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:

229: To Find Your Direction, Take Time for Self-Reflection with Ebony Travis

Smita Joshi

​ is an award-winning author, avid yogi, and yoga teacher, high performance &amp; 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 &amp; emotional and spiritual intelligence. ​ ​Smita is the author of the Amazon bestseller . Inspired by actual events from her own life, “Karma &amp; 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:

228: Listen to Your Deeper Voice with Smita Joshi

Sara Murray

​ 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:

227: Unlock Your Untapped Potential with Sara Murray

Julie Kratz

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:

226: Creating a More Inclusive Workplace with Julie Kratz

Alisha Fernandez Miranda

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:

225: What If … You Did What You Most Wanted? with Alisha Fernandez Miranda

Michelle Johnston

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:

224: Embed Time to Connect with Michelle Johnston

Rimi Chakraborty

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:

223: Rise Beyond Resilience with Rimi Chakraborty

Claudia Miller

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:

222: If They Don’t Promote You, Promote Yourself with Claudia Miller

Christian Busch

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:

221: The Serendipity Mindset: Connecting the Dots with Christian Busch

Octavia Goredema

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:

220: Advancing Careers for Underrepresented Women with Octavia Goredema

Work From The Inside Out is a weekly podcast focused on helping people to pursue work they will love. Inspiring stories of real people who overcame the barriers and unhappiness that kept them feeling stuck in a career are featured.  Practical tips and approaches for moving into more meaningful, satisfying, and fulfilling work are shared by experts in the field.  Go to www.tammygoolerloeb.com/podcast to learn more!

Found these podcasts inspiring. Provides encouragement to find one’s own path.

Tammy is inspirational

Tammy is an expert in her field and Work From The Inside Out is a must-listen! I was honored to be a guest on this show and I highly recommend it for job seekers and career changers.

Motivational Show!

Work From The Inside Out is a weekly podcast focused on helping people to pursue work they will love. Inspiring stories of real people who overcame the barriers and unhappiness that kept them feeling stuck in a career are featured.  Practical tips and approaches for moving into more meaningful, satisfying, and fulfilling work are shared by experts in the field.  Go to <a href="http://www.tammygoolerloeb.com/podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.tammygoolerloeb.com/podcast</a> to learn more!

Work From The Inside Out

Tony Martignetti

Tony Martignetti believes there are great meaning and value in getting uncomfortable. No, he is not sadistic.  In fact, Tony is one of the kindest, most engaging people you will ever meet. He is a leadership coach who specializes in working with leaders and their teams to navigate through change and unlock their true potential. This often requires that they experience some discomfort in order to gain the clarity they need to make well-informed decisions, improve their skills, and ultimately increase their impact.  Prior to becoming a coach, Tony was a finance and strategy professional in some of the world's leading life sciences companies. Along the way, he also managed a few small businesses and ran a financial consulting company.  In this week’s  Tony shares his career trajectory:  Throughout his career, Tony gained lessons not only as a leader, but also working with high performing leaders across multiple organizations.  It is his passion for helping people that fueled his inspiration to form his company, Inspired Purpose Coaching. Tony is known for supporting leaders in finding clarity so that they are energized, unstoppable and lead with a strong presence. He believes that when leaders unlock their potential and lead from a place of inspired purpose, their positive impact is amplified.  Over the course of his career, Tony traversed the paths between full-time employment and self-employment, making his way to his own company where he is today.  Links          Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 072

072: Try New Things and Get Uncomfortable - Tony Martignetti

Norman Wolfe

At 13 years old, Norman Wolfe celebrated his Bar Mitzvah and simultaneously was inspired to pursue a career dream.  It’s not quite what you might think… he didn’t aspire to study Torah and become a Rabbi.  Norman decided he wanted to join the Air Force and become a pilot.      His Uncle, who had been a Colonel in the Air Force, gave him his wings for his Bar Mitzvah and it meant the world to him.  Norman wanted to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and become a pilot in the service, but unfortunately he did not qualify due to poor eyesight.   What followed was a career path that began in the aeronautical engineering industry, taking many twists and turns, guided by opportunities and an inner voice that Norman listened to closely.  He has maintained a deep curiosity in everything he has done from his career at Hewlett Packard to running his own consulting company and authoring a book.   In this week’s  Norman shares his career trajectory:  He has led companies large and small, and been a public company director and has over 30 years of consulting and mentoring leaders in a wide range of industries.  Norman is the author of , an application of the core principles of how the world works to how organizations and individuals can create extraordinary impact.  He is a leading voice in bringing about a transformation of the core paradigm of business.   Links  YouTube -   Facebook -   Facebook -   LinkedIn -   Twitter -  Website -     Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 071

