TrailBLAZER Pod – Details, episodes & analysis

What does it really mean to live and lead in alignment?

Yael Simon joins me to explore the powerful intersection of identity, ambition, faith, and leadership. She reflects on growing up with strong influences, from family aspirations to religious identity, and how those forces guided her early career path and definition of success.

But along the way, she began asking deeper questions about self-worth, people-pleasing, and the pressure to meet external expectations. Yael shares how learning to pause, reassess, and trust her own values transformed the way she approaches leadership, decision-making, and personal growth.

We unpack the subtle ways people-pleasing can influence our decisions, why external validation often masks deeper questions of self-worth, and how learning to trust your internal compass can transform both your personal and professional life.

This episode is a thoughtful exploration of self-discovery, leadership, faith, and personal alignment, and a reminder that true success comes from building a life that reflects who you really are.

More on Yael

• www.arakura.co

• www.amplifyinvestorsummit.com

• www.artofthedeal.online

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/yael-dallal-simon/

• https://www.instagram.com/yaelsimonllm/

A lot of us think in black and white; success or failure, strong or weak, hustle or quit. But what if the real growth happens in the gray?

In this episode, I sit down with Riki Zahn, founder of After Hours Club, a mental health-focused art and wellness community creating mindful, immersive, and creative experiences.

In this episode, Riki opens up about losing her father at a young age, navigating post-grad depression, and feeling the quiet loneliness that often comes with entrepreneurship. Through her own healing journey, she built After Hours Club, a safe space where anyone can decompress, connect, and process their emotions through art and community.

If you're an entrepreneur, creative, or anyone navigating adulthood and ambition, this episode is a reminder that you don't have to build alone, and that growth often lives in the gray.

Sound Bites

• "I was meant to go through that."

• "Being a founder is really lonely."

Connect with Riki:

Website: https://www.afterhoursclubnyc.com/

After Hours Club IG: https://www.instagram.com/afterhoursclubnyc/

Riki's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikizahn/

Riki's IG: https://www.instagram.com/rikizahn/

What happens when the whispers of your intuition are louder than you realize yet you still don't know how to listen? In this episode, Dr. Zahava Berkowitz, founder of Ima Acupuncture, reflects on the quiet signals she once brushed aside, the life-altering choices that followed, and the moment she finally understood her inner guidance had been trying to steer her all along. And when she did trust that inner voice, she went on to create a thriving, healing-centered practice helping others reconnect with themselves.

Sound Bites
"I was really nervous, and I thought it was normal"
"It was 100% my intuition, like, screaming at me"
"I just didn't have the skill set to know that yet"

IMMA: 
website: https://helloimma.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imma.wellness/

Yael Dahan is the founder of Penny's Dance studio. Yael's dream of starting her own dance studio came to fruition when she decided to take control of her career path. She had limited resources but a burning passion. Penny's Dance Studio is named after and in honor of her grandmother Penny who shared her love for dance, hard work and helping others with her granddaughter. Yael shares the values that shaped her, the courage it took to follow her own path, and the joy she's found in building a community around movement and legacy.

Penny's Dance Studio

Website: https://pennysdance.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pennysdancestudio/

Yael's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yaelsjournal/

What if networking wasn't just about collecting contacts, but about connecting with purpose? Welcome back to the TrailBLAZER Pod. In this episode, Lirone Glikman CEO of The Human Factor, author of The Super Connector's Playbook, speaker, and global networking expert, shares how authenticity, energy, and even rejection can become your greatest assets. From the power of asking for advice to building real community, Lirone reveals how true success starts with genuine human connection. Get ready to rethink how you build relationships and maybe, rediscover your purpose along the way.

Sound Bites

• "The world is your oyster mentality."
• "No is a part of the journey."
• "I want it to be actionable."
• "Women will do the visibility very well."
• "We will feel uncomfortable asking."

The Human Factor: https://lironeglikman.com/

The Super Connector's Playbook: https://lironeglikman.com/tscp-book/

The Lirone Glikman Show: https://open.spotify.com/show/0B6AmP249PG8vcyFdznFQ5 

Lirone's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lirone_glikman/ 

Allison Chait, artist, entrepreneur, and founder of Shabbos Brushups ; the makeup line redefining faith and self-expression. In this episode, she shares her journey from a creative childhood to studying at FIT, finding spiritual inspiration in Israel, and launching a brand that blends beauty, identity, and community. She opens up about balancing business with belief, advocating for Israel, and how her products empower Jewish women to feel confident without compromise. 

Sound Bites
"I always felt good in my own skin."
"You should really love what you do."
"I want to share love, that's it."

Use code 'Brushups15' for 15% off when you shop at Shabbos Brushups: https://shabbosbrushups.com/pages/about

Follow Shabbos Brushups on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brushupsbyallison/

Dr. Aimee Baron is the founder of I Was Supposed to Have a Baby, but her journey started long before that.

A lifelong dreamer of becoming a pediatrician, she built her career caring for other people's children all while silently grieving her own losses. After suffering six miscarriages, including four in the second trimester, she finally became pregnant with her twins. But even in her deepest pain, no one around her was talking about pregnancy loss or fertility treatment.

So instead of staying silent, she built what she needed: a community. I Was Supposed to Have a Baby was born so no one else would have to walk that road alone.

This conversation is raw, vulnerable, and a powerful reminder that you can hold heartbreak in one hand and hope in the other.

I Was Supposed to Have a Baby 
Website: https://iwassupposedtohaveababy.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iwassupposedtohaveababy/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iwassupposedtohaveababy

Maayan Aviv, the CEO of ⁠American Friends of Natal⁠, brings both American perspective and Israeli grit to her work in trauma support. Her military service gave her a front-row seat to resilience, and her nonprofit leadership demands it daily. She reflects on leadership, identity, and the hope that someday her organization won't need to exist.

American Friends of Natal supports Natal; Israel's Trauma and Resiliency Center.

Follow American Friends of Natal: https://www.instagram.com/americanfriendsofnatal/

Follow Maayan Aviv: https://www.instagram.com/maayanaviv28/

From the scars of childhood trauma to the healing work of parenting Dr. Robyn Kloslowitz; a clinical psychologist, shares how understanding trauma reshapes not only our personal growth but the way we raise our children. We'll explore the difference between guilt and shame, why community is essential for healing, and how parenting can become a path to mending the inner child. We delve into her book Post traumatic parenting and how the impact of trauma matters more than the content of trauma.

Sound Bites

"All research is me search."

"You can heal your inner child."

 "Trauma poker has no winners."

"Parenting is very joyful and fun."

Read her book 'Post-Traumatic Parenting': https://tr.ee/AcRwDr4cOq

Join the Post-Traumatic Parenting Community:

IG: @dr.koslowitzpsychology

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/664641005009362

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobynkoslowitz/

Podcast: https://pod.link/1551713661

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCsfIBh0QCK2meFnPATqcq2Q

Allison Gandlin shares her unique journey from being a dancer to becoming the 2024 NFL Flag Player of the Year. She discusses the challenges and triumphs of being a female athlete in a male-dominated sport, the importance of teamwork and leadership, and how her Jewish identity has shapes her values. Allison reflects on her experiences with imposter syndrome, the significance of recognition, and her aspirations to spread positivity and love through sports. She emphasizes the importance of self-discovery and the responsibilities that come with being a trailblazer.

Sound Bites

• "I always felt kind of a little bit like an imposter."

• "Femininity isn't weak."

• "I want to be able to share a message."

Follow Allison: https://www.instagram.com/allison.gandlin/

Follow the TrailBLAZER Pod: https://www.instagram.com/thetrailblazerpod/