SHIFT with Elena Agar

Do you have to be paid to make money from speaking? Marta Spirk says no. Marta Spirk is a speaking strategist and TEDx speaker who helps women entrepreneurs turn their expertise into signature talks that actually bring in clients. She grew up in Brazil, built a career as a translator and interpreter, then became a mom to triplets and reinvented herself as an entrepreneur. In this conversation, Ele...

Precious Azurée has been an entrepreneur for 13 years, since the year she graduated college, which by her own account makes her an outlier. Most people find entrepreneurship later. She found it out of survival, and has been building, pivoting, and rebuilding ever since. In this episode of Shift, Elena and Precious trace that whole arc: from a fashion and design background, to social media manageme...

Kate Aaby and Kelsey Do spent years in federal budgeting and CFO roles, Kate as CFO of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Kelsey as a senior advisor and budget director there, before deciding to build something of their own. The result is Kado Executive Operations: a fractional CFO/COO firm helping small businesses and nonprofits get the executive-level financial and operational expertise the...

Louai Alsaman fled the civil war in Syria as an architecture student in Damascus, rebuilt his path on a Fulbright scholarship in the US, and has since founded two companies: RENDEREXPO, a digital construction and AI-powered visualization studio, and DLA, an architecture practice built on what he calls "zero ego" client work. In this episode of Shift, Elena and Louai talk about what it ac...

Burnout doesn't announce itself, it builds quietly, especially for the people leading. In this episode of Shift, Elena Agar talks with Sophie Theen, founder of The Burnout Detox Kit®, about the real cost of always-on leadership and how founders and operators can manage their energy instead of just gritting through exhaustion. They dig into what burnout looks like from the inside, why time mana...

Welcome to another inspiring episode of Shift with Elena Agar! Today, Elena sits down with Andy Storch, career development expert and author of “Own Your Career, Own Your Life” and “Own Your Brand, Own Your Career.” Together, they dig into the essential steps for taking charge of your professional journey, whether you’re navigating a big career change, considering your next move in the age of AI,...

Welcome back to Shift with Elena Agar! In this episode, Elena sits down with Arshnoor Kohli, the dynamic founder of Grangu—a platform on a mission to foster real, meaningful connections in an increasingly disconnected world. From navigating the challenges of moving to a new city to reimagining the way we build friendships and professional networks, Arshnoor Kohli shares the inspiration behind Gran...

Welcome back to the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast! In this episode, Elena sits down with Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann, author of "FitCEO: Be the Leader of Your Life." Together, they dive into what it really means to be a holistic leader—touching on mental, physical, and even spiritual wellbeing. Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann shares insights from an impressive global career leading teams across...

On this episode of the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast, Elena sits down with Lauren Roche, founder of The Naked Truth with Lauren, to explore the evolving landscape of workplace wellness and mental health. Lauren opens up about her journey from a fast-paced career in government consulting to launching her own wellness brand, driven by a passion to destigmatize mental health conversations and build s...

Welcome back to the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast! In today’s episode, Elena welcomes special guest Amanda Hietter, the founder of Across the Horizon Travel. Together, they explore the power of connection through curated group travel experiences—whether for coaches, teams, ministry leaders, or families. Amanda Hietter shares her inspiring journey from paralegal and busy mom to successful travel en...

Welcome to the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast! In this episode, Elena sits down with Tamika L. Mason—a dynamic leader in the HR and talent consulting space—to talk all things career pivot, entrepreneurship, and the evolving world of people strategy. Tamika shares her journey from aspiring engineer to bank manager, nonprofit leader, and ultimately founder of her own talent consulting firm. Together,...

Welcome to the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the inspiring journey of Chantell Preston, a trailblazing leader with over 30 years in the healthcare space. Hosted by Brandon, this conversation uncovers Chantell’s unique path—from an unexpected pivot into healthcare to building more than 65 hospitals across the country and founding transformative companies like Mentis N...

Welcome to the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast! In this episode, Elena sits down with Corinne Gavlinski, founder of the GAV Group, to explore the concept of "lazy leadership" and what it truly means to lead with intentionality. Corinne shares her transformative journey from finance to healthcare to executive coaching, revealing pivotal moments—what she calls “identity jolts”—that redefined her appro...

Welcome to another inspiring episode of the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast! Today’s guest is Joyce Kyles, a speaker, author, and leadership consultant whose thoughtful approach to both personal and professional growth has impacted countless lives. In this conversation, Elena and Joyce dive into Joyce’s two transformative books, What Color Is Your Elephant? and Create Yourself, exploring the difficu...

Welcome back to the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast! In today’s episode, Elena sits down with Michael Berlingo, founder of Starteryou, a platform designed to bridge the gap between education and early career experience for students. Michael opens up about his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his high school reselling days to launching a company that’s redefining how young people access work op...

Welcome to another episode of the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast! Today, Elena sits down with Federico Rodriguez, an executive coach and the creator of "Emploneur," a game-changing movement designed to revolutionize the traditional world of work. Federico shares his unique journey from aspiring engineer to hospitality leader to entrepreneur, weaving together lessons from leading large teams, launch...

In today’s conversation, Elena sits down with Stephen, co-host of the Modern People Leader podcast, to dive deep into the twists and turns of his remarkable career—from growing up in a Mexican-American family in Texas, to becoming an HR leader at powerhouse organizations like Ernst & Young and Goldman Sachs, and ultimately, to building innovative HR tech startups in a rapidly evolving industry...

In today’s episode, Elena sits down with Matt Poepsel, author of "Expand the Circle: Enlightened Leadership for Our New World of Work." Matt’s journey from a career in the Marine Corps to leading talent and workforce analytics in the business world gives him a unique perspective on leadership and talent development—and he’s here to share the practical lessons he’s learned along the way. Together,...

In this episode, Elena sits down with Dr. Keith Keating—a powerhouse in learning and development, keynote speaker, and author of "The Trusted Learning Advisor" and "Hidden Value." From humble beginnings, dropping out of high school and working in fast food, Keith shares his journey into the L&D space, highlighting how overcoming early struggles and discovering a passion for teaching shaped his...

In today’s conversation, Elena sits down with Stephen Seidel—entrepreneur, creative connector, and founder of the Seidel Agency and Gents Journey—to explore the power of transformation in our personal and professional lives. From his early days navigating family dynamics as a people pleaser, to engineering at Penn State, to a bold career shift into acting and pioneering YouTube content creation, S...

In today’s episode, we dive deep into the ever-evolving world of leadership, learning, and career transitions with the dynamic Mickey Fitch-Collins, PhD. From her unexpected beginnings as the youngest professional bass fisherman in the United States at age 14, to a vibrant career in higher education and corporate learning, Mickey brings an inspiring perspective on what it means to lead—often witho...

Today, Elena sits down with Dr. John A. King, founder of the Give Them a Voice Foundation and a passionate advocate for trauma recovery and anti-trafficking work. In this candid and deeply moving conversation, John opens up about his own journey—from surviving years of childhood abuse and discovering his true heritage, to nurturing relentless resilience and finding purpose in advocacy. John shares...

In today’s episode, Elena sits down with Jonathan Shroyer, CEO and founder of Quimby, to explore the future of customer experience powered by AI and large language models. Jonathan shares his unique journey from growing up in rural Texas with a passion for technology, through pivotal roles at major companies like Microsoft and Postmates, to founding innovative startups focused on transforming cust...

In today’s episode, Elena sits down with Asher King Abramson, founder of Warmer Jobs, to tackle one of the toughest challenges facing job seekers: breaking through the noise of today’s job market. Asher shares his own winding journey from psychology major and accounting intern to bootcamp instructor, software engineer, and entrepreneur. He dives into why networking—and specifically, warm referrals...

In this episode, Elena is joined once again by sales expert Brendan McAdams for a practical, deep-dive conversation perfect for anyone looking to sharpen their sales skills—especially startup founders and entrepreneurs. Brendan shares the story of his unconventional path into sales, how his English degree became a surprising asset, and the invaluable lessons he’s learned working with everyone from...