Empowered & Out

You can build a successful career and still wonder: Is this really the life I want?On this episode of Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, Coach Jon welcomes author and former corporate professional Harrison Viers Newberry for a conversation about identity beyond work, consciousness, and learning to hear your own voice.Drawing on his spiritual journey, Harrison shares his beliefs about intuition, interconnectedness, and the relationship between fear and love. Together, we explore how family expectations, professional labels, and old messages about who we “should” be can influence the choices we make.The conversation also ventures into Harrison’s views on the matrix, spiritual transformation, and extraterrestrial life. His spiritual interpretations and predictions are presented as his personal perspective.You don’t need to share his beliefs to consider the question at the heart of this episode: What do you actually want—and how much space are you giving yourself to hear the answer?CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome: Who are you beyond your job title?01:15 The energy check-in02:56 Harrison’s perspective on consciousness and reality17:54 His spiritual path, intuition, and inherited beliefs24:09 What career success leaves unanswered27:59 Nonjudgment and other people’s expectations31:01 Listening inward and finding your purpose34:17 Fear, fulfillment, and changing your mindset41:21 Harrison’s predictions about spiritual change and ET disclosure46:12 Self-honesty, fear, love, and gratitude50:55 Harrison’s beliefs about ETs and interconnectedness52:58 A closing invitation to pause and listen55:53 Where to find Harrison and his books57:49 Your next step with Coach JonCONNECT WITH HARRISONFind his books on Amazon under Harrison Newberry. He also shares that you can find him on Instagram @HarrisonViers.TAKE YOUR NEXT STEPWhat have you been afraid to admit you want from your career—or your life?Give yourself a few quiet minutes with that question. If you’d like support exploring purpose, rebuilding confidence, and planning your next career move, message Coach Jon CLARITY to talk about working together.Follow Empowered & Out wherever you listen, and share this episode with someone who’s questioning what comes next.

Your business can evolve without erasing the person behind it. But how do you keep your voice when AI, social media, and the pressure to be everywhere keep pulling you in different directions?Returning guest Joseph Federico joins Coach Jon for an honest, funny, and occasionally unfiltered conversation about building a business that still feels like you. A queer marketing coach, author, publisher, and founder of J. Federico Marketing and Anchors to Dusk Publishing, Joe shares how a difficult health chapter helped him rethink success, rebuild his brand, and relaunch Camp Maven.We get into using AI while keeping human creativity and judgment involved, building professional relationships that go beyond a transaction, choosing where to spend your marketing energy, and recognizing when a client or collaboration is the wrong fit. We also talk about showing up in your local community, putting the damn phone down, and why protecting your energy belongs in your business strategy.And because Joe brings a little witchy marketing wisdom wherever he goes, we finish with spooky-season rapid-fire questions—including which social platforms belong in a horror movie.If you're a queer entrepreneur, creative professional, coach, or someone rebuilding your confidence, this conversation invites you to ask: Am I growing in a direction that still feels like me?Connect with Joseph Federico:Camp Maven: https://tinyurl.com/4bc65nk4LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3bpVBzAInstagram: https://bit.ly/3dFeDEaEmpowered & Out Coaching: https://linktr.ee/empoweredandoutContains strong language.Podcast chapters00:00 Welcome back: Meet returning guest Joseph Federico02:53 Energy check-in and an unfiltered conversation04:41 Rebuilding health, business, and Camp Maven11:37 Redefining success and facing the fear of change15:06 Community and collaboration for queer entrepreneurs18:41 Authentic relationships and aligned collaborations22:35 AI, creativity, and keeping the human touch30:04 Using AI without losing your brand voice33:09 Fact-checking, judgment, and responsibility34:57 Adapting to changing social media platforms39:15 Choosing where to focus your marketing energy42:46 Local events and face-to-face connection47:18 When to rethink your marketing strategy48:07 Client fit, boundaries, and LGBTQ+ inclusion55:42 Protecting your health and putting the phone down1:01:11 Slow seasons, outreach, and new opportunities1:02:56 Spooky-season marketing rapid fire1:05:24 Reconnecting with why you started1:07:32 Take action and connect with Coach Jon and JoeListen, follow Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, and share this episode with someone navigating their next chapter. Feeling stuck in yours? Message Coach Jon CLARITY to learn about a complimentary career clarity call.

What if your next job interview became a conversation about whether the workplace is right for you, too?Coach Jon opens a new season of Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast with Julio Govreau, a business and human resources leader with more than 25 years of experience and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.Julio shares his approach to being a “potential partner”—someone who helps people recognize their strengths, develop their talent, and see possibilities they may have overlooked.Together, we explore how to research workplace inclusion, ask meaningful interview questions, and communicate your experience with greater confidence. Julio also shares his perspective as a gay Latino veteran and the importance of finding an organization that supports the whole person.In this conversation:Look for signs of inclusion, psychological safety, and values alignment.Ask how a future manager handles disagreement and supports development.Use the STAR method and “I” statements to explain your contributions.Recognize the value of volunteer work, board service, and transferable skills.Approach a career transition with curiosity, intention, and room to recharge.You bring value to the conversation. This episode will help you recognize it—and ask whether the employer recognizes it, too.Want support rebuilding your confidence, preparing for interviews, or finding a career that fits? Message Coach Jon with CONFIDENT or schedule a complimentary career clarity call: https://linktr.ee/empoweredandout Follow Empowered & Out wherever you listen, share this episode with a friend navigating a career change, and join us next time for a conversation with a returning guest.Podcast chapters00:00 Welcome to a new season and meet Julio02:32 Energy check-in03:26 What it means to be a potential partner04:55 Mentorship and recognizing hidden strengths09:09 How leaders can invest in the person10:43 Researching psychological safety and inclusion15:18 Questions that reveal workplace culture18:16 Identity, disclosure, and feeling supported22:11 The interview is a two-way evaluation24:46 Questions about growth, priorities, and success29:09 Evaluating a role when you need a job30:59 What interview reactions can tell you32:50 Building confidence through preparation37:06 Making STAR answers conversational38:48 Using notes and knowing your resume43:36 Talking about accomplishments without feeling boastful45:56 Taking ownership of a career transition48:44 Setting boundaries around your job search51:39 Rapid fire: office bands, interview kits, and theme songs55:03 A question to help you recognize your potential55:53 Closing reflections and career coaching support

What happens when the life you planned no longer fits the person you are becoming?In this episode of Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, Coach Jon sits down with Joshlyn Peace—a multidisciplinary artist, writer, sculptor, published author, model, and creative leader—for an honest conversation about identity, grief, workplace leadership, creativity, and starting over.Joshlyn shares how stepping away from constant motion helped them process a season of profound change, including a corporate layoff, the loss of loved ones, changes within the modeling industry, and their evolving understanding of their bisexual and non-binary identity. They also reflect on leading an LGBTQ+ business resource group, finding their voice through leadership, refusing to reshape themselves to fit someone else’s mold, and redefining success beyond traditional expectations.This conversation is a reminder that reinvention does not have to mean becoming someone completely different. Sometimes it means releasing the expectations that no longer belong to you and becoming more fully who you have always been.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why stillness can be essential when life has changed faster than you can processWhat Joshlyn’s identity journey taught them about self-discovery and belongingHow LGBTQ+ employee resource groups can create language, education, and connectionWhat leadership taught Joshlyn about listening, advocacy, and finding their voiceHow creativity can support healing through grief, loss, and uncertaintyWhy authenticity and financial preparation both matter during a career transitionJoshlyn’s message for anyone wondering whether it is too late to begin againChapters00:00 — Welcome and introduction to Joshlyn Peace01:36 — Energy check-in and finding places of peace03:24 — The road trip that created space for healing05:13 — Releasing expectations and living for yourself09:21 — Coming out as bisexual and embracing a non-binary identity14:03 — The moment Joshlyn truly saw themself16:17 — What workplaces need to understand about gender identity18:06 — Leadership lessons from running an LGBTQ+ business resource group20:40 — How leadership helped Joshlyn find their creative voice22:19 — Navigating grief, a layoff, loss, and major change26:02 — Rebuilding confidence when life feels uncertain28:26 — Redefining success beyond society’s expectations29:51 — Discovering purpose by embracing what makes you different31:03 — What makes the next chapter exciting31:59 — Choosing authenticity while considering financial security35:28 — Rapid-fire questions44:57 — Joshlyn’s advice when everything feels uncertain48:52 — Final reflections and episode call to actionIf this conversation resonated with you, subscribe to Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, share this episode with someone navigating change, loss, identity, or a career transition, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.Feeling stuck, burned out, disconnected, or uncertain about your next career move? Connect with Coach Jon at Empowered & Out Coaching here: https://linktr.ee/empoweredandout and schedule a complimentary Career Clarity Call. You do not need to have your entire future figured out—you only need to be willing to take the next authentic step.

What does it actually mean for a church to be LGBTQ+ affirming — not simply welcoming, but genuinely safe, inclusive, and committed to belonging?In this powerful episode of Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, Coach Jon is joined by Reverend Liz Patz, pastor of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Elgin, Illinois, and returning guest Maya Garner for an open and deeply personal conversation about faith, LGBTQ+ identity, religious hurt, healing, scripture, and finding community.Maya shares her experience searching for affirming churches and the additional questions she has carried as a Black LGBTQ+ woman. Reverend Liz explains why genuine affirmation requires much more than displaying a rainbow flag — and what churches in the United Church of Christ actually go through when pursuing the official Open and Affirming designation.The conversation also tackles one of the most difficult subjects surrounding LGBTQ+ people and Christianity: scripture. Reverend Liz discusses the importance of historical and cultural context when interpreting biblical texts, and the group explores the controversy surrounding the introduction of the word “homosexual” into modern Bible translations and the documentary 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture.As Reverend Liz and Maya remind us throughout this conversation: keep looking. Your people may be out there.Resources mentioned in this episode:St. Paul’s United Church of Christ — Elgin, Illinoiswww.stpauluccelgin.orgSt. Paul’s identifies itself as an Open and Affirming congregation and offers both in-person and online worship. (St. Paul's United Church of Christ)Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christhttps://openandaffirming.org/Find an affirming church:https://www.gaychurch.org/1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culturehttps://www.1946themovie.com/🎙️ PODCAST CHAPTERS00:00 — Why Are We Talking About Faith on a Career Podcast?01:44 — Energy Check-In With Liz & Maya03:20 — Reverend Liz’s Journey Into Ministry05:50 — Maya’s Personal Faith Journey11:59 — “Is This Church Really Safe for Me?”14:31 — What “Open and Affirming” Actually Means19:19 — Returning to Church After Religious Hurt24:08 — Why “Open and Affirming” Carries Responsibility26:05 — How a Church Becomes Open and Affirming29:28 — Why Flying a Rainbow Flag Isn’t Enough33:27 — How to Tell Whether a Church Is Genuinely Affirming38:07 — LGBTQ+ People, Scripture & Religious Harm41:03 — Why Historical Context Matters When Reading the Bible42:50 — The 1946 Translation Conversation49:48 — What Authentic Welcome and Belonging Look Like52:24 — How Do You Know You’ve Found the Right Church?53:43 — LGBTQ+ Inclusion Beyond Sunday Morning58:55 — Finding Community When You Live in a Small Town1:01:13 — How Online Worship Has Changed Access1:04:19 — Hope for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Faith Communities1:07:07 — Where There Is Still Work to Do1:09:46 — Rapid Fire With Liz & Maya 😂1:18:58 — A Final Message for Anyone Carrying Religious Hurt1:22:17 — Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Resources

What happens when the career title you worked so hard to earn no longer reflects who you are—or the life you want to build?In this episode, Coach Jon sits down with Malcolm Chen, an investor relations manager, entrepreneur, career advisor, community builder and proud cat daddy based in Singapore.Malcolm shares how his unconventional career journey took him through hospitality, human resources, marketing, communications, adult education, entrepreneurship and investor relations—and why those pivots ultimately helped him separate his identity from his job title.Together, Jon and Malcolm explore how our definitions of success change over time, why career growth does not always mean climbing the corporate ladder and how professionals can begin building financial and career resilience before they desperately need it.Malcolm also shares honest lessons from starting multiple businesses, balancing ambition with burnout, building a community around his pet products company and choosing progress over perfection when launching something new.In this episode, you’ll discover:• Why your job title should not become your entire identity• How burnout can force you to reconsider what success means• Why career pivots do not have to follow a traditional path• How to build a career safety net through skills, interests and relationships• The difference between planning carefully and getting trapped in analysis paralysis• Why community is becoming more valuable than simply producing more content• How purpose can extend beyond work and income• What LGBTQ+ visibility and inclusion can look like in Singapore• Why you do not have to follow someone else’s definition of successWhether you are considering a career pivot, building a side business, questioning your professional identity or simply wondering what comes next, this conversation will encourage you to remain open to the next adventure.EPISODE CHAPTERS00:00 – Welcome and introduction to Malcolm Chen02:30 – An unconventional career across multiple industries03:00 – Realizing you are more than your job title05:23 – Burnout, mental health and rebuilding career identity08:09 – What happens when your identity is tied to work?09:56 – Redefining success beyond climbing the ladder13:01 – Titles, comparison and choosing work-life balance14:55 – Career decisions that felt risky but paid off17:36 – Returning to corporate life in a completely new role19:47 – How to recognize when it is time to pivot22:37 – Building a career and financial safety net25:38 – Common mistakes people make with side businesses27:48 – Progress over perfection in entrepreneurship29:45 – Balancing business ambition without burning out32:40 – Building a pet business around community and purpose35:27 – How Malcolm’s definition of purpose has evolved37:55 – LGBTQ+ professional life in Singapore39:19 – Pink Dot, LGBTQ+ rights and social progress43:04 – Pride celebrations in Singapore and the United States45:26 – Misconceptions about LGBTQ+ life across Asia48:49 – What global LGBTQ+ communities can learn from one another52:15 – Rapid-fire questions with Malcolm54:42 – Malcolm’s message for anyone feeling stuck55:39 – Final reflections and how to take your next stepFeeling stuck, disconnected or unsure about your next professional move?Through the Empowered Career Transformation Program, Coach Jon helps professionals move from career confusion and self-doubt into clarity, confidence, strategy and aligned action.Send Coach Jon a message with the word CLARITY to learn more or schedule a career clarity conversation.

What does it really mean to be authentic at work?In this episode of Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, Coach Jon sits down with Amanda Millar—lawyer, ADHD coach, leadership consultant, suicide prevention trustee, and the first openly LGBTQ+ President of the Law Society of Scotland—for an honest conversation about authenticity, leadership, inclusion, and mental wellbeing.Together they explore why so many professionals still feel they need to hide parts of themselves at work, how inclusive leadership directly impacts organizational success, and why mental health deserves the same attention as physical health.Amanda also shares her personal leadership journey, the lessons she wishes she knew earlier in her career, and why curiosity—not certainty—is one of the most important leadership qualities.Whether you're a leader, manager, HR professional, LGBTQ+ employee, or simply someone trying to build a career where you can truly be yourself, this episode is packed with practical insights and meaningful reflection.You'll learn:• Why authenticity looks different for everyone• The hidden cost of masking at work• How great leaders create psychological safety• Why inclusion is more than policies and ERGs• The connection between mental wellbeing and workplace culture• How curiosity creates stronger organizations• Advice for LGBTQ+ professionals navigating authenticityIf you've ever wondered whether you truly belong at work, this conversation is for you.Podcast Chapters00:00 Welcome & Meet Amanda Millar01:20 Amanda's Career Journey07:10 Finding Her Leadership Voice13:00 Advice to Her Younger Self15:15 What Authenticity Really Means20:05 Common Misunderstandings About Authenticity26:30 LGBTQ+ Mental Health Matters34:15 Creating Safe Workplace Cultures37:00 One Leadership Habit That Changes Everything39:00 What Inclusive Organizations Do Differently44:15 Advice for LGBTQ+ Professionals52:40 Hope for the Next Generation1:00:20 Rapid Fire Questions1:02:15 Amanda's Final Message

What happens when you stop living for everyone else's expectations and finally start living for yourself?In this deeply honest conversation, Coach Jon sits down with Steven Whyte—lawyer, coach, former Mr. Gay Scotland, marathon runner, and confidence coach—to explore what it truly means to reinvent yourself.Steven shares his journey from growing up gay in Scotland during the 1980s, hiding parts of himself for years, navigating multiple career changes, transforming his health, and discovering that lasting change has very little to do with weight—and everything to do with identity.Together they discuss:Growing up feeling differentComing out and finding acceptanceWhy career success doesn't always equal fulfillmentMidlife as a time of awakening—not crisisThe mindset shifts that create lasting transformationWhy asking for help is one of the bravest things you can doLiving authentically at work and in lifeThe power of courage, curiosity, and coachingWhether you're questioning your career, rebuilding your confidence, or simply wondering what comes next, this episode will remind you that your next chapter can be your most authentic one yet.Connect with Stevenlinkedin.com/in/steven-whyte-6b91811a7Chapters00:00 Introduction01:30 Energy Check-In04:10 Growing Up Different in Scotland12:55 The Diary That Changed Everything20:40 Finding Community Through Music22:30 Success vs. Fulfillment31:45 Why Transformation Isn't About Weight38:45 Coaches Need Coaches Too45:30 Identity vs. Career Changes49:15 Why Midlife Is Actually a New Beginning55:00 Courage Then vs. Courage Now58:40 Rapid Fire Questions1:03:05 Final Advice for Anyone Feeling Stuck1:04:10 Coach Jon's Closing Thoughts

