Lead to Succeed

In the dynamic world of commerce, cultivating profitability in untapped markets with innovative products isn't just a decision—it's the crescendo of a symphony, resonating with the commitment to prosperity and the beat of boundless possibilities. This is precisely where the expertise of Lead to Succeed guest Mosongo Moukwa shines, orchestrating success in this vibrant business symphony.

Mosongo is a seasoned executive and consultant who has dedicated his career to helping companies thrive by commercializing new technologies, diversifying their product offerings, and entering new markets. Over thirty-plus years in leadership, he has applied his unique talent for identifying leadership gaps and developing the talent and culture necessary for success.

Mosongo helps solve important innovation challenges that hold organizations back by unleashing the collective creativity of their people. This results in increased profitability and growth expansion.

Mosongo has held leadership positions in R & D and operations at some of the world’s most respected brands, including vice president, global technology at SC Johnson. He is currently President at Hathaway Advanced Materials.

Listen in and learn more about ways to help your business thrive.

Key Talking Points of the Episode:

[02:06] More about Mosongo’s story and background.

[04:02] How to transform an organization, its importance and the results we can get. 

[06:37] A client’s success story after engaging in Mosongo’s transformational leadership style.

[10:29] How Mosongo’s help people see the value of prioritizing team over personal growth and success.

[14:18] The importance of building a community of leaders.

[15:06] Mosongo’s weakest leadership moment.

[19:10] Mosongo’s spiritual side and how it drives his approach to leadership.

[21:22] One person that most affected Mosongo’s life trajectory.

[23:50] How can someone who failed in leadership get it right the next time?

[25:21] Tips on how to delegate better.

[26:09] Rapid-fire questions.

[28:35] Mosongo’s final life lesson

Standout Quote from the Episode:

• “Life is not a straight line.”

Connect with Mosongo Moukwa:

• Website

• LinkedIn

• Twitter

Connect with / follow Naphtali Hoff: 

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

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.

The heartbeat of a thriving company lies in its people. In this ever-evolving era, where technological advancements race ahead, it's the human element that propels innovation, fosters resilience, and ultimately fuels success. That’s what we’ll be exploring in this episode with our guest James Burstall.

James is the CEO of Argonon Group and bestselling author of 'The Flexible Method: Prepare to Prosper in the Next Global Crisis.’

Listen in and learn more about the importance of humanity in the workplace.

[01:25] More about what James does.

[02:09] How James got started.

[06:04] Why James transitioned from being a linguist to being a journalist.

[10:16] The importance of humanity and investing in your people within the workplace.

[12:15] The implications in James’ industry related to AI as well as a global sense.

[14:30] What James does within his own company and people to help develop their EQ.

[17:11] How James got to his belief system.

[19:30] How James transitioned from being an employee into starting his own company.

[23:01] What allowed James to find his way to step confidently into starting his own company.

[26:23] More about James’ book.

[32:40] Jame’s biggest mistake and what he learned from it.

[34:30] Rapid-fire questions.

[36:46] James’ final life lesson.

Connect with James Burstall:

• LinkedIn

Connect with / follow Naphtali Hoff: 

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

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:

• iTunes

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

• Spotify

• iHeart

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

We all have wise individuals in our lives—those who have successfully navigated challenging circumstances. Ignoring their golden advice would be a mistake, right? 

In this episode, our guest Shawn Shewchuk will inspire us to do just that, while also sharing profound insights from his professional and personal journey.

Shawn is known as the #1 results coach and 2x best-selling author. He has helped over 12,000 clients in his professional career and has over 5,000 keynote presentations to his credit.

Listen in and learn more about Shawn’s inspiring insights.

Key Talking Points of the Episode:

[01:43] What is a result coach and what results Shawn gets for his clients.

[02:34] The desired results that Shawn's clients are seeking and whether they are already aware of these desired outcomes.

[04:18] Shawn’s perspective on busyness vs productivity.

[08:01] What drives people to ask Shawn for his assistance, and how he effectively conveys the benefits without any prior interaction.

[09:52] What got Shawn into coaching?

[13:00] Shawn’s advice to individuals aspiring to enter a field where they may possess innate ability but lack worldly life experience.

[17:06] Shawn’s elements to build trust with other people.

[19:09] The person who made a positive impact in Shawn’s life and what they specifically did.

[23:31] Shawn’s insights to those who may not consider themselves as speakers, enabling them to simplify this process and achieve greater success.

[26:33] Shawn’s biggest mistake and how he grew from it.

[27:59] Rapid-fire questions.

[30:35] Shawn’s final life lesson.

• “Do something you’re afraid of.”

• “One small step today has a massive impact tomorrow.”

• Website

• LinkedIn

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

• 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.

• iTunes

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

• Spotify

• iHeart

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

In the world of work, it's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of financial success. However, what many of us often overlook is that the environment in which we work plays a pivotal role in our overall satisfaction and well-being. That’s one area that we’ll be discussing with Lead to Succeed guest Alex Atwood.

Alex is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and staffing sectors, and an emerging coach in the psychedelics field. He is also a public speaker, angel investor, podcaster, and philanthropist. 

Alex gained business acumen early on, starting with selling candy at a markup in elementary school, and went on to found several companies, including Sanistaff and the Hospitality Training Institute. One of his significant accomplishments was pivoting his hospitality staffing agency during the COVID-19 pandemic, getting 75% of his workforce back to work in just 21 days.

Listen in and learn more about leadership and personal growth.

[02:59] Tim’s story and how he rose to CEO.

[09:59] How Tim stays connected with his people.

[12:42] How Tim strategically balances sharing to humanize himself while maintaining distance to uphold his esteemed position.

[16:55] How Tim maximizes trust and cooperation in decision-making.

[20:28] The story behind “Everybody Leads”.

[22:57] Tim's most surprising participant feedback from his training.

[26:42] Qualities that post-covid leaders specifically need to have that pre-covid leaders didn’t have to have.

[28:17] Tim’s biggest mistake in life and how he grew from it.

[29:53] Rapid-fire questions.

[33:07] Tim’s final life lesson.

• “Enjoy the ride and let things go.”

• Website

• Business Website

• Business Website

• LinkedIn

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

• 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.

• iTunes

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

• Spotify

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

Ambition, when harnessed and pursued relentlessly, can change the trajectory of one's life, leading to new levels of achievement and personal growth. That’s exactly what happened with Lead to Succeed guest Andre Peart.

Andre is CEO and Founder of Untapped Solutions, the first AI powered platform that serves to help untapped populations find jobs, including the formerly incarcerated, homeless, those with mental health challenges, and veterans. Andre understands the difficulties of finding a job after spending five and a half years in prison.

Untapped Solutions has grown quickly, and the company is now headquartered in Atlanta. Last month, Andre was one of only 23 founders in the U.S. to be accepted in Google for Startups’ Black Founders Fund.

Listen in and learn more about where your ambition can bring you.

[03:03] Andre’s experience and his path to providing a lifeline for others.

[06:54] The struggles that people encounter to get on their feet post-prison.

[10:20] Andre's process to become different after his release from prison.

[12:12] How Andre gathered the momentum and cash flow to kickstart his vision.

[12:28] Andre’s biggest challenges in assisting his potential clients and finding them suitable placements.

[14:50] Andre’s vending process and statistics.

[18:12] Why Andre believes there's a better chance of someone staying in a long-term position compared to the usual hires these days.

[22:09] How AI has been such a foundational piece of Andre’s business.

[25:09] Did Andre create his platform he’s working on or did it preexist him?

[25:57] What the future of mental health will be with AI.

[27:43] What are people saying as Andre introduces the product to the market?

[29:51] Did Andre’s mentor help him put his vision together?

[31:36] Rapid-fire questions.

[32:59] Andre’s final life lesson.

“Do something risky in life.”

• Website

• LinkedIn

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

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

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

Leadership isn't tied to titles or roles; it's about using your qualities to create a positive impact. That’s what Lead to succeed guest Tim Lupinacci will be discussing, plus a whole lot more!

Tim Lupinacci spent the first 28 years of his legal practice focused on helping financial institutions solve complex problems arising in commercial restructuring and bankruptcy matters throughout the country. Four years ago, he was selected as CEO and Chair of Baker Donelson, which is one of the 100 largest law firms in the country. In this, and prior, leadership positions, he has led the Firm through significant organizational change, growth, and the global pandemic. He continues leading Baker Donelson through its five-year BakerVision 2028 strategy, and the execution of its Diversity & Inclusion Compact.

As a self-professed “leadership junkie”, Tim’s journey to stepping up as a leader began thirty years ago as a young lawyer after disappointing a boss with an epic failure. In the three decades since, Tim has studied, read, and grown his leadership skills through hard work, being curious, trying novel ideas, failing, learning from the failures, and getting better every day. This culminated in launching a non-profit called “Everybody Leads” focused on empowering individuals in underserved communities with basic leadership skills and confidence to better lead themselves, lead others, and lead in the community.

Listen in and learn more about becoming a leadership junkie.

[02:59] Tim’s story and how he rose to CEO.

[09:59] How Tim stays connected with his people.

[12:42] How Tim strategically balances sharing to humanize himself while maintaining distance to uphold his esteemed position.

[16:55] How Tim maximizes trust and cooperation in decision-making.

[20:28] The story behind “Everybody Leads”.

[22:57] Tim's most surprising participant feedback from his training.

[26:42] Qualities that post-covid leaders specifically need to have that pre-covid leaders didn’t have to have.

[28:17] Tim’s biggest mistake in life and how he grew from it.

[29:53] Rapid-fire questions.

[33:07] Tim’s final life lesson.

Standout Quotes from the Episode:

“You’ve got to connect as a leader no matter how many people you’re leading.”

• LinkedIn

• Company Email

• Website

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

• 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:

• iTunes

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

• Spotify

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

Leading with intention is about focusing on a goal or initiative, one that has purpose and meaning for the enterprise. Intentional leaders know WHAT they’re doing and WHY they’re doing it. That’s what Lead to Succeed guest Jeff Eschliman will be sharing.

Jeff is an executive coach with 30 years of experience from combat in Iraq to the corporate boardroom. Jeff is a sought-after expert for building and scaling results-driven teams. He believes hiring the right people, equipping them with the tools they need to be successful, and then holding them accountable for results is the secret to exceptional business success. He knows creating culture through attracting top talent, intentional onboarding, and rigorous top-grading are critical for winning with people.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of becoming an intentional leader.

[03:25] How Jeff got to where he is now and his take on building quality teams in the work that he does.

[08:04] Jeff’s advice for anyone who’s looking to hire to ensure they get real answers.

[13:08] Jeff’s sharing about the onboarding process - and beyond it - to ensure people are as happy and engaged as possible.

[17:22] What got Jeff to want to help executives create a lifestyle where success and harmony coexist and how he does it.

[20:21] Jeff explaining how living in success and harmony practically looks like for people and the key elements that ultimately bring people to that place.

[23:05] The person that Jeff would like to spend 1 hour with, whom he would never otherwise meet.

[25:02] What Jeff most admires about Colin Powell.

[28:29] Jeff’s biggest mistake in life and what he learned from it.

[30:21] Rapid-fire questions.

[32:40] Jeff’s final life lesson.

“Leadership is a long game.”

• Website

• LinkedIn

• YouTube

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

• 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.

• iTunes

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

• Spotify

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

Excelling as a professional does not preclude you from succeeding at entrepreneurship. That’s what we learned from Lead to Succeed guest Dr. Jonathan Baktari.

Jonathan is the CEO at both e7 Health and US Drug Test Centers and the host of Baktari MD. e7 health is a preventative health and wellness company that has been called the “the Uber of preventive medicine” and was named the Best Technology Company in the Healthcare Space in 2019. 

US Drug Test Centers is a nationwide network of over 20,000 testing centers in the US and is revolutionizing drug and alcohol testing across the nation.

A former triple board-certified physician with specialties in internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care medicine, being a healthcare CEO is only the latest chapter in Dr. Baktari’s life mission to help others by making integrative preventative medicine available to everyone.

Listen in and learn more about how to become a better leader.

Key Talking Points of the Episode:

[02:48] Dr. Jonathan’ take on ‘Doctors who get A’s for the most part in the course work become teachers, those who get B’s are the best doctors, and those who get C’s are the ones who make the best money.’

[05:00] More about Dr. Jonathan's path - what moved him from medicine to the entrepreneurial side.

[07:03] The primary benefits and disadvantages of becoming a leader.

[11:27] The meaning of the following sentence: e7 health has been called the Uber of preventive medicine.

[14:59] How Dr. Jonathan developed his vision and made sure that it became a shared vision internally within the company.

[18:41] From a practitioner's side,what kind of coaching and selling do you need to do to get people to accept and follow change.

[24:29] The most important entrepreneur skills that most successful entrepreneurs possess.

[27:25] How to enroll people into your vision.

