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She drove to Chicago for a job she didn't get. One season later, she was a producer on The Jerry Springer Show. Reena Friedman Watts was a small-town girl from Kentucky chasing a radio job. When it fell through, she spotted a flyer for Jerry Springer Show interns in the same courtyard, called her dad, and walked into NBC Tower two weeks later. Then years later she started over again. More than once. If you feel stuck in your career and wonder whether it's too late to pivot, this conversation with host LuRae Lumpkin is a permission slip with a plan attached. You'll hear: • What Reena watched to go from intern to producer in a single season • Why she worked for the boss everyone else avoided • Why she left a producer title to answer phones in Los Angeles • How twenty years of persistence with one publicist turned into one of the last interviews Jerry Springer ever gave, and later a piece of an HBO documentary • How she built the Better Call Daddy podcast around daily calls with her father • How to rebuild your identity after every move and every role • Her career change advice for seasoned professionals Now a mom of four and 500 episodes deep, Reena still lives by the rule that carried her through every pivot: if the idea is real, put it on the calendar or act on it today. Otherwise, it quietly disappears. Links and Resources: Connect with Reena: Better Call Daddy Podcast Free resources from LuRae: LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTubeEverything you need to create work and a life you love If this episode spoke to you, follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone standing at their own crossroads. Chapters: (00:00:00) The creative idea that cannot wait(00:02:05) Better Call Daddy and the father-daughter legacy project(00:05:30) Intern to producer: what she watched to get promoted(00:08:20) A singing scholarship, sports medicine, and the pivot to radio(00:13:40) How she landed one of Jerry Springer's last interviews(00:19:20) The episode that led to an HBO documentary(00:23:50) Rebuilding your identity after every move and every role(00:26:40) Leaving the nine-to-five and learning sponsorships on the fly(00:31:10) Career change advice for seasoned professionals(00:37:50) Confidence, cutting toxicity, and the gold in your inbox Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

After two layoffs and more than 20 years in corporate HR, Melissa Grabiner stopped waiting for someone else to decide her future. She bet on herself. In this episode of And Then I Did This, LuRae Lumpkin sits down with Melissa, an entrepreneur, job search coach, business advisor, two-time LinkedIn Top Voice, and yoga instructor, to talk about what really happens on the hiring side of the table and how to take back control of your career. Melissa has hired thousands of people, so she knows why today's job market feels so hard. She explains how AI is changing recruiting and interviews, what candidate ghosting says about a company's culture, and why sending out hundreds of applications is one of the least effective ways to land a job. She also shares practical steps you can use right away: how to write a LinkedIn headline that gets you found, how recruiters actually search for candidates, and how to reach the hidden job market before you urgently need it. If you're at a professional crossroads, recovering from a layoff, or quietly wondering whether it's too late to start over, this conversation is your reminder: it's never too late to pivot, reinvent yourself, or try something new. Chapters: (00:00:00): Betting on yourself after corporate layoffs(00:04:00): Starting over, building a business, and becoming a yoga instructor at 50(00:08:00): Why job security no longer exists(00:12:00): How Melissa helps job seekers from the hiring side(00:16:00): Candidate ghosting, company culture, and AI interviews(00:20:00): Why networking beats mass applications(00:24:00): Making your LinkedIn headline work for you(00:28:00): Visibility, recruiter searches, and the hidden job market(00:32:00): Choosing entrepreneurship without living with regret(00:38:00): How to connect with Melissa Links and Resources: Melissa Grabiner on LinkedInLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to And Then I Did This? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

