ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James

In this episode, Nikki takes a look back on past guests's advice about getting started. From advice on starting before feeling ready, to learning from rejection, to seeking help and mentorship, Nikki and her guests have words of wisdom for you. 

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Almost every Response Able conversation ends with the same question: what would you tell your 20-year-old self? In this special episode, Nikki revisits eleven guests’ answers to that question, back to back.

What emerges isn’t a list of regrets. Most guests wouldn’t change their story. Instead, they’d go back to be kinder to themselves, braver about following their own instincts, and a little less worried about the future.

In this episode:
 Tylea Herweynen on enjoying the moments between the hustle
 Emily Snowberger on following your gut without justifying every decision
 Giselle Le Aupepe Bruce on following your curiosities, because tomorrow always comes
 Yolisa Palesa Tsoaeli on chasing what you’re passionate about, 100%
 Neeraj Naik on going all in on the job search and staying open to anything
 Dylan Zraket and Priya Merchia on the power of how you speak to yourself
 Richard Gorvett on giving yourself grace and being honest about how you’re really doing
 Ian and Natasha Miller on starting small, and why “oops” might be the best word there is
 Loredana Padurean on being proud of who you were at 20

Each answer comes from a full-length episode. Find the links below if you want to hear the whole story.

• Tylea: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18677339
• Emily: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18889106
• Giselle: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18737049
• Yolisa: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/19323336
• Neeraj: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/19132604
• Priya & Dylan: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18865971
• Richard: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18534739
• Ian & Natasha: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/19429213
• Loredana: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18812572

What’s a nudge you’ve received lately? How are you being response-able with it?

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Misha Thomas is a Northeastern graduate, artist, activist, and lifelong Bostonian. Nikki sits down with Misha to discuss the twists and turns in her story, and her work in community development, cooperative models, and Indigenous and BIPOC-led initiatives. They also highlight the importance of taking a first step, even when the outcome or end goal is unknown. To stay connected with Misha, connect with her on LinkedIn. 

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Peter McKay is a Northeastern grad turned 5x global CEO. Peter sits down with Nikki to discuss career path, the value of co-ops, lessons on company culture, and the long-term benefit of networking. Peter also shares his is "human in the loop" perspective on AI in the workplace. To stay up to date with Peter's work, connect with him on LinkedIn. 

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

The episode reflects on the podcast’s first 40 episodes, including its launch, setbacks, and early interviews from across the globe. Nikki also discusses motivation, understanding one's strengths and weaknesses through metacognition, and staying in the flow zone.

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Isabelle Grenier is a Co-op Advisor at Northeastern University, Licensed Mental Health Practitioner, friend, and lifelong learner. In this episode, Isabelle sits down with Nikki and Nora to reflect on the path that has brought her to where she is today. They explore the guidance Isabelle shares with her co-op students, along with the skills and perspectives that help us find balance and stability amid the demands of everyday life and an ever-changing world. To inquire about co-op opportunities or anything else that was discussed in this episode, connect with Isabelle on LinkedIn. 

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Sailing teaches you to live with your decisions — and so does entrepreneurship. This week, Professor Nikki James sits down with Alan Freeman, Northeastern University alum, lifelong sailboat racer, entrepreneur, and investor who supports founders through funding and ecosystem-building.

Alan shares how a "safe" engineering degree gave way to a career in entrepreneurship, and how Northeastern University's co-op program was the reason he could act on it — landing him hands-on roles at Singer and Johnson & Johnson while he was still a student, and opening doors through Northeastern's employer relationships that a resume alone never could have. He closes with a simple piece of advice: know yourself, know your environment, and be ready to tack when the direction you chose isn't working out.

What's a nudge you've received lately? How are you being response-able with it?

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Laura Weimer is a US Army Colonel and Harvard Business School Doctor of Philosophy. While inspiring, her path of service hasn't always been straightforward. In this episode, Laura sits down with Nikki to discuss her Army career, personal identity, and early life, from growing up as an Army brat to West Point ro deployments to academic endeavors. She shares wisdoms about choosing the best path for oneself and strategies for course correcting when plans unexpectedly change. To stay connected with Laura, connect with her on LinkedIn. 

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Samantha Asprelli is the founder of Give n' Glow, a nonprofit that redirects excess beauty products to women who need them, and a 2026 Northeastern graduate. In the episode, Nikki and Samantha discuss balancing full-time work with leading Give n' Glow, starting an organization while still in college, building partnerships, and searching for a job post-grad. 

To follow Samantha's work, connect with her on LinkedIn. To get involved with Give n' Glow, follow them on Instagram or explore their website to learn more. 

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Minh Mai is a 2026 D'amore McKim grad, early careerist at Citizens Bank, and overall student of life. In this episode, you will hear about the various people, decisions, and perspectives that led Minh to where he is today. He reflects on his background and the recruiting process at Citizens Bank, but also looks back to early childhood and high school years. To stay up to date on Minh's work, connect with him on LinkedIn. 

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.