COACHED with Coach Keren

What if the reason your success hasn't landed isn't a strategy problem — but a resonance problem? In this episode of the Coaching Masters Series, Coach Keren sits down with Michael Trainor, the cultural architect and teacher who co-created Global Citizen, bringing Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Coldplay, and 70,000 change-makers together in Central Park to raise over $40 billion for programs fighting extreme poverty. Then, at the height of his momentum, his father's illness called him toward something deeper — and he walked away from all of it.
What followed was five years in the proverbial cave, emerging with his book Resonance and a framework for a question that is more urgent than ever: in a world more connected than ever, why do so many of us feel profoundly alone? And what does it actually take to find your song, your band, and the people you're meant to play with?
This is one of the most wide-ranging, soul-stirring conversations in the Coaching Masters Series — touching neuroscience, ancient wisdom, the Beatles, the Dalai Lama, Global Citizen, AI, and the revolutionary act of simply being in tune with yourself.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Resonance, not effort, is the real multiplier. Achievement and fulfillment are not the same thing. Chasing output without alignment to your values is a Faustian bargain — and the universe notices when you refuse to make it. Michael turned down significant money that didn't feel right, volunteered at a gala instead, and met his Global Citizen co-founder that same night.
You have a unique song — and it's yours to discover, not manufacture. The "more" is the music that wants to live through you. Like The Beatles, whose individual greatness alchemized into something much larger, your work in the world becomes most powerful when it flows from what is genuinely yours to give.
Resistance knows all your weak spots — and that's okay. The bigger the vision, the more formidable the resistance. The question isn't whether you'll fall prey to it, but whether you get back up and find your way back into tune. Nature, trusted friends, deliberate practice — these are tuning mechanisms, not luxuries.
Show up at 9 AM anyway. The muse is mythological and practical in equal measure. You listen for what wants to move through you — and then you show up with your boots on every single day. Some days it's beautiful. Some days it's crap. But the process compounds, just like the market.
Loneliness is a public health crisis — and coherence is the medicine. Loneliness carries the same health risk as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The Harvard longitudinal study confirms it: the single greatest predictor of long-term health and happiness is the quality of your relationships. Blue zones around the world prove that social cohesion literally outranks biology.
Find your band. Internal coherence alone isn't enough. Resonance asks: once you've found your song, who are you meant to play with? The people you surround yourself with regulate your nervous system. Iron sharpens iron — and that is literally, neurobiologically true.
Double down on your sphere of influence. The more we fixate on what we can't control, the more we diminish our agency. The more we invest in right relationship — our circle, our band, our song — the more that sphere of influence naturally expands into the world.
Childlike wonder is your tuning fork. The Dalai Lama at 80 was still stopping to marvel at a leaf. The real teachers, Michael says, are always quick to laugh. Ask yourself: what lights me up? Where does wonder show up? Follow that song.

MOMENTS FROM THE CONVERSATION
"What is my unique song? What is mine to give?" — Michael Trainor
"The more we double down on our sphere of influence and find the others who can support us, the more that we expand our influence into the areas where we now have agency." — Michael Trainor
"Transformation doesn't scale through systems. It scales through souls recognizing other souls." — Coach Keren Eldad

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Michael Trainor → Resonance: The Art and Science of Human Connection — available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble
Steven Pressfield → The War of Art
Elizabeth Gilbert → Big Magic
Matthew Lieberman → Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect

LEARN MORE ABOUT MICHAEL TRAINOR
Social → @MichaelTrainor on all platforms
Book → Resonance — available wherever books are sold
Nonprofit → Global Citizen
Charity → Charity Water

LEARN MORE ABOUT COACH KEREN
Coaching → KerenEldad.com
Book → Buy GILDED / The Gilded Journal on Amazon
Book → Order Gilt Free — Amazon link coming soon
Audiobook → Get Gilt Free FREE on Audiobook/Spotify — link coming soon

If this episode found you at the right moment — share it with someone who's been asking bigger questions. And if you love what we're building here, a review on Apple or a follow on Spotify helps more souls find their way to this conversation.
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This episode is not going to just inspire you. It is going to initiate you.
Amberly Lago was a professional dancer, fitness instructor, and fitness model living her California dream when a single motorcycle accident in May 2010 shattered everything. What followed was 34 major surgeries, a 1% chance of keeping her leg, a diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome — an incurable neurological condition of relentless pain — and eventually, a quiet spiral into alcoholism that she hid from her husband, her clients, and herself.
She didn't choose this work. She was dismantled into it. And what she built on the other side — a life, a message, and a body of work centered on joy, resilience, and radical self-acceptance — is the kind of testimony that changes people.
This one is for everyone who has lost an identity, a body, a marriage, a belief system, or a version of themselves they thought they were forever — and who is ready to face the realest question life can ask: who do you become when the thing that defines you is gone?

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Acceptance is not the end — it's the beginning. Amberly spent years in denial, anger, hiding her scars under knee-high boots in 100-degree LA heat. The turning point came when her surgeon held her leg in his lap like a masterpiece. If he could see it that way, maybe she could too. That reframe changed everything. Acceptance is where all transformation starts.
Grit without grace is just resistance. High achievers are often experts at powering through — until their bodies stop them. True grit isn't white-knuckling your way forward. It requires the give of grace, the softness of self-compassion, and the wisdom to know when pushing harder is actually the problem.
The inner work is harder than the surgeries. Amberly underwent 34 major procedures. She'll tell you that wasn't the hardest part. The hardest part was looking inward — at unprocessed trauma, at shame, at the addiction she'd used to numb a pain that couldn't be outrun. Pain demands to be heard. It will find a way out — through the way we love, the way we lead, the things we can't stop reaching for.
Numbing comes in many forms. Alcohol. Workaholism. Scrolling. Overexercise. Sex. You don't have to have your life fall apart to be avoiding yourself. If you can't stop reaching for something when things get hard, ask what you're not letting yourself feel. All craving comes from a self that is incomplete. Wholeness is the antidote.
Connection is the opposite of addiction. Asking for help saved Amberly's life. So did showing up — to meetings she didn't feel like attending, to communities that held her when she couldn't hold herself. Grit with connection is resilience. Grit without connection is just more suffering.
Resilience is not bouncing back. It's embracing the change. The old version of you is gone. Resilience doesn't mean returning to it — it means asking: what brings me joy now? What do I love? And building from that place, even if you have no idea how.
Three things for anyone whose old life no longer fits: give yourself grace, drop the comparison (it is the thief of joy), and guard your company fiercely. Stick with the puppy uppers. Let go of the doggy downers — even if it's uncomfortable, even if they're upset. The integrity of your inner circle is everything.
You are a walking permission slip. When you show your scars — literally or metaphorically — you give everyone around you permission to do the same. That is not a small thing. That is the whole thing.

MOMENTS FROM THE CONVERSATION
"Grit without connection is resistance. Grit with connection is where you find resilience — and asking for help saved my life." — Amberly Lago
"Pain pushed me until purpose pulled me." — Amberly Lago
"Acceptance is the beginning of any transformation." — Amberly Lago
"God takes away what we're wrapping our identity around so that we can learn how to really, truly walk." — Coach Keren Eldad

LEARN MORE ABOUT AMBERLY LAGO
📖 Joy Through the Journey → https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Through-Journey-Amberly-Lago/dp/1394265549 📖 True Grit and True Grace → https://www.amazon.com/True-Grit-Grace-Turning-Tragedy/dp/1683506235 🤝 Work with Amberly → https://amberlylago.com/ 📸 Follow Amberly → @AmberlyLago https://www.instagram.com/amberlylagomotivation

LEARN MORE ABOUT COACH KEREN
Coaching → KerenEldad.com
Book → Buy GILDED / The Gilded Journal on Amazon
Book → Order Gilt Free — Amazon link coming soon
Audiobook → Get Gilt Free FREE on Audiobook/Spotify — link coming soon

If this conversation moved you — and we suspect it did — please share it with someone who needs it. And if you're not yet subscribed, now is the moment. A review on Apple takes sixty seconds and helps more people find their way to conversations like this one.
Subscribe & review on Apple → Coached with Coach Keren
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What if success wasn’t about more—but about better?
In this episode of Coached, Keren sits down with Erica Kiang, founder of Rooms Showroom, to explore the intersection of taste, identity, and entrepreneurship.
Erica’s work lives in a world of design, curation, and aesthetics—but this conversation goes far deeper than beautiful objects.
It’s about the discipline behind taste.
Raised between cultures and shaped by a deep sensitivity to environment, Erica developed an early awareness of space, energy, and what feels right. But like many high performers, she still had to unlearn the pressure to do more, be more, and prove more.
Instead, she chose something far more difficult:
Discernment.
Through her work with Rooms Showroom, Erica has built a business rooted in curation, restraint, and clarity—helping designers and brands elevate not just what they create, but how they see.
This conversation explores what it means to trust your eye, refine your standards, and build a life—and business—that reflects who you truly are.

What We Cover:
Growing up between cultures and developing an eye for nuance
The difference between taste and trend
Why discernment is more powerful than hustle
The role of environment in shaping identity and energy
Editing your life the way you edit a space
The courage to do less—but do it exceptionally well
Building Rooms Showroom and defining a point of view
Trusting your instincts in business and design
Why not everything beautiful is right for you
The intersection of aesthetics, clarity, and self-trust
Letting go of external validation in creative work
Creating a business that reflects your inner world

Key Takeaways:
Taste is not talent—it’s developed through attention and restraint.
More is not better. Better is better.
Discernment is a leadership skill. It requires saying no more often than yes.
Your environment is not neutral—it shapes how you think, feel, and show up.
Editing your life is just as important as building it.
If it’s not a full yes, it’s a no.
Clarity comes from removing, not adding.
The most powerful brands—and lives—have a clear point of view.

About the Guest:
Erica Kiang is the founder of Rooms Showroom, a design-forward platform representing a curated collection of furniture, lighting, and objects for architects and interior designers.
Known for her refined eye and distinct point of view, Erica has built a business rooted in taste, restraint, and intentionality—helping creatives elevate both their work and their standards.

Connect with Erica:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erica.kiang/
Rooms Showroom: https://www.instagram.com/roomsshowroom/
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What if your money wasn’t just something you earned… but something you directed?
In this episode of Coached, Keren sits down with Eva Yazhari—CEO of Beyond Capital Ventures and author of The Good Your Money Can Do—to explore the true power of capital.
Eva’s work sits at the intersection of investing, purpose, and global impact. Through Beyond Capital, she has helped deploy millions into companies solving real-world problems—proving that profit and purpose are not at odds, but deeply aligned.
But this conversation goes far beyond finance.
It’s about your relationship with money.
Because whether you realize it or not, every dollar you spend, invest, or save is a vote—for the kind of world you want to live in.
Together, Keren and Eva explore how to move from passive consumption to intentional allocation—and how redefining wealth can fundamentally change not just your life, but the lives of others.
This is not just a conversation about money.
It’s a conversation about responsibility, agency, and the legacy you’re already creating.

What We Cover:
What impact investing really means (and why it matters now)
The myth that profit and purpose are in conflict
How capital can be a force for systemic change
Rethinking your role as an investor—even if you don’t identify as one
Everyday decisions as financial “votes”
Building Beyond Capital Ventures and investing in emerging markets
The responsibility that comes with access and privilege
Why women are uniquely positioned to lead in impact investing
The emotional and psychological relationship we have with money
How to align your spending and investing with your values
Legacy—not as something in the future, but something you are building now

Key Takeaways:
Money is not neutral—it is a tool that amplifies intention.
Every dollar you spend or invest is a vote for the world you want to create.
You are already an investor, whether you realize it or not.
Profit and purpose are not mutually exclusive—they can reinforce each other.
Wealth is not just accumulation—it is allocation.
Access comes with responsibility.
The question is not “Do I have enough to make a difference?”
It’s “What am I already influencing with what I have?”
Legacy is not what you leave behind—it’s what you build every day.

About the Guest:
Eva Yazhari is the CEO of Beyond Capital Ventures, an impact investment firm that funds mission-driven companies in emerging markets focused on solving critical global challenges.
She is also the author of The Good Your Money Can Do, a practical and inspiring guide to aligning your financial decisions with your values and using money as a force for good. The book features a foreword by Coach Keren Eldad.
Through her work, Eva is redefining what it means to be wealthy—not just in financial terms, but in impact, intention, and contribution.

Connect with Eva:
Beyond Capital Ventures: https://www.beyondcapitalventures.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondcap
Learn more about Eva’s book:
https://www.thegoodyourmoneycando.com/
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What happens when the business you built… starts to break you?
In this Coaching Masters episode, Keren sits down with Melody Jones, founder and president of VantagePoint MBA, to explore the evolution from hustle-driven entrepreneurship to aligned, sustainable leadership.
Melody didn’t just build a successful company—she built it the hard way.
After launching VantagePoint and scaling it into a nationally recognized MBA admissions consulting firm, she found herself doing everything: CEO, operator, marketer, coach, problem-solver. And like so many founders, she believed the answer was simple:
Work harder.
Until that strategy started to cost her everything.
This conversation traces Melody’s journey through overwhelm, identity shifts, a painful business divorce, and ultimately—stepping into true leadership.
It’s about what it takes to move from grinding inside your business… to actually leading it.
And what becomes possible when success is no longer defined by pressure—but by peace.

What We Cover:
Building and scaling a business the “hard way”
Why overwhelm is never a sales problem—it’s a leadership problem
The hidden cost of doing everything yourself
The moment founders realize “this isn’t working”
Shifting from hustle to clarity, structure, and support
The Gap vs. The Gain mindset (and why it matters)
Navigating a business partnership breakup
Leadership through truth, resilience, and hard conversations
Moving from doer → pacesetter
Hiring before you feel ready (and why it works)
The role of self-trust in entrepreneurship
Parenting, presence, and emotional regulation as a leader
Why success now looks like peace and freedom

Key Takeaways:
Overwhelm is not a workload problem—it’s a lack of structure and support.
Working harder is not the answer. It’s often the thing breaking you.
If you’re doing everything, you cannot think clearly—and your business will stall.
The “gap” mindset (how far you are from your goal) creates suffering. The “gain” (how far you’ve come) creates momentum.
Difficult conversations delayed become crises. Leaders address them early.
Hiring before you feel ready is often exactly what unlocks growth.
The shift from doer to leader is the shift from reacting → setting direction.
How you feel determines how you lead—and how big you allow your life to become.
Success is no longer hustle. It is peace and freedom.

About the Guest:
Melody Jones is the founder and president of VantagePoint MBA, one of the nation’s leading MBA admissions consulting firms. A Columbia Business School graduate and former finance professional, she built VantagePoint into a nationally recognized, high-touch consultancy helping ambitious professionals gain admission to top business schools.
Her work goes beyond admissions—it helps clients clarify who they are, what they want, and how to build a life with more options, alignment, and intention.

Connect with Melody:
Website: https://vantagepointmba.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagepointmba/

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