Bloom Pod 30 for 30 Part 2: Lessons Learned from Episodes 11-20

As I mentioned last week, we are so excited to be bringing you some new episodes soon. As we gear up for our first “new” episode in nearly 8 months, we’ve been revisiting some of the lessons learned from our guests across the first 30 episodes. 

Here is part 2 of our 30 for 30 series featuring guests 11 through 20! #thebloompod🧅.

11. My mom, Cathy Onion

Cathy Onion (my mom) is a lifelong learner, former college professor, farm kid, and she joined us to share some of her life story, including several stories Tayler didn’t know prior to the interview.

Lesson: “Real learning occurs when you can take the concepts you have learned and apply them in your life.  Never stop learning.  Those experiences will be key in helping you [transition to the workplace].” 

Translation: Get involved and develop your leadership skills in fairly low-risk environments (college) so you can eventually use them in higher-risk environments (work).This type of skill development in a low-risk environment can also help combat Impostor Syndrome, which I discussed in a recent blog post. 

12. Mark Trumbo

Mark Trumbo is a student-athlete development professional and the mastermind behind “Purpose Design.” He discussed the “how” and “why” of his curriculum and how it came to be.

Lesson: Share your gifts - don’t hoard your abilities to yourself or just your institution/organization. By sharing your skills, abilities, gifts with others, you’re also practicing advocating for yourself in real time. 

13. Dr. Susie Koch

At the time of our interview, Dr. Susie Koch was in her third year of residency at Washington University in St. Louis. She discussed how her background and upbringing led her to pursue a career in medicine, and she shared some of her insights about the COVID-19 pandemic and women’s health. 

Lesson: There’s nothing wrong with changing your mind about your career path—take the time to be sure about what you want to do. 

14. Tim Sinclair

Since joining us on The Bloom Pod in August 2020, public address announcer Tim Sinclair has been named the voice of both the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Bears. He served as the voice of the 2020 NBA All-Star game and the 2020 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, as well as in the 2020 NBA Bubble in Orlando. A YouTube creator, podcaster, daytime TV co-host, and author, Tim shared a plethora of experiences with us. 

Lesson: Love what you do, where you live, who you are, and who you’re with. Tim mentioned that if you can find joy in each of those spaces, it will inevitably lead to a successful life. 

15. Harvie Herrington

Harvie Herrington is a Youth Motivational and Leadership speaker, a former professional football player, coach, fitness instructor, teacher, and cancer survivor. He shared with us some of his life experiences, his insights on the power of mindset and goal setting.

Lesson: You are the answer to all of your problems and all of your successes. Harvie discussed his realization that everything in life begins with “you.” His thoughts largely focused on the fact that our mindset shapes our perspective on how we view life’s successes and challenges.

16. Lauren Partch

Lauren Partch is an actor, producer, writer, singer, and she is the cousin of our trusty sidekick - Melissa! She shared with us her experiences in the arts and how COVID-19 has impacted the “normal” practices of the industry and her latest endeavor with the film, “My Little Renaissance Girl.”

Lesson: Drink your coffee first thing in the morning, and enjoy the journey. Experiencing joy in every part of your journey is more important than the destination. It’s easy to get lost in the overall goal and fail to enjoy the process. At the beginning of the year, I shared my Bloom Tracker, which has helped me to enjoy ‘tiny blooms’ throughout 2021! 

17. Dr. Jeff O’Brien

Dr. Jeff O’Brien is the Vice President for the Institute of Sport and Social Justice (ISSJ), and serves as a facilitator and leader in a variety of other capacities, including NCAA Leadership Development, Huddle Up, and more. Jeff joined us to share how his background and experiences led him to the social justice and leadership development work he does today. 

Lesson: Be reflective of your own experiences and who you are in order to grow yourself before you attempt to lead others. Jeff shared a question he often asks his 10- and 7-year old kids: “what are you doing today to make the world a better place?” By asking this question of ourselves on a daily basis, we can create regular habits that allow us to be better versions of ourselves. 

18. Jonathan Jones

Jonathan Jones is a former student-athlete, TEDx Alum, and podcast coach. He uses his life experiences to help develop current student-athletes through engaging and interactive sessions. 

Lesson: Build relationships, and utilize and leverage them to set you up for long-term success. Your ability to use the resources in your current surroundings can pay large dividends in the long run.  

19. JP Abercrumbie

JP Abercrumbie serves as the Associate Athletic Director at Rice University and the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. She is a former student-athlete, a fellow Women Leaders Institute for Administrative Advancement graduate, and a lover of positive vibes. She shared with the Bloom Pod how her background and experiences - across all the time zones - propelled her to the position she’s in today. 

Lesson: “Tell me I can’t, and I’ll show you I can.” JP shared a story about some criticism she received from a high school coach, which ultimately motivated her to achieve her dream of competing as a Division I student-athlete. The lesson we gained from this was to turn criticism into fuel to find your passions. 

20. Best of Season 1

For the finale of Season 1, Tayler’s mom, Cathy Onion, made a triumphant (and surprise) return to the Bloom Pod to share some of her infamous episode notes! During the bonus episode, Tayler and Cathy revisit major points from the guests of season 1, and share some of their favorite moments.

Lesson: There are too many lessons to count from our Best of Season 1 episode, but you can click the link below to listen in and catch up on it! 

Our final installment of this series, which will feature lessons from guests 21-30, will be out next Tuesday (10/12) before we launch our new season the following week on Tuesday, October 19! 

Keep blooming, y’all.