From Corporate Success to Creative Freedom with Suzanne Parisi

What happens when you strip away the titles—lawyer, executive, top performer—and ask a much harder question:

Who am I without all of that?

In this deeply reflective episode, I sit down with my friend Suzanne Parisi, who spent 25 years in enterprise sales and law before making a bold pivot into the world of glass artistry.

And not casually. She took 30+ classes, explored relentlessly, and followed curiosity until something clicked.

This conversation isn’t about retirement. It’s about reinvention with intention.

🔍 What we explore:

• Why the most important question isn’t “What should I do next?” but “Who do I want to be without external definitions?”
• The surprising truth about creativity: It’s not talent—it’s learned, practiced, and earned through imperfect action
• How Suzanne reframed success from outcomes and revenue… to joy in the process and emotional connection through her work
• The mindset shift that unlocks reinvention: 👉 Let go of self-limiting beliefs 👉 Try things badly 👉 Follow what energizes your time
• And one of my favorite takeaways: “If my day isn’t great, it’s on me—because my day can be anything I want it to be.”

Suzanne Parisi is an artist in residency at the Arts of Glen Echo. You can find more of her work here.

Suzanne Parisi Artist Portfolio

Suzanne Parisi — NCAGG National Capital Art Glass Guild

What makes a leader—and a team—truly irreplaceable in the age of AI?

We visit with Amir Capriles, an incredibly well-respected enterprise sales leader and Chief Revenue Officer at Granicus, where he leads global sales and go-to-market strategy for one of the world’s leading govtech platforms. With over 20 years of experience, Amir has built and scaled high-performing teams across the public sector, holding leadership roles at companies including Microsoft, Salesforce, and Pegasystems.

Known for his ability to recognize and elevate talent, Amir combines data-driven execution with a deeply human leadership approach, focusing on judgment, trust, and purpose to drive meaningful impact in government and enterprise organizations.

A few highlights from our conversation that Amir shared that stayed with me:

• Talent is about trajectory, not performance Look for learning velocity, pattern recognition, and how people grow under pressure—not just results.
• Great leaders see potential before others do The job isn’t to give more work—it’s to name, elevate, and develop capability.
• Reading the room is still a superpower Data tells you where to look. Intuition tells you how to respond. AI can’t replace that.
• Burnout comes from disconnection, not effort When people lose the “why,” energy drops. Reset purpose and celebrate progress along the way.
• AI raises the floor—leaders must raise the ceiling Judgment, courage, trust, and coaching are the new differentiators.
• Irreplaceable leaders don’t create dependency They build systems, leaders, and teams that perform without them.

Bottom line: AI will accelerate execution. But human leadership will always define impact.

In this powerful episode of Refirement Life, Christine Zmuda sits down with transformational facilitator Soreya James to explore a concept that might change how you live, lead, and make decisions:

👉 Your body is not just something you have… it’s something you can listen to.

Soreya introduces the idea of “the body as technology”—a highly sophisticated system constantly giving you real-time data about your energy, alignment, and truth. The question is… are you tuned in?

In this conversation, you’ll discover:

• Why your body often knows before your mind does
• How to recognize the difference between intuition (expansion) vs. fear (contraction)
• Simple ways to reset your energy using breath, movement, and awareness
• Why modern life is pulling us out of our bodies—and how to get back in
• The hidden cost of ignoring your internal signals (and how to rebuild trust)

This isn’t theory—it’s a deeply human, practical conversation about how to navigate complexity, make better decisions, and reconnect with your inner GPS.

To Connect with Soreya - please email her directly at soreyajames@gmail.com

We’re entering a moment that may redefine entrepreneurship. In this episode, we explore the AI entrepreneurship boom—and why it’s creating one of the biggest windows of opportunity we’ve seen in decades.

Today:

• AI is a $391B market, growing rapidly
• 72% of companies are already using it
• And for the first time, one person with the right tools can build what used to require an entire team

But this isn’t just about technology.

It’s about who is best positioned to take advantage of it.

Research shows:

• The average successful founder is ~45
• Founders over 50 are nearly 2x more likely to succeed than those in their 20s
• And entrepreneurship is growing fastest among people 55–64

Why? Because experience, pattern recognition, and networks matter more than ever.

In this conversation, we break down:

• How many new businesses are being created with AI
• The tools that can help you build something meaningful (without massive capital)
• The biggest mistakes people are making right now
• And critical guardrails to protect your ideas and intellectual property

We also explore a key question:

👉 What kind of AI-enabled business is actually a fit for you?

This isn’t about chasing hype. It’s about using AI as a lever to build something intentional, sustainable, and aligned with your experience.

If you’ve ever thought about starting something—or starting again—this episode will expand how you think about what’s possible.

What truly makes someone irresistible — at any age?

