10 Lessons Learned

Host Robert Hossary interviews Matt Formston, a blind Australian surfer, cyclist, author and Order of Australia recipient, about his book “Why Not?” and 10 lessons learned. Matt recounts being diagnosed at age five with macular dystrophy and later struggling through bullying, illness, losing sport, a friend’s suicide, and a decade of rebuilding his identity. He explains key frameworks: using “why not” to break down problems; shifting consciously between strategy and execution; treating values as standards with clear consequences; conducting a confronting “bullshit audit” of unfiltered behaviour; building capacity by choosing the hard way; making the future “already real” through sensory visualization and self-identity; using empathy to understand people without lowering standards; “owning every hat” with focused time and context-specific behaviours anchored by consistent values; separating diversity from inclusion and avoiding quotas; and a trust formula—trust = standards × consistency × time—as both foundation and amplifier of performance.
Episode Notes
00:00 Matt Formston - Why Not?
04:54 Lesson 1: Why Not?
08:09 Lesson 2: Two Gears, One Engine
10:59 Lesson 3: Standards Without Consequences Are Just Wishes
15:36 Lesson 4: The Bullshit Audit
19:46 Lesson 5: The Hard Way Is The Easy Way
22:50 Lesson 6: The Future Is Already Real
27:24 Lesson 7: Empathy Is A Superpower
33:34 Lesson 8: Own Every Hat
39:28 Lesson 9: Diversity And Inclusion Need A Divorce
46:06 Lesson 10: Trust, The Bedrock And The Amplifier

10 Lessons Learned with Zoe Fragou: Negotiation, Strengths, Consistency & Speaking Up
About Zoe Fragou
Zoe Fragou is an Organisational Psychologist with an MSc in Human Resources Management, a clinical psychologist license, a diploma in Business Coaching & Mentorship and a Certificate in Agile Leadership.
At the moment, she is a PhD Candidate at Panteion University and her research is mainly focused on the psychometrics of the corporate culture.
Alongside her academic interests, she is operating professionally in the full spectrum of her science, taking over projects of culture transformation, employee training and development, business coaching, personal branding, public speaking, and writing, for both private and corporate clients globally.
 
Zoe shares her 10 lessons: everything is a negotiation; everyone is a mess; focus on strengths; don’t swipe issues under the carpet; pettiness stalls careers; be the person you needed when younger, including negotiating harder and addressing the pay gap; connections matter; stop starting and start finishing; consistency is showing up; and always be the last to speak. She emphasizes speaking up clearly about needs and learning from every conversation.
 
00:00 Zoe Fragou - Stop starting, start finishing
05:56 Lesson 1: Everything is a negotiation
08:04 Lesson 2: Everyone is a mess. Some hide it better
11:12 Lesson 3: Focus on your strength
15:39 Lesson 4: Don't sweep it under the carpet
19:00 Lesson 5: Pettiness stalls your career
20:51 Affiliate Break
20:51 Lesson 6: Be the person you needed when you were younger
26:37 Lesson 7: All we have is the connections that we make
28:24 Lesson 8: Stop starting and start finishing
31:05 Lesson 9: Consistency is about showing up
32:11 Lesson 10: Always be the last one to speak
 

About Conan Higgins
Dr. Higgins is an international business attorney, crisis leadership consultant, and Amazon #1 Bestselling author who has spent his career operating where most people only theorize.
Before embarking on his illustrious academic journey, Conan served as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller with U.S. Air Force Special Operations—including parachuting into enemy-held territory in Iraq—earning two Bronze Stars for Valor across combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. After more than 25 years of military service, he became a Washington State Trooper and SWAT team leader before transitioning to international crisis management, where he oversaw projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars across six continents, from the Middle East and Eastern Europe to West Africa and Latin America.
Today, Conan serves as President and General Counsel of TSI Legal Enterprises, advising clients on complex international transactions, defense contracting, and export control compliance. He has consulted for the Government of Qatar, contributed to the World Bank/IMF's "Doing Business" report covering 189 economies, and held leadership positions in the American Bar Association's international law committees. His book, The Maverick's Blueprint: Crisis Leadership for an Unstable World, distills decades of operational experience into practical frameworks for leaders facing high-stakes decisions. He also writes the Princess Gumdrop children's book series—proof that even operators have a softer side.
Episode Notes
00:00 Conan J. Higgins - WIP
10:17 Lesson 1: The Signal Was Always There
14:10 Lesson 2: The Plan Dies on First Contact
15:59 Lesson 3: Calm Is Contagious
17:31 Lesson 4: Crisis Does Not Build Character
18:59 Lesson 5: Decide Who You Are Before the Phone Rings
23:03 Lesson 6: Give People a Job
27:45 Lesson 7: Train for the Day, Not for the Drill
31:24 Lesson 8: Relationships Are the Only Currency That Compounds
34:20 Lesson 9: Read the Room Before You Read the Brief
36:17 Lesson 10: Authority Is Not the Same as Judgment

About Elena Colmenero
 
Elena Colmenero is a People & Culture executive, organizational transformation leader and executive mentor with more than 25 years of international experience helping leaders, teams and organizations navigate growth, reinvention and change.
As leaders move into bigger roles with larger budgets and responsibilities, they can become increasingly disconnected from what’s really happening on the front line and across the organization. The speaker explains how executives often receive filtered or biased perspectives from a shrinking circle of trust, losing a true pulse on both business and organizational realities. They argue it’s strategically valuable to stay connected at all levels—listening directly to people and hearing what they have to say—because many insights gained from lengthy HR surveys could be learned quickly through simple conversations. Maintaining open ears, an open mind, and relationships throughout the organization provides practical insight, new ideas, and meaningful perspective that goes beyond merely addressing internal “noise.”
Episode Notes
00:00 Intro
07:57 Lesson 1: The People Are the Work
11:48 Lesson 2: Stop Talking, Start Hearing
14:33 Lesson 3: Loyalty Is Not Obedience
19:08 Lesson 4: Talent Needs Witnesses
22:17 Lesson 5: Authentic Doesn't Mean Unfiltered
27:17 Lesson 6: Power Does Not Change People, It Reveals Them
31:46 Lesson 7: The Climb Doesn't End When You Reach the Top
36:23 Lesson 8: Not Every Promotion Is Progress
38:54 Lesson 9: History Is Borrowed Experience
42:49 Lesson 10: Impact Is Not What You Control

About Our Hosts
Diana White has over 30 years in sales and retail experience, leading stores with revenues of over 10 million and a staff of 200. Consumer psychology, marketing, operations, and leadership are just a few of her skillsets. Seeing a need for startup and operations assistance within the local business community, Diana established D.E.W. Business Solutions, LLC, to provide consulting to small businesses. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Small Business Administration from Northern Arizona University, holds a green belt in Lean Six Sigma, and is a certified Agile Scrum Master. She is committed to helping businesses and non-profits as well as the community at large.
Siebe Van Der Zee is President of Vanderzee & Associates, Executive Search & Coaching. He has served as an international management consultant for over 25 years. For 28 years, Siebe has served as Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Arizona. He holds a Master's Degree in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management and he is a current member of the International Leadership Council at GPEC (Greater Phoenix Economic Council).
Robert Hossary has been involved in the not for profit/charity sector for the past 12 years. Robert also has an excellent knowledge in international business. Since 2011 - 2018, Robert was the General Manager for the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia (AmCham) and helped advise many Australian and US companies about their international expansion requirements. Prior to that, Robert was Regional Vice President for the Americas for a technology manufacturer. He has also worked in Taiwan with responsibility for Asia Pacific and the Middle East. With a background in Technology, Transport, Fashion and Healthcare, Robert has a wealth of experience to share.
Episode notes:
00:00 Special - International Lessons
00:21 Introduction
02:33 Guests' International Backgrounds
08:04 Biggest Challenges Working Abroad
16:14 What Is Culture?
17:45 Accepting an International Position
21:29 Family Considerations
26:56 Being a Citizen of the World
30:04 Empathy Through Cross-Cultural Experience
36:22 How to Acclimate to a Dominant Culture
42:48 Final Advice & Takeaways

About Codie Comeau
Codie works in Sales at EF Education First as a Tour Consultant. He is a first-generation college graduated where he thrived, earning a Bachelor’s in Communication, Media & Design with a minor in Psychology. The journey did not stop there as he would later earn an Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on Innovation and New Venture Management.   
Although young, Codie has plenty of experience over many different industries including Engineering & Manufacturing, Entertainment, Education and start-ups. He takes on many passion projects, his most notable was the Tennis program at Clarkson University. Under his leadership, the organization thrived growing in members and budget as well as gaining USTA membership.   
Codie has a goal to be a global citizen and explore what the world has to offer. He believes that every new place he visits or new culture he experiences helps him to grow as a person and share new perspectives. Codie loves developing new skills and keeping a student mentality. He is excited to begin this new chapter in life and experience what lies ahead. If he’s not busy at work you can find him on the tennis court or golf course, where he still has plenty to learn.  
Codie Comeau has joined the 10 lessons learned team as the episode producer 
 
Episode Notes 
There is no one answer, extremely frustrating!  
You need experience… even before your first job 
Specialization is becoming more and more necessary 
Show your metrics 

About Lukas Hefti
 
Lukas Hefti is the founder of www.speachers.com , where he has helped 100+ events across the globe find a great keynote speaker, connects great personalities with podcasts and the news, and supports speakers in their journey to improve.
Currently, he manages the former Deputy Administrator of NASA, the Chief of Science at NASA, an astronaut, the former Head of HR for Elon Musk, a Nobel Prize Laureate, a YouTuber with 20+ million followers and more.
After failing at computer science, he studied English and Geography at the University of Zurich, failed to become a musical actor, joined an IT company as a communicator and then built his own company to 2+ million USD in revenue over 3 years at age 27.
In his free time, Lukas sings, dances, and performs close-up magic. Recently, he won the DanceCup Switzerland.
 
