RESET with Tonya

Send us Fan Mail Imagine if every person who used an AI also helped design the next version of it. That’s the future MG Alcock is building toward—one conversation at a time. We sit down with the technologist, cultural strategist, and writer to unpack “perspective economics,” the idea that human experience is the scarce asset modern systems need to learn safely and well. From his early days shaping...

Send us Fan Mail Shaun Mader defies easy categorization. Leadership strategist, brown belt in jiu-jitsu, celebrated photographer documenting resilience in Calcutta's Red Light District — these diverse facets converge around his profound curiosity about people and what makes them thrive. During our conversation, Shaun reveals the genesis of his "TeamFlow Architecture" methodology and...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when beauty transcends appearance and becomes a pathway to healing? In this soul-stirring conversation, beauty entrepreneur Ofelia Ferere reveals the remarkable journey that led her from answering phones at a salon to founding an innovative wellness center in the exact same location years later. Growing up with a model mother who practiced facial yoga at stoplights, O...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to walk away from a 20-year career at Oracle and reinvent yourself as the heartbeat of a hospitality brand? In this week’s RESET conversation, Tonya sits down with her longtime friend Reena Miglani , who traded corporate cadence for community, creating Amara Restaurants as a sanctuary in the middle of Silicon Valley. Reena’s story begins with a forced pause : a h...

Send us Fan Mail What if everything you thought you knew about financial planning was based on an outdated model? Mike Clark, a financial professional who cringes at being called a "financial planner," is revolutionizing how we think about building wealth through collaboration, technology, and education. The traditional approach to finance has been siloed and often mysterious to clients....

Send us Fan Mail When you've spent four decades as a punk rock frontman, you've seen it all – the rise and fall of trends, the shifting landscape of music consumption, and the evolution of what it means to be rebellious. In this fascinating conversation, Blag Dahlia of The Dwarves takes us behind the persona that's been shocking audiences since the early 1980s. Starting as college s...

Send us Fan Mail When Eric McHenry and his wife LaVerne first joined the Airstream Club fifteen years ago, they didn't see many people who looked like them. As an African American man in a predominantly white organization, Eric might have simply enjoyed the camping experience and kept to himself. Instead, he embarked on a leadership journey that would transform both himself and the entire com...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine navigating the intersection of cutting-edge AI, traditional finance, and corporate governance during history's most significant technological transformation. That's exactly where Joyce Li thrives, bringing her unique experience as a software engineer and investment leader managing billions in hedge funds to help organizations reimagine their futures. Joyce reveal...

Send us Fan Mail What if you could build a system of 38 AI agents that autonomously researches investors, evaluates their fit with your company, and sends perfectly personalized emails – all while you sleep? That's exactly what tech entrepreneur Jesse Anglen has created, and it's just one example of how Digital Labor is transforming business. In this mind-expanding conversation, Jesse sh...

Send us Fan Mail What if music could respond to you? What if your favorite songs could shift to match your exact mood, energy level, or the vibe of your surroundings? That's the breakthrough Bryan Fenchel and his team at Starchild Music are bringing to life with their revolutionary adaptive music format. Bryan's journey from jazz trumpet virtuoso to music tech innovator reveals how perso...

Send us Fan Mail Behind every thriving cultural institution lies a story of passion, resilience, and community. For Paige Brodsky, now marking 36 years at Streetlight Records, that story unfolds through decades of music industry transformation that would have shuttered lesser establishments. "We're the cockroaches of the business world," Brodsky explains with a smile, describing the...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when an AI pioneer discovers his true purpose lies in building human connections? Piyush Malik's journey from IBM Watson innovator to community builder reveals how technology and spirituality can beautifully intertwine to create meaningful impact. Our paths crossed through a Pomeranian named Sushi, but our connection deepened through shared values about leadershi...

Send us Fan Mail When was the last time you truly listened to your body's wisdom instead of your conditioned "shoulds"? Megan Lambert, author of "Eros: The Journey Home" and creator of the Los Gatos Mama's Circle, offers a compelling perspective on reconnecting with our intuition and desires. "Guilt is the moment when your desire runs contrary to your conditionin...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine a world where AI doesn't just respond to your commands but proactively handles entire business processes without supervision. That's the promise of agentic AI, and few understand its revolutionary potential better than Jim Recker. After decades in the tech industry working with giants like WebEx and BlueJeans, Jim has embarked on his most ambitious journey yet –...

Send us Fan Mail This week's RESET with Tonya shares a story about a lifelong technologist building a sanctuary for Silicon Valley's brightest minds to escape the digital world. Mike Prince, serial entrepreneur and AI pioneer, takes us on a fascinating journey from his early programming days to his vision of our AI-powered future. Originally broadcast on Pirate Cat Radio 92.9FM, the epis...

Send us Fan Mail Technology partnerships don't just happen — they're carefully cultivated through trust, long-term thinking, and a relentless focus on customer outcomes. Vladimirs Sazonovs brings 25 years of Cisco wisdom to this fascinating conversation about what makes transformational partnerships work in an era of unprecedented technological change. From opening the Baltics for Cisco...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to reinvent yourself after decades in the corporate world? John McGowan, a Silicon Valley veteran who helped build Hewlett Packard during its formative years, shares his journey through multiple careers, four retirements, and the pursuit of passions that keep life meaningful at every stage. Our conversation begins with John's unconventional path from "r...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a brilliant mind trained in electrical engineering turns her talents toward community service and humanitarian aid? In this thought-provoking conversation, Harbir Bhatia reveals the surprising connections between corporate experience and community impact. Growing up in a Sikh tradition, Harbir was taught from age five that active participation in community servic...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when your career path zigzags across continents, disciplines, and roles? In this enlightening conversation, Keshia Theobald-van Gent reveals how her unconventional journey from Middle America to Laos, the Netherlands, and ultimately Silicon Valley shaped her distinct approach to venture capital. Named a 2025 Woman of Influence, Keshia shares how studying conflict, rel...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to go from hauling water buckets in Nigeria to structuring billion-dollar deals on Wall Street to launching a cutting-edge venture capital fund? Belinda Ephraim's journey embodies a masterclass in resilience, strategic reinvention, and challenging conventional wisdom. Growing up in Nigeria as the eldest of six children, Belinda's childhood was defined b...

Send us Fan Mail What if the path to genuine happiness doesn't require adding anything to your life, but instead releasing what no longer serves you? Justin Wenck, PhD — former Intel leader turned emotional wellness expert — reveals how his journey through crippling depression launched him into an unexpected career helping others navigate their emotional landscapes. With disarming candor and...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a Russian teenager relocates to America and discovers the power of trial and error in both cultural adaptation and technological innovation? In this captivating episode, Igor Krasnykh takes us on his remarkable journey from a small Russian town to Silicon Valley entrepreneurship, revealing how life's pivotal moments shaped his approach to business, technolog...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a digital marketing veteran with 23 years of experience discovers a new calling in Age Tech? Andreas Mueller's journey is a masterclass in purposeful transition, demonstrating how our diverse life experiences prepare us for unexpected opportunities. In this deeply insightful conversation, Andreas shares how growing up bilingual in Germany with an American mo...

Send us Fan Mail A painful corporate workforce reduction after two decades in tech became the unexpected catalyst for Reena Miglani's beautiful reinvention. When her long career at a major Silicon Valley company ended abruptly in late 2023, she found her way to an entirely new path - joining her husband's restaurant business to create Amara, a breathtaking Mediterranean fusion restaurant...

Send us Fan Mail In a world defined by constant change, finding solid ground can feel increasingly challenging. Yet, for Anna Krasnykh, transitions have become not just inevitable disruptions but authentic opportunities for growth and self-discovery. Anna's remarkable journey begins in a "closed city" in Russia, a place so secretive it remained unmarked on maps until the 2000s due t...