The Roots of Leadership Podcast: Recent Episodes
Anthony C. Gruppo
Today we’re joined by Precious Mshengu, a woman with a story that everyone should hear.
Aged just 35, Precious has already achieved so much to be proud of, including being a part of the Enterprise Innovation Academy in Portugal, gaining a Master’s degree in Corporate Governance and Law, and she’s only getting started.
Growing up in South Africa, Precious moved to the UK aged 15, during what would be her final year of high school. The transition into a new academic structure and confronting a new culture was one of vast change, but Precious faced this adversity head on and continued to thrive. She recalls the steps she had to take to ensure that the difficulties of this time didn’t define her or the path she would take.
Throughout, Precious touches on sense of purpose and the importance of this when navigating through life. She talks about always wanting to be the best version of herself, and how she juggled the desire to perform at the highest level, while being a single parent.
This episode is proof that with discipline, determination and grit, we can overcome the challenges that we face and become the best possible version of ourselves. While it may not be easy, it is possible, and Precious is proof of this sentiment.
Today we’re joined by Andrea Kind, heralded communicator, strategist, advisor and yoga teacher who is passionate about helping others, using her personable leadership and coaching skills.
Opening the show with some comments made by those Andrea has mentored, her natural ability to listen, understand and help others shines through. Described as ‘compassionate and tough’ – she believes this is an accurate description of her, but also encompasses what she hopes to teach those around her.
When discussing what it means to be empathetic, Andrea talks about the importance of this to all aspects of leadership, whether with employees, family, or those that you mentor. Balancing empathy with learning to ‘get on with it’ is something that Andrea has mastered through personal encounters with hardship, meaning she speaks from a place of genuine experience.
Yoga means a lot to Andrea, and as well as being a student, she is also a teacher. She attributes the techniques she’s learned to move forward and be resilient, to yoga. Yoga has enabled her to learn, master and practice looking through a different lens and having different perspectives.
In the face of both personal and professional adversity, Andrea has continued to power through, crediting her optimistic ‘set point’ as something she can always find her way back to when needed. This episode is empowering, refreshing and uplifting, giving us all a different outlook and a revitalising take on how to view our own lives.
Today we’re joined by Richard Medcalf, leader, coach and Founder of Xquadrant; helping elite CEOs and their teams multiply their impact and take their influence to a new level.
When touching on his experiences as a coach to CEOs and high level leaders, Richard shares his belief that we can all think like a CEO and take ownership and control of our destiny, regardless of our job title. He uncovers that one of the most common themes he addresses among those he coaches, is the need to perfect the art of letting go of the nitty gritty, and expresses the strategic benefits that can be achieved by doing this.
One key message he shares with those he works with is the importance of fully formed requests. A simple yet important element of leadership, encouraging clear boundaries and freeing headspace for the things we should be focussing on – something everyone can take away and begin implementing immediately.
This episode provides invaluable insight into the skills and traits you need to be a successful leader, regardless of job title or position. Discussing the importance of culture (and what it actually means), accountability, forming agreements and so much more, this is a leadership masterclass that everyone should hear.
On today’s episode we’re joined by 16 year old Zak O’Sullivan, racing driver and British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) superstar, who was recently crowned the youngest ever GB3/British F3 champion.
By the age of eight, Zak was already karting. His dad’s interest in cars sparked his own passion which quickly grew; it wasn’t long before Zak himself was in the driving seat. Aged just 14, Zak raced some of the UK’s most renowned racetracks as part of the Ginetta Junior Championship. This year he has celebrated winning the most races, having the most podiums, the most pole positions, and leading the most laps – it’s incredible to see what Zac has achieved in such a short space of time.
When discussing ‘Man vs Machine’, Zak explains that he believes adaptability is what separates the good from the great. In a sport where no two laps are the same, he emphasises the need to adapt quickly and seamlessly, as well as using his senses to make decisions. Weather is something that Zak is more than used to adapting to. He was once dubbed ‘Rain Man’ due to the speed he managed to reach when racing in wet weather - he attributes this to living in the UK, believing the UK weather has helped him perfect this talent!
This episode is a leadership seminar covering trust, adaptability, reactions, relationships and more. With an already accomplished career at such a young age (all while juggling school, exams and day-to-day life) and a promising future, Zak serves as an example to us all that hard work and dedication really does pay off.
On today’s episode we’re joined by Jackie Wendleken, a leader and networker, unafraid of breaking down barriers.
Jackie begins by taking us back to when she moved to London as she recalls being a ‘green behind the ears’ 18 year old. She credits her time working in customer service and retail as the core foundation for enabling her to excel within future positons, including the all-important people skills she mastered at this time and continues to utilise today.
Now working as a Senior Vice President within the UK Risk Management team at Marsh, Jackie’s passion for working with clients shines through as she continues to speak to us. Working as a team leader and supporting new colleagues joining the business, Jackie’s past experiences have enabled her to now meaningfully mentor those around her.
Jackie tells us that she was once incredibly shy and found networking challenging. A far cry from now as she highlights her passion to embrace opportunities to be put out of her comfort zone. She explains that it was through experiences like these, that she was able to find inner confidence and become a true people person.
Jackie describes herself as someone who always wants a ‘bigger table’. Speaking about the importance of proving to her daughter that she can break down barriers, Jackie explains the importance of hard work, ‘showing up’, and the belief that you really can achieve anything you put your mind to. This episode is inspiring, powerful and motivational – pushing us all to find and fulfil our true potential.
On today’s episode we’re joined by Paula Lopes, insurance expert, lifelong leader and professional, built for challenge and adventure.
Starting from the beginning, Paula takes us back to growing up in Brazil and the inspiring work ethic she saw in her father. Working multiple jobs was a way of life where she lived, and it wasn’t out of the ordinary for Paula to watch her dad work five jobs at a time.
This work ethic more than rubbed off on Paula, and her impressive career is testament to this. Her passion for making people happier is something that sits at the core of all she does, and during 22 years in the insurance industry, this unwavering passion has remained solid throughout.
Paula sees change as opportunity, and when touching on this, she explains the importance of observation and learning from others, and how invaluable this can be during these times. Her willingness to learn, and take on feedback and critique, has enabled her to build a successful career, as well as an open and honest family environment.
Discussing reflection, Paula shares the exercises she uses to practise this. Whether it be turning off the radio while driving home, or other ways of factoring in the time, she explains how important it is to her to reflect on the day’s conversations and think of what she may have done differently in hindsight.
Covering topics including fixed mindset, diversity of thought and so much more, this episode explores avenues familiar to all of us. Listen today.
On today’s episode we’re joined by, author, activist, television presenter and personality, Katie Piper, who encompasses the true essence of being a leader.
Delving straight in to discuss the driving force behind the charity she founded, The Katie Piper Foundation, Katie explains that establishing a charity was never a route she expected to go down. A life-changing experience gave her clear insight of the support those dealing with burn injuries need. When her life changed overnight, she quickly became aware of treatments she needed that weren’t available to her in the UK. So the idea behind her foundation was born – to help make what she had to travel for, more easily accessible for others.
After a documentary about her story aired, Katie found that people wanted to help. She and her family paid any donations they received into a bank account with charitable status, with the view to donate this to other survivors of burns and enable them to receive the treatment she had in France. The generosity of these people was a healing experience for Katie and her gratitude to those who helped her was palpable.
As time went on, Katie’s platform expanded and support never stopped. Eventually, The Katie Piper Foundation became a formalised charity, and she and her team worked on setting up mentoring and workshops, eventually leading to opening their very own centre, enabling treatment to happen in the UK instead of abroad.
From being in a coma and having to rebuild her life, to becoming a best-selling author among so many other achievements, Katie’s excitement for life and love for connecting with people is infectious. When discussing the importance of consistency and showing up for ourselves, her words are incredibly powerful – “trauma is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence”.
As Katie shares her closing messages with us, she encourages listeners not to fear the dark times and instead to embrace them. Some of the best times of your life will be the hardest ones, but they can be a catalyst for change – something Katie proves in her own experiences. “Don’t just dream and wish, make it happen”.
Today we’re joined by Roianne Nedd, Global Inclusion and Diversity Leader, motivational speaker, and author of ‘The Trusted Black Girl’.
Taking us right back to the beginning, Roianne tells us about her childhood within a patriarchal society in Guyana, born to a family with incredible work ethic. Her father part of the second generation free of slavery, her grandmother a descendant of Indian indentured workers - Roianne explains that her multicultural background provided her with a mindset that you can achieve anything if you work hard… and that’s exactly what she did.
As the conversation progresses, Roianne delves into the elements of her leadership style and how she developed this, including the part active listening plays. Discussing the actions we need to take with regards to diversity and inclusion, Roianne touches on the importance of seeing talent in a different way, and ensuring organisations take time to step back and look at the people they need to bring in for the next generation.
Moving on to talk about her book, ‘The Trusted Black Girl’, Roianne tells us the concept, including the twists and turns she took while writing, and the philosophical shift that occurred when she realised the audience for the book should not be black women as she’d originally thought. As she recalls being told by colleagues that they would ‘forget she was black’, Roianne discusses the realisation that she had transcended race for people, the internal battle this created, and the meaning behind the name of her book.
Speaking about the work she does with women in Guyana, the importance of expecting more, the collective courage that drives change and so much more, this show is as powerful as it is inspiring. Listen now.
On today’s show we’re joined by Kevin Dedner, founder and CEO of Hurdle, award-winning public speaker and true leader in all he does.
As he discusses the evolution of his business, Kevin takes us back to his own experience with depression, and not only what this taught him, but the gaps in mental healthcare this period highlighted. Following this journey, he set about creating culturally intentional mental healthcare, and Hurdle was born.
As Kevin touches on the increase in company commitments to diversity and inclusion, especially during the last year or so following the death of George Floyd, he explains the importance of making these promises tangible. He tells us that while a diverse team will not be without its challenges, it will be a team that does not burn out easily and that provides beautiful outcomes.
Discussing mental health, diversity, outcomes and so much more, this episode brings important topics to the forefront, breaking down barriers and highlighting the importance of culture within therapy, among other key messages. Sharing statistics, facts and findings, Kevin provides us with takeaways and talking points that we all have a responsibility to listen to, and act on.
Today we’re joined by Dan Stanley, expert in human development and performance, retired senior Army Commando, and coach – just to name a few!
Owner of ‘Better Men’, a business focused on enabling men to live a happier and healthier life, Dan’s journey has been anything but smooth sailing. During the darkest time in his life, Dan found himself in a suicidal state. Speaking candidly with us, he explains the depths of this time, and the collateral damage this created.
Following a conversation by chance on holiday, Dan made the decision to shut down the business he owned at the time, and within four weeks of landing back in the UK, began an eight month period of ‘time out’. Reflecting on the opinions he received following this decision, Dan highlights the importance and power of this period in his life.
Discussing fear, blueprint for success, and so much more, Dan’s message is as important as it is clear. Dial down the volume of your inner critic. Take off the masks. Create space and capacity for thought. Alone you’ll go faster, together you’ll go further.
Today we’re privileged to be joined by Sir David King, Co-Founder of the Clean Growth Leadership Network and founder and Chair of The Centre for Climate Repair in the University of Cambridge.
Sir David’s vast accomplishments include, being elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1991, receiving his Knighthood in 2003, working as the UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser (2000-2007), and being the Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative on Climate Change (2013-2017) - his achievements and work are as inspiring as they are important.
Sir David’s message is clear; we are dealing with a crisis of enormous proportions with regard to climate change. He believes “our civilisation has never had to face up to a challenge as big as this one, and what we do over the next five to ten years will determine the future of humanity for the next millennium”.
As the discussion progresses and we deep dive into the complexities and facts around this important subject, Sir David explains more about the Conference of the Parties meeting, explaining that the 26th session is due to take place in November of this year and world leaders will come together with one focus – to discuss climate change. As he highlights scary statistics, it’s clear just how important these meetings and subsequent actions are, and the speed at which they’re executed.
This episode will open your eyes more than ever before, to the crisis that confronts us regarding climate change, and the importance of the part we play. Speaking candidly, openly and informatively, Sir David shares incredibly thought-provoking findings and experiences with us, in a message we all need to hear.
Today we’re joined by Kay White, career coach, mentor and author, recently recognised as one of the top 49 Elite Women in Insurance 2021. Her success as a global podcast host and motivational speaker demonstrates that Kay truly is a leader in all she does. It seemed truly fitting she joined us on International Women’s Week.
Starting her career as an ‘enthusiastic and naïve’ secretary in Willis, Kay spent over 20 years working her way up the ladder, eventually becoming a global director in the Global Property and Casualty sector. As she reflects on being one of just six broking women at the time, Kay recalls the twists and turns, rollercoasters and experiences gained during that stage of her life.
As she discusses her journey into the world of coaching, Kay tells us about the safe space she strives to create for her clients highlighting how beneficial this can be for an individual. Her passion for neurolinguistics has further strengthened her approach to the way she coaches, and the time taken to understand and learn more about this has proven invaluable.
This discussion touches on powerful subjects, one of which encourages women to stop waiting to be asked and instead to take the power into their own hands. Kay’s wealth of knowledge, passion for diversity & inclusion, and natural mentoring ability makes this a captivating conversation that’s not to be missed.
On today’s show we’re joined by Gail Lowney Alofsin, Keynote Speaker, Author, University Professor, Humanitarian, and Sales & Marketing Executive.
