I am your host, Tony Pisanelli

On this show, we dive deep with our guests to uncover real stories, practical insights, and proven strategies that will help you reclaim your career power, navigate transitions, and design what’s next with confidence.

My very special guest today is Marques Ogden ...
 

Marques Ogden Bio

Marques Ogden is a former NFL player who is now an inspirational keynote speaker. He's also the founder and CEO of Ogden Ventures LLC, three-time best-selling author (Sleepless Nights; The Success Cycle), business coach and consultant and the podcast host of Authenticity With Marques Ogden; although his journey didn't come easy or without unrelenting adversity.

After retiring from football, Marques pursued a career in construction and contracting. At 27, he founded a construction company with fast growth but eventually went bankrupt, losing almost two million dollars on one project in 90 days. He pulled himself together during his darkest hours and got a part-time job as a custodian.

Marques rose to the top again with hard work and determination, using his struggles as inspiration to blaze his own trail forward. Now, he shares his powerful story to help others learn how to fail forward and achieve success in their lives. Marques' story and insights as a thought leader have been featured in top publications such as USA Today, Forbes, News Nation, Cheddar News and Authority Magazine. As a speaker, he's landed jobs with over 80 Fortune 500 companies and over 20 Fortune 100 companies like Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Intel, JPMorgan Chase and Home Depot.

Marques hopes to continue reaching new levels in his professional career and positively impacting as many people's lives as possible through doing what he loves; speaking on stage and sharing his experiences and knowledge with others.

Transcript

[00:00.980 --> 00:11.960]  Welcome to the Career Advantage Show, where we help you reclaim your career power and design your working life on your terms.
[00:12.540 --> 00:18.640]  I'm Tony Piscinelli, and each week I sit down with leaders who have faced career-defining moments,
[00:19.300 --> 00:26.080]  such as a devastating job loss, burnout, stagnation, or even workplace harassment,
[00:26.080 --> 00:33.100]  and been able to turn these difficult circumstances into powerful and greater opportunities.
[00:33.340 --> 00:40.180]  On today's Career Advantage Show, I will be having a conversation with Marcus Ogden,
[00:40.760 --> 00:48.980]  former NFL player, business owner, and today a speaker and business coach,
[00:49.280 --> 00:53.640]  all the way from North Carolina, from the US. Welcome, Marcus.
[00:53.640 --> 00:56.940]  Why are you, Tony? Thanks for having me on, my friend.
[00:58.160 --> 01:00.020]  Likewise. Thank you for joining us.
[01:00.840 --> 01:11.260]  In looking at some of your story, Marcus, you're big on systems and the importance of systems in terms of winning the game.
[01:11.700 --> 01:17.660]  Now, can you take us back to your NFL days and share with our audience
[01:17.660 --> 01:26.160]  how you first came across the importance of systems, how it was applied at the game level,
[01:26.620 --> 01:34.060]  where you potentially went from a defeat scenario to creating a victory because everyone followed the system.
[01:34.060 --> 01:37.740]  If you can share a story from that history of yours,
[01:37.780 --> 01:43.860]  and then we can look at how people need to apply the importance of system in the way they live their lives.
[01:43.860 --> 01:50.520]  I remember when I was playing for Baltimore, we were playing one of our rivals in our division,
[01:50.620 --> 01:54.460]  the Cleveland Browns, and we were down, I think, 14 to 10 at halftime,
[01:54.620 --> 02:00.180]  and we were really just not executing at a high level that we should have been.
[02:00.580 --> 02:04.620]  I remember our head coach, Brian Billick, talked to us about,
[02:04.620 --> 02:12.020]  hey, you all, you guys are out there working hard, you're playing hard, but you're not following the system.
[02:12.340 --> 02:16.460]  You're not doing the plays the way that we design them during the week,
[02:16.460 --> 02:22.700]  and you're not executing at a high level because you're not really doing the system effectively.
[02:23.220 --> 02:27.160]  So for about 10 minutes, he kind of talked about getting back to the basics,
[02:27.160 --> 02:32.880]  getting back to the systems, how we all need to work together, how we all need to have continuity,
[02:32.880 --> 02:39.500]  and that really got us thinking about how we would practice hard and do well with systems,
[02:39.500 --> 02:45.220]  and when we don't play well without systems, the missing link is the systems.
[02:45.680 --> 02:46.980]  So we were able to turn it around.
[02:47.160 --> 02:51.540]  We won that game 28 to 14 against Cleveland,
[02:51.540 --> 02:57.840]  and I just remember Coach Billick talking about if we're going to win this football game,
[02:57.960 --> 03:03.000]  we got to get back to the basics and we got to get back to utilizing the systems
[03:03.000 --> 03:07.840]  that we've been really working on all week here in the game in the second half.
[03:07.900 --> 03:09.440]  And again, when we did that, right, Tony?
[03:09.580 --> 03:12.100]  We had a positive outcome in that game.
[03:13.140 --> 03:17.920]  What was a key component of what was happening in the first half?
[03:17.920 --> 03:22.940]  For example, was everyone just doing their own thing rather than following the system?
[03:23.040 --> 03:27.000]  And what specific element in the system turned it around, Marcus?
[03:27.740 --> 03:35.480]  So in reality, Tony, we just were not executing the system as far as being all working together.
[03:35.660 --> 03:38.160]  Like, again, people weren't doing their own thing.
[03:38.520 --> 03:42.360]  The timing of what they were doing was not in rhythm, right?
[03:42.360 --> 03:48.840]  So if you're playing a game, especially a game of football, timing, rhythm, and execution
[03:48.840 --> 03:54.340]  really is the makeup of the system, the plays you call against the defense.
[03:54.440 --> 03:55.480]  I'm an offensive lineman, right?
[03:55.720 --> 04:00.260]  But as a whole, the offense and the defense are going to have great timing,
[04:00.760 --> 04:02.820]  great rhythm, and great execution.
[04:03.080 --> 04:05.160]  So our timing was off.
[04:05.340 --> 04:09.420]  Guys weren't doing their own thing, but they were doing it a little bit slower.
[04:09.420 --> 04:12.440]  They weren't doing it, like, you know, at the speed that was needed.
[04:12.740 --> 04:18.260]  And when your timing's off and the rhythm is off, then you're going to play off.
[04:18.420 --> 04:19.580]  I mean, that's just the way that it is.
[04:19.640 --> 04:22.120]  I don't care how much you're trying to do that, right?
[04:22.180 --> 04:25.820]  Tony, but if your timing and rhythm is off, you will be off.
[04:26.000 --> 04:30.540]  So what happened is, in the second half, our timing got better.
[04:31.000 --> 04:32.420]  Guys were running faster.
[04:32.740 --> 04:36.840]  They were actually moving at the right speed and routine that.
[04:36.840 --> 04:42.300]  And then our rhythm being in sync or being aligned, things got better.
[04:42.600 --> 04:43.660]  And we were able to execute.
[04:43.820 --> 04:47.800]  We actually ended up scoring, like I said, about, what was that, 18 points, you know,
