If you don’t already know what you want to do right out of high school, you may want to consider exhausting your free resources and having experiences before dropping thousands of dollars on college. Patricia Shirazi went to college in Brazil, but when she came to America, it was a whole new ballgame. 

Patricia grew up in a poor family. In fact, she was the first person in her family to graduate high school. She got her degree in Math and became a teacher. After meeting her husband however, she knew she wanted more.

They moved to America and because she wasn’t able to use her degree without paying for a costly license, she shifted her focus. She began studying coding languages and became a software engineer. 

She is very logical and truly believes that we should exhaust our free resources before paying for anything. If you are interested in learning something new, learn all that you can from what you have and if you still have knowledge gaps, then you invest. 

Listen in to hear all about her story and why she’s still excited to be learning and growing in her career.

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[00:37] Welcome to the show Patricia!

[00:47] She shares her background in Brazil.

[04:04] She talks about being a math teacher when she graduated college.

[06:07] Listen as Patricia discusses having imposter syndrome with her jobs.

[09:25] She loved teaching math and saw herself doing that as a career.

[10:27] When she moved to the US, she had to make a choice about her career and went to a coding bootcamp.

[11:51] “I think going to college gives you a great life experience and you learn how to learn.”

[13:48] She shares some advice for anyone not wanting to go to college but still be a good learner.

[16:24] Javascript is the most used language in coding.

[17:46] She discusses the similarities between learning a new language versus learning a coding language.

[20:01] She talks about her husband and the business they started together.

[22:58] She doesn’t feel the same fulfillment in her current job as she did as a teacher in Brazil.

[25:47] Listen as Patricia talks about the coding bootcamp experience.

[28:48] If you don’t know what you want to do, exhaust the available free resources before you go to college and get into debt.

[31:54] She discusses the job she got at Google.

[33:00] To get a job as a software engineer, you need to invest in your presence on LinkedIn with something that makes your profile stand out.

[35:41] Patricia shares how she created her portfolio.

[38:26] She talks about why she wanted to be a software engineer versus her QA job with Google.

[42:19] She is now a software engineer with Olive.

[44:06] She speaks about the culture of the company.

[47:18] Patricia discusses how to get the best work out of her.

[49:13] Thank you for being on the show!

Welcome back to part II of my interview with Caitlin Busscher. In the second half of our conversation, Caitlin shares more about the Disney Ambassador Program, the tech startup she went to work for, and what she’s doing now. Listen in to hear the conclusion of this wonderful discussion.

We start off with the Disney Ambassador Program and all that it entails. I was interested to learn that the program is extremely variable. Disney Ambassadors quite literally handle exactly what needs to be handled at any given moment. 

For Caitlin that looked like having meetings with staff and boosting morale and speaking with the press about upcoming park attractions and events. Ambassadors now may have a completely different role from even that. 

Caitlin credits the skills she learned as an ambassador for her later successes in her career. One of her favorite things is effective communication and she honed those skills at Disney. 

Listen as she shares more about her current role and her advice for young people everywhere. She has had an amazing career filled with wonderful adventures and she’s sharing exactly how she’s done it!

WeWork: or The Making and Breaking of A $47 Billion Unicorn

Fyre Festival Documentaries

Building A StoryBrand by Donald Miller

Confessions of a Disney Leader: There’s no such thing as a “Dream Job”

Cait Without Borders

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[00:21] Welcome back to part 2 of my conversation with Caitlin Busscher!

[00:37] Listen as Caitlin talks about the Disney Ambassador program and some projects they did.

[03:11] A lot of times the role was boosting morale for the company.

[05:15] She shares some topics she would talk about to the media about.

[08:40] She discusses how she handled questions she didn’t have an answer to.

[11:38] She chats about whether she would ever want to speak in a political setting.

[14:06] Caitlin talks about the travel tech startup she worked for.

[15:40] She discusses the business language an entrepreneur may need to learn.

[19:35] She shares some resources on building stories for talking to people.

