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In the final bonus episode of the Be the CEO of Your Career summer series, Tammy Gooler Loeb explores the practice of Reflect and Refine. This practice encourages professionals to pause and evaluate whether their careers are still aligned with their goals, values, and personal needs. Rather than treating career planning as a one-time exercise, Reflect and Refine recognizes that our lives, interests, and circumstances change, and our professional choices need to evolve with them.
Tammy speaks with longtime friend Scot Safon, a media marketing and branding consultant with more than 40 years of experience. Scot's career took him from advertising agencies to leadership positions at TNT, CNN, HLN, and The Weather Channel before he established his own consulting practice. Along the way, he repeatedly assessed his opportunities, followed his interests, and made decisions that reflected both his professional ambitions and his life outside work.
Their conversation explores how curiosity can help people discover new possibilities, why relationships are essential to career development, and how hands-on experiences can reveal more than abstract ideas ever could. Scot also reflects on the changing nature of work, the importance of enjoying the process rather than chasing an idealized dream job, and the value of maintaining a sense of optimism when navigating uncertainty.
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Take Stock of Where You Are
As the summer series comes to a close, this is an opportunity to revisit your career and ask yourself some important questions.
Am I meeting the professional goals that matter to me?
Is my work still aligned with my values and interests?
Am I taking care of my personal needs, relationships, and life outside work?
What has changed about me since I first made my career decisions?
Is there something I need to adjust, explore, or let go of?
Choose one area of your career that deserves a closer look.
You don't necessarily need to make a major change. You might simply need to adjust your priorities, explore an opportunity, reconnect with someone, or try something you've been curious about.
Your CEO of Your Career Move this week: Take 15 minutes to reflect on where you are now, what you've learned, and what you want to do differently moving forward.
Remember, reflection isn't about second-guessing every decision you've made. It's about using what you know today to make more intentional decisions about tomorrow.
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In this episode of the Be the CEO of Your Career summer series, Tammy Gooler Loeb explores the fourth practice in her framework: Map and Launch Your Career Strategy. Once professionals have connected with their values, explored possibilities, and found a direction that fits, the next challenge is turning that clarity into action. This means creating a real plan with steps and timelines, one that is grounded not only in aspirations but also in practical realities.
Tammy brings the practice to life through her conversation with Susan Barber, a leading executive coach and former corporate executive. Susan spent more than two decades in leadership roles while navigating perfectionism, people-pleasing, self-doubt, and a tendency to stay quiet rather than risk saying the wrong thing. Even while being recognized as a top talent, she didn't fully realize how her habit of staying in the background was affecting her career.
That changed when Susan received difficult feedback that she wasn't visible enough. Initially, the message was painful and unsettling, but Susan chose not to ignore it. With the help of a business mentor, she reframed the feedback and recognized that speaking up wasn't simply about promoting herself. By withholding information, ideas, and the accomplishments of her team, she could unintentionally limit both her own impact and the ability of others to make informed decisions.
Susan began preparing differently, speaking up more intentionally, and bringing her team into important conversations. Those changes transformed how she showed up as a leader and eventually became the foundation of her work around visibility. Later, when she made the decision to leave corporate leadership and build her own business, she approached the transition with an understanding of her actual circumstances, including the resources and support available to her.
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Look at your career plan honestly.
Is there a piece of it you've built quietly in a way that's still keeping you hidden?
Maybe you've updated your résumé but haven't told anyone you're exploring new opportunities.
Maybe you've created a website but haven't shared it.
Maybe you've developed a skill but haven't shown anyone what you can do.
Maybe you've decided what you want next but haven't had the conversation that could move you toward it.
Pick one piece of your plan this week and put it somewhere it can be seen.
A strategy doesn't become real simply because you've created it.
At some point, you have to launch.
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In this episode of the Be the CEO of Your Career summer series, Tammy Gooler Loeb explores the third practice in her framework: Synthesize and Focus. After a period of discovery, people will have gained new information, perspectives, and ideas, considering the possibilities and themes that emerge from them. Synthesize and Focus is the process of bringing those pieces together, finding patterns, and identifying a direction that aligns with their values, strengths, interests, and practical needs.
In her conversation with Dr. Mira Brancu, founder and CEO of Towerscope, Tammy saw this practice come to life. Mira's career has included school counseling, clinical psychology, research, leadership, organizational development, and entrepreneurship. What initially appeared to be a series of unexpected turns eventually revealed a pattern. Mira consistently found herself drawn to examining processes and systems to improve how people work together while navigating complex environments, and helping leaders become more effective.
An important moment came when Mira decided to consider a backup plan for her career. She made a list of everything she was good at, then removed items from the list that she didn't enjoy. Mira then examined the remaining list to identify items that met at the intersection between what she enjoyed, what had income earning potential, and what could address a meaningful need. That process led her to identify a focus on supporting women in leadership and helping people navigate complex organizations and workplace politics.
Mira's story also demonstrates that synthesis doesn't necessarily mean choosing one thing and abandoning everything else. Her work with the Veterans Affairs Administration and her own business began feeding one another, allowing her to bring insights from one environment into the other. She also emphasizes the importance of building relationships throughout a career transition rather than trying to make every decision alone.
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Take everything you've been discovering lately and lay it out in front of you.
That could include conversations you've had, ideas you've explored, skills you've identified, things you've enjoyed, possibilities you've considered, and even things that didn't work out.
Then ask yourself three questions:
What am I good at?
What do I enjoy?
What does the world need that I could contribute to?
Look for the overlap or intersection.
That intersection may reveal where your focus wants to go next. And if you're struggling to see the pattern on your own, take Mira's advice: don't sit with your thoughts and over-deliberate by yourself. Bring other people into the process. Find mentors, coaches, professional organizations, and people who have already navigated their own career transition.
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In this episode of the Be the CEO of Your Career summer series, Tammy Gooler Loeb focuses on the second practice in her framework: Discovery. Discovery is about noticing the gaps in what you know, becoming curious about them, and actively gathering the information, experiences, and relationships that can help you determine your next steps. Rather than allowing uncertainty to translate into overwhelm or paralysis, discovery turns uncertainty into an invitation to explore, take charge, and gain new ground.
Through her conversation with Jason Van Orden, Tammy brings the practice of discovery to life. Jason's career offers a powerful example of repeated discovery. His early fascination with computers and programming led him to study electrical engineering and software development, but he soon realized that working as an employee wasn't right for him. That discovery led him to experiment with real estate investing, marketing, teaching, and eventually podcasting. His first business podcast became a Top 10 business podcast and continued for a decade.
Jason's discovery process continued even after achieving significant success. While living in Paris and running his established business, he realized he was no longer waking up energized by the work. Rather than throwing away everything he had built, he gave himself time and space to experiment and identify which parts of his experience he wanted to carry forward. That process eventually led him toward consulting with coaches and consultants, developing scalable programs, networking, and helping others communicate and grow their businesses.
Today, Jason is also exploring artificial intelligence with the same curiosity that once drew him toward podcasting. For him, discovery means remaining open to what is emerging, testing possibilities, and finding ways to integrate new ideas without losing authenticity.
His advice for anyone wondering what comes next is simple: follow your curiosity. Curiosity can become a channel to intuition, helping reveal interests and possibilities that might otherwise remain hidden.
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Pick one thing you've been wondering about.
It could be a different role, a possible career direction, an industry, a business idea, a skill you want to develop, or simply a question about what might be possible.
Instead of researching it alone on your laptop, go talk to a person about it.
Have one informational conversation. Reach out to someone who has already explored that path. Ask an honest question. Talk to a librarian, colleague, former coworker, mentor, or someone you admire.
The goal isn't to make a decision.
The goal is to discover something you didn't know before.
That's discovery in action.
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In this first episode of the Be the CEO of Your Career summer series, Tammy Gooler Loeb explores the initial practice in her framework: Define Your Why. At its core, this practice is about identifying the values and priorities that matter most so career decisions can come from clarity rather than expectation, pressure, or simply following the next logical step.
To bring the practice to life, Tammy revisits her podcast conversation with Rashmir Balasubramaniam, a transformational leadership coach and consultant whose earliest memories include asking her father, "Why am I here?" That question would consistently surface for Rashmir throughout her career in accounting, investment banking, nonprofit leadership, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, consulting, teaching, and coaching. Again and again, Rashmir learned to recognize when her work was moving closer to, or further away from, the values of learning, growth, purpose, and impact that mattered most to her.
Rashmir's journey illustrates how defining your why isn't something that happens once but rather serves as a thread that drives discovery, meaning and fulfillment along the way. It requires listening to the inner and outer signals that emerge throughout a career and reassessing what feels significant as circumstances evolve. Tammy closes the episode, offering a C.E.O. of Your Career Move to help listeners uncover their own why by reflecting on their best career decisions and identifying the threads connecting them.
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Look back at every job, opportunity, or career decision that has ever felt genuinely right.
Write down the thread, or perhaps several threads, that appeared across most of those experiences. Was it learning? Creativity? Service? Independence? Impact? Connection? Leadership?
That recurring thread is a piece of your why.
Pull on it. Consider where it is showing up in your career today and where it may be missing. As Tammy reminds listeners, defining your why isn't only useful when making a career pivot. It can provide clarity at any meaningful crossroads in work and life.
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This week on Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb introduces listeners to a special bonus summer series centered around her Be the CEO of Your Career framework. Drawing on years of coaching and career development experience, Tammy explains why meaningful career growth begins with understanding yourself before pursuing external opportunities. She shares the foundational ‘CEO’ mindset: Curiosity, Engagement, and Ownership, which supports every stage of intentional career development.
Tammy walks through the framework's five core practices: Define Your Why, Discovery, Synthesize and Focus, Map and Launch Your Career Strategy, and Reflect and Refine. Rather than presenting them as a checklist or succession of steps, she explains how these practices cycle through and evolve as careers and aspirations change. Throughout the summer, each practice will be explored through the story of a previous podcast guest whose journey demonstrates the framework in action.
Tammy also previews an exciting new chapter for the podcast. Beginning this fall with Episode 300, Work from the Inside Out will feature a blend of inspiring guest conversations and solo episodes addressing today's evolving workplaces, career uncertainty, leadership challenges, and the future of work. She closes with a simple challenge for listeners: identify which of the five practices deserves the most attention right now and begin leading their careers with greater intention.
What to Expect in This Summer Series:
Over the next five episodes, Tammy will explore each practice of the Be the CEO of Your Career framework through the stories and experiences of past Work from the Inside Out guests:
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Before the next episode drops, take five minutes and ask yourself: Which of the five practices needs your attention most right now?
Is it Define Your Why, Discovery, Synthesize and Focus, Map and Launch Your Career Strategy, or Reflect and Refine?
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Professional success is often seen as the ultimate measure of a fulfilling career, but what if achievement alone isn't enough? In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb welcomes Jeff Westphal, former CEO of Vertex Inc., entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author of A Work Life Worth Living: Your Guide to Creating a Meaningful Career. Jeff shares the personal experiences that shaped his leadership journey and inspired his mission to help others create more meaningful work lives.
Jeff reflects on growing up in a family of hardworking entrepreneurs, navigating a complicated relationship with his father, and discovering how learning to truly listen transformed both his leadership and his life. Together, Tammy and Jeff explore the power of workplace culture, personal responsibility, and the importance of understanding what truly brings meaning to work.
Whether you're rethinking your career, leading a team, or searching for greater fulfillment in your professional life, this conversation offers thoughtful insights and practical wisdom. Jeff reminds listeners that while organizations can foster supportive environments, each individual has the opportunity to create a work life that is rooted in purpose, connection, and meaning.
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In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Dr. Shawn Andrews and Michael O'Brien, co-authors of The 5 Levels of Male Allyship: A Guide to Building Better Teams Through Real Inclusion. Together, they explore how allyship can help create more inclusive workplace cultures and stronger professional relationships.
Drawing on their research and experiences, Shawn and Michael discuss why many men want to be allies but often struggle to know where to begin. They explain the five levels of allyship, the importance of awareness and courage, and how individuals can move from good intentions to meaningful action.
The conversation also examines the differences between allies, mentors, and sponsors, the role leaders can play in fostering cultures of inclusion, and the challenges created by workplace dynamics such as "bro culture." Shawn and Michael share practical tools from their book that help individuals assess their allyship and identify potential advocates within their organizations.
Listeners will gain valuable insights into how allyship benefits everyone, strengthens workplace culture, and creates opportunities for people to thrive together.
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In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Heather Hansen O'Neill, a keynote speaker, coach, leadership expert, author, and former professional dancer whose career journey has been defined by reinvention, resilience, and curiosity. Heather shares how dance became her safe place from a young age, leading her to a professional performing career before a devastating injury abruptly changed her path forever.
Heather reflects on the difficult transition that followed losing the career she loved, the years she spent searching for direction, and the powerful “what if?” question that ultimately helped her rediscover joy and purpose. She discusses how her experiences shaped her work helping leaders and organizations create more human-centered cultures, build meaningful connections, and rethink the way they approach sales, leadership, and career fulfillment.
Tammy and Heather also explore the importance of listening to your inner voice amid life’s noise, embracing reinvention at every stage of life, and staying resilient through rejection and uncertainty. Heather shares lessons from the dance world that continue to guide her today, including why sometimes not getting the role you wanted may lead you to the one that truly fits.
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In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Deborah Farone, consultant, speaker, former chief marketing officer at two international law firms, and author of Best Practices in Law Firm Business Development and Marketing and Breaking Ground: How Successful Women Partners Build Thriving Practices. Deborah shares how her fascination with marketing began in childhood and evolved into a remarkable career helping professional service firms strengthen relationships, build trust, and grow thriving businesses.
Deborah reflects on the early experiences that shaped her career path, from creating handwritten job-tracking systems while applying to public relations agencies to persistently pursuing opportunities that aligned with her interests. She discusses how curiosity, authenticity, and a willingness to learn helped her move from public relations into leadership roles at prestigious firms including Debevoise & Plimpton and Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Along the way, she credits strong mentors, meaningful networking, and continuous learning as essential ingredients in her professional growth.
Tammy and Deborah also explore the importance of creating a career rooted in genuine interests and strengths. Deborah shares insights from her consulting work and books, including how professionals can identify the kinds of work that energizes them most, develop authentic client relationships, and navigate career transitions with intention and resilience.
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From the publisher's feed
Work From The Inside Out is a biweekly podcast focused on helping people to pursue work they will love. Inspiring stories of real people who overcame the barriers and unhappiness that kept them…