Embrace the Pivot with Dr. Cheryl Robinson: Recent Episodes
Dr. Cheryl Robinson
Everyone at some point in their life pivots within their career. The experience of pivoting can either be positive or negative depending on how you approach the situation. Understanding the foundation, your behaviors and mindset of your transitions will enable you to not only pivot to the next adventure of your career but transition the story of yourself that you share with others. Join me as we explore the different aspects of pivoting and techniques you can use to successfully pivot in your own career.
I’m an international speaker, founder & regular contributor at ForbesWomen.
Everyone knows that there will be highs and lows in life; however, the mindset of ‘progress is a process’ will help you navigate your pivots. My conversation with Free the Vision helps frame highs, lows, momentum and keeping the focus on progress.
More about Free:
Free Warren, creatively known as Free The Vision, is a creative director and tv producer that lives at the intersection of music, storytelling, and live experiences. He is a world traveler driven by curiosity and the inner workings of culture. Free is originally from New Jersey, and raised in Atlanta, GA where he got his start as the innovator behind music videos for notable artists like Tyrese and Birdman, which landed him in the world of production. He has directed commercial campaigns for the Mark Zuckerberg Foundation in addition to spirit brands such as Tito’s and Jack Daniels. Free has produced for networks that include BET, WeTv, AMC and ALLBLK. However his artistic journey has always been quite unique.
Free started his creative consulting and production company, Free 3 Creative as a means to serve as a vision architect for strategy and development. One of the many things that has set him apart is his talent reflecting that of a marketing chameleon building 360 experiences into his work. This distinct skill has afforded him the ability to move beyond just the art of visual storytelling and into a world of developing the roll out executions for artist releases as well as consulting record labels (UMG’s Cinematic, Slip-N-Slide). As an intentional builder of relationships and community, Free began to bridge his love for artistry and experience by producing live music events and partnering with global brands like Soho House.
Taking his wealth of industry connections, he began to construct platforms for artists to perform and touch their audiences in intimately impactful spaces. Free’s signature events, “Turn Up the Volume” and “On the Mic,” have given artists like Coco Jones, Eric Bellinger, India Shawn and Grammy winning and multi-platinum producers Bryan Michael Cox and Kosine the opportunity to perform to sold out crowds.
Free The Vision is a multifaceted talent that exercises all of his creative prowess. He is the author of three published book titles, Fragment Reality, Hypocrites Know Best and Sh!t I Learned in Route to 30, and was named “Top Influencer to Work With” by Huffington Post. He relentlessly strives to unify the worlds of storytelling and experience. As a tv producer of shows like Social Society, he materializes his passion for amplifying Black culture and bringing their narratives to the forefront. There is no space or team that Free The Vision encounters that he does not leave positively impacted. He is a vision architect that insistently sets his mission on bringing the world creativity that inspires and shows the multiplicity of those who look like him. Free The Vision is beyond a moniker, it is a calling.
Dr. Chris Kawa, founder of Discover Chiropractic, shares how getting your body right, sets your mind right. He created an algorithm to help his patients understand the stressors of their body and what areas should be targeted; it helps people see their progress. Adjustments help the nervous system repair itself and start functioning correctly.
More about Dr. Chris Kawa:
Dr. Christopher Kawa has been practicing chiropractic care for over three decades. He is the founder and owner of Discover Chiropractic, Inc., serving patients in the local community since 1991. With a passion for health and wellness, Dr. Kawa aims to provide tailored treatment plans to help his patients achieve optimal function and live pain-free.
Outside of work, Dr. Kawa enjoys an active lifestyle and spending time with family. Married with three grown children and three grandchildren, he takes advantage of the local beaches and mountains to go surfing, skiing, and boating. Dr. Kawa also has strong interests in politics, business, and finance.
After 32 rewarding years in practice, Dr. Kawa remains dedicated to delivering excellent chiropractic care and promoting whole-body health and wellness
Dr. Holly Fennell, ND, founder of Age Quencher, shares why it’s important to have a clear and healthy mind as you pivot. She is a distinguished Canadian Naturopathic Doctor with twenty years in clinical practice where she integrates her extensive knowledge to empower individuals on their wellness journeys. As a prominent figure in the field, Dr. Fennell, ND runs a bustling practice in the heart of downtown Toronto. She is a highly sought-after speaker with her profound understanding of the biology of aging, women's health and the intricate world of Naturopathic Medicine.
Dr. Fennell's exceptional contributions have not gone unnoticed by the media, she has been featured across esteemed platforms such as CBC, iHeart Radio, Best Health, The Kit, Summer Style, The Globe and Mail and HELLO! magazine. She is the founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Age Quencher.
Kara Gooch, Engagement & Career Coach for active Apprentices with her dream company, Accenture, participated in Goodwill’s Rising Together training program. After completion, she was offered a role within Accenture.
Accenture is a partner of Goodwill’s Rising Together initiative, which connects people, particularly those from populations that have been historically marginalized, with a wide range of resources, including skills training, transportation and internet access to support entrance into and longevity in the workforce. As a Goodwill partner, Accenture expands its Skills to Succeed services for youth and young adults, which provides skills training and resources to help them navigate their careers. The program also uses immersive virtual reality training to help people impacted by the criminal justice system learn to tell their stories on a personal level to interviewers and other people in their lives.
Accenture recognize the important role professional apprenticeship can play in closing the skills gap in North America and increasing access to digital economy careers. It believes that apprenticeship programs create new career pathways for previously untapped talent and re-skill those whose jobs have been – or will be – disrupted by technology.
The Apprenticeship Program at Accenture is an earn-and-learn model with benefits that provides a pathway to a full-time role with Accenture after a typically 12-month-long apprenticeship—a role with career opportunities for continued growth. Since launching the Accenture North America apprenticeship program in 2016, it has onboarded more than 2,000 apprentices.
WorkingNation, a nonprofit media company focussed on the future of work, has released a short documentary film called "Glory in Overcoming."
It focuses on three women ofcolor, all single mothers, who completed a skills-training program called the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator. Kara Gooch, one of the women, had three daughtersunder age four and was getting divorced when she entered the training program she says changed her family's lives. The two other women, Chelsea Rucker and ShaheeraAlnatshia, also overcame significant obstacles before pivoting and finding tech careers.--Most people associate Goodwill with donation centers and thrift stores.
The Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator is a training program designed in partnership with Google and with more than $29 million in funding and grants from Google.org. Since 2017, Goodwill says more than 1.5 million people have upgraded their digital and tech skills throughthis and its other training programs, and that more than 350,000 U.S. workers have landed jobs (both in the tech industry and in "non-tech" industries where tech skills are in demand.)
There’s a difference between keeping moving forward and moving up. Everyone can move forward but, in the scheme of things, few people actually level up. When successfully pivoting, it’s important strategize how to move up to get to where you want to go.
Executive director of Dining Out Jersey Shore, Tara Jean McDonald, joins me on this episode to discuss how to deal with idenity loss when moving up.
Tara Jean McDonald is Publisher of Dining Out Jersey Shore magazine. She is a versatile journalist who has researched, interviewed, and produced for content in publications such as Dining Out Jersey Magazine, Fashion Haunts Magazine, Our Town News Publication and NJ Discover. She has 15 years of experience in Production and Postproduction of TV Commercials, Live News Coverage, TV Entertainment Segments and Live Theatrical Events. She has co-hosted a live talk show for radio and TV with NJDiscover TV, and she is currently helping to create Dining Out Jersey’s YouTube channel. She consistently brings a special warmth, caring, insight and humanity to her stories and her reputation flourished with on sight reporting about Hurricane Sandy, homelessness and Tent City, pervasive hunger in New Jersey, and Jersey’s iconic music and film scene. She remains at the epicenter of what’s happening around the county and state.
Amanda Bybel shares the importance of redefining success at each stage of life. As a recovering addict, she learned to take the positive side of the situation and use it to grow her coaching business. Her persistence keeps her dreams alive.
She’s an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker, a yoga enthusiast, a wife, a mom, corporate dropout and Founder of The Inner Beauty Bybel + The Sparkle System Coaching + Practitioner Certification!
Amanda is on a mission to empower women to rebirth themselves so that they can create a legacy, become their own best friend and heal the future generations to come. This is so much her mission that she has created an internationally recognized and board accredited certification to help equip you with the tools you need to create the ripple effect in the lives of your clients and your communities.
As a Trainer and Expert in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, manifestation and the subconscious mind- Amanda teaches you to utilize revolutionary and out of the box teachings to help people find their own personal power to create their dream lives!
She will be celebrating 10 years clean in April.
Before you can successfully pivot, you have to map out your direction. Having a strategy will help you with figuring out what vehicle you’ll use to get you there. Steve Spiro, host of the Master Connector Show on LinkedIn, shares how to identify your vehicle and build relationships to get you to the next level of your career.
More about Steve:
In November of 2020, he was approved to do a LinkedIn live show, called the Master Connector Show. Along with Cameron Toth, they broadcast live on Wednesdays 1pm EST. The show’s mission is right online with my personal mission which is to be the light, uplift and inspire.
The Master Connector Show and Steve’s other LinkedIn activities has created a lot of buzz and has catapulted him as a speaker. He’s been asked to speak at events and workshops, both live and virtual, along with appearances on podcasts and live broadcasts.
Additionally, he’s a Business Automation consultant with Quadient, helping companies streamline and automate how they communicate and connect with their customers, leveraging artificial intelligence, with both hardware and software.
There are three things he lives life by: the power of mentorship, growing oneself through self development and continuing to create meaningful connections through building a large network.
Maria Doughty, a former corporate attorney, strategist and advocate turned president and CEO of The Chicago Network (TCN), shares how understanding and owning a P&L will advance your career. At the end of the day, companies need to generate profit to remain in business. Being able to read and act on a profit and loss statement will guide you in scaling a company.
More about Maria:
She has been with TCN, Chicago’s premier leadership organization engaging the city’s most influential women, since April 2020. Before that, Maria spent 20 years with Allstate Insurance Company, most recently as Director of Public Policy and Regulatory Investigations and Examinations and Corporate Counsel. She served as chief legal counsel for field operations, managing counsel and Corporate Litigation Division member.
Like TCN’s members, Maria serves on a number of local civic and philanthropic organizations, including Leadership Greater Chicago, Latino Policy Forum, Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and Illinois Task Force for Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities.
We all have a money story. What’s yours? Is it holding you back? Melissa Houston, founer of She Means Profit, shares how money is tied to your self-worth. Let’s start believing that deserve what we’re worth and make some profit!
More about Melissa:
She’s a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with over 20 years of work experience.
Additionally, she’s a Finance Strategist, who works with Small to Medium-sized business (SMBs) owners and the senior-level finance person in their business to ensure financial and business strategies are in place so that profit is optimized. Melissa monitors KPIs regularly, manage cash, provide audit support and many other finance functions.
In the past, she’s worked with business owners and project managers in high-tech industries, public accounting and government. Also, she has extensive experience with corporate accounting, financial planning, SRED work, Internal Controls and ITGCs.
She has a column at Forbes.com, Entrepreneur and other large publications where she shares her personal and business finance knowledge with entrepreneurs. Melissa’s passion is helping entrepreneurs and business owners how vital it is to understand their business numbers as the CEO of their business.
Melissa just launched "Cash Confident: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Creating a Profitable Business.” The book helps entrepreneurs understand their new money journey.
I am a Financial Strategist for CEOs, which means that I help successful business owners increase their profit margins without increasing sales to put more cash in their pocket. In addition to offering Fractional CFO work, I offer 1:1 coaching services and sell online digital courses.
Living in an attention economy used to all the noise can be hard taking online courses that are more isolating than socializing. Martin Ramsin, CEO & cofounder of CareerFoundry, shares how important it is to make online learning human-centric. The less isolating the experience is the more the success rate.
More about CareerFoundry:
It’s an online school for career change to tech, offering programmes in full-stack web development, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, digital marketing and data analytics. CareerFoundry is a new kind of school for a new world of work, equipping the workforce of the future.
15% off CareerFoundry’s courses for my awesome listeners:
UX Design Program
UI Design Program
Web Development Program
Data Analytics Program
Digital Marketing Program
Product Management Program
Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath, spread your wings and just do it. It’s scary. The unknown is staring you in the face, but the regret of not trying is greater than the regret of actually going for it. Brandy Schultz, founder of Adventure Nannies, and Shenandoah Davis, cofounder and CEO, took a chance on themselves; they pivoted as they built and scaled the Adventure Nannies.
Their story is one of trial-and-error, courage, letting things go and figuring it out as they went along.
More about Brandy:
Brandy founded Adventure Nannies after 8 years of working as a travel nanny herself—cliff diving with kids in Italy, farming in Southern France, attending Burning Man, and learning survival skills in the Rocky Mountain wilderness.
These experiences, combined with Brandy’s background in education reform and gender studies, led her to create Adventure Nannies. Her passion for active families and dynamic visionary leadership has propelled our agency from its infancy into the high-touch boutique nanny agency it is today.
When Brandy isn’t at home with her son and two dogs, she’s out on the road with her husband’s band, The Lumineers.
More about Shenandoah:
Originally brought in as a small business consultant, Shenandoah joined Adventure Nannies in 2016 as Chief Operations Officer and transitioned to CEO in 2018. Shenandoah holds a Bachelor’s degree in opera performance and English and, as a touring musician, has performed in 12 countries spanning 4 continents. She volunteers with Rain City Rock Camp in her free time and loves reading and preparing meals for family and friends. Shenandoah lives with her puppies Pawlina and Batman and rabbit Meatball.
When pivoting, leaning on your community is so important. What happens though if your community is struggling too? It’s time to change your money mindset and help raise up the community. Darlene Goins, Executive Vice President, Head of Banking Inclusion Initiative at Wells Fargo, shares the importance of health wealth and how uplifting up a communities literally change lives.
More about Darlene:
Darlene Goins is executive vice president and head of Banking Inclusion Initiative for Wells Fargo. Launched in May 2021, the initiative is Wells Fargo’s commitment to help more people who are unbanked gain access to affordable, mainstream bank accounts, with a focus on removing barriers to financial inclusion for Black and African American, Hispanic and Native American households, which account for more than half of America’s 5.9 million unbanked households*. Goins leads the overall strategy and cross-enterprise teams building out programs that support and track the progress of the initiative.
Previously, Goins served as head of Financial Health Philanthropy for the Wells Fargo Foundation, responsible for investing Wells Fargo’s resources in national nonprofit programs that open pathways to economic advancement for underserved communities. She led strategic initiatives in collaboration with nonprofits and community stakeholders designed to increase financial inclusion and access, reduce debt, drive savings and wealth-building behavior, and transform systems. Goins joined Wells Fargo in 2016 as head of Hands on Banking®, the company’s award-winning financial education and capability program thathas benefitted more than 12 million youth, adults, seniors, military andentrepreneurs.
Earlier, Goins was a scores executive at FICO, where sheled FICO® Score Open Access, a consumer credit score program that earned accolades from the Obama administration, regulators, and consumer advocacy groups, among others. She also held leadership positions at analytic-based software companies Nomis Solutions, First Data Corporation, and ALI Solutions.
A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and active community leader, Goins is based in San Francisco and currently serves on the boards of national nonprofits Prosperity Now, the BAI and the American Bankers Association Foundation, where she is vice chair. She also serves as treasurer of the San Francisco Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and on the Marin County Priority Setting Committee. Goins was named Diversity Woman Magazine’s Class of 2023: Elite 100 Black Women Leaders in Corporate America and in 2022 one of San Francisco Business Times Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in Engineering-Economic Systems (now the Department of Management Science) from Stanford University.
