Two hundred episodes strong—and this celebration goes deeper than a milestone. Lisa Marker-Robbins is joined by Vicki Weisbrod and Kayla Lane for an honest, energizing conversation about what’s really holding young people back and how you can help them move forward with clarity and confidence. You’ll leave inspired, recharged, and ready to guide the next generation toward purpose and possibility.

In this episode, Lisa, Vicki, and Kayla discuss:

• The emotional push and pull between parents and young people during the launch years
• The growing confidence gap in professional communication and real-world readiness
• Shifting career pathways and the increasing value of non-traditional education routes
• Fostering resilience, self-awareness, and intentional progress toward independence

Key Takeaways: 

• Parents’ stress often mirrors their kid’s uncertainty, and recognizing that shared overwhelm helps both sides find calm and momentum.
• Modeling confident communication in small ways—like outreach, networking, and follow-up—helps young people take ownership without parents taking over.
• Many students are now making informed choices to pursue trades, alternative training, or intentional pauses, showing that success comes in many forms beyond college.
• Building self-awareness early and giving young people space to make mistakes fosters genuine confidence, resilience, and long-term independence.

 “There’s just not as much resilience with young people, and they fear that that ‘no’ is the end all be all.” – Vicki Weisbrod

“It’s amazing how quickly the shift happens whenever you finally understand yourself.” – Kayla Lane

About our Guests:

• Vicki Weisbrod is a Flourish Coaching Career Coach and veteran school counselor who built Bishop Fenwick’s career advising program from the ground up, pioneering the use of the Birkman assessment to enhance career and college readiness.
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-weisbrod-640b31131/
• Kayla Lane is the Executive Assistant and Client Support at Flourish Coaching, where she pairs her healthcare background with strong organizational and client support skills to guide families through their college and career journey.
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-lane-362b7014b/

Episode References:

• The Defining Decade by Meg Jay: https://www.amazon.com/Defining-Decade-Your-Twenties-Matter/dp/0446561754’
• Ep#196 5 Must-Know Hiring Trends & How They Impact Your Student with Christine Rigby-Hall: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/podcast/196-5-must-know-hiring-trends-how-they-impact-your-student-with-christine-rigby-hall/
• Learn how to help your teen move from uncertain to unstoppable at FlourishCoachingCo.com/course

Get Lisa’s Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career…(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). 

flourishcoachingco.com/video 

Connect with Lisa:

Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

Access the episode transcript here