If the life you worked hard to build no longer feels like your own, this conversation is a reminder that you are allowed to choose again. Intuitive energetic healer, spiritual teacher, retreat leader, and author Julie Mullins joins LuRae Lumpkin from Bali to share how travel, healing, and the courage to start over helped her move beyond an acting career that had stopped feeling fulfilling. Julie explains how to tell intuition apart from fear, why obstacles can become guides instead of proof that something has gone wrong, and how small daily actions can rebuild self trust when the next chapter is still unclear. They also explore toxic work environments, relationships as mirrors, the balance between faith and action, and a more meaningful definition of success rooted in peace, authenticity, and continued growth. Whether you are considering a career change, questioning a path that once made sense, or wondering if it is too late to reinvent yourself, this episode offers honest encouragement to listen inward, take the next step, and never let your age or past decisions keep you confined. Chapters: (00:00:00) Why it is never too late to start over(00:03:00) How a nomadic life can reveal what you truly want(00:08:00) Telling intuition apart from fear, anxiety, and lack(00:12:00) Redefining success through peace, presence, and growth(00:17:00) Why obstacles can become part of the path(00:23:00) What toxic situations and difficult relationships can reveal(00:29:00) Building self trust through small daily actions(00:35:00) Julie's journey from acting to intuitive healing(00:42:00) Giving yourself permission to begin again at any age Links and Resources: Julie Mullins on InstagramJulie Mullins Expand Into PossibilityLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

He was supposed to become a doctor. Instead, six-time founder Cory Blumenfeld walked away from medicine to build companies in industries he knew nothing about — eventually creating a life by the beach in Mexico while helping business owners reclaim their time. In this episode, Cory joins LuRae Lumpkin to unpack why execution matters more than having the perfect idea, how to validate a real problem before building anything, why delegation creates room for growth, and how putting yourself out there can lead to opportunities you could never have planned. If you're standing at a personal or professional crossroads wondering whether it's too late to change direction, this conversation is proof you don't need every answer before you begin — just the courage to take the next honest step. In this episode: Why ideas are common but execution is rare Cory's path from pre-med to six-time founder How to spot people who can actually execute Validating a real market need before you build Why visibility and trust matter as much as the product Building a personal brand while keeping your day job Defining freedom, fulfillment, and your own version of abundance Chapters: (00:00:00) Ideas are common, but execution changes everything(00:01:00) Cory’s unexpected path from medicine to entrepreneurship(00:05:00) Taking back your time inside or outside a traditional career(00:09:00) Building businesses in industries you know nothing about(00:13:00) How to recognize people who can truly execute(00:18:00) Finding a real market need instead of forcing an idea(00:23:00) Why visibility and trust matter as much as a great product(00:28:00) Building a personal brand while keeping your day job(00:33:00) Defining freedom, fulfillment, and your version of abundance(00:38:00) Put yourself out there and let people discover your expertise Links and Resources: Cory Blumenfeld on LinkedInRegain Your Time With BlueMoso LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

What happens when the life that looks successful no longer feels like your own? Award-winning speaker, author, leadership coach, and mental health advocate Erica Gifford Mills joins LuRae Lumpkin to talk about the courage it takes to stop performing, listen to the purpose that keeps calling, and build a life rooted in who you truly are. Erica shares how personal loss clarified her mission, why she stopped waiting to feel fearless, and how failure can become a teacher instead of a verdict. She and LuRae explore visibility, self worth, boundaries, reinvention, and the quiet ways people hold themselves back because they are afraid of being judged. Erica also shares the story behind the International Women Speakers Summit and her commitment to creating spaces where women feel seen, heard, supported, and empowered. If you're standing at a crossroads and wondering whether it's too late to change direction, this conversation is a reminder that you don't need the entire roadmap. You only need the courage to take the first step. Chapters: (00:00:00) Welcome and Erica’s journey to rooted leadership(00:04:20) The question that exposed a deeper calling(00:07:00) Why purpose keeps calling until you answer(00:10:45) Confidence, self-worth, and learning to set boundaries(00:14:00) Visibility, authenticity, and claiming your seat at the table(00:18:15) Creating the International Women Speakers Summit(00:21:25) What becomes possible when you stop shrinking(00:25:00) How journaling unexpectedly led to becoming an author(00:27:00) Recognition, impact, and opportunities that find you(00:30:20) Erica’s advice for anyone who feels stuck Links and Resources: Erica Gifford Mills on LinkedInInternational Women Speaker's SummitBalanced SymmetreeLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

