The Break - with Michael Gardon

"The Break - with Michael Gardon" podcast hosted by entrepreneur Michael Gardon.

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Becoming Fearless With Dr Benjamin Ritter

Becoming Fearless With Dr Benjamin Ritter

#526: Dr. Benjamin Ritter, founder of Live for Yourself (LFY) Consulting and award-winning author of "Becoming Fearless," is an international leadership and career coach, Sr. Talent Management Consultant, Top LinkedIn Voice, global speaker, and host of The Executive, and the Live Fearlessly Podcasts.

Ben has coached over 500 leaders with a strong focus on senior-level executives across multiple industries and geographic regions, within organizations that varied in scale from 50 to over 250,000 employees and have included names such as Amazon, Coursera, DoorDash, Google, Fiserv, Northwestern, Mayo Clinic, Pinterest, Yelp, and more.

Ben’s passions include working with Better for You CPG organizations, small business founders and minority-owned companies, for which he offers pro-bono coaching services.

Ben possesses a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership with focus on value congruence and job satisfaction, an MBA in entrepreneurial management, and an MPH in health policy administration.

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Ben now resides in Austin, Texas, with his partner, Tiffany, Squirt, a “rebel in a shell” turtle, Elwood, a scruffy rescue pup, and Sima, the kitty queen of their kingdom.

Designing Your Life With Purpose: Tools and Strategies with Nicole Greene

Designing Your Life With Purpose: Tools and Strategies with Nicole Greene

#525: Nicole Greene is a Business and Lifestyle Strategist for badass women founders and executives who are committed to high performance in multiple non-negotiable roles (think executive, founder, mom, caretaker). Her actionable strategies and systems help these women step out of survival mode and achieve success, in life and business.

Nicole’s passion for this work comes from her own experience making herself small (and eventually burning out) across a highly successful career, from defense intelligence to artisan chocolates, CPG and Health Tech, during which she founded three companies and built several others from Seed to Series B.

Nicole describes herself as a recovering workaholic and forever high performer. She’s a classically-trained pastry chef, perpetual learner and dedicated mentor, as well as a mom of two boys (and an Australian Cattle Dog), living in Miami, FL. Nicole has a BA and MA from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University and is currently an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Miami.

How To Just Get Started With Brian Ondrako

How To Just Get Started With Brian Ondrako

#524: Brian Ondrako is, first and foremost, a dedicated Dad to an amazing young boy who keeps him energized and young at heart. As the host of the Just Get Started Podcast for over six years, Brian has built a platform for meaningful conversations and personal growth. Alongside his podcasting journey, he writes blogs three times a week, has published two children’s books with a third on the way, and serves as a Sales Mentor to B2B Founders and their teams.

The past several years have been transformative for Brian, looking very different from the life he once knew. His current pursuits are rooted in a pivotal decision to take control of his life. Overcoming childhood challenges of poor confidence, low self-esteem, and a fear of judgment, Brian reshaped his path by embracing bravery, delayed gratification, and connecting with influential people.

Through these steps, he discovered a sense of purpose that realigned his life's direction. Brian identifies as a NAVIGATOR, with his “North Star” guiding him to help others take control of their own lives. He believes that true fulfillment begins from within, by understanding that happiness is only achievable when we fully discover ourselves.

As we explore who we are, Brian emphasizes, we uncover a COMPASS within us, one that guides us toward a more appreciative and purposeful life. This inner compass, according to Brian, forms the foundation for a happier and more fulfilling existence.

Your Grass Is Greener: Building Better Workplaces With Jason Silver

Your Grass Is Greener: Building Better Workplaces With Jason Silver

#523: Jason Silver is a multi-time founder of kids and a multi-time founder of companies. He gets his biggest thrill helping modern employees and their teams unlock a better way to work—surfing is a close second.

He was an early employee at Airbnb and helped build an AI company from the ground up back before AI was the cool thing to do. Today, he advises a startup portfolio valued in the billions on how to build great, lasting companies that people actually enjoy working for.

He’s a sought-after public speaker, instructor, and advisor on how to transform work into one of the biggest drivers of positivity in your life. When he’s not busy helping people solve their hardest workplace challenges, Jason’s kids are busy reminding him just how much of a work in progress he still is too.

