Ace of Pentacles

In this episode I share a little bit of my journey of self-discovery and the importance of finding meaning in life's experiences. Through personal anecdotes, a story of my time at Tesla and a pivotal encounter with a colleague, I explore themes of confronting hatred and expression of feelings we are channeling - that don't originate from our own lived experiences, but from the experiences of a col...

In this episode, we meet Dr. Leighann Rechtin, a coach and expert on CliftonStrengths. CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) is an assessment developed by Don Clifton that helps people identify their natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving — called "talents." The tool categorizes these talents into 34 themes that all roll up to four domains: Relationship Building, Strategic Think...

With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of entertainment and education, Dr. Bramante helps performers, educators, and creatives unlock their potential by combining psychology, performance strategy, and AI. He guides actors beyond just booking roles— to building sustainable, purpose-driven careers across Broadway, film, and TV. A seasoned college professor, Dr. Bramante has taught psyc...

Asher Lyons is the founder and visionary of Medicine Theater, an expressive arts organization with the mission to support people young and old in finding liberation, joy and healing through the art of spontaneous play and mythic story creation. Asher has been facilitating this type of work for over 23 years, and has found that the essence of freedom is discovered through connecting to our creative...

In this episode Sara sits down with Aleeza Khan. Aleeza recently graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a minor in Design. She focuses on community-centered design through her work with a nonprofit organization, Tiny Village Spirit. She is also the social media manager for the Ace of Pentacles Podcast Aleeza is also the creator and host of the Li...

The real "organizational culture" problem that companies aren't addressing.

In this conversation, Sara sits down with Psychotherapist and Educator, Dr. Swan Dao. As Founder and Director of the Institute of Devotional Arts, Dr. Dao is dedicated to transforming lives through creative expression. Dr. Dao shares insights on effective communication, conflict resolution, and setting healthy boundaries. Together, Sara and Swan explore practical strategies to help you navigate ch...

Claus Raasted helps organizations both big and small become better at GETTING S**T DONE. He also serves as Director of the College of Extraordinary Experiences. He travels the globe as a keynote speaker, and has been both a Coach and Senior Advisor at the consulting giant McKinsey. Raasted is the author of 46 books, the latest of which is fittingly titled "Claus Raasted's Little Book of Getting Sh...

In this episode, Nishant Badami, founder of Ubuntu , shares her journey and the philosophy behind creating soulful, transformative travel experiences. She explains that transformation isn't about changing who you are, but how you see yourself - a distinction shaped by her own evolution through travel. Nishant debunks common myths about personal growth and emphasizes subtle inner shifts over dramat...

In this episode, Sara sits down with Christiana, the Training Sales Manager and Certification Specialist at the HeartMath Institute (HMI) a pioneering non-profit organization that's been at the forefront of researching heart-based tools and technologies to improve emotional well-being, performance, and human connection. A passionate advocate for heart intelligence, Christiana shares her personal j...

In this episode Sara sits down with renowned archetypal coach and consultant, Dr. Laurence Hillman, a renowned expert in archetypal psychology and co-creator of Archetypes at Work™, a powerful framework designed to help individuals, teams, and organizations uncover their deeper motivations, values, and mindset. Dr. Hillman shares the personal and professional journey that led him to this transform...

In this episode, Sara sits down with Naveen Khan to discuss the unexpected changes that can impact our careers, often beyond our control. Naveen shares her personal experiences and offers valuable insights on how to prepare for and embrace change, maintain wellness in the midst of chaos, and adopt a resilient mindset that has helped her navigate multiple career transitions. About Naveen: Naveen is...

In this conversation, Sara sits down with Sneha Koka to talk about authenticity in leadership and in life. Sneha opens up about her journey as an engineer, a leader, and a mom, offering a thoughtful glimpse into how she balances these roles. She shares how embracing honesty about her needs and desires—combined with an engineering mindset for solving everyday challenges—has empowered her to build a...

What if life does come with a map? In this episode, Katie Sweetman, a New York-based astrologer shares how astrology can deepen our understanding of our purpose, talents, and the work that truly brings us joy and wellbeing. Katie began her consultancy, Empowering Astrology, in 2010 to help people use astrology as a tool for uncovering purpose and meaning in their lives. According to Katie, each of...

In this episode, Sara sits down with Dorthy Tyo, a certified Master Hypnotist and Clinical Hypnotherapist. Dorthy is the owner and lead instructor of the Palo Alto School of Hypnotherapy in Palo Alto, California, where Sara earned her own hypnotherapy certification. She was also Sara's mentor and instructor during her LIGHT Practitioner certification at UC San Diego. Sara and Dorthy dive into how...

In this episode, Sara sits down with Bill Burnett, co-founder and Executive Director of the Life Design Lab at Stanford University. Bill has co-authored three influential books that Sara regularly uses for herself and with her clients: Designing Your Life, Designing Your Work Life, and Designing Your New Work Life. Together, Bill and Sara delve into his career journey, explore the Designing Your L...

In this episode, Sara welcomes Kelsey Brennan, a certified Executive and Performance Coach, for an enlightening conversation on the power of our voices in shaping our careers and workplace experiences.    Together, Sara and Kelsey explore the importance of authenticity, effective communication, and strong presentation skills. Kelsey shares expert advice on how individuals and organizations can cul...

In this episode, Sara sits down with trance medium healer and psychic reader Natalie LoBue for an enlightening conversation about energy healing and accessing our psychic abilities.   Together, they explore how emotions can become trapped in our bodies, the power of awareness in deepening our connection to intuition, and the role of emotional contagion in our daily lives.   Natalie shares how tran...

In this episode, Sara and Victor have an engaging conversation about Victor's journey as both a creative professional and entrepreneur. He shares the evolution of his career, touching on how he's learned to balance his creative pursuits with the demands of running a business. One of the key themes of their chat is managing bandwidth—understanding when to delegate tasks, when to test new ideas quic...

Daniela Ruiz or as some know her, Nani, is a Creative Coach, Facilitator, and Education & Inclusion Advocate. In this episode: Sara and Nani and I talk about the gifts and challenges of being a multipotentialite.  Nani shares the story of how a difficult situation at work inspired her to explore stand up comedy as a creative outlet and how she has used it to create a unique offering as a facilitat...

On this episode of Ace of Pentacles, Sara chats with Jeff Nixa about using shamanic practices to gain more clarity on our career and purpose. Jeff shares his knowledge of shamanic healing and vision quests, which he also shares in his book; The Lost Art of Heart Navigation: A Modern Shaman's Field Manual. Sara and Jeff also reflect on the shamanic counseling session that Sara had with him last yea...

In this episode of Ace of Pentacles, Sara sits down with Michael Escobar. Sara and Michael used to volunteer together for an educational non-profit. In this episode, they dive deep into a thought-provoking discussion about the American education system. They explore how well—or poorly—we're equipped for the real world, the pivotal decisions behind choosing our majors, careers, and jobs, and how th...

Welcome back to Ace of Pentacles. Today we chat with Shaena Harrison about the power of networking.     Shaena is a Professional Wing Woman, Networking Expert, and Superconnector—and as she puts it, a "recovering" event producer who lost four jobs in three years. Through the power of networking, Shaena landed new opportunities and used AI to launch her own business. Now, she helps leaders, teams,...