Your Next Big Thing Wed, 04 Mar 2026 14:11:31 -0500 http://nextbigpod.com en-us © 2026 Cloud Champions LLC yes ef8ec722-7b13-57bc-9285-84e46f13245f Neil Metzler, Founder @ Your Next Big Thing Coaching episodic false Your Next Big Thing shares inspiring stories of senior professionals making big changes to find more satisfaction from work and happiness from life. Host Neil Metzler (Founder, Principal at Cloud Champions Coaching) welcomes each guest to share why they made this difficult change, how they built a bridge, and what they learned. Our three messages are: 1) Careers are no longer linear. 2) You’re not in this alone 3) There’s a human underneath that armor. Join us to feel inspired, learn something new and connect!

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) career,career change,entrepreneur Neil Metzler, Founder @ Your Next Big Thing Coaching https://storage.buzzsprout.com/dp6r1sqln9wmeilgo9sbaf9076bh?.jpg Your Next Big Thing http://nextbigpod.com Neil Metzler Yosemite Search & Rescue to Resilient Mindset Coach | Josie McKee Yosemite Search & Rescue to Resilient Mindset Coach | Josie McKee Josie McKee is the Founder of Mind Athlete and Director, Operations & Communications at Responder Alliance.

In this episode, we talked about her triumphs, setbacks and growth in high-pressure teams, including Yosemite National Park search and rescue (El Capitan!). 

Josie's experience setting records as a high performance athlete led her to found Mind Athlete, and innovative mindset coaching practice helping top performers reconnect with the joy of the challenge. 

Josie lives in Lander, Wyoming and continues to train search and rescue teams.

Connect and follow her work:


https://www.instagram.com/josie_mckee_/


https://mindathletetraining.com/


responderalliance.com (outstanding resources for first responders, wilderness EMT and all those who serve)

]]> Josie McKee is the Founder of Mind Athlete and Director, Operations & Communications at Responder Alliance.

In this episode, we talked about her triumphs, setbacks and growth in high-pressure teams, including Yosemite National Park search and rescue (El Capitan!). 

Josie's experience setting records as a high performance athlete led her to found Mind Athlete, and innovative mindset coaching practice helping top performers reconnect with the joy of the challenge. 

Josie lives in Lander, Wyoming and continues to train search and rescue teams.

Connect and follow her work:


https://www.instagram.com/josie_mckee_/


https://mindathletetraining.com/


responderalliance.com (outstanding resources for first responders, wilderness EMT and all those who serve)

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder @ Your Next Big Thing Coaching Buzzsprout-17343773 Tue, 17 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0200 2009 2 9 full false Opera to CTO | Sarah Polan Opera to CTO | Sarah Polan Sarah Polan (Field CTO, Principal Director) completed a major career reinvention from opera singer to IT leadership. Early on, Sarah leveraged a bootcamp and built a bridge into IT by delivering a Novel Project beyond the initial scope of her role. 

Sarah powered forward when she realized her structured mindset from classical music could translate to writing code.

Step by step, Sarah added competencies in DevSecOps, management and organizational leadership, including a CTO program from MIT.

She became Credible, Capable and Visible in her new field, excelling at Red Hat, HashiCorp and ABN AMRO bank.

Follow her work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-polan/

Sarah has two daughters in middle school and is passionate about increasing access to skills and knowledge with organizations like NewTechKids.

Hear Sarah speak with Deborah Carter: https://www.hashicorp.com/ko/blog/women-in-tech-podcast-transforming-tech-education

3 Takeaways (NotebookLM):

Acknowledge the emotional aspect of career change. Sarah's decision to retire from opera after 5 years, despite extensive studies and it being a passion, involved a significant emotional process. She describes it as a "major career pivot" where the previous career was her identity. Making the decision to walk away or change life so drastically involves a "certain amount of grieving" and understanding that you have to let it go, which is not easy.

Identify transferable skills and seek practical application opportunities.... Sarah realised her love for problem-solving could be applied in different contexts, whether business or life problems. She also found a connection between classical music training (patterns, strict rules) and computer code (bits of code, similar mental process), which helped her understand how her skills could be leveraged. She then leveraged a "novel project" at her HR job, which required language skills but also presented an opportunity to solve a data entry problem using VBA and then exploring Python, which made her "hungry to learn more" and was a "catalyst" for her career shift into IT.

Develop human skills and understand organisational dynamics. Excelling in senior leadership roles, particularly in a Field CTO position, involves understanding the business dials (topline, bottomline, sales operations). Crucially, it also involves understanding how people play into building robust systems (sociotechnical engineering). This includes understanding team dynamics, such as the impact of team size on trust and agility. 

Furthermore, personal values like integrity, trust (which is bilateral), and kindness are essential for leadership. Sarah believes human skills (like talking to people, manners) are going to be increasingly important for navigating the future of work, potentially more so than purely technical skills. Seeking multiple mentors (technical, people, business) can be critical for navigating this complex landscape.

]]> Sarah Polan (Field CTO, Principal Director) completed a major career reinvention from opera singer to IT leadership. Early on, Sarah leveraged a bootcamp and built a bridge into IT by delivering a Novel Project beyond the initial scope of her role. 

Sarah powered forward when she realized her structured mindset from classical music could translate to writing code.

Step by step, Sarah added competencies in DevSecOps, management and organizational leadership, including a CTO program from MIT.

She became Credible, Capable and Visible in her new field, excelling at Red Hat, HashiCorp and ABN AMRO bank.

Follow her work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-polan/

Sarah has two daughters in middle school and is passionate about increasing access to skills and knowledge with organizations like NewTechKids.

Hear Sarah speak with Deborah Carter: https://www.hashicorp.com/ko/blog/women-in-tech-podcast-transforming-tech-education

3 Takeaways (NotebookLM):

Acknowledge the emotional aspect of career change. Sarah's decision to retire from opera after 5 years, despite extensive studies and it being a passion, involved a significant emotional process. She describes it as a "major career pivot" where the previous career was her identity. Making the decision to walk away or change life so drastically involves a "certain amount of grieving" and understanding that you have to let it go, which is not easy.

Identify transferable skills and seek practical application opportunities.... Sarah realised her love for problem-solving could be applied in different contexts, whether business or life problems. She also found a connection between classical music training (patterns, strict rules) and computer code (bits of code, similar mental process), which helped her understand how her skills could be leveraged. She then leveraged a "novel project" at her HR job, which required language skills but also presented an opportunity to solve a data entry problem using VBA and then exploring Python, which made her "hungry to learn more" and was a "catalyst" for her career shift into IT.

Develop human skills and understand organisational dynamics. Excelling in senior leadership roles, particularly in a Field CTO position, involves understanding the business dials (topline, bottomline, sales operations). Crucially, it also involves understanding how people play into building robust systems (sociotechnical engineering). This includes understanding team dynamics, such as the impact of team size on trust and agility. 

Furthermore, personal values like integrity, trust (which is bilateral), and kindness are essential for leadership. Sarah believes human skills (like talking to people, manners) are going to be increasingly important for navigating the future of work, potentially more so than purely technical skills. Seeking multiple mentors (technical, people, business) can be critical for navigating this complex landscape.

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder @ Your Next Big Thing Coaching Buzzsprout-17181803 Tue, 20 May 2025 11:00:00 +0200 1974 2 8 full false Surface Warfare Officer to General Manager | Benin Allen, US Navy Veteran Surface Warfare Officer to General Manager | Benin Allen, US Navy Veteran I learned a lot from speaking with Benin about having the courage to think big about careers and plot my own course. 

As the host of this podcast, I'd like to remind us that the west coast tech ecosystem is NOT the ONLY place leaders are born and developed!

There's a lot we can learn by expanding our view.  

[Leaders] are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here.” 

-Invent and Simplify, Amazon Leadership Principles

5 Takeaways:

Self-leadership and continuous self-improvement are essential for leading others
Long-term planning and preparation facilitate successful career change
Mentorship and support can significantly ease the transition process
Articulating transferable skills to  is crucial
Being approachable as a leader fosters a supportive team environment

Follow Benin's journey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benin-allen-608782252/

Are you an armed forces service member considering the private sector? Here are key resources Benin mentioned:

Register with a career agency: https://www.cameron-brooks.com/alumni/refer-a-friend-or-colleague/ (list Benin Allen as your referrer!)

Read: https://www.amazon.com/PCS-Corporate-America-Military-Interviewing/dp/0940672855

]]> I learned a lot from speaking with Benin about having the courage to think big about careers and plot my own course. 

As the host of this podcast, I'd like to remind us that the west coast tech ecosystem is NOT the ONLY place leaders are born and developed!

There's a lot we can learn by expanding our view.  

[Leaders] are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here.” 

-Invent and Simplify, Amazon Leadership Principles

5 Takeaways:

Self-leadership and continuous self-improvement are essential for leading others
Long-term planning and preparation facilitate successful career change
Mentorship and support can significantly ease the transition process
Articulating transferable skills to  is crucial
Being approachable as a leader fosters a supportive team environment

Follow Benin's journey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benin-allen-608782252/

Are you an armed forces service member considering the private sector? Here are key resources Benin mentioned:

Register with a career agency: https://www.cameron-brooks.com/alumni/refer-a-friend-or-colleague/ (list Benin Allen as your referrer!)

Read: https://www.amazon.com/PCS-Corporate-America-Military-Interviewing/dp/0940672855

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder @ Your Next Big Thing Coaching Buzzsprout-16683077 Tue, 25 Feb 2025 03:00:00 +0100 1877 2 7 full false Full-time Parenting Unlocks Dream Job | Jeana Jorgensen | Your Next Big Thing Full-time Parenting Unlocks Dream Job | Jeana Jorgensen | Your Next Big Thing Can you imagine leaving a Senior Director role at Google to embrace parenting three rambunctious boys full-time? 🤠

In this episode, I speak with Jeana Jorgensen about promoting herself to Full-Time Mom 💪

The twist: Jeana's decision to live her values and honor her three boys actually attracted her dream job as Corporate VP, Worldwide Learning at Microsoft in the age of AI.

Jeana continues living her values as Executive Director at the Pepper Foundation, supporting foster kids to have their best possible holiday season.

Learn more and give directly here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7135361935520235521/

Special thanks Women in Cloud and Chaitra Vedullapalli for featuring Jeana's leadership story onstage, and Clara Schroeder for bringing me along!

#lifedesign #intentionaldecisions #nonlinearcareer

]]> Can you imagine leaving a Senior Director role at Google to embrace parenting three rambunctious boys full-time? 🤠

In this episode, I speak with Jeana Jorgensen about promoting herself to Full-Time Mom 💪

The twist: Jeana's decision to live her values and honor her three boys actually attracted her dream job as Corporate VP, Worldwide Learning at Microsoft in the age of AI.

Jeana continues living her values as Executive Director at the Pepper Foundation, supporting foster kids to have their best possible holiday season.

Learn more and give directly here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7135361935520235521/

Special thanks Women in Cloud and Chaitra Vedullapalli for featuring Jeana's leadership story onstage, and Clara Schroeder for bringing me along!

#lifedesign #intentionaldecisions #nonlinearcareer

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal @ Cloud Champions Coaching Buzzsprout-16297166 Wed, 18 Dec 2024 17:00:00 +0100 2109 2 6 full false Performance with purpose in the AI era | Ugur 'Mik' Catmak, Ümit Uludag Performance with purpose in the AI era | Ugur 'Mik' Catmak, Ümit Uludag Join us for a special year end wrap-up! My guests are big tech heavyweights, Ugur "Mik" Catmak (Founder, Lean High Performance Academy) and Ümit Uludag (expert on lifelong learning).

We talk creating and claiming value in career conversations, self-paced learning, and why we can't forget to decompress!

Takeaways:
Value Creation: how to create and claim value from your work
Personal Branding: strategies for building and leveraging an authentic, meaningful personal brand
Developing through disruption: how lifelong learners adapt with AI

Follow Mik and Ümit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ugur-mikail-catmak-mik-123226b0/
https://www.instagram.com/ugur_mikail_catmak/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/uemit-uludag/


]]> Join us for a special year end wrap-up! My guests are big tech heavyweights, Ugur "Mik" Catmak (Founder, Lean High Performance Academy) and Ümit Uludag (expert on lifelong learning).

We talk creating and claiming value in career conversations, self-paced learning, and why we can't forget to decompress!

Takeaways:
Value Creation: how to create and claim value from your work
Personal Branding: strategies for building and leveraging an authentic, meaningful personal brand
Developing through disruption: how lifelong learners adapt with AI

Follow Mik and Ümit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ugur-mikail-catmak-mik-123226b0/
https://www.instagram.com/ugur_mikail_catmak/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/uemit-uludag/


]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal @ Cloud Champions Coaching Buzzsprout-14204134 Tue, 26 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0100 3376 2 5 full false Special Episode! Neil talks going solo, stepping back into full time & more Special Episode! Neil talks going solo, stepping back into full time & more Special episode alert! I had the chance to be interviewed by Deborah Sgro (Global Mentorship Director, Women in Big Data). For the first time, I share:

-Why I went solo
-How you can launch a solo business
-How to succeed faster

This was recorded for the Women in Big Data Solopreneuer cohort program.

Book recommendations:
Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri: https://www.amazon.com/Escaping-Build-Trap-Effective-Management/dp/149197379X
The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau: https://www.amazon.com/The-100-Startup-Chris-Guillebeau-audiobook/dp/B0081CDIGW


]]> Special episode alert! I had the chance to be interviewed by Deborah Sgro (Global Mentorship Director, Women in Big Data). For the first time, I share:

-Why I went solo
-How you can launch a solo business
-How to succeed faster

This was recorded for the Women in Big Data Solopreneuer cohort program.

Book recommendations:
Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri: https://www.amazon.com/Escaping-Build-Trap-Effective-Management/dp/149197379X
The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau: https://www.amazon.com/The-100-Startup-Chris-Guillebeau-audiobook/dp/B0081CDIGW


]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal @ Cloud Champions Coaching Buzzsprout-13515740 Sat, 02 Sep 2023 13:00:00 +0200 1554 2 4 full false Social Work to Finance + EMBA | Gabrielle D'Angelo Social Work to Finance + EMBA | Gabrielle D'Angelo  Today's episode is about finding the courage to make a big change - and continuing that career reinvention curve through partnership, marriage and kids. M

y guest today is lifelong learner Gabby D'Angelo - MSW, CFP, CAIA, CFA Candidate, Business Student @ The IE Brown Executive MBA. 

Gabby and I speak about: 
-Pivoting from Social Work to Finance 
-Becoming credible, capable and visible in a new industry
-Finding the right role & workplace culture 
-Building resilient practices and a positive, growth mindset 

This conversation is proudly sponsored by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. The NGLCC is the largest advocacy organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBTQ people, and is the exclusive certifying body for LGBTQ-owned businesses. 

Become a member of your local affiliate chamber or 53 US domestic and 24 international affiliates to leverage professional benefits and complimentary national certification. 

If you are in the Detroit area market & loved this podcast, use the the code "nextbigthing" for 10% off a professional membership!

]]>  Today's episode is about finding the courage to make a big change - and continuing that career reinvention curve through partnership, marriage and kids. M

y guest today is lifelong learner Gabby D'Angelo - MSW, CFP, CAIA, CFA Candidate, Business Student @ The IE Brown Executive MBA. 

Gabby and I speak about: 
-Pivoting from Social Work to Finance 
-Becoming credible, capable and visible in a new industry
-Finding the right role & workplace culture 
-Building resilient practices and a positive, growth mindset 

This conversation is proudly sponsored by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. The NGLCC is the largest advocacy organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBTQ people, and is the exclusive certifying body for LGBTQ-owned businesses. 

Become a member of your local affiliate chamber or 53 US domestic and 24 international affiliates to leverage professional benefits and complimentary national certification. 

If you are in the Detroit area market & loved this podcast, use the the code "nextbigthing" for 10% off a professional membership!

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal @ Cloud Champions LLC Buzzsprout-12418572 Tue, 14 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0100 1983 2 3 full false Learning in the Cloud | Fred Hoskyns Learning in the Cloud | Fred Hoskyns Welcome to Season 2! My guest is lifelong learner Fred Hoskyns (Sr. Solutions Architect, AWS). 

In this episode, I ask Fred how he built a bridge into the AWS cloud and created learning and career progression to the Sr. Solutions Architect role. Fred didn't start in tech - he majored in French & Italian and worked abroad in the Oil & Gas sector. 

Back in London, Fred joined Amazon and progressed to a team lead position with Amazon Global Selling. -Fred describes why he made a big change from e-commerce sales into Cloud solutions architecture with AWS. That's a significant technical jump, imho! 
-Fred used #5Pillars like Effective Training and Powerful certifications. 
-With the help of Well-placed Mentors, Fred is becoming Credible, Capable and Visible in Cloud solutions architecture. 

This conversation is sponsored by learning content creator Adrian Cantrill. Pass your next certification and practice real skills needed for YOUR next big thing: https://learn.cantrill.io/?affcode=212820_jgngprkv

]]> Welcome to Season 2! My guest is lifelong learner Fred Hoskyns (Sr. Solutions Architect, AWS). 

In this episode, I ask Fred how he built a bridge into the AWS cloud and created learning and career progression to the Sr. Solutions Architect role. Fred didn't start in tech - he majored in French & Italian and worked abroad in the Oil & Gas sector. 

Back in London, Fred joined Amazon and progressed to a team lead position with Amazon Global Selling. -Fred describes why he made a big change from e-commerce sales into Cloud solutions architecture with AWS. That's a significant technical jump, imho! 
-Fred used #5Pillars like Effective Training and Powerful certifications. 
-With the help of Well-placed Mentors, Fred is becoming Credible, Capable and Visible in Cloud solutions architecture. 

This conversation is sponsored by learning content creator Adrian Cantrill. Pass your next certification and practice real skills needed for YOUR next big thing: https://learn.cantrill.io/?affcode=212820_jgngprkv

]]> Buzzsprout-12291701 Tue, 21 Feb 2023 12:00:00 +0100 2425 career,career change,careers in tech,aws certification 2 2 full false Surfing Into UX Research | Chelsea Keaulani Brown Surfing Into UX Research | Chelsea Keaulani Brown Welcome to our Season 2 Premiere! My guest is avid surfer and children's book author Chelsea Keaulani Brown (YouTube, Looker). 

In this episode, I ask Chelsea how she built a bridge into UX Research from her original career trajectory in athletics and sports media.

-Chelsea describes her journey into startups with Looker and Gametime. 

-By building Pillars like Well-Placed Mentors and Novel Projects, Chelsea became Credible, Capable and Visible in her space. 

Chelsea's career progression paralleled a personal growth journey. Having surfed in Santa Cruz with the Looker team, she set an intention to surf Pacific Islands and learn from local people in a different part of the world.

This learning and reflection culminated in a beautiful illustrated book speaking to her younger self:

https://www.thelittlewahine.com/

 This conversation is sponsored by Ventana Surfboards & Supplies in Santa Cruz, California. Use promo code 'champion' to receive 15% off @ https://ventanasurf.com/

]]> Welcome to our Season 2 Premiere! My guest is avid surfer and children's book author Chelsea Keaulani Brown (YouTube, Looker). 

In this episode, I ask Chelsea how she built a bridge into UX Research from her original career trajectory in athletics and sports media.

-Chelsea describes her journey into startups with Looker and Gametime. 

-By building Pillars like Well-Placed Mentors and Novel Projects, Chelsea became Credible, Capable and Visible in her space. 

Chelsea's career progression paralleled a personal growth journey. Having surfed in Santa Cruz with the Looker team, she set an intention to surf Pacific Islands and learn from local people in a different part of the world.

This learning and reflection culminated in a beautiful illustrated book speaking to her younger self:

https://www.thelittlewahine.com/

 This conversation is sponsored by Ventana Surfboards & Supplies in Santa Cruz, California. Use promo code 'champion' to receive 15% off @ https://ventanasurf.com/

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal @ Cloud Champions LLC Buzzsprout-12153332 Tue, 31 Jan 2023 13:00:00 +0100 2604 career,career change,UX research,surfing,santa cruz 2 1 full false Living Your Values - Surf, Tech and Photography | David Dennis Living Your Values - Surf, Tech and Photography | David Dennis Welcome to our Season 1 finale!

My guest today is David Dennis. David is the son of a successful software entrepeneur, and he originally went in a totally different direction than Dad. David studied Sociology and Political science and his first job was teaching in public schools.

During the dot com heyday of the early 2000s, David found himself experimenting with web development. In his free time, he started building websites for schools, and soon David co-founded a tech startup.

These experiences led him to a 20 year tenure at Microsoft, where he is currently a Principal Product Manager for Microsoft Outlook.

That's not the end of David's story. In this episode, you'll see how David experimented with novel projects, marquee events and well-placed mentors to create more fulfillment and balance in his career. For more about this approach to career progression, see my 5 Pillars Method.

He's also Co-Founder at Ventana Surfboards & Supplies, providing adventurers from Santa Cruz and around the world with hollow-framed, reclaimed wooden surfboards; bodysurfing handplanes; eco surf apparel, and sustainable surf supplies.

Anyone with an interest in bridging their passion with their day job, or struggling to decide between one path or another will benefit from this episode. 

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Welcome to our Season 1 finale!

My guest today is David Dennis. David is the son of a successful software entrepeneur, and he originally went in a totally different direction than Dad. David studied Sociology and Political science and his first job was teaching in public schools.

During the dot com heyday of the early 2000s, David found himself experimenting with web development. In his free time, he started building websites for schools, and soon David co-founded a tech startup.

These experiences led him to a 20 year tenure at Microsoft, where he is currently a Principal Product Manager for Microsoft Outlook.

That's not the end of David's story. In this episode, you'll see how David experimented with novel projects, marquee events and well-placed mentors to create more fulfillment and balance in his career. For more about this approach to career progression, see my 5 Pillars Method.

He's also Co-Founder at Ventana Surfboards & Supplies, providing adventurers from Santa Cruz and around the world with hollow-framed, reclaimed wooden surfboards; bodysurfing handplanes; eco surf apparel, and sustainable surf supplies.

Anyone with an interest in bridging their passion with their day job, or struggling to decide between one path or another will benefit from this episode. 

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal Coach @ Cloud Champions LLC Buzzsprout-10464142 Tue, 19 Apr 2022 13:00:00 +0200 2691 1 6 full false Marriage Broker Auntie to Billion-Dollar Startup VP | Priyanka Bharadwaj Marriage Broker Auntie to Billion-Dollar Startup VP | Priyanka Bharadwaj Read more of Priyanka's work on her Substack:
https://shapelygal.substack.com/

I'm pleased to recognize executive coach Marie-Caroline Chauvet in this episode. Learn more about her work here:
https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/mariecarolinechauvet

My guest today is Priyanka Bharadwaj. Priyanka has diverse professional experience as a senior manager at Toyota and Amazon, and as a respected and published thought leader on marriage and dating. She's now a VP at a fast-growing logistics startup with over $1.4B in funding.

We speak about her perspective as a working mom during career change. Priyanka shares some practical advice and lessons learned from her MBA and work opportunities abroad in London, Barcelona and Bengaluru.

Anyone with an interest in aligning their career dreams with their partner, stepping in to thought leadership, or balancing work and family will benefit from this episode. I hope you enjoy it!

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Read more of Priyanka's work on her Substack:
https://shapelygal.substack.com/

I'm pleased to recognize executive coach Marie-Caroline Chauvet in this episode. Learn more about her work here:
https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/mariecarolinechauvet

My guest today is Priyanka Bharadwaj. Priyanka has diverse professional experience as a senior manager at Toyota and Amazon, and as a respected and published thought leader on marriage and dating. She's now a VP at a fast-growing logistics startup with over $1.4B in funding.

We speak about her perspective as a working mom during career change. Priyanka shares some practical advice and lessons learned from her MBA and work opportunities abroad in London, Barcelona and Bengaluru.

Anyone with an interest in aligning their career dreams with their partner, stepping in to thought leadership, or balancing work and family will benefit from this episode. I hope you enjoy it!

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal Coach @ Cloud Champions LLC Buzzsprout-10381278 Tue, 05 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0200 2562 1 5 full false Diplomacy to AI Principles to Tea | MJ Pham Diplomacy to AI Principles to Tea | MJ Pham Hello listeners, Neil here. I need to warn you that this episode contains a description of intimate partner violence. Listener discretion is advised.

If you or someone you know is at risk in the United States, or you'd like to volunteer or donate: https://www.ywca.org/what-we-do/domestic-and-sexual-violence-services/
Europe: https://ec.europa.eu/justice/saynostopvaw/helpline.html
Worldwide: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women

This season, I hope you've realized that Your Next Big Thing is about more than careers and there is a human being underneath that armor. I'm especially grateful for guests willingness to share their dreams, setbacks and wisdom with our audience. With this in mind, I hope you enjoy this episode.

My guest today is MJ Pham. We spoke about her approach to career re-invention. Her impressive career arc spans from Fortune Magazine in New York, to serving in Cambodia, Saudi Arabia and Washington with the US State Department, to her current career in Communications and Marketing @ Google. MJ is an entrepeneur and founder of the Silk Tea Co where she crafts powerful tea blends that make a social impact.

MJ is a two-time winner of U.S. national journalism awards and was selected for the prestigious Pickering Fellowship in US Foreign Affairs. Moonlighting as a gastrodiplomacy scholar, her work has been cited by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Yale Review of International Studies, and Public Diplomacy Magazine. 

During her current tenure at Google, her communications portfolio included responsible innovation and AI principles, including an event for AlphaGo, the first computer program to defeat a professional human Go player, and the first to defeat a Go world champion.

Anyone with an interest in reinventing their career, starting their own business, breaking into big tech or heeding the call for public service will benefit from this episode. I hope you enjoy it!

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Hello listeners, Neil here. I need to warn you that this episode contains a description of intimate partner violence. Listener discretion is advised.

If you or someone you know is at risk in the United States, or you'd like to volunteer or donate: https://www.ywca.org/what-we-do/domestic-and-sexual-violence-services/
Europe: https://ec.europa.eu/justice/saynostopvaw/helpline.html
Worldwide: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women

This season, I hope you've realized that Your Next Big Thing is about more than careers and there is a human being underneath that armor. I'm especially grateful for guests willingness to share their dreams, setbacks and wisdom with our audience. With this in mind, I hope you enjoy this episode.

My guest today is MJ Pham. We spoke about her approach to career re-invention. Her impressive career arc spans from Fortune Magazine in New York, to serving in Cambodia, Saudi Arabia and Washington with the US State Department, to her current career in Communications and Marketing @ Google. MJ is an entrepeneur and founder of the Silk Tea Co where she crafts powerful tea blends that make a social impact.

MJ is a two-time winner of U.S. national journalism awards and was selected for the prestigious Pickering Fellowship in US Foreign Affairs. Moonlighting as a gastrodiplomacy scholar, her work has been cited by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Yale Review of International Studies, and Public Diplomacy Magazine. 

During her current tenure at Google, her communications portfolio included responsible innovation and AI principles, including an event for AlphaGo, the first computer program to defeat a professional human Go player, and the first to defeat a Go world champion.

Anyone with an interest in reinventing their career, starting their own business, breaking into big tech or heeding the call for public service will benefit from this episode. I hope you enjoy it!

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal Coach @ Cloud Champions LLC Buzzsprout-10172477 Wed, 02 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0100 2498 1 4 full false Appellate Law to Software Engineering | Josh Stillman Appellate Law to Software Engineering | Josh Stillman During an 8 year career practicing Law, Josh won multi-$MM victories for corporate clients and immigration relief pro bono. Josh holds a JD from New York University Law School, where he graduated in the top 10% of his class.

In the middle of his career in Law, Josh made a big change. He's now a Senior Software Engineer at a fast growing tech company where he leads teams and helps clients build better products and applications.

In this episode, Josh and I speak about recognizing what drives you and tapping into that passion. We also go in depth about HOW to bridge into tech, including why Josh enrolled in a coding boot camp from the Flatiron School. Anyone looking for practical advice on how to do more of what they love, and HOW to use their existing skills in a new context, will benefit from this episode.

Book Rec: Josh mentions using The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron to tap into his curiosity. He created exercises to explore what matters to him:

https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary-ebook


Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> During an 8 year career practicing Law, Josh won multi-$MM victories for corporate clients and immigration relief pro bono. Josh holds a JD from New York University Law School, where he graduated in the top 10% of his class.

In the middle of his career in Law, Josh made a big change. He's now a Senior Software Engineer at a fast growing tech company where he leads teams and helps clients build better products and applications.

In this episode, Josh and I speak about recognizing what drives you and tapping into that passion. We also go in depth about HOW to bridge into tech, including why Josh enrolled in a coding boot camp from the Flatiron School. Anyone looking for practical advice on how to do more of what they love, and HOW to use their existing skills in a new context, will benefit from this episode.

Book Rec: Josh mentions using The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron to tap into his curiosity. He created exercises to explore what matters to him:

https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary-ebook


Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal Coach @ Cloud Champions LLC Buzzsprout-10073522 Mon, 14 Feb 2022 19:00:00 +0100 2728 1 3 full false Head of Customer Success to Full-Time Artist | Franziska Raffaël Head of Customer Success to Full-Time Artist | Franziska Raffaël During her ten year career in business, Franziska developed a side hustle as an artist, painter and muralist.

In *2021, I noticed Franziska post a creative and entertaining video reintroducing herself and announcing she was leaving her job to focus on art, full time.

Anyone interested in side hustle to full time, hacking a new industry, and leveraging online communities can benefit from her story!

With a Master's degree in Marketing and 10 years of experience, you might think her pivot to Art meant those business skills were no longer useful. Her results might surprise you. 

See her work:
https://www.instagram.com/franziska_raffael/
https://franziskaraffael.com/artist-video

Fun Fact: Franziska and I used to work together when she was the sales team lead for a German sexual wellness brand expanding to the United States. My role was to organize Amazon's support for marketing and brand visibility at launch. The best selling product? Advent Calendars (Adventskalender).

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> During her ten year career in business, Franziska developed a side hustle as an artist, painter and muralist.

In *2021, I noticed Franziska post a creative and entertaining video reintroducing herself and announcing she was leaving her job to focus on art, full time.

Anyone interested in side hustle to full time, hacking a new industry, and leveraging online communities can benefit from her story!

With a Master's degree in Marketing and 10 years of experience, you might think her pivot to Art meant those business skills were no longer useful. Her results might surprise you. 

See her work:
https://www.instagram.com/franziska_raffael/
https://franziskaraffael.com/artist-video

Fun Fact: Franziska and I used to work together when she was the sales team lead for a German sexual wellness brand expanding to the United States. My role was to organize Amazon's support for marketing and brand visibility at launch. The best selling product? Advent Calendars (Adventskalender).

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal Coach @ Cloud Champions LLC Buzzsprout-9969645 Sat, 29 Jan 2022 12:00:00 +0100 2672 1 2 full false Fashion Unicorn to Enterprise AR/VR | Nassima Filali Fashion Unicorn to Enterprise AR/VR | Nassima Filali Have you found success in your field, only to find curiosity leading you to your next big thing? Nassima Filali (Paris, Berlin) went from founding a fashion startup with her best friend, to joining Europe's largest fashion unicorn, leading teams and signing multi-$MM partnerships. 

So why did Nassima choose to change?
"I reflected on how I need to learn something new every day and have an even greater impact for my clients. A sign it was time for a new path." 

Nassima recalled her early career with two exciting and challenging years selling an AR-powered beauty mirror. She realized she had been following trends in the niche field of AR/VR for years, for fun and during her spare time. It was time to build a bridge (back) to her next big thing.

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Have you found success in your field, only to find curiosity leading you to your next big thing? Nassima Filali (Paris, Berlin) went from founding a fashion startup with her best friend, to joining Europe's largest fashion unicorn, leading teams and signing multi-$MM partnerships. 

So why did Nassima choose to change?
"I reflected on how I need to learn something new every day and have an even greater impact for my clients. A sign it was time for a new path." 

Nassima recalled her early career with two exciting and challenging years selling an AR-powered beauty mirror. She realized she had been following trends in the niche field of AR/VR for years, for fun and during her spare time. It was time to build a bridge (back) to her next big thing.

Women in Big Data


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

]]> Neil Metzler, Founder & Principal Coach @ Cloud Champions LLC Buzzsprout-9880760 Thu, 13 Jan 2022 16:00:00 +0100 2028 1 1 full false