The 1% Shift with Niyi

What if getting older isn’t about slowing down, but about discovering new ways to grow, contribute, and make an impact?

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, we sit down with Dr. Deborah Heiser, a psychologist, researcher, and expert on mentorship and purposeful aging. We explore the power of mentorship, how our relationships can shape who we become, and why purpose and contribution don’t have an expiration date.

We’ll discuss how to build meaningful connections across generations, continue growing through every stage of life, and create a legacy that extends beyond personal success.

Learn more about Dr. Deborah Heiser: deborahheiser.com⁠

In this unforgettable episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi welcomes Chris Donaldson—adventurer, bestselling author of Going the Wrong Way, and lifelong believer that sometimes the greatest journeys begin when life doesn’t go according to plan.

In 1979, Chris left Belfast during the Troubles with one goal: ride his Moto Guzzi from Northern Ireland to Australia. But when the Iranian Revolution changed everything, his planned 10,000-mile trip became a remarkable 50,000-mile adventure across Africa, Europe, North and South America.

More than four decades later, Chris is back on the same motorcycle, finally completing the journey he began 42 years ago.

This conversation explores adventure, resilience, uncertainty, and why the roads we never planned often become the ones that change us the most.

Learn more about Chris and his journey:

http://chrisdonaldson.world

In this episode, we discuss:

* Leaving Belfast in search of freedom

* What unexpected detours teach us about life

* Traveling the world before smartphones and GPS

* Courage, resilience, and embracing uncertainty

* Why it’s never too late to finish what you started

* The 1% shifts that shape extraordinary lives

In this fascinating episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Eric Robinson—a recently retired FBI Special Agent whose extraordinary career spans 24 years in the Bureau and 12 years in Christian ministry before that.

From serving as a pastor to becoming a SWAT operator, firearms instructor, counterterrorism investigator, and expert in recruiting informants, Eric’s journey is anything but ordinary. His unique perspective reveals that success in high-pressure environments isn’t just about tactics—it’s about understanding people.

Through humor, unforgettable stories, and lessons from his upcoming memoir, Eric shares how empathy, leadership, faith, and resilience shaped his work in some of the FBI’s most demanding investigations.

Learn more about Eric and his upcoming book:

https://www.preachertobreacher.com

In this episode, we discuss:

* The unexpected journey from pastor to FBI Special Agent

* Building trust in high-stakes situations

* Leadership lessons from SWAT and federal investigations

* The psychology behind recruiting informants

* Faith, resilience, and serving under pressure

* Small shifts that build courage and character

In this inspiring episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Fletch Wiley—Grammy-nominated arranger, producer, composer, and master musician whose remarkable career has spanned more than five decades.

From performing alongside legends like Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Doc Severinsen, and Andraé Crouch, to producing award-winning recordings across gospel, jazz, classical, pop, and Christian music, Fletch has built a career defined by excellence, humility, and lifelong learning.

Now approaching 80 and still practicing for hours every day, Fletch shares why mastery is a lifelong pursuit, how faith has sustained him through every season, and the small daily disciplines that have kept his passion alive for decades.

Learn more about Fletch and his memoir, God Doesn’t Play Fair—That’s Good News:

https://www.amazon.com/God-Doesnt-Play-Fair-Thats/dp/1961194449/

In this episode, we discuss:

* Performing with some of music’s greatest legends

* The daily discipline behind lifelong excellence

* Faith, purpose, and navigating the music industry

* Creativity across multiple musical genres

* Staying humble through success

* Why mastery is built one day at a time

In this insightful episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Mathias Lemos Castillo, community engagement consultant, founder of MLC Consulting, and a strategic advisor helping organizations build inclusive cultures that create lasting business and community impact.

Born and raised in Uruguay before moving to the United States, Mathias brings a unique global perspective on leadership, cultural competency, and community building. Rather than treating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a compliance exercise, he believes inclusion should become a strategic advantage that strengthens organizations, teams, and relationships.

In this conversation, Mathias explains why meaningful inclusion begins with intentional leadership, how organizations can move beyond performative initiatives, and the small shifts that create cultures where people truly feel they belong.

Connect with Mathias:

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

In this episode, we discuss:

* Why inclusion is a business strategy, not a checkbox

* Building authentic workplace cultures

* Cross-cultural communication and leadership

* Common DEI mistakes organizations make

* Creating belonging through intentional leadership

* Small shifts that strengthen teams and communities

In this powerful episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Ransom Kong, founder of Purpose Over Pain and Tethered, whose life’s work has been helping men uncover what truly lies beneath anger.

