It’s been said, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Entrepreneur, writer, and digital creator Matt Gottesman has a slightly different take. He says there are two types of work, both of which are hard. Hard work for what you're connected to and hard work for what you are not connected to. Something he discovered after his first career cratered, forcing him to start over from scratch.

This time, instead of following the beaten path, Matt followed his intuition, finding a lucrative and fulfilling new chapter. In a motivational conversation, he shares his steps to overcoming setbacks, growing resiliency, and trusting your intuition.

In this powerful conversation, Chef Will Wagner describes how a career he loved turned to a source of dangerous isolation and emotional burnout.   What started with stress eating grew to weight gain, shame and eventually thoughts of ending his life. Then a fateful Instagram ad stopped him from making a devastating decision. The surprising source of inspiration he found to put himself back together and start his next chapter.

Gellyahnah Aakhen knows about starting over. At 35 years old, she had a successful career and beautiful family. Then it all unraveled.

Newly divorced and a single mom, Gellyahnah realized the life she built wasn’t the one she wanted and embarked on an inspirational journey of awakening and identity.

Now a TikTok sensation with a 4,000 client waiting list Gellyahnah shares how she found her soul’s purpose and followed her calling to a fulfilling and lucrative new career helping others. 

Tune into "The Next Chapter" with Carey Pena for an inspiring conversation with Cliff Danley, whose life story is a testament to the power of faith and recovery.  Cliff shares his very personal journey from addiction to a Christ-centered recovery and how faith shaped his mission.

Cliff is now the Senior Scholarship Administrator at Grace Sober Living and works with the Steele Family Foundation to help thousands of people transform their lives. This episode offers a powerful message of hope and resilience as Cliff explains the road he traveled to a place of healing and peace.

Abused, sexually assaulted, addicted to crack, and living on the streets. Dr. Brenda Combs spent a decade tormented by her demons until a probation officer taught her a life-altering lesson.

Now a PhD and best-selling author, Dr. Combs returns to The Next Chapter Podcast with hard-fought insight about love, forgiveness, and the unavoidable truth about reclaiming your power.

You can do everything right, but sometimes something can still go wrong. Amy Herring is living proof. A happy child with loving, present parents and a good home who graduated from college. Yet she still became a couch-surfing meth and heroin addict.

From her tipping point to her turning point, Amy offers a unique perspective on self-esteem and accountability that's brought her to a potentially ground-breaking next chapter. 

In this episode of "The Next Chapter with Carey Pena," Nicole Myden shares her profound insights on worthiness and resilience. Having navigated a highly successful PR career and significant personal achievements, Nicole was met with the challenges of divorce and the sudden death of her father.   She discusses the emotional journey of grief and feeling unworthy and how she transformed that narrative. Now, she's helping others do the same. Nicole's story is a powerful reminder about self-worth.

In this emotional episode, Carey Pena sits down with celebrity makeup artist Lisa Moore to discuss the profound changes in her life following her mother's mysterious disappearance and subsequent murder. Lisa opens up about the immense challenges she faced, from dealing with public scrutiny to explaining the grim reality to her two children.   She also shares her journey towards a life free from addiction and substance abuse.  And how her tumultuous relationship with her mother has driven her to dedicate her time to philanthropy and mental health advocacy.

In this episode of "The Next Chapter with Carey Pena," Celebrity Jeweler Myranda Molina shares her powerful story of overcoming adversity through the power of a positive mindset. Growing up with an alcoholic mother and in a family that struggled financially, Myranda refused to let these obstacles define her.   Myranda built a life of purpose and success by focusing on what she wanted to achieve rather than what she lacked. She shares her insights on how to view challenges as opportunities rather than falling into a victim mentality.

In this episode of "The Next Chapter with Carey Pena," Actor and Author Colin Egglesfield takes us on a journey through his life’s most challenging and transformative moments. Colin discusses the pivotal role of creativity in his life, the impact of his cancer diagnoses, and the life-altering lessons detailed in his book "Agile Artist: Life Lessons From Hollywood and Beyond."

He highlights the importance of living in the present, taking bold risks, and believing in oneself. Listen to this moving conversation about overcoming adversity, finding one's purpose, and becoming an agile artist in every aspect of life.