The Richard Taliaferro Podcast

Most people don’t associate imagination with leadership.But every meaningful shift—in a company, a career, or a life—starts with someone willing to see something that doesn’t exist yet.In this episode, I sit down with returning guest Dawn Kasey Lovelace, a certified coach and former music industry executive, to explore how imagination shapes leadership, decision-making, and team dynamics.We talk about:Why imagination is a leadership advantage (not a soft skill)How visionary leaders align people around ideas others can’t yet seeThe role of stillness, reflection, and mindset in creative thinkingHow to break old patterns and uncover blind spotsWhen imagination becomes a liability (and how to balance it with action)This conversation goes beyond tactics. It’s about how you show up as a leader—and how you create space for others to do the same.If you’ve been feeling stuck, overthinking your next move, or trying to lead through uncertainty, this one will give you a different lens.Connect with Dawn: https://dawnkaseylovelace.comI’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career coach, specializing in helping mid-stage professionals find the work that works for them. I'm sharing my thoughts on careers, and more, and how I can help you achieve your goals. Find out more at: https://www.richardtaliaferro.com#LeadershipDevelopment #CreativeLeadership #CareerGrowth #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipMindset #InnovationLeadership #PersonalGrowth #CareerTransition #MindsetShift #coaching

What happens when the life and career you built no longer fit the person you’ve become?Richard Taliaferro talks with coach and strategist Meghan DeFord about career reinvention, identity, and what it means to rebuild a life around your values instead of other people’s expectations. After years in philanthropy and major fundraising leadership, Meghan found herself facing a divorce and a layoff within weeks of each other — and with that, a deeper reckoning around purpose, self-trust, and what came next.That turning point led her into coaching, where she now helps women who have checked all the boxes, shown up for everyone else, and quietly pushed their own dreams to the bottom of the list. Her approach is grounded and strategic: not hustle culture, not empty inspiration, but real goals, real values, and real life.Richard and Meghan talk about the emotional terrain of change — identity loss, self-judgment, people-pleasing, fear of visibility, and the myth that meaningful change requires blowing up everything you’ve built. They also explore the difference between coaching and therapy, the limits of AI as a substitute for human support, and why the best coaching doesn’t hand you a blueprint — it helps you hear yourself more clearly.This is a conversation for anyone navigating a career pivot, questioning a successful-on-paper life, or trying to reconnect with what matters now.You can reach out to Meghan at www.megdeford.comMeg and I also host Scrambled Eggs, a podcast about the messy middle of careers; give it a listen and subscribe: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MubV1gNu4lNQymeBsxi8r?si=jlqQwYAASx2KNkfScJSwZw#MeghanDeFord #CareerReinvention #CareerPivot #MidlifeCareerChange #ValuesBasedLiving #IdentityShift #WomensCoaching #CareerCoaching #SelfTrust #WomenAndWork #PurposeDrivenLife #PersonalGrowth #RichardTaliaferro***********I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career coach, specializing in helping mid-stage professionals find the work that works for them. I'm sharing my thoughts on careers, and more, and how I can help you achieve your goals. Find out more at: https://www.richardtaliaferro.com

What happens when the biggest disruption to your career isn’t your job—but your body?In this episode, I talk with Claire Sachs, a healthcare policy expert and patient advocate who has spent decades navigating the system from both sides—as a professional shaping healthcare policy and as a patient living with chronic illness.Claire shares her story of growing up with life-threatening illness, managing multiple diagnoses, and building a career within the constraints of her health. We explore how chronic illness impacts not just your physical capacity, but your identity, your career choices, and your sense of control.This conversation goes beyond healthcare. It’s about trust, self-advocacy, energy management, and what it means to rebuild your life when your body becomes part of the equation.Special thanks to Debra Chandler of Kickfannie Media Group for the connection⸻Key Takeaways: • Your body is not separate from your career—it’s part of the system • Stress isn’t just mental—it shows up physically, often before you notice • You are allowed to question authority—including doctors and career paths • Small, sustainable steps matter more than urgent, overwhelming change • Trust—both in yourself and in others—is foundational when everything feels uncertain⸻🔗 Connect with Claire Sachs: • LinkedIn: Claire Sachs • Blog: The Patient Advocates Chronicle • Consulting: TPAC Consulting⸻I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career coach, specializing in helping mid-stage professionals find the work that works for them. I'm sharing my thoughts on careers, and more, and how I can help you achieve your goals. Find out more at: https://www.richardtaliaferro.comTo get my weekly newsletter with more career tips and insights, click here: https://www.richardtaliaferro.com/emails⸻#CareerTransition #ChronicIllness #CareerChange #HealthAndCareer #PatientAdvocacy #CareerCoaching #MidCareer #ProfessionalIdentity #MentalHealth #WorkplaceWellness #BurnoutRecovery #SelfAdvocacy #CareerClarity #LeadershipDevelopment #LifeTransitions

What happens when someone believes you’re ready for more—but you’re not sure you agree?I unpack a tension that a lot of thoughtful, high-achieving professionals experience, but rarely name: the difference between being put on a pedestal and having your horizon extended.If you’ve ever been told you’re “leadership material”… encouraged to step up before you felt ready… or quietly wondered whether you’re being seen clearly or idealized, this conversation is for you.Here’s what I want you to know: The discomfort you feel isn’t necessarily self-doubt. It might be something more precise—and more useful yo you and your career.We’ll explore: • Why being idealized at work can quietly distort relationships • The hidden risk of “pedestal thinking” in leadership development • How to tell the difference between projection vs. genuine belief • What it actually looks like to “borrow belief” in a grounded way • A simple practice for staying human while stepping into more responsibilityLeadership doesn’t require you to become untouchable. It asks you to stay reachable.Ask yourself this:Is this person elevating you… or extending your horizon?If you’re navigating a career transition or rethinking what leadership looks like in this next chapter, this episode will meet you there.#CareerTransition #LeadershipDevelopment #ImposterSyndrome #CareerGrowth #MidCareer #ProfessionalDevelopment #LeadershipMindset #CareerClarity #PersonalGrowth #FutureOfWork #CareerCoaching #NextChapterI’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career coach, specializing in helping mid-stage professionals find the work that works for them. I'm sharing my thoughts on careers, and more, and how I can help you achieve your goals. Find out more at: https://www.richardtaliaferro.comTo get my weekly newsletter with more career tips and insights, click here: https://www.richardtaliaferro.com/emails

What does reinvention look like when life forces you to pivot? In this episode, Richard Taliaferro talks with Rick Steeby—a former soldier, police detective, IT professional, contractor, and now published author—about building a new chapter later in life.Rick shares how growing up in Alaska shaped his adventurous spirit, how a dyslexia diagnosis changed the way he understood himself, and why he kept writing through 13 manuscripts before finally landing a publishing deal for his novel Gold Miner’s Daughter. This is a conversation about resilience, career change, persistence, and what it means to keep becoming.If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to start again, this episode is for you.See more about Rick at https://ricksteebyauthor.com*****I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career coach, specializing in helping mid-stage professionals find the work that works for them. I'm sharing my thoughts on careers, and more, and how I can help you achieve your goals. Find out more at: https://www.richardtaliaferro.comTo get my weekly newsletter with more career tips and insights, click here: https://www.richardtaliaferro.com/emails#CareerReinvention #SecondAct #NeverTooLate #Resilience #Perseverance #AuthorJourney #PublishedAuthor #LifeTransition #Storytelling #PersonalGrowth

What does it take to become a 13-time world boxing champion after starting at age 29?In this powerful conversation, World Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Tori Nelson shares how she built a championship career while raising two children and working multiple jobs — including driving a school bus, working in a cafeteria, and pulling shifts at IHOP.This episode explores women’s boxing, discipline, faith, mental toughness, and what it really takes to reinvent yourself later in life.We talk about:Starting boxing at 29 and being told she was “washed up”Fighting the #1 ranked competitor in her first professional boutBuilding championship discipline while balancing motherhood and workTraining with men and developing a world champion mindsetNavigating athlete retirement and life after sportsWhy identity matters more than titlesHow to handle career transitions without losing yourselfTori Nelson’s story is more than a boxing success story. It’s about resilience, reinvention, purpose, and remembering who you were before the accolades.If you’re facing a career change, stepping into a second act, or questioning what comes next, this episode will remind you: your title is a chapter — not your identity.I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career coach, specializing in helping mid-stage professionals find the work that works for them. I'm sharing my thoughts on careers, and more, and how I can help you achieve your goals. Find out more at: https://www.richardtaliaferro.comTo get my weekly newsletter with more career tips and insights, click here: https://www.richardtaliaferro.com/emails#ToriNelson #WomensBoxing #BoxingChampion #WorldChampion #AthleteMindset #MentalToughness #Resilience #NeverTooLate #CareerTransition #Reinvention