What happens when you reach midlife and realize there’s more inside you waiting to be expressed?

In this episode of Empowered & Out, Jonathan sits down with Emmanuel Denizot — a longtime film and television subtitler who spent over 25 years translating stories across cultures before choosing to rewrite his own. After turning 50, Emmanuel stepped into a bold pivot, launching Partant, a series of intimate, culture-centered weekend experiences designed to foster authentic connection, curiosity, and slow living in European cities.

Together, they explore what it truly means to align your work with your values, why beauty and creativity are powerful tools for healing and connection, and how taking imperfect action builds confidence — especially later in life. Emmanuel opens up about navigating fear, perfectionism, introversion, and the courage it takes to put yourself back out there after decades in one career.

This conversation is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t have an expiration date — and that authenticity, presence, and curiosity can reshape how we work, travel, and connect with each other.

If you’ve ever felt called to slow down, reconnect with your purpose, or trust yourself enough to try something new, this episode will resonate deeply.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Empowered & Out + Season Theme: Visibility & Authenticity
01:30 Meeting Emmanuel + Energy Check-In
03:10 Turning 50 and Questioning What’s Next
06:45 Coaching, Reflection & The Power of Slowing Down
10:40 Digital Detox, Travel & Reconnecting with Presence
13:05 Introducing Partant: Intimate Cultural Weekends
17:20 Curiosity, Introversion & Designing Authentic Connection
22:05 The “Accidental but Intentional” Experience
27:15 Slow Travel, Hidden Cities & Deeper Cultural Access
34:10 Beauty, Cinema & Why Atmosphere Matters
36:10 Art as Healing and Transformation
39:15 Starting Over at 50: Fear, Confidence & Imperfect Action
43:00 Introversion, Visibility & Owning Your Voice
47:50 Perfectionism, Mindset Shifts & Growth
52:00 Final Reflections on Courage, Alignment & Living Authentically

What happens when a Gen Zer walks into a workplace that wasn’t built for them… and decides to remix the whole thing? 👀

In this episode, Jonathan sits down with Zach Conklin — a 3+1 business student at Elon University earning three degrees in four years (casual flex), juggling multiple jobs, entrepreneurial projects, and a front-row seat to how Gen Z is changing the future of work.

They get into:
✨ Why Gen Z brings an entrepreneurial mindset into every role (not just startups)
✨ Redefining success without the comparison spiral
✨ Why doing one thing really well beats doing everything halfway
✨ Being underestimated for looking young — and how to own your seat at the table
✨ AI, adaptability, and why future leaders need to evolve (or get left behind)
✨ How to stay authentic while learning how to navigate different spaces

It’s honest, funny, thoughtful — and a reminder that you don’t have to follow outdated rules to build a career that actually fits your life.

If you’re a Gen Zer figuring it out, a leader trying to understand the next generation, or someone ready to stop shrinking and start building on your own terms — this one’s for you.

🎙️ Until next time — stay empowered, stay out, and keep building your future on your own terms.

Leading Without a Blueprint — Visibility, Resilience & Authenticity with Dr. Jess Spohn (they/them)

What does it mean to lead when there’s no roadmap for someone like you?

In this powerful episode of Empowered & Out, host Jonathan Barbe sits down with Dr. Jess Spohn (they/them) — a nonbinary, queer, and neurosparkly public health social worker redefining leadership and visibility in social work and beyond.

From turning pronoun mistakes into dance breaks 💃 to navigating discrimination with courage and humor, Dr. Jess shares what it’s really like to build a leadership identity without nonbinary role models — and how visibility itself can be a radical act of resistance and hope.

You’ll hear stories about:

🌈 Leading authentically in systems that weren’t built for you

💬 A real-life discrimination experience that reshaped their advocacy

💃 Reclaiming joy and agency through creativity and humor

🧠 The power of lived recovery experience in leadership and supervision

🔥 Why nonbinary & trans visibility in professional spaces matters now more than ever

Whether you’re an LGBTQ+ professional, an ally, or a leader learning how to make your workplace safer and more inclusive, this conversation will leave you inspired to lead with truth, courage, and compassion.

🎧 Tune in now — and if it resonates, don’t forget to follow, rate, and share Empowered & Out to help others lead authentically, too.

🔗 Resources

• Dr. Jess’s publication: Trans and Gender Expansive Invisibility in Social Work Senior Leadership

• Kaleidoscope Wellness Services (OUTLAST Workshop): withkaleidoscope.com

• InsideOut Advocacy: ioadvocacy.org