In this powerful episode of Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, Coach Jon sits down with Celeste Warren, a visionary leader, consultant, author, and former Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at a global Fortune 100 company.Celeste brings decades of experience helping organizations create more equitable, inclusive, and human-centered workplaces. She is also the founder of Celeste Warren Consulting LLC, co-founder of Destination STEM Inc., and author of “The Truth About Equity.”Together, Coach Jon and Celeste explore what equity really means, why performative inclusion is not enough, and how workplaces can create cultures where people feel safe, seen, respected, and able to thrive. Celeste shares her experience being the first and only woman of color in leadership spaces, the impact of masking and covering at work, and the importance of leaders knowing their people beyond job titles.PODCAST CHAPTERS00:00 — Welcome to Empowered & Out02:22 — Meet Celeste Warren03:34 — Walking in Purpose and Leaving the Sunday Scaries Behind05:11 — Being the First and Only in Leadership Spaces08:54 — Why Representation Alone Is Not Enough10:31 — Masking, Covering, and the Energy It Takes to Fit In15:53 — Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Equity Explained18:03 — Where Organizations Get Inclusion Wrong20:12 — What Meaningful ERG Support Can Look Like24:24 — Creating Safety for LGBTQ+ and Intersectional Professionals30:45 — Generational Shifts, Values, and the Future of Work36:21 — Building Experience Beyond Traditional Internships39:17 — What Leaders Can Do Right Now to Build Trust42:23 — Celeste’s Book: The Truth About Equity46:28 — The Rocks and the Fence Analogy49:47 — Lessons from Celeste’s Father’s Leadership Journey53:33 — Family Stories, Advocacy, and the Long Arc of Equity01:00:12 — Rapid Fire Questions01:03:00 — Celeste’s Final Advice: Stay Relevant, Stay Supportive, Stay in the Fight01:04:29 — Closing Thoughts and Call to ActionIf today’s conversation resonated with you, share this episode with someone who cares about building more inclusive, authentic, and equitable workplaces.And if you are realizing that you are feeling stuck, burned out, disconnected, under-confident, or unsure about your next career move, I invite you to connect with me here: https://linktr.ee/empoweredandout  You can follow Celeste, learn more about her consulting work, and check out her book, The Truth About Equity, below.Website:  www.CRWDiversity.comInsta: https://www.instagram.com/crwdiversity YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celestewarren-equityLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celestewarrenllc/FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CXPNHNqZE/?mibextid=wwXIfrLink to book on Amazon:  https://mybook.to/TruthAboutEquity

In this episode of Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, Coach Jon sits down with Ryan DeLuca, Managing Director of 25th Hour Regulatory Consulting, for a powerful conversation about confidence, bias, leadership, allyship, and what it means to navigate professional spaces as an LGBTQ+ person.Ryan brings nearly 20 years of experience in regulation, investigations, compliance, education, and professional development. His work helps regulatory professionals strengthen investigative practices, reduce bias, improve decision-making, and approach their work with fairness, neutrality, and confidence.Together, Coach Jon and Ryan explore how LGBTQ+ professionals often become skilled readers of people and environments, especially after years of masking, navigating safety, and learning how to assess where they can fully show up. Ryan shares how confidence grew throughout his career, what helped him trust his own expertise, and why representation matters in industries where LGBTQ+ people are often assumed not to exist.This episode also dives into workplace bias, meaningful allyship, the current political climate, support for the trans community, and the importance of standing together during difficult moments. Ryan also shares how risk, adventure, and challenge have helped shape his relationship with confidence and growth.If you have ever felt underestimated, questioned your right to take up space, or wondered how to stay grounded while navigating bias or assumptions, this conversation is for you.CHAPTERS00:00 — Welcome to Empowered & Out02:24 — Meet Ryan DeLuca03:00 — Energy check-in04:11 — Ryan’s path from real estate to regulatory investigations07:05 — Understanding people, behavior, and bias09:11 — How LGBTQ+ professionals learn to read environments11:25 — Navigating professional spaces as an LGBTQ+ investigator14:52 — Moving from self-consciousness to trusting your expertise17:18 — Misconceptions about LGBTQ+ professionals in leadership and compliance20:22 — Visibility, representation, and LGBTQ+ professionals in every industry24:00 — Advice for anyone feeling underestimated28:04 — Authenticity, Pride, and showing up at work32:46 — Where bias shows up in workplace decision-making36:57 — How professionals can check their own assumptions38:49 — Why marginalized communities become political targets43:05 — What meaningful allyship looks like right now44:56 — Confidence, fear, skydiving, and personal growth55:36 — How risk and challenge change with age59:30 — Rapid-fire questions1:02:40 — Encouragement for LGBTQ+ professionals and leaders1:03:33 — Final reflections and closing CTAIf this episode resonated with you, subscribe to Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and connect with Coach Jon at Empowered & Out Coaching.And if you are feeling stuck, burned out, disconnected, under-confident, or unsure about your next career move, the Empowered Career Transformation Program can help you reconnect with your purpose, rebuild confidence, and take aligned action toward a career where you can thrive as your full self.