Titans of Transition

What happens when a longtime fan reaches out to an artist he's never met and offers to fund his next album? Michael Gettel is an award-winning composer and pianist. Andrew Jacobs, President of Ideal Jacobs Corp., has listened to Michael's music for 30 years. He found Michael again through this podcast, started supporting San Luis Music, the program Michael runs for kids in rural Colorado, and then asked a simple question: what about a new album? That album is Hiraeth, Michael's 14th, and this is the first of four episodes following its story. The two of them have still never met in person. Andrew says they won't until Michael is up for a Grammy. It was a joy to sit with these two. We talk about Michael's start selling cassettes out of a friend's garage, a $300 keyboard that will change a student's life, a run-in with Jimmy Page, and what Hiraeth means. Michael also leaves us with a line I keep thinking about: you never wait in vain. The first single, "Gratitude," is out Friday, October 16. The full album, Hiraeth, arrives January 15, 2027. Joining Michael on the full album, Hiraeth: Jerry O'Sullivan (pipes and whistles), Brandon Vance (fiddle), Jerry Strickland (acoustic and electric guitars), Frank Bry (electric guitar), Sandin Wilson (electric and fretless bass), Dan Chase (drums and percussion) and Nancy Rumbel (oboe and English horn). Coming up in the series: Michael's longtime engineer Frank Bry and studio owner Bobby Lang take us inside Robert Lang Studios, where Hiraeth was recorded. Follow the show so the next episodes land in your feed. MICHAEL GETTEL Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3PJf9tyCBdYvchFXkl8YLF Website: https://www.michaelgettel.com/ San Luis Music: http://sanluismusic.org/home.html ANDREW JACOBS Ideal Jacobs Corp.: https://www.idealjacobs.com/ Andrew's book, The Ideal Pivot: https://www.idealjacobs.com/publications LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcjacobs/ Work with Joe: https://www.leadershipinklings.com/coaching Titans of Transition is about the turning points in our lives and work, and discovering, developing and leaning into your gifts. Hosted by Joe Miller, Career & Leadership Coach.

When Vivian Cobb's husband was dying, she finally opened the bank statements — and discovered they were broke. The multi-millionaire life he'd built was a facade: drained accounts, cash advances, a lapsed life insurance policy, and a house four months from foreclosure. She calls what he did financial infidelity, and she argues it's far more common, and more destructive, than most couples admit. In this conversation, Vivian returns to Titans of Transition to talk about the hidden money secrets that quietly erode a marriage — and how to have the honest financial conversations that protect it. We get into what financial infidelity really is, why it's rooted in fear rather than money, the difference between a scarcity and an abundance money mindset, and how to start "the most expensive conversation you're avoiding" without turning it into a fight. Vivian is a keynote speaker, real estate broker, and author of the new book "Unspoken Costs: How to Have Relationship-Saving Money Conversations." Her thesis is simple: hard conversations don't break trust — avoiding them does. If money is a source of silence or tension in your relationship, this one's for you. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Codes: J6RDIN5KLDXV2VVN, QNIWTDM7NFNFWBOQ 📘 Vivian's book, "Unspoken Costs": https://amzn.to/4i6DOmn 🌐 Vivian's website: https://www.viviancobbspeaking.com/ 🎥 Vivian on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@viviancobbspeaking 🔗 Connect with Vivian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viviancobb/ As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Titans of Transition explores how leaders navigate career and life transitions. Hosted by Joe Miller, Career & Leadership Coach. 🎧 Follow Titans of Transition in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. 🌐 Interested in coaching with Joe? https://www.leadershipinklings.com/coaching ⏱ Chapters 0:00 'We were broke' — the moment at the bank 0:39 Welcome back — six years later 1:02 Why she wrote 'Unspoken Costs' 3:10 The wake-up call: could your spouse find the accounts? 6:25 Financial infidelity, defined 7:14 Keeping up the facade: country club vs. the mortgage 8:09 After he died: foreclosure and losing the house 9:57 We never know tomorrow — don't put it off 12:41 Almost dying (COVID) and finding her mission 13:29 Turning pain into purpose 16:47 Still emotional: the season he died 21:14 Inside the book: it starts with fear 22:33 Denial — 'I was afraid of the answer' 23:18 Your money mindset: abundance vs. scarcity 26:23 The most expensive conversation you're avoiding 30:10 'You can't take it with you' — the near-death lesson 32:38 How to start the money talk without a fight 35:41 Make it routine: from weekly check-ins to quarterly 36:49 The 'no-ask' budget (and keeping it playful) 42:02 Why it's the men who come to her 44:11 Wrapping up — and what's next (a book series) 45:01 Where to find Vivian

Send us Fan Mail When Geoff Curtis left a 30-year career in biotech and pharma communications, he asked a Fortune 50 executive a simple question: how long would he stay relevant after leaving? The answer, a year to 18 months, sent him into what he calls his own purgatory. This conversation is about what happens when the role that defined you is gone: the loss of identity, relevance, and structure, and how you rebuild purpose afterward. We get into the "armor" we wear, why it's harder for men to be vulnerable, imposter syndrome, the pull of external validation, and learning to be present. Geoff is the author of "Embracing Your Own Purgatory" and the co-founder of the Future Voices Collective. If you've been through a career transition, layoff, retirement, or any loss of identity, this one's for you. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: VIWWL9NXAYLC8WFV 📘 Geoff's book, "Embracing Your Own Purgatory": Amazon, Barnes & Noble 🔗 Connect with Geoff on LinkedIn 🎓 Future Voices Collective Titans of Transition explores how leaders navigate career and life transitions. Hosted by Joe Miller, Career & Leadership Coach. 🎧 Follow Titans of Transition in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. 🌐 Interested in coaching with Joe? Go HERE Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What if you're not lazy or unmotivated — you're just out of spoons?Personal trainer Abby Clapper uses "spoon theory" to explain why sticking to a workout routine has almost nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with finite daily energy. Abby works with neurodivergent clients — ADHD, autism, and chronic health conditions — and has built her whole practice around one idea: the fitness routine that works for a neurotypical brain doesn't work for every brain.In this episode, Abby and host Joe talk through:- Spoon theory: why ADHD brains run out of energy for a workout, and how to budget for it- The accountability tricks that actually make fitness stick (and why she shows up at your door)- The 12-week rule: changing the routine right before the ADHD brain gets bored- Her honest take on GLP-1s (Ozempic) — the energy zap, and why strength training matters even more on them- Protein, fiber, and hydration when you're eating less- Leaving a corporate wellness job to build her own business — scarcity mindset to abundance- Why fitness has to be a lifestyle and an identity, not a short-term project- Strength training as you age: starting with the 5s and 10s, not where you left off 25 years ago- The truth about rest and deload weeks — going hard every day is the mistakeWhether you've tried the gym and quit, feel like your brain just won't cooperate with a routine, or want a sustainable approach that doesn't run on influencer-level motivation, this one's for you.CONNECT WITH ABBY CLAPPER🎙 Podcast: Talk Your Abs Off 📸 Instagram: @CoachAbbyClapper🌐 Website: endorfinwellness.comABOUT THE SHOWTitans of Transition explores the pivots, leaps, and turning points that shape careers and lives. New episodes monthly. Follow the show in your podcast app so you don't miss the next one. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Mental toughness isn't enough — and grit alone won't save you. Former Navy SEAL turned leadership coach Andrew Sridhar argues that the "do hard things" culture (ice baths, ultramarathons, BUD/S-style suffering) is an INCOMPLETE answer to real-life misery — and explains what actually builds resilience when your career, your business, or your life falls apart.In this episode of Titans of Transition, Andrew ("Sri") takes us from the SEAL teams to Wall Street to tech leadership to coaching, and breaks down how to master a career pivot, why smart people get stuck, and the practical tools that actually move the needle — agency, self-awareness, and mindfulness.🎧 If you've ever felt stuck, over-prepared but under-moving, or unsure whether to stay or go — this one's for you.⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 The resilience lie: why "do hard things" is incomplete01:00 Meet Andrew Sridhar — SEAL → Wall Street → Tech03:51 The pivot into coaching (after a layoff)05:39 How to master a pivot: humility, ego, learning mindset10:23 Confidence & gravitas: why not proving yourself is magnetic13:08 Why people get stuck: depression, sunk cost, fear19:34 Stop waiting for a Eureka moment — just try the thing22:14 Know how you're wired (and why there's no playbook)27:39 BUD/S: why physicality is necessary but not sufficient31:54 The resilience & grit critique (the full rant)36:29 When toughness fails: the business-owner story40:01 Agency: accept your reality or change it44:54 Focus, distraction, ADHD & small "nudges"50:10 Resilience tools: mindfulness, breathing, meditation55:51 Wrap-up: books & where to find Andrew📚 BOOKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED- The Procrastination Equation — Dr. Piers Steel- How to Be an Imperfectionist — Stephen Guise- Tara Brach podcast (free guided meditations)- Calm / Headspace apps (free trials)- Huberman Lab podcast (neurochemistry)🔗 FIND ANDREW- Website: https://andrewsridhar.com- Podcast: The Warrior Poet Podcast: https://andrewsridhar.com/resources#podcast - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsridhar/🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more conversations on navigating change, career pivots, and leadership: https://www.youtube.com/c/TitansofTransition💬 Have you ever felt the "ice bath" advice fall short? Drop a comment — if there's enough interest, we'll bring Andrew back for round two.#Resilience #CareerChange #NavySEAL #Leadership #Mindfulness---Titans of Transition is a podcast about the pivots, transitions, and turning points that shape our careers and lives.CONNECT- Audio https://www.titansoftransition.com/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fjmiller3/ Support the show