Mark Young knows what it feels like to lose touch with who you are. After childhood trauma and years of trying to think and talk his way back to himself, he hit a wall that no amount of reasoning could get him past. That search led him to create the Somatic Plasticity™ 78 Day Reset, a process designed to help people reconnect with their bodies and feel at home within themselves again. In this episode, Mark opens up to LuRae about his own journey and why he believes the body holds memories and emotional patterns that shape how we live, work, and relate to others. He shares how practices like breathwork, mirror work, fasting, sound, and movement became part of his approach to healing. If you've ever felt stuck in an old version of yourself or wondered whether it's too late to change, this episode is a reminder that healing can begin with one small step back toward who you truly are. *The methods and health claims discussed in this episode reflect Mark's personal beliefs and experiences and should not replace professional medical or mental health care. Chapters: (00:00:00) - Meet Mark Young and the origins of his healing work(00:04:45) - How stress and life experience disconnect us from ourselves(00:08:20) - Growing up divided and carrying a child's nervous system(00:13:35) - Moving from fear-driven patterns toward freedom(00:16:00) - Why Mark built the 78-Day Reset(00:22:45) - Preparing the body for change through daily practices(00:29:20) - Environment, energy, and learning to trust yourself(00:34:00) - Numbing, crossroads, and choosing to reconnect(00:38:10) - Creating change one degree at a time(00:44:10) - Finding an inner home and living authentically Links and Resources: WebsiteMark Young on LinkedInLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

Edith Vincent spent years as a police officer before anxiety, health struggles, and a nervous system stuck in survival mode forced a reckoning. Today she's a hypnotherapist, yoga and meditation teacher, and sound healing practitioner. In this conversation, Edith and LuRae explore the difference between fear and misalignment, why changing your scenery doesn't change your patterns, and why calm brings clarity instead of collapse. A grounded reminder that you don't need to destroy your life to start listening to yourself. Chapters: (00:00:08) Introducing former police officer turned hypnotherapist Edith Vincent(00:02:04) Searching for meaning: why Edith became a police officer(00:05:52) Leaving a stable career when fear says you will not make it(00:10:21) Burnout, pushing through, and why calm creates clarity(00:12:48) What actually happens in a hypnotherapy session(00:17:52) Inner child work, voice activation, and finding your purpose(00:20:39) Building roots after years of running: a new kind of courage(00:25:12) Taming self limiting beliefs and the cycles of reinvention(00:29:04) How to connect with Edith Vincent(00:30:26) You do not need to destroy your life to change it Links and Resources: Edith Vincent OnlineEdith Vincent on InstagramLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

Nat Berman spent seven years in a career that never quite fit, recruiting for Wall Street firms while quietly working on his own projects after hours. Then a friend's email about a blogging platform gave him the opening he had been waiting for, and within nine months he walked away from the safe path for good. In this episode, LuRae and Nat trace the whole journey: the fear of cold calling strangers, the calculated leap with six months of savings, and the unexpected loss of his mother that inspired the Be Better Movement, a community built around one small daily action. Nat gets honest about what actually changes a life. Not motivation, not a perfect plan, but tiny habits, real ownership, and the courage to commit first and figure out the how later. If you've been standing at your own crossroads wondering whether it's too late to change direction, this conversation is proof that it isn't. Chapters: (00:00:00) - Introduction and Meet Nat Berman(00:02:07) - The Career That Never Fit and the Leap Out(00:06:22) - Starting the Be Better Movement(00:10:26) - Cold Calling, Rejection, and Staying Kind(00:13:41) - Let Go of What Isn't Yours to Do(00:16:13) - You Already Know Enough to Start(00:21:14) - The Loss That Inspired Be Better(00:26:38) - One Small Thing Every Day(00:31:22) - Be Better Cards and Street Conversations(00:36:29) - Advice for Anyone Ready to Start Over Links and Resources: Nat Berman OnlineNat Berman on LinkedInThe Be Better MovementLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

