Soul of a Leader
98 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago -Soul of a Leader is a podcast which is focused on ordinary people sharing extraordinary life experiences on strategies, life stories, spirituality in life, and leadership words of wisdom.
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Episodes
Count Your Blessings
February 28, 2021 05:00 - 23 minutes - 35.2 MBSteve Cochran is the host of the hit podcast, Live from My Office. He previously hosted the number one talk show every morning on WGN. Steve also enjoys performing stand-up comedy around the Chicago area. Today, Steve sits down and discusses with us his optimism for the future and the valuable lesson of kindness and humility. Cochran doesn’t shy away from speaking up about the stuff that matters to him. Positivity is a powerful thing and we should all take a minute to pause before responding...
Balanced Leadership
February 21, 2021 06:00 - 29 minutes - 43.8 MBValerie Gobos joins us once again to discuss the important topic of balanced leadership in the workplace. The workplace can sometimes be challenging as a female, so it's important to create an atmosphere of equality and not overcompensate anything. Our view of gender roles is influenced and shaped early on, by how we’ve been raised. Be yourself, have confidence, and show grace, Valerie shares. We are beginning to see the significant progression, as females are being placed in more high-profi...
Learning Through Leadership
February 14, 2021 05:00 - 29 minutes - 43.9 MBRich Mathews is an experienced health insurance broker and senior principal at VistaNational Insurance Group. Rich is also a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and successful leader. In order to be a successful leader, you must first believe in what you do and demonstrate gratitude and integrity. Integrity isn't something that's just given to you but something you have to own. A solid leadership foundation first begins in the home. Rich credits all of his success to his faith i...
Energy Focused Leadership
February 07, 2021 05:00 - 33 minutes - 49.4 MBValerie Gobos heads up Gobos Film & Entertainment, researching and representing screenplays, books, and life stories for the big and small screens. Valerie has a lifetime of experience in the advertising and entertainment industry and has handled marketing for many companies, including Universal Studios and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios. Her passion is the energy that drives her to lead others. Valerie recognizes the importance of giving back to others and living a balanced life. She encoura...
Leading with Ethics
January 31, 2021 06:00 - 29 minutes - 58.7 MBJim, trains leaders to lead others as a college professor. His commitment to the Navy is valuable to his ability to give back. Leadership and management are different terms as Jim explains during the podcast. You manage processes and procedures but you lead people. Decision-making skills are one of the core fundamentals of his teaching process. Values are vital to the process of being a successful leader. He believes that everyone is a leader but requires a foundation that is authentic. Love...
Life Deposits
January 24, 2021 05:00 - 32 minutes - 48.3 MBLeadership started very early for Mary Greene. Her mom taught her leadership and how to be her best and do her best no matter the role or position in life. Foundational leadership is essential to get early in life. Leadership skills are vital when displayed in front of others but oftentimes leads to carrying the load. You never have to tell anyone that you are a Christian in business. She included her faith and Christian walk as part of her and not separate from who she was in business. Her...
Creative Thought Leadership
January 17, 2021 05:00 - 19 minutes - 30.7 MBThe pandemic and brutal killing of George Floyd were two devastating events we all experienced in our own unique ways in 2020. Chris Slaughter used this time of uncertainty and pain to spend quality time with his son, Zachary. After purchasing a new camera with graduation money, Zachary and his dad took to the streets of Chicago to photograph street art on boarded-up buildings. These photos captured both pain and beauty and were transformed into an incredible book titled, Boarded Up Chicago:...
Winning as a Team
January 10, 2021 05:00 - 45 minutes - 65.7 MBGrowing up in a single-parent home, Dickey Simpkens credits his mother for his strong work ethic and leadership skills. His mother set the ultimate example of what it means to persevere through adversity, have confidence and lead with ambition and passion. Dickey is now raising his own beautiful family with the same conviction, love, and drive that his mother instilled in him. Simpkens is a three-time NBA champion, a development expert, a national public speaker, and a successful businessman...
Believe in Your Magnificence
January 03, 2021 05:00 - 25 minutes - 39.2 MBBrett Penager is the founding partner and owner of Chiro One Wellness Centers and is an extraordinarily successful author, businessman, and entrepreneur. Above all those accomplishments and accolades, Brett wants to be known and remembered as a man of God, a husband and father, and a good friend. From a young age, Brett has learned the power of success and authentic leadership all stems from love and gratitude. Penager also stresses the importance of surrounding yourself with positive mentor...
We are Moving Forward in Leadership
December 27, 2020 17:00 - 28 minutes - 43.1 MBListen in as Dr. Alicia and Dr. Eileen reflect on this past year and how the Soul of a Leader podcast came into existence. From its humble beginning, this podcast has developed into something greater than either of them could have imagined. In 2020, Alicia and Eileen have had the amazing opportunity to interview some of the greatest leaders of our time. This journey has taught all of us to remain hopeful, be authentic, and to be spiritually led, allowing God to be our ultimate leader in life...
Building Wealth
December 27, 2020 05:00 - 32 minutes - 47.9 MBChris Gandy is a former NBA player, who calls himself a “recovering athlete.” Years of playing basketball have taught him unique skills along the way, including sacrifice and what it means to be a true team player. Now you can find him leading others in the financial industry. At Midwest Legacy Group, Chris coaches individuals on how to successfully accumulate wealth and plan for the future with custom financial strategies. Gandy encourages us all to work hard, ask for help along the way, an...
Lead with Love
December 20, 2020 05:00 - 27 minutes - 41 MBTakara Beathea-Gudell is a creative and inspiring entrepreneur and self-taught designer in the fashion industry. She has successfully run her own business, Takara Designs, for over 40 years. She creates designs that make women of every size feel beautiful. With Takara’s artistic abilities and innovative mind, she was able to create a program during the COVID pandemic to allow her company to survive by making over 3,000 masks. Takara is a role model for women everywhere and shares what it mea...
True Passion with Balance
December 13, 2020 05:00 - 29 minutes - 43.8 MBOwner of Smooth Ride Records and prominent business owner selling natural products for your home and hands. Passion is Kyle's number one value that kept him moving and growing in his music business. The church was his number one component where he learned how to perform. He has been around music since he was 6 years old learning from his dad and brother. Before he was talking, he was involved in music. True passion combined with a balance is essential to do the things that you really love an...
Authentic Accountability
December 06, 2020 05:00 - 38 minutes - 57 MBSunny Schwartz is an author, advocate, and a change maker. Criminal defense was always in her heart and part of her DNA. She is a leader with immense compassion and forgiveness. Her primary focus has always been to help people get out of the system and integrate them back into the real world by means of restorative justice. Sunny believes that violence can be reversed and helped create a program in the San Francisco jails called RSVP. She is also the author of “Dreams From The Monster Factor...
Leadership With a Purpose
November 29, 2020 05:00 - 36 minutes - 53.7 MBFrom a very young age, Maryum has always known she wanted to help people. Growing up, her father Muhammad Ali always asked her, “What is your purpose?” Serving the youth and helping them discover their value and purpose is her passion. “May May” is also big on high ethics and morals. Her Muslim faith helps her maintain inner peace and practice empathy with others, regardless of differences. When it comes to leadership style, you don't have to have a high status or label. Leading well starts ...
Leading with Intent
November 22, 2020 05:00 - 27 minutes - 41.6 MBBetsy Ziegler is the CEO of 1871, a nonprofit in Chicago. She also happens to be a die-hard Ohio Buckeyes fan! Every day for her is filled with problem-solving, interacting with people, and setting priorities. Betsy has had to prioritize what balance looks like for herself and be intentional, in order to live a full, happy life. “If you don't plan, it doesn't happen”, she says. Her best advice is to ask for help when it's needed. It's easy to be hard on yourself and get discouraged, but it's...
Leading Beyond Sports
November 15, 2020 05:00 - 11 minutes - 19.6 MBJeff Sanders is a former NBA basketball player, mentor, and motivator that believes it's never too late to reinvent oneself into excellence. Jeff mentors young athletes around the world and is also the President of the Former NBA Retired Legends Association in Chicago. Jeff’s passion is teaching the youth of today the fundamentals of basketball and the fundamentals of life. When maneuvering through this life, accountability is key. Sanders is a passionate leader who always teaches the value ...
Going through Chaos with God
November 08, 2020 05:00 - 28 minutes - 42.2 MBSteve Patscot is a member of Spencer Stuart's global Human Resources Practice. As an advisor to HR leaders, Steve is no stranger to the adversity, stress, and challenges that come with the HR industry. With the pandemic our world is currently facing, HR executives are now responsible for navigating a whole new culture in the workforce. Patscot recognizes a need for people’s advocacy and balance. Honesty, optimism, and serving others are all key values in a leadership role. During these unpre...
The Love of Leading with Your Soul
November 01, 2020 17:59 - 35 minutes - 52.6 MBMr. Graham grew up during the segregation era and knows what it's like to be treated unequal and like a second-class citizen. This time in his life is what drove him to turn things around and discover his purpose. Stedman now teaches people all around the world nine steps of success and helps them understand and develop their own identity! It's not only about self-awareness, but creating a vision, executing it, and never quitting. Struggles will come, but if you’re passionate about something...
Being Humble and Leading with Your Soul
October 25, 2020 04:00 - 37 minutes - 72.4 MBSheila Brown’s connection has always been humanity. Her professional success started at a very young age. Sheila began her career in broadcast media and was fortunate enough to work alongside the Chicago Bulls during their six championship seasons. She then went on to create Freedom Entertainment, Inc. and is now an executive director for the second-largest TV and film studio in the country. Even with this incredible resume, Sheila leads with humbleness and zeal. Her motto is to work hard an...
Leading with Wisdom of an Old Soul
October 18, 2020 04:00 - 36 minutes - 53.4 MBChasity Melvin is a reigning pioneer in women’s sports, with a 14-year professional cross-cultural basketball career. Chasity inherited invaluable life skills, values, and a strong work ethic from her grandmothers. In her leadership role on and off the court, her strong faith has always been the driving force. Traveling overseas, Chasity depended heavily on her faith and allowed God to use her as a vessel. She encourages everyone to put God first and to use their voice! Chasity has gone on t...
Leading With Perseverance
October 11, 2020 04:00 - 33 minutes - 50 MBTania is proud of the woman-owned and minority-owned business that she has been able to create. It hasn't always been easy though. As a first-generation American, her mother was a significant role-model in her life. She also has 15 years of employee experience that has helped her develop leadership skills, empower teams, and be a more impactful CEO. Tania teaches us to stay in tune with the positive energy that connects us all and to persevere no matter what comes our way. Her final words of...
Relationship Strategy Leadership
October 04, 2020 17:30 - 34 minutes - 50.3 MBShe believes that culture and food are a huge impact on the lifestyle of a leader. Food is everywhere. Culture is everywhere. There is a behavioral impact on the relationship between food and weight. She is a certified Psychologist that wants to teach more about making better choices about what's best for clients to eat while remaining in control. She sees herself more as a strategist when it comes to the relationship between food and weight loss. It's about building a healthy relationship t...
Leading with One’s Intuition
September 27, 2020 04:00 - 28 minutes - 42.3 MBJennifer was a big fan of Paul Newman and had a good sense of who Paul Newman was beyond the screen but she never got to meet him. She was approached by a friend to join the Board of Directors for Paul Newman's Foundation. The organization speaks about Paul Newman's impact and caring for those who are less fortunate. Foundation supports kids dealing with very difficult medical issues and the foundation provides a huge camp that brings all the kids together. Being on the board is very rewardi...
Leading with Cultural Impact
September 20, 2020 04:00 - 22 minutes - 34.5 MBNaomi Kent describes how she strategically focuses on bridging two different cultures into one. She is big on morals, trust, involving others, and consistency at work. She is setting a standard as a leader in business. She is very supportive of leading authentically because all eyes are always on the leader. She was very strategic with bringing two people from the UK with the majority in the US culture just to develop a new culture. She brings in what works from the headquarters. Everyone in...
Leading From Out of the Ashes
September 13, 2020 04:00 - 24 minutes - 37.8 MBFormer NFL Athlete and author that hit rock bottom in his career shares how he thrives on a servant leadership style. He believes in inspiring others around you to help them achieve their goal. He lost everything in 90 days. Servant leadership didn't come into play until he became a custodian on the grave shift. His pivotal moment occurred during the night shift as a custodian to take ownership of his mistake. Your mindset matters in the process of understanding your leadership style. People...
Making a Difference By Leading
September 06, 2020 04:00 - 16 minutes - 26.5 MBHis journey to writing allowed him to tell his story as he grew up to share with the next generation of youth. He spent time looking for guidance to share his story that resulted in multiple books. He walked on faith to develop his first book. He didn't have a great childhood. He took a leap of faith to challenge himself. His leadership style is about leading by example. He challenges people around him to be their best by leading in the way that he knows by doing it first. Loyalty is the num...
Role Model Leadership
August 30, 2020 04:00 - 21 minutes - 33.4 MBSargent Shriver, the father of Maria Shriver, a good friend and mentor of Dick Burke told him that people should be treated with dignity, value, and potential. There is a divine spirit within everyone. He is a reformed lawyer now a business leader of Envoy Global which is a global organization. He tries to be transparent, humble, and communicative when leading. He has learned from errors that led him to become a better leader. You should be the leader that you want to follow. Jamie Dimon, C...
Leading With Love
August 23, 2020 04:00 - 20 minutes - 32.3 MBCEO and Founder of the Memory Farm, Johanna Jameson shows her clinical expertise and love to help individuals dealing with memory loss. She dropped out of her doctoral program to build an environment to help individuals with dementia. Her belief is all who are wondering are not lost. The Memory Farm brings out the best in these individuals who are suffering from this disease. The mission is to give purpose and dignity to people living with dementia through farm-based activities.
Grace in Leadership
August 16, 2020 04:00 - 27 minutes - 41.8 MBDr. Valerie Parker has a direct leadership style that often seems that she is not authentic but she is evolving so, therefore, her leadership is authentic and journeying together. She doesn't often sugar coat things but it's important to touch the harder things in life. Servant-centered leadership is another focal point in her leadership style. Failure is not the end but it's the time to reflect and learn. Grace in the space is a must to reflect upon what they think was a failure. Being auth...
Leading with Humility
August 09, 2020 05:00 - 32 minutes - 47.6 MBFounder of Pay it Backwards Foundation, Tony March discusses his journey to success in life by paying it backward. His start in life was below the poverty line. He doesn't know his father. His mother never read a book to him or never looked at any of his report cards. He ate out of garbage cans until he was 9 years old. He grew up very poor and suffered a lot of abuse. Along the way, he had 4 amazing teachers that inspired him to push for education. When he was 16 he moved at least 17 times,...
Leading with Your Soul as God's Children
August 01, 2020 04:00 - 29 minutes - 44.2 MBLuminita is known for her Purpose Fairy blog that reaches over 100,000 individuals. She is the author of “15 Things to Give Up to be Happy.” Her guidance and wisdom come from God. She stands by her strong beliefs, values, truths, and her faith. Having faith is important to have, so that you don’t fall for anything. She inspires others to be leaders, trust the positive energy of the inner voice, and know that God will provide for you, no matter what happens. You should spend a quiet time und...
How Being Centered in Spiritual Values Leads to Success
July 26, 2020 04:00 - 19 minutes - 30.8 MBA basketball star in his own right talks about spiritual leadership. He talks a lot about mind, body, and soul as a foundation for him throughout life. Tyler reads a lot of books that support his belief in the mind, body, and soul. Tyler likes to teach through experiences by supporting the young generation through basketball and educational programs that he volunteers for. He believes in having strong confidence to know how to speak your truth and be aligned with what you believe. Tyler agre...
Servant Leadership
July 19, 2020 04:00 - 28 minutes - 43.2 MBVikki Pryor's words of wisdom are to march to your drum, keep at it, do what is right for , and follow your instincts. Everything is about courage, risk, and life experiences. Use your resources and be purposeful. We are not taking anything with us when we leave this earth. We came into the world with nothing. Know how to surrender and say to God this is bigger than me, trust God to provide the resources and guide you through situations. Write things down to help guide you through your journ...
Intentional Leadership
July 12, 2020 04:00 - 28 minutes - 42.3 MBMichael Boulware Moore talks about his leadership style during some challenges in business. He has somehow always landed in leadership roles through unexpected avenues. This interview with Michael shows his ability to lead in industries that he had no knowledge or experience but trusted his team who were in some cases much older. He has always thought about how effective his servant, authentic and spiritual (SAS) leadership style has worked and did not work as a leader. Mr. Moore likes to us...
Global Servant and Spiritual Leadership
July 05, 2020 04:00 - 27 minutes - 41.4 MBThis episode is about Dr. Adrienne Johnson's servant leadership through her global organization Wo Ye Bra nonprofit in Ghana. Dr. Johnson leads the discussion on how she leads with her soul as a minister. She talks about her passion for women and girls in West Africa by developing them to become self-sufficient business owners. Dr. Johnson saw a need and fulfilled it by teaching them how to "fish" and not just give them "fish". She believes that we serve a God of a second chance, so she has ...
Transparency and Authenticity When Running a Business
June 26, 2020 04:00 - 23 minutes - 35.6 MBLeading with empathy and values during COVID-19, leaders must make adjustments with their leadership style by delivering the right messages to employees. Leading with honesty and transparency is key. There's a lot of uncertainty so it's good to communicate as much as possible to ensure employees feel secure. HireWell provided extra services to clients for free. The value is not really the brand it's the people that make up the brand. Since hiring has significantly decreased, the organization...
Special Episode
June 22, 2020 12:34 - 39 minutes - 57.8 MBExecutive Producers and Co-hosts Dr. Alicia and Dr. Eileen discuss the current state of the Black Culture after the killing of George Floyd by two white officers. The devastation of his killing in front of the world has rocked the entire nation across all parts of the world. People are demanding justice. Social unjust, unrest, and systemic racism are a part of everyone's conversation for immediate change and support of the black culture. Change must happen.
Resilience and Thriving in a Time of Change
June 12, 2020 13:00 - 26 minutes - 39.9 MBDr. Chris McNiven discusses the power of a simple philosophy: Love Well, Live Well, Lead Well during a time of change where resilience is essential. We can be agents of the resilience of thriving because we have worth, value, and purpose. Live Well promotes our well-being of self-care. Lead Well is the demonstration of how we lead in the workplace. If we are loving well and living well, we are able to lead well through a living mission which is our identity, a building health piece where we ...
Servant Leadership during COVID-19
May 30, 2020 04:00 - 28 minutes - 42.4 MBCo-hosts Dr. Alicia and Dr. Eileen talk with Founder and Chief Kindness Officer, Christopher Watts to discuss servant leadership during COVID-19. There is no shortage or decrease in food for the areas that he serves. The Kindness Campaign has increased by tenfold with new food vendors, hotels, and grocery store chains to provide healthy meals for those in need. The organization served over 20,000 in the month of March throughout Chicago and other local cities/towns. His organization did a t...
