The past few weeks I soft-launched a hiatus, and today I'm making it official. Keep your eyes peeled for Season 2 of the Push Pull Podcast!

Today we revisit a couple of “near misses” — where a combination of solid preparation and luck led my guests to thrive or pivot quickly in the face of turmoil in their organizations.Omar Dinar discusses joining Lehman at the onset of th...

Navigating the Ups and Downs: From Consulting to Startups and Facing BurnoutToday I revist discussions where my guests faced significant adversity in their work lives. Shalini Chander talks about pivoting to the startup wor...

In this episode I continue my conversation with Dr. Jess Mendoza, cognitive psychologist and UX researcher. Upon wrapping up Dr. Mendoza's transition from academia to UX research, we explore her efforts building community within her new company...

Today I interview Dr. Jess Mendoza, a cognitive psychologist turned UX researcher. Dr. Mendoza shares her inspiring story of being a first-generation college student, pursuing a doctorate, and eventually transitioning into the tech industry. We...

Today I revisit some of my early converations on the podcast and the incredible insights of my guests. Samir Jain discusses the importance of combining technical skills with the ability to sell and influence. Theresa Freet shares her personal e...

Today I speak to Julia Levina about her multifaceted career journey. Julia shares her experiences as a counseling psychologist in Ukraine, a CFO of a family-owned pharmacy chain, a business consultant, and now a behavioral scientist and busines...

Today I discuss my thoughts on the concept of “fit” between employer and employee. Gallup found in 2023 that disengaged employees cost the world $8.8 trillion in lost productivity annually. I introduce Andre Martin's book 'Wrong Fit, Right Fit,...

In this episode, I reconnect with Ashwin Aravind, Head of Operations at Lightyear. Ashwin has been a high-octane performer all his life, spanning school and career. Starting with his undergrad years at UC Berkeley, where Ashwin majored in Molec...

Today I discuss my personal journey of leaving prior jobs in search of greater fulfillment. I compare my experience to what I learned in 'Job Moves' by Bob Moesta, Ethan Bernstein, and Michael B. Horn, highlighting how people's motivations for ...

In this episode, I delve into the emerging concept of the “Great Detachment.” We discuss the impact of team dynamics, job longevity, and fulfillment on employee engagement and performance. Referencing recent Gallup surveys, I highlight issues l...

In this episode of the Push Pull podcast, we continue our conversation with Omar Dinar, diving deeper into his career journey. Omar shares his experiences transitioning from aerospace engineering to finance, joining Lehman Brothers during the f...

Today I interview Annalyn Cruz, a dream life and embodiment coach and the CEO of Grounded in Wisdom, LLC.We discuss Annalyn’s career journey from higher education in student affairs to learning and development in the corporate world, an...

In this episode of the Push Pull podcast, we explore the fascinating career journey of Omar Dinar, currently a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch. Omar transitioned from an engineer working on military helicopters to working in financial servic...

I just picked up the book 'Job Moves' by Ethan Bernstein, Michael B. Horn, and Bob Moesta! I haven’t gotten far into it yet but my bells are already ringing. Listen to me appreciate how much I already love the message. Also hear me betray my mi...

Today I reflect on some key lessons learned from my initial work on this podcast. In particular, I’ve received feedback about how challenging it is to detail push factors for three reasons: They’re often emotional before we pla...

Such a pleasure to reconnect with Marshall Robins after several years. Starting off in construction, pivoting to finance and then tech sales, to come all the way back around to financing construction projects — Marshall’s story is a master clas...

Today I interview my cousin Shalini Chander, Director of Product at Align Technologies. Shalini shares her journey from consulting in pharmaceutical manufacturing to becoming a software product leader. We track her career progress through proce...

In this episode, I interview Rajan Trivedi, a seasoned product leader who has made significant transitions across various industries. Rajan shares his unique framework for career transitions, focusing on the utility of making switches focused o...

In this episode, I interview Theresa Freet, a Strategy & Operations leader with over 12 years of experience in the ed-tech field. Before her rise as an operator, she traveled internationally and immersed herself in the food industry, explor...

In this episode, I interview Samir Jain, Sr. Director of Product at Medidata Solutions, discussing his career journey and key transitions. We discuss how relationships, sales skills, and increasing levels of responsibility factor into career gr...

Introducing the Push-Pull Podcast! I'm Varun Rajan, a Product Manager and Career Coach. I'll be interviewing mid- to senior-level professionals about their careers to share their stories.If you’re looking to make a meaningf...