What happens when the life you worked hard to build no longer feels like it fits? Dave Crane has reinvented himself more than once, from a young entertainer in Scotland to a BBC journalist, radio leader, international host, speaker, and mentor. In this candid conversation, he shares what it took to move through rejection, career pivots, pandemic stress, and the pressure to keep proving himself. Dave offers a powerful reframe for anyone standing at a crossroads: the version of you that feels most capable may already be there, waiting for permission to lead. Along the way, he shares practical ways to speak with more confidence, build a side path before leaving an unhappy job, and trade the chase for constant happiness for a life rooted in contentment. If you've been quietly wondering whether it's too late to make a change, this episode is a reminder that your next chapter can begin with one key question. Chapters: (00:00:00) Dave on the difference between your public self and your strongest self(00:06:00) Rejection at the BBC and the decision to leave the UK(00:12:00) Reinventing a career when the pandemic stopped everything(00:18:00) Meeting the superhero version of yourself(00:24:00) Why public speaking fear feels so intense(00:30:00) How to bring an audience into the conversation(00:36:00) Building trust, presence, and a personal brand(00:42:00) Creating a side path before leaving work you dislike(00:48:00) Choosing contentment over the chase for happiness(00:52:00) A final reminder to live a life that is truly yours Links and Resources: LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

Mona Loring built one of the most recognized entertainment PR agencies in the world, repping clients at the Academy Awards level. By every measure, she had made it. And she was completely miserable. In this episode, Mona joins host LuRae Lumpkin to talk honestly about what it felt like to be successful on paper while quietly falling out of alignment with herself. She walks through how she stumbled into PR in the first place, how she spent years secretly training as a Reiki master and studying Peruvian shamanism while her industry had no idea, and the moment she finally decided to blow it all open and go public as a psychic medium. She also shares why she believes the universe starts with gentle nudges, and if you keep ignoring them, it eventually throws a boulder in your path. If you've been feeling that quiet pull toward something different but can't quite bring yourself to act on it, this conversation will feel like someone finally giving you permission to move. Chapters: (00:00:00) - Introduction & Mona's Story Begins(00:07:00) - Was It All Meant to Lead Here?(00:09:00) - Reiki, Shamanism & Spiritual Awakening(00:16:00) - Bringing Healing Into Your Work(00:19:00) - Signs You're Not Where You're Supposed to Be(00:22:00) - Coming Out of the Spiritual Closet in 2020(00:26:00) - Whispers vs. Boulders: When the Universe Intervenes(00:28:00) - Final Advice: You Don't Have to Leap — Just Step Links and Resources: Mona Loring on LinkedInMona Loring OnlineLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

Justin Michael returns to And Then I Did This for a powerful second conversation about reinvention, surrender, and the courage to let go of the identity you've spent years building. After climbing the corporate ladder in SaaS sales — working at Salesforce, LinkedIn, and 13 startups — Justin was offered his dream role as a Chief Revenue Officer at 40. But when the deal came with strings attached, he walked away and bet everything on writing. Six years, 11 books, and 250 teams trained later, Justin's newest work, Rewriting the Law of Attraction, is turning heads — earning praise from Mark Victor Hansen (co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul) and Bob Burg (The Go-Giver). In this episode, Justin and host LuRae Lumpkin explore why the classic Law of Attraction often falls short, the three deeper laws that actually drive transformation — love, assumption, and becoming — and why true change starts not with what you think or do, but with who you're being. Whether you're standing at a crossroads, burned out from chasing someone else's definition of success, or quietly wondering "what if," this conversation is your permission slip to let go, trust your gut, and discover what's waiting on the other side. Chapters: (00:00:00) - The Identity Trap: When Success Becomes the Source of Anxiety(00:00:28) - Welcome to And Then I Did This(00:01:00) - Justin's Journey: From Software Sales to Best-Selling Author(00:03:30) - Walking Away from $400K and Betting on the Book(00:04:45) - Meeting Jack Canfield, Rhonda Byrne, and the Spiritual Awakening(00:06:00) - Surrender as the Answer: Faith, Letting Go, and the Hows of the Universe(00:08:00) - Pronoia: What If Something Better Is Waiting?(00:09:15) - Creating Your Future from the Future, Not Your Resume(00:11:30) - Not All Who Wander Are Lost: Finding the Path in the Detour(00:12:00) - The Baby Elephant on the Chain: Breaking Childhood Beliefs(00:14:00) - The Three Laws: Love, Assumption, and Becoming(00:17:00) - You Have a Book in You: Advice for Aspiring Authors(00:19:00) - Final Words: Trust Your Gut and Take the Leap Links and Resources: Justin Michael on LinkedInJustin's Books on AmazonLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

