Rhizomes Podcast

About Rhizomes Podcast

In the Rhizomes Podcast, Amit Levi focuses on pivots and polymaths. He interviews people whose career paths have been nonlinear. Guests include Google's Chief Strategist, a doctor who pivoted into consulting and venture capital, and one of the first women to fly combat jets in the U.S. Navy. Stories from tech, business, professional sports, military, entertainment and more. To support the Rhizomes Podcast, please follow and review! To contact me privately, add me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitlevi26/ or email me at rhizomespodcast@gmail.com

Publisher

Amit Levi

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

30 Jan 2024

Latest episode

29 Jan 2026

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Jan 2026

   Marcus Daniell: Olympic Medalist and Founder of High Impact Athletes

   Marcus Daniell started High Impact Athletes during his pro tennis career, connecting elite athletes to impactful charities. We chatted about what it takes to perform at the highest levels and how lessons from tennis carry into other walks of life. -Recorded in June '25

2. 

   3 Oct 2025

   Sully Finlay: Accountant to Comedian and Content Creator

   Sully was an accountant at Salesforce when he stepped into an improv class and discovered his passion for comedy. Today, he's a full-time comedian and content creator with hundreds of millions of views across platforms.I got to chat with him about his pivot, balancing a demanding job with a growing side project, and much more. Notably, it's the most I've laughed during a podcast episode. Check it out and let me know what you think!

3. 

   31 Jul 2025

   Lisa Stedman-Falls, PhD: Behavioral Scientist Turned Engineer

   Lisa Stedman-Falls pivoted from behavioral scientist to platform engineer.Her journey has included a PhD, research and clinical experience, and engineering roles spanning startups and larger companies.We explore why she switched into technology, how to market ourselves when making a big career shift, and the challenges of embracing a new identity when making big life changes.

4. 

   20 May 2025

   Jamie Beaton: Building a Billion-Dollar Business and Earning 10 Degrees

   Jamie Beaton is the CEO and Co-Founder of Crimson Education, a global education company valued at over $1 billion. Along the way, he’s also earned 10 degrees from top universities including Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, and Yale. But this conversation isn’t just about accolades. We talk about what drives him, the sacrifices he’s made in pursuit of impact, and how he balances long-term thinking with the flexibility to adapt. We also explore how AI is reshaping the future of education and what it means to build with purpose in a rapidly changing world.

5. 

   23 Jan 2025

   Jeff Kofman: Emmy-Winning Reporter to AI Entrepreneur

   Jeff Kofman is the CEO and Founder of Trint, an AI-powered transcription software company. But before that, he spent over three decades as an Emmy-winning foreign and war correspondent for major news networks, reporting from more than 40 countries on some of the biggest events of our time. What makes him such a great guest for the Rhizomes Podcast isn’t just where he’s been—it’s what he’s learned. His pivot from journalism to tech wasn’t just a career shift, it was a reinvention. In our conversation, we talk about resilience, empathy, the overlaps between journalism and entrepreneurship, and what it takes to make a huge life change. I took a lot from this episode—hope you do too.

6. 

   17 Dec 2024

   Anish Mitra: Wall Street VP to Comedian and Creator

   Anish Mitra, former Wall Street VP, shares his unexpected journey to becoming a comedian and content creator, revealing valuable lessons learned along the way.

7. 

   29 Oct 2024

   David Dennis: Microsoft Product Manager, Ventana Surfboards Cofounder, ex-Teacher

   What do product management and running a surfboard company have in common? Turns out, quite a bit. David Dennis pivoted from public school teacher to climbing the ranks in technology, while building his own business and giving back to his community through philanthropy. He’s also a TedX speaker who delivered the talk titled “Don’t Quit Your Day Job.” In this episode, we discuss his journey and how it shaped his approach to careers and building a fulfilling life. If you enjoy it, please share with a friend or follow my channel. Thank you! Note: we recorded this episode in March 2024.

8. 

   5 Sept 2024

   Kelvin Beachum: NFL Player, Philanthropist and Investor

   Kelvin Beachum is an NFL player, philanthropist, and investor with a passion for the arts. He’s also a dad, a husband, and an influential member of his immediate and global community. In this episode we discuss his path, passions, and purpose. We explore what primes athletes for success in business, what drives Kelvin to make an impact in combating world hunger and expanding access to education, and how he’s overcome tremendous adversity on his road to a long and successful career. I’m excited for you to check out our conversation! To support this podcast, please give it a review, follow, and share. :)

9. 

   20 Aug 2024

   Richard Ni: Computer Science at MIT to HR Leader at Scale AI in His 20s

   Richard Ni went from studying computer science at MIT to leading Human Resources at Scale AI, playing a key role in the startup’s growth from early-stage to one of the world’s top artificial intelligence companies. Early rejections and pivots helped him carve a unique path, which we explore in depth. We also talk about recruiting tips for nontraditional candidates, a topic Richard is uniquely positioned to discuss as a former nontraditional hire and as a recruiting and HR leader.

10. 

    9 Jul 2024

    Alice Zheng: Medical School, Business and Venture Capital

    Alice Zheng completed medical school at the University of Michigan and a year of residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. In the process she discovered a passion for business that led her to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School, work as a management consultant at McKinsey, and pivot into venture capital. Her career blends her medical and business interests as she leads investments in early-stage women's health companies. Our talk explores why Alice made her pivot and how she navigated it, setting an example for how to pursue our dreams while staying open to new adventures. To learn more about Alice: linkedin.com/in/alicexzheng/ Are you an MD or in med school and interested in VC? Alice recommends checking out mdplus.community If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, give a review, and comment to let me know what you think!

11. 

    24 Jun 2024

    Julian Sarafian: Big Law to Founder, Creator and Mental Health Advocate

    Julian Sarafian is a law firm founder, Harvard Law alum, ex-Big Law attorney, and mental health advocate with over 350K followers across socials. In this episode, we dive into his turning points, mental health journey, and how he balances entrepreneurship with wellness. Julian sets an incredible example of achieving greatness while taking care of ourselves. To learn more about Julian, visit https://pillar.io/julian

12. 

    21 May 2024

    Neil Hoyne: Google's Chief Strategist

    After facing dozens of rejections from Google, Neil secured a career-changing job. Since then, he's authored a best-seller, taught at Wharton, and pivoted through various roles--all while raising a family. Our conversation explores: Neil's path from rejection to success Tips for career transitions Ways for hiring managers to identify nontraditional talent The impact of AI on careers For more about Neil, visit his website at https://neilhoyne.com/

13. 

    10 May 2024

    Seth Bae: Humble Beginnings to Dream Job

    Seth Bae is a first generation American who immigrated from South Korea during high school. He turned his life around - from struggling in high school to winning awards in the Army, graduating from the Ivy League, and securing employment at his dream company Nike. We talk about Seth's decision not to be a victim, the importance of building genuine connections, and the challenges and triumphs of growing up poor and overcoming cultural barriers on the road to an improved life.

14. 

    2 May 2024

    Jenny Williams: AI Ethics Designer, Novelist, and Wanderer

    Jenny Williams studied English Literature at UC Berkeley, where she graduated in 2004. Since then, she’s worked in publishing, nonprofits in Africa, Europe, and the US, and big tech companies such as Google and Microsoft. Combining skills and interests in creativity, humanities, and technology, her recent experiences have involved writing professionally at the intersection of artificial intelligence, data, and ethics. While working, she’s also written a published novel and is currently developing a handful of fiction and nonfiction projects. And she’s done all this while raising a child on her own; in her words, she’s a single mother by choice. This conversation was recorded in late-November, 2023. To read more about Jenny and access her work, visit her website at http://jennywilliamswriter.weebly.com/ --- The Intro soundtrack was created by ValentinSosnitskiy, and is available on https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/⁠⁠ (https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/). This work is used and modified under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at ⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#ref-appropriate-credit). Modifications to ValentinSosnitskiy’s original work include cropping, deamplifying, and fading in/out. To access the original work, please visit ⁠⁠https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/sounds/218211/⁠⁠ (https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/sounds/218211/). The transition and outro soundtrack was created by Olexy at ⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠ (https://pixabay.com/).

15. 

    11 Mar 2024

    Loree Draude: Combat Pilot to Tech Exec & Bestselling Author - Navigating Change & Finding Fulfillment