071: Create The Context For What You Want - Norman Wolfe

Femily Howe, MA is a consultant who speaks at and advises Silicon Valley and other male-majority companies and teams, like law, finance, and engineering – on gender, equity, and building an ally culture to help them advance womxn, foster inclusion of all kinds and reduce workplace bias.  In 2018, Femily founded the  to address a growing demand for rigor and best practices in the field. That same year, she launched San Francisco's Executive Womxn's forum at the Commonwealth Club. Femily serves on the board of , the innovation lab for the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. With a Masters in Gender/Cultural Studies, Femily started her career working in the Women Studies Program at MIT, primarily as an administrator.  Later, she worked in public relations, communications, and then landed in consulting with a large management consulting firm. That experience compelled her to work full time in alignment with her feminist values and start her own consulting firm where she is today. In this episode we discuss:  How Femily connected with someone at a garage sale to find one of the best jobs of her life.  How important networking and making personal connections are to growing a career.  Femily was an Administrator in the MIT Women’s Studies program. She was able to thrive in that role because everyone treated her as a valued member of the team.  She understands the knowledge and confidence gaps between men and women, the systemic consequences of gender bias, and the importance for women to continue moving forward.  Femily has learned that if she wants to add a new skill to her resume, one option is to volunteer her time in an organization where she can develop the skill.  How a lot of women focus on the glass ceiling but she believes it is more important to focus on the first promotion, from worker to manager, because that is where most women get stuck.   Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 070

070: Fostering Womxn’s Advancement in Business - Femily

Steve Kahan

Steve Kahan is the Chief Marketing Officer at Thycotic Software Ltd, which is the 7th startup that he has worked with. Steve inspires teens and their organizations to take on the impossible and succeed. He has just written a book published by Wiley and audible and available on Amazon.com called  The book teaches those graduating college and young professionals how to earn a great living doing what they love by igniting their career at a tech startup.   Steve started as a communications major in college and his first job out of school was in a large insurance company processing claims.  At the time, he thought he was ready to set the world on fire. Within a fairly short period, he realized he was a more entrepreneurial spirit and found his way into the world of startup companies.  Since then, he has successfully helped to grow six startup companies from early-stage development to going public or being sold, resulting in more than $3 billion in shareholder value. He generously shares his story and all that he learned over the last 30 years.  Today, he is the CMO of Thycotic Software Ltd, his 7th startup company. In this episode we discuss:   Steve’s parents encouraged him to go to college and get a steady job so he did. When he graduated, he got a job processing insurance claims.  How he got the “startup bug” and has now facilitated the growth of 7 startups.  Steve has specific criteria and questions he asks when considering a new startup. He emphasizes the importance of going deep on one specific skill set before building a general and wide-range skill set.  Steve discusses his understanding of what determines success. He makes it a practice to express gratitude as often as possible.    Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 068

Steve Kahan is the Chief Marketing Officer at Thycotic Software Ltd, which is the 7th startup that he has worked with. Steve inspires teens and their organizations to take on the impossible and succeed. He has just written a book published by Wiley and audible and available on <a href="http://Amazon.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a> called  The book teaches those graduating college and young professionals how to earn a great living doing what they love by igniting their career at a tech startup.   Steve started as a communications major in college and his first job out of school was in a large insurance company processing claims.  At the time, he thought he was ready to set the world on fire. Within a fairly short period, he realized he was a more entrepreneurial spirit and found his way into the world of startup companies.  Since then, he has successfully helped to grow six startup companies from early-stage development to going public or being sold, resulting in more than $3 billion in shareholder value. He generously shares his story and all that he learned over the last 30 years.  Today, he is the CMO of Thycotic Software Ltd, his 7th startup company. In this episode we discuss:   Steve’s parents encouraged him to go to college and get a steady job so he did. When he graduated, he got a job processing insurance claims.  How he got the “startup bug” and has now facilitated the growth of 7 startups.  Steve has specific criteria and questions he asks when considering a new startup. He emphasizes the importance of going deep on one specific skill set before building a general and wide-range skill set.  Steve discusses his understanding of what determines success. He makes it a practice to express gratitude as often as possible.    Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 068