LuRae sits down with JD Tremblay, an ultra-endurance athlete and former military member who's completed feats only three people in the world have achieved—including the Epic Deca (10 Ironmans in 10 days across Hawaii). JD opens up about the terrifying transition from a highly structured military life to entrepreneurship, the financial devastation of divorce, and the moment he realized his entire identity was wrapped up in a uniform. He shares raw stories of pushing his body so far that he lost all sensation from the waist down, the discipline vs. freedom paradox, and how he turned trauma into a superpower that now helps other men break through their mental barriers. This conversation is for anyone standing at a crossroads, questioning their identity, and wondering if it's too late to start over. Spoiler: it's not. Chapters: (00:00:00) - Introduction and JD's Military Background(00:03:00) - The Fear of Leaving Structure Behind(00:05:00) - When Your Identity Is Wrapped in a Uniform(00:08:00) - The Wolf vs. Dog Story That Changed Everything(00:12:00) - Breaking Free from Corporate and Military Control(00:17:00) - From Divorce to Ultra-Endurance: The Turning Point(00:19:00) - Transcending Pain: The Epic Deca Experience(00:24:00) - When Discipline Alone Isn't Enough(00:27:00) - Stop Comparing and Start Small(00:32:00) - The SWIM Framework: Sleep, Water, Intake, Move(00:38:00) - Turning Trauma Into Your Superpower Links and Resources: JD Tremblay on LinkedInJD's Hungry Warrior AcademyLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

In this episode, Jonathan Maharaj shares his journey from growing up in the political instability of Fiji to building a thriving international financial and business advisory practice. Jonathan is a CFO strategist and financial advisor who believes the best business decisions start with clarity, not spreadsheets. With two decades of experience guiding startups to global brands through make-or-break moments, Jonathan is the founder of Aurora Financials, a remote-first advisory built on radical trust and a simple philosophy: help people first, and the money follows. He discusses why he left corporate life after experiencing toxic workplace culture, how he built his business as a side hustle for eight years before going full-time, and why he believes "human resources" is an inherently exploitative term. Jonathan offers practical advice on starting a business with limited capital, using AI tools like ChatGPT for career planning, and why focusing on the human being—not the human resource—is the key to sustainable business success. He also opens up about his faith journey, the importance of resilience during job searches, and why the wealthiest people he's met live the simplest lives. Chapters: (00:00:00) - Jonathan's Philosophy on Business Clarity(00:01:00) - Growing Up in Fiji: Beauty, Warmth, and Political Instability(00:02:00) - Starting Over in New Zealand: From Zero to Building a Career(00:05:00) - Understanding People Over Spreadsheets: The Culture-Finance Bridge(00:09:00) - The Dysfunction in Large Organizations and Leadership Detachment(00:10:00) - Three Root Causes of Issues: Systems, Processes, and People(00:11:00) - Why Boards Hire McKinsey: Defensive Tactics and Litigation Protection(00:14:00) - Why "Human Resources" is an Exploitative Term(00:17:00) - Advice for Those in Toxic Workplaces or Seeking New Opportunities(00:20:00) - Using ChatGPT for Career Planning and Resume Optimization(00:21:00) - Final Message: Invest in Yourself and See the Human Being(00:22:00) - Wrap-Up and Where to Find Jonathan Links and Resources: WebsiteJonathan Maharaj on LinkedInLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

Quintina Sonnie shares her remarkable journey from trafficking survivor to Somatic Alchemist, guiding ambitious women to reclaim their power. She helps them reconnect to the wisdom of their bodies. After experiencing a tumultuous childhood, false accusations that led to 43 days in jail, and being trafficked at 19, Quintina discovered that traditional mindset work and therapy weren't enough to transform her life. She developed the Flora Method, a five-phase approach that helps women move beyond their programmed minds and into their bodies to access their deepest desires and find true fulfillment. Quintina explains why the body—not the mind—holds the key to transformation, how breathwork creates a bridge between the conscious and subconscious, and why ambitious, high-achieving women often struggle to access joy despite their success. She challenges listeners to stop looking for what's "reasonable" and start saying yes to their deepest desires, because in a universe of infinite possibility, we all deserve more than what society has programmed us to accept. Chapters: (00:00:00) - We Are All Pimped by the System (00:01:00) - What Is Somatic Alchemy and Who It's For (00:03:00) - From Jail to Trafficking: Quentina's Story (00:07:00) - Why Your Mind Works Perfectly (But Keeps You Stuck) (00:10:00) - The Corporate System as Legalized Wage Slavery (00:13:00) - The Flora Method: Five Phases to Your Deepest Desires (00:17:00) - Why Body-Based Work Beats Mindset Work (00:20:00) - You Deserve More (And It's Your Birthright) (00:23:00) - Stay Present: Your Body Knows the Truth (00:27:00) - Start Looking at What You've Been Pushing Away (00:29:00) - The Breath: Your Bridge to the Subconscious (00:32:00) - How to Connect with Quentina and Her Work (00:34:00) - Final Thoughts: Keep Your Flame of Desire Alive Links and Resources: Quintina Sonnie on LinkedInQuintina's Somatic Healing SiteIG @quintina.somatic.alchemistTikTok: @quintina.somatic.alchemyQuintina on FacebookLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

Sami Akkawi shares his unconventional journey from consulting for private equity firms to co-founding Petra Labs, an AI-powered brand visibility marketing startup. After conducting nearly 1,000 interviews with senior marketing professionals at companies such as Nike and Pepsi, Sammi identified a critical gap: brands have no visibility into how AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity describe them to potential customers. Despite AI search representing only a fraction of total search volume, visitors from these platforms convert at significantly higher rates because users trust AI recommendations more than traditional sources—sometimes even more than their colleagues and friends. Sami discusses the mindset shifts required for entrepreneurship, including moving from instant gratification to long-term, process-oriented thinking; the importance of surrounding yourself with ambitious people; and why taking risks before AI transformed the job market was crucial to his decision. He offers candid insights on staying motivated through team collaboration, redefining what "winning" means as a founder, and why he believes we're witnessing one of the last opportunities to create enterprise value without deep technical skills. The conversation explores the broader implications of AI on performance marketing, the future of search, and practical advice for anyone considering leaving their traditional career to pursue something more meaningful. Chapters: (00:00:00) - What If You Actually Did the Thing? (00:00:47) - From Chicago Kid to Consultant: Sami's Unconventional Path (00:02:18) - Inside 40 Deals and 1,000 Conversations with Marketing Leaders (00:04:21) - The Million-Dollar Blind Spot Even Big Marketers Couldn't See (00:05:32) - When Robots Control Your Brand Story (And You Don't Even Know It) (00:07:15) - Why We Trust ChatGPT More Than the People We Work With (00:09:04) - The AI Battle: Which Search Tool Actually Wins? (00:10:42) - How to Keep Going When Nothing Happens for Months (00:12:18) - Breaking the Addiction to Quick Wins (00:14:26) - The Vision That Made Him Quit Everything (00:16:03) - Why Waiting Might Mean It's Already Too Late (00:17:45) - You Become Who You Surround Yourself With (00:20:12) - What Freedom Actually Costs (And Why It's Worth It) (00:22:08) - The One Skill That Changes Everything: Ownership (00:24:35) - Your Past Doesn't Define Your Future (00:26:47) - The Truth About Risk (Spoiler: Safety Is an Illusion) (00:28:22) - So... What Are You Going to Do? Links and Resources: Sami Akkawi on LinkedInPetra LabsLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!