In this episode Sara sits down with Aleeza Khan.

Aleeza recently graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a minor in Design. She focuses on community-centered design through her work with a nonprofit organization, Tiny Village Spirit. She is also the social media manager for the Ace of Pentacles Podcast

Aleeza is also the creator and host of the Livin and Loving podcast, where she shares conversations around growth, identity, and empowerment.

She has completed multiple internships at M Designs Architects and currently works at IMG II, her father’s real estate and investment firm. Aleeza is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Real Estate and Real Estate Development at the University of Washington, starting this fall, to grow further and elevate the family business.

Aleeza and Sara talk about the values and perspectives of Gen Z with regards to work and careers. They discuss many topics, including: how this new generation thinks about flexibility and working from home, the type of workplace environment they’re looking for, workplace culture, balancing mental health and work, and Aleeza shares her perspective on using LinkedIn and networking.

The real "organizational culture" problem that companies aren't addressing.

In this episode, Sara sits down with Dorthy Tyo, a certified Master Hypnotist and Clinical Hypnotherapist. Dorthy is the owner and lead instructor of the Palo Alto School of Hypnotherapy in Palo Alto, California, where Sara earned her own hypnotherapy certification. She was also Sara's mentor and instructor during her LIGHT Practitioner certification at UC San Diego. Sara and Dorthy dive into how hypnotherapy can help reframe limiting beliefs, addressing common misconceptions about the practice, and exploring how and when people choose hypnosis as a tool for wellness. They also discuss its applications in career-related challenges, medical settings, setting intentions for hypnotherapy sessions, and the fascinating field of regression hypnosis.

About Dorthy:

Dorthy V. Tyo is a certified Master Hypnotist, as well as a certified Clinical Hypnotherapist with ACHE. She is the owner, director and lead instructor of the Palo Alto School of Hypnotherapy in Palo Alto, Ca. which was founded in 1977. Prior to purchasing the school in 2009, she taught and developed classes for over 20 years for and with the previous owner/founder, Josie Hadley. Dorthy has maintained a private practice since 1986 to present. With a background in teaching and psychology from State University of New York (SUNY) at Cortland, she continues to study new information about the brain and how thoughts affect emotions, biology, and well-being. Dorthy incorporates this information in her courses and with clients in her private practice. She is author and developer of many teaching manuals and coauthor of the book, GEMT (Guided Empathy Meridian Tapping) which is an innovative approach for healing/resolving past beliefs and perceptions that have manifested into dis-ease. She is also a guest speaker, YouTube channel co-host, TV and radio guest, and is currently working on a new book about the spiritual/science connection with hypnosis for a better understanding of its use. Dorthy is proud to be recently certified as a LIGHT Practitioner with UCSD’s Centers for Integrative Health and also teaches an 8 week course: “Foundational Hypnotherapy with NLP Concepts” through UCSD School of Medicine.

You can learn more about hypnotherapy and about Dorthy’s work at: https://www.pasoh.com/

In this episode, Sara sits down with Bill Burnett, co-founder and Executive Director of the Life Design Lab at Stanford University.

Bill has co-authored three influential books that Sara regularly uses for herself and with her clients: Designing Your Life, Designing Your Work Life, and Designing Your New Work Life.

Together, Bill and Sara delve into his career journey, explore the Designing Your Life framework and its tools, and discuss how these tools can help shape a fulfilling and purpose-driven career. Bill also offers valuable insights on how companies and leaders can foster better workplaces by prioritizing integrity and accountability. 

About Bill:

Bill Burnett is an Adjunct Professor and the Executive Director of the Life Design Lab at Stanford. He received his Bachelors of Science and Masters of Science in Product Design at Stanford and has worked in start-ups and Fortune 100 companies, including seven years at Apple designing award-winning laptops and a number of years in the toy industry designing Star Wars action toys.

He holds a number of mechanical and design patents and design awards, and, in addition to his duties at Stanford, he advises several of his students’ startup companies.

In this episode, Sara and Victor have an engaging conversation about Victor's journey as both a creative professional and entrepreneur. He shares the evolution of his career, touching on how he's learned to balance his creative pursuits with the demands of running a business. One of the key themes of their chat is managing bandwidth—understanding when to delegate tasks, when to test new ideas quickly, and knowing when it's time to hand off projects. 

Sara and Victor also reflect on their shared experience at the College of Extraordinary Experiences, a unique space that has fostered both their imaginations. They discuss how attending this experience reignites one's sense of adventure and curiosity, and how vital it is to revive that spark of creativity when life starts to feel predictable or mundane.

Throughout the episode, Sara and Victor emphasize the importance of maintaining a sense of wonder, both in life and in work, and the value of staying open to new ideas and experiences—especially when it comes to unlocking your full creative potential.

About Victor:

Victor van Doorn is the founder of Sherlocked - a world renowned experience design studio based in Amsterdam. Sherlocked is most known for elevating the medium of escape rooms from entertainment to meaningful, immersive experiences and through each of them, Victor’s playful nature and cinematic imagination shine through.

If you’re in Amsterdam, be sure to check out: https://www.sherlocked.nl/

Daniela Ruiz or as some know her, Nani, is a Creative Coach, Facilitator, and Education & Inclusion Advocate. In this episode:

Sara and Nani and I talk about the gifts and challenges of being a multipotentialite. 

Nani shares the story of how a difficult situation at work inspired her to explore stand up comedy as a creative outlet and how she has used it to create a unique offering as a facilitator that helps companies reimagine inclusion and collaboration.

They also discuss their perspectives on access to professional development opportunities. 

About Daniela:

Driven by a passion for creating environments where individuals and teams can thrive, Nani has built a career spanning education, tech, and social impact. From founding Austin’s first Spanish immersion Montessori preschool to coaching over 800 professionals into life-changing roles, Nani specializes in transforming challenges into opportunities and scaling meaningful impact. 

If you are looking for an incredible career coach, or someone who can help bring more humor and levity into your workplace, you can find Daniela- Nani- Ruiz 

on LinkedIn: in/soydanielaruiz/

Or on Instagram: @soynaniok 

On this episode of Ace of Pentacles, Sara chats with Jeff Nixa about using shamanic practices to gain more clarity on our career and purpose.

Jeff shares his knowledge of shamanic healing and vision quests, which he also shares in his book; The Lost Art of Heart Navigation: A Modern Shaman's Field Manual.

Sara and Jeff also reflect on the shamanic counseling session that Sara had with him last year and how we might all use some of the practices that Jeff shares in his book to gain more clarity on our life’s purpose, overcome fears, and develop a deeper connection with our intuition.

About Jeff:

Jeff D. Nixa, J.D., M.Div, is a shamanic practitioner, teacher, and writer. In 2010 he founded Great Plains Shamanic Programs, an array of counseling, healing, and educational services, including 1-on-1 fire talks, seminars, university classes, outdoor retreats, and wilderness trips.

Jeff has published two books: The Lost Art of Heart Navigation: A Modern Shaman's Field Manual and his first novel, Something Sacred Grows Here. 

To learn more about Jeff’s work and additional resources, you can visit greatplainsguide.net

To find a shamanic practitioner or teacher near you, you can visit shamanicteachers.com

Jeff can be reached directly at greatplainsguide@gmail.com

In this episode of Ace of Pentacles, Sara sits down with Michael Escobar. Sara and Michael used to volunteer together for an educational non-profit. In this episode, they dive deep into a thought-provoking discussion about the American education system. They explore how well—or poorly—we're equipped for the real world, the pivotal decisions behind choosing our majors, careers, and jobs, and how those choices shape our life stories as well as our perception of success.

Michael shares the story of how he made the decisions that guided his education and career journey and Sara and Michael talk about different ways that people approach decision making, charting their path to what they believe is success. 

From ancient Greece to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, to Matthew McConaughey, to SLC Punk, this conversation is rich with tidbits on how we figure out how to do life. 

About Michael

Michael Escobar grew up in Los Angeles and is a proud product of California public schools. After earning his bachelor's degree in Latin American politics and economics from UC Berkeley, he started a career in insurance and risk management touching on earthquake modeling, maritime law, civil engineering and green energy. As an underwriter he helped insure the construction of the San Francisco Chinatown subway tunnel and the renovation of SFMOMA. Subsequently moving into risk management, he worked on the construction of a solar power plant in Puerto Rico and the extension of BART into San Jose. Currently he is the risk manager at Greenbacker Renewable Energy and lives in Berkeley with his family, occasionally pursuing his hobbies of road cycling and playing guitar.

Welcome back to Ace of Pentacles. Today we chat with Shaena Harrison about the power of networking.  

Shaena is a Professional Wing Woman, Networking Expert, and Superconnector—and as she puts it, a “recovering” event producer who lost four jobs in three years. Through the power of networking, Shaena landed new opportunities and used AI to launch her own business. Now, she helps leaders, teams, and event producers build meaningful connections that last, transforming awkward introductions into game-changing opportunities.

If you’re looking to build your networking muscle, make more meaningful connections, or need help looking at job loss or career wayfinding in a new light, I think you’ll find some great tips in this episode. I hope you enjoy the conversation with Shaena Harrison.

In this episode, We chat with Surbhi Singh, a Registered Nurse at the Neurosurgical ICU at Stanford Hospital. 

Surbhi has over a decade of experience in critical care across Trauma, Medicine, Cardiovascular, and Neurosurgical ICUs. In addition to her role as an RN, Surbhi has earned her Family Nurse Practitioner degree and is Clinical Faculty at USF. 

According to the CDC, 46% of health workers reported often feeling burned out in 2022, up from 32% in 2018. In this episode, Surbhi shares her best practices and strategies for preventing burnout, managing your mindset and maintaining your wellbeing in high stress work environments. 

About Surbhi: 

Surbhi T Singh, MSN, NP-C, PHN, CCRN is a Registered Nurse at the Neurosurgical ICU at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, Ca.

Surbhi’s nursing career spans a decade, with a background in critical care focused on Medicine ICU, Trauma ICU, Cardiovascular ICU, and Neurosurgical ICU.

Surbhi earned her Family Nurse Practitioner degree which also allows her to teach as Clinical Faculty in Nursing at the University of San Francisco.

Surbhi’s teaching career gives her the opportunity to give back to the nursing community by sharing her knowledge and skill with the next generation of nursing professionals.

Surbhi grew up in Fremont, California and moved to Los Angeles to pursue both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Nursing. There, she started her career at Providence Saint John’s in Santa Monica in 2015. In 2019, Surhi returned to the Bay area when she was offered her position at Stanford.

Surbhi greatly values lifelong learning and says that she learns from her students and her patients every day.

She is inspired by the stories of the patients and students she serves in her role as a healthcare professional and an educator. For Surbhi, their stories and witnessing their resilience is part of the reason that she is honored to be doing the work that she does.

In this conversation, Sara sits down with Psychotherapist and Educator, Dr. Swan Dao. As Founder and Director of the Institute of Devotional Arts, Dr. Dao is dedicated to transforming lives through creative expression. Dr. Dao shares insights on effective communication, conflict resolution, and setting healthy boundaries. Together, Sara and Swan explore practical strategies to help you navigate challenging conversations—both in the workplace and in everyday life.

About Dr. Swan Dao:

Dr. Swan Dao is a psychotherapist, coach, and educator. Swan studied and taught philosophy, theology, psychology, and theatre in Oxford, Melbourne, and Chicago, and earned a PhD from the University Cambridge on the theme of self-transformation and system change.

He is also a certified Conflict Mediator and trained in numerous communication practices such as Non-Violent Communication, Authentic Relating, and Circling. As the founder of the Institute of Devotional Arts, he harnesses the power of creativity and imagination for collective healing and transformation.

You Can learn more about Dr. Dao’s work at: https://www.devotionalarts.org/

In this episode, Sara sits down with Niharika Ray, a friend and someone she volunteered with for several years at an educational non-profit.

A few years ago, Niharika chose to leave her job as a senior software engineer at Airbnb to join that same non-profit as a full time staff member.

In this episode, Sara and Niharika talk about what it's like to make a career move early in your career that is very different from what you thought you wanted at one point, and what everyone around you expects from you. Niharika talks about her decision making process, what drove her to make specific, intentional career moves, and how she used logic to make sense of an intuitive calling.

The conversation with Niharika reminds us of how much power we hold to make decisions about our lives and our careers.

More about Niharika and her journey:

Niharika Ray is the Chief Operating Officer of Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay), an organization that she first joined as a volunteer math instructor in 2016. Between 2016 and 2022, Niharika served in a variety of volunteer capacities, from leading the junior instruction team, to serving as volunteer co-Chief Community Officer from 2020 to 2022, a role where she oversaw mentee and volunteer recruitment and engagement, parent and guardian and mentee alumni engagement, and volunteer training – all during a global pandemic. Outside of her time as a volunteer in MMBay, Niharika was a senior software engineer at Airbnb from 2015 to 2022.

At Airbnb, she was a member of three different infrastructure teams, focusing on scaling both internal tools and airbnb.com. She holds a BS in Computer Science with a minor in Computational Finance from Carnegie Mellon University. In 2022, Niharika quit her job as a software engineer to become MMBay’s second full-time hire, where she continued to focus on scaling, but in an entirely new context.

In 2022, MMBay rebranded from "Minds Matter San Francisco" serving students in one site, to becoming a regional "Minds Matter Bay Area" organization, and in August 2024, MMBay launched its second site in San Jose, while continuing to grow and stabilize operations in the San Francisco site.

More about Minds Matter Bay Area: mindsmatterbay.org

Hi! I'm Sara. In this episode, you'll hear about my background, what personal and professional influences led me to becoming a coach and starting this podcast. Justin and I talk about the way I've designed and discovered my way from a career in education to working at companies like Tesla, Amazon Square, and Instacart.

Tune in to learn about who this podcast is for, and how it might be able to help someone design and discover your way to a fulfilling career.

Plus: I reveal why this career strategy and wellness podcast is named after a tarot card!

About Justin: 

As an educator, coach, and creator of the Living Once Twice podcast, Justin's mission is to help individuals from all backgrounds unlock their power to design a life they are passionate about living. With 13+ years of experience in Higher Education Justin enjoys serving, mentoring, and developing students and staff. A Western New York native, Justin earned his B.A in Communications & Masters of Public Administration from SUNY Brockport. 

Learn more about Justin's work:

Podcast: Living Once Twice 

IG: @justinoliver716 

Episode filmed and produced by: Bryan Dahl | IG: @dahl.memoirs

Claus Raasted helps organizations both big and small become better at GETTING S**T DONE. He also serves as Director of the College of Extraordinary Experiences. He travels the globe as a keynote speaker, and has been both a Coach and Senior Advisor at the consulting giant McKinsey. Raasted is the author of 46 books, the latest of which is fittingly titled “Claus Raasted’s Little Book of Getting Shit Done”. He also has a past in reality TV, but these days, who hasn't?

Last year, Sara attended the College of Extraordinary Experiences. She met many very cool people doing really cool things in their careers (you’ve met a few on this podcast), and she came back with a renewed perspective on how she navigates her own life and career.

In this episode, Sara and Claus talk about how the college is designed to help people bring more creativity, imagination and innovation into their work.

For more information on the College of Extraordinary Experiences, visit extraordinary.college

In this episode, Nishant Badami, founder of Ubuntu, shares her journey and the philosophy behind creating soulful, transformative travel experiences. She explains that transformation isn’t about changing who you are, but how you see yourself - a distinction shaped by her own evolution through travel.

Nishant debunks common myths about personal growth and emphasizes subtle inner shifts over dramatic reinventions. Ubuntu treats each journey as a living, evolving experience.

Nishant designs these trips to create space for reflection, connection, and vulnerability, encouraging travelers to engage deeply with themselves and others. 

Travel, she says, is a unique catalyst for mindset change - it breaks routines, challenges beliefs, and opens people to new perspectives. Community and honest connection play a central role, as does ensuring cultural immersion is respectful and reciprocal.

About Nishant:

Nishant Badami is a creator, communicator, and connector. As the founder of Ubuntu, she creates meaningful experiences that help bridge cultural gaps and connect people with the world as well as themselves.