Living Your Dream
May 21, 2020 00:55 - 33 minutes - 49.7 MBCo-hosts Dr. Eileen and Dr. Alicia talk with Founder and President Lisa Nkonoki to talk about living your best dream as an authentic leader and what that means during a time that the country is dealing with the COVID19 pandemic. Lisa discusses how she has worked with her clients and others about dealing with adversities to remain calm and strong to get to the other side. Her compelling stories are sure to inspire and uplift you to live your best dream as an authentic leader.
Imagine How the World Can Come Together by Leading with One’s Soul
April 30, 2020 04:00 - 30 minutes - 45.7 MBFounder and President of Cloz Talk, Jonny Imerman, talks to us about his life challenges and how he turned situations around to impact others through his passion, love, and endurance to help those dealing with cancer. His extraordinary story leads him to a very successful nonprofit and a business that produces shirts for nonprofits along with free marketing for charitable organizations. He has done so many wonderful charitable acts of kindness that it’s evident Jonny leads from his soul.
Leading with Your Soul and Creating your Dream Come True
April 13, 2020 13:57 - 27 minutes - 40.8 MBDr. Eileen and Dr. Alicia talk to Dr. Theri Raby founder of the Raby Institute for Integrative Medicine at Northwestern. Dr. Theri Raby is an educator, mentor, and visionary for integrative medical practices in both Chicago and nationwide. Her passion for leading an effective medical practice made her dream come true through dedication, leadership, challenges and leading her team to New Mexico to learn about her background to better understand how to work with Dr. Raby.
Sharing a personal diversity and inclusion belief as a leader on how it drives value for your team and organization.
March 30, 2020 16:00 - 22 minutes - 34.3 MBLeading with diversity and inclusion is a priority as a leader. Kahlil Hogan explains how he believes in diversity and inclusion by creating an environment where employees can thrive and grow. As the Principal/Director of Operations, he values input from staff to give them a sense of security and value. The workforce is changing and people are definitely looking more at diversity and inclusion in the workforce.
One Person, One story, When Shared, has the Power to Change the World
March 15, 2020 16:00 - 29 minutes - 43.4 MBTyler Eichorst shares his story and love for sharing stories from individuals and organizations all over the world. The goal is to show the world that people are amazing in their own right while dealing with difficulties sometimes very hard life-changing issues like death, cancer, loss, etc. He listens to everyone and lets people tell their own story. He is always ready to get the raw truth and authenticity of people to be their best selves in times of difficult situations.
Leading from your Extraordinary Best
February 15, 2020 17:00 - 37 minutes - 54.5 MBDesmond Clark is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and former NFL player. A scout once told Desmond to “forget about everybody else, how good do you want to be?” and this mantra helped propel him into a successful career and valuable leader. Desmond opens up about his commitment to getting back in touch with his spiritual side and the five F’s that help him lead from his extraordinary best. Desmond also gives us a sneak peek on his upcoming book titled, “Principles of Winnin...
Creating Success Out of Failure featuring guest speaker, Raquel Pittman
February 08, 2020 00:23 - 27 minutes - 41.1 MBCreating success out of failure and understanding that leadership is all about growth.
Introduction Trailer on Dr. Eileen Timmins and Dr. Alicia M. Straughter
January 28, 2020 13:04 - 9 minutes - 16.7 MBDr. Eileen Timmins and Dr. Alicia M. Straughter have been friends as well as business partners for the last 20 years. They both have extensive backgrounds leading nonprofit organizations. Eileen has served as a global human resources officer in many different types of organizations, while Alicia has been a leader for the inner-city youth of Chicago and throughout the United States, through a program called Athletes Against Drugs (AAD). Recognizing the gap in leadership, as well as the challe...