The UNBLOCK Yourself Podcast: Finding Clarity in Career Paths and Career Pivots

Jim Moss spent more than a decade playing professional hockey and lacrosse, represented Team Canada, captained teams at nearly every level he played, and built much of his life and identity around being an athlete. In 2009, Jim developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition that attacked his nervous system. His athletic career came to an abrupt end, and he found himself facing a very different kind of challenge: recovering physically while figuring out who he was without sport at the centre of his life. During his time in the hospital and rehab, Jim started noticing something. The mood of the people caring for him mattered. The way they interacted with each other mattered. And the gratitude and care he showed them seemed to change the experience for everyone involved. That curiosity eventually led Jim back to university and into the study of happiness, workplace well-being and culture. He went on to build Plasticity alongside his wife, Jennifer Moss, and today his work has led him somewhere new: exploring what he calls the physics of care. At the heart of Jim’s thinking is a simple idea: care isn’t just something that feels good. It builds trust, changes how willing we are to take risks with one another, and can create real value in our relationships, communities and businesses. In this episode, we talk about: • Jim’s career playing professional hockey and lacrosse • Representing Team Canada and returning to coaching • Developing Guillain-Barré syndrome and having to rebuild his life • Losing the identity that came with being an athlete • The unexpected role gratitude played in his recovery • Building Plasticity Labs with his wife, Jennifer Moss • What Jim learned studying happiness, workplace culture and well-being • Why trust matters so much in healthy communities • Transactional trust vs. relational trust • Jim’s idea of the physics of care • The three Cs: caring, careful and careless • Why care can be a competitive advantage in business • How small moments of carelessness can create much bigger problems • Why, once you start looking for care, you begin to see it everywhere Jim will also be joining us at Waypoint Retreat this September for a session called The Entrepreneur’s Edge: How Care Can Be Your Competitive Advantage, where we’ll get to take these ideas even further. This conversation gave us a whole new language for something we’ve always believed: the little things really are the big things. And maybe the reason they matter so much is actually pretty simple. Because they show people we care. EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES Jim Moss: The SMILE CEO Jim Moss on Instagram Jim Moss on LinkedIn We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

If you’ve listened to the podcast lately, you’ve probably heard us mention What to Make of a Life by Jim Collins. We’ve talked about this book A LOT. Or, more accurately, Greg has talked about this book a lot. So we figured it was finally time to dedicate an episode to it. In this conversation, we unpack three of the biggest ideas from the book: cliffs, fog, and encodings. We start with cliffs . The moments in life that change the direction you were heading. A career change, a loss, retirement, a move, or something completely unexpected. Some cliffs we see coming and others we don’t, but they create a before and after in our lives. Then comes fog . That uncertain period after a cliff when the life you knew has changed, but you haven’t quite figured out what comes next. We talk about why fog is a natural part of change and why some periods of it last much longer than others. But the idea we spend the most time on is encodings . Collins describes encodings as the unique combination of natural gifts, capabilities, and attributes we’re each born with. When the way we’re living allows us to use those encodings, we’re “in frame.” We feel energized, engaged, and more like ourselves. When we spend too much of our lives outside of them, we can start to languish. We also get into: why being good at something doesn’t necessarily mean you’re encoded for it why your encodings can only really be discovered through action and trying new things what it means to be “in frame” versus “out of frame” how the frame around our lives changes, even when our encodings don’t the idea of “flipping the arrow of money” and how understanding what energizes you can help you build a life with more of it This isn’t about quitting your job, blowing up your life, or turning everything you love into a career. It’s about understanding yourself a little better and asking whether the life you’re building gives you enough opportunities to use the things that are already inside you. There’s a reason this book keeps finding its way into our conversations. We hope you enjoy this one. EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES What to Make of a Life by Jim Collins Jim Collins — Official Website Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans “There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing” by Adam Grant We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

Long before he was the co-founder of StopGap, Luke Anderson was the guy at Boyd Sports blasting Nirvana from the back of the shop, the cool older employee at the store owned by Greg’s dad, and someone who inspired a young Greg to get on a mountain bike in the first place. This episode is as much a reunion as it is an interview. In 2011, that choice helped lead to the creation of StopGap, an organization that builds brightly coloured ramps and raises awareness about the importance of accessibility. What started with 13 business owners in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood has since grown into a movement reaching communities all over Canada. This is a conversation about resilience, choice, accessibility, and what can happen when we take the hardest parts of our story and use them to make things better for someone else. In this episode, we talk about: • Growing up in Stouffville and working at Boyd Sports • Studying civil engineering and falling in love with the West Coast • The 2002 mountain biking crash that led to Luke’s spinal cord injury • Grief, loss, and learning to navigate a very different way of life • Hitting literal barriers as a wheelchair user in downtown Toronto • Co-founding StopGap with Michael Hopkins in 2011 • Why accessible design benefits everyone • Choosing action over frustration • Meeting Rampman, StopGap’s colourful mascot • How to get involved with StopGap’s mission We laughed, we got emotional, and we walked away with a whole new appreciation for how much of our world still isn’t built with everyone in mind, and how much can happen when one person decides to do something about it. EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES StopGap Website StopGap on Instagram StopGap on Facebook StopGap (and Rampman!) on Youtube Donate to StopGap Luke Anderson on LinkedIn We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

Nancy Corcoran has never been afraid to chase an adventure. Years ago, she and her husband John sold their dream home, bought a sailboat, and spent the next twelve years splitting their time between the Bahamas and a 200-acre property in rural Ontario. That property would eventually become Whispering Springs Wilderness Retreat, one of Canada's most unique glamping destinations and the place where we now host our annual Waypoint Retreat. But this conversation is about much more than building a beautiful business. Nancy shares the heartbreaking story of her granddaughter, Ayla, who suffered a severe brain injury at birth, forever changing the course of their family's life. Rather than allowing tragedy to define them, Nancy and their family have dedicated themselves to creating hope for other families through Camp Moonlight, the We Love Joy Foundation, and Ask Ayla—the world's first AI companion built from the lived experience of raising a child with cerebral palsy. It's a conversation about adventure, entrepreneurship, grief, resilience, advocacy, and the incredible things that can happen when you choose to turn pain into purpose. In this episode, we discuss: Why Nancy and John sold everything to buy a sailboat and chase adventure The story behind building Whispering Springs Wilderness Retreat Creating spaces that help people disconnect, reconnect, and slow down Why entrepreneurs often need to trust intuition more than certainty The life-changing birth of Nancy's granddaughter, Ayla What it's really like for families navigating a birth injury and cerebral palsy diagnosis How Camp Moonlight is creating community for families raising children with disabilities The We Love Joy Foundation and its mission to spread kindness, empathy, and inclusion The creation of Ask Ayla, the world's first AI companion built from lived experience How AI can transform caregiving and support families around the world Why Nancy believes our greatest pain can become our greatest purpose The importance of creating a more compassionate and inclusive world for children with disabilities Enjoy this conversation with Nancy Corcoran. EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCE S Whispering Springs Glamping Resort We Love Joy Foundation Ask Ayla Camp Moonlight Book: I’m Who I’m Meant To Be Waypoint Retreat We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. During the conversation, Nancy referenced a statistic that may sound like "1 in 4 births." The correct statistic is 1 in 400 births.

Brie Pointer is one of those people who lights up every room she walks into. She's an independent designer, illustrator, farmer, and community builder living in the Waterloo Region. She's also one of the most authentically joyful people we've ever met. At first glance, this conversation starts with colour. Why Brie wears it. Why it matters. And why embracing who you truly are can give other people permission to do the same. But as the conversation unfolds, we discover that her colourful spirit wasn't something that came easily. After losing both of her parents less than two years apart, Brie found herself navigating unimaginable grief while raising two young daughters, running a business, farming, and trying to rediscover herself. She shares, with incredible honesty, how she slowly found her way back to joy, why community became more important than ever, and what she's learned about living intentionally when life doesn't go according to plan. Brie has a contagious energy that's impossible not to be drawn to, but what makes her truly remarkable is her ability to hold both joy and grief at the same time. This is a conversation about authenticity, resilience, finding your people, and discovering that sometimes the brightest colours come after the darkest seasons. In this episode, we talk about: Why colour became such an important part of Brie's life Finding authenticity in business and personal branding Why confidence comes from embracing who you already are The role community plays in navigating life's hardest seasons Losing both of her parents in less than two years How grief changed her perspective on relationships and life Learning to choose joy again, one small step at a time Why vulnerability creates deeper human connection The importance of reflection and spending time with yourself What to do when you feel stuck or disconnected from who you are We laughed, we cried, and we left reminded that life isn't about avoiding the hard seasons. It's about finding the courage to keep showing up, keep loving people well, and maybe even adding a little more colour along the way. This episode is lovingly dedicated to Brie's parents, Brian and Marion (Gail) Pointer, whose love, kindness, and legacy continue to shine through Brie every single day. EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES Brie Pointer Website Brie Pointer on Instagram Wayward Farm Website Wayward Farm on Instagram Buy Wayward Roaster Coffee Wayward Roaster on Instagram The Three Wellness Den 1880 We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

Kyle Ferrigan spends his days helping everyone from professional athletes in the NHL, NFL, CFL, and MLS to weekend warriors and active families recover from injury and get back to doing what they love. But this conversation goes far beyond physiotherapy. We talk about setbacks, identity, resilience, and what happens when life forces you to slow down. Kyle shares the story of failing his national physiotherapy exam shortly after graduation, a setback that felt devastating at the time but ultimately helped shape the career he has today. We also explore what he's learned from working with elite athletes, why recovery is often more mental than physical, and the surprising parallels between injury rehabilitation, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. Whether you're recovering from an injury, rebuilding after a setback, growing a business, or simply trying to make progress toward a meaningful goal, the lessons are remarkably similar: trust the process, focus on the next step, and play the long game. In This Episode We Talk About: • The setback that unexpectedly shaped Kyle's career • How studying psychology influences the way he approaches rehabilitation • Why recovery is often more mental than physical • Identity and what happens when something important gets taken away • Helping athletes navigate long recoveries and major injuries • What elite athletes can teach us about resilience and performance • Why the best performers focus on the process, not the outcome • The similarities between injury recovery, entrepreneurship, and personal growth • Setting short-term goals during long-term challenges • Knowing when to push harder and when to pull back • Building confidence one small win at a time • Why taking a step back can sometimes be the fastest way forward • What it means to play the long game in sport, business, and life There are a lot of parallels between recovery, business, and life, and Kyle does an incredible job connecting those dots. This episode is packed with goodness. We hope you enjoy the conversation. EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES FP Sports Rehab Kyle Ferrigan on Instagram We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

What happens when two ambitious entrepreneurs fall in love, start a family, and build separate businesses at the same time? In this episode, we sit down with Drew and Sarah (Matton) Butterworth to talk about entrepreneurship, marriage, parenthood, intentional living, and pursuing work you love. Drew is the founder of goodvibes juice co., Ontario's fastest-growing cold-pressed juice brands. After leaving a successful corporate sales career, he followed a passion for health and wellness and spent the last decade building a business from the ground up. Along the way, goodvibes juice co. appeared on Dragon's Den and has grown into a nationally recognized brand. Sarah is the founder of 10 Talent Management, one of Canada's leading talent agencies representing performers in film, television, commercials, and theatre. Before becoming an agent, Sarah spent years as a professional dancer and performer, including performing with Drayton Entertainment and working throughout the musical theatre industry. Together, they are raising two young boys while navigating the challenges and rewards of building separate businesses under the same roof. We talk about why neither of them took the traditional path, what it's really like being an entrepreneurial couple, how they balance ambition with family, and the advice they'd give anyone who feels stuck in a career that no longer feels aligned. In This Episode We Talk About: How Sarah and Drew first met (and why Sarah had to track Drew down afterwards) Leaving the security of a corporate career to start a business Building goodvibes juice co. from a single storefront into a growing brand Sarah's journey from professional dancer to talent agent Why passion matters more than chasing a paycheck The reality of entrepreneurship behind the scenes Raising young children while building businesses The advantages and challenges of being an entrepreneurial couple Why failure is often the fastest path to growth Advice for anyone feeling stuck in their career or life From entrepreneurship and marriage to young kids and big dreams, this conversation feels less like an interview and more like sitting down with friends who are figuring it out alongside you. We hope you enjoy it. EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES Connect with Drew goodvibes juice co. Website goodvibes juice co. Instagram goodvibes juice co. pitch on Dragon’s Den Connect with Sarah 10 Talent Management Website 10 Talent Management Instagram We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

We chatted with Dr. Rebecca Sutherns: speaker, strategist, facilitator, executive coach, bestselling author, and one of the wisest voices we’ve heard on the topic of navigating change. For more than 25 years, Rebecca has helped leaders and organizations move through uncertainty, transitions, and reinvention. But this conversation goes far beyond business strategy. We talk about parenting, adaptability, identity, ambition, friendships, entrepreneurship, grandparenting, and intentionally designing your life as the seasons change. Rebecca shares why she believes most people are not actually “stuck” (even when it feels like they are), why adaptability is a learnable skill, and how living an interesting life can fundamentally change the way we navigate uncertainty. In this episode, we talk about: • Why people confuse “slow” with “stuck” • The messy reality of life’s in-between seasons • Adaptability as a learnable skill • The 15 elements that make people more adaptable • Why hope is the strongest predictor of adaptability • “Optimize for interesting” and living a more expansive life • The emotional complexity of empty nesting • Values, behaviours, and how we actually make decisions • The tension between meaningful work and family life • Friendship, entrepreneurship, and evolving identity • Why transitions are rarely linear • Building a life by design • How environment shapes energy and creativity • The hidden cost of constant busyness • What Rebecca is currently reimagining in her own life Oh and we also officially fell in love with the term “Minga and Coach” as grandparent names and may steal them for ourselves one day. :) We hope you enjoy this conversation with Dr. Rebecca Sutherns. EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES Rebecca Sutherns Website Rebecca’s Podcast Page Rebecca’s Books Rebecca’s “Possibility Packs” Card Decks Learn More About Adaptability Quotient (AQ) Follow Rebecca on LinkedIn Follow Rebecca on Instagram We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

In this unforgettable conversation, we sit down with Ahmed Moneka: Iraqi Canadian actor, musician, playwright, activist, and co writer of the beautiful new musical It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken — an original story set to the timeless music of The Tragically Hip. Ahmed shares his incredible story of growing up in Baghdad and starring as a gay man in a film that was highly controversial in Iraq, which ultimately led to him being exiled from his home country. He takes us through what it was like arriving in Toronto with one suitcase, not speaking English, rebuilding his life from scratch, discovering community, busking on the streets of Toronto, falling in love, and eventually helping create one of the most moving Canadian musicals we’ve ever experienced. This episode is about so much more than theatre or music. It’s about belonging. Identity. Human connection. Art. Resilience. Immigration. Love. Canada. It’s also officially the longest episode we’ve ever released… and we won’t apologize for it. We couldn’t bring ourselves to cut a single minute. If this conversation moves you, please go see It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken . You won’t regret it! In this episode, we talk about: • Ahmed’s childhood growing up in Baghdad, Iraq • The Afro Iraqi and Sufi roots that shaped his music and identity • The controversial film that changed his life forever • Being exiled from Iraq after advocating for LGBTQ rights • Arriving in Canada with one suitcase and no English • Working in coffee shops while rebuilding his life • Discovering community in Toronto (and Kensington Market!) • Busking on the streets of Toronto and forming his band, Moskitto Bar • Falling in love with his wife • The creation of the show: It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken • Why The Tragically Hip matter so deeply to Canadians • The connection between Bobcaygeon, belonging, and identity • Art as activism and storytelling as healing • Why community and human connection matter more than ever If you enjoyed this episode, it would mean the world to us if you followed the podcast, left a rating or review, and shared this episode with someone who needs to hear it. EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES • Ahmed Moneka’s Website • Follow Ahmed on Instagram • The Musical: It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken • Listen to Ahmed’s music on Spotify We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

