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You can have a retirement plan that works on paper and still feel uneasy about what comes next.

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Chris Pollard, West Point graduate, U.S. Army veteran, and principal of Great Path Planning, about retirement planning beyond the spreadsheet.

Chris shares his personal story, including the early loss that shaped his awareness of time, the pressure and intensity of West Point and Iraq, and how those experiences inform the way he now helps families plan for retirement. With over 15 years guiding high-net-worth clients, Chris has seen that financial readiness doesn’t automatically bring peace.

This conversation explores why worry can linger even when the numbers check out, why spending often feels harder than saving, and how real retirement planning includes identity, purpose, relationships, and how you actually want to live your days.

What You’ll Hear

• Why retirement worry persists even with a solid plan
• Chris’s story: early loss, West Point, Iraq, and transition into financial planning
• The emotional side of spending after a lifetime of saving
• What it means to plan for time, structure, and meaning in retirement
• Why “enough” is not only a number

Great Path Planning:
https://www.greatpathfp.com

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Growth changes direction.

In this episode of Your Next Success, Cecilia Zapata-Harms shares how nearly 30 years of leadership in life science and healthcare prepared her to build something new, something aligned with who she had become.

Cecilia is the Founder and Executive Director of Women, Life and Science, the community behind the annual Women, Life and Science Conference. She also supports early-stage innovators through Palmetto Innovasphere, helping strengthen the life science startup ecosystem.

This conversation explores:
• Recognizing growth-driven shifts
• Leading with expansion rather than preservation
• Shared success as a strategic leadership model
• Building ecosystems that support innovation
• Creating community with intention

Join us for the fabulous Women Life and Science conference and retreat on April 30, 2026  https://wlscience.com/wlscience-conference-2026

Women, Life and Science: wlscience.com
Palmetto Innovasphere: innovaspheresc.org

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What happens when you do everything “right” and still feel disconnected from yourself. Angie Hawkins knows that experience from the inside. In this episode, Angie shares her path from being a high achiever chasing love and approval, to rebuilding her identity after an emotional rock bottom. You will hear how childhood dreams, grief, nervous system work, and courageous honesty became part of her return to self.

This conversation is for you if you have done therapy, read the books, tried the spiritual path, and you still sense there is more available. More peace. More self trust. More joy that feels real.

What you will hear 

• The identity shift from chasing approval to choosing yourself
• How childhood clues point to what is true
• Why stability can look safe and still feel misaligned
• The moment Angie heard “it’s not your time” and everything changed
• Creating your own rules for life, and living with integrity
• What it looks like to shine from the inside

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When was the last time you felt real awe and what if that feeling is a career clue?

Filmmaker Chris Baron shares his extraordinary path from science and scientific sales to documentary filmmaking for the BBC, National Geographic, Disney+, and Curiosity Stream. Chris opens up about the turning point that changed everything: walking away from a major bonus to take an unpaid BBC internship and choosing the path that unlocked his greatest success.

This conversation is about curiosity, alignment, and defining authentic success from the inside out.

In this episode, you'll hear

• How growing up across continents helped him learn adaptability
• The moment Chris realized “success on paper” still felt misaligned
• Why he chose an unpaid BBC internship over a big bonus
• Extreme filmmaking, rapid problem solving, and living inside awe

To learn more about Chris find him on Instagram @chrisbaron7 and check out his podcast No Ordinary Monday. 

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What happens when success starts as survival, and then becomes a choice you make on purpose?

In this episode, Drewbie Wilson shares his story from a rough childhood and early “figure it out” mindset to building real success through sales, service, and identity-level change. We talk about the health journey behind losing 100+ pounds, the career moves that took him from insurance to software to VP of Sales, and why the fastest path forward is action backed by integrity.

If you’ve been thinking, I can’t keep doing this, this episode gives you a powerful reset.

In this episode, you will hear

• Why success initially meant survival
• How boredom and a need for control shaped Drewbie early
• The real story behind losing 100+ pounds and the mindset shift that followed
• Why the traditional “path” didn’t make sense to him
• The moment he realized he was in the wrong business
• How serving others created unexpected opportunity
• His definition of authentic success: crush the day before it crushes you

Learn more here https://callthedamnleads.com

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Rob Rene’s life has been shaped by sudden impact and unexpected mercy. A Division I runner with a clear plan, he was hit by a truck during a winter training run and nearly died. That moment changed everything. Years later, he built a successful career in enterprise technology sales, while quietly battling addiction and watching his wellbeing slip.

Then came another turning point: the pandemic. Rob’s job changed, his time opened up, and he began researching health, faith, and what it means to live with intention. That season helped lead him into sobriety, a deeper relationship with God, and a growing passion for practical wellness strategies and responsible health information in an AI-driven world.

In this conversation, you’ll hear Rob’s full arc, and you’ll also walk away with a simple set of daily practices that make health feel doable again.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• How one accident rerouted Rob’s entire identity and future
• The long road from achievement to addiction to sobriety
• How the pandemic became a “second truck” turning point
• Why research, discernment, and personal responsibility matter
• Rob’s simple daily wellness list: hydration, sunlight, grounding, breathing, nutrients, movement, and gratitude
• Rob’s definition of authentic success: living as a faithful servant and making a difference

Guest link: biohackingville.com

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What does it take to lose everything and rebuild a life grounded in purpose, clarity, and joy?

In this episode, I talk with Anil Gupta, bestselling author, global speaker, and creator of The Happiness Formula. Anil shares how he grew up in Kenya and London, became an optometrist, moved to Florida, lost everything in 2008, and then rebuilt his life through awareness, service, and emotional transformation.

You’ll hear the moment his wife met his deepest fear with compassion, how that lifted years of shame in an instant, and how it launched him into a mission that led to speaking on global stages and helping people transform their relationships and their lives.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why awareness is the gateway to clarity, focus, and aligned action
• How the Happiness Formula (Give, Grow, Gratitude) works in real life
• Why forgiveness is the express pathway to freedom
• The role of systems, boundaries, and emotional presence in family and work
• Why receiving is just as important as giving
• What authentic success means to him now

Anil’s story is a powerful reminder that progress is success, and that your next chapter can begin in the very moment you choose awareness.

To learn more about Anil, visit https://meetanil.com/

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What happens when your drive to win collides with the reality of the life you’re actually living?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal is joined by Chaz Wolfe, serial entrepreneur and founder of Gathering The Kings for an honest conversation about identity, ambition, and building a life that can actually hold your success.

Chaz started working at 12, and was buying seven-figure franchises in his 20s. From the outside, he was the definition of a high performer. But along the way, there were quiet wake-up calls: almost missing the birth of a child, seeing a family photo he wasn’t in, and realizing that “I’m doing this for my family” didn’t match how it felt inside his family.

We talk about:

• “Grateful but not done” — the mindset that lets him stay ambitious and grounded
• Why entrepreneurs don’t need less drive — they need more intention in every area of life
• The origin story of Gathering The Kings and why he built a true peer-to-peer mastermind
• How faith, family, health, and business fit together when you want to win in all areas

If you’ve ever felt that tension between loving what you’re building and wondering what it’s costing you, this conversation will help you pause, reflect, and re-align.

Connect with Chaz: gatheringthekings.com

If you’ve ever felt that tension between loving what you’re building and wondering what it’s costing you, this conversation will help you pause, reflect, and re-align.

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What if the map you’ve been following isn’t yours anymore?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Shelley McIntyre, reinvention partner for Gen X professionals and creator of Burn the Map. 

After decades in tech and consulting, Shelley realized she had overridden her values, lost her curiosity, and outgrown the roles she was performing.
 Her return to alignment, through theater, grief recovery, and deep identity work  shaped her life’s next chapter and the transformational work she now offers midlife professionals.

You’ll hear:

•  How early belonging and creativity shape identity
•  Why resistance is often unprocessed grief
•  How loss of curiosity signals misalignment
•  What happens when competence replaces connection
•  Why midlife is both an unraveling and an awakening
•  How to build a next chapter that reflects who you’ve become

Explore Shelley’s work at https://burnthemapcoaching.com

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What if the next step in your life has been whispering to you all along?

In this episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Anna Quigley as she shares how intuition guided her through career shifts, personal turning points, and the deeper purpose that kept calling her forward.

You'll hear:

• How intuition communicates through your senses
• Why midlife often opens a new chapter instead of a crisis
• The breadcrumbs in your life that reveal your purpose
• Ways to strengthen intuitive decision-making

Download Anna’s free intuition guide at http://intuitiongift.com/

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Burnout doesn’t always arrive as collapse. Often, it arrives quietly, through responsibility, competence, and a life that slowly starts to feel smaller.

In this solo episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal explores the lived experience of depletion and why capable, reliable people so often lose access to their energy, clarity, and sense of possibility. This conversation looks beneath the surface of burnout to what’s really happening in the nervous system, and why exhaustion is often a form of protection rather than failure.

If you’ve been showing up, carrying weight, and wondering why rest no longer restores you, this episode will feel deeply familiar.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why burnout often hides behind competence and responsibility
• How energy depletion quietly reshapes your life
• What happens when pressure replaces alignment
• Why clarity and aliveness return before motivation
• How recognizing the signal becomes the beginning of change

If this resonates and you’re ready to explore support, reach out and talk with Caroline https://calendly.com/caroline_next_success/free-15-min-consultation

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What happens when you do everything right and it still feels wrong?

In part two of the conversation Dr. Caroline Sangal had with Dr. Jessie and Omar Ferreria, they talk about the season where purpose became unavoidable. You’ll hear about layoffs, identity loss, depression, financial pressure, and the kind of career disappointment that forces you to ask bigger questions.

Dr. Jessie shares the long road of earning multiple degrees and the shock of doors closing after years of work. Omar shares the mission drift he witnessed in youth development and the moment he knew he had to walk away. Together, they reveal how A Soul’s Quest was born,  as a lifeline.

Highlights:
 • When “success” stopped feeling like success
 • The hidden cost of closed doors and misalignment
 • Toxic workplace effects on confidence and integrity
 • The real origin story of A Soul’s Quest

Learn more about Dr. Jessie and Omar Ferreria at ASQempowerment.com

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Lin Wu fled China as a child during the Communist revolution, came to the U.S. at sixteen, and had to start over completely on his own—right down to working in a broom shop to afford school. He went on to study engineering, enter the computer industry, and help build some of the fastest computers of the era in the early days of Silicon Valley.

In this conversation, Lin shares the turning points that shaped his life: leaving everything behind at six, being dropped into America at sixteen with $600, navigating school and work, and building a career through focus, strategy, and persistence.

Lin’s memoir: Destination Silicon Valley: From Broom Shop to Supercomputer
https://www.amazon.com/Destination-Silicon-Valley-Broom-Supercomputer-ebook/dp/B0FVGF1BKR

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Some stories begin long before the pivot. They begin in childhood, in the early shaping of identity, and in the quiet pressure to be who the world expects.

In part one od Dr. Caroline Sangal's conversation with Dr. Jessie and Omar Ferreria, they share the early chapters of their lives before A Soul’s Quest ever existed. You’ll hear about formative family dynamics, what it feels like to grow up as an outsider, the inner tension of carrying responsibility while still searching for belonging, and how their paths crossed at the Boys and Girls Club.

