was in the midst of the dot com implosion. Pushing through self-doubt and keeping his motivations up, he persisted and landed a marketing role in the tech industry in California. Eventually, he was moved to senior roles in Europe and Asia. Later, he joined the company that developed the invisible braces, Invisalign, where he worked for many years and grew their Asian markets. Today, Michael is an executive coach who challenges leaders to re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity, so they can break through and ascend. He is the author of . His focus is on  POWER, a word with negative connotations – a topic most people mistakenly shy away from. In this week’s learn more about Michael’s journey: Michael’s contrarian views have been featured in Harvard Business Review and Forbes. He trained as an executive coach at Columbia University. Learn more and connect with Michael here:

Megan Leatherman is the founder and director of A Wild New Work, an ecological career development agency based in the Pacific Northwest. As a career coach, mother, writer, podcast host, and amateur ecologist, Megan has helped thousands of professionals reconnect to their strengths and to what deeply matters to them. She has a Master’s degree in conflict resolution, and a background in Human Resources, and believes that our work can be a spiritual practice. Megan grew up in Oregon, the oldest of 5 siblings. She recalls being observant of the dynamics all around her in her large family and taking in the environment of the large property her family lived on in the country. She loved wandering in the woods and taking in the natural environment. Today she blends the theme of the seasons with her coaching model to guide clients through the process of change and growth. In this week’s learn more about Megan’s journey: Megan worked in HR and found herself bone-tired all the time working in an open office environment. She came to realize that she is a highly sensitive person which means she processes stimuli very deeply and it was taking a toll on her nervous system. She practices meditation and journaling consistently in order to remain grounded and focused in her work and relationships that lead to productive engagements. Learn more and connect with Megan here: ()

As far back as he can remember Travis Scott has always called himself a plant nerd. Growing up in a small town in Indiana, he loved spending time outside in nature and in the public library where he would pour through books about plants and science. Travis thought he would pursue a career in landscape architecture but in college, he decided to major in environmental science.  Travis’ career has been anything but linear. He has taken several diverse turns along the way into environmental consulting with the Department of Defense, sales and account management, corporate recruitment, and, for the past decade-plus, marketing - specifically marketing and sales operations. The kinds of companies Travis has worked at are equally diverse including startups (Jobster), Fortune 500 companies (Microsoft, Comcast, and Booking.com), and private companies (technology, steel, hospitality, supply chain and distribution).  Today, Travis is the Founder of RainierDigital, a consultancy helping companies solve interesting operational problems in marketing and sales.  In this week’s learn more about Travis’ journey: Travis is currently enrolled in Washington State University's Master Gardener Program.   He is the author of .  Learn more and connect with Travis here:

As Deepa Purushothaman grew up, she always felt different. Being one of a few students of color amongst the 500 in her school in White House Station, New Jersey, she felt challenged to belong. Each summer, Deepa would go to India to visit family, and she didn’t fit in there either, because she was ‘very American’. At home, race was not discussed. She had an inner drive and a competitive spirit, that propelled her through her different-ness. Deepa was the only girl on the boys soccer team. Later, she realized that breaking boundaries and navigating unfamiliar spaces were the paths on which she was to travel. Deepa went on to earn degrees from Wellesley College, Harvard’s Kennedy School, and the London School of Economics, consecutively. She followed her interests in politics and policy, spending her junior year in Washington, D.C. interning at the White House and the U.S. State Department. Upon graduation, Deepa felt private sector experience was important, so she joined the consulting firm, Deloitte, intending to stay for a few years. Two-plus decades later, Deepa was a senior partner at Deloitte, focusing on women’s leadership and strategies to help women of color navigate corporate structures. She was the first Indian-American woman and one of the youngest people to become a Partner in the firm's history. Deepa spent many years growing Deloitte's Social Impact Practice and served as the National Managing Principal of Inclusion and the Managing Partner of WIN, Deloitte's renowned Women's Initiative. In these roles, she advised Fortune 100 clients on inclusion strategy and focused on acquiring and retaining diverse talent in the US firm. Leaving Deloitte in 2020, Deepa co-founded , a company created for women of color by women of color. nFormation is a membership-based community for professional women of color, offering brave, safe, new space and helping place women of color in C-suite positions and on Boards. Deepa wrote a book, , published in March 2022.  In this week’s learn more about Deepa’s journey: Deepa practices what she preaches. She is a founding board member of Avasara, India's first leadership academy exclusively for young women. She has also served on the Board of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the UN WEP’s Leadership Group. Deepa is a Women and Public Policy Program Leader in Practice at the Harvard Kennedy School where she concentrates on research to combat systemic racism in corporate structures to help Women of Color rise. Learn more and connect with Deepa here: 