For 27 years, Ransom has facilitated anger management and domestic violence groups with court-mandated men. Through thousands of conversations, he’s discovered that anger is rarely the root issue. More often, it’s grief, shame, fear, exhaustion, and emotional wounds that were never given a voice.

Having broken his own cycle of violence, Ransom now helps men develop emotional fluency, heal from within, and build healthier relationships grounded in honesty and self-awareness.

This conversation explores why emotional awareness isn’t weakness, how healing begins with asking better questions, and the small shifts that can transform a person’s life.

Learn more about Ransom and Purpose Over Pain:

https://purposeoverpain.life/

In this episode, we discuss:

* What’s really beneath anger

* Breaking generational cycles

* Why emotional awareness changes everything

* Healing shame, grief, and unresolved pain

* The small shifts that lead to lasting transformation

In this inspiring episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Ted Kopecko—author of the #1 International Best Seller Finding JOY… Journey Of You, entrepreneur, and commercial real estate broker with over 30 years of experience in business and leadership.

After decades of chasing success, Ted realized that many high achievers aren’t lacking accomplishment—they’re lacking alignment. His philosophy of moving from “Life-Led” living to “JOY-Led” living challenges us to stop reacting to life and start intentionally designing it.

Together, they explore how mindset shapes identity, why purpose matters more than productivity, and how small daily choices create extraordinary lives over time.

Learn more and download Ted’s free workbook:

https://www.FindingJOY.us

In this episode, we discuss:

* The difference between Life-Led and JOY-Led living

* Why success doesn’t always bring fulfillment

* Aligning mindset, identity, and purpose

* Breaking free from burnout and busyness

* Small intentional shifts that change the direction of your life

In this powerful episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Jonathan McLernon—health and wellness coach, creator of the NeuroQuit™ Method, and host of Between the Before & After.

Jonathan’s story is one of remarkable resilience. After surviving a near-fatal assault in South Africa, losing his life savings through betrayal, battling PTSD, emotional eating, anxiety, and self-sabotage, he discovered that lasting transformation doesn’t come through willpower alone—it begins by changing how the brain works.

Today, Jonathan helps people break free from addiction, burnout, emotional eating, and destructive habits by combining neuroscience, psychology, metabolic health, and compassionate coaching.

Together, they explore why we stay stuck, how identity shapes behavior, and the small daily shifts that create lasting freedom.

Learn more about Jonathan and his work:

https://tidycal.com/coachjon/15-minute-meeting

In this episode, we discuss:

* Why willpower isn’t enough to create lasting change

* The hidden roots of self-sabotage and emotional eating

* How neuroscience can help us break destructive cycles

* Why identity matters more than habits

* Small daily shifts that lead to lifelong transformation

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Devon Wieters—writer, podcaster, disability advocate, and passionate voice for policy reform.

Living with cerebral palsy, Devon has experienced firsthand how outdated systems can force disabled adults to choose between love, independence, and the benefits they need to survive. Through her advocacy for the SSI Restoration Act and the Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act, she’s working to change laws that many people don’t even know exist.

Together, they explore what true equality looks like, why disability advocacy is about dignity as much as policy, and how one person can create meaningful change by speaking up.

Learn more about Devon and her work:

https://wheelwithit.com/

In this episode, we discuss:

* What the SSI marriage penalty really means

* Living with cerebral palsy beyond the stereotypes

* Turning personal challenges into public advocacy

* What true accessibility and equality look like

* Small actions that create lasting social change

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Rob Tracz, high-performance coach, keynote speaker, and creator of the Prime Performance Process.

Many people don’t fail because they lack talent—they lose momentum because they lack clarity, resilience, and sustainable systems. Rob has dedicated his work to helping entrepreneurs and leaders break through stagnation, perform at a high level, and build success without sacrificing their wellbeing.

Together, they explore what high performance really means, why burnout isn’t a badge of honor, and the small daily shifts that create long-term success.

Learn more about Rob:

https://www.SurvivingtheSideHustle.com/freecall

In this episode, we discuss:

* Why high performers lose momentum

* Building resilience without burnout

* The six principles of sustainable success

* Turning self-awareness into consistent action

* Small habits that create lasting performance