My Fourth Act Podcast

Zachary Minor , a  professional actor  with a silky, mellifluous voice, has spent the last 3 decades teaching “life skills” to Rockstar athletes in the  NBA, NFL, MLB and NFL . Zach has personally touched the lives of countless legendary athletes through this work. Zach and his wife Wicki were die-hard Manhattanites, residing in a beautiful loft in Tribeca, enjoying the seductions o...

Bija Bennett  has been a champion of the  wellness industry  for over 3 decades, since before wellness became fashionable. Bija has written  4 internationally acclaimed books  including  Emotional Yoga: How the Body Can Heal the Mind,  translated into 11 languages. Bija is known for her longtime professional association with  Dr. Deepak Chopra , launched a&n...

Ozlem Brooke Erol , born in Turkey and now a Southern Californian, passionately champions a more  purposeful world . Ozlem worked at IBM for 11 years and held positions as  VP of Sales and Marketing  in several other companies. Ozlem left her native Istanbul at the age of 33 to come to the US with her family.  A happy corporate drop-out, Ozlem&nbsp...

After 25 years as a chiropractor, Dr. Tom Garcia, 63, fully stepped into his shamanic Self. He sold his practice and now serves the world as a Shamanic Teacher and Guide. Tom helps people from every walk of life to reclaim the sacred via fire ceremonies, fire medicine circles and wellness retreats. How do you embrace your shamanic nature? What sort of courage is required t...

At an age when many actresses say “there are no more parts for me,” OBIE and AUDELCO award-winner  Benja Kay Thomas  decided to go for it. Benja has fashioned an acclaimed career that includes work in film, television, regional theatre and very notably on the New York Stage, where she has acted in choice venues like The Public Theatre, Playwrights Horizons and the Atlantic Theatre C...

Paul Zelizer , 53, is one of the first global business coaches to focus on the needs of conscious entrepreneurs and social impact businesses . He is the former Director of Social Media for Wisdom 2.0 , one of the premier mindfulness brands in the world. In 2017, Paul founded the Awarepreneurs community when he saw the need for more honest conversations about combining conscious business practices...

Ande Lyons is a  4x Business Founder,  Startup champion, Podcaster, the radiant Live Stream Host of  Startup Life , and Co-host of  Boston’s Founders Live   Pitch  event. A seasoned  Startup pro , Ande is committed to amplifying diverse Founder’s voices. She is passionate about helping Startup founders of any age maximize the joy and minimize the heartaches of th...

Cassis Birgit Staudt  is a German  musician, composer, performer and teacher . Cassis won a  Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival  for her work as a producer for filmmaker  Jim Jarmusch , and she was the muse behind the  Oscar-nominated film Ferry Tales .  Cassis has composed symphonies as well as film scores for many  award-winning...

Miami-based Bruce Turkel, 64, is a global  branding expert , riveting  Keynote Speaker , and the  author of five acclaimed books  on branding. Bruce is a regular  on-air contributor at CNN International ,  Fox Business, and CCTV  (China Central Television). Bruce’s newest book, “ Is that All There is, ” takes an intimate look at his own life and that of others wh...

Malissa Smith , 67, is a retired civil servant who served as the  Agency Chief Contracting Officer for the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development . An amateur boxer, Malissa trains at the world-famous  Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn . Malissa wrote  A History of Women’s Boxing , the definitive history of female boxers. Malissa is a Founding Board Member of  The Inter...

After a  30-year career as a trial lawyer , Carl Ficks, 57, quit his law practice this spring. A life-long athlete, committed long-distance runner and cyclist, Carl has stepped into a whole new Act. In his new venture,  No Surrender , Carl helps busy professionals  reclaim their wellness . How bicycling through the pandemic opened the door to new possibilities. What I learned in Par...

Debra Olshan Cooper , 64, has a storied life. Born in Beverly Hills, a  Runway Model  in Paris and Milan, Muse to  Roberto Cavalli , PR Frontwoman for  Elizabeth Taylor , groundbreaking  AIDS Charity Promoter  and the top  Fashion Publicist  in Manhattan. Debra’s FOURTH ACT? She now takes her  storytelling mojo  and helps students craft their ...

Dan Smolen , 60, is a self-described  Future of Work sherpa  who advocates for people doing meaningful work. Dan’s wonderfully eclectic past includes on-air radio reporting in college, stints working for advertising and marketing agencies and founding his own  Executive Recruitment Agency , The Green Suits. Dan left headhunting in 2018 to launch  The Dan Smolen E...

Marge Schiller Ph. D. , 83, is an  Appreciative Inquiry  thought-leader and professional grandmother. Marge has been an Appreciative Inquiry practitioner, consultant and collaborator for over 30 years, with a passion for intergenerational learning partnerships. Marge is the  co-author of 2 books ,  Appreciative Leaders: In the Eye of the Beholder  and  Stan and t...

Adriana Machado , 52, is one of Latin America’s most celebrated women business leaders.  Former CEO of GE Brazil  and an outspoken  advocate for an impact economy , Adriana went on to found the  Briyah Institute , a B_Corp that bridges innovation, practice and purpose to inspire leaders to transform their organizations. Adriana serves on multiple Boards where she...

Meredith Bell,  69, is a beloved leader in the Personal Development field. Her firm,  Strong for Performance , which she has helmed with 2 other colleagues for over 30 years, helps companies develop the people side of their business. Meredith is also an author and just recently released the 100th episode of her own marvelous podcast, aptly named  Strong for Performance Podcast . Eac...

Steven Petrow , 63, is an award-winning journalist and book author who is best known for his  Washington Post  and  New York Times  essays on aging, health, and civility. His just-published sixth book,  Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old  is a funny and poignant FOURTH ACT page-turner. Steven is also an opinion columnist for  USA Today ,  where he...

Diane Primo  is the groundbreaking CEO of  Purpose Brand Agency , an  award-winning  Chicago-based public relations, branding and digital marketing firm. She is  the   only African American female CEO  of a purpose-driven communications agency. Diane understood and harnessed the power of purpose long before purpose became "sexy." Diane is also involved with a var...

Alisa Alexander , 53, is the quintessential performer. Alisa is a motivational speaker. A recording artist. A woman of faith. And she is a consummate expert in the professional development field. For the last 16 years, Alisa has worked in the Corporate Headquarters of the iconic  Mary Kay Cosmetics . Alisa creates and hosts events that empower, celebrate and uplift a global workforc...

Kent Schwendy , 53, is an Engineer, former  US Air Airforce Captain , Champion for  Sustainable Housing ,  Beekeeper  and writing his first historical novel. As the CEO of a non-profit in Hartford/CT, the  Corporation for Independent Living , Kent helps to create and sustain affordable, accessible and independent housing. The apiary in the back of his g...

Chip Conley , 60, was  Airbnb’s Global Head of Hospitality and Strategy . Chip helped grow Airbnb into a hospitality company with more than a million hosts in 191 countries. He is a TED speaker and the author of multiple best-selling books including his most recent, “ Wisdom@Work: The Making of a Modern Elder .” When Chip was hired at Airbnb at the age of 52, he claimed the role of an elder i...

Denise Gallagher , 67, is an artist, occupational therapist, sublime photographer – and more importantly perhaps, a  seeker and explorer . Based in small-town Fairfield/Iowa, Denise has fashioned an expansive life that includes extended travel escapades around the world. Travel not to sightsee, not to work. Travel to just live and BE – and take rapturous photographs. What’s it like...

Rosemary Ravinal , 66, is a consummate  public relations pro  with 3 decades of bilingual, bicultural communications expertise. She has worked with everyone – Telemundo, HBO Latin America, The Latin Grammys, Lifetime, Sony Ericsson, MSNBC, Azteca, Republica Havas. Rosemary is the Past  President of the Hispanic Public Relations Association  and most recently served as the ...

Luis Gallardo , 49, is the Former  Global Chief Marketing Officer for Deloitte.  He has been an advisor to CEOs, thought leaders, Nobel Laureates, political and institutional game changers on strategic personal positioning and brand building. After leaving Deloitte, Luis founded the  World Happiness Foundation  and World Happiness Fest. He is the Author of “Happytalism and The...

Eileen McDargh , 72, is a Rockstar motivational speaker, hope merchant, truth teller, and the Founder and  Chief Energy Officer of The Resiliency Group . Since 1980, Eileen has helped organizations and individuals transform the life of their business and the business of their life through conversations that matter and connections that count. She has spoken on stages all over the wor...