This episode is about the becoming that happens before you have language for it. The chapters that shape you, even when you think you are just trying to get through the day.

In this episode you'll hear:
 • The identity shaping experiences that formed Dr. Jessie and Omar early on
 • How the Boys and Girls Club became a pivotal turning point in both of their lives
 • Why emotional safety changed everything in their connection
 • What it looks like when you start becoming yourself in real time

To learn more about Dr. Jessie and Omar Ferreria please visit their website ASQempowerment.com

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As I record this episode, the news is full of a major winter storm forecast. And by the time you’re listening, you already know what happened. That’s the doorway into today’s real topic.

Because storms reveal something deeper. The forecast can steal your peace before anything happens. The fear of the future can rob your present joy. And the fear of the past can do it too.

In this short solo episode, I give you a practical tool you can use in real storms and mental storms. Control, Influence, Release. This is how you shift from anxious energy to grounded energy and create your next success from where you actually have power.

In this episode, you’ll learn

• How to sort any stressor into control, influence, or release
• The Control Filter that calms your nervous system quickly
• The difference between preparing and rehearsing
• How this applies to career uncertainty and feeling miserable at work
• A 30 second reset you can use anytime

If you want to go deeper and assess how much your mind is working for you versus against you, email me. I’ll send you two free assessments and invite you to a one on one call to talk through what you learn and what it means for your next success.
Email: caroline@nextsuccesscareers.comor access the assessments and scheduling now at https://nextsuccesscareers.com/mental-fitness

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What happens when a chemist and lifelong martial artist decides to fix his business finances like a lab experiment?

In this episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with with Dr. Dan Bamper, a PhD chemist, teacher, martial artist, and Profit Coach who now serves as a fractional CFO for 7 figure contractors and trades business owners.

Dan shares how an eight year PhD journey, burnout in grad school, a 270 student martial arts school, and a high level role at a nuclear waste repository all led to his current work. Along the way, he discovered that the same skills that helped him run complex experiments could be used to read financial data, build systems, and help business owners finally see where their money is going.

You will hear how he scaled his own dojo by roughly 150 thousand dollars in a year, why he left a secure government job, and how he now helps business owners keep more of the money they make without endless hustle.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How martial arts shaped Dan’s mindset around discipline, perseverance, and leadership
• The reality of grad school burnout and how returning to martial arts helped him reconnect with his own power
• What he learned inside the Department of Energy working on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and how that sharpened his systems thinking
• How he turned a bookkeeping side hustle into Black Belt Ledgers and began helping 7 figure contractors add six figures in profit
• The simple metrics he tracks so owners can stop guessing and start making data informed decisions

Connect with Dan - Join Dan’s free Skool community for business owners who want to get clear on their numbers and build profit driven systems:
 https://www.skool.com/chief-financial-you

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What happens when life keeps shifting the path beneath your feet?

In this episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Jake Isaacs, Serial Integrator and Co-Founder of Gathering The Kings as he shares the turning points that shaped his leadership, his resilience, and his definition of success.

We explore:

• How constant childhood moves shaped his adaptability
• The cost of high performance when relationships and well-being are left behind
• The wake-up calls that led him to rebuild his life more than once
• How he now guides entrepreneurs toward clarity, structure, and healthier success

If you’ve ever felt pulled toward a different chapter or sensed that something in your life needed realignment, this conversation offers perspective, encouragement, and a grounded path forward.

Connect with Jake: https://gatheringthekings.com/

Explore more career and life alignment resources: nextsuccesscareers.com

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Have you ever woken up ready to follow through, and by the end of the day your goal feels far away? That experience holds a message. Your system responds to real life, real pressure, and real emotions.

In this solo action episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal helps you connect to the deeper why underneath your goals so you move with staying power, even when the calendar tightens and your energy shifts.

You’ll learn a simple way to notice which inner voice is leading, and you’ll practice a fast reset that brings you back into alignment so your next step stays available.

Highlights

• How your why creates staying power when emotions shift
• Two inner voices and how to lead from the steady one
• Seven why starters that help you name what matters most
• A 10 second reset that brings you back to the next step
• One aligned action that builds resilience in real life

Listen to the prior episode on mental fitness here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2446588/episodes/17358235

or watch here: https://youtu.be/2r4YE85-vzU?si=swVfyd3-OWsisykp

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What happens when the career you built and the values you hold collide?

In this episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Bob Martin, former federal prosecutor turned meditation teacher. Bob’s years handling mob-related cases in Miami brought intense pressure, moral complexity, and moments that forced him to question the life he was living. His wake-up call became the doorway to a radically different chapter — one grounded in meditation, integrity, and inner clarity.

Inside this episode:

•  The hidden emotional toll of high-stakes legal work
•  The moral line Bob refused to cross — and what it awakened in him
•  How meditation became his path to agency and peace
•  Why clarity often begins where identity unravels
• The practices that help rebuild purpose from the inside out

Explore Bob’s work → https://awiseandhappylife.com
Explore Caroline’s work → https://nextsuccesscareers.com

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Some say life will knock you down. Sometimes it knocks you down twice.

Dan MacQueen’s story began with persistent headaches that seemed like an annoying problem, until they became impossible to ignore. An optometrist visit led to a sealed envelope and a direct trip to the hospital. What followed was emergency brain surgery, a brain hemorrhage, weeks in a coma, and months of rehab where Dan had to relearn how to walk, talk, and smile.

Today, Dan is a keynote speaker and storyteller who helps teams reframe setbacks, shift perspective, and become better than yesterday through practical, action oriented life hacks.

In this episode, Dan shares the mindset shifts that helped him rebuild after two brain surgeries—and how you can apply them right now.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How a “minor” symptom turned into a sealed envelope, a hospital, and a life changing medical crisis
• The mindset shift that helped him move from shock to forward motion
• A perspective reframe that changed his experience of recovery without changing the environment
• Practical life hacks he uses to protect energy, stay organized, and keep momentum building

If you have ever wondered how people rebuild after the unthinkable, this episode is for you. 

Visit  https://www.macqueendan.com/ to learn more about Dan.

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We're adding some short episodes to help you start your week taking action towards your next success! 

Buzzsprout sent me my 2025 podcast recap—31 episodes, 1,336 minutes, listeners in 47 countries and 376 cities, with 2,081 audio downloads. The numbers are fun… and they don’t tell the real story.

In this short solo episode, I share how I committed to an internet radio show in late 2024—invested, planned, lined up 13 guests—and then a business sale changed the trajectory. The platform shifted, the “network” restarted from zero, and I had to decide what to do next. That detour became the reason Your Next Success exists as a podcast today.

Reflection questions:

• What “didn’t work out” but created space for something better-aligned to emerge?
• If you treated the reroute as information, what is it telling you?
• What is one next right thing you can do in the next 24 hours that restores momentum?

If you’re in a reroute and want clarity on your next move, book a call with me at nextsuccesscareers.com. If this episode helped you, follow/subscribe and share it with someone who needs it.

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What happens when your life looks incredibly successful on paper, but inside, something feels off?

In this episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Alan Lazaros, Founder and CEO of Next Level University, a global top 100 podcast with more than 2,200 episodes. Alan opens up about the patterns that shaped him as a young high achiever, the instability that drove his early ambition, and the wake-up call that shifted everything.

We explore:

• How early loss and upheaval shaped his drive
• The quiet exhaustion of being a “chameleon” achiever
• The head-on collision that became his turning point
• The three major phases of his journey
• How he now structures his days around clarity and purpose

If you’re a high achiever who looks successful but feels misaligned, this episode offers language, perspective, and hope for your next chapter. 

To learn more about Alan and his work check out  https://www.nextleveluniverse.com/ They offer everything from a free book club and monthly masterclass to paid group and individual coaching programs.

And, of course, remember to subscribe, share, and explore more at nextsuccesscareers.com.

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What if the things you do “just for fun” are actually clues to your calling?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Adam Torres, Co-Founder of Mission Matters and host of the Mission Matters series of shows, ranked in the top 2.5% of podcasts worldwide.

Adam grew up in southwest Detroit, where survival and possibility lived side by side. As a kid, he turned hobbies into small businesses: selling comic books, keeping action figures sealed as collectibles, and airbrushing Wu-Tang sweatshirts for classmates. Later, he built a successful career in financial services, eventually managing relationships for more than 400 families with a cumulative net worth over $500 million.

Then a flooded office, a pile of ruined certificates, and a persistent inner nudge led him to walk away from finance and step fully into media. Today, Mission Matters is a media, branding, and book publishing agency with a catalogue of more than 100,000 pieces of content and over 6,000 interviews recorded.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How Adam’s childhood in Detroit formed his relationship with money, risk, and responsibility
• The recurring pattern where “this started as fun” turns into real revenue and impact
• The night his licenses and certificates were destroyed and why he saw it as confirmation
• How Mission Matters grew from a podcast into publishing, PR, and events by simply saying “yes” to what people asked for

If you’re a high achiever who senses there is more in you than your current title, this episode offers encouragement, perspective, and a practical example of what it looks like to build a mission from the ground up.

To connect with Adam and follow his content, tips and advice follow him on instagram at @AskAdamTorres

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What happens when your life looks full — yet something inside you knows you’re meant for more?

In this episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with author and global speaker Cortney McDermott, whose journey moves from a chaotic childhood in Chicago to London, France, Italy, corporate boardrooms, global stages, and ultimately, a profound internal awakening.

Cortney shares how achievement became a substitute for belonging, why success didn’t feel like success, and what shifted when she finally listened to her intuition.

You’ll hear:

• the inner signals that tell you you’re ready for a new chapter
• how crisis, curiosity, and intuition guided Cortney’s reinvention
• the moment she realized she was “miserably successful”
• why simplicity is often the most powerful form of truth
  
  

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When your career suddenly shifts in a direction you didn’t choose, it can shake everything: your confidence, your identity, and your sense of what’s possible next. Dr. Caroline Sangal is joined by Kelly Schuknecht, a marketing strategist who rebuilt her professional path with honesty, clarity, and a commitment to leading authentically. 

In this conversation, you'll hear:

• The emotions that show up when a job ends before you're ready
• How Kelly began reimagining her work and her role in a new way
• What authentic leadership looks like day-to-day
• The connection between visibility, clarity, and confidence
• Encouragement for anyone in the middle of their own “What now?” moment

Whether you’re navigating a transition or sensing one on the horizon, Kelly’s story will give you perspective, steadiness, and hope for your own next success.

Connect with Kelly:
Website: kellyschuknecht.com
Podcast: Beyond the Bestseller
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kellyschuknecht

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What if your next career step isn’t about certainty — but curiosity?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal speaks with Carlee Wolfe, a leadership strategist, talent advisor, and coach whose career has woven through Olympic and Paralympic programs, Under Armour, Hyatt Hotels, and purpose-driven nonprofit work.

Carlee’s story is rooted in connection, movement, and a willingness to explore what’s possible — from childhood adventures in Chicago to marching band at Arizona State, to working inside world-class athletic programs, to leading learning and transformation inside global organizations.

You’ll hear:

✨ How curiosity guided Carlee’s biggest career moves
 ✨ What adults really need to learn and grow at work
 ✨ The role AI can play in developing skills and confidence
 ✨ Why community and connection matter for every career stage
 ✨ How to think about your next step when you feel ready for more

Carlee’s perspective is grounded, human, and refreshingly real — and this conversation will inspire you to explore what’s possible in your own journey.

🎧 Connect with Carlee → https://www.linkedin.com/in/carleeawolfe

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In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Dr. Danny Brassell, affectionately known as “Jim Carrey with a Ph.D.”—a globally recognized speaker, author, and coach who’s helped thousands of leaders and entrepreneurs turn communication into connection.

Danny’s journey spans journalism, teaching, speaking, and coaching. He shares his path from overcoming a childhood stutter to building a career that empowers others to lead with purpose and joy.

You’ll hear:
How setbacks can lead to your purpose

Why storytelling is your most powerful leadership skill

How to speak with authenticity instead of perfection

Practical ways to turn your message into impact

🌐 Learn more about Danny → https://wellcraftedstoryworkshop.com/workshop

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In this episode of Your Next Success, Caroline sits down with Steve Jaffe, author of The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery. Steve has lived through four layoffs in 25 years, and each one reshaped his understanding of identity, work, and worth.

Together, they explore the emotional reality of job loss — the grief, the shock, the shame, the pause, and the rebuilding.

If you are navigating a layoff, still processing one, or supporting someone who is, this conversation will bring clarity, grounding, and compassion.

In this episode we explore:

• The emotional stages of a layoff
• Why shame after job loss feels so heavy
• How identity becomes tied to your work
• What helped Steve move from grief to renewal
• How to re-enter the job search with confidence

Connect with Steve Jaffe:

Website: thestevejaffe.com
Book: The Layoff Journey (Amazon)
LinkedIn: Steve Jaffe
Instagram: @stevejaffe
Substack: The Layoff Journey Blog

Resources Mentioned:

• The Layoff Journey by Steve Jaffe
• Your Next Success: After the Layoff series

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What if your next chapter begins when you stop doing and start leading?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal speaks with Walter Dusseldorp, founder of TheDutchMentor.com — a lifelong learner, paramedic, flight instructor, author, and leadership mentor helping professionals move from doing to leading with purpose.

From the farms of Holland to hospital boardrooms and helicopter flights, Walter’s story weaves humility, discipline, and heart. He shares how one life-changing moment at 14 set him on a path of service and how emotional intelligence became the foundation for true leadership.

You’ll hear:

•  How a single event shaped a lifetime of leadership
•  What operational rhythm means and how it transforms performance
•  Why emotional intelligence is a muscle — not a soft skill
•  The difference between managing tasks and leading people

🌐 Connect with Walter at TheDutchMentor.com where you can book a FREE strategy call to discuss your journey and identify ways you might be able to collaborate.

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What if the version of success you built isn’t the one meant for you?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal sits down with Ray Martin, author of Life Without a Tie and founder of The Daily Explorer.

Ray is an entrepreneur, award-winning business leader, coach, mentor, facilitator, speaker, writer, and mindfulness teacher. After decades of achievement, he realized that success without authenticity was empty—and began a new journey toward simplicity, freedom, and joy.

You’ll hear:

•  The moment Ray realized he needed to redefine success
•  How to know when achievement has replaced alignment
•  Why letting go opens space for fulfillment
•  What authentic success looks like after the fast lane

 🌿 Learn more about Ray → https://lifewithoutatie.com

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What if success isn’t something you earn—but something you align with?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Garrett Wood, founder of Gnosis Therapy, about what happens when high achievers push too far and forget to bring their wellbeing along for the journey.

Garrett’s path spans corporate leadership, fitness coaching, and neuroscience-based hypnotherapy. After his own experience with chronic pain and burnout, he began helping others restore balance—body, mind, and spirit—through evidence-based, compassionate work.

You’ll hear:

•  How chronic pain can signal emotional overload
•  Why burnout is more than exhaustion—it’s a nervous system pattern
•  The surprising relationship between ADHD and rest
•  How to create success built through wellbeing, not at its expense

This episode invites you to pause, listen to what your body is trying to tell you, and redefine success on your own terms.

Discover the Hidden Dynamics Behind Your Burnout and find out what’s really keeping you stuck in stress and the exact steps to move beyond burnout: https://gnosistherapy.scoreapp.com

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What if your next opportunity isn’t waiting in another online application—but in how you tell your story?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal sits down with Amy L. Adler, President of Five Strengths Career Transition Experts, to talk about how powerful storytelling transforms careers.

Amy is one of the most respected voices in the executive career space. Since founding her firm in 2009, she has helped hundreds of leaders and their teams clarify their message, communicate value, and earn roles aligned with their purpose. She holds multiple top industry certifications, including Certified Executive Resume Master, Certified Master Resume Writer, and Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert, and is the author of Courageous Career Change: Fearlessly Earn the Executive Role You Deserve.

In this conversation, Amy shares what makes a resume work, how to move beyond bullet points to authentic stories of impact, and why confidence begins with clarity.

You’ll hear:
 ✔️ How to transform a resume from a list of duties into a story of results
 ✔️ Why data and storytelling together build credibility
 ✔️ What AI tools miss when they try to “write” for you
 ✔️ How to stand out with integrity in a noisy job market
 ✔️ The one mindset shift that makes career storytelling easier—and more human

🎧 Listen now and learn more about Amy’s work at https://www.fivestrengths.com.

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 What if your next chapter isn’t something you chase—but something you grow?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal sits down with Tigrilla Gardenia, a Nature-Inspired Mentor, certified coach, and World Ambassador for Plant Advocacy, whose journey from sound engineering and Big Tech to plant intelligence and purpose will change how you see growth and success.

Tigrilla helps creative multipotentialites—people with many passions—live authentic, purpose-driven lives in collaboration with the plant world. Together, we explore how nature models alignment, collaboration, and calm creation—and what happens when you stop forcing and start listening.

