As a 5 year old, Todd Cherches would tell adults he wanted to be Superman when he grew up. His backup plan? To be Batman. He loved television, describing himself as a ‘TV Guide’, memorizing everything he could. By the age of 18, he had read the complete works of Shakespeare. As he says, “that’s one of the good things about having OCD, you don't give up on something until you're done.” In college, he studied English Literature and went on to get a Master’s in Communications.

Todd never lived away from his home on Long Island, New York except to go to college. After college he got a job as a media buyer at Ogilvy & Mather in New York City, commuting from his parent’s home. He didn’t love the job. After taking a vacation to LA where his college roommate was living, he was drawn to the land of his earliest obsession. Todd gave notice, packed his bags, and over the next ten years, he worked in a succession of jobs in the TV and entertainment industry. In our interview, he shared stories of those experiences and the familiar faces he bumped into, such as Tom Hanks, Lucille Ball, and Peewee Herman, to name just a few. Then, Todd decided to move home to New York, even though he was unsure what he would do next. He applied for a project management role at the American Management Association and they hired him. This launched his career in the field of management and leadership development. 

Today, Todd is the CEO and Co-founder of Big Blue Gumball, a New York City based consulting firm, specializing in leadership development, public speaking, and executive coaching.

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Todd’s journey:

• Todd is the author of VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life. A great book, in my humble opinion!
• He is an award-winning Adjunct Professor in the Human Capital Management Master's degree program at NYU, and a Lecturer on Leadership at Columbia University.
• Todd is a TEDx speaker and a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s MG100 coaches.

Learn more and connect with Todd here:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Website
• Twitter



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Scott Perelstein is a change management specialist who closes the gap between strategy and implementation by guiding teams of planners and doers to move in the same direction. As a facility specialist for over 20 years, he has been in the facilities world as a contractor and owner, and a director. Scott specializes in bringing about change, focusing on inclusion from the highest level of administration to the frontline workers. Scott has managed hundreds of employees and cared for millions of square feet of higher education facilities.

Scott reflects on a conversation he had with his Dad as a teen that has stayed with him. His Dad was an electrical engineer and he was being promoted to a project manager role. Scott recalls his Dad’s perspective on the situation: 

“You get to a place where you did such a good job at what you know how to do that they ask you not to do it anymore. Then they ask you to manage people who do it and so I'll no longer do engineering, which I love. But somebody needs to step up and be the manager of that.” 

Many years later, Scott knew exactly what his Dad talking about as he experienced a similar transition and while he has been able to build a business leveraging his strengths on the people side, that transition can really be difficult for some people who perform excellently on the technical side but may not assimilate well to people management. He understands that it is like asking someone to change who they are and fit into a new definition of success. 

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Scott’s journey: 

• Today, Scott is the Chief Operating Officer at Alchemy Academy. 
• He draws on his business management degree from Cornell University, as well as a broad book of experiences to create new and innovative businesses to shaping the culture within teams and organizations.
• His work is informed by his various roles as an entrepreneur, supervisor, and board member.

Learn more and connect with Scott here:

• Facebook: Stand In Your Strength
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Website



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Dr. Lynette Reed says it’s time for a reality check. Her mission is to help people and organizations feel more connected to the world around them and the relationships that are most important to them. She believes that when your expectations and reality connect, you will see an increase in personal self-awareness, improve relationships with others, and expand your understanding of how humanity impacts the world. On the ground level, Lynette teaches and coaches people to match their words and actions to improve their workplace connections.

Early in her career, Lynette started as a speech pathologist in Montgomery, Alabama where she worked in a Head Start program with children and their families based in a public housing project. As a white woman working in a predominantly African American community, Lynette focused on building trust and learning as much as possible to provide the best services she could. Later, she would volunteer with Austin Smiles, traveling to El Salvador to work with patients who were receiving cleft palate surgery. 

Eventually, Lynette decided to switch gears and earn her Doctorate of Ministry degree in spirituality, sustainability, and interreligious dialogue. Today, she is a people and culture partner who mentors executives to help improve connections within the workplace. She also mentors people in nonprofits, schools, allied health agencies, chambers of commerce, government, and churches. 

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Lynette’s unique journey:

• Lynette teaches team building, leadership, ethics, world religion, and world cultures. 
• She has written a paperback titled, Fixing the Problem: Making Changes in How You Deal with Challenges, which offers an innovative methodology and key elements that encourage a different way of thinking about the bottom line - ultimately helping you to achieve your highest potential in a new age of thinking.

Learn more and connect with Lynette here:

• Twitter
• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Listen: Five Minutes With Dr. Lynette Reed

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From tracking criminals and terrorists on the dark web to creating marketplaces and new authentication systems, Mark Herschberg has spent his career launching and developing new ventures at startups and Fortune 500s and in academia. He helped to start the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program, dubbed MIT’s “career success accelerator,” where he teaches annually. At Harvard Business School, Mark helped create a platform used to teach finance at prominent business schools. 

Mark attended MIT for six years. He earned a B.S. in physics, a B.S. in electrical engineering and computer science, and an M.Eng. in electrical engineering and computer science, focusing on cryptography. You might think that he was just a super focused, nerd. But Mark will be the first person to tell you that he was a poor student during his first three semesters, lacking a clear vision and organization. He thought he wanted to be a theoretical physicist and get a Ph.D., but his advisor sat him down early on and painted the stark picture of what he was aiming for. It was enough to make him reconsider his options.

It was the mid-90s and computer science was growing while funding for physics was decreasing. After graduation, he stayed at MIT and worked doing research for a professor. He wasn’t sure what else he wanted to do. He looked at jobs and knew he didn’t want to work on Wall St. or in consulting. Microsoft was getting bigger but Mark was not attracted to large corporations. He wound up at a startup company, as he says, by default. Then he had to make some real decisions as the startup company split up and he had to choose which way to go.

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Mark’s journey:

• Mark wrote a comprehensive book, The Career Toolkit, Essential Skills For Success That No One Taught You, which shows you how to design and execute your personal plan to achieve the career you deserve.
• He also works with many non-profits, including Techie Youth and Plant A Million Corals.
• Mark helped the Economic Development Council in New York City with a program that helped people who lost their jobs after the 2008 financial crisis. 

Learn more and connect with Mark here:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website

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At nine years old, Jenny Lisk wanted to be Perry Mason. She loved the books and watched the TV show, imagining herself as a lawyer and doing something meaningful. In college, still aiming for a legal career, Jenny studied political science and economics and enjoyed Washington, DC-based internships in both Congressional and Senate offices. After graduation, Jenny secured a policy role with the Chamber of Commerce in her hometown area of Seattle. 

Unfortunately, the position at the Chamber was not what Jenny expected. She left the job with another plan in mind. She wanted to write a guidebook for interns in Washington, DC. To support herself, Jenny did bartending while she worked on the book. Researching the book became unwieldy and Jenny felt it was not going to be a success. At that time, she had become interested in website development and taught herself HTML. Jenny started a website design business and began to engage clients. While she enjoyed it, she felt she needed something more and decided to get an MBA. At this time Jenny met and married her husband, Dennis.

Upon graduation, Jenny was interested in technology yet she wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to do. Her sister worked for IBM in New York and offered to pass her resume around there. Fast forward, Jenny and Dennis moved to New York a few months later, and her 20-year corporate career began. They spent five years in New York and returned to the Pacific Northwest, to Portland, Oregon and later to Seattle as a family with two young children. 

Jenny was growing restless in her job, but could not identify what else she wanted to do. Life continued to be busy with the demands of work and family. Then, one day Dennis said he had been feeling dizzy. After a few medical tests, Dennis was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Jenny’s life literally changed overnight.

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Jenny’s journey:

• Jenny is an author, speaker, and host of the Widowed Parent Podcast, which has been featured in The Washington Post and Parent Map. 
• Her 2021 memoir, Future Widow: Losing my Husband, Saving my Family and Finding my Voice, tells the story of her husband’s battle with glioblastoma and how Jenny was a caregiver, wife, mother, and full time IT business analyst at IBM all at the same time.

Learn more and connect with Jenny here:

• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website



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Like many young people, Dayna Del Val went off to college to fulfill dreams and ambitions. For her, it was to earn a theater degree, move to LA and become a movie star. There was no question in her mind that this was her plan. Instead, she ended up back in her hometown of Fargo, North Dakota giving birth to a beautiful baby boy. She was in the depths of despair, a young, single mother who had never even held a full-time job before. 

