Pursue The Passion started as a series of cross country road trips that a group of recent college grads took to interview people about their career paths. These road trips captured interviews with more than 300 people about their career journeys, and turned into a book.
Today, Pursue The Passion continues on as a home to interviews and insights from professionals about their career journeys.
Informational Interviews
Raymond Karam – Ice Cream Tastemaster & Chef Interview: How To Become an Ice Cream Taster My name is Raymond Karam and my job title is Senior Tastemaster… 
Cindy Dach – Changing Hands Bookstore Interview: How To Open A Bookstore I have a couple lives. I have a whole arts career in downtown Phoenix,… 
Susan Krane – Art Museum Director Interview: How To Become an Art Museum Director I’m Susan Krane. I’m the director of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary… 
Shirley Furlong – Golf Instructor Interview: How To Become a Golf Instructor I’m Shirley Furlong. I’m a golf instructor for Bird Golf Academy. We’re here… 
Lisa Clinchy – Battalion Chief, Phoenix Fire Department Interview: How To Become a Firefighter Battalion Chief I’m a Battalion Chief with the Phoenix Fire Department. In the City… 
Tim Meckener – Baseball Equipment Manager Interview: How To Become A Baseball Equipment Manager Tim Meckener is the Minor League Equipment Manager for the Tampa Bay… 
Rene Gutel – Public Radio Journalist Interview: How To Become a Freelance Journalist in Public Radio As a freelance journalist, I’m basically my own boss. I… 
Dan Subaitis – Director of Animal Management, Phoenix Zoo Interview: How To Become a Zookeeper I oversee the entire living collection. Everything that’s an animal and plants. And everyone… 
Lonnie Williams Jr. – Lawyer Interview: How To Become a Trial Lawyer I consider myself a dispute resolver. When these people actually go to court,… 
Joel Dickinson, Chemical Engineer Interview: How To Become a Chemical Engineer This is the story of Joel Dickinson. He’s not rich. He’s not famous.… 
How To Start a Coffee Company Interview: How I started a coffee company Tommy Thwaites is the Owner of Coda Coffee, a wholesale coffee company. We… 
Christopher Barr, Freelance Photographer Interview: How To Become a Freelance Photographer My first job was in photojournalism. In my mid twenties, I saw the… 
Leon Yong – W Hotel General Manager Interview: How To Become a General Manager of a Hotel I was playing ball in college for maybe six months… 
Noah Kagan – Internet Entrepreneur Noah Kagan, president of software development company Kickflip, will tell you what he does for a living, but don’t make… 
Nathan Kaiser Nathan Kaiser, founder of npost.com, was not sure what to do with his degree in microbiology from the University of… 
Josh Olson – Screenplay Writer Interview: How To Become a Screenwriter Josh Olson is an Academy Award nominated screenplay writer for his work with the… 
Linda Harrison – Fainting Goat Rancher The last television appearance we had was on NBC-Nashville. The segment aired that Friday night, and even though I didn’t… 
Jesus Delgado Jesus Delgado-Jenkins, founder and president of JNI, LLC, knows something about hard work and commitment. As the son of Cuban… 
Emilee Warner – Voice of CMT Radio Some people can’t hide how much they love their job; Emilee Warner, the voice of Country Music Television’s radio network… 
Alex Guarnaschelli – Executive Chef, Butter Alex Guarnaschelli, executive chef of NYC’s Butter, did not, after college, have the “frame of reference” to enter the culinary… 
Whitney Johnson, Co-Founder, Rose Park Advisors Whitney Johnson left a seven figure Wall Street job in an effort to help women dream. Her BLOG, Dare to… 
Maura Policelli – Chief of Staff Maura Policelli, chief of staff for U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ 8th), has been working on Capitol Hill for twelve… 
Bob Nanna Bob Nanna, director of promotions and public relations for the Threadless t-shirt company, in Chicago, graduated from the University of… 
Dan Schawbel Dan Schawbel is a product of personal branding. At 24 years old, it has helped Dan create a competitive advantage… 
Jessica Hentoff – Executive Director, Circus Harmony We are in the circus ring. Kids juggle and walk the tightrope behind her. Interview: How To Become a Circus… 
Saundra Grayes – Disaster Volunteer We are in a brick house that survived Hurricane Katrina in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Twenty volunteers… 
Barry Moltz Barry Moltz knows something about being an entrepreneur, and he’s happy to share in his experience. After more than one… 
Tom Gimbel – Staffing Agency Owner Tom Gimbel, CEO and founder of the LaSalle Network in Chicago, IL, relishes in “being an advocate for people who… 
John W. F. Dulles – American scholar of Brazilian history John W. F. Dulles is an American scholar of Brazilian history. He is a professor at University of Texas. He… 
