Neil Thompson is a product development engineer who decided he didn't want to be in the cubicle anymore, so he went solo. His company, Teach the Geek, works with STEM professionals who want to improve their speaking skills so they can communicative effectively with non-technical people. He also hosts a podcast, the Teach the Geek podcast, where he speaks with STEM professionals about public speaking. We discuss: The moment when your services are no longer needed [02:12] Ask Uncle Neil why is my hair curly [05:30] How to identify a unique need [06:50] Communication lessons for scientists and engineers [09:17] How to get enough “yesses” for an idea you have [12:04] Why people are no longer afraid to move to greener pastures [15:50] The hardest part about starting something new [17:34] Learn more about Neil at https://teachthegeek.com/ (https://teachthegeek.com/) and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW-8BcMcqnJLAYOhJtwy5wQ (YouTube).

GOING SOLO

How to Not Live with Regret Featuring Neil Thompson

Mark Monchek is the Founder and Chief Opportunity Officer of Opportunity Lab, a strategy consulting firm focused on conscious growth. We discuss: Why everybody is going solo today [03:50] The going solo mindset: employer vs worker [07:15] Rockstar successes from Covid going forward [10:05] The keys to make companies responsive [11:30] Unexpected changes as a result of open communication [13:35] The hedgehog principle applied to knowledge workers [17:15] How to find the true greatness of people [19:15] Mark has worked with leaders from Google, Apple, JPMorgan Chase, General Electric, Goldman Sachs, Adorama, TerraCycle, Feltsberg, The New York Times, Wharton School of Business, New York University, Columbia University, NBC, Time Warner, and the United Nations. He’s the author of the Amazon nonfiction bestseller Culture of Opportunity: How to Grow Your Business in an Age of Disruption. He’s been featured in Real Leaders, The Better Business Book, the Organization Development Review Journal, Lifetime Network, WPLJ, WCBS, Newsday, Working Women Magazine, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Learn more about Mark at https://opplab.com/ (https://opplab.com/).

Why Respect, Collaboration and Communication Drive post-COVID Success Featuring Mark Monchek

Named "Top Startup Coach in the World" at the Thinkers50/Marshall Goldsmith Global Coaches Awards, Alisa Cohn has coached startup founders into world-class CEOs for twenty years. Rated the number one Global Guru of Startups in 2021, she's worked with Venmo, Etsy, DraftKings, Mack Weldon, and Tory Burch. We discuss: The music in your head [02:12] Zero clients, zero business [04:26] The second day of a new coaching career [06:11] The perspective of your younger self against your older self [11:08] The journey from founder to CEO [13:00] How to articulate between two niches [15:27] Executives who don’t know what their problem is [19:11] Keeping your North star in mind [21:50] Learn more about Alisa at https://www.alisacohn.com/ (https://www.alisacohn.com/), https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ (LinkedIn) and https://twitter.com/alisacohn (Twitter).

How to Become the Top Startup Coach in the World Featuring Alisa Cohn

Following a 36-year career as a public-school teacher, Dena is continuing her love for education as a humanitarian educator, running a non-profit organization she founded 18 years ago. The Dream School foundation supports public education in Nigeria with infrastructure and resources to teach and learn. We discuss: Opportunities are often unexpected [02:13] Taking a chance on a career transition [05:18] How to be efficient when working for your mom [08:20] How to do good work in a damaged system [10:46] Feeling like Ben Franklin in Nigeria [12:30] Depth before breadth [16:09] The perseverance to stay where you’re needed most [18:27] Walking off into the sunset [19:55] Learn more about Dena at http://www.dreamschoolfoundation.org/ (www.dreamschoolfoundation.org), https://www.facebook.com/nigeriadreamschoolfoundation/ (Facebook) and https://www.instagram.com/dreamschool_foundation/ (Instagram).

Turning Your Side Project into Post-Employment Impact Featuring Dena Grushkin

Gina Covarrubias is the founder of Deliberate Doing, an exclusive STEM coaching service dedicated to teaching engineers and other technical professionals how to defeat career despair. We discuss: Engineers are famous for figuring things out [02:45] How to get out of the corporate bubble [06:33] How college teaches you to be an employee [11:10] A great solution for STEM professionals who want more of their career [13:00] Leaving versus staying in the engineering world [15:09] The first step to making the external world as great as you want it to be [16:17] What rocks the STEM world [18:42] Happy people make happy employees [21:02] Her distinctive background blends life coaching expertise with 12+ years engineering/technology experience in the government, academic, and corporate environments, all within the aerospace sector. As an Engineering Life Coach, Gina's mission is simple: to help STEM professionals be happy. Learn more about Gina at https://deliberatedoing.com/ (https://deliberatedoing.com).