[31:32] Dr. Jonathan’s biggest mistake and what he learned from it.

[32:41] Rapid-fire questions.

[35:35] Dr. Jonathan’s final life lesson.

Standout Quotes from the Episode:

“As a leader, you have to enroll all people into your vision.”

Connect with Dr. Jonathan Baktari:

• Website

• Personal Website

• LinkedIn

Connect with / follow Naphtali Hoff:

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

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:

• iTunes

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

• Spotify

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

As the old saying goes: “It’s lonely at the top.” Not addressing executive loneliness may cause difficulties for executives to keep functioning normally. That’s why Lead to Succeed guest Nick Jonsson, focuses so much on this topic.

Nick is an International Best-Selling Author & Award-Winning Speaker, Leadership Keynote Speaker, Executive Mental Health Advocate.

Nick is also the Co-Founder and MD of EGN Singapore, one of Asia’s premier networking organizations. He built a caring community that provides hundreds of executives a safe haven to share their challenges and receive support and learn from each other.

Nick is passionate about raising awareness of mental health and combating loneliness in the modern business world. He recently published a book, "Executive Loneliness: The 5 Pathways to Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in the Modern Business World," which provides practical strategies for overcoming isolation and building connections in the workplace. 

Listen in and learn more about ways to manage executive loneliness.

Key Talking Points of the Episode:

[02:30] What loneliness feels like to executives and why it happens.

[04:15] More about Nick’s organization and its primary benefits that leaders get from networking and others.

[05:31] What Nick have you found to be helpful for people to break through the sense of loneliness. Is it happening only when they’re in meetings or between sessions as well?

[07:34] The importance of vulnerability - especially for men.

[11:07] The importance of vulnerability while communicating with others and why people respond so well to that.

[14:06] Nick’s take on how external expressions and visualizations of success can still leave people feeling empty inside. And what we can do in a societal sense to better address this issue.

[16:52] Nick’s approach to help people become more resilient.

[18:50] How “living one day at a time” looks practically speaking.

[20:24] Something that Nick holds to be true that almost nobody agrees with.

[23:22] Nick’s biggest mistake and how he learned and grew from it.

[24:44] Rapid-fire questions.

[26:30] Nick’s final life lesson.

Standout Quotes from the Episode:

“It can be lonely at every level in an organization.”

Connect with Nick Jonsson:

• Buy The Book

• LinkedIn

Connect with / follow Naphtali Hoff:

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

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:

• iTunes

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

• Spotify

• iHeart

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

Inspiring people is one of the single most important leadership skills that separates great leaders from average ones. And it's by showing people your most authentic self and sharing your story of failure that you get them inspired.

That’s exactly what Lead to Succeed guest Tara Gooch inspires leaders to do.

Tara started her company, Best Branding Solutions during the global pandemic in June 2020. She is a proud entrepreneur, mother, and wife who believes in leadership in all aspects of business and life. She coaches people on personal branding and LinkedIn strategies That Maximize Leadership Teams to Drive Organizational Growth and Increase Sales Effectiveness Tara believes that success is possible for everyone and that there is enough for all if we align with our purpose and focus on being creative, not competitive.

Listen in and learn more about the importance of being authentic as an entrepreneur.

Key Talking Points of the Episode:

[01:59] Tara’s Journey and what brought her to focus on LinkedIn.

[06:23] What authenticity means and why Tara prioritizes it in terms of how she shows up online.

[10:53] Tara’s perception of leadership.

[13:50] How Tara helps people overcome their fear.

[17:08] Tara’s in between steps that helped her reach her goals. 

[21:10] Tara’s advice to someone who is just starting out as a leader.

[24:08] One of Tara’s failures that sets her up for greater success.

[28:09] Tara’s advice for someone who isn’t quite  ready to take a full leap into a side-hustle opportunity.

[30:02] Rapid-fire questions.

[32:26] Tara’s final life lesson.

Standout Quotes from the Episode:

“It’s about finding the right people, not all people.”

“Hundred percent of your customers, business partners, investors, people in your social network are people.”

“Leadership is not a title, leadership is a state of mind.”

“You cannot succeed in anything if you don’t fail first.”

Connect with Tara Gooch:

• Personal Website

• Business Website

• LinkedIn

Connect with / follow Naphtali Hoff:

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

• YouTube

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

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

Find Lead to Succeed on:

• iTunes

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

• Spotify

• iHeart

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