068: Be a Startup Superstar - Steve Kahan

Alan Samuel Cohen is an experienced executive and team coach and corporate instructor with over a decade of experience coaching leaders and teams at companies including MetLife American Express, Skadden, Arps, Tiffany's, NBC and countless PR and marketing agencies. He is also a TEDx speaker and has written books on authentic connection in a digital age, and how to manage conflict and difficult conversations in the workplace. Prior to becoming a coach, he worked in PR, marketing and human resources for over 25 years, most notably as the Director of Marketing for Scholastic, where he led the team that was responsible for launching the Harry Potter book series, and as Director of Communications for the Broadway League, where he publicized the Tony Awards. Even as a kid, Alan always wanted to be a publicist.  How does a child know about PR work? Growing up in New York City, his father worked as a publicist for ABC television.  He was surrounded by all the 8x10 glossies of his TV heroes and all he saw was the glamour of the profession. After college, Alan became a successful publicist, working in TV and eventually in publishing where he worked publicizing the Harry Potter book series.  It doesn’t get better than that. As the publishing field changed, Alan made some moves into marketing and communications. Then the financial crisis of 2008 hit. Alan completed his coaching training at the same time and started his coaching business, building upon his insights and experiences as an executive. In this episode we discuss:  How Alan currently runs his own business as an executive and team coach, and corporate instructor, coaching leaders and teams at companies like MetLife, American Express, Skadden, Arps, Tiffany’s, NBC, and countless other PR and marketing agencies.  Alan ran the publicity team for the Harry Potter books and describes it as a shining moment for him.  He delivered his first TEDx talk in October 2019 at the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, called “The Magical Power of Shared Purpose.” Alan has authored two books,  and .  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 067

067: Time Travel Your Way Back: Success Leaves Clues - Alan Samuel Cohen

James Richardson

James  Richardson is the founder of  Premium Growth Solutions, a  strategic planning consultancy for early-stage consumer-packaged-goods brands. As a professionally trained cultural anthropologist turned business strategist, he has helped more than 75 CPG brands with their strategic planning, including brands owned by Coca-Cola  Venturing and Emerging Brands, The Hershey Company, General Mills, Kraft Foods, ConAgra Brands, and Frito-Lay as well as emerging brands such as Once Upon a Farm, Mother Kombucha, Bobby Sue’s Nuts, Rebel Creamery, Zaca recovery, and others. He also hosts his own podcast—Startup Confidential. His thoughts appear regularly in industry publications such as Foodnavigator.   As a kid, James aspired to become a college professor, as he puts it, a Professor of Something.  And so he did. His career journey started on the academic path as a cultural anthropologist, studying the analysis of value systems, symbol systems, and how those do or do not get enacted in different cultures. He specialized in Southeast Asia and lived in India for three years where he studied and witnessed their caste system.  It took nine years to get a Ph.D. in anthropology, and after all of that, he made the difficult choice to leave the academic track to work in the private sector. Fortunately, he joined a small startup company that needed someone with his credentials to work with consumer packaged goods product brands. He spent 17 years with them and today runs his own consulting business and recently published his book, Ramping Your Brand. In this episode we discuss:   How James spent 9 years achieving his Ph.D. in anthropology, including three years in India and two near-death experiences. He dreamed of being a professor as a child. Toward the end of his degree program, he realized he had become disenchanted with the academic path.  James then spent significant time investigating the options available for Ph.D. anthropologists in the private sector. Fortunately, he identified a startup company, The Hartman Group. They needed someone with his credentials to work with consumer packaged goods (CPG) product brands.  As James grew with The Hartman Group over 17 years, he went from Senior Analyst and then finished there as a Vice President of the company.  He has helped more than 75 CPG brands with their strategic planning.  Today James runs Premium Growth Solutions and recently published his book, “.”  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 066

066: Take Risks Early To Expand Your Options - Dr. James Richardson

Paula Rizzo

Paula Rizzo is an Emmy Award winning television producer, author, speaker, media trainer, and strategist. As a former senior health producer for the Fox News Channel, she produced health, wellness, and lifestyle segments with a range of top experts. A media veteran for nearly 20 years, Paula also worked in local news in New York City as a producer for WCBS and WPIX. Today, she works with experts, authors, and entrepreneurs on how to position themselves for media, build their lists, engage customers and fans for their brands, books, and businesses. She created the productivity site ListProducer.com and is the best-selling author of .  Her next book,  was published in 2019.   As a best-selling author and Emmy-award winning television producer for nearly 20 years, Paula started in local news media in New York City and later produced health, wellness, and lifestyle segments with a range of top experts.  She was at the top of her field and had written her first book. The book and affiliated activities began to gain attention. Paula decided after a successful career in television production to put her energy in some new directions. Today, she coaches experts and executives to perform better on camera and produce their own videos.  Paula is the co-creator of Lights Camera Expert, an online course for entrepreneurs, authors and experts to learn about how to get media attention. A veteran speaker, Paula's presented at the Mass Conference for Women, New York Women in Communications, and the National Association of Professional Organizers. In this episode we discuss:   Paula shares how she has always been a curious person and how that led her to journalism and broadcasting.  She always wanted to be a writer but had no idea she would eventually write books about list-making.  Paula had a fun and challenging journey to achieving an Emmy Award for TV production.   She worked at Fox for over 10 years and loved covering health on the dot com segment, she learned a lot. The transition from Fox to working for herself was gradual but eventually became very compelling when staying in her job was going to hold her back from achieving her personal business goals.   Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 065

Paula Rizzo is an Emmy Award winning television producer, author, speaker, media trainer, and strategist. As a former senior health producer for the Fox News Channel, she produced health, wellness, and lifestyle segments with a range of top experts. A media veteran for nearly 20 years, Paula also worked in local news in New York City as a producer for WCBS and WPIX. Today, she works with experts, authors, and entrepreneurs on how to position themselves for media, build their lists, engage customers and fans for their brands, books, and businesses. She created the productivity site <a href="http://ListProducer.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ListProducer.com</a> and is the best-selling author of .  Her next book,  was published in 2019.   As a best-selling author and Emmy-award winning television producer for nearly 20 years, Paula started in local news media in New York City and later produced health, wellness, and lifestyle segments with a range of top experts.  She was at the top of her field and had written her first book. The book and affiliated activities began to gain attention. Paula decided after a successful career in television production to put her energy in some new directions. Today, she coaches experts and executives to perform better on camera and produce their own videos.  Paula is the co-creator of Lights Camera Expert, an online course for entrepreneurs, authors and experts to learn about how to get media attention. A veteran speaker, Paula's presented at the Mass Conference for Women, New York Women in Communications, and the National Association of Professional Organizers. In this episode we discuss:   Paula shares how she has always been a curious person and how that led her to journalism and broadcasting.  She always wanted to be a writer but had no idea she would eventually write books about list-making.  Paula had a fun and challenging journey to achieving an Emmy Award for TV production.   She worked at Fox for over 10 years and loved covering health on the dot com segment, she learned a lot. The transition from Fox to working for herself was gradual but eventually became very compelling when staying in her job was going to hold her back from achieving her personal business goals.   Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 065

065: Structure Helps My Creativity - Paula Rizzo

Petra Kolber

Petra Kolber is a speaker, author, mindset coach, podcast host, DJ, and a wellness leader who is known throughout the industry as a beacon of authentic happiness. As a national workshop leader and keynote speaker, she inspires people around the globe to stand up for their lives and live profoundly from their hearts. As a two-time cancer survivor, she is passionate about waking people up to the precious gift of time. Her work is rooted in the science of positive psychology, and she coaches individuals and teams on how to get unstuck so that they can become unstoppable.  Petra had been the face and voice of leading food and fitness companies such as Reebok, Adidas, Gatorade, and California walnuts. She traveled the world speaking to tens of thousands of fitness enthusiasts and wellness leaders.  Yet, she wasn’t happy as she was overwhelmed by anxiety and panic attacks over many years. Petra took time away to get help and engaged in the study of positive psychology, enabling her to conquer her own internal barriers and to create a program that now helps hundreds of people to live bravely and reclaim their joy.  In August 2018, Petra released her first book: .  Her mission is to inspire people to move more and fear less so that they can stretch their dreams, strengthen their courage muscle and build an inspired life full of joy and gratitude.  In this episode we discuss:  Petra started her career as a dancer and then moved into the fitness industry.  She signed a deal to work with Reebok while also maintaining her own name brand. Eventually, she launched her own fitness business. After running her own business for 10 years, Petra took some time off to focus on mental fitness. She also used that time to earn her degree in Positive Psychology.  Petra shares that she battled cancer two times in her life and has been cancer-free for twenty years, and how she did her most fearless living during her bouts with cancer.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 064

064: I Stopped Trying to Be Perfect - Petra Kolber

Rachel Stewart

Rachel Stewart is the Executive Vice President of a $22 million restoration company and CEO of a software development company.  Years earlier, she left college to support her husband’s career efforts and they started a family. When the 2008 economic downturn happened, her husband lost his job and overnight, they were facing serious financial uncertainty.  Rachel had not worked outside the home in 5 years and felt unqualified for most jobs. They decided that she would return to work. Rachel started her career as an unqualified office manager, but over the last decade became the Executive Vice President of a $22 million restoration company and the CEO of a software development company focused on getting contractors the technology tools they need. Over the years, she has learned that the only limitations to her success have been in her own mind. In her book, Unqualified Success, Rachel shares the tools that made the difference in her achievements. The things she learned the hard way are available through the hands-on exercises that she offers for the reader to explore their own unqualified journey. In this episode we discuss:   How Rachel got an office manager and bookkeeping position with a restoration company and how she grew all the way into running the company.  Rachel felt completely unqualified for the role but the owner was willing to give her the chance, and she was willing to take the leap, and learn on the job, which became wildly successful.   She was surprised to learn that when she stretched herself simultaneously in several directions, she was challenged to rely on her strengths in the same ways she had in the past.  In her book, Unqualified Success, Rachel shares the hands-on tools that made all the difference in her achievements in practical and engaging ways.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 063

