Smart People Think Podcast

Meet Deborah Solomon, Founder and Owner of Wall Street Dead aHead Networking LLC® who believes great leadership starts with consistency, approachability and authenticity.

For Deborah, leadership means showing up as yourself, creating an environment where people can speak openly without judgment, and making the effort to understand where others are coming from, even when you don’t agree.

In this episode, Deborah shares why respect, open-mindedness and surrounding yourself with the right experts matter. She also talks about staying true to your mission, making confident decisions, and creating clear processes that help people navigate change.

Eight women. More than 50 years of friendship. In this special episode of Let’s TAWK Friendship, the Jersey Girls share the laughter, memories, loss, lessons and love that have kept their friendship going for more than half a century.

What does more than 50 years of friendship teach you? In this short personal reflection created for NPR’s podcast contest, I share what I learned from the Jersey Girls about friendship, belonging and having people who know your story—and still want to be part of the next chapter.

TeachRock is built on a powerful idea: music can help students learn, connect, and engage in new ways. On a recent episode of Let's TAWK Leadership, Bill Carbone, Executive Director of TeachRock, shared insights that reminded me what leadership looks like at its best: curiosity, humility, and empathy. A willingness to understand different perspectives while staying focused on the people you serve.

One idea especially resonates during this conversation: Create the conditions for people to do their best work and then trust them to do it. In a world that often feels loud and complicated, that approach feels refreshingly human.

Great leaders create the environment for others to thrive. When we get leadership right, people do their best work. That's true in the classroom, on a team, and on a stage.

Thank you, Bill, for a thoughtful conversation and for the impact TeachRock is making every day.

Meet Kevin Deasy, Fractional Director and Senior Management Consultant in IT Digital Transformation. To Kevin, leadership is the art of influencing and guiding a group toward a shared destination, standing in stark contrast to the "command and control" nature of managers. He believes true leaders don't need a title; instead, they rely on deep self-awareness and the wisdom to surround themselves with people more talented than they are.

Kevin views communication as the ultimate “differentiator” in the age of AI, prioritizing the ability to listen and maintain respect even when opinions clash. Outside of the digital world, he finds balance and joy in Irish history, hot yoga, and the stress-relieving power of the sea.

A quote that resonates with him: A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, the group will say they did it themselves – Lao Tzu.

Meet Dr. Stewart Desson, CEO of Lumina Learning, a leader who sees leadership in layers: strategy and vision plus the ability to inspire purpose and meaning. Dr. Desson believes leaders must celebrate humanity so people can connect to a cause and give unrestricted energy to make an impact. His leadership approach blends self-awareness with purpose and authenticity — claiming who you are so others feel invited to do the same. Grounded in science and curiosity, he dispels myths, welcomes challenge, and changes beliefs when evidence demands it.

Dr. Desson uses coaching, retreats, and collaborative research to foster self-development and growth. His favorite guiding principle: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” — Viktor E. Frankl

Meet Emma Weaver: Founder of Mental Wealth International.

Emma strongly believes that true influence begins with the courage to be your authentic self. For Emma, leadership is an active, values-led journey—one that requires the bravery to "go first" while viewing every challenge as an opportunity for organizational growth. She advocates for a leadership style that rejects the pressure of having all the answers and favors an approach of openness, curiosity, and deep listening.

At the heart of Emma’s philosophy is the power of community, mentorship, and delegation. She lives by the mantra that you can "have it all" without having to "do it all," emphasizing that you actively seek out what you need to stay on course. A lifelong learner dedicated to constant self-reflection, Emma empowers others with a simple but profound truth: Be all that you are so you become all that you can be.

Meet Kevin Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO of Graphene.

For Kevin, leadership is about creating clarity, having conviction, and owning decisions—even when you don’t have all the answers. It’s about accountability and bringing people along the journey with honesty and purpose.

His leadership is grounded in clear values: accountability with no excuses, candid and respectful truth-telling, and momentum—because action, not perfection, drives progress. Kevin embraces chaos as part of the process, focusing less on what goes wrong and more on how leaders choose to respond.

Through reflection—asking what worked, what was missed, and what can be done differently—Kevin continuously sharpens his leadership. His philosophy echoes a powerful truth: never fear the storm—learn to dance in the rain.

Meet Marsha Clark, Owner of Marsha Clark and Associates.

For Marsha, leadership is a mindset—one rooted in accountability for both intended and unintended consequences. She believes trust is built by giving first, leading with clarity, and balancing toughness with grace. Kindness, in her view, is not softness; it’s the discipline to care deeply while holding high standards and driving meaningful results.

At the heart of Marsha’s leadership is service. Guided by courage, authenticity, and a clearly defined “why,” she brings people along a shared vision while never losing sight of relationships, customers, or outcomes. A lifelong learner with deep intellectual humility, Marsha points to a famous quote by Winston Churchill - Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

Meet Jackie Gilna-Turton, Founder and CEO of We Are Global Irish.

For Jackie, leadership is deeply personal—it’s about who you are, the values you stand by, and how you evolve over time. At her core, she is a bridge-builder, bringing people together through shared purpose and mutual respect. Her work centers on community development, connection, and collaboration, fostering spaces where others can grow, lead, and thrive.

Diplomacy underpins everything Jackie does. Guided by clear objectives and a well-defined “why,” Jackie helps others find focus and direction. Jackie reminds us to never underestimate the value of our roots and the power of our networks—because when people come together with intention and shared vision, meaningful transformation follows.