On the Season 4 finale of Why I Left, Brian sits down with Craig Whitely, better known as Craig the Barber, who shares his inspiring journey from the world of finance to becoming an award-winning barber and founder of Burke Avenue, a premium mens grooming line. Discover how a passion for barbering, ignited by a simple gift from his father, led Craig to leap from bankings rigid structure to entrepreneurship, building a trusted brand recognized by Mens Health. Craig opens up about overcoming fear,...
Aug 05, 2025•37 min•Ep. 91
Brian sits down with Jordana Cole, founder of Ignited LLC. Jordana shares her courageous decision to leave behind a successful corporate career and follow her passion for igniting leadership and transformation. Discover how her trailblazing path, from breaking barriers in her hometown to leading learning and development initiatives, helped her find her true calling. Jordana reveals the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, her philosophy on intentional, everyday leadership, and the importa...
Jul 29, 2025•49 min•Ep. 96
Brian sits down with Lori Eberly, founder of Radius Executive Coaching and co-author of "Fuckery." Lori shares her compelling journey from hospice social worker to leadership development expert, revealing how grief, transition, and trust shape meaningful career change. Discover practical, neuroscience-backed strategies for navigating loss in your professional life, building resilience, and transforming team culture. Loris trauma-informed approach provides actionable insights on overcoming toxic ...
Jul 22, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 92
Ready to break free from a traditional career path and reignite your purpose? Brian welcomes Scott Mason, the Myth Slayer, who reveals his journey from high-powered attorney to transformational coach for lawyers. Discover how Scott leverages timeless Greek mythology to help professionals unshackle themselves from limiting beliefs, conquer professional burnout, and reclaim their true identities. Scott shares pivotal moments that inspired his leap into entrepreneurship and offers practical advice ...
Jul 15, 2025•48 min•Ep. 94
Brian sits down with Chase Sterling, U.S. Army veteran, founder of Wellbeing Think Tank, and Principal Consultant at HHP Cultures. Chase shares her inspiring journey from overcoming adversity in her youth to thriving as a workplace wellbeing expert. Discover how Chases own experiences with chronic pain and career pivots fueled her mission to build resilient, supportive workplaces. She unpacks the science behind meaningful workplace wellbeing, the value of adaptable strategies, and actionable adv...
Jul 08, 2025•50 min•Ep. 93
In this powerful episode of Why I Left, Brian Aquart sits down with Zhou Fang, Founder of Intersectional Group and host of the Intersection Podcast. Zhou shares her journey from immigrant tech professional to social justice entrepreneur, highlighting the role of intersectionality in equity and inclusion work. Discover how her lived experiences inspire her consulting, the story behind her impactful Pay Transparency Report, and actionable advice for leaders aiming to create authentic change. Throu...
Jul 01, 2025•55 min•Ep. 92
Brian sits down with Danielle Perlin-Good, the Soul-Aligned Ghostwriter. Danielle shares her powerful journey from being laid off at the Chicago Tribune to launching a thriving business helping leaders, executives, and visionaries craft authentic, lasting legacies through ghostwritten books. Discover how intuition, spiritual storytelling, and real-world digital marketing experience shaped Danielles unique approach to writing for others. She reveals misconceptions about ghostwriting, practical ad...
Jun 24, 2025•30 min•Ep. 91
Brian Aquart welcomes Walt Morgan, a retired Navy helicopter pilot turned leadership coach. Walt shares his inspiring journey from the cockpit to the classroom and the corporate world, diving into the emotional realities of military separation and the profound identity shift vets often face. Discover Walts unique insights on resilience, adaptability, and why veterans leadership skills are invaluable, yet often overlooked, in civilian careers. We also discuss the power of Integral Coaching, the c...
Jun 17, 2025•45 min•Ep. 90
Dr. Makini Chisolm-Straker visits Brian to share her powerful career journey from emergency medicine physician to national leader in public policy and reparations. Shes driven by a passion for systemic justice and community well-being. Hear how her experiences in healthcare, research, and a prestigious White House fellowship led her to champion equity for Black and Indigenous communities through structural change. Makini discusses the importance of mentorship, narrative change, and creating a la...
Jun 10, 2025•51 min•Ep. 89
Brian Aquart welcomes Diane Forster, award-winning TV host, coach, and founder of I Have Today. Diane shares her inspiring journey from a 32-year ad sales career to becoming a powerhouse entrepreneur helping women reinvent themselves, especially in their second chapter of life. Discover how Diane overcame personal struggles, embraced bold change, and built successful programs empowering women to launch their own TV shows and personal brands. This episode dives deep into mindset shifts, the reali...