You’ll hear:
 ✔️ How listening to the quiet signals of life leads to clarity and direction
 ✔️ The moment Tigrilla heard plants make music—and how it transformed everything
 ✔️ Why forcing outcomes blocks creativity, but presence creates momentum
 ✔️ How to grow your career like a living system—rooted, aligned, and alive

🎧 Listen now and learn more about Tigrilla’s work at tigrillagardenia.com.

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What if the biggest barrier to your next role—or your next chapter—is your own mindset?

In this episode, Dr. Al Bramante blends psychology, hypnosis, and NLP with decades of experience as a talent agent to help people rise above self-sabotage and finally step into their potential. His unique approach helps artists, career changers, and high achievers overcome internal blocks that keep them stuck.

💡 In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How subconscious patterns shape your success and how to reprogram them
• Why talent and hard work aren’t enough without inner alignment
• How to move from fear and self-doubt to clarity and confidence
  
  

Visit Al's website to purchase hypnosis recordings: www.albertbramante.com 

Connect with Dr. Al Bramante on Instagram @dr.albramante to learn more about his work in performance psychology and mindset coaching. 

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A full calendar can look like success. Sometimes it’s just a belief you absorbed early.

In this episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal is joined by Wes Towers, founder of Uplift 360, to talk about the definition of success he picked up as a kid: busy equals important, and how his perspective evolved into building real value, protecting time for family, and designing work around life.

We also talk about trust in a noisy world, the power of clear communication without jargon, why niching down works, and how Wes is using AI as an assistant to streamline operations while keeping human connection at the center.

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What if the next level of your success isn’t about climbing higher — but thinking better?

John Knowlton has lived that truth. From pastor to co-founder of a wealth-management firm managing over $1 billion in assets, he’s learned that growth without alignment eventually costs too much. After selling his firm and taking a family-first sabbatical, John now helps Christian CEOs lead with purpose through C12 and his upcoming book, Thinking for Success.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• The two-week time study that exposed what was really driving, and draining, his growth
• How hiring to your constraint created freedom instead of burnout
• Why a family-first sabbatical became the turning point for clarity and peace
• How story-driven mental models help leaders and teams think better every day

Get your free chapter of Thinking for Success → thinkingforsuccess.com

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What if your next big career decision wasn’t about climbing higher - but choosing wiser?

After more than forty years in higher education, Dr. Tara S. Singer has seen it all - great mentors and tough bosses, leaps of faith and gut-wrenching choices to walk away.

As the former CEO and President of Omicron Delta Kappa and now a senior consultant with Academic Search, Tara shares the wisdom that only comes from a lifetime of leading, learning, and listening to your own intuition.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why the right boss can make — or break — your career
• How to recognize red and yellow flags your intuition is already showing you
• What “leaving things better than you found them” really looks like in leadership

Tara’s story is a reminder that success isn’t about collecting titles — it’s about collecting wisdom. Every season of your career holds lessons if you’re willing to pause and listen.

🔗 Connect with Tara:
 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-singer/
Academic Search → https://academicsearch.org/

🎙️ About Your Next Success:
 Your Next Success with Dr. Caroline Sangal explores the turning points, decisions, and mindset shifts that shape authentic success — the kind that aligns who you are, what you do best, and the life you’re meant to live.

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What happens when you refuse to succumb to your circumstances and instead choose to reinvent and rise in glory?

Dr. Naeema Olatunji’s story moves from childhood secrets to healing, heartbreak, and a cycling accident that became a divine disruption. A chiropractor, reinvention coach, and author of Raised as a Lie, Naeema shows how the hardest moments can reveal who we truly are—and what’s possible next.

In this conversation we explore:

• The hidden truth that reshaped Naeema’s identity and future
• How she transformed pain, divorce, and loss into purpose
• What it means to heal from the inside out—body, mind, and spirit
• How disruption can become divine direction
• The power of surrender, travel, and rediscovery

✨ Resources Mentioned
Download her free Before the RISE mini journal: https://www.everydamnthing.org/s/Before-the-Rise-Journal-t9h8.pdf
Connect with Naeema:

DrNaeema.com
Instagram & Facebook @DrNaeema

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-naeema-olatunji/

 Books: Raised as a Lie, coming soon:Your Possibility Era , and Every Damn Thing – Your Disruption Manual

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What do you do when life keeps throwing punches?

Neena Perez knows firsthand how to rise with grit, grace, and God. From childhood abuse, teen motherhood, and domestic violence to a God moment that released her into culinary school, Neena’s journey is proof that your past doesn’t define your future—it can fuel your purpose.

In this powerful conversation, Neena shares how she transformed survival into resilience, resilience into impact, and impact into a legacy of helping women step boldly into their God-given calling.

We talk about:
 • The kitchen as her childhood “pocket of joy”
 • The two words that changed her life: “You’re released”
 • What it took to graduate as valedictorian after being told she’d amount to nothing
 • Why healing is the foundation for authentic success
 • How she blends food, faith, and truth-telling through her podcast Straight Talk, No Sugar Added and her new project, The Purpose-Filled Kitchen

Neena’s story is a reminder that authentic success isn’t about waiting for perfect conditions—it’s about choosing courage in the middle of the mess.

Listen now and discover how you, too, can turn your story into fuel for your purpose.

Learn more about Neena Perez

• Get a copy of her book, Hit Me with Your Best Shot: https://a.co/d/gO1xXsX
• Check out Neena's free Masterclass so you can build your dream life and create financial freedom: https://go.neenaperez.com/optin-page
• Listen to her podcast Straight Talk No Sugar Added wherever you get your podcasts, or watch it on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@straighttalknosugaradded

Connect with her at

• https://www.instagram.com/straighttalknosugaradded/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/neenaperez/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@straighttalknosugaradded

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What happens when a federal program manager leaves government service and turns her insider knowledge into a business that helps others thrive?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Julia Barzyk shares her transition from managing a $6M+ geoscience and engineering research portfolio at the U.S. Army Research Office to founding Wise Investigator—a strategic coaching practice for university researchers seeking funding.

You’ll hear about:

• The moment Julia realized it was time to make a change
• The behind-the-scenes realities of federal research funding
• What most scientists misunderstand about proposal strategy
• How she built a business around a gap she saw in academia
• How career transitions affect identity—and what helped her find peace with leaving a prestigious role
• Her perspective on authentic success now, as a business owner and mentor

Julia’s story is a powerful example of how technical expertise, when paired with vision and empathy, can be reshaped into something deeply fulfilling—and wildly impactful.

Links: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-barzyk/

https://www.youtube.com/@wiseinvestigator

https://wiseinvestigator.beehiiv.com/

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What does it really take to let the truest version of you lead?

In this powerful episode of Your Next Success, host Dr. Caroline Sangal sits down with Natalie Siston—keynote speaker, author of Let Her Out, and the Lead Global Presenter at Positive Intelligence®—to explore how to navigate career shifts with clarity, authenticity, and internal permission.

Natalie opens up about her early corporate career, the unexpected transitions that reshaped her path, and how motherhood, creativity, and mental fitness helped her reconnect to what matters most. She shares how she built a speaking and coaching business rooted in deep service—and how the idea for her book Let Her Out came from decades of unspoken insights finally ready to be shared.

This conversation is for anyone wondering what’s next—especially if you’ve been carrying big dreams for a long time and are finally ready to take the next step.

In This Episode:

• Natalie’s career journey from corporate leadership to creative entrepreneurship
• The story behind Let Her Out—and how journaling became a transformational act
• How Positive Intelligence (PQ) helped her reframe her inner critic
• Navigating transitions with courage, especially after motherhood
• How to define success for yourself—and stay grounded in what matters

Connect with Natalie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliesiston
Website: https://www.nataliesiston.com
Instagram: @NatalieSiston

Let Her Out: https://letherout.com/

Let Her Out information: You haven’t lost yourself. You’ve just buried HER under everyone else’s expectations. Let Her Out is your invitation to reconnect with the version of yourself you were always meant to be. Through stories, coaching prompts, and real-life insights, this bestselling book will help you reignite your passions, release what no longer serves you, and reclaim your identity with confidence.

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What do you do when your career has spanned the globe, your leadership has made a measurable impact, and you still feel called to something more?

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Dr. Lucinda Jackson—a global executive, scientist, author, and speaker—about the choices, turning points, and clarity that shaped her remarkable career and powerful next chapter.

Lucinda has worked in more than 30 countries for four Fortune 500 companies, led international environmental and safety teams, and served as General Manager at Chevron. In her next act, she joined the Peace Corps, launched LJ Ventures, and authored two compelling memoirs:

• Just a Girl: Growing Up Female and Ambitious
•  Project Escape: Lessons for an Unscripted Life

This conversation explores what it means to evolve with intention, stay open to reinvention, and create a life of meaning—no matter what stage you're in.

In this episode, we explore:

• How Lucinda navigated leadership in industries where few women were present
• The mindset that guided her most meaningful transitions
• Her experience moving from global executive to author and advisor
• How writing helped her reflect, realign, and reimagine what’s possible
• Encouragement and clarity for anyone ready to build what comes next

🔗 Resources & Links:
📚 Learn more about Lucinda and her books: www.lucindajackson.com and connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucinda-jackson/

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What if every twist in your path has been preparing you for the exact impact you are meant to make?

In this episode of Your Next Success, I sit down with Penda L. James—author, scribe coach, publisher, and founder of InSCRIBEd Inspiration. Penda has spent her career walking in service: from social work, higher education, and nonprofit leadership, to AmeriCorps and now helping people bring their stories to life through books, journals, plays, and screenplays.

Penda shares her layered journey through seasons of change and service, the early seeds of her calling to write, and the moment she shifted from chasing jobs to creating impact through her gifts. We talk about:

• The difference between helping others and being called to serve them
• How she supports people through the sacred process of telling their stories
• Why she no longer chases money or sacrifices peace
• What authentic success looks like when you stop following other people’s rules and trust your own rhythm

This conversation is especially for those who have walked winding paths, carried multiple roles, and still feel that something inside them is asking to be expressed.

Learn more about Penda’s work and her new novel Running Between Dandelions at pendaljames.com

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What becomes possible when you stop trying to prove yourself and start building something that reflects who you truly are?

In this episode, Dr. Caroline Sangal talks with Dr. Jeff Kiplinger, a PhD chemist, bestselling author, and entrepreneur whose career has spanned scientific leadership, business ownership, and incredible growth through real-world experience.

Jeff shares how he navigated the unexpected loss of his job at Pfizer, a role he once believed would define his entire career, and how that turning point led him to build something of his own. He founded Averica Discovery, grew it through the 2008 recession, sold it successfully, and now helps other science-driven companies grow through smart sales and communication strategies. His story is shaped by resilience, reinvention, and a willingness to figure things out as he went.

Inside this conversation:

• How Jeff discovered his love for science and earned a PhD
• The emotional impact of losing a job and the ripple effects that followed
• What scientists often miss when stepping into entrepreneurship
• How he learned to lead, sell, and communicate in a whole new way
• What success and fulfillment look like now, from rewilding land to singing bluegrass

If you're navigating a career shift or considering a leap into something new, Jeff’s story will help you feel seen, grounded, and inspired to keep moving forward.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Jeff’s book: Expert to Entrepreneur on Amazon
• Jeff’s business: selling-science.com
• Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn

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Many job seekers are taking action, following advice, and putting in consistent effort. Yet despite that, the interviews still aren’t coming.

