Venture Capital, Sports, Law, & Family: Adam H. Phillips On Ambition and How to Know You've Got an Idea Worth Pursuing

/

Adam H. Phillips has led two Techstars Accelerators, investing in ~70 early-stage companies throughout healthtech, cybersecurity, AI solutions and gov/regulatory tech. In his role, he has the power to help people turn good ideas into reality—a reality that has the potential to make a massive impact. But which of these ideas are worth pursuing? In this episode Adam, the son of immigrants, unpacks his story from law school to the federal government to venture capital. He shares which job was his favorite (spoiler: none of the above), his advice to early stage entrepreneurs, and why he is ambitious about his family. 

Adam H. Phillips is the Managing Director of Techstars Baltimore AI Health where he looks for early stage healthtech ventures to fund and grow alongside our network partners at Johns Hopkins and CareFirst.  He is the founding Managing Director at MoxE where he built an impact fund. Adam is also the Founder of AthletesInnovate, a former Senior Attorney/Director of Innovation at USDOT, and an Adjunct Professor.  He holds a BA in Psychology, an MA in History and a Juris Doctorate.

Want to make a big career move in 2025? Need a coach to help you crystalize a plan and carve out the practical next steps of what to do? Learn more about Hustle & Grace Coaching here.

This episode is brought to you by HSL Digital. 

Resources and Recommendations from this episode: 

Learn more about Adam and connect with him at https://adamhphillips.com/

Follow Adam on LinkedIn
Book Recs:
Venture Deals
Watership Down

How to Do Fewer Things Better with Kristin Graham

/

What matters most? How can you feel the most satisfied at work and in how you spend your time across all arenas in your life? These are the questions Kristin Graham seeks to help people answer through her work at Unlock. 

Kristin Graham is an entrepreneur, coach, writer, and host of the Fewer things Better podcast. Before building Unlock, Kristin spent two decades in corporate working for companies like Amazon and Expedia. Kristin’s years in academia and corporate, plus a relentless focus on research, led her to develop workshops, keynotes, and group learnings on how to rewire our internal hardware and update our mental software. 

This episode is brought to you by HSL Digital. 

Resources and Recommendations from this episode: 

Free Resource: 12 Little Hacks for the Mindful Creative

Unlock with Kristin Graham

Doing Fewer Things Better podcast

Follow Kristin on LinkedIn

Stoicism, Fractional Leadership, & Why You Should Schedule Meeting at the End of the Day with Entrepreneur Mike Malloy

/

From Deloitte consultant to founder of a sunglasses brand, from living in his parents' basement to thriving husband and father, entrepreneur Mike Malloy has lived nine lives in the last 15 years. In this episode of Hustle & Grace, Mike shares why the philosophy of stoicism has been transformational for him personally, how parenting changed his approach to work, why fractional leadership is the future of work, and why you should start scheduling meetings at 4 pm. 

This episode is brought to you by HSL Digital. 

Resources and Recommendations from this episode: 

Book: the Daily Stoic

Free Resource: 12 Little Hacks for the Mindful Creative

Malloy Industries

Follow Mike on LinkedIn

Enneagram and Parenting with Beth McCord, @YourEnneagramCoach

/
Beth McCord, woman in red shirt, signs a copy of her book The Enneagram for Moms

Parenting in the digital age can feel like one big opportunity to compare and despair. We have every opportunity to compare our parenting style and personality with others and yet, Beth McCord's message in The Enneagram for Moms is you are a unique parent and you get to be exactly who you are. 

Beth McCord is an accomplished Enneagram speaker, author, coach, and teacher. Her passion lies in helping individuals rewrite their life stories, empowering them to realize that lasting change and meaningful relationships are possible. Beth's mission led to the creation of the Your Enneagram Coach community--a nurturing space where individuals safely explore the Enneagram. She has a new book out called “The Enneagram for Moms.”

This episode is brought to you by HSL Digital. 

Resources and Recommendations from this episode: 

Beth's 2019 visit to Hustle & Grace (Overview of the Enneagram) 

Book: The Enneagram for Moms by Beth McCord

EnneagramforMoms.com

Spring Cleaning Your Inner World to Reduce Mental Overload

/

This 13-minute episode packs a punch delving into spring cleaning your inner world with tips to reduce mental overload. It prompts reflection on progress, adjustments needed, and implementing new strategies. Hilary also talks through tips for a digital detox and an easy way to tidy up quickly.

This episode is brought to you by Hustle & Grace Group Coaching. Applications are open through April 21, 2024. Learn more and apply here. 

On April 18, you're invited to a free virtual workshop called "Rejecting the Rat Race: a 30-minute roadmap to build a career, business, and life you love." Register free here.

  1. Review your goals. The first quarter of the year is behind us. ¾ to go. How has your progress tracked against your intentions? What needs to go? What needs to be adjusted? What needs to be implemented? 

  2. Review your time. Are you happy with how you’ve been spending your time? Reflect on what you want to start, stop, and continue. Review your relationships that are most important to you, does your calendar reflect that? 

  3. Schedule a social media break/digital detox. We have so much information overload. It’s so easy to compare and despair. At least once a year cut way down on your screen time. 

  4. Take a break from your vices. Got any bad habits? Commit to doing a 30-day fast from whatever that habit is. 

  5. Implement a gratitude practice. When you cut things out of your life, fill it with something beneficial instead. Maybe it’s a daily practice of reading the Bible or committing to 30 days of a gratitude practice–just writing some things you’re thankful for each evening before bed. 

  6. Look at your living space with fresh eyes. Is there clutter or a pile of stuff that you’ve stopped noticing because you’re so used to it sitting there? Put time on your calendar to address it. Will you use it? Sell it? Donate it?

  7. Implement a system for getting stuff out of your head. You can’t mentally keep up with all the things. When you think of something, write it down. I use the notes app on my phone to write down anything that pops into my head. I try to put it on a specific list for a specific day. I can always move it if it doesn’t ultimately work for that day.

Resources and Recommendations fro this episode: 

Time Tracking Worksheets with Laura Vanderkam

My favorite journal! 

Smart Pretty & Awkward on Substack

12 Financial Strategies I’ve Learned Over 12 Years of Adulting (Am I becoming a personal finance girlie?)

/

Sponsor message: This episode is brought to you by Dun and Bradstreet
Monitor Changes to Your Business Credit File for Free
Credit is key for your small business. Signup for free notifications on changes to your business credit file. It's free! 
Get free alerts

  • Introduction: Hilary reflects on her journey from struggling financially to implementing smart financial practices and achieving success in her career.

  • Dollar-based Budgeting: Learn how to budget based on the previous month's income using a downloadable template available on Hilary's website.

  • Credit Card Usage: Hilary shares how she manages expenses by using a credit card with rewards and paying off the balance monthly for passive income.

  • Monthly Tracking: Importance of tracking income and expenses monthly for better financial awareness and preparation for tax season.

  • Tools for Wise Money Management: Hilary discusses using High-Yield Savings Accounts (HYSA), investing in I bonds, and exploring ETFs for investment opportunities.

  • Additional Tips: Increase rates as a service provider, research funding options for home purchases, and sell unused items for extra income.

  • Hustle & Grace Group Coaching: Hilary introduces the upcoming group coaching program and encourages listeners to apply for a chance to participate.

  • Recommended Resources: Hilary shares book recommendations and podcasts for further financial education and inspiration.

  • Conclusion: Wrapping up with a reminder to define financial goals and pursue them with determination and strategic planning.

Don't miss out on actionable personal finance and career tips in this episode of Hustle & Grace!

Resources and Recommendations from this episode:

Dave Ramsey’s 7 Baby Steps 

Think Like a Breadwinner 

We Should All Be Millionaires

How to Money Podcast

Money with Katie Show

Hustle & Grace Group Coaching application

Dollar-based budgeting template (Available on Hilary Sutton's website)

Chase Sapphire credit card (Recommended by Hilary for perks and rewards)

CIT Bank (Recommended for high-yield savings accounts)

I bonds (U.S. savings bonds designed to protect cash from inflation)

Schwab (Brokerage firm for investing in ETFs and stocks)

My Year End Ritual

/

Every year somewhere between Christmas and mid-January, Hilary Sutton does a ‘taking stock’ ritual to wrap up the year and start fresh with the new one. In this episode Hilary is breaking down the process step by step and sharing what she does on a monthly basis that makes achieving goals, managing life, and running a business easier. 

If you're a fan of the show and want to support us, please visit the website of our generous sponsor! 

This episode is brought to you by Dun and Bradstreet

Monitor Changes to Your Business Credit File for Free
Credit is key for your small business. Signup for free notifications on changes to your business credit file. It's free! 
Get free alerts

Download the free New Years Goal-setting Workbook here.

Work That Matters: Seth Godin on Finding Significance in Your Career

/

In this episode Hilary interviews renowned writer, entrepreneur, and speaker, Seth Godin. They delve into the profound shifts happening in the world of work, particularly accelerated by the pandemic. Godin emphasizes the fading of traditional industrialism and the rise of decision-making as a valuable skill in the digital age. They discuss the importance of finding work that is significant and making commitments that matter. Godin also shares insights on leadership, the power of projects in shaping a career, and the impact of AI on various aspects of work. This thought-provoking conversation offers valuable perspectives on navigating the evolving landscape of work and building fulfilling careers.

The Song of Significance

Follow Hilary on Instagram

Song of Increase

This episode is sponsored by HSL Digital. Do you know what kind of marketing support you (really) need?

⚡️ Overcoming Creative Paralysis: 8 Tips to Break Free from Fear

/

“What is creative living? Any life that is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear.” -Elizabeth Gilbert

Could you use a pep talk to get you over the hump from thinking about doing something creative to actually getting out there? In this episode, we unpack eight practical tips to overcome fear in the creative process. 

Learn more about Hustle & Grace Coaching

Follow Hilary on Instagram

Resources mentioned include:

The Man in the Arena

Big Magic

Failing Forward

Daring Greatly

This episode is sponsored by HSL Digital. Do you know what kind of marketing support you (really) need?

Closing the Confidence Gap: How Women Can Advance in Leadership with Kelli Rae Thompson

/
Kelli Rae Thompson

In this episode of Hustle & Grace, host Hilary Sutton interviews Kelli Thompson, a women's leadership coach, speaker, and author. Kelli discusses how a lack of confidence holds women back in the workplace and shares tips for women to gain more confidence and lead with more authority. They also do a deep dive on salary negotiating, the Enneagram, executive presence, and leadership styles. 

This episode offers valuable advice for women looking to advance in their careers and become more effective leaders.

Learn more about Kelli Thompson

Closing the Confidence Gap

Take the Career Motivation Quiz 

Connect with Hilary Sutton on Instagram

This episode is sponsored by HSL Digital. Do you know what kind of marketing support you (really) need?

How to Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul (A Quickstart Guide to Personal Branding)

/

Is it possible to sell yourself without selling your soul? Absolutely. In this episode, Hilary discusses five tips to build a thoughtful personal brand that opens doors for professional growth. Grow your visibility and opportunities without feeding the beasts of narcissism or perfectionism paralysis. Here's how. 

  1. Determine your “why.”

  2. Provide value to your audience.

  3. Remember that your audience has Main 👏 Character 👏 Energy 👏!

  4. Don’t be afraid to celebrate.

  5. Remember you are (or you have) the solution to someone’s problem.

  6. Bonus: Don’t overthink it.

Learn more about Hustle & Grace Coaching

Building a StoryBrand 

How to Plan a Social Media Sabbatical 

Take the Career Motivation Quiz 

Connect with Hilary Sutton on Instagram

This episode is sponsored by HSL Digital. Do you know what kind of marketing support you (really) need?

Bullet Journal Method Inventor Ryder Carroll On Embracing Analog and Intentionality

/

Ryder Carroll is a New York Times best-selling author, digital product designer, and inventor of the Bullet Journal method. He's been featured by the New York Times, LA Times, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Vogue, Bloomberg, and others.

In this conversation Ryder and Hilary discuss intentionality around not only time management but energy management, what is unique about the bullet journal method, and Ryder's career journey from designer to inventor and author.

This episode is sponsored by HSL Digital. Do you know what kind of marketing support you (really) need?

What All High-Achieving Creatives Have In Common: Writer Madeleine Dore Shares Surprising Findings on Creativity

/

Madeleine Dore is a writer and interviewer exploring how we can broaden the definition of a day well spent. As a labour of love, Madeleine spent over five years asking creative thinkers how they navigate their days on her popular blog Extraordinary Routines and podcast Routines & Ruts. The lessons culminated in her first book, I Didn’t Do The Thing Today. Madeleine continues to write, speak and ask questions—but mostly tries to hold things lightly.

In this conversation, Madeleine Dore shares what she learned after spending five years interviewing creative thinkers about their routines and reflections. Her findings may surprise you. Madeleine shares the commonalities that she found across the board with these high achieving creatives, the freeing concept of the “day artist” and what we can actually learn from our impulse to “compare and despair.”

This episode is sponsored by HSL Digital. Do you know what kind of marketing support you (really) need?

How to Get Better at Decision-Making with Decision Coach Nell Wulfhart

/

Nell Wulfhart is a decision coach. She helps people make big decisions in a single session, getting them out of endless deliberation and into action. She's been doing this for ten years and has helped everyone from parents and poets to hedge fund managers and Olympic athletes. You can find her at decideandmovefoward.com.

In this episode Nell Wulfhart and Hilary talk about portfolio careers, living and working around the world, and Nell's expertise: helping people make decisions and move forward. They share their theories on why people struggle with decision-making and Nell offers concrete tips to improve the decision-making process and go after the life you want. 

Do you know your career motivation? Take the quiz here. 

This episode is sponsored by HSL Digital, a marketing and communications consultancy dedicated to helping small teams focus on their highest and best use.

How to Human with Carlos Whittaker: On Walking with People Rather than Standing On Issues

/

Carlos Whittaker is bringing hope to humans all over the world. And he’s pretty good at it: he’s an author, podcaster, and global speaker backed by the power of a massive Instafamilia, his enthusiastic social followers who tune in daily to join forces with Carlos to find connection, do good, and be in community.

When Carlos enters a room, he makes people feel seen. His superpower is creating spaces—online and in-person—where people are safe to engage in conversation about the topics that matter most but are often avoided. His motto: don’t stand on issues, walk with people. That’s the professional stuff—but all day every day, Carlos is a family man. 

He and his wife Heather live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their three amazing children, where you can find them working on the family farm, planning trips aroundthe world, and dancing to Single Ladies (seriously, Google it).

In today’s episode we discuss how the last three years handed us ample reasons to disagree, but perhaps the one thing we can agree on is this: it’s hard to human out here. Enter, Carlos Whittaker with his brand new book: How to Human. This book is the essential, timely guide to sharing life beyond what distracts, divides, and disconnects us. 

In this episode, Carlos and Hilary chat over coffee about:

  • His backstory (he’s lived 9 lives)

  • The reason you shouldn’t give up even when it’s not working

  • Vocational identity

  • His experience taking a 9-week social media break

  • Practical ways to slow down

  • The value of walking with people rather than standing on issues

  • And *for the first time ever* he announces details about his NEXT book

Join us for a lively look at how to human in 2023.

What Is Your Career Motivation? Discover the 5 Types

/

Everybody has a career motivation: that unseen factor that makes you LOVE your work. When it's missing, you are itching to move on. In this episode Hilary and Rachel introduce the Career Motivation Framework: five career motivations that impact how satisfied you are in your gig. Discovering which motivates you most will help you make strategic decisions in your work and can lead to a huge increase in career satisfaction.

In this season finale episode Hilary and Rachel unpack a powerful self-assessment tool, the Career Motivations Quiz which illuminates the "why" behind our career decisions. Everyone has a dominant motivation: flexibility, wealth, enjoyment, meaning, or prestige. Which one is yours? And how can this self awareness redirect your next step toward creating a career and a life you love? 

This episode is brought to you by the 12 Little Hacks for the Mindful Creative. 

Career Motivations Quiz

Top Gun Maverick 

Only Murders in the Building

Disney 

Anthropologie 

The Enneagram  

Practical Tips for a Satisfying Week with Laura Vanderkam

/

Laura Vanderkam is the author of several time management and productivity books including Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters, Juliet’s School of Possibilities, Off the Clock, I Know How She Does it, What the Most Successful people do Before Breakfast, and 168 Hours. Her work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Fortune. She is the host of the podcast “Before Breakfast” and the co-host with Sara Hart Unger of the podcast “Best of Both Worlds”. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and 5 children and blogs at Lauravanderkam.com 

In today’s episode, Laura shares how 9 strategies from her book Tranquility by Tuesday can help you intentionally live the life that you want to live and become a better steward of life's possibilities. They discuss sustainable strategies like giving yourself a bedtime, one big adventure, one little adventure, taking one night for you, and embracing the maxim that three times a week is a habit.

How to Double Your Revenue, Impact, & Influence with Seema Alexander

/

Seema Alexander is the founder of DisruptiveCEO, where she partners with growth-focused expert entrepreneurs and CEOs to guide them (and their teams) through her U.N.I.Q.U.E Method™—transforming their businesses to become scalable and sought-after—preparing them for their breakout year(s) in growth.

Seema is also a co-organizer and co-producer of DC Startup Week—where they support over 11,000 local entrepreneurs from idea to growth—and a strategic advisor for select growth-focused startups, an entrepreneur in residence at USG, and board member for a non-profit, Codespa America.

Her ultimate why is simple: your unique experience, conviction, and results matters, but without intentionally packaging, positioning, and amplifying it—you are limiting your own (and company’s) potential in becoming scalable and sought-after and most importantly—transforming the lives of the people, businesses, and/or communities you are meant to serve.

Seema Alexander, founder of DisruptiveCEO, co-producer of DC Startup Week, mom, and strategic positioning expert shares her proven approach to transforming the scalability of your business. In this episode, Seema (a first generation American) shares what it was like watching her parents open the first Indian restaurant in DC in the 70s,  her experience as an executive in NYC, launching her own business, and making a major move with her family. Seema also unpacks her U.N.I.Q.U.E Method™ which pinpoints the distinguishing elements that position your business as an esteemed source of expertise rather than just another commodity. 

Every Job Search Needs a Guide, Enter: Tim Lo, Certified Resume Writer & Career Coach

/

Tim is from Fishkill, New York and went to school at Carnegie Mellon for both his undergraduate and master’s degrees. Tim has over a decade of experience in business strategy and process improvement. He has worked for several top-tier international consulting firms and has been involved in the hiring of many new team members. He volunteers as a mentor to many recent grads and moonlights as a serial entrepreneur. Tim is a PARW/CC certified resume writer and professional career coach. In 2020, he and a friend started Your Next Story, a non-profit organization that provides employment preparation and placement for formerly incarcerated individuals.

In the world of work, change is the only constant, so we might as well get better at it, right? But is it possible to be good at a career switch or a job search? Tim Lo says yes. Tim Lo is a PARW/CC certified resume writer and professional career coach. He is the founder of Your Next Jump, a career consulting company that offers resume writing services, career counseling, and job search coaching. Today Tim gives us his hot take on resumes, shares strategies for career switchers, and offers a gracious approach to job searching. 


7 Questions to Answer to Find More Meaningful Work

/

Rachel and Hilary are back together behind the mic celebrating a big milestone for HSL Digital and analyzing the latest trend in work circles: quiet quitting.

Quiet quitting is the growing tendency of employees toward ‘coasting,’ or choosing to meet expectations but not necessarily go ‘above and beyond.’ It’s getting a bad rap out there, but we’re here to say it's actually a good indicator that you're made for something more.

If that’s you, then we are your people. We’ve even created a FREE download called 7 Questions to Answer to Find More Meaningful Work. And we spent this episode unpacking those calibrating questions together.

Links of Note:

Linked In Post- No More Monday Meetings! 

Bluey

The 4-Hour Work Week 

The Office