ATL Career Journey

What does it look like when life knocks you off course — and you keep going anyway? In this episode, Paul sits down with Jess Mints, a Georgia Tech grad, Navy veteran, and cancer survivor whose journey is anything but straight. From pivoting majors to military service to rebuilding after personal setbacks, Jess shares how faith, resilience, and the right people in your corner can redirect any detour into a destination. This one hits different. 

#ATLCareerJourney #ResilientByDesign #FaithOverFear 

You can reach Jess at [email protected] if you want to hear more about his story!

From Benin City, Nigeria to the halls of Amazon — Jackson Aimiuwu's career journey is proof that grit outpaces a head start. Jackson shares how he went from never touching a keyboard to crushing computer science, navigating three countries, and building a career in cloud solutions. His advice? "The map from Point A to Point B never shows you the terrain." Come for the story, stay for the wisdom.

#ATLCareerJourney #CareerStory #TechCareers #AWS #Mentorship #ImmigrantSuccess #GrowthMindset

My guests for Episode 58 is Alan Swan and Maria Babilon from Province Data Solutions. Alan is the Managing Partner and Maria is a Partner at PDS and they've joined me today to talk about the fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence. We discussed the differences between Traditional AI and Generative AI and how each are solving real world problems. Alan reviewed the background on market demand and the importance of good data to help drive these models. Maria discussed the impact these technologies have on career transitions and brought up some useful tactics in getting trained both inside and outside the classroom. I really enjoyed our conversation and hope you do too!

You can learn more about Alan on LinkedIn here and Maria here

#podcast #machinelearning #generativeai #dataanalytics

My guest for Episode 57 is Robert Lescano, who I worked with at Amazon Web Services. He was the East Area Director in the AWS ProServe consulting division.  He had a long and successful career in technology and was fortunate to retire in 2023 to travel and enjoy quality time with his family. We talked about his experience growing up in Peru and the challenges he faced once he moved to the US. Robert also talked about his role in leading male allyship in his organizations and the value of diversity in the workforce. He also shared some great advice about taking initiative with new experiences and not getting hung up on perfection. I really enjoyed our conversation and hope you do too!

You can learn more about Robert on LinkedIn here

#podcast #maleally #diversity

My guest for Episode 56 is Stacy Borocz , who is the owner of etuHOME.  She has an incredible story about courage and perseverance from her start in New York to college at UGA and ultimately owning her current business.  She always demonstrated creativity and a passion for the arts.  In addition, Stacy loves to travel and that not only created inspiration through her college years but later provided a platform for etuHOME.  Her career has taken her through several industries but I love the fact that Stacy never shied away for a challenge or the opportunity to learn new things.  Some of my takeaways from our conversation were to trust your gut and to gain wisdom by listening and learning from others.  Stacy has a retail stores in both Atlanta and Charleston and I can't wait to visit!  I hope you enjoy our conversation.

You can learn more about Stacy on LinkedIn or her company website EtuHome

My guest for the 55th episode of the ATL Career Journey podcast is Jacqui Chew, who is known as an innovation enthusiast and has been a successful presence in the Atlanta start up community.  She has more than two decades of experience delivering creative, data-driven strategies for venture-backed, high-growth companies.  Jacqui is also a TEDx Licensee, active mentor, and board member of several organizations.  Her career journey started in Singapore, landed in Hawaii for school and a start in the music business, then found her way to Atlanta and the growing technology industry.  Jacqui shared some keys to success, including being curious, remaining open to new experiences, and taking risks when you are young.  

You can learn more about Jacqui on LinkedIn.

My guest for this episode of the ATL Career Journey podcast is Amanda Anderson, who is the owner and executive producer at Circa Twenty Four Pictures.  I first met Amanda when she was in IT recruiting and she had already explored a couple of careers.  She started out wanted to be a doctor, wound up working as a researcher and then realized she missed social interactions that are core to her personality.  She wound up working in the staffing industry that led her to Atlanta and then pivoted to start a production company with her husband.  She has always been incredibly smart, motivated, and has a genuine thirst for knowledge.  It's been a blessing to watch her career evolution I hope you enjoy this episode!

You can learn more about Amanda on LinkedIn or her company website.

My guest for Episode 53 of the ATL Career Journey podcast is Laura Hunnicutt, who is a User Experience Lead at EY.  I met Laura at Manheim but we also spent time at Delta Air Lines.  We talked about how her college experience as well as trip through Europe changed her perspective on life.  We also talked about what user experience actually is and how she got her start.  Along with being a great human being, Laura is great at what she does and I was happy to have her share her experiences!

You can learn more about Laura on LinkedIn.

My guest for Episode 52 of the ATL Career Journey podcast is Jackie Hoffman, who is the Founder and Managing Director of CMB Associates.  I worked with Jackie at Manheim on some projects in their digital space and saw her work ethic and customer focus in action.  She took a couple of different paths before her corporate life took shape and now she's leveraging those experiences as a small business owner.  Jackie shared some of her keys to success that include knowing your strengths, recognizing your weaknesses, and trusting your instincts.  She also credits being flexible, taking action, and embracing change that have helped her to navigate the changing business landscape.

You can learn more about Jackie on LinkedIn.

My guest for Episode 51 of the ATL Career Journey podcast is Steven Julian, who is an Independent  Financial Advisor as well as a Radio and Podcast Host.  I met Steven through a mutual friend and he gave me some great advice when I started this podcast.  Steven's career journey has several chapters and he walked me through the ups and downs to get where his is today.  We also discussed some valuable career advice, including the importance of mentors, honoring commitments, and knowing the value of hard work.  I learned a lot from this episode and hope you enjoy it!

You can learn more about Steven on LinkedIn.