My First Year

Joseph Lecz
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Personal Journals

Before the success, the confidence or the dream coming true, what did the first year really look like? Because every new beginning has a first year, this podcast shares stories about learning, growing and finding your way as you go. Hosted by veteran television producer Joseph Lecz, My First Year is an honest, entertaining interview series about the beginnings that change our lives. Each episode goes behind the highlight reel as guests revisit their first year starting a career, launching a business, moving somewhere new, beginning again or taking a chance they never imagined taking. These are real conversations about uncertainty, mistakes, unexpected turns, breakthrough moments and hard-earned lessons including the times when giving up felt easier than moving forward. Whether you’re starting something new, considering a major change or simply wondering what comes next, My First Year will leave you feeling encouraged, inspired and a little less alone.

Episodes

  1. 3d ago

    Becoming a Shaman: Trusting Yourself & Starting Over

    What does becoming a shaman actually look like and how do you follow a new calling when you have bills to pay? Michelle Bailey joins Joseph Lecz on 'My First Year' to share her journey from corporate America into shamanic work. A former chief operations officer whose preferred title is simply “Human Being,” Michelle explains what her practice involves, why she uses meditation and how she gradually built a business while balancing work and family. The conversation gets personal as Michelle reflects on growing up around addiction, the emotions she had tucked away, and what she learned during her first year of training. We also explore intuition, spiritual guides, retreats, financial uncertainty, and a revealing exercise: writing down everything you say no to and noticing how often it’s something for yourself. If you’re considering a career change, exploring your spiritual life, or wondering whether it’s time for a new beginning, Michelle’s story offers plenty to think about. Connect with Michelle: Website and retreat information: https://www.kairoswellnessct.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kairos.wellness.ct/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kairos.wellness.ct0/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kairoswellnessct LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-bailey-31b408235/ 'My First Year' explores the messy, honest beginnings behind life’s big changes with stories and advice to help you feel a little less alone in your own. Subscribe for more conversations, and tell us in the comments, Have you ever felt drawn to a completely different path? Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: UY4N5TPTHEUKDORU, TTHIMDKWSKSJDYNF

  2. Sep 30

    Taking a Summer Job in Alaska and Staying for 14 Years+

    Tami Scime drove from Buffalo to Skagway, Alaska, for a summer job. She expected an adventure. She didn’t expect to arrive and discover her employee housing was a camper or to stay for 14 years and counting. Tami shares what happened after the cruise ships left and finding love in a town where everyone knows your business. Also making a life through long winters, and watching tourism change the place she’d come to call home. It’s a story about following a pull you can’t quite explain, then knowing when it’s time for another new beginning. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: 5MXL2QHJBOBHAFXN, B41WBDSBCYZAR4B9

  3. Sep 23

    What Working at Disney World was Really Like

    What was the Disney College Program really like? My friend Donna joins me to revisit our first year working at Walt Disney World—the excitement of walking into the parks, the reality of tight finances and roommates, celebrity encounters, and nights at Pleasure Island. We also talk about how September 11 changed the atmosphere at Disney, the friendships that lasted, and the opportunities Donna wishes she’d taken. It’s a funny, nostalgic, and honest look at a first year that shaped far more than her career.

  4. Sep 16

    Moving to South Africa: The Reality of Starting Over Abroad

    What does it really take to leave behind everything familiar and build a life in another country? Joseph welcomes his college friend Kim to My First Year to revisit her experience moving internationally and living in South Africa. Kim shares the initial excitement, the overwhelming first impressions, the language barriers and the cultural differences that made everyday life feel completely unfamiliar. Living abroad isn’t the same as taking a vacation. Kim opens up about navigating loneliness, finding an expat community, adjusting to family life in a new culture—and making a few unforgettable cultural faux pas along the way. She also reveals how the experience tested her resilience, strengthened her courage and gave her an entirely new appreciation for home and ranch dressing. It’s an honest, funny and deeply relatable conversation about taking risks, finding your people and discovering what you’re capable of when everything around you changes. Because every new beginning has a first year—and nobody has it all figured out. Messy. Honest. Hopeful. Subscribe for more honest conversations about the first years that change our lives.

  5. Sep 9

    From Kansas to NYC: Finding Home in the City

    What happens when you move to New York City even though it was never your dream? Jess shares her journey to New York, where she moved to support her husband’s career. She opens up about her expectations, the cultural shocks, the apartment her husband chose without her and the surprising sense of peace she felt on her very first night in the city. From mastering grocery shopping and discovering incredible restaurants to building community and learning to love the noise, energy and endless possibilities, Jess’s first year became a journey of connection, personal growth and finding home in an unexpected place. Joseph also reflects on his own experience of living in New York, the freedom to reinvent yourself and why life here can sometimes feel like living in a movie. Together, they explore what it really takes to embrace change—and offer honest advice for anyone considering a move they’re not entirely sure they want to make.

  6. Sep 1

    She Hired Me at Oprah: My First Year Behind the Scenes

    What was it really like to work behind the scenes at The Oprah Winfrey Show and witness television history as it happened? For the very first episode of My First Year, Joseph sits down with his friend Tracey, the woman who hired him at Oprah and helped change the course of his career. Together, they revisit the persistence it took to break into show business, the magic of walking into the Oprah studio for the first time, and unforgettable encounters with Tom Cruise, Cher, Lady Gaga and more. From the infamous couch-jumping moment to a baby doll that somehow ended up on eBay, this candid and funny conversation reveals the stories behind the iconic television moments along with the passion, perseverance and gratitude that shaped Joseph’s first year at Oprah.

  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Before the success, the confidence or the dream coming true, what did the first year really look like? Because every new beginning has a first year, this podcast shares stories about learning, growing and finding your way as you go. Hosted by veteran television producer Joseph Lecz, My First Year is an honest, entertaining interview series about the beginnings that change our lives. Each episode goes behind the highlight reel as guests revisit their first year starting a career, launching a business, moving somewhere new, beginning again or taking a chance they never imagined taking. These are real conversations about uncertainty, mistakes, unexpected turns, breakthrough moments and hard-earned lessons including the times when giving up felt easier than moving forward. Whether you’re starting something new, considering a major change or simply wondering what comes next, My First Year will leave you feeling encouraged, inspired and a little less alone.

Information

  • Creator
    Joseph Lecz
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Joseph Lecz

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