Mildly Unstoppable

Changing Your Stars: A Top Engineer's Career Hack to Break into Tech Startups

Have kudos or feedback? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2570355/open_sms] Changing Your Stars: A Top Engineer's Career Hack to Break into Tech Startups In this episode of Mildly Unstoppable we hear from Zachary Gillan, an electrical engineer and entrepreneur. Zachary shares his journey from working in defense to starting multiple companies and eventually working at Blissway, a tech startup changing the tolling industry. We discuss how he hacked his career path to break into the start up world, the courage it took to take risks, and the mistakes he made along the way. Zachary emphasizes the importance of learning from failures, the value of ownership and autonomy in a workplace, and how past experiences shaped his current success. Jobs at Blissway [https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/blissway/jobs] 00:23 Meet Zachary Gillan: Career Beginnings 00:53 Highlight Reel vs. Reality 02:14 Blissway: Revolutionizing Tolling 07:22 The Journey to Electrical Engineering 14:53 Transitioning from Defense to Startups 38:03 Choosing Startups Over Tech Giants 41:54 Navigating Professional Growth 58:18 Admitting Mistakes and Learning

The Trauma Transformation Expert: Her Journey Through Healing, What it Takes to Build Secure Attachments After Trauma

Have kudos or feedback? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2570355/open_sms] Understanding Attachment and Healing from Trauma with Dr. Claire Dowdle Cina Dr. Claire Dowdle Cina, a Stanford trained licensed Clinical Psychologist, explains overcoming codependence and people-pleasing behaviors and shares her own story of healing and trauma transformation. The conversation explores finding the right therapist, the impact of attachment styles on relationships, psychadelics, and what it takes to work through your trauma. Dr. Claire Dowdle Cina shares her views on trends affecting mental health, such as the impact of ChatGPT on anxiety. With personal anecdotes and professional advice, this episode offers a deep dive into relationship dynamics and moving towards secure attachment. Connect with Dr. Claire Dowdle Cina [https://clairedowdlecina.com/contact] dr.clairedowdle@emanatedenver.com 01:04 Understanding the Role of a Psychologist 07:21 Attachment Styles and Relationships 14:00 Self-Work and Healing 22:58 The Importance of Friendships 40:17 The Pitfalls of People Pleasing 41:35 Balancing Self-Care and Responsibilities 44:05 Personal Journey Through Trauma and Healing 47:13 The Role of Therapy and Psychedelic Healing 01:02:37 Modern Challenges: Chat GPT and Anxiety 01:17:07 Conclusion and Resources

From Hesitation to Homeowner: Taking the Real Estate Leap

Have kudos or feedback? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2570355/open_sms] From Hesitation to Homeowner: Taking the Real Estate Leap In this episode of 'Mildly Unstoppable,' host Jessica shares her personal journey of buying a townhouse in 2019 after realizing, with some sisterly encouragement, that homeownership was within her reach. From the initial shock at the idea to navigating the home buying process, financial calculations, and the valuable lessons learned along the way, Jessica offers a transparent look at her experience. She discusses renovations, rental income strategies, and unexpected benefits such as improved organization and financial investment awareness. She also provides detailed financial numbers to give a comprehensive understanding of her situation. Tune in to hear how her leap into homeownership has shaped her life. 00:00 The Journey Begins: From Renting to Buying 01:02 The Financial Reality Check 03:01 Navigating the Home Buying Process 17:18 Pre-move in Renovations 23:49 The Benefits of Homeownership 24:04 Renting Out the Basement: A New Venture 31:47 Unexpected Benefits of Home Ownership 46:54 Is Home Ownership a Liability? 48:46 Comparing Costs: Renting vs. Owning

Embracing Career Reinvention: Lessons from a Professional Dancer Turned Silicon Valley Engineer

Have kudos or feedback? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2570355/open_sms] Embracing Career Reinvention: Lessons from a Professional Dancer Turned Silicon Valley Engineer In this episode of 'Mildly Unstoppable,' host Jessica shares the story of her diverse career trajectory, starting as a professional dancer in LA, shifting to electrical engineering, and later transitioning into software engineering. Through personal anecdotes, Jessica emphasizes the importance of letting go of ego and making bold career changes based on instinct. She discusses the financial and emotional challenges of such transitions and offers insights on effective decision-making and lifelong learning. This episode serves as an encouraging reminder that it's never too late to change your path and pursue what truly fulfills you. 00:00 Introduction: Reinventing My Career 00:17 Pursuing Dance in LA 02:57 Realizing the Need for Change 08:13 Transition to College and Engineering 12:00 Switching from Hardware to Software 17:41 Current Transition and Reflections 23:34 Conclusion: Embracing Change at Any Age

Eye Contact and Beyond: Building Social Confidence

Have kudos or feedback? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2570355/open_sms] In this episode, Jessica explores the challenges and importance of social courage, reflecting on her personal journey to improve her social skills and connect more meaningfully with others. She shares her experiences of overcoming discomfort, such as looking people in the eye and making small talk, and how these efforts have enriched her life. Jessica discusses the influence of various factors, including the pandemic's impact on social interactions and the role of her father's example in shaping her approach. She also highlights transformative experiences like taking an improv class and the powerful lessons it taught her about presence, flexibility, and connection. Jessica concludes by encouraging listeners to challenge themselves in small, manageable ways and previews the next episode on career reinvention. 00:00 Introduction: The Struggle with Eye Contact 01:07 Discovering Joy and Purpose 01:32 Exploring Stories of Courage 02:42 Social Courage: Overcoming Isolation 03:44 The Impact of COVID on Social Skills 04:24 Family Influence and Social Skills 05:45 Pushing Comfort Zones: Physical and Social Challenges 20:12 The Role of Regret in Personal Growth 24:27 The Power of Improv 34:19 Challenges in Dating and Honesty 35:44 Conclusion and Next Week's Challenge