The Spirit of Success

Hi, TSOS Challengers! Welcome to Season 5 of The Spirit of Success! In this episode, I’m joined by physician, medical educator, and storyteller Dr. Neda Frayha for a conversation about what it means to make medicine truly human-centered, and how storytelling, education, and compassion can help bridge the gap between patients and physicians. Drawing from her experiences across clinical care, medica...

Hi, TSOS Challengers! Welcome to Season 5 of The Spirit of Success! In this episode, I’m joined by acclaimed filmmaker Dayyan Eng (Wu Shixian) for a conversation about how stories travel across cultures, and what it takes to create work that connects people around the world. Drawing from his experiences growing up across three continents and working between Eastern and Western film industries, Day...

Hi! On the 3rd episode of season 4 of The Spirit of Success, Mrs. Marie Thelusma-Chase, the innovative, driven, and accomplished founder of the Boxwood Learning Center, and I talk about careers in education, the nonprofit sector, what is a certified fundraising executive, how to develop and carry out an effective education system, how to effectively aid and provide support for "troubled" kids, and...

Hi! On the 2nd episode of season 4 of The Spirit of Success, Dr. Clarion Johnson, well-known, highly-respected, and accomplished, and I talk about careers medicine, specifically cardiology, internal medicine, occupational medicine, and corporate medicine. Dr. Johnson and I discuss what got him interested in pursuing medicine, how his beliefs and values influence his approach to medicine, what his...

Hi! On the 1st episode of season 4 of The Spirit of Success, R Mixy (Olinga Njang), a beloved, creative, and well-known artist, and I talk about careers in music, including topics particularly related to the AfroBeat industry. R Mixy and I discuss what got him interested in singing, songwriting, and music, how his beliefs and values inspire him and his music, the role of music in society, the role...

Hi! On the 6th and final episode of season 3 of The Spirit of Success, Tom Lysaght, the talented and beloved playwright, author, storyteller, and professor. Tom and I discuss what got him into playwriting, theatre, writing, and education, his book "Persian Passion: Of Gods and Gargoyles" and the research process, his off broadway play "Nobody Don't Like Yogi" and the story of Yogi Berra, what is t...

Hi! On the 5th episode of season 3 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Andy Grammer, world-renowned, multi-platinum, and beloved singer and songwriter, and I talk about careers in music, specifically about singing and songwriting. Mr. Grammer and I discuss what got him into the singing and songwriting, how his beliefs and values inspire him and his music, the role of music in society,  the role of...

Hi! On the 4th episode of season 3 of The Spirit of Success, Ms. Alice Williams, multi-talented, well-known, and beloved painter, writer, and photographer, and I talk about careers in painting, writing, and photography; including how she got her start in these crafts, some of the challenges she faced along the way, how she incorporates her spirituality, values, and virtues into her work all around...

Hi! On the 3rd episode of season 3 of The Spirit of Success, Mrs. Elika Mahony, multi-talented, well-known, and beloved singer, musician, composer, artist, and professional organizer, and I talk about careers in music and professional organization; including how she got her start in music and professional organization, the similarities and differences between creating instrumental pieces, religiou...

Hi! On the 2nd episode of season 3 of The Spirit of Success, Mrs. Layli Miller-Muro, acclaimed, well-known, and beloved lawyer, advocate, and founder and former CEO (current senior advisor to the CEO) of the Tahirih Justice Center, and I talk about careers in law; including how she got her start, are justice and law the same, the asylum case “Matter of Kassinga” and her involvement, why informatio...

Hi! On the 1st episode of season 3 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Roman Orona, world-renowned, multi-talented, and beloved musician, artist, and craftsman, and I talk about careers in the arts, as well as his experience working in civil engineering. In this first episode, Roman and I discuss what got him into the arts, what got him into biology and civil engineering, his work and experience as a ci...

Hi! On the 8th (part 3 - final part) and final episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Jack Lenz, world-renowned, prolific, and beloved musician, composer, and producer, and I talk about careers in music and composition. In this 3rd and final part, we discuss Mr. Lenz's experiences and inspirations for working with children and children’s rights, the meaning of service to Mr. Lenz, the r...

Hi! On the 8th (part 2) and final episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Jack Lenz, world-renowned, prolific, and beloved musician, composer, and producer, and I talk about careers in music and composition. In this part 2, we discuss Mr. Lenz's experience working on and composing for Mel Gibson's movie "Passion of Christ", what success means to him, advice for youth, what considerations...

Hi! On the 8th (part 1) and final episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Jack Lenz, world-renowned, prolific, and beloved musician, composer, and producer, and I talk about careers in music and composition. In this part 1, we discuss how he got his start, how his values have and do inspire him and his music creation and what he tries to promote through his music, the role of music in so...

Hi! On the 7th episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Steve Sarowtiz, world-renowned and beloved entrepreneur, businessman, executive producer, and philanthropist, and I talk about careers in entrepreneurship, business, and film; including how he got started in each career, what success means to him, the role of youth in society, The Akko Center for Arts and Technology, factors that are...

Hi! On the 6th episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Van Gilmer, renowned and beloved singer, choir director, and architectural engineer, and I talk about careers in architectural engineering and music; including how he got started in each career, what success means to him, the role of youth in society, his time as Equal Employment Opportunity director in the Navy Department, what it’s...

Hi! On the 5th episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Rainn Wilson, renowned and beloved actor, writer, and entertainer, and I talk about careers in acting and entertainment; including how he got started, what success means to him, the role of youth in society, what inspired him to act out Dwight Schrute the way he did and what makes his portrayal of him unique, SoulPancake and Lide Hai...

Hi! On the 4th episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Mrs. Sovaida Ma'ani Ewing, accomplished, well-known, and beloved international lawyer, author, independent scholar, and founding director of the Center for Peace and Global Governance, and I talk about careers in law, global governance, and peace advocacy; including how she got started, what success means to her, the role of youth in soc...

Hi! On the 3rd episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Vytas Reid, highly respected, accomplished, and acclaimed chief meteorologist, and I talk about careers in meteorology (specifically broadcasting meteorology); including how he got started, what success means to him, his advice for youth, his experience teaching about weather, what the impact of how our news is broadcasted today is,...

Hi! On the 2nd episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Dr. John Woodall, highly respected, trusted, and admired psychiatrist, and I talk about careers in medicine, specifically psychiatry, and psychology; including how he got started, what success means to him, his advice for youth, what resilience means and how one can develop resilience,  mental health tips and techniques for both youth an...

Hi! On the 1st episode of season 2 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. KC Porter, world-renowned and multi-award and grammy-winning music producer, songwriter, singer, arranger, composer, and sound engineer, and I talk about careers in the music industry, specifically music production, songwriting, and singing; including how he got his start, what success means to him the impact and responsibility of mu...

Hi! On the 6th episode and final episode of season 1 of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Kevin Locke, world-renowned and proclaimed Mr. Kevin Locke, a world-renowned hoop dancer, indigenous Northern Plains flutist, recording artist, traditional storyteller, educator, and Lakota Cultural Ambassador, and I talk about careers in the folk arts, service, and education; including how he got his start, what su...

Hi! On the 5th episode (season 1) of The Spirit of Success, Mrs. Ahdieh Badiee, world-renowned, beloved, and prolific Iranian singer who has recorded over 1000 songs and has sung in numerous popular and acclaimed Iranian films such as "Soltan e Ghalbha" and "Gang e Gharoon", and I talk about careers singing and entertainment; including how she got her start in the music industry and entertainment,...

Hi! On the 4th episode (season 1) of The Spirit of Success, Mr. Shahin Sobhani, founder of the digital learning company Swiss VBS and accomplished entrepreneur and businessman, and I talk about careers in entrepreneurship and business, including how he got his start, what success means to him, the advice he has for those looking to pursue a similar career, the role of youth in society, and more! I...

Hi! On the 3rd episode (season 1) of The Spirit of Success, Mrs. Khotan Shahbazi-Harmon, accomplished and multi-award winning radio host and producer, journalist, service-minded and active individual, and the founder and CEO of the social innovation and transformational leadership advising company Conscious Leadership Alliance, and I talk about careers in radio, journalism, and service; including...