Explore every episode of the podcast Career Coaching With John
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode Eight - Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time | 02 Jun 2025 | 00:23:24 | |
Episode 8: Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time What if the job you’re in isn’t forever—and that’s okay? In this episode, John explores the value of temporary work, misaligned roles, and contract gigs that aren’t your dream job. From polishing cars at the auto show to managing a bike shop, to listening to Trooper blast from a truck stereo—this one’s about showing up, experimenting, and knowing when it’s time to move on. You’ll hear about:
This one’s for the young worker, the burnt-out manager, and anyone stuck in a role that isn’t quite right. You’re not here to play it safe. You’re here to find out who you are—and where you’re going next. Hosted by Career Coach John Fialkowski
Show Notes: www.johnfialkowski.com Music Credits: Theme: Music by AllWorldMusic from Pixabay Intermission: Music by NicholasPanek from Pixabay Outro: Music by nickpanek620from Pixabay | |||
| Episode Seven - Scarcity in a land of plenty - Part Two | 14 May 2025 | 00:24:17 | |
Episode Seven: The Demographic Gridlock From Baby Boomer capital preservation to Millennial risk aversion, this episode explores how wealth, leadership, and opportunity have gotten tangled across generations. We talk about politics, anger, and the Charlton Heston end-of-the-world trilogy you didn’t know you needed. Because this isn’t just an economic story — it’s a story about movement, about why we’re frozen, and what it might take to break free. Hosted by career coach John Fialkowski. Show notes at johnfialkowski.com Music Credits Theme: Music by AllWorldMusic from Pixabay Intermission: Musicby Electronic-Sensesfrom Pixabay | |||
| Episode Six - A Shot Across the Bow | 01 May 2025 | 00:22:20 | |
When a talented employee reaches out across her company to explore new possibilities, her initiative is met with silence, control, and suspicion. In this episode, we explore what it means to be micromanaged, misunderstood, and stuck in survival-mode leadership — and how to reclaim your power anyway. We begin with the story of Frank Farian — the voice behind Boney M and Milli Vanilli — and draw a surprising parallel to a modern-day workplace dilemma. This episode is about power, perception, and what happens when people refuse to stay small. Show notes at johnfialkowski.com Music Credits Theme: Music by AllWorldMusic from Pixabay 80's Retro Synthwave: Music by Bohdan Kuzmin from Pixabay Chill Beats: Music by BohdanKuzmin from Pixabay
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| Episode Five - The Myth of the Job Board | 24 Apr 2025 | 00:21:05 | |
In this episode, we start with the radical Oneida Community—a group that rejected the rules of the modern economy—and use their story to examine why today’s job boards fail so many of us. We explore how technology has transformed hiring, why unemployment is often a systemic mismatch—not a personal failure—and what both job seekers and employers can do to find alignment in a confusing market. It’s time to stop waiting to be picked. Start thinking like an entrepreneur. Visit johnfialkowski.com to learn more. | |||
| Episode Four - The Trap of Being the Best (and completely miss the point) | 11 Apr 2025 | 00:30:35 | |
We open with a reflection on Yevgeny Prigozhin—the mercenary boss who flew too close to the sun—and what his downfall says about loyalty, usefulness, and power. From there, we dive into something closer to home: the trap of being the best at your job. Especially in customer service, hospitality, and retail, being the go-to person can sometimes mean you never get the chance to grow. You're too valuable where you are.
