#leaderspotlight

Host Annette Klososky and co-host Annie Brown introduce Leader Spotlight’s practical AI series and interview Liz Coón, Senior Director of Implementations at FranConnect. Colón shares how, after attending AI sessions at the International Franchise Association in February, she helped operationalize AI at scale within four months by launching an “organizational mind” layer that listens across channels (CRM, calls, emails, chats) to surface full customer journeys, support risk mitigation, and speed project handoffs. She also built an AI “escalation board” in Claude by modeling leaders’ voices from chat history to deliver manager-plus-two stakeholder guidance and tasks, reporting about 95% accuracy. FranConnect is pairing these tools with team training (Anthropic Claude Cowork, master classes) and AI-first automation to replace manual documentation, improve customer outcomes, and drive workforce upskilling.

Show Notes / Timestamps

Host Annette Klososky and co-host/producer Annie Brown introduce a new Leader Spotlight series focused on how leaders are learning, experimenting with, and implementing AI in their organizations and personal lives. Annette interviews Ginny Priem, a former corporate leader, TEDx/keynote speaker, and bestselling author of “Unsubscribed,” about leaders being overwhelmed, “over-functioning,” and mistaking busyness for productivity. Priem explains how letting go, avoiding micromanagement, and building diversified teams improves culture and results, and how her framework helps filter out what doesn’t matter. She shares leaving corporate after a traumatic personal experience, writing “You’re My Favorite,” and building a coaching/speaking business before exiting. They discuss using AI to offload administrative tasks to create more space for human connection in leadership. Priem shares her guiding “architect of your own destiny” mindset and where to connect with her.

Show Notes / Timestamps

Leader Spotlight host Annette Klososky and producer/co-host Annie introduce a season focused on applied AI implementation and interview Chloe Duckworth, co-founder and CEO of Valence AI AI. Duckworth, who started the company at 19 while on a pre-med track at USC and graduated in two and a half years, explains Valence AI’s real-time vocal emotion infrastructure for voice AI, which analyzes tone and prosody to help human agents or AI voice agents route calls, de-escalate, and improve outcomes in enterprise contact centers and regulated industries.

When this podcast was recorded, Valence AI AI announced a $5M seed round after 18 months on the market and reports production results including ~30% reduction in average handle time. Duckworth describes modeling brain-like signal transduction, addressing the “uncanny valley,” building representative language/demographic emotion datasets, and creating customer personas, while also sharing her AI tool usage and reading recommendations.

Show Notes / Timestamps

00:00 MCAT To Startup Hook

00:47 Show Intro And Season Focus

03:37 Meet Chloe And Valence AI

07:24 Chloe Origin Story USC

09:13 AI Background And Approach

10:43 What Valence AI Builds

12:56 Seed Round And Traction

15:29 Founder Confidence And Mentors

18:25 Neuroscience Of Emotion AI

23:08 Personas And Data Diversity

26:40 Staying Focused And ROI

31:39 How Chloe Uses AI Daily

33:08 Recommendations And Wrap Up

36:12 Outro And Resources

54:44 How Support Helps Now

58:25 Closing and Call to Action

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In this episode, we are joined by the vibrant and passionate Annick Jasmin, whose journey spans over 25 years in marketing and business development within the animal health industry. Annick took an unexpected turn in her career, following her true passion for fashion, design, and trends, leading her to found her own clothing and accessory company, OHSHO. Based in Montreal, Annick's energy and charisma will keep you captivated as she shares her inspiring story of reinvention and entrepreneurship. Tune in for a conversation you won’t want to miss!

In this episode of LeaderSpotlight we interview Kristy Boone, a leader with a remarkable story of overcoming trauma and channeling her experiences into empowering others. Host Anette Klososky engages Kristy in a candid conversation about her journey from confronting personal challenges to becoming an influential figure in corporate training and development. Kristy shares insights on fostering communication skills rooted in empathy and authenticity, vital in today's digital-centric world. Her story is not just about professional triumph; it's a profound narrative of personal healing, reinvention, and inspiring change within organizations. Listeners will find encouragement in Kristy's approach to identifying and overcoming internal barriers, as well as her innovative methods for bringing empathetic communication and leadership training to various corporate settings. Join us in this heartfelt exploration of leadership, resilience, and the power of authentic connection.

Kristy Boone is the founder of Premium Impact. By creating safe and connected experiences for clients, PILLC shares unique experiences for your company, association, family, or team. These experiences are all-inclusive and managed by PILLC Owner-Operator, Kristy Boone, and a small team. Experiences are customizable to client goals in wellness and team-building workshops/activities, as well as entertainment clients would like to experience. Kristy also leads a sketch-comedy team called SwagTWAG.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristykboone/

Welcome to #LeaderSpotlight Episode 37, where we showcase inspiring leaders from diverse walks of life. Join your host, Annette Klososky, as she engages in a captivating conversation with Dr. Joelle Jay. In this episode, we delve into the transformative power of surrender, acceptance, and personal reflection as essential components of effective leadership. Listen to Dr. Joelle’s insights on how to navigate career overwhelm, make intentional choices, and create a life aligned with your vision. Tune in for transformative insights on personal leadership and learn how to lead with purpose and intention.

Dr. Joelle Jay is an award-winning author, speaker and executive coach. She was the first woman to be named the Director at the Leadership Research Institute who specializes in leadership development for senior executives from fortune 500 companies. Joelle is especially known for her success in the advancement of executive women.

Check out Dr. Joelle’s website for more resources: https://www.joellekjay.com/

And get your copy of Dr. Joelle’s books on finding your inner edge to drive a successful career and overcoming obstacles to create a new advantage for personal development.

https://theinneredge.com/

https://www.thenewadvantagebook.com/

On this episode of LeaderSpotlight, host Annette Klososky and co-host Addison Price, talk with Mary Nihn. Mary is the author of the popular children's book series "Ninja Life Hacks" and co-owner of "Ninja Restaurants," as she shares her personal journey towards finding inspiration. Drawing upon her experiences as an entrepreneur, writer, and mother, Mary delves into the strategies she has used to overcome creative blocks and cultivate a mindset of innovation.

In this episode of LeaderSpotlight, host Annette Klososky, and co-host Addison Price talk to the Founder of Brand and Buzz Marketing, Parna Sarkar-Basu. Parna shares steps leaders can take to rebrand themselves and how to enhance their digital footprint.

On this episode of LeaderSpotlight, Annette Klososky interviews Founder of Utopia Plastics, Sharina Perry. They dive into stepping into unknown callings, taking a leap of faith, and shifting your mindset to “why not me?” – you won’t want to miss this inspiring episode of LeaderSpotlight.

Keep up with Sharina:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharina-perry-57b2171a7/

On this episode of LeaderSpotlight host Annette Klososky and co-host Addison Price sit down with Victorria Woods to talk about her background, and how she got her start. Victoria shares the stories behind opening ChappelWood’s Financial Services and her mindset for success.