Welcome to ACCESS GRANTED

In this latest episode of Access Granted, Renato Paiva, the CEO of Access Youth Academy, and his co-host Michael Castro interview Robin Toft, who shares her journey from Detroit to becoming a successful executive in the biotech industry. She emphasizes the importance of following one’s intuition and building a strong personal brand. Robin discusses her career transitions, from medical technology to sales, and her pivotal moment when she was diagnosed with cancer at 45, leading her to focus on diversity in cancer care. She highlights the significance of AI in drug discovery and diagnostics. Robin also advocates for impact investing in female-led companies and supports cancer research through organizations like CureBound. She advises young people to foster connections and find their purpose.

Introduction of Robin Toft

• Renato Paiva introduces Robin Toft, a long-time friend and co-host of the podcast, and invites her to share her story.
• Robin Toft begins by recounting her early life in Detroit, Michigan, describing her working-class upbringing and the influence of her parents.
• Robin shares her early realization that she did not want to follow the traditional path of marriage and children, opting instead for a big life and career.
• She discusses the role models in her life, including her uncle who became a CEO and her aunt who encouraged her to pursue education and a career.

Robin’s Early Career and Education

• Robin describes her early interest in sports, particularly water skiing, and how it built her confidence.
• She recounts her high school experience, including her decision to become a cheerleader and captain of the team, despite having no prior experience in gymnastics.
• Robin shares her academic journey, including her decision to attend the University of Michigan despite her father’s belief that girls did not need to go to college.
• She discusses the challenges and rewards of transferring from the University of Michigan to Michigan State University, where she found a better fit and earned a credential in medical technology.

Robin’s Career Transition and Personal Growth

• Robin reflects on her early career in sales, driven by her love for talking about science and her desire to make more money.
• She shares her experience of being mentored by a sales head who taught her the three reasons rule for solution-based selling, which led to her success in sales.
• Robin discusses her realization that her career had been largely self-centered and her decision to focus on making a difference in the world.
• She recounts her battle with cancer at the age of 45, which led her to change her life’s direction and focus on elevating diversity in the life science workforce.

Robin’s Impact on Diversity and Cancer Care

• Robin explains her decision to build an executive search firm focused on cancer and diversity, and how it grew rapidly.
• She discusses the importance of diversity in enhancing business performance and the impact of her work on cancer care and precision medicine.
• Robin shares her involvement in various nonprofit boards and her commitment to impact investing in female-led companies and cancer research.
• She emphasizes the importance of following one’s passion and purpose in life, and how her work has been fulfilling and meaningful.

Robin’s Philosophy on Life and Work

• Robin reflects on the importance of intuition and following one’s inner voice in making life decisions.
• She discusses the role of meditation and mindfulness in quieting the mind and achieving a sense of peace.
• Robin shares her daily routine, including early morning walks, yoga, and meditation, which help her maintain energy and focus.
• She emphasizes the importance of relationships, exercise, and putting the phone away to live a long and healthy life.

Robin’s Advice for Young People

• Robin advises young people to focus on building their personal brand and fostering connections through LinkedIn and other networks.
• She emphasizes the importance of finding one’s purpose and standing for something meaningful in life.
• Robin shares her experience of overcoming challenges, including cancer and a fire, and how these experiences have shaped her perspective on life.
• She encourages young people to be open to learning and growing from difficult experiences and to focus on making a positive impact in the world.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

• Renato thanks Robin for sharing her story and for her contributions to the Access Youth Academy and the community.
• Robin expresses her gratitude for the opportunity to share her experiences and insights.
• The podcast concludes with a reminder to listeners to check out the Access Youth Academy and the Access Granted podcast for more inspiring stories.
• The episode ends with a message of hope and encouragement for young people to pursue their dreams and make a positive difference in the world.

About Access Youth Academy

Access Granted is the official podcast of Access Youth Academy, a social impact organization whose mission is to transform the lives of underserved youth through academic enrichment, health and wellness, social responsibility and leadership using sports as a catalyst.  We believe every child should have equal access to achieve their full potential.  To Learn more about Access Youth Academy and explore how you can become a game changer, please visit our website.  

https://accessyouthacademy.org/

About Cloudcast Media

As the national leader in local podcasting, Cloudcast Media proudly produces “Access Granted” throught its CauseCast platform to help amplify, augment, and accelerate the mission and reach of community social impact organizations.  For more information on Cloudcast Media, please visit their website at CloudCast Media.  

This episode was produced by high school student Associate Producers Natalie Beltran and Naol Hailemeskel. The episode was engineered / mixed / mastered by Christelle Auzas.