Advertise on podcast: The Massiel Diez Show

Brian Cook, President of NextGen Trades, shares how he and Adam Burris are helping the next generation discover career opportunities in skilled trades and industries they may have never considered. From visiting thousands of students across Houston-area schools to connecting young talent with companies in oil and gas, construction, and data centers, Brian explains how NextGen Trades is bridging the gap between education and the workforce through mentorship, hands-on experience, and industry connections.In this episode, Brian breaks down what makes NextGen Trades more than a traditional job placement program, including its focus on financial literacy, personal development, networking, and long-term career success. We also get into the growing demand for skilled workers, why students need exposure to career opportunities before making major decisions, and how companies can get involved. Brian shares details about the upcoming Boots & Black Tie Charity Gala on November 6, 2026, and how fundraising events help provide students with the tools, training, and mentorship they need to build successful careers. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/Find Brain Herehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-cook-75703041/Find NextGen Herehttps://www.nextgentrades.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/nextgentrades/

Sam Thigpen, Founder and CEO of Sapphire Gas Solutions, shares the unconventional path that took him from welding and working in the pipeline industry to building a company from the ground up. After being laid off twice, Sam started his business with roughly $1,000 in the bank and a $1,250 mortgage payment, relying on grit, relationships, and a willingness to figure things out as he went.In this episode, Sam breaks down the lessons he learned scaling a business, bringing in outside investors, raising millions in private equity, and evolving from a business owner into an enterprise leader. He also explains how Sapphire Gas Solutions delivers LNG, CNG, and renewable natural gas through its virtual pipeline model, why energy availability is becoming increasingly important for industries like data centers, and how he approaches leadership, hiring, risk, and success today. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/Find Sam here:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samthigpen/ Sapphire Gas Solutions: https://sapphiregassolutions.com/

Troy Hill, President at BICO Drilling Tools, has built a career by taking on challenges most people would avoid. From the field to running Extreme globally, entrepreneurship, Nabors, and now BICO, his path has been anything but linear.In this episode, Troy shares the lessons behind that journey, including why fear of failure is holding the industry back, how to grow through uncertainty, and why the people you build your career with matter just as much as the opportunities you take. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/Find Troy here:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-hill-01884632/BICO Drilling Tools: https://bicodrilling.com/

In this episode, we sit down with Jeremy Jenson, CEO of Encore Search Partners, to unpack his journey from growing up with a single mother and leaving college early to becoming a successful entrepreneur and building a multimillion-dollar recruiting business. Jeremy shares how he discovered his talent for sales, learned to bet on himself, built Encore Search Partners, and eventually shifted from doing everything himself to creating the systems, processes, and leadership team needed to scale.Jeremy opens up about money, burnout, divorce, mentorship, marriage, raising kids with wealth, friendships, and how his definition of success has changed over time. We also discuss the balance between making money and following your passions, knowing when to slow down, surrounding yourself with the right people, and why finding the right niche can completely change the trajectory of a business. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/Find Jeremy Here:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyjenson/ Encore Search Partners: https://encoresearch.com/

In this episode, we sit down with Sherif Foda, Chairman and CEO of NESR, to trace a career that took him from engineering in Egypt and the Red Sea to the highest levels of leadership at Schlumberger, and ultimately to building a publicly listed energy services company in the MENA region. Sherif reflects on nearly 25 years at SLB, the decision to leave at the height of his career, taking the risk to build something of his own, and the leadership principles that helped him scale along the way.The conversation goes beyond his career story into what it actually takes to lead: staying connected to the field, identifying talent, building teams around loyalty and meritocracy, pushing for diversity, and knowing when to take a career risk. Sherif also shares his perspective on AI and the next generation of engineers, the realities of work-life balance, and why long-term success ultimately comes down to balancing wealth, time, and health. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/Find Sherif Here:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherif-foda-483b431/Website: https://www.nesr.com/

Marissa Williams spent 14 years building a successful career in oil and gas, going from Trinidad to the oilfields of Midland, Texas and climbing the corporate ladder at SLB.In this episode, Marissa opens up about what it was really like being a woman in the field, the pressure to constantly prove herself, navigating difficult leadership and corporate politics, and ultimately making the decision to walk away from a career that had become part of her identity.She also shares how motherhood completely reshaped her definition of success, why ambitious women can struggle to make space for family, and what she values most in this new season of her life. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/Find Marissa Here:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-williams-5b78875b/

In this episode, we sit down with entrepreneur and former oil & gas sales leader Robyn to explore career reinvention, taking risks, and what it takes to build something of your own.Robyn shares her experience going from Baker Hughes and Magnum Oil Tools to The Bachelor, Halliburton, and her career now as an entrepreneur, including what she learned as a woman navigating technical sales, corporate culture, acquisitions, and layoffs. We dive into leaving a stable career for unexpected opportunities, the pressure women face in male-dominated industries, knowing when corporate life is no longer the right fit, and how her own postpartum experience inspired her to launch The Ruby, a postnatal retreat designed to give new mothers the care and support she felt was missing. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/Find Robyn Here:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-howard-jedkins-86561048/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BdQ3a5kxRRyCIP1k20U3HCQ%3D%3DWebsite: https://www.therubypostnatal.com/

In this episode, we sit down with Willis Johnson Wealth CEO Nick Johnson to explore the psychology of money, the realities of growing a family business, and how to build wealth without missing out on life.Nick shares how joining his father’s firm after college led to years of insecurity, conflict, and ultimately personal and professional growth as he helped scale the company from $250 million to more than $2.1 billion in assets under management. Together, we dive into working with family, balancing passion with practicality, raising children with a healthy understanding of money, why saving too much can become a problem, the dangers of sudden wealth, and why successful investing should be boring. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/ Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/ Find Nick Here: Nick Johnson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-johnson-cfa%C2%AE-cfp%C2%AE-585bb716/ Website: https://wjohnsonwealth.com/ Willis Johnson Wealth is a registered investment advisor. The information presented is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered specific investment advice, does not take into consideration your specific situation, and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any securities or investment strategies. Midnight Marketing and Massiel Diez are not clients of WJW. They were not compensated for their opinion. Comments made may not be representative of any other person’s experience and is not a guarantee of future results.

In this episode, we sit down with fitness coach and PetroFit founder Nick Burns to explore what it really takes to build a healthier relationship with fitness, food, and long term success.Nick shares how his journey from the military to the oil & gas industry ultimately led him to found PetroFit, a coaching company dedicated to helping energy professionals improve their health, leadership, and performance. Together, we dive into the biggest fitness misconceptions, why carbs aren't the enemy, the truth about peptides, and how building sustainable habits can transform every area of your life. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it. Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/ Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/ Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew and Ron from Automated Rig Technologies to speak on how decades of drilling experience are shaping the next generation of oilfield automation.From building top drives and robotic drilling systems to launching innovative technologies that improve safety and reduce operator input, Andrew and Ron share the story behind Automated Rig Technologies and the challenges of bringing new ideas to one of the world's most traditional industries.If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/

In this episode, we sit down with former Shell engineer and real estate investor to explore how he built financial freedom while working in the oil and gas industry.Casey shares his journey from growing up in Wyoming and earning a football scholarship to launching a successful career at Shell. He explains how buying his first rental property as a college student sparked a passion for real estate investing, the lessons he learned from Rich Dad Poor Dad, and how he leveraged banks, private capital, and scalable systems to grow a real estate business. Casey also opens up about the family moments that changed his priorities, why he ultimately left corporate America, and how building a business gave him the freedom to put his family first. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, FOLLOW, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/

In this episode, we sit down with former elite ice dancer Kate Good to explore the mindset behind resilience, confidence, and high performance. Kate shares her journey from competing on the world stage to navigating devastating personal loss, career ending injury and reinventing herself beyond skating. She explains the power of neutral thinking, visualization, and the mental tools that helped her perform under extraordinary pressure. If this episode resonates with you, make sure to LIKE, FOLLOW, and SHARE with someone who needs to hear it.Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/

Former Schlumberger President Mario Ruscev shares the lessons he learned from a career that took him from academia into the oil and gas industry, eventually leading major businesses around the world. He reflects on the culture that made Schlumberger unique, the mistakes companies make as they grow, and what it really takes to build successful teams and leaders.Mario spent 23 years at Schlumberger, where he led several divisions and worked across Europe, North America, and Russia. Over the course of a 40+ year career, he helped turn around businesses, led international teams, and held executive leadership roles across the energy industry.

What does it take to lead high performing teams in one of the world’s most demanding industries? In this episode, Chris Rennie, Director Eastern Hemisphere at IPT Global and former Rig Manager, Chris reflects on a career spent offshore, the realities of leading people in demanding environments, and the experiences that shaped his approach to leadership, safety, and operational excellence.

What happens when you bet on yourself and build something bigger than you ever imagined? In this episode, we sit down with J.P. Warren, Founder of Connection Crüe, whose 19-year career in the oil and gas industry has spanned HSE, operations, sales, and entrepreneurship. After years of building relationships across the energy sector, J.P. launched Connection Crüe in 2021 with a mission to bridge gaps between people, spark meaningful conversations, and create opportunities that move the industry forward. Produced by Midnight Marketing - https://midnightmarketing.com/podcasts/Sponsored by Collide - https://collide.io/Massiel Diez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-diez-b0942a60/