For this week’s special, bonus episode of The Seismic Shift, Michelle has the privilege of sitting down with two of her colleagues at Loyola University New Orleans: the university’s new president—and first president of color—Dr. Xavier Cole, and Loyola’s interim dean of the College of Business, Dr. Bobby Savoie. It’s no secret that the value (and price tag) of higher education have come into question in recent years. So together these three dynamic leaders discuss some of the key seismic shifts happening in higher education right now, answering the question of if an advanced degree is still worth it in our changing job landscape.

Throughout their conversation, Dr. Cole and Dr. Savoie both share how higher education changed their career trajectories—discussing some of the ways they’re disrupting higher education as we know it, why an education that focuses on how to think critically is so vital, and how higher education is different today than it was for previous generations.

Don’t miss this insightful conversation!

Learn more about Loyola University New Orleans on their website: https://www.loyno.edu/.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Transformational Power of Education
04:32 Seismic Shifts in Higher Education
11:59 Challenges and Opportunities in Leadership
18:24 Creating Problem Solvers in Business Education
24:50 The Importance of Connection and Community
30:06 The Future of Higher Education: A Holistic Approach

Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Hearts On Fire

The city of New Orleans recently experienced “the Taylor Swift effect”—the whole city coming together culturally and economically for the singer’s Eras Tour weekend. Today on The Seismic Shift, Michelle sits down with 2025 Super Bowl Czar Michael Hecht to talk all about how the city can recreate that sense of joy and belonging during next year’s Super Bowl.

As New Orleans natives, Michelle and Michael are both passionate about seeing their city thrive during big events like a Taylor Swift concert and the Super Bowl, and New Orleans undoubtedly does big events very well (just look at Mardi Gras!). But how can other cities or organizations recreate the kind of weekend these two just experienced in their city—one that fostered belonging, sparked joy, and thrived on spontaneity and inclusivity? Michelle asks Michael to break it down during this conversation. Together they take a look at the practical ways Michael’s preparing for the Super Bowl next year, how other entities can foster connection around their own big events, and why the Taylor Swift effect doesn’t have to end when the Eras Tour leaves your city.

CHAPTERS

00:00 The Power of Connection in Divisive Times
03:08 Taylor Swift's Impact on New Orleans
05:51 The Role of Community in Major Events
09:12 Creating a Lasting Legacy Beyond the Super Bowl
11:56 The Joy of Freedom and Individuality
14:49 Engagement as a Key to Success
18:13 Decentralized Models of Celebration
21:00 Building Anticipation for the Super Bowl
24:08 Michael Hecht's Journey to Super Bowl Czar

Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Hearts On Fire

We all have those things that are most important to us, but do our calendars actually reflect those priorities? This week on The Seismic Shift, Michelle is joined by an individual who has personally helped her make some of the biggest shifts of her professional life over the past six months. That person is former NFL coach turned executive coach, Taylor Johnson. Taylor is an expert when it comes to helping others craft that winning formula that will set them on the path towards greater connection, clarity, and confidence. Taylor and Michelle dive into it all in today’s conversation.

Given Michelle’s connection to Taylor and his strategies, they start this episode a little differently: with Michelle sharing how hearing Taylor speak at a conference led to working with him to create her own connection cadence. Taylor then goes into his own areas of expertise, walking listeners through a series of exercises to spark connection—including “the best of me” framework, how to optimize your calendar for connection, and taking a look at why it’s so important to start with ourselves and our own priorities before adding others to the equation.

This is a truly transformational conversation on the power (and logistics!) behind building connections and increasing your performance that you’re not going to want to miss!

Download "The Best of Me" exercise worksheet here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cnRb1mnI11mvCfysSjWWyqTkj-pVcTFS/view?usp=sharing

Complementary Strategy Session:
https://www.taylorjohnsonperformance.com/strategy-call

Taylor Johnson, LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorjohnsonperformance/

Taylor Johnson Performance:
https://www.taylorjohnsonperformance.com/

Paul Graham, Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule:
https://www.paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html

CHAPTERS

00:00 Understanding Relationships: The Three Buckets
04:01 Taylor Johnson: A Journey from Sports to Coaching
07:14 The Business Athlete Concept
11:59 The Winning Formula Session
14:48 Self-Awareness Drives Performance
22:10 Optimizing Your Calendar for Connection
29:27 Creating a Connection Cadence
32:03 Planning for Connection: Annual to Daily
38:44 The Importance of Reflection and Learning
42:04 Wrapping Up: Intentionality in Relationships

Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Hearts On Fire