Gratitude Through Hard Times

"The more that you learn about what is, the more it frees you up to think about what could be." — Kimberli Carroll

In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.

In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with Kimberli Carroll, President and CEO of Ruiz Food Products. Kimberli reflects on her leadership journey—from working in California's Central Valley packing houses to stewarding over 3,800 team members at the largest frozen Mexican food manufacturer in the United States. She breaks down why human intelligence and emotional safety matter more than ever alongside rapid AI adoption, how leaders can cultivate psychological safety before crises hit, and why bringing diverse people together to solve hard problems creates lasting joy and organizational resilience.

• "The more that you learn about what is, the more it frees you up to think about what could be." — Kimberli Carroll
• "When you're pushing up against something hard and making a real effort, accomplishing things that are hard is joyful." — Kimberli Carroll
• "My obligation to myself is to figure out how I put myself in situations where I can help people come together to solve problems." — Kimberli Carroll
• "Real currency in a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort." — Chris Schembra
• "AI doesn't replace us; all it does is create a better opportunity for us to get better faster." — Kimberli Carroll
• "We don't want technology to replace human relationships—we want it to augment and enhance them." — Kimberli Carroll
• "At the end of the day, when a life is well lived and it's over, people won't mention your business metrics—it's more about the interaction they had with you." — Kimberli Carroll
• "A leader's responsibility is to figure out how to create that level of engagement to get the best out of folks." — Kimberli Carroll
• "Fear and gratitude cannot coexist." — Chris Schembra
• "Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances; it changes your capacity to carry them." — Chris Schembra

• Human Intelligence Alongside AI: Using artificial intelligence to rapidly synthesize existing knowledge ("what is") so human minds are freed up to imagine novel solutions ("what could be").
• Building Psychological Safety in Advance: Cultivating deep, in-person trust and emotional safety across teams long before relying on it during times of organizational pressure.
• The Leader as a "Brave Gatherer": Leveraging the superpower of convening people with diverse backgrounds, cultural norms, and perspectives to solve complex enterprise challenges.
• Joy in Overcoming Hard Obstacles: Reframing workplace friction and difficult goals not as drudgery, but as the essential source of genuine professional growth and shared victory.
• Believing in Others' Unrealized Potential: Instilling confidence in team members by painting a picture of who they can become, transforming doubt into self-efficacy and bold execution.
• Navigating Misaligned Performance with Grace: Accepting when individuals are not in the right season or fit for a role, handling transitions with generosity while holding a consistently high performance bar.
• Mitigating "Jevons Paradox" and Cognitive Decay: Consciously resisting digital isolation, remote fatigue, and screen dependency by intentionally designing face-to-face gatherings.
• Cascading Human-Centered Leadership: Structuring leadership development so direct reports experience personalized stewardship and, in turn, extend that care down to front-line workers.
• Community Stewardship & Philanthropy: Connecting corporate mission with local community support through active engagement with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club.
• Honoring a Legacy of Service: Carrying forward foundational life lessons learned from family—such as showing up for others without expectation of reward—to ground executive decision-making.

Kimberli Carroll is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ruiz Food Products, Inc., the nation’s largest manufacturer of frozen Mexican foods, including flagship brands El Monterey and Taquis / Tornados. Raised in California’s Central Valley, Kimberli began her career working in agricultural packing houses before joining Ruiz Foods, where she has served for more than 25 years in various executive roles spanning sales, marketing, supply chain, and general management.

Under her leadership, Ruiz Foods operates manufacturing and distribution facilities across the United States, employing over 3,800 team members. Kimberli holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership. Beyond her corporate steward duties for the third-generation, family-owned business, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Collin County in Texas. She resides in Frisco, Texas, with her family.

"If you stop learning, you stop growing." — Philip Schembra

In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.

In this landmark 300th episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra welcomes his father, Philip Anthony Schembra, owner and Broker-in-Charge of Schembra Real Estate Group. Philip reflects on his roots in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, his record-breaking 50-year career in Hilton Head Island real estate, and his lifelong commitment to sales as an act of service, connection, and mentorship. He breaks down the importance of specialization, reading social styles with empathy, and balancing high ambition with family, lifestyle, and philanthropy.

