Career Sessions, Career Lessons
JR Lowry, PathWise.io
Each of us has a unique career story to tell. For the lucky few, their career trajectories are like rockets heading for the stars, with no turning back. More typically, our career paths are more like a game of Chutes and Ladders, with advances and setbacks along the way. On this podcast, guests from a range of industries and backgrounds share their career journeys and the lessons they've learned. Hear from C-level executives, leading academics, entrepreneurs, mid-level leaders, ex-military members, leadership coaches and other career experts, non-profit workers, and gig economy participants. Each guest shares their unique story and career insights to inform and inspire your own path. Career Sessions is part of PathWise.io. Whether you’re just a few years out of school or well into your professional life, PathWise helps you live the career you deserve. PathWise provides comprehensive career and professional development coaching, content, courses, and community, backed by a group of leading coaches and career management experts. Career Sessions’ host, James (J.R.) Lowry, has had multiple careers of his own and learned countless lessons along the way. A Duke engineer by background, he spent the early part of his career as an officer in the US Air Force . From there, J.R. earned an MBA from Harvard Business School to accelerate his transition into the private sector. Following grad school, he spent over a decade with the consulting firm, McKinsey and Company, working with clients across a range of industries and business situations. He then made a second career shift into financial services, spending time at Fidelity Investments and State Street Bank. Most recently, he joined Janus Henderson Investments as their Chief Operating Officer. Multiple leadership development programs honed his skills, advanced his career, and fueled his desire to help others with their professions. He hosts this podcast in a personal capacity, and any views expressed are his own and not those of his current or any former employer.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 26, 2026 • 48min
How To Go From Surviving To Thriving, With Jon Rosemberg
If we are forever in survival mode, unlocking and unleashing our full potential would be impossible. Jon Rosemberg, Co-Founder Of Anther, reveals what it takes to achieve your thriving mode. He joins J.R. Lowry to talk about his newest book A Guide To Thriving, as well as what it takes to feel a greater sense of control over the things happening in your life. Jon delves into the idea of giving yourself agency to make the most of your human experience and experience profound self-transformation. Find out how to escape the constant struggle of survival mode and get into thriving mode that leads to fulfillment.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/jon-rosemberg.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Jan 20, 2026 • 47min
How To Master Your Intentions And Lead With Purpose And Power, With Bianca D'Alessio
If you learn how to live with intention, you can lead with purpose and manifest all of your goals in life. This is exactly what Bianca D'Alessio did, which led to her becoming the number one real estate broker in New York City. She joins J.R. Lowry to share all about her journey centered on authenticity, leading with lasting impact, and discovering gratitude even in her biggest failures. Bianca also talks about her new book, Mastering Intentions, wherein she breaks down daily practices to amplify your own power. Discover how to manage your narrative, be comfortable with vulnerability, and unlock resilience both in business and in life.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/bianca-dalessio.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Jan 13, 2026 • 51min
How To Steer Your Small Business Through The Stages Of Growth, With Matt Pohl
Every entrepreneur dreams of scaling their business, but what happens when business growth stalls? You've hit a revenue ceiling, your team is expanding, and suddenly, the systems that once brought success seem to be working against you. Matt Pohl, founder and CEO of The ReWild Group, faced this exact challenge—taking his own plateaued business from $1 million to $4 million in three years after discovering a framework that fundamentally changed how he viewed organizational complexity.In this deep-dive interview, Matt shares the revolutionary concept of organizational rewilding, explaining why employee count, not revenue, is the true driver of complexity and growth stages. Discover the hidden barriers most business owners overlook, the critical difference between being owner-centric and enterprise-centric, and the "missing gray wolves" you need to reintroduce into your company's ecosystem to thrive through chaos and competition. If you're struggling to sustain momentum, or just want to make growth easier, Matt's roadmap is the essential guide to lightening your entrepreneurial backpack.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/matt-pohl/.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Jan 5, 2026 • 42min
Bad Bosses - What To Do About Them, And What To Do If You Are One, With Mita Mallick
In an ideal world, every manager would be a mentor, motivator, and model of leadership. But for too many professionals, the reality is far messier. If you’ve ever had to deal with bad bosses—the micromanagers, the emotionally unavailable, or the toxic cheerleaders—you know the profound toll it takes on your mental health and career trajectory.In this deep-dive discussion, we sit down with Mita Mallick, best-selling author of The Devil Emails at Midnight, to unpack the pervasive problem of bad management. Mita shares her personal journey through 13 different types of awful leadership, revealing why these figures are tolerated, how they are made (not born), and the concrete strategies you need to manage up or know when it’s time to craft your exit plan. Plus, learn the surprising bad boss behavior that flies under the radar but can be the most detrimental to your team. Ready to reclaim control of your work life? Keep listening.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/mita-mallick/.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Dec 24, 2025 • 33min
AI's Central Role In The World's Economy, With Dr. Joerg Storm
In this time of ever-evolving technology, every working professional will encounter AI in some shape or form. As we go deeper into the age of AI, what is the role of such tools in shaping the future of work and the entire economy? J.R. Lowry talks all about it with Dr. Joerg Storm, IT executive and publisher of the Digital Storm AI newsletter. They discuss why AI is a career-critical tool, the uniqueness of adaptive AI projects, and the technological paradigm shifts to look forward to in the next several years. Dr. Joerg also explains why AI practitioners should remain philosophical and ethical despite their deep immersion in technology to navigate the challenges of bias and trust.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/dr-joerg-storm.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Dec 18, 2025 • 44min
How AI Is Powering Customer Analytics, With Sameer Narkar
The future of business hinges on mastering the complexities of AI customer analytics, a topic J.R. Lowry explores with Sameer Narkar, Founder of Konnect Insights, a pioneering SaaS platform that delivers an AI-powered, omnichannel view of customer interactions. Sameer details how his bootstrapped company built an in-house, secure AI solution—using models like Llama and Gamma—to unify customer data from all channels, solving the pain point of siloed systems to dramatically improve customer care and provide deep marketing insights. The conversation also delves into the three layers of Konnect's AI offering, the journey of pivoting a business, and the critical need for focus and a strong culture for leaders navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of decision analytics and AI.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/sameer-narkar.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Dec 8, 2025 • 48min
The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) - With An AI Booster With Chris Hallberg
The "Business Sergeant": Leadership Expert, Military Veteran, And Serial EntrepreneurReady to move past chaos and achieve scalable growth? Today, we dive deep into the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), the powerful framework and toolkit helping leadership teams gain crystal-clear vision, drive disciplined execution, and build healthier, more engaged workplaces. Host JR Lowry sits down with Chris Hallberg—a seasoned EOS implementer who has worked with over 100 organizations, achieving astonishing 90% employee engagement rates and numerous "Best Places to Work" awards—to unpack the six key components of EOS. We'll explore everything from getting the right people in the right seats to leveraging Chris's latest venture: an AI-driven EOS platform, GoExpand, that turbocharges performance and accountability. If you're a founder or executive looking to break through a growth ceiling, tune in to learn how to inject military-grade focus and discipline into your company's DNA.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/chris-hallberg/.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Dec 1, 2025 • 48min
Building Your Resilience Plan With Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier
We hear a lot about the need for resilience these days, but simply wanting to be resilient isn't enough—in fact, the pressure to always bounce back can be counterproductive. In this exclusive interview, Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier, a psychologist, leadership expert, and author of the award-winning book The Resilience Plan, challenges the notion of resilience as an innate trait. Discover why viewing resilience as a strategic state, rather than a personality feature, is key to sustained well-being and performance. Dr. Pelletier dives into the intertwined nature of professional and personal life, the dangers of underestimating demands and overestimating supply, and provides actionable, research-backed advice on creating your own strategic resilience plan. Learn how small, deliberate actions can build momentum and how leaders can foster a culture of prevention rather than just treating burnout after the fact.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/dr-marie-helene-pelletier/.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Nov 24, 2025 • 44min
From Musician To Music Industry Pioneer With Josh Simons
What happens when a touring musician decides to rewrite the music industry from the inside out? Today, we sat down with Josh Simons—the force behind Vinyl Group, Australia’s only ASX-listed music company, and the founder of Vampr, the world’s largest social network for creatives. Discover how Josh went from a semi-successful musician touring with the likes of Keith Urban to becoming a CEO, the secrets behind Vampr’s explosive growth, and his strategy for navigating nonstop change in media and music tech. He shares essential lessons for entrepreneurs, fundraising insights for founders, and a fresh perspective on creativity, leadership, and the future of music in the age of AI. Don’t miss this candid conversation about playing to your strengths, building cohesive teams through acquisitions, and why anyone with the entrepreneurial itch should scratch it.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/josh-simons/.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Nov 17, 2025 • 45min
Building A STEM Career - From Med School To C-Level and Board Roles With Dr. Sheila Gujrathi
In the demanding world of biotech and healthcare, charting a successful STEM career path, especially as a woman or minority leader, often feels like navigating without a map. But what if you had access to the boardroom lessons, the personal triumphs, and the hard-won wisdom of an industry veteran? Join us as we dive into a candid conversation with Dr. Sheila Gujrathi—physician, biotech entrepreneur, and executive—to explore her journey from clinical practice to the C-suite. Dr. Gujrathi shares how she learned to trust her gut, break through her inner glass ceiling, and define an authentic leadership style, all while developing life-changing pharmaceutical drugs. Get a sneak peek into the core principles of her upcoming book, The Mirror Effect, which offers a vital roadmap for the next generation of diverse leaders seeking to not just succeed, but truly thrive.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/dr-sheila-gujrathi.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
