Be the Sun, Not the Salt

Trinea Gonczar, a former gymnast and survivor of the Larry Nassar sexual assault case, shares her ongoing journey from trauma to healing and how she helps others find light in their darkest times. We discuss the importance of offering grace to oneself and others, and Trinea’s impactful work at the Avalon Healing Center, and the need for survivors to have support systems and plans in place to navigate their healing journeys. The epi...

Mindy Holman is the Chair of Holman, a privately owned 100 year old automotive services company with over 7000 employees in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, and Germany. As the third generation leader of a company whose stated mission is to provide a rewarding career and a better life for their employees and their families, she takes that mission to heart. Mindy, in fact, is as much responsible for "Be the Sun, Not the Salt" a...

Farzin Shadpour started a venture capital fund which has invested in over 58 start up companies from countries all over the world. Two of those startups now have a valuation of over one billion dollars - a “unicorn“ in investment terms. Identifying as a high functioning neuro-diverse autistic person, Farzin articulates the points he practices from "Be the Sun, Not the Salt," which he describes as a concise “hand book” for...

Kathy White is not only remarkable in her lifelong accomplishments - Princeton graduate, Rhodes Scholar, Law Professor, Brigadier General, University of Michigan Regent - she is equally committed to being a better person. In this episode, Kathy shares why the metaphor and the book, 'Be the Sun, Not the Salt,' has been such a helpful tool for her and her colleagues. Listen to how her team of leaders from the different bran...

Marion Harris, CEO of Ford Motor Credit, is a successful captain of industry and a serious practitioner of heliotropic leadership. He shares his tips for success in the corporate world, as someone who’s learned from leaders both good and not-so-good. As you’ll hear from him, the most important leadership trait is to care enough to want to be a better leader. Our nickname for this podcast is, “If you’re not having fun, you’re not do...

Kristi VandenBosch is the President of the Oliver advertising agency in NYC. Having grown up in the advertising industry and achieving top-tier success, her advice to young professionals in the field is to never compromise your values or your voice. Through compelling examples, she illustrates how she has effectively stepped in to assist others, encouraging all of us to follow suit—if we possess the courage and confidence to do so ...

Corey Fried, who has taught second grade, third grade, and fifth grade, has transitioned into an educator for fellow teachers. She transformed the insights from the book "Be the Sun, Not the Salt" into daily lesson plans for her students, leading to remarkable results. This podcast is affectionately named "I Want to Be THAT Teacher." As you listen to her story, we hope it inspires you to strive for the best vers...

Kim Cameron is the William Russell Kelly Professor of Management and Organizations at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He is the godfather of the term "heliotropic leadership." His research proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that being a heliotropic person can transform our lives, and the lives of the people around us. As you listen to the studies he cites, we hope that you are forever changed, ...

Kevin Shaughnessy is a world-class human being and remarkable leader of a 1200-person automotive dealership organization. We chose him as our first Be the Sun podcast guest because he embodies the principles of what it means to be a heliotropic leader as well as anyone we’ve met. We call this "the bagel and schmear" episode, and you'll soon understand why. When you hear Kevin's story, we hope it stays with you a...

Duncan Campbell, a retired entrepreneur turned philanthropist, is the visionary behind the national non-profit organization, Friends of the Children. While some folks merely talk about doing things and making a difference, Duncan is a true action-taker. A doer. Duncan's work has reshaped the futures of thousands of children born into poverty. This podcast, aptly nicknamed "Just Fricken Do It," introduces Duncan'...

Valorie Kondos Field is the retired UCLA women's gymnastics coach and  PAC 12 Coach of the Century. In this episode, she reflects on the realization that she was inadvertently hindering her players' growth instead of fostering their potential - salting their roots instead of pouring sun onto their leaves. Valorie's story serves as a powerful reminder that change is possible when we are open to listening. Whether in t...

"Be the Sun, Not the Salt" is a podcast about Heliotropic Living, an idea based on the science of why we are drawn to some behaviors and recoiled by others. To spread the message, we did a Tedx talk, then wrote a short book, and now we’re doing a podcast. Here we’ll interview a range of famous and not so famous guests whose personal stories bring to life how they (and we) can put these simple ideas into daily practice. An...