The Exit Interview | On Air

What happens when you've climbed to the top, proven yourself a hundred times over, and still find yourself fighting the same battles — until one day you realize you're just done?

In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Katie Naughton, founder of Drive Her Forward, former dealership owner, and one of the less than 1% of women who have owned automotive dealerships. From elite gymnast to co-owning a Kia dealership in Canada to navigating the cutthroat world of mergers and acquisitions, Katie has spent her career in on...

Carol Lin - Official Site & Book (https://www.carollinnow.com/)

CNN anchor Carol Lin broke the news of 9/11 live. 25 years later, she reveals what happened when the teleprompter went blank — and why she walked away to reinvent her life.

Emmy-winning journalist Carol Lin was at the anchor desk in Atlanta on September 11, 2001, when she had to tell the world what was happening with no script and no context. In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, Carol shares what that morning was really like inside the CNN newsroom, how 9/11 became the inflection point that le...

18% vs 80%: The Hidden Truth Inside The Music Business | Marc E. Bassy

What does a $1.5M major record deal really cost? Hit songwriter turned independent label owner Marc E. Bassy breaks down the real music business, music royalties, and why owning your masters beats chasing a major label.

On this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air with Shana Aya, Marc reveals the code behind the music industry — from how a record deal actually pays, to how he walked away from a major and kept 80% of 170M streams instead of 18%. If you’re an independent artist, crea...

He had everything Wall Street could buy — money, status, a seat at the table. It still wasn't enough. Something was missing.

Sam Polk was a millionaire trader on wall street by his late twenties. On paper, he'd won the game. But the more he earned, the emptier it felt — until one moment forced him to ask the question so many professionals are afraid to ask: if I have everything and I'm still not fulfilled, what am I actually chasing?

This is a career pivot story told from the inside. Sam walked away from the golden hand...

What happens when the one skill standing between you and career resilience isn't your expertise, your credentials, or your network — but your willingness to show up imperfectly, consistently, and publicly in a world that rewards the confident over the competent?

In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Goldie Chan, the original OG of LinkedIn personal branding, LinkedIn Top Voice, author of Personal Branding for Introverts, and motivational speaker who has built an empire by teaching people how to stand out in an AI saturated world.

What happens when you realize that the one thing standing between you and six figures isn't your expertise, your credentials, or your work ethic — but the seven seconds it takes for someone to decide whether they're going to keep listening or walk away?

In today’s Expert Corner episode on The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Marina Stamos, pitch expert and founder of The One Minute Talk method, to break down the anatomy of a pitch that actually converts. From networking events to closing calls, Marina unpacks the exac...

What happens when the career ladder you spent years climbing suddenly collapses beneath you — and the only way forward is to admit the old rules no longer apply, the entry-level positions have vanished, and the future of work looks nothing like what we were promised?

In this raw and unfiltered episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron unpack the seismic shifts reshaping the labor market as AI eliminates roughly 16,000 jobs per month, according to Goldman Sachs. From BCG's report concluding that AI will reshape more jobs than it replaces to Ya...

What happens when you start a business at 16 to pay rent after your father is killed, build a UFC career that wasn't even the original plan, and then turn everything you learned in the cage into a fight promotion, management company, and gym empire that's rewriting the path for the next generation?

In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Anthony "Showtime" Pettis, former UFC Lightweight Champion and one of the most electrifying fighters in MMA history, and his wife Lisette Pettis, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the...

What happens when the skills you spent years undervaluing turn out to be someone else's competitive advantage?

In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Munir Haque, President of Cure8, a cybersecurity and IT firm operating in one of the most complex, fast-moving industries in America: cannabis. From graffiti artist to touring musician to retail leader designing stores selling to the Saudi Royal family, Munir had built a career most people would kill for. He was running the best store in the country, making more money...

What does it take to lead when one mistake could define your entire career?

In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown, Nevada's first Black mayor, who is rebuilding North Las Vegas from economic collapse while facing scrutiny most leaders will never experience. From classroom teacher to running a city, Mayor Goynes-Brown shares her leadership journey from never planning to attend college to becoming to ultimately becoming the elected mayor in 2022.

This conversation breaks down what it actually...

In this episode of The Exit Interview, Laurel Mintz, Founder of Elevate Your Brand and Fabric VC, joins Kisha and Shana to discuss her unconventional path from a corporate M&A lawyer to an interim CEO at 26, and finally to a venture capitalist. Laurel breaks down why "investing in diversity isn't a charity" and shares the raw, "sad boxing" moments of building a $10M fund from the ground up. We explore her unique "Sweat + Cash" equity model, her decision to turn her agency into an ESOP, and why she believes success in 2026 is defined by one thing: Freedom.

What happens when the institutions you devoted your career to building up were never actually built for you — and the only way forward is to admit the invisible labor is crushing you, the burnout is real, and rest isn't weakness, it's resistance?

In this raw and unfiltered episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Dr. Zaibis Muñoz-Isme and Dr. Alicia Bates, two scholar practitioners who built careers in higher education to change things from the inside. There struggles in higher education mirror professionals navigating today’s corpo...

What happens when the entertainment industry you built your career in starts cannibalizing itself — and the only way forward is to admit the models are broken, the ecosystem is collapsing, and no one knows what comes next?

In this raw and unfiltered episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron unpack the seismic shifts happening across Hollywood as major studios face potential acquisitions, mass layoffs, and an existential reckoning with streaming, AI, and the rise of platforms like YouTube that are quietly eating everyone's lunch.

From the looming Warner Br...

What if the system designed to keep you healthy… was never built for health at all?

In this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air, Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with Dr. Darshan Shah—board-certified surgeon, longevity expert, and founder of Next Health—who pivoted from traditional western medicine after it nearly destroyed his own health.

After decades in high-stress surgery, Dr. Shah found himself overweight, diabetic, and burned out—despite being at the top of his field. What he discovered next challenges everything we think we know about healthcare, stress, and longevit...

Emmy Award-winning actor Lamorne Morris — best known as Winston on New Girl and for his Emmy-winning role in Fargo — sits down with hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron on The Exit Interview | On Air to share one of Hollywood's most earned success stories.

From growing up on the South Side of Chicago, getting cut from his high school basketball team, and discovering comedy at Second City, to landing in LA with literally negative $11 in his bank account — Lamorne's path to Hollywood was anything but straight.

In this episode we cover:

In this bonus episode, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron get the inside scoop from top Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon Dr. Stuart Linder. Known as the body contouring specialist, Dr. Linder has spent nearly three decades mastering breast surgery, body sculpting, and educating the public on plastic surgery. Dr. Linder shares his journey of specialization and how he became one of the most sought-after breast surgeons in the country, completing thousands of surgeries.

Dr. Linder shares 2026 trends, raw truths about materials, surgery and the results. Plus, why BBLs (Brazilian Butt Lifts) are one of the most...

Dr. Stuart Linder and Blake Linder prove that being a public figure across two generations isn’t about chasing visibility — it’s about passion, mastery of your craft, and knowing when to evolve from the platform that made you famous to the project that will define your legacy. In this episode, hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the father-son duo who built public platforms in radically different eras.

Dr. Stuart Linder, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, broke into broadcast television when it was taboo for doctors to appear in media. Through appearances on MTV’s...

The beauty tax isn't just about makeup and heels — it's the invisible extra hour women spend preparing to command authority in rooms where appearance determines whether you're heard or dismissed. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron dive into one of the most unspoken yet universal experiences in professional women's lives: the presentation tax that comes with showing up to board meetings, C-suite presentations, and high-stakes rooms where your credibility is measured before you even open your mouth. From the brutal reality that looking polished isn't optional when you're trying to be taken seriously, to the strategic calculation of he...

Chelsea Grayson proves that running into a burning building isn't reckless — it's the ultimate act of leadership when you're the only one willing to make the hard calls, fire the toxic players, and save thousands of jobs. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the former CEO of American Apparel, True Religion, and Spark Networks, a former Big Law equity partner who made the rare leap from General Counsel to the C-suite and built a career as the turnaround expert who gets called when companies are bleeding cash, drowning in lawsuits, and headed straight into Chapter 11. Fr...

Nicole Riehl proves that leaving a six-figure corporate banking career to open a coffee stand isn't reckless — it's the ultimate act of reclaiming your time, your sanity, and your definition of success. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the Nicole Riehl, the Cowgirl Barista, a former Chase Bank branch manager who walked away from a six-figure job and corporate life to build a drive-through coffee business from scratch in her small Oregon hometown — with zero coffee-making experience. From spending 10 years climbing the corporate ladder and managing business clients to realizing she was missing her daughter's chil...

Moira Conlon proves that controlling your message in the age of disinformation, fake news, and social media isn't just about managing crises — it's about showing up authentically, knowing when to pivot your advice, and understanding that communications is no longer a nice-to-have function but a strategic advantage that creates value and mitigates risk. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the CEO and founder of public relations firm Financial Profiles, a communications expert who's spent decades mastering the art of investor relations, crisis management, and corporate storytelling across some of the most dynamic companies in the wo...

Nick Vandre proves that the skills forged in over 20 years of Army Special Operations — grit, adaptability, radical problem-solving — are the same skills that build successful businesses, if you're willing to do the deep work and face who you really are. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the co-founder of Bravory Bakehouse and Director of National Security & Ecosystem Ventures for 21cv, a veteran who completed more than 15 combat tours and missions most of us will never know about. From growing up on a farm in the Midwest watching GI Joe at eight years old to volunteering for...

John Chaffetz proves that building a billion-dollar asset management firm isn't about chasing size — it's about breaking the echo chamber and never losing sight of the fact that investments are products designed for real people. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the co-founder and principal of Timberlane Partners, a Seattle-based real-estate investment, development and asset management firm managing approximately $1.5 billion in assets (As of 2025, the time of this recording). John unpacks his journey of building his firm from two guys in a truck to a 30-person semi-institutional powerhouse. He reveals why the personal relationship with hi...

Negotiating your worth isn't just about asking for more money — it's about understanding the invisible game being played, knowing when to walk away, and recognizing that it's never really about you. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron dive deep into one of the most critical yet misunderstood moments in every professional's career: how to navigate promotions, salary bumps, and career advancement when your timeline doesn't match your boss's, when the company's priorities shift beneath your feet, and when you're stuck wondering if you should stay and fight or cut your losses and leave. From the brutal reality that yo...

Nikki Barua proves that surviving the AI reckoning isn't about resisting change — it's about embracing impermanence, shedding your ego, and becoming an explorer instead of an expert. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the award-winning entrepreneur, best-selling author, AI leadership pioneer and reinvention expert who's been working in artificial intelligence since 1997 — long before ChatGPT made it accessible to the masses. As co-founder of Flipwork, Nikki takes a radically human approach to AI, focusing on amplifying what makes us uniquely human rather than replacing us with machines. From the democratization of intelligence and the collapse of midd...

Micki Jafa-Bodden proves that standing up to a predator isn't career suicide — it's the ultimate act of moral courage when everyone else is too scared to speak. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the former in-house counsel and VP of Compliance for Bikram Yoga, a lawyer who uncovered a pattern of sexual harassment and assault so pervasive it reached into hotel rooms, training camps, and even her own workplace — then did the unthinkable: sued her own employer, took it to trial, and won a unanimous multi-million dollar jury verdict. From being headhunted in her late thir...

Starting over at 39 isn't failure — it's the new normal in a world where job security is dead and career pivots are survival strategy. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron dive deep into one of the most critical yet terrifying moments in every professional's life: navigating a second career when the stakes are highest. From the brutal reality that the average person starts a new career at 39 — right when family responsibilities peak and corner offices feel within reach — to the seismic shifts in corporate America driven by mergers, AI disruption, mass layoffs, and government restructuring, they unpack why no one is...

Negotiating a salary or promotion isn't just about showing up — it's about strategic positioning, self-promotion, and knowing exactly when to walk away. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron dive deep into one of the most critical yet misunderstood moments in every professional's career: how to successfully negotiate your way up the ladder. From the fear and insecurity that keeps people silent about their worth to the tactical strategies that actually work when asking for that promotion, they unpack why so few people advocate for themselves effectively — and what you can do to change that starting today.

Shan...

Julian Alcaraz proves that building a business with your spouse isn't just about strategy and execution — it's about surrender, vulnerability, and knowing when your foundation is crumbling beneath you. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the co-founder of Street Parking, a husband and father of three who walked away from a promising acting career to pursue competitive CrossFit, then built a multi-thousand member fitness subscription business alongside his wife — all while navigating the brutal truth that external success means nothing when your marriage is falling apart. From growing up in rural Oregon and chasing Hollywood drea...

Salary negotiation isn't just about numbers — it's about knowing your value and having the courage to talk about money. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron break down one of the most critical yet uncomfortable conversations in every professional's career: how to negotiate your worth. From the fear and embarrassment that keeps people silent about compensation to the practical strategies that actually work, they unpack why so few people are taught how to advocate for themselves when it matters most — and what you can do to change that.

Shana and Kisha reveal why research is everything, how to f...

Anaïs Lempereur proves that adapting to change isn't just a survival skill — it's the ultimate competitive advantage. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the CFO of Hallmark Media, a finance powerhouse who's mastered the art of transition across some of the world's most dynamic companies — from Caesars Entertainment to Spotify, Pluto TV, Sweetgreen, and now Hallmark. From landing her first finance job at a career fair meant for cocktail waitresses to navigating multiple IPOs, leading companies through public-to-private transitions, and building finance infrastructure from scratch with nothing but a laptop, Anaïs unpacks her journe...

Hermoz Parsa proves that moving forward is the only option. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the CEO of 1.0.1 Vodka, an entrepreneur who survived third-degree burns on 70% of his body, two months in a coma, and the complete collapse of everything he'd worked for when his distillery caught fire. A distillery he built in his 20’s landing deals with Ralph's and Walmart, to a freak accident involving 190-proof alcohol and a single spark that changed everything, Hermoz unpacks his journey of radical resilience — how he put himself out while on fire using a five-gallon water cool...

Season One wasn't just about career pivots — it was about the raw, unfiltered humanity behind every bold move, every risk, and every reinvention. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron pull back the curtain on their first season of The Exit Interview, year-end reflecting on the moments that surprised them, the lessons that changed them, and the conversations that proved this show is about so much more than resumes and LinkedIn profiles. From learning to be on camera for the first time to discovering the exhausting reality of active listening, they share what it really takes to create a po...

Ameetess Dira, CMO of Petzey proves that starting over isn't failure — it's the ultimate act of self-reinvention and courage. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the CMO of Petzey and entrepreneur behind NogSmith, who walked away from a high-profile media career in Manila to start over as a nobody in the United States. From hosting morning shows and running her own marketing company to pumping gas for the first time as an adult and working as a hostess at the Peninsula Chicago, Ameetess unpacks her journey of radical humility — how she left everything that defined her...

Chris Lowder proves that crushing your ego and embracing cultural intelligence is the ultimate competitive advantage in global business. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the co-founder of Lowder Toscarella Hospitality, a globally awarded hospitality leader who's built world-class bars and restaurants from Shanghai to Seoul to Miami. From starting as a translator to surviving COVID lockdowns in China, importing $300,000 whiskey casks with custom cartoon labels, and opening the first bar in Korea to crack the World's 50 Best list, Chris unpacks his non-linear journey of radical adaptability — how he learned Mandarin to sell sp...

What happens when a global pandemic meets the world's most technologically advanced surveillance state? Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron interview one American entrepreneurs experience living in Shanghai when COVID first broke out. He reveals to listeners how QR codes determined your freedom, security cameras monitored your quarantine, and an entire apartment building adopted a goat as their pandemic mascot. This raw, unfiltered episode pulls back the curtain on what life was really like living through lockdowns in China, where technology that tracks your every move became the infrastructure for extreme pandemic control, and where the trade-off between...

Jim Wagner proves that marketing is more than packaging and leadership is about launching people. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the marketing and branding powerhouse who spent 14 years at Mattel building the Hot Wheels empire side by side with Barbie, served as CMO of MGA Entertainment, is President of Razor Scooters, and now teaches entrepreneurship and leadership at LMU while writing his book on leadership from the world's top coaches and athletes. From sports writing to the 44th floor of a consulting firm he almost joined, to accidentally spending 14 years in the toy industry...

The Netflix-Warner Brothers merger just changed the game — and hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron are breaking down what it means for you. In this timely episode, they unpack the seismic shift happening in media and entertainment as Netflix officially acquires Warner Brothers, marking the first major acquisition where a tech company takes over a legacy entertainment studio. From the initial shock of the announcement during holiday season to the real-world implications for thousands of employees navigating uncertainty, Shana and Kisha deliver practical, no-BS advice for anyone caught in the crosshairs of this massive industry consolidation.

Anne Jacoby proves that creativity isn't a luxury— it's the competitive advantage every organization and employee needs to thrive. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron sit down with the author of Born to Create, a creative culture expert who's dismantling the myth that you're either creative or you're not. From performing arts stages to scaling a legal services startup globally, Anne unpacks her unconventional journey and how she developed a "spidey sense" for reading company cultures across every sector imaginable.

Anne reveals the difference between creativity and innovation, how to know when it's time to exit a...

Bucknell University proves that the student-athlete experience builds more than champions — it builds leaders for life. Hosts Shana Ayabe and Kisha Imani Cameron return to Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, sitting down with Todd Newcomb, Sr. Associate Director of Athletics, and Valentina Rozas Moreno, the first women's water polo player inducted into the Bucknell Hall of Fame. From the grueling five-to-six-hour daily practice schedules to balancing rigorous academics at a top-tier institution, they unpack what it really means to be a student-athlete — and how those lessons translate into professional success long after the game ends.

Val shares her...