[21:34] She believes you can tell a story on LinkedIn to connect with people.

[22:28] “Always tie it back to your audience at the end.”

[23:44] She discusses some things you can learn to become a better salesperson.

[26:53] Listen as Caitlin shares what she did during the pandemic shut down.

[29:36] She speaks about conferences, conventions and trade shows she has attended.

[31:32] She talks about a new role she now has and how she heard about it.

[35:17] “Looking for the right job is a journey.”

[35:39] She shares some advice for the listeners.

[37:31] Thank you for being on the show!

I’m back with Alevtyna Titarenko and we’re digging even deeper. Can you imagine returning to performing just months after having a baby? Neither can I, but Alya did it. She wouldn’t recommend doing that again, but she kept her body in such amazing performance shape that she was able to do it. 

When it came time to work on Wonder Woman 1984 however, she didn’t think she’d be able to do it. She’d just had a baby and had absolutely no desire to repeat the mistakes of her past. She shares how she got in shape for the role and what she ended up having to put her foot down on. 

It was her creative work with Cirque du Soleil that prepared her to contribute to WW1984 and she shares all about the creative process. 

Now she’s looking to help women realize that they too can reach their peak performance no matter their current physical shape. Listen in as she shares the rest of her story and what drives her to keep creating and trying new things. 

Alya on YouTube

Alya’s Email

Alya on LinkedIn

Alya on Instagram 

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[00:22] Welcome back to the conclusion of my conversation with Alevtyna!

[02:18] Her daughter is following in her parent’s footprints.

[03:30] She talks about what it was like performing while pregnant and performing until she was 32 weeks.

[06:30] She discusses the certifications she has.

[10:20] Alevtyna shares what you can do when you are pregnant and how the rules have changed with Cirque.

[12:11] She speaks about doing WW1984 three months after giving birth.

[13:21] She talks about how she was chosen to be a stunt woman for WW1984.

[15:56] She shares what it was like being on set.

[18:08] Being part of the creative team for Cirque shows made working in movies easy for her.

[21:06] Creating is painful, hard but rewarding.

[23:24] She shares some last words and calls to action for the listener.

[26:04] Thank you for being on the show!

Imagine conquering your fears in front of thousands of people as you perform death defying acts. Sound pretty out there? Not for Alevtyna Titarenko. She has spent her life as a sports acrobat competing in events and performing in various shows for Cirque Du Soleil. 

In spite of her fear of heights and deep water, Alya has performed in some of the most dangerous Cirque shows. She has been training and performing since her earliest years in primary school and only recently decided to switch her focus. 

In between Cirque shows she also competed in competitions around the world, to include the Arnold Classic put on by Arnold Schwartzenneger. She won that competition and even got to meet the man himself. 

Hers is a riveting story with many crazy twists and turns. Listen to this first part as she talks about competing, her Cirque shows, and why holding onto tradition and routine are so important. 

Then come back to listen to part II. She’s sharing all about her work on Wonder Woman 1984 and why she’s now looking to switch gears into personal training. 

Alya on YouTube

Alya’s Email

Alya on LinkedIn

Alya on Instagram 

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[01:27] Welcome to the show, Alevtyna!

[01:43] She shares her background and journey to acrobatics.

[05:38] She joined Cirque du Soleil in 1997.

[06:43] Alya talks about what it was like to audition for Cirque back in the 90s.

[09:18] She shares the challenges she faced while performing with Cirque du Soleil.

[10:15] Learning to pace yourself is something that comes with experience.

[11:45] Routine was her method for pushing herself when she felt too tired to perform.

[13:50] She is afraid of deep water and heights, but her first show, O, was in the water.

[15:20] She shares a tragic story and why she says you must respect the height.

[20:16] She conquered her fear five meters at a time.

[21:22] Alya won athletic awards while working with Cirque.

[23:53] In 2012, she won the Arnold Classic and got to meet Mr. Schwarzenegger.

[27:13] Stay tuned next week for the conclusion of my conversation with the amazing Alya Titarenko.

