Landing the job is only the beginning — so why does it feel like the finish line? In this episode, host Karen Elders sits down with Dr. Deepak Bhootra, a Sandler and ICF-certified coach, bestselling author, and founder of Rise Up Career Studio and RISEUP@Work to unpack what it really takes to grow once you're in the door.

Deepak shares his signature framework — Performance, Visibility, Value, and Positioning — as a practical roadmap for turning a job into a career. He explains why the first three to five years matter so much, how "low-level advice" from well-meaning friends can lead you to quit for the wrong reasons, and why chasing a promotion without earning trust rarely works.

The conversation also dives into personal branding (and the gap between how you see yourself and how others do), why AI-generated resumes can backfire in AI-powered interviews, and how small, consistent habits compound into real career momentum. Deepak gets candid about his own career setbacks, the emotional toll of corporate life, and why community — not just content — is at the heart of Rise Up.

If you're a young professional wondering how to move from "just doing your job" to building real momentum, this episode is packed with tactical, human advice you can start using today.

LAUNCH Career Strategies was founded by Karen Elders and Elyse Spalding. We help young professionals launch a successful career path with expert coaching services. Reach out today for an initial FREE coaching session.
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From the Field to the Sales Floor | How College Athletics Prepares You for a Career in Sales

What does it take for a college athlete to thrive in a competitive sales career? In this episode, we sit down with Anna Stein, Account Executive on the MuleSoft Financial Services team at Salesforce, to find out. Anna took a classic path - starting as an Account Development Representative and earning promotions to Senior ADR and then AE - and she shares what it actually took to make those moves.

A four-year starter and captain at Lafayette College, Anna draws a direct line between her experience as a Division I lacrosse player and her success in sales. From being coachable and competitive to having tough conversations with managers (just like with coaches), the parallels are real and practical. She even compares reviewing recorded sales calls with her manager to watching game film - a habit that's paid off.

Anna also opens up about the job search process: how she used networking and LinkedIn to prepare for interviews, why over-preparing is non-negotiable, and what externship programs taught her before she even graduated. She shares candid advice on getting promoted, building mentor relationships, leveraging AI for meeting prep without losing the human touch, and giving yourself grace when rejections don't go your way.

If you're a current or former athlete figuring out your next move, Anna's story is a reminder that the skills that made you great on the field can absolutely carry you forward.

PS Don't forget to check out Prospect HQ - Prospect HQ helps college athletes and former college athletes turn their athletic experience into internships, jobs, and professional connections by combining networking, athlete-focused recruiting, and video-based personal branding. Essentially - LinkedIn plus a career center, but designed specifically for athletes transitioning from sports to the professional world

LAUNCH Career Strategies was founded by Karen Elders and Elyse Spalding. We help young professionals launch a successful career path with expert coaching services. Reach out today for an initial FREE coaching session.
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JD DeGulis, President and Portfolio Manager at Soundshore Management, joins host Karen to discuss navigating a career in finance. Soundshore is a long-only, value-focused boutique managing roughly 35 concentrated positions, with about two-thirds of assets coming from institutional clients like pensions and endowments.

JD's core advice for young people entering finance centers on two big decisions: understanding where you fall on the analytical-versus-sales spectrum, and broadening your search beyond the well-known names. He emphasizes that selling is far more pervasive on Wall Street than most people expect - even roles in banking and private equity are largely about persuasion and relationship-building. He also encourages candidates to explore smaller and mid-size firms, where opportunity and compensation are often comparable to the big banks.

On AI, JD is direct: get in and start using it now. He sees a real advantage for younger professionals who can not only use AI tools fluently but also explain them to senior colleagues who are less familiar. He recommends building your own agents, running repeated experiments over time, and using AI to prepare thoroughly for networking conversations and interviews.

The conversation also touches on the importance of intellectual curiosity - following industries and stocks you genuinely care about, going deep on resources like the Acquired podcast and Farnam Street, and reading consistently every day. JD closes with a reminder that the investment business demands accountability; the market gives you clear, unforgiving feedback, and being willing to pitch an idea, be wrong, and learn from it is exactly what separates candidates who stand out from those who don't.

A few of the reading/listening resources that JD suggested:

• Digital news mainstays:
  • Wall Street Journal and WSJ What's News Podcast (short episodes 2x/day)
  • The New York Times
  • Bloomberg
• Podcasts
  • Farnam Street - Newsletter and Farnam Street’s The Knowledge Project Podcast by topic (Business & Leadership, Wealth & Investing, etc)
  • All In podcast
  • Colossus Business Breakdowns podcast - HERE is the episode with JD DeGulis discussing Vistra Corp. and the rapid evolution of the renewables industry
  • Acquired podcast - Incredible, you can search for in-depth conversations by topic
• Resources for learning AI
  • Anthropic Academy
  • Coursera -

LAUNCH Career Strategies was founded by Karen Elders and Elyse Spalding. We help young professionals launch a successful career path with expert coaching services. Reach out today for an initial FREE coaching session.
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