063: Unqualified Success - Rachel Stewart

Liz Kislik

In her 30 years as a management consultant, executive coach, and facilitator, Liz Kislik has helped clients such as American Express, Orvis, the Girl Scouts, Comcast, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Highlights for Children solve their thorniest problems while strengthening their top and bottom lines. Her specialty is developing high performing leaders and workforces. Liz is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, an entrepreneur, and she’s a TEDx speaker on why there's so much conflict at work and what you can do to fix it. Liz says she is not a fan of the “find your passion” school of career search. In her 20’s she worked as a telemarketing manager overseeing hundreds of employees, in a large company she would never have expected to be working in. She learned as she went along guided by her intelligence, deep curiosity and desire to solve problems. It wasn’t easy and she definitely experienced stress, but it never deterred her. She credits the examples her grandparents and parents set for her as they all showed her a strong moral code for how to treat people with respect. She carried this into her work life no matter what she has done. In this episode we discuss:   Liz is a TEDx speaker on why there is so much conflict at work and what you can do to fix it.  Why she chose to enter the workforce after college, instead of going to graduate school as many of her friends did.  Liz specializes in developing high performing leaders and workforces. She is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Entrepreneur.  Liz has helped clients such as American Express, Orvis, the Girl Scouts, Comcast, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Highlights for Children. She has worked with them to solve their thorniest problems while also strengthening their top and bottom lines.   Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 061

061: Work With What You’ve Got - Liz Kislik

Sarah Friedell

Sarah Friedell O'Connell is an executive coach and the owner of Change Point Advisors, a firm dedicated to helping senior executives navigate career changes. She has been coaching C suite executives for over 10 years and has worked with hundreds of people across a variety of industries and functions. Sarah brings a unique perspective and deep expertise to her work advising senior leaders. Part of Sarah's uniqueness and success as a coach stems from the expertise she gained in her first career in corporate communications and later in public relations. Sarah has over 20 years of experience in communications, and public relations, serving as a spokeswoman at Fidelity Investments and also for the president of Harvard University. She brings her real-world business experience, as well as her expertise and communication strategy, marketing, branding and messaging to her work coaching executive clients. Sarah understands what it takes to work in a high-pressure environment. As the owner of her firm, ChangePoint Advisors, she partners with her clients to clarify their goals, create customized action plans, and teach them to communicate strategically and effectively to accomplish their goals. Whether they are seeking a new job planning for an active retirement, exploring Board of Director's seeds, or launching entrepreneurial pursuits, Sarah has a proven process to help her clients succeed. In this episode we discuss:   Sarah attended the College of William and Mary and knew she wanted to live in Washington D.C. after she graduated. How her early work experiences gave her the foundation she needed for future career success.  Sarah served as a spokeswoman at Fidelity Investments and subsequently for the President of Harvard University.  While serving as a spokeswoman at Harvard, Sarah was taking weekend courses to become a life coach.  When her work as a spokeswoman became increasingly demanding, she made the choice to take a brief sabbatical to get clear about her next career move. Sarah believed she would return to communications work, but discovered opportunities in the outplacement field. She took the entrepreneurial leap and now brings her business experience and her expertise in communications strategy, marketing, branding, and messaging to coach executives.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 060

060: Reflect on Your Success - Sarah Friedell O’Connell

Lorraine Rise holds an M.S. in Human Resources Management as well as certifications in Human Resources (SHRM-CP), Resume Writing (CPRW) and Career Coaching (CPCC). Lorraine has served well over 200 clients in over 30 industries, both public and private. Many of her clients come from some of the most recognizable firms in the country including Microsoft, Amazon, Fannie Mae, Morgan Stanley, and more. Career UpRising, LLC is located in the Washington DC metro area but serves clients all across the globe. Listen to Lorraine's inspirational podcast, Career UpRising, on InFlowRadio.com, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and more. Lorraine has built her career in the practice of coaching others to succeed. Her career began in the health and weight loss industry, coaching hundreds of clients to reach their weight loss goals. As a Director and Regional Trainer for Jenny Craig Inc., she hired, trained and mentored dozens of employees in sales, customer service, and management. After a layoff in 2013, Lorraine made a career change into human resources. She has since supported the human resources and recruiting efforts at numerous firms in Information Technology. In 2015, she made another career change and founded her firm, Career UpRising.  In this episode we discuss:   The career journey that led Lorraine into the health and weight loss industry, working for Jenny Craig and a few other companies, and the experiences that led her to pursue a career in human resources and recruiting.  The moment Lorraine knew she was ready to start her own business. Her inspirational podcast, .  Contract work and the advantages it offers to an emerging independent coaching practice.  Lorraine’s coaching practice and her focus on people who are mid-later career.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 058

Lorraine Rise holds an M.S. in Human Resources Management as well as certifications in Human Resources (SHRM-CP), Resume Writing (CPRW) and Career Coaching (CPCC). Lorraine has served well over 200 clients in over 30 industries, both public and private. Many of her clients come from some of the most recognizable firms in the country including Microsoft, Amazon, Fannie Mae, Morgan Stanley, and more. Career UpRising, LLC is located in the Washington DC metro area but serves clients all across the globe. Listen to Lorraine's inspirational podcast, Career UpRising, on <a href="http://InFlowRadio.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">InFlowRadio.com</a>, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and more. Lorraine has built her career in the practice of coaching others to succeed. Her career began in the health and weight loss industry, coaching hundreds of clients to reach their weight loss goals. As a Director and Regional Trainer for Jenny Craig Inc., she hired, trained and mentored dozens of employees in sales, customer service, and management. After a layoff in 2013, Lorraine made a career change into human resources. She has since supported the human resources and recruiting efforts at numerous firms in Information Technology. In 2015, she made another career change and founded her firm, Career UpRising.  In this episode we discuss:   The career journey that led Lorraine into the health and weight loss industry, working for Jenny Craig and a few other companies, and the experiences that led her to pursue a career in human resources and recruiting.  The moment Lorraine knew she was ready to start her own business. Her inspirational podcast, .  Contract work and the advantages it offers to an emerging independent coaching practice.  Lorraine’s coaching practice and her focus on people who are mid-later career.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 058

058: Shift Your Mindset for Opportunities - Lorraine Rise

Mac Prichard

Mac Prichard is the founder and publisher of Mac’s List, founded in Portland, Oregon in 2001, a job board and career hub for the Pacific Northwest with a mission to create more human hiring processes to improve the workforce for all. Mac is also the author of the book “Land Your Dream Job Anywhere” and host of the weekly career advice podcast, Find Your Dream Job. Mac has had a varied career from his early years in Latin American policy and communications to working as a spokesman for elected officials and on political campaigns.  Through everything he has done, his goal has always been to be of service and he has found numerous ways to fulfill that mission. Today, he runs his own PR firm and operates a regional job board, and career podcast in Portland, Oregon.  He is quick to point out, however, that his path has not always been a smooth one over his 65 years, 40 of them as a working person, as he describes his lessons learned during two significant periods of unemployment in his career. In this episode we discuss:   How Mac became the first spokesperson for Boston’s Big Dig.  Mac’s experiences he had with unemployment and how those influenced his future career decisions.  The importance of communicating the value and direction a job candidate wants to take in a role, more than just their ability to do the job.  Mac shared how important it is to communicate to a potential employer how the role you are applying for is going to align with your career goals. He created Mac’s List to help job seekers in the Washington and Oregon region look skillfully for work and to help employers learn how to do an effective hiring process.   Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 057

057: Master Job Search Skills to Succeed - Mac Prichard

Jen Guillemin, with a background in arts leadership, counseling, and teaching is an arts advocate and creative problem solver. She has mentored thousands of student artists and has spearheaded many arts initiatives at the Boston University College of Fine Arts and is the founding director of the BU visual arts Summer Institute.  Wendy Swart Grossman, with a background in the US and South African presidential campaigns, is a connector, a political and community organizer, a logistical wizard, and a visionary advocate/ activist for community building and engagement. She has held positions at Harvard's Museum of Science and Culture, and the Graduate School of Design as well as the Science Museum in London, UK and for many NGOs, nonprofits and social impact businesses.  Wendy and Jen have been working, teaching, plotting, laughing and changing the world together since 2013. After first introducing and teaching their Cultural Entrepreneurship class at Boston University they have gone on to host symposia, write chapters and articles all at the intersections of Arts &amp; Culture, Business &amp; Technology and Social Impact. They are launching their own consulting firm - Creative Re/Frame - and are working on a book, with the working title: “Future Studios: A DIY Guide for Artists and Creative Practitioners in the New Economy.” In this episode we discuss:  Jen’s background in arts leadership, counseling, and teaching. She has mentored thousands of student artists and has championed arts initiatives at the Boston University College of Fine Arts and is the founding director of the BU visual arts Summer Institute.  Wendy is a connector, a political and community organizer, a logistical wizard, and a visionary advocate/ activist for community building and engagement.  Jen and Wendy have been working together since 2013, first teaching their Cultural Entrepreneurship class at Boston University. They have since hosted symposia, conferences and published articles on Arts &amp; Culture, Business &amp; Technology and Social Impact.  Wendy and Jen have launched a consulting firm called Creative Re/Frame. They are writing a book whose working title is: Future Studios: A DIY Guide for Artists and Creative Practitioners in the New Economy.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 056

