Beyond 6 Seconds

Corinna Bellizzi is a natural products industry executive and social benefit entrepreneur. In her professional life as the head of marketing and sales for her clients, she champions social benefit programs to enhance brand development and company impact. In January 2021 she launched her show, “Care More. Be Better: A Social Impact + Sustainability Podcast” to amplify the efforts of inspired individuals and conscious companies. Through Care More. Be Better, she shares their stories in an effort to show us all that one person with one idea can have a big impact. No subject is off limits -- as she covers topics from refugee relief to payday lending and everything in-between. During this episode, you will hear Corinna talk about: How she wanted to create an impact on the world with her podcast The “Calls to Action” she includes for her listeners on her podcast How important it is to donate time and skills to organizations Why it is important to connect with others, even if they are far away How her podcast helpe

Linda Maloney served 20 years in the Navy and was one of the first women in U.S. history in 1993 to join a combat military flying squadron. She was designated a Naval Flight Officer (NFO) and is the recipient of numerous military awards, including the distinguished air medal for combat. She also was the first woman to eject from a Martin Baker ejection seat from her A-6 aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean. She retired from the Navy in 2004 and started her second career as a defense contractor, author and business owner. Linda is currently the CEO of Women Veteran Speakers, the first speaker’s agency of its kind that exclusively offers exceptional women military veterans as event speakers, trainers, coaches and facilitators. She is also the Project Director for the Proudly She Served project, which highlights women who serve or who have served in the U.S. military and tells their stories. During this episode, Linda shares: Her story of ejecting from her aircraft What it was like being one of the first women in a

Kuda Biza is a serial entrepreneur who started his first company when he was 9 years old in Zimbabwe. Over the course of 10 years he has successfully launched 6 businesses. Currently, he is the co-founder & CMO of Nunbelievable, a socially-conscious baked goods company that donates meals for every box of cookies sold. He is also the co-founder of #ThisIsMyEra, a personal development brand, and Signables, a sports collectibles brand. Kuda also founded the Amani Hope Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to empower underprivileged children by providing scholarships. During this episode, you will hear Kuda talk about: How a desire for an ice cream as a child led him to fall in love with entrepreneurship How he picks the focus areas for his businesses Why it’s important for entrepreneurs to make mistakes they can learn from and take conscious risks every day How his non-profit organization aligns with the goals of his socially conscious businesses Learn more about Kuda at his website

Chien-Chi Huang is the founder of the Asian Breast Cancer Project and the Executive Director of Asian Women for Health, a peer-led, community-based network dedicated to advancing Asian women's health and wellbeing through education, advocacy and support.   During this episode, you will hear Chien-Chi talk about: How her personal experience with breast cancer inspired her to start the Asian Breast Cancer Project How Asian Women for Health has helped Asian women speak out about their experiences with racism and isolation during the pandemic Her own experience with racism – and how it led her to create the “Racism is a Virus” public service announcement video Her career journey in Taiwan and the United States, through advertising, video production and motherhood How “The Three Cs” method can help people interrupt their negative thinking and support their mental well-being On June 5, 2021, join Chien-Chi at the Asian American Mental Health Forum! The event is free and open to all. Register at http://bit.ly/AAMH

TW/CW: War, violent imagery, PTSD Diana Oestreich is an activist, veteran, nurse, and relentless practitioner of peace. She is the founder of the Waging Peace Project, a movement activating everyday peacemakers to commit acts of courage for the sake of justice, rooted in relentless love. In her first book, “Waging Peace,” she shares her experience serving in Iraq as a combat medic and her choice to wage peace during wartime and after returning home. During this episode, Diana shares: What it was like being deployed at age 23 to the “War on Terror,” as part of the Army National Guard What her daily life was like in Iraq as a combat medic The critical moment of conflict between her faith in God and her duty as a soldier that changed her forever -- and compelled her to wage peace in a place of war How her friendship with a local Iraqi woman changed how she thought about the “enemy” The challenges she faced after returning home, and why she was silent for many years about her experiences in Iraq How she learned

Kevin Allen is a classically trained pianist, music producer, math teacher, guest speaker, entrepreneur and YouTuber. From spending 12 years working in the corporate world, to becoming a middle school math teacher, to really diving into music and content creation, Kevin has had a diverse and multi-creative career journey. He has been making music for about 15 years and just recently decided to begin sharing his content with the world through his podcast and YouTube channel. During this episode, you will hear Kevin talk about: How he started making music as a young child, then rekindled his passion for music as an adult Why he created his YouTube channel, K_AL Experience The story behind his corporate career -- how he got his first job while still in college, the different roles he held, and his decision to move on to pursue teaching How he balances his teaching, tutoring business, and YouTube channel How networking has been critical to growing his career The multi-creative “dream guests” he’d like to intervi

Hunter Hansen is an autistic content creator on YouTube and Instagram and a blogger on thelifeautistic.com. After discovering his autism in his late teens, Hunter tried to outgrow and suppress his autistic traits for years, until coming to terms and embracing his identity as an autistic adult. He has since turned that suppression into passion, advocating for greater understanding and appreciation of autism and autistic people. Hunter works for a major company as a business analyst and lives in the Denver area with his wife and three daughters. During this episode, you will hear Hunter talk about: The origin of his blog -- and why he decided to shift his blog’s initial focus and start writing about his autism What inspired him to start The Life Autistic channel on YouTube His process for creating his videos -- and why he never runs out of idea topics How Instagram Reels helped him expand his audience further His advocacy goals for helping companies create better workplaces for autistic employees and get the m

TW/CW: Mentions of domestic violence Nichelle Walker is a passionate community service advocate who encourages people to take responsibility for doing things that matter within their local communities. She sees community service as a way to find local solutions to national and global problems. Nichelle is also a survivor of domestic violence; her experience further cultivated a need inside of her to give back to others. During this episode, you will hear Nichelle talk about: How her passion for community service started at a young age How she believes that even the smallest actions can help the community How she learns from the girls that she mentors through BUILT BY GIRLS How her experience as a domestic violence survivor led her to change her life and help other people in similar situations The community service she has done on a national and global scale, in both the US and UK How community service has helped her make new connections and learn about different cultures, despite the isolation of the pandemi

Julia Ward is an actor and filmmaker whose award-winning documentary, in.clu.sion, is raising awareness about the authentic representation of people with disabilities in the media. Julia is also a senior in high school, and filmed in.clu.sion during lockdown in 2020. During this episode, Julia shares: How her brother Spencer inspired her to film in.clu.sion The challenges and benefits of filming during lockdown -- including how she got interviews with actors Cole Sibus and Mat Fraser and director Peter Farrelly How her film discusses issues with the representation of people with disabilities in movies and television The reaction her film has received from the public Her goals and plans for the future You can watch in.clu.sion on Amazon Prime and find out more about Julia on her official website. Watch the video of this interview on YouTube! Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for all the latest news and updates about my podcast! Click here for the episode transcript.

If your employees spent their workdays engrossed in colorful LEGO® bricks, what would you think? If you're David Kokai, you'd probably think that business is good!  David founded a company devoted to the LEGO® secondary market when he left the corporate world to start WE LOVE WHAT YOU BUILD (WLWYB), a LEGO® parts dealer. WLWYB operates their breakthrough platform, MOCHUB, which allows LEGO® builders to share their work and make money with their creations. WLWYB is a neurodiverse workplace that employs autistic people in key parts of their business, and recognizes that the diversity within their teams makes their company stronger. During this episode, David and Lili talk about: How David’s interest in data science inspired him to start a LEGO®-focused business Why they decided to create a neurodiverse and autism-friendly work environment at their company How they recruit and employ autistic people in key parts of their business and build a work environment that is safe, effective and a great place to grow for

Kevin M. Yates is a learning & development leader with a career spanning 20+ years, a sought-after expert in the field of learning measurement, a global public speaker and e-book author... and as a Black man living and working in the U.S., he sometimes feels he is mistakenly seen as a "unicorn." On this episode, Kevin talks about what he means by “unicorn” and how it relates to his experiences as a Black man living and working in the United States. He speaks candidly about the impact of race in his professional and personal life. We also talk about how the racial and social justice movements of 2020 have further inspired Kevin to live in authenticity by being transparent about his whole self and experiences, because as he puts it, “living in duality is too much work.” Find out more about Kevin on his website, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Twitter, on LinkedIn, and on YouTube. Get your free copy of Kevin’s e-book, “L&D Detective Kit for Solving Impact Mysteries©” Listen to my previous Beyond 6 Seconds

Elaine Montilla is an accomplished senior executive who has been an IT leader in higher education for two decades. As an immigrant, Latina, lesbian woman, Elaine has overcome many challenges to build her successful IT career. She is currently Chief Information Officer and Assistant Vice President for Information Technology at The City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center, a Forbes Technology Council member and contributor, and an AMA Women’s Leadership Center presenter. Elaine is also a TEDx speaker and the founder of 5xminority.com, a company and social media brand dedicated to empowering women and minorities, especially in tech, with a mission to demonstrate how businesses can be powerful platforms for social change.  During this episode, you will hear Elaine talk about: What inspired her to start 5xminority.com Her story of moving from the Dominican Republic to New York and discovering her interest in IT while attending college, where she learned English and programming language at the same time

Courtney Stewart is the Founder and CEO of LipRevolt, a cosmetics brand specializing in lipstick that promotes social activism. Through LipRevolt, Courtney aims to inspire people to fight for what they believe in and to speak up for others. LipRevolt donates 15 percent of its net profits to organizations that support women’s rights, civil rights, and LGBTQ rights. Courtney started her career in public service after receiving her BA in Political Science from Spelman College and MS in Terrorism and Homeland Security Policy from American University. Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual assault and abuse, and an incident of racism and violence. During this episode, you will hear Courtney talk about: How her personal experiences, the #metoo movement and the importance of using your voice inspired the creation of LipRevolt  Why she decided to support nonprofits with her own business' profits How she learned to run a beauty business as a newcomer to the beauty industry Her future plans for LipR

Heneka Watkis-Porter is an entrepreneur, coach, 5x author and international speaker. As the host of The Entrepreneurial You Podcast, she has interviewed Richard Branson, John Lee Dumas, Seth Godin and many other influencers. Heneka is also the creator of the Caribbean’s first virtual conference and expo: The Entrepreneurial You Virtual SME Conference & Expo. She hosts Leadercast events in Jamaica and writes for the Leadercast blog and Thrive Global. During this episode, Heneka shares her experience and advice about what makes a leader worth following, including: What she learned about leadership from starting her own business The importance of sharing feedback and showing vulnerability as a leader Her experience with burnout, how she recovered, and why it’s important to make time for self-care (especially for leaders) How she gets opportunities to interview famous leadership experts on her podcast – and what makes their advice so powerful How mentors can help entrepreneurs and other leaders succeed To l

On the Beyond 6 Seconds end of year episode for 2020, host Carolyn Kiel talks with fellow podcaster Laura Joyce Davis, the host of the Shelter in Place podcast. We discuss our experiences podcasting in 2020: how it has helped us cope with the challenges and isolation of this year, inspired our creativity, and allowed us to make connections and share powerful stories. Plus, we discover our mutual background in a cappella singing, and how it impacts the way we podcast! Listen to Laura’s podcast, Shelter in Place, at shelterinplacepodcast.info. Learn more about the things we reference during this episode: Goodnight America (song by Miko Marks)  Podcast conferences: She Podcasts Live Conference and Werk It Festival  The MetropoliTones (Carolyn’s a cappella singing group)  Laura’s solo song from her a cappella group (Tangled Up in Blue) that was included in the Best of College A Cappella 2002 collection.  Watch the video of this interview on YouTube! Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for all the

