Description:
In our 16th episode, we talk about unlocking the power of people with Tara Nesser of LevelUp. She is a seasoned People Operations leader with a rich background in hyper-growth tech startups and a track record of success in talent strategy, training, and development. Tara understands the critical importance of investing in the right individuals to drive productivity and achieve success. However, she has also witnessed the challenges faced by emerging leaders and the unfortunate outcomes of failing teams. Fortunately, Tara is here to share her insights and introduce us to ways to empower founders, leaders, and managers to cultivate a high-achieving mindset and acquire the essential skills necessary to build exceptional teams and businesses. Join us as Tara's firsthand experience confirms the profound impact of motivated collaboration. Get ready for an enlightening conversation ahead!

About Tara: Nesser
With experience at hyper-growth technology startups in roles such as Director of Talent Strategy, Head of Training and Development and Head of People, as well as previous leadership and executive roles in talent acquisition and development, I’ve been there. I’ve seen how investment in the right people can result in productivity, creativity, and efficacy gains. But I’ve also seen emerging leaders struggle, and in turn startups fail.

Passionate about people development, I founded Level Up to help tech startups move through various stages of growth by keeping their people central to their culture and development, and therefore, their success.

Level Up is uniquely positioned to help new founders, leaders and managers develop both a high-achieving mindset and the fundamental skills to build best in class teams and businesses.I’ve seen the power of people first hand, and have experienced the success that can be achieved when people are genuinely motivated to work together.

Show Notes:

Instagram: @levelup.talent

Website:

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Join us on the 15th episode of Successfully Depressed as Kerry engages in a captivating conversation with Geoff Carlston—a remarkable individual who embodies the roles of a father, husband, explorer, and dreamer. Geoff's extraordinary life experiences range from being a collegiate coach to a Peace Corps Volunteer, an educator, and a mediator.

Throughout his journey, Geoff has had the privilege of working closely with diverse groups of people, including gangs, professional athletes, CEO's, Buddhist monks, and individuals grappling with depression. His unwavering purpose on this Earth is to guide others towards profound experiences of love, compassion, and unwavering optimism.

In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into topics such as coaching with grace, surmounting life's obstacles, understanding internal and external identities, and embracing a life driven by curiosity, compassion, and kindness. Tune in to gain valuable insights and be inspired by Geoff's profound wisdom and transformative perspectives.

Show Notes:

Geoff Carlston's Linkedin

Epic Journey Leadership

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Website: https://www.kerryfinsand.com/

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In our 14th episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Reggie Wideman, a seasoned professional with experience ranging from start-ups to tech and marketing for renowned brands such as Nike, Salesforce, and Marvel. Reggie's passion for building relationships is matched only by his appreciation for the serenity that follows a job well done. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to making a positive impact on the world around him. Join us as we delve into Reggie's strategies for managing anxiety, insights on current corporate mental health trends, and his advocacy work, including the annual video series, "One Minute for Mental Health," released during Mental Health Awareness Month (#MHAM).

About Reggie Wideman
Reggie Wideman is an extroverted introvert. He loves building relationships just as much as he loves the quiet after a job well done. He’ll often gleefully get his hands dirty, if only so that he can clean up and do it over again. He's had a lot of different roles, but mostly in tech and marketing for CPG brands. He focuses on the value he can bring into the lives of the people around him and the world at large. He is a leader and an advocate. He's a problem solver and friendly dissenter. He's great counsel and a quite good friend.

Throughout his 23 year career he has worked with iconic brands and industry leaders including Activision, adidas, American Express, Caesars Entertainment, Caterpillar, Coca-Cola, Marvel Comics, Michelin, Nike and Toyota to achieve success through digital innovation. His professional tenure includes various agencies and start up’s as well as stints at WellsFargo, Cisco and Salesforce. Reggie was the chief of staff and head of strategy for Lytics, a Customer Data Platform (CDP) with data-rich machine learning and artificial intelligence.

He also serves as a board member with the not for profit Write Around Portland, Co-Chair of the Technology Association of Oregon's Tech in Color community, and advocates for mental health through an annual video series during Mental Health Awareness Month (#MHAM) called One Minute for Mental Health. Reggie holds a BA in Philosophy from Goucher College, is an avid writer, and the best Dad in the world (according to his daughters).

Show Notes

Youtube: One Minute for Mental Health
Instagram: Reggie Wideman
Instagram: One Minute For Mental Health
Reggie's Linkedin
Write Around Portland
Tech in Color

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Brittany Smith, an ADHD, Productivity, and Technology Coach from Portland, Oregon, uses cognitive science to help people with ADHD be more productive in their daily lives, with or without technology. She creates videos and courses with pop culture references to make the process enjoyable and reduce stress. On the podcast, Brittany and Kerry, who both have ADHD, discuss various related topics, including What ADHD is, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, Time Blindness, and Decision Fatigue. Tune in to learn how to get more done with less stress, and to gain insights into living with ADHD.

About Brittany Smith
Brittany Smith is an ADHD, Productivity, and Technology Coach in Portland, Oregon. She has a Master's of Science degree in Cognitive Neuroscience but fell in love with the practical applications of cognitive science in our everyday lives. In addition to coaching, Brittany creates videos and courses on how to be more productive (with or without technology!) using the brains that we actually have. The nerd is strong with this one: Brittany uses the latest gadgets, geeky pop culture, as well as cognitive science, to help her clients, audience, and ADHD Guild Members get more done, with less stress.

Show Notes

Devise and Conquer Consulting - Provides ADD/ADHD Coaching, Technology Coaching, and Productivity Coaching.

The ADHD Guild is a community of nerdy folks with ADHD who strive to do more, become better, and have fun while doing it.

Free ADHD Resources:
The Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) is the world’s leading adult ADHD organization.

ADHD Coaches - The ADHD Coaches Organization is the worldwide professional membership organization for ADHD coaches.

(CHADD) - Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ADHD is the new BLACK - Tips on ADHD from a person with ADHD.

How To ADHD - An ADHD toolbox - strategies for having and living with ADHD.

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In our 12th episode, Kerry interviews Jason Komosa, who has spent over 15 years helping brands like Vitamin Water and Groupon with their Sales, Go-to-Market, and Growth strategies. But by age 30 he experienced severe burnout, which led him to seek a mental health coach and ultimately becoming a coach himself. In this conversation, Jason and Kerry talk about creative ways to get a job or sales meeting, the two problems in the world, and parenting yourself.

About Jason Komosa

Jason Komosa has spent over 15 years helping brands like Vitamin Water and Groupon with their Sales, Go-to-Market and Growth strategies. But by age 30 he experienced severe burnout, which led him to seek a mental health coach. This experience deepend his knowledge on all things psychology, philosophy, and neurology. Ultimately becoming a Mental Wellness Coach himself. His mission is to “help Leaders in the Start-Up/Venture Capital world diffuse the stress, tension, anxiety that plagues the body and mind, to stop arguing with reality, and to literally create a life of thriving and not just surviving

Show Notes

Heroic Coach Training

Website: Jason Komosa | Mental Health Coaching

Linkedin: Jason Komosa

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In our 11th episode, Kerry interviews Eloise Hoatlin, Who found fitness about 10 years ago as an essential part of a recovery from addiction and to support her own mental health. Her passion for self-improvement and helping others out has led her to become a certified drug and alcohol counselor, a certified personal trainer, and recently a small business owner of East side Kettlebell Collective.

About Eloise Hoatlin

Eloise Hoatlin is a drug and alcohol counselor, personal trainer & group fitness instructor, and single mom to a teen. She has been sober for 5+ years and found fitness/exercise integral to her recovery and mental health. Eloise recently left her clinical job as an addictions counselor to open her own gym with a business partner in which she hopes to bring her dream of doing sober fitness to fruition there.

Show Notes
Eastside Kettle Bell Collective
EKBC on Instagram
EKBC on Facebook
Eloise Hoatlin on Instagram
Felicia Wineman on Instagram

Free Substance Abuse & Mental Health Resources
Cascadia Health
Central City Concern

AA - Alcoholic Anonymous -
NA- Narcotics Anonymous

Recovery Dharma PDX
Alano Club
Al-Anon Portland Support Group

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In our 10th episode, Kerry interviews Andrea Niles, PhD, who is the CEO and founder of Prospera Mental Health and Wellness, a leader in providing high-quality, affordable mental health care. We discuss what cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is and how we can use it to treat depression and anxiety.

About Andrea Niles, PhD

Andrea Niles, PhD is CEO and founder of Prospera Mental Health and Wellness, a leader in providing high quality, affordable mental health care. Andrea completed her PhD at UCLA, the top clinical psychology program in the United States. She trained as a therapist and conducted research on treatments for anxiety and depression, publishing over 40 peer reviewed papers and earning dozens of awards, fellowships, and grants for her research.

Andrea’s career has focused on improving effectiveness of and access to evidence-based therapies for anxiety and depression. At Prospera, her team focuses on helping people access cognitive behavioral therapy, the most effective treatment available, at an affordable price. She is pioneering an entirely new model in mental health care that combines mental health coaches, digital tools, and licensed therapists who work behind the scenes to ensure care quality. The use of mental health coaches can reduce costs, while the combination of digital tools and supervising therapists maintains the quality.

Show Notes
Prospera Mental Health & Wellness
Youper

Social Media
Prospera's Instagram
Prospera’s TikTok

Free Resources
Free Prospera Mental Health & Wellness Consultation
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

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In our ninth episode, Kerry interviews Kent Lewis who is the CMO of Anvil/Deksia, a marketing agency specializing in strategy-driven creative. We discuss why he rebuilt Anvil in 2013 for his own mental health. Or as he calls it his Jerry Maguire moment. Which turned out to be the best thing for him and his business.

About Kent Lewis:
Lewis is currently Chief Marketing Officer for Anvil/Deksia, where he is responsible for the overall strategic direction of marketing, including evolving messaging and integration of our combined entity. With a background in integrated marketing, he left a public relations agency in 1996 to start his career in search engine marketing. Since then, he’s helped grow businesses by connecting his clients with their constituents via the Internet. In 2000, Lewis founded Anvil Media, Inc., a measurable marketing agency specializing in search engine and social media marketing. Under his leadership, Anvil has received recognition from Portland Business Journal and Inc. Magazine as a Fastest Growing and Most Philanthropic Company. In March 2022, Anvil merged with Deksia, a Midwest-based agency specializing in strategy-driven creative.

Show Notes
Kent Lewis on Twitter
Kent Lewis on Linkedin
eoportland.com - A business network for entrepreneurs to grow their business
Jiro Dreams of Sushi - Kent mentioned this movie as an allegory for excellence

Anvil/Deksia
Anvil Media’s Website
Deksia’s Website
Deksia On Linkedin

Free Resources
25 Years of Business Advice from an Entrepreneur & Marketer

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