In this episode of the JDS Podcast, Joshua Agbontaen sits down with Shante Alexander, an Organizational Psychologist, executive coach, speaker, and author of The Emotional Cost of Clarity™.

Together, they explore the hidden emotional cost of success through the lens of leadership—why high achievers can feel exhausted despite accomplishing everything they once wanted, how identity shapes performance, and what happens when the roles that helped us succeed no longer fit who we’re becoming.

Shante shares practical insights on ambition, leadership, boundaries, burnout, emotional well-being, and the importance of separating who we truly are from who we learned to become.

you can learn more about Shante’s work and download the first chapter of The Emotional Cost of Clarity™ at ShanteAlexander.com/books.”

In this heartwarming episode of the JDS Podcast, host Joshua Agbontaen sits down with award-winning author, podcaster, and MFA student Holly B. Gutwillinger.

Holly’s storytelling is rooted in family, resilience, and the remarkable bond between people and animals. Her debut novel, North of Broken & Furever Home, explores grief, healing, and second chances through a unique dual narrative told from both human and canine perspectives.

Together, Joshua and Holly discuss the writing journey, balancing creativity with life, the emotional connection we share with animals, self-publishing, and how stories have the power to transform lives.

Learn more about Holly at:

https://www.ramblingfromthelittleshed.com

In this episode, we discuss:

* Holly’s journey to becoming an author

* The inspiration behind North of Broken & Furever Home

* Writing from both human and canine perspectives

* Family, motherhood, and storytelling

* The healing power of rescue animals

* Creative writing and earning an MFA

* Self-publishing and building a writing career

* Podcasting and connecting through creativity

* Overcoming challenges as a writer

* Living a creative life with purpose

In this episode of the JDS Podcast, host Joshua Agbontaen sits down with Todd A. Krause—TEDx Speaker, CPA, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Silversun Consulting.

After purchasing a home service business just before the COVID-19 shutdown, Todd transformed it from $1.8 million to over $4 million in annual revenue by focusing on leadership, employee engagement, and building a healthy workplace culture. Today, he helps entrepreneurs recover lost profits, strengthen leadership, and create businesses that thrive without depending on the owner every day.

Together, Joshua and Todd discuss entrepreneurship, leadership, company culture, sustainable growth, employee engagement, and practical strategies for building a profitable business that lasts.

Learn more about Todd: https://www.toddkrause.com 

In this episode of the JDS Podcast, host Joshua Agbontaen sits down with Chris Natzke—8th Degree Black Belt, former U.S. National Taekwondo Champion, life-leadership coach, keynote speaker, and Amazon #1 best-selling author.

Chris has spent decades helping leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals break through limiting beliefs, develop a champion’s mindset, and lead with greater confidence and purpose. Through his Black Belt Leadership philosophy, he teaches practical strategies that transform discipline into consistent success in both business and life.

Together, Joshua and Chris discuss leadership, resilience, mindset, peak performance, personal growth, and what it truly takes to become the best version of yourself.

Learn more about Chris and download his free resource:

http://www.ChrisNatzke.com

In this inspiring episode of the JDS Podcast, host Joshua Agbontaen sits down with Coach Willie Blake, a high-performance coach, speaker, and host of Light Beyond Limits, who helps dyslexic professionals, entrepreneurs, and creators overcome self-doubt and unlock their full potential.

Drawing from his own journey with dyslexia, Willie shares how he transformed years of feeling “behind” into a life of purpose, confidence, and impact. Through practical frameworks like the 2% Rule and GPS Goal Method, he teaches how to stop overthinking, take consistent action, and create meaningful progress every day.

Joshua and Willie explore resilience, mindset, personal growth, confidence, goal-setting, and the power of embracing what makes you different instead of hiding it.

Learn more about Willie Blake and download his free resource, Break Free: 12 Chains That Hold Us Back & How to Shatter Them, at:
https://www.coachwillieblake.com/breakfree

In this episode, we discuss:

• Turning self-doubt into confidence
• Living and leading with dyslexia
• The 2% Rule for daily progress
• Overcoming perfectionism and fear
• Building momentum through simple habits
• Goal-setting with the GPS Goal Method
• Personal growth and resilience
• Taking action instead of overthinking
• Breaking free from limiting beliefs
• Becoming the best version of yourself

In this episode of the JDS Podcast, host Joshua Agbontaen sits down with Lynn Neillie, a communication coach who helps B2B and professional services sales professionals become clearer, more confident, and more effective in real sales conversations.

Rather than relying on scripts or sales gimmicks, Lynn teaches professionals how to communicate with authenticity, ask better questions, build trust, handle objections with confidence, and create stronger client relationships that lead to long-term business success.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, salesperson, or business leader, this episode is packed with practical communication strategies you can apply immediately.

Learn more about Lynn:

https://www.lynnneillie.com (or her official website as listed on PodMatch)

In this episode of the JDS Podcast, host Joshua Agbontaen sits down with Kori Strobl—coach, speaker, and creator of A Recovering People-Pleaser’s Guide to Belonging to Yourself.

Kori challenges the common understanding of people-pleasing, arguing that it’s not simply about being “too nice,” but about self-abandonment driven by relational anxiety. Drawing from her own journey and years of study in Spiritual Psychology, she shares practical insights on building self-worth, setting healthy boundaries, embracing authenticity, and learning to truly belong to yourself.

If you’ve ever struggled with approval-seeking, burnout, or losing yourself in relationships, this conversation will help you begin a healthier path toward emotional freedom.

Learn more about Kori:

https://www.koristrobl.com/belongingtoyou

In this empowering episode of the JDS Podcast, host Joshua Agbontaen sits down with Karen R. F. Mitchell, also known as The Empress Lioness—author, transformational coach, speaker, and host of The Empress Lioness Podcast.

Karen shares her deeply personal journey from surviving trauma to embracing authenticity, self-worth, and sovereign leadership. Together, they explore healing, rebuilding identity, overcoming adversity, personal growth, and what it truly means to move from survival into purpose.

They also discuss Karen’s upcoming book, Becoming The Empress Lioness: Rising from Survival into Sovereignty, and the powerful message behind it.

Learn more about Karen and join the Becoming List:

https://www.karenrfmitchell.com/

In this episode, we discuss:

* Rising from survival into sovereignty

* Healing emotional wounds

* Rebuilding identity and self-worth

* Authentic leadership

* Personal transformation

* The power of becoming

* Spiritual growth

* Lessons from Becoming The Empress Lioness

* Finding purpose after adversity

* Living with confidence and authenticity

In this dynamic and eye-opening episode of the JDS Podcast, host Joshua Agbontaen sits down with David Sauers — entrepreneur, innovator, and CEO of Royal Restrooms.

David didn’t just build a business…

He redefined an entire industry.

From transforming portable restrooms into luxury experiences… to launching multiple ventures across entertainment, hospitality, and outdoor adventure… his journey is proof that opportunity often hides in the most overlooked places.

In this episode, we explore:

* How he turned an “unsexy” idea into a premium brand

* The mindset behind spotting overlooked opportunities

* How to scale a business into a national franchise

* Why customer experience is your biggest competitive advantage

* And how passion and lifestyle can evolve into powerful brands

This is a masterclass in creativity, execution, and thinking differently in business.

🔗 Learn more about his work:

https://www.royalrestrooms.com/

In this exciting episode of the JDS Podcast, host Joshua Agbontaen sits down with Adam Torres, top 2% podcaster, bestselling author of 1 Billion Podcasts: The Future of ALL Media, and Co-Founder of Mission Matters.

With more than 25 million views across his content ecosystem and interviews featuring world leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, celebrities, and industry experts, Adam has become one of the most recognized voices in the podcasting and new media space.

Together, Joshua and Adam explore the future of media, personal branding, entrepreneurship, podcasting, content creation, and why every business and professional should be paying attention to the podcast revolution.

In this episode, we discuss:

* Why podcasting is transforming media

* The inspiration behind 1 Billion Podcasts

* Building a powerful personal brand

* The future of content creation

* How entrepreneurs can leverage media

* Creating influence through storytelling

* Lessons from interviewing thousands of guests

* The rise of creator-led businesses

* Media as a business growth tool

* What it takes to stay relevant in a changing world

Whether you’re a podcaster, entrepreneur, business owner, or content creator, this conversation is packed with insights on building influence and creating lasting impact.