The One Away Show

Derek Coburn has made a lot of decisions in his life. Good ones. Bad ones. But ask him which one changed everything — and the answer comes without hesitation. Marrying Melanie. Not a business deal. Not a career pivot. Not a bold financial bet. The person he chose to build his life with. And 17 years, two kids, and a thriving wealth management practice later — he's more convinced than ever that who...

In February 2020, Willie Litvack had his biggest month ever. Squadup — the self-service ticketing platform he'd spent six years building brick by brick — had just crossed $400K in monthly revenue. The business was profitable. The momentum was real. Then the phone rang. Within nine days, revenue went from $400K to zero. Willie had to furlough 17 people on a call with a lawyer billing $700 an hour —...

Shiv Gettu didn't find his big idea in a boardroom. He found it in a basement, 45 minutes deep in meditation. That moment of stillness sparked a decision that would define the next decade of his life — convincing his co-founder Kendrick to quit his job, become a leasing agent for free, and spend nine months learning the real estate industry from the ground up. The hustle earned them their first $5...

Justin Gelinas hated school. Not because he wasn't smart, because the box was too small. Then a teacher named Laurie took him on a field trip to a design studio in Burlington, Vermont. Tribe Called Quest was playing. There was a half pipe in the basement. Twenty-somethings were designing brand strategy for Burton Snowboards on an open floor plan. And Justin walked out knowing exactly what he wante...

Rajat Suri was supposed to be a doctor. That was the plan. The Indian dream, as he puts it. And he was on track. Then he walked into a three-hour lecture by a professor named Larry Smith at the University of Waterloo — and everything changed. One idea cracked him open: that a single individual could change the sweep of history. Not just help one person at a time, but reshape how millions of people...

What happens when the world sees a version of you that you haven't fully become yet? In 2016, Jason Feifer became Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine. He thought it was just another media job. Then the podcast invitations started coming in — and with them, a realization that would change everything. People expected him to be an authority. And he didn't feel like one. Instead of shrinking from...

What do a small village in Donegal and a train car in the middle of Siberia have in common? According to Ciara, Executive Producer at Web Summit — everything. In this episode, Ciara shares her One Away moment: the realization that her love for global community was just a bigger version of what she learned growing up in rural Ireland. From summers crossing Europe in a campervan with her mom, to stu...

On this episode of The One Away Show, we sit down with Andrew Sherman — attorney, educator, and author of 26 books — who has spent nearly four decades advising entrepreneurs with rare empathy, strategic clarity, and calm. Andrew shares the early hardships that shaped him, the first venture that taught him what founders carry, and the inflection point that changed his path: choosing to support entr...

Sometimes a knock on the door isn't literal – it's the moment you realize the life you've built needs to be rethought. In this episode, Andy Klump shares how nearly two decades in China – from selling Dell computers under intense pressure to helping scale one of the world's largest solar manufacturers – shaped his career, identity, and leadership. He reflects on the moments that tested his resolve...

Some patterns shape us. Others ask to be broken. In this episode, Angela Wimmer shares the defining moments that helped her understand the difference. Growing up in a home marked by instability, she learned early on how to think for herself – even when it meant standing alone. With the steady influence of her grandparents, she found curiosity, confidence, and the belief that her voice mattered, lo...

When Ryan Lewis moved across the country for graduate school, he arrived with curiosity – but no roadmap. Then one quiet introduction changed everything. That meeting pulled him into the world of national security, defense acquisition, and high-stakes problem-solving – an arena where details save lives and focus under pressure isn't optional. From studying MRAP deployments during the Iraq and Afgh...

When COVID shut the world down, Carlo Cisco didn't freeze – he rebuilt. In this episode, the founder of Select breaks down how a global crisis became the spark that reshaped his company's product, growth model, and long-term vision. From boosting renewal rates during a standstill to launching an AI travel planner that generates custom itineraries in under 30 seconds, Carlo shows what reinvention r...

Innovation isn't just about ideas – it's about the systems that shape them. In this episode, Caroline Kendal shares why venture studios may be the future of company building. After two previous startups and years working alongside investors, she realized the current VC model rewards luck more than discipline. Her latest chapter? Investing in the "startup factories" that build companies with scient...

