Vroom Vroom Veer with Jeff Smith Vroom Veer Media

Angela Tipton at 19 years of age, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, yet she refused to let her chronic illness define her. Ambitious and career-driven, Angela built a successful career with various Fortune 500 companies.



While building her career, she maximized her income, made significant financial investments, and paid off $85K of student debt in 18 months. While optimizing her savings, she learned to live below her means so that she could live life on her terms.



Angela started her first business in 2017, and today focuses her efforts on helping people achieve financial freedom through their careers at FIREYourCareer.com. She's passionate about building a career to fuel a FIRE lifestyle because she believes that everyone deserves to live life on their terms. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, running, and traveling. Angela lives in Salem, Oregon with her husband and two little boys.



Angela Tipton Vroom Vroom Veer Stories



Grew up in New York and started having stomach issues at age 15, doctors didn't know what it was…was it in her head?; finally at age 19 was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and they were eventually able to find a treatment that kept her in remission



Studied biology in school and graduated during the great recession when it was difficult to find any jobs; she did a lot of "any" jobs and finally landed a Temp job in her field which open the doors to future lab jobs



Worked with Dow and Bayer and got to travel to the Netherlands and India for work



When she was thinking about grad school an MBA somehow became possible instead of more science; she realized working head down in a lab wasn't the best fit for her personality; she wrote a fantasy novel and realized she really like writing and communicating more than lab work



Had a wake up call during a meeting with the family accountant; she realized they paid $5k on student loan interest; the A-ha moment for Angela was that could have been a cruise if they paid down that debt sooner rather than later



Most folks in the FIRE community are not talking about how to use your career (job) to work toward fire; they are talking about house hacking; rental income; etc, but those ideas may not fit all people; if you have a job or a career you can totally work toward Financial Independence



Show Summary



In this episode of "Vroom Vroom Veer," host Jeff Smith kicks off the show with excitement, emphasizing the podcast’s theme of shifting from autopilot life to one full of authentic redirections, veers, and significant changes. His guest for the episode is Angela Tipton, the founder of FIREYourCareer.com.



Angela discusses her enthusiasm for helping others live inspired lives on their terms, stating that her website primarily focuses on using careers to achieve financial independence. This allows people to enjoy their time and lives freely. Jeff agrees, noting the value of reaching financial independence early, although he mentions that this community often doesn't extensively discuss the intricacies of escaping debt.



The conversation shifts to Angela's personal story, with Jeff bringing up Angela’s early life challenges, particularly her diagnosis with Crohn's disease at nineteen after showing symptoms at fifteen. Angela shares how frustrating the journey to a diagnosis was, given the complexity of Crohn’s and its common misdiagnosis due to its symptomatic resemblance to other conditions. She describes the relief and validation of finally understanding her condition. This personal health battle played a significant role in shaping her resilience and perspective on life challenges.



Jeff relates to this with his own anecdote about struggling with undiagnosed skin conditions that were only resolved after a dermatologist accurately identified it as a form of eczema that didn’t require regular medication, just preventive care.



The discussion then veers into Angela's academic and professional journey,

Furkhan Dandia says:








Hey everyone! My name is Furkhan, and I’m a therapist, author, speaker and coach. After going through adversity and working in the corporate world as an Engineer for many years, I decided to pivot and pursue a Master's in Psychology. I have a newfound passion for making a difference in people’s lives and working with them to find their purpose.



Going through a divorce made me realize how much shame there is for men around failure. That further motivated me to help other men like myself. After seeing the life-changing benefits of therapy, I decided to become a therapist. In addition to becoming a therapist, I have a podcast: EZ Conversations, a men's group that I facilitate to help men embrace their vulnerabilities, and I also released a book, Pursuit Of Self-Love: 30 Uplifting Messages and Reflections



When struggling with adversity, I wish I had someone to turn to. Someone whom I could speak with, someone who could help me navigate through things, or even provide me with a different perspective. While everyone struggles with adversity differently, adversity is relative, and we all need support.



