From illiteracy to gang activity, my guest’s childhood prepared him for nothing less than a life of crime and violence. Sentenced to more than 100 years in prison, his journey from the prison yard to Harvard Yard, and a life-changing epiphany, is why he has spent every day of his freedom using his voice as an ambassador of hope.

Mark Victor Hansen and his wife, Crystal Hansen, are internationally acclaimed motivational speakers, entrepreneurs and authors. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Their work hinges on the difference between having just a little bit of success versus being hugely successful, work they say comes down to asking the right questions.

Phoebe Leona is an author, speaker, dancer, teacher and guide whose journey from a chaotic home life, trauma, and personal loss to one of emotional recovery, has led her on a mission to help others heal their own lives.

He was a basketball phenom, and a drug addict who threw away his NBA career and almost his life. “I was willing to self-destruct…from the age of 18-32, I took a chance on dying every day, every single day.” Chris Herren is now sober and is making a positive difference in millions of people’s lives.

If you’ve ever had a Sam Adams beer, you may know that it originated in Boston, Massachusetts. But what you may not know is that the woman behind making it a household brand, and a behemoth in the industry, didn’t even drink beer when she co-founded the company. Rhonda Kallman is a whiskey drinker, and today is distilling her own spirits and liquors.

At the age of nine, my guest was in a horrific fire that burned 100% of his body and nearly killed him. And yet, he survived. Now, through his own bravery and will to live a full life, John O’Leary is on a quest to help each of us relearn how to live in awe and wonder.

When a car accident nearly took his life, it also gave Dr. Richard Shuster a reboot and now he’s on a mission to make the world a better place.

If you pay attention, life can give you clues to help you live your best life. And Kute Blackson is a believer in that, having taught, and written, on the topic. He is a transformational teacher, best-selling author and proponent of using our innate GPS to guide us.

For Richard Newman, the idea of “finding your voice” has personal meaning. As a young child, Richard was shy, introverted and believed there was something wrong with him. He ultimately learned to overcome this challenge in the most unique of ways while living at a Tibetan monastery as a young adult.

Sometimes life sends you down a path that you never expected. That’s exactly what happened to Joanne Peterson, who went from being an Executive Secretary to Founder and Executive Director of an organization that is helping families dealing with addiction and recovery.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States and I am joined by Dr. Felicia Speed who has a lot of experience in this topic of mental health as the Vice President of Social Work Services at Fresenius Medical Care North America.

Alisa’s career touched all sides of accounting and consulting before she made the decision to leap into the entrepreneurial world of leadership coaching.

After a challenging childhood impacted by bullying, emotional struggle, and family loss, Molly navigated a series of “next chapters,” from professional golfer to stand-up comedian, before finding true joy when she left it all behind.

An abusive childhood led Jenna to self-harm before the birth of her own child changed her perspective. Now a successful entrepreneur, author, and podcast host, Jenna teaches us the value of self-love in leading a successful life.

Adrion Porter hit a mid-career slump. Seeking to re-energize, he made a change that led him down a new path. Now a speaker and mid-career strategist, Adrion seeks to help others to “…reframe, rethink, reset, reenergize, [and] recalculate…”

A break from a toxic relationship empowered Fauzia to stand up for herself, to find joy, and to help others do the same.

As a corporate executive, Deepa Purushothaman was no stranger to a high stress and hectic work life, made stronger by the difficulties of navigating the position as a woman of color. However, after suffering a series of health issues, Deepa decided to put her health and happiness first, and left corporate America.

“Think with your heart,” says Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino. “…when your heart speaks…use that as a beacon.”

Catherine Wood’s mission to find herself took her abroad and back—and through several jobs—before, in a breakthrough, she found coaching. Branching out as an entrepreneur, Cat became a certified life coach, where she now works to help people overcome their inner critic, find joy, create impact in their lives and in the lives of others.

From dancer, to costume designer, to renowned portrait photographer, Tina Krohn has touched many areas of the art world and it is this path, she says, that has allowed her to succeed in capturing the spirit of her subjects in her work today.