In this engaging conversation, Jay Jeezy shares his journey of personal growth, emphasizing the importance of stepping into one's truth and living with intention. He reflects on his early life experiences, the challenges he faced, and how he transformed a scarcity mindset into one of abundance. Through music, he found a means of self-discovery and healing, while also recognizing the significance of forgiveness and the impact of leadership. Jay emphasizes the value of curiosity, learning, and surrounding oneself with supportive individuals to foster growth and resilience. In this conversation, Jay Jeezy Jenkins shares his profound journey of healing, forgiveness, and personal growth. He reflects on the importance of embracing faith and spirituality, especially through the influence of his grandmother. Jay discusses the challenges he faced in the music industry, including the impact of bootlegging on his success. He emphasizes the significance of leadership, responsibility, and the pain that often accompanies making tough decisions. Ultimately, Jay expresses his desire to leave a lasting legacy by mentoring others and sharing his knowledge and experiences.

Chapters

00:00 Stepping into Your Truth

09:40 Navigating Life's Challenges

20:04 Survival and Growth

28:15 Finding Your Signature

35:48 The Journey of Forgiveness

43:34 Finding Faith and Spirituality

52:26 Overcoming Challenges in the Music Industry

59:42 Navigating Fame and Leadership

01:10:28 Building a Legacy Through Mentorship

01:18:44 The Future: Learning and Giving Back

Mel Robbins is the creator and host of the award-winning The Mel Robbins Podcast, one of the most successful podcasts in the world, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She has amassed 28 million followers online and is one of the most respected experts in mindset, life improvement, and behavior change. The Wall Street Journal calls her a “billion-view podcaster” and TIME Magazine says she gives millions of listeners around the globe “a reason to believe in themselves.”

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Gary Vaynerchuk is the Chairman of VaynerX, CEO of VaynerMedia, CEO of VeeFriends, and a 6x New York Times bestselling author. Outside of his businesses, “GaryVee” has spent the last decade pioneering the practice of building a personal brand online through his original content.

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From humble beginnings to a self-made multimillionaire with over $6 billion to date in global product sales and a starring role on ABC’s newest business reality TV show, Shark Tank, Daymond John is the personification of the American Dream. He continues to set standards of excellence while expanding his interests in fashion, branding, marketing, consulting, entertainment, and beyond. This industry leader, best-selling author, and ground breaking entrepreneurial expert has evolved into a highly sought after business and motivational speaker.—Get sent fresh leadership interviews, articles, stories, and events every Friday at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠⁠⁠⁠real-leaders.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/subscribe⁠

Dr. Eric Edwards is the CEO & Chairman of Phlow, a B Corporation that helps brilliant minds bring medicines to life through advanced development and manufacturing in America.

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Speaker: Andy Alsop, CEO of The Receptionist

Session Description:Many companies prioritize structure and efficiency to scale, but true growth comes from empowering employees at every level. This session explores how employee supremacy—a model where employees are trusted as the driving force of innovation—can revolutionize your organization. Learn how to balance autonomy with alignment, foster a culture of ownership, and turn decentralized decision-making into a strategic advantage. Perfect for CEOs looking to cultivate high-performing teams, enhance innovation, and sustain long-term growth.
Session Objectives:
🔹 Redefine Employee Supremacy: Shift from top-down control to a model where employees drive meaningful change.
🔹 Implement Practical Models of Empowerment: Equip leaders with frameworks to encourage initiative, creativity, and accountability.
🔹 Master the Balance Between Freedom and Structure: Develop strategies to maintain agility while ensuring operational excellence.

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Speaker: Top Impact Company CEO Aaron Zeper of DMD Systems Recovery, LLC

Session Description:

Most companies looking to scale focus on process, process, process. And while process is important, innovation is mandatory. Discover how to leverage controlled anarchy to drive innovation and scale your business effectively. This session will teach you to balance creativity with structure, align innovation with company values, and transform chaotic ideas into refined processes. Perfect for CEOs looking to stay competitive in dynamic markets and unlock growth potential.

Session Objectives:

Redefine Anarchy for the Modern Business World:

• Shift perceptions from chaos to a structured approach that fosters creativity and innovation.

Introduce Practical Models for Controlled Anarchy:

• Equip attendees with tools to identify areas where controlled anarchy can be applied within their organization.

Teach Strategies to Manage and Transition from Anarchy to Order:

• Provide actionable steps to balance innovation and operational excellence.

Key Takeaways:

• Anarchy is not chaos—it’s a strategic tool for innovation when aligned with company values.
• A "color within the lines" approach empowers freedom while maintaining organizational focus.
• Innovation thrives when businesses create flexible frameworks that allow for expansion and contraction of ideas within predefined boundaries.
• Managing anarchy effectively involves clear rules, iterative processes, and alignment with corporate vision and goals.
• Controlled anarchy can unlock creativity, foster growth, and provide a competitive edge in dynamic markets.

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Join Keith Bearden, CEO of Alter Eco Foods, for an inspiring session on how mission-driven companies can scale impact while achieving lasting business success. With a wealth of experience in consumer packaged goods, industrial ingredients, and food services, Keith has mastered the art of turning vision into reality. From building high-performance teams to executing strategic turnarounds, his expertise spans executive leadership, sales, marketing, operations, and finance—making him a powerhouse in the impact business space.

In this session, Keith will share:

✅ The keys to balancing purpose and profit in the competitive food industry

✅ Lessons from leading domestic and international business operations

✅ How to navigate challenges in manufacturing, sustainability, and growth

✅ Strategies for creating high-impact, high-performance teams

✅ Insights from his leadership journey at Alter Eco Foods

Whether you're an entrepreneur, executive, or investor looking to make a real difference, this session will leave you with actionable strategies to drive meaningful impact while ensuring business resilience. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a leader who has successfully built and scaled mission-driven brands in an ever-evolving global marketplace.

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Employee ownership isn’t just a trend—it’s a powerful strategy to drive growth, build alignment, and leave a lasting legacy. Darin Anderson, Chairman & CEO of Salas O’Brien, shares the company’s journey from single owner to closely held ownership, to an ESOP, and finally to a thriving direct ownership model with 90% employee participation. This session delivers actionable strategies to implement ownership models, engage teams, and create sustainable, employee-centric organizations that deliver exceptional results.
Session Objectives:

• Underscore why employee-ownership is a valuable and beneficial model.
• Outline the key considerations and challenges of implementing employee ownership structures, including their impact on growth, culture, and financial performance.
• Explore effective communication strategies to align team members with the vision of ownership and build an ownership mindset.
• Share practical pathways for opening ownership opportunities to employees and fostering a sense of shared purpose.

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Discover how Dan Green, CEO and co-founder of Helpsy, transformed his Wall Street expertise into a mission to keep clothes out of landfills while creating meaningful, impactful jobs. Learn how Helpsy’s unique model blends second-chance employment, incentive pay, and employee ownership to align efforts, inspire hard work, and foster accountability. Gain insights from Dan on overcoming challenges in building a purpose-driven company and why passion is key to driving lasting impact in business and sustainability.

1. The Role of Incentive Pay and Employee Ownership in Driving Performance:
   Helpsy’s innovative approach aligns employees with the company’s mission by making them shareholders and offering incentive-based pay. This motivates accountability, fosters hard work, and creates a sense of ownership among employees.
   
2. Challenges of Building a Purpose-Driven Business:
   Transitioning from Wall Street to building a sustainability-focused business came with hurdles, including operational complexities and balancing profitability with ethical practices. Passion and resilience were critical in overcoming these challenges.
   
3. The Power of Purpose in Leadership and Sustainability:
   Dan’s journey illustrates how a clear mission—combining environmental action and meaningful work—can inspire leadership decisions, empower teams, and build a profitable yet impactful business model. Passion for the cause is a driving force behind Helpsy’s success.