and then I did this

From Employee to Global Financial Advisor & Strategist

In this episode, Jonathan Maharaj shares his journey from growing up in the political instability of Fiji to building a thriving international financial and business advisory practice. Jonathan is a CFO strategist and financial advisor who believes the best business decisions start with clarity, not spreadsheets. With two decades of experience guiding startups to global brands through make-or-break moments, Jonathan is the founder of Aurora Financials, a remote-first advisory built on radical trust and a simple philosophy: help people first, and the money follows. He discusses why he left corporate life after experiencing toxic workplace culture, how he built his business as a side hustle for eight years before going full-time, and why he believes "human resources" is an inherently exploitative term. Jonathan offers practical advice on starting a business with limited capital, using AI tools like ChatGPT for career planning, and why focusing on the human being—not the human resource—is the key to sustainable business success. He also opens up about his faith journey, the importance of resilience during job searches, and why the wealthiest people he's met live the simplest lives. Chapters: 1. (00:00:00) - Jonathan's Philosophy on Business Clarity 2. (00:01:00) - Growing Up in Fiji: Beauty, Warmth, and Political Instability 3. (00:02:00) - Starting Over in New Zealand: From Zero to Building a Career 4. (00:05:00) - Understanding People Over Spreadsheets: The Culture-Finance Bridge 5. (00:09:00) - The Dysfunction in Large Organizations and Leadership Detachment 6. (00:10:00) - Three Root Causes of Issues: Systems, Processes, and People 7. (00:11:00) - Why Boards Hire McKinsey: Defensive Tactics and Litigation Protection 8. (00:14:00) - Why "Human Resources" is an Exploitative Term 9. (00:17:00) - Advice for Those in Toxic Workplaces or Seeking New Opportunities 10. (00:20:00) - Using ChatGPT for Career Planning and Resume Optimization 11. (00:21:00) - Final Message: Invest in Yourself and See the Human Being 12. (00:22:00) - Wrap-Up and Where to Find Jonathan Links and Resources: 1. Website [https://www.jonathanmaharaj.com/] 2. Jonathan Maharaj on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanmaharaj/] 3. LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/luraelumpkin] 4. You Can Be Free Newsletter [https://you-can-be-free.beehiiv.com/subscribe] 5. You Can Be Free [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow]on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5Pd8gCCwvpaLRGM8hz6cAN], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-then-i-did-this/id1761638502] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow/podcasts] to leave us a review!

Trafficking Survivor to Female Empowerment Somatic Alchemist

Quintina Sonnie shares her remarkable journey from trafficking survivor to Somatic Alchemist, guiding ambitious women to reclaim their power. She helps them reconnect to the wisdom of their bodies. After experiencing a tumultuous childhood, false accusations that led to 43 days in jail, and being trafficked at 19, Quintina discovered that traditional mindset work and therapy weren't enough to transform her life. She developed the Flora Method, a five-phase approach that helps women move beyond their programmed minds and into their bodies to access their deepest desires and find true fulfillment. Quintina explains why the body—not the mind—holds the key to transformation, how breathwork creates a bridge between the conscious and subconscious, and why ambitious, high-achieving women often struggle to access joy despite their success. She challenges listeners to stop looking for what's "reasonable" and start saying yes to their deepest desires, because in a universe of infinite possibility, we all deserve more than what society has programmed us to accept. Chapters: (00:00:00) - We Are All Pimped by the System (00:01:00) - What Is Somatic Alchemy and Who It's For (00:03:00) - From Jail to Trafficking: Quentina's Story (00:07:00) - Why Your Mind Works Perfectly (But Keeps You Stuck) (00:10:00) - The Corporate System as Legalized Wage Slavery (00:13:00) - The Flora Method: Five Phases to Your Deepest Desires (00:17:00) - Why Body-Based Work Beats Mindset Work (00:20:00) - You Deserve More (And It's Your Birthright) (00:23:00) - Stay Present: Your Body Knows the Truth (00:27:00) - Start Looking at What You've Been Pushing Away (00:29:00) - The Breath: Your Bridge to the Subconscious (00:32:00) - How to Connect with Quentina and Her Work (00:34:00) - Final Thoughts: Keep Your Flame of Desire Alive Links and Resources: 1. Quintina Sonnie on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/quintinasonnie/] 2. Quintina's Somatic Healing Site [https://www.quintinasonnie.com/] 3. IG @quintina.somatic.alchemist 4. TikTok: @quintina.somatic.alchemy 5. Quintina on Facebook [https://facebook.com/quintinasonnie] 6. LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/luraelumpkin] 7. You Can Be Free Newsletter [https://you-can-be-free.beehiiv.com/subscribe] 8. You Can Be Free [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow]on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5Pd8gCCwvpaLRGM8hz6cAN], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-then-i-did-this/id1761638502] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow/podcasts] to leave us a review!

Private Equity Consultant to Co-Founder: Making Brands AI Visible

Sami Akkawi shares his unconventional journey from consulting for private equity firms to co-founding Petra Labs, an AI-powered brand visibility marketing startup. After conducting nearly 1,000 interviews with senior marketing professionals at companies such as Nike and Pepsi, Sammi identified a critical gap: brands have no visibility into how AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity describe them to potential customers. Despite AI search representing only a fraction of total search volume, visitors from these platforms convert at significantly higher rates because users trust AI recommendations more than traditional sources—sometimes even more than their colleagues and friends. Sami discusses the mindset shifts required for entrepreneurship, including moving from instant gratification to long-term, process-oriented thinking; the importance of surrounding yourself with ambitious people; and why taking risks before AI transformed the job market was crucial to his decision. He offers candid insights on staying motivated through team collaboration, redefining what "winning" means as a founder, and why he believes we're witnessing one of the last opportunities to create enterprise value without deep technical skills. The conversation explores the broader implications of AI on performance marketing, the future of search, and practical advice for anyone considering leaving their traditional career to pursue something more meaningful. Chapters: (00:00:00) - What If You Actually Did the Thing? (00:00:47) - From Chicago Kid to Consultant: Sami's Unconventional Path (00:02:18) - Inside 40 Deals and 1,000 Conversations with Marketing Leaders (00:04:21) - The Million-Dollar Blind Spot Even Big Marketers Couldn't See (00:05:32) - When Robots Control Your Brand Story (And You Don't Even Know It) (00:07:15) - Why We Trust ChatGPT More Than the People We Work With (00:09:04) - The AI Battle: Which Search Tool Actually Wins? (00:10:42) - How to Keep Going When Nothing Happens for Months (00:12:18) - Breaking the Addiction to Quick Wins (00:14:26) - The Vision That Made Him Quit Everything (00:16:03) - Why Waiting Might Mean It's Already Too Late (00:17:45) - You Become Who You Surround Yourself With (00:20:12) - What Freedom Actually Costs (And Why It's Worth It) (00:22:08) - The One Skill That Changes Everything: Ownership (00:24:35) - Your Past Doesn't Define Your Future (00:26:47) - The Truth About Risk (Spoiler: Safety Is an Illusion) (00:28:22) - So... What Are You Going to Do? Links and Resources: 1. Sami Akkawi on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sami-akkawi-815b84130/] 2. Petra Labs [https://www.petralabs.ai/] 3. LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/luraelumpkin] 4. You Can Be Free Newsletter [https://you-can-be-free.beehiiv.com/subscribe] 5. You Can Be Free [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow]on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5Pd8gCCwvpaLRGM8hz6cAN], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-then-i-did-this/id1761638502] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow/podcasts] to leave us a review!

The Question Every Leader Asks Before Their Biggest Move

Before becoming a strategic advisor, she was an architect — designing structures built to stand the test of time. That same thinking shapes everything she does today. The women she works with have already built something remarkable. But when the stakes get higher, clarity doesn't always come easy. Most high-achieving women are navigating their biggest decisions alone. That's where everything changes. In this episode, we're talking about what it takes to make strong, well-timed decisions at the top — without the second-guessing. How understanding the way you're wired gives you a strategic edge. If you're a senior woman leader asking 'what's next' — this one is for you. 🎧 Listen, reflect, and lead with clarity. ▶️ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 📩 Share this with a founder or female CEO who needs to hear it. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:51 - Marta's Origin Story: Growing Up in Communist Poland 05:05 - Moving to the UK and Building a Property Portfolio 07:00 - The Trap of Achieving Financial Goals and Still Feeling Empty 09:09 - The Most Important Question: What Do You Really Want? 13:42 - Preparing the Bottom Line Before Leaving Your 9 to 5 17:01 - When Your Body Forces the Change: Burnout and Breakdown 20:11 - Entrepreneurship as a Spiritual Journey 23:24 - Practical Steps for Transitioning Out of a Day Job 29:00 - Flipping the Script: Charging for Value, Not Hours 34:18 - The Biggest Lesson: Learning to Trust Yourself 38:14 - The Dream That Changed Everything (April 2020) 44:10 - How Marta Helps Female Executives Make Decisions With Clarity 46:29 - Who Is Meant for Entrepreneurship (and Who Isn't) 48:23 - The "What Do You Really Want?" Exercise: Go 7 Layers Deep 50:25 - Final Words: Clarity Comes from Action, Not Waiting 1. Marta Duda on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/martadudamsc/] 2. Marta's Website [https://martaduda.com/] 3. LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/luraelumpkin] 4. You Can Be Free Newsletter [https://you-can-be-free.beehiiv.com/subscribe] 5. You Can Be Free [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow]on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5Pd8gCCwvpaLRGM8hz6cAN], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-then-i-did-this/id1761638502] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow/podcasts] to leave us a review!

The Secret Behind the 1%: Why Leaving Corporate Might Be Your Best Decision

LuRae sits down with Justin Michael, bestselling author of 10 books and former sales leader at Salesforce and LinkedIn. Justin shares his journey from telemarketing boiler rooms to training teams at global companies like HubSpot, and reveals the secret behind helping over 250 startups and 1,000 individuals double or even 5X their income. He breaks down why traditional sales methods fail in today's AI-saturated market, the psychology behind high-level deal-making, and how professionals can build lucrative consulting businesses around their expertise. Whether you're in sales, coaching, or contemplating leaving corporate to build your own venture, Justin's insights on client acquisition, personal branding, and the importance of service over self will inspire you to take that leap and live life on your own terms. Chapters: 1. (00:00:00) - Opening: Your Superpower Is Your YOU 2. (00:01:00) - Who Is Justin Michael? From Boiler Rooms to Bestselling Author 3. (00:06:17) - The Leap: Leaving Corporate to Build a Global Consultancy 4. (00:10:00) - Why 75% of Salespeople Struggle (And How to Fix It) 5. (00:14:00) - LinkedIn Is Not Email: Making Real Connections 6. (00:18:00) - The 10 Books: From Tech-Powered Sales to The Frame 7. (00:22:00) - Taking the Leap: The Mental Shift to Go Out on Your Own 8. (00:27:00) - Choose Your Hard: Corporate Prison vs. Building Your Own Cage 9. (00:31:00) - Fall in Love with Client Acquisition (Not Just the Work) 10. (00:36:00) - Final Wisdom: Don't Die with Your Music Still Inside You Links and Resources: 1. Work With Justin Michael: Website [https://app.hardskill.exchange/marketplace/justin-michael/] 2. Justin Michael on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljustin/] 3. LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/luraelumpkin] 4. You Can Be Free Newsletter [https://you-can-be-free.beehiiv.com/subscribe] 5. You Can Be Free [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow]on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5Pd8gCCwvpaLRGM8hz6cAN], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-then-i-did-this/id1761638502] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@youcanbefreenow/podcasts] to leave us a review!