In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Heather Hansen O'Neill, a keynote speaker, coach, leadership expert, author, and former professional dancer whose career journey has been defined by reinvention, resilience, and curiosity. Heather shares how dance became her safe place from a young age, leading her to a professional performing career before a devastating injury abruptly changed her path forever.

Heather reflects on the difficult transition that followed losing the career she loved, the years she spent searching for direction, and the powerful “what if?” question that ultimately helped her rediscover joy and purpose. She discusses how her experiences shaped her work helping leaders and organizations create more human-centered cultures, build meaningful connections, and rethink the way they approach sales, leadership, and career fulfillment.

Tammy and Heather also explore the importance of listening to your inner voice amid life’s noise, embracing reinvention at every stage of life, and staying resilient through rejection and uncertainty. Heather shares lessons from the dance world that continue to guide her today, including why sometimes not getting the role you wanted may lead you to the one that truly fits.

In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

• How Heather’s professional dance career shaped her identity and leadership style
• What happened after a career-ending injury changed the direction of her life
• Why curiosity and asking “what if?” can open new possibilities
• How human connection transforms leadership, sales, and workplace culture
• The importance of listening to your inner voice amid external noise
• Why many professionals feel disconnected from their work—and how to reconnect
• How Heather transitioned from sales into coaching, speaking, and authorship
• Lessons about resilience, rejection, and persistence from the dance world
• Why reinvention often begins with letting go of old expectations
• How setbacks can ultimately lead to more meaningful opportunities

Learn more about Heather:

• Visit: heatherhansenoneill.com
• Follow Heather on LinkedIn
• Listen: From Fear to Fire Podcast
• Read: Teams on Fire! Transforming your group into a more productive, profitable and motivated team
• Read: Find Your Fire at Forty: Creating a Joyful Life During the Age of Discontent
• Read: Where's the Office?: Moving Today's Leaders from What IS to What CAN BE
• Read: Finding Humanity: The Evolution of Sales
• Watch: Become Conscious -You Must & Can Change the World
• Watch: Let go and let fly!

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn
• Buy Me A Coffee
• Work From The Inside Out Website
• Subscribe to the newsletter
• Subscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Deborah Farone, consultant, speaker, former chief marketing officer at two international law firms, and author of Best Practices in Law Firm Business Development and Marketing and Breaking Ground: How Successful Women Partners Build Thriving Practices. Deborah shares how her fascination with marketing began in childhood and evolved into a remarkable career helping professional service firms strengthen relationships, build trust, and grow thriving businesses.

Deborah reflects on the early experiences that shaped her career path, from creating handwritten job-tracking systems while applying to public relations agencies to persistently pursuing opportunities that aligned with her interests. She discusses how curiosity, authenticity, and a willingness to learn helped her move from public relations into leadership roles at prestigious firms including Debevoise & Plimpton and Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Along the way, she credits strong mentors, meaningful networking, and continuous learning as essential ingredients in her professional growth.

Tammy and Deborah also explore the importance of creating a career rooted in genuine interests and strengths. Deborah shares insights from her consulting work and books, including how professionals can identify the kinds of work that energizes them most, develop authentic client relationships, and navigate career transitions with intention and resilience.

In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

• Why persistence and creativity helped Deborah land her first job in public relations
• How curiosity has been a driving force throughout her career
• The importance of authenticity in leadership and business development
• What Deborah learned from working inside elite professional service firms
• Why strong writing skills can transform a career in communications
• How networking and relationship-building create long-term opportunities
• Why career transitions require both resilience and intentionality
• How professionals can identify the kinds of work that truly energizes them
• Why building trust is essential for sustainable business development
• How Deborah’s consulting and writing career evolved after leaving corporate leadership

Learn more about Deborah:

• Follow Deborah on LinkedIn
• Instagram: @deborahfaronebestpractices
• Learn more deborahfarone.com
• Read: Best Practices in Law Firm Business Development and Marketing
• Read: Breaking Ground: How Successful Women Lawyers Build Thriving Practices

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn
• Buy Me A Coffee
• Work From The Inside Out Website
• Subscribe to the newsletter
• Subscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Miki Feldman Simon, an executive coach, global business leader, and author of Core Leadership: A Four-Step Framework to Lead Yourself, Grow Your Influence, and Amplify Your Impact. Miki shares her journey across continents, industries, and roles, from growing up in Israel and Australia to stepping into leadership positions in HR, operations, and marketing, and ultimately establishing her path in executive coaching. Along the way, she reflects on the value of experimentation and how unexpected turns can become meaningful learning experiences.

Miki introduces her CORE Leadership framework, a four-step model designed to help individuals lead themselves first in order to expand their impact. She explains the importance of clarifying values and priorities, translating intentions into consistent action, reflecting on internal patterns and limiting beliefs, and evaluating how one’s behavior is experienced by others. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes that leadership is not only about what we do, but also about who we choose to be in each moment.

This conversation is especially relevant for anyone at a career crossroads or seeking greater fulfillment in their work. Miki shares how clarity around values, strengths, and definitions of success can build confidence and open new possibilities. Her insights offer both a mindset shift and practical tools to help listeners move forward with intention and create a more meaningful path from the inside out.

In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

• How early career experiments can shape long term success
• Why leadership begins with leading yourself first
• The CORE framework, clarify, operationalize, reflect, and evaluate
• The difference between intentions and actual impact on others
• How breaking down strengths into skills opens new career possibilities
• Why clarity builds confidence during career transitions
• The importance of pausing before deciding what comes next
• How small consistent habits create lasting change

Learn more about Miki:

• Visit mikifeldmansimon.com/
• Follow Miki on LinkedIn
• Read: Core Leadership: A Four-Step Framework to Lead Yourself, Grow Your Influence, and Amplify Your Impact

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn
• Buy Me A Coffee
• Work From The Inside Out Website
• Subscribe to the newsletter
• Subscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Dr. David Charles, educator, executive coach, and former industry leader whose career spans consulting, analytics, innovation, and academia. David shares how early influences in science and engineering led him into technology, and how a series of unexpected pivots shaped a career grounded in curiosity, learning, and growth.

David reflects on key transitions, from consulting to corporate leadership roles at organizations like CVS Health and John Deere, and eventually into academia. Along the way, he explores how networking, continuous learning, and a willingness to step into the unknown opened doors he never anticipated. He also discusses the importance of understanding what you enjoy in your work, especially the value of seeing the real-world impact of your contributions.

Today, as a faculty member and coach, David helps others navigate their own career journeys. He emphasizes the importance of staying curious, building meaningful connections, and being open to opportunities that may not initially seem like the obvious next step. His story is a powerful reminder that careers are rarely linear and that growth often comes from embracing what you do not yet know.

In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

• How early career decisions do not have to define your long-term path
• Why curiosity is one of the most valuable career skills you can develop
• The role of networking in uncovering unexpected opportunities
• How to evaluate whether you enjoy the work or just the subject matter
• The difference between learning in theory and seeing real-world impact
• What it takes to transition across industries successfully
• Lessons from moving between large organizations and startup environments
• The importance of understanding what you do not know yet
• How coaching can expand your perspective on business and leadership
• Why building relationships is more powerful than having the perfect pitch



Learn more about David:

• Follow David on LinkedIn
• Visit drdavidscharles.com
• Subscribe and read Substack

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn
• Buy Me A Coffee
• Work From The Inside Out Website
• Subscribe to the newsletter
• Subscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Kate Kayaian, a former professional cellist turned career strategist, author, and coach. Kate shares her journey from performing on world-class stages to making the bold decision to step away from a successful music career in her forties. What makes her story especially powerful is that nothing was “wrong” on the outside. She had built a life many would aspire to, yet something no longer fit.

Kate opens up about the internal shift that led her to question her path, including the realization that success as she had defined it no longer aligned with the life she wanted to live. Through the unexpected pause of the pandemic, she began experimenting with new ways of working, which led to coaching, creating programs, and ultimately discovering work that felt more meaningful and aligned. Her story challenges the belief that we must stay on a path simply because it has been successful.

Together, Tammy and Kate explore what it means to redefine potential on your own terms, how to move past the stories that keep you stuck, and why it is never too late to pivot. Kate also shares a simple yet powerful mindset shift that can help you move from feeling blocked to seeing new possibilities. This conversation is an invitation to rethink what is possible for your next chapter.

In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

• How to recognize when a successful career no longer aligns with your values
• Why external success does not always translate to internal fulfillment
• The role of identity in keeping you stuck in a path that no longer fits
• How the pandemic created unexpected opportunities for reinvention
• The difference between ego-driven success and purpose-driven work
• Why you do not need a crisis to justify making a change
• How to translate existing skills into a completely new career direction
• The power of questioning the stories you tell yourself about your past, present, and future
• A practical mindset shift from “no, because” to “yes, if”
• How to begin redefining your potential on your own terms



Learn more about Kate:

• Read: Beyond Potential: A Guide for Creatives Who Want to Re-Assess, Re-Define, and Re-Ignite Their Careers
• Listen: Tales from the Lane podcast
• Visit: katekayaian.com
• Follow Kate on Instagram: @kkayaian
• Get on the Wait List: Creatives Leadership Academy

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn
• Buy Me A Coffee
• Work From The Inside Out Website
• Subscribe to the newsletter
• Subscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

What does leadership look like in a world where emotions are more present at work than ever before? In this episode, Tammy speaks with executive coach, strategic advisor, and author Dina Denham Smith about the increasing emotional demands placed on leaders today. Drawing on her background in organizational psychology, business, and executive leadership, Dina shares how workplaces have changed and why leaders are being charged with navigating situations that go well beyond traditional management practices. In her new book, Emotionally Charged: How to Lead in the New World of Work, she connects the dots between the complexities of intensified emotions in the workplace and the practical approaches needed to lead a trusting and engaged workforce.

Dina reflects on her early life growing up on a boys boarding school campus and how that environment shaped her confidence, communication style, and comfort speaking up in male dominated settings. She also shares the path that led her from studying organizational psychology to earning an MBA, working in consulting and private equity, and eventually building a successful executive coaching practice.

Tammy and Dina also explore the concept of emotional labor in leadership. Dina explains why the emotional expectations placed on leaders have intensified in recent years and offers practical insights for navigating difficult conversations, supporting teams through change, and leading effectively in an emotionally complex workplace.

In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

• How Dina’s unconventional childhood shaped her confidence and communication style
• Why early work experiences influenced her interest in workplace psychology
• The path from studying organizational psychology to earning an MBA and moving into consulting
• What she learned working in organizational strategy and corporate transformation
• Dina’s transition from corporate leadership roles into executive coaching
• Why writing became an important part of her professional work
• The concept of emotional labor and how it applies to leadership
• Why leaders today face higher emotional demands than in the past
• How leaders can navigate emotionally charged conversations with their teams
• Practical ways to explore career changes through experimentation rather than overthinking



Learn more about Dina:

• Website: www.dinadsmith.com
• Book: Emotionally Charged: How to Lead in the New World of Work
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dina-denham-smith/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dinadsmith71/

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn
• Buy Me A Coffee
• Work From The Inside Out Website
• Subscribe to the newsletter
• Subscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

What if meetings didn’t have to feel like a drain, but instead became one of the most powerful tools for collaboration and career growth? In this episode, I’m joined by Rebecca Hinds, organizational behavior expert and author of Your Best Meeting Ever: Seven Principles for Designing Meetings That Get Things Done. Rebecca shares how her early years as a competitive swimmer shaped her understanding of teamwork and why putting the team first ultimately elevates individual success.

We explore the science of collaboration, what most organizations get wrong about meetings, and why so many well-intentioned efforts, including AI rollouts, fail due to human resistance rather than technical limitations. Rebecca explains the “4D rule” for deciding whether a meeting should even exist, how network science can transform career advancement, and why cognitive wandering is essential for innovation.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated by inefficient meetings, skeptical about AI at work, or unsure how to position yourself for what’s next in your career, this conversation offers both research-backed insights and practical ways to rethink how you show up for your team and for yourself.

In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

• How Rebecca’s experience as a competitive swimmer shaped her understanding of teamwork
• Why organizations often reward individual performance over team success and why that’s a mistake
• The 4D rule for determining whether a meeting should exist
• Dropbox’s radical “Meeting Gettin’” experiment
• The hidden psychology behind meeting overload
• How network science influences career advancement
• Why weak ties (not strong ones) often lead to new opportunities
• What “cognitive wandering” is and why it fuels innovation
• Why AI initiatives fail due to human resistance, not technical limitations
• How to combine disciplines to create a unique competitive advantage
• Why designing and running effective meetings is a high-value leadership skill



Learn more about Rebecca:

• Read: Your Best Meeting Ever: Seven Principles for Designing Meetings That Get Things Done
• Visit: RebeccaHinds.com
• Follow on LinkedIn: @rebecca-hinds

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn
• Buy Me A Coffee
• Work From The Inside Out Website
• Subscribe to the newsletter
• Subscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb

In Episode 290 of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Margaret Andrews, author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding. A seasoned executive leader, Harvard instructor, and founder of the MYLO Center, Margaret shares why leadership is not just a skillset, it’s a craft that begins within. From her early career in consulting to running MBA and executive programs at MIT and Harvard, Margaret’s journey has been guided by curiosity, risk-taking, and deep reflection.

Margaret explains why self-awareness becomes increasingly important as we move into leadership roles. One of her most powerful insights? We judge ourselves by our intentions, but others judge us by our behaviors. That gap can undermine even the most well-meaning leaders. She shares how understanding our formative influences, values, and definitions of success allows us to close that gap and lead with greater clarity and impact.

In a world reshaped by post-pandemic workplace shifts, hybrid culture debates, and rapid change, Margaret reminds us that there is no silver bullet in leadership, only thoughtful, intentional navigation. If you’re contemplating your next move, leading a team, or striving to grow into your next level, this conversation offers practical frameworks and reflective questions to help you truly work from the inside out.

In this week’s Work from the Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

• Why leadership is a creative craft and not just a position
• The difference between intentions and behaviors, and why it matters
• How curiosity shapes career transitions
• The role of risk-taking in professional growth
• Why self-understanding is foundational to leading others
• The paradox of hybrid work and organizational culture
• How leaders can close the intention–behavior gap
• Why slowing down leads to better long-term decisions
• The importance of modeling learning and vulnerability
• Practical reflection strategies for your next career move

Learn more about Margaret:

• Visit The MYLO Center
• Read: Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding
• Follow Margaret on LinkedIn: @margaretcandrews
• Visit MargaretAndrews.com

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn
• Buy Me A Coffee
• Work From The Inside Out Website
• Subscribe to the newsletter
• Subscribe to YouTube: @tammygoolerloeb