[04:47.840 --> 04:50.600]  in the second half and winning that football game.
[04:50.720 --> 04:53.440]  So, you know, when it comes, I can always speak for football.
[04:53.620 --> 04:54.680]  I mean, I love basketball.
[04:55.340 --> 04:56.180]  Baseball's okay.
[04:56.320 --> 04:57.460]  But football's my game.
[04:58.240 --> 05:04.000]  Rhythm, timing, execution, all these things are critical to your long-term success
[05:04.000 --> 05:08.240]  and winning, you know, a sustainable amount of games throughout an NFL season.
[05:09.280 --> 05:09.880]  Okay.
[05:10.000 --> 05:17.880]  So, Marcus, moving on from that, we know that systems don't just play an important part
[05:17.880 --> 05:19.540]  on a football field.
[05:20.440 --> 05:23.400]  They're also very important in business.
[05:23.400 --> 05:30.720]  Did you carry that on in the business world or did you forget that and then something happened
[05:30.720 --> 05:35.180]  in the business world where you thought, you know what, I need a system.
[05:35.760 --> 05:37.280]  Can you share that with us?
[05:37.740 --> 05:37.980]  Yeah.
[05:38.080 --> 05:43.720]  So what happened is, Tony, from my construction company, we actually, when I started out, I
[05:43.720 --> 05:47.060]  was starting in, like, concrete, small concrete work.
[05:47.060 --> 05:52.900]  And then we ended up getting pushed into large earthwork and dirt work and utilities, which
[05:52.900 --> 05:58.320]  is like earth grading, digging up, dirt removal, hauling, all those things.
[05:58.620 --> 06:00.240]  And we really didn't have a system.
[06:00.380 --> 06:04.500]  And then we put one in place and the company grew substantially.
[06:05.160 --> 06:13.460]  The problem I had was the company did not sustain itself because my ego got so massive that I
[06:13.460 --> 06:20.700]  forgot my system, I forgot my people, I forgot how to actually do the things that got me to be a
[06:20.700 --> 06:23.020]  $25 million a year company.
[06:23.620 --> 06:30.860]  And as a result of my ego, see again, right, Tony, my rhythm, my timing, how I was doing was off.
[06:30.860 --> 06:39.220]  And because of that, it caused the system to break down because my key team members, employees,
[06:39.220 --> 06:46.640]  they were feeling off, they were kind of vibing off my rhythm, off what I did or what I didn't
[06:46.640 --> 06:47.000]  do.
[06:47.160 --> 06:52.360]  And as a result of that, that's when I ended up losing everything in that construction
[06:52.360 --> 06:58.620]  company in 2013 and having to move from Baltimore down to Raleigh, North Carolina.
[07:00.460 --> 07:00.940]  Right.
[07:01.080 --> 07:06.300]  So how did, obviously losing a lot of money, Marcus, is never a pleasant experience.
[07:07.200 --> 07:07.640]  No.
[07:07.640 --> 07:10.540]  So how did you pick yourself up off the ground?
[07:12.220 --> 07:17.760]  So when I got down here to Raleigh, right, Tony, I was feeling sorry for myself from April 2013
[07:17.760 --> 07:19.900]  until September 2013.
[07:19.900 --> 07:27.500]  And what happened is I ended up having a rock bottom moment where I ended up having someone's
[07:27.500 --> 07:35.320]  spoiled milk and nasty protruding garbage in this horrible, rotten smelling meat all over me.
[07:35.320 --> 07:43.460]  And that made me realize that I was the one that put myself on this curb, on this corner.
[07:43.660 --> 07:47.020]  And if I'm going to get my life back, it's going to take accountability.
[07:47.440 --> 07:48.640]  It's going to take responsibility.
[07:48.760 --> 07:49.740]  It's going to take humility.
[07:50.020 --> 07:55.200]  Like, I got to stop thinking that the world owes me something because the world owes me nothing.
[07:55.200 --> 08:02.240]  And so once I had that mindset shift, I started to work towards getting my life back.
[08:02.540 --> 08:05.020]  Now, I'm not going to tell you it was easy because it sure wasn't.
[08:05.400 --> 08:09.680]  But that shift happened as a result of my rock bottom moment.
[08:09.680 --> 08:15.960]  And once that moment really hit me like a ton of bricks, right, Tony, that's when I said,
[08:16.080 --> 08:20.040]  okay, if I don't change, I'm going to be here for the rest of my life.
[08:20.160 --> 08:22.940]  And that's when I started to make the change at that time.
[08:24.880 --> 08:32.000]  It's interesting, Mark, is because that moment is obviously a catalyst for throwing us into
[08:32.000 --> 08:40.880]  the world of I'm a victim, and I see that when someone loses that all-important job.
[08:41.600 --> 08:47.600]  And a lot of people stay there for a long time, years if not decades.
[08:47.980 --> 08:53.960]  You were able to lift yourself up in months because you realized, hey, no one's going to
[08:53.960 --> 08:54.840]  come and rescue me.
[08:58.300 --> 08:58.860]  Correct.
[08:58.860 --> 09:04.540]  So that's an important lesson for those listening to this from a career perspective who lose
[09:04.540 --> 09:05.980]  their job or become burnout.
[09:07.040 --> 09:09.380]  Staying in victimhood doesn't pay.
[09:10.540 --> 09:12.540]  You need to wake up and move on.
[09:13.220 --> 09:21.700]  Tony, nobody cares about your hardships, your failures, your problems.
[09:21.820 --> 09:22.860]  They have their own.
[09:23.320 --> 09:28.200]  And so I tell people all the time, if you aren't going to help yourself,
[09:28.200 --> 09:30.420]  why would anybody else?
[09:30.420 --> 09:36.740]  So you have to take the mentality, you have to take the disposition that if you want your
[09:36.740 --> 09:44.760]  life to come back from a hardship or adversity or a struggle, that you have to be the one that
[09:44.760 --> 09:47.600]  gets the train rolling down the tracks.
[09:47.980 --> 09:52.480]  People don't mind helping you, but you have to help yourself first.
[09:52.480 --> 09:58.440]  I don't mind helping people who are struggling as long as I know they're trying to help themselves.
[09:59.320 --> 09:59.960]  Perfect.
[10:00.640 --> 10:10.720]  So, Marcus, we're going from NFL player, business owner, and now a speaker and business speaker and coach.
[10:10.720 --> 10:15.600]  How did that transition occur?
[10:15.800 --> 10:17.440]  Was there someone you met?
[10:17.860 --> 10:20.960]  What was the motivation for that career shift?
[10:20.960 --> 10:30.040]  So what happened was, Tony, I was actually listening to a lot of audiobooks and podcasts by a guy named Tony Robbins.
[10:30.420 --> 10:36.800]  So I said, wow, if Tony Robbins, who was a janitor at some point in his life, he met Jim Rohn,
[10:36.800 --> 10:42.460]  he turned his life around, he became this world-renowned, inspirational speaker.
[10:42.960 --> 10:45.780]  If Tony Robbins could do it, so could I.
[10:45.920 --> 10:55.760]  So in reality, right, Tony, it was just me at that time being open to something different that I'd never done before.
[10:55.880 --> 10:57.940]  And I heard about it through podcasts.
[10:58.280 --> 11:02.180]  And again, I really fell in love with Tony Robbins and his message of, you know,
[11:02.180 --> 11:06.600]  make the mindset shift, the power of the mind, things of that nature.
[11:07.180 --> 11:13.000]  And once I decided I was going to pursue that, I didn't let anything stop me.
[11:13.080 --> 11:19.240]  And again, like I say, it took me two and a half years to get my first paid speaking job, but I never gave up.
[11:19.540 --> 11:21.660]  I never stopped pursuing it.
[11:21.760 --> 11:22.560]  I never quit.
[11:22.980 --> 11:25.340]  And I got my first paid job.
[11:25.520 --> 11:27.580]  I started September 2013.
[11:27.580 --> 11:30.980]  I got my first paid job in April 2016.
[11:30.980 --> 11:35.980]  And that began the journey to where I'm at today.
[11:37.140 --> 11:41.980]  What's the greatest satisfaction that you get out of speaking?
[11:43.800 --> 11:50.280]  Tony, the best thing is when I see people and they're like, have like that aha moment,
[11:50.680 --> 11:54.580]  that light bulb moment that they can do something better.
[11:54.720 --> 11:56.320]  They can be something better.
[11:56.460 --> 11:58.080]  They can achieve something more.
[11:58.140 --> 11:59.780]  They can be something greater.
[11:59.780 --> 12:08.880]  When people have that moment, that is satisfaction to me because I remember when I started speaking,
[12:08.880 --> 12:10.460]  it was really hard to get started.
[12:10.780 --> 12:17.000]  But for me, I had that aha moment when I met Mel Robbins in 2018.
[12:17.000 --> 12:22.180]  And when I met her and she was like, motivation is garbage.
[12:22.540 --> 12:25.520]  Inspiration is long and everlasting.
[12:26.100 --> 12:28.300]  That was my aha moment.
[12:28.600 --> 12:35.120]  So I love to see people develop and or have that light switch turn on in their brain.
[12:35.340 --> 12:37.740]  And they say, yep, I can do this.
[12:37.820 --> 12:38.720]  I can be more.
[12:38.780 --> 12:39.760]  I can achieve more.
[12:39.760 --> 12:40.920]  I can go for more.
[12:42.420 --> 12:51.860]  Isn't it interesting, Marcus, that we reach a point in our lives where it's not our own success that gives us our greatest joy,
[12:51.860 --> 12:57.820]  but it's how we trigger the success in others where the true satisfaction comes.
[12:57.820 --> 13:01.720]  Is that a fair call as we wrap up this interview?
[13:03.100 --> 13:09.500]  Absolutely, Tony, because to me, when other people are doing well, are being great,
[13:09.620 --> 13:14.340]  then at that time and that moment, to me, that's what matters most.
[13:15.520 --> 13:15.840]  Perfect.
[13:16.320 --> 13:22.520]  All right, Marcus, if people listening to this want to reach out to you and know more about what you do,
[13:22.520 --> 13:23.840]  where can they find you?
[13:24.660 --> 13:35.360]  They can find me on our website, www.MarcusOgden.com.
[13:35.480 --> 13:36.820]  You can go to our app.
[13:36.900 --> 13:40.360]  We have an app that's on an Android or an Apple phone, Marcus Ogden,
[13:40.580 --> 13:46.220]  or just shoot me an email, Marcus at MarcusOgden.com.
[13:47.880 --> 13:48.600]  Thank you.
[13:48.600 --> 13:53.500]  All right, well, that's been another episode of the Career Advantage Show,
[13:53.880 --> 13:56.620]  where we had a conversation with Marcus Ogden.
[13:57.100 --> 14:05.300]  If you got a lot out of today's session, please leave us a five-star rating,
[14:05.940 --> 14:11.760]  and don't forget to subscribe and share this communication with others.
[14:12.300 --> 14:12.860]  Thank you.
[14:12.940 --> 14:17.400]  Until next time, make sure you're always reclaiming your power.
[14:17.400 --> 14:18.260]  Thank you.
[14:18.600 --> 14:22.720]  Thanks for tuning in to the Career Advantage Show.
[14:23.280 --> 14:29.060]  Visit thecareeradvantage.show to subscribe and claim your free career confidential toolkit.
[14:29.820 --> 14:36.880]  If you've enjoyed today's episode, I truly appreciate a five-star review on your favorite podcast app.
[14:37.600 --> 14:43.640]  And don't forget to share it with your friends and colleagues who might need a little career inspiration.

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I am your host, Tony Pisanelli

On this show, we dive deep with our guests to uncover real stories, practical insights, and proven strategies that will help you reclaim your career power, navigate transitions, and design what’s next with confidence.

My very special guest today is John North ...
 

Transforming Entrepreneurs through Cutting-Edge Publishing and Software Solutions...
John North is a 9 Time #1 Best Selling Author (Amazon,USA Today and Wall Street Journal) multifaceted and seasoned entrepreneur, boasting a robust background in Accounting, Banking, Business Management, Finance, Personal Development, IT, Software, and Strategic Marketing..

As the CEO of Evolve Systems Group, John has earned a reputation as a serial entrepreneur by spearheading numerous innovative products and services aimed at empowering business owners and entrepreneurs.His diverse ventures focus primarily on Book Publishing and Software Systems, which are designed to make a tangible difference in the lives of entrepreneurs.

Fueled by a passion for enhancing the marketing intelligence and strategies of business owners, John consistently pushes the boundaries of what's achievable in today's fast-paced world. He is widely acclaimed among his contemporaries for his inventive and highly creative approach to problem-solving.

Transcript

Tony Pisanelli: Welcome to the Career Advantage Show, where we help you reclaim your career power and design your working life on your terms. I’m Tony Pisanelli, and each week I sit down with leaders who’ve faced career-defining moments—devastating job loss, burnout, stagnation, even workplace harassment—and turned those challenges into bigger opportunities. You’re listening to the Career Advantage Show. I am your host, Tony Pisanelli.
My mission is to help professionals reclaim their career power and design a working life on their terms. Today’s special guest is John North. Welcome, John.

John North: How are you doing?

Tony: Great, thank you. John, you’re a best-selling author.

John: Yep—nine so far.

Tony: And a seasoned entrepreneur. You worked extensively in finance and banking. How did those early days shape what you do today?

John: The funny thing about working in a bank is they make you follow a process. You can’t just do whatever you want. You balance the cash a certain way, speak to customers a certain way—everything has a process. That gave me a solid grounding in systems. Handling customer complaints was another big one.
The bank also kind of convinces you your skills are only useful there because they trained you. What I realised was those skills—trustworthiness, keeping confidences, operating professionally—are incredibly valuable in the broader marketplace. I joined the bank at 15, so I got an education in how business actually works that school never gave me.

Tony: Can you pick one defining moment in your banking career that you still carry today?

John: I worked in the bank for about 12 years. Toward the end I was building a side business. I’d landed my dream role—one of the youngest manager’s assistants in Queensland, a couple of years earlier than the age-based system would normally allow. The trouble was I didn’t get my dream manager.
He was terrified of lending money. As a commercial lending manager, he wouldn’t lend. He was always checking, second-guessing—drove me mad. We called him “Bladders” because he behaved like an old woman, writing the address on every side of a parcel “just in case.” In the end I quit and started my IT business.
People say you join for a manager and you leave for a manager. As the manager’s assistant, I spent 90% of my time with him. If you can’t work with that person, it’s untenable. His focus was: no risk, don’t lend, refer everything up so it’s not on him. That’s not banking—that’s career protection.

Tony: So the bureaucracy got to you?

John: The people did. I’d had my share of bad managers; he was the worst for me because he blocked the very work we were meant to do.

Tony: For someone listening who feels constrained in their job and is thinking about jumping ship—what’s the number one piece of advice?

John: Stack as much cash as you can before you start. Cash flow is the single biggest stress in business. Whatever number you think you need, double it—you’ll burn through it.
With less money, you’re more likely to take misfit clients. That creates more problems. If you’ve got cash, you can be fussy. The more successful you get, the more often you say “no.”
Two more tips:

1. Make the reserve a little hard to access—so you have to think before tapping it.

2. Pay yourself first. Don’t live out of the business. Put yourself on a wage and manage your personal life separately, then gradually increase it to apply healthy pressure to sell.

Tony: The place I’ve burnt the most money is marketing. Agree?

John: Yep. You can blow a fortune there. Strangely, the cheapest marketing often works best—low-risk, guerrilla tactics. Referrals are gold, but you only get them if you serve the first client brilliantly. Do what you say you’ll do, keep the client number one, and protect the relationship. That’s straight out of banking—more accounts, happier clients, longer tenure.

Tony: Is it easier to keep an existing client than find the next one?

John: Absolutely. And you can sell more to existing clients. We’ve had authors do second and third books with us—one did four. That happens because the first job was done properly.

Tony: You help authors become best-sellers on Amazon. Is that what gives you the most joy?

John: Partly. As a kid, aptitude tests said “policeman or journalist.” I liked finding things out—so publishing scratches that itch. But the real joy is when a book sells and someone reads it—someone’s helped, maybe even changes their life. A book is also a legacy. And if you’re starting a business, write the book now. It becomes your marketing, your system, your processes—your proof of credibility.

Tony: You’re big on building assets. A book is a key pillar, right?

John: 100%. Think of renting vs owning. Social media is renting—they can evict you any time. Own your website. Own your content. Too many business owners build funnels and sites, then tear them down every six months and start again. Build on what you’ve built.
And don’t host your entire programme on platforms you don’t control. Running your whole community on Facebook? That’s… unwise. You can be locked out for months over a password reset. Same with course platforms—stop paying and your catalogue disappears. Own your assets.

Tony: So the core advice is: own and control your asset base?

John: Own your stuff and focus. Stop chasing shiny tangents that don’t fit your core. Learn to say no—even when the money is tempting. I started my publishing business with a free project (terrible idea—free clients are the least appreciative), then charged a little, then more, until we priced at the value we deliver. It took a year or two to get traction; now we’ve produced hundreds of books. Persistence, aligned to your core, pays.

Tony: So pick your core focus and stay with it—even through a bad month?

John: Ask: did you make a good decision at the start? Do you believe in it? Until you believe in it, no one else will. There has to be a market—or you create one—but keep it tied to your core. I’ve launched offers I thought were brilliant that landed to crickets. That’s fine if it still strengthens the main business.

Tony: How important is knowing your ideal client?

John: Vital—but you often learn it in market, not on a whiteboard. When I sold accounting software, I assumed the buyer was the bloke who owned the business. In reality, the decision-maker was often his wife doing the books. Once I started addressing her needs, sales moved.
Ask clients what they really want. With authors, I always ask: what do you want from this book? Some just want it published—no sales goals at all. Good to know before you map an elaborate marketing plan they don’t want.

Tony: In my case, it wasn’t just about the book—it was the business behind the book.

John: Exactly: the “why.” The money isn’t usually in the book—it’s beyond the book. For non-fiction, build the business in or behind the book. One client gave away thousands of copies at conferences—the book built instant credibility, and the services made the money.

Tony: Do years in organisational life translate into a consulting or speaking business later?

John: They can—if you’re thoughtful about it. You may not see it at 15, but your career builds capabilities you can package. Look at what you do now: what piece could you break off that you enjoy and others value? Don’t start a firm in something you already dislike—you won’t have the energy.
Also, be honest with yourself: if you wake up several days in a row dreading the work, do something about it. Change the business, sell it, or pivot. Nothing’s set in stone.

Tony: If someone wants to write or publish a book, or build and own their platform, how do they find you?

John: The best way is johnnorth.com.au—my personal site that links to everything I do. Whether you want to publish a book or build a platform, it’s all there. Connect on LinkedIn and I might even send you some books for free.

Tony: John, thanks for joining me and sharing the journey from banking to running your own business.

John: My pleasure. If listeners take just one useful idea and act on it, that’s a win.

Tony: There are definitely a couple of gems in there. Thank you.

That’s a wrap on another conversation here on the Career Advantage Show. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d be grateful for a five-star review. Share it with a friend or colleague who might need a boost, and make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Visit thecareeradvantage.show to subscribe and claim your free Career Confidential Toolkit. If you enjoyed today’s episode, I’d truly appreciate a five-star review on your favourite podcast app—and don’t forget to share it with friends and colleagues who might need a little career inspiration. Thanks for listening.

About The Show

Too many smart professionals feel powerless at work—burned out, boxed in, and living by someone else’s rules. But here’s the truth: no boss, no company, no system owns your power. You gave it away—and you can take it back.

The Career Advantage Show exists because the world of work is shifting faster than ever. People everywhere are questioning their careers—feeling vulnerable, uncertain, and searching for real answers.

Each episode will show you how to reclaim your power, redesign your career story, and build a future on your terms. Because in today’s world, if you don’t take control of your career, someone else surely will.

👉 Subscribe now—and start taking your power back.

Also, visit https://thecareeradvantage.show  to subscribe and to grab your free "Career Confidential Toolkit"

Subscribe and get immediate access!

Want to be a guest on the show?

Apply here:   https://thecareeradvantage.show/page/guest-application

Sponsored by The Career Advantage learn more at https://thecareeradvantage.com/

I am your host, Tony Pisanelli

On this show, we dive deep with our guests to uncover real stories, practical insights, and proven strategies that will help you reclaim your career power, navigate transitions, and design what’s next with confidence.

Welcome to the Career Advantage Show, where we help you reclaim your career power and design your working life on your terms.

I'm Tony Piscinelli, and each week I sit down with leaders who have faced career-defining moments, such as a devastating job loss, burnout, stagnation, or even workplace harassment, and being able to turn these difficult circumstances into powerful and greater opportunities.

The 12 words that empowered my career.
It was 6.30 on a Tuesday evening, after a long, gruelling day in Corporate Australia.
I was walking down a narrow corridor from my office toward the elevator.
I exhaled. I'm finally going home.
Home to my family, a warm, delicious meal, and a moment to breathe, after a day of following one order after another.
Then, a voice cut through the silence behind me.
Where do you think you're going?
I haven't finished with you yet.
It was Doug, the Deputy Chief Finance Officer.
Doug was ambitious, desperate for the top job.
He worked long hours and expected everyone beneath him to do the same.
So, instead of stepping into that elevator, I turned around.
It felt like I was being pulled by an invisible chain.
I sat down at my desk, fired up my computer, and gave Doug another hour of my life.
And in that moment, it hit me.
I was powerless.
A servant to someone else's demands.
You felt it too, haven't you?
Maybe your Doug is your boss, your company, or the system itself.
Someone else decides how late you stay, how much you give, and how much of yourself is left at the end of the day.

Welcome to the Career Advantage Show.

I'm Tony Piscinelli.
If you are facing a major obstacle in your career, a demanding boss, impossible deadlines, burnout, or even the looming axe,
this show is about rising above it.

Here's the truth.
If you don't manage your career, someone else will.
And their plan will not be about your growth, your freedom, or your future.
It will be to serve their agenda.
That's why so many people become trapped, burnt out, and powerless.
Living someone else's story instead of their own.
There is another way.
Most people think the only way out is to quit and find a new job, a new boss, a new company.
That's what millions did during the pandemic.
The phenomenon was called the Great Resignation.
But for many people, the Great Resignation turned into the Great Regret.
Because they traded one employer for another.
The poor problem never changed.
Someone else still held the power.
So I took a different path.
I stayed.
But I changed how I operated.
I asked a career advisor one powerful question.
Who stole my power?
His answer stopped me cold.
No one, he said.
Not even Doug.
You gave it away.
And he was right.
We all do it.
We trade power for a paycheck, for benefits, and for our security.
If I had given it away, then I could take it back.
That's when everything began to shift.
I accepted responsibility.
I stopped seeing myself as a victim.
Because in the victim chair, you're powerless.
Instead, I moved into student mode.
And Doug became my teacher.
That extra hour I gave him, that was my wake-up call.
From that night forward, I refused to be a passive player in my career.
I would begin to manage myself, my career, and most importantly, my life.
That was the turning point.
And years later, it became the foundation for my coaching system.
Helping others reclaim their power.
Because I believe power, or the lack of it, is the core issue underlying almost every career problem.
When you reclaim your power, the dugs of the world no longer control your destiny.
So how do you start reclaiming your power?
Firstly, recognise who holds the power right now.
Is it you or someone else?
And secondly, if it is another person, begin to take it back.
Because it won't be simply handed back to you.
And thirdly, stop seeing yourself as an employee trapped in a system.
So, start becoming the leader, the designer, and the owner of your career story.
Because if you don't, nothing changes.
You'll keep living under someone else's rules, sacrificing your nights, your energy, your future, for their ambitions.
But if you do reclaim it, everything changes.
You create leverage.
You attract opportunities.
You'll live a career that serves you, and the life you want to build.
If this story resonates, don't let it fade.
The first step to rewriting your career story is reclaiming your power.
Download your free Career Confidential Kit.
You'll find the link in the show notes.
It's your starting point for designing a career on your terms, not Doug's.
I'm Tony Piscinelli.
Subscribe, share this with a colleague who's stuck, but more importantly, he's smart enough to know they need to do something and leave a review so others can find the show.

Thanks for tuning into the Career Advantage Show.
Visit thecareeradvantage.show to subscribe and claim your free Career Confidential Toolkit.
If you've enjoyed today's episode, I truly appreciate a five-star review on your favourite podcast app.
And don't forget to share it with your friends and colleagues who might need a little career inspiration.

About The Show

Too many smart professionals feel powerless at work—burned out, boxed in, and living by someone else’s rules. But here’s the truth: no boss, no company, no system owns your power. You gave it away—and you can take it back.

The Career Advantage Show exists because the world of work is shifting faster than ever. People everywhere are questioning their careers—feeling vulnerable, uncertain, and searching for real answers.

Each episode will show you how to reclaim your power, redesign your career story, and build a future on your terms. Because in today’s world, if you don’t take control of your career, someone else surely will.

👉 Subscribe now—and start taking your power back.

Also, visit https://thecareeradvantage.show  to subscribe and to grab your free "Career Confidential Toolkit"

Subscribe and get immediate access!

Want to be a guest on the show?

Apply here:   https://thecareeradvantage.show/page/guest-application

Sponsored by The Career Advantage learn more at https://thecareeradvantage.com/