• "If you stop learning, you stop growing." — Philip Schembra
• "I don't think work is defined by the way people think. If you let work be fun, enjoyable, and rewarding, it's not work. I stopped working forever ago." — Philip Schembra
• "When you're in need, ask for help. From an efficiency standpoint, it gets you to where you want to go a heck of a lot faster." — Philip Schembra
• "Be a specialist, and then be the best that you possibly could be at whatever product you have." — Philip Schembra
• "Real currency in a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort." — Chris Schembra
• "You don't want to be the richest guy in the cemetery." — Philip Schembra
• "In anything you do in life, if you don't believe in it, don't do it." — Philip Schembra
• "If you get out of your world and get into your client's world, everything opens up." — Philip Schembra
• "When you give, you get." — Philip Schembra
• "Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances; it changes your capacity to carry them." — Chris Schembra

• Embracing Specialization Over Generalization: How narrowing focus exclusively to Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove, and Leamington built a record-breaking, resilient real estate practice.
• Reading Social Styles with Empathy: Applying Wilson Learning's social styles model (Amiable, Expressive, Analytical, Driver) to step into the client's world through active listening.
• Asking for Help as Trust Building: Overcoming ego to proactively seek guidance from mentors, colleagues, and experts to strengthen teams and accelerate growth.
• Translating Athletics to Enterprise: Carrying the mindset of preparation, positive mental attitude, and team culture learned under legendary Glen Ridge High School coaches into business success.
• Selling Experiences Over Mere Investment: Positioning real estate around family memories, lifestyle, and community enjoyment rather than transactional numbers.
• The Power of Mentorship: Drawing lifelong strategic wisdom from senior executives, including former RCA Victor President Norman Racusin.
• Balancing Work, Lifestyle, and Philanthropy: Creating a "diversified happiness income" by intertwining business achievements with community service, sports foundations, and charitable causes.
• Pivoting Priorities for Family: Cold-turkeying extensive national speaking circuits to prioritize being present for family milestones and raising a child.
• Human Connection as Tomorrow's Edge: Reclaiming interpersonal relationships, active listening, and face-to-face communication as digital technology and AI expand.
• Grit as Passion and Perseverance: Maintaining a 50-year commitment to a single community to achieve over $1.25 billion in individual sales through market cycles.

Philip Anthony Schembra is the Owner and Broker-in-Charge of Schembra Real Estate Group, specializing in luxury oceanfront and resort properties in Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove, and Leamington on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Since 1976, Phil has achieved over $1.25 billion in individual sales across 2,000 transactions, making him the #1 all-time listing and selling agent in Hilton Head Island history for a single community.

A Glen Ridge, New Jersey native and LIU Post graduate, Phil was inducted into the Glen Ridge High School Athletic Hall of Fame for football and track. Beyond real estate, he co-created sales training programs such as THE TOTAL SALESPERSON® and co-founded major national philanthropic initiatives, including the Thurman Munson Awards Dinner and the Golf World | Palmetto Dunes Intercollegiate Golf Tournament. Phil resides on the ocean in Palmetto Dunes with his wife and business partner, Carol.

"Living a life of gratitude eliminates entitlement and eliminates so many obstacles to success." — Kevin Jones

In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.

In this special 299th episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with Kevin Jones, founder and CEO of Celero Commerce. Kevin reflects on building Celero into a top-10 non-bank payments processor, steering through black swan market events, and combining high-tech platform innovation with high-touch human connection. He breaks down why respect and humility are essential cornerstones of leadership, how genuine followership makes better leaders, and why holding low ego allows teams to achieve extraordinary scale together.

• "Living a life of gratitude eliminates entitlement and eliminates so many obstacles to success." — Kevin Jones
• "You cannot be a good leader if you're not a good follower. Followership is something everybody should spend a little time on." — Kevin Jones
• "Respect and humility are cornerstones... if you remain respectful and humble, you can solve incredibly difficult problems with people who have different backgrounds and beliefs." — Kevin Jones
• "Your job as a leader is really to facilitate outcomes, not dictate them." — Kevin Jones
• "For every five years, expect at least one black swan. As part of being a good leader, you need to hone your skills at managing through it." — Kevin Jones
• "Real currency in a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort." — Chris Schembra
• "When you take on a challenge, you burn your ships and go chase that challenge. You don't have one foot in and one foot out." — Kevin Jones
• "It's okay for leaders to allow themselves to be vulnerable and have some fun with their teams." — Kevin Jones
• "Fear and gratitude cannot coexist." — Chris Schembra
• "Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances; it changes your capacity to carry them." — Chris Schembra

• High-Tech Meets High-Touch: Balancing cutting-edge fintech payment integrations with deep, relationship-driven partner care to build sustainable competitive advantage.
• The Power of Respect & Humility: Eradicating entitlement in business culture by focusing on merit, continuous learning, and mutual respect across diverse perspectives.
• Practicing Genuine "Followership": Understanding that effective executives must first know how to align with, support, and execute under other strong leaders.
• Navigating "Black Swan" Market Events: Developing leadership muscle to maintain composure, protect employee families, and protect investor trust through unexpected macroeconomic downturns.
• Leading with Love over Machiavellian Fear: Shifting away from rigid top-down authority to collaborative environments built on trust, psychological safety, and productive dissent.
• Granting Permission to Pause: Recognizing that while M&A transitions and high-growth phases demand intense sprinting, leaders must proactively grant teams permission to rest and recharge.
• Managing the "Silence Tax": Encouraging open dissent and diverse voices within leadership teams to avoid costly, unexamined strategic missteps.
• Surrounding Yourself with Superior Talent: Maintaining low ego by hiring specialists who are smarter in their respective operational domains than the CEO.
• Carrying the Invisible Weight of Responsibility: Acknowledging the heavy, unsaid burden leaders carry to safeguard the livelihoods of employees, families, and pension investors.
• Anchoring Strength in Personal Relationships: Recognizing how unshakeable support from family and partners builds the confidence required to take bold entrepreneurial risks.

Kevin G. Jones is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Celero Commerce, a top-10 non-bank payment processor and one of the fastest-growing financial services companies headquartered in Tennessee. Founded in late 2018, Celero combines business management software, data analytics, and modern payment solutions to serve over 50,000 small-to-midsized American businesses through financial institution partnerships, software integrations, and direct merchant strategies. Under Kevin’s leadership, Celero executed 12 strategic acquisitions alongside organic growth, culminating in its acquisition by Deluxe Corporation.

Leveraging over two decades of fintech experience, Kevin began his career at Chase Paymentech building strategic partner solutions before driving growth at First American Payment Systems. In 2013, he founded Anovia Payments, delivering an 8.5x investment return and driving organic growth to over 10,000 customers.

Kevin previously served as President of the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), advocating for government relations and member initiatives on Capitol Hill. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Carol, and their three children.

"When you're in need, you realize you need help. And when you're successful, you realize you got help all along." — James Farrin

In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.

In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with James "Jim" Farrin, founder, President, and CEO of the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. Jim reflects on growing up across 10 countries in 17 years, applying rigorous business principles to plaintiff representation, and taking on one of the largest civil rights litigations in U.S. history. He breaks down why authentic leadership requires intentional culture, why high metrics can distort purpose, and how focusing on service frees leaders from personal despair.

• "When you're in need, you realize you need help. And when you're successful, you realize you got help all along." — James Farrin
• "In a time of despair, turning attention outwards and focusing on the people you serve sets you free and gets you out of your own head." — James Farrin
• "Culture is either defined intentionally by leadership or by the strongest personality in the room." — James Farrin
• "Real currency in a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort." — Chris Schembra
• "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." — Chris Schembra (referencing Goodhart's Law)
• "No man is an island. We need people, we've always needed people, and we need them more than ever." — James Farrin
• "Our clients aren't superheroes—they're ordinary people who overcome adversity through faith, perseverance, and getting the right help." — James Farrin
• "In a world of everlasting change, find the constants and savor the constancy around you." — Chris Schembra
• "We must step out of the tyranny of the 'or' and into the genius of the 'and'." — Chris Schembra (quoting Jim Collins)
• "Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances; it changes your capacity to carry them." — Chris Schembra

