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, aka MH, uniquely bridges business and psychology. With a Ph.D. in Psychology and an MBA, MH has had an extensive career as a leadership psychologist, executive coach, and senior leader in the corporate, insurance and governance sectors. Her award-winning book, , was named a “Top 5 Book to Read” by Inc. Magazine and Forbes. During our interview, MH discussed her formative years, her educational journey in Quebec, her diverse professional development experiences, and her evolution from psychology into management. We delved into the importance of resilience, flexibility, strategic planning, and the integration of psychology and business for leaders and professionals. As a child growing up in Quebec City, MH enjoyed family trips to outdoor locations beyond the city, where she had the chance to explore and experience a sense of adventure and taking risks. She related this concept of adventure to her early career experiences as a psychologist when she lived in a more remote area of Quebec where mental health services were not plentiful. Yet, the needs were great in various settings. MH prepared herself to work there by taking additional courses to expand her credentials, enabling her to work in the courts, schools, and hospitals. She had to be strategic in this way to make a living doing work she felt was most important. Within the year, however, her plans changed, and she moved across the country to British Columbia to pursue her Ph.D. That presented some challenges as the rules regulating her psychology credentials varied between the provinces, and she had to take a few extra steps to achieve her goal. While on that journey, MH was able to develop other work options by asserting herself and taking some risks. It all paid off. Today, MH combines her business and clinical expertise, translating research about health, performance, resilience, and overcoming challenges into strategies professionals, leaders, and their teams need to thrive. She is a Member of the Global Clinical Practice Network of the World Health Organization and a past Director on the boards of the Canadian Psychological Association and the International Association of Applied Psychology. She has presented and authored numerous industry and academic publications, and many academic and industry awards have recognized her work. MH is a highly rated instructor at the University of British Columbia, Sauder School of Business, Executive Education. She is a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, an opt-in research community of business professionals. Learn more and connect with Dr. Pelletier here:
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At 17, , was a new high school graduate and did not know what she wanted to do. Her mother reminded her that she had a dream to live on a kibbutz in Israel, so off she went. For the next four years, Niven traveled and worked in many countries. Then at 29, she held her first executive position in a career that has spanned multiple sectors and roles. Niven is a strategy, leadership, and culture consultant partnering with clients in diverse industries worldwide to (re)ignite the discretionary energy of people and teams, build an enabling culture, and develop meaningful strategies. She speaks on organizational politics, leadership, culture, and women’s leadership to audiences across multiple industries. Before her current consultancy and PhD studies in Organizational Behavior, Niven served as the CEO of the Businesswomen’s Association, Head of the South African Reserve Bank Academy, and Head of Leadership and Culture for the Standard Bank Group (the largest bank by assets in Africa). “The real failure is not even trying. This idea that we shouldn't be scared of failure, well, that's impossible. We're all going to be scared of failure. The only thing that jolts us out of the inaction that a fear of failure brings is if we are terrified of regret. That idea that we regret what we don't do, I think is important, that we didn't try.” Niven is the author of the book, . She is also a Harvard Business Review and Inc. contributor, a part-time tutor at Cambridge University’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), and a guest lecturer at Stanford University. Niven serves as the Chairman of the Board of Cotlands, an NGO that for 87 years has done cutting-edge work in the Early Childhood Development sector in South Africa and beyond. Niven holds an Executive MBA in systems thinking, human capital development, knowledge management, leadership, and change. She also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Future Studies and a BA in English Political Science. Learn more and connect with Niven here:
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coaches STEM professionals to overcome workplace challenges so that they look forward to Mondays again. She is an executive coach, advisor, and speaker with decades of experience in natural and human sciences through university, industry, and continuing education. Executives hire her to develop and retain their top talent. She holds a Ph.D. in chemistry, is a certified Executive Coach, and received her Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Corinna grew up struggling to succeed as a student and believing she wasn’t good with people, unlike her older sister, who earned top grades and was more extroverted. As a result of living in her sister’s shadow, Corinna told herself a story that she was ‘the different one.’ Fortunately, she had the support of her parents, who fostered her curiosity. Corinna persisted for ten years to earn her doctoral degree in chemistry, a program less frequently pursued at that time, which meant it had lower barriers to entry. Interestingly, Corinna was the first in her family to attend university. After a year-long postdoc position at a university in Toronto, Corinna landed her first role in Germany at a Fortune 500 company developing automotive products. That job enabled her to travel globally and work cross-functionally over 18 years. Eventually, she was training others in processes where she had expertise, affording her experience in coaching and mentoring. Corinna was acknowledged as her company's Global Operational Excellence Leader for over 5 years. At the same time, the company was going through a major reorganization, and Corinna was losing her enthusiasm for her job. Corinna hired a coach to help explore her career options. As part of the self-reflective processes her coach guided her through, she discovered that she was, in fact, good with people! She also realized that she wanted to pursue a coaching certification. In 2022, Corinna left her corporate role to offer coaching on a full-time basis. Learn more and connect with Corinna here:
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Paula Caligiuri, PhD is a D’Amore-McKim School of Business Distinguished Professor of International Business and Strategy at Northeastern University and a Co-Founder of Skiilify. She is a work psychologist dedicated to helping companies, teams, and individuals become effective in today’s diverse, multicultural environment. Raised by blue-collar parents who had immigrated to the US as children, Paula grew up in Buffalo, NY. She attended college intending to study abroad. Paula went to Italy, and soon after her arrival, the stock market crashed, impacting the affordability of her study abroad experience. She stayed and worked to support herself before returning home. Once she returned home, she felt a little lost. Fortunately, Paula had a small circle of supportive faculty members who were tuned into her, and they provided the guidance she needed to reconnect. From there, she decided to attend graduate school and earn her Ph.D. Paula has authored or co-authored several articles and books – including , , and , and others. She works extensively with leading organizations and universities on the development of individuals’ cultural agility. She has been a frequent expert guest on CNN and CNN International. She is an instructor for two LinkedIn Learning courses entitled "Managing Globally" and "Six Skills to Build Cultural Agility." In 2021 and 2023, Paula was named a semi-finalist for the Forbes “50 over 50” for co-founding a public benefit corporation, to help democratize the acquisition of critical soft skills. Paula holds a Ph.D. from Penn State University in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and is a Fellow in the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the Academy of International Business. Learn more and connect with Paula here: is a free resource to help people build their cross-cultural competencies
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For more than two decades, worked with bands and artists such as Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, The Beach Boys, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Billy Idol, and many more to create magical experiences for their audiences. Starting on music tour crews doing lighting installation and design, he became a trusted team member and built a solid career managing hundreds of high-profile tours worldwide. As a young Italian Catholic boy from the blue-collar Los Angeles port town of San Pedro, Leo Rossi tripped into an improbable dream when he was punished for taking off on his own from a school field trip. His penance was to work on the backstage crew for the school play, which turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to him. Leo Rossi shares his life story, reflects on the transformative experiences and values from his traditional upbringing, and balances the influence of faith with the rock-and-roll lifestyle. He discusses the technological advancements that allowed him to transition into management roles and highlights his involvement with Apple during the early years of the Macintosh. Now retired, Rossi focuses on the initiative, which is dedicated to preserving the authentic stories of classic rock and supporting . Through his talks and storytelling, Rossi emphasizes the importance of dreams, learning from history, and giving back, urging listeners to follow their dreams and share their stories. Learn more and connect with Leo here:
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Dr. Ruth Gotian is the Chief Learning Officer and Associate Professor at Weill Cornell School of Medicine in New York City. She returns to the Work from the Inside Out podcast to discuss her new book, "" co-authored with Andy Lopata. They emphasize the importance of mentoring in professional development, highlighting that 61% of positive mentoring relationships are formed organically. Ruth stresses the need for diverse mentoring teams and shares insights on the benefits of mentoring, including higher salaries and reduced burnout, as well as the importance of engaging mentors outside one's organization. She has been hailed by the journal Nature and Columbia University as an expert in mentorship and leadership development. In 2021, she was selected by Thinkers50 as one of the eight people worldwide to be named an emerging management thinker. In addition to publishing in academic journals, she is a contributor to Forbes and Psychology Today, where she writes about ‘optimizing success’. Her research is about the mindset and skill set of peak performers, including Nobel laureates, astronauts, and Olympic champions. Her award-winning book, , came out in January 2022. Discussion on Mentoring and High Achievers Ruth stated that mentoring is not just for beginners but also for those looking to grow at all stages of their careers. Mentors provide guidance, support, and new perspectives. She discusses the importance of mentoring for high achievers and shares insights from interviews with top achievers, emphasizing the commonality of seeking mentors. Challenges in Mentoring Programs Ruth discuss the ineffectiveness of many mentoring programs in organizations, emphasizing that 61% of positive mentoring relationships develop organically, not through random assignments. She advocates for creating opportunities for people to organically meet, offering a resource on her website with 13 conversation starters to help people initiate conversations and create those organic connections. The Importance of Organic Mentoring Relationships Ruth shares that mentoring relationships can start with casual conversations and evolve over time. She explains that mentoring should not be transactional and should be about building strategic professional relationships. The Role of Mentoring in Career Development and Organizational Success Dr. Gotian highlights the benefits of mentoring, including higher salaries, promotions, and lower burnout. She emphasizes that mentoring is a valuable retention tool for organizations. Ruth discusses the importance of having a diverse mentoring team with various perspectives. She provides a worksheet on her website to help individuals develop their own mentoring teams. Ruth shares personal anecdotes of mentors who transformed her life and career. She emphasizes that mentoring is not limited to specific professions or industries and encourages individuals to seek out mentors who can offer different perspectives and expertise. Learn more and connect with Ruth here:
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From an early age, Harry Duran displayed a natural affinity for technology, tinkering with computers and embracing the latest gadgets. After briefly attending Syracuse University, Harry got distracted and lost his focus. He says he jumped around, never completing his degree, and then applied for a job at Chase Bank as a teller. Harry thought wearing a suit to work meant that he ‘made it.’ He was a quick learner and adapted well, moving up the ranks in the banking world. In 1999, Harry's innate curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit compelled him to explore opportunities in the dotcom boom, a venture that ultimately fell short. Undeterred, he went into construction with his half-brother in Atlanta, only to return home to his parents, tail between his legs. Harry took some time to self-reflect and realized that many of his choices were heavily influenced by other people. He recognized the importance of finding his own voice and taking responsibility for his future. Harry was always interested in electronic music and grew up DJing. That was his first passion. He wanted to start a podcast interviewing DJs because he was fascinated with the culture. Harry also built a mobile app for electronic music. A turning point came in 2014 when Harry attended the New Media Expo in Las Vegas, where he realized the power of podcasting as a platform to share stories and connect with audiences. Inspired, he launched Podcast Junkies, a show that enabled him to hone his interviewing skills and develop a deep understanding of the podcasting landscape. Harry's entrepreneurial spirit soon took over, and he founded Fullcast, a full-service podcast production and marketing consultancy. Leveraging his corporate experience and newfound podcasting expertise, Harry has helped over 110 clients launch their own shows. But Harry's journey didn't stop there. In 2019, he identified a niche that ignited his passion – vertical farming. Recognizing the potential to educate and inform audiences about this emerging industry, Harry launched the Vertical Farming Podcast, a show that has since become a leading voice in the space, securing high-profile sponsorships and opening doors to international conferences. Throughout his winding path, Harry's unwavering commitment to finding his voice and creating his own stage has been the driving force behind his success. From the corporate world to entrepreneurial ventures, his story is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and the pursuit of finding meaningful work from the inside out. Learn more and connect with Harry here:
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Joe Sprangel is the founder and principal consultant at , which helps organizations develop a hybrid sustainability strategy that enhances their longevity, profitability, and impact. His expertise includes strategic and tactical planning, change leadership, and humanist manufacturing, a framework that addresses the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit, as developed in his book . Joe is the founding dean of the College of Business & Professional Studies at . He leads the undergraduate departments of business, criminal justice, healthcare administration, and social work. He is also the architect of the Master of Business Administration degree there. He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Lawrence Technological University. Joe has over 45 years of experience in various industries, including manufacturing, education, and consulting. He started his career in high school, cleaning and repairing heavy farm equipment and, soon after, rebuilding machines that manufactured auto parts. With a natural ability to figure how things work and to solve a wide range of problems, he was promoted to an industrial engineer role, which took him out of the plant and into the office. It also allowed him to earn a degree in mechanical engineering. At 40, he earned his MBA and his doctorate by 50. In this week’s learn more about Joe’s journey: Before joining the Mary Baldwin faculty in 2010, Joe taught undergraduate and MBA students at Ithaca College for three years, where his classes included Operations Management, and Decision Support Analysis and Sustainable Practices in Operations & Technology. Joe has run 18 marathons, completed an Ironman competition, and continues to compete today. Learn more and connect with Joe here: https://twitter.com/JoeSprangel
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When my clients need information, advice or help, I emphasize the importance and methods needed to proactively get the answers to move their goals forward. Yet, too often people hesitate, filling their heads with fear or self doubt, hampering their progress. I usually point out that if they do not make an inquiry or seek more information, then the answer is always NO. Not only is their progress stunted, they feel disappointed in themselves for not following through. My podcast guest this week, believes in going beyond the NO to uncover answers to his questions. In our interview, André shares his educational journey, from a French community high school in Winnipeg to earning a PhD in management. His post-PhD career began at Michigan Tech and was followed by his return to Canada as a result of political constraints in the US. André delves into his interests in strategy, mentorship, and research, leading to the publication of his book on spinout ventures, . It covers the implications of spinout ventures, the academic and real-world perspectives on entrepreneurship, and the evolving regulatory landscape. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, André emphasizes the importance of taking risks and continuous learning at any career stage. Today, as a Full Professor in Entrepreneurship and Strategy at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Ted Rogers School of Management, André studies and teaches entrepreneurship and strategy. He is interested in the competitive and institutional barriers preventing potential entrepreneurs from launching new ventures successfully. André has over a decade of experience working as a business and information technology consultant in corporate Canada. He has performed many roles, including business analyst, systems analyst, project manager, practice leader, and integration architect. In this week’s learn more about Andre’s journey: André is a frequent judge at entrepreneurship pitch competitions and an experienced entrepreneur, having launched a startup while in Michigan. His research has appeared in top journals like Human Relations, Journal of International Business Studies, and Journal of Business Research, among others. Learn more and connect with Andre here:
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(formerly Kelly James-Enger) has been writing for 20+ years as a full-time freelancer, and most recently, as a corporate content writer. In June 2024, she published her memoir, , an entertaining, honest account of what (and what not) to do when you make that corporate leap in midlife. As a kid, Kelly loved to read, write, and was an excellent student. In college, she majored in business because it was one of the more competitive programs. Day two of her sophomore year, Kelly had an anxiety attack and left school. She worked in a restaurant and returned to college the next term to study rhetoric, a writing major. A professor told her she would be a good lawyer. She took the LSAT exam, aced it, and went to law school. In 1997, Kelly “escaped from the law.” She practiced law for over five years, yet she knew it was not for her. Kelly began to write articles for major publications, later adding ghostwriting and authoring her own books. As a ghostwriter, Kelly has penned more than 30 books. She is also a novelist and author of writing-related books including , , and . In 2018, Kelly decided to go work for a small company. She was happily self-employed, yet she was also a single mom and worried about the cost of health insurance. In 2022, Kelly returned to the law to write legal content full-time for . In addition, she writes independently about health, wellness, nutrition, and fitness subjects. Her work has appeared in 65+ online and print publications, including Huffington Post, The Girlfriend, NextTribe, Next Avenue, Chicago Health, Vibrant Life, and other markets. In this week’s learn more about Kelly’s journey: Kelly has written over 2,000 print and online articles for Family Circle, Health, Parents, Runner’s World, Continental, and NextAvenue, and has produced written content for agencies including MXM, StayWell, and Imagination. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer. Learn more and connect with Kelly here:
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When was six years old, she asked her father, “Why am I here?” He laughed but did not answer her. She interpreted this as a message to stop asking questions. Deep down, Rashmir knew she had a purpose. It wasn't until she was 40 years old that she leaned into her true purpose. Rashmir grew up in a traditional Sri Lankan family in Africa and the UK, with high, prescribed expectations. Attending university, she intended to prepare for medical school (her mom is a physician) but realized it was not right for her. Instead, Rashmir studied math and computer science and earned her chartered accounting credential while in her first job at Ernst & Young. Next stop: investment banking. From there, Rashmir navigated a variety of career moves, always seeking to learn new things and to make a meaningful impact. These two threads have been essential foundations in guiding her professional decisions and the quest for her true calling. Rashmir took her work from the for-profit sector to explore several nonprofit sector roles, including a 5-year engagement with the Gates Foundation on a newly formed team dedicated to identifying new areas of giving which became their Global Development Program. Today, Rashmir coaches leaders who have bold visions for change that they want to bring to the world. She also offers team coaching, strategic consultations, speaking, and custom professional development programs. Throughout all of Rashmir’s strategic career moves, she has emphasized: the importance of listening to one's inner voice the value of taking time off for reflection and growth taking a balanced approach to professional development that emphasizes learning, impact, and authentic living In this week’s learn more about Rashmir’s journey: Rashmir decided to pursue an MBA at Yale University to learn best practices in management and leadership as applied in social impact enterprises. She found her experience living in the US to be eye-opening and transformative. Rashmir highlights the power of meditation, coaching, and inner reflection in navigating career transitions and aligning work with purpose. Learn more and connect with Rashmir here:
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, is a man living many lives, who is good with numbers and likes to talk. At 15, he entered the banking industry as an apprentice in his home country of Lichtenstein, where he was introduced to the world of work while completing his secondary education. Like many young people who completed apprenticeships and opted not to go to university immediately, Roman went abroad to improve his language skills. Unlike most of his friends who went to English-speaking countries, he went to France to study French for four months and returned to Lichtenstein to work in banking in Lausanne, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. (For those of us in the US, this would be comparable to living in New Jersey and working in New York… well, sort of, kind of!) Over the next several years, Roman worked in banking elevating his roles into the global markets and relocating to Hong Kong and Singapore. His travels also took him to New Haven, CT, Vancouver, Canada, and Nicaragua for different purposes, but you will need to listen to our interview to learn more about that part of his adventures. Roman has carved distinct paths wherever he has gone in his career, and the arenas he has worked in are pretty varied. Yet he has navigated his journey with an internal compass that many of us might not be able to comprehend. Along the way, he earned a university degree, took Seth Godin’s alt-MBA program, and attended a five-day fool’s workshop that was a personally and professionally transformative experience. After working in several large global banking institutions, Roman explored various other avenues, including the hemp business, bread baking, coffee farming, coffee and pastry service, oat milk business, agriculture, and many more entrepreneurial ventures. His takeaway message points to the importance of relationships, curiosity, and adaptability. Roman's story is a testament to the value of continuous learning and the impact of personal relationships on professional fulfillment. In this week’s learn more about Roman’s journey: Roman involved his whole family, including his children, in his decision to transition from a more traditional career path to his entrepreneurial pursuits. He has co-produced a traveling exhibition on discrimination throughout Lichtenstein. More than a thousand schoolchildren have attended the program. Learn more and connect with Roman here:
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is an accomplished fundraising executive and the author of . A book aimed at helping unemployed professionals navigate the challenges of a sudden job loss, she shares her experiences working at the top of billion-dollar organizations, stories of accomplished women who were suddenly severed from their organizations, and how they navigated their way back to success. Robin examines the struggles of separating one’s identity from one's career and how one can rediscover and reconnect with one's value after job loss. Robin shared her journey from an early tough childhood in Philadelphia to a successful career in fundraising for institutions like NYU, Rutgers, and a leading New York hospital. She discusses the emotional and professional impact of job loss and the importance of maintaining one’s personal value and identity independent of one's career while offering insights on effective career reinvention. Robin provides practical strategies for anyone facing career transitions, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and continuous learning. She frequently speaks at national conferences on fundraising and women’s leadership. In this week’s learn more about Robin’s journey: Robin has served as a board member for three nonprofits in New York City, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), New York City Chapter; the New York Women’s Agenda; and Women In Development, New York (WID). Her short fiction has been published in various literary magazines. Involuntary Exit is her first nonfiction book. Learn more and connect with Robin here:
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Odd fact: I was the sports editor on my high school newspaper for a time. One assignment I had was to interview and write an article about a classmate who was emerging as a top boxer, headed for the Junior Golden Gloves competition. Fast forward 45 years later, the subject of said article, , tells me he almost skipped the interview because he felt unsure about doing it. I’ll admit that I felt intimidated because Chris seemed like a pretty tough guy and we hung out in very different crowds. The article won an honorable mention at the Columbia Scholastic Journalism Conference and it gave Chris a confidence boost in ways neither of us could ever have imagined. Gathering at our 45th high school reunion this past October, I learned that Chris was going to be installed in our hometown of Bay Shore, NY’s Hall of Fame for his achievements as a highly innovative and accomplished plaintiff attorney. After high school, Chris worked as a carpenter and continued to pursue boxing, but stopped competing in his early 20s. Working in New York City, he walked by Hunter College regularly. Chris decided to take a class, did well and decided to enroll as a degree granting student, discovering capabilities he never realized he had. Law school followed immediately afterward. Chris started his law career as a corporate defense attorney representing the interests of big business. Struck by the imbalance of power between corporations and the individuals harmed by them, he left to become a plaintiff attorney. A founding partner of , Chris is known for multidistrict mass torts and class actions involving drug injury, toxic injury and personal injury. His practice also handles product liability, property damage, antitrust, third-party payer litigation, and consumer, insurance, and securities fraud. Chris has led complex litigations in the U.S. representing plaintiffs and achieving landmark settlements in cases including the 3M Combat Arms Earplug Litigation, National Prescription Opiate Litigation, NFL Players’ Concussion Litigation, Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” Litigation, Vioxx Litigation, and Syngenta AG MIR 162 Corn Litigation. In this week’s learn more about Chris’s journey: Chris is regularly quoted in the New York Times, Wall St Journal, Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today, AP, Bloomberg, Reuters, ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, CNN, and ESPN. Whether working on a class action involving thousands of people against a multinational conglomerate or an individual case protecting one client’s rights, Chris fights with the same passion and conviction. Learn more and connect with Chris here:
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is a Clinical Associate Professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. She teaches a course, Personal Leadership Insights, and serves as the Director of Kellogg’s Women's Leadership Program. Ellen is an independent board director on three company boards and runs her own leadership advisory consulting, speaking, and coaching business. Growing up as the fifth of six siblings, Ellen recalled dinner table conversations where her father engaged them in brainstorming about his entrepreneurial challenges. Ellen loved those discussions, saying they influenced her interest in business. Her parents always told her and her siblings that they could do anything with an education, hard work, and a vision. At the same time, Ellen witnessed and experienced the financial instability of her father’s business pursuits. This was not discussed openly, as her parents maintained a never-ever-quit philosophy. While Ellen cherished her parents’ positive belief in herself and her siblings, she recognized the value of bringing more transparency into the conversation with her own children. Ellen spent 25 years at Fortune 500 companies in top brand management posts within PepsiCo, Royal Caribbean, and Whirlpool Corporation. In her recent award-winning book, , Ellen offers her vast experience to help women understand and navigate internal and external obstacles to create the careers and lives they desire. In this week’s learn more about Ellen’s journey: Ellen has shared her insights on leadership, careers, advancing women, and inclusion through her writing and speaking in Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Insider, Washington Post, Bloomberg, and Kellogg Insight. In 2019, she delivered a TEDx talk, . Learn more and connect with Ellen here:
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Gena Scurry has dedicated her career to fostering human connection. She is a self-proclaimed introvert, and while she loves people, her alone time sustains her. Gena says she is quirky, and it takes a lot of effort to be social and be herself. Gena’s formative years differed from most of the other kids in her Texas neighborhood. Crossing the border daily from her home, she attended a Montessori school in Mexico. Later, her thirst for adventure led her to take a year off from college and travel the world, camping and rock climbing. Gena loved rock climbing and traveling and was not sure what else she wanted to do with her life, so she worked hard outside of her classes to save money to support her trips. After completing her degree in Spanish, Gena embarked on her entrepreneurial journey with just $5 and a bicycle, teaching adults to speak Spanish. It started with one person asking her to teach them the language, and her business grew over the next 17 years, with a team of employees and contracts with large companies, which gave her steady revenue. Yet she felt terrified about income most of the time. Gena also got married and started a family during those years. Nine years ago, Gena went through a major life transition, a divorce. She began meditating and focused on the question, “What’s next in my life?” The answer: “Build a game.” It felt right to her. Eventually, Gena created , a card deck-based game designed to create deeper connections between people. The game challenges players to ask deeper questions on a variety of topics, integrating random verbs to enhance listening skills. In this week’s learn more about Gena’s journey: Gena hosts monthly potlucks in her home and invites everyone to join in, embodying her mission to reconnect humanity with each game played. Originally designed as a bilingual board game, Gena tested it for years and determined it would be best to release an English version as a card deck initially. Learn more and connect with Gena here:
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Ludmila N. Praslova, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, is the author of . She is a Professor of Psychology and the founding Director of Graduate Programs in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California. Born in Moscow, Ludmila grew up in a blue collar area where textile mills and farming were predominant, yet, she shared, there was a strange mix of high culture blended in with visits to museums and trips to the theater. She enjoyed reading college text books as a child and writing poetry. Her parents pressed her to use her hands to sew, garden, and play a musical instrument, all of which felt impossible to her. Ludmila graduated from the Russian State University of Humanities with a 5-year specialist degree in organizational management processes and human resources. She chose this focus because it was a compromise between something she enjoyed studying and a path that could lead to stable employment. Ludmila was still figuring out her career and did not plan to work in education—she was focused on organizational practice. She went on to build and lead successful intercultural relations programs in global organizations. Ludmila’s areas of expertise include organizational culture assessment and change, workplace justice and civility, productivity and well-being, and training and training evaluation. She is the editor of the book . Her current consulting focuses on supporting organizations in creating systemic inclusion informed by an understanding of neurodiversity. In this week’s learn more about Ludmila’s journey: Ludmila is a member of the Thinkers 50 Radar Class of 2024 – a global group of management thinkers, recognized as most likely to make an impact on the world. As a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, she is the first person to have published in Harvard Business Review from an autistic perspective. She also writes regularly for Fast Company. Learn more and connect with Ludmila here:
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Ehab Bandar is a sought-after product design consultant for startups and fintech. What's amazing about his career is that he's managed to do it while being both an outsider and an insider in remarkably distinct ways. Ehab attributes credit to his early life as an immigrant to the US from Lebanon at the age of six. His family moved yearly until he was in seventh grade. Ehab was a shy kid with a stutter, yet he was also a natural observer and listener, taking in different cultural norms and personalities. He recalls endearing himself to fit in with new people by throwing a joke into random conversations, noting how fortunate he was to be warmly received as he started the year at each new school. Ehab describes these characteristics as shy self-reliance while being quietly engaged. Ehab had to invent his own career to become a design leader himself. Educated as a city planner, Ehab started his career as one of the youngest technology managers at Wells Fargo. He then left corporate and went on his own to advise and lead design at fast-growing startups in Silicon Valley, digital agencies, and corporate giants. Ehab uses city planning tools and curiosity to hone his craft in the tech world. He explains how a quarterly print newsletter he started in grad school out of boredom led him to work in the dot-com boom and how being an outsider as an immigrant from Lebanon made the act of observation and discovery a daily habit. Today, he's the founder of , an experience-led design agency that partners with product teams to build human-centered designs at scale. They merge hands-on product knowledge, customer insights, and experience strategy to transform ideas into a tangible product vision. In this week’s learn more about Ehab’s journey: Ehab conquered his stuttering by joining the radio station in college as a news reporter. He has helped dozens of organizations, including Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, Bank of the West, Boost Mobile, Intuit, and Airbnb, design new digital products and successfully launch them into the market. Learn more and connect with Ehab here: - by Lorne M. Buchman