Gail begins by talking about always having been a people person, even from a young age. Gail takes us back to when she was a student in a Catholic school, door knocking, trying to sell religious items, and highlighted that even those who said ‘no’ got a ‘thank you for opening the door’ note from her. Fondly remembering the connection she made with individuals so early on, it’s easy to see where her passion for working with people began.
Fast forward a few years, aged only 19, Gail’s father took her to volunteer on a medical mission in Haiti. Following the news that he only had a year to live, Gail’s father chose to travel to Haiti every three months, as a practising dentist outside Mother Theresa’s ‘Home for the Dying’. When asked by Mother Theresa to help the people of Jeremie in Haiti, he did just that, founding the Haitian Health Foundation, an outpatient clinic providing healthcare to 200,000 patients a year and where Gail still volunteers to this day.
As a true believer of ‘eat the frog for breakfast’, Gail explains why she thinks addressing the things you don’t look forward to, first thing every day, is so important for productivity. Her various personal and professional triumphs are a clear indication that this approach to life has really worked for her.
Sharing her tips for success and her infectious energy with us, this episode will reshape your mind set and make you look at life differently. Even in the face of pain and adversity, Gail’s constant drive and determination has seen her through the hard times, and into the life she now leads with so many achievements under her belt.
On today’s show, we welcome Rachael Flanagan, leader, entrepreneur and CEO of Mrs Buckét Cleaning Services.
In 2005, Rachael was 18, sitting her A-Levels, and helping her mum clean the family home. Originally seeing this as a means to earn ‘beer money’ for the local pub, Rachael quickly recognised the positive impact her help was having around the house, and her dream began to grow and take shape.
As Rachael explains her humble beginnings, she tells us how her entrepreneurial spirit sparked as a seven-year-old selling sweets in her dad’s shop, and how this evolved to become a 300-strong team of staff based across Wales and Bristol, offering commercial cleaning. It’s incredible to believe she started aged 18, armed with just £20 worth of fliers and a hoover.
Rachael’s energy is infectious and her success is truly down to her determination, motivation, sacrifice and drive. Reflecting on a quote a swimming teacher once told her, she explains how she applied the words “there’s no way of improving yourself unless you’re in the pool first, and leave the pool last” to everything in her life.
This episode is a stark reminder that with fire in your belly and a determination to succeed, you can and will be a success. Rachael’s fantastic energy and perseverance to prove her doubters wrong has been the catalyst for a business empire, and we look forward to seeing what’s next in store for her. You can find Rachael on LinkedIn and keep up to date with her latest updates!
Today we’re joined by Joanne Collins, former military personnel, woman in technology, and born leader.
Having grown up in a military family, Joanne followed suit and worked as both Military Police and Telecommunications Officer during her time in the forces. Looking back, Joanne explains that on graduation from Airborne School, she was one of just five women, compared to 400 men. She credits this part of her life for teaching her resilience, how to think on her feet, and the importance of teamwork.
Speaking of the challenges she’s faced along the way, and the mind set instilled within her, Joanne touches on the importance of feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Her refreshing take on failure, and the idea that it really isn’t something to be afraid of, is a key part of the success she’s achieved throughout her life.
Becoming a single mother when her children were ages five and seven, Joanne was running a national support desk while trying to move it to a 24/7 model. While touching on the support she cobbled together from family, friends and social groups, Joanne explains the importance of diversity of thought within organisations, and the challenges around outdated systems that prevent this happening.
Joanne covers powerful topics with passion and candour. This episode brings the importance of diversity, inclusion and thought leadership to the forefront of discussion, providing us with lessons we can learn from and build upon.
Today we’re joined by Touker Suleyman, fashion retail entrepreneur, investor, business owner and of course one of the highly respected moguls on hit television programme, ‘Dragons’ Den’.
From a young age, Touker explains that he was always ambitious. After leaving the world of accountancy in his late teens, he asked himself two questions; ‘how am I going to be successful?’ and ‘how am I going to be recognised?’. From there, Touker embarked on a journey comprising of successes, challenges and above all, opportunities to learn.
In his twenties, Touker was the chairman of two public companies and as the youngest in this role at the time, would regularly be referred to as a ‘tycoon’ by the press. However, after investing into a business that went bust, Touker lost everything. In his own words, he had to start again, but with a very important lesson under his belt – always do due diligence.
Looking back, Touker still has a deep appreciation for the lessons he learned from loss. When offering advice to others, he says that listening to your gut is paramount, and that taking risk is a must in business, but not until you’ve done your research. In Touker’s eyes, the importance of having passion and wanting to add value is high on the priority list, and this paired with hard work and an all-important mentor, is a winning combination.
From earning £5 a week in his teens, to being the owner of a multi-million pound empire, Touker’s business acumen, approach to leadership and positive energy, makes this a must listen episode for all. Are you in?
Today we’re joined by Jeff Nischwitz, founder and ‘chief story debunker’ of The Nischwitz Group, speaker, motivator, and facilitator of truth.
Starting out in the legal world, Jeff now describes himself as a ‘snow globe shaker’ for those that he serves. Following a very successful career in law, Jeff came to the realisation that although he was good at what he did, he didn’t enjoy it, and so began a journey in search of something he loved. Traditional success wasn’t what he was striving for, and in the pursuit of something he was both good at and enjoyed, he came to be where he is today.
Growing up in a culture where it was deemed crazy to enjoy what you did for a living, Jeff describes how dangerous he finds this mindset and how it can stifle a person’s growth and development. Perhaps one of the most inspiring things to takeaway from listening to Jeff speak is the passion he has for what he does, and his belief that extreme discomfort, always precedes great things.
Speaking of the stories he debunks for those around him, Jeff helps people ‘cut the chain’ to what is holding them back. His passion for helping people and leaders that are willing to improve themselves has enabled him to build The Nischwitz Group, a platform where he helps to transform individuals and organisations ‘one truth at a time’. Jeff’s mission is clear and powerful – to stop people basing their success on stories they’ve been told, and instead encouraging them rewrite their own.
Passionate, motivational, and jam-packed with golden nuggets of advice, this show isn’t one to miss.
On today’s episode, we’re joined by Jamie Peacock MBE, former Rugby League player, motivational speaker and mentor. During his career, he played for the Leeds Rhinos, the Bradford Bulls, captained Great Britain and England at international level, and that’s just a handful of his achievements. In 2011, he was awarded an MBE for services to the game.
From the get-go, Jamie’s motivation shines through. He explains the route he had to take to break through into the first team, and how this was as much to do with his mindset and self-discipline, as his rugby skill – and sometimes even more so. Jamie’s dedication is no doubt a large factor in his continued success, on, and off the pitch.
Now an accomplished motivational speaker and mentor, Jamie’s career and life experience has enabled him to share his knowledge with others, with the focus on making them better. The leadership fundamentals he gained during his time as a captain and team member, and the challenges he faced, have allowed him to build a successful empire, all based around helping others.
In his own words, Jamie overcame a lack of natural “sporting” talent and became one of England’s best captains. His achievements speak volumes and his infectious energy and drive makes him a true pleasure to listen to. The overarching message is to BELIEVE - believe in yourself, play to your strengths, listen and learn from those around you, practice self-discipline, and be patient.
Today we’re joined by Leigh Ashton, CEO and founder of The Sales Consultancy, a business focussed on shifting the way people think and giving them a Sales Growth Mindset.
Casting her mind back to 1985, Leigh explains that as she stepped into a sales role, she felt like she was living a dream come true. The one to one conversations, people she got to meet and businesses she engaged with made her feel as though she was getting ‘paid to chat’ and her passion for sales only grew from here. But so did the frustration with the inconsistent performance of her sales team. Driven to find out what was causing and contributing to these inconsistencies in her team, she became motivated and inspired to find solutions to fix these, and in 1995, The Sales Consultancy was born.
Specialising in mindset, Leigh now shares her expertise and experience with others. She explains that as times have changed, and technology has become such a core part of our lives, that people’s fear often takes over. Back in 1985, people could only compare themselves with their immediate peers, and now we’re able to compare to anyone, anywhere – all via our phones or computers.
Leigh believes her experience of feeling like a failure at times, and learning from the ‘gurus’ around her has allowed her to share her wisdom and learnings with others, to enable them to be better. She tells us that ‘frustration is what happens just before growth’, and that if we don’t let that frustration pull us down, we will benefit from the opportunity to learn something that takes us to the next level.
This episode is powerful beyond measure. Leigh’s passion for helping others, dispelling the myths of ‘sales people’, and sharing her experience has allowed her to create a culture where people ‘have a go’. With a refreshing view on how people should be lead, and a focus on helping people grow, Leigh is a pleasure to listen to.
Today, the fantastic Jennifer Walsh (photographed above with Becki Lammond, podcast producer), innovative thinker, world wanderer and leader in life, joins us for her second time on the show.
Since her last appearance on the show back in 2018, Jennifer has been as busy as ever, and a pandemic wasn’t going to get in her way. Talking about her current projects, including consulting for beauty brands, writing, and appearing on various TV segments, Jennifer speaks about her passion for nature, and how this has translated across into her business.
‘Walk with Walsh’ is an initiative started by Jennifer to get people out and about. The video series features Jennifer and different guests, from CEOs to philanthropists, as they discuss how they’re using nature in all that they do, while also making an effort to protect it. The ‘why’, is Jennifer’s belief that “healthy, positive leadership with an awareness of the importance of nature not only builds healthy teams, but also a strong bottom line, and a healthy thriving community.”
This episode puts a refreshingly positive spin on what’s been a tough time for everyone. Time with, and awareness of nature is something that Jennifer believes is needed now, more than ever. Giving us the opportunity to learn about our surroundings, and exploring our own backyards, is something that has enabled us to learn about and appreciate the eco-systems that surround us.
Listening to Jennifer will leave you feeling motivated to get outside, breathe in fresh air and learn about the nature surrounding us. Her infectious passion, experiences, and portfolio of exciting projects, come together, which makes listening to Jennifer a true joy.
Today, business leader and courageous thinker, Jemma McCarthy joins the show as she tells us about some of the incredible things she has achieved in her lifetime.
As a gifted athlete, professional photographer and community worker (alongside her full time job), it’s a wonder that Jemma finds the time to juggle all that she does. However, as her story unfolds, it’s clear that Jemma believes you have to grab what life has to offer with both hands as she talks about her experiences and how she came to that conclusion.
Following a car accident in 2018, Jemma was recovering at home from a carotid artery dissection, which caused some loss of vision. Not wanting to give up her beloved exercise, her main goal was to get back on her bike. She persevered and when out on her first outside cycle, she was involved in an accident with a van. Some may wonder how Jemma overcame such scary experiences in such a short space of time, but when listening to her talk, it’s clear. Her mindset and self-belief is the key.
When explaining why she’s so positive, Jemma talks about wanting to be a person that helps to make others’ days brighter. She’s a firm believer of being kind, and never forgetting when others have been kind to you. Jemma’s experiences have helped her gain a positive and strong mindset that she shares and passes onto others, to lift them up.
This episode will have you hooked from the offset, and refresh your outlook on life. Get ready for your ‘can-do’ attitude to have a complete overhaul!
Today you’ll hear from Dave Adams, business leader, military veteran, and an individual who made an inspiring comeback when the odds were against him.
Speaking about his time in the military, Dave explains the various forms of leadership he was exposed to during his time in position, and on the battlefield. Understanding, adaptation and overcoming challenges, are all things Dave has harnessed, enabling him to become a successful leader in all areas of his life.
Dave’s experience in the military wasn’t without its challenges, perhaps provoking one of the hardest things for him to confront – his mental health. Speaking candidly with Anthony, Dave takes us through an experience in 2014, when he tragically lost an aircraft and five people, along with it. The emotion surrounding this experience is palpable, and Dave’s honesty around his battles with mental health illness following this incident, even after returning home, is testament to how far he’s come.
The journey on a new career path has been Dave’s opportunity to use the experiences gained from his hardships, to lead and help others. Aged just 16 when he joined the military, a new career may have seemed impossible for some, but in true Dave fashion, he’s made a home for himself in the world of insurance. Alongside this, he was the driving force behind a military resource group within Marsh, a space for people to learn from, and support each other.
This episode is emotional, thought provoking and above all, inspiring. Dave’s strength and resilience in the face of adversity serves as a reminder of the power within all of us.
On this episode, developing leader, Ellie Harrison joins us for an honest discussion around leadership, learning, and the challenges young professionals will face as they climb the career ladder.
Growing up with three brothers, Ellie experienced leadership from a young age. Whether it was fighting for the rights to the TV, or practising sharp negotiation skills, she had the fundamentals of a successful leader engrained, from the get go.
Starting her career as a graduate, Ellie explains the fascination she felt around leadership. That fascination quickly turned to passion for guiding others, being on the front foot, and developing her ideas. During the episode, Ellie discusses various experiences and lessons learned outside of the comfort zone, something she knows well and promotes.
When the organisation Ellie worked within joined the Marsh family, she was told to look at this as a ‘village of opportunity’, and that she did. Describing the ‘Colleague Resource Groups’ available to her as a ‘map’ of the business, Ellie was keen to get involved in these to grow her network and help others.
This episode is a hub of advice and inspiration for people of all ages. Whether you’re a young professional getting started in your career, or you’re established within your sector, Ellie gives a refreshing and important view on growth and leadership. You’ll also hear an optimistic spin on the current situation the world faces, and the ways we can use it to our advantage.
Speaking from the USA, Beth A. Miller joins us on The Roots of Leadership. Founder and CEO of Executive Velocity, an accomplished author and speaker, Beth’s business acumen is one to be admired.
