Podcasts about Trailhead

What happens when sharing the parts of your career that feel hardest to talk about helps create a community where others finally feel understood?  In this episode of our Golden Hoodie Winners series, we speak with Katie Villanueva, a Salesforce Administrator, community leader, mental health advocate, and 2023 Salesforce Golden Hoodie recipient. Katie shares how speaking openly about living with bipolar disorder and her experiences as a Salesforce professional led her to create a virtual community where people could talk openly about mental health, mental illness, work, and the pressures that often follow us throughout our careers.  Her willingness to start those conversations brought people together across the Salesforce ecosystem and led to her receiving a Golden Hoodie on the Dreamforce Admin Keynote stage.  Creating The Community She Wanted To See  Katie discovered the Trailblazer Community after starting her Salesforce career during the pandemic. She wanted to contribute and speak at community events, but lacked confidence in delivering technical presentations. Instead, she began sharing her personal experiences of bipolar disorder, mental health, and how the Salesforce community had helped her become a better professional.  The response showed that many people were looking for a place to have similar conversations. Katie took that community to Salesforce and asked to create a virtual user group dedicated to mental health and mental illness. The group now brings people together each month to share resources, have meaningful conversations, and build relationships with others who understand the pressures of working in technology while managing the rest of their lives.  From Call Center Employee To Salesforce Administrator  Katie's route into Salesforce was far from straightforward. She originally studied farming before graduating in communications and mass communications during the Great Recession. After struggling to find work, she moved through roles in mortgage refinancing, energy data analysis, and eventually a call center where she first encountered Salesforce.  Her next employer had a very different Salesforce setup. The company had no dedicated administrator, and Katie quickly recognized opportunities to improve how the platform was being managed. She wasn't enjoying sales, so she asked if she could become the Salesforce Administrator instead. That decision changed the direction of her career.  Katie learned on Trailhead and applied those lessons directly in a live Salesforce environment. The experience gave her the confidence and practical skills to continue building her career.  Why You Never Stop Being An Admin  One of Katie's biggest career realizations came from understanding that becoming an architect, developer, or taking another role doesn't mean leaving your Salesforce Admin skills behind.  As she puts it, "Admin's where we begin, but it never ends."  Those core skills continue to influence how professionals solve problems, understand business processes, manage technology, and support users throughout their careers.  Katie also shares what she is learning from working on a Salesforce team after spending much of her career managing environments independently, including the value of mentorship and learning from people in roles she previously held without knowing their official job titles.  Speaking Up For Underrepresented Communities  Our conversation also turns to representation within the Salesforce ecosystem. Katie discusses her work supporting Latino and Hispanic professionals in the United States and her desire to help people build stronger professional connections.  She explains why creating opportunities for people to meet, share experiences, and see others like them progress in technology can have a lasting impact on confidence and career development.  For Katie, community leadership means creating spaces where other voices can be heard and helping people find connections that may open doors throughout their careers.  Admitting You Have AI Imposter Syndrome  Despite receiving a Golden Hoodie and becoming a recognized Salesforce community leader, Katie openly admits she experiences imposter syndrome when it comes to AI and Agentforce.  She shares the pressure that can come with external recognition, especially when people assume that wearing a Golden Hoodie means knowing everything about Salesforce.  Katie's message is reassuring for anyone struggling to keep up with the pace of AI development.  Everyone is at a different stage of their learning journey.  She explains why Salesforce professionals don't need to abandon the skills they already have and how she stays informed about Agentforce. At the same time, her employer hasn't adopted it. Still, professionals can prepare themselves by following community conversations, attending workshops, completing Trailhead learning, and experimenting with the tools available to them.  Learning AI Without Trying To Learn Everything  Katie shares her practical approach to learning AI, beginning with Prompt Builder and understanding how better prompts can improve the results people receive from AI systems.  We discuss how she uses ChatGPT to understand Salesforce Flows, solve problems, support her work, and even help with everyday tasks outside her career. She also explains why professionals should treat AI as a starting point rather than accepting every answer it provides.  The conversation turns to the growing importance of testing AI systems, understanding the role of human oversight, and preparing for AI adoption by strengthening existing Salesforce skills.  Katie's advice is simple and reassuring: stay informed, experiment where you can, and focus your learning on the areas that matter to your career and the problems you're trying to solve.  About Mums On Cloud Nine  Mums on Cloud Nine is your go-to destination for inspiring content that empowers women to build a life and career they love.  Each week, we share expert advice, personal stories, and practical tips across a range of topics, from health and mindset to money and career growth.  Check out our website at www.mumsoncloudnine.co.uk and subscribe for weekly tips to elevate your mindset.  About Supermums  Founded by Heather Black, a Salesforce Golden Hoodie winner, Supermums helps relaunchers and seasoned Salesforce professionals accelerate their careers in tech through expert training, career coaching and recruitment support.  Whether someone is returning to work, pivoting into a new role, or ready to step up in the Salesforce ecosystem, Supermums provides practical training, mentoring and access to job opportunities to help them build confidence, sharpen their skills and progress faster.  Alongside its career development programmes, Supermums partners with employers to connect them with talented Salesforce professionals who are ready to make an impact. Find out more here https://supermums.org/podcast-intro   About our Sponsor, Hubbl Technologies  Hubbl gives Salesforce teams the clarity they need to move faster. By connecting technical metadata with real business processes, Hubbl reveals what is happening inside your Salesforce org — from security and access risks to process gaps, tech debt, and AI readiness. The result: less guesswork, faster audits, better documentation, and smarter decisions for teams who want to build, scale, and innovate with confidence  Find out more about https://qrco.de/bgY7zw 

Evangelist Jeff Bardel gives a powerful sermon and testimony on the importance of evangelism. 

This episode revisits The Trailhead Community! In this conversation, Devon Tilly and co-host Matt McMullen chat with Jeans Wildemann at a benefit concert for Victory Village, a new neuro-divergent housing community being built in Boulder, Colorado! If you hear any background noise or laughter, that's because this episode was recorded LIVE before the concert!Jeans is the Executive Director of the Trailhead Community. She brings a diverse professional background and a deep passion for inclusive communities to her role as Executive Director. After earning a degree in Communication with a minor in Leadership Studies, she began her career as an Office Manager at an accounting firm. While the experience sharpened her organizational and operational skills, she quickly realized her heart was in mission-driven work. Since transitioning to the nonprofit sector, Jeans has focused her energy on building strong, values-based communities. She is dedicated to making Trailhead a model for neuro-inclusive housing—where individuals of all abilities can live, grow, and thrive together. With a strong belief that communication is the key to connection and progress, Jeans leads with empathy, collaboration, and a commitment to equity.This episode was recorded with memory of Barb Ziegler, the founder of The Trailhead Community.Keep up with the Art of Construction (AOC) podcast on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn! Subscribe to us and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Anastasia Wilde is a Missoula-based adventure photographer who has spent the last five years shooting the country's biggest 200-mile races like Bigfoot, Tahoe, Cocodona, and hiking up to eight miles into the backcountry with thirty pounds of gear to photograph runners at their most unfiltered. In this conversation, Anastasia tells us how a Costco camera kit and a suspiciously well-timed $500 raffle win turned a middle school music teacher into one of ultrarunning's most prolific race photographers, why the mid- and back-of-pack will tell a stranger with a camera things they haven't told their families, the memory card catastrophe at the Bigfoot finish line she still thinks about, whether AI will ever make any of us look good while running (no), and what it means to photograph someone crying alone at sunrise on their way to a five-year buckle. This episode is brought to you by LMNT and their new lemonade iced tea flavor. Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/UltraSignup. This week's featured race is the Machete Muertos 200 at Lake Perris, California, starting Wednesday, October 28. 200 miles, 44,000 feet of climbing, and a 96-hour cutoff at one of the toughest 200-milers in the country, part of Machete Madness's Día de los Muertos celebration. There's also a 100-miler, a 50-miler, and 10- and 20-mile ruck divisions, with free family camping, free professional photos, and no pacer fees. Registration closes Friday, October 16. Sign up at UltraSignup.com. The Trailhead is part of the UltraSignup Podcast Network.

Walking in the Revolution's footsteps One of the first thoughts that occurs to you when reading up on the history of the American Revolution in the Hudson Highlands is that they sure did a lot of walkin'. Many of the routes they took were trails established by the Native Americans and animals of the Hudson Valley. A lot of those paths have since become beloved hiking trails, so there's a good chance that even the simplest of your local hikes will have you walking the same routes soldiers took on their way to light signal fires, watch over the river or perhaps commit a little light treason. So grab ample supplies (water, snacks, bug spray, paper map, musket, tri-corner hat, secret intelligence about West Point stashed in your boot) and let's step back into history. Trailhead: Pocket Road in Beacon (park on East Main) Distance: 4 miles, out and back Elevation gain: 1,125 feet Approximate time: 2 – 3 hours You probably already know that Mount Beacon is named after the signal fires set on its summit during the Revolutionary War. You also probably know about the Beacon Monument built by the Daughters of the American Revolution to honor those signal-keepers back on July 4, 1900. But it remains a seldom-visited spot, probably because it's at the end of an unmarked trail. The good news is that since I last wrote about the monument in 2024, it's become much easier to visit. The easiest way to find the monument is to text Chris Cring at 845-249-5305. He's leading a hike to the monument tomorrow (July 4) on behalf of the Beacon Historical Society. The second easiest way is to head up the white-blazed Pocket Road Trail (technically the first part of the Fishkill Ridge Trail, but no one calls it that). Once you hit the Jeep Road (technically the Mount Beacon Monument Road, but no one calls it that despite it being the easiest way to get there), hang a right and head up to the reservoir. Keep following the road past the reservoir for about half a mile until you pass a wide unblazed path ascending to your right (if you run into the radio towers, turn around because you missed it). Follow this wider path, ignoring the side paths, and you'll soon come into a clearing with the radio towers on your left, a smaller building on your right and low-strung telephone wires in front of you. Hang a right and then walk around the back of the building, keeping the fence on your left. At one point you will pass through a narrow pathway surrounded by barbed wire on both sides. You will wonder if this means that you are trespassing. You're not, keep going. Once you pass this narrow section, the monument will be on your right, almost exactly 2 miles from the start of the Pocket Road Trail. Trailhead: 1 Avery Road, Garrison Distance: 3 miles, out and back Elevation gain: 745 feet Approximate time: 1.5 – 2.5 hours The ruins of redoubts, small open forts made of earth and stones, can be found up and down the Hudson, as they played a vital role in securing control of the river during the war. These two redoubts overlook West Point and were therefore considered of strategic importance by both the Americans and the British (more on that below). This is a popular hike in late fall or early spring, as the views are even better when the leaves are off the trees. But it is not without its summer charms: It's well-shaded, and the ample wineberries along the sides of the trail should make for fine mid-July snacking. Note that these prickly vines are quite thick in a few spots; long sleeves and pants are recommended. You'll find the red-blazed trailhead at the end of the parking lot, leading into the woods. The trail runs parallel to Snake Hill Road and a brook for a while before turning away from the road and ascending. Note that the trail narrows here with a sharp drop-off on one side. This probably shouldn't be your toddler's first hike after they learn to walk. At a half-mile in, the trail splits and a sign points to each redoubt. Head right for the North Redo...

