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Mike‘s Search For Meaning is the intersection between philosophical and practical. How do leaders organize their inner world? What tools and tactics can we use to enhance our relationships and careers? Join host and life coach Mike Trugman as he seeks to unlock the keys to living a deeply fulfilling life.
Mike‘s Search For Meaning is the intersection between philosophical and practical. How do leaders organize their inner world? What tools and tactics can we use to enhance our relationships and careers? Join host and life coach Mike Trugman as he seeks to unlock the keys to living a deeply fulfilling life.
Episodes

Sunday May 15, 2022
#19 - Machen MacDonald on Cultivating Purpose & Provoking Your Brilliance
Sunday May 15, 2022
Sunday May 15, 2022
Machen MacDonald is a business and leadership coach and the founder of ProBrilliance.
For almost a quarter century, Machen has dedicated himself to helping business owners, sales professionals, financial advisors, and financial services executives discover their purpose and help them align their focus to achieve dramatic and measurable improvements both in business and in life.
His ability to develop systems, based on his clients’ mental and emotional foundation, for creating immediate and lasting change has made him a recognized expert in the world of coaching and peak performance.
As the consummate entrepreneur, Machen started five successful service companies and went on to succeed in financial services as an advisor working his way into award-winning field management and then into executive level management before founding The ProBrilliance Leadership Institute.
Machen is a #1 best-selling author and creator of the highly successful Power of Coaching book series, and is a certified Master Coach. He resides in Northern California with his wife of almost 30 years and their 3 children. He enjoys competitive running, snow and water skiing, and spending time with family.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the charity is Bright Futures For Youth. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with Machen on:
To connect with me:
- Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
- Website
- Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
- Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:

Saturday May 07, 2022
#18 - Matthew Harms on The Power of Writing and Storytelling, and Finding Your Voice
Saturday May 07, 2022
Saturday May 07, 2022
Matthew Harms is a New York born and based Ghostwriter and Author Coach. It has been said that everyone has a story to tell, but unfortunately most go through life thinking that theirs will never be read since they lack the ability to construct cohesive and compelling written content into the finished form of a book.
As a lifelong writer, Matthew has learned from, and adapted, his various experiences in fields such as Finance, Project Management and Real Estate to help those with the desire to help make the world a better place. In the ghostwriting space he prides himself on providing a voice for the voiceless, working with clients who have a message of growth or inspiration that can make the world a better place. As an author coach Matthew partners with aspiring and experienced writers who do not want to have someone else write their story by helping to identify gaps and enhance strengths so they can take their projects to the next level.
Matthew is the author of Grow Up: No, Really and Employed: A Career Readiness Manual, books designed to help people enrich their lives through basic life skills and career readiness training. When he is not focused on helping others, Matthew's other passions are writing works of fiction, both novels and screenplays, and spending time with his children.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the charity is National Multiple Sclerosis Society https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Donate
You can connect with Matthew on:
To connect with me:
- Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
- Website
- Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
- Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
- Virtual Freedom - Chris Ducker
- Atomic Habits - James Clear
- Outwitting the Devil - Napoleon Hill
- How to Win Friends & Influence People - Dale Carnegie
- Rich Dad Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki
- The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley
- Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
- 1984 - George Orwell
- Animal Farm - George Orwell

Sunday May 01, 2022
Sunday May 01, 2022
Jason Gootman is a Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach as well as a certified nutritionist and certified exercise physiologist. As an expert in behavior change and habit formation, Jason helps people turn knowledge and good intentions into action, habits, and results.
You can connect with Jason on:
To connect with me:
- Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
- Website
- Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
- Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:

Sunday Apr 17, 2022
Sunday Apr 17, 2022
Cara Bradley is a leading authority of mental fitness having led thousands through her signature body-first strategies. She shares her 30+ years of body-mind training with Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and premiere college sports teams. She is the producer of the Mental Fitness Bootcamp, author of On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine, and founder of Verge Yoga Center. Cara hosts a daily mental fitness podcast called On The Verge.
You can connect with Cara on:
To connect with me:
- Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
- Website
- Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
- Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:

Sunday Apr 10, 2022
Sunday Apr 10, 2022
Lauren Paylor is my good friend. She is a lawyer and the host of Lit Up with Lo, a podcast about lighting up from the inside out.
In this conversation, she interviews me! You probably already know about me, so go ahead and just enjoy the conversation!
You can connect with Lauren on:
To connect with me:
- Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
- Website
- Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
- Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
- Institute for Integrative Nutrition
- Akimbo Podcast Workshop
- Brene Brown
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Yotam Schachter
- Mike’s Search for Meaning - Episode #7
- Mike’s Search for Meaning - Episode #8
- The Conscious Leadership Group
- The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Warner Klemp
- Wim Hof Breathing
- Tim Ferriss
- Mike Trugman on the Lit Up with Lo Podcast

Saturday Apr 02, 2022
#14 - Sophia Moon on How to Unleash Your Creativity and Live in Abundance
Saturday Apr 02, 2022
Saturday Apr 02, 2022
Sophia Moon is an artist, entrepreneur, and community builder who has always followed passion in her career. She owns Essem Art Studio in Charlestown, MA, leading art and music labs for children. She is also the Boston Chapter host of Creative Mornings, a monthly lecture series and global movement of over 200 chapters in 65 countries.
You can connect with Sophia on:
To connect with me:
- Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
- Website
- Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
- Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
- Andy Cahill
- The Wonder Dome
- Julia Cameron
- The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron
- Steal Like an Artist, by Austin Kleon
- Atomic Habits, by James Clear
- Keith Frankel
- Montessori Education
- A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle
- The Game of Life and How to Play It, by Florence Scovel Shinn
- Clarity and Connection, by Yung Pueblo
- Oprah
- A New Earth Podcast with Oprah
- The Magic of Thinking Big, by David Schwartz
- The Crossroads of Should and Must, by Elle Luna
- 21 Days of Abundance by Deepak Chopra
- The Abundance Book, by John Randolph Price

Sunday Mar 20, 2022
#13 - Orlando Bishop on How We Can Be Great
Sunday Mar 20, 2022
Sunday Mar 20, 2022
Born and bred in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Orlando Bishop’s journey followed a long and winding path, figuratively and literally. Nearly a decade into a sporadic Hollywood career as a writer and producer that had taken him through a gauntlet of near misses with a range of studios and production companies – Fox, MTV and Nickelodeon to name a few – he found himself at a crossroads. How could he be true to his need to create and the desire to serve that had led him to teaching high school English at his alma mater, Poly Prep, in Brooklyn? How could he leverage the unique viewpoint that had delighted audiences in comedy clubs like The World Famous Comedy Store and the Hollywood Improv and his lifelong commitment to helping others find their voices? How, to cut to the chase, could he make a living while honoring the person he had always been and the husband, father and man he’d become?
He looked back over his life and found that the greatest successes he’d experienced — or even witnessed — all pointed to one basic reality: To consistently perform at the highest levels, we must align who we are, where we are and where we want to go. Alignment had been the key as he navigated Flatbush streets to get to the cobblestone paths of Yale University.
Alignment had been key in making his way west to USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program where he earned his MFA. Alignment had even been critical in creating the family he shared with his wife, Daphne and their twins, Alex and Maya. Yes, alignment had been key in all those situations, but how does one create it?
In answering that question for himself, Orlando uncovered the questions and insights he now shares with others as they face their own crossroads, personally and professionally. Today, people from all walks of life have used and are using the Align approach to change careers, get promotions and even find the romantic relationships they desire. One might wonder how Orlando can be so confident that the Align approach will work for such a range of clients pursuing such an array of desired outcomes. His answer: “Each person has to define their own line, to walk their own line. What I provide is simply the approach. And I know the Align approach works; it worked for me.”
You can connect with Orlando on:
- His Website
- Podcast - Unstuck AF
- Join Orlando’s WeAlign Online Community
To connect with me:
- Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
- Website
- Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
- Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
- Seth Godin
- Akimbo Podcast Workshop
- Ron Guidry
- Rodney King Verdict
- Do the Right Thing
- Dinner for Two - a movie by Orlando Bishop
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Malcolm X
- Louis Farrakhan
- Cus D’Amato
- Mike Tyson
- Floyd Patterson
- Julie-Ann Otis
- The Wire
- Wood Harris
- Cornel West
- Jim Valvano
- Dick Vermeil
- Coach K
- The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- Bell Hooks
- Derrick Bell
- And We Are Not Saved, by Derrick Bell
- Joy on Demand, by Chade-Meng Tan

