The Dream Vocation Podcast with Tony Bellagamba

In this episode we speak with Derek Lenard, a guitar builder, or luthier as it’s known within the music industry. Firs of all, guitar builder. I mean, is there a cooler sounding career than that? Imagine being at a party and someone in the group asks what everyone does for a living. Someone says Accountant, someone says sales, and someone says guitar builder. I’m hanging out with the guitar guy. I’m hanging out with Derek!Derek’s story is one of just getting started, just taking one small step. When his grandfather passed away, he suddenly had a lot of tools at his disposal. Derek was a music fan and even in a band and he thought, “I can make my own guitar”. With that mindset, some tools, and little else, Derek just got started and learned to build guitars through trial and error. Over the years he acquired more tools and honed his craft, to the point that he is now a sought-after guitar builder by everyone from everyday musicians to world-renowned musical artists. He has a YouTube channel with over 80,000 followers and an Instagram account with over 20,000 followers. You can find him and his awesome videos under the name BigDGuitars. So join me as we listen to Derek talk about his fascinating world of guitar building. 

In this episode we speak with Jeff Rogers, Corporate Emcee, Bestselling Author, and Keynote Speaker. Jeff’s background and path to his Dream Career is incredibly fascinating. His original path was in the field of entertainment, where he worked as an actor at the world-famous Second City theater and planned to use that platform to go to Saturday Night Live and then leapfrog into TV and films like Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, and others have done. However, as Jeff grew in his career, he began to realize that that wasn’t necessarily what he actually wanted. This was a bit of a struggle for Jeff because the path that he desired began to diverge from the path that others saw for him.  The expectation of those around him was that he would stay the course and become that famous actor. But Jeff had other dreams and eventually learned that what was most important was what would make him happy.With that, Jeff combined his passion for performing, business, and innovation to begin helping organizations optimize their performance and culture. Over time, Jeff has built his brand and reputation to the point that he is a sought-after speaker and emcee for some of the world’s top organizations. During the interview you’ll not only hear Jeff’s passion and excitement, but also his awesome advice for determining what moves and inspires you and how to pursue the path that you want for yourself, not what others expect of you. I hope you enjoy. Thanks so much. 

In this episode we speak with Dr. Karisa Tang. Dr. Karisa oversees the veterinary medical program at the world famous Shedd Aquarium in Chicago!I have to say this was one of my favorite interviews of all time. Throughout my life, whenever I’ve visited a zoo or aquarium, I always wondered who had the awesome job of taking care of such a wide variety of animals. Well, Dr. Karisa is that person! From dolphins to penguins to sea otters to fish and beyond, Dr. Karisa and her team oversee the health and wellness of over 25,000 animals at the aquarium. Dr. Karisa’s specialty is in Zoological medicine, which is the study of all non-domesticated species and some domesticated species, or as Dr. Karisa defines it, “the study of the weird and wonderful”. Whereas those in human medicine specialize in systems or parts of the body such as cardiology, those in zoological medicine have to have knowledge across thousands of species. From quarantining a giant pacific octopus to a treating a virus in a penguin, doctors of zoological medicine have to cover it all. In fact, this is such a specialty that there are only around 300 people who specialize in zoological medicine! There are only 28 residency programs in the world for zoological medicine and they each usually take only one person per year. Dr. Karisa was able to achieve this rarified air through hard work and extreme dedication. From the time she saw a movie about whales as a young girl, she knew that she wanted to work with animals. From that moment on she dedicated her free time, including summer breaks, to pursuing her passion. In the end it all paid off, as Dr. Karisa now gets to live out her dreams as a leader of one of the world’s most prestigious aquariums. This is a fascinating interview with a fascinating person so I certainly encourage you to give it a listen. Thanks so much!Instagram: @tonybell_dreamcareers    

In this episode we speak with Dr. Sam Heads, a paleontologist and the founding Director and Curator-in-Charge at the Center for Paleontology at the University of Illinois. As Sam himself says, he’s the kid that never grew up. At age 5 he was walking on a beach collecting seashells and pebbles in northern England with his father when he saw something interesting in one of the seashells. He asked his father about it and when his dad explained to him that it was a fossil which was likely hundreds of millions of years old, Sam was hooked! He decided then and there that this was his passion!As Sam grew older, he began to take action on his dreams. He explored what the path to actually becoming a paleontologist looked like and once he mapped it out, as he said, “I had that target and that goal set in my sights and I just did it.” If you know me, you know I love that mentality!As a result of his hard work, Sam now gets to live out his passion as a full-time career. From travelling the world and visiting 6 of the 7 continents to discovering new species of insects and working with interesting people, Sam is truly an example of living our your Dream Vocation.This is an incredibly interesting interview about a career that I think most of us know very little about so if you’re interested in learning something new and hearing from someone who exudes passion about their career, you’ll love this one. Give it a listen! 

In this episode we speak with Luxury Repair Technician and Shop Owner OJ Lopez. I’ve known OJ for a few years and while we didn’t see eye-to-eye when we first met, today I am proud to call him a friend as well as an inspiration. This might be the coolest podcast episode I’ve done yet because not only was it my fist in-person interview, but we recorded the episode in OJ’s shop surrounded by high performance vehicles such as Lamborghinis, Porsches, and American muscle cars!But even cooler than the atmosphere is OJ’s story, which is one I believe many can appreciate and even envy. He initially followed the “traditional path” of attending a four-year university because that’s what his family had done and what he thought was expected of him. His passion for cars wouldn’t go away however, and he soon began working on them whenever he had spare time. This all came to a head one day when his mom came home to find a car radiator in the bathtub! This prompted a conversation about what he truly wanted to do with his life and with his mother’s support, OJ left college and began pursuing his dream of working on cars full-time by enrolling in a tech school. After graduating at the top of his class, OJ secured a well-paying job with one of the top BMW dealerships in the country. His talent and work ethic allowed him to rise through the ranks quickly to become the youngest master tech in the company’s history but OJ still wasn’t fully living out his dream. He believed the automotive industry could be done better and with that he set out on his own, taking a major risk and opening his own shop. He is now the owner of Fluid MotorUnion, a luxury and exotic car repair and performance shop in Naperville. As a result of OJ and his team’s skills and honest approach to business, he has built a reputation as one of the top shops for luxury and exotic cars in not only the country but even the world. Join me as we listen to OJ’s incredible journey along with some incredibly cool stories, including working in the middle east and hanging out with a prince and his pet cheetah! 

In this episode we speak with Sarah Potter, documentary filmmaker and storyteller. I love films, so this interview was incredibly interesting to me, as I always wondered what the process of making a documentary actually looks like. Sarah does an amazing job telling us how documentary films are made, with storytelling at the heart of her filmmaking. She tells us how they center the story around interesting characters and communicate captivating stories through that character. What also made this interview fascinating is learning that neither Sarah nor her colleagues had a background in filmmaking before getting into the industry. Sarah was a speech pathologist, the founder of her film company has a background in psychology, and others had backgrounds across a variety of industries. However, they all had one thing in common – a passion for storytelling. I think this is a perfect example that if you have a passion and drive, you can accomplish anything regardless of your “pedigree”. If you have that passion and drive, you can figure it out and achieve your dream vocation. I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it. Thanks so much! 

In this episode we speak with Donna Jacobsen, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine who works primarily with dogs, cats, and other small animals. I was excited for this episode because when whenever you ask kids what they want to be when they grow up, many will say that they want to be a Veterinarian. Donna became the profession that all of those little kids dream of becoming!However, Donna herself did not always dream of becoming a veterinarian. She was actually a pre-med student at Yale, a common path at the prestigious university, before deciding to go against the grain and switch to a career that she felt more aligned with her passion and purpose. Despite naysayers, Donna followed her own path and today gets to live out her passion for working with animals. But as you will hear from Donna, veterinary medicine is not just about animals. In fact, she even calls it a people business. Donna does an excellent job of highlighting the magic of being a vet, but also discussing some of the misconceptions people have about the business.This was a fascinating and illuminating interview. I think you will enjoy and learn a lot. Give it a listen. 

In this episode we speak with Rick Miranda, Real Estate agent. I’ve known Rick for several years and from the moment I met him it was clear that he was a hard worker. But I didn’t realize the extent to which this man grinds until we did this interview. Rick started working full-time at just 15 years old, putting in 40+ hours a week at McDonalds and even covering his own dental care as a teenager! As he became an adult he transitioned into the automotive industry where he built a successful corporate career with a nice salary, company car, and all the frills. Then one day, one of Rick’s customers told him he trusted him so much that he wanted Rick to act as the real estate agent for the sale of his home. This stuck in Rick’s head and months later he decided to become a licensed real estate agent. Shortly after that he took the leap, leaving his safe salary, company car, and other perks for a career with no set hours and most importantly, no set pay. But once again Rick rose to the challenge and as he himself said, he left his corporate job on Friday and showed up to work in the real estate space first thing Monday morning as if he was a salaried employee. Through hard work and perseverance, Rick was able to build a thriving career and in doing so was able to become his own boss and create his own destiny. This story is an inspiration for everyone and proves that if you’re willing to put in the work and grind, anything is possible. Please join me in listening to Rick’s story. 

In this episode we speak with Grant Small, a tech entrepreneur. Grant is a fascinating individual. He’s a person who sees an opportunity, envisions a solution to that opportunity, and then builds that solution. An entrepreneur in every sense of the word, Grant has built and sold several businesses. While his specialty is in consulting and cybersecurity, he’s unafraid to take on any challenge, as proven by his foray into the coffee space and even a flirtation with Shark Tank!   Grant’s story is an inspiration, as he proves that anyone willing to think outside of the box, grind out the hard work, and solve problems can create the life they dream of. This episode is tells an incredible story of an inspiring man. Check it out!  

In this episode we speak with Guy Caprio, a licensed clinical social worker at Loyola University. I first met Guy in a Bible study 15 years ago and hadn’t spoken to him since, but I always remembered him because he was the man that told me how he left the high dollar, high powered world of financial trading to become a therapist for college students. As someone who was in finance myself at the time and not loving it, I remember thinking how much I admired this man for taking his shot and reaching for his dreams. So, 15 years later I reached out to Guy about doing the podcast and he happily obliged. During the interview, Guy tells us his story about pursuing his true purpose. Like anything worth achieving, it was difficult, but in the end Guy ended up exactly where he was meant to be – helping college students talk through and manage everything from simple school issues to full crises. Guy’s story reaffirms that your fulfillment in life isn’t about dollars, but instead about finding your purpose and living it out. This is a great episode for anyone interested in the field of therapy or anyone interested in simply hearing a story of following your course, even if it has some detours along the way. Give it a listen. ***Please note, the audio on my end of the interview was not great on this one. I am working to solve that.***

In this episode we speak with Divya Baxi, a genetic counselor who works in the fertility field. Now, I must admit, I had no idea what a genetic counselor was before speaking with Divya and had actually never heard of the profession. However, through our discussion I learned what a unique and fast growing profession this is.  As a counselor, Divya’s role straddles both science and counseling. Her role is to support fertility patients by guiding them through the decision as to whether or not to have genetic testing on embryos, what the appropriate tests would be, reviewing the patient’s family history, and then reviewing the results of the genetic test with the patients and helping to guide them as to how they will manage those test results. In short, patients consult with Divya to assess the risk of having children with hereditary disorders.The broad field of genetics is growing rapidly and within the medical community it is being applied across various subspecialities outside of fertility, such as pediatrics, neurology, cancer, and more. This is an extremely interesting topic and a fascinating career path. I hope you find it as interesting as I did. Give it a listen and please enjoy. 

In this episode we speak with Brandon Wojcik, a high school principal out of the Buffalo, NY area. I have known Brandon for literally my entire life (spoiler alert, he’s my cousin) and he has always been an inspiration to me. Brandon grew up in a single parent household and built himself into a successful businessman in his 20’s. However, while he was making great money, he was working 60 – 80 hours per week and beginning to think about the bigger things in life, primarily his family and his time. That led Brandon to re-evaluate and step away from business so that he could take a giant step forward in regards to happiness and fulfillment. Brandon went back to school with the goal of becoming a teacher. He did this on his own dime while also working construction full-time to earn money for his family. After a few years of grinding, Brandon accomplished his goal of becoming a full-time teacher. He excelled in front of the classroom and with the kids, to the point that he took the next step and became a High School principal where he still works today. Brandon’s story is one of grit and perseverance but perhaps more importantly, one of knowing your true values and not letting a paycheck determine your life’s work. Give it a listen and if you like this episode and others, please like the podcast, subscribe, and write a review. Thanks so much! 

In this episode we speak with Ammar Divan, an Interventional Pain Management Physician. Ammar’s specialty is as an Anesthesiologist, which for the lay-person like myself, that’s the doctor who puts you under when you go in for surgery. Interventional Pain Management is a subspeciality of anesthesiology. Ammar chose this sub-specialty because while anesthesiology interested him, he wanted to have more personal interaction and 1:1 communication with his patients because as he himself said, when you’re an anesthesiologist your patients are typically, well, asleep. Ammar’s story is one that I’m sure many out there can resonate with. When he was young he didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life. Being the son of immigrants who came to this country with very little, they dreamed of their son becoming a doctor. But Ammar had to decide for himself if that was truly the path he wanted. As he want through college, he took courses in anthropology with a biological focus, which really peaked his interest in the evolution of how we eat and interact in our environment and how that, in turn, affects our health. He also spent time volunteering at a children’s hospital, all of which combined to help Ammar realize that medicine was truly his calling. Ammar is incredibly informative during the interview, providing great insight into the medical field and what it takes to become a physician. I hope you enjoy and learn a lot!      

In this episode, we speak with Crissy Loberg who is an Interior Decorator. Crissy, like many people, didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life when she was younger but found her calling as her passions and interest met opportunity. She always had a flare for design, to the point that people began noticing how nice her own home looked and then asked Crissy for help designing their homes. Crissy saw an opportunity to create a career around her skills and passion and over time built up a strong client base, many of which come back to her time and again. Recently, Crissy took her business to the next level and opened a home décor shop in Wisconsin. The shop provides thoughtfully curated finds for the home and also allows Crissy to build an inventory for her interior decorating clients. Crissy’s story is a great example of finding opportunity “outside the box”, as she didn’t take the traditional route of college to job to promotion. She carved out her own path and in doing so, was able to build a fulfilled and purposeful life. Crissy’s career truly personifies the quote by Katharine Whitehorn, which says, “Find out what you like doing best, and get someone to pay you for doing it.” 

In this episode we speak with Dan Mayer, a seasoned sales executive who recently took the leap and took action on his a long-held dream of starting his own business. After years of success as a Sales professional at some of Silicon Valley’s best companies such as IBM, Salesforce, and Box, Dan decided that it was time to carve out his own path and begin pursuing his dream so that he wouldn’t be left wondering, “What if?” He is now on that path and officially launching his new company, The Sales Cycle, in January 2024. The Sales Cycle will help sales people and sales organizations become the best version of themselves by educating and inspiring on both a professional and personal level. In addition to talking about Dan’s career, we also used a lot of our conversation to just share our thoughts on careers in general and finding your passions. Dan and I both have around 20 years of experience in valued but intensive roles and are now pursuing our own paths, so I believe we offer a unique perspective that could be interesting for people to hear. If you’re interested in sales, this is a great episode. But more importantly, if you’re interested in a conversation about pursuing your Dream Vocation, this is a great episode for you. 

In this episode we speak with a good friend of mine, Pastor Steve Andres. Steve is truly living out his vocation, as he felt called to be a Christian minister in his teenage years. However, while Steve may have known his course in life from an early age, it doesn’t mean his career didn’t have twists and turns. Just like most people I interview that have found their Dream Vocation, Steve had to discover his own path. From starting out in El Salvador working with children and teenagers, to coming back home and leaving Bible college after only a few days, Steve had to find the path that was right for him. And that’s exactly what he did when he returned to leading a Junior High ministry at his home church. From there Steve earned his pastoral degree and became a leader of that Church for many years. But, as time went on Steve felt a new calling to start his own church. That church, called New City Church in Naperville, IL, just had it’s 5th anniversary and has brought many people to Jesus while also serving the surrounding areas and becoming a home for anyone in search of a community. This is a great story for anyone interested in Christian ministry and also just a super interesting story, even if your path isn’t as a pastor. Check it out.

I know what you're feeling right now. You feel lost, lie there' something you're supposed to be doing with your life but you can't figure it out. You feel anxious, like there is something inside of you just bursting to get out but you have no idea what it is. You feel like everyone else has their life figured out, like you're alone on this island of uncertainty and anxiety.  You wonder why every other person knows what they want to do with their life, yet your thoughts bounce from one thing to another, never truly having that "Aha!" moment where you identify your calling in an instant. Relax, virtually everyone in the world has been there. I will provide you with some tips and guidance to help you identify your calling, your purpose, your Dream Vocation.  

In this episode we speak with one of my best friends in the whole world and one of the most entertaining people you’ll ever meet, Derrick Stricker. Derrick is a commercial real estate professional, working across the industry as a broker, investor, and even a developer. Derrick lives his passion everyday by helping to literally build the community around him. However, like many people that have found their Dream Vocation, Derrick’s path in life took a few turns before ultimately finding his true calling. He crisscrossed not only the professional landscape but the country as well. Born in Washington state, Derrick initially chased his dream of becoming an Investment Banker in Chicago. However, the 2008 financial crisis threw him a life curveball, as it did many financial professionals. He then spent a few years in Corporate Restructuring before deciding to return home to Washington to build a career in commercial real estate that he believed would be both fulfilling and rewarding. 10+ years later and Derrick is the personification of a person truly living out their Dream Vocation. This is a great episode with a cool story and a lot of entertainment! Check it out.  

In this episode we speak with Jennifer Radich McCann. Jen is a nurse practitioner specializing in women’s health. Jen has a passion for helping care for people, especially women. She is a strong advocate for women’s health needs, especially women in underserved areas. As she herself says, she like “helping people that need help” and also loves educating women. Jen is a family friend from back home near Buffalo, NY and someone that I always looked up to when I was young because I saw her going to college and then for her Masters when the reality is, many people from our town didn’t go to college. But Jen had a passion for science and helping people and was committed to following her dreams. If you are interested in healthcare, nursing in particular, or women’s health, this is a great episode for you. Check it out. 

In this episode we speak with Dr. Bob Aarestad Jr., a Chiropractor who, like a lot of our podcast guests, found his passion and purpose after a few stops and starts in other fields. Bob explored several careers when he was young, including mechanic, personal trainer, and massage therapist. However, it was after working in a chiropractor’s office for a few months as a massage therapist that he realized there was something more for him. In fact, Bob woke up one day and felt a calling that he was meant to be a Chiropractor. He was so sure that God was calling him to help with health and wellness, that he immediately signed up for chiropractic school and began a 2 year program to become a licensed chiropractor.As you will hear in the interview, Bob is extremely passionate about health and wellness, including educating people about it. In the interview he actually dispels many of the myths associated with chiropractic work, making it clear that the work he does is far more than just a snap, crackel, or pop. Bob is focused on complete wellness, working to help the body function the way it was designed to and helping people with everything from joint pain, muscle fatigue, headaches, digestive problems, and far more. This was an extremely interesting and educational episode. It certainly opened my eyes and even made me reconsider how I view my physical health. This is a great episode for anyone interested in the field of health and wellness or even for those just interested in their own health and wellness.