Somewhere in the Middle with Michele Barard

Michele Barard

Authors, Coaches, and Entrepreneurs share their personal and professional journeys. Past guests include Bruce George of the Genius is Common Movement, Life Coach Bobbi Stevens, Financial Expert Steven Hutchinson, Sen. Barbara Robinson, Geraldine Hollis of the Tougaloo Nine, Author Bernard N. Lee, Jr., and Author and Speaker Tawana Williams. read less
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Episodes

Journeys in Words: Teri M. Brown on Crafting Histories, Homes, and Healing Through Storytelling
Apr 20 2024
Journeys in Words: Teri M. Brown on Crafting Histories, Homes, and Healing Through Storytelling
Somewhere in the Middle Welcomes Author Teri M. Brown Born in Athens, Greece as an Air Force brat, Teri M Brown graduated from UNC Greensboro with a multitude of degrees – majors in Elementary Education and Psychology and minors in Math and Sociology – she just couldn’t settle on one thing! While homeschooling her four children, she began her writing career by focusing on small businesses, writing articles, blog posts, and website content. She published five nonfiction self-help books dealing with real estate and finance, receiving First Runner Up in the Eric Hoffman Book Awards for 301 Simple Things You Can Do To Sell Your Home Now, finalist in the USA Best Books Awards for How To Open and Operate a Financially Successful Redesign, Redecorate, and Real Estate Staging Business and for 301 Simple Things You Can Do To Sell Your Home Now, and Honorable Mention in Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award for Private Mortgage Investing. In 2017, Teri began dabbling in fiction, a lifelong dream. Upon winning the First Annual Anita Bloom Ornoff Award for Inspirational Short Story for a piece about her grandfather, she began writing in earnest, and recently published Sunflowers Beneath the Snow. Teri is a wife, mother, grandmother, and author who loves word games, reading, bumming on the beach, taking photos, singing in the shower, hunting for bargains, ballroom dancing, playing bridge, and mentoring others – especially youth and women who are having trouble discovering their worth. Teri’s debut novel, Sunflowers Beneath the Snow, is a historical fiction set in Ukraine.   Connect with Teri M. Brown Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/terimbrownauthor X (formerly Twitter): http://www.twitter.com/terimbrown1 Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/terimbrown_author LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/terimbrown Website: http://www.terimbrown.com  Buy Sunflowers Beneath the Snow on Amazon
Transformational Coach and author Mestanna Gay shares how dealing with trauma frees us to embrace our God energy
Feb 17 2024
Transformational Coach and author Mestanna Gay shares how dealing with trauma frees us to embrace our God energy
Somewhere in the Middle welcomes Transformational Coach and Author Mestanna Gay Mestanna Gay is a renowned Transformational Coach, Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Entrepreneur, celebrated for her expertise in guiding individuals through personal transformations. Her journey, marked by overcoming traumatic experiences and adversity, began in 1991 when she turned to poetry and prayer as a therapeutic outlet. Mestanna's work embodies the essence of resilience, utilizing her intuitive empathy and deep understanding of universal truths and spiritual wisdom. As a coach, Mestanna's mission is laser-focused: empowering others to shed the burdens of guilt and shame, unlocking their full potential. Her philosophy is grounded in the belief that understanding the multidimensional language of the Universe – spanning the physical, spiritual, and mental realms – is key to holistic healing and growth. In 2019, Mestanna harnessed her life's lessons into her debut book, The Devil’s Bedroom – Breaking Free from The Chains of Guilt & Shame. This urban, inspirational fiction piece, rooted in her own experiences, is more than just a narrative. It serves as a transformative tool, using its characters, poetry, and prayers to guide readers on a journey of self-discovery, healing, and forgiveness, ultimately leading them to their true calling by introspecting their life experiences and choices. Mestanna's work is a beacon for those seeking to transform pain into passion and adversity into opportunity. Connect with Mestanna Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donna.d.walker.754Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cosmic.empress/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-d-gay-700655a7/ Website: http://www.mestanna.com/ Buy Mestanna's Book on Amazon
College Strategist and Founder/CEO of College Ready Shellee Howard shares how we can help our kids graduate from college debt-free
Dec 16 2023
College Strategist and Founder/CEO of College Ready Shellee Howard shares how we can help our kids graduate from college debt-free
Somewhere in the Middle Welcomes College Strategist and Founder & CEO of College Ready Shellee Howard  Shellee Howard is the Founder and CEO of College Ready and CR Tutoring and Test. She is a college graduate and is a Certified Independent College Strategist. She is a best-selling author, a member of HECA (ethics organization), and a member of SOFA (Society of Financial Awareness). Shellee is a mother of four young adults. Her oldest son graduated from Harvard in 2016 debt free and graduated from UC San Diego Medical School in 2021.  He will be completing his Orthopedic Surgeon Residency at UCLA.  Her oldest daughter attended the University of Alabama and CBU and graduated debt free with her BSN in 2020 and received her RN in 2021. Her youngest son attends SFSU majoring in Film Production. Her youngest daughter is a rising Senior and will be looking to attend college as a business major internationally. Shellee has traveled around the world helping students create their “Stand out Strategy". She knows what it takes to compete in the Top tier schools as well as find the best-fit college for all students. Shellee believes that no two students are the same and each student must have their own strategy and plan to be successful. Each student has a gift/talent and a passion that will set him or her apart from their competition. Getting to know your student one on one is the key to success. Her focus is to find the best academic, financial, and social fit college for each student to thrive at and graduate debt free! Connect with Shellee Howard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollegeReadyPlan Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoCollegeReady LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/college-ready/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr_WodPHDfSWEbiPdsRDbyQ Website: http://www.collegereadyplan.com/
Calendar Coach Paul D. Casey shares how taking back control of your calendar can help you become a better leader
Nov 18 2023
Calendar Coach Paul D. Casey shares how taking back control of your calendar can help you become a better leader
Somewhere in the Middle Welcomes Calendar Coach Paul D. Casey Originally from Chicago, Paul D. Casey has now been a professional speaker for over 25 years (giving almost 300 presentations in the past 4 years), and he is one of the leading authorities in leadership and personal growth—especially time management—helping people take back their calendars and restore sanity to their lives. He has spoken for organizations like Mcdonald's, Subway, Lamb Weston, Northwest Public Power, and Autozone—and among the 80 leaders he coaches per year, 25 of them lead at Pacific NW National Laboratories. Paul has a Master’s degree in education and has been an educator/administrator/Chief Operating Officer in 5 non-profit organizations. He is an ACC-certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, a Master Trainer, and a member of the National Speakers Association. He was awarded Solopreneur of the Year by the West Richland Chamber a few years ago. Through his company, Growing Forward Services, Paul has partnered with his corporate and individual clients to transform their vision, their habits, and their lives. Currently, Paul carries out his mission of sparking breakthrough success by contributing daily inspirational growth messages on local radio, other people’s podcasts, and social media. Also, he has inspired thousands of individuals and leaders to grow forward through his seminars, team-building off-site retreats, one-to-one self-leadership coaching, and as a keynote speaker. Paul has written 4 books: The Static Cling Principle (on habits and mindsets), Maximizing Every Minute (on time management), Leading the Team You’ve Always Wanted, and Leading with Super-Vision. And he interviews local leaders in his podcast: the Tri-Cities Influencer. Paul is married to Lovely Laura, has a 23- and a 19-year-old named after state capitals, owns a cat named Sasha and has lived in the Tri-Cities, WA, for over 20 years. For fun, he enjoys golfing, hiking, and bicycling—and orange slices—and he reads about 40 books per year. Connect with Paul Casey Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.d.casey.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/growingfwd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growingforwardservices/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/pauldcasey Website: http://www.paulcasey.org/ Buy Maximizing Every Minute on Paul's website
Rufus D. Stephens and Connie S. Johnson share how parents and educators can help children become their best selves
Aug 19 2023
Rufus D. Stephens and Connie S. Johnson share how parents and educators can help children become their best selves
Somewhere in the Middle Welcomes Connie S. Johnson and Rufus D. Stephens, Co-authors of Leave a Mark! Connie S. Johnson Connie Johnson is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a B.S in Elementary Education. Later, her heart required that she equip herself with new ways to help her students work through traumas and become their greatest selves. She then went on to earn her M.Ed. from the University of West Alabama. Connie has worked in the field of education for 17 years and she is in her 8th year as an elementary school counselor. Her prime objective is to impact her students for greatness. In 2022, she co-authored, with her father Rufus Stephens, an exceptional book entitled, “Leave A Mark!” Amazon released the book as its #1 New Release in the Education and Teacher category. Rufus D. Stephens Rufus Stephens is a native of Savannah, GA. He graduated from Savannah State University and pursued a graduate degree at the University of Florida. He is a former business owner, corporate executive and an ordained minister.  In 2015 he formed a speaking company called “Raisin’ the Rufe Communications”. He is currently a motivational speaker, author and voice over talent. He has authored two books. The first, “Life Lessons from Miss Mattie” chronicles the life of his mother, a single mom of five and educator in the deep south. The next book, “Leave A Mark!”, he co-authored with his daughter, Connie S. Johnson. Mr. Stephens’ life is defined by his unrelenting passion for encouraging others. His presentation goal is to “always leave audiences better off than when they came.” Connect with Rufus and Connie Connie's Author Website: https://conniejohnson.authorsites.co/  Rufus's Author Website: https://rufusdstephens.authorsites.co/  Buy Leave a Mark! on Amazon
Gael Wood shares how massage and spa professionals can elevate their careers and businesses
Jul 22 2023
Gael Wood shares how massage and spa professionals can elevate their careers and businesses
Somewhere in the Middle Welcomes Wellness & Spa Business Coach Gael Wood Gael Wood is a massage and spa professional with over 25 years of experience in the industry. She graduated from massage school at the age of 19 and then went on to open her very own day spa and therapeutic massage center in 2003, which she ran for 6 years. In 2013, Gael launched her first online business, which she managed along with her career as a Massage Therapist. As the online businesses began to take off, she made the decision to retire from the hands-on massage work in 2016 and concentrate on using her extensive knowledge and experience to create tailored training and coaching materials and courses for estheticians, massage, and spa professionals. Gael is the co-host and co-founder of the Global Wellness Professionals Marketing Summits and The Work Freedom Summit. She was honored to be inducted into the World Massage Hall of Fame and featured as a Massage Magazine All-Star in 2019. Since giving up hands-on massage work and concentrating on her online businesses, Gael has been prolific with her creativity. To date, she has created over 60 successful online courses, launched popular Massage and Spa Marketing Content Clubs, written and self-published more than 15 eBooks, and created a library of invaluable resources for massage, beauty, and spa professionals such as the popular Massage and Spa Resource Bundles. Gael has always been fascinated by Feng Shui, and this led her to study at the International Feng Shui School. In 2019 she gained certification in Feng Shui, enabling her to carry out consultations as another part of her business. She has since trained in Life and Business Coaching through The Rebel Millionaire Coach Certification Program and successfully completed her training in 2021. Most recently, Gael has created the ELEVATE Mastermind, which is a program for people who want to learn about adding an online business to their income streams or segue into online business. She currently runs a low-cost subscription program alongside this called The Monthly Challenge Club for Entrepreneurs, and she teaches online business strategy through The Elevate Mastermind. Gael is happiest when she is in creator mode, finding new ideas for courses, marketing content, and books. She is constantly inspired to create more courses and materials - and continues to launch new ideas. She loves to educate herself and discover new ideas, learning as much as she can through reading books, doing online research, and studying online classes and programs to boost her knowledge. Her number one wish is that what she does can inspire other people, and she aims to help as many people as she can to thrive with her courses, books, and programs. Gael lives in Boone, North Carolina, with her husband Dave and son Santino who she has been homeschooling since March 2020. She also has an older daughter, Grace. Connect with Gael Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaelwoodsuccesscoach Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevate_with_gael_wood/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaelwood/ Website: https://www.elevatewithgael.com/ Find Gael's Books Online: https://www.elevatewithgael.com/shop
Author and Educator Anne Arceneaux shares wisdom for young women transitioning to adulthood
Mar 18 2023
Author and Educator Anne Arceneaux shares wisdom for young women transitioning to adulthood
Somewhere in the Middle welcomes Anne Arceneaux, author of A Horse Named Tuni Anne Arceneaux is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and is an experienced educator who started her teaching career in the Chicagoland area and continued working in education in the Houston, Texas, area. Her span in the education field included but was not limited to teaching language arts and science in an integrated manner and working as a campus Science Instructional Coach. Although she thought she would never work in education again, Anne moved back to Louisiana after working in the oil and gas industry for six years. Upon her return, Anne instructed gifted students in fifth through eighth grades in St. Tammany public schools. She also worked as the STEM lab facilitator at Ursuline Academy in New Orleans. She is currently the Educational Television Technology Specialist at the PBS affiliate in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Anne's mission in life is to empower young people to know themselves and to believe they can reach their highest potential. Along with Tuni, Anne is developing a series called Gifted Glenn. In addition to writing for children, Anne creates poetry and stories for adults. Connect with Anne Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077570331405 Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuntieSarreh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maria_veronique3/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/analyticalanimation LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-arceneaux-m-ed-author-8a27911b4/ Buy A Horse Named Tuni on Amazon: https://a.co/hXMFhQM Buy A Horse Named Tuni BookBaby: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/a-horse-named-tuni
Isaac Peterson & Jessica Hammerman of Emerald Books share why it’s vital to share our stories
Feb 18 2023
Isaac Peterson & Jessica Hammerman of Emerald Books share why it’s vital to share our stories
Somewhere in the Middle welcomes Isaac Peterson & Jessica Hammerman of Emerald Books Dr. Jessica Hammerman holds a Ph.D. in history and has two decades of experience editing for writers of all kinds—academic, non-fiction, fiction, and textbooks. She has worked as an editor for Penguin Putnam and W.W. Norton and has also served as a copyeditor for several national magazines, including Condé Nast Traveler, Time Out New York, and Playbill. She lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, Isaac, and her two children, where she teaches world history. With twenty years of experience in digital design, art, and book layout, Isaac is the heart of Emerald Book design. He has designed books and built websites for fiction authors, memoirists, and professionals. He is an award-winning photographer, renowned painter, and illustrator, who has also authored a few books of his own. He brings an artistic eye to all of his book and web design projects. He is an excellent editor and coach and has a unique ability to bring out the most creative voice for writers and artists of all kinds. Connect with Jessica and Isaac Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emeraldbooksllc Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/emeraldbooksllc Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/emerald.books.usa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-hammerman-6954b0231/ Website: http://www.emerald-books.com Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Isaac-Peterson/e/B00JCUJ37A
Executive Coach Michael S. Seaver shares his journey from despair to helping others
Jan 21 2023
Executive Coach Michael S. Seaver shares his journey from despair to helping others
Somewhere in the Middle welcomes Executive Coach Michael S. Seaver  Michael S. Seaver is an award-winning executive coach, leadership consultant, keynote speaker, and author. He’s on a mission to unlock human potential to help people uncover and live their purpose and live a more meaningful and authentic life. His unique methodology has revolutionized how leaders can live authentically and how organizations engage employees. He offers no-nonsense strategies to help people find confidence in their life’s narrative, commonalities across generations working today, and ways to communicate with emotional intelligence. Michael’s newest book, I Know, A Practical Guide For Awakening To What’s Within And Finding Work-Life Integration, tells his story of excruciating emotional pain and contemplating suicide. Cleopatra, his cat, sensed his despair, kept him grounded and helped him rise from his life’s ashes. I Know is a how-to guide Michael uses with clients walking you through the three phases of personal transformation and nine processes you can complete alone or with trusted friends. The book tells Michael’s raw and authentic story, offers research-based psychological truths, and is full of real-world client examples. After reading I Know, you’ll transition from believing life’s answers come from outside yourself to knowing you can discover the answers already inside yourself. For more than 25 years, Michael has led teams and has coached global leaders since 2011. He’s invested thousands of hours in the arena, managing personal and organizational change, guiding others to uncover their lives’ missions, and teaching leaders how to create psychological safety by inviting employee life experiences into the workplace. Michael has been featured in numerous publications, including Forbes, Authority, Medium, Thrive Global, Arizona Republic, Business Journals, Accounting Today, Financial Executives International, and Best Companies USA. He is a frequent guest on international podcasts and has served on a variety of boards of directors. Michael graduated from the Thunderbird School of Global Management with an MBA and speaks a bit of Mandarin. He is certified by TTI Success Insights to administer the DISC, 12 Driving Forces, and Emotional Intelligence assessments. Connect with Michael S. Seaver Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelScottSeaver Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelsseaver Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelsseaver/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsseaver/  Website: https://michaelsseaver.com/  Book: I Know, A Practical Guide For Awakening To What’s Within And Finding Work-Life Integration
Chris Burns, Men Mastermind Coach & Podcast Host, shares how men and women can come together with greater understanding
Nov 19 2022
Chris Burns, Men Mastermind Coach & Podcast Host, shares how men and women can come together with greater understanding
Somewhere in the Middle welcomes Chris Burns, Men Mastermind Coach & Podcast Host Christopher Burns dedicates his life to coaching men to activate their purpose, power, and prosperity. He has been coaching men, entrepreneurs, leaders, and professionals for almost a decade and works with clients 1-on-1, in group coaching, home study courses, and hosts live events, retreats, and masterminds. Christopher’s company coaches and teaches men through the “Mastered Man Curriculum™,” where men create their Purpose Manifesto™, start to master the skill of Channeling Power™, download and receive their Prosperity Codes™, and implement the Transcendence Blueprint™ so they can leave their greatest legacy. He has interviewed 800 leaders, influencers, and experts, sharing powerful growth strategies, mindsets, and teachings to empower his audience to find the bigger answers to life, resulting in over 500,000 views and podcast downloads. Today, Christopher is the host of the Mastering The Man Within Podcast™ and the founder of the Men Mastermind™, a brotherhood dedicated to empowering men to become the ultimate creators of their reality, designing and living a life of success and fulfillment in every area of life that matters most to them! As Christopher says, “It’s time to LEVEL UP!” Connect with Chris Burns Facebook: http://Facebook.com/Th3Burns Instagram: http://Instagram.com/iAmMillionaireChris LinkedIn: http://LinkedIn.com/in/ChristopherCBurns Website: http://MenMastermind.com
Sam Thiara, Founder & Chief Motivating Officer at Ignite the Dream shares why your life and your story matters
Oct 22 2022
Sam Thiara, Founder & Chief Motivating Officer at Ignite the Dream shares why your life and your story matters
Somewhere in the Middle welcomes Sam Thiara, Founder & Chief Motivating Officer at Ignite the Dream Coaching and Consulting   Sam Thiara is a professional who has created a personal journey as a coach, speaker, storyteller, writer, workshop facilitator, educator, and entrepreneur. His goal is to engage individuals in personal and professional development. He was recognized by the Governor-General of Canada with the Canadian Sovereign’s Volunteer Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. His work is reflected in the hundreds of individuals he has mentored and the thousands he has engaged. Added to this are the 45+ non-profits he has worked with over the years. Sam is currently working on numerous projects. His area of expertise is engaging with post-secondary institutions, administrators, educators, students, and alumni to support the journey of all and the collaboration required to support each area. He is also called upon to help with organizational alignment and company improvements. Presently, Sam is the Founder and Chief Motivating Officer at Ignite the Dream Coaching and Consulting, a platform that engages his audience to define their path. He is a lecturer at the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. Sam blends academic and professional experiences into a rich environment that captivates his audience. He also spent many years in administration, building a unique program focusing on activities outside the classroom. He saw a transformation of a student population from disengagement to active engagement. Sam’s signature tagline is, “Everyone’s life is an autobiography. Make yours worth reading.” Connect with Sam Thiara Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sam.thiara.site Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sam_Thiara Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samthiara LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sthiara Website: http://sam-thiara.com