Andy Storch

In 2016, I had a young family and good job working for a great company. On paper everything looked perfect, but inside I felt like something was missing. After some deep reflection and a lot of personal development, I realized that I had been stagnant and the biggest thing missing was growth. 

So I went on a journey of personal reflection, growth, and development as well as exploration to truly own and build a career that I loved. My journey created the framework that became my first book, Own Your Career Own Your Life, which I published in November, 2020 to teach and inspire others to own their careers as well. 

Because while not everyone wants to be an entrepreneur (I love it for some reason), but I do believe that everyone wants to feel happy and fulfilled in their career and everyone can benefit from taking more ownership and being more proactive in building their careers as well as their personal brands. 

That book was a game-changer for me and I've gone on to follow my dreams of becoming a keynote speaker and trainer teaching people to own their careers and prepare for the future as well as build their personal brands to achieve more success. 

Today I speak in organizations around the world to improve engagement, performance, retention, and career mobility. I also love working with leaders to teach them how to support and coach their people to own their careers and achieve more. 

My newest book is called Own Your Brand, Own Your Career (with Mike Kim) and is a bestseller on Amazon.   And I host two popular podcasts: 
The Talent Development Hot Seat
The Own Your Career Show 

If you are looking for a dynamic speaker to motivate and inspire your people, look no further. I'd love to work with you. And if you want to hear more from me, I also host two popular podcasts: 
🎙️The Talent Development Hot Seat - weekly interviews with L&D leaders and gurus
🎙️The Andy Storch Show - Daily short hits of experience and insight to help you own your life

My speaking topics include: 
🎤 Owning Your Career and Preparing for the Future
🎤 Owning Your Personal Brand
🎤  Setting Yourself up for Future Success
🎤  Building a Mindset of Growth and Resilience 
🎤  Modern Leadership - how to be a great leader in today's modern world 

If you are looking for a dynamic speaker for your next event, reach out and let's talk. 

Learn more at andystorch.com or reach out to book something.

Author and Speaker

I am on a mission to teach and inspire more people to own their careers. I do this via my book, podcast, speaking engagements, and training program. Companies hire me to teach their people how to own their careers so that they are more confident, engaged, have more conversations with their managers, and stay with the organization longer, which saves the company thousands of dollars. 

I've worked with companies across multiple industries and spoken to employees all over the world. 

I have worked with several different organizations and pride myself on a fundamental understanding of what is needed to drive successful career development and growth.

Whenever I decide I want to do something big like write a book, start a podcast, host a conference, start a business, or become a keynote speaker, I always start with a vision and then ask what I need to learn. And who I can learn from. 

Then I go find those learning resources and people and invest my time and money in learning as much as I can from them, and implementing the lessons.

Why wing it when there are so many great learning resources out there. 

When I decided to start my first podcast in 2017, I took an online course and reached out to some podcasts in my network to ask for their advice.

When I decided to write my first book in 2020, I took an online course and reached out to several authors in my network. 

And when I wanted to become a keynote Speaker, I read books about it and started studying what other speakers do to be successful. 

It’s the same for anything else. No point in reinventing the wheel or trying to make it all up ourselves. This is why it’s so important to invest in continuous learning and build your network to set yourself up for future success. 

I have chapters on each of those topics in my first book, Own Your Career Own Your Life and plan on writing a new book this year about how to use these things to truly own your future. 

Do you invest in learning resources when you are ready to do something new? What are you learning this year?

Btw this post is also the subject today’s (short) episode on The Andy Storch Show. Check it out!

No alternative text description for this image

In 2018 I started The Talent Development Hot Seat Podcast as a way to connect with and learn from Talent Development leaders. Along the way I was also going to L&D and HR conferences to meet people and grow my network and I found them all to be so boring. 

So in 2019 my friend Bennett Phillips and I hatched a very audacious idea - why don't we host our own conference? 

Neither of us had ever hosted any events before but we figured we knew lots of great facilitators and had pretty good networks, how hard could it be? 

Well it turned out to be way harder than we anticipated, but luckily we were a great team and got a lot of help from partners like BTS and Advantage Performance Group and from wonderful people like Maggie B., Lauren V. Davis, Michelle W., and Jonathan Hodge. 

We also landed some amazing keynote speakers like Josh Bersin, Liz Wiseman, Christine DiDonato, Julie Winkle Giulioni, and 📚Michael Bungay Stanier, thanks to help from those partners and our network. 