Just when you thought our book series was wrapped… we drop ONE more 😄 Greg goes solo for the very first time to break down Try Hard: Creative Work in Progress by Max Kerman. For anyone living under a rock (HA!), Max is the frontman of Arkells… and this book is such a cool mix of real stories, creative thinking, and what it actually takes to build something meaningful over time. This episode is really about creating something that’s actually yours… Even when it feels uncomfortable Even when you’re not sure you’re ready Even when that voice in your head is telling you to play it safe The book itself is part behind-the-scenes look at Arkells, part creative philosophy, and part kick in the ass (in the best way). In this episode, Greg keeps it simple and pulls out three ideas (because yes… he loves a good top three): Finding your people – why things change when you stop trying to do it all alone. Imposter syndrome – what it feels like and Max’s PERFECT advice for how to overcome it. The Power of Intention – how intentional focus gives each one of us the power to move mountains. There’s also something kind of perfect about this one… A solo episode about a book that’s literally about having the courage to put your work out into the world. Whether you’re an Arkells fan or not, you’ll get something out of this one. It’s a wicked reminder to stop overthinking, start creating, and just….. TRY HARD. We hope you enjoy this (first ever) solo episode! And if you don’t…well…’tuna salad’... EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES BUY Try Hard by Max Kerman Arkells Some of our Favourite Arkells Songs: What’s on your mind? (Madison’s new favourite) All Roads (our wedding entrance song) Pullin’ Punches Book Club Reckoning Makin’ Due We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

We’re wrapping up our Books That Shaped Us series with a special one… Why Are We Here by Jennifer Moss — someone we know, respect, and have actually had on the podcast before (you’ll find that episode linked below). This book is a big one. Not in size, but in depth. It’s packed with research, real-world examples, and a ton of insight into what’s actually going on in today’s workplace. And more importantly… why so many people feel disconnected, burned out, or just off. In this episode, we keep it simple and focus on three ideas that really stuck with us: Freedom – what it actually means at work today (and why it’s not just about working from home) Compassion – especially in a world where AI, change, and uncertainty are making people question their place Community – and why it’s quietly disappearing… even though we need it more than ever We also talk about our own experiences stepping away from corporate life, what it would take (if anything) to go back, and how leaders can think differently about creating environments where people actually want to show up. At its core, this book is a reminder that work isn’t just about output. It’s about people. And if we get that part right… a lot of the other stuff tends to follow. If you’re leading a team, building something of your own, or just trying to make sense of work right now… this one’s worth a listen. We hope you enjoy this episode! EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES Book Featured in This Episode Why Are We Here by Jennifer Moss Jennifer Moss on the UNBLOCK Yourself Podcast We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

We’re on episode 4 of 5 in our book series, and this week we’re diving into Essentialism by Greg McKeown. This book is all about cutting through the noise and getting clear on what’s actually ESSENTIAL and worth your time and energy. In this episode, we talk through the books three core parts and how they actually show up in real life: Explore Figuring out what you should actually be spending your time on. When everything feels important, nothing is and it’s hard to know what to prioritize. We talk about how hard that is when you’re in it, and why stepping away can help you see it more clearly. Eliminate Saying no, cutting things out, and resisting the instinct to just keep adding more. We talk about the idea that better doesn’t come from adding, it comes from subtracting, and how learning to do that well can completely change how you work and live. Execute Even when you know where you want to spend your time, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns. This part is about actually protecting your time and energy so the right things get done. We get into the idea of building in buffer and not packing your schedule so tightly that everything feels rushed or reactive. We also talk about how to say no (and why people often respect you more for it), and how success can create more noise and busyness instead of more clarity and meaningful progress. We love anything that helps people live more intentionally, and this book ABSOLUTELY delivers on that. Enjoy this conversation on Essentialism . EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES Book Featured in This Episode Essentialism by Greg McKeown We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

We’re on book 3 of 5 in our book series. This week we cover Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit by Brené Brown. At the heart of this book is a simple idea: You can’t build something strong on a broken foundation. In this conversation, we unpack what it actually means to build that foundation. Not just in leadership, but in life too. We get into the idea of grounded confidence. Not as something you either have or don’t, but something you build over time through discipline, accountability, and practice. It shows up in the small things, like doing what you don’t feel like doing, and in the bigger things, like learning how to actually trust yourself. We also spend time unpacking one of the biggest themes from the book, that leadership is about paradox. It’s not about choosing one path, but learning how to hold two things at once. Profit and purpose. Optimism and realism. Strategy and execution. Or as Brené puts it, leadership is both plumbing and poetry. Another idea we talk about is “pocket presence.” It’s the ability to stay grounded and make decisions under pressure, even when you don’t have all the information. It’s less about how you look as a leader, and more about how you show up when it actually matters. We also get into: why preparation matters more than natural ability how connection and trust drive performance and how the work you do behind the scenes is what actually shows up when it counts There’s a lot in this one. Some of it challenges you, some of it reinforces things you already know but maybe haven’t been doing. We hope you enjoy this conversation on Strong Ground . EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES Book Featured in This Episode Strong Ground by Brené Brown We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

Our book series continues with The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday. The book draws from the ancient philosophy of Stoicism and centers on a simple idea. The obstacles we face in life are not just things to get around. Often, they’re the path forward. In this episode, we break down the core ideas from the book. We talk about why the way we perceive obstacles matters more than the obstacle itself, when persistence is useful, and when resistance might actually be a signal to change direction. Greg also shares how this book impacted him personally during one of the hardest seasons of his life and why the ideas around perspective and perseverance have stayed with him for nearly a decade. If you’ve ever faced something difficult and wondered whether to keep pushing forward or pivot entirely, this conversation (and this book) offers a helpful lens to think about obstacles. Because sometimes the thing standing in your way is actually pointing the way forward. What We Talked Abou t • The Stoic philosophy behind The Obstacle Is the Way • The three disciplines Ryan Holiday highlights: perception, action, and will • Why the way we interpret obstacles shapes how we experience them • The tension between perseverance and recognizing when it may be time to pivot • Why action creates momentum when you're facing resistance • Historical examples from leaders like Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln • A real example from our own UNBLOCK Yourself program about pushing through discomfort and eventually finding the right lane We hope you enjoy this episode! EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES Book Featured in This Episode The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday The Painted Porch Bookshop (Ryan’s bookstore in Texas) We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

Welcome to Season 2 of the UNBLOCK Yourself podcast. To kick things off this season, we’re trying something new. We’re diving into a handful of books that shaped our thinking this past year and pulling out the ideas that actually stuck with us. Think of it as the conversation after you finish a great book. The big takeaways. The ideas we kept circling back to days later. If you’ve ever had a growing stack of books on your nightstand and zero time to read them, this series is for you. We’ll read them, wrestle with them, challenge them, and share what’s worth carrying forward. And if something sparks for you, you can always go deeper. The first book in the series is The Third Door by Alex Banayan. At twenty years old, Banayan set out to crack the code of success by interviewing icons like Maya Angelou, Quincy Jones, Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, and Tim Ferriss. With no money and no connections, he found unconventional ways into rooms most people never get near, including hacking The Price Is Right to fund his mission. In this episode, Greg breaks down the core ideas from the book while Whitney reacts in real time, asks the questions you might be thinking, and connects the dots to our own work and life. We unpack what it really means to look for the “third door,” why easy might actually be a red flag, and how having a clear mission tends to attract the right people into your orbit. If you’ve ever felt like everyone else got the VIP pass and you’re stuck waiting in line, this one will challenge you to look for the alley door instead. What We Talked About • What Alex means by “The Third Door” and why it matters • How Alex funded his dream by winning on The Price Is Right • Why easy can be a bad signal • The difference between a linear life and an exponential life • The notion of “Adventure Happens to the Adventurous” • How to ask bold questions and reach out to people you admire • Why storytelling is a leadership skill • When you find your mission and you’ll find your people We hope you enjoy this episode! EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES Book Featured in This Episode The Third Door by Alex Banayan Referenced People & Stories Maya Angelou Quincy Jones Bill Gates Lady Gaga Tim Ferriss Warren Buffett The Price Is Right We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter UNBLOCK Yourself™ Program Corporate Programming Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED. You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey. We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.

This is our last episode of season one. Instead of an interview, it is just the two of us reflecting on our first year building Vienna Waits and looking back on the moments from 2025 that really stood out. Since we are clearly very cool parents, we are jumping on the Six Seven trend and sharing six or seven moments from the year. We each came with our own list and did not compare notes ahead of time, so part of the fun was seeing where we overlapped and where we surprised each other. This conversation is reflective, honest, and very much us. It is a chance to slow down, look back, and close out the season before we turn the page. We will be taking a short break through the holidays and will be back in early 2026 with season two and some new ideas for the podcast. Thank you for being part of season one. We’re really grateful you’re here. Episode Links: Free Year End Reflection Guide Apply for our UNBLOCK Yourself Program We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.

We met Jon on a dock in Northern Ontario this past summer. He was here on holiday with his family from Sweden… and it turns out Jon is a big deal in Sweden (although we learned that from a mutual friend… Jon is much too humble to admit that). He runs the biggest supporter podcast for Malmö FF, has regular appearances on TV and YouTube, and has a deep marketing background that makes him one of those quietly brilliant people you want to learn from. Jon is passionate, authentic and the kind of person who built a whole creative career by following what actually gave him energy instead of what looked good on paper. This conversation goes everywhere in the best way. Football, chasing creative joy, burnout, ADHD, entrepreneurship, authenticity, AI tools, marketing do’s and don’ts, and why he’d happily eat canned tuna every day if it meant he could keep doing what he loves. Here are some highlights from our chat: • How a simple walk with a friend turned into the biggest supporter podcast for Malmö FF • The surreal moment Spotify reached out • Why he refuses to give up creative independence • The highs and lows of having thousands of passionate fans emailing you weekly • How ADHD and burnout pushed him to finally leave corporate life • The marketing advice he gave us that applies to literally every business • The AI tools he swears by and why SEO is shifting fast • His advice for anyone who feels stuck or scared to start something new Enjoy this conversation with Jon Nordström. Episode Links & Resources: Radio 1910 Podcast (Jon’s podcast for Malmö FF) The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron The Heart of Buddha’s Teachings by Thich Nhat Hanh Lovable Dev (AI website creator Jon loves) We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.

