Fresh Out and Figuring it Out
Still figuring out life? Good — you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. I’m Mary Choi Kelly, PhD — mom, leadership coach, and C suite veteran with 30+ years of helping leaders thrive. On this podcast, Fresh Out & Figuring It Out, we give young adults the mic to share their stories so everyone listening can understand who they truly are and what’s on their minds. We’re also showing the real side of young men — one that defies stereotypes — so that we can rewrite the story together and help every young adult (both men and women) grow into confident, compassionate leaders who know their worth.
Episodes
How to think like a strategist and build the career you want
Episode 13: Everyone Says "Be More Strategic." Andrew Lanzino Finally Explains HowWhat if the biggest advantage in your career isn't yourdegree, your resume, or even your job title?In this episode, Mary sits down with strategist, author,Air Force veteran, and UNLV professor Andrew Lanzino to unpack what actually separates people who grow their careers from those who stay stuck.From l
Engineering Your Future: Leadership, Resilience & Finding Your Path
Episode 12: Insights From Moving Around the Country, Staying Curious, and Ultra Marathon Running with Darrell KennedyIn this episode of Fresh Out & Figuring It Out, Mary sits downwith environmental engineer and ultra-runner, Darrell Kennedy, to unpack the reality of working as an environmental engineering consultant. From cleaning uphistoric contamination sites to revitalizing waterways and we
The Long Game: Identity, Insecurity & Redefining Success
Episode 11: Stop Trying to Impress Everyone - Start Figuring Yourself OutIn this deeply personal and powerful conversation, I sit down with my cousin Benjie—former pastor turned fishing content creator—to unpack identity, pressure, faith, failure, and what it really means to find yourself.Growing up in a Korean-American, faith-centered household, Benjie’s path seemed clearly defined. Religion, fam
The Social Media Lie: Success, Identity & Starting Over
Episode 10: I Left Everyone to ‘Succeed’—Here’s What It Cost Me In this episode, Sean Stewart shares the story so many young adults are living—but few are saying out loud. From a creative, connected high school life to total isolation in college, Sean fell into the trap of hustle culture, comparison, and social media pressure during COVID. What started as ambition turned into anxiety, disconnectio
Memoir-Worthy vs. Scroll-Worthy: Building a Life You'd Actually Want to Live
Episode 9: Evan Gold: Winning, Pressure, and Becoming Your Own PersonIn this episode, I sit down with Evan Gold—Cal Berkeley men’s varsity rower and junior—to unpackwhat it’s like growing up inside a high-achievement bubble, learning to define success for yourself, and building a “real” network in a world that tells you to rack up LinkedIn connections. Evan shares how pressure in Palo Alto shaped
From 30 Moves to Version 3.0: Reinventing Work, Home, and Self with Stan Prehu
Episode 8: Rethinking Success and Meaning in Your 20sIn this full-circle conversation, I sit down with Stan Prehu—a Franco-Croatian third-culture kid I first met as a baby in France—who’s moved nearly 30 times and learned to build confidence and community wherever he lands. Stan walks us through the honest version of early adulthood: chasing a “glossy” consulting role in the UK, getting laid off d
You’re Not Your Label: Vaughn Vogel on Being More Than One Thing
Episode 7: Coming Out Isn’t a Moment — It’s a Process What happens after you finally say the words out loud?In this powerful episode of Fresh Out and FiguringIt Out, Vaughn Vogel (University of Miami senior) opens up about his coming out journey — and the parts people don’t always talk about: the pressure to “do it perfectly,” the fear of risking important relationships, and the identity whiplash
From Doom Loops to Real Growth: Navigating Your 20s in a New City
Episode 6: Thriving in San Francisco as an Introvert — Rest, Reflection, and Redefining SuccessIn this episode of Fresh Out and Figuring It Out, Connor Callahan, a 20-something computer engineering grad living in San Francisco, talks about what really happens after college and how he moved past negative thought spirals, learnedto value rest, and found his people in a city obsessed with status, sta
More Than a Quarterback: Micah Bowens on Football, Faith & Figuring Life Out
Episode 5: From the Field to Life: Micah Bowens' Journey Navigating College Football and The Lessons LearnedIn this episode of Fresh Out and Figuring It Out, I sit down with former D1 quarterback Micah Bowens to unpack what really happens when the dream you’ve chased your whole life suddenly changes. From being a four-star recruit and state champion at Bishop Gorman to playing at Penn State, O
Optics vs. Reality: Gen Z, Body Image & Actual Success
Episode 4: A Day in the Life of Gen Z Entrepreneurship:Grit Over GlamourIn this episode, I am joined by 21-year-old entrepreneur and creator Dominic Arvielo for a raw, hopeful conversation about identity, body image, and building something from scratch. Dom traces his path from theater kid to music producer to founder of Zigzy, a social media tech + management company. Along the way, he opens up a
Resilience in Action: How Grit and Discipline Turn Setbacks
Episode 3: A Day in the Life of a Division 1 Rower: A Story About Humility, Coachability, and Showing UpIn this episode, I sit down with a very special guest—my son, Conor. From family stories to Division I rowing, this conversation is a journey through resilience, risk-taking, and the power of community. We start with family stories: the giant baby who wore men’s shoe sizes by age five, the South
Are We Leaving Our Boys Behind? Rethinking masculinity, mental health, and mentorship with Dr. Carli Snyder
Episode 2: Why I am so passionate about building a community that lifts both men and women upIn this conversation, I sit down with my dear friend Dr. Carli Snyder—a board-certified clinical psychologist licensed in CA and NV with 25 years in practice—whose philosophy is simple and powerful: health is wealth. We explore what she’s learned working with young adults through a holistic mind-body lens,
My Story & The WHY Behind This Podcast
Episode 1: Why I Finally Hit Record 🎙️After years of excuses (“too busy, not the right time, maybe next year…”), I realized the truth: fear was holding me back. Fear of being vulnerable, imperfect, judged. And yet—here I am. Ready or not.In this episode, I share the real story behind starting Fresh Out & Figuring It Out—from growing up as a 1.5 generation Korean American straddling two culture
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