Posts in relationships
Beyond The Walls of Institution with Robert DeFinis: Lead to Succeed 126

It's really important to regularly think about where we are in our work lives. This helps us grow, adapt, and stay healthy. 

Robert DeFinis is an expert who helps people do this. He's been working with kids, athletes, coaches, teams, leaders, and groups for more than twenty years. He knows a lot about doing well and has experience in education, leading nonprofits, law enforcement, and understanding behavior.

Robert created Total Optimal Performance Solutions and RDF Books. He also helped start the Center for Teaching Excellence - Online. He's written books like The Hero Teacher, Gen-eXceptional, and some children's books about current issues.

Listen in to learn why it's important to think beyond just the place where you work.

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Mastering the Art of Communication with Steve Cockram: Lead to Succeed 125

Most people’s pain comes because they’re unable to make relationships work. In the professional realm, effective communication is the heartbeat of collaboration, innovation, and productivity. It ensures that ideas flow seamlessly, teams align cohesively, and goals are achieved with precision. And today, that's exactly what our guest Steve Cockram will be sharing insights on.

Steve is an inspirational communicator, serial entrepreneur, author, and confidante to elite leaders around the world. He is highly skilled at making people think, laugh, and act.

Steve is a co-founder of GiANT Worldwide and GiANT London. He has co-authored multiple leadership books, including his most recent, THE COMMUNICATION CODE, which details how to set the parameters of a conversation from the outset, preventing misunderstandings and miscommunication, and highlights recognizing the power dynamics of interactions to help.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of communication.

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Embracing the Discomfort with Adam House: Lead to Succeed 124

In the dynamic realm of business, the adage holds true: enterprises are either in a state of growth or on a trajectory towards decline, leaving no room for a middle ground. Our guest, Adam House will share valuable insights and tips to navigate this dichotomy effectively.

Adam House is a seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse background as a former senior executive, professional basketball player, and team Co-Owner. Adam adds a unique perspective to business advising. Over his 25-year career, Adam has not only started, scaled, and exited multiple companies across various industries but has done so with his commitment to values such as faith, family, and personal interests. 

Adam has a proven track record of excellence, being the Founder/CEO of DMA - acquired by V12 Group; Velocitude - developed by Akamai Technologies; and Qualmetrix - publicly traded on NASDAQ. 

Despite the challenges of being a husband, father, and entrepreneur, Adam maintains his faith, family, and fitness priorities. Adam's professional journey has been a continuous cycle of learning and growth.

Listen in and learn more about business success.

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Find your Life Mission with Dr. Phil Hickman: Lead to Succeed 122

Uncovering the mission that sets our soul on fire is not just about finding purpose; it's about grabbing life by the horns and forging a path that screams, "This is who I am, and this is what I'm meant to do!”. In this episode, we're diving deep with our guest, Dr. Philip Hickman, as he unveils the riveting story of discovering his life mission and the impactful journey he embarked on to bring it to life. 

As a distinguished public speaker, Dr. Phil has presented at national conferences and workshops for organizations such as the U.S Department of Education and Columbia University.

He is a prolific author with three books that showcase his groundbreaking methodologies in leadership, personalized learning, and emotional intelligence. Dr. Phil is a versatile entrepreneur, having created Plabook, an AI powered reading technology solutions firm.

He has also co-founded multiple nonprofit organizations and played a key role in successful edutech ventures.

Listen in and learn more about life missions.

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Take that Step Today with Shawn Shewchuk: Lead to Succeed 117

We all have wise individuals in our lives—those who have successfully navigated challenging circumstances. Ignoring their golden advice would be a mistake, right? 

In this episode, our guest Shawn Shewchuk will inspire us to do just that, while also sharing profound insights from his professional and personal journey.

Shawn is known as the #1 results coach and 2x best-selling author. He has helped over 12,000 clients in his professional career and has over 5,000 keynote presentations to his credit.