Pivoting with Purpose: Alex Compton's Inspiring Journey from Basketball to Business

Pivoting with Purpose: Alex Compton's Inspiring Journey from Basketball to Business

#522: In 2020 when the pandemic hit, Alex and his wife Michelle took their kids to Wisconsin to visit his parents.  What was supposed to be a 3 month trip ended up being a family move as the Comptons could not get back to the Philippines and decided to migrate to the US.

It was during that time that Alex was exposed to business in the US, when he was asked to be CEO of a small company. It was a significant time of learning that eventually ended up leading Alex to spending more time talking with a good friend of his, Todd Marinshaw.  Todd and Alex had been friends for decades and both had deep ties with the Philippines.  It was out of these discussions that Valor Pro Global emerged as Todd and Alex both realized they could provide a great service to businesses in the United States.

Breaking the Burnout Cycle With Julie Bee

Breaking the Burnout Cycle With Julie Bee

#521: Julie Bee is the founder of TJB Media (2021) and BeeSmart Social Media (2008). She’s an award-winning podcast host, a leader, a professional speaker, and an entrepreneur. Julie is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program (10ksb) and a proud alumnus of West Virginia University.

Julie started her career as an accountant but quickly discovered that path was not a good fit for her creativity. After losing her job in 2008, Julie founded BeeSmart Social Media. Julie continues to serve as the founder of BeeSmart, leading her remote team and supporting them in delivering services to the clients.

Today, Julie focuses most of her time on helping business owners prevent burnout and achieve success. She does this through Momentum calls, workshops, delivering original content online, speaking engagements, and short-term coaching services.

From Corporate to Coach: Alli Rizacos’ Journey to Entrepreneurial Freedom

From Corporate to Coach: Alli Rizacos’ Journey to Entrepreneurial Freedom

#520: In 2021, Alli Rizacos took the leap and left the corporate world to pursue her dream of building a coaching business while traveling the world. In less than 3 years, she has built a recognizable brand on LinkedIn and a successful coaching business nearing $1M in revenue.

Tune in to learn how Alli transitioned from corporate work to becoming a coach and her journey to entrepreneurial freedom.

The Courage To Lead With Amy Riley

The Courage To Lead With Amy Riley

#519: Amy L. Riley is an internationally renowned speaker, author and leadership development consultant. She’s worked with organizations such as Deloitte, Cisco Systems and Aon Hewitt and has over 20 years of experience working with leaders at all levels.

Amy earned a Masters of Science in Training and Development (MSTD), with an emphasis in Organization Development (OD), from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois. She is a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA), a certified Tiara International LLC Coach and certified in the Meyers-Briggs Type Instrument. Amy’s second book, The Courage of a Leader: How To Inspire, Engage and Get Extraordinary Results, was released on March 3, 2021 and immediately reached #1 international best-selling status.

Turn Hidden Talents Into Extraordinary Advantage

Turn Hidden Talents Into Extraordinary Advantage

#518: 

I dove headfirst into finance for one reason.

Money.

As a 20 year old I simply neglected who I was, and looked to go to the place I could make a lot of money.

How ignorant.

I ignored my real talents.

Despite natural skills in writing, speaking, and presenting, I chose the expected path.

Here’s the truth: Our system, from college to career, often buries our genuine strengths under a pile of “shoulds.” It took me too long to listen, to unearth those dormant skills, and truly embrace them.

Why share this? Because you, too, have untapped potential, overshadowed by what you’ve been told to pursue.

Let’s challenge that. It’s time to dig deep, uncover our real talents, and redefine our paths.

Bio of The Break - with Michael Gardon

"The Break - with Michael Gardon" is a podcast hosted by entrepreneur Michael Gardon, who is dedicated to helping people break free from the traditional work mindset and become intentional about their career journeys. Michael shares his own experience of breaking away from unsatisfying work in 2018 and designing a better work-life balance, and now he aims to inspire and guide others to do the same.

In each episode, Michael interviews a variety of guests who have found fulfillment in their careers by making significant changes. These guests include corporate professionals who have transitioned into new industries, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs who prioritize personal growth and fulfillment, and side hustlers who are building more resilient work lives. They share their personal "break" moments, how they overcame resistance and challenges, and provide actionable advice for listeners who are seeking to make similar changes in their own lives.

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