TERN Talks

Meet Jessica Francis, the Land Acquisition Manager for Drees Homes and the youngest sitting President of the Northern Virginia Builders Industry Association (NVBIA). In this episode of TERN Talks, Jessica unpacks her incredible journey, sharing how her Psychology degree unexpectedly prepared her for success in the male-dominated field of land acquisition and development. She offers invaluable insights on everything from door-knocking at age 24 to the profound shift of learning to set boundaries as a working parent. Discover how Jessica is championing younger generation leadership in homebuilding and how her secret to success lies in turning feelings into a "superpower".Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

What is it like to be nominated and be part of the Sonny Lubick Leadership Seminar at Colorado State University? Tina Fox gets first-hand thoughts and in-depth insights about this program from nine of its current participants. In this roundtable discussion, she chats with Faith Dodge, Emily Ho, Rhys Travis, Arden Houck, Ally Bartels, Cameron Loew, Patrick Macholl, Ava Lee, and Rachel Turner, together with Department Chair & Associate Professor of Management Dr. Liz Karam. Together, they explain everything they have learned from the program, from leading with purpose and intention to the importance of embracing your most authentic self. They also define leadership and success in the context of today’s digital age, when nonstop tech innovation and rapid work reign supreme.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

After a guest lecture in an entrepreneurship class at Colorado State University, Tina Fox stayed behind to talk with students who approached her with a mix of gratitude, curiosity, and relief. What she heard was the same thread running through every campus she visits: uncertainty about networking, about majors, about what comes next. In this solo episode, Tina unpacks the "upper duck, under duck" truth: nobody actually has it all figured out. She walks through a simple practice for moving forward anyway: stop, breathe, and take the simplest next step. She also makes the case for why "yes" and "no" are both gifts, why "maybe" is the real trap, and why the fastest way for a college student to start building a network is to walk into a professor's office hours.

What does mentorship look like when the future is unclear—and constantly changing? In this episode, we sit down with Kate Byrne—founder of Women Advancing, advisor, and civic leader—to explore how mentorship must evolve in a world shaped by AI, rapid change, and uncertainty. Kate shares why traditional advice is becoming obsolete—and why modern mentorship is really about helping others navigate ambiguity, think critically, and find their voice. From bridging generational gaps to fostering real human connection in a digital-first world, this conversation dives into what it truly takes to guide the next generation into careers and realities that don’t even exist yet. If you’re a leader, mentor, or student trying to make sense of the future—this one is for you.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

Impostor syndrome can be defined as a feeling of intellectual fraudulence. In this mindset, you feel as if you have tricked the people around you into thinking that you are more competent than you actually are. But in fact, you are only belittling your own talents and skills. You can make it to the top, but the biggest obstacle to your success is you. Tina Fox explores how mentorship can help deal with imposter syndrome with Dan Gullifor, associate professor of management and the Tyler Patterson Early Career fellow in the College of Business at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. They discuss how to stop such a self-sabotaging mindset in its tracks, fully unleashing your most authentic and powerful self. Dan also explains why high-achieving women are the most prone to impostor syndrome, and what they can do to perform at their best without getting ashamed or afraid.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

Showing up is half the battle. When you present yourself with authenticity and grace despite the risk of failing, you are already on the right track to achieving success. In this live discussion, sales and entrepreneurship veterans Rick Bernstein and Tina Fox break down the importance of showing up consistently with the College of Business students of their alma mater, James Madison University. The two JMU alumni emphasize the importance of leveraging your university connections to improve career opportunities, mastering your identity map, and getting rid of your false deadlines. They also discuss what it takes to deal with imposter syndrome and find your true calling – even if you are over 40 years Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

As a student athlete and a college football star, Dr. Josh Angulo learned all about perseverance, empathy, and the importance of delivering a peak performance despite weariness. He brought these characteristics over when he became a career builder and founder of Optimum Wellness, a provider of mobile chiropractic care in Northern Virginia. Joining Tina Fox, he shares how his athletic mindset proved vital in his work as a sports chiropractor who helps athletes achieve performance recovery. Dr. Josh also reflects on his own journey from the football field to the clinic to provide valuable advice to young athletes facing career transitions and battling imposter syndrome.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

Tina Fox sat down with real college students and asked them to write their questions about school and life in sticky notes. Perusing through their submissions, she finds out that young people desperately need proper guidance in determining the next step they should take to achieve success in the future. Tina explains what students must do to find the right mentors who can lead them to genuine joy, purpose, and fulfillment. She also discusses why mentorship does not need to be overly formal but simply authentic, relatable, and deeply meaningful.

If you are a university student, make sure to spend time on network building. It may be overwhelming and challenging, but its payoff is certainly worth it. In this live discussion, sales and entrepreneurship veterans Rick Bernstein and Tina Fox share the most valuable lessons they have learned in their own career journeys with College of Business students of their alma mater, James Madison University. They discuss how to leverage your network in advancing your professional life, from finding the right mentors to befriending the right colleagues. Rick and Tina also explain why mastering your own identity map can be your most valuable asset and what is the best question to ask someone instead of “What do you do?” This is a must-listen on building confidence, taking initiative, and mastering the art of failing forward in college and beyond.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

How do you keep a friendship alive across decades, distance, and all of life’s changes? In this candid conversation, host Tina Fox sits down with her longtime friend Amy Foy—a nurse practitioner, mom of three, and fellow JMU sorority sister—to explore the real work behind lasting relationships. From their early-90s college “origin story” to the financial struggles, marriages, kids, and career shifts that followed, Tina and Amy share the elements that have kept them connected: shared values, genuine curiosity, and the difference between active listening and simply talking. Amy breaks down her  three C’s - commitment, communication, and community - which have shaped their 20-year Girls Weekend tradition and sustained their bond. If you’re seeking a lifer friend, wondering about red flags, or trying to build deeper connections in a tech-driven world, this episode offers grounded, practical wisdom from a friendship that has truly stood the test of time.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

College senior years may be the busiest and most challenging, but you can always bring it to the next level by going beyond books and the usual curriculum. Optimize your experience and tap into your full potential by getting access to the right college mentorship experience. Tina Fox is joined by two seniors of the Texas Tech University-Rawls College of Business: Jaiden Thomas, who is double-majoring in Architecture and Business Administration, and Ryan Briggs, an Information Technology Major and Sport Management Minor. Sharing their experiences and insights, they reveal what it is like to be a senior in college today, as well as the importance of finding mentors aligned with their goals and passions. Jaiden and Ryan also explore the benefits of getting involved in school organizations, how they navigate the uncertainties of young adulthood, and what it takes to lead an intentional and heart-driven college life.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

Coming soon to your favorite podcast streaming platform: TERN Talks with Tina Fox.College builds your knowledge. Mentorship shows you how to use it. Hosted by Tina Fox, award-winning entrepreneur and founder of TERN Mentoring, TERN Talks isn’t a pep talk about enhancing your resume. It’s about what really happens when you step off campus and into the real world — the messy, beautiful reality check no syllabus could possibly cover. On the show, Tina talks with business leaders, educators, university alumni, and entrepreneurs who remember exactly what it felt like to have a freshly-printed diploma and no clue how to navigate the world outside of academia. They share wins, stumbles, and the small choices that became pivotal career moments, along with the relationships that helped them along the way. You’ll also hear the behind-the-scenes stories of how mentors appeared at unexpected times and how those moments shaped long-term success. If you’re a college student, TERN Talks is here to help you build the mindset to navigate not just the start of your career, but any stage within it. Tina and her guests will leave you with clarity, confidence, and the courage to ask better questions. They reveal practical ways to turn class projects into real-world experience, network with purpose, and overcome the fears that can often hold so many graduates back. You will learn how to make meaningful connections, manage setbacks, and translate classroom learning into real-world problem-solving. If you’re a university alum or professional, this is your invitation to give back — not for nostalgia, but for the version of yourself who needed a mentor. Tina calls this “Quantum Giving” — the idea that one generous act, one meeting, one conversation, can echo far beyond what you see. Mentorship doesn’t just lift students; it strengthens communities and organizations alike. University leaders, professors, and alumni directors will find fresh ideas for turning mentorship into practice. These conversations show that the best learning doesn’t stop at graduation, and strong mentorship programs increase alumni engagement and student ROI. Tina brings her full story: corporate leader, entrepreneur, mother, alumna, and lifelong learner. Through TERN Mentoring, she has built bridges between generations, connecting young people with leaders who care about more than job titles. Her belief is simple: mentorship isn’t a single moment; it’s a continuous, shared journey of learning, doing, and giving back. Through the podcast, Tina demonstrates how small gestures of guidance and encouragement can create long-lasting impact. Each episode reminds listeners that growth is iterative, mentorship is reciprocal, and today’s guidance can shape someone’s tomorrow. TERN Talks is for anyone standing on the edge of what’s next — your first job, a career leap, a pause for family, or deciding to mentor someone else. It’s for the dreamers, the doers, and anyone looking for real-world advice delivered with authenticity and heart. Tune in for real stories, surprising lessons, and perspectives that will help you see your path more clearly. Expect moments that challenge your thinking, inspire you to act, and leave you reflecting long after the episode ends. Join Tina in conversations that lift the next generation of professionals and leaders. Get on this ride of an infinite, powerful cycle of learning, doing, and giving back.