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No Straight Path
No Straight Path episodes
- The Wrong Kind of Hard Work with Ashley Menzies Babatunde
Sometimes a job is hard because it’s hard and sometimes a job is hard because it’s wrong for you. In this solo episode, our host, Ashley Menzies Babatunde, revisits some of the pearls of wisdom dropped by guests in previous episodes in relation to this subject. Past guest Sabreena Merchant explains how figuring out this distinction took her longer than she would have liked, while a voice clip from Spencer Paysinger’s interview explains how he realized he was in the wrong job. Ashley also opens up about how this revelation has impacted her own career before breaking down eight questions that may help you realize if your job is hard because it’s hard or hard because it’s wrong for you. Tuning in you’ll hear about the importance of factoring in your own personality, the role of societal pressure, and what heightened anxiety or your inability to maintain a healthy lifestyle may be trying to tell you. To hear about some of the clear signs that your job may be hard because it’s wrong for you and a practical exercise that may help you gain clarity on the issue, tune in today!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Work @ Life
Work @ Life: Vulnerability in the workplace
Sabreena Merchant
Spencer Paysinger
Ashley Menzies Babatunde
Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram
Hubspot
19 min - You Can't Lie to Yourself with Spencer Paysinger Part II
Today we dig into part two of our conversation with Spencer Paysinger. Spencer was an American football linebacker for the New York Giants until 2017 when he pivoted to focus on film and television, writing, co-producing, and acting in All American, the TV series based on his life. In this episode, Spencer shares his thoughts on success, explains how he defines it, and elaborates on why, despite his fame, it’s so important for him to be able to walk down a street as a relative unknown. He opens up about his relationship with his wife, how they support each other, and how fatherhood has changed him. We also discuss the importance of knowing yourself, why that’s becoming increasingly more difficult in today’s world, and what he has gained from going to therapy. To hear some profound words on success, knowing who you are, and the life-changing potential of hobbies, tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How Spencer defines success.
- Why it’s so important for him to be able to walk down the street as a relative unknown.
- How he and his wife got together and the support he has received from her from the start.
- How fatherhood has changed him.
- Spencer’s advice to younger people who look up to him.
- Ways that you can get to know who you are.
- Advice that Spencer received from his brother-in-law about hobbies.
- Why Spencer doesn’t want to get better at golf.
- How Spencer first started going to therapy.
- How therapy has changed the way Spencer coaches himself.
- Information about Spencer’s wife’s company: Post 21.
- How, despite his success, Spencer is still trying to learn the about the film and TV industry.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Spencer Paysinger
Spencer Paysinger on Instagram
All American
Post 21
Ashley Menzies Babatunde
Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram
HubSpot Creators Program
HubSpot
25 min - You Can’t Lie to Yourself with Spencer Paysinger Part I
Not only does Spencer Paysinger’s life story sound like a riveting television series, it was actually turned into one! Spencer was an American football linebacker for the New York Giants until 2017 when he pivoted to focus on film and television, co-producing and acting in All American, the TV series based on his life. He is also an old school friend of Ashley’s, and in this episode, we hear about some escapades from their past, as well as insight into Spencer’s character and interests growing up in LA. Spencer shares his almost fantastical tale of finding success in professional football, and eventually television, and opens up about the philosophies that guide him. Tune in to hear about how being true to himself at every step of the way opened up opportunities for him and led him to where he is today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Spencer Paysinger’s inspiring life story from football to television and beyond.
- Spencer describes his childhood, growing up in LA.
- His character and interests as a kid.
- Why he switched from basketball to football midstream.
- The trajectory of his football career throughout high school and college.
- The transition from playing receiver to linebacker.
- Spencer’s openness about therapy and expressing emotional vulnerability.
- How he landed up being drafted by the NFL after having retired from football.
- What inspired him to play sports.
- His experience of playing in the starting position for the Giants.
- Why he chose to stop playing football.
- How and why he continued to do business internships throughout his football career.
- How Spencer’s interest in screenwriting evolved into the creation of All American.
- What Spencer focused on after wrapping All American and the projects he’s involved in!
