Happenstance: Recent Episodes
Cassie Spencer
Happenstance the podcast explores how we create careers out of both the planned and the unplanned experiences in our lives. How opportunity and hard work and the unexpected all come together to create the various paths that we all take. As a career coach, I believe that our careers are not a single, one-time, decision that we make but are a series of experiences and decisions surrounding both the well thought out and the things that just…well happen.
We're celebrating 100 episodes and two years of Happenstance with a Hot Ones style interview!
My brother, Tom, joins me in this episode to enjoy some hot wings, answer some questions, and to celebrate two years and 100 episodes of Happenstance.
let's see where happenstance and a few hot wings takes us...
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Rosie Zilinskas is the inspirational force behind the groundbreaking “No Woman Left Behind” brand, empowering ambitious women to confidently advance their corporate careers and significantly close the gender gap in the workplace.
As an experienced Certified High-Performance Coach and bestselling co-author of “Engaging Speakers - Voices of Truth”, Rosie provides guidance, education, and mentoring support through her podcast, career-building services, group forums and consultations – all with a view to helping women unlock their unique potential.
With over three decades of invaluable professional experience harnessed to her mission of female empowerment, Rosie is dedicated to creating positive social change through championing driven women everywhere.
Connect with Rosie:
No Woman Left Behind Website
LinkedIn
Rosie's Promotion Readiness Checklist
Book a Complimentary Career Roadmap Strategy
No Woman Left Behind Podcast
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Dr. Patricia Burlaud is a dynamic executive coach, Founder, and Chief Reinvention Officer at P. Burlaud Consulting LLC. Her journey from CERN physicist to a leader in global academia underpins her unique coaching approach. She excels in empowering top-tier leaders and entrepreneurs, honing their leadership and resilience. In addition, as the current Chair of the Research and Grants Team for 100 Women Strong, Dr. Burlaud is pivotal in advancing women's education and leadership in Central Florida.
Connect with Patricia
Website
LinkedIn
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
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Linda H. Yates, The Image Energizer, has more than 25 years of experience in leadership, personal image, training, sales, customer service, marketing, business development, project management and fund raising. Linda has spoken on topics such as leadership, personal branding, team building, customer service, personal development and growth, business marketing and communication. Linda has written for national publications on a variety of topics. Linda is a highly sought after consultant for a variety of businesses and organizations.
Connect with Linda
Linda Yates Consulting
LinkedIn
IntHERrupt Podcast
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Ilana is a very proud New Yorker. Though she holds two business degrees from Pace University and Binghamton University, she has always had a deep love of art. She wrote When I Became Light to chronicle her own coming of age in the city she loves most, in hopes of being the example she needed growing up. She is passionate about learning and the magic of making things happen for yourself, and is a sucker for a sunset. Ilana believes that poetry is for all to enjoy.
In today's episode we dive into the joys of a passion project and making decisions based on happiness. Navigating checking off the number one item on a bucket list, a shared love of ramen, and how things just fall into place when you're doing work you're proud of.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Connect with Ilana
Instagram
When I Became Light on Amazon
Astoria Bookshop
Word Bookstores
GoodReads
You can connect with her on LinkedIn, via email at poemsbyilana@gmail.com, or at @poemsbyilana on Instagram.
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Looking at the positive side of the timing, opportunities, and even of failures is the core of today's episode with Philip Wilkerson.
We dive into Philip's own career path, the importance of celebrating accomplishments while also recognizing failures, we discuss building resiliency and the responsibility that we all have to pay it forward .
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Philip Wilkerson is an Employer Engagement Consultant at GMU Career Services. In this role, he serves as a liaison between employers and the GMU community to make sure career opportunities such as jobs and internships are made aware to students, faculty/staff, and alumni. In the past, he was awarded "Employee of the Month" for GMU in September 2019, the” Forty under 40” list for GMU Black Alumni, “Forty under Forty” for the Northern Virginia area through the Leadership Center for Excellence as well as being a recipient for the "Pillar Award" which is for a GMU staff member who supports Black students. He is also the faculty advisor for the Iota Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the GMU NAACP chapter. In his free time, he hosts a podcast called Positive Philter which focuses on well-being and is actively involved in Toastmasters. He is married to Maggie Wilkerson, LSCW (JMU Class of 2007, Social Work), and father to two boys, Bennett and Miles.
Connect with Philip:
Positive Philter Podcast
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
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Potentially the most requested happenstance guest of all time, the one the only Steve Rutherford is joining us to share his happenstance story.
Steve is a general manager, trivia host, lover of cats, golf, and good times. In today's episode we dive into Steve's career history, how his involvement in college, the pandemic, and a love of people has led him to where he is now.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
An episode full of celebrations, laughter, and one that's bound to make you hungry.
Today on Happenstance we are talking Elizbeth and Nisreen from Creme De Liqueur, Liquor-infused ice cream custard made with local ingredients and distilled spirits.
What started as different family traditions led to testing recipes in a college residence hall and then to 2021 when Creme De Liqueur was officially launched. Join Elizabeth and Nisreen as we dive into all the behind the scenes of Creme De Liqueur, the recipes, and the celebrates for this growing and delicious business.
We're putting on our party hats, raising a glass, and seeing where happenstance takes us...
Elizabeth and Nisreen are two friends who knew they shared a love for indulgence, desserts, and local. As foodies, they quickly bonded over stories of dining and noticed we shared some commonalities– loving both to cooking and hosting. Elizabeth had this delicious recipe for the flagship liquor-infused ice cream flavors and Nisreen quickly fell in love with the possibility of bringing this dessert to the masses. Together they took this idea and worked to launch Crème de Liqueur, a liquor-infused frozen custard made locally in Wisconsin and Massachusetts.
As foodies first, Nisreen and Elizabeth pride themselves on working with local distillers to create sophisticated flavors that also support local economies. The liquor-infused frozen custard isn’t just about getting a buzz — instead, it’s a hand-crafted dessert that focuses on sophisticated flavors and unique pairings.
Connect with Creme De Liqueur
Creme De Liqueur Website
Find Creme De Liqueur Near You
Instagram
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
From pursuing a career in pharmacy to becoming a professional tie dye artist, Joshua Hudson joins us to share all of the happenstance moments, creative pursuits, and colors that led him here.
It's a happenstance story about creativity, creating unique opportunities, navigating loss, and so much more. Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Joshua Hudson is a professional multi-media artist specializing in tie dye. He creates unique wearable art and decor using advanced tie dye technique and is one of the best in the world at what he does.
Connect with Joshua
jhudsontiedye.com
instagram.com/jhudson_tiedye
www.tiktok.com/@jhudsontiedye
https://www.facebook.com/jhudsontiedye
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
What started as an Instagram account full of plant tips and tricks, has blossomed into a full-blown business for Maryah Greene of Greene Piece. Maryah has established her position as New York’s go-to plant stylist following appearances and features in The New York Times, Vogue, Good Morning America and more.
With a background in education Maryah is no stranger to making a pivot, following opportunity, and to cultivating green spaces wherever she can.
Maryah's best kept secret for 3 years was that she has been offered a book deal leading to her debut picture book: Good Things.
Good Things is a a beautiful and necessary picture book about a little boy who loses his father and pays homage to his life through the growth and love of plants.
With Maryah's book out in the world and the plants of NYC thriving we dive into her career, the happenstance moment along the way and how everything, is always, growing, changing, and thriving.
let's see where happenstance takes us...
Connect with Maryah
Instagram
TikTok
Greene Piece Website
Good Things Book
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
A single moment can alter the course of our lives. That's happenstance and that's the essence of Nolan Sponsler's career.
As a master goldsmith and jewelry artist, Nolan shares the twists, turns, and tales behind his career, his affinity for sapphires, and how transitioned from showcasing creations on Instagram to becoming the proud owner of a jewelry store in Connecticut.
The world of jewelry and gemstone isn't just about the shimmer; it's about the resilience and tenacity required to carve out a niche in an unpredictable industry. Nolan's candid discussion on navigating entrepreneurship, creating connections in the jewelry community, and finding both success and joy along the way.
let's see where happenstance takes us...
Connect with Nolan:
Deep River Jewelry
Instagram
Youtube
TikTok
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Art mimics life and this podcast episode is celebrating all things love, books, and diving into creative outlets.
Kim, KC Leonard, joins us to talk about BookTok and its role in catapulting lesser-known books to fame, the romance genre of books, and her own writing career. We dive into the stigma attached to romance novels and their perceived link to unrealistic relationship expectations and the reality that not only does art mimic life but that romance novels are also an opportunity to see how characters who aren't perfect can be perfect for each other.
An avid reader, Kim read 175 novels in 2023 along and gives us a glimpse into her own experience with booktok and her journey as an author of her upcoming book, Peer Reviewed.
Exploring creative outlets outside her career as a physician and university instructor, Kim first stepped into the romance book world at the beginning of 2022. The genre and community had an incredible impact on her outlook on relationships, both romantic and platonic. After creating a small community of book lovers via social media, Kim decided to try her hand behind the keyboard. Her debut novel, Peer Reviewed, is set to be independently published in September of 2024.
Connect with KC Leonard:
https://www.kcleonard.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@kim_reads_romance
https://www.instagram.com/kim_reads_romance/
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
BONUS BIRTHDAY EPISODE!!
It's February 20th and we are celebrating in the happenstance studio!
Cassie is joined by a long time family friend, Alan Kamman.
On this bonus birthday episode Cassie and Al sit down to talk about birthdays, dive into Al's career working with Appalachian Mountain Club, REI, and as a high school guidance counselor, and reminisce about Al's 2016 Appalachian Trail thru-hiking adventure.
Let's see where happenstance and a birthday celebration takes us...
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
After buying a camera on a whim in 2019, Marissa Prata hasn't stopped taking photos.
With a unique idea and a virtual TikTok Marissa became known for creating an alternative to the dating and apps and using photography as a way to set up two strangers.
In addition to stranger sessions, Marissa also specializes in boudoir photography, working with clients to creating comfort and empowerment as she photographs different phases of life.
Originally from New Hampshire, Marissa Prata is a photographer specializing in boudoir, couples, lifestyle and stranger session blind dates!
Connect with Prata Productions
www.prataproductions.co
@prata_productions
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Dating doesn't have to suck. In fact, building a confident and joyful dating life is the focus of Lily Womble's work with Date Brazen.
Lily is on a mission to break dumb dating rules, to reset the download and delete cycle, and to help others find their most joyful, confident dating lives.
In this episode we dive into the misconception around being deemed "too much" and dive into the power of seeking out what you want through the "Thank you, more please" approach.
let's see where happenstance and "thank you, more please" takes us...
Lily Womble is sparking a feminist revolution in the way we date and find love. She was one of the top matchmakers in the U.S., but after setting up hundreds of dates, Lily realized that the answer to finding love was much deeper than a setup, and that the way we are taught to date is still stuck in the patriarchal dark ages. She founded her company, Date Brazen, six years ago and has since helped hundreds of women create love lives that are epic, settle-proof, and joyful-as-hell with her intersectional feminist approach.
She changes lives daily on TikTok, Top 4 Relationship Podcast- The Date Brazen Podcast, and sold-out coaching programs world-wide. Her debut nonfiction advice book, Thank You, More Please: A feminist guide to breaking dumb dating rules and finding love, comes out in June 2024 with Legacy Lit. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Chris.
Connect with Lily:
Date Brazen Website
Instagram @DateBrazen
The Date Brazen Podcast
Thank You, More Please Book Pre-Order
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Many people blame themselves that they can’t make friends or find people to nurture their spirit, yet they don’t realize that making quality connections is a skill that is not often taught.
Coach Lee Hopkins joins us on Happenstance to talk about building authentic friends, the importances of vulnerability in close friendships, the different tiers of friendships and how our history, habits and hobbies impacts the connections that we have.
Coach Lee Hopkins who is a Social Connections & Business Culture Coach. He helps self-reflective individuals create more meaningful relationships and supportive social circles of people who care about their well-being.
Connect with Coach Lee:
www.patternsofpossibility.com
TikTok
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Sometimes our career paths come down to those small moments. A note on a homework assignment. An invitation to an event. A google search.
Nicole Elliott is a conversion copywriter & messaging strategist who specializes in human-sounding, non-salesy sales copy for entrepreneurs. She began her writing career in academia, but got sick of its painfully dry, stuffy, drained-of-all-personality approach to writing.
After a brief detour into teaching ESL, she found copywriting (and the chance to write like a human!), and never looked back. Today, she cooks up copy with her 3-Step Human First Messaging Approach to help clients nail down their brand voice, capture their audience's actual words with extensive "Voice of Customer" research, and strategically blend the two together for copy that connects and converts.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Connect with Nicole:
www.nicoleelliott.co
https://www.nicoleelliott.co/fivequicksteps
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-elliott-copywriter/
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
We've all been there: it's raining, you have somewhere to go, you grab an umbrella and 2.2 seconds later your umbrella is inside out, broken, or just not doing its job to keep you dry.
This was Deirdre's experience. Between that and watching a documentary on ocean plastic Dri Umbrellas was born.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Deirdre Horan is the founder and CEO of Dri. Dri is addressing the ocean plastic crisis by building a line of durable, eco-friendly rain umbrellas from recycled ocean bound plastic. Dri umbrellas are created to protect our oceans, and actually keep you dry.
www.dri.earth
https://www.instagram.com/dri_umbrellas/
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Inspiration is everywhere, that's how author, writer, and writing coach Sally Lotz approaches her everyday life.
Sally's story is one of numerous happenstance moments, career changes, and of course, inspiration.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Sally, once a writer trapped in the body of an accountant - is a children’s author, writing coach, and mentor. Her fourth book, The Truth is Lie, a young adult novel, came out in May of 2023 and is based on her true-life experiences of growing up in the world's largest doomsday cult. As a writing coach and mentor, she is passionate about writing and teaching others how to create and share their stories. Sally lives in Orlando, Florida, where she enjoys the local beaches, kayaking in the springs, visiting the local bookstores, and writing. She can often be found writing on her laptop at the local coffee shop or caring for her numerous plant babies
www.sallylotz.com
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Imagine a year from now, the start of another new year, except this time it feels different. Your mindset has changed, your limiting beliefs are gone, you feel empowered, excited, unstoppable.
Nicole Majik is an accomplished leadership and empowerment strategist and educator with a diverse background in Biology, Chemistry, Metaphysics and Finance. She awakens your true potential by permanently erasing limiting beliefs and showing you how to live a life you deserve without compromising who you are or what you love.
Connect with Nicole Majik
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MajikLLCOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicole_majik/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majikllc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemajik
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolemajik
Website: https://www.majikllc.com
Freebies and Opt-Ins
Limiting Beliefs Quick Quiz: https://forms.aweber.com/form/94/265961594.htm
3StepAIRprocess Free mini Course: https://majikllc.com/3stepair/
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
On the final Friday of 2023, it's a solo episode with your Happenstance host, Cassie.
We are wrapping up the year with a discussion on failure, goal setting, and how the lessons along the way can make it all worth it.
let's see where happenstance and 2024 takes us...
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
2023 is coming to an end so we are diving into the power of reflection and taking a look back at and getting curious about the year.
Let's see where reflection and happenstance take us...
Megan Myers, LCMHC is a licensed therapist in North Carolina and a previous recruiter. She works to help individuals move past perfectionism, cope with anxiety, and integrate past trauma. Through counseling, she hopes to empower professionals of all ages and backgrounds to show up confidently in their careers and relationships, find clarity, and integrate their lives with their careers holistically. Megan is currently running a private practice, Envision Balance Counseling & Consulting PLLC, where she serves residents in North Carolina virtually.
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
It may not be 5o'clock everywhere but it is in the Happenstance studio!
let's see where happenstance takes us...
Rhonda Cammon is the founder of Perfectly Cordia . A multi-award-winning fruit first beverage mixer making inclusive drinking easy with a simple 2 to 1 recipe. Elevating craft beverages with ease. Rhonda left a 20 year nursing career to pursue a passion for community with a focus on healthy consumption. She has created four distinctive food and beverage companies and her latest venture OneShop is a maker focused artisanal marketplace and incubator located in the heart of Nashville,Tenneesse. Rhonda and her multiple businesses have been featured in multiple publications, on national television and enjoyed by celebrities like Cardi B, Mickey Guyton, and Brett Eldrige.
https://www.perfectlycordial.com/
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
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As we approach the end of 2023 it only seemed fitting to dive into reflection and to look at both the scientific and energetic sides of the quantum realm.
Two-time international #1 bestselling author, host of the Wisdom Talk Radio podcast, Executive Coach, international trainer and speaker, and Certified Master Trainer, Laurie Seymour, M.A., is the founder and CEO of The Baca Institute, and the creator of the Quantum Connection Process. She has dedicated her life to showing visionaries and conscious entrepreneurs how to reliably connect with their energetic creative intelligence, dissolving old patterns of difficulty, struggle, and self-sabotage, while creating the business and life that they love.
Almost twenty-five years ago, Laurie was honored to receive the stewardship of a special energetic technology that activates the process of inner connection and the ability for accelerated creation in individuals and groups.
After twice leaving successful careers, first as a psychotherapist and trainer, and then as a Solutions Engineer in the telecom industry, Laurie founded The Baca Institute.
Connect with Laurie:
The Baca Institute Website
Your Quantum Connection Style Quiz
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Twitter
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Chasing dreams, following your passions, and going after the things you want are all part of today's Happenstance story.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Geraldin Noemis Diaz is a multi-talented creative. Her work ranges from supporting students with their professional and personal development to writing books that help folks unlock their highest potential and live their best lives. She hopes that through the content she shares, she can empower people to live their best lives on their own terms.
Connect with Geraldin
geraldinnoemis.com
LinkedIn
Instagram: @geraldinnoemis
TikTok: @geraldinnoemis
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
As we approach the end of 2023 there's no better time to dive into preparing for performance reviews, evaluating career goals, and looking at the opportunities that lay ahead.
Tiffany Uman is a globally recognized Career Strategy Coach and Workplace Expert. She is a former Senior Director at L'Oreal, where she achieved 7 promotions in under 10 years. She now empowers high-achievers to become the top 1% in their own careers so they quantum leap their confidence and growth without compromising their well-being. She's a published author, speaker and LinkedIn Learning Instructor with 400,000+ learners. Her work has been featured in Business Insider, BBC, The Globe and Mail, Medium, and LA Weekly and she's been recognized as one of the Top 15 LinkedIn Experts in Montreal. Tiffany specializes in career acceleration, workplace navigation, confidence, personal branding, communication, conflict management, work life balance, relationship management, leadership and more!
Connect with Tiffany
Website: https://www.tiffanyuman.com/
LinkedIn, Instagram, Tiktok
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Sabine Gedeon is the Founder of SheLeads Network and host of the top-rated podcast, She Leads Now, focused on women in leadership and business. With nearly 20 years’ experience centered around helping others advance in their professional and personal environments, Sabine has helped clients in start-ups and Fortune 500 companies grow and develop, by breaking through their own mental limits, elevating their confidence, influence and impact as leaders and change agents.
Her message of growth and transformation is amplified through her book, Transformed, The Journey to Becoming. Sabine holds a Master's degree in Management and Organizational Leadership and is certified as both a Life Coach and Leadership Consultant from ICF-accredited institutions.
Website – https://sabinegedeon.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabinegedeon
Free Resources - https://sabinegedeon.com/sheleads
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
A Happenstance keyword search on LinkedIn that led to so much more.
let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Marianne Matarese is a Career Development Lead at Indeed.com and a Career Coach at Green with Purpose Coaching. Marianne supports job seekers in getting started, building their networks, and crafting their job search strategy. Just this past year, she created the first Career Development Professionals community on Linkedin with over 90 members. Marianne loves to give back to the community with linkedin audio specials on variety of topics and partner with local photographers on Long Island to get professionals free headshots.
Connect with Marianne
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
From a career in social work to career coaching and entrepreneurship, Kelsey Wat is on a mission to take back Mondays.
It's not just about infusing positivity into your Mondays, it's also about finding careers and opportunities that make Mondays better.
let's see where happenstance take us...
Kelsey Wat is a career coach and the founder of TGIM Careers, a career consulting agency dedicated to helping jobseekers find meaningful and value-aligned work. Kelsey has been in the career coaching and workforce development industry for over 10 years and has had the pleasure of coaching veterans, the homeless population, early career professionals, MBAs, and execs alike. Kelsey lives in Northern California with her husband and 4yo twin daughters.
Connect with Kelsey
www.tgimcareers.com
IG: @tgim.careers
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
The perfect blend of magic, luck, and the love of hosting, cooking, and pouring others drink led to The Aperitivo Society.
Grab a drink or a snack and settle in for this happenstance story
Meet Maria, Host of The Aperitivo SocietyMaria created The Aperitivo Society after her first year living in Boston as a way to meet new people an expand her community while doing what she loves - hosting, cooking and pouring people a drink.
"My grandfather always said that the best way to get to know someone was to sit around the table and open up a bottle of wine. I was raised Italian (on my father's side) and Irish/Croatian (on my mother's side) - the desire to host and bring people together over food and drinks is part of my DNA.
Thanks to a TikTok, this community grew to almost 700 members overnight. I quickly learned that I was not the only one craving this kind of experience and community in the Boston area. We now offer tables in several of Boston's neighborhoods, ranging in ticket price and menu offerings. Each host is carefully selected to ensure that each person receives a unique, nourishing, and seamless dining experience."
Connect with The Aperitivo Societywww.theaperitivosociety.com
@aperitivosociety
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Taking over the world with tiny trees...
Tim Arsenault is the founder of Bonsai Bar, a pop-up bonsai workshop held a breweries. As a self identified, serial hobbyist, Tim says "I get really into all sorts of weird hobbies that I find fascinating. Just to name ones that start with “B”, I’m into Birding, Boardgames, Baking and Bonsai. My interest was first piqued by the bonsai collection at the Arnold Arboretum in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston where I used to go on picnics with my wife Annie. Later I stumbled upon the Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society’s annual member show at the Denver Botanical Gardens, and I bought a few trees from a vendor and got really hooked. Later, I took an intro to bonsai course with Hal Sasaki in Denver and heard about this bonsai artist, Ryan Neil, who does weekly webcasts on bonsai (Mirai Live) and I’ve been looking for a way to work in bonsai ever since."
Connect with Bonsai Bar
bonsaibar.com
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
From a career in education and teaching to freelance graphic designing and working on a graphic design story while traveling Nasrin Jafari's steps into print design and other creative endeavors came to a halt in 2020. From there she began printing her designs on fabric, making masks during the pandemic and figuring out how to create, package, and sell a product.
From there Nasrin began to explore the process of taking something from a design sketch to a physical product, eventually leading to Mixed first collection launch in 2021
It's a story about taking the next step, having the drive to learn, holding on to gratitude, and making the decision to go all in.
let's see where happenstance takes us...
Nasrin Jafari is the founder, CEO and designer of Mixed, a Brooklyn-based fashion brand inspiring you to be seen in full color.
Connect with Mixed
www.mixedbynasrin.com
Instagram
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Emily June Wilcox is a crystal loving, coffee drinking, money healer and business mentor.
Emily’s mission is to uplevel the planet through helping women heal their money wounds and build significant wealth – which allows women to act from purpose & passion instead of obedience & obligation.
While building three 6 and 7-figure businesses (e-com, agency, and coaching), Emily decided to ditch the belief that it had to be hard. She tapped into feminine energy to allow more ease and joy and support from her team. She uses energetics, woo woo, and a sprinkle of strategy to help women build their fempires and walk the joyous path to millions.
You can hear more from Emily by tuning into her Top 3% Global podcast – The Joyous Path to Millions Podcast.
Connect with Emily:
Website
Money Quiz
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
How do we change the world? Josh Clifford is starting with Free Water.
Josh's career didn't start with selling ads on the side of bottles to establish his brand FreeWater. A journey that includes traveling the world, a dislike of taxis and conversation with his mom have let to both Free Water and his ultimate goal of creating the world’s first free supermarket in which all the products are ad-backed and free-to-consumer, and with charitable giving baked into every unit his team hands out.
Josh's Bio:
Josh Cliffords is the Founder/CEO of the largest start up in America right now: FreeWater. FreeWater is an innovative advertising platform that utilizes premium spring water as a new type of advertising medium while prioritizing philanthropy and sustainability. Ten cents from each beverage is donated to charity to build water wells for people in need. We only need 10% of Americans to choose FreeWater so we can solve the global water crisis permanently
Connect with Free Water:
Instagram
Website
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
So many happenstance moments come from stepping out side of our comfort zones, embracing adventure, and pushing past fear. Other happenstance moment come from being in the right place at the right time and having the right person say "can you help with this?"
Today on Happenstance, Berta Medina shares all of these happenstance stories and so much more.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Meet Coach Berta, an empowering force in the world of coaching, dedicated to helping coaches, speakers, and entrepreneurs unlock their full potential. With a passion for business solutions and accountability, Berta has transformed countless lives, guiding individuals to achieve unparalleled success in their respective fields.
Connect with Berta:
Website
Facebook
Instagram: @coachbertamedina & @dreamerssucceeding
LinkedIn
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Things will get better as long as you keep moving forwards - this is sentiment behind Sarah Ihori's mission.
Through coaching, building community, and sharing insights through content and blogs Sarah is passionate about helping people on their journey to well-being.
Her personal experiences with self-love, boundaries, and resilience have led her to create Moving Fourwords LLC.
Her journey to becoming a Mental Health Coach started with her own personal struggles. In her words: " I felt overwhelmed and lost, I didn’t know where to turn. Through hard work and self-reflection, I learned that well-being comes from within and I am “passionate” about sharing what I’ve learned with others."
Sarah's goal is to create a space where people can feel safe, supported, and empowered to make lasting changes in their life and make a positive impact in the world.
Connect with Sarah:
Moving4words Website
Instagram
movingfourwords@gmail.com
Other Links:
Nolan Sponsler, Owner of Deep River Jewelry
Stef Elsperman, The Fully Alive Movement & previous guest: Ep. 06!
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Forging new paths, navigating burn out, and seeking alignment is just part of Nicole Connor's story.
On this episode of Happenstance we learn about Nicole's journey reconnecting with her true self, the moments that lead to the creation of The Grand Rising Experience and how we can all take small steps to become more in touch with our own intuition.
About Nicole:
Nicole Connor: Quantum Initiator, Activator, Connector and Founder of the Grand Rising Experience™
Nicole is an initiator; a pattern disrupter; a visionary; and a wild unicorn gatherer; who cannot ignore or avoid challenging and transforming what feels wrong, inauthentic and out of alignment, personally or societally. This way of being can feel insightful, inspiring, intense or intimidating to those within my energetic sphere and has ignited immense creativity, chaos and conflict throughout my life. This is because I am a multi-dimensional, highly-intuitive and eternally curious Woman, with a gift for gab and the ability to seek out, synthesize, curate, and action, ridiculous amounts of complex information, while making it look effortless and easy.
Raising up feminine Soulpreneurs who embody how to courageously voice, explore, and extract, the medicine embedded inside their pain, is my PASSION. Connecting them with those on a mission to curate their own bespoke toolkit that supports life-long healing, growth, and soul expansion is my PURPOSE... and so the Grand Rising Experience was created.
Connect with Nicole:
The Grand Rising Experience Substack
Cassie's Episode of The Grand Rising Experience Podcast
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
A solo mini episode with Happenstance Host, Cassie looking at the energy that comes with a new school year, the start of fall, Q4 goal setting and a quick chat about the value of connection.
let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Making little pivots along the way.
Allowing opportunity and interests to lead to the next career move.
Knowing that a different choice wouldn't have been better, it just would have been different.
Gwen Bortner embodies all of this an so much more. Her happenstance stories are all about
- Navigating the unexpected turns and shifting paths
- Rediscovering a love of teaching
- Turning hobbies into businesses &
- Embracing a change mindset
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Gwen Bortner is the founder of Everyday Effectiveness, an operations advisory firm that helps visionary entrepreneurs scale their businesses to seven figures and beyond. Before starting her business advisory firm in 2013, Gwen solved operations problems for corporate giants and for niche companies . To date, she’s advised executives, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs in 45 industries. In addition to advising and speaking on operational strategy, Gwen is the author of the best-selling knitting book, Entrée to Entrelac, and teaches knitting internationally for Craft Cruises, Inc.
Connect with Gwen:
Learn more at EverydayEffectiveness.com
The Happy YouTube Video Mentioned in the Episode
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
From editing resumes for $5 to becoming a renounced career coach for top talent in Silicon Valley, Dr. Kyle Elliot took his side hustle to a multi-six-figure high tech career and executive coaching practice.
We dive into Kyle's background, his best advice for job seekers, and share all of the Happenstance moments along the way.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Dr. Kyle Elliott is a career coach, professional speaker, writer, and mental health advocate. He is known for helping people get unstuck, own their fabulousness, and achieve what they never imagined was possible. As a queer person living with mental health conditions, Dr. Elliott is proud to use his words, voice, and platform to encourage others to share their stories, get help, and achieve recovery. As a coach, he empowers Silicon Valley's top talent to uncover and craft stories of hope through his knack for asking deep, moving questions. When not coaching, you can find Dr. Elliott at Starbucks or Disneyland with his partner, J.V. You can learn more at CaffeinatedKyle.com.
Connect with Kyle:
Website: https://caffeinatedkyle.com/
LinkedIn, Instagram: @caffeinatedkyle, Facebook, Twitter / X : @caffeinatedkyle
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
A combination of passions, an entrepreneurial spirit, and the desire to create change in the world has led to the creation of Canned Goods Clothing.
Easton Dana is a university student with a mission to end plastic waste. He started the anti-plastic apparel brand, Canned Goods, in high school and has grown his movement to over 150k social media followers. When he is not working on his brand he is out golfing, snowboarding, fishing, or playing with his two cats Bill and Poe.
Connect with Easton and learn more about Canned Good Clothing:
cannedgoodsclothing.com
@cannedgoodsclothing on Insta and TikTok
@easton.dana
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
From a career in print journalism to PR, Tonya Kubo has navigated multiple career changes as world of media, social media, and online engagement has changes and grown. With an openness, curiosity, and interest in how we learn from each other in online spaces Tonya has leaned into these changes and became an entrepreneur along the way.
This episode dives into how our world have both grown and become smaller because of online communities and looks at how online communities functional in the same way our hometowns do.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Tonya Kubo believes social media has the power to unite individuals and spark movements. She specializes in online community design, development and growth. Her agency takes a people-first approach in the proper care and feeding of free and paid groups -- and they teach others to do the same.
Connect with Tonya:
Website: https://tonya.link/about
LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
What started as an idea in Rob's Iphone notes has become a 7+ year full time job.
On this episode of Happenstance Cassie and Rob dive into the background behind the Robs 10K Friends project, how social media has changed, and the cycles of confidence and doubt in entrepreneurship but also in life.
let's see where happenstance takes us...
Rob Lawless is on a mission to spend 1 hour, 1:1, with 10,000 different people. Since November of 2015, he's met over 5,600 people from 90+ countries, sharing their stories to his Instagram, @robs10kfriends!
Connect with Rob:
Instagram @Robs10KFriends
www.robs10kfriends.com
www.roblawless.com
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Lisa Sakai is a Financial Consultant who works with clients on Bucket List Acceleration and getting to live the life they want now. As the co-founder of One Vision Retirement, she has been working with clients across the country for over 12 years. Lisa's advice provides easy to understand, logical steps and exercises that people can take action on right away.
www.onevisionretire.com
www.onevisionretire.com/resources
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisasakai/
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Magically Kellie joins us as the first returning Happenstance guess.
During Kellies first Happenstance episode (ep. 18 Everyday Magic) we said that the next time I was in Florida we would record and episode at Disney on the hub grass and that's exactly what we did.
Enjoy the sounds of Disney as we get an update from Magically Kellie about the last year doing what makes her happy.
Disney loving NICU nurse, Magically Kellie sprinkles a little pixie dust on Happenstance this week sharing how her lifelong love of Disney, career in nursing, and philosophy on doing the things that make you happy have all come together to create the content that Kellie shares on @Magically.Kellie
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
A coffee roastery, community involvement, and serving of happenstance is on the menu today.
A simple search of Happenstance on instagram led Cassie to find Happenstance Bakery & Coffee Roastery.
This episode is all about happenstance but the name and the moments and the value of figuring things out along the way.
Today's guest Ian has a diverse range of passions and expertise. As a user experience consultant, he "makes websites suck less" and uses his skills to build, enhance, and optimize digital experiences for his clients. Ian is also the proud owner of Happenstance Bakery & Coffee Roastery, a popular establishment located in Port Hope, ON. He is deeply involved in his community and dedicates considerable time to volunteering for local organizations such as the Northumberland Players, Capitol Theatre, Port Hope House Tour, SONG, and more. Ian's love for musical theatre and craft beer reflects his vibrant personality and diverse interests.
@thisishappenstance
thisishappenstance.com
Influx Consulting (UX): influxconsulting.ca
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Jenn Smith's professional roots are grounded deep within corporate America. Her progressive, global HR leadership experience spans 15+ years across multiple industries, including Fortune 200 companies. Now, as the founder of Flourish Careers, Jenn is a on a mission to support heart-based, career-minded professionals navigate the changing world of work by resetting boundaries and igniting action to live their happiest, healthiest lives.
Connect with Jenn:
www.flourish.careers
Instagram
LinkedIn
Free Resource: The Heart-Based Career Change Checklist
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Tina Kadish is a Business Coach, Author and Speaker and is the owner of “From Job to Joy”. With over 20 years of experience in the corporate world as a Training & Development Specialist and Talent Acquisition herself, she brings a plethora of experience in various industries.
Tina’s mission is to impact women’s lives by helping them live with joy, fulfillment, and freedom. Through proven methods, she guides them to go from being unfulfilled, unhappy and unappreciated with their career by providing clarity and direction with immediate, measurable steps towards starting a successful business so they can live on purpose.
Tina is an author of two books - F.R.E.E.D.O.M. – 7 Steps to Thrive in Life and Business and From Pain to Peace – A Mother’s Heartbreaking Journey Through Losing a Child.
Tina empowers women that they can make their dreams a reality! As a result, her clients are getting their time back in their life which is priceless.
www.fromjobtojoy.com
www.facebook.com/tina.kadish
www.linkedin.com/in/tinakadish
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Constant curiosity and the knowing that you were made for something bigger are the center points for today's episode with Sabrina Victoria.
Sabrina Victoria is an entrepreneur at heart. Her company, Human Better 365 is the catalyst behind her community; Her Nation. She focuses on building confidence, finding your voice and stepping into the REAL you. Sabrina works closely with solopreneurs who are striving to hit 6-figure years in order to help them build out the structure they need to streamline their time and take their income to the next level. For over a decade she has strived to give people the tools they need to RISE and human better. She is a speaker, author, host of Her Talk Show, founder of Sober Society and has built and co-built multiple 6&7 figure businesses in her life-time. She now dedicates her life to helping others RISE mentally, emotionally, financially and physically; in order to find REAL WEALTH in their lives.
Connect with Sabrina:
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Elliot Carlyle is a New York City-based creative consultant & innovation strategist; widely known as “the brand. the voice.” His work spans the fashion, jewelry, entertainment, and other creative industries, helping leading companies in these sectors to develop inclusive programs and cultures. As one who has charted a nontraditional professional path, Elliot has firsthand experience with the challenges traditionally marginalized individuals face while navigating their careers. Today, Elliot continues to provide strategic and innovative solutions through his international creative consulting agency, CURRENT•LY Global, Inc. and his mission to “empower your flow in business.”
www.currentlyglobal.com
www.elliotcarlyle.net
www.instagram.com/elliotcarlyle
www.instagram.com/currentlyglobal
www.tiktok.com/@currentlyglobal
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Looking back on our careers it's usually pretty easy to recognize the opportunities, the conversations, or the choices that led to a happenstance moment.
In addition to looking back the happenstance moments we are also looking forward with trend strategist, cultural theorist and social impact / sustainability advocate, Charcy Evers.
Charcy Evers is a fashion industry veteran with strong instincts about the future. Charcy combines data with higher level thinking, subject matter expertise, and cultural insight to deliver high impact strategy, define and prioritize growth opportunities, and envision future scenarios with tangible steps to get there.
Charcy holds an MSc in Business for Social Impact and Sustainability from Glasgow Caledonian New York College, a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland College Park, is a member of the International Network on Personal Meaning, and a TEDx Speaker.
Connect with Charcy:
LinkedIn
Website
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Happenstance moments often come from a combination of curiosity, a willingness to try, and patience in the pursuit of your dreams.
Beverly Batzel is a Director, Producer and Photographer based in Los Angeles! With over 10 years of working in Entertainment, she has now formed her own production company and freelances alongside other productions to create art and entertainment that aligns with her goals and that allows her to create from a place of curiosity, gratitude and fearlessness.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Connect with Beverly:
Instagram
Website
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
We're diving into Cassie's values and talking all things Time Capsule Moments.
What are our values, how do we live them out daily and what the heck even are time capsule moments?
let's see where happenstance takes us...
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Playlist
Bonus Episode!
Less than 24 hours after the Happenstance 1 year celebration and official launch party I am BESIDE myself. Celebrating with people both near and far last night was more than I could have ever imagined and I wanted to have a formal space to celebrate that and to say thank you.
Thank you to every single person who has celebrated this podcasting journey with me.
Let's see where year two takes us...
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Let's celebrate year one!
Happenstance the podcast officially turns 1 and we are celebrating with an Ask Me Anything episode.
Your host, Cassie is sharing the behind the scenes stories, sharing some of her favorite moments, and answering your questions like:
- What lessons have you learned in the last year?
- What is the genesis story of Happenstance?
- What did you want to be when you were growing up and what would little Cassie think about the podcast now?
It's been a fun year. 44 Episodes, 43 guests, and an endless amount of Happenstance moments along the way.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
As we approach the one year anniversary of Happenstance the Podcast it's time for a look back at the happenstance moments, the highlights, and the guests over the past 43 episodes.
let's see where happenstance takes us...
Huge thank you to my guests this past year:
- Dr. April Perry
- Elena Kilgore with OtherPeopleFund
- Carla Jay
- Madison White with If Found Please Read
- Stephanie Elsperman
- Donovan Beck
- HTHAZE
- Lindsey Pollak
- Molly & Steve Lachut
- Ann & Kara Goolman
- Chris Hegg
- Taylor Gilliatt
- Blair Bloomston
- Ruth @EveningCrickets
- Timm Chiusano
- Magically Kellie
- Nadia Ibrahim-Taney
- Max Chan
- Liz Herrera
- Dr. Jasmine Escalera
- Veronica Ramirez
- Shania Jagandan
- Fabian Morgan
- Paige Mitchell
- Jake Renaud
- Sara Cook
- Lauren Mahomes Cerney
- Shaun Gold
- Clara Artschwager
- Blaire and Luke Frey
- Sophia Hopwood
- Kate Reyolds
- Cecil Phillip
- Pam Moore
- Norell Naidoo
- Michael Gardon
- Sabrina Kieffer
- Evelyn Lee
- Chris Hill
- Sara Prout
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Humble Happenstance. The things we never expected, the threads that weave throughout experiences, and the moments that lead us to the career path we love.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Chris Hill, a Knoxville native, is the owner of podcast production company HumblePod, assisting clients worldwide in creating and developing podcasts. In addition to producing podcasts for renowned thought leaders, he co-hosts and produces the award-winning Our Humble Beer Podcast. As a University of Tennessee lecturer, Chris leads non-credit courses on podcasts and marketing. He holds an undergraduate degree in Marketing & Entrepreneurship from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and an MBA from King University. Chris serves as the President-Elect of the American Marketing Association in Knoxville and enjoys spending time with his family, international travel, outdoor exploration, and engaging in creative pursuits.
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Professional organizations exist in almost every field, industry and niche career. In this episode, Evelyn Lee shares the Happenstance moments throughout her career trajectory, including stepping away from a career that she had spent years working toward and how she's has remained connected to her field through the power of professional organizations.
Evelyn Lee, FAIA, is the first-ever Global Head of Workplace Strategy and Innovation
at Slack Technologies, Founder of the Practice of Architecture, and Co-Host of the
Podcast, Practice Disrupted. Lee integrates her business and architecture background
with a qualitative and quantitative focus to build better experiences for the organization's employees, clients, and guests.
She is widely published, wrote a monthly column for Contract magazine for over three years, and is now a frequent contributor to Architect Magazine. Evelyn has received numerous industry awards, including 2016 40 Under 40 award for Building Design + Construction and the 2014 AIA National Young Architects Award. She recently served as the first-ever female Treasurer to the AIA National Board in 2020-2021.
