The Richard Taliaferro Podcast

What happens when a creative outlet becomes something bigger? In this episode, Richard talks with Sophie Blake, founder and designer of Sophie Blake jewelry, about her journey from corporate work to building a brand rooted in confidence, self-expression, and timeless style. Sophie shares the story of her first handmade pieces, the moment someone asked to commission her work, and the long evolution...

What happens after the career that gave you structure, identity, and community is no longer at the center of your life? Dale Power, creator of Reimagine Retirement, joins Richard to talk about the part of retirement planning that rarely gets enough attention: the personal transition. Together, they discuss why travel and leisure are often not enough, how retirees can reconnect with their values, w...

Workplace bullying is more common than many people realize. And when the person causing the harm is your boss, the effects can reach far beyond the office. In this episode, Richard talks with Andy Regal, author of Surviving Bully Culture: A Career Spent Navigating Workplace Bullying and a Guide for Healing. Andy is an award-winning media executive, workplace bullying expert, speaker, and coach who...

Leadership can look polished from the outside. But behind the title, many leaders are carrying enormous responsibility, constant visibility, and very few safe places to be fully human. In this episode, Richard talks with Julie Jakopic, a leadership evangelist, strategist, coach, and founder of iLead Strategies. Julie works with leaders across nonprofits, government, public service, and mission-dri...

Most people don’t associate imagination with leadership. But every meaningful shift—in a company, a career, or a life—starts with someone willing to see something that doesn’t exist yet. In this episode, I sit down with returning guest Dawn Kasey Lovelace , a certified coach and former music industry executive, to explore how imagination shapes leadership, decision-making, and team dynamics. We ta...

What happens when the life and career you built no longer fit the person you’ve become? Richard Taliaferro talks with coach and strategist Meghan DeFord about career reinvention, identity, and what it means to rebuild a life around your values instead of other people’s expectations. After years in philanthropy and major fundraising leadership, Meghan found herself facing a divorce and a layoff wit...

What happens when the biggest disruption to your career isn’t your job—but your body? In this episode, I talk with Claire Sachs, a healthcare policy expert and patient advocate who has spent decades navigating the system from both sides—as a professional shaping healthcare policy and as a patient living with chronic illness. Claire shares her story of growing up with life-threatening illness, mana...

What happens when someone believes you’re ready for more—but you’re not sure you agree? I unpack a tension that a lot of thoughtful, high-achieving professionals experience, but rarely name: the difference between being put on a pedestal and having your horizon extended . If you’ve ever been told you’re “leadership material”… encouraged to step up before you felt ready… or quietly wondered whether...

What does reinvention look like when life forces you to pivot? In this episode, Richard Taliaferro talks with Rick Steeby —a former soldier, police detective, IT professional, contractor, and now published author—about building a new chapter later in life. Rick shares how growing up in Alaska shaped his adventurous spirit, how a dyslexia diagnosis changed the way he understood himself, and why he...

What does it take to become a 13-time world boxing champion after starting at age 29? In this powerful conversation, World Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Tori Nelson shares how she built a championship career while raising two children and working multiple jobs — including driving a school bus, working in a cafeteria, and pulling shifts at IHOP. This episode explores women’s boxing, discipli...

Dawn Kasey Lovelace brings a unique perspective to executive coaching—she's worked in the music industry for over 25 years, developing recording artists, TV projects, and films with well-known producers and filmmakers. Now she coaches creative leaders and Fortune 1000 executives on bringing their whole selves to their work. In our conversation, Dawn shined a different kind of light on leadership:...

Who are you arguing with when you write that email? Prepare that presentation? Share your ideas at work? Here's the thing—and I'm still working on this myself—most of us are unconsciously defending ourselves to an audience that doesn't exist. Ghost skeptics. Imaginary critics. The voice that says "that won't work here." I call them ghost audiences, and they're quietly undermining your career confi...

Think about the professionals who've made the biggest impact on your career. I'd bet they weren't trying to build a legacy—they were just showing up fully, caring deeply, and doing work that mattered to them. Here's what I want you to know: You're capable of the same impact. You already are having it. But most of us don't see it. We think legacy is something distant—a retirement speech, a plaque o...

You've been following the rules, making safe choices, and building what looks like a stable career. So why does something feel so off? Here's the uncomfortable truth: the safety you've been optimizing for doesn't exist anymore—and playing it safe might be the riskiest career move you can make. In this episode, I share why the old career playbook of stability, pensions, and predictable career ladde...

If you're sensing something's off at work right now, you're not overthinking it. You're reading the room correctly—and that awareness is your most valuable asset heading into Q4 layoff season. In this essential episode, career coach Richard Taliaferro draws on 26 years of newsroom experience to reveal the predictable patterns behind fourth-quarter workforce reductions. He explains why companies co...

Sometimes the most important growth in your career happens underground—quietly, invisibly, and on its own timeline. In this short, reflective episode, Richard Taliaferro explores why real professional progress can’t be rushed, what it means to trust your season of development, and how to stay grounded when results feel slow. If you’ve been feeling stuck, second-guessing your progress, or wondering...

You know that feeling when you're about to hit "send" on an important email and something makes you pause? Or when you prep a little extra for a presentation, even though you know the material cold? Most people call that hesitation. Here's what I want you to know: it's actually wisdom in action. In this episode, we're talking about something that's probably showing up in your career right now—doub...

That voice telling you to question extreme career advice? That's wisdom, not weakness. A 22-year-old entrepreneur recently declared war on work-life balance, arguing that grinding early buys you choices later. His credentials are impressive—two 8-figure companies before his mid-twenties. The cost? Three hours of sleep, chronic anxiety, and serious health consequences. Here's what his success story...

What if that "backup plan" you've been quietly building isn't a betrayal of your current career—but actually the bridge to your next chapter? In this episode, I share the story of how a 2016 email about voluntary buyouts at The Wall Street Journal changed everything for me. I started building a coaching practice in secret, afraid to tell anyone. For years, I hid behind the word "backup," convinced...

Your Experience Isn't Baggage: A Framework for Career Evolution | Career Advice and Insights Stop hiding your experience. Career transition advice that tells you to start over is wrong—and Richard Taliaferro proves it in this game-changing episode about the SPARK Method™ for career evolution. Here's what most career coaches won't tell you: Your years of expertise, those hard-won instincts, that in...

The instinct that’s telling you work shouldn't require constant recovery? It's not entitlement—it's evolution. In this episode, I share why I've never been comfortable with the "recovering journalist" label after 26 years in the field. We explore the Adrian Wojnarowski wake-up call and what his departure from ESPN really means for mission-driven professionals everywhere. You'll discover why your d...

In this episode, Richard Taliaferro—career coach and former Wall Street Journal journalist—shares why the most common career “truths” are really myths that hold mid-career professionals back. Drawing from his own experience leaving journalism and from training for a half marathon (spoiler: running can actually strengthen your knees), Richard explores how the beliefs we accept as wisdom often turn...

Feeling stuck in a job that no longer fits? Wondering if it’s too late to change careers without blowing everything up? In this short, powerful episode, career transition coach Richard Taliaferro offers a fresh, grounded way to think about professional reinvention—through the lens of something we all understand: road trips. Using a relatable navigation metaphor, Richard gently guides mid-career pr...

You’ve built a solid career. But now that it no longer fits, you might find yourself scanning the horizon for something familiar—roles that use your expertise, look good on paper, and make sense when people ask, “So what do you do now?” Here’s the thing: that may be exactly what’s keeping you stuck. In this episode, career coach and former Wall Street Journal reporter Richard Taliaferro shares why...

I’m taking a break for the holiday, and I’ll be back next week. Talk with you then. I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career coach, specializing in helping mid-stage professionals find the work that works for them. I'm sharing my thoughts on careers, and more, and how I can help you achieve your goals. Find out more at: https://www.richardtaliaferro.com To get my weekly newsletter with more...