The Relatable Success Story

In this episode of The Relatable Success Story, we sit down with Eleanor Lee, the visionary founder behind Meraki, a thriving content creation agency, and Hot Girl Golf, a movement that empowers women to learn golf and build community through the sport. Eleanor shares her unique journey—from quitting water polo to discovering her passion for photography, leading to the creation of Meraki. We explore her wins with brands, her move to Austin, and how TikTok played a role in her evolution. Plus, we dive into the inception of Hot Girl Golf and what the future holds for this inspiring entrepreneur.

On this episode of The Relatable Success Story, we're joined by Spencer Morgan, Founder and CEO of Chubby Bundts, a beloved bakery in Austin, Texas, known for delivering the best savory kolaches and bundt cakes around. Spencer shares his incredible journey from perfecting recipes to navigating the challenges of running a food business. We dive into his early inspirations from Food Network, how his mother's career as a professional chef influenced him, and the hurdles of building a business from scratch.Listen in as Spencer reveals what it took to master his craft, work 80-hour weeks, and learn the food industry on the fly. He also breaks down the ins and outs of food regulations, shares what a typical week looks like in the bakery business, and gives us an inside look at the current state of Chubby Bundts. If you're curious about the grind behind running a bakery, this episode is a must-listen!

In this episode of The Relatable Success Story, we sit down with Evan Shaffer, Head of Sales Training and Enablement at HST Pathways, to explore his powerful story of addiction and recovery. Once navigating the fast-paced restaurant industry before transitioning to the tech world, Evan faced immense pressure, the unexpected party culture, and the challenges of addiction. Despite achieving success at work, his battle with sobriety often lurked behind the scenes.Join us as Evan shares his turning point toward recovery, his three years of sobriety, and the life lessons he's gained along the way. From the differences between restaurant and tech cultures to the difficulty of asking for help, Evan offers candid insights for those struggling with addiction and resources for those in need. Whether you're looking for inspiration, advice, or simply a relatable success story, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode of The Relatable Success Story, we sit down with Eric Renner, National Account Manager at the Gorilla Glue Company, to explore the pivotal moments that shaped his career in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry. From his early days at Glanbia Performance Nutrition to his current role, Eric shares how saying yes to opportunities—and taking calculated risks—has fueled his professional growth.We dive into Eric's journey, starting with his passion for marketing, his surprising pivot into CPG, and the bold decisions that led him to pursue an MBA and take on new challenges at Henkel. Eric's story is a testament to the power of stepping out of your comfort zone, embracing uncertainty, and trusting the process.Whether you're looking to advance your career, contemplating a big decision, or just curious about the CPG industry, Eric's insights will inspire you to take the leap and say yes to the unknown. Tune in to hear how one man's willingness to embrace risk led to remarkable success.

In this episode of The Relatable Success Story, we sit down with Celeste Shoot, Co-Founder of Nimble Technology Partners, a staffing agency that specializes in finding top talent and creating people-centric solutions for today's tech market. Celeste shares the story behind the founding of Nimble, including the pivotal moments that sparked its creation and how she navigated the risks and challenges of entrepreneurship. We delve into her motivations for entering the staffing industry, the lessons she's learned along the way, and what it's really like to balance the demands of running a business. Plus, Celeste opens up about the wins and losses that have shaped Nimble's journey over the past 1.5 years. This episode is packed with insights for anyone looking to understand the real-life highs and lows of starting a business.

In this episode of The Relatable Success Story, we're joined by Doris Nyamwaya, a Customer Success Manager at Metrc, a leading provider of cannabis regulatory systems. Doris's story is one of resilience and strategic navigation through a challenging layoff period. We dive into her journey from job loss to landing a role at Metrc, discussing practical tips and strategies for job seekers facing similar situations.Doris shares her experiences from her initial days of job hunting, including the importance of immediate action versus taking time off, the strategies that worked for her, and how she leveraged support groups to stay motivated. We also explore how the job market trends of 2023 impacted her search and how she ultimately found a perfect fit at Metrc.Tune in to hear Doris's insights and advice on overcoming job search obstacles, making the most of career support networks, and finding success in a new role. Whether you're navigating a layoff or simply looking for inspiration, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.

In this episode of The Relatable Success Story, we're thrilled to welcome Katie Portanova, the founder of Truly Italy Tours, a unique company that offers immersive and authentic tours throughout Italy. Katie's journey from a corporate career to creating bespoke Italian travel experiences is nothing short of inspiring.Katie shares how her college experience sparked a deep love for Italy, leading her to make bold career moves and countless trips across the Atlantic. We dive into the challenges and triumphs of supporting her passion, including working odd jobs and navigating life as an English teacher.Discover how Katie turned her travel writing into a key part of her entrepreneurial journey, and get the inside scoop on Truly Italy Tours—what sets it apart and how you can experience the "real" Italy for yourself. Tune in to hear about the personal and professional highs and lows that led Katie to create a company that's as much about culture and connection as it is about travel.Don't miss this compelling conversation on following your passion, overcoming obstacles, and creating a business that truly resonates with your dreams.

