Are you avoiding tough conversations? Is fear of speaking up holding you or your team back? In this episode, Laura Colon sits down with communication expert Ivna Curi to explore the power of bold, assertive communication and how it can transform careers, teams, and organizational culture.

Ivna shares her personal journey from being a quiet, people-pleasing professional to a global voice advocating for assertiveness, leadership, and speaking up. Together, we dive into:

🔹 Why silence can destroy trust and lead to burnout

🔹 How saying no with confidence earns respect

🔹 The link between communication and innovation

🔹 Why being "nice" doesn't get you a seat at the table

🔹 How leaders can model and encourage bold communication

🔹 Tools to overcome fear and navigate feedback

Ivna is helping organizations around the world address their communication challenges and build cultures where people feel safe, respected, and empowered.

🎧 Listen in and start investing in your personal growth today.

✨ Take Ivna’s 10-Day Challenge to learn how to be both likable and assertive - https://assertiveway.aweb.page/beassertiveandliked

🎙️ Subscribe to her podcast: Speak Your Mind Unapologetically - https://assertiveway.com/podcast-speak-your-mind-unapologetically/

Email: ivna@assertivewayinstitute.com

In this episode, we explore how to go beyond the label of "technical expert" and become a trusted advisor. Glenn dives into his journey from customer service to solutions engineering, highlighting how listening, trust, and accountability transform customer relationships. From data security to communication under pressure—this conversation is a blueprint for anyone in customer-facing or technical roles.

🔑 Topics Covered:

• Balancing technical skills with human connection

• Turning around difficult customer relationships

• Why data security and governance matter

• Communicating with honesty and transparency

• Defining customer success beyond renewals

• Career advice for aspiring customer success leaders

🗣 Sound Bites to Remember:

“Stop talking and listen.”

“It’s okay to be truthful.”

“Be the person they trust.”

📌 Chapters:

00:00 – Intro: Meet Glenn May

02:04 – The Evolution of a Tech Professional

04:34 – Balancing Expertise & Relationships

06:01 – Turning Around Challenged Accounts

09:33 – Defining Real Customer Success

12:51 – Listening to Understand

19:06 – The Role of Data Security & Governance

23:59 – Advice for Tech Professionals

27:39 – Learning from Mistakes

33:53 – Career Growth & Final Thoughts

👇 Like, comment, and subscribe for more real stories from professionals rewriting their narrative beyond the job title.

Dan Rivera is open to work, and he’s bringing over 20 years of leadership, mentorship, and training experience to the table. In this powerful episode, Dan shares his journey from military service to global instruction to empowering people through knowledge, storytelling, and purpose.

He opens up about transitioning from doing to teaching, the cultural lessons he's learned, and why mentorship, gratitude, and preparation are essential to personal and professional growth. If you're navigating your own career pivot, Dan’s story will inspire you to own your expertise and embrace what’s next.

📌 Key Topics:

- The art of teaching and translating knowledge

- Navigating career transitions with intention

- Mentorship’s role in leadership and development

- The intersection of anxiety and inaction

- Global cultural lessons from training abroad

- Embracing gratitude, growth mindset, and storytelling

📚 Whether you're navigating a career pivot, managing anxiety, or mentoring the next generation, Dan’s story will leave you inspired to step into your potential and share your journey along the way.

Dan is ready for his next chapter and this episode shows why he’s exactly the kind of leader, mentor, and trainer teams need today.

📢 Let’s help Dan get discovered.

Watch, comment, and share with someone hiring a transformational trainer and trusted mentor.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-rivera-2b37a267/

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs this episode.

#DanRivera #Mentorship #Leadership #Storytelling #CareerTransition #PersonalGrowth #SelfImprovement #Training #Community #AnxietyManagement #GrowthMindset #OpenToWorkPodcast

Are you ready to stop applying and start attracting opportunities? In this episode of Open to Work: Beyond the Label, career coach and hiring expert Lindsay Mustain shares her powerful strategies for career design, personal branding, and becoming the Candidate of Choice in today’s job market.

With over 10,000 hires and a million resumes reviewed, Lindsay unpacks:

* Why most job search strategies are broken

* How to optimize your resume for instant impact

* The power of intentional career design

* Building a standout personal brand

* Relationship-driven networking techniques

* How to clearly articulate your value proposition

Whether you’re job seeking, pivoting, or just craving more from your career, this episode is your guide to taking back control.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔ Your resume must communicate value in seconds

✔ Branding is about being known for something

✔ The best opportunities come from quality connections

✔ It’s time to stop applying and start attracting

🎯 Keywords: career design, job search, resume tips, personal branding, networking, candidate of choice, career coaching, job seeker advice, job market strategies, intentional career design

📌 Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:19 – What Makes a Candidate Stand Out?

06:25 – Resume Insights

11:11 – Intentional Career Design

18:26 – Candidate of Choice Framework

22:13 – Personal Branding Essentials

34:21 – Power of Networking

41:08 – Mindset for Career Success

53:33 – Final Thoughts

👇 Drop your biggest insight or question in the comments—let’s build careers on purpose.

#CareerDesign #JobSearch #ResumeTips #PersonalBranding #CandidateOfChoice #CareerCoaching #NetworkingTips #JobMarket2025

In this episode of Open to Work Beyond the Label, Laura Colon interviews Patrice Silagi, a former teacher who successfully transitioned into tech sales. Patrice shares her inspiring journey, discussing the mindset shifts required for her career change, the doubts she faced, and the importance of building a supportive network. She emphasizes the transferable skills from teaching to sales and offers valuable advice for those considering a career pivot. Patrice's story serves as a beacon of hope for anyone feeling stuck in their current job, proving that with determination and the right mindset, a fulfilling career change is possible.

In this episode of Open to Work: Beyond the Label, host Laura Colon sits down with Avigail Lutwak, a seasoned leader in brand marketing.

Avigail opens up about her path through leadership, career transitions, and how staying true to your values fuels lasting success. She shares how personal branding, social media, and storytelling are not just tools, but transformative forces in building connections and driving results.

They explore the balance between creativity and data in marketing, the dynamics of empowering teams, and why understanding the customer journey is key to driving audience engagement. Avigail’s insights offer both inspiration and actionable strategies for anyone navigating a career pivot, leading a team, or building a brand with authenticity and intention.

Whether you're a marketer, a leader, or someone open to new career opportunities, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you embrace change, tell your story, and grow with purpose.

In this episode, Laura Colón sits down with Hannah Pencek, a powerhouse sales leader known for her servant leadership and people-first approach. Hannah shares her inspiring career journey, from entry-level sales to leadership.

We dive into the real, raw experiences that shaped her leadership style, why sensitivity is her superpower, how empathy drives performance, and the challenges of transitioning from peer to leader. Hannah also offers wisdom on continuous learning, talent management, and the importance of staying true to your values.

Whether you're an aspiring leader or navigating your own career evolution, this episode will leave you feeling seen, inspired, and ready to lead with heart.

🎧 Key Topics:

- Servant leadership & empathy

- Overcoming personal and professional challenges

- Career development and leadership transitions

- Women in business and breaking norms

- Talent management and empowering high performers

📚 Book Mentioned: Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play

📲 Connect with Hannah on LinkedIn!

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear this message.

In this soul-nourishing episode, host Laura Colón sits down with the incredibly grounded and wise Dana Ward, whose journey from program coordinator to personal trainer is anything but linear. Dana opens up about what it really means to not be defined by your job title and why your value goes so much deeper than what’s on your resume.

With a unique blend of humility, humor, and hard-earned insight, Dana shares the power of building strong support systems, how her faith guides her during uncertainty, and why consistency and game planning are non-negotiables for chasing your goals. From career pivots to relationships and religion—we left no stone unturned.

Whether you’re early in your career or navigating your next big move, this episode is packed with takeaways on mindset, motivation, and leading with heart. Dana is a vibe, a visionary, and a reminder that the legacy we build starts with how we treat ourselves and others.

What you’ll walk away with:

→ Why your title doesn’t define you

→ How to strengthen communication and teamwork

→ Advice for young professionals and dream chasers

→ The value of faith, vulnerability, and self-reflection

→ Real talk on motivation, goal-setting, and growth

Book Recommendations from Dana:

→ Wired That Way by Marita Littauer

→ How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

→ How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger

→ Acres of Diamonds by Russell H. Conwell

Listen in and be reminded: What’s for you won’t miss you.

In this powerful episode of Open to Work: Beyond the Label, Laura Colón sits down with resilience and leadership expert Amy Leigh Looper to explore the often-overlooked toll of burnout and how to rise above it. Amy shares details from her personal journey as they dive into what it truly means to build high-performing, resilient teams without sacrificing well-being. Amy offers practical advice for navigating career transitions, honoring your needs, and leading with compassion and clarity.

Whether you're in a season of change, leading others through uncertainty, or simply seeking more balance, this episode will inspire you to slow down, regulate, and redefine success on your own terms.

In this heartfelt episode of Open to Work Beyond the Label, host Laura Colón sits down with her sister, Alisha Colón, to explore her inspiring career pivot from healthcare to human resources. Alisha opens up about being laid off during the pandemic, the emotional toll it took, and how she found strength through family, self-reflection, and persistence. She shares practical advice for job seekers, from the power of networking to the importance of authenticity and research in the interview process. Alisha’s story is a reminder that even in moments of uncertainty, resilience and faith can lead to greater clarity and purpose.