The Potentialist Podcast with Dr. Lee Koles

This week’s episode offers an insider’s view of a career path that twisted, turned and defied the odds. A former Navy SEAL, JP Bolwahnn, is a certified life and fitness coach who helps his clients unlock the healthiest and most highly effective versions of themselves.  JP’s career is built on hard work, discipline, making tough decisions and pushing aside doubts to pursue his goals. JP discusses h...

This episode features special guest, Jeremy Schifeling, co-author of the fantastic book, “Linked: Conquer LinkedIn. Get Your Dream Job. Own Your Future.” A former education marketing leader at LinkedIn, Jeremy spills insider secrets to leveraging LinkedIn. We discuss: Why LinkedIn is so important to the modern job search The most important things job seekers should do on LinkedIn “Next level” Link...

Join me for the finale of my 4-Part LinkedIn Profile Workshop. In this episode, I take the mystery out of writing your About Section - the part of your profile that lets your personality shine. I walk you through a framework so you can confidently script an About section that connects you to recruiters and others in your field.  By the end of the Workshop, you’ll have a LinkedIn profile that helps...

Join me for Part III of my 4-Part LinkedIn Profile Workshop. In this episode, I tell you everything you need to know to create a powerful Experience Section. I break down the process into simple, bite-sized steps that take the stress out of optimizing your LinkedIn profile. You’ll learn time-saving shortcuts, as well as secrets to make your Experience section logarithm-friendly. By the end of the...

Join me for Part II of my 4-Part LinkedIn Profile Workshop. In this episode, I tell you everything you need to know to optimize your LinkedIn Headline. I break down the process into bite-sized, manageable steps so you can take action to make your profile logarithm-friendly. By the end of the Workshop, you’ll have a LinkedIn profile that helps you achieve what’s next in your career. 

One of the greatest tools to develop your career is LinkedIn. As of today, LinkedIn has over 830 million users worldwide. It’s the ideal platform for sharing insight, connecting with recruiters and becoming a thought leader in your industry. I want to help you get in the game! This episode is Part 1 of my 4-part LinkedIn Profile Workshop. I break down the LinkedIn profile optimization process into...

According to Mental Health America’s 2021 Mind the Workplace report, almost 83% of respondents felt emotionally drained from their work. 85% said that their job stress affected their mental health. Today’s episode addresses workplace stress and anxiety.  We discuss:  The symptoms of stress Anxiety triggers in the workplace Strategies for coping with anxiety at work. By the end of this episode, my...

Today’s episode answers the often-asked question:  “What is the very best way to advance my career?” So I’ve challenged myself with distilling down my strategic career advice. In this episode, I share the 4 secrets of career success. I’m keeping this concise - concentrated and bite-sized - so you can take these strategies and begin using them TODAY.  By the end of this episode I want you to feel l...

This episode examines our career in the context of relationships. Life coach and “relationship guru” Melissa Caveney joins us to discuss: How our brain interprets emotions How our emotions impact relationships at work The impact of remote work on our relationships Fostering connections with our coworkers Strategies to diffuse conflict at work

In this episode you’ll learn about what it means to find your purpose and how this fits into your career trajectory. Best of all, meet Sari Kimbell - she’s a Coach, the Founder of Sari Kimbell Coaching and the Creator of Food Business Success® Sari understands what it’s like to chase after and find your purpose. She has an incredible career story that’s going to have you on the edge of your seat w...

This episode is about a very twisty, curvy career path that ends in a dream job. It’s the story of my guest, Enith Williams, with chapters that include moving back and forth between Jamaica and NYC. Working in both the nonprofit sector and on Wall Street. Enith threw a career break into the mix, and finally, a leap from the banking industry to the world of reparative justice.  Enith used her finan...

There’s nothing like guilt to zap the thrill that should accompany your next career move. After searching and strategizing, you landed a job that will take you to the next level of your career. You’re elated! …for a while. Then the guilt begins to seeps in, clouding your once-excited mind with questions: Is my career move selfish? Will my manager be angry?  Will my coworkers feel blindsided? How w...

