Finding a place in the world where you truly belong isn’t the same as a feeling like you “fit in.” That sense of belonging you crave? The best way to find it will actually require you to stand out. In my experience, it’s a long and winding path. Welcome to the One Away show!

These beliefs have inspired me to interview others about how they found their calling and what helped them catapult forward. I’ve spent months pouring myself into a new project with the gracious support of my BW Missions team: a podcast that launches today!

If you’re craving vulnerable insights into the transformative experiences and relationship building that led inspiring people to where they are today, this is the series for you. Welcome to the One Away Podcast! We’ve worked so hard to get to this launch, and I absolutely can’t wait for you to experience it yourself.

In One Away conversations, I sit down with compelling entrepreneurs, authors, and rising leaders for an in-depth discussion about what matters the most to them. We delve deep into their most transformative relationships, experiences, and epiphanies.

One Away Moments By Guests from All Walks of Life

Each episode will center around the guest’s “one away moment,” each as unique as a fingerprint:

The One Away Show, Episode 1:

In episode one, Stephen Shedletsky, Head of Brand Experience at Simon Sinek Inc. shares how he overcame a fear of public speaking and a speech impediment. Stephen grew up with a stutter, so he spent most of his life terrified of the prospect of public speaking until his “one away moment” when a professor changed his life with a simple assignment.

After channeling his blood, sweat, and tears into a single five-minute speech, Steven walked away totally fulfilled for the first time in his life, filled with a vivid feeling of what it’s like to really impact others. After many ups and downs, this experience and his transformative mentors landed him in a dream career where he can give others that same feeling of being seen every day.

Episode 2:

Caroline Pugh, the star of episode 2, has the unique ability to view the world as an expansive, global, and connective human ecosystem. So many entrepreneurs always forget to take a step back and ask themselves what impact their work is having on others. Caroline’s company, Oya Partners, helps leaders find their voices, even in situations that carry grave potential political ramifications. 

Episode 3:

Meeting Allen Gannett, one of my most formative mentors, was a transformational experience since the moment we first connected via LinkedIn. Putting my all into Allen’s pivotal book launch for The Creative Curve was the first time I took ownership of an end-to-end marketing campaign.

Allen Gannet taught me so much more than marketing; he changed my life and was the springboard I needed to build BW Missions into what it is today. Just like me, Allen had a person who made all the difference. His book agent, Jim Levine helped make his dreams possible.  

The perfect balance of supportive and encouraging in his feedback, he also pushed Allen to work and write more effectively. Effectively write, he did. Hearing him speak about the rush of signing a book deal with Penguin Random House is truly inspirational.

When you look at someone you want to emulate, nearly all of them have something in common, no matter their background or mission. I’m willing to bet that they didn’t achieve that success you admire all by themselves.

Coming into your own and making the difference you’re destined to fundamentally hinges on the people who believe in you. Their mentorship, support, and advice is the key to achieving your biggest goals and bringing your vision to life. Just one experience, connection, or even a struggle can be the trigger to pathfinding that inspires you to take action.

I created this podcast in my search to understand how people I admire got on the right trajectories. For many, this meant choosing a better way forward than the easy one everyone else around them was taking. More often than not, this was catalyzed by an experience where someone saw something special in them. Sometimes, the spark for change can even come from overcoming a traumatic experience that completely shifts someone’s whole perspective.

Curated with entrepreneurial leaders in mind, each episode delves into the finite moments that changed people’s lives. I’ll give you a snapshot of the episode in each corresponding blog by laying out an intro story, along with a high-level transcript to help you follow along and identify the main takeaways from each show.

My hope for this podcast is to better understand how these visionaries ended up on their own unique trajectories. I want to amplify the voices of people who have committed their lives to inspiring work and embraced the hard choices along the way.

I hope you feel a sense of belonging and authentically connect with someone’s story along the way. Once you do, I truly believe you will feel inspired to go forth and build meaningful relationships and daring to take the first step by reaching out to the people who can change their lives.

By taking these chances, we ultimately find our inner strength. This podcast is designed as a tool to add to your arsenal; a compass to help you chart out a fulfilling path of your own that leads to where you truly belong.

Watch this space for a blog about episode one along with my personal takeaways and the meaningful insights I gained.

— Bryan