Daily Influence

In this powerful episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Serena Mastin—CEO, speaker, creative visionary, and author of the transformative memoir Exposed. Serena’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary: from surviving childhood instability, homelessness, and trauma to becoming a powerhouse leader who builds organizations rooted in creativity, courage, and connection.

Serena opens up about the pivotal experiences that shaped her—from navigating witness protection and foster homes, to building a successful marketing agency, to enduring unimaginable personal loss when her husband passed away in 2020. Through vulnerability, self-awareness, and determination, she rebuilt not only her business but the foundation of her own leadership.

Together, Gregg and Serena explore themes central to the I in Team series, including:

• The influence that begins with self-awareness

• How authenticity creates deeper connection and stronger teams

• The importance of values-driven leadership

• Balancing service with self-preservation

• Using storytelling as a vehicle for healing and impact

• The role of AI as a tool—not a replacement—for human connection

Serena also shares the life-changing shift that inspired her memoir Exposed and the quote that now guides her leadership: “You don’t have to set yourself on fire to keep others warm.”

This episode is a reminder that influence becomes most powerful when it comes from a place of truth, intention, and alignment. Serena’s story will leave you inspired to show up more fully, lead more responsibly, and use your voice to create meaningful impact.

Tune in for a conversation filled with wisdom, courage, and a call to step into your authentic influence.

Connect with Serena at: https://serenamastin.com/

In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith picks up where we left off on why goals fail without milestones — and goes deeper into why milestones are what make goals attainable in the first place.

Milestones don’t make goals smaller or easier. They make them humanly achievable through structure, clarity, and momentum. When goals are unsequenced, they overwhelm. When milestones are SMART, they create psychological safety, reduce anxiety, and replace pressure with confidence.

This episode explores how progress fuels motivation, why engagement follows evidence, and how attainability lives at the intersection of clarity, momentum, and trust. If your goals feel distant, this episode will help you turn ambition into a disciplined, achievable path forward.

Most goals don’t fail because they lack ambition — they fail because they lack structure.

In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores why milestones are the missing link between setting a goal and actually achieving it. Without milestones, goals drift, accountability becomes emotional, and progress is assumed instead of managed. With milestones, leaders gain clarity, teams gain confidence, and execution becomes intentional.

If you want better results in 2026, this episode will challenge you to stop writing better goals — and start building better milestones.

In this powerful conversation, Gregg-Brooke Koleno welcomes Carolyn Litton, Founder of Hearts for Hope and creator of The Vision Project, to talk about the transformation that occurs when we choose authenticity, alignment, and faith over fear and busyness.

Carolyn shares her journey from high-performing mortgage professional to purpose-driven nonprofit leader and transformational coach. Through thousands of care packages delivered to individuals experiencing homelessness and through her global coaching and retreat programs, Carolyn helps people reconnect to who they really are and operate from flow rather than force.

Listeners will learn:

• How she rebuilt her identity after burnout

• Why slowing down is essential for clarity, influence, and high performance

• The story behind Hearts for Hope’s growing humanitarian impact

• How mindset, energy, and daily habits create sustainable transformation

• Why collaboration and open-hearted leadership expand what's possible

This episode reminds us that influence begins with who we are, not just what we do. Carolyn’s message is grounding, empowering, and full of hope for anyone wanting to make a meaningful difference.

Connect with Carolyn: https://carolynlitton.com/

In this revisit to episode 388 of Daily Influence, Gregg Koleno shares insights from a powerful presentation on business growth and transformation through the lens of IA Business Advisors' proven methodologies.

Founded in 1996, IA Business Advisors specializes in leveraging Individual Advantages (IA) and the principles of S.M.A.R.T. Management to help businesses overcome challenges, identify gaps, and achieve sustainable growth. Gregg discusses their holistic BizVision process, which integrates people, process, and technology to uncover obstacles and create tailored roadmaps for success.

Using the example of a client, Blue Rock Financial Group, Gregg illustrates how IA Business Advisors helped the company streamline operations, develop a functional organizational structure, and empower its leadership team. With candid insights and actionable strategies, this episode will inspire you to:

• Identify gaps in your business operations.

• Embrace S.M.A.R.T. Management principles to create clear, attainable goals.

• Overcome challenges with tailored solutions that drive measurable results.