Welcome to another inspiring episode of The Relatable Success Story! Today, we sit down with Melodi Williams, Director of Product Management at Cross Country Healthcare, a titan in workforce solutions. Melodi shares her remarkable journey, starting from humble beginnings in data entry to leading in tech—a path that defied her initial career expectations.Through engaging anecdotes likened to video game side quests, Melodi elaborates on the pivotal detours that shaped her professional growth. These diverse experiences not only broadened her skill set but also fortified her resilience in facing career setbacks.Reflecting on challenges overcome, Melodi candidly discusses the hurdles that almost derailed her journey to leadership. She offers invaluable advice on perseverance, urging listeners to conquer self-doubt and embrace learning opportunities.Join us as Melodi Williams exemplifies how determination, adaptability, and a passion for continuous learning can pave the way to unexpected career triumphs. This episode is a testament to the mantra: Why not you?

Join us on The Relatable Success Story as we sit down with Steven Ecker, the creative mind behind Get Lost Collages based in Austin, Texas. Get Lost Collages isn't just about art; it's a transformative experience designed to unleash the inner artist in everyone. In this episode, Steven shares his inspiring journey of discovering his passion for art, taking bold steps to pursue it as a career, and ultimately founding Get Lost Collages.We delve into Steven's early years and how art gradually became a significant part of his life, evolving from a personal hobby to a driving force. Moving to New York City seemed like the pinnacle of success, but it was a pivotal role at Macy's that reignited his artistic spirit, leading to a profound reconnection with his craft.Steven candidly discusses the challenges he faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and his subsequent move to Austin, where he navigated various jobs while nurturing the idea of Get Lost Collages. Discover the pivotal moment when Steven decided to turn his passion project into a full-fledged business and the hurdles he overcame along the way.As we explore the essence of Get Lost Collages, Steven emphasizes its mission to empower individuals to embrace their creativity and offers invaluable advice for anyone hesitant to pursue their own ideas. Whether you're an aspiring artist or simply seeking inspiration, this episode provides actionable insights on taking that leap of faith and making your dreams a reality.

Join us on The Relatable Success Story as we sit down with Bailey Dunlap, a dedicated SMB AE at Pluralsight and a proud mother of two boys. Known for her exceptional work ethic and passion for both her career and family, Bailey shares her inspiring journey of navigating the challenges of balancing parenthood and professional growth. From her early career choices to pivotal moments like navigating through sales and recruiting, Bailey's story exemplifies resilience and determination. Tune in as she discusses the importance of support systems, managing career transitions, and the realities of returning to work post-leave. This episode aims to empower working moms everywhere with insights and advice on achieving work-life balance and pursuing career success while raising a family.

On today's episode of The Relatable Success Story, we dive into the inspiring journey behind Pay Forward Coaching with our guest, Mike Connolly. Mike, the Founder and CEO of Pay Forward Coaching and President of K9Wear, shares the inception story of his nonprofit initiative. What started as an idea to support professional growth has blossomed into a thriving community-driven platform.We begin by exploring the core mission of Pay Forward Coaching and its impact on individuals seeking career guidance. Mike reflects on the moment the idea took shape and the personal circumstances that motivated him to turn his vision into reality. Drawing from his own experience, Mike offers invaluable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who are hesitant to take the first step.Throughout our conversation, Mike shares key insights gained from launching and nurturing Pay Forward Coaching, highlighting the rapid growth and widespread popularity the initiative has achieved. He discusses how individuals can get involved as coaches or benefit from the services offered, emphasizing the role of his extensive professional background in shaping the community's success.

Join us on this episode of The Relatable Success Story as we sit down with Elizabeth Couch, Founder and CEO of Coached by Couch, a thriving coaching business dedicated to empowering ambitious professionals. Elizabeth shares her journey from a surprising career pivot post-college to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the coaching industry. We delve into her initial aspirations, the skills that paved her path to leadership, and the pivotal moment she decided to turn her coaching idea into reality. Discover valuable insights on overcoming analysis paralysis and the crucial steps to transitioning a part-time passion into a full-time profession. Don't miss Elizabeth's compelling pitch that encapsulates her entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to helping others achieve their goals.

Join us on this episode of The Relatable Success Story as we delve into the inspiring journey of Nate Shipp, the Assistant Director of Facilities and Operations at High Point University. We explore Nate's career trajectory, from his childhood aspirations to his current role, shedding light on the twists and turns that led him to where he is today.In this insightful conversation, Nate reflects on his early dreams, the influence of his upbringing, and his initial foray into the world of work. Discover how a seemingly perfect fit at the Round Rock Express turned out to be a detour, leading Nate to reassess his path and ultimately find himself in the tech industry. After a stint in tech, it was time to reassess again.Throughout the episode, we unpack the importance of taking risks and embracing change, highlighting Nate's journey as a testament to the power of resilience and self-discovery. From his time at Pluralsight to his current endeavors, Nate shares valuable insights and lessons learned, offering listeners a glimpse into the transformative potential of pursuing one's passion!!