Jun 03, 2025•36 min•Ep. 88
Brian sits down with Myrto Legakileadership and well-being consultant, global keynote speaker, and founder of One Breath Mindfulness Center. Myrto shares her powerful journey from executive burnout to helping leaders and teams at global giants like Google and Microsoft flourish through neuroscience, psychology, and mindfulness practices. Discover actionable insights on fostering resilience, creating human-centric workplaces, and achieving sustainable high performance. Whether youre facing stress...
May 27, 2025•51 min•Ep. 87
Brian dives into the fast-paced world of sports management and brand partnerships with Nathaniel Cooke, a seasoned strategist known for his impactful work with Rucker Park, the NBA, and USA Flag. Nathaniel shares his journey from a communications grad hustling for opportunity, to brokering major deals with brands like Adidas, Lids, and the New York Knicks. Discover the real skills you need to break into sports branding, how to know when its time to move on, and the keys to building mutually bene...
May 20, 2025•29 min•Ep. 86
Brian sits down with Coonoor Behal, innovation strategist, CEO of Mindhatch, and author of I Quit: The Life-Affirming Joy of Giving Up. Together, they challenge the stigma around quitting, exploring how intentional endings can spark fulfillment and growth, both professionally and personally. Coonoor shares her journey from consulting to launching Mindhatch, the power of design thinking and improv, and real-life stories from her book that redefine the meaning of quitting. This episode offers acti...
May 13, 2025•56 min•Ep. 85
In this episode of Why I Left, host Brian Aquart sits down with Cynthia Pong, award-winning executive coach, author, and founder of Embrace Change. Cynthia shares her journey from burned out public defender to empowering women of color and nonbinary professionals to claim their worth in the workplace. Discover how Cynthia navigated burnout, built career resilience, and leads impactful programs advancing equity and authentic leadership. She reveals practical strategies for overcoming career pivot...
May 06, 2025•51 min•Ep. 84
Ready to scale your business without sacrificing your values? In this powerful episode of Why I Left, Brian Aquart sits down with Judy Weber, former trial lawyer, C-suite executive, and powerhouse Christian business coach. Discover how Judy left a toxic work environment and trusted her faith to launch a highly successful entrepreneurial journey, guiding Christian women to build seven-figure businesses rooted in integrity. Judy shares her Joyful Scaling Method, unpacks the real relationship betwe...
Apr 29, 2025•55 min•Ep. 83
Brian Aquart sits down with Michael Dermer, a healthcare pioneer and serial entrepreneur, to explore his transformative journey from a high-stakes legal career to founding the industry-shaping company, IncentOne. Michael shares how he navigated one of the toughest economic crises in recent history, turning potential devastation into a groundbreaking mission with the Lonely Entrepreneur platform. Learn how resilience, passion, and strategic thinking can carve out new opportunities and redefine en...
Apr 22, 2025•47 min•Ep. 79
Brian sits down with Rachel Franco, a learning and organizational development leader. Rachel shares her journey from a marketing executive to a change-maker in organizational innovation. Discover how she courageously left a toxic work environment without a backup plan and navigated significant career transitions. Rachel discusses the critical role of leadership quality and organizational culture in driving innovation and effectiveness. She also shares insights on leveraging emotional intelligenc...
Apr 15, 2025•33 min•Ep. 81
Brian delves into the journey of Elena Agaragimova, a driving force in talent development and leadership. From academia to entrepreneurship, Elena shares how her career pivots have shaped her unique approach to unlocking human potential. Explore her insights into cultural dynamics across 14 countries, the evolving expectations in talent acquisition, and the pivotal moments that led her to co-found ventures like Bessern and Bloom Youth. Discover Elena's latest mission with Shift, focusing on perf...
Apr 08, 2025•50 min•Ep. 80
Selena Ng joins the show to share how she navigates change with resilience and strategic insight. Let's uncover the secrets behind transformative career moves and the intricate world of HR leadership. We delve deep into: Selena's Discovery in HR : Learn how a rotational leadership program led Serena to find her true calling in HR, setting her on a path of relentless growth and adaptability. Leadership in a Global Context : From managing senior leaders to adapting to different cultures, explore S...
Apr 01, 2025•37 min•Ep. 79
In the Season 4 debut of "Why I Left," I had the pleasure of speaking with Timm Chiusano, a former high-powered marketing and branding executive who made the bold decision to leave his corporate role after over a decade at a major telecommunications company. Timm's journey is a compelling narrative of self-reflection, clarity, and the pursuit of purpose. This episode is a powerful reminder of the importance of self-discovery and the courage it takes to pursue one's true calling. Timm's story is ...