Listen in and learn more about Shawn’s inspiring insights.

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Beyond Business with Alex Atwood: Lead to Succeed 116

In the world of work, it's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of financial success. However, what many of us often overlook is that the environment in which we work plays a pivotal role in our overall satisfaction and well-being. That’s one area that we’ll be discussing with Lead to Succeed guest Alex Atwood.

Alex is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and staffing sectors, and an emerging coach in the psychedelics field. He is also a public speaker, angel investor, podcaster, and philanthropist. 

Alex gained business acumen early on, starting with selling candy at a markup in elementary school, and went on to found several companies, including Sanistaff and the Hospitality Training Institute. One of his significant accomplishments was pivoting his hospitality staffing agency during the COVID-19 pandemic, getting 75% of his workforce back to work in just 21 days.

Listen in and learn more about leadership and personal growth.

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Become a Leadership Junkie with Tim Lupinacci: Lead to Succeed 114

Leadership isn't tied to titles or roles; it's about using your qualities to create a positive impact. “Everybody Leads”: That’s what Lead to succeed guest Tim Lupinacci will be sharing about.

Tim Lupinacci spent the first 28 years of his legal practice focused on helping financial institutions solve complex problems arising in commercial restructuring and bankruptcy matters throughout the country. Four years ago, he was selected as CEO and Chair of Baker Donelson, which is one of the 100 largest law firms in the country. In this, and prior, leadership positions, he has led the Firm through significant organizational change, growth, and the global pandemic. He continues leading Baker Donelson through its five-year BakerVision 2028 strategy, and the execution of its Diversity & Inclusion Compact.

As a self-professed “leadership junkie”, Tim’s journey to stepping up as a leader began thirty years ago as a young lawyer after disappointing a boss with an epic failure. In the three decades since, Tim has studied, read, and grown his leadership skills through hard work, being curious, trying novel ideas, failing, learning from the failures, and getting better every day. This culminated in launching a non-profit called “Everybody Leads” focused on empowering individuals in underserved communities with basic leadership skills and confidence to better lead themselves, lead others, and lead in the community.

Listen in and learn more about becoming a leadership junkie.

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From MD to CEO with Dr. Jonathan Baktari: Lead to Succeed 112

Excelling as a professional does not preclude you from succeeding at entrepreneurship. That’s what we learned from Lead to Succeed guest Dr. Jonathan Baktari.

Jonathan is the CEO at both e7 Health and US Drug Test Centers and the host of Baktari MD. e7 health is a preventative health and wellness company that has been called the “the Uber of preventive medicine” and was named the Best Technology Company in the Healthcare Space in 2019. 

US Drug Test Centers is a nationwide network of over 20,000 testing centers in the US and is revolutionizing drug and alcohol testing across the nation.

A former triple board-certified physician with specialties in internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care medicine, being a healthcare CEO is only the latest chapter in Dr. Baktari’s life mission to help others by making integrative preventative medicine available to everyone.

Listen in and learn more about how to become a better leader.

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Overcoming Isolation with Nick Jonsson: Lead to Succeed 111

As the old saying goes: “It’s lonely at the top.”. Not addressing this topic may cause difficulties for executives to keep functioning normally. That’s why Lead to Succeed guest Nick Jonsson focuses on this topic.

Nick is an International Best-Selling Author & Award-Winning Speaker, Leadership Keynote Speaker, Executive Mental Health Advocate. Nick is also the Co-Founder and MD of EGN Singapore, one of Asia’s premier networking organizations. He built a caring community that provides hundreds of executives a safe haven to share their challenges and receive support and learn from each other.

Nick is passionate about raising awareness of mental health and combating loneliness in the modern business world. He recently published a book, "Executive Loneliness: The 5 Pathways to Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in the Modern Business World," which provides practical strategies for overcoming isolation and building connections in the workplace. Listen in and learn more about ways to manage executive loneliness.

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Show Your Authentic Side with Tara Gooch: Lead to Succeed 110

Inspiring people is one of the single most important leadership skills that separates great leaders from average ones. And it's by showing people your most authentic self and sharing your story of failure that you get them inspired. That’s exactly what Lead to Succeed guest Tara Gooch will be inspiring all leaders to do.

Tara started her company, Best Branding Solutions during the global pandemic in June 2020. She is a proud entrepreneur, mother, and wife who believes in leadership in all aspects of business and life. She coaches people on personal branding and LinkedIn strategies That Maximize Leadership Teams to Drive Organizational Growth and Increase Sales Effectiveness

Tara believes that success is possible for everyone and that there is enough for all if we align with our purpose and focus on being creative, not competitive.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of being authentic as an entrepreneur.

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Turn Your Passion Into a Business with Miriam Schulman: Lead to Succeed 109

Creativity and innovation are the pathways for your business to increase improvement and productivity. That’s exactly why entrepreneurs who think outside the box are those whose businesses are growing faster than the others. In this episode, we’ll dive deeper into the importance of being creative as an entrepreneur, with our guest Miriam Schulman.

Creativity and innovation are the pathways for your business to increase improvement and productivity. That’s exactly why entrepreneurs who think outside the box are those whose businesses are growing faster than the others. In this episode, we’ll dive deeper into the importance of being creative as an entrepreneur, with our guest Miriam Schulman.

Miriam is an artist and founder of The Inspiration Place, where she helps other artists learn how to profit from their passion or become better artists. She’s helped thousands of artists around the world develop their skill sets and create more time and freedom to do what they love.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of creativity in business.

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Culture Course Correction with Sophie Theen: Lead to Succeed 108

A toxic workplace culture can result in decreased happiness and satisfaction, and performance at work, particularly with startups. In this episode, guest Sophie Theen shares her tried and true advice on how founders and leaders can improve workplace culture.

Sophie Theen is an award-winning Human Resources and Diversity and Inclusion professional. She has been featured on the “Women in FinTech Power List” since 2017 and is the first HR professional to win the “Standout” spot. Theen is also widely recognized for her innovative influence on how Human Resources works in technology companies and startups. She now works with companies around the world as an advisor.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of workplace culture.

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Surviving School Leadership With Elvis Epps: Lead to Succeed 107

School leaders are facing huge challenges. Increased demands, resulting in record levels of mental and physical stress, has led a huge number of school leaders to quit their jobs. We need a solution!

In this episode, Lead to Succeed guest Dr. Elvis Epps discusses many of the problems that school leaders are facing and shares helpful solutions.

Elvis is a retired high school principal from Palm Beach, Florida. He holds state certification in school leadership and administration and is the author of a new book, “New Principal, No Problem: How to Lead a Winning Culture Without Losing Your Mind.”

Dr. Epps has been featured on Oprah’s XM Radio Network, where he discussed topics such as Bully Prevention and Maintaining a Happy Home. He is also a Certified John Maxwell Trainer, Coach, and Speaker. Dr. Epps is a proud military veteran of the US Navy.

Listen in and learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing school leaders.

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Listen to Yourself with Jennie Blumenthal: Lead to Succeed 106

Living in a hustle culture, everybody needs you to stay on the hamster wheel. Only those who have learned the value of Pausing and Reflecting will encourage you to do the same. And this is exactly what Lead to Succeed’s guest, Jennie Blumenthal will inspire us to do.

Jennie spent 20 years as an executive in Corporate America counseling Fortune 500 companies on growth strategy and digital transformation and left during the pandemic pivot. She now coaches executive women to do their own Corporate Rehab and grow in their existing career or in a new opportunity.

Her new book CORPORATE REHAB: Ditch The Hustle Culture and Thrive Again came out on October 1, 2022.

Listen in and learn more about the value of pausing and reflecting.

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