Work From The Inside Out

In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Kate Kayaian, a former professional cellist turned career strategist, author, and coach. Kate shares her journey from performing on world-class stages to making the bold decision to step away from a successful music career in her forties. What makes her story especially powerful is that nothing was “wrong” on the outside. She had built a life many would aspire to, yet something no longer fit.Kate opens up about the internal shift that led her to question her path, including the realization that success as she had defined it no longer aligned with the life she wanted to live. Through the unexpected pause of the pandemic, she began experimenting with new ways of working, which led to coaching, creating programs, and ultimately discovering work that felt more meaningful and aligned. Her story challenges the belief that we must stay on a path simply because it has been successful.Together, Tammy and Kate explore what it means to redefine potential on your own terms, how to move past the stories that keep you stuck, and why it is never too late to pivot. Kate also shares a simple yet powerful mindset shift that can help you move from feeling blocked to seeing new possibilities. This conversation is an invitation to rethink what is possible for your next chapter.In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:How to recognize when a successful career no longer aligns with your valuesWhy external success does not always translate to internal fulfillmentThe role of identity in keeping you stuck in a path that no longer fitsHow the pandemic created unexpected opportunities for reinventionThe difference between ego-driven success and purpose-driven workWhy you do not need a crisis to justify making a changeHow to translate existing skills into a completely new career directionThe power of questioning the stories you tell yourself about your past, present, and futureA practical mindset shift from “no, because” to “yes, if”How to begin redefining your potential on your own termsLearn more about Kate:Read: Beyond Potential: A Guide for Creatives Who Want to Re-Assess, Re-Define, and Re-Ignite Their CareersListen: Tales from the Lane podcastVisit: katekayaian.comFollow Kate on Instagram: @kkayaianGet on the Wait List: Creatives Leadership AcademyStay Connected:Connect with Tammy on LinkedInBuy Me A CoffeeWork From The Inside Out WebsiteSubscribe to the newsletterSubscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

What does leadership look like in a world where emotions are more present at work than ever before? In this episode, Tammy speaks with executive coach, strategic advisor, and author Dina Denham Smith about the increasing emotional demands placed on leaders today. Drawing on her background in organizational psychology, business, and executive leadership, Dina shares how workplaces have changed and why leaders are being charged with navigating situations that go well beyond traditional management practices. In her new book, Emotionally Charged: How to Lead in the New World of Work, she connects the dots between the complexities of intensified emotions in the workplace and the practical approaches needed to lead a trusting and engaged workforce. Dina reflects on her early life growing up on a boys boarding school campus and how that environment shaped her confidence, communication style, and comfort speaking up in male dominated settings. She also shares the path that led her from studying organizational  psychology to earning an MBA, working in consulting and private equity, and eventually building a successful executive coaching practice.Tammy and Dina also explore the concept of emotional labor in leadership. Dina explains why the emotional expectations placed on leaders have intensified in recent years and offers practical insights for navigating difficult conversations, supporting teams through change, and leading effectively in an emotionally complex workplace.In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:How Dina’s unconventional childhood shaped her confidence and communication styleWhy early work experiences influenced her interest in workplace psychologyThe path from studying organizational psychology to earning an MBA and moving into consultingWhat she learned working in organizational strategy and corporate transformationDina’s transition from corporate leadership roles into executive coachingWhy writing became an important part of her professional workThe concept of emotional labor and how it applies to leadershipWhy leaders today face higher emotional demands than in the pastHow leaders can navigate emotionally charged conversations with their teamsPractical ways to explore career changes through experimentation rather than overthinkingLearn more about Dina:Website: www.dinadsmith.comBook: Emotionally Charged: How to Lead in the New World of WorkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dina-denham-smith/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dinadsmith71/Stay Connected:Connect with Tammy on LinkedInBuy Me A CoffeeWork From The Inside Out WebsiteSubscribe to the newsletterSubscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

Rebecca Hinds, organizational behavior expert and author of Your Best Meeting Ever, draws on research and advising top firms to rethink meetings. She discusses how team-first cultures shape performance, the 4D rule for when meetings are needed, network science and weak ties for career movement, cognitive wandering as innovation fuel, and why AI projects often fail from human resistance.

In Episode 290 of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Margaret Andrews, author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding. A seasoned executive leader, Harvard instructor, and founder of the MYLO Center, Margaret shares why leadership is not just a skillset, it’s a craft that begins within. From her early career in consulting to running MBA and executive programs at MIT and Harvard, Margaret’s journey has been guided by curiosity, risk-taking, and deep reflection.Margaret explains why self-awareness becomes increasingly important as we move into leadership roles. One of her most powerful insights? We judge ourselves by our intentions, but others judge us by our behaviors. That gap can undermine even the most well-meaning leaders. She shares how understanding our formative influences, values, and definitions of success allows us to close that gap and lead with greater clarity and impact.In a world reshaped by post-pandemic workplace shifts, hybrid culture debates, and rapid change, Margaret reminds us that there is no silver bullet in leadership, only thoughtful, intentional navigation. If you’re contemplating your next move, leading a team, or striving to grow into your next level, this conversation offers practical frameworks and reflective questions to help you truly work from the inside out.In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:Why leadership is a creative craft and not just a positionThe difference between intentions and behaviors, and why it mattersHow curiosity shapes career transitionsThe role of risk-taking in professional growthWhy self-understanding is foundational to leading othersThe paradox of hybrid work and organizational cultureHow leaders can close the intention–behavior gapWhy slowing down leads to better long-term decisionsThe importance of modeling learning and vulnerabilityPractical reflection strategies for your next career moveLearn more about Margaret:Visit The MYLO CenterRead: Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-UnderstandingFollow Margaret on LinkedIn: @margaretcandrewsVisit MargaretAndrews.comStay Connected:Connect with Tammy on LinkedInBuy Me A CoffeeWork From The Inside Out WebsiteSubscribe to the newsletterSubscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

In this episode of Work From the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb sits down with entrepreneur and leadership innovator Addie Swartz, CEO of reacHIRE. Addie shares the remarkable throughline of her career, from selling apple pies at age 12 to founding multiple mission-driven companies, all rooted in a belief that talent, confidence, and potential exist everywhere, even when they’re overlooked.Throughout the conversation, Addie reflects on pivotal moments that shaped her path, including her time at Bain, Disney, and Lotus, and the personal experiences that inspired her to build businesses supporting women, girls, and professionals navigating career transitions. From creating positive role models for young girls through The Beacon Street Girls to helping experienced professionals return to meaningful work, Addie illustrates how life’s disruptions often reveal powerful opportunities.Addie also discusses the evolution of reacHIRE and its leadership platform, Aurora, which help individuals grow, re-enter, and advance within organizations by focusing on strengths, confidence, and intentional support. Her advice for anyone facing a transition is both reassuring and practical: lean into your potential, stay curious, and don’t go it alone. This episode is a powerful reminder that every stage of life holds the possibility for growth and reinvention.In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:How early entrepreneurial experiences can shape lifelong leadership instinctsWhy confidence, and not capability, is often the biggest barrier during career transitionsThe hidden cost of sidelining experienced talent after career breaksHow strengths-based leadership development drives engagement, growth, and retentionWhy meaningful careers are built through curiosity, courage, and support at every stage of lifeLearn more about Addie:Follow Addie on LinkedIn: @addieswartzVisit the website: reachire.comExplore AuroraStay Connected:Connect with Tammy on LinkedInBuy Me A CoffeeWork From The Inside Out WebsiteSubscribe to the newsletterSubscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

What happens when life strips away certainty—health, finances, identity—and asks you to rebuild from the inside out? In this powerful episode, Tammy Gooler Loeb sits down with Matt Paradise, financial wellness speaker, award-winning author, and living example of resilience. Matt shares his extraordinary journey from homelessness and addiction to a decades-long career in financial counseling and ultimately, to redefining what true wealth really means.Matt reflects on growing up between two vastly different worlds, grappling with addiction as a teenager, and becoming sober at 18. His story unfolds through mentorship, purpose, and a growing understanding that money is rarely just about math. It’s about identity, meaning, and hope. Along the way, Matt explains the critical difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, why comparison is the thief of joy, and how unaddressed inner struggles often show up in our financial lives.The conversation takes a profound turn when Matt shares his experience surviving a rare bile duct cancer diagnosis and liver transplant. Out of that pain emerged clarity—and his book, Financially Capable: A Friendly Guide to Building Whole-Health Wealth. This episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and ask: What does “enough” really look like and how do we build lives that support our whole selves?In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:Why financial stress is rarely just about moneyThe difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivationHow addiction, debt, and overwork share common emotional rootsWhat it means to build Whole Health WealthThe role of mentorship in personal and professional transformationHow serious illness can clarify purpose and prioritiesWhy “done is better than perfect” when life is uncertainA practical five-step framework for meaningful changeReframing “have to” into “get to”Why hope matters—even when it’s not a strategyLearn more about Matt:Read: Financially Capable: A Friendly Guide to Building Whole Health WealthVisit mattparadise.comLinkedIn: @mattparadiseFacebookStay Connected:Connect with Tammy on LinkedInBuy Me A CoffeeWork From The Inside Out WebsiteSubscribe to the newsletterSubscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

In this episode of the Work from the Inside Out podcast, I’m joined by executive coach and author of The Visibility Factor, Susan Barber. A former Fortune 500 IT Director, Susan helps business leaders who want to leverage their leadership strengths, increase their visibility, and  elevate their impact in the workplace. Susan specializes in working with quiet, high-achieving leaders who want to step into the spotlight in authentic ways, so they can be seen, valued, and influential at work.Susan shares her journey working for 25 years in various leadership roles at Kraft Heinz to entrepreneurship, including the moment she received career-changing feedback that she “wasn’t visible enough.” That feedback, despite years of strong performance, forced her to confront imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and the subtle ways leaders unintentionally hold themselves back.We discuss what visibility really means, why it’s not about bragging or being the loudest voice in the room, and how leaders, especially introverts, can reframe visibility as service, clarity, and responsibility. Susan also shares insights from her recently published Your Journey to Visibility Workbook and offers practical guidance for people navigating career growth, and professional transitions.In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:Why visibility ≠ self-promotionHow imposter syndrome quietly limits career growthThe difference between being busy and being visibleWhy introverts often struggle with visibility and how to reframe itHow feedback (even painful feedback) can become a career-defining giftWhat it really means to “do the job before you get the job”Practical ways to show up more intentionally without changing who you areLearn more about Susan:Read: The Visibility Factor: Breakthrough Your Fears, Stand In Your Own Power And Become The Authentic Leader You Were Meant To BeRead: Your Journey To Visibility Workbook: A Proven Action Plan to Achieve Career SuccessListen: The Visibility Factor podcastVisit: SusanMBarber.comLinkedIn: SusanBarberCoachingStay Connected:Connect with Tammy on LinkedInBuy Me A CoffeeWork From The Inside Out WebsiteSubscribe to the newsletterSubscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

This week, Tammy welcomes back author and executive coach Jacqueline Wales, whose new book Fear Intelligence: A Practical Framework for Leading Beyond Fear offers a powerful, compassionate roadmap for understanding how fears shape our lives and our leadership style. Drawing on her two plus decades of coaching executives, professionals, and creatives, Jacqueline explains how fear, often misunderstood or ignored, offers a deeply influential emotional signal that calls for our attention.In the conversation, Jacqueline shares the evolution of her work, beginning with her early books The Fearless Factor and The Fearless Factor at Work, and leading to her latest framework, a four-part acronym: Face It, Explore It, Act on It, Rise with It. She and Tammy discuss how fear shows up in our behaviors, especially as avoidance, perfectionism, people-pleasing, or over-functioning, and how intergenerational stories can quietly shape our sense of safety and self-worth. Jacqueline illustrates how fear often runs “in the background,” like a CPU, until we learn to pause, question, and explore what it’s actually signaling.Listeners will gain a fresh understanding of fear as data, not destiny. Jacqueline emphasizes that growth is not about becoming fearless, a myth she debunks. Becoming fear intelligent  means choosing honesty over avoidance and conscious action over self-sabotage. Practical tools, reflective questions, and stories from her coaching practice illuminate how anyone can begin clearing the “old stories” that block their potential and open up space for the life they truly want.In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:What Fear Intelligence is and why it matters for leaders and professionalsThe four-step F.E.A.R. Framework: Face It, Explore It, Act on It, Rise with ItHow fear shapes behavior through avoidance, perfectionism, and people-pleasingWhy fear is often intergenerational, and how those stories get passed alongViewing fear as data rather than danger — and how that shift empowers actionHow to identify the stories that quietly reinforce “I’m not good enough”Why uncertainty is unavoidable, and why choosing discomfort can open new pathsJacqueline’s personal journey from hardship to transformationTools, exercises, and real-life examples from her new book Fear IntelligenceHow to begin building a more honest, compassionate relationship with yourselfLearn more about Jacqueline:Read: Fear Intelligence: A practical framework for leading beyond fear Visit JacquelineWales.comVisit fearintelligence.coLinkedIn: Jacqueline WalesStay Connected:Connect with Tammy on LinkedInBuy Me A CoffeeWork From The Inside Out WebsiteSubscribe to the newsletterSubscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

In this week’s episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy welcomes longtime friend and mission-driven leader Steve Zuckerman, whose multifaceted career spans private equity, economic justice work, and co-founding Stroke Onward, the nonprofit he founded with his wife, author and professor Debra Meyerson. Steve shares how his grounded upbringing, infused with values of service and perseverance, informed the choices he made throughout his professional and personal life.Steve walks us through his career journey, from his entry into consulting, to private equity, to becoming a stay-at-home dad during a major life shift, and eventually pivoting to non-profit leadership. He describes his ‘strategically opportunistic’ mindset which developed over time. Steve reflected on how this approach enabled him to see opportunities beyond conventional pathways and engage with both planned and unexpected situations. In 2010, the unexpected occurred when Steve’s wife, Deb experienced a life threatening stroke Debra, leaving her with a paralyzed right side and no speech at all. We discuss her continual recovery efforts, limitations imposed by her aphasia, and their collaborative mission to expand the conversation around identity loss and rebuilding after stroke. Steve shares how this experience reshaped his career priorities, leading to the founding of Stroke Onward and the second edition of Deb’s book Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves After Stroke. Their goal: transform how the medical and rehabilitation systems support the long-term emotional journey of recovery.In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:How Steve’s childhood values shaped his lifelong commitment to service and purpose-driven work.Why he turned down traditional career pathways in favor of roles aligned with his values.The philosophy of being “strategically opportunistic” and how it can guide career decisions.The year-long Mediterranean family sailing adventure that changed their perspective on life.Deb’s stroke, her life with aphasia, and how Steve supports her identity rebuilding.How the book Identity Theft evolved into a second edition and the founding of Stroke Onward.The systemic gaps in stroke recovery and why emotional healing needs long-term support.Steve’s advice for making career decisions rooted in clarity, compassion, and self-awareness.Learn more about Steve:Learn more about Stroke Onward Follow on Instagram: @strokeonwardFollow on Facebook: Stroke Onward’Follow Steve on LinkedInSubscribe on YouTube: @strokeonwardRead: Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves After StrokeListen to the audiobook: Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves After StrokeRead: Identity Theft: Second EditionStay Connected:Connect with Tammy on LinkedInBuy Me A CoffeeWork From The Inside Out WebsiteSubscribe to the newsletterSubscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

This week on Work From The Inside Out, I am joined by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Ken Corigliano, known widely as Air Force Ken. His story is one of extraordinary contrast: early years filled with love and community, followed by intense personal upheaval, homelessness, and loss. Ken’s path could easily have gone in a very different direction, but a pivotal encounter with a sharp-eyed recruiter and the devastating death of his sister sparked an internal shift that changed everything. What followed was a relentless commitment to service, personal responsibility, and rebuilding himself from the ground up.Ken went on to become an award-winning enlisted Airman, a commissioned officer, an intelligence leader supporting Air Force One, a triathlete striving for the Olympics, and ultimately a decorated lieutenant colonel. But his journey was far from linear. A catastrophic accident derailed his athletic aspirations and left him with an undiagnosed traumatic brain injury that he quietly navigated for seven years while still serving. His recovery, physical, cognitive, and emotional, unfolded slowly and unexpectedly, culminating in breakthrough results from peptide therapy through Transcend, the company he now serves as an executive.Today, Ken channels his life experience, scientific curiosity, and unmatchable resilience into helping others restore their health, energy, and quality of life. In this conversation, he opens up about trauma, service, rebuilding identity, the limitations of grit, and the importance of choosing the “hardest things” for the sake of becoming who we’re truly meant to be. His story is energizing, humbling, and an unforgettable reminder that transformation is always possible.In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about:How early childhood shaped Ken’s belief in community, nature, and connectionThe unraveling he experienced during adolescence and the turning point that changed his lifeThe recruiter whose tough honesty set Ken on a path of service and growthKen’s rise from struggling student to award-winning Airman and commissioned officerHis near-Olympic pursuit in triathlon and the extreme dedication behind itThe life-changing accident that caused a traumatic brain injury—and the seven years he hid itHow he navigated military service while dealing with cognitive and physical challengesHis remarkable recovery through peptide therapy and why it transformed everythingKen’s work at Transcend and how advanced therapies are helping people regain their vitalityThe philosophy behind his “Seven Gates” leadership model and what drives his passion for hard challengesLearn more about Ken:Read: State of Being by Ken CoriglianoWatch Ken’s story on YouTubeWatch the Ultimate Beastmaster on NetflixVisit: Transcend FoundationVisit: Transcend CompanyInstagram: @airforcekenLinkedIn: Ken Corigliano Stay Connected:Connect with Tammy on LinkedInBuy Me A CoffeeWork From The Inside Out WebsiteSubscribe to the newsletterSubscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb