Want to be your own boss? Whether that is starting your own podcast, becoming a social media influencer, author, or even a travel blogger, there are endless opportunities to do so. 

In this episode of the Finding Career Zen podcast, Pete Newsome is excited to interview a special friend, Casey Jacox. Casey is one successful guy! But success didn’t come easy. He faced a lot of adversity in his life but that didn’t stop him from achieving his career goals. He believes a positive attitude and the determination to help others are the keys to achieving career zen. 

Currently, Casey hosts a fast growing podcast called the Quarterback DadCast. Being a dad is one of his greatest passions and he hoped by interviewing other dads, he could share and receive great advice from other fathers.  

In addition to being a podcaster, Casey is also an author! His debut book, WIN the RELATIONSHIP, not the DEAL is about authentic professional relationship building. As an elite seller at a publicly traded company, he wanted to share his experiences and tips that made him a successful businessman.  

In need of some business strategies, sales skills, or trying to better yourself as a person? Get to know Casey by listening in to his entrepreneurial journey, where you will get an inside scoop on some secrets and strategies that could change your mindset.   

Career Advice:

1. Find the positives in adversity. There’s always a silver lining if you look for it.
2. Embrace vulnerability. Be authentic and ditch your ego. We all have gaps. 
3. There's value in patience. We are what we allow. 
4. Show up prepared. Document the little things and don’t wing it. Be the person who makes things happen.
5. Set expectations. Internally and externally. If expectations are not set properly, trust will be lost and relationships will be harmed. 
6. Success is a balance. It requires sacrifice. Be a good listener, be a good teammate, and be curious about how you can serve others. 

• Additional Resources

Visit Casey's website: https://www.caseyjacox.com/

Listen to QuarterBack DadCast here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/766853

Connect with Casey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyjacox/

Follow & Tweet: https://twitter.com/caseyjacox

Audible book: https://www.audible.com/author/Casey-Jacox/B083PRZLR8

There isn’t an exact formula for success, but it definitely takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Every career journey is different and there will be challenges along the way, but that is okay! Every bump in the road will help you grow personally and professionally. 

 In this episode of Finding Career Zen, host Pete Newsome interviews special guest Clay Ostrom the owner and of Map & Fire. His company is a very successful branding agency located in Los Angeles, California. They have worked with brands like Google, Emory University's Goizueta Business School, Eating Europe, and many more. But how exactly has he managed to achieve all this success? Could it be his internal drive or his development background?

 Clay had big career goals at a young age, and he thought obtaining a computer science degree was a great way to get started. From beginning his career as a developer, then designer, and eventually a brand strategist, Map & Fire was born.

There is more to business creation than you think. Clay says you have to “dig deep” and “connect.” Unpack more about the meaning behind Map & Fire and Clays career journey by tuning in to this episode of finding career zen.

Career Advice:

1. Decide where you want to work and who you want to work for. The salary and benefits will always be important, so make sure you focus on your connection to a mission and the search for meaning in your personal life as well
2. Don’t feel restricted by a specific path. Just because you graduated with a degree in a particular field doesn’t mean you have to hold back from exploring other career paths. What you are passionate about today shouldn’t limit your future interests. 
3. Work hard. Of course there are people born gifted with certain skill sets, but with enough work and effort, you can become skilled at any craft. You just have to be willing to put in the time. 
4. Success is personal. You have to determine what you want and what satisfaction is to you. Find the purpose you believe is worth getting up for. 

• Additional Resources 

Contact & visit Clay's website: https://mapandfire.com/clay-ostrom-brand-strategist-founder/

Check out this interview from VoyageLA: http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-map-fire-torrance/

Connect with Clay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayostrom/

Follow & Tweet: https://twitter.com/clayostrom?lang=en

Go read some of these stories: https://campfire.mapandfire.com/

Success doesn’t come easy but we believe that is a good thing. What you learn on the path to success is an integral part of embracing your true potential.

In episode 3 of Finding Career Zen, host Pete Newsome invites special guest Rebecca Gill to share her story of how she became a successful owner of a digital marketing agency and an alpaca farm.

Rebecca didn’t have an easy childhood but that did not stop her from working hard and pursuing her career goals. At just eleven years old, she began working at a local store and learned quickly how to be self-sufficient.

Fast-forwarding to after college, she found a passion for software and search engine optimization. Once she was burnt out from corporate life, she decided to pave her own way and create her own digital marketing business. Since she made a name for herself in her previous role for her ability to get pages to rank on google, clients flooded in and she was making over six figures in no time. Which by the way was in a middle of a recession.

How did these experiences shape her future and what advice does she have for people in similar situations? Tune in to listen to this inspiring story of overcoming adversity and reaching career zen.

Career Advice:

1. Embrace being uncomfortable. Most of the time, being uncomfortable is necessary to grow and evolve. Achievements usually require encountering a few failures and frustrations along the way. 
2. Take ownership and accountability for your own success. How well you can take the things you learn and then apply them to situations is very powerful. You cannot wait around for someone to hand you success. 
3. Confidence is key. You have to be confident in yourself and know what you don’t want to do, don’t like to do, and aren’t willing to do. 
4. Find balance. Money gives you options but your happiness is just as important. You may have to sacrifice things while you’re young to set yourself up for the things you want later in life. Find your balance and what makes you happy.
5. Be introspective. Don’t discount your future for today. Success happens for everyone at different times and in different ways. Know where you want to end up and then work your way to get there.
6. Find something you want to wake up and do. Whether there is money involved or not, find something you are willing to immerse yourself in and sacrifice time doing. You spend a huge portion of your life working, make sure it's something you are passionate about. 

•  Additional Resources

Check out the alpacas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2KzZSyC_bI

Visit Cotton Creek Farms: https://www.cottoncreekfarms.com/

Contact & visit Rebecca's website: https://www.rebeccagill.com/

GoDaddy Article: https://www.godaddy.com/garage/author/rgill/

Interested in working with Rebecca?: https://www.web-savvy-marketing.com/seo-consulting/

Don’t you wish you could achieve your career dreams overnight? Unfortunately, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but we promise it will be worth it! 

In episode 2 of Finding Career Zen, Leslie Heimer, a third generation lending professional joins Pete Newsome to discuss her trials and tribulations throughout her career. As an owner of a thriving mortgage chief lending office, she has been featured in multiple magazines, won the Woman with Vision Award, and is known as one of the most powerful women in banking. How did she achieve all that success?  

Leslie attributes her success to her parents and the way she was raised. From inheriting her mother’s ambition as a child to working at her family’s mortgage company, Leslie became a boss due to the influence of generations of hard-working ancestors. Do you ever feel the pressure of society? As a mother and a boss lady, Leslie talks about guilt and how she manages to push through judgment from the opinionated social media world we live in.  

Does she instill the same values she received in her children? Does this new generation have a different mindset? Leslie says that the best thing you can do is “stop cutting their waffles” and teach them responsibility.  

Did Leslie find her career zen? Tune into this episode if you are seeking career advice and inspiration! 

Career Advice:

1. Life’s success is not only measured by the figures in your bank account. The experiences and ability to be present and have more freedom are. Find a career that aligns with your own version of success, not just the numbers. 
2. Career success is impossible without hard work. Every individual’s definition of career success is different, but in order to reach the pinnacle of any profession that you choose, choices will have to be made. 
3. Life is not going to hand you things, it’s not easy and it’s not always going to go your way.  You have to be willing to fight and work hard for the goals you want to achieve. It’s impossible to stay on course if failure is an option in your mind. 
4. Success doesn’t happen overnight. It is your grit, guts, and resilience that will make you a superstar. You have to experience failure in order to enjoy success. 
5. Relationships are so important. The people you know and the reputation you create matter. Meaningful, quality, and lasting relationships must be earned and invested in. 
6. Build credit while you’re young. Have your parents add you as an authorized signer to their credit cards. Assuming they have good credit, your parents adding a co-authorized signer to their credit card will allow all of their history to be on your credit card. 

• Additional Resources

Check out Leslie Heimer's social pages:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslieheimer/
• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/leslieheimer
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leslieheimer
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslie_heimer/

Bankings most powerful women: https://www.almorlando.com/leslie-heimer-mortgage-bankings-most-powerful-women-2018/

Women With Vision Magazine: https://wwvmag.com/issue/nov-2020-4/#Spotlight-Shines

"Luck is the residue of good planning"--- David Ignatius

Real Estate Services: https://leslieheimerrealestate.com/

What is career zen you  ask? Tune in to find out!

The host of Finding Career Zen, Pete Newsome, is excited to share this introductory episode with you. In this first podcast, Pete goes over what the episodes will be about, the purpose behind them, and who it's intended for. If you love receiving career advice and enjoy hearing stories that you can relate to then welcome!

The primary objective of this podcast is to help others find their career zen, however they define it. Although the format may change and evolve with time, Pete is planning to accomplish the mission by doing three types of episodes. 

Why Pete Newsome? He is the perfect expert for giving career advice. Pete is someone who thinks about jobs, careers, and employees for most of his waking hours, and has been for the past two decades as a staffing company owner. 

Join us on starting the path towards career zen.