Get Off The Bench Podcast

Matthew Cicanese (He/Him) is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, corporate trainer, and consultant recognized for advancing Neurodiversity Inclusion and Accessible Technology across higher education, government, and industry. As a National Geographic Explorer and Canon photography educator, he combines global fieldwork with practical, evidence‑based approaches that help teams communicate more clearly, design accessible processes, and adopt AI responsibly. Matthew has trained 3,000+ employees in 16 industries and developed ethical AI solutions for higher education institutions, streamlining operations and improving service delivery.An award‑winning wildlife photography artist, his large‑format macro and wildlife images have been featured by National Geographic and exhibited internationally. Matthew's lived experience as a Deafblind and neurodivergent professional informs every engagement, translating perspective and research into tools any team can use.Social:Website: https://mattcicanese.com/Website: (Speaking/Consulting): https://cicanese.org/LinkedIn: Matthew CicanesePortfolio (Fine Art): https://cicanese.art/Turn Brain Clutter into Action (Youtube)Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Sahrit is a dance instructor, creative entrepreneur, and mom of three who helps women expand their lives through play, movement, and self-trust. With a background in Dance Theatre Education and workshops taught across Greece, Africa, and Hawaii, she blends art, adventure, and empowerment — from mermaid certification to gorilla trekking — to show women that confidence is built by living fully, not waiting to feel ready. Sahrit spent most of her life avoiding roller coasters — until she realized fear wasn’t the enemy, control was. She helps women go from Worry bunnies to Wonder bunnies. Socials:LinkedIn: Sahrit Weinstein Instagram: @sahritweinsteinOn Amazon: "The Girl Who Doesn't Go On Roller Coasters” (Book)Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Chris Avery is a Faith-First Performance Coach who walks men from the valley to the mountain—out of fear and into mission. He built the Run with Christ Blueprint, a Scripture-anchored system that cuts through the noise with group coaching, a real brotherhood, and practical tools to win the spiritual warfare of everyday life because anything meaningful, purpose-driven, and worthy of your dream life takes grit, time, and a team. The focus: emotional resiliency, unshakeable faith, and driven clarity.Chris spent years overthinking, stuck in fear and uncertainty until he went to work on his mind. After 10,000+ hours of audio books, he rebuilt how he spoke to himself and the world. He launched a coaching company, trained 10 coaches, and served thousands while testing his own edges: running a marathon without training, ran a weekend 50-miler during COVID with only his wife to crew, and 60,000 pushups + pull-ups in 90 days.Two truths forged all of it:1. The limiting beliefs we put on ourselves are just that. We are capable of far more than most of us give ourselves credit for.2. When you align with God and move in His power, you become truly unstoppable. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)On January 9th, 2022, Chris started a simple experiment—run one mile a day for a week. One week became 90 days, then 1,460+ consecutive days (nearly four years). Today he averages 17 miles daily.In 2027, his family will travel the perimeter of the United States while he runs 50k/day (~31 miles) for 365 days—the family-powered mission is known as Chris Runs America. His message is simple: it’s not about more hustle and grind; it’s about consistent obedience. Running became the forge where stress quieted, faith deepened, and leadership sharpened. Chris speaks on discipline, identity in Christ, fatherhood, and the power of daily miles to shape the man God is calling you to be.Socials:Website: https://chrisrunsamerica.com/LinkedIn: Chris Avery FB: Chris Avery Coaching Insta: @chrisaverycoaching Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Todd Bertsch is a keynote speaker, mental fitness coach, and creator of the SPARK Framework, a neuroscience- and behavioral psychology-based roadmap that helps leaders and organizations navigate change with clarity and confidence. He is the founder and CEO of Evolve Marketing, where, for more than 16 years, he has led teams through growth, uncertainty, and cultural transformation. Todd also hosts The BOLT Podcast, where he explores mindset, leadership, and personal growth with thought leaders. Through the SPARK Framework, including SPARK coaching, Positive Intelligence® coaching, and the Spark Quotient (SQ) assessment, Todd helps teams turn insight into action and ignite their SPARK.Website: https://www.toddbertsch.com/Podcast: The Bolt https://www.toddbertsch.com/podcast/Social Media:https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddmbertsch/https://www.facebook.com/theboltwithtoddbhttps://www.instagram.com/theboltwithtoddb/https://www.youtube.com/@theboltwithtoddbEnjoy the visual here on Youtube