056: Cultural Entrepreneurism and Innovation - Creative Re/Frame

Anne Sugar

Anne Sugar is an executive coach and speaker who has advised top leaders at companies including TripAdvisor, Sanofi Genzyme, and Havas. Anne serves as an executive coach for Harvard Business School Executive Education and has guest lectured at MIT. She is also a contributor to Harvard Business Review and Inc. Prior to becoming an executive coach 15 years ago, Anne served as a senior leader in the advertising industry, where she oversaw a team of 75 employees as SVP of Media at Digitas. She managed media planning for Fortune 500 clients including General Motors, Federal Express, and Delta. She draws on her extensive management experience, as well as her in-depth training in coaching methodology to advise senior executives and high performers transitioning into leadership roles. In this episode we discuss:  How Anne’s leadership and career transformation journey started by taking a few risks.  Her view that serendipity played a key role in the success of her early career days.  Anne’s understanding of how her core values have provided guidance through her career transitions. For almost 20 years, Anne worked as a leader in the advertising industry, which included working on the launch of Apple computers, and how she then recognized when it was time for her to transition her career in new directions.  The throughlines through Anne’s career include her need for creativity and continuous learning.  Anne believes it is not necessary to make a large shift in your life in order to experience success or fulfillment. Instead, it is often about making a few very small shifts. She ends the show asking listeners to consider one small thing you can do right now to make a small shift in your life.   Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 055

055: Serendipity, Creativity, and Practicality - Anne Sugar

Jay Vogt

Jay Vogt is the founder of Peoplesworth, an organizational development practice that works with mission-driven organizations, which started in 1982. Jay has worked with nonprofits in healthcare, education, human services, arts, culture, the environment, and more. He has worked with fast-growth companies in the organic food world like Stonyfield Yogurt, and Applegate. Jay is a master facilitator of meetings and retreats and specializes in leading large group meetings of 35 to 350 participants. A published author, Jay’s TEDx talk on the art of facilitation, “Changing the Way the World Meets” has been viewed nearly 100,000 times. Unlike most people who transition to an entrepreneurial career path, Jay made this move at a younger age, 27 years and he has never looked back.  That’s not to say that it’s been a smooth, confident ride all these years.  He made choices along the way as to how he would manage his practice, choosing to only engage local clients so that he could be home at the dinner table every night, calling it his “country doctor” model. This choice challenged him to redefine his concept of success and design a life that would make him feel more alive.  This included, for example, taking several sabbaticals in which he chose experiences over income, risking the stability of his client relationships. Surprisingly, his clients found his choices appealing and engaging. In this episode we discuss:  The learning and growth journey Jay took to move from working at a university extension service to launching his own practice. Jay experienced significant mindset shifts that enabled him to embrace his most meaningful career path while also overcoming significant fears. The values that Jay adhered to and which helped him, including this quote: “chance favors a prepared mind.” The “mortgage money” work he did while he was building his practice. Jay’s fundamental operating principle, genuinely caring about the worth of people. The life hack Jay learned for accomplishing most of what he would like to do in life, without having to make huge life or career shifts.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 049

 049: Notice What Makes You Come Alive - Jay Vogt

Jyoti Singhvi

Jyoti Singhvi has been doing public speaking for 30+ years. Based on her experiences, she has developed comprehensive training programs in Public Speaking, Communication &amp; Confidence for Professionals to help gain maximum rewards and recognition.  Her background is in business development, strategic partnerships, technology, innovation, and consumer/luxury goods.  She also worked in technology at IBM, KPMG Consulting, &amp; a Wireless Telematics startup with a focus on eCommerce, innovation, and digitization. Jyoti has a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard and an MBA from MIT. Jyoti was born and raised up through her early teen years in India. And as a child, she was a shy kid. Today, she teaches other people how to speak in public.  Jyoti also consults with companies and organizations to help them with revenue generation through business development and marketing.  Prior to this, Jyoti worked at Cartier in business development, strategic partnerships, CRM, and digital and traditional marketing.  She also owns a couture fine jewelry company, JYOTI.  Philanthropically, Jyoti is passionate about women's empowerment and children’s development.  In this episode we discuss:  How Jyoti was a shy child but had her life trajectory change in 4th grade when her principal called on her to speak on stage. Her desire to be an entrepreneur and a business person, because of the influence of her parents. How Jyoti earned her MPA from Harvard and an MBA from MIT. How she began her career in technology, working for companies like IBM, KPMG Consulting, and a Wireless Telematics startup with a focus on eCommerce, innovation, and digitization. Jyoti has been involved in organizations such as UN Women, The Resolution Project, and is on the executive committee for the Gender Equality Foundation. Her passion for women’s empowerment and children’s development. How Jyoti owns a couture fine jewelry company called JYOTI.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 042

