In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with technology strategist and author Michael Earls.

Drawing from years of experience in cloud strategy, enterprise architecture, and AI transformation, Michael explains why today’s greatest leadership challenge isn’t keeping up with technology—it’s maintaining clarity and direction while everything around us accelerates.

We discuss artificial intelligence, leadership, purpose, decision-making, productivity, and how leaders can remain grounded while navigating constant change.

If you’re wondering how to thrive in the AI era without losing sight of what matters most, this conversation is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.

Connect with Michael on : https://www.michaelearls.com/books/

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with schizophrenia recovery advocate and mental health coach Dale Walsh.

Diagnosed with schizophrenia 50 years ago, Dale experienced repeated psychiatric hospitalizations before eventually rebuilding his life. Today, he has been psychosis-free for more than three decades and helps families better understand schizophrenia through his LIVELOVE Method.

We discuss mental illness, recovery, resilience, family relationships, communication, and practical ways to support loved ones living with schizophrenia.

Whether you’ve been personally affected by mental illness or want to better understand someone who has, this conversation offers hope, compassion, and valuable insight.

Connect with Dale on : http://www.dewlivelove.net/

In this episode of 9-5 Exit Plan, I sit down with leadership expert and Venture Up founder David Lengyel.

With more than 40 years of experience and over 400,000 participants impacted through his programs, David shares what separates exceptional teams from average ones.

We discuss communication, trust, leadership, workplace culture, employee engagement, team performance, and how organizations can prepare for the future of work in an AI-driven world.

Whether you lead a business, manage a team, or simply want to become a stronger communicator, this conversation is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.

Connect with David on : https://www.ventureup.com/

In this episode of 9–5 EXIT PLAN, I sit down with organizational leadership expert Sandra Coker, founder of Human Power Solutions and bestselling author of People Profit, to explore why investing in people creates stronger businesses.

Sandra shares practical leadership strategies for improving employee engagement, building trust, strengthening company culture, and developing teams that drive long-term profitability.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, manager, or business owner, this conversation will give you actionable insights for creating an organization where both people and profits can grow together.

Connect with Sandra on : https://www.hpowersolutions.com/contact-form

In this episode of 9–5 EXIT PLAN, I sit down with Ben Davis, founder of JB Marketing, to discuss how Shopify brands can break through growth ceilings by building profitable Google Ads strategies.

Ben shares practical insights on customer acquisition, measurement, conversion tracking, profitability, Google Ads, and why many businesses struggle because they focus on the wrong metrics.

Whether you’re an eCommerce founder, marketer, or entrepreneur looking to scale beyond a single acquisition channel, this conversation is packed with actionable strategies you can implement immediately.

Connect with Ben on : https://jbmktg.com/

In this episode of 9–5 EXIT PLAN, I sit down with organizational psychologist and change leader Karen Lewis-Enright to explore why successful AI transformation depends far more on people than technology.

Karen shares practical insights from years of leading workforce transformation and enterprise change, explaining how trust, leadership, emotional intelligence, and organizational culture determine whether AI initiatives succeed or fail.

We discuss change management, workforce readiness, leadership during uncertainty, and the human skills that will become even more valuable in an AI-powered future.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, manager, or professional preparing for the future of work, this conversation offers practical strategies for leading change with confidence.

Connect with Karen on : https://www.alternotion.consulting/

In this episode of 9–5 EXIT PLAN, I sit down with technology entrepreneur and Nimap Infotech founder Sagar Nagda to explore the intersection of entrepreneurship, AI, leadership, and long-term wealth building.

Sagar shares practical insights on building a bootstrapped global technology business, preparing for the future of AI, creating financial independence, avoiding lifestyle inflation, and teaching children healthy money habits.

Whether you’re a founder, executive, entrepreneur, or ambitious professional, this conversation offers practical strategies for building success that extends far beyond your career.

Connect with Sagar on : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagarnagda-founder/

OR

https://nimapinfotech.com/

In this episode of 9–5 EXIT PLAN, I sit down with Anna Brambilla, Founder of Your Franchise Pros, to discuss what it really takes to build and scale a successful franchise business.

Anna shares practical insights on franchising, candidate psychology, leadership, operational systems, relationship-driven sales, and the strategies that help franchise professionals grow sustainably.

Whether you’re considering franchise ownership, already operating a franchise, or looking to grow a franchise brokerage, this conversation is packed with actionable advice you can apply immediately.

Connect with Anna on : https://yourfranchisepros.com/

In this episode of 9–5 EXIT PLAN, I sit down with Kyle Bailey, founder of Frontburner Marketing, to discuss how home service businesses can attract more customers and increase sales through effective digital marketing.

Kyle shares practical insights on SEO, Local SEO, website optimization, customer acquisition, and the biggest mistakes contractors and home service business owners make when trying to grow online.

Whether you’re a contractor, plumber, electrician, roofer, HVAC company, landscaper, or any local business owner looking to generate more qualified leads, this conversation is packed with actionable strategies you can implement immediately.

Connect with Kyle on : https://frontburnermarketing.net/

In this episode of 9–5 EXIT PLAN, I sit down with paid media expert and entrepreneur Matthew Slaymaker, founder of Slaymaker Marketing.

Matt shares practical strategies for growing businesses through Google, Meta, YouTube, LinkedIn, and AI-powered advertising while avoiding the costly mistakes that waste marketing budgets.

We discuss paid media strategy, attribution, creative testing, scaling campaigns, AI, and how entrepreneurs can generate measurable business growth instead of simply increasing ad spend.

Whether you’re an eCommerce founder, SaaS entrepreneur, or business owner investing in digital marketing, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you can apply immediately.

Connect with Matthew on : https://www.slaymakermarketing.com/ads-audit