Leadership Unlocked: How Leaders Win in the Era of AI

Dusty sits down with Amanda Dunklin—equestrian coach, entrepreneur, and operational strategist—for a conversation that redefines what it means to lead with clarity, empathy, and resilience. After decades spent training horses, coaching competitive riders, building a school from the ground up, and later advising high-growth organizations, Amanda shares the insight that reshaped her entire approach to leadership: systems matter, but people matter more. Together, she and Dusty explore why emotional intelligence is learned, how consistency becomes a superpower, and why leaders must create environments where trust, safety, and communication come before timelines and tactics. Amanda traces her unlikely journey from barns to boardrooms, revealing how the same principles that calm a nervous horse—presence, patience, and genuine attention—also elevate teams and transform organizations. She unpacks the pitfalls of tech-first thinking, the necessity of clean data and thoughtful workflows, and the human side of AI adoption that most companies overlook. Through candid reflections on entrepreneurship, single motherhood, reinvention, and hard-won humility, Amanda challenges leaders to slow down, listen deeply, and build operational foundations that empower people to do their best work—because sustainable growth starts with how you show up.

Key Timestamps:

(00:32) – Meet Amanda Dunklin: From Horse Barns to High Growth Tech

(07:49) – Building Better Humans Through Equestrian Training

(17:09) – Pivoting from Equestrian to Financial Services

(24:03) – Navigating Corporate Life and Embracing Change

(30:49) – Joining Switchboard: Embracing Digital Transformation

(36:16) – The Importance of Clarity in Business

(40:35) – The Role of AI in Modern Business

(44:35) – Lessons from Horses on Leadership

(55:49) – Rapid Fire Questions and Leadership Insights

(01:01:48) – Supporting Therapeutic Riding Programs

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership

Mentions:

Website: https://www.withswitchboard.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-dunklin-7b78a8195/ 

Mentions: 

Dare To Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. By Brené Brown

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]

Dusty sits down with Sean Keller—a filmmaker-turned-leadership coach who helps high-capacity entrepreneurs realize that their real wilderness isn’t around them, it’s within them. Sean shares his unlikely journey from early creative acclaim and big-name clients to the moment everything collapsed in 2020, forcing him to confront the gap between the successful life he was building and the surrendered life he actually wanted. Together, they unpack why achievement can mask emptiness, how pruning becomes a gift, and why leaders can’t outrun the inner stories that shape their decisions. With depth, candor, and a surprising amount of hope, Sean reveals how his own wilderness season reshaped his faith, his identity, and his calling—and how he now walks alongside leaders to help them slow down, listen for God’s voice, and build lives defined not by striving, but by alignment, clarity, and purpose.

Key Takeaways:

• Pruning is essential for growth—letting go of good things is often required to make room for the right things.

• Surrender is not weakness—it’s how leaders move from striving to purposeful, grounded living.

• Growth requires discomfort; leaders who avoid tension miss their greatest opportunities for transformation.

Key Timestamps:

(00:53) – Meet Sean Keller: From Dream Career to Turning Point

(02:16) – The Journey to Success: Competitions and Big Breaks

(13:28) – Leadership Principles: Pruning and Wilderness

(27:27) – Navigating Leadership: Vulnerability and Calling

(33:32) – The Impact of COVID-19 on Business

(36:41) – A Period of Surrender and Reflection

(39:11) – Transition to Guiding Leaders Through the Wilderness

(42:29) – The Power of Vulnerability and Self-Reflection

(50:54) – Rapid Fire Questions

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Self-Leadership, Leadership Coaching, Leadership Clarity, Organizational Leadership

Mentions:

Website: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-keller-coach-creativedirector-founder/ 

Mentions: https://wilderstory.com/ 

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter

Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God by Jamie Winship

It Is Not Your Business to Succeed: Your Role in Leadership When You Can't Control Your Outcomes by Brandon Michael West

A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix by Edwin Friedman

https://www.thenetfw.com/ 

https://www.hopestreetministry.org/ 

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]

Dusty goes solo to dismantle one of leadership’s most pervasive myths—the idea that an overloaded, reactive calendar is simply the price of effectiveness. Drawing on personal lessons, client stories, and striking CEO time-use data, he reveals the deeper truth: when a leader’s schedule is chaotic, the culture follows. In this episode, Dusty introduces his three-level intentional leadership system—anchoring your year with non-negotiables, theming your days to eliminate context switching, and protecting transitions so commitments actually get done—and shows how each layer silently teaches your team what truly matters. Through a vivid case study of a CEO spending nearly 80% of his time reacting to others, he demonstrates how a few disciplined shifts rebuilt execution and restored clarity. Rather than squeezing more into already packed days, Dusty invites leaders to rethink their role entirely: to plan before they react, design their rhythms deliberately, and lead with intention instead of urgency. For anyone drowning in meetings or frustrated that strategic work never happens, this episode reframes time as a leadership tool—and offers a clear, practical blueprint for using it well.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) – The CEO's Time Management Crisis