Helping STEM Professionals Be Happy Featuring Gina Covarrubias

Judy Schoenberg and Linda Lautenberg are the co-founders of EvolveMe. We discuss: Paying it forward to women in their 50s [1:55] How to make a pivot after taking an 18-year-break from work [03:57] An opportunity to take ownership of your career [07:43] The key to putting one foot in front of the other when times get tough [10:25] Major challenges for women trying to make major pivots [13:47] The importance of clarity and confidence in job search [16:45] The power of having a story to tell [18:18] A step-by-step process to repack yourself [19:53] A future talent pipeline for companies [23:15] Learn more about Judy and Linda at http://www.evolveme.work/ (www.EvolveMe.work)

Why You Should Not Go Solo Alone Featuring Judy Schoenberg and Linda Lautenberg

Julie Erickson is an executive and career coach who started her own business 15 years ago after being fired from a job and realizing she needed to take another path. We discuss: A Monday morning get going meeting [02:48] How to go where it’s warm [05:39] The dark hallway in-between they never tell you about [06:42] How to speed up your recovery from a job loss [13:25] Why family is not great in terms of helping someone in their job search [14:58] Why women are better storytellers [15:50] Promoting oneself while still being in the tunnel space [18:51] Why first-time entrepreneurs should aim to use their core value proposition [21:00] She's helped many job seekers start their own businesses when they realize they would rather be their own boss. Julie ran two non-profits, has an MBA in leadership and graduated from Smith College. She is co-author of the recent book Betrayed by Work: Women’s Stories of Trauma, Healing, and Hope After Being Fired. Learn more about Julie at https://myrightfitjob.com/ (https://myrightfitjob.com).

Trauma, Healing and Hope After Being Fired Featuring Julie Erickson

Gail Robertson has a degree in Journalism and a Masters in Curiosity! After building a background working in Media, Fundraising, Advertising, Public Relations, and even as the owner of a Bed and Breakfast on Pelee Island, Gail uses her diverse skills to build and grow brands that last a lifetime and beyond. As the owner of GailNow she is a powerhouse connector, strategic brand consultant and keynote speaker. We discuss: Getting ahead of the curve by planning your exit strategy [02:44] Listen to the train in the distance [05:37] Why having a schedule is key for entrepreneurs [07:11] Embracing competition: the value of lifting other people up [09:14] How to prequalify prospects that align with your values [12:40] Be curious, not judgmental [18:11] How to keep the doors open when going to networking events [19:46] The tool that will help you move your sales in a virtual world [21:14] She has developed a niche in Manufacturing Marketing - with a particular focus on moldmaking and automation. She is on the board of the Canadian Association of Mold Makers and works closely with its partner organization, Automate Canada. She was also nominated in the Top 3 Professional of the Year of the Windsor Essex Chamber Business Excellence Awards. Learn more about Gail at https://gailnow.com/ (https://gailnow.com/), https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailrobertsonkeynotespeaker/ (LinkedIn), https://www.twitter/gailnow (Twitter), https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9jTAajk7XaEYerR5ZqrWWg (YouTube) and https://www.instagram.com/gailnow1/ (Instagram).

How to Use Curiosity to Build Your Business Featuring Gail Robertson

Bob Goodwin is the founder of Career Club. We discuss: Making job search your job [01:21] You can’t shoot a target you can’t see [03:02] How come the job candidate is unarmed [06:11] A back door entry into companies of interest [09:09] The best learning is the unexpected one [11:20] How people should manage their professional network [14:45] Trends in flexible work arrangements [19:07] Learn more about Bob at http://www.career.club/ (www.career.club)

How to Turn Your Experience into a Business Featuring Bob Goodwin

Have you lost your job after 20 or 30 years in your career? Do you feel traumatized and unsure how to go forward? Would you rather work for yourself and have more control over your destiny? You are not alone. In GOING SOLO, we discuss what it’s like to go from being highly skilled and well compensated to unemployment; how to deal with the trauma of late-career job loss; and how to reinvent yourself as an entrepreneur, satisfying your soul and supporting your lifestyle.

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GOING SOLO

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