Whether you're a solopreneur, part of a growing team, or a seasoned leader, this episode provides practical tools and real-world examples to help you take your business to the next level.

Ready to unlock your potential and achieve your goals? Tune in now and discover how IA Business Advisors' transformative approach can guide your journey to success.

In this powerful episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Dr. Zuri Tau—Founder and CEO of Social Insights, a pioneering organization helping foundations, nonprofits, and government agencies turn data into deeper understanding and measurable, community-centered change.

With over two decades at the intersection of research, justice, and healing, Dr. Tau invites us to rethink how we define “success,” why metrics alone are never enough, and how true accountability begins with empathy. She shares her journey from early roots in service and community organizing to reshaping how organizations listen, learn, and respond to the people they aim to serve.

Together, Gregg and Zuri explore:

✨ How awareness drives responsible influence inside organizations

✨ Why stories, lived experience, and somatic wisdom matter as much as data

✨ The challenge of aligning good intentions with real-world outcomes

✨ How to stay grounded in leadership while facing resistance to change

✨ What it means to “come close” when work—and the world—feels overwhelming

✨ The importance of trying without perfection, taking risks, and stepping toward what brings meaning

Dr. Tau’s perspective is a timely reminder that influence isn’t just about sharing ideas—it's about shaping outcomes that honor people, community, and collective possibility. Her insights call us to reflect not just on what we’re doing, but why and how we’re doing it.

If you’re ready to lead with more clarity, courage, and compassion, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Learn More At:

https://www.socinsights.com/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVQrD1VLZk2/

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In this revisit to episode 469 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith dives into one of today’s most dynamic and debated topics—Artificial Intelligence. Through the lens of the SMART Management model, Brian explores how AI can responsibly amplify human judgment rather than replace it. He shares personal experiences coaching clients on AI adoption, and gives a grounded perspective on how AI can support strategic decision-making, communication, and culture—when used transparently and ethically. Listeners will walk away with clear, SMART-based guidelines on integrating AI as a tool, not a crutch, in modern leadership and management.

In today's revisit to episode 471 of the Daily Influence, Brian Smith tackles how leaders can navigate uncertainty by applying S.M.A.R.T. Management tactics. Whether facing economic instability, shifting tariffs, or market disruptions, being Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely builds organizational resilience. Learn how transparency, strategic communication, and small measurable wins can stabilize your teams, strengthen relationships, and turn uncertainty into opportunity. Join us as we explore how to lead with intention, influence, and SMART resilience.

In today’s empowering episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Shenali Rajaratnam—visionary leader, global changemaker, and co-founder of Power of Women and We Are the Hope. Through storytelling, service, and conscious innovation, Shenali is raising the vibration of communities worldwide and redefining what it means to lead with love, purpose, and responsible influence.

Shenali shares the personal roots that shaped her worldview—from her grandmother’s legacy of peacebuilding to her upbringing centered on possibility and unity—and how these experiences led her to build two global platforms devoted to empowerment, well-being, and connection.

She reveals the Four R’s Framework—Reflection, Recognition, Respect, and Resolution—that guides her leadership and teaches individuals how to rediscover their inner power. Shenali also shares an unforgettable story from Uganda’s Power of Girls Clubs, where confidence-building and creativity helped young women step into futures they never imagined possible.

Together, Gregg and Shenali explore:

• How women can reshape global narratives by recognizing the inherent power they already possess

• What responsible influence looks like when building a movement rooted in peace, collaboration, and compassion

• How music, culture, and storytelling foster unity and healing across borders

• Why discovering your purpose begins with turning inward—not outward

• The extraordinary ripple effect of simple acts like kindness, acknowledgment, and showing up

Shenali’s message is a heartfelt reminder that every person carries a unique gift, and even the smallest gesture can spark transformation.

If you’re seeking clarity, inspiration, or a renewed sense of the impact you can make, this episode will meet you exactly where you are—and lift you higher.

Connect with Shenali or learn more:

https://www.powerofwomen.info/

https://www.instagram.com/powerofwomen.info/

In this revisit to Episode 73 of the Daily Influence we explore (I)individual responsibility. Understanding (I)individual responsibility can confuse many. Our responsibility extends each time we influence. This is why we believe our influence is our biggest responsibility.