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| Episode Three - Maybe it's not them - Maybe it's me! | 05 Apr 2025 | 00:25:57 | |
Feeling out of place at work? If you're the only one struggling while everyone else seems fine, the problem might not be the workplace—it might be misalignment. This episode explores how to recognize when a job just isn’t the right fit and what to do about it. We also compare a the struggles of a 19th century British General, with the modern struggles of today. For more on Career Coaching with John - johnfialkowski.com | |||
| Episode Two - Intention | 28 Mar 2025 | 00:20:25 | |
In this episode, we’re talking about how to take control of your career—no matter where you work. It’s not just about having an entrepreneurial mindset; it’s about setting an intention and using it to guide your actions. I’ll break down how to define what you actually want, track your progress, and turn any job (even the ones you don’t love) into a stepping stone for something bigger. Because no matter who pays you, you work for yourself. Let’s get into it. #intention #careerchanges #careergrowth | |||
| Episode One - What does it take to think like an entrepreneur? | 28 Mar 2025 | 00:09:59 | |
Hate your job? Feel like you're being pushed around, undervalued, or stuck in a toxic environment? Quitting might seem like the only way out, but there’s another option—shifting your mindset. Thinking like an entrepreneur, even while working for someone else, can help you take back control, make your job more bearable (or even better), and open doors to new opportunities. | |||
| Episode Nine - When Hard Work Stops Working | 19 Jun 2025 | 00:23:45 | |
You can lift it. But should you? This episode explores the hidden cost of capability—how strength, hustle, and good intentions can trap us in outdated versions of success. Featuring utopian French socialists, Romanian dictators, and one very tired admissions officer, we look at the shift from doing the work… to defining the work. Music:Theme: Smooth Chill Jazz by AllWorldMusic from Pixabay Intermission: Jungle Waves by DIMMYSADfrom Pixabay Outro: Vintage Rock byDIMMYSADfrom Pixabay | |||
| Episode Fifteen — Your Path in Life, Part One - with Luca Volentir | 28 Nov 2025 | 00:59:35 | |
John opens with the Voyager missions and Carl Sagan’s Golden Record — a reminder that all of us send signals into the world, hoping someone understands who we are and what we’re trying to do. This episode launches a four-part collaboration with Luca Volentir, host of Path in Life. Part One is about getting to know him: his move across the world at 19, the intention that guides his choices, and the mindset that keeps him learning instead of becoming bitter. It’s also where John introduces the idea of career heartbreak — the moment when your hard work collapses, or gets taken from you — and how Luca reframes that as a question of mindset and meaning. A conversation about ambition, identity, heartbreak, and the search for direction — especially when you’re building something from scratch and trying to gain momentum on your own. Visit johnfialkowski.com for coaching, podcast archives, and ways to support the show. Music Credits: Intro: Cosmic Ambient Soundscape for Films by Pripac from Pixabay Ambient Space Arpeggio – Cosmic Echoes by Lilliben from Pixabay Intermission: One Step Ahead by Alex Grohl from Pixabay Lo-Fi Midnight Hip Hop by Grand Project from Pixabay Outro: Mulholland Drive by Toyko Rifft from Pixabay | |||
| Episode Fourteen - From Setback to Story: Finding Your Voice Again with Laura Barbante | 14 Nov 2025 | 00:54:12 | |
Show Notes: In this episode, John speaks with Laura Barbante, amarketing professional in Australia whose career path took her from government work to unemployment—and back again with a renewed sense of purpose. Together, they explore what it means to rebuild a professional identity, create authentic personal-brand content, and navigate an industry being transformed by AI. John opens with a reflection on Taylor Swift—how sheturned imperfection into identity and made vulnerability her brand. Later, he shares a story about a client struggling to see the link between the job she wants and the one she feels she has to take, and why the only way to build a brand is to simply start. Because sometimes, suffering is okay—so long as you’re theone steering the ship. In this episode:
Visit johnfialkowski.com for coaching, podcast archives, and ways to support the show. Music Credits: Afro Beat Pop by HitsLab from Pixabay Intermission: Balance 2023 by VernonMaytone and Brotheration Records from Pixabay – Lo-Fi Midnight Hip Hop by GrandProject from Pixabay Outro: We Dub a long way – Instrumental by Brotheration Records from Pixabay
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| Episode Thirteen: Growing from the Poison Soil: Confidence, Environment, and Intuitive Coaching with Elaine Yuen | 06 Oct 2025 | 00:51:10 | |
What if confidence isn’t something you earn through titles, promotions, or endless hard work? What if the real shift comes from stepping into the right environment — the soil where you can actually grow? In this episode, John explores the idea of place and purpose — from Josephine Baker finding her stage in Paris, to Jimi Hendrix breaking through in London, to Jackie Robinson building his strength in Montreal before entering the major leagues. Sometimes, confidence comes not from “toughening up” but from changing where, and how, we plant ourselves. John is joined by Elaine Yuen, Intuitive Confidence Coach and creator of the Thrive Confidence Self-Mastery program. Elaine shares her philosophy of intuitive confidence and how breaking free of inherited patterns allows us to stop chasing validation and start thriving on our own terms. Together, they discuss:
