In this episode, Lisa and Brooke discuss:

• The role of modern manners in building confidence and career readiness
• How social, physical, and relationship etiquette shape professional connections
• Strategies for networking, job shadows, and informational interviews
• The influence of parents, mentors, and micro-habits in developing these skills

Key Takeaways:

• Students should use simple conversation techniques—like making an observation and asking a question, or “throwing the ball back”—to create natural, balanced dialogue.
• First impressions matter: attire, language, and physical manners (handshake, eye contact, putting away your phone, appropriate clothing) often determine how seriously others take you.
• Adults are more likely to grant favors and mentorship opportunities to teens and young adults than older people, making this the ideal stage of life to ask for informational interviews, job shadows, or introductions.
• Parents and mentors should approach teaching manners with a growth mindset, praising progress, modeling skills, and helping young people practice consistently until they feel natural.

“Physical manners can go a long way, and oftentimes they’re not noticed until they’re not done.” – Brooke Romney

About Brooke Romney: Brooke Romney is a writer, speaker, and community builder who is committed to sharing real life with a hopeful twist.

She is the best-selling author of four books: 52 Modern Manners for Today's Teens, Volumes 1 and 2, 52 Modern Manners for Kids, and I Like Me Anyway: Embracing Imperfection, Connection, and Christ.

She recently launched a new game, Do You Even Know Me?, to help families connect and have fun together.

Meaningful connection with family, friends, strangers, and God is where she finds purpose and joy.

Episode References:

• Grab the free LinkedIn Profile Guide at flourishcoachingco.com/linkedin to help your student create a standout profile and start building their network with confidence.

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

flourishcoachingco.com/video

Connect with Brooke:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookeromneywrites/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-romney-9724a2100/
Website: https://brookeromney.com/welcome/

Shopify: https://082dc6.myshopify.com/

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Brooke-Romney/author/B08L8WQN6C

Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa, Dr. Gangelhoff, Dr. Alaina, and Melissa discuss:

• Shifts in the music industry and its evolving future
• Educational pathways for aspiring musicians
• Building independence, resilience, and clarity for young creatives
• Family roles and perspectives in supporting artistic career choices

Key Takeaways:

• Parents’ fears often stem from only imagining extremes—either starving artists or Grammy winners—yet most successful musicians build stable, thriving lives between those two points.
• Gap years can be powerful when structured with clear goals and intentionality, but they risk becoming wasted time if the expectations of the student and their parent aren’t aligned.
• Modern musicians must learn to independently create, release, network, and generate income streams before labels or gatekeepers will take notice.
• Many college music programs lag behind industry realities, leaving students to seek entrepreneurial, production, and tech skills elsewhere to stay competitive.

“The thing that is always going to be in demand is creativity, interpretation, and emotion, and AI can't replace all of that, and artists have all of those things.” – Dr. Christine Gangelhoff

“Sometimes the parents’ reason for thinking about a gap year, or the child’s reason for bringing it up, may not be aligned, and that’s when you get that messy kind of wasted year.” – Dr. Alaina Johnson

“The more we train our young adults and our young musicians to be entrepreneurial, creative problem solvers, the better they will be in this ever-changing industry.” – Melissa Mulligan

About our Guests:

• Dr. Christine Gangelhoff
  • Website: https://mysoundpath.com/
  • LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/christine-gangelhoff-4b89b324
• Dr. Alaina Johnson
  • Website: https://parentingtalent.com/
• Melissa Mulligan
  • Website: https://www.mastermindroad.com/
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-mulligan-3ab018142/

Episode References:

• How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

flourishcoachingco.com/video

Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa and Ilana discuss:

• Mother-daughter dynamics in shaping career confidence and identity
• The unconscious transmission of attitudes about work, relationships, and self-worth
• Navigating the tension between supporting and controlling children’s career paths
• The role of self-awareness and open conversation in healthy career development

Key Takeaways:

• Daughters absorb far more from how mothers navigate work, relationships, and confidence than from the advice they are given outright.
• Holding too tightly to a fixed idea of who a daughter should become can quietly undermine her ability to build true career confidence.
• Paying attention to the language you use about your job and your life helps prevent unintentional patterns of negativity or self-doubt from passing on to your children.
• Sharing the full, unpolished story of your own career choices—including pivots, regrets, and proud moments—gives your child permission to make different decisions without guilt.

“The real trick is for daughters and for us to recognize our own strengths and weaknesses and separate ourselves enough from mom that we could see ourselves.” – Ilana Levitt

Episode References:

• Download a Sample Birkman Report: https://flourishcoachingco.com/birkman
• Sample The Seven Stories Exercise: https://careercenter.lehigh.edu/sites/careercenter.lehigh.edu/files/Seven%20Stories%20Exercise.pdf
• New York Times: 25 Questions to Bring You Closer to Your Mom: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/05/09/well/mothers-day-questions.html

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).
flourishcoachingco.com/video

Connect with Ilana:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatsmomthebook/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatsmomthebook/
Book: What's Mom Still Got To Do With It?: https://www.whatsmomthebook.com/
Take the quick quiz to find out which daughter type from What’s Mom Still Got To Do With It? fits you best!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilanatolpinlevitt/

Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa and Dave discuss:

• Strategies for applying to scholarships throughout all four years of high school
• Building and refining a personal narrative that connects past experiences to future goals
• The role of family involvement and culture in long-term scholarship success
• National, local, and organizational scholarship opportunities are available at different grade levels

Key Takeaways:

• Students should begin applying for scholarships as early as freshman year, even if it’s only one every other month, to gain experience and confidence.
• Juniors should focus on refining their personal narrative while taking advantage of exclusive, high-value scholarships that become available only in 11th grade.
• Seniors benefit from applying to both large national scholarships and smaller local ones, since the practice alone increases their success rate.
• Families should create a culture of consistent scholarship preparation by keeping resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and application databases updated after milestones.

“Students with the strongest personal narrative won the most scholarships… the students whose parents were involved in the process also won more scholarships.” – Dave Peterson

Episode References:

• #128 Winning College Scholarships: Expert Tips with Dave The Scholarship Coach
• #161 Boost Your Teen’s Personal Narrative Before Applications with Dave Peterson
• #169 The Hidden Impact of College Major Selection on Admissions with Rick Clark
• Learn about Dave’s Scholarship Course and get the FREE preview here
• Download the detailed scholarship timeline organized by grade level

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).
flourishcoachingco.com/video

Connect with Dave:
Twitter: https://x.com/DaveTheScholar1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080949485476
Email: dave@nodebtcollege.com
The Scholarship GPS Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scholarship-gps-podcast-your-directions-to-a/id1617874078

Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa, Dr. Corbin, and Catie discuss:

• Mentorship as a driver of growth and opportunity
• The mutual responsibilities within mentor–mentee relationships
• Early guidance shaping confidence and career direction
• Paying forward lessons learned through mentoring others

Key Takeaways:

• Mentorship offers students personalized support, creating opportunities that money alone cannot provide.
• Advocating for oneself and asking for help early—whether in high school classrooms or college —can build the confidence needed to persist in challenging subjects.
• Successful mentorship is not about rigid schedules but about mentees taking initiative, showing preparedness, and seeking guidance when it’s most needed.
• Recognition can follow when students demonstrate leadership by mentoring younger peers, developing rigorous learning systems, and fostering strong academic communities.

“If you're a scientist in the STEM field, and you've never mentored anybody… I promise that any effort and time you spend mentoring will be rewarding, both for your mentee and for you.” – Dr. Karen Corbin
“Mentorship has always been a really important aspect of my life, and I do think something I'm very good at is advocating for myself and asking for help.” – Catie Kean

About Dr. Karen Corbin and Catie Kean:
Dr. Karen Corbin is an Associate Investigator at the AdventHealth Translational Research Institute. Since August 2024, she has mentored Catie Kean through the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, supporting her academic journey and professional development.

Catie Kean is a 2024 Astronaut Scholar with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and a recent graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Biotechnology. She earned an Honorable Mention for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program and will begin her PhD in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder in August 2025.

Episode References:

• Explore more resources to support students’ growth and clarity by visiting the free tools
• Join ASF’s Mentorship Program to support the newly announced 2025 Astronaut Scholars and help shape the future of science

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

Connect with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astroscholarfdn/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AstroScholarFdn/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/astronaut-scholarship-foundat

Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa and René discuss:

• The wide range of career opportunities available in aviation, beyond being a pilot
• The growing demand for aviation professionals due to industry growth and retirements
• Barriers and opportunities for women in aviation careers
• Ways for students and families to explore aviation early without costly commitments

Key Takeaways:

• Over 1.5 million new jobs are expected to be added to the aviation industry in the next decade, spanning roles from pilots and mechanics to drone specialists and meteorologists, creating opportunities that extend far beyond the cockpit.
• With 80% of mechanics and 20% of airline pilots expected to retire in the next 10 years, the industry faces an urgent need for new talent and massive knowledge transfer to keep operations safe and sustainable.
• Aviation mechanics, who can enter the field through associate’s degrees or trade programs, often start at $70,000–$80,000 a year and can grow into six-figure salaries, offering a strong career path without requiring a costly four-year college degree.
• Early exposure through programs like the EAA Young Eagles, discovery flights at local airports, and virtual career fairs provides teens and young adults with a low-cost, hands-on opportunity to determine if aviation sparks their passion before committing to a training pathway.

“One of the things that I notice about people who are successful in aviation is that they’re passionate about it. So I would say if you’re a person that wants something that you can be all in with… great choice.” – René Banglesdorf

Episode References:

• Occupational Outlook Handbook: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
• Young Eagles program (EAA – Experimental Aircraft Association): https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/free-ye-flights
• #130 Pathway to Becoming a Pilot: Admissions and Career Insights with Penny Linsenmayer
• Rene’s podcast and aviation career opportunities are at flourishcoachingco.com/aviation

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

flourishcoachingco.com/video

Connect with René:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renebanglesdorf/
Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/renebanglesdorf/
Website: https://renebanglesdorf.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rene-banglesdorf-15bb8527/

Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa and Zack discuss:

• Understanding the difference between everyday anxiety and an anxiety disorder
• The role of technology and social media in contributing to Gen Z anxiety
• Evidence-based treatment approaches, including exposure therapy
• Parenting strategies to support anxious teens without reinforcing fear

Key Takeaways:

• Anxiety can be defined as an overestimation of threat and an underestimation of one’s ability to cope, and it becomes a disorder when it causes significant dysfunction in daily life.
• Technology use often serves as a “medication” for uncertainty, providing short-term relief but contributing to worsening anxiety, with research suggesting decreased youth alcohol use but no mental health improvement.
• Accommodations, such as parents completing tasks for anxious teens, can unintentionally reinforce fears; asking guiding questions helps youth build coping skills.
• Exposure therapy works by gradually confronting fears until they become manageable or are disproven, reducing avoidance and increasing confidence.

“Fear and anxiety have an incredibly important role to play in our lives. It’s not all bad. It’s not a negative emotion, but it is an emotion that requires some understanding and some skill to address.” – Zack Schafer

Episode References:

• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt: https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036
• Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke: https://www.amazon.com/Dopamine-Nation-Finding-Balance-Indulgence/dp/152474672X
• SPACE Treatment by Dr. Eli Lebowitz: https://www.spacetreatment.net/
• BePresent App: https://www.bepresentapp.com/

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). flourishcoachingco.com/video

Connect with Zack:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mountainvalleytreatmentcenter/
Website: https://mountainvalleytreatment.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zack-schafer-a6026b108/
Fear Less Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/
Email: zschafer@mountainvalleytreatment.org

Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa and Jaime discuss:

• Understanding the role of impacted majors and prerequisites
• The critical importance of aligning majors with career goals early
• Navigating the complexities of college transfers
• Financial planning and its impact on educational choices
  
  

Key Takeaways:

• Over one-third of undergraduates transfer colleges, and without early planning around majors, prerequisites, and credit alignment, they risk losing time, money, and progress.
• Students in impacted majors like Computer Science, Business, Nursing, and Engineering must complete strict, school-specific prerequisites, so they should map overlapping requirements across multiple target schools.
• While some parents fear transferring will hurt their job or graduate school prospects, employers usually see only the final degree, and graduate programs value applicants who can explain a well-reasoned shift.
• Before committing to a college—whether first-time or transfer—use FAFSA estimators to gauge real costs, research transfer scholarships, and compare prerequisite overlaps to avoid financial strain and lost credits.
  
  

“Most employers aren’t looking for whole transcripts to see your collection of credits. They’re just looking for the final outcome.” – Jaime Smith

About Jaime Smith: Jaime Smith is a Certified Educational Planner specializing in college transfer, online learning, homeschooling, and supporting neurodiverse learners. A longtime transfer student advocate, she earned a Post-Master's Certificate in Transfer Leadership and Practice from the University of North Georgia with the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students in 2023. She holds a BA in Linguistics from UC Berkeley, an MA in TESOL, an MSEd in eLearning, and a certificate in College Counseling.
Founder and CEO of Online G3—an independent online program for gifted and twice-exceptional K–12 students—Jaime continues to teach English. A California native now in Oregon, she lives with her husband and pet bunny. Her daughter, a former homeschooler turned transfer student, is now in grad school.

Episode References:

• #140 Avoiding the Pitfalls of College Transfers with Jaime Smith
• The Truth about College Admission by Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark
• Enter to win a free copy of The Complete Guide to College Transfer at flourishcoachingco.com/transfer through August 31.
• Order The Complete Guide to College Transfer on Amazon starting August 26 to get the full roadmap for navigating college transfers
• Explore school-by-school data on competitive and impacted majors at flourishcoachingco.com/majors to make smarter application choices.

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Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co