Into the Unknown

What happens when a medical malpractice attorney, Stanford graduate, and Supreme Court clerk realizes she never gave informed consent for the psychiatric medications that nearly cost her everything? Ellen P. Lubensky, Esq. spent 25 years in silence, hiding a permanent disability, navigating a misdiagnosis of bipolar 1 at age 20, and eventually fighting through benzodiazepine withdrawal while stran...

Heather Romanowski, freelance editor and co-founder of Book Realm Revisions, left a decade-long corporate career at Audi not just because she burned out doing the work of six editors, a colleague told her that her side business would never be considered a real conflict of interest. That one comment lit a fire that led her to Magic: The Gathering, government contracts, and a nine-year freelance car...

What does it look like when someone refuses to quit on something they barely understand yet? Gio "F1" Douyon walked onto a rugby pitch at Georgia State not knowing the rules, got handed a position he wasn't entirely sure on, and then scored a 100-meter try the moment a coach finally put him where he belonged. From playing with the elite rugby teams around the world to helping build A...

On this episode of Into the Unknown, What does it take to follow a passion that the world keeps telling you has no future? Reysuka grew up literally in the catacombs of the American Museum of Natural History, the daughter of two biologists who had clawed their way out of extreme poverty, and she spent decades doing the same - working in morgues, building dioramas, anything to keep the dream alive....

What do you do when the people who are supposed to guide you keep pointing you toward a life that doesn't feel like yours? Michelle Steiner was diagnosed with a learning disability in kindergarten, and from that moment forward, she heard a steady stream of voices telling her what she couldn't do, where she couldn't go, and what kind of future she should settle for. From the teacher who...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Jeremy Swick sits down with Andrew Faber to explore his journey from college athlete and coach to teacher and ultimately school principal. As the first person in his family to attend college, Andrew shares how football helped open that door and how an injury unexpectedly led him to coaching, where he discovered how rewarding it was to help young peop...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Jeremy Swick sits down with Andre “Sleepy” Williams Jr. to explore his unexpected journey from chasing a professional football career to discovering a new opportunity in rugby. After injuries disrupted his path toward the NFL, Andre received an email about playing rugby—an opportunity he initially dismissed before deciding to put his pride aside, tak...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Jeremy Swick sits down with Kelly Romano to explore how rugby, education, and a passion for helping others have shaped her journey. Kelly shares how discovering rugby at Illinois State University became the foundation for a lifelong connection to the sport, leading her to become a player, coach, referee, and advocate for creating more opportunities f...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Jeremy Swick sits down with Daniel Gospodarek to explore how a life-changing car accident and traumatic brain injury reshaped the direction of his life. Daniel shares his journey from being told he might not graduate with his high school class to defining his own recovery, pursuing social work, and ultimately turning adversity into a greater sense of...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" What drives someone to fight, and even risk their life, for something bigger than themselves? Jeremy "Sumo" Swick welcomes back Taylor “Thor” Youngling to catch up on his journey from beginning his PhD program to passing his doctoral exams, conducting archival research in Dublin, teaching his first university-level course, and now working toward his dissertati...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Why do so many smart people still struggle with money? In this episode, Ted McLyman shares why financial decisions are often driven far more by human behavior and emotion than logic or math. Drawing from his experiences as a Marine Corps officer, economics instructor, financial advisor, and behavioral finance expert, Ted explains how our brains were...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Jeremy Swick sits down with Annie Emprima to explore her powerful journey from military deployment and PTSD to personal loss, betrayal, spiritual awakening, and ultimately rebuilding her life. Annie shares how, during her 2016 deployment to the Middle East, she began experiencing what she now calls “whispers”—signals that would eventually change how...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Shalini Thyagaraja shares her inspiring journey from India to the United States, opening up about the challenges of building a new life, breaking cultural barriers, and forging a successful career in the tech industry. She also discusses how burnout led her to embrace wellness, mindfulness, and gratitude, revealing how personal growth comes from lear...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" What does it take to rebuild your life after trauma tries to silence you? In this deeply personal episode, Simone Swartz shares her journey from military service and survival to becoming a PTSD advocate, author, speaker, and life coach dedicated to helping others heal. Simone opens up about the realities of poverty, enlistment during the aftermath of...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Why do so many successful people still feel financially stuck — even when they’re making more money than ever before? In this episode, Nick Savoy shares his journey from overcoming serious childhood health challenges to building a career centered around helping high earners and business owners rethink their relationship with money. After years workin...

On this episode of "Into The Unknown" What happens when the way we learn and work was never designed for how our brains actually function? In this episode, Kate Edwards shares her journey through a career path that defied convention from hairdresser and graphic designer to teacher, business professional, and ADHD coach. After years of feeling disconnected from traditional workplace struc...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" What would you do if you uncovered a piece of history hidden inside your own family? In this episode, Tamara Buzyna Adams shares the remarkable story behind her book Last Ship to Freedom and the journey that began when she and her mother translated her grandmother’s 100-year-old diaries during COVID. What started as a family project quickly evolved i...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" What happens when the life you built is suddenly turned upside down? In this episode, William Hansen shares his incredible journey from serving in the Marine Corps and National Guard to surviving traumatic injuries sustained during combat overseas. After years of military service, deployments to Desert Storm, Somalia, Iraq, and Egypt, William returne...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" What happens when traditional recovery methods aren’t enough? In this episode, Stacey Roberts shares her journey from multi-sport athlete and physical therapist to the founder of New You Health and Wellness, where she helps people rethink pain relief, recovery, and long-term healing. Through a combination of functional medicine, holistic care, and innovative t...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" What happens when the life you built no longer feels aligned but you have no idea what comes next? Jeremy sits down with Elena Nicole for an honest conversation about confidence, reinvention, entrepreneurship, and the terrifying reality of walking away from comfort without a guaranteed plan. After years of struggling with self-doubt and feeling disco...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" What does it take to go from sitting on the bench to earning MVP honors and committing to play rugby at Notre Dame? Sumo sits down with Giabella Romano for a powerful conversation about confidence, identity, resilience, and the sport that completely changed her life. Growing up surrounded by rugby, Giabella shares how the game became far more than co...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" What happens when the career you built your identity around suddenly disappears? Jeremy sits down with executive coach and Balanced at Last founder Simanto “Sim” Khandaker to unpack the emotional reality behind burnout, layoffs, toxic work cultures, and the professional trauma so many people silently carry. From his journey as an immigrant navigating...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" What happens when the career you worked so hard to build no longer feels aligned with the life you actually want? In this deeply honest and thought-provoking conversation, Meghan DeFord shares her journey from higher education fundraising and leadership into entrepreneurship, executive coaching, and building a business rooted in authenticity, impact,...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Jeremy sits down with entrepreneur and podcast host Andrew Cook for a conversation about burnout, reinvention, and the moment success no longer feels aligned. After building businesses from a young age and climbing a promising career path in accounting and wealth management, Andrew found himself facing a question many people avoid asking: what happens when the...

On this episode of "Into the Unknown" Sergeant Stubby wasn’t supposed to become a war hero. He started as a stray dog wandering the streets of New Haven, Connecticut — until one unexpected encounter with American soldiers changed history forever. We dive into the unbelievable true story of the dog who went from camp mascot to one of the most decorated war dogs of World War I. But what ma...