Kick Ass in Life

Since we're all working from home these days, you might have experienced some lulls in your productivity. It's hard to stay productive when you can't plan for the future and each day feels similar to the last. Today's episode should hopefully address that and give you some tools to be more productive. 

My guest today is Jeff Sanders. He is a productivity expert. He is the host of the show the 5 a.m. Miracle Podcast and a book by the same name. He got started by testing ways to be even more productive in his own life.

We talk about how you can work most effectively in this new situation. How can you block distractions, guarantee focus, be amped up for the day to get stuff done while you’re stuck at home. We talk about how to maintain focus, establish specific work times, how to win your morning, how to deal with the afternoon slump, how to still achieve your goals and so much more.

Maria Gavriel is a career coach and author, and she helps her clients have an awesome life by doing what they love. Marias’ path to coaching wasn’t easy. She always enjoyed coaching but found it a challenge to make a business out of it, especially when she had a successful business. When she felt like something was missing, she went back to coaching. In today's episode,  she's sharing her tips for how to move in the direction of your dreams.  

We talk about how to listen to your inner GPS for what direction to move in, how to be in charge of your own professional success, how to clarify the vision for a direction you want to move in, how to create micro-goals for yourself and how to find accountability so you actually get it done. 

We throw around this term "dream career," but you might be wondering "What’s possible?" Is a dream career attainable or is it a pipe dream?  I know I’ve wondered what’s possible- especially once you find yourself on a certain path for a certain amount of time. Do you need to stay on that path or can you pivot into something that will bring you more joy  - is there anything out there that might bring you more joy you’re not paying attention to right now? It’s hard to know when you’re on the right path. But in truth is there is no right path. You will never be 100 percent sure the path you’re on is the right path. And that’s ok. That’s why we’re here to ask questions.

What we pay attention to matters and so does asking the right questions. Which is what today is about. My guest has some action-orientated ideas to help you start making goals and taking incremental action so you can start heading in the direction of a career of your dreams.

Dia Darling is the podcast creator and host of Creatives Crushing Anxiety. She is also a project manager and coach helps entrepreneurs, authors, coaches, and speakers launch their businesses, books, and events. Today’s episode she will help us launch our dream careers. We talk about how to how to identify a direction to move in, how to get started on the path toward your dream career, how to take action, how to have open conversations to hack your current job, and how to meet others to help you on your path to a dream career. 

Being frugal gets a bad reputation. Being called thrifty or economical or, God forbid, cheap is just such an insult. It makes everyone think of their super miserly friend who won’t pay his share, is stingy with tips, and who is always mooching off of other people. Why did that one person have to give frugality such a bad reputation? Frugality can actually be kind of fun. 

Today we’re talking about how to be frugal -- and why it’s important. How to save money by simple tricks and hacks and swaps to utilizing deal and discount sites. If you do everything on the list, it will be impossible not to start saving toward your goals. I created this episode before the Covid 19 outbreak but it's important to find ways to be frugal more than ever - especially when the economy is in such a tailspin and jobs are uncertain. 

I’m the deal person in my friend group. I’m the person with the Google doc of all the happy hours in the city and will happily share it around. I know of the free, cheap, and fun activities and will always invite my friends along. I don’t have to be frugal, but I choose to be to help my future me.

If you become the deal person in your friend group, they’ll thank you. They secretly would love to have their money go a bit further. Reclaim frugality. There’s nothing wrong with being frugal. You are not fearful of spending money–you are just being smart about how you spend it. Here are some easy ways to save money. Take what you like and leave the rest. Even finding one or two ways to save will help you in the long run.

Are you saddled with student loans? It's an awful feeling. It could feel like you’re in a deep hole and that doesn’t have the tools to get out. The path to paying it off may seem endless. Today's episode aims to help you start feeling in control of your student loans.  

We also talk about credit cards, which can be useful, but they can also be super sketchy. They’re a powerful tool when used correctly, making commerce more convenient and easy, but they also offer a lot of temptation to spend more than you have. If you are debt-free, credit cards might be a good tool to track your expenses, build your credit score, and offer a layer of security so you don’t have to carry around cash everywhere. If you treat credit cards like the tool they are and pay them off every month, you’ll be one step closer to building a credit history for yourself. Here are some things you should definitely know about having credit cards.

In today's episode, we’re talking about both how to pay off student loans and how to use credit cards. We dive into how to make payments automatic, where to start when choosing which loan to pay off first, how to avoid new debt and how to use credit cards (yes those are a type of loan too). I’m not a financial advisor, so please ask your financial advisor for advice. Let’s dive in. 

If you don’t negotiate your salary, you’re leaving money on the table - there are these calculations that say that you can leave from half a million to a million on the table each year. That’s insane!  That’s money that’s just waiting for you to take.

Denise Liebetrau wants you to get paid what you’re worth. And the only way to do that is by asking. That’s what we’re talking about today. Getting PAID through successful salary negotiations. 

Denise runs prosper consulting LLC which helps her clients be successful in salary negotiations and shes' sharing her secrets with us. 

In today's episode, we talk about how you can frame your negotiation, do the research so you have the information to be successful, how to lead with a business case, how to frame your accomplishments and results, how to frame to your manager, how to be visible and how to answer the why in the negotiation. This is super actionable information you can take into your next salary negotiation - either at your current job or at a new job. 

Imagine the CEO of your dream job company just walked into the elevator. You now have 16 floors to make an impression, get noticed, and get hired. What do you say? Do you panic, convinced that this person won’t care, is too busy, too important, or not interested? No! You have 30 seconds to be bold and get noticed. What do you do?

Ok, so maybe this rarely happens in an elevator, but an elevator pitch serves a very specific purpose, whether you’re physically inside an elevator or not. Elevator pitches help you briefly outline who you are, your experience, and what you’re looking for.

This pitch could happen anywhere you’re meeting new people—at networking event, a bar, waiting in line to buy coffee, you name it. Networking opportunities happen a lot. So, hone the pitch, craft it to be really spectacular, and practice. You want to quickly and concisely tell someone new who you are, what you do, and what you want.

Today we're talking all about how to craft your elevator pitch. We talk about the importance of an elevator pitch when you’ll use it, how to frame it and how to use it so it feels natural.

Katy Olivera of the Collegehood Advice Podcast wants you to succeed in your college experience. This episode is both for those who are in college and looking to maximize their college experience and includes good takeaways for all of us looking to maximize the opportunities we’ve been given.

Katy started the podcast after working 15 years in higher education in various roles and she found that there was a need to empower students to harness their potential and embrace who they are professionally and personally. So often college can be transactional -  get into a good school, take good classes, get good grades. Yet that leaves a whole world untouched. So she’s shaking that and finding ways to help students build the life they want.

In today's episode, we talk about specific ways to maximize the college experience - but you won’t get time management hacks and tricks here. You will get actionable information to take advantage of the full range of the college experience. We’re talking about how to use college to cultivate curiosity, build networks of peers, experiment, be open-minded to change and learn how to transition easily to find a job.

Happy New Year! I’m so happy to be back with you.

We talk so much in this podcast about our careers. How to make more money, how to network and much more about how to advance your career. Whether or not you make goals and career resolutions, a new year offers you the ability to take a step back and ask why. Why are you doing what you’re doing? What is your motivation? That’s what we’re going to talk about in today’s ep. Are you on the right path?

Answering this requires you to ask the right questions. Are you even asking the right questions? Even when you're searching for a new job, We can all find a new job but will you be happy with that direction? When the newness wears off, will you be satisfied? If you don’t set an agenda, someone else will set an agenda for you. Better curb that by start asking yourself the right questions. 

In this episode, we talk about how to design your life, how to ask the right questions to get to the answers to start uncovering a more fulfilled life, how to find your passion by focusing on what sparks your interest and how to just get started. Happy New Year - 2020 will be the year of you! 

Have you ever wondered out how to approach an informational interview? Meeting someone cold can be so intimidating. You've done the initial reach-out so it's great when that person says yes to a coffee to share their knowledge with you. Next it's time to maximize your conversation with that person. 

I was so impressed with Emma Rechenberg. She’s a fellow Mizzou grad and she did a cold reach out to me to meet her for coffee and talk about her career. She moved to NYC without a job and we had a great informational interview. I enjoyed our conversation and her specific questions so much that I wanted to share that conversation with you.

We talk about everything:

• How to tailor your resume and  apply to different types of jobs
• How to create an online portfolio for yourself
• How do you directly reach out to the folks going through the applications or how do you keep going in the time frame where you’re in limbo waiting to hear back?
• How to stand out in an interview and leave a good impression
• How to send a follow-up thank-you note
• It’s been a week since the interview and you haven’t heard back. Is there a way to re-reach out to someone who you’ve interviewed with?
• How do you stay positive in the face of rejection?

So you got a new job or internship - awesome. Those first few months are critical to show up, work hard and make a good impression. But how do you do that exactly? Even if you’ve had another internship or job, every job is distinct. During your first few months, your goal is to get the lay of the land. You want to take stock in everyone, what they do, and—most importantly—how they work. But you also want to make a kick-ass impression and underscore why they hired you in the first place. 

We talk about how to make those first few months count from observing everything, to how to communicate, to what you do if you make a mistake and even how to manage your stress of starting a new job. 

I spoke with Shannah Compton Game all about MONEY. She’s the creator and host of the Millennial Money podcast and her goal is to help you talk about and deal with money because everything in life revolves around money. It’s too true!  Whether it be your career, relationship or future goals you have for your life -- money is often at the center whether or not we talk about it.

Today we’re talking about it. We talk about how to know your numbers, how to give every dollar a roadmap and purpose, how to invest or save when you’re still in debt, and how to change your money mindset for maximum earning potential and financial freedom. 

Rachel Rudwall is a travel host, content creator, writer, producer and photographer, but simply at her core, she’s a storyteller. She’s traveled all around the world including all continents and 70 countries. She shares how travel drives her as she’s inspired by the human interactions that fuel her and teach her as well as the landscapes that keep her invested and grounded. She recently became an Explorer’s Club fellow, alongside explorers such as likes of Teddy Roosevelt, Elon Musk and Buzz Aldrin.

What is so cool about Rachel is she was determined to set out a path for herself by creating her own opportunities by traveling and hosting on her own. That then led her to tell stories for media outlets, brands and publishers. I love Rachel’s perspective on work and how to stand apart in your industry. It’s clear she puts thought and effort with the choices she’s made and has done it through consistent, dedicated work.

We talk about how to create your own opportunity, how to network by creating authentic connections with others, how to take feedback (especially when everything feels personal), how to deal with imposter syndrome and how to explore the world without breaking the bank.

Negotiation is hard. You are awesome for even trying! Many people don’t and they lose out of thousands of dollars over the long term. Don’t settle—you know how hard you’ll work. It would really suck to get in a job you’re working your ass off for, just to know Jim in the cubicle next to you with the same job and title gets paid $10k more because he asked for it. Would you be happy about starting a new job under those circumstances?

It’s also financially smart in the long term. By not negotiating to start with your first job, you can lose out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run. Don’t leave money on the table. They expect you’ll negotiate. It’s all part of the process. In this episode, we talk all about how to set yourself up for success when negotiating your salary. We talk about how to determine what to ask for in your salary, how to strategically ask so they say yes, the additional negotiables you can build a case for (think vacation, title, flex time), how to build up your confidence to make the ask, and how to handle rejection if they don't give you what you want -- it's never over! In this episode, it's all about getting PAID. 

Nissar Ahmed is a career guru. He runs Careermetis.com which offers resources for job seekers and freelancers including a podcast, tools, a job board and information to succeed in the job search.

From starting out in a career in sales to running his own business today, Nissar has a lot to share on entrepreneurship, the job search and more. In this episode, we talk about how you can skip the traditional job search process, how to create a dream career, not just a dream job, how to start a path in entrepreneurship and how to fall in love with the process, which will lead to the outcome you want. So many good takeaways for all of the job seekers and dreamers out there. 

A resume is THE most important tool in your marketing and branding toolbox, but most people are lazy and do a not-so-great job of writing one. Their resume looks like everyone else’s, includes generic duties and responsibilities, and invariably flies under the radar of a recruiter. Boring resumes simply don’t get noticed. They go straight into the black hole of applications. You need to create an excellent one (and it’s really not that hard—I promise!).

Think about how recruiters see your resume. They typically spend less than six seconds on each resume they review—six seconds! That’s not a lot of time. At all. If you’ve gotten through the black hole and a real person sees your resume, congratulations! That’s a huge win. Now you need to have a kick-ass resume that lasts past those first six seconds and gets you an interview.

In this episode, I talk about how to craft the perfect resume that gets noticed quickly. From talking about your job wins to designing it, your resume is the NUMBER ONE tool in your toolbox so you might as well make it shine! 

Laura Meyer is the founder and CEO of a startup helping companies with their Amazon strategy. She originally moved to NYC without a job and started strategically looking for opportunities through networking, cold calls and more and eventually found her way to Amazon. What she learned at each step allowed her to start and run her own successful business called Envision Horizons, which she started at 25 and is thriving today.

In this episode, we talk about how to shamelessly network, how to kick ass in the interview process (hint-- if you do what she says you will get the job), how to create such a great impression that they will pay you what you’re worth.. She also shares what she looks at in candidates when she makes hiring decisions when it comes to resumes, presentation and getting noticed. If you want to get past the black hole of applications and get hired fast, this episode is for you.

Preparing for an interview is not easy. You have so much going on during the job search and you've finally gotten an interview - yay! You want to make a great impression and arrive prepared and confident. But it's hard to keep the stress at bay. And there is nothing worse than a bad interview where you feel off, don't have the answers to their questions and where you keep stumbling over your thoughts (or worse, not having any thoughts at all). In this episode I talk all about how to prepare for an interview. From doing the right research on the company to the key questions you need to prepare for, to what to wear, this episode answers all of your top questions on the in-person interview. You'll arrive confidently and make a kick-ass impression and hopefully get the job offer! 

The job search process is not easy. What’s super frustrating is the lack of responsiveness of companies after you apply to the "black hole of applications". Once you apply you don’t know where your application goes. 

Shireen Jaffer is working to change that. Shireen is the co-founder and CEO of Edvo, which she calls your job search on autopilot. It’s a venture-backed startup that works as a matchmaker between companies and candidates to close the gap and to fast track the interview process.

Shireen has always wanted to help candidates navigate the job search, whether it be her friends and advising them to network and make real connections or a company that does that work for you.

We talk about how to make real connections, how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, how to leverage your existing networks, and how to add value to those connections, How to leverage the power of the internal referral and how the one-click apply is not leading to the outcome you want - it is not about how many applications you submit, but rather how many offers you get. Such good advice for all of the job searchers out there!

I’ve gathered your questions! You've emailed me wanting advice on the job search process. You've asked how to get a job. How to get noticed. How to find a more fulfilling career. 

In today's episode, I do my best to answer your questions based on my personal experience. I answer:

•  A recent grad who just moved to NYC and would like some advice on how to get a producer role at a large company
•  Someone who can't get anyone to give a second look to her resume, even after revising it multiple times 
• Someone who is not fulfilled in his current role and would like to find a more creative job but feels STUCK  
• A journalism student eager for the first year but unsure what to major in and how to find internships 

You're never alone in questioning your career, your path, your industry or your job. It's good to ask these questions! I want to help you. I do this for you. I only want you to kick ass in life! 

Reuben Stern is the director of the New York Program at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. His background spans many different newsrooms including being the managing editor of the Columbia Missourian as well as experience at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Budapest Sun, and the Los Angeles Daily News.

Reuben made the pivot to education to teach the next wave of journalists by running its program to teach and support Mizzou journalism students interning in New York each semester. He’s an expert in internships - what to do and what to avoid.

Reuben and I talk about how to find internships, how to succeed in your internship and how to pursue your passion even early on in your career (yes it’s possible). This advice also applies when you are starting a new job. We also talk about new and emerging fields to look for future opportunities. 

Cristy Powers is a health coach, wellness blogger, recipe creator and pilates instructor who is passionate about helping others feel their best through the foods they eat and the decisions they make. 

Something as simple as choosing what you eat can have a huge impact on how you feel. Do you have a brain fog? Do you start crashing in the afternoon so you reach for the chocolate at 3p.m. ? I know I do, and it always starts an evil cycle of tiredness and crankiness.  When I avoid the easy sugars, I have more energy and feel happier and more stable. The path to finding a good balance is different for everyone. There is no one set path to wellness. 

Cristy and I talk about a way to eat to reduce inflammation. We talk about what is in our foods, how to create foods you actually want to eat, how to listen to your body when you eat, and how to find the right balance for you in your health journey.  We also talk about other ways you can control stress through practicing self care.

Carolyn Kylstra started as Editor-in-Chief of SELF just as it was transitioning from a legacy print brand into a digital-led media organization. On a deadline to create a strategy, an editorial plan and voice for the brand, Carolyn took on each challenge, and the media industry quickly took notice. SELF is an award-winning wellness media brand that values accuracy in an oversaturated wellness industry. SELF seeks to help people to live healthier lives. 

Carolyn took her passion for both storytelling and health and find her niche in wellness media. She's worked across the industry at media companies such as Cosmo, Men's Health, Women's Health, and BuzzFeed before starting at SELF. As a hiring manager for many roles, Carolyn has looked over 1000 resumes and cover letters and explains how a hiring manager looks at your marketing materials and how to format your cover letter and portfolio. We also talk about how to stand apart in your career, how to deal with feelings of insecurity and how to manage up smartly. 

Rachel Rudwall is a travel host, content creator, writer, producer and photographer, but simply at her core, she’s a storyteller. She’s traveled all around the world including all continents and 70 countries. She shares how travel drives her as she’s inspired by the human interactions that fuel her and teach her as well as the landscapes that keep her invested and grounded. She recently became an Explorer’s Club fellow, alongside explorers such as likes of Teddy Roosevelt, Elon Musk and Buzz Aldrin. 

What is so cool about Rachel is she was determined to set out a path for herself by creating her own opportunities by traveling and hosting on her own. That then led her to tell stories for media outlets, brands and publishers. I love Rachel’s perspective on work and how to stand apart in your industry. It’s clear she puts thought and effort with the choices she’s made and has done it through consistent, dedicated work. 

We talk about how to create your own opportunity, how to network by creating authentic connections with others, how to take feedback (especially when everything feels personal), how to deal with imposter syndrome and how to explore the world without breaking the bank. 

Dani Fankhouser got her first full-time job thorough a Craigslist search. When she graduated undergrad during the recession, she couldn't find a company to hire her. So Dani decided to go to grad school in journalism and started to pursue her curiosities. She taught herself Ruby, completed a 200-hr yoga program, created a social network for  enthusiasts, wrote an ebook and is currently pitching her second to publishers. 

Dani is clearly someone who gets shit done. She sets a goal and works on achieving it through a systematic approach. She wanted to pay off her student loans so she decided to scale down and figure out creative ways in order to do that. Dani shares you never know where your opportunities will emerge so be open, keep searching  and explore your curiosities -- and soon you'll discover what you're interested in. 

Today's episode is a bit about money and a bit about life. We talk about how to land that first job, how to pay off your student loans, how to analyze your finances and how to start a side hustle. Dani also shares some ideas of how you can start exploring your own  (hint - it’s easier than you think). 

Leah Suzette Noumoff is an artist and wants to encourage others to be artists too. Creating art allowed her to move away from feelings of anxiety and depression and move toward self care and acceptance. Leah found a way to develop a carer, pursue art and take care of herself at the same time. She’s made it her mission to encourage others to find their story and purpose through a creative outlet whether it be music, art, dance or more -- She believes everyone is creative and empowers others to find their creative voice.  We talk about how to start a creative practice, how anyone can pursue art, how to address feelings of anxiety, and how to uncover your purpose through art. 