• Navigating Constant Transition: Lessons from living across 10 countries in 17 years on leaning into family constants, building adaptability, and trusting that new chapters always work out.
• Turning Despair Into Empathy: How refocusing on the suffering of marginalized clients during high-stakes civil rights litigation removed personal worry and provided purpose.
• Building Culture via "The JSF Way": Translating abstract corporate values into 24 concrete, daily behaviors that are actively practiced, evaluated, and reinforced firm-wide.
• Establishing a "South Star": Defining explicitly what an organization will not tolerate—such as greed, lack of accountability, self-centeredness, and "being a jerk".
• Avoiding Goodhart's Law in Business Growth: Recognizing when aggressive numerical growth targets (like 15% annual growth) risk outkicking quality, and shifting focus back to client-centric meaning.
• The Power of Confident Humility: Drawing inspiration from military leaders and achieving high-level legal success while maintaining unpretentious humility and honoring team contributions.
• Resisting Digital & AI Isolation: Preserving human-to-human empathy and direct client relationships instead of outsourcing core human care to automated chatbots and scripts.
• Fire Bullets, Then Cannonballs: Testing small strategic initiatives before making multi-million dollar or firm-wide commitments.
• Finding Modern Heroism in Ordinary People: Celebrating everyday perseverance, vulnerability, and resilience over performative social media achievements.
• Sustaining Unsaid Gratitude: Creating regular operational space to acknowledge the mentors, family members, and team members who make collective success possible.

James "Jim" Scott Farrin is the founder, President, and CEO of the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, one of the largest plaintiff's firms in the Carolinas. Since opening his doors in Durham, North Carolina in September 1997, Jim has grown the firm to more than 60 attorneys serving clients across North and South Carolina, recovering over $2 billion in compensation for more than 78,000 injured people. His practice areas include personal injury, workers' compensation, Social Security disability, and civil rights litigation, and he is best known in the legal community for applying rigorous business principles to the practice of law itself, an approach that has been the subject of guest lectures at his alma mater's Master of Judicial Studies Program.

Jim's path to the courtroom is not a conventional one. The oldest of five children, he spent his childhood in 10 different countries over 17 years while his father worked internationally for Colgate-Palmolive and other global brands, before returning to the United States for his last two years of high school at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. He went on to earn a B.A. in Philosophy from Trinity College in Hartford, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D. with honors from Duke University School of Law. He began his career at a corporate firm in California, but found the work lacking in meaning and nearly left the law entirely. In 1995 he returned to Durham, joined a plaintiffs' firm, and remembers to this day the first personal injury client he handed a settlement to. He has not looked back.

Jim played a leading role in In re Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation, one of the largest civil rights cases in United States history. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the American Association for Justice's Leaders Forum, the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, the Public Justice Foundation, and the North Carolina Bar Association. He has been recognized on Business North Carolina's Power List for Law, named among North Carolina's Most Influential Leaders, and honored with a 2021 Diversity & Inclusion Award.

"We don't really think as much about who we are when no one's watching... that's where a lot of integrity comes from, and it's where we learn to enjoy our lives." — Kathryn Jezer-Morton

In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.

In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with Kathryn Jezer-Morton, sociologist, columnist at The Cut, and author of The Story of Your Life: How Social Media Shapes the Way We Experience Everything. Kathryn breaks down the concept of "friction maxing"—reintroducing positive friction into our lives to counteract frictionless, algorithm-driven efficiency. She explores how social media platforms have transformed everyday experiences into performative brand management and why reclaiming nuanced, "flat" stories can restore authentic human connection.