Chris Pandolfi – Bluegrass Musician & Banjo Player Interview: How To Become a Professional Musician I like what you guys are doing. Especially with bluegrass. The scene out… 
Rick Welts – Basketball Executive & CEO Rick Welts, president of the Phoenix Suns basketball organization, can be credited as partially responsible for making the NBA what… 
Oren Madison – Child Psychologist Oren Madison, a child psychologist working in Chicago, IL, is becoming more accustomed to working with adults, but only after… 
Rick Barrera – Sales & Marketing Expert After college, California author Rick Barrera found himself out of a job. Although he helped establish a store, under the… 
Jim Sherraden – Hatch Show Print Interview: How To Start a Poster Printing Business I’d like to know why Hatch Show Print is so special. What’s… 
Bernhard Masterson Bernhard’s house is made of mud, and he is very proud of that fact. As a natural builder, in Portland,… 
Helene Gayle – CEO of CARE Interview: How To Become the CEO of a Nonprofit Organization At 22 I was just beginning medical school. I didn’t… 
Daren Freisen Daren Friesen, owner of the Moksha Yoga Studio in Chicago, IL, advises anyone to embrace their situation. “Embrace whatever you… 
Robyn Williams Robyn Williams considers herself a professional coach and facilitator, but arriving at this career was not a direct path. At… 
Tom Bracklett – Production Stage Manager, Spamalot As the production stage manager for Spamalot, at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Tom Bartlett has his hand in… 
Renee West – Hotel Executive & President Renee West is the first female president of a property on the Las Vegas strip, but she doesn’t really care… 
Tracy Boyce Besides being a single mother raising four kids, Tracy Boyce’s full time job is a feng shui practitioner. Originally an… Barbara Russell “I have been passionate about everything in my life. I have to be passionate or I just don’t do well.”… 
Shelia Curran – Career Center Director How To Become a Career Counselor My name is Shelia Curran. I’m the Executive Director of the Duke University Career… 
Robbie – Cardiovascular Technologist How To Become a Cardiovascular Technologist What were you doing at our age, at like 21. I was in college.… 
Ryan Barnes – Yellowstone Park Ranger “Wherever you go, there will always be a mixture of people destroying, helping and living mutually with the outdoors.” Ryan… 
Keith Covart – Record Store Owner In 1968, at 22, Keith Covart and two friends founded Electric Fetus, an independent-minded record store in Minneapolis, MN. Nearly… 
Steve Cody – PR Firm Founder & CEO Interview: How To Start a PR Company At 22 years old, where were you in your career situation? Where did… 
Lisa Bauch – Boxing Gym Owner Lisa Bauch doesn’t like being told “no.” The owner of Uppercut Boxing Gym, in Minneapolis, MN, found other boxing gyms… 
Gamal Aziz – CEO Gamal Aziz, CEO of MGM Mirage and COO of the MGM Grand, has spent his entire life in the tourism… 
Sandi Serling At 47, Sandi Serling decided to start riding motorcycles. She is not an action junky, nor is she crazy, but… 
John Powers John Powers, founder of the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, recognizes the extent to which Earth is in danger. Fear of… 
Tammy Erickson – Adjunct Business School Professor What got you interested in studying the workforce and the changing demographics? What got you going on that? Well, I… 
Mark Martino – Mechanic How To Become a Mechanic Our RV broke down in Hastings, New York in pursuit of the American Dream. Little… Tommy Spaulding Tommy Spaulding, CEO of Up With People, almost went to trade school, because dyslexia left him at the bottom of…
Brad Feld – Venture Capitalist Brad Feld, managing director at Foundry Group and Mobius Venture Capitol, has been in the technology business for a long… 
Joanne Gordon – Author & Journalist Joanne Gordon is an author, journalist, wife and mother, and not necessarily in that particular order. As a child, she… Dave Mathews Dave Mathews is an extrovert inventor that has been taking things apart and finding innovative ways to put them back…
Mark Starr – Restaurant Owner Mark Starr, owner of David’s Pizza in Spokane, Washington, goes to work everyday to make a difference; success has… 
Stephen Hopson – Former Wall Street Trader He is a former Wall Street banker and the first deaf pilot to earn an instrument rating from the Federal… 
Scott Hatley – Nonprofit Founder & Director Scott Hatley, founder of the non-profit Incight, is wheelchair-bound due to muscular dystrophy. That did not stop him, however, from… Insights
10 Pieces Of Advice To My 22 Year-Old Self Do you ever look back and think “I wish I knew then what I know now?” Well, these thought… 
What Success Looks Like: 13 Personal Definitions of Success Consultant: What’s success to you? It’s a really good question. I think success is being able to earn a living… 
10 Tips To Overcoming Failure At Work & In Business Failure is the best teacher. It’s an essential part of a career path. If you haven’t failed, you probably aren’t…