In this episode, we sit down with Laura Zumdahl, President & CEO of New Moms — a powerful social impact organization supporting young mothers as they build strong families and pursue economic mobility. Laura also leads Bright Endeavors, a social enterprise that creates paid transitional jobs for young women through candle-making.

Laura shares her early journey into community service, what drew her to support young mothers and families, and what continues to inspire her to lead with compassion and vision. She discusses New Moms' evolving mission, the ripple effect of its work on families, and the role of social enterprises in creating opportunities.

We dive into the heart of leadership in service-based organizations — from building community to inspiring others to get involved. Laura reflects on challenges, growth, mentorship, and hopes for the future of nonprofit leadership.

If you've ever wondered how one person can make a lasting impact, this conversation is a testament to the power of heart-led leadership and community action.

Laura's parting wisdom: "Just do 'One Thing' and we'll propel our communities forward."

👉 Learn more or support New Moms at newmoms.org.

In this episode, we explore the life and passions of John Potter, a dedicated tennis teacher and accomplished woodworker. With nearly five decades guiding students from their first swings to competitive college play, John has become a mentor both on and off the court. A USPTA Level 1 teaching professional, he is known for his focus on fundamentals, patience, and encouraging character development through the sport.

John shares his journey into tennis teaching, his approach to helping beginners and advanced players alike, and memorable moments that highlight the impact he's had on students and the community. Beyond tennis, we dive into John's lifelong love of woodworking, from crafting practical furniture to intricate artistic pieces, and how the craft has shaped his sense of patience, creativity, and personal fulfillment.

Throughout the conversation, John reflects on lessons learned, values instilled through teaching, and the quiet joys of life outside the court.

If you've ever wondered how dedication, mentorship, and following your passions can shape a life, this episode is a masterclass in cultivating skill, character, and creativity.

John's parting wisdom: "Find something you are passionate about and try making a living doing that, and if you can you'll be happy the rest of your life."

Join us for a fun and eye-opening adventure with Rachel Fiorentino — nurse, life coach, and Tarot reader — whose journey blends science, intuition, and self-discovery. In this episode, we explore how Rachel connects her nursing background with Tarot, uncovering the deeper meaning behind symbols, archetypes, and the famous Fool's Journey, and how Tarot can help us tune into and trust our intuition.

Rachel shares how Tarot can be a tool for self-awareness, empowerment, intuition, and personal growth, while also weaving in her coaching practices and Law of Attraction work for a well-rounded approach to life. We also touch on Tarot's fascinating history, the myths and "Hollywood effect" surrounding it, and how beginners can start exploring their own intuition.

Whether you're curious, skeptical, or simply love hearing about new perspectives, Rachel's story invites us to walk a trail of open-mindedness, reflection, and possibility.

Rachel is available for in-person and remote readings, along with coaching offerings: https://www.bridgethegaptarot.com/

In this episode, our community will learn about the adventures in following Christ led by our beloved Culture Care Steward, Karen Adjei. With a bachelor's degree in history (Asian American Studies) and a master's degree in library & information science, Karen's journey has beautifully weaved together her love for art, librarianship, faith and a calling to serve across cultures. Tune in to perhaps learn something new or gain a new perspective on life.

We first explore Karen's early love of history and storytelling, that includes her introduction to museums and their meaning. Her path led to a library internship where she discovered a passion for being in service of people.

Then Karen shares a defining and spiritual moment in life during travels to South Africa which guided her growth of overcoming childhood difficulties, mental health challenges, and living with purpose.

We also learn how working at the Smithsonian museums led to a-ha moment of how she can impact people's lives. Find out how intentionality and compassion can lead to making human connections and community.

Next, Karen shares about her upcoming adventures and missionary work in Japan, following a path guided by God. Lessons are being learned in preparation for this journey and hear how she is being open to grow, including in compassion & love. Being open to allow life to unfold naturally, going with flow, is allowing Karen to learn life lessons and live a life of servitude, with her hope "to see the love of Christ spread beyond Japan's borders."

We hit the homestretch along Karen's trails with some advice and wisdom gained from her own journey having faith in Jesus, having grace, facing demons of the past and being guided by God. Please join us as we learn the beautiful story of an Angel.

.

Karen is seeking donations for her journey to Japan and your generosity to support her can be done by going to karenseekingkingdom.mailchimpsites.com and sign up for her newsletter.

In this episode of Tales From The Trails, we explore the life adventures of my friend, Phil Farquharson. Having a penchant for fact-finding, and logging to memory, enables Phil to share valuable and fun stories.

We first discuss Phil's experiences growing up in Wisconsin and life lessons learned. Then we talk about Phil's foray into geology studies from a life-changing summer when he had the experience of a lifetime to do field study work in the Grand Teton's. When the Air Force called during his college years, he chose to enlist and serve his country, putting college on hold. Phil's journey in the Air Force was nothing short of interesting, having been a nuclear weapon's expert. Experience which led to working at Boeing on the team who helped develop the first B2 Bomber. He later spent time as a software programmer before obtaining his Master's in Geology and rounding out his career in teaching. Having taught over 5,227 students, his legacy has left an ongoing impact. Tune in to learn where his 12,400 mile road trip led him and enjoy stories from his fun life of adventures.

.

Learn more about Phil's adventures and work in geology by visiting his pages:

https://www.philfarq.com/

https://geology-guy.com/

Join us for a fun conversation with my friend Elizabeth (Liz) Arnold, a trail runner and marathoner, running coach and yoga teacher. Listen in as we discuss Liz's adventures in running, her dedication for completing over 20 marathons, the joy in coaching, and all the life lessons running can teach us – including the owl that made a surprise visit.

The conversation begins with Liz sharing about her early experiences with running, how it strengthened her mindset and mental health, helped her cultivate self-awareness and other personal growth skills.

We touch on Liz's experience coaching 3rd-5th graders with Girls On The Run and how she instilled trusting the process. And she shares how to "bring in the fun" with her Run Like A Mother group runs.

Then we talk about her deep passion for trailing running and joy for the sport – you can feel her light up. Liz shares some examples of many amazing experiences in trail running that provide life lessons and how to stay mentally and physically fit.

Next, we glide into Liz's stories about running marathons across the world and a moving experience about connecting with people from different lands on earth without words, and the community energy and strong bond of togetherness/connection. You won't want to miss the challenges and wisdom she shares from experiences running marathons – so many life lessons.

We cross the finish line discussing how mindfulness and breathwork of yoga translates to running. We learn about Liz's approach to coaching runners and focus on bringing out the joy! And how coaching has helped her evolve as a runner and personally. Then a final thought for new runners.

"Find something that makes you feel alive, and do it everyday!" ~Elizabeth Arnold

You can inquire about Liz's coaching for runners and personal yoga training (including groups at communities) by contacting her direct at [email protected] or on her Instagram account @LizYogiRunner

Episode 002 – A conversation with my dear friend Debra Fine, a renowned expert in conversation and networking skills, a motivational speaker, and a bestselling author. Listen to this great show to gain wisdom, many conversational tools, learn about the "magic sauce," and enjoy Debra's wonderful sense of humor.

We begin the conversation discussing Debra's early life and establishing roots in Colorado, followed by her early career and pivot to motherhood. She shares wisdom for creating building blocks through experience and skillset development in order to establish a foundation in a passion career.

Then we discuss Debra's path into teaching 'small talk' and having an epiphany moment. One opportunity leads to another, and her training career takes off. Throughout this portion of the show Debra shares key tools for conversation skill development, which can be critical in this epidemic of loneliness we face today or in business networking.

Next we learn about her journey with book publishing and the tremendous success found by hustling. Debra shares how Small Talk is the appetizer for any relationship. We also discuss her journey as a motivational speaker.

Finally, we round out the show learning about Debra's adventures with Rotary International and also hearing some final thoughts about building community and her next adventure.

"Every conversation is an opportunity for success." ~Debra Fine

*

You can hire Debra to train your team or be a keynote speaker for an event through her website: https://debrafine.com/

*

We kick off the Tales From The Trails show, in our very first episode, by welcoming Don Schwartz to our community. His joy for life emanates from his lifelong adventures.

We begin the discussion exploring Don's journey which began in his hometown of San Diego, CA. He shares how his youth led to shaping his life of adventure, passion for technology, and love for other cultures.

Then we delve into how life's fate changed his course upon being drafted into the military. Don shares a deeply personal experience of the affects from combat fatigue from being thrown into the fire of the Vietnam war. Upon returning to the U.S., his perspective of "home" and global views were forever changed.

Don's post-war story continues with being a "poster-child" of PTSD, as he was one of the first ever to be interviewed and diagnosed with this new term, post-traumatic stress disorder. His struggles with life after war continued for years to come.

Don delves into how he coped with PTSD and what courses of action he took to help his mental health. A blessing that arose from the process is the long-time friendship created with his therapist.

We also discuss Don's career path, which was non-linear, that led him to being a mechanical design engineer (Inventor). He helped develop the first non-invasive Oximeter medical device - a proud feat.

We wrap up the interview talking about Don's travels and advice when living abroad. And he also shares about pride in being a Dad, general advice and wisdom in his final words, including "living life beyond limits."