Career Coaching With John

Episode Twenty - Why Some People Don’t Fit in a Box — And Still Make It Work We open the show with a reflection on  Lady Gaga  and  Little Richard  — two artists who built careers by refusing to be defined by a single identity. Lady Gaga represents a more modern, deliberate version of identity: someone who crafted a persona that can move seamlessly between worlds — mainstream and fringe, polished...

We open this episode with a side note on Raymond Chandler — a writer who reinvented himself when the world shifted beneath him. Out of job, out of structure, he disciplined himself to write and, in doing so, created Philip Marlowe — a character who could move through uncertainty with purpose. That thread runs through this conversation. In this episode, I sit down with Vince Ciarlo, a communication...

In Part 4 of the Your Path in Life series, Johncontinues his coaching conversations with Luca — and runs head-first into something unexpected. This episode isn’t about a breakthrough moment or a tidyrealization. It’s about what happens when the framework doesn’t land the way you thought it would , and when the coach’s expectations start getting in the way. Using a personal “needs” exercise, Luca i...

In Part Three of Your Path in Life , John continues his ongoing coaching conversation with UK-based podcaster Luca Volentir , turning the focus toward discomfort, intention, and where real value actually comes from —in work, creativity, and conversation. The episode opens with a reflective side note on Yuri Gagarin , the first human in space, and the quiet tragedy of what happens when someone is c...

In this second part of the  Your Path in Life  series, we pick up the conversation with UK-based software developer and podcaster  Luca Volentir , host of  Path in Life . We start with a detour into the alien abduction story behind  Fire in the Sky  — what happens when people invent a more comfortable reality instead of facing failure, fear, or unmet needs. From there, we dig into Luca’s own story...

John opens with the Voyager missions and Carl Sagan’s Golden Record — a reminder that all of us send signals into the world, hoping someone understands who we are and what we’re trying to do. This episode launches a four-part collaboration with Luca Volentir, host of Path in Life . Part One is about getting to know him: his move across the world at 19, the intention that guides his choices, and th...

Show Notes: What happens when the story you’ve been telling yourself about your career no longer fits? In this episode, John speaks with Laura Barbante , amarketing professional in Australia whose career path took her from government work to unemployment—and back again with a renewed sense of purpose. Together, they explore what it means to rebuild a professional identity, create authentic persona...

What if confidence isn’t something you earn through titles, promotions, or endless hard work? What if the real shift comes from stepping into the right environment — the soil where you can actually grow? In this episode, John explores the idea of  place and purpose  — from  Josephine Baker  finding her stage in Paris, to Jimi Hendrix breaking through in London, to Jackie Robinson building his stre...

Synopsis: Remember the Freedom 55 dream? Retire early, live free, enjoy the good life. In Thailand, Kasikornbank has reimagined that dream — except now the cut-off is 45, and it’s not about freedom, it’s about AI and spreadsheets. What looks like early retirement is really a story about cost-cutting, technology, and assumptions about age and value. In this episode, John breaks down what KBank is d...

Let’s Declare Ourselves Emperor Guest: Sharon Secondus Theme: Networking, Personal Brand, and Building Your Empire From Scratch Episode Summary In this episode, we explore what it really takes to build a network and personal brand—especially when you’re starting from scratch. Whether you’ve moved cities, changed industries, or simply feel stuck and underappreciated in your current role, this conve...

Episode Ten: My Own Personal Guru What do you do when the biggest obstacle in your business… is you ? In this episode, I put the Good John in front of the Bad John—the version of me that avoids, delays, and quietly convinces himself that effort is pointless. Along the way, we talk gurus, comfort zones, and a little New Age weirdness. (Yes, Sai Baba makes an appearance.) I’m joined by career coach...

You can lift it. But should you? This episode explores the hidden cost of capability—how strength, hustle, and good intentions can trap us in outdated versions of success. Featuring utopian French socialists, Romanian dictators, and one very tired admissions officer, we look at the shift from doing the work… to defining the work. Music:Theme: Smooth Chill Jazz by ⁠⁠⁠AllWorldMusic⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠Pixaba...

Episode 8: Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time What if the job you’re in isn’t forever—and that’s okay? In this episode, John explores the value of temporary work, misaligned roles, and contract gigs that aren’t your dream job. From polishing cars at the auto show to managing a bike shop, to listening to Trooper blast from a truck stereo—this one’s about showing up, experimenting, and knowing wh...

Episode Seven: The Demographic Gridlock In Part Two of Scarcity in a Land of Plenty , we shift the lens from tech to demographics — and ask why, in a world that claims there's a labour shortage, so many people still feel stuck. From Baby Boomer capital preservation to Millennial risk aversion, this episode explores how wealth, leadership, and opportunity have gotten tangled across generations. We...

When a talented employee reaches out across her company to explore new possibilities, her initiative is met with silence, control, and suspicion. In this episode, we explore what it means to be micromanaged, misunderstood, and stuck in survival-mode leadership — and how to reclaim your power anyway. We begin with the story of Frank Farian — the voice behind Boney M and Milli Vanilli — and draw a s...

In this episode, we start with the radical Oneida Community—a group that rejected the rules of the modern economy—and use their story to examine why today’s job boards fail so many of us. We explore how technology has transformed hiring, why unemployment is often a systemic mismatch—not a personal failure—and what both job seekers and employers can do to find alignment in a confusing market. It’s...

We open with a reflection on Yevgeny Prigozhin—the mercenary boss who flew too close to the sun—and what his downfall says about loyalty, usefulness, and power. From there, we dive into something closer to home: the trap of being the best at your job. Especially in customer service, hospitality, and retail, being the go-to person can sometimes mean you never get the chance to grow. You're too...

Feeling out of place at work? If you're the only one struggling while everyone else seems fine, the problem might not be the workplace—it might be misalignment. This episode explores how to recognize when a job just isn’t the right fit and what to do about it. We also compare a the struggles of a 19th century British General, with the modern struggles of today. For more on Career Coaching with...

In this episode, we’re talking about how to take control of your career—no matter where you work. It’s not just about having an entrepreneurial mindset; it’s about setting an intention and using it to guide your actions. I’ll break down how to define what you actually want, track your progress, and turn any job (even the ones you don’t love) into a stepping stone for something bigger. Because no m...

Hate your job? Feel like you're being pushed around, undervalued, or stuck in a toxic environment? Quitting might seem like the only way out, but there’s another option—shifting your mindset. Thinking like an entrepreneur, even while working for someone else, can help you take back control, make your job more bearable (or even better), and open doors to new opportunities.