In this episode, Paul sits down with Shannon Plumb, Founder and CEO of PURL Advisors, globally recognized mentor, leadership advisor, and creator of the Real T newsletter. Shannon is known for helping leaders stop pretending to be someone else—and start winning as themselves.

They unpack:

• What authentic leadership actually means beyond the buzzword
• The difference between polish and presence
• Why vulnerability builds trust (but performative vulnerability breaks it)
• The real emotional work behind entrepreneurship
• How to avoid losing your “why” when the world tells you to go faster, harder, more

Paul and Shannon also discuss the myth of the heroic “hustle” founder—and why ease can be a sign of alignment, not laziness.

Five Key Learnings

1. Authenticity ≠ Transparency — It’s about showing up human, not oversharing or performing relatability.
2. Your body knows before you do — Gut tension is often your first signal that something is off in how you're leading.
3. Entrepreneurs fall into two groups: builders who love the game, and founders driven by mission. The second group must reconnect to their why regularly.
4. Ease is not avoidance — When leadership aligns with identity and values, decisions take less friction.
5. Slow down to speed up — Time away from the work improves judgment, creativity, and resilience. Rest is strategic.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Shannon’s firm: PURL Advisors
  
  
• Shannon’s newsletter: The Real T 
• Paul’s article: Slow Down to Speed Up

Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential.

For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net.