"The more you live in hiddenness and darkness, it doesn't actually protect you or your spouse. It actually puts a wedge between you." Matt Lesser is an experienced business leader with a passion for fostering engaged and productive workplaces. Matt's journey began in a family-owned oil distribution company, where he quickly learned the importance of effective leadership and intentionality in the workplace. Having rebuilt the business from the ground up, Matt moved into private equity,...

"If you want to change culture, you have to change the systems." John Losey is a sought-after coach and consultant that guides leaders in the entrepreneurial community. He is a thought partner and advisor for senior leadership, often working alongside the C-Suite as their outside support. With two decades of experience in organizations of various sizes - from small businesses to large corporations, John has acquired invaluable insights about the importance of having a clear purpose and...

"We all have the responsibility to leave the world a little bit better than we found it." Wendy Steele is a passionate advocate for women’s involvement in philanthropy and the mastermind behind Impact 100 Global. With a background in economics and banking, she has a keen understanding of the importance of financial empowerment and independence for women. During our conversation she talks about realizing that outdated ideas about philanthropy were keeping many women from making a difference in...

"When things are going bad in the moment, they're usually almost never as bad as you think they are." Jody Maberry is back to talk about the importance of facing life's uncertainties with courage and positivity. Jody has learned that embracing change and being open-minded are key to personal growth and success. Too much time is spent trying to control every outcome, or constantly seeking reassurance from others. In reality, these actions only perpetuate your anxiety. The more you resist...

"If you are creating a culture of trust, it means you listen more than you speak." April Whitson has developed cutting-edge programs to create a culture employees won't want to quit. During our conversation she does a great job of explaining the value of diverse experiences in your career to prepare for future leadership roles. She is a leader that firmly believes that HR professionals should act as business partners, understanding the financial impacts and the entire operation of the...

"Hospitality is friendship with a purpose." Hospitality industry veteran, Andy McNeill, knows the importance of emotional connection and creating relationships with clients for business success. When organizations focus on hiring the right people who value good service and coach them on the little extra steps it makes a big difference. For as long as he can remember, Andy McNeill has had a heart for hospitality. After 30 years of working in the industry specialized in serving others, he has...

"Systems and strategies help you raise your vim, vigor and passion for what you do." David Lindsay, a dedicated athlete and former fighter, discovered the importance of vitality to improve his energy levels throughout his sports career. He found that those lessons also extended to his personal and professional life. By creating routines and rituals to snap into action, working in short, intense chunks, and tapping into the power of posture and music all contribute he was able to increase...

"Recognizing that everything related to hospitality and guest experience can just keep going up is foundational to when looking at your own guest experience and hospitality strategy." As an 18-year-old working at Cedar Point, Josh Liebman had an encounter with a coworker that ultimately shaped the way he approached hospitality and guest experience in the attraction industry. The coworker insisted that visitors should be treated as guests, not customers. That realization not only shifted his...

"The speed of trust is dramatically accelerated when you lead as a thought leader with something to teach rather than a company with something to sell." Rusty Shelton, founder of Zilker Media, joins this episode to share insights on how entrepreneurs can establish personal authority and thought leadership. He shares his journey in the media industry and how he started Zilker Media to help companies build personal authority. One of the key ways he has been successful building trust with...

"The one thing you can do that separates you from everyone else is talk about your life." After years of corporate hustle and hard work, Shereen Kassam left it all behind in pursuit of a good laugh.  Inspired by her parents' tireless pursuit of the American Dream, Shereen initially followed a traditional career path.  She was working with renowned companies such as Deloitte, Amazon, and Disney Parks and Resorts. However, an impulsive visit to a comedy show ignited a passion that she couldn't...

"The best thing to do is just start doing something." When the pandemic struck, Jake Buzaid and his cousin Dale embraced their entrepreneurial spirit to create a beverage company. They wanted something that celebrates togetherness and connection the way they often do with their family. Combining their respective experiences in hospitality and retail they created Curation Beverage Company, offering a range of innovative alcoholic beverages. Jake's expertise in crafting strong branding...

"Sustainability can drive so much across your business if you truly integrate it and support it in a proper way." Have you heard the myths that sustainability only focuses on the environmental? Or that society does not need to be considered when discussing sustainability and that governance does not matter? It can be difficult to define sustainability across these three facets, but Bridgette McAdoo is here to set the record straight and debunk these myths. In an insightful episode of the...

"Learning by failure tends to leave scars, where learning by epiphany is about stars." Skip Bowman is working to debunk the myths and share his model for great leadership through growth mindset and psychological safety. Understanding what drives growth and what prevents growth are both essential in developing great teams and organizations. A growth mindset encourages individual members to continuously expand their potential while embracing challenges and learning from mistakes....