Join us on this episode of The Relatable Success Story as we dive deep into the career journey of Matt Byrd, the BDR Manager at Pluralsight, a leading tech company in the e-learning space. From his humble beginnings following his passion for swimming to his thriving career in the tech industry, Matt shares invaluable insights and practical advice for anyone considering a career change. Discover how Matt turned his love for swimming into a successful coaching career and ultimately transitioned into the tech world. Learn about the pivotal moments that led him to explore new opportunities and how he found his footing in the tech industry. Whether you're contemplating a career switch or aspiring to leadership roles, this episode offers actionable strategies and inspiration to help you navigate your own path to success.

Join us on The Relatable Success Story as we sit down with Bobbie Hall, the BDR Manager at Klaviyo, a pioneering force in the tech industry. Bobbie shares her remarkable journey from college to leadership roles, offering invaluable insights and advice for those aspiring to excel in tech sales. From recognizing the potential of the industry to swiftly advancing from BDR to AE, Bobbie provides a roadmap for navigating the competitive landscape of tech sales. Tune in to discover how to stand out, transition into leadership, and thrive in a dynamic, ever-evolving industry. Whether you're a budding professional or seasoned veteran, Bobbie's story offers inspiration and actionable strategies for carving out your own path to success.

In this episode, we sit down with Rob, the founder of Bob's Pizza Tours in NYC and the Co-Founder and Head of Brand Partnerships at Far Outtt. Join us as we delve into Rob's journey from studying engineering at UMass to founding a successful pizza tour business and venturing into the dynamic world of brand partnerships.Rob shares insights into his early career, including how internships played a pivotal role in shaping his trajectory. He discusses his transition from working at a startup within Twitter to launching Bob's Pizza Tours, revealing the challenges and triumphs he encountered along the way.From securing the first few customers to scaling the business, Rob provides valuable lessons on entrepreneurship and marketing strategies. We also explore the inception of Far Outtt and its role in empowering creators and brands in the digital space.Tune in to discover the story behind Bob's Pizza Tours, the evolution of Far Outtt, and the empowering journey of turning dreams into reality.

In this episode we delve into the inspiring journey of Katie Giori, who shares her relatable success story of navigating layoffs and finding her footing in the corporate world.Join us as Katie Giori takes us through her time at Splash, illuminating how those experiences laid the foundation for her career and shaped her professional trajectory. Discover her biggest takeaways from that chapter of her life and how she knew it was time to move on.However, the journey wasn't without its challenges. Katie Giori candidly recounts the emotions and uncertainties that accompanied her unexpected layoff from Pluralsight. She then shares insights into her brief stint at Moodys and the valuable lessons learned during that period.Throughout the conversation, Katie Giori exemplifies patience and strategic thinking in the face of adversity, offering practical advice on navigating layoffs and maintaining resilience during challenging times. She emphasizes the importance of never settling for less than what you deserve, a mindset that propelled her towards new opportunities and achievements.

This episode is all about empowering bilingual sellers with the confidence needed to tap into their superpowers! Tune in to listen to Ana Salido talk about using her skillset as a bilingual seller and how its helped propel her career forward. Of course it doesn't always come easy with English being her second language but she will share trials and tribulations throughout her career!

Brittany Dudley is a single mom in tech trying to build the best life for her daughter as well as build the best career for herself! No secret that it's very hard so I brought on Brittany to share her journey as a black single mom in tech and what it took to get into a leadership position at a company worth over a billion dollars. Unfortunately, tech leans heavily in being a white male/female dominated industry, so listen to this episode for inspiration that you can do it too!

Andrew Kappel was a consultant at Skaled consulting for Go To Market strategy work and eventually took his learnings to start his own consulting firm. This is a great story of pivoting and taking your own expertise and really building on that to start your own shop! Learn from Andrew's trials and tribulations and get some practical advice on starting your own business!

Chris Lott is currently a VP of Sales at a tech company that was bought by Thoma Bravo for $6.6 billion dollars however 10 years ago he was working in a car dealership selling cars! Hear how Chris took his life into his own hands after someone very close to him asked a big existential question and how he translated it into success! 

Jason Sockel was laid off in January of 2023 from a Sales Leadership role in Tech and was on the job market for a full year. Throughout his layoff journey he experienced highs and many lows but eventually ended up in his first C-level role a year later! Listen to Jason talk about the emotional experience of navigating a long layoff and tactical advice he has for people going through the same thing! 

Welcome to Episode #1 of The Relatable Success Story! This is a quick introductory video to the Who, What, Where, When and Why of this entire series and what you can expect moving forward! Next Friday at 12pm CT, I will launch Episode #2 with our first guest so stay tuned!