What if one person believing in you early could completely change your career path?

In this episode of Embrace the Squiggle, Colleen and Ashleigh sit down with Cindy Darnell, Director of Operational Excellence for the Americas at Element, to unpack the power of sponsorship, career growth, and saying yes before you feel ready.

Cindy’s career journey didn’t follow a straight line. Starting as an executive assistant at just 19, she navigated career uncertainty, stepped into customer service leadership roles, and ultimately pivoted into Operational Excellence (OpEx) after volunteering as a 5S site champion—a decision that reshaped her entire trajectory.

A defining moment? Early in her career, a leader pulled her into executive-level conversations, giving her visibility, confidence, and access most people at her level never get. That experience became the foundation for how Cindy leads today—and how she actively creates opportunities for others.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating career obstacles, looking for alignment, or trying to grow within a company without a “perfect” plan.

Connect with Cindy on Linkedin

📚 Join the ETS Book Club — currently reading Atomic Habits
Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3EK-BGfBRHehD2jW2bApHQ#/

🎯 Need accountability on your goals? Join the Squiggle Huddle with Colleen
Learn more and register:
https://www.maxady.com/workshops/p/the-squiggle-huddle-monthly-accountability-for-2026-goals

🤝 Stay Connected

Colleen on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/comara/

Ashleigh on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-beadle/

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts for more conversations on squiggly career paths, mindset shifts, and turning career uncertainty into your competitive advantage.

What happens when leadership stops being about authority and starts being about humanity?

In this episode of Embrace the Squiggle, Colleen and Jennifer talk with executive leader, bestselling author, and keynote speaker Victoria Pelletier about the mindset shifts that shaped her unconventional career path.

Nicknamed the “Turnaround Queen” and the “CEO Whisperer,” Victoria built a career helping organizations navigate change, rebuild culture, and drive growth. But her leadership philosophy didn’t start that way. Early in her career, she led with a command-and-control style she jokingly calls the “Iron Maiden” phase, before realizing that real leadership comes from empathy, trust, and authenticity.

Whether you’re facing burnout, workplace culture challenges, or navigating a squiggly career path, this episode offers practical insights into building trust, leading through change, and finding alignment in your professional journey.

Connect with Victoria

Website: https://victoria-pelletier.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriapelletier/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoria_pelletier_unstoppable
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@VictoriaPelletierUnstoppable

📚 Join the ETS Book Club — we're reading Atomic Habits! Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3EK-BGfBRHehD2jW2bApHQ#/

🎯 Need accountability on your goals? Join the Squiggle Huddle with Colleen. Learn more and register here: https://www.maxady.com/workshops/p/the-squiggle-huddle-monthly-accountability-for-2026-goals

Stay in Touch with Your Hosts:

• Colleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/comara/
• Connect with Jen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-pasquale/
• Work with Jen: https://www.leadwithcuriosity.co/

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for more conversations that transform career complexity into your competitive advantage!

In this episode of Embrace the Squiggle, Colleen and Ashleigh speak with Madison Tevlin — award-winning advocate, keynote speaker, actor, and host of the 21 Questions podcast — to talk about building a life that aligns with who you really are.

Madison’s squiggly career path began early. At just 13 years old, she went viral on YouTube after posting a cover of a John Legend song. But as Madison shares, going viral was only the beginning of a much deeper journey through career uncertainty, public expectations, and finding personal alignment.

Madison’s on-screen work includes Mr. D, hosting Who Do You Think I Am, and a standout role in Champions alongside Woody Harrelson. She made history as the first person with Down syndrome nominated for Best Host at the Canadian Screen Awards, where she also hosted the red carpet.

Whether you're navigating an unhappy career, questioning your professional identity, or trying to find your place in a world of flexible careers, Madison’s story offers an inspiring reminder that success rarely follows a straight line.

Connect with Madison:

LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/madison-tevlin-b28138351

Website
http://madisontevlin.com

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/madisontevlin/

TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@madisontevlin?lang=en

📚 Join the ETS Book Club — currently reading Atomic Habits!
Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3EK-BGfBRHehD2jW2bApHQ#/

🎯 Need accountability on your goals? Join the Squiggle Huddle with Colleen.
Learn more and register here:
https://www.maxady.com/workshops/p/the-squiggle-huddle-monthly-accountability-for-2026-goals

Stay Connected with the Hosts

Colleen on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/comara/

Ashleigh on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-beadle/

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts for more conversations that turn career complexity, change, and uncertainty into your competitive advantage.

Everyone says to follow you passion, but what if you’re passionate about cupcakes and walking? It’s only half of the equation to a fulfilling career and life so we need to discuss the other half. 

This episode of Embrace the Squiggle explore the passion equation with Paul Comfort who is a longtime transportation leader and media creator. We discuss his upcoming book ‘Find Your X Factor’ which helps high performers escape impressive BUT draining careers. 

Comfort shares a 30+ year path that began after “meeting a guy,” spanning public and private sector transit leadership, county CEO roles in Maryland, and retiring as CEO of Baltimore’s MTA before focusing on communication through his Transit Unplugged podcast (nearing 400 episodes in!). 

Connect with Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulcomfort/

https://www.instagram.com/paulwcomfort/

http://www.youtube.com/@transitunplugged

Freebie assessment: https://findyourxfactor.ai/

📚 Join the ETS Book Club — we're reading Atomic Habits! Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3EK-BGfBRHehD2jW2bApHQ#/

🎯 Need accountability on your goals? Join the Squiggle Huddle with Colleen. Learn more and register here: https://www.maxady.com/workshops/p/the-squiggle-huddle-monthly-accountability-for-2026-goals

Stay in Touch with Your Hosts:

• Colleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/comara/
• Ashleigh on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-beadle/

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for more conversations that transform career complexity into your competitive advantage!

What happens when the identity you built as an athlete shifts into something completely different - partner, mother, creator?

Seliana Sainristil (formerly Carvalho) knows that transition firsthand. A former collegiate soccer player at American International College turned NFL wife, mother of two, and content creator, Seliana has navigated identity shifts most people never see behind the highlight reel. In this episode, she gets real about what life as an NFL wife actually looks like, how motherhood reshaped her sense of self, and how she's building a homesteading and content creation journey on her own terms.

Whether you're navigating a career pivot, a life transition, or trying to figure out who you are outside of a title - this one's for you.

Follow Seliana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seliana_sainristil/

on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@selianasainristill 

📚 Join the ETS Book Club — we're reading Atomic Habits! Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3EK-BGfBRHehD2jW2bApHQ#/

🎯 Need accountability on your goals? Join the Squiggle Huddle with Colleen. Learn more and register here: https://www.maxady.com/workshops/p/the-squiggle-huddle-monthly-accountability-for-2026-goals

Stay in Touch with Your Hosts:

• Colleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/comara/
• Connect with Jen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-pasquale/
• Work with Jen: https://www.leadwithcuriosity.co/

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for more conversations that transform career complexity into your competitive advantage!

Welcome to the Embrace the Squiggle family, Ashleigh!

Ashleigh Beadle joins Colleen as the new co-host of Embrace the Squiggle. Ashleigh shares her squiggly career path through often male-dominated fields. She discusses the mentorship and coaching she received that changed her career. And we dig into Sage & Saunter her new business with a focus on helping small to mid-sized business owners scale or sell by optimizing for value and also supporting buyers- especially for MSPs.

