Achieving Success with Olivia Atkin

What happens when the band you grew up obsessing over calls and asks you to join them? Band Chicago Professional Percussionist Ray Yslas shares the emotional moment he went from childhood superfan to official band member, revealing the raw truth about what it really takes to perform at the highest level. His journey from blocking his family's door as a nine-year-old desperate to see Chicago live t...

What happens when you finally reach the success you've always dreamed of, only to discover it feels completely empty? Cathryn Dhanatya thought she had it all when she became the youngest assistant dean at USC and later reached the C-suite at a major cancer research funder. She had the title, the office, the financial stability her immigrant parents had sacrificed for. But standing at what everyone...

What if the key to mental resilience could be found bouncing on a trampoline? Scott Ferguson, a Navy veteran who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, has discovered something powerful about mental conditioning that goes far beyond traditional coaching methods. His unconventional approach to speaking engagements-starting every presentation on a trampoline-isn't just a gimmick, it's a strategic...

What if the secret to becoming a confident speaker wasn't about being perfect, but about embracing the imperfect? Milo Shapiro, founder of Improv Ventures and Public Dynamics, reveals how improv principles can transform anyone from a nervous speaker into someone who commands attention. His journey from IT professional to sought-after speaking coach began with a single improv show that left him thi...

What if the biggest waste of time is listening to people who don't have what you want? Scott Keyser, career transition coach and owner of The Entrepreneur's Source, shares why success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure and reveals the hidden opportunity cost of staying stuck in corporate America. Through his unique approach as a career ally rather than just another recruiter, Scott helps...

What would you do if your Olympic contract disappeared overnight? Former Professional Hockey Player Taylor Cook was just two weeks away from signing a three-year deal with Kazakhstan when they pulled the offer and gave it to someone else. That crushing moment could have ended her career, but instead it sparked a journey across three continents that would reshape everything she thought she knew abo...

When Liz Blanding's car hydroplaned and threw her into a tree, doctors delivered devastating news: double knee replacement, lifetime medication, and possibly a wheelchair. But something inside her refused to accept this fate. What she discovered next didn't just heal her body-it revealed a hidden epidemic affecting millions who don't even realize they're stuck in survival mode instead of truly liv...

What if the most powerful healing tool you need is something you've been carrying with you since birth? Ben Holt discovered this truth after a profound awakening experience with plant medicine led him on a global journey through Eastern and Western healing traditions. His path from spiritual seeker to successful breathwork facilitator and business mentor reveals why he ultimately chose to focus on...

What happens when a hairstylist refuses to call himself successful after 44 years of building multiple thriving businesses? Rod Sickler shares why he avoids the word 'success' entirely, preferring to focus on constant growth and improvement instead. From owning three salons and a cosmetology school to producing Vegas-style variety shows and running a weight loss clinic, Rod reveals his unconventio...

What if the most successful NFL player you've never heard of never actually played in a regular season game? Former NFL Player Jonathan Alston earned four game balls as a practice squad player, became a father at 19, and built a foundation that's changing communities across the country. His journey from the Washington Redskins practice squad to co-founding the Beyond Now Foundation reveals why pla...

After 18 years of accepting migraines as her reality, this emergency room nurse discovered something that changed everything. Justine Chartier went from having migraines three times a week to being completely pain-free for over a year, and her method challenges everything traditional medicine teaches about chronic pain. The breakthrough came when she stopped treating symptoms and started addressin...

What if the most important financial question isn't about returns or risk tolerance, but something much deeper? Mark Fisher, an independent financial advisor with Fisher Financial Management, reveals the single question that has transformed how his clients approach money for over 15 years. His unique perspective was shaped by growing up as a military brat in Cold War Germany, witnessing his mother...

What happens when a foster child who was told he'd never amount to anything decides to prove everyone wrong? Kason Roberts, founder and CEO of AR Global Inc., shares his powerful journey from a traumatic foster care system to building a thriving roofing and construction company. His story isn't just about business success-it's about transforming pain into purpose and using adversity as fuel for ac...

