TayTalks
TayTalks is a podcast for dynamic people navigating layered, nontraditional paths across work and life. From academia and entrepreneurship to advocacy, science, and the arts, these are honest, down-to-earth conversations with guests whose stories don't follow a straight line. Hosted by Taymeyah, it offers a space to slow down and talk openly about identity, growth, and the quiet, meaningful shifts that shape who we become. Born from spontaneous voice notes and conversations over ice cream, this podcast invites real, reflective dialogue that is thoughtful, unscripted, and rooted in care.
Episodes
Learning to Laugh in the Waiting Room
In this episode of TayTalks, Taymeyah sits down with Raquel Riggle, creator of Menopalz, to talk about the messy, hilarious, and terrifying reality of navigating health scares and midlife in a world that won’t slow down. From waiting for an ablation only to see her doctor’s mugshot scroll past on TikTok, to being handed a single sheet of paper that casually declares “acute liver failure” and then
Leaving the Front Page to Find the Real Story
In this episode of TayTalks, Taymeyah sits down with Steve, a journalist‑turned‑law graduate whose career unfolded just as the media world was being rewritten in real time. From chasing Fleet Street dreams in London to watching Rupert Murdoch’s empire reshape the industry from the inside, Steve shares what it’s like to build a life in a field changing faster than you can catch up.They talk about t
Building a Life That’s Actually Yours
Some of us are taught to wait for life to happen to us instead of building it ourselves. In this episode of TayTalks, Taymeyah sits down with Gayle, a former sports model turned storyteller, editor, and author, to talk about what it means to create a life on purpose after decades of doing what everyone else expected. Gayle shares how her parents raised her to believe they’d always take care of her
When Growth Outgrows “Forever”
Outgrowing people is one of the quietest parts of growth—and sometimes the most confusing when you’re someone who gives 110 percent. In this second solo episode of TayTalks on outgrowing people, Taymeyah builds on Part 1 by talking about what happens after you realize a relationship has shifted: how to navigate the “honeymoon phase,” spot one‑sided dynamics, and recognize when you’ve actually outg
The First Hello That Makes You Feel Seen
Support during pediatric cancer and blood disorders rarely looks like a grand gesture; it looks like someone quietly showing up. In this episode of TayTalks, Taymeyah sits down with Sharin Nelson, a longtime leader at a family support center in Tampa, to talk about 25 years of walking alongside families through diagnoses, holidays, and everything in between. Sharin shares how their team creates mo
Soy Milk, Santa, and the Art of Caring Differently
Caring differently doesn’t always look soft or conventional, and sometimes it starts with soy milk and Santa. In this episode of TayTalks, Taymeyah sits down with Patryk Mikucki, a rare disease leader, “punk guy” in clinical research, and early‑rising black‑coffee loyalist, to talk about friendship, challenge, and choosing learning over doing.They explore what it means to be described as dynamic,
Many Hats, One Story
Leaving home doesn’t mean leaving yourself, but it does mean reintroducing yourself again and again. In this episode of TayTalks, Taymeyah sits down with Urmi, a Milan-raised, Montreal-based finance professional, author, and mentor, to talk about third culture kid identity, building a life across continents, and redefining success beyond titles and timelines.We explore what it’s like to grow up be
When Growth Changes Your Circle
Outgrowing people is one of the quietest—and hardest—parts of personal growth. In this solo episode of TayTalks, Taymeyah reflects on what it really means to grow in different directions, why growth isn’t linear, and how relationships often shift without a dramatic ending.This episode explores seasonal friendships, emotional balance, and the difference between self-respect and self-betrayal, espec
Navigating Care in a Broken System
In this TayTalks episode, Taymeyah and cancer rights attorney Joanna Doran dive into what it really means to navigate care in a broken system when you’re living with cancer or a serious medical condition. Joanna shares how she found her way into the niche world of cancer rights law, what it’s like co-founding and leading Triage Cancer with her sister, and why education about insurance, employment
Life is about Time and Relationships
In this TayTalks episode, Taymeyah and Greg Wasserman explore what it really means to build a career (and a life) that aligns with who you are. Greg reflects on early career experiences that shaped his leadership style, including retail “character development”, managing teams across multiple offices, and navigating constant change during his years at Yahoo. The conversation moves into startups ver
You’re Not Bad at Math, You’re Just Learning
In this episode, Tay sits down with Pouyan — an engineer, PhD researcher, and creator whose journey spans continents, careers, and deep personal loss. From growing up in Iran to building intuitive robotics systems in Montreal, Pouyan shares how immigration reshapes identity, how grief can shadow (and shape) ambition, and why lowering expectations doesn’t mean lowering your standards.They dive into
Grieving the life lost
In this solo episode, Taymeyah unpacks one of the most quietly devastating experiences we go through: grieving the job, career, or path you desperately wanted, and didn’t get.This conversation goes deeper than rejection. It’s about the identity crisis that hits when the thing you believed defined you suddenly disappears. What happens to your confidence? How do you move forward? And who are you whe
The PA Reality Check
In this episode, Taymeyah sits down with Jennifer Teeters, clinician, educator, former athlete, and the undisputed queen of the physical exam, for a conversation that every aspiring PA, every pre-PA student, and honestly, every future clinician should hear.Jen’s path wasn’t linear: college athlete, athletic trainer, PA, faculty member, and now a leader shaping the next generation at the USF PA pro
Where Pain Meets Purpose
What do you do when life doesn’t go to plan, and the only way forward is through?In this episode, patient advocate and Phase I clinical research expert Peter DeMaria joins Taymeyah Al-Toubah for a candid conversation about loss, legacy, and what it really means to make meaning from pain.Peter shares how losing his mother ignited his purpose: becoming the kind of advocate she would’ve needed. He al
When Caregiving Becomes the Calling
Nurse practitioner–turned–NET advocate Lisa Yen sits down with host Taymeyah Al-Toubah to unpack the sprint from ICU clinician to full-time caregiver, how a second opinion changed everything, and why pursuing joy (yes, even a same-day Broadway run) is a serious resilience strategy.Why hit play:Trace Lisa’s nonlinear path: from cardiac ICUs to hospitalist pioneer to patient advocate—without the tid
Medicine, Money & Mindset: Can We Heal the System?
What happens when a healer decides healing the system matters just as much as healing the patient?Clinician-scholar Ramy Mitwalli joins host Taymeyah Al-Toubah for a raw, thoughtful conversation about the intersection of medicine, money, and meaning. With multiple master’s degrees across healthcare and business—and medical training in Europe—Ramy brings a rare perspective on how financial literacy
What’s Worth Fighting For?
GI oncologist and equity advocate Dr. Pam Kunz joins host Taymeyah Al-Toubah to talk about finding purpose in rare cancers, speaking up against inequity, and how a values-first mindset can reshape both medicine and leadership.Why hit play:Hear how a childhood dream, a serendipitous lab job, and one rare disease set Pam on the path to becoming a leading voice in GI oncology and neuroendocrine tumor
Why Wisdom Beats Smarts
Richard Reich, Director of Data Science Shared Resources and former psychology professor, joins host Taymeyah Al-Toubah to talk teaching, leadership, and the unexpected ways poetry and data science overlap.Why hit play:Hear how Richard’s path from psychology to data science reflects the beauty of nonlinear journeys — and why he still misses the classroom.Learn the surprising role of poetry in his
Navigating Pivots, Power, and Purpose
Former hospitality pro turned association leader Cassandra Cleare joins host Taymeyah Al-Toubah to talk confidence, career pivots, and why standing in your power is the key to creating opportunity.Why hit play:Hear how Cassandra went from late nights in hospitality to building balance and fulfillment in a whole new field.Learn the turning point when she realized confidence isn’t given — it’s built
Why an Oncologist Left the Clinic
Former phase 1 oncologist and neuroendocrine tumor specialist turned biotech leader Nanu Das joins host Taymeyah Al-Toubah to talk pivots, patient impact, and why early-stage trials are becoming the “new phase two.”Why hit play:Hear the moment Nanu knew he had to leave clinic life, despite loving patient care.Steal his framework for choosing mentors (and being the kind of mentee they fight to help
“Success Isn’t Knowing the Answers—It’s Asking the Right Questions”
Ready to test that theory when a plane crashes at your feet …and a cancer diagnosis lands in your lap?Why hit play:Hear the Baywatch‑turned‑nightmare moment when a 19‑year‑old lifeguard sprints toward a sinking plane—and ends up running the entire rescue scene.Steal the single question‑first framework that later helped her out‑maneuver a misread scan and find a neuroendocrine‑cancer specialist jus
You Can Have Anything, Just Not Everything
Former orthopedic surgeon turned biotech founder Dr. Chapovsky joins host Taymeyah Al-Toubah to prove you don’t need to choose between a six-figure business, a six-pack, and showing up for the 8 a.m. soccer game, you just need a system.Why hit play:Unlock a nightly A/B/C list that frees up mornings for sweat & strategy.Borrow the maker‑vs‑manager calendar tweak Y Combinator swears by.Test the
Do NOT Major in Biomedical Sciences
Welcome to TayTalks, a podcast about nonlinear paths, full-circle moments, and the humans behind the highlights. In this first episode, I (Taymeyah) share the story of how this podcast was born: the grief that sparked it, the conversations that inspired it, and the reasons it took years to hit “record.”Why hit play:A raw origin story: grief, immigrant expectations, and finally hitting “record.”The
Recommended
The Snow Plow Show Prank Call Podcast
World of Prank Calls
TechnoSnobCast
Snoop Dogg - Flash Biográfico
The Moral Support Podcast
Jubal Phone Pranks from The Jubal Show
پلی لیست | PlayList
Giants Talk: A San Francisco Giants Podcast
The Handlebar Podcast
رختکن بازندهها
Deadline: White House
Thrilling Threads - Conspiracy Theories, Strange Phenomena, True Crime, Unsolved Mysteries, etc!