This episode details the inspirational story of my former client, Norma Mendelson. After over a decade of practicing law, Norma took a 20+ year career break that left her feeling professionally rudderless and unfulfilled.  Norma’s career story took a turn as she reclaimed her talents and learned that her volunteer accomplishments and unpaid work “counted”. She now has a writing consulting business...

Are you feeling unfulfilled in your career? Sometimes it’s difficult to discern whether you’re merely experiencing career “growing pains” or if it’s time to make a change. Today’s episode brings clarity to this issue. I review the 5 subtle signs that it’s time to consider a career change. Listen and decide if you check any of these boxes. By the end of our time together you’ll know whether or not...

Welcome to Part III of my “BEST OF” SERIES! For three weeks in a row I’m bringing back the most downloaded, shared and foundational podcast episodes. I hand-picked each one just for you. They’re episodes that are packed with so much value, you’re going to want to listen to them over and over again (you may even want to get out a notepad!).  Today is the grand finale of my BEST OF Series. It’s the...

Welcome to Part II of my “BEST OF” SERIES! For three weeks in a row I’m bringing back the most downloaded, shared and foundational podcast episodes. I hand-picked each one just for you. They’re episodes that are packed with so much value, you’re going to want to listen to them over and over again (you may even want to get out a notepad!).  Part II of the BEST OF Series is THE MOST downloaded of al...

Welcome to Part 1 of my “BEST OF” SERIES! For the next three weeks I will share three of the most downloaded, shared and foundational podcast episodes. I hand-picked each one just for you. They’re episodes that are packed with so much value, you’re going to want to listen to them over and over again (you may even want to get out a notepad!).  To kick off the Series, we’ll begin with an episode on...

Today’s episode is all about money: how it impacts your job search, your return-to-work decisions and your career trajectory. \ Joining me today is my favorite money expert, Jill Wright, aka “Jill the Money Coach”.  Jill is a best-selling author, a certified life coach and…a money coach. Jill is THE expert on money mindset. Her specialty is exposing money lies - the myths people believe about them...

This value-packed episode features guest Kristin Graham, founder of Unlock, and an expert on optimizing productivity and performance. Kristin spent 20 years leading culture and communications at global companies (most recently at Amazon). She is a global speaker and strategist, as well as host of the “Fewer Things Better” podcast. In our conversation, Kristin and I discuss: How to propel your care...

So often when we’re looking for a job or beginning our next chapter, we put ourselves under the microscope and judge ourselves. We wonder who will hire us. We hope we’re talented enough; worthy enough.  In this episode we flip the narrative and put you in the driver’s seat. I grant you permission to be selfish and strategic in your job search - enough to determine if a company is the right fit. Yo...

In this episode, Jill Griffin - fellow career strategist, executive coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach - and I discuss the top career trends of 2022.  Jill brings a unique perspective and insight; her coaching, strategy and innovation has generated multi-millions in revenue for the world’s largest agencies, start-ups and well-known brands. Jill has sat on all sides of the table, helping pe...

Imposter syndrome is the feeling that we haven’t earned our accomplishments or that our ideas and skills aren’t worthy of other’s attention. It comes with an unwarranted sense of insecurity and the feeling that you’re a fraud when - and here’s the key: when all evidence points to the opposite.  Imposter syndrome can keep us from growing, learning, achieving; it can keep us from living our life and...

In this episode, I take you on a Mythbuster Mission! We debunk the top 5 return to work myths that paralyze job seekers, preventing them from building confidence and moving their job search forward.  You’re going to be shocked to learn that many of the things you’ve been telling yourself about your job search are simply untrue. Exposing these limiting thoughts as myths will give you the boost you...

This week I introduce you to the person who personally demonstrated to me that you can step out of the workforce, take time off to stay home with your kids, return to school and build a successful career of your own: My mom! Mom discusses her experience:  Leaving a job she loved to stay home with her kids Returning to school to earn her Ph. D. Using volunteer work to gain experience and unique opp...

In this episode I share my favorite life coach strategies to help you make decisions. When you decide to become decisive, you open yourself up to growth, confidence and moving yourself forward so that you can achieve what you want in your career - and life. I discuss the impact of being a good decision maker and share 7 “tricks” - questions you can ask yourself - to help make a decision.  By the e...