• That Shaped Us: Lessons from The Third Door by Alex Banayan
    2026/02/26
    Welcome to Season 2 of the UNBLOCK Yourself podcast.To kick things off this season, we’re trying something new. We’re diving into a handful of books that shaped our thinking this past year and pulling out the ideas that actually stuck with us.Think of it as the conversation after you finish a great book. The big takeaways. The ideas we kept circling back to days later.If you’ve ever had a growing stack of books on your nightstand and zero time to read them, this series is for you. We’ll read them, wrestle with them, challenge them, and share what’s worth carrying forward. And if something sparks for you, you can always go deeper.The first book in the series is The Third Door by Alex Banayan.At twenty years old, Banayan set out to crack the code of success by interviewing icons like Maya Angelou, Quincy Jones, Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, and Tim Ferriss. With no money and no connections, he found unconventional ways into rooms most people never get near, including hacking The Price Is Right to fund his mission.In this episode, Greg breaks down the core ideas from the book while Whitney reacts in real time, asks the questions you might be thinking, and connects the dots to our own work and life.We unpack what it really means to look for the “third door,” why easy might actually be a red flag, and how having a clear mission tends to attract the right people into your orbit.If you’ve ever felt like everyone else got the VIP pass and you’re stuck waiting in line, this one will challenge you to look for the alley door instead.What We Talked About• What Alex means by “The Third Door” and why it matters • How Alex funded his dream by winning on The Price Is Right • Why easy can be a bad signal • The difference between a linear life and an exponential life • The notion of “Adventure Happens to the Adventurous” • How to ask bold questions and reach out to people you admire • Why storytelling is a leadership skill • When you find your mission and you’ll find your peopleWe hope you enjoy this episode!EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCESBook Featured in This EpisodeThe Third Door by Alex BanayanReferenced People & StoriesMaya AngelouQuincy JonesBill GatesLady GagaTim FerrissWarren BuffettThe Price Is RightWe’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits WebsiteSubscribe to Vienna Five NewsletterUNBLOCK Yourself™ ProgramCorporate ProgrammingWaypoint RetreatVienna Waits on InstagramGreg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED.You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey.We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.
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    28 分
  • Six Seven Moments From 2025: Season One Finale | Finding Clarity in Career Paths and Career Pivots
    2025/12/18

    This is our last episode of season one.


    Instead of an interview, it is just the two of us reflecting on our first year building Vienna Waits and looking back on the moments from 2025 that really stood out.

    

    Since we are clearly very cool parents, we are jumping on the Six Seven trend and sharing six or seven moments from the year. We each came with our own list and did not compare notes ahead of time, so part of the fun was seeing where we overlapped and where we surprised each other.

    This conversation is reflective, honest, and very much us. It is a chance to slow down, look back, and close out the season before we turn the page.

    We will be taking a short break through the holidays and will be back in early 2026 with season two and some new ideas for the podcast.

    Thank you for being part of season one. We’re really grateful you’re here.


    Episode Links:

    Free Year End Reflection Guide

    Apply for our UNBLOCK Yourself Program


    We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us:

    Vienna Waits Website

    Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter

    Waypoint Retreat

    Vienna Waits on Instagram

    Greg’s LinkedIn

    Whitney’s LinkedIn


    Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.


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    33 分
  • Podcasting, Marketing and UNBLOCKED Freedom with Jon Nordström | Finding Clarity in Career Paths and Career Pivots
    2025/12/04

    We met Jon on a dock in Northern Ontario this past summer. He was here on holiday with his family from Sweden… and it turns out Jon is a big deal in Sweden (although we learned that from a mutual friend… Jon is much too humble to admit that). He runs the biggest supporter podcast for Malmö FF, has regular appearances on TV and YouTube, and has a deep marketing background that makes him one of those quietly brilliant people you want to learn from.


    Jon is passionate, authentic and the kind of person who built a whole creative career by following what actually gave him energy instead of what looked good on paper. This conversation goes everywhere in the best way. Football, chasing creative joy, burnout, ADHD, entrepreneurship, authenticity, AI tools, marketing do’s and don’ts, and why he’d happily eat canned tuna every day if it meant he could keep doing what he loves.

    Here are some highlights from our chat:

    • How a simple walk with a friend turned into the biggest supporter podcast for Malmö FF

    • The surreal moment Spotify reached out

    • Why he refuses to give up creative independence

    • The highs and lows of having thousands of passionate fans emailing you weekly

    • How ADHD and burnout pushed him to finally leave corporate life

    • The marketing advice he gave us that applies to literally every business

    • The AI tools he swears by and why SEO is shifting fast

    • His advice for anyone who feels stuck or scared to start something new

    Enjoy this conversation with Jon Nordström.


    Episode Links & Resources:


    Radio 1910 Podcast (Jon’s podcast for Malmö FF)

    The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

    The Heart of Buddha’s Teachings by Thich Nhat Hanh

    Lovable Dev (AI website creator Jon loves)



    We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us:

    Vienna Waits Website

    Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter

    Waypoint Retreat

    Vienna Waits on Instagram

    Greg’s LinkedIn

    Whitney’s LinkedIn


    Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.



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    54 分
  • Sales, Science & UNBLOCKED Conviction with David Priemer | Finding Clarity in Career Paths and Career Pivots
    2025/11/20

    David Priemer is the Founder and Chief Sales Scientist of Cerebral Selling and is often called the “Sales Professor” for his unique blend of science, empathy, and storytelling. His approaches to sales and leadership have been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Inc.. He is also the author of two bestselling books, Sell the Way You Buy and The Sales Leader They Need, and a keynote speaker who has inspired audiences around the world.

    In this episode, David shares how his path from scientist to sales leader shaped his belief that selling is not about pressure, it is about connection. We talk about his experience preparing for his TED Talk, his cancer diagnosis and the perspective it gave him, and how writing became one of the most powerful ways to clarify his thinking and crystallize ideas.


    He also reminds us that we often overestimate the risk of change, and that doing hard things for their own sake can reshape how we lead and live.

    🎧 Tune in to hear us talk about:

    • How a scientist found his calling in sales and leadership
    • The power of empathy and belief-driven selling
    • Overestimating risk and learning to take bold steps
    • Writing as a tool for clarity and conviction
    • Lessons from cancer and what it taught him about trust and gratitude
    • The connection between science, storytelling, and sales
    • Why hard things often become the things that matter most

    Enjoy this conversation with David Priemer.


    Episode Links & Resources:

    Cerebral Selling Website

    David Priemer on LinkedIn

    Cerebral Selling on YouTube

    Book: Sell The Way You Buy

    Book: The Sales Leader They Need

    Book: The One Thing


    We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us:

    Vienna Waits Website

    Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter

    Waypoint Retreat

    Vienna Waits on Instagram

    Greg’s LinkedIn

    Whitney’s LinkedIn


    Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.



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    48 分
  • Art, Ambition and UNBLOCKED Legacy | Finding Clarity in Career Paths and Career Pivots
    2025/11/06

    Alex Mustakas built one of Canada’s most successful theatre companies from a single small-town stage in Drayton, Ontario. He’s an actor, theatre director, and the Founder and CEO of Drayton Entertainment which is a not-for-profit that’s now home to seven theatres, hundreds of artists and staff, and some of the absolute best live performances in the country.


    In this episode, Alex shares his journey from immigrating to Canada from Cyprus to finding his place in the arts and building a legacy that blends creativity, business, and heart. We talk about how community, connection, and a whole lot of persistence shaped his path.


    In this episode we covered:

    • Growing up as an immigrant kid and chasing big dreams in a new country
    • The friendship and “that’ll never work” moments with The Wealthy Barber author David Chilton
    • Building Drayton Entertainment from one tiny playhouse to a seven-theatre powerhouse
    • Running a world-class theatre company with zero government funding
    • Creating the Drayton Youth Academy and teaching life skills through the arts
    • The little things (like flowers in the theatre washrooms) that end up being the big things
    • How Alex is shaping his legacy and passing the torch


    Alex was such a pleasure to chat with. He’s living proof that when you mix heart with hustle, the standing ovation eventually comes.


    We hope you enjoy this conversation with Alex Mustakas


    LINKS & RESOURCES:

    Drayton Entertainment Website

    Drayton Entertainment on Instagram

    Drayton Youth Academy on Instagram

    The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton

    If It Ain’t Broke… Break It! by Robert Kriegel


    We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us:

    Vienna Waits Website

    Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter

    Waypoint Retreat

    Vienna Waits on Instagram

    Greg’s LinkedIn

    Whitney’s LinkedIn


    Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.


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    47 分
  • Partnerships, Montana and UNBLOCKED Harmony with Sam Yarborough | Finding Clarity in Career Paths and Career Pivots
    2025/10/23

    In this episode, we sit down with Sam Yarborough (former Chief Growth Officer, partnerships and GTM leader, podcast host, and co-founder of Arcadia) for a conversation about courage, harmony and building something meaningful with the person you love.


    After years in the SaaS world leading partnership strategy within the Salesforce ecosystem, Sam had what many would call a dream career (big title, big impact, big paycheck) but she felt disconnected from herself. When her husband Jason looked at her and said, “Your spark is gone,” it became the wake-up call she needed.


    Together, Sam and Jason took a leap and built Arcadia, a leadership community and retreat series helping revenue and partnership professionals reconnect with purpose and create more harmony between work and life. As a fellow husband and wife duo building a business, we could relate to their story on every level.


    We talk about:

    • Walking away from “success” on paper to rediscover your spark
    • How Arcadia began as an idea and became a movement for intentional leadership
    • Building a business with your partner (and learning to stay in your lanes)
    • The power of relationships and authenticity in work and life
    • Why perfectionism kills progress (and why action is the antidote)
    • Creating harmony over hustle in your career and home life
    • How clarity comes from taking the first step, not waiting for the plan to be perfect


    This is a conversation about courage, reinvention, and redefining success on your own terms (with a little bit of Montana magic mixed in).

    Enjoy this conversation with Sam Yarborough.


    Episode Links:

    Arcadia Constellation

    Arcadia Leadership Experience (ALX)

    Subscribe to ‘The Friend Zone’ Newsletter

    Friends with Benefits Podcast

    Sam on LinkedIn


    We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us:

    Vienna Waits Website

    Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter

    Waypoint Retreat

    Vienna Waits on Instagram

    Greg’s LinkedIn

    Whitney’s LinkedIn


    Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.


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    47 分
  • What We’re Built On: Gratitude + The Power of Pause | Finding Clarity in Career Paths and Career Pivots
    2025/10/09

    In this episode, we dive into another one of the core values that shapes Vienna Waits: gratitude.


    Fresh off hosting our first-ever Waypoint Retreat, we reflect on the experience, the lessons we learned, and the deep sense of appreciation that continues to ripple from it. We talk about how gratitude shows up as both a feeling and a practice, how it connects to our Pause, Prioritize, and Pursue framework, and why slowing down can actually be the fastest way to move forward.


    We explore:

    • What it means to live with gratitude beyond the buzzword
    • The three proven benefits of practicing gratitude
    • The connection between gratitude, generosity, and presence
    • Why creating space to pause can spark deeper connection and clarity
    • Our simple GLOW Framework to help you build your gratitude practice


    We also share personal stories from the Waypoint Retreat, our daily reflection habits, and even a few funny moments (like the banana incident) that show how gratitude can shift everything from your mood to your mindset.


    Episode Links:

    Waypoint 2026 Waitlist

    The GLOW Framework (Ground, Linger, Observe, Write) — Try it for your own gratitude practice

    TED Talk: “Want to Be Happy? Be Grateful” by David Steindl-Rast

    The Vienna Five Newsletter — where we share more reflections on gratitude, intentional living, and life off autopilot. Subscribe at vienna-waits.com/newsletter


    We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us:

    Vienna Waits Website

    Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter

    Waypoint Retreat

    Vienna Waits on Instagram

    Greg’s LinkedIn

    Whitney’s LinkedIn


    Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.



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    32 分
  • Storytelling, Patience, and UNBLOCKED Impact with Hilary Gauld | Finding Clarity in Career Paths and Career Pivots
    2025/09/25
    In this episode, we sit down with award-winning photographer, storyteller, and community builder Hilary Gauld for a conversation about creativity, advocacy, patience, and the power of images to change how we see ourselves and each other.Hilary’s journey didn’t begin with a lifelong dream to become a photographer. After a corporate career and raising young kids, a series of circumstances nudged her toward picking up a camera. What started as a few family shoots quickly grew into a thriving business that has now spanned nearly two decades, with her work featured in People Magazine, CBC, Breakfast Television, and even displayed on a billboard in Times Square.But photography for Hilary has never just been about taking pictures. It’s about memory-making, storytelling, and using images to shift narratives. From her long-standing work with the Down Syndrome community to powerful campaigns for women’s shelters and breast cancer awareness, Hilary shows how portraits can create conversation, representation, and lasting change.We talk about how curiosity and connection drive her work, what it means to be a “super connector,” and why patience is essential in both business and life. Hilary shares what it means to treat a career like raising a baby—nurturing it, sticking with it, and letting it grow at its own pace. She also opens up about channeling her creativity into art therapy programs, mentorship for young women, and a new chapter of impact.Here are just a few of the themes we explore with Hilary:How circumstances (not a grand plan) sparked her career in photographyThe difference between being a “picture taker” and a “memory maker”The power of portraits to change narratives for underrepresented communitiesBehind the scenes of the 31 Faces, 31 Days Down Syndrome Awareness campaignWhy representation in media matters and how advocacy through art creates changeWhy patience and consistency are key to building meaningful work that lastsWhat she’s building next: art therapy programs for kids and mentorship for womenHer advice for anyone feeling stuck or ready to step into something newThis is a conversation about storytelling, connection, and the patience to build something meaningful from wherever you are.Enjoy this conversation with Hilary Gauld.Episode Links:ONE FOR THE WALLHilary Gauld (Commercial)Hilary on Instagram31 Faces, 31 DaysShe Is Your Neighbour CampaignWaterloo Wellington Down Syndrome SocietyWho Moved My Cheese by Spencer JohnsonWe’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us: Vienna Waits WebsiteSubscribe to Vienna Five NewsletterWaypoint RetreatVienna Waits on InstagramGreg’s LinkedIn Whitney’s LinkedIn Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    48 分