“Believing in your team members and treating them as professionals increases their productivity, engagement, and satisfaction.” Scott Whiteford is a passionate sociologist that has always been fascinated by the intricate interactions between people and their environment. His journey in studying leadership began during his time with strengths-based management organization, Talent Plus. Through his experiences, Scott gained valuable insights into team dynamics, understanding the significance...

"I learned that love and kindness, not just education, but loving, kindness, being kind to people can go a long way." JJ Eubanks did not let a challenging background slow him down. He worked his way to professional basketball before making his next big play into business ownership. It has not been an easy road, but he is now happily the co-owner of Magical Vacation Planner (MVP) alongside his wife Jamie, the CEO and owner. He is an experienced entrepreneur and businessperson, having worked...

"Don't let failure deter you. That would be my advice, is it doesn't happen overnight. You will fail. If you're going to be good, you're going to fail and you're going to fail a lot and be okay with that." - Jamie Eubanks Jamie Eubanks is the owner, CEO, and founder of Magical Vacation Planner (MVP), the largest third-party travel agent for Walt Disney World, Universal, and cruise lines. After 14 years as a basketball wife, Jamie left her job at a bank and founded MVP with her husband, JJ. ...

In this episode of Come Rain or Shine, Dave Benson shares about the power of connections and how that has impacted his work as an entrepreneur and software developer. Throughout his professional career, whether it was in a corporate environment at IBM, the sports media industry, or while working at Disneyland Paris, he recognized the impact of meaningful connections. He found that it is possible to deliver a memorable and genuine connection between fans and heroes in just a minute. Dave went...

"The very act of shining the light of your attention on something causes it to shift and change. So if somebody's coming in with a mindset that they've inherited and partly that they've kind of constructed out of trial and error over the years, it's probably never had the light of attention shone upon it." In this episode of Come Rain or Shine, Myles Downey shares about his work helping others realize their unique genius and true potential, despite the resistance and interference of a world...

Jody joins me during this episode to share his secrets to building an effective onboarding process. Onboarding processes are a crucial element of employee retention. If you want to retain good employees then you need to be determined to make sure those hired have a positive experience. Tell them exactly what to expect so they can show up looking their best and feeling their best.   Any time you hire someone you want to ensure they become productive team members in no time. Creating an...

In this episode of Come Rain or Shine, guest, Chris Kneeland, joins the show to discuss how a leader can build a passionate brand base. The CEO of Cult Collective, Chris is driven to help professionals accelerate brand growth. As one who is skilled in the art of helping people know why they want what they want, his ideas on customer engagement and internal teaming have proven effective for several big-name companies around the world. Throughout his career, Chris has empowered many clients...

In this episode of Come Rain or Shine, guest, Angel Henry, joins the show to discuss her story and the power of empathy and inclusivity. Coined a “ceiling breaker” with decades of pharmaceutical and healthcare experience, Angel is more than the sum of her marketplace history. As a black woman refined in homogenous environments, her skills go beyond project management but into arenas of inclusivity, diversity awareness, even human resources and technology. A jack of all trades, Arena is...

In this episode of Come Rain or Shine, guest, Domenic Moore, joins the show to discuss his story and the value of expanding your comfort zones. An Events Director at Melbourne Connect and adventurist at heart, Domenic talks about his decision to walk from Melbourne to Brisbane barefoot over 75 days to raise awareness for the Indigenous Marathon Foundation.  As one who embraces change and challenges, Domenic unpacks the ways he sustained motivation during trying times and how kept putting one...

In this episode of Come Rain or Shine, guest, Darja Gutnick, Co-Founder of Bunch, joins the show to discuss her story and the purpose of Bunch. Started in 2016, Bunch initially launched to help startup organizations but has since evolved as a technology company staffed with psychologists, data scientists, and engineers. As a remote team spanning multiple countries, the trademark of Bunch can be seen through its primary tag: To enable managers and aspiring leaders to learn and grow in...

In this episode of Come Rain or Shine, guest, Rani Puranik, Co-Owner, Executive Vice President, and Global CFO of Worldwide Oilfield Machine, joins the show to discuss her background, women in leadership, and her new book, 7 Letters to My Daughter. Her experience serves as a great reminder that there is always a way.  A woman of versatile skill, Rani’s pathway has spanned multiple spectrums. Having taken scenic routes to her current roles, Rani explains how each occupational checkpoint...

In this episode of Come Rain or Shine, guest co-host, Jody Maberry, joins the show to discuss accountability through the lens of clarity. As the marketplace becomes more remote, setting clear expectations is becoming more critical. While setting parameters and protocols are essential, to facilitate accountability, one must follow up to ensure they’re being adhered to. Think about it: What good does it do to create goal without assessing them at key checkpoints? Either way, the best...