Futures in the Making

About Futures in the Making

This podcast brings you the inspiring stories of ambitious individuals who are shaping the future through resilience, innovation, and leadership. From overcoming immigration challenges to building successful careers and businesses, we dive into the lessons and insights that empower others to dream bigger and take action. I’m Alena Gladkova, your host and the leader of Key People, a recruiting company that connects businesses in the USA and Europe with top talent. When I’m not helping companies build strong teams, I’m sharpening my leadership skills in Stanford’s LEAD program.

Publisher

Alena Gladkova

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Mar 2025

Latest episode

29 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

20 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Jul 2026

   15 Years in the Industry: Why I Walked Away from Everything

   Is a career in tech driven by stability—or by a genuine calling? In this episode of Futures in the Making, Alena Gladkova speaks with Nadia Damkovskaya about leaving tech, recognising burnout, and understanding whether your career still aligns with your health, values, and long-term goals. They explore why so many people stay in tech despite the pressure, how hustle culture affects the body, and which questions can help you choose a more sustainable career path. Chapters: 00:00 | In this episode 00:41 | Meet Nadia 01:11 | I quit my job 05:23 | Life after tech 13:07 | Money is power 18:34 | Burnout signs 24:13 | Your body knows 30:50 | Red flags to watch for 32:22 | Stress management 34:25 | Burnout recovery 40:05 | Bay Area hustle culture 45:59 | Try this to stay motivated 49:18 | Evaluating startup ideas 50:48 | Choosing a career path 52:03 | Questions to ask yourself About Nadia Damkovskaya Nadia is a serial entrepreneur who has spent the past 15 years building more than 100 projects across tech, event marketing, mental health, and wellbeing. After years of creating online mental health startups, she made the difficult but intentional decision to step away from tech and move into private practice, where she now works with clients one-on-one. Guest: Nadia Damkovskaya Instagram: @nadiadamkovskaya Host: Alena Gladkova LinkedIn: Helen Glad Looking for top global talent in AI, ML, Gaming, or Web3? Visit: https://kpeople.guru (https://kpeople.guru) Recruit the best talent for your company: https://kpeople.guru/service/on-demand (https://kpeople.guru/service/on-demand) #podcast #podcasting #podcastshow #burnout #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthandwellbeing #mentalhealthsupport

2. 

   23 Jun 2026

   Why High Achievers Burn Out and Why Working Harder Won’t Help

   We have more tools, more flexibility, and more ways to optimize our lives than ever before. Yet many ambitious people feel exhausted, anxious, and unable to switch off. In this episode of Futures in the Making, Alena Gladkova speaks with Omar Shaker, MD, an Egyptian-American physician, writer, and Board-certified functional medicine practitioner. Together, they explore why productivity does not protect us from burnout, how chronic stress affects the body and our ability to make decisions, and where healthy ambition quietly turns into self-destruction. They also discuss the vagus nerve, nervous system regulation, sleep, cortisol, HRV, longevity medicine, AI-related anxiety, cognitive overload, and the difference between being exhausted and becoming completely disengaged from your work. Omar explains why working harder is rarely the answer, what high achievers often misunderstand about recovery, and how to build a more sustainable relationship with ambition without giving up the goals that matter to you. In this episode: 00:00:00 | Why high achievers are burning out 00:00:49 | Meet Omar Shaker, MD 00:01:14 | Is hustle culture making us more stressed? 00:05:19 | What is the vagus nerve? 00:10:24 | How to manage anxiety and chronic stress 00:12:41 | How high achievers can avoid burnout 00:15:37 | Managing your health like a business 00:27:38 | HRV and the health metrics worth tracking 00:31:07 | Depression and why Omar left traditional medicine 00:35:54 | Chronic stress, cortisol, and why sleep is the foundation 00:44:37 | What longevity medicine gets wrong 00:51:35 | AI anxiety and cognitive overload 00:57:56 | What it means to become AI-native in 2026 00:59:30 | Stress-management techniques that actually help 01:03:32 | Weight-loss peptides and potential side effects 01:05:20 | Lifespan versus quality of life 01:06:54 | One habit that can change your health 01:09:11 | The biggest stress-management mistake 01:10:02 | Can you build a billion-dollar company without burning out? About Omar Shaker Omar Shaker is an Egyptian-American writer, medical doctor, and Board-certified functional medicine practitioner. He left traditional healthcare to build The Human Dash, a trauma-informed and data-driven support system for people working in high-intensity environments. His work combines clinical data, behavioral change, Somatic Internal Family Systems, and practical tools designed to help people move through difficult periods and continue performing without sacrificing their long-term health. Omar was named one of the HIMSS Future 50 and has spoken at HL7 and AHIMA. Guest: Omar Shaker, MD Connect with Omar on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/healthomar) Host: Alena Gladkova Connect with Alena on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-glad) Looking for exceptional talent in AI, ML, Gaming, or Web3? Learn more about KPeople (https://kpeople.guru) Recruit talent on demand (https://kpeople.guru/service/on-demand-recruiting/)

3. 

   19 May 2026

   Inside the Mind of an AI Optimist | The VC Behind Perplexity AI | Marina Davidova

   Inside the Mind of an AI Optimist | Marina Davidova She lost herself completely. And she's not alone. Marina Davidova is Co-founder and Managing Partner of DVC, a venture fund backed by 200+ operators from OpenAI, Google, Meta, Tesla, and Microsoft. Their portfolio includes Perplexity AI, Thinking Machines Lab, Higgsfield, and other companies reshaping the AI landscape. On paper, she has everything. But for years, she couldn't tell you what she actually wanted. In this conversation, Marina is honest about what ambition costs. What motherhood and career feel like when you're trying to do both. And what it took for her to find herself again. This is the first episode after a break. It's for anyone who's doing everything and feeling nothing. We talk about: The moment you realize you've lost yourself Why success can feel completely empty Motherhood, ambition, and knowing what you actually want What it takes to find your way back Building meaningful work and meaningful life The gap between who people think you are and who you actually are Listen on: Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Find Marina: LinkedIn: /msdavidova Instagram: @msdavidova

Who has been a guest on Futures in the Making

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Anastasia Zaitseva
• Anna Belova
• Dennis Lazard
• Morgan M Stanton
• Svetlana Grinchenko

Contact Futures in the Making

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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