More Than Work

In this episode of More Than Work , Rabiah sits down with Bhavana Solanky, a Senior Research Fellow and MRI Physicist at UCL's Queen Square MS Centre. Bhavana shares how a love of astrophysics — sparked by watching Armageddon as a teenager — led her to a career using physics to directly help people living with disease. She opens up about the role of MS patient involvement in shaping research, her...

In this episode of More Than Work , Rabiah sits down with Lynn Harris, founder and CEO of Gold Comedy — a comedy school, professional network, and content studio built for women, non-binary folks, and anyone who's ever felt like an outsider in the comedy world. Lynn shares her winding career path from journalism to Oxygen to human rights advocacy, and how it all led to creating a space where comed...

(tw: mention of suicidal ideation) In this episode of 'More Than Work,' host Rabiah Coon sits down with Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist and creator of the Substack newsletter "Endless Urgency." Mike shares his compelling personal journey from struggling with depression and weight management to becoming a prominent voice in Democratic politics and digital strategy. He opens up about his philos...

In this episode of 'More Than Work,' Rabiah sits down with Jessica DeGroot, president and founder of the ThirdPath Institute. Jessica shares how her organization has been advocating for work-life integration for 25 years, operating as a virtual organization long before the pandemic made remote work mainstream. She discusses the importance of creating partnerships at home and in the workplace, supp...

In this episode of 'More Than Work,' Rabiah sits down with Dave Birss, founder of the Gen AI Academy and LinkedIn Learning instructor specializing in AI and prompting. Dave shares his fascinating journey from musician and recording engineer to BBC comedy performer, then through a 20-year advertising career before becoming one of the leading voices in AI education. They discuss his unique approach...

In this episode of 'More Than Work,' Rabiah sits down with Freddie Titcombe, co-founder of Evolve Journey. Freddie shares how he and his brother turned their personal journaling practice into a bestselling all-in-one journal and a thriving community focused on reflection, action, and accountability. He discusses the challenges of building discipline, the importance of balancing the four pillars of...

In this episode, Rabiah talks with Ravi Holy—a vicar, comedian, and leader of a therapeutic program for adult survivors of child abuse. Ravi shares his remarkable journey from punk theater and addiction to recovery, faith, and finding his calling in the Church of England. He discusses the intersection of comedy, ministry, and therapy, the challenges of serving a community, and the importance of ho...

In this episode of 'More Than Work,' Rabiah sits down with Has Shah, the owner of Cleaners and Coffee in London. Has shares how his background in fashion retail and passion for coffee led him to take over his father's dry cleaning business and transform it into a unique community space that offers both high-quality garment care and exceptional coffee. He discusses the influence of his upbringing,...

In this episode of 'More Than Work,' host Rabiah sits down with Amanda Castello, Associate Director of Employee Engagement at UCSD's Rady School of Business, Ayurvedic coach, and yoga teacher. They discuss Amanda's journey from Michigan to San Diego, her career evolution, the importance of communication skills in job seeking, and her work in career coaching. Amanda also delves into her holistic we...

Sue Kurta on Cheesemaking, Changing Careers, and Embracing Life's Passions Rabiah welcomes Sue Kurta, owner and cheesemaker at Boss Mouse Cheese, to this episode of 'More Than Work'. Sue shares her intriguing journey from working in the music industry, transitioning to a successful administrative career, and eventually finding her passion for cheesemaking. The episode delves into Sue's life on her...

In this episode of 'More Than Work', host Rabiah Coon sits down with Yesim Nicholson, an author, podcast host, and career coach. They discuss Yesim's diverse career journey, managing career changes, and the important aspects of finding fulfillment beyond job titles. The conversation also delves into Yesim's book 'Ready to Quit Your Job?' and her insights on balancing financial concerns with career...

In this episode of More Than Work, host Rabiah interviews M. Brady, a psychotherapist and musician, who shares his journey from being a professional tennis player to discovering his passion for psychotherapy and music. M discusses his long career in therapy, his struggle with anxiety and vulnerability, and how these experiences influenced his album. He also reflects on the impacts of early humilia...

In this episode of 'More Than Work,' host Rabiah engages in a profound conversation with Kileen Barry, founder of Kaizen Collective and a sex therapist. They dive into Kileen's journey from digital marketing to therapy, exploring her motivations, influences, and the pivotal books 'Come As You Are' and 'Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.' The discussion covers Kileen's academic path, her unique appr...

In this captivating episode of 'More Than Work,' our host Rabiah Coon engages with AJ Waters, the visionary behind Stronger Skatepark. From the initial spark of passion for skateboarding to the creation of an inclusive community space, AJ shares the journey of founding Stronger Skatepark. Listeners will gain insights into the hurdles of entrepreneurship, the power of community-building, and the si...

In this episode of 'More Than Work', a podcast on personal and professional fulfillment, host Rabiah engages in an insightful discussion with Jessica Berg. Berg is the founder of 'Moon Rock Wellness', a digital platform designed to help busy individuals, particularly working mothers, cultivate everyday habits of wellness. Jessica shares her personal journey leading to the creation of Moon Rock Wel...

Fernando Kabigting: From Corporate to Creative Life In this episode of More Than Work, host Rabiah Coon talks with their guest, Fernando Kabigting. They delve into Fernando's life-changing decision to leave his corporate job in fashion to enter the creative industry, specifically floral design. Fernando touches on his experiences from starting in advertising, transitioning to fashion, to eventuall...

In this episode of 'More Than Work', Rabiah, an IT professional and stand-up comedian, talks to guest Sean Arkless about his journey from low self-confidence and working in retail to becoming the co-founder of Sjark Limited and vocalist of the London based band, 'Hello Amnesia'. Sean shares his experiences as a freelancer and his decision to start his own music production company. He also discusse...

This week’s guest is Mark Nicholas, comedian, comedy workshop leader and tutor.  After getting his comedy start while on an extended trip to Vietnam, Mark has been working his way around the London comedy circuit. He created his show Laugh-Able to be an inclusive space for acts with disabilities. Being autistic himself and coming from a family of those serving or caring for others with disabi...

This week’s guest is Dr. Jeanne Retief, founder of FIGGI. FIGGI a community created out of career change and wanting to share with others and be a support system, and self-care products. Dr. Retief earned a PhD in Human Rights and Criminal Law. And ran a Human Rights consultancy in South Africa for 13 years. After moving to her current location in Portugal, things changed for her, in more ways tha...

his week’s guest is Elizabeth Mhangami, social entrepreneur. Lizz grew up in Zimbabwe and moved to the US when she was 19. After working in various jobs including at the Chicago Athletic Foundation, she also earned her bachelor’s degree at Loyola University. She then started the job that would define her career so far, working with young people from underserved communities.  Prior to moving t...

This week’s guest is John El-Maraghy, non-profit professional, and Director at Archangel Raphael's Mission (ARM). John is was born and raised in New Jersey where he is currently based. He started his career in impact consulting and then transitioned into non-profit. He made the move when during a time of self-discovery, he he realised he wanted to be of service.  For John, it is important for...

This week’s guest is Rani Puranik, EVP and Global CFO of Worldwide Oilfield Machine (WOM). She is also the founder of a leadership coaching company and the author of a book that launched just the day before this episode dropped!  At WOM, work is done around sustainability though environmentally responsible energy production and a focus on the people. We talk about sustainability and the broad...

This week’s guest is Christopher Kenna, founder and CEO North America at Brand Advance Group.  In this open and honest chat we get into Chris’s life growing up in Northern England in care homes, his time in the Army, working as a TV presenter and then founding his own company. Listen for details. The story is best told by him! In discussing the important work of Brand Advance Group which seek...

This week’s guest is Maz Alexander, social worker, mental wellbeing coach, comedian and passionate entrepreneur. Maz started out working as a social worker in adult social care. A thread you’ll hear in here story, and one to keep in mind as you listen, is that she listened to the advice of others when it made sense to and listened to herself as well when she decided on what work to pursue. Before...

This week’s guest is Rich Wilson, stand up comedian and host of the podcast Insane in the Men Brain. Rich did everything before he became a stand up comic having wanted to be a chef and then a mechanic. Eventually, he was a barman at Up the Creek and after some encouragement, took the stage. After about 20 years, he hasn’t stopped yet. The story is more entertaining with told by Rich so listen for...