Work From The Inside Out

On Work from the Inside Out, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ora Grodsky, co-founder of Just Works Consulting and author of Justice, Love, and Organizational Healing: A Guide to Transformational Consulting. Ora’s journey is one of deep purpose and profound transformation. From restaurant work and starting a food co-op to becoming an acupuncturist, and academic dean at her acupuncture school to...

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Dr. SD Shanti, a remarkable woman whose journey is one of deep purpose, resilience, and heartfelt service. SD began her professional life in dentistry, and over time, she followed several inner callings that led her into the worlds of public health, psychology, and ultimately, into founding the World Love Forum—an initiative devoted to...

In this episode of Work from the Inside Out , I had the pleasure of speaking with Jason Van Orden, a business strategist and thought leadership expert who has built his career by following his curiosity. From an early foundation in engineering to becoming one of the first business podcasters, Jason’s professional path has been anything but linear. Each step was guided not by external expectations,...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of welcoming back Melody Wilding , executive coach and author of Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge . Melody is an executive coach, licensed social worker, and professor of human behavior at Hunter College. She has worked with professionals at companies like Google, Amazon, and JPMorgan and has been featured in The New York Times, Ha...

In this episode, I revisit my interview with Lori Mihalich-Levin in honor of National Working Moms Day. We explore Lori’s remarkable journey from a challenging upbringing to becoming a healthcare policy lawyer and founder of Mindful Return, an organization providing critical support to parents transitioning back to work after parental leave. Through programs like e-courses, employer initiatives, a...

Luis Velasquez coaches leaders worldwide, guiding them to turn challenges into opportunities. He is the author of the best-selling book “ Ordinary Resilience: Rethinking How Effective Leaders Adapt and Thrive .” Luis shows how to unlock and strengthen innate resilience, preparing you to face whatever life throws your way. He’s helped hundreds of leaders thrive throughout change, and now he’s shari...

Michael Thompson is a career coach, lecturer at EAE Business School in Barcelona, Spain, and strategic communication advisor to top business leaders worldwide. Growing up, Michael’s stutter and social anxiety kept him reserved and reluctant to pursue his goals. Over time he challenged his supposed weaknesses by putting himself out in the world and discovered the person he did not know he could bec...

Starting from his childhood fascination with media, Scot Safon shares his professional journey starting in the advertising agency world and moving to executive marketing roles in major media companies such as CNN, TNT, HLN, The Weather Channel, and more. He recounts anecdotes from his formative years, explains his career transitions, and outlines his current consulting practice. Scot grew up in a...

Jamie Lee is an executive coach who helps smart folks who hate office politics get promoted and better paid without throwing anyone under the bus. In her practice, she blends the best of proven negotiation strategies with evidence-based neuroplasticity tools so her clients lead and advocate with confidence and ease. Jamie also hosts a podcast for professional women, Risky Conversations with Jamie...

​Dr. Marie Hélène Pelletier​ , aka MH, uniquely bridges business and psychology. With a Ph. D. in Psychology and an MBA, MH has had an extensive career as a leadership psychologist, executive coach, and senior leader in the corporate, insurance and governance sectors. Her award-winning book, ​ The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health ​ , was n...

At 17, Niven Postma , was a new high school graduate and did not know what she wanted to do. Her mother reminded her that she had a dream to live on a kibbutz in Israel, so off she went. For the next four years, Niven traveled and worked in many countries. Then at 29, she held her first executive position in a career that has spanned multiple sectors and roles.  Niven is a strategy, leadership, an...

Dr. Corinna Freitag coaches STEM professionals to overcome workplace challenges so that they look forward to Mondays again. She is an executive coach, advisor, and speaker with decades of experience in natural and human sciences through university, industry, and continuing education. Executives hire her to develop and retain their top talent. She holds a Ph. D. in chemistry, is a certified Executi...

Paula Caligiuri, PhD is a D’Amore-McKim School of Business Distinguished Professor of International Business and Strategy at Northeastern University and a Co-Founder of Skiilify. She is a work psychologist dedicated to helping companies, teams, and individuals become effective in today’s diverse, multicultural environment. Raised by blue-collar parents who had immigrated to the US as children, Pau...