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Leaning into different interests, exploring different passions, and finding ways to connect these elements of our work lives in at the core of so many happenstance moments and is the core of a multi hyphenate life.
Sabrina Kieffer is the COO and President of Polywork, a platform build for multi hyphenate professionals and place for multi hyphenates to connect, collaborate and to create their own happenstance moments. Sabrina's career includes 15 years of experience as an operations executive with start ups and multiple happenstance moments along the way.
let's see where happenstance takes us...
Connect with Sabrina:
Polywork
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Breaking your career can mean making a change, looking for new ways to do things, or can mean recognizing that it's okay to not know exactly what you want to do "when you grow up".
Today's episode is all about exploration, experimenting, and wayfinding in our careers and in our lives.
let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Mike Gardon is a former derivatives trader turned investor and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Rejoin Media, a holding company for digital brands and businesses. Mike is also the Executive Editor and Host of the acclaimed Careercloud Radio podcast onCareercloud.com. Mike is also the founder of Quotebook, a journal that brings families together by remembering to be silly. Mike is an advocate of remote work and intentional work-life integration. You can see Mike’s writing and media mentions on investing, startups, life and work across the internet on these sites: The Simple Dollar, Reviews.com, The Huffington Post, Forbes, Business Insider, Yahoo News, GoBankingRates, Ask Men, Cosmopolitan, Discover Financial, The Penny Hoarder and Good Financial Cents.
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Dive into an episode focused on emotional intelligence, the importance of building cohesive teams at work, and learn different strategies to explore the ways we communicate with others.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Meet Norell:
Building my brand under ProLeadership has been an honor and a pleasure. It brings me great joy to be able to provide services for our communities that not only supports individuals at a professional level, but also at a personal level. Like all parts of our dynamic, interconnected ecosystem, our vocation is unequivocally tied to our sense of self and ultimately our mental health. My journey as a psychologist catapulted when I was introduced to Organisational Psychology, a branch of psychology that focuses on Human Behaviour in the Workplace. It dawned on me that most people spend a majority of their waking life within the workplace and that this environment must be protected to sustain mentally healthy and functional societies. I instantaneously fell in love and made it my life mission to support leaders and their teams create
the "place I want to be" type workspaces that fulfill, inspire and drive productivity.
Today my focus is working with highly technical professionals who find themselves having to work with peers, clients, stakeholders and lead teams of people on a daily basis. These professionals are usually high performing in their area of technical expertise. They prefer their own company over the company of others. Gatherings and social events can drain their batteries. They usually are in executive leadership roles because they are the CEO, Founder and/or part of the Executive Leadership team, and they are pivotal to the business they are in. I am able to equip these leaders with strategies to identify and develop their executive leadership team, and tap into their own strengths and abilities to uplift their own leadership capability.
Connect with Norell:
norell@proleadership.com.au
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Pam Moore is an occupational therapist-turned-intuitive eating coach and health and fitness journalist who lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband and two daughters.
As an intuitive eating coach, her mission is to help women stop micromanaging their food and exercise so they can start fully showing up to their lives.
The author of There's No Room for Fear in a Burley Trailer, Pam's writing has also been published in The Washington Post, Runner's World, SELF, The Guardian, Time, Outside, AARP, and Forbes, among others.
Despite, or more likely because of being picked last for every team as a kid, Pam is also a certified personal trainer, six-time marathoner, and two-time Ironman finisher. Her podcast, Real Fit, features conversations with women athletes about body image, enoughness, and more.
Pam’s newsletter, Real Nourished, features evidence-based tools to reduce food-related anxiety, improve body image, and embrace exercise as a form of nourishment instead of punishment.
You can subscribe and learn more about Pam at her website pam-moore.com
Connect with Pam:
Website: www.pam-moore.com
LinkedIn:/www.linkedin.com/in/pammoorewriter/
TikTok: tiktok.com/@pammoore303
Instagram: instagram.com/pammoore303
Twitter: twitter.com/PamMooreWriter/
Podcast: Real Fit
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Getting a job from a Tweet, cultivating a network of folks in your corner, and being your own career champion are core elements of today's Happenstance moments and the ways in which our guest, Cecil Phillip has gained perspective.
Cecil Phillip is a father, swimmer, podcaster, music lover, and a recently certified scuba diver. He also has over a decade of experience in software development where he’s worked in various industries such as finance, education, HR, and healthcare. Today he's a Developer Advocate at Stripe focusing on guiding developers on how to securely add payment processing to their applications.
Guest Links:
LinkedIn
Twitter
Polywork
GitHub
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Welcome back to Happenstance!
A Happenstance friendship that started in London and has led to a conversation on a coach. In this episode my friend Kate joins me to talk about what we've learned about friendship over the past 11 years, how our relationships have grown, and how we are navigating the messy middle.
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Sophia Hopwood is a Mindset Coach for young women who helps high-performers break out of their shell and say YES to their dream life!
Having struggled with confidence, depression, relationships, and a career path, Sophia feels for those who are going through the same. Out of this personal experience and studying alongside mentors, she has created a 90-day one-on-one coaching program (“The Radiant Woman”) designed to help women break out of those cycles and feel completely radiant so that they attract people and experiences truly meant for such a powerful woman.
Connect with Sophia on Instagram: @SophiaHopwood
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
A podcast contest that led to an instagram mini series that led to a wedding.
It's a Happenstance love story and Blaire (of the Blair-ette with Kaitlyn Bristowe) and Luke Frey join us on Happenstance to share the behind the scenes of their love story, their thoughts on Valentine's Day and a few Happenstance moments along the way.
Blaire & Luke met in 2018 on a Bachelorette spin off dating show, and are now married & traveling the world with their dog, Waffle Frey! Luke is a travel nurse by day, musician by night; and Blaire is a Social Media Content Creator & Talent Coordinator! They have a weekly podcast called Ketchup With The Freys where they share the ups & downs of their life, travel adventures & tips, and anything else that's on their mind that week! Blaire and Luke are both Enneagram 7's, always down to try a new coffee shop, and hope to spread light & positivity with everything they do.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Ketchup with The Freys Podcast
Blaire's Instagram
Luke's Instagram
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Clara Artschwager is the founder of I Think I Like You, a coaching and content company and community dedicated to helping women build romantic relationships—but not at the expense of themselves. She works with women all over the world, from New York to Australia, LA to tiny beach towns off the coast of Massachusetts. Here work has been featured in the Cut, Mind Body Green, well + good, girl boss, and more. She's also the host of the weekly podcast of the same name (I Think I Like You) where she shares content and conversations dedicated to helping listeners lift themselves out of the malaise of standard dating content and create nuanced and nourishing relationships fit to their terms. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband James and their two pups.
I think I Like You Website
I Think I Like you Podcast
Conscious Dater Masterclass
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Instead of a career story, today we're telling a life story on Happenstance.
Throughout his life, Shaun Gold has never had a traditional 9-5, he's built opportunities and businesses by taking changes, focusing on the things that are meaningful to him, and leaning into the fact that defeats may happen but that doesn't mean you have to be defeated.
Shaun Gold is the true definition of a polymath. He is a lifelong entrepreneur, 2x best-selling author, international speaker, advisor and super connector to start-ups and standouts, Jeopardy contestant, and screenwriter.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us....
Connect with Shaun:
LinkedIn
OpenVC
Substack
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Our careers are built out of opportunity and are impacted by our community, our desire to grow, and our openness to taking changes.
Lauren Mahomes Cerney's career story embodies all of that and more. Throughout this episode Lauren share's the failures that weren't really failures, the chances that she took, the opportunities that she said yes to (even when they were really scary) and how she has thrown the 5 year plan out the window.
She's in the middle of her career story and shares an honest look at how she got and here and what's next.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Connect with Lauren:
LinkedIn
Transparent Partners
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
We're kicking of 2023 with an honest conversation around wellness, building self trust, and learning the distinction between being content or complacent.
Sara Marie Cook is a mom, wife, sister, aunt, friend, coach and teacher. Her wisdom comes from the life lessons learned along her journey toward herself and alongside a 20+ year career in health and wellness.
Sara helps career-driven mamas recommit to their wellness and reclaim their worthiness. And though she speaks 'mama' because that is part of her journey, Sara believes that we ALL could benefit from recentering ourselves in our wellness journeys.
Connect with Sara:
Instagram
One on One Coaching Application
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
It's a new year and we have a new host...for today at least!
Cassie's lifelong bestie, Jake, joins her on Happenstance and takes over the hosting role to kick of 2023 with an episode about friendship, business, new years resolutions (or the lack there of) and so much more.
Jake Renaud is a Before and After School Program Supervisor and has a background in leaderships, personal training, and coaching. He's a hiker, a dog dad, and now, a podcast host too!
Follow along with Jake and Roscoe's Adventures
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Join Cassie for a solo episode to look back at 2022. The challenges, the things she's proud of, and of course, a few happenstance moments along way.
Let's see where happenstance and 2023 takes us...
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
2022 is coming to a close there's no better way to round out the year than with a conversation around reflection, honoring our wins, and taking inspired action.
Grab a notebook, get cozy, and let's reflect on 2022.
Paige is a Board Certified Life Coach, Motivational Speaker and Mental Health Advocate who helps badass humans craft a lifestyle that supports their values. She helps goal-getters reach their most ambitious dreams so they can live a fulfilling life & make a difference in their own unique way. Paige earned her Masters degree in Counseling and has over 12 years of experience in the mental health field.
Connect with Paige!
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Multiple career changes and multiple happenstance moments.
Fabian Morgan is a Heath and Social Care Manager, a Podcast Host, a web series writer and more with experience in sales, client relations and management.
In this episode we talk about how Fabian has made different career changes, how he has positioned himself to make big career moves and how, for him, it all comes back to betting on himself.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Guest Bio:
Fabian Morgan worked in sales and marketing where he started as an independent sales advisor and progressed to becoming a managing director at the age of 25. Throughout his time in sales he has won ‘rising star’ and ‘top performer’ award. A few years later he changed industry and went into health and social care where he now works in service management level. Recently back in April he also won the ‘Hero Award’ for outstanding contribution in the mental health sector’. His motto is “Be so good, you can’t be ignored”
Guest Links:
Everyday Dialogue Podcast
Instagram
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
As the end of 2022 approaches we are leaning into true self-care, learning strategies to avoid burnout and talking about boundary setting with Shania Jagnandan.