What does it take to become a Salesforce Golden Hoodie winner, and how can community involvement shape an entire career?  In this episode of our Golden Hoodie Winners series, I sit down with Christina Nava, Salesforce professional, Service Cloud expert, and Golden Hoodie recipient. Christina received her Golden Hoodie at Dreamforce after years of dedication to the Serviceblazer community, where she became known for helping others, sharing knowledge, and supporting fellow Salesforce professionals.   What makes Christina's story particularly inspiring is that her recognition wasn't built around a single achievement. Instead, it came from years of consistently showing up, contributing to the community, and helping others succeed.  Finding A Home in the Salesforce Ecosystem  Christina takes us back to her introduction to Salesforce in 2011 while working in technical support and software consulting.  What began as exposure to a CRM platform gradually developed into a career specializing in Service Cloud. Along the way, she discovered a passion for solving problems, supporting users, and building solutions that help organizations deliver better customer experiences.  She also reflects on the challenges of being a solo Salesforce Admin and why finding a supportive professional community became such an important part of her growth.  Why Community Matters More Than Ever  One of the strongest themes throughout our conversation is the value of community.  Christina shares how the Serviceblazer community became a place where she could ask questions, learn from others, and avoid feeling isolated in her role. Over time, she transitioned from someone seeking support to someone providing it.  Her experience highlights an important lesson for anyone building a career in technology. Success rarely happens in isolation. The relationships you build, the people you help, and the knowledge you share often become just as valuable as technical expertise.  Building Skills Through Curiosity And Practice   Like many Salesforce professionals who started before today's abundance of free learning resources, Christina had to find her own path.  She discusses the early days of learning Salesforce before Trailhead became widely available and explains how hands-on experience, curiosity, and persistence helped her develop her expertise.  We also talk about consulting life, being thrown into unfamiliar situations, learning quickly, and why practical experience often teaches lessons that no certification alone can provide.  Leadership, Mentorship, And Giving Back  As her career progressed, Christina discovered another passion, helping others develop their own careers. She shares how mentors and supportive women within the Salesforce ecosystem helped shape her journey and why those relationships became so valuable throughout her career.  Today, Christina serves as a co-leader of the Houston Women in Tech group, helping create opportunities for others while continuing the cycle of mentorship that helped her succeed.  AI, Service Cloud, And The Future Of Customer Experience   We also discuss the growing role of AI within Service Cloud and customer service operations.  Having recently participated in Salesforce demonstrations around new AI capabilities, Christina shares her perspective on where organizations are seeing opportunities and why strong foundations remain important before adopting emerging technologies.  It's an insightful discussion that balances innovation with practical implementation.  Advice For Anyone Starting Their Salesforce Journey  Throughout our conversation, Christina returns to a simple theme: keep learning, stay curious, and get involved.   Whether you're just beginning your Salesforce journey, considering a career transition, or looking for ways to expand your network, her story demonstrates how consistency, community involvement, and a willingness to help others can create opportunities you never expected.    Which part of Christina's journey resonated most with you, and how could getting more involved in your own community help shape your career? 

Mayor Palmer joins to answer some common questions we're getting about fireworks (including why we as a city can't ban them entirely), talks about this week's Towne Days event, and celebrates ribbon cuttings for Monument Park, Wide Hollow trailhead, and Iceberg. Have a question? Leave a comment or email us at communications@herriman.gov and we'll address it in a future edition. 0:00 Start 0:34 Intro 1:24 Towne Days 3:52 Fireworks 10:53 Iceberg is back 11:33 Wide Hollow trailhead 12:52 Monument Park 14:16 World Cup 16:02 Wrapup

Dillon Osleger is a geologist, professional mountain biker, and longtime trail steward whose debut book, Trail Work: Restoring the Paths and Stories of America's Public Lands, uncovers the buried history beneath the trails we run, ride, and take for granted. In this conversation, Zoe and Brendan get into why nobody wants to do the unglamorous work of maintenance (and the Kurt Vonnegut line that nails it) and how to read a trail like a layered history book. Dillon decodes what is hiding in plain sight, from barbed wire patents that date a fence to within two years, to the segregated CCC camps you can spot in the stonework, to the Indigenous place names that outlast every map. Along the way: what is quietly erasing two-thirds of America's historic trails, an extremely unhinged riff on trailmaxing as the next men's wellness trend, and a genuinely useful answer to the question most of us are too sheepish to ask, which is how do you actually start doing trail work. This episode is brought to you by Running Warehouse, your one-stop shop for trail shoes, vests, poles, and the anti-chafe stuff you forget until mile 40. Join the UltraSignup Club: https://www.runningwarehouse.com/?from=ultra The Trailhead is part of the UltraSignup Podcast Network.

Week 3 of Summer With Trailhead as we dive in to the minor prophets. This week is on the prophet Amos.