Jenny Delacruz is a Haitian-American writer, a licensed counselor and the founder of Cobbs Creek Publishing. She is a wife and mom of 2 boys. Born and raised in New York, she has always been aware of the importance of diversity and how each person has a story that weaves back to generations. Jenny’s passion for teaching her children about world history and current events led her to pursue writing and launch her own educational children’s book series. She has written 2 picture books, "Fridays With Ms. Mélange: Haiti" and "Momma, Can I Sleep with You Tonight?" which helps children cope with the impact of COVID-19. She recently released her first nonfiction book for adults called "How Was Your Summer? Fostering Critical Conversations with Students." It’s a guide for parents and teachers to nurture mental health in kids from grades K-12. During this episode, you will hear Jenny talk about: How she wrote her first book for her son who wanted to learn more about Haiti, which led her to start Cobbs Creek Publishing

"Are you happy in your heart?" My next guest, Sarah Worlton, first began hearing this question while volunteering during a humanitarian expedition in Guatemala. More than a decade later, Sarah has led numerous humanitarian expeditions to villages in Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico and Nepal. She also hosts the "Are You Happy In Your Heart?" podcast, which was inspired by what her volunteer work has taught her about life, purpose and happiness. On this episode, Sarah shares how her humanitarian work and the challenges of 2020 have helped her grow as a person and led her to become a public speaker, podcaster and life coach. To find out more about Sarah and her podcast, visit her official website www.sarahjworlton.com or her Instagram @sjworlton.   Special offer: Through the end of 2020, Sarah is offering free 30-minute life coaching sessions for Beyond 6 Seconds listeners! Email her at sarah.worlton at gmail.com for more information. Watch the video of this interview on YouTube! Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds

Lena Cohen-Hawkins is an international speaker, powerhouse business consultant, three-time author, and corporate trainer. As a master’s level clinician and executive coach, Lena counsels people on how to access, understand, and regulate emotions, in order to excel in the real world and find fulfillment in their careers and personal lives. She has worked with companies like CBS, Prudential Financial, United Way and The United States Army, and has shared her story on the TED Talks stage. During this episode, Lena and I talk about her third book, “Brilliant Resilience,” which was published in July 2020, including: How a surprise phone call from an old friend made her new book her passion project for 2020 How she turned a major disappointment in her career into a new start How her self-awareness and faith allowed her to move forward in the face of trauma, loss and disappointment How sometimes, support comes from the most unlikely places To find out more about Lena and her work, you can find her on her official

We often talk about "finding your passion" in life ... but what happens when you find your passion, and then you feel it fade away? Where do you go from there? According to Ryan Mason, you find a different dream and make it come true. Ryan is the Founder and CEO of two successful businesses. The first is Luxe Brand, America's leading luxury shoelace provider, which has been featured on Good Morning America, the NFL Network, in Foot Locker stores, and on more than 30 athletes and celebrities -- and the other is BizBuzz, which provides integrated marketing automation software and services for more than 250 small and medium-sized businesses. Yahoo recently named Ryan one of its Top 12 Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2020. During this episode, you will hear Ryan talk about: His promising early football career -- and why it came to an end during his college years How an Instagram post set him on the path to building his new creative business idea -- and the hard work and focus it took to make his idea a reality How Lux

Rebekah Bastian is the CEO & Co-founder of OwnTrail, an online platform that connects, mentors and empowers women as they share their personal and professional journeys and experiences. Previously, Rebekah was Vice President of Product and Vice President of Community and Culture at Zillow. She is the author of the book “Blaze Your Own Trail,” a contributor to Forbes and a frequent speaker on social impact, career navigation and corporate diversity. During this episode, you will hear Rebekah talk about: How she grew her career at Zillow, and how her experiences there helped inspire her to write her book and create OwnTrail Why so many women are still not getting the mentoring support they need, and how OwnTrail helps address this problem by providing access to "micro-acts of mentorship" that women may not otherwise receive How OwnTrail is different from other online networking sites Why it’s important for women to share both their personal and professional journeys with each other Find out more about Own