You never know when a pivot is going to occur. Sometimes you just have to roll with it or go with the flow. Jessi Miley-Dyer, Chief of Sports at the World Surf League, shares how to roll with it and speak up. As a former professional surfer, there was a significant difference in pay for the men versus women. When she started overseeing the competitions after retirement, she began to speak up about the pay gap and how they could find a solution. Today, the men and women surfers earn equal prize money.
More about Jessi:
Jessi Miley-Dyer is the Chief of Sport for the World Surf League (WSL), the global home of surfing. Miley-Dyer, a former Championship Tour (CT) competitor, oversees the entire competitive landscape for the WSL’s Tours and competitions, including the Championship Tour, Challenger Series,Qualifying Series, Pro Junior Series, Big Wave, Longboard, and specialty events/series.
Since joining the WSL in 2012, Miley-Dyer has been integral to professional surfing's growth, particularly in developing the women's Tours. Miley-Dyer has held several positions within the Tours and Competitions team, including the Women's Championship Tour Manager, and Vice President of Tours and Competitions. Miley-Dyer most recently held the role of Senior Vice President of Tours and Head of Competition. Miley-Dyer has led milestones for professional surfing through her work with the WSL. In 2022, the WSL hosted the first fully-combined men's and women's competition schedules for the Championship Tour and Challenger Series. Miley-Dyer was key in the WSL's groundbreaking 2018 announcement to award equal prize money to male and female athletes for every WSL-owned and operated event from 2019 onwards, becoming the first and only US-based, global sports league to
do so. Miley-Dyer also introduced the WSL Rising Tides program, a community engagement program to inspire the next generation to take to the surf. Her work has received worldwide recognition for surfing and women's sport. Most recently, she was honored as a 2022 Sports
Business Journal (SBJ) Game Changer for her groundbreaking work at the WSL.
Before joining the WSL, Miley-Dyer spent over 10 years as a professional surfer. She earned numerous accolades, including winning the first World Junior Championship and spending six years competing on the Championship Tour, where she won the Billabong Pro Maui in her rookie year. During her competitive career, Miley-Dyer also took on the Surfers' Representative role, allowing her the opportunity to help grow the sport as an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Board Member and Director.
Miley-Dyer was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and earned her Master's Degree in Business from the University of New South Wales. Miley-Dyer is based in California at WSL's Santa Monica headquarters.
As you pivot, you have to have a vision of where you are going. Chloe Gottlieb, founder of DesignMeCo and UX Leadership Coach, shares how stepping into your future before building the present can provide you with power and influence. Remaining focused on the vision and being open to different strategies takes practice and a willingness and desire to succeed.
More about Chloe:
She’s a renowned leader in the fields of Leadership Coaching and UX consulting. With over twenty years of experience in Executive UX Leadership and Digital Product Design, Chloe has a unique approach to helping individuals, teams and businesses reach their full potential. Her career includes chapters as the Product Design Director of Google Shopping, of Google Workspace and as the Co-Chief Creative Officer at R/GA, where she partnered with major brands such as Nike and Samsung to create innovative digital products and services. Today, she’s going to talk to us about how to find your career path.
How do you stand out in the attention economy, especially as an indie musician? Clayton Durant, Director of Emerging Media at MikeWorldWide, shares how during the pandemic he inked a partnership with SoundCloud to keep his artists front and center.
More about Clayton:
Clayton Durant is a marketing and music industry entrepreneur with expertise in social strategy, entertainment marketing, music management, and brand partnerships. Currently, Durant serves as the Director of Emerging Media at MikeWorldWide while simultaneously advising CAD Management, a music and entertainment consulting firm Durant founded in 2016. Under the leadership of Durant, CAD Management has managed and consulted over 30+ artists and brands, while also successfully launching a record label arm of the business that in 2021 partnered with SoundCloud’s artist services division, Repost, becoming one of the first companies to develop an A&R partnership with the streaming service. Durant is an avid writer for publications like Adweek and EDM.com where he covers the music business. He is also an adjunct professor at NYU's Clive Davis School of Recorded Music and Long Island University's Roc Nation School of Music and Sports Management.
Forced pivots are the hardest; it can feel like the rug is being pulled out from underneath you. If you look at it is negative and the scarcity, that’s all you find. But, if you see it as an opportunity to try something new and the abundance that comes with it, you can create something magical. Michelle Fishburne, author of Who We Are Now, found herself without a job, spouse or house during the pandemic. She packed up her RV and drove around the country listening to others’ stories, which led her to write a book.
More about Michelle:
Until her life turned upside down in 2020, Michelle Fishburne had taken a fairly traditional route in life -- law school, attorney, stay-at-home mom, and then public relations when she reentered the workforce. All normacy went out the window, though, when she lost her job in the COVID spring and could not find another one, despite months of trying. When the lease on her post-divorce house was up on July 31 and her youngest was heading off to college, Michelle found herself without a spouse, a house, a job, or a kid to take care of. She moved into her 2006 motorhome with her dog, Buddy, and started driving. That was the beginning of a breathtaking pivot.
If you don’t invest in yourself, no one else is going to invest in you or your goals. It’s about being your own CEO; take inventory of how you lead your life. Giuseppe Cenzuales, District VP at LA Fitness, shares how you can observe, adapt and apply what you learn to your next career pivot.
More about Giuseppe:
I am the son of Italian immigrants-- My father works two jobs, full time tech delivery and a server. My mom works for the Italian embassy. My entire life I grew up with a very specific set of values: Cherish your family and work harder than anybody else in the room. Quietly, but harder.
Prior to my LinkedIn background, I had about 10 years of retail sales and leadership experience. All I knew was technology and people. I dabbled in the entrepreneurial life in my mid 20's when a previous electronics employer went bankrupt. That was the moment I learned we as a species can do anything we put our minds to if the circumstances arose. The company I was working for went bankrupt and in a matter of a week, I was able to pull in two friends to start a home automation consulting business. I would go into people's homes or businesses, and design their theatre rooms, multi-room audio configurations, networks, and simplify the entire setup through automation. I essentially would design the project, sell the equipment, and then come back with my installers/programmers to then do the additional labor for it. That moment in time did something to me. It created this professional explorer bug inside me where I wanted to learn more, do more.
After a few years, I exited the business and began my work in the Health and Wellness industry. Back to retail, but in a different industry. I trusted my newly earned skill sets of consulting and project management; while continuing to develop my existing leadership and sales capabilities. In a year, I was able to grow my career at LA Fitness from an assistant General Manager in NY to District Vice President overseeing Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. That role and the responsibilities it came with, opened me up to a ton of new skills in people management. That's where I learned the difference between a leader and a manager. I wanted to be a leader. I wanted to help people be better. Get better. In their jobs, their lives, their minds. I wanted to inspire people.
Fast forward to today, I am working with LA Fitness to design their talent acquisition & recruitment function nationally, I just finished my first children's book named 'My First Resume' (It's a how-to series for kids and readers), I am working on a fun active wear clothing line and I have my hand in a few private projects in which I am testing my boundaries.
When pivoting, it’s easy to second guess yourself or make excuses why you shouldn’t do something. Karin Taylor, founder of Mandalay Farms, shares how to keep moving forward without knowing what’s to come.
South Florida’s Karin Taylor does it all. She’s a single mother of five, just launched a series of podcasts and is founder and owner of Mandalay Farms, a private oasis where you can connect and interact with a variety of animal ambassadors. The 20-acre property in Jupiter Farms, Florida ishome to a Noah’s Ark like menagerie of over 70 domesticated and exotic animals including horses, donkeys, pigs, kangaroos, goats, emus, otters, a variety of birds, lemurs, porcupines, and an assortment of reptiles.
Taylor worked as a model and actress. She got her start as a dancer at Walt Disney World in the Electric Light Parade and launched her modeling career at the age of 18 when she was discovered by the Ford Modeling Agency in Miami Beach. Her career really took off after she posed as June’s Playboy Playmate in 1996, an experience she describes as positive, respectful, and a place she found lifelong friendships. After Playboy, Karin went on to land guest starring roles on “Baywatch” and “Malcolm & Eddie”. She guest hosted for E! Entertainment Television, appeared on HGTV’s “Smart Design,” and in Horace Brown’s music video for the song “Things We Do for Love.”
Taylor discovered the healing power of animals after the loss of her daughter, Hunter, to Trisomy 13. A few years later, she purchased the 20-acre property, now known as Mandalay Farms, to mark a new chapter in her life and connect with her children through horses. It was the tranquility of the farm and healing power of the horses that inspired her to learn more about equine therapy. That lead to her being certified in Equine Assisted Learning (EAL). She also founded the nonprofit Mandalay Farms Zoological Society to serve at-risk youth, children in foster care, and individuals with special needs through science-based animal interventions.’
Taylor is now also taking on yet another venture with the launch of several podcasts. Her goal is empowering women who are on their own individual journeys. Some of her first guests included former Playboy Playmate Ulrika Ericsson and second wife of former President Donald Trump Marla Maples – both women who shared their own journeys of life’s transitions.
For more information on Mandalay Farms, please visit MandalayFarms.com and follow them on Instagram @mandalayfarms and Facebook @MandalayFarms where Taylor frequently posts news about happenings at the farm, as well as animal photos and videos.
When pivoting, it’s easy to psych yourself out of doing something you’ve always wanted to try. Maegan Griffin, founder and CEO of leading skincare brand Skin Pharm, saw a gap in a market and decided it was now or never. Starting with one brick-and-mortar clinic location, she has now expanded into multiple markets and product lines.
Maegan Griffin is known for her innovative work in cosmetic dermatology, facial rejuvenation techniques and aesthetic medicine utilizing the latest cutting-edge technology. An early adopter of injectables and skin laser technologies, Maegan’s artful work has secured her reputation as a practitioner who helps her patients create meaningful internal and external changes in their lives while finding a balanced approach to anti-aging and beauty. In addition to her busy practice, Maegan enjoys giving back and supporting a variety of local nonprofits. She is an avid traveler and loving mother to her 3 young children. Maegan completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Belmont University and her Master of Science in Nursing at Tennessee State University. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner with experience treating patients of all ages, but specializes in aesthetic medicine to address common skin concerns and the aging process.
Bill Squires, or as I know him as Professor Squires from Columbia University’s Sports Management Master’s program, emphasizes the importance of being curious. Curiosity and being kind go a long way. It’s just not about networking, it’s about making connections that can lead to friendships. He has an amazing story of how he started working in the sports business and continued to pivot. Additionally, he’s now the president of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation NJ Chapter.
More about Bill:
Bill is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy (Class of 1975) and served on active duty as a naval aviator for 12 years before joining the Naval Reserves. Bill retired from the Naval Reserves as a Commander after 24 years of service. In 1987, following active duty in the United States Navy, Bill entered the sports facilities and event management business. He has held top-level positions with the following facilities: Yankee Stadium, Giants Stadium (two tours), Cleveland Browns Stadium (currently known as First Energy Stadium) and Disney’s Wide World of Sports (currently known as ESPN Wide World of Sports).
Bill was involved in the design, construction, and operations of ESPN Wide World of Sports, First Energy Stadium and MetLife Stadium. His responsibilities included budgeting, staffing, training, event execution, maintenance, and capital improvements as well as many other responsibilities. Bill is a Past President of the Stadium Managers Association which has members from the National Football League, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the Canadian Football League, Universities/Colleges, and other facilities, both national and international, that host sports and entertainment events.
Bill currently has his own consulting business featuring clients such as the New York Football Giants. Bill is the liaison between the team and the New Meadowlands Stadium Company which operates the $1.6 billion MetLife Stadium. Many of his other clients provide products and services to the sports facility industry. Bill also works as an expert witness in lawsuits that involve sports teams and venues.
Instead of trying to strengthen your weaknesses, which, at best, will be mediocre, strengthen your strengths. This will enable you to create diverse teams and scale quickly. Sam Citro Alexander, cofounder & CEO of bitewell, shares how focusing on your strengths makes you a better leader and can advance your career.
Sam’s bio:
Samantha Citro Alexander is the Co-Founder & CEO of bitewell – the nutrition intelligence company on a mission to improve the world's health through food. As the CEO of bitewell, Sam is on a mission to make food a healthcare benefit. With 35% of American medical costs stemming from diet-related diseases, bitewell's unique food-health marketplace enables employers to offer health benefits via their existing food budget.
Prior to co-founding bitewell, Sam worked in the marketing, strategy & operations industries. She has led large-scale projects for notable companies including Smashbox, Bridgewater Associates and Clinique.
Her passion for food’s impact on health is decades long and began early in her childhood when she developed food allergies that restricted the food she and her family could enjoy. With the same care her grandmother applied to help her family navigate the complicated labyrinth of dietary ailments, Sam is determined to help the world navigate improved health through food.
On this episode, I chat with Bill Heuer, an account executive in Ed Tech, about what it means to pre-pivot. Preparing for the pivotal moment before you’re thrown into it is key to survival. So many people fail to prepare and then are playing catch up when they should be thriving in the next opportunity.
Background on Bill:
Bill went to school at The University of Alabama where I received a degree in communication studies and a masters in marketing. He was recruited out of the university sales program for my first job with a small Education Technology company LTS Education Systems based in Birmingham—very randomly stumbled into this industry.
In about a year I was moved to Houston for a promotion where I didnt know a single person in the city, nor have I ever even been to Houston.
Two years later took another promotion to move back to NJ to essentially start our northeast territory, however that was a bit short lived as our small company was acquired by my current company K12 Inc (now called Stride). Spent about a year with the larger company but ended up leaving the industry for a leadership position in the healthcare Tech industry. The same person who recruited me out of college also recruited me to this role, meaning wasnt really planned to enter that industry either.
Spent two great years there but didnt seem like a great career fit. Just wasnt passionate about what I was doing and quit WITHOUT a plan or job lined up. (Long story but had to give them extended notice which made job searching tough)
Ending up deciding to go back into the Ed Tech industry since that was all I have really known, which eventually led me back to that original company K12/Stride which is where I am now. They have really thrived throughout COVID with the explosion of virtual learning which made it a great career choice, even if it wasn’t the dream.
Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, aka Dr. Z, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California. Her work is dedicated to helping all her clients to get “unstuck from fear-based reactions” and live the life they want to live. She shares how overthinkers can get out of their own way.
She has significant experience - over 18 years - working with individuals dealing with fear-based struggles such as perfectionism, procrastination, uncertainty, decision-making, phobias, OCD, panic, and any other anxiety-related difficulties. Dr. Z is the founder of the East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, a boutique therapy practice, where she offers therapy, coaching, and focused interventions based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and contextual-behavioral science.
Dr. Z is the author of 6 books and has been nominated as a Fellow of the Association of Contextual Behavioral Science.
For more information visit:
Podcast: www.playingitsafe.zone
Personal website: www.thisisdoctorz.com
Therapy/coaching website: www.eastbaybehaviortherapycenter.com
Author Xavier Axelson shares how to successfully pivot as an author. You have to be your own advocate and not lean on good intentioned people. Even during the most frustrating moments, keep the ‘why’ at the forefront and forge forward. His latest book, The Bond, can be found on Amazon along with his other collections.
About Xavier Axelson: Xavier Axelson is a writer and columnist living in Los Angeles. Axelson’s work has been featured in various erotic and horror anthologies including Best Gay Erotica 2016 Volume 2, Best Gay Erotica 2015.
Longer written works include “The Incident”, “Dutch’s Boy”, “The Birches”, “Earthly Concerns”, “Velvet,” and “Lily”.
Xavier covered both Fringe Culture and Sex Advice for the Los Angeles Examiner from 2010-2015. Axelson has worked in the adult industry for over 15 years. He first lectured at a college regarding sexual health at the age of 19. He has trained as a dungeon master, worked for a notorious Hollywood Madame as a consultant and as a talent agent for the adult film industry. He has several degrees in fields such as communications, library technology and literature.
Some people thinking pivoting is scary and detrimental to success; however, pivoting is the thing that will propel you to success. Blake Hutchison, CEO of Flippa, joins me on this special episode of Embrace the Pivot Podcast to share how when it comes to pivoting, just go for it! The fall isn’t as hard as you might think. After pivoting 7-8x in his career, he has fully embraced his pivots.
Flippa’s Her Future Conference helps women step into their power. Join me tomorrow, Oct. 18th, as I host the Power Of The Pivot. The virtual conference is FREE. Click here to register.
There are a million ways to get what you want. Flippa, a marketplace to buy and sell online businesses, has created a platform for people to become an entrepreneur and build toward their future. Stacy Caprio owns, grows and invests in websites, and is the owner of Her.CEO, a community for women and entrepreneurs to share ideas, buy and sell websites, and grow their businesses together. She's part of the Flippa community and shares how she pivoted from corporate America to buying and selling online businesses. She's part of the Flippa community, and on this episode, she shares how she pivoted from corporate America to buying and selling online businesses.
On Oct. 18th, Flippa is hosting the Her Future, helping women step into their power. Learn from award-winning and powerful women in business how to buy, grow, scale, exit, and invest in a business. Get your free ticket here: Her Future 2022.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can help pivot an industry or peoples’ mindsets. Harish Kolli, founder of Guardial app, shares how he started a business at 15 and has evolved as a leader. Guardial empowers women to act on their instincts and give them another option besides just walking faster and hoping their instincts pan false. Whether you're walking on the streets or getting into an Uber, the company provides an active deterrent instead of a reactive one.
How do you stay grounded in your beliefs and life’s purpose? Dr. Renai Ellison, founder of Embrace Life, shares her life‘s pivots and how to connect with what you’re meant to do in this world.
She has discovered her passion in her profession as a Life & Leadership Coach, Consultant, Trainer, and Speaker. After earning a certification as a Christian Life Coach from the Professional Christian Coaching & Counseling Academy (PCCCA), Renai graduated from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) with a Life & Leadership coaching certification. She is credentialed as an International Coaching Federation (ICF) Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and currently supports emerging coaches as a Mentor Coach with iPEC.
While studying to become a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership, Renai’s dissertation research focused on in-depth conversations with Black women ministry leaders. From this study, she uncovered the necessity among Black Christian women for community, connection, and relationship. These three needs are prioritized as the essence of Renai's work as she cultivates safe spaces for her clients.
Renai began her career as a model, television host, and actress after winning a contract with the prestigious Ford Modeling Agency in New York City. She is the author of her personal memoir and personal development book entitled, From Fake to Phenomenal: 8 Secrets to Abandon Inauthenticity and Embrace Self-Discovery. As an award-winning public speaker, Renai enthusiastically serves as a dedicated leader with Toastmasters International. Most importantly, Renai prioritizes her role as a devoted daughter to her beloved mother, Maryan.
People think that passion correlates with pivoting: “Find your passion and do that.” Not necessarily. You have to align your next pivot with your skill set.
”Things” don’t make you happy long term. Happiness comes from the inside. Develop your happiness core; the happiness habit to feel fulfilled.
Overthinking kills a pivot; it hinders your progress, which ultimately stifles your goal. Overthinking puts you in a loopty loop of negative thoughts/hallucinations that most likely will never, ever occur. When you recognize that you’re overthinking, give yourself a timeout and ask what the best possible outcome could happen. That will get you out of your funk. For more information, connect with me on Instagram: @embracethepivot or visit me at drcherylrobinson.com
Successfully pivoting requires you to have a clear understanding of what pivoting means to you. That requires mapping out what your vision is and overall where you want to be. Some people make think that they’re helping or protecting you by pointing out the flaws or obstacles that stand in your way. To move beyond that, you have to block out the white noise. This episode takes your through techniques to make the micro-pivots manageable.
Part of pivoting comes down to your self-confidence; the self-confidence to believe that you deserve something better in your life. The self-confidence to take a risk knowing that the journey is part of the success. Lillian Forsyth joins me on this episode of Embrace the Pivot Podcast to discuss her journey from human resources to starting her own leadership consultancy, Lead With Equity.
Lillian Forsyth is a coach, workshop facilitator, and consultant in the areas of communications, leadership, and diversity, equity & inclusion. She has 15 years of experience leading Operations and Human Resources for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and has gained unique leadership perspectives from her extensive experience living and working abroad. Lillian's passion for diversity, equity & inclusion work was born from her experience growing up in St. Louis, MO, one of the most racially segregated cities in the US. Since then, Lillian has found ways to bring equity & inclusion into her work, whether that's developing training programs on unconscious bias or helping organizations develop equitable systems for performance management.
In 2020, Lillian co-founded Lead with Equity, a company whose mission is to help leaders make space for the voices of historically marginalized people to drive change in organizations. With Lead with Equity, Lillian helps leaders drive retention and engagement of diverse teams by providing training and coaching on equitable & inclusive leadership practices, and helping organizations build the support systems to hold leaders accountable to these practices. Lillian has coached and trained leaders from companies like Facebook, Siemens, Delta Airlines, and IBM. She holds an MBA from the University of Hawaii's Shidler College of Business, and a BA in Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures from Barnard College in New York City.
I’m relaunching the Embrace The Pivot Podcast. It’s been awhile since the last episode but I’ve been pivoting and rebranding. Pivoting takes investment in yourself, jumping with two feet in and the ability to pick yourself up when you get knocked down. In the upcoming round of episodes, I have new tips and tricks for successfully pivoting, along with amazing guests to share their pivot strategies.
The format has slightly changed. I’m sticking to 10-minute segments—a mini episode if you will for the people on the go to get their done of pivoting information.
Thank you for joining me!
Follow me on Instagram: @embracethepivot
Todd Hoffman, CEO of Storied Media Group and StoryScout, the online marketplace that curates IP, pre-negotiates the rights, and allows studios and independent producers to find and option ideas with a click of a mouse. Through SMG’s digital platform StoryScout, tens of thousands of creatives around the globe read the stories that translate into high end content, which SMG then brokers.
He shares how he remained resilient the first time he was fired. Embracing failures has been one of the keys to his success. Learn from mistakes, adjust and keep going.
Nick Cuomo, founder of consumer tech startup Allstar, is just getting started with its mission of democratizing the creation of gaming content. Over the last eight months, the company’s user base grew more than 10x. A few weeks ago, it entered a partnership with TikTok. After that, it generated a near $4M pre-seed raise.
Nick went from a former pro gamer and content creator who, after retirement, pivoted to roles like art director and marketing executive. He then went full-circle, developing an easy way for amateur gamers to become content creators -- capturing the attention of Mark Cuban and other tech and gaming execs.
When people say ‘you’re fearless,’ it’s not about the absence of fear. It’s about acknowledging the fear and choosing to face it anyway or move forward anyway. It takes guts and gumption to pivot towards something you’ve always wanted to do. Facing the fear builds a foundational level for you so as you level up, you can revert back to how you faced another fear in order to keep moving forward. Embrace it, pivot and continue leveling up.
When people think about pivoting, they associate it with changing careers or personal milestone. What if I told you that micro pivoting is just as important as macro pivoting; it might even be more crucial to get the micro right before addressing the macro. In this episode, I breakdown micro pivoting versus macro pivoting and how to pivot the perception.
There’s a major difference between knowing when a strategy isn’t working out and giving up too soon. The difference lies in the amount of time you dedicate to the new pivot. If you spend 5% of your time working on the pivot and nothing happens, it’s not that the idea or goal failed, you not only gave up on it too soon but you didn’t even give it a chance.
If you‘ve tried everything and it’s still not working, then it’s a lesson learned. Time to move onto something else.
It’s easy to become distracted when pivoting. Everything is new and as you decide which direction to move in most opportunities can seem appealing. It’s called the Shiny Object Syndrome—the ability to quickly move from one idea/project to the next because they all seem promising and exciting. As you pivot, the biggest question to ask yourself when presented with an opportunity is, “Is this project going to set me back from what my overall goal is?” If it’s going to delay your progress towards achieving your goal, then it’s not worth it. Learn how to pivot quickly.
Desiree Morales, founder of Tropical Fruit Box, shares how in order to scale a business you need to let your team be experts. There’s a reason why you hired them. Don’t suffocate them; let them shine. When they succeed, everyone succeeds. She’s a food innovation executive with a background in produce sourcing, partner alignments, channel marketing, and e-commerce in the U.S. grocery retail and foodservice industry. She founded Tropical Fruit Box in Fall 2019, bringing tropical and exotic fruits from all over the world right to customers’ doors. Follow them on social: Facebook@TropicalFruitBox, and Instagram@TropicalfFuitBoxUSA.
Wow! It’s been one year and 50 episodes with some fabulous guests! We’ve learned that self-confidence, risk taking, networking, preparing for the fall, self-marketing and leadership are all part of the pivoting process. Episode 50 I recap in a snapshot the necessary steps you need to take in order to successfully pivot.
Buffy McCoy Kelly, founder and CEO of Tattoo Projects, shares how when facing any pivot first you have to prepare for the fall. Having a strategy in place will help you bounce forward, pivot quicker when you do face plant; you’ll be prepared. When things to be moving too fast or aren’t going as planned, take a step back and root yourself. You need to root yourself in order to rise.
Pivoting not only takes motivation, it takes dedication. Tony Martignetti, Founder of Inspired Purpose Coaching, shares how to be the author of your life, not the reporter. He began executive coaching after experiencing two and a half decades of burnout and toxic leadership in the biotech industry, realizing he could help others avoid the same pitfalls he had to endure. He finds joy in helping executives and employees alike lead their careers in alignment with their passions, guiding them with a balanced approach to create environments that are as kind as they are assertive. Check out his Virtual Campfire Podcast for examples of his expertise in motion.
The difference between success and lessons learned is consistency. Every goal you set for yourself requires action. Consistent right actions lead to proven success. Don’t let the fear of not succeeding or being embarassed keep you from knowing how everything turns out. The what-if scenario is one of the worst regrets. Even if you don’t know how to do something, doing something is better than holding back and remaining the same. Go for it!!! Keep pivoting your actions until you get the right formula.
When you evolve you are making a conscious effort to better yourself; you are chosing to take action. One type of pivoting is a forced pivot — you were laid off or the company you worked for went bankrupt. Here you had no option or choice. This is not a form of evolving. But there is a scenario where you can both evolve and pivot all at the same time. For example, you are self-aware and want to do something different, better with your life. You decide to change companies or start your own business.
Kate Jeffers, President and Partner of independent, creative ad agency Venables Bell + Partners. It’s portfolio includes Audi, Reebok, 3M and Chipotle. The agency has won numerous awards and recognition including being named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and being named to Ad Age’s A-List and Best Places to Work lists, among many others. They have also won the Titanium Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions Festival (the most prestigious awards competition in the world for marketers).
Kate shares how as a leader it’s important to be relatable. Sharing and discussing projects that didn’t come to fruition eases tention and humanizes leaders.
Maria V. Robinson, an NLP practitioner & expert, aka my mom, shares #NLP techniques on how to body mirror someone and match their energy & intensity level in order to develop trust. Trust is key when building and fostering relationships. Having trust will actually provide a higher percentage rate of #success. Maria wrote a self-guided affirmational book called I Am Willing. Through prompts and short exercises, she helps you reframe mindset and override your belief set that is holding you back from achieving your dreams or goals. For more information and to purchase the book, click here.
Rachel Brenke is a millennial mom, lawyer, business consultant, cancer survivor, disabled-veteran spouse, and Team USA athlete with five school-aged children that she is currently homeschooling. Rachel has served more than 18,000 entrepreneurs in over 50 countries.
She shares how real failure comes from not trying at all. There’s a difference between trying, learning and pivoting to letting self-doubt and fear hold you back from achieving your dreams.
Mark Herschberg is the author of The Career Toolkit, Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You. From tracking criminals and terrorists on the dark web to creating marketplaces and new authentication systems, Mark has spent his career launching and developing new ventures at startups and Fortune 500s and in academia. He helped to start the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program, dubbed MIT’s “career success accelerator,” where he teaches annually.
He shares how to develop soft skills in order to advance your career.
Maria V. Robinson, an NLP practitioner & expert, aka my mom, shares NLP techniques on how to pivot your mindset. For close to 40-years, she’s been a master certified NLP practitioner helping corporations and individuals learn how to properly communicate and change habits and strategy to reach set goals. There’s more to pivoting than just changing careers. It’s about pivoting your mindset as well in order to achieve your goals.
Maria wrote a self-guided affirmational book called I Am Willing. Through prompts and short exercises, she helps you reframe mindset and override your belief set that is holding you back from achieving your dreams or goals. For more information and to purchase the book, click here.
Nigel Green is a sought-after sales advisor, author of Revenue Harvest: A Sales Leader’s Almanac for Planning The Perfect Year, and the widely-regarded authority on improving sales team performance. He has worked with dozens of B2B sales teams across the globe to more than double sales results. His insights have been featured in top business publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Fast Company and Business Insider. In 2018 he quit his corporate job, left Nashville and moved to a farm in KY. Nigel now enjoys short work days, more time with family and time to pursue hobbies. He loves work more than ever, and was named Selling Power Magazine’s Top Sales Consultant for 2021.
Jean Freeman, Principal and CEO of Zambezi, which is one of the largest certified female-owned full service creative agencies in the ad industry, started the company with her husband, Chris, and the legendary late NBA player, Kobe Bryant. Her leadership approach is inspired by her agency's namesake, the Zambezi shark, which is a freak in its adaptability and ability to pivot. The Zambezi has taught itself to swim in both freshwater and saltwater. Zambezi's combination of big agency talent and small agency agility allows it to propel its clients’ brands forward. This approach led to significant new business wins last year from brands including Experience Kissimmee, Staples Inc., USGA, and Traeger Grills as well as key organic growth from existing clients including Ultimate Software, The TaylorMade Golf Company, Apple’s Beats by Dre, The Coca-Cola Company and PayPal/Venmo.
TJ Ward, NFL player & founder of WardCorp, shares how he is setting himself up for success off the field before he retires. He’s started the Ward Boys Foundation, which provides programs for the youth to engage with them through educational programs, camps and even writing clinics. Additionally, he’s launched his brand that encompasses the key pillars in my life -- being an Athlete | Entrepreneur | Philanthropist | Community Leader | Faith & Family Man.
TJ is a 2010 2nd round NFL draft pick where he was drafted to the Cleveland Browns and he helped the Denver Broncos win Super Bowl 50.
Kim Gubera, CEO of PIRTEK USA, used her background in business franchising and finance to help expand PIRTEK to 100 franchisees. Gubera grew up in a single-parent household. After attending college in Georgia for nine months, she had to drop out and work as an office manager for three years. When it was time for her to go back to school, she started community college in Orlando while taking care of her one-year-old child.
Working, raising a kid and attending school at the same time didn’t stop her from an upward path. In 2000, she completed her Bachelor degree at University of Phoenix - and she still wasn’t done completing her education, until she received her MBA in 2002 after two years of night classes. Starting in finance, she didn’t expect to find herself in a franchising role.
