The Life Lessons Collective

Want to meet a true renaissance woman? Well, you've come to the right place. In this episode of the Life Lessons Collective, multi-talented visionary Amy Kardel shares her life lesson about embracing change as the normal state of things. Drawing on personal experiences, Amy discusses the challenges and rewards of navigating change, whether it's a career shift, adapting to new technologies, or facing unexpected life circumstances. She emphasizes the importance of being open to change, taking initiative in learning new skills, and supporting others through their own transformations. The conversation also touches on the need to reshape the media portrayal of the tech industry and highlights Amy's exciting venture of co-writing a screenplay that portrays the positive aspects of working in tech. Overall, the episode encourages listeners to view change as an opportunity for growth and to approach it with optimism and resilience.

Join us on an interesting life and career journey with Andrew Dawson, a seasoned strategist with a diverse background in various advertising agencies and consultancies. Dawson shares insights from his career, including the importance of finding and cultivating mentors, and the challenges of navigating corporate culture during rapid career advancement. He discusses how his experiences inform his approach to mentoring his children and his podcast, "60 Second Democracy," which educates listeners on the actual roles of government officials. Dawson highlights the importance of understanding these roles beyond party lines and emphasizes the need for effective governance at the local level.

In this episode, Michael talks with Barbara Paluszkiewicz, CEO of CDN Technologies in Ontario. Barb shares her journey from her formative years, where, with English as her second language, she was relied upon to translate sometimes difficult transactional situations for her Polish-speaking grandmother, to now leading a successful tech company in Canada. Barb emphasizes the importance of clear communication, learned from her early experiences, which now helps her bridge the gap between technical jargon and client understanding. Through empathy and effective communication, she ensures clients grasp critical concepts in the rapidly evolving IT landscape, preventing costly cyber incidents and fostering trust. All this...and a dose of Archie Bunker and Fred Sanford too. Come join us; you’ll be glad you did.

In this episode, Michael is joined by Theresa Conroy, whose journey spans journalism, private investigation, yoga therapy, and now, living in France. Theresa shares insights into her various career transitions, including her time as a reporter for the Philadelphia Daily News and her work with Parkinson's patients. They delve into the importance of managing anxiety disorder while pursuing dreams rather than seeing it as a barrier. Tune in for a rich discussion on embracing change and finding fulfillment. For more from Theresa, visit her blog "Yo France" at https://yofrance.substack.com/. To learn more about her Yoga for Parkinson's training, visit https://www.yogaforparkinsons.com/.

In this episode, Michael engages in a powerful conversation with Mike Carter, a lifelong resident of North Philadelphia. Mike's journey is one of resilience and redemption, as he overcame years of educational apathy and a straight D average in high school, along with the allure of street life. Despite these challenges, Mike found his path to higher education at Temple University.

What set Mike's journey apart was the guidance of influential mentors, including legendary coaches John Chaney and Dawn Staley. Their mentorship, along with others, tapped into Mike's passions, steering him away from the less-than ideal pathways of his past.
The life lesson Mike shares from his experiences now fuels his current ventures, where he utilizes his community-building skills to improve opportunities for disadvantaged inner-city children. Through his work, Mike is paying forward the support and guidance he received, creating positive change in his community.

In honor of Mike's story and his commitment to mentorship, The Life Lessons Collective is making a contribution to Fathers Read 365. To learn
more about this impactful organization, visit their website at https://www.fathersread365.org/.

If you're interested in watching Michael's 2018 speech at NASDAQ, as referenced in the introduction, you can find it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkvYzVUYKZU.

Tune in to this episode for an inspiring story of overcoming adversity, mentorship, and community empowerment.