In this episode, Christine and Muge blend history, science, and real-life stories to uncover what creates lasting attraction and meaningful connection. From the love letters of Charles, Duke of Orléans, written during his imprisonment in the Tower of London, to modern research by psychologist John Gottman, they explore why some relationships endure while others fade.

You’ll learn how ancient symbols, everyday gestures, and proven relationship science all point to the same truth: attraction is built through intentional habits, emotional awareness, and how we show up for others.

Christine and Muge share practical ways to strengthen connection in romantic relationships, friendships, and even at work through presence, optimism, and small daily choices. You'll learn about the 5 Traits which make individuals irresistible at any age and how you can build more of those into your everyday.

If you’re curious about what keeps people drawn to you over time and how to deepen your relationships at any stage of life — this episode offers insight, inspiration, and tools you can start using today.

In our latest episode, I sat down with Robert Siciliano — the media’s go-to cybersecurity expert and creator of the Strategic Human Firewall™ — for a powerful conversation about what really keeps us safe in an age of AI, deepfakes, and digital deception.

Robert’s core belief?

👉 All security is personal.

We explored:

✔️ How being a victim of internet fraud shaped his life’s work

✔️ Why physical and digital security are more connected than we think

✔️ The “Human Blindspot” — our instinct to trust what feels familiar ✔️ How AI and voice cloning are changing fraud forever

✔️ The everyday habits that protect your identity, privacy, and wealth

✔️ Why fear doesn’t work — and values do

What stood out most to me was this:

Security isn’t about mastering tech jargon. It’s about understanding human behavior.

It’s about learning when not to trust your instincts. It’s about protecting the people and relationships that matter most. It’s about becoming your own Strategic Human Firewall.

Whether you’re a business leader, founder, parent, or simply someone navigating today’s digital world, this conversation will change how you think about safety.

To connect with Robert, visit - (1) Robert Siciliano | LinkedIn or Transformative Keynote Cyber Security Employee Training at protechnowllc.com

🎧 Listen now and learn how to protect yourself — without panic, paranoia, or overwhelm.

#CyberSecurity #Leadership #AI #DigitalSafety #HumanCenteredTech #Podcast #StrategicHumanFirewall #Trust #PersonalSecurity

What if the most dangerous thing AI could steal… isn’t your data, but your trust?

In this episode, we sit down with Kathryn Mihalich and Linda Zecher, founders of Cyber Knowledge Partners and authors of Stolen Trust, to explore a near-future that feels uncomfortably close.

This conversation moves beyond cybersecurity into something deeper:

👉 When AI offers connection without vulnerability

👉 When efficiency replaces discernment

👉 When synthetic relationships feel easier than human ones

From loneliness and grief to fear and manipulation at scale, this episode asks a chilling question we may all face sooner than we think:

When reality is hard to verify—how do we choose what’s real?

A must-listen for leaders, technologists, and anyone thinking seriously about human judgment in an AI-saturated world. We speak to the Founding Partners of Cyber Security Knowledge Partners who have written a new must-read book entitled "Stolen Trust". You can find this book at Amazon for purchase here.

This book will give you much to think about as the authors explore the intersection of synthetic and authentic connections and why trust may be the next thing that AI exploits. If you like this book, there is a second in the series coming soon.

For more about Cyber Security Knowledge Partners, visit their website at Cyber Knowledge Partners.

“Why does friendship feel harder as an adult?” “Why do I feel more isolated even though I’m busier than ever?” or even… “I’ll focus on community later… when life slows down…”

This episode is for you.

Today, we’re joined by Monique Rhodes, a happiness specialist originally from New Zealand, a wildly inspiring human, and someone who brings a rare mix of joy, wisdom, and real-world adventure to everything she touches.

Monique has been nominated for multiple awards—including New Zealander of the Year—and her life story is nothing short of extraordinary. She’s an accomplished singer-songwriter, opened for Chuck Berry, created two platinum charity albums, collaborated on a project with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and now helps people build more peace, happiness, and emotional clarity—one day at a time. But what I love most about this conversation is how practical it is.

We talk about the real reasons adult friendships disappear, why retirement can unexpectedly strip away your social structures, and how happiness isn’t just a personal pursuit it’s actually one of the most powerful forces shaping the relationships around you.

And Monique introduces a few concept sI think every listener needs right now:

✅ Heart friends and Mates (Play friends)

✅ Passive Rest (why this isn't great for you)

✅ and the underrated magic of micro-connections—those tiny interactions that quietly build the fabric of a joyful life.

We also get into the habits that are silently destroying our energy like constant scrolling and passive “rest”—and what to do instead if you want to build connection without burning yourself out.

So whether you’re retired, between roles, still in the grind, or simply craving something more meaningful…

this episode will remind you that community isn’t something you stumble into.

It’s something you build—one brave step at a time.

To dig in further, take the happiness quiz . Become the Happiest Person You Know » Monique Rhodes. and connect with Monique here at moniquerhodes.com