Venise Cunningham & Belinda Kelly, founders of the Simple Goodness Farm, a 10 acre cocktail farm in Buckley, WA, are redefining the cocktail industry. The Simple Goodness Sisters grow a Happier Hour, with delicious hand crafted, garden to glass simple syrups, shrubs, floral rimmers, and other Simply Good drink accompaniments. Sharing a passion for teaching and bringing gardening and entertaining knowledge and excitement to the next generation, the Sisters enjoy hosting classes, workshops, and farm events.
The mission of Simple Goodness Sisters is to use the best ingredients possible, to make the tastiest drink at home, simply. By harvesting goodness straight from the garden and keeping perservatives and chemicals out of all of the recipes, the Simple Goodness Sisters bring a Happier Hour to you.
A fundamental belief of the Simple Goodness Sisters is that everyday is worth celebrating, and everyone deserves an invite to the party. This is why SGS products are always alcohol free and family friendly, so that you may mix your drinks however you like, for whomever you like.
Susie Levan is a spiritual warrior, author, philanthropist, community leader, certified non-denominational pastoral counselor, hypnotherapist, teacher of meditation, life coach, and Reiki master/teacher. For the last 30 years, she has been teaching the importance of meditation and helping women live their best lives and has facilitated a bi-weekly Women’s Wisdom Circle to empower, inspire and guide women to amplify their greatness to create a more meaningful life.
In 2019, Susie released her book, “Getting to Forgiveness — What a Near-Death Experience Can Teach Us About Loss, Resilience and Love,” which was #1 on the near-death experiences category for Amazon when released. With a powerful foreword by multi-GRAMMY award-winning artist Gloria Estefan, this fast-paced, riveting true story of how Levan emerged a stronger soul after her kidnapping and near-death experience is a must-read for women of any age. Levan blends practical advice and engaging thought-provoking lessons learned—relatable and actionable. The book is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Matt Lombardi & Kevin Moran, professional athlete-turned-entrepreneurs and founders of beam, the “Nike of Wellness” offering the highest-quality THC-free CBD products for a wellness minded community.
Matt (New Jersey Devils hockey player) & Kevin (Chicago White Sox baseball player) conceptualized beam while training together for the Boston Marathon in 2018; after pushing their bodies for years of playing competitive sports, they ardently searched for a natural remedy to treat their chronic aches and pains. With this, they were introduced to CBD and captivated by the several use cases and effects such as reduced inflammation, pain, anxiety and promotion of better sleep and energy. After struggling to find a product that held to their standards, they decided to create their own with an adherence to transparency that includes a high quality, effective product assortment that has proven to be a hit amongst consumers and world renowned professional athletes such as Baker Mayfield, Mat Fraser, Brooke Wells, Danica Patrick and Billy Horschel.
Shani Godwin, chief JOY officer and founder of JOY Economics, shares that while pivoting it’s important not to let other people’s fears affect your decision making. Additionally, through the JOY Economics, Shani outlines 5 proven communications strategies and tips to affordably and easily help small business owners pivot while protecting their brand and their sanity.
Dr. Azza Gadir, director of R&D at Seed, studies how the body’s microbiome affects the gut and how people can obtain a healthy lifestyle and gut health. She shares her journey from working in the lab to pivoting to a startup. Building a personal board of directors helped her advance in her career. Through many informational interviews and perfecting her personal narrative, she was able to network her way into a startup.
At Jackman, Sandra's main goal is to help her clients pivot their businesses. She lays the path to rapid customer engagement and business transformation by manufacturing momentum for her clients and instituting purposeful change that enables businesses to become the most powerful version of themselves.
She shares how you shouldn’t compare yourself to others and how letting go of the image of the way you think things should be will open you up to new opportunities.
Jen Adams, founder of Gold Light, is a Holistic Executive Coach who works exclusively with high-achievers in the businesses of entertainment, sports and leisure to elevate their career potential through mindset mastery, visioning and goal setting.
Jen brings a unique dimension to her practice, having served on the leadership team for one of the world’s largest and most recognized brands, American Airlines. Throughout her career, Jen has honed her expertise in leading individuals and teams through mergers, crises and other business transitions including the 2014 US Airways American Airlines merger as well as the 2009 US Airways “Miracle on the Hudson”.
During her time as a brand marketer for American, Jen was the architect of a number of innovative sports and entertainment brand partnerships including the airline's first-ever deals with NBA International, the Chicago Cubs and Stand Up 2 Cancer.
Jen helps her clients accelerate results by quickly moving past fears, blocks and insecurities so they can embrace a reality of centeredness where all things are possible. She founded Gold Light Leadership—amidst a global pandemic—to serve as a co-pilot to executive leaders looking to innovate, pivot and develop themselves personally and professionally.
Neel Van Lierop has experienced many pivots in her life, which led her to Inner Compass Cards. She created these cards as a way for people to gain clarity on the direction they should take in life and their purpose in life. It’s about trusting yourself, letting go of the control and being the moment. She became addicted to the Magical Moments in her life, which helped her remain steadfast.
You can check the cards out here and follow her on Instagram: @innercompasscards
Joan Lynch, Chief Content and Programming Officer, & Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, at WorkingNation share the types of resources available for individuals looking for new employment opportunities. Their journeys in media, which include two Peabody Awards each, have brought them to a platform, a campaign that allows them to connect with the public in a unique way. They are bridging the gap between individuals looking for new opportunities and the resources and trainings available to them.
Mirelle Leguia, founder of Mother Nutrient, helps people get healthy through vitamin supplements and increases the chances of women becoming pregnant with natural remedies. After working in the corporate world and experiencing a health scare, she turned to holistic medicine. It sparked the idea for her to start her own company. She shares how planning and research helped make her transition a positive experience.
Follow on Instagram: @mothernutrient
Amy Ballon is a renowned advocate for domestic violence and women’s empowerment. She has survived a domestic violence attack, a wrongful conviction, a major lawsuit and now helps other victims rise through the ashes. Although she was thrown into a pivot, she figured out to control the narrative of her story.
Currently, she serves as a Board Member for the Domestic Violence Advocacy Center, for which she is responsible for special initiatives. The center, located in Miami, FL, works directly with victims of domestic violence for guidance and treatment. For her part as a Board Member, Ballon furthers her mission to bring awareness to those unable to find their voice in order to share their truths and innocence.
Connect with Amy:
- Innocence Project of Florida
- Domestic Violence Advocacy Center
- “Fabulous To Framed” on Amazon
Carol Perry, President of IF News at The Montag Group, a top New York City-based talent agency, shares that investing in yourself is the best type of investment. In order to successfully pivot, you have to be all in.
Kira Karlstrom, former professional athlete, pivoted from sports to entertainment to music to now starting her own brand, Survivor Society. She’s now celebrating 10 years of being cancer free and wants to help others who are/were in a similar situation. Kira shares how music, creating her own life’s soundtrack, helped her stay focus and remain steadfast.
Coach Dayne Gingrich created the 1% program which is designed to force each client of their comfort zone. He expresses how in order to succeed and accomplish your goals, you need to be all in.
Kara Duffy, an entrepreneur, business coach and founder of the Powerful Ladies, shares how sometimes having a large goal can be overwhelming and hinder you from succeeding. Breaking down the large goal into small manageable goals sets you up for success.
Michelle Penczak was forced into a pivot. Instead of making it a negative experience she turned it into an opportunity to create a company that employees military spouses. Squared Away not only provides job security for military spouses but it also gives them a chance to define their own identity. Squared Away is a virtual assistant company that assists corporations around the world.
Michelle’s story is sure to inspire!
Steve Delsohn is a Peabody Award-winning former reporter for ESPN TV, a New York Times bestselling author, and documentary producer. He shares how to create your own opportunities while pivoting.