Episode Notes
00:00 Intro
08:07 Lesson 1: Be Visible in Public
10:21 Lesson 3: Make It Easy to Book You
12:11 Lesson 2: Be Memorable and Easy to Share with Others
15:45 Lesson 4: Stay After Your Talks to Mingle
20:05 Lesson 5: Tell Stories Even When Your Topic Is Technical
23:10 Lesson 6: Pause and Summarize
27:42 Lesson 7: Use Language Your Audience Understands
30:29 Lesson 8: How You Say Things Is More Important Than the Exact Words You Use
34:30 Lesson 9: Don't Make Your Audience Waste Their Attention on Why They Should Listen to You
40:13 Lesson 10: Specificity Breeds Trust and Interest
43:41 Lesson 11: Not Everything You Say Has to Be on Your Slides
 

About CJ Cornell
Host Diana White welcomes returning guest CJ Cornell —entrepreneur, engineer, former Arizona State University professor who helped start its entrepreneurship program, mentor/advisor, and author of The Age of Entrepreneurship and new children’s books—to share 10 life lessons: finish what you start because completion creates results; knowing who you are and what you want outweighs being smart or ambitious; understanding the problem beats delivering a solution; hands-on expertise can become a curse if it prevents delegation; self-awareness and being present are rare superpowers; persistence isn’t always heroic and endurance can mask futility, so learn when to pivot; patience isn’t inaction and timing matters (illustrated by waiting for better AI tools to complete children’s books); listen for what isn’t said, including body language; most people aren’t thinking about you; and most fears aren’t real, illustrated by the “Scars Experiment.”
Cornell shares current projects: two children’s series (entrepreneurship books and the Bailey Bear life-lesson books) plus an upcoming mentorship book, The Startup Brain Trust.
CJ Cornell is the author of the bestselling book The Age of Metapreneurship – A Journey into the Future of Entrepreneurship, and The Startup Brain Trust – A Guidebook for Startups, Entrepreneurs, and the Experts that Help them Become Great, and coauthor of the textbook Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
CJ Cornell holds undergraduate degrees in engineering, a master’s in management and a Ph.D. in marketing and strategy. Outside of business, CJ has practiced martial arts for 21 years and has been an instructor for eight years. He holds advanced black belts in Karate, Jujitsu, Aikido and in other disciplines. The Smithsonian recognized CJ as one of the influential teachers and mentors of 1999.
ranked in the top 50 most influential websites for entrepreneurship and startups.
Episode Notes
00:00 Leadership - Intro
02:54 Lesson 1: Complete Things
04:07 Lesson 2: Knowing Who You Are
08:36 Lesson 3: Understanding the Problem
10:51 Lesson 4: Hands-On Skills
12:55 Lesson 5: Self-Awareness
15:13 Lesson 6: Persistence
19:16 Lesson 7: Patience
22:10 Lesson 8: Learn to Listen
26:07 Lesson 9: People Aren't Thinking About You
28:17 Lesson 10: Your Fears Aren't Real

Rebroadcast in Memory of Eddie Grobler
About Eddie Grobler
In July 2019, Eddie established Commerce 2040. The main objective is to use Commerce 2040 as a “platform” for engagement with different stakeholders in the payments value chain with the key focus on payment flows in a dynamic and changing environment. He is currently involved is a number of explorative engagements with stakeholders – mainly start-up organisations and entities who are interested in entering the Australasian market.
Eddie Grobler was the Executive Vice President: Australasia Division from 2008 and in August 2016, he was appointed as Executive Vice President: Realtime Payments. Based in London, he was responsible for the development and execution of Mastercard’s real time payments strategy. Part of this strategy was to acquire a UK real time payments company. Eddie was part of the due diligence team. After the successful acquisition of Vocalink he took responsibility for the integration of the company into Mastercard. This project was successfully completed in November 2018 after which he returned back to Australia. Eddie retired, after 20 years, from Mastercard on 31 December 2018.
Prior to 2008 Eddie was Based in Johannesburg, as the Senior Vice President: Sub-Sahara Division Eddie was responsible for all the Mastercard Africa business operations, in particular, the development of the Mastercard franchise in Africa, sub-Sahara. He was instrumental in the opening of the Mastercard offices in Nigeria, Kenya and Morocco.
Eddie holds two Master's Degrees: one in Business Leadership the other in Psychology.
Episode Notes
00:00 Intro05:15 Lesson 1: The Answer Is in Your Hands08:11 Lesson 2: Culture Matters and Always Will11:16 Lesson 3: Writing in the Snow13:33 Lesson 4: What's Your Decency Quotient?16:51 Lesson 5: Your Mindset Matters a Lot21:47 Lesson 6: Far or Fast, You Choose23:53 Lesson 7: Make Recognition Your Job29:57 Lesson 8: Reverse Mentoring36:12 Lesson 9: Your Career Is Not a One Day Game39:30 Lesson 10: Don't Jerk the Knee or Shoot the Mouth

About Chelle Johnson
Chelle is a first-generation college graduate who grew up with limiting beliefs, fear, and dysfunction. Through faith, resilience, grit, and determination, she achieved executive leadership roles in Talent Acquisition and Human Resources at Fortune 50 companies including Comcast, Lockheed Martin, Quest Diagnostics and Honeywell. She has lived and worked in Asia and Latin America, acquired her MBA, and speaks Spanish and English. Through her agency Best You Talent Advisors, she now helps high achievers and diversity allies discover and amplify their strengths and purpose and realize abundance in their careers and lives.
Chelle is a career ally, change maker, and positive mental fitness authority who helps people be their best. She loves guiding people to get crystal clear on who they are and what they want and building the courage and confidence to achieve those personal and professional goals. She is known for coaching and advising people to listen to their inner wisdom, take risks, build their bravery and have the courage to seek their best lives.
Episode Notes
00:00 Intro
11:25 Lesson 1: Learn the Business Deeply
16:17 Lesson 2: Relationships Matter
22:00 Lesson 3: Stay Curious and Keep Learning
30:44 Lesson 4: The Most Important Person to Impress is Yourself
38:04 Lesson 5: Admit and Learn from Failures
 

About Samir Domah
Samir spent over 15 years climbing the ladder in FMCG and data, helping brands win space on Tesco shelves and leading multi-million-pound insight and media portfolios for retailers like Booker, John Lewis and global CPGs. On paper, he had the classic "good job" story: senior roles, a growing team, and industry recognition including a Top 30 Under 40 Loyalty Royalty award. But after bad job role landed him hospital, he sought to make a change and within 12 months had become an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author, Speaker on Men's Mental Health and taken his musings to stage with Stand Comedy. He now coaches others to make their life count.
Episode Notes
00:00 Intro
03:13 Lesson 1: Make It Count
07:05 Lesson 2: Your Value Isn't Define by The Position You Are In Now
12:36 Lesson 3: Even Your Toughest Foe, Is Soft Somewhere Else
17:13 Lesson 4: Clarity Beats Complexity
20:25 Lesson 5: It's Easy To Overcomplicate Your Customer
25:25 Lesson 6: Do Pre-Mortems, Not Post-Mortems
29:56 Lesson 7: You Can Learn As Much From The Little Guys As The Big Guys
32:56 Lesson 8: Data is King, Humans Are Still The Queen
35:34 Lesson 9: Treat Your Sales Cycles like A Love Marriage
39:18 Lesson 10: The Best DEI Programs Have An Exit Plan
 

About Ranjith Ravula
Ranjith Ravula is an inspiring entrepreneur who transitioned from earning hourly wages as a limo driver and accountant to founding a successful recruiting business.
His journey began with humble beginnings, encountering setbacks and deceit, but he persevered and expanded his network.
In 2016, he launched Raks Group, a firm that now boasts $4M in revenue as of 2022. Under his leadership, the company focuses on IT staffing and includes innovative services like SociaM8.
Ranjith emphasizes the creation of a strong personal brand and helps others establish businesses in the USA. Known for his resilience and adaptability, Ranjith has exemplified how challenges can be transformed into opportunities.
Outside of his professional achievements, he remains dedicated to his community and passionate about empowering others to succeed.
  
Episode Notes
00:00 Career Lessons - Intro
06:49 Lesson 1: Mindset is Everything
10:25 Lesson 2: Embrace Setbacks as Lessons
14:13 Lesson 3: Prioritize Financial Discipline
19:00 Lesson 4: Invest in Relationships

About Matthew Hill
With a career that spans corporate boardrooms, global classrooms, and stand-up comedy stages, Matthew Hill brings a rare blend of wit, warmth, and wisdom to the art of communication. As a leadership trainer, intercultural facilitator, and presentation coach, Matthew helps executives, emerging leaders, and teams unlock confidence, clarity, and impact—whether they’re pitching, presenting, or navigating high-stakes conversations.
Having trained teams from EY to GE Capital, and delivered workshops in more than 30 countries, Matthew is deeply versed in the real-world dynamics of cross-cultural communication and influence. His sessions are energising, applied, and always action-oriented. He’s especially skilled in flipping limiting beliefs—taking the "I could never" and transforming it into “watch me do it.”
Whether he’s guiding a nervous speaker through their first keynote, coaching a CEO on how not to bore their team, or mediating conflict with humour and empathy, Matthew knows how to meet people where they are—and move them forward.
He thrives in global settings, whether in-person or virtual, and has built a reputation for helping professionals of all stripes find their voice, sharpen their message, and lead with purpose. From webinars to live workshops, he’s equally at home behind the mic or in front of the room, and brings sharp insight and lively storytelling to every conversation.
Matthew’s book “Learn How to LEAD; Believe, Behave & Become” is available now.
 
Episode Notes
00:00 Intro
07:08 Lesson 1: Forgive Yourself
12:18 Lesson 2: Perfect Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance
17:22 Lesson 3: Do Your Best, No More, No Less
23:16 Lesson 4: Network Like a Crazy Person
31:42 Lesson 5: No Health, No Wealth
38:38 Lesson 6: Always Have a Story Ready to Tell
44:23 Lesson 7: Be Creative and Determined
49:11 Lesson 8: Have Three Answers to Every Problem
53:48 Lesson 9: Einstein's Favorite Human Invention - Save Money Early
55:53 Lesson 10: Do the Other Side's Work as Well

About Fatemah Mirza
Fatemah Mirza is a Certified Resume Master and the powerhouse behind CareerTuners, a premier career services firm she founded over 15 years ago. Her work has helped thousands of driven professionals break into top-tier organizations—including the United Nations, Big Four consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies, and even the White House.
Her clients don’t just land interviews; they double their salaries, reclaim their time, and walk away with the confidence to ask for (and get) what they truly deserve.
A best-selling author and TEDx speaker, Fatemah is a sought-after expert regularly invited to speak at institutions like UCLA, CSUN, and ICOI. Her career tools and templates have been downloaded over 200,000 times, and her company boasts 200+ five-star Google reviews, cementing her reputation for delivering real, measurable results.
 
Episode Notes:
 00:00 Leadership – Intro
09:53 Lesson 1: The Hidden Job Market Still Hires Faster Than Job Boards
16:17 Lesson 2: Negotiate the Role Before You Negotiate the Salary
24:38 Lesson 3: Know Your Red Flags and Neutralize Them Early
32:12 Affiliate Break
33:01 Lesson 4: Decode the Job Description to Expose the Hiring Manager's Real KPIs
41:04 Lesson 5: Use Your Skills to Create Opportunities for Others
 

About Sogol Homayoun
Dr. Sogol Homayoun is an Author, Facilitator, Global Speaker, and leadership coach. Currently, Sogol is an EdTech leader at Arizona State University (ASU) Online. She is also the founder and CEO of The Jasmine Circle, a global personal development coaching organization dedicated to helping you regulate their nervous system, eliminate limiting belief systems and rebrand your sensitivities into a leadership superpower.
Sogol has dedicated her life to pursuing self-cognition, speaking and advising on leadership and becoming certified in storytelling, design thinking, creativity, hypnotherapy, and neuro-linguistics programming (NLP) to coach her clients globally. Dr. Homayoun received her bachelor’s and doctorate degrees from Arizona State University. She has spent her life as a global citizen, having lived in both the Middle East and the United States. She is currently living in the U.S.
 
Episode Notes:
 00:00 Leadership - Intro
02:48 Lesson 1: Environmental Sensitivity
06:46 Lesson 2: Emotional Challenges
12:19 Lesson 3: Mental Inner World and Overthinking
16:39 Lesson 4: Understanding Fear Responses - Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn
20:35 Lesson 5: The Art of Wavelength Communication
23:36 Lesson 6: Learning to Let Go Without Taking It Personally
26:43 Lesson 7: Lifestyle and Practical Issues - Managing Burnout
30:54 Lesson 8: Hidden Strengths That Become Challenges
39:20 Lesson 9: Emotional Intelligence and Creating Safety

 
Exciting news for 2026: A 10-part miniseries titled 'Lessons in Leadership' will be launched, featuring interviews with experienced individuals discussing best and worst leadership practices. The series promises to share best practices, funny stories, and valuable wisdom for current leaders. Join these deep conversations on leadership in the new year.

Join host Robert Hossary and guests Diana White, Siebe Vanderzee, and Codie Comeau in a special end-of-season episode of '10 Lessons Learned.' Discover valuable life lessons on gratitude, understanding, choosing battles, authenticity in leadership, and speaking out against injustice. Plus, a surprise appearance by Santa Claus, sharing a lesson in spreading the spirit of giving. Subscribe and hit the notification bell to stay updated on our new special series and regular episodes.
Episode Notes
00:00 Christmas Special Episode 2025
01:54 Robert's Lesson
04:52 Siebe's Lesson
08:31 Codie's Lesson
12:03 Diana's Lesson
20:28 Santa's Lesson

About Leela Aheer
 
Hon. Leela Sharon Aheer was first elected as a Member of Alberta's Legislative Assembly for the Chestermere-Rocky View constituency on May 5, 2015.  She was re-elected on April 16, 2019, as the MLA for the newly formed riding of Chestermere-Strathmore. 
Born in Edmonton and raised in Chestermere, where she raised her family, Aheer is a proud wife and mother of two amazing young men.  She is also a professional singer, vocal coach, and music teacher, instructing singing in seven languages.  Her passion for music led her to own and operate a successful music studio for twenty-four years in Chestermere and Calgary, where she was heavily involved in arts, volunteerism, and community service. 
As Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women (2019 - 2021), Hon. Aheer made significant strides in promoting multiculturalism and women's status.  Her proclamation of Women's Entrepreneurship Day in February 2019 was a historic moment for Canada.  She was the first Minister of Multiculturalism in the last twenty-five years and the first Deputy Leader of the United Conservative Party.   A key priority of the new government was to provide more protections for women through initiatives like Clare's Law.   
Hon. Aheer has worked tirelessly to affirm her position as an ally within the Alberta Legislature for those seeking shelter from gender-based violence, racism, and female genital mutilation.  In May of 2022, her work on this matter came to fruition when The Health Professions (Protecting Women and Girls) Amendment Act, 2022, a Bill she championed in the Legislature, earned Royal Assent.  This significant achievement is a testament to her commitment to social justice. 
MLA Aheer is renowned in her community and among her peers for her strategic insights and ability to build meaningful partnerships. 
Hon Aheer was appointed Senior Director of Strategy and Partnerships with BioAro Inc., a precision health and longevity medicine leader, in July 2024.  She was also appointed the BioSport Chief Growth Officer.
Her visionary approach and commitment to the public are invaluable in navigating the
complexities of global health markets. 
Episode Notes
 00:00 Introduction
12:31 Lesson 1: Love Boldly, Even When It's Tough
15:59 Lesson 2: Silence Speaks Volumes that Connects
19:08 Lesson 3: You Are Not What Happened To You
23:49 Lesson 4: Courage Isn't Always Loud
28:11 Lesson 5: Stay Open to Unexpected Turns
29:39 Affiliate Break
30:04 Lesson 6: Children Teach Us More Than Books
35:28 Lesson 7: Forgive to Free Yourself
39:10 Lesson 8: Purpose is Built, Not Found
41:37 Lesson 9: Speak Up, or Be Defined by Others
47:10 Lesson 10: Gratitude is a Game Changer

About Julia Snedkova
 
Julia Snedkova is a career strategist and executive coach for high-achieving women navigating leadership in the AI era. With 16+ years in senior roles across Fortune 500 companies in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia, and an INSEAD MBA, with a focus on Leadership & Organizational Behaviour, she brings a rare blend of boardroom fluency and deep coaching expertise.
Julia is an ICF-certified coach trained by iPEC and a Certified Energy Leadership™ Index master practitioner. Her work focuses on helping ambitious corporate women future-proof their careers, break systemic barriers, and step into executive roles on their own terms.
Known for her strategic clarity and sharp insight, Julia operates at the intersection of executive development, gender equity, and AI-driven career design. She has worked across 30+ markets and lived in Russia, France, Switzerland, and Singapore. Outside of coaching, she's a certified Hatha Yoga teacher and passionate about reading, travel, and self-renewal.
Follow Julia on LinkedIn or subscribe to her career newsletter, Private Career Memo, already trusted by 10,000+ professionals across LinkedIn and email, for actionable insights on leading, growing, and staying indispensable in the future of work.
Episode Notes
11:42 Lesson 1: Know what you want
15:52 Lesson 2: Know why you want it
20:56 Affiliate Break
21:44 Lesson 3: Plan to get there
30:19 Lesson 4: Ask for it
 

About Adriana Williamson
 
Adriana is a passionate immigrant who came to the United States over 28 years ago. Adriana was born and raised in Mexico. When Adriana arrived at this country, she had neither finished her high school education nor spoke English. At the age of 19, Adriana became a proud mother of a special needs child, who at the age of two, was diagnosed with severe autism.
With dedication, perseverance, discipline, faith, and resilience, Adriana obtained a bachelor’s degree in international business in 2006. In 2013, Adriana also obtained a master’s degree in information management systems at WP Carey at ASU.
Today, Adriana is a Director of Data & Analytics at Feeding America. Adriana has been leading high-performance teams which has become her passion. When leading and shaping people, Adriana applies empathy, compassion, and vulnerability. All these learned while navigating her own journey.
At the personal level, Adriana loves spending time with her family and friends. Adriana now has the blessing of having and raising three wonderful boys.
She also has a passion for lifting weights. She is also committed to the work of mentoring younger professionals. Adriana currently lives in Phoenix Arizona where she loves the sun that this estate offers.
Episode Notes
00:00 Intro
02:47 Lesson 1: Have determination
05:21 Lesson 2: Develop resilience and adaptation skills
13:24 Lesson 3: Never stop believing, dreaming and achieving
16:15 Lesson 4: Persistency and consistency signal
23:15 Lesson 5: Have empathy
26:03 Lesson 6: Develop emotional intelligence
31:34 Lesson 7: Empower others
33:27 Lesson 8: Take the time to give back
35:18 Lesson 9: Be humble, but stay hungry
37:18 Lesson 10: Practice gratitude every day

About Urban Adams
Urban Adams is a seasoned financial advisor and published author with over 25 years of industry experience and runs his independent practice in Phoenix, Arizona. Known for his personalized approach and house calls, he combines Stoic philosophy with practical financial guidance to help clients nationwide achieve their goals. 
 
As a father of three daughters and longtime coach of female athletes, Urban brings unique insight to women's financial challenges. His commitment to high-touch, customized financial planning has made him a trusted advisor to his clients. 
 
Episode Notes 
 
Time is your best friend, until it's not 
The Three Bucket Strategy 
Have a plan, not just an investment strategy 
Expect your plan to not go according to plan 
Understand your relationship with money 

About Codie Comeau
Codie works in Sales at EF Education First as a Tour Consultant. He is a first-generation college graduated where he thrived, earning a Bachelor’s in Communication, Media & Design with a minor in Psychology. The journey did not stop there as he would later earn an Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on Innovation and New Venture Management. 
Although young, Codie has plenty of experience over many different industries including Engineering & Manufacturing, Entertainment, Education and start-ups. He takes on many passion projects, his most notable was the Tennis program at Clarkson University. Under his leadership, the organization thrived growing in members and budget as well as gaining USTA membership. 
Codie has a goal to be a global citizen and explore what the world has to offer. He believes that every new place he visits or new culture he experiences helps him to grow as a person and share new perspectives. Codie loves developing new skills and keeping a student mentality. He is excited to begin this new chapter in life and experience what lies ahead. If he’s not busy at work you can find him on the tennis court or golf course, where he still has plenty to learn.
Codie Comeau has joined the 10 lessons learned team as the episode producer
 
Episode Notes
00:00 Intro01:22 Meet Our Guest03:24 Lesson 1: Know the Game, Play to Win08:32 Lesson 2: Don't Believe Everything You See15:32 Lesson 3: Recognize the Motive19:02 Lesson 4: Know when to be Burr or Hamilton27:44 Lesson 5: Hard Work Is Not Enough30:06 Lesson 6: Network, Network, Network33:41 Lesson 7: Understand Money39:47 Lesson 8: Facts Do Not Care About Your Feelings43:17 Lesson 9: Life Is Not Fair44:53 Lesson 10 Know Your Story

About Dawn Christman
Dawn is a human capital executive with expertise spanning 25 years in talent acquisition, talent operations, human resources, and coaching space across the Americas, EMEA and APAC.​
 
Building and leading international teams of 60+, Dawn focuses on the strengths and opportunities of talent to help propel businesses forward, regardless of their physical location.  Having led both functions and clients within start-up, publicly traded and private equity owned environments – she quickly recognizes opportunities to remove obstacles and provide bottom line impact.​
 
Always intrigued by challenge, she’s had the opportunity to complete needs assessments across sales, operations, human resources, talent acquisition, IT, HRIS, finance, legal, risk and compliance, marketing and branding.  Ultimately, results are used to build standard global policies and processes, geared toward impacting internal EVP and external brand – regardless of industry.​
 
Throughout her career, she has further enhanced her professional and personal career via Board. Historically sitting on the Board of the Twin Cities Chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBA’s offered the opportunity to lead their major fundraising gala, facilitate sponsor events and develop marketing activities.​
 
She is now leading the Executive Advisory Board for Jobs for Humanity – focusing on maximizing partnership with the CEO and several C – Suite leaders all focused on the growth and development of the business.​
 
Her Board work is a natural complement to her humancentric leadership style - driven by the personal belief that people are capable of far more than they realize.  Maximizing talent in any space is simply a matter of identifying and driving initiatives together, with humility and the goal to succeed.​
 
Episode Notes
00:00 Introduction
05:16 Positioning Yourself for New Opportunities
08:17 Research and Networking for Career Growth
16:57 Respect and Career Progression
19:31 Dealing with Job Search Frustration
20:06 Breaking Out of Isolation
20:54 Reinventing Yourself Professionally
21:23 Recognizing Your Value
23:53 Considering Leaving Your Job
27:19 Handling Job Loss Emotionally
30:31 Negotiating Severance Packages
 

About Julie Condliffe
Julie Condliffe is a 4x bestselling author, global speaker, and reputation reinvention strategist who helps high-achievers rise from public shame, digital defamation, or personal collapse. A former solicitor turned international voice for the silenced, Julie empowers professionals, leaders, and women in transition to reclaim their credibility, voice, and calling — not despite what they’ve been through, but because of it.
Her latest book, Unbreakable: A Roadmap for Turning Adversity into Advantage, is both memoir and manifesto — a raw, insightful guide for anyone who’s lost a title, a platform, or a sense of self, and is ready to rebuild with purpose. Julie doesn’t offer polished platitudes; she speaks from lived experience, having rebuilt her life after a systemic and unjust attempt to silence her voice.
Now, Julie supports others in their reinvention journeys — from senior professionals navigating reputational recovery, to ambitious women rebuilding after personal or career collapse. Her approach is honest, empowering, and deeply human: she reminds us that no one else gets to write our ending.
Whether on global stages or in one-to-one transformations, Julie champions resilience that’s real — not performative. She brings warmth, authority, and a message that transcends roles and resumes: that we are not defined by what breaks us, but by how we rise.
Julie brings powerful storytelling, grounded insight, and a roadmap for reclaiming visibility, confidence, and identity — especially for anyone who's been knocked down and is ready to rise again.
Episode Notes
04:54 Lesson 1: Understand Your Pain
10:34 Lesson 2:  Never Give Up on Your Destiny
15:06 Lesson 3: Betrayal and Becoming
20:28 Lesson 4: Reservoir of Resilience
23:04 Lesson 5: Emerging from the Shadows
29:45 Lesson 6: Arising from Adversity
32:19 Lesson 7: Kindled in the Fire
35:18 Lesson 8: A Kaleidoscope of Challenges
39:24 Lesson 9: Bend But Do Not Break
44:01 Lesson 10: Labyrinth of Life
46:23 Lesson 11: Embrace the End

In this first episode of 'Lessons Learned to Advance Your Career,' host Siebe Vanderzee introduces a new segment of the global podcast '10 Lessons Learned.' Siebe, a corporate executive recruiter with over 25 years of experience, is joined by co-hosts Diana White, Chief of Staff at the Arizona Technology Council, and Robert Hossary, an executive at Laser Craft Australia. Together, they explore critical lessons for career advancement drawn from their extensive professional backgrounds. Topics include the importance of networking, maintaining respect, updating your resume, understanding your company's mission, and finding a sense of purpose in your work. They also discuss the impact of AI on recruitment and job search processes, offering valuable insights for both job seekers and employers.
 
About Our Hosts
 
Diana White has over 30 years in sales and retail experience, leading stores with revenues of over 10 million and a staff of 200. Consumer psychology, marketing, operations, and leadership are just a few of her skillsets. Seeing a need for startup and operations assistance within the local business community, Diana established D.E.W. Business Solutions, LLC, to provide consulting to small businesses. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Small Business Administration from Northern Arizona University, holds a green belt in Lean Six Sigma, and is a certified Agile Scrum Master. She is committed to helping businesses and non-profits as well as the community at large.
 
Siebe Van Der Zee is President of Vanderzee & Associates, Executive Search & Coaching. He has served as an international management consultant for over 25 years. For 28 years, Siebe has served as Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Arizona. He holds a Master's Degree in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management and he is a current member of the International Leadership Council at GPEC (Greater Phoenix Economic Council).
 
Robert Hossary has been involved in the not for profit/charity sector for the past 12 years. Robert also has an excellent knowledge in international business. Since 2011 - 2018, Robert was the General Manager for the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia (AmCham) and helped advise many Australian and US companies about their international expansion requirements. Prior to that, Robert was Regional Vice President for the Americas for a technology manufacturer. He has also worked in Taiwan with responsibility for Asia Pacific and the Middle East. With a background in Technology, Transport, Fashion and Healthcare, Robert has a wealth of experience to share.
 
Episode Notes
00:00 Intro
11:16 Lesson 1: Surround yourself with people who are doing what you wish to do .
15:15 Lesson 2: You never know who knows who.
20:57 Lesson 3: Update your resume every year.
36:41 Lesson 4: Be the connector in your network.
41:42 Lesson 5: Learn the why behind your company.
46:00 Lesson 6: Find a purpose.