Locker Room for Growth

Ruth Rathblott is really good at hiding. For 25 years, she was able to keep her colleagues and bosses from seeing her misshapen hand. The sad thing is she is not alone.A 2013 workplace study shows that 61% of employees hide some part of their identity. Another report exposes that of the 90% of firms claiming to embrace diversity, only four percent consider that to include disability. A 2019 Forbes article says that “disabled workers are actually more dedicated and less likely to turn over than non-disabled workers.”Rathblott knows first-hand the misconceptions that plague those with visible and invisible differences. Today, she helps organizations change their mindset. She guides them to rebuild their organization and staff structures to be all inclusive.https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-rathblott/ruthrathblott.comhttps://www.instagram.com/ruthrathblottspeaker/Please subscribe.

Dachau was built in 1933 northwest of Munich, Germany as the first Nazi concentration camp and it was the model to all other camps after. It also served as an SS concentration guard training center. Over 200,000 prisoners were held there until the survivors were liberated by the Americans in April 1945. Hitler committed suicide the next day.From July 1945 to 1948, the US military used Dachau to intern Nazi party officials and SS members for the Dachau Trials, where they were held accountable for their atrocities.During World War II, escapes were rare but some succeeded. Susan Slonim Servais’ grandfather Max Mueller, a Jew and former Third Reich official, saved his family but risked his own life by choosing to go to Dachau on a rescue mission.Kathe Mueller Slonim, who passed away in 2021, documented her family’s story and her daughter Susan is here to carry the legacy forward.https://www.amazon.com/Escape-Dachau-Survival-Courage-Unthinkable/dp/B0C6VWLLXL https://www.history.com/news/dachau-concentration-camp-liberationPlease subscribe.

Congressman Adam Smith was the youngest state senator in the country when elected to his first term at age 25 in Washington State. Since January 1997, he has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington’s 9th District. He received a whopping 71% of the vote when re-elected in 2022. He is also the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.But Congressman Smith is more than a political figure. He has seen his fair share of pain. Three hip surgeries, a collapsed lung, a liver ailment, chronic pain, anxiety, and depression are cocktail enough for putting a strain on anyone’s mental health. But also factor in that his friend and colleague, Gabby Giffords, who he traveled to conflict zones with, survived an act of domestic terrorism when she was shot in the head at a public event in Arizona. He also learned at age 26 that he was adopted.In a remarkable step of courage and inspiration, Congressman Smith became an author. His book: Lost and Broken: My Journey Back from Chronic Pain and Crippling Anxiety, advocates for those who have struggled with mental health issues.https://adamsmith.house.gov/@RepAdamSmithhttps://www.facebook.com/RepAdamSmithhttps://www.youtube.com/repadamsmithPlease subscribe.

A candid conversation about the film and television industry, oversight by federal governments, distribution, and funding.https://www.stage32.com/GeoffHallhttps://vimeo.com/handycloudhttps://twitter.com/GeoffHall_FilmPlease subscribe.

He’s genuine, dynamic, compassionate, and the man behind the 24-hour talk and Christian hip-hop music channel on SiriusXM.James Rosseau, also known in hip-hop circles as Trig, is the CEO of Holy Culture Radio and founder of its parent company, the Corelink Solution.With its programming focused on faith, art, vocation, and education, Holy Culture Radio hosts 13 unique shows that connect to popular culture, where people are driven by passion, purpose, healing, hope, and transformation. The diverse content on its shows includes urban gospel, underground gospel hip-hop, theological breakdowns of hip-hop and street culture, and old school sounds.The Holy Culture brand vision is to promote Christian values and lifestyle through media. Rosseau’s book, Success on Your Own Terms, provides six ways to fire up your passion.www.HolyCulture.net https://thecorelinksolution.com/https://twitter.com/holyculturelinktr.ee/holyculturehttps://www.instagram.com/holyculture/https://www.youtube.com/c/holyculturehttps://www.facebook.com/holyculturenethttps://www.tiktok.com/@holyculture.nethttps://www.youtube.com/@JamesRosseauSr Please subscribe.

Imagine blowing through a million dollars, stealing double-digit funds from your wife’s retirement account, and facing criminal charges. Patrick Chester had no idea he would turn full-on into a gambling addict when he bet and won $900 on that first college football game. Like that first taste of cocaine for a drug addict, Chester was hooked.These are dark days for most sports gambling addicts. Since online sports betting has been legalized, and the ads assault every commercial break in a professional sports broadcast, it’s a constant reminder to the 1% of Americans and 0.6 % of Canadians who cannot stop betting on sports.Chester hid his addiction for 15 years. He would finally seek the help he needed when he stole $9.50 from his five-year-old son. Today, Chester speaks on sports gambling and helps counsel others through this silent addiction. His client list includes the NFL Players Association, Rugby Players Association, English Football League, Major League Soccer, Chelsea FC, and the Professional Cricketers Association.https://twitter.com/patrickchester9https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-chester-748226268/Please subscribe.

When you hear her voice, you hear a bit of Mary J Blige. Jackie Gouche is the foundation of music. Her decades of work including singing with the likes of Elton John, Michael Jackson, Tina turner, Diana Ross, Quincy Jones, and so many more. She sang in The Color Purple. But she is more than that.Music is the foundation of her family. Her three sons: D Smoke, SiR, and Davion Farris have all seen their own success in the business. In fact, they are Grammy-nominated, and D Smoke was the final winner of the rap competition Rhythm and Flow on Netflix. Gouche’s brother Andrew is the godfather of gospel bass players, and her niece Tiffany is also a singer-songwriter.Jackie Gouche is the author of three books, including Raising Kings, about her three sons; and How Would I Know? which talks about her drug addiction, to which she has been sober for more than two decades now.https://www.jackiegouche.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jgouche/ https://www.facebook.com/jackiegouchemusic/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JackieGouche https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-gouche-2323a743/ https://twitter.com/jackiegouche https://www.tiktok.com/discover/Jackie-gouchePlease subscribe.

He runs a video marketing agency called Eye Am Media but Alex Minor is more than just a videographer. He’s a business strategist who helps others use the limitless powers of video to shapeshift their business.Given that YouTube is the second largest search engine with more than 2.68 billion active users and the second most popular platform for influence marketers, growing a channel takes work and commitment.We’re going to dive into the basics of optimizing your channel, how to choose your focus, and find a way to make YouTube one of your best tools for networking.eyeammedia.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/alexminor/https://www.instagram.com/thealexminor/https://www.facebook.com/EyeAMMedia/

The National Institutes of Health estimates there are 12.5% American adults that experience a phobia.Mike Oglesbee is a coach who helps people conquer their fear. We all have it: fear of failure, fear of poverty, fear of speaking, fear of writing… Debilitating fear can cripple a person into depression and self-destruction.Oglesbee’s Maximized Mind program comes with receipts. His system has empowered people to step into their fear, find their truth, and create a better quality of life. Besides coaching, he speaks and has appeared on ABC and several media programs, magazines, and publications.His clients have said they are thankful beyond words, that he helped them gain clarity in every aspect of their business, helped them dramatically decrease their stress, and overcome the hurdles that were holding them back. Oglesbee is the author of two books and certified in the art of hypnotherapy.mikeoglesbee.comPlease subscribe.

Uzo Ometu is the founder of BlackOakTV, a streaming service that brings underrepresented voices into the forefront. The goal of this subscription video platform is to feature more diverse content that serves Black audiences. No stranger to streaming technology, Ometu’s prior position was with YouTube, where he helped the company partner with media agencies. He sharpened his technical digital media and marketing skills under the Google umbrella and several media companies, such as Inc. Magazine, ESPN, CBS, and Morpheus Media. A graduate of Columbia University, Ometu’s Black Oak TV goal is to support independent filmmakers and put creators and audiences first.blackoak.tvPlease subscribe.

He’s in high school and he is changing the world. Rakshith Srinivasan is the founder of Unlimited Potential, which assists researchers and medical doctors to find cures and fosters innovation in prosthetics, bionics, orthopedics, and musculoskeletal research. Besides Srinivasan, the lifeblood behind Unlimited Potential is a collection of high school volunteers from across the Pacific Northwest.Srinivasan is fundraising for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center to help improve immunotherapy against cancer among the musculoskeletal system. He helps create STEM awareness inside his community, has published scientific research about muscle soreness and lateral ligament ankle injuries in basketball, and he has worked several medical internships.But that’s not all. Srinivasan is a Washington Schools Student Athlete Ambassador and plays varsity basketball and district level track and field.https://enableup.org/founderPlease subscribe.

She’s a Pulitzer-nominated journalist and producer who is a woman to follow. Rose Horowitz has reported on uncomfortable stories that expose the truth. Her series on the corruption in the U.S. Food for Peace Program earned her a Pulitzer nomination and created the groundwork for legislative change.She was the first to expose Captain Hazelwood of Exxon Valdez’ drunk driving record. She uncovered an exclusive story about the US Merchant Marine at the start of the Gulf War.Besides her journalism feats, she founded and hosts the Women to Follow podcast and has appeared in Forbes, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and many more. She has produced and co-host shows with high profile guests, including the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa.https://twitter.com/RoseHorowitz31women-to-follow.comPlease subscribe.

Imagine looking into a family member’s story, only to discover a crime ring so big, you just had to write about it.She’s a true crime author, but her first book focuses on a well-researched and documented piece of family history: her cousin, Bob Leach. If you didn’t know, Leach was a cattle rustler, turned con man, who was the leader of the Grayson County Five in Texas. Pepper Anne wrote The Notorious Texas Swindler about his life.She has protected her identity because there are people who are not too happy that she published this story, warning her to stop or attempt to steal the biography from her. Pepper Anne has worked with private investigators, which help flush her narratives with detailed excellence.https://www.pepperanneauthor.com/https://books2read.com/texasswindlerhttps://allauthor.com/interview/pepperannehttps://www.facebook.com/PepperAnneGetsTheScoophttps://twitter.com/pepper_authorhttps://www.instagram.com/PepperAnneAuthor/https://www.tiktok.com/@pepperanneauthor https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22695449.Pepper_Anne https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pepper-annePlease subscribe.

He’s worked with 56 NCAA teams. David Kitchen was destined to coach a Division I football team, but he walked away to build his own business instead.Wise beyond his years and armed with a degree focus in sports psychology, as a strength and conditioning coach, Kitchen has helped advance the careers of numerous National Football League and Canadian Football League prospects.Kitchen’s Edge Leadership Academy helps business and sports teams turn words into action by providing them with a systematic leadership development program. His book, The Pyramid: A System for Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, is available on Amazon.https://www.edgeleadershipacademy.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/edge-leadership-academy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachdkitch/https://www.facebook.com/EdgeLeadershipAcademy https://www.instagram.com/edgeleadershipacademy/https://linktr.ee/CoachDKitchPlease subscribe.

Her father was a Vietnamese kingpin who married her teenage Chinese mother. Her childhood was exposed to Chinese-Vietnamese gang violence. When Felicia Heath’s father became an escaped convict and, on the lam, he took her with him.Today, she is a critical care anesthesiologist and the mother of four. She met her husband in medical school, who she eloped with on a South African safari. With a bottle of wine, and a laptop, she isolated herself in a studio to write her book: Spirit of a Hummingbird: Memories from a Childhood on the Run.http://www.mixedfeelingsmama.comttps://instagram.com/latinforhappiness_mdBook: https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Hummingbird-Memories-Childhood-Run/dp/1632995700/Please subscribe.

Stephen Key is the cofounder of inventRight, LLC, a company that helps inventors from over 65 countries pursue their dreams of turning their idea into reality. He is also the cofounder of Inventors Group of America, whose members are a collection of leaders in inventing worldwide. He started a free high school program, called inventYES, which helps students learn to how to license their creations.Key is well recognized as a leader in product licensing and intellectual property strategy. He’s published thousands of articles, has appeared in TIME, Fast Company, The New York Times, and more. He has five books and the list goes on. His receipts are many, but most importantly, he has over 20 patents in his name, dozens of concepts he has retailed in Walmart, 7-Eleven, and Disney, plus some have been endorsed by Michael Jordan, Alex Trebek, and Taylor Swift.https://inventright.com/https://twitter.com/stephenkeymediahttps://www.facebook.com/inventrightllchttps://www.linkedin.com/company/inventright/https://www.youtube.com/inventrighttvPlease subscribe.

Hope Firsel knows the significance of change. After agonizing attempts, it took her five years to welcome her first baby. With two children under three, she was treated for colon cancer. Years later, her marriage of 18 years dissolved.Armed with a psychology and coaching degree and discovering she could own her power, Firsel became a guide for other women going through unexpected events. She helps them learn that their history doesn’t shape their future.hopefirsel.com Please subscribe.

As an internal medicine physician in Kansas, Dr. Sapna Shah-Haque knows a thing or two about burnout. It’s something she has faced more than once. Her colleagues have also experienced it. Burnout can take many different forms, including suicide.Until the mental health of medical staff can be addressed through the system, Dr. Shah-Haque set out on a journey to help physicians and healthcare professionals realize they are not alone. Her path took her to find ways to help herself, and her colleagues, reclaim their humanity while they continued to practice medicine.She is the co-author of a book, Thriving After Burnout, and is the host of the Worthy Physician Podcast.https://www.linkedin.com/in/sshahhaque/theworthyphysician.comsapnashahhaque.comhttps://twitter.com/SapnaShahHaquePlease subscribe.

She is the founder and “Queer-E-O of Chesline Inc, a global diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting company. Chesline Pierre-Paul works with organizations to help them expand their DEI initiatives and do their part to make the world more inclusive. They did it all with gumshoe perseverance.Pierre-Paul speaks five languages and has been featured on Brainz with Oprah, La Presse, OMNI TV, and is a 2022 Black Excellence Award Winner.https://www.chesline.com/https://www.instagram.com/cheslinepphttps://www.youtube.com/@cheslinepierre-paul2754https://www.linkedin.com/in/chesline-pierre-paul-158971b6 Please subscribe.

Deanna Radulescu has seen it all and then some. Her back story is not to be read lightly. It is fraught with experiences that few might survive. How she was able to move forward and shed the demons that enveloped her past is a story in itself.A human trafficking survivor, widow, former C-level executive, fashion designer, bodybuilder, skincare expert, Ms Chicago America Nation 2021 – Radulescu epitomizes strength and resiliency, who shows all of us to be our best selves and be damned with the naysayers.Today, Radulescu champions other people’s stories. She has a successful nationally syndicated show called the Label Free Podcast, which is dedicated to epic storytelling. This Chicagoan is also the head coach and founding partner of the Female Podcasters Network with over 2000 members and an on-air personality on the Top NBC affiliate news/talk radio.http://www.labelfreepodcast.comhttp://www.femalepodcasters.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-kuempelhttps://www.facebook.com/deanna.kuempel.9https://www.twitter.com/labelpodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/labelfreepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/labelfreepodcastPlease subscribe.