Lori Taylor, founder of the Produce Moms, had to truly believe in herself in order pivot. She actually had to buy back her own idea from her former employer. Once the sale went through, she was proud that her idea sold for a significant amount of money, even if she was the buyer. Pivoting takes guts & self-confidence. In order to successfully pivot in your career, you need to 100% believe in yourself!
Amie Sheridan, founder of WINS.media and voice of amiesheridan.com, is a writer and executive strategist who elevates the visibility of leaders in sports + entertainment via owned, earned and paid channels. In 2020, she launched WINS, a mission-driven membership program built to amplify the voices of women influencing sports + entertainment.
Before achieving founder status, Amie held business development roles at the National Hockey League, Saatchi & Saatchi and NBC Sports. In 2013, Amie pivoted into her writing career as a weekly contributor to Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, covering trends in mobile technology. She has taught marketing courses at Ohio University, Drexel University and St. Joe’s University, and she resides in Philadelphia with her husband and three daughters.
**About WINS
WINS: A media membership for women influencing sports & entertainment.
Our mission is to elevate the visibility of women in sports and entertainment, inspire rising female leaders and celebrate our WINS as a team!
Our members enjoy benefits including custom media profiles, press hits, interview opportunities, award nominations, speaking submissions and ghostwritten articles.
We are currently recruiting Founding Members to ignite the WINS project! Learn more at wins.media/membership.
Hannah Lavon, founder of Pals Socks, joins me to discuss her entrepreneurial journey and the power that mismatched socks has on showing patience, compassion & the power of diversity. It’s important for companies to pivot their strategies and branding in order to stay relevant in the market.
Sharing tips & tricks on how to successfully pivot is great, BUT what about pivot fatigue? It’s a real thing especially since we’ve been in a constant state of pivoting for 6-months now and counting. It’s important to recognize and acknowledge that you are experiencing pivot fatigue and allow yourself time to rest and refresh. It also helps to define your meaning of success to keep you on track so you don’t mentally and emotionally burn out.
Kiera Connerty, director, talent management at MLB, shares how it’s critical to not only pivot in your career, but also pivot your story. It’s important to share with others who you are now and where you’re headed while using your past to show the value you add.
Bobby Vala, founder/designer of the revived toy line Action Force, shares how he pivoted from working at Hasbro to reviving the Action Force toy line. It is the determination that drives success; to not let anything stand in the way of getting you to where you want to go. He shares how networking landed him his first position in the toy industry and how it also helped him land a partnership with Sgt. Slaughter (WWF star).
Pivoting isn’t a theory or concept. It’s a way of life. It order to succeed, you need to pivot. But, it isn’t going to happen overnight. It’s a process that takes. It’s being dedicated to making small incremental changes to your process and habits. Eventually, those small changes lead to major lifestyle shifts. Pivoting isn’t just about going from point A to B to C, etc. It’s about pivoting your mindset so that plan C works out better than plan B and A did.
DeRahn Johnson, creator of the Maven Method shares how you can start to make small incremental changes in order to change the story that you tell yourself.
In order to successfully pivot, you need to have your GRIT metabolism in check. Grit is showing up when your tired, you don’t want to or are having a bad day. With grit comes persistence. Persistence will help you reach your goals quicker.
Successfully pivoting entails celebrating the small wins. Doing so helps you see how far you’ve come and motivates you to keep going. Comedian & advocate, Brittany Brave, shares her journey from working in the music industry to starting her company to now performing around the country. Additionally, she has created and built out a platform, Cat Call, that advocates for women leaders. You can find Brittany on Instagram: @brittanybrave
Layla Zaidane, executive dir. & COO of Millennial Action Project joins me to discuss her journey from the corporate world to the political realm. She shares how sometimes the unplanned pivots are sometimes the ones that catapult your career. Starting her career at Living Social to now being at the helm of re-establishing political cooperation across parties and defeat the polarization and gridlock that is holding back our government and country.
Ego has the reputation of being a negative force; however, when it comes to pivoting, you need to let your ego shine in order to move from point A to point B. There’s a thin line between a positive and negative ego. The positive ego is simply sharing with others what you are capable of accomplishing and the value you bring to the table. On Episode 9, I discuss the difference between the two types of egos and how you can practice letting your positive ego shine through.
Welcome to Season 1 finale of Embrace the Pivot podcast. In this episode, I address the importance of risk-taking in order to successfully pivot. If you're not willing or ready to take a risk, you'll never get to where you're going. In order to develop a risk-taking mindset, first, take small risks that aren't going majorly impact your life. Over time, you'll condition yourself so when faced with the opportunity to take a risk that will forever benefit your life, you'll be ready. Follow me on Instagram at @embracethepivot
Having survived a toxic, 12-year relationship, Jessica Licciardello (Creative Director of Bella Magazine) learned how her personal pivot would help her pivot professionally. She shares how to build self-confidence after experiencing a tragedy and how to believe in yourself enough to keep going, to not only survive but thrive. She is working on an art exhibit entitled 8 Minutes to Freedom that showcases her journey and how others can cope with domestic violence. You can find more information on the exhibit here. Jessica shares how she celebrates the post pivot. Join for an inspirational chat about pivoting through tragedy.
Excerpt from the exhibit:
8 Minutes to Freedom is an art exhibit exploring the survival of domestic abuse from my own perspective. As a survivor of an abusive relationship, I’ve come out the other side strong, but only by going through a long journey of healing. The whole way through, I have had support from friends and family, as well as people I have met along the way.
On Episode 6 of Embrace the Pivot, Tiffany Young, executive director of the Hartford Yard Goats, shares how she had to personally pivot in order to catapult her career. Through her experience she has developed the platform Pain to Purpose as a way to encourage and support others who have faced a similar situation; as a way to help others achieve their goals. Hear how Tiffany pivoted from a business owner to wife/mother and then transitioned back into the corporate world as the executive director of the Hartford Yard Goats Foundation. #embracethepivot
Have you ever wanted to meet Steven Spielberg? Learn how I met him in the most badass way!! All it took was confidence in myself and my desire to have a 2-minute conversation with him. Developing self-confidence doesn't happen overnight. It's the act of achieving small attainable goals that build a foundation for your self-confidence. In this episode, I share techniques on how to develop and maintain self-confidence prior to pivoting and during a pivot. @embracethepivot
LMS founders Denise Lambertson, Tim Lambertson and Kelli Reyes join me to discuss how they developed, maintained and sustained connections from the entertainment industry. With support from their network, they built the LMS Agency, an influencer and social media agency that champions incredible brands through innovative consumer-focused marketing services. They share how they have pivoted the company over the years and started an investment fund. Prepare to be inspired & motivated!!! #embracethepivot
Shannon Judd, Don Povia & Jason Bayuk, the founders of Transition Sports & Entertainment, join me for a conversation on how they pivoted their company to better empower athletes and entertainers to position themselves as enduring businesses. They discuss how they were able to shift their mindsets from Transition 1.0 to Transition 2.0. They also share the importance of building trust and maintaining relationships.
About Transition:
Transition brings together a collection of experts who have each found proven success within their expertise; business & financial acumen, communications, digital marketing, start-up expertise, operational optimization, creative ideation, production and execution... Our team becomes our client’s team, combined with their inner circle and reinforced by our client advisory board – experienced industry leaders in the athlete’s respective interests.
Networking is critical to succeeding. It is especially essential when you are experiencing a pivotal moment in your career. The quality of your network is what's going to fast track your next move. Join me in Episode 2 as I explore the first step to creating a quality network versus a quantity network, and how to begin developing meaningful relationships. #embracethepivot
Instagram: @embracethepivot
Hi! I'm Dr. C. Robinson, an expert on pivoting. Everyone, at some point in life, pivots. Whether it's a personal (having kids, going back to school) or a professional (new job, starting a company) pivot, your success is largely based on your mindset. Episode 1 explores what it means to actually pivot and how I became an expert in pivoting. Join me on this exciting adventure of how to successfully pivot in your career.