Episode Summary In this episode of Kat Walks, I’m walking you through one of the hardest and most humbling experiences of my adult life—how I went from a credit score in the low 500s to 795.

This is Part 1 of my credit story. I share how I ended up with bad credit, what it cost me, and the exact step-by-step process I used to start rebuilding. From the Capital One card I opened at 18, to the $5,000 personal loan I took out for a now long-gone ex, to the shame, dependency, and fear I carried for nearly a decade—I’m sharing all of it.

This episode is for anyone who’s been silently struggling with their finances, and especially for those who are ready to start fixing it—without shame.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why I was in credit card debt by 20
• The moment everything fell apart during the 2008 financial crisis
• How my credit dropped into the 500s and stayed there for 8 years
• The real cost of bad credit: housing, cars, phones, and career opportunities
• How I pulled all three of my credit reports and started the dispute process
• Why small debts under $1,000 often fall off when challenged
• How I negotiated directly with creditors to pay off what remained
• What a secured credit card is and why it was the game-changer for me
• How I got approved for my first real credit card after years of denial
• Why I believe there’s no shame in starting over—just power in starting

Resources Mentioned

• AnnualCreditReport.com – Pull your free credit report from all three bureaus
• Secured credit cards – Ask your bank or credit union if they offer one
• Debt settlement (DIY vs. using a service—what I chose and why)

Next Up In Part 2 (for paid subscribers on Substack), I’ll share how I went from good to great—reaching a credit score of 795 and learning how to keep it there. We’ll go deeper into credit card strategy, utilization, points, and handling debt when life happens again.

Subscribe & Stay Connected If you’re not already subscribed, join me on Kat Walks on Substack to get more episodes like this, behind-the-scenes tools, and full access to Part 2 of this series.

Paid subscribers will also receive bonus content like downloadables, guides, and tools I personally use to run my life and business.

Episode Summary In this walk, I’m not just reflecting—I’m revealing. I’m talking about immigration, legality, family, values, and why I’ve made decisions in the past that could be seen as reckless or even career-ending. I’ve approved the hiring of undocumented workers. I’ve opened accounts for them. And I’m telling you this openly, not to be praised, but to be honest.

Because what defines me isn’t my business or career. It’s how I live in alignment with my values—even when it’s inconvenient, risky, or unpopular.

If you’ve never sat across from a family who fled cartel violence, or watched fear fill someone’s eyes at the sound of a police siren, you may not understand why I do what I do. But if you’re someone who believes people deserve safety, freedom, and dignity, regardless of where they were born or how they got here, then this episode is for you.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why I’ve knowingly supported undocumented immigrants
• The dinner conversations that changed how I view “legality”
• Real stories of women trapped in abusive relationships because of their legal status
• What my grandfather’s legacy taught me about doing things “right” and still being wrong
• Why I believe laws without empathy are empty
• What I mean when I say: Leave my people alone
• Why I believe “undocumented” doesn’t mean “unworthy”
• The difference between being legal and being good
• A message to anyone who still thinks “illegal” is a complete definition of a human being

Subscribe for free or become a paid supporter to receive more honest content, exclusive downloads, and tangible tools for values-based living: https://katwalks.substack.com

Episode Summary: In this episode, I unpack what’s really been on my mind lately: the way we approach quarterly goals—and how they might actually be holding us back.

As Q3 planning kicks off for a lot of leadership teams, I reflect on a recent conversation with a Head of Marketing client and the realization that sparked from it. We talk about the difference between KPI-driven and project-based goals, how I used to use quarterly goals to feel productive, and what changed when I finally asked myself: If this is truly important, why am I not working on it every day?

I share how reading The ONE Thing by Gary Keller reshaped the way I think about prioritization, why I no longer treat time-based goals as sacred, and how I’ve shifted to focusing on momentum instead of timelines. This applies not only to business, but to health, relationships, family, and creativity.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Why quarterly “Rocks” might just be placeholders
• The two types of quarterly goals and how to spot the difference
• A framework that helped me ask better questions around time and value
• A story about pouring thousands into a project that didn’t move the needle
• How to know if a goal deserves daily attention—or any attention at all
• The questions I ask myself now when setting priorities
• Why I’m letting go of arbitrary timelines and focusing on aligned action

Mentioned in This Episode:

• The ONE Thing by Gary Keller

Subscribe to Kat Walks on Substack:If you connected with this episode, you’ll love my Substack, Kat Walks—a space where I share honest reflections, insights, and the real behind-the-scenes of navigating business, motherhood, and identity. 👉 Subscribe here and walk with me.

Episode Summary In this episode of Kat Walks, I'm taking you along for a walk that's about more than fresh air. It's about how we respond to conflict, and more importantly, how we reclaim our energy in the face of someone else’s chaos.

My daughter recently asked me a powerful question about arguments and what we wish we had said in the moment. That conversation led us down a path of self-awareness, boundaries, and emotional regulation. I share how I evolved from someone who always had to have the last word, to someone who now filters every interaction through a calm and conscious lens.

If you've ever replayed an argument in your head or felt the urge to clap back at someone who pushed your buttons, this one's for you. I'm giving you my exact approach—from facial expressions to non-responses—and yes, there might even be a "Shit Talking Guide" in the works.

What You'll Hear in This Episode

• My daughter’s surprising question about arguments
• Why I used to replay conversations obsessively (and how that made me sharper)
• The evolution from reactive to reflective
• The mental checklist I use before I respond to anyone
• My go-to question to disarm conflict: "Do you feel better about yourself for saying that?"
• Why some people don’t deserve a response at all
• The power of pausing, breathing, and asking questions
• A breakdown of facial expressions and tone that set boundaries without saying much
• How I’m teaching my daughter to hold her power in tough conversations
• Why being a "world-class shit talker" means knowing when not to talk shit

Mentioned in the Episode

• "Conscious Shit Talker Response Guide" PDF for paid Substack subscribers

Subscribe and Stay Connected If you're enjoying these voice memo-style reflections, make sure you're subscribed to Kat Walks on Substack at https://katghazarian.substack.com. Paid subscribers will also receive exclusive downloads, guides, and behind-the-scenes tools for living and leading with intention.

HR Sucks is gone. Dunzo. Finito.

I talk about the pressure of content creation, why I took a step back from social media, and how I rediscovered my voice through a voice memo and a walk. I also dive into the Thought Leader Archetype quiz that helped me make sense of why nothing I was trying before felt quite right. If you're a business owner, a people manager, a mom—or all three—I think you’ll feel seen in this story.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• The weather shift that sparked a mindset shift
• Why HR Sucks no longer felt aligned
• How healing plays a central role in professional success
• What happened when I accidentally deleted my YouTube channel
• My toxic relationship with social media and why I stepped away
• How a birthday gift to myself turned into a six-month reset
• The moment of peace I found watching squirrels and birds
• Why outsourcing my marketing never worked
• Discovering Macy Robison and the Thought Leader Archetypes
• Realizing I’m a Category Creator and what that means for how I share content
• Why Substack makes more sense for me than social platforms
• My love for voice memos and how they’ll shape Kat Walks going forward
• What to expect as a free or paid subscriber to this newsletter

Resources I Mentioned

• Thought Leader Archetypes Quiz by Macy Robison https://www.macyrobison.com/quiz
• Podcast Episode for Category Creators (Macy Robison) https://www.macyrobison.com/podcast (Look for the episode dedicated to Category Creators)
• Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones https://www.luvvie.org/professional-troublemaker
• Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com
• AirChat (voice-memo based social app by Naval Ravikant — currently offline) https://www.air.chat

Subscribe and Stay Connected

If you enjoyed this episode and want more, you can subscribe to Kat Walks on Substack at https://katwalks.substack.com. Free subscribers will receive regular walks with me, and paid subscribers will get access to templates, tutorials, downloads, and behind-the-scenes tools for life and business.

In this episode of The HR Sucks Show, Katrina sits down with Kevin Koby and Jack Peat, the Co-Founders behind Abstrax Tech, to unpack the unfiltered journey of building a cannabis science company from the ground up.

From Jack's rebellious school days (read: expulsions) to doubling EBITDA through culture—not just spreadsheets—this episode is packed with real talk, hard lessons, and a surprising amount of laughter.

We get vulnerable about leadership blind spots, dig into the stigma surrounding cannabis, and even ask: If Abstrax were a cannabis strain, what would it be?

Whether you’re a founder, leader, or just someone who’s trying to make sense of scaling without selling your soul, this one’s for you.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

• The unconventional origin story of Abstrax Tech
• How putting people first drove exponential growth
• One leadership decision they’d double down on—and one they’d rethink
• The challenges of hiring in the cannabis industry
• Why team culture is way more than ping-pong tables and pizza parties
• The one rule they'd pass on to future entrepreneurs

💬 Memorable Quotes:

"Most people think EBITDA growth is all about the numbers. For us, it started with the people." – Kevin Koby "I was expelled from school... and now I’m running a multi-million dollar company. There’s a lesson in that." – Jack Peat "If Abstrax were a strain, it’d hit smooth but sneak up on you. Just like us."

🔗 Connect with the Guests:

Website: www.abstraxtech.com Kevin Koby (LinkedIn): linkedin.com/in/kevin-koby-0a17411b2

In this fun and unfiltered episode, I sit down with my friend and fellow HR rebel, Kira La Forgia, founder of Paradigm HR. When we get together, you can count on some friendly roasting and a whole lot of laughter — and yes, we somehow always find a way to make HR a little dirty.

We dive into topics that every HR pro (and anyone who’s ever worked in corporate) will relate to, including:

Pay Your Speakers: Why conferences need to prioritize paying their speakers — and why Kira and I often skip HR conferences altogether.

Performative Posting: Is reacting to every viral moment on social media actually driving change, or is it just performative noise?

Justin Baldoni vs. Blake Lively: The surprising HR parallels in this high-profile legal battle.

Annual Performance Reviews: If you’re giving your team consistent feedback, do we really need them anymore?

Plus, Kira is officially the first guest in my brand-new studio! And in true HR Sucks fashion, chaos followed — because right after recording, the podcast's YouTube channel was deleted.

We’re working on it, but in the meantime, be sure to resubscribe once we’re back. And if you’re new here, welcome! No pressure to subscribe just yet — but if you enjoy this episode, leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

Guest Spotlight: Kira La Forgia

Website: the-paradigm.com

Instagram: @‌kiralaforgia

Paradigm HR Instagram: @‌theparadigmm

Paradigm HR Podcast: Listen Here

I read Buy Back Your Time with ‪@danmartell‬ and hired an assistant because he told me to.

Yup, I'm THAT guy (girl) who read a business book and listened to it. It happens to the best (most stubborn) of us.

Her name is Gabriella, aka Gabi, and I interviewed her as well as share my internal hiring process that not only works for me, but for dozens of companies I've worked with over the years (supposedly).

ChatGPT wrote the rest of this:

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

How to know when it’s time to hire help

The "Task Tree" exercise to identify delegation opportunities

Why your job descriptions might be sabotaging your hiring efforts

Knock-out questions that save you HOURS of time

How I use LinkedIn and Indeed to quickly sort and select

The structure of a two-part interview process that actually works

The right way to make an offer and prep for onboarding

👀 Behind-the-Scenes Moments:

Gabi reveals what it was really like going through my hiring process

The bizarre scam Gabi encountered on her first day 😅

A "Would You Sue Me?" segment featuring enemas, stripper poles, and celebrity crush pickup lines. Yep. It’s a thing.

🛠 Resources Mentioned:

Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

In this engaging episode of the HR Sucks Podcast, host Katrina Ghazarian sits down with HR veteran and consultant Carol Fraser. With over 33 years in the field, Carol shares her insights on the major shifts and transformations in HR from traditional personnel management to strategic business partnerships. The conversation covers the impact of technology, the importance of understanding human behavior, and the evolving role of HR in company culture and business success. Carol also delves into her personal journey, transitioning from traditional HR roles to consulting post-9/11, and introduces her innovative 'Dancing Leaders' program, which combines dance with leadership development. Tune in for a deep dive into the complexities, challenges, and future of HR, along with actionable advice for HR professionals looking to invest in themselves and elevate their practice.

In this episode of HR Sucks, we delve into the importance of understanding and living by your core and personal values. Sharing personal experiences from reading Tony Robbins' 'Awakening the Giant Within' and implementing Gino Wickman's Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), we explore how aligning personal and business values builds stronger relationships and more cohesive teams. You'll be guided through the step-by-step process of identifying, defining, and living your values, complete with practical actions for continuous self-evaluation.