The Leading Lounge

The Leading Lounge is a service of Communicate To Care. Find out how we can help you with leading and communicating in your work by visiting www.communicatetocare.com

Dave Semones is a Christian counselor who spent almost 40 years in church ministry. An Air Force brat, he was born in California and now lives in Georgia. In this interview, Dave talks about communicating in difficult and delicate situations. Dave did my own pre-marital counseling and officiated my wedding over 18 years ago, so I've been blessed by his wisdom firsthand.

To find out more about Dave and his work visit https://northpointcounseling.org/dave-semones/

For this episode, I introduce myself  (Dr. Justin DuBose) to you and tell you my story and share my heart with you. A friend recently said to me, "You ask everyone else what their story is but have never shared your own with us". They were right, and that's one of the leadership lessons I'm still learning: how to share my own story.

So, this episode gives you my background, my leadership journey, and my heart behind the work I do with Communicate To Care. This video episode can be found here on our YouTube channel. The services I mention can be found here on our website. A direct link to book a meeting with me can be found here.

I can't wait to hear from you soon!

Allie is an Owner/Operator for Chick-Fil-A in Amarillo, TX. Born into a large Texas family, Allie seemed destined to thrive in the often loud and chaotic world of life in the hospitality industry.

After graduating from her small town high school, Allie wanted to head to the big city and make her own path. She worked as a marketing director a for female Chick-Fil-A operator in Houston and graduated from the University of Houston (Go Coogs!). After leaving Chick-Fil-A she worked different jobs in male dominated environments, which helped her grow in many ways, before finding her way back Chick-Fil-A.

In this interview, she talks about her challenges and growth in Chick-Fil-A's Leadership Development Program (LDP). She mentions the importance of "finding your voice" as a leader and why good relationships are important to continued growth.

Allie is a fantastic leader and communicator who leads her growing team with exceptional passion and courage. In only her second year of business ownership, she is building a company, culture, and team that will thrive because of great leadership. If you're ever in Amarillo, stop by her store @ 4510 S. Coulter St. and enjoy great food and fantastic hospitality!

As a troubled New York City teenager, Eddie found himself before a judge with two options: jail or the Army. He chose the Army and, at age 17, he was off to Fort Jackson, SC. After serving his time on Active Duty, he transitioned into the Reserves and back to NYC to serve with the NYPD. Along the way, he met Jesus, his wife, and served as a church planting apprentice. He felt a call to retire early from the NYPD to devote himself more fully to the ministry. After studying under Pete Scazzero (New Life Fellowship Church in Queens) and Tim Keller (Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan), Eddie planted his first church there in NYC.

Sensing a call to Florida, he moved and started New Life Community Church in North Port, FL. He served there for 17 years while also planting multiple churches and serving as the chaplain for the police department. He now serves as a Church Multiplication Director in Arlington, TX overseeing church planting in a four-state area (TX, OK, AR, & LA).

In this interview, Eddie opens up about his own journey and struggles as a leader. He is transparent and thoughtful, and his humility and wisdom communicate well. You can find out more about Eddie's work at www.alliancesouthcentral.com 

Kenneth Lou Koon started Stop Suicide USA in 2012 after experiencing something he never anticipated: suicidal ideations. Saved by his son, he was moved to do the same for others. He wrote a curriculum on suicide intervention (Listen, Learn, Lead) and now trains leaders and organizations on how to help save others from ending their own lives. Through Stop Suicide USA, he has trained over 26,000 individuals and personally conducted more than 2,000 suicide interventions. For his efforts, Kenneth was inducted into the University of North Georgia Alumni Hall of Fame in 2018.

Kenneth was my first chaplain in the Army Reserves and I have experienced his expert care and leadership firsthand. He retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and now serves full-time with Stop Suicide USA. He and his wife Sherry have four grown sons, two of which are active duty with the US Air Force, one a veteran of the US Coast Guard and the youngest a fire fighter/EMT with the Atlanta Fire Department. They have six grandchildren and make their home in Sharpsburg, GA.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicide, please reach out to Kenneth at (678) 283-4293 or call the National Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. For more information or to request training for your organization, please visit www.stopsuicideusa.com

Dr. Dena Counts has served in higher education for more than 15 years. Her specialty is in the areas of leadership and communication. She currently serves as the Assistant Dean for the College of Graduate and Professional Studies as well as the Program Director for Applied Communication and Organizational Leadership at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas.

Dr. Counts is not only an excellent teacher, but also a superb leader. Having been both a student and teacher in traditional and virtual environments, she understands and explains well the importance of building relationships and why every leader must cultivate relationships if they are to communicate and lead successfully. 

In this interview, she addresses the most important quality a leader can possess and how leaders can be more thoughtful in their communication. For more information about Abilene Christian University, please visit www.acu.edu

Elise Hurd is a conversion copywriter. She listens to people and takes their dreams, visions, and ideas and converts them to marketable words that sell...all the while using their voice, words, and heart to communicate. She is a gifted communicator and the best listener I've ever met.

She began modeling at age 13 and maintained a successful professional life as a teenager. But, behind the scenes, her personal life was a wreck. She chose an abortion at 18 to maintain her career, but gave birth to a daughter at age 19. As she says, "I never went to college. But I got my Master's education in unconditional love through 3 1/2 years of single motherhood."

Now married with 7 kids, Elise uses her experience, wisdom, and God-given gifts to help clients market their dreams and ideas to those who need them in ways that communicate incredibly well. You can find out more about Elise at www.elisehurd.com

Matt Hangen serves as the CEO of Water4, a $12 million dollar non-profit based out of Oklahoma City. Matt grew up in rural Alabama and got his start working as a nut and bolt sorter (yes, apparently that is a real job). In this interview, he opens up about working as a youth pastor and missionary before serving at Water4. He talks about the role of suffering in his own personal development and some of the difficulties in transitioning from smaller roles into his current role as CEO. Matt is incredibly thoughtful and insightful and you'll be blessed by listening to him.

Water4 seeks to eradicate poverty by building sustainable, local, missional businesses in areas where they install water wells, rather than relying on charitable giving alone. More information can be found at water4.org

Jim Black serves as the FCA College Director at Stanford University working with Stanford's athletes. He previously served as the Director of Athlete Discipleship at Columbia University in NYC. In this episode, Jim talks about the importance of intentional relationships, particularly with younger generations, and the hunger younger people have for connection. A graduate of Wheaton and former pastor, Jim's heart & passion is to see his college athletes encounter Jesus and he talks about the pressing issues they face and how we can communicate with them where they are. For more information, contact Jim at [email protected] 

Scott Friend is a former Navy Seabee and two-time combat veteran. He also served as an officer in the Army Reserves. He opens up about his transition from military to civilian life and some of those accompanying difficulties. After leaving the Navy, he landed a job in the construction industry where he still serves today as a Superintendent. He now serves as an outstanding leader in that field in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and talks about how lessons learned from one season helped him in his current season. He also hosts his own podcast, The Construction Veteran, which can be found anywhere you listen to podcasts.