Shania Jagnandan is a boundaries and burnout coach who works with people pleasers to build the habits necessary to take care of themselves. Her work centers identifying burnout, practicing strategic selfcare, setting boundaries to protect your lifestyle, and continue supporting those around you in a healthy and sustainable way.
Guest Links:
TikTok and Instagram
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
It's a simple rule: Don't steal sh*t that isn't yours.
Curator Counsel founder Veronica Ramirez shares her story from working in a traditional law firm to creating her own firm with an emphasis on content creation, copyright, and intellectual property law.
Veronica shares her insight and experience in the world of content creation and the legalities around copyright infringement, intellectual property, brand deal contracts, influencer marketing and so much more.
Cassie and Veronica also dive into Cassie's recent experience learning that another "creator" has stolen and posted over 75 pieces of Cassie's content.
Let's see where Happenstance Takes Us...
Guest Bio:
Veronica Ramirez is the founder of Curator Counsel--a firm dedicated to providing effective legal representation for the creative set. Since launching her firm in 2021, Veronica has represented numerous creators in life changing brand partnerships and empowered her clients to protect their creative works and brand.
Guest Links:
Curator Counsel Website
Instagram
TikTok
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Career Development month is wrapping up, but we aren't done exploring the career paths of career coaches!
Dr. Jasmine Escalera joins us to share her journey and the various twists and turns along the way that let to her career as a coach.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Dr. Jasmine Escalera is a certified career and life coach with proven programs that help her clients focus on gaining clarity around their careers, beating self-doubt, and building confidence. As a coach, Jasmine integrates empowerment, success-focused mindset work, and strategy into a program that ensures her clients have both the belief systems and plan to take charge of their careers. Jasmine is a 2022 LinkedIn Top Voice and has been named the #1 Job Search Expert to Follow on LinkedIn in 2022 by Jobscan and a Career Expert to Follow in 2021 by Brainz Magazine. Jasmine is also a TEDx speaker with the talk "Conquering Workplace Conformity as a Woman of Color," detailing her journey as a Latina in STEM. Jasmine was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and received her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Pace University and Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Yale. She has held high-level non-profit management positions, designing research programs that increase the quality of life and healthcare options for underserved populations.
Jasmine's Links
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Career Development Month continues with another deep dive into career coaching and conversations with career coaches about the their own career paths, the things they love about career coaching, advice they wish everyone knew, and of course, exploring the happenstance moments along the way!
Liz Herrera is a strengths-based career coach with a passion for empowering and guiding professionals to gain confidence in their job search and own their career. For over 15 years, she has guided a wide range of students and clients from early careerists to established professionals across industries to create a professional branding package that has led them to new career opportunities or career advancement. Liz has been listed on the Top 15 Coaches In Chicago In 2022 by Influence Digest, and is the host of the Liz Career Coaching Podcast which has been listed on Mac’s Top Career Podcasts Guide and 45 Best Career Coach Podcasts by FeedSpot.
Guest Links:
Instagram
LinkedIn
Liz Career Coaching Website
Liz Career Coaching Podcast
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
We are continuing the celebration of Career Development Month by doing a deep dive into career coaching and having conversations with career coaches about the their own career paths, the things they love about career coaching, advice they wish everyone knew, and of course, exploring the happenstance moments along the way!
Max Chan, Founder of Chan With A Plan is a Career Coach and Podcaster that helps frustrated professionals overcome career challenges so they can stop feeling confused and defeated and start feeling focused and confident in order to excel in their career.
Guest Links:
LinkedIn
Instagram
TikTok
Chan with a Plan Podcast
Happy Career Development Month!
We are celebrating Career Development Month by doing a deep dive into career coaching and having conversations with career coaches about the their own career paths, the things they love about career coaching, advice they wish everyone knew, and of course, exploring the happenstance moments along the way!
Coach Nadia (she/hers) is a holistic career coach that works with individual job seekers, organizations and freelancers/small business owners. She offers one to one coaching, group coaching and organizational consulting. You can explore her free blog on her website, www.beyonddiscoverycoaching.com, alongside free downloadable ebooks and career guides which are filled with helpful tips and tricks. Looking for more support? She has an online job search course you can access 24/7 to help you land your next dream job fast and easy!
Guest Links:
Website: https://www.beyonddiscoverycoaching.com/
Blog: https://www.beyonddiscoverycoaching.com/blog
Online Job Search Course: https://beyond-discovery-coaching.teachable.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-discovery-coaching/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyonddiscoverycoaching/
Disney loving NICU nurse, Magically Kellie sprinkles a little pixie dust on Happenstance this week sharing how her lifelong love of Disney, career in nursing, and philosophy on doing the things that make you happy have all come together to create the content that Kellie shares as @Magically.Kellie
Kellie shares her hot takes about Disney, dives into the misconceptions about Disney Adults, and shares some of her best tips and tricks for a perfect park day.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Magically Kellie's Disney Favs:
Favorite Disney Snack:Cheeseburger Spring Rolls & Cream Cheese Pretzel
Favorite Disney Ride:Guardian's of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind with honorable mentions to the PeopleMover
Favorite Disney Character Meet & Greet:MICKEY!
One Thing Kellie will never not do at Disney:"I can't not wear ears! I even have an emergency pair in my car!"
All Time Favorite Disney Related Halloween Costume:"Zenon and Protozoa! Zetus Lapetus that was the most fun costume we've ever done!"
Guest Links:
@Magically.Kellie
Timm Chiusano joins Cassie on this episode of Happenstance to talk about all thing content creation, working a 9-5 in corporate America, appreciating the time that we have, and so much more.
Timm is an accomplished executive leader with marketing, production and creative experience at all levels plus a track record of solving complex business problems. Timm is also insatiably curious about content creation and how to best share his addiction to appreciation with the social media world. With a track record of making unnecessary yet inspiring content that started in earnest in 2020, Timm has found himself in the odd world of being TikTok famous in present day. With over 500,000 followers across all platforms, he has haphazardly yet genuinely invigorated his followers perspective on life in a style that is distinctly his own.
Guest Links:
TikTok
Instagram
Career Tip Sheet
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
With the common thread of connection and storytelling weaving through various passion projects and topics, Cassie chats with Ruth Smart (@eveningcrickets) to talk about all things creativity, time management, making career changes, following your passions and of course Harry Styles.
This episode dives into the benefits of social media and how community and connection is made through storytelling, the impact that we can have to create change, and how we can reclaim spaces and create new spaces to explore our passions along the way.
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Guest Bio:
Ruth is a 29 year old creative that lives in Chicago, IL with her wife and two cats. When she's not at her 9-5 job, Ruth is constantly looking for ways to cultivate joy. She's a playwright, musician, fangirl, songwriter, and voracious reader. You can find all of her content at www.eveningcrickets.com.
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
On this solo episode Cassie talks about all things joy.
This episode is an unedited look back at the last year. Cassie reflects on some of the biggest changes, the smallest moments and the things, especially right now, that are bringing her joy.
It's a "Joy Cake Day" where we celebrate just because we can.
Let's see where happenstance takes us....
Let's Connect:
@HappenstancethePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
From Intern to CEO, our guest Blair Bloomston shares her story of Happenstance. How one conversation let to hear learning about Game on Nation, how she's navigated her career at one organization, and how we can add en element of play to not only our work but also to our everyday lives.
This episode dives into mindset, making career decisions, gamification, and includes a lot of laughter along the way. Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Episode Topics:
- Daily POP (00:02:12)
- Guest Introduction (00:05:35)
- Intern to CEO (00:07:15)
- Intentional Choices Toward Progress (00:15:05)
- Gamification (00:17:48)
- The Lens of Play (00:31:20)
- A Happenstance Moment and The Art of Patience (00:35:25)
- Being Present (00:39:25)
Guest Bio:
As a Partner and VP for Game On, Blair has spent the last fifteen years working with the world’s most recognizable athletes, teams, and corporations, including NASCAR, USOC, Deloitte, USO, Honda, Acura, Hilton, and the Pittsburgh Pirates. She is a co-creator of the MILE™ curriculum, an expert on game theory and game-based training and oversees all business operations for Game On. Blair holds a BFA in Drama from Marymount Manhattan College, and resides in Bradenton, FL with her husband and two sons.
Game On Nation website: https://gameonnation.com
Let's Connect:
Instagram: @HappenstanceThePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie
Freelance writer, poet, solo traveler, and social media lover Taylor Gilliatt joins Cassie on Happenstance to share her journey from working a corporate 9-5 to traveling, freelancing and in the words of Taylor "piling on as much goof stuff as possible".
Let's see where Happenstance takes us...
Episode Topics:
- Daily POP (00:03:27)
- Guest Intro (00:08:15)
- Changes in Location and Inspiration (00:15:23)
- Freelance Writing (00:16:56)
- The Best Advice Taylor has Ever Been Given (00:22:56)
- Booking a One Way Flight to Italy (00:30:20)
- A Happenstance Love Story (00:38:28)
- The Foundation to Pivot (00:46:39)
Guest Bio:
Taylor Gilliatt is a freelance writer, blogger, poet, traveler, and storyteller. She is also a lover of inspiration-based messages and personal development. Taylor has spent the better half of her twenties trying to realign to her intuition and carve out her own path in a way that feels fulfilling, which means getting comfortable with the unknown, trusting in the unseen, and diving into the unfamiliar.
Graduating from The University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BBA, Taylor felt compelled to use her degree, get a corporate job, and start climbing the ladder. But when the pandemic hit, none of that spoke to her anymore.
Taylor spent time living in Europe (Czech Republic & Italy), volunteering abroad in Asia (Nepal), and traveling in Africa and the Middle East. She lived most of her life in the Boston area, but also spent a decent chunk of time living on Mountain Time in Salt Lake City, Utah.
She published a poetry book called Within in September 2021 and has written for and maintained her own personal storytelling blog since October 2020.
Guest Links:
Taylor Gilliatt Website
Within: Taylor's Poetry Book
In a Pinch Instagram
Poetay Instagram
Let's Connect:
@HappenstancethePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
"I think I'm in a perpetual career transition"
Restaurant Manager turned Career Coach turned Entrepreneur, Chris Hegg, from @ChrisatPeak joins Cassie on Happenstance to talk about making big career moves, the chaos and challenges behind career transitions and how he has developed a deep dense of confidence when it comes to follow his passions and taking advantage of opportunities.
