Leaders are being asked to “figure out AI” while juggling shrinking teams, constant change, and heavier expectations. Many are overwhelmed not because AI is too technical, but because they’re trying to navigate this shift without support.

In this episode, I sit down with Blessing Richardson, small business AI & tech strategist and founder of Sayla. Blessing has 15 years of experience building digital tools, leading engineering work, and helping non-technical founders use AI effectively. 

Blessing brings a clear, grounded perspective that helps leaders understand what AI can do, what it can’t, and how to start using it with confidence.

We discuss:
• The real reason AI feels overwhelming for leaders
• How to use AI to reduce friction, not replace your work
• What good data hygiene looks like and why it matters
• How to evaluate whether something is truly an AI problem
• How to build your AI skill set through small, safe experiments
• Why judgment and context remain a leader’s greatest strengths

If you’re ready to approach AI with more clarity and less pressure, this episode is for you.

Links and Resources:
Join the Core Leadership Lab: https://worthytolead.co/member

Connect with Blessing Richardson:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blessingri/
Sayla: https://sayla.co/g/worthytolead?utm_source=wtl202511

Build smarter AI profiles for better results:
Free access to About Me GPT + 30 percent off About My Brand GPT:
👉 https://syl.to/worthytolead

Connect with Kristiana Corona:
Website: http://worthytolead.co
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/

For years, I thought leadership meant working harder, showing up stronger, and keeping it all together. What I didn’t realize was how lonely that can feel.

In this episode, I talk about the moment that completely changed my approach to leadership and the day I realized I didn’t need to have all the answers. I share how coaching skills helped me lead with more ease, how community reshaped my growth, and why I started the Core Leadership Lab to give leaders a space to learn, connect, and grow together.

If you’re feeling the weight of leadership, this episode is a reminder that you don’t have to carry it alone.

And if you join the Core Leadership Lab before December 5th, you’ll get my bonus masterclass about becoming a thought leader on LinkedIn. It’s a hands-on session where I’ll walk you through how to elevate your profile, grow your influence, and use your voice to open new opportunities.

Links and Resources:
 

🌐 Join the Core Leadership Lab: https://www.worthytolead.co/member
💼 Connect with me: linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona
📷 Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/worthytolead

After more than two decades in corporate leadership, I decided to start something new. Leaving behind a steady career was exciting and terrifying at the same time. In this episode, I share seven lessons I’ve learned since becoming an entrepreneur.

In this episode, I cover:

If you’re thinking about leaving corporate life or you’ve already started your own business, I hope these lessons give you perspective and encouragement for the journey ahead.

Links and Resources:
📘 Free Downloadable Guide: WorthyToLead.co/newbusiness

 Connect with Kristiana Corona:
🌐 Website: WorthyToLead.co
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona
📷 Instagram: instagram.com/worthytolead

What does it really take to break through to the executive level, and lead with influence, not just authority?

In this episode, Kristiana Corona sits down with Caleb Schmidt, Senior Vice President of Experience Design at U.S. Bank, to unpack what it really takes to cross that threshold. Caleb shares candid insights on how creative leaders can evolve from managing the work to leading at scale, communicating with clarity, earning executive trust, and thinking like an enterprise leader.

Key Insights From This Conversation:

This isn’t about managing better, it’s about transforming how you lead so you can take your seat at the executive table.

Links and Resources:

Outcomes Over Output by Jason Seiden: https://www.amazon.com/Outcomes-Over-Output-customer-behavior/dp/1091173265

Connect with Caleb Schmidt:
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/calebjschmidt

Connect with Kristiana Corona:
🌐 Website: worthytolead.co
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona
📷 Instagram: @worthytolead

What happens when you feel stuck in your career, sending out endless applications with no results?

Brian Collins, a veteran design leader who has worked at Google, Amazon, and more, shares how the Core Leadership Lab helped him shift from rejection and self-doubt to confidence, clarity, and recruiter calls.

In this conversation, Brian unpacks:

If you’re ready to unstick your career and rediscover your momentum, this episode is for you.

Links and Resources:
Join the Core Leadership Lab: https://worthytolead.co/member

Connect with Brian Collins:
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancollins/
🌐Website: collinsux.com

Connect with Kristiana Corona:
🌐 Website: http://worthytolead.co
💼 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/

What does martial arts have to do with business leadership?

For Lisa W. Rogers, the two are inseparable.

In this episode of Worthy to Lead, Lisa shares how her journey from white belt to master instructor in Taekwondo shaped her leadership style as a technology executive. Along the way, she unpacks powerful lessons about confidence, perseverance, respect, and passion.

You will learn why confidence is built by doing hard things, how perseverance creates long-term mastery, why integrity is the result of living your values, and how passion fuels leadership that lasts.

This conversation blends timeless wisdom from the martial arts with practical lessons for today’s leaders.

Links and Resources:
📝Articles by Lisa W. Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/everything-i-need-know-succeeding-business-learned-martial-rogers-3f

Connect with Lisa W. Rogers:
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lwrogers
🌐 SIM Houston: https://simhouston.org

Connect with Kristiana Corona:

🌐 Website: http://worthytolead.co
💼 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/

Most leaders avoid conflict because they think it will damage relationships. But what if conflict could actually make your team stronger?

In this episode of Worthy to Lead, conflict resolution expert Mills Vautrot shares a proven 7-step Be the Leader framework for turning friction into connection. Drawing from decades of experience and remarkable stories from the field, Mills shows why conflict is less about tasks and more about dignity, and how leaders can transform it into a tool for growth.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

If you’ve ever struggled with tough conversations at work, this episode will give you a roadmap to step in with courage and come out with stronger relationships.

Links and Resources:
🌐Website: https://leadershipandperformancecompany.com/ (pattyshull.com)

📑Download the 7-step conflict resolution handout: https://leadershipandperformancecompany.com/what-we-offer/conflict-resolution/

Connect with Mills Vautrot:
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/millsv/

Connect with Kristiana Corona
🌐 Website: http://worthytolead.co
💼 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/

Most leaders don’t think of podcasting as a leadership tool. But after 21 episodes, I’ve learned it can change the way you connect, build trust, and grow your influence.

In this episode, I share the biggest lessons from my own podcasting journey:

If you’ve ever thought about starting a podcast as a leader, this episode will help you see what it actually looks like — the wins, the struggles, and why it might be worth it for you.

Links and Resources:
📘 Free “Getting Back on Track” Guide: https://www.worthytolead.co/ontrack
📚 Jenna Kutcher’s “The Podcast Lab”: the step-by-step course that helped me get started podcasting: https://thepodcastlab.jennakutcher.com/
🌐 Kajabi: Hosting & email platform: https://app.kajabi.com/r/DpJrgGvB
🎙️ Riverside: Recording platform: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_5&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=kristiana
🎨 Canva: https://www.canva.com/
🎤 Blue Yeti Microphone: https://amzn.to/4lzOWq2

Ready to level up? Consider getting help:
🎧 Podcast production support: http://www.podcastpointman.com

Connect with Kristiana:
🌐 Website: http://worthytolead.co
💼 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/

You don’t need a title to lead. And you definitely don’t need permission to drive results that matter.

In this episode of Worthy to Lead, I share three real stories from my time at Amazon where individual contributors stepped up, took ownership, and delivered high-impact results without any formal authority.

We’ll unpack what it looks like to lead like a founder, how to influence across teams, and why the best leaders are always looking for ways to contribute.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

What extreme ownership actually looks like in a corporate setting

How internal "founders" influence up, across, and beyond their scope

How to help your team build more authority for themselves

Links and Resources:

Connect with Kristiana:
🌐 Website: worthytolead.co
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/

What does it really take to make a 10x leap, in business and life?

In this episode, you’ll learn the answer to that question from a friend and mentor who’s done it multiple times. 

This is the second part of my conversation with 5-time founder-turned-business coach Bob Hoeffner, about our experiences applying the principles from one of my all-time favorite books: “10x Is Easier Than 2x” by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.

Bob and I dive deeper into the identity shifts required for 10x growth, what he learned from the hardest day of his career, and the mindset behind taking on a brand new venture (and growing a following on Instagram!) into his 70s.

We also share: 

Links and Resources: