Sully was an accountant at Salesforce when he stepped into an improv class and discovered his passion for comedy. Today, he's a full-time comedian and content creator with hundreds of millions of views across platforms.I got to chat with him about his pivot, balancing a demanding job with a growing side project, and much more. Notably, it's the most I've laughed during a podcast episode. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Lisa Stedman-Falls pivoted from behavioral scientist to platform engineer.Her journey has included a PhD, research and clinical experience, and engineering roles spanning startups and larger companies.We explore why she switched into technology, how to market ourselves when making a big career shift, and the challenges of embracing a new identity when making big life changes.
Jamie Beaton is the CEO and Co-Founder of Crimson Education, a global education company valued at over $1 billion. Along the way, he’s also earned 10 degrees from top universities including Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, and Yale.
But this conversation isn’t just about accolades.
We talk about what drives him, the sacrifices he’s made in pursuit of impact, and how he balances long-term thinking with the flexibility to adapt.
We also explore how AI is reshaping the future of education and what it means to build with purpose in a rapidly changing world.
Jeff Kofman is the CEO and Founder of Trint, an AI-powered transcription software company.
But before that, he spent over three decades as an Emmy-winning foreign and war correspondent for major news networks, reporting from more than 40 countries on some of the biggest events of our time.
What makes him such a great guest for the Rhizomes Podcast isn’t just where he’s been—it’s what he’s learned. His pivot from journalism to tech wasn’t just a career shift, it was a reinvention.
In our conversation, we talk about resilience, empathy, the overlaps between journalism and entrepreneurship, and what it takes to make a huge life change.
I took a lot from this episode—hope you do too.
Anish Mitra went from Vice President at Goldman Sachs to standup comedian and content creator.
In this episode, we dive into how and why he made the leap and the valuable lessons he’s learned along the way.
If you’d like to support Rhizomes, please share this with a friend, leave a review and be sure to follow or subscribe on your platforms of choice!
What do product management and running a surfboard company have in common? Turns out, quite a bit.
David Dennis pivoted from public school teacher to climbing the ranks in technology, while building his own business and giving back to his community through philanthropy.
He’s also a TedX speaker who delivered the talk titled “Don’t Quit Your Day Job.”
In this episode, we discuss his journey and how it shaped his approach to careers and building a fulfilling life. If you enjoy it, please share with a friend or follow my channel. Thank you!
Note: we recorded this episode in March 2024.
Kelvin Beachum is an NFL player, philanthropist, and investor with a passion for the arts. He’s also a dad, a husband, and an influential member of his immediate and global community. In this episode we discuss his path, passions, and purpose. We explore what primes athletes for success in business, what drives Kelvin to make an impact in combating world hunger and expanding access to education, and how he’s overcome tremendous adversity on his road to a long and successful career. I’m excited for you to check out our conversation! To support this podcast, please give it a review, follow, and share. :)
Richard Ni went from studying computer science at MIT to leading Human Resources at Scale AI, playing a key role in the startup’s growth from early-stage to one of the world’s top artificial intelligence companies. Early rejections and pivots helped him carve a unique path, which we explore in depth. We also talk about recruiting tips for nontraditional candidates, a topic Richard is uniquely positioned to discuss as a former nontraditional hire and as a recruiting and HR leader.
Alice Zheng completed medical school at the University of Michigan and a year of residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
In the process she discovered a passion for business that led her to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School, work as a management consultant at McKinsey, and pivot into venture capital.
Her career blends her medical and business interests as she leads investments in early-stage women's health companies.
Our talk explores why Alice made her pivot and how she navigated it, setting an example for how to pursue our dreams while staying open to new adventures.
To learn more about Alice: linkedin.com/in/alicexzheng/ Are you an MD or in med school and interested in VC? Alice recommends checking out mdplus.community
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, give a review, and comment to let me know what you think!
Julian Sarafian is a law firm founder, Harvard Law alum, ex-Big Law attorney, and mental health advocate with over 350K followers across socials.
In this episode, we dive into his turning points, mental health journey, and how he balances entrepreneurship with wellness. Julian sets an incredible example of achieving greatness while taking care of ourselves. To learn more about Julian, visit https://pillar.io/julian
After facing dozens of rejections from Google, Neil secured a career-changing job. Since then, he's authored a best-seller, taught at Wharton, and pivoted through various roles--all while raising a family.
Our conversation explores:
For more about Neil, visit his website at https://neilhoyne.com/
Seth Bae is a first generation American who immigrated from South Korea during high school.
He turned his life around - from struggling in high school to winning awards in the Army, graduating from the Ivy League, and securing employment at his dream company Nike. We talk about Seth's decision not to be a victim, the importance of building genuine connections, and the challenges and triumphs of growing up poor and overcoming cultural barriers on the road to an improved life.
Jenny Williams studied English Literature at UC Berkeley, where she graduated in 2004. Since then, she’s worked in publishing, nonprofits in Africa, Europe, and the US, and big tech companies such as Google and Microsoft.
Combining skills and interests in creativity, humanities, and technology, her recent experiences have involved writing professionally at the intersection of artificial intelligence, data, and ethics. While working, she’s also written a published novel and is currently developing a handful of fiction and nonfiction projects. And she’s done all this while raising a child on her own; in her words, she’s a single mother by choice.
This conversation was recorded in late-November, 2023.
To read more about Jenny and access her work, visit her website at http://jennywilliamswriter.weebly.com/
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The Intro soundtrack was created by ValentinSosnitskiy, and is available on https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/. This work is used and modified under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Modifications to ValentinSosnitskiy’s original work include cropping, deamplifying, and fading in/out. To access the original work, please visit https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/sounds/218211/.
The transition and outro soundtrack was created by Olexy at Pixabay.
An episode title cannot capture the breadth and impact of Loree's pursuits, which also include writing and performing a one-woman show and starting her own business, all while raising her kids and leading a fulfilling personal life.
I found it inspiring to hear not only about her individual experiences, but also about her mindset, values, and advice for navigating change, breaking glass ceilings, and leading a fulfilling life.
To learn more about Loree, check out her website here.
You may also read her bio in her own words:
Loree "Rowdy" Draude earned her commission through the NROTC program at the University of San Diego, where she majored in mathematics. She began her naval aviation career as a support pilot at VAQ-34, flying F/A-18 Hornets at Naval Air Station Lemoore in CA. When the Combat Exclusion Policy for women was repealed, Loree transitioned to a combat jet aviation squadron where she flew the S-3B Viking and completed two six-month deployments to the Persian Gulf on the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Kitty Hawk. Besides piloting jet aircraft, Loree was a division officer responsible for leading teams of enlisted sailors and the squadron’s aviation safety officer, responsible for ensuring her squadron followed safe operating procedures. During her second deployment, she became the first woman air wing-qualified landing signal officer, a role awarded to a small percentage of naval aviators for the responsibility of helping fixed-wing pilots land safely on the carrier.
Loree spent over a year deployed at sea and accumulated over 300 carrier landings, including 99 at night. She completed her naval aviation career as a fleet replacement squadron instructor pilot, where she taught newly winged naval aviators how to fly the S-3B Viking and land it on an aircraft carrier. She also led the largest division in the squadron — a team of over 100 aircraft maintenance technicians.
After her service, Loree earned an MBA at the Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. She spent 20 years in Silicon Valley, leading teams at startups and tech companies, including Google and Meta, in marketing, operations, and customer support organizations. In 2020, she started her own executive coaching and leadership development business to support leaders and teams in the tech industry. She is the host of the Supersonic Leaders and Teams podcast and a certified yoga instructor.
Loree wrote a one-woman show called I Feel the Need about the first West Coast aircraft carrier deployment with women in combat squadrons. Directed by Beth Bornstein Dunnington, the show debuted Off-Broadway at the 2021 United Solo Theatre Festival in NYC, where it sold out and won the award for Best Direction. Loree performed her show 23 times at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and, in 2023, performed it at the Hollywood Fringe Festival where it was nominated for several awards.
She is the author of the bestseller, Soar Into Joy: A Combat Aviator's Wisdom on Falling in Love with Your Life and She's Just Another Navy Pilot: An Aviator's Sea Journal.
Loree has been laid off, forced to shut down her startup due to lack of funding, been divorced, fired, and quit her job. She also overuses commas in her writing.
When she is not supporting leaders or speaking onstage, she enjoys painting (www.encaustech.com), traveling, yoga, hiking, flying and spending time with her adult children.
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The Intro soundtrack was created by ValentinSosnitskiy, and is available on https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/. This work is used and modified under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Modifications to ValentinSosnitskiy’s original work include cropping, deamplifying, and fading in/out. To access the original work, please visit https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/sounds/218211/.
The transition and outro soundtrack was created by Olexy at Pixabay.
Ed’s remarkable journey has included 40 years of acting, directing, and starting up one of Rhode Island’s most successful theater companies.
In his 60’s, he completed an Ivy League college education at Brown University, and is pursuing a masters degree at Harvard Divinity School on his way to becoming a Buddhist chaplain.
In this episode, we discuss Ed’s upbringing, what he’s learned from going to college with classmates less than half his age, and how he’s merged his creative experience with his contemplative studies.
We explore aging, a spiritual and practical approach to navigating change, and the benefits and beauty of Buddhist meditation practices. Ed’s story is a remarkable example that we can pursue our interests and aspirations, even if we don’t follow the traditional timeline.
I encourage you to tune in and let me know what you think. I hope you find it meaningful!
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The Intro soundtrack for this episode was created by ValentinSosnitskiy, and is available on https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/. This work is used and modified under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Modifications to ValentinSosnitskiy’s original work include cropping, deamplifying, and fading in/out. To access the original work, please visit https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/sounds/218211/.
The transition and outro soundtrack was created by Olexy at Pixabay.
In our first full episode, we learn about Andrew Nguyen’s journey from the US Army Ranger Regiment to Yale College and Harvard Medical School.
Andrew and I discuss the values he inherited from his Vietnamese immigrant parents, the wisdom he acquired in his rigorous military service, and the difficulties and triumphs he experienced in his transition from military to civilian life.
Through his experiences, we explore themes such as navigating significant life changes, finding purpose, and adopting a beginner’s mindset in new environments.
Andrew is a humble, determined, and purpose-driven leader who we can all learn so much from. I encourage you to tune in and let me know what you think. I hope you find it meaningful!
Teaser episode introducing the podcast, myself, and our first few guests. Full, long-form interviews with these guests will follow. Stay tuned!