042: Build Your Voice, Grow Your Confidence - Jyoti Singhvi

Merryn Roberts-Huntley started Made To Hire in 2017. With 17 years of business experience and 10 years of career coaching, she knows how to help you land your dream career. When Roberts-Huntley isn’t running Made To Hire, she’s doing marketing strategy or business development consulting through her ﬁrm, FIXX Consulting. FIXX works with sports-focused companies to better connect them with their target consumer. She teaches marketing at the graduate level at the University of Oregon. She has a BA in sociology from McGill University and an MBA from the University of Oregon. Merryn started her career in the sports marketing industry. She tells her story of how she cold-called her way into the field after getting a degree in sociology. Today, she runs the career coaching firm Made To Hire. She says the average American spends $80,000 on their education yet receives little or no real-world training on how to maximize that investment to land a job in their field. Made To Hire has a book and an online course to help you get noticed, get hired, make more money, and reach your career goals faster.  In this episode we discuss:  How Merryn got started in the Sports marketing arena. Her decision to leave her role at Adidas to earn her MBA in Sports Business with a specific objective to work at Nike, known for being the top company in the market at the time. Merryn’s grad school experience, applying for an internship at Nike, initially getting rejected, and ultimately making the decision to keep going. How Merryn learned that a Nike executive would be at her school for a women’s advocacy forum and then offered to ‘host’ the executive for the day, giving her the opportunity to connect. The amazing benefit she received for hosting, earning her an internship, and then being hired at Nike full-time after she graduated. How Merryn used her experiences to write her book and how she connects with others through relationship-building. Her specific advice on how to get a job you really want.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 036

036: Get Really Good at Telling Your Story - Merryn Roberts-Huntley

Luis Velasquez

Dr. Luis Velasquez is an entrepreneur and fitness enthusiast who helps leaders better understand what their organizations need to communicate in order to be successful. A former scientist, his academic career was interrupted by a brain tumor that he survived, not once, but 3 times. He is currently writing a book, Beyond The Fear, an autobiographical account, and research-based guide for overcoming fear, finding strength, undergoing change, finding passion, and building relationships. Luis started his career as a scientist in fungal genetics and plant genomics until a brain tumor affected his cognitive capacities.  He now calls himself a ‘recovering scientist’ who has dedicated his life to his family, endurance athletics, and, to coaching leaders to achieve positive, sustainable, and measurable results at interpersonal, and organizational levels.  He also facilitates the Interpersonal Dynamics class at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and writes for Harvard Business Review Ascend.  In this episode we discuss:  How Luis was raised in Guatemala during the Civil War and what life was like for him as a child living in poverty. His educational journey that began when he had a scholarship opportunity to attend college in the United States, then returned to Guatemala for three years and was later able to return to the US to earn his undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. degrees. Luis’ experience with his first brain tumor, feeling like he failed miserably after recovering from it, and how he had to make significant career changes as a result. How Luis’ entry into the coaching profession occurred serendipitously during a job interview and how he has since been helping people adapt and thrive reflecting on his own experiences and his science background. His unique and positive perspectives on the challenges and experiences he has encountered. How his drive to succeed comes from his desire to raise his two children to be kind, strong, confident, and “to bloom where they are planted.”  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 035

035 – Adapt and Thrive - Luis Velasquez

Phuong Luong is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and founder of Just Wealth, a virtual, fee-only financial planning practice serving moderate-income clients. Previously, she was the Director of Financial Services for a national nonprofit, managing the recruitment, hiring, and training of financial counselors. She also trains organizations on building effective and culturally relevant financial programs for marginalized communities and provides education on structural economic inequality. Her first career was as a math educator, special education case manager, and curriculum developer, for public schools throughout New England. Phuong is a member of CFP Board’s Council on Education and the Center for Financial Planning’s Diversity Advisory Group, to build recruitment pathways for planners from underrepresented communities and to retain them in the profession. Phuong earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.Ed in Special Education from Boston University. She completed the Financial Planning Program at Boston University. Please join me in welcoming Phuong Luong. In this episode we discuss:  How making an impact has always been a driver for Phuong. Her journey from teaching to becoming a financial planner and coach, and the strategies she used to determine what would be next in her career. Her perspective on distinguishing between income, work, and job, with her desire to align all three. How her ultimate goal is to clear barriers to other people’s success and how she has strived to address that in each stage of her career. Traveling in Asia for a few months taught her that being a digital nomad was not for her. How she tailors her message to her audience, yet still lives her passion.  Listen, subscribe and read show notes at  - episode 003

003: Clearing Barriers to Opportunity - Phuong Luong

The Best Multi-Part Documentaries, with documentaries on Obama, Federer vs Nadal, the making of Star Wars, Netflix vs Blockbuster and more. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Multi-Part Documentaries

The best podcast episodes on global issues affecting everyone. Covering topics such as the #metoo movement, climate change, the impact of technology and some of the biggest global issues facing us right now. For anyone interested in learning more about the world, and some of the issues we're facing, pick an episode below and start listening! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!