Stephanie Dennis is a recruiter and a host of two career podcasts - Unpacking and Career Talk . She knows about how to get noticed in a job search because she is responsible for finding the right candidates for a variety of different types of roles. You probably have heard you need to get the attention of a recruiter, but what does that mean -- and who are these mythical recruiters? Today I wanted to dispel the mystery behind a very important role of the recruiter, how to get noticed the right way, and how to reach out without annoying them. We also talk about how to stand apart in the job search,  how to take feedback, how to kick ass during the the first months of a job and how to show you’re ready for more responsibility at work. 

Chelsey White (aka Chelsweets) has created and shot a ton of really cool cake recipes. She considers herself a blogger, baker and content creator. Her cakes are both cute and delicious - and she’s inspiring a whole new generation to start baking. She initially began her career as a CPA and loved to bake to release stress from staring at Excel spreadsheets for 12 hours per day. We talk about how she made the pivot to turn her hobby into her full-time job which is such an inspiring story. We talk about she got started, how she comes up with a cake recipe or design, how she knew it was time to pivot to baking full time and how to start your own a side hustle in a super smart way. 

Stephanie Domanski worked as a CPA and a project management consultant but her real super power is solving problems. Beyond being a master problem solver, she is someone who wanted to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector but couldn’t get a company to look at her or take her seriously - so what did she do instead? She created her own opportunity. We talk about how to handle a no, mastering the job search through a systematic approach and following your curiosities to turn them into a career. She takes her problem solving approach and applies it to the complexities of a job search breaking it down into simple terms. That’s where we start this conversation. How do you get a new job? 

Katie Quinn is the definition of a creator. She has a podcast, a food and travel YouTube channel and created an avocado cookbook. She started her career in the NBC Page program, then worked as a video journalist at Now This News and attended culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Now she's self-employed working in London and takes on any projects that peak her interest. We met when we worked together on a project for Travel Channel and I've loved staying updated with her projects and pursuits. Her enthusiasm for food, travel and content creation contagious. In today’s episode, we talk about how to create your own opportunity or a side hustle, what it’s like being an influencer, how to work abroad, how to deal with imposter syndrome and more. 

Ashley Feinstein Gerstley of the Fiscal Femme is working to demystify money. She just released her book the 30-Day Money Cleanse and she has so much to share about how to be smart with money including how to break our bad habits around money and create new ones. Ashley’s perspective is it’s not about sacrificing. but rather It’s about creating money goals and living a fab life now. Ashley and I talk about the importance of getting started early, how to pay down debt, how to create money routines, how to think about a budget as “happiness allocations” and how to complete your own money cleanse.

Belma McCaffrey is all about finding purpose in work. She created the Work Bigger community to redefine work so it’s a vehicle for creativity, impact and living a better life. We talk about how Belma transitioned from the media world of Conde and the Associated Press to a path of entrepreneurship and the top lessons she learned early in her career.  We also talk about how to find joy and purpose in what you’re doing, how to focus on what you’re uniquely great at, and how to get what you deserve in a salary negotiation. It’s inspiring how Belma is really thinking about the future of work.  

For More on Work Bigger visit: https://www.workbigger.co/

Lori Kaufman is an entertainment and pop culture aficionado who has turned her passion into her career. Her approach was to seek out a way to match what excited her (entertainment) with a job in the corporate world leading her to iN DEMAND. Now Lori now works in affiliate and partnership marketing at Music Choice. Early on in her career, Lori tried to find ways to get out of her comfort zone and gathered as many learning experiences as she could through internships and leaning into opportunities. Lori encourages others to speak up and make their presence known, step into the role and contribute to the conversation. In this episode, Lori shares how to stand apart, how to go above and beyond, how to rise through the ranks and how to ask for the money you deserve. Incredible insight for every stage of your career. (Reshare from November) 

For more on  Lori Kaufman visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loriannkaufman/ 

Getting a job is all about WHO you know. You can do that through knowing and meeting more people, but how? One way is through networking. Networking is a dirty word. We think of it as stuffy, crowded room meeting all types of people who are just there to collect a business card and move on. However, true networking  is all about creating authentic connections. 

