Breaking Work – Details, episodes & analysis

#538- Ashley Bright is a former advertising creative director turned entrepreneur and co-founder of Makertank, a platform designed to help founders build sustainable businesses with the right systems and support.

After spending 15 years in the agency world working with major brands like Microsoft and Amazon, Ashley began to question the traditional path of success, especially after a pivotal career setback and the perspective shift that came with becoming a parent. That turning point led to a deeper exploration of storytelling, communication, and ultimately entrepreneurship, where Ashley has spent over a decade navigating the highs and lows of building a business.

In this conversation, Ashley shares honest insights on identity, emotional intelligence, and what it really takes to move from external success to meaningful, self-directed work.

#537- Leila Entezam is a neuroemotional intelligence expert, executive coach, and author of The Heart of Peak Performance. With a unique background in neuroscience, business, and psychology, she helps high performers understand the deeper patterns behind their behavior so they can make more intentional decisions and perform at a higher level.

#528: Sigute Zitikyte is a passionate advocate for multi-potentiality, helping ambitious individuals embrace their diverse interests and build careers that evolve with them. After spending a decade in the "multi-passionate shame cycle," feeling constrained by traditional career expectations, she broke free from a linear path and turned her creative pursuits into a thriving business. Through personal experience, she understands the struggle of balancing ambition with societal norms and now empowers others to confidently forge their own paths, integrating passion, purpose, and financial success.

Sigute's journey from the tech industry to entrepreneurship was fueled by a desire to live life on her own terms—one that values experiences as much as achievements. She now coaches multi-passionate professionals on building an online presence and expanding their income streams with clarity and confidence. By unlearning the need to conform and tuning into their inner voice, her clients gain the courage to create fulfilling careers beyond the conventional 9-to-5. Through her writing, coaching, and personal brand framework, Sigute inspires others to step boldly into their ambitions and craft a life they truly love.

#440: Should you ever go backwards in your career? If you're a long term listener of the podcast, you know I think the answer is absolutely yes. Sometimes the quickest way to get out of a problem and get oriented on a solution is to go back up.

 But it's not for the faint of heart. You have to have some faith and confidence in yourself and the path you choose.

 Here to help us understand all of this and share her own stories is Kelli Rae Thompson.

#439: In this episode, Mike Gardon chats with Adam C. Bandelli. Founder & Managing Director of Bandelli & Associates, Dr. Adam C. Bandelli is an organizational psychologist and seasoned leadership advisor with over twenty years of corporate consulting experience. Adam's calling and purpose in life is to help the leaders identify, embrace, and unleash their true authentic selves. In his latest book Relational Intelligence, he details the five essential skills he has found to create life-changing relationships.

#438: In this episode, Mike Gardon chats with Sara McElroy. Sara McElroy is an ex-chief marketing officer and former hustle culture devotee who reinvented her career and reimagined the way she works after unexpectedly becoming The Wall Street Journal's poster girl for pandemic burnout. 

Tune in to leanr how to quit a job that's taking more than it's giving! 

#437: I have a tough time with expertise, I'm betting you do too.

Last week I did an overview of the Advantage Mapping Strategy. I view this exercise as fundamental to choosing what you do and how you spend your time for the greatest chance of success.

In short, Advantage Mapping is integral to designing your work-life.

Deeply understanding where your advantages lie, set you up for success and focus your energy on activities that have the highest odds of success.

This week I dive into the first source of advantage - your expertise.

#436: In this episode, Mike Gardon chats with Rebekah Bastian. Rebekah is a creator. She's created a startup, a tech movement, a book, multiple written, visual and aerial art pieces, and two humans. She is the CEO & co-founder of OwnTrail and was previously vice president of product and vice president of community and culture at Zillow. Rebekah is the author of the award-winning book Blaze Your Own Trail, a board member of JPEG Morgan and Bellwether Housing, a contributor to Forbes and an investor and advisor to AuthenTech and Web3 companies.

#435: One of the biggest lessons I learned as a trader is that great traders, gamblers and investors only play - or only bet big - when they have an advantage.

Sometimes they win, and sometimes they lose, but over the long term, if they adequately understand their advantage, they will win.

Taken to personal development, the key to investing in yourself is understanding where your competitive advantage lies, then using that advantage for growth.

It needs to be your life's mission to understand your advantage, no matter how small, and press it.

Tune in to learn more!

#434: In this episode, Mike Gardon chats with Joel Bein. Joel Bein is passionate about self-driven learning, creativity, personal growth, and human consciousness. Joel is the CEO at Career Hackers and Founder of New Orleans Chamber Players.