What if the real measure of a life was not success but the love and trust we leave behind?

In this episode of Getting Under the Skin, Topaz sits down with entrepreneur and mentor Don MacPherson (he/him) to talk about family, resilience, risk and the lessons that shaped him.

Don shares:

• The gifts each of his four parents passed on to him

• How loss and change shaped his view of life and relationships

• The summer adventure that set him on a new path

• Why he put off surgery for years and what it taught him when he finally said yes

• How trust, curiosity and love guide the way he leads and lives

This is a conversation about facing hardship, choosing gratitude and discovering the power of love in leadership and in life.

What has life designed you for?

These conversations are not performative interviews, book release tours or productivity hacks.

Genuine curiosity is the compass for these honest, human-to-human exchanges of stories. We explore how people are formed by the lives they’ve lived and celebrate the wisdom gained along the way.

Welcome to Getting Under The Skin

🔗 Learn more about our guest

https://www.linkedin.com/in/donmacpherson/

______________________________________________________________________________

🎧 Watch the full season of GUTS on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4epHaaofIRu1qr0AK7PnwrYJDp2O_FTZ or listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

🌐 Subscribe for updates

https://topazadizes.com

👉 Follow us on social media:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/guts.podcast/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@guts.podcast

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/topazadizes/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if leadership wasn’t about having the answers - but holding the right space for the right questions?

In this episode of Getting Under the Skin, Topaz sits down with strategist, leadership coach, and catalyst for change David Lancefield (he/him), whose work helps leaders expand their thinking, embrace discomfort, and step into deeper impact without losing themselves in the process.

David shares:

- Why presence matters more than perfection in leadership

- How to balance ambition with genuine connection

- The hidden cost of avoiding difficult conversations

- Why curiosity is the ultimate leadership superpower

- How to create environments where people -and ideas- can thrive

This is a conversation about leading from the inside out. About slowing down to see more clearly, and realizing that growth is less about adding and more about uncovering.

What has life designed you for?

These conversations are not performative interviews, book release tours or productivity hacks.

Genuine curiosity is the compass for these honest, human-to-human exchanges of stories. We explore how people are formed by the lives they’ve lived and celebrate the wisdom gained along the way.

Welcome to Getting Under The Skin

🔗 Learn more about our guest

https://davidlancefield.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidclancefield/

______________________________________________________________________________

🎧 Watch the full season of GUTS on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4epHaaofIRu1qr0AK7PnwrYJDp2O_FTZ or listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

🌐 Subscribe for updates

https://topazadizes.com

👉 Follow us on social media:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/guts.podcast/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@guts.podcast

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/topazadizes/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the true measure of a life isn't success – but rather how you show up for others?

In this episode of Getting Under the Skin, Topaz talks with educator, coach, podcast host, and father Joe Ferraro (he/him). Joe's journey has been shaped by baseball, family, and an unwavering pursuit of self-awareness. From Sunday dinners to national championships, his story reflects discipline, vulnerability, and deep reflection.

Joe shares:

- The quiet legacy of his dad and how food became their love language

- What a recurring dream about losing his glove taught him about purpose

- How becoming a coach at 21 compelled him to grow before he felt ready

- The fears he still holds about being "too soft" with his students

- Why learning to lead by voice, not just by example, is both a gift and a responsibility

This conversation explores the gifts we inherit and those we discover, the tension between being a public voice and a private seeker, and the courage it takes to listen to what life is trying to offer us, even when it's unexpected.

These conversations are not performative interviews, book release tours or productivity hacks.

Genuine curiosity is the compass for these honest, human-to-human exchanges of stories. We explore how people are formed by the lives they’ve lived and celebrate the wisdom gained along the way.

Welcome to Getting Under The Skin.

🔗 Learn more about our guest

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jferraro1/

https://www.onepercentbetterproject.com/

https://www.damngoodconversations.com/joe-ferraro

______________________________________________________________________________

🎧 Watch the full season of GUTS on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4epHaaofIRu1qr0AK7PnwrYJDp2O_FTZ or listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

🌐 Subscribe for updates

https://topazadizes.com

👉 Follow us on social media:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/guts.podcast/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@guts.podcast

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/topazadizes/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.