Overarch Podcast | Podcast on RSS.com

Overarch Podcast

Overarch Podcast

by Atlee James

Season 1

OverArch podcast Trailer - Coming Soon

Coming soon, conversation with real people and their real journeys in life.

He Was Good at It. He Left Anyway I Duane Barg

Duane Barg farmed for 28 years -- third generation, bought into the family operation at 19, ran it until the economics of reinvestment made the decision for him. What he did not expect was that the hardest part of starting over would not be leaving the farm. It would be a grammar exam. In this episode, Duane talks about the reality of dairy farming (high asset, near-zero cash flow), what it takes to raise six kids in a working barn, and the slow-burning decision to walk away from the only career he had ever had. Now in his 50s, he is in university, working in a group home for adults with disabilities, and figuring out what comes next -- one uncomfortable step at a time. This is a story about staying curious, choosing vulnerability over comfort, and what it looks like to rebuild from scratch when you have every reason not to.

From Trash Man to Cash Man: Financial Literacy, Generational Wealth, and Starting From Zero I Nelson Soh

Nelson Soh is a CPA, keynote speaker, two-time author, and financial literacy educator who’s reached over a million people with his message: you don’t need to be rich to build wealth, you just need to start. In this conversation, Atlee and Nelson trace the full arc - from cold-calling ad sales and nearly getting expelled from university, to building a generational wealth plan and teaching a six-year-old about budgeting. Nelson shares practical frameworks anyone can use: the 10% rule, the double-spend savings hack, why $100K is actually a third of the way to a million, and how journaling clears mental space the same way investing builds financial space. Whether you’re 16 or 51, this one’s worth your time.

She Almost Quit Physiotherapy I Vrushali Khot

Vrushali Khot didn't plan her career, she survived it, then fell in love with it. A pediatric physiotherapist running a mobile clinic in Chilliwack, BC, Vrushali takes Atlee through a journey that wound from India to New Zealand to rural Australia and finally to Canada, shaped by restlessness, honesty, and the stubborn decision to keep going. She talks about nearly leaving physiotherapy, writing a licensing exam six months pregnant in Toronto, and why self-compassion and follow-through are the two things she wishes she'd had earlier. Listeners will walk away with a clearer sense of what it actually looks like to build a career you didn't see coming and why that might be exactly the right way to do it.

From Coaching at 12 to CEO at 24 I Owen McBride

Owen McBride has been in sports his whole life. He started coaching soccer at 12, launched a private coaching business at 16, and is now the CEO of Sportified - a tech company designed to support the facilitators who are actually on the ground with kids every day. This conversation covers the full arc: the early coaching gigs on the North Shore, building Private Coaching Collective while playing university soccer at SFU, walking away from a pre-med path, surviving COVID as a first-time founder, and the philosophy that youth sport is really a health company in disguise. Owen is honest about the trade-offs - the burnout, the credit card debt, the relationship strain, and why he almost quit his own company four times. But he also talks about what keeps him going: the kids, the coaches, and the belief that authenticity is the only thing that separates you when everyone has access to the same tools.

Everything He Did Before 30 Was Preparing Him For This | Jack Webber

What happens when you realize the path you chose isn’t the right one? In this episode of the Overarch Podcast, Jack Webber shares his journey from pursuing a degree in kinesiology to walking away from it, after just one day on the job, and ultimately finding his calling as a professional firefighter. We dive into: The reality of becoming a firefighter Why quitting can sometimes be the right move The mindset required to pursue difficult paths How every life experience builds toward your purpose Jack’s story is a powerful reminder that the right path isn’t always obvious, but if you’re willing to take risks and do hard things, you’ll find it. 🎧 If you’re trying to figure out your next step, this one’s for you.

She Hears Trauma Every Day, Here’s How She Survives It I Amanda Sarich

Amanda Sarich is a clinical counsellor who specializes in complex PTSD and early childhood trauma. Her path to private practice was anything but planned, from Tim Hortons in small-town BC to suicide crisis lines, domestic violence shelters, and years of advanced trauma training before she ever hung her own shingle. In this conversation, Amanda walks through the emotional reality of sitting with people’s darkest moments every day, the visualization technique that keeps her grounded (and the client who compared it to Beauty and the Beast), why she believes talk therapy alone doesn’t heal trauma, and how EMDR changed everything about how she practises. Amanda is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, private practice owner, and co-host of the Her Body & Mind podcast with Dr Cierra Fox. She lives and practises in BC’s Fraser Valley. If you’ve ever wondered what it actually takes to sit across from someone in crisis, and what kind of person chooses to do it for a living, this is the episode.

Reinvention, Burnout, Entrepreneurship and Starting Over I Tanya Maahs

In this episode of OverArch, I sit down with Tanya Maahs for a really honest conversation about career pivots, burnout, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and what it means to start over when life doesn’t go in a straight line. Tanya shares how her path took her through early jobs, the wedding industry, photography, automotive sales, leadership, and eventually into real estate - all while raising a family and learning how to trust timing instead of forcing it. We talk about work ethic, self-awareness, relationships, burnout, and why some of the most important career lessons don’t come from titles - they come from the people, moments, and decisions that stay with us. This is a grounded and thoughtful conversation for anyone who’s ever felt behind, burnt out, or unsure whether it’s too late to make a change.

The Turning Point That Shaped His Career I Matt Young

Careers aren’t built in straight lines - they’re shaped by moments. In this episode, Matt Young shares the defining experiences that shaped his path, from early adversity and mentorship to building businesses and challenging the youth sports system. We explore: The power of mentorship Why adversity drives growth What’s broken in youth sports How purpose can guide your career This is a conversation about more than work, it’s about impact, community, and the moments that shape who you become.

Building a Career in Tech Across 3 Countries I Neel Deshpande

n this episode of OverArch, Neel Deshpande shares how his early interest in computers led him into engineering, telecom, and a career in technology that has spanned multiple countries. From growing up in India to studying in New Zealand, working in Australia, and eventually settling in Canada, Neel reflects on the decisions, opportunities, and life moments that shaped his path. We also talk about career growth, family, perspective, and what success means at different stages of life.

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