The Breakout Booth

10. Build Your Confidence - from the Inside Out

"Confidence - no pressure! I'll leave my humbleness outside the booth." And so begins my conversation with Anthony Moseley [http://bbpod.co/anthony-moseley], Creative Director for the Emmy Award-winning Collaboraction Theatre Company. Confidence is a big word, one most of us struggle to embrace without feeling like we’re stepping over the line into arrogance or being overconfident. In our conversation, Anthony and I move beyond superficial definitions and explore a framework for how you can build your own confidence, sharing stories and deep reflections for each point. If you're struggling to feel confident in some aspect of your life, we walk you through 5 core elements you can develop to help you arrive at my definition of the word: a calm sense of certainty you can do or become anything you want. This is the raw, real conversation you need to start cultivating the kind of unwavering courage and self-belief that will power you through your biggest aspirations and dreams. Are you ready for a confidence boost? Want more? * Check out an episode digest: bbpod.co/ep10-highlights [http://bbpod.co/ep10-highlights] * Sign up for my newsletter: breakoutbooth.com/newsletter [http://breakoutbooth.com/newsletter] * Subscribe to stay in the loop & show your support! In the episode: * [0:42] Alexis’ confession about the episode * [3:13] Alexis' model of confidence: 5 core elements * [4:49] Hi, Anthony! * [6:09] Anthony goes waaay back with his bio. * [12:10] Art and impact with Collaboraction * [14:37] Element 1: Self-Love * [21:05] Element 2: Intentional learning * [28:00] Element 3: Taking action * [32:36] Element 4: Deliberate presentation * [40:30] Element 5: Purpose * [47:55] Advice on how to boost your confidence References: * "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take": Wayne Gretzky [http://bbpod.co/wayne-gretzky] * Grief expert: Elisabeth Kübler-Ross [https://bbpod.co/kubler-ross]  * Author: David Foster Wallace [http://bbpod.co/foster-wallace] Find Anthony: * Collaboraction: Website [http://bbpod.co/collaboraction] | YouTube [https://bbpod.co/collaboraction-youtube] | Instagram [http://bbpod.co/collaboraction-insta] * Collaboraction Radio podcast: Apple [http://bbpod.co/collaboraction-apple] | Spotify [https://bbpod.co/collaboraction-spotify]

9. Money and Financial Healing

“Money is not about how much you have in your bank account, but how you view yourself and the world around you.” Those are the sage words of Leslie Mallman [http://bbpod.co/leslie-mallman], a seasoned Financial Advisor and Money Healer. In this episode, she joins me for a candid and compassionate discussion on why money feels like such a loaded topic - and how to turn anxiety into agency. We shift from the concept of financial health to financial fitness and explore the idea that your net worth isn't something to diagnose, but rather a state of being you can develop and improve. We then dig into the traps many of us face, from maxed‑out credit cards and lifestyle creep to doom‑scroll headlines that make normal market dips feel catastrophic. We also get real about advisors and incentives, discussing our own negative experiences working with people who we felt weren't fully aligned with our goals. You’ll hear how to filter the noise and anchor your goals on what “enough” means for you. Because if you aren't prioritizing money in alignment with the rest of your life - your health, relationships, career, and personal fulfillment - what's the point of having a big bank account? Want more? * Check out an episode digest: bbpod.co/ep09-highlights [http://bbpod.co/ep09-highlights] * Sign up for my newsletter: breakoutbooth.com/newsletter [http://breakoutbooth.com/newsletter] * Subscribe to stay in the loop & show your support! In this episode: * [0:45] Why I made this episode * [4:48] Meet Leslie Mallman * [13:07] What is money? * [17:09] Financial health vs. financial fitness * [21:24] Financial healing * [28:55] What does a financial advisor do? * [31:01] Negative experiences with advisors * [39:01] What is "enough" and how it's changed over time * [46:56] Common traps that affect financial well-being * [52:23] Insights from Leslie's financial healing class * [55:15] Power moves that changed our financial fitness * [1:04:04] Advice to improve your relationship with money References: * Loud budgeting [https://bbpod.co/ep09-loud-budgeting] * Recommended resources [https://bbpod.co/ep09-books-resources] Find Leslie: * Financial Advising: fiveoceansadvisors.com [https://bbpod.co/ep09-five-oceans] * Financial Healing: moneycoachleslie.com [https://bbpod.co/ep09-leslie-coach]

8. How to Navigate a Lasting Career - as a Woman in Tech

Alexis and Alana Karen [https://www.alanakaren.com/], an award-winning author who spent over 23 years at Google, explore the question of how to navigate a long and enduring career as a woman in tech. In this raw and honest conversation, they discuss the realities women face in the tech industry and the tools needed to not just survive, but thrive. What does it take to build a lasting career in tech when you're one of only a few women in the room? Behind the glossy media articles questioning whether women can "make it" in tech lies a more nuanced reality, one where resilience, community, and strategic self-advocacy are the keys to navigating a lasting career in tech. After interviewing 80 women across the industry, Alana distilled their collective wisdom into five essential tools, which she describes in her book The Adventures of Women in Tech [https://www.alanakaren.com/books]. In this discussion, Alexis and Alana explore how these skills create staying power in an industry where it can feel like you don't belong. As tech confronts a new wave of challenges, from layoffs to ethical questions about AI, they examine what's changed since Alana first published. Where she originally emphasized belonging, her upcoming fifth-anniversary edition explores agency in an industry where trust has eroded. As for the key to a lasting career? A delicate balance of patience and strategic action, knowing when to endure difficult periods and when to pivot toward growth and change. Want more? * Check out an episode digest: bbpod.co/ep08-highlights [http://bbpod.co/ep08-highlights] * Sign up for my newsletter: breakoutbooth.com/newsletter [http://breakoutbooth.com/newsletter] * Subscribe to stay in the loop & show your support! In this episode: * [1:27] Background on today's guest, Alana Karen * [2:00] Alexis' career journey: the good, the bad, the ugly * [12:15] Alana: welcome and introduction * [17:13] Why Alana wrote "The Adventures of Women in Tech" * [25:10] Five essential tools for women in tech * [34:04] The Fifth Anniversary Edition: a sneak peek! * [43:42] Power moves: career pivots and growth * [59:50] Advice for long-term career success Find Alana: * Website: alanakaren.com [http://alanakaren.com]   * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanakaren] * Sign up for her Newsletter [https://www.alanakaren.com/newsletter] References: * Alana’s book: The Adventures of Women in Tech [https://www.alanakaren.com/adventures-of-women-tech-alana-karen] * Alana’s workbook: The Adventures of Women in Tech Workbook [https://www.alanakaren.com/adventures-of-women-in-tech-workbook] * Previous episode: Navigating Burnout [https://bbpod.co/ep02-highlights] * Jonathan Haidt: The Anxious Generation [https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/book] * Alana's Interview with Sheryl Sandberg [https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=983797698806510]

7. How to Get Unstuck - Design a Career with Intention

Ever felt like you're somehow "stuck" in your career, knowing something needs to change but unsure how to move forward?  Blessing Nnachi [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2426445/contributors/111917-blessing-nnachi], author of a new book titled By Design: A Guide to Creating a Career You Love, joins me to provide a roadmap for anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsatisfied with their current path. Blessing shares how her journey from tech professional to career coach led her to develop a practical framework for living a more intentional life. The centerpiece of our discussion is the "Good Life Triangle,” a powerful model for understanding the tension between freedom, community, and meaning that shapes our life choices, and can help you consider how to make conscious decisions about where you actually want to spend your time and energy. Together, we explore why recognizing you're stuck is the crucial first step toward change, and we unpack common traps that keep us feeling unfulfilled in our careers. The conversation weaves between philosophical insights and practical advice, addressing how different life seasons may require a change in priorities. Whether you're early in your career focusing on skill-building, navigating parenthood while maintaining professional growth, or reassessing your direction mid-career, our discussion offers wisdom applicable to various stages and challenges. As Blessing reminds us, "There's only one today." What will you do with it? Want more? * Check out an episode digest: bbpod.co/ep07-highlights [http://bbpod.co/ep01-highlights] * Sign up for my newsletter: breakoutbooth.com/newsletter [http://breakoutbooth.com/newsletter] * Subscribe to stay in the loop & show your support! In this episode: * [2:46] Some amazingly terrible jokes to start us off * [3:42] Blessing Nnachi: welcome and background * [7:22] How Blessing’s book By Design came to life * [11:07] The story behind the book’s title * [13:57] How to recognize you’re feeling stuck * [22:35] Reflecting on Blessing’s vulnerable story from the preface * [27:01] The “Good Life Triangle” - what it is, why it’s important * [43:11] Balancing priorities and the concepts of tradeoffs & seasons * [47:00] Common questions people look for coaching and support on * [54:01] Hidden traps that can affect your career * [1:00:05] Power moves that changed our career trajectories * [1:05:52] Advice for someone who is feeling stuck in their career Find Blessing: * Website: itsbydesign.org [http://itsbydesign.org]  * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/blessing_nnachi_/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/blessing-nnachi/] References: * Blessing’s book: By Design: A guide to creating a career you love [https://www.itsbydesign.org/book] * Elle Luna: The Crossroads of Should & Must [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5pMSEerKVI]

6. Physical Health - Real Talk About Wellness and Balance

Alexis and Nina Black [https://podcast.breakoutbooth.com/2426445/contributors/99961], an expert in physical fitness, explore what physical health actually means - beyond surface-level definitions and unrealistic standards - in a refreshingly authentic and honest discussion. Nina's extraordinary journey from circus performer (complete with sequined costumes and snake-handling shows) to managing 75 coaches across 17 fitness studios provides a fascinating backdrop for our exploration of body image, fitness habits, and self-acceptance. We introduce the powerful concept of "one size fits one," recognizing that physical health isn't a standardized goal but a deeply personal journey that shifts across different phases of life. What worked for you when you were 20 likely won't work the same when you turn 40, and that's perfectly normal. Whether you're struggling to establish sustainable exercise habits, battling negative body image, or simply trying to understand what "healthy" actually means for you personally, this conversation offers validation, perspective, and practical ideas for developing a more compassionate relationship with your physical self. Join us as we redefine physical health as a journey of progress rather than perfection, and where feeling good ultimately matters more than looking good. Want more? * Check out an episode digest: bbpod.co/ep06-highlights [http://bbpod.co/ep01-highlights] * Sign up for my newsletter: breakoutbooth.com/newsletter [http://breakoutbooth.com/newsletter] * Subscribe to stay in the loop & show your support! In this episode: * [6:24] Nina Black: welcome and episode context * [9:47] How and when we talk about physical health * [17:22] Nina's background * [34:49] What is physical health? * [42:43] 6 dimensions of physical health * [47:44] Our physical health journeys * [1:05:02] Positive experiences with physical health * [1:21:00] Nina's personal victory story * [1:26:54] Alexis's pregnancy-related physical health challenges Find Nina: * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ninablackfitness] References: * Circus camps: Camp Big Top [https://www.msacircusarts.org/] | Actor’s Gymnasium [https://www.actorsgymnasium.org/] * Shrine Circus: Company site [https://www.detroitshrinecircus.com/]  * Orangetheory Fitness: Company site [https://www.orangetheory.com] * Wearable health monitors: Oura [https://ouraring.com] | Fitbit [https://store.google.com/category/watches_trackers?hl=en-US&pli=1] | Whoop [https://www.whoop.com/us/en/] * Paleo-style eating programs: Perfect Health Diet [https://perfecthealthdiet.com/] | Whole 30 [https://whole30.com/] * Meal delivery service: Factor [https://www.factor75.com]