Do you ever feel boxed in or typecasted based on your current role or what you've studied? Dr. Neda Cvijetic has made it her mission to break down false barriers throughout her life and career. She's a senior engineering leader AND she has her own fashion business on the side called Hautefit. She has a strong intellect AND strong emotional intelligence. She has a thriving career AND a very fulfilling personal and family life.  She has worked for some of the hottest technology and innovation...

“I’ve never had a job. And as soon as I stop liking what I'm doing, I generally try to change course.” Throughout his career, Brenden Mulligan, founder of Podpage and head of product at Commonstock, has been driven by more than just financial success. From the music industry to startups, his passion has focused on solving problems and building products that customers love. He’s been fortunate to have a number of companies he created get acquired. Contrary to popular belief, this didn’t mean...

When Tamara Lewis was growing up in Jamaica, there were only two versions of what future "career success" might look like. She could become a doctor, or she could become a lawyer. She started college as a pre-med student ....and proceeded to change her major 14 times. She later was accepted into law school ....and ended up dropping out early in her first semester. The moral of this story? She was driven by what she "should" be doing versus following her passions, and she didn't find career...

"Being consistently good doesn't get you very far. You need to be occasionally amazing." That's advice from Laura Meckler, national education writer at the Washington Post. Her career is living proof, and by being good and occasionally amazing she rose up the journalism ladder to some of the most prestigious newspapers in the U.S., including a coveted stint as White House correspondent for The Wall Street Journal. In this episode, Laura describes her journey, beginning with a pivotal role...

“The door to opportunity is a door marked PUSH.” Throughout his career, Matt Confer has taken to heart this advice from his parents. He’s actively looked for doors and then strategized how to get them open.  In this episode, Matt spells out the steps he took to create internship opportunities during college and then continually move forward in his career. (Spoiler alert: extreme networking is one of the keys to his success.) He’s currently VP of strategy and business development at Abilitie....

Malia Cohen discovered when she was a child that she wanted to serve in government. She visualized herself in her dream job and then made it happen. Today, she has moved on from that role and sits on the California State Board of Equalization and serves as President of the San Francisco Police Commission, the first African-American woman in both of these roles. So how has she powered forward to make her goals a reality in spite of many obstacles along the way? On this episode, she shares her...

Saiman Shetty, technical program manager of robots at Nuro, has faced and overcome numerous challenges, not by luck or chance but by design. His perseverance and determination resulted in roles at Tesla and Lyft, side hustles as an entrepreneur, and navigating US visas until finally receiving an EB-1A "Einstein Visa" in 2019. He has an interesting story to tell filled with rich advice for anyone navigating their career.

Jamie Pachino is currently the Co-Executive Producer on The Right Stuff for Disney+. Her writing has been produced in four countries and honored with numerous awards. Jamie shares how she did it and the lessons she learned along the way. It’s an inspiring story of someone who followed her passion into a career of her dreams, and the script on that career is not even close to finished!

What role does learning play as you are building your career? Marcus Chung has learned from each and every one of his experiences, and he has continuously applied that information to move toward roles that better tap into his passions and strengths. By closing some doors along the way, he has opened windows to a more fulfilling and rewarding career.

Gabrielle Bosché became addicted to achievement at an early age, but it came at a cost to her health and relationships. The unlock in her career journey was connecting her work to her life purpose. She intentionally crafted a career centered around her passions and founded two companies in the process. Gabrielle tells people to "stalk success" and learn as much as they can from the wisdom and achievements of others. She has followed her own advice and has channeled it into an extraordinary...

For many, going against the grain isn’t easy. In this interview, Adriane Armstrong, CEO of the nonprofit social enterprise Juma Ventures, tells her story including the early experiences that motivated her to want to help others and the strategic, deliberate steps she took to build a career where she could do exactly this. It’s an inspiring story filled with practical advice that anyone can use, especially those considering working in the nonprofit sector.

Tiffany Newhouse, CEO of Newhouse Project Consulting, works with companies and organizations on transformational change initiatives. Her path to consulting had plenty of curves, including a key decision to leave law school to pursue a career more aligned with her interests and passions. This episode is an excellent example of how experiences and relationships can be fully leveraged to open the door to a career of your dreams.

Greg Stern is the CEO of the non-profit performing arts organization SFJAZZ. Before moving into this role, he co-founded and co-chaired the award-winning creative advertising agency BSSP. He never would have anticipated either of these career avenues as he was graduating from college, but he figured out how to leverage his unique experiences, talents and passions to build an extraordinarily successful, rewarding and inspiring career.

Denise Young Smith, former worldwide head of HR at Apple and now Chair of the Board at SFJAZZ, shares how she actively pursued her passions both within and outside of work. Her story proves there's more than one way to live a creative life.

Brandon Hernandez, a public affairs expert and nonprofit board leader, shares how and why he made moves throughout his career to build the skills, expertise and relationships he needs to excel and make a difference. As Brandon candidly shares, the journey hasn't always been easy or stress-free, but it has shaped the person he is today.

Darryl Knudsen, Executive Director of International Rivers, shares the personal mission that has guided his life and career and that has led him to his current, perfect-fit role. He also shares his battle with depression and the inspiring work he did to address it so that he could better lead and live a fulfilling and purpose-filled life.

Rodney Fong, President & CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, shares his career and personal journey, including his lifelong challenges with dyslexia. Throughout his journey, Rodney has directly faced his fears, which has made him the person and leader he is today.

Leah Swan's career story is marked by resilience and success. She has had her job eliminated, new jobs that weren’t what she expected, and roles that she loved lose their luster. Each time, she bounced back, not by accident but by design. By learning from her experiences, she grew her career and moved into senior level positions. Leah’s story is filled with insights, advice and tangible actions that can inspire anyone that needs to – or wants to – make a career move.

Dr. Arpana Vidyarthi, a specialist in hospital medicine, now finds herself on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. How did she get here? On this episode, she shares her journey including how she has combined her passions and interests to build the right career for her.

Rick Welts, president and COO of the Golden State Warriors, built a career in professional sports without being a pro athlete. On this episode, he shares how he got his first job and then how he grew to be an influential executive in the NBA. He candidly shares his professional and personal experiences, including insights and life lessons that extend well beyond sports.

Carol Regalbuto has done what many women are being encouraged to do – pursue a career in engineering. It hasn't always been an easy journey. Carol candidly shares what she's had to do to thrive both personally and professionally. She also shares how she became passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion, and how she has incorporated this passion into her work.

Jason Elliott, Senior Counselor to California Governor Gavin Newsom for Housing & Homelessness, candidly shares how he discovered his interest in government and politics after thinking he'd be a journalist, how he moved into the field, and how he's grown his career. His advice is relevant to anyone in any field.

Burak Cakmak, Dean of Fashion at Parsons School of Design, shares the fascinating story of why we moved from high tech to fashion, and then how he grew his expertise in the industry to get where he is today. It's an unforgettable story loaded with wisdom that can be applied in any industry.

Susan Leal has taken on the big issues of the day, including health care, water resource management, and climate resiliency from positions in both the public and private sectors. In this episode, she connects the dots between the many curvy moves she’s made.