Offline & Unfiltered

What happens when you take a reluctant podcast host and exercise novice to a reformer Pilates class for "research" purposes?

You end up with two closet confessionals and an in depth discussion centered around the complex relationship many of us have with exercise. From folks who see it as a necessary evil, to those who can turn it into a successful career and community.

Our guest this week is Kiara, who is the owner of BODYROK in Santa Barbara, CA. BODYROK is a Pilates-inspired workout on a reformer machine, designed to improve energy levels and fuel your metabolism while sculpting and defining your body.

Kiara previously worked in the Silicon Valley tech scene as a Product Manager. Her passion for teaching fitness classes as a part-time BODYROK instructor in San Francisco led her to make a career shift and open her own studio in Santa Barbara a year ago.

In this episode, Kiara shares her unique journey through her career and her fitness. She also shares some valuable tips for listeners on how to incorporate exercise into their lifestyle.

They say if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. We hope this episode leaves our guests pondering how they can chase their own passions, or, at least find different ways to incorporate fitness into their day to day.

Find Our Guest:

BODYROK Santa Barbara

On this episode Lakisha and Megan break down different lessons they have learned throughout their career. They discuss how they've grown, how they've failed, how they've embraced or resisted change, and more. Our hosts share stories, reflect, laugh and also get a bit uncomfortable.

What advice would you give your younger self? Would you want to? Would you want to change the way you've done something in your past? Let's dig into it on this introspective episode.

Media Mentioned In This Episode:

Mass Tech Layoffs? Just Another Day in the Corporate Blender

Boundaries, Burnout And The "Goopification" of Self Care; Ezra Klein Show

Appblock App

Why Job Hopping Is Going To Continue For The Foreseeable Future

Books Our Hosts Learned Lessons From

Work Won't Love You Back - Sarah Jaffe

No Hard Feelings - Liz Fosslien & Mollie West Duffy

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals - Oliver Burkeman

Scattered Minds - Gabor Mate MD

Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included) - Pooja Lakshmin MD

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 -  Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves

"The reward for good work is more work."

On this week's episode, Lakisha and Megan welcome Lauren Lefkowitz to the show to have a deep conversation on how achievers and people pleasers can set better boundaries and begin to take their lives back.

Lauren is an Executive Coach, partnering with executives and emerging leaders who have gotten to the middle of their careers and think, this is IT? It’s fine…I guess. She works with humans who are ready to find joy, excitement, challenge, and balance in their careers...and have a personal life to love.

Lauren was an 80-hour-a-week executive, is a recovering people pleaser, and has lived with chronic illness for nearly 20 years. She was living the ‘fine is a trap’ way for years, convincing herself that working all the time and never feeling well were just part of life.

Despite these challenges, she decided to take control of her life, learn to set boundaries, create opportunities for personal choice, and relaunch her own career to find her version of success and joy. She coaches people and teams who function the way she used to – and find their own versions of amazing.

Lauren makes it comfortable to get uncomfortable, create powerful goals, and create real, sustainable career and life transformation. And! Lauren is a certified Laughter Yoga Leader, which she found time for once she realized life could be about more than work.

Learn what drinking coffee in your shower and sitting on your hands have in common in this engaging and honest conversation among 3 recovering achievers.

Learn More About Our Guest:

Visit Lauren's Website - Fine Is A Trap

Listen to Lauren's Podcast

Lauren's Linktree

On this episode, we continue on the complex topic of immigration with our guest Charina Garcia.

Charina is an immigration attorney and a Strategy and Innovation Partner at WR Immigration, one of the world’s leading business immigration law firms. For over two decades, Charina has guided thousands of HR professionals from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies through the employment-based immigration process. In recent years, she has led the development of WRapidTM, the industry's leading immigration case management platform that streamlines global workforce management and compliance for corporate HR and global mobility teams.

In our conversation, we tackle overlooked gaps in immigration that impact young adults, what it is like to be on an employer sponsored visa in America, and how Charina, as a second generation Filipino immigrant, navigates the heaviness of her work.

Take a nuanced look into the immigration industry with us in this educational and engaging discussion.

Non-Profit Resources From This Episode:

Upwardly Global

Immigration Justice Project

Learn More About Our Guest

Read Charina's Full Bio

Connect with Charina on LinkedIn

Welcome to today's episode, where our hosts discuss an overlooked and escalating issue. Child labor isn't just a chapter in history; it's a troubling present reality. Federal regulators report a 69% increase in companies employing underage workers since 2018. Recent reporting has uncovered children working graveyard shifts for household names, and suffering staggering injuries such as chemical burns and amputations. Although legal actions are taken, the fines imposed often barely dent the bottom lines of these large corporations. This is a complex issue that touches many spaces, but our hosts today focus is on HR: where do they stand in this crisis, given their pivotal role in preventing such violations? How does the staffing industry aid organizations in evading culpability? And what guidelines do HR departments follow when directed to overlook these issues?

Lakisha and Megan share their own experiences and perspectives on this crisis, and debate the strategies and ethics of meeting aggressive company goals.

On our next episode, we'll welcome an immigration expert on to the show to explore this topic even further.

If you or someone you know are aware of a minor that may be in a forced labor situation, help is out there. Consider contacting one of the organizations below:

Kids In Need of Defense

The Child Labor Coalition

Border Angels

US Department of Labor

Episode Resources:

The Daily - A New Child Labor Crisis in America 

American companies using illegal child labor 

As Migrant Children Were Put to Work, U.S. Ignored Warnings 

Tyson and Perdue Are Facing Child Labor Investigations

Alone & Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the US 

Amid a child labor crisis, U.S. state governments are loosening regulations 

Child labor laws are under attack in states across the country 

Lawmakers target child labor laws to ease worker shortage 

USA: Investigation finds migrant children working in factories in violation of child labour laws; incl. co. responses 

Information on Minors and Employment 

Fact Sheet #43: Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for Nonagricultural Occupations

History of Child Labor Laws in the United States

Trigger Warning: This episode contains conversations about domestic violence and mental health that may be difficult for some listeners.

***

On this episode, we welcome Gabriel Gutierrez to the show. Gabriel is a Creative Developer in the Arts & Mental Health industries, as a Certified Peer Counselor, plus as an Independent Game Developer, DJ & Spoken Word Artist. He is also a WRAP Certified & "Lived Experience" Trainer + Support Group Facilitator. 

We discussed how Gabriel uses his journey and creative passion to support and empower others at work and in their daily lives. We also talked about the dangers of personal brand, breaking away from codependence, and how to take accountability.

Learn deep lessons from Spiderman and rethink the concept of perfect in this enlightening and raw conversation.

Resources & Notes From This Episode:

NAMI - National Alliance on Mental Health

SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

NCADV - National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

California Safe at Home Program

CalMSHA - California Mental Health Services Authority

Take This! - Mental Health Non-Profit

The Copeland Center

WRAP - Wellness Action Recovery Plan

Books Recommended by our Guest:

The Body Keeps The Score - Bessel van der Kolk

Stop Walking on Eggshells: Taking your Life Back when someone you care about has Borderline Personality Disorder (Third Edition) - Paul T. T. Mason and Randi Kreger

Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us - Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross

Find & Connect With Gabriel

November Reign

November Reign Youtube

Arcade House

Rklz Abandon Instagram

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, help is out there. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

On this episode Lakisha and Megan welcome Kenyetta Hall to chat about finding alignment, defining success, and becoming a disruptor of your own life.

Kenyetta is CEO of The Katalyst HQ where she partners with entrepreneurs and organizations to implement strategies for business sustainability, develop customized software solutions, and help product leaders and teams to build with agility.

She has over 15 years of experience working in various corporate sectors focused on business strategy, product growth, and digital transformation. In September of 2020, she was let go from her job and made a decision to bet on herself. Along this journey, she has had the opportunity to support start ups, build teams, and help other business owners really become intentional about growth. 

She is also the Social Entrepreneur in Residence and Professor in Practice for the Shuford Program, at the School of Economics within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Reframe your definition of failure, forge your own path, and have a few laughs with our guest in this insightful conversation.

Resources and Notes From This Episode:

Research: The Average Age of a Successful Startup Founder Is 45

Book: The Four Agreements

Book: The Power of Awareness

Book: The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

Find and Connect with Kenyetta

The Katalyst HQ 

The Agile Product Dojo

Kenyetta Hall - LinkedIn

“I used to work at McDonald's making minimum wage. You know what that means when someone pays you minimum wage? You know what your boss was trying to say? "Hey if I could pay you less, I would, but it's against the law.” - Chris Rock, SNL, 1991

On this episode, Lakisha and Megan discuss how the math aint mathing when it comes to Minimum Wage in America, even with California's new standard for Fast Food and Healthcare workers. They debate what the new $20 per hour requirement will mean for these industries, and share their own experiences as workers and consumers. Megan also has a pretty embarrassing Lucille Bluth moment, and Lakisha gains a new perspective on poor customer service.

Episode Notes & Resources:

California DIR - Minimum Wage Increase 2024

US Department of Labor - Federal Minimum Wage

California Pizza Huts lay off all delivery drivers ahead of minimum wage increase

Walmart, Costco and other companies rethink self-checkout

Human First Workplace Newsletter - "Bachelor's Degree Required"

Welcome to Offline & Unfiltered! In our inaugural episode, our hosts Lakisha and Megan take us thorough their backgrounds and unique perspectives that brought them to this very moment.

Later in the episode, our hosts discuss the definition and dangers of hustle culture, and how the push to strive for more has impacted both of their careers.