    An episode title cannot capture the breadth and impact of Loree's pursuits, which also include writing and performing a one-woman show and starting her own business, all while raising her kids and leading a fulfilling personal life. I found it inspiring to hear not only about her individual experiences, but also about her mindset, values, and advice for navigating change, breaking glass ceilings, and leading a fulfilling life. To learn more about Loree, check out her website here (https://loreedraude.com/). You may also read her bio in her own words: Loree "Rowdy" Draude earned her commission through the NROTC program at the University of San Diego, where she majored in mathematics. She began her naval aviation career as a support pilot at VAQ-34, flying F/A-18 Hornets at Naval Air Station Lemoore in CA. When the Combat Exclusion Policy for women was repealed, Loree transitioned to a combat jet aviation squadron where she flew the S-3B Viking and completed two six-month deployments to the Persian Gulf on the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Kitty Hawk. Besides piloting jet aircraft, Loree was a division officer responsible for leading teams of enlisted sailors and the squadron’s aviation safety officer, responsible for ensuring her squadron followed safe operating procedures. During her second deployment, she became the first woman air wing-qualified landing signal officer, a role awarded to a small percentage of naval aviators for the responsibility of helping fixed-wing pilots land safely on the carrier. Loree spent over a year deployed at sea and accumulated over 300 carrier landings, including 99 at night. She completed her naval aviation career as a fleet replacement squadron instructor pilot, where she taught newly winged naval aviators how to fly the S-3B Viking and land it on an aircraft carrier. She also led the largest division in the squadron — a team of over 100 aircraft maintenance technicians. After her service, Loree earned an MBA at the Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. She spent 20 years in Silicon Valley, leading teams at startups and tech companies, including Google and Meta, in marketing, operations, and customer support organizations. In 2020, she started her own executive coaching and leadership development business to support leaders and teams in the tech industry. She is the host of the Supersonic Leaders and Teams podcast and a certified yoga instructor. Loree wrote a one-woman show called I Feel the Need about the first West Coast aircraft carrier deployment with women in combat squadrons. Directed by Beth Bornstein Dunnington, the show debuted Off-Broadway at the 2021 United Solo Theatre Festival in NYC, where it sold out and won the award for Best Direction. Loree performed her show 23 times at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and, in 2023, performed it at the Hollywood Fringe Festival where it was nominated for several awards. She is the author of the bestseller, Soar Into Joy: A Combat Aviator's Wisdom on Falling in Love with Your Life and She's Just Another Navy Pilot: An Aviator's Sea Journal. Loree has been laid off, forced to shut down her startup due to lack of funding, been divorced, fired, and quit her job. She also overuses commas in her writing. When she is not supporting leaders or speaking onstage, she enjoys painting (www.encaustech.com (http://www.encaustech.com/)), traveling, yoga, hiking, flying and spending time with her adult children. --- The Intro soundtrack was created by ValentinSosnitskiy, and is available on ⁠https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/⁠ (https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/). This work is used and modified under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#ref-appropriate-credit). Modifications to ValentinSosnitskiy’s original work include cropping, deamplifying, and fading in/out. To access the original work, please visit ⁠https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/sounds/218211/⁠ (https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/sounds/218211/). The transition and outro soundtrack was created by Olexy at ⁠Pixabay⁠ (https://pixabay.com/).

16. 

    20 Feb 2024

    Ed Shea: Creativity, Contemplation, and College After a 40 Year Career

    Ed’s remarkable journey has included 40 years of acting, directing, and starting up one of Rhode Island’s most successful theater companies. In his 60’s, he completed an Ivy League college education at Brown University, and is pursuing a masters degree at Harvard Divinity School on his way to becoming a Buddhist chaplain. In this episode, we discuss Ed’s upbringing, what he’s learned from going to college with classmates less than half his age, and how he’s merged his creative experience with his contemplative studies. We explore aging, a spiritual and practical approach to navigating change, and the benefits and beauty of Buddhist meditation practices. Ed’s story is a remarkable example that we can pursue our interests and aspirations, even if we don’t follow the traditional timeline. I encourage you to tune in and let me know what you think. I hope you find it meaningful! --- The Intro soundtrack for this episode was created by ValentinSosnitskiy, and is available on https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/ (https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/). This work is used and modified under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#ref-appropriate-credit). Modifications to ValentinSosnitskiy’s original work include cropping, deamplifying, and fading in/out. To access the original work, please visit https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/sounds/218211/ (https://freesound.org/people/ValentinSosnitskiy/sounds/218211/). The transition and outro soundtrack was created by Olexy at Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/).

17. 

    6 Feb 2024

    Andrew Nguyen: From Warrior to Healer

    In our first full episode, we learn about Andrew Nguyen’s journey from the US Army Ranger Regiment to Yale College and Harvard Medical School. Andrew and I discuss the values he inherited from his Vietnamese immigrant parents, the wisdom he acquired in his rigorous military service, and the difficulties and triumphs he experienced in his transition from military to civilian life. Through his experiences, we explore themes such as navigating significant life changes, finding purpose, and adopting a beginner’s mindset in new environments. Andrew is a humble, determined, and purpose-driven leader who we can all learn so much from. I encourage you to tune in and let me know what you think. I hope you find it meaningful!

18. 

    30 Jan 2024

    Welcome to the Rhizomes podcast

    Teaser episode introducing the podcast, myself, and our first few guests. Full, long-form interviews with these guests will follow. Stay tuned!

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

14,581

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

11 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

15

Social presence

0

YouTube

72

Engagement

51

Contact Rhizomes Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

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