Paula Deen is a TV chef who has been teaching viewers to cook with high quantities of fat, sugar, and salt. Recently Deen disclosed that she has Type 2 diabetes, adding impetus to the debate on the national diet. Her career has brought her great riches. Has her diet had a role in her diabetes? Has her career caused others to make poor choices? Recently she endorsed a diabetes drug, showing again the connection between her career and her personal wealth. What about the connection between her career and the nation’s health? This situation prompted me to write the following open letter to Ms. Deen.  Dear Paula Deen, This is a message about life and career. The two are connected. Why did ...

Marianne Gingrich, the former wife of Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, recently gave ABC news an exclusive interview. One of the big revelations she made was that Newt had asked her permission to be a part of an "open marriage" where he would be free to see other people.  Not the best career planning or professional resume writing strategy on Newt’s part.   Of course, according to Marianne, he had already been seeing Callista Bisek, the woman who would eventually become Mrs. Gingrich No. 3, on the side. She said that after she refused his request, her then-husband further salted the ...

  Brad Goreski had spent three years as the personal assistant to Rachel Zoe. By appearing on her television show, 'The Rachel Zoe Project,' in that capacity, he had become a recognizable name in the fashion industry. Zoe is a fashion stylist who has worked with the Backstreet Boys, Demi Moore, Jennifer Garner, Cameron Diaz, Molly Sims, Anne Hathaway. For starters. Although it was difficult to give up all that success, Goreski felt that he was getting older and it was time to move on. Through connections he had made while working for Zoe, he was able to convince Jessica Alba to hire him as her personal fashion consultant. Now that he had a celebrity ...

David G. Willey was a physics professor at the University of Pittsburgh who started taking on consulting jobs as a way to supplement his salary. After all, teachers don't get paid nearly what they are worth. Although he didn't make much money at first, a funny thing happened while he was doing this extra work. He got discovered by Jay Leno and before too long he was making regular appearances on "The Tonight Show." Soon, he was making appearances all over the country as "The Mad Scientist" and a new career took flight. When you're unemployed and in the middle of a ...