(03:41) – Personal Struggles with Time Management

(05:11) – Building a System for Effective Time Management

(07:28) – The Three-Level Time Management System

(12:51) – Implementing Themed Days

(20:08) – Question 1: Handling Emergencies

(21:26) – Question 2: Setting  Boundaries

(22:51) – Question 3: When to Start YOUR Day

(24:02) – Question 4: Using Technology to Guard Your Time

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership

Mentions:

Ideal Week Template: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VWFxkOGm05mb9DhAxCw84ERKN4pHVKYWlN6v6cvRapo/edit?gid=800587178#gid=800587178

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]

Dusty is joined by Dr. Brian Hite—stunt performer, performance psychologist, and creator of the FACT Framework—for a conversation that reframes what it really means to thrive under pressure. With three decades spent being lit on fire, thrown from vehicles, training elite military units, and coaching high-stakes performers, Brian shares the pivotal realization that changed everything: pressure doesn’t live in the moment—it lives in the mind. Together, he and Dusty explore why failure is often the most valuable teacher, how our assumptions quietly shape our performance, and why the best leaders learn to separate the situation from the story they’re telling themselves about it. Brian introduces his FACT Framework—Focus, Arousal, Confidence, and Tenacity—revealing how these four elements help anyone stay calm, sharp, and fully present whether they’re stepping into a boardroom or a burning stunt rig. Through candid stories of circuitous career paths, hard resets, divorce, grit, and growth, Brian challenges leaders to rethink stress, redefine pressure, and cultivate the inner stability that makes them unshakeable when the stakes truly matter.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) – Brian's Leadership Philosophy

(04:01) – The Value of Failure

(10:32) – Brian's Career Journey

(12:11) – Understanding High-Stakes Environments

(20:17) – The FACT Framework

(24:57) – Stress, Pressure, and Burnout

(39:34) – The Difference Between Stress and Pressure

(42:44) – Recognizing Indicators and Managing Arousal

(50:04) – The Role of Confidence and Tenacity

(01:03:09) – Exploring Burnout and Its Components

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership

Mentions:

Website: https://brianhiteglobal.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianchite/ 

Mentions: 

The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life by Shawn Achor

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]

Dusty Holcomb sits down with entrepreneur and former engineer Dustin Riechmann, whose story is a masterclass in courage, clarity, and reinvention. From watching his business collapse in 2020 to building a seven-figure enterprise through the power of podcast guesting, Dustin reveals how simplicity, not complexity, drives sustainable success. He shares the pivotal moments that reshaped his identity, the leadership lessons born from adversity, and the mindset shifts that turned setbacks into systems. This is a powerful conversation for anyone seeking to lead with authenticity, scale with purpose, and transform failure into momentum.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Simplifying to Succeed

(04:00) - From Engineer to Entrepreneur

(10:00) - Lessons in Leadership Failure

(20:00) - Finding Identity Beyond Career

(32:00) - The Leadership Triangle

(35:00) - Why Simplicity Scales

(39:00) - Solving the Right Problems

(43:00) - Power of Community and Purpose

(49:00) - Faith, Service, and Legacy

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership, Entrepreneurship Transformation, Leadership Simplicity, Podcast Guesting Strategy, Mindset And Resilience, Authentic Leadership Growth

Mentions:

Website: https://7figureleap.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinriechmann 

Mentions: 7-Figure Leap Podcast

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]

Dusty goes solo to expose one of the most misunderstood frustrations in leadership—the belief that execution problems stem from lazy teams, when in reality they almost always originate upstream with the leader. Drawing from hard-earned lessons and a striking real-world example from his time at AAA, he reveals the hidden truth behind stalled initiatives: when your team isn’t delivering what you envisioned, it’s rarely an execution failure—it’s a clarity or alignment gap. In this episode, Dusty introduces his Exceptional Leadership Framework, a deceptively simple but transformative model showing that clarity plus alignment naturally produce the execution leaders crave. He illustrates the subtle signs leaders miss—misaligned priorities, inconsistent standards, or constant escalation back to the boss—and shows how these symptoms point to gaps in vision, standards, purpose, and connection. Rather than pushing harder or micromanaging, Dusty invites listeners to rethink their role: to articulate success more clearly, connect the work to meaning, build systems that reinforce alignment, and empower people closest to the problems to make better decisions. For leaders who feel stuck repeating themselves, solving every issue, or watching projects drift off course, this episode offers a powerful reframing—and a clear roadmap—for turning frustration into executable momentum by upgrading how you lead, not how hard you push.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) – The Exceptional Leadership Equation

(03:41) – Common Symptoms of Execution Gaps

(06:48) – A Real-World Example: AAA Case Study

(12:10) – Diagnostic Framework for Clarity and Alignment

(19:27) – Applying the Leadership Equation

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]

Dusty sits down with Nolan Bradbury, a former CPA turned financial strategist who helps leaders realize that their biggest challenge isn’t money, it’s clarity. Nolan opens up about his journey from Big Four accounting to finding purpose in helping entrepreneurs define what freedom truly means. Together, they explore how clarity transforms decision-making, why “more” doesn’t always equal success, and how simplicity, not complexity, creates lasting growth. With honesty, humor, and heart, Nolan shares powerful lessons on leadership, accountability, and the courage to listen to what really matters.

Key Timestamps:

 (00:00) - From CPA To Clarity

 (04:30) - Discovering The Real Problem
 (07:15) - Lessons From The Audit
 (10:40) - Leadership And Integrity
 (13:20) - Empowering Accountability Framework
 (18:00) - Redefining Freedom And Success
 (26:40) - The Rule Of Three And Ten

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership, Financial Clarity, Entrepreneur Freedom, Leadership Mindset, Accountability And Trust, Business Growth Strategies

Mentions:

Website: https://go.bradfieldco.com/freedom 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-bradbury 

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]

Dusty Holcomb sits down with Alan McLaren, CEO, entrepreneur, marketer, and self-proclaimed “Chief Squirrel Tamer.” Alan shares his 35-year leadership journey, from selling photocopiers door-to-door to leading global organizations and shaping modern leadership branding. Together, they unpack the real meaning of heart-centered leadership, how authenticity fuels influence, and why kindness and accountability are not opposites but essential partners in high performance. This conversation is a masterclass in leading with integrity, clarity, and impact, both in business and in life.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Lessons From Sales Leadership

(07:00) - Leading Yourself First

(11:00) - Balancing Heart And Authority

(15:00) - Integrity And Workplace Culture

(20:00) - Lessons From Great Leaders

(27:00) - Redefining Accountability

(33:00) - Leadership Branding Explained

(39:00) - Building Trust Through Authenticity

(45:00) - Unlocking Your Leadership Voice

(51:00) - The Loneliness Of Leadership

(57:00) - Kindness Is Not Weakness

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership, Leadership Branding, Authentic Leadership, Heart-Centered Leadership, CEO Coaching, Building Trust At Scale

Mentions:

Website: https://strataoriginals.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/alanmclaren 

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]

Dusty goes solo to unpack one of the most pivotal turning points in a leader’s journey—the moment you realize that what got you here won’t get you where you’re meant to go next. Through raw personal stories and years of coaching senior leaders, he reveals the hidden signals of an inflection point: when the clarity in your head doesn’t translate into team execution, when every decision funnels back to you, and when you quietly sense you’ve hit the ceiling of your current capabilities. In this episode, Dusty introduces his Leadership Growth Readiness framework, a simple but piercing diagnostic that helps leaders determine whether they’re truly prepared to scale: clarity of vision, systems that support growth, and the humility to assess one’s own capability gap. Using vivid examples—including a leader who rediscovered his power after realizing he’d become the bottleneck—Dusty shows that real transformation doesn’t come from more effort but from upgrading the way you think, install systems, and develop others. It’s an invitation to step out of reactive leadership and into intentional, future-facing impact. For anyone feeling the tension between where they are and where they know they could be, this episode offers a roadmap to navigate the inflection point and become the unlocked leader their organization needs.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) – The Moment of Realization

(02:10) – Warning Signs of Leadership Challenges

(05:03) – Personal Leadership Journey

(09:03) – Framework for Leadership Growth

(12:58) – Case Study: Mark's Transformation

(15:14) – Taking Action and Next Steps

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership

Mentions:

https://leadershipgapassessment.scoreapp.com/ 

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]

Dusty is joined by Brooke Greening—sales coach, business owner, and “Gracious Terminator”—for a conversation about transforming how we think about leadership, influence, and sales. With a master’s in counseling and two decades of sales experience, Brooke shares the pivotal story of standing up to toxic leadership and learning that confidence, results, and integrity are the foundation of real influence. Together, she and Dusty unpack how great leadership mirrors great sales: both are acts of service built on listening, trust, and clarity. Brooke introduces her SERVICE Framework—Set expectations, Establish rapport, Recognize the problem, Verbalize value, Identify objections, Create urgency, and Explain next steps—showing how it reframes sales from something you do to people into something you do for them. Through candid stories of resilience, faith, and hard-won lessons, Brooke challenges leaders to know who they are, own it, and lead with both compassion and conviction.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) – Meet Brooke Greening: The Gracious Terminator

(06:24) – Building Trust and Leading Effectively

(16:19) – Brooke's Sales Philosophy

(18:30) – Redefining Sales: Service Over Manipulation

(27:12) – Shifting from Transactional to Relational Sales

(31:36) – Effective Sales Conversations: The SERVICE Framework

(40:20) – Establishing Genuine Rapport

(41:23) – Rapid Fire Questions

(44:35) – Daily Practices for Better Leadership

(45:29) – Debunking Leadership Myths

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership

Mentions:

Website: https://buildingmomentum.info/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-greening/ 

Mentions: 

https://scorecards.buildingmomentum.info/assessment 

The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose by Matthew Kelly

Building A Storybrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller

The Bible

The Business of Stories: Harness the power of storytelling to demonstrate your value, attract your ideal clients and get paid what you’re worth by Susan Payton 

Marketing Made Simple: A Step-by-Step StoryBrand Guide for Any Business by Donald Miller and Dr. J.J. Peterson

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at [email protected]