Something Extra

Something Extra

My name is Lisa Nichols, and I have spent the last 30 years as both the CEO of Technology Partners and as the mother to Ally, our daughter with Down syndrome. Down syndrome occurs when someone is born with an extra chromosome, but for Ally, her “something extra” goes beyond her DNA. She is one of the funniest, kindest, mostly joyful people you have ever met. Learning from Ally has taught me to look for the “something extras” in everyone I encounter. Join me as I interview leaders from around the world as they share their stories and show us what it takes to influence, encourage, and be a true leader in our daily lives. Welcome to Something Extra.

Episodes

October 30, 2025 54 mins

Dive into a masterclass on global leadership with Suda Suvarna, Retired Global Chief Digital Solutions Officer at Deloitte. He shares his remarkable journey from growing up in India to leading massive international teams and navigating some of the most complex business transformations in the world. Discover his foundational principles for inspiring trust, the critical role of cultural awareness...

Mark as Played

Bill Tingle, a former CIO, shares profound lessons learned from his diverse career, including his time at Enterprise and Pods, and how early life experiences shaped his leadership philosophy. He discusses the transformative power of ontological coaching, emphasizing the critical role of precise language, clear commitments, and shared understanding in building trust and driving results. Dive int...

Mark as Played

Discover how to transform your relationship with money from a source of stress and shame into a tool for empowerment and choice. Anne Lester, a former Managing Director and Head of Retirement Solutions at JP Morgan, opens up about her own journey from being maxed out on credit cards to designing and launching target date funds, a process that revealed she wasn't "uniquely terrible" at managing ...

Mark as Played
October 9, 2025 47 mins

Discover how to live a life of intentional impact with Joe Pellegrino, Founder and President of Legacy Minded Ministries and Not Just an Average Joe. Joe shares his profound concept of being a "dash enhancer" - maximizing the life (the dash) between your birth and death dates to positively affect generations to come. He opens up about overcoming a lonely, challenging youth to become a successfu...

Mark as Played
October 2, 2025 52 mins

In this episode, Michael Staenberg, Founder & Owner of The Staenberg Group, reveals the childhood lessons his father taught him about the importance of being a partner and the wisdom of "staying in your lane" learned from delivering newspapers to Warren Buffett. He also shares the personal philosophy behind his "converging ripple theory" and why his company's philosophy extends be...

Mark as Played
September 25, 2025 47 mins

Ann Eileen Thompson, a faith-driven career and leadership coach, author, and speaker, shares her incredible journey of trusting in uninhibited faith. From her early days at Macy's and a successful corporate career at Procter & Gamble, Ann reveals how she learned to embrace her entrepreneurial spirit and a "something extra" that led her to co-found The Garage Group. She delves into the pivotal moments that taught her to release ...

Mark as Played
September 18, 2025 37 mins

Join us for a dynamic conversation with Chris Moore, the Vice President of Information Technology at United Sugar Producers and Refiners Cooperative. Chris, a veteran in the tech world with a 20-year career, reveals how his experiences, including a life-changing assignment in Singapore, taught him that the most effective leaders are those who truly connect their work to a powerful mission. He s...

Mark as Played

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Cindy Davis, a Global Brand Expert and Board Director, as she shares her journey from aspiring tax attorney to leading some of the world's most iconic brands. Discover how a college pivot from accounting to marketing set her on a path to working with giants like Walmart, Disney, and Sam's Club. Cindy reveals the crucial leadership lessons she learned a...

Mark as Played
September 4, 2025 46 mins

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Zach Lewis, Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, as he reveals the surprising parallels between homesteading and cybersecurity. Discover how his experience with chickens a...

Mark as Played
August 28, 2025 51 mins

This week, Pete Hogan, Senior Vice President of Technology at Compana Pet Brands, shares his journey from a systems integrator to an award-winning CIO, revealing how he navigates a complex, multi-brand landscape to drive growth and innovation. Learn how Pete unified disparate IT teams into a single, cohesive unit and successfully led a rapid cloud upgrade with zero major issues. He di...

