In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with executive leadership expert, keynote speaker, and coach Rachel Bolton.

Rachel has spent more than 15 years helping Fortune 500 and Fortune 200 organizations develop stronger leaders and build leadership systems that drive business results.

But behind the titles and accomplishments is a deeper conversation about what happens when high achievement comes with pressure, imposter syndrome, burnout, and the feeling that you constantly have to prove yourself.

We discuss confidence, leadership, visibility, feedback, identity, burnout, purpose, and the role of faith in making difficult decisions when the path forward isn’t always clear.

If you’re building an ambitious career, leading a team, navigating transition, or simply wondering how to achieve more without losing yourself in the process, this conversation offers practical insights and a different way to think about success.

Connect with Rachel on : https://rachel-s-leadership-lounge.kit.com/products/crafting-your-elevator-pitch-?_gl=1*1a3t9g8*_gcl_au*MTM2ODY2Nzk4LjE3NzU3NjgxNjI.

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Jon Wolheim, a veteran people and talent executive whose career includes leadership experience at Apple, Amazon, SoundHound AI, and AI startups.

Jon has spent two decades working with the people and organizations behind some of the technology industry’s most ambitious companies. His perspective on AI is different from the typical hype-or-doom conversation.

We discuss why Jon believes the biggest constraint on AI isn’t necessarily compute or capital—but people.

We explore whether AI will actually make experience more valuable, what executives over 50 should be doing right now to become AI-fluent, the reality of job displacement, shadow AI, AI-native organizations, and why human judgment may become one of the most valuable skills of the next decade.

Jon also shares the story of the 2019 conversation with Jeff Bezos that changed the direction of his career.

If you’re an entrepreneur, executive, business owner, or experienced professional wondering how AI will affect your career—and how you can turn it into an advantage—this conversation is for you.

Connect with Jon on : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwolheim

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with award-winning author Marcia McFarland, author of Perfect Glory: 21 Spiritual Insights for the 21st Century.

Marcia shares her extraordinary experiences with the Divine, including a profound “mountaintop” encounter that changed the way she understood God’s presence and purpose in her life.

We discuss spiritual awakening, religious dogma, Biblical wisdom, developing a genuine relationship with Jesus, and what it can look like to experience God’s glory in everyday life.

Marcia offers a modern perspective on faith for people who want to move beyond religious routine and discover something deeper, more personal, and more meaningful.

Whether you’re deeply committed to your faith, spiritually searching, or simply curious about what a genuine relationship with God can look like in the modern world, this conversation offers thoughtful insights and an invitation to explore your own spiritual journey.

Connect with Marcia on : https://authormarciamcfarland.com/

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with transformational speaker, catalyst, and Journey to Purpose founder Anna Quigley, also known as the “Intuitive Yoda.”

Anna has spent more than four decades exploring psychology, intuition, mind-body practices, spirituality, and personal transformation.

We discuss why major life transitions can be more than crises—they can be calls toward something new.

Anna shares her Uncover, Realign, Emerge framework for breaking free from outdated patterns, discovering your unique gifts, developing greater trust in your intuition, and creating a next chapter filled with purpose, fulfillment, and impact.

We also explore why successful people can still feel restless, how to distinguish intuition from fear, and why it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.

If you’ve ever found yourself asking “What’s next?”, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Anna on : https://secondactplaybook.com/

OR

https://www.journeytopurpose.org/

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with marketing and public relations consultant and author Leslie A.M. Smith.

Since founding McCormick L.A. in 1994, Leslie has worked with businesses and nonprofit organizations across more than 30 industries, helping them develop practical marketing and public relations strategies. (McCormickLA⁠)

We discuss why marketing has become unnecessarily complicated, the foundational principles every small business should understand, common promotional mistakes entrepreneurs make, and how to spend marketing dollars more strategically.

Leslie also shares insights from her book, Laws of Promotion, and explains why effective marketing isn’t necessarily about being everywhere or chasing every new trend.

If you’re an entrepreneur who knows you need more visibility but feels overwhelmed by marketing, this conversation will help you simplify the process and focus on what actually matters.

Connect with Leslie on : https://www.mccormickla.com/

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with SEO strategist, entrepreneur, and property investor Alistair Knight.

With more than seven years of experience helping businesses grow through organic search, Alistair shares practical insights into SEO, digital marketing, entrepreneurship, and what it takes to build sustainable business growth.

We also explore the bigger entrepreneurial question: how do you turn business success into genuine financial freedom?

Alistair shares his perspective on building businesses, adapting to the changing search landscape, using SEO as a long-term growth channel, and investing in property as part of a broader wealth-building strategy.

If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or aspiring investor looking to build something that creates both income and long-term freedom, this conversation will give you practical ideas you can apply.

Connect with Alistair on : https://zionova.co.uk/

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with entrepreneur, author, and business strategist Brad Aman to explore how artificial intelligence is changing the American Dream.

Brad has spent decades building businesses and creating wealth, and now he’s focused on helping everyday Americans understand the opportunities emerging from the AI revolution.

We discuss the future of work, entrepreneurship, wealth creation, productivity, economic transformation, and why ignoring AI may be one of the biggest risks people can take.

Brad challenges the idea that AI should only be viewed as a threat. Instead, he believes it can become a powerful tool for ambitious people who are willing to learn, adapt, and take action.

His latest book, American Dream: Success in an AI World, explores how individuals can navigate the rapidly changing economy and position themselves for opportunity. (Yes24⁠)

If you’re an entrepreneur, employee, student, business owner, or simply wondering what AI means for your future, this conversation will give you a different perspective on where the world is heading—and how you can prepare for it.

Connect with Brad on : https://youtube.com/shorts/l6mS2bg_Sm0?si=kL2sUkjWd0FP_O0F

OR

https://www.youramericadream.com/

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with retired attorney, Vietnam veteran, author, and recovering alcoholic Rand Timmerman.

At 72 years old, Rand and his younger brother Ron, 71, took on an extraordinary challenge: hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

But this wasn’t simply a physical adventure.

Behind the 2,000-plus miles were stories of grief, addiction, recovery, aging, brotherhood, faith, fear, and personal transformation. Rand documented the experience in his book A Spiritual Passage, combining his journal entries with approximately 500 photographs from the journey. (Rand Timmerman⁠)

In this conversation, we explore what it means to pursue impossible goals later in life, how recovery can reshape your purpose, why taking the next step matters, and how some of life’s greatest adventures begin when we stop telling ourselves we’re too old, too broken, or too far behind.

If you’ve ever thought it’s too late to change your life, pursue an adventure, recover from something difficult, or chase a dream you’ve put aside, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Rand on : http://randtimmerman.com/

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with CPA and Early Retirement Access founder Rob Townend to explore one of the lesser-known strategies for funding an early retirement.

Rob explains how Section 72(t) and substantially equal periodic payments can, when properly structured and when IRS requirements are met, provide an exception to the 10% additional tax that generally applies to certain retirement-account distributions before age 59½. (IRS⁠)

We discuss how 72(t) SEPP plans work, who may be a candidate, how payment calculations are determined, common mistakes, and why these strategies require careful planning.

Rob also shares his personal story of leaving a successful corporate career in his early 50s after realizing that much of his retirement savings was sitting inside accounts he couldn’t simply access without consequences.

If you’re pursuing financial independence, considering early retirement, or wondering how you could bridge the gap between leaving your career and reaching traditional retirement age, this conversation will give you a new way to think about your retirement strategy.

Connect with Rob on : https://www.earlyretirementaccess.com/

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Swedish data and AI entrepreneur Haseeb Asif.

Haseeb helps companies transform scattered data into practical systems that deliver clear insights and better decisions.

We discuss entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, cloud migration, IoT, data platforms, leadership, hiring, mentoring, public speaking, and the risks involved in building a technology business.

Haseeb also shares why many companies struggle to turn their data into useful answers and what entrepreneurs should consider before jumping into an AI project.

Whether you’re a business owner trying to understand AI, an entrepreneur building a technology company, or a leader looking for better ways to use data, this conversation offers a practical perspective on turning technology into real business value.

Connect with Haseeb on : https://tenplus.se/