Many of us go through quite the physical transformation in our 20’s. Our metabolism slows down and we can no longer eat junk food for every meal. When we get older, we have to be more intentional about our fitness routines. I invited Kawan Karadaghi onto the podcast to help with this. Kawan’s story will hopefully serve as inspiration for your own journey. Kawan was in his 20s, out of shape, and smoking a pack of cigarettes a day when he got a knock on his door from a friend asking if he wanted t...
Aug 30, 2021•52 min•Ep. 42
Nate Dukes is an author, speaker, property investor, leader at his church, and serves on the board of a non-profit for underprivileged youth. Already an impressive resume for someone in their 30s. But what is even more impressive is the journey Nate took to get here. After getting busted for stealing a car, Nate spent 6 months in a Tennessee jail. He was written off as a lost cause and told that he’d never change. Nate decided to tear up that script by getting focused on what he wants and making...
Aug 16, 2021•49 min•Ep. 41
In our last episode, we covered so much material about taxes including terminology, the US tax system, and retirement accounts. One topic that came up but we didn’t get to discuss extensively was Health Savings Accounts or HSA. I was going to let this go as I always have an endless list of topics I wish I could have covered with my guests but both Sean and I agreed HSAs were too important of a topic to be left unturned. So Sean agreed to come back on and share more of his knowledge. A high deduc...
Aug 01, 2021•28 min•Ep. 40
A month ago, I went to Instagram and asked what money topics you’d like to learn more about. To my utter surprise, taxes had the most votes. I figured side hustles, investing, even budgeting would attract more attention but maybe I failed to realize the desire you had to learn and feel more confident about this perplexing topic. I went looking for a guest that had a deep understanding in this field but could also explain terminology and foundational concepts in a simplistic, engaging way. In my ...
Jul 19, 2021•59 min•Ep. 39
At one point or another, you’ll probably have to deal with apartment hunting. For some, online searching and taking tours is exciting. For myself, it’s exhausting. You find the perfect place: the floor plan works, it has the amenities you were hoping for, and it’s in the area you want to live. That’s when you check the most important factor: how much does it cost? If you have my luck, it’s just outside your budget. But your move out date is quickly approaching and you haven’t found a viable alte...
Jul 05, 2021•57 min•Ep. 38
Today's guest is Tim Traill. Tim has spent three decades working his way up to a Corporate Executive in the financial services industry. Last year, Tim decided he needed a career break. As you’ll hear, the beginning of his break was a challenging period. Tim was missing a sense of purpose and community he found through work. That was until he stumbled into TikTok. It started as a joke with his kids. He created DIY videos showcasing home improvement, decor ideas, and handyman tips but what starte...
Jun 21, 2021•53 min•Ep. 37
Imagine if you had two years to travel the globe in order to better understand happiness. Where would you go? I’m assuming the Nordic countries who I hear always rank high on the World Happiness Report. Potentially Australia and New Zealand? They seem to be happy down there. What about places that aren’t known for happiness but more so the opposite? I feel like it would be important to understand that perspective. Well, that’s exactly what today’s guest did. Joining me on the podcast is Dr. Ali ...
Jun 06, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 36
Most of us have this exciting yet frustrating thing we call a career path. One day we know what our calling is and how we are going to get there only for us to break down in panic the next day. Careers are fascinating because we have to balance what we enjoy, what we are good at, what the world needs, and how we’re going to pay the bills. As you go through your 20s, you’ll have to make many career decisions. Go broad or narrow in? Take a chance with this new opportunity or stay the course? Make ...
May 24, 2021•53 min•Ep. 35
If you have a skill of finding free food, you’re consistently dealing with an unreliable laptop or phone, or you furnished your apartment with cheap furniture from family and Craigslist, I’m assuming you might be a broke 20-something. “I Need a Dollar” by Aloe Blacc probably hits a little different. My guest today knows a thing or two about this stage of life. Erin Lowry is the author of the 3-part book series, Broke Millennial. Her newest book, Broke Millennial Talks Money shares advice on how ...
May 10, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 34
One of the best experiences of my 20s has been living on my own. Sure, I have to buy my own groceries and dirty dishes aren’t going to magically disappear, but moving out of my parent’s house gave me the challenge to start figuring things out on my own. One thing I do really miss about mom and dad’s is all of the space in their house. My tiny apartment doesn’t compete with my parent’s spacious, midwest suburban home. There is no garage or basement let alone a spare kitchen cabinet for any excess...