When his dream of playing in the NBA ended, Darrell Teat thought the buzzer had signaled the end of his story. Instead, it opened the door to a bigger calling. In this episode, Darrell shares how mentorship, exposure, and a pivotal leadership program helped him reimagine his path – from aspiring athlete to purpose-driven CEO. His journey highlights the power of people, culture, and the systems lea...

For Desiree Bombenon, courage started with a whisper from a third-grade teacher – a moment that sparked a lifetime of bold decisions. In this episode, she shares how early hardship shaped her resilience, how following her instincts helped her rebuild a purpose-driven company, and why she believes purpose + profit = impact. From empowering women to redefining leadership, Desirée shows what it looks...

When everything you've built feels like it's about to collapse, what do you do? For Dan Lappin, founder of Lappin180, that moment came 16 months into building his business – with no clients, no revenue, and only two months of savings left. Faced with fear and uncertainty, he made a choice that changed everything: no Plan B. In this episode, Dan shares how letting go of scarcity and choosing convic...

What if a single book could change not just your business – but your life? For entrepreneur Dan Honeywell, Play Bigger did exactly that. It shifted his mindset from building companies to designing categories – igniting a journey that led to a £120M healthcare venture and, eventually, to a much deeper transformation. In this episode of The One Away Show, Dan shares how a founder's biggest breakthro...

What drives someone to leave a dream job at the heart of Silicon Valley to start again from a basement? For Michael Coates, former CISO of Twitter and Mozilla, that leap wasn't about risk – it was about conviction. In this episode, Michael shares how stepping away from corporate success led him to build from the ground up: first a cybersecurity company born out of late-night sessions in his co-fou...

What does it take to lead across borders – and truly connect beyond results? After driving 80% growth as Avon Ecuador's CEO, Rossana Sadir received the toughest feedback of her life. That moment reshaped how she led forever – from a results-driven executive into a leader who empowers through trust, empathy, and shared purpose. In this episode of The One Away Show, Rossana shares her transformation...

For Nancy Armstrong, a diagnosis isn't the end of the story – it's the beginning of a new perspective. As a mother, advocate, and storyteller, Nancy has spent years reframing how we view ADHD: not as a disorder to be "fixed," but as a brain type that requires understanding, support, and different ways of thinking. In this episode, Nancy shares her journey of raising a child with ADHD and how it re...

When a moment in the Grand Canyon changed everything, Carrie Freeman began reimagining what it means to create real impact — not just reducing harm, but amplifying good. From leading sustainability initiatives at Intel to co-founding global innovation firm SecondMuse, Carrie has spent her career at the intersection of business, systems thinking, and positive change. In this heartfelt and candid co...

What if hitting rock bottom wasn't the end, but the push you needed to lead differently? For Chris Walcher, walking away from the chaos of his punk rock days forced him to rethink everything – discipline, direction, and the kind of leader he wanted to become. That shift took him from a warehouse job to the VP of Sales at a national financial firm, and along the way, he learned that real leadership...

Sometimes the moments of deepest pain become the doorway to growth. For Ashley Du, hitting what felt like rock bottom sparked a season of self-discovery. By asking hard questions – Who am I beyond the entrepreneur? What's my true purpose? – she found clarity in daily practices that helped her show up not just as a founder, but as a person and a leader. From philosophy books to mindset shifts, Ashl...

Startups don't just teach you how to build a business – they teach you how to build yourself. For Daniel Kivatinos, choosing to invest his savings into a startup instead of an MBA opened the door to rapid learning, creativity, and autonomy. But it wasn't without its cost. In the middle of running his first company, Daniel faced devastating personal losses, nearly losing everyone closest to him in...

In this episode, John Bly reflects on the pivotal year that reshaped his life and business — 2012. What began as a home-based accounting firm evolved into a multi-office powerhouse completing over 50 acquisitions. John walks us through: The mentor who changed his perspective on growth and success. Building a repeatable M&A playbook rooted in culture, not just numbers. Lessons learned from deals th...