Becoming You (after Winning Wednesday)

What does it look like when a gay Salvadoran immigrant raises a two-year-old son, writes a children’s book about a rainbow bee, volunteers as a Trevor Project suicide prevention counselor, and gets promoted to lead employee engagement — all in the same month? It looks like Ricardo Gattas-Moras. A 14-year Verizon veteran, proud husband, and quietly extraordinary human, Ricardo joins Winning Wednesday during Pride Month to share what living your truth actually looks like when you’re doing it fully — at work, at home, and in the world. This one is warm, grounding, and genuinely moving. What You’ll Learn: Why Ricardo and his husband wrote a children’s book about a rainbow bee — and what they couldn’t find on bookstore shelves that made them create it themselves How Ricardo’s mom went from fear about grandchildren to grandmother of a two-year-old — and why that story matters What Trevor Project suicide prevention counselor training actually teaches you — and who the resources are designed to serve Why LGBTQ+ youth suicide rates are rising — and the specific environmental and social factors Ricardo sees driving it Why allyship starts with doing your own homework — and why it’s not the community’s job to educate you Key Focus Areas: The Rainbow Bee – How a birthday cake, a son who started repeating words from books, and a gap in inclusive children’s literature became a published story about belonging The Trevor Project – What suicide prevention counselor training looks like — and how Ricardo shows up monthly for youth up to age 24 who need someone to talk to Coming Out in El Salvador – Why growing up without language or resources for his identity made Ricardo deeply committed to creating that access for others Pride as a Fight, Not Just a Celebration – Why Ricardo’s understanding of Pride shifted from celebration to ongoing movement — and what worldwide legal realities make that necessary Lead With the Heart – Why creating workplaces where people feel like people produces the best version of everyone — and Ricardo’s simple framework for doing it Ricardo’s Approach: 14-year Verizon veteran recently promoted to Project Manager for Employee Engagement, Volunteering and Recognition for the BCG Sales and Operations team Born in El Salvador, moved to the US at 12, built his career through Verizon retail leadership before moving into operations Married five years, father of a two-year-old son — the family that his mom once feared coming out would cost her Trained Trevor Project suicide prevention counselor who volunteers monthly to support LGBTQ+ youth in crisis Co-wrote a children’s book about a rainbow bee to give his son — and other children — the inclusive stories he never had Perfect If You’re: A parent looking for inclusive, accessible children’s books that carry a message of belonging without being heavy-handed Someone who wants to support the LGBTQ+ community but doesn’t know where to start — Ricardo’s allyship framework is clear and actionable A leader who wants to create more inclusive workplaces and needs a simple north star to orient around Anyone who came out later than they wished they had — and wants to hear from someone building the world they needed sooner Ricardo’s Philosophy: “You won’t be able to feel loved by others unless you find love within yourself.” “Pride is not just about where we are now — it’s about where we still need to go.” “Don’t expect the community to teach you about it — take the time to learn.” “Here I am with a son — and my mom gets to be a grandma after all.” “Lead with the heart — that’s when you get the best version of who everyone is.” ABOUT RICARDO GATTAS-MORAS: Verizon Project Manager | Employee Engagement Leader | Trevor Project Suicide Prevention Counselor | Children’s Book Author | Proud Gay Salvadoran Immigrant | Husband & Dad | Creating inclusive environments — one conversation, one book, one phone call at a time CONNECT WITH RICARDO: LinkedIn:   / ricardo-gattas-moras   CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn:   / connectorqueen

What happens when a songwriter, non-binary creator, and self-described verified fool decides to just stop caring what people think — and builds a career out of it? Libby Larkin, New York-based songwriter and TikTok personality, brings one of the most refreshingly unfiltered conversations in the Winning Wednesday catalog. From writing briefs for major labels to going viral over a breakup EP, from understanding TikTok’s algorithm to redefining what Pride actually means — Libby is the kind of guest who says the thing everyone else is dancing around, and somehow makes it land with both honesty and grace. What You’ll Learn: Why TikTok is the one platform built for your organic weird self — and why artists especially need to stop being embarrassed about using it How Libby learned TikTok’s algorithm from the inside — and why understanding it changed everything about building a brand Why relationships don’t happen overnight — and why patience, not pressure, is the real networking strategy What it felt like to finally be called they/them — and why Libby’s advice for anyone exploring identity is that nothing is permanent Why Pride was never really for queer people — and whose voices Libby thinks it needs to center instead Key Focus Areas: TikTok as Liberation – Why the platform’s culture of being an idiot is actually radical — and why it’s done more for artists than any polished feed ever could Algorithm Literacy – How TikTok batches content to test audiences — and why understanding that changes how you create and distribute Get to Know the Person First – Libby’s networking philosophy: lead with humanity, follow with work — and why that’s how real collaboration gets born Non-Binary Identity as Exploration – Why trying on a pronoun, a sound, or a feeling isn’t a commitment — it’s just listening to yourself Pride’s Real Purpose – Why corporate rainbow logos miss the point — and why trans women and men of color are who Pride was always supposed to be for Libby’s Approach: New York-based songwriter who works with labels and artists as a kind of musical therapist — going into sessions, talking about life, and writing songs from it Went viral on TikTok with a breakup EP and learned that accountability plus art plus letting go of other people’s perception is the actual formula Identifies as non-binary using they/them pronouns — arrived there slowly, stayed because it felt like butterflies and being seen Believes the ego is there to protect you but will also destroy you — and that listening to instinct over ego is the creative and personal edge Wins Wednesday by picking up the phone and calling the person who matters most — not texting, actually calling Perfect If You’re: An artist, creator, or entrepreneur who keeps putting off TikTok because it feels undignified — Libby has something to say to you Someone in the middle of figuring out your identity — and needing permission to explore without committing A networker who leads with your pitch instead of your humanity — and wondering why it isn’t working Libby’s Philosophy: “TikTok is made for you being your organic weird self — and that’s transformative.” “Relationships don’t happen overnight — people have walls, boundaries, trauma. Respect it, and be patient.” “You cannot control how somebody sees you — so let it go.” “Nothing is permanent — you can explore something and come back out of it.” “Call the person that means the most to you — don’t text them, call them. Life is too short.” ABOUT LIBBY LARKIN: Songwriter | Non-Binary Creator | TikTok’s Verified Fool | Musical Therapist | Helping artists, creatives, and humans stop performing for other people and start making something real CONNECT WITH LIBBY: LinkedIn:   / libby-larkin-socialmedia   Wrong Places: available on all streaming platforms CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn:   / connectorqueen  

What does it look like to be Black, a woman, a lesbian, and a mom — all at once, every single day, with no days off for any of it? Irene DeRouen, Verizon V-Teamer, ERG advocate, dog mom, snowboarder, and self-described open book, brings one of the most grounded and generous conversations about Pride, intersectionality, and authentic leadership in the Winning Wednesday catalog. From explaining the evolution of the Pride flag to sharing the anxiety she carries every day as a mother of a nine-year-old Black son — this episode goes places most Pride Month conversations don’t. And it does it with compassion, humor, and a whole lot of truth. What You’ll Learn: What the colors of the Pride flag actually represent — including the newer additions for marginalized communities and transgender inclusion Why hiding who you are at work costs you more than just comfort — it costs you performance What “the talk” really means for Black mothers raising Black sons — and why a leader who finally listened made all the difference Why intersectionality means you don’t get to be Black on Monday and a lesbian on Tuesday — and why that matters at work How to move from allyship to advocacy — and why teaching moments beat shutting people out every time Key Focus Areas: ERGs as Permission to Show Up – How finding employee resource groups gave Irene the aha moment that she didn’t have to live a double life at work anymore Redefining Professionalism – Why the old definition of professional was always coded — and why COVID cracked it open for good The Talk – What Irene has to teach her nine-year-old son about interacting with police — and why her leader’s response to hearing it changed everything Intersectionality in Practice – Why labels exist to make other people comfortable — and why being fully human is always more important than being categorized From Ally to Advocate – Why compassion and education beat confrontation — and how choosing teaching moments over shutting doors actually moves the world forward Irene’s Approach: Verizon V-Teamer, ERG leader, and Pride advocate who came out later in life and uses that experience to create space for others — especially youth — to do it sooner Mom of a nine-year-old Black son who navigates the anxiety of his safety every day while still showing up fully at work Believes children who hear honest conversations at home first are better equipped to process what they encounter in the world Advocates for compassion over confrontation when someone uses outdated or offensive language — because education only happens when the door stays open Lives her truth unapologetically — knowing some people will love it, some will hate it, and she’ll have peace either way Perfect If You’re: Someone who wants to be a better ally to the LGBTQ+ community but doesn’t know where to start without getting it wrong A leader who has never heard “the talk” explained — and needs to understand what your Black colleagues are carrying into every workday A professional who has been hiding part of who you are at work — and is starting to feel what that costs Someone navigating multiple identities at once and looking for language to make sense of it all Irene’s Philosophy: “Unapologetically authentic — that’s how I win Wednesday and every other day.” “I don’t get to show up on Monday and be Black, Tuesday a woman, Wednesday a lesbian — this is all of me, all the time.” “If you can respect that at the core of who I am is a human being — that’s what I’m asking from an ally.” “I waited until later in life to live my truth — I want our youth to have that space now.” “Show up with compassion — because a lot of times people don’t have ill intent, and that’s a teaching moment.” ABOUT IRENE DEROUEN: Verizon V-Teamer | ERG Advocate | Pride Month Champion | Black Mom Raising the Next Generation | Dog Mom | Snowboarder | Showing up unapologetically authentic — every single day CONNECT WITH IRENE: LinkedIn:   / irene-derouen-0508b796   CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn:   / connectorqueen  

What happens when one of the most prominent voices in evangelical Christianity transitions — and discovers that the cis-straight world is sometimes kinder than the LGBTQ+ community itself? Dr. Paula Stone Williams, pastor, pastoral counselor, TEDx speaker with 4.1 million views, Simon & Schuster author, and international speaker on gender equity, brings one of the most intellectually expansive and deeply human conversations in the Winning Wednesday catalog. Her message is both radical and simple: I’m a pastor who happens to be trans — and when that becomes incidental rather than primary, that’s when real connection happens. What You’ll Learn: How a Sunday morning sermon led to a TEDx talk that now has 4.1 million views — and what Paula learned working with TED’s head speaking coach Why humans are wired to create enemies — and what that biological reality has to do with legislation targeting transgender children The data behind post-transition wellbeing — and why 92% of those who transition are happy in their new gender Why the biggest driver of post-transition suicidal ideation isn’t the body — it’s how people are treated What the six countries that handled COVID best had in common — and why Paula believes collaboration and correction are feminine leadership superpowers Key Focus Areas: TEDx & The Power of a Honed Talk – How Paula went from mega-church stages to 4.1 million views — and what word-for-word precision taught her about communicating across cultures Tribal Biology & The Enemy We Create – Why humans as a eusocial species are wired to manufacture enemies when none exist — and how fundamentalism exploits that instinct The Data on Trans Lives – Why 96% of post-transition unhappiness comes from how people are treated, not how people feel in their bodies — and what that demands of all of us Feminine Leadership in a Crisis – Why the six countries that led the world through COVID’s first wave all had female heads of state — and what collaboration over hierarchy actually looks like The Sacredness of the Ordinary – Paula’s Wednesday philosophy: every moment is holy — the morning run, the client session, the phone call — all of it sacred Paula’s Approach: Pastor of Left Hand Church in Boulder County Colorado, pastoral counselor with a doctorate in psychotherapy, and international speaker on gender equity — published by Simon & Schuster Known in the evangelical world pre-transition and chose visibility over disappearance — for the sake of those internalizing transphobia in silence Believes allyship looks like letting trans identity be incidental — treating trans people as whole humans whose gender is just one part of who they are Perfect If You’re: Someone whose understanding of the trans experience has been shaped entirely by legislation and headlines — and is ready to hear it from a lived perspective A leader, pastor, or organizational figure wrestling with how to create inclusive community without making identity the only conversation Curious about the intersection of biology, religion, and gender equity — and ready for a perspective that goes far deeper than talking points Paula’s Philosophy: “I’m a pastor and I happen to be trans — and it’s nice that that’s not my primary identity.” “When you’ve talked to one transgender person, you’ve talked to exactly one transgender person.” “They solved a problem that didn’t exist and created another huge problem in the process — that’s what fundamentalism does.” “The sacredness of the ordinary — if you see every moment as holy, that is grounding.” “I wish I had learned the value of deference, compromise, correction, collaboration.” ABOUT DR. PAULA STONE WILLIAMS: Pastor, Left Hand Church | Pastoral Counselor | TEDx Speaker (4.1M Views) | Author, Simon & Schuster | International Speaker on Gender Equity | Screenwriter | Helping the world see the humanity behind every identity — one sacred ordinary moment at a time CONNECT WITH DR. PAULA: LinkedIn:   / dr-paula-stone-williams-2119b915a   TEDx Talk:    • I’ve lived as a man & a woman — here’s wh…   CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn:   / connectorqueen  

What happens when you’re a professional opera singer turned Verizon leader who survives multiple strokes — and comes back to work only to realize the attitudes you once held about illness were the same ones now being directed at you? Krista Hinman, disability advocate, ERG leader, yoga teacher, painter, photographer, and self-described perpetual learner, brings one of the most honest and quietly radical conversations in the Winning Wednesday catalog. Her message is simple and profound: sometimes people just get sick, there isn’t always a why — and the work of becoming a better ally starts with interrogating your own assumptions first. What You’ll Learn: Why a background in opera and musical theater actually prepared Krista for a corporate career — through rejection, resilience, and flexibility Why ERGs will never stop being relevant — because as culture shifts, new conversations always emerge What it’s really like to return to work after serious illness — and how the attitudes of colleagues (and yourself) can be the hardest part Why people search for a reason when someone gets sick — and what it means that sometimes there just isn’t one How leaders can open the door to mental health conversations without oversharing — and why that vulnerability goes further than any policy Key Focus Areas: Opera to Verizon – How years in music and theater taught Krista the flexibility, resilience, and rejection tolerance that corporate life demands Disability Is More Common Than You Think – Why once you include mental health, neurodivergence, and acquired disability, almost everyone is touched by this community at some point The Search for a Why – Why people need a cause for someone else’s illness — and how confronting that impulse is the first step to real allyship ERGs as Culture Builders – Why there will never be a finish line for diversity work — and why that’s exactly the point Who Are You on the Weekend – Krista’s framework for winning Wednesday — close the gap between who you are outside of work and who you bring into it every day Krista’s Approach: Verizon leader, disability advocate, and ERG leader whose experience surviving multiple strokes shifted her entire perspective on illness and allyship Former professional opera singer and musical theater performer — degrees in music, theater, and opera — who brings an artist’s mindset to continuous learning Teaches yoga, paints, photographs, and pursues curiosity across every medium — because personal growth has no finish line Believes the most effective leadership tool in disability advocacy is asking questions that lead people to their own conclusions rather than telling them how to think Committed to confronting her own internalized attitudes — even the uncomfortable ones — as a daily practice Perfect If You’re: A leader who wants to create psychological safety on your team but doesn’t know how to start the conversation Someone who has returned to work after illness or disability and felt the weight of other people’s assumptions An aspiring ally to the disability or neurodivergent community who wants to show up more thoughtfully Someone living a version of yourself only on weekends — and wondering how to close that gap Krista’s Philosophy: “Sometimes people just get sick — and sometimes there isn’t a why.” “Disability, mental health, neurodivergence — when you start thinking of it through that lens, you realize how common it is.” “Dip your toe in the water of vulnerability — it doesn’t have to be super in-depth, just take that first step.” “I never hit a point where I’m arrived — I’m always asking what do I need to learn next.” “Who am I on the weekend — and why can’t I be that person every day?” ABOUT KRISTA HINMAN: Disability Advocate | ERG Leader | Former Professional Opera Singer | Yoga Teacher | Painter | Photographer | Perpetual Learner | Helping workplaces shift attitudes, open conversations, and make space for every version of who people are CONNECT WITH KRISTA: LinkedIn:   / kristahinman   CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn:   / connectorqueen  

What do you do when your grandfather survived the Holocaust, escaped a concentration camp, was shot eight times, and still found love on a train after the war ended? You tell the story — because stories heal. Yogi Roth, broadcaster, filmmaker, author, TEDx speaker, and former football coach, has built an entire career around seeking and uncovering humanity through sport. His mother — a refugee whose parents were both Holocaust survivors — gave him one final instruction before she passed: your only job is to heal the world and put those stories out into it. This episode is one of the most moving in the Winning Wednesday catalog, and one you won’t forget. What You’ll Learn: Why the sixth stage of grief — meaning — is the one that actually changes your life How Yogi’s documentary Life in a Walk was born from a plane ticket to Madrid and a father’s cancer diagnosis Why worry is the biggest misuse of your imagination — and how to switch wonderment back on How emotional intelligence became the most important skill Yogi ever taught to elite quarterbacks Why the only goal in life is to give everything away — and what that actually looks like in practice Key Focus Areas: Heal the World – The Hebrew phrase tattooed on Yogi’s wrist — and the mission his mother handed him as she was dying Storytelling as Medicine – Why a good story makes you feel something — and how Yogi has used film, broadcasting, and writing to surface humanity in sport Life in a Walk – The documentary born from a father-son walk across Portugal and Spain — and why dads and sons wept watching it together Worry vs. Wonderment – Why Yogi believes worry is imagination misdirected — and how he taught elite quarterbacks to become products of the process instead of prisoners of the moment Control Decisions, Release Outcomes – Why the laissez-faire approach is BS — and why the real Wednesday win is checking in on what you can and can’t control Yogi’s Approach: Broadcaster, filmmaker, author, TEDx speaker, and former football coach — driven since childhood by a mission to uncover humanity through sport Son of a Holocaust refugee and grandson of two Holocaust survivors — raised with resilience, humility, and empathy as non-negotiable family values Created Life in a Walk — a documentary about fathers, sons, and the questions we’re too afraid to ask — that reunited families who watched it Taught emotional intelligence at the Elite 11 quarterback camp — making top recruits look each other in the eye and say what they actually think Went to therapy openly during one of the hardest years of his life — and shared it publicly because he knew it would give someone else permission to do the same Perfect If You’re: Someone carrying a heavy family legacy and trying to figure out how to honor it without being crushed by it A storyteller, filmmaker, or broadcaster who believes in the power of narrative to create change Ready to stop being a prisoner of moments and start becoming a product of the process Someone who’s had a hard year and keeps saying “I’m fine” — when you’re actually not Yogi’s Philosophy: “Your only job is to heal the world and put those stories out into it.” “Man or woman are made to move — and we move through things.” “Worry is the biggest misuse of your imagination.” “The only goal in life is to give everything away.” “Without any clouds there’s no silver lining — and we have to decide what we see in the sky.” “Control decisions. Let go of outcomes.” ABOUT YOGI ROTH: Broadcaster | Filmmaker | Author | TEDx Speaker | Former Football Coach | Seeking and uncovering humanity through sport, story, and the courage to keep moving forward CONNECT WITH YOGI: LinkedIn:   / yogiroth   CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn:   / connectorqueen  

Episode 50 of Winning Wednesday lands right where it should — in a conversation about mental health, with someone who has dedicated her career to helping people work through theirs. Jill Jonas, licensed social worker and private practice therapist, joins longtime friend Katrina for Mental Health Awareness Month to reframe what mental health actually means — because it’s not just about illness. It’s about the routines, the habits, the self-talk, and the grace we give ourselves every single day. In a world still finding its footing post-pandemic, Jill’s grounded, compassionate wisdom is exactly the mid-week reset we all need. What You’ll Learn: Why mental health is not just the absence of illness — and what a healthy mental health routine actually looks like How the pandemic created layers of anxiety we’re still unpacking — including the fear of returning to normal Why social anxiety actually made some people thrive in lockdown — and why re-entry is harder for them than anyone How childhood messages we never consciously received still shape the stories we tell ourselves today Why 95% of the things we worry about never actually happen — and what to do with that statistic Key Focus Areas: Mental Health vs. Mental Illness – Why the stigma is lifting — and why reframing mental health as a daily practice changes everything The Re-Entry Challenge – Why coming back to the world after COVID isn’t equally easy for everyone — and how to ease in at your own pace Limiting Beliefs from Childhood – How a well-meaning parent’s push for an A-plus can become a lifelong story of “I’m stupid” — and how therapy helps untangle it Self-Sabotage Patterns – Why people who grew up in chaos sometimes create it when things get too good — and how to recognize that cycle in yourself Progress Not Perfection – Why comparison is the thief of progress — and why finishing is always the achievement, regardless of where you place Jill’s Approach: Licensed clinical social worker in private practice — focused on making a real difference in every client’s life while accepting she can’t control every outcome Worked with companies large and small on workplace mental health — long before the pandemic made it mainstream Believes the stigma around mental health has genuinely lifted — in part because COVID sent everyone running to therapy at once Advocates for small, consistent routines as the foundation of mental health maintenance — not grand overhauls Reminds clients that most of what we worry about never happens — and even when it does, it rarely happens the way we imagined Perfect If You’re: Someone who confuses mental health with mental illness — and needs a gentler, broader framework Struggling with comparison, social anxiety, or the re-entry back into post-pandemic life A chronic worrier who needs a data point to interrupt the spiral Someone ready to trade perfection for progress — in therapy, in goals, or just in daily life Jill’s Philosophy: “Mental health is not just what’s going on that’s negative — it can be positive as well.” “People are so worried about the what-ifs that might never even happen — we don’t know minute to minute what’s going to happen.” “Ease into it at your own pace — don’t rush just because somebody else is.” “If everyone can just come to a little bit of acceptance — this world would be a better place.” “Progress not perfection — live life with no judgment, through the lens of unconditional love.” ABOUT JILL JONAS: Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Private Practice Therapist | Mental Health Advocate | Helping individuals, families, and companies build the routines, resilience, and self-awareness needed to thrive — one session at a time CONNECT WITH JILL: LinkedIn:   / jilljonas10at10ease   CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn:   / connectorqueen  

What if the biggest mistake the most driven people make is forcing it? Sven Erlandson, counselor to C-suite executives and author of multiple books including his first — the original book on the spiritual but not religious movement — has spent 30 years helping people who have either lost their mojo find it again, or who have reached the pinnacle of success and realized it still feels empty. A TikTok phenomenon who amassed 200,000 followers in five weeks, a survivor of a decade of suicidal ideation, and one of the most disarmingly honest voices you’ll find anywhere — Sven doesn’t do surface level. He goes deep, fast, and believes transformation can be immediate if you go deep enough. What You’ll Learn: Why behaviors are just symptoms — and why changing them without going deeper never works long term How Sven identifies incongruence in clients — and why it almost always comes back to fear Why the soul is more powerful than the will — and what happens when driven people stop forcing it How Sven’s own decade of suicidal ideation became the most pivotal source of wisdom he now shares with others Why quitting quickly when something is off is a sign of genius — not weakness Key Focus Areas: Behaviors Are Symptoms – Why Sven ignores behavior entirely and digs for the core beliefs driving it — because that’s where real change happens The Soul vs. The Will – Why even the most successful people eventually hit a wall when they’re running on willpower alone — and what’s waiting on the other side Transformation Can Be Immediate – Why deep, fast, aggressive work produces results that years of surface-level therapy can’t — and why Sven’s sessions run three to six hours Do Less – Why forcing success is the biggest mistake driven people make — and why creating room for the universe to work is where the magic actually happens Quit as Often as Possible – Why the people who rise highest are the ones who abort quickly when something isn’t them — and why finishing what you don’t love is never a virtue Sven’s Approach: Counselor with a private practice in Manhattan and Fairfield County Connecticut — 70% of clientele are C-suite executives and business owners Spent 30 years helping people reconnect with their own authentic voice — because that’s where the genius is Requires clients to write a full autobiography before their first session — and runs sessions of three to six hours Survived a decade of suicidal ideation and a suicide attempt at the Berkeley Pier — and credits that as the most pivotal day of his life Went viral on TikTok in five weeks with 200,000 followers by saying something substantive on complex topics in 59 seconds Perfect If You’re: A high achiever who has hit every external milestone and still feels empty inside — and finally ready to figure out why Someone who has tried therapy, coaching, or religion and walked away feeling like it didn’t go deep enough A driven person who suspects they’ve been forcing life on willpower for too long — and is starting to feel it Someone sitting in something that isn’t working — a career, a relationship, a path — and needing permission to quit Sven’s Philosophy: “The soul is more powerful than the will — and eventually, no matter how much success you have, you get tired of forcing it.” “Transformation can be immediate — if you go deep enough.” “Do less — you’re probably forcing your success, and that’s where the magic stops.” “Quit as often as possible — there is no value in finishing what you don’t love.” “That was the most pivotal day of my life — the old Sven died, and what came after was everything.” ABOUT SVEN ERLANDSON: Counselor | Author | Speaker | TikTok’s Unlikely Therapist | Helping driven, successful people stop forcing life and start living it — by going deep, fast, and all the way to the soul CONNECT WITH SVEN: LinkedIn:   / sven-erlandson-aka-badass-counseling-8350b35   Website: https://www.badasscounseling.com/ CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn:   / connectorqueen  

What if the reason your outreach isn’t converting isn’t your message — it’s your medium? Ashok MJ, Sales Manager at Hippo Video, makes a compelling case for why video is the most powerful tool available to sales and marketing professionals right now — and why most people still aren’t using it. In a world drowning in text, bombarded by emails, and suffering from Zoom fatigue, a personalized video cuts through everything. Ashok brings practical wisdom on content consistency, engaging other people’s posts as a business development strategy, and the three-word mantra that keeps him grounded through every challenging season: watch your thoughts. What You’ll Learn: What Hippo Video is — and how businesses are using it for sales, onboarding, training, and customer support Why transactional communication kills deals — and how video adds the human layer that changes everything Why engaging on other people’s LinkedIn posts can bring your future customers directly to you How consistency compounds — and why tracking day one to day 100 reveals what daily effort hides Why watching your thoughts is the most important habit you can build — in business and in life Key Focus Areas: Video as the Human Layer – Why personalized video breaks transactional communication and creates real connection in the sales process Zoom Fatigue vs. Video Strategy – The difference between passive video calls and intentional async video as a sales and communication tool Engaging vs. Posting – Why commenting on other people’s posts is just as powerful as creating your own content — and how it brings customers to you Consistency Compounds – Why daily effort doesn’t look like much until you track it — and why that’s exactly the point Watch Your Thoughts – The chain from thought to word to action to habit to character to destiny — and why it starts with awareness Ashok’s Approach: Sales Manager at Hippo Video — a B2B video platform helping organizations communicate through video internally and externally Believes buying behavior has fundamentally shifted — customers research independently and only need a salesperson when they need expertise or conviction Sees LinkedIn engagement as a trail that future customers follow back to you — and treats every comment as a business development touchpoint Advocates for modeling your communication style around how people actually consume information — which is increasingly video Lives by the principle that thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits, habits become character, and character becomes destiny Perfect If You’re: A sales or marketing professional whose outreach is getting lost in crowded inboxes and wants to stand out Someone building a personal brand on LinkedIn who focuses only on posting and underestimates the power of engaging A business leader evaluating video as a communication tool for your team — internally or externally Anyone who needs a reminder that the mental game is always the foundation Ashok’s Philosophy: “Videos have the ability to break transactional communication and bring a human layer to the selling process.” “Consistency compounds — it may not be evident every day but track day one to day 100 and you’ll see it.” “Your future customers can pick up your trail from your comments and reach out to you.” “Watch your thoughts — thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits, habits become character, and character becomes your destiny.” ABOUT ASHOK MJ: Sales Manager, Hippo Video | B2B Video Sales Strategist | LinkedIn Content Advocate | Helping sales and marketing teams add a human layer to every communication — one personalized video at a time CONNECT WITH ASHOK: LinkedIn:   / ashokmj   CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn:   / connectorqueen