Let's see where happenstance takes us...
Episode Topics:
- Daily POP (00:02:40)
- Guest Introduction (00:07:18)
- Making a Mid-Career Change (0025:49)
- 10 Years in the Restaurant Industry (00:32:08)
- The Start of a 4 Year Career Change (00:37:55)
- Making Your Own Career Transition (00:42:46)
- The Transition to Entrepreneurship and Reselling (00:44:37)
-A Story on Looking Out for Yourself (00:56:46)
Guest Bio:
Chris Hegg is a solopreneur, career coach, content creator, reseller, and curriculum developer who is dedicated to being a catalyst for thoughtful career change.
Chris began his career managing restaurants before launching his first big career transition at the age of 30. The “what everyone sees” version of this story is that Chris went back to grad school and became a Career Coach. This sounds like he took one giant step, and voila, transition complete. No! The “real” story of this transition involved dozens of small steps (and mis-steps), all during the Great Recession of 2008. This includes quitting a perfectly fine job, arranging countless coffee meetings, volunteering in the community, working a half dozen part-time jobs, paying off a mountain of debt, selling a car to fund tuition, and moving 900 miles south to attend graduate school. For Chris, the real magic in that change was taking small steps, lots of them.
After earning a Master of Arts in College Student Development, Chris worked as a Career Coach at universities and career schools. He soon established his first business, Peak Opportunity Coaching. During his 10+ years of experience in career education, Chris has taken part in tens of thousands of conversations about work, life, passion, money and change. He has drawn inspiration from the brave career changes of his clients, and how the modern world presents so many new avenues to explore and carry out career change. Cue big career transition number 2.
While working full-time as a Career Coach and growing his career coaching practice, Chris built a successful side-hustle selling used clothing on ebay (insert a bunch of small steps that nobody sees here). This side hustle grew quickly and he stepped aside from career coaching to focus on his growing used clothing business, Peak Opportunity Outfitters. Chris then started a new side-hustle too. Under the name @ChrisAtPeak, Chris shares candid videos of his entrepreneurship journey, especially the small steps. He shares this content to inspire and encourage others to pursue their own side-hustles, and to roll those side-hustles into big, brave career moves. You can find Chris’s storefronts and follow his journey at chrisatpeak.com.
Guest Links:
Instagram & Tiktok: @Chrisatpeak
Let's Connect:
@HappenstancethePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Happenstance the Podcast is back!
After a short month long break, Cassie is back to host Happenstance and we are kicking things off with an incredibly special episode and a Happenstance first...instead of one guest, Cassie is joined by FOUR guests in episode 11: Rose, Bud, Thorn: 10 days in London and Edinburgh.
This summer Cassie went on a 10 day trip to London and Edinburgh with 4 friends. This episode dives into the trip highlights (roses), opportunities and moments of happenstance on the trip (buds) and of course, the not to fun aspects of travel (thorns).
Hear Daily Pop, Roses, Buds, Thorns, and a trip recap from 5 perspectives... Let's see where Happenstance takes us....
Episode Topics:
- 00:09:28 Molly's Recap
- 00:30:30 Ann's Recap
- 00:50:10 Kara's Recap
- 01:13:17 Steve's Recap
- 01:28:02 Cassie's Recap
Links:
Princess Yum Yum's Instagram
Camden Market London
Skuna Boats: Hot tub Boat in London
Surgeons Hall Museum: Edinburgh
Restaurant Olivia: Kara's Favorite Restaurant in Denver
Let's Connect!
Instagram: @HappenstanceThePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie
Part II of Happenstance and Hosting and part of Cassie's career story that didn't it into episode one.
This episode is about making career decisions, side gigs, and saying to an opportunity simply because you want to. Cassie talks about the wedding planning job she turned down for grad school and the full circle moments that have led to her officiating, planning and attending a LOT of weddings.
Episode Topics:
- Part II of the Happenstance Story (00:05:09)
- A Full Circle Happenstance Moment (00:08:45)
- Making Career Decisions (00:11:05)
- A Second Full Circle Happenstance Moment (00:13:30)
- Not Everything Has to be a Business (00:17:55)
Lets Connect:
Instagram: @CareerCoachCassie & @HappenstancethePodcast
Career and Workplace expert Lindsey Pollak joins Cassie on Happenstance to talk about the happenstance moments throughout her own career. From saying yes to an opportunity to go abroad to navigating a freelance career before freelancing and side gigs were as common as they are, Lindsey's path has included numerous moments of happenstance and emphasizes the important of knowing what you enjoy doing, building long lasting relationships and, when necessary, recalculating.
I'm so happy you're here and I can't wait to see where happenstance leads us...
Episode Topics:
- Daily POP (00:05:29)
- Career Overview (00:08:16)
- Owning our Career and Job Titles (00:16:59)
- Recalculating and Handling Change (00:20:54)
- Navigating the Speed of Change in our Careers (00:26:40)
- Trying Things and Saying No (00:32:24)
- Generational Models of Success (00:36:54)
- Personal Branding and Building a Foundation (00:40:58)
- Looking Ahead for Lindsey Pollak (00:41:52)
Guest Bio:
Lindsey Pollak is a New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading career and workplace experts. She is passionate about helping individuals and organizations
navigate and thrive in the ever-changing world of work.
Lindsey was named to the 2020 Thinkers50 Radar List, which honors the top global management thinkers whose work is shaping the future of how organizations are managed and led. Her latest book is a response to the Covid crisis: Recalculating: Navigate Your Career Through the Changing World of Work was published by HarperCollins on March 23, 2021.
Her previous book, The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace (HarperCollins, 2019) was named a Book of the Month by both the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times. She is also the author of two career advice books for young professionals: Becoming the Boss: New Rules for the Next Generation of Leaders and Getting from College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World.
Lindsey’s speaking audiences and consulting clients have included more than 250 corporations, law firms, conferences and universities, including Aetna, Citi, Estée Lauder Companies, GE, Goldman Sachs, Google, Pfizer, Verizon, Yale, Harvard, Wharton and Stanford.
Her advice and opinions have appeared in such media outlets as The TODAY Show,
The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and NPR. Lindsey is a Cappfinity VEE Brand Ambassador and has served as an official ambassador for LinkedIn, a Millennial workplace expert for The Hartford and chair of Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Millennial Advisory Board. In her philanthropic work, she serves as a board director of FourBlock, a national nonprofit that supports veteran career transition.
Guest Links:
www.lindseypollak.com
Let's Connect:
Instagram: @HappenstanceThePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie
Cassie is joined by YouTuber, Musician, and internet goofball, HTHAZE.
In this episode we talk about how how HTHAZE has built a career streaming on YouTube and other platforms, how fandoms and music communities bring people together, adapting to changing platforms and the balance between creativity and ego as a creator. We also get at the human side of content creation, the pressure, the challenges, the balance of it all.
I’m so happy you’re here and I can’t wait to see where happenstance leads us….
Episode Topics:
- Daily POP (00:02:45)
- Guest Introduction (00:12:50)
- Career Overview (00:15:55)
- Happenstance Moment (00:21:00)
- The Pressure to Create (00:25:41)
- Communities, Fandoms, and Stanbases (00:30:20)
- The Balance of Ego and Creativity (00:37:16)
- Creating Fulfilling Content (00:40:30)
- Looking Back to march 2020 (00:45:44)
-Looking Ahead in 2022 (50:17)
Guest Bio:
Hamilton Troy Hayes, or known on the internet as HTHAZE is a musician/producer and Youtuber who makes videos based around his favorite albums. Not only are his dance moves infectious but you’ll never leave a video without learning a little something about how the technical side of music touches our souls.
Guest Links:
HTHAZE YouTube
HT2 YouTube
HTHAZE Instagram
HTHAZE on Twitch
HTHAZE Patreon Page
Connect:
Instagram: @HappenstanceThePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie
It's not surprising that in a world and in a time where our attentions are pulled in a million different directions that when when someone captivates you with the words that they are saying and the work that they are doing that you pause.
That's exactly what happened when I came across Donovan Beck's work.
Donovan is using creativity, vulnerability and various art mediums to tell stories. In this episode we not only talk about his career path and exploration into photography, film, poetry and so much more but also the importance of messing up, trying new things and truly to just do our best. Let's see where happenstance takes us.
Episode Topics:
- Daily POP (00:01:46)
- Donovan Beck's Background and Career (00:06:45)
- Starting with Photography (00:08:35)
- Finding the Medium that Matches the Message (00:13:50)
- The Fear of Creating, Sharing, and "Staying in your Lane" (00:16:50)
- The Mind of Sol, Donovan's Production and Media Company (00:22:52)
- Accepting the "Figuring it out" Part and Getting Back to the Process (00:32:52)
-Donovan's Start with Tik Tok (00:37:52)
- A Moment of Happenstance (00:41:19)
-Vulnerability and Creating Spaces (00:45:51)
-Surprising Yourself Along The Way (00:53:50)
- Ornithology, by Donovan Beck (00:59:28)
- Connect with Donovan (01:01:52)
Guest Bio:
Donovan Beck is an author, filmmaker, advocate, and multi-hyphenate storyteller dedicated to redefining how we talk about mental health, creativity, and ourselves, especially online. Through the lens of poetry and filmmaking, Donovan creates a safe place on social media for people to embrace vulnerability in their daily lives and use social media platforms like TikTok & Instagram for good.
Since the launch of his creative career, Donovan has focused not only on his growth but also on setting the tone, resources, and access for other creators to pursue their passions and mental health journeys. Partnering with organizations like The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, The JED Foundation, Ad Council, BetterHelp, and now a direct creative partnership with Meta, Donovan has pushed barriers for non-traditional and minority creators worldwide. A member of the WeTheCulture Class of 2022 by Meta, a creative cohort of black creators across Facebook and Instagram, Donovan has worked to redefine how black and youth communities look at the realm of poetic storytelling and mental health. As a creative consultant for the AFSP & JED foundation, Donovan has helped craft campaigns such as the joint mission of Seize the Awkward, a national campaign to help young people
across the country better navigate the world of mental health and resources to learn how to check in on their friends who may be struggling.
