In our season finale, we share the evolution of the podcast and how it's grown over the last several months. Megan shares some behind the scenes on how the podcast was made, where she is in her own journey, and gives a sneak peek at what's ahead for Season Two (debuting January 2026).

To everyone who has come on this journey with us, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. We may be in the middle, but we're just getting started.

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In November 2024 alpine skier Shannon Abeda was three days away from the start of his season in hopes of qualifying for his third Olympic games. He asked his company for any support they could give. Instead, he was laid off. In this episode, Shannon opens up about his skiing journey, from discovering it as a three year-old in Alberta, Canada, to missing out on the 2014 Winter Olympic Games by 0.01 seconds, to carrying the flag for Eritrea at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, to his journey to the 2024 Olympic Games in Milan. He reflects on the toll of injuries, burnout, post-Olympic depression, and rebuilding after disappointment. You'll hear how he turned setbacks into fuel for growth, and what it takes to keep showing up when no one’s watching. This episode is an inspirational reminder that sometimes our hardest moments are the ones that shape us the most, and that the path to success is rarely a straight line.

Shannon Abeda is a three-time Eritrean-Canadian Olympic alpine skier. Born in Fort McMurray, Alberta to Eritrean parents, Shannon discovered skiing when he was three years old and went on to represent Eritrea at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics after narrowly missing qualification for Sochi in 2014 by just 0.01 seconds. Off the slopes, he holds two bachelor's degrees and a master's, balancing full-time work with elite training. Shannon is passionate about mental health, creative expression through photography and videography, and creating opportunities for the next generation of underrepresented athletes.

Follow Shannon on Instagram and Facebook, and watch him as he competes in his third Winter Olympic Games at Milan 2026 this February.

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In this episode, sustainability expert and environmental scientist Dr. Mara Ranville shares how her career moved from a small town in Michigan to geology labs, research cruises across the Pacific, university classrooms, and the chaotic streets of New York City. On the outside, she was creating a career path uniquely her own, but behind some of her pivots was another journey she was quietly fighting for: three years of infertility treatments, miscarriages, and the dream of becoming a mother that ultimately didn’t come to pass. Mara opens up about grieving in private, rebuilding her identity, and learning to trust a career and life path that looked nothing like she imagined.

Over the last 30 years, Dr. Ranville has held roles as a researcher, project manager, educator, and content producer. She now works as a sustainability and social impact consultant, connecting people, policy, and purpose and helping organizations make their operations better for the planet. Dr. Ranville holds a Bachelor of Arts in geology and environmental studies from Macalester College and a Ph.D. in environmental toxicology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Connect with Dr. Ranville on LinkedIn or read her stories at Global Citizen.

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