Podcast
“If we start and end our day with hope, and sprinkle hope throughout, we will be continually motivated to accomplish all our dreams.”
-Soraya
Welcome to the Weekly Podcast
“Be Convinced! Sharing Lifechanging Stories of Hope” with Soraya
Get a Big Dose of Hope in Just 30 Minutes!
Hope, along with the courage and confidence that arise from that hope, can be yours! For just 30 minutes, listen to each of these lifechanging stories of hope told by ordinary people who overcame life’s obstacles. Soraya engages people from various backgrounds who tell their inspiring stories of how they overcame challenges that wonderfully and often amazingly transformed their lives. She collects and enthusiastically shares their stories with the goal of encouraging, inspiring, and convincing you that we should all believe in, hope for, and work towards a better future for ourselves, our families, our communities, and the world.
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“Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.”
— Robert H. Schuller
Ep. #83 - Men’s Transformation Coach Mike Forrester Shares His Inspiring Journey from Being Fearful to Becoming Fearless and His Commitment to Helping Men Live Fearless Too
My guest Mike Forrester is passionate about being a men’s transformation coach, helping men to be freed from fear, anxiety, anger, doubt, and depression and to change their lives as well as the lives of their families. He knows all about the journey to freedom as he walked it for over 15 years. He shares about his toxic relationships with his father and mother, who were physically, emotionally, and verbally abusive.
My guest Mike Forrester is passionate about being a men’s transformation coach, helping men to be freed from fear, anxiety, anger, doubt, and depression and to change their lives as well as the lives of their families. He knows all about the journey to freedom as he walked it for over 15 years. He shares about his toxic relationships with his father and mother, who were physically, emotionally, and verbally abusive. He brought this toxicity into his marriage and raising his children. He eventually sought the assistance of other men to help him in his journey and has been able to find the self-worth, confidence, and courage to be the husband his wife deserves and the father his children deserve. His Living Fearless coaching programs give men hope through helping them to develop life strategies and giving them support so that they know they do not have to be alone on this journey.
Website: https://www.hicoachmike.com/
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hicoachmike
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hicoachmike
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hicoachmike/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hicoachmike
Ep. #82 - Marketing Coach and Author Prithvi Madhukar Shares Her Passion for Helping Small Businesses Develop Long Term Marketing Strategies to Experience Strong Growth
Prithvi Madhukar is a 29-year-old whiz of a marketing strategist with an MBA degree who is passionate about helping small businesses and solopreneurs implement long-term marketing strategies to help them grow their businesses. She was born in India and grew up in Singapore and then returned to India to compete her schooling. She obtained an engineering degree but was unhappy with the direction of her life and truly did not see herself being in that career for decades.
Prithvi Madhukar is a 29-year-old whiz of a marketing strategist with an MBA degree who is passionate about helping small businesses and solopreneurs implement long-term marketing strategies to help them grow their businesses. She was born in India and grew up in Singapore and then returned to India to compete her schooling. She obtained an engineering degree but was unhappy with the direction of her life and truly did not see herself being in that career for decades. She chose to obtain a business degree and attended business school in the U.S. where she concentrated in marketing. Eureka! She found her passion and later established her own business The Marketing Nomad. She has helped businesses all over Asia and the U.S. with their marketing strategies and overall growth, including social media. She is also the author of a new book titled Zero to 4 Figures – Lessons Learned by a Broke CEO. Remember again – she is just 29 years old! Importantly, the inspiration and encouragement that she gives us have no age boundaries!
Website: https://www.themarketingnomad.co
Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themarketingnomad/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prithvimadhukar/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/themrktngnomad
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/themarketingnomad
Podcast: The Marketing Nomad Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-marketing-nomad-show/id1531854014
Ep. #81 - Coach and Co-Founder of Next Level University Kevin Palmieri Helps You to Reach the Next Level of Your Life, Love, Health, and Wealth
My guest Kevin Palmieri is a 32-year-old dream chaser who has already achieved some of his dreams, even at his young age, and continues to dream on. He openly shares his struggles of being raised by his mother and grandmother in a financially strapped environment where just being able to pay rent was a significant challenge. He never knew his father when he was growing up, but as a young man eventually met him.
My guest Kevin Palmieri is a 32-year-old dream chaser who has already achieved some of his dreams, even at his young age, and continues to dream on. He openly shares his struggles of being raised by his mother and grandmother in a financially strapped environment where just being able to pay rent was a significant challenge. He never knew his father when he was growing up, but as a young man eventually met him. After he hit rock bottom in his mid-twenties, Kevin discovered that what matters most is a person’s thoughts and began a journey to, as he says, unlearn past wrongs. He shares with us how he was able to embrace forgiveness and heal from the emotional pain that he had endured. Through discipline and hard work, and focused on self-development, he has been able to achieve the next level of his life and now coaches others to do so. His company Next Level University provides many services for persons who want to take their lives to the next level and chase and eventually accomplish their dreams.
Website: www.nextleveluniverse.com
Social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Ep. #80 - Author, Speaker, and Entrepreneur Sandy Joy Weston Motivates You to Tap into the Power That is Already in You
My guest Sandy Joy Weston is a woman who is on a mission to spread joy and inspire others. Sandy shares her compelling story of growing up in a home where her mother suffered from mental illness and was in and out of mental institutions. Because of the very high costs of her mother’s medical treatments, her family was eventually evicted from their home and moved into low-income housing.
My guest Sandy Joy Weston is a woman who is on a mission to spread joy and inspire others. Sandy shares her compelling story of growing up in a home where her mother suffered from mental illness and was in and out of mental institutions. Because of the very high costs of her mother’s medical treatments, her family was eventually evicted from their home and moved into low-income housing. At a young age, Sandy experienced much loss – loss of her family home, loss of many personal items such as her toys, and loss of her mother who 50% of her childhood was away in a mental institution. But Sandy persevered using words, movement such as dance, and laughter to get her through her daily challenges. You will truly be inspired by her story of overcoming and ultimately becoming an icon for fitness and well-being motivation. We also discuss her book Train Your Head and Your Body Will Follow, which is filled with encouraging stories and words of wisdom. Her mantra is “Life doesn’t happen to you; you happen to life.”
Website: www.sandyjoyweston.com
Social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandyjoyweston
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SandyJoyWeston
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandyjoyweston/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-joy-weston-m-ed-aba61728/
Ep. #79 - Entrepreneur Coach Peter Lynch Shares His Passion to Empower You to Share Your Special Gift with the World
Peter Lynch is on a mission to empower entrepreneurs to succeed as their true selves. He promotes peace and alignment within yourself and at your inner core with who you are and who God made you to be so that you can grow your business and flourish personally and financially. He shares his journey from self-doubt and depression to financial success by understanding and accepting himself at the core of who he is.
Peter Lynch is on a mission to empower entrepreneurs to succeed as their true selves. He promotes peace and alignment within yourself and at your inner core with who you are and who God made you to be so that you can grow your business and flourish personally and financially. He shares his journey from self-doubt and depression to financial success by understanding and accepting himself at the core of who he is. His story is one of perseverance and never giving up on himself. He assists entrepreneurs to transform and unlock the potentials within through persevering and never giving up on themselves.
Website: www.unshakable.pro
Bio Link: https://sleek.bio/lynchpin
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PLhimself/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plhimself/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/plhimself/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3QKVP2PeBCbSAxA3GF71jg
Ep. #78 - Gen Z Rotarian Devankar Mukhi Inspires Persons of All Ages to Promote Peace and Understanding in Their Communities
My guest Devankar Mukhi is an amazing 24-year-old young man who has immersed himself in studying and promoting peace and conflict resolution. He is currently a student at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and the past president for 4 years of an organization known as Rotaract, which is short for “Rotary in Action”.
