breakaway

Celebrate National Gratitude Month and Thanksgiving with Tom Nehila. Tom shares his deeply personal story about his divorce and how it changed his life. 

Tom grew up on the East Coast with a focus on sports, competition and business. His mind was the most important, not his heart. He had the successful career, a wife and three sons, his life seemed “perfect”, but then he and his wife divorced. 

During this tumultuous time, Tom learned to listen to his heart. He asked himself how he wanted to show up for his family and friends. The answer? He wanted to be an active participant in their lives. He needed to deeply listen to them, be there for them and spend time with them. 

Tom offers advice to those who are going through a divorce as well as to those who are getting married. Overall, life is too darn short to not make time for friends and family. You don’t want to miss his heartfelt and vulnerable conversation.

As CFO of The Global Trust Project, Tom Nehila is responsible for establishing the financial framework and governance for the enterprise, the commercial integrity of its’ solutions, and negotiating funding with its philanthropic global partners. It’s an early-stage, global and social enterprise start-up, that will deliver significant business and community impacts around trust, based on driving actions focused on the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Mission is to define and solve the problem: "How do we define, build, scale and measure Trust?

Tom spent 25 years in finance and sales operations within the Professional Services/Staffing, Telecom, and Business Information Industries. His passion is in building high performing/world class finance teams and leading organizations in the execution of technology and business transformations, restructuring, and the delivery of innovative and sustainable cross functional process improvements.

He donates his time as a Board Member to the NJ-based, Embrace Kids Foundation; which exists to lighten the burden, maintain normalcy and improve the quality of life for families whose children are facing cancer, sickle cell and other serious health challenges.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Religion from Rutgers University and his MBA in Finance and International Business from Seton Hall University. 

Connect with Tom to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomnehila/

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Eileen Tarjan starts off explaining the need to tend to our inner child and why it is difficult for people to bring their whole selves to work. This premise propels her to help people be seen and heard. 

Why is that her work?  Eileen tells us the decision that changed her life. First, the decision was made for her: she was laid off from her corporate HR position. That night, she had the best night’s sleep! She woke up and realized that she needed do her own thing.  She needed to be herself! But really the decision that significantly changed her life was being sober for being 25 years. It is a fact that she didn’t talk about until last year. She was hiding her whole self. 

Eileen shares her incredibly personal story on how she became sober after witnessing the murder of her significant other. When she started in HR, she hid that story and became a “corporate” person and created a dual persona.  She was unhappy for over 10 years and being laid off was her gift. She now is studying to get her Master’s in Counseling. She is going to help others find themselves and live an authentic life. It is a beautiful story of taking tragedy, examining yourself and making life changes. 

Eileen, founder of EMTconnects, is a dynamic human with 20 years of proven success in corporate human resources, talent development and coaching. In 2018, Eileen took some of her own best advice and has since been working independently while pursuing her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (in which she will be graduating December 2021). Eileen works alongside select clients in career and life coaching, training, and mental health counseling settings. She is an experienced facilitator of wellness, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Eileen will tell you that the most rewarding part of her life is connecting people to possibilities and increased mental wellness. Working with Eileen gives you immediate access to her positive attitude, adventurous spirit, and proven strategies to deliver the results you need.

Connect with Eileen to learn more about her and her background:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileentarjan/
• Website: https://emtconnects.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emtconnects/ 

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Gavin Doyle started his own business at 13 years old. Yep, you read that right! He fell in love with Disney at 4 years old (when it wasn’t crowded BTW). He decided to take his passion and create a website which turned into a business and a book. This entrepreneurial spirit started at a young age with lemonade stands and selling wrapping paper. 

Following his passion at 13 changed his life and propelled him into the media and the best-seller’s list. Gavin’s advice for others is to create those meaningful connections with others and understanding and build your audience. Oh and he gives some great Disney advice! We couldn’t let him leave without it!

Gavin Doyle has been a Disneyland enthusiast since his first visit at the age of four. His first memory of Disneyland is visiting on a rainy day where the park was joyously empty. The pure bliss of walking onto any ride with no line fed his initial love for Disneyland. This love developed over the years as he began to appreciate the effort that went into the creation of the theme park. He became fascinated with the idea of becoming a Walt Disney Imagineer (people responsible for the creation of Disneyland), but decided he couldn't wait until after college to start working among the magic.

At the age of thirteen, Gavin started DisneyDose.com, a website that focuses on educating the Disney enthusiast through exclusive interviews, reviews, and photos from the theme parks. The site also expanded to include a “New and Noteworthy” podcast that featured interviews with the Disney Imagineers and others that brought the magic of Disney to life. Gavin used the stories that he had gathered from exclusive interviews with Cast Members and Imagineers to write his bestselling book “Disneyland Secrets: A Grand Tour of Disneyland's Hidden Details.” 

Later, Gavin created MickeyVisit.com, the guide that helps visitors save money and experience more during vacations to Disneyland and Southern California. The site has been recognized by readers as the top resource for planning and saving money on their Disneyland vacations.

 He is also dedicated to philanthropy and has a special focus supporting Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, and Make a Wish. During COVID, Gavin helped to raise thousands of dollars for Disney Cast Members and community members in need. 

Connect with Gavin to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavdoyle/
• Pivot Podcast = https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pivot/id1073226719

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Tricia Manning had us at “I love the CHARGE model”. But back to Tricia! After 25 years in corporate she had the hallmarks of success: office, promotion, salary. One day she scheduled appointments for her husband to go for a health screen and she thought, “I might as well do it too.” While she was at the health screen, they told her she needed open heart surgery. What the heck?

She talks about her health crisis and how that was her wake-up call. It pushed her to review her career and make the decision to start her own business. She used Courage, Humility and Resilience during this challenging time. Tricia needed courage to face her fears and start on her own (even when people were saying, “Why would you leave a good job?”) She needed humility as she was starting from scratch. Lastly, when making any big changes, she needed to be resilient! Now, she wants to help others when they are in the same types of situations. 

Tricia is a certified executive coach and has been a student of human behavior all her life. At the age of 5, her father was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and her mom became the full-time caregiver and breadwinner. This early experience influenced Tricia's values, beliefs, and style as she rose through the ranks in corporate America to become 1 of only 2 female executives at the corporate table. 

After facing an unexpected health crisis in 2016, Tricia made the difficult decision to end her 25-year corporate career, but she wasn't ready to stop helping others. With a passion for growing influential leaders and fighting for gender diversity in the boardroom, Tricia began her own coaching practice and wrote the book, Lead with Heart and Leave a Legacy. 

Connect with Tricia to learn more about her and her background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/tricia-manning/
• White Cap Coaching = https://triciamanning.com/
• Brene Brown = https://brenebrown.com/
• Wolfpack by Abby Wambach = http://abbywambach.com/books/wolfpack/

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Phil Strazzulla starts off providing a few great ideas to help us focus on self care and make time for creativity. He continues to tell us the decision he made that changed the trajectory of his life: Middle school wrestling. Yep, you read that right! Trying out for a sport that he wasn’t good at and failing at it for a couple years changed his life. 

Phil tells us that he was a shy, skinny kid and he knew he wanted to boost his confidence and thought wrestling could help him. He wasn’t good at wrestling but also wasn’t a quitter so he pushed forward. Then Freshman year he started winning and he worked even harder. 

This confidence boost helped him throughout his career as well as his hard work. He reminds us that being resilient and working hard even when you may not think you have the talent or are told you have talent is one of the keys to success. We all need to work hard. 

His coaching to others: Think outside of yourself and be a third party especially during high emotional situations. Don’t take every piece of advice you hear. And, most importantly, believe in yourself. 

Phil  is a former venture investor turned HR Tech entrepreneur. He is the Founder of SelectSoftware Reviews, a website dedicated to helping HR professionals buy the right tools. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and is a self -taught programmer.

Connect with Phil to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/philstrazzulla/
• SelectSoftware Reviews = https://www.selectsoftwarereviews.com/
• Invest Like the Best Podcast = https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/invest-like-the-best-with-patrick-oshaughnessy/id1154105909

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Stephanie M. Hutchins, PhD starts off our chat with one of her favorite mantras: “30 years of adventure rather than 100 years in the corner”. 100% yes!

Stephanie shares her intensely personal story about her trauma and how it has shaped her life. She experienced trauma early on in her childhood and then, in her 20’s, she slipped into a dark hole after she found her significant other dead. She could barely get out of bed or shower. Through her mother's coaching and support Stephanie started to set small goals for herself, like get out of bed and take a shower. Those small goals led to her going to school, getting her PhD and starting her own coaching practice to help others recover from and thrive after trauma. 

She shares her insights and her advice: People have to want to change their story. You can start that path with small goals. And, be patient with yourself on your journey.

Author of Transformation After Trauma: Embracing Post-Traumatic Growth, Dr. Hutchins helps individuals overcome trauma and cope with stress. She is a Certified Life Coach, Stress Management Coach, Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner, and Yoga Instructor. She also owns Serotinous Life, a company that helps individuals overcome stressful and traumatic events.  

Dr. Hutchins taught about the human body as a college professor for 12 years, and the capabilities of the mind and body continue to fascinate her. She guides others in harnessing the power of their mind and body to overcome tremendous hardship brought on by the inevitable stresses of life. She combines yoga principles, her knowledge of the human body, and her healing journey to empower others with tools to fuel massive personal and professional growth.

Connect with Dr. Hutchins to learn more about her and her background:

• LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/serotinouslife/
• Website: serotinouslife.com  
• Facebook: facebook.com/serotinouslife/  
• Instagram: instagram.com/stephanie.m.hutchins/  
• The Ultimate Jim Rohn Library: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Jim-Rohn-Library-audiobook/dp/B076PQ4MTS

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Part Two: All about advice! Raymond Kemp Sr. gives us his top tips: 1) Bias towards action 2) Embrace who you are, and 3) Enjoy the journey. He also suggests finding a mentor who believes in you, helps you gain momentum to help you reach your goals and tells you the truth! 

And, you will want to hear about the US President he has met who surprised him the most. He ends his interview with us with a discussion on the continued discrimination in the military. Raymond’s service is not over, as he now wants to inspire other leaders to do the right thing.  

Raymond is a highly experienced Senior Executive in Leadership and Human Resources. He is an accomplished, results-oriented, forward-thinking organizational consultant with over 10 years of experience at the highest levels of the US Navy improving organizational strategies, increasing operational excellence, and boosting the performance of teams and employees in a variety of organizations. 

He represented the US Navy at the NATO International Senior Enlisted Seminar, which included briefing over 200 military leaders from African and European nations on leadership development and the value of cooperative agreements. As an Inspector General, he mentored over 300 junior executives, monthly, in leadership best practices and ethics at the Naval Leadership and Ethics Command & Senior Enlisted Academy. He spearheaded the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” through face to face discussion with every crew member under his command for the purpose of building trust/resilience. 

Throughout his career, he has completed combat deployments in the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Fleet areas of responsibilities and participated in operation Desert Storm, Operation Restore Hope, Operation Southern Watch, Continue Hope, Sea Angel II, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. 

Fleet Master Chief Kemp's personal qualifications and awards include the Enlisted Surface Warfare, Enlisted Aviation Warfare, and the Enlisted Information Warfare; two Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, a Combat Action Ribbon, and various unit and campaign awards. 

Connect with Raymond to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdkemp/
• Kemp Leadership = https://kempleadership.com/
• Quote of the Day Show = https://seancroxton.com/quoteoftheday/
• As A Man Thinketh by James Allen = https://www.amazon.com/As-Man-Thinketh-Complete-Original/dp/1250780047/ref=pd_lpo_3?pd_rd_i=1250780047&psc=1
• Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done = https://www.amazon.com/Execution-Discipline-Getting-Things-Done/dp/1847940684

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Part One: You don’t want to miss this two-part episode with Raymond Kemp, Sr.! Why is it two parts? Well, at the 24:55 min mark, Raymond’s audio went out. Part 2 is filled with advice and insights into the current state of the Navy. Be sure to listen. 

In Part One, Raymond shares his story of walking into a Naval office to get his new assignment in the IT/technology department and the leader told him that he wouldn’t have “his type/n-word” working in computers. The leader placed all the Black sailors in the lower-level jobs. 

Raymond tells us how he managed through that time period. Yeah and BTW, Raymond retired after 33 years in the Navy, met many world leaders (including the Pope) and left as the most senior Black person in the Navy. 

His advice? Check out Part 2 of this podcast! 

Raymond is a highly experienced Senior Executive in Leadership and Human Resources. He is an accomplished, results-oriented, forward-thinking organizational consultant with over 10 years of experience at the highest levels of the US Navy improving organizational strategies, increasing operational excellence, and boosting the performance of teams and employees in a variety of organizations. 

He represented the US Navy at the NATO International Senior Enlisted Seminar, which included briefing over 200 military leaders from African and European nations on leadership development and the value of cooperative agreements. As an Inspector General, he mentored over 300 junior executives, monthly, in leadership best practices and ethics at the Naval Leadership and Ethics Command & Senior Enlisted Academy. He spearheaded the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” through face to face discussion with every crew member under his command for the purpose of building trust/resilience. 

Throughout his career, he has completed combat deployments in the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Fleet areas of responsibilities and participated in operation Desert Storm, Operation Restore Hope, Operation Southern Watch, Continue Hope, Sea Angel II, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. 

Fleet Master Chief Kemp's personal qualifications and awards include the Enlisted Surface Warfare, Enlisted Aviation Warfare, and the Enlisted Information Warfare; two Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, a Combat Action Ribbon, and various unit and campaign awards.

Connect with Raymond to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdkemp/
• Kemp Leadership = https://kempleadership.com/
• Quote of the Day Show = https://seancroxton.com/quoteoftheday/
• As A Man Thinketh by James Allen = https://www.amazon.com/As-Man-Thinketh-Complete-Original/dp/1250780047/ref=pd_lpo_3?pd_rd_i=1250780047&psc=1
• Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done = https://www.amazon.com/Execution-Discipline-Getting-Things-Done/dp/1847940684

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

We start with a scary stat: Jeff Breskin has seen more employee lawsuits in the past 36 months as compared to his 35 years in the industry in regards to workers’ compensation. He is the most passionate safety and workers’ compensation professional we have ever met. Period. 

He has had the passion all his life for working hard and helping people. It was a strong thread throughout his life and was instilled by him from his parents who immigrated to the US and met while they were in beauty school. Jeff remembers helping at the hair salon and that work has made him who he is today. And maybe be surrounded by all the smoking and aerosol hair spray made him want to get into safety! But it wasn’t all bad, he was able to meet Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett at his parents’ salon -- listen to the end to hear his story with Carol Burnett. 

His advice: Be resilient and mentor others. It is important to him to give back and be a coach to others. He wants the insurance industry to flourish and more people to get into risk management. 

Jeff  has 30+ years of experience in Claims Management, Risk Control and Safety. He has worked with all management levels, including large, multi-state and national Fortune 500 companies. 

As Vice President of Risk Management Claims and Loss Control at EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, Jeff, works as an advocate and extension of the client’s management team helping with compliance issues with State and Federal OSHA guidelines. Jeff’s 30+ years of carrier and broker experience brings high levels of medical/litigation management, as well as, Special Investigations Unit (SIU) Fraud and District Appeals involvement. 

He has implemented various programs including Return to Work, Alternative Light Duty and Injury & Illness Prevention Programs. Jeff also has experience conducting seminars and been involved with OSHA Safety Committee training (Spanish/English), Medical Clinic Assessments with a broad claims management expertise in regard to claim negotiations and reserving. Review of experience modifications for the state of California and NCCI states with an emphasis on removing and lowering reserves that affect a client’s Unit Statistical filings and rating of the experience modification. Jeff has also worked with State OSHA officials to appeal, reduce, and mitigate potential citations and fines. 

Jeff brings a variety of industry experience in the specialty ground that includes industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, hotel, restaurant, entertainment, retail and construction. 

Awards: Risk and Insurance | Power Broker of the Year (2020, 2018, 2017) 

Connect with Jeff to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-breskin-18b6a011a/ 
• Epic Insurance Brokers = https://epicbrokers.com/

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Looking for that perfect blend of humor, wit and reflection? Allen Esrock delivers! We talk about TikTok, cat videos and not looking at Allen Esrock’s internet history when he was running a tween girls’ networking site! Allen shares with us the moment he realized that running the family retail business was not for him. He had other dreams! Allen drove from St. Louis, MO to Los Angeles, CA to realize his goal of becoming a TV comedy writer--only to discover that he hated being in the writer’s room! 

Allen knew that he didn’t want the life that was laid out for him: A family-owned retail clothing business, a home in St. Louis, being a country club tennis doubles champion. He credits being in touch with his emotions and knowing that he needed to do something different. Rather than living with regret and saying, “I could have tried this or should have done that,"  Allen shares with us his mantra of “not wanting to live with regret” is a deep part of his soul and what ultimately guides him.

His shares key advice when making decisions: Before you make the decision, ask yourself, will you be happy with this decision in 5-10 years? For Allen, personal reflection has led him to become the person he is today.

Allen  is the founder of NxtGen Nexus, a local/global community for Family Business and Family Office NxtGens that supports their interest in Social Impact, Family Dynamics, Philanthropy, Pop Culture, Family Legacy, Food, and Real Estate, at both local and global levels.

