The 9–5 Exit Plan

What does it mean to find gratitude after losing someone you love? In this deeply moving episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, Abraham Donatus sits down with Mark Stackpole, who shares the story of his daughter Corinne’s battle with leukemia and the family’s journey through the heartbreak of losing her at just 22 years old. Mark opens up about Corinne’s diagnosis, her 11-month fight, the bone marrow transplan...

What happens when life changes in an instant, leaving you to rebuild everything you once knew? In this powerful episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, Abraham Donatus sits down with author Shannon Michelle to explore her extraordinary journey through trauma, recovery, and personal transformation. After a devastating motorcycle accident left her in a coma and affected her memory, Shannon faced another major cha...

What if the experiences that shape your life could also become stories that inspire others? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, Abraham Donatus speaks with Nancy Jasin Ensley, an author, legal nurse consultant, hospice specialist, and teacher whose life and career have given her a deep appreciation for the human experience. Nancy shares how her professional journey through nursing, hospice care, leg...

What if the experiences that shape your life could also become stories that inspire others? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, Abraham Donatus speaks with Nancy Jasin Ensley, an author, legal nurse consultant, hospice specialist, and teacher whose life and career have given her a deep appreciation for the human experience. Nancy shares how her professional journey through nursing, hospice care, leg...

What happens when art, fashion, technology, and entrepreneurship come together? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, Abraham Donatus sits down with Rachel Vancelette, international art entrepreneur, creative director, and founder of Vancelette Global Art Acquisitions and INTROXPERT. Rachel shares her journey through the global art and fashion industries, the inspiration behind ART X PUZZLES, and how...

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we work, create, communicate, and do business. But how can we prepare for this transformation without losing the human qualities that make us unique? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, we welcome Paul Slater, an author, speaker, and incoming Principal AI Technologist at Adobe, to explore the relationship between artificial intelligence, human creativi...

What if the memories you carry are influencing the person you are today? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, we sit down with Frank Healy, a Licensed Professional Counselor, life coach, and author with more than 40 years of experience helping people navigate emotional challenges and personal transformation. Frank has hyperthymesia, a rare condition that allows him to remember every day of his life s...

Why do we keep repeating behaviours we desperately want to change—even when we know better? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, we sit down with Jonathan McLernon, a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, former nanotechnology researcher, Navy marine engineer, and creator of the NeuroQuit Method. Jonathan combines neuroscience, psychology, health coaching, and lived experience to help p...

What does it take to turn your expertise into a personal brand people recognize and trust? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, marketing strategist and thought leadership expert Kelly Schuknecht joins us to discuss personal branding, visibility, credibility, and the confidence to stand out in your industry. With more than 20 years of marketing experience, Kelly is the author of Unlocking Your Author...

What does it take to build a winning team, lead under pressure, and help people achieve more than they thought possible? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, we speak with Scott Rogers BEM, award-winning football coach, educator, media pundit, and former Head Coach of the England Amputee National Team. Scott led England to the 2023 Nations League title, securing the country’s first major internationa...

What happens when you achieve the success you’ve always wanted but still struggle to feel happy? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, we sit down with Todd Patkin, an author, keynote speaker, and happiness coach whose personal journey offers a powerful reminder that external achievement doesn’t always translate into inner fulfilment. After spending 18 years helping build his family business before it...

What if building a successful business didn’t have to mean sacrificing your peace, personal life, or sense of purpose? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, we sit down with Joanna Zhang, award-winning founder of The Operations Genius and creator of what she describes as the world’s first Fractional VA Service. Joanna helps entrepreneurs access flexible, accountable operational support so they can sca...

Artificial intelligence is transforming the workplace, reshaping industries, and opening new possibilities for entrepreneurs. But how can we take advantage of these changes without losing sight of security, privacy, and the human side of business? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, we sit down with Nishanth Sirikonda, a Cloud and Enterprise Solutions Architect, AI strategist, and technology leader...

Are you living a life that genuinely reflects who you are, or are you following expectations you’ve never stopped to question? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Samantha Kane, founder of Roots Wings Wellness, a certified holistic life coach and conscious guide with a decade of coaching experience. Samantha helps people explore self-mastery, shadow work, spiritual embodiment, and pr...

What happens when a military officer says he was injured during an intelligence mission, but decades later he is still fighting for official recognition? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I speak with Jack Daly, a retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander and former Naval Intelligence officer who spent 15 years focused on the Soviet Union and Russia. Jack discusses his account of an April 4, 1997, in...

Why do some capable professionals continue to be overlooked while others gain recognition, influence, and opportunities to lead? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Aletta Rochat, Executive Presence Coach, international speaker, author, and former International President of Toastmasters International. Aletta has helped professionals across more than 20 countries develop the credibili...

What happens when you refuse to let go of a childhood dream? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Christopher Kaufman, a creative artist, storyteller, and composer who has spent years developing Tales of the Ocean City , an expansive fantasy series that combines vivid storytelling with cinematic music, narration, and sound design. Christopher shares his journey from writing illustrate...

What happens when you look successful on the outside but feel exhausted on the inside? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Liz Coleman, certified transformational life coach, NLP and Mind Shifting practitioner, and creator of the MindLife Reset™. Liz shares how her own experience with corporate pressure, health challenges, and years of searching for answers led her to develop a whole...

What if real change begins when you stop fighting yourself? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Moshe Klein, coach, speaker, and founder of Safe in Yourself, to explore Radical Acceptance and the deeper emotional patterns that shape how we live. Drawing on 15 years of working closely with people, Moshe shares his perspective on shame, anxiety, self-criticism, relationships, boundarie...

Are you truly showing up in your life, or are you simply going through the motions? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Marcy Axelrod, bestselling and award-winning author, television contributor, two-time TEDx speaker, and author of How We Choose to Show Up . Drawing on more than 20 years of research across psychology, neuroscience, behavioural economics, and evolutionary biology, M...

What happens when the business you’ve spent decades building faces a major economic crisis, and just as recovery begins, life presents an even more personal challenge? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Bill Derrick, President of Derrick Companies, author, and speaker with more than 50 years of construction industry experience. Bill shares his experience helping lead his family busi...

What if the biggest barrier to your next chapter is the identity you’ve carried from your last one? In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Leo Dulay, transformational coach, hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, and author of You Are Not Your Past . After spending 22 years at AT&T, Leo’s unexpected layoff forced him to question an identity he had built around his career. That experience led...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with former U.S. intelligence analyst and national security expert Nadeem Iqbal, who brings more than 15 years of experience across intelligence, military operations, and U.S. defence policy. Having worked with the Defense Intelligence Agency, supported CIA and Pentagon assignments, and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, Nadeem offers a professional pers...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with relationship expert, Marriage and Family Therapist, former U.S. Army paratrooper, author, and creator of Origin Code and Done Carrying It Alone, Eric Williams. Eric brings a unique perspective shaped by military service, more than 20 years of marriage, fatherhood, and his work helping people understand the deeper patterns behind relationship confli...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Dr. Oluwole Babatunde, a physician-scientist, psychiatrist, epidemiologist, author, and servant-leader whose life story is a powerful example of resilience, faith, and purpose. Born and raised in Nigeria, Wole lost both of his parents before the age of 14. Yet those devastating experiences did not become the end of his story. He went on to become a...