My guest Devankar Mukhi is an amazing 24-year-old young man who has immersed himself in studying and promoting peace and conflict resolution. He is currently a student at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and the past president for 4 years of an organization known as Rotaract, which is short for “Rotary in Action”. Rotaract is one of the largest youth organizations in the world with around 175,000 members in about 7,500 clubs in 156 countries of the world. It brings young people together to develop ideas, leadership skills and professional skills, all with the goal of having fun through service in their communities. It is a part of Rotary, which is an international service organization that has about 1.4 million members throughout the world. Devankar is now a member of the Detroit Rotary Club. He has been active for many years in creating actions and events focused on peace and understanding through communication across barriers. We discuss some of his impressive past projects as well as an upcoming peace conference “Taking Action for Peace” that is scheduled for September 2022. He is motivated by the saying “If not me, then who?” – that has been his call to action.
Ep. #77 - Author Kenneth Earl Shares His Inspiring Story from Growing Up in the Jim Crow South to His Successful Career as a U.S. Navy Master Chief Cryptologist and After
My guest Kenneth Earl tells the inspiring and heart-warming story of his humble beginnings growing up in the Jim Crow South to having a very successful career as a U.S. Navy master chief cryptologist and working in various positions in the federal government. He credits his many exemplary achievements to his mother. Despite her struggles to raise 4 children on her own, she ensured that they were raised in the Christian faith and were taught the importance of good character, integrity, honesty, and the golden rule of treating others how you would like to be treated.
My guest author Kenneth Earl tells the inspiring and heart-warming story of his humble beginnings growing up in the Jim Crow South to having a very successful career as a U.S. Navy master chief cryptologist and working in various positions in the federal government. He credits his many exemplary achievements to his mother. Despite her struggles to raise 4 children on her own, she ensured that they were raised in the Christian faith and were taught the importance of good character, integrity, honesty, and the golden rule of treating others how you would like to be treated. His memoir is titled Illegitimate Sun-How a Naval Cryptologist Cracked the Code of Life Lessons and is dedicated to the memory of his mother. It is an exceptional read about the life of an accomplished executive and strategist who has gained extensive federal government and military experience and teaches many vital life lessons for us all.
Website: http://www.illegitimate-sun.com
Book: Illegitimate Sun-How a Naval Cryptologist Cracked the Code of Life Lessons
Ep. #76 - E. A. Csolkovits Helps You to Develop the “Giver’s Mindset” so that You Can Live a More Fulfilling and Accomplished Life
Did you know that there are generally speaking two groups of people – those who are givers and those who are takers? In order to have successful lives with fulfilling relationships – with your family, in business, and socially – you should surround yourself with givers. My guest E. A. Csolkovits knows all about that as he founded Givers University to help you discern who are givers and who are takers.
Did you know that there are generally speaking two groups of people – those who are givers and those who are takers? In order to have successful lives with fulfilling relationships – with your family, in business, and socially – you should surround yourself with givers. My guest E. A. Csolkovits knows all about that as he founded Givers University to help you discern who are givers and who are takers. He came from a humble background and with the help of two significant mentors, he was able to learn the importance of surrounding himself with givers and develop what he calls the Giver’s Mindset. By the age of 33, he had earned a net income of over $1 million dollars. His goal is to help you build your own “Givers community” so that you can live a fulfilling and accomplished life.
Website: https://www.giversuniversity.com
Social media:
YouTube: https://YouTube.com/GIVERSuniversity
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giversuniversity
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004396084912
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GiversU
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giversuniversity/
Ep. #75 - Author Chris Odegard Shares Why and How He Invested in Alternative Investments and How His Financial Portfolio Has Increased Significantly
Are you interested in learning about how you can invest your money in profitable alternative investments? My guest Chris Odegard is the author of the book titled Get Off You’re A$$ and Manage Your Money: Why You Need Alternative Investments and is filled with knowledge and experience that he loves to share with others. He was just another average guy with a white-collar job, a beautiful wife, a home in the suburbs, and two children, waiting to retire at age 65 with the usual retirement investments.
