Listen to this short interview with Steve as he shares his journey. It is a powerful reminder to us all on the importance of traveling through hard times with intention and a determination to keep going.

Steve Cook is a leader who understands change. Coming from a family who legally immigrated to the USA, he has faced many changes and challenges in his career. Yet, he has chosen to learn and grow through the journey and now leads a large Aerospace organization with a global footprint. What he learned as a child helped to form him into the man he is today.

She is dynamic, authentic, brilliant and it’s a lot of fun to talk with her. She has a passion for women in leadership but even more for leadership in general.

Meet Kevin McNulty. H

Meet Kevin McNulty. He is a leader who understands struggle, hard work and overcoming obstacles in his life. Fighting through a disability he became a leader who served our country in the military for over 20 years. His down to earth demeanor and common-sense approach to life is truly intriguing.

Dr. Yvette Rice has walked the kind of tough times that I will never fully understand. Her life’s journey gives her the right to comment and lead in unique ways. She has experiences that have molded her into the powerful leader that she is today.

I gained a new friend recently who knows what’s it’s like to navigate hard things with perseverance. He is an entrepreneur, and his success has not been handed to him nor did he just “get lucky” and fall into it. He leads with humility, wisdom and strength. He believes that good choices yield positive outcomes.

Trust. It is incredibly important and it can be illusive in our relationships. There are times when our actions dilute trust. There are times when our actions build trust. Many times, we weaken or lose trust and we don’t even realize it. The ability to create trusting relationships doesn’t happen by accident, it takes work.

John Bentley knows what it is like to walk through hard times. He also understands hard work. John’s perspective on life and leadership is contagious and encouraging. Take a few minutes to listen or watch my interview with this insightful and seasoned leader. His story will leave you inspired and thankful for those like John who lead with their head and their heart.

Meet Arlin Sorenson. His life began as a farm boy growing up in Iowa and transformed into an influencer of leaders. He is a serial entrepreneur and he is incredibly successful. His success is found not just in his financial portfolio but in his scope of influence.  Arlin knows how to fail and how to learn from those failures. His down to earth demeanor and direct honest approach is a recipe that elicits trust from those he leads.

Arlin has travelled extensively across this country and the world. He is sought after for his wisdom in leadership and entrepreneurship. My conversation with Arlin is full of useful practical advice and common sense for anyone in business, and I think you’ll enjoy listening in.

Terri Collins is a member of the Alabama legislature representing my home city of Decatur. She is also one of my dearest friends, and she has continued to persevere and fight for her values and to make life better for the people that she represents, despite immense personal challenges and tragedies. Terri is an eternal optimist, that rare breed of person who can take all of the pain that life throws at them and handle it with strength, positivity, determination, and laughter. She refuses to give up. This characteristic makes her not only a wonderful friend, but also an effective public servant.

If you don’t know Terri, I hope you’ll listen to her story, and let her optimism, strength, and conviction inspire you to follow her example in making a difference in the lives of others.

Dr. Tyler Fuqua is incredibly gifted in many areas. His IQ is off the chart. He is an athlete. He is a professor and a medical doctor. He has every reason to be arrogant and filled with pride. But he is not. Instead, he has an incredible passion for helping others.

Tyler cares so much for others that he started an organization aimed at providing care for young street children from Peru. He travels there consistently to offer love and support for the Peruvian people. But this is just the beginning of the story.

If you want to be moved, check out my conversation with Tyler where he shares his passion and authentic love for the children and families of Peru. Listen to his emotions and his sincere desire to never let them be forgotten.

I recently got to spend time with Rick Burgess, the cohost of the “Rick and Bubba Show”. The show began in 1994, and has grown into a nationally syndicated radio show that airs to 1.2 million people weekly.

There are thinkers and there are doers. There are those who love to pontificate and theorize and dream. There are others who dive head-first into taking action, often before they ever stop to think about why - they just love to be busy. Both types can lead to frustration and inefficiency.

Rarely do you come across those who have the ability to think deeply and act strongly. Meet Don Golden.

Meet Dr. Mat Park. Mat is a coach and trainer of employees at NASA, and I am always appreciative of his ability to create “aha” moments for me. Mat is a leader in the business world as well as on the golf course, and he shared with us some of his struggles and wins on and off the course.

During our conversation, Mat shared his candid perspective on what it’s like to be an Asian American in today’s culture. He also shared bits of wisdom like, “Get curious, not furious,” and “things are more caught than taught.” This is an interview that will not only give you give you valuable leadership nuggets, but it will also increase your awareness and, I hope, your understanding of the AAPI community in our country.

Brian Cook is the President and CEO of Cook’s Pest Control, and he continues to follow in his family’s legacy of caring about people. He doesn’t just say he cares, he shows it. At the age of 37 he not only leads a large national corporation that employs well over a thousand team members, he has also worked tirelessly to promote the welfare of Peruvian children who are vulnerable and in need through the non-profit Not Forgotten.

I want you to listen to the intentionality in Brian’s voice. Selfless leaders like Brian are rare. Take a few minutes to listen to the latest edition of our Crossing the Line podcast. This episode is a perfect example of what it means to lead with your head and your heart.

As the prison door closed, Kenya Congress found herself alone in her cell and realized that while so many of her choices had been taken away, her decision about how she would spend her time in prison was still hers. Kenya will tell you that was the moment that changed her life. She will tell you that she used her time in prison to literally change the direction of her life. Her life continued to be difficult. There was no magic dust that rescued her from her choices or from her environment. But she chose to fight for herself and she persevered.