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As the host of a highly successful podcast, The Learning Leader Show, a bestselling author, and keynote speaker, Ryan Hawk knows what it takes to be a real leader. To him, leadership is a choice, one that has to be made consciously on a regular basis. In this episode, he talks about what makes a successful leader, including learning it all instead of knowing it all, staying authentic and true to your values, and leading yourself before you can lead others. Along the way, Ryan shares insights from his own experience as well as his own podcast guests and other leaders that he admires. He also emphasizes the importance of meeting the moment, managing your time, and turning your hard work into memorable experiences for the ones you love. Tune in for an insightful episode on how to be the best leader you can be. 

About Ryan Hawk

Ryan Hawk is the host of The Learning Leader Show. He has recorded more than 500 episodes over the past 8+ years. Ryan is the author of Welcome to Management: How To Grow From Top Performer To Excellent Leader and The Pursuit of Excellence. Previously, he worked in corporate America for 12 years. Ryan started as an entry-level telephonic sales rep and worked his way to manager, director, and ultimately VP of sales for a multi-billion-dollar company. When he’s not recording podcasts or writing books, he works to help leaders be more effective. Some of the ways he does that: Leadership Circles, 1:1 advising, and teaching in The Learning Leader Academy (the online school he created). Ryan has delivered hundreds of keynote speeches on leadership and performance excellence all over the world.

Additional Resources

Website: https://learningleader.com/

Listen to His Podcast, The Learning Leader Show

Check Out His Upcoming Book, The Pursuit of Excellence

LinkedIn: @RyanHawk

Instagram: @ryanhawk12

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About This Episode

Marcus Collins has been breaking conventions since the very beginning. With a background in engineering, music, and business, Marcus enjoys connecting things that are normally disparate. Through his work, he aims to bring people together to create collective meaning-making that ultimately leads to real change. Building from his own personal and professional experiences, Marcus describes how we can leverage our own agency to break expected conventions. His new book, For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be, takes this a step further and dives into the influence of culture and how people can leverage it to take action. Marcus challenges us to consider the reasons and ultimate sources behind our beliefs, which are essential to understand in order to break free. In this episode, he also identifies what creates a culture and community, how we can identify a cultural mismatch, and how we can tackle gender norms to create positive change.

About Marcus Collins

Dr. Marcus Collins is an award-winning marketer and cultural translator with one foot in the world of practice—serving as the Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden+Kennedy New York—and one foot in the world of academia—as a marketing professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. His deep understanding of brand strategy and consumer behavior has helped him bridge the academic-practitioner gap for blue-chip brands and startups alike. Before joining Wieden+Kennedy, he served as the Chief Consumer Connections Officer at Doner Advertising and led Social Engagement at Steve Stoute’s advertising agency, Translation. And prior to his advertising tenure, Marcus began his career in music and tech with a startup he co-founded before working on iTunes + Nike sport music initiatives at Apple and running digital strategy for Beyoncé. 

Marcus is a recipient of Advertising Age's 40 Under 40 award and Crain's Business' 40 Under 40 award, and a recent inductee into the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Achievement. He holds a doctorate in marketing from Temple University, where he studied cultural contagion and meaning-making. He received an MBA with an emphasis on strategic brand marketing from the University of Michigan, where he also earned his undergraduate degree in Material Science Engineering. Marcus is a proud Detroit native, a devoted husband, and a loving father to Georgia and Ivy. 

Additional Resources

Website: http://marctothec.com/

Check Out His New Book, For the Culture : http://marctothec.com/fortheculture

LinkedIn: @MarcusCollins

Instagram: @marctothec

Twitter: @marctothec

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About This Episode

In this episode, retail executive Ron Thurston walks us through his impressive career and the bold moves he's taken along the way. Learning great leadership firsthand from his grandfather, who was the CEO of his own construction business, Ron strives, as a leader, to find the magic in other people and give them opportunities to grow. He discusses what it really means to be a student of the retail industry and the pivotal role of a store's general manager, all while discussing the perception of retail and debunking myths about the industry and online shopping. Ron also emphasizes the power of our purchasing decisions. The places where we choose to shop, particularly in-person versus online, have real impact, especially on the environment. So tune in to hear Ron’s bold story and get the inside scoop of the retail industry.

