What's Your "And"?

John Garrett
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John Garrett's research involves asking professionals, "Who else are you beyond your job title?" Accountants, consultants, lawyers, engineers, and other professionals everywhere are doing hobbies and passions after they leave the office. We discuss why these outside-of-work interests matter and how they've impacted their career.

  1. 2d ago

    735: Holly Watkins is a CPA & Writer [podcast]

    In this episode, Holly Watkins shares her journey from public accounting to rediscovering her passion for writing and creativity. She reveals how her creative side, influenced by her artistic mother, was often set aside in the business world but reemerged after she left public accounting and began journaling, eventually resulting in a published book. Holly talks about the importance of allowing oneself to fully embrace personal interests and how doing so can improve both work and life. She also discusses how process improvement and connecting with others brought more joy and purpose to her professional life. Holly offers advice on taking time for self-care, like short meditation sessions, and encourages listeners to reflect on who they truly want to be. She emphasizes that embracing authenticity and a whole, human approach at work benefits not just individuals but also organizations. Episode Highlights · Allowing yourself to be authentic and embracing your creativity leads to greater happiness and success at work. · Taking intentional breaks, such as meditation, helps clear your mind and makes you more productive. · High performers in organizations often have hobbies and passions outside of work; the profession should value these dimensions more. · The culture and leadership of a firm are crucial in creating space for people to be whole humans, not just job titles. · The younger generation values authenticity and work-life balance more, and organizations must adapt for future success.

  2. Jul 15

    733: Erik Solbakken is an Entrepreneur & Drummer [podcast]

    Erik "The Viking" Solbakken shares his journey from discovering drumming in grade school to leading rock bands and embracing his passion for music alongside his accounting career. He reflects on fighting against early discouragement to pursue drums and how his love for music persisted even as he trained to become a CPA. Erik describes a long break from music while building his professional career before coming back to drumming through tribute bands and eventually founding his own band again. He talks about experiencing true connection with clients and others after he began sharing his musical side openly. Erik highlights the freedom and authenticity he found by merging his professional and personal identities. He encourages others to share their authentic selves, noting that doing so brings connection, trust, and a vibrant sense of community. Episode Highlights ·  Embracing your full, authentic self and sharing your passions outside of work leads to stronger, more genuine connections with clients and colleagues. .  There is often resistance within professional environments to blending personal passions and work identities, but breaking down those barriers brings bigger rewards.  .  Taking time away from your passion (like drumming) in order to focus on a career can result in feeling unfulfilled, but reconnecting with that passion reignites joy and energy in all aspects of life.  .  Being aware of your audience and how you show up is important; you can bring your best self in an authentic way while also serving the needs of the situation.  .  Sharing who you are and your interests openly can create unexpected bonds and opportunities, both personally and professionally.

  3. Jul 1

    731: Tricia Katebini is a Partner & Runner [podcast]

    Tricia Katebini shares how her passion for running began with playing soccer in her youth and grew into a central part of her life after college, especially once she became a mother. She describes how the camaraderie of the running community has helped her connect with lifelong friends, often revolving around group runs and destination races. Tricia notes that running taught her valuable lessons about perseverance and leadership, emphasizing the importance of not leaving anyone behind and bringing her team along at work. She highlights her firm's commitment to work-life balance, such as offering summer Fridays and actively monitoring for burnout to protect employees' well-being. Tricia encourages others to share their hobbies at work, pointing out that these connections foster deeper relationships and a stronger corporate culture. She believes everyone has multiple layers, and sharing those passions can help people feel seen and valued in their careers. Episode Highlights · Running started with playing soccer, became more serious in college, and later turned into a community activity after having a child. . The running community fosters strong friendships and camaraderie, sometimes making race trips enjoyable even if the race itself is canceled. · Experiences and mindset from running, such as perseverance and bringing others along, translate directly into leadership approaches at work. . Sharing personal interests like running strengthens workplace connections and forms unique bonds with colleagues. . Encouraging everyone to share and talk about their "And" opens up opportunities for connection and learning, as people are multi-layered and have much more to them than just their professional roles

  4. Jun 17

    729: Joe Woodard is a CEO & Hiker [podcast]

    Joe Woodard shares how his passion for hiking started with childhood trips to the Smoky Mountains, where the beauty of nature left a lasting impression. His most memorable hike was trekking from the rim of the Grand Canyon down to the Colorado River, an eight-hour adventure in intense heat. For Joe, hiking is a way to unplug from work, practice mindfulness, and be fully present in the moment, especially when hiking with his wife. He emphasizes that hiking intentionally has no connection to his professional life and serves as his way to sever and recharge. Occasionally, hiking leads to spontaneous work ideas, which he records and sets aside to stay focused on the experience. He believes nurturing one's "And" makes us more human and essential in an increasingly AI-driven world. Episode Highlights · Hiking provides a way to disconnect from work and clear the mind, allowing for mental rest and rejuvenation. ·  Mindfulness is about focusing fully on the present moment, like observing a tree while hiking, to allow for true mental clarity and severance from work. . Even though hiking is separate from work, new ideas often come during hikes; recording them quickly helps maintain separation and return to enjoying the hike. . Building relationships in business is about genuine human connection and shared interests like hiking can organically strengthen those client and colleague relationships.

  5. Jun 3

    727: Taryn Tigges is an Engineer & Dancer [podcast]

    Taryn Tigges shares her lifelong passion for dance, which began at age four and carried her through years of ballet, tap, and competitive performances, including annual roles in The Nutcracker. She explains how dance was the only childhood activity she truly loved, drawn by its strong connection to music. Taryn describes the challenges of continuing with dance as an adult and her rediscovery of it through Impulse Dance and Fitness in her city, a studio for adults where she found a supportive community and rekindled her love for movement. She contrasts the childhood era of dance with the personal fulfillment and intentionality of dancing as an adult. Taryn reflects on the flow state and focus that dance offers, highlighting how it complements her professional life as an engineer. She encourages others not to suppress their passions, noting that sharing outside interests at work fosters connection and shows that everyone is more than their job title. Episode Highlights · There are two eras of Taryn's dance life: as a child/adolescent and as an adult, returning to dance through an adult studio after a long gap. · Dance provides her with confidence and a sense of flow state/focus that she didn't experience in other activities or even in her engineering work. · Sharing her dance passion at work creates connection and relatability with colleagues, showing she's more than just her job title. · Dance has positively influenced Taryn's professional life, making her more adventurous and comfortable in presentations by drawing on performance experience.

  6. May 20

    725: Adam Ritchie is a Consultant & Ski Instructor [podcast]

    Adam Ritchie, founder of High Potential Group in Detroit, Michigan, shares his lifelong passion for skiing, which began at age seven and later evolved into becoming a ski instructor. He remembers growing up with Saturday ski club bus trips and racing on his high school ski team, describing how skiing brought joy and resilience to Michigan winters. Adam explains how returning to the slopes rejuvenates him and brings energy to his life and work, refreshing his mindset for the week ahead. He emphasized the meaningful impact of teaching others, from helping anxious adults conquer their fears to seeing lightbulb moments in learners of all ages. Adam highlights strong similarities between ski instruction and leadership consulting, pointing out the importance of empathy, meeting people where they are, and recognizing the human side of everyone. He believes passionately in bringing his all parts of himself, including being a father, husband, and ski instructor, into his professional world, encouraging others to do the same. Episode Highlights · Skiing and ski instructing fill Adam's soul and give him new energy for life and work. · Teaching skiing and consulting both focus on creating "light bulb moments" for people, connecting them to new perspectives and skills. · Adam believes it's important to share your outside-of-work passions at work, as it deepens human connection and makes corporate culture more empathetic. · Leadership is most effective when it recognizes employees as whole people with multiple aspects to their lives, not just workers, saying, "We're human first and employees second." · Being open about hobbies and interests can build stronger relationships at work.

  7. May 6

    723: Denise Froemming is a President and CEO & Matcha Aficionado & Bridge Builder [podcast]

    Denise Froemming, President and CEO of CalCPA, shares her passion for connecting with people, her love of matcha, and her approach to bridge-building both in and out of the workplace. She describes her lifelong commitment to bringing people together, from organizing charitable events as a child to helping her son and his friends start a non-profit basketball tournament for cancer research. Denise discusses the importance of servant leadership and how authenticity and caring for others are central to her leadership style. She also reveals her fondness for meaningful traditions, like family Lego nights. Throughout the conversation, Denise encourages curiosity, celebrating the power of connecting over shared interests, and embracing all parts of oneself at work. She emphasizes the value of both organizational and individual responsibility in creating an authentic workplace culture. Episode Highlights · Denise shares that she is a "bridge builder" who loves connecting people and creating human moments over things like matcha, community events, and projects. . She emphasizes that leadership should be about serving others, supporting their growth, and fostering an ecosystem where people can become their full selves. · Denise encourages showing up with authenticity, not just identifying with a job title, but allowing your unique interests and passion to influence your professional environment. . She believes organizational leaders have a duty to set the tone, create space for people's "And," and help them grow personally and professionally. · Her advice for others is to be curious, share your own "And," and you'll find you have more in common with others than you think, which leads to deeper connections.

  8. Apr 22

    721: Alvin Hartono is a Program Manager & Gamer [podcast]

    Alvin Hartono, a lifelong gamer and program manager at Google, shares how his love for gaming began with Pokémon Gold on the Game Boy Color and has evolved alongside advances in technology. He explains how early gaming taught him resilience, problem-solving, and self-directed learning, all skills that have translated to his professional career. Alvin Hartono reveals that once he started talking about his passion for gaming during job interviews, it helped him stand out and connect with others more authentically. He notes that many workplaces now foster community through gaming tournaments and dedicated channels for sharing interests, which enhance social connection, especially in remote settings. Alvin Hartono encourages listeners to embrace and share their passions, believing these interests reveal more about a person than their job title. He advocates starting conversations by asking about hobbies, as people light up when discussing what they love outside of work. Episode Highlights · Growing up gaming fostered resilience, curiosity, and a love for learning by encouraging continual trial and error and problem-solving without much guidance. · Modern games are increasingly designed with tutorials and gamification to keep players engaged and coming back daily, which can be addictive but also rewarding. · Gaming sparked an interest in computers and programming, leading directly to career skills, including early experience in customization, automation, and understanding software. · Sharing personal passions like gaming in professional settings can create authentic connections, help in job interviews, and allow you to stand out by showing a fuller picture of who you are. · It's important to own your passions and lead conversations by asking about hobbies and interests outside of work, as these reveal more about who people truly are and help create more genuine connections.

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About

John Garrett's research involves asking professionals, "Who else are you beyond your job title?" Accountants, consultants, lawyers, engineers, and other professionals everywhere are doing hobbies and passions after they leave the office. We discuss why these outside-of-work interests matter and how they've impacted their career.

Information

  • Creator
    John Garrett
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    679
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 John Garrett | WhatsYourAnd.com
  • Show Website
    What's Your "And"?

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