Dr. Nick Tiller is an exercise scientist at the Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA, a two-decade ultrarunner, and the author of The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science and the new The Health and Wellness Lie. In this conversation: why ultrarunning is, by Nick's cheerful admission, not actually good for you, and why we keep signing up anyway; the red flags that should trip your bullshit detector in 2026; the great protein panic and how a "health halo" turns a Pop-Tart into a recovery food; what the evidence does and very much doesn't say about AG1; KT tape, cupping, and the slippery ethics of selling someone a placebo; and how to stay skeptical without curdling into a cynic whose brain has fallen out. This episode is brought to you by LMNT,  the new Lemonade Iced Tea flavor has been quietly fixing our hydration and our 4pm coffee regrets; grab a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/UltraSignup. Featured race: the Ode to Laz Michigan Backyard Ultra, a 4.167-mile loop run every hour on the hour through 8,000 acres of Holly State Recreation Area in Holly, Michigan, on Saturday, July 18. The only way to win is to be the last runner standing, which is why the motto is "finishing last means the most." If you're backyard-curious but not ready to sign over your soul, the Oak Flats 3-hour option lets you dip in for one, two, or three loops. It's a championship-affiliated race, so the winner takes a silver ticket toward the USA national backyard team. Registration closes Thursday, July 16. Sign up at UltraSignup.com. The Trailhead is part of the UltraSignup Podcast Network.  

Jack sits down with Denise Carbone, two-decade Salesforce veteran, MVP, co-leader of the Chicago Admin User Group, and Director of Delivery at ImagineCRM. Denise has seen more of this ecosystem than almost anyone. From the pre-Trailhead days of learning through user groups, to the Lightning migration wars, to where we are now with AI reshaping what it means to work in Salesforce. Her perspective is hard-won, warm, and reassuring for anyone feeling uncertain about what comes next.The conversation covers how to build a network with intention rather than just collecting LinkedIn connections, why domain knowledge is a bigger differentiator than most people realise, and why the business analyst mindset (process first, technology second) has never been more valuable than it is right now. Denise shares how her team is actually using AI in delivery work today, closes with a reflection on what corporations can learn from the mission-driven focus of the nonprofit world.

Send us a text and chime in!In celebration of National Trails Day, the Prescott National Forest is inviting volunteers to join staff for a trail maintenance event on Mingus Mountain from 8 a.m. to noon Monday, June 8. The volunteer crew will help maintain a recently constructed trail connecting the 106 Trailhead, located next to the Mingus Picnic Day Use Site, to the 105 Trailhead. Participants should arrive on time and come prepared with long sleeves, long pants, eye protection and sturdy work boots. The forest will provide leather gloves, tools and hard hats. Advance registration is required. Volunteers must RSVP to receive directions and the...   For the written story, read here >> https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/mingus-mountain-trail-maintenance-event/ Check out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

Thanks to Salesforce for Partnering on this episode, check out our new AI report here: https://www.jobsofthefuture.co/salesforce-ai-poll In this episode of Jimmy's Jobs of the Future, Jimmy interviews Zahra at Salesforce's new AI centre in London's Devonshire Square, discussing careers, AI adoption, and skills. Zahra shares her first job in a pizza place, an early ambition to become a diplomat blocked by 1990s eligibility rules, and a 22-year career at Andersen Consulting/Accenture before moving to Salesforce. They discuss polling with Focal Data showing 51% of people have received no employer AI training and concerns about a widening digital divide. Zahra explains Salesforce's focus on enterprise AI grounded in trusted company data with guardrails, the value of a physical AI centre for collaboration, and how she uses an internal AI Slackbot for daily task lists and meeting prep while staying critical and authentic. They cover AI benefits for mid-market firms, a Simplyhealth contact-centre example, and Salesforce's Future Trailblazers schools program and call for a national “front door” for skills like Trailhead. 00:00 Intro 00:50 Inside Salesforce's New AI Centre 01:41 My First Job: Making Pizzas for £5 an Hour 03:48 From Diplomacy Dreams to Big Tech 06:31 Britain's AI Training Problem 09:07 Why Salesforce Built an AI Hub 10:46 How I Use AI Every Day 14:21 Why Authenticity Still Matters 15:07 The Priorities Every CEO Must Balance 16:15 Is an AI Divide Emerging? 17:40 Why Businesses Still Don't Trust AI 19:01 The Companies Winning With AI 22:23 Buy Commodity, Build to Differentiate 23:16 Which Skills Will Matter in the AI Era? 26:24 What I Look For When Hiring 30:07 A National Plan for AI Skills 32:40 Sending 1,000 Employees Into Schools 34:12 My Unexpected Dream Job 35:42 Final Thoughts ********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? hello@jobsofthefuture.co Sponsor the show or Partner with us: sunny@jobsofthefuture.co Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Sunny Winter https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnywinter/ Junior Producer: Thuy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JD is joined by Bryan, Calvin, Nathan, along with Chris Bailey and Joey Seavolt, for a focused Trailhead roundtable on Right to Repair, Jeep mods, vehicle data access, DIY wrenching, and the future of aftermarket parts. The crew connects the John Deere repair fight to what off-roaders are already seeing with locked-down ECUs, security gateway modules, subscription features, Tazer/JScan workarounds, and newer Jeep systems that make simple modifications feel way more complicated than they should. Joey brings the repair-shop perspective, Chris talks about the value of older, more mechanical Jeeps, and the whole panel digs into what happens when vehicle ownership starts feeling more like a software license.

In this episode of Insurance Town, I get to interview my good friend Casey Armstrong of Canopy Connect. We dive into the innovative ways Canopy Connect is revolutionizing data collection for insurance agencies. Casey shares insights on how their platform simplifies client interactions, enhances data accuracy, and integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. Join us for an engaging discussion on the future of insurance technology and how agencies can leverage these tools for growth and efficiency..In this episode: Casey shares his journey with Canopy Connect from its inception in 2020 and how agency data collection has evolved.The simplicity of using QR codes and custom referral links to streamline prospect interactions.How Canopy Connect's Trailhead feature offers flexible, choose-your-own-adventure insurance pathways.The real-world impact of instant loss runs and deck pages extracted directly from carriers' systems.The role of AI in automating mundane tasks, freeing agents to focus on trusted advisory.Unique marketing strategies like limo rides and conference appearances to connect with customers creatively.The importance of human oversight in AI solutions to ensure accuracy and trust.Case stories illustrating premium increases through correct coverage and client advocacy.Practical tips for agencies new to Canopy Connect, including the ease of integrating it into current workflows.Casey's heartfelt message on gratitude, technological progress, and the future of insurance. Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome to Insurance Town & Casey Armstrong intro 00:29 - Canopy Connect: The one-click solution for agencies 00:58 - The benefits of automation and the Trailhead feature 01:26 - AI for insurance: saving time and improving accuracy 02:23 - Exploring innovative marketing strategies and conference fun 03:00 - Casey's background, biking stories, and Northwest Arkansas 07:28 - How Canopy Connect transforms prospect engagement 08:08 - The value of instant carrier data and loss runs 09:39 - Bringing human oversight to AI automation 10:34 - The manual effort saved by AI and data accuracy 12:23 - How deck pages from carriers eliminate errors 15:08 - Commercial accounts insights and loss history access 16:13 - Simplified onboarding for new users of Canopy Connect 16:53 - Embedding Canopy into existing agency workflows 20:16 - Real-world client stories: under-insured homes & premium impacts 24:28 - Trailhead: The flexible, customizable journey paths 28:23 - The speed and efficiency benefits of Canopy Connect 30:34 - Lead tracking and prospect management dashboard 36:37 - Creative marketing: conference limos & branded experiences 38:35 - Heartfelt messages to existing customers and prospects 42:08 - Casey's call to action: harnessing technology for growth & successResources & Links: Canopy Connect - Streamline client data collection and quoting1Fort AI - AI automation for insurance submissions and quotingMAV - Text messaging solutions for prospect qualification Casey Armstrong on LinkedIn Connect with Casey: LinkedIn Email: casey@usecanopy.com Note: This lively and authentic discussion highlights cutting-edge solutions shaping the future of insurance. Whether you're an agent, agency owner, or industry innovator, Casey's insights will inspire your next move—embrace technology, improve efficiency, and grow your business with confidence.

Ben Ratliff is a former New York Times music critic, a writing professor at NYU, and the author of Run the Song: Writing About Running About Listening, longlisted for the National Book Award and named a finalist for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay, which chronicles what he hears when he brings music into his near-daily runs through the Bronx. In this conversation, Zoë and Brendan talk with Ratliff about why running made him a better listener, and why the optimal-BPM running playlist is, by his lights, beside the point. He makes the case for listening as active attention rather than ambient wallpaper, explains why some of the slowest and quietest music turns out to be the most enlivening to run to, and pushes back on the idea that "good taste" is something you can buy. Along the way: defamiliarizing a song until it sounds brand new, the strange kinship between a long run and a long DJ set, and how a career critic ends up running to everything from jazz to Ice Spice. This episode is brought to you by Running Warehouse, where Zoë gets basically all her summer running gear, vests, socks, hats, shirts, and a frankly irresponsible number of gels, with fast shipping and a return policy run by actual humans. This week's featured race is the FCA Endurance Race in Oakwood, Georgia — a choose-your-own-adventure event on a flat, one-mile paved loop around the University of North Georgia's Oakwood campus. Pick your distance: a 5K, a 10K that detours onto dirt and a stretch of cross-country trail, or a timed race of two, four, six, twelve, or twenty-four hours, with some durations offering a 6 p.m. start so you can run straight into the night. It all happens Saturday, June 6, 2026, and registration stays open right through race day. Sign up at UltraSignup.com. The Trailhead is part of the UltraSignup Podcast Network.

Week 3 of the sermon series "Grow With Me"

When you hit the wall at mile 19 of a marathon (or mile 80 of a 100-miler) it feels like your body is the problem. Your legs are concrete, your stomach is in revolt, and the finish line might as well be on the moon. But what if the wall is mostly in your head? Emily Balcetis is a social psychologist who studies how vision and perception shape motivation: how what people literally see changes what they believe they can do. She runs the SPAM Lab at NYU and is the author of Clearer, Closer, Better: How Successful People See the World. Her TED Talk on why some people find exercise harder than others has been viewed over a million times. Zoe and Brendan get into why highly motivated runners literally see the finish line as closer than it is, how Joan Benoit Samuelson used a woman in pink shorts to win the first Olympic women's marathon in 1984, and why the wall is a psychological phenomenon rather than a physiological one. Emily explains why willpower isn't a fixed trait you either have or don't, the if-then framework she calls foreshadowing failure, and how negativity bias means our brains lie to us about our own progress, which is why becoming your own accountant might be more useful than another motivational Post-it on the bathroom mirror. Plus: how Emily decided to learn the drums in a one-bedroom Manhattan apartment, and what it taught her about tracking the kind of progress the brain can't see. This episode is brought to you by LMNT. Try the new 12oz Sparkling at drinkLMNT.com/UltraSignup and grab a free sample pack with any order. The featured race is the Haul Ass Ultra Running Festival, Saturday, June 6th, in Erie, Colorado. Eight distances on the menu: a 50-miler, 50K, 10K, 5K, and 3, 6, 9, and 12-hour timed events, which means whatever shape you're in and whoever you're bringing along, there's a way to make it work. Sign up at UltraSignup.com. The Trailhead is part of the UltraSignup Podcast Network.