Nishant studied history and then went on to become a copywriter, working in the world of print advertising and later writing for television programming. Travel started as a deeply personal passion for Nishant - something she designed with love and intention for her family and herself.

In time, this passion was recognized and transformed into a profession, an opportunity she remains profoundly grateful for. As her journey progressed, Nishant came to a realization: lasting change requires a shift in how we perceive the world and each other. Her involvement with the Transformational Travel Council gave voice to this belief and reinforced her conviction that travel can be a powerful tool for transformation and connection.

Today, Nishant designs conscious travel experiences rooted in the principles of transformational travel. She is also a painter – what began as a passion has evolved into a professional pursuit, with her artworks being sold and commissioned.

Is she someone different outside her professional life? Not at all. As a mother, daughter, wife, friend, and sister, travel and art are interwoven into every version of who Nishant is.

Set up your next travel journey with Nish at: https://theubuntu.life/

In this episode, Sara sits down with Christiana, the Training Sales Manager and Certification Specialist at the HeartMath Institute (HMI) a pioneering non-profit organization that’s been at the forefront of researching heart-based tools and technologies to improve emotional well-being, performance, and human connection.

A passionate advocate for heart intelligence, Christiana shares her personal journey to HeartMath and how its science-backed approach to resilience and coherence deeply transformed her own path. Together, they explore the meaning of resilience from a HeartMath perspective - how it's not just about bouncing back, but about bouncing forward with greater emotional regulation, clarity, and inner alignment. They discuss heart coherence, heart intelligence, and even practice a tool that you can use to increase your capacity for resilience. Christiana also shares how HMI supports organizations, educators, and first responders in building group resilience, and reveals compelling data on how heart coherence practices can lead to better performance, reduced stress, and stronger interpersonal connection in the workplace.

 About Christiana Bishop:

Christiana Bishop is a senior staff member of the HeartMath Institute in Boulder Creek, California. Christiana creates certification programs, and develops alliances with nonprofits, educational systems and first responder organizations around the USA and internationally. Formerly, she was a Senior Trainer and Director of HeartMath’s Women’s Division. Currently Christiana is the Training Sales Manager and Certification Specialist for the Institute and additionally, helps support and operationalize HeartMath’s programs as needed.

In this episode Sara sits down with renowned archetypal coach and consultant, Dr. Laurence Hillman, a renowned expert in archetypal psychology and co-creator of Archetypes at Work™, a powerful framework designed to help individuals, teams, and organizations uncover their deeper motivations, values, and mindset. Dr. Hillman shares the personal and professional journey that led him to this transformative work and explains how archetypes, which are ancient patterns of behavior, can be used as a practical tool for modern workplaces.

They explore the origins and functions of archetypes, what inspired the development of Archetypes at Work, and how this approach differs from traditional psychometric assessments and team-building models. Dr. Hillman introduces the concept of archetypal coaching, and explains how knowing your archetypes can positively influence collaboration, leadership, and organizational culture.

Dr. Hillman shares examples demonstrating how archetypes show up in both empowering and dysfunctional ways at work, how to recognize when a particular archetype needs to be activated, and how to consciously develop these patterns for personal and professional growth. We also discuss how archetypes manifest differently across cultures, and the implications for leaders navigating global, diverse teams. 

Whether you're an executive, HR leader, coach, or curious individual, this episode offers practical wisdom on how to bring deeper self-awareness and purpose into your work.

Connect with Dr. Hillman:
You can connect with Dr. Hillman and learn more about his work at: https://laurencehillman.com 

About Laurence Hillman:

Born and raised in Zürich, Switzerland, Dr. Laurence Hillman is an archetypal coach and consultant with over 48 years of experience. He specializes in helping individuals and organizations uncover their deeper purpose using archetypal patterns and astrology. As co-creator of Archetypes at Work™, he has developed innovative tools for personal and organizational development.

An international lecturer, Dr. Hillman has taught at institutions such as Pacifica Graduate Institute, Meridian University, and Washington University. He has also presented at notable venues like the Globe Theatre in London and the Cycles & Symbols Conference. He is currently teaching practical archetypal astrology through Kosmos Institute and is a registered Vistage® speaker.

Dr. Hillman holds a PhD in psychology (Transformative Leadership), an MBA, a Master’s in Construction Management, and a degree in architecture. He has authored and co-authored several books, including Planets in Play and Archetypes at Work. Fluent in five languages, he has traveled to over 40 countries and resides in St. Louis, Missouri, with his wife Cindy.

In this episode, Sara sits down with Naveen Khan to discuss the unexpected changes that can impact our careers, often beyond our control.

Naveen shares her personal experiences and offers valuable insights on how to prepare for and embrace change, maintain wellness in the midst of chaos, and adopt a resilient mindset that has helped her navigate multiple career transitions.

About Naveen:

Naveen is an experienced Event Manager at a Fortune 100 company and is currently based in Chicago, IL. As a native of the Bay Area, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree from San Francisco State University.

With over 13 years of experience in the corporate events space, she has specialized in field marketing, large-scale tech conferences, and both B2B and B2C events, with time divided between leading tech companies and startups.

In this conversation, Sara sits down with Sneha Koka to talk about authenticity in leadership and in life.

Sneha opens up about her journey as an engineer, a leader, and a mom, offering a thoughtful glimpse into how she balances these roles. She shares how embracing honesty about her needs and desires—combined with an engineering mindset for solving everyday challenges—has empowered her to build a life she truly enjoys. Sneha also reflects on how her diverse background and experiences have shaped her ability to show up authentically in every aspect of her life. 

About Sneha:

Sneha Koka is a leader in the operations organization at Nvidia with previous experience as a manufacturing engineer at Tesla during the Model 3 launch and at Linde and Caterpillar prior to that. She leads the capacity planning team at Nvidia, ensuring capacity risk mitigation strategies are in place across all verticals post-fab. Her background is in industrial engineering and she has spent about fifteen years tackling complex challenges in dynamic business environments in multiple industries – semiconductor, automotive and chemical. Her recent challenges in the silicon valley have been focused on implementing solutions to enable exponential scalability.

Outside of work, she’s a mom of two young boys, two and four. For fun, she loves biking with her family, hiking/exploring nature in their camper van and doing pottery on the wheel. Sneha loves to create - creating art, creating solutions and creating new memories/experiences is something she thrives on. Sneha also loves to bring people together.

Someone once congratulated Sneha on becoming a mom, with the statement “welcome to the world’s largest fraternity/sorority”. Sneha became a mom for the first time during the Covid 19 pandemic; a time when many parents started to leave the workforce as a result of losing their standard support systems they relied on. Sneha continued to take on bigger challenges at work while intentionally looking to grow in her personal life.

Always having been a lover of nature and the outdoors, Sneha leaned into that aspect of her life even as a new parent and found ways to incorporate outdoor adventures into her family’s routine. A friend told her that following Sneha’s outdoor adventures was inspiring her to come up with innovative ways to balance both work and family time. This in turn inspired Sneha share her outdoor nature explorations & van life on the weekends, hoping to inspire more parents to find creative ways to meet their goals holistically and not have to step away from professional goals unless it’s truly what they wanted to do.

What if life does come with a map?

In this episode, Katie Sweetman, a New York-based astrologer shares how astrology can deepen our understanding of our purpose, talents, and the work that truly brings us joy and wellbeing.

Katie began her consultancy, Empowering Astrology, in 2010 to help people use astrology as a tool for uncovering purpose and meaning in their lives.

According to Katie, each of us comes into this world with a unique map—a blueprint for our life.

Sara found Katie last year and set up a consultation with her. Sara was drawn to her approach because Katie doesn’t treat astrology as a way to predict the future. Instead, she talks about it as a way to understand time—the energy of time. Her style is educational and empowering, helping people discover their own answers through the lens of astrology.

In addition to her consultancy, Katie educates and inspires her growing community with resources on her website, regular articles on astrology and the influence of planetary movements, and a podcast called Empowering Astrology.

You can learn more about Katie’s work at: empoweringastrology.com