- Why he enrolled in film school despite being encouraged otherwise.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Spencer Paysinger
Spencer Paysinger on Instagram
All American
Ashley Menzies Babatunde
Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram
48 min - Finding Fulfillment with Sabreena Merchant
Sabreena Merchant spent the majority of her childhood and early adulthood doing things to make other people happy. She went to religious school instead of playing basketball on Saturdays and pushed through pre-med because her parents’ dream was for her to become a doctor. All of this left her feeling anxious and unsatisfied, so, a few years ago, when Sabreena was presented with an opportunity to explore a completely different career path (sports writing), she took it, and she has never felt more fulfilled! Some of the biggest lessons that Sabreena has learned from her life experiences so far include the following: it’s never too late to start something new, there are many different ways to be successful, and your happiness should be your number one priority! Tune in today to hear Sabreena’s story, which I hope inspires you to follow your heart.
Key Points From This Episode:
- An overview of Sabreena Merchant’s career as a sports writer.
- Sabreena shares what her upbringing was like.
- The shock that Sabreena received when she started college.
- Feelings that Sabreena struggled with when she finished her undergrad.
- The people in Sabreena's life who helped get her sports writing career kicked off.
- How Sabreena’s unpaid blog writing gig evolved into a full-time job.
- What Sabreena’s parents' response was when she told them that she wasn’t going to pursue a medical degree.
- Why your happiness should be your number one priority.
- Sabreena shares what success means to her.
- The valuable skills that Sabreena is learning through her work.
- Goals that Sabreena has for the future.
- The lack of diversity in the sports industry, and how this makes Sabreena feel.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sabreena Merchant on LinkedIn
Ashley Menzies Babatunde
Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram
Hubspot
36 min - Story Time with Ashley Menzies Babatunde
We’re back for another episode of No Straight Path, where there are highs, lows, and lessons learned. Today’s is a solo episode where Ashley unpacks the highlights and lessons learned so far, from historic moments regarding the Supreme Court to changing the mindsets that prove detrimental to the well-being of Black women. Ashley shares her personal experiences in the academic world and some of the micro-aggressions that, in hindsight, broke down her confidence and negatively affected her overall wellbeing, a lesson we should all take note of. We end off the podcast with why it’s important for you to take note of the things that light you up, so make sure to stay tuned for all this and more!
Key Points From This Episode:
- A clip from Episode 1 that resonated with Ashley, which you can listen to at [0:01:37].
- Why Ashley finds it historic to have a Black woman on the Supreme Court.
- Why compelling Black women to prove that they are worthy to occupy the spaces they enter is detrimental to their wellbeing.
- Ashley shares a personal story about her academic experience as a Black woman.
- Lesson: you shouldn’t do your work to prove you deserve to be there, you’re already there!
- Another inspiring clip from Michelle Odemwingie in Episode 2 at [0:11:08].
- The thing that keeps Ashley up at night: human-centered work.
- Why it’s important to take note of things that “light you up.”
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Ashley Menzies Babatunde
Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram
Episode 1: Success Is Not a Destination with Michelle Odemwingie Part 1
Episode 2: Success Is Not a Destination with Michelle Odemwingie Part 2
17 min - Success Is Not a Destination with Michelle Odemwingie Part 2
Welcome back to the second half of our conversation with Michelle Odemwingie! Today we dive a little deeper into Michelle’s career journey and what she has learned from being CEO of Achievement Network (ANet). We kick things off by hearing from Michelle about why authenticity has been integral to her success as a CEO. She describes how being honest about her process at work has helped her be a supportive leader, who invites collaboration, and why it’s such an enriching alternative to micromanaging your team. Hear how her experience as Chief of Staff at the same company benefited her as a CEO, particularly because of the depth of her personal relationships within the company. Later we unpack what it means to be a recovering perfectionist and the importance of embracing the fact that you can’t be good at everything. Michelle also reflects on the loss of her grandmother during the COVID-19 pandemic and what it has taught her about grief and how to spend the short amount of time you have on earth. We wrap things up by discussing the toxicity of constant availability at work and what Michelle has been doing to bring more balance to her life. Be sure to tune in for the life-affirming conversation on life, work, relationships, and finding balance!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Welcome to Part 2 of our conversation with Michelle Odemwingie!
- The biggest lesson Michelle has learned as a CEO: authenticity is priceless.
- A breakdown of Michelle’s approach as a supportive leader who invites collaboration.
- How serving as Chief of Staff has informed Michelle’s work as a CEO.
- How losing her grandmother made Michelle take stock of how she spends her time.
- Michelle’s current definition of success: it’s not a destination, but how you experience life.
- The challenge of balancing everything in your life as a recovering perfectionist.
- The idea that grief is love unexpressed and how Michelle is choosing to honor her grandmother.
- The toxicity of being available all the time and how Michelle is combatting it in her life.
