Failing Forward

Peg Ruppert is caring, faith-driven and a seasoned leadership coach. But when her marriage of nearly 25 years ended, she questioned her identity. Now, Ruppert has used her experience to write a new book, “Rediscover You Post-Divorce.”

On episode 140—the last episode of this podcast—Peg and Sarah talk about how to pick yourself up after failure and embrace the unknown future. Peg is a big believer in focusing on the future without losing sight of the past. She shares three tips for moving on from hardship in a positive way to connect with your inherent self-worth.

Show Notes:

- Read Peg’s book “Rediscover You Post-Divorce”: https://www.amazon.com/Rediscover-YOU-post-divorce-confidence-Wonderful/dp/B0BW23RTL4

- Read and work through “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron: https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary/dp/0143129252

When she was 7 years old, Corrie Loeffler fell in love with the Scripps National Spelling Bee when her brother competed in a regional competition. Today, she is the executive director of the annual event. But first, she had her own run attempting to become the national champion.

On episode 139, Corrie shares how her shot at winning it all went south and how she ultimately learned the Bee is not about winning in the first place. Even after her competition days were over, Corrie volunteered and eventually was offered a job. She also talks about the evolution of the Bee to become more inclusive in recent years and how the organization weathered the pandemic.

Show Notes:

- Learn more about Scripps National Spelling Bee: https://spellingbee.com/

- Read about Zaila Avant-garde, the 2021 spelling bee champion: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/02/us/spelling-bee-zaila-avant-garde.html

One of Michelle Spoelstra’s first career aspirations was to be an interior designer. Ultimately, she found her way into clinical psychology. When the pandemic hit, she thought more and more about the importance of space, and today, Michelle is a healing interior designer.

On episode 138, Michelle explains what she does and why she created her business. She believes healing takes many forms, including through beauty and aesthetics. Through healing practices and clearing energy and clutter, Michelle helps her clients unlock the power of shifting their space. She also shares her infertility journey and discusses spirituality.

Show Notes:

- Learn more about Michelle and her work: https://www.michellespoelstra.com/

- Read “You Can Heal You Life” by Louise Hay: https://www.hayhouse.com/you-can-heal-your-life-paperback

Kelly Seelig started working at tech startups in Silicon Valley in the ’90s. She adapted to her male-dominated environment, but when she realized she was losing herself in the process, she decided to make a change.

On episode 137, Kelly discusses her experience as a woman in a male-dominated field and tells us about the dance class that changed her whole mindset. Her career journey inspired Kelly to write her book, “Right Brain Girl Left Brain World,” about how she found her voice and herself. She and Sarah also discuss psychological safety.

Show Notes:

- Read Kelly’s book “Right Brain Girl Left Brain World”: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P1QQCP7

- Read “True North” by Bill George: https://billgeorge.org/book/true-north

- Read “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg and John David Mann: https://thegogiver.com/the-go-giver/

- Read “Leadership Wisdom From the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” by Robin Sharma: https://www.robinsharma.com/book/leadership-wisdom-from-the-monk-who-sold-his-ferrari

During the Christmas break of his junior year at college, Brian Joseph was home visiting his family when he experienced intense pain in his shoulder. Doctors couldn’t find an explanation, but the always-on-the-go Brian was bedridden for weeks and had to drop out of school. Recovering gave him the opportunity of a lifetime.


On episode 136, the former insurance salesman explains how introducing payroll deduction to his nationwide company led to a division vice president offer when he was 21 years old. Today, Brian is the co-founder of RevJen Group, which focuses on human and financial sustainability by helping support the business side of nonprofits. He and Sarah talk about success and significance, finding your path and what it means to get into the arena.

Show Notes:

- Read “Surrender” by Bono: https://surrendermemoir.com/

- Listen to Brené Brown’s interview with Bono on “Unlocking Us”: https://brenebrown.com/podcast/songs-of-surrender-and-carrying-the-weight-of-our-contradictions-part-1-of-2/

- Learn more about RevJen: https://revjen.com/

Six months after coming out of retirement to join Under Armour, Randy Harward didn’t feel right. Not on his morning run or all day at work. He went to the emergency room, and it turns out he was experiencing heart failure. The road to recovery has been long, and today, Randy contends he isn’t the same person he was.

On episode 135, Randy shares what it was like to return to work after double bypass surgery. He still experiences a fogginess, but his system for managing his confusion is one that anyone can adopt if you’re feeling stressed or anxious. Now a business advisor for Stanford and other organizations, Randy talks about the power of constraints, his years in the outdoor industry and why he always asks about brand’s long arcs.

Show Notes:

- Read “Getting Things Done” by David Allen: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/getting-things-done-david-allen/1101546710

- Learn about the Getting Things Done work management system: https://gettingthingsdone.com/

Claudia Jakubzick grew up in south Florida, the second daughter of Peruvian immigrants. Her childhood was filled with fun and love, then later partying and parental neglect. She graduated from high school with a third-grade reading level, but she was determined to not be a “loser.”

On episode 134, Claudia shares how she found the will to forge a new path for her future. She pursued her childhood passion for science, and today, she is an associate professor within Dartmouth’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology. She tells Sarah about her relationship with her parents today and how she, in turn, parents her three children.

Show Notes:

- Read Claudia’s article in Journal of Experimental Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6400547/

Many of us have had less-than-stellar dates that make for a good story, but Stephanie Hibbert has a book-full of them. Once, her date even left her at a concert. It wasn’t until she began loving herself that she found everything she had always been looking for.

On episode 133, Stephanie shares some of her worst date stories that inspired her book, Thank You for Swiping Right. She talks about giving herself a mindset makeover, abandoning her preconceived timeline and having gratitude even for people who weren’t her right match.

Show Notes:

- Read Stephanie’s book, Thank You For Swiping Right: https://stephhibbs.com/ols/products/thank-you-for-swiping-right

When JeRod Lindsey was looking for a path to success after dropping out of college, he decided to ask for help. He met Mike Rodarte through a mentorship program, and soon, their friendship cemented. JeRod’s educational and professional success followed.

On episode 132, the pair explain their friendship story and share their latest mentorship initiative: Level Up Cincinnati. The program offers scholarships and mentorship to Black, Latinx, and first-generation college students to develop future leaders. JeRod and Mike also delve into the importance of male friendship and are a great example of the people who help us through failure.

Show Notes:

- Get involved and learn more about Level Up Cincinnati: https://www.levelupcincinnati.org/

- Listen to JeRod’s podcast, The Discussion: https://www.thediscussion513.com/

When JeRod Lindsey was looking for a path to success after flunking out of University of Cincinnati, he decided to ask for help. He met Mike Rodarte through a mentorship program, and soon, their friendship cemented. JeRod’s educational and professional accomplishments followed.

On episode 132, the pair recount their friendship story and share their latest mentorship initiative: Level Up Cincinnati. The program offers financial aid and mentorship to Black, Latinx, and first-generation college students to develop future leaders. JeRod and Mike also delve into the importance of male friendship and are a great example of the people who help us through failure.

Show Notes:

- Get involved and learn more about Level Up Cincinnati: https://www.levelupcincinnati.org/

- Listen to JeRod’s podcast, The Discussion: https://www.thediscussion513.com/