Lead to Succeed

In a marketing world filled with self-promotion, it's time for a change. Instead of shouting "Me, Me, Me," success now hinges on understanding and connecting with our audience. In this episode, our guest, Anthony Iannarino will be talking about the importance of shifting our focus from self-centered narratives to building genuine connections that resonate.

Anthony is a highly respected international speaker, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and sales leader specializing in the complex business-to-business (B2B) sale. He is also a founder and managing partner of two closely held, family-owned businesses in the staffing industry, leading both entities in strategic planning while growing sales. Anthony is best known for his work at The Sales Blog, which has helped him gain recognition as a top thought leader in sales strategy. He is also the designer of Level 4 Value Creation™ and Building Consensus, methodologies that help sales organizations achieve transformational, breakthrough results.

In each business, Anthony is focused on helping professionals reach their full potential. In 2007, while growing the sales force of his second staffing firm, he discovered a knack for coaching, and realized that he could make enduring contributions to a company’s sales culture. He began blogging about complex selling processes and gravitated toward B2B companies facing challenges in sales force management and performance. His transition to professional speaking, consulting, and workshop facilitation led to the development of a trademarked methodology that has proven instrumental in helping sales organizations achieve revenue goals.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of building connections that matter.

[02:52] What brought Anthony to where he is now and how he helps people.

[13:20] What is the essence of selling for Anthony and the common mistake done by people in this field.

[16:49] How Anthony helps people adeptly transition from awkward initial marketing small talk with unfamiliar audiences to making the conversation genuinely relevant.

[22:14] Anthony’s insight on the following quote: “you will never win all the clients you want, you win all the clients that want you.”

[29:11] How Anthony is so consistent in content creating and posting daily and what are the challenges that he faces.

[32:20] Anthony’s insight on “Why opt for specialized services when AI offers assistance for free?”

[36:43] Anthony’s biggest mistake and what he learned from it.

[38:25] Rapid-fire questions.

[42:54] Anthony’s final life lesson.

• “You have a goal, but you have a soul.”

• “Compassion is a lot better than empathy.”

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Remaining entrenched in a career path that fails to resonate with one's true passion is a substantial life misstep. Opting for a fulfilling career isn't merely a luxury but an essential pursuit for a well-rounded and contented life. That’s exactly what our guest Cynthia Kay will be sharing about.

Cynthia is the Founder of Cynthia Kay and Company, an award-winning media production company, an author, speaker, and an expert in small business leadership. That expertise comes from over three decades of building her own company. As a business leader and trailblazer among women keynote speakers, her success has been widely recognized. Cynthia works with current and aspiring small business leaders across sectors, industries, or growth stages to help them achieve their goals. She is past Chair of the National Small Business Association (NSBA).

Listen in and learn more about mistakes leaders often make and how to avoid them.

[02:07] What Cynthia does for her clients and how she got started.

[06:15] How ready does Cynthia find her new clients to be getting into the concept of storytelling and what advice does she offer to listeners unfamiliar with its critical importance?

[09:21] How Cynthia guides faceless large enterprises through the storytelling process ensuring they attain relatability.

[12:42] Cynthia's process to ensure that the companies she works with maintain a balance, recognizing that their messaging needs to resonate internally as well as externally.

[17:07] Small businesses’ challenges that are holding them back from taking the next step to growing their businesses.

[21:05] Cynthia's opinion on how big a vision should be in terms of what’s realistic and in terms of making sure that people don’t get discouraged.

[24:26] Baby steps individuals can take to enhance their comfort level with public speaking.

[26:37] Leadership lessons that Cynthia extracted from being a talk show host and reporter.

[28:39] Cynthia’s biggest mistake and how it helped her become who she is today.

[31:23] Rapid-fire questions.

[33:57] Cynthia’s final life lesson.

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Passion in the workplace is like the secret sauce that adds flavor to your professional journey. It's the fuel that propels you forward, turning a job into a fulfilling career. When you're passionate about what you do, it transforms your work into a labor of love. That’s what our guest Bjorn Billhardt will be talking about in this episode.

Bjorn is CEO and founder of Abilitie, a global leadership development company. Prior to launching Abilitie, Bjorn co-founded Enspire Learning in 2001, an early pioneer of e-learning programs and business simulations. Bjorn holds a BA from the University of Texas and an MBA from Harvard Business School. A native of Hamburg, Germany, he came to the US as an exchange student in high school and now lives in Austin, TX with his wife and three young boys.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of passion in a fulfilling professional life.

[02:50] More about Bjorn's journey and what he does.

[07:38] Bjorn’s take on  passion and his advice on the importance of drawing together passion with your work and the process he’d advise people to get there.

[15:40] Bjorn’s advice for leaders who want to help their people become more passionate in what they do.

[20:24] Outcomes that leaders should develop to lead their teams better.

[25:46] How can leaders actually find out what their people are passionate about and how to allow them to tap in those passions in a constructive way for the company.

[30:07] Bjorn’s way to quantify trust and how to know when we see it.

[36:40] Bjorn’s biggest mistake and what he learned from it.

[40:54] Rapid-fire questions.

[43:08] Bjorn’s final life lesson.

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• Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success

• Becoming the Productive Boss: 5 Proven Steps to Leading High Performing Teams

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It's really important to regularly think about where we are in our work lives. This helps us grow, adapt, and stay healthy. 

Robert DeFinis is an expert who helps people do this. He's been working with kids, athletes, coaches, teams, leaders, and groups for more than twenty years. He knows a lot about doing well and has experience in education, leading nonprofits, law enforcement, and understanding behavior.

Robert created Total Optimal Performance Solutions and RDF Books. He also helped start the Center for Teaching Excellence - Online. He's written books like The Hero Teacher, Gen-eXceptional, and some children's books about current issues.

Listen in to learn why it's important to think beyond just the place where you work.

[02:18] What does Robert do specifically for his clients and how he got started.

[03:08] How Robert got started in the authorial area and why he picked children's books in particular.

[04:32] How Robert, as a seasoned advertising professional, found his way targeting messages for young children.

[05:59] Lessons that people from the profit space can learn from people in the educational domain.

[08:24] What educators can learn from professional counterparts.

[10:22] What is it that people are typically struggling with and what are the solutions that Robert is providing.

[15:00] How do people know that there’s a profession like Robert’s so they can reach out to him.

[18:20] Two or three areas within AI that every leader should know about and should start to hone their skills around.

[21:28] Robert’s opinion on the different kinds of AI’s features.

[25:39] What can leaders be doing more either for themselves to serve the role as teachers or to create a learning environment in their workplace.

[30:45] Robert’s biggest mistake in his leadership journey and how he grew from it.

[33:33] Rapid-fire questions.

[36:28] Robert’s final life lesson.

• “Eat the cake, buy the car, take the trip.”

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• Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success

• Becoming the Productive Boss: 5 Proven Steps to Leading High Performing Teams

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Most people’s pain comes because they’re unable to make relationships work. In the professional realm, effective communication is the heartbeat of collaboration, innovation, and productivity. It ensures that ideas flow seamlessly, teams align cohesively, and goals are achieved with precision. And today, that's exactly what our guest Steve Cockram will be sharing insights on.

Steve is an inspirational communicator, serial entrepreneur, author, and confidante to elite leaders around the world. He is highly skilled at making people think, laugh, and act.

Steve is a co-founder of GiANT Worldwide and GiANT London. He has co-authored multiple leadership books, including his most recent, THE COMMUNICATION CODE, which details how to set the parameters of a conversation from the outset, preventing misunderstandings and miscommunication, and highlights recognizing the power dynamics of interactions to help.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of communication.

[02:36] How Steve got to where he is today.

[04:14] What made Steve go through his different life areas and how did it ultimately bring him to where he is today.

[10:04] What causes individuals to struggle with soft skills, especially in communication, and how Steve assists them in overcoming these challenges.

[14:07] What Steve coaches leaders to do when they’re talking consistently with people who aren’t of the same mindset as them.

[22:21] Steve and his partner’s principals for teens’ education.

[26:49] Steve’s tip to build a healthy culture.

[30:26] Rapid-fire questions.

[34:29] Steve’s final life lesson.

• “Most people’s pain comes because they’re unable to make relationships work.” 

• “You have to know yourself to lead yourself.”

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• Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success

• Becoming the Productive Boss: 5 Proven Steps to Leading High Performing Teams

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In the dynamic realm of business, the adage holds true: enterprises are either in a state of growth or on a trajectory towards decline, leaving no room for a middle ground. Our guest, Adam House will share valuable insights and tips to navigate this dichotomy effectively.

Adam House is a seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse background as a former senior executive, professional basketball player, and team Co-Owner. Adam adds a unique perspective to business advising. Over his 25-year career, Adam has not only started, scaled, and exited multiple companies across various industries but has done so with his commitment to values such as faith, family, and personal interests. 

Adam has a proven track record of excellence, being the Founder/CEO of DMA - acquired by V12 Group; Velocitude - developed by Akamai Technologies; and Qualmetrix - publicly traded on NASDAQ. 

Despite the challenges of being a husband, father, and entrepreneur, Adam maintains his faith, family, and fitness priorities. Adam's professional journey has been a continuous cycle of learning and growth.

Listen in and learn more about business success.

[02:03] More about Adam’s journey.

[05:45] How did leadership look like for Adam as a 19 year old.

[07:24] How did Adam adjust his style as a leader to make sure the individuals he’s working with are doing their very best work.

[10:27] The biggest problems that exist in entrepreneurship that don’t get a lot of attention and focus.

[13:43] Is Adam's advice to focus on one task at a time and then move on to the next step, or does he recommend always having the next idea in mind?

[16:05] Adam’s process to take his clients through to help them set actionable goals to reach the results they want.

[17:14] Example of a short term small goal.

[19:31] Adam’s advice in taking the next step in nurturing digital relationships to successfully convert them into sales.

[20:56] How does Adam practically integrate the values of your entrepreneurial life and how do you make sure that you don't’ lose sight of them.

[23:03] Adam’s advice for entrepreneurs on 3 actions to take each day.

[26:11] Adam’s biggest mistake and how he grew from it.

[27:29] Rapid-fire questions.

[29:49] Adam’s final life lesson.

• “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

• “No struggle, no growth.”

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• Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success

• Becoming the Productive Boss: 5 Proven Steps to Leading High Performing Teams

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In the world of sales, genuine care is the key to success. When you genuinely care about your customers, it goes beyond just making a sale; it's about understanding their needs, providing value, and creating a positive experience. People are more likely to buy from someone they trust and feel genuinely cares about their well-being, that’s exactly what we will learn from our guest Jeremy Sandell.

Jeremy is an online sales and marketing professional with more than $15,000,000 in 1:1 sales across 6+ different industries.

He’s spent the last 12 years studying human behavior and evolutionary psychology and has developed a unique, non-salesy approach to sales that results in considerably higher than average closing rates in the high-ticket sales niche.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of building trust in sales.

[01:43] Jeremy’s journey, specifically how he got into sales.

[07:24] Jeremy’s analogy for people who are starting out in sales.

[10:03] What drove Jeremy to study behavior psychology and how it changed his approach to the sales process.

[16:55] Jeremy's practical technique for avoiding a salesy tone that we can implement in our sales approach.

[21:58] The optimal initial sales approach in situations with an existing framework.

[29:08] One of Jeremy’s mistakes that set him up for success.

[31:07] Rapid-fire questions.

[33:37] Jeremy’s final life lesson.

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Uncovering the mission that sets our soul on fire is not just about finding purpose; it's about grabbing life by the horns and forging a path that screams, "This is who I am, and this is what I'm meant to do!”. In this episode, we're diving deep with our guest, Dr. Philip Hickman, as he unveils the riveting story of discovering his life mission and the impactful journey he embarked on to bring it to life. 

As a distinguished public speaker, Dr. Phil has presented at national conferences and workshops for organizations such as the U.S Department of Education and Columbia University.

He is a prolific author with three books that showcase his groundbreaking methodologies in leadership, personalized learning, and emotional intelligence. Dr. Phil is a versatile entrepreneur, having created Plabook, an AI powered reading technology solutions firm.

He has also co-founded multiple nonprofit organizations and played a key role in successful edutech ventures.

Listen in and learn more about life missions.

Key Talking Points of the Episode:

[01:41] More about Dr. Phil’s professional experiences.

[03:11] Dr. Phil’s inclination when he was 15-16 years old.

[06:00] Why Dr. Phil transitioned from being an educator to becoming an entrepreneur.

[09:24] Dr. Phil’s tips for those contemplating a new business venture or side hustle but grappling with limiting beliefs.

[13:51] Dr. Phil’s thoughts on why entrepreneurs second-guess themselves.

[19:59] The significance of ensuring that workplace leaders prioritize and support their team's skill development for career advancement.

[21:46] More about Dr. Phil’s books.

[25:40] Dr. Phil’s insight on “a leader's success now hinges less on technical know-how and more on crucial soft skills”.

[27:53] Rapid-fire questions.

[30:31] Dr. Phil’s final life lesson.

“Never burn a bridge until you know why it was built.”

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Get Naphtali’s book, “Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success”

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Being the leading voice in healthcare funding requires the courage to be the first to ask and advocate for change.  It's about empowering others to realize they're not alone, encouraging them to step up, and affirming that advocating for change is not just acceptable but essential. This is exactly what our guest Andrea Feigl will empower every leader to do.

As Health Finance Institute's CEO and founder, Andrea brings extensive leadership experience in academia, the public sector, international organizations, and the global non-profit sector.

Her past work focused on the economics and policies of preventing and treating the economic burden of chronic diseases, as well as on health financing and governance, UHC, and cost-effectiveness of chronic disease interventions.

Apart from being the recipient of multiple prestigious awards, she has also authored several high-level reports, including Development Aid Flows for Chronic Diseases for the Center for Global Development and a leading WEF/Harvard report on the global economic burden of chronic diseases.

Andrea was a Visiting Scientist at Harvard from 2015 to 2020 at the School of Public Health and is a Salzburg Global Fellow.

Listen in and learn how to lead boldly in the healthcare industry.

[02:10] Andrea’s journey and how she got to where she is.

[03:41] How did Andrea shift her focus from being a direct provider to a global perspective on chronic disease costs and inequality.

[07:53] Andrea translating the word policy level for those unfamiliar. When talking about making changes, who is Andrea’s audience, what does she share, and how does this translate into practical action?

[13:56] Andrea's strategies for guiding leaders, both internally and externally, cover change management, persuasion, idea sharing, ultimately steering toward her desired outcomes.

[20:23] How does Andrea establish shared values and navigate short-term versus long-term management?

[30:41] Andrea's biggest mistake and what she learned from it.

[34:12] Rapid-fire.

[35:59] Andrea’s final life lesson.

Standout Quote from the Episode:

• “Do the internal work and listen to your gut.”

Connect with Andrea Feigl:

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Get Naphtali’s books:

• Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success

• Becoming the Productive Boss: 5 Proven Steps to Leading High Performing Teams

Please subscribe to, rate and review the show. Your feedback gives social proof and encourages more folks to listen.

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In the complex landscape of professional challenges, there comes a defining juncture— a moment when setbacks and obstacles prompt a crucial question: Is it time to deepen your skills, to evolve and overcome, or is it the signal for a more profound shift, a redirection towards a new career path? 

In this episode, we explore this delicate balance with our guest Damon Lembi who himself had to navigate this intricate terrain. 

For nearly three decades, Damon has led Learnit through the ever-changing L&D landscape, gaining insight into what works, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competition. 

Coming to business from a career in baseball, he brings an athlete’s perspective on leadership and training to my informal mentoring of executives. Damon has distilled those hard-won insights into his bestselling book, “The Learn-It-All Leader—Mindset, Traits, and Tools.” 

Listen in and learn more about the Learn-It-All Leader.

[02:30] How Damon got to where he is today.

[08:26] What Damon finds to be the characteristic of those who fail but still manage to find a successful new path.

[12:32] Was Damon advised to fully commit to his baseball passion without a backup plan, or was there family pressure to join the family business?

[16:20] Damon's advice for leaders who encounter rapid failures and those who need to cut loose and redirect onto a new path.

[22:10] What are the key technical and soft skills that leaders, both current and aspiring, want to learn to improve?

[24:22] How does Damon guide people managing remote teams to do so effectively without micromanaging?

[28:42] More about Damon’s book.

[31:02] The definition of a “Learn-It-All Leader”.

[31:47] Damon’s biggest failure and how he grew from it.

[33:11] Rapid-fire questions.

[35:02] Damon’s most famous teammate or coach he ever had.

[35:46] Damon’s final life lesson.

Standout Quote from the Episode:

• “Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

Connect with Damon Lembi:

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• Website

• Buy Damon's book

Connect with / follow Naphtali Hoff: 

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Get Naphtali’s books:

• Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success

• Becoming the Productive Boss: 5 Proven Steps to Leading High Performing Teams

Please subscribe to, rate and review the show. Your feedback gives social proof and encourages more folks to listen.

Find Lead to Succeed on:

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Please share this recording with your networks and tag Naphtali as well.