Sunday Mar 13, 2022
Sunday Mar 13, 2022
#12 - Fionn Wright on Optimizing Human Development & Co-Creating a Better World
Fionn Wright is a serial entrepreneur, an executive coach, a deep thinker, and a visionary. He was named one of the “11 Most Influential Movers and Shakers in Shanghai” - a city of 24 million - for his national television appearances and the impact of his coaching.
His friends call him a mix of Tim Ferriss and Tony Robbins for his speed learning techniques, paired with profound coaching transformations. He makes it his daily mission to transform into the best husband, father, and human being he can be to help as many people as he can live a life they love.
Fionn always asks and lives into the question: “Are you closer to your dream today than you were yesterday?”
You can connect with Fionn on:
To connect with me:
- Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
- Website
- Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
- Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
- Sigmund Freud
- Carl Jung
- Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
- Somatic Therapy
- Mindfulness-based Therapy
- Stages of Human Development
- Jean Piaget
- Eric Erikson
- Managing in a VUCA world
- Integral Theory
- Reinventing Organizations, by Frederic Laloux
- Yvon Chouinard
- Let My People Go Surfing, by Yvon Chouinard
- Ricardo Semler
- Maverick by Ricardo Semler
- Elon Musk
- Tomas Bjorkman
- Ken Wilber
- Rebel Wisdom - Podcast
- The Stoa - Podcast
- Game B
- China is a Thing - Podcast with Fionn

Sunday Mar 06, 2022
#11 - Jen Jamula on Finding Your Authentic Voice & Leading with Empathy
Sunday Mar 06, 2022
Sunday Mar 06, 2022
Jen Jamula is an entrepreneur, coach, and performer whose work looks at communication in the Digital Age. She and frequent collaborator Allison Goldberg have helmed several artistic projects that have been featured on Good Morning America, in Forbes, WIRED, VICE, and more. The pair was featured on the cover of Time Out New York, which ranked them two of the "top 10 funniest women in NYC."
Drawing inspiration from her performance work, Jen leads corporate communications trainings and coaches speakers through her company, GoldJam Creative. She is passionate about helping others gain confidence, find their authentic voices, and cultivate practices of empathy, respect, and inclusion in the workplace and beyond. She is a graduate of Yale University and a contributor to Forbes.
You can connect with Jen on:
- Website
- Her Forbes Contributions
- IMDb Page
- Her improv Nonprofit, Blogologues
- YouTube
- LinkedIn
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
Resources/People Mentioned:

Sunday Feb 20, 2022
Sunday Feb 20, 2022
Meet Jordan, The Trailblazer
Jordan believes that personal development is a never-ending process of imagining who you want to be, interpreting why you want to be that person, creating a plan to get there, and then implementing that plan in the most enjoyable and fulfilling way possible.
Through his platform imagitivetation (imagination + interpretation + creativity + implementation), he helps guide people to think differently and make daring changes in their lives. Jordan is trailblazing in the personal development field by using creative storytelling to allow people to gather their own insights from the characters he creates and the stories he shares.
Jordan is a son, grandson, writer, speaker, guide, editor, and soon-to-be therapist. He is a Northwestern and Kellogg School of Management graduate where he studied absolutely nothing to do with writing. He’s a former startup founder, restaurant manager, and soccer goalie. A solopreneur, podcast host, and 2x TEDx speaker, he is also the #1 bestselling author of Getting COMFY: Your Morning Guide to Daily Happiness and The Journey to Cloud Nine.
Jordan loves people and would be overjoyed to chat with you.
You can connect with Jordan on:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
Resources/People Mentioned:
- Dr. Gabor Mate
- What Happened to You? By Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry
- Tuesdays With Morie, by Mitch Albom
- Pardon My Take - Podcast
- Maybe You Should Talk To Someone, by Lori Gottlieb
- The Go-Giver, by Bob Burg and John David Mann
- Originals, by Adam Grant
- The Journey to Cloud Nine, by Jordan Gross
- The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom
- For One More Day, by Mitch Albom
- The Stranger in the Lifeboat, by Mitch Albom
- Simon Sinek
- Tony Robbins
- The Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod
- Rich Keller
- Brene Brown
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
