Empowered Human Academy

Nov 09 2021 6
Empowered Human Academy Podcast artwork

We believe that we’re all meant to live our most expansive lives possible—but it can be overwhelming knowing where to begin, and feeling stuck is real. Empowered Human Academy exists to unlock your imagination with real conversations with inspiring humans of all different kinds, sharing the wisdom they've gained in their respective fields. Throughout these episodes we’ll explore holistic wellness, activism, self-discovery, emotional intelligence, and more. We’ve gathered some of the most heart-forward humans we know all in one place and we can’t wait for you to meet them.

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Isaac Bowen: The Space of Aliveness

Nov 09 2021 63 mins  
To close out this season, we’re shaking things up a bit. Writer and producer Rebekah Pahl is interviewing Isaac, and they discuss the starting point of identity, collaboration, evaluating old narratives, feeling for the space of aliveness, and Isaac’s musings on what’s going on here with this whole experiment of existence. As a Wonderer and the CEO of Lightward, Isaac gives c

Abe Lopez: The Edge of Newness

Nov 02 2021 58 mins  
To close out season 1, we’re doing something a little different for our final two episodes. Writer and producer Rebekah Pahl is interviewing Abe this week, and then Isaac in the episode to follow. We’ll be reflecting on what this past season of conversations has meant to our own aliveness—and what we’re feeling drawn toward next. Abe and Rebekah discuss the origins of the p

Rebecca Fralick: Stepping Into Integrity

Oct 26 2021 60 mins  
Rebecca Fralick is a chef and the owner of Mara’s Cafe based in Wisconsin. She’s a powerhouse business owner and is crystal clear about her values—she’s only interested in opportunities that deeply align with her intuition. Alongside her business endeavors, she’s also a mom, wife, and lover of plants, sunshine, good coffee, and tacos. Rebecca thinks in flavor profiles and

Jim Jacoby: Live Your Truth & Let The World Reorganize

Oct 19 2021 56 mins  
During the first chapter of his career, Jim Jacoby built a successful, privately-owned agency pioneering user-centered design in finance, healthcare, tech, and manufacturing. Then, at the peak of his success, he took a step back and commissioned a world-renowned designer to build a revolutionary motorcycle. Jim studied the methods and behaviors behind the process, then codified his

Ian Day: Showing Up As You Are

Oct 12 2021 49 mins  
Today’s guest is someone who’s part of our daily life—our dear friend, and Lightward’s Wellness Advisor, Ian Day. We’ve known Ian for almost five years now and we’re so grateful to be doing life alongside him. Ian’s a whimsical blend of wellness knowledge and good-hearted fun—and as you’ll soon hear for yourself, the path to self-acceptance hasn’t been an easy o

Thorin Decatur: Learning Is A Constant State

Oct 05 2021 49 mins  
Today’s guest is our dear friend Thorin Decatur— who also happens to be our barber. Whether through his profession or as a present father to his kids, Thorin stays energized by constantly learning. While the overarching societal trend tells us to stop exploring as we grow older, Thorin is actively choosing to stay open by way of compassion and curiosity. He’s a refreshing exa

Amanda Ewing: The Journey Is The Dream

Sep 28 2021 62 mins  
Amanda Ewing is a Nashville-based luthier (violin-maker)—and is the first Black female luthier on record. She’s been apprenticing with her teacher since 2018, honing the intricacies of her craft—and there are many of them! On average, it takes about 250 hours and about 56 parts to make a violin. Amanda’s not only keeping a highly-detailed art form alive—she’s also chang

Mladen Rangelov: Creating An Environment of Care

Sep 21 2021 58 mins  
Mladen Rangelov is a product leader and team builder at Shopify, and he self-describes as a life-learner who’s energized by building environments in which teams can thrive. Born in what was then Yugoslavia, and growing up in the middle of a war—Mladen holds a unique perspective on making the most of being alive and leaning into vulnerable and tough conversations, from a place o

Yumin Wong: You Learn As Long As You Live

Sep 14 2021 54 mins  
Yumin Wong was born and raised in Singapore, then moved to the U.S. for college—and is now a staff software engineer at GitHub. She’s also the mother of a two-year old and is expecting baby #2 in just a few weeks. Yumin integrates her love for these co-existing parts of herself by exploring the parallels between parenting and engineering—or as she calls it, “parengineering�

Christian Picciolini: Rebuilding With Universal Glue

Sep 07 2021 55 mins  
Christian Picciolini is an award-winning television producer, public speaker, author, peace advocate, and former violent extremist. After leaving the white-supremacist skinhead movement he was part of during the 1980s and 90s, Christian began the process of making amends and creating a new life. He went on to receive a degree in international relations from DePaul University and la