Your most important customer isn’t external — it’s your team.
If your employees don’t feel valued, supported, or seen, it’s only a matter of time before that shows up in your customer experience.

Engaged employees are 21% more productive and 22% more profitable.
Map their journey just like you would for your clients — from onboarding to ongoing development.

How are you designing your employee experience with the same care as your customer experience?

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory

Middle managers are often the most underdeveloped layer in your business — and it’s costing you.
42% of employee exits could’ve been prevented with better management.

We train the front line. We invest in executives. But we leave managers to figure it out alone.
Spend 30 minutes this week mentoring a manager — not to fix them, but to equip them.

How are you intentionally developing your managers right now?

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

In this episode of Start With a Win, host Adam Contos welcomes leadership expert and combat veteran Mike Erwin for a compelling conversation on what truly separates great leaders from failing ones—often without them even realizing it. With a rich background spanning military service, Fortune 500 consulting, and in-depth research on leadership psychology, Mike dives into the game-changing power of relationships in leadership. He challenges the transactional mindset, emphasizing the need for connection, the a word no one wants to talk about, and setting the bar high to unlock untapped potential. Packed with real-world stories and powerful insights, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to elevate their leadership game and build stronger, more resilient teams.

Mike Erwin is a dedicated leader and founder of The Character & Leadership Center, working with organizations like Amazon, the Boston Celtics, and the U.S. military. He co-authored Lead Yourself First and Leadership is a Relationship, emphasizing solitude and relational leadership. A West Point graduate and former Army Intelligence Officer, Mike served in three combat tours, earning two Bronze Star Medals. He also founded Team Red, White & Blue, supporting veterans’ health, and co-founded the Positivity Project, which reaches over 500,000 children daily. Mike continues to serve as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserves.

00:00 Intro
02:15 Four intense years of leadership!
03:59 Leadership, is it a relationship?
06:35 Leadership is not this, management can be.
08:15 The big A word!
11:19 Can you get over the high bar? 
13:40 The T word and being consistent with it!
18:25 Dueling Pianos?
22:32 Massive leadership impact…
27:01 I thank this person and straight into this… 

https://characterleadership.center/

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory

Remote work didn’t break your culture — silence did.
Only 28% of fully remote employees feel connected to their company’s mission. That’s not just a gap. That’s a fracture.

Start every virtual meeting by connecting the agenda to a greater purpose.
Remind your team who they’re serving — not just what they’re doing.
People don’t need more tasks. They need more meaning.

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory

Recognition isn’t optional — it’s essential.
The most powerful leadership tool you have costs nothing, but most leaders were never taught how to use it.

Organizations that prioritize recognition save millions in turnover. And it starts with one sentence.
Tell someone what they did that made a difference — and why it mattered.

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

In this electrifying episode of Start With a Win, Adam Contos sits down with three-time Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster, keynote speaker, and author Anne Marie Anderson. With decades of experience covering the world’s biggest sporting events, Anne Marie shares hard-earned wisdom on high performance, resilience, and the bold risks that separate top achievers from the rest. From her nerve-wracking first time on live television to redefining failure as nothing more than data, she unveils the secrets behind audacity—the key to unlocking true success. If you’ve ever wrestled with fear, self-doubt, or the weight of public opinion, this conversation is your roadmap to stepping into your most courageous self. Don’t miss this inspiring deep dive into what it takes to win—on and off the field.

Anne Marie Anderson is a three-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, keynote speaker, and author. Starting her career at ESPN, she gained unparalleled access to the boardrooms and locker rooms of elite sports franchises, observing the bold decision-making of top coaches, athletes, and executives. Applying these lessons to her own life, she became one of the most experienced female play-by-play announcers in the country. In Cultivating Audacity, she shares her system for overcoming hesitation and breaking barriers to create the life you want. A sought-after keynote speaker and emcee, Anne Marie captivates audiences with her powerful storytelling, blending humor and heart.

00:00 Intro
02:40 Why write a book on this topic?
03:45 Difference between that and confidence!
06:40 What can we learn from athletes!
10:20 Four barriers…
14:45 Another barrier…
18:30 Last two barriers…
20:45 Everything can wait this amount of time to do what you want to do!
21:40 Most important part of this book is this! 
25:09 Don’t hear no hear this… 
28:10 Don’t let the smallest saying change your world!
31:58 The simplest thing…

https://annemarieanderson.com/ 
https://annemarieanderson.com/book/ 
https://www.instagram.com/annemarieandersontv/

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory

Disengagement isn’t just a culture problem — it’s an $8.8 trillion leak.
That’s the global cost of people mentally checking out while still on the clock.

Engagement isn’t just about morale. It’s your competitive edge.
Start small: ask your team what’s working for them this week — and what’s not.
That clarity creates energy. That energy drives results.

When’s the last time you checked in with intention?

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory

Managers are under more pressure than ever — not just leading teams, but picking up the slack.
That weight is burning people out. And burnout spreads fast.

Take 15 minutes this week with no meetings, no noise — just space to reset.
You can’t pour into your team if your own cup is empty.

What would it look like to protect that space this week?

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

In this engaging episode of Start With a Win, host Adam Contos sits down with image and brand consultant Lee Hayward to unpack the undeniable power of personal branding. If you think branding is just about logos and colors, think again. Lee dives deep into the psychology of perception, trust, and the ripple effect a strong brand can have on leadership and business success. From crafting an intentional image to the surprising ways we form snap judgments, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you present yourself to the world. Tune in for insights that could transform your business and elevate your leadership presence.

Lee Heyward is a brand consultant and the founder of The Prosperous Image, a consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs uplevel their image so they make more money. She works with seven-figure leaders to help them build brand loyalty and grow more revenue. Lee is also the author of the bestselling book Strategically Suited: Your Secret Edge to Grow Sales and Get New Clients on how to grow sales and get new clients.

00:00 Intro
01:48 Could you quit a job you love? 
03:20 Doing this in a way that builds the right foundation will help build your business!
05:10 Why do we judge by what we see?
06:55 What is a brand?
13:10 Three phases of an image.
16:02 This is the most important presence!
18:40 Are these two things in alignment?
23:20 How do you get the team onboard?
28:05 Combining these two things is how I start with my day!.

https://prosperousimage.com/
https://prosperousimage.com/strategically-suited/

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory

Most people aren’t disengaged because they’re lazy — they’re disengaged because they feel pushed, not led.

Only 23% of employees worldwide are truly engaged at work. That means most are just going through the motions… or worse, quietly quitting.

Leadership isn’t about control — it’s about lifting people up.

Ask one person on your team today: What would make your work more meaningful this week?

That one question might be the unlock.

What’s stopping you from asking it?

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory