Search & Replace

What happens when the career you've trained for takes an unexpected turn? Mustafa Ammar's career took an unconventional odyssey from pharmacist to diplomat with dreams of cultural connection. His journey is a testament to the power of determination and self-discovery, revealing how he triumphed against all odds to secure a prestigious position at the United Nations. Tune in to Search and Replace t...

Eric Inman embarked on an unconventional career journey, driven by his deep interest in how the environment influences human psychology. Growing up, his exposure to nature through activities like backpacking and skiing shaped his perspective. He ventured into wilderness therapy, where he realized the profound impact of nature on personal growth. His passion for ecopsychology and his experiences in...

Alyssa Johnson, founder of Fearless Freedom Travel, shares her inspiring journey of personal growth and empowerment. During the pandemic, she embraced being alone, leading her to create a community on TikTok and organizing group travel experiences for women of all ages, helping them gain confidence and break free from their comfort zones. Explore how Alyssa helps others discover their bravery and...

Despite their well-written stories, Rachael Mitchell and her writing cohort faced frustration when they saw less deserving individuals getting book deals. In response, they founded The Unknown Authors Club and published an anthology featuring essays from fifteen talented but unpublished writers. Through this process, they realized they could become publishers themselves, offering services to autho...

Karolina Rzadkowolska shares her personal journey with alcohol and the struggles she faced in maintaining a healthy lifestyle while still drinking socially. Despite not experiencing extreme problems often associated with alcoholism, Karolina felt something was wrong and wanted a way out. She discovered the concept of Dry January, which permitted her to take a break from alcohol without having to e...

Adrian Archie's strong work ethic and competitive nature were instilled in him through his upbringing in a matriarchal family and his experience playing professional football. Archie followed his childhood dream of working with pets and started his own business--petNmind. He recognized the need for more information available to pet owners and aimed to create a people-centered brand that offers qua...

Milena Regos, the founder of Unhustle, discusses her journey from chasing material success to realizing the negative impact of the hustle culture on her health, relationships, and overall fulfillment. She shares her realization that her identity was tied to her work and how she decided to redefine her success and reclaim her time. Milena explains how adopting new habits, such as taking breaks and...

Diane Gilman, known as TV's Jean Queen, shares her journey of pursuing her lifelong passion for fashion design and combating ageism in the industry. Despite facing initial resistance from her parents and societal expectations, Diane fought for her dreams and gained recognition for her unique designs. However, as she grew older and faced personal challenges, Diane felt disconnected from her own fas...

Christy Byrne Yates shares her experience of being in the sandwich generation, caring for both her children and aging parents. She initially had a great life with her husband and children, supported by her parents, who lived nearby. However, she began to notice her parents needed more help and realized they were experiencing dementia. As she navigated the challenges of caregiving, she learned the...

Kristen Matthews, a Pilates instructor and wellness advocate, shares her personal journey of dealing with health issues and ultimately being diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. She made significant changes to her diet and lifestyle, focusing on nutrition and gut health. Kristen's experiences led her to create an online program called Reframe and Renew, aimed at helping women entering perimenopause...

Ruksana Hussain is a writer and journalist who faced numerous challenges in her career. Determined to explore her options, she took on multiple part-time jobs, freelanced, and became a features generalist, writing about various topics. However, the constant hustle and lack of focus took a toll on her health, leading to a six-month recovery period. During this time, she realized the importance of p...

Dry January, an annual movement where people give up drinking alcohol for the whole month of January, helped Sean Robinson kickstart a healthier lifestyle. Sean explains that he was not in a good place mentally and physically due to his weight and lack of energy, and Dry January was the first step to living a healthier life. Next, he started to journal and listen to different podcasts and books th...

Jodi Klaristenfeld's birth did not go as planned due to a rare illness called HELLP Syndrome. As a result, her baby was born premature and needed to be hospitalized in the NICU for 77 days. Jodi's own health was also at risk, and she felt alone and traumatized throughout the experience. After her daughter came home, Jodi committed to creating a support system for parents in similar situations. She...