Beginning her career in financial management, Beth founded Executive Velocity in 2006. It has proven a fantastic outlet for her enthusiasm and energy as she assists clients in helping their people thrive. Speaking about her time in executive coaching, Beth tells us about her overall coaching process while explaining the importance of never letting ego get in the way, and always remaining humble throughout life’s journey.
Perhaps one of the most notable points from this interview is Beth’s principle of being a ‘lifetime learner’. Despite her extensive experience and knowledge, she is always on a journey of learning. It’s clear to see how this belief has enabled her to go from strength to strength, helping countless clients, and building a fantastic career along the way.
Beth’s passion for leadership development and succession planning is evident throughout this episode, as she highlights the importance of communication as the ‘cornerstone of leadership’ and the many techniques she uses when coaching clients. She explains that leaders who leave a legacy are those that leave other leaders, creating a culture that develops the people around them.
This episode will leave you motivated, self-aware and ready to learn – don’t miss it.
In today’s episode, Ryan Berman, motivational keynote speaker, author and founder of ‘Courageous’, joins us from San Diego.
In 2019, Ryan founded ‘Courageous’, a movement geared towards reinventing businesses and inspiring leaders. Since then, Ryan has gone from strength to strength and has delivered talks at Google and Snapchat to name just a couple, as well as speaking all over the USA to Csuite, marketing and professional services audiences.
During this episode, Ryan explains his belief that he is doing exactly what he should be doing at this moment in time. Alongside consulting companies to reinvent their tomorrow, and being a ‘digital handyman’, he also finds time to write his books and is already the author of best-seller ‘Return On Courage’.
It doesn’t stop there, as if he’s not busy enough, Ryan is also the founder of ‘Sock Problems’ – an altruistic sock company that strives to “sock” world problems. Each sock design targets a different issue going on in the world and donates 25% of every sale to charity. Ryan’s passion and determination for courageous change is displayed throughout his work and businesses.
This show will inspire you to look within and challenge your beliefs on driving change within your own life. If you’re willing, you’re open.
On today’s episode, Michelle Sims, business leader at Marsh Commercial, joins us to share her story on how to be leaders in all aspects of life, including family.
At 29 years old and preparing for her 30th birthday celebrations, Michelle was in her own words, a ‘chick about town’. Living in a two-bedroom apartment and driving a two-seater sports car, she couldn’t have been further removed from being a parent at that stage in her life. However, when Michelle’s niece and nephew were placed into the care system aged five and seven, she made the courageous decision to adopt them, and became a mum overnight.
As Michelle recalls the various hoops she had to jump through and hurdles she faced, the emotion is palpable. Fourteen years on from their ‘moving in day’, Michelle talks us through the lessons learned and the way her personal and professional leadership has grown and developed. Her dedication to coaching, supporting and nurturing others is clear, as are the experiences that enabled her to be an honest and open leader in all aspects of her life.
Emotional, empowering and inspirational, this episode is not one to miss.
Áine Kerr, teacher-turned-entrepreneur, coach, speaker, advisor and broadcaster, joins us on the Roots of Leadership podcast for an insightful and impactful episode – this is not one to be missed!
Previously the leader of global journalism partnerships at Facebook, Áine wanted to focus on a new form of journalism, and is now the CO-Founder and COO of Kinzen. Kinzen is an organisation that offers content moderation and content engagement solutions with one clear mission – to ensure every individual has confidence in the quality and transparency of the information they consume every day.
Throughout her fantastic career, the common thread is clear, Áine wants to play her part in building sustainable journalism, and journalism that will thrive, for people to understand the world around them and make decisions in their everyday lives. On Kinzen and its ideology, Áine explains the importance of taking a step back and thinking about what she and her business partner would do if they could ‘start again’ knowing what they know now.
While we live through a global pandemic, this episode provides some valuable takeaways. In a fitting sentiment, Áine explains her belief that the only constant in life is change, and the importance of knowing your ‘why’ and purpose. As you listen to this conversation, you’ll ask yourselves powerful questions, thinking about what life you want, and how you might ensure you live a fulfilling one.
In this episode, we’re joined by entrepreneur, James Dawes. Once a frontline police officer in central London, James is now the CEO of Dawes Highway Safety, a company with the safety of vulnerable road users at its heart.
During a heroic 15 year career, James attended multiple road traffic collisions and quickly spotted a glaring gap in the market. He’s now the successful CEO of a company that focuses on making vulnerable road users safe, working alongside former public servicemen and women to serve the community.
James’ dedication and determination for his job and life are reflected in the success he’s achieved. He teaches us the importance of resilience and ensuring you’re able to adapt to your surroundings and circumstances. The lessons he’s learned have enabled him to create a flexible working environment for his workforce which welcomes a positive work-life balance. This includes parents being able to bring their children into work should they need to, working from home, and much more.
This episode will encourage you to be fearless and listen to your instincts; you don’t want to miss it!
In this episode, we sit down for an insightful discussion with former Virgin Media COO, Peter Wilcock.
A successful mentor, author and podcast host, Peter believes that the key to leading people is good communication, and explains how this belief led to the use of analogies throughout his career and eventually within his book, ‘Camel in the Tent’. These analogies lend themselves to be used as a way to understand certain situations or circumstances, and how these can be overcome or viewed with a different perspective.
A father of two girls, Peter’s mission is to teach them not to react to judgement and not to seek approval. This sentiment is something that he carries through his daily life and career, whether it be mentoring or writing, Peter’s beliefs are clear – ‘you are who you are’.
This episode is a fantastic session that proves being out of your comfort zone and facing fear head on, can lead to amazing results.
Originally broadcast in June 2019, this episode highlights the inspirational story of NFL linebacker, Tahir Whitehead. As he entered his eighth year in the NFL, Tahir joined us to discuss the obstacles he’d overcome to become the person he is today.
Growing up in Newark, New Jersey, Tahir was determined not to let his surroundings define him. Motivated and driven, he realised that with the right opportunity he could become the first person in his family to go to college. Attending Temple University, Tahir worked hard to ensure he didn’t become another statistic, tackling important lessons on and off the field.
An Oakland Raiders player when this episode originally aired, Tahir has always been focused on giving back, and was chosen as the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Nominee for his contributions to the community of Oakland in 2019. Alongside this, he’s delivered toys to local hospitals, hosted a 5k to support homeless veterans, and hosted a free youth football camp for five years in his home town, just to name a few.
Now playing for the Carolina Panthers, Tahir is an example of how you can achieve greatness through hard work and determination.
Today on the Roots of Leadership, we bring you Cara-Jane Lynch... from our homes to yours!
Cara-Jane is a life and progress coach. She helps women to re-write negative self-talk, move on from their limiting beliefs, and find their purpose in life... alongside delivering transformational and inspiring workshops to young women.
She believes strongly in the power of choice - you are not at the mercy of your mind or of your life. You are able to choose your friends, your career, your achievements, even your feelings!
In this episode we talk about how to listen to your inner self instead of shutting it up, and how to live a life that makes you happy and fulfilled. We also talk about the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement through Cara-Jane's lived experience as a mixed race woman, and the different ways she has seen family members be treated due solely to the colour of their skin.
This is an incredibly inspiring episode, which will encourage all who listen to it to harness their own power.
If you are interesting in Cara-Jane's 1-2-1 coaching, please visit https://www.carajanecoaching.com/
This episode, originally broadcast in May 2018, tells the incredible transformation story of Sarah Keen Post.
A journey from weighing 200lbs to becoming a fitness professional would be a big undertaking for many people - let alone a mother of five. But Sarah is not 'many people', and her drive knows no bounds.
Overhauling her mental and physical state, she knew that simply 'wanting' to change would not be enough. It would be hard, demanding a great deal of time. She also needed to surround herself with people who supported her mission.
In 2018 we spoke to Sarah about her new venture - a project with MMA to promote a new wellness and nutrition model, The Keen Model of Transformational Evolution (KMTE).
Listen closely to how her transformation and evolution was based on leadership, and began just by adding an “extra step”.
On today's episode of The Roots of Leadership, we are delighted to have the Queen of networking herself, Tracey Smolinski.
Tracey Smolinski is an entrepreneur, investor, and founder of award-winning global business network Introbiz. Introbiz works with a compelling vision – to make an impact on the business community by placing businesses with their target audiences at five-star events and locations. The business network is now one of the most respected in the UK, hosting weekly networking events as well as Wales’ national business exhibition every autumn.
Despite her love for meeting and talking to new people, networking didn't initially come easy for Tracey. Used to the pushy world of sales, Tracey went to her first networking event with a game plan - introduce herself to as many people as possible, and tell them what she and the business she worked for sold.
It didn't work.
With the help of constructive feedback, Tracey learned the difference between sales and networking, and came up with a new game plan. Get them to know you, to like you, to trust you… the business will follow.
In this episode, Tracey lays out a framework for efficient networking, based on her experiences creating Introbiz. Grab a pen and paper for this one!
This episode was originally shared in March 2018, and was the second ever Roots of Leadership episode.
In this show, Anthony is joined by Chantal Raineri, top-selling insurance business woman. The Italian-born wife and mother of two is living proof that you can have fun and be successful at any age in your profession. Chantal’s authenticity and tenacity guided her through both the good and bad in her life. She discusses the factors that led to her success, whilst also discussing the biggest challenges that she continually sets before herself. If her life has taught her anything, it is that past experiences do not define your future. Your future is what you make it out to be. Chantal continues to prove that her own personal brand is more valuable than any sales commission.
Alidor Gaspar - known by his stage name A Star - has overcome a lot in his life.
Growing up in the east end of London, in a community surrounded by gang violence, poverty, and crime, it may have seemed to some like Ali's path was set for him. As he explains to us, gang violence is a cycle - an endless circle of young teens being pulled into gangs, seeing their friends get hurt and even die to protect what they feel is their identity, doing what they can to fight for the block they grew up on. A mindset passed from generation to generation. Some people make it out, many don't - but what does it take for a person to re-write their path? To change the story people expect them to read from?
Through his passion for grime music, and the chance to express himself through music, Ali created a better life for himself and for others. Sharing his experiences with sickle cell anaemia is a big focus - recent statistics show that only 1% of black people in the UK donate blood. For someone like Ali who needs regular blood transfusions due to his illness, having blood available is life or death. Ethnicity plays a big role in precisely matching blood to patients - 'Ro' is a blood sub-type more common in people of African/Caribbean descent, and the need for it in transfusions has increased by 75% since 2014. However, only around 2 per cent of donors have this rare sub-type.
This is an eye opening and inspirational episode, which we know you will learn a lot from.
Originally released in May 2019, this episode talks about what it's like to be a carer for an unwell relative, and how that turned into a powerful mission to help other carers for one amazing woman.
At 9 years old, Lindsay Jurist-Rosner became a caregiver for her mother when she was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. While caring for her mother for over 25 years, Lindsay became obsessed with the topic. 66 million Americans take care of ageing, chronically ill, or disabled loved ones, and Lindsay created a company to help take the pressure off of them. Lindsay is the CEO for Wellthy, a mission driven organisation, which provides support and expertise for caregivers and their loved ones.
While building Wellthy from the ground up, Lindsay realised sales skills were vital to the company’s success. Her best advice for entrepreneurs is to make sure they know how to sell and pitch ideas, concepts, and products. Although sales can have a negative connotation, leaders are constantly selling. Whether Lindsay is selling the concept of Wellthy to potential investors, selling products to potential customers, or selling the mission of the company to potential team members, Lindsay incorporates her passion into sales. Lindsay also encourages listeners to empathise with their audiences and think about what they are looking for and how to meet their needs.
From one caregiver to another, Lindsay shares advice for those who tend to put the weight of the world on their shoulders. It is important to put your own needs first. Do not feel like you are being selfish. Even Lindsay had to have the hard conversation with her mum about moving out of the house. Lindsay explained how her decision to move out helped her to regain the mother/daughter relationship, instead of only serving as her mum’s aide. Women tend to take on the role of caregiver, and it is important for their families to also remember to step in and help take some pressure off of them. Lindsay hopes to instil the idea of delegating tasks in order to share responsibilities with others and not carry the burden of caregiver alone.
Using the mission of the company as their driving factor, Wellthy has a built in culture and their workforce is truly one big family. Many of Wellthy’s founding team members never worked in health care, including Lindsay, but they all have a personal connection to the mission. In forming the company, they used their passion for the topic to help them research and develop a way to create a better healthcare experience. Wellthy was founded on a completely different approach from the standard health care system and was launched direct to consumer, with the position of being a family first service. Now, Wellthy services are also offered as an employee benefit to help organisations address the care-giving crisis, which has previously been widely ignored. Being a tech powered company, Wellthy is able to deliver consistent service across the country. Every day, Wellthy team members are excited to set out to develop an experience for families to provide what the family may need.
To learn more about Wellthy’s mission, products, and services, visit their website: www.wellthy.com.
Today's ground-breaking episode involves an extremely important, yet often overlooked aspect of intimate partner violence - economic abuse. Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs is the founder and CEO of charity Surviving Economic Abuse, and we are honoured to have her on the show to talk about her incredible - and vital - work.
Domestic abuse can take many forms. Some aspects of this are well-known and recognised, such as physical violence and verbal abuse. However, a very damaging form of domestic abuse is economic abuse, where an abuser restricts how their partner acquires, uses, and maintains money and economic resources. They may prevent their partner from being in education or employment, take their pay, control their bank accounts, control how and when money is spent, or build up debt in their partner's name.