Allen started working for Big Men’s Shop, his family business, when he was five-years old. His first job was guarding the front door during holiday shopping season.  Allen went through the age-old debate of going into the family business. He joined a buyer's training program at Macy's to prepare to run the family business.  Instead, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of being a television comedy writer.  Allen left the entertainment business and became an executive recruiter working across industries which included digital media, technology, healthcare, and non-profits.

Allen was also the Founder of Jitter Fingers, a safe social networking solution for tween girls and their bffs, with on-line clubs in 200+ cities in the US and twelve countries. Allen is a member of the Writer’s Guild of America and a graduate of Indiana University.

Connect with Allen to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenesrock/
• NxtGen Nexus Linked In = https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-nexus/
• NxtGen Nexus website = https://nxtgennexus.com/
• Youth Pastor Ryan YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXxCruD2b-S0P2k9D-wqKZQ
• Youth Pastor Ryan TikTok = https://www.tiktok.com/@youthpastorryan?lang=en

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Yep, we have an Olympian on our podcast! What timing! We could not be more thrilled to have Maggie Malone as our guest. She holds the American record in women’s javelin and will be heading to Tokyo representing the US in the 2021 Olympics! Just having her talk about how she trains and focuses would be enough, but we do more at reCHARGE Your Life:) 

Maggie shares her incredibly personal story on her struggles with mental health and the Olympic hangover that she managed after the 2016 Olympics. She had identity issues and needed to figure out how to bounce back and address the actual issues in her life. Maggie was vulnerable and reached out to friends and asked for help. 

She also shares her story on becoming a Christian and the importance that faith has in her life. Raised Catholic, Maggie didn’t have a relationship with Christ. She wanted to find that. Take a listen to Maggie’s story. You will feel inspired and proud to watch her in Tokyo!! 

Maggie is a Client Success Leader at Wildsparq – a powerful, online leadership development tool built for companies that care about their people, their legacy and the impact they will make in the world. Maggie earned her Bachelor of Education in Human Resources Development as well as her Master’s degree in Marketing from Texas A&M University.

She ran track at the University of Nebraska before transferring to Texas A&M, where, in 2016, she became the first female javelin thrower to win an NCAA title and U.S. Olympic Team Trials title in the same season! Maggie enjoys playing competitive team sports – volleyball, basketball and softball as well watching movies and singing. 

Connect with Maggie to learn more about her and her background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-malone-4544138a/
• Team USA Athlete Website = https://www.teamusa.org/usa-track-and-field/athletes/Maggie-Malone
• Wildsparq = https://wildsparq.com/

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Haven Cockerham already failed at retirement once. He lives on a golf course though he doesn't play golf! Why did he fail? He doesn’t have time. Haven is continuously pushing himself to learn new things, be surrounded by new thinking, soak up ideas from younger generations and living in a community that challenges his mind and provides beautiful mountain and ocean landscapes. 

Haven is a true change agent and a great storyteller. Haven tells us how he started in HR working with amazing mentors and Harvard professors. He blazed a trail in the automotive industry and showcased HR as a strategic, value-added business partner. 

As a young man, Haven had to decide if he would move away from North Carolina and take a job at GM in a very conservative Indiana. Not many in his family moved away but his mom said “you need to follow where ever the opportunity takes you”.  He did just that and has taken on challenges and risks during his career.  Throughout it all, he learned and saw every opportunity as a moment to grow and expand. He draws on his courage and resilience to help him and also has a beautiful ability to be vulnerable and humble. 

Haven founded Cockerham & Associates in Chicago in 2005 to provide strategic consulting and technology services in Human Resources and, Talent Management and Diversity & Inclusion. A distinguishing feature of Cockerham & Associates is its web-based Diversity & Inclusion solutions that enable clients to develop, aggregate and report the impact of its diversity strategies and operating plans for employee/business resource groups.

Prior to forming Cockerham & Associates, Haven was the Chief Human Resource Officer for R.R. Donnelley where he played a key role in the transformation of the company’s operating model and culture. He led the transformation of the human resources function to become a true business partner, focusing on high value processes and reducing delivery costs of human resource services. Additional corporate leadership roles include Chief Human Resources Officer for DTE Energy in Detroit and the Senior Human Resources Executive for Fisher Guide Division of General Motors.

Prior to his executive leadership positions, Haven held key assignments in manufacturing, labor relations, EEO, and executive compensation, policy development, employee relations and leadership development. Haven owned and operated a Chevrolet Dealership in South Carolina and has an MBA from the Michigan State Advanced Management Program.

Connect with Haven to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/haven-cockerham-6b692a/
• Cockerham & Associates website = https://www.cockerhamassociates.com/
• The Change Masters by Rosabeth Moss Kanter  https://www.amazon.com/Change-Masters-Rosabeth-Moss-Kanter/dp/0671528009

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

How do we push ourselves out of our comfort zone? What does it mean to "pimp the system"? Desmond Jefferson explains all of this and tells us about the moment that changed his life. 

Desmond did the typical thing in college. He partied, he hung out too late...in short, he didn’t take it seriously. One day after being placed on academic probation (which he never failed a class before), he had to make a crucial decision: is it me or is it them? 

He had to choose himself and put himself above his friends. He needed to put his needs first. Easier said than done, right?! Desmond showcased courage and humility during our episode by publicly sharing that he was on academic probation. He had not openly shared this part of his life before our episode. He was vulnerable and wants others to learn from his story. 

You can hit a down time and think it won’t get better, but it will. By the way, he focused on himself and was on the Dean’s list. His great advice: Find out what makes you unique. That is your foundation and then build on it!

Desmond is an experienced leader who has successfully worked in the recreational facilities and services industry. He was one of two directors at St. Andrew’s Parks and Playground, in Charleston, SC, working with children. 

Currently, he is a Sales Support Coordinator at Floyd Lee Locums, which provides an elite concierge experience to physicians, CRNAs, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other healthcare providers searching for new career opportunities. Desmond is a graduate of Francis Marion University with a degree in Healthcare Administration. In his spare time, Desmond loves to travel, spending time with family, and watching sports.

Connect with Desmond to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/desmond-jefferson-51549416a/
• Instagram  = @ _desssss15 
• Small Talk by Jerome Smalls = https://www.amazon.com/Small-Talk-Stories-Countless-Lessons/dp/1641370726
• Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny and Kerry Patterson = https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Conversations-Third-Joseph-Grenny/dp/1260474186/ref=sr_1_2dchild=1&hvadid=77859233980801&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=crucial+conversations%27&qid=1624287858&s=books&sr=1-2

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

A special Father’s Day podcast (and, nope, we didn’t plan it that way, but we are lucky that the stars aligned). We begin with Dominic Toscanelli sharing his love of data and spreadsheets. Don’t worry, there is more to the interview and a great book recommendation for new dads. 

When asked what changed his life, Dominic speaks from the heart on the sudden death of his father and how he had to reframe his life at just 19 years old. He shares his journey toward managing his grief, preserving his mental health and being open about his personal emotional work with his friends and family. 

He frames his advice to his almost 1 year old son, Leo, which is: When going through life, know that little ball of emotion inside you, pull it apart, and understand why you are feeling that way. Label those emotions. Great advice for all! 

Dominic is a father, husband, and friend who is more focused than ever on leaving life's tangibles and intangibles in a better state than he found them. Getting him to this point, his life has been an oft-incautious sequence of learning, growth, and reflection. Rinse and repeat. 

Dominic’s higher-octane hours are spent specializing in the negotiation and implementation of robust employee benefits, retirement, and risk management programs. In other words: Dominic has a twisted passion for spreadsheets. 

Connect with Dominic to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominictoscanelli/ 

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Collecting experiences and living life. Lyndal Larkin is passionate about being true to these beliefs. She has a background in travel and hospitality, aviation, operations and learning and development. She was working in operations and participated in a training for managers and fell in love with learning and development and that changed her life. 

Throughout these changes, Lyndal has exposed herself to learning new experiences, utilizing her skills and knowledge and making an impact. She has an abundance of courage and humility that has helped her along the way.  She cultivated a community of support that provides her candor and honest input and advice. Her advice to others: Create the space and nurture your intuition. Her favorite quote from Mark Twain: Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do, than by the ones you did do.  

Lyndal is an Executive Coach, Leadership Advisor, Founder and Principal of Larkin Leadership. After 20+ years as an HR executive in diverse industries ranging from early-stage tech start-ups to luxury hospitality and global retail, she launched Larkin Leadership in early 2020. 

As a high-energy and collaborative thought partner, Lyndal's lifelong passion is supporting others to deliberately and repeatedly achieve exceptional results. She currently does this by supporting Founders, CEOs and the C-Suite with results-focused executive coaching and bespoke leadership programming. 

She also leads Mastermind groups focused on developing and connecting female emerging executives. Lyndal holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington. She received her executive coach training from CTI, and is a certified Myers-Briggs, 7 Habits, and Lominger Leadership Architect practitioner. 

She also recently completed a coaching certification from the Asian Leadership Institute and is in the final weeks of finishing a certificate in "Workplace D, E & I."  Lyndal resides in Los Angeles, CA. In her free time she is honored to serve as a governing board member of local non-profit, LA's BEST, and adores travel, cooking, and entertaining family and friends.

Connect with Lyndal to learn more about her and her background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndal-larkin/ 
• Instagram = @larkinleadership
• Larkin Leadership = http://larkinleadership.com

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

You don’t want to miss Tonya McKenzie’s interview. Tonya has lived enough life for several books and hours of podcast content. Through it all, she has relied on her love of learning and laughter.

Tonya talks about her passion around teaching others and leaving the world in a better place than she found it. She put her money where her mouth is and gave up her dream to take care of her sisters after their mom died. Throughout the trauma, she has learned to be more vulnerable, find common ground with people on opposite sides, and learn people’s stories. Her top advice: Be authentic. People will either be supportive of your brand or not, but they will know you for who you are. Does she have any regrets? No, as she sees everything she's experienced as lessons. 

Tonya is a seasoned Public Relations & Leadership Professional with over 17 years of experience and management expertise in both the non-profit and private sector. As the owner of Sand & Shores, public relations and leadership consulting firm, she specializes in working with civic, law enforcement, and other non-profit organizations helping them to gain greater brand awareness and positive public relations coverage in the media through bold branding and thought leadership.
 
Tonya is a Silicon Valley native, and gun violence survivor. As a child advocate and speaker, she ignites the best in people by helping them to tell their story and delve into their personal brand identity. She’s a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and holds several leadership positions in the city of Redondo Beach and throughout Los Angeles County. Tonya holds a seat on the Redondo Beach Police Engagement Board and works to simplify complex issues though conversation.
 
In addition to all of that, Tonya also hosts two podcasts:
My Morning Coffee Podcast with Lieutenant Gia Neil of LA County Sheriff
Leaders & Learners Spotify in which she speaks w/ authors, leaders and experts 

Connect with Tonya to learn more about her and her background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyamckenzie/
• Instagram = @tonyamckenziepr
• Sand and Shores = http://www.sandandshores.com/ 

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

How are comedians and leaders similar? More than you might think! You need to be in tune with the audience (employees), you need to listen and adjust (flexibility) and you want the audience (employees) to have an engaging time. Hone your comedic skills and you are honing your leadership skills. 

Sammy Wegent started in the arts and on stage and now helps others in business. He understands that leadership is similar to being a presenter. It is always a show. He tells us about when he went to a career coach and was told “stop hunting rabbits and go after your bison." That advice changed his life. Sammy needed to go after his bison, which would be more satisfying than what he was currently doing. His bison--Speechless.  Sammy is a great example of combining his job and his passion.  

Sammy is the Co-Founder & CEO of Speechless Inc., a startup that takes performance techniques from the worlds of improv, comedy, acting, and storytelling and applies them to public speaking and people's everyday lives. In addition to his work at Speechless, he has been performing comedy all over the world for the past 20 years. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts in Acting, has been seen in dozens of TV and web commercials and has won numerous awards for his acting work in film and animation. He has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, San Francisco Chronicle, LA Weekly, and The Huffington Post.

Connect with Sammy to learn more about him and his background:

• Speechless Inc. = http://speechlessinc.com
• Speechless Plus = http://speechlessplus.com 

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

We kick off talking with Dan Flynn about fate of the Edsel and move to the necessity of the grind for whatever you want in life! There are no short cuts. No matter what job or chapter of life you are in…you must put in the hard work.

Dan tells us the two great decisions that changed his life. He discusses his move from corporate to going out on his own. He comes from a long line of entrepreneurs and regretted not taking that leap and having confidence in himself. He did some soul searching and let go of the imposter syndrome he felt.  And, oh yeah, he sneaks in the second decision to stop drinking two years ago. For the second half of his life, he wanted to have more energy and set an example for his son. The result: he was much more present in life and relationships. 

His advice: Do the hard work; Be resilient; Join a professional network; Surround yourself with others who will give you honest feedback. 

Dan Flynn is the CEO & Founder of Skyhawk Sales Consultants Inc., a provider of Fractional Chief Revenue Officer services.  His firm specializes in building and executing sales strategies that produce sustainable revenue growth for the clients he serves. Dan’s industry experience includes Broadcast & Cable, AdTech, Manufacturing & Distribution, MarTech, Professional Services, Real Estate & Construction.

Dan is a natural leader and motivator with a history of 25+ years sales leadership and success. He has designed and led sales teams from start-up to annual revenue responsibility exceeding $200 million.  Most notably, Dan’s track record of success includes re-imagining and leading a sports media multi-platform consisting of the Lakers & Dodgers sports networks, as well NBA & MLB content from ESPN, TNT, TBS, FS1 & the MLB Network.  The results were 50% organic revenue lift in year 1 and 28% lift in year 2.

Dan resides in Hermosa Beach, CA and earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration & Marketing from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Connect with Dan to learn more about him and his background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-flynn-5b12465/
• Skyhawk Sales Consultants, Inc.  https://salesxceleration.bullseyelocations.com/salesxceleration/los%20angeles/ca/dan-flynn-los%20angeles-ca-26295963

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

Incredible levels of energy and a positive outlook. That describes our guest, Kathy Dawson, perfectly. She has been focused on her goals since she sat with her typewriter at age 12. She learned when she was 16 that you could not control other people and instead you need to focus on what you can control. 

She personifies courage, goal-orientation and resilience. She shares why she started her staffing business during the 2008 recession (yes, we talk about how crazy you need to be to do this!). Kathy shares with us her insightful and targeted advice to others when figuring out their career and her best practices for leaders. In fact, this was the most important part of the podcast for her! She is passionate about making a difference and helping people. 

Kathy is the Founder and CEO of Dawson & Dawson, Inc. She serves as the firm’s Nonprofit Liaison, and oversees the Executive & Retained Search, Temporary & Contract Staffing, and Business Development practices. She is a Certified Staffing Professional with over 30 years of experience in the local and national marketplace. Prior to establishing Dawson & Dawson, Kathy served as a Regional Vice President for a National Search and Staffing firm in which she managed 120 employees with revenues up to $120M.

Her pay-it-forward philosophy drives her extracurricular activities. Kathy currently sits on the board at Veterans Legal Institute, an organization offering pro bono legal assistance to homeless, at risk, disabled and low income current and former service members. She has served as President for the National Association of Women Business Owners-Orange County, Forum Vice-Chair for the Women’s Business Enterprise Council and President of the Women’s Business Institute. 

She has a heart for non-profits such as Working Wardrobes, Women Helping Women, Youth Employment Services, Girls Inc., and Second Harvest Food Bank. 

Connect with Kathy to learn more about her and her background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathydawson/
• On Deck with Dawson & Dawson = https://www.dawsondawsoninc.com/category/on-deck-with-dawson-dawson/

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website. 

"When you want something, the universe conspires to helping you achieve it."  "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." These are some of Nadine Chapman’s favorite quotes and they have changed her life. Oh, and we talk about how your "dinosaur tail" gets in your way. It is the start of a great conversation! 

Nadine started her career in the Federal Government as an attorney and rose up the ranks quickly. When she was 30 years old and had her “good government job” (per her mother), she decided to give it up and restart her career at the World Bank. She dreamed of working at the World Bank since she was a little girl. 

This took courage to make a significant change when most people would have said “stay in your safe job” but yet she moved out of her comfort zone. And, her goal-orientation got her ready…she had a vision and a goal for the future. She was resilient as she got knocked down at her new job because it was vastly different from her role in the government. All the while she listened to the voice inside her that told her to move, do more and fly. Her story is incredibly personal and infused with amazing advice! 

Nadine is currently the Manager of Mediation Services for the World Bank Group (WBG), an International Finance Institution that employs over 30,000 staff world-wide.  In that capacity, she manages a decentralized team that provides employment mediation, facilitation, organizational consulting and training.  She joined the WBG in 2000 as a Mediation Officer.  Nadine has held several senior positions within the WBG, and has extensive experience handling complex employment case matters and is a trained mediator, facilitator, arbitrator and trainer.  Prior to joining the WBG she served as an Attorney Adviser and Dispute Resolution Specialist for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  She has also served as an adjunct professor at the Howard University School of Law and Catholic University of America.  Nadine has an interest in empowering individuals, in particular women.  To that end, she has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences and events.   She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Howard University and a Juris Doctorate Degree from the Catholic University of America School of Law.

Connect with Nadine to learn more about her and her background:

• LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadine-chapman-79201910/

Sign up for our newsletter at https://abbraccigroup.com/. Please subscribe, leave a review and tell your friends about our podcast. Learn more about the CHARGE® model by purchasing the book, The Way of the HR Warrior. Let us know about the moments for you that changed your life trajectory. Drop us a note via our website.