This is an episode about confidence, self-knowledge, and the places — literal and internal — that allow us to flourish. Resources
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| Episode Twelve - Kasikornbank, Cost-Cutting & AI in the Workplace: This is Freedom 55 | 04 Sep 2025 | 00:23:12 | |
Synopsis: Remember the Freedom 55 dream? Retire early, live free, enjoy the good life. In Thailand, Kasikornbank has reimagined that dream — except now the cut-off is 45, and it’s not about freedom, it’s about AI and spreadsheets. What looks like early retirement is really a story about cost-cutting, technology, and assumptions about age and value. In this episode, John breaks down what KBank is doing, pushes back on the easy narratives, and explores what it really means when work, technology, and human value collide. Along the way, he challenges the assumptions we make about ourselves and each other — the same ones that feed doubt about who we are and what we bring to the table. The episode ends with a piece of homework: What’s the one thing you’d like people to know about you? Themes: Nostalgia vs. Reality, AI as Tool vs. Threat, Ageism Reframed, The Broken Ladder, The Absurd “Life Map”, Technology & Human Potential, Adaptability as the Human Edge, Self-Doubt & Personal Brand, Challenging AssumptionsLinks: Visit johnfialkowski.com to learn how you can support the show Follow John on Linkedin @johnfialkowski Sources: Retired at 45+, can you find a new job? - Warunrat Katmat, Bangkok Biz NewsKBank Offers Early Retirement at 45, Shaking Thai Job Market - ASEAN Now Modern life design concepts when starting to retire at the age of 45 - Brand Buffet Boomer revolution: That Freedom 55 guy is still working ... and he's from Victoria - Michael D. Reid - Times Colonist Fridges And Washing Machines Liberated Women, Study Suggests - Universite de Montreal - ScienceDaily Original Freedom 55 Commercial - Music: Smooth Chill Jazz by AllWorldMusic from Pixabay Intermission: A Bit Redundant Gagmesharkoff from Free Music Archives Outro: Bebop Jazz Bedroom: LOPKERJO from Free Music Archives | |||
| Episode Eleven - Let's Declare Ourselves Emperor - Relationship Building, Networking and Personal Branding with guest Sharon Secondus | 22 Aug 2025 | 00:52:22 | |
Let’s Declare Ourselves Emperor Episode Summary In this episode, we explore what it really takes to build a network and personal brand—especially when you’re starting from scratch. Whether you’ve moved cities, changed industries, or simply feel stuck and underappreciated in your current role, this conversation is for you. Inspired by the strange and bold story of Emperor Norton I—a failed businessman who reinvented himself into a San Francisco icon—we dig into the power of self-declaration, relationship-building, and showing up with purpose. My guest, Sharon Secondus, has done just that: navigating career transitions, moving continents, and cultivating a network built not on self-promotion, but sincerity. Together, we explore how brand and network combine to create not just visibility, but power—and how anyone can start, no matter where they are About our Guest: Sharon Secondus is a professional in the healthcare technology space with a background in Health Informatics, she is passionate about transforming complex healthcare data into actionable insights that measurably improve patient care and growth strategy. Also a 2-time former international student in England /US and now mentoring others from a global perspective. She is a dedicated mentor and coach, leading impactful professional development and personal branding workshops at Seemenow33. Through her guidance, international students navigate their journeys with confidence, turning challenges into inspiring growth opportunities. Learn more at Seemenow33 Music By: Ketsa Theme: Smooth Chill Jazz by AllWorldMusic from Pixabay Intermission: Soul Epic by Ketsa from Free Music Archives Jazz For The Rain by Ketsa from Free Music Archives Closing: Importance by Ketsa from Free Music Archives Links: Visit johnfialkowski.com to learn how you can support the show Follow John on Linkedin @johnfialkowski Your Challenge This Week Write down one thing you want a stranger to know about you. Submit it in the comments. | |||
| Episode Ten - My Own Personal Guru | 04 Jul 2025 | 00:39:36 | |
Episode Ten: My Own Personal Guru What do you do when the biggest obstacle in your business… is you? In this episode, I put the Good John in front of the Bad John—the version of me that avoids, delays, and quietly convinces himself that effort is pointless. Along the way, we talk gurus, comfort zones, and a little New Age weirdness. (Yes, Sai Baba makes an appearance.) I’m joined by career coach Abdelaziz Bourassi, all the way from New Caledonia, for a conversation about alignment, ambition, and getting out of your own way—even when you’re not "ready." If you’ve been stuck, circling the same problems, or wondering if it’s time to shift how you show up in your work—this one’s for you.