Shari Leid’s life started out “a little messy” as she refers to it. Born in Seoul, South Korea, she was abandoned as a baby and has never known her actual birth date, birthplace, or birth name. After being moved to approximately four different locations, Shari was adopted by a Japanese American couple from Seattle. They were older parents, both had been interned in camps during World War Two. Shari reflects on her identity struggles resulting from her own adoption by parents who had their own unresolved issues. Yet, she sees her glass as half full. Shari is grateful for the opportunities she has had, assuming that if her life had not started as it did, she would have grown up under very different circumstances. She studied psychology in college, expecting that she would go on to pursue a graduate degree. Finding that she was moved by her sense of justice, Shari decided to go to law school. She became a litigator because she wanted to have a voice for those who could not speak for themselves. Shari practiced law for 14 years as a criminal prosecutor and as a defense attorney on civil cases for an insurance company. She reached a point where she did not feel as if she was living her purpose. At the same time, Shari was starting her own family by adopting a baby from China who was soon after identified as having developmental delays. Two weeks after bringing the baby home, Shari discovered she was pregnant. She decided to take a break from the law and dedicate herself to being at home with her children. Shari said this was the hardest work she has ever done. During this time Shari got into fitness and became a trainer. Once her kids were in school she opened a fitness studio but decided to close it when she had to have double hip replacement surgeries in her 30s. In her 40s, she went through a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. She asked herself, “What am I doing here?” This led her to start a coaching practice and writing. Today, Shari operates An Imperfectly Perfect Life, LLC, a professional mindset coaching business serving clients who are in those tricky middle-age years, helping them create the life of their dreams. In this week’s learn more about Shari’s journey: Shari is the author of the Friendship Flow transformational book series, which includes and She is a certified Life Coach, a Core Dynamic Specialist, and a graduate of the Happiness Studies Academy. Learn more and connect with Shari here: 

The oldest of four sisters, Anwin Mbah always thought she should set the example as the responsible one. Growing up in a sheltered diplomatic household, her father worked for the Cameroonian embassy and her mother was a homemaker, who received a stipend to run the household wherever they lived across the globe. Anwin shared that her parents slotted her and each of her sisters into four careers. She was the designated medic, her next sister was the designated lawyer, the one after that was an engineer, and the last one was an architect. Anwin went to university in London, and began her studies in medicine. Since she was 18, Anwin could apply for a credit card, her first taste of freedom. Unfortunately, she took more than a few bites, applying for multiple cards, and maxing out every one of them. It all caught up with her when her car was repossessed and she had to borrow money from her younger sister to pay her electric bill.  She was supposed to be the big sis. How low could she go? Thus began her financial education. Anwin also admitted to her parents that she was not interested in becoming a doctor.  Today, she helps successful driven businesswomen who are struggling with the overwhelm of gaining control of their finances to attain financial independence.  Anwin is a certified Business Wealth Strategist, Gender/Racial Wealth Gap Advocate, and founder of . Having 10 years of experience with major banks in Europe to implement systems that make them a lot of money, she's uniquely placed to help women understand their finances and develop systems that help them build wealth, achieve financial security, and the freedom they are looking for. In this week’s learn more about Anwin’s journey: Anwin finished university with a degree in biomedical research and then pursued her career in finance. She attended boarding school in Italy and only visited Cameroon to see family so it never felt ‘like home’ there. Today, she lives in Florida. Learn more and connect with Anwin here: 

Janine MacLachlan is on a mission to get ideas heard. She’s a communications strategist with deep experience in brand positioning and business storytelling. Janine works with executives and aspiring leaders in the areas of executive visibility, thought leadership and essentially helps them get out of their own way. How many of us would like a little help with that? Growing up in Saginaw, Michigan with three siblings, she admits that they have different childhood memories than she does because while they were outside in the yard playing ball, she was in her room absorbed in her reading. Janine loved books. She also wrote lots of stories and sketched pictures to go along with them. In fact, when her parents downsized their home a few years ago, they gave her a box full of the stories she authored as a kid. In college, she majored in journalism, working as an editor for the university newspaper. Upon graduation, Janine went to work for a public relations agency where she was able to get a wide range of experience.  After several job and geographic moves, Janine became the Director of Marketing and Communications for the American Dental Association in Chicago. She remained there for nine years when she decided to start her own communications firm.  Today, Janine is a regular contributor to in the area of leadership strategy, where she has interviewed executives from AbbVie, Microsoft, and 3M, as well as authors, and academics. In this week’s learn more about Janine’s journey: Janine is an activator at SheEO, a multi-national organization that provides loans and mentoring to women-owned businesses that support the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. An advocate for women at work, she is president of the Chicago chapter of Ellevate, a global network of professional women. Janine authored a book published by the University of Illinois Press, called where she traveled to eight Midwestern states to visit farmers' markets, meet farmers, interview chefs, and food artisans. She did all the photography, too. Her background in public relations enabled her to put together the book in a way that she could tell stories about sustainable food production, as well as the people who sell beautifully grown food at farmers' markets. Learn more and connect with Janine here:

Gaurav Bhatnagar and Mark Minukas are the founders of Co-Creation Partners, a firm that advises, consults, and coaches senior leaders and their teams on how they can design improvement programs and harness the talent and creativity of their people to achieve better business results. They focus on how people show up, communicate, problem-solve, and lead to determine how large the gap is between strategy and execution.  Together Gaurav and Mark researched and authored a book, . They suggest we have two superpowers: the power of imagination, and the power of language, which we use to craft our future. In our imagination, we see fear as something bad that we need to protect against, and as a result, we show up in a certain way. Yet, if we imagine it as an opportunity for learning, shifting the language to ‘unfear,’ it gives us a whole new avenue, partnering with fear to explore new ideas, opening a way for making choices and decisions. Gaurav and Mark had each been helping organizations transform their business performance for over 15 years prior to working together. Previously, Mark served in the Navy, working as an engineer, and then joined McKinsey as a business analyst, progressively elevating his role for several years. He and Gaurav first met partnering on a project there. Gaurav was an external vendor who did mindset and organizational culture work, while Mark brought operations expertise to the project. Initially, Mark was very skeptical about Gaurav’s work, concerned that he might actually harm their project. Interestingly, Mark’s view of Gaurav’s contributions to their work quickly changed. Soon after they completed the work, Mark left McKinsey to start his own consulting firm, and periodically, he and Gaurav would collaborate on projects. A few years later, they officially joined together at Co-Creation Partners. In this week’s learn about Gaurav’s and Mark’s journeys: Gaurav and Mark each bring their strengths to combine into a cohesive team at Co-Creation Partners. They see that there are two parts to everything: there's a being part and a doing part. Mark is very good about creating discipline around systems and the corresponding implementation. Gaurav’s strength is helping people shift their mindset, and presence, into solid behaviors. Learn more and connect with Gaurav and Mark here:

Eric Vernsten was a kid when the OJ Simpson trial was on TV. He and his older brother would watch it daily and on Friday nights, along with his family, he consumed a lineup of crime programs, such as Dateline. Eric was a talker. He liked to tell jokes and argue with people too. It occurred to him that law school might be in his future, but as he moved through high school, and then college, he turned his attention towards pro sports management. During the summer between his junior and senior college years, he got an unpaid marketing internship with the Austin Toros (now the Austin Spurs) after sending his resume to every NBA minor league team. His parents gave him $500 to get settled in Austin and he jumped into it, as he put it. In the off-hours, he worked as a wine sampler in liquor and grocery stores and waited tables. The following summer, after graduation, he was invited back to Austin to do season ticket sales, a paid role. Within a few weeks, Eric realized he hated the work. He still had law school on his mind and pivoted in that direction, moving back to his college town to live with a friend and study for the LSAT. Like the experience of many 20-somethings, Eric reflects on these decisions as big life lessons. He didn’t get into law school the first time–another life lesson. Eric was not easily deterred. He applied again and earned dual JD/MBA degrees. After graduation, he landed in the wealth management field at a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs and while it sounds glamorous, it was not without its bumps and scrapes. He passed the bar exam but he was not getting any legal experience so he started to do volunteer legal work. Then a friend suggested he apply to the Army National Guard for a legal role. Eric got an offer and took a leave from his wealth management job to train with the Army. Once on board, he was one of a few lawyers who was tapped on January 6, 2021, to be on-site in Washington D.C. to deal with the aftermath of the insurrection.  Eric did not return to his corporate role. Today, he is a prosecuting Assistant State’s Attorney in Winnebago County, Illinois. His newest job is father to a nine-month-old baby boy. In this week’s learn more about Eric’s journey: Building off his earlier career in wealth management Eric recently opened his own business as a Financial Advisor. This is a side gig for him. He dabbles in stand-up comedy and improv in his “spare” time. Learn more and connect with Eric here:

Devon Harris is a founding member of the first Jamaican bobsled team, which competed in the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada. Their exploits inspired the Disney movie Cool Runnings. Devon competed again in 1992 and 1998 as captain of the Olympic teams.  His very early years were spent in rural Jamaica with his grandmother, an amazing storyteller. Her stories had a great impact on him, especially those about soldiers and their extraordinary abilities. He then moved to Kingston, Jamaica to live with his Dad and attend school. He describes it as a challenging, rough, violent, ghetto environment. Early on, Devon focused on school and sports as he knew that excelling in these areas was his ticket out of the ghetto. At 15, he discovered the Olympics ABC Wide World of Sports series on TV.  “When you think of Olympic athletes, I think of these superhuman beings. What I saw in those series were very average people but they had extraordinary dreams. And they had an equally extraordinary desire to make those dreams a reality. So that's when it dawned on me, wow, anybody could become an Olympian, within reason you need a talent. But outside of that, if you dare to dream that extraordinarily, then backed up that dream with work ethic, sacrifice, and commitment. That's when I decided that I wanted to become an Olympian.”  Of course, bobsledding was not on Devon’s radar as his dream Olympic sport. Listen to our conversation to learn how that came to be. While Cool Runnings tells the story of how the original bobsledding team was formed, Devon shared that the movie is highly fictional.  Today, , author, and philanthropist. He shares his lessons about persistence over obstacles to living one's best life. He wrote a children's book and a semi-autobiographical book, .  In this week’s learn more about Devon’s amazing journey: Devon is a graduate of the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England. He served as an officer in the Jamaica Defense Force retiring as a captain. He is a philanthropist creating the , which supports the education of kids in disadvantaged areas and his original schools in Jamaica. Learn more and connect with Devon here:

unlocks the power of human connection wherever she goes. She is an instructional designer, creating and facilitating engaging and interactive career development learning experiences to help workplaces build cultures of connection and inclusion, and students and professionals build careers of meaning.  As a former senior manager at Salesforce, she brought more than one hundred employees together from two internal teams by blending their unique strengths to create a training app that has helped more than ten thousand customers. Over her thirteen-year career, Rebecca has brought out-of-the-box marketing and community-building strategy to more than fifty brands in industries such as financial services, media, hospitality, nonprofit, and tech.  In addition to inviting Rebecca to be my podcast guest, I included her best-selling book in the resources section of my recently released book, . I believe she offers a highly valuable guide to readers seeking fresh ways to engage in their professional relationships and extended networks.  Today, Rebecca has assimilated her experiences into five actionable steps, known as to fill a confidence and education gap. As people grow their careers, they will have the tools to feel empowered, and build high-quality, mutually beneficial professional relationships that don’t just lead to jobs but also strengthen the collective efforts that drive positive organizational change and leadership. In this week’s learn more about Rebecca’s journey: At the age of twenty-six, Rebecca was named a Rising Star Finalist in the 2012 Austin Business Journal Women of Influence awards after founding a successful small-business marketing consultancy, helping more than twenty-five local businesses, startups, and nonprofits reach new audiences. Rebecca established the first social media policies for the State of Texas at Texas.gov in 2010, and she authored an award-winning blog, The Rebeccammendations.  Learn more and connect with Rebecca here: Contact Rebecca to set up a workshop: Rebecca@theknockmethod.com

Do you remember your first job? Darcy Eikenberg wins the prize for having one of the most unusual first work experiences. During the holidays in her central Illinois hometown, she was a talking mailbox at her local shopping mall. Imagine how a job like that would have made her resume stand out in her early career pursuits! Darcy has roots that run deep when it comes to her relationship with work. She told me the story of her paternal grandfather who lost his father at age 14. He helped his Mom and eight siblings by going to work immediately at a local factory in Baltimore, Maryland, remaining there for over thirty years and retiring as the company’s chairman and CEO. Darcy’s father also worked for the company much of his career. The message was solid, “We had opportunities in front of us, and we needed to share with others and be able to contribute to helping others too and not just focus on ourselves.” Darcy stays true to those who came before her and yet, she has carved her own path in honoring the dignity of work and service. Today, Darcy is an executive coach and the author of , which shows how to get more of what you want, without changing careers, or finding a new job without sacrificing yourself. The red cape is a metaphor for the confidence you felt as a kid when you grabbed a towel or a sheet and threw it around your shoulders feeling in control, even if all you controlled was in the backyard. Darcy shared, “The red cape feeling is the key to helping us individually as well as across our world. What if you could feel that way every day at work? What would change for you and not only what would change for you, but what can change for your company, your community, and your world?” Darcy wears a lot of hats. She's been an executive coach to leaders at organizations such as The Coca-Cola Company, Microsoft, StateFarm, Deloitte consulting, and much more. She consults and speaks about career growth, employee engagement, and leadership development all over the world. She blogs regularly on leadership and career issues at . Her ideas have been shared in the Harvard Business Review, Thrive Global, CNN.com, The Ladders, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Forbes, among others. In this week’s learn more about Darcy’s journey: Darcy is a former communication consulting business leader at Hewitt Associates. She graduated from Northwestern University, studying journalism, speech, and communications. Learn more and connect with Darcy here: