Jim Padilla is the kind of leader who’s been through life’s fire and emerged with grit, wisdom, and an unstoppable drive. Born to a teenage mom navigating a tough situation with anger, Jim’s early years were marked by a chaotic upbringing that ultimately landed him in foster care at 15, on the streets at 16, and in jail by 18.

The following decade wasn’t any easier, but Jim credits his past for equipping him with the skills to lead in high-stakes environments. He learned how to keep people safe, navigate volatile situations, and influence others to make grounded decisions—all skills that have been essential to his success in sales and business building.

Today, Jim channels his background into guiding business owners through their most critical challenges, helping them turn chaos into order and complexity into profit.

To raise your standards in a Season of Excellence and grow your business https://gtenow.com/growthseries

If you would like to discuss setting your business up to make more sales whenever you want them book a call with Jim  https://ConnectWithJim.com/

Previous Episode 2785 (2020)

Previous Episode 1373 (2017)

Laurie Battaglia is CEO of Aligned at Work®, a leadership development consulting firm with an emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging that helps leaders solve people problems before they become profit problems. As a strategic advisor, executive coach, and inclusive leadership consultant, she is on a mission to wake up organization leaders who think that they can delay inevitable changes already affecting the workforce. During her 35+ year career, she worked for some of the nation's largest investment and banking companies, including Wells Fargo and Vanguard. She believes in balancing people and profits for a sustainable future, and her superpower is building trust quickly with clients, team members, and diverse communities. A grandmom, mom, stepmom, and Reiki Master Teacher, she lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband, Joseph, and two cats, Cheddar and Maximus.

Connect to me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lauriebattaglia

W: www.alignedatwork.com

Professional Experience

Alchemy Media Consulting Group, Hollywood, FL

Owner/Book Editor, Jan 2012 – Present

 

In lingua, Aventura, FL

Instructor, Jan 2011 – Mar 2018

Taught both group classes and private students daily. Taught over 300 students during a 7+ year period.

 

Revolution Studios, Santa Monica, CA

Development Executive, Jan 2004 – Sep 2010

Worked with script writers on Development of stories for major motion pictures.

 

Initiative/Western Media, Los Angeles, CA

Chief Strategic Officer, Sep 1995 – Sep 2003

Worked for the Office of the President, managing day-to-day operations for multi-billion dollar media firm.  Additional responsibility for Diversified Services, 100mm division with 15 free-standing units

 

Harper-Collins Publishers

VP New Business Development – responsible for cross-media projects with the Twentieth Century Fox/Harper Collins Publishers.  Early pioneer of on-line publishing projects.

 

Simon & Schuster Publishers

Editorial Director of S & S Audio, promoted to Publisher.  Highest percentage of profitability throughout the company; winner of 2 Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Recording. Consistently dominated best-seller lists for a five-year period.

 

Education

Columbia University Teachers College

New York City, NY

Master's degree English Education Teacher of English (Aug 1969)

 

Awarded NDEA Fellowship to attend.

 

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI

BA Liberal Arts English (Jun 1969)

GPA: 3.0

Relevant Course: English Literature

Award and Honor: Winner Creative Writing Contest

Additional Skills

Produced/Directed three documentary films. Won African Academy Award for best Documentary 2006

Highly professional interpersonal skills, team builder, honest broker between employees

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://authoronestop.com/

Maartje van Krieken is a distinguished keynote speaker whose profound expertise and dynamic presence captivate and inspire audiences across the globe. With a storied career in project, change, and crisis management within the high-stakes oil and gas industry, Maartje brings over two decades of invaluable experience to her speaking engagements. Her latest keynote, "The Chaos Games: May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor - How to outsmart, outlast, and outperform in the arena of business turmoil," is a masterclass in navigating the complexities and challenges of today's business environment. Tailored for leaders and startup visionaries, Maartje's presentations are imbued with insights from her journey working the frontier projects in the far corners of the world, as a mother of 3, showcasing her resilience, strategic acumen, and unparalleled leadership skills.

Maartje's speaking style is both engaging and empowering, blending authenticity with practical wisdom to deliver messages that resonate deeply with her audience. Her ability to articulate complex concepts with clarity and charm, coupled with her infectious energy, makes her sessions not just informative but transformative. Attendees leave equipped with the tools and strategies to lead through chaos, drive sustainable change, and foster innovation within their organizations. Whether she's sharing lessons from revamping a global hub, aiding in national crises, or mentoring the next generation of leaders, Maartje's keynotes are a beacon for those looking to thrive amidst business turmoil. Her commitment to excellence, combined with her extensive background in facilitating complex decision making, strategic risk management, organizational transformation and managing complex collaboration and integration, positions her as a visionary leader whose insights can guide any organization towards achieving long-term success and resilience.

W: https://www.thechaosgamesspeaker.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/

Julie is not only an accomplished TEDx speaker, business coach, and award-winning author but also the former Chief Innovation Officer of a multi-million dollar company in NYC. Her unwavering dedication to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs grow businesses, build confidence, and succeed is truly inspiring. She has spoken at Fortune 50 companies and delivered impactful workshops and keynotes on critical leadership and business topics. She has delivered workshops at the University of Hawaii's School of Business and taught at Goodwin University about Habits and Behavioral Design for College Success. She has also presented at national conferences on DEI, Social-Emotional Learning, and Emotional Intelligence.

She has also been a mentor and speaker for the Her Leadership Journey program at community colleges in CT. Julie's #1 bestseller book, a testament to her expertise, earned her the Leadership Award from the International Impact Book Awards. The Minority Enterprise Executive Council in Washington, DC, also honored her with the prestigious "25 Most Powerful Minority Women in Business Award." Her dynamic speaking engagements have captivated audiences on prominent media outlets such as ABC, NBC, and FOX. She has also written and featured in the following publications: Medium, Bold Journey Magazine, Authority Magazine, New York Lifestyles Magazine, Enspire Magazine, and more.

Social Media Links:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/
• goconfidentlyjulie/
• https://www.instagram.com/julie_deluccacollins/
• https://www.facebook.com/jdelucca
• https://www.pinterest.com/juliedelco/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@juliedeluccacollins

Gen Z leadership expert Dale Wetmore says business leaders often find it challenging to manage young people. According to the research, young workers show up unmotivated and entitled – if they show up at all. Yet Dale believes the next generation entering the workforce carries more promise than peril. As president of the firm Gift of the Next Generation, Dale works with businesses to help them connect with, inspire, and lead their young employees to success.

Dale's insights are derived from hundreds of studies and articles about motivating young people, as well as 20+ years of leadership experience he gained at both small technology startups and tech supergiants like Microsoft and Amazon Web Services.

Dale is the author of the upcoming book Leading Gen Z: the Gift of the Next Generation. He's an avid skier and hiker and he lives with his family in Denver, Colorado.

Website:  www.giftofnextgen.com

For 25 years Brandon Allen has worked with leaders to help them organize their work life and transform their relationships by helping them see what they can’t see and do what they didn’t think possible.

He is the founder of New Work Revolution and works with leaders of all kinds to create a path for simple, effective leadership.

When not coaching or training, Brandon, along with my wife and 4 daughters, live in Salt Lake City, Utah. When asked to describe himself, he will tell you that he is “funny, charming, interesting, and handsome,” all of which claims are highly questionable other than the first. Brandon enjoys running, sports, music, hanging out with family, and reading when he is not busy helping others capitalize on their potential.

Links for Brandon:

• Website: http://www.newworkrevolution.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonrallen/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8lBSCEL9XfD0yfKNqK4Nxg
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newworkrevolution/

Previous Episode 2479 (2019)

Previous Episode 426 (2016)

ABOUT AMPLIO VENTURES

From refugee entrepreneurs to companies employing a large majority of their staff from the refugee workforce, Amplio Ventures seeks to focus on growth for businesses restoring refugee stability.

EVALUATING OPPORTUNTIES

Along with my partners, I review potential opportunities. While financial performance indicators are key, we seek enterprises with a multiple bottom-line approach. This emphasis takes into consideration all stakeholders within an organization.

EDUCATING THE MARKETPLACE

Refugee owned businesses and enterprises that serve the forcibly displaced are not all non-profits, and they should not be viewed as charity. I assist with marketing and education efforts that emphasize the viability of these businesses, explaining why they are marketplace opportunities.

EDUCATING ME

To better understand refugee situations, causes of forced displacement, and potential remedies for the adversity forced migrants face, I entered graduate school at Harvard University. The emphasis of my studies in International Relations dovetails with Amplio Venture's work with refugees. My thesis explores the attributes of resettled refugees as employees. Graduation is expected spring 2025.

BUSINESS COACH

I assist founders in all phases of the business cycle. Whether it is at the start-up phase, scaling the enterprise, or preparing for a merger or acquisition, my experience has proven helpful with business formation, management, leadership, sales, and marketing.

AUTHOR

"The Refugee Advantage" collects stories of forcibly displaced people who have resettled and launched successful businesses. The book explores characteristics that are either revealed or developed through refugees' experiences that aid in entrepreneurial ventures. These characteristics are beneficial for all entrepreneurs and business founders.

Publication expected in late 2024.

ABOUT MAINSTREET TECHNOLOGIES

MainStreet Technologies (MST) was founded in November 1999 by Michael Jones, Margie Sirmans, and Dalton T. Sirmans. MST was a leading, independent provider of software solutions and advisory services to financial institutions and the only provider focused specifically on the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses (ALLL); a calculated reserve established in relation to the estimated credit risk within a financial institution's loan portfolio. Private equity firms Accel- AKKR and Carlyle purchased our company in March 2018. Today, MST is part of the growing financial technology company Abrigo.

ABOUT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS AND AMERICAN LAWYER MEDIA

My first career involved journalism, working for The Valdosta Daily Times, Community Newspapers, Inc. (CNI), and American Lawyer Media. Beginning as a staff writer while a senior in college, I later served in a variety of Editor roles, Publisher of the Camden County Tribune, in St. Mary's, Georgia, Regional Marketing Director for CNI in Northeast Georgia, and finally Advertising and Marketing Director for American Lawyer Media in Atlanta, Georgia.

EDUCATION

Master of Liberal Arts, International Relations Harvard Extension School, Harvard University

with honors            2020-2025 (expected spring graduation)

Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice Valdosta State University

Cum Laude            1985-1986

Associate of Science, Sociology

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College      1982-1984

PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC AFFILIATIONS

Rotary Club of Habersham County, Georgia

•         President, 2005-06
•        Georgia Rotary Student Program, Former Trustee, Host Family
•         Rotary Youth Leadership Award, Former Administrator and Camp Manager for four               years
•        District 6910 Passport Project
•         District 6910 Lee Arrendale Award Winner
•        Paul Harris Fellow
•        Bequest Society

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses – National Cohort Alum Circle of Hope – Former President, Former Board Member

First Baptist Church, Cornelia, GA – Deacon, Former Deacon Chairperson

PERSONAL

Happily over-married the former Margie Marie Chancey June 27, 1987.

Blessed with an exceptional daughter, Macy Marie Sirmans, who is married to Francis Alexander Holmes. They reside in London.

Dubya is our beloved Labrador Retriever.

Julian Hayes II is the founder of Executive Health, a boutique executive wellness consultancy. His consultancy helps forward-thinking and mission-driven CEOs, entrepreneurs, and other business leaders achieve world-class health and assists organizations in creating a culture of sustained optimal performance.

As a Forbes CEO Network contributor, Julian writes weekly about the intersection of wellness, business, and leadership. He has authored over 300 articles in top publications such as Inc., Entrepreneur, SUCCESS, Chief Executive, Chief Learning Officer, and many more. Additionally, he's the host of the Executive Health & Life podcast

Website:

https://www.executivehealth.io/

Previous Episode 2439 (2019)

Previous Episode 49 (2016)

At SELF-KNOWLEDGE COLLEGE, I help individuals gain deep self-awareness to achieve personal and professional success.

Relationships & Dating Success

I specialize in helping women stop dating the wrong men and find a great partner. (This works for men too, but women tend to take action faster!)

Academic Transformation: Dropout to Dean’s List

Through DROPOUT TO DEAN'S LIST, I guide school dropouts, struggling students, and at-risk learners to turn their academic performance around—often in just one semester. I also help students select the best college programs for their future. With over 1,000 success stories, my methods have transformed academic trajectories.

The Daley Post: Personal & Professional Growth

The Daley Post is the communication platform of SELF-KNOWLEDGE COLLEGE, featuring insights on personal development, professional growth, and self-awareness.

Expert Support for Legal Cases

DROPOUT EXPERT LITIGATION SUPPORT provides data-driven research on dropout rates and their causes, assisting personal injury lawyers in building stronger cases.

Public Speaking & Media Training

I offer public speaking coaching for actors, lawyers, comedians, executives, HR professionals, and broadcasters, helping them master presentation and interview skills.

Theater & Entertainment

• Founder & Artistic Director of The Town Theater, Ottawa – produced three professional cabaret shows.

• Television Program Creation – CBC-TV:

• CANADIAN STARS: Exclusive interviews with Canadians in Hollywood.
• REVIEW: In-depth arts and entertainment analysis.
• SUNSPOTS: North America's first consumer travel show.

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankdaley/ 

Previous Episode 19 (2016)