• "We don't really think as much about who we are when no one's watching... that's where a lot of integrity comes from, and it's where we learn to enjoy our lives." — Kathryn Jezer-Morton
• "Humanity itself is never going to be simple. It's never going to be linear." — Kathryn Jezer-Morton
• "The purpose of a flat story is to provide an honest accounting of what real life is like." — Kathryn Jezer-Morton
• "Real currency in a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort." — Chris Schembra
• "When a metric becomes a measure, it ceases to become a good measure." — Chris Schembra (referencing Goodhart's Law)
• "Friction maxing is about inviting the unknown into your life and having to react to it." — Kathryn Jezer-Morton
• "To take a photograph of something is to appropriate the thing being photographed." — Chris Schembra (quoting Susan Sontag)
• "We have come to see ordinary stories as boring because we are so used to crazy up-and-down peaks and valleys." — Kathryn Jezer-Morton
• "Unjudgmental listening gives people the confidence to become better storytellers." — Kathryn Jezer-Morton
• "Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances; it changes your capacity to carry them." — Chris Schembra

• Understanding "Friction Maxing": Embracing intentional, offline friction to counter hyper-optimized digital culture and restore real meaning to personal relationships.
• The Strength of Weak Ties on Social Media: How digital platforms leverage loose acquaintances to pass social information, while strong ties remain essential for deep emotional resilience.
• Moving Beyond the "Man in the Hole" Formula: Rejecting performative, dopamine-driven comeback narratives in favor of "flat stories" that capture the realistic, everyday plateaus of human life.
• The Rise of "Brand Called You": Examining how ordinary social media users inadvertently communicate like corporate brands, curating a polished, risk-averse front stage.
• Developing "Backstage Integrity": Cultivating personal experiences, private habits, and self-worth when cameras and social media audiences aren't watching.
• Escaping "Airspace" and Homogenized Experiences: Resisting standardized, Instagram-curated travel aesthetics in order to invite unpredictable, authentic cultural discovery.
• The Trap of Dual Experiences: Recognizing how document-first culture forces people to experience life twice—first living the moment, then packaging it for public consumption.
• Communal Storytelling Roots: Drawing lessons from intentional communities and hippy communes on how shared stories hold groups together without commercial incentives.
• Building Critical Media Literacy: Developing a "skeleton key" to understand algorithmic behavior and view performative social media posting with greater empathy rather than judgment.
• Unjudgmental Listening as Mentorship: How safe, non-evaluative spaces provided by mentors and family allow individuals to explore complex personal narratives.

Kathryn Jezer-Morton is a journalist and sociologist whose work sits at the intersection of family life, identity, and digital culture. She is the author of "Brooding," the biweekly column at New York Magazine's The Cut, where she reports on modern family life and the invisible ways social platforms shape it. Her debut book, The Story of Your Life: How Social Media Shapes the Way We Experience Everything (Penguin Random House, August 2026), examines how algorithm-driven platforms have quietly rewritten not just how we share our lives, but which lives we choose to lead.

The book was named a Best New Book of Summer by The Globe and Mail, a Must-Read of August by Marie Claire, Chicago Review of Books, and Lit Hub, and was among The New York Times's 22 Books Coming in August. The Times called it "breezily inquisitive... intellectual generosity... hopeful and unscolding."

Kathryn's byline has appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, The Guardian, BuzzFeed, Jezebel, Maisonneuve, and elsewhere. Much of her writing centers on ambivalence, the shady human emotion that social media, with its bright performative hits and insistence on redemption, largely fails to capture. Her work has become a touchstone for readers navigating the widening gap between the life they are actually living and the life the feed rewards them for performing.

Kathryn holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Concordia University, where her doctoral research focused on motherhood and online discourse. She is represented by Aevitas Creative Management and lives in Montreal with her partner and their two children.

"When something becomes a measurement, it stops becoming a good target."

In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.

In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with Nishat Mehta, CEO of Lexitas. A Harvard-trained mathematician and computer scientist turned executive, Nishat breaks down how leaders can navigate rapid change by embracing dialectical thinking—holding two seemingly competing truths at the same time. From balancing bottom-line performance with human empathy to shifting parenting styles as children grow, Nishat shares key insights on Goodhart's Law, confident humility, and finding extraordinary meaning in ordinary moments.

10 Memorable Quotes:

10 Key Takeaways:

About our Guest: Nishat Mehta is the Chief Executive Officer of Lexitas, a leading national provider of technology-enabled litigation services and an Apax portfolio company based in Houston, Texas. He stepped into the CEO seat on January 1, 2025, having originally joined the company as President and Chief Operating Officer in March 2024. Under his leadership, Lexitas is launching AI-enabled deposition analysis, expanding its eLaw case-tracking platform, and continuing to serve law firms, insurance companies, and corporations across all 50 states.

Nishat brings more than two decades of leadership across data, analytics, and enterprise technology. He most recently served as President of Global Products and Solutions and Chief Product Officer at Circana (formed from the merger of IRI and The NPD Group), where he ran the firm's global media, analytics, e-commerce, software, and consulting divisions. Prior to Circana, he led the customer communications team at 84.51° (Kroger's data-science and personalization arm), directed strategic partnerships at dunnhumby, and spent 15 years at MicroStrategy. He also serves on the Board of Directors of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) and on the Board of Advisors of Adelaide Metrics.

Nishat holds a Bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics and a Master's degree in Computer Science, both from Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife, Shalini, and their three children. His guiding quote, from John Wooden: ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.

"Work-life balance isn't a thing... it's about work-life harmony." In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.

In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with Ayla Nova, founder of Yoga Nidra & Beyond and creator of The Peace in Rest Program. From navigating life-altering health crises and traumatic brain injuries to guiding listeners worldwide toward restorative sleep and mental clarity, Ayla breaks down the science, psychology, and spiritual practice of non-sleep deep rest (NSDR). She shares key lessons on managing internal tension, unlearning limiting beliefs, and using intentional stillness to unlock human intuition and creative genius.

10 Memorable Quotes:

10 Key Takeaways:

About our Guest: Ayla Nova is a trauma-informed Yoga Nidra guide, teacher trainer, and the founder of Yoga Nidra & Beyond, a global platform for Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) that reaches listeners each week through her podcast, YouTube channel, and the Nova Nidra Community. Her work centers on the conviction that awareness is the key to remapping the mind and that deep rest is the doorway to nervous-system regulation, emotional healing, and radical self-acceptance. Through her signature Peace in Rest Program and 2026 Teacher Training, she certifies the next generation of Yoga Nidra guides.

Ayla began her yoga journey in 2011 and earned her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2015 at Shri Kali Ashram in Goa, India, followed by trainings in Ashtanga and Kaula Tantra. In 2018, when diagnosed with a rare form of biphenotypic leukemia, she turned inward, making Yoga Nidra her therapy. She trained with the School of Sankalpa and in Integrative Restoration (iRest) with certified yoga therapist Barbara Eastham, and she is a lifetime Vedic Meditation practitioner. Today, Ayla lives and teaches in Calgary, Alberta, where her sessions are known for their trauma-sensitive framing, seasonal and archetypal themes, and sanctuary-like voice, guided by her refrain: rest well, be well.

In a hyper-connected world filled with constant noise, notifications, and performance, we often travel just to capture the photo rather than live the moment. But what happens when true luxury isn't about being seen—it's about the privilege of disappearing?

In this profound episode, Chris Schembra sits down with Nicolas Peluffo, CEO of Awasi Lodges. With over two decades of experience across hospitality, real estate, and finance, Nicolas explores how Awasi’s carbon-neutral, Relais & Châteaux lodges in South America—from Patagonia and the Atacama Desert to Iguazú and Santa Catarina—provide the setting for guests to disconnect, surrender control, and reconnect with intrinsic human awe. 

Together, they discuss why time and space are the ultimate modern luxuries, how unscripted nature lowers cortisol and restores genius-level creativity, why hiring for attitude over aptitude is the secret to true hospitality, and how surrendering to the present moment unlocks our deepest clarity.

