Defining moments aren’t just exciting – they are thought-provoking and fertile ground for learning. These inflection points often are the result of an illuminating moment where some truth of the universe presents itself in an easier to recognize form. Below, you’ll find talented and successful entrepreneurs and artists sharing the stories of defining moments in their lives.

Emily Guarnotta

The most defining moment in my career was also a personal one. In 2018, I had my first child and up until that point I had been working as a psychologist, treating mostly anxiety and mood disorders. As someone who had dealt with bouts of anxiety and depression throughout my life, these conditions had a place near and dear to my heart. After I had my first child though, I really struggled with postpartum depression. I’ve since learned that postpartum depression can manifest differently for different people. For me, my depression manifested as extreme overwhelm, anxiety, irritability, and a sense of hopelessness. Read more>>

Krystal Taylor

When I first started online coaching, I had only three clients and was still working my full-time job. I wasn’t sure where this new path would lead, but there was one moment during a weekly one-on-one call that made me realize I was exactly where I was supposed to be. One of my clients started our session by saying, “I have to tell you something!” She went on to share that she had gone to a wedding over the weekend and—for the first time in years—didn’t wear Spanx. I was so proud of her because I knew what a big deal that was for her. It wasn’t just about seeing the results in the mirror; it was about how she felt on the inside. Her confidence had grown so much that she realized she didn’t need shapewear to look and feel great. Read more>>

Yogesh Patel

The defining moment that changed the trajectory of my career (and leading to the podcast) was having life-altering, second glaucoma and cataract surgery on the left eye at the Mayo Clinic (Phoenix) in December 2021. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I had been suffering from eye issues related to allergies since I was 15 (I am now 51). Throughout the years, I managed the best I could to limit taking Prednisone (steroid) eye drops to calm the inflammation and severe eye pain. Yet over time, that led to pressure build up in the eyes in addition a slew of other eye ailments, including scar tissue and optic nerve damage in the right eye.  Read more>>

Jacqueline Lee Breda

I had been working in the fashion industry in NYC for many years. I thought it was the path that I wanted, however, it wasn’t fulfilling. I knew there was something deeper to life but didn’t know what it was yet. One day I was scrolling through social media and found a school called IIN (The Insitute for Integrative Nutrition). I always loved food and health and decided it was time to try something new. While enrolled in the course, I had an ah-ha moment. Read more>>

Colleen Kurtz

The defining moment in my career began with my own health crisis in my 20s. I spent nearly five years navigating severe fatigue, migraines, joint pain, and stomach issues, consulting countless specialists only to receive alarming potential diagnoses—or worse, no answers at all. After being handed an expensive “clean bill of health” that dismissed my suffering, I was left frustrated and unheard. No one thought to examine my diet or explore the deeper connections between my symptoms. Read more>>

Tanya Ambrose

Being an immigrant living in the United States, I’ve often reflected on the duality of my upbringing—growing up in Antigua with certain privileges due to my parents’ hard work and sacrifices, yet being deeply aware of the needs within my community. My mother, in particular, taught me by example about the importance of giving back and being of service to those with greater needs. This value has become a cornerstone of how I live and work. Read more>>

Fina Madrid

After practicing dentistry for 5 years, with bad posture, 6 days a week in corporate fast dentistry, I started experiencing heavy back pain that started being debilitating, I was 30 years old and could not understand how my body was suffering so much. I even got Shingles as such a young age, due to heavy stress that accompanies my career. Read more>>

Michele Locke

Losing my campaign for district court judge was the defining moment in my career – a moment that shook me to my core and changed everything. It was the first time I’d poured my heart and soul into something, worked relentlessly, and still lost. It was a harsh and humbling realization for me: sometimes, the good guys don’t win. Read more>>

Osei Boateng

I have changed my professional trajectory twice, each time driven by heartbreak, purpose, and an unwavering desire to serve. The first moment came when I shifted from pursuing medicine to healthcare management. Growing up in Ghana, I saw the devastating impact of healthcare disparities on my community and my own family. People traveled miles—sometimes entire days—just to reach the nearest healthcare facility, only to be turned away or met with inadequate care. I’ll never forget the pain of losing my grandmother and my auntie to these inefficiencies. Their lives could have been saved had they received timely care. That loss ignited a fire in me, a vow that I would dedicate my life to ensuring no one else had to endure the heartbreak of losing a loved one simply because they couldn’t access care. Read more>>

Melissa Millender

It all began with a simple vision fueled by a deep passion for Academic Excellence, in honor of a brilliant academic and Biblical Scholar who unexpectedly passed away in his dorm at APU from an epileptic seizure. Read more>>

Christina Rendon

My career has been shaped not by a single defining moment, but by a series of quiet realizations and profound experiences that have gently guided me toward a deeper sense of purpose. From an early age, I’ve been fascinated by transformation—how our thoughts, emotions, and energy shape our lives, and how, with the right support, we can uncover untapped potential within ourselves. Read more>>

Adaeze Medani

Definitely! One of the biggest moments for me happened during the pandemic. I was training a client virtually, and after one of our sessions, she got on the phone with a friend who happened to be the operations director for The Kaplan Education Foundation. My client told her about how much she loved training with me and suggested I might be a good fit to lead virtual classes for Kaplan’s students. Read more>>

Candace Wilder

So before I became a licensed massage therapist and postpartum doula I spent 10 years in theatre education. I was a theatre teacher with an undergrad degree in Theatre and a Masters degree in Theatre directing. I taught theatre, tech theatre, and musical theatre and I loved it! I got out of teaching once I had children and amidst my divorce I had to make some huge shifts for me and my kids and knew I didn’t want to go back to full time teaching and 12 hour work days, etc. I had always had a curiosity about birthwork as I had tough postpartum period after both of my children and often dreamed of supporting families postpartum. Read more>>