Conversations with Sekani

What if your roughest 20s — homelessness, cancer, failed dreams, and setbacks — became the foundation for an extraordinary life of purpose, businesses, and impact? In this inspiring episode of Conversations with Sekani, Brandy Von Holton (former international heavyweight fighter, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Von Holton Ranch) shares her raw story. From surviving a tough childhood and battl...

Are you constantly pouring into others while losing yourself? Rev. Rachel Harrison — spiritual coach, author, and host of *Recover Your Soul* — shares her powerful journey from alcoholism, severe codependency, and people-pleasing to full soul recovery. In this raw conversation, she explains how addiction and codependency showed up in her life, the moment of grace that changed everything at 48, and...

Built the “perfect” external life — high-paying C-suite job, beautiful home, family — but felt empty inside? Nandita Mahadevan shares her honest journey from corporate executive to founder of SolWomen, helping women reclaim health, identity, and purpose during midlife transitions. Learn how she recognized the illusion of success, navigated perimenopause, prioritized self-love, and balanced product...

Struggling with communication, personal branding, or standing out in your career in your 20s? Conor Cunneen — aka Irishman Speaks, keynote speaker, business humorist, and former marketing VP — shares how to use humor strategically to build warmth, approachability, likability, and trust (the WALT Effect). From his wild-haired ambitious 20s in Ireland to becoming Chicago’s Humorist Speaker of the Ye...

Overwhelmed by responsibilities, stuck in a victim mindset, or feeling like life is happening to you in your 20s? Debbie Weiss shares her raw story of becoming a full-time caregiver for her disabled father at just 21, facing a nervous breakdown, infertility struggles, and decades of people-pleasing before a major life reset. Learn how she broke free from self-pity, took ownership of her life, and...

Tired of being taken advantage of, people-pleasing, or wondering why being “nice” isn’t helping you succeed in your 20s? Danny Goldberg — serial entrepreneur, performance strategist, and author — delivers a powerful wake-up call: respect beats being liked. From leaving corporate America to building an 8-figure business, Danny shares hard-earned lessons on setting strong boundaries, strategic asser...

You read the books, journal, understand your patterns… but still can’t change? Cecilia Baum Mandryk — former geologist turned coach specializing in nervous system regulation and habit change — explains the “Post-Insight Plateau”: that frustrating gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. In this episode, she shares how she went from checking all the “right” boxes in her 20s (great job...

Your small daily actions can create ripples that last generations. US Navy submariner, pastor, businessman, and author David Petrash shares powerful lessons from serving on nuclear submarines for months underwater with no outside contact. Learn how high-stakes leadership in extreme environments built his resilience, why the decisions you make in your 20s matter so much, and how faith, character, a...

Struggling with self-doubt, comparison, or finding your authentic voice in your 20s? Ana Denis — communications trainer, TEDx organizer, author of *Reinvento*, and former Google/YouTube marketing professional — shares her journey from a lonely introverted bookworm in Russia to building a global career across cultures. Learn why human connection beats algorithms, the danger of social media comparis...

Decisions you make in your 20s can shape the rest of your life. Carl Grant — Army veteran, Christian business leader, author, and founder of Bridges of Faith — shares his powerful story of going from atheist chasing success to a radical conversion at age 24 that changed everything. From military service and graduate school to integrating faith into business, family, and cross-cultural dialogue, Ca...

Diagnosed with epilepsy at 13 and facing uncontrollable seizures, shoulder dislocations, and medical dismissal in her 20s — Jane Rogers refused to let it define her in silence. In this honest and often humorous episode, the author of *Laughing Through the Storm* shares how she built mental and physical strength, navigated stigma and uncertainty, and found the courage to speak openly. Learn powerfu...

Feeling like you’re living a version of yourself shaped by conditioning, trauma, or expectations in your 20s? Lauretta Zucchetti — transformational life coach, speaker, and author with a background in transpersonal psychology and international sales leadership — shares her powerful journey from childhood abuse and survival mode to corporate success and deep personal reinvention. Learn how to ident...

Feeling pressure to perform, questioning your creativity, or struggling with body image and identity in your 20s? Joanne Stewart — experienced yoga teacher, founder of Garden of Yoga, and co-host of the Flow Artist podcast — shares her journey from art school burnout and harsh criticism to discovering yoga as a tool for self-acceptance and calm. Learn how she makes yoga truly accessible for all bo...

Feeling lost in your identity, carrying childhood trauma, or struggling to rewrite your story in your 20s? Licensed therapist, storyteller, and author Johnzelle (Jonzelle Anderson) shares his raw journey through mental health challenges, race, relationships, and finding himself. In this powerful episode, he explains how storytelling (including his music-structured memoir *Mixtape*) became a tool f...

Struggling with consistency, motivation, or building sustainable fitness habits in your 20s? Tai Erasmus — elite fitness and nutrition coach with over 30 years of experience training athletes, Hollywood actors, and everyday people — shares his journey from Olympic-level target shooting to transforming clients worldwide. Learn why discipline beats motivation, how to get crystal clear on your goals,...

From the streets of East Los Angeles, raised by a single mother as a first-generation American, to becoming a Flight Planning Engineer supporting NASA’s International Space Station and Moon to Mars programs — Irene Chan’s story is proof that your background doesn’t define your ceiling. With over 20 years in aerospace, Irene shares her powerful non-traditional path: falling in love with flight, fac...

Trapped in the Las Vegas party scene and slowly losing control for over a decade? Ryan Penley hit rock bottom, lost everything, and fought his way to 6 years of sobriety. In this raw and honest episode, he breaks down the “frog in boiling water” effect of gradual addiction, the moment everything changed, and the small daily habits, accountability, and faith that saved his life. Perfect for young a...

Constantly exhausted, people-pleasing, and feeling lost in your 20s? Jody Brooks — coach, workplace well-being consultant, and burnout survivor — shares her powerful story of severe mental health struggles, suicidal thoughts, and a full breakdown in her 20s. She reveals how trying to fit in and please everyone nearly destroyed her, and how discovering her core values, setting boundaries, and choos...

High-achieving but constantly exhausted in your 20s? Lakisha Mosley, founder of Soft Simple CEO, reveals why strategy alone fails and how **capacity** is the real problem for driven women. Learn how to regulate your nervous system, protect your energy, schedule rest as a strategy, and build profitable businesses without sacrificing your peace. This episode delivers practical mindset shifts and too...

Feeling voiceless, unworthy, or stuck in toxic patterns from childhood wounds in your 20s? Aggie Park shares her powerful journey from abandonment, bullying, toxic relationships, and feeling like a mistake — to becoming Miss California Royal United Universe and host of *Unspoken with Aggie Park*. Discover how God redeems pain, the power of faith in turning brokenness into purpose, and practical le...

Feeling silenced at work, scared to share ideas, or stuck in environments that kill creativity in your 20s? Vanya Boardman — leadership expert, co-founder of Play Inova, and co-author of *The Innovation Imperative* — reveals why even brilliant people disengage and withhold their best ideas. Learn how psychological safety (or the lack of it) stifles innovation, why play is a powerful tool for probl...

Struggling with self-doubt, emotional control, or figuring out how to lead in life and career in your 20s? US Marine officer, award-winning author, and leadership mentor Olaolu Ogunyemi shares powerful lessons on knowing yourself deeply, building emotional intelligence, and leading with authenticity — both at work and at home. Learn why presence beats perfection in parenting/mentorship, how to cre...

Navigating cultural identity, leadership, and finding your place in the world in your 20s can feel overwhelming. Misun Oh — international speaker, leadership coach, and founder of Global Gumption — shares her powerful journey from South Korea to building a global movement that empowers women and leaders worldwide. Learn how she overcame cultural expectations, language barriers, and imposter syndro...

Carrying hidden trauma, people-pleasing, anxiety, or repeating unhealthy patterns in your 20s? Psychotherapist and author Phyllis Leavitt (30+ years experience) reveals how childhood wounds shape identity, create negative beliefs ("I'm unlovable," "I have no power"), and lead to maladaptive coping like self-sabotage or isolation. Learn why symptoms are calls for help—not personal flaws—and practic...

Feeling stuck, overlooked, or unsure how to advance in your career in your 20s? Former Fortune 100 executive and founder of Real Work Ready™️, Laura Massetti reveals the hidden “unwritten rules” of the workplace that no one teaches — yet everyone is judged by. Learn why smart, capable professionals often stall, how to build real workplace trust, navigate office politics, and own your career growth...