Are you interested in learning about how you can invest your money in profitable alternative investments? My guest Chris Odegard is the author of the book titled Get Off You’re A$$ and Manage Your Money: Why You Need Alternative Investments and is filled with knowledge and experience that he loves to share with others. He was just another average guy with a white-collar job, a beautiful wife, a home in the suburbs, and two children, waiting to retire at age 65 with the usual retirement investments. Then, he went through a divorce, losing 55% of his assets and his home – a devastating blow both personally and financially. But, through learning about alternative investments, he was able to recoup his financial losses and multiply them many times over within 9 years. He now wants to share his knowledge and expertise with you so that you don’t have to make the same mistakes that he made. You will definitely be encouraged and learn a lot from our discussion.
Website: www.theprolificinvestor.net
Book: Get Off You’re A$$ and Manage Your Money: Why You Need Alternative Investments
Social Media:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3QKVP2PeBCbSAxA3GF71jg
Instagram: @theprolificinvestor
https://www.instagram.com/theprolificinvestor/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheProlificInvestor
Twitter: @prolific_the
Ep. #74 - Author and Pastor Dr. Karen V. Johnson Shares Her Inspiring Journey of Love, Forgiveness, and Faith After Her Husband was Unfaithful
My guest Dr. Karen Johnson says that she gave her heart to the love of her life, and he crushed it into a million pieces. How did she survive the discovery that her husband had been unfaithful and then given her a sexually transmitted disease?
My guest Dr. Karen Johnson says that she gave her heart to the love of her life, and he crushed it into a million pieces. How did she survive the discovery that her husband had been unfaithful and then given her a sexually transmitted disease? She shares with us her inspirational and compelling journey toward full forgiveness that was established on her Christian faith. We also talk about her book titled When the Morning Comes: A Memoir of Loving, Forgiving, and Becoming, where she openly and honestly describes her struggles and victories through her long journey.
Website: https://www.drkvjohnson.com
Book: When the Morning Comes: A Memoir of Loving, Forgiving, and Becoming
Ep. #73 - Money Mentor and Financial Coach Leah Ellis Is Passionate About Helping You and Others, Including Children, Learn to Make Wise Money Decisions
How do you go from having your mother-in-law loan you money to help you pay your rent and also pay for your meal at a fast-food restaurant to establishing your own financial coaching business? It takes a lot of determination and financial education! My guest Leah Ellis will motivate and inspire you not to give up when it comes to learning about making wise decisions with your money.
How do you go from having your mother-in-law loan you money to help you pay your rent and also pay for your meal at a fast-food restaurant to establishing your own financial coaching business? It takes a lot of determination and financial education! My guest Leah Ellis will motivate and inspire you not to give up when it comes to learning about making wise decisions with your money. After many years of financial stress, she and her husband decided that they had had enough and invested in a financial training course. She calls herself a “money mentor” by day and a financial coach at all times. Her heart’s desire is to help eliminate money stress in families and small businesses. She has also carved out a unique niche as a financial coach who works with children. It is never too early to teach children how to budget and save!
Website: www.endeavorfinancialcoaching.com
Social Media:
facebook.com/endeavorfinancialcoaching
Ep. #72 - Author and Burnout Expert Michael Levitt Assists You with How to Prevent or Treat Burnout After He Was Given a Second Chance at Life
If you think you are suffering from burnout or want to prevent it, my guest Michael Levitt is here to help. He shares his own burnout journey that lasted over a year and realized that he was given a second chance after an almost fatal heart attack. He lost his job; his car was repossessed because he could not make the payments; and his home was foreclosed.
If you think you are suffering from burnout or want to prevent it, my guest Michael Levitt is here to help. He shares his own burnout journey that lasted over a year and realized that he was given a second chance after an almost fatal heart attack. He lost his job; his car was repossessed because he could not make the payments; and his home was foreclosed. It was up to him to choose his life going forward and he chose to make critical changes and improvements and also help others avoid or deal with burnout. He is the founder and chief burnout officer of “The Breakfast Leadership Network”. A best-selling author, his newest book is Burnout Proof: How to Establish Boundaries to Avoid the Negativity of Stress.
Website: breakfastleadership.com
Book: Burnout Proof: How to Establish Boundaries to Avoid the Negativity of Stress
Ep. #71 - Poet, Author and Philosopher Rob White Inspires You to Defeat Those Negative Thoughts That Hold You Back
Poet, author and philosopher Rob White inspires you to develop your true self and defeat the negative thoughts that will hold you back from achieving your greatest potential and dreams. He encourages you to become the “maestro” or the leader of your destiny, orchestrating your life so that it is a beautiful symphony.
Poet, author and philosopher Rob White inspires you to develop your true self and defeat the negative thoughts that will hold you back from achieving your greatest potential and dreams. He encourages you to become the “maestro” or the leader of your destiny, orchestrating your life so that it is a beautiful symphony. He did that in his own personal journey from working at menial jobs to becoming a very successful entrepreneur. His new book is titled The Maestro Monologue: Discover Your Genius; Defeat Your Intruder; Design Your Destiny and is filled with words of wisdom to guide your transformation.
Website: robwhitemedia.com
Book: The Maestro Monologue: Discover Your Genius; Defeat Your Intruder; Design Your Destiny
Social media:
https://twitter.com/RobWhiteMedia
Ep. #70 - Author Phil Barth Encourages You to Celebrate All the Great Things That Happen Every Day – From Small to Large – and Add Humor
My guest Phil Barth shares his journey toward living a fuller life and reducing stress after suffering a heart attack which his doctor described as “small” but Phil felt was huge. He began writing and posting a daily list of “great things that happened today”, celebrating the wonderful things that happen daily but are often overlooked.
My guest Phil Barth shares his journey toward living a fuller life and reducing stress after suffering a heart attack which his doctor described as “small” but Phil felt was huge. He began writing and posting a daily list of “great things that happened today”, celebrating the wonderful things that happen daily but are often overlooked. We talk about his book Great Things Happen Every Day – Finding Joy with Family, Friends and Banana Milkshakes. Phil sprinkles into our talk his great sense of humor.
Website: www.philbarthbooks.com www.philbarth.com
Book: Great Things Happen Every Day – Finding Joy with Family, Friends, and Banana Milkshakes.
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phil.barth.7
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/barthp
Ep. #69 - Author Emily Johnson Shares Her Inspiring Story of a Mother’s and Daughter's Love and Her Struggles During Her Mother’s 17-Year Battle with Cancer
You will be so inspired by Emily Johnson’s story of the profound love that a mother and daughter share! She shares how her mother found the strength and motivation to live after being diagnosed with cancer when Emily was just a young teenager and her courageous 17-year battle with various forms of that disease.
You will be so inspired by Emily Johnson’s story of the profound love that a mother and daughter share! She shares how her mother found the strength and motivation to live after being diagnosed with cancer when Emily was just a young teenager and her courageous 17-year battle with various forms of that disease. Emily also shares her own personal struggles in coping with her mother’s diagnosis and years of hospitalization and treatment. Emily finished writing the book that her mother started writing before her death, which was the last request that her mother made. It is titled Bird of Paradise after her mother’s favorite flower.
Website: https://emilyjohnsonwrites.net
Book: Bird of Paradise
Ep. #68 - Charismatic Executive Oyauma Garrison Inspires You with His Story About How His Child’s Illness Motivated Him to Change Careers and Lead the Nonprofit A KID AGAIN
Did you know that there is a national nonprofit organization that provides year-round activities for children who have medical challenges as well as their families? Meet my guest Oyauma Garrison, the passionate and tireless president and CEO of the nonprofit A Kid Again.
Did you know that there is a national nonprofit organization that provides year-round activities for children who have medical challenges as well as their families? Meet my guest Oyauma Garrison, the passionate and tireless president and CEO of the nonprofit A Kid Again. He leads thousands of groups and volunteers who support and provide fun and interesting adventures for children who are ill and their families. Oyauma and his family went through a very difficult time when his teenage daughter one day collapsed and almost died. He eventually changed careers and enthusiastically assists other children and families during the times that they need the most support.
Website: akidagain.org
Ep. #67 - Author Peyton Garland Shares Her Inspiring Faith Journey with OCD – obsessive-compulsive disorder – and God’s Goodness and Grace Through It All
What do a pilot’s wife, author, die-hard Jesus rap junkie, and recovering perfectionist all have in common? Meet my guest Peyton Garland, a young lady who unabashedly shares her inspiring faith journey through the depression, anxiety, and loneliness associated with OCD – obsessive-compulsive disorder.
What do a pilot’s wife, author, die-hard Jesus rap junkie, and recovering perfectionist all have in common? Meet my guest Peyton Garland, a young lady who unabashedly shares her inspiring faith journey through the depression, anxiety, and loneliness associated with OCD – obsessive-compulsive disorder. We discuss her book Not So By Myself – A Safe Space Where God Doesn’t Fix the Loneliness But Sits With You Instead and God’s goodness and grace in her life.
Website: peytongarland.me
Book: Not So By Myself – A Safe Space Where God Doesn’t Fix the Loneliness But Sits With You Instead
Ep. #66 - Financial Educator and Coach Victoria Lowell Empowers You to Gain Financial Freedom
Do you seek financial freedom through personal finance education and financial planning? Meet my guest Victoria “Vicky” Lowell. She has years of expertise as a financial educator, coach, and advocate. She particularly works with women to empower them to move away from financial apathy toward financial success.
Do you seek financial freedom through personal finance education and financial planning? Meet my guest Victoria “Vicky” Lowell. She has years of expertise as a financial educator, coach, and advocate. She particularly works with women to empower them to move away from financial apathy toward financial success. She is the author of the bestselling book Empower Your Worth: A Woman’s Guide to Increasing Self-Worth and Net Worth.
Website: empoweredworth.com
Book: Empower Your Worth: A Woman’s Guide to Increasing Self-Worth and Net Worth
Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaLowellEW/
Ep. #65 - Dynamic Coach, Author and Speaker Dr. Johnny Parker Inspires You to Live the Life that You Were Born to Live
Do you feel stuck in your life? Dr. Johnny Parker, a highly sought-after author, executive coach and speaker, thrives on helping you to build a healthy and fulfilling personal life and strong business relationships. He will empower and motivate you to write the story of your life that you were born to live, rather than allow someone else to design your life for you or remain stuck in what your life is now.
Do you feel stuck in your life? Dr. Johnny Parker, a highly sought-after author, executive coach and speaker, thrives on helping you to build a healthy and fulfilling personal life and strong business relationships. He will empower and motivate you to write the story of your life that you were born to live, rather than allow someone else to design your life for you or remain stuck in what your life is now. His book Turn the Page provides necessary insight and guidance as you seek to understand your true life’s story and accomplish your goals of personal and professional success.
Website: https://johnnyparker.com
Book: Turn the Page – Unlocking the Story Within You
Ep. #64 - Writer and Prominent Christian Women’s Leader and Mentor Peggy Bodde Shares Her Recovery from a Painful Childhood and What Fuels Her Passion to Empower Women in the Business World
Peggy Bodde likes to say that her desire is to inspire you with what she has learned the hard way so that you can learn the easy way. She shares her story of a traumatic childhood, growing up in a dysfunctional home and then living in 4 other homes, searching for safety and love.
Peggy Bodde likes to say that her desire is to inspire you with what she has learned the hard way so that you can learn the easy way. She shares her story of a traumatic childhood, growing up in a dysfunctional home and then living in 4 other homes, searching for safety and love. After spending years in the corporate world, she has a passion and gift for mentoring Christian women in navigating the business world and started a foundation named Sacred Work to do just that.
Website: www.peggybodde.com
Social Media: www.linkedin.com/in/peggybodde/