What helped me overcome my struggles, build resiliency and grow was surrounding myself with positive people, digging deep and seeking therapy. I spent many hours reading and learning about myself, opening myself up to difficult truths and working through each issue one at a time with the help of a therapist. To move forward and work on me, I needed to change my thought patterns and how I perceived situations and try to find gratitude. I don’t have it all figured out today and still encounter daily challenges. I still need to sit down and dig deep, be curious, question my choices and then work through them using mindfulness. I have only scratched the surface of this journey of life-long learning.
https://www.eunoiazen.com/about



Furkhan Dandia Vroom Vroom Veer Stories



Grew up in Montreal Canada and his East Indian parents would only pay for Med School, Law School or Engineering so he picked Mechanical Engineering



Loved engieering and still does, but he wanted to challenge himself and grow into new ways of thinking



Fell into the work hard play hard and party on the weekends with his party friend aka drinking buddies; this led to some normal from the outside but not "right" in his mind



Decided to take 2 weeks off alchohol to see if he would feel much better; turns out he was able to sleep much better and felt amazing



Realized at some point that he needed to seperate from his partner to be his best self; there is alot of shame involved in failing at marriage but he wanted to be his best self for himself, his son and the rest of the world



Works primarily with men one on one in groups to help find the childhood trauma from our past and help to heal those old wounds



Show Summary



In this episode of "Vroom Vroom Veer" hosted by Jeff Smith, the conversation revolves around Furkhan Dandia's personal journey toward finding a Eunoia Zen state of mind, characterized by resilience, mental toughness, and grace. Furkhan discusses his transition from working as an engineer to becoming a men's coach, therapist, and podcaster, driven by his own struggles during a painful separation and his subsequent personal growth.



Jeff begins the episode by setting a welcoming tone and asking Furkhan to introduce his concept of Eunoia Zen, which he details as a framework he developed during his personal and professional transformation. Furkhan elaborates on the importance of having a well mindset and talks about his website and the services he offers.



The conversation delves into Furkhan's backstory, including his ethnic and educational roots, initial career in engineering, and the societal and parental pressures that influenced his early career choices. Furkhan shares insights into his decision to switch careers following his separation at 34, seeking a Master's in Psychology,

Dr. Melissa Corley Carter says: Your epic life actually IS rocket science!I was the epitome of vroom vroom veer, beginning with 20 years on the fast track chasing my dream to become an astronaut. Despite two Stanford engineering degrees, an Air Force officer commission, a PhD in astronautical engineering, and perfect vision after corrective eye surgery, my pre-surgical eyesight disqualified me and shattered my dream.I continued on the fast track of an Air Force career that looked like traditional success, but internally, I was adrift. I could have followed in the footsteps of the high-powered and inspiring women I worked for, but I realized I wanted to inspire people in a different way - and with a lot more life balance.When I came to a major decision point, I leaped into the unknown and left my active-duty military career. At the time I didn't know what my life purpose was, but I knew it was bigger than what I was doing.In the years since, I've realized that my astronaut dream emerged from an intuitive knowing of my spiritual connection with the universe, from a desire to inspire people to greatness the way astronauts had always inspired me, and from the vision of a unified and harmonious world.Now I use basic principles of rocket science to help rockstar humans reclaim their power, own their awesomeness, and take giant leaps of faith. I’m living my true dream every day!Also a 7 continents marathoner, I’m the author and photographer of the award-winning coffee table book, "Running the World: Marathon Memoirs from the Seven Continents," and the companion wisdom card deck, “Running YOUR World."




Dr. Melissa Corley Carter Vroom Vroom Veer Stories



Wanted to be an astronaut since the 5th grade; parents were suppportive of that goal



Melissa has an identical twin sister who also was in Air Force ROTC and their paths diverged after college



On the Air Force officer fast track; got to attend a prestigious graduate program as her 2nd assignment; maybe graduating from Stanford had something to do with that



Next prestigious Air Force assignment was an aide to a general; she also witnessed the historic nose-to-nose meeting of Enterprise and Discovery (Star Trek fans?)



There was fine print in the astronaut qualification criteria that stated if your eye sight was "this bad" then don't bother with the corrective surgery; Melissa's pre-Lasik eye sight was "that bad"



After realizing her dream of being astronaut was over; she looked at the amazing career track of her bosses in the Air Force and discovered that path wasn't appealing to her



She found a new calling teaching leadership as an Air Force reservist; she also did a Marathon on every continent and wrote a coffee table book with stunning images and words of inspirational reflection



Show Summary



In this episode of "Vroom Vroom Veer," host Jeff Smith welcomes Dr. Melissa Corley Carter, a former astronaut candidate turned life coach. The conversation starts with Jeff introducing Melissa, who shares her background and leads into her website, "Epic Life Actually."



Melissa dives into her personal and professional journey, explaining how she transitioned from being deeply involved in aerospace engineering to discovering her true passion in life coaching. She discusses the concept of everything being like rocket science in that it's about moving from where you are to where you want to be, acknowledging progress, and making adjustments.



Jeff shares a personal anecdote about observing different thinking styles during an informal experiment at LA Air Force Base, which leads Melissa to reflect on her own experience growing up in Dallas with an identical twin and her dreams of becoming an astronaut since fifth grade.



Melissa opens up about her educational path through Stanford University, where she studied mechanical engineering and astronautical engineering. She talks about her intense academic and extracurricular commitments,

Luis Báez is a Revenue Enablement Strategist + Sales Coach dedicated to serving executives and sales leaders at businesses.



In 2017, after years of working in some of the biggest Silicon Valley startups (think LinkedIn, Google, Uber, Tesla, and more), Luis began to teach impassioned business owners how to scale their revenues and impact by creating and selling high-end offers. During that time, he was also invited to speak about leadership and personal branding at business schools across the country including Stanford, UC Berkeley and Bard.



Luis Baez Vroom Vroom Veer Stories



Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx; live in public housing and went to public schools; first in his family to graduate high school



Came out after graduating High School and his mom was very loving and supportive; others in his circle took more time to come around



Went to college at Wheaton College in Massachusetts on a scholarship; he definitely struggled mightily just put his head down and finish with a degree; started with pre-med but changed to sociology and Spanish



Went down the Law Degree track and worked for a judge in New York before he realized that he didn't really want to be a lawyer; a friend suggested business, sales, and marketing



Took a job on the East Coast working sales and earned his Account Executive Title; the company later gave him a promotion offer or severance and he took the severance to move to the West Coast



First landed a job at LinkedIn because he was using that platform to try to find a job; then he was recruited to work at Google; the Google job landed him in the hospital with burn out



Worked at Uber for 6 months; but knew right away that it was not a good fit for him; about the same time Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and he need to focus some time helping with relief efforts from the states



About this time he started doing more consulting and teaching and is now giving away a free course called Flex and Flourish



Show Summary



In this episode of "Vroom Vroom Veer" hosted by Jeff Smith, the podcast explores the intriguing and tumultuous journey of Luis Báez, a former Silicon Valley insider turned sales coach and revenue enablement strategist.



The episode kicks off with a vibrant introduction by Tim Paige, who sets the stage for a discussion about steering away from a scripted life to embrace more authentic and fulfilling paths. Jeff then welcomes Luis Báez to the show, complimenting his polished online presence and probing into what excites him currently in his business. Luis talks about his latest venture, Flex and Flourish, a course designed to lay out his sales strategies and playbooks, which he promotes during the interview.



Luis shares his humble beginnings, born in Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx during a tumultuous era marked by drug epidemics and gang violence. He outlines his remarkable educational journey, becoming the first in his family to graduate from high school and college, navigating the cultural transitions at Wheaton College, and the inherent struggles linked to his identities as a person of color and an out gay man.



The conversation transitions into his professional life, detailing his initial aspirations in medicine and law, eventually finding his niche in sales and marketing. Luis discusses his moves through some of Silicon Valley's most prominent companies, including LinkedIn, Google, Uber, and Tesla, each experience contributing to his skill set but also to his understanding of corporate cultures and personal limits.



Personal stories of overcoming discrimination and establishing his worth in challenging environments weave through the narrative, showing Luis's resilience and strategic acumen. The interview takes a deeper dive when discussing his decision to move to California on a whim, taking a severance package and leaving his job without a clear plan, which he describes as a true "veer" moment.

Phil Newton takes that overworked, underpaid person and helps them to move to a stage of being unHustled. Phil works with clients to free up their time, focus their offer, find their most fabulous clients and facilitate a world-class experience for their clients. In essence, he helps people earn more while working less. As the owner of an investment company, Phil knows what it means to work himself to death, and why it’s so important to find a way to work smarter and enjoy life more. He’s put together a system to help business owners and high performers hone in on their zone of genius, work smart and make more money. He’ll share insight with audiences, offer ideas and advice, and generally engage your listeners. His story of working himself into his deathbed - quite literally - will resonate with listeners. Then they’ll walk away with hope and tips to unHustle.
Phil Newton Vroom Veer Stories

Wasn't always in the "unhustled" zone; what it was like working in an unhealthy stressful job?
His parents told him "Yes, you can get can a new fishing rod, you will have to earn money to buy it; so he did
Lessons from Phil's deathbed; when the the priest asked him if he wanted his last rights he was offended and angry; which helped him decide to get better and change his life
His boss told him there was NOT a job to come back to on his "death bed"; again Phil was angry; he wanted the satisfaction of quitting that job!
Learned he already knew how to use investment strategies like options to make money from home on the internet; during his recovery he went all in on honing those skills
Suddenly, other people were asking how he made money with investments; turns out people were willing to pay him for the answers as well
Now, Phil doesn't need to work with anyone he doesn't really like; he has a dickhead filter that he uses to weed out folks that misbehave

Phil Newton Connections
Phil's Welcome Page

Kyle Duford is an executive specializing in crafting outstanding experiences for global brands. A former magazine editor, he also spent a bunch of his career with a focus on the fashion, outdoor and sports industries through the eCommerce and digital lens. Kyle's unique blend of design, branding, and digital best practices lends itself to creating and leading some of the foremost brands.



Kyle Duford Vroom Vroom Veer Stories



Grew up in Allentown PA 45 mins northwest of Philly; really poor; had no money he bolted at 18; mom made sure there were presents under the tree on ChristmasWent to college in Boulder CO; his whole family left home about the same time so there was no home to return to; never finished collegeAge 23 chased a girl to Minneapolis MN; worked in a coffee shop for a while; he was over-weight and miserable in a bad relationshipLost 100 pounds training for a triathlon on Catalina Island; started a magazine (American Tri); like a runner's world for triathlon; suddenly everyone was doing a triathlon The magazine shook the tri world; they were bought by a competitor for not a lot of money; but he got a job out of the deal and ended up being the editor and chief1997 in cafeteria of University of Colorado there are two cute girls; he ends up engaged to the cuter one who happens to be Billy Graham's granddaughter; through weirdness and no cell phones or emails they lose each other for 21 years Devastated and depressed his buddy tries to cheer him up; suggests a Johnny Cash concert; a light bulb goes on; Johnny Cash is friends with Billy Graham! Kyle has a chanceHe gets on the bus he talks to Johnny they talk about his fiance; never gets a chance to ask for help in reconnecting; he doesn't see her again for 21 years; gets married and has 2 kidsAfter his first marriage ended he went to Hawaii to ride his bike and figure out what's next; he hears/sees the one that got away on CNN; they reconnect on Facebook and end up married with a blended family



Connections



Website