“One of the skills that I think is really important is being good at being a beginner.” Matt talks about watching a coworker at Plum Organics ask questions with someone she’d never worked with before—and realizing that being able to quickly orient yourself in unfamiliar territory is a skill you can develop.
The key: asking beginner questions without pretending you already know the answers. Full episode with Matt Gregory is out now—link in bio. #TrailMapPodcast #CareerAdvice #ProfessionalDevelopment #AskingQuestions #CareerGrowth
“What am I doing that this person’s eyes are not shining?”
Mike Hanas spent 40 years teaching and leading schools. Now he helps organizations navigate conflict and loosen knots. This is the question he learned to ask when something’s not working—instead of looking outward to assign blame, he turns it inward. It’s the hardest question to ask. Sometimes the hardest to answer. Link in bio. #Leadership #Conflict #Reflection #MikeHanas #Podcast
“I started a business 15 years ago when I was 66.” @ptasner Paul Tasner spent 40 years in supply chain—Clorox, Method, startups large and small. Then at 64, he was fired for the first time in his life. Two years later, he founded PulpWorks. Now at 80, he’s still running it with his son Andrew. Full conversation in bio. #Entrepreneurship #ThirdAct #StartingOver #FounderStory
Fired at 64. Started a business at 66. Still running it at 80. Paul Tasner spent 40 years in corporate supply chain at Clorox and Method. Then he got let go during the financial crisis—and decided he wasn’t done yet. He launched Pulpworks, a sustainable packaging company replacing plastic with compostable materials made from sugar cane waste. Now he runs it alongside his son. His philosophy? Things break, things fix, things break again. The only way past hard things is through them. New episode out now—link in bio #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability #CareerPivot #NeverTooLate #StartingOver
Computer science degree → realized he liked designing buttons and colors more than coding → 10 years later he’s illustrating for Adobe, Apple, Google, and the Boston Celtics 🏀 Kirk Wallace (@bonehaus ) built his career by posting work online and letting people find him. His advice for creatives today? “Step in front of your work. People want to connect with people.” We talk about the early Dribbble days, why authenticity doesn’t go out of style, and what he calls the “vinyl swing”—the inevitable return to human-made, imperfect, real. New episode out now—link in bio 🎙️ #Illustrator #CreativeCareer #BoneHaus #GraphicDesign #CareerPivot
Cristina left a job she loved—not because it was broken, but because it wasn’t what she wanted to be doing with her time on this planet. Now she’s building ANU, upcycling cashmere sweaters into athletic neck warmers. One piece at a time.
Full episode at link in bio 🎙️ #TrailMapPodcast #Entrepreneurship #Courage #CareerPivot
“There was nothing wrong with my job. I loved it. Except it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing on this planet.” Cristina Marcalow left a stable career in EdTech to start ANU—upcycling cashmere sweaters into athletic neck warmers. Not because her job was bad, but because she wanted to show her kids what courage looks like. If you missed this episode, it’s a great listen for anyone thinking about making a leap.
Link in bio 🎙️ #CareerChange #Entrepreneurship #Courage #TakingTheLeap #WorkingParent
“I ski, I run, I rock climb, I mountain bike—whatever it is I’m doing, I’m outside, I’m pushing myself in the wilderness.”
Cristina Marcalow @anu.social wanted to replace her polyester Patagonia fleece with natural fibers. That curiosity led her to start ANU—a company upcycling cashmere sweaters into athletic neck warmers. She left a stable EdTech career, taught herself to sew, and is now building a brand for the outdoor community she loves. New episode out now—link in bio 🎙️
#TrailMapPodcast #Entrepreneurship #OutdoorLife #NaturalFibers #Upcycling SustainableFashion Cashmere
Lawyer. Beer judge. Author of a Victorian drinking history book. 🍺📚 Kris Butler’s answer when people ask what she does: “For fun or for money?” In our latest Trail Map episode, Kris shares how she built a career that makes room for both—from coaching lawyers at a major firm to brewing award-winning beer to researching Victorian pubs and writing Drink Maps. Her advice on passion projects? Start. Even when you don’t know where it’s going.
New episode out now—link in bio 🎙️
#TrailMapPodcast #CareerPath #BeerNerd #Author #PassionProjects RenaissancePerson
“Ask Jeeves was kind of like ChatGPT...” 🤖 Penelope Finnie was a founding member of Ask Jeeves in the late 90s—one of the first internet search engines. Now she’s CEO of @padsonaroll , putting period pads in every public restroom. In our latest episode, Penny shares her journey from tech pioneer → chocolate cafe owner → cannabis & health → menstrual equity. A masterclass in building at the frontier. New episode out now—link in bio 🎧 #AskJeeves #Entrepreneurship #TechHistory #WomenInTech
Episode 5 available everywhere you get your podcasts!
In this episode, Rahul Khopkar of Ramen Hood talks culture, craft, vegan ramen science, and what a decade inside LA’s restaurant grind really looks like.
