Burnout isn’t just an HR issue — it’s a leadership issue.

In this episode of the People Profit Podcast, Sandra Coker sits down with Cynthia Conigliaro, founder of Work Well Webinars, to explore how workplace wellness, resilient leadership, and emotional intelligence directly impact employee retention, productivity, and profitability.

With over 25 years in health and organizational psychology, Cynthia shares practical strategies leaders can use to:

• Prevent burnout before it costs you top talent
• Improve work-life balance without sacrificing performance
• Build resilience in high-stress work environments
• Strengthen emotional intelligence across leadership teams
• Create a people-first culture that drives business growth

If you’re a CEO, COO, CFO, HR leader, or business owner navigating employee disengagement, high turnover, or cultural fatigue — this conversation will shift how you think about wellness in the workplace.

Because investing in your people isn’t soft.
It’s strategic.

And when your people thrive, your profits follow.

🎯 Ready to build a culture where performance and well-being coexist?
Listen now and start leading differently.

In Episode 13 of the People Profit Podcast, Sandra Coker sits down with Sarah Elizabeth Pare—a high-stakes strategist who’s helped lead transformation inside Fortune 500 powerhouses like Constellation Brands and Canopy Growth—to talk about what happens when the spreadsheet says “go” but the people reality says “slow down.”

Sarah shares what it’s really like to navigate billion-dollar M&A moves, regulatory chaos in cannabis, investor pressure, portfolio cuts, and operating model overhauls—without losing the trust of the people who actually have to execute the plan. This episode is for leaders who are tired of “change management theater” and want to build transformations that hold up when things get messy.

You’ll hear why buy-in is a choice, how to spot when leadership is treating transformation like a math problem instead of a human one, and what it looks like to lead with conviction and humility when the stakes are sky-high.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why strategy without buy-in becomes “a plan that collects dust”

• The leadership habits that build trust when decisions are hard (cuts, divestitures, restructures)

• What executive teams often underestimate in high-pressure industries like cannabis

• How to communicate change without tanking morale—and how 1:1 conversations do the heavy lifting

• The difference between fear-driven control and people-first leadership under pressure

• Sarah’s leap from corporate boardrooms to building her next venture, FOOSH—and what she’s taking with her

If you’re leading a team through uncertainty, pressure, or transformation right now… this one will hit home.

🎧 Listen, subscribe, and leave a review—it helps more leaders learn how to invest in their people and lead change that actually sticks.

What if kindness is your biggest competitive advantage? In this episode of the People Profit Podcast, I sit down with Al Kushner—LinkedIn strategist, keynote speaker, and author of The AI LinkedIn Advantage—to talk about how empathy, AI, and consistency drive real results in sales and leadership.

From his early days cold-calling without caller ID (yes, really) to building trust online through strategic content and emotional intelligence, Al shares how his “Honey Empire” method balances human connection with cutting-edge tech.

We cover everything from how to optimize your LinkedIn profile without sounding like a robot, to why your team needs trust more than ever.

Whether you’re leading a team, growing a brand, or just trying to show up better online, this episode will give you tools to do it with heart and strategy.

In this episode of the People Profit Podcast, I sit down with the powerhouse Dr. Kim Allen — author, coach, speaker, and co-founder of SALT Perspective — to unpack what it really means to lead with excellence in today’s workplace. From her early days in pharma to coaching execs at Comcast through major cultural shifts, Dr. Kim shares her no-fluff take on leadership effectiveness, emotional intelligence, and why trust isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s essential.

We talk about building psychological safety, showing (not telling) your team how to lead, and what it looks like to lead in 3D (hint: it has nothing to do with glasses). Whether you're a seasoned exec or just finding your leadership voice, this episode is packed with real-world stories and practical takeaways.

Connect with Sandra Coker https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandracoker/

Connect with Human Power Solutions hpowersolutions.com
Get the People Profit Book here peopleprofitbook.com

What happens when you stop choosing between being “too soft” or “too tough” as a leader?

In this episode of the People Profit Podcast, host Sandra Coker sits down with Brandi Munguia, founder of H3R Collective, to unpack the real power move in leadership: duality—the ability to lead with boldness and humanity.

Brandi shares how high-performing leaders can hold strong boundaries, stay emotionally intelligent under pressure, and create cultures where people feel supported without being rescued. You’ll hear why “no pain, no gain” needs a rewrite, how to lead through chaos without becoming the chaos, and why success doesn’t have to cost your integrity (or your sanity).

If you’re building a team, leading through change, or trying to grow without burning out… this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now and remember: real success lives in the balance—heart and edge.

In this episode of the People Profit Podcast, Sandra Coker sits down with Jodi Scott — CEO and co-founder of Green Goo by Sierra Sage Herbs — for a powerful conversation on what it really means to lead with intention, resilience, and heart.

From nearly losing her family business to buying it back stronger than ever, Jodi opens up about the emotional intelligence and people-first mindset that helped her stay grounded through the chaos. With a background in health psychology and psycho-neuroimmunology (yep, it's a mouthful!), she shares why regulation must come before strategy — and how the body, just like a business, is always listening.

They explore the reality of building a business with family, cultivating psychologically safe teams, and what it takes to create a mission-driven company that serves both customers and employees with integrity.

If you're a leader navigating change, burnout, or big decisions — this episode is a breath of fresh (plant-powered) air.

🎧 Listen in for:

How to lead without losing yourself

Lessons from selling and buying back a company

Why emotional regulation is a business strategy

What it means to build something that actually lasts

People-first leadership isn’t soft — it’s smart.

📌 Subscribe, share, and tag a leader who’s walking through the fire right now.

Can introverts succeed in loud, high-stakes industries like real estate?

Absolutely — and Ashley Harwood is living proof.

In this episode of the People Profit Podcast, we explore how introverted leaders can embrace their natural strengths, build authentic relationships, and lead high-performing teams without pretending to be extroverts.Ashley, founder of Move Over Extroverts and author of the book by the same name, joins Sandra Coker for a powerful conversation on energy management, emotional intelligence, and quiet confidence.

If you've ever felt like you had to “perform” to be taken seriously in business — this one’s for you.

We talk about:

How introverts recharge and why it matters for leadership

Practical tips for managing your energy and calendar

The extrovert bias in teams (and how to fix it)

How to support all personality types in the workplace

Why quiet might be your loudest advantage

Whether you lead a team, coach others, or are just learning to own your voice — this episode will leave you encouraged and equipped.

🎧 Listen, reflect, and share with someone who leads from the inside out.

🧠 Want to go deeper? Download the free People Profit Workbook at peopleprofitbook.com

Connect with Ashley and grab a copy of 'Move Over Extroverts': www.moveoverextroverts.com

What if the key to stronger profits isn’t just strategy—but how your people feel at work?

In this episode of the People Profit Podcast, Sandra Coker sits down with Mildred Black, Founder & CEO of People Optimum Consulting, to unpack why trust is the real currency of high-performing teams—and why “work shouldn’t hurt” isn’t just a slogan, but a leadership standard.

With over two decades in senior HR roles and deep experience guiding culture transformation, Mildred shares:

• Why internal trust gaps cost billions (and how to fix them)

• How to build a culture where clarity, connection, and humanity drive results

• Her "Culture Model Workplace Health Assessment" and how it uncovers hidden people issues

• What every leader should be asking their team—today

Whether you're leading through high turnover, engagement dips, or rapid growth, this episode will leave you with practical tools—and a powerful reminder that healthy cultures don’t just feel better… they perform better.

👉 Take the free culture snapshot: www.peopleoptimum.com
🎧 Listen now and tag a leader who’s ready to lead with heart.

Is it time to pivot?In this episode of The People Profit Podcast, host Sandra Coker sits down with transformation catalyst and keynote speaker Craig Siegel to explore what reinvention really takes — and how to lead with purpose on the other side.Craig left a high-paying career in finance to follow a calling that didn’t make sense on paper… and built a global movement in the process.We go deep on:How to know when it’s time to pivot (and what’s keeping you stuck)Rewiring your identity to match your next chapterLeading from purpose, not pressureThe myth of "starting over"What reinvention actually looks like for ambitious, heart-led leadersWhether you're in the middle of a transition or quietly craving one, this episode will give you the nudge, mindset, and tools to go after your next bold move.👇 Download the People Profit Workbook to apply these insights to your own growth and leadership: peopleprofitbook,com

Connect with Craig and get his book 'The Reinvention Formula' here: https://www.cultivatelastingsymphony.com/

Most leaders say they care about their people.But do they actually support them—while holding them accountable?In this episode of the People Profit Podcast, licensed therapist turned executive coach Chris Wong joins Sandra Coker to unpack what real servant leadership looks like (spoiler: it’s not about being nice).We talk about:Why “high support without high accountability” leads to resentmentThe myth of servant leadership most orgs get wrongWhy feedback isn’t “mean” (and why silence isn’t kind)How to stop avoiding difficult conversationsWhat your team really needs from you as a leaderWhether you're a next-gen leader or a seasoned exec struggling to delegate, this episode will shift the way you think about boundaries, burnout, and building trust. It’s clear, actionable, and packed with real talk.👇 Grab Chris Wong’s Trust Builder Toolkit and more free leadership resources:🔗 https://www.myleadershippotential.comFind out more about Human Power Solutions: https://www.hpowersolutions.com/#PeopleProfitPodcast #DifficultConversations #ServantLeadership #ChrisWong #SandraCoker #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #NextGenLeadership #HighSupportHighAccountability #TeamCulture