Career Coaching Podcast with John Fialkowski: Real Stories, Practical Moves

Episode Nine - When Hard Work Stops Working 

You can lift it. But should you? This episode explores the hidden cost of capability—how strength, hustle, and good intentions can trap us in outdated versions of success. Featuring utopian French socialists Etienne Cabet, Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, and one very tired admissions officer, we look at the shift from doing the work… to defining the work.

Episode Eight - Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time

What if the job you’re in isn’t forever—and that’s okay?

In this episode, John explores the value of temporary work, misaligned roles, and contract gigs that aren’t your dream job. From polishing cars at the auto show to managing a bike shop, to listening to Trooper blast from a truck stereo—this one’s about showing up, experimenting, and knowing when it’s time to move on.

Episode Seven - The Demographic Gridlock

In Part Two of Scarcity in a Land of Plenty, we shift the lens from tech to demographics — and ask why, in a world that claims there's a labour shortage, so many people still feel stuck.

From Baby Boomer capital preservation to Millennial risk aversion, this episode explores how wealth, leadership, and opportunity have gotten tangled across generations. We talk about politics, anger, and the Charlton Heston end-of-the-world trilogy you didn’t know you needed.

Because this isn’t just an economic story — it’s a story about movement, about why we’re frozen, and what it might take to break free.

Episode Six - A Shot Across the Bow

When a talented employee reaches out across her company to explore new possibilities, her initiative is met with silence, control, and suspicion. In this episode, we explore what it means to be micromanaged, misunderstood, and stuck in survival-mode leadership — and how to reclaim your power anyway.

We begin with the story of Frank Farian — the voice behind Boney M and Milli Vanilli — and draw a surprising parallel to a modern-day workplace dilemma.

This episode is about power, perception, and what happens when people refuse to stay small.

Read the companion blog post

Episode Five - The Myth of the Job Board

In this episode, we start with the radical Oneida Community—a group that rejected the rules of the modern economy—and use their story to examine why today’s job boards fail so many of us. We explore how technology has transformed hiring, why unemployment is often a systemic mismatch—not a personal failure—and what both job seekers and employers can do to find alignment in a confusing market.

It’s time to stop waiting to be picked. Start thinking like an entrepreneur.

Read the companion blog post

Episode Four - The Trap of Being the Best (and completely miss the point)

We open with a reflection on Yevgeny Prigozhin—the mercenary boss who flew too close to the sun—and what his downfall says about loyalty, usefulness, and power. From there, we dive into something closer to home: the trap of being the best at your job. Especially in customer service, hospitality, and retail, being the go-to person can sometimes mean you never get the chance to grow. You're too valuable where you are. In this episode, we talk about how being excellent isn’t always enough, and how performance without power or direction can leave you stuck.

Episode Three - Maybe it's not them - Maybe it's me!

Feeling out of place at work? If you're the only one struggling while everyone else seems fine, the problem might not be the workplace—it might be misalignment. This episode explores how to recognize when a job just isn’t the right fit and what to do about it. We also compare a the struggles of 19th century British General Issac Brock, with the modern struggles of today.

Read the companion blog post

Episode Two - Intention 

In this episode, we’re talking about how to take control of your career—no matter where you work. It’s not just about having an entrepreneurial mindset; it’s about setting an intention and using it to guide your actions. I’ll break down how to define what you actually want, track your progress, and turn any job (even the ones you don’t love) into a stepping stone for something bigger. Because no matter who pays you, you work for yourself. Let’s get into it.

Episode One - What does it take to think like an entrepreneur 

Hate your job? Feel like you're being pushed around, undervalued, or stuck in a toxic environment? Quitting might seem like the only way out, but there’s another option—shifting your mindset. Thinking like an entrepreneur, even while working for someone else, can help you take back control, make your job more bearable (or even better), and open doors to new opportunities.

Read the companion blog post