Starting Somewhere with Michael Watson

Kayden Molock graduated from Morehouse College with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government in 2020. One year later, Kayden just completed a fast tracked Masters in Sports Management program at Columbia University in New York. Kayden goes in depth about the importance of community, how he has made the most out of his internships, what he does in order to prioritize his mental health, and he shares how he approaches major life decisions. Kayden also talks about how he decided on attending Morehouse and everything he did to make the most of his time in undergrad. Finally, there is a big focus on mental health in this episode. Kayden and I both share our experiences starting therapy last year and what we have learned from it. Whereas some of the previous episodes are typically specific to one area, this conversation is guaranteed to have something for everyone! In the follow up I mention Other People Fund, where you can buy merch and help someone in need pay for therapy. Check out their website here: otherpeoplefund.com and check out their partner organization, Support for the Psyche, here: supportforthepsyche.com. Also check out The Crystal Casino Band's new album here: https://open.spotify.com/album/6bdtdT3obm7tppjz22SpOY?si=HS62JjutRpueEZttczweqQ&dl_branch=1 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support

Meg Suttle is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) at Adler University in Chicago. This came after graduating from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Minor in Integrated Approaches to Health and Wellness. Meg talks about the importance of taking a gap year, she explains what it was like for her to find the right Grad program, she shares about what it has been like doing this in and half out of a pandemic, and also emphasizes the necessity of therapy. For anyone considering Grad school in general, has an interest in psychology, or knows they need to start therapy but could use an extra push, this is the episode for you. Like I mention in the follow up, here is the donation link to help groups in Texas help people access quality and safe healthcare:https://secure.actblue.com/donate/txfunds Also, here is the link to the Armchair Expert interview that I mentioned, it is truly fantastic and everyone should give it a listen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5f6GmzvFgFrscDbUYax5L2?si=E58OTxZKSdmjkeAhL7_Ytw&dl_branch=1&nd=1 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support

Ryan Palko is currently pursuing a JD or Doctor of Law, a Masters in Business Administration or MBA, and his Masters in Accounting all at the same time from Cleveland State University. We talk about everything from how he ended up in 3 different programs, what his general day to day is as a student, and just what it's like surviving when you're in 3 grad programs and working part time. So for anyone who has ever considered grad school, this is the episode for you! Ryan has also been working as a Law Clerk in his time in between semesters as he prepares for a career in Tax Law. Ryan is a graduate of The Ohio State University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support

Carmen Carigan is a proud graduate of Indiana University, where she earned a degree in Law and Public Policy with Certificates in Applied Research & Inquiry and in Journalism. For the last two years, she has worked at Staffbase, an internal communications platform. Since starting, Carmen has climbed the ladder going from Sales Development Representative, to Account Executive, to Senior Account Executive. She has been doing all of this while pursuing a career in comedy as well. In our conversation Carmen talks about the perks of working at small businesses and startups, the benefits of working for a European company, the usefulness of finding a recruiter, why repetition is so important in everything, and she also talks about all the amazing comedy work she is doing. Carmen is also the host of her own podcast, Liability on the Mic, which is available wherever fine podcasts are downloaded. Regardless if you have an interest in working in business or comedy, you won't want to miss this fantastic conversation! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support

Eliza Horvat is a Continuous Improvement Engineer at Dupont. In this interview she talks about her path as an Engineer, what it has been like as one of the very few women in her classes and at work, the importance of finding a community for support, the impact a mentor can have, and the benefits of working at a big company. For anyone interested in Engineering, STEM, or learning more about working at a large company, this is the episode for you! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support

By day, Joey Mamlin serves as Technical Director, Fundraising Strategist, and sits on the Board for Grassroots Analytics, a D.C. based Political Data Company that also jointly owns and operates several innovative consumer data companies. At Night, Joey is the Drummer for The Crystal Casino Band. Formerly known as The Colonies, The Crystal Casino Band is an indie-rock band who provide a unique take on DIY culture, combining the style of The Strokes with the easy-going energy of surf-rock as well as the bravado of The Killers. Joey goes in depth about all the things he did in college and how they have launched him into what he does today. He also shares about his experience working in politics, what it's like to be a financial consultant with campaigns, the importance of maintaining a work-life balance, and the benefits of working at a smaller company. Of course we also talk about everything involving the band. Joey explains what their recording process is like, how they changed their name, and how they get the word out about their music. I really loved this conversation because I think that he offers a really unique perspective as someone who is not only establishing a career but also pursuing a passion as well. For anyone that fears if they work a full time job they won't also have the time to do what they really want to do, Joey shows that you actually can do both and be great at it. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support

Since graduating from Harvard University in 2015, Lynda Negron has worked as an Engineer and Product Leader in the Tech and Start Up space at companies like Tinder, Bias Sync, and Pando. Not only does Lynda speak in depth about her experience working in Tech, but also about how teams can be most effective, how diverse perspectives can save lives, the importance of feedback, and the necessity for genuinely caring about the projects you work on. If you're interested in what it takes to make it in the Start Up industry, if you've ever wondered what it's like to work at Tinder, or if you just aren't sure how to start your career in Computer Science, this is the episode for you! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support

After earning her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Delaware in 2019, Wanja Thuku has worked a variety of service oriented jobs in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. In this episode you'll hear her and I discuss her eclectic path into doing the work she's doing right now as an Engagement Manager at Benefits Data Trust, a nonprofit based in Philadelphia which utilizes the power of data, tech, and policy to improve people's health and build pathways to economic mobility. For anyone interested in Grad School, campaigns, state and local government, or nonprofits, this is the podcast for you. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support

Sean Menon has worked full time as a Core Applications Recruiter at TEKsystems since graduating from Miami University with a degree in Business Marketing in 2019. In just over a year, Sean has learned so much about the Recruiting industry, what makes job applicants successful, and what hiring managers in the tech field are actually looking for. Sean talks about what it takes to be in recruiting and sales, how to stay organized for work, the importance of LinkedIn, and goes really in depth on what hiring managers for IT developers are looking for. Everyone who is looking for a job, or at least could be soon, will be able to take something valuable away from our conversation, but especially anyone interested in business, sales, recruiting, and IT will be able to take a lot from what Sean had to say. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support

Hello! My name is Michael Watson and I'd like to introduce my new podcast, Starting Somewhere. Every episode you will hear from someone in the early stages of their working life to find out how they got to where they are, what they actually do every day, and to get an honest look as to what life starting out in that field looks like. So, for everyone who feels overwhelmed by options, unsure of where to start, or even just feeling like you're in this weird work limbo, this podcast will try to help. The goal is to showcase as many different jobs and paths as possible, so even if there are episodes that might not be directly relating to what you want to do, I promise we will have something for everyone soon! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/startingsomewherepod/support