With all of that help and great speakers, we managed to persuade over 100 amazing talent leaders to buy tickets and attend. But first we had to reschedule because a wildfire came into the town and the hotel was evacuated. 

But the Talent Development Think Tank conference finally happened in January, 2020, and it was a huge hit. Everyone said they loved it. Why? Because we recruited great talent and we made it all about them (not us). 

It has been six years since that conference and I'm still so proud of us for pulling it off. Two guys who had never run anything like that before. And it proves that we can accomplish just about anything with the right resources, connections, and support as well as a growth mindset and the willingness to try. 

Hosting that conference gave me the confidence to go launch the Talent Development Think Tank Community, publish my first book, and become a keynote speaker among other things. And I've hosted it twice more since then. 

Now I'm thinking about hosting my next event and I still get nervous but I know what's possible when I have the right vision, get the right support, and just try. 

What are you proud of doing despite having no experience?

I believe in treating people with kindness, empathy, and respect. And on this MLK Day, I wish we had more people who believed in the same. That doesn't mean I don't get angry or frustrated about things. But I don't see the point of leading with hatred or treating others poorly. 

There will always be things and people we disagree with or that cause us to feel afraid of losing money, status, or love. But I promise that when we elevate others, we all rise up as humanity and that there is more than enough money, love, and success to go around. 

This is why we need to work to raise others up, not beat them down. 

Too many people let their ego dictate their decisions (we all have one) or lead with hate when they feel threatened for some reason. I don't want to be that way. I'd rather lead with kindness and respect. 

What about you? 

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 🙏🏼

One of the most common goals I hear every year is: “I want to read more books this year.” Here's a simple shift I made that resulted in reading a lot more books (and the topic of today's episode on The Andy Storch Show):

I always loved reading and wanted to read more books, but every night I would open a nonfiction book when I went to bed. Then I would read two pages and fall asleep. 

The result? I read on average about 2 books a year. Not great. 

Everything changed when I read The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod and made one gigantic shift:

I moved nonfiction reading from the evening to the morning. 
But not for long blocks of time. Just 15–20 minutes each morning. A cup of coffee and a quiet space. No distractions. 

One chapter a day adds up fast.

That single habit took me from two to 25–30 books a year.

But there is another really important shift that needs to be made as well and I'm recognizing it again lately: 

We need to remove distractions, and the primary one is the smartphone. 

When my phone is nearby, my attention is shorter or nonexistent.
When it’s in another room (or on airplane mode), I actually read longer.

So if you want to read more (especially nonfiction) this year, try reading for 15 minutes in the morning with your phone off or in another room. 

Bonus tips:
📚 I read fiction at night to unwind and I love it.
📵 And my phone never sleeps in my bedroom.

If you want to read more nonfiction books this year, you don't need more focus or willpower. You need a better plan and fewer distractions. 

If reading more in 2026 is one of your goals, start here:
✔️ 15 minutes each morning before the day gets started
✔️ Fewer distractions
✔️ Try reading fiction at night to unwind

That’s it.

If you prefer audio, reading more is the topic of today's short, 5-minute episode on my short-form podcast, The Andy Storch Show. Check it out. 

Curious—what’s the biggest thing that gets in the way of your reading right now?

Owning your Personal Brand is not about becoming an influencer. It’s about being intentional with how you show up at work and the reputation you build as a result. 

Yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking and sharing insights with employees at Glaukos Corporation as part of their Glaukos World Cafe series and we had an important discussion about the components of building an owning a personal brand and the benefits of being more intentional. 

We discussed the importance of
🔷 Self-reflection to build self-awareness 
🔷 How you show up and interact with others 
🔷 Keeping your shoes on in meetings (IYKYK) 
🔷 Acting like an Intrapraneur and proactively solving problems 
🔷 Leveraging LinkedIn to build an external brand 

I am very passionate about this important topic because I know that doing quality work is not enough to attract opportunities in today’s corporate world.

We have to be mindful of how we are showing up and who knows about the work we are doing. 

Thanks to Molly (Ottele) Sype, MS and team for inviting me to speak and to everyone at Glaukos who showed up and engaged. I would love to hear your takeaways. 

I am rooting for each of you to build strong, intentional brands. 

And for anyone who didn’t get to attend you can learn the same principals by reading my new book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career, that I published with Mike Kim last year. We also have a free workbook on our website (link in comments). 

Cheers! 

#PersonalBrand #Ownyourbrand #ownyourcareer #GlaukosWorldCafe

I have been speaking more in companies about personal brand and one of my favorite moments of the sessions is when I ask people to think about someone they have loved working with… and someone they have not enjoyed working with.

The room or the chat window usually lights up with impassioned comments explaining why they loved or hated working with someone and the comments tell an important story.

Because “brand” isn’t your logo.
It isn’t your LinkedIn headline.
It isn’t your job title.

Your brand is the experience of YOU.

It’s what people say (and feel) after:

🔷 a meeting with you
🔷 a project with you
🔷 an email from you
🔷 a tough conversation with you

And here’s the part most people don't understand:

You already have a brand. And even if you’re not intentional, you’re still building one… just by default.

In my keynotes and workshops, we often discuss three simple pillars:

➡️ Self-awareness - Know what you stand for, what energizes you, and what you want to be known for.
➡️ Your interactions at work - The little things matter more than we want to admit: reliability, curiosity, follow-through, how you show up in meetings, how you make others feel.
➡️ Visibility / thought leadership - Not “becoming an influencer.” Just making it easier for the right people to understand your value.

One of the best comments I heard recently in Q&A was this:
“I used to assume people would just know the good work I do. And it’s just not true. People are busy.”

Exactly.

Doing great work is table stakes.
Being known for it is what creates opportunity.

If your organization wants to help employees:

💥 take ownership of their careers
💥 communicate their value without being “salesy”
💥 build credibility and internal influence
💥 show up with more intention and confidence

…I’d love to come speak to your team.

#personalbranding #careerdevelopment #leadership #talentdevelopment #learninganddevelopment

How do you balance humility with building your personal brand? How do you make sure people know about your work without bragging? How does someone who is introverted and shy get past the fear of self-promotion? 

These are questions I get asked a lot and they are not easy to answer. But the are important to ponder. 

Because there is a myth that if you just put your head down and work hard, you'll be rewarded. But the truth is that quality work is the table stakes. But you also need people to know about your work and accomplishments. 

The other myth is that if you talk about your work, people will be annoyed or think you are arrogant. But that's also not true. Because it's all about your approach. 

I once heard that the difference between confidence and arrogance is that confidence is believing in the value you provide and arrogance is believing you have nothing else to learn from anyone. Is that true about you? 

It's ok to be confident in your value and proud of the work that you do. And as long as you know that you still have more to learn (we all do), it's doubtful that anyone will see you as arrogant. 

You can remain humble and still be proud, be excited, and talk often about the work you are doing. The things you're learning. 

And no, you don't ever have to post pictures of yourself doing the "superman" pose on LinkedIn. That's just a bonus :-) 

Are you building your personal brand? 

You can find more insights and concrete, actionable advice, in my book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career, that I wrote with Mike Kim. Find it on Amazon.

Geoffrey M. Roche

Son Of A Nurse || Future Of Work & Education || Top Leadership Voice || DEIB Advocate || Transforming Health Equity || Podcast Host || Heart Leader || Connection is my Super Power

Interested in learning a bit about me and how I became the “Heart Leader.” Pull up a seat…

I inspire and equip leaders in the Eds and Meds to come together to solve the most pressing issues such as leadership, education, culture, and workforce transformation.

My recipe? As a heart leader, I champion transformative leadership through empathy and
strategic innovation. 'Empowering Collaboration Through Empathy' embodies my mission to unite diverse perspectives for ground-breaking solutions. Join me in leading with purpose and heart.

In a world craving genuine connection and purposeful change, I stand as a beacon of transformation. My mission is to lead with heart, blending empathy with innovation to navigate the challenges of tomorrow. Join me in crafting solutions that not only innovate but resonate deeply within our communities.

I lead organizations towards unprecedented growth by embedding a culture of empathy, resilience, and purpose-driven transformation that transcends traditional boundaries. Together, let’s achieve milestones with a visionary approach and pave the way for sustainable success.

I am always seeking conversation and professional collaboration with trend-setters, disrupters, and executives open to embracing change and systemic solutions in healthcare. Check out my thought leadership and my daily content on LinkedIn.

Above all else in my life, I am a dedicated father to my three amazing sons. Thanks for checking out my profile and I look forward to connecting.

Contact Me:
610-442-7889 | groche@core.edu |

Podcast Host - Holistic Leadership: The Future of Work & Education in Healthcare

https://marketscale.com/shows/holistic-leadership-the-future-of-work-education-in-healthcare/

I recently had a meaningful conversation with Jason Raitz on his Speak with People show about what it really means to lead with empathy and still drive results, especially in complex systems like healthcare, education, and workforce transformation. 

It wasn’t just theory; we talked about real ways leaders can blend strategy with humanity to build cultures where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to do their best work.  

We explored how empathy isn’t a soft add-on, it’s a leadership differentiator. When leaders choose to understand before being understood, they unlock teams that are resilient, innovative, and committed. 

We also dug into how leading with heart creates stronger outcomes because it honors the human experience at the center of every challenge and every opportunity.  

What stayed with me most is this: you don’t have to choose between care and execution; you build bridges between them. Impactful leadership happens where compassion meets clarity of purpose. 

#HeartLeader #HumanResources #Management #Careers #PersonalDevelopment #PersonalBranding #Culture #Leadership #WhatInspiresMe #BestAdvice #Motivation

Son Of A Nurse Leading With Heart and Purpose || Inspiring and Equipping Leaders in the Eds and Meds || Workforce Transformation and Thought Leadership || Executive || Connector and Collaborator

Have you ever had to justify your right to simply exist?

For a long time, I lived quietly. Carefully. Not because I wasn’t proud of who I am but because safety, belonging, and acceptance felt conditional. Pride, for me, was never about celebration for celebration’s sake. It was about survival. It was about the moment I realized I deserved the same dignity, opportunity, and peace as anyone else.

I didn’t come out because it was trendy or easy. I came out because hiding was slowly costing me pieces of myself. Pride became less about waving a flag and more about standing firm in my humanity, especially in rooms, workplaces, and systems that weren’t always built with people like me in mind.

If you’ve never needed Pride, that’s not something to resent, it’s something to reflect on with gratitude. And if you have needed it, know this: you’re not alone, and your story matters more than you may realize.

I’d love to open this up: What does Pride mean to you, or what has belonging looked like in your own journey?

#Heartleader #Pride #Respect #Empathy #Support #Community

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
— Viktor E. Frankl

#HeartLeader #Motivation #Linkedin #SocialMedia #SocialMarketing #PersonalDevelopment #PersonalBranding #Leadership #WhatInspiresMe #BestAdvice

Workforce development without equity isn’t a strategy. It’s a blind spot.

If people don’t see themselves in the future of work, if they don’t have early exposure, clear information, or real pathways forward, we shouldn’t be surprised when talent shortages persist and trust erodes. Equity is how we move from opportunity being accidental to opportunity being intentional.

Career awareness has to start early, be honest, and be accessible. Pathways must be visible, supported, and designed for real lives, working adults, caregivers, first-generation learners, and those who have been historically overlooked. When we do this well, we don’t just fill jobs. We unlock purpose, dignity, and mobility.

Where do you see equity showing up well in career pathways today, and where do we still need to do better?

#Heartleader #Economy #Careers #Workforce #Equity #Management #Jobs #Bestadvice #Healthcare

Last night’s sky felt like a quiet pause between what has been and what’s coming next.

There’s a softness in the fading light, a reminder that even as the day winds down, there’s still warmth at the horizon. The bare trees feel honest, no pretending, no hiding just standing as they are. And the streetlight coming on gently says, you’re not alone as the dark settles in.

To me, it speaks of transition. Of holding both gratitude and uncertainty at the same time. Of trusting that rest is not an ending, but a necessary part of becoming.

What does this moment invite you to release tonight and what is it gently asking you to carry forward?

#HeartLeader #Creativity #Perspective #Reflection #PersonalDevelopment #PersonalBranding #WhatInspiresMe #BestAdvice #Motivation

Let me ask you something real.

How often do we let someone else’s inability to see our worth shape how we see ourselves?

Your value doesn’t decrease because someone else can’t recognize it.

As leaders and as humans, we sometimes internalize silence, dismissal, or lack of recognition as a reflection of our worth. It isn’t. It never was.

Your value is rooted in who you are.
In how you show up for others.

In the care you give, the love you extend, and the impact you make even when no one is watching.

Not everyone will have the capacity, awareness, or courage to see you fully. That does not make you smaller. It simply reveals their limits.

I’ve learned this the hard way. And I’ve learned that honoring your own worth is an act of leadership. It is how we protect our energy, our purpose, and our humanity.

#HeartLeader #HumanResources #Management #Careers #PersonalDevelopment #PersonalBranding #Leadership #WhatInspiresMe #BestAdvice #Motivation

taplio

The Battle

Andy Storch

Geoffrey M. Roche

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreAndy Storch's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGeoffrey M. Roche's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Andy Storch

Geoffrey M. Roche

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Andy Storch's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGeoffrey M. Roche's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreAndy Storch's LinkedIn Performance