More Than Work

This week’s guest is Kyle Roebuck, host of the Small Stuff Podcast and videographer. Kyle is from North Carolina and studio at East Carolina University. It was there that he held a job as a school bus driver until two years after graduation. During that time, he came to the realization that a traditional job was not for him, and, he left.

Throughout his life, Kyle had always been a visual artist during things including drawing but it wasn’t until he tried photography and then videography that he also found a new career path for himself. Following his college job, Kyle gave photography a try, immersing himself YouTube videos to teach himself photography. He is someone who will try anything but will not continue to pursue it if he isn’t good at it and he was good at photography.

To make ends meet, Kyle did get another full-time job eventually and that drove him to build up his photography skillset and business more quickly so he could be free of the “9 to 5”. Having the newfound love of photography gave him a purpose at his full-time job and helped shift his attitude towards working as being something that would enable him to do what he really wanted to do sooner.

Kyle shares a lot about his experience with imposter syndrome and how it affects him. It is a subject that has come up on the podcast before but his insight was very relatable to those of us that don’t take compliments very well. He is also a believer in positive thinking and explains how it works for him.

Note from Rabiah (Host): I have done in a few times but it was interesting to host a podcast host on my podcast. Kyle was nervous but then the conversation mode kicked in and things went great.Kyle’s experience working at his campus job until after graduation was similar to mine but we both moved on in different ways. I really admire those who chose the creative career early on!

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Find Kyle Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/SmallStuffPodcast

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Mentioned in this episode: Peter McKinnon https://www.petermckinnon.com/ Fountain Power Boats https://www.fountainpowerboats.com/ Blackbeard Coffee https://www.blackbeardroasters.com/ +++++ More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]

This week’s guest is Sammy Warryat, host of the Successful Millennials podcast and founder of Financezilla, a financial consulting service.

A Georgia native, Sammy attended Georgia Tech and graduated with a degree in software engineering. He went straight into the corporate workforce and after working too many hours and facing too many roadblocks decided it was time to set out on his own. He got himself out of debt, saved his money and quit his job.

Unlike some “coaches” he sees himself as a consultant but not someone who is going to make decisions or do the work for clients. He shares what he knows but expects clients to be ready to take action for themselves. In his podcast and consulting, empowerment of the individual are themes.

On the Successful Millennials podcast, Sammy’s episodes each focus on one or two of the five categories of live he has identified to be the most important. They are money, physical and mental health, career/purpose, relationships and happiness.

Note from Rabiah (Host): The theme of people going out on their own after a more traditional career for various reasons involving working too many hours, poor management or a desire to take a chance. But, what I have noticed is the decisions weren’t rash or sudden. They were planned. Sammy planned very impressively by saving money so he could handle the risk on his own. Others planned with their partners. They all seemed to set a timeline for when they would need to head back to a job If it didn’t work out. This chat with Sammy was particularly fun because we truly are of two generations but weren’t that different.

On another note, I dedicate this episode to a friend, Richie Hannah, who I found out died right before recording the intro. He was truly funny and kind. It was too soon to lose him but it is always too soon. I could talk about his struggles and distill him down to one thing but we are a sum of all of our parts. In my only vacation of 2020 I visited him in Scotland and it was a special time. Like with others I’ve lost before, I’ll remember him for that and honor him now and then by thinking of him when I see something that I know he would like. 

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Find Sammy Financezilla website: https://financezilla.net/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thefinancezilla Instagram: www.instagram.com/financezilla

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Mentioned in this episode: Patrick Lencioni: https://www.tablegroup.com/pat/ Ryan Hawk: https://learningleader.com/ Robert Leonard’s Millenial Investing Podcast: https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/millennial-investing/

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More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]

This week’s More Than Work Podcast guest Miriam Herst-Stein is Deputy Editor of All Things Hair, a website by Unilever. She is also a writer and a current student at the University of Denver where she is earning her Master’s in Creative Nonfiction Writing in a remote program. After graduating high school, Miriam took a gap year during which she attended a program in Jewish studies that also included writing. There, she solidified her interest in pursuing it as a career. Before getting her job at All Things Hair she was a nanny in New York City. In the last 5 years, she has worked her way up from intern to her current role.

She currently lives in Crown Heights, New York and enjoys balancing her professional work in beauty writing with her personal pursuits. She also reads in her downtime but mostly fiction. Her personal writing as well as her academic pursuits are focused on nonfiction so the fiction gives her a break!

Miriam’s faith, Hassidic Judaism is a very important part of her life. She discusses it in her writings and was also open to discussing how it impacts her personally and professionally during our chat.

Note from Rabiah (Host): I have a lot of respect for the people who pursue writing as a career. It is something I held at an arm’s length for much of my life but never took a chance at professionally. I really enjoyed hearing from Miriam on how she was so determined to stay in NYC and write was really inspiring. I also appreciate her taking the time to explain her faith to me. It is so important to hear others’ perspectives and I’m grateful this podcast lets me do that because the guests are willing to share.

Find Miriam All Things Hair: https://www.allthingshair.com/en-us/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miriam.herst.stein

Mentioned in this episode  Ilana Herst: https://open.spotify.com/artist/73YFQvD0Tq7v67hhWmNoBA?si=BdWc4KujSwCKa5qT0pbYxQ

More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]

This week’s More Than Work Podcast guest is Simon Prior is a Senior Test Manager at easyJet, a podcaster and a neurodiversity advocate, and he is rocking it at all three. He is based in the UK and joined the podcast from Buckinghamshire.

Simon started as a developer but ended up finding breaking things to be more the more exciting pursuit and thus started his career in QA. He promotes the importance of testing and has a strong opinion on automation. For those in software, you know this is an oft talked about subject.

On his podcast, Testing Peers, Simon and three other testing professionals talk about QA and leadership. They are also trying to encouraging the teaching of QA testing in universities. Check out their hashtag, #makeatester.

Simon has overcome burnout and shared his own personal story of collapsing from stress at one point. After that he made some changes in where he worked including choosing his work place based on how it aligns with his personal values. Like many, he is still finding balance.

As a neurodiversity advocate, Simon takes the opportunity to educate others at his workplace on things like how to interview in a more inclusive way and even how to make the airport experience more inclusive.

Note from Rabiah (Host): Simon and I first connected on LinkedIn after he responded to a post and not long after following him, I knew he was the real deal. It was refreshing to talk to someone who loves what they do but who also sees how he can make an impact to improve the lives of others. We have some similarities in that he is an advocate for a cause that impacts people he knows. For him that is his sister and son. For me, that is…me. I enjoyed our chat and can’t wait for you to hear it. +

Find Simon Simon’s Twitter: @LeadTestInclude Testing Peers Podcast Twitter: @testingpeers Podcast website: https://testingpeers.com Simon’s Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-prior-0499372/ + Mentioned in this episode Ministry of Testing: https://www.ministryoftesting.com/ Rabiah’s Article on Burnout: https://www.voicemag.uk/blog/9305/burnout-reformation-discovering-self-worth-outside-of-work  + More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter  @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]

This week’s More Than Work Podcast guest is Gen Edwards, Intuitive Energy Healer. She is a registered practitioner using The Emotion and Body Codes. Gen didn’t start out as a healer. In fact, she came to this work in her 50s. Prior to that, she worked as a corporate trainer, creating training materials and delivering training. 

Gen was born in Zimbabwe and lived in South Africa before moving to Leeds, United Kingdom. While meeting with a financial advisor one day, she hit a breaking point and her advisor recommended she go see an energy healer that he was seeing. It was while seeing the healer herself, that she found her calling.

Being a light worker is Gen’s life purpose because it allows her to serve others. She even sees herself working until she is 80!

Note from Rabiah (Host):

Gen is one of those people that you can’t help but be in a better mood after talking to. She really loves what she does and she loves what she used to do. I think it is so fortunate when we can make a living doing something that has meaning and she’s doing it for the second time. She has now found her life’s purpose but also stayed consistent to her values up until now which is pretty cool.

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Find Gen

Website: https://www.genedwards.com/

LinkedIn Business Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gen-edwards-intuitve-energy-healer/

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genedwardsenergyhealerbodycode/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenEdwardsholistichealing/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genergyheal/ 

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Mentioned in this episode:

 Dr. Bradley Nelson - The Emotion Code and The Body Code author - https://drbradleynelson.com/ 

Denise Duffield -Thomas - https://www.denisedt.com/ 

More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]

This week’s More Than Work Podcast guest is Christina Giacona. We went to high school together in Santa Clarita, California and were in the band. After graduation, she pursued a degree in music from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She has gone on to get her Masters at the University of New Mexico where she studied Native American Music, joined the Fort Smith Symphony in Arkansas part-time, as a clarinetist. She enjoys the opportunity to play with the innovative group.

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Her and her partner Patrick Conlin, a violist and sound engineer, founded the Los Angeles New Music Ensemble in 2008 which they ran until 2014. Now they reside in Oklahoma where they have founded Onyx Lane, a full-service music production company. Christina is a professor at the University of Oklahoma teaching Native American Music and American Popular Music while studying for her second doctorate, this time in Cultural Anthropology. 

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“Cube of Light” is the latest album release from Christina and Patrick. They are taking it on tour soon for fully immersive audio and visual experiences giving the audience the opportunity to experience the album in a unique way.

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Note from Rabiah (Host): Christina outlines how her high school music dreams have been fulfilled and it made me think a lot about how these dreams would manifest in reality if we allow ourselves to take chances. I think that the advice she has for young people pursuing creative endeavours is unique and very practical since it comes from her lived experience. I’m on board completely with her “do it yourself” sentiment and hope people come away from this one encouraged to do just that.

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Find Christina Onyx Lane: https://onyxlane.com/

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Mentioned in this episode: Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World: https://www.rumblethemovie.com/ Rumble by Link Wray : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucTg6rZJCu4 AJR: https://www.ajrbrothers.com/ Fort Smith Symphony: https://www.fortsmithsymphony.org/ 

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More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]

This week’s More Than Work Podcast guest is Claire Waite Brown. Founding “Open Stage Arts” and then “Creativity Found” were pivotal to her as she looked to forge a path that was truly her own outside of work. After attending university and studying contemporary dance she ended up editing non-fiction illustrated books for a living while raising a family.

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At about 40, Claire studied to become a fitness dance instructor. She now also does street dance continuing to pursue her passion for movement in a different way. When she founded Open Stage Arts, Claire created a space and community for adults to try something new like acting without all the drama of am-dram and other classes. It was also something she created for herself rather than something she was doing for others. Next came her website and podcast, Creativity Found where she interviews other artists and helps them showcase their work.

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Note from Rabiah (Host): This chat was a lot of fun. Claire and I met on the Clubhouse app and hit it off. Meeting her and others in some creative groups there was one of the highlights of lockdown. We have similar ridiculous senses of humour. When she tells the story of her “ginger cat” it was a good opportunity to talk to a Brit about the differences between the English we speak in the US versus the UK. And yes, when you hear me say I call my jeans “denim trousers” that is true. I have done so and yes, the person I said it to thought it was odd.

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Find Claire Facebook and IG: @creativityfoundpodcast Facebook group: Creativity Found Website: creativityfound.co.uk

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More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]

This week’s More Than Work guest is Dave Weiner, the CEO of Priority Bicycles. Dave talks about taking a break from IT when he was the CEO of a global company, to figure out what he wanted to do next. He had a new son, business ideas, and a desire to spend his time differently so he could have more balance and be present for his family.

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Dave started out working in the cycling industry after attending the University of California, Santa Barbara and it is the cycling industry that he decided to jump back into. He is innovating in the space with low maintenance bicycles including a line of low maintenance e-bikes.

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We chat about the importance of pursuing your passions and doing work you’re proud of as well as the difference between delivering software and a tangible good.  If you don’t think software development is related to bike production, you’ll learn why Dave thinks they are.

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Note from Rabiah (host):

I met date at least 14 years ago when I was working in warehouse management. We worked with a ton of vendors at the time and as a woman in IT I wasn’t always treated with the utmost respect. Dave was a different kind of leader and different kind of business partner. I can’t remember specifics of our interactions but his kindness stuck with me. I ended up following him on LinkedIn and when I started this podcast he was one person I was set on talking to so this chat was particularly important to me. I like that he acknowledges that he isn’t working less but is doing what he loves. That’s important. As he says, some people are just going to work a lot. I’m one of those but when I’m doing it for something that has meaning it feels different. Get out there for a bike ride everyone!

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Check out this chat with an entrepreneur for a practical point of view on setting priorities and building a business.

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Find Dave @ridepriority on all social channels  Priority Bicycles YouTube

+ More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]

Riva Riley is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Maryland but she is also a writer, comic and animal welfare advocate. We chat about all this and ultimately resilience and persistence starting with now she moved on after not getting scholarship she wanted.

Find Riva Instagram and Twitter: @rivajriley YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo6uq2kp3_Dt8xawXNLQs-A

More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]

Guest Makayla Davis started out her adulthood serving in the National Guard. Now, she is a professional Astrologer at The Scenic Route Astrology which is a company she also founded. She’s a podcaster too and the author of two upcoming books. The stars aligned for this chat!

Find Makayla www.Astroroutes.com Instagram: @TheScenicRouteAstrology Twitter: @TheScenic_Route Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakaylaDavisAstrology LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/makayladavis/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/yF6iFjyUbfk Astrology & Spiritual Growth articles on Medium - https://makaylaedavis.medium.com/

More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email [email protected]