What happens when an actor who almost became a doctor teams up with a physician to tackle one of healthcare's most urgent crises? Actor Jocko Sims and Dr. Nia Mitchell reveal the shocking reality behind a statistic that could save thousands of lives: only 5.7% of physicians in America are Black, while Black patients face dramatically higher mortality rates that proper representation could prevent....

What if everything you thought you knew about professional sports was wrong? Mckenzie Hollenbaugh reveals the reality most people never see: even professional soccer players in the U.S. need second jobs to survive. Her journey from Division 1 athlete to overseas professional to successful event management entrepreneur shows how the skills that make great athletes also create unstoppable business o...

What if the key to transforming your business isn't learning something new, but recognizing what you're already doing right? Kumar Dattatreyan, founder of Profit Sensei, reveals how most entrepreneurs are already practicing agile principles without realizing it - and missing out on massive growth opportunities because of a few critical blind spots. From his days managing $10 million restaurants to...

Four trades. Seven months. $46,000 in profits. And then the FBI showed up on a Manhattan street corner and Tom Hardin's world exploded. What started as 'just this one time' in a hedge fund where insider trading was rampant became a two-year undercover operation that would make him one of the most prolific informants in FBI history. Tom reveals the terrifying moment he had to wear a wire into a swi...

What if the path everyone expects you to take is actually setting you up to fail? Jake Horne, Harvard graduate and founder of The Student Compass, shares why even Ivy League students are struggling more than ever - and why taking a gap year might be the smartest decision you never considered. After leaving Harvard for six years to hitchhike across continents, Jake discovered something profound: th...

What happens when everyone tells you "you're not enough" but you refuse to listen? World Series Champion Coach Trent Clark was that kid who heard crushing words from teachers, coaches, and adults who were supposed to encourage him. Yet he went on to earn three championship rings in professional baseball and now coaches Fortune 500 leaders. The turning point came at a showcase camp when a former ma...

What if the biggest risk you could take became your greatest success? Julie Schreiber went from making $13 an hour as a chef with no benefits to building a thriving wine consulting business that lets her work with five different clients while maintaining complete financial freedom. Her journey through three college degrees, including mastering chemistry despite her brain telling her "you're not su...

What if everything you think you know about wealth planning is missing the most important piece? Craig Decker, managing director at Raymond James, reveals why successful families focus on the 100-year wealth plan rather than just retirement savings. After three decades in wealth management and working alongside professional athletes, Craig has discovered that your money can only go to three places...

What happens when a 27-year-old surfer decides to build something that's never existed in New York? Brett Portera is creating Crest Surf Club, Long Island's first wave pool facility, turning a childhood conversation into a revolutionary business model. Growing up in an entrepreneurial family where surfing dreams met business reality, Brett discovered that the biggest challenge wasn't the technolog...

What if the rejection that feels crushing today is actually preparing you for your biggest breakthrough tomorrow? Actor Wayne Duvall discovered this truth during his 13-year journey to land his first agent, transforming every "no" into fuel for his unwavering commitment to his craft. From growing up knowing his famous cousin Robert Duvall to losing his father at 13 and deciding life was too short...

What if the biggest mistake you're making in your job search is waiting until you check every box? Christina Stokes, Senior Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Rubenstein Company, reveals why the 80% rule has transformed how she approaches hiring-and why it should change how you approach applying. After 15 years in talent acquisition, Christina has discovered that the best candidates aren't al...

What if everything you've been told about burnout is wrong? Dan Capello, founder of Deliberate Evolution and former chef of three decades, reveals why burnout isn't the enemy we think it is-it's actually a symptom pointing to something much deeper. After hitting 300 pounds and not recognizing himself in photos, Dan made a radical decision that changed everything: he trained for and completed a Spa...