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Career Sessions: Daily Summaries Delivered
by JR Lowry
How do you build a successful career, become a better leader, navigate career changes, and find fulfillment in your work? On Career Sessions, host J.R. Lowry explores these questions through candid conversations with accomplished leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, academics, and professionals who have navigated the ups and downs of working life. They share not just their successes, but the difficult decisions, career setbacks, unexpected opportunities, and hard-won lessons that helped shape their journeys. Every episode delivers real-world stories and practical career advice to help you tackle the challenges that matter most: advancing your career, changing jobs, developing leadership skills, managing workplace relationships, overcoming setbacks, and adapting to a rapidly changing world of work. What makes Career Sessions different? We go beyond conventional career advice and polished success stories to uncover what actually works, what doesn't, and what people wish they'd known earlier. The goal is to both inspire you and give you ideas and strategies you can put to work in your own career. Your host, J.R. Lowry, brings a unique perspective shaped by a career spanning the U.S. Air Force, McKinsey, senior executive roles in financial services, and entrepreneurship. Drawing on decades of leadership experience and hundreds of conversations with fascinating people, J.R. connects the lessons of others to the career decisions and challenges we all face.
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- 1 weeks ago33 min
When Putting People First Results In Putting Yourself Last, with Kristen Hadeed
What happens when your commitment to putting others first comes at the expense of your own well-being?Kristen Hadeed built Student Made into a successful business known for its people-first culture. But after years of prioritizing her team and company above herself, she reached a breaking point. She had lost her passion, felt disconnected from herself, and realized that the leadership philosophy she believed in had become a source of burnout and resentment.In this episode of Career Sessions, host J.R. Lowry sits down with Kristen, author of Permission to Screw Up and Human Leadership, to explore her journey from people-pleasing entrepreneur to a leader who understands that caring for others shouldn't mean abandoning yourself.Kristen shares why she made the difficult decision to close the business she'd spent years building, how deeply held beliefs from childhood shaped her leadership style, and why avoiding uncomfortable conversations can actually damage the relationships we're trying to protect.They also discuss practical ways to become a more effective and authentic leader, including how to recognize the beliefs holding you back, make time for self-reflection, give meaningful feedback, and have difficult conversations with courage and compassion.Whether you're leading a team, navigating burnout, or questioning whether you've outgrown your current role, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: great leadership isn't about being perfect or keeping everyone happy. It's about having the self-awareness and courage to lead yourself as well as others.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/kristen-hadeed/.For more career guidance and resources, subscribe to my member community at https://community/pathwise.io
- 2 weeks ago37 min
You’re Always in the Job Market: How to Manage Your Career Before You Need To, with Kelly Kay
A lot of people spend plenty of time thinking about how to succeed in their jobs, but far less time thinking about how to choose the right jobs in the first place.In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry sits down with Kelly O. Kay, managing partner at executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles and co-author of Show Up to Win: The Insider’s Guide to Getting the Career You Want.Drawing on decades of experience advising executives and companies, Kelly shares an insider’s perspective on how to manage your career more deliberately. He explains why you should take the recruiter call even when you’re happy where you are, how to test your value in the market, what makes a candidate’s story compelling, and how to evaluate whether an opportunity is actually right for you.J.R. and Kelly also discuss why internal candidates sometimes struggle against outsiders, how to recover professionally after being fired, the subtle ways candidates sabotage themselves during the hiring process, and why your reputation can follow you for decades.Whether you’re actively considering a move or perfectly happy in your current role, the message is simple: the best time to manage your career is before you need to.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/kelly-kay/.For more career guidance and resources, subscribe to my member community at https://community/pathwise.io
- 3 weeks ago27 min
Stop Following Someone Else’s Career Playbook, with Andy Paul
You may not think of yourself as a salesperson, but every day at work, you’re selling something—an idea, a proposal, your capabilities, or even yourself. In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry sits down with sales expert, author, and longtime podcast host Andy Paul to explore what the rest of us can learn from great salespeople about influence, curiosity, and human connection. Andy explains why the best way to persuade someone isn’t to push harder, but to understand what matters to them. He shares how asking better questions and truly listening can strengthen relationships, why curiosity is often trained out of us as we move through school and work, and how to avoid making conversations about ourselves. The conversation also moves beyond sales to a bigger career question: Are you building the career you actually want—or simply following someone else’s playbook? Andy discusses why success is situational, how to find environments where you can be yourself, the importance of choosing the right boss, and why it’s sometimes better to leave a bad fit rather than keep trying to make it work. Along the way, Andy shares lessons from nearly five decades in business—and a reminder that there’s no age limit on taking on new challenges. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why everyone is selling, whether they realize it or notHow curiosity can make you more influentialThe difference between listening to understand and listening to respondWhy great questions create stronger relationshipsHow to find work environments that fit your strengths and valuesWhy you should define success on your own termsCheck out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/andy-paul/.For more career guidance and resources, subscribe to my member community at https://community/pathwise.io
- Oct 5, 202633 min
Success Isn’t Enough: Building a Work Life Worth Living, with Jeff Westphal
What if you achieve everything you thought you wanted in your career, and still find yourself wondering if that's really all there is? Former Vertex CEO Jeff Westphal joins host J.R. Lowry to discuss how you can build a Work Life Worth Living when traditional status isn't enough. Jeff Westphal spent two decades as CEO of Vertex, helping grow the company from roughly 75 employees to more than 1,000 and increasing its value fortyfold. Along the way, he started asking deeper questions about purpose and why listening can be far more powerful than having all the answers. He shares how an intense focus on reflection transformed his leadership and helped him create an environment where employees felt truly invested. They also examine how rapid changes in AI mean distinctly human qualities like empathy, judgment, and connection will define our professional future. Whether you're rethinking your path or leading a team, this conversation will help you reflect on what truly makes your career meaningful.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/jeff-westphal/.For more career guidance and resources, subscribe to my member community at https://community/pathwise.io
- Sep 28, 202641 min
Why You? How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market, with April Dunford
Most professionals assume great work speaks for itself, but solid Product Positioning proves that value never communicates automatically. When competitors offer flashy feature checklists or when crowded markets blur real differentiation, buyers and hiring managers get confused quickly. Host JR Lowry sits down with April Dunford, leading positioning expert and bestselling author of Obviously Awesome and Sales Pitch, to unpack why building something valuable is only half the battle. They walk through actionable frameworks to move past surface features, clarify unique value themes, and align internal teams before ever pitching external buyers. Together, they break down how individuals can treat their career journeys like high-stakes B2B products by narrowing focus, embracing natural strengths, and knowing exactly when to walk away from poor-fit opportunities. Finally, they tackle the rise of artificial intelligence, outlining why automated tools raise the bar for genuine business strategy rather than replacing it.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/april-dunford/.For more career guidance and resources, subscribe to my member community at https://community/pathwise.io
- Sep 21, 202631 min
The Real Job Of A Leader, With Dave Ulrich
What's the real job of a leader?According to Dave Ulrich, it isn’t having all the answers, building your own reputation, or even telling a compelling story about where you’re going. Great leaders help the people around them build their stories—and create value for others.In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry sits down with Dave, one of the world’s most influential thinkers on leadership, talent, and organizational effectiveness, for a wide-ranging conversation about what great leadership looks like in a rapidly changing world.They explore why many of the fundamentals of leadership are timeless, even as technology and workplace expectations change dramatically. Dave explains the critical distinction between values—what matters to you—and value—what your actions create for someone else. He also shares a simple question leaders can use to rethink how they spend their time: What will happen in someone else's life because of what I do today?Dave and J.R. also discuss the choices and trade-offs that come with ambition, why our definition of success should change at different stages of life, and what Dave learned from deliberately stepping back from his own career while raising his children.And, inevitably, they tackle AI. Dave argues that AI makes distinctly human capabilities more important, not less. As information becomes ubiquitous, leaders will increasingly differentiate themselves through vision, innovation, emotion, judgment, and wisdom.The conversation also explores learning agility, navigating uncertainty, admitting when you don’t know the answer, and becoming comfortable figuring things out alongside the people you lead.Whether you’re a first-time manager or an experienced executive, this episode is a reminder that leadership ultimately isn’t about you. It’s about what becomes possible for other people because you were there.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/dave-ulrich/.For more career guidance and resources, subscribe to my member community at https://community/pathwise.io
- Sep 14, 202630 min
Why Hiring Feels Broken—and How to Get Hired Anyway, with Lorena Prego Ojeda
Finding a job has never been easy, but today’s hiring process can feel particularly frustrating. Hundreds of applicants compete for a single role, AI is reshaping how candidates are screened, and qualified people often struggle to get noticed. At the same time, employers insist they can’t find the talent they need. So what’s really going on?In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry talks with Lorena Prego, founder and CEO of Prometeo Talent, who has spent two decades in recruiting and helped companies make more than 5,000 hiring decisions.Lorena takes us behind the scenes of the hiring process to explain what recruiters and hiring managers actually look for—and what separates candidates who consistently land opportunities from those who struggle to break through.They discuss why applying to hundreds of jobs may actually hurt your search, how to take more control of an interview, what recruiters notice when comparing your resume and LinkedIn profile, and how to build productive relationships with search firms. They also explore how AI and remote work are transforming recruiting and why communication, critical thinking, adaptability, and the ability to keep learning will become even more important.Whether you’re actively looking for a job or simply want to position yourself for your next opportunity, this episode offers a practical insider’s guide to getting noticed, telling your story, and managing your career for the long term.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/lorena-prego-ojeda/.For more career guidance and resources, subscribe to my member community at https://community/pathwise.io
- Sep 7, 202636 min
How to Stay Valuable in the Age of AI, with Liat Ben-Zur
AI can already draft, summarize, analyze data, write code, and find patterns faster than most of us. So as these capabilities become increasingly commonplace, what will make you valuable?In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry talks with Liat Ben-Zur, former senior executive at Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Philips and author of The Bias Advantage, about how AI is changing the skills that matter most—and why some of the experiences that once made your career harder may actually have prepared you for what's coming next.Liat argues that the answer isn't trying to compete with AI at what it does best. Instead, we need to double down on capabilities machines struggle to replicate: judgment, adaptability, empathy, ethical decision-making, creativity, influence, and the ability to see what others miss.They also discuss why hard work alone isn't enough to advance your career, how to make your impact visible without becoming overly self-promotional, why nonlinear careers may become increasingly valuable, and how to use AI to strengthen your thinking rather than replace it.In this episode, you'll learn:Which human capabilities will become more valuable as AI gets betterWhy career setbacks and being an outsider can build unexpected advantagesHow to make sure your contributions are recognized—not just deliveredWhy career range may be more valuable than narrow specializationHow to use AI as a thinking partner without weakening your own judgmentWhat leaders will need to do differently as AI reshapes organizationsIf you're wondering how to remain relevant, differentiated, and valuable as AI transforms the workplace, this conversation offers a practical roadmap.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/liat-ben-zur/.For more career guidance and resources, subscribe to my member community at https://community/pathwise.io
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About Career Sessions
How do you build a successful career, become a better leader, navigate career changes, and find fulfillment in your work? On Career Sessions, host J.R. Lowry explores these questions through candid conversations with accomplished leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, academics, and professionals who have navigated the ups and downs of working life. They share not just their successes, but the difficult decisions, career setbacks, unexpected opportunities, and hard-won lessons that helped shape their journeys. Every episode delivers real-world stories and practical career advice to help you tackle the challenges that matter most: advancing your career, changing jobs, developing leadership skills, managing workplace relationships, overcoming setbacks, and adapting to a rapidly changing world of work. What makes Career Sessions different? We go beyond conventional career advice and polished success stories to uncover what actually works, what doesn't, and what people wish they'd known earlier. The goal is to both inspire you and give you ideas and strategies you can put to work in your own career. Your host, J.R. Lowry, brings a unique perspective shaped by a career spanning the U.S. Air Force, McKinsey, senior executive roles in financial services, and entrepreneurship. Drawing on decades of leadership experience and hundreds of conversations with fascinating people, J.R. connects the lessons of others to the career decisions and challenges we all face.
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Career Sessions covers topics including Business, Management, Careers, Entrepreneurship. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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