During quarantine, Oliver Pau came up with the idea of creating his ideal job in the food industry by combining his passion for food and helping the environment. So he founded Dojo Fresh, a business that offers plant-based options using seitan, a wheat-based protein common in Asian cooking. Although unfamiliar with the industry, Oliver took it one step at a time and learned to comply with regulato...

Codependency is the chronic neglect of the self to gain approval, love, validation, and self-identity through another person. Lindsay Andrews shares how her personal struggles led her to invest in codependency recovery through inner child work, daily journaling, affirmations, and other practices. She realized the importance of using her voice and now has a podcast, Unstuck On You, to create a comm...

John Hurd is an elite track and field athlete who started competing at age 61 and is still competing at age 91! After seeing a friend competing in it, John rediscovered his love for sprinting and entered the Senior Olympics. Despite not having a coach or trainer, he trained himself to become a sprinter and has since won 169 gold medals, including nine at the national level. John faced a health sca...

Diana Robertson struggled with shyness and social anxiety that affected her career, particularly during interviews and networking. To overcome these obstacles, Robertson sought help online, bought public speaking books, joined public speaking courses, and started speaking publicly. Eventually, she discovered a passion for helping others overcome their communication challenges and launched an onlin...

Teresa Mitrovic shares her experience of how leadership is not a natural skill one inherently possesses but something that must be learned and developed. Teresa discovered this while working on a team that struggled to trust one another, where she realized that leadership was not a technical game but rather a people game. After her boss enrolled her in a coaching course, Teresa realized how import...

Musician Kevin Roth shares how he redesigned his life after being diagnosed with stage three Melanoma. Despite his successful career, Kevin wasn't truly happy. He realized that stress and inflammation contributed to his illness and decided to create a new life. Kevin moved to San Diego and started a "Creative Life Design" that focused on being a musician, artist, and seeking spiritual answers to b...

Creative pursuits can be great stress-busters. Majken Selinder Nilsson discovered writing as a release for the uncertainty in her world. When her husband was laid off after a major move to a new city, Majken began to write as a hobby and, to some extent, escapism from the stress. Find out how this self-described accidental author found her creative outlet on Search and Replace. To view full transc...

Sandi Sturm knows it is possible to ensure a bright future for our children and future generations. The challenge is getting information and resources for climate change into the hands of the community. So Sandi developed EnvironmentalGroups.us, a website that serves as a searchable clearinghouse of environmental non-profits in the US. Her website educates and empowers local communities to make th...

Silvia Li knows what standing firm, with grace and politeness and diplomacy, could look like to affect positive change in the systems and the environment in which we operate. Her time spent in Corporate America revealed the need for women in leadership to stand up courageously to have their voices heard. Find out how Silvia is helping leaders and sales professionals regain their sense of purpose a...

Infertility robbed Frances Jones of her peace, joy, and happiness. She centered her identity and ego around having children, and the stigma of infertility weighed heavily. It consumed her to the point where she needed to go on a journey of self-discovery for inner peace. The journey was difficult, but Frances realized there was a purpose in it. She's now an advocate, author, speaker, and coach for...

At 72 years old, Ruth Yunker is aging vivaciously! She has found that getting older isn't the end of the world but the beginning of a new journey. What does she attribute to her extraordinary adventure into her trimester of life? Committing to sobriety at the age of 50. Find out what role Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) played in helping Ruth maintain over twenty years of sobriety on Search and Replace....

Jo Ann Glim faced a one-in-four chance of surviving her hemorrhagic stroke. However, she quickly discovered that recovering from a significant brain injury isn't just about healing your body; it's about coming to terms with a new sense of your entire self. Setting small goals, like wiggling her fingers and maintaining a positive attitude of gratitude, has helped Jo Ann to thrive during twenty-five...