Apr 26, 2021•46 min•Ep. 33
At one point or another, you've felt undervalued at work. Maybe you believe you should be paid more, be given more responsibility, or get a promotion. But believing it doesn’t get us very far. How do we actually get what we want? Today’s guest believes it starts by becoming a self-advocate. She’s going to explain how to get the confidence to do that without coming off as bragging or boasting. Stephanie Ritz is a career consultant and mindset transformation coach. She founded Claim Your Career wh...
Apr 12, 2021•48 min•Ep. 32
How would you feel about retiring 5, 10, even 20 years earlier than you planned? This probably raises some skeptical eyebrows but hundreds of people are doing just that through a movement called FIRE: financial independence, retire early. Inside groups pursuing FIRE, it’s common to hear of a couple who retired in their mid-40s. With time, discipline, and understanding of basic financial concepts, I believe you can do this as well. Joel O’Leary is here with me today to talk about his experience w...
Mar 29, 2021•55 min•Ep. 31
I’m assuming the job you have now isn’t the position you want forever. Most of us hope as we learn new skills and take on more responsibilities, we will get the opportunity to move up within our company. But why do some people seem to get the opportunity for promotions while others find themselves in the same role for years and years? My guest today believes it all starts with doing the little things right, like being dependable. Mason Burchette started out as a Technician at Best Buy Metals mak...
Mar 15, 2021•58 min•Ep. 30
Today’s guest is former NFL offensive lineman, Marques Ogden. Marques played in the NFL for nearly 6 years. He was drafted in the 2003 by the Jaguars and went on to play with the Ravens, Bills, and Titans. While his NFL career ended in 2007, this was only the start of Marques’ rollercoaster life story. After leaving the NFL, he started Kayden Premier Enterprises which grew to the largest minority owned subcontractor in the state of Maryland. Life was good until a bad business deal sent Marques’ ...
Mar 01, 2021•41 min•Ep. 29
Why don’t we feel better equipped to handle our finances when we get into the real world? My guest today is working to solve that issue. On the show with me is Tracey Bissett, President and Chief Financial Fitness Trainer at Bissett Financial Fitness. Tracey has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and after moving on from her successful career in banking, she’s now focused on helping young adults and entrepreneurs achieve their financial goals. Tracey is also the Host ...
Feb 15, 2021•52 min•Ep. 28
Today’s guests are Brett Cooper and Evans Kerrigan, Co-Founders of Integris Performance Advisors which is focused on improving team performance. They also co-authored a book called Solving the People Problem: Essential Skills You Need to Lead and Succeed in Today’s Workplace. In their book and in this episode, Brett and Evans use their understanding of emotional intelligence and the DISC personality test to provide an easy model to follow called DISC EQ. This framework will help you communicate ...
Feb 01, 2021•59 min•Ep. 27
Today’s guest is Jay Williams, the Founder of Maskless Men, an community based organization built for men to discuss the things we normally don’t get to talk about: break ups, emotions, family and parenting issues, sex, porn, the feeling of being inadequate, and more. Jay started Maskless Men after he saw the need for men to have a place to open up, share how they’re feeling, and gain some reassurance. In this conversation, Jay will talk about his 28 years of wearing what he calls masks. After b...
Jan 18, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 26
Today’s guest is Jared Schuster, Founder of Sparks of Consciousness which focuses on serving people who feel purposeless. In this conversation, Jared brings us through his last decade which included graduating through the 2008 recession, learning from yogis in India, a car accident that broke both of his legs, working with Shaman in South America, and much more. By listening to this episode, you’ll learn about following your intuition, networking practices that work, and questions to help you un...
Jan 04, 2021•59 min•Ep. 25
Today’s guest is Christen Brandt, Co-Founder and Chief Programs Officer at She’s the First, an organization working to create a world where girls are safe and have equal rights. At the end of 2019, She’s the First had a presence in over 21 countries, had over 500 graduates of partner programs, and reached over 11,000 girls. 2020 has brought even more success for She’s the First, Christen, and her co-founder Tammy Tibbetts. The two of them can now call themselves authors, as their new book, Impac...
Dec 21, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 24
There is no doubt that humans are causing long-term destruction to the environment because of our decisions. So what can we do to do our part in helping the planet? Today’s guest, Tippi Thole, was asking herself the same question when she heard her son talking about zero waste. That kicked off a News Year’s resolution to reduce her trash. Her efforts paid off. Today, her family’s weekly trash can fit into the palm of your hand. Tippi is here to convince us that we can do the same without it bein...
Dec 07, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 23
Today’s guest is James Aiken, Founder and President of Legacy Search, an independent recruiting agency in South Carolina. Over the last 8 months, COVID has wreaked havoc on many industries causing massive layoffs. I’ve had friends that have worked for airlines, restaurants, hotels, oil and gas, entertainment all lose their job. I’ve also heard from those that are gearing up to make a change. One gift of COVID has been that it has given us plenty of time to think, figure out what is important to ...
Nov 23, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 22
Today’s guest is Dr. Benjamin Ritter, Founder of Live for Yourself Consulting. Ben’s current chapter of life began when he got a wake up call walking into work one day. He was on his way to a Chicago medical center where he worked as an Executive in healthcare administration. As he glanced at fellow commuters that passed him on the sidewalk, he realized they all carried the same feelings on their face: unhappiness, resentfulness, defeat. Taking in the energy of that morning commute made him have...
Nov 09, 2020•42 min•Ep. 21
Today’s guest is Dany Dao, the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Renaissance Group. Dany is a wildly interesting skill builder whose list of competencies include photographer, videographer, tailor, barber, magician, break dancer, and linguist. Dany was a computer science major turned college dropout with the intention of pursuing photography full-time. Quite an uneasy decision for someone with Asian immigrant parents but as you can guess, things worked out. He created Renaissance Group where h...
Oct 26, 2020•55 min•Ep. 20
Today’s guest is Ryan Bennett, who developed a method called The Intentional Growth Model to help people reach their full potential. Ryan’s profile includes being an ESPN Academic All-American, founding member of a tech start-up, high-performance coach, speaker, and author of The Intentional Day. But these titles didn’t come easy. With the competitive fire leftover from collegiate baseball and a freshly printed degree in hand, Ryan set out to Silicon Valley to start building his business empire....
Oct 12, 2020•53 min•Ep. 19
Today’s guest is Angela Marie, Founder of Find Your Purpose and Shine. During a thriving 19-year career in network marketing, Angela often found herself giving advice and coaching other professionals on how to succeed in the industry. That experience, and going through a live transformation of her own, lead her to creating her coaching business and writing a book titled “Get Overself Yourself and Find Your Purpose and Shine.” In this episode, Angela and I discuss topics such as moving on from a ...
Sep 28, 2020•51 min•Ep. 18
Today, I go solo and speak on the importance of skill acquisition. I believe learning new things will not only lead to professional advancements but a more meaningful, personal life as well. In this episode, I give a framework for how you can start learning something new. I will also caution you on obstacles to look out for and how to overcome them. This episode is perfect for someone who feels they’re living a mundane life and looking to change that today. Key Takeaways: [3:02] Why you should p...
Sep 14, 2020•30 min•Ep. 17
Today’s guest is Brenden Kumarasamy, a speaking coach and Founder of MasterTalk. Growing up poor in Montreal, Brenden started seeking a better life for himself and his mom. He competed in case competitions in college which landed him a consulting job at IBM. After speaking over 400 times, he has now turned his attention to helping others find their public speaking talents. He founded MasterTalk with the goal of being the top YouTube channel focused on public speaking. In this episode, you’ll hea...
Aug 31, 2020•53 min•Ep. 16
Today’s guest is Jonathan Miller, a speaker, facilitator, and communication coach. He is also the host of the incredible podcast, Mindful Communication, where he has conversations with thinkers and influencers about the art and science of connection. In this episode, Jonathan and I discuss why there is not a right or wrong whenever it comes to communication. He also gives advice on how to say no to an invite, how to give a powerful apology, and how to take on someone else’s perspective. This epi...
Aug 17, 2020•58 min•Ep. 15
Today’s guest is Steve Gillen, Senior Executive at Marsh & McLennan Agency, with over 35 years of management and leadership experience. I was fortunate to work along side Steve for over 7 years. He’s a people first leader whom is both fair and challenging. In this episode, we will discuss how to become a better leader, addressing performance issues within your team, how to gain trust with more senior leaders, and much more. This episode is perfect for first time managers looking to grow into exc...
Aug 03, 2020•52 min•Ep. 14
Today’s episode is a little different than the usual interview style format. Gaby Deimeke and I have officially been dating for one year, so I invited her on the show to have a discussion about the past year together. We share insights including what we’ve learned about each other, what we plan to work on in year two, and break down what’s worked for us so far. We are far from perfect but we are hoping that we might just say something that you can try out in your relationship. Key Takeaways: [8:...
Jul 20, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 13
