When you start to realize life is starting to change, change with it. Can we challenge the standard educational model to pursue a different path? Tyree shares how during his graduate school days, he struggles to accept the reality that it would change his life. But, knowing how much effort it took to get there - along with striving to make his mother proud - he finished the studies and graduated. But, was it worth it? A lot of us struggle with education as a bonus. Many of us never went to graduate school in our 20s and may consider it now. So, what's the real deal with graduate school? Transitions always have a catalyst that help to illuminate the path Losing family members is never easy. Tyree shares how his struggle to accept losing his mother shaped his 30s moving forward. What choice do you have other than to accept and move on? IS there more to accepting loss than simply admitting it happened and to cope with the hole left in your life? Turg mentions that loss doesn't always necessarily translate to a bad thing. And on the opposite side of loss, there is gain. Lessons can be learned in both forms and may be equally difficult to cope with.  So with loss comes gain and with gain comes personal growth How do we measure our progress without a catalyst to help push us through to the next level? What changes inside of us bleeds into our lives in more ways than we can measure. Tyree shares a bit of his perspective on the totality of death and the weight personal loss may carry on someone's soul. Nothing is final - but it may feel that way. Rise above and take yourself out of the moment in order to see what the future may hold.

The guys are joined by Brandie Freely - author,writing coach - as they dive into the essence of adult-level procrastination, why writing a book can teach you a lot about yourself, how love manifests itself in many different ways and... Battling long-term, adult level procrastination When trying to accomplish tasks that take a lot of focus, it can seem daunting to even think of crossing the finish line. Brandie shares her journey as she fights to complete her first book after a 10-year long process. Long distance relationships don't have to be out of reach Brandie gets personal as she and Randy compare experiences dating long-distance partners throughout their 30s and how that takes more than just a tough spirit to accomplish. The hardships of dating long-distance are well-documented, but how do these two really rate their experiences? Was it all worth the trouble? When taking a chance on someone pays off Eventually, when you find the person that's right for you it's a good time to reflect on the journey you took to get there. Brandie shares her struggles and successes with the triumphant outcome of her long-distance relationship and what it means for her today.  Learning to not to doubt the possibilities can help you learn more about yourself When Brandie had the chance to reflect on her accomplishments to-date, it became all-to-real of a realization that staying open to all of the opportunities and possible outcomes was her key to success.Closing doors leads to remorse and that's the last thing anyone needs in their lives, let alone their 30s.

This week Turg and Randy Z took a trip out to the beautiful 41st State Assembly District in Pasadena, California to connect with Assemblymember Chris Holden as he shares his journey through his 20s and 30s in the political arena as well as insights and tips for how to join the noble fight as an activist in your community. So, you're in your 20s and you're thinking about politics?! Chris shares his exposure to politics at an early age and how he was able to reflect on his role to make and impact changes in the community in which he grew up. So what does a 23-year-old know about politics? Well, really not a whole lot - but that doesn't mean you can't try to shake things up a bit. But, the decision wasn't easy. Chris talks about the choice between his love for basketball and the commitment he made to his community to pursue his purpose.  Find out more about Assemblymember Chris Holden on his district website and on Twitter

Another one for the road – Turg and Randy Z sit down for yet another 1-on-1 conversation that touches on the depth of our human emotion, experiencing traumatic situations and how we can use (our) children as a conduit to better understand our own emotion and how all of this relates to what helps push us through our 30s. Kids are a tough nut to crack – but what if we had stronger tools with which to ‘crack’ them? When we think of survival mode, we don’t really understand what activates within us that triggers our survivalist mentality. Randy shares his recent experience with bedtime at the Turgman residence and how he equates his experience to when Tom Hanks’ character in Castaway lost Wilson. Turg walks us through his experiences with parenting and the conversations that couple must have to divide and conquer the “kiddie chaos”. The most important thing to remember is to not let the chaos transcend reason and destroy the relationship. The next most important thing is to remember not to lose your cool – they’re just kids (easier said than done. Trust me, I know! – Turg) But going back to survival mode Survival mode is something we are all born with. It’s also something we aren’t always too sure on how to control. It can lead to undue stress and anxiety and if we let it – it can destroy our interpersonal relationships. Not to mention it can harm how we view ourselves. It’s important to understand our approach to our own emotions as well as our approach to parenting so that we are ensure the development of successful, confident and strong children. When taking risks, we don’t always understand what they are and how to approach them How we view the risks we take depends on how we perceive the situation and how well we take hold and work our way past the adversity. In its most simple form, we can learn a lot from our children and how they handle the ever-changing environment around them. Rationalizing a child’s behavior to help us better understand our own emotions Understanding the situation and understanding how to handle it – and most importantly not beating the crap out of your kid is the most important part of being a parent.

This week, Turg and Randy Z take a moment out of the interview schedule to go back to basics and discuss careers and pathways in more depth than ever before. Is spending too much time at one career stop a bad thing? Randy mulls over the past 10 years of his career at the same place. It's a bit of knowing you are in the right place and a little bit of complacency. But, with the comfort comes benefit and sacrifice. It's up to you to determine what is worth more at this point in your life. Is it worth starting over, or is it worth staying and growing in one place? Turg contrasts the last 4 years of career growth and challenges. There is a lot of change that comes with starting over so frequently, so when do you stop and 'smell the roses'? Does it ever end? When we take time to reflect - what do we find as the result of our thoughts and ambitions? Turg shares his experiences in speaking with other people on LinkedIn as he has found a new 'calling' as a self-proclaimed career coach of sorts. And within the recent dialogue, Turg shares a story about one of his LinkedIn interactions that stood out and serves as inspiration for him to reconsider the career path he's chosen. Seeking out others online - especially people you don't know - is sometimes a good strategy to get some real-time feedback without judgement. Have you ever considered going out of your 'local' network to find advice about your job or entrepreneurial aspirations?  Why is it so hard to take your own advice? New conversations always bring about this revelation. So, why is it that we can never seem to find the answer? Why is it that it's so much easier to watch others succeed rather than to try and succeed within our own world? Of course, every circumstance is different and offers its own set of challenges. Some people are just more risk averse than others and some people plain don't care about the risk or even considering it and just take a leap of faith simply based on confidence.  So in the end, how do I figure out what I really want to do? This is a challenging question that we can never really answer for you. But, here are some things you have to consider when contemplating your current situation (if you're not already self-employed): Do you want to feel fulfilled as part of an established enterprise?Do you want to feel that sense of collaborative validation?Do you feel like you've learned enough throughout your career to do it "on your own" as an entrepreneur? Do you know the risks associated with your decisions to stay or "go" and have you realistically evaluated them from every angle? Can you really account for every factor in your life that may impact your success? (The real answer here is NO, but it doesn't hurt to ask...) And of course, while we are always advocating finding your self and doing something you love - pursue the most realistic approach; something that works for you. In the end, if you're not happy - reach out and find a support system that will help you see, learn and grow more.

This week Turg and Randy Z are joined by LaKitia Woodard - Founder of A Sister's Truth, a company focused on helping women cope with the hardships that arise throughout their journey - as they discuss the reality behind the story of a sexual abuse survivor who set out on a mission to discover her purpose in life while working to inspire others to find courage behind their own voice.  Sharing your story not only helps inspire others, it helps liberate the soul LaKitia shares her story - or as she puts it - her journey to purpose and the feeling of loss she felt as she quietly suffered. It took one instance for her to break out of that feeling of perpetual hopelessness - when she began sharing her story. From then on, her journey was clear: help others in need of the same help, no matter the problem.  The truth is that everybody has common ground When we focus on exposing our truth and converting that into our purpose, we win. The benefit of sharing what pains us throughout our lives is the ability to find others who share the same experiences. Unifying a community of like-minded people, LaKitia focuses on searching out the issues and turning them into triumphs. This helps liberate others to love themselves and own their truth in order to overcome and find the courage to overcome their pain.  The 30s are amazing - so why do most people fear turning 30? Sharing a lot of what set the stage for her 30s, LaKitia talks about what made her 30s so powerful. Establishing herself and learning about herself and what drove her to success all began with her first experience in sharing her story. It all boiled down to a single interaction with a little girl who had been a consistent victim of sexual abuse. This interaction helped spur the passion behind her mission to help others fight these wrongs. The inspiration that came from that one moment helped her affirm what she sought to find. United by a singular purpose Often, when we look back at our lives and try to identify the turning point it comes down to a single moment in time. When we take the time to think about the triumphs we all experience throughout our lives, the ideal we need to maintain is that we help others along the way; it's not solely about us. How we help others throughout our journey through 30 is how we help ourselves thrive and grow as members of this global community.  To find out more about LaKitia and her mission at A Sister's Truth and join her on her mission to help others on their journey through 30.

Join Turg and Randy Z as they rap battle it out with their guest Jonathan - lawyer and once-upon-a-time rapper - as they discuss the duality of doing what you know you have to do and quenching that nagging feeling of what "could be" if you pursued your true purpose - something completely different than now. What happens when you look back and realize you missed one of life's hidden messages? Jon shares his experiences with choosing Law over an MBA and choosing school over pursuing a career in music. When we look back on our lives and the experiences we encounter, we can easily point out where things went wrong. How often have you wondered how different things could be had you pursued a different path throughout your 20s? How would that have impacted your 30s?  The choices we make don't always land us down the path we envisioned, so why don't we just start over? Shifting gears and pursuing a passion as a full-time career after investing so much time and effort into your existing career is a tough thing to imagine. Jon discusses how he is using his passion to help him supplement his current skill sets. Being a full-time lawyer doesn't allow time for much else. But, taking on his passion in a different way - from a different perspective - is something he is pursuing to help him  Why do we reach these revelations of change in our 30s? A lot of what we think boils down to that feeling of accomplishing something. A lot of us are approaching that point in our lives where we feel we have achieved a milestone. At that point, do we shift gears and change our path or do we stay the course? That nagging feeling we get - that thought of "I could be doing something more fulfilling" keeps chipping away at your patience for your current life choices. What do we do now? The guys discuss the challenges of fighting convention among those feelings of knowing we could do something much greater and on our terms. The focus of a Millennial mindset emphasizes independence and individuality. The world is stacked against us, but it is up to us to challenge the norm and take that leap to embrace the unknown. But what about everything we might potentially risk? The sacrifice that people made for us to get here is something in need of preservation. Jon mentions that there is a balance between just risking it all and taking a measured approach to pursuing a passion as a full-time gig. That's a very real fact. We are the product of several generations of sacrifice. Whether we realize it or not, we are here to preserve the hard work of those that helped shape our future. But, that doesn't always mean we shouldn't pursue what truly makes us happy. Jon shares how he is building his base to help him launch something even greater than what a 9-to-5 can provide.

Join Turg and Randy Z as they are joined by guest and friend-of-the-show Leslie Antonoff - blogger, writer, cooking star - as they discuss how daily growth and experience can help propel you to the next level in your life and... Knowing what to expect can be helpful sometimes... We can't really know what the expect when we haven't been there yet. But, throughout the journey through our 30s we are sometimes presented with the opportunity to learn at light speed. These experiences can help us generate a lot of knowledge in a short amount of time. Now - approaching our mid-30s - we can leverage the experience to help us thrive in our endeavors.  Being over-exposed to things isn't always a bad thing Though our generation has been painted as the "slash generation" in somewhat of a negative light, it isn't a bad thing. We are being exposed to so much in such a short amount of time that we are able to narrow our focus down on something we enjoy. Whether you pursue your passion or passionately pursue your endeavor, leverage what you learn to give you the edge. Millennials and kids get a bad wrap, but is it all true? If you have kids, you know it's tough. Statistically, Millennials have been acknowledged as the least likely to have kids. But why is that? Do kids get a bad wrap or is it just our personalities? Turg and Leslie discuss how kids are a lot of work, but in the end it's a joy they cannot live without. Kids do get a bad wrap among Millennials, but maybe it's because we just want to enjoy the freedoms. Or maybe it's a fear of impacting future generations.

Join Turg and Randy Z and their special guest Janice Llamoca - multimedia freelance journalist and associate producer for NPR's Latino USA - as they discuss Janice's journey through her 20s into her 30s as she climbed the ranks in her career as a journalist and producer. Where does a journey start and end? That is the question often asked, but rarely answered. It's difficult to know where life will take you throughout your journey. But, there's one thing you can always rely on, your sense of determination to strive toward your dreams. Janice shares with the guys how she managed to navigate her way through a tumultuous period in her 20s and still tackle her goals to land her dream job. Plans don't always pan out, so what then? Janice talks about how she planned to elevate her career game by continuing on with grad school. Well, turned out that it was too expensive to justify. When plans don't work out, sometimes we need to get creative. Combining skill with education doesn't always have to cost a fortune. Janice shares how she got creative and still got the degree she sought. Cultural influence is a necessary part of embracing your heritage Janice shares how she learned to embrace her culture through the spoken word. Through this she hopes to help influence others to learn about and embrace their culture. Her role in the community can be felt in a much broader way. Janice helps give back to others by simply sharing her knowledge and her stories. To learn more about Janice or to hear her piece - With You, Peru - on NPR's Latino USA, follow the links.