Nicolas Peluffo is the Chief Executive Officer of Awasi Lodges, a collection of carbon-neutral luxury lodges and Relais & Châteaux member set in South America’s most remote corners—including the Atacama Desert, Torres del Paine, Iguazú, and Santa Catarina. Bringing over 23 years of experience across hospitality, real estate, finance, and technology, Nicolas previously served as Founder and CEO of TRVLR and spent nearly seven years at Awasi's Santa Catarina property (formerly Ponta dos Ganchos) rising to General Manager. He served as President and Co-Founder of the Brazilian Luxury Travel Association (BLTA) and sat on the Board of Directors of Relais & Châteaux as Delegate for South America. A graduate of Harvard Business School's OPM program with certifications from Cornell University, Nicolas resides in Santa Barbara, California, leading Awasi’s conviction that time and space are the greatest of privileges. Learn more at awasiexperience.com.

We often think of groundbreaking innovation in terms of technology, spreadsheets, and complex engineering. But what happens when humanity's most ambitious moonshots—literally reaching for the stars and returning to the moon—depend entirely on the subtle, daily interactions of human connection and moral courage?

In this powerful episode, Chris Schembra sits down with Janet Grondin, CEO of Stellar Solutions and former U.S. Air Force Colonel. 

Janet shares her journey from a small town in Iowa to directing teams of top engineers and advisors on humanity’s most critical space and defense missions, including NASA's Artemis program. Together, they explore the tragedy that shaped her childhood, how to lead with moral courage through delayed gratification, why true leadership means helping every employee find their "dream job," and why human vision—not AI—will always be the ultimate driver of high-ground innovation.

Janet Grondin is the Chief Executive Officer of Stellar Solutions, Inc., a woman-owned aerospace engineering services firm and Malcolm Baldrige Award winner serving intelligence, defense, civil, commercial, and international customers. Janet’s career spans three decades across the U.S. Air Force—where she retired as a Colonel—Fortune 500 defense contractor Northrop Grumman, and now Stellar Solutions. Winner of the 2022 Women in Aerospace Leadership Award, she serves as Chair of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Space Division. Janet holds a B.S. magna cum laude in Aeronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and master’s degrees from AFIT, the Air War College, and the Air Command and Staff College. She resides in Reston, Virginia with her husband Pat. Learn more at stellarsolutions.com.

"Work-life balance isn't a thing... it's about work-life harmony." In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.

In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, Paul Mersino, President and CEO of Butzel, breaks down why true leadership requires excellence, mentorship, and continuous improvement. From starting as a young student guided by a transformative professor to steering a historic law firm as it approaches its 175th anniversary, Paul shares key lessons on leading with heart, embracing work-life harmony, and surrounding yourself with a team that pushes you to aggregate daily marginal gains.

10 Memorable Quotes:

10 Key Takeaways:

About our Guest: Paul M. Mersino is the President and CEO of Butzel, one of the oldest and most respected law firms in the United States, currently celebrating its 170th anniversary and approaching its 175th. Appointed to the CEO role in March 2023, he sits on the firm's Board of Directors and previously served as Chair of Butzel's Litigation Practice Department, overseeing the firm's commercial litigation attorneys and strategic growth.

A commercial litigator by trade with nearly two decades of experience, Paul handles complex commercial litigation and "bet-the-company" matters spanning contract disputes, trade secrets, automotive supplier disputes, construction, and First Amendment litigation. He is admitted to practice before every level of Michigan state court, multiple U.S. District and Circuit Courts, and the Supreme Court of the United States. In addition to advising and sitting on the boards of several startup companies to help them navigate early-stage legal needs, Paul serves as a Trustee of the Butzel Charitable Trust and sits on the Board of Directors of the Detroit Regional Chamber.

His leadership has earned him extensive recognition, including DBusiness magazine's Detroit 500, Crain's Detroit Business "Who's Who" and "40 Under 40," Michigan Lawyers Weekly's "Up and Coming Lawyers," a Detroit Business "30s in Their 30s" honoree, and a Michigan Super Lawyer. Paul holds a B.B.A. from Northwood University (2005) and earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Ave Maria School of Law (2008), where he served on Law Review and won a state moot court championship. Beyond his practice, he is deeply committed to community service, youth sports coaching, and his most cherished role as a dedicated husband and father.