Vroom Vroom Veer with Jeff Smith Vroom Veer Media

Kevin Roth is a renowned dulcimer artist, singer, author, and songwriter. He has recorded 65 albums, won numerous awards, and sang the theme to the hit PBS TV show Shining Time Station.



His life was transformed in 2015 when he was told he had stage-three melanoma and only a couple of years to live, he had a choice: get busy living or accept dying. Somehow, despite an amazing music career, Kevin had always found it difficult to simply be happy. He’d had a wake-up call, and he decided to do something about it. He envisioned a new, fun, and fulfilling life and set about making the necessary changes. Now, he wants to help you do the same.



Kevin Roth Vroom Vroom Veer Stories



Grew up in Philly up to the age of 13, great place to grow up with many cool neighborhoods to hang out



Started his music career at age 16! Learned piano by ear in as a young child



Was told that his kind of Melanoma gave him a 70% chance of coming back after his surgery and if that did come back he would be dead in 2 years; he didn't believe that and it turned out to be not true, but he did need to change his life and heal his body



He moved from Kanas to SoCal near San Diego and found a apartment he could afford even though everyone told him he couldn't find a place for $1000/month but he did



He healed his body by losing weight mostly by paying down $83K in debt; he paid a lawyer a couple hundred dollars and got the credit company to cut his debt in half; then he negoiated a payment plan to pay down the rest of the debt



Found "Section 8" housing in California that turns out to be subsised by the governemnt to provide low cost housing for those 55 and older



His music career got a real jolt from recording the theme song for the hit PBS TV show “Shining Time Station” based on Thomas the Tank Engine



In 2016 he started working as a life coach giving people practical advice from a point of view of non-dualism; Kevin explains that this life is much like a movie and when we die maybe we just start watching a new movie



He made a video on YouTube where he asked God who he was…the response was 83K views and 604 comments that were mostly positive.



Show Summary



This episode of Vroom Vroom Veer begins with a brief intro by host Jeff Smith, after a lighthearted exchange with Angela Tipton. Tim Paige provides a narrative introduction to the show, emphasizing the theme of navigating life’s changes and the unique stories of guests who steer their lives in fulfilling directions.



Jeff introduces Kevin Roth, setting the stage for a detailed discussion. Kevin, located in Southern California, talks about his allergy difficulties due to local conditions, contrasting it with Jeff’s experiences in Las Vegas.



Kevin dives into his multifaceted career, explaining his transition from a musician to a life coach consultant, highlighting his niche in using dulcimer music as a therapeutic tool in what he calls ‘dulcimeditation.’ He also mentions his satirical take on spirituality with his 'Guru Puppet.'



As the conversation progresses, Kevin recounts his geographical and career transitions, discussing his past residences and how regional cultural differences influenced his life and work. They touch on the distinct vibes of various locations, with brief mentions of Kevin’s experiences in Philadelphia and his connections to the entertainment industry in LA.



Jeff redirects the conversation towards Kevin’s past, touching on his early life, his musical influences, and brief yet meaningful anecdotes about his formative years. Kevin talks about his journey into and through the world of music and the personal and career growth he experienced along the way.



The dialogue veers into deeper waters as Kevin discusses overcoming a serious melanoma diagnosis, detailing his emotional and physical battles and eventual recovery, which was closely tied to significant life changes and a shift towards a more fulfilling lifestyle.

Nina Sodin stares at Google Maps until she finds a place she wants to visit. She looks for a volunteering opportunity, a house sit, or a nice host. Then she hitchhikes there, meets new people (and new animals), talk to them, and makes cartoons about the them. Repeat.



I blog about my nomadic life on roamingpencil.com



Nina Sodin Vroom Veer Stories




Born in Ukraine and moved around quite a bit; moved to Israel at age 8



Grew up in Israel; in High School got into soap operas from Argentina; learned some Spanish



Served her mandatory service in the Army; switch jobs to fix electronics instead of secretary work



Went to college for a while; mostly learned about animation; liked the video editing, writing, drawing



Decided she wanted to travel full time and write/blog/draw about her adventures



She mostly hitchhikes as a way to meet people and make friends and have adventures



Finds places to stay mostly for free by house sitting and coach surfing




Nina Sodin Connections



roamingpencil.comInstagramFacebookTwitter

Eliot Popkin is an award-winning singer-songwriter, a business and personal development coach, and the author of Circle: Letters to My Younger Self . In addition to his own songs, he has written music for film, television, commercials, and other artists. However, despite this success, life hasn’t always been easy for Eliot.



As a survivor of child abuse, he had to overcome a great deal and rediscover himself several times in order to become the man he is today. Now, Eliot is channeling the wisdom he has gained into his memoir, Circle. Eliot takes readers on a journey from his boyhood as an abused, unhappy, frightened child to adulthood, where he learned to recognize, honor, and trust all the gifts life has bestowed on him.



A beautiful memoir which inspires readers on their journey of self-discovery, growth and forgiveness, Circle is for everyone who has a dream, anyone who ever felt too afraid to step out on faith and execute a passion in life, and anyone who was too reserved to share their gifts with the world.



Eliot Popkin Vroom Vroom Veer Stories



During a "dry spell" he had 3 cars repo'd and he lost properties; He realized he was afraid to make money again because he was afraid to make another mistake with it; Eliot asked God if he really had to lose everything? God's answer surprised him along with the sound of his voiceAmazing Story about chasing after the car that hit him in his truck and drove away; the one time the running marathons skill came in handyHis mother died from breast cancer when he was 15; 3 days later he decided he would stay home with his abusive dad; but the physical abuse would stop and it didAuditioned for Berklee college of music in front of one person; he sang "Yesterday" by the Beatles; he finished and they sent him to a little room; that little room meant he was acceptedLearned the hard way the world of business and big money is a "contact sport"; struggled with business and money issuesWrote the Circle as part of his healing journey; wrote letters to his younger self in key moments of his pastPandemic silver linings; we have a global mental health crisis; we call need mental health check ups on a regular basis; physical isolation alone causing depression; connecting with people even on video chat helps; get a pet; do some eye gazing with loved ones whenever you can



Connections



Website - Coupon Code for the book is circle20



Eliot Popkin dot com

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,