Leaders & Legacies

Mitch Carson, a seasoned media expert, talks about the vital role of media exposure in leadership. Carson, who cut his teeth on the Home Shopping Network, shares his journey from a nervous beginner to a confident pitchman, emphasizing the importance of practice and preparation. He discusses the fear many leaders face when stepping into the spotlight, particularly on live television, and offers practical advice on overcoming it. Car...

Scott Springer, founder of Chelwood Consulting Group, discusses the critical steps needed to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and make it globally competitive. Springer emphasizes the importance of automation in maintaining cost efficiency and product quality. He highlights how Germany and Japan have excelled by focusing on high-quality production and extensive automation. Springer also underscores the need for a strong workpla...

Jed Harris, CEO of Puretec Industrial Water, discusses his unique approach to leadership within the challenging water purification industry. Harris, whose company handles water essential for manufacturing processes, shares insights into steering a family business inherited from his grandfather and expanded by his father. His journey has been marked by innovation, resilience, and a strategic pivot away from conventional models to en...

Gail Martino, founder of Leapfrog Advisory, dives deep into her unique career journey and insights into leadership and technology. Starting with her unexpected role sniffing armpits at Gillette to evaluate deodorant efficacy, Gail explores the intersection of scientific evaluation and product development. She details her experiences at major companies like Procter & Gamble and Unilever, emphasizing how a blend of curiosity and ...

Seasoned entrepreneur Sean Languedoc shares his extensive experience in building companies and navigating the treacherous waters of leadership in tech. Sean discusses the importance of letting go of the ego to foster a culture of innovation and adaptation, a principle that has guided his journey in establishing five successful companies.

Sean highlights key leadership challenges and the critical errors that iconic companies like Bla...

There's something that differentiates people who stay stuck as opposed to those who break free. Lenora Edwards has seen this first-hand from her years of clinical experience. Lenora uses the S.H.I.F.T Protocol to help people break free from the critical inner voice that spirals us into negative behavior. But first, she tackled her own emotional eating disorder. Now she uses her personal experiences to help others.

Lenora Edwards, a ...

Justin Fortier, a seasoned tech entrepreneur, delves into the highs and lows of leading multiple startups. Fortier, CEO and CTO of FYC Labs, shares his journey from starting with minimal resources to leading successful tech ventures. His candid recount of entrepreneurial challenges highlights the importance of resilience and strategic planning in leadership.

Justin emphasizes the critical aspect of ensuring timely payments to vendor...

Sean Quigley, a former Marine turned business consultant, delves into the core of leadership shaped by adversity. Starting with his time in the Marine Corps, Quigley emphasizes the importance of resilience and crisis management, attributes that he later applied in the corporate world at Deloitte and now at his own consulting firm, Knighthawk Consulting. Throughout the discussion, Quigley shares poignant stories from his military se...

HR Huntsman, founder of Your Leader's Edge, shares his transformative journey from a tumultuous childhood to becoming a beacon of leadership and mentorship. Huntsman discusses how his difficult upbringing fueled his desire to invest positively in young leaders and the broader community. His leadership philosophy centers on unlocking human potential, fostering gratitude, and encouraging generosity—principles he believes are pivotal ...

Mickie Kennedy shares his journey from a creative writer to the founder of eReleases, underscoring the unconventional paths leadership can take. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling in leadership, particularly how presenting data with a compelling narrative can captivate attention and drive significant media coverage and business growth.

Key leadership qualities such as adaptability, vision, and an empathetic approach to tea...

Drewbie Wilson is the founder of "Call the Damn Leads". Drewbie shares his journey of overcoming personal challenges, including significant weight loss and battling addiction, to emerge as a resilient leader. His story is not just about personal transformation but also about the power of disciplined leadership in driving business success.

Drewbie emphasizes the importance of valuing time, the most precious asset, and provides insigh...

Neer Patel, founder of Virtuous Benefits, shares about his innovative approach to healthcare through direct primary care. Patel discusses the challenges within the traditional healthcare system and how his model offers a more affordable and effective solution. By eliminating insurance company interference and focusing on patient-centered care, direct primary care allows physicians to spend more time with patients and provide higher...

Neil Katz is an experienced HR strategist who transforms HR departments into pivotal components of business success. Neil challenges the traditional view of HR as a compliance-only sector, advocating for it to be seen as a strategic partner. Throughout the discussion, Neil emphasizes the importance of offering choices and fostering flexibility within HR practices to align with business objectives and enhance company culture.

Neil Ka...

Cybersecurity expert Joel Hawbaker discusses the essential intersection of leadership and cybersecurity. Hawbaker, who operates his IT consulting business from a farm in Eastern Tennessee, underscores the misconception that only large businesses are cyber targets. He passionately clarifies that all businesses are vulnerable, emphasizing the critical need for proactive cybersecurity measures.

Hawbaker shares personal anecdotes and pr...

Aaron Trahan is a distinguished former executive of a billion-dollar company and a current performance mindset coach. Aaron delves into his experiences of growing from a small-town upbringing to leading major corporate ventures before the age of 30. He emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement, even at the height of success, and discusses the pitfalls companies like Conn's faced due to complacency.

Aaron shares insights in...

Gary Wilbers is the founder of Ascend Business Strategies and a seasoned entrepreneur. Gary shares valuable lessons on leadership, adaptability, and building a resilient business that can withstand the tests of time and technology.

Gary reflects on his career, starting from his early days in the mobile phone industry to establishing and scaling his businesses. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability in leadership, noting that a...

Matthew Davis, an attorney and entrepreneur known for his transformative approach to business law. Davis shares his journey of leading his law firm, Davis Business Law, to achieve over 1,000% growth in eight years, focusing on empowering businesses to tackle vulnerabilities and seize opportunities.

Throughout the conversation, Davis emphasizes the importance of understanding legal intricacies for business success. He offers practica...

Richard Walsh, a seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse background, shares his journey and insights on leadership, resilience, and entrepreneurship. Walsh, a former Marine and sculptor turned business coach, discusses his transition from military service to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the critical role of adaptability and perseverance in overcoming business challenges.

Richard recounts the early days of his entrepreneurial career, h...

Danny Nathan, founder and CEO of Apollo21 Ventures, discusses the critical elements of leadership that foster innovation. Nathan shares his transformative journey from advertising to spearheading Apollo21 Ventures, where he assists established companies in breaking through stagnation to discover new growth avenues.

Throughout the discussion, Nathan emphasizes the importance of a learning-focused culture over mere execution, highligh...