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makes it easier for us to communicate at work. He helps experts talk to non-experts, teams talk to executives, and much more. Chris's practical methods are used in organizations like Google and NATO and have appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Helping people retain and apply what he teaches led Chris to write the book . He has also authored multiple books on communication and training that have been translated into 15 languages. Chris grew up in what he describes as a traditional nuclear family in the UK. As our podcast interview unfolded, he shared that his parents worked hard to provide sufficient food for their family. As a child, Chris was unaware of how careful they were to ensure there was enough food. He thought all parents put dates on their canned beans. At age 7, he was awarded a scholarship to attend a private school. Chris saw the distinction between his life and that of his classmates. Adding to his experience of differences, he was elevated two grade levels to a class with students who were 9-years-old. Chris always did well in school without much effort. Then his perspective changed. At 15, he was struck by a car, sustaining serious injuries. After that, he took nothing for granted. Attending university, he majored in aeronautical engineering, and worked 2 to 3 jobs to support himself. Throughout his engineering career, Chris leveraged his problem solving skills by applying them to challenges wherever he saw a need. He was especially drawn towards translating communication between technical and business teams. Chris’s ability to translate and communicate is the common thread in his work today. When he left full-time employment to start his own business, Chris moved into communication, bridging the gap between technical and business teams and between experts and non-experts. In this week’s learn more about Chris’s journey: Chris attended flight school with the intention to join the Royal Air Force, but he realized he did not like being told what to do. When he was a university student, he also competed in target rifle shooting, an expensive sport, which he supported by his multiple jobs. Learn more and connect with Chris here:
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was always good at math. As a teenager, she and her Dad would sit in front of the family computer (then, households had one computer), dial up AOL (America Online), and check out the latest stock market figures. Dad, an optometrist, was keenly interested in the markets and enjoyed bonding with Erika over all things involving numbers. Erika studied finance and international economics in college, and following graduation, she took a finance role at IBM. Early on, she discovered the advantages of being in a large company where opportunities for mobility were readily available. Erika moved to the consulting side of the business, serving clients, becoming a project manager in a variety of functional areas, and developing her leadership chops. Interspersed within that time, she married, lived in Asia, had her first child, and moved nine times in ten years. Needless to say, Erika’s personal and professional journey was not a linear one. For her, there were many changes: growing up in a household where money was an exciting dinner topic, getting married, having three children, getting divorced, living abroad, moving nine times for a job, and losing a parent. Erika found herself at a crossroads. After a successful decade at IBM, Erika left her corporate role to work on emerging organic food brands, transforming them from innovative products to household names while raising her growing family. Along the way, Erika noticed a gap in how people all over the world talked — or didn’t talk — about money, both within family structures, relationships, and workplaces. Erika then discovered the field of Financial Therapy and decided to pursue her graduate Certificate in Financial Therapy from Kansas State University. Today, she works with individuals, couples, families, teams, and corporate wellness programs to improve communication and relationships regarding money. Partnering with her clients, Erika helps them transform their mindsets and beliefs about money, paving the way to clearer choices and new options. In this week’s learn more about Erika’s journey: Erika created the Financial Wellness Conversation Cards, which allows people to explore the topic of money with 50 thought-provoking questions. Her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, Yahoo! Money, and Time. Learn more and connect with Erika here:
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