Achieving Success with Olivia Atkin

What happens when a top sales performer loses everything and has to rebuild from scratch? James Schlosser went from barn demolition to becoming a door-to-door sales expert, generating $3.1 million in revenue and breaking company records. But his journey wasn't linear-after achieving initial success, complacency nearly destroyed everything he'd built. A devastating mold situation forced him and his...

What happens when an Olympic volleyball player discovers her biggest passion isn't what she thought it was? Lina Taylor's journey from communist Bulgaria to the Olympic Games to founding Climate Executive Coaching reveals how our definition of success must evolve as we do. After achieving her childhood dream of competing in two Olympics, Lina found herself asking a deeper question during COVID loc...

What do you do when the thing you've dedicated your entire life to suddenly feels like beating your head against a wall? Duncan Littlefield faced this exact moment as a professional golfer when he realized there were mornings he simply didn't want to go to the driving range anymore. In this powerful conversation, Duncan shares how the creativity and split-second decision-making skills from golf be...

What if being emotionally intelligent actually makes you the perfect reality TV villain? Former Real Housewives Star Kara Alloway discovered this shocking truth when she requested her psychological assessment after filming wrapped. The first line revealed she had "very high emotional intelligence" - the exact trait producers seek in their protagonists. Her journey from reluctant participant to und...

What if one simple dinner experiment could completely change your career trajectory? Isabella Bedoya never intended to start a business when she swapped olive oil for Greek yogurt in her brother's pesto sauce, but that creative moment in her mom's kitchen sparked a journey from frustrated job seeker to AI-powered marketing strategist and founder of FameHackers. Within days of posting about her hea...

What happens when a young sailor's worst leadership experience becomes the catalyst for transforming how thousands of others lead? Enrique Acosta Gonzalez turned 26 years of military service and one particularly damaging supervisor into a mission to redefine leadership for the next generation. As the founder of Triad Leadership Solutions and host of three leadership podcasts, Enrique shares the fi...

What happens when the final buzzer sounds and your athletic career ends? Cris Ross-Francis, founder of Up Next Sports Consulting and Life Beyond the Rim nonprofit, reveals why most student-athletes are completely unprepared for life after sports and how the right brand strategy can change everything. Through her own journey from sociology major to sports marketing expert, Cris shares the uncomfort...

What if the darkest chapter of your life became the foundation for your greatest comeback? Brandon Puffer went from pitching for the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants to serving four years in prison after one night changed everything. But here's what makes his story remarkable: he discovered true peace and joy in the depths of that darkness, not after he got out. Brandon o...

Seven moves in nine years. Taking the same college course three times. Asking complete strangers to be emergency contacts for your children. Leslie Coffey's military spouse journey sounds like a series of setbacks, but each "restart" became the foundation for extraordinary resilience and career success. From attending seven different universities due to constant military relocations to becoming Vi...

What happens when a childhood dream resurfaces after years of setbacks and detours? Steven Stotts, CEO of Steven The Legacy LLC, discovered that sometimes life takes you full circle back to your true calling. After losing his father at 17, changing majors twice, and working through the 2008 recession selling cars, Steven found himself managing a Rite Aid for seven years before a dramatic departure...

What if the very traits that made you feel broken as a teenager could become your greatest strength as an adult? Misty Buck, mental health coach to Pro Football Hall of Fame athletes, reveals how being labeled the 'sensitive one' and 'drama queen' in sports culture nearly cost her everything before becoming the foundation of her life's work. Her journey from wanting to end her life at 17 to now he...

A 66-year-old former NFL star just revealed the dark side of fame that nearly cost him everything, and his definition of success will completely change how you view your own goals. Al "Bubba" Baker dominated the field with 23 quarterback sacks as a rookie, but behind the glory was a man who didn't know who he was because everyone else was telling him. After 13 years in the league, multiple Pro Bow...

What happens when you uproot your entire life to move to London for a digital transformation project, only to have a global pandemic shut down everything you planned? Heather Granato, Vice President of Partnerships and Sustainability at the world's largest trade show company, shares her remarkable journey of saying yes to international opportunities and finding fulfillment in unexpected circumstan...

A college student walks into Nordstrom with $300-his entire two-week paycheck-and buys a single pair of jeans. That moment of feeling incredible in well-fitted clothing would eventually lead Ivan Luna to build a custom fashion business with over 700 clients, all through referrals. But his path from Mexico City to regional sales manager wasn't just about mastering fabrics and measurements. It was a...

What happens when you get laid off twice in 18 months through no fault of your own? Doug Stout turned that career crisis into a 19-year franchise success story that spans everything from karate studios to organic nail salons. His journey reveals why the biggest misconception about franchising isn't what you think, and how a single $75,000 investment opened doors he never imagined possible. Doug's...

What happens when a dedicated firefighter realizes that saving strangers on their worst days isn't enough? Courtney Brown discovered this painful truth after nearly a decade with the San Antonio Fire Department, when he found himself unable to help the people closest to him when they needed it most. His journey from firefighter to real estate entrepreneur reveals how success isn't just about havin...

What does it take to turn a team that "wasn't the most talented" into national champions? Head Coach Rand Pecknold reveals how Quinnipiac's 2023 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey championship wasn't built on raw talent alone, but on something far more powerful: character culture and embracing the grind. After 29 seasons and countless setbacks, Rand shares the exact moment he realized that culture trumps talen...

What happens when you discover that fantasy sports for women's professional leagues simply doesn't exist, but the statistics needed to create it are missing too? Ashley Hart, founder and CEO of She Plays, faced exactly this reality when she couldn't find a way to watch the Orlando Pride soccer game after the women's team had just won the World Cup. Instead of accepting the status quo, she decided...

What if the biggest marketing agencies are actually holding your business back with their cookie-cutter approaches? Eric Monies, founder and CEO of Online Biz Builders, reveals why he rejected the traditional path of working for large agencies to create truly custom strategies for his clients. Starting his business in his basement right before COVID, Eric discovered that most businesses get trappe...

What happens when a Division I football player gets suspended, loses his business, and finds himself unemployed during a pandemic? Coach Lloyd Morrison turned his lowest moments into his greatest teaching tools, creating a philosophy that's now transforming lives across multiple industries. From working mobile blood drives for the American Red Cross to coaching everyone from five-year-olds to Fort...

What if the secret to accelerating your career isn't talent, but obsession? Scott Ashworth proves this theory by becoming a police lieutenant in just six years-half the typical timeline-before transitioning to protect some of Atlanta's biggest sports venues. His journey from struggling business student to leading high-stakes security operations reveals a counterintuitive approach to professional g...

Anna Cadavos thought she had it all figured out - climbing the corporate ladder, MBA in progress, interviews lined up with great companies. Then maternity leave changed everything, and a single bonus check made her question whether the traditional path was worth the sacrifice. What happened next shocked everyone, including her husband when she announced her resignation plans. Anna's story reveals...

What if your biggest personal struggle could become your greatest professional strength? Mark Troy, event coordinator at Princeton Mercer Chamber of Commerce, shares how getting sober didn't end his career-it transformed it. After years of wearing different masks in professional settings and battling substance abuse, Mark discovered that authenticity and vulnerability became his most powerful busi...

What happens when a TV producer walks into an MMA arena with zero fighting knowledge and a microphone? Janine Stella discovered that asking fighters about their stats was exactly the wrong approach - and it led to a complete reinvention of how she connects with people. Her journey from traditional television production to founding Stella Mix Production Company reveals how authenticity beats expert...

What happens when a master resiliency instructor hits rock bottom during his own transition? Eric Brew thought he had the perfect plan for leaving his 25-year military career spanning both the Army and Marines. He had all the credentials, the experience, and the confidence of someone who had succeeded at everything he touched. But when that carefully crafted plan crumbled, Eric found himself stari...