Economic abuse is almost always carried out by a male abuser against a female victim. Economic abuse can reinforce or create economic instability. In this way, it limits women’s choices and ability to access safety. Lack of access to economic resources can result in women staying with an abusive partner for longer than they would like and experiencing more harm as a result.
The impact of economic abuse makes rebuilding lives challenging. Many women leave with nothing – having no money even for essentials – and have to start again from scratch.
In this episode, Dr Nicola talks to us about why she started Surviving Economic Abuse, the work the charity does, and the impact they have on the lives of survivors.
The importance of this episode cannot be overstated.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, please know that support is available to you. Resources, including organisations that can support you, can be found at https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/resources/.
'At HiyaCar, we actually don't have goals, we don't have targets. We'll have a direction of doing good things, but not a target'.
Often on this podcast, we'll talk to people about the goals they set for themselves - both professionally and personally - and what about them as a person makes achieving those goals possible. Rob Larmour, and his company HiyaCar, is a different kettle of fish.
HiyaCar is a company that has no targets, no financial goals, and got its £2.2 million of financial backing from crowd-sourcing. Founded by Rob and his business partner Graeme in 2016, HiyaCar is described as the 'Airbnb of cars'. It aims to make car ownership more economical and environmentally friendly through peer-to-peer car sharing.
Rob's leadership style is calm and collected. He understands that having a 'number' to hit won't motivate his team. He focuses on doing the right thing, over pushing people to achieve arbitrary figures.
This episode is unusual, inspiring, and thought-provoking. We can't wait for you to hear it.
For many people, the new year bring new ideas. New beginnings. A new chance to think of what you want for your future.
In this episode from October 2018, we sat down with serial entrepreneur Barry Beck. Barry, the co-founder Bluemercury Inc., started his first business at as a child, shovelling snow in his Philadelphia neighbourhood. His entrepreneurial spirit was encouraged by his father, who told him that he could be "anything, as long as he owns it”.
Before starting Bluemercury with his wife Marla, Barry already had three successful business ventures under his belt. 20 years on, Bluemercury is credited with putting a dent in the cosmetic universe and disrupting mainstream retail! Macy’s has since acquired the company, and lends its resources to the innovative retailer.
Barry credits his personal board of directors for challenging him to strive for 'more'. He explains that he always had a drive to succeed and thinks his leadership and entrepreneurial qualities are a mix of both nature and nurture. During this episode of the Roots of Leadership, Barry discusses the most important characteristics of a leader, when the best business decisions are made, and also shares some advice he received from Bill Gates before starting Bluemercury.
For our first episode of the new decade, we are delighted to bring you Alistair Fraser, the UK CEO for Marsh Corporate.
Alistair is a true citizen of the globe, having held positions in the UK, Singapore, and Indonesia. When asked to move across the world with 2 very young children in tow, many would have said no. Alistair, however, immediately packed his bags for adventure. As he explains in the show, 'you can always go back home'!
This is a fascinating episode in which Alistair lays out the road map to achieving success. A big theme for this is community - how we interact with others, how we appreciate diversity of person and of thought, and the importance of knowing that you're different - but that doesn't mean you're better.
Another great theme of this show is legacy. We don't own our space in humanity or in our career. We merely rent it, and our job is make that space better for the next person. This drive for improvement and for making the world better than you found it is what makes Alistair such an inspiring leader. What an honour it was to have him on the show!
As we enter the festive season, this episode from August 2018 feels more and more relevant. With his 10-year-old co-host (and granddaughter!) Ainsley Jane, Anthony reminds us of the importance of play and imagination.
Through her love of Frozen and memories of building sandcastles with “Wolvie”, Ainsley’s perspective is vital to understanding not only the key leadership points that childlike wonder has to teach us, but also the importance of retaining our creativity, curiosity, and determination. How can we tap back into those childlike lessons of leadership? The ones that come so intuitively to us as kids, but that we lose sight of as we enter adulthood?
As Jim Henson once said, “the most sophisticated people I know — inside they are all children”.
Happy Holidays, and have a wonderful New Year.
It’s normal for our guests on this show to have inspiring stories to tell, but this one is nothing short of incredible.
Nabil Mankarious landed in the UK in 1987, with only a small amount of cash in his pocket, and a plan to provide for his family back in Egypt. Whilst working in a fruit and vegetable market in his spare time, a small opportunity to exceed expectations started Nabil down his path to leadership; a journey that would take him to senior management, starting his own successful business, and becoming a brilliant example of a leader who puts others first.
This is not a story of luck or of handouts. This is a story of hard work, dedication, and one man’s mission to make his mother happy.
Nabil Mankarious is the managing director of The Fulham Shore Plc, overseeing specialist restaurants Franco Manca, and The Real Greek. We are beyond honoured to share his words of wisdom.
Each month, we will be delving back through the archives of the Roots of Leadership, to bring you one of our favourite episodes from the past.
This episode was originally released to commemorate the 1-year anniversary of the Roots of Leadership Podcast. Bringing together some of the ideas presented by guests over 12 months’ prior, Anthony talks about being comfortable with discomfort, and about finding your “edge” of risk. Do you go about the same routine every day, staring at your screens, spending hours of your life in ways that don’t actively help you grow and develop?
This episode asks you to think about where you can take a leap in life. How you can defy the odds, how you can define your way to greatness. You can live in the moment you stand in right now, and learn to win in that moment. Do not make excuses for what has happened in your past, and do not make excuses to prevent what could happen in your future. It’s time for you to find the edge – of risk, of reward, and of greatness.
In this episode of The Roots of Leadership, we talk to Chris Lay - CEO of Marsh UK and Ireland. Throughout his 30-year career with Marsh, Chris has held a variety of senior leadership positions across the globe - including CEO roles in the UK, Middle East, Eastern Europe, Russia, the Nordics, and Canada.
Energised by those around him, Chris is a brilliant advocate for teamwork and for humility. Becoming a great leader isn't something you can do just by yourself - we need the support and help of others. Chris hasn't forgotten this, and talks us through his enthusiasm for working with young graduates, and helping them on their leadership journeys too.
Anthony and Chris also discuss the importance of making things better: how you leave your space - both in humanity and in your career - better for the next person, so they can go even further than you did? Covering the importance of good pressure, attention to detail, and having deep respect for the things you have and the people you know; this is an episode jam-packed with tips and tricks for success, that we know you'll love!
Each month, we will be delving back through the archives of the Roots of Leadership, to bring you one of our favourite episodes from the past.
In this episode from April 2018, Anthony and guest Zara Lone explored how generational diversity and integration could be the foundation for greatness. They discussed the danger of attaching labels and of the fear of change, as well as offering great solutions for working together - regardless of change.
As relevant now as it was 18 months ago, this episode celebrates the talents of humanity, and the differences which make us better together.
Welcome to the first UK-based episode of the Roots of Leadership!
In this episode, Anthony is joined by one of his new colleagues at Jelf, Anna Frost. Alongside her role as a Digital Marketing Assistant, Anna is also a pole dance instructor, teaching people of all backgrounds how to love and look after themselves through movement.
When we think of learning about leadership – and the qualities it requires – we often look only towards the people already at the ‘top’. We talk to CEOs, to company directors or founders. But the truth is that great leaders are made, not born – and they can be found at any rung of the career ladder. Talking to a guest at the beginning of their leadership journey can give us new insight into what the word really means, as well as a look into the future of how businesses will be run.
During the course of this episode, we talk about what it means to be fearless, how to let the ‘fires’ in your life forge who you are, the importance of being a defender of others, and the rights that people deserve – regardless of their lot in life. Together, we can all learn to ‘live life as a movement’.
As a professor of literature and film, Dr. Marni Gauthier took a facilitative approach to learning. She met her students where they were, understood what they brought to the table, and knew where they needed
As a professor of literature and film, Dr. Marni Gauthier took a facilitative approach to learning. She met her students where they were, understood what they brought to the table, and knew where they needed to go. Marni aligned her students’ needs with the goals of the curriculum and university in order to facilitate them on their journey. Her goal as a professor and now as a leadership coach are one in the same: to empower others and set them up for success.
Marni founded Four Site Leadership in 2012. Since then she has developed a set of programs that create a holistic approach to leadership development. Marni defines Holistic Leadership as inner growth for outer impact. She teaches a holistic approach to life and work by connecting individuals to their unique purpose. She works with her clients to help them find why they are here in the world and what they are here to do. Marni has found a systems approach to the self as well as those we are leading make good leaders great.
One-on-one coaching allows Marni to have a special connection with each client. The unique difference from group training is innate in that we as humans are wired for relationships. Witnessing and facilitating clients identify and break through patterns which had limited them previously gives Marni energy to keep doing what she loves. Her leadership retreats are also spectacular and focus on specific topics. The first job of a leader is to get a clear understanding of what the current state of the company is and then establish the desired future state. Exercises at the retreats are both individual and collaborative and include reflection time and visualizations. After tapping into the current reality and future vision, strategy and action can come into play. Every time Marni is able to observe a leader close the gap between current and future state she honored and filled with joy.
Marni is currently working on a new book which explores the crisis of leadership and inter-gender relationships in the workplace. Examples of topics included in this project include: changing your mind about what constitutes male and female qualities. and the idea that the loudest voice in the room no longer wins; instead it is the best listener and collaborator who wins.
To find out more about Marni, her thoughts on leadership, information about her retreats, and more visit: foursiteleadership.com.
On this episode of The Roots of Leadership, two Gruppo’s join forces to give listeners a bounty of information regarding entrepreneurship, business success and secrets about the recruitment process. Anthony is joined by his cousin, Danielle Gruppo, who is the CEO and founder of InternAlliance.
After 25 years in human resources, Danielle saw gaps and issues within the recruitment process. She founded InternAlliance as a platform to connect college students directly with employers. With a team she developed a patented algorithm that matches students job skills with job postings. Danielle also built the platform with the recruiters in mind so they can focus more on whether the candidate will fit into the company culture. Danielle advises candidates to also consider the companies culture before accepting a job offer. It is so important for long term success for applicants make sure the companies mission, policies and ethics match with your ideals.
Danielle shares so many important secrets and tips, not only for young professionals just out of college, but general advice for everyone to grow personally and professionally. Some of the areas that Danielle and Anthony discuss include: marketing yourself and your brand, never stop learning, do what you love, don’t forget the basics, and so much more.
Check out Danielle’s book: Recruiter Secrets to learn more tips to land the job you want.
Dr. Ken Keis is a global authority on behavioral assessment strategies and process and an expert in leadership, purpose and wellness. He is an author, speaker, podcast host and life coach who focuses on holistic living, self-awareness, self-mastery, and Dr. Ken Keis –Live, Lead & Work with Purpose emotional intelligence. As the President and CEO of Consulting Resource Group International, Inc., Dr. Ken believes his purpose in life is to help others live, lead & work with purpose.
At his core, Dr. Ken believes every person is here for a reason and every single person has a contribution to make. Dr. Ken himself spent 6 months with a coach to find his purpose. He even hand wrote over 60 pages of narrative to get a clear direction of his purpose. Before hiring a coach, Dr. Ken grew up on a dairy fam and woke up one morning asking himself, “Would it be okay if I was doing what I am doing now 20 years from now?” The answer was no, and Dr. Ken went on his self-discovery journey to determine what to do next. Driven by the data which states only 13% of the global workforce is engaged in their work, Dr. Ken is motivated to make a difference. Not only are you doing a disservice to your employer if you are unfulfilled working 6-10 hours a day, but you are doing a greater disservice to yourself. Meaning really comes into engaging and doing what you love. Dr. Ken asks you to ask yourself: Can the majority of what I’m doing have an intrinsic meaning? He encourages everyone take responsibility of their life and to find their true purpose and passion.
So many people are confused. They are not willing to do the work to find their purpose or passions. So many people are too busy being busy. Many people have jobs to pay the bills, but are live in fear to change what they are doing. The certainty of misery versus the misery of uncertainty. Sometimes when someone is on a new path, they feel like they constantly have to explain themselves. Dr. Ken encourages you to make the changes best for you. Keep your relationships, but understand you are not going on the same path your loved ones may be on. Seek advice from those who have been in your position before, in your desired field, and those who have “been there and done that”. Do not expect past relationships to continue as your journey goes. You may feel guilty about leaving people behind, but remember you have left them stronger and better. You are on your own journey and you cannot always take everyone with you.
Part of Dr. Ken’s work is to develop the whole person and a person’s whole potential. All of the cogs in the wheel are important as part of the development pathway. Dr. Ken explains how important it is to be a lifetime learner and to not get too focused on certain things. As clarity increases, performance increases. High performers know who they are and where they are going. Dr. Ken helps his clients to create clarity to have them optimize and realize their potential. We all have talent and something valuable to say, find your pathway to say it. If you do not know what your purpose is, then your first purpose is to find your purpose.
As a free gift to the listeners of the Roots of Leadership, Dr. Ken is providing an electronic copy of his newest book: The Quest for Purpose. Please visit: www.kenkeis.com/roots to access the book and begin your journey to live, lead, and work with purpose.
Andrea March is a self-claimed serial entrepreneur. A gifted woman with a mission, her goal is to help bring entrepreneurs like herself together.
After running a jewelry business with her husband, Andrea was watching CNBC and did not understand what they were discussing. As someone who invested her money, Andrea realized there was a need for more information on the topic and founded Investment Expo, the largest financial strategies trade show and seminar program. During one of her trade shows, she met another business woman who had an idea to bring women leaders together. In 2002, Andrea cofounded the Women’s Leadership Exchange. Women’s Leadership Exchange is a social entrepreneurship organization for successful businesswomen. The organizations goal was to fill information gaps and build connections. At the center of the program Women’s Leadership Exchange held conferences that feature leading experts, business coaches and interactive programming in multiple cities across the U.S. Through the Women’s Leadership Exchange, Andrea founded LEXCI, a leadership development program whose aim was to connect professionals with each other. Participants in LEXCI made connection circles and served as advisory boards for one another.