About Ron Thurston

Ron loves retail. And he’s proud of it. He is a highly accomplished retail executive and has proudly led the field teams for some of America’s most beloved brands over the last three decades, including GAP, Apple, West Elm, Tory Burch, Bonobos Saint Laurent, and INTERMIX. From part-time sales associate to Vice President of Stores, Ron has put in the hard work that career in retail requires and wrote his first best-selling book, Retail Pride, in 2020 to share what he learned along the way. For the last three years, Ron was named one of the Top 100 Retail Influencers by Rethink Retail and was also recently recognized as one of the 2022 Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers by RITH. He served on the Board of Directors of Goodwill NY/NJ and currently sits on the Advisory Boards of several emerging retail technology brands, including Reflex and IMMERSS. 

Additional Resources

Website: https://www.retailpride.com/

Check Out His Book, Retail Pride

LinkedIn: @RonThurston

Instagram: @RetailPride

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About This Episode

Nathalie Gregg is a champion of women’s empowerment. Since she was 5 years old, she noticed that there were very few women in leadership roles. As she’s grown up and become a change agent, coach, and speaker, Nathalie has become determined to encourage people, especially women, to #LeadLoudly. This movement she started centers on being bold, confident, and fearless to drive results. An educator by trade and an entrepreneur by design, Nathalie is always asking what’s next, and she stresses the importance of living in the moment and having courageous conversations with ourselves and with others. You’ll also hear the firsthand account of her viral video commending a particular Starbucks employee for going above and beyond to agilely solve a customer’s problem. Tune in to hear how to start leading loudly on your own terms and take small actions each day towards the life you want.  

About Nathalie Gregg

Nathalie Gregg is a Change Agent, Enterprise Leadership Strategist, Adjunct Professor, and Speaker. She empowers women to become their own economic engines through mentorship, sponsorship and allyship. She is the founder of the #LeadLoudly Movement, where she inspires women to be bold, confident, and fearless to drive results. Nathalie has also written a book called, Leading in Stilettos. Nathalie's mission is to change the trajectory of how women think and practice leadership. #LeadLoudly is the battle cry for women to live boldly, confidently, and fearlessly.

Additional Resources

Web: https://nathaliegregg.com/

LinkedIn: @NathalieGregg

Twitter: @NathalieGregg

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About This Episode

Community is at the heart of everything Esther Sarpong does. As an expert in experiential marketing and creating unique, interactive experiences centered around art and culture, Esther loves bringing people together towards a shared vision. Pulling from her professional experiences as well as her personal experiences as a first-generation immigrant and mother, she emphasizes the importance of standing in your praise, celebrating your accomplishments, and giving yourself the credit you deserve. Esther also speaks to the importance of being true to yourself and shining your light where it’s valued. Throughout this episode, she shares advice for speaking up for yourself and going after what you want as well as the value in goal setting and partnering with others. Tune in to hear Esther’s bold story and how you, too, can shine your most authentic light. 

About Esther Sarpong

Esther Sarpong, MBA, is the Global Marketing Director who has driven experiential business that's generated $1.25B for global brands including Red Bull, Dove, Art Basel, and global asset management companies including International Market Centers, a Blackstone Company. She's sharing how she's disrupting experiential marketing through culture & connection. Sarpong, a Celebrity Experience Marketer, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, the world's entertainment capital, drives the global strategy and implementation of EXPLORE, venues with a vision, the experiential retail platform for Brookfield Properties. A wife, mom of 2, and 1st generation immigrant from Ghana, West Africa, she uses her international perspective to empower business leaders. The twice-named 40 under 40 marketer is speaking at the upcoming Experiential Marketing Summit and Retail Innovation Conference. 

Additional Resources

Website: https://esthersarpong.com/

LinkedIn: @EstherSarpong

Instagram: @Maameakua

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About This Episode

Paru Radia is no stranger to being bold. Growing up with conservative, immigrant parents, there were few opportunities for her to take chances and pursue the kind of life that she really wanted. For the first time publicly, Paru opens up about her experience and how she made the bold decision to go against the cultural and societal norms in order to live the independent life she wanted. Through her own experiences, Paru explains the importance of being able to uncover the possibilities and to explore who you truly are and could be. Paru emphasizes the importance of finding clarity first, especially when it comes to your motivations and reasonings. From there, it is easier to find the courage to move forward along the path that is best for you. So tune in to hear an inspirational story about being authentic to who you are, standing up to power, and pursuing the life you want.

