Stories in Our Roots

Jacqueline Jannotta's genealogy research uncovers a family history of mob ties and tragedy, revealing the ripple effects of trauma and the importance of understanding our shared humanity.

Through her genealogical research, Jacqueline gained a greater understanding and compassion for her ancestors, particularly her tough, outspoken grandmother. The trauma experienced by her family shaped their personalities and relationships, and it made her realize the importance of understanding one's roots to better comprehend oneself and others. Jacqueline's belief that we are all interconnected through our stories encourages her to approach communities and cultures with empathy and curiosity. By exploring the complexities of her own lineage, Jacqueline encourages others to look beyond the surface of their family's history, in order to uncover hidden layers that may lead to greater self-awareness and connection with the world around them.

About Jacqueline:

Jacqueline Jannotta is the award-winning author of the book Let’s Leave the Country! A Guide to Your Family Year Abroad, inspired by her family’s extraordinary year in Genoa, Italy. She’s a graduate of Northwestern University who spent the early part of her career working in television and sitcoms, followed by producing Internet content. After leaving the entertainment business and starting a family, Jacqueline continued writing and also devised a year abroad for her family. Her book was born out of that adventure, and she continues her work as a writer, avid genealogist, and forever optimist who is dedicated to building a better vision for the future.

Website: becomingbetterpeople.us
Medium: @JacquelineJannotta
Facebook and Instagram: @becomingbetterpeople.us
Mastodon: @JacquelineJannotta

You can purchase her book, "Let's Leave the Country!: A Guide to Your Family Year Abroad" through Amazon (affiliate link)

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Amidst the shocking history of his family's escape from Austria during the Nazi invasion, Christopher Bock discovers the remarkable life of his great-uncle Paul Patek, a metal worker and artist who played a key role in their survival, inspiring Bock to write a book about him and uncovering hidden talents in his own family lineage.

"[Researching] really did make me understand my family a lot more in a lot of ways."

Key Points:

• Traverse Christopher Bock's lineage, as we uncover the intricate details of his ancestry.
• Learn about the gripping escape from Nazi-occupied Austria and the challenges of starting anew.
• Comprehend the value of investigating family histories and the talents concealed within.
• Discover the profound influence of family tales in shaping our self-awareness and identity.

About Christopher:

Everything Christopher Bock does is with passion and thoroughness fueled by curiosity. The list is diverse—photography, collecting baseball cards, keeping bees, and his own hardwood flooring business, Geronimo Floors. But he never thought of writing a book until he was handed his grandfather’s autobiography. That same curiosity and passion led him to the extraordinary story of his grandfather’s escape from Austria in 1938—and the key role a mischievous uncle played in the family’s survival.

Christopher's book, "An Ordinary Man: from Vienna to Japan and Back During World War II" is available on Amazon. (affiliate link)

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Shannon Peel is an expert at stories, and while her usual audience is made up of business owners looking to improve their marketing, her discussion of hero vs victim language in storytelling is so valuable to those learning about the stories in their family tree.  We started off talking about her deep roots in western Canada, delved into the "why" questions around emigration, and then found ourselves looking at the way we talk about our ancestors, women in particular.

Shannon Peel is the creative force behind the MarketAPeel Brand. She works from her home office overlooking life in Downtown Vancouver, BC Canada. She is passionate about stories and how to they connect people and exploring why people make the choices they make. People describe her as intelligent, quick witted, and creative, all things she takes pride in as she values intelligent thought and solution based productivity. MarketAPeel reflects her values and vision.

https://www.marketapeel.agency/speaker
LinkedIn: Shannon Peel
Facebook: @marketapeel
Twitter: @shannonpeel1
Instagram: @market_apeel

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This podcast is supported by Heather Murphy's TraceLine Success.  Get your free workbook, Success is Found in Your Roots, at heathercmurphy.com/successworkbook

Connect with Heather on Instagram or Facebook @msheathermurphy

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Oftentimes when people research in their family history they're looking for inspiration. They're looking for ancestors who did hard things, who were successful, and who can inspire them in their own struggles and what they want to achieve in life. That is what David Alston found.

David was adopted as an infant, though the story is complicated, as you will hear in this episode. But as he learned about his birth family he discovered he was related to Harriet Tubman.  Knowing how she lived her life, and that he had a blood connection to her, inspired David to what his purpose in life could be and how he could move forward in helping other people live their own.

About David Alston:

David Alston has over thirty-five years of experience as an educator, motivational speaker and public figure. David is the 3rd cousin of Harriet Tubman. He has dedicated his life to helping others to live a free and better life. David is the host of The Underground Subway, which is a podcast that focuses on discussing the issues and strategies that will lead to freedom and a better way of life. David is the author of "Blood, Sweat and Cheers... The roadmap to success" and "Son of Another Mother... The Struggle of Adoption." David has a strong passion for motivating others to survive and achieve their purpose.

Connect with him on Facebook @BishopDavidAlston 

This podcast is supported by Heather Murphy's TraceLine Success.  Get your free workbook, Success is Found in Your Roots, at heathercmurphy.com/successworkbook

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

What if your grandchildren could have a video chat with your grandmother, even if they didn't live at the same time?

That is the vision behind StoryFile, a way to preserve and share personal experiences and stories in an interactive platform.

Heather Smith, co-founder and Chief Visionary Officer of StoryFile, shares why it was important to her to create a new way to have conversations and make connections across generations and experiences and how you can, and should, make a StoryFile for yourself and other family members.

StoryFile is revolutionizing the way we connect with each other by introducing conversational video with Audio Visual technology at the forefront of this generation. Through the click of a button, StoryFile magically turns video into a conversation. This next generation of technology uses artificial intelligence to support video conversations on any device. StoryFile transforms traditional one-way video into a two-way conversation. This is the biggest audio-visual evolution since video was first created.

Go to StoryFile.com to create an account and use the code STORIESINOURROOTS for 20% off (valid through November 26, 2022).

You can also follow StoryFile at:
Instagram @storyfile
Facebook @StoryFileApp
Twitter @storyfile
LinkedIn  StoryFile

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Dave Combs shares stories of music and perseverance that carry through his family tree.

About Dave:
Dave Combs is a songwriter, entrepreneur, successful business executive, and best-selling author. Over the 40+ years he has written over 120 songs and created fifteen albums of soothing, relaxing instrumental piano music, including the popular standard, Rachel’s Song. He is the author of the bestselling book, Touched by the Music.

Connect with Dave
Website: CombsMusic.com
Facebook: @TouchedByTheMusic
LinkedIn: Dave Combs
YouTube: combsmusic

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Lisann Valentin began her family history journey by exploring why her Puerto Rican great-great-grandmother was called La Irlandésa, or “The Irish One.”  Along the way she discovered the things her ancestors were known for “had nothing to do with their careers, it had everything to do with how they showed up vibrantly in their life.”    She uses the inspiration of their lives to support her own dreams and how she shows up in the world.

About Lisann:

Lisann Valentin is a professional actor, a best-selling author & 5th generation shaman.

Through every career change, this multi-hyphenate has leaned on the legacy of belief her family inspired within her. From Wall Street to red-carpets, her lineage led her to intuitive coaching where she seamlessly helps empathic leaders within the corporate world and entertainment industry.

You can see this film and television actor recurring on the Netflix series Manifest, or you can learn more about her coaching practice at LisannValentin.com

 Website: www.LisannValentin.com
Instagram: @LisannValentin

Get your free workbook, Success is Found in Your Roots, at heathercmurphy.com/successworkbook

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Renee Harris is the founder of an online skin care business selling soap and lotion for dry skin. Ironically, it was "soap-selling" that her grandfather used as a cover to hide dozens of Jews throughout World War 2 in his home in Holland. Having this special connection made Renee dig in deeper to uncover the stories of courage and hope left by her grandparents.

Learn more about the experiences of Renee’s grandparents at  https://hardlotion.com/soap-how-it-helped-my-grandparents-survive-during-ww2/

Website parenttheirpassion.com 

Facebook @parenttheirpassion and @hardlotion

Instagram @parenttheirpassion and @hardlotion

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Ann Hince shares the stories of how she came to meet her birth mother, learned about her birth father, and made other family connections.  We talk about the parts of herself she recognized as she learned about her birth family, that not everyone gets an adoption reunion story, and how her father’s writing helped her get a small feeling of what it means to live during war.

About Ann:

When Ann was 19, she woke one morning to find her mother dead in her bathroom.
Twenty years later the tears from that trauma were still just under the surface.  Ann has found that seeking out our truth, what we truly feel, and accepting those feelings, is the key to inner peace. She has written a book, A Pathway to Insight, available on Amazon.com.

 Website: annhince.com
Facebook: @annhincewisdom
LinkedIn: Ann Hince

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy