What happens when you have all the qualifications but can't get past the in-person interview? Emily Purry, founder of Purry Consultants, shares her raw journey of job hunting with a visual disability and how it sparked a mission to transform workplace inclusion. Despite having a master's degree, Emily faced rejection after rejection once employers met her face-to-face, leading her to discover the gap between what companies say about diversity and what they actually practice. Her story reveals why one in four people have disabilities, yet most workplaces remain unprepared to support them authentically.

Emily breaks down the difference between accommodation and true inclusion, sharing practical strategies for creating psychologically safe spaces where employees feel comfortable disclosing their needs. From the 'six-year-old questions' framework to understanding when disclosure makes sense, this conversation challenges everything you think you know about disability in the workplace. You'll discover why asking 'Do you need to know?' before every question can transform workplace relationships and why treating someone as a human first changes everything.


Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Want personalized podcast strategy support? Book a free clarity call: MeetwithOlivia.me

Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:
Website: Achieving-Success.com
Facebook Community: The Podcaster’s Powerhouse Community For Business Owners
Facebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Connect with Emily Purry:
LinkedIn: Emily Purry M.S.
Website: https://purryco.com/
All Social Media Platforms: Purry Consultants

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

What if the key to transformation isn't adding more to your life, but having the courage to subtract what doesn't serve you? Stephan K Thieringer, founder and CEO of SKT Global, reveals why self-awareness is the number one growth catalyst and shares his unconventional approach to personal and professional alignment. Through his unique methodology combining neuroscience, behavioral analysis, and cognitive behavioral therapy, Stephan has helped countless individuals break free from compartmentalized living where they show up as different people in different areas of their life.

In this conversation, you'll discover Stephan's "war room" strategy for surrounding yourself with the right people, why he challenges clients to say no three to four times daily, and the profound difference between checking boxes versus creating real impact. Stephan shares raw insights from his own journey of corporate success that left him feeling misaligned, the Japanese proverb about three faces that will make you question how authentically you're showing up, and why growth actually happens in recovery, not in constant motion. This episode will shift how you think about success, boundaries, and the power of celebrating small wins instead of just catching people doing things wrong.



Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:
Website: Achieving-Success.com
Facebook Community: The Podcaster’s Powerhouse Community For Business Owners
Facebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Connect with Stephan K Thieringer:
LinkedIn: Stephan K Thieringer 
Email: [email protected]
Website: stephanthieringer.com 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

Randy Sutton was having the stroke of his life in his police car at 2:30 AM on the Las Vegas Strip, and his own department's response would shock you to your core. After 24 years of service, surviving multiple gunfights, and nearly dying for his badge, they told him to 'make us' pay his medical bills and spent taxpayer money fighting him in court. What they didn't expect was that their betrayal would spark something bigger than Randy ever imagined. The desperate messages from officers across the country started flooding in, all saying the same devastating words: 'I feel forgotten, I feel alone, I wish I never lived that night.' Randy's journey from being abandoned by his department to building the nation's largest support network for wounded officers reveals a hidden crisis that affects thousands of our first responders.

This isn't just another success story, it's a raw look at how the system fails those who protect us and what one man did when he refused to let that continue. Randy's philosophy that trauma can create world-changing pathways isn't just theory, it's proven by the 14,000 officers his organization has helped in just five years. His team of wounded warriors, including officers in wheelchairs and those who've been blinded, are rewriting what it means to serve even after sacrifice.


Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:
Website: Achieving-Success.com
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Facebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Connect with Randy Sutton:
Website: https://thewoundedblue.org/
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: (833-892-8255)

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

What would you do if you had YouTube fame but couldn't pay your bills? Actor And Producer Arkie Kandola faced this exact dilemma when his viral Punjabi content brought millions of views but left him financially struggling. His raw honesty about the gap between perceived success and reality will shift how you think about digital fame forever. The industry didn't respect YouTubers when he started, yet he managed to break through to major productions like Prison Break and NBC's Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist.

Arkie reveals the specific moment he knew he had to pivot from YouTube to traditional acting, and why his immigrant family's poverty mindset both motivated and challenged him. His stories about staying in character in public and believing we're all stars in our own movies will make you question everything about authenticity and performance. With two major shows premiering this fall, his insights on representation and owning your time couldn't be more timely.


Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Website: Achieving-Success.com
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Facebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

What if the secret to turning around a failing business wasn't working harder, but changing how you think about paying bills? Arielle Leavitt was drowning in red numbers when she took over her father's struggling practice after his stroke. The bank account was empty, the bills were piling up, and she was writing checks with anger and resentment. Then she tried something that seemed almost too simple to work: saying thank you every time she paid a bill. The results were so dramatic, she couldn't believe the shift in both her cash flow and her entire business trajectory.

But Arielle's story doesn't stop at business turnaround. Her natural gift for connecting people led to a breakthrough moment when her best friend said five words that changed everything: "I kind of see you with an app." That conversation sparked the creation of Ripple, solving a problem every networker faces but nobody talks about. You'll hear exactly how she went from stressed business owner to app founder, and why sometimes the best business ideas come from the problems that frustrate you most.


Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:
Website: Achieving-Success.com
Facebook Community: The Podcaster’s Powerhouse Community For Business Owners
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LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Connect with Arielle Leavitt:
Email: at [email protected]

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

A geopolitical crisis turned Jorge Toledo's business trip into a five-year nightmare that would test every limit of human endurance. The former Citgo VP thought he was attending a routine meeting in Caracas-instead, he found himself accused of being a CIA agent and thrown into Venezuelan military detention. What happened next will challenge everything you believe about survival, success, and the strength of the human spirit.

Stripped of everything familiar, Jorge faced torture, malnutrition, and 24/7 lighting designed to break his mind. Yet somehow, in a cell barely larger than a closet, he discovered principles that transformed not just his captivity, but his entire understanding of what it means to achieve success. His method for maintaining sanity, the spiritual framework that kept him alive, and the "why" that pulled him through the darkest moments offer a masterclass in resilience that extends far beyond prison walls.


Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:
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Facebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Connect with Jorge Toledo:
Linkedin: Jorge Toledo
Website: https://iconoclasticartistry.com/
Email: at [email protected]

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

What happens when your podcast co-host decides they want out, or worse, claims they own everything you've built together? Entertainment attorney Gordon Firemark has seen too many friendships and business partnerships crumble over these exact scenarios. With over 30 years in entertainment law and 15+ years as a podcaster himself, Gordon reveals the critical legal blind spots that could derail your show before you even realize there's a problem. From intellectual property disputes to revenue-sharing disagreements, he's witnessed the aftermath of partnerships that started with handshake agreements and ended in legal battles.

Gordon shares his journey from theater-obsessed kid to entertainment lawyer, explaining how staying ahead of industry shifts from traditional media to digital podcasting has kept him relevant for decades. He breaks down the essential conversations every podcast partnership needs to have upfront, introduces his famous "podcast prenup" concept, and reveals why even solo podcasters need to think like businesses from day one. You'll discover the most common legal pitfalls podcasters face, why preparation on the front end saves countless hours of headaches later, and how to protect your creative work while building something that can truly scale.


Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:
Website: Achieving-Success.com
Facebook Community: The Podcaster’s Powerhouse Community For Business Owners
Facebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Connect with Gordon Firemark:
LinkedIn: Gordon Firemark 
email: [email protected]  
Website https://firemark.com/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

What happens when the band you grew up obsessing over calls and asks you to join them? Band Chicago Professional Percussionist Ray Yslas shares the emotional moment he went from childhood superfan to official band member, revealing the raw truth about what it really takes to perform at the highest level. His journey from blocking his family's door as a nine-year-old desperate to see Chicago live to receiving that life-changing call in 2018 proves that sometimes the universe has bigger plans than we can imagine. Ray opens up about the reality behind working with legends like Prince, Stevie Nicks, and Paul Stanley, including the brutal feedback that shaped his approach and the moments when ego nearly derailed everything. He reveals why success isn't about the accolades others see, but about waking up excited to do what you love, and how staying humble in an industry where you're always replaceable becomes your greatest strength. Through candid stories of last-minute Emmy performances, direct calls from rock legends, and the harsh lessons learned in high-pressure rehearsals, Ray demonstrates that achieving success means adapting quickly, checking your ego constantly, and never forgetting that your job is to make people smile for those precious two hours.


Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:
Website: Achieving-Success.com
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Facebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

What happens when you finally reach the success you've always dreamed of, only to discover it feels completely empty? Cathryn Dhanatya thought she had it all when she became the youngest assistant dean at USC and later reached the C-suite at a major cancer research funder. She had the title, the office, the financial stability her immigrant parents had sacrificed for. But standing at what everyone else called the pinnacle of success, she felt profoundly alone and disconnected from everything that truly mattered to her.

In this deeply personal conversation, Cathryn reveals the moment she realized that being the only woman and person of color in the room wasn't the victory she'd imagined it would be. She shares how redefining success led her to leave traditional career paths behind and launch Growing Good, where she now helps nonprofits build sustainable impact through strategic planning and fundraising. You'll discover why she believes mission-driven work requires the same business rigor as any for-profit venture, plus her insider strategies for evaluating which charities truly deserve your support.


Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:
Website: Achieving-Success.com
Facebook Community: The Podcaster’s Powerhouse Community For Business Owners
Facebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Connect with Cathryn Dhanatya:
Website: www.growinggoodinc.com
Email: [email protected]

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

What if the key to mental resilience could be found bouncing on a trampoline? Scott Ferguson, a Navy veteran who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, has discovered something powerful about mental conditioning that goes far beyond traditional coaching methods. His unconventional approach to speaking engagements-starting every presentation on a trampoline-isn't just a gimmick, it's a strategic tool for mental and physical preparation that flushes toxins while getting audiences to affirm his message before he even begins.

Scott's journey from an orphaned child in the Philippines to a successful mental conditioning coach reveals hard-won insights about building unshakeable resilience. He shares his philosophy of living a life of options rather than obligations, the importance of identifying who truly has your back when challenges arise, and why he requires his clients to text him one act of service daily. His approach challenges the victim statements that keep people stuck, replacing overwhelm with resourcefulness and excuses with adjustments that create real transformation.


Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.

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Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:
Website: Achieving-Success.com
Facebook Community: The Podcaster’s Powerhouse Community For Business Owners
Facebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
LinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving Success
Instagram: @_achievingsuccess

Connect with Scott Ferguson:
LinkedIn: L. Scott Ferguson
Website: timetoshinetoday.com
Email: [email protected]

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.