But Dayna is tenacious. She held onto threads of hope for her acting career and got an agent, becoming a SAG union member by doing commercial work which enabled her to work as an actor while being there for her son. It wasn’t always glamorous but she made it happen, and she continues to work as an actor today.

Fast forward 25+ years … Dayna is the President and CEO of the Arts Partnership in Fargo, North Dakota where for the past 10+ years she has consistently and successfully advocated for the enduring power and value of the arts across every facet of the community. Her core belief is that there is always more for anyone who's willing to pursue it, and she'll help you do it. 

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Dayna’s journey:

• Dayna has turned her advocacy efforts to inspiring people to pivot from failure and find joy on the other side through her blog, Extraordinary, extraordinary.
• In her blog, Dayna weaves stories and lessons learned of being a young single mom, her professional role, the complexities of middle age, and of the shared journey her husband, Dr. Mazz Marry, and she took joyfully to restore their life after his near-death experience from alcoholism.
• While her son was young, Dayna returned to school earning an English education certificate and went on to get a master's degree in English. Dayna taught at universities for a number of years prior to being hired to run the Arts Partnership.
• Recently, Dayna taught a Careers in the Arts class at Minnesota State College Moorhead, School of Arts. Yours truly was honored to be a guest speaker last semester. 

Learn more and connect with Dayna here:

• Website
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube



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Sher Downing, PhD is an EdTech strategist who loves bringing people, learning, and technology together. As CEO of Downing EdTech consulting, her company provides eLearning design for entrepreneurial programs, affiliate partnerships with leading vendors, and professional coaching for those in the EdTech industry. 

Sher is a pioneer with over 32 years of experience in the digital arena during the evolution of online learning. She never would have expected things to turn out this way. Not only does Sher have a PhD, two masters and a bachelor's degree, she is a first-generation college graduate. Early on, she struggled because she had no real vision or goals for her future. With time, she discovered interests that sparked something in her. Sher studied hospitality management and upon graduation, she worked for the university conference center. She then became immersed in the world of higher education working in different areas on campuses in Arizona, Wyoming and South Carolina, while also earning graduate certificates and degrees in teaching, learning and design-focused in the online arena. This was in the mid-90s when online learning was in its infancy. 

After 32 years, Sher decided to create her own brand and left the day-to-day world of higher education. Today, her focus is to define opportunities for individual entrepreneurs and companies in professional and organizational brand growth through online education and related technologies. 

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Sher’s journey:

• Sher serves as a university board trustee, international speaker and presenter, and is a regular contributor to Forbes, HBR Ascend and Medium.
• She has collaboratively-authored two books: The Power of WHY: Why 28 Women Created an Online Course and Why You Should Too, and The Power of WHY: Why 23 Women Took the Leap to Start Their Own Businesses
• Through her podcast EdTech Speaks, she highlights unique guests who share how the EdTech industry impacts all aspects of the world. 
• Sher recently founded the Speakers Resource Group, a centralized membership service to enhance all levels of professional development through training, community support, and direct access to industry experts.

Learn more and connect with Sher here: 

• Website: Downing EdTech
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website: EdTech Speaks
• Read:  The Power of Why: Why 28 Women Created an Online Course and Why You Should Too



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Andy Lopata has been a specialist in professional relationships and networking for over 20 years. He was called one of Europe's leading business networking strategists by the Financial Times, and a true master of networking by the Independent and Forbes.com. He is the author of five books. Andy is a fellow and a board member of the Professional Speaking Association UK and Ireland, and a fellow of the Learning and Performance Institute, as well as a Master of the Institute for Sales Management. He is also one of just 26 recipients of the PSA's top honor, the Award of Excellence. And, believe me, he didn’t take any shortcuts to accomplish any of those achievements.

Andy came from a background where the expectation was that he'd be a lawyer or an accountant and he did study accountancy, then switched to political science. After two years at a university, he left to work in the music recording industry, something he had dreamed of for a long time. He scouted bands for London Records. Andy bounced around to many jobs in his twenties as he lacked direction. He worked as a civil servant, ran car parks, did sound engineering, tax collecting, worked on film sets, and at some of the finest golf clubs in the world. During this time, he traveled extensively around the world, working all along the way. Some of his jobs lasted a couple of years before he moved on to new places. 

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Andy’s journey:

• Andy said working on film sets was one of his favorite experiences and next to that was working as a steward at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
• He wrote letters home to family and friends as he traveled and kept copies of his writing as he also wanted to become a professional writer.
• Andy’s father started a business networking organization with which Andy worked for seven years. He ran networking groups and developed a training and speaking program.
• He repositioned his career to focus on professional relationships and wrote his two most recent books: Connected Leadership and Just Ask: Why Seeking Support Is Your Greatest Strength.

Andy also hosts The Connected Leadership Podcast in which he interviews a variety of business leaders discussing the role that networks and professional relationships play in leadership success.

Learn more and connect with Andy here: 

• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram
• Website



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Jeff Wald has been frustrated with the way people talk about the future of work for quite some time. He says, “Too many so-called experts make predictions outside the evidence available in the world of work; specifically, the history of work, the data trends and patterns, and how companies actually engage workers. Predictions made without this ... can be, in many cases, harmful. I wanted to provide a framework for thoughtful conversations on the future of work for families, for companies, and for society.” He offers his framework in his recently released book, “The End of Jobs: Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations”. If you are concerned about how you or your children, your company, employees, or anyone else you care about will navigate the world of work going forward, I highly recommend Jeff’s book. It took him seven years to complete it and if you get to know Jeff through today’s podcast episode, you will know that for most of us, that would have required 14 years of effort.

Jeff is the Founder of Work Market, an enterprise software platform that enables companies to efficiently and compliantly, organize, manage, and pay freelancers (purchased by ADP). He has founded several other tech companies including Spinback (sold to Salesforce) and is an active angel investor and startup advisor. Jeff serves on many public and private Boards of Directors. 

Most recently, Jeff created the Future of Work prize competition which includes essays from 20 thought leaders on the future of work. Jeff will award a $10 million prize in 2040 to the person whose essay came closest to reality. 

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Jeff’s journey:

• Jeff began his career in finance, serving as managing director at a hedge fund, a vice president at a venture capital firm, and various roles in the M & A group at JP Morgan.
• He formerly served as an officer of the auxiliary unit of the New York Police Department.
• Jeff is also the author of another very different book, “The Birthday Rules: Critical Conversations to Have With Your Children (6 - 16)”
• He holds an MBA from Harvard University and an MS and a BS from Cornell University. 

Learn more and connect with Jeff here:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter



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Like many young boys, Harsha Boralessa dreamed of playing professional sports and in his case, that was cricket. When he was nine, he played for one of England’s professional teams and by the time he was 19, he was playing top-level cricket at his university. While he thoroughly enjoyed cricket he knew that moving into another career would be best as he had no future in the sport. Yet, Harsha credits playing cricket with teaching him important life lessons, that he has applied to his professional career:

Self-discipline – the motivation to keep practicing, even when things are not going well. 

Resilience & dealing with failure – learn to deal with pressure, no matter how good you are, and learn to handle failure but keep going. 

Self-confidence – it’s very difficult to succeed if you have a negative mindset so even if you’re not feeling great, you have to almost fake it to make it.

Teamwork – learning to engage with different personalities on a team. 

Gratitude – I was in the fortunate position that I was at university and was able to move into another career after cricket. 

Harsha is a CFA charter holder, a chartered accountant, and a graduate of the London School of Economics. He has worked for over 15 years in Investment Banking, the “big 4” accounting firms, and Investment Management. He has also worked in the Private Equity Secondaries market and consulted on a professional learning development platform for the CFA UK Society. 

Over the last few years, he has developed a passion for career & personal development and its interaction with neuroscience, in particular concepts such as mindset, reframing, visualization, and habit creation. 

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Harsha’s journey:

• Harsha believes in luck and serendipity. While things might look terrible if you don’t get the job/promotion you want, he believes in staying positive to look forward and not back!
• He has recently launched a podcast focusing on career & personal development, Reframe and Reset Your Career 
• Harsha is designing a neuroscience/psychology based App to assist people in identifying what is draining them and guide them to strategies and ideas which might fuel them.

Learn more and connect with Harsha here:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter



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