The Next Shift Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Well, we made it! Another season of the Next Shift Podcast has come and gone! A very special THANK YOU to you, the listener, and to all of the guests who have truly become HOPE DEALERS to so many in the LE community! This episode is me recapping the Top 10 downloaded episodes and encouraging you to go back and listen to each of them, and make sure you connect with the guests. One...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the next to last show of season 4! I didn’t record last week and it wasn't because I didn't have anything to say (we all know that's never a problem) or that I didn’t care… but because I just didn’t have the capacity.  I spent the day alternating between thoughts of guilt/shame and grace. It made me realize something a lot of us don’t want to admit...we A...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a chat with Travis Powell...a retired LEO, Marine Corps Veteran, husband, and father...who is now in his second post LE career.  Travis and I connected on LinkedIn back in 2023, while he was in the midst of planning his retirement. A year later, he was retired, moving several states away, starting his first post LE career, a regular at DEBRIEF, and a co...

Send us Fan Mail Over the past 10 years out of LE and the past 3 years working with those preparing for/going through...or struggling with the transition...I've learned a few things.  This episode is for those thinking about and/or preparing for the transition to life after law enforcement.  There have been 3 recurring themes I've seen over and over and over. I've talked about them...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is one that I love to do, but haven't done in awhile.  There is a form at the link in my bio on both LinkedIn and Instagram, that I created back in 2022, when I first thought of Next Shift. Over the years, people randomly click on the link and fill out the form. If you've made the transition to life after law enforcement, you can fill it out here .  This is...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a conversation with David Berez, a retired LEO turned Founder of Six4 Consultants, an author, and media consultant. David worked at his campus PD in college and as an EMT, then became a cop at 24 years old. He worked in the state of New Jersey and was a responder to 9/11, which he says gave him new perspective.  David served in various roles throughout...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is an important and impactful conversation with Meagan McCarthy...a former Deputy from California, with one helluva story. One thing I love about Meagan's story, is that she is still figuring out what life after law enforcement looks like...six years out. *TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE Meagan is a LEO wife, a mom, speaker, advocate for law enforcement...es...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a chat with Chris Samayoa, a prior LEO who lost his career just one week into FTO and is now an associate therapist for first responders.  There was a time, I wouldn't have believed this kind of thing could happen, but we are seeing it more and more these days. For those still on the job...this can happen, especially if you're involved in a UO...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a conversation with another one of my favorite people I've met through this journey...and YES, it WAS on LinkedIn! Caitlin (Cait) Thomas is a former Federal LEO with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), who had her career cut short due to a medical condition and is now in the financial industry...something she did prior to law enforcement.  Cait...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a chat with my guy, Kurt Hoffler...a retired LEO turned Video Content Strategist and a regular member of the monthly DEBRIEF call.  Kurt's exudes positive energy, is always encouraging others to lean into their hobbies and passions, and just a darn good guy who's always smiling.  Kurt is from Connecticuit and grew up in the church. When he was...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a conversation with Betsy Smith, aka Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith, and boy does she have some spunk!  It was such a fun convo and we touched on some topics we haven't necessarily covered on this show...like being a female in law enforcement...especially in the 80s - 90s.  For those of you who don't know Betsy, you're missing out...but, as a...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a conversation with Vickie Speed, Founder of Blue Cancer Connect and widow of LASD Detective Mitch Speed. I don't know a single person who has not been impacted by cancer in one way or another. I want this episode to not only be in remembrance of Vickie's Husband, but also in remembrance of all our brothers and sisters in blue, taken too soon...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a conversation with Sarah Patterson, prior Sergeant with LAPD. I first heard her story on The IA Guy podcast and was flabbergasted with what I heard. You can listen to that episode, after this one, here . I reached out to her, not only because I wanted to be there for her...but also to share a type of transition story that has not yet been shared on thi...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a conversation with Cary Goldberg... a retired LEO, a veteran, and now the Director of Business Management with Starchase. Cary walks us through his journey of growing up in Northern Virginia, realizing a four year university was not for him, joining the Marine Corps and going to the West coast, then transitioning into Law Enforcement and working for bo...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is an incredible conversation with Dr. Erica Birkley, who was actually recommended by a prior guest and friend, Chris Perry. He credits Dr. Birkley with helping him heal and get to where he is. You can check out his episode, here .  There were sooo many notes from this episode that there is NO WAY to include them all, so I will suggest getting out a notebo...

Send us Fan Mail If you're looking to transition out of law enforcement in 2026...this episode is for YOU.  This week's episode is a chat with Courtney Lesiak, a former recruiter turned cop...and now former LEO, who's also a mom and wife to a now former cop, and embarking on a new career journey. Courtney talks about being a recruiter and enjoying it, but not enjoying sitting at a c...

Send us Fan Mail WE MADE IT! Another year has come and gone, can you believe it?!  This is a solo episode that I thought would be about 20 minutes and ended up being 48-ish minutes because this topic gets me fired up. It may be helpful to have a notebook or the notes section of your phone handy as you listen to this one.  Like with every episode, but especially the solo episodes...take what resona...

Send us Fan Mail This is a short and sweet episode, mainly thanking you for being here and wishing you a very Merry Christmas, along with a safe and happy New Year.  I share a couple of tips that can help during this season of hustle and bustle, including...gratitude, communication, and practicing the pause.  This season brings various emotions for everyone, and that is OKAY.  If you are full of t...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a chat with Patrick Faulkner, about his journey from law enforcement to entrepreneurship, due to an off duty injury. Patrick is a prior LEO turned entrepreneur and podcast host of the Knock and Talk Show. He served 4 years in the US Air Force and after a year break, spent 16 years in law enforcement...in 4 different departments...before suffering an off...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a conversation with Destiny Morris, LMFT and it is another one that you are not going to want to miss! It took a direction I didn't expect it to, but I'm okay with it because I truly believe it is going to help so many.  Destiny is the daughter of a former cop, a dog mom, and a culturally competent licensed therapist. Due to the license she ha...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a conversation with one of my favorite people I've met through LinkedIn, Chad Bruckner . If you don't follow him, I encourage you to. This is such an important conversation for my mid-career listeners, who feel torn between "sucking it up" and leaving.  Chad is among many things...an Army veteran, a husband, a father to three kiddos,...

Send us Fan Mail This is a SHORT, simple episode, all about GRATITUDE and how seriously life-changing it can be.  This episode is mostly me sharing my gratitude for YOU...the listener, the sharer, and the guest (aka Hope Dealer). This podcast would not exist or be what it is, without YOU...so THANK YOU for listening in each week, for sharing on your social media, sending in messages, and for being...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a conversation with Dan Murphy, a retired LEO out of NYPD, turned business owner and co-host of the incredible podcast, Gold Shields . One of the things that I love about this conversation is that it isn't about a RECENT retirement and that is important, because the number of messages I get every single week from those who retired YEARS ago...thank...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is an incredible conversation with Dr. Brooke Bartlett, a military and public safety Psychologist, as well as a nationwide speaker, trainer, consultant.  On a more personal level, she is a lover of dogs, heavy metal, sports, and anything outdoors...so JUST LIKE "US."  In this episode, Dr. Bartlett talks about how she got involved in this work and...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is a chat with one of my favorite people I've met on LinkedIn, Tim Kucerovy. Not only does he boldly challenge the status quo...he is proof that you do NOT have to retire from LE in order to consult with LE agencies. There is value in YOUR experience, in and out of LE that can serve these agencies.  Tim started his LE career as a Park Ranger in Alaska...