On The Job - podcast cover

On The Job

Express Employment Professionalswww.iheart.com

For the 8th season of "On The Job," host Avery Thompson shares stories of folks making pivots in their professional - and personal - lives. Whether it's a successful athlete transitioning into a new career off the field, a fly fishing tour guide trying to introduce a new segment of folks to the joys of the outdoors, or a stadium beer and hot dog hawker who doubles as the CEO of a red-hot start-up, we'll find out what drives them, how they've managed their pivots and what lies ahead. Strap in for eight more entertaining and heartfelt stories of people finding their life's work.

"On The Job" is brought to you by Express Employment Professions. 

Episodes

Giving Back To Those Who Served

For the Calabrese family, based in Utica, New York, serving their community is a family tradition. In 2013, John Calabrese Sr. and his wife Lori embarked on a new career by opening up their own Express Employment Professionals franchise. Intrigued by the business, their son, John Jr., joined the cause and began doing the important work of matching candidates with companies and vice versa. Along the way, he noted that a lot of the area's unemployed were also veterans - many of them homeless and s...

May 10, 202115 minSeason 5Ep. 2

When Sales Is a Calling

How do you tap into your inner salesperson? For Chris Lundy, a late-bloomer and raconteur who takes pleasure in knowing that the medication he sells can change lives, it's all a matter of attitude. And after a stint in the PR department for the Philadelphia Eagles, his segue into pharma sales has provided him with plenty of championship moments. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

May 03, 202118 minSeason 5Ep. 1

To Be Good At This Job, You Just Have To Be...Good

For those of us fortunate enough to be able to work from home during the pandemic, our new normal finds us juggling the pressures of work, family and health in ways we hadn't previously experienced. Imagine being responsible for 45 elderly folks spread across three bucolic residential homes during all of this? And not just accounting for them, but catering to their every need, honoring their extremely specific food requests, staging an elaborate Easter party and tending to their life and death m...

Jun 30, 202022 minSeason 4Ep. 8

Comfort Food With Dignity

Catering - and food service in general - is a challenging work in the best of times. And now, with public-facing events still mostly shut down, Heather Bublick and her business partner/chef/husband D'Andre Carter have found new ways to bring their gourmet comfort food to the masses via "Soul & Smoke." They're serving their delicious fare to school kids in need, unemployed hospital workers, nursing homes and "the populations that need us most" in their native Chicago. You can make donations t...

Jun 23, 202017 minSeason 4Ep. 7

Gimme The Asphalt!

Just about 200,000 of the estimated 3.5 million truckers on the road today are women - and that number represents a 65% increase over the last decade. Today we catch up with one of them, Ingrid Brown, a 5'2" 50-something grandma who's been driving a rig for over four decades. Calling from the cab of her truck, Ingrid, whose role has been deemed "essential" throughout the Covid-19 crisis, gives us insight into what keeps her happily rolling across the country as she surpasses the 4 million mile m...

Jun 16, 202018 minSeason 4Ep. 6

Answering the Call

For Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), the coronavirus is only the latest chapter in a vocation that requires constant vigilance. Meet Kyle Robillard, an EMT/Fireman/Sports Doctor, who tells us how multi-tasking tends to be a way of life for emergency responders, even as the stakes become more personal. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Jun 09, 202015 minSeason 4Ep. 5

Winds of Change

Wind turbines have changed the way our country operates and are only becoming more popular – creating highly skilled jobs along the way. In this episode, we talk to skilled technician Jim Slicer as he maintains turbines in Vermont. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 02, 202013 minSeason 4Ep. 4

A Labor of Love

Teachers and school administrators have been navigating the new normal and attempting to continue doing what they've always done: enrich the knowledge and lives of students everywhere. In this episode, elementary school teacher Gail Campopiano shares the ways in which her approach to her role has changed, and the deeper connections that make teaching such a rewarding, if at times difficult, profession. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/li...

May 27, 202016 minSeason 4Ep. 3

Dr. Julie Gurner

How can you do your job better, advance in your career and unlock your potential? Listen along as Dr. Julie Gurner, Executive Performance Coach, shares how to identify and understand behaviors that allow people to level up in their careers and everyday lives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

May 19, 202015 minSeason 4Ep. 2

The Cartographer

Meet Tom Harrison, a former park ranger turned cartographer, as he patiently navigates the world around him and turns his adventures into high-quality maps. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 12, 202017 minSeason 4Ep. 1

More Than A Job: The Story of Jim Laurita

How can a job become more than a job? Sometimes a job becomes an identity and a legacy through all the people your job touches. How you live on through the people you know and had an effect on. This is the story of an elephant trainer and activist, Jim Laurita, who died a few years ago. Jim was adored by the community and started an organization called “Hope for Elephants” to help rehab hurt elephants and educate the community. When he died mysteriously, the community was devastated. This story ...

Jun 26, 201926 minSeason 3Ep. 8

Love Stories

Can a job lead to a life-changing relationship? In this episode, listen to several short stories of couples falling in love - on the job. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 19, 201923 minSeason 3Ep. 7

Tiny Yet Fierce

How many jobs are there where you need to know and trust the person next to you, because there might be a time where your fate is in their hands and vice-versa? Meet Anna Nadler - a 27 year old civil engineer, and firefighter, from Massachusetts. Small in stature and sweet as can be, Anna got addicted to smoke-eating a few years back and is now one of the best firefighters on the force. By day Anna runs construction and engineering crews building bridges and roads. At night she is on call as a f...

Jun 12, 201924 minSeason 3Ep. 6

A Brush with Fame

Avery Thompson is a funny, heartfelt and eccentric filmmaker and radio producer who has done almost every job under the sun. Like many 20 year-olds, he had big plans of what he was going to do with his life – he was determined to be the next Orson Welles. Unable to find someone to fund his creative endeavors and a portfolio of nothing more than a few zany student films, Avery took a summer job with a landscaping company in the Hamptons, determined he would meet the right people to eventually hel...

Jun 05, 201914 minSeason 3Ep. 5

Five Loaves & Two Fishes: Filling the Hunger Gap

Linda McKinney is an Italian woman in McDowell, West Virginia who runs the Five Loaves & Two Fishes food bank with her husband. In a down-and-out coal town, she is single-handedly responsible for feeding 150 families each week. An interesting and eccentric character, Linda McKinney is a wonderful example of the goodness of humanity against all odds. Linda does her job with humility and without a need for thanks – because she does it for the people she knows and cares about. Where you come fr...

May 29, 201923 minSeason 3Ep. 4

Master of a Dying Art

Jim Ellis is a master of a dying art. Meet this 80 year old blacksmith from Cape Cod who is committed to making sure one trade isn’t lost to time. What happens to an occupation like blacksmithing if the next generation doesn’t learn the skills needed to see it survive? What happens to these occupations when the ones who do them move on? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

May 22, 201919 minSeason 3Ep. 3

Maple Syrup Brothers

What does it take to be a young farmer in a digital age? This is the story of two young brothers rising in the maple syrup industry in Vermont. Hear how important the Stewart brothers’ highly loyal and supportive community is to surviving and running a small agrarian business in 2019. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

May 15, 201920 minSeason 3Ep. 2

Healthy Roots

Meet Yelitsa - a next-level, twenty-something entrepreneur who started her own company, Healthy Roots Dolls , to teach young black girls about natural hair. Listen to the emotional ride of starting your own company when you decide to put yourself out there, kick open doors, make connections and plant seeds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

May 08, 201921 minSeason 3Ep. 1

Entrepreneurial Dreams: Passion in Puns

Merrily Grashin's career began in New York City, doodling images and writing clever puns about the world that surrounded her while waitressing and bartending. Encouraged by the people she met along the way, she used her natural skill as an artist to launch her own greeting card and print business. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

May 11, 201814 minSeason 2Ep. 8

On the Job with Radio Host Enrique Santos

Enrique Santos loves his job as the popular host of 2 nationally syndicated radio shows. But his path to radio was not a traditional one. Listen to why Enrique devotes his career to remaining open to the opportunities often sitting right in front of him. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 17, 201819 minSeason 2Ep. 7

Never Too Late: One Man’s Journey from Temp Job to CEO

Owning one’s own company is a dream for many. Listen to the incredible story of how a temporary position through the Express Employment Professionals in Hickory, North Carolina, set one man on the path toward ownership and the C-suite. We’ll meet this remarkable individual and learn what it takes to rise to the top. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Mar 20, 201817 minSeason 2Ep. 6

Concrete Plans: An Unconventional Journey

Liz Nichols had a checklist - she wanted to work outdoors, and make good money to support her family. After a few false starts, she found just the right fit as a concrete mason. Even though she was often the only woman on the job, she learned to navigate that new world with grace and will pass along to her son, the lessons that hard work and perseverance are rewarded. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Mar 13, 201819 minSeason 2Ep. 5

Back in Action: An Injured Soldier’s Path Forward

Chris Bruer joined the Army in 2006 with the hopes of helping others while serving his country. 10 years and 27 countries later, Chris was forced into medical retirement after suffering a devastating spinal injury. After a decade in the military, Bruer wanted to forge a new path forward and turned to Express Employment Professionals to help him continue his personal mission of helping people in need. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/list...

Mar 06, 201825 minSeason 2Ep. 4

Forget the Big City … It’s the Country Life for Me

Katelyn and Brendan Foley had enough of the corporate rat-race in New York City, so they packed-up and headed for the Hudson Valley to begin new lives as farmers. In just two short years, they started their own business, the Hoofprint Cheese Company, while still working day jobs to pay the bills. Follow along as this young couple works to turn the Hoofprint Cheese Company into their full-time dream. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/liste...

Feb 27, 201821 minSeason 2Ep. 3

Mazel Tov: Stories from a Late-In-Life Rabbi

Jay Shupack wore many hats throughout the course of his professional life – actor, door-to-door insurance salesman, psychologist, and more. But nothing prepared him for his latest and greatest career move: becoming a Rabbi. After years of soul-searching and some unexpected twists and turns, Rabbi Shupack now believes he’s performing his life-long mission where the synagogue is his stage and the sermons his monologue. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See om...

Feb 19, 201826 minSeason 2Ep. 2

The Second Act: From Dentist in China to LA Musician

Mr. Song left his home in China and moved to Los Angeles after his wife passed away. He had plans to continue practicing his lifelong career of dentistry, but when things don't work out quite as he had planned, Mr. Song decided to switch gears by bringing the erhu, a traditional Chinese folk instrument, to his new American audience. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Feb 13, 201821 minSeason 2Ep. 1

Caregiver and Friend: More than a job

We meet two women, one a caregiver, the other nearly a centenarian. We learn about what it takes to make their relationship work, and how the caregiver's job is central to the older woman's independence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 13, 201720 min

Gimme Shelter: Helping neighbors find the right home

We meet Terrica Ellis, a rental agent, and Mitch McNeal, an executive at a faith-based chain of assisted living facilities. Express Employment Professionals found them the perfect jobs for their next steps. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 06, 201724 min