David Priemer is the Founder and Chief Sales Scientist of Cerebral Selling and is often called the “Sales Professor” for his unique blend of science, empathy, and storytelling. His approaches to sales and leadership have been featured in the Harvard Business Review , Forbes , Entrepreneur , and Inc. . He is also the author of two bestselling books, Sell the Way You Buy and The Sales Leader They Need , and a keynote speaker who has inspired audiences around the world. In this episode, David shares how his path from scientist to sales leader shaped his belief that selling is not about pressure, it is about connection. We talk about his experience preparing for his TED Talk, his cancer diagnosis and the perspective it gave him, and how writing became one of the most powerful ways to clarify his thinking and crystallize ideas. He also reminds us that we often overestimate the risk of change , and that doing hard things for their own sake can reshape how we lead and live. 🎧 Tune in to hear us talk about: How a scientist found his calling in sales and leadership The power of empathy and belief-driven selling Overestimating risk and learning to take bold steps Writing as a tool for clarity and conviction Lessons from cancer and what it taught him about trust and gratitude The connection between science, storytelling, and sales Why hard things often become the things that matter most Enjoy this conversation with David Priemer. Episode Links & Resources: Cerebral Selling Website David Priemer on LinkedIn Cerebral Selling on YouTube Book: Sell The Way You Buy Book: The Sales Leader They Need Book: The One Thing We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.

Alex Mustakas built one of Canada’s most successful theatre companies from a single small-town stage in Drayton, Ontario. He’s an actor, theatre director, and the Founder and CEO of Drayton Entertainment which is a not-for-profit that’s now home to seven theatres, hundreds of artists and staff, and some of the absolute best live performances in the country. In this episode, Alex shares his journey from immigrating to Canada from Cyprus to finding his place in the arts and building a legacy that blends creativity, business, and heart. We talk about how community, connection, and a whole lot of persistence shaped his path. In this episode we covered: Growing up as an immigrant kid and chasing big dreams in a new country The friendship and “that’ll never work” moments with The Wealthy Barber author David Chilton Building Drayton Entertainment from one tiny playhouse to a seven-theatre powerhouse Running a world-class theatre company with zero government funding Creating the Drayton Youth Academy and teaching life skills through the arts The little things (like flowers in the theatre washrooms) that end up being the big things How Alex is shaping his legacy and passing the torch Alex was such a pleasure to chat with. He’s living proof that when you mix heart with hustle, the standing ovation eventually comes. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Alex Mustakas LINKS & RESOURCES: Drayton Entertainment Website Drayton Entertainment on Instagram Drayton Youth Academy on Instagram The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton If It Ain’t Broke… Break It! by Robert Kriegel We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.

In this episode, we sit down with Sam Yarborough (former Chief Growth Officer, partnerships and GTM leader, podcast host, and co-founder of Arcadia) for a conversation about courage, harmony and building something meaningful with the person you love. After years in the SaaS world leading partnership strategy within the Salesforce ecosystem, Sam had what many would call a dream career (big title, big impact, big paycheck) but she felt disconnected from herself. When her husband Jason looked at her and said, “Your spark is gone,” it became the wake-up call she needed. Together, Sam and Jason took a leap and built Arcadia, a leadership community and retreat series helping revenue and partnership professionals reconnect with purpose and create more harmony between work and life. As a fellow husband and wife duo building a business, we could relate to their story on every level. We talk about: Walking away from “success” on paper to rediscover your spark How Arcadia began as an idea and became a movement for intentional leadership Building a business with your partner (and learning to stay in your lanes) The power of relationships and authenticity in work and life Why perfectionism kills progress (and why action is the antidote) Creating harmony over hustle in your career and home life How clarity comes from taking the first step, not waiting for the plan to be perfect This is a conversation about courage, reinvention, and redefining success on your own terms (with a little bit of Montana magic mixed in). Enjoy this conversation with Sam Yarborough. Episode Links: Arcadia Constellation Arcadia Leadership Experience (ALX) Subscribe to ‘The Friend Zone’ Newsletter Friends with Benefits Podcast Sam on LinkedIn We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits Website Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter Waypoint Retreat Vienna Waits on Instagram Greg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.