In her current project, Andrea continues to strive to unite women leaders. She will be launching in the Fall of 2019
The “ExchangeWay” platform and app, a new way of doing business, will be accessible from your mobile device and desktop. The ExchangeWay is a global peer supportive community comprised of accomplished women business leaders from diverse industries and professions who are committed to advancing themselves and each other to shift the paradigm of the way women are perceived as leaders in the world. The 24/7 accessibility of the ExchangeWay app will allow its users to communicate, contribute, and collaborate with each other to achieve collective success, sharing the tools, resources and life lessons to take their businesses to the next level. Educate, Empower. Inspire, Share - This is the NEW WOMEN'S NETWORK! It is an unprecedented digital forum to build and strengthen professional networks and it offers an opportunity for women to exchange ideas, challenges & solutions. If you would like to hear more about the “ExchangeWay” please contact Andrea March, amarch@womensleadershipexchange.com.
Throughout this episode of the Roots of Leadership, Andrea shares her strong ideals on the key components of what makes a great leader. For Andrea, it all starts with a clear and articulate vision. To be a successful leader, you must also be an authentic communicator. Another component of a leader that Andrea possess, which makes her a great leader, and which she thinks all leaders need is courage. A leader cannot be afraid to take risks. They need to have steadfastness and not give up, but Andrea acknowledges that leaders must also be flexible. Not giving up does not mean that you have to stick to the same path when you hit a barrier, but using creativity to find another way around it. She believes leaders need to be someone who other people want to follow and represent someone who their colleagues admire, want to be and want other people to understand. Andrea believes that an organization’s culture is created at the top and a leader will exemplify the attributes of the culture they want to create. It is important for leaders to surround themselves with people who believe in their culture, but can also help to broaden it.
Listen for more on this episode of The Roots of Leadership, where Anthony and Andrea address many traits of what makes a great leader, the risk it takes to be an entrepreneur and their thoughts on some of the issues that many companies struggle with today.
Anthony sits down with Nicolás Delgado, the regional corporate and sales leader for Marsh Latin America and Caribbean, and Nicolás shares multiple gems of wisdom for both personal and professional development and his story builds out a perfect platform for a personal strategic plan. As a lifetime learner, Nicolás’ schooling began in a very unique way. Growing up in Colombia, his parents wanted what was best for him and enrolled him into a very competitive landscape studying under Benedictine monks. The school’s motto was “ora et labora” which means “pray and work”. There were no shortcuts and he learned you must work really hard to make things happen. This drive was imbedded in the way he was raised. Looking back, Nicolás realized the Benedictine monks, along with his parents, were responsible in planting the little seeds inside him to make him the person he is today. During his summers off of school, Nicolás’ father would send him to the US to stay with family and attend summer school. Nicolás dreamed of getting a fulltime educational experience in the US. Before high school started, he asked his father if he could attend high school in the US and his father said no. Then, when it was time to apply for his undergraduate, he applied to schools in the US, but his father influenced him to stay in Colombia. When it came time to enroll for his MBA, promotions and added responsibilities at work kept pushing Nicolás’ dream of education backwards. Once he was ready to apply, the school told him he was now too old and too seasoned to enroll in the graduate program. Nicolás did not let these setbacks stop him from perusing his dreams, instead, he found a program at Northwestern University for executive type graduate students and finally was able to continue his learning journey. Although it was not what he had originally envisioned, Nicolás would not let his dream fail. Nicolás advises others to always have an end goal in mind, and although the plan will get altered, to never give up on the dream. Remember your dreams and ultimately your decisions will affect all of those around you. Be as responsible as possible, but also remember to have fun and enjoy every stage of life while you are in it. As a leader of 11 countries, Nicolás has found although there are many differences in each geographical location, there are commonalities which help us come together. We are all going through this journey of life together. It is important not to forget we are more basic than we think. We have common goals and aspirations and we need to find the purpose of life that motivates us to do things which will be self-satisfying and also deliver for the greater good of the community. Nicolás is a one of a kind leader whose personal story has lead him to success. He is excited for the future, to keep learning and growing and to keep driving forward to leave his mark on the universe.
Dr. Laura Gallaher is an organizational psychologist who is obsessed with the idea of building cultures and organizations from the inside out. She is a speaker, facilitator and executive coach.
At 24 Dr. Gallaher had the opportunity to work at NASA. After the Columbia tragedy, there was an investigation into what went wrong and why lives were lost in the incident. Although much of the report had to do with the technicalities of the incident, there was a large portion of the report which cited the company culture at NASA during the time. Factors in the report stated how the company was designed and how emerging culture faltered to provide an environment where colleagues felt like they could voice their opinions or make suggestions. After a year and a half of identifying key leadership behaviors NASA thought was important, Dr. Gallaher was part of the team hired to help transform the culture and develop leaders to create psychological safety to ensure the best possible decisions were being made for the organization.
Dr. Gallaher currently runs her own company, Gallaher Edge, which is a consultancy that works with small businesses. They primarily work with executive teams to help the team members become more self-aware and practice more self- accountability so executives can truly align, build trust, and collaborate. By helping the leaders of an organization improve, the goal is to have the results cascade through the organization to help improve the overall culture of the organization. She attributes much of her success to those she has surrounded herself with throughout her career. Learning different techniques and skills from her peers and colleagues, Dr. Gallaher has developed a unique skill set which is instrumental in her work and success.
Dr. Gallaher explains how accountability starts are the self-level. Each individual in any given situation or scenario should be asking themselves what have I done to contribute to the situation and what can I do now to create the solution I want. Accountability should always be future focused. Dr. Gallaher has seen many people in organizations think accountability means knowing who to blame when something goes wrong. In an organization where culture creates highly productive, motivated, inspired and engaged employees, accountability cannot become a blaming game where you take a powerless stance. It is natural to have a victim mentality when it comes to accountability because subconsciously we are trying to protect our self-concept. Dr. Gallaher challenges listeners to not think about right and wrong. During situations where you see what someone else is doing and find it fearful to confront them, think in terms of your own experience and what you see and believe and the other person’s experience and what they see and believe. Using self-accountable communication to create and design something together will likely result in the most effective way to solve the problem.
To learn more about Dr. Laura Gallaher and Gallaher’s Edge, visit her website: www.gallaheredge.com.
Going into his 8th year in the NFL, Oakland Raiders defensive linebacker Tahir Whitehead shares his story on what it took to make it to the big stage and what it takes to stay there.
Growing up in Newark, New Jersey, Tahir did not want to become a “product of his environment”. Newark is generally associated with crime, violence, and many other typical stereotypes of an inner city. Tahir realized he would not be able to be successful and achieve what he wanted to if he did not make a conscious change. In his junior year of high school, Tahir realized he had the opportunity to become the first person in his family to go to college. Tahir made the decision with the encouragement and support of his mother to switch schools his senior year of high school in order to get a fresh start to focus on bringing up his grades and doing whatever it took to make it to college. He would not let himself become another statistic. Tahir accredits his high school football coach for pushing him and advising him to put his head down and keep grinding when waiting to hear about football scholarships.
With the opportunity to go to Temple University, Tahir’s new teammates and coaches continued to help him excel with important lessons on and off the field. Even though he may not have been the strongest or fastest, Tahir used hard work to continue to thrive. In order to win and achieve greatness, Tahir knew he had to do his 1/11th. In football, each player on the team needs to do their individual jobs and if all 11 players on the field do their one part, they will succeed. In life, Tahir translates the message to make sure he is always giving 100% in each role he plays.
Accountability is a major part of Tahir’s success. Facing the man in the mirror keeps Tahir focused on the job ahead. At the end of the day, he knows if he did all he could to be the best he can be. Taking ownership of his actions is one of the major factors of what makes Tahir a great leader. In life there will always be someone waiting to take your job. In the NFL, it is no different. Every year there is a draft class, players around the league on free agency, and even players on your team all fighting for the starting position. In order to attain the starting position, you cannot take any days off. Tahir explains how you need to go to work every day being the ultimate professional who is constantly grinding and working hard.
With his success, Tahir now has the opportunity to give back. This year he will be hosting his 5th annual youth football camp. Instead of just going through football drills, this year Tahir also wants to enlighten Newark youth on how to succeed and be a professional regardless of the field they aspire to be in. He plans to help bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community, stress the importance of not slacking on schoolwork and grades, how to transition to college, and how to carry and conduct yourself throughout life.
Tahir has hundreds of tackles in the NFL, but has tackled and continues to tackles thousands of obstacles in life.
Eric Widmondt is the second generation leader of Woodmont Properties. The northeast based development company was built by his father, and now Eric is the CEO and principal leading the organization. Although Woodmont is located primarily in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, they have also branched out to Georgia and Colorado. Servicing the community to cultivate properties where people live, work and play, Woodmont develops the highest end industrial buildings, retail spaces, apartments and housing to provide something which cannot be found elsewhere.
Looking towards his father, Eric learned how to be self-aware, driven, and selfless. Eric is a leader who believes perseverance is one of the best qualities you can have. The key to Woodmont’s success is at the core of their culture and doing things, the “Woodmont Way” - learn from your mistakes to do better and always do the right thing. As the organization grows, Eric has found his role also evolves. Eric wants to build an organization with a successful legacy and continues to empower the managers and colleagues to give them the freedom to drive their own divisions and business. Looking back from when he started working for Woodmont 20 years ago, Eric is now able to be more of a mentor and coach, as opposed to someone driving the day to day operations. He sets the direction and has become a visionary for the organization.
One of the biggest challenges Woodmont leadership faces is for all of their colleagues, in all positions and locations, to feel engrained in their organization’s culture. Eric believes it is important for every colleague to understand they are part of the mission. Woodmont ensures all colleagues have their voice heard. Throughout the year, the Woodmont staff participates in “Start, Stop, Keep”. Each colleague is able to submit an idea for the three categories: what new things they should implement as a company, what is not working and they should stop doing, and what processes they should continue to keep building upon.
Not only does this process aid in colleague investment of the company mission and goals, but the start, stop, keep model is also something Eric uses in his everyday life. Eric is a measured results oriented individual. Every year he sets personal, professional and family goals he monitors on a weekly basis. He evaluates what he is doing right, what he should stop doing, and what new things he can do to allow him to achieve his goals.
Eric believes it is critical for everyone to realize we can improve ourselves daily. Every challenge or setback is actually a learning experience. Woodmont also has a process to reward those who bring up challenges they faced or situations which did not go “the right way”. Woodmont prides itself on the culture of all hands on deck when an issue occurs. Through their collaborative efforts, they are able to figure out the best solution so colleagues can learn from one another and are able to use those solutions to help the organization down the road.
To learn more about Eric’s work and Woodmont Properties, visit their websites: www.woodmontproperties.com.
At 9 years old, Lindsay Jurist-Rosner became a caregiver for her mother when she was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. While caring for her mother for over 25 years, Lindsay became obsessed with the topic. 66 million Americans take care of aging, chronically ill, or disabled loved ones, and Lindsay created a company to help take the pressure off of them. Lindsay is the CEO for Wellthy, a mission driven organization, which provides support and expertise for caregivers and their loved ones.
While building Wellthy from the ground up, Lindsay realized sales skills were vital to the company’s success. Her best advice for entrepreneurs is to make sure they know how to sell and pitch ideas, concepts, and products. Although sales can have a negative connotation, leaders are constantly selling. Whether Lindsay is selling the concept of Wellthy to potential investors, selling products to potential customers, or selling the mission of the company to potential team members, Lindsay incorporates her passion into sales. Lindsay also encourages listeners to empathize with their audiences and think about what they are looking for and how to meet their needs.
From one caregiver to another, Lindsay shares advice for those who tend to put the weight of the world on their shoulders. It is important to put your own needs first. Do not feel like you are being selfish. Even Lindsay had to have the hard conversation with her mom about moving out of the house. Lindsay explained how her decision to move out helped her to regain the mother/daughter relationship, instead of only serving as her mom’s aide. Women tend to take on the role of caregiver, and it is important for their families to also remember to step in and help take some pressure off of them. Lindsay hopes to instill the idea of delegating tasks in order to share responsibilities with others and not carry the burden of caregiver alone.
Using the mission of the company as their driving factor, Wellthy has a built in culture and their workforce is truly one big family. Many of Wellthy’s founding team members never worked in health care, including Lindsay, but they all have a personal connection to the mission. In forming the company, they used their passion for the topic to help them research and develop a way to create a better healthcare experience. Wellthy was founded on a completely different approach from the standard health care system and was launched direct to consumer, with the position of being a family first service. Now, Wellthy services are also offered as an employee benefit to help organizations address the caregiving crisis, which has previously been widely ignored. Being a tech powered company, Wellthy is able to deliver consistent service across the country. Every day, Wellthy team members are excited to set out to develop an experience for families to provide what the family may need.
To learn more about Wellthy’s mission, products, and services, visit their website: www.wellthy.com.
In his current role with Aetna, Dr. Daniel Knecht leads the team who creates and executes programs which impact the unmet health needs for their members. They work with internal stakeholders and external partners to implement strategies. Currently, the opioid epidemic is at the forefront of the issues Dr. Knecht and his team are trying to help their members tackle.
The opioid epidemic is the biggest health crisis to impact American society. Although it started in the late 1990’s when there was inappropriate marketing of opioids to patients dealing with chronic pain, our society and species has been struggling with opioids for much longer. Hypocrisy, the father of medicine, warned against the duel nature of opioids. In the US, veterans struggled with opioids after the civil war. Research and data have proven opioids are not effective for treating chronic pain. There are many other alternative treatments for chronic pain other than opioids, and Dr. Knecht and his colleagues are helping to bring awareness to these additional pain management options. Dr. Knecht explains how pain started to be looked at as a vital sign, but it is important to understand it is not realistic for human beings to be pain free. The opioid epidemic has been an issue for more than a century, but the unprecedented crisis is currently worse than it has ever been.
All walks of life are effected by opioid use disorder. Dr. Knecht believes as a society we need to start treating this problem as a medical condition, and less as a mental health issue or moral shortcoming. Those who know someone struggling with opioid use disorder may not fully understand the condition or treatment. Education for families, friends and even medical professionals will be key in helping to turn this epidemic around. Over the past two years, Dr. Knecht and his team were able to travel to the areas hardest hit by the epidemic. He will continue to work with local medical professionals to train and educate them on opioid use disorder. Aetna has also implemented the Guardian Angel Program. The program utilized trained medical professionals to call Aetna members who had overdosed to discuss what had happened and how they could help. They were able to connect with, educate, and even book appointments for many members who had suffered from an overdose and were able to aid them in their recovery. Dr. Knecht is excited and hopeful these programs and others will help to increase awareness of opioids and the treatments available.
Listen for more on this epidemic including Aetna’s comprehensive approach to addressing the opioid crisis, how Dr. Knecht believes leaders in organizations can aide colleagues who may be struggling with opioid use disorder, informative understanding of opioid use disorder treatments, and more on the different treatments available to help with chronic pain.
One warm night in Texas Dana Cavalea was a 23-year-old Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the one of the greatest organizations in major league sports. During the 7th inning, the starting pitcher suddenly pulled his hamstring, and ended a no hitter start on the mound. The next morning, Dana had a meeting with executives that would change his life. He accepted the position to become the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the New York Yankees.
Although he was young, Dana had been working with the organization for many years, and even as an intern, he built up relationships with the players. While working for free, Dana knew he had nothing to lose. He would approach players as they entered the weight room and knew that the worst thing someone could say is no and that eventually someone would say yes and give him a chance. Dana admits that when he was starting out, he was underqualified and did not quiet have the science background for the role. However, he built a skill set about a new conditioning concept and used that to gain valuable trust and respect from not only the players, but also other staff members. He used the internship opportunity to show his passion and potential to the organization, which eventually led him to the head role, which he had for 12 years.
Throughout his career as a strength and conditioning coach, Dana spent time with some of the world’s greatest athletes. Dana learned that champions follow a simple and consistent routine that is paramount in their success. The greatest performers were also relaxed and comfortable in their own skin and were able to always play offensive in their careers and lives. The greatest athletes knew who they were, what they were really good at and what they needed to do in order to remain really good at it. In fact, he changed his way of thinking when he realized it was not how much time you spent at the job, but the productivity level you have while there. He came to realize that everyone’s routine may be different, but those who had consistent routines generally outlasted those who were always looking for the next method to improve. To Dana, greatness is defined as showing up every day and being consistent and achieving. As time passes, and you prove that you are achieving consistently, you will be considered great. Dana has used his knowledge and insight from his work to write “Habits of a Champion: Nobody Becomes a Champion by Accident.” In the book, he shares 15 lessons of what it takes to become a champion.
Coach Dana Cavalea is now an executive leadership coach and speaker and teaches the philosophies to help make individuals successful in the many facets of their lives. To learn more about Dana, his work, ideals and background visit his website: www.danacavalea.com.
A self-proclaimed story teller, Michelle McCloskey, shares her path to success on the podcast today. Michelle is the President of the America’s Man Group and the President of Man Group FRM. Her role is to be the senior representative for the executive committee in North America. The London based investment management firm oversees over 114 billion dollars, over 5 different investment engines.
Michelle’s story starts in Texas as the 5th generation child of the oil business. Due to her roots, she went to school for engineering and when she graduated at 22, she went to work in the oil fields in Alaska. Her colleagues there advised her that she talked too much to be an engineer, so she began trading natural gas in the physical world when the market became deregulated. The natural gas market propelled Michelle, as it did with many other women, into opportunity galore, and at 24 years old she began transferring into futures trading when it became available. Although it presented challenges, Michelle was confident to succeed in the new opportunity. Over the course of time, she developed so many close relationships with clients that the company decided Michelle’s time and energy would be better facing outward than inward. After over 20 years of sitting behind a screen trading, Michelle now spends her days interacting with other to represent the firm. She uses her skills and knowledge to communicate with clients and colleagues to find true collaboration to help them grow.
Many of the jobs that Michelle has held, she was the only woman in the room. Michelle was able to find ways to adapt to make sure she stayed in the game. She advises listeners to try not to be intimidated and not to let yourself get told no. Find a way to get yourself to the table and show that you can carry your weight and you will prove yourself and achieve. Michelle used her network of peers to learn from and relied on them for support through her challenges. Whenever a new opportunity presents itself, Michelle is not afraid to take the risk. As a calculated risk taker, when a door opens, Michelle has the confidence in herself to try something new and figure it out along the way. An inspirational leader, Michelle has the opportunity to craft and shape the team around her. She wants to ensure that the environment her staff works in was not the same cut throat environment she had worked in so many time before. She tries to truly cultivate the essence of collaboration, and uses her communication skills to reach those who may have lost the art of communication sitting behind a screen. Michelle’s leadership style is one of caring about all of those around her, and she is excited to see where her story will go next.
For more about Michelle’s work with the Man Group and the Man Group FRM, visit their website: www.man.com and to learn more about Michelle’s story, connect with her on LinkedIn.
After one full year of The Roots of Leadership podcasts, I would like to share with you some of the things we have learned together: what we have learned from our guests, what we have learned from you the listeners, and how our experiences have come together. I would like to thank each one of our guests for having a major impact on me. To you, our listeners, thank you for making me think a great deal about the questions you have sent in through social media. You have all helped me form and adapt my way of thinking. I would also like to thank my Roots of Leadership colleagues who were not in the media business a year ago and had to find the ability to remake themselves in a new industry. Our team is committed to continue to put the best possible guests we can out there for you to listen and learn from. I thank you so much for supporting the vision we had a year ago and making the show what it is today, and continuing to support us as we continue to deliver the messages, innovations, and concepts from The Roots of Leadership guests. Tens of thousands of listeners, countless words of encouragement, and incredible guest suggestions, you helped me build this platform. You helped me build this show.
During this episode of the Roots of Leadership, I would like you to ask yourself what area you can stretch yourself into that would be new, different, and a bit uncomfortable. All of the leaders on this show did not start out on top. Today’s podcast is about finding an uncomfortable spot to create even more comfort for yourself and those you care about. Think for a moment about you. What is the edge of your risk? Are you going about your routine every day, looking at your devices, spending hours in areas that do not help you grow, but perhaps only help you spend time? Where can you spend time looking for the edge? Look for the edge that should be a little uncomfortable. Define your edge of risk.
You can defy the odds. You can define your way to greatness. You can be a force of one. You can live in the moment where you stand right now and learn to win in that moment. Be an individual of great courage. Inspiration is the intersection of difficult with the belief that you can do it. Do not make excuses for what has happened in your past and do not make excuses to prevent what could happen in your future. You can create best practices for achieving successful outcomes in your life. What are you prepared to do to help yourself build the edge of greatness?
Chetan Dube, the CEO of IPsoft Inc, goes one on one with Anthony to discuss the future of the workforce and how technology will change how we think and work. IPsoft is the largest privately owned artificial intelligence company. Chetan started his company after a question began to haunt him – “Can machines think?” His goal is to have machines come together with carbon forms to create a more efficient planet. IPsoft has already created technology that is changing the way companies interact with their customers. They have created the most human-like robot named Amelia, who is already utilized by some of the biggest corporations in the world.
However, new technology comes with fear. Some fear that we may not be able to distinguish carbon life forms from androids. Colleagues in the workforce fear that machines and technology will take their jobs. Leadership fears the cost and risk associated with implementing new technology. Chetan explains how leadership will be redefined in the years to come. The risk of not implementing and utilizing technology is greater than the risk of adapting to the changes technology will bring to the workforce. Technology will change the landscape of the workforce and it is not a matter of if it will change, but when and how it will change. This technological revolution took 1/5th of the time of the first economic evolution. Chetan’s one fear is that the masses will not be ready for the speed of the revolution. It is extremely important for leaders to align their business models with the changes that technology will bring, and to wake up the masses. Leaders need to prepare their workforce to understand that this technology is here to help them. It will open up colleagues’ time to new creative thinking and problem solving, and their roles will be redefined, giving thought back to the people who lost it to task.
With the changes that new technology will bring to the workforce, Chetan is hopeful and energized with the thought that the future will be filled with more imaginative and creative thinking. For the first 10 years of the company’s existence, IPsoft’s staff focused all of their efforts on researching and learning as much about the human brain as possible, not even writing a single line of code. Chetan sites current research which states the average human uses their creative brain less than 30% of the day, while 70-80% of every day is pulled down by common chores. He is excited to see what kind of human creativity will be unshackled as technology helps to unlock more time to use our creative brains. Humans are at the top of the food chain because of our brain and the new cortex, which allows us to think creatively. Chetan is confident that as technology evolves, human thinking will also evolve with it.
To learn more about Chetan Dube and the IPsoft’s work, visit their website: www.ipsoft.com.
After retiring as a superintendent of a state school district, Dr. Ed Placke got a call from Green Chimneys. At first Ed, who has over 35 years of experience in education, hesitated to take the call, but after 15 seconds of visiting the 160-acre farm, he knew it was the place for him. Green Chimneys educates students with disabilities from ages 5 to 21. The school’s goal is to guide their students across the bridge to adulthood successfully. Throughout this podcast consider how important the lessons at Green Chimneys are for not only the children learning them, but also how important they can be in all careers and how they could be incorporated into everyone’s lives.
Green Chimneys is not your typical “boarding school”. They have over 100 boarders at the school and 150 students who commute. Their goal is to help provide coping skills and strategies so that within 1-2 years the students can move back home and re-enter their public school systems. One of the driving factors for Ed’s work and all of Green Chimneys’ staff is that the employment rate for adults with disabilities is less than 30%, and with the addition of behavioral or psychiatric issues, the employment rate drops down to single digits. Through research with schools, companies and agencies, Green Chimneys found that the primary reason people lose their jobs is that they lack soft skills. On campus, Green Chimneys makes sure to teach their students how to work with their peers, important communication skills and how to be active listeners.
Utilizing standard classroom learning and working to care for the over 300 animals on the farm, students learn academic, social, emotional and many more necessary skills to help them succeed. Each student who comes to Green Chimneys represents the spectrum of humanity. Youngsters come with a variety of different skills and the staff’s focus is to capitalize on each child’s strengths and to extinguish their weaker skills. Each student also has their own individualized education plan with particular goals and outcomes regarding more than just their academic experience. A team of staffers reviews the students’ progress and goals each quarter to make sure that Green Chimneys continues to guide the children on the path to success.
Early in his career as an administrator, Ed thought that he needed to bring the energy and focus to the job in order to lead. However, over time Ed realized that was not a way to create a sustainable team environment. Now, Ed tries to cultivate each team members’ confidence and independence by developing an organization where accountability, communication and high energy for each member is key. Although one of his challenges is still learning how to balance when to let his staff take control of a situation and when he needs to step in and make decisions, he remains extremely passionate about his work at Green Chimneys. Ed spends 10-15 hours a day working, but it helps that he also lives on campus.
As a former special education teacher, Dr. Ed Placke knows that his job it to help each of his students. One of Ed’s greatest joys is when they release a bird of prey when a student completes their educational program at Green Chimneys. Ed has learned throughout his career that the skills these students bring to the table far outweigh any needs they may have. He is motivated every day to work with the students to help each child develop across the bridge to adulthood and have a successful life, one soul at a time.
Learn more about the mission of Green Chimneys https://www.greenchimneys.org/.
Cristina Vigilante is an impressive young leader who is responsible for the global sales operations for Marsh. Cristina has just accepted a new role as the Head of Sales for Asia and is relocating to Singapore in that capacity. Within her role, Cristina sets strategy and vision in terms of the planning and execution for growth. She implements client engagement strategies and enables the sales force with the tools that allow her colleagues to access the strategies and utilize them. She also sees where outpaced opportunities are for growth and how the company can go after them using analytics and insights about the business. Even with all of these responsibilities, Cristina drives to improve herself and improve the jobs and lives of those around her. Cristina uses trust to build relationships with her clients and colleagues. Trust is key to let those you work with know that you are reliable and that you will deliver good results. Cristina has found that all over the world, trust is a foundational principal based on positive predictability that is attached to your character and personal brand. Through building trust, Cristina has also found opportunities.
Another contributing factor to Cristina’s success are two principles she learned at a very young age as a musician. For the majority of her life, while Cristina studied music she was taught discipline and rigor. She defines rigor as the willingness to take something that is difficult and complex in some way and break it down to its most functional, simplest elements. After learning and understanding those broken down elements, you need to build them back up slowly and eventually reconstruct them. This process must be done over and over again in order to create mastery. The discipline and rigor it takes to learn something new will lead to the mastery of a new skill or concept. Cristina also believes that one of the most important characteristics in a person is persistence. She notes that while you are on the road to mastery there will be speed bumps and challenges that need to be overcome. If you are of the mindset that you want to lean into the challenges and view them as opportunities to grow, you will become stronger and build confidence in yourself and your subject matter.
Driven by her need to be connected to a bigger and stronger purpose, Cristina aspires to be remembered as a great leader. She wants to be known as someone who, through her own actions and examples, influenced others around her to be the best versions of themselves. At the end of the day to fulfill Cristina personally and professionally, her goal is to inspire others to take ownership of themselves, take control of themselves and to develop them into their best selves.
Listen for more throughout the podcast on why this great leader does not acknowledge fear, how Cristina’s mentors have influenced her to think, and how she feels about having to let go of people who have been barriers to her success.
Today’s podcast guest brings humor and personality that will keep you truly entertained as he illuminates his journey to success. As a “true renaissance man” Rupert Holmes’ list of accomplishments is endless. He is a mystery novelist, playwright, composer, arranger, screen writer, conductor, singer, song writer and as Anthony notes, a gifted leader.
Rupert Holmes is a man of many faculties and many stories.
With over 50 years in show business, Rupert explains how it took him 10 years to become an overnight success. Rupert’s journey started at age 17 when he wanted to become a song writer. He found a quote attributed to Calvin Coolidge and taped it to his daily appointment book. It read, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” To this day, Rupert lives by those words. He explains that you cannot wait for success to come to you. You must apply yourself. It is your responsibility to find out who your audience is and what you have to say to them.
However, with great success also comes great feats that you must overcome. Rupert had the number one record in the US called “Escape”, which many refer to as the Pina Colada song. Three years after the song was number one, he found himself in a shopping mall in West Virginia singing his hit next to an escalator with a high school garage band that he had met minutes before the event. In that moment he thought about how low of a point it was in his career and how he did not want to make this his new life or his new normal. Rupert persisted and an opportunity arose when he was doing a comedic musical act in a nightclub and a guest in the audience happened to be the producer of A Chorus Line. After the show, the legendary producer went backstage and suggested that Rupert write for theater. For the next two years, Rupert spent his time writing his first play, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The play became a hit, and Rupert explains that throughout his career most of his opportunities came from places he least expected them. He also suggests taking every opportunity you can. You never know which project you will be working on that will be ground breaking, so it is imperative to put all of your efforts into making the project the best you possibly can. It is also important to use, as Rupert calls it “the power of negative thinking.” Think about what you would do if something in the project does not go right and make a plan for every outcome.
As a wealth of knowledge and experience, Rupert is always pushing himself to learn and do more. Learning on the job is an important function that has helped him to become so successful. He also knows how important it is to learn from others. Rupert expands this statement by explaining that the work relationships that you form over time are also significant in your success. Never exploit your relationships and continue to form honest and sincere relationships where you want to help others. Never think of other people as stepping stones to boost you. Rupert wants other to know that you should also always maintain the relationships you have created even after you are done working on a particular project. Even though it is difficult to form relationships with everyone you work with, it is your responsibility to find the humanity in everyone. Rupert suggests honesty for those who may be difficult to work with that you feel has armor that cannot be broken. Do not be afraid to tell the truth, but do it kindly.
Rupert Holmes is a man of great wisdom and renowned success and enjoys sharing his secrets for how he got there. To learn more about Rupert and what is coming next, visit his website: www.rupertholmes.com.
This podcast guest has so much wisdom to share that during the course of the discussion, Anthony even finds himself changing perspective. Michelle Sartain knows how to succeed and she uses her skills and knowledge to help others succeed as well. Throughout the podcast, Michelle gives valuable insight on a platform for a true leader.
As the US Sales Leader for Marsh, Michelle is responsible for growth, retention, innovation, client service, and guiding sales strategy across the United States. Although there are a lot of responsibilities that come with being a national sales leader, Michelle feels as though she grew into her roll and that each opportunity she had previously helped her to develop the skills for her current position. Throughout her 21 year career in the insurance industry, she faced numerous challenges. Michelle recalls one specific example of when she was taken out of a role that she thought she was doing well at. The company had decided to hire from outside the company to fill the role and only after she did some soul searching and stepped away from the challenge, that she was able to realize that her ego was really at the root of what caused her to be so shaken by the decision. Now, she looks back at that moment and is thankful because had she let that “defeat” get the best of her, she would not be where she is today.
If you ask Michelle’s children, her work day consists of a lot of meetings. However, to Michelle her work day is filled with opportunities to connect to colleagues and clients. She believes that the key function of her job is to help others do their job more effectively and loves to spend her time finding opportunities to do so. As a working mom with a demanding job, Anthony asks how she is able to balance her personal life with her work life. For Michelle, work fulfills her and she believes that she is a better mom by being a working mom. She has an amazing support system at home and realizes that tradeoffs need to be made on both professional and personal sides to find a balance. Michelle also acknowledges that there are many things that have to be prioritized and that you have to make choices in order to find the balance.
Michelle is a talented and insightful leader and often has large decisions to make. During the decision making process, she gathers information and perspective from others. She then finds a quiet space to do creative thinking and uses her knowledge and experience to come to the core of the decision she is making. Once she has come to the decision, she explains that it is important to be confident in that decision. Michelle clarifies that she is not a perfectionist and encourages others to be confident in the work that they do by doing the best work that they can and by continuously striving to learn more to become better. According to Michelle, the true definition of a leader is to find opportunity to help to raise the profile of others by giving them the opportunity to bring out the best in themselves.
Listen for more with Michelle including her thoughts on inspiration, how to be open and ready for new opportunities, and her idea of personal strategic plans that has Anthony taking coaching from Michelle.
Check out more from Anthony and Michelle in the blog they co-authored: https://marshmclennanagency.wordpress.com/2019/02/08/return-on-investment
As the Executive Director of BronxWorks, Eileen Torres knows how to make the most out of her resources. BronxWorks is a non-for-profit agency whose mission is to help individuals and families improve their economic and social wellbeing. The south Bronx based organization touches the lives of over 45,000 individuals and families a year. Throughout its 38 locations with the hard work and dedication of their 900 employees, the agency feeds, shelters, teaches and supports their neighbors to build a stronger community.
Executive Director is a title that Eileen earned after working for 20 years at BronxWorks. Eileen’s goal for her career was always to “do good”. After going to high school in the Bronx, she became the first person in her immediate family to go to college, and went on to law school. She announced to her family that she wanted to work in public interest, and her father tried to persuade her to become an attorney at a firm and just donate money and volunteer her time. Although she did not listen to her father’s advice, she has made him very proud through her career at BronxWorks. Starting off in an Administrative Services role, she helped the organization grow and found her work to always be changing and challenging. Her advice for young professionals is that promotions, for those who want to lead, take time and to be patient. She also advises all to work hard for what you want because the harder you work the more respect you earn.
Although her days are often long and sometimes difficult, she relies on her support system, just as her organization tries to be a support system and build support systems for those utilizing the BronxWorks services. One of Eileen and the organization’s biggest challenges comes from misunderstandings about non-for-profits. Eileen explains that the future for BronxWorks, and organizations like hers, is anxiety ridden and dependent upon government support. In order to support the programs and services that BronxWorks provides to the community, the organization needs the capital to have the infrastructure that all other organizations also have. The funding for the organizations technology, human resources, and finances professionals is often overlooked. They partner with other organizations that can complement their services and always try to stay as true to their mission as possible. Eileen and BronxWorks have to do more with less, but walking through the BronxWorks sites inspires Eileen to keep going and gives her a sense of pride.
Eileen explains that her role is essentially to be the team leader to the organizations staff. Her team is very dedicated to the organizations mission and many being from or living in the Bronx, have a huge connection to the borough. The success of the organization also comes in part from having volunteers give their time to those who are in need. Eileen explains that throughout her career, every person who has volunteered has left saying how rewarding the volunteer experience was. Whether it was reading to kids in an afterschool program or playing pool at a senior center, volunteers leave BronxWorks programs with a sense of fulfilment and Anthony explains how helping others can really energize us. Eileen’s staff keeps her informed of events, so that she can stop in and be reminded of the good that she is working for.
Learn more about BronxWorks and how you can give back or volunteer: http://www.bronxworks.org/
Ed Danberry is a former Army veteran whose never give up attitude and philanthropic outlook on business and life has positioned him into the successful leader that he is today. After a business opportunity introduced Anthony and Ed, Anthony knew that he had to have Ed on the show to discuss Ed’s path to leadership and his ability to connect with others and give back. Ed is the CEO of Group One Investments, LLC. He is also a jack of all trades when it comes to business and has experience in multiple facets including banking, finance, sales, marketing, operations and distribution management.
Throughout his life, he has come across many obstacles, some personal and some professional. At about 40 years old, Ed had to rebuild his career after he was terminated. Shortly after his firing, he found out he had cancer. After going through surgery and treatments, he had to rebuild his life. When Anthony asks how he stayed mentally tough and focused throughout that time and how he continues to do so, Ed explains that “You need to realize that you are the only person in charge of what you do. People can’t hold you back; you can hold yourself back if you put roadblocks in place, but only you can take those roadblocks down and go forward.”
Ed makes it a personal and business mission to help others and to give back. He believes he can make change and takes creative time to think about solutions and create opportunities for others. His company makes an extra effort to try to hire as many veterans as possible. The business also partakes in many philanthropic ventures and has partnerships with not-for-profit organizations. Because so many gave to him, Ed feels as though he should give back to others. He is grateful to have had so many mentors and teachers in his life that helped him become the person he is. One of his role models is Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone whose heroism inspired Ed.
Never shying away from a challenge, Ed is currently writing a new book titled ‘Profit-centered Accounting’. He advises that companies should spend less time focusing on expenses and more time focusing on revenue and where it is coming from. With each new project and endeavor Ed takes on, he uses his business strengths and skills to succeed while doing everything with kindness to help others have the opportunity to succeed as well.
What fulfills you? What are you passionate about? What is success to you? These are examples of what executive leadership coaches Jennifer Davis and Elizabeth McCourt help their clients to define. This episode of the Roots of Leadership is jam packed with leadership secrets and advice from Anthony’s two guests: Jennifer, the founder and CEO of Jennifer Davis Coaching, and Elizabeth, the founder and CEO of the McCourt Leadership Group.
These two successful women have a laundry list of individual achievements. Elizabeth recently released her novel Sin in the Big Easy and Anthony asks her how she balances all of her different adventures. One of Elizabeth’s secrets to keeping balanced is to center all of her efforts on her core beliefs - to make mindful choices, to make meaningful impact, and to exercise resilience in everything she does. Both Elizabeth and Jennifer stepped away from corporate jobs to pursue careers in coaching and leadership development. Jennifer recalls the shifting point in her life, when her family went through a difficult experience and describes it as the first time things did not go her way. While doing some soul searching, she realized that what fulfilled her the most is helping others. She went from being a “mostly recovered workaholic” to becoming a servant leader who coaches her clients seek their maximum fulfillment.
Elizabeth and Jennifer connected on social media and they formed their relationship on the key principal of sharing information. They found similarities sharing that their individual journeys led them to want to work with other people to help them find their joy, passion and energy. The two coaches established a partnership and collaborated to inspire and help one another. They believe it is important to embrace change and motivate their clients to go down unexpected paths. Armed with the deep desire to help others, Jennifer and Elizabeth encourage their clients to define their own versions of success.
For more about Jennifer and Elizabeth, visit their websites:
Jennifer Davis Coaching https://www.jenniferdaviscoaching.com/
McCourt Leadership Group http://mccourtleadership.com/
Two industry leaders go one on one to discuss leadership, company culture and the changes in healthcare. Anthony and Paul Marden, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, New Jersey, give insight for young leaders and entrepreneurs that are imperative for success.
In his first question to Paul, Anthony inquiries about Paul’s earliest leadership memories. Paul recalls his early years in sports and how it took the group to come together to lock in on one goal. He remembers how being named captain meant that his teammates were always watching him and he knew he had to work hard and to do the right thing by being in the right place in the right time. In sports, he found that practice was paramount and understood what it meant to be relied upon as a leader.
From his first experiences of leadership, to now being a leader in a large corporation, Paul uses the same principles to guide his colleagues. Through one of the worst work life experiences, he was relied upon to help turn his organization around. Because he had been working hard and doing the right thing, management knew they could put their faith in him to be a part of the team to rebuild the fallen company.
Now that he spearheads the company’s efforts, he also takes a very active approach on helping to shape the culture. UnitedHealthcare’s tagline is “helping people live healthier lives” and that is what Paul strives to do every day in his work. It is engrained in the company’s culture and his goal is to continue to help improve healthcare by making it more affordable and less complicated. During “unfreezing sessions” managers are called upon to immerse themselves in the company’s culture, which includes learning and living by their values of integrity, compassion, relationships, innovations, and performance. Anthony asks Paul how values shape a team and he explains that whether they realize it or not, leaders have huge shadows. A leader will dictate how the rest of the work force will perform by both direct and indirect cultural development.
Paul encourages young leaders to ask for opinions. He explains that soliciting input from a diverse group of people empowers managers to make a better decision. He also advises to never forget the consumer. Paul emphasizes why it is so important to remember why they buy your product. A good leader is one that has integrity and can be trusted upon to deliver on what they say they will do.
Paul’s leadership is not just for his colleagues. Check out his blog, where he continues to help simplify the understanding of the healthcare system for all: http://paulmarden.blogspot.com/
Legacy. That is what Diversant CEO and founder Gene Waddy has on his mind every day. Gene has lead Diversant into becoming the largest African-American owned IT staffing and solutions firm in the US. From the inspiration of his father, to the motivation of his wife and children, Gene Waddy knows and continues to strive for excellence.