Mark as Played

Join us for a conversation with Jyotsna Gupta, the VP and Chief Information Officer at Bi-State Development Agency, as she reveals how her father's strategic planting of fruit trees taught her the value of leaving a legacy. Discover how her early passion for turning waste into art and her self-taught automation skills laid the foundation for a career defined by innovation, problem-solving,...

Mark as Played
August 14, 2025 46 mins

Leadership isn't about the Xs and Os; it's about people, culture, and connection. This episode features Sean Glaze, an author, speaker, and the owner of Great Results Team Building. Sean, who transitioned his coaching and teaching skills to the corporate world, shares invaluable lessons on why culture should be a leader's top priority. He shares insights from his latest book, "What Effective Leaders Do," and explains how focusing o...

Mark as Played

In this insightful episode of the "Something Extra" podcast, Lisa Nichols welcomes Jessie Minton, the Vice Chancellor for Technology and Chief Information Officer at Washington University. Minton delves into how her extensive background in equestrian competitions shaped her leadership philosophy, emphasizing partnership and resilience. She also recounts a pivotal "falling off the horse" moment ...

Mark as Played

Uncover profound leadership insights with Joni Eareckson Tada, Founder and CEO of Joni and Friends. In this episode, Joni shares her incredible journey from a diving accident that left her a quadriplegic to founding Joni and Friends, a global ministry serving millions with disabilities worldwide. Discover how she leverages weakness for God's glory, leading with transparency and invitin...

Mark as Played

At just 10 years old, Juliette Blake started doodling “cool girls” that would later spark a movement. Now the founder and CEO of Moxies, she joins Lisa to share how her childhood sketches evolved into entrepreneurship and STEM initiatives. Juliette discusses how a moment at her sister’s birthday party revealed alarming early confidence issues in young girls—and how that insight launched a ...

Mark as Played
July 17, 2025 50 mins

Explore how life’s unexpected turns can shape our deepest passions and purpose. Susan Flippen, CEO of The Flippen Group, shares her inspiring journey from a childhood in foster care to leading a company dedicated to bringing out the best in people—whether in schools, corporations, or communities. Discover how Susan’s early dreams and challenges fueled her commitment to supporting educators and ...

Mark as Played

Explore the power of storytelling and the impact of nurturing childhood passions with this week's guest, Will Parker Anderson, Senior Editor at Penguin Random House Christian. Will & Lisa discuss his journey from writing poems as a kid to editing bestselling books and developing engaging content for projects like "The Chosen," all while reflecting on the importance of encouragement and inte...

Mark as Played

Horst Schulze, legendary co-founder and former president of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company shares how his humble beginnings in a small German village and the mentorship of an extraordinary maitre d’ shaped his lifelong philosophy of excellence, purpose, and high intent. Discover how his famous motto, “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen,” became the gold standard in hospitality and

leadership. Tune in for storie...

Mark as Played

Join us as we sit down with Matt Nicolls, Chief Digital Innovation Officer at Technology Partners, to uncover the unique story behind his creative approach to leadership. Matt shares how his early experiences shaped his passion for visually mapping out solutions, and how this skill has become central to his work in technology. Listeners will hear about the mentors who inspired him, the pow...

Mark as Played
June 12, 2025 49 mins

Leah Spiros, the creative force behind Wrapped + Written, explores how a childhood love for art blossomed into a thriving business in calligraphy, engraving, and live event artistry. Leah shares heartfelt stories about the influence of her mother, the leap from corporate life to entrepreneurship, and the joys and challenges of building a business rooted in faith and family. Whether you’re a fel...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Whether you’re a scaredy-cat or a brave bat, this collection of episodes from iHeartPodcasts will put you in the Halloween spirit. Binge stories, frights, and more that may keep you up at night!

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Health Stuff

    On Health Stuff, hosts Dr. Priyanka Wali and comedian Hari Kondabolu tackle all the health questions that keep you up at night with hilarity and humanity. Together they demystify the flashy trends, and keep you informed on the latest research. You can rely on Health Stuff to bring you real, uninhibited, and thoughtful health talk of the highest caliber, and a healthy dose of humor.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.