Business Leadership Series

Kent Hance is a lawyer, a former U.S. Congressman, a university chancellor, and most notably, a native Texan. With the launch of his new podcast, Kent Hance: The Best Storyteller in Texas, Hance shares stories from his legendary life on themes relating to leadership, politics and great friendships with some real characters.

Hance received his B.B.A. from Texas Tech University in 1965 and his law degree from the University of Texas in 1968. He served in the Texas state senate from 1975 - 1979. In 1978, after defeating George W. Bush, Hance was elected to the United States House of Representatives for Texas’ 19th Congressional District, where he served until 1985.

Following six years as a U.S. Congressman, Hance served on the Texas Railroad Commission from 1987-1991 (Chairman 1989-1990), the Governor’s Energy Council, Governor’s Oil Spill Advisory Committee, Texas High Speed Rail Commission, Interstate Oil Compact Commission, and the Texas Mining Council.

In 2006, Hance was selected to serve as Chancellor to Texas Tech University. After his retirement as Chancellor in 2014, he was named Chancellor Emeritus and continues to teach a popular seminar class on leadership at Texas Tech.

Subscribe and listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-storyteller-in-texas-podcast/id1558310539

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

In this episode Derek Champagne talks with Shark Tank veteran Yannis Moati. Yannis is the Founder & CEO of Hotels by Day, which seamlessly unlocks latent intra-day room inventory, bringing guests the flexibility of short stays. Intra-day rooms being the inventory of unsold rooms from the night before pooled with early checkouts.

Yannis shares his experiences launching his new business and growing his national brand.

Learn more at www.hotelsbyday.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Derek Champagne talks with John R. Miles. 

John is the author of the new book, THE MATTERING EFFECT: Creating a Life of Meaning and Worth (Morehouse Publishing, October 6, 2026).

We are living through a quiet crisis. Until now, it has had no name, which is exactly why it has been so hard to escape. Millions of people have done everything right: built a career, a family, and a reputation. And yet, they feel hollow. Not depressed. Not burned out in the clinical sense. Just quietly, persistently invisible to themselves.

This is what John R. Miles defines as The Great Erasure—the gradual, structural disappearance of our sense that we matter, even while we remain highly visible to the world. It is a civilizational design flaw where we have built institutions, cultures, and relationships that reward our output while quietly erasing our presence. We are being treated less as irreplaceable lives and more as interchangeable parts. 

John is an award-winning author, speaker, and global thought leader. He reaches millions as the host of the Passion Struck podcast—the #1 alternative health show with more than 85 million downloads worldwide—and has interviewed 700+ icons, including Angela Duckworth, Susan Cain, Seth Godin, and Gary Vaynerchuk. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Navy officer, he also holds an M.S. and M.B.A. and spent over two decades as a Fortune 50 executive (CIO, COO, CDO, CISO) and four-time CEO, leading global transformations in cybersecurity, digital strategy, culture, and data science.

His first book, Passion Struck, is winner of the Gold Stevie Award for Best Business Book 2025 and a 2024 Next Big Idea Club Must-Read selection. His work has been praised for delivering “groundbreaking discoveries that allow you to reshape your past and create an empowered and limitless future” (Next Big Idea Club).

Learn more about John's new book: https://matteringeffect.com/
John's speaking engagements: https://johnrmiles.com/
Passion Struck: https://passionstruck.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

In this episode Derek talks with Dave Alpern, President of Joe Gibbs Racing and author of Taking the Lead. 

The president of Joe Gibbs Racing―the winningest team in NASCAR history―shares the secrets of succeeding in business and in life.
In NASCAR, as in life, the difference between winning and losing often comes down to being in the right place at the right time and making the most of every opportunity.

Nobody understands that better than Dave Alpern. Dave started his career as an unpaid intern selling T-shirts for the newly formed Joe Gibbs Racing team. Nearly three decades later, he’s now the president of JGR, a multimillion-dollar elite, record-setting racing team with more than 500 employees. In Taking the Lead, Dave shares the wisdom he’s learned along the way: key principles that will equip you with what you need to rise to the top and succeed with integrity and purpose―whatever team you’re on.

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Derek Champagne talks with Sramana Mitra.

Sramana is the founder and CEO of One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), the world’s first and only global virtual incubator/accelerator. Its goal is to help a million entrepreneurs globally reach a million dollars in annual revenue, build a trillion dollars in global GDP, and create 10 million jobs.

Since its founding in 2010, 1Mby1M has become a powerful platform for democratization of entrepreneurship acceleration.

Sramana also developed 1Mby1M’s Incubator-in-a-Box methodology for Corporate Incubation that is used by enterprises to manage internal and external innovation endeavors.

In 2015, LinkedIn named Sramana one of their Top 10 Influencers alongside Bill Gates and Richard Branson.

Sramana has been an entrepreneur and a strategy consultant in Silicon Valley since 1994. Her fields of experience span from hardcore technology disciplines like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Semiconductors, to sophisticated consumer marketing industries including e-commerce, fashion and education.

As an entrepreneur CEO, Sramana founded three companies: Dais (off-shore software services), Intarka (sales lead generation and qualification software using Artificial Intelligence algorithms; VC: NEA) and Uuma (online personalized store for selling clothes using Expert Systems software; VC: Redwood). Two of these were acquired, while the third received an acquisition offer from Ralph Lauren which the company did not accept.

As strategy consultant, Sramana has consulted with over 80 companies, including public companies such as SAP, Cadence Design Systems, Webex, KLA-Tencor, Best Buy, MercadoLibre and Tessera among others. Her work has also included numerous startups and VCs.

Sramana has a Masters degree in EECS from MIT and a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Economics from Smith College.

From 2000 to 2004, Sramana chaired the MIT Club of Northern California’s entrepreneurship program in Silicon Valley.

Learn more at www.1Mby1M.com


Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

NYT bestselling author Shaka Senghor talks with Derek Champagne about his personal story and his powerful new book, How to Be Free: A Proven Guide to Escaping Life’s Hidden Prisons.

"I love this book—because it teaches you how to manifest freedom in your own life and how that work allows you to rise to your greatest glory." —Oprah Winfrey, The Oprah Podcast

After 19 years in prison—7 of them in solitary—Shaka emerged not just with a story, but with a methodology. In this book, he distills the inner work that helped him survive, heal, and grow into practical tools that anyone can apply to their own life.

Because not all prisons have bars. We all live inside systems, stories, and cycles that can hold us back—doubt, fear, disconnection. And for men in particular, a flawed definition of manhood—emotional suppression, isolation, performative strength—can quietly destroy us. Shaka challenges that directly and offers a radically honest path to healing, self-trust, and real leadership.

Each chapter blends hard-won wisdom with actionable steps (including “Keys to” sections at the end of each chapter that offer concrete, practical guidance), perfect for readers hungry for a path that’s real, not performative. Shaka’s work has been praised by figures ranging from Oprah to Ben Horowitz, and he’s regularly sought after by CEOs and changemakers for his insights on leadership, trust, and mindset.

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Derek Champagne talks with John R. Miles. 

John is the author of the new book, THE MATTERING EFFECT: Creating a Life of Meaning and Worth (Morehouse Publishing, October 6, 2026).

We are living through a quiet crisis. Until now, it has had no name, which is exactly why it has been so hard to escape. Millions of people have done everything right: built a career, a family, and a reputation. And yet, they feel hollow. Not depressed. Not burned out in the clinical sense. Just quietly, persistently invisible to themselves.

This is what John R. Miles defines as The Great Erasure—the gradual, structural disappearance of our sense that we matter, even while we remain highly visible to the world. It is a civilizational design flaw where we have built institutions, cultures, and relationships that reward our output while quietly erasing our presence. We are being treated less as irreplaceable lives and more as interchangeable parts. 

John is an award-winning author, speaker, and global thought leader. He reaches millions as the host of the Passion Struck podcast—the #1 alternative health show with more than 85 million downloads worldwide—and has interviewed 700+ icons, including Angela Duckworth, Susan Cain, Seth Godin, and Gary Vaynerchuk. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Navy officer, he also holds an M.S. and M.B.A. and spent over two decades as a Fortune 50 executive (CIO, COO, CDO, CISO) and four-time CEO, leading global transformations in cybersecurity, digital strategy, culture, and data science.

His first book, Passion Struck, is winner of the Gold Stevie Award for Best Business Book 2025 and a 2024 Next Big Idea Club Must-Read selection. His work has been praised for delivering “groundbreaking discoveries that allow you to reshape your past and create an empowered and limitless future” (Next Big Idea Club).

Learn more about John's new book: https://matteringeffect.com/
John's speaking engagements: https://johnrmiles.com/
Passion Struck: https://passionstruck.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Derek Champagne talks with the Godfather of reissue culture, Richard Foos.

Richard Foos launched his entertainment career shortly after college in a small storefront on Santa Monica Boulevard. What began as a quirky record store evolved into Rhino Records, one of the most respected reissue labels in the world. It became a hub for collectors, and in 1978, he and his partner, Harold Bronson, launched the label.

The Rhino team is credited with inventing “reissue culture,” which in the aggregate has sold many hundreds of millions of records and CDs. In 1998, Rhino Entertainment Company was fully acquired by Time Warner. It became the catalogue development and marketing division of Warner Music Group, where it continues today, reissuing the great artists on Warner labels. Richard stayed with the company until 2002. In 2003, Richard and his two partners, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos, launched Shout! Factory, shifting the focus toward TV and film. Shout! Studios is now a part of Radial Entertainment, where Richard serves as a consultant for the company.

Beyond business, Richard is also known for his social activism. Foos currently serves as Board Chair of both The
Narrative Method and Volunteer Collective. He also serves on the Board of Governors of Cedars Sinai, and on the boards of Pico Union Project, Inc., Brave New Films, College Match LA, and Hoover Intergenerational Care, which he co-founded in 1976. Richard is married to therapist Shari Foos, who is the founder of The Narrative Method.

Visit Radial Entertainment

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Derek Champagne talks with Enes Kanter Freedom. Enes is a human rights activist, NBA star, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and NY Times Best Selling author of the book: In The Name of Freedom.
 
summary

In this conversation, Ennis Cantor-Freedom shares his remarkable journey from a childhood in Turkey, where he faced societal pressures to hate, to becoming a prominent NBA player and a human rights activist. He discusses the challenges he faced in speaking out against injustices, particularly regarding the treatment of Uyghurs in China, and the personal sacrifices he made, including estrangement from his family and the threat to his safety. Through his story, he emphasizes the importance of empathy, the responsibility of influential figures, and the need to educate the next generation about human rights and social justice.

takeaways

• Ennis Cantor-Freedom's journey from Turkey to the NBA is marked by a commitment to human rights.

• He faced societal pressures to hate America but chose to embrace understanding instead.

• His family's support played a crucial role in shaping his values.

• The NBA provided a platform for him to speak out against injustices.

• He faced severe consequences for his activism, including threats to his family.

• Empathy is a key theme in his message to the world.

• He encourages others to use their platforms for social justice.

• The importance of educating the next generation about human rights is emphasized.

• He believes that silence in the face of injustice is complicity.

• His story illustrates the power of individual choices in the fight for freedom.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Ennis Cantor-Freedom

01:18
Childhood in Turkey: A Journey of Understanding

06:45
Transition to America: First Impressions and Cultural Adjustments

11:23
NBA Career: From Draft to Stardom

13:21
Activism Begins: Standing Up for Human Rights

16:51
Consequences of Activism: Family and Personal Sacrifices

18:52
Living Under Threat: The Interpol List and Travel Restrictions

20:58
The Threat of Violence and Personal Safety

22:22
Joining the Boston Celtics: A New Chapter

24:04
Awakening to Human Rights Issues

25:47
Using Basketball as a Platform for Activism

29:05
The Cost of Speaking Out

31:08
Empathy: The Missing Ingredient

32:23
The Consequences of Activism

37:26
The Business of Basketball and China

38:17
The Responsibility of Influential Athletes

40:46
Taking Action: What Can We Do?

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Derek Champagne talks with Dr. Justin Anderson. 

Dr. Justin Anderson is one of the nation's leading high-performance sport psychologists and the Founder
and CEO of Premier Sport Psychology and Premier Performance Advising. With over 20 years of experience, his work has supported Hall of Famers, All-Pros, world and national champions, and organizations across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and NWSL, as well as collegiate, Olympic, and executive clients across industries.

His approach is grounded in neuroscience, counseling and organizational psychology, and thousands of hours
embedded in real performance environments (locker rooms, sidelines, and boardrooms) where attention,
decision-making, and emotional regulation are tested in real time. That applied experience forms the foundation
of his book, Intentional Attention.

A licensed psychologist, Certified Mental Performance Coach, and former collegiate quarterback, Justin brings a blend of scientific rigor, clinical depth, and lived experience to his work. He is a sought-after keynote speaker at national and international conferences and designs scalable performance and leadership programs for organizations seeking clarity, confidence, and consistency under pressure.

"Intentional Attention" is the ability to deliberately direct and sustain focus on what drives performance, especially when distraction, emotion, and uncertainty surge. In a world engineered to capture our attention, this skill has become one of the rarest and most decisive competitive advantages.

In his book, Intentional Attention: The Science and Practice of Focus Under Pressure, Justin introduces a practical,
science-backed framework for strengthening the attentional systems that drive performance.

Order "Intentional Attention"

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576