Throughout the podcast with Anthony, Gene continuously references his family and community, the two areas in which his legacy are of the upmost importance to him. Success to Gene is not measured by the typical material goods associated with wealth, but instead Gene measures success by his impact on all of those around him.
Gene’s powerful story about a moment that would seem like a setback to most, was truly the jumping off point for him to create his own destiny and in continuing the creation of his destiny, listen to his significant dreams and plans for the future
Did we help someone today? Is what we do ever enough? Imagine running a corporate culture where answers to these questions determine success. Normally, success is measured on sales revenue, net profit margin, cost of customer acquisition and more. Of course, these metrics matter to the leadership team at Easterseals New Jersey. But for David Dean, he strives to make a difference.
While Dean’s Easterseals journey began 11 years ago, his desire to help others started much earlier. When he walked 10 blocks every day to graduate school in New York City, passing homeless people, he wondered how to put into theological training into practice.
Dean’s story does not end with today’s episode. Discover the full Easterseals story at http://www.easterseals.com/nj/
We are joined with HaKika Dubose-Wise, the nation’s youngest female franchisor, HaKika, aka Kika, is the founder and CEO of Kika Stretch Studio’s. Her business began with a $500 tax return and a never before seen stretching routine creating flexibility while simultaneously reducing tension and increasing circulation. Today, Kika Stretch Studio’s has expanded to 4 locations between New Jersey and New York. She has been recognized in NJBIZ, The New York Times, US News, and more!
Conditions were not easy and sacrifices were made, but Kika, a former professional dancer and actress, learned from her mother, a serial entrepreneur, the value of a strong work ethic. The lessons she learned and shared are proof that fear has now met its match.
Kika will be the first podcast guest returning for a follow-up spotlight with Anthony. If you have questions or comments for either Kika or Anthony, please send them in the comments box.
Until then, check out and connect with Kika and her stretch studios:
http://• http://kikastretchstudios.com/
http://• https://www.instagram.com/kikaiam/
Serial entrepreneur, Barry Beck, sits down with Anthony to discuss his successes and strategies as a leader and innovator. Barry, the Co-Founder and COO of Bluemercury Inc., started his first business at a young age shoveling snow in his Philadelphia neighborhood. He has an innate entrepreneurial spirit that was cultivated when his father told him that “he could be anything as long as he owns it”.
Before starting Bluemercury with his wife Marla, he had three successful previous business ventures. Bluemercury started in an online only platform and pivoted to a combination of a “clicks and bricks” business model when they felt the company was in survival mode. Bluemercury is credited with putting a dent in the cosmetic universe and disrupting mainstream retail. Macy’s has since acquired the company, and lends its resources to the innovative retailer.
Barry credits his personal board of directors – comprised of people with wisdom in different backgrounds who love him and understand him best – for challenging him to strive for more. He explains that he always had a drive to succeed and thinks his leadership and entrepreneurial qualities are a mix of both nature and nurture. During this episode of the Roots of Leadership, Barry discusses the most important characteristics of a leader, when the best business decisions are made, and also shares some advice he received from Bill Gates before starting Bluemercury.
When he was first starting out in his career, Chris Sugden was given a piece of advice that has stuck with him. He was told to “go find work, don’t wait for work to come to you”. This advice complimented with his dad’s instructions from his youth football days to “hit or be hit” has led Chris to live and work with the consciousness that opportunities do not just show up. Now a partner and the Chair of the Investment Committee of Edison Partners, Chris seeks out opportunities to grow new ventures. The east coast-based private equity firm not only pursues partnerships with entrepreneurs, Edison Partners also thrives on developing and coaching their colleagues.
In this podcast, Chris sits down with Anthony to discuss how important mentorship and coaching is in business. Anthony poses the question that if actors, musicians, and athletes all have coaches to continuously learn and improve upon their skills, why wouldn’t there be coaches in the business world too?
Dennis Johnson, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs at the Children's Health Fund, joined us on the latest episode of the Roots of Leadership. The Children’s Health Fund started in 1987 and has grown to support and serve the needs of over 4 million children.
Mr. Johnson sat down with host Anthony C. Gruppo and reflected on his fascination with politics and the healthcare system, the type of skills needed for his position at the Children’s Health Fund, the amazing inspiration from Johnson’s younger peers, and the driving forces behind his success.
The Children’s Health Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting innovative pediatric programs and policies to meet the needs of homeless and disadvantaged children. Read more of their story at https://www.childrenshealthfund.org/.
We are joined with Crystal Kelly, a shining example of someone who believes that anything is possible as long as you have a strong focus, drive, and dedication. Crystal is a motivational speaker, Amazon best-selling author, and a community organizer who started a foundation, Power of your Purse. The story behind all of these achievements showcase Crystal’s passion for personal and professional growth.
Her drive and dedication can be traced far back to her childhood. Conditions were not always the best, but Crystal found that with a supportive family and a never-say-never attitude, we all have the power within us to defy the odds.
Crystals foundation and book can be found through the links below:
Women Who Lead: Extraordinary Women with Extraordinary Achievements: http://: https://www.amazon.com/Women-Who-Lead-Extraordinary-Achievements-ebook/dp/B07BHQ95RF/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1535115753&sr=1-2&keywords=Women+Who+Lead
The Greek word ethos means the character that best describes a person(s) values. When listening to today’s episode, we understand the ethos/values that made AETHOS leaders, Keith Kefgen and David Mansbach, hospitality titans. Combined, they have more than 50 years’ experience in the hospitality space, published a book, and have lectured aspiring professionals.
Keith, Dave, and Anthony discuss the essence of great leaders, learning from obstacles, and along the way we pick up three pieces of advice for setting our own personal and strategic goals.
Find out more about AETHOS through http://www.aethoscg.com/.
As Jim Henson once said, “the most sophisticated people I know — inside they are all children” How can we tap back into those childlike lessons of leadership? The ones that come so intuitively to us as kids, but that we lose sight of as we enter adulthood? On today’s podcast, we look back and explore those facets of leadership with our co-host and guest Ainsley, granddaughter of Anthony C. Gruppo.
Ainsley Jane is a kind, curious, and comical 10-year old. Through her love of Frozen and memories of building sandcastles with “Wolvie”, Ainsley’s perspective is vital to understanding not only the key leadership points that childlike wonder has to teach us, but also the universality across age and experience of the Roots of Leadership.
One simple question was all it took to remind Bill Guarinello what keeps him going. Some 45 years ago, after his army career concluded, all he carried was a psychology degree. His parents worried. So Bill’s strong-willed Italian born mother intervened. She waved down their next door neighbor, who was the head of what is now HeartShare Human Services, and secured a job at the nonprofit for her son.
Guarinello still runs the company today through a distinctive leadership style, urging employees to think like managers. While answering tough questions about his day-to-day routine, Bill demonstrates a passion for nonprofits that can turn anyone into a Bill Guarinello fan.
Discover more of Bill’s groundbreaking mission at HeartShare Human Services by clicking, https://www.heartshare.org/about-us/our-mission/
How would you classify someone who started their first business before their 30th birthday, sold it, and can say that business is now part of Amazon’s collection? We’ve run out of adjectives to describe Jennifer Walsh. Oh, and did we mention that Walsh also writes, advises on beauty, and appears on television regularly?
Like most of us, her life’s journey was not planned. She experienced many setbacks, some more personal than others. But through it all, she embraced change and picked up many important life lessons. Now she’s here and eager to share.
If you find yourself walking through the beauty of Central Park, you’re likely to spot Walsh in her latest venture, Walk with Walsh. Walk with Walsh is a walking interview format hosted by Jennifer where her guests discuss what makes a productive leader.
For now Central Park can wait. If you want to see more of Jennifer now, connect with her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BehindTheBrand or on her website at http://walkwithwalsh.com
Author, entrepreneur, speaker, and executive health coach Karen Mayo has a passion for improving the physical and mental health of everyone she meets. Today, she joins her Roots of Leadership co-author Anthony C. Gruppo to discuss how healthy and mindful eating every day can turn things around.
She founded a private health coaching practice specializing in effective diet, and lifestyle changes. Her goal is to increase your confidence in all aspects of life in addition to leading corporate workshops on nutrition and lifestyle for health and vitality.
To Karen, “A leader’s discipline starts at the dinner table before they ever take a seat at the board table.” https://karenmayo.net
Listening to Steve Maneri’s podcast, you would think this is Monday Night Football. After all, where else would you expect to hear a former NFL tight end explaining how he mentally prepares to win a game? As it turns out, Maneri fits perfectly as a guest on The Roots of Leadership. Whether he is strapping on a football helmet at the stadium or adjusting his Windsor Knot tie in front of a mirror, Maneri knows that success comes from following a disciplined playbook.
Anthony takes a special interest in the nonprofit, the Kids Dream Big Foundation, which Steve founded. The foundation mentors kids and teaches them how to build a successful mindset through sports.
Halfway through the episode, Maneri also shares some special advice he picked up from current New England Patriots Quarterback, Tom Brady.
The best way to connect with Maneri is through LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevemaneri/. If you would like to learn more about the Kids Dream Big Foundation, click http://kidsdreambiginc.org/.
George Nashak is the Executive Director for Care for the Homeless (CFH), a New York –based health care and social services organization. Care for the Homeless provides quality healthcare to the most disadvantaged members of society. Building on a background in social services and mental health that stretches over 30 years, George’s mission is to eradicate homelessness. In his words, “we begin from the place we want to end up.”
The stories he shares reveal the passion that has made him a recognized expert in providing services to homeless individuals and families. In this podcast, you’ll also hear what George believes are the two biggest and most important components of a strong leader. George’s courageous leadership style, combined with CFH’s strong staff, could make their mission of solving the homelessness problem a reality.
Anyone who has listened to today’s podcast can discover the complete Care for the Homeless story by clicking Care for the Homeless.
What makes Sarah’s story so powerful is how this mother of five, who weighed 200 pounds at the time her fifth child was born, transformed her physical and mental state into a fitness professional.
She knew that simply wanting to change would not be enough. It would be hard, demanding a great deal of time. She also needed to surround herself with people who supported her mission.
Now her newest venture is a project with MMA to promote a new wellness and nutrition model, The Keen Model of Transformational Evolution (KMTE). This model could change the game as it relates to wellness and healthcare.
Listen closely to how her transformational evolution was based on leadership, and began just by adding an “extra step”.
Today’s podcast is about one thing - challenging yourself to succeed through new ideas. To my listeners, your goal after listening is establishing your own personal board of directors. This is a great leadership strategy and one that has benefitted me personally. This group is completely different than a professional board. A personal board of director’s mission is helping you achieve successful personal outcomes.
We explore the many reasons you should form your personal board as well as the types of people to include and exclude when forming your board. Today is the day to make a bold move. If not now, when? You can do it. I believe in you.
Anthony is joined with Dawn Damatta, former global sports entertainer turned healthcare professional to discuss a variety of leadership topics. As someone who overcame personal and professional barriers, Dawn’s new mindset of embracing change fuels her ambitious spirit. She shares leadership techniques on how to face new challenges.
Dawn contributed to host Anthony Gruppo’s latest book, The Roots of Leadership, and her quotes and insights reflect a desire to create greatness. Dawn believes everyone has the potential to create their own greatness.
Her newfound purpose is helping others experience the best quality of life anyone can have for the remainder of their days.
The last thing Dawn says in today’s Podcast is the first thing we need to keep in our minds.
The Requiem of a Millennial Podcast with Anthony C. Gruppo and Zara Lone explores how generational diversity is the foundation for integrated greatness. Listen as they openly discuss the danger of attaching labels, fear of change while offering solutions to working together regardless of age. This Podcast celebrates the talent of humanity while recognizing the differences which make us better together.
We can all agree that sit-down interviews with CEOs are hard to come by. Anthony Gruppo, CEO of Marsh & McLennan Agency –Northeast, understands that and that’s why Anthony came up with this solution. He will spend today’s podcast interviewing YOU; the listener.
Join in and listen with Anthony as he asks you personal reflective questions designed to help you formulate your personal strategic plan. Having a personal strategic plan will allow you to weld your passion to your potential which ultimately increases your performance.
The ten minutes with Anthony today is the only investment you need to make.
Today, Anthony is joined by Chantal Raineri, top-selling insurance business woman, on the factors that led to her success. The Italian-born wife and mother of two is living proof that you can have fun at any age in your profession. Chantal's authenticity and tenacity guided her through both the good and bad in her life. She discusses the factors that led to her success while also discussing the biggest challenges that she continually sets before herself. If her life has taught her anything, it is that past experiences do not define your future. Your future is what you make it out to be. Chantal continues to prove that her own personal brand is more valuable than any sales commission.
As a CEO, Anthony C. Gruppo believes that the letters CEO do not stand for a Chief Executive Officer. To him, a CEO is a Coach, Entrepreneur, and Owner. This is someone who coaches themselves and others, thinks like an entrepreneur, and acts like an owner. Those skills proceed naturally from a mindset not limited to corporate leaders, but open to all individuals. It starts with a powerful lesson Anthony learned from his father. The lesson grew into self-motivating principles that became the foundation for a book Anthony co-authored called “The Six Degrees of Impact.” The Six Degrees framework is built on leadership, strategic positioning, and four other necessary areas that will help you create a long-term vision and real-life strategies necessary to achieve futuristic goals.