This week Turg and RandyZ as they redefine one of the many 'isms' that define the Millennial generation: "Faking it until you make it" with their guest Erin Rivera - photographer, videographer and brand storyteller. There are times when life just takes a turn and just going with it is the best bet. But what happens when that takes a turn for the worst and you end up stuck at a crossroads? Mixing business and pleasure - which gives way to which? Letting a relationship define you. What changes when it all ends? Is dating at 30 contributing to the rise of the vanity in our society? Feeling the pressure to get it right now more than ever. Can that lead to getting it wrong instead? Risk = success, so what now?

Join Turg and Randy Z as they share the journey of finding your true self with their guest Rediate Tekeste - Founder of the Ethiopian Diaspora Fellowship and professional social bridge-builder - as she shares her struggles with growing up African in a really American world and... Growing up confused can really mess up your 30s     Learn more about the Ethiopian Diaspora Fellowship and if you're interested make sure you apply. Let us know if you do @talkthirtypod

Join Turg and Randy Z as they are joined by their lovely guest Gretchen Bonaduce - ex-wife of the Partridge Family star Danny Bonaduce and recent published author of the book titled Surviving Agent Orange: And Other Things I Learned From Being Thrown Under the Partridge Family Bus" as they discuss her new book from a new and interesting perspective. The lessons we learn while in our 30s come from those reflecting on the mistakes they've made during their 30s Gretchen has certainly published an intriguing perspective on her life - taking the readers from her mid-20s to her early 40s as she recounts stories, lessons and regrets throughout her time spent married to Danny Bonaduce. The hardships of marriage are well known in our world. Throw in a world married to a child celebrity struggling with drug addiction and a host of other problems and you learn a lot and fast. Gretchen recounts her journey through her mid-20s entering into a mixed bag of emotions throughout her 30s. She shares her perspective on how religion, society, community and self-confidence all had a role to play in making decisions throughout her life.  It's not about how the story unfolds, it's about what you learned after it ends Grab your copy of Surviving Agent Orange: And Other Things I Learned From Being Thrown Under the Partridge Family Bus out now from Rare Bird Books. For more information on Gretchen Bonaduce visit her on social media @GretchenBonaduce and don't forget to grab a copy of her book on Amazon or your favorite book retailer.

Join Randy Z and Sankeyz as they entertain their very special guest - Anahit, the lovely wife of Turg - as they sit down and discuss everything from getting married before 30 to transitioning from wife to mother in the blink of an eye. This episode surely packs a lot of hidden gems, deleted scenes and never-before-heard history behind the scenes of the Turgman household. The Talk Thirty To Me team pulls out all the stops in this exclusive episode! Creating an identity based off of need not from want What happens when your future takes a completely unpredictable turn - right after you experience a huge life change? Well it happened to Anahit and she shares what it felt like to suddenly transition from one identity to the next with little time in between. If the hardships that come with adjusting to married life, try adding on parent. Life takes unexpected turns that just take you away from the goals set throughout your 20s and 30s. So what happens next? What happens when the choices you want to make are no longer yours to decide? Incorporating culture into everyday life - for the sake of the children Perspective on the cultural influence when raising children is starting to take new shape based on the culture. How do you raise your children in a world where culture is truly melting pot than tribal pride. Anahit shares her beliefs in regards to raising children with culture and the importance of creating that cultural identity. She also shares how even though she transitioned into more of a global mindset as she grew into her 30s, culture still plays an important part in her life; it's important to have children exposed to some kind of "different". W When new world clashes with old world and love is on the line Anahit shares her experience with dating in her 20s and how culture dictated the attitude behind dating and relationships. Sharing an anecdote from her own parents' lives, she juxtaposes her own real-world experiences in matchmaking throughout her 20s - even when she had been dating her now-husband, Turg. Culture certainly dictated this circumstance in her life, but how did it shape her views and morph her attitude toward her culture throughout her 20s and into her 30s? Dating in your 30s versus dating in your 20s We discuss the differences between the 20s mindset and the 30s mindset when it comes to dating. Anahit shares her views on why she probably would've done things differently with Turg if they were dating in their 30s. There is something about the 30s that alters the way we think. Anahit mentions how patience plays a big role into accepting someone in your 20s versus as in your 30s. Does the lack time you have to date in your 30s play into this fact?

