Using Your Voice in the Music Industry and Beyond with Teona Zak

Practicing Excellence in Sales and Beyond with Liana Christy

Liana Christy is a Massachusetts native and distinguished professional in the dental sales industry. In this episode, Nikki and Liana sit down to discuss how Liana knew this was the right path for her and the steps that led her to success. Mentorship, trust, and building confidence one day at a time all emerge as themes in Liana's story.  To stay connected with Liana and learn more about her journey, connect with her on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lianachristy/].  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org [https://www.responseable.org/] or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkijames1/] or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drnikkijames/#]. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/]. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster [https://gooddisaster.substack.com/] on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/].

What Makes a Candidate Great? From 2 POVs

This week Nikki has on a former student (Aishu) as well as her employer (Robin), who is also a great friend of Nikki's. Robin and Aishu both work for the New England Employee Benefits Council (NEEBC [https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.neebc.org/&ved=2ahUKEwjPpbPS5MaUAxUdFVkFHSmGLUoQFnoECBYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1Istlhpr8rzlQyc4ZVKlXa]), a non-profit that educates, supports, and even sponsors employees and employers across the region.  The conversation highlights both sides of the hiring journey an is especially valuable given Robin's career in HR and Aishu's exceptional outlook and variety of work experiences so far. Everything from practical tips, to perspective shifts, and hearing other people's stories will be beneficial to job seekers, students, and even those later in their career who are looking to derive more meaning from work.  Connect with Robin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinantonellis/] and Aishu [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aishwarya-palaniyappan-04ab45180/] on LinkedIn to hear more from them. Also, follow the out the NEEBC [https://www.linkedin.com/company/newenglandemployeebenefitscouncil/] page to stay up to date on their mission!  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org [https://www.responseable.org/] or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkijames1/] or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drnikkijames/#]. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/]. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster [https://gooddisaster.substack.com/] on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/].

Using Your Voice in the Music Industry and Beyond with Teona Zak

Teona Zak is an LA-based singer-songwriter who graduated from Boston's Berklee College of music in 2023. Her story involves grace, grit, and a decision to be in the right place at the right time. In this episode, Nikki and Teona chat about life on the East and West coast, unpacking how there is a purpose for both. They also discuss what it's been like for Teona to experience  the music industry from so many different angles—from a student, to an assistant, and more recently releasing her own music.  Both figuratively and literally, Teona is a role model for young people looking to find their voice. She believes in taking risks and honing one's craft, all while being joyfully authentic along the way.  Follow Teona on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/teonazak?igsh=MWY4Z2g5bWp3cG1ncQ==] and check out her EP, To Be Loved [https://open.spotify.com/album/5vovVhRhb08tcRm5bH4dSm?si=miw03NrdR8aXRDkFcef0Mg].  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org [https://www.responseable.org/] or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkijames1/] or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drnikkijames/#]. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/]. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster [https://gooddisaster.substack.com/] on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/].

Making the Most of the Job Search with Neeraj Naik

Neeraj is a Northeastern Alumni who now works at Bloomberg in New York City. With experience from financial services, to tech, to social innovation, Neeraj offers insightful and actionable job search tips, many of which led him to where he is today.  In this episode Nikki and Neeraj sit down to talk about post-grad life, takeaways from co-op experiences, the job search process, and how to make the most of it. With themes of staying open, taking risks, and connecting with others, it's a great conversation for students and job-seekers alike.  To stay in touch with Neeraj, connect with him on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/neeraj-naik/].  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org [https://www.responseable.org/] or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkijames1/] or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drnikkijames/#]. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/]. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster [https://gooddisaster.substack.com/] on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/].

Discussing Grad School and a Creative Path with Jessie Wang

Jessie Wang is a former student of Nikki's who graduated from Northeastern in 2024. During her last year at Northeastern she decided to bet on herself and apply to grad school. She ended up getting her Masters Degree and studying across the world through NYU.  In this episode Nikki and Jessie discuss the limits that we put on ourselves and the mindset it takes to overcome them. Jessie shares her story as well as so much wisdom she has gained along the way.  To connect with Jessie, check out her LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-wang-54b425221/].  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org [https://www.responseable.org/] or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkijames1/] or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drnikkijames/#]. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/]. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster [https://gooddisaster.substack.com/] on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/norashepard/].