and then I did this

LuRae Lumpkin
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"And Then I Did This" brings you the unique journeys of individuals who've had the courage to break free and live life on their own terms. Each episode takes you behind the scenes of an ordinary person's extraordinary transformation. You'll hear from those who've walked away from the beaten path to pursue work and a life that nourishes their soul. Their stories prove that you truly can be free to live your best and most authentic life. Get ready to be inspired as we explore the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned from those who dared to create the life of their dreams. Whether it's leaving the corporate grind to start a small business, embarking on a midlife career change, or simply redesigning your daily routine to prioritize your passions - the guests on "And Then I Did This" show you that it's possible to break free and live life on your own terms. Join us each week and prepare to be motivated, encouraged, and empowered to take the first steps toward more freedom in your life. If you're feeling inspired and ready to explore your own path to freedom, check out YouCanBeFree.life where you'll find resources and support to help you break free and live life on your own terms.

  1. Oct 14

    The Man Who Walked Away From Corporate to Work in Paradise

    Neal Hegarty lost his corporate job during the 2008 financial collapse and went on to build a permaculture farm, restaurant, and eco community in paradise. Neal, founder and CEO of CreaSol Permaculture, grew up on Irish farmland, spent years in the corporate world, and knew it wasn’t his path. When the 2008 financial crash cost him his job, he used his severance as permission to start over. A volunteer trip to a Guatemalan village opened his eyes: the “sustainable farming” he was teaching wasn’t sustainable at all. That moment launched his journey into permaculture design, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable living. After years of learning permaculture the hard way, Neal, his wife, and their business partner bought land on Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, and bootstrapped a permaculture farm, a farm-to-table restaurant, and a permaculture design business that helped grow an entire eco community. LuRae and Neal talk about his journey leaving corporate, regenerative tourism, permaculture residency programs, sovereign regenerative communities, off-grid and self-sufficient living, and how anyone can start an eco community, even with a single garden in Los Angeles. If you’re stuck in a job that isn’t your calling and dream of a sustainable lifestyle, a homestead, or a regenerative business, Neal’s advice is simple: you didn’t waste the last 30 years. Find your fascination point and start tomorrow. Chapters: (00:00:00) The risk of doing nothing(00:01:20) Meet Neal: Irish farming roots and the corporate detour(00:02:40) The 2008 layoff and a one way ticket to Guatemala(00:05:10) Permaculture as cultural restoration, not just gardening(00:07:30) Bootstrapping a farm, a restaurant, and a design business(00:12:20) Regenerative tourism and the residency program(00:17:20) Why sovereign regenerative communities matter now(00:19:20) The belief system behind lab food and 15 minute cities(00:24:20) Risk, reward, and the real cost of staying comfortable(00:28:30) Build an eco community anywhere, plus advice for anyone stuck Links and Resources: Neal Hegarty on InstagramCreaSolpermacultureLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

    The Man Who Walked Away From Corporate to Work in Paradise

  2. Oct 7

    From Intern to Producer of The Jerry Springer Show in One Season

    She drove to Chicago for a job she didn't get. One season later, she was a producer on The Jerry Springer Show. Reena Friedman Watts was a small-town girl from Kentucky chasing a radio job. When it fell through, she spotted a flyer for Jerry Springer Show interns in the same courtyard, called her dad, and walked into NBC Tower two weeks later. Then years later she started over again. More than once. If you feel stuck in your career and wonder whether it's too late to pivot, this conversation with host LuRae Lumpkin is a permission slip with a plan attached. You'll hear: • What Reena watched to go from intern to producer in a single season • Why she worked for the boss everyone else avoided • Why she left a producer title to answer phones in Los Angeles • How twenty years of persistence with one publicist turned into one of the last interviews Jerry Springer ever gave, and later a piece of an HBO documentary • How she built the Better Call Daddy podcast around daily calls with her father • How to rebuild your identity after every move and every role • Her career change advice for seasoned professionals Now a mom of four and 500 episodes deep, Reena still lives by the rule that carried her through every pivot: if the idea is real, put it on the calendar or act on it today. Otherwise, it quietly disappears. Links and Resources: Connect with Reena: Better Call Daddy Podcast Free resources from LuRae: LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTubeEverything you need to create work and a life you love If this episode spoke to you, follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone standing at their own crossroads. Chapters: (00:00:00) The creative idea that cannot wait(00:02:05) Better Call Daddy and the father-daughter legacy project(00:05:30) Intern to producer: what she watched to get promoted(00:08:20) A singing scholarship, sports medicine, and the pivot to radio(00:13:40) How she landed one of Jerry Springer's last interviews(00:19:20) The episode that led to an HBO documentary(00:23:50) Rebuilding your identity after every move and every role(00:26:40) Leaving the nine-to-five and learning sponsorships on the fly(00:31:10) Career change advice for seasoned professionals(00:37:50) Confidence, cutting toxicity, and the gold in your inbox Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

    From Intern to Producer of The Jerry Springer Show in One Season

  3. Sep 30

    She Got Laid Off Twice—Here's How She Built a New Life

    After two layoffs and more than 20 years in corporate HR, Melissa Grabiner stopped waiting for someone else to decide her future. She bet on herself. In this episode of And Then I Did This, LuRae Lumpkin sits down with Melissa, an entrepreneur, job search coach, business advisor, two-time LinkedIn Top Voice, and yoga instructor, to talk about what really happens on the hiring side of the table and how to take back control of your career. Melissa has hired thousands of people, so she knows why today's job market feels so hard. She explains how AI is changing recruiting and interviews, what candidate ghosting says about a company's culture, and why sending out hundreds of applications is one of the least effective ways to land a job. She also shares practical steps you can use right away: how to write a LinkedIn headline that gets you found, how recruiters actually search for candidates, and how to reach the hidden job market before you urgently need it. If you're at a professional crossroads, recovering from a layoff, or quietly wondering whether it's too late to start over, this conversation is your reminder: it's never too late to pivot, reinvent yourself, or try something new. Chapters: (00:00:00): Betting on yourself after corporate layoffs(00:04:00): Starting over, building a business, and becoming a yoga instructor at 50(00:08:00): Why job security no longer exists(00:12:00): How Melissa helps job seekers from the hiring side(00:16:00): Candidate ghosting, company culture, and AI interviews(00:20:00): Why networking beats mass applications(00:24:00): Making your LinkedIn headline work for you(00:28:00): Visibility, recruiter searches, and the hidden job market(00:32:00): Choosing entrepreneurship without living with regret(00:38:00): How to connect with Melissa Links and Resources: Melissa Grabiner on LinkedInLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to And Then I Did This? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

    She Got Laid Off Twice—Here's How She Built a New Life

  4. Sep 9

    It's Never Too Late to Start Over

    If the life you worked hard to build no longer feels like your own, this conversation is a reminder that you are allowed to choose again. Intuitive energetic healer, spiritual teacher, retreat leader, and author Julie Mullins joins LuRae Lumpkin from Bali to share how travel, healing, and the courage to start over helped her move beyond an acting career that had stopped feeling fulfilling. Julie explains how to tell intuition apart from fear, why obstacles can become guides instead of proof that something has gone wrong, and how small daily actions can rebuild self trust when the next chapter is still unclear. They also explore toxic work environments, relationships as mirrors, the balance between faith and action, and a more meaningful definition of success rooted in peace, authenticity, and continued growth. Whether you are considering a career change, questioning a path that once made sense, or wondering if it is too late to reinvent yourself, this episode offers honest encouragement to listen inward, take the next step, and never let your age or past decisions keep you confined. Chapters: (00:00:00) Why it is never too late to start over(00:03:00) How a nomadic life can reveal what you truly want(00:08:00) Telling intuition apart from fear, anxiety, and lack(00:12:00) Redefining success through peace, presence, and growth(00:17:00) Why obstacles can become part of the path(00:23:00) What toxic situations and difficult relationships can reveal(00:29:00) Building self trust through small daily actions(00:35:00) Julie's journey from acting to intuitive healing(00:42:00) Giving yourself permission to begin again at any age Links and Resources: Julie Mullins on InstagramJulie Mullins Expand Into PossibilityLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

    It's Never Too Late to Start Over

  5. Sep 2

    How to Build a Business in an Industry You Don't Know

    He was supposed to become a doctor. Instead, six-time founder Cory Blumenfeld walked away from medicine to build companies in industries he knew nothing about — eventually creating a life by the beach in Mexico while helping business owners reclaim their time. In this episode, Cory joins LuRae Lumpkin to unpack why execution matters more than having the perfect idea, how to validate a real problem before building anything, why delegation creates room for growth, and how putting yourself out there can lead to opportunities you could never have planned. If you're standing at a personal or professional crossroads wondering whether it's too late to change direction, this conversation is proof you don't need every answer before you begin — just the courage to take the next honest step. In this episode: Why ideas are common but execution is rare Cory's path from pre-med to six-time founder How to spot people who can actually execute Validating a real market need before you build Why visibility and trust matter as much as the product Building a personal brand while keeping your day job Defining freedom, fulfillment, and your own version of abundance Chapters: (00:00:00) Ideas are common, but execution changes everything(00:01:00) Cory’s unexpected path from medicine to entrepreneurship(00:05:00) Taking back your time inside or outside a traditional career(00:09:00) Building businesses in industries you know nothing about(00:13:00) How to recognize people who can truly execute(00:18:00) Finding a real market need instead of forcing an idea(00:23:00) Why visibility and trust matter as much as a great product(00:28:00) Building a personal brand while keeping your day job(00:33:00) Defining freedom, fulfillment, and your version of abundance(00:38:00) Put yourself out there and let people discover your expertise Links and Resources: Cory Blumenfeld on LinkedInRegain Your Time With BlueMoso LuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

    How to Build a Business in an Industry You Don't Know

  6. Aug 18

    What If You Finally Became Who You Were Meant to Be?

    What happens when the life that looks successful no longer feels like your own? Award-winning speaker, author, leadership coach, and mental health advocate Erica Gifford Mills joins LuRae Lumpkin to talk about the courage it takes to stop performing, listen to the purpose that keeps calling, and build a life rooted in who you truly are. Erica shares how personal loss clarified her mission, why she stopped waiting to feel fearless, and how failure can become a teacher instead of a verdict. She and LuRae explore visibility, self worth, boundaries, reinvention, and the quiet ways people hold themselves back because they are afraid of being judged. Erica also shares the story behind the International Women Speakers Summit and her commitment to creating spaces where women feel seen, heard, supported, and empowered. If you're standing at a crossroads and wondering whether it's too late to change direction, this conversation is a reminder that you don't need the entire roadmap. You only need the courage to take the first step. Chapters: (00:00:00) Welcome and Erica’s journey to rooted leadership(00:04:20) The question that exposed a deeper calling(00:07:00) Why purpose keeps calling until you answer(00:10:45) Confidence, self-worth, and learning to set boundaries(00:14:00) Visibility, authenticity, and claiming your seat at the table(00:18:15) Creating the International Women Speakers Summit(00:21:25) What becomes possible when you stop shrinking(00:25:00) How journaling unexpectedly led to becoming an author(00:27:00) Recognition, impact, and opportunities that find you(00:30:20) Erica’s advice for anyone who feels stuck Links and Resources: Erica Gifford Mills on LinkedInInternational Women Speaker's SummitBalanced SymmetreeLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

    What If You Finally Became Who You Were Meant to Be?

  7. Aug 13

    It's Never Too Late to Come Home to Yourself

    Mark Young knows what it feels like to lose touch with who you are. After childhood trauma and years of trying to think and talk his way back to himself, he hit a wall that no amount of reasoning could get him past. That search led him to create the Somatic Plasticity™ 78 Day Reset, a process designed to help people reconnect with their bodies and feel at home within themselves again. In this episode, Mark opens up to LuRae about his own journey and why he believes the body holds memories and emotional patterns that shape how we live, work, and relate to others. He shares how practices like breathwork, mirror work, fasting, sound, and movement became part of his approach to healing. If you've ever felt stuck in an old version of yourself or wondered whether it's too late to change, this episode is a reminder that healing can begin with one small step back toward who you truly are. *The methods and health claims discussed in this episode reflect Mark's personal beliefs and experiences and should not replace professional medical or mental health care. Chapters: (00:00:00) - Meet Mark Young and the origins of his healing work(00:04:45) - How stress and life experience disconnect us from ourselves(00:08:20) - Growing up divided and carrying a child's nervous system(00:13:35) - Moving from fear-driven patterns toward freedom(00:16:00) - Why Mark built the 78-Day Reset(00:22:45) - Preparing the body for change through daily practices(00:29:20) - Environment, energy, and learning to trust yourself(00:34:00) - Numbing, crossroads, and choosing to reconnect(00:38:10) - Creating change one degree at a time(00:44:10) - Finding an inner home and living authentically Links and Resources: WebsiteMark Young on LinkedInLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

    It's Never Too Late to Come Home to Yourself

  8. Aug 5

    From Police Officer to Healer: Her Journey to Alignment

    Edith Vincent spent years as a police officer before anxiety, health struggles, and a nervous system stuck in survival mode forced a reckoning. Today she's a hypnotherapist, yoga and meditation teacher, and sound healing practitioner. In this conversation, Edith and LuRae explore the difference between fear and misalignment, why changing your scenery doesn't change your patterns, and why calm brings clarity instead of collapse. A grounded reminder that you don't need to destroy your life to start listening to yourself. Chapters: (00:00:08) Introducing former police officer turned hypnotherapist Edith Vincent(00:02:04) Searching for meaning: why Edith became a police officer(00:05:52) Leaving a stable career when fear says you will not make it(00:10:21) Burnout, pushing through, and why calm creates clarity(00:12:48) What actually happens in a hypnotherapy session(00:17:52) Inner child work, voice activation, and finding your purpose(00:20:39) Building roots after years of running: a new kind of courage(00:25:12) Taming self limiting beliefs and the cycles of reinvention(00:29:04) How to connect with Edith Vincent(00:30:26) You do not need to destroy your life to change it Links and Resources: Edith Vincent OnlineEdith Vincent on InstagramLuRae Lumpkin on LinkedInYou Can Be Free NewsletterYou Can Be Free on YouTube Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to and then i did this? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

    From Police Officer to Healer: Her Journey to Alignment
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

"And Then I Did This" brings you the unique journeys of individuals who've had the courage to break free and live life on their own terms. Each episode takes you behind the scenes of an ordinary person's extraordinary transformation. You'll hear from those who've walked away from the beaten path to pursue work and a life that nourishes their soul. Their stories prove that you truly can be free to live your best and most authentic life. Get ready to be inspired as we explore the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned from those who dared to create the life of their dreams. Whether it's leaving the corporate grind to start a small business, embarking on a midlife career change, or simply redesigning your daily routine to prioritize your passions - the guests on "And Then I Did This" show you that it's possible to break free and live life on your own terms. Join us each week and prepare to be motivated, encouraged, and empowered to take the first steps toward more freedom in your life. If you're feeling inspired and ready to explore your own path to freedom, check out YouCanBeFree.life where you'll find resources and support to help you break free and live life on your own terms.

Information

  • Creator
    LuRae Lumpkin
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 You Can Be Free
  • Show Website
    and then I did this