Jennifer Moon is a media professional who now works with a suite of TV networks to strategize how fans can watch what they want via digital and on demand. She started her career as an actor In New York City where it's critical to create an immediate connection with the audience. Beyond talking about how Jennifer got started, we really dive into how to network in a way where you’re making real connections, where to look for networking opportunities, how to track your connections and how to keep your connections warm and follow up the right way. 

For more on Jennifer Moon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferlmoon/

Alyse Kalish is a writer and editor at the Muse. She was first rejected for an internship at the Muse, but that didn't stop her. She was tenacious and followed up the right way up to land an internship in a later semester. Once she was in the role, she showed energy and enthusiasm to be unforgettable and get a job offer. 

Now Alyse now writes about careers at the Muse. She shares how her energy and enthusiasm for her internship helped her stand apart early in her career. She gives some  pro trips for how to craft a resume, cover letter and portfolio to cater to the job you’re looking for. She also shares tips on how to negotiate your salary before accepting a job offer. Alyse also offers some excellent ways to take care of yourself when you’re not working. This episode is jam-packed with takeaways for how to kick ass in your career. 

Jen Smith paid off $78k of student loans in two years and she wants to help others be smart with money through her Modern frugality blog and her Frugal Friends podcast. She also wrote a book called the No Spend Challenge Guide to share how you can go on a no spend challenge to kickstart your savings goals. We talk about how to make a budget that works, how to build up an emergency fund, how to pay off debt and how to deal with credit cards. We also dive into side hustles and how to form multiple income streams. Today’s episode is all about how to be smart with money. 

Abby Wolfe is a career coach and writer and editor at The Muse, a website for career advice, workshops and to search for jobs. Abby is the type of person who always has a side gig and who has been able to transition to making the full time freelance life work. 

We talk about how to find the right job fit, knowing when it’s time to move on from a job that’s not serving you, how to not take things personally at work, how to network the right way and how to handle imposter syndrome. We basically talk about IT ALL.  

Mark Scholnick dreamed of working in television. He was basically a human TV guide growing up. So he thought, someone works in television, why not me? He got his start as an assistant at NBC and worked his way up for the past 15 years through different roles at Bravo, E! and Viacom and now does media consultancy work. Mark has expert advice about what to do to to stand out during your first job, how to create authentic connections through networking and how you create your brand where you are the go-to person people trust. 

For more on Mark visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscholnick/ 

Mary Pharris is the Director of Business development at Fairygodboss, which is a website and career community for women. It provides career connections, jobs, advice and more. Mary started her career in campaign fundraising and worked for Barack Obama in 2012, and then she eventually made the switch to working for a startup. Her job path has not been linear and Mary shares the importance of being open as possible to what paths your career could take. We also talk about the importance finding a company with a mission, seeking the value out of entry- level work, how to stand apart and how to cultivate your network. 

For more on Fairygodboss visit Fairygodboss.com

Resolutions are out - plans are in. In this episode, we do a deep dive to how to make goals for the new year. I’ve taken some quick tips from the experts in habits and happiness including Gretchen Rubin with her Happier Podcast, Chris Gillibrou with Side Hustle School, and the Secrets of the Most Productive People Podcast with Charles Duhigg. I also dive into the SMART framework for making goals that work. It’s time to start making plans for this year for the things you want to achieve in your professional and personal life - not to mention goals just for the hell of it. Go Kick Ass in 2019. 

Good work everyone! We got through the year. And what a year it was. I hope it was great for you. But if not, the new year offers a chance for a fresh start. The past year has been a year full of helpful insights for how to stand apart, get noticed, negotiate your worth, find your passion and make your mark. In this episode, I look back upon some of my kick-ass guests from 2018 with some of my favorite tidbits of advice. If you like what you hear, dive into each episode for more from how to push through failure to how to seek out your passion. Each guest has unique insight and experience to help you on your own job path.  Cheers to a new year full of career success, money moves and taking care of yourself. Be proud of you and every step forward. Have a happy holiday and see you in 2019.