Adam returns to share more about his journey to becoming an executive coach. 

Once he left dental school, Adam went to work at his father’s practice. The goal was always to work with his father and then one day take over, but reality wasn’t as kind. Fact is, he and his father didn’t work the same way. 

Soon enough, Adam began dreading his work days. 

A meetup with one of his friends from college is what changed everything for him. His friend had been participating in coaching and after talking for a bit, Adam knew he needed coaching himself. He went all in and soon decided he was ready to become a coach himself. 

Listen as he shares where he’s at today and why he’s so passionate about helping others to find their joy in life again. Coaching, like therapy, is good for most people. You just have to find the right coach. This is true in sports and in life. Listen in and see if maybe becoming a coach sounds like the right fit for you.

Well Aware Inc.

Adam Eskow Coaching

The Unspoken Agreements Podcast

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[00:22] Welcome back to part 2 of my conversation with Adam.

[00:40] He talks about his journey from being a periodontist to becoming a coach.

[04:25] Because he loves learning, he thought about becoming a researcher.

[05:04] He discusses a friend that helped him change his life and the relationship he still has with him.

[06:56] Listen as Adam shares how changing his career impacted his relationship with his wife.

[10:20] “Vulnerability is the real hard work.”

[11:15] He talks about where two-minute methods came from.

[13:30] He speaks about making decisions with small commitments.

[15:25] Adam discusses how we can support his endeavors.

[17:23] He shares some last-minute thoughts with the listeners.

[19:14] We talk about his podcast The Unspoken Agreements.

[20:36] I share about my coach for time management.

[22:43] Thank you for being on the show!

There is no “right” choice to make with regard to your life or career. Give yourself permission to try new things and redefine your idea of what success is. Adam Eskow is a former periodontist turned executive coach who has found joy in his passion after giving himself permission to step away from a lifelong dream. 

Adam comes from a family of dentists. From a very young age he simply knew that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of other family members. He enjoyed the schooling for it. Went all in and got all of his degrees and licenses, and then started practicing and realized it wasn’t for him. 

It was then that he gave himself the permission to walk away and use everything he’d learned in dental school to help other dentists and oral physicians to find more joy and fulfillment in their work. 

So often we focus on the one path or the one goal with single-minded intensity. In a lot of ways that’s a good thing, but it makes it hard to shift and pivot when things no longer work for you. Instead, take your expectations out of the decision making process and hone in on the things that feel good. 

If this is your first episode of Industry Explorers, go back and listen to some of our other interviews. This is a recurring theme amongst all of the guests we’ve had on the show. What you want to do at 18 may not be the same as what you want to do at even 25.

Give yourself the permission to pivot. 

Well Aware Inc.

Adam Eskow Coaching

The Unspoken Agreements Podcast

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[00:32] Welcome to the show, Adam!

[01:01] He shares his background and whether he felt any pressure to become a dentist.

[04:18] Listen as Adam shares the journey to becoming a periodontist.

[06:09] He discusses how you can use your education even if you don’t become a dentist.

[10:50] He describes what he does today as a coach and consultant.

[13:54] Adam talks about the coaches he has that help him.

[16:03] He shares how he outsources his needs.

[20:48] “When something happens and the world latches on to it is kind of liberating.”

[22:20] He speaks about the good and hard parts of his periodontal career.

[24:54] Adam discusses what he would say to a dental student about the career.

[26:18] He believes you should shadow someone in the career that you think you might want.

[29:00] He says the opportunities are there to shadow someone, don’t give up if you get a no.

[29:46] Stay tuned for part 2 of this conversation next week.

If Abingdon wasn’t initially sure of becoming a pilot, she certainly did see becoming a watchmaker in her future. One of the traditions of obtaining your commercial pilot’s license is being presented with a watch, but they’re all made for men. 

Instead of having a big bulky piece on her wrist, Abingdon decided to create one for women. She is now a full on business owner creating and modifying watches with the Abingdon Company. 

