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Career Sessions

Career Sessions

JR Lowry 212 Episodes Oct 12, 2026

Career paths rarely follow a straight line. In this podcast, host J.R. Lowry interviews accomplished leaders, entrepreneurs, academics, and professionals about their career journeys. They share decisions, challenges, successes, and lessons learned. Listeners can gain insights applicable to their own careers, whether early or transitioning. Each episode goes beyond resumes and job titles to uncover how people build meaningful careers.

Episodes

Stop Following Someone Else’s Career Playbook, with Andy Paul
Stop Following Someone Else’s Career Playbook, with Andy Paul Oct 12, 2026 1676 You may not think of yourself as a salesperson, but every day at work, you’re selling something—an idea, a proposal, your capabilities, or even yourself. In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry sits down with sales expert, author, and longtime podcast host Andy Paul to explore what the rest of us can learn from great salespeople about influence, curiosity, and human connection. An
Success Isn’t Enough: Building a Work Life Worth Living, with Jeff Westphal
Success Isn’t Enough: Building a Work Life Worth Living, with Jeff Westphal Oct 5, 2026 2014 What if you achieve everything you thought you wanted in your career, and still find yourself wondering if that's really all there is? Former Vertex CEO Jeff Westphal joins host J.R. Lowry to discuss how you can build a Work Life Worth Living when traditional status isn't enough. Jeff Westphal spent two decades as CEO of Vertex, helping grow the company from roughly 75 employees to more than 1,000
Why You? How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market, with April Dunford
Why You? How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market, with April Dunford Sep 28, 2026 2498 Most professionals assume great work speaks for itself, but solid Product Positioning proves that value never communicates automatically. When competitors offer flashy feature checklists or when crowded markets blur real differentiation, buyers and hiring managers get confused quickly. Host JR Lowry sits down with April Dunford, leading positioning expert and bestselling author of Obviously Awesom
The Real Job Of A Leader, With Dave Ulrich
The Real Job Of A Leader, With Dave Ulrich Sep 21, 2026 1918 What's the real job of a leader?According to Dave Ulrich, it isn’t having all the answers, building your own reputation, or even telling a compelling story about where you’re going. Great leaders help the people around them build their stories—and create value for others.In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry sits down with Dave, one of the world’s most influential thinkers on leadership,
Why Hiring Feels Broken—and How to Get Hired Anyway, with Lorena Prego Ojeda
Why Hiring Feels Broken—and How to Get Hired Anyway, with Lorena Prego Ojeda Sep 14, 2026 1816 Finding a job has never been easy, but today’s hiring process can feel particularly frustrating. Hundreds of applicants compete for a single role, AI is reshaping how candidates are screened, and qualified people often struggle to get noticed. At the same time, employers insist they can’t find the talent they need. So what’s really going on?In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry talks with
How to Stay Valuable in the Age of AI, with Liat Ben-Zur
How to Stay Valuable in the Age of AI, with Liat Ben-Zur Sep 7, 2026 2170 AI can already draft, summarize, analyze data, write code, and find patterns faster than most of us. So as these capabilities become increasingly commonplace, what will make you valuable?In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry talks with Liat Ben-Zur, former senior executive at Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Philips and author of The Bias Advantage, about how AI is changing the skills that matter
How To Stay Human In The Age Of AI, With Johan Roos
How To Stay Human In The Age Of AI, With Johan Roos Sep 1, 2026 2192 AI can write, analyze, summarize, code, and create—and its capabilities are advancing at a remarkable pace. So as machines become more intelligent, what will keep humans indispensable? Johan Roos believes the answer lies in what he calls “human magic”: the distinctly human capabilities that technology can support, but never replace. Johan is an internationally recognized strategy scholar, for
Why Great Teams Work Differently, with Ron Friedman
Why Great Teams Work Differently, with Ron Friedman Aug 24, 2026 2060 Why do some teams consistently outperform while others—with equally talented people—struggle with endless meetings, constant interruptions, and burnout?In this episode of Career Sessions, JR Lowry sits down with organizational psychologist and bestselling author Ron Friedman to explore what separates exceptional teams from average ones. Drawing on research involving more than 6,000 workers for his
The Rise of Disposable Workers, with Paul Osterman
The Rise of Disposable Workers, with Paul Osterman Aug 17, 2026 1809 For decades, a good job meant stability, career development, and a long-term relationship between employers and employees. But according to MIT Sloan professor Paul Osterman, that social contract has fundamentally changed. In this episode of Career Sessions, JR Lowry sits down with Osterman to discuss the ideas behind his new book, Disposable Workers, and why more than one-third of today's workfor
Why Smart People Get Financially Stuck (and How to Break Free), with Carrie Joy Grimes
Why Smart People Get Financially Stuck (and How to Break Free), with Carrie Joy Grimes Aug 10, 2026 2122 Most people were never taught how to manage money. Yet they're expected to navigate rising housing costs, student debt, investing, retirement planning, and an economy that often feels stacked against them. In this episode of Career Sessions, Career Lessons, JR Lowry sits down with Carrie Joy Grimes, founder of WorkMoney and author of the USA Today bestselling book The Joy of Money, to explore
The Hidden Risk of a Great Career (And a Different Path to Financial Freedom), with Jon Ostenson
The Hidden Risk of a Great Career (And a Different Path to Financial Freedom), with Jon Ostenson Aug 3, 2026 1947 What if the biggest financial risk in your life isn't the stock market—but your paycheck? Most professionals spend years building successful careers, yet their entire financial future depends on a single employer. In today's world of layoffs, AI disruption, and economic uncertainty, that's becoming an increasingly fragile strategy. In this episode, JR Lowry sits down with Jon Ostenson, f
Why Talent Isn't Enough: The Discipline That Separates Top Performers, with Dre Baldwin
Why Talent Isn't Enough: The Discipline That Separates Top Performers, with Dre Baldwin Jul 27, 2026 2051 Most careers stall because professionals wait for permission, confidence, or the right timing rather than taking action. In this episode, host J.R. Lowry sits down with former professional athlete and entrepreneur Dre Baldwin to dissect why professional discipline outperforms raw motivation every time. Baldwin reveals how he translated lessons from overseas sports courts into scalable business fra

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