Welcome to Inspire Saratoga!

Leah is one of the most charismatic, positive, and insightful people I’ve spoken to.

Leah is a certified mindfulness and yoga practitioner, and founder of Brave Lion Mind.

She founded Brave Lion to offer neuroscience and nature based mindfulness to educators, students and families.

She believes that establishing a customized mindfulness practice nurtures mental, emotional and physical wellbeing based on resilience, empowerment and the ability to live a self-aware and self-directed life.

Check out more from Leah at https://www.bravelionmind.com/about

Welcome to Inspire Saratoga!

One of the most genuine, caring, and insightful coaches I’ve ever encountered, Karen Carey joins me on the show.

The founder of Ruby Red Road, Karen’s experience and insights as a Life Coach cut right to the heart, and in this episode, Karen dives into mindset, resilience, what self-worth really means, and practical solutions for maximizing your life.

Check out Karen at:

https://www.rubyredroad.com/about

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.moshercarey

Welcome to Inspire Saratoga!

The best way I can describe Jeff Grogan is as a world class human.

A father, husband, friend, kettlebell athlete, and a 3 decade veteran nurse and founder of the Saratoga Youth Mentor program.

I first met Jeff 5 years ago when he began a new journey of strength for himself, and since that time, his evolution of life, and creating an impact for adolescents in this community has been nothing short of inspiring.

In this episode, Jeff goes deep into the state of adolescent mental health, his experience as a nurse over 30 years, and how to help our young generation become more confident, healthy, and resilient.

Check out more from Jeff at https://saratogayouthmentor.com

Welcome to Inspire Saratoga!

Christine O’Donnell is an Emmy-Nominated TV Journalist &  Podcast Coach. She is the founder of Bright Sighted Pros, a community of bright, independent and professional podcasters who have a true vision for their podcast, brand and business. 

Christine graciously allowed me to come to her own podcasting studio in Saratoga Springs, and dive into journalism, where podcasting is heading as a media outlet in our community, and her experience working and living in Saratoga Springs.

You can check out more from Christine at https://brightsighted.com/

Welcome to Inspire Saratoga!

In this episode, I connect with one of my favorite people in the world to talk deeply about strength, mental health, and personal growth.

Diane Webb is the founder and co-owner of Grace Mental Health Counseling, with offices in Saratoga Springs, Queensbury, and Clifton Park.

I got to meet Diane years ago at our old Kettlebell studio, and since then, we have had some incredible conversations both on and off air that have taught me so much about psychotherapy, psychology, and personal growth.

For Diane, psychotherapy is a holistic journey that treats the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. This holistic framework informs everything she does, from her work specializing in anxiety and trauma to how she leverages cutting-edge treatment approaches that incorporate the latest findings from neuroscience and energy work.

To check out more from Diane, go to https://gracemhc.com/ 

To check out more from Michael, go to https://www.mystrengthconnection.com/signup

Welcome to Inspire Saratoga!

Spencer Sherry is a filmmaker, as well as the Grants and Community Outreach Coordinator at the Saratoga Arts Center.

Spencer has been a 518 resident ever since he graduated from high school in Laurens, NY. 

Always eager to experience new things (but never doing one thing for too long), he attended St. Rose for Music Industry, SUNY Oneonta for Criminal Justice, and UAlbany for Communications. 

His natural antsiness eventually led him to filmmaking, where there are unlimited stories to tell and every day is different. 

After a year of working as a production assistant on big budget projects in New York City, he returned upstate to produce his own work, believing that community is a better resource than locale.

In this episode, Spencer shares his journey into filmmaking, the differences between big budget and independent filmmaking, as well as his latest work in taking a Stephen King story and bringing it to life.

Check out Spencer on FB, at saratoga-arts.org, and his IMDB profile

From Michael:

Looking to improve your Mental Performance in 5 minutes a day? 

Check out 5-Minute Mindset at https://www.mystrengthconnection.com/signup

Welcome to Inspire Saratoga!

Cassandra Kubinski is an absolute gem of a person, as well as an incredible singer/songwriter in Saratoga Springs.

Being a great artist has brought her all over the world, and has written, recorded and performed with luminaries like the Goo Goo Dolls, Chris Botti, 10,000 Maniacs, DJ Taz Rashid, Ryan Cabrera, and Billy Joel. 

You might’ve heard her songs on TV, from Lifetime’s “Dance Moms”  to ESPN’s “First Take” to NBC promos or “Real Housewives” episodes.

In this episode, Cassandra dives into her origins into art and music, her process of writing and creating, and the power of music to elevate, heal, and inspire.

Check out all of her work at https://www.cassandrakubinski.com

5 Minute Mindset: https://www.mystrengthconnection.com/signup

Welcome to Inspire Saratoga!

In the 1st episode, I sat down with an incredibly inspiring woman, Ashley Campbell.

Ashley is the founder of Coral and Blue Paper, a company that creates beautiful stationery for kids, bringing the power and joy of hand written notes back to popularity.

There’s something so great about receiving a hand written note, especially in the times of text, email and social media. It’s something that makes the message we deliver more intimate and connected, and Ashley is taking this by storm.

In this episode, Ashley speaks on her time in Saratoga, how the idea of hand written notes came to her, and how her business brought her all the way to Burundi, Africa and created an entire non-profit business.

Check out more from Ashley on FB and IG, or at:

https://coralandblue.com

Welcome to the Inspire Saratoga Podcast!

I am Michael Kurkowski, physical and mental performance coach, and resident of Saratoga Springs.

In this first introductory episode, I wanted to speak directly to you, the listener, on the who, what, where, when...but most importantly, the "why" behind Inspire Saratoga, and what to expect going forward with this show.

Thank you so much for coming along!