It was this small detail that opened her eyes to the need for different voices in the aviation industry. All of the uniforms are designed by men for men. The cockpit furniture is the same. Everything about the aviation industry is directed at white males, but things are changing. 

Listen as Abingdon shares a ton of resources that women and people of color can use to make their way into aviation. She is an inspiration and a brilliant entrepreneur. She faces adversity in the watch and aviation industry and she’s squashing it day after day. Learn how.

Alibaba.com

Flying Wild Alaska

OBAP

AOPA

United Aviate program

LPA

NGPA

EAA

The Abingdon Co.

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Abingdon Foundation

Twitter | Facebook

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[00:19] Welcome back to part 2 of my conversation with Abingdon.

[01:32] She discusses whether boys are better at math than girls.

[03:09] I talk about STEAM, which adds art to the standard STEM program.

[04:34] I speak about the rigging and design needed for the show KA.

[05:55] Listen as Abingdon shares about being a flight instructor for the show Flying Wild Alaska.

[09:58] She discusses how she handles adversity in both the watch and pilot world.

[11:23] She shares how she can be calm and calculating with checklists.

[16:36] Abingdon gives some resources for anyone wanting to be a pilot.

[19:29] Be smart enough to be dumb enough to ask is your best resource.

[23:19] Flying for United Airlines pays up to 600,000 a year.

[24:03] Listen as Abingdon discusses why she believes diversity in aviation is important.

[28:05] EAA has a young eagles program where anyone under 18 can fly.

[30:01] She describes the Abingdon Foundation.

[31:24] She discusses how you can support her foundation and projects.

[34:51] Abingdon’s final words are “Act as though it’s impossible to fail!”

When you were little, what’s one of the things you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you ever say pilot and then you got a little older and the naysayers came out to play? Abingdon didn’t always know she wanted to be a pilot, but when she learned more, she knew it was for her.

Listen as she shares her story of becoming a pilot and later a watchmaker while contributing to the conversation of diversity and inclusion in the airline industry. 

Abingdon really didn’t know what she wanted to do, but she went to school, got a degree and decided to figure it out from there. She later went into the Peace Corps and when she came home, started learning what it would take to become a pilot. She’d initially heard about the career field in high school, but it simply didn’t seem possible.

Within 45 days she had her private license and a company willing to pay her to get her commercial license (and pay for her training.) This isn’t even out of the ordinary. It turns out there are TONS of resources to help you get started in the field of aviation!

In the first part of our conversation, Abingdon shares her story and why building her personal brand was so important. She is now a well respected pilot and trainer in the field which wouldn’t have been possible if she’d 

Alibaba.com

The Abingdon Co.

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[00:41] Welcome to the show, Abingdon!

[02:08] She shares when she got interested in being a pilot.

[06:14] She speaks about her parents wanting her to go to college and get a degree.

[08:49] She is really happy she went to college because the internship she applied for required a four-year degree and covered the cost of getting her commercial pilot’s license.

[10:08] Abingdon shares a story about her mom.

[12:16] Companies look at a college degree because they show you dedicated yourself to something for four years.

[15:20] She studied psychology in college because she wanted to understand what the brain does when it has a chemical imbalance or trauma.

[21:45] She talks about what causes people to have things like a foot fetish.

[24:41] Abingdon discusses what she did once she graduated from college.

[26:46] She wanted to sell women’s pilot watches, and she shares how she made that happen.

[30:04] You are building your brand right now, have integrity and keep your word.

[31:42] The way you treat people will stay with you.

[33:28] She is now trying to get into the astronaut program.

[34:25] Listen next week for part 2 of my interview with Abingdon.

Pharns knows that USOG would not be possible without his amazing team. He’s assembled the best of the best in their fields to help support him and the mission in this company. He’s sharing his insights into building a team, what it takes to enter into the drone industry, and all the ways you can contribute. 

His team truly consists of the best. From former military to engineering wizards to brilliant health experts, he raves about their commitment and tenacity. They all make it possible for him to continue to breathe life into USOG. 

Essentially, USOG helps provide medications and health related services to the population by using drones to deliver and transport medical supplies. Instead of transport taking hours, drones cut the time to minutes. In many cases, the amount of time between request and receipt is a matter of life and death. 

One of the ways that they create and perfect their flight plans is using GIS. Because they work in three dimensional space, their drone flights require more than simple GPS. Learn more about GIS and what you can do to learn it. 

One of his biggest tips for anyone looking to go into the drone industry is to simply start learning. You don’t need a degree to learn to code. You don’t need a degree to become a GIS expert. You don’t need a degree to learn how to market the company. 

You simply need a will to learn and a passion for developing life changing innovations. 

Want to learn more? Reach out to Pharns.

Recording Connections Glossary of Keywords

Geographic Information System

Python

SHe-Learning

AUVSI

Women and Drones

Unmanned Systems Operations Group (USOG)

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[00:22] Welcome to part 2 with Pharns!

[01:42] He shares the process for testing their drones and the data they put out.

[02:50] Listen as Pharms talks about his role at USOG.

[04:48] He discusses the organizational structure of USOG and where each team member fits.

[10:24] He speaks about taking their company international and hopefully soon expanding to Finland and Italy.

[13:54] Pharms shares the challenges USOG faces.

[17:49] He discusses a company called GIS and what it does.

[21:08] He talks about where a young professional with a passion for the drone industry should start.

[25:15] If you have the skills, you don’t need a college degree.

[28:15] Apply yourself! Figure out what you are interested in and go for it.

[30:58] Listen, as Pharm shares some resources you can use if you want to get into the drone industry.

[33:02] He talks about who he considers some greats in the industry.

[35:48] Their jobs as drone ambassadors is to educate and bring awareness to the communities.

[36:53] He shares how the listeners can support USOG.

[40:34] Pharns gives some last words of advice for the listeners.

[41:08] Knowledge + Action with Faith = Success.

[41:48] Success is measured by you!

[43:16] Thank you for being on the show!

Becoming a pioneer in an industry takes resolve and passion, two things Pharns Genece has in spades. From Disney, to the military, to building his own business that’s helping to save lives, he’s made waves in all of his endeavors. Listen as he tells his story and learn why he fully believes you do not need a degree to succeed. 

Pharns is a first generation American. His family is from Haiti and they brought with them their serious attitude about school. But when Pharns graduated high school, he didn’t immediately go to college. 

He was more interested in pursuing his passions and finding out what he loved doing. He worked on the road with musicians and found himself at the DisneyLand Resort working on show production. 

Later he decided to join the military. He really wanted to become a pilot but they required that you have a degree. He changed his career path to join the healthcare field and became a medevac. 

His experience in the military paired with his work in show production led him to create a company that uses drones to deliver medical supplies. Listen as he shares the first part of his story and stay tuned for part two. 

Recording Connections Glossary of Keywords

Unmanned Systems Operations Group (USOG)

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[01:43] Welcome to the show, Pharns!

[03:29] He shares what he was like in high school and his plan after he graduated.

[07:55] Listen as Pharns talks about why he got into the medical field in the military.

[10:40] He shares his love of music and his journey into the music industry as an engineer.

[13:37] He tells us how he got involved with Disney.

[18:00] Pharns discusses where he got the idea for his company and when he launched it.

[22:03] He talks about how his experience in the military has contributed to what he does with USOG.

[25:35] He shares how working with Disney as an Audio Engineer applies to his drone company.

[29:10] He speaks about his amazing team at USOG.

[31:26] Pharns describes the differences between systems integration in the entertainment and drone applications.

[33:54] He talks about what it’s like to automate his drone deliveries.

[37:19] Listen as Pharns shares how he knows where to direct his drones when they are up above the roads.

[40:42] He shares about the cargo carrier system that his company has patented.

[41:29] Stay tuned next week for part 2 of my interview with Pharns Genece.