From $54K to Six Figures — Working Part-Time & Fully Remote What does it look like to leave a career that's draining your time and capping your income and rebuild your professional life entirely on your own terms? Hermela is a former college advisor who pivoted into the Salesforce ecosystem and, in under a year, went from earning $54K with a 2+ hour daily commute to a six-figure job offer. She then strategically negotiated it down to work fewer hours, earn more than ever, and build the life she actually wanted. Today she's a fully independent Salesforce consultant working 15–20 hours a week, on her own schedule, from anywhere in the world. This episode is packed with repeatable strategies: landing your first Salesforce role, leveraging LinkedIn, turning transferable skills into offers, negotiating for time freedom and building toward full financial independence. Episode Timestamps 00:01:16 — Introduction & Guest Welcome: Bradley introduces Hermela and previews her journey from a capped career with a punishing commute to full autonomy as a Salesforce solopreneur. 00:02:54 — Life Before Salesforce: The Commute, the Cap, the Frustration: Hermela describes her previous reality — 2+ hours of daily DC traffic, a student caseload she loved, but an income ceiling that required waiting for someone else to leave just to get a raise. 00:08:01 — How She Landed Her First Salesforce Role in 3–4 Months: Trailhead, an 8-week bootcamp, internal Salesforce implementation experience, and Bradley's LinkedIn tips.  Hermela breaks down her exact preparation playbook. 00:14:48 — Strategic Job Searching: LinkedIn Networking Over Blind Applications: Instead of applying to posted jobs, Hermela messaged employees; it's not about asking for jobs, it's about having genuine conversations and consistently sharing both who you are and what your goals are. 00:33:29 — The Second Jump: Networking Into a $105K Offer: Through consistent networking while employed, a recruiter reached out on behalf of a hiring manager who already knew her name. Hermela landed a $105K offer, nearly double her pre-Salesforce salary. 00:38:27 — The Bold Move: Negotiating Down to 24 Hours/Week: Rather than accept full-time six figures, Hermela negotiated to 24 hours per week at 60% salary — still earning more than her college advisor role — freeing herself up to freelance and eventually go fully independent. 00:54:29 — Hermela's Advice for Anyone Considering This Path: Master your transferable skills, build on Trailhead, use LinkedIn as a landing page, network through real conversations, and tackle goals one step at a time.

David Raichlen is a professor of biological sciences at the University of Southern California whose research examines how human evolution, physical activity, and brain health are linked across the lifespan. In this conversation, Zoë and Brendan talk with David about what's actually happening in your brain when you go from couch to consistently active, why exercise might be the closest thing we have to a dementia preventative, and why his research on the runner's high, which famously involved humans, dogs, and ferrets, suggests it evolved as something more useful than feeling good.  They also get into what hunter-gatherers like the Hadza can (and can't) tell us about how to live, why "more is better" hits diminishing returns at the high end, the trouble with paleo prescriptions, and whether sitting really is the new smoking. Plus: Brendan tries to figure out if his rock-climbing mom or his golfing dad is doing better cognitive work than he is. This episode is brought to you by Running Warehouse, the one-stop shop for all things trail running, with gear guides and expert resources to help you figure out what actually works for you. Use code TRAILHEAD for free two-day shipping on orders over $50. Our featured race is the Sonoma Fall Classic, the inaugural fall festival in the heart of California wine country featuring a 100-miler, the original Lake Sonoma 50 returning to its 2008 point-to-point roots from South Lake Trailhead, a trail marathon, and four-person relays. Sixteen miles of buttery single track, sweeping lake views, swimmable water crossings, and free on-site camping. Registration closes Monday, October 12. Sign up at UltraSignup.com. The Trailhead is part of the UltraSignup Podcast Network.

JD is joined by Bryan, Calvin, and Joe for a live show packed with Easter Jeep Safari 2026 reactions, Moab complaints, busted parts, and the official death of JD's long-running lifetime Jeep warranty. The crew recaps Coyote Canyon, Metal Masher, Behind the Rocks, and the general chaos around EJS, including speed-limit changes, enforcement, expensive lodging, and why the event feels less friendly to regular wheelers than it used to. They also tear into Jeep's latest concept vehicles, giving credit where it's due but calling out the stuff that feels more like recycled trim packages than real ideas. Joe talks through the madness of fixing rigs in and around BFG Garage, Calvin reports fresh post-EJS breakage, and JD admits the JK may finally be nearing the end of the road while he starts thinking about what comes next. Add TYRI lights, prototype-vehicle chatter, off-road recovery liability, right-to-repair teasers, and one completely ridiculous argument about a 12-volt hot dog roller, and this one feels like classic Trailhead chaos in the best way—so give it a listen, then leave a voicemail with your vote on what the crew should tackle next.

My guest today is Kris Lande. Kris is the Chief Marketing Officer at OutSystems, an AI-powered development platform where she leads global marketing, brand and growth. She's built her career at the intersection of product, marketing and community with the rare ability to take complex, highly technical ideas and turn them into stories that actually resonate not just with developers, but with business leaders driving real outcomes. Before OutSystems, she spent more than 13 years at Salesforce, holding leadership roles across product marketing, community, and Trailhead, the learning platform that became a cornerstone of Salesforce's ecosystem. She helped build one of the most powerful communities in enterprise tech, turning education and engagement into a true engine for growth. Kris brings a perspective rooted in clarity, team building, and the belief that companies that win are the ones that connect great products to real human impact.

Rochelle Bilow is a romance novelist, food writer, French Culinary Institute graduate, former Bon Appétit editor, and current kitchen gear expert at Serious Eats, and she just came back to ultrarunning after nearly a decade away from the sport. In this conversation, Zoë and Brendan talk with Rochelle about what she learned cooking on a farm that culinary school never taught her, why she pivoted from heartbreak memoir to romance fiction, and what it's like to balance writing deadlines with ultra training (her answer: ask for a deadline extension).  They dig into why romance as a genre gets unfairly dismissed, what makes a great enemies-to-lovers arc, and the trail running romance novel she's currently writing. Plus: the $400 toaster that changed Rochelle's life, the truth about toaster oven air fryers, and the only correct way to clean a cloudy Vitamix. This episode is brought to you by LMNT. Stay on top of your electrolytes all day, not just on the run. Grab a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/UltraSignup.  Featured Race: Booneville Backroads Ultra — 10K to 100 miles through the Bridges of Madison County countryside in rural Iowa. New for 2026: a fully marked course and crew support allowed. Trail Sisters members can DM the race for a discount code. Race day is September 5th, registration closes August 28th. Sign up at UltraSignup.com. The Trailhead is part of the UltraSignup Podcast Network.

C. Thi Nguyen is a philosopher at the University of Utah, a former food writer for the Los Angeles Times, a rock climber, and one of the world's leading thinkers on the philosophy of games. His new book, The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else's Game, argues that games are the defining art form of our era, and that the scoring systems that make them so joyful turn quietly destructive when institutions and apps wield them instead. In this conversation, Zoë and Brendan talk with CT about why ultrarunning is a game in the deepest philosophical sense, his concept of value capture and why it explains your relationship with Strava better than you'd like, what carbon plates and trekking poles reveal about game design, and why Bernard Suits, the philosopher who defined play as "voluntarily taking on unnecessary obstacles", thought games might literally be the meaning of life. Also: fly fishing pickup artists, the shot clock, elite yo-yoing, and Zoë's Smash Mouth Strava segment situation. This episode is brought to you by Running Warehouse, the best place to find shoes, kit, and gear from top brands, with honest reviews and filters that actually help.  Our featured race is the Baker Trail Ultra Challenge, a 50-mile point-to-point through the Cook Forest stretches of the North Country Trail in Western Pennsylvania with 6,200 feet of climbing and a three-part commemorative medal — complete all three sections and you get the full set. Registration closes August 28. Sign up at UltraSignup.com.  The Trailhead is part of the UltraSignup Podcast Network.

Week 1 of the BIG picture; sermon by Pastor Anna Gresham

After an unplanned break and a lost episode courtesy of Riverside gremlins, JD gets the roundtable back together with Bryan, Calvin, and Nathan for a live show that feels like getting the gang back in the garage. The first part of the conversation catches up on show business, including progress on the Trail Hero Expeditions edits, upcoming interviews, and plans to get the release schedule moving again. From there, the crew wanders through the usual Trailhead mix of rig talk, maintenance chatter, EJS and Jeep Beach plans, tire balancing headaches, and the kind of side roads this group always finds without even trying.The back half leans into news, and that's where things get rowdier. The group reacts to Jeep-branded Truck Claws, Stellantis chasing an affordable EV strategy while the 4xe reputation keeps taking hits, and the broader question of whether electric Jeeps really fit the way most owners use and abuse them. They also hit the West Mojave route closures and the BlueRibbon Coalition's response, digging into what that ruling could mean for access far beyond California. It's part shop talk, part news breakdown, part hangout session, and pretty much exactly the kind of chaos you'd expect when these four get rolling again.

Pavel Cenkl is a climate writer, ultrarunner, and Dean of Academics at Prescott College who has run hundreds of miles across Iceland, Scandinavia, and the Arctic through his project Climate Run. He grew up in the White Mountains, worked the AMC huts, started one of the first collegiate trail running teams in the U.S., and built a master's program combining movement, environmental philosophy, and ecology.  In this conversation, Zoë and Brendan talk with Pavel about what happens when you push yourself to the edge of exhaustion in landscapes that are literally shifting beneath your feet — disappearing glaciers, the vulnerability of being utterly alone in midnight sun, why "resilience over resistance" is a better framework for running and life, and the moment he screamed so loud on day three of his Iceland crossing that he scared a goose into flight and accidentally had a paradigm shift. This episode is brought to you by Precision Fuel and Hydration, use code TRAILHEAD26 for 15% off at PrecisionHydration.com. Our featured race is the White Lake Ultras on May 2nd in Tamworth, New Hampshire, a two-mile lakefront loop where you pick your poison: 6, 12, or 24 hours. Costumes encouraged. Register at UltraSignup.com. The Trailhead is part of the UltraSignup Podcast Network.

Chip Judd finishes out our Reset Series with a powerful word on mental health and knowing God's love.

Week four of our Reset Series, dedicated to mental health and what the Bible can teach us about how to manage it. 

Week 3 of our Reset Series focused on Mental Health

Week 2 of our series "Reset", centered around what the bible can teach us about mental health.

Week 1 of our new series "Reset", centered around what the bible can teach us about mental health.

660. Today we're joined by writer and cultural historian Brian Fairbanks, author of “Wizards: David Duke, America's Wildest Election, and the Rise of the Far Right.” In this book, Fairbanks delivers a vivid account of David Duke's 1991 run for governor of Louisiana — a campaign that shocked the country and revealed how extremist politics could slip into the mainstream. Through sharp reporting and a storyteller's eye, he reconstructs the chaos, the media frenzy, and the deeper social tensions that made that election a turning point in modern American politics. Fairbanks brings that same clarity to a very different American saga in “Willie, Waylon, and the Boys: How Nashville Outsiders Changed Country Music.” Here he traces the rise of the outlaw movement, showing how Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and their circle pushed back against Nashville's rigid studio system and reshaped the sound and soul of country music. He explores the rebellion, the artistry, and the cultural moment that allowed these musicians to redefine authenticity and leave a lasting imprint on American music. Beyond these two major works, Brian Fairbanks has built a reputation as a writer who connects individual stories to the larger forces shaping American life. Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 222 years. Order your copy today! This week in the Louisiana Anthology. Heloise Hulse Cruzat wrote an article on the history of the Ursuline Nuns in New Orleans.      You have been told in eloquent periods of the founding of New Orleans, of its subsequent development, and I am to be the humble interpreter of another intimate chapter of its history: THE SHARE WOMEN TOOK IN ITS ESTABLISHMENT.      Can we mention the French colonial days without recalling the URSULINES, who by their unfaltering courage and their steady and efficient work, incorporated their history into that of our fair city.      Bienville realized that New Orleans would never attain his dream of greatness without education, and especially such an education of the female youth as would give worthy wives and mothers to the colonists. With this end in view, he intrusted to the Jesuit, Father de Beaubois, the care of choosing these educators. How successfully this mission was accomplished by his selection of the Ursulines of Rouen, the two past centuries have demonstrated.       A contract was signed by the Company of the Indies and the Ursulines, approved by brevet signed by Louis XV, and on February 22nd, 1727, Mother St. Augustin, Tranchepain, with eight professed nuns, a novice and two postulants sailed on the Gironde from L'Orient. This week in Louisiana history. January 9, 1877 Both Democrat Francis T. Nicholls and Republican Stephen B. Packard claim victory in election for governor; both take oath of office. This week in New Orleans history. Andrew Jackson arrived on board the steamer “Vicksburg” on January 8, 1840 at ten o'clock in the morning, landing at the Carrollton wharf, where an immense throng had assembled to welcome “the most distinguished citizen of the country.”  The specific reason for his presence was that a cornerstone was to be laid, commemorating his victories in the Battle of New Orleans, a quarter of a century before. General Jackson laid the cornerstone in the Place d'Armes, on January 9, 1840. It was not until some years later that the monument decided upon was the one of Jackson, designed by Clark Mills, which stands in the center of the ancient parade grounds for the troops. This statue has been called the “center piece of one of the finest architectural sittings in the world.” (NOPL) This week in Louisiana. January 10, 2026. Fools of Misrule Parade Historic St. John District Covington Marchers will follow the “Lord of Misrule” in a medieval-themed procession. The January 10, 2026 Route & Key Stops The parade follows a traditional path through downtown Covington with key festivities: Start: Seiler Bar (434 N. Columbia St.) following the members-only “Feast of Fools.” Stop 1 (The Crowning): The procession marches to the Covington Trailhead (419 N. New Hampshire St.) to crown the “Lord of Misrule.” Stop 2 (The Carouse): Revelers, flambeaux, and brass bands march along New Hampshire Street to Boston Street. Stop 3 (The Watering Holes): The krewe heads north along Columbia Street, stopping at local restaurants and pubs. End: The march concludes back at the Columbia Street Tap Room & Grill. Website: foolsofmisrule.org Email: membership@foolsofmisrule.org Phone: (985) 893-8187 St. John Fools of Misrule 434 N. Columbia St. Suite H20 Covington, LA 70433 Note for Listeners: While public, this march has a rowdy “pub crawl” atmosphere. Families should aim for the Trailhead crowning for the best experience with kids. Postcards from Louisiana. Crescent City Brewhouse. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

In this episode of the Agents of Recovery Podcast, Coach Blu and Wendell explore a decisive shift in how to relate to emotional triggers in mental health and addiction recovery. Rather than treating triggers as threats to avoid, they frame them as trailheads—valuable starting points that lead to deeper self-understanding and lasting change.Episode OverviewCoach Blu and Wendell unpack the idea that triggers are not the problem; they are signals. When something activates a strong emotional response, it often points to an unresolved experience, belief, or wound asking for attention. By slowing down and getting curious instead of reactive, recovery becomes less about control and more about discovery.Throughout the conversation, they share grounded, real-world examples of how triggers show up in daily life and recovery spaces. From interpersonal conflict to internal self-talk, they demonstrate how asking why you feel the way you do can open the door to insight, self-compassion, and freedom.Key Themes Explored- Triggers as information, not danger, and how reframing them reduces shame and fear - Curiosity as a recovery skill, replacing avoidance with awareness - The difference between managing symptoms and understanding sources - How emotional reactions often point to unmet needs or past experiences - Practical ways to pause, reflect, and learn from triggering momentsThis episode is a reminder that every trigger holds potential insight, and that a bit of curiosity can go a long way toward meaningful, sustainable recovery.Join Coach Blu and Team Addict II Athlete and begin your recovery with a tram behind you! Our online addiction and mental health program provides live group sessions with Coach Blu, our weekly Home Base recovery meeting, therapeutic assignments, and educational information at a fraction of what a treatment program would require. Take You Mark, Get Set, Let's Go, and click the link below. https://www.skool.com/addict-ii-athlete-5988/about?ref=9090e81114674311874340c02b1095d0Please join Addict to Athlete's Patreon support page and help us turn the mess of addiction into the message of sobriety!https://www.patreon.com/addicttoathletePlease visit our website for more information on Team Addict to Athlete and Addiction Recovery Podcasts.https://www.AddictToAthlete.org