Mar 25, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 78
New season. New stories. Same powerful mission. Why I Left is BACK with Season 4, and were diving even deeper into the real stories behind career transitions. From bold leaps of faith to unexpected pivots, our guests are redefining success on their own termsand sharing exactly how they did it. This season, expect: Raw, unfiltered career transition stories Insights from entrepreneurs, executives, and everyday professionals Game-changing lessons on growth, resilience, and reinvention If youve ever...
Mar 18, 2025•4 min•Ep. 1
In the Season 3 finale of Why I Left, Brian Aquart sits down with Maurice Philogene, an investor, entrepreneur, coach, and philanthropist with a remarkable story. Maurice defied his parents' conventional money blueprint, leaving behind stable careers at Accenture and the police department during the pandemic. Discover how his journey of financial freedom through real estate, travels to over 100 countries, and impactful coaching has inspired others to pursue a fulfilling lifestyle. Maurice delves...
Jun 25, 2024•50 min•Ep. 77
Brian welcomes TJ Murphy, Owner/Partner, Hite Digital and host of the Adventurous Entrepreneurs podcast. Discover TJ's journey from a corporate job to traveling through Asia and ultimately founding his own marketing agency in Bend, Oregon. Learn the secrets to his success as a solopreneur, including the power of community building, mentorship, and a positive mindset. TJ shares invaluable marketing tips for small business owners and emphasizes the importance of a strong digital marketing strategy...
Jun 18, 2024•46 min•Ep. 76
Brian welcomes Natalie Serebrennik, founder of Natalie Serebrennik Coaching and Consulting. Natalie shares her journey from a 16-year capital markets career to becoming a career coach. She opens up about overcoming imposter syndrome, the importance of self-advocacy, and how the pandemic led her to reevaluate her professional life. Natalie emphasizes career planning, confident communication, and the pivotal moment that sparked her self-advocacy journey. Brian and Natalie discuss the mental aspect...
Jun 11, 2024•54 min•Ep. 75
Brian Aquart chats with Dave Won, founder and CEO of Budget Captain, who shares his journey of building a successful business while maintaining a nine-to-five job. Dave's holistic approach to financial transformation has helped numerous individuals eliminate credit card debt and achieve financial stability. He emphasizes the importance of addressing both the psychological and practical aspects of money to create lasting change. Dave's clients have seen a 60% decrease in time spent being stressed...
Jun 04, 2024•35 min•Ep. 74
Send us a Text Message. Brian Aquart learns about the journey of Kenneth Ellington, a cybersecurity expert who left the financial services industry to establish the Ellington Cyber Academy. Kenneth shares his passion for empowering individuals, especially people of color, in cybersecurity and discusses the ever-growing demand for professionals in the field. Through his coaching program, Kenneth provides essential hands-on experience and practical skills to help students secure roles in cybersecu...
May 28, 2024•43 min•Ep. 73
Send us a Text Message. Brian Aquart sits down with Abha Malpani-Naismith, a dynamic digital PR and social media communications specialist who bravely left her corporate job to redesign a life that harmonizes her career aspirations and parenthood. With over 17 years of experience, Abha shares her journey, the challenges of balancing work and family, and how she leverages emerging technologies like AI to achieve her goals. Discover the strategies behind her successful newsletter for working moms,...
May 21, 2024•56 min•Ep. 72
Send us a Text Message. From a seasoned industrial engineer to a dynamic management consultant, Ali Alper Celtek shares the pivotal moments and profound insights that motivated him to pursue his passion beyond the conventional corporate world. Discover how he embraced challenges and harnessed his unique strengths in multitasking and systems analysis to redefine success on his terms. Whether you are contemplating a career shift or seeking to enhance your work life, Ali's experiences and strategie...
May 14, 2024•37 min•Ep. 71
Send us a Text Message. Join Brian Aquart as he explores Dr. Sugi Subawickramas inspiring journey from a high-paying job to embracing her true passion in mental health and coaching. In this episode, Dr. Sugi shares insights on overcoming cultural stigmas, building resilience, and finding hope after personal and professional challenges. Discover how she empowers others through her speaking engagements, YouTube channel, and consulting practices, and learn vital strategies on enhancing mental healt...
May 07, 2024•45 min•Ep. 70
Send us a Text Message. Discover how to amplify your personal brand and thrive on LinkedIn with marketing maven Rachel B. Lee. Rachel's journey from corporate brand manager to entrepreneurial luminary offers a roadmap for creating authentic connections and becoming a standout authority in your industry. Delve into her refreshing approach to personal branding, relationship building, and leveraging LinkedIn for organic engagement. Get ready for an episode packed with strategic insights, including ...
Apr 30, 2024•54 min•Ep. 69
