What does it take to move from caring about a problem to actively helping solve it?

On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with Chason Forehand, founder of HR-4U and creator of Transformation Kitchen, about building workplaces and communities that put people first.

Drawing from his career in the culinary industry and his own experience with addiction and incarceration, Chason explains how receiving a second chance changed his life—and inspired him to create opportunities for others facing barriers to employment.

Through Transformation Kitchen, participants receive culinary training, professional certifications, life coaching, health and wellness support, paid experience, and connections to living-wage employment. Chason also shares the challenges of overcoming organizational gatekeeping and why lasting change requires collaboration across businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and communities.

In this episode:

• Why living wages benefit employees, businesses, families, and communities

• How leaders can ensure people feel valued, seen, and heard

• Why second-chance employment can help break cycles of poverty and instability

• How Transformation Kitchen prepares people for sustainable culinary careers

• Why meaningful workforce development requires long-term support

• How employers can begin creating more inclusive employment opportunities

• The critical difference between being an ally and becoming an advocate

Chason’s message is clear: supporting a cause is not enough. Positive, responsible influence requires action. Whether you contribute your time, talent, resources, or connections, you can help someone forge a new path forward.

Website: https://hr-4u.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chason-forehand-rcf1222/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transformationkitchenorg/

The SMART Advantage Newsletter: https://www.smartadvantagenewsletter.com/

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way organizations work. It can generate reports, draft policies, analyze data, and provide recommendations in seconds. But one thing AI cannot do is accept responsibility.

In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores why the rise of AI makes leadership more important—not less. While technology can accelerate decisions, only people can exercise judgment, own the consequences, and influence others toward the right outcomes.

The future won't belong to leaders who simply adopt AI. It will belong to leaders who combine technology with disciplined thinking, responsible decision-making, and the courage to remain accountable.

In this episode:

Why AI is a leadership tool—not a leadership replacement.

The difference between automation and accountability.

Why judgment is becoming the most valuable leadership skill.

How responsible influence matters even more in the age of artificial intelligence.

Because technology may help you move faster...

But leadership determines whether you're moving in the right direction.

What if the greatest source of influence isn't authority—but responsibility?

In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores why responsibility is the foundation of leadership and why every decision we make shapes the culture around us. Long before we earn titles, build systems, or lead teams, we influence others through our actions, attitudes, and choices.

Brian challenges listeners to move beyond blame and embrace ownership, demonstrating how credibility is earned through consistency and how responsible influence creates stronger organizations, healthier cultures, and better leaders.

In this episode:

• Why responsibility creates credibility and credibility creates influence

• How every decision teaches others what is acceptable

• Why blame limits progress while ownership creates solutions

• The power behind the statement "I Am the Influence"

• A practical leadership question every manager should ask themselves daily

If you want to build stronger teams, improve organizational culture, and become a more intentional leader, this episode provides a simple but powerful place to begin.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform.

#DailyInfluence #Leadership #ResponsibleInfluence #SMARTManagement #BusinessLeadership #OrganizationalCulture #Influence #LeadershipDevelopment #Ownership #IntentionalLeadership

Networking is not about collecting business cards—it is about building relationships with intention.

In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg Koleno welcomes back Tom Gosche, business strategist, networking expert, speaker, and creator of the Networking Navigator. Tom shares practical strategies for developing referral relationships, communicating effectively, creating a memorable personal brand, and turning everyday conversations into long-term opportunities.

You’ll learn why the most successful networkers focus on helping rather than selling, how to identify valuable power partners, and why consistent follow-up is one of the most important habits in business development.

In this episode:

• How to move from transactional networking to purposeful relationship building

• Why preparation, active listening, and follow-up build trust

• How power partners can generate stronger, more relevant referrals

• How to apply the Platinum Rule and adapt to different communication styles

• Tom’s B-R-A-N-D framework for creating a clear and memorable personal brand

• Why one thoughtful connection can create opportunities years later

Learn more about Tom and the Networking Navigator at thenetworkingnavigator.com or contact him at [email protected].

Listen and discover how intentional networking, strategic follow-up, and positive influence can help you build stronger relationships and create lasting business opportunities.

Artificial intelligence is changing the speed of business—but it doesn't replace leadership. It raises the standard for it.

In Episode 785 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith welcomes executive leadership advisor Eva Minkoff, founder of Bold Being, for a timely conversation about decision fatigue, grounded agency, and leading through uncertainty in the age of AI.

Drawing from her work with healthcare executives and enterprise leaders, Eva explains why today's greatest leadership challenge isn't technology itself—it's maintaining clarity, purpose, and human connection while navigating constant change. Together, Brian and Eva explore how leaders can move beyond reactive decision-making, reconnect with their purpose, and create organizations where trust and influence thrive.

Whether you lead a healthcare organization, a family business, a growing company, or simply want to become a more intentional leader, this episode offers practical insights that apply across every industry.

In this episode:

Why leaders become organizational bottlenecks

The real cause of decision fatigue

What "Grounded Agency" means—and why it matters

How AI is transforming leadership rather than replacing it

The importance of purpose during times of uncertainty

Building cultures rooted in clarity, trust, and meaningful influence

Because technology may change how we work—but leadership will always determine how people thrive.

https://boldbeing.co

https://www.linkedin.com/in/evalana

Why do so many high performers struggle with people-pleasing, fear of judgment, self-doubt, and the pressure to constantly prove themselves?

In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg Koleno speaks with Dr. Liz DuBois Erskine, PhD conflict analyst and executive coach, about breaking the patterns that undermine confidence, leadership, and personal fulfillment.

Dr. Liz shares how her own experiences with trauma, coercive relationships, recovery, and healing shaped her approach to helping leaders overcome self-sabotage and develop authentic executive presence. She explains why people-pleasing is often rooted in a deep need for safety and belonging—and why external validation can become especially costly for high performers and leaders.

The conversation also explores how to identify the source of self-doubt, build a healthier support system, stand firmly in your values, and lead effectively in environments where you may feel underestimated or overlooked.

Most importantly, Dr. Liz challenges listeners to stop trying to be exceptional at everything. Real confidence begins by recognizing what you do best, accepting that perfection is unnecessary, and sharing your strengths with others.

In this episode:

• Why people-pleasing is often driven by the need for safety and belonging

• How past experiences can shape confidence, relationships, and leadership behavior

• The connection between self-sabotage, burnout, and external validation

• Practical ways to build authentic confidence and stronger self-trust

• How to develop executive presence without changing who you are

• Why the right community can strengthen confidence and belonging

• How women can stand firmly in their values in male-dominated environments

• Why knowing your greatest strengths is more important than being good at everything

Learn more about Dr. Liz DuBois Erskine at coachdoctorliz.com

What happens when an organization depends on one person to make every important decision?

In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores why being indispensable may sound like a compliment, but often reveals a deeper leadership challenge. As organizations grow, success depends less on heroic individuals and more on building systems that create clarity, consistency, and confidence across the entire team.

Drawing from the principles of S.M.A.R.T. Management, Brian explains why sustainable leadership is about developing people, creating shared understanding, and building organizations that continue to thrive—even when the leader isn't in the room.

In this episode:

Why being indispensable can become an organizational weakness

How systems create confidence instead of bureaucracy

Why great leaders develop other leaders instead of creating dependency

How lasting influence is measured by what continues after you're gone

Leadership isn't about becoming the hero.

It's about building people, systems, and organizations that can succeed together.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform.

#DailyInfluence #Leadership #SMARTManagement #BusinessLeadership #OrganizationalCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #Management #Influence #SmallBusiness #BusinessGrowth

In this revisit to episode 322 of the Daily Influence, Brian Smith tackles the impact of artificial intelligence and automation on the workforce. He provides insights on how to prepare yourself and your team to embrace AI as a tool for enhancing human skills and creativity. Discover how to leverage AI for deeper critical thinking and innovation while avoiding the pitfalls of technology integration. Brian also shares the importance of using the S.M.A.R.T. management principles to ensure a smooth and strategic adoption of AI in your business processes. Tune in to learn how AI can be a partner in achieving your business goals and driving continuous improvement.

On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno welcomes Hal Stinespring, real estate attorney, investor, and founder of Path of the Grateful Warrior, for a powerful conversation about resilience, identity, gratitude, and responsible influence.

After surviving two cardiac arrests and being diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis, Hal’s life changed in ways he never expected. Once deeply connected to his identity as an athlete, attorney, and high-performing professional, Hal was forced to confront a painful question: Who am I when the roles, titles, and abilities I once relied on begin to shift?

Through that process, Hal discovered the importance of grieving the loss of a former identity, giving himself grace, creating intentional daily habits, and choosing gratitude as a disciplined practice. He shares how adversity helped him redefine purpose, deepen his influence, and become what he now calls a “grateful warrior.”

In this episode, Hal and Gregg discuss:

• How major life transitions can reshape identity and purpose

• Why gratitude is more than a mindset—it is a daily discipline

• The importance of grieving who you once were before rebuilding who you are becoming

• How leaders can influence others by acting as counselors, mentors, and guides

• Why responsible influence often begins with one meaningful conversation

• Practical steps listeners can take to move forward with more strength, clarity, and purpose

Hal also shares a moving story from his legal career about helping a young man change the direction of his life, proving that influence is not always about grand gestures. Sometimes, it is about seeing the person behind the problem and offering guidance at the right moment.

This conversation is a reminder that adversity does not have to end your story. With gratitude, intention, discipline, and purpose, it can become the beginning of a new path.

Connect with Hal Stinespring:

Website: halsteinspring.com

Instagram: @halstinespring

Facebook: Hal Stinespring-Path of the Grateful Warrior https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574667125229

In this revisit to episode 232 of The Daily Influence, Brian Smith from the I in Team Series dives into the transformative rise of the gig economy and what it means for both organizations and professionals. With over 28 years of experience in providing fractional leadership and tactical services, Brian shares invaluable insights into the benefits and challenges of this evolving work landscape. Discover how the gig economy offers unparalleled flexibility and opportunities, while also presenting unique hurdles in terms of stability and team cohesion.

Brian explores practical strategies for both gig workers and employers, emphasizing the importance of treating every gig and temporary project with the utmost professionalism and dedication. Learn how to leverage the gig economy for your organization’s growth, integrate gig workers effectively, and build strong partnerships that ensure mutual success. Tune in for a comprehensive guide on navigating this dynamic and rapidly expanding sector.

Whether you're a business leader or a gig professional, this episode provides essential advice and actionable tips to thrive in the gig economy. Join us to understand how this new work paradigm can enhance your influence and drive your career or organization forward.

Listen now and stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of work!

Don't forget to check out our latest book, Responsible Influence: Build the I in Team, available now on Amazon.