Finding Better Podcast

EP 203 - Stop Doing More: Nell Debevoise on Letting Go to Find Better

🔥 What if the path to finding better isn’t about doing more… but doing less?
In this episode of the Finding Better Podcast, John Suzuki sits down with Nell Debevoise, a subtraction strategist who helps high achievers rethink success by removing what quietly drains their energy.
In a world obsessed with productivity, hustle, and adding more habits, Nell introduces a powerful alternative: systematic subtraction — the intentional process of letting go of what no longer serves you so you can reclaim clarity, alignment, and sustainable success.
Drawing from her personal experiences with burnout, a life-changing car accident, and her work coaching leaders alongside horses, Nell shares why the most capable and responsible people are often the most depleted — and how to break that cycle.
This conversation will challenge the idea that success always requires more effort and offer a refreshing new perspective: sometimes the best way forward is by removing what’s holding you back.
Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:
1. Why high achievers are often the most burned out2. The concept of systematic subtraction and how it works3. The difference between balance and true alignment in life and leadership4. How constant productivity pressure leads to diminishing returns5. What horses can teach us about presence and energy management6. Why stopping to ask “How is this really going?” can change everything7. The simple “Stop, Drop, Roll” method for preventing burnout
💡 Key Takeaways:
1. Success isn’t always additive — sometimes progress requires subtraction.2. Burnout often comes from responsibility and capability, not weakness.3. Alignment across work, personal life, and purpose matters more than balance.4. Constant productivity pressure leads to diminishing returns.5. Real clarity often comes from pausing and removing what drains you.
Connect with Nell Debevoise:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nell3d/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nellddYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leadin3D
👍If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need permission to do a little less and live a little better.

EP 202 - The Truth About Self-Worth: You Don’t Have to Earn It

Are you constantly feeling like you're not enough?
In this powerful and deeply personal episode of the Finding Better Podcast, John sits down with Jillian DiIorio, President of the We Are Enough movement, to explore one of the most important truths we often forget: you are already enough.
In a world flooded with comparison, social media pressure, and constant messages telling us we need to be more, do more, and achieve more, Jillian shares a powerful message about reclaiming our inherent self-worth.
The conversation also explores the story behind the We Are Enough movement, inspired by entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, and the personal journey that led him to realize that success, wealth, and recognition cannot fill the deeper need for self-acceptance.
This episode is about resetting the foundation of how we see ourselves.
Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:
1. Why self-worth is something you're born with, not something you earn2. How success and achievement can still leave people feeling empty3. The hidden damage caused by constant comparison and social media4. The powerful story behind the We Are Enough bracelet movement5. Why reminding someone they are enough can change a life6. How to start each day from a place of self-acceptance instead of self-criticism
💡 Key Takeaways:
1. You were born enough — your worth is not conditional.2. External validation will never replace internal acceptance.3. Small reminders can have life-changing impact.4. Choosing how you see yourself is a daily decision.5. True growth starts when you stop believing you're broken.
Connect with Jillian / We Are Enough:Instagram: @jilliandiiorioWebsite: https://weareenough.co/
👍 If this conversation resonates with you, please like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear that they are enough.

EP 201 - Purpose Over Ego: The Future of Work Is Human with Florian Kemmerich

🤖 What happens when AI replaces productivity — and your identity?
In one of the most consequential conversations on Finding Better, John sits down with impact investor, entrepreneur, and purpose strategist Florian Kemmerich to explore a question that will define the next decade:
If automation replaces what we do… who are we?
Florian shares his personal turning point — from corporate high-potential executive living in “golden handcuffs” to discovering his inner child and redefining success through vocation. Together, John and Florian unpack the difference between ego-driven success and purpose-driven service — and why AI makes this distinction more urgent than ever.
Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:
1. Why fame and fortune feed the ego — but not fulfillment2. The powerful “two-chair” inner child breakthrough that changed Florian’s life3. The difference between helping and serving (and why it matters)4. Why 500M jobs may disappear — and what that means for identity5. The concept of “vocating” — building, not searching for, your vocation6. How to leverage AI without becoming dependent on it7. Why human agency is the critical skill of the future
💡 Key Takeaways:
1. Purpose comes from inside; ego seeks validation from outside2. AI should be leveraged with intention — not used as a substitute for direction3. Success without alignment leads to burnout and emptiness4. Serving others creates meaning; helping from ego creates hierarchy5. Education must evolve to include vocation alongside profession
Florian is the author of On Vocation: How to Align Your Purpose with Your Profession and has helped over 150 individuals build structured, purpose-driven pathways toward meaningful impact.
🔗 Connect with Florian:
Linkedin: https://share.google/aDJaGsNOEj6WZnjNKWebsite: https://www.buildingbridges.org/speaker/florian-kemmerich/
If this episode challenged or inspired you, please share it with someone navigating career uncertainty in the age of AI.
👍 Like, Subscribe, and Share to help us continue finding better — together.

EP 200 - Lessons from Two Years of Finding Better

🎉 This is Episode 200 of the Finding Better Podcast — and it’s all about YOU.
In this special milestone episode, John reflects on two years, 200 conversations, 3,000+ subscribers, and the unexpected joy of building a community focused on real-life experiences — not opinions.
From Santorini, Greece to your living room, this episode is a heartfelt thank you — and a powerful roadmap for what’s ahead in 2026.
Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:
1. The 3 core principles behind every breakthrough: Curiosity, Clarity, and Courage2. Why experience matters more than opinion3. How 52 great ideas a year can completely transform your life4. The truth about money, credit cards, and building real wealth5. Why AI is the most important career skill you can learn right now6. What parents must understand about teens and technology7. Why failing fast is the fastest way forward
💡 Key Takeaways:
1. Curiosity is a muscle — if you don’t use it, you lose it.2. Wealth isn’t about how much you make — it’s about how much you keep and invest.3. AI isn’t coming — it’s already here. Learn it or risk being replaced by it.4. Surround yourself with people who support your growth, not those who pull you back.5. One great idea per week = 52 life-changing ideas per year.
🌐 New Website Launching April 1st:Visit johnsuzuki.com for exciting updates and new resources.
If this podcast has impacted you in any way, please Like, Subscribe, and Share.Let’s make 2026 your best year ever.

EP 199 - Reclaim the Moment: Why Kindness Changes Everything, with Greg Bennick

What if the secret to stronger relationships, better leadership, and a more meaningful life starts with one simple choice? 💛
In EP 199 of the Finding Better Podcast, John Suzuki sits down with keynote speaker and author Greg Bennick to explore the power of kindness — not as a cliché, but as a strategy for life and business.
Greg shares insights from his book Reclaim the Moment: Seven Strategies to Build a Better Now and explains why believing in the possibility of kindness can completely change how we show up in the world.
Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:• Why kindness is the foundation of authentic connection• How being kind to yourself changes everything• The hidden cost of comparison culture and social media• Why success can be more intimidating than failure• How to “spin up” instead of spiraling down• What it really means to reclaim the present moment
💡 Key Takeaways:• Kindness is a choice — and it’s always available.• You can’t pour into others if you’re not kind to yourself first.• Comparison steals joy; presence restores it.• Growth requires leaping into the unknown.• When you lift one person, you lift the world.
Connect with Greg Bennick:Website: https://www.gregbennick.comStudent Programs: https://www.amazingassemblies.com
If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs a reminder that kindness still matters.
Like, subscribe, and help us continue building a community focused on growth, authenticity, and finding better.

EP 198 - Love Is Not a Two-Way Street — A Conversation with Kim Sorrelle

As artificial intelligence accelerates and technology reshapes how we live and work, one essential human truth becomes clearer than ever: we’ve gotten smarter, but we’ve forgotten our heart.
In this episode of Finding Better, John Suzuki welcomes back author and speaker Kim Sorrelle for a powerful conversation about love—not as a feeling or transaction, but as a way of being. Drawing from her book Love Is and her journey studying the meaning of love through lived experience, Kim reframes what love really means in relationships, leadership, trust, and human connection.
Together, John and Kim explore why love is becoming more important—not less—in the age of AI, and why true human connection can never be replaced by technology.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
1. Why love is not transactional and never a “two-way street”2. How expectations quietly sabotage relationships3. What “Love is patient, love is kind” really means in everyday life4. Why trust changes everything in relationships and leadership5. How love becomes the defining human advantage in an AI-driven world6. Why learning to love yourself may be the hardest—and most important—work
💡 Key Takeaways:
1. Love is not something you trade—it’s something you live2. Expectations turn love into disappointment3. Trust first creates stronger human connection4. Technology amplifies intelligence, but love defines humanity5. Understanding love transforms how we lead, relate, and live
📘 Guest: Kim Sorrelle, author of Love Is
👍 If this conversation resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who could use a reminder of what truly matters.
Connect with Kim:
Website: https://www.kimsorrelle.com Facebook: https://tiny.one/kimsfacebookpageLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-langlois-sorrelle-11079523/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimsorrelle/?hl=enYoutube: https://tiny.one/kimsorrelleyoutubeTV Show: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bold+brave+tv+heart+%26+soulAmazon Book Links:1. https://tiny.one/loveisonamazon2. https://www.amazon.com/Cry-Until-You-Laugh-Funny/dp/1630472697/ref=sr_1_6?crid=DDLLDDUVGPXD&keywords=cry+until+you+laugh+book&qid=1705248198&sprefix=cry+until%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-6 

Ep 197 - The Hidden Rules of Promotion, the AI Era

What does it really take to succeed — and get promoted — in today’s rapidly changing, AI-driven world?
In this episode of the Finding Better Podcast, John Suzuki sits down with Keith Anderson, founder of Career Alchemy Lab and former leader at Google, Uber, Meta, and YouTube. Together, they unpack why performance alone is no longer enough — and why trust, perception, and human connection matter more than ever.
Keith shares firsthand insights from sitting inside promotion rooms at Big Tech companies and explains why being “great at your job” doesn’t automatically make you a safe bet for leadership. As AI reshapes how work gets done, the next era of success belongs to those who lead with humanity, intuition, and clarity.
Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:
1. Why strong performers often get overlooked for promotions2. The difference between being likable and being promotion-ready3. How leaders decide who is a “safe bet” for advancement4. Why storytelling matters more than checklists and metrics5. How human connection protects careers during layoffs and disruption6. What skills will matter most as AI transforms the workplace
💡 Key Takeaways:
1. Promotions are driven by trust, not just results2. Leaders advocate for people they can clearly “tell a story” about3. Human connection is a career survival skill in the AI era4. Career growth requires shaping perception, not just doing good work
👍 If you found this valuable, please like, subscribe, and share the episode with someone navigating their career right now.
Connect with Keith:Website: https://keithanderson.io/MediaPartnershipsLinkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/keithand 

Ep 196 - Finding a Plan B now: Merry Korn's Journey

What if getting fired wasn’t the end — but the beginning of the life you were meant to live?
In this powerful and deeply human episode of the Finding Better Podcast, John Suzuki sits down with Merry Korn, whose life changed forever after being fired just two months into what she thought would be her final job before retirement. As a single parent with two teenagers headed to college, the fear was overwhelming — but what followed was extraordinary.
Merry shares how that moment of despair became the foundation for a mission-driven business that eventually employed over 1,300 people across 30 states, many of whom had severe disabilities and were considered “unemployable” by society. Inspired by her mother, a Holocaust survivor, and the legacy of Oskar Schindler, Merry redefined what meaningful work can look like — and how purpose, courage, and listening to the inner voice can change everything.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
1. Why getting fired can sometimes be a hidden gift2. How listening to your inner voice can change your life’s direction3. What fear actually teaches us — and how to move through it4. The power of gratitude during life’s hardest moments5. How purpose and service can transform work into meaning6. Why alignment matters more than security
💡 Key Takeaways:
1. Rock bottom can become your strongest foundation2. Fear shrinks when action begins3. Purpose often reveals itself in moments of crisis4. Gratitude is a powerful antidote to despair5. Meaningful work can change lives — including your own
If you’re facing uncertainty, job insecurity, or a major life transition, this episode will remind you that sometimes the path forward begins where you least expect it.
👉 Listen, reflect, and find what “better” looks like for you.
If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need to hear it today.
Connect with Merry: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merrykorn/
Website: https://firedtoinspired.com/