- The role of leadership in changing a culture of overwork and burnout.
- Why Michelle encourages her team members to prioritize rest and take half days.
- Michelle’s love of cooking and the recipes she made for Ashley.
- Why Michelle is appreciative of Gen Z and her thoughts on what it means to be a good ancestor.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Michelle Odemwingie on LinkedIn
Achievement Network
Teach for America
Ashley Menzies Babatunde
Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram
29 min - Success Is Not a Destination with Michelle Odemwingie Part 1
There’s a reason why so many people who have had teaching posts via Teach for America describe the experience as one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives. Not only are you solving incredibly complex problems in a classroom filled with students, but you are also operating within a deeply flawed system. For our first episode of No Straight Path, we are delighted to welcome Michelle Odemwingie, CEO of Achievement Network (ANet), to talk about her career journey, and how she discovered her passion for education. In our conversation Michelle reflects on her academic perfectionism from an early age, the anxiety it caused her, and how growing up in a suburban Texas town informed her decision to go to Stanford. We discuss how Michelle discovered her passion for education while at university, and the hugely formative role that Teach for America played in her life. Next, Michelle describes some of her biggest mistakes and successes as a teacher, along with the most important lessons she’s learned along the way. She also shares the story of how she became CEO of ANet, some of the feelings of imposter syndrome she experienced, and the critical role that one of her mentors played in opening up a leadership path for her. To learn more about Michelle’s journey and how it has shaped her, be sure to tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Introducing today’s guest Michelle Odemwingie, CEO of Achievement Network.
- Michelle’s Nigerian heritage and the experience of being the daughter of immigrant parents.
- The important impact that her mother’s dyslexia had on Michelle’s learning journey.
- Michelle and Ashley’s experiences with academic perfectionism from an early age.
- Some of the micro and direct aggressions Michelle had to contend with growing up in Texas.
- Why Michelle decided to go to Stanford, and her positive experience there.
- How Michelle discovered her passion for education as a career.
- Michelle’s dedication to the idea of education as a great equalizer in America, if the country had the bravery to do it fully.
- Michelle’s first encounter with Teach for America.
- Why Michelle’s experiences as a math teacher in DC were so radically formative.
- Why working for Teach for America is described by so many people as one of the most challenging, and rewarding, experiences of their lives.
- Some of Michelle’s biggest mistakes and biggest triumphs that she had as a teacher.
- Why the notion of ‘escaping where you came from’ as an aspiration can be so damaging.
- The exercise where Michelle had students create their own textbooks and the impact it had on their learning and their lives.
- How Michelle became the CEO of the Achievement Network.
- Why having a mentor mention you in higher spaces is so impactful.
- The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and how Michelle adapted as a leader in education.
- Michelle’s feelings of imposter syndrome and how she finally decided to apply for the job of being CEO thanks to her co-worker and the intervention of her family.
- Tune in for Part 2 in our next episode!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Michelle Odemwingie on LinkedIn
Achievement Network
Teach for America
Ashley Menzies Babatunde
Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram
49 min - Welcome to the No Straight Path Podcast!
Hello and welcome to the first taste of the No Straight Path podcast! This is the show in which Ashley Menzies Babatunde will be exploring the idea of success with special attention given to the areas that we so often gloss over. You can expect to hear interviews with an array of fascinating guests from many different fields and backgrounds, all with the unifying theme of honesty, process, and the hurdles that are common in all of our journeys. We hope that through these conversations, success and achievement can be humanized and that the myths of success can be made more nuanced. So thanks for tuning in, and we hope to see you back here for our first full episode!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Ashley Menzies Babatunde
Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram
4 min
About No Straight Path
From the publisher's feed
No Straight Path aims to humanize success from the Millennial perspective. The world often sees the shiny resumes, highlights shared on social media, and job titles associated with a person's LinkedIn…
profile. We rarely see the story behind it. And when we do, it's often in a memoir towards the end of someone's journey. The podcast aims to delve into the story behind the success with a closer to real-time approach. Because the podcast focuses on the Millennial perspective, many guests are mid-journey. We are capturing a snapshot of the work they've done thus far, while also discussing their hopes and dreams for the future. I'll speak with various guests about their definitions of success and how they overcame setbacks, navigated pivots, and found purpose. No one has a straight path in life. There are lots of twists and turns, which often leads to growth, understanding, and wisdom. My hope is that listeners leave the conversation inspired and with a more nuanced perspective of success.
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