Values Based Life

Steve Farber is the president of Extreme Leadership, Incorporated, and the founder of The Extreme Leadership Institute, organizations devoted to the cultivation and development of Extreme Leaders in the business community, non-profits and education.

His third book, Greater Than Yourself: The Ultimate Lesson In Leadership, was a Wall Street Journal® and USA Today® bestseller. His second book, The Radical Edge: Stoke Your Business, Amp Your Life, and Change the World, was hailed as "a playbook for harnessing the power of the human spirit." And his first book, The Radical Leap: A Personal Lesson in Extreme Leadership, is already considered a classic in the leadership field. It received Fast Company magazine's Readers' Choice Award and was recently named one of the 100 Best Business Books of All Time. Farber's Love Is Just Damn Good Business, was listed by Book Authority as one of the top Business Strategy books for 2020.

In this episode of the Values Based Life Podcast, host Robert MacPhee and Steve discuss his latest book, The Radical Promise: Mastering the Art of Doing What You Say You Will Do, and how organizations and teams can benefit from putting its principles into practice.

To learn more, visit theradicalpromise.com or get in touch via stevefarber.com.

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This episode is part of a new chapter of the Values Based Life podcast, the "Mentor Series." The Mentor Series features executives and other leaders from organizations that have a proven track record of operating in alignment with their mission, vision, purpose and values. By doing this they have created truly engaging cultures - environments where people love to work. The purpose of the Mentor Series is to highlight these committed organizations and share their stories with other leaders so everyone can see the huge benefits of being a Values Based Organization. We hope you enjoy listening to the Mentor Series episodes as much as I have enjoyed being in amazing conversations with these remarkable leaders.

Renowned speaker, author, and coach, Dr. Nancy A. Dome co-founded Epoch Education in 2014 to provide leaders in education and business with accessible professional development to support equity efforts in pursuit of greater diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

Starting her career as a Child Care Worker, she has always had a strong desire to support those students most at risk. She spent 10 years working in multiple capacities in the Juvenile Court and Community Schools in San Diego, training and supporting teachers in becoming more culturally competent educators.

Dr. Dome obtained her doctorate in 2004 and spent 7 years working with future teachers at CSUSM in the College of Education, building their awareness around the necessity of being culturally competent.

Today Dr. Dome continues her important work as Founder/CEO of Epoch Education, helping school districts and educational agencies throughout the country navigate complex topics, build bridges, and work together for inclusive, impactful change. Dr Dome also works with businesses providing inspirational keynotes, individual and small group coaching sessions, and trainings on effective communication through Compassionate Dialogue.

Dr. Dome is the author of the bestselling book Let's Talk About Race and Other Hard Things: A Framework for Having Conversations That Build Bridges, Strengthen Relationships, and Set Clear Boundaries. In 2024, she published The Compassionate Dialogue Journey: A Workbook for Growth and Self-Discovery.

When Nancy is not working, she spends much of her time in service to her community, gardening, and making memories with her loved ones. To learn more, visit drnancydome.com and epocheducation.com.

Bryon Stephens is a 40+ year veteran of the Franchise & Food Service Industry.

In 1990, Bryon moved from Operations Leadership into Growth & Development, whereby he has led numerous organizations' growth, while achieving and receiving acclaim for the level of growth attained.

In 1992, he took the role as the Director of Franchise Development for A&W Restaurants. By the time he left in 2004, A&W had 1,400 stores and was dubbed the "Hot Again" concept by Nation's Restaurant News.

Along the way, A&W acquired Long John Silvers, and Bryon was asked to be the V.P. of Franchise Development for both brands. That led to his idea of co-branding two brands together under one roof, whereby the brands started to co-brand with the Tricon brands of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.

The success of co-branding led to the Tricon acquisition of Yorkshire Global, which was when YUM Brands was formed, and Bryon was offered a role to head up a new division in the newly formed Yum Brands as the head of franchise sales for all five brands.

In 2004, Bryon began working with Marco's Pizza, a 100-store chain operating in three states. Bryon was hired as the Chief Development Officer, and by the time he retired in 2017, the brand had 890 stores in 33 states and four countries and was considered the fastest-growing franchise in the U.S. for over five straight years. In 2009, Bryon added the role of President and Chief Operating Officer to his duties at Marco's.

He is an alumnus of a select group of business executives who have been featured on the acclaimed CBS show "Undercover Boss" while he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Marco's Pizza.

Bryon is a founding Partner in the firm Pivotal Growth Partners (PGP), a franchise growth and consulting firm that specializes in assisting small emerging-market franchise companies in their growth.

If you'd like to connect with Bryon, you can find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/bryon-stephens-6637819.

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This episode is part of a new chapter of the Values Based Life podcast, the "Mentor Series." The Mentor Series features executives and other leaders from organizations that have a proven track record of operating in alignment with their mission, vision, purpose and values. By doing this they have created truly engaging cultures - environments where people love to work. The purpose of the Mentor Series is to highlight these committed organizations and share their stories with other leaders so everyone can see the huge benefits of being a Values Based Organization. We hope you enjoy listening to the Mentor Series episodes as much as I have enjoyed being in amazing conversations with these remarkable leaders.

Our guest today is Paul Mahoney, Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing for Community Care of North Carolina.

His background in health care includes roles in insurance, a health plan trade association focused on lobbying, public relations consulting and state insurance regulation. He's been on all sides of many common health care disputes, giving him an unusual perspective.

He's found a home with Community Care, a nonprofit organization that's very focused on its mission to improve health care, access and primary care delivery for the citizens of North Carolina.

If you'd like to learn more about Community Care, visit communitycarenc.org.

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This episode is part of a new chapter of the Values Based Life podcast, the "Mentor Series." The Mentor Series features executives and other leaders from organizations that have a proven track record of operating in alignment with their mission, vision, purpose and values. By doing this they have created truly engaging cultures - environments where people love to work. The purpose of the Mentor Series is to highlight these committed organizations and share their stories with other leaders so everyone can see the huge benefits of being a Values Based Organization. We hope you enjoy listening to the Mentor Series episodes as much as I have enjoyed being in amazing conversations with these remarkable leaders.

Matt Doss has built his career in places where decisions have consequences and someone has to remain steady enough to make them.

As General Counsel for TLC Management, Matt's role extends well beyond traditional legal work. He works alongside operational, clinical, HR, and executive leaders on the difficult decisions that shape a post-acute healthcare organization — its people, culture, risks, and ultimately the care experienced by residents. His perspective is simple: the law may tell an organization what it can do; its values help determine what it should do.

Matt brings an unusual path to healthcare leadership. A disabled Army infantry veteran, attorney, longtime local-government leader, and community volunteer, he has spent much of his adult life in roles requiring decisions under pressure, responsibility for others, and accountability for the outcome. Those experiences taught him that leadership is less about having every answer than staying calm in the storm, taking ownership, and helping people move forward.

In healthcare, Matt believes residents don't experience strategic plans or mission statements — they experience people. His work is therefore grounded in dignity, compassion, accountability, and service, and in helping build an organization where those values survive contact with real-world pressures.

Away from work and community service, Matt enjoys rugby, hunting, mentoring emerging leaders, and finding ways to leave organizations and communities stronger than he found them.

To learn more, visit tlcmgmt.com.

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This episode is part of a new chapter of the Values Based Life podcast, the "Mentor Series." The Mentor Series features executives and other leaders from organizations that have a proven track record of operating in alignment with their mission, vision, purpose and values. By doing this they have created truly engaging cultures - environments where people love to work. The purpose of the Mentor Series is to highlight these committed organizations and share their stories with other leaders so everyone can see the huge benefits of being a Values Based Organization. We hope you enjoy listening to the Mentor Series episodes as much as I have enjoyed being in amazing conversations with these remarkable leaders.

Catherine Richards is the President & COO of OM1, a real-world evidence generation company. In her role as President, she oversees business operations, product development, technology, informatics, research services, and client delivery.

Prior to OM1, Catherine was the Chief Data Officer and SVP, RWD Solutions & Customer Success at ConcertAI, where she led the strategy, vision, and roadmap for oncology-focused real-world data products and ensured clients received value from the company's data, technology, and services.

Before ConcertAI, Catherine was the SVP of Analytics & Scientific Engagement at Panalgo, where she led scientific operations, including training and supporting users of Instant Health Data (IHD), as well as the adoption and growth of IHD within healthcare organizations. IHD is a Real World Data (RWD) advanced analytics platform used by pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, health plans, government agencies, and contract research organizations.

Previously, Catherine was the Director of User and Scientific Engagement for Aetion, supporting the use and adoption of the Aetion Evidence Platform. Before that, she was a staff scientist at the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR) at Fred Hutch in Seattle, Washington. Her research focused on improving the quality of cancer care while reducing the economic burden for patients and society.

Catherine also has expertise in data visualization and, while at the Hutch, worked with a team of researchers and software engineers to develop an interactive data dashboard for payors and providers in Washington State to facilitate data-driven interventions to improve quality of care and reduce costs.

