Bernie Borges [00:00:00]:
Welcome to group recording number two. I’m Bernie Borgias, your host. You know, the first group recording that I did was published back in late May of 2025. In case you’re listening to this way down the road. And that that was episode 236. This is the first group recording since I rebranded the podcast to the Life Fulfilled Podcast. Now, if you’re new to the podcast, the first 239 episodes were the Midlife Fulfilled Podcast. And after studying my analytics and they just screamed at me, showing me that as much as 35% of my listeners are under the age of 45.
Bernie Borges [00:00:46]:
So I decided to ditch the midlife theme and I went all in on fulfillment. Not that I wasn’t already all in on fulfillment, but. But now the podcast is really about the attitude of chasing fulfillment regardless of age. Anyway, back to the group recordings, how it works. I have invited nine amazing individuals to join me and I’ve supplied each of them with a list of questions. Everybody the same list of questions where they can choose one to answer. And then, then I’ll invite each person to the virtual stage. And if you’re watching on video, you see that the person that gets featured on each question gets on the virtual stage.
Bernie Borges [00:01:28]:
Then she or he will briefly introduce themselves and then answer the question. Then we’ll have a little bit of spontaneous conversation about their answer and then move on to the next participant. Now the umbrella topic is fulfillment. Surprise, surprise. Each question is specific about some aspect of fulfillment across my five pillar fulfillment platform. And that is, of course, health, fitness, career, relationships, and legacy. Now I want to give you a little bit of context. I recently rebranded my company with a Fulfilled at Work Academy.
Bernie Borges [00:02:06]:
And I did it because I am really, really passionate about spreading the message of fulfillment across the globe. I have discovered that fulfillment is widely misunderstood. In fact, often fulfillment is conflated with happiness. And I understand why there is a little bit of similarity. But fulfillment is deeper. It’s deeper than happiness. I can be happy in the morning and unhappy in the afternoon. You see, happiness is connected to a circumstance which can be good or bad.
Bernie Borges [00:02:38]:
Fulfillment, however, is associated with an achievement or even a purpose. It’s deeper A. I like to say that fulfillment is so level deep. When we experience fulfillment in any area of our lives, it’s nearly always immutable. In other words, nothing can take it away. Some quick examples of fulfillment include things like completing a college degree or an advanced degree or a professional certification, or leading and completing a project to a successful conclusion. Or if you’re like Me and you like to cook. I like to barbecue.
Bernie Borges [00:03:13]:
Maybe you tried a new recipe and you cooked it and it turned out well. That’s fulfillment. You see, fulfillment comes in all sizes, large, medium, and small. And the better that we recognize fulfillment across each of our five life pillars, the more self aware we are and the better we can have clarity on where we’re aligned or misaligned in our quest for fulfillment across each pillar. Now, this leads to a more fulfilling life. I actually did research on this. I published a report late 2024, and one of the findings is that 79% of the respondents chose fulfillment over happiness if they had to choose one over the other. Let that sink in.
Bernie Borges [00:03:59]:
79% chose fulfillment over happiness. One more quick point before we begin. I recently launched fulfilled mastermind groups. Now, the mastermind groups are similar to what we do here on this group recording, except two things. First, they’re private and they run twice per month for three months. So each cohort goes deep with each other. Now, I’m building wait lists to place people in cohorts. So if that’s something you want to learn more about, just go to fulfilled@workacademy.com.
Bernie Borges [00:04:37]:
that’s my website. Or scroll down to the show notes for this episode. All right, that’s the context for this group recording. So let’s get this party started. I have pre selected the order, so let’s kick things off with Ebony. So, Ebony, introduce yourself and share the question that you want to share. And your response?
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:05:02]:
Absolutely. Thank you so much, Bernie, for having me here. My name is Dr. Eboni L. Truss, and my mission message and mantle is that of unbecoming. So I’m founder of the Unbecoming Movement, and the question I chose is what something you once thought would bring fulfillment but didn’t. What changed? So I used to believe that if I did everything right, I’d feel whole right, not. Not like, you know, being famous one day or luxury like chasing that.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:05:36]:
I’m talking about the kind of right that we’re taught to go after. To be a good woman, a good wife, to make God proud, do what I’m good at, take care of people, be excellent all the time, even when you are exhausted. And I did all of that right. I checked every single box. But somewhere along the way, I realized I had created this life that I was proud of, that everybody around me was proud of. But I didn’t feel like myself. And it was confusing because it wasn’t like there was anything that was wrong. Nothing was falling apart or anything like that.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:06:20]:
But something was definitely askew. It was definitely off, but I just kept trucking, right? Cause you’re supposed to just keep swimming like Dory, right? And for a while, I didn’t even know how to explain it to anybody because everybody around me was like, very adamant. Oh, like you have the best life. If I had your life, I would trade mine in all those things. And so I couldn’t explain it. Didn’t know how to. Wasn’t even able to articulate to myself fully. What I understand now is that I had become someone I was never meant to be.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:07:04]:
And that’s what unbecoming is all about. It’s about getting honest about all the ways that we’ve shaped ourselves around expectations, around survival, approval, or identity that was never ours to begin with. And so for me, it touched all five facets of life, spirit, soul, body, socially and financially. It was spiritual because I had to relearn how to hear God for me. And I just follow what looked godly. It was emotional because I didn’t even realize how much I had been hiding from myself and being emotionally unavailable and hiding in plain sight in other spaces. It was physical because for years I watched all the infomercials, right? Bought into diet culture, and I believed that 140 pounds was my ideal weight when it wasn’t even close to what was healthy for my body. It was social because I was trying to be everything to everybody all the time and calling that service.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:08:10]:
And it was financial because even how I handled money was based on fear and keeping up with the Joneses. The turning point for me, though, what changed? All that came actually when I was in a coaching program called Brand with Grace. And I came across a line in our workbook that said people are branding what they want to become instead of who God’s called them to be. And that jumped up off the page at me and did a two step. It messed me totally up because it made me realize I had been doing that. I wasn’t living from a place of authenticity. I wasn’t living from who God called me to be. I was living from what I thought would get approval or we get applause or safety.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:09:03]:
And it was costing me. And that moment didn’t fix everything, but it did start something. I started asking better questions. I started releasing roles I thought I had to hold. I started letting God reintroduce me to who he actually created. And that’s the life I live now. And it’s what I help others to return to. Not a new version of themselves, but the version that’s been buried under decades of doing what looks right.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:09:38]:
So that sounds familiar. Just know it’s not too late to come back to the truth. Now is the moment, the end.
Bernie Borges [00:09:47]:
Wow, Eboni, thank you for. For sharing that. Any thoughts or comments from the rest of the group? Preach.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:09:56]:
Don’t tip me with a good time. Do not tempt me with a good time.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:09:59]:
Don’t do it.
Bernie Borges [00:10:01]:
I love it.
Yvonne Fry [00:10:03]:
It’s so great to be unleashed.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:10:05]:
Yes. Oh, my gosh.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:10:07]:
Okay.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:10:07]:
I don’t know how much feedback we should give, so I’m gonna be quiet.
Sunette Sahlah [00:10:10]:
I love what you said, Dr. Eboni, about not becoming just like a brand new person, but how much you’re being reintroduced to who you are. And all of the noise, the distractions. It can be cloudy, but when you know who you are, you can be who you were designed to be.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:10:29]:
Right?
Sunette Sahlah [00:10:29]:
Which is the becoming. So I love that. Is. It feels refreshing to be you if you’re called forth to be.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:10:37]:
Absolutely. It’s not about purpose, discovery, because I believe that we have known from the beginning, like from children, who we were designed to be. It’s those outside forces, opinions, those who are in authority over us. You know, those really oftentimes the ignorant others who have usually good intentions for us but aren’t aware. So, like, it’s shedding all of that and saying no. Like, this is in my world, who I be, and I’m going to live big in that. And it is absolutely refreshing. Freedom tends to have that effect.
Bernie Borges [00:11:15]:
Absolutely fantastic. Thank you, Dr. Eboni. Thank you so much for sharing that vulnerable and authentic story. I think many of us can resonate. So thank you for that.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:11:28]:
Thank you.
Bernie Borges [00:11:30]:
All right, next up is Nishat. Nishat, you want to introduce yourself and share your question and response?
Nishat Jones [00:11:37]:
Absolutely.
Nishat Jones [00:11:38]:
Thank you, Bernie.
Nishat Jones [00:11:39]:
I appreciate the invitation. My name is Nishat Jones, and I am the founder of Stratiate, and I operate as a fractional chief marketing officer. The question that I selected was, what’s one way you’ve redefined success to better align with fulfillment? So fulfillment is many things to many people. Over my career, I was chasing something. I was chasing success. It may have been a title, it may have been growth, it may have been promotions, hacked calendars. It was just the constant climbing, climbing that ladder and constant climbing that ladder, but going nowhere personally, not fulfilling anything inside of me. And at some point, I stopped and I realized, I don’t want to be on this ladder anymore.
Nishat Jones [00:12:23]:
It wasn’t taking me anywhere. I didn’t feel fulfillment. And So I decided to make a bold choice. And after 25 years, I left corporate America. It was scary. It was risky, because I didn’t have something else to fall back on. But it was probably the biggest decision I’ve ever made that’s provided me the best fulfillment in my entire life, my entire existence. Today, success is varied.
Nishat Jones [00:12:48]:
It’s freedom. It means having time with my family, spending time with my husband, my son that’s heading out to college in five weeks, having energy to do things, just having a smile, having the health that I want, and not allowing someone to control or dictate what I do, when I do it, and how I do it. I feel like I’m finally in control. And it’s an amazing feeling. I’ve learned that it’s fulfillment isn’t what’s on your resume. It’s not what that title is, that titles mean nothing. We say that all the time, but they truly mean nothing. I find that it’s how I feel when I wake up in the mornings, and I feel amazing every single day.
Nishat Jones [00:13:30]:
And I have control over that. Am I at peace? Do I feel proud of my decision? Do I enjoy spending time with my family? Absolutely. Absolutely. These are things I didn’t have in the past. So I say yes to purpose now, and I say no to burnout. And it has been a life change that I have made, and I couldn’t be happier.
Bernie Borges [00:13:53]:
That’s fantastic. Saying yes to purpose and no to burnout. Love that. Thank you. Nishat, any thoughts, comments?
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:14:01]:
I have lots of thoughts. But, Nishat, congratulations. Congratulations for breaking that bold step, for taking the leap. I agree with you that titles mean nothing. They’re usually just hiding places. They’re usually just masks. And when you talked about the constant climbing up the ladder, I got this feel like one of those cartoons I was like, from, like, Bugs Bunny. Am I dating myself? Okay, From Bug Bunny, where, like, Elmer Fudd is constantly going up, but the ladder is sinking further down.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:14:33]:
That was a picture that I got, and that I think is a great depiction of what you shared. That we’re climbing this ladder, but where is it going? And who says how high it is? Oh, congratulations, girl. Yes.
Nishat Jones [00:14:47]:
You nailed it. That was a great analogy. Absolutely. It’s just a ladder that it either never ends or it’s sinking below you. And one day you wake up and realize this is not worth it anymore.
Yvonne Fry [00:14:57]:
Yes.
Bernie Borges [00:14:59]:
And, Nishat, I’m sure you know and probably everybody on this group recording knows that the experience that you had, the emotions that you shared with us are More common than uncommon. We see a lot of that. I know there are people listening right now that are nodding their head and some of them maybe haven’t taken the step that you’ve taken yet. And some of them have. So congratulations and thank you for sharing that.
Nishat Jones [00:15:27]:
Thank you, Bernie.
Bernie Borges [00:15:29]:
All right, so up next we have David. David, introduce yourself and share your question and response, please.
David Medansky [00:15:36]:
Thank you, Bernie. I appreciate being a guest today. My name is David Madansky. I’m known as the health guy because I love being the example for living a healthy life. And I’m the founder of the Life42 Health Reset community. The question I chose is how do I stay connected to my purpose in my day to day work? And for me, it’s relatively easy. I’ve been where many people are. I was overweight, unhealthy, and at serious risk for risk for serious health issues.
David Medansky [00:16:07]:
I got my wake up call at age 61 when I was 50 pounds overweight. During the next four months, I shed the 50 pounds. More importantly, I kept it off. And then at age 67, I hiked up Mount Kilimanjaro. When I was 50 pounds overweight, I was given a 95% chance for a fatal heart attack. And that was my wake up call. So how do I stay connected to my day to day work? By remembering that excellent health can never be owned. It can only be rented.
David Medansky [00:16:38]:
And the rent was due every day in the form of the food we eat, the beverages we choose to drink, and the lifestyle that we choose to live. That’s why I formed the Life 42 Health Reset community. And I’ve kept it relatively inexpensive so that no one has an excuse to say I’m unable to afford it because it’s only $10 per month. And the reason I keep it low is to make an impact on as many people as possible. Because I was where most people are being overwhelmed, frustrated, and embarrassed. Right now on Amazon alone, There are over 50,000 books on health, wellness and fitness. If you ask one expert, they’ll tell you one thing. Second expert, they’ll tell you just the opposite.
David Medansky [00:17:24]:
And if you ask a third expert, they’ll tell you that the first two are both wrong. But who or what do you trust and act and believe on? That’s where I come in to show people that it’s relatively simple to live a healthy lifestyle, it’s inexpensive. And that most people just need a plan, accountability and support. More importantly, they form new habits so that they enjoy their new lifestyle. It’s not miserable. It’s not Drudgery. And it works. So when I wake up each morning, I think about that one person out there who may be confused, embarrassed, like I was, that they don’t need.
David Medansky [00:18:03]:
I want to show them they don’t need more willpower. They don’t need to be perfect. Because I like to advocate, it’s not about perfection. It’s about consistency. And when it comes to eating healthy, most of us know what to do. We just don’t do it. And it’s not what we can do, it’s what we will do. And so that’s the important thing to remember is that don’t tell me what you can do.
David Medansky [00:18:33]:
Show me what you will do.
Bernie Borges [00:18:35]:
Great. Thank you, David. I love that statement. Not what we can do, it’s what we will do. I have to ask, what was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro like? What was that experience like?
David Medansky [00:18:47]:
It was an incredible experience. And it’s one that’s almost impossible to articulate because everybody’s experience is different. It’s something you do need to experience for yourself. And each time you go, because people go several times, it’s different. It’s just one of those things where it’s a mental challenge as well as a physical challenge.
Bernie Borges [00:19:09]:
Okay, any thoughts from the rest of the group?
Sarah-Ann Wildgoose [00:19:13]:
David, I want to commend you because, I mean, you’re living it. So you speak from the heart. You have lots of passion. You speak from experience. And I think that’s wonderful for people that you’re onboarding and helping. It’s a great way to give back.
David Medansky [00:19:28]:
Oh, thanks, Sarah Ann. I appreciate that.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:19:31]:
I agree with Sarah Ann. You definitely are walking the talk because when you said at 61, I said, oh, well, he must be 62. And then when you said at 67, somebody is lying.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:19:45]:
Oh, my gosh, somebody.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:19:47]:
Sir, you look very good. You are so even past climbing a whole mountain, you look good.
David Medansky [00:19:58]:
Thanks.
David Medansky [00:19:59]:
Yeah, I’m 70.
Brent Pohlman [00:20:02]:
I just have to ask, what do you. When you regrep each stage, what’s the first thing you do?
David Medansky [00:20:08]:
I drink 22 ounces of pure water. My coffee.
Brent Pohlman [00:20:13]:
Awesome.
David Medansky [00:20:14]:
Then I start working. Sometimes I’ll take the dogs out for their walk. And right now it’s too hot here in Phoenix. We’re in 110, 112 range.
Yvonne Fry [00:20:24]:
I have one question, the Life 42. What is the significance of that? What does it mean to you?
David Medansky [00:20:31]:
Thanks, Yvonne, for asking. That’s a great question. The real answer is it takes about 42 days to see noticeable results when you’re doing program. However, according to Douglas Adams, who wrote the Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy, 42 is the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything.
Yvonne Fry [00:20:51]:
I have a lot to learn.
Bernie Borges [00:20:52]:
I think it’s one thing I love about these group podcasts. There’s always something to learn from each other. All right, fantastic. Well, let’s keep moving. And up next, Loretta, you are up. So if you would introduce yourself and share your question and response.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:21:10]:
Hi. Thanks, Bernie, and thank you for having me. This has been very informative so far. And I am Loretta Monroe Calvin. I am a transition and career coach and a consultant in the space of hr. So the question or the information that I want to share today is around the topic of what legacy would I like to leave? I guess when I’m no longer on this Earth. And for me, I reflected on that a long time because as a mother of boys, sons, I should say adult sons. And I think about the legacy that I would like to live.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:21:51]:
I think about the legacy that my parents left me. And someone shared with me not too long ago, a friend of mine, conversation that she had with my youngest son, and he talked to her about how much he admired me. He talked about how strong I was. And he talked about the fact that there was nothing that he could think of that his mom, me, could not do, overcome, accomplished. He was proud of my career, proud of this, proud of that. But he ended it by saying, I just wish she didn’t work so much. Which was a shock to me because I am officially retired from working for others and I work for myself. And I have been on the same treadmill that many of us have been on in terms of the corporate life.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:22:49]:
And I, too, as someone said earlier, After 25 years, I stepped away from that. Best decision that I ever made in my mind since I’d stepped away from that and began to do some entrepreneurial work. I thought that I had a more balanced life. I thought that I had a life that was showcasing my ability to be flexible about my choices in terms of where I spend my time. And as I reflected on his comment, I said to myself, obviously, for me, that translation for me is that he doesn’t see me having enough time just enjoying life that’s outside of our scheduled family time, that’s outside of our scheduled family dinners, our outings, and that kind of thing. And so the legacy I want to leave is one that I’m working on now, and one is that I have very intentional times that I do work. And when I shut down, I have intentional conversations with my Sons about what I’m doing. They’re always interested in knowing what I’m doing.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:24:02]:
But I also have extended time to them to say, this is something that I’d really like to do, and I’d like to have some time to spend that time with you. Because it really surprised me that they felt that I worked too much. I just wish my mom wouldn’t work so much. And in my mind, I am not working nearly as much as I did when I was working for others. But I want that legacy to be one that said that I prioritized my family, I prioritized my health, I prioritized my faith. Because when I reflect on my parents, they were the greatest parents in terms of providing, in terms of we never needed anything, wanted anything. But the one visual that I have with both of them is that we were their main focus, their main focus, 100% of their time, energy. Everything was around their children.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:25:08]:
And we said, we wish mom and dad would have done more things together, take vacations, do this kind of thing. So I’ve made some adjustments in terms of checking in with the boys, the men, because they’re adults, checking in with them and making sure that they have a better feel for what I’m doing. They have a better feel for where I am and that actually I have a very, very intentional time during the day in which I take breaks. I mean, I’m old, I’m older. I am old enough to realize when there comes a time during the day when you just need to step back and take some time. I have no problem doing that. I have no problem saying no to those things that push me beyond. So I want to leave the legacy that says, yes, I loved my family, yes, I loved my children, yes, I love the work that I did, but also that I was able to balance out those things with the things that are important to me.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:26:14]:
I have a lot of very wonderful friends, and I’m very blessed with having those. I mean, solid friends. And the last thing I want to leave a legacy is the reason that I’m able to do any of those things is because of my strong faith. Whatever your faith is, whatever that is, I tell my sons that faith or whatever grounds you, whatever your belief in day to day, if you know that your mom. Because I talked to them about if. For me, what’s important is that I align myself with my faith. Because for me, that’s the true barometer that says that I’m on the right path. And most importantly, when those times come, as the young people would Say now, when life is lifing and those uncertain turns come and those roads become rougher and those times that we think we’re going to have a very smooth terrain comes.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:27:16]:
My faith keeps me me grounded. And my faith reassures me that whatever it is that I’m dealing with, I’m going to get through it. And I want the same for them. I want them to know that they could have that kind of life. So the legacy that I am re formatting is around health, around time, around fun, around my sons and my grandsons seeing me. I should say grandchildren, because I do have one granddaughter. That they see me as a person who makes choices, and those choices are validated by my faith. That’s the legacy I’d like to leave.
Bernie Borges [00:28:03]:
All right, thank you, Loretta. You’re a lot of ground there. That’s fantastic. Thoughts? Comments? I have a question.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:28:11]:
Yes?
David Medansky [00:28:12]:
Just out of curiosity, what would you like to be remembered for?
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:28:18]:
I’d like to be remembered as someone who is open to receiving and giving to others. People come to me for many, many different reasons, and I like to be remembered as someone who receives others and gives without judgment to the best of my ability.
Bernie Borges [00:28:46]:
Loretta, I think you know from my podcast that among the five pillars, legacy is one of them I listed last. And I don’t mean to imply that it’s the least important.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:28:59]:
Yeah.
Bernie Borges [00:29:00]:
So I’ve given a lot of thought to this, and I want to suggest that you give some thought to this aspect of legacy, and that is that it is not limited to how you’re remembered after you’re gone. I believe that legacy is every day. I believe just the way that you interact with people and how you influence other people’s lives on a daily basis is part of your legacy now today.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:29:26]:
I agree with that. Thank you.
Bernie Borges [00:29:28]:
All right, well, thank you, Loretta. Thank you sharing that again, a lot for us to think about and digest. And thank you for sharing your personal sentiments on that. Okay, next we have Yvonne. So, Yvonne, if you would introduce yourself and share your question and response.
Yvonne Fry [00:29:46]:
Absolutely. And hello everyone. Thank you, Bernie, for including me. I am thrilled to be with you. I think back, Bernie, about how long I’ve known you and what life’s journey has been like. And I just celebrate what you’re focused on in your life now and thrilled for that. When I looked at these questions, they were all great questions because they’re around such meaningful content. And I was really struggling.
Yvonne Fry [00:30:11]:
And so I reached out to my daughter. She’s 19. She just finished her sophomore year at NYU. She stayed in the city this summer, and I’m missing her. And so I reached out to her today, and I said, look at these questions and tell me, what do you think? Which one should I focus on? And I was so honored that she said that I really should talk about legacy and intentionality. Combine two of your questions. And she had comments that I will hopefully reflect a little bit. But it’s amazing that our kids, as we’ve talked about today, our kids are a great mirror about our realities.
Yvonne Fry [00:30:46]:
And I was so thrilled that she sees legacy as an aspect of what I’m about, what I’m doing and what my life means right now. And the first thing that I’ll. I’ll say about that is about the impact that I hope to leave behind. The first mantra that I have that I’ll share is that we get one shot of this. This is not a dress rehearsal. It’s live. It’s full on. We bring everything to the table today.
Yvonne Fry [00:31:16]:
And as you just said, Bernie, like, every day is our chance to be able to have that impact, to. To really make a difference in the lives of others. And that can be at any age or stage of life. I was having a conversation with a young woman that just graduated from Blake High School in Tampa this past year, and she said to me today, she. Yesterday, she said, I want to be a congresswoman. And, you know, later in life. And so we talked about, there’s a race going on here. I said, let’s get you involved with this race so that you can set those things in motion, and your dreams can start to come true.
Yvonne Fry [00:31:53]:
And I just think about every person, every situation that’s in front of us. Nothing is random. Nothing is meant for anything other than good. And we’ve got to find that. We’ve got to figure out, how do we leave every person, everything in front of us better than we found it. And that’s a part of that impact in what I’m doing now. I didn’t introduce myself. Yvonne Fry, CEO and founder of Workforce Development Partners, which is a nonprofit that came out of what I believe each of us have, that we are uniquely prepared and provisioned for what we’re called to do.
Yvonne Fry [00:32:30]:
As a woman of faith, I believe we are called. We are blessed with gifts and experiences and wisdom and supports in our life that allow us to do something that is for the greater good. And the work that I’m getting to do is in our schools, our high schools, we’re doing workforce development. We’re helping students prepare and connect to the great jobs and training opportunities to find hope, to find a path forward that fits with their aptitudes, their dreams, and to really help them have access and the preparation that many are lacking in being able to achieve their greatest pathways to success. And I think about that of some of the things that, that I’ve realized there’s so many dreams that people have that in today’s world, they don’t believe that can actually be, can be for them, can be real, can happen. And we all have such an opportunity slash responsibility that we see those dreams. We actually are reaching out, helping, giving back, paying it forward. None of us have gotten to where we are alone.
Yvonne Fry [00:33:31]:
And I’ve reached a point in life where it is about that give back. And that is such a rewarding time. I look at the wrinkles and the things that I’d like to smooth out here, but I say I am grateful for that because of all the other things that it brings with it, of the relationships that I have, hopefully the reputation and so on, that we’re able to get things done and leave an impact. And for me, it’s about stronger individuals that build stronger communities and it’s. I can’t believe what I get to do every day and who I get to do it with and what that means and yields in people’s lives, especially my own. You know, often, you know, you’re blessed by the way that you try to bless others. And I see that every day. So that impact and intentionality is alive and well and so exciting to be able to live that with grace and lots of love.
Yvonne Fry [00:34:24]:
You know, I think also that’s one other aspect of today’s day and age. People are raw, people are empty, people are struggling with a lot of the realities that we’re dealing with in our day and age. And the ability for one person to affect culture. Don’t ever underestimate what one person can do to make change and to affect the lives not only of one person, but of multitudes. And I just encourage folks with that, that don’t give up, be the change.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:34:54]:
Thoughts, Yvonne, that’s really great and thank you for sharing because I was shaking my head in the work that I do with transition and career coaching, more so one on one. But people are looking for hope and a lot of the marginal, not just the marginal population, but people are at various stages of their life and they’re confused, they’re afraid, they don’t know what to do next. And I’m happy to say that I join you in doing that very thing when I get it. When I have the opportunity to do that, I help them to see themselves in a different way. But more importantly, when someone’s been on a job for 30 years, 20 years, 15, and they’re told tomorrow that that job is gone, and they’ve been identifying with that, they come at a very low point in their lives and they feel hopeless. And I find that that is one of the strengths that I have is to encourage them and then to quickly help them to navigate through that. So the work that you do, I’m so happy that there are those of us that find that to be really important. So keep doing the good things to help people.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:36:13]:
I appreciate your story.
Yvonne Fry [00:36:15]:
Thank you, Loretta. I’d love to connect around our mutual.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:36:17]:
Work to do that as well or do that. I hate to see people struggle and I just help them understand that there’s hope, right?
Yvonne Fry [00:36:29]:
Yeah, absolutely. And our kids, you know, the term opportunity youth disconnected you. That’s a lot of what we’re addressing. And just helping them know that there really are tremendous opportunities available to them. So, yeah, really grateful. Looking forward to some more conversation around that.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:36:45]:
Thank you.
Bernie Borges [00:36:49]:
I have many thoughts, but in the interest of time, I’ll just make one remark. Okay. And that is I love the fact that you consulted with your daughter and that she inspired you to focus on the topic that you chose to focus on and how that aligned for you. So that’s really heartwarming. Thank you.
Yvonne Fry [00:37:09]:
Thank you. I agree. So grateful that main title Mom. Very grateful for that.
Bernie Borges [00:37:15]:
There you go. Thank you, Yvonne. All right, up next we have Sarah Ann. Would you please introduce yourself and share your question and response, please?
Sarah-Anne Wildgoose [00:37:25]:
Sure. My name is Sarah-Anne Wildgoose and I run Saw Design Studio. And I’m going to answer the question today of making a bold decision that made a pursuit, you know, of fulfilling your life. And in essence, I’m going to take you back in time. Five years ago, I was living in Rhode Island. It’s January, it’s freezing, and Covid hit. And I’m thinking, what am I doing here? I feel very unfulfilled. There ain’t much to look forward to.
Sarah-Anne Wildgoose [00:37:56]:
I need to go. So I made a six month plan which involved moving down here to Atlanta. So that was 2020. I purged a lot of my materialistic things and I was down here in six months thinking, great, I’m going to find the full time job and things are going to be good. But that did not happen. So that’s when I decided to fulfill my own dreams and I started my own business for a second time. And I’m happy to say that I’m five years strong and what moving down here has done for me many things. But the short list is I spend quality time with my sister.
Sarah-Anne Wildgoose [00:38:35]:
We’re on the tennis court together. I’ve learned kickleball. I’ve met so many people I know probably triple the amount of people down here than I did in Rhode island. And it’s just been very inspiring a lot. The pay it forward attitude is now part of my everyday lifestyle and I’ve considered myself fortunate that I enjoy what I do, I’m passionate about what I do and I feel like I’ve landed. The wild goose has landed in Atlanta.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:39:08]:
Good for you.
Bernie Borges [00:39:10]:
Fantastic thoughts. Comments right on.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:39:15]:
Sarah Ann. Awesome.
Sunette Sahlah [00:39:18]:
How long, you took a risk a second time, right. To do your business and to hear that you’ve landed and you’re successful. It’s fantastic to hear that because it’s not easy to take that risk again, especially if you’ve been in one other time before. So kudos to you and glad to hear that you’re making the best of life every day.
Sarah-Anne Wildgoose [00:39:38]:
Well, thanks. And actually for me the angle wasn’t. It was a risk. It was the full time job is not coming, but what is coming? Your lifestyle and bills.
Yvonne Fry [00:39:49]:
Right.
Sarah-Anne Wildgoose [00:39:53]:
And figure out the plan, map it out and fail and learn and keep moving forward.
Brent Pohlman [00:40:00]:
I have to ask. And this is Brent. What’s more on the horizon? You’ve got to have some even bigger goals now.
Sarah-Anne Wildgoose [00:40:08]:
So I am constantly out there meeting people. You know, I think I do an assessment on my business every three months just to see if things are working. What can I change? How can I make it stronger, better? Listening to our ever changing world out there. Because we have to be reactive to that. We can’t function in a vacuum. So it’s just perpetual motion to maintain being fulfilled.
Brent Pohlman [00:40:34]:
Well, I felt your energy and I just feel like you’re up for something even bigger.
David Medansky [00:40:38]:
That’s where our head come from.
Bernie Borges [00:40:39]:
Let’s have a cup of coffee and shower.
Brent Pohlman [00:40:43]:
Yeah, I would agree with. I think that was David that was, was that David? Who was this then?
Brent Pohlman [00:40:47]:
That was Brent.
Sarah-Anne Wildgoose [00:40:48]:
Brett, you know, you’re right on the back end definitely that the energy is, is full on your side. But a few things that stood out to me there was just so attitude like makes everything and so your ability, like when you said I got down there and was like, hey, what a job at that in itself can either make you or break you.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:41:09]:
Yeah.
Sunette Sahlah [00:41:10]:
And then I love how you Mentioned that that’s your adaptability. Like adaptability is it says everything. And the big thing you said too was you planned like, so you purge. So while you was even excited about the transition and you knew it was time, you still was, I think, being wise in that. You know, I think sometimes when we have w life experiences, it’s like, oh, let’s do it. But then we forget about the practical and the things that we still need to do to be able to maintain a life. And so I think just that foresight of saying, okay, let me purge, let me let some stuff go, let me plan a bit helped you to be more adaptable. I love just the whole full circle thing.
Sarah-Anne Wildgoose [00:41:53]:
Thank you.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:41:54]:
Appreciate you.
Bernie Borges [00:41:56]:
Thank you. Sarah Ann and Sunette, you’re on the virtual stage already and coincidentally you’re up next. So you’re staying on the virtual stage. So why don’t you introduce yourself and introduce your question and response.
Sunette Sahlah [00:42:11]:
Oh, yeah. Oh, okay. That was perfect timing. I am Sunette Sahlah and I am the founder of Salah Wellness. Thank you. Salah Wellness is fadesborough Wellness. Taking care of your spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, well being. So that is what I do.
Sunette Sahlah [00:42:30]:
Overall, third choice question was, what’s one relationship that had a meaningful impact on your fulfillment and why? So when I got this list, I was like, oh, this is so cool. We get a list to choose from. And as I was looking through all of the questions, this question like, did this to me. Like, girl, if you don’t get over here and stop looking at the rest of those questions. And it grabbed me by my collar because it was like, we need to talk about this. And the most fulfilling relationship that I have been in recently is with myself. And that had been, I’m telling y’, all, it ain’t been easy. The relationship with me can be a bit something else.
Sunette Sahlah [00:43:19]:
And where they started was about five years ago. @ this point, I found myself navigating a 15 year separation or divorce. Found myself at the same time navigating a daughter that was going away to college. Like, Yvonne, I have a 19 year old with you as well. She’s a sophomore at college. She’s right through our sophomore year. My baby was blown away to school, My only child. And I was also navigating a transition in career.
Sunette Sahlah [00:43:52]:
Career pivot. Oh, literally, y’, all, every single thing in life that would say, who are you being ripped from underneath me? So my marriage, my relationship, who you know, my partner and I were best friends. My daughter, you know, I would say she was one of my favorite People still is. One of my best friends was leaving. And then what I felt security wise professionally was sleeping. And so I found myself literally just like, who am I? What do I want? What do I need? And it was a really difficult time. It was a difficult time. But in, in that transition of asking myself the questions of who am I?
Sunette Sahlah [00:44:38]:
What do I want?
Sunette Sahlah [00:44:39]:
As I continue to transition through all of the life that was occurring, what I realized was so much of me, just like many of the stories that have been told so far was many of much of who I was was not just who Sinette was, it was what who I thought I should have been. It was who my parents taught me to be. It was who society taught me to be. It was all the things. And it was scary. It was absolutely scary to find yourself in a place with yourself where while you thought you knew yourself, you had no idea who you are. And so for me, that was the beginning of me really delving in and asking the questions, who am I?
Sunette Sahlah [00:45:24]:
What do I want?
Sunette Sahlah [00:45:26]:
What do I need? What do I like? Where do I want to go? And I also like Sarah Ann. I took a year sabbatical and I just traveled. I gave, you know, I purged. I thought, like I mentioned with Sarah Ann is, you know, that, that practical piece, that real thing of while we’re thinking it, we also need to be wise. Even in the midst of the fear and the urgency, you know, I started to purge, I started to plan, what do I need over this next? This during a season of my life. And I took a sabbatical for a year. My daughter went away to school, my apartment, and I separated and I went and I traveled. I used my 401k and my savings and my credit cards and I went off and I traveled and I went to Asia and I went to Africa and I went the uk.
Sunette Sahlah [00:46:18]:
I went to all these different places. And what I found in these different places was not just different cultures, different experiences, but I found more of me. And so when I think of finding more of me, it’s a journey. Like a serious, real journey. Like literally today, when I am with myself and I fit with myself. Even last night, really quickly, I asked myself a couple of days ago, like, am I a boring person? You’re like, I’m not boring. And I had to answer myself, you’re not. It’s fair to think that you’re boring.
Sunette Sahlah [00:46:57]:
It’s just that now that you’re with yourself, you’re no longer outsourcing your joy, your peace. You’re having, pulling on and so that can look and seem boring, but it’s what it is. Life ain’t going to always be exciting and fun and exciting, but as long as I’m okay and I’m sitting in my beat, in my stillness, then so let it be, right? So while I’m still experiencing this, and while days can seem yucky and rough, I’m happy and I’m grateful to say that today I’m doing the work to.
Sunette Sahlah [00:47:29]:
Keep my cup full.
Sunette Sahlah [00:47:31]:
My desire as I continue to grow in love with me, is that when the time comes for more relationships, more friendships, a romantic partnership, I’ll be met from a place of fullness. So that when they come into my life, they’ll be coming, like, overflow my cup because my cup gonna be full. And so while I continue to walk this walk again, the journey, you know, it has its days where it’s sweet and it has days where it’s sour, but it’s my days with me and it’s sweet and it’s sour with me and at work. And so the greatest relationship that I’ve been in, the greatest relationship that have lit me up, took me down, round and round and born myself, and this relationship for sure is gonna always be. That is the most fulfilling relationship that I’ve been in thus far as me. That’s great, Lynette. That is so good.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [00:48:24]:
I have got to commend you on your bravery on the kahunas, that you have to ask yourself those questions as somebody who has been on that journey and constantly on it and work with people who want to take that trip. Listen, it takes kahunas to look at yourself in the mirror and say, hold up, hold on, wait a minute. And to wrestle, like you said, to wrestle with those questions, to wrestle with who you have become to satisfy other people. So, man, listen, I want to, as an old folks say, give you your flowers while you live and commend you on that bravery. That was good stuff. That was good stuff.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:49:08]:
Thank you, Sinette, for sharing that your bravery and more importantly, how you are today, how you’re doing today. And I can tell in your delivery and in the wholeness that you are where you are and you will be in the greatest place when and if whatever the universe brings your way, you’ll be able to receive that. So thank you for sharing.
Sunette Sahlah [00:49:34]:
Thank you, Loretta.
Nishat Jones [00:49:36]:
Yeah, I would just add that was so authentic and transparent. I loved it. I could just hope you could just feel that.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:49:42]:
Yeah.
Bernie Borges [00:49:44]:
I agree. I agree. Very authentic, very raw, very vulnerable. One of the things that I do on this podcast is I have three flavors of podcast episodes. Really now fourth, and that’s these. Brent, I’m leaving you up on screen because you’re next. I just want to make this comment. I have three other styles of episodes.
Bernie Borges [00:50:05]:
I have maximum episodes, which is teaching. I have a vulnerable conversation. And that’s what you just did. So that is you just shared something very vulnerable. So thank you for that. Okay, Brett, you’re up. So please introduce yourself and your question and response.
Brent Pohlman [00:50:22]:
Sure. My name is Brent Pohlman, CEO and owner of Midwest Laboratories. I’m a second generation owner, took over in 2016. And the question I want to focus on is how do you stay connected to your sense of purpose? And I’m going to give, I’m going to try and go really fast here, but there’s a lot of things to share here. And those questions, again, I didn’t have one that just sunk in. I could relate to all of them. But I’ll get going here. First off, I would say every morning I wake up with a sense of gratitude.
Brent Pohlman [00:50:51]:
I say my prayers to God and for my family and I just thank God for everything, all the blessings that I have at this time and place because I know there’s so much more again that he wants and there’s such a purpose there. Then I do some type of activity, whether it’s running, lifting weights. I have to get my blood going. I got to get everything ready because I want to bring my A game every single day. And for me, that means I got to be on fire. Everything it needs to be active. As part of that coming into work, I always, I have a mantra that people are first, people first, always. And the three words I’ll leave for you are people processing technology, always in that order, people first.
Brent Pohlman [00:51:30]:
Then you have to have strong processes for consistency and then technology last. So many times in my life I got it backwards where I thought technology could solve things. And you’re seeing that again today, I think with AI. But you will go further and faster with people than any other thing, any other, any other method out there. Through that, what I’ve learned is that if you put people first, you will grow in awareness and you’ll go in awareness and you will be able to feel the energy in the room. You will be able to walk by people. And what it really means for me is people are the most important thing to me. We do a lot of testing here at Midwest Laboratories, but people always come first.
Brent Pohlman [00:52:09]:
And I think as part of that, I really learned the power in calling People by their name. You call people by their name, you really stop them in their tracks, even in the hallway to show them that they just mean everything in the world to them. And through that we’ve been able to build a really great culture here. I also think through this whole process of gratitude and learning more and more about ourselves, and I keep hearing that message more and more with each of you, is that we can do some big audacious goals. One of the goals we have is we’re in 12 buildings right now and we bought property during the middle of COVID and we’re trying to move our property to a whole brand new campus. Three years ago, that price tag went from budget of 60 million to 200 million. And that’ll catch your attention. Well, you stay with your goal and I’ll tell you, by this fall we are going to start construction and It’ll be at 30 million, not 200 million.
Brent Pohlman [00:53:03]:
So you can do things, you can get things that you want again, as long as you put people first. I think in this world with all the things that are the chaos and the uncertainty, we are trying things all the time. We have a medical clinic on campus for our employees because we want to drive healthcare costs down. We look at insurance. I had first time in my life that I saw a deductible of 900,000 for one of our buildings. I said, this is crazy. So I mean, you have to deal with these things and the only way you can is if you take care of yourself and you at a point where you can handle this stuff because again, it’ll take you down if you’re not in good health. And that’s kind of what I’ve learned through this whole process over the last five, 10 years.
Brent Pohlman [00:53:46]:
So I’ll leave you with one last thought. Again, I think those three words, people, process and technology, you hear a lot of news, you hear a lot about technology, but always people first. And through that you can do amazing things.
Bernie Borges [00:54:00]:
Fantastic.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:54:02]:
Great.
Bernie Borges [00:54:02]:
Thank you, Brent.
Brent Pohlman [00:54:04]:
Say one last thing. One example too that I want to leave you with that you, I think all of you should think about is we’ve talked about faith. In our main entrance, there is a prayer wall. Prayer is something that all of us consider. So any employee, guest or vendor can go up there and write any petition that they want and know that it’s being prayed for. And again, in a world like this, faith is a key component.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:54:29]:
Man. Grant. Yeah. Hey, Grant, I had a question. Thank you for sharing. Since I’ve worked with so many CEOs to the point of exhaustion in the work that I did. But I was good at it, helping to help them understand the criticality of the people portion of the business. What would you say was your turning point or your, I don’t want to say turning point because I don’t know that you had to turn.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:54:55]:
What was it that really solidified it for you as the CEO, the people component of your business and your success?
Brent Pohlman [00:55:05]:
Again, this was hard. I had my brain works where I have a million thoughts at one time. But I will tell you, one of the biggest things that happened to me was every morning our chief strategy officer, her and I, we send texts to each other start of every morning and we pray for each other, the company, our families, our business. And at the end of the day, she gives me a recap of everything that’s happened in the operations. And that was huge. I had to get out of the day to day as a CEO and leader to understand what was happening in the day to day, if that makes sense. And I through that again, it was through people, she showed me that, wow, you can, you can really know more about the company if you really trust her people. And trust is key.
Brent Pohlman [00:55:48]:
And again though, if you have that 360 trust back and forth, you can do all kinds of things. It’s amazing. Through that the power of people is, is far greater than anything technology wise. I will say that.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:56:03]:
Thank you, Brent.
Bernie Borges [00:56:05]:
And Brent, you said you’re a second generation CEO, so it sounds like this has been the culture of the company for some time.
Brent Pohlman [00:56:13]:
I will say it has, but it’s really accelerated. In 2019 we had 110 employees. Today we have over 300. So our growth and everything, it is really accelerated over the last five or six years.
Bernie Borges [00:56:24]:
I would say all about leadership, all.
Sunette Sahlah [00:56:27]:
About leadership, about it.
Nishat Jones [00:56:29]:
Yeah, absolutely.
Sunette Sahlah [00:56:30]:
Well, say really quickly too, Bryn, as far as when I hear leadership and leaders talking about the power of the people, always equate culture to leadership. And so when the head is on point, the body is on point. And so I just want to commend you for taking the head, which is yourself, because you could say whatever you want to say, but they’re looking at you, they’re, they’re feeling you, they’re watching you. And that is the culture. So that is the movement of the organization, that is the movement of your success, taking care of you first. And I see that. And that is the power in leadership and then that, that is the power in culture.
Nishat Jones [00:57:10]:
Oh, it is absolutely. We, we have monthly luncheons with the CEO, they can ask me anything and I’ll give them an answer. And also, employees always want to know where the company’s going in the pat. When I was first took over, I didn’t, I would say, oh, I’m not sure. Oh, you don’t say things like that to employees. You better know the answer. You better know where you’re headed. So I totally agree with you that those things, that’s what employees really want to hear.
Nishat Jones [00:57:34]:
And they’re vibrant and they pick up your energy too. If you come in really with a negative tone or uncertainty, they’re going to feel it.
Bernie Borges [00:57:41]:
Definitely. Awesome.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:57:43]:
Thank you.
Bernie Borges [00:57:44]:
Brent, thank you so much for sharing that. A lot of wisdom there and also just a ton of authenticity. So thank you. All right, so we have our final panelist participant, Shantae. And Shantae, before I invite you to introduce yourself, I want you to know that for going last, you get one hour.
Shante Smith-Daniels J [00:58:09]:
Y’ all get ready, get your coffee, tea or whiskey, whatever you want.
Shante Smith-Daniels [00:58:12]:
Run it.
Bernie Borges [00:58:14]:
But seriously, don’t feel like you’ve got time constraint. The stage is yours. Introduce yourself and your question.
Shante Smith-Daniels [00:58:22]:
Okay, great. So I’m Shantae Smith Daniels. I am the founder of SSD Consulting where I serve as a fractional COO for small to midsize, purpose driven businesses. So the question I selected, which it took me a moment to figure out which question, the one I select is what’s one way you’ve redefined success to better align fulfillment? So that’s my question for today. That’s what I’m going to answer. So I will say throughout life I have looked successful. If you had that checklist. Right.
Shante Smith-Daniels [00:58:55]:
So at one time I was married.
Shante Smith-Daniels [00:58:57]:
I’m remarried.
Shante Smith-Daniels [00:58:58]:
It’s my second marriage. I was married at one time and then I was a single mom for a very long time. So while I was a single mom, I graduated my bachelor’s. This was pre Covid. So we had to go to school. We had to actually go on campus. I was working full time. I had welcome team leader at church.
Shante Smith-Daniels [00:59:15]:
I was over a volunteer life group. So on the outside I was checking all the boxes.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [00:59:21]:
Right.
Shante Smith-Daniels [00:59:21]:
Shantae got going on. Her kids are clean, right. They’re showing up to practice. They’re doing good in school. So everything was good. But I felt kind of felt like a robot. Everything was kind of like automated. I was just going through the motions to do the things that I also bought a house at that time too, on my own.
Shante Smith-Daniels [00:59:37]:
That was amazing. But I was doing the things that I felt like society was telling me I had to do to be a successful person. So now fast forward, my kids are older, my daughter’s married, I have a 21 year old son and my youngest just graduated from high school. To me now, success is more peace of mind. It’s not the checklist society is telling me. This is what you look like as a successful woman. It’s more about how I feel when I go to sleep or how I feel when I wake up. And so, and that’s another.
Shante Smith-Daniels [01:00:12]:
I also have a business, but that’s also why I have the business right, to give me peace of mind, right? Take me out of that corporate space. Now I’m more selective of who I work with and how I can work. And so that to me is how I redefine success by tying it to peace of mind. And that’s my fulfillment. And then when I work within the companies operations, my framework is people, profits, peace of mind. Because I feel like everything we do should be geared towards giving people peace of mind that will help them lead them to fulfillment. So when I say my redefined success for fulfillment is peace of mind. And actually I’m gonna be real honest with you.
Shante Smith-Daniels [01:00:54]:
I have a car that has a car note, right? That’s not a big to do, but today I was like, well, I got this car note. Like I could sell this car and get me a cash car and use this cash and go do something else I want to do or go travel, right? Go visit my dad in Costa Rica for three months. Like why I got this car note, it’s not giving me peace of mind. So I’m at the stage in life, right, where success looks like taking things out of my life that do not align with my peace of mind.
Bernie Borges [01:01:22]:
Love that. Thoughts, comments?
Loretta Monroe Calvin [01:01:26]:
I love that, that peace of mind. I’m telling you, the older you get, the more you realize how valuable or it’s priceless. It really is.
Yvonne Fry [01:01:36]:
Yeah, Bernie, there was a lot of truth here today, a lot of vulnerability, a lot of wisdom. And I feel like what a wonderful way for us to close out this. We’re recording on a Friday and I’m really grateful what this has meant. Bernie, thank you for including me today.
Bernie Borges [01:01:52]:
Oh, absolutely, Yvonne. And thank each and every one of you. So I’ll use that as a segue for me to just kind of wrap things up here. And so I will confess that I’ve been taking a few notes and there’s been some common thread among everyone’s thoughts and contributions. Certainly one common thread is just the authenticity and sort of the raw emotion that people have shared. And I’ve just discovered that in 240 plus episodes, the common thread that I’ve seen is just this just authenticity about the things that really matter to us in our humanity. So I’ll just kind of recap some thoughts from each of you and I’ll just treetops just to kind of put an exclamation point in some of these key points that were covered. Ebony, you said that you realized that you had created a life that you were proud of, but you felt like something was missing.
Bernie Borges [01:02:54]:
And it really came together for you when you asked God to reveal your purpose. Purpose. And you answered that call. The faith theme was very prevalent in this conversation today among many people. And that’s awesome. I also am a person of faith. Nishat, you said, like many of us were chasing success, title, promotions, climbing the ladder, and you decided you didn’t want to climb the ladder. And after 25 years, like many others, many on this call, not all, but many, you left corporate.
Bernie Borges [01:03:25]:
And now today success is freedom. And you love the freedom of when you wake up in the morning, you can do whatever it is that you feel you need to do or want to do. And I love that you said that. Yes to purpose and no to burnout. That that’s very quotable. So I love that. David, I know a little bit about your story. You overcame a weight issue and a health issue.
Bernie Borges [01:03:47]:
You of course climbed Mount Kilimanjaro at age 67, which in itself is an amazing feat. And now you are taking your quest for excellent health out to the world and you’re making it very affordable and accessible because you have an authentic desire to reach as many people as possible because of your own transformation. And that’s very, very commendable. So thank you for sharing that, David. Loretta, your story about how your youngest son said that he’s very, very, very, very, very proud of you, but wish you didn’t work so much and how that surprised you. That’s really interesting. I think I can relate to that a little bit when my kids were younger. And now you’re very intentional about how you spend your time, the conversations that you have and the interests that you pursue and also prioritizing things like family, faith, health, reflecting your parents values.
Bernie Borges [01:04:42]:
Yvonne, you talked about legacy. I love your point about we only get one shot at this. Wow, that’s an understatement, right? And every day is an opportunity to have an impact on others. Nothing we do is random. And everything that you’re doing now, today in your nonprofit and workforce development is for the greater good. You said, don’t underestimate the influence that one person can have to make change. And that’s fantastic. Sarah Ann, you made a bold decision, not just to move from the north to the south in the U.S.
Bernie Borges [01:05:11]:
by the way, because there are listeners to this podcast that are outside the US but it’s really how it transformed your life and how now you know you’ve got your own business that you’ve been in for five years, and you say you did it out of necessity because the jobs weren’t there, but nonetheless, it’s really transformed your life. I also made note of the fact that you’re playing pickleball. We didn’t talk about that, but I made note of that just because I know that pickleball is popular. And it sounds to me, if I can surmise, that it’s part of, you know, enjoying life and experiencing some fulfillment. Sinette, you said something that really is compelling and resonates. You said that the most fulfilling relationship you have is with yourself and how you experienced a divorce. And you, you took some time to ask the question, who am I? What do I want? What do I need? You took a year sabbatical, you traveled and then just found more of yourself. And you realize that.
Bernie Borges [01:06:10]:
That it’s a journey and that you’re no longer outsourcing Joy. And the relationship with yourself is always going to be there. Even if other new relationships come into your life, you’re always going to maintain that relationship with yourself. Boy, I think that’s a secret sauce for life in general. So thank you for sharing that. Brent, you talked about the experience that you have as CEO running your company and how you’re connected to a sense of purpose. You wake up with gratitude every day. You give thanks to God for everything.
Bernie Borges [01:06:45]:
And after your morning exercise, we share that in common. You’re focused on not just the business as the business, but as the people who are making the business possible. He talked about the recent growth of the business in recent years and how the three priorities for the business are people, process, and technology, with people being the number one priority. And you’ve got a big goal, moving to a new campus. So congratulations on the goal and that ambition and just appreciate you sharing the priority of people first in your company. And Shantae, you didn’t use up the full hour we gave you, but what you shared was powerful. And that’s just how you define fulfillment, around checking. Not how you used to check the boxes, but which kind of felt automated for you and what was really how society was defining success.
Bernie Borges [01:07:38]:
But now you’re focused on success as peace of mind and you really kind of bottom line it there. Like, that’s what success, that’s what fulfillment is for you, is not how society defines success, but just having peace of mind. And you even said that in your business, your framework is people process and peace of mind. And love that. On that note, I’m going to call it a wrap on this episode. And I just want to thank you all profusely from the bottom of my heart for your time, not just for here today, but you all spent some time thinking about the questions. You didn’t just show up here. I know you put thought into the questions.
Bernie Borges [01:08:19]:
And then, of course, you’re sharing authentically what you shared and the conversation that we had. And also, I want to encourage all of us to stay in touch. I hope that for many of you, maybe all of you, there’s some new connections here. And let’s see where that takes those relationships. So on that note, I want to thank you for joining me on this episode of the Life Fulfill podcast. And remember, fulfillment is a journey, as we have discussed here today. And I look forward to regrouping with all of you again soon.
Loretta Monroe Calvin [01:08:52]:
Thank you.
Yvonne Fry [01:08:53]:
Thank you.
Dr. Eboni L. Truss [01:08:54]:
Thanks, Bernie. Thanks, everyone.
David Madansky [01:08:56]:
Thanks, Bernie.