🧭 Free resources from Abdelaziz: Escape the 9-5 Trap: Steps to Transition to a Fulfilling Career Free Strategy call for the first five listeners 🎧 Music by Holizna - Support him on Patreon Music:Theme: Smooth Chill Jazz by AllWorldMusic from Pixabay Intermission: Retro Synth By Holizna from Free Music Archive Classic by Holizna from Free Music Archive Outro: Night Driving by Holizna from Free Music Archive | |||
| Episode Eighteen: Your Path in Life with Luca Volentir - Part Four | 16 Jan 2026 | 01:00:25 | |
In Part 4 of the Your Path in Life series, Johncontinues his coaching conversations with Luca — and runs head-first into something unexpected. This episode isn’t about a breakthrough moment or a tidyrealization. It’s about what happens when the framework doesn’t land the way you thought it would, and when the coach’s expectations start getting in the way. Using a personal “needs” exercise, Luca identifies four coredrivers:
But instead of pointing outward toward an ideal workenvironment or future role, Luca turns the exercise inward — focusing almost entirely on personal accountability and standards he already holds himself to. That mismatch creates tension, hesitation, and discomfort — especially for John. Rather than editing around it, this episode stays with thatdiscomfort. Over the course of the conversation, the focus shifts:
Later in the episode, Luca reflects on how the coachingprocess reshaped his own podcast — helping him move from vague conversationstoward more intentional, focused storytelling by identifying the one thingeach guest does particularly well. The episode closes with a question worth sitting with: What do the people around you come to you for — and whatkind of value do they already see in you? This is an episode about expectations, identity, culturaldifferences, responsibility, and the quiet work of paying attention — both in coaching and in life. Topics explored
Music Credits: Introduction For P by ilyatruhanov on Pixabay Intermission Roy – by JBlankedon Free Music Archieve, licensed under an Attribution4.0 International License.
Free Enjoy your Life by Agerabeatz from Pixabay Outro Snowy Night by Delta-x Music from Pixabay
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| Episode Seventeen - Your Path in Life Part Three | 07 Jan 2026 | 00:45:44 | |
In Part Three of Your Path in Life, John continues his ongoing coaching conversation with UK-based podcaster Luca Volentir, turning the focus toward discomfort, intention, and where real value actually comes from—in work, creativity, and conversation. The episode opens with a reflective side note on Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, and the quiet tragedy of what happens when someone is celebrated, preserved, and prevented from evolving. From there, the conversation becomes deeply personal and practical: how expectations shape outcomes, why comfort can quietly stall growth, and how unspoken needs distort collaboration. Together, John and Luca unpack what it means to move from interviewing to real conversation, and why the most meaningful insights rarely come from polished résumés or surface-level success stories—but from moments of friction, uncertainty, and self-challenge. In this episode, we explore:
The real tension in this episode: This episode isn’t about achievement — it’s about what happens after it, and whether you’re willing to stay uncomfortable long enough to keep growing. Using Yuri Gagarin as a cautionary example, John explores what happens when someone is celebrated so completely that they’re no longer allowed to evolve. The danger isn’t failure — it’s being preserved, protected, and quietly boxed in. In contrast, figures like Chris Hadfield, Roberta Bondar, and Mark Kelly treated discomfort as an invitation, not a threat — continuing to stretch, reinvent, and place themselves back into uncertainty. That contrast becomes the central challenge to Luca’s work: Is the goal to make conversations smoother…
Music Credits: Introduction Quiet Bloom by Grand Project on Pixabay Intermission Soundwatch – Southside by Antipodeanwriter on Pixabay Lo-Fi Midnight Hip Hop by Grand Project from Pixabay Outro Kura – by Maarten Schellekens on Free Music Archieve, licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License.
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| Episode Sixteen - Your Path in Life Part Two | 05 Dec 2025 | 00:57:57 | |
In this second part of the Your Path in Life series, we pick up the conversation with UK-based software developer and podcaster Luca Volentir, host of Path in Life. We start with a detour into the alien abduction story behind Fire in the Sky — what happens when people invent a more comfortable reality instead of facing failure, fear, or unmet needs. From there, we dig into Luca’s own story: his podcast, his personal brand, and the tension between structure, success, and genuine emotional connection. This episode is less about “how to podcast” and more about authenticity, self-image, and the stories we tell ourselves when our needs aren’t being met. “How do you become the person who’s actually right for the content you’re trying to make?” Links & references
Music Credits: Introduction Night Rider Music by Saavane on Pixabay Intermission 80s Robo Man by Kirk Osamayo on Free Music Archives Attribution 4.0 International License. Contemplation Part 1 by Danydory on Pixabay Outro Sunny Ocean Drive Citypop Beat by Noobehouse on Pixabay | |||
| Episode Twenty - Why Some People Don’t Fit in a Box — And Still Make It Work, with Emily Parr | 17 Apr 2026 | 00:50:14 | |
Episode Twenty - Why Some People Don’t Fit in a Box — And Still Make It Work We open the show with a reflection on Lady Gaga and Little Richard — two artists who built careers by refusing to be defined by a single identity. Lady Gaga represents a more modern, deliberate version of identity: someone who crafted a persona that can move seamlessly between worlds — mainstream and fringe, polished and experimental. Little Richard, on the other hand, represents something less tidy. A rock and roll pioneer, a religious preacher, a boundary-pushing performer — all at once. His identity wasn’t clean or consistent, and it didn’t always align neatly. But it worked. Together, they raise a question that carries into the rest of the episode: Do we need to simplify who we are to be understood… or can we succeed by expressing something more complex? In this episode, John explores that question through a real conversation. What starts as a discussion about influencers quickly becomes something deeper. When John interviews content creator and client Emily Parr, he finds himself caught off guard by the difference between the person he knows… and the one who shows up on camera. That moment raises a bigger question: Are we supposed to simplify ourselves to be understood — or learn how to express something more complex? From there, the episode explores how identity isn’t always clean, consistent, or easy to define — and why that might not be a problem after all. About the Guest Emily Parr is a host, creative producer, and fashion and beauty media personality. She is currently developing and leading a makeover web series for YouTube, where she brings together style, storytelling, and transformation through a modern, editorial lens. With a background in wellness and fitness, Emily’s work has evolved into a broader creative vision centered on identity, self-expression, and personal reinvention. Her content blends fashion, beauty, and elegance to reflect atimeless, refined aesthetic while embracing individuality.
At the core of her work is a spiritual mission: to empower women to feel beautiful, confident, and fully aligned with their divine feminine nature—embodying both elegance and power in how they present themselves and move through the world. You can findmore of her work here: https://www.emilymparr.com/links About CCWJ Full show notes at: johnfialkowski.com Follow John on Linkedin: @John Fialkowski Music Credits: Introduction Rainfall by Bransboynd on Pixabay Techno Wave by Bransboynd from Pixabay Intermission Nismo by 1000 Handz on Free Music Archive Attribution 4.0 International License. Smooth Chill Jazz by AllWorldMusic from Pixabay Outro Country Thoughts by Ykaiavu from Pixabay | |||
| Episode Nineteen - Let's Get Him Back into It Rebuilding - Confidence After Job Loss | 13 Feb 2026 | 00:54:49 | |
We open this episode with a side note on Raymond Chandler — a writer who reinvented himself when the world shifted beneath him. Out of job, out of structure, he disciplined himself to write and, in doing so, created Philip Marlowe — a character who could move through uncertainty with purpose. That thread runs through this conversation. In this episode, I sit down with Vince Ciarlo, a communications professional and educator who has watched his industry change rapidly. Immigration policy shifts impacted enrollment in Ontario colleges. Academic hours dried up. Digital media reshaped expectations. He retrained. He completed a master’s degree. He adapted. And still, he feels behind. Alongside guest coach Brian Epstein, we explore what happens when the structure that once defined you disappears. This isn’t just about job applications. It’s about identity, relevance, and momentum. As the conversation continues beyond the recording date, two questions become central: What is the problem here? The problem isn’t a lack of experience. It’s a loss of clarity. Vince doesn’t just need a job — he needs to reconnect with how his skills solve real problems in today’s world. We experiment with a different approach:
In a world hungry for effective communication and thoughtful leadership, there is space for experience — if it is framed properly. This episode is about regaining that frame. Full Show notes at Career Coaching with John Visit johnfialkowski.com to learn more about my work. Music Credits Introduction Like Black Coffee by Onion All Stars on Pixabay Intermission Sista Jane– by Lopkerjo Free Music Archieve, licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License. Less is More by Lesiakower rom Pixabay Outro The Midnight Delight by MonkeyBandito from Pixabay Theme from the 90's by Lesiakower from Pixabay | |||