In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal shares six common mistakes that quietly disrupt even the most well-intentioned job search. These patterns often go unnoticed, but they can have a big impact on whether someone gains traction or stays stuck.

This episode offers clarity and perspective for job seekers who are ready to take a more intentional and aligned approach.

Get the FREE LinkedIn Profile Checklist: https://nextsuccesscareers.com/linkedin-profile-checklist

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What happens when your career looks amazing on paper and your body keeps signaling strain?

In this episode, Caroline talks with Nataly Huff, executive coach and founder of Inspire Forward Coaching, about the hidden cost of high performance, the “professional face” many of us learn to wear, and the moment values make everything come into focus.

Nataly shares her journey from growing up in Russia during major political upheaval, to immigrating to the U.S., to building a high-growth career in marketing and leadership. You’ll hear how success can feel like a dream… until the culture shifts, the systems scale, and your values stop fitting inside the role. This conversation is about finding your way back to alignment, authenticity, and a path that supports both performance and peace.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why high performance can coexist with chronic stress signals
• How values create clarity around what’s sustainable
• The difference between being respected for results and being known as a person
• What “the wrong ladder” really feels like from the inside
• How Nataly helps leaders grow with both neuroscience and heart

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Today we’re diving deep into what it means to reach for control in your life and career and how often that’s actually holding you back from what you truly want.

We explore why questioning your path might be more normal, and more important, than you’ve ever given yourself credit for. We’ll also look at how to begin listening to that quiet voice inside you, your gut, intuition, or maybe God that’s been gently nudging you all along.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

•  The illusion of control and why it’s so tempting to chase
•  How reacting vs. responding changes everything about how you navigate uncertainty
•  Why feeling restless or questioning your career is often a sign you’re exactly on time for your next evolution
•  The predictable turning points when most people start asking if they’re still on the right path
•  How to start noticing what your body and soul are telling you — so you can live more aligned, more alive, and more fully yourself

If you’re feeling an ache for something more, this episode is here to help you slow down, pay attention, and take the next small step toward what truly matters to you.

Want support as you explore what’s next? Visit nextsuccesscareers.com or reach out directly. I’d love to hear your story, your questions, and what you’re dreaming about.

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What if your career could be both brilliant and balanced?

What if everything you’ve achieved—your wins, your failures, your pivots—was actually preparing you for a life that’s more aligned, more meaningful, more you?

In this episode, Dr. Heinz Plaumann shares what it means to live a life fully lived. From global manager in the chemical industry, with over 35 years of international experience, more than 25 patents, and leadership roles across continents—to now mentoring others through career roadmaps, emotional intelligence, and what he calls your “belly fire.”

But Heinz isn’t just a chemist or inventor. He’s also a jazz musician, a teacher, a coach, and the creator of Flashcard Leadership. His story proves that success isn’t just about what you build—it’s about who you become along the way.

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to align your work with the life you truly want, this episode is your reminder that it’s not. Heinz shows you why.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• How Heinz went from science to strategy to coaching
• Why your reputation walks into the room before you do
• The “career roadmap” approach—and how to adapt it as you grow
• The power of emotional intelligence, behavior styles, and being a learn-it-all
• Why success without fulfillment is never truly enough

Favorite Quote

“Don’t be a know-it-all—be a learn-it-all. That’s how you build a life fully lived.”

Resources & Links

• Connect with Heinz: Heinzsight.org
• LinkedIn: Heinz Plaumann
• Watch his Flashcard Leadership videos 

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Have you ever looked around at your life, your job, or your carefully planned-out path and wondered quietly - how did I end up here?

Today’s guest, Kristin Hiemstra, asked herself that same question—and instead of ignoring it, she followed the thread. In this honest and empowering conversation, she shares her journey from burnout to clarity, and from performing success to living in alignment.

Kristin is a TEDx speaker, coach, educator, and founder of The Art of Potential. She’s also an adjunct lecturer at NC State where she teaches emotional intelligence and organizational culture to MBA students. From toxic workplaces and personal reinvention to launching a values-based civic project, Kristin shows us what it looks like to live what matters.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Kristin navigated career confusion with curiosity and courage
• The emotional and physical toll of misalignment—and how she healed from it
• Why emotional intelligence is essential in work and leadership
• What fulfillment really means when you stop checking boxes and start listening within
• How she's creating We the People, a community initiative centered on compassion and agency

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a version of success that doesn’t fit, this conversation will help you reconnect with what matters most and take your next aligned step.

Want more? Watch Kristin's TEDx Talk, Connect with Kristin at www.artofpotential.com, and explore her new initiative at www.wethepeople.community.

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What if the real reason you are stuck is not your resume or strategy but your mind?

In this episode of Your Next Success Dr Caroline Sangal shares the breakthrough that reshaped her coaching method forever The story of one brilliant chemist unlocks the hidden force behind self-sabotage and explains why even the most prepared professionals fall apart under pressure.

You will learn how mental fitness changes everything from how you lead to how you interview to how you show up in life You will also meet the ten saboteurs that hijack your clarity drain your energy and keep you stuck

This episode introduces Positive Intelligence also known as PQ and why it is now a core pillar of the Next Success Method

What You Will Learn

• Why high performers still self-sabotage
• The real difference between emotional intelligence and mental fitness
• How to identify and overcome the ten most common saboteurs
• What the Sage brain is and how to access it during pressure moments
• How to retrain your mind to respond instead of react
• Daily practices to build mental strength in just 15 minutes a day
• Why mental fitness became a foundational part of the Next Success Method

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