About this podcast
Join host Christa Lauri for Bucket List Careers, a podcast that delves into cool jobs with the people who do them, the HOW behind their pivots, and secrets to successfully monetizing doing what you love.
Christa was a New York-based news anchor, business show host, and reporter in the field for years. Now she's made her pivot to share stories that will inspire you to identify your purpose, remove roadblocks, and initiate the launch of your Bucket List Career!
Episodes
The newest 20 of 197 episodes
- Melina Maresca: Taking the Fight Out of Divorce, From Litigator to Mediator | EP 196 · 17 min · Season 2 Episode 196After 16 years away from the workforce, former divorce litigator Melina Maresca returned to law—and realized she wanted a different path. She shares how mediation helps families…
- Jen Dorf: From Hospitality to Coaching—and Becoming CEO Of Your Own Health | EP 195 · 17 min · Season 2 Episode 195Jen Dorf shares how health challenges, motherhood, and self-doubt led her to take ownership of her well-being and become a health coach, explaining how small, consistent changes…
- Nancy Leighton: From Brooks Brothers to Building a Coaching Practice | EP 194 · 16 min · Season 2 Episode 194Nancy Leighton traded a Brooks Brothers buying job for a classroom at Columbia — and never looked back. This episode digs into the messy middle of a career pivot: the night…
- Adriana Brangi, She Lost Her Career to MS - Then Found Freedom Underwater | EP 193 · 14 min · Season 2 Episode 193Adriana Brangi shares how a primary progressive MS diagnosis led her to become a certified scuba diver and found Diving Beyond MS, a nonprofit helping others with chronic illness…
- Stephanie Clapp, How a Teacher Became a Psychic Medium & Mentor | EP 192 · 19 min · Season 2 Episode 192Stephanie Clapp shares how she went from a 20-year teaching career to embracing her gifts as a psychic medium and intuitive mentor. She also explains how self-trust, messy…
- Vera Gjelaj, From Immigrant Single Mom to Owner of Arome Caffe & Patisserie | EP 191 · 14 min · Season 2 Episode 191Vera Gjelaj immigrated to America at 19 with two young children, working her way through house cleaning, cosmetology school, and a leap into pastry school in her 30's that…
- Dane Johnson, From Actor to Healing Pioneer: How Overcoming Illness Transformed a Dream into Purpose | EP 190 · 20 min · Season 2 Episode 190Dane Johnson’s near-death experience with Crohn’s disease became the turning point that transformed his career from Hollywood actor to pioneering health coach. His story shows…
- Lexi Brine, Cosmetics, Courtrooms and Closings: A Winding Path to Purpose | EP 189 · 19 min · Season 2 Episode 189Law to real estate at Compass, Lexi Brine's career has taken more turns than most — and in this episode, she shares why she left litigation after becoming a mother (against a…
- Dr. Trish Leigh, Preschool to Brain Science: Reinvention and Rewiring Your Mind | EP 188 · 18 min · Season 2 Episode 188What happens when a preschool teacher turned speech pathologist follows her curiosity all the way to the cutting edge of neuroscience? Listen to hear Dr. Trish Leigh's…
- Angelique Morelli, Trusting the Pivot: A Journey to Authorship and Impact | EP 187 · 14 min · Season 2 Episode 187What happens when you stop waiting for permission to pivot and start advocating for yourself? In this episode, Christa sits down with Angelique Morelli, a powerhouse in public…
- Cheri Carandanis, From Battlefields to Brushstrokes: How Injury Redefined A Career | EP 186 · 19 min · Season 2 Episode 186Former Critical Care Flight Nurse Cheri Carandanis shares her pivot journey from a 25-year nursing career to becoming a full-time abstract painter following two severe brain…
- Amy Pepe, The "Why Not?" Mindset: How Five Love Larchmont Came to Life | EP 185 · 17 min · Season 2 Episode 185If you’ve ever felt like you lost a piece of yourself to motherhood or a career break, this episode is your roadmap to finding it again! Join us as Amy Pepe, owner of Five Love…
- Sarah Weihman, From Blueprints to Briefs: The Birth of Paradis Sport Active Underwear for Women | EP 184 · 20 min · Season 2 Episode 184After a 23-year career in design, former D1 athlete Sarah Weihman pivoted to found Paradis Sport to fix the glaring gap in women’s performance underwear. In this episode, she…
- Throwback Episode: From Wall Street to Ear Piercing Innovator, The Louisa Serene Schneider Story · 23 min · Season 2 Episode 183In this episode, Louisa Serene Schneider, founder and CEO of Rowan, discusses how she transitioned from a high-powered finance career at JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley to…
- Margaret Egiziaco, From Grants to Gains: A Pivot Transforming the Fitness Industry for Moms | EP 182 · 15 min · Season 2 Episode 182Margaret Egiziaco shares how she pivoted from managing $55 million in government recovery grants to founding a mission-driven fitness community for mothers. Listen in as we…
- Rebecca Kushner, From Traditional Finance to Values-Driven Entrepreneurship: A Leap of Faith | EP 181 · 16 min · Season 3 Episode 181CPA Rebecca Kushner shares how she pivoted from corporate finance to launch a values-driven business that brings a "human touch" to fractional CFO services. She explains how…
- Dara Astmann's New Year Intentions: New Methods to Kick Start Career Clarity | EP 180 · 18 min · Season 3 Episode 180After 20 years in media, Dara Astmann mastered the art of the career pivot. Now, she’s helping other moms define their "second acts" through coaching and community. Join us for a…
- Christy Counts, When Passion Meets Commitment: The Road to Neverstill Wines | EP 179 · 19 min · Season 2 Episode 179Christy shares how she turned her love of wine into a winemaking career — from navigating a steep learning curve to building something meaningful in a tradition-bound industry…
- Throwback Episode: Fashion Design to Stay Home Mom to DJ April Larken · 25 min · Season 2 Episode 178DJ April Larken shares her inspiring journey from New York City fashion to A-list DJing, highlighting creative reinvention and finding purpose at any age!
- Katherine Gold, A Bold Leap from Education to Interior Design | Ep 177 · 17 min · Season 2 Episode 177A self-taught New York interior designer, Katherine shares how she built her business from scratch by blending classic and modern styles and turning life’s transitions into…