About Paru Radia 

For Paru Radia, becoming a C-Suite Whisperer and Execution Ninja was a natural path as she has a keen understanding of the corporate world having been both an employee and a consultant, holding multiple senior level positions and working with senior executives at British Airways, King and Spalding, Stroock, Indeed, Vornado, Square, and Planned Parenthood to name a few. These experiences are what led to the formation of her business, providing advisory, consulting, and coaching services. Paru launched her company to help executives at various stages and points in their career to accurately assess their mindset, patterns, behaviors, strengths, success criteria, development needs, understand who they really are, articulating what they really want, and creating specific action plans to achieve their desired results. Born and raised in London, U.K., growing up in a family of hard-working entrepreneurs, Paru has become known for being a pragmatic optimist and turning entrepreneurial ideas into successful companies. 

Additional Resources

Web: https://www.paruradia.com/

LinkedIn: @ParuRadia

Check Out Her Upcoming Book, Messes Behind Successes: https://www.paruradia.com/messes-behind-successes

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About This Episode

Midwestern sisters Lauren Massarella and Michelle Anderson launched The Sister Project Blog to cover all things cozy, mindful, and wellbeing. Now, they also host Cozy Conversations with The Sister Project, a popular podcast filled with heart, hot topics, and witty banter. In this episode, Michelle and Lauren share how they got started and how their business shifted during the pandemic, becoming a source of genuine comfort and support. The sisters also discuss how to recognize signs of burnout, how to know your value, and the importance of using your voice to both speak up for others and self-advocate. Coziness is not merely fuzzy socks and comfy blankets, but it is an active choice we make to take care of ourselves and be in the moment. So, get ready to cozy up to your bold future!

About Michelle Anderson 

I am a cozycore enthusiast, content creator, blogger and podcast host from Chicago. I am a daughter, wife to Ryan, mom to teen twins Mia and Will and sister to many. I made a career pivot from Government Contracting work to tap into my true passion of cultivating connections, and inspiring lifestyles and a safe space for cozy conversations. Cooking through food is my love language. I am a voracious reader, lead vocalist in a dad-band and am currently manifesting my summer house on the lake.  My dream podcast guests would be the 1999 USA Women’s World Cup Soccer Champions. 

About Lauren Massarella

I am a recovering Entertainment TV Reporter and PR & Marketing Executive now thriving as a hygge enthusiast, lifestyle influencer and podcast host. I’m living my best and coziest life in Chicago with my husband, Anthony, our cat, Egon and our new baby daughter Luna June. When I'm not interviewing people on our podcast, I enjoy teaching yoga in my spare time, and learning to navigate life as a new mom. I love art, traveling, French bistro music, autumn, and laughing so hard I pee my pants. My dream podcast guests would be Gloria Steinem and Jeff Goldblum.

Additional Resources

Website: https://thesisterprojectblog.com

Listen to their Podcast, Cozy Conversations

Instagram: @thesisterproj

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About This Episode

With over a decade of experience in nutrition and healthcare, Elisa Haggarty is a conscious leadership coach, guiding individuals and teams on leading mindfully with agility by decreasing what's called the drama tax. From workplace gossip and interpersonal relationships to procrastination and staying small, there are many forms of dramatic energy in our lives. Elisa describes how to not only identify this drama tax but how to control and overcome it as well. She also emphasizes the interconnectedness of our lives, particularly how our energy has a direct correlation with our health, mindset, and work. From her own personal experiences and mental health journey, Elisa invites us to release what is not serving us and become radically responsible for our own physical and psychological health. Part of this is understanding the areas where we experience flow, a concept that Elisa describes as being completely immersed and fully present. Tune in to hear how to mitigate the drama patterns in your own life, while strengthening the elements that bring you joy and energy. 

About Elisa Haggarty

Elisa Haggarty is a former corporate leader turned Conscious Leadership Coach, working to guide leaders and teams all over the world to master the skills necessary to lead mindfully and with agility. Through experiential learning and coaching, Elisa helps professionals to embrace stress and change by mastering core skills. Elisa was an early team member of Parsley Health, where she launched the Learning & Development department, helping the company to scale 30x and deliver world class medicine. Prior to her work at Parsley, Elisa was a consultant for international wellness companies like Chosen Experiences and founded Culinary Farmacy, a global nutrition consultancy aimed to educate individuals on the importance of upgrading dietary choices. Elisa trained with the Conscious Leadership Group, with Jim Dethmer and Diana Chapman, and runs The School of Unlearning Podcast. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her two cats, Josie and Lou.

