For years, leaders treated technology as something we used.

AI has changed that dynamic.

In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores a shift many organizations are already experiencing — AI is no longer just a tool executing tasks. It’s recommending, prioritizing, predicting, and quietly influencing decisions.

That raises a new leadership question:

How do we lead when influence is shared with a non-human teammate?

This episode challenges leaders to rethink accountability, psychological safety, and responsible influence in a world where AI is embedded in daily work. Brian outlines why judgment must remain human, how clarity and SMART discipline prevent chaos, and what it takes to intentionally lead teams where humans and AI work side by side.

If AI is influencing your organization, this episode will help you ensure that leadership — not technology — stays in control.

Today on Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Larry Kaufman — global speaker, best-selling author of The NCG Factor, and one of the most respected relationship builders on LinkedIn. Larry has built a life and career anchored in responsible influence, generosity, and authentic connection. His philosophy is simple but profound: lead with giving, and success follows in unexpected ways.

In this conversation, Larry shares:

• His journey from sales to global speaking—and how being an early adopter of LinkedIn led him to a path of teaching, mentoring, and connecting others.

• The “others-focused” mindset that has shaped his approach to relationships, networking, and influence.

• Powerful stories of impact, including life-changing introductions that launched careers, created opportunities, and even sparked love stories.

• Why listening is the most underrated relationship skill, and how asking one simple question—“How can I help you?”—can transform your personal and professional life.

• Lessons from unique life chapters, from appearing in iconic films to driving sports legends to serving on the board of Holiday Heroes.

• How service, intention, and generosity create ripple effects far beyond what we can see.

Larry reminds us that influence isn’t about scale or status—it’s about showing up for others with integrity, curiosity, and a willingness to help without expectation. This episode is a powerful guide for anyone who wants to build deeper relationships, lead with purpose, and create positive impact through everyday actions.

Tune in and learn how to build a life where connection isn’t transactional—it’s transformational.

Connect With Larry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrykaufmanlinkedinspeaker/

Buy Larry’s Book: https://a.co/d/8veAVPl

SMART doesn’t end once a goal is written down.

In this episode of the Daily Influence, Brian Smith builds on the recent discussions around milestones and attainability to introduce a critical shift in thinking: SMART is not a one-time goal-setting exercise—it’s a living cycle.

When goals, objectives, milestones, tasks, and feedback loops work together, SMART becomes a self-correcting system. This is how individuals stop waiting to be managed, teams move from effort to excellence, and leaders stop reacting and start managing with intention.

This episode sets the foundation for deeper conversations on ownership, accountability, and individual influence—because systems don’t execute… people do.

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.