Just in time for back-to-school Turg, Randy Z are back and joined by their super secret special co-host Sankeyz. Join the guys as they shake off the cobwebs of a month-long, unannounced hiatus and get back behind the mics for some fun podcasting adventures. Change is a part of life - so get used to it Sankeyz discusses changes over the past 5 months that have left him with more questions than answers. New job. Changing economy. All these things are affecting his ability to make decisions and execute. Randy shares his new home-buying adventures. Will Randy ever close escrow? More negotiations to come for Randy throughout the process, but this is a lesson you can't be told - something you need to learn on your own. Randy is certainly not happy with his home-buying situation, but how far is he willing to go? Taking a break from something is A-OK The guys open up about not releasing during the month of July. Summer lull? Just plain lazy? Well, it's a bit of both. Podcasting isn't easy. Breaks are certainly a part of making sure you remain engaged in your creative endeavor. This is why we have vacations at work. So why are the guys struggling with the idea of coming back to the show and releasing more episodes? A lot of this is attributed to the changes that have come about in recent months. Accelerating through your 30s might be such a challenge that it's often hard to maintain hobbies or even a set, regimented schedule. Turg offers some insight as to why stepping away might be better than just powering through just to get it done. But, are we of a societal mindset that values mediocre content over the more meaningful stuff? Unexpected change or transition can sometimes derail progress, so how do you handle it? Randy gets deep into his thoughts about the considerations going into this new phase in his life. Grad school? New home? Marriage? Kids? Why does 30 have to be so hard?! And it goes by so fast. A common theme of our 30s has been the lack of time. Now more than ever, being really shrewd with time is critical in ensuring you are maximizing your potential in your 30s. The decisions we make now will shape the rest of our 30s and maybe even beyond. It's important to think carefully about the next steps and implications they may have. Coping with 30 never ends Turg shares his mechanisms behind coping with 30. It's not easy, but there is a way to do it and he's always mentioned it. Write. Write out your feelings, your thoughts, goals, desires. Get it all out. This mechanism helps you align your thoughts with your emotions and gets everything out of your head and onto paper. It might be perceived as a way to just forget, but in most regards it helps clear the mind and allows for new thoughts and emotions. Kind of like a scab. Randy asks Turg some really difficult questions to which Turg can't really answer. In our 30s we don't really have all the answers. That's the beauty of  being 30. Just embrace the unknown and keep on pushing forward until we figure this thing out together.

Join Turg and Randy Z as they sit down to get real about the strategy behind being in your 30s including - home buying, borrowing against your future, stretching your dollar to the absolute maximum, comparing our lives to that of our parents and confronting the fact that we must now get serious about making adult decisions. Enough, enough when it comes to home buying. When do you call it quits? Randy shares his struggles with the home buying process. Three years in, and he's still facing the same issues he faced at the very beginning.  Repeating the same thing over and over, while expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. Is Randy insane? Turg thinks Randy is simply insane to keep trying. Randy disagrees wholeheartedly. In the end the strategy you set forth has to be the best for you financially as well as mentally. Remember, not all strategy can be based purely on the financial element alone. It's always important you consider the intangibles when making large life decisions. Strategy and finances isn't always easy, so how do we do it at 30? Turg gets into the risks of over-extending your finances during economic boom-times. He hits on how making a financial decision during economically strong times is a risky move. It's important we consider the cyclical nature of the economics at play. While Randy is no expert, he talks about the strategy his father used when purchasing a house and how that impacts his perspective. It's always important to factor in what our parents knew and learned in life to help us excel. Were our parents this bad at their 30s? There is a big generational gap - not to mention historical gap - between us and our parent.s Let's face it, often we feel that our generation got the short end of the stick. This is felt in every aspect of our lives and especially felt when making the difficult decisions that push our through our 30s. Turg and Randy are contemplating if their parents felt the same way or struggled with the same feeling of 'immaturity' Randy sometimes feels. It's one of those things we can never compare. A lot of times, it's simply because we will never know the extent of the adversity it was that they all faced. It comes down to the basic premise that we all have difficult lives filled with difficult decisions. How do we take the experiences from those around us now approaching their 40s and try not to repeat history? Of course we always tell ourselves we are different. We are unique. We won't make that mistake. But since we were children we have been predisposed to the same shortcomings of past generations. Now more than ever we are starting to feel the changes in the world and relating to have they affect us. So, how do we take the lessons our peer groups have learned and learn from them? One thing we need to do - as a lot of us older Millennials begin to hit the halfway point of our journey through 30 - is listen. Listening to our peers and our mentors. Opening our ears to the experiences and keeping our eyes open to the potential outcomes that parallel themselves in all of our lives. How can we master our 30s for the benefits of our 40s? This is the illusive question we always try to answer - in more ways than one. But Turg and Randy share how being purposeful and understanding what you are learning on a daily basis is critical to succeeding.

Join Turg and Randy Z as they trek to the virtual Pacific Northwest to link up with their guest Kyle "Hondo" Henderson - social entrepreneur and serial podcast producer - as he discusses the complete change in perspective that came with all of the self-inflicted change he has endured in his 30s and... When transitioning to a new town at 30 how do you approach forming new relationships? Hondo relocated to a new town at 30 and it was all rooted in meeting new people. This is contrary to what we usually discuss - we even did an entire episode on how to make friends at 30. So why did Hondo relocate in order to make friends? Hondo challenged himself to go beyond his comfort zone to form new bonds with a completely new set of people. New experiences at 30 come with a lot of stress and anxiety for a lot of us Millennials. In some regards, putting yourself in new situations helps you push through that anxiety and stress and opens you up to new people and experiences. Turg remarks how it is quite rare to find someone like Hondo - who - can somewhat "match make" people with friendships at 30. It's not an easy feat - especially getting people to buy-in at this age. We can't always succeed when we try, so how do we keep moving past the failures? Hondo shares his experiences with trying new things throughout his 20s. The one common denominator between a lot of his pursuits - failure. He shares how he didn't let this discourage him and how he managed to use turning 30 as an excuse to take a new perspective on life and embrace the failure as a mechanism to his eventual success. And we use success a lot here on the show and in the blog - but we have to remember success is always a relative term. When you feel that sense of accomplishment and fulfillment, those tend to serve as motivators to keep us pushing through to the next level - no matter what. Friendships are great, but what about the love interests? What happens when finding the right person suddenly becomes more difficult than expected? How do you move to a new town? What kind of prep work goes into making the change? Hondo mentions that he moved to Seattle because a lot of the research he conducted led him to believe he would have no problem finding a match in the Seattle community. As easy as it may seem on paper - relationships are anything but. The challenge is not only finding someone you want to spend time with, but factoring in similar likes, hobbies and passions. It's a change that needs time to settle in, but if you can put enough effort behind it - anything is possible. What about our 30s allows us to manipulate our approach on how we navigate through our adulthood? Turg asks Hondo about his commitment to his goal - 'No more new endeavors for the entire year'. On the Audio Weigh in Podcast Hondo mentions how you have to impart a bit of discipline and self-restraint when planning out goals and objectives for the long or short term. Fulfillment comes when you can set realistic goals and tackle them accordingly. It's a lot of work to build some kind of stability in your 30s. Learning to cut back and make the impact of what you are doing felt - either financially, socially or romantically.

Join Turg and Randy Z as they are joined by their guest, long-time friend of the show and author/designer - Kristen Lem - to discuss the truth behind the freedom of setting financial goals and planning toward your independence, relationship successes, failures, and quagmires, sexual feelings and the realities of dating in your 30s, and... Why is being honest with yourself about your life goals so challenging at 30? Kristen shares her story of career freedom that took her all the way from being content with what she was doing to becoming dissatisfied almost overnight. Putting together an action plan and financial road map as to how she would eventually accomplish her career-freedom was key to her successful execution. But, why is planning for these things always so challenging? If quitting your job overnight was easy - no one would do it. Often times we find the answer to our unhappiness, but it's always such a challenge to unlock that path. Kristen discusses how - for her - financial stability was the biggest challenge she faced. But long term, she knew she would reap the rewards almost instantly. It all started with being honest with where she was and where she wanted to be in life. It might take your whole life to find your passion, don't give it up. When you get that gut feeling telling you that you have to make a change, but you can't figure out why - what do you do? Kristen shares her obsession with creative ventures and - more specifically - design and sounds. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out how to get what you want to do out in the open. How do we prepare ourselves for the transition? A lot of us might already be preparing ourselves for a move that might come later in life. Kristen shares how she got burned out in the corporate world and sought a transition. But she recalls how she didn't realize that the entire time she had been setting herself up for a future of independence. A lot of this falls back on networking and understanding what you have to offer others in your network. Turg shares how he approaches preparing himself for a potential transition - and it all really boils down to preparing the network and understanding your self-wroth in your 30s. So we've road mapped to our independence - what about our relationships? Kristen shares her perspective on dating more than one person - a perspective she's shared before on our blog. Turg shares how time is essential in maximizing your dating approach, so dating multiple people at once makes all too much sense. Randy discusses how it's so hard to identify the true potential of an individual when dating - it's not pointless to get to know someone, but anything can change. Focusing on dating and the relationships you form is critical. Kristen shares her approach to narrow down the field - be honest and upfront about your intentions. Being true with yourself and your partners is the essential part of successfully navigating the single world in your 30s. And if you want to let someone down - maybe try "Caspering" instead of straight up ghosting.

Join Turg and Randy Z as they perform the now 'traditional' mid-year review. How has 2018 been for the guys thus far? Has the year shaped up to be as promising and full of opportunity as they had initially hoped? The discussion takes its twists and turns and gets real pretty fast. Can you keep up?  What is the Slash Generation? A topic brought up in casual conversation prior to this episode, the guys touch on what it means to be a part of the Slash Generation. To sum it up - we do a lot of things well, but we tend not to excel at anything we do. Is this a product of our efforts or are we merely a product of the times? Is it wrong to excel at something when you can't truly gain the experience needed to do so? Randy shares how his wake up call came when evaluating his journey through 2018. A hard look in and a conversation later and Randy was questioning his decision making and explaining the justification behind it all. Struggling with identity at 30 is the new normal, so how do you cope with it? When we - as a generation - were growing up, we were always asked what it was that would eventually define us. Maybe it sounded a little more like, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" We were trained as children to use what we did to define ourselves and our successes. This 'career as an identity' thing has been going on long enough. Coupling this with the fact that we - as Millennials - are trying vehemently to overcome this notion of 'career as an identity' it seems like there is a huge struggle to figure out our purpose in life. Do we even need that figured out at this point? Turg struggles with the thought and can't seem to figure out what the answer might be. Maybe therein lies the problem. The answer doesn't always need a conclusion - just a discussion point is enough to start the journey toward finding the next step in the evolution of thought. Randy shares what he thinks identity is and it all boils down to circumstance and his audience. Since we are the Slash Generation is it safe to say this is commonplace among most Millennials? When the dreaded Impostor Syndrome sets in, what can we do to snap back into reality? What happens when you're the one making the decisions until you finally realize you have no clue what you're doing? Has this ever happened to you? Is it happening to you now? Turg shares how he's struggling with the role and responsibility he's been working toward over the past four years. When you don't feel like you have the necessary skills yet developed to tackle pressure cooker situations, what do you do? The one thing I have realized (speaking in the first person helps) that helps is asking the right people the right questions and knowing when to ask for help. The other thing is always heading into a confrontation or discussion prepared with the right responses and support if you want to gain the support of your peers and superiors. Of course, this comes laden with tons of inherent failure backed into the equation, but it's failure that must be embraced in order to learn, course correct and eventually excel. The term "Faking it until I make it" has become this sort of pop culture norm, but what does it really mean? Can we truly fake something and let time pass by until we finally make it? I personally don't think our generation is the type of generation to just coast into something. The patience required is uncharacteristic of our collective mindset. Not to mention that Millennials tend to over-extend themselves in whatever it is they pursue. For the most part, careers don't mean what they used to mean for Millennials - or people in general. Turg shares how he's become too focused on the pursuit of a career so much that he's let it affect his future endeavors. Will these changes come with age? Will the reformulation of what it means to excel at life Has 2018 been a complete asshole for you? Let us know! And finally...how about some succulent succulents? Then http://www.talkthirtytome.

Join Turg and Randy Z as they tackle the tough topics on social injustice, gender bias. This episode brings a very special guest, Sarah Rizkalla - founder and editor-in-chief of New York Minute Magazine and social justice entrepreneur - as she shares her story from the halls Wall Street to her constant fight against naysayers. How do you make it being a social pioneer and voice for women in a world where no one wants you to succeed? What happens when you realize that the career you chose challenged your values on every level possible? Sarah shares her experience on Wall Street, working for one of the worst banks on the Street and reflects on her hardships throughout her time  there. A very unique experiences, Sarah provides insight on how men and women alike share workplace discrimination on the Street. This social injustice is easy to overlook when you're caught in the middle of it all. But, if being a woman wasn't enough, Sarah shares how her background also greatly influenced her journey through thirty. Growing up in Egypt and emigrating to the U.S. at an early age, Sarah parallels her experiences there to the current state of gender equality in the United States. Clearing the air - empowering women is not about discrediting men It's important to realize, however, gender equality can be achieved without alienating or urging hatred toward men. Sarah shares how she makes this a very prominent message in her fight to end social injustice toward women. For equality to happen - power has to be shared, but there isn't any malice behind that mentality. Sarah emphasizes that in order to shift the balance women need to stand up and make it known they want to achieve that equal playing field. How do we condition against ignorance in the workplace when it comes to putting effort toward achieving equality? There are a number of things that men just plain do not know when it comes to treating others equally in the workplace. It takes a conscious effort to create a workplace truly dedicated toward achieving equality. We have to start chipping away at boundaries, making more of an effort to promote equality and make progress toward inclusion. It's definitely a Millennial mindset to take the progress made and apply it toward the same progressive platform. We are all collectively building toward a a more positive future in order to better serve our interests. How does culture play a role toward becoming woke in your 30s? A lot of what we see here in America isn't indicative of how it is in other countries. Sarah, shares her experience growing up as an Egyptian woman and how that impacted her perspective. It is almost common knowledge that Middle Eastern cultures are male-dominant. Sarah shares how growing up a Christian woman in a society that has clearly defined gender roles led to her awakening. She highlights how her experiences throughout life have helped her align the themes and help spark the fire that fuels her fight for the right solutions. Long term, if we cannot view social issues wit ha more global lens, the future will be any different from the present. When we face uncertainty because of the insecurities we maintain, how do we rise above to pursue our dreams? It's so easy to give in to the social norms and maintain conformity in our lives. Especially in our 30s when everyone is getting married, having kids and starting a family, it's difficult to fight on and stick true to your beliefs. Sarah shares how culture played a big role in casting doubt on her efforts to start New York Minute Magazine. When she was surrounded by the social norms, pressured by her family and culture to conform to what was labeled as the "right" thing, she had to make a decision. Her decision was to tough it out and stick to what she knew was right for her. Her passion to keep fighting to help educate men and women alike was much greater than any familial or cultural pressure. However, Sarah shares how fear and doubt kept creeping in - e...

Join Turg and Randy Z as they engage their savvy guest Natalie Torres-Haddad - award winning author, TEDx speaker and financial influencer - as they discuss the realities behind finances and most importantly financial literacy - or lack thereof - in our lives and... Why we are not set up for financial success in school? Natalie - a business major - shares her experiences with the lack of formal education in the realm of financial literacy. It's an important topic that doesn't get as much attention as it needs. The reality is that our schools do not help support financial education for children of all ages. The fundamentals of finances are always discovered the hard way. Natalie, Turg and Randy reminisce about college and how financial trouble usually brought invaluable lessons along with it. Unfortunately, even now, information on how to be financially free and successful in our lives comes at the expense of learning the hard way. What impact does culture have on financial transparency? You'd never think that culture played a role in finances, but it does. Natalie shares her real-life experiences with family and finances and not being able to pinpoint how her family was doing financially. Growing up, we might not have noticed how finances were discussed among our parents. But moving forward - and now especially in our 30s and if we have children - it's important to understand how transparency helps share lessons with all involved. When kids start asking about finances, it's important not to hide things from them that might help them discover their own path toward the subject. For many cultures it's taboo to discuss finances - how do we break that cycle in order to help future generations - especially emerging minority populations? How is property buying the key to unlocking financial freedom? Natalie and Turg share their property buying experiences and compare and contrast their successes and failures. Understanding that property can contribute to completely shifting your financial status is important. In the same breath, however, understanding that it could also cost you is equally important. Making the right moves in buying property can help liberate your finances - despite what you may think. Lots of more options are available to you once you buy. But, when you buy, be careful to measure your risks and calculate out your tolerance. When is the right time to buy property? It's always important to know when to buy. Turg shares that his first property came at close to the high point of the housing market back in the early 2000s. Natalie shares her experiences with home owners that went all-in during the peak and suffered the consequences. The lessons learned when investing are always tough. The old adage "It takes money to make money" couldn't be more true than it is today, however, knowing how much to invest and when to invest it is always important. Before you go all-in on something, make sure you've studied the markets, understand your potential financial exposure, and weigh your options carefully. Often times, surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people, books and even social groups might help you gain more of an understanding your future investments