Additional Resources

Website: https://www.elisamaryhaggarty.com/

Check Out Her Podcast, The School of Unlearning

LinkedIn: @ElisaHaggarty

Instagram: @elisamaryhaggarty

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About This Episode

Julia Boorstin has been making bold moves from the very beginning. Now CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech Correspondent, her illustrious career began from taking a reporter job at Fortune magazine straight out of college, a gap year experience that turned into a new beginning. To Julia, it is a combination of humility and confidence as well as a growth mindset that makes up the best kind of leaders. She explains the differences between how women and men lead, in addition to the well-documented benefits of having gender-diverse teams. Her recent book, When Women Lead, takes this a step further and provides real-world examples of female leaders across industries showing what true leadership looks like. When it comes to making your own bold moves and overcoming any imposter syndrome along the way, Julia emphasizes the importance of doing the work, being prepared and understanding the challenges you are up against. Tune in to hear about how to unlock your own leadership superpowers. 

About Julia Boorstin

Julia Boorstin is CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech Correspondent and has been an on-air reporter for the network since 2006, delivering reporting, analysis, and CEO interviews with a focus on social media and the intersection of media and technology. She is the author of When Women Lead: What They Achieve, Why They Succeed, and How We Can Learn from Them, which was published by Avid Reader Press on October 11, 2022. In 2013, Boorstin created and launched the CNBC Disruptor 50, an annual list she oversees, highlighting private companies transforming the economy and challenging companies in established industries. She also helped launch the network’s ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative covering the people and companies closing gender and diversity gaps. A graduate of Princeton University, she has been a reporter for Fortune magazine, as well as a contributor to CNN and CNN Headline News. Julia lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons. 

Additional Resources

Website: https://juliaboorstin.com/

Buy Her Book, When Women Lead

Instagram: @JuliaBoorstin

Twitter: @JBoorstin

LinkedIn: @JuliaBoorstin

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About This Episode

Karen Fultz-Robinson, attorney turned entrepreneur and fashion designer, discusses her journey of embracing a healthy lifestyle and founding ObservaMé, a one-of-a-kind line of athletic and athleisure professional apparel. With a boldness and independence instilled early on by her mother, Karen is no stranger to making her own opportunities. ObservaMé was born out of identifying a problem and creating the solution. The aggravation from tugging at the sleeve of the shirt to gauge health statistics on fitness trackers while training led Karen to wonder why there was no watch opening in the sleeve. What began with a single phone call, turned into a snowball effect of momentum that ultimately led Karen to fully step into her purpose and found her company, launching an active apparel line with a wrist opening for performance devices and watches. Along the way, through her own personal experiences, Karen explains how to embrace the “Why not?” moments in our lives, overcome the naysayers, and keep fear from taking its hold. From her founder’s journey, she also discusses breaking into a new industry, building intentional relationships, and being the example to inspire and empower others to better their lives.

About Karen Fultz-Robinson

Karen D. Fultz-Robinson, Esquire is the designer and founder of ObservaMé®, LLC, a one-of-a-kind line of athletic and athleisure professional apparel that manufactures and sells athletic apparel from its facility in Tampa, Florida. As a marathon runner, Fultz-Robinson knows that outdoor activities happen under many weather conditions and access to fitness trackers should not be a distraction. The ObservaMé® design concept was born during one of Fultz-Robinson’s 15-mile runs and after constant aggravation from tugging at the sleeve of the shirt to gauge distance, heart rate, pace and time for the training. Fultz-Robinson developed sketches and assembled a legal team to help her put together the mock-ups and final patterns. After a year of research and development, in 2016, the company was launched with a dry-fit active apparel line with a wrist opening for performance devices and watches. Born and raised on the west side of Detroit, Michigan, Fultz-Robinson, an attorney and former Thomas M. Cooley law school assistant dean now fashion designer, earned her bachelor’s degree in International Relations at Michigan State University and juris doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Today, through Fultz-Robinson’s innovation and leadership, the product line has grown to include the signature shirts along with vests and performance pants and a variety of accessories. 

Additional Resources

Website: https://www.observame.net/

LinkedIn: @KarenFultz

Instagram: @observa_me

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