Guest Links:
TikTok & Instagram: @TheMindOfSol
Website: https://www.themindofsol.com/
Book: A Fool's Guide to the Universe: Signed Copy, Amazon
Organizations Donovan Works With:
AFSP: www.afsp.org
SeizeTheAwkward: seizetheawkward.org
Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie
Stefanie Elsperman joins Cassie on Happenstance! Stef is a mentor, a friend and in many ways her work as a purpose and mindset coach balances out the work that Cassie does as a career coach.
In this episode we talk about values and how knowing your values can serve as such a strong foundation for decision making, we dive into the decision making process, why pros and cons list just don’t work, what messy action is, and we go off on a few tangents along way. This conversation is all about mindset, stepping outside your comfort zone and trusting your gut. Let’s see where happenstance takes us.
Episode Topics:
- How Decision Making Usually Goes (00:03:30)
- Daily POP (00:05:52)
- Guest Introduction (00:11:02)
- Career Coaching along side Purpose and Mindset Coaching (00:12:56)
- Values as the Foundation (00:14:14)
- Cassie's Values (00:15:51)
- Stef's Values (00:21:32)
- Stef's Happenstance Moment (00:31:47)
- The Edge of out Comfort Zone (00:34:11)
- Decision Making (00:36:36)
- Messy Action (00:41:56)
- Looking Ahead for Stef (00:44:08)
Guest Bio:
Stefanie Elsperman is a purpose & business coach who helps women find their purpose in the 9-5 world and achieve their dream career + life.
She's impacted over 1 million people across TikTok and Instagram platforms, where she shows others that they can be successful and fulfilled--because she knows what it's like to feel like you have to choose one over the other.
She has been in the coaching industry for over 6 years, having studied under the names of Dr. Joe Dispenza, Tony Robbins, Gabby Bernstein, Melanie Ann Layer, and countless other teachers, and lives by the motto, 'to teach is to learn.' Her work continues to evolve, and impact lives worldwide.
Guest Links:
Tiktok: @the.mindsetcoach
Instagram: @stefanieelsperman
Let's Connect!
Instagram: @HappenstanceThePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie
Potentially the most Happenstance of Happenstance stories this week’s episode focuses on trusting your gut, being open to taking chances, the importance of human connection an is all about a passion project that is just that, a passion project with no other expectations.
Madison White, founder of the If Found Please Read project, joins Cassie this week. Madison shares her career story, how the If Found Please Read project was started ten years ago and the journey that has led her to relaunching the project in an ever bigger way.
Episode Topics:
- Daily POP (00:03:03)
- If Found Please Read Overview (00:08:15)
- Guest Background and Career Story (00:09:09)
- How the If Found Please Read project started (00:12:02)
- The First 50 Journals (00:14:41)
- When Everything Changed (00:20:34)
- The First Found Journal (00:31:25)
- Writing Your Legacy (00:35:51)
- High Hopes, No Expectations (00:38:44)
- How to Get Involved with If Found Please Read (00:44:01)
- Advice for Others (00:50:00)
Guest Bio:
Madison White has worn many hats throughout her life. While the titles of actress, waitress, daughter, mother, and friend all came as no surprise, the one thing Madison never imagined she would add to her list was “author.”
Following her move from her home in Long Island, she spent some time in LA pursuing her acting career. Towards the end of that journey is when her search for human connection truly started. She left LA with her then rockstar boyfriend, now (still rockstar) husband on a cross country tour. 18,000 miles and a dozen states later, she had unknowingly sparked the beginning of her passion project. Madison left 50 journals all handwritten and filled with her life story and signed with her name, address and phone number on the inside front cover for contact. It didn’t take long for almost all 30 out of the 50 finders to reach out to her. In noticing the insane connections that people had with her story, she noticed that this project was bigger than just her and other people needed to have the chance to experience this same feeling. In that moment, “If Found Please Read” was born. 10 years later she’s reviving the project with 1000 journals and you can finally be a part of it too!
Guest Links:
Tiktok: @IfFoundPleaseRead
Website: IfFoundPleaseRead.com
Buy a Journal on Amazon Here!
Let's Connect!
Instagram: @HappenstanceThePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie
This week Cassie is joined by the "big sister" of the music industry Carla Jay or @JayCommaCarla as she's known on social media.
This episode covers Carla's career path over the last 7 years and how the pandemic changed everything for her. We talk about representation in the music industry, the importance of being transparent with our career experiences and discuss or rather rethink imposter syndrome. In this episode we also chat about being a "fangirl" and both the negative connotations that society has put on fangirls and benefit of how being a fan girl can give you a unique set of skills when working in the music industry.
Episode Topics:
- Daily POP (00:01:57)
- Guest Intro (00:09:14)
- Rethinking Your Career During Quarantine (00:14:05)
- Carla's Happenstance Moment (one of many) (00:16:44)
- Carla's Journey with TikTok (00:24:57)
- Reclaiming the Fangirl Experience (00:27:41)
- Rethinking Imposter Syndrome (00:36:22)
- Look ahead for Carla Jay (00:43:07)
Guest Bio:
Carla is a Filipino-American who works full time as a Social Media Producer and Digital Marketer for 4 Bay Area radio stations. She has been working professionally in the music industry for 7 years, diving into many aspects of radio and live events. Throughout Carla’s industry journey, she’s been able to experience full circle fangirl moments for herself such as filming the Jonas Brothers and photographing Taylor Swift. Despite the negative connotations of being a fangirl, Carla has been able to ignore the noise and elevate within her career, using her fangirl skills in her day to day at work. Although navigating the industry as a woman of color is difficult, facing cultural and societal adversities, Carla is incredibly proud of her career trajectory. When she's not working, Carla likes to watch YouTube, Netflix, and work on the Filipino-American podcast she co-hosts called, "Cracking the Coconut."
Links:
TikTok & Instagram: @jaycommacarla
Podcast: Cracking the Coconut (@crackingthecoconut on Instagram)
Website & Creative Portfolio: www.jaycommacarla.com
Let's Connect!
Instagram: @HappenstanceThePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie
From idea to reality, in this episode I chat with creator and founder of Other People Fund and Support the Psyche, Elena Kilgore.
Elena shares the idea behind Other People Fund, how this passion project became a side career, what it's like working a 9-5 while also running a non-profit, and what can happen when you take a chance and reach out to Harry Style's stylist.
Episode Topics:
- Elena's Introduction (00:01:56)
- Daily POP (00:03:19)
- Other People Fund and Support the Psyche Story (00:09:09)
- Making an Idea a Reality (00:16:58)
- Managing a Passion Project and a 9-5 (00:19:45)
- Good Enough vs. Perfectionism (00:23:30)
- Happenstance and Harry Styles (00:24:43)
- Plans to Grow other People Fund and Support the Psyche (00:34:56)
- Elena's Other Career Goals and PR Background (00:36:16)
- Learn More about Other People Fund and Support the Psyche (00:39:41)
Other People Fund:
Other People Fund began in 2021 as a way to connect more people to the Other People
they should be seeing: therapists. At Other People Fund, we believe everyone can benefit
from therapy. We also know that it’s not accessible for everyone. Those who seek
therapy should be able to receive it. That's where we come in.
Every purchase from Other People Fund helps offset the cost of
therapy for someone who needs it.
We donate all Other People Fund proceeds to our partner organization: Support for the
Psyche Inc. Support for the Psyche accepts applications for therapy aid and works
directly with therapy providers to cover the cost of up to three sessions per applicant.
Learn more at www.otherpeoplefund.com or apply for therapy aid at
www.supportforthepsyche.com
Guest Links:
https://www.otherpeoplefund.com/
https://www.otherpeoplefund.com/about-1
Instagram: @otherpeoplefund
TikTok: @otherpeoplefund & @polkadothead
Connect:
Instagram: @HappenstanceThePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie
Dr. April Perry, who was Cassie's graduate school advisor AND the person who originally taught her about the Happenstance Learning Theory, joins us to talk about her career journey, moments of happenstance she's experienced, the importance of reflection and making meaning of our experiences.
Episode Topics:
- Guest Intro (00:01:42)
- The happenstance Learning Theory & Experiential Learning Cycle (00:04:56)
- The happenstance of Dr. Perry & Cassie meeting (00:06:18)
- Dr. April Perry's Career Story (00:09:34)
- True Moments of Happenstance (00:16:44)
- Navigating & Negotiating Careers with a Partner (00:21:07)
- Daily POP (00:45:03)
- Dr. April Perry's Book, A Practitioner’s Guide to Supporting Graduate and Professional Students (00:50:14)
Dr. April L. Perry is an Associate Professor in the M.Ed. Higher Education Student Affairs program at Western Carolina University. Her research is primarily on student identity development, career development, student transitions, and institutional initiatives for student success. As a practitioner, April has worked in graduate school administration, student leadership programs, parent & family programs, fundraising & marketing, academic tutoring services, and will be the Department Head of Human Services at WCU starting Summer 2022. She lives by the motto that the only thing better than watching someone grow is helping them grow. In 2016, April received the WCU award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring, in 2017 and 2022 was named AGAPSS’ Outstanding Professional, and in 2022 was honored with NASPA Faculty Council’s Outstanding Support for Graduate Students Award.
Links:
Book: https://www.routledge.com/A-Practitioners-Guide-to-Supporting-Graduate-and-Professional-Students/Shepard-Perry/p/book/9780367639884
*Use Code FLA22 for 20% discount!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilperry/
Let's Connect:
Instagram: @HappenstanceThePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie
Welcome to Happenstance, the podcast that explores the planned, the unplanned and how our careers are created out opportunity, hard work and the unexpected. I’m your host, Cassie
In this episode I give an overview of the Happenstance Learning Theory, how I learned about it, what research contributed to the theory and how this theory fits into this podcast and the guests we will have a long the way.
Before guests join me, I also wanted to introduce myself a bit more and share my career journey from being a mess of indecision throughout my undergraduate career to enrolling in graduate school, feeling like I had it all figured out and changing my plans as many of us do.
I’m so happy you’re here and I can’t wait to see where happenstance leads us…
Episode Topics:
- What is Happenstance (00:02:17)
- Conversations with Future Guests (00:05:53)
- Cassie's Career Story (00:07:18)
- Goals of the Podcast (00:15:37)
Let's Connect:
Instagram: @HappenstancethePodcast & @CareerCoachCassie