Early in her career, Catherine was a passionate teacher, designing and teaching master's and doctoral-level courses at Columbia University and the City University of New York.

For fun, Catherine maintains Dot Data, a blog focused on visualizing the health of populations and a former passion project of hers.

To learn more, visit om1.com.

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This episode is part of a new chapter of the Values Based Life podcast, the "Mentor Series." The Mentor Series features executives and other leaders from organizations that have a proven track record of operating in alignment with their mission, vision, purpose and values. By doing this they have created truly engaging cultures - environments where people love to work. The purpose of the Mentor Series is to highlight these committed organizations and share their stories with other leaders so everyone can see the huge benefits of being a Values Based Organization. We hope you enjoy listening to the Mentor Series episodes as much as I have enjoyed being in amazing conversations with these remarkable leaders.

Abhishek Kumar is the Chief Information Officer at AccessHope, where he leads technology, AI, data, cybersecurity, and operational transformation initiatives that help expand access to expert cancer care. Over nearly two decades in healthcare and technology leadership, he has focused on building high-performing teams, scaling innovation, and using technology to solve meaningful problems.

Before joining AccessHope, Abhishek held leadership roles with organizations including City of Hope, Johns Hopkins, Johnson & Johnson, Persistent Systems, and Cognizant. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science Engineering and is currently an Executive MBA candidate at the USC Marshall School of Business, focusing on strategy, leadership, and AI-driven transformation.

Abhishek is a member of the Forbes Technology Council, a speaker at Salesforce Dreamforce events, and recipient of multiple Fortress Cybersecurity Awards recognizing leadership and innovation in healthcare technology.

To learn more, please visit www.myaccesshope.org or connect with Abhishek via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/abhishek-kumar-028713b.

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This episode is part of a new chapter of the Values Based Life podcast, the "Mentor Series." The Mentor Series features executives and other leaders from organizations that have a proven track record of operating in alignment with their mission, vision, purpose and values. By doing this they have created truly engaging cultures - environments where people love to work. The purpose of the Mentor Series is to highlight these committed organizations and share their stories with other leaders so everyone can see the huge benefits of being a Values Based Organization. We hope you enjoy listening to the Mentor Series episodes as much as I have enjoyed being in amazing conversations with these remarkable leaders.

Timo Pelz is a marketing executive, strategist and operator with deep experience helping some of the world's most influential technology companies grow and evolve. He currently serves as Vice President of Marketing at Clever, where he leads brand, product marketing, communications, customer engagement and growth initiatives focused on K-12 education.

Prior to Clever, Timo held leadership roles at Reddit, Instagram and Facebook, helping organizations navigate periods of rapid growth, market expansion and business transformation. His work has spanned product marketing, go-to-market strategy, brand building, executive communications and revenue growth.

Known for his practical and thoughtful approach to leadership, Timo is passionate about the intersection of strategy, marketing, technology and personal growth. He believes that meaningful success comes from creating clarity, making intentional choices and aligning professional ambition with personal values. To learn more, visit clever.com or connect with Timo Pelz on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/timopelz.

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This episode is part of a new chapter of the Values Based Life podcast, the "Mentor Series." The Mentor Series features executives and other leaders from organizations that have a proven track record of operating in alignment with their mission, vision, purpose and values. By doing this they have created truly engaging cultures - environments where people love to work. The purpose of the Mentor Series is to highlight these committed organizations and share their stories with other leaders so everyone can see the huge benefits of being a Values Based Organization. We hope you enjoy listening to the Mentor Series episodes as much as I have enjoyed being in amazing conversations with these remarkable leaders.

K. Joia Houheneka is an entrepreneur whose work centers on the relationship between mission, luxury, excellence, self-actualization, and human flourishing. As the founder of Gold Standards Magazine, Open Horizons Coaching, and Delve Travel, she empowers leaders to build lives and businesses that reflect their deepest values rather than the expectations of others. Her work invites a deeper question: not simply how to succeed, but what is worthy of one's success.

To learn more, please visit https://www.goldstandardsmagazine.com.

Bea López is a Sales & Expression Strategist helping ambitious women build magnetic authority through full expression — so they're not just seen, but deeply felt. ​ After 15 years in corporate sales, she was fired for being "too outspoken." ​ That experience didn't just impact her professionally — it made her shrink in every area of her life. ​ Now, she helps women use their voice unapologetically, take up space, and sell in a way that feels powerful, natural, and fully them. ​ Join Robert in this chat connecting values and sales, and being comfortable, confident and effective in sales. ​ Connect with Bea on Instagram at @itsbealopez.