Leah Garcia is an award-winning media personality, former professional athlete, and the Founder and CEO of NULASTIN®, a science-backed beauty brand she launched in 2016. An EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ alumna, Leah built NULASTIN® after uncovering the untapped science of elastin and its critical role in healthy hair and skin. Partnering with leading biotech researchers, she pioneered first-to-market, biodesigned elastin solutions for hair, lashes, brows, and skin. Under her leadership, NULASTIN® holds 31 issued patents, 27 beauty awards, and a steadfast commitment to clinically proven, ethically sourced innovation. The brand is proudly female founded and women owned.Socials:Website: https://nulastin.com/Website: https://www.naturallycaffeinated.com/LinkedIn: Leah GarciaLinkedIn: NULASTIN FB: NULASTINInsta: NULASTIN® @nulastinYoutube: NULASTIN Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Jill Chalsty has devoted her life to the transformative power of education. As the founder of Overcoming Obstacles, the nonprofit she launched in 1992, Jill pioneered life skills instruction that has now reached more than 180 million students in over 200 countries. When grief shattered her world, Jill boarded the Queen Anne in 2025 on its maiden world voyage to find healing and purpose. Packets of Hope: A Journey of Healing and Rediscovery is a deeply personal memoir that follows Jill through twenty-six ports of call across the globe. With every stop—be it the spiritual resilience of Tonga, the harsh beauty of Namibia, or the hopeful faces of children in China—she weaves together intimate reflections, human connection, and her life’s mission to equip young people with essential life skills. Since its launch in October 2025, it has consistently been one of the top downloads for Amazon's free memoirs.Socials:Packets of Hope website: https://www.packetsofhope.com/Overcoming Obstacles website: https://www.overcomingobstacles.org/LinkedIn: Jill Siegal ChalstyFB: Packets of HopeInsta: Jill Chalsty @jillchalsty Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Dalene Allen is the Founder & CEO of Networking Naturally, where she helps professionals and entrepreneurs build stronger connections, communicate with confidence, and grow their businesses through authentic relationship-building. With more than 30 years of experience in leadership, sales, coaching, and business development — including her award-winning career with Mary Kay Canada — Dalene has trained thousands of people on networking, communication, and strategic growth. Her warm, practical style makes her a sought-after speaker, mentor, and community builder across Atlantic Canada.Socials:Website: https://networkingnaturally.ca/LinkedIn: Dalene Courneya AllenFB: Networking Naturally Insta: @networking.naturally Youtube: Networking Naturally Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Known as "The People's Bishop", our pastor is a shepherd that loves those he leads. Bishop Kevin Foreman is a renaissance man who has devoted his life to changing lives. Born in Denver, Colorado, and reared in Orange Mound, an area of Memphis, Tennessee, riddled with the plight that often accompanies the inner-city. From humble beginnings, through God's amazing grace, he has defied statistics and transcended superficial boundaries. Today, he is an influential pastor, successful church planter, bishop, success coach, in-demand speaker, author, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. Bishop Foreman is the founder and chancellor of Harvest Bible College. Pioneering #FitHarvest to promote healthy living in the Harvest movement, Bishop Foreman celebrated successfully shedding over 95 pounds through simple, yet powerful lifestyle changes. This is a testament to God's desire for us to walk in His "shalom", where nothing is missing, nothing is lacking, nothing is broken, and all is well.Socials:Website: BishopForeman.comLinkedIn: Dr. Kevin Foreman Social media @BishopForemanInstagramFacebookTikTokHarvest Church TVBishop Kevin Foreman TV Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

James Oliver is the founder and CEO of Atlas Bar, one of America’s fastest-growing protein bar companies, focused on clean, convenient, high-protein nutrition. What makes James’ journey remarkable is how he built the business from absolutely nothing. To fund his first production run, James drove over 3,000 Uber rides while still in college, refusing outside investment, and sticking to his vision of clean, honest nutrition.Atlas Bars are a testament to that conviction: each bar packs 20 grams of protein, just 1 gram of sugar, and contains zero artificial ingredients. James didn’t just talk about health and perseverance; he lived it, running 100 miles in six days with nothing but his own bars for fuel to prove they worked. Since those humble beginnings, Atlas Bar has sold millions of bars nationwide and hit over $1 million in sales within just two years, all powered by word of mouth and grit.Socials:Website: atlasbars.comInsta: Atlas Bars @atlasbarsLinkedIn: James Oliver FB: Atlas Bar Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Drew Norton, known as The Everyday Sales Leader, is a dynamic self-development coach, sales consultant, and co-host of The Everyday Leader Podcast. Drew's deep commitment to helping others succeed is rooted in a highly personal belief: that life is too short to settle for anything less than your full potential. This became acutely clear after an accident with his baby, which fueled his passion to translate his decades of professional knowledge into powerful, actionable insights for his clients. He’s a dedicated husband to his wife of 13 years and a loving father to four children. Originally from southeastern Arizona, he cherishes the values of small-town life and the freedom he finds outdoors. A private pilot, Drew also enjoys the freedom of flight.Socials:Website: https://theeverydaysalesleader.com/LinkedIn: Drew Norton Insta: Drew Norton @theeverydaysalesleader YouTube: The Everyday Sales Leader Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Ryan Christensen is The Belief Engineer.A self-proclaimed oddball, having led a very unconventional life, with a path that seems to have been perfectly crafted to bring him to this phase and place in his life.Ryan’s journey began when he chose to join the United States Marine Corps rather than go the traditional college route. That set him on a 23 year long career in Intelligence - as a Russian Linguist in the Marines, supporting F-16 and F-22 fighter squadrons in the Air National Guard, and finally supporting counter terrorism and counter proliferation operations as a CIA contractor.In 2019, Ryan began his personal development and healing journey in earnest. He'd already been in therapy off and on for almost a decade, and knew it was time to get serious. He tried just about everything under the sun, alongside becoming a professional hypnotist.The frustration he faced, realizing that nothing worked the way it was supposed to, left him with no other option but to figure it out himself.Leveraging those 23 years of experience, plus his autistic gifts and insights, he took a deep dive into how things REALLY worked. He found out a lot about how the mind is built, how beliefs shape our reality, why they're so resistant to change, and how to break himself out of the prisons he'd created to keep himself safe.Now, he helps others finish their own journey. He says “It's the least I can do”.Socials:Website: https://thebeliefengineer.comLinkedIn: Ryan Christensen Youtube: The Belief Engineer Winner Peace (Book) Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Matt Parker is Co-founder of The Exodus Road. While Matt and his wife Laura provided care to young girls at an orphanage in Thailand, they came face-to-face with the issue of sex trafficking. As a result, Matt began undercover work in support of law enforcement. Matt served as CEO at The Exodus Road for nearly 10 years, and he has been doing humanitarian work for over 15 years. He is currently also a Global Brand Ambassador at Cellebrite, the world’s leading cyberforensics technology.Socials:Website: https://theexodusroad.com/LinkedIn: The Exodus Road LinkedIn: Matt P. FB: The Exodus Road Insta: The Exodus Road @theexodusroad Cyber-Safety Training Program: influenced.org Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

It’s been 4 months since I posted the last episode in May, and after a lot of reflection, we’re back! In this episode I share some reflections on recognising when you’re tired and when things are even a tiny bit out of alignment. Sometimes we don’t have the answers and we have to be OK with just sitting in the the unknown, waiting with trust that what’s meant to be will be, and may already be. I went to Hawaii last week to do some work (on me) with the wonderful Sam Horn, and surprisingly that opened up a few cans of worms I wasn’t expecting. Sometimes we just need to sit in faith.

Long known as one of the world’s finest Jazz Pianists, Rick DellaRatta also began to receive major recognition as a composer when his symphonic piece “Permutata” was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at the Beatles famed Abbey Rd., Studios in 1999, and as a unique and important vocalist in 2004 when he was included in a definitive listing of the greatest jazz singers of all time in Scott Yanow’s Book “Jazz Singers”. Jazz for Peace rose from the ashes of 9/11 as a poem and is now considered "The most significant cultural event of our time!", Jazz For Peace. Rick witnessed the extraordinary events of 9/11 from his rooftop less than 1/4 mile away from Ground Zero on that fateful morning when the words of a poem titled “Jazz for Peace” that he wrote on that day went on to lead him to over 850 concerts across the Globe to help the world's most outstanding causes, educational presentations, and instrument donation programs for children.Through his life long endeavor to help advance people to their highest potential through the understanding of Jazz as well as spreading peace worldwide through his "Jazz for Peace World Tour", Rick DellaRatta is considered to be an innovator and a visionary, a designation that became known by many when he was included by The Foundation Center in their list of the top musician philanthropists of our time along with Bono (U2), Elton John, Peter Gabriel and Sting.Socials:Website: https://rickdellaratta.com/Website: jazzforpeace.orgLinkedIn: Rick DellaRatta FB: Rick DellaRatta https://jazzforpeace.wordpress.com/about/unprecedented-achievements/Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

Aisha Alim is an empowerment coach, mindset strategist, teacher and NLP, Time Line Therapy & Hypnosis Practitioner. She is also a DISC Advanced consultant and holds degrees in teaching and coaching – (B.Ed. – Primary [Hons.], Dip. L.C. [Hons.]). Aisha has written and delivered multiple programs in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She is a published author on the subject of empowering women and has dedicated over 25 years of her teaching life to personal growth and development expertise.Aisha is a highly experienced coach who is focused on mindset and strategy to achieve identified goals. Aisha is a confident and motivated facilitator and project manager who inspires and ignites ideas in her clients. Aisha has recently finished delivering group coaching programs for men and women funded by the Department of Employment & Workplace Relations 2023-2024.Her program called, “The Confidence Blueprint” is aimed at assisting vulnerable people back into the community by helping them to reframe the way they think, develop confidence, take affirmative action to achieve identified goals and utilise existing support and education services to further their education and training and regain employment. It is the link between being at risk and thriving again.The Confidence Blueprint™ is designed to support and enhance the employment services model by addressing the core issues and barriers women face through a specialised group coaching program, including those who are long-term unemployed and are at a social, emotional or economic disadvantage. The program builds individual self-esteem, confidence and connections to develop a personalised plan to transition to secure employment or further education across a variety of local industries. It also provides a deeper exploration of the issues that contribute to low levels of self-confidence that impact their ability to effectively engage with existing services, training and employment and the community as a whole. By addressing these core issues, the aim is to build confidence, resilience, self-awareness and improve communication skills in order to experience more personal success and transition into sustainable employment. It is a fresh approach to assisting women back into employment.Socials:Website: aishaalim.comLinkedIn: Aisha Alim FB: Aisha Alim Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

I returned from a trip to Nepal less that a week ago, and I have to say it opened a can of worms. While I loved Nepal overall, I have come away with a lot of questions about traditions, religion and humanity, and how they intertwine. Sometimes not in a good way. I really believe Nepal is a great place, but it was also an intense catalyst for pain, growth and intense curiosity and interest in why we never stop to question our beliefs. I was ready for this trip, but it impacted me far differently than I expected it to.Mentions:Magic Marble Foundation https://www.magicmarblefoundation.org/Community Homestay Network https://communityhomestay.com/Panauti Homestay https://communityhomestay.com/homestays/panauti

Stuart Wade is The Mind Coach. With over 30 years of elite competitive experience in martial arts, with 4 World Championships under his belt; a degree in Applied Sport and Exercise Science and over 10 years of experience helping elite business owners to excel to new heights… he understands the psychology of high performance. Stuart is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Licensed NLP Practitioner, BLAST Trauma Resolution Practitioner, and Sports Performance Mind Coach—featured in The Daily Mail Online, The Sunday Mirror, and top international podcasts.Stuart is also a Clinical Partner of Nurosym- the leading Auricular Vagal Neuromodulation Therapy device on the market. Stuart’s superpower is helping his clients turn pressure into power, fear into fuel, and success into a way of life.Socials:Website: themindcoach.co.ukLinkedIn: Stuart Wade Insta: Stuart Wade @themindcoachuk FB: The Mind Coach Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

This week I spent 2 days at a Changemaker workshop facilitated by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. It was challenging but in the most wonderful way. I had a lovely realisation when my ‘list of things I need as a changemaker’ made it clear that it’s all about the journey.I also found out a life changing secret about the humble sticky note!

This episode includes a conversation between Sophie and Mike as they review my book ‘Get Off The Bench’ and pull out the key insights. Frankly, I’d forgotten how much juicy stuff was in this book since writing it in 2019. But there’s a kicker… you’ll have to listen to find out!Full of wonderful little gems and one great big surprise at the end!