For more than two decades, Leo Rossi worked with bands and artists such as Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, The Beach Boys, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Billy Idol, and many more to create magical experiences for their audiences. Starting on music tour crews doing lighting installation and design, he became a trusted team member and built a solid career managing hundreds of high-profile to...

Dr. Ruth Gotian is the Chief Learning Officer and Associate Professor at Weill Cornell School of Medicine in New York City. She returns to the Work from the Inside Out podcast to discuss her new book, " Financial Times Guide to Mentoring, " co-authored with Andy Lopata. They emphasize the importance of mentoring in professional development, highlighting that 61% of positive mentoring relat...

From an early age, Harry Duran displayed a natural affinity for technology, tinkering with computers and embracing the latest gadgets. After briefly attending Syracuse University, Harry got distracted and lost his focus. He says he jumped around, never completing his degree, and then applied for a job at Chase Bank as a teller. Harry thought wearing a suit to work meant that he ‘made it.’ He was a...

Joe Sprangel is the founder and principal consultant at  Emmanuel Strategic Sustainability LLC , which helps organizations develop a hybrid sustainability strategy that enhances their longevity, profitability, and impact. His expertise includes strategic and tactical planning, change leadership, and humanist manufacturing, a framework that addresses the triple bottom line of people, planet, and pr...

When my clients need information, advice or help, I emphasize the importance and methods needed to proactively get the answers to move their goals forward. Yet, too often people hesitate, filling their heads with fear or self doubt, hampering their progress. I usually point out that if they do not make an inquiry or seek more information, then the answer is always NO. Not only is their progress st...

​Kelly K. James​ (formerly Kelly James-Enger) has been writing for 20+ years as a full-time freelancer, and most recently, as a corporate content writer. In June 2024, she published her memoir, ​The Book That (Almost) Got Me Fired: How I (Barely) Survived a Year in Corporate America​ , an entertaining, honest account of what (and what not) to do when you make that corporate leap in midlife. As a k...

When Rashmir Balasubramaniam was six years old, she asked her father, “Why am I here?” He laughed but did not answer her. She interpreted this as a message to stop asking questions. Deep down, Rashmir knew she had a purpose. It wasn't until she was 40 years old that she leaned into her true purpose. Rashmir grew up in a traditional Sri Lankan family in Africa and the UK, with high, prescribed...

​Roman Eggenberger​ , is a man living many lives, who is good with numbers and likes to talk. At 15, he entered the banking industry as an apprentice in his home country of Lichtenstein, where he was introduced to the world of work while completing his secondary education. Like many young people who completed apprenticeships and opted not to go to university immediately, Roman went abroad to impro...

​Robin Merle​ is an accomplished fundraising executive and the author of ​Involuntary Exit: A Woman's Guide to Thriving After Being Fired​ . A book aimed at helping unemployed professionals navigate the challenges of a sudden job loss, she shares her experiences working at the top of billion-dollar organizations, stories of accomplished women who were suddenly severed from their organizations,...

Odd fact: I was the sports editor on my high school newspaper for a time. One assignment I had was to interview and write an article about a classmate who was emerging as a top boxer, headed for the Junior Golden Gloves competition. Fast forward 45 years later, the subject of said article,  ​Chris Seeger​ , tells me he almost skipped the interview because he felt unsure about doing it. I’ll admit...

Ellen Taaffe is a Clinical Associate Professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. She teaches a course, Personal Leadership Insights, and serves as the Director of Kellogg’s Women's Leadership Program. Ellen is an independent board director on three company boards and runs her own leadership advisory consulting, speaking, and coaching business.​ Growing up as the fi...

Gena Scurry has dedicated her career to fostering human connection. She is a self-proclaimed introvert, and while she loves people, her alone time sustains her. Gena says she is quirky, and it takes a lot of effort to be social and be herself.  Gena’s formative years differed from most of the other kids in her Texas neighborhood. Crossing the border daily from her home, she attended a Montessori s...