Episode 10: Finding Purpose by Trading Corporate for Retail with Matt Griffin
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Release Date: 05/07/2025
Episode 20: How to Get Promoted Without Ruining Your Life with Jeff Mockaitis
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
What does it really take to climb the corporate ladder without losing your soul in the process? This episode is packed with insight for thoughtful professionals ready to lead without burning out. In this candid conversation, Diana Alt sits down with Jeff Mockaitis, General Manager at Rahn USA Corporation, to explore how strong leadership is rooted in reflection, strategic risk-taking, and long-term thinking, not just doing more, faster. Jeff opens up about his unexpected path from chemistry lab work to executive leadership, the game-changing power of an MBA, and how embracing his top...
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Episode 19: Mastering Visibility in Your Modern Job Search with Teegan Bartos
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
How do you actually stand out in today’s hiring landscape? Learn why visibility, ethics, and strategy matter more than ever. In this episode of Work Should Feel Good, I’m joined by Teegan Bartos, Founder & CEO of Jolt Your Career and creator of "Thought Leadership for Corporate Types." Teegan brings her signature no-nonsense Chicago style to unpack what really works in modern job searches. We explore her journey from workforce development to launching her own business, why she walked away from traditional recruiting, and how she’s redefining ethical hiring practices. Teegan and I...
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Episode 18: Being a Great Boss Starts with Empathy with Eric Girard
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
From new manager pitfalls to mastering people skills, this episode is packed with truth and tools for leadership success. Are we setting new managers up to fail? In this conversation with Eric Girard, Principal Learning Consultant and CEO of Girard Training Solutions, we dig into why so many companies promote people based on technical skills—then leave them stranded with no real leadership training. Eric shares stories from his own rocky leadership start, insights from his book Lead Like a Pro, and actionable strategies to help both new and seasoned managers thrive. We explore the nuances of...
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Episode 17: The Power of Career Storytelling with Virginia Franco
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Ditch the forms. Embrace your story. Learn why your career narrative matters more than ever. What separates a good resume from a great one? In this episode of Work Should Feel Good, Diana sits down with Virginia Franco, founder of Virginia Franco Resumes and a leader in the resume writing world, to unpack what makes compelling career collateral and why storytelling is the real game-changer. Virginia shares how her unique background in journalism and social work helps her extract powerful stories from clients, why she refuses to use forms, and the real difference between a $250 resume and a...
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Episode 16: Surviving and Building the Best Business for You with Liz Wilcox
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
In this candid and empowering episode of Work Should Feel Good, I’m joined by Liz Wilcox, keynote speaker and queen of email marketing, to talk about building a business that genuinely works for your life—even when the path looks unconventional. Liz shares her deeply personal journey from teacher to RV blogger to email marketing powerhouse, all through the lens of doing what feels right, not what’s expected. We talk about radical self-love (like giving yourself permission to pee), her $9/month email membership that changed the game, and how identifying what lights you up can pave the way...
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Episode 15: Reinventing Yourself Through Holistic Resilience with Kelly Greene
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Burned out by your career path? Stuck in survival mode? You can reinvent yourself and this episode shows you how. Kelly Greene shares her incredible journey from attorney to psychotherapist and holistic health coach, opening up about resilience, burnout, autoimmune illness, and what it really means to heal from the inside out. In this inspiring conversation, Kelly and I talk about the turning points in her life that led her to walk away from a career in law, how her personal health challenges sparked a radical transformation, and the power of listening to your body and rewriting your identity....
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Episode 14: Building a Mission-Driven Tech Career with Matthew Copple
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
What happens when a tech-savvy history buff turns his curiosity into a thriving data consultancy? Find out in this energizing episode! Matthew Copple, CEO of Grand River Analytics, joins Diana Alt to share his winding journey from military service to tech leadership, exploring how curiosity, history, and data all converge in meaningful, human ways. In this deep dive, you'll hear how Matt evolved from sorting mail in the Army to building a mission-driven data consultancy and what he sees coming next for software engineers in an AI-infused world. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to...
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Episode 13: Job Search Strategies for Neurodivergent Candidates with David Hannan
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Discover how ADHD can become your superpower in the job search and career growth journey. What happens when a mid-career professional learns he has ADHD at 52 and realizes it's been his brilliance all along? In this episode of Work Should Feel Good, Diana Alt is joined by David Hannan of Pathfinder Coaching for a deeply personal and eye-opening conversation about navigating the job market with ADHD. David shares his journey from the Royal Air Force to recruiting and eventually coaching, all while uncovering how undiagnosed ADHD shaped his path. You'll hear about his late diagnosis, how ADHD...
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Episode 12: Transition Tips for Federal Employees with Michael Greco
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Navigating government job changes? This episode is packed with insights to help federal employees (and beyond) make smooth, empowered transitions in uncertain times. In this conversation, Michael Greco, project manager by day, career coach by night, joins Diana to discuss how his own pivots between industries (edtech, healthcare, federal contracting) prepared him to help others take control of their career journeys. From election judging to musical theater, Michael shares how real-world experiences inform his client coaching. You'll hear about his decision to go full-time with a consulting...
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Episode 11: Design Thinking for Your Career with Lindsay Oishi
Work Should Feel Good with Diana Alt
Feeling stuck in your career? Learn how to use design thinking to unlock your next move! Ever wonder how some people seem to navigate career transitions with clarity while others feel lost in a fog of indecision? In this episode, I sit down with Lindsay Oishi, Ph.D., Senior Product Manager at Indeed and design thinking educator, to explore how to apply the principles of design thinking to your own life and work. We unpack why so many people lack intentionality in their careers, how fear holds us back from making change, and the difference between drifting and making empowered decisions....
info_outlineFrom marketing director to hometown business owner, how one bold pivot created purpose, connection, and community.
After 13 years in digital marketing, Matt Griffin made a massive life change. In this episode, he shares how he left agency life behind to co-found Hometown Sports Gear, a locally owned sporting goods store in Gardner, Kansas, with his wife and father-in-law. Learn how he navigated burnout, found clarity during a Jeep ride in Colorado, and built a business rooted in community and passion. Matt opens up about the emotional turning point that sparked his career pivot, what it’s really like working with family, and why "small but mighty" is more than just a motto.
Whether you're facing your own crossroads or curious about entrepreneurship outside of the corporate mold, this episode offers inspiration and insights for taking meaningful action.
⏳ Timestamps:
01:03 Why sporting goods? The origin story of Hometown Sports Gear
02:33 The beer spa brainstorm and community need discovery
04:46 Realizing the need for a career pivot
05:23 When stress started spilling into home life
07:21 From agency burnout to family business inspiration
08:09 Why Matt took action quickly instead of waiting
09:18 Building the business with complementary family skills
10:39 Leveraging experience from Kmart, Kroger, and the library
11:29 Engaging their teenage sons in the business
12:42 Learning to “stay in your lane” with family partners
14:06 What Matt does (and doesn’t) miss about agency life
15:25 Delivering a personal touch (like hand-delivering a soccer ball!)
16:21 When “we’re like family” actually works in business
17:24 Team size, hiring dreams, and support from the community
18:53 Partnering with local creatives and contractors
20:35 Diana’s own branding story with a student designer
💡 Take action
🔥 Subscribe for future episodes → https://www.youtube.com/@dianaalt
📖 Grab my Resume Don’ts Guide → https://www.dianaalt.com/resumedonts
❌ Avoid these common job search mistakes → https://www.jobsearchmistakes.com
🚪 Wondering if it’s time to walk away? → https://www.isittimetowalk.com
💼 Work with me → https://www.dianaalt.com
📢 Connect with Matt Griffin
🌐 Hometown Sports Gear → https://www.hometownsportsgear.com/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewcgriffin
📲 Follow Matt on Social Media:
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/hometownsportsgear
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/hometownsportsgear/
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LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianakalt
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