Join ETS Book Club for Atomic Habits, register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3EK-BGfBRHehD2jW2bApHQ#/

Need accountability in your goals? Join the Squiggle Huddle with Colleen.
Learn more and Register here: https://www.maxady.com/workshops/p/the-squiggle-huddle-monthly-accountability-for-2026-goals

If you want to be a guest on Embrace the Squiggle? Apply here

Check out Sage & Saunter for MSP and IT Services that adds value, reduces risk, and prepares you for growth: https://sage-saunter.com

Stay in Touch with Your Hosts:

• Colleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/comara/
• Ashleigh on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-beadle/

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for more conversations that transform career complexity into your competitive advantage!

We have a very special episode to say au revoir to our co-host Kristine! We have been blessed with her voice on this podcast, so we decided to dig into the biggest lessons she learned hosting Embrace the Squiggle!

Need accountability on your goals? The Squiggle Huddle is a monthly accountability cohort designed for people who care deeply about their goals—but don’t want to chase them alone. Each month, we meet on Zoom to reflect on progress, troubleshoot what got in the way, and identify 3–5 realistic actions to focus on next. Join here: Squiggle Huddles  (PSSST we are almost SOLD OUT so get your spot ASAP if you want real accountability this year) 

Looking to finally finish all those business books you never get around to? Join: Embrace the Squiggle Book Club

A lot of interviewing isn't about your answers, its actually about how you listen. And luckily your listening skills are not static, they can be improved! This episode digs into how to improve your listening and apply this to your job squiggle. 

Speaking of squiggling, Embrace the Squiggle is squiggling and introducing a new co-host: Jen Pasquale! In this episode, we are exploring her squiggle and digging into Mentorship vs Sponsorship and using your listening intelligence.

Jen is a culture consultant, strengths nerd, and energetic facilitator with 20+ years in training and development. As a Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and Master Certified Professional Coach, Jen uses her corporate training, change management, and psychology background to support her clients. She loves helping individuals discover and lean into their potential while assisting teams in building a culture of curiosity, connection, and collaboration. Jen lives in Northern Virginia with her husband of 18 years, their two high schoolers, and two ginger tabby cats.

Connect with Jen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-pasquale/

https://www.leadwithcuriosity.co/

Looking for accountability? The Squiggle Huddle is a monthly accountability cohort designed for people who care deeply about their goals—but don’t want to chase them alone. Join a Huddle with Colleen! 

Stay in Touch with Your Hosts:

• Colleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/comara/

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for more conversations that transform career complexity into your competitive advantage!

What does it actually mean to feel good in your life? Not just successful, but truly aligned on a soul level. That's the question driving Chelsey Elise's squiggle. Kristine is flying solo this week (Colleen's on vacay!) for a conversation about career changes, starting over, and building a life that actually fits.

Chelsey has pivoted through multiple careers before landing in entrepreneurship, where she now helps women find alignment through core values work, human design, and personal development. We get into her journey, the moments that sparked each pivot, and how human design has transformed both her life and her clients'.

If you're in a season of questioning what you really want, or feeling like your life looks right but doesn't feel right, this episode is for you.

Connect with Chelsey Elise

https://www.chelseyelise.com/

Stay in Touch with Your Hosts:

• Colleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/comara/
• Kristine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinethody/

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for more conversations that transform career complexity into your competitive advantage!

How do you know what to do for your next squiggle if your don’t understand your strengths and weaknesses? That’s where human design comes in.

Mel McSherry helps people understand how they are designed to work through a tool called Human Design. Colleen and Kristine dive into Mel's non-linear career journey from aspiring performer to fitness industry entrepreneur, and finally to business coaching with a focus on human design.

Mel discusses the profound impact human design has on understanding personal energy management, decision-making, and aligning actions with one's true self.

Connect with Mel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melmcsherry/

Learn more about Mel: https://www.melmcsherry.com/

Join us for to Embrace Your 2026 Squiggle: https://www.maxady.com/workshops

Design your Year with Kristine in Vancouver: https://www.kristinethody.com/store-2/p/basic-package-9h48k

Stay in Touch with Your Hosts:

• Colleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/comara/
• Kristine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinethody/

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for more conversations that transform career complexity into your competitive advantage!